ã€ŠChrysalisã€‹


 Chapter 1 The bleary days preceding the panic (114)

    1 The bleary days preceding the panic (114)

    After several hours of weary defence Tiny awakes, his wounds mostly healed and the fire in his eyes rekindled. So exhausted I can barely form the thoughts I tell him to defend the entrance until I wake up and retreat further into the tunnel where I copse t on my face.

    Torpores over me like a warm embrace. Like a thick nket.

    Without closing my eyes, my thoughts grow slower until they shift and sink like msses until they barely move at all. This is the rest of ant-kind!

    When I awake several hourster I feel much refreshed. The heavy exhaustion that had smothered me before has mostly been lifted and the rest,bined with my feeding has closed over almost all of wounds, almost restoring my hp to full.

    I get another pleasant surprise when I awaken in the form of a dark coloured gem, the core of the Jellymaw I defeated. The colony must have fished it out of the remaining Biomass and left it here for me to deal with as I was one who defeated it.

    How thoughtful! Truly the workers are the best of siblings!

    I''m tempted to absorb the core immediately but in the end I hesitate and decide to deal with itter. Instead I bury it in the wall alongside the other cores I had brought to the escape tunnel.

    As quickly as I can I hustle back to the front lines.

    Tiny is cheerfully standing as part of the wall of defenders, workers crawling over him. The poor ape is covered in wounds once again, clearly demonstrating that the wave has not let up at all whilst I was sleeping.

    Indeed, the room before us is still filled with monsters battling furiously!

    [Got enough energy for one more offensive?] I ask my apepanion?

    Tiny turns quickly to eyeball me and nods, a big smile breaking out on his face.

    Of course he does, he likes fighting almost as much as he likes food!

    With Tiny helping I once more activate the Gravity Domain and we work together to clean the room once more. When that task is done I lead the workers out to collect as much of the Biomass as we can, once again securing the food supply for the colony. Under my instructions, Tiny drags a chunk of food inside the tunnel and stuffs his face before falling asleep, resting whilst I take my turn to defend.

    Just like this we begin our long watch. Every few hours we would swap and rest whilst the other took their turn standing against the endless spawns of monsters. On my second watch I took the initiative to push out as much excess dirt as possible whenever there was a break in the fighting, mustering the workforce to move back up the tunnel whilst I protected the entrance, collect the dirt that had been shifted by the Queen and her dig team at the other end before transporting it out to the Queens chamber and piling it up, partially covering the entrance.

    In this way we were able to close over at least part of the tunnel entrance and at the same time make a little more room in the escape tunnel.

    I didn''t want to close the entrance overpletely, the monsters in spawning from the Dungeon were a threat to us but at the same time our only source of food. Whenever I awoke from my rest my Gravitational Energy nd would be charged enough that I could maintain the Gravity Domain until almost every monster in the chamber was killed, providing the colony, Tiny and myself the sustenance we needed in order to keep heal and fight.

    There was a cost though. Despite my best efforts, despite Tiny exhausting his strength to the limit every time he woke up, we weren''t able to protect every worker on the front lines. Sometimes a strong monster would spawn in the chamber,shing out with mana or ws before I could react, or monsters fighting would lose their sense of direction and battle their way directly into the midst of the ants. Those monsters would always be quickly subdued but sometimes an unlucky worker or two would get sliced before we could save them.Thee sourc?? of this content n/o/v(??l)bi((n))

    Those losses hurt. I didn''t look at these workers as tools or monsters that were different from myself. They had their own childlike intelligence and I epted them as members of my family, I wanted to save them all if I could. We had grown quite tough at the frontline, a number of my brethren had sessfully evolved from hatchlings to workers as time passed. When I was attempting to scout with my mana sensing I was able to discover that some of the mature workers had in fact condensed a core! A milestone well worthy of celebration!

    The seemingly endless grind was giving benefits to some members of the colony even as it wore away at our nerves.

    After four cycles of resting and fighting the first major shift urred.

    Luckily is was me on duty when it happened. Towards the end of my watch, tired and battered from the constant fighting I had almost not noticed the signs. I was so used to staring at the fighting directly in front of me, sensing for heat sourcesing from the walls or from the tunnel above us that I had almost forgotten about what had worried me the most at first.

    The tunnel below.

    Mostly blocked off in the first hours of digging the escape tunnel the passage leading down into the Dungeon had never been explored my me, too nervous about what I might run into down there. I had grown ustomed to not really worrying about what was happening down there so much that when the sound of fighting from beneath me changed suddenly I didn''t know what to make of it.

    At first it was just a faint scraping sound mixed in with all the rest of the noise, I''d hardly registered it at first. My mind, weary from the hours of vignce and fighting only made a mental note of it before focusing on more immediate threats.

    It only grew louder with time.

    Eventually the scraping was bing more and more clear, a consistent backdrop to the more insistent sounds ringing out in front me. Then the sounds echoing from the chambers below changed, the ringing sounds ofbat reced by harsh shrieking of crazed monsters and a rather ominous chewing.

    It takes a little while for my tired brain to click as to what exactly that means.

    The monster from below are rising up!

    The second shock strikes me at exactly the same time. From my peripheral vision a twinkling light strikes at just the wrong angle catching my attention just as I''m worried about the noise from below.

    What I see makes my blood run cold.

    The veins of mana that are energy source of this Dungeon are starting to grow into the escape tunnel! As I stare at these new veins my worry only growsrger.

    Not only have the veins started growing, they are extending so quickly I can actually see them move! It''s slow for sure, but actually visible!

    Not good¡­.

    HEADS UP!

    If you are a new reader picking this up for the first time, then you should know that this chapter is not, in fact, chapter 1, but chapter 114.

    The first chapters have been bundled up and shipped off to amazon to form book one and therefore are being removed from the webz.

    For the time being, you can still find them over at royal road (until June), or if you join my pat reon for $1 you can get the whole novel up to chapter 900+ in epub (also until June).

    RinoZ

 Chapter 2 Retreat from danger

    <h4>Chapter 2 Retreat from danger </h4>

    This stupid wave! Just how threatening does it have to get? I''m already a wrecked heap. A heap I say!

    Now the veins are extending into the escape tunnel, which will surely cause monsters to spawn right under our feet!

    An addition we have to deal with these unknown threats from below? It''s enough to drive an ant crazy!

    Ok.. Think Anthony, what are you going to do?

    Stay and fight? Against what!? We have no idea what sort of horror is going to ascend up that tunnel, eager to eviscerate our most sensitive zones? There is absolutely no way we stay here and battle it out against whatever ising up. One of the first things I learned about in this Dungeon is not to pick a fight you aren''t sure you can win.

    Run?

    Run where? The tunnel isn''tplete! All we can do is run up towards a dead end! They don''t call ''em life ends for a reason!

    Only one choice remains! Hide!

    "Quick! We need to cover up the entrance and seal this tunnel!" I shout to the workers around me,

    The workers respond to my call to action rapidly, as they usually do. This is a family that can be relied on in a pinch!

    A hundred workers leap into action, hauling dirt up to close off the remaining open section of the tunnel entrance, quickly shovelling dirt with their mandibles.

    From beneath us the sounds of bloodcurdling screams and the wild gnashing of teeth, grinding away at the bones of still living foes echo endlessly, certainly providing ample motivation to my own digging efforts.

    What the heck is going on down there? Actually, I''m not confident that I really want to know.

    It sounds like the monsters down there are experiencing a kind of existential terror that I wasn''t sure the beasts I''d seen had a capacity to express.

    I''ve always had a urge to investigate, to explore the deeperyers below just to know, just to see what it was like down there, what sort of creatures inhabited that space.

    The ghastly sounds echoing from below have somewhat cured me of that feeling, I have to say. To the surface my fellow ants (and Tiny), maybe find a mountain to climb when we get up there!

    As we pile the dirt high I can see the gradual progress of the mana veins slowly extending their baleful reach further into the escape tunnel. The speed is still slow, perhaps only as much as thirty centimetres an hour, but just seeing them visibly growing is unsettling to me.

    Is the mana concentration still growing?! Is that why they are moving in this way? There is still too much that I don''t understand!

    Don''t think about it! Just dig!

    I repeatedly urge the workers to move faster as the dirt flies, ants crawling all over each other in their eagerness toplete the task they''ve been given.

    As the horrific noises from below continue to grow louder we quickly seal off the escape tunnel, plunging ourselves into near darkness.

    I''m still not satisfied though. The muffles noises and vibrations that pass through the loosely packed soil are enough motivation for me to continue stacking dirt against the entrance. I want to get some width between me and that room!

    "Keep stacking that dirt, fellow workers! Start bringing it from the other end of the tunnel!"

    I continue to exhort my fellow workers to keep piling dirt against the entrance, trying to put an amount of earth between us and the horrors that will soon enter that chamber that I''ll feelfortable we are safe.

    After ten minutes of constant hauling the sounds of monstrousbat have receded and we''ve managed to pack the dirt far enough back that even the gradually extending tendrils of the mana veins on the wall have been covered over. Any monsters that spawn in those walls will w themselves out only to find they are still encased in dirt!

    If they manage to actually dig themselves out into the tunnel they''ll be easy pickings for the watchful ants.

    The colony has entered a strange state now,pletely sealed within a dirt cylinder. As the rest of the Dungeon is plunged into blood and madness these ants and I exist in a separate, sealed container.

    The worries I have are air and food. I''m not exactly sure how much air monstrous ants require in this world, monster live up to 10000 km under the surface here after all.

    Food on the other hand. The colony has a voracious appetite, the need for sustenance is constant. Without being able to charge out and secure Biomass every few hours we will eventually starve to death.

    Exactly how long will Tinyst without food?

    I''ll leave him asleep for now, if I can put off letting him know then I will¡­

    After a period of time helping the digging, with the sounds rippling out from the Queen''s chamber growing more and more muted until barely the slightest of vibrations can be felt I decide to head to the front of the tunnel to check on our progress.

    The Queen and her dedicated cohort of workers have been furiously ripping into the soil and rock the entire time Tiny and I have been upied with the defence. A lot of progress has been made! ording to my tunnel map, which has reached level two, the tunnel still has a long way to go before we reach the surface.

    At the front lines the Queen is still diligently digging, her massive mandibles ripping huge chunks out of the solid ground in front of her as she cheerfully encourages the workers around her to put forth their efforts.

    The smaller workers at this end of the tunnel are still vibrating with enthusiasm, fawning over their mother and, vigorously transporting the loose soil further back in the tunnel.

    Have they taken a break up here at all?

    The escape tunnel has now be like a moving pocket of air within the solid ground, the dirt removed from the front is transported to the back andpressed as best as possible.

    Quite an odd situation to say the least.

    Taking my ce next to the Queen once more I begin to furiously attack the soil, sending a blizzard of loose earth flying to shower the ants behind me who gather it up enthusiastically before carrying it away.

    Despite no longer having to fight monsters I feel like the pressure of the wave has increased rather than decreased. The expansion of the mana veins and the movement of monsters from below has rattled me.

    Firstly, the monsters from below. Why are they moving? It stands to reason that only reason they are rising up is because they have been disced by even stronger monsters from beneath them. Is there a possibility this upwards migration would continue until those more powerful creatures rise to this level? Would even the surface be safe if that were to happen?!

    Secondly the speed at which the mana veins are moving. I can only think this is caused by the mana at this level growing in intensity. If that intensity continues to grow during the wave then what exactly are conditions going to be like after a week?!

    I estimate the wave has only been underway for a day and a bit at this point¡­.

    There is still a long way to go.

    Casting aside my worries I begin to activate my mana sensing skill periodically as we dig. The best chance of finding food is for us to pass by another tunnel and dig towards it, performing a raid on the monsters there in order to secure Biomass for the colony.

    We have moved far past my previous Dungeon exploration and my Tunnel map ispletely nk in this area of the Dungeon, the escape tunnel appears as a clean line pushing into unknown territory when I view the map in my mind.

    The best chance of finding a tunnel is if I can detect the core of a powerful monster or perhaps sense the mana flooding through the mana veins, then we can dig towards it.

    I just hope it doesn''t take too long.

 Chapter 3 Body of Iron, Heart of Flame

    <h4>Chapter 3 Body of Iron, Heart of me </h4>

    Donnn was exhausted. The young fire mage has been repeatedly rung dry over thest twenty four hours, expelling every ounce of mental effort until his mind felt as if were on fire and blood had started leaking out of eyes.

    Blood! Right out of his eyes!

    When he''d turned to the centurion in charge of his section to indicate the distress he was in, all he got was a cold snort of contempt and five minutes rest. He''d spent his five minutes with his head in a bucket of ice water in the med tent before climbing back up the wall to finish thest thirty minutes of his shift.

    This was the first time Donnn had been involved in defending a wave, so he wasn''t sure if what he''d seen was normal or not, but what he had witnessed in thest day had shaken his impression of the Dungeon forever.

    He knew the Legion was strict, really strict, on the management of the Dungeon. The mercenaries had a nickname for the Legion''s rules in the Dungeon, they called them the ''Stonew'', unbreakable and crushing like a mountain.

    Donnn had felt some sympathy for their view in the past. The Dungeon was dangerous to be sure but it wasn''t that bad, idiots got themselves killed exploring down here sure, but idiots could kill themselves shaving, was there really such a need to regte them?

    The mage didn''t feel that way now. When the light returned the Legion had been in full force on the wall of their temporary fort, officers striding up and down like angry demons, checking equipment and snapping angry hand signals to any Legionary found wanting in their preparations.

    When the monster started bursting out of the soil, tearing out of walls and even dropping down from the roof Donnn was sure he was seeing a vision of hell. Brutalbat erupted everywhere in an instant, the stench of blood and the shrieks of monster flooded his senses until he wanted to puke. Several trainees had, thrown up right over the edge of the wall. The centurions turned a blind eye to reaction of their younger soldiers, some of them had been in the exact same position once.

    The endless waves of monsters crashed into each other like a roaring sea before converging on the fort in fury. None of the Legionaries could exin it but once the monsters drew close enough to the fort they seemed attracted to it irresistibly, suicidally charging in an attempt to scale the walls or burst their way through.

    It hadn''t taken long for the fort to be surrounded by so many monsters it looked like an ind under assault by the endless tides.

    The only reason the monsters didn''t spawn directly under their feet was due to the deployment of an ancient Legion artefact that suppressed monster spawning in an area in the center of the camp. This was another of the Legion secrets Donnn had been exposed to over the course of this expedition, he wasn''t sure how much more they could possibly hide up their sleeves.

    It was shocking to him that he could be a trainee alongside these people for five years and not a whisper of any secrets had ever reached his ears, nothing!

    "How are you holding up Don?" an exhausted voice reached him.

    Donnn looked up to see Mirryn, face covered in dust and dried ichor approaching his position in the rest area before she slumped down against a tent post, seemingly devoid of energy.

    Mirryn had been working just as hard as he had, pushing her archery skills to the extreme in order to damage long range monsters as well as plugging any gaps when the beasts managed to climb the walls and threaten the mages.

    In the background the roar of monsters and regr explosions rocked the fort as mages continued to bombard the beasts with every ounce of magic they could grasp. Donnn had never felt mana so thick in his life, every mage felt as if their spells were super charged in these conditions, their fire hotter, stormsrger and ice colder than ever before.

    The same was also true for the monsters of course. Hence all the noise.

    The constant din was starting to get into a few Trainees heads. Donnn had seen another archer, nice guy, they called him ''Fingers'' due to his extremely dextrous digits he deployed in his archery, after about 14 hours of the wave he''d copsed in a quivering mess, screaming for the noise to stop, right in the middle of the rest area.

    Two medics and knocked him straight out with a rune, tumbled him into a bed where he''d been ever since.

    It was almost enough to cause Donnn to wonder if he should start shrieking himself, maybe then he''d get some sleep!

    "I''ve never been better Mir" Donnn drawled, "I''m practically on vacation".

    Mirryn chuckled, her eyes shut and head leaning back against the post. "I heard about the eye thing. Really only five minutes?"

    "Really" Donnn affirmed.

    His friend could only shake her head in disbelief, too spent for any more expression than that.

    After a pause she spoke again. "I may have some good news for you though".

    "Oh?"

    "Apparently the trainees are going to be given a twenty four hour break before our next shift on the wall".

    Donnn was so shocked he sat up too quickly, causing a cramp in his leg.

    "Ouch!" he wailed.

    It took a few minutes to straighten out his leg and stretch it until the pain faded, during which Mirryn continuously chuckled painfully.

    "How are they giving us a rest? Don''t they need us up there? I don''t see any sign of the fighting dying down¡­" Donnn muttered doubtingly.

    Mirryn snorted, "If anything it''s getting worse! You know that as well as I do. I have no idea what the brass are nning but I was passed this news by the Tribune ten minutes ago. I swear it!"

    The young fire mage could only shake his head. How were they going to hold the defences if so many soldiers took a break?

    In the center of the camp the senior officers had gathered together, hundreds of years of collective Dungeon experience amassed in one ce.

    Despite the horrific din that battered the eardrums of everyone inside the camp the officers were unruffled, stroking their beads or thumbing their chins as they exchanged grumbling words about the state of the young soldiers these days.

    There is a stirring amongst them and they turn towards their left as a unit, conversation falling away. Momentster Titus emerged from with hismand tent, dark tes of armour strapped to his aging yet still bulky frame.

    As he approached his old friends andrades Titus smiled freely, pping them on their shoulder, sharing augh and a warm nod with each of them. Despite the howling battle urring not one hundred metres away themander appeared more rxed than he had in some time.

    Quite a few of his officers noticed the change.

    "Almost feels like home now doesn''t itmander?" grinned a grizzled centurion.

    Titus looked at the dazzlingly shining forest and drew the air deep into his lungs, drawing the rich mana into his system.

    "Almost Margnus, about another 10% and it''ll be just about there."

    The others simrly breathed deeply before nodding in agreement. Not just themander but the rest of these veterans were simrly looking more refreshed and moving more easily than they had in years.

    Margnus nced back at the tent Titus had emerged from before he spoke, "Any luck waking her upmander? I''d love to see her in action again after all this time."

    Titus just shook his head. "It''s going to take a lot more than 10% to get that old battle axe going, you know that" Titusughed, "still, I think if we can shake out our old bones then the rest of the soldiers should be able to rest easy for a day, what do you say fellows?"

    The men and women who made up the officers of the Legion Liria branch surface headquartersughed and hefted their weapons, before moving towards the walls. Only Titus and Aurillia remained behind.

    "How much longer until they start to show up,mander? Will the trainees be ready?" the Tribune asked, worry in her tone.

    Titus only smiled. "Those old dogs will have starting rising up a few hours ago, the pressure in the second strata will be hitting its peak pretty soon. It won''t be long until those monsters start to push up here. We''ll give as many soldiers a rest as we can for now and then we''ll really test their mettle."

    The Tribune nodded. "Body of Iron".

    "Heart of me".

 Chapter 4 Raid

    <h4>Chapter 4 Raid </h4>

    I''m so damn hungry!

    As I human I never would have expected that digging would be so tiring. Although, unlike when I was a human I''ve been able to move a hell of a lot more dirt. With my excavation skill targeting my instincts and my mandibles acting as a movable super shovel, I can really smash out some tunnel space.

    All the work is really putting a strain on my empty stomach. When Tiny awoke I had him collect my monster cores and then put him to workpacting the dirt at the rear of the tunnel, despite having eaten rtively recently my ape buddy is also starving.

    I can only imagine how the Queen is feeling. She appears to be fine, cheerfully chomping away at the earth and encouraging the workforce with her seemingly endless positivity.

    My mind isn''tpletely focused on the digging I have to admit. As often as I can I activate the mana sensing skill, desperately searching for some sign of a source of food! On the positive side my constant scanning and digging has raised my skills, mana sensing by two levels and excavation by one, on the negative I''m yet to find anything.

    In my tunnel map the escape tunnel continues to spear upwards and outwards into empty space. I am somewhat worried about where exactly we will surface, the best I can say is that it will be several kilometres away from the guarded entrance I ran into at the very least.

    As I grow more and more depressed with the failure to locate anything I finally get a response.

    Atst! A bite on the line!

    As the skill level has risen the range I can detect mana sessfully has likewise increased, which is lucky since I doubt I would''ve been able to reach this response otherwise. Very faintly on the edge of my awareness I can barely sense the ripples of mana. Strong or weak I can''t tell at this stage, the only way to get a more urate reading would be to get closer.

    It''s been a number of hours since thest time the colony had ess to any sort of food, not to mention, if I pass up this reading there is no guarantee another one wille in range of my mana sensing before we reach the surface, the entire colony could starve to death by then!

    I won''t risk it. The tunnel needs to be diverted. I turn to the Queen.

    "I''ve found a source of food!" I say, "We have to divert the tunnel slightly in order to reach it."

    The Queen pauses in her digging to turn her face towards me, I take it as I sign of politeness since, as an ant she doesn''t need to turn her face to see me pound eyes) nor to speak to me (pheromonemunication).

    "Do you know what you have found, child?" she asks.

    I can only be honest here. "I have absolutely no clue, but we may all starve to death in a few days if we aren''t able to secure some food soon. If we pass up this chance we might not get another".

    The Queen ponders this for a moment before waggling her antennae in agreement. "You speak sensibly child, tell me where to dig".

    After a little prodding with my antennae and trying to feel out the ground with my excavation skill I adjust the angle of the tunnel and start to curve the tunnel towards the mana source I''d detected.

    If we regrly the direction of the tunnel as we approach we should be able to arrive above the source and then I can dig a small distance down towards it, allowing myself and Tiny to infiltrate without having to risk the workers unnecessarily.

    The reading I just was only just able to sense is roughly two hundred metres away. Tunnelling through two hundred metres of solid earth and rock is not a casual endeavour by any means, even for a colony on monstrous earth moving machines like us.

    All in all it takes us around five hours of digging to advance the tunnel towards the mana source. I continue to sink my consciousness down into my core and reach out with my senses to detect the ripples echoing outwards.

    As we drew closer the form of the mana I had detected bes more clear and it isn''t long before I know just what it is that we have found, a tunnel, and a fairly narrow one at that. Joy blooms within my ant thorax when I confirm the shape of the source. This is perfect! A tunnel, covered in mana veins is sure to be packed with monsters, aka lunch, and due to the narrow width of this tunnel the size of said monsters should be fairly manageable.

    After repeatedly sweeping the tunnel I can detect only a few small cores moving about before they shift out of my range. The best possible result. We may be able to harvest a few cores whilst we are at it!

    When the tunnel has been dug to the correct position, I tell the Queen the correct angle to get the tunnel back on track and start digging a short passage of my own in order to push my way down towards my meal, I mean the tunnel¡­

    [Tiny! Come up here and get ready to eat!]

    I swear it takes less than ten seconds for Tiny to get from one end of the tunnel to other, drool running down his bat face as he gently pushes his way through the workers towards where I''m digging.

    ¡­.

    I shouldn''t have called him over. This ape is way too excited. The burning hunger in his eyes feels hot enough to burn all life in this tunnel to ashes. I''ve invited to fight and eat, I should have known this was going to happen!

    It takes me ten minutes to dig my way down to the prey cave and the entire time Tiny is hopping from one foot to another and ripping away at the side of my tunnel in order to widen it out enough for him to fit morefortably.

    Suddenly the soil gives way from in front of me and the thick scent of monster assaults my senses.

    [Tiny! Time to eat buddy!]

 Chapter 5 The furious Tiny, the delectable feast!

    <h4>Chapter 5 The furious Tiny, the delectable feast! </h4>

    Before I''ve even finished speaking Tiny releases a ravenous howl and dives directly into the vertical tunnel, right on top of me!

    My n had been to drop into the roof of this tunnel and scope it out a bit before taking any action. Instead I get pushed down the tunnel by a sheer weight of ape mass that propels us out of the tunnel and sends us smashing into the ground directly between to battling monsters.

    THUMP!

    ¡­.

    Get off me Tiny you stupid ape!

    Wait a sec. Er.

    [Get off me Tiny you ape!]

    He isn''t listening. Eyes alive with hunger, for food and battle, Tiny leaps up, nting one foot squarely in my back, before diving headfirst into the nearest monster with his fists swinging and electricity zapping in every direction.

    He ttened me. I''ve even taken damage dammit!

    Turns out having a giant apend on your back is less than pleasant.

    Groaning internally I pick myself up and try to switch my mentality back to battle mode after the rather rude shock I experienced. Once I get my feet under my I try to grasp hold of the situation as quickly as I can.

    What are we up against?

    The tunnel itself is quite narrow and absolutely zing with light, the mana veins snaking through every surface of the walls. Monsters are battling each other up and down the space, even as new monsters are pushing their way out of the walls were they have been spawned.

    Havoc! Chaos!

    Except they are all low level monsters!

    Looking around all I can see are the sorts of enemies I''d seen when I first entered the Dungeon. Slugs, centipedes, wolves, the asional Croca-Beast and Thorn lizards. All of the weakest foes. I was able to fight against this stuff before I''d even formed a core!

    I have evolved twice since then, I am so much stronger than I was before! These monsters are simply no match for me anymore! In fact, most of them look very different now, seeing as I''ve grown significantly taller and longer than I had before. The Dragon-Wolf hounds can''t even look down on my any more. Ha!

    Prepare to feel my wrath!

    Muahahaha!

    Filled with glee I charge towards the nearest Coral-Slug open my mandibles wide and snap them closed.

    Shattering bite!

    Without any resistance the ethereal jaws of light snap cleanly through the slug. Your goop can''t save you now!

    [You have in a level 3 Coral Slug]

    [You have gained experience]

    Who''s next?!

    What follows in an extremely cathartic battle. With my much higher stats, body advancements and improved skills these weaker, unevolved and base level monsters are simply no match, practically everything is destroyed with one bite!

    I remember when I was afraid of you, take this!

    [You have in ¡­]

    You want to spit your horrible acid on me now? I can barely feel it! Muahahaha!

    [You have in ¡­]

    Oh you want to p me around with your tail? How about I bite it off?

    [You have in ¡­]

    All the frustration that I amassed in those early days in the upper tunnels of the Dungeon is poured out on these monsters without remorse. Yes, you horrible little beasts. Be my stress relief!

    As much as I enjoy the ensuing battle, Tiny doesn''t. The monsters are too weak to satisfy his lust forbat, every single one them crumbles after one impact of his colossal fist. After smashing everything in front of him the poor fellow starts to look somewhat despondent. He continues to battle and y his way down the tunnel but he doesn''t have quite the same verve as he did before.

    He just can''t seem to muster any enthusiasm unless there is a very real sense of danger.

    You some sort of masochist Tiny? Can''t enjoy yourself unless you are getting beat up?

    You need help man.

    Soon a decent section of the tunnel has beenpletely smashed clean by the two of us as we rampage until no monster is prepared to challenge us. Standing amidst the remains of our victims I am aglow with satisfaction having sessfully released some of my inner demons and stress whilst Tiny can only look disappointed.

    [Cheer up Tiny! Time to eat!] I tell him.

    No sooner are the words out of my mouth than a wide grin ys over that bat face and he immediately starts grabbing hold of Biomass and shoving it into his face. I''m just as hungry as he is at this point so I join in with gusto, ripping into my food with all the strength my ant mouth can muster.

    Biomass still tastes disgusting, don''t think otherwise, but you can get used to anything after a while, even cramming your face with raw monster body parts.

    It''s disappointing in a way that the monsters here were such a low level, despite killing twenty or so creatures I wasn''t able to level up at all, and I highly doubt I''ll be able to gain much Biomass, even if I were to consume all of these creatures.

    I do manage toe across three small monster cores though! I put these aside to add to my collection for experimentation. It will be some time before I can evolve so there is no need to rush and soak up every core I find, I''d rather use them to advance my skills first, I still feel that the core engineering skill has a lot of potential.

    Nheless, Tiny and I continue to eat until our stomachs are fit to bursting, only then do we somewhat sheepishly realise that we were supposed to be securing food for the entire colony, not just ourselves.

    ¡­.

    Got a little distracted there.

    It isn''t a big deal though, if there is one thing that isn''t in short supply during the wave it is spawning monsters. Even whilst we were eating there were monsters spawning out of the walls that we had to destroy between mouthfuls.

    I drag myself down the corridor in order to hunt down some more prey and busy myself dragging it back towards the connection to the escape tunnel. After ten minutes I''ve amassed a small pile of Biomass and Tiny has done likewise after hunting in the other direction.

    I head back up the short connecting tunnel in order to summon some workers toe and collect the food. As I do so I notice that the mana vein are already beginning to grow up the connection and into the escape tunnel.

    Dammit.

    There was no way it wasn''t going to happen but it still worries me. Hopefully we will be able to continue digging and outpace the growth of these mana veins, I really don''t want to have monsters jumping out of the walls as we dig. The monsters would be quickly killed to be sure, but there is a small chance that a worker would be caught unaware, or that a monster would appear directly underneath thervae before anyone could stop it.

    Dozens of ants have already lost their lives in this wave and we''ve been very lucky!

    "I need some help to collect some food down here!" I announce to the workers after poking my head out of the small connecting tunnel.

    At the word ''food'', thirty workers immediately stop what there are doing and plunge themselves down the narrow tunnel, pushing me out of the way rudely in their rush to get at the Biomass!

    I end up losing my grip and falling once again, this timending squishily in a pile of monster parts.

    ¡­

    My dignity!

    As the ants crawl over me and start to carve up the Biomass I take a moment to rest. After fighting and then digging and then fighting some more, I really feel like a sleep!

 Chapter 6 Breaching the surface

    <h4>Chapter 6 Breaching the surface </h4>

    After breaking into the smaller tunnel to feast it has been two full days. Two days of nothing but digging and snatching the asional hour of shut eye.

    The colony was able to harvest quite a haul in Biomass from the hunt, bringing up piles of Biomass to feed the Queen, workers andrvae, providing much needed energy for thebours ahead.

    Before the colony dug far enough that our little capsule pocket passedpletely over it we managed to make a few raids down there, grabbing enough of a food store that it should be sufficient to feed us until we make it to the surface.

    The problem was the mana veins. After connecting our escape pocket to that smaller tunnel the mana veins grew and extended into our escape vessel so quickly we weren''t really able to do anything about it. After just a few hours they were spreading out beneath our feet and not long after that I could feel heat sources starting to appear.

    I did what I could and warned the ants, tried to get extra guards near thervae, many of whom had reached maturity after thest feed and begun to spin their cocoons, turning into pupae. Despite these preparations we still lose a few hatchling workers and a couple ofrva.

    Although painful there really wasn''t anything more we could have done, the colony had to be fed and without Biomass there was no way those grubs would have lived to reach maturity anyway.

    At least, that''s I say to console myself.

    The veins are growing even faster than they did before, so quickly that we can''t out dig them. It isn''t long before our entire escape tunnel is lit by the mana light and as we dig forward we just can''t seem to leave the things behind. Thankfully we must be high enough in the Dungeon that only weaker monsters are spawning.

    Our digging has been slowed considerably over thest two days byrge patches of rock that required the application of my infused mandibles to crunch our way through. Currently we have pushed through the second such patch and the going is much smoother, soft earth all the way.

    ording to my Tunnel map, which increased in level again to three, we shouldn''t be too far away from the surface. It''s hard to tell since I don''t know if the surface is t or not between the entrance I know of and the location we are digging towards. I mean, there is a slim chance we will dig up underneath a river or even the ocean, which would make me a little salty.

    Heh.

    I''m no digging expert but I''m hoping that if that were the case we would notice the soil getting progressively more damp as we continued to dig. There has been no sign of such a change so onward we go!

    I haven''t beenpletely idle as I dig. Using my sub-brain I''ve been continuing to practice my mana shaping skills, reaching the mighty level eight! Handling the mana into the various patters has be so much easier than when I started, which isn''t to say it still isn''t brutally challenging. Having had more practice constructing a few of the patterns though I''ve noticed that my proficiency has increased along with my familiarity.

    Which just goes to show that I should rely solely on the skill to improve myself. Actively practicing a certain pattern will make me better at using it, even if my level doesn''t necessarily increase.

    I also began to experiment more with external mana maniption. Damn that is hard! Mana inside my body is so much easier to handle than mana outside of it. Reaching out to grasp it with my mind feels like pulling my thoughts out of my own head and using them as a rope to pull in nearby energy.

    I manage to level the skill up once before I go back to my shaping practice. I feel thetter is simply much more profitable right now.

    Currently my status looks like this:

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 8 (core)

    Might: 41

    Toughness: 29

    Cunning: 32

    Will: 22

    HP: 50/50

    MP: 45/58

    Skills: Excavation Level 8; Improved Acid Shot Level 5; Advanced Grip Level 1; Shattering Bite Level 2; Advanced Stealth Level 5; Piercing Chomp Level 5; Tunnel Map Level 3; Mana Shaping level 8; Forceful Mana Level 4; External Mana Maniption Level 2; Mana Sensing Level 4; Core Engineer Level 2; Advanced Exo-Skeleton Defence level 3; Pet Communication Level 2;

    Mutations: Focused Eyes +5, Infrared Antennae +5, Restrictive Acid +5, Absorption Legs +5, Infused Mandibles +5, Diamond Carapace +5, Limb Regeneration nd +5, Pheromone Language nd +5, Deep Gravity Magic nd +5;

    Species: Mind Ant (Formica)

    Skill points: 4

    Biomass: 13

    A few small improvements to my skills after all of the digging and fighting that has taken ce. The gradual improvement of my mana skills is what has left me most pleased. Yapping at Tiny whenever I get bored has also helped improve my petmunication skill, which was an unexpected plus! I can hear him more clearly for a bit further away now.

    Ultimately though, I''m really hoping we hit the surface soon. I need a chance to take stock and n the next course of action for myself and for the colony. I can''t make any ns at all until I know what will greet us when we get up there.

    Hopefully we wind up in a nice empty forest of something, no civilisation for hours in any direction. Then we could hide and ride out the wave!

    I''ll keep my six sets of ws crossed!

    ording to the tunnel map we should be rtively close to the surface now, a little bit further and we could realistically expect to reach it any time. With such an important milestone approaching I decide to share it with the Queen, digging inexhaustibly beside me as always.

    "I think we should reach the surface soon! It''ll be nice to stop digging for a change."

    Without pausing in her work she agrees with me. "Yes, the family needs to rest. I hope no more children are lost as we dig".

    Even now she is still primarily worried about her children. I wonder if this is a learned personality of if the Dungeon creates every Queen ant this way?

    "Hopefully we won''t be attacked any more once we reach the surface and can take a breather" I suggest.

    "Do you know what the surface is?" I ask curiously.

    "No" she replies.

    "So how do you know that it will be good for us to go there?"

    "One of my children told me so" I can almost hearughter in her voice, as if suggesting that her children could be wrong or incorrect in anyway, or would mislead her, is simply not a situation that exists in her mind.

    And maybe it doesn''t. What sort of ant would lie?

    As I''m pondering that situation my mandibles scrape onto something. Dammit! More stone! I''m sick of carving through this stuff, my face hurts like fire already!

    Grumbling to myself slightly I start to channel mana into my infused mandibles in order to tear through the stone a bit easier. The Queen backs up slightly to give me more space at the front, when ites to tearing through the rock my mandibles outperform even hers a little bit, and to be honest I think she secretly enjoys a break, she is the only member of the colony to not have a moment of torpor since the wave broke.

    CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH.

    Working mechanically I open my mandibles before mming them closed and ripping into the stone, cutting away at it easily, causing shorn off pieces to crumble away, raining down on my face and bouncing off my carapace.

    It feel like these stones are giving way slightly? Perhaps they are a bit loose?

    They also seem quite regr for underground rocks¡­

    Ah well.

    CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CLATTER!

    After digging for a few more minutes the stones suddenly give way and fall around me, revealing an open space beyond.

    Is this!?

    Did we make it!?

    Excited I push my head forward, forcing it through the gap and pushing away the stones in order to get a better view.

    Where are we?!

    What greats my eyes is a touch surprising. Mypound vision ensuring I get aplete picture at once.

    We are inside what looks like a stone building with a high vaulted ceiling. On either side of me long wooden chairs are arranged in rows, all facing the same direction, a crowd of people has recoiled on either side, pressing each other against the walls and looking at my ant face in horror.

    All of this is shocking enough.

    Just that would have been terrible.

    But that isn''t what seizes my attention.

    Before me, at the front of the building, where all of the chairs are facing is a pulpit with a robed figure pointing at me with powerful emotion twisting his face, and behind that man is a statue.

    That statue.

    ¡­. Is¡­.. Is that?

    Sir Ian McKen?

    Gandalf?

 Chapter 7 Cultural exchange

    <h4>Chapter 7 Cultural exchange </h4>

    There are so many things wrong with this situation. In my peripheral vision I can see humans pointing fingers, whispering fearfully in response to my intrusion. At the dais to the front of the chamber the impressively robed figure recovers from his shock andunches into what sounds like a truly impassioned diatribe, full of furious gestures. The man is practically screaming in his fervour, spittle flying from his lips as he exhorts the crowd.

    The people are beginning to respond to him as well, turning to listen, the fear slowly dropping from their faces. Their expressions slowly changing from unease to a rapt attention and then to something I could say is religious ecstasy.

    Meanwhile, all I can think about is that stupid statue.

    How the heck did they get those features so perfect?!

    It isn''t even Ian McKen dressed up as Gandalf, as he did for the Lord of the Rings movies. It''s just Sir Ian, albeit with something of a beard. The statue depicts him standing, wizened eyes and lined face depicting both wisdom thates with age and the warmth of a kind soul. His arms are outstretched, one reaching forward in invitation and the other held wide, as if gesturing to the wider world.

    He is wearing robes, which clearly fits with the character, and upon the ropes there are hundreds of lines of text, carved so small and intricate that I can only imagine the effort that went into producing such a statue.

    That is so weird. I''m aware that other people from my world havee to this one as monsters, is it possible that some havee as humans also? Perhaps one of them also recognised the voice as that of Gandalf and decided to jokingly use his image to found some sort of religion?

    I mean, this is clearly a church of some kind, they even have the stained ss windows, through which I can see the faint rays of something I had barely experienced in this world, sunlight! The windows are incredible though, each depicting a different scene which I assume rtes to their faith.

    In one I can see miserable humans working and fighting. Next to that there is an image of Gandalf descending from above, words pouring from the cloth of his robe to fall upon a joyous popce. Next to that the window depicts dark creatures, monsters I presume, emerging from the ground where they are met in battle by powerful and sturdy looking humans, lines of text exploding from each battle like special effects.

    Actually, looking closely I can see that words have been stitched into the robes of the priest also, lines and lines of them in an impressive looking golden thread. I hadn''t noticed at first but as the light shifts over his robe the texts glitters prettily.

    They really go all out here in this church! Intricately carved statue, skilfully made stained ss, expensive robes and high vaulted ceiling. The full treatment!

    "What is wrong?" I hear the Queen ask.

    I must have been still for longer than I thought, causing the Queen to be concerned.

    "We''ve reached the surface, which is good news! We are surrounded by humans though, which I''m not sure is ideal?" I respond.

    The Queen thinks for a moment.

    "What is a human?" she asks.

    Err.

    "A living creature¡­ that isn''t a monster?" I hazard.

    "Hmmm" the Queen ponders.

    "Can we eat them?" she eventually asks.

    ¡­.

    .....

    Now that is a question. Regardless of whether or not I feelfortable eating people, something which I am really not sure I want to make a call on in this moment, would they even give Biomass, seeing as they aren''t monsters? Do they give experience for killing them?

    I wonder how much¡­

    No! Those are living breathing people Anthony! There are women and children in this crowd! Don''t think about them as juicy sacks of experience!

    Even if they think about you that way....

    Wait.

    Don''t pursue that thought.

    Shaking my head I try to focus on the humans whilst I formte a reply to the patient Queen.

    "I''m not sure if we can eat them or not. Wait down there with the family for a moment, I want to make sure we are safe".

    Hesitant to make anyrge movements I begin to slowly push myself further out of the hole I''ve dug into the floor.

    It just so happens my movement seems to correspond with the crescendo of the priest''s impassioned speech. The middle aged looking gentlemen has gonepletely red in the face and he seems to be struggling for breathe as he continues to raise his volume somewhat beyond what I imaged was normal human capacity.

    His face ispletely twisted with rapture as he raises his hands high to the heavens, apparently exhorting them for something.

    My antennae twitch nervously as I continue to slowly creep out of the hole, bringing my legs out one by one.

    My movement doesn''t gopletely without notice unfortunately and the priest once again fixes his burning gaze upon me. The crowd has bepletely captured by his zing rhetoric by this point. I really wish I could understand the wordsing out of his mouth, these people seem to be gripped by a potent religious ecstasy, as if the arrival of a monstrous ant from beneath the floor were the seconding of someone really important.

    I''m not sure I''m ready for that sort of pressure!

    As the priest once again begins to gesture at me the crowd focus their now ufortably hungry eyes upon me once again, all traces of fear gone. As I slowly pull myself out an olderdy nearby begins to tear up and falls to her knees, hands sped together in praise.

    Uhh¡­.

    Are you misunderstanding something?

    Out of nervous habit I start to clean my antennae, running my forelegs over them, much like a person would wipe sweat from their brow.

    I''m really not sure how to take this!

    My difort goes unnoticed by the congregation. The olddy seems to have started a trend as several more people are ovee with emotion and sink to their knees. That seems to settle the matter as within seconds the entire audience has fallen to the floor with an audible thunk!

    Fully emerged now, I stand in the center of the church, rows of pews on either side as all along the walls people are kneeling hands sped in prayer facing towards me.

    I mean¡­ uh¡­ err¡­.. Hi?

    I don''t think this is what you guys think it is?

    ¡­.

    I really need to learn mental magic¡­ I didn''t think I''d need it this soon!

    The priest haspleted his sermon at this point. A peace seems to have fallen upon him, the tension gone from his body. He almost seems to radiate an eptance of heavens will as he too sps his hands together.

    He doesn''t kneel though. Slowly and with great dignity he turns towards the altar that stands before the statue. From behind the altar he gathers what appears to be some kind of ceremonial mace which he holds before himself, hands sped around the haft.

    Why a mace though?

    Is it an incense stick or something? It does seem to be quite delicately made, too ornate to be a practical weapon. Curiously I flick on my mana sense but I get no response from the item. Doesn''t seem to be enchanted or anything¡­. Is he going to knight me with it? Tap me on the shoulder as a blessing or something?

    I''m starting to get more and more worried.

    I don''t want to offend these people or start a fight or something. Even if this people aren''t able to defeat us monstrous ants, they might be able to go and bring people who can! Those soldiers I saw in the tunnels were no joke, I''m not sure I could match up to them even now.

    Just y it cool Anthony, don''t do anything stupid.

    The priest continues to hold his apparently ceremonial mace before him reverentially as he slowly begins to walk down the center of the church towards me. With every step someone from the crowd is ovee with the power of the moment at raises their hands to call out powerfully before sinking back into respectful prayer.

    These outbursts be more frequent the closer the priest bes until he stands before whilst the shouts of the congregation rain down upon him.

    Uh.. Hello?

    I''ve grownrge enough now that I am basically looking this person in the midriff, which is a great change from when I was born. The hatchlings would only be looking him in the knee. It really is a ridiculous size for an ant, considering how much longer we are than tall. I would certainly be longer than this guy if he were to lie down.

    I wonder how much I weigh these days?

    Unknowing of my internal jitters the priest brings his mace before him, face filled with rapture. Slowly be raises in offering to the heavens as the crowd bes even more frenzied.

    Then he brings it crashing down on my head.

    Then I bite his arm off.

 Chapter 8 Whoops

    <h4>Chapter 8 Whoops </h4>

    So caught up in the strange energy of the moment it takes a moment before I even realise what it is I''ve done.

    Uh¡­. Whoops?

    I mean, he hit me on the head with his stupid mace! What exactly did he think was going to happen?! I''ve been living a violent life in the Dungeon, some things are just bing instinct you know? If you whack me on the head with your stupid mace then you can''t really me me for retaliating right? It''s self-defence!

    The priest seems to also take a moment to process these events. He looks down at his now severed limb before a new expression gradually takes over his face. He falls backwards clutching at his arm and screams loudly in horror!

    This triggers the stunned crowd, who had been locked in ce with shock to erupt with fear, people climbing over each other as they attempt to run for the door!

    Oh boy¡­

    This is not what I intended! Why the hell did we have to dig up into a freakin'' human building anyway?!

    Did they think the Dungeon had delivered some free xp to them as offering or something? You expected me to just stand there and get killed?! Even if I were to let you bash my head in with that ornate mace for half an hour it wouldn''t have been able to damage my diamond carapace in the first ce! All I''d get is a headache!

    Since it hase to this I have to try and limit the damage, my n was to have the colony hide somewhere on the surface so we could ride out the worst of the wave in rtive safety. If we manage to draw a human army down on our heads then we may as well go back down into the Dungeon and try our luck! If these humans run away and bring back soldiers we''ll be in a real pickle!

    Think Anthony! You have to fix this!

    Out of desperation I do the only think I can think of to stop the people from running away.

    I channel my gravitational magic and form the gravity domain.

    I mean, it would stop them moving right?

    With my increasing skill and familiarity with the spell I can form it much more quickly than before, in only a matter of seconds the powerful energy erupts from me, epassing the church building. Thankfully I had enough presence of mind to dial back the strength of the gravity.

    The moment the spell erupts the humans find themselves unable to keep their feet, the younger children immediately fall to the floor,pletely unable to resist the force pulling them down. The adults are better able to cope but even they find themselves without the capacity to walk.

    The priest himself is too busy shrieking and gripping his arm, holding it before his disbelieving face, he doesn''t even seem to notice that he has been forced onto the floor by my spell.

    In some ways I''m impressed.

    I only leave the domain in ce for a few seconds before I shut it off. In those few seconds the frantic escape of the congregation has been halted, almost everyone has been forced to the floor, unmoving.

    I try my best to stare them down a little. It isn''t easy tomunicate "don''t move or I''ll turn it back on again!" with an ant stare but I do my best.

    They seem to get it to some extent. Fear twists their faces as they have now realised that this isn''t some religious experience but the enemy of their kind, monsters from the Dungeon, emerging when they least expected it in possibly thest ce they expected.

    Seeing the terror and tears on the faces of the children is quite a blow to me. It wasn''t that long ago I was a human myself! I''m not that scary am I?

    I mean¡­.. A giant ant that can apparently control the force of gravity would be pretty damn scary when I think about it.

    With the crowd subdued for the moment I decide to try and work out exactly where we are. I need to know a little more about this situation before I decide to bring the colony up to the surface or retreat down ande up with another n.

    Moving down the aisle towards therge double doors at the rear of the church I hesitate a moment before pushing them open with my mandibles and taking in the surface of this world for the first time.

    A brilliant sunset is the first thing that meets my eyes, the alien sky dyed with intense reds and pinks. Lovely. Not much scenery to appreciate in the tunnel after all, causing this sight to hit perhaps a little harder than I would have thought.

    Focus! No time to get caught up in a sunset! Shaking myself slightly I turn to take a look at the surroundings. The church appears to be situated on a hill, a cobbled path leading directly up to the doors. Spread before me looks to be a sleepy town, smoke curling from chimneys that poke proudly out of tted roofs. In the distance I can see farming fields spread like a carpet that press up against a walled city.

    Checking my tunnel map quickly I estimate the previous Dungeon entrance I had located seems like it would be smack bang in the middle of that city.

    So¡­ things could have been worse, I suppose.

    In fact, if I focus my eyes carefully I think there is a fire in that city? Against the darkening skies I''m fairly sure a plume of ck smoke is rising from somewhere inside the walls. Some sort of situation happening over there? I don''t especially want to wish harm on anyone over there but this could be a chance for the colony to slip away without notice!

    After turning back to eyeball the congregation again I scurry around the side of the church and take a peek around the corner. The church doesn''t seem to be asrge as I had originally thought it was, a sturdy stone building with a high vaulted ceiling to be sure, but it isn''t exactly a cathedral.

    It seems to have been constructed on the edge of this town, high on the hill overlooking the more simple homes of the people, many of whom possibly work farming the surrounding fields. On the rear side of the church, down the hill and over a few open paddocks a lush wood is spread, thick foliage creating a beckoning darkness across the forest floor.

    Just the sort of ce a colony could go and get lost in!

    I might be able to salvage this after all!

    I turn and head back inside where many members of the congregation have begun to offer prayers of a much different sort to the statue, hoping for salvation and survival rather than whatever the heck they had thought wasing their way before.

    The priest is still clutching his arm, almostpletely inert. I think the shock has hit him pretty bad. Poor guy. I can''t help but feel a twinge of guilt, I mean, I did bite his arm off¡­

    I head back to the hole in the floor stick my back zone through so I can talk to the Queen.

    It''s a little weird the pheromone conversation. We ''listen'' with our antennae but we ''talk'' with our pheromone nd which is positioned in the rear zone.

    "Could youe up here and heal a person? I injured him, but I think it would be bad for us if he died".

    I can tell the Queen is a little surprised but she quickly agrees with my suggestion and begins to chomp and push her way up through the floor, buckling the t stones and forcing the wooden pews to scrape and scratch on the floor as she forces her bulk through.

    If I''d thought the humans were fervently wishing for salvation before their efforts are redoubles with the emergence of the Queen. She fills the room with her majesty and abdomen, forcing the people to push themselves back against the walls, openly weeping in terror and this manifestation of the Dungeons evil.

    The Queen doesn''t seem much fussed. She channels mana through her antennae for a moment and then touches the priest on the arm. The light res as it passes into his flesh and the wound rapidly closes over, the bleeding slowing to almost nothing in a matter of seconds.

    I think with this his life will be preserved, at the very least he won''t bleed to death.

    With no way tomunicate to reassure the people I decide its best just to hustle the colony out of there. Giving instructions to the Queen and the workers we gather up thervae and pupae before marching out of the church towards the forest.

    The eyes of the congregation are almost popping out of their head as rows of monsters ants pour out of this hole in the center of their church, marching past whilst totally ignoring them. I myself head down into the escape tunnel to help move and I''m shocked when a fat grub wiggles towards me, flopping about on the ground with glee.

    Are you that energetic grub I saved from the brood chamber?! I shouldn''t be shocked you survived I suppose, you do seem to have an unusual amount of spunk.

    With that, Tiny, the colony and myself carry everything we belong and walk out, past the disbelieving and hopeful faces of the colony, out the front of the church, across the field and then beneath into the weing arms of the forest.

    All the while the burning gaze of the priest follows me as I walk.

 Chapter 9 New home

    <h4>Chapter 9 New home </h4>

    I''d never thought that running through a feel of wheat could be quite so thrilling. Perhaps everyone had been wrong on that front? As I hustled along, Tiny in tow carrying my precious monster cores in onerge paw and the rest of the colony following along behind, I couldn''t help but panic the entire way, worrying that we''d be spotted.

    Who exactly was going to spot us crossing a farm field at dusk, the sun having fallen almostpletely below the horizon, I''m not sure. Perhaps the Dragon Guards of legend would swoop out of the sky and smite me with a thunder hammer or something? I have no idea how things operate up here! For all I know there are wizards that could vaporize the entire colony from kilometres away.

    Right up until the moment thest worker is safely under the cover of trees I keep stressing. When finally the entire workforce is safe and the Queen, surrounded by her dedicated cadre of ants has been escorted into the forest, I sigh in relief.

    Feeling a little morefortable I make my way to the head of our monstrous ant convoy as we plunge into unknown territory.

    There is something faintly magical about this forest, it''s old, even I can tell that much with my limited outdoors experience. The trees look wrinkled and wise beneath their broad canopies, stretching to the sun like the elderly doing morning exercise.

    At thiste hour a mist is beginning to rise from the damp litter of the forest floor, further concealing our movements as we rush further into these woods.

    Wait a sec! Heat!

    My antennae are constantly scanning and sweeping as we advance and eventually I detect a heat signature ahead and slightly to the left, as if some creature were waiting crouched in the growth as we approach.

    I decide to continue to adve as if I had no knowledge of this interloper, wanting to see exactly what kind of action it would choose to take. Will it attack? Will it flee? I don''t know anything about this forest or about the creatures who live here. Any chance to learn something should be seized. Knowledge is power to the monster!

    My antennae continue to twitch about as I lead the trail of ants. The heat source has continued to remain still as I draw closer. I even adjust my path so that I''ll be right next to the source as I pass but it doesn''t twitch in response.

    Eventually I move within only a few feet of it. I can clearly see the hiding ce now, a dense shrub with thickly intertwined branches providing total visual cover. Sadly for this beastie my advanced senses arepletely aware of their location.

    My main worry in the event of an attack is thervae I''m carrying in my mandibles. This feisty grub refuses to sit still, insisting on wiggling about as if admiring the view. You don''t have eyes you little grub! What is the point of trying to get a better view?

    If I''m attacked I''ll have to ensure the grub remains unharmed, and somehow retaliate without using my mandibles, which are fully upied with said grub.

    Sure enough, just as I pass by the bush suddenly rustles and the creature attacks.

    Thin, twisted flesh, furred sin, vicious fangs and a crude dagger are all I can see clearly as the creature emerges in a rush, bringing its weapon down in a vicious slice!

    I''ve seen it all you chump! Curling slightly I present my diamond carapace to the weapon, shielding the grub with my body and rotating my face away from it.

    The de shes down!

    *Ting!*

    The de harmlessly pings off my carapace. The recoil twists the creatures arm on a terrible angle, possibly breaking it.

    I''m not sure who is more shocked by the totalck of damage inflicted, the monster or me.

    Better safe than sorry I suppose,pleting my rotation I present the business zone towards this furry humanoid and st it with acid!

    POW!

    Already wounded by the rebound of its own strike the creature howls pitifully as the acid sts it off its feet and congeals, pinning it to the ground.

    [You have in level 9 Ille Feram]

    [You have gained experience]

    ...

    So weak!

    Super Weak!

    One st of acid and you''re dead? Are you kidding me? I''m pretty sure you broke your own arm just by attacking me!

    This isn''t a someedy!

    Disgusted by the weakness of this monster I''m not even sure that I want to eat it. Is this what monsters are like on the surface? Surely the difference can''t be this much?

    I shouldn''t get ahead of myself. One skinny fur man in the woods isn''t representative of all surface monsters, I should stay watchful.

    Disregarding the remains of this creature the convoy continues to wind its way deeper in the woods. A long column consisting of hundreds of ants marches along in near perfect silence. After about an hour I halt the column and look about.

    We have arrived in a small clearing in the wood. Strong trees surround us on all sides, the soil appears soft and rich beneath my feet. The lush undergrowth is pleasing on the eyes and indicates that this forest is vibrant and full of life.

    Seems like a good spot!

    We should be far enough away from human civilisation for the time being, at the very least I hope they won''t be able to find us in one day. To be honest I''d rather be further away than this but I have no idea howrge this forest is. If we keep marching there is a chance that we''ll run clean out the other side and into more farnd, better to put down some roots and scout out the situation before we make any more moves.

    "Wait here a sec!" I shout to the workers who waggle their antennae at me and tap my head as I wander past. Roughly in the middle of our convoy, I find the Queen, looming over her subjects as they escort her forward.

    "I think I''ve found a ce for us to build a nest, might be a good idea to get thervae settled down and go hunting. Hopefully we can find a decent amount of Biomass up here."

    The Queen simply nods her assent. I think she''s a lot more tired than she''s letting on. The only member of the colony to get no rest at all since the beginning of the wave is her after all. She probably needs some sleep more than the grubs do.

    Ants being what they are it doesn''t take long for the colony to begin construction on a crude nest. It''s honestly a little moving to see them in action. Hundreds of ants swarming, tearing into the soil with relentless energy.

    In a matter of hours there is a simple ant hill erected in the clearing, nearly as tall as the tree tops. Inside the colony has packed into a few simple chambers, tending to the brood, whilst the Queen has finally been able to get some rest, nervously watched by her defenders, right in the heart of the new nest at the bottom.

    I myself manage to excavate a small chamber for myself and Tiny to curl up in, my precious monster cores nearby and the little grub I carried nestled in one corner.

    I''m so damn tired. Please nothing happen at the very least until I get some sleep!

 Chapter 10 New territory

    <h4>Chapter 10 New territory </h4>

    Since the cataclysm and the opening of the Dungeon to sentient surface dwellers, expeditions to the underground spaces for resources have been a constant in society. Not only for the abundance of experience provided by the Dungeon monsters, far above that which can be attained above ground, but for the precious resources that can be found there.

    Rare mineral types never seen before, underground trees who''s wood contains incredible properties, gems infused with mana are all highly prized, but the monsters themselves have always held the greatest treasure.

    It is well known on the surface that certain monster parts, when treated correctly, can be prevented from dissolving back into the Dungeon and then turned into miraculous equipment and tools that cannot be replicated using only surface materials. Although expensive to purchase, items crafted from monster parts can be found in almost any civilised town, often something as simple as plough could be constructed using centipede fangs as the de, or carvedpletely from the tough bones of arger beast.

    More sought after still are the precious monster cores. It isn''t known exactly how or why monsters form cores, but what is known is that they constantly absorb andpress mana, giving the monsters a rich source of power within their own bodies, something no surface race has been able to achieve. Mages are able to perform their miracles by drawing on and shaping the energy found in the area around them or from specially crafted mana stores on their person, but none has ever achieved the internal storage that the core allows monsters.

    What''s more, the core of a monster retains these properties after death, constantly absorbing and storing mana. Whenbined with skilful enchanting techniques, cores, especiallyrger, powerful ones, can be used to create the most powerful weapons and artefacts, hence their incredible value.

    Excerpt from ''Cultural study of Pangera and the Dungeon''. Chapter 6. By the Magio Schr Tarius

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Like a slumbering giant the colony rested that night. The workers had been pushing themselves hard, just as I had and almost the entire workforce sank into torpor with only a few guards patrolling on the ant hill outside. Over five hundred monsters, crammed into a small space, each as still as a ghost. Hundreds morervae and pupae filled every corner of our new nest, the next generation of workers growing ever closer to their time of awakening.

    When I finally shake myself out of torpor I feel refreshed in a way I haven''t felt for a long time.

    So good!

    I can sleep as much as I want and I don''t have to battle something to the death the moment I wake up! The lousy wave is in the rear view mirror for the time being and it is a massive weight off my shoulders.

    I''m not so foolish to think we will continue to remain untouched by it up here, but at the very least I can enjoy this respite from the constant danger.

    Looking around my cramped little chamber I can see Tiny curled up in ball, still snoring away happily. Even rolled up he takes by far the most space in here, he continues to getrger as he eats. Exactly how big is he going to get?!

    I''m also pleasantly surprised when I spot the other upant of the room. Instead of the energetic little grub I saw when I''d gone to sleep in here, there is instead a thick cocoon leaning up against the wall.

    A pupa! The little grub must have woven its cocoon whilst I was sleeping! Using my antennae I give a few light taps to the white exterior in order to inspect the pupa. This is the transformative stage of an ants development where they turn from a blind grub into a fully formed ant. This grub was so energetic before, I wonder how it''ll be behave as a worker?

    Certainly the pupa seems a little different than those I''d seen before? I''m not sure I can put my finger on exactly why¡­.

    Mentally shrugging I turn to the other, precious upant of this room, my cores! Wait¡­.. Weren''t there more of these before?!

    Shocked, I rush over to my collection like a bird flying to defend its nest. Yes I''m sure of it! I''m missing two cores! I frantically check the remaining gems with my antennae. Phew! The Jellymaw core is still here, I have ns for that one.

    Irritated I turn towards Tiny and p him awake with an antenna. He must have absorbed them in his sleep this greedy ape! So you''ve gone from refusing to ept any cores to stealing them now huh!?

    WAP WAP WAP!

    Eventually Tiny is roused by my furious swiping and blearily unfolds himself. He seemspletely unaware that I''ve been hitting him as he yawns and stretches before turning back to me.

    [Food?] he asks.

    ¡­.

    Some things never change I suppose.

    [Come on, let''s go hunting].

    The two of us make our way out of our home and up the main shaft of the nest until we reach the top of the anthill. The rest of the colony is simrly waking up, dozens of workers are pouring out of their chambers and getting busy around the colony, some heading lower in order to tend to the Queen, others checking in on the brood, most of which has transformed into pupa by this time. Soon the colony will go past one thousand workers!

    That does raise a problem though.

    We need food! Ants on earth have a voracious appetite, tearing through huge amounts of other insects and small creatures in order to obtain protein to grow their young. Mature ants on earth don''t really need to eat meat themselves, they mainly rely on sugars to keep themselves going.

    Not here on Pangera! The monstrous ants need Biomass to keep themselves kicking and growing stronger, just like the young. This means the monstrous ant colony has an evenrger appetite whenpared to normal ants!

    Time to hunt! Already scouts are starting to pour into the forest, twenty to thirty of them darting off to try and locate something for the colony to feast on. More and more workers are massing on the anthill every second, slowly expanding outwards and pushing gradually into the forest, waiting for a signal to go and collect food.

    Tiny and I drift off into the forest, moving in the opposite direction to the human town that we''d seen. I don''t want to get closer to civilisation and I would love to know just howrge this forest is. Something tells me that with a fairly major looking city nearby I shouldn''t expect it to be massive. As long as we can hide out here for a week or two I''ll be happy!

    What follows is a fairly dull day of plodding through forest looking for prey. Tiny and I are more sessful than most of the scouts, due to my enhanced senses obviously, but even so there doesn''t seem to be a high concentration of monsters nearby the nest.

    I run into a few more of those hairy skinny things, each of them wielding crude tools or weapons that heaven only knows where they got them from.

    They go down with even less of a fight than the first one did, if that is even possible. Tiny punched one and the creature practically exploded.

    Surface monsters are clearly not up to the standard of us Dungeon dwellers.

    Which leads me to another conundrum. If I want to improve my skills I''ll need to level up and gain Biomass. If I want to evolve or develop my core maniption abilities I''ll need a steady supply of cores and so far those appear to be thin on the ground up here.

    As the day draws on I''m led more and more to the thought that even though we just escaped from the Dungeon we are still going to need ess to it. Without Dungeon monsters to fight the colony and I can only stagnate.

    I won''t ept that!

 Chapter 11 Strange new life

    <h4>Chapter 11 Strange new life </h4>

    Hmm. To tunnel or not to tunnel? And even in the event that tunneling does in fact ur, where to tunnel?

    It isn''t reasonable to expect that argish city would be built on the very edge of some monster infested wild frontier, I can see that now, but I really did hope that there would be more monsters in here for us to eat.

    Asides from those hairy scraggly things the only monsters we have encountered are creatures that are fairly close to regr forest animals on earth. The asional slightlyrger boar, some deer with sparkly horns, a few decently sized birds.

    Enough to get a bit of food around butpletely insufficient to fuel the xp and Biomass needs to power up the colony.

    There is only one ce to get what we need and it just so happens to be the ce we only just escaped from.

    Dammit!

    I''m going to have to dig down to the Dungeon again!

    The question is, where? I''m certainly not going to dig straight down from inside the new anthill, that would bepletely stupid! Perhaps I could just create a new tunnel a few hundred meters away that Tiny and I could use for hunting, perhaps leading workers down there in hunting parties.

    The other option is to head back to the existing tunnel which opens up within the church. Perhaps some monsters are even climbing out of there already, invading the surface. For his own sake, I hope that priest doesn''t try to give those monsters his ''blessing'' like he did me. He won''t escape with only the loss of one arm is he tries to smack an Earth Bear Tyrant on the head!

    Thinking about the human town causes a slight pang in my chest. I still don''t know how to think about the humans of this world or how I should rte to them. Part of what bothers me most is how much less I consider them than I used to. Perhaps epting the colony as my new family has drawn me closer to epting my monstrous life. I mean, experience has now shown me that I have no hope of ever being part of human society again so perhaps my feelings are drawing away from them more as time goes on.

    Still, I hope that by tunnelling into the middle of the town we haven''t inadvertently caused the deaths of hundreds of ultimately meless people.

    I might have to sneak back there soon to see how things are going.

    For now Tiny and I are continuing our first sweep through this forest. We haven''t gone too far from the nest on the first outing, just in case of the unexpected, but so far the hunting has been quite mundane. The forest itself is lovely, old and lush, full the sounds one would hope to hear in an old wood.

    There is a peaceful vibe to it that I''m quite enjoying! The ce is so stillpared to the Dungeon, especially since the wave hit.

    Hang on a sec. I''m getting a heat reading from over near that tree!

    Signalling to Tiny with my antennae I point towards the tree. This is my new system I''ve been working on with my apepanion, a few quick non-verbal signals I can make with my antennae only.

    It''s simple enough that even the big ape has managed to grasp it.

    His eyes brighten at the prospect of prey and he quickly starts scanning for it in the direction I indicated. A frown almost immediately creases his face as he fails to notice anything and nces back to me with his hang dog/bat expression.

    Don''t look at me buddy, I can''t see it either!

    The tree in front of us is clearly old. Thick, gnarled roots curl around the base of the tree and twist their way into the soil beneath. The thick trunk isn''t smooth around but rather covered in curls and knots, clumps of moss dappling the trunk and hanging from its boughs.

    This is strange¡­

    I can clearly detect that there is a source of heat only a few metres in front me but all I can see is tree!

    This is curious! My interest has been peaked! Why is this tree giving the vibes of a creature? I mean, I know trees are alive, but they shouldn''t be look this right?

    I gradually approach the tree, my eyes agog at this strange mystery.

    Tiny has grown bored and it sitting on his backside studying the hair dangling off his arm.

    Dammit Tiny! Where is your sense of wonder?!

    Eventually I''ve grown close to enough to the tree that my antennae are tapping it up and down directly.

    I can clearly detect heat from this, something that no other tree has shown in the forest, just what is it about this tree?!

    At that moment as my antennae are tippity tapping on the bark of this tree, something odd happens.

    The tree giggles.

    ¡­.

    Uh ¡­..

    *Tippety tappety tap*

    *giggle*

    ¡­..

    *tippetytappetytippetytappetytippetytappetytippetytappetytippetytappety*

    As my antennae gopletely crazy on the trunk of this tree a section of wood starts to wiggle withughter and detaches away from the rest of the tree before copsing on the ground!

    Before my eyes a strange woodish humanoid is rolling about on the dirt, thin root-like fingers at the end of gnarled mossy arms attached to a thin, branch like body.

    When the ¡­. thing notices that I''m no longer tickling it with my antennae it suddenly stops moving and I notice two deep green eyes staring up at me from what I can now tell is a gnarled bark face.

    ¡­..

    *tippetytappetytippetytappetytippetytappetytippetytappetytippetytappety*

    When I resume my antenna tapping the creature immediately resumesughing and giggling as it rolls around on the ground like a small child.

    What. The. Heck. Is. This. Thing.

    Next to me Tiny has wadded over and is staring down at the creature with his beady bat eyes. I can tell exactly what he is thinking.

    Can we eat this?

    You know what Tiny, I''m not sure¡­

 Chapter 12 It all comes back to mana

    <h4>Chapter 12 It alles back to mana </h4>

    For the time being Tiny and I resist the temptation to try eating this strange tree creature. After a few minutes of tickling I back away a few steps, making it clear that tickle-time is over and I wait to see how the creature will respond.

    After wiggling about on the ground for a moment, then giving me the puppy dog eyes for a little while longer, the strange branch monster eventually stands up. Now that it''s standing on its own two feet I can get a better look at it.

    This thing is skinny! Rather than a walking tree it puts me more in the mind of a stick insect. The body is more of a branch than a trunk and four humanoid like limbs extend organically, with little sign of joints. The monster doesn''t have a head of any kind really, the face peeks out from the top of the torso, the wrinkles and grooves in the wood giving rise to surprisingly expressive features.

    Tiny is radiating disappointment as he gets a closer look at the monster. I think he''s sad at how thin the monster is, it isn''t likely he''d be able to get much of a feed from it.

    Blissfully ignorant of being weighed for Biomass the ¡­. Branchie? The Branchie looks at the two of us with eyes twinkling deep in that weathered face before gesturing for the two of us to follow and walking briskly off into the forest.

    I hesitate for a moment before I decide to follow. I''ve not seen anything in this forest that is a match for Tiny and myself at this stage, we should be fairly safe. Besides, I want to learn a little more about this walking wood stick if I can, it seems rtively harmless and is the only creature other than Formo that hasn''t reacted with hostility upon seeing me.

    So I follow along with Tiny trundling in my wake. It isn''t long before we have to speed up though. The Branchie is fast! Despite being shorter than Tiny, so skinny a stiff breeze could knock it down and not having knees, the Branchie really motors along!

    Could it be theck of air resistance?

    Whatever the reason Tiny and I have to quickly raise our pace and in the end we have to sprint along behind the Branchie for ten solid minutes before it finally stops when we reach a beautiful section of forest.

    A small pond in the center sits perfectly still, ringed with spectacrly old looking trees. The air is so still here, as if nothing has drawn breath in this spot for a hundred years.

    The Branchie smiles at us, the folds and twists of the wood curving to create the expression, before walking towards one of the trees and just, blending into it. I almost can''t believe my eyes, one second the Branchie was there, walking, and the next it was just ¡­ gone!

    I can still detect it with my heat sensitive antennae though. As I wave my antennae about this section of forest I actually detect a few more signals from the nearby trees. Curious, I wind my way around the pond and I find more than twenty responses from the trees in the area. It looks like the Branchie brought us back to itsmunity!

    It doesn''t appear as if they want toe out and greet us though. I get the feeling these are particrly shy monsters, hiding from their enemies by using their impressive tree melding skills.

    There must be something special about this spot for these tree creatures to make their homes here. My attention turns back to the pond. Do I detect a faintly familiar shimmer to this water?

    Out of curiosity I flip on my mana sensing and sure enough the pond lights up with a faint response. The water is infused with mana! Nostalgiaes flooding back as I recall the pond in the first chamber I''d entered after being reborn.

    By drinking that water I''d taken the mana into my body which had expedited the formation of my core. This water probably has simr properties, the Branchies must have formed theirmunity here due to the mana in this water.

    Or perhaps they were formed from the trees here?! The trees drinking in this water with their roots may have been what created these tree creatures in the first ce?

    In the end it alles back to mana. This mysterious energy that can be turned into almost anything, has a seemingly unlimited supply and can even create life itself! I can''t help but feel that somewhere deep in the Dungeon the source of this energy resides. I have no evidence for that but it just seems right. I mean, it has toe from somewhere!

    Actually¡­.

    It has toe from somewhere¡­. Right?

    So how did it get into this pool?

    With a thought tingling in my mind I retreat from the pool about thirty metres, Tiny trailing curiously behind me. Once I''ve created enough distance I start to dig! Furiously ripping into the dirt with my mandibles I make rapid progress.

    Before too long I''ve managed to tunnel down ten metres, slightly angled towards the pond. Gasping for breath after my exertions I activate my mana sense and eagerly look towards the pond.

    And there it is. Under the pond there is a thin tendril of mana that reaches up right towards the bottom of that pond.

    It''s the Dungeon!

    It''s extremely thin, just a tiny little thread, but it''s enough to bleed mana out of the Dungeon and up into the waters of this pond. If I were to dig down further I would definitely be able to connect a small tunnel to the Dungeon and begin farming xp and Biomass!

    This is excellent news! I''ll have to thank those Branchies somehow, they''ve saved me a lot of effort!

    This will also give me a ce I can recharge my mana which will allow me to more rapidly develop my magic skills. Everything ising up Anthony!

    Not willing to wait a second I throw myself into my digging efforts, burrowing deep under the pond to try and avoid the saturated water I try to connect myself to that tiny thread of mana. As I dig down I can see it more and more clearly, extending deep into the ground.

    All it all it takes a few hours for me to dig my way down to that thin tendril of Dungeon but when I do it is a glorious sight to behold.

    The bright glow of mana shines in my eyes once more, the mana veins have wound their way up even in this space. To be honest I may have saved the Branchies and perhaps even the humans with this effort of mine. It may have been possible that the mana veins would expand upwards and connect directly to the pool, it may have even been possible that they would start spawning monsters directly on the surface!

    As it is I''m delighted to see those mana veins start to extend out into my new tunnel slowly.

    I''m assuming monsters didn''t spawn in that thin crack since there wasn''t enough space for them, as the veins extend deep into my tunnel the monster spawning will soon follow!

    Mauahahaha!

    Sess!

    ted in the extreme I bring Tiny down my cramped little tunnel to help me dig and expand it out in preparation for the monster spawning.

    After several more hours work we dug out a rtively open chamber with a more narrow opening that stands fairly high above the floor, hopefully preventing any monsters from escaping up the surface, except for those that spawn in the surface tunnel once the veins have extended that far but I want to limit the surface exposure as much as possible.

    After digging out this huge space I''m pretty knackered. It might be time to head back to the colony and thene back here after a nap to see how things have progressed. With a little luck a lot of effort I should be able to create a nice monster farmingwork here, giving the colony a healthy shortcut to pump up in size and strength!

    The only drawback is that Tiny and myself won''t be able to strengthen ourselves much here. The monsters will simply be too low a level to provide enough xp and Biomass for us to gain much.

    I shake my head, this is a problem for another time.

    For now we head back to the colony where I drain all my mana practicing my shaping, getting myself to level nine before taking a well-earned rest.

 Chapter 13 Just so skillful

    <h4>Chapter 13 Just so skillful </h4>

    Two days pass quickly in our new environment.

    So blissful! So peaceful! I haven''t had anything threatening happen to me for over forty eight hours! I could go soft at this rate!

    What''s even more amusing is watching just how bored Tiny is, the big guy is almost catatonic, craving the stimulus of battle like a drug he''s withdrawing from. Other than eating he just flops about sleeping or staring at the walls. He is so still that the workers just crawl over him as he lies there.

    To be honest I feel a little bad for him. I can sympathise to some extent. Battling with your life on the line is terrifying but at the same time extremely thrilling, and the rewards provided give such immediate gratification that it bes hard to resist the lure ofbat. After spending time in those dangerous ces, living on the edge constantly, our rtively peaceful environment here on the surface is a little¡­. Boring?

    It''s like our intense days were filled with shockingly vibrant sshes of colour but now our scene is far more muted and tranquil. Just like Tiny I can also feel the itching in my heart for action.

    Unlike that dumb ape though, I know how to keep myself busy and getting stronger even without high level monsters to fight! I keep every day full!

    Tiny and I spent most of yesterday down in our monster farming zone. I was pleased to see that the veins had rapidly extended and monsters had already been spawning by the time we got back, the familiar scenes of chaos a wee sight in my eyes. I gave Tiny an order that he probably never wanted to hear and instructed to him to disable the monsters but not kill them.

    The horror on this bat face is amusing even now. He couldn''t refuse though and reluctantly ran through the small chamber, smashing legs and crippling the monsters withoutnding the final blow.

    It was a horrifying sight actually, all those monsters on the floor, unable to even crawl or defend themselves.

    When that job was done Iy down a food trail for the colony and soon a flood of workers poured into the small chamber, finishing off the monsters and carrying their precious Biomass back to the colony.

    Tiny and I took a little food to stave off our hunger and then set to digging, expanding the farm a bit further out.

    Since Tiny and I are both double evolved monsters and the creatures spawning in our farm are base level, we get a greatly reduced fraction of the Xp and Biomass when we kill and eat them. It just isn''t worth it for us to monopolise these resources, especially considering that we need far more experience and Biomass in total to advance whenpared to the workforce.

    To maximise efficiency I''ve decided to use the farm to power level the colony, I really want more workers to advance and evolve, then they could fight more effectively without me around.

    Tiny and I will have to do something soon about our stagnating levels but what exactly I haven''t worked out.

    Still, after we expanded the farm and I asked the workers to leave so the monsters could build up again I put my mind to practicing my magic skills.

    With the low level monsters popping out in the farm I had a few targets for me to practice my spells on! So far the only ''shape'' I''d been able to put into action was the Gravity Domain but there are more tucked away in my head and now I have a moment to test them out!

    The first spell I tried required me to shape an intricate ball that tapered to a point on one end. I failed quite a few times on this one I''ll admit, but with my Gravitational Mana topped off I was in no risk of running out!

    Eventually I was able to finish shaping theplex construction and powered it up. Once it was ready I instinctually aimed it and fired!

    The ball like spell zipped through the air at blinding speed and impacted against the monster I''d targeted in less than a second! Once it hit the spell expanded out, epassing the creature inplex, revolving shapes which copsed inwards a momentter.

    Hoping for something spectacr to happen I was a bit disappointed when the target simply slumped to the ground andy still. It was still alive since I''d received no notification from he with the fluffy face, so what exactly happened?

    After a moment I noticed one of the creature''s ws twitching slightly as it struggled to raise it. Then I realised it had been ced under the effect of powerful gravity! So this spell allowed me to fire off a gravity effect to a target further away from me, as opposed to the Domain which only effects those immediately around me!

    I called it, Gravity Bolt!

    So pleased why I that I spent the next hour zapping creatures with Bolts and watching them copse on the floor, unable to lift a finger until the effect wore off. I found I could change the duration and strength of the effect depending on exactly how much I powered different parts of the construct, which led to my most impressive discovery!

    Since I''d been able to identify the section of the construct that powered the effect¡­. Would I be able to make some changes to that part of the spell in order to modify the effect produced by the spell?

    I mean, I was still using Gravitational energy, so the spell would still have a gravity effect, but what if rather than pulling the monsters down¡­. It pulled them up?

    I mean, its gravity right? The force of gravity is produced by the energy in the spell, not the we are on¡­ there isn''t any reason it HAS to pull them down, right?

    It took me ages to rework the spell, even though it was a rtively simple change. I wasn''t changing the spell per se, but rather reconstructing one section of it upside down. I only seeded once in my first practice.

    I''d been getting frustrated after a few dozen attempts when finally things started to run smoothly, excitedly I poured my energy into the construct and sted it towards a newly born centipede the moment it was ready.

    Once struck a simr scene appeared, the bolt expanded into the revolving shapes that copsed into the monster before it suddenly sted towards the ceiling, impacting the roof with a sickening crunch!

    .....

    I think I put too much juice in that one¡­.

    Still, the effect worked! I was so pleased I did a little dance on the spot! I can really tap now that I have six legs, it has to be said.

    If I could sessfully remodel the Gravity Domain with the inverted effect then I''d be able to make every monster around me float, helplessly off the ground? I can''t wait to try it!

    The next day, after feeding the colony again and doing some more digging to expand the farm I got to practicing a second spell.

    This shape was a little more demanding than the ''bolt'' but eventually I was able to get it formed. Once formed, the construct looked like a spear with several rings rotating around the haft. Rather than the spear shape, those rings were the tricky bit, each one formed of many smaller rings assembled like a maddening puzzle.

    When I fired the spear off it zapped out of by body and streaked towards my target. Once impacted the spear stuck in the monsters body whilst the rings expanded outwards, epassing a small area around the creature before once again copsing inwards.

    The monster appeared rather shocked to suddenly see a spear poking out of its chest. Tentatively it tested the wound with one w only to realise it wasn''t wounded at all! I was a little crestfallen, what the heck does this spear even do?!

    Then I noticed something. When the rings had expanded a nearby Thorn Lizard had been caught inside the zone and now that Lizard was being pulled towards my target monster irresistibly!

    Eventually the little lizard couldn''t resist the pull anymore and flew through the air towards my target, spikes first!

    So this spell creates a powerful gravity field around the target monster, pulling nearby creatures towards it! Muahahahaha!

    I shall call it¡­..

    Gravity Spear!

    ....

    It''s fine!

    These tests were not my onlybours over thest two days either. Each night before torpor I emptied my core doing shaping practice for hours and hours. On the second night I was finally rewarded!

    [Mana Shaping has reached level 10, upgrade avable]

    YASSSSSSSSS! The power is MINE! I even high five myself using my antennae after Tiny leaves me hanging.

    [Mana Shaping -> Mana Transformation. cost 1 sp: This skill guides through theplex process of changing raw, non-attribute mana into another kind. With increasing levels this skill will provide greater assistance and proficiency in the process]

    Finally! Buy that!

    When I confirm the purchase an overwhelming sensation flows over my brain as knowledgees flooding in.

 Chapter 14 Embers

    <h4>Chapter 14 Embers </h4>

    By the System it hurt. It had ever since he''d lost it in that one moment, where the shining picture he had painted of himself had been ripped away along with his limb. Even now, several dayster, Beyn was at a loss to exin exactly what had urred at that time.

    The fear that had gripped his heart, when that monster had burst into the middle of his sermon, he could recall it perfectly even now. When the beast had remained so still, so epting, that fear had been reced with wonder. It was as if the holy System had been speaking to him directly, offering itself to him, asking that he ept the fruits of its blessed creations!

    What joy! What reverence! In that moment Beyn had felt as if he had touched the foot of God!

    The surging emotions that had zed in his heart as he had brought the church screptum down on the head of the offering had been so powerful he almost shook now just recalling it.

    He had been so wrong.

    His visions of a grand destiny, of being a prophet of the system had been torn away as that terrifying monster had darted forth, so quickly he couldn''t even see it, and brought those serrated jaws down on his arm, shearing it away with ease.

    Since that moment he had barely spoken, the haunting zeal in eyes had intimidated the townspeople to the point they couldn''t meet his re. They had taken him to the apothecary for treatment and left him there, speaking softly as they passed by his door. To be honest he needed no physical healing. The spell performed on him by the godless monster had closed the wound. To do better would require a powerful specialist in the healing arts to regenerate his arm.

    Even in his dazed state,ying in his bed, Beyn was able to pick up bits and pieces of information from the nervous conversations he overheard.

    There was trouble at the capital, fighting in the streets. People had been fleeing the city until the gates had been barred. The Queen was dead. The Queen was alive. It was a coup, it was an invasion, it was the Dungeon rising for a second cataclysm.

    On the second day he heard that the town council had called a meeting to discuss the crises.

    Slowly the blood began to stir in Beyn''s veins. He couldn''t lie here forever. The system, his god, was stirring, he could feel it. He must be a part of the events toe, and he would be! Casting off his nkets, stood and strode out of his room with purposeful steps.

    As the wounded priest strode through the town the people subconsciously turned their eyes away, doffing their cap or offering a brief curtsy before moving out of his path. They could not bare to meet the righteous zeal aze in his eyes.

    The priest marched through the town to the mayors house, sweeping open the door with his good arm and entering with long strides.

    Inside a huddle of the town''s dignitaries huddled around the desk of a beleaguered fat man, the livery of the mayor hung over his silk robes.

    The mayors eyes brightened when he saw Beyn enter.

    "Ah! Look gentlemen, our good priest in the faith has arisen from his convalescence so quickly! This is cause for celebration, we should dy this meeting until after we have properly toasted this happy asion!"

    Several people in the chamber erupted in cheers whilst others sighed, heads falling into hands. The owner of the market, Mrs Ruther, attempted to protest the suspension of discussion but to no avail, the mayor hand already called on his servants to go and fetch wine for his guests and be quick about it dammit!

    Contempt flickered in Beyn''s eyes but he quickly suppressed it. This idiot would do anything to get out of his responsibilities and drink. A few more years of soaking and his family wealth may just run dry, with the wine soon to follow.

    "If it please my lord Ebruis, the discussion should not be dyed, it is for the purpose of conversing with you and the council that I have arisen from my rest" Beyn smoothly interjected.

    The quivering intensity in his voice was unnerving enough that even Ebruis could not deny it.

    "Oh¡­ Oh very well. Are you sure you would not rather rest father Beyn? You do not appear to have even had a chance to change your robes" the mayor spluttered in a feeble attempt to put off his work.

    "Do the robes of my faith, marked with the blood I have shed in the name of the System offend you, Lord Mayor?"

    The fat man paled in fright before raising his hands and shaking them in protest. "I dare not father! I intended no such thing!"

    "Very well then. If I may" at this Beyn took a vacant chair and gestured towards Mrs Ruther, "I would be grateful to you Mrs Ruther if you would appraise me of what has urred in thest two days. Have the monsters threatened us?"

    Somewhat surprised at being called on the elderly matron took a moment to gather her dignity before replying. "They haven''t father. We''ve not seen so much as a leg of those ants since they marched into the forest after you were¡­. Attacked."

    After saying this she quickly met Beyn''s gaze before flicking her eyes away, as if scalded by the fire she saw there.

    "More troubling than the monsters, as strange as that is to say is the disturbance in the capital. We haven''t had a reliable message out of there all day. Fighting in the streets, the soldiers setting fire to the merchant district, blood on the steps of the castle. It sounds dreadful. The people are too scared to work, gazing at the smoke rising over the walls from dawn to dusk!"

    With his good hand Beyn gripped his chair so hard his knuckles cracked.

    "This disturbance in the capital is more important you say? More important than the agents of the Dungeon rising from beneath our very feet?" more than just passion, hatred now dripped from every word from the priest''s mouth, causing those closest from him to draw away from him.

    Mrs Ruther gathered herself before she retorted, "there hasn''t been a single victim of those monsters in this town but we hear of hundreds dead inside the city. Most of us have family in there father, I''m terribly sorry for your injury, we all are but we''ve got more pressing issues than those ants!"

    At this Beyn rose to his feet and burst out loudly. "For the first time in a thousand years the Dungeon has reached up and delivered its servants to the very surface and you are distracted by petty fighting in the city?! Do you not see the grander destiny that has beenid out before us?"

    A few people shifted ufortably in their seats at these words. Mayor Ebruis attempted to calm the agitated priest. "You did say something simr at the church two days ago father, and, well, that didn''t turn out¡­ so well?"

    Beyn turned his zing righteous gaze on the mayor and then at the others one by one until all had turned from him and were silent.

    "At first I believe that the great System had called on us, had blessed this town by delivering his greatest blessing, experience, to raise us up and forge us for a new purpose. I still believe that is the case! This!" here he waved the bandaged stump of his arm in the faces of the council, "was my misjudgement. I had foolishly believed that the System had delivered its fruit to us and all we had to do was pluck it but no, there are no gifts within the System, only rewards! Rewards that are rightly earned and so I was punished for my transgression!"

    Ebruis waved his hands to try and rx the priest but it was to no avail.

    "We have to take up arms, can you not see that!?" Beyn exhorted the council, "those hideous beasts, led by that demon ant shall return. Not only this, more wille! I assure you! Our trial is not yetplete! The people must be told. We must rise to this test!"

    After these words Beyn strode forth, leaving the bbergasted council behind. He marched to the town square where he began to preach with mesmerising power, stretching the limits of his Oratory skill to bend the hearts of the people.

    A crowd slowly gathered, and that evening, when several monsters emerged from the hole in the church he urged the people to arm themselves and led the crowd personally in a great charge up the hill into the building wherein those creatures were defeated.

    The people roared in triumph and celebrated their victory but Beyn was unmoved. He asked that a watch be put on the church and turned his gaze towards the forest.

 Chapter 15 Core farming

    <h4>Chapter 15 Core farming </h4>

    I need cores.

    Like, super badly.

    I need cores for me, I need cores for Tiny, I need cores for experimenting, I need cores to raise my skills, I need cores to fuse into more powerful cores for myself and for Tiny AND I need cores for my other side project!

    CORES!

    The number of monster cores we had extracted so far from the farm was a grand total of one! When Tiny and I went in there to cripple the creatures this morning we found a monstrous toad had already ughtered most of the creatures inside. Tiny had excitedly rushed to engage it, charging up his lightning fist and exploded the foe with one punch.

    Luckily he hadn''t destroyed the core!

    Still, one core every three days is not nearly enough to meet my needs! I refuse!

    I just don''t have a solution to this problem currently.

    Tiny and I are currently resting in the nest. A contented bustle hase over the colony recently as the workers have been busy doing the things that workers love to do. Tending to the brood, expanding the nest, foraging for food. Our new anthill has be impressivelyrge now, the top reaching towards the peak of the trees. I had to ask them not to make it any higher or we''ll end up too easy to spot. Our main objective is to hide and ride out the wave after all.

    I want no trouble, be it human or otherwise.

    To my delight, the pupae have started to hatch over thest few hours, hundreds of new workers emerging to swell the ranks of the colony. When this generation finally emerges we will have reached the one thousand worker mark! A milestone in the life of a young colony to be sure.

    This is nothing though. If we expand the farm a little and keep the supply of Biomassing it won''t be long until we reach two thousand, five thousand, one hundred thousand!

    That was the other exciting thing to happen this morning, the Queen finally awoke from her rest. After a massive feed provided to her by the workers she got busy producing the next generation. Even as I rest I can hear the workers scurrying about madly with fresh clutches of eggs, stashing them into the egg chambers, fastidiously cleaning them and ensuring they are the right temperature.

    This means I means I need to advance the schedule of my project even faster. For that though¡­ I have to have cores!

    As I ck my mandibles in irritation I''m suddenly distracted by a noise. Turning around I see that it isn''t Tiny snoring for once, though he is asleep, thick meaty arms flung over his face like a hairy teenager. The noise instead came from the pupa stashed with us in our private chamber.

    The cocoon has already begun to take on a distinct thin shade as the youngrva inside has gone through its remarkable metamorphosis, transforming from a grub and into an ant. Still ghostly white and translucent as its carapace has yet to harden the almostplete worker has started to slowly move, twitching it limbs and stretching out for the first time.

    I guess I''ll help the little thing out. It is normal for other workers to assist newborns break free of their cocoon, cutting away at the threads with their mandibles. The very first workers in the colony will have this task performed for them by the Queen herself.

    I think I can vaguely recall having to bite my own way out, but I don''t really have any memory of my pupal stage, I really only became aware of myself after I had emerged.

    At any rate, I cheerfully help out the new member of our colony, my sibling no less, break out of the casing by chomping away at the outside carefully, removing sections of threads at a time and clearing the way for the hatchling to emerge.

    Gradually I see a little ant face poking out of the gaps and after a few minutes the brand new worker stands proudly before atop its own casing!

    ¡­

    Small!

    Why the heck is this worker so small!? She looks smaller than a normal hatchling by about a third, which makes her very tiny indeed! There is something else odd about her as well. I''m not sure exactly what it is, as a worker she seems a little, energetic? She is practically bouncing around already and she only just hatched!

    I remember as a grub this one had a lot of pep but this seems ridiculous.

    Before I''m even finished internallyining about this high energy hatchling she starts waggling her antennae around before locking onto me and rushing in my direction! In a few short moments she has raced across the ground and scrambled up onto my back before triumphantly positioning herself between my antennae and thwacking them insistently with her own.

    ¡­.

    This.

    ¡­

    I hate thiiiiiiiis.

    Why the hell is this ant so attached to me?! Why is it so different than the others?

    I honestly don''t know what to make of this behaviour.

    This worker is just so odd. Out of sheer curiosity I flip on my mana sense and extend my mind out of my body. There is a faint concentration of mana in a ce that I did not expect. Right on top of my head.

    Are you kidding me Gandalf?! This little midget was born with a core?! Tell me it isn''t true!

    I struggled for that core, I worked hard for that rock! Now you''re telling me that a monster ant can just t out be born with a core? Tell me, swear on your pointy hat and rad staff with the shiny crystal on it that it isn''t so!

    Despite my protests my new passenger remains stubbornly clung to my head, core on board.

    Sigh.

    I will have to investigate thister.

    For now I poke Tiny awake and make my way out of the nest, tiny hatchling excitedly riding on my scalp the entire way.

    Trying to put the distraction out of my mind I try to turn my mind back to most pressing issue.

    Cores!

    Damn worker on my head¡­ No! Don''t get distracted!

    From what I know a monster can form a core when they are sufficiently saturated with mana and then sacrifice an evolution in order to form it. How the freeloader on my scalp managed to get enough mana before she was even born, not to mention the evolutionary energy acquired by amassing levels. I''ll have to put this exception to the rules to one side and focus on what I know!

    I myself increased my mana concentration by drinking mana infused water, which judging by how the monsters were addicted to that stuff it isn''t an unusual way for monsters to get dat mana.

    Soooo. If I can introduce a source of mana water to the farm it might have an effect in increasing the number of monsters able to form a core?

    Worth a shot!

    Fortunately I created the farm right next to a source of mana water! So convenient¡­

    When we return to the pond I see a few Branchies standing in small groups but they quickly scatter and hide after we arrive. I swear there are a few new young trees growing near the edge of the pond. Have they been nting baby branchies here?!

    Hmm. I''ll have to be careful not to disturb their local environment. For all I know the branchies require this pond to sustain their lives. Better to be cautious.

    In the end I excavate a shallow channel that leads to the farm tunnel and I get Tiny to line the bottom with stones that he smashes t. We then head down into the farm and disable all of the monsters before hollowing out a small pool directly under the tunnel entrance.

    Hopefully this works!

 Chapter 16 Transform and roll out

    <h4>Chapter 16 Transform and roll out </h4>

    After digging our narrow channel to the farm tunnel I get Tiny to ce tworge stones to act as the dam before we dig out thest of the soil and the water begins to flow. I notice a few branchies have poked their heads out of their trees, watching our activities. I think perhaps they may worried about us interfering with the pond.

    I try to give a reassuring wave of my antennae but I''m not sure that will be enough to ay their fears. I guess we can only show that we mean no harm by executing the n and letting them see how harmless it is.

    Workers have starteding over to the pond in thest few days in order to drink the mana water. With the farm nearby it isn''t surprising that the scouts have managed to forage their way over here. Naturally once one ant finds something good the rest will soon know about it. I was a little concerned that there might be conflict but for the most part the ants have simply ignored any branchie they''ve found, probably not seeing much, if any Biomass in them.

    I''m quite excited though. This will help more workers form their cores which will in turn cause them to grow even stronger when they evolve.

    When everything is in ce Tiny picks up our damming rock and the mana infused water flows down our channel before eventually falling into our pre-dug basin within the farm. After a minute or so Tiny drops the rock back into position with a ssh and the water ceases to flow.

    The branchies, who had seemed a little rmed when the water was flowing out of their pond, rx and move back towards their trees, quickly melding out of sight.

    I head straight over to the farm to see how the monsters within have reacted. Sure enough, those who have just spawned are immediately attracted to the water source. No water truce to be seen here though. They rabidly fight over it, shovelling the water into their mouths as quickly as they can.

    I retreat back up the tunnel. I''ll lead the workers down to collect the Biomasster, hopefully we will have a core or two to show for our efforts.

    With this job done it is time to turn my attention back to my new skill and its applications. After maxing out Mana Shaping I gained Mana Transformation, the much anticipated and eagerly awaited skill!

    After reading the description and then slowly digesting the dump truck of knowledge and instincts the skill dropped in my brain I''ve been gradually building an understanding of it.

    This skill will finally allow me to change the raw mana stored in my core into other, useful types, without relying on the short cut of having an organ do the job for me. Only issue is, changing the mana into a specific type is painfullyplicated!

    I''m still nibbling at the edges of what was ced in my brain. This skill was by far the biggest information overload I''ve had from a single purchase.

    If I were to use a metaphor, transforming mana into a specific type is like learning an instrument that is so intricate that it requires the use of both hands, both feet and your face to y it. From what I understand so far you need to be shifting the mana inplex patters through multiple dimensions in order for it to change!

    Dimensions!

    It only gets worse though. If you manage to master that obscenelyplex instrument well enough that you can efficiently transform the mana into the required type and THEN use that mana to shape and fuel a spell, that is only for one type.

    If you want to transform your mana into another type, there is an entirely new fiendish instrument to learn and this one requires you to y it with your butt cheeks as well!

    Not to mention, I''ve only been looking at the techniques required for rtively simple mana forms, like water or fire. When I tried to think about what I would need to do for space magic I nearly passed out just thinking about it.

    This only reinforces my confidence that the gravity magic organ was a good choice. Not only is theplicated process of transformation handled for me, it is done well before any spell casting takes ce. This also goes a long way to exining why the magic organs are priced so highly. Getting a free choice just goes to show how potent the special evolutions really are!

    This all leads to the unfortunate reality of what I have to do next. To my mind it is quite obvious what I have to focus my transformation learning on, mind magic! I need to be able tomunicate just like Formo and the Sophos do! This will bridge the final hurdle in being able to universally speak to anything that I cane across if I''m able to pass my intentions on directly from mind to mind!

    Only problem is that mind magic is a fiendishlyplex transformation. At least three or four times harder than doing something like fire.

    But it must be done! I have my gravity magic and a reasonably powerful physical body already, at least, powerful enough for the time being. Once I''ve achieved mastery of mind magic I''ll be able to focus my efforts unterally on pumping up my firepower!

    The other thing I need to do is spend some time on manipting my cores and grinding levels in Core Engineering. An ants work is never done!

    I''m excited though. Even if I''m not gaining levels, my strength is improving and I''m able to spend time on critical skills that I wasn''t able to before. This will prepare me for the time Tiny and I descend into the Dungeon once more to fight!

    We return to the nest, my impatient passenger included, and I spend timeboriously shifting values in my cores until I cannot force further changes before tossing them to Tiny to absorb.

    He''s finally learned enough that I don''t have to beat his head in before he realises what he needs to do. Progress! After I''ve finished with one core and slump forward with mental exhaustion the little hatchling on my head excitedly leaps forward to touch the core with her antennae. With a brief sh and a pop the core vanishes into thin air!

    ¡­

    Oi.

    Who said that was yours!? I use my antennae to give the worker a gentle thwack on the head but she seems non fussed, happily wiggling back and forth as she enjoys the sensation of her reinforced core. After a few moments she happily climbs back up onto my head.

    ¡­

    I guess it doesn''t matter that much. Since she was born with a core already this one is probably worth spending the resources on to raise up strong. In fact, wouldn''t she be able to perform a special evolution for her very first change? That is something even I wasn''t able to do! Hardly my fault since I didn''t know about it but still, this little worker could end up being very strong if I invest some energy.

    Although this just increases the need for cores even further.

    Dammit!

    Since I''m exhausted anyway I take Tiny back to the farm and we disable all of the monsters in there. I make sure to practice using my magic and fire off a number of Gravity Bolts, trying to increase my familiarity with the spell.

    This time, instead of taking our food and leaving I tap the little ant on my head with an antennae to get her attention.

    "Climb down off there and go finish some of the off".

    The workers seem to be able to understand the pheromone speak even if they can''t speak it so I''m assuming this one can too. Sure enough, after hopping back and forth indecisively the little worker jumps off my head and savagely attacks with her tiny mandibles.

    Despite her enemy being a de tailed mouse that has beenpletely crippled it take almost a minute of biting before the poor creature finally falls still and the little ant poses victoriously atop her victim.

    "Yes, yes, very impressive. Now onto the next one".

    All in all she is able to finish three monsters before tiring out. That much should be fine for a start. Her bite skill should have increased and at least one level, maybe two with that much experience.

    Next I flick on my mana sense and I am so pleased to see that there are two creatures with cores in here! Two!

    Compared to before this is a massive increase! If I can get two cores a day I''ll be dancing with joy! The basin of mana water has decreased by about a quarter so I may need to refill it in a few more days, hopefully that won''t strain the pond supply up there at all. If it does we will have to pull back on the operation but for now, cores ahoy!

    Filled with delight I crunch those two monsters and dig out their cores before Tiny, the worker and I retreat back above ground to enjoy our feast as a team of workers advances into the farm to im their experience and Biomass.

    These few days have been so productive and peaceful, I''ll have to enjoy it whilst I can. If my experience in this world has taught me anything it''s that the good times won''tst.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ANT TALK

    There were a few questions in thements after thest chapter where I referred to the little worker as ''she'' and a fewments about ant reproduction so I''ll get a little sciency and answer them here. The authors note section doesn''t allow for long messages so I''ll pop my response here instead.

    Technically all of the workers in a colony are female. This includes Anthony. I didn''t really want to make a big deal out of his gender but I did want to be urate, so I thought it would be funny if he only realised he had changedter on. His physical gender isn''t going to be a big deal going forward in the story but he will change it in the System if he gets a chance! For those worried that the story will turn into some kind of ant harem story... no need to worry on that front. He''s into elves anyway.

    As for ant reproduction. Male ants have wings, just like young Queens. For a few weeks a year the Queens and males will go on a ''nuptial flight'' where they meet up with Queens and males from nearby colonies and mate with them. The males will then crawl off and die whilst the Queens willnd, rip off their own wings and dig a chamber for themselves to start their own new colony. For most species of ants, this is the only time the Queen will mate in her life. The gic material she collected on that one flight willst her entire life, which can be decades.

    The Queen in our story doesn''t need to mate at all, as she is instead a special monster spawned from the dungeon that is able to spawn new monsters in turn.

 Chapter 17 Whispers in the dark

    <h4>Chapter 17 Whispers in the dark </h4>

    After spending time eating and attempting to train mana transformation, my small crew have a snooze and awake to work once more! Since we began napping in the afternoon it''s now solidly night time. The forest is beautiful and ethereal in the moonlight, only made slightly less so by the trails of monster ants wandering about.

    After assisting the colony farm once more, and returning with another core, I decide it is time to pay a visit to the town from which we had rather spectacrly made our entrance to the surface world. I hope that guy who''s arm I idently separated from his torso is doing well. I mean, life goes on with a single arm, right?

    Although we won''t be able to see that much in the dark I don''t want to risk showing up in the day and potentially being spotted. It''ll be best to minimise the potential for future limb removal type misunderstandings.

    As we travel, Tiny the little ant and I, no time is wasted as I practice my gravity spells as we travel. I might not be able to grind shaping levels anymore but familiarity with the spell still counts and casting on the move is so much harder than casting standing still.

    My magical skills grow with every passing day!

    Eventually wee to the edge of the forest and I ask Tiny to remain in the trees, his hulking form isn''t suitable for slinking through the wheat fields and staying unnoticed. With my little passenger on board I utilise my vaunted stealth techniques to creep through the farm fields towards to the buildings in the distance.

    When we arrive at the town darkness has fallen over thend like a nket. As we draw nearer to the town however, I''m gratified to notice it is surprisingly well lit. actually, its strangely well lit.

    As in, what the hell is with this enormous fire!?

    In front of the church a massive bon fire is zing surrounded by what appears to be a lively crowd of people. They are all holding crude weapons in hand and even at this distance I can see that they seem possessed of a fierce energy.

    Relying on my impressive stealth, I creep closer until I''m less than thirty metres away from the edge of the buildings and then I hunker down still to maximise the passive stealth bonus. In the dark, with my skills and nearly ck carapace I''m going to be almost impossible to spot, surely. I''ll just have to keep my ws crossed they don''t have monster detecting gems here.

    Actually, with their faces illuminated by the red glow of the crackling mes, pitchforks and rusty spears clutched tightly in their hands, they look a little demonic over there. Then I notice a voice rising above the background noise, filled with conviction and energy.

    Just in front of the church I spot my old pal the priest. At this distance it''s a little hard to tell but I think he''s still wearing the same bloodied robes he was wearing when I first¡­ met him. He is standing in front of the churches main double doors, one good arm flung to the sky as he exhorts the people below. Every now and again his voice rises to soaring crescendo and the people shout and roar back to him, shaking their weapons and pumping their fists in the air.

    I mean, seems lively over there at least. Just, what the heck is going on over there?!

    Then the doors are pulled open and a group of vigers emerge from within carrying something between them.

    The men approach the bonfire as the people fall silent and fall back out of their way. With a mighty heave they throw their burden onto the leaping mes and the crowd roars in approval as the fire roars and flickers.

    ¡­

    I''m pretty sure that was a monster corpse.

    It''s nice that the vige is safe and they are able to take care of themselves but they seem a little too into it? Perhaps this is just a very civically minded town?

    Being able to defend themselves for now is nice and all but ty worry is that these people will end up taking on something they can''t handle. If another Jellymaw crawled up out of that hole in the ground would these townspeople and farmers be able to handle that? Shouldn''t there be some soldiery looking types here by now? Dedication is all well and good but do they really think a rusty pitchfork is going to do the job against the real Dungeon monsters?

    Scanning the faces of the people they all look determined and passionate, it seems like they are all in fending off the Dungeon monsters, which seems fine, I guess?

    Towards the back I spy an olderdy who doesn''t look quite as pumped up as the rest. If I were to try and describe her expression I would probably have to say ''concerned'' or ''worried''. Her hands are tightly gripping her skirts and she stares down at the frenzied crowd.

    Perhaps she shares my concern that the townspeople may be getting a little ahead of themselves.

    Perhaps she isn''t a bonfire person.

    At any rate, approaching a frenzied mob any closer than this doesn''t seem advisable. Time to retreat.

    Just as I''m turning to leave I notice that my head is feeling a bit breezy. Did someone open a window or something? Have I gone bald? I''m fairly certain I never had hair in the first ce.

    Wait.

    Where is the little one?!

    Using my antennae I p my head and back before turning to scout through the surrounding wheat. Where the heck did that little scoundrel go?!

    Panic is starting to rise in my chest. That is a promising young ant! Where the heck is she?!

    The core! She has a core! Quick as a sh I flip on my mana sense and reach out with my mind, desperately seeking that tiny mana source. There it is! Threading its way between the wheat stalks I spot the little gem.

    The problem is that its heading directly towards that roaring me!

    What are you a moth!?

    You do NOT need to run towards any me you see! Like a gazelle loose in the fields I spring after my curious sibling, all thought of minimising noise lost!

    Even they spot me I can get away but she''ll be squashed for sure!

    She has managed to creep within just ten metres of the people towards the back of the crowd. My heart is thudding with my chest, if they spot her there could be serious trouble here tonight. It''s one thing if they try and bash my head in, the little one is a different story, they''ll cave her head in easily!

    And if that happened¡­. I honestly don''t know what I''d do.

    Come back here you little trouble maker!

    I keep flicking my mana sense on and off so I can track the back and forth movements of the mischievous little ant. When I finally draw close enough, after what feels like years I dive forward, six legs extended behind me and mandibles wide.

    I GOT YA!

    As gently as I can I snatch up the escaped worker in my mandibles, a situation she protests by wiggling fiercely.

    "Stay still you trouble maker! They''ll kill you if they find you!"

    Fortunately I can shout as I much as I want in pheromonenguage, I don''t make a sound.

    I quickly nce about.

    Hopefully we weren''t noticed?

 Chapter 18 Flee from fire!

    <h4>Chapter 18 Flee from fire! </h4>

    I''m almost so close to the back of the crowd I could reach out and poke a person with my antennae, please let them not hear me!

    The little worker is still struggling in my mandibles, trying to get free to go and investigate the fire. What the heck are you so interested in?! Is it the Biomass? Are you just upset that they are burning the monster bodies and not eating that sweet, sweet Biomass?

    I don''t think they can eat that, kid! Different people have different cultures ok?

    "Stop your wiggling! I''ll feed you when we get back to the colony ok?"

    Upon hearing that I''m prepared to feed it the worker stops her escape attempts, causing my panic to subside a little, then she happily cks her mandibles, making an audible *ck* sound, causing my panic to skyrocket!

    At first there is no response, but then a middle aged gentlemen in the middle of the crowd slowly turns around, a frown creasing his forehead. His face goespletely white as he is met by the sight of a giant ant lying t on its belly with another, smaller ant in its mandibles only a few metres from his back.

    Uh¡­. Hi!

    I try waving to him with an antenna but he flinches back from the movement, his mouth opening in closing in soundless panic. He reaches with shaking hands to tug on the clothes of the people around him and they turn, irritated at first but when they see his expression and he points with a trembling finger they turn and behold my glorious backside as I have already begun to flee!

    Time to motor out of here!

    I can hear angry shouts behind me, followed by the soaring voice of the priest before the pounding of feet alert me to the movement of the people behind me. Turning my head slightly I can see the crowd has recovered from their early shock and have starting giving chase! Crude farming tools and rusty swords held at the ready!

    Holy smokes Gandalf! These people are a little too into their monster killing!

    As I sprint through the fields with a horde of shouting humans behind me the little worker is happily clicking and cking her mandibles, thoroughly enjoying the ride. I''m speechless at herck of awareness, just who''s fault do you think this situation is!?

    Illuminated by burning torches the crowd looks like an angry horde summoned from the depths of hell! Their raging eyes have be devoid of fear as they rush along in my wake.

    Daaaaaamn it!

    I don''t particrly want to kill my way through an entire vige but at the same time I don''t want to lead them to the colony. Think, Anthony!

    I may just have to give them a taste of my magical prowess!

    Working quickly I try to shape a Gravity Spear as I run. Being so distracted I naturally lose a little speed as I stumble here and there and the crowd begins to gain on me. Its ok, don''t fail the construction!

    My practice has helped me be more familiar with the shape of the spell, like a tune that I''ve practiced more often. I still need to do a heap of practice before I can ''y'' it with total ease but I can do it a heck of lot better than I could the first time!

    After just ten seconds of frantic mental work I''ve prepared the spell and start pouring in the gravitational energy to charge it. In my haste I don''t properly control the flow of energy and pour in a ton too much, overcharging the spell!

    Gah! I don''t have time to make another one, just fire it!

    Turning my head I pick out my target, the first gentlemen to notice me, no longer terrified but maniacally shouting a he leads the charge, what looks like a woodcutters axe in his hand.

    Sorry bud, you drew the short straw today!

    With a concerted though I fire of my Gravity Spear, the intricate dark purple construction streaks through the air like an arrow, piercing the man directly in the chest!

    Screams and shouts erupt from the crowd as the target falls to his knees a disbelieving look on his face as his hands rise to try and grasp the ethereal spear emerging from his chest. Then they scream once more, their momentumpletely broken, as the rings of light expand out in a sh, epassing much of the crowd!

    Then the pulling force of gravity kicks in!

    At first they don''t seem to notice, but the force grows stronger with each passing moment until they cannot resist it! At first they try and hold on, bracing their feet and leaning their bodies as if fighting against a strong breeze but the potent pull cannot be denied and eventually they all ''fall'' towards the bewildered gentlemen who''s chest still proudly sports the spear.

    Even I''m a little stunned at the potency of this spear and momentarily stop running to admire the sight of almost fifty people squashed together like sardines in a can. I can''t even see the guy I target anymore, he''s be buried under the bodies of his fellow townspeople.

    That isn''t something I''m going to see every day.

    Muahahaha!

    So long suckers!

    With a jaunty wave of my antennae I turn to dash away into the darkness!

    I''m not exactly sure what has happened in that vige but at the very least they are taking theirmunity safety seriously. I''m still a little concerned that despite theirmitted attitude, eventually something too badass for them to handle will poke its head out of that hole and the people there will be food.

    I may have to advance some of my ns.

    Rushing back to the trees we meet up with Tiny and Imand the little worker to climb back up onto my head before we rush back to the nest in darkness. I''ve noticed that in the forest the monsters we encounter level up a little during the night time. I hadn''t realised it at first since they still pathetically weak. In any case, we make it back home without any stress.

    Once we hit up the farm and ensure we''ve all had a good feed, leaving a heap disabled monsters for the colony and extracting another fresh core, I head back to my chamber and dig out my collection. The little one seems to have had enough excitement for the time being and decides to have a nap to help digest her meal.

    Once I''ve assembled my selection of treasures I take all of the cores that arepletely unmodified and ce the Jellymaw core to one side. I need to go through all of these cores and alter them as much as possible in my final push to level up Core Engineering.

    Summoning all of my intellect I focus on the first core and begin the arduous process of making adjustments to the energies contained within.

    After several hours of mind shattering work, it has beenpleted. I managed to take five cores and make all of the changes I can, sessfully grinding out two more levels of core engineer.

    Argh! My heads is thumping! Core engineering is ridiculously taxing on the mind, like shoving a boulder uphill using only your thoughts.

    I take ten minutes in order to refresh myself and then bring myself to face the Jellymaw core. I was super impressed with this monster when I fought against it, the terror it had managed to illicit, even from other monsters, was something I had never beheld before. Not to mention I suspect that this is a creature that has only evolved once, meaning that not much growth potential has been lost.

    Yes, I intend to make the Jellymaw my second pet!

 Chapter 19 Crafting the JellyMaw!

    <h4>Chapter 19 Crafting the JellyMaw! </h4>

    If possible I''d wanted to wait a little longer before reconstituting my second pet. With higher levels of core engineering I''d be able to customise the creature to better fit the intended role I had in mind.

    Sadly events are pressing me a little faster than I would have liked and mining the cores in the farm has proven to be a little slow. If I had a month then I could afford to wait but I feel that things always elerate faster than I want in this world. I mustn''t forget that I still have to raise a reconstituted monster from an infant form up to the mature,bat ready form it had when it was killed. That process will take a fair amount of time and has to ounted for in my nning.

    If I''d had time I would have been able to grind out a few more levels and then, with my skills raised I had hoped to embark on the kind of mastery that Formo had disyed to me. The Sophos have carved out a life for themselves within the Dungeon using their hyper modified and specially raised pets, showing just how strong this technique can be.

    I want to supplement my own strength with a few select pets also. I can''t be in every ce at once and defending the colony whilst also hunting to raise my own strength is proving difficult. Eventually the colony will be strong enough to look after itself, with a number of more highly evolved workers and sheer numbers to overwhelm more powerful monsters. Until then I want to be able to leave the colony for a stretch of time and be assured that it is well protected.

    The Jellymaw is an incredible defensive creature. Within the confines of the Dungeon, inside a narrow space, even without the power of sight there is nowhere to hide from its fearsome tentacles and incredible strength.

    Imagining an enemy attempting to assault the ant hill, sending soldiers down the main shaft to hunt the Queen and ants huddling within, only to meet a wall of brutal tentacles that rip the flesh from their bones and devouring them whole.

    ¡­. Yuck. Effective, but yuck.

    Ok! Bringing my antennae forward I throw my mind into the dark gem resting on the soil before me. Immediately a flood of information invades my mind, all of the details of the JellyMaw as a creature, its body type, organs, limbs, muscture, stats and evolutionary pathway areid bare in my eyes, ready for maniption.

    The first thing that strikes me is the stats. I''m kind of surprised at how intelligent the monster is. I hadn''t thought the creature would need much of a mind and had prepared myself for another all brawn no brain associate like Tiny. As I investigate deeper it starts to make a bit of sense.

    By not included sensory organs, no eyes, sense of taste, smell or hearing, a tremendous amount of ¡­ space ¡­ was left avable within the brain. It''s a little hard to exin but when I explore more deeply all of the things that contribute towards the final ''stat'' value the intricacy andplexity of the system starts to be more apparent.

    So if there was only ten ''points'' worth of energy avable to devote to a monsters brain, then you would need to spend that developing all of the aspects of a brain for a rounded mind. Some of the energy would go to unconscious body management, like how a person doesn''t have to think about making their heart beat, a good chunk of it would go on memory, more on increasing the speed and efficacy of the brains connections, that is to say, intelligence. Since sensory organs are quiteplex the parts of the brain that deal with those are also quiteplex requiring a heap of energy to properly form them. By not including any of these,rge amounts of energy was instead devoted towards pure intelligence and memory, gaining a rtively high Cunning stat fairly cheaply.

    Interesting!

    Simrly the JellyMaw has no bones, much like a regr jellyfish. Without having to spend energy on a skeletal system, more was devoted to the powerful muscture. I''m still not exactly sure how the monster manages to function out of water without bones though, I''ll need to dig a little deeper.

    The more I look the more impressed I am with the way this creature is constructed. That incredible power hase about as a result of a series of trade-offs that have been made everywhere. Limited senses, no bones, reduced nervous system, very simple selection of organs, all cut back to produce that fearsome strength I''d been able to witness.

    However, this is still room for changes. Since the JellyMaw already has greater than expected intelligence, I want to push that advantage a bit further. Intelligence will ultimately trump strength, the human race rising to supremacy on Earth is living proof!

    Besides, the JellyMaw is already crazy strong, any power I shave off now can be made up for in future evolutions by ensuring that the core is maxed out.

    I begin to put my mind to the changes, forcing and shaping them with my will and then holding them down until the new form holds steady within the core. Reducing the strength of the tentacles a little here and there, adjusting the muscture of the face to pour more energy into the brain. All of the extra energy is devoted to pure intelligence, raising the cunning little by little.

    I manage to squeeze another four points of intelligence before I stop. I don''t want to take away the creatures strength too much.

    My mind is already aching by this point, the adjustments are bing harder and harder to aplish. I''m not sure how much more I''ll be able to do. Girding myself I dive deeper into the core, probing the limits of the information essible to me at my current skill level.

    Aha! More answers are forting here.

    It seems the creatures body manages without bones since its flesh is formed from of bizarre, rubbery substance that is partly infused with mana. If I''m reading this right then the JellyMaw won''t be able to survive without a constant injection of mana since it will absorb it directly into its body! Crazy!

    I''ll need to keep this in mind for future and make sure the little thing manages to get enough mana at all times. This may prove slightly tricky on the surface but won''t be an issue in the Dungeon.

    I can also see the future evolution paths of the JellyMaw. There are a few selections but most them are focused on providing various physical buffs and organs that directly increase overallbat proficiency. There is something else I want for my JellyMaw. By scrapping most of the existing options I create my own custom evolution and in doing so I get to set the bonuses granted by choosing that evolution.

    Modifying a creature at this level is a first for me and the change is excruciatingly hard to make. I feel as if I''m about to burst a vessel orpletely pass out by the time it is finally done.

    That''s it!

    I''m out, Gandalf! No more of this torture!

    I think that is all I can do.

    After taking a few minutes to recover I reach forward to tap the core once more.

    [Compatible monster core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute the monster?]

    Reconstitute!

    With mymand the core begins to glow emitting brighter and brighter light with each passing moment. As it grows more intense, the form of the core itself bes more stic, changing and shaping itself into the new monster.

    Eventually I have to turn my eyes away as the light has grown too radiant, casting shadows across the walls of our cosy chamber within the nest. Some eyelids would reallye in handy right about now¡­

    Soon the light has faded and I turn back to behold my new creation and friend!

    Its.... A ball¡­.

    Sitting on the ground in front of me in the space that the gem previously upied is now a small dark sphere the size of a tennis ball.

    As I watch, tiny tentacles start to tentatively poke out of the ball, wiggling their way out to poke and stretch across the ground as thepletely blind JellyMaw tries to find something in its environment.

    Internally I sigh. I knew it was going to be like this but somehow I hadn''t quite mentally prepared myself for just how small and unthreatening the newly formed JellyMaw would be. Don''t be discouraged, me! Feed it up and it''ll be the brutal killing machine you remember in no time!

    [I''m over here] I tell the new monster and reach across with one my legs to ce it touching one of the seeking tentacles.

    The creature wobbles happily in response and reaching across with more tentacles to grasp my leg. It takes a few moments but eventually it manages to scale up onto my back, taking the position that Tiny once upied when he was still small.

    Sheesh. I feel like I spend half my time giving rides to small creatures in this life, what am I, a pony?

    The dazzling disy created by the core reconstitution has managed to awaken the little worker as well and she rushes to take her ce of pride on my noggin before we set out.

    I feel pleased but also exasperated.

    Fine. You can ride on my back for now but you''ll work hard once getrge enough!

 Chapter 20 Digging is the song of my soul

    <h4>Chapter 20 Digging is the song of my soul </h4>

    With my new JellyMaw pet, little worker and Tiny in tow I head over to the farm. I''ve asionally been letting the workers in to battle on their own, since I think every creature needs realbat experience rather than just raw Xp. So long as they attack in numbers the ants are able to quickly overwhelm their opposition, smashing the enemies and pulling them apart without any resistance. If they trickled in with smaller numbers it would be a hugely different story, the weaker individual ants would get pulverised, so I only let them in after piling up enough workers at the entrance.

    As every day passes the colony is growing stronger. Everywhere I look there are more workers with mutation advancements of all sorts and when I flip on my mana sense there are the soft responses I get from low level cores all over the ce.

    Muahahaha! Our power grows! I believe I even spotted the first double evolved worker, a beefy looking ant with arger head and powerful mandibles. This may be the first ''soldier'' in the colony!

    It''s all looking good right now!

    Tiny and I descend into the farm chamber and smack the heck out of everything in there until they are almost dead. Only then do I let my two burdens loose on their meal.

    As the little worker excitedly leaps off to grab her experience I take a moment to have a word with her.

    "I''m not sure if you can understand this much, but try to spend your Biomass on your pheromone nd, if you can get it to +5 you''ll be able to take Pheromonenguage and talk to me and the Queen! Think about it."

    She looks back at me for a long moment before jumping onto her first victim and starting to saw away with her mandibles. I use one of my antennae to reach onto my back and poke the JellyMaw there.

    The JellyMaw has been sitting in the center of my back, tentacles expanded out to grip my carapace to stop the little ball from rolling straight off. When my antennae prods into its body it reaches out with a tentacle and grabs onto it.

    [I''ll take you to some food, grab on].

    The young monster grips onto my antennae and I lift it up into the air before heading over to a defenceless beast. I don''t think the JellyMaw is able to fight at all yet so I finish off the monster with a single chomp of my mandibles before dropping the little creature onto it.

    Like a small ck tennis ball the JellyMaw rests on the Biomass, feeling it out with its tentacles before starting to eat.

    Once again I''m treated to the horrific sight of the main body somehow unfolding to reveal that dreadful maw filled with razor teeth! Only this time the entire process takes ce in miniature, the fanged mouth is probably too small to fit an apple in at this point.

    Nheless the newborn starts ripping into the Biomass with gusto, taking in far more food than really seems physically possible until the main body has inted from tennis ball size to nearly football size.

    ¡­.. Gross, but impressive!

    I nab some food as well, after this much time I''ve managed to umte a few Biomass points, I''ll need to think about what I want to prioritise my spending on soon. For now I gather my crew together and we exit the farm.

    Things are going well here with the colony, it''s time to try and develop my own strength, and let Tiny exercise himself a little. The big guy is looking more depressed every day. If I don''t let him fight something soon I''m worried he''s just going to fade away.

    We run about half the distance back to the vige and I begin construction of a new tunnel! It''s so easy to fall into the rhythm of digging. My inner ant is being nourished by the act of shifting dirt with my mandibles.

    It doesn''t even take long until I''ve made significant progress. My powerful bodybined with my digging skills is a powerfulbination, not to mention the burning joy of my ant soul towards the digging of tunnels!

    My aim is to connect a stealth tunnel to underneath the human church. There are a lot of reasons for this, a little bit of protecting the humans from the monsters further down the Dungeon, preventing the humans from absorbing Xp and wasting Biomass, using the existing tunnel connections within the escape tunnel to push deeper into the Dungeon to get some juicy monsters to fight in order to push Tiny and myself to the next level.

    Always scratching away at the back of my mind is the potential of the next evolution. After evolving into the Mind Ant I''ve experienced a tremendous growth in power that I''m still working to explore. Since each subsequent evolution has seen an exponential amount of growth and I have to admit to being super curious what will happen if I max out my core and evolve again.

    An ant can dream dammit!

    After furiously digging for half a day I eventually convince Tiny to help me out by telling him I''m trying to get him something to fight. To my surprise he willingly throws himself down the tunnel and starts tearing into the ground with his hands, pausing every few minutes to haul up arm loads of dirt to dump on the forest floor before charging underground again like a deranged miner.

    It almost brings a tear to my eye to see him so active again. Wee back Tiny!

    Whilst he''s digging I make a quick trip back to the colony to help them harvest the farm and feed the two children who are still using me as their own personal transport.

    The faster I feed you little runts the faster you''ll grow up and prove yourselves useful! Eat well! Muahahahaha!

    After seeing to my duties I rush back to relieve Tiny of his digging duties and press onwards with the project. We don''t have time to waste right now, the foreboding feeling that started rising in me yesterday has only continued to rise. This is another thing driving my desire to get back into the Dungeon and level up.

    After digging down and angling the tunnel I rely on my Tunnel Map to guide our fledgling tunnel to connect with the escape tunnel far enough down that we shouldn''t have any risk of being heard or observed by the humans battling the monsters in the church. After another four hours of solid earth chomping we finally break through!

    Time for fighting!

 Chapter 21 Once more into the breach

    <h4>Chapter 21 Once more into the breach </h4>

    It is a known phenomenon that not all monsters of the same species are created equal. From as far back as the Rending, when monsters had first appeared on the surface of Pangera, it had been noted that some monsters boasted far more individual strength than others of the same kind. The difference was so pronounced it could not be exined by a simple difference of levels.

    Indeed, over the centuries, as all the sentient species of the surface delved into the Dungeon, eager to unlock its mysteries, it was discovered that some monsters are simply spawned stronger than others. Faster, more powerful, more intelligent and altogether more deadly.

    When these monsters reached maturity they typically were able to disy a leadership type quality amongst other monsters of their own kind, gathering together bands of followers, groups of monsters that grew in power rapidly due to the leadership and guidance they received.

    It is generally epted that this is the reason such monsters came to be known amongst schrs as ''Champions''. Mercenaries and frence explorers were more crude and direct with their naming, out of fear these elite monsters caused in them as well as the strength they disyed, themon name for such monsters became ''Brutes''.

    It isn''t known why such monsters spawn, or how. They appear infrequently in normal times but numerous studies suggest that in times of great conflict or upheaval in the Dungeon the spawn rate of champions rises tremendously.

    Some have imed that Champion monsters can grow so powerful as to exert their controlling influence over monsters not of their own kind, forming armies of mixed monsters in the depths that rampage endlessly until they burn themselves out in endless conflict, or settle down and go into hiding.

    Such ims are often rebuffed, as little evidence of such has reached the surface in the time of writing.

    Excerpt from Chapter 4 - Dungeon Champions, from ''The Dungeon Monsters, a primer'' by Hedger Oldfinger.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    After breaking down the final bit of dirt the now familiar glow of the Dungeon assaults my eyes. The screaming of the monsters, the sound of ws tearing at flesh and pulse running through the mana veins on the walls, like the pulse of the very itself.

    I almost missed this. Not quite, but almost.

    Tiny certainly did though. Crouching in the narrow tunnel behind the sounds of viciousbat are like music in the ears of the ape. In an incredibly short amount of time he can no longer contain himself and shoves me forward out of the way, leaping into the Dungeon with a bloodthirsty roar!

    Tiny is back in town!

    I however, am crumpled on the floor with a rather heavy ape standing on my back.

    [Get off me you goon!] I shout.

    I don''t think he hears me, or if he does he clearly chooses to ignore me. Screeching with rage the giant ape hurls himself onto the centipedes, hounds, lizards and rabbits in his path, fists zing with electricity.

    We are not significantly deeper into the Dungeon here than the farm is but I can already see that the monsters spawning here are visibly more powerful, with some of the more dominant low level monsters appearing.

    Even this little upgrade is enough to pump Tiny''s blood and wake his thirst for battle!

    As the giant ape leaps into action the enemies rapidly crumple one by one as they are unable to resist those potent fists. Body after body is being sted into the walls or smashed into the floor, never to rise again.

    Hold on! Leave some for me!

    I scramble to get my feet under me and hurl myself into the fight!

    Ten minutester we have cut down everything in our way in this section of tunnel and have settled down to munch on some Biomass.

    [You happy now Tiny? You got have a decent fight finally] I say to my gorging pet.

    He doesn''t even pause his eating but a frown creases his bat forehead as he ponders my question, turning the words over in his mind.

    [No] he replies.

    I''d figured as much. Although it was a little tougher than the farm it simply isn''t enough to satisfy the big guy. That''s ok though. We''ll keep digging deeper until we find something and start to level up once more.

    Speaking of levels I actually gained one in this fight! Nobody was as surprised as me to finally get my level up from killing a thorn lizard but hey, there it is.

    The little worker and JellyMaw have also leaped off their transportation (me) to stuff themselves once more, packing their miniature bodies with absurd amounts of food. I really have to name these two, thinking of them as ''little worker'' and ''JellyMaw'' is starting to feel a little rude.

    Surely a bit more consideration wouldn''t hurt, right?

    The worker is small and hyper active, full of energy and aplete pain in the gaster. Her name should represent her curious and exhausting self. I''ll call her Vibrant.

    I''m not sure why, but the name just speaks to me.

    Satisfied, I turn my attention to the ball of magical ck rubber that is busy feeling its way around with small tentacles, trying to locate the next mouthful. So far the young JellyMaw has been fairly quiet, mind you I''m not sure if she can even talk back to me at this stage of her development.

    I don''t have too much to go on.

    Also, should I give a boy or girl name? Tiny is fairly gender neutral, maybe I should go down that road again.

    What sort of name would fit a blind, tentacle monster of endless doom though? I''m fairly stumped. I may just have to pick something think sounds fitting and not worry too much about the meaning.

    ¡­.. Crinis?

    Eh, sure why not.

    Sounds sort of Latiny, like most of the monster species names. I''ll roll with it.

    I''m not the sort to put too much thought into these things.

    We find three cores amongst the remains and I take two, leaving one for Tiny to absorb. I make sure to give him a hard stare until he does, in fact, absorb the thing. He knows what''ll happen if he doesn''t!

    Although it would have been troublesome, I could have taken these cores to the surface for skill grinding but I decided to straight up absorb them and return to the path of powering up my core. It feels nice to once again be on the path of strengthening oneself.

    As we rummage around in what used to be the tail end of the escape tunnel I make something of a discovery.

    It appears as if the loosely packed soil the colony had left behind was not enough of a deterrent to the Dungeon veins and they had remained inside the dirt we had left behind. It may have been spawning the odd monster inside the earth or something may have followed the trail of veins and dug its way through but certainly something has followed from below.

    Right at the end of the old escape tunnel I find a hole that opens into a narrow passage that retraces the colonies steps back into the depths of the Dungeon.

    ¡­.. Nards.

    I was afraid of something like this. This means the human church isn''t only exposed to the small monster producing space we left behind but is potentially connected to the entire Dungeon!

    [Tiny! Crinis! We have to get moving. It''s time to explore a little deeper]

    Tiny is visibly pleased with the news but I don''t get a response from the small blob. Oh right I didn''t tell it what its name was.

    I walk over to it at tap it with one leg.

    [Climb on up. From now on your name will be Crinis. Pleased to have you on the team!]

    The little ball wobbles with what I think might be joy beforetching onto my leg and climbing up onto my back. Once Crinis is securely positioned I go to collect the little worker.

    "From now on your name is Vibrant! Make sure to get the pheromonenguage mutation and then we can chat. Let''s go!"

    Vibrant twitches back and forth with nervous energy as her eyes focus on me for a long moment, then she leaps up into her normal position and we descend further into the Dungeon.

 Chapter 22 Rising

    <h4>Chapter 22 Rising </h4>

    We venture forth, squeezing into the narrow tunnel and descending into the depths. Every now and again I can detect a monster forming and this prevents us being ambushed as we pick our way down.

    I''ve managed to pile up a healthy amount of Biomass over thest while and none of it has been spent. While I wasn''t paying attention it stacked up to twenty one! This was unheard of wealth when I was just starting out,pletely ridiculous. Now, I''ve managed to not even realise I had so much as I devoted all of my attention and energy on my skills.

    With this much I can purchase the +6, +7 and +8 upgrades for a single organ, but which to pick? I could go the new hotness of the gravitational organ or the old reliable of the infused mandibles, even hark all the way back to the eyes?

    I think I''ll go something that is directlybat relevant and upgrade my mandibles to +8. I don''t want to run into anything else I can''t tear through with my trusty face scissors. Combined with the power of my shattering bite skill this upgrade could have a powerful effect!

    [Do you wish to improve Mandibles to +8? this will cost 21 Biomass]

    Go for it!

    OH GOD!

    My face! MY PRECIOUS FACE!

    Once again the horror of the mutation itch has somehow slipped my mindpletely and has stormed back to remind me just how mind meltingly irritating it really is.

    My face is on fire. FIRE I SAY!

    There was a distinct leap in the level of itch from +4 to +5, but I had assumed that wasrgely because of the mutation advancement. Apparently not!

    Eventually the feeling fades and I came back to my senses. Tiny is impatiently standing behind me whilst I have been wibbling about the ce madly scratching at my face. Don''t look at me like that you lousy ape! Why is it I never see you scratching away yourself when you mutate?

    I''m going to try and keep a closer eye on these pets of mine and see if I can spot them having trouble as they upgrade themselves. To help them? Of course not! I shall point andugh! Let''s see the look on your face then, Tiny!

    Having recovered we continue on our way down the tunnel and wee to the section of tunnel were we had connected to an existing section of Dungeon in order to hunt and feed the colony. Here the trail stops. It looks like whatever had drilled out the old escape tunnel had started from here and not from the old nest.

    Thank goodness!

    If those horrific beasts I had heard but not seen had followed us all the way up here we would have had some serious problems, not to mention the human town would have been in some strife. This is by far the better oue.

    This time I make sure to leap into the active Dungeon tunnel before Tiny can lose his patience and shove me down. What greets my eyes is the same bustling scene from the first time we invaded this ce. Low level Dungeon monsters fighting each other furiously in twos and threes up and down the tunnel, fallen monsters on the ground being contested fiercely as creatures try to heal and sustain themselves through the endless fighting.

    [Get ''em Tiny!]

    This tunnel is barelyrge enough for the big ape to movefortably, being the kind of smaller offshoot tunnel that I had been born in rather than a main thoroughfare. He makes the best of it though and gleefully starts smashing his way down the tunnel whilst I follow along with my passengers aboard.

    Whenever a monster from behind us tries to attack I subdue it with a quick st from the business district. The unfortunate target is quickly set upon by nearby creatures as its movement bes restricted and the acid begins to eat away at its health.

    My goal is to try and find arger, main tunnel. The monsters we find there should be more on our level and provide arger boost to our growth. If I''m lucky we might even harvest a decent number of cores from such a location.

    With Tiny in front we follow the twist and turns of the tunnel for thirty minutes, punching our way through every step of the way, before wee to what it is I''ve been looking for.

    Ahead of the us the smaller tunnel suddenly opens wide into a muchrger passage, the sound of fighting and the roar of monsters is our wee.

    Perfect.

    Before us there is a rolling brawl of the sorts of monsters we had be ustomed to seeing in the forest. Bear Tyrants, Lion Ogres, Wolf-Dragons and others that I''ve never seen before. Armoured lizards the size of horses with mighty club like tails and two heads are facing off against huge creatures with snakelike tails that lead to an upright body festooned with ws and spikes that they whip about with blinding speed.

    Tiny has be very still for some reason. I shuffle forward a little so I get a good look at his face.

    [You okay there buddy?]

    His face has gonepletely ck as his eyes drink in the scenes of glorious carnage before him as if he were dying of thirst and staring at the freshest of pure mountain streams.

    The infatuation, the adoration in those eyes¡­ He looks like a giant bat faced ape in love!

    Are you that desperate to fight things?! Really?!

    Fine! You stand there and take in the sights. I''ll jump in and steal your Xp!

    Bwahahahaha!

    With my two passengers clutching on tightly I leap down into the main tunnel, mandibles aze with energy as I channel mana into them.

    Shattering Bite!

    The illusory jaws of energy extend from my mandibles and crunch down on the nearest monster who, refreshingly, doesn''t copse from the first attack.

    The blood is starting to pump through my body as the excitement rises in my chest. Finally a good battle! I can stretch out and move atst!

    I can test out my new techniques!

    As I feint forward and back against my opponent, a battered Tyrant Bear who rumbles and shes at the air in response to my provocation, bearing its tremendous fangs, I begin to craft my new magic within myself.

    I hope you''re ready for some of this va! Taste my Gravity Bolt!

    My practice has certainly paid off! It only takes me a few seconds to shape the magic and pump it full of energy until it is ready tounch. I lunge to once side, causing the bear to rear back out of my range as it prepares a retaliatory attack. At this precise moment I fire the Gravity Bolt! The foe has no time to react before the spell impacts it in the side, right on target! Immediately the magic takes effect and starts to drag the bear down.

    Gweheheh.

    I''m impressed though. The raw physical strength of this monster has allowed it to remain on its feet as opposed to being pressed t against the ground like the weaker beasts I''d practiced on. The powerful gravity is still having an effect however, the bear is using so much strength to battle against the pull its legs are practically shaking, its eyes are still fierce but a tinge of fear is there for the first time.

    How are young to fight in that sort of condition Mr Bear?

    You can''t!

    Shattering Bite!

    Trying not to get cocky I keep an eye on my surroundings as I circle around the bear and begin my assault on its tremendous defences. In order to puncture that insanely tough hide I need to close the distance and use my physical mandibles. This is made fairly trivially easy however since I am quite nimble but the bear is struggling to turn and keep me in its eyes.

    Shattering Bite!

    Shattering Bite!

    More mana into the mandibles!

    Shattering Bite!

    [You have in level 8 Earth Bear Tyrant]

    [You have gained experience]

    Behold my power!

    As I''m glorying in my triumph a shattering screech echoes down the tunnel. Tiny is ready to fight!

 Chapter 23 Brawlinâ€™

    <h4>Chapter 23 Brawlin'' </h4>

    The ear shattering screech out of Tiny has only gotten stronger over time. As the sonic waves roll over my precious ear canals the stunning effect ms into my soft brain(s) like a sledgehammer.

    Thanks to my sturdy willpower I can shake it off after a second and see how the rest of the monsters are doing.

    Generally, not great.

    There are plenty of beasts reeling or stunnedpletely from that vocal st whilst a fewrger creatures seem to have managed to resistrgely as well as I did. Having announced his mighty presence, Tiny leaps down into the cavern, the rocks cracking under him when hends with a boom.

    The long hair on his arms and back is slowly starting to rise into the air as he res hungrily at the monsters before him, who can only shrink back from this intimidating beast. I can only imagine that seeing such a beefy, strong looking monsternd in their midst is not exactly what they had expected or hoped for. Tiny''s hands and body are starting to spark in earnest now, little zaps of electricity rippling over his body and swimming across his fingers.

    ROAR!

    Not intimidated by the fearsome disy one of the armoured lizards bellows a challenge from across the tunnel! Tiny''s bat ears twitch in outrage and he screeches back, the sonic st physically impacting some smaller monsters and knocking them right off their feet!

    Crunch! Crunch!

    As the two monsters stomp towards each other their heavy tread shatters the stones beneath their feet. Not willing to be caught in the fray the smaller monsters back the hell up, desperate to get out of the way of what is about to take ce. Even I can follow their logic. If these two big fes'' want to fight each other, that is a hell of lot better than them picking on us! Let''s move to the side and eat each other whilst they do their thing.

    I have to admit I feel like a proud Dad as I watch my once little ape stomp towards a fiendish armour beast in preparation for a no holds barred battle to the death.

    ¡­

    Should I cast a sneaky Gravity Bolt in there to help Tiny out? Asides from the risk of hitting my own pet idently, I''m not sure he''d be ok with me interfering in his long awaited battle. I might just have to keep an eye on things and y it by ear.

    As they two monsters draw closer to each the other the pressure in the air increases to unbearable levels. Two monsters enter! Only one will leave!

    Suddenly swinging his fists in wide arcs Tiny is the first to act! Electricity crackles in the air as he raises both massive hands in the air before leaping forward and crashing them down like a thunderbolt!

    Reading his move the massive lizard dives forward fearlessly! By shifting the point of impact in this way the blow will fall on its back where thick bony tes will absorb the damage, rather than straight onto its head.

    CRASH!

    The feet of the lizard are forced three inches into the cavern floor as that titanic blow, with all the weight of an angry bat-ape behind it, shudders through its body. It isn''t the physical damage that that troubles the beast though. Bright rippling arcs of electricity discharge from Tiny''s fists as they impact, piercing straight through that hard shell to roast the tender flesh beneath.

    Gasp! Is this the legendary Ape Thunder Strike?!

    As I''m absorbed by watching this sh I manage to notice something in my peripheral vision. A second of therge shell lizards is positioning itself for a charge to one side! Clearly the monster is nning to intrude on what is clearly a thrilling one versus one battle! How rude!

    Sneakily I begin to prepare a spell. Let''s see how you like this tasty little dish!

    After being damaged by Tiny''s strike the lizard shakes itself vigorously before turning itsrge body with deceptive speed! The clubbed tail behind it whips through the air so quickly it almost can''t be followed by the eye!

    [Look out Tiny!]

    The big ape appears to see it alling, hardly needing any warning from me! He rotates his body and shes out a clean right hook, connecting flush with that bony tail and smashes it away!

    Holy hell! That was so fast!

    Punching in such a way isn''t without cost however, a clear crunching sound can be heard from Tiny''s fist in the moment of impact. He must have broken at least some fingers!

    With his back turned however, the interloping lizard has found its moment to charge! Unleashing a furious roar it pounds the rocky floor with its mighty four-legged tread, its incredible mass and hard armour shattering any stone pirs or monsters unfortunate enough to be in the way.

    Ha! I''ve been waiting for you my friend! I skitter forward until I am facing down the rampaging monster who clearly intends to crush this pitiful ant t on its way to assist in taking down the fearsome gori monster.

    If only it were that easy for you big guy.

    Try this dish! The Inverse Gravity Bolt!

    With malicious glee I release the powerful st of purple magic that shoots through the air like a bullet. With itsrge frame and momentum the lizard has no chance of dodging my strike and can only choose to continue head on!

    I can almost see the flicker of surprise in the beasts eyes as my spell impacts and it feels no pain at all. Did the spell have no effect? In fact, not only did it not hurt, my body feels lighter than ever! I feel like I''m flying!

    Huehuehuehue.

    You sure are buddy!

    Confused growls followed by panicked squeals erupt from the beast as it realises that it is rising from the floor and instead of smashing me to pieces with an irresistible charge it has sailed gracefully over my head, legs waggling in the empty air.

    As its forward momentum peters out the poor monster is left hovering in mid-air close to the ceiling, legs and tail thwipping about as it tries to control its body and move the way it wants to.

    Not to worry big guy, you''ll being down sooner than you think!

    As I prepare another spell Tiny has pivoted back to his foe and swung out with his fists once more, smashes the lizard so hard he knocks it several feet to once side, unleashing another charge of electricity as he does so.

    Once again the scent of roasted flesh fills the air as the lizard roars in pain, unable to resist this fierce elemental damage!

    Then its eyes fiercely glow and it unleashes something I didn''t expect!

    From the floor of the cavern the rock suddenly bes soft for a moment before a reforming into a sharpnce that pierces through the air like the fierce thrust of a spear!

    Unable to predict the stealthy attack from below, Tiny is caught unawares! Unable to dodge the spear in time it pierces him in the side. He manages to catch the tip in one hand, preventing the stone spike from prating any deeper as it continues to extend, lifting the massive ape from the ground!

    Earth magic! I hadn''t expected that! These monsters must be double evolved to be able to use something nifty like that, surely? My eyes light up with greed at the thought of the Xp and Biomass to be harvested from battling against monsters as evolved as I am for a change.

    Tiny seems to think the same as me. Far from panicking at being wounded, his fangs are revealed in a manic grin, his eyes wide open and zing with hunger. He looks even fiercer than before, to be honest.

    Still holding onto the spear with one hand Tiny bellows and clutches the other fist before his face. Instantly dazzling blue electricity begins coursing through his body and concentrating on that fist.

    I know what this is!

    I manage to turn my head away just in time as Tiny thrusts his hand forward, discharging a blinding arc of lightning at his foe! This time he doesn''t cut it off after one st however and I turn my head back, expecting the attack to end but instead get an eyeful of zing lightning as Tiny continues to channel it through his hand, electricity pouring out from all over his body and rushing to his hand in unending streams.

    Under this ferocious attack the lizard cannot maintain control over its magic and the spear of stone crumbles to nothing as Tiny continues his electric assault.

    Actually isn''t it about time¡­

    ncing up towards the roof I think my floating friend is just about to run out of charge.

    My sense of timing is close to spot on as the beast roars in triumph, the sensation of floating has started to fade! Soon it will drop back to the floor!

    Oh, you''ll fall back to the floor alright.

    Gravity Bolt!

 Chapter 24 The beating goes on!

    <h4>Chapter 24 The beating goes on! </h4>

    Impacted by the second Gravity Bolt the poor lizard experiences a brief moment of suspension. A narrow window of time in which the effect of the upwards gravity is fading and the new, downward force is only beginning to kick in.

    The tentative bnce is suddenly broken and with sensational effect!

    From hovering in ce like an awkward levitating turtle the monster suddenly descends so quickly my eyes almost cannot catch its motion.

    BOOM!

    A tremendous impact urs, sending dust and debris flying into the air, obscuring my vision and showering the cavern with shards of rock.

    Holy moly! I didn''t expect that to happen! Well, not quite so spectacrly at least. Scurrying quickly I use my antennae to swipe at the air and try to clear my view and inspect my prey.

    Eventually I have to stop in ce as I feel I may have walked too far. Where the heck is it? Is this dust ever going to settle?!

    On my back the two interlopers are just as blind as I am, although, for Crinis, it is a fairly standard state of affairs. Turning on the spot it takes a moment for me to realise the texture of the floor beneath my feet is slightly different.

    Looking down I notice that I''m standing on the back of the monster!

    It''s been squished right into the floor!

    Slowly the dust falls to reveal that the lizard has beenpletely submerged in the rocky floor of the cavern by the impact and somewhatcking it tact, I''ve wandered directly onto it''s back. Even worse, the monster is still alive, groaning painfully as the downward pressure continues topact it straight into the ground.

    Sorry about that buddy! I''ll er¡­ ease your suffering?

    Piercing Chomp!

    Crunch!

    Phew, this shell is seriously tough!

    Piercing Chomp!

    Crunch!

    Still not there!

    Again! Again! Again!

    By the time I finally break through those tough armour tes my face is feeling extremely sore and I''ve managed to level up my piercing bite once! No wonder Tiny was struggling to crack it with his hands. Even using my armour prating skill it took almost twenty strikes.

    [You have in level 12 Os Lacerti]

    [You have gained experience]

    Feel my wrath you dinosaur wannabe! Moohahahaha! Vibrant seems somewhat confused by my domineering victory pose, her antennae are wibbling about in a confused manner until she eventually decides to somewhat copy my dynamic stance, one leg raised to punch the air.

    ¡­

    Don''t copy that! For starters you didn''t even do anything! Second, you''re making me feel childish in my moment of victory! This battle was the first in which my incredible magical superiority yed the decisive factor, allow me my moment of pride dammit!

    Meanwhile Tiny has alsopleted his battle. After sustaining his brutal lightning attack until the enemy was almostpletely roasted he then approached his incapacitated foe and punched its head in.

    Instead of expressing his dominance to other monsters by posing coolly, Tiny instead approaches his defeated foe and immediately starts ripping into the Biomass, tearing it apart with his bare hands and shoving it into his face.

    You know, looking at the response of the other monsters in the chamber, his method may be more effective in the intimidation department, but itcks style!

    Indeed the other monsters in this section of tunnel are giving both Tiny and myself arge berth as they continue to battle amongst themselves. Incredibly, I actually see a few of the normally battle crazed beasts slinking off down the tunnel, disengaging from fighting entirely!

    Is it just me or are some of these creatures getting smarter?

    In the early days of the wave they would hurl themselves into bloody ughter the moment they were created and wed out of the dirt, regardless of the odds! I couldn''t possibly imagine for a second one of those creatures would voluntarily escape from battle. Calcting the odds just wasn''t something they seemed capable of!

    Now though, it looks a little different. Between a monster who can decide if a fight is too dangerous and tactfully retreat, or a monster who suicidally charges forward no matter what, which is more dangerous? In the short term, the suicidal monster is a little dangerous, in the long term, the sneaky one is by far the greater threat! In this world the potential for growth of monsters seems nearly infinite! All we need is time and resources. For a monster, surviving to fight another day is the only thing that matters!

    I''ll have to think about this developmentter. For now, the stupid monsters who decided to stick around shall be my food!

    Tiny finishes crunching on his Biomass and then turns his greedy eyes towards the other monsters battling on the fringes of the cavern. None shall be let go!

    The two of us catapult forward to continue the battle once more. Having discharged most of his electricity Tiny is reduced to smashing his opponents with just his raw strength whereas I have plenty of juice left in the tank.

    Instead of just chomping everything to death I try and work on some new tactics. The Gravity Boltbo I used on the lizard is just one of my new strategies, I have other ideas as well! The first is to test the Gravity Spear inbat situations!

    Afterunching a spear towards a cluster of monsters the pulling effect is strong enough that none of them are able to escape, instead being sucked into aical ball of writhing monsters who stab and snap at each other viciously with no way to escape!

    Heheheh. Now is the time to apply some AOE damage. Shattering Bite!

    CRUNCH!

    Pouring forth my stamina I manifest the two ethereal mandibles around the condensed monsters and savagely bite, crushing the creatures between them!

    [You have in ¡­.]

    [You have in ¡­.]

    [You have in ¡­.]

    It''s so easy it almost feels mean¡­

    THIS is the strength of the Mind Ant! Being able to wield these powerful spells and destroy my opponents with ease! It was for this sort of effect that I''ve been striving from the very beginning, practicing my magic skills and prioritising the growth of my core, grinding away all of those hours and finally choosing this evolution, sacrificing strength, sacrificing toughness, all to boost my capacity to wield magic in this new world.

    All of it was for this!

    And it was totally worth it!

    I start to run around the cavern, gleefully hurling a new gravity Spear every time I form one and running towards the hapless targets to crunch them with my mandibles. Even as my grant use of my own stamina and mana mounts up and exhaustion sets in I don''t stop until every monster I can see has been defeated.

    So much fun!

    I even went up a level!

    This trip into the Dungeon has certainly been profitable! Being able to cast my spells so smoothly inbat feels so rewarding! I still feel it''s possible to bring them out faster but I''ll need a lot of practice to make that happen.

    I also shouldn''t overestimate my strength either. There will surely be some forms of counter to magical attacks, shields of some sort or magic dampening abilities. Just because I can beat up on these small fry doesn''t mean I should start celebrating too much!

    Keep it cool Anthony!

    With the main bulk of our workplete we try and wrap up the rest of our task as quickly as possible. I get Tiny to help me locate any cores we find and I get him to hold onto them for me before we settle down to have a rapid meal.

    The two lizards we defeated are undoubtedly the strongest monsters we fought here so they are the Biomass of choice!

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Os Lacerti, you are awarded one Biomass]

    [Basic profile of the Os Lacerti unlocked]

    [Os Lacerti: Bone Lizard, This monster is famed for the powerful armour covering its body, its immense physical strength and the devastating power of the clubbed tail. Although not too powerful, the beast is capable of simple earth magic spells, be careful.]

    Yeah, now they tell us.

    Drained but satisfied, Tiny, myself, Vibrant and Crinis tuck into into the Biomass enthusiastically. I personally manage to pick up another nine points!

 Chapter 25 Family

    <h4>Chapter 25 Family </h4>

    Overall we managed to harvest six cores from the wide section of tunnel, including two tasty looking ones from the Bone Lizards. All in all this has been an extremely profitable trip! It feels good to get levels and Biomass again so freely like this! Now that I don''t have to worry so much about the colony surviving the terror of the wave, I''ll be able to head down here with Tiny every now again in order to make sure my personal strength isn''tgging too far behind!

    I can already feel more heat readings from the walls growing with every passing second. A new wave of monsters is about to spawn and I''d rather not get tangled up with them. I collect my passengers and tell Tiny that it''s time to leave.

    The big ape has mostly healed up after consuming all of that Biomass but his fist still looks like it''s in rough shape. Not too surprising considering what he punched! More importantly he looks rxed and happy, something I haven''t seen for over a week now.

    Being a little careful with ourselves we begin the long trek to the surface one more, clearing out the monsters who had spawned behind us as we''d descended. The two little ones are probably the members who gained the most from this trip. I''m not sure that eating more advanced Biomass expedites the growth of young monsters but it probably does, I''ll be interested to see how much Crinis has grown tomorrow. Since Vibrant is a fully grown monster, albeit a small one, she will have gained a truckload of Biomass from consuming a creature two evolution levels above her, perhaps as many as fifteen points!

    Considering how limited her stomach capacity is, getting so many points from one meal is quite an amazing haul!

    Eventually we make our way back to the surface. I climb out first in order to detect if there are any humans or other creatures around the opening to the tunnel. We need to be somewhat careful moving in and out of here as we aren''t too far from the human settlement. Some caution goes a long way in avoiding unnecessaryplications!

    Since we''ve cleaned out the lower tunnels twice there shouldn''t be too much there for the humans in the church to fight, just the very weakest monsters who spawned above where my new tunnel connects to the old one. Not only have I protected their lives, I''ve also robbed them of experience. Truly giving with hand and taking with the other. Gweheheh.

    To be honest, I haven''t hurt them at all, and taking little steps like this to protect my colony, my family, is surely permissible right? Gandalf?

    Eh. My conscious is clean.

    The four of us begin the long trek back into the forest, well, two of us begin the long trek back into the forest. I''m fairly certain that Vibrant has fallen asleep on my head. Judging by the rhythmic expansion and contraction of the little ball on my back, Crinis has also!

    Why I oughtta!

    Ah fine. They''ve had a big day I suppose. The faster they digest that Biomass and grow the sooner they''ll be off my back and working hard for the colony. Just you wait you little freeloaders¡­

    It takes a few hours to walk back to the anthill and things are perfectly peaceful on the journey.

    However, when we are almost there, faint sounds of battle attract my attention.

    My heart slows in my chest as I recognise the sound of human voices shouting and the sh of steel. People are fighting near the colony!

    Immediately I start sprinting forward at top speed, not caring that my rapid movement has jolted my two passengers awake. Tiny seems to detect my rising panic and rumbles after me as quickly as his long arms reach out and seize the ground.

    With every step my heart is pounding and a scream is rising in my head. Not my family! Not my family! Not my family! NOT AGAIN!

    The sickening sounds of weapons crunching through monster flesh are enough to bring tears to my eyes. I mean, if I had tear ducts. Just let my colony be safe!

    In a few moments that felt like hours we finally burst onto the scene. The anthill rises like small mountain to my right, dominating the center of the clearing, workers pour out of the top, mandibles cking with rage, antennae twitching angrily, no doubt sensing the call to arms pheromones that have summoned the workforce to battle!

    To my left are ten humans, each equipped with glittering weapons and armour, intricately adorned with insignia and embossed filigree. Two mages stand at the back, ornate staves in their hands and flowing robes running over their shoulders. These are some of the most borately equipped humans I''ve ever seen.

    And they are massacring the ants.

    The workers swarm forward mindlessly, desperate to defend their home, but they cannot get close enough. The magicians have conjured some type of shield that pushes the workers back, allowing the warriors to swing freely and unleash their sword skills, sending waves of sword light shing through the ants. The acid fired from above is likewise blocked by magical means, scattering harmlessly and running down the invisible barrier.

    In the center of my view is the most horrifying sight of all. The Queen hase out! Her huge frame is shuddering with rage as she tries to heal her children and push forward to rend her enemies at the same time.

    My family is dying!

    [TINY! KILL!]

    I''m barely coherent enough to roar this words to mypanion before my mind goes totally red. My precious siblings are being killed, torn apart like paper, right before my eyes. I have to save them!

    In one movement I vigorously shake off the two little ones and start sprinting at the enemy. They dare to attack my family! I''ll bite them to pieces!

    Blinded by rage I act without any sort of n, rushing directly forwards. Closer, closer, closer! When I''m just a few metres away one of the spell casters turns his head and almost contemptuously flicks his wrist towards me.

    Immediately I feel an impact on my face, as if an invisible barrier just rushed at me, trying to bounce me away.

    Not today Mr Mime!

    I dig in with my ws and crunch down with my mandibles, trying to rip this wall to pieces with sheer physical force. At the same time, the blow to my head has returned some of my senses. Charging blindly into an unknown force may not be the best idea Anthony, but if it saves the ants it''ll be worth it!

    Even as I wrestle with this barrier I engage my sub brain to begin construction of a Gravity Spear, if any one spell is going to disrupt their formation this''ll be it. The mage seems a little confused at first by my stubborn resistance to his spell, somewhat surprised that I wasn''t simply knocked back, possibly even killed by the impact of the barrier. I re at him as he studies me a little more close, taking in my advanced size and mutated body parts, then he smirks and thrusts his hand forward, doubling the pressure on me in an instant!

    Not enough!

    Determined, I hold my ground ,refusing to budge. I don''t have time to waste with this idiot! Every moment that passes those swordsmen cut their way through the workers like wheat, getting ever closer to the Queen!

    [Where the hell are you Tiny?!]

    At that moment a thunderous screech sts the ears of everyone present. The sonic wave so intense it feels like my ear drums have been punched directly. Charging with all of his might, Tiny takes a huge running leap, raising both fists over his head to hammer down on the barrier!

    The mage facing me pales in fright when he sees this massive ape monster burst out of the trees, leaping towards them in just a few seconds. He screams something in theirnguage and the second mage, a woman, turns quickly and the two of them raise their staves in one motion as Tiny descends from above.

    The pressure on me is released instantly.

    Infected by my own desperate rage, Tiny''s eyes arepletely red as his massive body descends, lending all the weight of his mass to his strike. His fists hammer down like meteors, mming into the defensive barrier with a colossal impact!

    BOOM!

 Chapter 26 Monster unleashed

    <h4>Chapter 26 Monster unleashed </h4>

    Under the impact of Tiny''s mighty fists the barrier flickers in and out of existence, on the verge of total copse. The two mages recoil physically from the power of that strike, one of them is even driven to their knees. Still, their eyes are burning with determination and they keep their staves raised to the sky, apparently reinforcing the barrier with everything they have.

    To resist that full bodied strike from Tiny the shield up there must be incredibly strong!

    The shield down here near me however¡­

    Infused mandibles!

    Still desperately constructing the Gravity Spear within myself I start to charge my mandibles as well. The strain on my mind is so immense I would have blood flooding out of my nose if I had one! Straining with all of my spirit I desperately control the mana, directing it into my mandibles whilst leaving as much of the load as possible to the sub brain. It feel as if both of brains are on fire, cooking themselves with the strain.

    As the traces of mana flow out of my core and into my mandibles they begin to emit light, a glow, that grows stronger every moment. My face is already pressed against the barrier, its invisible resistance pushing back against me. My mandibles are spread wide, digging in but not prating through the barrier. As the mana flow grows from a trickle to a stream and the light emitted grows more intense I begin to feel the tiniest bit of give.

    Yes! With Tiny distracting their attention they have reinforced the barrier above but it has grown noticeably weaker below. This is my chance!

    Straining with every muscle fibre of my face I push my mandibles to the limit!

    Break through, dammit!

    The barrier gives a little more under my assault, then a little more! Seemingly sensing something, the closest mage lowers his head to turn from Tiny to me, noticing my fiercely glowing mandibles he tries to redirect his attention to stop me from breaking through, raising his free hand at thest second.

    Toote!

    Tearing through the barrier my mandibles close with a mighty snap! The invisible shield before me cracks and dissolves, the forward pressure I''d created with my legs sends me flying forward, tumbling inside the dome!

    Snapping one section of the barrier has a visible impact on the mage closest to me and he wilts under the strain. I don''t have much understanding of barrier spells to this point so I''m sure exactly how this recoil works but I sure as heck am going to take advantage of it!

    Snapping to my feet I use all of my mental power toplete the Gravity Spear as quickly as possible. Cutting off the flow of mana to my mandibles relieves a lot of the pressure on my mind and the spell construction continues at a blistering pace!

    Before the mage closest to me can recover, I dart forward, mandibles wide open.

    Shattering Bite!

    With all of my strength I bring my jaws shut upon the mage, I don''t even rely on the manifested mandibles but instead ensure I''m close enough that my mandibles crush him directly.

    CRUNCH!

    With a sickening noise the pulverizing force of my mandibles closes on the mage before he is able to recover. When I release him from my bite he copses to the ground and doesn''t get up.

    [You have in level 43 High Mage]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have reached level 11, one skill point awarded]

    [You have reached level 12, one skill point awarded]

    The second mage turns in time to see herpatriot fall from my jaws and her face is filled with horror, but she hasn''t time to act against me as Tiny has prepared another strike against the shield!

    She is in a dilemma now, does withdraw her mind from maintaining the shield and attack me, letting Tiny smash it to pieces and robbing the warriors or its defence or does she leave herself vulnerable to my attack and try and maintain the shield.

    I expected her to fight to maintain the shield but instead she decisively brings her staff around towards me, hands weaving patters in the air as she maniptes the mana around her.

    Of course, this means Tiny gets a free swing.

    From the corner of my eye I can see the massive ape rear back with his good hand, rotating his body so far that his back is to the barrier before he unwinds and unleashes his fist as if firing it from a cannon!

    With a shattering sound like a thousand panes of ss breaking at once, the invisible dome copses, diffused shards of mana fall like rain upon us even as they dissolve into nothing, no longer controlled or shaped by any mind.

    The soldiers pause in their butchery out of shock, several turn to witness the situation behind them and be aware of my position for the first time.

    I don''t have much time to act, this mage is going to st me right in the face in one second! How is this spear still not ready?!

    Finally the spell hums into life as it finally finishes charging having beingpleted construction just a moment ago.

    I hope I''m in time!

    Without a thought for my own safety I decisively turn and fire the Gravity Spear towards the warriors on the front line, desperate to prevent their swords from killing any more of my siblings.

    Before I even see my spell impact against the warriors the female mage haspleted her spell, dozens of des of ice have formed in the air hovering around her. With one wave of her hand each of the des sts towards me with supersonic speed!

    Holy moly!

    I can''t even dodge if they move at this speed! Before they impact all I can do is tuck my legs and antennae under my body and tilt my head down in order to protect my eyes, then receive the blow head on!

    Just before they impact me something strange tickles my awareness. The ice des are registering on my heat sense as immensely cold, the temperature of the air around the female mage has dropped precipitously. Now that those des are screaming through the air towards me they leave vapour trails of cold behind that is detected by heat sense.

    With all of this cold in the air¡­ What is that source of heat on my left? There isn''t anything there?

    Before I have time to properly think about it the ice des strike home against me!

    sh! sh! sh! sh! sh! sh!

    Immediately intense pain erupts throughout my body as the magical des slice into my diamond carapace, cutting my nks, back and directly chopping off one leg plus an antennae!

    Holy MASOIUGLKASNF Gandalf!

    That stings like the dickens!

    My whole body is screaming with pain! Those numerous des have cut through me all over! My diamond carapace was specially chosen to defend against physical attacks, it is clearly not up to the task against something that is imbued with mana.

    Activate the regeneration nd!

    I try to slump forward as if on the verge of death even as the regeneration fluid rapidly spreads through my body, closing over the cuts and repairing my damaged muscles. Thankfully none of those des was able to prate deep enough to damage my core!

    I can only imagine that significant damage to a monsters core would bepletely disastrous if not immediately fatal! Once it has been created the core is central to a monsters life force, the storage and nerve center of the monster as a magical being! Much like the brain operates as the center of thought, the core is the center of mana and I''m not confident a monster can live without it once they have adapted to it!

    Certainly it isn''t a theory I want to try out¡­

    My ruse seems to have worked, in the heat of the moment, with the barrier destroyed, there are other threats than me that these humans need to deal with! When the mage turns her staff away from me I push my healing legs underneath myself, ready for my next move!

 Chapter 27 The human menace

    <h4>Chapter 27 The human menace </h4>

    I can''t afford to let the mage attack Tiny, if she is able to disable him or even heavily wound him with her magic then we might lose our best chance to deal with those deadly fighters. Not to mention the terrible possibility Tiny might be killed!

    Quick as a sh I spin around to present my b-zone towards the mage. My sudden energetic and rapid movement takes herpletely by surprise as merely seconds ago I''d been cut to ribbons by her magical barrage.

    Victory is always decided by the one who thinks the fastest! Receive the famed produce of mymercial district!

    POW! POW! POW!

    At this close range I don''t worry about aiming and punch out three sts of acid as rapidly as I can. The jets of acid streak through the air and impact hard against the mage. At this close range the physical force of the acid spray is almost enough to knock her off her feet. She manages to retain her bnce by falling to one knee and using her staff to prop herself up but by then the restrictive nature of the acid is already kicking in, making it difficult for her to move.

    So long as she is dyed from effecting the rest of the fight then my purpose will be served, more than taking her out straight away I''m most concerned with stopping the dreadful ughter of my siblings.

    Using their de skills the warriors have been able to maintain a distance from the fearless workers, relying on the barrier to keep the ants from pressing forward and giving them the space to unleash their advanced sword skills, shing out arcs of energy, much like my own shattering bite skill, that carve apart three or more workers with every strike!

    When I see the broken and destroyed remains of my family members littering the ground my heart twists with pain. These warriors are too good at their work, most of these workers are already dead, beyond what the Queen''s healing can fix. They didn''t even have a chance to drag their damaged bodies clear of the fight.

    Disrupting the warriors from striking at the colony is the number one priority!

    Thankfully my Gravity Spear is starting to take effect!

    I''d been careful when I constructed the spell to ensure the gravitational fields range was controlled so as not to be toorge. So when the target of my spell realises he has an ethereal purple spear sticking through his guts his first instinct seems to be to scream in horror, unaware that the true terror is yet to be unleashed.

    The target itself feels nothing from the spell, no effect at all, but it isn''t long until the warriors nearby, most of whom are still facing the ravenous ant tide, begin to notice something is wrong.

    Inexorably the pulling force of the Gravity Spear begins to show its effect, the warriors are finding themselves thrown off bnce, having to exert force in their feet in order to resist this unknown force. The disruption is so strong that the barrage of sword attacks ceases almost immediately as they try to identify this new threat.

    To my shock they remain disciplined, quickly barking words and instructions to each other as they resist the building force with all of their might, gradually falling back to the source of the pull without losing their feet.

    These guys must have some serious physical stats to be able to resist the gravity in this way! They haven''t even lost their feet! The calm way they dealt with this new situation worries me immensely. These warriors are so disciplined and powerful they can''t be ordinary, not to mention the mage that I killed (not thinking about that too deeply just now!) was some ridiculous level over 40!

    Still they have retreated and grouped up, which is nice of them.

    [Tiny! Smash those guys!]

    After destroying the shield Tiny has been impatiently waiting for it topletely dissolve before advancing. Now that I''ve given him a target he bellows his anger, eyes zing with wrath as he charges towards the grouped up warriors.

    One of the soldiers barks a quickmand to the others and steps forward, glittering sword in one hand and imposing tower shield on the other. Clearly he intends to face off against Tiny himself and leave the ants to his fellow soldiers.

    ncing quickly at the mage who is yet to rise back to her feet I decide to gamble and leave her be for the time being so I can intervene and assist Tiny.

    Skirting to one side I open up the angle a little and once again unleash my potent range of products from themercial district!

    POW! POW!

    Two rapid fire shots st into the warrior, one catching him on the leg whilst the other hits on the side of his chest. Hopefully the restrictive properties and damage are enough to help Tiny batter his way through!

    With a little momentum behind him the giant ape lumbers forward and unleashes his devastating fist straight on! The warrior doesn''t lose focus for a second, his eyes show no fear or surprise at all, even when my acid sshes against him. Faced with the massive fist of Tiny rushing towards him he shouts aggressively and steps forward like lightning, rotating his body and smashing his shield into Tiny''s arm, deflecting the blow!

    Holy heck!

    This guy is insane! He actually managed to defend himself against Tiny? I''d expected we''d be finding parts of him in the next postcode when that fist was unleashed! Clearly my restrictive acid isn''t enough to deal with him!

    Tiny isn''t perturbed in the slightest. When his fist failed to destroy the target he simply wound back his other hand and unleashed a vicious hook. His fist cuts through the air so quickly a shrill whistling sound can be heard ringing in the ears of everyone in the clearing.

    I can also see the subtle signs of Tiny winding up his electrical engine. Little sparks are beginning to appear on his body and the hair on his arms is beginning to rise.

    Shockingly this blow is also deflected but not quite as gracefully. Ducking low, the warrior braces his shield against his shoulder and angles it to deflect the punch, which he manages to do. The shield buckles when that colossal fist smashes into it but it is sessfully deflected, a solid imprint of one of Tiny''s knuckles has been left on the patterned metal.

    The warrior wasn''t able topletely deflect the force however, his whole body is rocked by the impact and it looks as if his bones have been rattled, nheless he quicklyshes out with his de, opening a wound on Tiny''s chest.

    I''ll have to let these two go at it and hope Tiny can hold his own, the rest of the soldiers are already preparing to unleash their skills upon the onrushing horde of ants! To my dismay the Queen herself has pushed forwards to the frontline now. Fury zing in her eyes as she marches over a carpet of her own destroyed offspring in order to attack their killers.

    Dammit!

    I really wish she wasn''t so damn brave! These guys will cut her apart!

    Just as I''m preparing to leap forward and unleash my mandibles upon the clustered warriors I notice another development in the corner of my eye. The female mage has stood up and her entire body is glowing softly with blue light. Looking more carefully I see that my acid is rapidly dissolving, lifting away from her robes and skin as if fades away into the air.

    ARGH!

    Now this mage is going to start flinging spells everywhere again! I don''t want to get sliced up by that magic again and I sure as hell don''t want to expose the workforce to it!

    Making a split second decision I turn back to face off against the mage and begin weaving a Gravity Bolt as fast as I can even as I dash forward to threaten her with my mandibles! She mustn''t get a chance to cast a spell!

    As she sees me charge toward her the mages eyes flicker with panic and dart to her side. For some reason I get the feeling she isn''t worried about herself?

 Chapter 28 The Queen

    <h4>Chapter 28 The Queen </h4>

    Seeing that unwilling flicker of eye movement I''m reminded of the mysterious heat I''d detected a few moments ago. I still can''t see anything upying that space but even though one of my antennae is still in the process of regenerating, I can still detect that there is some random heat emanating from that space.

    What the heck is it?!

    In the heat of the moment I don''t have much time to decide my course of action. Any second that mage is going to start casting her spells again! I refuse to be diverted and continue using almost all of my mental energy on the construction of my Gravity Bolt. This one happens to be inverse. We''ll see how well this mage can cast spells when she''s one thousand feet up!

    In order to throw her off bnce I still lunge forward with my mandibles, activating my shattering bite skill as I do so! The ethereal mandibles that are manifestations of my staminash out through the air, closing rapidly on the mage. The warriors might be able to resist this attack but I highly doubt a mage can! Not without some sort of barrier at any rate.

    The old woman shocks me by nimble rolling under my strike, expertly tucking her staff t against her stomach to avoid it catching on anything as shepletes the motion and stands ready to strike at me, staff extended!

    Yikes!

    I hastily leap forward and narrowly dodge ance of ice that materialises from the tip of her staff and streaks through the air like an arrow, smashing into the ground just behind me.

    Close!

    I can''t help but note that when she made her dodge roll she managed to ce herself in between me and the mysterious heat source. She is clearly trying to protect it! This only piques my interest. If she is willing to put herself in harm''s way for that thing then it may be able to swing the oue of this battle!

    With a start I realise that my own spell is prepared! Have a taste of this delicacy, mage!

    Ducking low as if I were about to pounce I instead fire the Inverse Gravity Bolt directly at the mage''s torso. Caught by surprise she doesn''t have time to dodge and her eyes flicker with shock as, instead of the wild leap I''d threatened, this bolt of magic has been fired at her.

    Twitching her wrist around with incredible speed she ces the tip of her staff in the way of the bolt and manages to catch it somehow! The Inverse Gravity Bolt remains pushing against the staff as the mages face quickly bes mask of concentration as she uses her staff and then her other hand to press back against my spell!

    Is that even possible?!

    Luckily I hadn''t sat on my behind just in case this spell wasn''t effective and I''m already on the move, rushing forward with my mandibles open to strike!

    Shattering Bite!

    Trying not to get too close in case she can do something ridiculous like rebound my own spell at me, I marshal my spirit and crunch down on the mages leg, crushing it between my mandibles!

    With a despairing cry she falls to one side, finally deflecting my spell into a nearby tree that immediately starts to pull at its roots in the ground, attempting to rise into the sky.

    Now''s my chance!

    Dashing forward I rush towards the heat source that I can feel recoiling back from me somewhat like a person would? What the hell?!

    I feel a tugging at my foot and realise that the mage has reached out desperately to grasp my leg in her hand. As soon as she grabs me ice begins to form on my leg, rushing up towards my body.

    You are too persistent!

    Shattering Bite!

    [You have in level 46 High mage]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have gone up a level, one skill point awarded]

    My freakin'' leg feels like it has been put in the deep freeze! As I continue to move toward the heat source it directly shatters! I don''t even care, keep moving, every second counts!

    Behind me the battle has continued at its ferocious pace. Tiny and the human soldier are continuing to batter at each other and it is bing clear that Tiny is gaining the upper hand. He still doesn''t have a full tank of electricity but there is enough for him to wreath his fists in lightning and punch out against the shield.

    Every time his fists batter against the shield lightning rips through it, leaping onto the warriors body and shocking him with every blow. The warrior appears to have formidable resistance, but each mighty fist wears him down that little bit more.

    Not that he hasn''t been able to strike back. Tiny is sporting cuts all over his body, bleeding profusely where the de has managed to sh out like a striking snake between blocks. The difference between the two is that Tiny isn''t running out of strength, his huge frame is able to sustain this much damage, at least for now.

    I really need to get the big guy to invest in a regeneration nd. His Might stat must be out of this world but I''m beginning to suspect his Toughness is in the tank. If he doesn''t have much on the defensive side then the regeneration nd would really help him out in a situation like this where he isn''t able to defeat his opponent in just a few strikes.

    What really worries me is the warriors against the Queen and the rest of the colony. The scene is so chaotic over there I can''t make out what is happening. I hope to heck they are ok over there!

    Whatever this mysterious heat source is, it had better help resolve this situation. It has to be something good if that mage was willing to die for it!

    The closer I get and the further my antennae regenerate the more clearly I can sense this heat source. It is starting to feel more and more like a person, on the ground, crawling away from me?

    I can''t see a single thing in front of me?!

    Don''t tell me ¡­ Invisibility?!

    Pouncing suddenly I leap forward andnd over the top of the heat source. Whoever this person is they are copsed beneath me now, I can sense their hands are raised to protect their face.

    I don''t think this person is very good at fighting.

    A sneaking suspicion is starting to tickle the edges of my mind.

    I can''t hesitate, my family is being killed every second!

    Using my antennae to rapidly tap here and there I manage to locate what I think is this person''s neck and I reach forward with my mandibles, bringing them closed just enough that I can force this invisible person to move without harming them.

    With this done I raise the invisible form up from the ground. Whoever it is, they ''aint heavy!

    With the chaos battle ringing in my ears I turn back towards the fighting and shake my prisoner slightly. Thankfully, whoever I have hold of manages to get my message.

    The invisibility falls away to reveal my mandibles gripping the neck of an elderlydy dressed in simple but elegant robes. Most importantly, her head is decorated with a seriously expensive looking crown!

    Somehow, even with a monsters jaws gripping her by the neck thisdy manages to maintain a solemn dignity, appearing neither upset nor fearful in this critical moment.

    The solider battling against Tiny is the first to notice and screams something in a despairing tone, drawing the eyes of every human towards me. He tries to turn from Tiny and rush towards me but I flex my mandibles threateningly, holding my prisoner threateningly before me.

    He seemed stunned by my disy of intelligence and backs up, turning away only when Tiny attacks again, threatening his life.

    "Everyone back off! Step away!"

    [Tiny, back up a second!]

    I shout at my allies until they ede to my request, giving both sides a little breathing room. The soldiers all turn to face me, their faces filled with panic and fear as I threaten what I can only presume is the life of their ruler.

    What the hell are these people doing in this forest in the first ce?!

    When I finally get a chance to look, I can see that many ants have been destroyed by these warriors. Even the giant form of mother is listing to one side, heavily wounded.

    Rage is ignited in my heart. These people will pay!

 Chapter 29 The path forward

    <h4>Chapter 29 The path forward </h4>

    With the human Queen locked between my jaws there is little the soldiers can do to prevent me from giving her a fatal haircut if I so choose.

    The power is in my hands/ws!

    Unfortunately for these soldiers the rage in my heart is burning furiously after witnessing the damage they''ve done to my family. I have no idea how many ants have been destroyed by these invaders, the Queen herself has been wounded by their des.

    I demand vengeance!

    The soldiers are talking amongst themselves now, faces tight with worry as they try to work out how to deal with this situation. I don''t want to give them enough time to formte a n. If they decided to threaten the ant queen then we might end up in a stand-off instead of this situation where I have the clear advantage.

    I step forward aggressively, the human Queen swaying in the grasp of my mandibles, her feet dragging on the ground as she tries to keep her feet under her. When the soldiers see me treating their royalty so poorly they react angrily, clutching at their weapons and yelling at me in theirnguage.

    In response I flex my mandibles around her neck menacingly. In an attempt tomunicate my demands I use one of my antennae to point several times at the ground.

    Put your weapons down!

    The soldiers look back and forth between themselves, confused by my gesture. I don''t think they expect to be able to engage in any sort of dialogue with a monster and I don''t really me them. I get the impression that intelligent monsters do exist but the feeling I have is that those monsters wouldn''t want to y nice with any creatures on the surface. From what I''ve seen of monsters so far I can only imagine they put that higher intelligence to the task of inventing ways to kill people more efficiently.

    Clearly in this situation they don''t know what to do.

    Once again I flex my mandibles forcefully and point several times to the ground with both antennae this time.

    Put your weapons down!

    There is real fear in the faces of these soldiers. Not for themselves but for the life of the person I hold between my mandibles. They know there is very little chance that they can find a positive way out of this mess.

    They talk back and forth for a few seconds before the soldier who had been battling Tiny shouts at the others and then lies down on the ground. Seeing his example the others reluctantlyply, lying face down on the ground.

    ¡­.

    Ok sure. That works too.

    [Tiny, walk over to them and take their weapons and shields away]

    With them lying down we can reduce them as a threat by removing their equipment, this will help bring everything even further under control. Perfect.

    As I''m congratting myself on my chess like moves I eventually notice that Tiny hasn''t moved. Focusing my attention on him I realise that he''s still standing still, looking at me with a confused expression.

    [What are those?] he asks.

    Oh boy.

    [Take away the pointy metal things, like what that guy stabbed you with, and their big metal boards which he used to block your punches!] I try to exin exasperatedly.

    He stares at me with incredible intensity, the thoughts ticking over in his mind with excruciating slowness. Come on man!

    Slowly he turns and stomps towards the soldier he had fought with, probably the leader or captain of these men, looking at me all the while. Then he slowly bends down towards the nervous soldier and grasps the sword between two of his thick fingers, ncing back to me like a child wondering if they''d done the right thing.

    [Yes! That is the sword! Good job Tiny!] I praise him.

    His bat face splits in a wide grin and he picks the sword up and brings it to me, cing it carefully at my feet as if he were a dog ying fetch. Now that knows what he''s doing he manages to go to each soldier and take their sword, bringing them back to me one by one before he tries to work out what the shield is. When he eventually figures it out he collects them one by one again, bringing them to me andpleting his small pile of equipment in front of me.

    It takes almost ten minutes for him to get it all done.

    [Good job Tiny] I say exhaustedly.

    He seems immensely pleased with himself. Just how low is your cunning stat, seriously?!

    With all of the soldiers disarmed I feel a lot safer. With their incredible sword skills just how many of my fellow workers have been destroyed? I refuse to let them off.

    Moving slowly I start to take the Queen towards the nest, allowing her to walk steadily as she matches my movement. The soldiers look on with worried eyes as I take their Queen away from their line of sight. When one of them tries to turns his head to watch me move I furiously point at him with an antennae until he turns back around.

    As I draw closer the true extend of the damage that has been done in this battle has been exposed. As many as one hundred workers have been killed, their bodies sliced apart by the devastating sword light of their opponents.

    These individual ants are simply too weak to fight against high level enemies like these. They aren''t intelligent enough to use tactics and they aren''t strong enough to push through the front. If there had been more numbers, say one thousand ants, perhaps they would have been able to swarm over the barrier and break it down. Then again, perhaps the mages would have been able to hold on long enough for these few humans to destroy thousands of my kind.

    It isn''t good enough!

    This shocking urrence has clearly shown that against high level opponents the colony will only be able to achieve victory at the cost of many lives. For a normal monster ant colony that may be fine, victory whilst throwing away the individual workers or treating them as disposable. If I have epted that the workers of this colony are my family members, my siblings, then I refuse to let them die so simply.

    This will be thest time.

    [Tiny, I want you to bring that guy you were fighting over to the nest. Then I want you toe back out here and destroy the others].

    The big ape nods, smiling happily.

 Chapter 30 Mind games

    <h4>Chapter 30 Mind games </h4>

    Only now do I remember my two passengers that I''d thrown off in a rush. Poor Crinis! The little thing can''t even see!

    [Crinis! Crinis! Where are you?!] I frantically yell in my mental channel.

    Turning quickly I unceremoniously drag the Queen this way and that until I notice some movement in the grass on the forest floor. Rushing over I see several little tentacles extended straight up, wiggling frantically.

    There it is!

    I carefully ce one of my legs so that it is just touching the seeking limbs.

    [It''s me! Climb up!]

    Moments ater a much more rxed blob is resting on my back and a very small worker has emerged from behind a nearby tree to climb up onto my head. Mini crew assembled I return, Queen in tow, to the scene of the carnage.

    Surrounded by the remains of her own deceased children the Queen isn''t looking good. A horde of workers are rushing about her, their anxiety is in in their disjointed movements, darting backwards and forwards, unsure what they should do to help the situation.

    The human Queen seems rather unhappy about being this close to such a massive monster but I hardly care. Her people are what caused this problem, if she gets ufortable I''ll shed no tears. If she tries to harm the real Queen then she will very quickly regret it.

    "Mother! Are you ok?!" I cry.

    In my mind I hadn''t imagined she could be injured this badly, she''d always seemed so indestructible that even if I worried about her getting injured, I hadn''t really believed it would happen.

    Her super hard carapace met its match in those devastating sword skills today, numerous cuts and gashes mar her body, some of them very deep.

    "I will ¡­ be ok" she replies, her usual calm voice strained to the limit.

    "Can you heal yourself? Cast some magic?" I urge her worriedly.

    She doesn''t reply for a moment, her great body heaving as shebours to draw in air.

    "No ¡­. Strength" she manages finally.

    No strength!? What the heck does that mean? She can''t concentrate enough to cast the spell? Does she not have enough mana?! This is really bad!

    Bing more concerned every moment I start to tap up and down her wounds with my antennae almost without thinking about it, my ant instincts kicking in and overriding my more rational behaviour as I try to scramble for a solution.

    Holy heck!

    One of these cuts is way too deep! Right in the center of her thorax a deep and wide wound has opened in her carapace, within the wound I''m sure I can see something glittering.

    Is that her core?!

    A chill strikes me to the bone. Had that skill gone any further then it might have damaged the core directly, something I feel very confident would be immediately fatal to a monster. Just a few more inches and mother would have perished.

    Appalled by the thought I turn on my mana sense and examine her core. Usually zing bright, her core is more of a dim ember right now. Why is her core so weak?! It should be full of mana and packed with energy! Is this why she seems so weak? Is there something wrong with her core?

    Desperate to make a difference I start pulling all of the mana I can out of my own core and sending it in a stream of mist towards the Queens. Without knowing if it will help in any way I persist until my core has almost been tappedpletely dry of mp before I flick on my mana sense again and anxiously seek any changes.

    There is a slight different I think? The response I get seems a little more energetic this time.

    Is she not getting enough mana in her core?

    "Take the Queen into the farm!" I shout as loudly as I can to all of the surrounding workers, "rush in there and destroy everything and then take mother inside and protect her!"

    If she needs more mana then cing her inside the farm is going to be the best ce we can find in the short term. If the workers pack in there tightly enough then there is practically no chance that a monster will be able to spawn and have a chance of hurting the Queen.

    "As soon as you can you need to heal yourself!" I urge the Queen, "your injuries are very serious!"

    I''m worried she''ll start trying to heal the injured workers before she bothers to cast the spell on herself. She is usually selfless to a fault!

    She begins to carry herself away, slowly and painfully moving towards the farm. Half the colony has assembled to help her, many workers walking straight under her and using their own backs to lift up their parent, trying to help her take the weight of her feet.

    I watch her go, still very concerned.

    I have other work to do right now though. I''ll have to trust that my siblings will be able toplete the task they''ve been given.

    Tiny is already on his way back to the battlefield toplete his task. He has already transported the officer to the top of the anthill where several workers have surrounded him, tapping him with antennae and taking the odd nibble as he resolutely lies face down in the dirt.

    "Watch him and don''t let him move", I tell the workers as I move past, dragging the human Queen up the side of the ant hill towards the opening at the top.

    The trick now is going to be getting her down there.

    Shrugging mentally I slowly lift my head until my captive is forced onto her toes. Eventually she reaches up to grab my mandibles with her hands in order to help carry her weight, rather than have all of her body weight hanging from her neck.

    Once this is done I begin the decent. Fortunately we don''t need to go far until I can stash the Queen in my own personal chamber near the top of the hill.

    One inside I lower her to the ground and release my mandibles.

    The second I do, a Titan-Croca smacks me directly in the brain!

    At least that''s how I feel! My mind rocks back and forth within my head as if it were a bell that had been struck by a hammer. Gritting my mandibles hard I try to shake it off. What the heck was that?!

    BOOM!

    Another one! I can feel my body physically recoil as if I''d actually been hit. Despite being disoriented I can tell that my body hasn''t been hit. Something is attacking my mind! Darkness threatens to overwhelm me but I barely manage to hold on to consciousness!

    It''ll take a hell of a lot more than that to put me down!

    It''s pretty obvious who the culprit is. The Queen is sitting on the dirt floor of my chamber, fingers ced on her temples as she stares daggers at me.

    I will never yield to you!

    The rage I felt at watching my mother crawl away on the edge of death explodes in my heart and burns away the dizziness I feel. These damn humans have killed so many of us today, you want to try and take me out too?!

    Pouncing forward suddenly I open my mandibles wide, threatening a fatal strike!

    Before I can get close enough my mind is struck once more! Not a hammer this time, a drill!

    Pointed, insistent pressure batters at the walls of my mind, trying to tear down my defences and invade my thoughts. I have no idea what sort of attack this is but I sure as hell don''t enjoy it! Dammit if only my core wasn''t so tapped out I might be able to push back with mana in some way.

    All I can do is stoke the fires of anger within me and use it as fuel to endure the pain. As the drilling pushes harder and harder against my mind I push back just as hard, even as it intensifies the pain.

    My vision has gonepletely nk at this point, the pain in my mind is sending everything white. I flip on my mana sense, hoping I might be able to make something out. To my surprise I can. A glittering bridge like magical construct has been formed between myself and the Queen, the main difference being the part that touches me is less a friendly, weing path and more of a pointed needle.

    Mind magic!

    I redouble my efforts to push back. Who knows what might happen if she seeds in this attack. She might just kill me or she might take control of me, I have no idea what mind magic is capable of!

    God it hurts!

    Our mental bout continues until I''m sure the torture will go on forever. My mind feels like its breaking apart at the edges!

    Then, suddenly, the pressure evaporates!

    My vision floods back and I shocked to see the human Queen stumbling to once side, surprise written all over her face and a tiny anttched onto her ankle!

    Vibrant!

 Chapter 31 Talking points

    <h4>Chapter 31 Talking points </h4>

    The Queen was just as mentally invested in our contest as I was. With the sudden bite of Vibrant she haspletely lost her focus, freeing me from her mental assault.

    I can''t waste this chance!

    I leap forward immediately, mandibles wide open, ready to deliver the fatal blow. I''d originally wanted to keep this Queen alive for a few reasons. Firstly, reprisals. If her death was somehow pinned on us, or if people came following her trail, we could be in big trouble. At the very least we would have to pick up and relocate the colony again, something I''d rather not do if I didn''t have to. Secondly, information! If I were to take this opportunity to try and develop my mind magic skills I couldmunicate and exchange the safe return of this Queen for information of this world and the surrounding area.

    This is critical info for me. The knowledge I could harvest from one captive human about the surface society would be worth mountains of metaphorical gold. Learning about the locations of cities, the culture, about the Dungeon, magic, weapon skills, everything!

    Information is king! When an actual person I can interrogate falls into myp, I refuse to throw away the opportunity! Well, now that I know the Queen can assault my mind directly, I''ll have to give up on it. Who knows what is possible when you dominate another''s mind with magic? Not this ant!

    Can''t take the chance! I''ll have to snip the neck zone and worry about the ramificationster. Perhaps there is still a chance I could get some information from the captain up above. Unlikely he would want to share after his Queen is trimmed but it''ll be worth a shot.

    [Hold, monster!] a desperate voice rings within my mind.

    I freeze on the spot. My mandibles are mere inches away from the royal neck. It would take me a fraction of a second toplete the motion and bring my jaws together.

    An uneasy pause.

    We stare at each other, eye topound eye. Flipping on my mana sense I can see that the Queen has managed to hastily construct a simr mind magic bridge to that which Formo the Sophos used tomunicate with me. However, where Formo''s bridge was an immacte goldenttice woven with exquisite, intricate care, this one looks like the technique used to darn socks. Rough!

    I shouldn''t be too surprised since she did manage to construct it under duress. Hopefully she managed to make it so that works both ways. What the heck do I say though? This is a ruler, used to respect and deference. I should try not to be too rude. Then again she did try to stab me in the brain with magic, it wouldn''t pay to be too polite.

    [Speak! Or Die!]

    I think I struck the bnce there quite well. Good going Anthony!

    Staring into the face of a terrifying Dungeon monster the Queen is managing to keep her equilibrium quite well, all things considered. With my words ringing in her mind she seems a little taken aback and pale as she ponders her next words.

    [How is it you can understand me?] she eventually asks, soundingpletely bewildered.

    ¡­

    What do you want me to say? That I was actually a human in the past? That I was reincarnated into this body and have been making the best of my new life as a monstrous ant?

    [You tried to speak to me without knowing if I could reply?] I ask.

    [When you were able to resist my mind de, I thought it was strange that a monster would have such strong force of mind. When the alternative was having my head cut off, I thought attempting tomunicate would cost me nothing]

    True enough. Perhaps most monsters wouldn''t have been able to fight off that mind magic attack. Not that I was able to fight it offpletely, rather I managed to not die until I was saved by Vibrant.

    The little worker is currently still threateningly positioned near the Queen''s ankles, clicking her mandibles savagely. Clearly she isn''t satisfied with Queen''s current state of not dead. I have to think of something else to say now. Dammit this hard. Try to stay polite!

    [Why should I let you live?]

    Nailed it!

    The Queen seems slightly taking aback by that statement. It takes her a few moments to reply.

    [What is it that you want?]

    Gah! More questions? I guess it seems reasonable that she wouldn''t know exactly what a monstrous ant colony would want with a living human Queen.

    [You have attacked my family, injured my Queen and killed hundreds of my siblings. The first thing I want is an exnation for this invasion]

    Not sounding too pushy I hope? Even in myst life I found it a little difficult to talk to people. I think I''m managing to strike the right tone.

    [My soldiers and I were fleeing the ¡­ city, nearby] she points in the direction of the city I''d seen from the church, [we ran into your ¡­ siblings, by chance. At first there was only one but the further we pushed forward the more there were]

    No need to remind me of the battle you started which resulted in so much ant death! If you''d backed away and gone in a different direction we wouldn''t have this situation!

    [They were defending their home and their family. For the crimes you havemitted against us we have executed all but two of you. Should you wish to survive and return to your people along with your sole remaining soldier you will cooperate and answer my questions]

    [What questions?]

    Oh, I''ve got a heck of a lot of questions. From that moment the interrogation continued for several long hours.

 Chapter 32 Flames rising

    <h4>Chapter 32 mes rising </h4>

    The energy in the vige was electric.

    The events of several nights ago, when Beyn had led the vigers to heroically defend themselves from the feared monstrous ant invasion had stoked the fires within the vigers hearts to unprecedented heights.

    The story had grown and been embellished with every telling, from one ant, to five, to fifty! The vigers had weathered a storm of devious spells through the righteousness of their spirit! By the strength of their virtue and power of their arms they were victorious! Just like the legendary first Dungeon delvers in the time of Rending!

    By the next day the word had spread to the nearby viges and farmingmunities of the goings on in the town of Malgate. The Dungeon had opened within the church of the Path! Monsters had emerged but not harmed the vigers! Surely this indicates that the town was chosen for great things!

    The Dungeon upies a special ce in the hearts of these townspeople. Outside of the cities and far from the entrances, most people outside the cities have never set foot in that ce. Asides from a few retired veterans and mercenaries, none had any firsthand experience at all. Dungeon monsters were things of myth and legend to them. More powerful than any creature on the surface, more ferocious, cunning and deadly! The riches that flowed out of the Dungeons were as rare to these farmers and shop owners as real gold and diamonds! Unheard of!

    But now? To hear of an opening appearing within a small town on the outskirts of the capital? To hear of vigers battling and killing Dungeon creatures? Absorbing experience and gaining levels, changing their fate. It was surely a gift of God! The god of the System!

    The morning after the victory over the ants the first pilgrims began to trickle into Malgate. By that night there was a steady stream of them, filling the town to bursting, packing the inn. When there were no more beds avable they set up tents and slept under trees. Young, old, farmers and merchants, they arrived, dusty and tired, old weapons or farming tools over one shoulder and the light of belief shining in their eyes.

    In the middle of it all was Beyn. The priest was indefatigable. Without sleep, without pause, he preached to the people. He never tired in his relentless energy. His gestures were fierce and his stride was long. His voice never faltered, strong and powerfully he spoke endlessly, invigorating the crowd or exhorting smaller groups with the righteousness of the cause. As time passed, the respect in the eyes of the people gradually changed to something deeper and more fervent.

    Through it all the battle against the Dungeon monsters was never ending. In ones and twos they crawled out of the hole in the church like demons rising from hell. In battling the Dungeon monsters the vigers were able to reap a rich harvest of experience. To them, the monsters were not demons but oven fresh meals! Dungeon monsters gave far more experience than the surface variety, giving the vigers a chance to raise theirbat skills and give them a chance to change their ss, an opportunity that was as rare as hens teeth to people such as these.

    "You don''t look that excited Mrs Ruther. Is something worrying you?" the maid asked.

    Enid Ruther turned to look at the young servant with a frown on her face. The girl was pleasant enough but a little on the dim side. Finding anyone better was probably impossible in Malgate.

    Suddenly Enid was struck by a thought. "That young chap you''ve been hanging around withtely, what was his name?" she asked.

    Her young maid Lilly blushed and turned to the side. "Why Mrs Ruther, what are you implying? There isn''t anything official between me and Burton" she said.

    Enid rolled her eyes. What did she care for their trysts? "Has Burton been mixing with that bunch in front of the church?"

    Immediately Lilly''s eyes glowed with admiration. "You mean ''The Dungeons Chosen?''" she gushed.

    "The what?!" Enid burst out.

    Lilly turned back to her mistress, face ck with shock. "You didn''t know? Father Beyn started preaching that name this morning and the vigers have all picked it up".

    Enid stared ck jawed at her ditzy maid before rolling her eyes. A few vigers were now legendary Dungeon warriors? What would Derrion say if he were still alive?

    Thinking of her deceased husband filled Enid''s heart with sorrow, as it always did. Leaving her still gushing maid behind her she walked to the other end of the reading room where a suit of armour was mounted on a decorative frame, a worn training sword pinned to polished wood framed on the wall behind it.

    Derrion had always valued that training sword more than the expensive enchanted weapon he used when delving. When he had retired from his career as a Dungeon Mercenary it was this training de that he wanted ced in the most prominent position on the wall. He had sold hisbat de.

    Enid sighed. Those days had been the happiest of their lives. She had sold off her business in the city and they had moved here to Derrion''s home town to open a market and live a quiet life. He had passed away just five yearster.

    "What would you say to these people to make them listen?" she whispered to his armour, "they sure as heck won''t listen to an old woman like me".

    Derrion had been a powerful figure in his prime. He had tirelessly practiced his de techniques and raised his ss to "Expert Swordsman" over the long years of delving. Hemanded a premium price on expeditions!

    When he spoke on matters concerning the Dungeon, nobody would dare say he was wrong!

    Being married to a sessful mercenary for so many years, how could Enid not have learned about the strength of Dungeon monsters? Her husband had never hidden anything from her, that was the mutual respect they had for each other. The danger he had experienced, the terrible beasts he had battled, she knew it all.

    How could these vigers and farmers possibly have any idea of the horrors that dwelt in the world below? They may have heard the legends and stories from the old times, but that wasn''t worth a pinch of saltpared to hearing it from someone who had seen it with their own eyes.

    When those ants had emerged from inside the church she had thought they were all dead for sure. Instead, she had watched them heal the injury to the priests'' hand and then march into the forest without even ncing at the terrified humans.

    It defied belief. Even to Enid, who knew far more than most about the nature of the Dungeon, this behaviour had no exnation.

    What she did know however, was that if these fools in the vige tried to fight against those ants, or try to delve deeper into the Dungeon, they would all be killed so easily.

    Enid wasn''t a bad person, she wanted to save her neighbours if she could, but the fervour in the eyes of the vigers disturbed her deeply. What would they do if she were to speak against their new belief?

    She had no confidence they would listen to her. Married to a mercenary she might have been but Enid was a merchant. Even if she had risen in ss to "Prosperous Merchant" what sway did that hold?

    None.

    Enid let her hand trail over the cuts and grooves carved into the toughened beast hide chest te in front of her, evidence of uncountable battles beneath the ground.

    In order to save as many lives as she could, she would have to attempt the impossible.

 Chapter 33 The mini escapade

    <h4>Chapter 33 The mini escapade </h4>

    Nothing was happening and Vibrant was getting hungry. Since she had snapped at the pink creatures ankle her senior and the creature had been very still, looking at each other for several Torpor worth of time.

    The young ant worker could somehow tell that there was something happening though she couldn''t say how she knew, or even what it was exactly that she did know. She simply felt that her powerful senior worker and the strange creature were engaged in some kind exchange that she had no way of participating in.

    So she was bored.

    At first she tried nipping at her senior, her mandibles scratching against the others tough carapace, but there was no reaction. Not to mention that the exercise probably hurt her face more than it hurt the other!

    How did this ant get so strong?!

    Vibrant had always been able to sense it, even as arvae, that this individual was different, special. She could feel a powerful vibe from the other, something that made her want to follow and learn.

    However, that didn''t do much to alleviate the current situation. After deciding that nothing much was going to happen anytime soon, the little ant climbed up onto the seniors back in order tomune with her fellow traveller.

    As a creature without any sensory input other than touch, Crinis had no idea what was happening. Everything was still and quiet, there wasn''t any movement that she could sense and her master was close by. In her growth stage there wasn''t anything else that the little creature could hope for.

    Idly, the little monster tugged on the shining thread in her consciousness that connected her to the creature who had created her. A constant sense of distance and position came to her through this thread, alerting her about wherever her master happened to be, as well as the asional words when she was spoken to.

    Crinis felt she could probably talk back, but so far hadn''t really felt any urge to. She had been tempted a few times, but eventually decided that she didn''t have anything that important to say. At this stage of her life it only important that eat and grow so that she could be useful.

    Suddenly the little monster felt a tugging on one of her tentacles!

    What was it!? Out of reflex the Jelly like monster unfolded two more tentacles from her main body andshed out with them. At her present stage of growth, this strike had almost no power behind it all, causing Crinis to feel a little depressed when she made contact but her opponent barely budged.

    Vibrant waspletely undeterred by this response. She''d worked out long ago that her blobby associate couldn''t recognise what was going on, so the worker continued to extend her leg to prod at herpanion, trying to get the little blob to stick onto her back.

    Why? In Vibrant''s mind, the two monsters spend so much time in proximity that they may as well continue to stick together. The human concept of friendship wouldn''t apply to monsters, they simply didn''t think that way, butfort orpanionship, these were things that they were fully capable of feeling towards a monster not of their own kind.

    Eventually Crinis was able to work out who was annoying her and internally sighed. This pesky creature had interacted with Crinis before. The blob knew from experience that this irritating creature wouldn''t leave her alone until she gave in. Crinis had no idea why the master tolerated this little pest to ride upon their person but who was she to argue?

    After several more minutes of insistent prodding Vibrant was rewarded when the little blob reached out with its tentacles and gradually dragged itself onto her back.

    Oof!

    Vibrant was annoyed. Why was it that this blob was growing so quickly but she had to remain small?! Once again the worker pondered the words of her wise senior about mutation. She had frequently heard a ''voice'' speaking to her when eating and she roughly grasped the idea of Biomass and spending it. Her instincts prompted her to spend her Biomass in ways without her really thinking about it and the seniors'' words went against those instincts.

    So the little worker had yet to spend any points on mutation at all.

    As more time passed she was more and more interested in talking to the senior and asking questions. It probably wouldn''t be long until she went against her instincts and purchased an upgrade.

    With her passenger in position the duo set off! Scrabbling up the internal shaft of the nest and out into the forest!

    Vibrant was excited but Crinis was much more subdued, after all the blob monster had no concept of where they were. She wasforted however by the faint awareness of the other like her.

    Simr to the link between herself and her master but much weaker, she was able to faintly sense the other monster who shared the same kind of existence her. Right now that presence was close by.

    Vibrant also naturally could see the huge monster who followed her senior around. Right now he was sitting on top of a creature who looked somewhat simr to the one inside their chamber. The smaller, pinkish creature looked extremely ufortable being crushed by the muchrger monster but Vibrant didn''t have any sympathy. She even walked closer and snipped at the creatures hand with her mandibles!

    Take that!

    The creature swiped at her with the hand, knocking her back, causing her to snap her mandibles angrily. The giant monster reached down with one hand and knocks the creature lying beneath it with one fist, causing it to grunt in pain.

    Vibrant was delighted, take that! She bounced back and forth a few times, still cking her mandibles and waving her antennae aggressively! This creature needs to learn its ce!

    Crinis was disturbed by all the sudden movement and had to reach out with a few more tentacles to grip onto the shifting ant she was stuck to. What is this crazy thing doing?!

    Both of them were distracted at the same time by the alluring scent of Biomass!

    Where was it?!

    Crinis was able to detect the presence of food through her skin. She extended a few tentacles and wiggled them furiously in the air, trying to pick up on a direction. She was hungry!

    Vibrant noticed that the giant monster was chomping on something he''d been holding in his other hand. Biomass!

    Moving speedily she climbed over the squashed creatures face and up onto the monster until she was staring him right in the eye, pointing excitedly at the food in his hand.

    It took the big monster a while to realise what these two irritants wanted. Eventually he realised and pointed in a direction towards the tree line and Vibrant was off and racing!

    It wasn''t long before she found piles of Biomass on the ground, a few workers picking over it and dragging it back to the colony.

    Food!

    Both monsters were incredibly excited. Crinis had cast aside her earlier reservations and was now fully prepared to leap off and eat, she practically hummed with anticipation.

    Vibrant was only too happy to ce herrade down on the food, guiding with one slender antennae before she started to chow down herself.

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Homo Sapien. One Biomass awarded]

    [Basic profile of Homo Sapien unlocked]

    Delicious!

    The two small monsters continued to eat until they were full. Then Vibrant collected her associate and they slowly wobbled their way back to the nest.

 Chapter 34 small fish, small pond

    <h4>Chapter 34 small fish, small pond </h4>

    It took hours to interrogate this Queen and the flow of new information left me staggering. Despite my pounding headache I pushed forward with all of my strength! Who knew what could happen in the future? This olddy might fall over from a heart attack, every ounce of knowledge must be extracted this very second!

    By the end the two of us were tired beyond words. Not quite willing to trust the words of this ant killer up front I asked every question several times in different ways, attempting to catch her off guard. It''s true that whenmunicating using mind magic, at least so far in my limited experience, it is possible to sense on a surface level the thoughts and feelings behind a persons''munication. However the quality of the connection clearly ys a part.

    Formo''s mind and honesty rang through like a clear bell tone as he spoke, no duplicity was hidden at all within his connection. The mind magic woven by the Queen is far from as clear, words and intentions bing muddled or lost in trantion, making me far more wary.

    For her part the Queen seems to have answered everything faithfully to the best of her ability, it will impossible to know if there are any mistruths mixed in until I get the chance to ask these questions of another individual.

    Even with this being the case I''ve been able to learn so much.

    For the starters the Queen''s own situation. This ruler is quite respected and admired amongst her people (so she says) and has been Queen of this small kingdom of Liria for decades, over thirty years of peace and prosperity.

    Supposedly there has been a coup brewing beneath the surface, something about profit, corrupt merchants, outside forces and exploitation, I didn''t really listen to this bit that carefully. The Queen got wind of the situation and attempted to bait the plotters out into the open but underestimated their strength, eventually her loyalists were defeated and she was forced to flee the city with her personal guard, moving out of the city at night before running into the colony.

    I was fairly shocked at this point, this person is either not nearly as wise as they im or just in unlucky!

    From there she told me about the ss based leveling system of the surface races, what knowledge she had on the other races that inhabit the surface, she''d never heard of elves unfortunately, and some history of the kingdom

    Apparently this kingdom is fairly young, less than two hundred years old. After being infested with monsters for a tremendously long time, only in rtively recent history had this area been purged (her words) and the monsters either defeated or driven into the Dungeon. So apparently this region is still considered underdeveloped and somewhat backward, a remote frontier of the surface world.

    In fact, if we were to go south for a few days we would pass intonds that hadn''t seen human upation for thousands of years. Even now the people of this country battled to keep the monsters pushed back and asionally they mounted campaigns to further push back the border.

    At least there are somewhat strong monsters somewhere on the surface! I was beginning to think my surface cousins werepletely useless!

    Eventually I leave the Queen alone in my chamber and wander off to try and digest what I''ve learned. The question that sticks out the most in my mind is, what am I supposed to do now? I''ve got the apparently beloved Queen of the kingdom trapped inside my dirt chamber and the captain of her personal guard is¡­.

    ¡­ being sat on by my pet.

    The poor fellow looks distinctly ufortable as Tiny has nted himself right on his back. Is that Crinis and Vibrant? The two little creatures are positioned curiously near the captains face. Vibrant appears to be attempting to snip him on the nose with her mandibles whilst Crinis is repeatedly pping him on the head with tentacles for some reason.

    When the heck did these two climb up here.

    ["Stop mucking around you two!"] I say to both of them.

    The two young monsters twitch in surprise, not having noticed my arrival. Crinis pulls the tentacles back into the main body and manages to give the impression of guilty silence despite being a featureless blob.

    Vibrant doesn''t seem at all fussed and simply climbs back onto my head happily. With a mental sigh I collect Crinis onto my back and make sure that Tiny knows not to kill his prisoner as we still need him for the time being.

    What to do?

    Try to think it through Anthony! What are the options?

    I could kill the Queen and the Guard, forget any of this ever happened and move on with my life!

    ¡­

    Rejected. I''m not so far removed from my former humanity that I''m quite thatfortable with cold blooded human killing. Taking my revenge on the soldiers for the damage done to the colony was about my limit for the time being!

    Not to mention the possibility of reprisals if we were to kill a Queen loved by the masses and people were to find out about it.

    Next I could take the Queen and captain to the nearby town and dump them there. This idea honestly appeals to me quite a bit, I get to wash my hands of these humans and the colony can go back about its business. The problem is that no matter how benevolent the Queen may seem, or how much she may promise not to seek reprisals against us in the future, I would have to relocate the colonypletely, possibly back down in the Dungeon even, in order to ensure our safety.

    So this one is better but still not ideal.

    The third option is my least favourite and involves trying to keep the Queen and captain with the colony semi long term. We don''t kill them, but we don''t release them either.

    I''m not really a fan of this n. I leave myself open to mind stabbing at any moment! How could i expect two crafty humans to behave whilst being detained indefinitely?

    My mind drifts back to thest thing the Queen had to say. I had disregarded it at first but the more I think about how to move next the more this idea keeps popping into my head.

    [What do you want to do next?] I''d asked her.

    She''d thought about it for a moment before responding firmly. [I want my city back. I refuse to hand the throne over to those motivated by greed and self-interest. I will attempt to rally the people around my banner and wage a campaign against the usurpers].

    That all sounds very aggressive.

    [This is presuming I allow you to leave this ce alive] I point out.

    I have to say my ability to stay smooth inmunication ising a long way!

    [True] the Queen chuckled.

    [But you know] she went on, [there isn''t anything for you to gain from killing me, but perhaps much to gain from keeping me alive. Tell me, what is it that you want? Perhaps there is something I can offer you?]

    Hmmm. How about two hundred of my fellow workers back to life eh?

    I wouldn''t get anywhere throwing that in her face.

    [Biomass, experience, monster cores. These are the only things the colony requires] I told her.

    She thought about it. [Well, I''m not prepared to offer you the flesh of my people, I hope you understand. The only way I could give you experience is to let you kill us, which I also am unwilling to offer, but monster cores I can certainly give you].

    That perked up my interest. I really don''t know how many cores I should ask for though. What would appropriate? I had to ask her to give me a figure, nicely of course.

    [How many cores is your life worth?] I ask.

    The Queen shook her head with a wry smile. [The question I think you should ask, monster, is how many cores is my kingdom worth? Would you be willing to help me? For a price, of course].

 Chapter 35 The risk, the reward

    <h4>Chapter 35 The risk, the reward </h4>

    One of the things I learned from the human Queen is the value of monster cores to their society. They use them for enchantments, magical engineering, powerful weapons, armour, training magicians, jewellery and more. Cores are an integral part of industry on the surface, their ability to absorb mana from the atmosphere and then channel it cannot be replicated. In wealthy circles cores could even be considered a separate form of currency, valuable everywhere civilised enough to conduct trade.

    I was also disturbed to learn of the market for monster body parts, using hides, shells, ws and even organs to make equipment, potions or even building materials! Apparently the Queens throne room is buttressed by columns carved from several massive spines extracted from the monsters who dominated this region before their death.

    Hearing about the incredible value attached to the body parts of my own kind made me somewhat queasy. I do have to admit that my diamond carapace would make a fairly cracking set of armour¡­

    Don''t think about it Anthony! Just because you''re a monster doesn''t mean you are going to wind up with your head mounted on some wall, your core hung around a duchess'' neck and your carapace turned into a truly sweet set of defensive gear. They might get the Anjanath, but not this ant!

    That shall not be the fate of me, or my colony!

    If anything the conversation with the Queen emphasised again and again the danger of the surface people to me and my family. Truly, humanity is the real monster! I''m super reluctant to enter into any sort of deal with this kingdom. Packing up the colony and rushing into monster territory sounds like the safest and best ce for us ants to go!

    But¡­ the wealth!

    So¡­ many¡­. CORES.

    I could pump the core of all of my pets and myself to max, special cores included! I could do the same for the Queen! I could grind my core engineering to the next level easy.

    Hundreds of cores are on the table here! Not two or three, hundreds!

    It''s almost certainly a trick in some way.

    The Queen has no options avable to her, that much is clear, but would a wise and savvy Queen really be prepared to hand a portion of her nations wealth to a marauding band of monsters?

    Unlikely.

    Is it really a betrayal if you know it ising? Just because she''ll turn on me at some point doesn''t mean I won''t be able to extract value. Is it risky? For sure. The reward though ¡­.. My mandibles are twitching as I ponder that sweet, sweetrgesse!

    I need to control myself. I better go check on the real Queen.

    Leaving Tiny to enjoy his new seat I scuttle over to the farm and head down to check things out. What meets me at the bottom is a veritable seething mass of ants. Workers are climbing all over each other in a huge pile, those on the outside twitch their antennae and constantly bare their mandibles at the surrounding walls, daring any monster to poke its head out.

    Here and there I can see a separate, smaller masses of ants and just when I''m wondering what is going on I see a few workers break off from their smaller groups and walk back to the main mass with chunks of fresh Biomass in their mandibles.

    Clearly the workers are piling onto every monster the second ites out of the walls, ripping them apart in their desperation to ensure the Queen isn''t threatened.

    The problem I have is, how am I supposed to talk to the Queen when she is literally buried beneath a protectiveyer of her own children?!

    I know I said to keep her safe but holy heck fam! You''ve really gone all out!

    Descending into the farm I can see that the workers have even made a carpetyer underneath the Queen, squashing their bodies low to the ground to keep a vignt eye on the ground. If a monster were to burst out of the ground these workers would rather ce their own bodies between the ravenous ws and their Queen.

    There isn''t anything for me to do except push my way through the workers until I manage toe face to face with the Queen.

    Even Vibrant disys some concern when shee before her mother. The little ant sits up on my head and tries to sense her parents condition with her antennae.

    "How are you doing mother?" I ask anxiously.

    Her antennae twitch as she detects my words and she slowly shifts her head until she spots me amongst the throng.

    "I am ¡­ better" she replies.

    Her voice sounds less thin than it did, some of the warmth that I remembered has returned as well as a little of her vigour. Flicking on my mana sense momentarily I can see that her core is more energetic than in was, no longer stuttering like a candle about to be blown out.

    "Is it the Dungeon" I ask hesitantly, "Do you need to absorb more mana?"

    The Queen looks at me nkly for a moment.

    "I do not know, child" she replies.

    I''m getting a sinking feeling that I''m right though. It''s possible that the monsters with advanced cores, like the Queen, need to have constant exposure to concentrated mana in order to survive?

    So ever since we came to the surface the Queen has been gradually leaking strength? Growing weaker every passing day?! And of course she doesn''t say anything, she''s too damn selfless!

    If they could my eyes would be tearing up! THIS is the sacrifice a real Queen makes! No schemes here, just loyal service. Not a kingdom, a family!

    "Have you been able to cast any healing spells on yourself?" I ask.

    She waggles her antennae in an ant nod. "My injuries are somewhat better".

    "When you feel that you can you should cast it again to make sure you heal quickly" I urge her, "and eat plenty! It will speed up the healing".

    She once again waggles her antennae to nod. I can faintly sense some amusement radiating off her tired frame, being fussed over by her children instead of the (in her mind) proper state of her fussing over us.

    Satisfied that the Queen is on the mend I climb back out of the farm, letting the workforce do its thing. My mind is buzzing with thoughts and not all of them are pleasant.

    I have to bear some responsibility for this situation. I couldn''t have known that the Queen would suffer in this way when we came to the surface but the fact remains that we are here because of me. I also can''t help a little self-recrimination. If I''d been a little more attentive to the Queen and less focused on my own growth maybe I''d have noticed that she was weakening.

    Logically I know that it isn''t my fault but the thoughts are hard to dismiss.

    Returning to the ant hill, lost in my own head, I''m knocked out of my thoughts by a bustle amongst the workers on one side of the hill.

    What the heck is happening now?!

    Unbelievably, an old woman is walking slowly but purposefully out of the tree line and into the clearing, hands raised above her head and a determined expression on her face.

    What.

    The.

    Hell?!

 Chapter 36 Desperate Times...

    <h4>Chapter 36 Desperate Times... </h4>

    Is this some form of ritual suicide now?! Offering oneself up as Biomass for monsters? Or have the people decided to cast off their elderly as a sacrifice to appease the mighty ant kingdom? The older people are the most scrawny among you! If you want to offer Biomass then at least throw in some fatties!

    Wait! What am I thinking¡­

    Seeing some workers descending towards this person, ready to defend the hill, I rush down to head them off. There is something about this old woman that''s making my antennae twitch. The way she has approached, so deliberately and with her hands in the air. It''s clear that she came here to find the colony, otherwise she would have run away at the first sign of us, surely? Raising her hands in the air is the ssic sign of intending no harm, though how she expects a colony of monsters to know that is beyond me.

    So the question remains, what does this human want to find and approach us for? Try as I might I can''te up with anything at all.

    As she sees me approach and warn away the approaching workers she breathes a sigh of relief and her manner bes a little excited. She was looking for me? Does she recognise me? Perhaps she saw me in the church¡­ I don''t remember her being there but I didn''t spend a whole lot of time taking in the crowd.

    Her face does seem vaguely familiar though¡­

    When I draw near and stop the old woman also ceases her steps but keeps her hands in the air.

    I stand still and watch patiently.

    Taking a deep breath thedy seems to settle her nerves before she squares up to me and then ¡­ begins speaking.

    ¡­.

    ...¡­.

    I can''t understand youdy! Can''t you use mind magic or something!?

    For several minutes thedy attempts to speak to me, earnestly pleading about something, gesturing passionately with her hands, pointing at the colony, pointing back towards the town.

    ...

    You really came here to talk to a colony of monsters?! As in, just talk with your mouth?! Internally I''m shaking my head at this crazy behaviour. If I wasn''t a reborn human thisdy would have been ripped to shreds and eaten without getting her message across at all.

    Thankfully I have a way to get around this.

    Interrupting the monologue, I walk closer, frightening the old woman with my sudden movement such that she leaps back in fear, once again thrusting her hands high in the air.

    ¡­

    I''m not going to eat you! Sheesh! People these days¡­

    I move to her side and then use my antennae to tap the back of my carapace. She seems confused at first so I repeat the gesture. The light understanding dawns on her face and she resolutely ces her hands in front of her and waves them back and forth. "No thanks!"

    You don''t really have any options heredy.

    A little more insistently I poke the old woman with my antennae and then pat my back. When she doesn''t immediately move I repeat the gesture even more forcefully.

    She gets the picture this time. I''ll keep going until she cooperates! So she may as well just cooperate.

    Reluctance written all over her face she approaches my side and starts in fright when I lower my body down so she can climb on. At thest moment I remember to extend an antennae back for Crinis to grab and shift the little blob up to my head next to Vibrant, who chitters at my pet, unhappy with her space being cramped. Crinis simply waves a few tentacles around until she manages to thwap the ant on the head before settling in on her new real estate.

    Once my new captive, I mean, guest, has been secured I head over to the ant hill, climb up the side and then descend into the main shaft. Worried that the old woman will fall as we start our vertical journey I make sure to tilt my body as much as possible and extend an antennae for her to grip, two courtesies I had neglected to offer the Queen.

    I stop near the entrance to my chamber and prod the human until she climbs off and then I follow in behind her.

    I''m a little curious as to how this is going to y out.

    When the old woman enters my chamber and sees who is inside she goespletely still with shock seemingly not believing the evidence of her own eyes. It''s a fair response really, you wouldn''t expect to find your Queen inside a giant ant hill normally.

    The old woman speaks hesitantly and reaches out with a trembling hand towards my prisoner who speaks warmly to our new guest and sps the old womans'' hands between her own. Having her hands gripped by her own Queen seems to overwhelm my new guest and she falls to her knees and lower hers head in respect before the protesting Queen who tries to raise her up.

    Maybe she is as respected as she ims? Or maybe people just fear royalty in general in this socially primitive world.

    Waving my antennae above my head to get the Queens attention I point to the old woman''s head and then at my own, repeating the gesture a few times until the Queen manages to take my meaning.

    I want you to connect this person and me with mind magic so we can talk.

    The Queen nods to say she understands but then shakes her head.

    What the heck¡­.

    She frowns for a minute before I feel the familiar and crude touch of her mind on mine.

    [Ick the skill to form a bridge between two individuals in this way. Connecting others is ten times as hard as connecting oneself. If you like, I can speak to this citizen myself and thenmunicate her words to you].

    I ponder this. At least I''ll get the message but I''m a little cautious the Queen might omit some details. Trust between human and monster can''t be built so easily.

    [Have her speak her story to me and trante in real time. If I believe information has been kept from me you both will be eaten] I state.

    The Queen looks somewhat angered by my demand. [I am not used to having my honour questioned in this way, monster] she says forcefully.

    ¡­. Ok? But what does that have to do with me?!

    [I care not. Ry my instructions]

    A Queen you may be, but my Queen is a giant ant and her subjects are literally her own children. What exactly do you think we owe you?!

    Shaking my head internally I turn my head towards my new guest and wait for her to start speaking. Once the Queen has passed on my instructions the olddy curtsies surprisingly gracefully towards her ruler and begins to speak, shortly after a steady stream of trantion echoes in my head.

    [This citizen of my kingdom is named Enid Ruther''s, a merchant from the nearby town of Malgate. She was witness to your arrival in the towns church over a week ago and has grown concerned over the behaviour and ideas gripping the people since that time. The local priest has whipped the townsfolk into a frenzy, leading them to fight against the Dungeon monsters and even¡­ but that''s suicide!] the Queen breaks off her trantion to shout in my mind.

    She rapidly speaks verbally to Enid, shock written all over her face, the former replies firmly and the Queen just shakes her head looking appalled.

    I reach out with an antennae and tap the Queen on the head. Oi, trante.

    [I apologise, I was so shocked. The priest has even spurred the townsfolk to descend into the Dungeon and do battle there yesterday. Several people were killed and hailed as martyrs] her emotions bleed through as she speaks, sorry and anger at this foolish waste of life.

    Enid continues to speak and the Queen continues to trante.

    [Enid fears that the vigers will soon raise arms and attempt to invade the forest to hunt down your colony, believing you to be a sacrifice offered up by the Dungeon for their own enrichment and glory].

    ¡­

    Even the Queen seems stunned by the stupidity of it. I personally have no idea what to say. A tribute!? Are these people alright in the head!? Tribute your grandfather!

    [Enid''s husband was an experienced Dungeon explorer and she knows that intelligent monsters capable ofmunication exist in the depths. When she saw you spare the priest and even heal his arm she was convinced that you were a highly evolved species and hoped to reason with you to spare the vigers lives. She knew it was a faint hope and that she would likely be killed but she could think of no other option to prevent meaningless killing] the Queen is getting a little choked up listening of this brave citizens sense of duty.

    For my part I''m still stunned by the whole sacrificial offering thing¡­

    Just how badly do these people want to get eaten?!

 Chapter 37 The case for cooperation

    <h4>Chapter 37 The case for cooperation </h4>

    I''m no longer human, I get that, buting from my world, I understand things like the sanctity of life. Even those soldiers that were killed by Tiny, justified as I felt ordering their deaths due to the massacre of my family, my stomach still twists thinking about whether those soldiers had families themselves, children, wives, parents.

    Mindless killing serves no purpose. These vigers may be misled, or just incredibly dumb, but I don''t especially feel the need to massacre them because of it. They aren''t a threat after all, I could probably fight a vige full of farmers by myself.

    Almost as if they could sense my thoughts, Enid and the Queen immediately turn to me to plead for the life of their associates.

    [These vigers are misguided, monster, there is nothing to gain from their deaths. Won''t you spare them?]

    Well, I have no intention of killing them, but that statement isn''t technically correct.

    [The colony would gain Biomass and experience. Hundreds of workers have died recently, our numbers need to be replenished] I point out.

    It''s not like we would gain nothing, right?

    The Queen''s face falls and so does Enid''s when my words are ryed to her. Enid looks even more despondent when she questions the Queen and her ruler has to reply, I think she''s exining just how my colony ended up losing hundreds of members. More specifically, how I lost hundreds of my siblings.

    Grrrr.

    Feeling crushed, the olddy falls to her knees and pleads with me, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. The Queen looks deeply moved and also kneels to plead with me.

    [Enid begs you to spare the townspeople, they are ignorant but not malicious. She offers you her own flesh as payment, I too am prepared to offer my life in exchange. It is the duty of a ruler after all!]

    Yikes, these two sure are keen on saving a pack of morons.

    Still having humans bow down before my magnificence is refreshing, empowering even! Royalty, forced to beg me for favour is something I couldn''t have dreamed of happening in myst life. What is the feeling swelling from within?! Superiority? Power?! Yes you puny humans, kneel, beg! If you wish for this great one to spare your pitiful friends then you must grovel!

    Muahahahahaaaaaa!

    Wait! These are the words of Dark Anthony! Down, Dark Anthony! Down, you fiend! Back to the void from which you came!

    I mentally shake myself free of the influence of the dark one. I mustn''t allow myself to fall down the ck path, I''ll end up being some cartoonish superviin who''ll no doubt be killed whilst scheming for world domination or some such.

    I have no intention off massacring these vigers but if I can extract maximum value from the Queen and protect the colony at the same time¡­. I totally will!

    [There is no failing greater than ignorance. If you wish for me to spare these people, as well as to assist you in reiming your city, then you will need to be prepared to make fair exchange].

    Yes, I''m preparing to try and make a deal here. If I can keep the colony out of it and only expose myself to the risk then I''m prepared to take it on in order to get those cores. With so many of the precious gems in my mandibles I''ll be able to strengthen my entourage to the point where we will be invincible in the topyer of the Dungeon. We could secure the colony for ages as well as elerate the timetable for my most ambitious core modification project.

    The Queen seems to sense that I''m leaning towards making an agreement. Her eyes narrow as her expression turns thoughtful. To spare the townspeople she will need to turn their fervour to a less suicidal cause. These people are afire with religious zealotry, simply saying ''no'' won''t be sufficient to turn them from their cause. She also needs to somehow return to the city and secure her throne.

    We two start discussing ideas and eventually we hash out a n. I''m not particrly a great fan of it, but I think it will work.

    Just ¡­ Why do I always have to get hit right in the dignity¡­

    Two dayster the preparations are nearlyplete. The true Queen has almost fully recovered from her wounds and continues to rest inside the farm, defended by her loyal workers. Myself and a small taskforce have spent the majority of our time working towards the sess of our n whilst Tiny has been mostly sitting on the Queens guard captain and eating. The Queen herself spends her time with Enid, hashing out the details of what will happen in the town and then after that.

    When everything is in readiness I finalise my ns, leaving behind Vibrant and Crinis, making sure they have clear instructions to stick with Tiny and not get into trouble, before collecting the Queen, then Enida and departing towards the town of Malgate.

    When we finally arrive we are treated to a surprising sight. The town has be flooded with angry looking farmers, the crowd leading up the small hill to the church doors is easily ten times the size it was thest time I was here. There must be hundreds of these morons! Maybe over a thousand?! Where did they find all of this stupid?!

    The pyre is still burning, even now in the early morning light. The charred remains of various monsters are scattered around the base of the roaring mes, causing me to wince. Such a waste! The priest is still there, standing before the energetic throng, his frenzied voice rising above the buzz of the people and reaching us even from the edge of the woods. This guy has some serious pipes on him. Good to know he has skills that don''t rely on having two arms. Since¡­ you know.

    Mentally bracing myself, I step forward, leaving the shelter of the tree line and crossing the fields, drawing ever closer to the town. I make no attempt to hide myself this time, sneaking up isn''t part of the n. Thanks to our setup the crowd shouldn''t attack me, but if they do I''m prepared to make like a tree and leave at a moments'' notice! This ant knows not to overstay his wee!

    As we draw closer the tension in my chest grows tighter. Being this close to so many humans, totally exposed is super nerve wracking!

    When the first person turns and notices us I physically flinch. A bearded man towards the rear of the crowd, brandishing a pitchfork in one hand, catches a glimpse of us and turns, his jaw fallingpletely ck at what he sees.

    After a few moments he musters enough awareness to call out and point towards us. Gradually more and more people turn, disregarding the soaring voice of the priest to witness the incredible sight approaching openly and unhurriedly across the fields.

    Like a ripple through a pond the whispers and calls spread through the crowd until, when I''m only ten metres away from the nearest person the entire crowd has turned its eyes towards me. People at the far side have stood on rocks and gone on their toes to try and catch a glimpse of the remarkable sight.

    Eventually even the priest notices that his faithful have turned their attention elsewhere and his voice falters and fades until he too notices the focus of the crowd, then he fallpletely silent, his voice stuck in his throat and eyes boggling at the sight.

    My heart is pounding in my chest at this point and I watch the crowd through every one of mypound eyes but I see nobody moving. Their attention doesn''t seem to be on me really, not even on Enid, their fellow townsperson walking by my side, they seem more interested in what is on my back.

    Before the stunned crowd of her subjects, the human Queen rises to her feet, standing on my glittering diamond carapace and spreads her arms towards the crowd before dering with a sonorous voice, ["Loyal and blessed people of Liria! There is evil stalking our nation, threatening our peace andmitting foul deeds within the Dungeon, stirring it against us! We have been chosen, you and I, by the System itself! Graced by the presence of its holy messenger from below, to restore the bnce!"]

    The Queens powerful voice and imperious manner puts even the priest to shame. The people are visibly impacted by the force of her person.

    Just in case, I brace my feet to run. This had better work!

 Chapter 38 Fall like dominos

    <h4>Chapter 38 Fall like dominos </h4>

    There is some debate about thergest monster in the Dungeon. For me, I can''t understand the obsession most schrs in this field have withbels and lists. "Dungeons most deadly monster", "Biggest monster in the Dungeon", "Top five most horrifying undead in the Dungeon". Published works such as these seem more interested in grabbing peoples'' attention rather than serious academia. A blight on the profession if you were to ask me, which nobody ever does.

    I myself have only been drawn into this topic since there is no clear answer, making the research at the very least interesting, if not worth public attention. I know you are something of an expert on the Time of Rending Orlus so I wanted to write this letter to consult you on a few points. In the Dungeon explorations it isn''t too hard to get reliable figures on monsters in the first two strata, even if some sound exaggerated.

    Among thergest of these I''ve been able to confirm is the "Mega Death Python Emperor" at 250 metres long with a diameter of six metres. This monster has been confirmed and documented over six times in thest century alone. If we were to say length is not equivalent to height in our search for rgest'' we could highlight the tallest monster I''ve been able to find on record, the "Twilight Cyclops King" which was recorded in the same expanse in the second strata three times one hundred and fifty years apart. ording to those reports the monster stood no less than fifty metres tall.

    Both of know that these monsters, as enormous as they may be, are nothingpared to what legend says walked the surface during the Cataclysm. In the far east they say that one monster created a mountain range simply by pushing its head up through the ground. My frustration is that no records exist of these monsters at all! As far as I can tell there hasn''t been a single sighting of such a creature in the thousands of years since. You''ve read much more on the subject that me Orlus, if you could give me some direction I would be eternally grateful.

    "A letter to Orlus on the subject of monster size" sent by Schr Scipio of the Imperial College.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Apparently the Queen has achieved the ss of "Royalty". Once the restrictions have been met a person can set their ss to this one, the restrictions in this case are fairly self-exnatory. First, one must be royalty, second, that''s it.

    Humans and the other intelligent species on the surface all use a ss base system as opposed the evolution process the monsters go through. Apparently each ss gives unique stat bonuses, unlocks specific skills and can even be levelled up in different ways. A [merchant] can level up through trading and making money whilst a [farmer] levels up from growing crops. As long as the pre-requisites are met then a person can change their ss to whatever they want, but most of the best sses are difficult to attain.

    For example, to be a swordsman a person must meet the minimum physical stat requirements as well as achieve a certain level of skill with a weapon. This means that hard physical training, lessons in weaponry and experience battling monsters are necessary to make the jump from [viger] to a base fighter ss like [swordsman]. For an ordinary person to aspire to the even more powerful sses like [apprentice mage] or [soldier]? Difficult.

    The Queen, given her ss bonuses, enjoys incredibly high levels of oratory skill and persuasiveness. Apparently she levels up by inspiring her citizens and making the kingdom prosperous. Every year she spends four months touring her kingdom in order to give speeches to themon folk, visiting every town and vige within her borders at least one every two years.

    I hadn''t quite believed her when she said the people would recognize her on sight but on the evidence I have to say she was right. Her punishing schedule has also allowed her to push her ss level extremely high. ording to her, she is fairly useless inbat but when ites to governance and speeches her abilities really shine.

    Looking at the stunned faces before me I have to agree. Her powerful words are already beginning to sway the people to our side!

    The priest is too stunned by these revtions to properly react. The people in the crowd have listened to his tireless exhortations for days now, in their minds anointing him as their spiritual leader. Now their actual leader, the monarch they have lived under for decades is here before them telling them something different.

    Don''t kill the ants?

    Let the ants assist against a different foe?

    Too confusing!

    At this point Enid steps forward to lend her voice to that of the Queen. Thankfully the mind magic connection is still active and the Queen passes on the gist of what is being said to me.

    ["Her majesty speaks truly! I went into the woods a few days ago and found her majesty living amongst these monsters as they supported her to protect our kingdom"]

    The Queen once again spoke regally. ["These monsters have been delivered to us so safeguard our nation from that which currently threatens it. You are the chosen people to assist in this crusade. Will you answer the call? Will you help us?"]

    On those final words the force of her presence bes overwhelming, before they even realise the people nearby have fallen to their knees in respect. When the first few fall the rest are like dominos toppling.

    The priest is thest to be on his feet. Bleary eyed he stumbles through the crowd as if in a dream, his eyes feverishly locked upon me the entire time. As he draws nearer I start to wonder if I need to book it, even if such an action would mean the Queen would fall t on her face and ruin this moment. This crazy guy already smacked me in the head once, is he going to go nuts on me again?!

    Eventually the maddened priest is standing right before me, clutching at the stump of his lost arm. Just when I think he''s about to leap forward and try to do something weird like eat me, he begins to tremble and then falls to knees, openly weeping and crying out in a great voice.

    Sounding somewhat stunned the Queen passes on what he says.

    [Oh great one, I have sinned against the messenger of the System! Forgive me for striking you foolishly and failing to acknowledge your message of salvation!]

    Ooooooookkaaaaaaay?

 Chapter 39 A tunnel is always the answer

    <h4>Chapter 39 A tunnel is always the answer </h4>

    After that the crowd was quickly pacified and I was relieved the Queen didn''t secretly sic the people on me. As we agreed she and I remained close to each other as we moved into the next phase of the n.

    With the people calmed, less suicidal and at the same time directed against her enemies, the Queen wants to turn her attention to her most potent and loyal forces. The ones she "cleverly" deployed in the Dungeon to assist other troops in a ploy to appear weakened and lure those who had been working to destabilising her rule into open rebellion. Too bad they had more backing than she had foreseen and with the soldiers she had left she had been soundly defeated.

    She''d even kept her guard in the dark because they would refuse to leave her so vulnerable had they known about it. Even now those poor suckers are stuck in the top level of the Dungeon stabbing centipedes in the face whilst the Queen they swore to defend was forced to flee the city.

    Honestly. All of these people are so stupid it pains me to be near them! Keep those precious cores in your mind Anthony! You''ll walk out here rich and leave these morons to their own devices.

    The way the people in Malgate react to me know is a little unnerving to say the least. As I pass by then back away carefully, making sure not to obstruct my path, many even bow respectfully. All of these disys of subservience are stirring Dark Anthony! Just ignore me people! I''m honestly happier sliding into the background!

    It doesn''t matter though. At my size it''s getting hard to hide. I''m already the height and length of a desk basically. If I continue to evolve am I going to end up car size? Bus size?! Yikes. Regardless, as I move about with the Queen people are easily able to find me and continue to show their respect throughout the day.

    The Queen speaks to people one on one, in small groups and addressesrge crowds. Everywhere she goes the reaction is favourable and those prepared to go and fight are quickly prepared, packing supplies, clutching their crude des and strapping into worn leather armour that probably belonged to a rtive who fought in a war three generations ago.

    Even the priest is fully pumped up for this. He spends most of his time following along behind me, eulogising my status as a holy messenger at the top of lungs. I had the Queen tell me what he was saying but forced her to stop about two sentences in. So embarrassing!

    It''s all for the money!

    After one more day the people are prepared and depart the vige for the forest, marching together in a spirited column. About an hour from the vige, just inside the edge of the woods we find evidence of ant activity. This is where myself and a dedicated team have beenbouring away in preparation!

    How is the Queen going to unite with her soldiers in the Dungeon without getting into the city and putting herself at risk? What task could only a dedicated army of earth shifting experts take on?! The answer is ALWAYS more tunnels!

    Heaped loose soil is everywhere throughout this area as we had to dump it somewhere that couldn''t be seen from the walls. The footprints of ants are everywhere but not a single worker can be found. As the columnes to the opening of the tunnel in the ground the Queen gathers everyone around and exins what has been done. When she''s finished the crowd''s respectful eyes ze with renewed fervour as they look at me and as one they bow together.

    Down Dark One! These are not our ves!

    A little thanks for the hard work of digging is appreciated though. Making the tunnel took a long time since humans would need to be able to travel through it somewhatfortably and they are a lot taller than ants. Even Tiny can move lower than them since he is almost designed to lean forward as he moves, weight on his knuckles. It''s a rare moment when the ape actually stretches to his not insignificant full height.

    The tunnel is damn long and we had to push fairly deep underground to ensure it wouldn''t copse. I don''t know what strange physics governs tunnels in this world but they sure manage to hold up better than I expect them to. Perhaps it''s the excavation skill at work that helps to avoid areas that might change the structural integrity, or maybe this world is fundamentally built to support underground spaces, the Dungeon exists here after all. Even the forest expanse we were in defies my understanding of what was possible on Earth.

    Eventually wee to the final stretch of tunnel. ording to my tunnel sense we have connected just to one side of the pool cavern that I first explored shortly after hatching. I made sure the workers didn''tplete the tunnel since the soldiers on the other side would have surely killed them on sight. I wanted to dig the final few feet for myself and then push the Queen through first so she could exin the situation.

    After shoveling away thest of the dirt, the very moment thest bit of dirt crumbles away to reveal an opening I back away hastily and ce myself behind the Queen, leaning against the left side of the tunnel and trying to be inconspicuous.

    Her face pinched with distaste, the Queen steps forward to push away thest of the dirt, widening the opening until she is able to squeeze herself through it. On the other side I can hear raised shouts and the Queens calming words. After a short while the Queen pokes her head through the tunnel wall and invites us forward.

    I pause and allow the townsfolk who apanied us to go first, squeezing myself to one side. Fortunately the tunnel is a little wider here and there is pace to push through. Once thest person has left our small connecting tunnel it''s finally my turn.

    Hesitantly, I approach the opening before suddenly poking one leg out. After a moment when nothing happens I withdraw the leg and slowly push my head through. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the bright mana infused light of the Dungeon. As the light washes over me aforting feelinges over me. Perhaps I''m slightly crazy buting back to the Dungeon feels a little likeing home, particrly to this familiar ce. I was born just near here after all.

    Around the opening the townsfolk are gathered and as I emerge amongst them, my six legs taking purchase on the firm Dungeon walls they make space for me, staying close but giving me room at the same time.

    At the forefront is the priest, Beyn. Wherever I go this guy is never far away. My very own human shaped pain in the gaster.

    Beyond the vigers is a troop of fierce and worn looking soldier types. Their gilded armour and fine des are quite familiar to me as was those same weapons that were turned on my colony. These must be the Queen''s guard.

    The Queen is amongst them now, speaking quietly and they listen intently, rage clear on their faces.

    She must be exining exactly what has happened whilst they have been down here. I step forward slowly, warily watching the soldiers as I move. They don''t seem hostile, their anger and frustration appears to be directed more at the surface that towards me, most of them don''t spare me a nce.

    Alright¡­ so far things are going ok.

    After giving the Queen some time to inform her troops and get them nning the offensive she walks towards me and resumes ourmunication.

    [My guards will need some time to digest this news and n the next phase. I think we should allow the vigers a time of rest. They can gather on this side of the pool and eat. In five or so hours we''ll be ready to advance].

    [Very well. I''ll stay on this side then. Alert me when you are ready].

    As part of the agreement I am to be part of the forces to assault the surface. In order to secure my reward I''ll need to liberate the castle anyway, hard to get to the treasury without first kicking out the rebels first. Since the Queen had witnessed my prowess in battle personally she was quite insistent that I be part of the attack. She also wanted Tiny to join us, not surprising after the disy he put on, but I tly refused. I was prepared to tag along myself but no way Tiny wasing too. He has other stuff I need him to do.

    Returning to the tunnel entrance I settle down and prepare to rest, surrounded by my devout followers.

 Chapter 40 Assault on the surface

    <h4>Chapter 40 Assault on the surface </h4>

    I took a long rest, being careful that I didn''t slip into torpor. It would be a little too risky to nap here with Queen once more amongst her soldiers. After four hours the Queen once more approached me to re-establish the mind bridge.

    Apparently mind magic is fairlymon amongst diplomats, governors and rulers. Although most smaller states such as this one are usually unable to find someone gifted enough in this esoteric branch of magic to serve as their liaison, in this instance the Queen herself was moderately talented. Having someone capable of unlimited cross speciesmunication was yet another factor that helped this country punch above its weight.

    I''m not shocked that they can''t find many people to learn this magic, the transformation is incredibly hard, even rtive to other transformations that are already mind bending puzzles in their own right. I''ve continued to my practice but progress is slow. The day I can weave a dazzling mind bridge over thousands of metres long, like Formo, is a long way off.

    Oncemunication is established the Queen informs me that her soldiers are ready and the time to assault the surface is fast approaching.

    [Just outside the entrance is a Legion fortress that has been mostly abandoned. There is a moderate presence of my soldiers posted just around the opening and we just changed the guard so they know we areing. Inside the fort a small force of mercenaries has been ced, probably to watch the entrance for movements from my people, once we leave the entrance they willmunicate our actions to the rest of their force] she exins.

    The Queen was quite cagey about these ''Legion'' people when I interrogated her. I still know very little about them, but apparently I''ve seen some of them before.

    [So we need to move quickly and aggressively. How far is it to your castle?]

    [Around two kilometres. The castle is positioned defensively on a slope. We need to breach the gates quickly otherwise we risk getting locked out and surrounded. Even with the vigers to swell our numbers we are outmatched in a direct confrontation. If we can sweep into the castle and block the gate against the troops held outside we''ll only have to deal with those mercenary forces who are inside the castle].

    [Do you have a n for the gate?]

    She hesitates a moment. [We''re still working on it].

    [I''ll take care of it] I say.

    If I knock politely with a Gravity Bomb I''m sure the door will open for me.

    Gweheheheh.

    With our nsid I gingerly walk with the Queen to the vanguard of her soldiers as they prepare to move out. Monsters are still spawning out of the walls here but the soldiers are clearly of a higher level, able to dispatch these weaker beasts with ease.

    Together, with myself in the vanguard and my attendant priest behind me we begin to march up the tunnel towards the entrance. It isn''t far from the pool before the familiarndmarks begin to stir my memories. Ah here is the staircase that leads downwards. Ah, here are the torchers that were lit when I was nearly chased to death. There is the side passage where I narrowly dodged an arrow and lured some centipedes to their death!

    Memories¡­

    Seriously, how desperate for human contact was I at that point? I became totally divorced from my senses. Now I have a family and followers of my own, I don''t feel as lonely anymore. Not to mention I''ve had a belly full of interacting with humans. Nothing but headaches.

    Gradually we approach the rising slope and walk past the inbuilt walls were I glimpsed my first humans. I can see as we pass them that each wall is its own little guard station, with an enclosed space inside with tables and chairs. Each one has a Queen''s guard stationed there.

    The walls be thicker and more frequent the closer we get to the top, the stairs more defined as well. Eventually the stairs widen out and a bright opening is revealed in front of me. The surface. Like ascending from a basement we climb the stairs and emerge into the light.

    I don''t wait for my eyes to adjust but charge forward, my six legs scrambling to elerate ahead of the rest of the pack. When my blurred vision finally settles back to normal I can see I''m inside a ringed wall that surrounds the Dungeon entrance. A portcullis is cut into the wall and the gate is thankfully up. I keep charging at the gate as I hear frantic shouts from above. Soon after the pounding of feet on stone and a great roar erupt from behind as the soldiers pour out of the Dungeon entrance, followed by the vigers.

    The gate twitches and begins to fall as someone frantically tries to wind it down before I can reach the opening but I''m having none of it!

    Anti-Grav Bolt!

    The magic I''d prepared sts through the air and strikes against the metal gate with precision. No matter how hard the people above try they can''t push it down as it continues to rise and then force against the joints that hold it in ce, trying to rise into the sky.

    Gleefully I charge forward through the gap and out of the ring wall. I sense heat! Ahead of me, to my left and right there are stairs from the upper level, multiple sources are rushing down to block my path!

    Come to me!

    When the first soldier leaps down thest few steps brandishing his sword valiantly he suddenly feels an immense pull, a force that defies thews of physics!

    YOINK!

    Using my Gravity infused mandibles I grab the first soldier out of the air and he flies towards me!

    Shattering Bite!

    CRUNCH!

    Caughtpletely by surprise and defenceless the soldier ispletely unable to resist my shattering bite! His flimsy armour is shredded by my jaws and my mandibles bite into him.

    Still alive? Have another!

    Indeed, most humans are able to resist one or two bites. They are wearing monster material based equipment and have a few levels pumped into them after all. I''ll use this as an opportunity to train my piercing chomp!

    Chomp!

    Chomp!

    [You have in level 23 Scout]

    [You have gained experience]

    Excellent.

    This guy didn''t have much in the way of levels after all. Apparently the humans level resets in some specific ss changes but for most normal cases their level simply increases linearly over their lifetime. A level of twenty three is quite low from what the Queen told me, this dude must have been recently recruited.

    Hisrades charge down the stairs and into view just in time to see their friend being bitten to death. Imagining what this scene must look like from their perspective, it would be pretty horrifying right?

    Your friend vanishes before your eyes and you leap forward to find a giant ant the size of a table, dazzling, glittering armour and impressive,rge eyes, biting on your friend with long jagged mandibles. Gruesome.

    They recoil in fear for a brief moment, giving me an opening to ¡­

    YOINK!

    Get over here!

    Shattering Bite!

    CRUNCH!

    Once more I pull an unsuspecting soldier towards me and the others are terrified all over again as one of their number is pulled from his feet by an invisible force and shot towards the terrifying monster before them. Before he can evennd on his feet he''s been crushed by a fearsome skill!

    Once again with the chomps!

    Chomp!

    Chomp!

    [you have in level 31 Scout]

    [You have gained experience]

    [Piercing Chomp has risen to level 7]

    Haha nice!

    Perhaps one more?

    I''m denied my wish when the three remaining scouts (I assume) turn and run. Before I can think that they must have fled from my fearsome performance the Queens guards begin to charge past me, brandishing their weapons fiercely in their desire to rend the traitors.

    Oh well.

    ording to the n we need to rush forwards to try and reach the castle as quickly as possible. Without pausing to ount for every foe our entire force rushes out of the fort and into the wide cobbled streets of the city of Liria. As we run a great plume of fire rises high into the air behind us, once, twice, thrice, before it is cut short.

    That came from somewhere in the fort. The signal was sent.

    Still, my first time in a fantasy city on my new world! The buildings are cramped together with tiled roofs and people are everywhere on the roads, pushing carts, shopping or riding in horse pulled carriages. I do notice the distinctck of chimneys and smoke on the houses, no matter how poor and shabby looking. Apparently people in this world tend to use enchanted fire tes, perhaps the mostmon and inexpensive piece of enchanting that can be done. Drawing the mana out of the air and into a te of metal to cook with or use as heating.

    Pretty neat!

    As I dash through the city there are screams of terror on all sides as themon folk catch sight of the monster rushing through their midst.

    Where is the hospitality I ask you?

 Chapter 41 Premiums are going up for sure

    <h4>Chapter 41 Premiums are going up for sure </h4>

    The Queens'' Guard and I charge down the cobbled roads. I depend on the guidance of the soldiers to point me in the right direction when we asionally have to turn. The citizens are screaming and fleeing out of our way everywhere we go. To be honest, even if there wasn''t a monster here they would probably do the same thing when they saw the soldiers. Themon folk don''t want to be anywhere nearby if the fighting is going to start again.

    They had to put up with bloody street to street fighting in this city for a week. Even now I can see burned out buildings and copsed walls. It must have been brutal in here.

    I do have to wonder what happened when a supposedly savvy Queen (not sure I''m convinced) so dramatically underestimated her foes. She''d thought that with her preparations the foe would be quickly dealt with but after an whole week of fighting in the city, the castle was breached and the Queen forced to flee! It seems unlikely a collection of Dungeon fighters were able to take it to the army to that level.

    From what I''ve been told, those who regrly fight in the Dungeon tend to have higher levels, better equipment and greater individual strength than regr line soldiers. After all, the bad Dungeon explorers are very quickly dead, leaving the strong core behind. The army tends to have more discipline, coordination and better training. Not to mention that with the resources of a nation it isn''t hard to build up a collection of elites, giving them gear and privileges that most Dungeon explorers can only dream about.

    That would be the Queens Guard.

    These guys and gals are packing serious heat, enchanted des, double forged monster shell armour and each and every one of them has been on gruelling level grinding expeditions into the Dungeon. The Queen is rather confident in their strength. Still, there aren''t that many of them, not enough to storm a whole city.

    From a side street twenty mixed armour warriors burst forth, two mages in their midst wielding staves. When these fighters see me charging forward they aren''t intimidated in the slightest, reacting only with mild surprise. These are Dungeon Mercenaries! It''ll take a lot more than one ant monster to intimidate them!

    After this experience that may change however¡­.

    Gravity Spear!

    Expecting to be attacked at any moment I''ve pre-woven myself a spell and had it charged, ready to fire for a few minutes already! Holding a spell in ce isn''t easy and wears on my mind but it''s totally worth it in these scenarios!

    Before they can even prepare themselves and spread out to attack the spear ms home on a massive warrior in the middle of their formation. With a hostile spell suddenly shing into their midst the enemy disys their experience by not panicking. They each drop into a defensive stance and try to move apart, only to find that their movement is bing more restricted with every passing second.

    Stay nice and bunched up for me folks. No need to separate. Muehehe.

    Locking onto the mercenary force, the Queen''s guard suddenly have a zing light in their eyes. This is the scum they wanted to fight! Letting out a delighted roar they dash forward, several members blurring into streaks of light or vanishing entirely as they employ powerful skills to close on the clustered enemy.

    Don''t take all of my xp dammit!

    Bracing for the sudden charge the mercenaries struggle to wield their weapons properly as the potent gravity constantly tugs at them, forcing them to divert attention and energy to resisting the pull. Despite this the mercs begin to employ their own skills to defend themselves.

    A bulky mercenary, covered in scars, raises one foot high as his face twists with concentration. His foot instantly explodes with light and he ms it down into the ground! As if transformed into water, the surface of the road ripples outward from that foot, the ripples growingrger as they travel until they are over a metre tall!

    When these ''waves'' crash into the buildings they quickly crumble, as if their foundations were suddenly embedded in quicksand! Several of the charging soldiers have to cancel their dash skills as their footing bes unsteady. Nimbly they reposition themselves to the sides, riding out the disturbance and waiting for the ground to settle.

    The huge mercenary with my spear imbedded in his chest unlimbers a huge great sword from his back. His knuckles crack as he prepares a two handed grip before bringing it down with blinding speed. With a sh a de of light ten metres tall rips from the tip of the de and streaks towards me, cutting through the ground as if it were paper!

    Woosh!

    I leap to one side, pushing hard off the ground with my six legs and the de shes past me before crashing into a house. When the dust settles a huge slice has been cut into the building, copsing one wall in.

    Holy heck! I nearly lost an antenna!

    Settle down big guy! Need a lift?

    Internally gleeful I fire off my next spell which I have just hastily prepared.

    Gravity Bolt!

    Let''s see how you enjoy flight! Hopefully more than you enjoy the fall.

    Before I can gloat too much the two mages step forward, staves shing with mana as they thrust them forward to block my spell. The Gravity Bolt smashes into the heads of theirbines staves and my spell quickly begins to lose energy.

    This technique again!

    I really want to learn it, dammit!

    I scuttle off to one side, not prepared to act as the vanguard and charge into the midst of these clearly experienced monster killers. Instead I take a little distance and begin to weave my next spell.

    It would be so good to have Tiny here right now! He would leap right into the middle and create a huge distraction, allowing me to safely operate on the edges. Or if Crinis was grown, the havoc she could reap here, with the enemy bunched up together¡­. Gah! I bite back my frustration. I didn''t bring them for a good reason, they have their own work to do.

    The powerful skills disyed by these mercenaries has shocked me internally. I knew from the Queen that humans and other surface races were capable of some fearsome abilities, but I hadn''t seen anything quite like this with my own eyes!

    To my shock, the show was only just beginning.

    Once my spell hadpletely disappeared the two mages get to work on their own magic. One of them fiercely shouts out some words and a spherical shield of fire blooms around him, the scorching heat radiating off is enough to make my antennae numb! The second mage also conjures a shield but this one is of tightly rotating wind! An air barrier!

    Their defences prepared the two immediately begin their next magic, concentrating for a moment before they each extend one hand out towards me with perfectly synchronised timing.

    Why me?!

    From one mage, a powerful st of wind! From the other, a jet of me!

    The two spells converge together to form a massive gout of blue fire that hungrily reaches towards me!

    Abi attack! What the heck!?

    It''s so cool and shy dammit!

    A huge jet of me over thirty metres long roars from those two hands and covers the open street between us in a second! Caught t footed the best I can do is stop, drop to the ground and roll to my right as the me washes over me.

    HOT!

    That''s a spicy meata-ball!

    Searing pain erupts through my left side as the mes wash over me, barbequing my carapace and raising my internal temperature ufortably.

    Thankfully, as an insect, the outside of my body is essentially my skeleton and inherently less cookable than say, human flesh. Even so I''ve taken a decent chunk of damage from that attack.

    I think about using my regeneration nd but dismiss the idea. It''s too early in the assault, I need to save it for a more desperate situation. Maybe if I can get some Biomass to eat¡­.

    As the me dissipates it seems as if the Guard is ready for their counter attack.

 Chapter 42 Gateway

    <h4>Chapter 42 Gateway </h4>

    Having regrouped, the Queens Guard have positioned themselves to strike together. Weapons drawn they form a row ten across and as one stab forward with their swords. Instantly ten beams of sword light sh through the air, impacting against the mercenaries who are knocked off their feet by the impact. With the constant force of the Gravity Spear dragging at them they can''t possibly brace themselves against this strike!

    Three mercs slip and that''s all it takes as they ''fall'' towards their own leader, the enormous great sword wielding warrior.

    Chance!

    With the front line in sudden disarray I immediately activate my infused mandibles, feeding my gravitational mana into them at a furious pace. The warriors might be struggling right now but those two mages at the back have maintained their footing, thankfully the kerfuffle at the front has pulled their eyes away from my magnificence for a moment, so I have an opening!

    I don''t know how these guys are able to block spells but that is something I surely want to learn! I mean, it makes sense that mages would be able to defend themselves against hostile magic, otherwise a magical battle would always be decided by whoever managed to cast first. I just hope the technique doesn''t rely on their staves and is something I can achieve in my mind, perhaps the neglected external mana maniption skill holds a clue?

    With no eyes on me, I stealthily scuttle to my left, circling around the mercs whilst maintaining a twenty meter distance. Soon I reach a point where the two enemy mages are lined up, fire mage in front, wind mage behind, their elemental shields flickering with power.

    The fire mage recovers from his distraction and turns back towards me, eyes flicking about until he sees my position, not to mention my brightly glowing purple mandibles! He tries to shout a warning as he thrusts his staff in my direction but it''s toote!

    YOINK!

    As my mandibles re with power the fire mage flinches instinctively, lowering his stance to a defensive posture. Very alert these guys, I have to give them credit.

    His wariness does him little good when his ally ms directly into his back!

    BOOM!

    As the two shields, one of swiftly rotating air and the other of mana fuelled me collide, the air erupts with a wave of heat as fire climbs into the sky. The two mages, caughtpletely by surprise don''t have time to react before their elemental shields begin to shred each other, the fierce wind merging with me and shooting out amongst their own allies.

    The mercenaries, grouped together and off bnce, are licked by searing tongues of me borne on sharp winds from behind. Their voices begin to take on a note of panic as the situation begins to spiral out of their control. Sensing weakness the Guards roar as one and charge again!

    Now is the time!

    Leaping forth I dash towards the iling mercs.

    My XP! Come to me!

    If I''m going to fight here then I''m going to get my reward for it dammit! There is no chance the Queen''s Guard will leave these traitors alive, if they have to die I may as well gain something from it!

    After a few seconds the mages take control of themselves and shut off their shield spells before staggering back to their feet. Just in time to see the monstrous ant rushing towards them with its jaws wide and alight with power!

    Shattering Bite!

    CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

    Not willing to give them a moment of respite I snap down on them three times in rapid session. The ethereal jaws crush the two mages together and they slump to the ground, reeling from the strike.

    [Shattering Bite has reached level 3]

    Finish them!

    First on one then on the other I shower them with Piercing Chomps as they weakly try to fend me off with their staves. The traditional weakness of mages in close quarters seems to hold plenty true in this world though as their feeble efforts are unable to shake me off.

    [You have in level 36 Human Fire Mage Apprentice]

    [You have in level 34 Human Wind Mage Apprentice]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have reached level 14]

    Nice!

    Oh crap!

    Just I congratte myself for the sessful elimination of those threatening mages I notice the mercenary leader has charged towards me, massive de poised overhead to strike!

    Dodge!

    Diamond carapace or no I do not want to take that thing head on!

    CRASH!

    The de smashes into the stones with tremendous force, sending shards of rock flying everywhere and pinging off my carapace.

    Phew!

    Not wanting to draw too much heat I hit the ground running and put some distance between me and the mercs as the rest of the Queens Guard close in, continuing tounch attacks as they do.

    Since my business district is facing the right way anyhow¡­

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    [Improved Acid shot has reached level 6]

    Tilting my head slightly for a clear rear view I shower the enemy from behind with my restrictive acid, giving the bulky leader two shots since he seems a little too eager to move at the moment.

    I stop construction on the Gravity Domain spell I''d been working on and let it dissolve within me as it doesn''t look as if I''ll be needing it right now. I can see ahead of me is a massive gate sitting astride the street, blocking our way through the wall and into the inner keep.

    I mean, a wall doesn''t do squat to keep me out but it still serves to slow down these humans.

    Seeing our target up ahead I start to pull mana out of my Gravitation Mana nd andpress it into the fearsome Gravity Bomb. It''ll take a minute or two to charge up this sucker so I may as well start now.

    The mercenaries have fallen into an ever more hopeless position, assaulted from the front, shot at from behind and with their two support mages dead they have no chance of fighting their way out against the furious Queens'' Guard. Knowing they are dead already the mercenaries throw caution to the wind. Finally free of my Gravity spear they are able to unleash their skills to their fullest as they desperately try to take some soldiers down with them.

    I figured a few would try and surrender but I guess not.

    With the two sides battling to the death and pulling out all of their strength I scuttle to one side, into the shadows and look for an opportunity as I continue to charge my bomb. If I can sneak myself a little xp then I will but I''ve done more work than all of these soldiersbined so far, I''m not about to stick my neck out for the cause.

    As they finally begin to fall a few of the mercenaries break and run, trying to dash into nearby buildings or down side streets and hopefully keep their lives. One unfortunate sap happens to flee right towards the little alley where I''ve tucked myself.

    HALLO!

    Shattering Bite!

    [You have in level 38 Human Swordsman]

    [You have gained experience]

    Letting the body drop to the ground I consider the option of¡­. Well¡­. Eating him.

    I mean¡­. I was a human before, for quite some time as well¡­ Just. eating a human seems a little...

    It''s not cannibalism though, I''m not human now! Embrace the monster within, Anthony!

    But... hmmmm.

    Checking my HP I can see that I''m not missing too much, and I still have my regeneration nd topped off and ready to go. I don''t think I need to push myself too hard here.

    If only there were more mercs who utilised monsters like the Sophos did. Then I''d be able to munch on that Biomass without worry.

    I''d asked the Queen about howmon the technique of core reconstitution was, or if it was known at all on the surface, as I''d been so impressed by Formo I''d assume everyone who could would leap at the chance to raise such powerful monsters and have them take the risks for you.

    The technique is well known apparently, and not just here but all over the ce. Whilst some mercenaries do take that path, some of them even going all in and taking the [Tamer] ss tree, there are a few considerations that keep it from beingmon. Firstly, cores are money to mercs, using even one of them to turn into a monster that you then have to feed and raise before it can fight is troublesome. Then, if you want to raise it properly you need to keep feeding meat from the Dungeon, which you either have to pay for (expensive) or constantly go into the Dungeon (dangerous).

    Not to mention, to ensure it evolves well, you need to feed it even more cores! Literally throwing money into its mouth!

    To the surface races, who rely on cores for enchanting, it isn''t worth it except for the very wealthy, or some nations who keep guardian beasts. The practice works so well for the Sophos for a few reasons, they have such powerful minds that controlling monsters is quite easy for them, they live in the Dungeon itself so ess to meat isn''t hard and since they don''t fight themselves they have little use for enchanted equipment, thus having reduced demand for cores.

    I did notice the Queen hadn''t mentioned anything about core engineering, whichbined with their powerful minds, is the key reason for the Sophos'' grand sess in this field. I didn''t ask about it though, since perhaps that particr skill may not bemon knowledge.

    With the mercenaries finished off the Queen herselfes forward along with the vigers. The townsfolk were looking a little wild eyed at the level of devastation wrought on the nearby houses. They might have levelled up some fighting skills but seeing giant sword cuts in the faces of buildings was a little hard for them to swallow. As they catch sight of me however their eyes light up a little. Not sure exactly why but they seem to drawfort from my presence.

    And oh great. The priest is back. He rushes right up to me and begins speaking to the other vigers, no doubt extolling my mighty powers, graced upon me by the system or some such rubbish.

    As the Queen draws closer, surrounded by her Guard she reaches out with the mind bridge.

    [We have reached the gate but we have to get through quickly. If we dy they will have more time to gather troops from across the city! Quickly monster, do you have a way to get through the gate?!]

    I check internally on my Gravity Bomb. It''s cooking along nicely.

    Not bothering to reply I walk slightly towards the gates and turn my mind fully to the task ofpacting the mana as tightly as possible. A few secondster the transformation urs and the tightly backed sphere takes on the ominous ck hole like appearance.

    Without hesitation I open my mouth and st out the Gravity Bomb which shrieks into life the moment it leaves me body. The piercing howl of the wind as it is sucked towards the bomb causes all of the humans nearby to cover their ears and even shatters the windows in nearby buildings.

    When it impacts the gate with a sickening thud the ball expands outwards in an instant, tearing and eating away at the gate. With a deafening shriek the gates lurch on their hinges before the protesting metal finally gives way and the gates are sucked into the bomb entirely.

    When the bomb flickers out of existence the once proud metal gates are no more, torn stone and an empty swinging hinge the only evidence they were there at all.

    I turn back to the Queen.

    [What gate?]

 Chapter 43 Into the castle

    <h4>Chapter 43 Into the castle </h4>

    There is a stunned silence around after the Gravity Bomb flickers out of existence. The first thing I hear breaking the peace is a *thud*.

    Twitching to one side I notice that the priest has fallen to knees, followed by the rest of the vigers. The soldiers are looking at me strangely also, their faces set in cold masks behind their helmets.

    I look at the Queen.

    [What?]

    She too looks at me with an odd look in her eye.

    [Those gates were mana warded. Your spell should not have worked]

    Mana warded, is it? Doesn''t look like it was too effective. Maybe they needed to put on a second coat? At any rate, is it really ok for us to stand around here with our thumbs up ourmercial districts?

    [Shouldn''t we be going inside?] I prompt the Queen.

    The elderly woman shakes herself a little and regains her dignified poise before shouting hermands aloud to her soldiers.

    Roaring their battle cry the Guards'' charge through the gate, some members dashing into streaks of light as they deploy their skills to close with their enemies. The ringing sound of steel shing with steel soon fills the air as the defenders rush towards their breeched gates.

    With the Queen in their midst the townsfolk also advance but at a more measure pace. Several of the braver ones run out in small groups to support the soldiers already engaged in battle but the rest remain defensive postured, watching all directions for threats.

    [Stay with me monster, we will storm the throne room and Royal chambers, I''m sure we will find the masterminds there].

    [hmm] I grunt in reply.

    Surely we won''t find the viin sittingnguidly on the throne, ready to lure us with talk before springing the final trap? That would be way too predictable¡­

    As we path through the gates a team of townsfolk rush to block the entrance behind us with whatever they can find, loose stone, a cart, someone finds the royal coach and they push it into the gap before tipping it on its side. Those with spears of long handled pitch forks stand in rows, weapons at the ready. Hopefully it''ll do to hold out until they can be reinforced by the Guard.

    After passing through the gate there is a wide road that runs towards the main doors and loops back through an borate garden with imposing statues ced at regr intervals. The entire setup screams royal luxury. I can''t help but eye the Queen with a little disbelief. In the middle of the city you really want to take up so much real estate with your driveway?!

    It just seems like such a waste¡­ Perhaps I''m bing biased because my colony basically lives on top one another. Even Tiny, Vibrant, Crinis and I packed into our own little chamber is odd and luxurious by ant standards.

    My Queen sleeps with workers walking on her back for goodness sake!

    As I grumble internally the great doors open and a densely packed group of soldiers charge out, weapons bared.

    Although they may be dressed like mercenaries, these fellows look anything but. Determined faces, coordinated movements, tightly packed formation¡­.

    Aren''t these soldiers for sure?!

    The townsfolk in front me freeze at the sight of this mass charge, they are absolutely no match for this kind of assault! Not giving them time to decide to flee I jump to the fore and counter charge!

    Have I gone insane? Am I suicidal? Or have I got my Gravity Domain on the boil?

    Gweheheh.

    As soon as I put one leg through the castle gates I knew the fighting was going to get close once we got inside the castle, much like it is inside the Dungeon tunnels. Naturally I started to reconstruct my most potent close range spell. How was I to know that the enemy would deliver themselves to me before I even made it to the door?

    As the men with their shields and swords raised charge towards me, des beginning to shine as they prepare to unleash their skills I continue to pump my Gravitational Mana into the construct, pushing with all the force of my two brains!

    Closer¡­ Closer¡­

    Gravity Domain!

    Just before the soldiers reach me and sh out with their skills my domain expands in a sh, the dark purple hemisphere expanding out to epass the soldiers before me. Some of them cancel their attack skills and raise their shields to defend whilst others grit their teeth, determined to see their strike through.

    BOOM.

    With an almost audible impact the crushing force of gravity falls on the soldiers like a hammer from heaven, pressing them to the ground. A few sts of sword light are released just in time, mming into my Diamond carapace and buffeting me about but my defences hold firm and only minor damage is inflicted.

    In a wide circle with a radius of ten metres the trapped soldiers are pressed downwards by an invisible, irresistible force. Their movements are slowed and some are unable to keep their feet, driven down to their knees.

    You should never skip leg day!

    Shattering Bite!

    I unleash my fearsome mandibles upon these foes as theybour under the effects of my domain magic. So long as I maintain the spell the fight is one sided. As if their arms and legs were impeded with massive weights, as if their weapons and shields were ten times as heavy, the soldiers movements be slow and painful. Mustering the stamina to activate their skills seems incredibly difficult.

    Several soldiers are able to raise their weapons, or their shield, but never both. I run amok amongst them, snapping and biting at every opening I see, dodging away with ease whenever a soldier manages to muster a strike.

    [You have in level 39 human swordsman]

    [You have in level 36 human scout]

    [You have in level 37 human soldier]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have reached level 15]

    [Piercing chomp has reached level 8]

    Muahaha!

    It would have continued in this vain if the townsfolk hadn''t for some reason be madly brave and decided to charge directly into my domain.

    Who can say what madness possessed them? I personally suspect that the priest urged them to charge and assist me in battle since I had so sessfully suppressed the foes.

    Naturally the moment these brave and determined townsfolk charged into my domain they immediately fell t on their faces,pletely unable to stand up under the pressure of my spell. Idiots!

    What''s more they are now a target to those soldiers who can still swing their weapons. Rather than watch the townspeople be massacred whilst lying t on their faces I sigh internally and release the spell.

    These people really are a pain in the business district.

 Chapter 44 Battle to the doorstep

    <h4>Chapter 44 Battle to the doorstep </h4>

    Forced to withdraw my Domain, the magic flickers out of existence and the drain on my Gravitational magic nd trickles to a stop. The true benefits of the bottomless nd upgrade is showing now after this extended fight. Despite casting bolts, javelins, infusing my mandibles, the bomb and the domain, my Gravitational nd is kicking along at well over half full. Not to mention my own core is still topped off and ready to go.

    Freed from the immense pressure of my spell the soldiers and townspeople scramble to their feet, brandishing their weapons. The townspeople outnumber their foesfortably but they are individually significantly weaker. If it weren''t for me having bitten the heck out of these soldiers whilst they grovelled beneath my domain they wouldn''t have any chance at all.

    The priest is the first to leap back to his feet, brandishing a heavy looking mace in his one hand like a madman, roaring at the top of his lungs. A times like these I''m d I can''t understand the wordsing out of his mouth. This priest has achieved a level of obsession that cannot be considered healthy in any way. If I were to poop in a field I feel like this guy would raise a shrine and worship it for one thousand years.

    This guy can only thank his lucky stars that the only things I can dispense from my back zone are acid and justice.

    The battle quickly breaks down into a brawling melee, several townsfolk surrounding each enemy soldier and relentlessly stabbing them with incredible fervour and selfless courage. In the grip of their religious zealotry the poorly trained and armed farmers ignore their own wounds, ignore tiredness, pressing forward relentlessly.

    Almost like ants! These people are doing the colony they worship proud.

    Much like I had for the workforce in the past I run throughout the field of battle running interference wherever I can, biting and legs and arms, tearing weapons from hands or charging into soldiers to bowl them over, preventing them from grouping up.

    Every now and again I fire off a Gravity Bolt, sending a soldier sky high before theye crashing back to hearth. Shockingly some of them don''t die immediately on impact, utilising some sort of skill to absorb the tremendous impact or increase their survivability, but even so most die straight away and the survivors are greatly wounded.

    Of course, I try to ensure my targets on the outside of the battle so they don''t fall directly back on top of us.

    Of course, I remember to exclusively use my piercing chomp skill for grinding purposes and also to ensure that no allies are caught up in my attack. The melee is too tight for me to deploy aoe skills and expect to not incur some friendly fire.

    After twenty long minutes the battle is done and the townsfolk have been triumphant! Covered in sweat and wounds the people raise their weapons and cheer! Some of them have given up their lives for the cause here but they are not disheartened. In fact, the sacrifice of the martyrs has inspired them even more!

    These people need help¡­

    I myself managed to harvest another level from raining my enemies down on the hard stone as well as increasing my piercing chomp skill by one level. One more and piercing chomp will reach ten! Then both of my primary jaw attacks will be advanced skills.

    ording to the Queen''s information on skills, once a skill is able to project the users'' stamina outside their own body it can be considered an advanced skill. Surface races, with their ss based system, have the ability to slowly raise skills associated with their own ss type through training, without having to risk themselves in battle. Usually a trainee soldier or mercenary will be confined to the training yard to raise their skills to at least this level before being allowed in the field.

    After all, what use is someone who can wave a sword or spear around against someone who can send out a wave of light to strike their enemies from ten metres away?!

    Whilst some of my skills are raised through constant, passive use, such as Tunnel Map, I don''t think it''s possible for a monster to raise their attack skills through, biting trees or rocks, for example.

    Yet another example of system prejudice against monsters.

    It does help exin why monsters can experience more rapid growth than the surface races. Training is quite slow apparently, whereas a monster will only get stronger by constantbat, raising skills, gaining levels and consuming Biomass all at once. A young but strong monster can grow powerful and evolve in a matter of days whereas a human would be on the training field for months, if not years, to raise a single skill.

    This also makes it clear how human mages are able to learn faster than I can. By studying, reading and conducting mental exercises the humans can raise magic rted skills passively and then raise them again when they actually practice, whereas I can only repetitively practice over and over again. In this way humans are able to train their mage skills much more quickly. Monsters arepensated by the possibility of magic specific nds, basically shortcutting the process of learning proper magic.

    It was only in this way that I was able to confirm with the Queen that the route I chose to learn magic is essentially the surface way, which all the advanced and sentient races use. Building the fundamental skills up from the ground. ording to the Queen, monsters who can cast spells as humans can aren''t unheard of but are exceedingly rare, and are only found deep in the Dungeon.

    After five minutes or so to catch our breath the Queen, nked by a small team of her Guards, lead us inside the castle. When the broad doors were opened a warm light from the entrance hall spilled out. I was a bit confused at first, the light looked almost like artificial light from Earth. When I scuttled inside alongside the townsfolk I could see that the light was produced bymps ced at regr intervals along the walls.

    What was stunning was that thesemps didn''t seem to have an energy source that I could detect, no me or gas or wire at all! What is up with these? Curiously I broke away from the huddled fighters around the Queen to climb up the high walls to get a closer look at this marvel from another world.

    As I get closer ¡­.

    [Compatible monster core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute a monster?]

    ¡­..

    Don''t tell me¡­

    Looking closely at the goldmp stand attached to the wall and at the light source itself I can see that it is in fact, a small glowing gem. A core!

    This is the attitude of the wealthy, right here! Whereas mercenaries had to scramble for every core they could, the Royalty was using them to light their castle! Such a grant waste of resources was almost offensive to me considering the circumstances I''d endured in my previous life¡­ unbelievable!

    Looking about cautiously to ensure nobody was watching as they advanced further into the castle I quickly confirm with Gandalf.

    [Reinforce!]

    There are sixmps in the entrance hall and naturally I refuse to let any of them off. Quickly zipping around on the walls I absorb all six of the cores before re-joining the strike force as we move towards the throne room.

    Gweheheheh. The perfect crime!

    I''m certain that nobody was able to see that.

    As soon as I reach the back of the group I notice a twitch of movement behind me. What the hell?!

    Turning my head slightly to get a rear view I can see the priest walking behind me, hand raised before himself in reverence.

    ¡­.

    This guy! He was waiting behind me this entire time! How still was he that I didn''t even notice?! Creepy!

    Sigh.

    I guess I won''t have much chance to keep this secret since he''ll probably preach about the first chance he gets to open his mouth¡­

    Not bothering to hide it anymore, every time wee across one of the glowingmps I quickly mber up the wall and absorb the core, nabbing myself another four before we make to the throne room.

    Naturally as soon as I enter the throne room, shuffling in at the rear of our force, the first thing I notice is the abundant lighting in the room, causing my mouth to immediately begin to water.

    So many cores!

    I only need a few more to max out my core at 100mp! After that a special core to push me over the top and I''ll be ready to evolve as soon as I hit max level! At level 16 now I''m more than halfway there!

    The anticipation that only a monster can enjoy towards evolution is beginning to mount in me once more!

    Our group has stop advancing so I push my way to the front to see what is happening. Sure enough, lounging nonchntly on the throne is ck leather d mercenarydy, surrounded by flunky looking rich people and a force of soldiers between us and the dais.

    ¡­.

    This whole thing is too predictable!

 Chapter 45 The Queens circumstances part 1

    <h4>Chapter 45 The Queens circumstances part 1 </h4>

    The revered Queen Verita of Liria, second of her name, defender of the frontier and upholder of the Lion tenants of her ancestors was pissed.

    Long had she puzzled over how the enemy had been able to gather so many more troops than she had been able to anticipate. Her closest advisors had worked with her on their strategy. The careful plotting, endless information gathering, debates and nning had been overthrown when her soldiers had been soundly defeated and outnumbered when the trap had finally been sprung and her enemies dashed out of the shadows into the light.

    Where had all these fighterse from?

    Seeing those organised warriors at the castle door was one thing and now looking at these disciplined soldiers dressed in mercenary gear arrayed against them before the dais of her own throne it all became clear.

    These were not mercenaries or hirelings brought in to bolster the numbers for the fight. These were trained soldiers from a nearby kingdom! There must be a hundred of them there! This isn''t a small number by any means. Someone must have wanted to interfere in the political situation in Liria desperately tomit so many of their people to a coup in another country!

    Seeing the Andron ambassador standing beside Corrin as the filthy Mercenary Union lounged on Verita''s throne she could easily guess who it had been.

    "Great Queen Verita, how nice of you to join us" drawled Corrin, one leg dangling over the side of the throne, "we were just wondering when my coronation should be held. You wouldn''t have any input on the matter would you?"

    Verita disregarded the mercenary as beneath her notice and turned instead towards the ambassador Regix.

    "Regix, so interesting to see you here. Incredible how quickly the kingdom of Andron has been able to adjust to the changingndscape here in Liria. One could be forgiven for thinking that you had known about all of this in advance" she said.

    The ambassador smiled tightly and turned to Corrin, deferring to the Union leader.

    Enjoying the disy of her authority Corrin beamed at her former Queen.

    "Don''t be upset Verita. It turns out people other than me can notice how ipetent your reign has been. Our friends from across the border wanted to assist the people of Liria to have good governance, for once".

    Verita could only roll her eyes at the pretence.

    "Corrin, since you were born the only thing you cared about was money and power, let''s not pretend anything other than these motivated your treason".

    The mercenary leader''s smile only grew wider. "It''s important to pretend in front of the street rats though" she gestured towards the townsfolk nervously clutching their weapons behind their Queen, "I can''t very well say to the public that I''ll be rewarded with mountains of gold by Andron for destroying your rule and handing over the governance of our nation to a neighbouring country now, can I?"

    Indignant rage red within Verita at those words. Her family had founded this Kingdom, her own kin had fought and died in the campaign to liberate thesends from the monsters. Since then they had tirelessly worked to raise this nation out of the dirt for hundreds of years!

    In a moment of rity the Queen realised exactly why Andron would be prepared to go so far. They were afraid. Liria had risen so far and so quickly that their neighbour to the north feared they would be overshadowed and eventually absorbed. After all, it was Liria that was able to expand their territory by pushing south, Andron had nowhere to go. Rather than die a slow death, why not strike first? If they were sessful the bright future of the Liria kingdom would belong to them instead.

    Verita had to admit it made sense. Had she been Queen of Andron she might have been tempted to secure the future of her people in this way too.

    But she wasn''t, she was Queen Verita Leocor of the Leocor''s. Liria was her kingdom and she''d be damned before she gave it over to these scum.

    Throwing any pretence aside she drew herself to her full height and imperiously proimed, "Corrin, you will need to surrender yourself to me for judgement. Regix, order your men to stand down at once and you may escape my castle with your life".

    Regix only shook his head and chuckled to himself but Corrin was more unrestrained, throwing back her head andughing out loud.

    "You haven''t changed Verita, you''d think it was you sitting on this throne right now! I''ve no idea how you got back inside the city but the only that did is save me the trouble of hunting you down in the countryside and putting you down like a dog. You''re outmatched here, give it up and I''ll kill you quickly".

    Judging by the sadistic look in the others'' eyes Queen Verita sincerely doubted a quick death featured at all in her ns.

    At this moment something pushed its way through the Guards behind her to appear at the front. As one the soldiers arrayed before her tensed and even Corrin''s eyes widened in surprise. Without even turning Verita knew exactly who it was that was standing beside her now.

    Concentrating fiercely she wove anew the mind bridge to allowmunication between her and the monster. As soon as the weave was done the cold and emotionless voice she had still not grown ustomed to echoed in her mind.

    [Who are these worms?] the voice demanded.

    The Queen''s mouth tightened. As Royalty she wasn''t ustomed to being spoken to with the constant disrespect and rudeness she received from this monster but she could only overlook it, how could she expect manners from a monster?

    [The leaders of the coup against me and a century of soldiers from a neighbouring kingdom]

    She could almost feel the weary disinterest rolling off the creature in waves, confusing her. What was it so bored about?!

    Corrin stood from her ce on the throne, a grin twisting her face. "You''ve even allied with a monster in order to regain your throne Verita? What would your precious Legion say if they were to find out of this? Or the church of the path for the matter? If word of this were to get out you''d be finished!"

    "Somehow I don''t think you''ll talking much when I separate your head from your shoulders" Verita bit back.

    She turned toward the monster.

    [If we can win here the rebellion will fall apart and our pact will be finished monster. Those people all have to die and you will have your reward, are you able to do it?]

    Verita had to admit she was nervous as she asked. As far as monsters go this ant wasn''t thatrge of powerful, but for some reason it managed to ovee impossible odds over and over again. The baffling magic that it was able to use continually surprised her, even filled her with trepidation. The st that destroyed the gates was seared into her memory. No City wall, no matter how enchanted, would be able to withstand that shocking power!

    That memory only firmed her resolve¡­

    [So if I can kill or disable all of these people I can take my reward and leave then?] the monster asked.

    Verita wasn''t sure but she felt she detected something strange in the creatures tone.

    She shook off her thoughts.

    [Of course] she replied, [Is it possible]

    [Tell your people to stay out of my way. I''ll finish this quickly]

    The monstrous ant leisurely walked forward as the hundred soldiers braced their weapons against it.

    "One little ant Verita? This is the best you could find? Exactly how is this piece of garbage going to turn the tides here? You must be insane!" Corrin exulted.

    The ant monster indeed looked weak as it slowly walked towards the enemy soldiers arranged neatly in their formation. Nobody in their right mind would think a single ant monster would be able to ovee these odds. Ants were not known for their individual strength, they were so feared because of their terrifying numbers!

    But this ant was different, Verita knew. She wasn''t sure why or how but this one was different.

    The monster continued its unhurried march towards the enemy. The closer it got the tighter the soldiers grip on their weapons became.

    When a short gap of only a few metres remained something changed. With the monster at the center a crackling purple energy sphere flickered into existence and expanded rapidly outwards.

 Chapter 46 The Queens circumstances part 2

    <h4>Chapter 46 The Queens circumstances part 2 </h4>

    Seeing that baleful magic flickering into existence, Queen Verita''s heart froze in her chest. In all her days she hadn''t seen anything as horrific as this magic. The sound. The destruction. Everything it touched was simply ¡­. Gone, smashed to nothing as if consumed by a monstrous beast.

    Even though it was her foes who were about to experience this horror the Queen had pity on them, feared for them even. Who knows what gods would await them on the other side of that dreadful maw?

    The little ant opened its mouth and the vortex of death howled into existence. The air inside the throne room pulled at everyone as it was sucked towards the purple ball that raced through the air to impact against the shield of an enemy soldier in an instant.

    Despite the horrific shriek of the wind the soldiers didn''t panic but calmly began to deploy their defensive skills. They didn''t believe this little monster would be capable of casting a spell strong enough to threaten them. How many monsters had they killed on training expeditions to the Dungeon? How many towering, powerful beasts had they faced down? To retreat in the face of this little thing would be an insult to their pride.

    It would be their death instead.

    As soon as it touched that shield the dark purple, almost ck ball expanded outwards in an instant and the soldiers near the impact point vanished entirely. Those close to the edges had a split second in which their faces twisted with fear and shock before they too were pulled into the ball. Horror overtook every soldier in the room as the wind rose in pitch once again to a deafening howl. Soldiers tried to flee, tried to pull theirrades away from that sphere of death but they could not resist it and nothing would sate it.

    Even the ant who cast the spell backed away slightly before bing still and watching its creation consume the enemy. The Queen could only stare at the grisly spectacle before her. Seeing this magic employed against a gate was one thing, seeing it make proud, trained soldiers vanish in an instant was another. Fear gripped her. What level of mage would be required to defend against something like this?

    It felt like a lifetime but it was only a few seconds before the sphere vanished. A tight, dense ball of ¡­ something ¡­. The Queen refused to think on it ¡­ dropped to the ground with a wet THUNK and rolled several times beforeing to a stop.

    Even the floor had not been spared, the lower half of the spell had carved a groove out of it, the stone bs were simply¡­ gone. Carved away so precisely it could have been the work of god.

    Before the shocked and demoralised soldiers could recover the monster was already acting again. The spherical, purple domain flickered and expanded outwards as the monster charged forward into the remaining soldiers.

    Queen Verita had seen this spell before, the powerful domain type spell that had brought the enemy to their knees. What was this purple mana? What type of magic is this? She''d never heard of anything like it, capable of flinging people up into the air or crushing them t into the ground.

    It''s hard to imagine that a monster, and one apparently quite young, couldprehend magic in the way this creature had. To cast the various types of spells in the same way that a human mage would take years to learn, it was terrifying.

    Exactly how strong would this single ant be? Queen Verita narrowed her eyes. She didn''t think she wanted to find out¡­

    No longercent the soldiers wanted no part of this spell! Their morale was shattered and fear was stered over their faces as they fled. The proud soldiers of Regix broke ranks and fled before one ant! If the Queen hadn''t seen it herself she would have felt she had lost her mind. Even though she witnessed the events she almost couldn''t believe them.

    The monster was relentless chasing them down no matter how they fled. Verita knew, as soon as the spell took effect they would no longer be able to run, only ughter would await them. Though there was no visible change the moment the spell began to function everyone watching could see it. The bodies of the soldiers sagged to the ground as if pressed down by a mountain. Those who were still able to keep their feet did so only by exerting extreme effort, their faces going red with the strain. The soldiers eyes were wild and filled with terror. What could possibly have prepared them for this?

    There was no way they could resist what was toe.

    The Queen snapped back to alertness and turned to her stunned Guards.

    "Aim your strikes at the enemy but do not close the distance! Be sure to stay the hell out of that spell!" she ordered.

    Loyal and disciplined her Royal Guard leapt into action, their weapons raining strike after strike down on the trapped foes and those who continued to run, desperate to avoid bing sealed in that zone.

    The townspeople watched the spectacle unfold with rapt amazement, their eyes afire with deep emotions. They could not participate as none had mastered the advanced weapon skill required to strike from a distance. But they could watch and silently praise.

    As she watched her force be battered by wave after wave a sword light Corrin''s expression grew ugly. She could not believe her eyes. How could one piss weak ant, legendary for being the weakest individual monster in the Dungeon, be devastating the highly trained soldiers she had brought with such efforts. How long had it taken her to weave this plot together? The months of preparation, the incredible effort needed to talk Regix into getting of their fat arses. It was disappearing before her eyes!

    She turned to the Regix ambassador. "What the hell is happening Andron?" she raged at him, "your soldiers are worthless! Didn''t you promise me the best?!"

    The ambassador was pale faced and shaking. He was a diplomat, not a warrior! He had never seen such bloodshed and violence. Watching his soldiers being torn apart had rocked his mind, he could barely think, let alone speak. As she watched the trembling Regixian struggle to speak Corrin nearly screamed in frustration.

    It had been so perfect! She had been so close! Wealth! A stupid amount of wealth! She could feel it all slipping from her grasp in this moment and the feeling drove her berserk. If it wasn''t for that stupid monster! She had yed the Queen like a damn fiddle but this idiotic monster had ruined everything!

    Suddenly her heart froze in her chest. Dread swept over her like a cold nket and sweat erupted from her forehead. Turning slowly she looked down at the monster to find it looking directly back at her. The smooth dark glittering carapace, the cold lidless eyes and the dripping jaws that glowed fiercely with purple light. No emotion or feeling emanated from that creature. In Corrin''s eyes it was nothing less than an emotionless machine of death.

    Corrin''s mind turned slowly as if her thoughts drifted through msses. When had those mandibles begun to glow?

    The mandibles red with light and she flinched backwards, but it was no use.

    How to describe it?

    The floor simply wasn''t the floor anymore. Her feet slid along the ground as if it were suddenly a wall and she fell directly towards the monster. A scream rose and stuck in her throat as fear paralysed her mind. The only thing she could see was those mandibles as everything faded away. They grewrger andrger in her eyes as they opened wide.

    Then they closed, and she knew no more.

 Chapter 47 The Queensâ€™ Circumstances part 3

    <h4>Chapter 47 The Queens'' Circumstances part 3 </h4>

    Queen Verita surveyed the field of carnage that polluted her throne room in disgust. That it hade to this. Foreign soldiers ughtered before the throne, the most officious and historical location in her young Kingdom, by a Dungeon monster. Her ancestors would shake their heads in despair if they knew of this farce.

    Brusquely she ordered her Guards to clean the room and do something about the dead and escort the townsfolk out of the room. Then she ordered two soldiers forward to seize the ambassador and bring him before her. The Regixian was still frozen with terror on the dais, shaking in fear as his eyes stared vacantly at the broken bodies of the men and women he had brought here to fight.

    When Corrin had been pulled through the air to her death he had been so terrified his legs had lost all their strength, causing him to copse onto his knees. As the two Queen''s Guard hauled him up by his armpits they sneered in contempt as they noticed the damp patch on the front of the ambassadors trousers.

    The Queen thought for a moment before signalling another of her Guard to attend her.

    The soldier approached and saluted smartly. "Take the head of Corrin and put it on a spike at the castle gate. That should take the wind out of any mercenary scum who want to try and continue their rebellion".

    The soldiers saluted again. "At once your majesty".

    The Guard picked his way through the remains toward the fallen Mercenary Union president toplete his grisly task. Soon he walked briskly out of the hall carrying a red stained cloth wrapped around a roundish object.

    When the mercenaries battling desperately to push through the gate and into the castle recognised the head being held up high on the tip of a spear they were filled with equal parts rage and despair. They knew they would never grasp the profits they had been promised to secure their support for this uprising now. Many mercs decided on the spot to flee the country as fast as their legs could carry them. If they were quick enough they may be able to avoid arrest. After all, they could ply their trade anywhere the Dungeon was, which was everywhere!

    The news that the Queen had taken back control of the castle spread through the city like wildfire. The citizens cheered and poured into the streets to celebrate. Many were d to have their benevolent ruler secure again on her throne but many others were simply d the fighting hade to an end and peace could once again return to their lives. After weeks of fighting, death and destruction they wanted to get on with rebuilding and forget any of this had ever happened.

    Inside the castle ambassador Andron was dragged before Queen Verita by her Guards. When he was unresponsive a soldier stepped forward and pped the man viciously until he was able toe back to himself.

    "It''s a shame we had to speak under these circumstances, ambassador" Verita drawled.

    Andron spluttered, trying to draw himself up and regain some of his dignity. His efforts proved fruitless whilst he was being held upright by two callous soldiers who gripped him so tight he was sure to bruise the next day.

    "You can''t treat me like this Verita!" he spat, "do you think Regix will stand for this?"

    His gumption rendered Verita speechless for a moment. "You know" she bit back, "I find myself not caring a whit what Regix will stand for or not. As far as I''m concerned your pox filled nation of rats can jump in the Dungeon so they can live amongst their own kind!"

    Andron gaped at her. "You dare?!"

    Verita looked at one her Guards and gave him a subtle nod. The soldier immediately stepped forward to deliver another powerful p to the ambassador, drawing blood.

    After letting him recover for moment the Queen resumed speaking. "I do. You''re going to scurry back to your nest, rat. When you get there I want you to tell them that I''ming. I''m going to march into Regix and burn it to the ground for what you''ve done here".

    The quivering ambassador retreated before Verita''s fury. Unable to muster a response he could only hang his head as the Guards dragged him out of the castle. They would throw him on a horse and send him on his way back to his ownnd within the hour.

    For a moment the Queen was left to her own thoughts. Finally, she let herself feel relief. She had thought it was all gone. The night they had fled the castle, slipping through a hidden gate in the darkness, she had wept. All the work of her ancestors, the toil and sweat of the citizens to carve out a new country from what had been monster infested deathzone, gone to waste. All because of her.

    Now it was back in her hands. All of it. The traitors had been rooted out. She would take a sword to the merchants who had backed this coup, wash away the stink of rebellion with the blood of traitors. Once again Liria would experience a meteoric rise, no longer suffering from the leeches which had drawn away its strength. The light of justice was shining on her kingdom today!

    Wait¡­

    For a kingdom basking in the light, why was it so dark in here?

    Puzzled, Verita caste her eyes around the room only to find that the glowmps on the walls had been extinguished! On one side of the room a singlemp remained lit and frozen above it like a gigantic spider was the monster, holding still as if a child caught with a hand in the biscuit tin.

    The Queen could only stare at this strange creature who had made her resurrection possible. Probing mentally she found the mind bridge she had been maintaining.

    [Monster. What have you done to mymps?]

    ¡­..

    Suddenly the final light winked out.

    [Just taking a little of my payment in advance]

    Verita was stunned. How could a monster be this shameless!?

    The monster''s pitiless voice echoed in her mind once again. [It seems you have what you want, Queen], Verita always felt the way the monster said "Queen" sounded doubtful for some reason, [I have fulfilled my end of our agreement].

    It was clear what the monster wanted, now that it had done what it had promised to do, it wanted to be paid.

    Verita carefully studied the still creaturetched onto her wall. Despite not turning to face her she knew the insect was watching her just as she was watching him.

    [I never learned your name, monster] despite tactfully asking several times the creature had simply refused to share it, dering that "monster" was fine.

    [You never did] the monster agreed, clearly refusing her yet again.

    Veritas mouth tightened and she covertly signalled to her Guards in the throne room.

    Still the monster was watching her. Its voice rang in her mind.

    [Do you know of the phrase "Tit for tat?"]

    [I don''t] she frowned.

    [It means that should one be treated well, they will return that goodwill, but should one be treated poorly, simrly it will be returned in kind]

    The Queen drew herself up. From the corner of her eye she could see her soldiers slowly shifting their positions. [Are you threatening me monster?]

    [Yes].

    Silencey between them for a moment. The monster spoke first.

    [Think carefully on what it is that you choose to do next].

    That cold voice sent a shiver down her spine. It seemed the monster had been able to guess her intentions. This creature was so powerful already, and it would only go stronger, smarter, more deadly in the future. How could she let it roam free?

    Not to mention, should word of her alliance with Dungeon monsters be leaked, her reign would be destabilised. Most people hated and despised monsters, viewing them as the enemy of civilisation, if they knew she had willingly borrowed the power of a monster, trust in her authority would be shredded. The Guard would not speak, the townsfolk could be persuaded and the people in the city would not be believed. People saw all sorts of things in the heat of battle. The key to silencing the issue was in not letting this monster go!

    In her heart the Queen could not believe that the monster could do anything to her here, in the seat of her power. In her own throne room there were many hidden cards she could deploy, not to mention the powerful Guards around her. It was over.

    The Queen sneered, throwing all pretence aside.

    [You can only me yourself for trusting too easily, creature!]

    She signalled to her Guard who immediately drew their weapons, over twenty des drawn in unison!

    BOOM!

    In that instant the wall directly under the monster burst inwards as if smashed with a battering ram! Bricks and mortar flew across the room and the Queen sought refuge behind a hastily raised shield by a nearby Guard.

    With heavy footsteps a new entity entered the throne room, obscured at first by the stone dust that hung in the air. The soldiers tensed at this unexpected development, weapons and shields drawn as they braced for anything.

    As the dust slowly settled the giant form of a powerfully muscr ape was revealed. Huge hands knuckled the ground as it moved, staring balefully at the humans it loomed over them. After it had pushed through the new hole it had made in the wall the creature drew up to its full height, towering high as the ant began to climb down from its perch.

    The Queen watched stunned, the situation was changing too rapidly for her to think. Her soldiers weren''t sure anymore if they should engage and were waiting for her orders!

    Before she could signal them the ape raised one hand and flung something towards them. The object arced through the air beforending heavily with a thud and rolling to a stop. Only when the shape groaned and shifted slightly did the Queen realise what it was.

    "Captain Pendlen!" she cried.

    This was the Guard captain that had been captured with her! As the giant ape raised another hand the Queen and her Guard flinched back as if it were going to throw something else at them but instead it simply dragged a bulging sack off the ground and flung it over its shoulder.

    From across the room the Queen could see the sack appeared to be filled with small round objects, their outlines bulging against the fabric. Cores!

    Her treasury!

    She stared at the monster climbing down next to its ape pet in disbelief. How was this possible?! Is this some sort of heist!?

    [You disappoint me Queen] the monsters'' voice chilled her mind again, [from beginning to end this matter has been¡­. too predictable].

    Rage burst inside the Queen''s chest and she raised a hand to point at the two monsters as she screamed "Kill them!"

    Her Guard charged immediately but quick as they were the ape was faster. Raising its free hand high it smashed it down onto the stone floor at its feet with a deafening crash! The room was once again showered with stone and dust.

    When it cleared the soldiers were stunned to see the two monsters were gone, as if they had never been there. They tentatively approached, shields raised high and eyes scanning constantly, only to find the shattered floor opened into a tunnel that led straight down. The walls of the tunnel were threaded with veins of blue light and echoing from within the screams and roaring of thousands of monsters could be heard.

 Chapter 48 The sweetest voice

    <h4>Chapter 48 The sweetest voice </h4>

    Boy was I d to sense Tiny had managed to arrive on schedule! My biggest worry had been the big moron would get confused or lost somehow.

    [You managed to find me ok big guy?]

    [No]

    [It was hard? What happened?!]

    [Walls]

    [You got stuck behind walls?]

    [Yes]

    [How did get through?]

    [Punched ''em]

    ¡­..

    I wonder how many walls the Queen is going to have to rece¡­

    Thinking of the Queen I could only shake my head internally. Are humans in this world penalised on Cunning or something? From the moment I captured her she had demonstrated her dislike of monsters at almost every opportunity. To think that such a person would actually hold to an agreement with one? I hadn''t believed it from the beginning!

    I mean, the Queen can''t be entirely med for being outwitted. How could she have known that I was not just an unusually intelligent monster but an actual human reborn? Of course I know about treasuries, betrayal and have the unfair advantage of being able to understand human mannerisms or tone. It was simplicity itself to have the colony tunnel under the castle and poke about until we located the sweet, sweet, wealth.

    Being the noble and upstanding ant that I am, I wanted to uphold my end of the deal as much as possible, so I was went along and fought hard to restore the Queen to her throne. To be honest, it would have been pretty embarrassing had the Queen not actually turned on me at the end. At that point we had already connected the castle to several prepared Dungeon tunnels and emptied out her supply of cores!

    Thankfully we managed to avoid that awkward scenario¡­

    Tiny and I are currently racing down a separate tunnel we had prepared that hadn''t been connected to the Dungeon itself so we are blessedly unobstructed by monsters as we run. I copsed the entrance behind us so I doubt the humans will be able to locate us, they should be busy handling a flood of monsters right about now!

    Gweheheheh.

    The perfect crime Anthony, you genius you!

    The best part of all? The sweet, gravelly tones of Gandalf that are still ringing in my ears!

    [You have reached level 20, one skill point awarded]

    [You have reached max level for your current evolution, would you like to ess the evolution menu?]

    [Monster core has reached capacity for your current stage of evolution].

    [Piercing chomp has reached level 10, advancement avable]

    [Advanced Exo-skeleton defence has reached level 5]

    [Petmunication has reached level 2]

    [Shattering Bite has reached level 4]

    ......¡­

    By the bushy, bristling facial hair of the bearded one! SO GOOD!

    The notifications fell like rain in my ears during the final battle! Max level! Thanks to stealing the cores from all of themps I have maxed out my core at 100 mp! If I can take in a special core I''ll be ready to evolve once more! My POWAH! It Grows!

    Combined with this sack full of monster cores we swiped, the future is looking exceptionally bright! The skills I''ll be able to train, the special evolutions I''ll be able to secure for my pets and the colony!

    We really hit the jackpot this time!

    The unfortunate part is that we have to move the colony, quickly. The Queen is perfectly aware of where we are presently situated so we can''t sit still. Only by relocating somewhere out of her reach will we be able to avoid retaliation. Thankfully such a ce isn''t too far away! To the south of thesends the wild and untamed monster infestednds are vast! It''ll be easy for our colony to get lost in there, giving us plenty of time to develop and grow.

    The only tricky part is making sure we have some form of Dungeon ess since the Queen isn''t able to sustain herself on the surface. We''ll have to cross that bridge when wee to it. If everything goes ording to n then we will be able to build a kingdom of our own. For ant kind!

    Hold on there Anthony, don''t get ahead of yourself! For the moment you still need to focus on fleeing the country! You are the fugitive!

    Even if I want to evolve reeaaaallly bad!

    It''s addictive, evolving. Go to sleep and wake up as a better and more powerful you. There''s an intoxicating quality to it. I must firm my will and resist. You can''t evolve when you''re dead!

    Tiny and I continue to run through our emergency escape route as I chuckle gleefully to myself the entire way. There is a very real danger of me bing conceited if I continue to celebrate my own sess so enthusiastically.

    When we finally burst out of the tunnel we find ourselves once more beneath the shady foliage of the forest. I breathe deep of the fresh forest air. Delicious! Freedom! I stretch my legs wide to embrace the trees.

    This is the feeling of freedom, of liberty, of sessful, guilt free theft!

    Tiny looks at me as if I''mpletely stupid.

    Pah! You don''t have the intelligence to appreciate the subtle nuances of this moment. You don''t even realise that with that sack over shoulder you look like a mutated, evil Santa!

    It takes another twenty minutes to make our way back to the ant hill. Seeing therge dirt structure, with its ever attentive guards, warms my heart. Home with the family once more!

    Time to uproot and move them all again!

    Skirting around the anthill I make my way straight to the farm, leaving Tiny to rest after his long haul. He might have power but stamina seems to be slight weakness of the big guy. Crawling down into the farm I see a familiar sight. The workers have continued to build a livingyer of armour around their beloved Queen, essentially burying her beneath severalyers of workers.

    Once again I have to climb in and push my way through until the Queen''s face emerges from the clutter right in front of my face.

    "Mother! Hello! Have you been able to heal yourself?" I exim.

    The Queen smiles, her antennae waving about until she manages to free one and give me a tap on my own, the ant high five.

    "I am well child. I have healed myself".

    "How does your core feel?" I ask.

    Flipping on my mana sense momentarily I can see that once again her core is zing with light. The density of mana in her core seems to have recovered to its maximum capacity.

    "I feel fine" she responds.

    This is great news! The Queen has made a full recovery. This means we can move immediately without endangering the most important individual in the colony.

    "Hi-Hi!" a voice calls.

    ¡­..

    I look at the Queen quizzically and she stares back at me calmly.

    Was that¡­. Who was that?

    "Where did you go Senior?! You took so long!" the voicees again.

    The voice seems somewhat high pitched, squeaky almost. If it isn''t the Queen then who the hell is talking to me in here?! I turn around and cast about with my antennae until I finallye face to face with a small worker carrying a conspicuouslyrge ck lump on its back.

    "Vibrant?!" I exim.

    "Hi-Hi!" she says, "I learned to talk, Senior! I have sooo many questions!"

 Chapter 49 The endless nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 49 The endless nightmare </h4>

    It''s been two hours now and the little worker just. Won''t. Stop!

    "Why is your carapace so shiny?"

    "How''d you get so big?"

    "Can I do the magicky stuff?"

    "Isn''t talking FUN!"

    "What are you doin''?"

    "What are you doin'' now?"

    "Do you like eating? I think it''s the best!"

    "Should we dig something? I love digging!"

    And on, and on.

    It turned out the little lump on her back was Crinis who seemed delighted to grab hold of my antennae and migrate onto my back. She even quietly spoke up, saying [Wee back master] after she''d settled onto my carapace.

    So polite! Her voice was very soft and reserved, not at all like the image of the full grown JellyMaw I remember.

    All that effort I spent making her more intelligent seems to have paid off! It''ll be nice to have a pet I can have a decent conversation with. Tiny is great at the whole silentpanionship thing but isn''t much for a detailed conversation. Only thing is the little pet seems extremely reticent, no matter how I prodded I wasn''t able to get any more words out of her.

    Maybe she''s just shy¡­

    Vibrant on the other hand¡­. Apparently the bizzarre hatchling doesn''t seem to struggle with this public speaking.

    She won''t shut up!

    As soon as she could she climbed onto my head once again and practically danced with joy as she pelted me with endless questions, observations and random statements! I can seriously feel a headacheing on¡­

    I tried my best to answer her at first but my responses became shorter and shorter the longer the conversation went on. Eventually I just had to shout "I need to talk to the Queen!" and started ignoring her for a moment.

    Anything for relief!

    The Queen seemed slightly amused by my predicament. I can only imagine that the Queen has been enduring Vibrant''s endless thirst for conversation in my absence, seeing as she''s the only other ant capable of talking back to the little thing.

    My esteem for the Queen has risen to an even higher level. What saint like patience! What incredible tolerance for her own children!

    Choking back my emotions I speak to the Queen. "Mother, we need to move the colony once more. We aren''t safe if we remain where we are. The humans wille again, and soon".

    Hearing of the creatures who killed so many members of the colony and wounded her, a faint anger can be felt from the Queen.

    "I know a ce where we can go that they won''t follow. The problem is that you''ll have to move across the surface if we are going to escape quickly enough. Do you think you can?"

    Mother seriously considers my question for a moment before nodding. "I believe I will be able to sustain myself for some few days" she says, "I will let you know when the feeling of weakness returns".

    "That''s great! Make sure you tell me ok?! If you keep it to yourself again you really might get killed this time!" I plead.

    The Queen simply acknowledges my words with a wave of her antennae and begins to mobilise the workers to return to the surface. As she makes her own way to the erged opening they created for her to enter theyer of workers around her just shuffles along, maintaining their defensive positions as she moves.

    Vibrant had managed to hold herself in whilst I was speaking to the Queen but as soon as she begins to move away she pipes up again with her Squeaky voice.

    "Where are we going?"

    "To the south, we need to escape the humans".

    She immediately became enraged. "Humans!? I will die to protect the colony!"

    Why did this immediately be about her dying?

    "You don''t need to die or anything, we just need to move! If we can get far enough south they won''t want to follow us" I say.

    She seems a little mollified. "Ok then. But let me know if I need to sacrifice my life for the colony!"

    "Nobody is asking you to die ok?! Its fine!"

    She doesn''t seem convinced and shuffles about on my head a little more before moving onto her next line of questions.

    "So what are we doing?"

    Oh god.

    "We are going to get ready to move out. As soon as the colony is assembled we are going to leave" I answer.

    "Ok!" ¡­. ¡­. ¡­. "So why are your antennae so funny looking?"

    ¡­.

    Kill me.

    Please.

    Putting up with Vibrant''s pestering I go to Tiny and get him moving. His job is obviously to carry our precious cores in the sack. Inspecting closely the sack seems to be of some sort of fine material. Is this velvet? Or a tapestry or something? Exactly where did he get this thing?

    Doesn''t matter.

    Within ten minutes the colony has assembled, hundreds of workers carrying brood and eggs whilst others surround the Queen to protect her. All together in one huge mass with me and Tiny at the head we move out! The colony is on the march!

    We march for two days straight, no rest, no sightseeing and strictly no deviation from the designated path.

    Although I say no sightseeing, the pest on my head ispletely curious about everything. Along the way I have to exin what a farm is, why they are necessary, the basic understanding of the human digestive tract, gut bacteria, bacteria in general and what a screaming mob of people running for their lives is.

    The colony takes a day to make it out the other side of the forest and from there we mostly run into small farmingmunities on our way south. We skirt around the buildings, ignoring the people as we pass through. There is one instance where wee across a town in the night and rather than deviate we just power straight through, causing the small riot that prompted the little ones excited questions.

    After forty eight hours of straight running we dig a temporary nest and almost the entire workforce goes into torpor, me included! I''m knackered after that run! Despite being so tired I spend a little time nning out my own immediate future path.

    First, before evolving I need to try and get my mandibles around some Biomass! I''m painfully aware that the further I evolve the deeper I''ll have to go into the Dungeon in order to secure a decent source of Biomass points. It''ll be much easier for me if I can go on an eating tour of the upper level before evolving so I can be more efficient with my gains. Then I have a heap of skill points saved up. Whilst fighting against weak monsters it''ll be a great chance to build up some new skills. I was hugely impressed by the upgraded versions of the dash skills I''d been able to see for starters, I think I''ll definitely pick that up. After that I''ll have a look and see what I can find in the menu.

    I absolutely want to use my newfound core wealth to train core engineering as far as I can. If get a good evolution that will buff my mental stats again I''ll be even more effective when modifying cores, increasing my level up speed. The day when I''ll be able to realise my dream project is bing closer and closer.

    I also need to pay attention to my pets, paving the way for Tiny to sessfully evolve as well as stuffing Crinis full a few times a day until she can start to fight and level up.

    The days ahead sure are going to be busy!

    First we need to escape though.

    The next day we assemble the convoy and move out once more. The journey is tough and we have to tighten our belts a few times, what little monster prey we find is fed to the young and the workers go hungry. Tiny seems to have lost several sizes, I''ve never seen him so trim!

    After three more days we reach the border, the vast monster filled wilderness is spread before us, our safety, our future!

 Chapter 50 Those who descend, that which rises

    <h4>Chapter 50 Those who descend, that which rises </h4>

    Titus stood huddled with his advisor in the center of the cramped chamber his axe resting on its head on the dirt. Donnn was afraid of that axe. It had even invaded his dreams. The thick, bloodthirsty aura that seemed to roll of it in waves was suffocating, and ever present. It had burst into wakefulness suddenly during the wave defence. The trainees had felt a strange stirring of the mana in the air before that aura had burst out, making them feel as if a demon had their throats between its teeth.

    And that''s how they had felt every moment of every day since.

    The only blessing was that the beasts hated it as much as the trainees did. Ever since the axe had awakened they had ceased to attack the fort. Choosing instead to battle against each other, keeping their distance from the Legion. The line soldiers had been relieved that, even if they felt the spectre of death constantly, they no longer had to fight.

    The endless tide of monsters that had shed against their defences had imed a few lives over the two week defence. For those young legionaries experiencing their first wave it was a sight they''d never forget. Thousands of monsters rolling forward like the tides. An endless sea of violence and death. Aiming hadn''t been important, it was impossible to miss, no matter what skill was used. They fought for hours without pause, until their arms were heavy as lead, their vision blurred and their heads afire. Then they''d stumble to their nkets where they''d sleep like the dead before waking up to do it again.

    It had been hell.

    Up until the axe. Donnn had seen the looks on the officers faces when it had happened. The monsters immediately fled the walls but the brass had been shocked. Shocked and worried. Themander had raced to his tent where he''d left the axe and walked out with the thing slung over his shoulders and his eyes tight with worry.

    Being a magician in training Donnn had managed to puzzle out exactly why they were so unhappy. That shift in the mana, as if it were being sucked down a sinkhole. The axe had drunk it in like water, causing it to ''awaken''. Putting aside the idea of a sleeping or waking weapon, something that Donnn had never heard of, let alone thought possible, the reason why it was so strange was that it should not have happened. Not up here. Barely a few kilometres down the mana should never be as thick as this. Not even close. It had grown so dense that it was enough for the axe to pull in and rouse itself, something none of the officers, certainly not themander, had expected to happen.

    That left Donnn with yet another worry. Why was the mana so dense? Why was it still rising?! He could feel iting on now. Saturation sickness. Extended exposure to mana wasn''t natural for human kind. The diffuse levels of energy on the surface were normal for their bodies, they had adapted to it over thousands of years. The levels he was experiencing now were too high, he was getting sick. All of the trainees were getting sick.

    If they didn''t get relief soon, they would suffer mana poisoning. If they weren''t treated then, they''d die.

    They knew that, everyone knew that. So why were they going deeper?!

    Whilst Donnn chewed over his worries Titus was speaking to one of his specialist trackers. "Your certain of that Lisestus?" he asked.

    The Legionary nodded. "That''s what my Dungeon Sense is telling memander. Many ants died here in the chamber, along with a whole lot of other stuff. No ant has died here in thest week or so. Either they were all dead by that point, or packed off somewhere else".

    "What about the Queen? You should be able to tell if a monster that size was killed, surely?"

    Lisestus'' face twisted a little as he concentrated, employing the skills of his secret ss. "I can''t tellmander, she may have died here with the colony or not. Too many monsters have died in the meantime, I just can''t pinpoint her".

    "No worries man, thanks for trying" Titus pped him on the shoulder and send him to rest. Dungeon Seers were a tremendous use to the Legion, able to detect the residual energies of monsters after they had passed away. Deploying those unique skills depleted mental energy at a rapid pace however. Lisestus'' would need a brief lie down after sensing this spot.

    Titus looked around the tight dirt chamber. This had been where the ant colony had lived, presumably after the Queen had fled here from the lower levels, either chasing the young that had been stolen or fleeing from danger once her first nest had been uncovered.

    He''d managed to locate the nest, but either the colony had been killed by the wave or had escaped. If they''d managed to flee then Titus had absolutely no idea where they could be. The matter was out of his hands now.

    Whilst he pondered the legions next move he idly stretched his old bones. With the axe Anima Sitio having awakened, he didn''t need to continuously swat small fry. The weapon was constantly advertising it''s hunger, daring them toe. Only the stronger beasts would be able to step forward against that aura.

    Titus froze and cocked his ear. Something wasing. He raised a hand to get the attention of his troops in the chamber with him and warned them "Hold yourselves!".

    As the Legionaries looked at theirmander quizzically they began to feel it also. As if the air itself had grown thick, the pressure upon them growing until it squeezed their insides.

    They heard it then, rumbling up from the tunnels leading below . A low growl that shook the dirt around them like an earthquake and drove several trainees to their knees. Many soldiers were forced to brace their hands to the walls to steady themselves as their legs seemed to have turned to porridge.

    The tremoring growl faded away only to be followed by a rising hiss that blew the air through the tunnels as if it were a gale. In the wake of that terrifying rush of air the Dungeon grewpletely quiet around them, every monster having ceased battling where they stood.

    The stillness was eerie after two weeks of endless din.

    Titus face was grim. He stared down at his axe, seemingly lost in thought. To most observers he appeared calm, but as she burst into the chamber and took him in, Aurillia knew that in his eyes the thirst for battle was burning.

    "Commander!" she hissed, "Was that what I thought it was?"

    Titus slowly walked to his weapon and picked it up as he spoke. "Garralosh. That bastard ising up".

    Eyes wide with concern Aurillia pressed hermander. "What are your ordersmander, will we move to intercept?"

    Titus shook his head. "If we meet the old croc on the way down then I''ll happily take another arm from it but we mustn''t deviate from our mission" he turned to look his Tribune in the eye, "I know you worry about the situation on the surface but as bad as things are up there it is going to be ten times worse if we don''t reinforce the bulwark below. You know this Aurillia, we have to go down".

    Reluctantly the officer nods her head and leaves the chamber to organise the troops.

    Donnn shakes off the pressure that had nearly crushed his bones and approaches hismander. An action such as this would normally be unthinkable for the trainee, he loved to stay low key, but the panic rising in him overrode his judgement.

    "Commander! Are we still going further down into the Dungeon?.... Sir?" he stammered, rushing forward to clutch at Titus'' arm.

    Themander looked surprised to be osted in this way but not irritated. "Donnn isn''t it? Our fine young trainee. We have quite a ways down to go yet".

    "But the what of the mana sickness? What of the wave? It still hasn''t stopped! The mana levels are still rising! We have to get to the surface! We have to help them, or the whole city will be destroyed, my family, my friends! What about us trainees? If we stay here in the Dungeon then we''ll all die! You aren''t sick, I can tell, I can see it! But us? We''re all falling ill, the saturation is too much! You can''t let us die like thismander!" the trainee babbled.

    Titus raised one of his thick hands and mped it down on the young man''s shoulder, trying to steady him.

    "Easy there boy! Easy! We won''t let you die of the sickness ok? You know I''m fine, the officers are fine, all of the full legionaries are fine. Once we get you down to HQ, you''ll be fine too, but we have to hurry. I don''t want to risk losing you to the saturation before we can get there. Now listen, we have a few days journey until we reach Perisus'' stair. That''ll take us straight down twenty kilometers. From there it''ll be a short hop to the city and you''ll be right as rain".

    Donnns'' head spun. "City?"

    "You''ll understand when you see it. We''ve done what we can for the surface, two weeks we bought them. From here out they have to manage their own defence. If they can''t hold off the big croc then they''ll have to flee. Once we reach the city we can see about contacting your family. We have ways".

    Donnn nodded, slowly calming himself down.

    Titus pped him on the back. "Hold it together a bit longer trainee. We''ve almost reached safety. Who knows? You might even get to see this axe take a chunk out of an Ancient monster on the way down".

 Chapter 51 Settling new lands

    <h4>Chapter 51 Settling newnds </h4>

    The Queen is holding up incredibly well. In fact, if I hadn''t been sneaking the odd peak at her with my mana sense on I wouldn''t even know that her core was leaking energy. The brilliant radiance of her core has already faded to half of its full lustre. After five days on the move the whole colony is tired and desperate for rest. It''s almost a shame that we aren''t a nomadic ant species like the army ants.

    Mind you, those buggers arepletely blind, so if I''d been born as one of those separate from the colony there is no way I''d have been able to survive until now. Also, the entire reason those ants are nomadic is because they are so numerous, and so ferocious that they strip thend bare of everything they can possibly eat, forcing them to move to a new location constantly. There is a lesson in that for our own colony going forward. We can''t be so greedy as to strip thend bare, intake will have to be managed. Well, that''s in the far future if we ever manage to grow enough to dominate our environment.

    ¡­

    An ant can dream dammit! Don''t look down on my humble ambitions!

    All I want is for my family to rise! To be ascendant!

    It''s a lot for a few ants to take on but with a bit of grit and a heck of a lot of tunnel digging, I''m sure we can make it!

    We have arrived in our newnd! A blessed ce full of monster infested nests and forests. Battle awaits around every corner and that means only one thing. Biomass!

    This colony is hungry!

    We need food!

    Like an angry demon the colony as a whole swept forward over the boundary separating thends of Liria from the untamed wild. Despite keeping a close eye behind us we never saw pursuit from the humans we had left behind, which surprised me a lot. Once we made it over the border the tension I''d carried inside, expecting an attack to arrive at any moment in retaliation for our grand theft core, evaporated. There is no way they''ll be bothered to chase us into here, surely?!

    The workers don''t care. They dive right in, marching forward, antennae eagerly sweeping over every rock and nt in the hopes of flushing out a monster. Whenever we run into some surface monsters they either attempt to flee or leap out to attack! The former are shot with acid until they can''t move and thetter are promptly ripped to pieces and distributed amongst the workforce.

    Even I''m forced to eat some of it in order to force away my hunger. I get a bonus point for new source but nothing else. These creatures are so weak they provide nothing to myself and Tiny. We have got to get ourselves into the Dungeon quickly so we can mutate!

    Unfortunately we can''t set up a nest until we find a section of Dungeon close to the surface that we can upy. The Queen absolutely has to be inside the mana infused air of the Dungeon in order to live!

    The imminent demise of our collective mother puts a lot of pressure on us workers and we hustle here and there trying to find an entrance. After two days of desperate searching, when the panic in my thorax was reaching critical mass, we finally seeded! A rtively narrow crack in the earth, upied by some rather tough looking dog faced bipeds that I''d never seen before.

    After annihting them with sheer numbers, a minor helping of gravity magic and Tiny''s judiciously applied fist the digging work begun immediately. With over a thousand workers getting their faces stuck right into the work we are able to tunnel down into the Dungeon and upy it through sheer numbers. Up above, the hill is rapidly forming. Once the Queen is safely ensconced under the ground, calmly regenerating her strength, covered in a defensiveyer of workers, the surface chambers are formed and the brood are nestled within.

    Home atst! Tiny and I, with minimal help from Vibrant, excavate our own private chamber once again with the upper reaches of the ant hill. The cores are safely stored within the wall and the four of us settle down for a well-earned rest.

    "Why are we resting?"

    "Be quiet, Vibrant"

    ¡­

    HIYAH! I''m up! I''m ready! It''s time to take on a new day! So many things to go about doing I can''t even decide where to start.

    First things first, I rush over to Tiny and poke him with a leg until he wakes up.

    [Wake up big guy! It''s time to go and eat until we can''t walk!]

    When he hears of the feast toe his eyes snap open, zing with a fierce energy. He hasn''t had a good feast in over a week, this ape is desperate for a feed! What''s more, he knows we aren''t hunting on the surface today but exploring a brand new stretch of Dungeon, if he''s lucky then we might even find something tough to fight.

    Personally I doubt it. One of the things I had learned from the human Queen when I interrogated her about the Dungeon was just what the environment down there was like. Apparently the tunnels, also known as the ''narrows'' run in an almost endless web beneath the surface, main tunnels branching in all directions with smaller offshoots breaking off and looping back on themselves endlessly.

    The main hunting grounds for the humans isn''t these tunnels but is instead the areas they refer to as the expanses. Every expanse is a cavernous open space beneath the earth of impossible size, full of spawn points, bizarre nts, rare minerals and powerful monsters. The area beneath Liria was called the ''Forest Expanse'' and ording to the Queen the entire reason the city had been founded in that location was to gain easy ess to the expanse and monopolise its resources. The Forest Expanse isn''t even arge one, its considered quite small amongst those known of even locally. It had the great benefit of being much closer to the surface however.

    Tiny and I gather up Crinis and Vibrant, who pesters us with endless questions as usual and we eagerly rush past a dozing Queen and her entourage into the lower tunnels. A brand new Dungeon! Excitement boils up inside me almost without me even noticing. Finding new ces and learning new things is something that has brought me endless joy in this new world. I can''t wait to see what we find!

 Chapter 52 Green Thumb

    <h4>Chapter 52 Green Thumb </h4>

    The cool light of the Dungeon wees my small party home as Tiny and I follow the tunnel deeper beneath the earth, Vibrant and Crinis tagging along for the ride. The goal of this trip, and for the next few days is to absorb as much Biomass as I possibly can before evolving and pushing my evolutionary level penalty further and further. Every time I evolve, the less Biomass I''ll get from creatures that haven''t evolved as much as me. After my next evolution I''ll be tier 4 monster, with three evolutions under my belt! Considering I started as the statistically pathetic hatchling worker ant, which has almost no strengths to speak of I can only say that I''vee far from humble origins.

    Not only do I require Biomass, Tiny also needs to eat, as well as gain xp to push him towards his next evolution. I briefly conversed with him as we rushed through the Queens chamber and he was able tomunicate that he had not yet reached level 20, therefore he needs to be the one absorbing all of the xp.

    Crinis and Vibrant have tagged along since they both need to eat and Vibrant needs to gain more xp so she can evolve. Considering she was born with a core we don''t need to worry about using her first evolution to form one, so she can directly be promoted to mature worker ant. I still intend to have her absorb a special core and see if she gets any juicy options that I may have missed out on, since I didn''t know that special cores and the extra evolutions they unlock even existed at that time.

    Still, I wonder what monsters we will encounter! New section of Dungeon, hopefully we get to see something new, I really don''t want to have to keep battling centipedes all the time. Ever since I was born there''s been centipedes around every corner! Giant centipedes with spikes in their b-zone is not exactly something I want in my face all day, let alone actually having to eat!

    If I see even one centipede I may call the whole trip off¡­

    The tunnel we are following seems to be slightly narrow, most likely not a major one. I can feel monsters gestating in the walls, so apparently the wave is still not over but they don''t seem toing out at all? To my senses they seem to be developing less rapidly than the monsters in the Dungeon we had encountered during the wave, those guys had popped out after a dozen minutes so, like donuts in a deep fry.

    When I flip on my mana sense I can see a more powerful reaction from these sleeping beasts. It seems the monsters here might be slightly stronger or moreplex? Requiring more mana for the Dungeon to form them? Or is the wave receding and the mana isn''t sufficient to pump out the monsters as quickly as before?

    Bit of a head scratcher.

    The workforce already invaded this section of tunnel and cleaned it out when the Queen took up residence so we''ll have to push a little deeper if we want to sate our hunger. With Tiny in the lead we eagerly rush forward, looking left and right for something to fight. After five minutes or so I notice something off.

    Isn''t it ¡­ quite green in here?

    Contrary to my normal Dungeon experience the stone here seems to have actual vines growing on it? And is that a flower I detect?! Since when the hell have there been colourful flowers like this about?

    The flower in question is poking out of the rock on the wall, about halfway up, looking offensively harmless. A bright red in colour and with vivacious petals that really give a refreshing feeling of spring¡­

    I didn''te down here to admire the flowers! I came for food!

    However, as if mocking my expectations, the vegetation only grows thicker and more vibrant as we descend until the tunnel until the tunnel widens out and we find ourselves in a ce that looks rather less like the Dungeon and more like a scene straight from a rainforest. I expect singing bears and man cubs to walk around the corner at any minute. Not only do I not get any sweet rhythms, I also don''t see any monsters around here¡­

    Vines string across the tunnel, dangling moss in our faces and the rock walls are barely visible beneathyers of leaves and shrubs. Here and there are truly MASSIVE flowers and ferns that sway with the breeze.

    Hang on¡­ we''re underground. There is no breeze!

    The lightbulb goes on in my head just as the many nts and vines start shifting and moving, almost unfolding as they reveal hideous nt mouthsced with razor sharp teeth.

    God dammit Seymour, not this crap again!

    ["Watch out for the nts, they''re monsters!"]

    Tiny was already into it before I spoke, roaring with excitement the giant ape leaps forward to grab one of the ¡­ nts? ¡­ by the ¡­. Throat? Before beginning to pummel it in the face with his massive fists, rocking it from side to side with devastating hooks.

    All around me vines begin to whip through the air as they try totch onto me, or simplysh me with their suddenly razor sharp leaves. Some fire magic would surely go down well right about now!

    I''ll have to settle for implementing the jaws!

    *Splintering Chomp!*

    Pouring forth my vital energy the mandibles of light manifest themselves. When I use the shattering bite the ethereal mandibles look like wide, rusty saw des that close like a vice, tearing andpressing. For the more armour prating chomp attack they manifest as des studded with long, pointed spikes.

    Ripping my mandibles closed they m shut cutting vines and stabbing wide holes in fleshy nts. For now they only extend about a metre in front of my face but as I level up the skill they''ll getrger and more potent, at least that is how it''s worked with the shattering bite skill.

    With vines and leaves falling around me like rain it''s time to employ another new skill I purchased, dash!

    HIYAH!

    [Dash: Increases speed over short distances but increases stamina drain]

    With a burst of movement I motor across the room faster than I''ve ever moved before. Turning my head I can see Vibrant is clinging to my head whilst cackling madly and even Crinis has extended extra tentacles as her main body is sliding back.

    Geez! Even at level one the increase is close to 30% of my max speed! Although I can feel the corresponding stamina drain is vastly increased, I''m actually extremely impressed with this skill so far.

    Rushing towards the nearest nt I sprint through the vines, ignoring those that smash into me, trusting my defences to deflect the damage. Above me a giant, somehow angry looking nt is looming, mouth agape and ready to devour me whole.

    Not today buddy!

    *Shattering Bite*

    I bring my jaws down on the stem of the nt. It''s time to mow thiswn!

 Chapter 53 Combine harvester

    <h4>Chapter 53 Combine harvester </h4>

    Having severed the stem of the nt the huge flower on top topples to one side, itsically oversized mouth thrashing about, trying to bite me until the final bit of energy leaked out of its body.

    [You have in level 6 Flos Fame]

    [You have gained experience]

    Muahahaha! After smashing through the kingdom Animalia it''s time to reap Biomass from ntae!

    There are dozens of nts scattered about the tunnel engaged in this battle, some of them attacking with vines, trying to cut and control their prey so they can bring to their cavernous mouths, whilst others employ different methods of attack. Towards the back I can see apletely different looking nt. A long tube like flower head sits atop a bulbous base, the tube on top seems to be rotating as if tracking the action. All of a sudden a huge jet of liquid erupts from the flower, gushing straight at me!

    LEAP!

    Pushing hard with all legs I jump upwards and to the right, narrowly dodging the spray that I can see is a very familiar sort of attack. Some of the fluid sshes over the creature I''d just killed and begins to eat away at the body at a ferocious pace. That is some serious acid!

    The damned nt is aiming at me again. Quickly legs, dash!

    ["Hold on tight back there!"] I shout at my passengers as my legs once again fire into top gear, moving so quickly theypletely blur out of sight.

    "Weeeeeee!" giggles Vibrant as the air pressure has her clinging onto my carapace with only a few ws, the rest of her legs dangling behind her in the air.

    I thought I said hold on you moron!

    Checking on my other passenger I can see that Crinis has also extended out of a few extra tentacles to let them be blown backward by the wind. At least she was sensible enough to not let go with any of her other limbs¡­

    I can''t wait until these troublemakers are toorge to ride on my back. Not long now Anthony, hold on a little more!

    Somehow the tube nt is able to track my movement and fires several short bursts of acid towards me as I race toward it, forcing me to zig and zag to throw of its aim. I can almost smell the fear of this aggressive vegetable as I close in, mandibles slowly opening wide!

    *Splintering chomp!*

    Being careful to only prate the nt with my ethereal mandibles and not my own physical ones I crunch down savagely on the bulging sack at the base of the nt. As I expected, the moment my jaws puncture through the soft flesh of the nt, massive gouts of acid begin to spray out everywhere as the internal pressure forces the fluid through these new outlets.

    The nt sways violently like a drunk as it''s precious acid leaks away but it hasn''t taken any fatal damage. Aiming another shot at me, from point nk range I can almost feel the nt screaming at me "Damned meat bag! Take this!".

    But I''ve already raced away. The usual jet of fluid doesn''t materialise, instead a rather sad dribble of acid pours out of the tube. Without sufficient pressure it seems this particr flowery foe has lost its bite.

    Gweheheheh.

    Just like this I start to race around the cavern with my two passengers having way too much fun, disabling the nt monsters by trimming their leaves, chopping at their vines and puncturing their weak points. Tiny continues his berserk rampage, ripping nts apart with his bare hands, smashing their main bodies to pulp, even shoving his arm into the gaping mouth of one nt and pulling it inside out.

    ¡­. Disgusting. I mean, was that strictly necessary Tiny? You could have just punched it in the face, but no, pulling it inside out from its mouth. That''s an image I have to live with now, thanks.

    In short order we manage to cull this particr section of tunnel, handing most of the experience off to Tiny and letting Vibrant take thest hit on two of the nts to pump her levels a little bit.

    Now time for the feast!

    After eating meat and squishy internal organs for most of my new life I''m ready to try something new, a bit of leafy greens, essential fibre!

    Starting with one of the big mouthed flowers I start to chow down on this new cuisine. Hmmmmm. Chewy, rough, extremely fibrous, almost like eating a rope¡­ and oh! .. The internals are quite.. Squishy and¡­.. Horrible. This is just as bad as eating centipedes. Dammit!

    Come on Gandalf! When are we going to find a monster that is basically a nice pie on legs?! Or a monster that fires roasted chicken out of its face cannon? Surely there is something is this damn Dungeon that tastes good?

    I should have had Tiny rob the kitchen at the castle as well as the treasury¡­

    Tiny, Vibrant and Crinis don''t seem to particrly care as they rip into the Biomass with gusto. I''m still confused at how Crinis, despite being so much smaller than me, manages to have a bigger mouth than I do¡­

    Oh well.

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Flos me, you are awarded one Biomass]

    [Basic profile of the Flos me, unlocked]

    [Flos Fame: Hunger Flower, A basic type monster of the nt kingdom, the hunger flower uses heat sensitivity to track its opponents, attack them with sharp vines and drag them to its mouth for consumption.]

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Acidum Om, you are awarded one Biomass]

    [Basic profile of the Acidum Om unlocked]

    [Acidum Om: Acid Pot, This base nt type monster uses a powerful jet of acid to attack and defeat its foes. The main body of the creature is actually mobile, allowing it to drag itself towards the remains of its victims in order to feast.]

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Vinea Bestia, you are awarded one Biomass]

    [Basic profile of the Vinea Bestia unlocked]

    [Vinea Bestia: Vine Beast, The vine beast is a curious cross of both nt and animal, being a mobile vine nest that doesn''t have a distinct main body but spreads its vital organs around itswork of vines. Whilst this does make the creature difficult to fight, with no central target to strike, if you can identify a key organ in one of the vines it can be defeated quickly]

    ¡­

    I''m pretty sure Tiny just ripped the vines of the wall and ttened them until they stopped moving¡­

    "What level have you reached Vibrant?" I ask the little worker, still stuffing its face with food.

    To be fair, I am as well. We don''t need our mouths to speak after all.

    The little worker waves her antennae at me as she eats. "The voice said that Vibrant has reached level four! Am I strong yet?"

    "Ah, no. Not at all"

    "Boo!"

    "But you''ll have a chance to get stronger really soon! Once you reach level five you''ll be able to evolve into a stronger monster".

    "Yay!"

    "But I want you to wait ok? If you wait until we can reinforce your core then you''ll be able to evolve into something even stronger!"

    The little ant seems to think about it for a while.

    "Ok! But what should I spend my Biomass points on now that I have a +5 pheromone nd?"

    I sort of shrug with my antennae, still eating. "Whatever you like, try to get every body part to +5 as quickly as you can. Just pick the mutations that seem interesting to you".

    After our brief conversation, Vibrant turns silent for a time, a rare event indeed. She might be going through the menu perhaps, looking at options. I watch her carefully as I eat, hoping to see some sort of debilitating sign of mutation itch urring but ¡­ nothing.

    Dammit!

    I myself gain four Biomass, three from bonus points and one from snacking, before I stop. I don''t want to fill up on this weak stuff, I need more powerful evolved monsters to eat. Crinis and Vibrant don''t need to fight, so they should stuff themselves now, then againter to maximise their benefits.

    Time to go deeper!

 Chapter 54 The finer vegetation, compressed.

    <h4>Chapter 54 The finer vegetation,pressed. </h4>

    We continue to progress further into the Dungeon, ensuring we stick with therger paths at every opportunity. Even though we walk passed dozens of smaller tunnels we ignore them all. If we want to quickly progress downwards or locate an expanse then by far the best way, ording to what I''ve learned from my interrogation, is to stick to therger passages. The bigger the better.

    Not wanting to hand about too much and waste time I let Tiny smash his way through the various nt creatures that fill the tunnel on the way. Able to pulp these vegies with one fist the big fellow doesn''t even appear to be getting tired when we start to encounter some more nasty looking creatures.

    It really does give a different vibe these nt filled sections of Dungeon. Used to seeing cold stone, dark earth and waves of beast or insect type creatures its almost refreshing to have such a leafy environment. Never mind the fact that such nts would obviously normally require ess to sunlight in order to survive. I presume that since they eat Biomass like everything else in the Dungeon there really isn''t any need for them to photosynthesise. That being the case then, why are they still so leafy?

    After an hour of pushing through the riff raff and following the many bends in the Dungeon we finally encounter some creatures that I suspect have evolved once.

    Larger flowers with mouths, a bushy nt that actually rushed about on its roots as if they were legs, even a bizarre reed type creature that cast water spells at us, great jets of water sting out of thin air.

    Tiny punched all of it to heck and we even collected a core from the magic one.

    Every now and again I continue to flick on my mana sense to inspect the creatures growing within the walls. They are clearly still there and growing. Every now and again we see a nt monster push its way out of the wall and fly at us in a rage.

    What''s curious is that the regr nt type monsters we find don''t seem to attack each other much. I can only presume they feed on something else thates this way that just isn''t present at this moment in time.

    Constantly doing this has thankfully levelled my mana sense up to level 5. With every level the range and sensitivity of that strange sense bes sharper and more useful.

    Eventually we reach a wide tunnel space filled with greenery and vegetation,rge nt monsters dotting every surface with other more mobile creatures wandering about seeking prey. I can see some fairly nasty looking individuals in here, this might be good enough.

    Quickly checking my Tunnel Map I can see that we stuck to the n and roughly descended down beneath were the colony has settled. In terms ofteral distance we have moved about one kilometre despite rushing into the Dungeon for two hours.

    This is the spot.

    [Ok! Tiny, this is the next feast zone. I hope you''re hungry]

    Tiny nods his head rapidly as he stares at the monsters before him. You''d think he hadn''t eaten in days.

    [Tiny ready to eat!]

    [Go get ''em!]

    Unleashing a fearsome bellow, Tiny leaps forward with shocking speed, raising both fists over his head and bringing them down with a tremendous crash! That''s one mashed vegie¡­

    Time for this ant to get into the fight! I''ve been getting bored watching Tiny smash his way through the Dungeon with ease. Charging up my mandibles with gravitational mana I try to test their effectiveness on arge, dark purple flower on the opposite side of the tunnel.

    YOINK!

    ¡­

    Or not?

    The creature is pulled from the wall and clearly distressed but it''s many roots cling tenaciously to the rock and soil. Even that might not have been enough had the nt notshed out with its vines and grabbed hold of any rock pir it could reach to hold itself in ce.

    I cut off the flow of mana to my mandibles and release the pressure on the nt. Looks they can hold on tight enough to stop me pulling them out of the ground¡­

    Let''s try something else then.

    I quickly begin to fashion a gravity bolt in my mind. Constructing the mind bending shape with threads of mana at a much faster speed than I could manage originally. Behold the effect of my daily practice! Every moment I get the spare time I''ve been practicing my shaping skills, bing more and more familiar with these basic spell shapes. How many thousands of Gravity Bolts have I constructed, only to let the shape dissipate and start over again? Not even I can tell you!

    The practice is paying off though. Although I still need to focus and push my mind to manipte the mana, the extensive training has made the process more reflexive and faster. Where it may have taken me a minute or more the first time I used the spell I can now m one together in about six seconds!

    Gravity Bolt!

    Targeting the same nt on the wall I fire off the gravity bolt and keenly await the result of this experiment. I''ve been wanting to see something like this for a while now, a creature able to resist my gravity to some extent.

    The gravity spell strikes home easily since, after all, a nt can''t dodge too effectively. Once the magic takes effect the purple flower, which is rooted in the wall roughly halfway up, begins to feel the powerful force dragging it towards the tunnel floor.

    Once more the nt digs in, literally! Every root and vine, every avable fibre is tasked with keeping the flower firmly attached to the wall but even so the struggle is real! If nts could sweat this tunnel would be underwater by now.

    Still, the flower manages to hold on, leaves and petals drooping with exhaustion yet somehow emitting a triumphant feeling, the nt creature has held on against my spell.

    Good!

    Time to bust out the big guns.

    I''ve been thinking on the forceful mana skill for a while now. Is its purpose really only to create devastating bomb spells? The skill description says that it is used topact mana, so thinking logically, thatpacted mana ought to be able to be used in any way that mana can be used right?

    Time to test!

    Once more I quickly construct a bolt spell. Shimmering inside me and pictured within my mind the spell is a three dimensional shape of dizzying intricacy build wholly from gravitational mana. Now the tricky bit.

    Slowly I begin to draw out more mana from my gravity nd, the deep purple energy responds to the direction of my will and begins to drift towards the construct. This time however I don''t simply pour it in, filling up the shape.

    I begin to condense it.

    Shoving the mana against itself and pressing it down I squeeze it into the construct and then pack more in after it,pressing the mana as much as I can. My mind begins to shake with the effort of controlling the fluctuating energy as it roils and shudders within me.

    Gritting my mandibles I double down on my control, both brains straining to the limit.

    This spell is literally being formed within my body remember. If it explodes or something¡­..

    Let''s not think about it.

    Carefully I continue to condense and force the mana into the construct. Over time the shape I had built seems to be straining, struggling to contain the sheer density of the mana within it. Easy now Anthony! If it pops, you likely will too!

    On the other side of the tunnel, forty metres away, the purple flower is slowly recovering from the fright it had earlier, blissfully unaware of the nearby ant straining to test a new spell on it.

    Rest up flower¡­ once this spell is ready I want to see exactly how well you can hold up!

    If I manage to finish it¡­.

    The mental strain is doubled since I''m not even sure if this is going to work. I''m handling the mana with every bit of care I can possibly manage whilst simultaneously crunching it with my mind.

    Slowly¡­. Carefully¡­. Condense it!

    Done!

    Finally the spell is fully charged with condensed mana! Beholding the unstable looking, shuddering construct with my mind I can''t help but shiver. That was clooooose. A little more and the construct wouldn''t have been able to hold.

    Not willing to wait around I quickly aim my spell at the flower and unleash it!

    The gravity bolt streaks through the air! It doesn''t look much different than the normal version of the spell so far, perhaps a little darker in the shade of purple¡­

    The bolt strikes home against the flower and the magic field takes shape.

    The nt seems to sense what is about to happen and once again digs in with its roots.

    Then the force takes hold.

    RRRRRRRRRIIIIPP!!!

    In one second the nt is torn out of the ground, vines and roots iling madly, even tearing the rocks it had gripped straight out of the ceiling! They crash to the ground with a boom!

    Against the floor of the tunnel the flower is being savagelypressed as the crushing force of gravity presses down on it like the foot of a titan.

    I can''t believe how well it worked.

    Good stuff!

 Chapter 55 Salad ala carte

    <h4>Chapter 55 Sd  carte </h4>

    [You have in level 13 Venenum Flos Caligo]

    ¡­

    Seriously?

    The spell was not only powerful enough to rip the nt monster from the wall, it also crushed it to death on the floor of the cavern?!

    Forceful mana is no joke!

    Bypressing the mana used to fuel the spell itpletely supercharged it! What would happen if were to do the same for the Javelin¡­ or the Domain?!

    My mind is boggling! It''s boggling right out of my head Gandalf! If it boggles even a little bit more it''s going to join my eyeballs on the floor!

    My control is stillcking though. It took over a minute for me to carefully charge the spell, almost as long as it would take to make a charged gravity bomb. Hopefully with practice I''ll be able to get quicker at forming the charged spells.

    ¡­.

    As impressed as I am with the effects of this spell, I can see Tiny is currently battling on his own, getting drenched in acid and what appear to be poisonous fumes whilst I diddle about ying with magic.

    Mind you, he seems happy. Roaring at the top of his lungs, fists crackling with electricity as heshes out with wild abandon even as the wounds pile up on his body. I swear, with his unquenchable thirst for battle and reckless fighting style this ape is like a protagonist from a generic novel.

    Chill out big guy! I''ming to help!

    Once again, dash!

    "Weeeeee!"

    It is SO hard to keep my mind focused on fighting with that going on!

    [Dash has reached level 2]

    Weeeeeee!

    ¡­.

    Level ups bring me a lot of joy¡­ don''t judge me!

    Rushing forward I engage in the vicious melee that is swirling around my giant ape pet. The nt type monsters we are engaging now and significantly more threatening than those we encountered earlier.

    The purple flowers are shooting sts of pollen or gas that I suspect may cause some sort of poison effect, I''m not too game to find out so every time it''s aimed at me I dash the heck out of there. Sizing up the creatures firing at us from range I decide to present themercial district and allow them to sample my wares.

    POW! POW! POW!

    st after st of acid is fired off, immediately gumming up the pestering nts and eating into their fibrous bodies. Take that you flowery foes! In all I fire off six shots of acid, nearly emptying my tank but it''s worth it if it keeps those poisonous flowers off our back.

    Suddenly I feel myself being bombarded by savageshes! What the heck?! In my peripheral vision I can see that the vines I''d seen lying on the ground and creeping up the tunnel walls havee alive, whipping through the air so quickly all they leave are blurred afterimages as the strike me over and over!

    That stings dammit!

    My Diamond carapace is extremely tough, able to absorb most of the impact with only slivers of my HP being drained, but the pain of having the continuous impacts roll through my body is still there.

    Stupid Vine Beast! Turning to face my new opponent I notice this isn''t the same tangle of vines we''d run into before. The individual vines are thicker, more dextrous and amongst the web of vines I can see several thick clusters where numerous vines have tangled together in thick clumps.

    I brighten up seeing this. I must be facing an evolved Vine Beast here. Excellent! This should yield a decent amount of Biomass!

    Posturing left and right I start constructing a Gravity Bolt which I fire off in a matter of seconds. I targeted one of the vine clumps hoping to see how debilitated the creature bes when they are affected.

    To my surprise the nt monster blocks the spell, thwipping several vines in the way to disperse the magic before it can strike home. Interesting!

    The struck vines immediately sumb to the gravitational pull, slumping to the ground despite their best efforts. The rest of the creature seems curiously unaffected though, the gravity pulling down on only those vines that were struck by the spell.

    Hmmm.

    There are still dozens of vines thrashing through the air,shing out frequently to batter my carapace. Even Vibrant is forced to be vignt and shift left and right to avoid getting pped by a vine. I certainly don''t want to have this promising worker get squished on top of my scalp! I''ll have to do this a little more directly.

    Dash!

    Revving up my speed I rush forward and spread my mandibles wide.

    As the vines whip towards me I cut them with my chomp!

    Slice! Slice!

    Julienne veges, like a pro!

    A rain of sliced vines fall around me but still they keeping!

    I can keep going!

    Slice! Slice! Slice!

    As the vines keeping I keep chomping! The ethereal mandibles shing through the vines at record speed until I arrive beneath one of the clumps. Rearing back with my head I unleash my longer range bite.

    *Shattering Bite!*

    CRUNCH!

    The mandibles smash shut, grinding the knot of twisting vines to paste. As I do so a number of the connected vines fall limp, falling to the floor drained of their strength.

    Interesting, perhaps each of these dispersed clumps is in control of a number of vines. This monster having its vitals spread across thework of vines make it rather a pain in the butt to deal with quickly.

    I continue to sh my way through the endless vines, crunching each clump as I reach it until the entire creature finally falls still.

    [You have in level 8 Vinea Trames]

    Finally!

    Puffing, I feel exhausted. Constantly using the advanced bite skills is super draining on my stamina. So much effort for a creature so much weaker than me!

    At least I gained a level on both skills.

    What''s Tiny doing?

    Turning my head I see Tiny is holding a nt in one hand that he has uprooted whilst punching it fiercely with his other hand. Around him is a veritable farmers market of deceased nt monsters. Looking more closely I think the nt he''s holding is already dead, which he should know, since he would have heard the announcement¡­

    He''s just punching it¡­..

    [I think it''s dead there big guy]

    He turns to look at me before mming his fist into the very deceased nt one more time.

    [Annoying] he grunts.

    [The poison effect?] I ask.

    He just grunts.

    [You going to be ok with that?] I wonder. Does he need healing?

    [Ok, I fix myself] he affirms.

    Fair enough. He must have some way of healing himself by now. Good purchase Tiny!

    Since he''s cleaned up most of the monsters we settle down to eat.

    NOM NOM NOM.

    The crunching sounds of four monsters filling themselves to stuffed echoes through the tunnels of the Dungeon.

    I don''t stop eating until every stomach is so full I can barely walk, my gigantic shopping district dragging on the floor behind me. Tiny is in simr condition, lookingically round with a massive distended belly.

    I gained 10 Biomass from that feast, plus three for new species! It feels so good to finally get some points!

    And I don''t n on stopping here! With Tiny''s reluctant help I excavate a small chamber out of the side of the tunnel, digging in a slightly diagonally upwards direction. Once I''ve created enough space I seal the entrance and the four of us settle in to sleep off our meal. When we wake up I''m going back in there again!

 Chapter 56 Stairway to Biomass

    <h4>Chapter 56 Stairway to Biomass </h4>

    HOOPAH!

    I snap to alertness hourster, ready for action. Vibrant and Crinis are still slumbering whilst riding on my back, the little ant using the ball like JellyMaw as a pillow.

    Before resting be had dug into the wall to create a resting chamber. I''d estimated how far the veins of light would be able to travel whilst we rested and made sure we had a bit of buffer. I didn''t want dumb nt monsters spawning on our heads while re rested from eating dumb nt monsters. I wouldn''t have been able to take the irony.

    I have a huge wealth of Biomass saved up at the moment, more than I''ve ever had before but I don''t want to spend it yet, I''ll pile up as much as I can before heading back to the surface. This is a long term pre evolution feast fest bonanza! There aint no brakes on this eating train!

    While I''m at it I''ll pump my pets full of Biomass at the same time. Tiny will be ready to evolve soon so he need as much Biomass as I do, whereas Crinis just needs to keep on growing until she''s ready to fight.

    Vibrant on the other hand is getting a prime opportunity to supercharge her growth, she''ll be swimming in Biomass points by the time we''re done down here, getting all of her organs to +5 should be a piece of cake!

    The second part of our mission here is to create a path back to the surface, a staircase if you will. I don''t want to have to follow winding tunnels hither and thither every time I want toe down into the Dungeon. If the colony is going to settle here long term then a shortcut to the deeper Dungeon is absolutely in order. After I evolve I''ll have to go even deeper than this to get a decent amount of Biomass. At that time the shortcut will have to be extended downwards.

    ["Time to get up you slugs!"] I shout at myzy crew.

    As usual, Tiny requires a few extra pokes until he''s ready to get up. He waves me away, even reaching over with one massive hand to push me as he tries to cover his eyes.

    Teenage rebellion?!

    ["There''ll be food¡­"]

    The apes'' eyes snap open like lightning and he leaps to his feet, purposefully flexing his fingers, looking every inch alert and ready for action.

    Damn ape! Have you no shame at all?!

    Vibrant jumps into action quickly.

    "Morning Senior! Are we eating again today? Will there be dashing?!" she asks.

    "There absolutely will be dashing!" I dere, I won''t miss a chance to train my skills.

    "Yaaaaaay!" Vibrant cheers, even Crinis extends a few tentacles into the air and wiggles them happily.

    What is this scene? Are we on a family vacation or about to engage in ughter and gruesome feasting? Or is it both¡­.

    Who cares!

    Onwards!

    Descending back down our newly dug tunnel we do indeed encounter a few newly spawned nt creatures which we destroy as an appetiser, feeding thest hits to Vibrant. Then we step out into the main tunnel once again.

    Chaos!

    Fighting!

    We haven''t even started yet?!

    This is very different to the scenes we saw yesterday! Everything was surprisingly chill with the nts until we started to rumble with them, but here are engaged in what looks like all-out war!

    Up and down the tunnel there are nt monsters doing ferocious battle with other creatures that we hadn''t seen before.

    At first nce they appear to be like heavily muscled pigs or boars. On closer examination there is something strange about their hides. They seem to glisten, or shimmer in the light. It''s almost as if they''re ¡­ metallic? Are these metal pigs?

    Indeed, all around us the nts are engaged in a fight to the death with these pigs who tear at them with fierce tusks or charge them into the ground before ripping into their nt fibres with their teeth.

    On my right, further back and surrounded by nts I can see a giant pig, the mega pig! Easily twice the size of its smaller pig brethren this specimen is obscenely muscr, almost grotesquely bulging with mass beneath its thick, gleaming hide.

    Well if these guys have metallic properties to their skin¡­ electricity ought to go right through them right?

    [Tiny, go punch up that giant thing over there. I''ll take care of the nts and small fry].

    He acknowledges my instructions with a nod and gruntbo, unusuallymunicative for him in a fight. I can only presume he agrees with these instructions. Bearing his fangs he trundles forward, building up momentum gradually until he''s flying at full speed, the ground trembling beneath the impact of his massive fists.

    As he charges electricity ripples along his arms and shoulders, gathering in intensity like a storm. Finally he bursts through the crowd of nts cornering the massive boar and roars his challenge, smashing out with one mighty fist. Electrical energy shes through that fist and lights up the piggy like a Christmas tree. The victim bellows in pain, thrashing wildly with its body and throwing the ape back with a titanic crash.

    Holy moly!

    I do NOT want to be caught in the middle of that¡­ Still, it seems my hypothesis on the metallic skin being weak against Tiny rang true. I think I saw that monsters'' skeleton.

    Those two big bruisers can go at it, my job is serve the greens on the side. Dashing madly about with my cheering hangers'' on clinging to my back. I fire acid at the annoying ones and move quickly to snip apart the most dangerous nts. Any pigs Ie across are ground into mince by the relentless application of my infused mandibles and shattering bite, metallic skin or no.

    Their defence is quite hefty I have to admit but these particr pigs either haven''t mutated it or need to further evolve before it matches up to the Earth Bear Tyrant. I do get smashed in the side at one point by a charging pig but the diamond carapace holds firm!

    Idiot pig! Out of metal or diamond which do you think was going to be superior!?

    Muahahahaha!

    As I clean out the smaller creatures Tiny continues to dominate the big pig, smashing it about with his powerful lightning fists. Each time he connects a ringing boom bursts out like a thunderp, telling of the immense force behind each swing.

    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

    The pig is reeling at this point. Staggering from side to side, desperately swinging its head to try and gouge Tiny with a tusk, but it isn''t going to happen. The ape smartly backs of a touch as he watches his prey intently with his bat eyes. Finally he seems to sense weakness and opens his mouth wide to unleash his sonic scream!

    SKREEEEEEEEEEEEE!

    Holy crap! That is only getting louder!

    With my firm will I hold on but all around me nts and pigs are drooping to the ground, stunned by the shattering noise! On my head Vibrant has gonepletely limp, flopping like a wet towel, even Crinis is looking more like melted jelly than her usual self.

    The pig was takenpletely by surprise, the point nk sonic attack has sted it senseless momentarily and Tiny takes advantage by winding up a massive two handed hammer. Leaping into the air to unleash the full weight of his frame the ape collects a ferocious amount of lightning in his fists, causing them to glow so brightly I can barely stand to look at them.

    BOOOOOOM!

    Both hands copse like a falling mountain on the head of the unfortunate pig, the discharged electricity rippling through its body and roasting it from the inside.

    I''m determined not to get my hopes up. This Dungeon will surely find a way to make even roast pig taste disgusting.

    With their leader the rest of the pigs and the battered nts aren''t able to resist us for long. Within twenty minutes we are once again seated, feasting without rest, without remorse!

    OM NOM NOM NOM!

    I gain another eight Biomass from this meal, plus one for the new species. My wealth is amassing! Not to mention a few skill level ups I achieved in the fight!

    [Dash has reached level 3]

    [Shattering Bite has reached Level 6]

    With plenty of energy left since we only recently woke up the gang is set to digging the shortcut again, carving a more direct path back to the colony through the Dungeon. After several hours of dirt shiftingbour we rest once more.

 Chapter 57 Field trip ends, itching begins

    <h4>Chapter 57 Field trip ends, itching begins </h4>

    Our field tripsts for four more days before we finallyplete our shortcut tunnel and return to the surface. I was able to utilise my Tunnel Map to avoid crossing over any existing tunnels, though we did draw close a few times. With urate nning and tunnel engineering we were able to break through only a few kilometres from the site of the anthill. Now the journey that took us several hours through twisting and turning passages has been reduced to a twenty minute jaunt.

    I mean, we''ll have to fight our way through anything that begins to spawn in there but we would have to do that no matter which way we went.

    I am pleased! Very pleased with this result!

    After eating my fill over and over again an unprecedented amount Biomass has been stored! I may have developed some kind of permanent stomach pain but it was worth it! I haven''t got nearly enough to upgrade every single part of my body to +10 but that''ll take ages. I''m just not sure I can wait that long¡­. Evolution is beckoning to me! Like the song of the Siren it tugs at my soul every moment I''m awake!

    The Mind Ant has been a fantastic species but I feel as if I''m pushing at the boundaries of what I can do, I need to take the next step! Push my stats to a higher limit! Then I''ll really be able to flex my magical skills to the maximum!

    Although my ultimate goal is be an all-rounder, with powerful physical skills as well as magical prowess, I feel as if I''m right on the edge of being able to use magic the way I want to. With a boost to my Cunning and Willpower, some extra juice in my sub-brain, the currently daunting and impractical task of transforming mana could be shifted within reach. With some practice, I might be able to master a few transformations and then I could cast fire or water spells to round out myplement of offensive magic.

    Then I could double back and pour my resources into physical strength on the subsequent evolutions. It shouldn''t take too long for my body to catch up with my mind. After all, if the pattern holds true then the next evolution will require me to reach level 40 and buff my core to 200 mp.

    My crew track our way back to the seemingly evenrger anthill and its contingent of defender ants. The colony is getting back into a regr groove it seems, with trails leading off into the surrounding territory and workers scurrying back with food in their mandibles. I''m not too worried the workers will be challenged by the surface level monsters, unless there are some very old beasts lying about unseen I haven''t noticed anything capable of tackling a swarm of workers up here.

    Descending into the colony I find the Queen is happily recuperated, resting in the warm glow of the Dungeon light. As monsters spawn in her chamber they are instantly covered in a pack of manic workers, protecting their Queen as well as supplying the much needed Biomass.

    Curiously I don''t notice too much new brood in the nest. Those that we had before have mostly hatched, bringing our numbers back to over a thousand but it seems that since then there haven''t been many new ants born. Perhaps the Queen was on break whilst she was healing up?

    Never mind, I''m sure it''ll kick into high gear again after we settle in. Once I''ve trained my skills I might even be able to finally activate my long held ns for ant supremacy!

    Taking the gang back into our own little chamber we add the cores we were able to harvest on our field trip to the established hoard. Compared to what we stole from the Queen it''s a drop in the ocean but another fifteen cores is always wee!

    As Tiny retrieves that sack of cores from the wall my eyes light up with the precious gleam and glitter of the small spherical gems. Wealth! Precious wealth! If I''m a dragon then this is my hoard!

    "Senior, why are you drooling?" Vibrant asks.

    Gah! I hastily wipe my mouth on a foreleg and attempt to regain my dignity as the senior ant. Did Tiny see that?

    The ape is standing in front of me with a curiously nk look on his face as he holds the sack open. Pretending he noticed nothing eh¡­. Good work Tiny! Now you won''t have to be smacked in the head with cores!

    Quickly estimating I think we have around four hundred cores on hand. With these I''ll have to make sure my pets and Vibrant get the perfect evolutions they deserve as well as train my Core Engineering skill to the peak.

    Before that though, time to consider what to spend all of my Biomass on!

    Through repeated cycles of eating, digging and resting I have amassed 72 Biomass!

    It sounds like a lot but when I consider how much is needed to get every organ to +10 it isn''t nearly enough.

    My mandibles are at +8 already, so they''ll be the first thing upgraded. I still don''t know exactly what will happen once an organ reaches +10 but I''m hoping for another mutation advancement. Perhaps I''ll have the same menu as before, or perhaps new more potent options?

    Time to find out!

    Excitedly I ring up Gandalf and get this show on the road.

    [Would you like to upgrade Mandibles to +10? This will cost 19 Biomass]

    [Yes!]

    [At this level you can choose a mutation advancement. Please select from the menu]

    YASSSSSS!

    The now familiar long list of options appears in my mind and I instantly start scrolling through looking at the avable choices.

    Hmmm.

    Yes, I see.

    Indeed!

    It seems as if the list of options is basically what I though. There are the same options I had before, a few new ones and several rted to the Infused Mandibles I chose before. A familiar headache starts to develop, just what to chooooose?!?!

    To start with I try and pick out a few choices that I like.

    The Vampiric mandibles are still here, draining life from my foes and healing myself as I bite sounds awesome. Except I already have the healing nd, what worries me more than not having enough healing is not being able to break through the defence.

    Berserk Mandibles which increase the damage the more I bite the target also seems good but I''m worried about spending that much time chomping on one monster, this doesn''t seem useful in a swarm situation.

    Let''s check on some of the Infused mandibles upgrades.

    Potent Infused Mandibles, increases the speed of mana flow into the mandibles? I guess this will help me wind up for a big chomp faster but I''m not sure that is really needed badly right now.

    Efficient Infused mandibles. Provides a greater effect for less mana, increasing efficiency in mana consumption. This is ok but it doesn''t really excite me. Since I will have more uses for my mana shortly, an increase in efficiency sounds great, but I want something a little more offensive¡­

    Frustrated I continue to scroll through the options, looking for something that meets my needs. My focus for my mandibles is to simply to have the most powerful bite that I can. It''s my bottom line, when all the fancy skills and magic are stripped away, what I want is the most damage I can get with my face hands.

    So in the end Ie back to the most basic of all of the upgrades.

    Savage Mandibles. Increases the size and density of the mandibles to directly increase prating power andpression force.

    Bigger, badder mandibles. Nothing more, nothing less. Combined with infusion, my offensive bite will receive a huge boost.

    [Do you wish to confirm your choice?]

    Gimme!

    ¡­..

    ARRGH!

    MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!!!!!

 Chapter 58 Laying the foundation

    <h4>Chapter 58 Laying the foundation </h4>

    GAAAAAAAH!

    The itching continues for a good long while and this time I can actually see my own mandibles changing shape during the process. They being longer, more vicious looking and heavier. Topensate for the increased weight the muscle density in my face is also shifted as part of the mutation, causing even more itching to consume me.

    After iling around on the ground for five minutes the feeling finally fades away and scrabble back onto my legs, try to retain my dignified pose before once again hitting up the menu for more mutations.

    As much as I hate the feeling, I have to mutate! Mutate or die! I didn''t spend those days eating dumb nts because I needed a fibre boost.

    Now I have a single body part at +10 and all of the rest at +5. I don''t have nearly enough to upgrade everything. To take one body part from +5 to +10 will cost me 40 Biomass and I only have 53 left. That means I''ll be able to take one more part to max level and one more to +7.

    ¡­

    I have to admit¡­ I''m quite disappointed by that. I spent all of that time trying to fill myself with food, eating until I was practically a bouncy ball rolling around on the floor and it only gets me this far!? Two body parts at +10?!?!

    I''m very tempted to go back down into the Dungeon for another few days to pile up more Biomass. I haven''t been able to get nearly enough!

    A small part of me regrets not eating those humans when I had the chance. I wouldn''t be in this position if I hadn''t gained all of those levels without eating anything at the same time! Still ¡­. Eating humans is not quite right with me.

    Sighing internally I''ll just have to power forward as is. The urge to evolve is strong within me. I''ll just have to make sure I dedicate a significant chunk of time to bringing my mutations up afterwards. Tiny and I will need to go much deeper and expand our shortcut into the lower reaches.

    Perhaps after evolving we''ll be able to press into the boundary of the second strata!

    The Queen told me how the surface people have roughly divided the Dungeon intoyers. The topyer goes about one fifty kilometres down and is called the first strata or theyer of beasts. By far the smallest of the strata and containing the weakest monsters, the first strata is popted mostly by beast type monsters, mutated and powerful versions of animals found on the surface living normally. Lions, tigers, pigs, centipedes and also nt types. Ants are rarely found I was told and mostly right at the edge, between 45 and 50 kilometres down.

    The second Strata is muchrger and known as theyer of nightmares. The Queen was a little less forting with information about thisyer, either because she didn''t know it or was trying to hide it. Apparently thisyer extends from 30 kilometres to over 200 down. The Queen wasn''t able to tell me exactly how far down it went.

    Apparently thisyer is filled with strange shadow creatures that defy nature and reality. They can employ bizarre mind bending magic and some of the most powerful species are able to utilise space in strange ways, leaping into their own shadow to strike out of your own.

    This meshes with what I saw during the wave. As the mana in the walls intensified the creatures spawned were strange shadow beasts, even Crinis was spawned at that time and she is clearly not a monster based on a normal animal or nt in any way.

    When I learned that she was likely to be a strong monster from the second strata I was extremely excited to see what she would be capable of in the future after evolving a few times. She''s surely going to be mighty!

    About the third strata the Queen couldn''t tell me much at all, not even how deep it is. All she could say was that it is called theyer of demons and in this area of the world nobody knows much about it. In older, more established and powerful empires they are able to delve that far but the Queen imed to have never met anyone who had been there.

    I''d be interested to hear what Formo had to say if I can ever get in touch with the Sophos again. Surely those people would have gone super deep in the Dungeon.

    Enough thinking! Time for action!

    I think I''ll upgrade my carapace to +10. Perhaps a bit boring, I get that, but having upgraded my mandibles, the carapace seems to be the next most important choice. With my attack boosted, I next want to buff my defence.

    [Do you wish to upgrade Carapace to +10? This will cost 40 Biomass]

    Hit me!

    [At this level you can choose a mutation advancement, please select from the menu]

    Gimme dat menu!

    Lemme see here. Self-healing carapace is nice, flexi-carapace is dumb, aerodynamic carapace is back I see.

    Much like with my mandibles, I''m not after anything too shy here. My carapace is for defence, to absorb damage and make me an unkible, unstoppable ant monster. That is all!

    Let''s look at options that directly increase my defence capabilities.

    The self-healing carapace regenerates itself over time. This could be handy since the Diamond carapace is already hard to crack, any damage caused to it closing itself over would be nice for sure.

    There are heaps of elemental resistance carapace options but I reject them out of hand. The element specific road has been sealed by me long ago.

    Are there any upgrades to Diamond carapace options?

    Aha!

    Hardened Diamond Carapace. Solidifies the carapace and increases resistance to physical damage.

    Reflective Diamond Carapace. Can reflect some magical attacks.

    Dark Diamond Carapace. Can increase stealth abilities by absorbing light?! Man that sounds rad as heck!

    But to be honest, the hardened Diamond Carapace sings to my heart the loudest. A straight up boost to my defence. I''ll take it!

    While I''m at it I''ll upgrade my eyes to +7, better vision hasn''t let me down in the past.

    [Do you wish to upgrade Diamond Carapace to +10 and Eyes to +7? This will cost 53 Biomass]

    Here ises.

    HIT ME!

    ¡­..

    OH GOD!

    BACK TO FLOOR I GO!

    Eyes has always been extremely bad in the itch department, your actual eyeballs changing size is a special sort of unpleasant butbined with the carapace, which obviously extends over my whole body, this is torture.

    TORURE I SAY GANDALF!

    GAH!

    I wriggle on the floor for another five minutes whilst my pets sit idly on the side. At least Crinis can''t see me¡­ Vibrant is actually reaching out with her antennae to poke me every now and again! How rude!

    Finally it fades and my Biomass spend for the time being is over.

    ¡­

    Thanks goodness!

    Time to move on to core reinforcement!

 Chapter 59 Core, what is it good for?

    <h4>Chapter 59 Core, what is it good for? </h4>

    As I start to move over to the collection of cores in Tiny''s hands I notice something sending a shiny reflection onto the walls of the chamber. What the heck is that? It''s looking like a mini disco ball descended in the room!

    I almost turn my head to see if there is anything suspended from the roof before remembering I don''t have to turn my head to look up anymore. It''s only then that I realise the reflection is actuallying from me! More specifically from my carapace. What the heck is going on!

    On closer inspection of my usually smooth and glittering Diamond carapace I notice that something has changed in myst mutation. When I selected hardened Diamond carapace I hadn''t quite expected this sort of effect.

    The small glittering points in my carapace have expanded, growing out over the surface of the carapace slightly. Each little point has only grown a small amount but the cumtive effect is significant. In essence, I now have a small diamond covering at points all over my carapace! I mean, I look fabulous, but just how high is the value of my skeleton going to get if I keep going down this path?!

    If I continue to harden the Diamond Carapace in future will I eventually just bepletely covered in diamond, a shiny and reflective crystal ant?!

    ¡­.

    That sounds awesome...

    I might end up with monster hunters from all over the globeing to take by extremely valuable business district back to the surface but damn if I won''t look good doing it!

    Enough, I can worry about this another time, for now I need to focus on the process of evolving. As Vibrant bounces around the room making a pest of herself and my pets patiently wait, I start to focus my mind and activate my engineering skill, one core at a time. After exhausting my will on one core I rest for five minutes before moving onto the next. Truly this is some of the most draining mental exertion I can imagine.

    How the Sophos are able to work on a single core for weeks on end I have no idea, I can barelyst more than ten minutes on one before my mental energy is t lining. While I''m at it, I do make sure to try and focus on practicing finer changes rather than brute forcingrger shifts in stats. Maybe taking a leg from here and moving it to there, making the mouth wider, general changes to the monsters physical shape rather than just it''s statistics.

    This kind of editing takes even more mental energy but I must have experience in this field if my grand project is going to be a reality.

    I make sure that I''m not messing with any potentially interesting or powerful cores before I begin my editing process. It wouldn''t do to overwrite a potentially promising pet with some garbage after I''ve put an extra pair of legs on its head.

    After several hours I''ve created a small pile of cores that are ready for consumption! I take a quick break since the next part is even harder.

    Stretch it out Anthony, just enjoy the breeze and concentrate man! Who''s the worker? YOU the worker!

    OK! Let''s do this.

    After flexing and stretching my ant self out in truly strange and puzzling ways I am sufficiently mentally psyched for the uing challenge.

    Approaching two small cores on the floor with the utmost seriousness I tap each one with a single antennae and then press together both physically and mentally.

    HRRRRRRRNNNNNGGGG!

    Like pressing two rocks together the cores refuse to budge. To make the impossible possible a sheer dominant force of will is required and I strain with every ounce of my being!

    Come on you little bugger! Get in there!

    Gradually the two cores begin to blur together, melding and blending their energies in wild and chaotic ways. Actually being able to control the result of this fusion is still a dream within a dream for me, sessfully merging the cores is still the best I can do.

    Hold on Anthony! You have the power!

    I grit my mandibles tightly as I press with my mind forcefully against the cores until the fusion is finallyplete.

    PHEW!

    Holy moly! That''s hard!

    ¡­.

    Ok that''s one!

    ¡­.

    DAMMIT!

    After a rest I throw myself back into the fusion until I finally get the notification.

    [Compatible special core detected, do you want to absorb or reconstitute the monster?]

    Finally! I''m a broken heap of an ant on the floor but the core is finally finished!

    "Vibrant!" I call.

    "Hi-hi!" she answers, bouncing into view energetically.

    Hanging around while I grind away on skills is mind numbingly boring for the little ant and she''s been poking about and literally running up the walls. Crinis is the one to suffer the most as the small worker pokes her, rolls her around and gets the little ball to climb onto her back before they go out adventuring.

    She seems absolutely delighted to be called upon.

    Despite being so tired, a feeling of selfish glee is washing over me. Yes, be happy whilst you can little worker, once this is done you''ll be big enough to no longer hitch free rides on me and strong enough to fight for your own food.

    My days of freedom will return!

    Muahahahahaaaaa!

    "Now you''ve reached maximum level, right?"

    "Yup!"

    "and your core is maxed out, right?"

    "Yup!"

    "Excellent! After absorbing this core you''ll be ready to evolve into an especially powerful ant!"

    The little worker practically vibrates with enthusiasm. "Really?!" she cries.

    "Absolutely! The only problem is that it''s going to hurt like hell!" I cheer.

    ¡­.

    "Okay!" she bubbles with barely diminished enthusiasm. There really isn''t anything that will keep her down for long.

    Skittering closer she reaches out to the core and begins the absorption process. Much like when it was Tiny''s turn, she bes increasingly agitated as the process continues, the powerful energy within the core streaming into her body, reinforcing her core and infusing it with the potent energies that will supercharge her evolution.

    Almost unconsciously I reach out with an antenna to stroke the suffering little worker and pat her on the head, trying to soothe her. Perhaps she notices or perhaps she gets a better handle on the feeling but she visibly rxes under my ministrations.

    ¡­

    I don''t really want them to suffer, ok!? This is what''s best for them! With more powerful evolutions they''ll be able to ovee their fate and carve out their own path in life.

    ¡­

    As a proud parent this is the best I can do!!!

    *sniff*

    Finally the process is done and Vibrant copses in relief.

    "You can evolve now little one" I say gently.

    She nods, exhausted and crawls over to a corner of the chamber where she seems to fall asleep.

    I''ll be interested to watch her evolution happen, what changes will she undergo?

    Tiny watches her go with an odd look on his face.

    That''s right buddy, you''re next!

 Chapter 60 Well behaved ape

    <h4>Chapter 60 Well behaved ape </h4>

    Tiny''s bat face starts to exude more and more anxiety as I watch him intently.

    [Tiny]

    [....]

    [Tiny!]

    [...¡­.. What?]

    [Time to max out that core champ! Get over here]

    ¡­.

    With reluctance painted over every inch of his body, Tiny lumbers to his feet and then resentfully ambles his way towards me from where he had slumped himself against the wall as I worked.

    Using an antenna I flick one core at his feet and then stare at him.

    He stares back.

    ¡­.

    Slowly I reach down to pick up the core with my mandibles and something shes within the apes eyes. Was it understanding? Wisdom? Or was it heart rending fear? I shall never know. What I do know is that Tiny reaches down and snatches up the core before I can grasp it in my jaws.

    A momentter he shows me the empty palm in which the core had been held.

    [Good boy].

    He needs to make sure he eats all his food.

    With flicks of my antenna I continue to roll him cores I''ve modified until I run out and have to craft a few more. Every now and again I make sure to check in on Vibrant as she undergoes evolution. I kind of expect to see shing lights or a glow or something but evolution doesn''t seem to work like that here. At least nothing is happening so far, the little worker is still lying t, seemingly unconscious, without any physical changes taking ce.

    [Core Engineering has reached level 5]

    Nice! Every little bit of help I can get makes a difference!

    I continue grinding my way through the cores but I have to take frequent and longer breaks in order to maintain the effort. It won''t be long until I can''t continue anymore and will need to take a break to rest.

    This is massively draining work.

    After consuming more cores Tiny finally raises his hand and pushes thest core back to me, indicating that he is full.

    Finally!

    I''m wrecked. My head is pounding with serious pain. I''ll have to take a nap before trying to form the special core, Tiny will have a minor reprieve.

    [Take a nap big guy. We''ll finish it tomorrow and then you can evolve]

    Tiny nods happily, clearly pleased at this turn of events. Ungrateful! No appreciation for how hard I''m working¡­

    I scuttle wearily over to check on Vibrant and see if there have been any major changes during her evolution.

    ¡­

    Still nothing. Maybe she''s still fiddling around in the menus? I can''t be sure.

    Certainly the first time I evolved I have no idea how much time passed as I fiddled about with the options and scrolled through the lists of options which are certainly extremely wide. I guess this could be taken as confirmation that Vibrant is intelligent enough to trigger the manual evolution.

    Something Tiny will possibly never reach.

    Grumbling internally about my lovable apes'' dim witted ways I slowly drift into torpor.

    ¡­

    MANAMANA!

    I''m up!

    Springing awake I sh into action, immediately moving to check on Vibrant. Antennae wiggling this way and that I eagerly check to see if there have been any developments whilst I was resting. What''s she got? Wings? Extra head? Doubled in size? Tripled in size?!

    ¡­

    Nothing?

    Resting on the ground, still perfectly still for possibly the first time in her life, Vibrant continues to appear to be resting peacefully.

    Why is nothing happening?! She should be gettingrger if nothing else! If she wakes up the same size as before I''m going to be super annoyed¡­

    I shuffle over to my barely dinted pile of cores.

    I literally emptied out the treasury of a kingdom to amass these cores. A small kingdom without a whole lot of wealth but still!

    This is going to take us a long way.

    If my nse together then this pile of cores could change the world¡­

    That''s enough day dreaming, back to work.

    Time to fuse these cores!

    Get PUMPED!

    I spend five minutes mentally hyping myself like a weightlifter about to perform the gold medal lift at the Olympics. When the correct mindset has been achieved I begin the arduous task of core fusion.

    ¡­..

    HRRRRRRRNNNGGGH!

    A whileter, once again exhausted and shaking mentally I pick up the intensely sparkling and oversized core in my mandibles and carry it to the sleeping Tiny.

    [Get up you slug!]

    Prodding him viciously with my legs I shout at him repeatedly but to no effect. He doesn''t want to get up. I suspect he knows what may being and is trying to avoid it as long as possible.

    Perhaps this is a sign of him developing a little wisdom, trying toy this cunning n¡­ unfortunately I don''t think it will have the result he was hoping for. Does he really think I''m just going to give up and walk away after breaking my mind in half trying to make this core for him?!

    Instead, I carefully grasp the precious core in mandibles and climb up onto the wall above the ''slumbering'' ape.

    Then I raise the core high¡­

    [WAKE]

    BAM!

    [UP!]

    BAM!

    ¡­..

    BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

    I m the core down on his head savagely! To be honest, after the first two hits he clearly started moving and raising his hands to protect his head. The rest of the hits where simply my disy of affection. This is a teaching moment for Tiny and I don''t intend to waste this opportunity. I spoil him if anything¡­

    Rubbing his head and giving me a resentful look that Ipletely ignore as I climb down off the wall and drop the special core in front of him.

    Perhaps lured by the potent core that will increase his evolutionary potential and strength or maybe it''s the death stare I''m giving him but Tiny finally reaches forward and touches the core lightly, kicking off the absorption.

    During the entire process I watch him like a hawk, lest he decide halfway through to bail out on me. I''m not sure what I expect, that he''ll suddenly fling the core in my face and leap out of the nest screaming ''freeeeedom!'' but nothing of the sort urs. His face twists painfully as the core dramatically increases the pressure inside him but he stoically perseveres to the end.

    He''d better, a newborn little worker was able to handle it, it''d be ridiculous if he couldn''t manage it himself.

    Eventually the core vanishes and Tiny has fully reinforced his core, ready to advance with a new, special evolution.

    [Well done Tiny. Go and evolve, you''ll wake up stronger than ever before].

    The ape nods tiredly and slumps against the wall, quickly closing his eyes and appearing to drift off.

    ¡­

    As my first pet I''m very attached to Tiny. I know he wants to battle and eat until he''s satisfied, without evolving in the best possible way each time I just don''t think he''d have the strength to keep doing it. Strong as he is, he''s a monster from the first, and weakest, of theyers in the Dungeon. If we face monsters from the depths, just how well would he hold up?

    By doing this over and over again, I hope to change his destiny.

    ¡­.

    Speaking of which, it''s my turn next¡­

 Chapter 61 Options abound

    <h4>Chapter 61 Options abound </h4>

    I have to say I''m quite excited to finally be able to evolve again. I know I should wait and pile on the Biomass but I simply can''t contain my excitement.

    So I''m weak! Sue me!

    Everyone has to have a weakness and perhaps this is mine. Rather than shovelling my face full of monsters'' sticky insides, as delightful as that sounds, I would rather be taking a brief nap and then waking up a whole new being.

    It involves the consumption of less guts, for one thing.

    I can''t help but get excited for the possible options that may be present to me when I evolve. The mind ant species has been good to me, dramatically increasing my strength and propelling me further along the path of magic. As great as it''s been, I feel like I need one more push in order to achieve a proper mastery of magic. If I have an option that will further enhance my mind I''ll be hard pressed to turn it down.

    Before any of that though, I have to form the special core.

    LET''S DO THIS!

    ¡­..

    GAWD ALMIGHTY!

    MAH BRAIN!

    [Core Engineering has reached level 6]

    Worth!

    After all of my effort I''m finally done! In front of me sits a new shiny special core, the announcement from Gandalf still ringing in my ears.

    [Compatible special core detected ¡­]

    Yasssss!

    This mental torture is finally over! Despite being as mentally fatigued as I am I eagerly begin the absorption process immediately. Not even a microsecond passes before the truly ufortable squeezing feeling erupts in my guts.

    NOPE!

    I remember this feeling! It sucks!

    As if my intestine were slowly swelling with gas but there was nowhere for it to go, the tightness swells until it turns into pain. Then it swells some more and turns into even more pain.

    Yeeouch!

    Maybe it wasn''t such a good idea to do this immediately after wearing myself down, grinding my own brain against the stone to produce these cores. But it''s toote toin about it now, I''ll just have to push through and endure.

    Grit those mandibles Anthony, show what an ant you are! Do the workersin? No! Will youin? Only sometimes!

    Every second only intensified the pain so I try and distract myself in any way possible. The first thing I try to do is look around the room for something to catch my eye, but everyone in the room is sleeping or something like it!

    Tiny is openly snoring in front of me. I''m not even sure if he''s evolving or decided to take a nap first. Vibrant is still posed, perfectly still, on the floor in the corner, still nothing going on there. Crinis is bobbling in the middle of the room on the floor. I''m not sure exactly when she wobbled over there but I may as well pick her up again.

    [Crinis, over here] I stutter, mental teeth still clenched against the pain.

    I extend a leg out and Crinistches on with a few tentacles, swiftly making her own may onto my back where she wibbles a bit a settles into a seeminglyfortable nook between my body segments.

    [Any idea how close you are to reaching fully grown?] I ask, desperate for distractions.

    [.....] nothing.

    Perhaps if I wasn''t stuck with the least talkative of my gang this might have gone better.

    [You know Crinis, I would be really grateful if you would talk to me a little at the moment] I encourage her.

    [¡­. I don''t know master] she answers quietly.

    I sense that she''s a little disappointed that she isn''t useful yet. I''mpletely not fussed however. I was lugging Tiny around for ages before he was able to be useful. In many ways he still isn''t useful¡­

    [Not to worry Crinis, it won''t be long and you''ll be back to shredding monsters, you''ll see]

    I can still vividly remember the sight of her mature form ripping monsters apart and eating them whole. I don''t think I''ll ever forget it actually¡­

    [I hope so master] she replies.

    [There now. It''s nice to hear you talking a bit little one. You don''t have to be so quiet you know?] I urge her.

    [...]

    [¡­ well, maybe work on it in future. I''ll be evolving soon Crinis, so don''t worry if there isn''t any movement for a bit or I don''t respond when you try to talk to me] not that it''s likely¡­

    [You''ll be evolving master?] the little blob asks.

    [Yup! Looking forward to it. Everyone else is evolving at the moment, Tiny and Vibrant have already started, I''ll best]

    [oh¡­.] she sounds a bit deted.

    [I promise you Crinis, soon as you''re ready we''ll get you in the Dungeon and once you''re grown, getting you to evolve will be our priority! Not to worry, I have big ns for you!]

    [Thank you master] she replies, sounding a little happier.

    Who would though a tentacled blob of death would be this sensitive?! It''s nice though, so much more respectful than the other two¡­

    DAMN IT HURTS!

    ¡­.

    Finally the core has finished being absorbed and my time hase! The season of triumph!

    I can''t help but have a good feeling about this evolution. The Mind Ant was the first steps on a brand new path of evolution and the next step will only be more potent, I can feel it already.

    Damnit I can''t handle this anymore! Feels like my core is cracking!

    [Ok then Crinis, I''m going in!]

    [Ok master. Enjoy]

    Just so polite!

    [You have reached maximum level for your current level of evolution]

    [Would you like to use the Evolution menu?]

    Yes!

    My mind immediately is swept into the menu and glittering before me are the new options for my next form. Let''s see, let''s see!

    [Mind Worker (formica). This evolution includes a +10 bonus to Might and a +5 bonus to Cunning. Aura nds rted to worker cooperation are discounted for this evolution].

    Ok the first option! A normal evolution that gives some bonus stats, and what''s this? A discount on aura nds? Hmmmmmm. Interesting. I looked through the aura nds and there are a whole lot that rte to increased coordination or work speed for particr types of allies. Presumably this option will discount these. It''s also worth noting that the stat bonuses are quite considerable this time. +15 in total? And +5 to cunning?! I needed a special evolution to get thatst time!

    This only makes me more eager to see what the special evolutions will give!

    [Advanced Soldier (formica). This evolution includes a +10 bonus to Might and a +10 bonus to Toughness. One free health rted organ. Defensive carapace upgrades are discounted]

    Ok. Dispensing with the Mind Ant path, this normal evolution puts me back on the soldier track, skipping over basic and straight to advanced. The bonuses here are truly juicy, +20 stats? Admittedly they are the ''cheapest'' stats in terms of energy, but still¡­

    A free health rted organ? That could refer to a number that I''ve seen, perhaps there are also new options that rte to Hp in some way? Maybe something that increases total Hp or redundant organs like a second heart? Curious. Oooo, the next option is a special evolution!

    [Special Evolution: Magic Soldier + 15 bonus to Might, +10 bonus to Toughness,+ 5 bonus to Cunning. One free Health rted organ, Defensive carapace upgrades are discounted]

    Wowsers! Look at those stat bonuses! Clearly this path is to enable a turn to a more fighty oriented build but still wants to advance magical capacity slightly. I tell you what, that is fair tempting I have to say. If I was satisfied with my magic progress at the point I''d be even more swayed by this. The huge jump in stats alone is tempting!

    [Special Evolution: Ant Sage +10 bonus to Cunning, +5 Bonus to Willpower. One free magic affinity nd and an energy conversion nd]

    You WHAT?! Another free magic affinity nd PLUS an energy conversion nd!? I can well imagine what that nd is for too, it''ll be for increasing the transformation rate of energy from normal MP to specialised MP inside the nds. This is juicy. This is double juicy!

    What a massive increase in magical prowess, this might be enough to push me over the top intoplete mage skills! I''m salivating, holy moly! The next option will have to be freakin'' good topete with this!

    [Special Evolution: Dispersed Mind Ant. +10 bonus to Cunning, +10 bonus to willpower. This evolution includes a free Coordination Cortex and a free Sub-Brain]

    ...

 Chapter 62 Exceed Mortal Kind

    <h4>Chapter 62 Exceed Mortal Kind </h4>

    Dispersed Mind Ant? +20 to mental stats AND a free sub-brain? The sub-brain is probably another five Cunning worth of brain matter on its own! With this level of mental boost the things I''ve been hoping to achieve, mana transformation, working on the cores, all of these could be realised in one fell swoop!

    Not to mention this ¡­ Coordination Cortex? I''m intrigued by the possibilities of this name. What is exactly will this new organ do?

    The only two options I''m looking at are Ant Sage or Dispersed Mind Ant. These choices will both further enhance my magical and mental strength to the point where I''ll be satisfied. These two options will bring my current goals closer!

    The Ant Sage will allow me to choose another magical affinity nd and it isn''t as if I''m not tempted by this. There are so many options I could choose that would make a real difference to my magical flexibility. I could straight up choose the mind magic nd, or take something else crazy like the space or time nd. Not to mention the nd that''ll increase the efficiency of the mana conversion, making my nds even more effective!

    Combined with the bottomless gravitational nd it might be enough to almost have infinite gravitational mana! Or close enough to it! With my huge reserves, if I were to add a faster recovery speed, it would take ages for me to actually run out!

    I would be a spell slinging powerhouse!

    The Dispersed Mind Ant on the other hand¡­ those juicy stats, that extra brain! This is power of a different sort. With a mind that strong, with an extra sub brain on board to help handle theborious tasks of moving and shaping mana I''ll be able to cast inbat even more effectively. If the brains are strong enough then maybe they''ll enable me to quickly transform mana during a fight! Even if I could only seed in the more basic transformations like fire and water, it''ll dramatically increase my spell casting options!

    And the cortex, I''m not sure exactly what it does but I can only imagine positive things. Let''s see what Gandalf has to say about it.

    [Coordination Cortex. An organ designed to control and coordinate the efforts of multiple sub brains, increasing their efficiency when handling tasks separately or working together]

    Oho! This organ is specifically designed to help manage multiple sub brains?! So that means that I won''t even have to direct them with own main mind, further freeing it for other things! Perhaps I wouldn''t even have unlocked this evolution if I hadn''t crafted myself a Sub-Brain during myst evolution. This is good stuff.

    Also key here is the Will upgrade. Will can be considered the force of the mind and it has many effects, like making mana easier to move as well as providing defence against mental attacks, something I suspect will be more prevalent the deeper we go into the Dungeon.

    I''m going for it! The Dispersed Mind Ant it is!

    Having made that selection I enter the nextyer of the evolution menu. My core has more than double the energy of thest evolution to spend and I''m going to cash in! First I check in on my two sub brains and as I suspected the new freebie isn''t quite as beefy as the one I crafted myself. I decide to spend a chunk of energy building them both up and ensuring they are equally capable. I hit the wall numerous times already with what my sub brain could handle so I want it to be a bit more capable.

    Now that I have the Coordination Cortex, I''ll be able to task both brains with a single job and the cortex will do the heavy lifting of coordinating the efforts, which means I don''t need to make the sub brains strong enough to handle the big jobs on their own, just good enough so that they can handle it when they work together.

    I end up with spending most of the free +10 Cunning on shaping up the sub brains with the remainder spend on my own mind. I draw on a little of surplus energy to give my main mind a further boost for a total of +13 gained on my Cunning.

    The Will increase I simrly spread around my three brains, increasing the capacity of each and spend a little extra pumping the main brain for a total of +12 to will.

    Just going this far my mental capacity has received a MASSIVE boost. Cunning has gone from 32 to 45 and Will from 22 to 34!

    I still have plenty of energy left!

    Like a kid in a candy store I can''t help but flick through the options avable. There are certainly a ton of new organs and body parts avable. I''m tempted by the wings, I mean, REALLY tempted by the wings but as cool as it would be I''m not certain it''ll be super useful inside the Dungeon.

    Idly I flick through to try and find an option that''ll help me adjust my gender but there doesn''t seem to be that particr item in the list at this point.

    ¡­

    Maybe next time¡­

    I have two ways I can go right now. I could spend the remainder of my energy on buffing my physical stats like I didst time or I could try and find an affordable organ I can purchase with the remainder of the energy stored in my core.

    There are so many options! I could get an extra set of legs? NOPE. The correct number of legs is clearly six, eight would make me an arachnid and that is simply no go. I don''t really need more eyes or anything.

    I could get a venom nd added to my bite, or I could get a sting in my business zone to inject venom. There are quite a few ants with stingers that I know of, fire ants probably the mostmon of those. This is due to ants actually being an evolution of the wasp family.

    I think I''ll skip the stinger for now, my back zone is clearly dangerous enough already.

    The aura nds are still too expensive for me as tasty as they are. Those will have to wait until further down the line.

    I think I might take a look at things that might enhance my already potent defence, there has to be some interesting nds or organs that can help me out in this department. For the short term future I will be using magic as my primary offense, the whole point of choosing this path was achieve that end, so I''m not too concerned about raising my physical offense for the time being.

    So let''s see what we can see. I already have the healing nd that gives me the burst of healing I want but there are still a ton of other options, such as purchasing secondary hearts and such to increase survivability. Since I''m an invertebrate, with my skeleton on the outside, I don''t think the back-up organs are that necessary for me. For a soft, spongy creature those parts are quite vulnerable and may need to be protected but not me.

    What I need is something that will increase my outer defence even further. I can purchase a second healing nd but I''ll pass on that. Let''s see, there has to be something here¡­.

    Aha!

    This looks tasty!

    [Inner Carapace ting: Designed to support an exo-skeleton from within, this additional set of bone ting will increase the flexibility and thickness of a carapace]

    Muahaha!

    Nice!

    Examining the option more closely it seems less like ''ting'' and more like a web of criss crossing carapace wires underneath my outer skeleton. That''s probably why it''s cheap enough for me to afford!

    Rather than use the energy I have remaining on a small stat boost to my physical properties I spend it modifying my Inner ting to add more wires around my head to marginally increase the defensive boost around my precious brain.

    When it''s all said and done my final status will look like this:

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 1 (core)

    Might: 41

    Toughness: 29

    Cunning: 44

    Will: 35

    HP: 50/50

    MP: 110/110

    Skills: Excavation Level 7; Improved Acid Shot Level 6; Advanced Grip Level 2; Shattering Bite Level 6; Advanced Stealth Level 5; Splintering Chomp Level 2; Tunnel Map Level 3; Mana Transformation Level 1; Forceful Mana Level 4; External Mana Maniption Level 2; Mana Sensing Level 5; Core Engineer Level 6; Advanced Exo-Skeleton Defence level 5; Pet Communication Level 2; Dash Level 4;

    Mutations: Focused Eyes +7, Infrared Antennae +5, Restrictive Acid +5, Absorption Legs +5, Savage Infused Mandibles +10, Hardened Diamond Carapace +10, Limb Regeneration nd +5, Pheromone Language nd +5, Deep Gravity Magic nd +5, Coordination Cortex, Inner Carapace ting;

    Species: Dispersed Mind Ant (Formica)

    Skill points: 12

    Biomass: 0

    Pleased with what I see I confirm my choices and my mind falls instantly down into a deep void filled with ck.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    AUTHORS THOUGHTS (toorge to fit in the little box ^^)

    Here is the chapter, early for those who can''t wait for the evolution to finish!

    It''s feels quite weird to ask people for money for something I give away for free, but thanks to the reader who donated yesterday. I went and enjoyed a coffee this morning on you!

    If you would like to donate the link is here: ko-fi/rinoz0820

    I''m setting up a ******* that will include advance chapters of Chrysalis as well as a weekly ******* exclusive webnovel O_O, as well as other perks like designing monsters for the story (I need help!) and being a soundboard for ideas.

    The Discord server is being setup also. If you want to jump in the link is here: https://discord.gg/BFEfytf

 Chapter 63 Words with the White Wizard

    <h4>Chapter 63 Words with the White Wizard </h4>

    I always expect to get knocked out when evolving but this feels slightly different. I don''t feel like I''m being pulled downward into slumber but quite literally being pulled downward!

    I can feel my consciousness being pulled down into my core, dragged away from its home in my ant body in a non-pain free process.

    What the heck is going on here!? I was just about to evolve and enjoy my rise to triumph! What the heck is this? Is this some punishment for hitting Tiny too much? He deserved it! I swear!

    Did I kill too many humans? Is there god going to take punishment on me for reaping juicy experience from them? Those were bad people! Probably!

    To tell you the truth I don''t know!

    Despite my protestations and desperate iling with my mind I have absolutely no control. Like a water balloon held in an iron fist my mind can only slosh about as it is inexorable pulled away, into the core, and then down, further down. A tiny thread like tendril has extended from the dark and connected to my core and it''s through this thread that I am drawn, dragged even.

    Like Alice tumbling down a rabbit hole I can sense myself sinking down a winding path, twisting here, turning there and always spiralling further downward, to the very center.

    Of what I have no freakin'' clue. As a disembodied mind I don''t really have ess to a whole lot of sensory options. None, is the precise number now that I think about it. I think Vibrant would die of sheer boredom in this ce! Not to mention Tiny, he''d have nothing to fight! Or eat¡­.

    Crinis would probably be quite fine though, now that I consider it. She''d miss the sensation of touch obviously but she''s used to going without the others¡­

    I continue to babble to myself to on the surface level of my mind mainly to distract from the sheer existential terror I''m experiencing.

    I''M FREAKING OUT OVER HERE!

    It isn''t often your consciousness is quite literally dragged out of your body and pulled to a new location whilst you spin,pletely blind and unaware of the process going on? How often could that possibly happen to a person!? It''s only the second time I''ve ever experienced this sensation!

    ...

    The realisation stills my pounding¡­ mental¡­ heart.. For a single second.

    Actually¡­ I did go through this whole thing before once didn''t I?

    I can remember, vaguely, what it felt like when I ¡­ died, I guess? I could feel my mind slipping away from my body, pulled out and dragged through who knows what to who knows where. The hunger and sensation from my old body just faded away then everything went white and then¡­

    [Then you heard a voice which weed you to your new world]

    Yeah! Then Gandalf spoke to me and everything got started on this crazy antventure¡­

    ¡­.

    Gandalf!?

    [Is that what you call me, young one?]

    Well¡­.. Yeah? That is certainly the voice of the Gandalf the Grey and I''ll say the same even if you don''t let me pass¡­

    [Pass where?]

    ¡­. Doesn''t matter I suppose. What''s going on here exactly O Bearded One? Could I perhaps be returned to my body please?

    [Your core has reached the level of density required for me to reach out to you in this way young Anthony. It is kind of ¡­ traditional, that I speak to those like you personally at this point of their new journey]

    Uh¡­. Don''t you talk to me almost constantly? Every time I level up and so on?

    [Thosemunications are a little more ¡­ subconscious. For me to reach out to you with my active mind requires a little more¡­ sturdiness on your part. You have reached this point very quickly I must say, you must have adapted to the monstrous life well]

    That sturdinessment is a little disturbing. I reached this point quickly? Compared to what? The other people like me? Just how many people do you drag in here Gandalf? Are you in the habit of abducting people?

    ¡­

    Can I go away now? Please?

    [I reach out to grasp an existence like yours and bring them into this world periodically. It helps¡­ various things]

    What do you mean ''like me''? I don''t recall there being anything particrly special about me?

    [Oh you don''t? I have found it takes a certain resilience of mind, a certain ¡­. Insanity, to allow a sentient creature such as a human to survive the transition to life in the Dungeon of this world without¡­ breaking. I try to find souls such as yours, souls that have lived a life of deprivation and suffering. I find they are better equipped to handle the madness, ughter and solitary life of a monster]

    ¡­..

    ¡­..

    But¡­ I don''t particrly see myself as having suffered a horrible life or anything though? It was bit tough sometimes but, everybody hurts, you know?

    ¡­.

    (There is a slight stunned silence between the two us for a moment)

    ¡­

    [You starved to death at age fifteen¡­.]

    ¡­.

    Well ¡­ yeah I know that right? But I always thought that was a bit moremon than people gave it credit, you know? People starve to death all over the world, many of them younger than me. That''s not so bad.

    ¡­.

    (I''m not sure that Gandalf was quite expecting the response he is getting)

    [Weren''t you also abandoned by your parents?]

    ¡­

    I wouldn''t necessarily say abandoned¡­ They did disappear one morning with all of their clothes and any belongings that were worth anything. Not to mention my rtives immediately stopped answering my calls, leaving me stranded with debtors on the door¡­. But hey¡­ could have been worse.

    [Could have been worse?!]

    Sure! ¡­ Could have had my leg cut off.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    [Didn''t that happen too?]

    Well¡­. A bit.

    [A BIT?!]

    Fine! Sheesh! So what!? I still had my pets at least.

    [Ah yes, your pet colony of ants. You fed them everything you had, didn''t you? Until you starved to death]

    Can we stop talking about the death and such? I''m more of a forward looking person¡­

    [Would you describe it as sane for a person to feed a colony of ants above themselves to the point they died from it?]

    Not everyone has my sense of responsibility and devotion Gandalf, what can I say?

    [That is the reason I reincarnated you as an ant, by the way, I thought it would be a ¡­forting form for you]

    So it really was pet ants = ant rebirth!? Dammit!

    [You don''t like it?]

    ¡­. It worked out ok in the end but I have to say Gandalf, it was quite a shaky start!

    [Yes, many don''t make it past the first few days, despite my best efforts]

    So .. What happens to those who ¡­ don''t make it?

    [Death, of course]

    ¡­.

    (Yikes!)

    [I hope you can continue to seed young Anthony, who knows, perhaps I''ll see you in person one day]

    In person? Like.. You''re not a spirit or something? Where the heck are you?

    [If you go down far enough, you should find me]

    I just might you know! (not in a million years)

    [You may not have a choice¡­ Good luck!]

    With that I feel my mind once again being manipted by a power beyond its control, flung back out of wherever the heck I''ve been and up, up, up through the tendril and mmed back into my core.

    Ouch!

    From my core I can feel my consciousness once again settle inside its rightful house. Before I can even begin to process the bizarre conversation with He of the floppy hat I sink slowly into sleep as the evolution process takes hold of me properly.

    Dangi...

 Chapter 64 The Low Rider

    <h4>Chapter 64 The Low Rider </h4>

    Gradually my mind begins to resurface. It''s a strange feeling, seeing as I don''t actually get to sleep as an ant but rather going into the stasis like rest of torpor so I''m not actually used to properly cking out like this.

    The memory of what had taken ce when I evolved still boils away in my mind. Gandalf? Is he actually down in the Dungeon somewhere? I push away the bad memories of my previous life that had been dragged up during the conversation, I don''t waste time focusing on that stuff. I have plenty to be about in the here and now after all! I''ve got a new family, pets and a brand new Mother to look after, no point stuffing about thinking of things that are long gone.

    Sensations bubble up in my awareness until the lightes on in my eyes and then BAM, I''m awake!

    HAH!

    HOOGABAH!

    I''m here! I''m ready! It''s actions stations people!

    ¡­.

    Why is my face full of fluff?!

    Flexing my legs and body I can feel all of the familiar appendages are in their proper ces, six legs, two antennae, the junk in my trunk. All seems good!

    The real problem I have is all this damn fuzz in my face! What the heck is going on!

    [Tiny!]

    [¡­.]

    [Tiny is that you?!]

    [¡­.]

    [Get the hell up Tiny! I need to move about in here!]

    [¡­. Sleepy]

    [Go sleep on the surface or something! I can''t even see with all this fuzz in my eyes!]

    [¡­. Tired]

    [That''s the same thing as sleepy! Get the heck out of here you lump!]

    I can sense an exasperated sigh over the mental link, as if I''m the one being unreasonable! Just who does this ape think he is? And why the heck is he so damn fluffy now!?

    Gradually the fuzz begins to shift and move and I can gradually see a little better. A wall of long white fuzzy hair rolls away from me towards the entrance where I can hear grunting punctuated by frustrated growls.

    ¡­

    [Do you not fit?!]

    [¡­. No]

    Dangit! I shouldn''t be too surprised since the entrance and chamber was a little squeezy before he evolved. Knowing Tiny and his general species I can only assume that he has gotten even more powerful andrge after evolving. If I''d thought ahead properly I would have realised this would happen and made proper preparations.

    [You''ll have to dig your way out buddy. Try digging straight out that way and you shoulde out the side of the hill, near the top]

    Our chamber is usually dug the closest to the top and off to the side somewhere, out of the way of the rest of the colony so there shouldn''t be a problem if he starts digging his way through. Even if the side of the hill copses it won''t take down any chambers others than ours and we can dig out easily enough.

    I hear a deep scraping as the ape starts to dig his way out. The only visible evidence I have of that is the shifting white hair pressed into my face.

    Eventually he finally breaks through. Grunting happily to himself he hauls himself out into the light and I finally get a good look at his new size as he moves.

    He''s big! That''s a big ape!

    He was alreadyrge enough to put any earth sized gori to shame but he must have increased in size by thirty percent with this evolution! If he were to stand up to his maximum height he''d probably crack ten feet, easy! His thick, powerful arms are covered in long white hairs, the shorter hair on his torso is also mostly white. On closer inspection, he isn''t pure snow white like a pr bear, more of a burnished silvery colour.

    Is he a silverback now?

    [What species are you now Tiny, do you remember?]

    Out on the side of the hill now and basking in the sunshine, Tiny turns to look at me and I can see his bat face is nowpletely ck, rather than the dark grey it used to be. His eyes however are a deep glowing red.

    [¡­]

    [Your species? What kind of monster are you now? Do you know at all bud?]

    He stares at me nkly.

    [Did your cunning actually go DOWN?!]

    [¡­]

    Holy moly! Just how muscle-brained is this guy going to get as he keeps evolving? If he gets any dumber than this he''ll forget how to eat! Looking at his bulky form that practically radiates strength I can only imagine how potent those massive fists have be now. This species clearly prioritises physical strength above all else, even having a brain.

    In some ways he makes the perfect pet but I wish he had a bit more going on in the upstairs department. I want him to be able to have independent thoughts and be able to think for himself, rather than rely on me to point him in the right direction and make sure he has what he needs. Ah well. Maybe I can do something about that down the line.

    Now that I have a little more space in the chamber, as well as a snazzy new natural lighting I can get a handle on what is going on in the room. Where is Vibrant? She doesn''t seem to be over in her corner, so she must have woken up by now.. Where is she?

    "Vibrant?" I call.

    "Hi-Hi!" I hear her chirpy response.

    ¡­.

    Did thate from¡­

    Using my antennae I feel around on the top of my head and sure enough something is there. Shifting my head position back a little I can clearly see her beady little ant eyes staring back at me. She looks almost exactly the same! Wait!

    "Have you evolved, Vibrant?"

    "Yup-yup!"

    DANG.

    "Do you remember what species you chose?" I grate out.

    "Of course! Vibrant took one of the special options, just like Senior said! Superior Hatchling Worker!" she deres proudly.

    So still a hatchling.

    I slump to the ground, defeated. I''m going to have to put up with this helpless little freeloader until she reaches level ten, then craft another special core for her, then maybe she''ll be useful after that!

    Haaaah.

    Oh well. No use crying over spilt¡­. Something.

    I can see that Crinis is still in ce, nestled onto my mid-section between the joints where my legs attach to my carapace.

    [How are you Crinis? Ready to go and getrge?]

    [Ready master] she replies, [Was your evolution sessful?]

    [It was! Some very nice bonuses picked up this time!]

    [You don''t seem to have changed much that I can tell master] she says, extending a few little tentacles to pat about my carapace, probably checking my size.

    [All of the changes took ce on the inside this time! And they weren''t small either!] I boast, [wait and see what I can do now]

    [I look forward to it master]

    I can already feel the difference within me. My mind is positively humming with strength, like a sports car sitting in neutral, just revving and ready to go. I can feel my sub-brains sitting idly inside me, each of them are more powerful than the single one I had before and I now have the ability to harness them together, get them to act in concert on a single task.

    I can''t wait to flex this new mental muscle!

    Let''s try it!

    Mana! Transfooooooooorm!

    Eagerly I direct my new mental rig to attempt the never before achieved mana transformation. This process is so difficult that I honestly have no idea how any human is actually able to achieve it at all, let alone in a fight!

    First I need to bring the mana out of my core, directing it into threads that I begin to weave and shape into a mind bending construction that I''m beginning to suspect goes a little beyond the three dimensions I''m familiar with. Intricate whoops and whirls that curve back and in on themselves before fine filigree patterns are weaved on the outside AND on the inside of almost the entire thing!

    I get a headache just picturing the stupid thing.

    At least¡­ I did.

    Muu¡­ muuuha¡­.. Mua!.... MUAHAHAHAHA!!!

    YESSSSSSS!

    Throwing the bulk of the work over to my sub brains I can feel them thrum into life as they take the strain of directing and shaping the mana. The cortex acts like a foreman, directing the efforts of the two brains to ensure they don''t ovep and their independent efforts slot together like clockwork.

    I can feel the sub brains straining under the load of directing the whispy threads of energy but they are far more capable than the old sub brain was. Not only is their mental strength beefier but they have an upgraded amount of willpower, giving them a bit more grunt.

    What this does is free up my main mind to patch up the gaps. Keeping the whole picture on my mind as I leap in and patch up wherever I notice a deviation or a particrly tricky bit that the sub brains can''t quite handle on their own.

    Gradually, over a few minutes the mind magic transformation construct begins to take shape and excitement rises in my heart. It might actually happen this time!

 Chapter 65 Mind at work

    <h4>Chapter 65 Mind at work </h4>

    Nearly there!

    This construct has defeated me over and over again. To the point that this glittering shape of mana is literally burned into the insides of my eyelids. Except that I don''t have eyelids. Not the point!

    With every passing second the shape begins toe together, weaved out of threads of light, it shines brilliantly inside my mind.

    Finally!

    *crunch*

    AW HECK!

    In my eagerness I slip in my control and one of the threads get shunted out of ce. Which, of course, causes the entire thing to copse in on itself and dissipate into nothing¡­.

    ¡­..

    GAAAAAAAAH!

    Undone by my own eagerness and joy at sess! This is the cruel irony of the world at y and not entirely my fault!

    Ok it is.

    I can almost feel the smouldering resentment from my own sub brains, irritated that I ruined their work. What the heck!? You don''t'' get to be mad at me dammit! I''ll make you guys transform mana on your own until you melt into sludge!

    That''s right! That''s who''s in charge!

    Putting aside this failure I''m still feeling extremely positive. I''d never been that close to seeded in that notorious transformation before and now I almost nailed it on my first attempt! With diligent practice I''m sure I''ll be able to seed. If I can manage the mind mana transformation then I can surely seed with the simple ones. It seems this evolution was a wild sess!

    The next thing I''m keen to try is working on the cores. If I can practice the core engineering skill at a faster rate then I''ll be massively pleased!

    Rushing over to the cores I roll one out with my mandibles and crack right in.

    Core Engineering!

    My mind sink down into the little core in front of me and the nebulous energies that contain the information, the mana DNA, of the monster rise in my mind.

    Now for the tricky bit.

    Bringing the force of my mind to bare and calling upon the reserves that are my sub brains for assistance I begin to force and hold the changes to the information in the core. What I find almost immediately is¡­ it''s so much easier! First of all, forcing the change is a breeze with all the power I have humming inside my head, then locking into ce is so much easier that I''m able to task my sub brains with that and then move onto the next change immediately!

    This is going to increase the speed of my skill training immensely!

    Happily I continue to shove around the values in the core, makingrge stat changes sometimes and then going in and making finer adjustments to the body shape, muscle density, even the brain matter! As usual the process bes more and more difficult the further away from the original state of the core we get, but with my newfound mental strength I can push it so much further than before, reaping more xp from every core that I start to work on.

    I could almost cry, this is everything I wished for! Now my core engineering skills will be able to go to the next level!

    Once I hit the wall with the first core I push it to one side and then take a brief rest. If I alternate resting and working I''ll be able to work for longer and grind my skills more efficiently, even with my extra brain power this rule will hold true.

    After a minute or two I shift over to the next core and then the next. On it goes until the fatigue starts to mount up but I push through until my mind is entering the familiar braindead zone that I spent so much of thest few days in.

    [Core Engineering has reached level 8]

    Haaaaaaa. Yes!

    Two whole levels from grinding today. It took me hours of effort but on the other hand, with my new brain rig I''m able to make more changes to each core, and work for a longer period of time, before I fall t and run out of energy. This is a huge boost and gaining two levels in one go is evidence of the kind of power my new brain is packing!

    Two more and I''ll be able to morph it into the next level of the skill I cannot wait!

    Literally, I can''t.

    I know Tiny is hungry and Vibrant is bored, I think she''s run off somewhere with Crinis actually., but this is too important to me. My biggest goal and major project is dependent on this skill taking shape.

    Determined to see it through I decisively ¡­ take a nap! Need to replenish my mental stores. When I wake up I notice that Tiny has shifted his position and moved somewhere below me. Judging by my senses he got tired of waiting and tunnelled his way down to underneath the Queens chamber so he''d at least have something to eat.

    I don''t mind that, I''m starving myself actually, but the corese first!

    Cores, cores, cores!

    Pleased to notice that my headache is resolved I jump straight back into grinding and the hours while away until my thoughts are sluggish and my head is pounding. The pile of cores I''ve worked on goes past fifty and almost reaches seventy by the time I finally get the announcement.

    [Core Engineering has reached level 10, skill upgrade avable]

    [Core Engineering -> Core Surgery. This skill guides the user when making finer and detailed changes to core energies, also enables the maniption of the core of living creatures]

    A snap!

    I knew it! I had a feeling this wasing after my conversation with Formo, after all, how could they create such insanely powerful monsters in one go? Surely they worked on them over a number of evolutions after setting the core up the way they liked it! Here is the proof I was right!

    Gweheheheheh.

    This will enable me to work on the cores of Tiny and Crinis if I want, adjusting their path of evolution as they go! Not to mention the project I''ve been wanting to do this whole time. It''s going to be a lot of work but the future of the colony will never look brighter once I''m done!

    That''s right. I''m going to work on the Queen! If she agrees then I''ll use this skill to make adjustments to her core, not changing her at all, but focusing on her children. If I can make her offspring more intelligent, more like Vibrant, then I''ll be able to teach and guide them, turning them into something more than just workers.

    Don''t get me wrong, my siblings are great ants, loyal and brave, hardworking, basically better than me in almost every aspect. After seeing them cut down in their dozens by the humans as they charged blindly forward though¡­ I decided then that I would have to make a change.

    Ants are designed to fight that way, to sacrifice themselves, hurl themselves forward and overwhelm the enemy with sheer numbers, their lives treated as disposable. I don''t want my siblings to live like that! Family is important! I want them to be intelligent and clever, surviving the fight and not dying off pointlessly.

    With this skill I can make it happen. I''ll go into the core and modify the offspring of the Queen until they are like me.. Super ants!

 Chapter 66 The pain inside

    <h4>Chapter 66 The pain inside </h4>

    At this moment, with my head filled with the glorious victory of the new super-ant race, I notice something a little odd.

    There is a dull acheing right from my core.

    What the heck is with that? What on Pangera makes your core hurt? Do I have core-itis? Flu of the core? Seasonal Core swelling?

    I''m unusually disturbed by this inexplicable pain. Once formed, the core is attached to a monsters life force. If anything where to happen to it I''m not sure how long I''dst!

    Focusing intently on this feeling I try to analyse it. When I carefully sense the area around my core the issue bes clearer, there is more going on than meets the eye. Almost like a lung that is slowly leaking, as time passes my core is slowly draining energy out into the air. Almost as if when my body tries to draw in mana there isn''t anything there and then I ''exhale'' mana out.

    I''m losing mana!

    As time passes the loss bes more noticeable until I was stuck with this pain that I can now feel. It''s literally my core gasping for air! I need mana! Whilst the pain ispletely debilitating now it''s only going to get worse the more energy I leak.

    I suddenly realise that this must have been what was inflicting the Queen! Weakened and in pain by theck of mana she had literally been bleeding her life out into the air until I had finally noticed something was wrong.

    I can''t help but get a little emotional.

    Dammit Mother! Just how self-sacrificing can you be!? Just because I''d said the colony would be safe on the surface you were willing to bleed mana from your core until you died?! Why is it the best Mother I''ve ever had is a giant ant?

    Well now I feel like garbage. Not only because my core is increasingly pained but the guilt of unknowingly causing such suffering to a dear parent. I''ll make it up to you Queen! You''ll be the mother of the most sessful ant colony in the history of the entire .. Wherever we are!

    I''m not really sure if this is the same universe as the one I was born it,e to think of it. Something to ask Gandalf if I ever see him again.

    Well now that I know about this problem, what am I going to do about it? The fact that it took a few days for the problem to grow this severe means I''m notpletely unable to operate on the surface, I''ll just have to take frequent trips underground. Actually, is this the reason that Tiny has relocated himself underground? It''s possible that his core has also advanced to the point where he can''t sustain himself on the surface level of mana.

    Sighing to myself I grasp my bag of unworked on cores in my mandibles and make my way down to where Tiny is currently sitting munching on some low level nts that leapt out of the walls and into his waiting hands.

    As soon as I descend past the surface level and into the Dungeon proper I can feel a sense of relief. As the light emitted by the mana veins washes over me and my feet begin drinking energy in a steady flow the pain in my core begins to ease. I can feel myself getting a little more energetic and alert as I stop leeching out my life into the air. Feels good!

    This incident does really hit home at something that Gandalf said. When he told me I might join him one day he suggested I might have a choice but to go further down. Is this what he meant? Every time I condense my core and evolve I''ll have a higher requirement for mana, forcing me to live deeper and deeper in the Dungeon? I guess this exins why the most powerful monsters live closer to the center¡­

    I''m not sure how I feel about this. Obviously evolving is the best thing in the universe I should keep doing it, but then aren''t I basically imprisoning myself?

    ¡­.

    It''splicated! Think about itter!

    This is my policy and I''ll stick to it!

    Tiny seems quite rxed down here, his silvery hair taking on a distinct blue shade in the reflected light of the Dungeon. I pass him the bag and then take some time to hollow out a chamber for us to use, shoving the loose soil further down the tunnel. Once that''s done I ask Tiny to keep watch for me and rest a little before resuming my core grinding. I don''t want to rush over and start working on the Queen''s core straight away with Core Surgery at level 1. If I can push a few more levels out of it then I''ll be more confident at being able to achieve my goal.

    Back to grinding!

    It takes a few more naps and one hundred cores before I finally achieve Core Surgery level 3. By this time my brain feels like a puddle of sludge and my other brains aren''t much better. Despite my improved mental power, grinding through so many cores in such a short time has pushed me right up to the wall. This kind of speed would have beenpletely impossible before my evolution so there is that to celebrate. I have to say though, training this line of skills is a pain in the ass!

    Who has one hundred cores lying around, Gandalf?!

    All in all I''ve nearly gone through two hundred cores over thest few days, perfecting my skill at making nuanced changes to monsters and grinding that precious xp to get to this point. How long would it have taken me to amass all of these cores if I hadn''t been able to rob the Lirian vault?

    Not wanting to waste the opportunity I flick cores at Tiny until he''s full up. He''s at the same level of evolution as I am so it takes fifty cores for him to top out, then I do the same for myself.

    [Your core has reached max capacity for your level of evolution].

    Hue hue hue hue.

    So soon after evolving and my core is already maxed out. It feels so good! All we need now is the special cores but there is no way I''m going to put up with that pain for an extended time again. I can whip those up right when we are ready to evolve.

    Although¡­. If you give it enough time would you get used to it enough that you could absorb a second one¡­..

    As if reading my thoughts Tiny raises his head a res at me with his dark red eyes.

    ¡­.

    Never mind!

    I don''t think I''ll be able to raise the skill any higher for the short term, so I take good nap, getting Tiny to defend me from the spawning monsters and making sure he feeds the Biomass to Crinis.

    When I wake up I''m fully refreshed. Time to head over to the Queen and try this out!

    Zipping up the tunnel, full of beans I push my way through the crowd of workers ande face to face with Mother once again. The giant ant is quite cid at the moment, perhaps enjoying this interlude of rtive quiet.

    "Hello Mother, how are things?" I enquire.

    She reaches forward to tap on my head. "I am well little one. The colony has been safe here, you have done well".

    Aw shucks! I''m not used to this sort of praise. If I could blush I would!

    "Thanks Mother" I beam, "I''m d I could help!"

    "Of course child. We should always seek to better our family" she says warmly.

    "Exactly! That''s why I''m here!" I say enthusiastically, "I''ve gained a skill that will allow me to make all of the ants in the colony stronger!"

    The Queen''s antennae whip about a little in surprise. "Really child? That''s wonderful" she says.

    Now for the tricky bit. I hesitate a little at this point. "Thing is, it''ll only work on the ants who haven''t been born yet, I can''t do anything to the family members who are already alive".

    The Queen seems confused. "What are you nning on doing?" she asks.

    I really have no idea how the monstrous Queen is going to react to the idea of me modifying her core. She is quite intelligent for a monster but her own logic and mine and quite different, as well as our experiences. This Queen is still not even one year old, after all, she can''tpare to my own nearly sixteen years of life.

    "This is what I can do" I decide to exin it all carefully, "I can perform the skill on your core, while you rest here. Then I can make the young that will be born in the future more powerful, smarter. I''m hoping that by doing this more of them will be able to survive and grow until they can evolve, making the colony stronger"

    The Queen wibbles her antennae around for a while as she digests this news. "So you think you will be able to keep more children alive?" she asks.

    "Yes" I reply, "Their species won''t change and they will still be our family, but they''ll be better equipped to survive and live a long life. What do you think?"

    This is the magic moment. I''ve worked so hard to try and make this project a reality but if the Queen says no then I won''t question it. The project will die right here. Perhaps it''s silly to take the feeling of a monster into ount but this giant ant is no ordinary monster to me, this is the best parent and family member I''ve ever had.

    My main motivation for this project isn''t even for ant world domination. I just don''t want to see my siblings throwing their lives way anymore. I want them to be smart enough to retreat when needed and be able to take care of themselves.

    I look the Queen straight in the eye and await her judgement. I tried to be as honest as I could and exin things in a way she could understand. My heart is pounding in my chest as she gazes calmly back at me.

    Eventually she speaks.

    "Of course child. It is the responsibility of every member of our family to strengthen the whole. If you can achieve this we will all benefit. That is what being part of the colony is about. You can start when you are ready".

    Of course, I should never have doubted the Queen''s capacity to risk herself for her children.

 Chapter 67 The day that changed Pangera

    <h4>Chapter 67 The day that changed Pangera </h4>

    Tentatively, I bring my antennae into contact with the Queen''s and then activate the skill.

    Core Surgery!

    With what I learned during the skill upgrade I know that all I need is to be touching a part of the body on the monster I''ll be ''operating'' on but with an ant it feels like the antennae are the most appropriate ce.

    As soon as the skill is activated I feel a massive burst of information as the details of the Queen''s core explode in my mind.

    Yikes!

    The Queen has by far the mostplicated and powerful monster core I''ve seen with the exception of Formo''s worm! Frantically I put my sub brains to work processing all of this information before the onught of data just straight knocks me out. With my backup dancers doing their part the pressure eases off instantly and I look in awe at the elegance of the Queen''s core.

    She''s actually a very powerful and rare creature isn''t she?

    I got the impression that ants weren''tmon in the Dungeon, based on what the Queen told me, usually appearing randomly at the bottom of the first strata or sometimes even lower than that. After all, they have the extremely rare ability to produce their own offspring, rather than waiting for the Dungeon to spawn more of their kind. We ants aren''t the only ones in the Dungeon with this ability but we are among the most feared.

    Looking at the Queen''s core I can finally see how this function works. The Queen actually has awork of nds and organs that work together to perform this job. I had thought I''d just find an ''Eggying organ +10'' or something in here but it isn''t the case. The Queen has three total organs that contribute to producing her offspring.

    The way the offspring are produced is also not what I expected. Rather than being made from nothing, as eggs that then need to mature, the Queen actually converts Biomass that she eats into eggs that can then be born. THIS is the reason that the workers bring her almost all of the Biomass that they catch. Biomass points are directly converted into new workers inside the Queen!

    In a sh I make another realisation. This is why the Queen''s egg producing rate has gone down ever since we came up to the surface! Like me, she has a powerful core and is a higher tier monster. She doesn''t get much Biomass from eating surface monsters or weak, lower level creatures. She was born at the lowest reaches of the first Strata, her natural prey are down there! With so little Biomass points being produced, her rate ofying has plummeted.

    This also exins the connected organs for egg producing.

    Firstly she has an organ attached to her stomach that is designed to drain off Biomass and covert it to some kind of liquid sludge. This is the Biomass Conversion Organ and it looks as if the Queen hasn''t upgraded it at all¡­

    I bet she spent almost every bit of Biomass on eggs and healing upgrades¡­

    Sure enough, when I check through all of her organ data she''s upgraded her antennae to +5 for healing channelling and upgraded her healing mana nd to +5 to take burst heal upgrade that lets her wave out the energy over an area, perfect for healing a huge army of ants.

    She''s really too unselfish. This also shows a littleck of wisdom due to her being a young monster. Upgrading the egg production organs is by far the fastest way to grow the colony''s power. I''ll have to convince her to upgrade all the organs rted to producing eggs as quickly as possible, all the way to +10 if we can, but at least to +5.

    The second organ in the process is the lifeform recoding organ. If the job of the Conversion Organ is to strip the Biomass of its properties, turning it into a multipurpose goo, then this organ is for reshaping that stuff into the necessary material for ant egg making.

    Finally there was the egg production nd itself. This was responsible for taking the reformed goop and making it into ant eggs, essentially encoding ant DNA on the sludge.

    This process is going to be moreplicated than I thought. I figured I could just go to the ''baby ant'' section and whip up some magic but apparently not! I may have to make changes to multiple organs here and rework them slightly.

    I think I''ll have to work backwards. I''ll start at thest step, the egg production organ. Reaching in with the most delicate control mybined minds can muster, I ever so carefully begin to make fine adjustments to the design of the eggs produced by the organ.

    I don''t have any intention of changing the early life phases of the ants. They''ll go from eggs torvae, as usual. In fact I actually extend the early, development phase of their lives. By increasing their youthful state I gain leeway to develop them into moreplex organism at the end of the process. The longer the gestation period the more ''allowance'' I get. I don''t want to keep the young inrval form for ages but a little longer than they do currently gives me a little wiggle room, I''m looking at adding a lot ofplexity to these guys.

    The first thing I do is give the hatchling worker a much moreplex brain, beefing up the cunning stat considerably. I won''t be able to get them to the same level of Cunning that I had when I was reborn as an ant and I''m not aiming too. If I gave them a brain thatplicated they''d berval for a year and the Queen would need so much Biomass to produce a single egg it wouldn''t be worth it. Instead I''ll give them the intelligence of a young human child which they can build on over the course of their evolutions.

    The next thing I do is give them the pheromonenguage nd at birth. This way I''ll be able tomunicate and teach them right from the moment they are born. If they can ask questions and talk with each other then they should all advance at a faster pace.

    Hmmmm¡­

    Theseplicated additions are really stressing the system here. I''ve overdrawn on my budget. To bnce out the changes I''ve made I''m forced to reduce the physical stats of the hatchlings to an even more horrible floor than they already started with. They''ll be smaller and weaker than the current workers by a significant margin. It shouldn''t matter though. My goal is to raise them up myself until they achieve their first evolution, then I''m hoping they''ll be strong enough to take care of the next generation without me.

    Next I push my current core engineering skill to the very limit and begin to change the evolutionary paths avable to the workers. At the very least I can alter the first few tiers. The inbuilt knowledge thates with my skill tells me that the system will be able to fill in the rest even if I don''t settle it myself. I just have to hope that it can carry on with the foundations Iy in a sensible way.

    For the future ant society I''m envisioning I create three basic paths of evolution. The soldier path for those ants dedicated to battle, the support path for those who will be healers, tend to the young and be the future Queens and the artisan path for the ants who will indulge in their love of digging and making stuff. I''m extremely curious to see exactly what sort of things a highly intelligent ant decides to create!

    The Soldiers will obviously focus on physical stats and resilience. Their future paths include leaders with auras, tanks and scouts. Each individual can vour their own path with whatever skills and mutations they like so hopefully this allows enough individuality.

    The Support or Worker ss will be more intelligent, focus on the work of the colony, caring for the brood and the Queens. Their future paths include Juvenile Queens, Healer ants and Brood tenders.

    The Artisans are the caste I''m depending on to take over my core maniption duties. I don''t want to have to form special cores myself for every ant in the colony after all. These guys are highly intelligent and have a strong will but are the weakest physically by far. Their paths include Core Maniptor, Ant Mage and Carver ant. Thest one I gifted with exceedingly mobile ws on their front legs, almost like hands. I''m not sure what they''ll be able to do with them but perhaps they''ll surprise me.

    I also manage to put in ce special evolutions for each of these paths. I don''t think an entire colony of ants will be able to fully reinforce their cores or anything but it doesn''t hurt to be prepared.

    By now the changes are really starting to push back hard and my mind is hitting the wall. I judge I won''t be able to do much more before I can''t go any further. I carefully check over my work so far to make sure I haven''t made any massive mistakes like shift their antennae into the middle of their eyes or something.

    With that task settled I sit back and take in my work, figuratively speaking. Despite the downgrades I''ve made the rate of egg production for the new ants is still going to be about half of what is was before. I''m ok with this though. If each of the new workers can prove to be twice as effective as the previous then it''ll work out just fine.

    Next I move onto the secondary organ and make the minute adjustments to ensure that the Bio-Soup being produced contains the extra bits and pieces needed to produce the new juiced up eggs.

    By this point my head is on fire. There isn''t anything more I can do here even if I wanted to. Hopefully the work I''ve done here is sufficient to make my dream a reality.

    With that I withdraw my mind from the core of the Queen.

 Chapter 68 Unexpected company

    <h4>Chapter 68 Unexpectedpany </h4>

    My mind snaps back to its regr housing and I take a moment to reorient myself. I''m still where I was before, partially buried in a mound of workers with the Queen standing in front of me, quite close.

    "Are you alright child?" she asks, seeing me suddenly look so fatigued.

    "I''mpletely fine!" I gasp out as my brain continues to melt into sludge, "how are you? How did it all go?"

    I''m anxious to know if there was any pain or difort during the process. I could have tested it on my pets but there is a chance that the skill would have a different effect on them since they have a different rtionship with me than most monsters. In the end I went ahead and worked on the Queen hoping that it would all be fine.

    "I am fine" the Queen assures me, "it tickled a bit"

    ¡­.

    Tickled?

    So having the fundamental makeup of your being tinkered with only results in a tickle?

    Thank goodness!

    "That''s great!" I cry, "excellent! The whole process has been a sess! Hopefully from now own our family will experience a great gain in strength!"

    I stick around to counsel the Queen about spending some Biomass to mutate her egg production organs. She is quite reluctant at first but after trying several arguments I eventually tell her that by upgrading all three organs to +5 it will greatly increase the effect of the changes I''ve made to her core. This isn''t really a lie. If she upgrades those organs and chooses some good mutation advancements for them the rate of egg production will increase as the overall efficiency of the system goes up. I don''t know for sure what advancement choices will appear but it isn''t hard to guess that almost all of them will be based around speeding up the process, reducing the cost of each egg or improving the stats of the offspring, any of which would be fine!

    Once I''m certain that the Queen has agreed to upgrade all three organs before beginning to produce the new workers I drag myself back down to where Tiny is waiting and take a quick nap. The relentless battering my mind has taken has pushed even my newly evolved self pretty darn hard. Using the Core Surgery skill in particr was exceptionally draining. If I''d attempted to do it with my old self I''d have had absolutely no chance of getting anywhere at all. My respect for the Sophos only increases the further I walk down the path of core maniption. Just how powerful are their minds to create the things they do? Are their brains filling their heads and extending down into their torso? Where do they fit it all?!

    When I awake it isn''t because I''ve rested my fill, but rather because my antennae are picking up something strange. Emergency pheromones from the workers!

    Gah!

    What is it?! What''s happening?!

    [TINY! Come on man! Action stations!] I blearily shout.

    For once my pet ape is actually awake and when he sees me stumbling about drunkenly as I struggle to get my bearings he reaches out with massive paw and grabs hold of me firmly before picking me up and cing me on his shoulder.

    I clutch onto his fur to avoid falling t on my face and just like that he''s up and moving, carrying me along for the ride. With his massive arms he reaches out and takes hold of the tunnel walls before dragging his massive frame upwards as if climbing on a jungle gym.

    When we reach the Queen''s chamber it is buzzing like a hive, the workers jittering this way and that and some of them stream upwards to the peak of the hill. The majority of them seem to want to remain and defend the Queen albeit in a highly agitated manner. Buried somewhere in that nervous mass of the workers the Queen seems content to stay still for the time being. I don''t try to talk to her since it would be difficult to get a pheromone message through what is essentially hundreds of workers screaming "Emergency!" at the top of their lungs.

    Being careful not to crush the ants as he moves Tiny continues to carry us to the surface one handhold at a time. By this stage I''ve mostly sorted myself out. My headache hasn''t fully receded but it''s much improved from when I began my rest. I''ve managed to notice Crinis and Vibrant are rxing on my person as per usual, which is something of a relief. I''d rather they be where I can see them that off gallivanting somewhere when there might be a potential attack¡­

    When Tiny makes his way out in the light at the top of the anthill I can finally take in the situation. Hundreds of ants have already appeared in response to the threat, aggressively postured to defend the colony from all directions.

    Beyond them I can see something I truly did not expect to see.

    Several hundred dishevelled looking humans are clustered around a number of wagons pulled by extremely poorly looking horses. At the lead is a figure that I sadly recognise all too well.

    The priest, his robes stained with dirt and potentially dried blood bes ecstatic at the sight of me and runs forward, spooking the workers considerably. They gnash their mandibles at him and I reluctantly ask them to settle down as I advance forward to meet him.

    My life might be significantly simplified by this guy vanishing but I don''t really want to kill him of anything. Besides, judging by the look of all of these people something rather serious has gone down. I recognise a few others in the group as members of the vige that had rallied around me and the Queen during our short lived cooperation. In fact, the olddy I had captured before is here before¡­ Enid!

    As soon as the priest reaches me he falls to his knees and begins proiming in a loud voice, turning to indicate that the vigers behind him should do the same.

    ¡­.

    This guy really wants to feed the dark one''s ego, doesn''t he?

    I still have no idea what the heck he is saying so for the time being I have to leave him to his own devices. It''s a darn good thing I''ve evolved and actually have a chance to pull off the mind magic transformation, otherwise I''d be forced into some kind of interpretive dance right now.

    Turning my attention inwardly and ignoring the prostrating human in front of me I summon thebined power of the brains and begin to painstakingly work on the transformation structure.

    Not daring to allow myself any slips this time I double my focus and take everything slowly. This time I manage to make it all the way to the end of the process without stuffing it up but so careful and painstaking was I that it takes a full ten minutes for me finallyplete it. During this time the humans have started to grow increasingly fidgety but the priests'' capacity to extol my virtues seems to be endless.

    Sess! Finallyplete! I admire the fiendishlyplex final product in my mind. I''ve no idea why it''s so oundishly difficult to construct but it''s done! Now to put the darn thing to use.

    Along with the knowledge of how to construct the various mana transformers, the way to use them was also granted to me with the purchase of the skill. The construct itself doesn''t do anything special, it''s simply the magical mixing bowl that changes regr, attribute-less mana into the desired type.

    In this instance, what I do is maintain the finished construct with one of my sub-brains and get the other to draw out raw mana from my core, which is then fed into the shape in a specific way. As soon as the raw mana enters, the construct leaps into life, surprising me momentarily. I didn''t know it moved!

    The entire construct begins to spin and whorl, different sections moving at different speeds and in subtly different directions. The entire effect is like a beautiful dance, like an engine but infinitely more intricate.

    Then finally, FINALLY, out the other end of the construct a thin thread of glittering golden light emerges, Mind Mana!

    With my main mind I eagerly seize this new mana and begin to replicate the spell I''d seen Formo cast so magnificently and the human Queen cast so poorly.

    Mind Mana can do a heck of a lot more than this, I''m sure, but from what I''ve gathered this spell, which effectively enables universalmunication between any two organisms smart enough to think, kind of overshadows the rest of the kit.

    The Mind Bridge.

    Hesitantly at first, then with growing confidence, I reach out and connect to the best Human for the job.

    [Enid, what are you people doing here?]

    The olddy leaps a foot in the air and drops her basket, spilling its contents and drawing the attention of the people around her.

    "ME?!" she squawks.

 Chapter 69 Rumour has it

    <h4>Chapter 69 Rumour has it </h4>

    [Yes, you] I snap.

    Enid immediately stumbles forward until she reaches the side of the still sonorously praising one-armed priest.

    I see her concentrate and then her voice appears in my mind.

    [Wouldn''t it be more appropriate tomunicate with this man?] she indicates the priest, [it was he who led our people to this ce].

    This priest?! How the heck did he find me?! Does he have some sort of tracking device on me or something?! More likely he was able to follow our trail somehow but the bottom line remains, what the heck are these people here for? They certainly don''t look as they''vee to fight, judging by the number of women and children in the crowd, not to mention the sheerck of arms.

    [I will speak to you since I have had dealings with you before. Make it clear to the others I am speaking to you].

    I don''t want to talk to that guy. He makes me nervous.

    Enid take a moment to gingerly touch the priest on the shoulder and indicate that I ammunicating with her using mind magic. Rather than disappointed, the priests face is ovee with enlightenment and he bows low before me, head nearly touching the ground, before he backs away to speak animatedly to the crowd. Nothing phases this guy¡­

    [Enid. Tell me why these people have followed my family here to the wildnds]

    She hesitates a moment before she speaks. [Our homes have been destroyed. After you vanished following the assault on the castle things settled down at first. Many of the vigers wanted to know where you went but we weren''t told anything. Things were calm for a week but then¡­]

    She shivers then, her recollections are apparently still terrifying.

    Enid draws a deep breath before focusing her mind once more. [Then the capital caught fire. We could hear the roaring of beasts from our houses and the mes reached so high it was like the sky was burning. We were terrified, nobody knew what to do. Then monsters burst out of the Dungeon and into the church, dozens of them. Some of the vigers fought for a time but they were never ending. Then the big ones came¡­]

    She pauses for a moment, unable to go on. I''m not as good at reading human expressions as perhaps I was before but she seems overwhelmed with sadness and tears are streaming down her cheeks.

    [Giant crocodiles came out. The children of Garralosh. They killed so many¡­ Only thanks to Father Beyn did we survive. He rallied the survivors and organised a retreat. We ran from the town with nothing but what we could carry on our backs or throw onto a few carts. With the capital burning we had nowhere to go].

    She gestures to the broken and desperate people behind her. [Without food or supplies, without knowing what was happening we decided to flee south. We heard word of the colony''s passage as we travelled. Father Beyn believed that perhaps you would be able to help us as you had in the past and so we came here looking for you].

    Looking me in the eye I can see she doesn''t hold much hope. Having interacted with me directly and taken part in the deception to save her vige from themselves she knows that I am not an altruistic saviour from the Dungeon as the priest believed.

    [I just hope that you will let us settle nearby and leave us in peace, that''s all we can ask. If you aren''t willing then you may as well eat us] she says bitterly, [we''ve lost everything and have nowhere else to go].

    I don''t think I''ll be eating anyone here, even if I do need Biomass. I''ll be getting that from the Dungeon in short order, I need to prepare myself before the future generation of ant workers is born! This is a critical time for me and the colony! I don''t want any of this crap to interfere with me raising the future workforce!

    [Tell your people to go make camp at least one kilometre in that direction] I point with my antennae in front of the shocked woman, [tell Beyn I want him to get them settled make sure they don''t interfere with the workers or approach the nest, he''s in charge. I want you to stick around so I can ask more questions].

    Surprised and joyful, Enid passes my words onto the others. The people appear d to some extent, a little light returns to their dark and dull faces. With a little more energy and spring in their step they turn as Beyn, delirious with joy at being entrusted with this task begins to lead the others across, helping them to their feet and urging them with his persuasive voice.

    [Enid, sit there] I point the tired old woman to a nearby stone and she dly hobbles over to it and sits. I have no idea how she managed the journey at her age, trudging by foot over such arge distance. It was tiring enough for me and I''m a monster!

    [What has happened Enid? Tell me what you know].

    She shakes her head, grey hair swaying around her ears. [I don''t know much. I think the monsters have invaded the surface. The capital got the worst of it, I can''t imagine any other reason for the whole city to be torched like that. Those poor people¡­]

    There would have been thousands of people trapped inside those walls. It isn''t hard to imagine the chaos that would have urred.

    [I know a little about the Dungeon] Enid continues, [my husband taught me a lot about his work. It isn''t normal for monsters to approach the surface like this. Something strange is happening].

    I have no doubt about that. To me, strange stuff has been happening ever since I arrived here, so I''m not too fussed by it.

    [You mentioned the Croca-Beasts? I mean the Garralosh Infants? Why bring them up in particr?]

    [There were a lot of them. More than you would normally expect. You usually only find those things around here when their Mother has been past andin a clutch of eggs somewhere deep but these ones were young. I have to think they werein somewhere close to the surface, which would mean¡­]

    [Wait a moment] I interrupt, [their Mother?!]

    The older woman looks at me somewhat confused. [Of course, didn''t the Queen tell you about Garralosh?]

    [¡­ not really].

    [Garralosh has been around this area, deep in the Dungeon for hundreds of years. A century ago the beast decided to try and raise its own young. Ever since then it''s hateful offspring have filled the Dungeon under Liria].

    So all of those damnable Crocs actually DIDe from a single parent? Like.. ALL of them? I know how that process works now, unless there is some crazy variant of it. That Garralosh monster would have had to have eaten an absolute mountain of Biomass to produce so manyrge andplex creatures.

    Enid breaks into my thoughts with her mental voice. [I think Garralosh must have risen up in the Dungeon and assaulted the surface. It sounds insane, since something like that hasn''t happened for thousands of years but it''s the only thing I can think of that fits. Just¡­ How? WHY?]

    [Oh, that''s easy] I say absentmindedly, [the mana level in the Dungeon is still getting higher is all].

    First shock, then horror overtake Enid''s face before her eyes roll back in her head and she passes out.

 Chapter 70 Inconvenient

    <h4>Chapter 70 Inconvenient </h4>

    Once Enid wakes up and manages to gather herself I speak to her a little longer before sending her back to her people. Then Iy a heck of a big pheromone marker around their campsite encouraging the workers not to eat them.

    If they run into a worker outside of that ring¡­. That''ll be a little different. Although I''m inclined to trust these people a heck of a lot more than I ever trusted their Queen I''m not prepared to let them run around willy nilly. They''ve been given a very small hurdle to jump over as the first action towards building trust, let''s see how they go.

    Job done I wander back over to the anthill, collecting Tiny on the way and we descend down to our little chamber, snacking on a few monsters once we get there.

    ¡­.

    This is thest thing we needed right now!! The changes to the Queen''s core have only just been made, it''ll be a week, two at the most, before she''s ready andin the first batch of the new wave of workers. I cannot afford to have anything go wrong! Those ants will be a heck of a lot smarter than the previous hatchlings but they are also significantly weaker! These ants are going to be like human infants, without someone to help guide them and raise them in the beginning they won''t be able to reach their potential!

    If I''ve got giant Croca-Babies and their Mother burning the Dungeon tunnels and the entire surface to the ground then it''s hardly going to be an ideal environment to raise ant hatchlings!

    What a pain in the thorax!

    What the heck am I going to do?

    I can''t just leave it as is¡­ Enid made it perfectly clear that there would likely be more refugees from Liria heading south over the next few days. She seemed to think that the destruction was centred on the capital and then expanded outwards. There were a whole lot of panicked people in the towns and viges they passed, getting ready to flee at the first sign of danger. Those people are probably already on the road in this direction.

    Even if I don''t do anything about it the problem will reach me eventually. If those Crocs and the other monsters are running about on the surface then there''s no reason to believe they won''te here.

    Only one thing for it then. If I''m going to get the peace and quiet I need to change the destiny of ant kind then I''m going to have to clear up our little Croc problem.

    First things first!

    [Tiny! Crinis! It''s time to go smash stuff and eat!]

    "Vibrant! Where did you get to?!"

    "Here-here!"

    She''s on top of Tiny''s head for a change, I should encourage that.

    "We''re moving out into the Dungeon, we need to clear it at high speed and stuff ourselves with Biomass as we go. Youing?"

    "Yippee!"

    Of course she is.

    I''ve already done what I can to organise the humans for the time being. They know where to go and were not to, they have ess to water from a nearby spring and they''ll need to sort themselves out food-wise to some extent. It isn''t as if we have a heap of ant bakers churning out fine baguettes or anything.

    The first order of business is to go into the Dungeon and check out the situation there, whilst power eating. I need more Biomass and Crinis needs to grow up as quickly as possible! I send a quick message to Enid letting her know that I''ll be in the Dungeon for the next few days and to make sure her people and any neers stick to the rules I''vein down in my absence. I''m not worried about these humans overpowering the colony at all, they''re mostly farmers and craftsmen, but I do want to avoid unnecessary casualties on both sides. We have bigger crocs to fry.

    I break off the Mind Bridge to Enid and immediately my Sub-Brains rx into little balls of goop. It was damn hard maintaining it over that distance but I wanted to test my limits. Formo managed to weave one over a distance of kilometres without breaking a sweat but I''m still a mile away from that level. Even maintaining it over a distance of one kilometre was about all I could manage.

    I also allow the Mind Magic construct to copse at this time, further releasing the burden on my brains. Now that I seeded once I''m sure I''ll be able to reproduce it easier the next time.

    Once my brains have had a rest I''ll need to get to testing some morebat oriented transformation constructs. Probably the water one.

    Into the Dungeon!

    The gang advances down into the Dungeon at a rapid pace. Tiny is able to quickly p to death any of the regr customers we see as we rapidly descend through the upper tunnels. We take a few detours here and there to make sure nothing is slipping past us as we travel, fleshing out my tunnel map a little more and pushing the skill to level 5.

    Any time we encounter an evolved creature we get the little ones to stuff themselves with it to mount up that Biomass. There is one problem I have though.

    [Crinis] I ask.

    [Yes master] she responds quickly this time, perhaps sensing I wasn''t going to tolerate silence on this one.

    [Are you actually growing? You''re the same size as you were when you were born] I point out.

    [¡­.]

    It''s true. She''s still roughly the size of a tennis ball. Sometimes she appears a bitrger and certainly anytime she''s eating she looks much bigger but when at rest, such as now, she reverts back to a handy tennis ball.

    [Well?] I prod.

    [¡­. I am growing master] she finally responds, sounding embarrassed.

    [¡­ and?]

    She clearly doesn''t want to be talking about this. [I canpress the extra mass master, due my nature as a shadow beast. I have been growing properly].

    [So why do you choose to be such a small size all the time?] I ask, baffled.

    Wouldn''t it be more impressive to berger? Disy her strength to the world?

    [¡­. I think it''s easier like this] she suddenly gushes, [I fit on masters'' back much morefortably!]

    Well¡­ that is true I suppose.

    [If you want to stay small you can stay small Crinis, whatever floats your boat] I say, [just let me know the second you''re ready forbat, we need to power level you in a big way].

    [Yes master! It won''t be long now!]

    [Oh? Good!]

    The sooner she can turn into the blending tentacle orb of death she was before the better. She''s seriously taking a lot longer to grow than Tiny did. Is it because she''s a moreplex creature? Or at least she was at the time of her reconstitution. I''m starting to see how that skill that increases the speed of pet growth might be desirable.

    We continue our way down the tunnels. So far everything appears to be as normal, dumb nts, the asional pig, various other little bits of nothing. Other than dashing about every now and again to train the skill I leave most of the fighting to Tiny. I need to let my brains rest before I start testing new magic constructions. I do manage to put my new mandibles to work however. The Savage mandibles have much more impressive cutting strength than the regr mandibles, the bites are nastier, wider and look like they''d be more difficult to heal as well. All in all I''m quite happy with this upgrade.

    Time to go deeper.

 Chapter 71 Ape slap

    <h4>Chapter 71 Ape p </h4>

    We make much more rapid progress in our descent this time as opposed to the first. Tiny is much stronger after his second consecutive special evolution and he smashes his way with extreme speed and a strangely casual attitude through these small fry. I don''t think I''ve even seen him throw a punch, he''s just squashing monsters t underneath his palms for the most part.

    I really have no idea exactly what he gained in the evolution. Perhaps some new organs? Something rted to his lightning? Maybe a boost to his sonic scream? I''m more tempted than ever to take the skill that allows me to look at a pets status, simply for convenience sake but I resist. Now that I have the core surgery skill I can take a look at his information using that, it''s just a bit more difficult to do so. I have a lot of skill points saved up at the moment so the thought of casually spending one or two to make life a little easier is extremely tempting.

    As Tiny keeps pping his way through the upperyers we pause every now and again to let the little ones eat. I''ve told Crinis to exercise as much as possible to aid her digestion in order to allow for maximum food stuffage in the shortest period of time. What this means is that she is frantically waving tentacles all over the ce whilst riding on my back. She can extend a lot more limbs a lot further than she could not that long ago so I''ll take that as evidence that she is fact growing properly.

    Whenever we take breaks I flip open the skills menu and flick through it, looking for anything new that has appeared or anything that might be useful. There are a few skills I hadn''t seen before that I''m considering purchasing, especially these few:

    [Water Magic affinity, Increases the usersfort, speed and efficacy when using mana of the water attribute]

    [Fire Magic affinity, Increases the usersfort, speed and efficacy when using mana of the fire attribute]

    [Earth Magic affinity, Increases the usersfort, speed and efficacy when using mana of the earth attribute]

    [Wind Magic affinity, Increases the usersfort, speed and efficacy when using mana of the wind attribute]

    The appearance of these skills seems to answer a few questions in my mind. It appears that once an intelligent creature has mastered the transformation skill to some extent then they will be able to choose an affinity to make it easier to advance onto the next step. I''m guessing that with higher levels of the Mana Transformation skill, or perhaps when the skill advances to the next rank then other, more advanced affinities will be unlocked.

    It makes sense that these basic elements are the first to be avable since of all the mana types these four have the most basic transformation constructs, meaning they are the most simple attributes of all.

    After some consideration I eventually purchase the Water Magic Affinity. I know that the Croca-Beasts have a fire magic nd, despite being based on an aquatic creature. Even if water magic doesn''t prove to be too effective offensively against them, I''m sure it''ll be more than a little handy defensively.

    That thought leads me in an interesting direction. Is it possible for a creature to have poorpatibility with certain elements? Or good affinity? A water based lifeform like a crocodile doesn''t seem to have good synergy with fire magic on the surface¡­ maybe I''m overthinking the whole Crocodile thing. Just because they dwell in water on my world doesn''t necessarily mean that they do here, or that the Croca-Beasts are better in water than anything else in the Dungeon.

    I decide to poke through a Garralosh Infant core the next time I get one. My skill level is much higher now than thest time I looked at one and I might be able to see something I couldn''t before.

    We continue for about an hour, stopping every now and again. Eventually we make our way down to the location of the short cut we had previously dug. Whilst Tiny smashes everything I continue to charge about like crazy, delighting the little ones, until the notification springs up in my mind.

    [Dash has reached level 5. Skill advancement avable]

    Nice!

    [Dash - > Rapid Dash. Like a ming horse the user will be able to dash faster and with more precision]

    I''ll take it!

    Even with this I still have ten skill points saved up¡­ I''ll leave it for now but I really ought to be spending these. Skill points in the bank do nothing to increase strength! I do need to a few points in reserve so I can advance key skills when they hit the cap but ten is really pushing it.

    Once the local tunnel has been emptied out then we excavate the entrance and start clearing the shortcut of spawned monsters. By this time the Dungeon has extended its veins all the way to the top. Beasties and nts have spawned all over the ce and started ripping into each other with gusto. It''s all over very quickly once we arrive. I go into high gear just to help take care of things quickly and bite the heck out of everything I see. Once finished we pile up the more evolved species at the top of the shortcut and I spray food pheromones all over the ce. This tasty meal should find itself in front of the Queen fairly shortly.

    Next order of business! Brief rest!

    ¡­.

    Okay! Back at it. In order to ensure the Dungeon beneath the colony is safe we keep moving and mapping out the branching paths as much as possible. Every tunnel Tiny can fit in is explored to some extent, those that he can''t I scurry into myself and snap everything I find to bits.

    ¡­

    This is exhausting! On the plus side my Tunnel map is bing more and moreplete. This is something necessary for the defence of the colony.

    After we spend another two hours clearing out the tunnels we reconvene once again back at the shortcut for another rest and feeding session. Tiny and I are getting very little Biomass from the food at this point. I scrounge together five points after stuffing myself, but at least I get the benefit of having my various nicks healed.

    I spend the points straight away on upgrading my new supportive skeleton to +2 and my coordination cortex to +1. The most efficient y will be to upgrade these new body parts to +5 before resuming the journey to all +10. Technically I take a body part to +15 at this level of evolution¡­.

    I really need to get my eat on. I''ve evolved too quickly for my stomach to keep up!

    I send Tiny up the shortcut with another shipment of food for the Queen. She''ll get even less than I do out of these monsters but it''s much better than feeding on the piddling surface creatures. The sooner we get that egg production system upgraded the better. The new generation must be as strong as possible.

    I''ll have to check in on her when I get back actually¡­. If she''s storing Biomass to produce eggs without upgrading herself¡­.

    Let''s just say I wouldn''t be surprised.

    When Tiny returns we settle in for a brief nap and then gather together into the main tunnel, sealing the shortcut closed behind us. It''s time to delve a little deeper. We still have over a day of exploration time before we are expected back on the surface and I intend to be sure there aren''t any threatsing from below before we return.

    At this point I hear something echoing up the tunnel towards us. A faint wail, the fading sound of bone on bone.

    Something ising.

 Chapter 72 The Surge

    <h4>Chapter 72 The Surge </h4>

    Almost as if the air were rushing towards us I can feel a wave pressure roll up the tunnel and press against my face.

    It¡­ isn''tfortable.

    ["Something ising up. Get ready to fight"] I warn my crew.

    Vibrant and Crinis huddle carefully on my person. Tiny stands to his full height, his head brushing the roof. He can also sense something ising. His silver fur starts to rise off his frame as electrical sparks begin to shimmer and zap across his frame.

    Ohhhh he''s pumped up! I''m also keen to see what he can do now that he''s evolved. That massive frame isn''t for nothing, I''m sure I''ll see something interesting when he goes at it. Now that I think of it I should also start making some preparations.

    My two sub brains are well rested now and ready for action. It''s time to put them to work. Wanting to test their strength I task each of them with a separate spell, one Gravity Bolt each. Best to begin with the basics and work their way up.

    As the pressure continues to build and roll against us like waves from the tunnel before us I sense internally as my two little helpers get busy shaping the spells. Independently they draw on the gravitational mana stored in my nd and begin to shape the spells.

    Gweheheheheh.

    Excellent!

    Chuckling to myself with glee I then begin to shape a third spell with my main mind. Not double the spells, TRIPLE the spells! This is the true, awesome power of my Divergent Mind! The sub brains are not as quick nor as capable as I was in myst evolution. Theyck the force of will to shift the mana as rapidly and the cunning to weave the shapes as deftly, but even if it takes them twice as long, being able to independently cast their own spells makes these sub brains so damn useful!

    Now to unleash the fearsome might, the unparalleled force and the extraordinary dexterity of my newly upgraded main brain!

    After all, most of the extra juice I pumped into my mental faculties was spent on this, in terms of will or cunning I''m nothing like I was before! Behold!

    With force and precision I draw on the gravitational mana to rapidly weave it into a Gravity Spear, the long body of the spell with its surrounding intricate engraved circles take shape at record pace. Incredible!

    My ability to use magic inbat situations has absolutely shot through the roof! I''m more than satisfied! With my next evolution I may spend a little of my budget neatening up the edges but I don''t think I need much more juice in the mental department. I''ll be ramping up my physical stats until the same size as Tiny!

    Once the spells are formed I hold each of them ready, one mind for each, and prepare myself to face whatever ising up the tunnel.

    Tiny is so excited he''s practically fidgeting. Calm down, oi!

    Gradually the sounds from the tunnel build in volume. From a whisper to a murmur and then rising into a crescendo of sound. Roars, screams and the pounding of feet fill the air, rattling my nerves. I STILL can''t see anythinging?! Where the heck are they?!

    This sounds like a freaking stampede of monsters!

    Just when I''m starting to reconsider our frontal approach the edges of the hordee into view. My first impression is a wave of teeth rushing towards us at full speed. The second and third impressions are much the same.

    What the heck is this?!

    Dozens of monsters, hundreds even, are charging towards us with mouths gaping and ws rending the air! What''s going on?! They aren''t fighting each other at all.. This is weird! Gandalf? Any advice?!

    ¡­.

    Dammit you beardy faced pile of senility!

    [Tiny! This is going to get rough! Go all out!]

    Why the hell didn''t I get a Gravity Bomb ready?!

    I see all sorts of monsters mixed into the onrushing horde. Shadowy monsters, Imps, pigs and even some of the mobile nt types are in the mix! I just can''t understand why they are all cooperating¡­

    And the formless pressure is still building, pressing down on us like an unseen hand.

    No time to hesitate, let''s do this!

    Experience the power of my ant soul!

    Gravity Spear! Gravity Bolt! Gravity Bolt!

    All three spells areunched simultaneously, streaking through the air like glittering purple arrows. The monsters have no capacity to dodge, as packed together as they are. The leading shadow beast is speared directly through the chest and the creatures around him are instantly wrapped within the expanding circles as the spell activates.

    The second the pull is applied over ten monsters are dragged towards the target. Not expecting the sudden force they are thrown off their feet and stumble, only to be smashed into the ground by the pounding feet of the creatures behind them. Some other monsters trip and fall, only to meet the same fate as the others under the heels/ws of their brethren.

    [You have in¡­

    [You have in ¡­

    No time for that!

    The two Gravity Bolts smack into another two monsters and drag them down to the ground. These are also quickly crushed. With five or six monsters dead the size of theing monster wave hasn''t even diminished!

    Going to need to bring out the big guns!

    I spin up the backup singers and task them with preparing the much moreplex Gravity Domain. With the two of them working in tandem they should be able to handle it! I don''t want to chip in with the main mind right now, I need my wits about me!

    Tiny is getting increasingly riled up, the electricity is crackling all over his frame by now, stinging the air around with frequent shes of light. In the face on the onrushing monsters he doesn''t flinch but rather smashes his chest with his mighty fists and roars! His powerful bellows and shrieks are so loud they even rise above the cacophony of the beastsing at us!

    He doesn''t stop there! Having issued his challenge the ape begins to charge forward, smashing the tunnel floor with his knuckles as he picks up speed! He''s not content to wait at all, he''s going to take the fight to the enemy!

    Dammit Tiny!

    ["We''re going in with him! Hold on!"]

    Dash!

    I spring forward with Tiny, hurtling ourselves to the onrushing horde. As I get closer the thousands of teeth and ws growrger in my sight until there is nothing else I can see. This is madness! What is happening here is sheer madness!

    How''s that domaining?!

    Still not ready?!

    CRASH!

    Like a cannonball Tiny smashes into the front ranks of the wave, fists flying. Monsters are catapulted into the air and smash into the walls as he continues to propel himself forward, bellowing his challenge as he goes.

    The enemies are endless! As Tiny moves forward he is quickly surrounded, the monsterstch onto him with ws, mouths tentacles and whatever else they have avable,shing the ape again and again.

    Oh no you don''t!

    SHATTERING BITE!

    CRUNCH!

    Pouring out my stamina into the bite I manifest jaws of light over two metres long and rip them closed. The Savage Mandibles disy their ferocity, tearing my enemies apart and crushing them in the same breath.

    The horde of monsters is endless. Is this the true Wave? I feel like I''m battling the tide!

    SHATTERING BITE! SHATTERING BITE! SHATTERING BITE! SHATTERING BITE!

    Ish out at the monsters closing in around us but as quickly as I crush them they are instantly reced by more. Tiny doesn''t seem to care, he keeps pushing deeper, sending waves of monsters flying with everyshing of his fists. The electricity on him is still building! It''s started shing out and lighting up the monsters around him like Christmas trees but it doesn''t feel like it''s going to stop there!

 Chapter 73 Dire lightning Storm Kong

    <h4>Chapter 73 Dire lightning Storm Kong </h4>

    Electricity rippling across his body endlessly, Tiny''s fists continue to sh out and devastate his opponents. None can stand up to his blows. That doesn''t shock me much. We''re talking about a ten foot tall Gori monster here. If I''d seen a Gori on Earth that was ten feet tall I''d have fair browned my downstairs department. Physical strength is something he has in spades.

    What is really impressive is the lightning strikes shing from his body without him having to think about it, sting creatures around him who draw too close. Problem is they have no choice but to get too close since they are a mindless mass of monsters that pushes forward no matter what.

    We are still taking damage he and I. As fast as we can destroy the enemies they are reced just as quickly. It only took a few seconds of following Tiny''s charge for the two of us to bepletely surrounded, buried amongst the monsters. Theysh at us from all sides, battering me with their limbs, trying to bite through my tough carapace and raising sparks between their teeth and my shell. I''m losing Hp here!

    Thankfully my defence is holding up pretty well but Tiny is suffering more, he doesn''t have a nice handy outer skeleton and his fur is only a little protection. I feel as if his physical stats are inordinately nted towards Might as opposed to Toughness. As the ws and teeth of our foes rain down on him he is continuously taking damage.

    Not that he slows down any¡­

    Is that Domain ready yet?!

    My two sub brains have been frantically working together to weave the far moreplex spell as quickly as they can but it''s still not done. Unwilling to wait any longer I focus with my main mind and ignore the rain of blows that fall on me the moment I grow still. With every ounce of my mental strength applied to the task the spell takes form rapidly,yer afteryer ofplexity added to the construct until it''s finallyplete.

    Not hesitating in the slightest I open the sluice gates and pour in the Gravitational mana like it''s going out of fashion. Get! This! Spell! Done!

    There!

    The instant it''s ready I unleash the domain and the glittering purple dome of energy rapidly expands outwards, epassing the entire width of the tunnel it expands ten metres out in all directions.

    THROOM!

    With an audible noise the massive Gravitation pull kicks in and the monsters around me are immediately effected.

    [Tiny!] I shout.

    The ape instantly realises what has happened and turns back towards me. These monsters are made of sterner stuff and won''t copse to the ground just because of the Domain but their ability to move and contest us has easily halved. The shadow beasts are probably holding up better than the rest, their strange stic flesh is far stronger than it appears.

    But now we can manage.

    "KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

    Tiny opens his mouth wide an unleashes his ultimate bat scream, the ultrasonic wave! The ear shattering sound is even stronger than before, piercing straight through my ear holes and stabbing into my brain.

    That stings!

    I manage to resist the stunning effect of the scream thanks to my over tuned Will but most of the monsters around us aren''t so lucky. Those caught inside the Domain have it the worst, hit by double debilitating effects but those on the outside don''t look so sh either.

    [Get em!]

    The two of us immediately start iling about madly, Tiny with his fists and me with my jaws. I use shattering bite over and over again until my face aches and exhaustion creeps in whilst Tinyshes out with his fists endlessly. Even now the monsters keeping! They are walking straight into the Domain but they don''t seem to care. What is driving these creatures?!

    [Tiny, retreat and eat something, restore your strength!]

    The limiting factor here is our stamina, I might have taken less damage than Tiny but his robust physique will provide him a lot more energy. After constantly using my advanced physical skills I''m beginning to run out of gas.

    My two sub brains are currently tasked with maintaining the Domain, a constant flood of Gravitational Mana flows out of my nd and into the construct powering the spell. Thanks to the bottomless upgrade I don''t need to worry about running out of mana in the short term. My feet are sucking up energy from the floor every passing second but the rate of transfer into Gravity mana is still painfully slow.

    Tiny shakes his head at me but ultimately can''t refuse my order. He throws himself behind me and starts stuffing his face with the plentiful Biomass littered across the Tunnel floor. The food will help elerate the healing of his wounds and give a little extra fuel in the stamina fire.

    [Crinis! Go with him this is going to get dangerous!] I yell as I flick the little ball of dark rubber at Tiny as he runs past.

    With all of these attacks raining down on me I don''t want the little one to get squashed by ident. She''s still not grown andbat ready after all. Vibrant at least is a proper monster, with a carapace to protect her from any ncing blows .

    With Tiny gone the monsters descend on me like locusts. I can''t even tell how many there are or if we are whittling down their numbers even slightly. My impressive, nearly 360 degree vision is giving me a wonderful 360 degree view of monsters mouths trying to attach themselves to my person!

    I continue to absorb the battering,ying out with my mandibles at every opportunity. In an effort to avoidplete exhaustion I stopped using my skills and instead started channelling mana into my mandibles to add a bit more punch to my bite.

    Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

    The horrific sounds of my jaws at work mixed with the howls and savage cries of the beasts. I felt like I held on for hours but it was probably only a minute before I heard Tiny''s furious voice ringing in my mind.

    [FIGHT!]

    Sounds like he''s had enough eating! I turn and bolt towards his location at the rear of the fight as he charges forward into the fray once more! I try and stay close behind him as I start stuffing my face with Biomass and activate my healing nd to recover from the battering I''d just received.

    I hope Tiny can hold on for a while, I''m knackered. This is the weakness of my body right now, mental power for days but not enoughbat effectiveness to take from it yet. I need to start practicing the water transformation construct as soon as possible!

    Tiny re-joins the fight with relish and pounds his opponents into the dirt with rising glee. The electricity on his body is still crackling away, sting the asional monster into a deep fried version of itself. Does he ever run out of electricity?

    Apparently not! With a mighty bellow Tiny raises both his hands over his head, bringing them together for a m. Once his fists rise into the air all the electrical energy crackling over his body floods up his arms and concentrates on his fists, causing them to shine so brightly I wish I had eyelids.

    As the electrical energy intensifies I can hear a static whine rising in pitch ever moment until it rises above the register I can hear. I can still feel it though, causing the hairs on my antennae to shake violently.

    The monsters around him don''t seem to know what ising as they continue to charge forward, leaping at Tiny, desperate to take a bite out of him.

    Then those fistse down and the tunnel is filled with lightning.

    The entire tunnel shakes when those fists impact the ground, knocking most monsters off their feet, but it isn''t over. The electricity contained in the strike erupts explosively, rolling outwards from the point of impact in a forward arc. Crackling over the floor it slides over the ground like a wave and every monster it touches gets thoroughly cooked. Dozens of monsters fall to the ground as the tide of lightning rolls through their ranks, decimating the foes in a blinding sh.

    That. Is. Hot. To. Death!

    Tiny you the ape!

 Chapter 74 Crinis Unleashed

    <h4>Chapter 74 Crinis Unleashed </h4>

    I hadn''t even finished celebrating Tiny''s spectacr lightning wave technique (named it myself) before my joy is quenched by more monsters rushing up the as the ones in front of them copsed from being overcooked.

    Dammit!

    How many of these damn things are there going to be?!

    I hurriedly make use of the room Tiny has bought us by stuffing my face as full of Biomass as quickly as I can. Every bit counts! I also snap up my status for a moment to check on any skill changes. Every edge I can get in this critical fight!

    Hmmm.

    I''ve gained a level of Shattering Bite and two levels in Advanced Exo-Skeleton defence. Letting myself get battered by a horde of trash seems like a good way to train that skill, if painful. It looks like I''m going to get battered to hell all over again in a minute, the next wave of shadow beasts will be on us in a few seconds!

    Seems I also managed to gain two levels from the conflict as well. Not too helpful at the present moment but nice to know!

    [Master!]

    [Crinis! What''s up?!]

    [I''m ready!]

    ¡­.

    Those monsters are closing in quick! I don''t have time for a chat!

    [Ready for what?!]

    [To fight!]

    [Fight what?!]

    I really need her to get to the point here.

    [¡­ I''ve finished my growth phase] she slows down to exin to me clearly [If you point me at the enemy I can fight them]

    Oh¡­. Ohhhhhh! AWWWWW!!

    [Quick grab on!]

    I shift an antennae over in her direction and the little tennis ball sized glob of dark rubber reaches up andtches on. She''s still the same size as she was before..

    [Are you sure?!] I ask.

    [Positive, Master]

    [Ok then.. Here you go!]

    I flick her into the air directly towards the onrushing beasts. Tiny watches as she sails over his head, tracing a graceful arc through the air. As she travels something remarkable happens. She starts to grow. From a little tennis ball she expands, by the time she reaches the apex of her arc she''s inted to basketball size and as she descends she continues to berger. Just before she vanishes into the crowd of monsters the central sphere of her body unfolds and dozens of powerful, barbed tentacles appear surrounding a horrific, open maw.

    ''Dis gon be good!

    Almost giddy with anticipation I skitter up the wall to get a better view of the action.

    Just in time too!

    Once that inted ball vanished from sight, sunk into the middle of the onrushing horde, a few seconds passed and then¡­. Chaos!

    Tentacles began iling wildly as Crinis unleashes the true power of the JellyMaw! Mowing down monsters like a scythe or gripping them, lifting them into the air and crushing them before they are tossed into that endless mouth.

    Monster after monster vanishes into Crinis'' gullet and she doesn''t seem to change size at all! Whatever dimension they are travelling to I hope their end is a peaceful one! The monsters do their best to fight back, shing at her tentacles of dashing forward to bite at her. I''m sure their doing damage but I can''t see it.

    At the rate she''s eating them she might just be healing it right back up anyway!

    Between myself and the shredding, Tiny stands quite still, squishing to death any monster that gets close enough or tries to slip past him. I think he might be enjoying the show just as much as I am!

    [How is it going Crinis!? Do you need help?] I enquire.

    [No need Master, you don''t need to sully your mandibles with this trash]

    ¡­.

    That''s a bit harsh on them isn''t it?

    Releasing my Domain spell I start weaving a few Gravity bolts and fling them into the fight whenever they''re ready. Trying to do a little bit to ease the burden on my youngest pet but it doesn''t seem like she needs it¡­

    When ites to cutting down weaker creatures like chaff she is surely the most suitable out of herself and Tiny. The big ape is more specialised as a big hitter, though his new area lightning strike certainly helps him out in this department.

    This is why I chose to make Crinis my second pet, she counterbnces Tiny extremely well!

    Watching her shred through the endless waves of monsters is almost enough to bring a tear of pride to my eye. If she seems deadly now, just wait until she evolves!

    Her main disadvantage of not being able to see is totally irrelevant to her at the moment. No matter what direction she extends a limb there is going to be an enemy there! Like a relentless machine those tentacles reach out, snatch up a monster and crush it before snapping out to seize another victim.

    It''s endless!

    In the end I just leave the casting of the Gravity Bolts to my sub brains and chill out on the wall. It''s kind of nice to be so unneeded.

    [Ah¡­ Crinis can you not eat so many, we could send some of that up to the Queen]

    [Oh! Sorry Master! I.. I''ll control myself]

    [Thanks]

    ¡­.

    She really is a hungry thing isn''t she?

    Eventually Tiny gets bored and wades back into the fight, making sure to remain a minimum distance away from his fellow pet. He throws and ms monsters to his heart''s content whilst I just continue to watch.

    So peaceful here in the Dungeon¡­.

    After another twenty minutes of monster stting there finally seems to be none left and we are able to spend some time picking through the battlefield. Looking at the heaped piles of monster remains I try and estimate just how many there were in this ravenous swarm. The Biomass is piled high even though Crinis probably ate almost a hundred monsters on her own. Just where is her stomach?!

    When I finallye up with a number I feel a chill rush through my carapace. There must have been almost a thousand of them! If Tiny and I hadn''t evolved¡­ if Crinis hadn''t suddenly been able to fight¡­

    What would have happened to us if we tried to face down that many monsters?!

    It''s chilling to think about. I have so many questions now as a result of this¡­ Why has this happened now? The Queen certainly never mentioned this sort of phenomenon, though it does seem reminiscent of what Enid told me happened back in Liria.

    Are these monsters being controlled or threatened? Are they being chased out of their territory and sent up the Dungeon?!

    I''ll have to answer these questions another time. First we all eat until we are full, not that Crinis had any more space¡­ I manage to gain eight Biomass, then I pick over the battlefield to find any monster cores using my mana sense whilst Tiny piles up a feed for the Queen over at the hidden entrance to our shortcut.

    I manage to find twenty cores amongst the wreckage which I give to Crinis who promptly sticks them into the multi-dimensional folds of her person and then shrinks herself back down to a tennis ball which I ce on my back.

    ¡­.

    HEAVY!

    SO DAMN HEAVY!

    She might be able to hide all that Biomass but she still carries the weight!

    [Is everything alright Master] says the innocent little murder blob on my back.

    My legs are shaking!

    [I''m ok!] I wheeze.

    "Crinis was so awesome!" cheers Vibrant, rushing over to her mini friend and rolling her about with her antennae.

    ["Look. Let''s take this food up to the surface and then do a check of the nearby tunnels. I want to make sure no monsters made it past us and up to the Queens chamber"]

    ["Ok!"]

 Chapter 75 Playing with water

    <h4>Chapter 75 ying with water </h4>

    After delivering the Biomass to the surface and marking it with pheromones so the colony will pick it up we return back down to the entrance, making sure to conceal it once again. I feel good knowing that all of this Biomass is going to bring the Queen closer to upgrading all of her egg production organs andying the first generation of the new workers!

    For that happy asion toe to pass we need to work hard! Get to it Anthony! Protect the colony! Kill the invaders!

    Once we get back down we backtrack up the tunnel check out the branching paths off this main tunnel. After two hours of meticulous searching wee up with nothing¡­ no tracks, no monsters no nothing.

    It seems like that deadly ''wave'' of monsters only came up the tunnel we were in¡­ it seems like too much of a coincidence to write off as luck. There must be something about this tunnel in particr¡­

    After resting briefly (I get Crinis to hop off briefly so I can stretch my legs) I decide that we will venture further down and explore this tunnel a little deeper. We aren''t that far down here, if there is any serious action happening it''s surely going to be deeper than this.

    The four of us gird ourselves and begin to venture deeper into the Dungeon.

    As we descend I can really feel the difference in the mana. It''s certainly more dense than it was when we fled the Dungeon at the start of the wave, no doubt about it. I think the wave has clearly moved into a new phase as stronger monsters with longer gestation periods are forming in the walls now. On the one hand it means they aren''t popping out every few minutes but on the other it means a stronger fight when they are finally formed.

    All in all its slightly better than it was before but not by much.

    Still, this change leads me to conclude that something weird is going on in the Dungeon, and I don''t like it. The monsters be tougher as we descend, even if they aren''t necessarily a higher tier of creature. Something I''ve noticed during my time is that even creatures of the same species are often found lower down if they are a higher level. Perhaps it''s a natural instinct of monsters to move lower the stronger they get?

    Certainly I have a good reason to be inside the Dungeon, with my core draining until I die if I don''t have ess to the sweet, sweet mana.

    Whilst we travel I start practicing the formation of the water mana transformation construct. It''s far simpler that the Mind Magic one so it doesn''t take long for me to start making progress. I wonder if this is how human mages train, by repeatedly forming these constructs they get good enough to form them at high speeds so they can cast spells?

    It makes sense I suppose. I''m cheating in many ways, since rather than improve my mind through exercises and repeated practice I simply upgraded my brain during the evolution process¡­

    Ha! This is the advantage of monster kind! This is my constion for having to eat guts and bones all the time without any seasoning!

    I let Tiny resume his monster pping role as we explore, filling in my Tunnel map and tracing the side tunnels a ways when they appear. I wonder if there is an expanse down here somewhere? From what I''ve been told of the Dungeon they appear fairly regrly at various depths. The forest expanse was only unusual for how close it was to the surface. The various expanse are almost like the organs of the Dungeon, the vital ecosystems that keep it running. The connecting Tunnels are like the veins, allowing monsters and mana to flow between them. At least that''s how the Queen phrased it.

    It isn''t really a question of is there an expanse down here somewhere but where it is. It may be straight down or off to one side of us. No matter what, all main tunnels will eventually connect to an expanse, so as long as we trace them out we are going to find one.

    About twenty minutester I finally seed in forming my first water mana transformation construct!

    Whoo!

    So much easier than the mind magic one¡­ My upgraded brain has already seeded! Perhaps this is the effect of the affinity skill as well?!

    I can''t wait to try out some spells!

    Eagerly I start feeding some raw mana into the construct and it begins to perform it''s intricate dance, working its special alchemy on the raw mana from my core until it finally emerges from the other end as shimmering blue water mana!

    So exciting!

    I leave on sub brain in charge of holding the construct in ce and task the other with feeding a constant stream of raw mana from my core into it whilst I take the mana and begin testing some of the known shapes to see what works.

    First.. The bolt!

    Following much the same principles as the gravity bolt I begin to use the mana to weave the familiar shape until a shimmering blue bolt is formed within my mind. Nice! Let''s test this sucka!

    Fire!

    Fwoosh!

    Filled with blue mana a dense ball of water is formed that sts forwards and impacts against a nearby rock formation where it explodes! Water flies everywhere and the stone partially crumbles under the impact of the pressurised water ball.

    Holy heck!

    So nice!

    Let''s try the spear!

    I gather together a new mana thread and start trying to form the spear shape but the spell doesn''t seem to want toe together. The more I try and force it the more it pushes back until the whole things snaps andes apart.

    ¡­.

    Wha?!

    Why the heck did that fail!?

    I try again, a bit irritated this time but the same thing happens. I get to a point where the spell simply won''te together and if I try to force it then it just breaks and dissolves to nothing.

    GAH!

    Let''s put the spear aside for a moment and try something else.

    I could try the Domain spell I guess¡­ but I don''t want to use that much mana and exhaust my mind so randomly¡­ what other shapes are there? I haven''t looked at the others since I haven''t really used them in so long.

    ¡­.. Hmm¡­

    I flick through a few different spells in my mind before settling on one. This''ll do!

    The shape I''ve chosen is simr to the spear but more open ended, kind of like a cylinder within a cylinder and both are engraved with borate patterns and signs. Not the worst thing I''ve ever seen let''s give it a go!

    With my powerful main mind on the job I work patiently through the process of forming the construct and ten minutester it''s finallyplete! I may have had to remake a few parts but for my first go that isn''t too bad!

    Let''s power it up and see what it does!

    Fire!

    FOOM!

    A solid jet of water appears from above my head and sts forward as if shot from a fire hose! Holy Moly! The potent stream of water sends spray fountaining everywhere as it smashes into the wall of the tunnel!

    Ah, It''s still drawing on my mana! Turn it off! Turn it off!

    So, a water cannon?

    Tiny is looking at me, irritated, dripping wet from the spray.

    ¡­ Sorry about that buddy!

    I wonder which other shapes will work. There are a few I still haven''t tried, even with gravitational mana. Since my raw mana is being replenished quite rapidly through my feet I may as well try and experiment.

    I think of the various shapes that have been imnted in my head when learning my magic rted skills and find one to my liking. This one is sort of a curved arc with a cloud-like base. I don''t know why but I feel like it will be impressive.

    It''s a bit more difficult than thest one so I take my time to carefully construct it as Tiny ps to death the various monsters wee across. Eventually its ready and I start powering it. The moment I do, I realise that this one is going to need quite a lot of juice before I can cast it.

    [Tiny? Come and stand behind me]

    The giant ape stop and immediately moves behind me, carefully positioning his lumbering form to avoid possible sshback.

    Still thinking about that eh?

    Being careful I continue to feed the water attribute mana into the spell as ites out of my transformation construct, drawing the reserves in my core lower and lower. Just how much is this spell going to take?!

    Aha! Ready atst!

    Eagerly I activate the spell and then stumble a little as the potent magic activates.

    With a colossal BOOM water EXPLODES out of the ground in front of me with a deafening roar and thunders down the tunnel in a mighty tidal wave!

    Stone pirs shatter and get washed away by the sheer kic force of the wave as it froths and foams forwards, eventually following the tunnel around a bend and out of sight.

    ¡­

    Then we hear a chorus of angry roars echoing back up the chamber towards us.

    ¡­ Whoops?

 Chapter 76 The Croca Army

    <h4>Chapter 76 The Croca Army </h4>

    Looks like we might have hit something by mistake?

    Although, considering everything down that tunnel is sure to be hostile, I''m not sure I would call it a mistake?

    I wonder what I even hit with that wave¡­

    The mystery is soon solved when a gang of angry and damp looking Croca-Beastse swaggering around the corner looking for trouble.

    So it''s you guys!

    Are you the culprits chasing all the other monsters up the tunnel towards the surface just like Enid said you damn thugs! Acting all tough now that your momma is in town, how sad is that?!

    You stupid Croc Bipeds might have been scary and threatening when I was a hatchling but you''re small fry now!

    And it''s true. The Croca-Beasts that once upon a time loomed over me like giant croc faced messengers of death don''t seem nearly sorge anymore. Whilst I''m not quite tall enough to look them in the eye I probably have a simr overall mass to them since I''m much longer than I am tall.

    Their sharp ws and powerful, snapping jaws are not nearly as impressive as once they were. My own Savage Infused Mandibles look far more deadly to be honest. These guys just don''t hold any fear for me anymore!

    "ROOOAAAAAAAAAOOOOO" Tiny bellows.

    Well sure, he''s even less scared of them. Without waiting for my orders Tiny lumbers forward and starts smashing Croc face in with his massive fists. It''s almost sad. He towers over the little crocs and his fist is probably the same size as their entire head. With every swing he one shots a Croca and it isn''t long before the posse of toothy monsters has been smashed into paste.

    [Good job Tiny! Show ''em who''s boss!]

    The big ape ps his chest and a wide grin appears on his bat face. This takes me back to when I first saw Tiny, battling against his rival, a massive Titan-Croc. I get the feeling even after being reconstituted that he still has a special hatred for the Croc monsters, at the very least he seems inordinately pleased to have punched this particr groups'' faces in.

    Since they are unevolved monsters we don''t even pause to eat them before preceding down the still soggy tunnel. As I climb over the fallen Crocs I begin to sense something strange tickling at the edge of my awareness. Like a sound that I can''t quite hear.

    [Do you hear anything Tiny?] I ask.

    The ape tips his head to one side and listens for a moment before frowning and slowly nodding his head. So there is something¡­.

    ["Be on guard everyone"] I advise before we continue to advance.

    With every step the fain feeling at the back of my mind grows more distinct. The pace of it increase is so slow that I wouldn''t have noticed at all if I wasn''t watching for it. As it grows the sensation bes more oppressive, threatening even. As we continue to travel I feel as if I''m being watched by a ravenous beast.

    HOGAAA!

    Feel weird!

    I can tell Tiny feels it as well, he''s been restless and smacking monsters with even more force than usual.

    ["Crinis, Vibrant, are you picking up on this feeling?"]

    "Yup-yup" the usually energetic Vibrant seems a little subdued under this pressure.

    [I can, master] Crinis too is feeling the pressure.

    Whatever is causing this, we need to be careful.

    ["We need to proceed with extra caution team"] I inform my crew, ["it''s possible something really nasty is nearby that we can''t necessarily defeat. I want everyone, including you Tiny, to be prepared to run away if get into trouble. We''ll flee back to the shortcut and make our escape from there"].

    It goes to show how this mounting creepy feeling is weighing on us that even Tiny seems inclined to agree, just to be sure I order him directly.

    [Tiny, if I tell you to run, you will flee to the shortcut entrance. Got it?]

    He reluctantly nods, his bat face pinched with abination of distaste and unease. He doesn''t have to like it he just has to do it. No way I''m going to allow him to die charging headlong into some unwinnable fight. When we get right down to it he cannot deny a direct order from me so I''m satisfied he''ll be ok.

    The others are still riding on my back so they''ll probably end up where I do. I have to be careful not to leave Crinis behind, she has a very limited capacity to navigate her way around after all. Perhaps I should advise her to take tunnel sense and Tunnel map? That''ll give her a solid idea where to go without having to see after all¡­

    We continue to advance downwards, the monsters growing tougher with every step. More shadow monsters and therger, more difficult beast types are bingmon. We even run into a few nasty nt types that are clearly evolved versions of the others we''ve seen and some others who are from a superior base species.

    A particrly nasty nt appears as a young tree, the first tree looking nt monster I''ve seen. It attacks by swinging it''s branches but also seems capable of using earth magic. I didn''t get a good look before Tiny crunched it to nothing with a two handed m. Still, it seems as if the nt type monsters are still spawning in this part of the Dungeon.

    Something odd seems to be going on with the monsters wee across though. For starters there are far less of them. Ever since that formless pressure begun to weigh on us the number of monsters we''ve seen active in the tunnels has gone way down. Secondly we notice that there are quite a few monsters moving away from us and down the tunnels. Every now and again we catch glimpses of newly spawned creatures shifting along the walls and vanishing down the tunnels.

    Where are they going? Is there some sort of party that we aren''t invited to? I''d love to chase after these shadows but with the invisible weight pressing down on me I simply don''t have the confidence to be rushing around corners blindly. For the first time in a while I''m starting to feel real, actual fear.

    If this is a monster causing this pressure, when I can''t even see it¡­ just how powerful would that creature need to be?! Is it Garrolosh itself?! I thought that Croc was meant to be over in Liria! That''s like a week away over the surface¡­ what would it be doing here?

    To be honest, if I actually thought that the parent of all these croc monsters was kicking around down here I''d rush straight back up to the surface immediately. I don''t see any reason for Garralosh to be around here so I''m prepared to proceed, but cautiously.

    So we do, creeping forward very slowly. The tunnel continues to wind its way deeper into the ground, as we proceed the tunnel grows wider and I notice that other branching tunnels areing together here. It feels as if we are getting close to something. We make better progress than I expected considering our careful pace due to theck of monsters in our path. It''s almost unnerving to see the tunnels this deserted during the wave.

    I know the monsters are still being formed in the walls, I can sense them. They are just rushing off somewhere the moment theye out.

    Eventually, I estimate about ten kilometres down ording to Tunnel map, the passage opens up and a strange light illuminates the rocks ahead of us. Is it an expanse?!

    The pressure is crushing now, as if death waits for us after every step. Vibrant is extremely nervous, clinging fiercely to my head and shivering in ce. As we step forward the tunnel walls slowly drop away and a vast, open underground space appears before us. Dark swamnd stretches as far as my eyes can see, mist covered marshes studded with drooping trees and vibrant, vine shrouded flowers.

    And crocs. So many crocs.

 Chapter 77 The Marsh Expanse

    <h4>Chapter 77 The Marsh Expanse </h4>

    Are there gods in Pangera? Schrship in this area has beenrgely suppressed since the Church of the Path rose to predominance, their inquisitors have been most active in their pursuit of those willing to explore this schstic line of inquiry. Despite their efforts though the centuries there has been a small but industrious cadre of truth-seekers who are keen to bring the light of wisdom to our own history.

    Records do indeed suggest that there were numerous religions in the time before the Descent, when the system changed our very understanding of the world. In manynds and across many races there was a wide variety of ways in which people practiced faith based organisations. Whether those divinities were real or imagined is hard to determine now since only a smattering of writings from that time remain and no doubt these religious organisations where shattered during the Cataclysm and then purged by the surging Church of the Path.

    There have been curious reports from those who have pressed deep into the World Below that they have at times felt the presence of an otherworldly spirit, a powerful feeling of reverence. Other writings which the church attempted to suppress have been unearthed detailing the experiences of those who im to have actually met divine beings within the Dungeon,e face to face with them, even spoken to them.

    Whether such tales can be taken seriously or not is difficult to say, at depths such as these where the mana saturation is at suffocating levels the mind has been known to y tricks. It can also be spected that such creatures may well have been highly intelligent and powerful monsters. Though some would argue there is little difference between a supremely powerful monster and a god, that way lies the true heresy. Those mortals who fell into the worship of the beasts who ravaged this world during the Rending were exorcised from society at its conclusion and their monster worship most likely ended with them.

    "The banned writings of Jivani the faithless" from the secret library of the Path

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Throughout the marshes and on the humps ofnd that rise up out of the murky waters there are Croca-Beasts at various stages of evolution almost everywhere, including a number of varieties I haven''t seen before. Some of them are freakin'' massive, hulking brutes of creatures that look like they seriously mean business.

    What really hits me, the most intimidating thing, is that the invisible pressure I''ve been feeling has sky rocketed the moment weid eyes on this expanse. Holy moly! I feel like something has a knife at my neck, except that I don''t have a neck! I can''t see anything that might be the cause of this feeling, but I''m sure. Somewhere in this expanse there is a truly frightening monster.

    I can see other tunnel entrances to this expanse nearby and periodically a monster will emerge and head immediately deeper into the expanse. The Crocs don''t attack them, curiously the nts don''t seem to either. It''s as if this entire ecosystem of monsters is being suppressed by something, not obeying their own monstrous instincts to hunt and fight in the endless pursuit of prey. It can only be whatever is creating this oppressive aura. I personally don''t feel any desire to rush into the expanse and high five the beast creating this pressure, quite the opposite, but clearly it''s having some effect on the other monsters here.

    Perhaps this is the source of the wave of monsters we battled in the tunnels? Are the monsters being gathered here and then sent out in huge packs to brutalise the surface and other creatures? For what purpose? For what design? Purely for destruction''s sake or for something more?

    I mean, if I were a giant Crocodile monster, centuries old and filled with an endless hunger to produce tiny crocs¡­ what would I do?

    ¡­.

    I mean¡­. Eat?

    Come on Anthony! You can do better than this! Think! Think like a Croc!

    ¡­..

    Grrrr¡­ GRAHHH!

    ¡­..

    How am I supposed to know what a stupid Croc thinks like?! I never had pet reptiles dammit! Let''s just go with the mindless massacre scenario, they are sending out waves of murderous monsters in order to kill stuff because Garralosh is mad at the world or something.

    There.

    The real question is what are we going to do about it? We''ve found a huge, juicy expanse here, ced rtively nicely for the colony to exploit. If I can connect up the shortcut to this area then it''ll be a rtively short trip for the workers to take advantage of the resources here. Only problem being that some huge murderous beast is sitting in there somewhere creating this aura of death. I really don''t want to charge headlong into this ce.

    So wepromise! We still have a day before we are expected back on the surface, there is plenty that we can do in the meantime without rushing headlong to our deaths. If there is something that Tiny is reluctant to fight then I''m all about avoiding that thing.

    I''d like to get a visual of it so that I know what I''m dealing with but I feel like getting that close is going to take some effort.

    Let the work begin!

    We happily back out of the expanse and busily get to work constructing a new shortcut that will connect to our already existing sneaky tunnel. What better way to rx the mind that has be tense under formless pressure than by indulging in the fantastic world of ant zen? Digging is truth! Truth is digging!

    We make incredibly quick progress, even though we need to make the tunnelrger due to Tiny''s massive size. The reason is all thanks to Crinis! Now that she''s fully grown she''s more than capable of helping. Where she excels isn''t really in the digging of the dirt but in shoving the loose soil down the tunnel and out the entrance. By unleashing the power of her tentacles she can shift huge amounts of dirt at a time and since the tunnel is so easy to navigate she can''t get lost moving back and forth. This allows me so much more time to get my face hands into the dirt that we are flying through it!

    It''s so nice when the teames together!

    Every now and again we take a break and try to lure creatures out of the expanse and into the tunnels to fight us. Every time a group of Crocs walk past I get Tiny to throw a rock at them. Trusty pebble! You worked hard for me in Yarnham, and you perform your function here as well!

    When the Croca-beasts notice they are being pelted with stones from a tunnel they predictably get mad and charge into the tunnel angrily whereupon we descend on them with furious vengeance and snuff them out before engaging in vigorous snacking. It only takes a few times doing this before the wandering groups of Crocs aren''ting past our tunnel anymore and we have to start creeping a little further into the expanse to find monsters to lure.

 Chapter 78 Tentative exploration

    <h4>Chapter 78 Tentative exploration </h4>

    I leave my pets and Vibrant working on the shortcut tunnel and slowly encroach on the marsh expanse solo. It isn''t that I don''t think they could fight whatever it is that we find in here it''s just that I don''t want to attract unwanted attention at this point. So I do something I haven''t had to do for a while.

    I engage stealth ant mode.

    Luckily I''m still rtively small for a monster so remaining unseen is still fairly simple, the nt growth is thick here, reeds and hillocks blocking line of sight in every direction. Slowly and cautiously I creep about, all of my sensing apparatus tuned to their most fine state, twitching at every shift of each tuft of grass.

    I''m tense!

    Super tense!

    With this stupid pressure hanging over my head and flying solo for the first time in a while I''m really feeling the heat. It''s also unnerving to be moving through this swampy terrain where there could be monsters under the water or indeed, every nt could also be a monster! Luckily I have my heat detection for thetter, the nt monsters register much higher on that sense due to their peculiar biology than normal nt life, thus I manage to avoid mostbat as I navigate around the edges of the terrain.

    I try not to stand on the top of the mounds that poke out of the waters lest I present my silhouette to prying eyes, I don''t particrly want to have this magnificent form lighting up the eyes of every croc and murder flower in the expanse. So I get the best view I can whilst staying low.

    This expanse is freakin'' huge. Much bigger than the forest expanse and that one already pushed my understanding of what an underground space could be. The roof is easily twice as high and through the low lying mist and trees I can''t quite see the walls as they widen and curve away from our entrance. From what I have seen though I would judge this ce to be at least double the size of the forest.

    I recall that Formo told me that the radius of Pangera was around 10,000 km, which would make it significantly bigger than Earth, as I recall the radius of earth was 6 ish thousand¡­ so that would mean the volume of Pangera would be¡­.. Like¡­. Wayrger. By¡­. A lot¡­.

    There is tons of space in here is what I''m trying to say. Apparently the expanses get evenrger the lower you go, some are truly ridiculous from what I''ve heard. Perhaps they would even be a simr size to some countries on Earth if we were topare the floor area, which is crazy to think about. Still, this marsh is easilyrger than I expected to find an expanse in the firstyer of the Dungeon.

    This is either hitting the jackpot or a noose around my neck.

    Expanses are the juicy goldmines of the Dungeon from what the Queen told me. Stronger monsters, more cores, mana infused natural resources like wood and stone with properties are all features of the expanses. Great opportunity also brings with it great danger. Expanse'' are great points of conflict, not only between nations of the surface but between monsters down below. The big dogs all want the best territory and from I''m feeling the crocs have moved in and an extremely big dog/croc has set up shop here.

    Perhaps the Crocs want to monopolise the Biomass being generated in this area? Maybe they aren''t only sending out waves of monsters to terrorise the nearby surface but are also herding the weaker monsters straight into the belly of their parent to fuel the eggying process¡­.

    Bizarre scenes of monsters willingly marching into the open mouth of a gigantic crocodile flit through my head. Surely not¡­ The monsters seem unusually quiet and obedient but surely there''s no chance that they would just walk to their deaths is there?

    More investigation is needed and before more investigation can happen we need to learn more about the terrain in this expanse.

    The wide pools of water everywhere are really frustrating my senses. There is enough hillocks of ground that I can hop from one to the next to move around without getting my feet wet but I can''t sense any heat sources under the water and I can''t see squat through the murky surface. The result is that I''m constantly on edge as I creep about, mypound eyes giving me superb vision of my surroundings but my mind is also focused on those deceptively cid waters.

    The nt type monsters seem to be right at home here. The trees are dense, standing tall on syed roots that plunge their thousand divided fingers into the waters and mixed between them are more tree-like monsters, their bark exteriors concealing the hungering creature within. The Branchies were a heck of a lot more friendly than these punks. I''ll need to hunt down a few examples to sample the Biomass, try to get a clearer picture of what we are dealing with.

    Some of the natural trees are absolutely enormous. At regr intervals, usually a few hundred metres from each other these massive trees rise out of the swampy water and spread their branches impossibly wide. Huge fleshy leaves the size of a lounge room spread shade everywhere. From below I can see strange shadows shifting about through the branches and on the foliage so I don''t try to climb up at this point. I''ll wait until I''ve managed to scope out a little more info.

    Oooo here we go.

    Nearby I can see a vibrant flower with several dark green pods on vines hovering around the main trunk of the nt. The flower itself is beautiful, shades of yellow and orange rippling across the petals in a strangely hypnotic pattern, almost as if the colours themselves are moving¡­. I almost feel a¡­ lull.. Coming over me¡­. As if... tired¡­.

    HACK!!

    Not today! Vigorously I shake my body to caste of the lethargy that had started to wash over me due to the influence of that damn nt. This must be some kind of mind affecting ability, perhaps caused by the pattern itself or maybe some spores in the air.

    Thank goodness for a high will stat!

    Ok.. This flower is going to get it. To learn about the creatures of this expanse I must engage in true diplomacy, monster style. Which of course means killing and eating.

    Calling on my sub brains I have them weave the water construct from the mana in my core. I''ve been practicing with this transformation shape whenever I get the chance, whipping it up and then letting it dissolve so I can whip it up again. Practice makes perfect as they say and the time it takes to form it has been going down steadily. There''s still a long time to go before I reach what I would consider mastery but I''m satisfied with my current progress.

    Before long a bright and shiny new construct is glimmering inside my head and my brains get to work operating it, feeding in the raw mana in one end and producing the glittering blue energy out the other side. I don''t think water mana is going to be super effective against this nt but since I''m practicing it I need to keep using it in order to be familiar with its uses.

    [Mana Transformation has reached level 3]

    Haha! There we go. Practicing the transformation magic is definitely reaping my the benefits of experience at least. Particrly when I''ve been using it inbat.

    Alright flower. Time to get hosed.

 Chapter 79 Battling the marsh

    <h4>Chapter 79 Battling the marsh </h4>

    Deftly I use my sub brains to weave together two water bolts, leaving one brain to maintain and operate the transformation construct, as I lie patiently in wait like the great hunter that I am. The flower has no way to detect me with my advanced stealth active and my positioning being on point.

    [Water magic affinity has reached level 2]

    Nice!

    I need to keep practicing these spells in order to raise my proficiency as quickly as possible. The power of my current evolution is all in my capacity to utilise magic so I have to grind these skill until I can fling my spells about with practiced ease.

    Gradually the bolts take shape and I take careful aim before unleashing them all at once.

    POW! POW!

    Two tear shaped orbs of water zoom through the air and smash into the flower, hitting the stem and the center of the petals directly. The impacts cannon into the nt type monster and it rocks back and forth on its stem, reeling from the sheer force of the strike.

    If I had imagined before that using water magic on a nt was like giving it a gentle sprinkling I have been convinced with this attack. It''s more like hurling a block of concrete at it. Unlike fire which causes damage by burning or electricity which zaps organism whilst also burning them, water doesn''t seem to have any inherently harmful properties. It''s important to remember though that when water is elerated to sufficient speeds it bes harder, more difficult to break up.

    Rather than thinking of the water bolt as throwing a ball of water, it''s more like throwing a ball of metal. The sheer kic force is what does the damage rather than any particr property of the mana.

    Having been smashed with three water bolts the flower is reeling, it''s vines desperately iling about as it attempts to seek out the source of that vicious strike. The fun has only begun flower, I''ve got two more bolts on the way right now!

    POW! POW!

    CRASH!

    Once again the two bolts collide with tremendous force, both of them smack against the stem of the flower this time. The impact are nearly simultaneous and the flower is knocked straight to the ground, the fibres of the stem are starting to tear and split where the bolts have struck it. If I were to keep attacking that spot the stem may simply snap, killing the monster directly. I almost feel bad for it. This is a rough way to fight, it''s like I''m bludgeoning the thing to death by hurling rocks at it.

    However, the flower seems to have gotten a bead on my location from thest strike. As it rights itself with difficulty the four pods surrounding the central flower swivel towards my direction and open, revealing a bizarre, mouth like arrangement on the inside. Just as I''m wondering what the heck is going to happen the mouths open wide and shriek!

    YOWCH!

    Super high pitched, almost inaudible sound waves batter against my ears from all four of the pods. It''s a sonic attack! From a damn nt?! The sound tunnels straight through my ears and begins to rattle my brain. I can feel a wooziness begin to rise in me as the persistent sound waves try to stun my mind into rest.

    Having unleashed it''s sonic screech the main body of the flower rights itself with difficulty and presents its full glorious petal arrangement towards me. It immediately begins to employ that strangely hypnotic rippling technique, but more potent as the flower puts all of its effort towards lulling my mind.

    Across the ground small vines are creeping towards me, hoping to seize the stunned and mesmerized prey and drag it towards the flower for consumption. In your dreams petal face!

    POW! POW!

    Using my strong Will I''m able to resist even Tiny''s ear shattering scream, as if some dumb flower could hope to match that volume or potency, as for the petal dance, if I know it''sing I can steel myself against it long enough to form a few more water bolts!

    The two bolts smash into the flower right on the stem and shatter the nt fibres therepletely, breaking the stem and toppling the flower onto the ground. Take that!

    [You have in level 14 Fascinatio folium flos]

    [You have gained experience]

    Ha!

    Defeating a nt with water is an odd feeling¡­

    Too bad for this flower that my strengths matched up very well against its own. With my potent mental defences it isn''t easy to hypnotize me, Tiny might be caught handily but not this ant!

    Keeping low and trying not to attract any more attention than I need to I creep over and start eating the flower, keeping an eye on my surroundings as I do.

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Fascinatio folium flos, you are awarded one Biomass]

    [Basic Profile of the Fascinatio folium flos unlocked]

    [Fascinatio folium flos, Bewitching petal flower. This nt type monster uses abination of powerful mental attacks to lull its opponent into a stupor, allowing it to use its rtively weak physical body to consume the prey. This monster is weak defensively and can be ovee with surprise but be careful of its sonic scream].

    Yeah no doubt. Why are these profiles so full of information that would be immensely useful if known before fighting the creature but only be gained afterwards¡­.

    I gain another three Biomass from the nt before moving on to continue my exploration. I have thirteen points of Biomass now so it''ll be worth stopping to mutate something when I get a chance.

    I continue to poke about here and there, engaging the odd nt monster inbat to learn about their tendencies and practice my water magic skills. I end up gaining another level in water magic affinity and five more Biomass before I retreat from the marsh. More and more potent Croca-Beast variants are appearing nearby so I decide to get out of dodge and regroup with my gang, still hard at work on the tunnel shortcut.

    ["How are we folks? Enjoying the wonderful process of tunnel digging?"] I greet them.

    [¡­.]

    [¡­ yes master]

    Nothing from Tiny and somewhat reluctant reply from Crinis.

    "Yup-yup! Having a great time, Senior!" a very enthusiastic response from Vibrant!

    "Right?! Digging is the best!"

    "For sure! I just love the feel of dirt in my mandibles!"

    Truly, only ant kind can fully appreciate the joy of tunnel digging. My own people understand me best! As I return to digging I decide to spend the Biomass I''ve rued. The marsh is dangerous and I can''t afford to hold off on building up any advantage that I can.

    Firstly I decide to spend fourteen Biomass upgrading my Coordination Cortex to +5 so I can choose a mutation advancement. I''m reliant on my magic for offense in a way I haven''t been before so I want to get every edge I can in this department.

    Once again the menu appears in my mind with a plethora of juicy options to select from!

    Let me see, let me see!

    Ooooo. There''s a lot here as usual! I can give my cortex an affinity to boost the efficiency when using a specific mana type¡­ I rule that option out of hand. General strength is the name of the game! What else have we got¡­

    I take my time to browse as my body stays busy shovelling dirt with my mandibles and eventually I settle on two fairly normal but in my opinion excellent choices.

    [Harnessed coordination cortex. Improves efficiency when the cortex is coordinating multiple brains to work on a single task]

    [Divergent Coordination Cortex. Improves efficiency when the cortex is coordinating multiple brains to work on individual tasks]

    ¡­.

    So do I want the brains to be more powerful when they are working together or when they are doing their own thing? Of course, there is always the option ofing back to the other upgrade at +10 so it''s possible I could eventually choose both but which do I want right now?

    Using both Sub brains to work together on one big job is handy for sure and something that could surely be useful to have boosted. One the other hand letting each brain cast its own spell is also great and makes my attacking options a lot more open.

    I''ll go for the Divergent.

    There is still the possibility in the future that I''ll be able to include more Sub-Brains and hook them up to the cortex so having each of them be more capable on their own will give me a better result I think.

    [Do you wish to confirm this selection? This will cost 14 Biomass]

    Go for it!

    ¡­.

    SNATCHIFLATCH!

    MAH BRAINS!

    THEY ITCHHHHHHHH!!!!

 Chapter 80 The next wave

    <h4>Chapter 80 The next wave </h4>

    It takes a while for the vicious itch to fade. The coordination cortex is like an octopus that sits between my sub brains and the main mind so as it mutates and changes my entire brain zone lights up with itching. It''s intolerable!

    But finally gone!

    The process finishes and I find my pet monsters looking at me funny. Look! Just because you lot can take the sensation of mutating like its nothing doesn''t mean I can! I''m sensitive!

    ¡­maybe.

    At any rate, keep digging!

    It takes only a few hours of vigorous work to finally connect the new section of the shortcut to the old, meaning the travel time from the surface down to the marsh will be as short as an hour if there aren''t monsters spawning in there or an hour and half if there are. It''s a crude tunnel that zig-zags back and forth on a fairly steep grade, barelyrge enough to squeeze Tiny through. When he evolves again we are going to have to put in a lot of work expanding all of these passages for the big lug. To celebrate this momentous achievement, I''ve decided that we''ll all pitch in and collect a feast for ourselves and then another feast that we can take up to the Queen.

    I ce Crinis on defence duty at the shortcut entrance to make sure nothing sneaks out of the expanse and then Tiny, Vibrant and myself start roaming the tunnels looking for Biomass. Crinis isn''t really built to be an offensive hunter, at least not yet, so cing her in position where she can deploy her tentacles thinly like a spiders web to detect intruders and snatch them up is the best use of her talents. Tiny and I are more than capable of dealing with the monsters that spawn out of the walls here.

    Sadly we don''t find many. Since the monsters are drawn by that mysterious pressure to run into the marsh expanse upon spawning they can''t build their numbers and get caught up fighting each other in the tunnels. Asides from a few stragglers and slow moving nt types the pickins'' are pretty darn slim.

    [Master! Return to my location I think something is happening] Crinis suddenly speaks in my mind.

    [We are on the way Crinis. What''s going on?] I mean¡­ something could be happening but how the heck would she know? If a fireworks disy was going on around her she''d have no idea.

    [I can feel vibrations in the tunnel floor, and they keep getting stronger. I think something is approaching] she exins.

    Ohhhhh. Makes a lot of sense really. She does have quite a responsive sense of touch, she kind of has to since it''s the only sense that she has¡­ She''ll have to wait until evolution before she''ll be able to take advantage to some of the changes I made to her core.

    With Vibrant resting on my head and Tiny lumbering behind we make our way back at full speed to the entrance of our shortcut tunnel where Crinis had been posted on guard duty. Just in time too.

    Although Crinis was unable to tell what was causing the vibrations I could see perfectly well what was happening. Another horde of monsters was piling out of the marsh expanse and into the tunnel, hurtling in our direction as quickly as their beastly limbs could carry them!

    ["It''s another mob of monsters guys! Action stations! Prepare to dive! Crinis, engage feast mode!"] I holler frantically at my group.

    The horde is nearly upon us, only a few metres away at this point but Crinis wastes no time! Immediately she retracts the thin sensing tendrils she hadid out and reforms her tentacles into the thick, monster crushing engines of destruction we need them to be. Her main body swells up to its full beach ball size, splitting open to reveal her hungering maw.

    Tiny is no slower to prepare for action. In his case he simply pushes past me and flings himself at the crowd of monsters, howling with glee! He doesn''t say much but I get the feeling the big guy has not enjoyed feeling so subdued by the pressure emanating from the center of the expanse, he''s not the kind of monster who wants to shy away from a fight, he wants to get in there and punch faces, especially with strong enemies.

    The feeling of being reluctant to run forward and challenge something has been a strange new sensation for this normally suicidal ape. I''d weed the change, personally I think not wanting to fling yourself at some mysterious boss monster is just downright sensible but Tiny isn''t built that way.

    Now he has a chance to work his frustrations out on a massive horde of foes and he is going to take it!

    Before the charging mass of monsters has even reached Crinis, Tiny bowls into them with his formidable mass, sending monsters flying, mming into the walls and ceiling.

    [Crinis! Move towards the expanse and engage! Tiny ran past you to fight so you need to shift up the tunnel!]

    [Oh!.. Uh.. Understood master!]

    Hearing my orders Crinis uses her tentacles to propel herself forward and soon those grasping limbse into contact with the edges of the horde that are already starting to wrap around Tiny and attack his vulnerable back. Those monsters rather suddenly find themselves wrapped up themselves as their bodies are rent by Crinis'' and then tossed into the limitless darkness of her maw.

    [¡­ just a reminder not to eat them all Crinis¡­ we need enough for all of us and the Queen] I decide to say.

    [S.. Sorry master! I forgot myself!] she stammers.

    [I mean it''s fine to eat, just don''t go nuts] I relent.

    [Ok!]

    It shouldn''t need to be said but boy can she eat a lot¡­ I wish I had that stomach. I kind of dismissed all stomach upgrades in the evolution menu out of hand but I''m really starting to see the value in them. If I can hold more food or process it more efficiently then my Biomass deficiency should be taken care of, or at least alleviated somewhat. Something to consider for next time¡­

    Right now I need to deal with these monsters!

    With Tiny smashing his way through fists first, lightning sparking off him in increasingly intense waves and Crinis starting to wind up her threshing machine I decide to hang back and offer support.

    I still have my water mana transformation construct active so I start feeding it double time and weaving together a spell.

    The water cannon!

    With my potent main mind on the job it doesn''t take long to get it up and running and suddenly a massive torrent of water sts out from just above my head, cannoning into the monsters on Tiny''s left and knocking them off their feet.

    Haha! Time for some crowd control!

    I scuttle up the wall and move closer to unleash the full fury of my water cannon on the densely packed monsters. The sheer pressure of the water smacking into the monsters doesn''t do a whole lot of damage but it sure knocks them around a lot! From up here I can fire upon the monsters just in front of Tiny without hitting the big lug so I sweep the spell across the crowd, sending monsters flying into their neighbours from the impact.

    Gweheheh!

    With my assistance keeping the enemies from swarming him Tiny is able to unleash his strength to the fullest,shing out with massive sweeps of his gigantic fists and pulverising monsters with every swing. At one point he unleashes a furious uppercut that ms a monster straight into the roof! Holy heck!

    Not willing to be outdone I flip control of my hose over to a sub brain and task the other with maintaining and feeding the construct so I can concentrate on more spells. First thing I do is form a few gravity spears and throw them into the pack at various points to further destabilise the monsters, making life easier for my two pets. I also realise something rather nasty about that particr technique as several monsters are caught in the ovep between spear effects and find themselves being pulled hard in opposite directions¡­

    It wasn''t pretty.

    I mean, the force wasn''t enough to pull the monsters directly in half or anything but they sure didn''t look like they enjoyed the experience.

    I could probably form a Gravity Bomb and lob it into the thick of the pack, the monsters are still streaming out of the expanse and packing the tunnel, I''ll be shocked if there isn''t another thousand of them, but I want to keep as much Biomass as possible. This is a gift racing straight into our stomachs and I refuse to let it go!

    At this point another curious synergy is bing apparent. Tiny''s fists arepletely sparking with electricity by this point and his body is starting to zap nearby monsters, such is the charge he''s built up. Due to my excellent deployment of my super soaker the monsters around him are also drenched in water¡­.

    ZAP! ZAP! ZAP!

    Electricity begins to arc and crackle throughout the saturated monsters with every swing of Tiny''s fists! The electricity discharging into the monsters bodies and then leaping to the next. With every swing of his fists Tiny is damaging five or six monsters and he starts to cut them down even faster than before!

    Nice! Maintain that hose! I''d like to say I nned this but I really didn''t! If anyone asks me though¡­. I''ll smile mysteriously and act smug¡­.. Gweheheheh.

    My feet are continuing to soak up mana from the floor at a furious rate, feeding my core which in turn continues to feed the water mana. Finally this upgrade is able to show its true might!

 Chapter 81 A tasty feast

    <h4>Chapter 81 A tasty feast </h4>

    After continuing to hose down the foes and let Tiny''s fists smack them with electricity the idea finally urs to me to widen the damage out even further. I take over the hose with my main mind and start spraying as wide a field of monsters as possible. It doesn''t matter if I knock them down it only matters if they get soaked!

    [Crinis! Move forward and support Tiny for a minute]

    [Yes master!]

    My faithful death blob wriggles a little closer to her fellow pet and extends her tentacles around his sides to snatch up and smash the monsters who try and swarm around the giant ape whilst my hose is no longer providing the same level of crowd control.

    It takes me a little while to thoroughly drench the monsters in the tunnel and I can''t quite reach the ones at the back as they pile in from the Marsh expanse. It''ll have to do.

    [Crinis, back off again and Tiny, you unleash your lightning!]

    Crinis responds quickly and retracts her tentacles as I turn the water cannon back onto the monsters surrounding Tiny whilst the ape¡­. Keeps swinging his fists.

    [Tiny! Shoot the lightning!]

    [¡­.. ?]

    [The lightning! Shoot the lightning from your hands!]

    [¡­.. Am]

    ARRRGGGH! You dumb ape!

    [Not like this the one where you shoot the electricity in a big bolt! You''ve done it before!]

    [¡­.. When?]

    I swear I''ll use core surgery to give you a brain again, think dammit!

    As if feeling my animosity drilling into the back of his head, Tiny pauses for a moment before responding to me.

    [Oh.. Like this?]

    A huge amount of electricity bursts out of his body and crackles across his fur in jagged arcs that flood towards his right hand. As the charge builds up the hand glows brighter and brighter, dozens of electric bolts sparking off it every second. With a roar Tiny thrusts the hand forward and bright arc of electricity sts out of his hand and covers the saturated monsters in electrical energy, frying them instantly!

    The entire tunnel lights up as Tiny passes his hand across the crowd of monsters, controlling the arcing bolt of electrical energy and letting every monster have a taste. The apes body continues to release unbelievable amounts of energy that slithers down his arm like countless electric snakes before sting out of his hand.

    Sensational!

    [That''s the one Tiny! Good stuff!] I praise him.

    At my words Crinis retracts her tentacles even further and shrinks a little¡­. Is she sulking? Surely not¡­

    [Crinis you''ll need to step up in a moment, Tiny can''t maintain it much longer]

    [ok!] she responds, sounding full of life.

    Must have been my imagination¡­

    The monsters that had been exposed to my watery torrent of death have long been fried and the fresh ones from behind are pressing forward blindly, packing into the tunnel. Tiny has been able to maintain his lightning arc for a good thirty seconds before it suddenly fizzles out and he runs out of juice.

    [Back up Tiny and catch your breath, let Crinis past you]

    Reluctantly the ape acquiesces to my orders and falls back, allowing Crinis to slither past him to the front line where she can fully disy her talents in reaping the chaff. Tiny would happily continue fighting but he can''t refuse my order. He would win, of that I''ve no doubt but I don''t to see the big guy getting hurt for no reason.

    I''m too soft!

    Sorry Tiny! Perhaps one day you''ll be able to indulge your suicidal impulses and punch your way into an early grave, but it isn''t this day.

    With an almost tangible feeling of delight Crinis has returned to her crunching best and tentacles fly in all directions, knocking down monsters, grabbing others and shredding them before flinging them into the walls or into packs of monsters, scattering them like bowling pins.

    Tiny is reduced to supporting, smashing down monsters that try and surround Crinis or break past her to run deeper into the tunnel. In the interest of training my water magic further I once again pass the water cannon to my sub brains and use my main mind to throw down some water bolts to train faster.

    My efforts are rewarded before the end of the battle by the soothing tones of Gandalf ringing in my mind.

    [Mana Transformation has reached level 4]

    [Water mana affinity has reached level 4]

    Yass!

    This what I wanted to hear!

    I do notice that using the mana transformation to power two spells at once, particrly a consistently draining one like the water cannon, is really putting a strain on the system. Especially so when I''m using one sub brain to hold the construct in ce as well as feed the mana into it.

    My sub brains are proving to be massively capable and they''ve increased my spell casting flexibility to a huge degree. However I''m still finding that more sub brains may be necessary in the future. I mean, I''ve got the coordination cortex already, the more brains I plug into it the better efficiency I''ll get.

    I''ll shelve this for future consideration.

    It takes another ten minutes to finish off the monster horde and I manage to snag two levels by ditching water bolts on monsters from above and then charging in to mob up the dregs with my mandibles. I must have been close to level four already but grabbing another two levels is certainly nice. More skill points in the bank for my uing spending spree!

    Once we are done we stand in the wreckage of nearly one thousand monsters, so many that they are clogging up the tunnel nearly to the roof in ces. This is madness! What are all these newly born monsters doing? If they''re following orders for some reason, what is that purpose?

    Why am I thinking about this when I could be eating instead?

    OM NOM NOM.

    The four of us chow down to the limits of our respective stomachs, I myself manage to crunch in and fill every stomach to bursting,ting myself fifteen points of Biomass. I really do need to investigate this stomach situation, because Crinis must have gotten double what I did if the disappearing act she pulled on that food was anything to go by. The worst part is that once she''s finished she once again attempts to break my back my shrinking herself down and taking her customary position.

    Gah¡­ I need to work on my legs¡­

    After resting briefly we start hauling the food up the shortcut to the surface. We can''t take it all between the four of us but over a few hours we make a number of trips and manage to pile up a respectable haul that I mark with pheromones before we tread our weary way back to the nest. I''ll need to check in with the humans at some point¡­ ugh.

    Before then I''m going to check in on the Queen. I''m interested to see if Mother has been properly upgrading herself or stocking up on Biomass toy eggs¡­

 Chapter 82 Surface Situation

    <h4>Chapter 82 Surface Situation </h4>

    The Queen was in her chamber much the same as she had been over a day ago, covered in workers and resting peacefully. She hasn''t had any reason to go out and fighttely so I hope she''s enjoying a period of rxation.

    Considering the measly supply of Biomass that the workers have been extracting from the surface there hasn''t even been muchying to do. I''m not sure if Queen ants can get bored but perhaps she might be feeling that things have be a little dull?

    [Bored?] she responds when I ask her, sounding for all the world like she didn''t even understand the word, [why would I be bored?]

    [Well, there isn''t much to do at the moment?]

    [Foolish child] she chides me, [the colony is not under threat and you have provided food and a great hope for our family. I am content, as we should all be]

    How is this giant ant monster always so positive?! Such a good mother!

    Before I can get too emotional I need to focus on the present.

    [So you''ve received the Biomass we sent up?]

    [Yes. The children have been working as hard as they can. They found it and brought it to me]

    [awesome]

    I stare hard at the Queen for a moment, trying to judge whether she''s upgraded herself as we discussed. Rather than use my own my own mother of lying, which would be rather tactless, I try a different angle.

    [Is it ok if I check on your core? There may be more that I can do to improve our chances]

    [of course child]

    She answers without hesitation. I seriously doubt that she''s even capable of doubting her own children. I wonder if all the ant Queens are like this?

    Bringing my antennae forward I activate the core surgery skill and spin my mind up into overdrive to handle the flood of information that nearly knocks me off my six feet. Okok. Here we go then. Ah, this is the bit I''m looking for!

    Trying to arrange all of the details in my mind I find the information I want and check in on the Queen''s mutation advancements. Oh ho! I would not have been surprised if she had neglected my advice in order to produce more young. I believe that she considers producing young as her primary responsibility and the best way to serve the family as a whole, so it''s only natural that she would prioritise it over everything else, but in a pleasant shock she has constrained herself!

    In front of me I can inly see the upgrades to the three egg production organs than she has selected:

    [Efficient Biomass Deconstruction Organ +5, increases the efficiency of the organ to produce more deconstructed Biomass per point of Biomass spent]

    [Smooth Biomass Recoding nd +5, the recoding process utilises less deconstructed mass to encode the same material, increasing efficiency]

    [Boosting Egg production nd +5, Gives a bonus +2 to all stats for each egg produced]

    Fantastic!

    The first two upgrades were exactly the sort of thing I spoke to the Queen about. After studying the organs carefully, I estimate that these two advancements will synergise together to boost the egg production by 10%! Possibly more!

    That might not sound like much, but it isn''t as if the Queen will be producing ten eggs per year once the colony gets rolling. My dream scenario would have the Queen producing about a million ants a year, so an extra 10% would represent an increase of 100,000 workers. Not a small number at all.

    The thing that really grabs my attention is the +2 to all stats in the egg production nd. +2 might not seem like much but it''s enough to make my mind boggle! That''s a huge deal! The ants will be so weak that +2 to their physical stats is going to be significant enough but +2 to the mental stats is fantastic!

    If we were to think of the Croca beasts and how much Biomass would be needed to create one as opposed to a hatchling worker, I would guess that for each Croca Beast that was hatched would be able to make eight worker ants, perhaps more. An extra two stats on one Croca won''t make that much difference but for eight workers? The difference is huge!

    In fact¡­ I can make use of this¡­

    Knowing that every worker is going to be getting this boost from the Queen I make a few minor adjustments, bending my mind to its limits to enforce them. I trim down on the workers a little, basically shaving one point from each stat and giving clear paths for the bonus stats to slide into.

    The end result of this trade-off is that the ants will be produced more cheaply than before but still be a little stronger in the end. Win-win! However there is a chance we can go further.

    Withdrawing my mind from the Queen''s core I immediately congratte her on the wise choices she made.

    [Those mutation advancements are fantastic! The two efficiency upgrades will mean more workers and the +2 to all stats was perfect. Great Job!]

    [Thank you child] the Queen sounds genuinely pleased to be praised in this way. [Are we ready toy the first generation of new workers? How many are needed? 200? 400?]

    [Whoa there! Hold on a second! 400?!]

    I can tell the Queen is pumped up to get back to growing the colony and the promises I''ve made about the next generation are clearly exciting for her but she needs to hold onto them horses for a bit longer.

    [No way! Not yet!] I say firmly.

    [What? Why?] I can tell she is genuinely disappointed. Sorry Mother!

    [First of all we are going to get that egg production nd to +10 for sure. If it''s possible to get another +2 to all stats to stack with the existing advancement that will absolutely insane. Game breaking even. I''m not kidding, +10 for the eggying is a must!]

    The Queen is silent for a moment. I can almost feel her sadness¡­

    [It''s ok! It won''t take long! We brought up a huge feast from below, it''ll surely get you to +10! I''ll make sure the workers bring every bit of it here for you, ok?!] I say desperately.

    [Thank you child] she says gratefully.

    [as for the first generation] I continue, relieved her mood has improved, [my suggestion is that we keep it small. Only twenty workers]

    [So few? I haven''tid a clutch of eggs that small since the first. Is that really alright?]

    [absolutely. These workers will bepletely different than the ones in the past. I''ll have to teach them a few things and bring them up carefully. Once they hatch I''ll start teaching them and you can save up on Biomass. When they''re ready you cany the second generation of 400 and the workers I''ve trained will be able to take care of them. See?]

    [I understand. I''ll be patient]

    [Thanks Mother]

    I chat to the Queen a little longer before sending my crew down below into our little chamber and making my way back to the surface to make good on my promise. I personally lead the workers to the food cache and instruct them carefully before supervising them transport the massive load of food directly to the Queens chamber for her to feast on.

    If that organ can be doubled up to +4¡­.

    Things are going to get crazy.

    Filled with hope for the new workers I wander over the human area and see what the pests have been up to whilst I was below. As I approach I can see they''ve erected a few crude shelters and unpacked most of their stuff. Someone took the time to use some fallen branches to put up a picket line for the beasts of burden as well.

    As I draw closer I observe the people a little more carefully, it doesn''t take long before something strikes me as a little odd¡­

    Why are these homeless refugees looking so chipper?

    It''s true. Where I expected to find weeping, gnashing teeth and fists being shaken at the sky there appears instead calm people, many smiling and joking with others as they go about theirbours.

    Odd.

    Also, aren''t there more of them?

 Chapter 83 Humans and their needs

    <h4>Chapter 83 Humans and their needs </h4>

    Once I get close enough I''m quickly recognised by the people and the reaction is a unlike what I expected.

    Firstly the humans seem unusuallyfortable with having a monster ant wandering up to their area. I guess they''ve seen plenty of ants wandering here and there over thest few days.

    Secondly they seem a bit¡­ reverential. When they recognise me (I look different enough from the other workers I suppose) they fall quiet and still. There are hushed whispers and people rushing off towards the rear of the settlement where the shelter is. Other people are gesturing in my direction and talking animatedly to the people next to them. Even the children are pointing and whispering.

    ¡­.

    Annoying!

    So annoying! What are these people doing anyways?!

    I wait impatiently on the edge of the settlement, not willing to wander in and subject myself to more pointing. After a few moments Enid and the white robed priest Beyn came rushing over. She looks a bit nervous but he appears positively beaming with joy.

    Hastily I weave together a mind magic transformation construct and connect to Enid whilst she patiently waits for me toplete the magic.

    [Enid. Have your people managed to stay within their bounds?] I say abruptly once the mind bridge is finished.

    [Yes. We''ve been staying within the boundary you set very carefully] she says nervously.

    ¡­.

    It appears to be true. When I detect the pheromone trail on this side of the settlement with my antennae it does seem to be fine. I''ll check the other side before I leave as well.

    [There seems to be more people today?] I ask dubiously.

    [More refugees from Liria. It appears the monster horde is moving further south. These people arrive only this morning and we herded them in here as quickly as we could so that they weren''t¡­]

    [Eaten?]

    [¡­ right]

    ...

    [So what are you people going to do?] I ask. More to the point¡­ how long are they going to stay?

    [We have nowhere to go. Most of us are content¡­ surprisingly content, to remain here and build a temporary shelter. Wait for the wave to pass and then hopefully return to our homes]

    I brighten up immediately.

    [So you don''t want to stay forever? Head back after the wave is sorted out? Sounds good!]

    ¡­.

    Wait. How long is the wave going to go for? Well.. As long as it isn''t permanent it should be fine.

    [There are a few things we would like ask] Enid asks hesitantly, [as you know we came with very little and have made do with what we have. We have ess to the stream for water but food is scarce and shelter is hard toe by. It isn''t too cold right now but it will start to cool soon]

    Weather? Honestly I don''t even notice anymore. I do spend most of my time underground, to be fair.

    [So¡­ you want me to remove the restrictions on movement? Thisnd isn''t tame by any stretch. The colony is chewing through a lot of the local beasts on the surface but there isn''t any guarantee you won''te across monsters around here. Other than us, I mean]

    She nods. [We''re aware of that but we need to do this or we''ll perish. We have to forage for food, perhaps try to clear a field that we can sow in the spring. The people here are feeling positive about their prospects of living safely here. They have hope again and they want to do something positive for themselves]

    She''s quite persuasive when she puts her mind to it. Since this area is untamed, uncultivated wilnds there are woods everywhere, plenty of ces to go foraging. If they want to clear a field though, that''s going to be a heck of a lot of effort. There''s ready ess to water from a nearby stream which will help with irrigation¡­.

    I may as well help them out a little. If they get off to a good start they''ll have less reason toe and whinge at meter.

    [Enid. I''ll help by cutting some trees and bringing the logs to the edge of your settlement and

    I''ll start work on the stumps to help get your field started. Tell your people they can start foraging but not toe closer to the anthill. I''ll mark a new boundary halfway between here and there and I rmend you make sure your people don''t cross it] I warn her.

    Her expression brightens immediately. [Thank you so much! This will mean the world to these people. Wait till I tell Beyn]

    She turns and starts talking rapidly to the priest next to her. As soon as she''s finished tears begin to flood down his face and he kneels in the dirt before me, raising his one good arm to the sky and shouting with praise.

    ¡­.

    I''m starting to regret this already¡­

    When the other vigers hear his words of thanks they all beam with joy and many bow or wave in my direction, some go as far as to kneel along with their priest!

    I''m getting out of here.

    [I''ll be back to check in after two more days Enid. Try to keep your people in line]

    [I will. Thank you]

    Sheesh.

    I flee rapidly from the effusive praise and get to work checking on the old boundary as I circle around and erase. It appears as though Enid was telling the truth after all. With that job done I call Tiny up to help me and leave Crinis on defence duty under the Queens chamber before marking out the new boundary in a straight line roughly two kilometres long between the settlement and the nest.

    With Tiny helping its fairly easy to clear out trees. After surveying a little we choose an area a hundred metres from the stream and several hundred from the settlement. Using my infused savage mandibles I cut the trees close to the ground and Tiny carries them over his huge shoulder back to the humans before dumping them on the ground. Once we''ve hauled a few trees over I get digging and Tiny helps me lever out the stumps, leaving behind deep holes in the ground that the humans will need to deal with.

    After a days'' work we manage to clear almost fifty trees and the human camp is a hive of activity. As we skirt the edges on our way back to the nest the people are bustling everywhere, talking back and forth, hauling the logs about and readying the tools that they have on hand. Looks like they''ll be busy enough with that for some time. So long as they don''te and bother me it''s worth it.

    We''ve got serious business to be about back at the nest.

    Preparations need to be made and the Dungeon below needs more exploring. Not to mention the intense food packing program we need to undertake for the Queen to start mass producing the new generation after the first are born.

    When I get back to the nest I high five the workers I pass on the way in and send Tiny down to our little guard post under the Queens chamber and summon Crinis to help me. I need to dig out some farms! With Crinis helping to relocate the dirt I create tworge empty chambers essible only by a narrow tunnel on either side of our guard spot. I get Crinis to haul the dirt back to Tiny and let the ape carry big handfuls into the Queens chamber where the workers get annoyed and take it to the top, dumping it on top of the hill.

    Once the mana veins extend into those chambers we''ll be able to begin harvesting Biomass from right here near home, if not quite as much as we were before due to the longer gestation time the monsters are experiencing right now.

    With that done¡­ time to nap!

 Chapter 84 Improve thyself

    <h4>Chapter 84 Improve thyself </h4>

    wWWWACHA!

    I''m up!

    Snapping alert after my nap I immediately leap into more work. Got stuff to do, no point cking off like a dumb croc! (yeah I said it!)

    First thing on the menu is expanding the farm chambers. I originally thought that two would be fine but now I''m not so sure. I need to be more ambitious if I want to grow the colony to the sort of size it needs to be in order to support itself in a never ending expansion of the glorious ant empire. Everyone wants what''s best for their family right? I''m no different. What''s best for the colony is obviously Dungeon domination. This is the conclusion I''vee to.

    To that end I make the existing two chambersrger and dig out another two the same size, relying on my pets and the workers to deal with the dirt issue. The first two chambers have already begun to incubate monsters, I can detect their heat easily. I''m not worried about the monsters taking over the nest either. There is literally two hundred workers and the Queen chilling just above where these farm chambers are. The odds of them overflowing with enough numbers to take out the colony are basically non-existent.

    Not to mention the farm chambers connect through narrow passages to my resting ce, where Crinis and Tiny will be on guard duty anytime we aren''t away from the nest.

    The digging also pays off with a level. Taking my excavation to level 8! Every extra level increases my digging efficiency that little bit more and I can''t help but be happy to see that happening. After all, digging is the way of ant zen!

    Refreshed from mybours I prepare myself for the next task I''ve set myself for the day. This is one I''m not really looking forward to. I feel nervous about what we experienced in the Marsh Expanse, that formless pressure, those waves of monsters. We can handle the waves ok for now, but what if they getrger? What if more powerful monsterse? I''m getting worried that my current rate of growth isn''t enough. Even withoutying eyes on the beast in the marsh I''m certain it''s going to be a tough cookie to crunch.

    I''m feeling some anxiety. There isn''t any real direct threat to my family right now but if something were to happen and I couldn''t save them¡­

    I refuse to let that happen. I lost my family in thest world but I refuse to let it happen in this one too.

    I''ll do whatever it takes to make sure this family stays together!

    With a surging feeling of determination I unearth my core collection and begin fusing together a special core. I''m so focused that the mental strain barely registers in my conscious, all that upies my mind is visions of workers marching themselves down the gullet of a brutal crocodile beast the size of a house.

    [Compatible special core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute the monster?]

    Reinforce!

    The painfully familiar process begins once more as the oversized core gradually dissipates into pure energy that is drawn into my own core, erging and condensing it within my body. It doesn''t take long for the pinch toe, the awkward feeling of being a little too full on the inside that grows more unbearable over time until it bes an acute pain.

    I will endure! This isn''t enough! Not nearly enough!

    I grit my mandibles and hold on until the entire process is finished. It feels¡­. Not good! But I can take it! For the colony, I can take it!

    Painfully but not less determined than before I move out to take on my next task. Hopefully over time I''ll be able to be ustomed to this size core and the pain will fade much like it did the first time I took in a special core early.

    Then I''ll see about what else I can do ¡­

    For now, I wander over to the Queen''s chamber and check in with her. It turns out, the masses of food we sent up had in fact been enough to tip her over the edge and allow her to upgrade her eggying organ to +10. Eagerly I activate the Core Surgery skill and inspect her choices. Ready to behold the future of the ant race on Pangera.

    And it is beautiful.

    [Enhanced Boosting egg production nd +10; Gives a bonus +4 to all stats for each egg produced]

    DAAAAAYMM!

    It''s really here!

    I immediately retract the skill and perform an excited six legged tap dance in front of the bewildered Queen.

    "Yahooo!" I cheer.

    "You seem happy child" the Queenughs.

    I refuse to stop the dance. This music must be expressed!

    "This is going to make all the difference Mother!" I cry whilst my feet keep tippity-tapping, "the next generation are going to be something very special, just you wait!"

    "I have already begun to stockpile Biomass. When I have enough for the first twenty I''ll let you know" the Queen assures me.

    "Fantastic! If I get a chance I''ll head down into the Dungeon and try to rustle up some grub. The sooner we can get this rolling the better!"

    The Queen seems quite pleased by my enthusiasm even if she has no idea how to take my celebratory dance. I swear I saw her shuffle her own feet a little before growing still once more.

    I don''t want to make any more changes to the new generation, they''ll be fine the way they are. With all the upgrades in ce the egg production will be quicker and produce more powerful hatchlings than I had originally nned for, everything ising up Biomass.

    Full of enthusiasm I waddle my way back down into my chamber and settle in for a little bit of nning. There are a few things I want to look into before we move out again. The challenges are getting a little real right now and I want to make sure that we are in tip top fighting shape, myself and my pets.

    For me, this means a little skill point spending. For my pets, it means a little core surgery so I can take a look at their skills and mutations. I need to be able to better understand what I''m dealing with.

    There is a skill that allows me to directly take a look at their status but since I can use core surgery I don''t really think it''s necessary. I mean, I could just ask them for the information and I''m sure Crinis would be happy to provide it but Tiny¡­. Well, he hasmunication issues¡­.

    If he gets any dumber I''m going to have to shift some energy into beefing up his brain. I''m almost afraid to look at how low his Cunning has gotten¡­

 Chapter 85 Quick, status report!

    <h4>Chapter 85 Quick, status report! </h4>

    [Crinis, could youe over here please?]

    [Of course Master] the tennis ball of endless darkness responded immediately.

    I get the feeling that she''s able to sense where I am since she manages to roll towards me despite having no sense of sight. Once she reaches a space just in front of me she unfolds a few tentacles and ''stands'' up, holding her body up on a few slender tendril like limbs.

    [How are things going Crinis?] I decide to lead with a general question.

    [Well, Master!] she replies happily, [since maturing I''ve been able to gain levels and Biomass at an elerated pace. It feels good to be useful to you Master]

    [Yep, you''ve been a great help]

    The little ball wiggles happily in front of me for being praised. Despite her image she really is quite weak to positive reinforcement¡­.

    [How have you found spending your skill points and Biomass Crinis? Has there been any issues? Do you need any help or advice?]

    She pauses for a moment. [I''ve been a little hesitant to spend my points Master since I couldn''t be sure my choices were exactly what you wanted. I didn''t want to make any mistakes¡­]

    What?!

    [It''s your skills and your Biomass Crinis, you spend it however you want!]

    Just because they are pets I don''t want to micromanage every aspect of their lives! I''m probably a bit naive about it but I like the idea of my pets making their own choices and finding their own way in life.

    Is it because I''mzy and can''t be bothered going through all the menus and burning up my brains working out a bnced strategy where every member of our group functions as a cohesive part of a whole?

    ¡­

    Maybe.

    Still¡­ viva freedom! Viva pet choice!

    They can work it all out on their own! I don''t need to get involved!

    [So tell me Crinis ] I say cheerily, [how many points have you spent? What sort of skills are we looking at?]

    [.... ]

    What is this? ¡­ Somehow, even though she doesn''t have a face, I can tell she''s looking away from me.

    [What''s wrong? Have you got a few points stored up? I''m happy to give advice if that''s what you want¡­. ]

    [....]

    Something is starting to dawn on me.

    [Crinis ¡­ How many points have you saved?]

    [.. All of them]

    [ALL OF THEM?! You haven''t spent a single thing?!]

    [I''m sorry Master! I didn''t want to spend them incorrectly!]

    [It''s fine if you just spend them however you want! Do what you think will work for you!]

    [ but, but, but what if I make a choice that doesn''t work out!? Or doesn''t work with what you wanted me to do?!]

    ¡­..

    Sigh. It''s nice to have a pet that''s diligent and thoughtful, a direct contradiction to Tiny, but she''s TOO diligent and thoughtful. She''s be paralysed by wanting to make the perfect selection. Unable to make a choice because she''s preupied by what I might want.

    It''s time for me to show my understanding side and educate her, just as I educated Tiny.

    ¡­.

    WHAP!

    Using my antenna I swing one in a wide loop and whack straight into the little ball suspended in front me.

    [M m m Master?!] she cries in shock.

    THWAP!

    [Go spend your points! All of them! Right now!]

    [But!]

    THWA PAAAA!

    Spinning both antennae I whip one from the left and the other from the right, timing it so that one strikes a moment before the other, cannoning the little ball into the second blow which sends her flying to the corner of the chamber.

    [Every point! I''ll be checking back on you in an hour!]

    I turn aside from Crinis mental snivelling with a heart of cold steel. I know she''s only trying to do what is best by me but if I relent and go through the process with her this time she''lle to rely on me even more. I want my pets to be more independent than that. If she can''t even upgrade herself without consulting me just how independent could she possibly get?

    This is tough love!

    You can do it Crinis! This is for your future growth and not because I don''t want to dig through all of your menus with you!

    ¡­.

    In truth, a part of me kind of hopes that I can release my pets one day. The idea that they are essentially indentured servants, magically unable to refuse my orders kind of sits ufortably with my modern sensibilities. Much as the colony hase to be my family, Tiny and Crinis are also part of that family. I would rather that we teamed up and worked together as fellow family members that master and ve¡­

    Perhaps I''m just too sentimental¡­

    [Tiny! Wake up buddy,e over here for a minute]

    The giant ape wearily open his eyes and groans before rolling over and gradually picking himself up.

    ¡­..

    Is it really that much of a bother to move five metres over here?

    Eventually he pulls himself up onto his feet and walks over to me. His dark red bat eyes contrasting sharply with his ck and silver fur. He really is an impressive sight. His huge, bunched shoulders and massively thick arms are intimidating enough, but his huge fists, well beyond basketball size at this point, look truly scary.

    [How''s it going Tiny?] I lead with an easy one.

    [¡­..]

    Any minute now.

    [Good]

    There it is.

    [How are those skills going? Spending your Biomass points ok?]

    [¡­. ?]

    He tilts his head quizzically to one side.

    Well¡­. I knew it was going to be like this¡­

    [I''m going to use a skill on your big guy. Hold still for a minute ok?]

    When he nods I ce both of my antennae on his arm and activate the core surgery skill. Immediately huge amounts of information flood my brain and I have to whip m processing speed up a gear toprehend it all. Using the core surgery skill isn''t like directly looking at the status menu of another monster and then making changes. Whereas the status screen is a nice piece of paper with everything written neatly, using core surgery is like sticking your face in a bowl of crumpled sticky notes.

    All of the information is there but you need to filter it, sort it and poke about here and there before being able to piece together the full picture.

    Eventually I manage to get a handle on what Tiny''s status is like.

    Name: Tiny

    Level: 7 (core)

    Might: 154

    Toughness: 42

    Cunning: 7

    Will: 15

    HP: 84/84

    MP: 210/210

    Skills: Ape Boxing lvl 5; Uppercut lvl 5; Leap lvl 5; Smash lvl 5; Stamina lvl 5; Grappling lvl 5; Crushing Blows lvl 5; Fancy Feet lvl 2;

    Mutations: Enhanced muscture +4, Bones +4; Legs +4; Heightened Sonic Enhancer +4; Lightning Mana Affinity nd +4, Lightning Mana Affinity nd +4, Energy Conversion nd +4;

    Species: Dire Lightning Storm Kong

    Skill points: 28

    Biomass: 129

    ....

    ......

    So first off. He hasn''t upgraded anything¡­ Like nothing. He has what? 28 skill points and ¡­ 129 Biomass¡­..

    ARE YOU KIDDING ME TINY?!

    AND WHAT THE HECK IS FANCY FEET?!

 Chapter 86 Spendinâ€™

    <h4>Chapter 86 Spendin'' </h4>

    What the heck has been going on Tiny? I mean seriously man¡­ You haven''t upgraded anything? Haven''t spent your skill points at all? The only skill that look like you didn''t already have it is ''fancy feet'' and what the heck does that do? Have you been dancing behind my back, have you? A little bit of tap here and there?

    ...

    Sigh.

    I use my antennae to rub at my temples in an effort to ward off the impending migraine I feeling on.

    I really thought that the pets would be able to handle this stuff without me interfering. Even if Tiny couldn''t I was sure that Crinis would be fine. After all the effort I put into enhancing her intelligence ¡­. Still nothing.

    Nothing!

    With Tiny.. I''d mentally prepared myself for a lot. Nonsensical upgrades that made no sense, no synergy or evidence of even a mild amount of thinking. I''d prepared myself for that. To find that he hasn''t done anything at all somehow hurts my head worse than those other options.

    I don''t think he hasn''t done it because he doesn''t understand the idea of spending Biomass or skill points. His mind is slow, that''s for sure, but I doubt that he can''t understand how to upgrade himself. Centipedes and Dragon Wolf Cubs can spend Biomass, I know they can, I''ve seen them with upgraded body parts. There is no way they can do it but Tiny can''t.

    No no. The reason he hasn''t done it is because he can''t be bothered. It''s too much hassle.

    Thiszy ape!

    [Tiny, lean down here for a moment, would you?]

    Puzzled, the giant ape leans down, bringing his bat face a little closer to mine.

    ¡­

    THWAP!

    I whip my antennae around and smack them into his head on both sides!

    [Go spend all your points! Right now!]

    [ ¡­.. Why?] he sounds dissatisfied as he rubs at his bruised cheeks.

    ¡­.. Stubborn gori!

    He has to obey my instructions so he will spend them, but it would be better if I could give him motivation that would make him try harder to spend them well.

    ¡­.

    [If you spend all your points properly, you''ll be able to hit things better!]

    ...

    [Ooooo!] a spark of interest lights up in his eyes.

    Tiny leans forward eagerly towards me, hoping for more.

    [You''ll grow stronger too. Maybe enough to fight that scary thing in the marsh!]

    His brow furrows for a moment as he thinks hard before rushing to his feet and pounding his chest.

    [OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!]

    [That''s it buddy! It''s a good idea to spend all of your points! Go get ''em, now!]

    [OOOOOOOOOOO!!!] He roars in his mind as he turns and sprints out of the chamber.

    ¡­.

    [OI GET BACK HERE YOU APE! Spend your points, don''t go fighting!] I cry as I chase after him desperately.

    It takes a little while but I manage to calm Tiny down a little and reinforce the idea that spending points good, leaving them unspent bad. I get him settled in one corner where he sits with a zed expression on his face as he trawls through the various menus. I don''t envy him, he has to go through upgrade menu''s for literally every upgradable body part he has.

    Crinis is still vaguely wobbling in the corner as she also grabbles with the problem of upgrading herself. She won''t have nearly as many skill points or Biomass as Tiny to chew through but the fact that she has yet to spend a single thing makes a little worried. Even with my orders hanging over her head, she''ll probably struggle to make choices. I think she''ll be awhile.

    Time for me to spend a few points myself!

    I''ve got neen points of Biomass to spend and another fourteen skill points. The Biomass will go quickly but the skill points, I''ll need to spend a little more time on. I''ve got enough that I can branch out a little and perhaps allow myself a little leeway to pick up a few non-essential skills.

    Alright then!

    Biomass first!

    This one''s easy enough. 12 points are needed to take my inner carapace ting to +5 which will leave me with seven points to spend. I think I''ll spend the extra six on my acid nd. The fact that I can spin magic now shouldn''t take away from the ease of use and deadly restrictive properties of my business zone. I''m also pretty hopeful that there might be some juicy advancements to choose from when I get to +10. I''ll keep my tiny little ws crossed on that one.

    [Do you want to upgrade Inner Carapace ting to +5 and Restrictive Acid to +6? This will cost 18 Biomass]

    [Yup!]

    [At this level you are able to choose a mutation advancement, please select from the menu]

    Then pow! The menu hits me right between the eyes again with a plethora of options. I start picking my way through, searching for something that makes sense for me and what I want from my inner ting. What exactly do I want from it?

    ¡­..

    More defence, I guess? I mean, as far as I see it there are two options for improve defence, tougher shell or faster healing. Generally speaking I like having a mix of both. The tougher the shell is, the more valuable the healing right? I have the regeneration nd to provide sweet, sweet healing in the event I need it and I have my Diamond carapace to provide the hard outer shell.

    The Bone ting right is basically a reinforcingyer underneath the carapace, supporting it and making it more difficult to break through. I don''t mind if the ting serves as a double role. Reinforcing the outer shell and helping to repair it at the same time¡­

    Let''s see if I can find something along those lines¡­

    ¡­

    Bingo!

    [Regenerative Inner Carapace ting, helps to regenerate damage done to the carapace in addition to improving its defensive properties].

    Nice!

    With this my shell is capable of healing itself even more than before! Muahahahaha! All I need now is to bolster my defence against magical attacks in some way. I need to start investigating and training my skills¡­

    [Would you like to confirm these choices?]

    Yep!

    .....

    FFFFFFTAGN!

    All over the inside my carapace! Nooooooooooo!

    ¡­..

    Uhg that''s horrible. Now for skills.

    For the first time in ages I bring up the skills menu and start pouring through it carefully, looking for options that might help me out in the current situation.

    I saw one skill in Tiny''s list that I thought looked helpful so I go straight to confirming what that might be.

    [Stamina, reduces the cost of actions or skills that drain physical endurance. The amount of reduction increases with skill level].

    Hot damn! That is handy. Consider it bought!

    Ok what else is there¡­.

    I check through the pet-rted skills again to see if there is something I really want. Increasing growth speed doesn''t really appeal, being able to view status¡­.

    Well if I think about it in terms of what the skills will turn into when advanced, rather than what they are currently, how does that change my thinking?

    Growth speed could be¡­ levelling speed? Increase in xp or biomass gained? That could be really handy¡­

    Viewing status would be¡­ changing status? Being able to spend skill and Biomass points?

    The second one still doesn''t interest me but the first one could be useful. It''s worth spending a point on. Purchased!

    The joy of spending points and growing stronger is filling me! Or is just the knowledge being dumped into my brain space?

 Chapter 87 Upgraded and ready to roll

    <h4>Chapter 87 Upgraded and ready to roll </h4>

    The rest of the pet skills don''t interest me right now, I don''t need to take the skill to increase the number of avable pets until the system refuses to allow to. I may as well try and find a third now that I have the faster pet growing skill, presumably I won''t be able to level it up unless I gain a new pet.

    At that time perhaps the system will refuse to allow me reconstitute a monster and I can easily pick up the skill then. For now, let''s look about and see what other skills I can find.

    Scrolling through the menus takes a significant amount of time. They don''t seem to be organised in a properly logical way, with movement skills mixed with mental skill and magical skills sometimes tucked away amongst physical ones. It''s almost as if you need to know what you''re looking for and where to find it ahead of time, otherwise your only choice is to trawl through the lists checking every entry until you find something you like.

    Which is exactly what I''m doing right now. And it sucks!

    This one? No¡­

    How about..? No¡­

    Hmmmm¡­.. No¡­

    Who would want to get better at that anyway?!

    Madness!

    There has to be some juicy new skills here somewhere. I need to look a little more carefully. I remember when the skill list had only five options on it. I don''t know how, I don''t know why but that has ballooned out to over one hundred at this point. I''m not sure exactly what causes the skills to be unlocked¡­ there must be some sort of prerequisite that needs to be met. Perhaps with stats¡­ or even actions in the world?

    For example the pet skills. I don''t exactly frequently check the skill list but they didn''t appear until after I had reconstituted my first pet. I didn''t go looking for them until after I''d met Formo the Sophos but it stands to reason that they were unlocked somehow.

    Which means that other skills must also have prerequisites before they be avable. I suppose that humans and civilisations like the Sophos would have had hundreds of years to learn all this stuff and map it out, uncovering the most optimal paths, nning the bestbinations of skills.

    Well, the ant kingdom will also have topile this knowledge! Starting the first twenty of the new generation I''ll begin the process of learning the secrets behind the entire skill tree! Not a single leaf shall remain unturned!

    With renewed determination I start reading through the skill descriptions one by one and I manage to uncover a few gems.

    [Mana Miser; allows the user to be able to do slightly more with slightly less when utilising mana. Effect will increase along with skill level]

    [Cerebral Endurance; the user will be able better marshal their mental resources, reducing the mental exertion forplex will based tasks slightly]

    [Meditation; user will be able to rx the mind and achieve rity of thought. Each level will make the state more effective and easier to achieve]

    Each of these three makes a lot of sense to me from a magic user perspective. More efficiency with mana, better mental endurance and a clearer, more focused mind? Perfect for my spell slinging ways!

    Purchased!

    ¡­.

    Man the number of skills I have is really climbing! Now that my skills are starting to climb into the third tier it''s bing harder to train them, meaning I have to upgrade them less, causing my current skill point build up.

    I shouldn''t go too crazy picking up new skills¡­ perhaps only one or two more.

    I keep flipping through. I''ve already picked up some skills on the mental side.. Is there anything on the physical side that I could pick up? I start to focus in on skill names that seem to focus on physical prowess but most don''t seem that useful.

    There has to be something that could be interesting¡­ I need to remember not to judge a skill on exactly what it says at the first stage. After reaching level five and then level ten the skills be much more useful. Look at dash for example. I ignored it initially since charging forward when I was just born would be little more than charging forward to my own death. After witnessing the awesome movement skills of the humans it became clear that after being upgraded that dash was almost essential for physicalbat.

    Ooooo how about this?

    [Precise shooting; the user will be better able to target objects with ranged attacks]

    This should work for my acid shot as well as my magic right?

    Purchased!

    Alright then¡­ there has to be something else¡­ something less passive.

    One more skill¡­

    Eventually Ie across something that catches my eye. Even then¡­ it sounds a bit nasty¡­.

    [Ripping bite; increases the users'' ability to make bite attacks aimed at tearing away part of the targets body]

    ¡­.

    That¡­. Is badass.

    Purchased!

    With the warm trickling sensation of new skill knowledge flooding my brain I feel pleased with my new purchases. New skills to level! New horizons to explore! Who knows exactly what these skills will turn into in the future?!

    One thing I do know is that I need to start training up my skills quickly. My current options aren''t nearly enough to handle the sort of conflicts we are going to start getting into so I need to lift my game!

    Content with my spending for the moment I turn to check in on my pets. Crinis is still bobbling away in the corner and Tiny remains seated, eyes zed as he contemtes the upgrade menu.

    Good luck guys, I wish you well!

    ¡­.

    Since I don''t have much to do I may as well start trying to grind my skills.

    Who knows? Perhaps I''ll be able to unlock something interesting if I can get some of my skills to evolve¡­

    I settle in to wait for my pets toplete their spending and try to activate my meditation skill. It takes a little while but I gradually feel a calm sensation begin to pervade my mind, my thoughts growing still and cid, my emotions fading into the background.

    With the proper mood established I call on my mana and begin to practice. There''s a lot of work to do.

 Chapter 88 The World Below Part 1

    <h4>Chapter 88 The World Below Part 1 </h4>

    Mirryn awoke with a start.

    Instantly wide eyed and alert she turned her head to look around her and her eyes were struck immediately by the austere white room in which shey. She was lying on a clean bed in a small white chamber. On the roof a glowing crystal provided illumination, a clean white light that filled the space warmly. Just looking at that light nearly brought Mirryn to tears. She''d feared that she would die surrounded by the blue light of the Dungeon, seeping into her body and killing her slowly.

    She couldn''t remember much of her arrival to the Legion base in the Dungeon. After their long descent down the carved spiral staircase that themander had referred to as Perisus'' stair. That journey had tested the trainees to their limits. It had taken long days of endless marching to reach the bottom, spiralling ever downwards into the depths and the lower they got, the sicker they became.

    None of the trainees had been down in the Dungeon this deep, for this long. Without proper limation, the lower part of the first strata would normally be the first ce that a Dungeon delver would need to worry about saturation sickness, or ''the blues'' as it was colloquially known.

    During this wave, which didn''t seem to want to end, the mana had risen to ridiculous levels, the first strata was currently reading much the same as the second right now, the trainees were unable to cope. Every one of them was struck with the blues, quite literally turning a light shade of blue as the raw mana of the Dungeon began to pervade their bodies. Mana saturation sickness was an insidious killer and a truly messy death. Delvers, mercs and every being who entered the Dungeon lived in fear of it, their bodies literally breaking apart cell by cell as the excess energy ravaged their bodies.

    The trainees got their taste of it as they walked the endless stairs. They began to stumble, their legs no longer responding as they should. The further they got the more the symptoms became pronounced. Their vision slowly overtaken by a blue haze that made it difficult to see, their hands started shaking, then the whole body. The young, strong trainees began to experience the fear that was normally reserved for the aged, the fear of having their own body betray them and begin to fall out of their control.

    Through it all they felt no pain, only a giddy, inexhaustible nervous energy. The blues didn''t make people feel tired, as the name might suggest, rather the mana suffusing their body and brain numbed them and gave them the jitters, as if they''d been drinking five cups of coffee every hour. They couldn''t sleep, couldn''t rest, couldn''t think clearly, they were both more exhausted than they''d ever been in their lives andpletely unable to rest.

    With the encouragement and support of their fellow Legionaries and officers they''d barely made it, the only other members of the party struggling as much as them was the prisoners the Legion had mysteriously brought with them on this expedition.

    Less capable than the trainees many of them had to be carried towards the end, the soldiers taking turns to hoist the murderers on their backs as they battled the long march.

    Thest Mirryn could remember was arriving before arge stone door. She could barely see by that point, the door itself was nothing but a blur. Themander had stepped forward and done¡­ something and the door had swung open, vague figures had rushed out, gathering the sick members of the party and bringing them inside. She had copsed into the arms of the person rushing towards her and then woken up here.

    Looking around the room some more she noticed a strange arrangement on the side of the bed. A tube had been inserted in her arm, surrounded by a glowing enchantment that had been drawn directly onto her skin. Nervously following the tube with her eyes she saw it was attached to another enchantment drawn on a nearby t table. The center of the table held four softly glowing cores.

    Mirryn stared at the strange setup, puzzled, after closing her eyes to try and feel if anything was different she noticed that her saturation sickness was significantly better. If she focused hard she was able to feel the flow of mana in her body, slowly inching down her arm before being leeched out through the tubes and being fed to the cores on the table.

    She was stunned, she''d never even heard of this kind of treatment before. Such fine maniption of the mana in another person''s body via an enchantment¡­ How had they done it?

    "I haven''t heard anything Alberton but as soon as I do, you''ll be the first to know!" themanders voice prated through the door.

    Soon after the tread of heavy feet could be heard as the Loremaster andmander continued to argue with each other.

    "I just can''t understand why we didn''t make more of an effort to prevent Garralosh from reaching the surface. You know what will happen up there. That''s my family dammit!"

    There was a heavy thump, as if a fist had smacked into a wall.

    "You think you''re the only person with family up there Alberton? You think I don''t want to rip the head off that Croc and protect our people? Is that what you think?" themander demanded quietly.

    There was a long pause and Mirryn began to wonder what was going on when she barely heard the Loremaster sigh and reply.

    "I''m just worried".

    "We all are, but we have a duty to get here to HQ and support the bulwark. As much damage as Garralosh can do, would you want the second strata monsters to rise to the surface? Do you know what that would mean? This wave isn''t ordinary Alberton and you should stop pretending that it is. The entire world could go up in mes if we aren''t careful".

    Another sigh and a quiet "I know" before the door suddenly opened and the two top officers of the Liria branch Legionem Abyssi strode into the room.

    "Ah, good to see you''re finally awake trainee" Titus nodded.

    Mirryn nodded in return but felt a little confused, this greeting didn''t feel as positive as it should. Something about hermanders tone and posture was off, even Alberton looked somewhat downcast, almost not meeting her eye.

    "Is this the HQ?" she asked.

    "Yes" Titus affirmed, "you''re in the medical wing. The mana saturation was much higher than expected on this journey, we had to perform emergency treatment to lower the mana levels in your body. All of the trainees received the same treatment, you''re thest to wake".

    Mirryn''s head spun for a moment. So all of them had been in this ce? Where were they now?

    Alberton could see the question in her expressions. "The others are waiting for you. We have to move quickly" he said.

    "Can you walk trainee?" Titus asked.

    Mirryn tested her legs. "I think so, sir".

    She rolled out of her bed and stood shakily on her feet. She was still weak from the blues. Titus didn''t wait for her to ask and stepped forward to support her, carefully removing the pipe from her arm as he did so.

    In silence the two old officers walked with her out of the room and down a long corridor. The ce was strangely empty and quiet, Mirryn didn''t see or hear another person as they travelled. They came to a heavy wooden door with a carved, enchanted lock on the door. Titus waved his palm in front of the borate carving and it immediately glowed with bright light before the door swung open to reveal a winding staircase carved in rock.

    Not another one, Mirryn thought.

    Not saying anything the three descended, Titus keeping a steady grip on her shoulder to help her navigate the steps without falling. At the bottom of the stairs was a small chamber with another door in it and gathered there were all of the trainees.

    Mirryn felt relief when she finally saw other people. The feeling quickly faded when she realised that the air was tense in the room, the trainees were nervous, the officers solemn.

    With the trainees tightly packed together in the small space, Titus took a position on the lower steps, cing him higher than his audience so they could see him and began to speak.

    "Congrattions trainees. You have sessfully braved the dangers and hardships of this delve and made it here to the headquarters of the Liria branch of the Abyssal Legion. I''m proud of you".

    And he really was. Looking down on these young Legionaries filled him with pride. They were good people, strong people. They had sacrificed, fought, upheld the tenants of the Legion and proven their mettle. They gave him hope for the future.

    The trainees themselves allowed themselves a small smile at the rare words of praise from themander, but the serious expression on his face dampened the mood quickly.

    "You represent half of the trainees inducted in your year. The others have been weeded out. Not dedicated enough. Not loyal enough. Not willing to sacrifice. Only those that we trust to keep the secrets of the Legion and do their duty make it this far. You have earned the right to be full Legionaries".

    Excitement, smiles and joy lit the expressions of the trainees. This was what they had been hoping for ever since they enrolled. They had worked so hard for this!

    Titus saw the looks on their faces and it acknowledged it with a nod even as his heart sank in his chest. This was always the hardest part¡­..

 Chapter 89 The World Below Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 89 The World Below Part 2 </h4>

    Titus was a renowned Legionary above and below the ground. He was known for his strength, his iron will, his leadership and his willingness to put himself in harms'' way to protect his fellows, he was a leader who never spared himself.

    Most of all, he was known for his unyielding sense of duty. He had sacrificed over and over again in order to perform the role he filled and he would damn well do it again. He never hesitated, did not regret but often, he grieved.

    Looking down at the eager trainees below him he felt sorrow grip his heart.

    But it didn''t stop him.

    "You are about to undergo the final trial on the path to bing full members of the Deep Legion" he announced.

    Serious expressions overtook the trainees at the word trial. What would they need to do?

    "You have experienced severe mana saturation sickness on the way here and we have done what we can alleviate the symptoms, but we have not cured you. Behind that door lies the greatest secret of the Legion. We will cure you of saturation sickness permanently, the process will also make you stronger, faster, smarter, more powerful than you currently are. When it is done you will be reborn".

    A few gasps and disbelieving murmurs erupted from the youths in front of him. Was any of this even possible?

    Titus pointed to the door behind them. "Beyond there lies the greatest secret of the Legion. It enabled the first Legionaries to perform the heroic feats deep in the Dungeon that helped end the Cataclysm thousands of years ago and it fuels us today. Every full Legionary you have ever met has undergone this process, including me".

    Themander took a deep breath. No avoiding it.

    "Let''s go in and I''ll exin further".

    Titus gestured to Alberton who squeezed through the cramped chamber before unlocking the enchanted seal on the door and striding through. Titus waited on the stairs until everyone had entered the next room before stepping forward, closing the door behind him as he did so.

    Of all the trainees Mirryn was the only one to note his actions closely and a sudden fear gripped her heart. The way they moved, it was almost as if they had been blocking the exit, making sure that it was impossible for someone to get past them¡­

    Suddenly anxious, she cast her eyes around the room they now found themselves in. The room itself was unremarkable. Light was provided by glowstones embedded in the ceiling which illuminated a simple and unadorned stone chamber. The chamber itself was long, but narrow, with regr offcuts down the right side. Pushing past her fellow trainees, Mirryn saw that in each offcut a narrow basic had been chiselled into the floor, almost like a bath carved into the stone. Counting quickly under her breath she saw that there was thirty such ''pods'', each with the same narrow basin that appeared designed to have a person lie down in it.

    Closely inspecting the pod she realised the ceiling directly above each basin was not as simple as she had first assumed. Incredibly fine, intricate runic patters had been carved into the surface, the lines so thin she almost hadn''t seen them. In the center of the pattern a thin hole could be seen, perhaps for something to flow through and fill the basin? Even the basin itself was covered in intricate runic inscriptions. Just what were these for?

    Her anxious musing was interrupted by a sudden p from themander. All of the trainees stopped gazing around and turned back to their officer, paying close attention.

    "I will know exin the process to you" themander said crisply, his eyes hard with determination, "listen closely as this will impact the rest of your life".

    He paused there to ensure he had their full attention.

    "Each of you will strip down and lie in a separate pod. From the ceiling above we will release pure, condensed liquid mana that will fill the basin until you are submerged. The fluid will be absorbed into your body, remaking it into something new. After twenty four hours it''ll be done and you''ll be a full legionary".

    The trainees were staring at him as if he were insane. Liquid mana?! What the hell was that?! Donnn stood with the rest, his mind flicking at lightning speed. If mana could be condensed into a liquid, wouldn''t it be much more potent that the energy in the Dungeon? Wouldn''t they just die?!

    Titus could see their confusion. He did not move to reassure them.

    "This process is exceedingly dangerous. It will be the most painful experience of your lives. Every cell in your body will be super saturated with mana, tearing at the seams. There are powerful healing enchantments built into the basin. You will be ripped apart and remade constantly for a day. One in five of you will not survive".

    The deep, stern voice of Titus faded away and there was total silence as the trainees stared back at theirmander in shock. They had been prepared for many things, but not this!

    Alberton spoke from behind them, his voice weary with sorrow. "To defeat the monsters, to protect the civilisations on the surface the Legionem Abyssi decided that to be human was not enough. In order to ovee the Cataclysm, to make sure that it would never happen again, this was the step they decided to take".

    His words fell on the young trainees like stones. This was real. It was going to happen. Fear gripped their hearts as they imagined the agony of having their very cells ripped apart for hours on end. Could they endure it?

    Several thought fleetingly of running, of escaping this chamber and the insane ritual about to take ce but they quickly squashed the thought. Who was that standing in the doorway, they thought bitterly. Commander Titus. He was a legend in the Legion. If all of them unleashed their most powerful skills at once would they shave even one HP from him?

    "Nobody is forced to take the ritual" Titus announced grimly, bringing relief to the trainees. Before they could start to celebrate he pulled the short sword on his hip from its sheath and gripped it tightly in his right hand.

    "But you cannot know the Legions secrets and not be one of us. If you wish to spare yourself the suffering, step forward and I will give you a quick end" he said.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Alberton found Titus staring at the wall outside the ritual chamber, as he always did once the trainees had begun their transformation. Once the process was done they would be remade into an entirely new species, no longer human, but Legion.

    They could delve further into the Dungeon than anyone else could hope to, able to tolerate levels of mana saturation beyond what a normal person could ever dream. They would be able to take the fight directly to the monsters, able to chase them down wherever they chose to hide. That was what it meant to join the Abyssal Legion.

    This had been done for thousands of years, all over Pangera. The secrets of the first Legionaries had been kept ever since those days. As Loremaster it was Alberton''s role to keep the histories of those days and the determination, the sheer will of those men and women had remained within their spirit to this day.

    That didn''t mean they liked it.

    The screams echoed through the chamber now. Down the corridors and up the stairs. On and on, endlessly screaming. Alberton could well remember what it had been like, he still experienced it in his nightmares, his throat ripping apart from the force of his shrieks only to be healed instantly, allowing him to scream some more.

    Amidst the howls of agony a tap, tap, tap of chisel on stone could faintly be heard as Alberton approached his friend.

    As he drew closer the memorial wall became clear, thousands of names had been written here by Legionmanders through the centuries since this base had been established. Titus knelt on the ground, his hands steady as he added one more name to the bottom of the list.

    Alberton felt his heart twist with pain. The Legion did everything they possibly could to test their new trainees before they reached this point. Anyone they didn''t think would be willing to undergo the Baptism had been separated, rmended to other forces, ced in the Auxiliary or other surface teams that were not required to delve. Even though the trainees didn''t know it, they had been forensically examined for years before they reached this point.

    The Legion didn''t want to have the blood of their own people on their hands. Unfortunately no system was perfect.

    Trelik had been unwilling to undergo the baptism, he had epted Titus'' offer.

    Now themander knelt and added his name to the wall, along with every other trainee who had not survived the final trial. Tomorrow, the baptism would be over and Titus would have to kneel here again.

    It was impossible to converse with the horrific cries of their own people ringing in their ears. Instead Alberton walked beside his friend and ced a hand on his shoulder as he let his eyes roam over the names on the wall.

    The Legion was the frontline against the Dungeon, none fought harder or delved deeper than they. To achieve this they had been called on to relentlessly sacrifice. None more so than Titus.

    Alberton let his gaze rest on one name in particr. Romanus.

    How must it have felt, he sighed, when themander had carved his only sons name into this wall?

 Chapter 90 The World Below part 3

    <h4>Chapter 90 The World Below part 3 </h4>

    Her hands hurt like hell.

    Mirryn leaned against the parapet of the Legion HQ and took in the view, resting her forearms on the stone.

    "How are you holding up?" a voice came nearby.

    Mirryn turned to see Donnn approaching from along the wall.

    "Couldn''t sleep either, huh?" she asked him.

    "Not a chance in hell" he muttered.

    Neither of them wanted to talk about their baptism but they couldn''t help thinking about it. When they had finally been taken out of the basin the trainees had immediately lost consciousness, their minds longer supported by theplex enchantments that had surrounded them.

    Upon awakening they learned that three of their friends had died.

    All things considered it wasn''t a bad number. Below average. She could see the relief in the officers faces that they hadn''t lost more. It seemed stupid, to be thankful of only three deaths but she understood their logic. Would the situation be somehow better if four had died?

    No.

    Themander and the rest of the Legionaries had been past to visit them in the days since. The trainees had been ced in a convalescence unit,fy beds, good food, medical staff around the clock, counselling specialists, the works.

    On the surface Mirryn would have been shocked to think of the cost of thevish treatment, the Legion was legendarily thrifty, they made most of their own equipment, ate nutritious but brutally unvoured food. It was a regr sight for the trainees to be seen cleaning their leathers and polishing their swords outside the barracks in the dawn light right next to their officers.

    The trainees were learning just how many things they had thought they''d known had been an borate deception. The Abyssal Legion they thought they''d known, the Dungeon they''d thought they''d known, indeed, the world they thought they had lived in were so far from the truth.

    "Did you ever think that something like this could exist?" Mirryn asked Donnn as he joined her.

    "Absolutely not" he answered tly, "In fact I specifically remember being told such a thing was impossible".

    Even though she was looking at it, Mirryn still thought it was impossible.

    It was a city.

    In the Dungeon.

    A vast egg shaped cavern of impossible size, kilometres across and many more high, filled with people. The buildings covered the bottom of the cavern and then extended up the walls, carved into the rock face. A gigantic glowstone at the top of the space provided illumination in the day and faded at night, regting the time for the thousands of citizens here in Railleh.

    Through some mechanism she couldn''t imagine the cavernous space managed to keep the Dungeon veins out. There was no risk of monsters spawning within the city itself. Such safety within the Dungeon felt weird to her. She''d spent every moment underground up to this point beingpletely alert. To be this rxed down here felt, unnatural.

    From her vantage point Mirryn could see the city bustling with activity day and night, the people moving like ants in the cramped streets below. Even now the light of thousands ofmps lit the city at night like a sea of candles in the darkness. It was incredible.

    The Legion headquarters was about halfway up, a citadel that upied a position of great standing, looking down over the rest of the city. She hadn''t been able to explore much yet, the trainees were basically confined to recovery. Not the trainees actually¡­ Full Legionaries now.

    Mirryn had longed for that for so long¡­

    "How''s your hand?" Donnn asked.

    She nced down at the heavy bandages that wrapped her forearms all the way to the tip of her fingers.

    "Better" she said, "they''ve been healed but they''re worried about damage to the bone so I''ll be under wraps for a few days yet".

    Donnn''s expression twisted a little. Unable to contain his curiosity he eventually asked "Is it true how they got injured?"

    "What did you hear?" she answered.

    "That you punched themander in the face".

    Mirryn shrugged her shoulders ufortably. "it''s true".

    Donnn whistled his appreciation. "I can''t¡­ I cannot even imagine it. Did he say anything?"

    He hadn''t. Themander had visited each trainee personally upon their wakening. When she''d finally opened her eyes and got her bearings he''d already been there. He didn''t exin, or justify. He just sat there. On seeing the man that she''d trusted so much, almost like a father, who had done such an unspeakable thing to her and her friends ¡­ she''d lost it. Rage and fury had exploded in her.

    She''d been able to contain it at first¡­ what would be the point of hitting him?

    When she asked how many had died and he told her she''d leapt out of the bed and punched him right in the face with both hands. He hadn''t resisted in anyway, willingly epting her strikes, but, the end result was she broke both fists. She didn''t think themander had even moved.

    She''d spoken with some of her fellow trainees, especially Donnn. There were feelings of anger, of betrayal and of fear. Fear of the pain that kept them awake at night, fear of the never ending horror of it and deep down, fear that the Legion was right.

    They could feel now. Ever since they''d awoken they could tell that something was different. Their bodies were absorbing mana out of the air, breathing it in and out through their pores. Mirryn felt stronger, healthier, her mind felt like it moved more quickly, with greater agility.

    They hadn''t even begun training or using their new bodies yet but they could already tell that they had been fundamentally changed. She didn''t think it would end with just this either, she thought there would be more secrets toe.

    She knew that her officers were good people. The impression she had of them from years of living alongside them weren''t wrong. They were indeed the kind of hard line, duty bound hard heads that would put people they cared about through such torment, so long as they had good reason to.

    The torment was over but Mirryn was afraid to find out why it was necessary.

    The Legion had done this for thousands of years, why? What exactly are they fighting down here?

    She turned back to Donnn. "When do you think they''ll let us out and into the city?" she asked.

    He smiled. "Hopefully soon. After everything that''s happened I could do with some leave. A few refreshments wouldn''t go astray".

    Mirryn shook her head. "A whole new world to explore down here and the only thing you care about is getting drunk?"

    "Yes" he said.

    After a pause they bothughed and turned back to the city spread below them. Growing up in an undeveloped frontier country like Liria had stunted them in many ways. They''d very rarely met members of the other races, didn''te into contact with the rare and powerful artefacts of the old empires. The frontier nations had been established innd that nobody had wanted by people with the grit to try and carve out a new life for themselves. The kingdoms, empires and alliances that had endured from the Cataclysm to today were far off legends to them. Here and now, looking down on the impossible city below them they felt as if those fairy tales they had heard were so close they could reach out and touch them.

    A cough sounded behind them and the two jumped, turning quickly to find Tribune Aurillia behind them.

    "I hope I''m not disturbing you, Legionaries?" the older woman enquired.

    The two stiffened at being approached by their officer. It would take a long time for any sort of trust to exist between them again. Aurillia was not offended, or even surprised. She naturally knew how they felt, she''d gone through the same thing herself.

    "Themander has called for you to assemble. It''s time to find out if what you endured was worth it".

 Chapter 91 The World Below part 4

    <h4>Chapter 91 The World Below part 4 </h4>

    The rest of the new Legionaries were gathered together in a cluster at the end of their ward under the watchful eye of a few Centurions.

    The young soldiers felt restless. They still didn''t know how to feel towards the Legion and the seniors who had cared for and trained them for so long. The pain of the Baptism was still fresh in their minds, the scars still raw. Many of them felt a strange dual emotion towards the people they had once admired, equal parts anger and respect.

    Aurillia stepped forward to address them.

    "Thank you for gathering young Legionaries. You have endured the pain of the Baptism and suffered the loss of friends, as have we all" she looked each of them in the eye directly, letting them see that she knew of their pain, shared it.

    "I''m sure you''ve felt it already, the changes in your body. You are no longer what you were before. Your very flesh has been infused with mana and this means a few things will change. Firstly, you can never live on the surface without regr doses of liquid mana to support your body. The mana there is too thin. Here inside the Dungeon you''ll be fine but in the upper levels you''ll begin to feel a bit weak".

    Murmurs erupted from the new Legionaries at these words. Unable to live on the surface without liquid mana? If the Legion were the only ones who knew how to make it, isn''t this just another way for them to be controlled?

    "It also means" Aurrilia interrupted their thoughts, "that so long as you are able to absorb enough mana you will be able to do things that you had never imagined possible before".

    Now she red at them. Impressing her will on them. All of them wilted before the strength she held in her gaze.

    "I know that you are questioning the Legion, I did once also. When you have experienced the fight we are engaged in for yourself you will no longer hold any such childish notions! If you truly want to protect you loved ones from the horrors of the Dungeon, then you''vee to the right ce. The Abyssal Legion stands on the frontline against the true threats and for thousands of years we have done battle far beneath the surface, an unending war that few people in Liria have ever heard of".

    She red at them once more.

    "Come".

    So saying, she turned and pushed open the heavy wooden doors that separated their ward from the rest of the Legionary building before marching briskly through. The former trainees followed closely behind, trying to not stare at the bustle around them. Legionaries in their customary ckened leather armour stood in guard positions down every down corridor or passage they moved through, auxiliaries dashed about, delivering papers, meals, equipment or any of the million other tasks that the Legion needed done in order to operate. The new Legionaries were hardly spared a nce as they followed behind Aurillia, escorted by the Centurions who followed them.

    The castle was carved directly into the wall of the space in which Railleh was situated. As with all things the Legion constructed it was built on very clean lines, straight corridors and square rooms, giving the entire structure a very austere feeling. It was easy to tell that the structure was old. Possibly too old.

    Mirryn looked around and made a few estimations in her head before she came to the shocking realisation than this base, indeed, the city of Railleh itself, probably predated Liria by a considerable amount of time. The Legion had been here long before the nation of her birth had even been created? This whole city?

    It didn''t make sense. Why would the surface be so neglected that it was thest ce to be developed, to be made habitable for people? She thought of her family and their humble history, working hard to carve out a life for themselves in the frontier kingdoms and the pride they had felt at what they achieved in such trying circumstances.

    Was it all a joke? There''s an entire city down here! Long before her ancestors had even thought to join the expedition to the frontier.

    As she muddled through her conflicted feelings the passage they were travelling through suddenly opened into a vast hall. Mirryn gasped, shocked out of her thoughts by the grand scale of the space they now upied. A high arched ceiling, buttressed by powerful columns of stone and been carved straight into the rock, ornate, almost delicate supports stretched across the empty space to give strength and proportion to the stone.

    Clusters of glowstones illuminated the room in bright light, causing Mirryn to squint against the sudden re. Down the center of the room, between the columns stood two rows of stone statues raised on marble plinths. Each of the figures was a masterpiece. Incredibly detailed, perfectly proportioned. The level of skill that would go into making such a perfect piece of art boggled the young Legionaries minds.

    Each of the statues was a Legionary. Men and women in full battle armour, weapons in hand, standing ready. Most of them were of advanced age, clearly senior officers or veteran soldiers. Scars criss-crossed their faces and arms and their expressions were hard, as if there was little they hadn''t seen. So lifelike were they that it felt as if they could jump down from their plinths and stride into battle at any moment.

    "This the hall of remembrance" Aurillia said over her shoulder, "here the greatest members of our branch have been immortilised in stone, preserved for history and for the battles toe".

    She pointed to one of the figures towards the end of the room as they continued to stride through the hall. "Over there ismander Titus'' father, Magnus".

    Almost despite themselves the young Legionaries felt their heads snap around to stare at the statue in the distance. A tall, bull shouldered figure stood there, a great two handed hammer resting on the plinth and held casually in one hand. Even at this distance Mirryn could see that the statues features, broad chin, stern eyes and thick neck were the same asmander Titus.

    Some of the trainees were somewhat surprised to learn themander even had a father. They''d felt as if he''d walked fully formed out of a mountain side¡­

    Once through the hall they were quickly brought into the armoury. Before arge ornate door stood themander himself, a rare half smile on his lips as he watched his newest Legionaries assemble before him.

    Oddly he didn''t say a word to them. He simply turned and pushed open the door before indicating with his head that they should walk through.

    Mirryn had somehow found herself in the front. Feeling somewhat nervous she stepped through the grand door and into the darkened space on the other side, cautiously letting her eyes adjust to the gloom before moving too far.

    As her vision improved her footsteps slowed until she waspletely still, dumbstruck.

    Lining the walls on either side of the room where massive suits of armour of obsidian stone and polished steel. An endlesswork of enchantments webbed the tes, the glittering blue light of residual mana providing most of the illumination in the space.

    ''What the heck are these?'' Mirryn thought in wonder.

    Themander grinned. "Who wants to suit up first?" he asked.

 Chapter 92 The World Below Part 5

    <h4>Chapter 92 The World Below Part 5 </h4>

    Titus didn''t wait for the Legionaries to answer and immediately started calling names, lining everyone up before him in name order. The young soldiers were so ustomed to following his orders that doing as he said was almost instinctual.

    In the dim light themander looked as impressive as always. His solid frame and clear eyes were reassuring to everyone in the Legion, even if they didn''t know how to feel about it at the time.

    Once everyone was lined up appropriately Titus raised his voice to address them.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen of the Legion!" he smiled at them warmly, a rare sight indeed, "wee! You have endured the pain ande through the other side. It is time to add the finishing touches to your induction as full Legionaries".

    He turned and gestured to the armoured suits that lined the walls. "What see here is more Legionary tech developed thousands of years ago during the Rending. Magical theory was highly advanced at that time and in their desperation the creators of the Legion experimented with hundreds of different ways to increase their strength to defeat the monsters and preserve the light of civilisation. The Baptism you endured is one such technique, these suits of armour are another".

    He walked towards the nearest suit and knocked against the melded steel and stone te. A hard ng rang out, ringing in the air. The armour was massive and bulky, impossibly so. Even Titus, as powerful and broad as he was, looked like he would struggle to move when weighed down by the sheer mass of the suit.

    Donnn in particr was confused. He was a mage, used to wearing only light leather armour. Anything heavier would reduce his mobility to the point where it would be difficult for him to impact the battlefield where and when he was needed. The Legion didn''t subscribe to the ''soft'' mage approach of cloth armour and littlebat training. Some forces preferred to have their mages spend all of their time in study. The Legion took a different approach and Donnn had been forced to endure harsh physical training, maintain his own leather armour and equipment as well as learning how to defend himself with his staff or even bare hands.

    But surely they wouldn''t expect him to clunk around like a turtle inside one of these things?!

    "This is Abyssal Armour" announced Titus, a touch of reverenceing through in his tone, "Even now we struggle to reproduce the incredible level of craftsmanship that was achieved during the Cataclysm but these suits have been made right here in Raileh".

    There was unmistakable pride at that announcement. Was this Abyssal armour really that special? The former trainees stared hard at the oversized suits and struggled to see the value in them.

    Watching them, Titus could only shake his head. It was hard to understand just what the Abyssal Armour could do until you''d experienced it for yourself. He didn''t me them too much for looking down it.

    "Before you can test out the suits we have a little item on the agenda that needs to be taken care of first. ss change!"

    Mirryn went wide eyed at this. ss change? Now?!

    "Every single one of you has met the requirements for your ss, we aren''t stupid" Titusughed, "I''ll ask you to step forward one at a time and we will enact the change. I''ll be the trainer for all of you".

    He gestured for the first person to step forward and soon after the soft glow of the ss change radiated from that persons frame. Titus pointed to one of the suits and the first person moved to stand beside it before Titus gestured to the next.

    It was soon Donnn''s turn and he stepped forward nervously.

    "Don''t be shyd, it''s fine" Titus smiled at him.

    Donnn eyed themander. It was rare to see the grizzled veteran in such a good mood. "I''m not done with current ss though Commander" he said, "is it really proper for me to change right now?"

    Titus nodded. "You''ll understand in a moment. Step forward".

    Donnn took the final few steps to close the distance to hismander and Titus raised a hand to ce it on his shoulder. As soon as he did so Donnn received a system prompt within his mind.

    [Would like to change ss to: Abyssal Legionary?]

    What?!

    Donnn was stunned for a brief moment. The Abyssal Legion was actually a ss within the system itself?! This was almost unheard of¡­. The cases where the system actually changed to recognise organisations that existed in the world were so few you could count them on the fingers of one hand.

    Yes! Donnn hastily confirmed his choice. To inherit such a rare and unique ss, who wouldn''t be willing?

    The familiar trickling sensation washed over his mind as the system imparted new knowledge and skills to him along with his new ss and Titus directed him to stand next to a suit of Abyssal Armour towards the back on the left side.

    Still somewhat shocked, Donnen stumbled over to his designated armour. As he approached it he could see it was built lighter and more slim than the other designs, clearly more mobile and manoeuvrable that the more bulky versions. Judging by the size of it though there was still no way he could possibly move whilst wearing it.

    Or¡­ could he?

    Donnn quickly flipped open his status and took a look at his new skills. Sure enough, Abyssal Armour operation level 1 was there. As time passed and more of the new Legionaries undertook the ss change, Donnn was able to absorb more of the knowledge being fed into his mind until he reached the point where he was able to understand the suit next to him to some extent.

    Even what little he didn understand was enough to shock him. This wasn''t armour! This was a priceless masterpiece! The enchantments, the crystal fment wires, the incredible alloys that made up the tes, all of it was insane!

    When every trainee had changed their ss and taken their ce next to a suit themander instructed them to suit up.

    With the newly imprinted knowledge fresh in the minds they were still hesitant to follow the instructions within their head. It just didn''t seem real. Donnn decided to just go for it and stepped in front of his suit. Raising one hand he ced it on the chest te of his Abyssal armour and waited.

    ....

    Perhaps he could feel it?

    ording to the knowledge he now possessed the suit was powered by mana, not by his own physical frame. Without excessive use of incredibly dense monster cores, moving something like these suits of armour would be nigh impossible but the suits didn''t use cores at all. Instead they drew on the mana infused within the bodies of the Legionary wearing it!

    Something like this could never be done by someone that hadn''t undergone the Baptism. The Legionaries'' very flesh was infused with mana and they absorbed it from the Dungeon at an elerated rate. Thanks to the incredible magical engineering within the suits they were able to supply enough power to move it themselves.

    Gradually Donnn became more aware of the flow of mana from his body into the suit. As time passed the flow increased and the thousands of tiny enchantments carved into the ornate surface of the armour began to glow with the light of mana. The light spread throughout the suit, starting at the breast te he had his hand on and then flowing throughout the suit until the entire thing was powered.

    Gradually the armour began to float, piece by piece, onto his body, the various tes clicking into ce around his arms, chest, neck and then legs. He had to lift his feet to allow the oversize boots to snap together around his ankles. Once the helmet had settled into ce and locked onto the pauldrons it was done.

    The feeling was strange, almost like being locked in a tomb but at the same time, the armour felt like a second skin, as if it were connected to his body and mind. It moved so fluidly and naturally. It just didn''t seem real.

    "Get yourselves ustomed to the feeling Legionaries," Titus said, "we are going to be training in these suits for next few weeks until you advance your skills to the third tier. This is how we fight down here. Wee to the World Below".

 Chapter 93 New Dawn

    <h4>Chapter 93 New Dawn </h4>

    There they are. Look at them. Peacefully sleeping for now, awaiting the day when they awake and take their first steps into the world. Shhhhhh little ones. You don''t know it yet, but the world will be your oyster. Yes it will! You will roam wherever you wish and bring prosperity to our family. Our enemies will flee before your strength and be food beneath your mighty mandibles.

    Yes they will! You adorable little things!

    [Master]

    WHA?! What now?!

    [Crinis, why are you interrupting egg time?!]

    [I''m very sorry Master but I believe I have detected another wave approaching from the tunnels below]

    Haaaa. These stupid monsters just won''t stop! I''m going to have to work out a solution for this problem before the time approaches. These waves have caused no end of headaches and significant losses to the colony over thest week. Those Crocs down below are going to get what''sing to them, the sooner the better.

    [I''m on the way Crinis. Tiny wake up! Time to fight]

    [oh? OHHHH! FIGHT!]

    ¡­..

    Reluctantly I turn away from the twenty small, white spheres upying the egg chamber. They are in fact, the only upants of the egg chamber and the workers have been caring for them diligently but I can''t helping up to take a look at them every now and again. When I think of the future that these little eggs could bring for the colony I get so excited I just can''t help myself.

    I put in a lot of work to create those eggs! I deserve to be a little happy now that they''ve finally arrived dammit!

    Just three days ago the Queen managed to gather the Biomass necessary toy this small clutch and it''ll take a few more days before they hatch and then two weeks for them toplete their time asrvae and be pupa, then a little longer for them to finally eclose and take their ce under my tutge.

    It''s soooo loooong!

    I know it''s my own fault for extending the development time of the workers in order to squeeze more stats into them but I''m so frustrating right now. I feel like kids probably felt at Christmas when there were presents waiting under the tree. I didn''t get to experience that during my human life but I think I finally grasp that emotion now. The wait is torturous!

    Grumbling to myself I descend through the main shaft of the nest, through the Queens chamber and into the area my pets and I have made our home. It''s been somewhat expanded recently, mainly to amodate Tiny and allow us a little more space in fighting of the Dungeon monsters that have swarmed up the tunnels periodically over thest week.

    My pets and I have been training our skills, using our shortcut to venture deeper into the Dungeon and harvest Biomass for ourselves and for the Queen. We''ve seen significant gains in pumping up our new skills and our overallbat effectiveness has risen as a result. I''m quite pleased that my pets now have properly allocated skill points and mutation advancements, even if it took way too much effort to finally get them there.

    We ran into serious trouble twice during our escapades. When Tiny and I ventured down, leaving Crinis on guard duty she had to fight off a wave on her own. Thankfully the ants from the chamber above became aware of the ruckus and rushed down to support her. By the time Tiny and I returned it had been cleaned up and casualties were at the minimum. We were a bit more cautious after that and tried to make sure no monsters were able to slip past us.

    Still, the second time they managed it. Through some twist of tunnel one of the waves managed to find an alternate ess point to the surface. We had no idea they up there until the colony had engaged with them and started calling for reinforcements. When the Queen''s guards in the chamber above started moving out we were alerted and rushed out with them. Eventually we were able to find the monsters and defeat them but not before a significant number of workers had been killed in the engagement¡­

    The human refugees had almost been caught up in it. When the battle raged the fighting had gone right to their doorsteps. Being saved by the colony seems to have driven their affection for ant monsters to even greater heights. When workers wander past their growing encampment they bow respectfully and cheer. It''s getting a bit unnerving.

    We''ve been even more careful since then.

    I would''ve rushed straight into the Dungeon and shoved my mandibles through those stupid crocs faces if I could, but I wanted to make sure the colony was safe first. That was a few days ago now, we''ve been quietly building our strength since then, getting ready tounch our invasion and im the marsh expanse for ourselves!

    Nobody messes with my family and gets away with it!

    Entering the chamber I see Crinis and Tiny ready for action. Crinis has extended her tentacles down the tunnel for more than a hundred metres, stretching her strange flesh to the limit in order to detect vibrations down the tunnel.

    [Bring it all back Crinis. Time to get ready to fight]

    [Yes Master]

    The little tennis ball of boundless hunger begins to retract the thin, wire like tendrils she had painstakingly extended down the tunnel back into her body. When the task is done she intes herself back to herbat ready size, ready to unleash destruction upon our foes.

    Tiny has long been ready. His hands clench and unclench repeatedly as if he can''t wait to allow his fists to go to work. The silver hair on his arms is already beginning to rise as electrical current begins to flicker across his body.

    Ever since advancing his skills Tiny has be even more obsessed with fighting, if that were even possible. I think that now he can advance his skills again there is even more relish to be had in the thrill of battle for him.

    Actually¡­.

    Where the heck is he going?

    Unable to contain himself anymore the ape dashes down the tunnel, whooping with delight!

    [Damnable ape! Let''s go Crinis!]

    Rushing after him Crinis and hurtle down the tunnel ourselves. In front of us I can see Tiny moving with impressive speed, hands and legs iling with a strange grace as he propels his massive frame forward like a hairy, overweight gazelle.

    I should never have told him about the dash skill¡­

    With us hurtling down and the monsters rushing up it doesn''t take long for the two sides to crash into each other like speeding trucks.

    Boom!

 Chapter 94 The boys and girls are back in town

    <h4>Chapter 94 The boys and girls are back in town </h4>

    As Tiny smashes into the front of the monster wave I can hear a voice calling from behind me.

    "Hey-Hey! Wait for me senior!"

    Vibrant¡­.

    As Crinis joins Tiny on the front lines the little ant motors down the passage behind us to quickly catch up and I sigh internally.

    It isn''t that we''ve been ignoring the little thingtely, or trying to leave her behind. It''s more that she''s be a little too reckless, flinging herself forward to intobat and trying to get her mandibles dug into the flesh of our opponents. The result of such behaviour is that she nearly gets smashed by Tiny or eaten by Crinis as they rampage. It''s not as if Crinis has any way tomunicate with the little worker. As friendly as they are with each other they don''t share the same bond that Crinis and Tiny do. I''ve confirmed with Crinis multiple times that within a certain range she can sense my location as well as Tiny''s, this prevents her from ripping into Tiny as they fight together.

    "Vibrant! You need to wait here with me for a second" I said.

    "Whaaaaat? I want to fight!" sheins, "look at big ''sis Crinis! She can fight so well already. I want to be like that!"

    Sigh.

    This is the source of the problem. Her former partner in smallness, Crinis, is all grown up now and wrecking faces whereas she has yet to evolve, still a superior hatchling, not really capable of contributing to tough fights like these.

    "Tell you what. You go up to the ceiling and fire acid to get some skill points and we''ll save a good chunk of monsters for you to finish off. After all this time your fairly close to your next evolution. If we can manage it you might even be able to evolve today!"

    "Yaaaaay!" she cheers like a happy child and rushed up to the ceiling to begin raining acid down on the horde of onrushing monsters.

    ¡­.

    Well at least she''s happy. Vibrant has been something of a restraint on our strength since she isn''t really powerful enough to wade into situations like this ande out alive. These shadow beast monsters are simply a cut above the kind of prey us ants would normally have to deal with.

    If she can evolve again then perhaps she''ll be able to hold her own. She''s certainly had enough Biomass to upgrade all of her body points to the limit by this stage since we''ve been pumping her full of food for so long. Considering the regr feasts that have been delivering themselves to us on a regr basis, as well as our own farming activities, I''ve managed to pile up 114 point of Biomass that I need to spend.

    This will be thest upgrade before our assault on the marsh expanse so I need to make it count!

    Whatever the Crocs can do, I need to do better!

    Charge!

    Eager to continue training my skills I rush up the wall and begin weaving my magic.

    [Make sure you guys save a lot of monsters for Vibrant to finish off ok? We want her to evolve today if possible]

    [Yes, Master]

    [Grrrn]

    You''re that unhappy about only being allowed to punch the monsters mostly to death, huh, Tiny? Get over it man!

    Moving onto the ceiling where Vibrant has already taken up a position to hurl sts of acid down into the fray, I take a moment to size up the situation.

    The tunnel is packed with onrushing shadow beasts. These guys are almost entirely low tier monsters that are yet to evolve, but due to their nature as monsters from a deeper level of the Dungeon they cannot bepared to centipedes and coral slugs in terms of their lethality.

    Their ws are sharp, their teeth are deadly and the strange stic shadow stuff that makes up their bodies is both strong and malleable, allowing them to twist and contort themselves to an rming degree. Not quite to the same level that Crinis can but stretching out their arms to attack a few extra feet is easily within their capabilities.

    Tiny has no issues wading into the battle. With his skills upgraded he can clear his way through the mobs with more vigour than before. Particrly since his fist skills have reached a new tier.

    "Raaaaaaah!" Tiny roars as his fists begin to glow with bright light.

    Thrusting forward one massive fist, Tiny unleashes his strength in a colossal blow that smashes the monsters directly in front of him. But it doesn''t stop there!

    Boom!

    When the fist stops moving the light continues forward as a mighty ape paw, scattering monsters ten feet away from Tiny as they suffer the impact of his tier three boxing skills.

    As the monsters begin to try and swarm him Tiny swivels on his heel and unleashes a devastating hook that sts an arc of light around him, smashing the smaller creatures around him to the ground.

    Haha! Didn''t see thating did you?!

    Crinis has also improved her abilities. Her limbs reach out further than before and with greater agility to snag monsters from the crowd, lifting them up before entangling them with more tentacles and crushing them.

    Nice!

    By purchasing a few skills and mutating her body the tennis ball that devours all including hope has increased her skill at manipting her tentacles as well as their strength and flexibility. All in all she poses a muchrger threat than she did before. I honestly can''t wait until she evolves, it''ll be exciting to see how she''ll grow!

    Not wanting to waste any more time I hastily whip up a water construct and start feeding mana through it. The entire process is much more fluid that before, the transformation construct being pieced together with practiced ease. I''ve made thousands of these stupid things recently! It would impossible for me to not improve!

    Not only that!

    Immediately I start weaving water bolts with both of my sub brains, flinging into the crowd and knocking monsters down with each fierce impact. With my main mind I start to work on something special.

    Operating the transformation construct carefully I split off a third stream of water mana and begin to condense it, crushing the mana down under the weight of my mind. Gradually I begin to outline a water bolt frame made entirely of condensed mana.

    I really have to grind down my focus to achieve this but it''s one thing I''ve been practicingtely and the results are¡­. Interesting.

    As the battle rages I spend precious seconds assembling my spell. With Tiny and Crinis in the front line I''m not worried. They could handle this wave on their own, I''m just here for the xp.

    Once the frame is finished I begin to power the spell with condensed mana. With the shape of the spell formed of condensed mana the construct holds up much better when filled with the vtile stuff. When it''s finally powered and ready to cast I take careful aim to ensure that I allow plenty of leeway so my own pets aren''t caught in the st.

    Fire!

    The water bolt, a deeper and darker blue than the others, almost as if it were formed of the water from the deep ocean, materialises above my head and rockets forth.

    The monsters don''t have time to react before it impacts amongst them.

    BOOOOOOM!

    Like a crashing wave water explodes amongst the monsters, sting them into the walls and crushing them into the ground. The spray from the impact is so strong it cuts into their bodies, leaving gaping wounds and in some cases severing limbs.

    Yikes!

    Condensed spells are really no joke!

 Chapter 95 Compression obsession

    <h4>Chapter 95 Compression obsession </h4>

    As the rather explosive effect of mypressed water bolt faded and the monsters began to recover themselves as more flooded into the narrow tunnel to trample over the fallen I took a little time to reflect on the sess of the spell.

    Better that I thought, I had to say.

    After witnessing the effects of forceful mana spells, using thepressed mana to fuel a spell had such an explosive effect, I began to experiment with forming an entire spell frompressed mana. The structure, from beginning to end, weaved with threads ofpressed mana, then the entire thing filled withpressed mana right to the top. My test results where ¡­ promising, to say the least.

    However, this was my first time putting the spells to use in actualbat. I wanted to test them in a controlled situation and started with the most harmless of all my spells, the water bolt. The little testing I''d done with gravity spells had been somewhat rming, I wasn''t quite ready to put them to the test just yet. Maybe in a more open space.

    This first test is a rtousing sess! Not only was the primary targetpletely pulverised but the ssh effect had a vicious cut to it as well, increasing the area of effect potential of the spell.

    I''m really quite excited for the next one¡­

    I stop my sub brains from casting spells and begin to focus all of my mental energies on my next task. Dividing thebour between my minds I begin to stockpilepressed mana as best I can whilst simultaneously weaving the forceful water cannon. The shaping of the spell I handle myself as it''s by far the most difficult task.

    Beneath me Tiny and Crinis continue to battle away, smashing monsters all over the ce but making sure to leave them on a sliver of life as much as possible. Tiny has a lot of issues controlling his strength and is just as likely to knock a monsters head clean off by mistake but Crinis has far finesse. Like lightning her limbs snap out to pluck up a monster and she rings it out like a soggy cloth before dropping it on the growing pile of severely wounded monsters behind her.

    Perfect.

    Nearly there now.

    Eagerly I begin to fuel my constructed spell. The trick I found in my test run is that I can''t quite transform mana and thenpress it fast enough to keep up with the demands of the spell. Meaning I ran out of juice and the spell failed only a few seconds after I cast it. Those few seconds had been enough to drill a hole three feet in the tunnel walls though so I''m expecting good things.

    To prevent the spell from such a premature failure this time, I''ve been carefully amassing a stockpile ofpressed water mana as I go. Judging by the rate of consumption I think I have roughly fifteen seconds or so for the spell to operate.

    I''m looking forward to this.

    Forceful Water Cannon! Fire!

    Just above my head an ominously blue glowing ball flickers into existence for the water cannon starts. Whates out is less like a water cannon but rather a water beam. The monsters hit by it are less damaged but rather¡­ dissected. It cuts straight through them! As the water sts straight through the monsters it impacts against the tunnel floor and a vicious hissing noise fill the air as it starts boring a hole through.

    Hastily I direct the spell to zigzag its way up the tunnel and delight in the chaos caused.

    [you have in ¡­]

    [you have in ¡­]

    [you have in ¡­]

    [you have in ¡­]

    [you have in ¡­]

    Ahhhhhh this spell is ridiculous!

    Some monsters are able to hold on for a moment, resisting the stupidly potent pressure of the beam with the strength of their bodies, but eventually it tunnels through them, boring a hole directly through their shadow flesh.

    Then the mana runs out.

    ¡­..

    The entire tunnel is littered with monster bodies and a truly insane amount of water. The spray has gone everywhere. The walls are coated with it, the monsters are saturated. Tiny is also saturated. Crinis ¡­ doesn''t seem to care but I can sense a smouldering difort emanating from the big ape.

    He really hates getting wet.

    In order to vent his frustration he channels lightning into the onrushing monsters who charge directly into the soaked section of tunnel we upy and are promptly burnt to a crisp.

    You were supposed to save some for Vibrant¡­

    Ten minutester we finish mopping up the wave and start chowing down. I decided not to test anymore spells lest Tiny get even more irritated. I should try and work out a solution where I''m not going to get him soaked. I''ll be hitting the front lines soon enough, it should be fine.

    The first thing I do after the fighting is done is call Vibrant down from the ceiling and get her to finish off the stragglers that we saved for her. Thankfully after she spends a lot of time chomping away at them she cheerfully announced she was able to hit level ten! Not even the news that another special core wasing her way was enough to dampen the little ants mood as she danced about whilst chowing down on Biomass. Even Crinis managed to find her and toss her in the air a few times to celebrate as the Vibrantughed hysterically.

    Tiny just ignored the proceedings and munched his way through a mountain of food.

    I''m with you buddy. Time to embrace the fooda!

    OM NOM NOM.

    When all is said and done and we can barely walk any longer I''ve managed to amass 129 Biomass from my week of feasting and practice. The four of us waddle/roll/limp our way back up the tunnel to our little chamber and I call down the workers.

    We weren''t able to eat all of the food, not even close. Hopefully, when the Queen has consumed a good chunk of this the next generation of new workers might be locked in and ready to go.

    Settling in we all prepare to finalise our spending in order to make the final push for excellence as we prepare to advance into the Marsh Expanse. I hastily whip up an advanced core after withdrawing a few small cores from my stash and feed it to Vibrant. Once absorbed, she somehow managed to both gleefully and painfully waddle to one corner to settle down and evolve.

    Tiny and Crinis have already begun the process of mutating, I can see them vacantly sitting, unmoving, pawing through menus already.

    Ok. Time to do this. I''m gonna spend up big!

 Chapter 96 The state of play

    <h4>Chapter 96 The state of y </h4>

    Muahahaha! With over a hundred points to spend, I''m feeling slightly giddy. What to go for first?

    Currently I''ve upgraded eyes to +7 and acid to +6, so I may as well finish those off first, that''ll take a significant chunk out of my points already.

    [Would you like to upgrade Focused Eyes to +10 and Restrictive Acid to +10? This will cost 61 Biomass?]

    Sixty one?!?!

    Even if I already knew it, feels bad to hear Gandalf actually say it out loud.

    I still have sixty eight Biomass to y with so I need to get spendin''. Once I''ve upgraded these two, I''ll still have legs, Gravity mana nd, Regeneration nd, Pheromone and the two newest editions to go before I reach aplete +10 state.

    Arrrgghhh! This is so frustrating!

    Just how much do I have to eat before I can upgrade myself all the way?! Is it my tiny ant stomach that''s the problem?! I have two stomachs and I pack them both full every meal!

    When I consider that my current level of evolution supports upgrades up to +15 I can only feel depressed. The goal of fully mutating everything before my next evolution seems like a long way away. Work hard stomachs! I''m counting on you guys!

    Since I''ll be striding forth into battle after this round of upgrades I really want to ensure mybat effectiveness is at its peak, not only on the offensive but also the defensive. I''m thinking that the regeneration nd could use a boost, just in case things turn south and I get bitten in half or something.

    [Would you like to upgrade Focused Eyes to +10, Restrictive Acid to +10 and Limb Regeneration nd to +10? This will cost 101 Biomass?]

    Yikes!

    Only eighteen left?!

    I guess that''ll be it for the full upgrades to +10¡­ Enhancing my senses has never been a poor choice. I''ll upgrade my trusty antennae next. With 18 Biomass I can upgrade them to +7 and have five points in the bank.

    Ok then!

    [Would you like to upgrade Focused Eyes to +10, Restrictive Acid to +10, Limb Regeneration nd to +10 and Infrared Antennae to +7 ? This will cost 114 Biomass.]

    Let''s do it Oh bearded one.

    [At this level of mutation you may select a mutation advancement, please select one from the menu]

    First, I jump into the acid menu.

    My acid is the OG. When I was a weak and helpless ant, all alone without my colony to support me, it was the acid that became my trusty sidekick. Everybat would entail the acid attack ying a key role, letting me deal damage from range before closing in to finish the job.

    Since the rest of my body has been enhanced, as well as my magic growing to the point that it''s a credible ranged threat, the acid has be outshined. I don''t really need it to do damage, what I want is more utility out of it. The restrictive properties are great, if that could be enhanced I''d be interested, for sure. Let''s see what the menu has for me.

    Hmmmm.

    Wait a sec.

    Wait. One. Second.

    [Magic eating Acid. Acid bes able to dissolve magic ites into contact with, including barriers and constructs].

    ...

    Done!

    I don''t need to see any more! In fact I refuse!

    This is the sort of utility I''m talking about! Able to eat through magical barriers or constructs? Hot. Damn.

    Acid is back in town, in a big way.

    Already giddy with delight I shift over to the slightly more pedestrian eyes. Hopefully there''ll be plenty of boring options that''ll calm me down after this excitement.

    Flicking through the menu I can recall seeing most of this stuff before. Upgrading to +10 will already give mypound eyes an around quality upgrade, and honestly, ever since I took the focused mutation I haven''t really suffered in the eye department since I can basically see like a human can directly forwards.

    The rest of the lenses, pointing up, sideways, backwards and so on, are still poor inparison to human vision, but they do well enough to get me by. My default option would be just to enhance the focused upgrade to further improve my forward vision but another options catches my attention.

    [Omni Focused Eye. Enhance key lenses to improve the long range focus of thepound eyes in all directions, instead of only forward]

    I like it!

    It bears repeating sometimes that I don''t have a neck. In order to face sideways I actually have to turn my body in that direction, hence thepound eyes helping out a lot. Being able to see in almost all directions without shifting my head at all is obviously a great advantage. The drawback of each individual lens in my eyes being quite crud is something I''ve just had to put up with. From the sounds of things this upgrade will go some of the way to increasing the distance I can see in all directions, not just forwards!

    Along with the quality increase I get from taking the eyes from +7 to +10 I can expect a tremendous improvement in my all around eyesight. Nice!

    Two upgrades out of the way it''s time for the regeneration nd. When I first selecting an advancement for this organ I was quite concerned about how less well defended my legs arepared to the rest of me, being rtively thin and unarmoured. Being able to rapidly regenerate those limbs has helped out on a number of asions and I''m quite satisfied with the results.

    Flicking through the menu for the regeneration nd I can see that most of the enhancements that increase on the limb regeneration aspect feel a little unnecessary, basically regenerate them faster or more frequently. Not interested. What I want from the regeneration nd is to make it better at what I originally purchased it for, that is, healing me when I''m injured.

    I have the regenerative inner bone ting to help heal my carapace, and that''s fantastic, but it doesn''t do anything for my internals, organs or muscles, that might get damaged. The regeneration organ definitely still has an important role to y.

    [Rapid Regeneration Organ. Allows the regeneration organ to refill more quickly, meaning it can be used frequently to heal damage and restore HP]

    I like this choice. Especially considering the campaign that is right ahead of me. Diving into dangerous, croc infested marshnds to battle for supremacy and eject the horrid things? I might need a whole lotta healing by the time we''re done¡­

    With that all of my selections are done. Time to mutate this ant!

    [Would you like to confirm these choices?]

    Aww yeah!

    ...

    Wait a sec.

    nnnnnnnnOOOOOOORRRRFFFLETABINNNNNN!!!!!

    Building rapidly is the most extreme itch I have ever experienced! The eyes! The eyes are so bad! Not to mention the organs inside my body but holy mackerel the eyes!!!!

    I CAN''T TAKE IT!

    The only blessing is that the others are so upied by their own menus that they can''t see me scrabbling and rolling about, desperately wing at the dirt in a frantic attempt to alleviate the itch.

    My dignity is preserved at least!

    From up above I see a giant ant head poke down into the chamber to see what all the fuss is about.

    Dammit Mother!

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 13 (core)

    Might: 41

    Toughness: 29

    Cunning: 44

    Will: 35

    HP: 50/50

    MP: 220/220

    Skills: Excavation Level 8; Improved Acid Shot Level 6; Advanced Grip Level 3; Shattering Bite Level 7; Advanced Stealth Level 5; Splintering Chomp Level 4; Tunnel Map Level 6; Mana Transformation Level 6; Forceful Mana Level 6; External Mana Maniption Level 2; Mana Sensing Level 5; Core Surgery Level 3; Advanced Exo-Skeleton Defence level 7; Pet Communication Level 3; Rapid Dash Level 1; Advanced Water Magic Affinity Level 2; Stamina Level 2; Pet Growth Speed Level 1; Mana Miser Level 4; Cerebral Endurance Level 3; Mediation Level 4; Precise Shooting Level 2; Ripping Bite Level 3;

    Mutations: Omni Focused Eyes +10, Infrared Antennae +7, Mana Eating Restrictive Acid +10, Absorption Legs +5, Savage Infused Mandibles +10, Hardened Diamond Carapace +10, Rapid Limb Regeneration nd +10, Pheromone Language nd +5, Deep Gravity Magic nd +5, Divergent Coordination Cortex +5, Regenerating Inner Carapace ting +5;

    Species: Dispersed Mind Ant (Formica)

    Skill points: 16

    Biomass: 5

 Chapter 97 The A(nt) team

    <h4>Chapter 97 The A(nt) team </h4>

    Eventually, the horrific itching fades, and I scramble back to my feet and cast my eyes about to see who was witnessing my fervent rolling. Thankfully it appears that mother retreated once she was sure all of the noise wasn''t rted to some threat or danger of any kind, and my pets are too busy with their own mutations to have time checking on me.

    Phew!

    Since that is the case, I can rx. I really need to make sure that I''m on my own or somewhere that I can''t be seen when doing significant mutations like that. I don''t know what it is, but the sensation of my own body shifting and changing as the surging Biomass roils through my body is just¡­.. ITCHY.

    What even is Biomass anyway? It can''t be the raw material since that gets dissolved down in some way within me. It isn''t as if my stomach continually feels full until I spend my points, as time passes I feel the food getting digested, and then I start to feel hungry again. Perhaps monsters extract something from the food they eat? Some sort of¡­ concentrated¡­. Stuff? The higher the evolution of the monster the more¡­ stuff ¡­ they have in them?

    Maybe?

    I don''t know! I just eat things!

    Considering that nothinges out my business end barring acid and magic consuming justice all of that food must be going somewhere¡­

    I''ve already resolved to investigate all things stomach upgrade during my next evolution, but internally I double down on that resolution. The mysteries of the Biomass need to be unlocked!

    Quickly cleaning my antennae and running a keen eye over myself I double check my status before spending some time adjusting to my new vision. I wouldn''t say I can see as well as a human can in all directions, but it indeed is significantly better than before. My forward eyesight has somewhat improved, but all other angles are dramatically better. I''ll need to wait until I get somewhere a little more open before I can thoroughly test my eyes'' ability to focus at a distance.

    I start practising my water transformation andpression skills as I wait for my fellow team members to finish their work. Vibrant appears to havepleted her work with the menu and has settled down to evolve. If she doesn''t finish by the time the others are ready, we may have to carry her down with us. I wouldn''t want to leave her behind, mostly because she would just run down the tunnels on her own and probably end up dead.

    Still, I''m interested to see what she can evolve into, considering she was a superior hatchling up to now. From a superior hatchling into a ¡­ superior worker? That wouldn''t be too exciting¡­

    Maybe she''ll go straight into being a juvenile Queen? For some reason, when I think of Vibrant''s personality, I just can''t see it happening. Sitting around the nest being motherly all the time? Vibrant?! Not a chance.

    Time passes, and Crinis is the first toplete the process. She takes a long time to fiddle through the menus since she has such anxiety about making incorrect choices. Tiny takes longer, but I think that has more to do with hisprehension speed¡­..

    [How''d it all go Crinis?] I ask cheerfully.

    The little ball freezes momentarily before slithering over to me on a few tentacles.

    [I hope I made the right choices Master¡­] she says somewhat miserably.

    I sigh internally. [Just pick whatever you think is right! You know more about how you want to grow and fight than I do! You''re the best one to make these decisions!]

    [But you are the best person to decide what it is that YOU want Master!]

    Gah! Getting her to be more independent is going to be a long project.

    [Just ¡­e over here, and I''ll have a look at where you''re at. I want to see how everyone is going before we set out] I say resignedly.

    [Of course Master!] she bubbles.

    ¡­..

    Bringing my antennae forward I activate the core surgery skill and gradually piece together her general status.

    Name: Crinis

    Level: 14 (core)

    Might: 68

    Toughness: 55

    Cunning: 24

    Will: 22

    HP: 110/110

    MP: 205/205

    Skills: Advanced Shadow Flesh Maniption Level 1; Grappling Level 3; Expert Shredding Level 4; Tremor Sensing Level 3; Dismembering Level 2; Fear Inspiration Level 3; Mana Maniption Level 1; Tentacle Walking Level 1;

    Mutations: Shadow flesh+3; Void Maw +3; Bottomless Dimensional Stomach +5; Dividing Tentacles +5; Ripping Spines + 5; Macabre Teeth + 5;

    Species: Blind Shadow Hunter

    Skill points: 5

    Biomass: 6

    ¡­.

    Why is that all her skills and upgrades sound so intimidating? How the heck did she even get Fear Inspiration?! From what I can see the skill educates the user in ways to act more intimidating or cause fear in foes¡­

    I''m not sure that''s going to be a problem if she keeps levelling up Dismembering¡­

    [Ah! I see you picked up Mana Maniption] I say.

    [Yes Master¡­. Is that ok!?] she sounds mildly panicked.

    [Of course! You have a reasonable Cunning and Will stat. With practice, you''ll be able to start slinging some spells like me! I think that was an excellent choice]

    ¡­.

    Instead of replying the little ball holding itself up on a few slender tentacles just bes exceptionally still. Wait. That''s not quite right. With my improved vision, I can make out that she''s not still but actually vibrating slightly in ce.

    ¡­..

    That happy to be praised, eh?

    I can only shake my head internally and leave Crinis in her own little world as I move over to Tiny. The big guy is gradually opening his eyes and shaking himself awake. I want to check his status as well before we get moving.

    [How''d it all go Tiny? Finished?]

    [Hmmm. Finish] he manages to grunt his reply even when speaking mind to mind.

    [Let me have a look big fe]

    He amblers over in my direction and I once again activate the core surgery skill. I''m determined to ignore the quivering tennis ball behind me.

    Name: Tiny

    Level: 12 (core)

    Might: 154

    Toughness: 42

    Cunning: 7

    Will: 15

    HP: 84/84

    MP: 210/210

    Skills: Expert Ape Boxing level 3; Brutal Uppercut level 2; Enhanced Leap level 3; Smash level 5; Advanced Athletics level 1; Grappling level 5; Potent Crushing Blows level 4; Fancy Feet level 4; Advanced Dash Level 2;

    Mutations: Overwhelming Explosive Enhanced muscture +10, Iron Bones +5; Springy Impact Legs +10; Piercing Heightened Sonic Enhancer +5; Compressing Lightning Mana Affinity nd +5, Compressing Lightning Mana Affinity nd +5, Energy Conversion nd +4;

    Species: Dire Lightning Storm Kong

    Skill points: 15

    Biomass: 3

    Things are looking good! He''s way stronger than he was before he started spending his points properly, just look at some of these powerful sounding upgrades! Overwhelming Explosive Enhanced muscture? That sounds destructive!

    Actually just looking at him he seems more built than before. Not in a rippling muscle sort of way but more in a ¡­. Solid¡­ sheer size sort of way. His shoulders and arms are definitely a sizerger than they were before. I''m guessing he had to upgrade his bones just to stop them snapping like twigs when he throws a punch.

    Overall I''m pleased with his choices. I''m especially impressed he followed my advice and took the same upgrade for both Lightning Mana nds. Naturally, it may have been more optimal to take different upgrades for each to increase versatility, but I figured Tiny would just get confused. Better to find one that works well and use it for both. I think he mainly took that advice, so he didn''t have to think so much.

    I like thepressing mutation as a choice as well. Tinkering around I worked out that it applies a mildpression to the mana inside the nd, increasing the potency of the mana but slowing its recovery speed. Since he has the conversion nd already, he doesn''t have to worry about that so much and can enjoy more potent lightning for free.

    Ok then!

    Vibrant is still sleeping for the moment. I''ll head topside to alert people as to our absence, and then we''ll be off!

 Chapter 98 Farewell surface

    <h4>Chapter 98 Farewell surface </h4>

    [How long will you be gone for?] Enid asks worriedly.

    [As long as it takes to remove the threat] I reply.

    This is why I don''t likeing up here to the human camp. No sooner did I appear than people started gathering and pointing. Then the priest came at a run, his face flushed with excitement and began exhorting the people to pay their respects to me. In a sh I had people raising their hands or kneeling nearby as I nervously waited for Enid to show up.

    I''m thankful the crowd maintained a respectful distance from me. It seems their fear of Dungeon monsters isn''tpletely gone.

    [Do you have any idea what is actually causing these monsters to attack the surface?] she asks.

    [I''m not sure. I have a few suspicions, but I don''t exactly know what we are up against. The colony, and by extensions you humans, are not safe while the Expanse below us continues to send out these monsters. They need to be removed]

    Enid frowns as she ponders my words. Why am I even here? I could have just spoken to the Queen and then disappeared underground, nobody here in the camp would have been the wiser. It isn''t as if they see me very often, I''m almost always underground already.

    I guess Enid herself has been helpful and respectful. I don''t really have any reason to keep her in the dark. Since this expedition has a direct impact on their own safety, I suppose it doesn''t hurt to tell them.

    Just¡­. Give me a little space people!

    [The people here seem remarkably well disposed towards ant monsters. Is that safe?] I''m forced to ask as a child attempts to sneak forward and touch me only to be snatched back by an adult.

    Enid looks at me oddly for a moment before replying.

    [You and your colony have kept these people safe on several asions. The only reason we have been able to settle here and start making a life for ourselves again is that you and your colony are here, taming thend and protecting us. Of course, we are grateful. With Beyn here that gratitude is only getting more ingrained]

    Damn priest¡­

    I''ll need to have words with him at some point, but for now, I''m worried he may just take it as some sort of divine visitation. The guy is just odd. I bit his arm off, how did he end up such a fervent supporter?!

    Enid hesitates before speaking again. [There are a lot of valuable resources that can be extracted from an Expanse. I was a merchant before, and I know the value of many things that can be found in the Dungeon. If you see something that looks special, bring it to me, and I can tell you about it].

    Hmmmm.

    [I''ll think about it].

    Other than Biomass and monster cores, what else does the colony require? On the off chance that something useful can be found down there, I might keep this in mind. Still, in my mind, it''s far more likely to be helpful to the humans than it is to us.

    After a few more words I bid Enid goodbye and carefully back myself up and leave. The people reluctantly part to let me through, the priests'' voice raising to an even higher crescendo before I manage to disappear out of sight. Somehow, not being able to hear exactly what he''s saying makes it feel worse.

    Safely back the nest I feel much morefortable. My people! It doesn''t take long to exin the situation to Mother. As always she expresses concern for my safety but encourages me to do what is best for the family.

    Naturally!

    This ant doesn''t let his family down. No chance.

    Farewells handled, Tiny gathers the still slumbering Vibrant unexpectedly gently in one massive paw and Crinis hops onto my back. Time to depart!

    I''m feeling exciting for the uing challenge but at the same time a little nervous. We are throwing ourselves into the great unknown in order to protect the colony from harm. Something about it just makes my ant heart sing. Going to have to watch out for this feeling in case it motivates me to do something stupid. I get up to enough of that on my own.

    At any rate, there isn''t anyone else in the colony who could handle this level of danger, so it has to me and the crew.

    In order to ensure we don''t miss any waves we take the long way down, sweeping the tunnels clean and using the creatures we find to get a little extra xp in the bank before we get to the Expanse. If we can level up even one skill by one point it might be help by more than we expect. To this end I use my new bite attack, Ripping Bite, exclusively. This ends up is some¡­. Messybats. Crinis seems to approve but I personally aren''t as much of a fan. At least the skill is ruing experience.

    In this way it takes us a number of hours to reach the Expanse, deep below the surface. When we approach Vibrant finally begins to show signs of stirring from her slumber. Her body has undergone a number of changes during the journey, including a rather dramatic increase in size (atst!).

    I can''t wait to take a look at her status and she what she decided to choose!

    As we post up outside the Marsh Expanse I decide to put Crinis on guard duty whilst the rest of us open up the shortcut, clear out a small section of tunnel and nestle down for a short break.

    We need our wits about us for this next test. If Vibrant is going to be fighting alongside us I want to make sure she''s got the right stuff after evolving.

    It doesn''t take long for her to wake up and regain her normal energy.

    "Hi senior! How long did I sleep?"

    "Well I''d say it was¡­."

    "Wow! Where are we? Did we move somewhere?"

    "Uhh.. Yes. Tiny carried you. We came down ¡­"

    "Thanks Tiny! I wasn''t heavy was I?" she rushes over to Tiny, tapping him vigorously with her antennae.

    The big ape just looks down at her for a moment before reaching out with one big finger to poke her on top of her head.

    "Hey! Hee-hee! You''re the best Tiny!"

    ...

    "Juste over here for a moment would you?!" I grate out.

    Full of beans, she bounces over to me and stops, still managing to wiggle from one foot to the other as she awaits my instructions. No matter how far she evolves I don''t think her high energy level is ever going to change.

    "I want to take a look at your core and see what your stats are like. Is that ok?" I ask.

    "Sure-sure!"

    Alright then.

    Bringing my antennae forward it''s time for core surgery once more!

    After a bit of fiddling about I put together her status:

    Name: Vibrant

    Level: 1 (core)

    Might: 52

    Toughness: 38

    Cunning: 25

    Will: 22

    HP: 76/76

    MP: 110/110

    Skills: Advanced Digging Level 3; Advanced Acid Shot Level 6; Grip Level 4; Crushing Bite Level 5; Advanced Dash Level 2; Exo-Skeleton defence level 3; Stamina level 2; Piercing Bite Level 4; Leap Level 2;

    Mutations: Enhanced Reflective Exoskeleton +10; Savage Mandibles +5; elerated Legs + 5; Focused Eyes +5; Foresight Antennae +5; Burning Acid nd +5; Widened Command Aura (formica) +5; Frequent Explosive Energy nd +5; Pheromone Language nd +5; Slow release Regeneration nd +5; Inner Carapace ting; Speed Aura nd;

    Species: Major Soldier (Formica)

    Skill points: 6

    Biomass: 5

    What the heck is this? Her physical stats are already higher than mine?!

    And by so much?!

 Chapter 99 Assault begins

    <h4>Chapter 99 Assault begins </h4>

    The new evolution has certainly seen a massive rise in Vibrant''s stats! And some of her organs look incredibly unique. Themand organ? Did she get that from being a special ant from birth?

    Gah! I should have investigated her core ages ago! That''s what I get for not being curious enough!

    "How do you feel Vibrant?"

    "Great!" she cheers.

    I have to say, she''s not so little anymore, almost the same size as I am. The only reason I would be bigger is because I used the shortcut method of raising my Might stat quickly by packing on more size rather than condensing the muscle, which increases strength without increasing size. My guess is that Vibrant has taken a much more bnced approach and therefore has much more power squeezed into a smaller body.

    Looking at her skills and upgrades, it''s clear the direction that Vibrant has been taking. Physical strength, hearty defence, looks like she picked up an Aura nd during her most recent evolution, speed naturally, being Vibrant.

    Looks like she''ll be taking the path of pouring her mana into fuelling a range of Aura nds rather than using it to directly fuel magic. I should look at rmending that path to Tiny actually. The lightning mana he has is put to good use but the all the raw MP sitting in his core doesn''t do anything whilst his lightning nds are topped off. He''d be more effective in a fight if he had somewhere to put that energy.

    I''ll have to think on it.

    Due to his low intelligence I''m worried about Tiny''s future evolution paths. Every time he''s evolved he''s lost Cunning. If it continues down that path he''s going to wind up an extremely well-muscled, bat faced vegetable.

    "Well you''re probably strong enough stats wise to fight and front line" I muse.

    "Yay! I can fight with Crinis!" the no longer little ant cheered with delight, her antennae wiggling in the air uncontrobly.

    I could only be pleased for her pure enthusiasm. As exhausting as her seemingly infinite energy could be, she was as pure as a diamondpressed from snow made of ss.

    "You''ll need to be careful" I warn her, "nibble at the edges, don''t go straight on. You''re fast and reasonably tanky but you can''t take the horde face on. If you get in trouble, pop your healing nd straight away, don''t save it. We can get you to safety and let it recharge before you need to go it again."

    "Yep-yep!" the still wiggling ant eximed.

    She''s doing her best to listen to my advice but her energy is just way too high right now. Sigh. I''ll have to remind her againter, hopefully she won''t do anything too stupid in her excitement.

    [Tiny, Crinis, Vibrant will be joining you on the front lines for the attack. Try to keep an eye out and keep her safe. I want her on the edges of the fight and not in the middle. If she gets buried in the melee, try and get her out.]

    [Hurr!] Tiny grunted affirmatively.

    [Of course Master. No harm shalle to her] Crinis dered with confidence.

    ¡­.

    I''d be more assured if you could actually see her Crinis¡­ Maybe she could keep a tentacle on Vibrant or something?

    I''m sure it''ll work out.

    ["Alright everyone, it''s time to form up for the attack. Tiny in the front, Crinis with me and Vibrant on the nk. Our mission isplete subjugation. All Crocs must be handbags or tasteful jackets by the time we are done. Nothing too out there, I''m fashion conservative."]

    The others look at me strangely.

    [What is a jacket master? Exin it to me and I shall prepare a thousand for you this day!] Crinis cries.

    I should give up on the jokes. My talent is wasted on this room.

    ["Just kill all Crocs. They are our primary target. If we remove them all I think the wave attacks on the colony will stop"]

    "Okay!" Vibrant says, almost shivering out of her carapace with excitement.

    Crinis wiggles her way onto my back before retracting her tentacles and entering her deceptive, innocent tennis ball mode. Tiny eagerly takes his ce in the front, already sparking with anticipation and thumping his chest asionally, trying to contain his energy.

    I don''t the marsh is going to be expecting what''sing.

    The oppressive aura is still here, bearing down on us with full force. But we are stronger than before, motivated to protect the colony. I don''t care what sort of monster sits in the middle of this Expanse, suffocating the area with its baleful aura and sucking in the monsters. I have a few tricks up my carapace that should fix it''s little red wagon!

    Full of motivation and gusto we depart our little hidey hole and advance into the marsh expanse. Before us the lush green of the vibrant nt life stretches as far as the eye can see, from one side of the expanse to the other. The hillocks of sodden earth that rise out of the dark waters look like moss encrusted tortoise shells, covered in vibrant flowers and the asional tree.

    Overhead the tall mangrove like trees, with their enormous webbed roots, spread a wide canopy. Half glimpsed shadows can be seen shifting about on the broad green leaves here and there. This right here. This will all belong to the family.

 Chapter 100 Contact

    <h4>Chapter 100 Contact </h4>

    The Marsh Expanse is still teeming with monstrous life. I can see monsters creeping out of connected tunnels, making their way deeper into the recesses in order to meet up with whatever ispelling their behaviour. Even without the steady trickle of captive beasts, there is plenty of stuff to fight around us.

    The ever-present, ever hungry flora dots the mounds and rises out of the waters regrly. The nts don''t seem to want to eat each other much but they are always waiting for a juicy meal to wander past, ready to fall into their clutches.

    Then there are the crocs.

    Lounging there and there, yawning mightily with their enormous jaws, the Croca-Beasts Titan Crocs and beyond can be seen almost everywhere. Never too many in one ce, but little posse''s of three or four, wading through the waters or lying on the raised earth.

    I think there''s more of them here than thest time we came. Or maybe they are gathering on this side since we raised a ruckusst time.

    At any rate, they haven''t seemed to have spotted us.

    I think the best course of action is two lure them into the tunnel group by group, keep thebat out of sight so we don''t draw the lot of them down on our heads at once. Nice and steady, that''s the y.

    ¡­.

    So why is Tiny over there punching a Titan Croc in the face?

    DAMMIT!

    ["Let''s go! Move quickly to support Tiny! Crinis! Don''t let him get surrounded and try not to get me throwered!"] I cry as I rush forward.

    This stupid ape! How could I forget his habits so quickly?! Last time we were here I was pleased by his self-control and ability to control his seemingly endless hunger for battle. The reality is he was unsettled, even a little intimidated, by the oppressive aura that hangs over this Expanse.

    How did I expect a maniacal, famously thick battle addict to react to his first taste of fear? An emotion that he probably hadn''t felt in his entire life? After taking out his frustration on smaller and weaker, unsatisfying foes and getting a power buff from taking the time to actually increase the level of his skills, not to mention the massive boost he received from finally mutating to over +5.

    Now he''s back,rge and in charge and he couldn''t wait to punch some face in.

    So he didn''t!

    The second heid eyes on a Croca the urge to redeem himself in a battle of old fashioned fisty cuffs must have been irresistible!

    He didn''t get far. The closest group of Croca beasts was within a hundred metres. When they saw the giant ape eagerly flinging himself forward, swinging from tree branches like a demented, overweight Tarzan, they roused themselves to fight. ws out and jaws agape they met Tiny''s charge with all the fury they could muster.

    Fists aze with light, Tiny smashed their faces in within ten seconds and then stood pounding his chest as he roared out a challenge to the Expanse as a whole.

    ¡­..

    Because of course he would.

    When we rush up to his side Tiny is still bellowing his challenge and it''s safe to say he has drawn a fair bit of attention.

    All around us small gangs of Crocs are staring with undisguised hostility at my pets and I. I''m quietly confident even the nts are giving us a full dose of the stink eye, even though they don''t have eyes.

    ¡­.

    I think I''m feeling a headacheing on¡­

    Actually. You know what? Who cares!? Instead of chipping away at the enemy tactically over an extended period of time, THIS stratagem has little more chest hair! I''m with you Tiny! Bring it on!

    I immediately kick my sub brains into gear and get them weaving up a water transformation construct. It shouldn''t take long for them to get it set up and pumping out water attributed mana. If any of these monsters decides to start spitting me at us, I want to be ready.

    ["Get ready folks, they''reing in!"] I cry.

    Four small groups of Croca''s begin to advance towards us, curiously untouched by local nt monsters. Counting rapidly I size up our opponents. Ten Croca-Beasts and two Titan-Crocs. Not even a warmup!

    These low tiered monsters can''t hope to hold a candle to us. It''s what wille next that worries me.

    Come on brains! Get kicking!

    The monsters swagger towards us, their toothy grins and grasping ws screaming confidence. It''s almost strange. I''m starting to think these guys haven''t been challenged, in this marsh for some time. Have they be the local bully boys? Leathery skinned, super ugly Mafioso?

    Gonna get a rude awakening now!

    [Crinis! Eat!]

    [Of course Master!]

    With her tremor sense, Crinis is able to detect the subtle vibrations of movement through the ground and air. As the Crocs flex their way towards us, eagerly anticipating the meal toe, Crinis slowly lifts herself from my back on thin tendrils and drifts forwards.

    Such an innocent looking little ball of endless despair. Who could possibly imagine that this tennis ball sized ck orb would contain so much terror?

    Certainly not the crocs.

    [Tiny, Leave it to Crinis, you''ve had some fun already]

    In response to my order Tiny frowns sadly and kicks the dirt. He hasn''t had nearly enough fighting yet, but I know his games. It isn''t possible for him to get enough fighting in the first ce!

    [There''ll be more soon bud, keep that engine warmed up]

    The big ape nods his head, still looking sad but the fire in his eyes is burning bright.

    Some of the Crocs approach through the water, their long tails sinuously trailing behind as they adeptly swim, whilst others move from ind to ind, gradually closing the distance at a slow walk. The smaller Croca-Beasts lead from the font whilst the two Titan Crocs follow from behind, dwarfing their lesser evolved allies as they move.

    As soon as one scaly footnds close enough to Crinis, she acts.

    Unfurling herself with blinding speed, tentacles begin tosh out in all directions, peeling out of her body endlessly until there are dozens of them grasping towards the closest foes. By the time the Croca-Beast realises what is happening it''s already toote, once the first tentacletches onto its leg its fate is sealed.

    More tentaclessh out, shing through the air like whips and striking the beast, coiling tightly around it. Snarling viciously the monster tries to resist, pulling and shing at the inky ck shadow flesh with its ws but it is to no avail. Razor sharp barbs emerge from the tentacles and begin their dark work.

    Knowing what Crinis'' upgrades can do, I''m not entirely sure I''m prepared to watch what''s about to happen¡­.

    [Stay away from Master you vile beast!] Crinis roars.

    Then she engages her ''ripping barbs''.

    Where once her barbs would dig and tear into her victim, now they can move, shifting back and forth at high speeds over a distance of a few inches.

    In effect¡­ I guess you could say it''s like a chainsaw.

    ¡­..

    ck-jawed with fear, the other Croca beasts watch as their strugglingpatriot undergoes what will only describe as the ''Crinis Experience''. She''ll probably get a few more levels of dismember from this.

    When it''s all said and done her main body intes and unfolds again to reveal her cavernous maw. The no longer struggling Croca is unceremoniously dropped within and as a ghastly crunching sound emerges from her main body, those inky ck tentacles begin reaching out once more.

 Chapter 101 Battle begins

    <h4>Chapter 101 Battle begins </h4>

    The smaller croca beasts look quite apprehensive to be approaching the grasping tentacles of death but with theirrger cousins pressing them from behind they have little choice but to continue to approach.

    Crinis has spread her of tentacles in a ten metre arc towards the approaching foes, her tremor sense giving her some idea of the positioning of the enemy. The Titan Crocs bringing up the rear snap their jaws and bark out a brief message to their lesser kin, who grit their oversized teeth and rush forward as one.

    It seems they''ve grown tired of the slow measured approach and want to surround Crinis with overwhelming numbers. Nine of the beasties are rushing towards her now, ws extended and long crocodile jaws open wide for a taste of my pet!

    Fortunately Crinis, the smartest of my core children has foreseen this situation! She was already aplete beast at fighting a horde of enemies, but with her new mutations that ability has only been intensified!

    Those jet ck grasping tentacles react quickly to the pounding feet of the approaching Crocs. Before the monsters can even swipe their ws the tentacles begin to divide, splitting into thinner limbs that then divide some more, creating innumerable appendages that slither through the air towards the hapless crocs.

    Just as they were about tomence their attack, ws extended and saliva dripping from their agape jaws, the crocs beshed with hundreds of tentacles. Due to her upgraded shadow flesh and tentacle maniption skill, Crinis has be quite adept at the maniption of her limbs and the strange stuff that makes up her body has only grown tougher and more flexible as she mutates it.

    The crocs don''t stand a chance. The moment they are entwined in those razor thin tentacles their hope is lost. They struggle and roar but the shadow flesh proves to be resistant to their feeble struggles. The tentacles slowly fuse together again, thickening, until they manifest the barbs once more.

    With a horrid whine the ripping begins and it isn''t long before Croc after Croc is being deposited into the mouth of the ever hungering murder ball.

    That is just¡­ so rough, every time I see it.

    ["Tiny, I want you to take on the Titan Croc on the right. Vibrant, you go support him. Crinis, you and I can take out the one on the left"] Imand my troops.

    "Roger!'' Vibrant shouts.

    [Huh] Tiny grunts happily, the fire burning in his eyes.

    [Of course, Master!] Crinis cries with glee.

    The two giant crocs seem to be having second thoughts about their previous confidence. Watching their allies be shredded and chewed up by a single ball of ink will have that sort of effect I suppose. It''s toote to back out now because we are on the charge!

    My transformation construct is ready and primed, churning out a steady stream of water mana which I begin to weave into spells. I don''t actually think Crinis or Tiny will actually need help to dispose of these Titan-Crocs but it feels nice for everyone to get involved. We have a long fight ahead after all, we all need get warmed up!

    Unable to escape the two six-legged crocs rear back to their full height and roar in unison. The low rumble of their cry rattles the air and all around us crocs turn to focus intently on the goings on. With my superior vision I can already see a few slipping into the water and making their way towards us.

    Oh boy, I think it''s on now.

    With no reason to hold back I begin pouring my mental energy into spell shaping without holding back. I need to make sure my allies don''t suffer in this fight!

    Tiny is the first to reach his enemy, leaping high and crashing down with a titanic strike. A narrow miss! His light enveloped fist plunges down and the ground beneath our feet shakes with that shattering impact. The Croc seems to realise just how lucky it was in that moment it dodged, staring wide eyed at the ape before it, failing to capitalize on this moment of weakness. Vibrant takes advantage of its distraction and dashing in to chomp it on the leg viciously, tearing into the limb and causing the beast to growl in pain.

    On my side I fling a few water bolts at the Croc, staggering it with the sheer kic force of the water smashing into it. Water sprays everywhere from the sts, drizzling down onto Crinis whopletely ignores it as she ''walks'' towards her opponent on her several tentacles. This is her new skill, the tentacle walk. It may not seem like much but she certainly is moving with much more ease and grace than she was before. Whereas before she basically dragged herself along, now she glides with deadly purpose.

    Before her main body her limbs are already seeking, reaching and grasping towards her worried opponent who is only just recovering from the impact of my water bolts. Hastily the Croc throws open his jaw and unleashes a jet of orange me!

    Searing heat washes over me as the mes are turned onto Crinis at point nk range! Fortunately she was forewarned of this danger. As soon as she feels the heat burning her shadow flesh she retracts her limbs as quickly as possible, folding them into her main body to protect the more vulnerable parts of her body.

    This was what I instructed her to do. Shadow beasts seem to have something of a weakness to fire so I wanted Crinis to be able to limit the damage she might take in battle with the Titan Crocs.

    But I don''t simply intend to let her sit there and take the me thrower, that would be madness!

    Water Cannon!

    A solid stream of water materialises above my head and streaks through the air before smacking straight into the Crocs mouth!

    Got him!

    The mes are almost immediately extinguished as the Croc ms its mouth shut, steam leaking out from between its teeth!

    [Go Crinis!] I shout.

    I keep the water cannon trained on the dumb Croc as it uses itsrge upper arms to shield its face from my relentless water attack. If he opens that mouth again he''s gonna get another dose!

    Freed from the pesky mes, Crinis shes out with her tentacles, attaching herself to the Croc in moments. With the limbs undivided, they are thick and powerful. Before the Croc can even scream they begin to twist and rend the beast, dragging it bodily towards the waiting maw, bristling with enormous fangs.

    Well, she needs to heal up a little I guess.

    On the other side, Tiny has beaten their foe into a pulp with his fists as Vibrant ran interference, nibbling on legs and being a general pest to therge croc.

    Our first battle has ended in glorious victory, but I can see more of the monsters making their way over, including a few new variants I''ve not fought before. It''s time to take on the real troops!

 Chapter 102 The new croc on the block

    <h4>Chapter 102 The new croc on the block </h4>

    ["Eat up gang, not long until the next wave is here"] I warn my troops.

    Crinis has already eaten of course, stuffing her face with ten Crocas and an entire Titan Croc. If I get my hands on that dimensional stomach during my next evolution I swear I''ll dance for a week straight.

    I''m so envious!

    Also, where the heck is my food!?

    I''ll have to settle for nibbling on some this next grouping our way. With my omni directional eyes I can see that there are crocs approaching from multiple sides. Having seen us shred the weaker ones sofortably the smaller Croca Beasts are staying back, cowering behind their more powerful cousins. Titan-Crocs, the massive, lumbering six-legged beasts are the bulk of what ising our way but they certainly aren''t the biggest.

    Mixed amongst them are clearly more highly evolved children of Garralosh. Evenrger than the Titan Crocs (will I have to rename them?!), their dark green scaled bodies ripple with strength as they ponderously move on their six limbs. Therger legs and somewhat prehensile arms sport vicious ws and their long jaws still bristle with razor sharp looking teeth.

    Where they different from their slightly more diminutive cousins is firstly the eyes. Just in front of their regr eyes they have an extra set which gleam red with some sort of energy. Secondly, their tails. Right at the base of their tail it splits into two, both tails seemingly shifting independently of the other.

    It kind of makes me wonder what was going on in Garralosh''s head when they designed these evolutions for her children. More isn''t necessarily better you lousy Croc! Just p an extra set of eyes and tail on them and call it quits?! Howzy is that?! All the effort and thought I poured into shaping the new generation of workers is being mocked by this ck effort!

    Wait, no. Don''t judge to quickly, Anthony. The Titan Crocs had the surprising inclusion of their fire mana nd, there''s a chance that these guys will have something interesting going on besides just an increase in size and new tails.

    I have to say, the crocs look right at home in this environment. The lush greenery, dark brown earth and muddy waters feels like the perfect backdrop for these Croc monsters as they slide through the water, mostly submerged, or lumber between the trees. I can see why they like this expanse, it suits them.

    Too bad I found it! Soon all of thisnd will belong to the colony! Muahahahaha!

    ["Tiny and Vibrant, you guys take on that side together. Begin with an acid bombardment, Vibrant then nib at the nks like we discussed. Tiny, don''t hold back, I want to see some sparks you understand?"]

    "Yep-yep! I''ll get ''em!" Vibrant deres cheerfully, snapping her mandibles at the approaching enemy.

    [Hmm] Tiny grunts as sparks begin to crackle across his body.

    [Ok Crinis, you and me on this side. Watch out for more fire. We don''t know what these bigger crocs can do, so we need to be careful and go full force from the start. Don''t hold out on me!]

    [Never, Master!]

    [That''s what I like to hear!]

    As soon as I''m finished talking I begin drawing out my Gravity mana andpressing it. I''m not going to y around with these unknown evolutions. I''ll take one of them out before they can even start the fight.

    Flipping control of the water mana construct to one of my sub brains I task the other with feeding me a steady supply of the purple gravitational mana from my own internal supply. Within my body the energy pulses vibrantly and begins to flow out, responding to the direction of my thoughts. Next to the mana nd, my core glows brightly, already recharging the mana I had spent on water bolts earlier.

    As the gravitational energy is delivered to me I start shaping it, crunching it down, pressing with the wait of my consciousness, then beginning to outline the structure of my spell. All of the hours of practice I''ve put into this task are bearing fruit as the spell takes shape fluidly. It''s still hard, like painting a three dimensional masterpiece with only my thoughts, but my mind isn''t what it used to be. Almost double my normal human Cunning means my mind is able to move in ways it simply wasn''t possible to do before. More precise, more powerful, my mind slides thepressed mana into ce then starts powering the spell.

    This one is a special spell, a new trick I worked on during thest week. I tested the spell on a few monsters and was entirely disappointed with the effect. For the mana invested and the difficulty of the spell to construct, I''d hoped for a lot more.

    The spell shape is a doubleyered sphere. A small, dense ball of gravitational energy, inscribed with arcane sigils that slowly rotates within a shell made from an outer sphere. The inner sphere is hard to make but the outer one¡­. Yikes. Suffice to say it looks pretty impressive floating in my mind.

    During testing I learned how to fire the spell. It essentially manifests in front of my face and flies forward in a straight line. Once it impacts the target the energy contained within the inner sphere flows to the outer one and the target bes surrounding by a gravity field that pulls them in all directions.

    ¡­ it''s nasty.

    But other than making monsters ufortable and inhibiting their movement, the spell didn''t do a whole lot of damage. Then I thought about the forceful version, what would be different with the powered up spell?

    ... it''s really nasty.

    I call this spell of gruesome death, the Gravity Sphere!

    BAM!

    With a surge of will I manifest the spell and fire it towards the closest Double Croc (so named for their new eyes and tail). The beast didn''t expect a spell toe flying at it from such a harmless looking ant monster and failed to dodge.

    I feel sorry for you buddy.

    The spell takes effect immediately, the outer sphere expanding to epass the entire form of the Croc in crackling purple mana as the energy from the inner sphere is discharged.

    Then the horrific pull of gravity begins to exert itself on the monster from every direction. The creature roars with rage as the monsters around it step aside unsure what is happening.

    I wonder how long he''ll be able to resist it. At least that''s one Croc taken out of the fight.

    [Let''s go Crinis!]

 Chapter 103 Magical Ant

    <h4>Chapter 103 Magical Ant </h4>

    As my first victimnguishes within my spell that is quite literally trying to pull it apart in every direction, I turn my attention to the rest of the monstersing our way. So far there are six Titan Crocs and three of therger Double Crocs who need dealing with.

    Come to me, you leathery chumps! I''m not holding back this time!

    I vengefullymand my sub brain to pass more gravitational mana to me and begin swiftly weaving together ordinary gravity bolts. With the rtive ease of construction the spell leaves me enough awareness to turn and present my back zone towards my foes.

    Have a taste of this, you darn crocs!

    POW! POW! POW!

    Quick as a sh I fire off three sts of my own special brand of acid before turning around again and unleashing my spell.

    The acid arcs through the air towards the crocs. They are on alert this time and two of the shots miss but the spell ms home into one of the Titan Crocs who immediately feels the weight of the world fall on its shoulders, slowing its movement to a crawl.

    Plenty more where that came from!

    [Crinis, get into a defensive position in front of me. I''ll throw spell until they reach us]

    [Understood, master]

    No nonsense in the heat of battle, my faithful pet glides gracefully in front of me and rapidly deploys her web of tentacles. The monsters will have to get past her if they want to reach me and I don''t think she''ll allow that¡­

    Gravity Bolt!

    With my current mind I can whip one of these out in just seconds, the second is already prepared and on its way!

    This time I target one of the Double Crocs. I want to see what these beefier monsters are made of. As they draw closer the spells be more difficult to dodge and this one strikes home easily. The target looks angry to have been struck with my spell and when the gravity descends it unleashes a roar of frustration, the anger rumbling out from deep in its chest. But it keepsing. Slower than before, thankfully but stilling. It appears these monsters have enough Might to ovee the normal gravity bolt and not suffer too much. I won''t bother spending more of that on them then.

    Weighing them down and restricting their mobility is nice but I can do a hell of a lot better with my time and every second counts.

    I''ve been weaving another gravity bolt even as I watched the effect of thest one and it is quickly ready.

    Fire!

    Another Titan Croc feels the pressure fall onto it, pulling its feet down to the ground and it struggles to ovee the weight.

    The Crocs are moving at full speed now, the ground shuddering under the impact of their massive feet. Overhead the trees shake and shiver. The monsters moving through the water shift into high gear, spraying water as they pass, their jaws opening wide to reveal their surprisingly pink tongues nestled between rows of razor sharp teeth.

    I''ve got time for maybe two more spells before they hit us.

    Maybe I can buy us some more time though¡­

    Gravity mana begin to pour out of my nd at the behest of my sub brain and I bring forth the full power of my prodigious mind topress it down and weave it into the shape of another new spell. I have to focus hard on this one as I haven''t had enough practice with it to be able to shape it easily.

    I can almost feel steam pour out of my ears as my mind starts to overheat. Within my mind Ipress mana and build up the structure of my spell at dizzying speeds, loops and whorls, spheres and lines,yer onyer taking shape as the seconds tick by. The crocs thunder towards us, emerging from the water just a few metres away and charging forward.

    Aaaaaaand ¡­. Done!

    Gravity B!

    [Forceful Mana has reached level 7]

    [Precise shooting has reached level 3]

    Haa! It''s nice to fight some tier three monsters for a change! The difference in Xp is really showing. I can''t wait to eat¡­..

    The Gravity B materialises before me and flings forward in the shape of a wide line. By angling it just so I manage to clip the Crocs emerging from the water as well as those running ovend. Only one Titan Croc is able to avoid being hit by the spell as it faces forward, shrinking in width as it passes.

    The Crocs who are hit seem almost confused as they notice no effect from the spell but unbeknownst to them there is a sliver of energy that ties to them to the b as it travels. The further the spell goes the smaller it bes until it has shrunk to a single point and bes still.

    At this point the spell takes effect. With a tremendous pulse of gravitational energy, the crocs feel themselves being pulled backwards towards the spell. They jerk as the pulse yanks them backwards a few steps. The massive beasts freeze for a moment then being to walk forward, only to be yanked back by another pulse of energy.

    The gravity b!

    The normal version isn''t much but the forceful versiones out wider and the pull is much, much stronger.

    Phew! That took a lot out of me. Thankfully by Gravitational nd is so deep, I still have plenty in the tank.

    Angry and frustrated the Double Crocs push forward until their muscles creak and pop, the hulking monsters straining against the spell. The closest one opens wide and mes flicker within its mouth.

    Yikes! I hastily begin spinning up a spell.

    The Croc leans forward and unleashes a huge ball of fire that races towards us, the fire bursting out of its mouth with a tremendous roar!

    [Master?] Crinis questions.

    She can probably feel the heat. The temperature is certainly rising fast.

    [I''m on it!] I grate out as my brains work together at light speed to put together my spell.

    Done!

    Water Bolt!

    The dense ball of water flies forward and impacts against the fire just before it strikes us.

    PSSSHHHHH.

    With an audible THUMP the spells collide and an explosion of steam bursts out, the two substances consuming each other in an instant.

    Dammit! I can''t see a thing!

    I hastily whip up another water bolt and hold it as I peer through the steam. My antennae start going crazy as my heat detection lights up like a firework. Yes! I get it! There is heat everywhere!

    [What have you got Crinis?]

    [They''reing!] she cries.

    The steam has no effect on her vision¡­ since she doesn''t have any¡­

 Chapter 104 Feast of Croc

    <h4>Chapter 104 Feast of Croc </h4>

    What is experience? Where does ite from? Where does it go? Ever since the System descended on our world, schrs priests and wise ones all over the world have sought to understand it. ss progressions have been mapped out, skill trees have been researched and codified endlessly. Many aspects of the system are thoroughly understood and form the curriculum of schools all around the world.

    The fundamental underpinning aspects of the System, however, remain elusive and resistant to study. There are many theories on the topic of experience that range from reasonable to absurd but the topic is one that resists study as it is so intangible. The system at no point quantifies experience in a number, making it impossible to ascertain just how much is gained from any one activity. Estimates can and have been made, by having two subjects of the same level attempt to reach the next by different means, one through study and one throughbat, for example, and educated guesses can be achieved through such means, but just what experience is, remains as distant a piece of understanding as ever.

    There are those who believe, somewhat mystically, that experience taken from a living thing, a monster, is the purest form, the true intention of the System and any other source is secondary to this. The church of the Path has long extolled the view that nothing truly dies so long as it''s experience is absorbed by another living creature, that the ''essence'' is preserved and made part of a stronger whole. This seems harmless enough when applied to monsters, but should one extend that dangerous logic to the killing of other people, an activity that also awards XP, some of the dark rumours that swirl around that faith, particrly in its early years, begin to gain credence.

    "Experience of the System, origins Myths and Legends, by Jivani the faithless" from the secret Library of the Path.

    Behind me I can see that the fight is raging between Tiny. Vibrant and a host of Crocs. Without my magnificent magic to deter the beasts, they have been able to swarm forwards and engage Tiny in a vicious melee. Unfortunately for the Crocs, right next to the ape isn''t exactly the safest ce one could hope to be. Lightning crackles along Tiny''s torso, zapping nearby foes and discharging through his hands with every punch. With each swing of his arms a Croc is sent reeling, even the Double Crocs,rge as they are, cannot withstand the strength of those fists.

    Like me, Tiny is a tier four monster, not to mention the beneficiary of multiple special evolutions. His strength is absurdly high and thanks to having actually spent some Biomass and skill points, hisbat effectiveness is only climbing. The Double Crocs are tier three monsters, and there is little chance they have received the level of evolution, or had ess to the wealth of Biomass, that Tiny has been able to enjoy.

    I spoil my pets! What can I say?

    At any rate, despite being heavily outnumbered, the big lug is managing to hold his own, smashing away Crocs with wild swings whenever they surround him. He''s taking some damage though, his defence not up to the task of fending off those jaws and ws.

    Vibrant is sticking to instructions and after bombarding the foe with acid from range she has stuck to a hit and run tactics. Whenever a Croc runs directly at her she turns and races to the other side of Tiny, putting the melee between herself and her would be opponent. She really is fast! She would leave me in the dust, even when dashing. Once out of sight and out of mind she charges forward and viciously deploys her various biting skills, chomping away at legs or arms, asionally the odd torso.

    Whenever they get sick of her nibbling, the monsters turn and swipe at her, their ws raking along her carapace, asionally prating far enough to draw blood. True to directions, she immediately backs off, healing up and waiting for another opportunity to strike.

    I wonder just how often she can use that healing nd¡­

    On my side, Crinis and I are stilling contending with the odd fireball as our opponents struggle to ovee my forceful gravity b.

    Nifty spell this one. Even monsters asrge and physically powerful as the Croca''s aren''t able to advance once I''ve tagged them with this beauty. One Titan Croc managed to evade the spell but he has unfortunately fallen into the clutches of Crinis'' tentacles.

    [You dare to approach my Master, vile beast!?]

    She seems mad.

    The fate of the Croc is¡­. Not good. To say the least.

    [Don''t eat them all Crinis, we need to save some food for everyone, especially the Double Croca]

    [Understood, Master]

    Beyond the immediate surrounding the environment is still shrouded with steam. I can''t quite see the Crocs, their hulking bodies reduced to mere shadows with the obstruction, but simrly, they can''t see us.

    Doesn''t stop them from hurling fire at us though.

    [Crinis, fireing!]

    Dammit! Blindly throwing fire in our direction is still dangerous enough. The mes the double Crocs contain within is more potent than that inside their smaller cousins. This is going to get rough.

    Around me the fireballs explode as I turn my mind inwards, racing toplete another spell. The air begins to roast us immediately, Crinis suffering more than I do.

    Grrrr. I should have seen thising! Hurry up Anthony, get this spell done!

    Within my mind the water mana dances and glides as all of my minds are purposed to directing the mana into a familiar shape.

    FWOOSH!

    More fireballs ignite through the steam. These Crocs have a decent tank of fire. Luckily my spell is ready!

    Water Domain!

    Expanding outwards with me in the centre, a spherical wall of water pushes the mes away. With yet more explosions of the steam the iing fireballs smash into my expanding barrier, super heating the liquid and pushing through but only with a shadow of their previous strength.

    Nice! I can handle this!

    Yet more steam billows out and further obstructs our vision.

    Dammit, I can''t see a thing!

    [We can''t hang back anymore Crinis! Time to push forward and mess them up!]

    A very damp tentacle death sphere acknowledges my words with her actions and picks her body up and begins to advance, extending a web of tentacles before herself as she advances,pletely unaffected by the steam.

    I pass the maintenance of my water domain, a swirling mass of water than swishes and froths constantly in a five metre diameter around me.

    Cautiously we advance, my sub minds taking over the maintenance of the water domain and supplying it with a steady stream of water mana. Gradually a shadow loomsrger in front of us, a Double Croc thrashing against the restraint of the gravity b. The Croc isrge, farrger than myself, but it certainly doesn''t expect us.

    Crinis'' seeking limbs creep forward before finally contacting the monster before us. Instantly a number of tentacles snap forward andtch onto the Croc who growls deep it it''s throat and begins shing with its ws at the shadow flesh that has attached to it.

    Oh no you don''t you damned Croc!

    Dashing forward the beast is buffeted by the surging waters of my water domain, knocked off bnce and thoroughly saturated. Summoning the energy from within I open my mandibles wide as they begin to glow.

    Shattering Bite!

    Crunch!

    "GARRRR!"

    The Double Croc reels back in pain.

    Suffer from my bite Croc! The first of many!

 Chapter 105 Skirmish Conculsion

    <h4>Chapter 105 Skirmish Conculsion </h4>

    More fireballs fly out of the distance and impact against my water domain, sending massive gouts of steam hissing into the air and further reducing visibility. In front of me, buffeted and soaked by the frothing mass of water that makes up my water domain, the double croc lunges forward with its massive jaws.

    SNAP!

    Yikes!

    Leaping to the left I manage to avoid the snapping jaws at thest second. With the foe off bnce, I dash forward to bite once more.

    CRUNCH!

    [Shattering Bite has reached level 8]

    Muahahaha!

    The Croc growls furiously, a rumble thates from deep within its chest and shakes the air with its intensity. The double crocs are almost the same size as Tiny when standing on their hind legs, close to ten feet.

    Being a little over a metre tall at this point, the damn thing towers over me. My eyes are about level with its knees! Thankfully my shattering bite manifests more than metre away from actual mandibles, increasing the range of my bite attacks considerably.

    Enough to take a decent chunk out of the monsters side at any rate.

    WHAM!

    Ouch!

    A little cocky after my sessful bite and I don''t even notice the twin tails sweeping towards me until they smash into my side with tremendous force, sending me flying several metres away.

    [Master! Are you all right!?] Crinis cries shrilly.

    [I''m fine! Focus on the fight!]

    [Damn beast! I WILL REND YOU!!!]

    I''ve lost a bit of HP from that strike, the kic force of the impact was enough to crack my carapace in several ces but the enhanced diamond is perfect for resisting this sort of damage. Not to mention, a new feeling arises in the damaged sections that brings a smile to my heart. The inner bone ting, a supportive structure that webs the inside of my exoskeleton, begins to excrete a gel like substance at the site of the damaged portions. Immediately I can feel the tingling feeling of regeneration begin to intensify as the cracks start to knit together.

    Oh how I love it when a nes together!

    How''s that you stupid Croc?! A few minutes and I''ll be back to full HP again! The magical tank that is Anthony the ant shall never be stopped!

    Being able to repair the damage to my main defence, the carapace, without having to expend my healing nd, is so tasty!

    Whilst I''m admiring my own incredible wisdom, Crinis has gone berserk. She has begun threshing her limbs around one of the Crocs'' legs, the beast being toorge for her to effective wrap the entire thing at once, she has chosen to concentrate her fire on one particr limb.

    Ahhh! So THIS is why she took dismember!

    ¡­.

    Yuck¡­.

    The beast fall to one side and I can see other shadows growing closer now, their flickering shadows growing nearer through the steam. My water domain continues to swirl around me and I position myself so that the frothing liquid shes and ms into the Crocs face as Crinis flicks her limbs to the beasts torso.

    It seem like the crocs, as expected, are quite resistant to water spells. Their scaly hides are perfect for sliding through water and provide a decent measure of protection against the kic impact of my water spells.

    Perhaps Garralosh wasn''tpletely stupid when they designed their children with fire mana nds after all. At least my water magic is working to counter their stupid fireballs, even if the field has been covered in a nket of steam.

    I rush forward and begin to chomp away at the hapless double croc. With Crinis working her dark magic on its limbs and my own mandibles crunching at it, even a tier three croc monster cannot resist for long.

    [You have defeated Level 12 Garralosh Betor]

    [You have gained XP]

    Before Gandalf has even finished his words I leap forward and take a bite from the fallen enemy.

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Garralosh Betor, you are awarded one Biomass]

    [Basic profile of the Garralosh Betor unlocked]

    [Garralosh Betor: Garralosh Soldier, Following in the evolutionary footsteps of their progenitor, the Garralosh Soldier is equipped with a more powerful muscr system, increased stamina, intensified me and double tails. ]

    Huh. So apparently these Garralosh offspring are basically evolving the same way the original Croc monster did? Following in their mother''s footsteps?

    That''s interesting, it gives some insight into what Garralosh itself might look like.

    But I don''t have time to worry about that now, we have more offspring to kill! I have to move quickly before my gravity spell wears offpletely!

    I nudge Crinis mentally and we dash in the direction I recall seeing the other Double Croc. Thankfully my memory doesn''t fail me and we manage to approach the creature who, despite being buffeted by my water domain, manages to urately swipe at me with one w.

    SCREETCH!

    The solid bone w scraped along my pristine Diamond carapace and sparks fly but the w fails to prate through to my soft, fleshy insides. The carapace is triumphant!

    [DEATH!] Crinis screams, and a boiling mass of tentaclessh forward and wrap both legs of the double croc.

    [Nice, Crinis!] I shout and move to follow up on her attack.

    POW!

    Right from the famed shopping za a st of acid smacks into the beasts upper chest, immediately sizzling and burning away the scales that cover the crocs torso. mes begin to flicker around the mouth of the creature but thanks to my improved rear vision I''m way ahead of it and position myself so that my water domain starts mming into the crocs'' face.

    Haha! You want me thrower me now?

    HSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

    Apparently yes!

    Unwilling to hold back the me, the monster opens wide sts the spherical wall of water before it and even though some of the fire does indeed prate my defence, the majority is swallowed by the water and a huge gout of steam sts the Croc right in the face!

    Yeoouch.

    I wonder who has the higher Cunning, Tiny or the Double Croc?

    I shake my head, I should think so poorly of my own pet.

    Scalded by this unexpected event, the Croc rears back in pain and anger.

    [Get him Crinis! Finish it!]

    [Understood!]

    As the ufortable sounds of ripping and tearing begin to fill the air I lunge forward to apply mandibles, pumping some raw mana into them to active their infused property and greatly increase their cutting power.

    CHOMP! CHOMP!

    No matter how the monster tries to fight back its useless. Within Crinis typing up and savaging its legs and me tearing into it, the superficial shes and bites it manages tond on us are not able to inflict serious damage.

    [You have in level 6 Garralosh Soldier]

    [You have gained experience]

    I feel the forceful gravity b dissipate, releasing the rest of the crocs to continue their advance, but it''s toote, the spell has done its work admirably. Without being able to group together therger double crocs have been defeated.

    In fact, I can also sense that by forceful gravity sphere has dispelled and ¡­.

    [You have in level 7 Garralosh Soldier]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You achieved Level 14, One skill point awarded]

    There you go.

    Not sure I want to go inspect those remains though¡­

 Chapter 106 Expiditious retreat

    <h4>Chapter 106 Expiditious retreat </h4>

    With the heavy hitter taken out of the equation there isn''t much left to the fight. Crinis and I quickly destroy the Titan Crocs and rush back to help support Tiny and Vibrant.

    The giant ape and ant soldier are beaten and bruised but victorious as they lord over their fallen enemies. Tiny is beating his chest and roaring his challenge out to the world whilst Vibrant does a manic, high speed dance around his ankles.

    [RAAAAARR] Tiny bellows.

    "RAA HAHAHAHAHA!" Vibrant cackles.

    ¡­..

    I was right to team these two up. They fit together like peas in a pod. The only problem is, who is the brains of the operation?

    In the distance there are yet more crocs, huddling together in small posse''s like leathery hoodlums. For the time being they aren''t responding to our provocation but I''d rather not put their tolerance to the test.

    For now there aren''t any groups within two hundred metres, which is roughly how far we''ve advanced into the expanse.

    ["OK, hold off on the celebration already you two"] I snap, ["We''ve won the first skirmish but there are more to be had. Let''s eat quickly and prepare our next move."]

    I don''t need to tell them twice. The gang quickly breaks up and we start stuffing our faces full whilst keeping a watchful eye on the surrounding monsters. I myself head directly for the Double Crocs. It''s been some time since I''ve been able to eat a tier three monster of this size and I don''t intent to let the opportunity go to waste!

    OM NOM NOM.

    There really is a distinct vour to croc. I think it''s growing on me, to be honest. Particrly the tails. Now that I think of it, the double croc evolutionary choices are really making sense to me. Double the tail to eat? Nice!

    I manage to reap a nice harvest of Biomass from the first croc but as I''m moving towards the second, Crinis cries out mentally.

    [Master! I can feel vibrationsing this way, lots of them! I think it''s a wave!]

    Oh snap!

    ["Everyone back to the tunnels! Go Go Go!"]

    Tiny seems reluctant to move, still shoving huge fistfuls of food into his mouth until his cheeks are puffed out to a ludicrous degree.

    [Tiny! Move your big butt back to the tunnels! Right now!] I yell at him even as I activate my dash skills to rush at Crinis and throw her onto my back.

    HEAVY!

    With that maw of hers she can eat ten times faster than the rest of us, she''s so damned heavy already she must have eaten two or three crocs at least!

    Tiny cannot refuse my directmand. Unwilling to part with his meal he grabs the body of the double croc he was eating and throws it over his shoulder before dashing and leaping his way back to the tunnel.

    How greedy! Wish I''d thought of that¡­. At the very least I might have been able to grab a tail¡­

    With all possible speed we rush back to the tunnel entrance we used to reach this point and position ourselves defensively. I''d figured that we would encounter a wave or two during our attack on the expanse and in my mind the worst case scenario would be if we were caught out in the open. The monsters in a wave are low level, without many mutations and generally tier one with a few having evolved, generally not much of a threat. But if they were to surround us in the middle of the marsh, where mobility is difficult and there are native monsters who could interfere and get in the way¡­

    It could get nasty.

    Safely retreating to the tunnel that leads up to the colony and effectively blocking it, preventing any monsters from reaching my family and then continuing the assault is by far the best choice.

    [Tiny in front, Crinis right behind to support, make sure he doesn''t get surrounded. Vibrant, stay behind Crinis and move up to support when you can, don''t let yourself get caught. I''ll stick to the roof]

    We quickly take our positions and it isn''t long until I can see the wave of monsters approaching through the tunnel entrance. They roll through the marsh as a dark mass of shadow beasts, the asional normal, animalistic monster mixed in.

    Curiously, they don''t seem too interested in feasting on the native monsters in the expanse as they pass, leaving them undisturbed for the most part. I think I see the odd flower monster getting trampled but nothing seems to go out of its way to kill or eat.

    This behaviour is just so un monster like that its baffling to me. What hold does the creature controlling this expanse have on these monsters? Is it a skill? A mutation? Or something to do with their core? I just don''t have the knowledge to exin it.

    Hopefully soon, I will.

    It doesn''t take long for the monsters to reach us. Tiny finally stops snaking on his croc and flings the remaining food behind us, saving it forter, before flexing his fingers as lightning begins to crackle around his body.

    I myself head towards the ceiling and grip it tightly, drawing on my water transformation construct to stockpile some condensed water mana in preparation for a forceful water cannon. That spell has proven to be the most effective so far at cutting through the shadow beasts strange flesh quickly.

    [Advanced Grip has reached level 4]

    ¡­.

    Nice! Grip hasn''t levelled in ages! Why now?

    I guess I haven''t been doing a whole of gripping. Where once I almost exclusively travelled on ceilings I''m more a floor walker now. Somehow that feels a little disappointing to me, as if something of my ant nature iscking. I guess I walk up and down the colony walls but that probably does less for xp wise than hanging off a ceiling during a fight.

    Internally I resolve to hang upside down a bit more as I brace for the iing wave.

    The monsters growrger in our eyes until they crash into us with tremendous momentum. Tiny meets the challenge willingly, his massive fists smashing the first monsters into past the moment they rush into range.

    Forceful Water Cannon!

    The tunnel is immediately filled with sound of desperatebat as the monsters throw themselves at us like berserkers, mindlessly advancing into our attacks and getting cut down just as quickly.

    My spell zigs and zags through their ranks, slicing through them without mercy. The spray of water saturates the tunnel and the iing monsters who quickly fall prey to Tiny''s lightning and fists.

    Any that reach his sides are snatched up in Crinis tentacles and torn to pieces or flung back towards Vibrant who falls upon them with savage glee, her mandibles swiftly ending the threat.

    We battle in this way for a full fifteen minutes before the wave has expended itself. The tunnel is packed full of Biomass, to a ridiculous degree and we are tired and battered. Tiny in particr has suffered the brunt of the fighting so far, cuts and bruises dot his body as the massive ape catches his breath.

    Since we are close to the shortcut anyway, I decide that we should stuff our faces, heal up, and deliver the rest of this food to the surface for the colony to pick up before we continue our assault.

 Chapter 107 Once more into the expanse

    <h4>Chapter 107 Once more into the expanse </h4>

    After we''ve made a quick delivery to the surface and we take a little time to rest to aid the digestion. Fighting on a full stomach isn''t the best feeling in the world, especially when I''ve already taken in a special core.

    The tight, painful feeling has faded in the background by now. I''m sure if that is because my body has sessfully amodated to containing this slightly oversized core or if I''ve just gotten used to the pain. I''m still determined to try and take in another before my next evolution. I''m not willing to stay behind on the power curve. To protect my family, I''ll take the risk to get every edge I possibly can.

    To turn a humble worker ant into a monstrous powerhouse I can''t go by the standard road. Maxing out my core and selecting the special evolutions isn''t enough for me anymore. If I''m going to run into this Garralosh monster, I feel like I''m going to need every edge I can get my ws on.

    Just thinking about what that Croc could look like makes me nervous enough to clean my antennae before I can settle down.

    How many evolutions? Tier five? Six? Seven?!

    Mutations would be at what level? Tier six would be +30!

    I hope my pets and I are strong enough to handle it if that damn beast ever decides toe at the colony.

    For that reason, we need to take every opportunity to make ourselves stronger. When the new generation is up and running, I''ll be a lot more confident in our future. To that end, we have to secure our position as quickly as we can. I''ve got a week until they hatch, by that time the expanse needs to be tamed and the threat to the colony ended.

    I reaped 21 Biomass from the fighting so far, enough to buy a little something.

    I instruct everyone to spend up and then settle in to nce through my menu.

    Thank goodness! With thisst feed, I''ve amassed just enough to take my antennae to +10!

    [Would you like to upgrade antennae to +10? At this level you may select a mutation advancement from the menu]

    Awesome!

    My infrared senses have served me well since purchasing that upgrade. Having more information and more ways to sense enemies has made me feel much more secure in my travels through the Dungeon. My earlier sensory weakness has been well and truly ovee by now.

    Flicking through the menu, I can see that there are some upgrades to the infrared advancement that make it more sensitive or effective at a greater range but I''m not particrly interested in that. Some of the other options are far more delicious, and I want toe back to some of those this time.

    Precognitive Antennae, being able to sense a moment into the future. That is just a straight up hack. With multiple upgrades, I might be able to push the time I can detect into the future further and further.

    Now that ability to sense opponents is so high, and it''s time to continue to build on my ability to defeat them!

    [Do you wish to purchase this upgrade? It will cost 27 Biomass]

    YAS!

    ¡­.

    Oh right.

    SNAZIFAZZLE!!!!

    WHY DAMMIT?!

    Five minutes of agonised ilingter we are ready to roll. The others have made their purchases, and the decidedck of reaction to the irritating side effect of having your body rearrange itself at the cellr level is starting to get me irritated.

    Not much I can do about it.

    Before we leave, I gather the crew for a brief war conference.

    ["All right everyone, how do we feel about our attack on the crocs so far?"]

    [These beastsck the proper respect for you Master!] Crinis pouts.

    [Tasty] Tiny grunts.

    "Those tails are delicious!" Vibrant cheers.

    ¡­.

    ["Thanks everyone that''s super useful. Let''s go"]

    In short order, I get everyone lined up and ready to advance. Once more we step out of the narrow, glowing tunnels and into theparatively broad skies of the expanse ¡ª this time I make sure to instruct Tiny not to charge forward recklessly and wait for my order.

    He wasn''t happy, but he''s just gonna have to build a bridge and get over it.

    Immediately I can see that there are fewer crocs on this side of the expanse than before. Where before they were clustered quite thickly around this entrance, there isn''t any sign of them now. It almost feels as if they''ve withdrawn to prevent further losses. Maybe we''ll find them deeper into the marsh. Content not to have to worry about the stupid lizards, for the time being, I get the gang moving, and we step forward.

    In this way, we progress a little further into the marsh. The vegetation and flora are a little more active this time. Perhaps the thinner numbers of crocs have encouraged them toe out of their shells a little. The ever-present aura of intimidation still hangs thickly in the air, but the marsh is starting to show a few small signs of life.

    Tiny, for one, gets instantly spellbound by the mind-bending flowers and I have to try and hold him back while Vibrant rushes forward to mow the offending nt.

    Having warned Tiny away from the pretty flowers, we continue to creep gradually in until we make it to roughly the four hundred metre mark. The vegetation is so damned thick, trees, hanging vines, flowers the size of cars and rolling humps of mossy earth rising high, that visibility is incredibly weak. It''s hard to know if we areing or going sometimes.

    As the soft sounds of the marsh ring through the air around us, I try to watch in all directions at once, wary for any traps or ambushes that maye our way.

    As I creep along behind Tiny, Crinis riding on my back, I suddenly feel a strange sensation tickling down my antennae. It feels so weird I freeze in ce momentarily, entirely unable to process what my brain is telling me.

    CHOMP!

    Which is precisely when I lose two legs to a massive Hippo Turtle.

 Chapter 108 The wonders of nature

    <h4>Chapter 108 The wonders of nature </h4>

    I realise now that my brain, or rather my fancy new antennae, were telling me that I was about to have my legs bitten off in a savage and painful manner by arge creature emerging from the murky waters to my left.

    Unfortunately I was simply unable to process the information quickly enough. I mean, when you start receiving sensory messaging from the future, it kind of wigs you out a bit. Up until this pointy my new antennae had only been providing me with a mild buzzing sensation. When it lit up so suddenly I was momentarily overwhelmed. So much so that even though I knew I was about to leg my legs chomped off, it still happened!

    Ouch!

    The offender is a ratherrge hippo looking creature with rough leathery skin and a moss covered shell that had been visible above the water line, looking for all the world like a hump of dirt, much like any of the others.

    Now the damn fatty looks decidedly smug as I fall to one side, cursing internally and triggering my healing nd. The cold fluid floods my system, rushing to the site of my lost limbs which begin to regrow at an almost visible pace and I scramble with my four remaining legs to get myself clear of the monster.

    [MASTER?!] Crinis shrieks, [What happened?!]

    ["Ambush! Fat Hippo thing on the left! I''ve lost a couple of legs, cover for me!"] I shout.

    [AHHHH!!!!]

    My mind is overwhelmed by Crinis hysterical screaming as the little tennis ball on my back EXPLODES with tentacles that start seeking towards the left side,tching onto and tearing at the Hippo-Turtles face at breakneck speeds.

    Irritated at the sudden retaliation, the hippo rises out of the water and charges towards us at surprising speeds. Fast! Huge! FAT!

    The monster is muchrger than I''d first thought and certainly more bizarre! Small piggy eyes and those adorable little ppy ears sit above a typical broken toothed, oversized hippo mouth. The head extends out from under a thick, dome shaped shell on the end of a long turtle neck. The entire thing rests upon four squat hippo legs that pump at a rapid pace as the huge monster dashes out of the water, grunting angrily as Crinis continues to shriek at it and tear at its face.

    As the beast runs towards me the ground is rumbling under my feet! I push with all of my might but I can''t activate dash without all of my legs! Great time to learn that! Thanks skill! Come on legs, regenerate quick or I''m going to be building a more intimate rtionship with this dirt that I was quite prepared for. Just before I get stomped into ant pate and served on crackers, Tiny dashes in from the side and meets the charging hippo with one shoulder.

    BOOM!

    The impact is colossal and the ground shudders under the impact of these two titans. As more of the creature emerges from the water I get a clearer picture of its size. Hippos are quiterge creatures back on Earth, everyone knows that. Fast, big mouth, plump grey skinned killing machines that like a swim. This guy is a touchrger. I''d say he''s about the size of a minivan.

    You hear what I''m saying?

    A MINIVAN!

    [Crinis! You need to try and get at his legs! Buy me a little time!]

    My smaller pet, she of the ink chainsaw, is still screeching a the monster. Her earlier wordless hollering has given way to a deafening tirade that promises endless violence in the most graphic terms I can imagine. So caught up in her blood red diatribe is she, that I''m not even sure he heard what I said.

    In any event, as the Hippo Turtle rights itself and recovers its bnce after being knocked aside by Tiny, Crinis gradually begins to transfer her tentacles away from the monsters face where, despite her most violent effort, minimal damage has been done.

    Not only is the shell tough as nails, it seems the skin aint no slouch either.

    [Go hard Tiny! This guy look tough!]

    "ROOOOO!" Tiny bellows, the fire zing bright in his eyes.

    He''s ready to go!

    Fists sparking, the apeunches himself into the air and brings both fists down in his patented ape smash, directly onto the hippo turtles shell. The bby beast grunts as all of the air is forced out of its body in a whoosh and it ms belly first into the ground.

    Electricity flows out of Tiny and into the beast, stunning it momentarily as lightning crackles over its shell and leathery skin. Snarling, the beast forces its feet back under it and turns to engage the offending ape, snapping at him with those huge jaws.

    Why does everything around here have to have suchrge mouths?

    Whilst my pets engage the monster in brutal battle I bravely continue to crawl through the dirt as my missing limbs slowly regenerate. It''s been ages since I lost a leg dammit! This hippo is going to pay!

    As Tiny continues to trade blows with the beast, his fists snapping that head left and right and sending shockwaves through its long neck, Crinis busies herself with ripping into the legs, trying to saw her way through the thick skin is taking a long time though.

    "Vibrant! Give it some acid, aim for the neck!"

    "Roger!"

    The ant soldier had been waiting for the opportune moment to engage in the fight, not willing to obstruct Tiny is his battle. With my instructions given she proudly presents an ants best feature and begins to st the enemy with her potent acid!

    Four shots in totalnd on that long neck and begin to sizzle away pleasantly. The big monster groans in pain but cannot now turn away from the ape in front of it as he grows more and more aggressive, his fist swinging faster with every moment.

    Gravity Bolt!

    I hastily whip up the spell and st it out, hoping to assist my pets in their work. Unerringly, thanks to my skills, the bolt strikes home on the creature, directly behind its head. I''ve seen this before. When the bolt his a creature of sufficient size it doesn''t just increase the gravity of the whole monster but rather drags down the body part that is hit.

    In this instance, the fatty is instantly effected by a strong dragging force that wants to pull its head down into the dirt. Tiny takes advantage of the hippo''s distraction to step it and smash a few punches directly into his opponents face.

    Gravity Bolt!

    Gravity Bolt!

    I pile more spells onto the now struggling monsters neck, removing its ability to attack quite so swiftly with its jaws. Unwilling to suffer from the torture of the apes fists any longer, the hippo turtle begins to withdraw its head back into shell.

    You can also do that?!

    I hate this monster¡­ so much.

    [Get that leg Crinis!]

    [Fall you filthy beast! Be food for the Master!]

    With a horrible ripping sound, those countless tentacles twist and writhe before eventuallypleting their task and crippling the hippos front left leg.

    Hah! How do you like it?!

    As the beast falls to one side, this time for good, the assault is renewed. Crinis moves to another leg as Tiny begins toy into the shell like it''s a punching back, eventually cracking the hard outeryer with every punch.

    Vibrant judges that the time is right and leaps forward to engage with her mandibles, chipping away at the beast.

    By the time my legs are sufficiently healed that I can walk on them the creature has been brought down.

    Finally!

 Chapter 109 Further Marsh exploration

    <h4>Chapter 109 Further Marsh exploration </h4>

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass, Sus Aquarum armatae, you have been awarded one Biomass]

    [Basic profile of Sus Aquarum Armatae has been unlocked]

    [Sus Aquarum Armatae, Armoured Water Pig. This giant monster possesses robust defence, boasting a tough skin and extremely durable shell. Offensively, the Water Pig can deploy its vicious bite and has been known to utilise water magic to attack its foes]

    Water magic huh? This one didn''t use it, but it may not have had the chance.

    After the fight, I had Tiny tip the beast onto its back, a difficult feat, even for him, and then wemenced feasting on the creatures bby Biomass.

    Somewhat vindictively, I started on the legs.

    How do you like it?! Damn pig!

    My legs have regenerated at this point. The new limbs are still somewhat stiff and a little tender, nothing a day or two won''t fix. Having my legs get eaten is still irritating.

    ["We need to make sure that we don''t get ambushed by these damn water pigs again guys"]

    [Tasty] Tiny disagrees.

    "Yeah! Tasty!" Vibrant registers her opinion cheerfully.

    [I will be three times as vignt! No such filth shall approach you again] Crinis is wiggling her tentacles in the air furiously to emphasise her words.

    ¡­..

    The unity of this group is severelycking.

    More to the point, listen to me dammit!

    Other than Crinis, the other two are only interested in eating!

    She might get a little over-enthused sometimes, but at least she listens and pays attention.

    [Thanks Crinis, I appreciate your efforts] I give her a quick tap on the top of her tennis ball form with an antenna.

    [HAGA!]

    Eh?

    Standing next to me, elevating her main body on a few slender limbs, Crinis freezes and ever so slowly, begins to topple over until she''s lying t on the ground.

    "What happened to Crinny!?" Vibrant dashes over to the small mass tentacles lying unnaturally still on the ground, poking her friend with a foreleg.

    .....

    All of them are useless. Hopefully, the next generation of ants will prove to be more helpful than this lot.

    Did I just jinx myself? No gs! Shut up Anthony!

    After finishing off the damn pig and letting Crinis recover until she''s able to take her ce on my back once again, I pause to consider the next move. The lush growth of the marsh expanse surrounds us, pools of murky water everywhere and the extensive mangrove-like trees with their vast, overly fleshy leaves.

    Those small shadows are still up there also. I can see them now, little shapes that change their position every now and again, shuttling about in their own airy domain. I think I''ll get myself up there, I''ve had enough grubbing about down here.

    More than anything, I''m curious as to what these creatures are. What exactly are they doing up there?

    Informing the others of my n, I head straight towards the nearest of the trees and ce one w against the wood of its trunk. There is something odd about this bark. I can''t quite put my finger on it. Not that I have fingers. Leaning back, I reach forward with my front four legs and try to pull myself up.

    Slippery!

    Sticky!

    What is up with this tree?! I can''t quite get my ws to dig into it? Not only do they slide off, refusing to grip properly into the soft looking bark, they also feel gummed up, as if coated in some invisible substance.

    Damn tree! How dare you resist my ws! As an ant, I will not be denied my natural born right to walk vertically on anything I damn well, please! There are species of ants that can hang upside down on ss back on earth. For a tree to try and stop me climbing has lit a fire in my ant heart.

    I shall climb!

    Determined and alight with the pride of all ant kind I kick sharply off the ground andtch onto the tree with all of my ws, gripping for all I''m worth. Come on advanced grip! Do me proud!

    The tree isn''t having it. I can feel my ws sliding and locking up but I refuse to give in. Grip, Grip Grip!

    Like a barehanded climber with six legs I reach and grasp, forcing my ws to bite deep into the tree and grasp hold before hauling the rest of my body up. Good thing I''m not that heavy for a monster rtive to my Might stat. Even so it takes all my strength to pull my body up and by the time I reach the top I''m a heaving, gasping mess.

    [Are you alright Master?] Crinis asks from my back.

    ¡­..

    Ah. This deceptively heavy ball of unending hunger was riding on my back. I forgot.

    Still! That tree is resistant to climbing to a ridiculous degree. That was insane. I can walk upside down on wet rocks, no problem, but climbing this damn thing was nearly impossible.

    Shaking myself, I push my legs back under me and look about. I''ve reaches the lowest of the branches that reach out across the marsh. In front of me, I can see the thick leaves, each onerger than I am, and small shapes creeping over them.

    Alright then. What are these things?

    Bracing myself, I move out along the branch, gripping tightly and moving slowly, begin to creep out along the length of the branch towards its end. As I draw closer to the over-sized leaves, the creatures creeping about on them be more clear.

    Small, soft looking green shells, round chubby looking body and thin, stick-like legs.

    Something deep within my ant brain sparks as if struck by lightning.

    Are those¡­ APHIDS?

    Excitement begins to build in my belly.

    Many people on Earth don''t realise it, but some species of ants are farmers, and used farming to produce their food for hundreds of thousands of years. Leafcutter ants harvest leaves, not because they eat the leaves but because they use the leaves to grow a species of mould, deep within their nests, that they eat. Herder ants, among other kinds, perform a different type of farming. They keep aphids. The aphids feast on the leaves of trees and nts, and when approached by the ant, they will offer up a sugary liquid produced in their business district, which the ants eat. In return, the ants protect the aphids and shelter them from harm, even picking them up and moving them to the best positions on the nt.

    Looking at these little monstrous aphids, each one the size of a school bag, creeping about on the leaves, I begin to wonder about the possibilities that might present themselves. Ants and aphids have a long history of cooperative coexistence.

    In the deep recesses of my brain, a farming scheme is taking shape.

    Eagerly, I advance down the branch and step out onto the broad leaf on which one of the little green fuzzy little insects is feeding. The leaf manages to take my weight, and I gradually approach the little bug. As I draw close it the creature freezes and huddles t on the surface of the leaf.

    As I stand over it, waiting the creatures shivering gradually slows as I don''t attack it. Gradually, slowly, the little aphid excretes a thick, gel-like fluid from its back.

    My antennae twitch at the scent.

    Biomass!

    My eyes gleam with avarice.

 Chapter 110 New growth

    <h4>Chapter 110 New growth </h4>

    Beyn was a Priest and he was proud of that ss. He had worked hard in the seminary, his faith zing with an admirable glow, such that he had earned promotion and cement into a small vige at a young age.

    He still thought back on his time at the college, within the Path Sanctuary in Luxon. A mighty citadel filled with learning, preaching and the contemtion of the Path. He''d been happy there, tearing through scripts and sitting at the knee of his teachers, absorbing their wisdom and delighting in his deepening knowledge of the System and the way in which it improved the lives of all peoples.

    Respect was due to the System, reverence also! It was omniscient, it was omnipresent and it had saved all of the civilised peoples of the world from certain destruction. It had shown them the Path to salvation!

    That is what Beyn had firmly believed his entire life.

    Looking around the dusty people surrounding him now, it was hard toprehend just how he hade to be here.

    Such wondrous happenings, such revtory events, they defied understanding, let alone exnation. If he were to take his lessons, rte his experiences to his old teachers he didn''t doubt that he would turned over the Seekers for questioning. Perhaps he would even be purged. Yet he could not deny the evidence of his eyes, nor the wellspring of hope that had erupted in his heart.

    He had paid for his newfound belief with an arm, but it had been so worth it.

    The evidence was all around him. The System had chosen to present its aid, its benevolence, through an entirely unexpected medium. Monsters! Ants from the Dungeon! It seemed preposterous, yet wasn''t it said, "The ways of the System are unknowable by mortal mind"?

    Truly none would have expected this turn of events!

    "Priest Beyn" he was greeted by a passer by.

    "Good Morning. May the Path be clear before you and our saviours ck their mandibles with blessing upon you."

    The person smiled and nodded, their eyes flicking towards the direction of the colonies great mound, barely visible now from this ce, before moving on. Indeed, the ants had done so much for these people and Beyn intended to be sure that they were properly grateful. The monsters infesting the nearby woods had been nearly eradicated by the tireless workers, wood had been provided that was now being made into houses, fencing and other such structures. Crude farms were being erected in order to secure a food supply for the near future and as more people came south, fleeing the violence that continued to ravage the surface, so too did the needs of themunity grow.

    He moved amongst the burgeoning vige now, smiling, giving blessings to those who approached him. An encouraging word here, a smile or a nod there, a hug andpassionate prayer for those in distress. Beyn moved amongst his people and did his utmost to buoy their spirits so that they might take advantage of this wondrous blessing that had befallen them.

    A sanctuary in such troubled times, protection, given by the System itself in the form of their ant guardians.

    Suddenly inspired, Beyn stopped in ce and raised is one hand to the sky and began to speak, his [Expert Preaching level 9] causing his voice to soar over the din of the vige.

    "Let us give thanks, O travellers! O weary folk of a fallen kingdom!" he cried.

    The refugees were ustomed to his frequent outbursts of preaching, they were not surprised to hear his sudden oration. Compelled by his powerful voice, they turned to listen as they had many times before.

    "We have suffered much. The pain of loss, the heartache of our destroyed homes. Monsters have risen to the surface in a way that hasn''t been seen for thousands of years!"

    A ripple passed through the people at his words and the crowd slowly began to coalesce around the crippled priest. Monster pouring out of the Dungeon was the stuff of nightmares, a forgotten legend, that they had witnessed with their own eyes.

    "And yet, the Path is never straight, the path is never clear before our feet. It is not for us to decide the way, but for the System! We have been delivered from Monsters, by Monsters! Our insect saviours, led by the Great One, have defended us, provided for us and granted us sanctuary in these times of fear and death."

    Beyn could see the faces of his audience. As an expert level Preacher, he was able to read the mood of the crowd, sense the ebb and flow of emotion as his words were absorbed by the crowd. These people were grateful. These people were awed. More importantly, these people believed.

    There was a veneration in their eyes as he spoke of the Great One. They''d seen it for themselves. The creature hade right to the vige, standing so unnaturally still, andmuned with one of them.

    Beyn wondered if the Great One had any idea how strange such an action was to the people here. To see a feared Dungeon Monster in the flesh, so close. For it not to harm them, but to SPEAK to them? Provide them with food? With wood?

    Unheard of.

    It was unprecedented, it was unnatural. To Beyn, it was a sign of the Divine.

    "A MIRACLE has urred here!" he roared, "the Great One is a MIRACLE. Sent to grant us sour in our time of most dire need! The monsters rise, friends! They rise but they shall be defeated! Our guardians shall ovee them. They shall roll back the tides of darkness that sweep over thends and we shall be saved!"

    People cheered at his words now, raising their hands towards the ant hill and bowing as Beyn built towards a thunderous crescendo.

    "Be d, friends! Make a nest of gratitude in your heart and let the workers of your soul build a tunnel to praise! The Great One has shown care for you. Do not allow despair to overwhelm you! Ensure that the directions of our saviour are met! Be vignt and educate any neers as to the ways of the colony! We must seek to emte our saviours in our unity of purpose! Only then will we be worthy of the blessings rained upon us. That is our Path!"

    The people cheered, sped their hands and bowed towards Beyn and towards the ant hill. Some were ovee with emotion, unsurprising considering what they had been through, and fell to their knees.

    Beyn ceased his preaching and began to move amongst the people again as they turned and resumed their tasks.

    "Do you really need to preach so often Beyn?" a weary voice asks from behind him, Enid.

    The priest turned to face the de facto leader of thismunity. The elder of the vige was looking careworn, her expression tired. However, in her eyes a small light burned dimly.

    She worked tirelessly for these people, caring for them, struggling to meet the material needs of the people even as Beyn worked to provide nourishment to their souls.

    "I only seek to instil a spirit of gratitude and cooperation in the people Enid, you know that."

    She sighed. "Yes I know that. I just wish you didn''t block the traffic when you did it."

    Enid eyed him a little warily. "We''ve had some new arrivals today Beyn. I was hoping you could talk to them about the rules here. Make sure they don''t cross any boundaries. This group seems a little ¡­ different."

    Beyns face lit up with enthusiasm. "I''d love to!" he smiled.

    "Don''t preach at them Beyn. Just talk to them."

    "Aww."

 Chapter 111 The rebel child

    <h4>Chapter 111 The rebel child </h4>

    Beyn found the new arrivals huddled under a tree towards the edge of the vige. Refugees, fleeing the continuing destruction of the kingdom to the north arrived nearly every day. Sometimes in small groups of three or four, other times a collection of families, farmers usually, fleeing their holdings. Twice they had received a more significant number, over fifty in each, people feeling their town, moving together for safety.

    There were almost two thousand people here now, and more trickling in over time. Enid was run off her feet trying to keep everyone housed, clothed and fed but she did good work. Her high level in the merchant ss made it so organising provisions and acquiring goods happened as she breathed.

    Beyn smiled to think of it. It felt as if everyone was falling into ce as they were needed, at just the time their absence was most felt. Builders and carpenters had arrived two days ago, just in time to employ their skills and levels in the construction of more permanent housing. When they ran out of materials, the very next day cksmith arrived, his equipment stacked on a cart pulled by an exhausted nag and watched by his young apprentice.

    The priest had gathered the people and given praise for an hour, shouting and raising such a racket that the cksmith might have turned his cart around and taken off if Enid hadn''t appeared and pped a hand over Beyn''s mouth.

    He shook his head at the memory as he approached the dusty group of travellers. He got carried away sometimes, he knew it. The passion, the faith that zed inside of him felt so powerful that he struggled to contain it. The Great One, a divine miracle, had appeared to lead the people in their time of trial.

    How was he supposed to NOT talk about it?!

    Even now, the cksmith was running out materials he could melt down and turn into nails. Many a wagon axle had been sacrificed to erect housing. No sooner did the need arrive than members of themunity stepped forward and began prospecting in the nearby woods. Beyn had every faith they would find ore nearby. He felt it in his bones. Provision woulde.

    "Wee travellers to our humble sanctuary" he greeted them warmly, "please be at ease, you are safe here and among friends."

    Before him sat five travel worn individuals. Enid has told him there was something odd about this group and on first inspection, Beyn had to agree.

    It wasn''t the way they half sat, half squatted in the shade of the tree, resting yet alert. It also wasn''t that they wore leather armour and had des on their hips. It was their eyes, hard, cold, and perhaps a little angry. They were mad about something, Beyn had no idea what.

    He wasn''t phased though. It would take a lot more than a hard stare to wipe the calm smile of his face.

    After a moment four of the strangers turned to eye one of their number. The thickset woman nodded shortly and stood. Beyn turned his peaceful expression towards this person, apparently the leader of this group and took in her features.

    She looked strong. Not only that, powerful. Her shoulders were broad, her arms thick and her jaw looked like you could cut bread with it. A strong, calloused hand rose and rested on the hilt of her de as she extended the other towards the priest in greeting.

    "I am Morrelia. My group have been fighting monsters in this area for several months. We saw smoke from a few kilometres west of here and came to investigate", she gestures towards the bustling people in the vige with one hand, "I didn''t expect to see ¡­. This? What has happened to the north?"

    The smile finally slips a little on Beyn''s face. They haven''t heard of the trouble, of the kingdom in ashes, trampled into the dirt under the feet of Dungeon monsters.

    Taking a deep breath, he tells them. Their faces go pale and their eyes wide with shock as he describes to them the horror that has urred.

    "¡­ we are all refugees here Ms Morrelia. I led the people of my vige here and in the weeks that have followed more have arrived with the same tale. It is a difficult time."

    Morrelia scrubs one hand across her forehead, still struggling to process what she has heard.

    "Monsters on the surface? Are they attacking out of the Dungeon? It makes no sense! My Father¡­ what of the Legion? They surely wouldn''t allow such a thing to take ce! What has happened to them?"

    Beyn can only shake his head. "I have no idea Ms Morrelia. I am only a humble preacher who has followed in the steps of our saviours, led by the Great One. Here we have found a ce of security, for the time being."

    Confused, the youngdy and Beyn has realised that she is quite young, turns back to her people for a moment and they shrug.

    "Saviour? Great One? Is there some leader here? A Lord or Lady with a strong ss?: she asks, turning back to the priest.

    His smile returns at full beam, sting these guest directly in their eye holes. There is nothing he would like to talk about more!

    "Yes! The Great One and our saviours! From the Dungeon itself, they rose amongst us and did not do us harm! Instead, they had protected us, saved the city of Liria before its subsequent fall and then led us here to safety. We would be dead without them, and so we give thanks!" he shouts fervently.

    "Give thanks!" nearby vigers echo his shout and raise their hands towards the ant hill in the distance.

    Wide-eyed, Morrelia looks from the suddenly, extremely animated priest towards the vigers and back.

    What the heck is happening here? She wonders.

    "Just who is the great one? And your saviours? Some delving team?"

    "No!" Beyn yells, full of the wonder of this miracle. He leans close towards his audience, his face only inches away from hers, his eyes afire with faith.

    "They are monsters!"

    A leather gloved fist crunches his nose before he says another word.

    ---------------------------------

    The following melee was short and thankfully deathless. When the people saw their beloved priest go down bleeding the refugees were incensed. Full of wrath they descended upon the five strangers, punching and kicking in a frenzy. The new arrivals were no slouches, their skills put on full disy as they fended off the angry mob with fists and movement skills until Enid had arrived on the scene and shouted everyone down.

    "How can you be sure you are safe from them?" Morrelia demanded, not for the first time.

    Enid sighed once again. These people were exhausting, and she had a list of jobs as long as her arm that needed to get done. Instead, she was here trying to talk to one of the most stubborn people she had ever met.

    She raised her hands from the crude wooden table in front of her to rub her temples and try to soothe her building headache. They were seated inside one of the fewpleted buildings, used by Enid and her helpers to try and

    "We are safe here. The ants have protected us numerous times. I''m surprised you didn''t run into them if you were out there", Enid gestured in the general direction of the woods, "they''ve been in and out of there killing the surface monsters for weeks."

    The young woman before her shifted ufortably.

    "We had noticed that the pressure from the surface monsters had decreasedtely. We thought we might have finally been having an impact on their numbers."

    "You''ve been trying to reduce the monster poption here? Just the five of you?" Enid asked incredulously.

    Morrelia turned her head to one side. "Fighting monsters is kind of my family business, and I''m damned good at it", she brought her forceful stare back towards Enid, "and I don''t trust them. Dungeon monsters are killers, always have been. You want me to believe a colony of monstrous ants is peaceful? It''s insane!"

    Enid readily nodded. "Yet it''s true. Their nest is right over there. You can see it from the edge of the vige boundary. We are unharmed. Not only that, the monsters have provided wood and materials to the vige to help us establish housing. I witnessed one of the ants fight to repel invaders from Liria. I have SPOKEN with their leader, using mind magic. They mean us no harm."

    If Morrelia was shocked before, she was gobsmacked now.

    "You''ve spoken¡­ With a MONSTER?! You could have been bewitched! If it can use mind magic it could have twisted your thoughts!" she eximed.

    "I am extremely confident that is not the case" Enid denied firmly.

    The younger woman stared, unable to believe what she was hearing.

    "They''re monsters," she said, "they kill people. They always kill people. How can you trust them?"

    Enid could only shake her head. "They have proven to be trustworthy, so we trust them," she said definitively, " while you are here, you must respect the rules. If you cross the boundary and are attacked by the ants, you will defend yourselves, and the vigers will not take kindly to any casualties amongst their protectors. If you cannot ept this, then I suggest you leave."

    "What about this leader ant? Can I speak to it?" Morrelia asked suddenly.

    "It''s gone into the Dungeon for a while" Enid replied warily, "I''m not exactly sure when it will be back. It isn''t particrly talkative, but you could try for an audience."

    The warrior rested one hand on the pommel of her sword.

    "I think I shall."

 Chapter 112 The push

    <h4>Chapter 112 The push </h4>

    After the discovery of the wondrous Dungeon aphids we spent two more days pushing into the Expanse. Monsters became more and moremon the deeper we went. Hippo-Turtles, Double Crocs, bewitching flowers, a tree that tried to eat Tiny and got punched to pieces, all sorts of stuff.

    I didn''t care about any of it.

    APHIDS.

    They represent something incredible to me in this world of Dungeons and monsters. A way to get Biomass, WITHOUT fighting. The possibilities boggle my mind. You could have newborn ants fed from the aphids until they have achieved a decent level of strength, they''d be under no risk whatsoever as they collected food, from trees and leaves of all ces!

    I''m hungry for the details. To what level can these creatures be pushed? Can the stuff they excrete be improved in some way? Is it an organ that they have? Can they mutate it? Can we breed them? They''re almost like fuzzy little dogs, would the ants be happy to care for them, defend them?

    I need to know so badly! I can''t however. Until the Expanse has been purged of our foes and made safe for ant kind I can''t afford to be side tracked by anything!

    So we keep fighting.

    The constant fighting and eating has been good for my little group. Crinis in particr has continued to feast and take in more Biomass which I demand she spends during our rare breaks. As a result she''s been able to gain several more mutation advancements, including her Durable Shadow flesh +5 and Disintegrating Void Maw. The first upgrade has made her rubbery shadow flesh tougher and harder to damage. The second has caused her mouth to achieve a disintegration property. From what I understand, anything she can get her impressive maw around will slowly start to disintegrate, crumbling out of existence.

    She was apparently frustrated that her tentacles weren''t up to the task of tearing the Hippo down and wanted another avenue of attack against monsters with tough defence.

    With that she has achieved +5 in all the body parts she is currently able to spend Biomass on. Having already evolved once, her limit is presently +10 so she''s pushing forward with upgrading her tentacles, getting them to +9 so far.

    Almost all of her skills have advanced also. The murder ball of infinite darkness is certainly starting toe into her own! At level 16 it won''t be long until she''s ready for her next evolution!

    Tiny has continued to feast, as usual. He managed to get his Iron Bones to +10 and took the unbreakable mutation, making his reinforced skeleton even stronger. I suspect this is only so he can try and attach even more explosive muscles, making his punches stronger again.

    Most of his punching skills have improved also, not enough to go up a tier but I can tell they''re getting sharper just by watching.

    Vibrant has also been sharply improving. Her Robust inner carapace ting has improved her defence and her +5 Enhanced speed aura nd is giving all of us a significant speed improvement. Nothing crazy but certainly enough to make a difference.

    My own improvement has been more modest, byparison. I''m still biding my time and testing out my bag of tricks. I want to have plenty in the tank by the time we get to the big bad hiding in the middle of this swamp.

    For now I''m just storing up my Biomass and continuing to hone my magic attacks.

    Right now we are perched up a tree. Not one of the nearly impossible to climbrge ones, but rather a more regr specimen that is less resistant to climbing and not quite as hungry for giant ape flesh.

    We gathered up here to rest a little after another tough fight in which a Hippo Turtle decided to run into the middle of a battle against a posse of crocs. It got messy real fast but fortunately we were able to lock down the hippo long enough to finish off the crocs before turning onto the hippo and devouring it.

    A little battered and with bulging stomachs, I decided we should retreat to heal up and digest before moving on.

    So here we''ve been for thest few hours as I''ve watched theings and goings of the monsters nearby. It''s curious that after we clear out the Crocs the local marsh monsters begin toe out of their shells. Their activity increases and what I would consider ''normal'' monster behaviour begins to re-emerge. It only gives more weight to my theory that the expanse and indeed all local monster activity is being supressed somehow by the crocs as part of their upation.

    If I can learn how they do it I''d be most interested in exploring the applications of such methods¡­.

    Gweheheheh.

    First, there''s more crocs to for eating. I mean fighting. Also eating.

    If Garralosh truly wanted to conquer the upper levels of the Dungeon then they shouldn''t have made their offspring so tasty! It''s a w in design and not one I''ll replicate! I''ve never eaten an ant but I feel fairly confident we''d taste like garbage.

    Not that I think a monster would care about how I tasted considering how Biomass rich my body would be.

    Gah! Stop thinking about yourself getting eaten Anthony! Positive thoughts!

    Isn''t it a positive thought though? I wouldn''t want the monster that eats me to have a negative experience¡­ or would I?!

    Bah! I hope they choke!

    ["Are we all ready to go?"] I ask my gang, not willing to dwell on these pointless thoughts any longer.

    [FIGHT!] Tiny growls.

    "Ready-ready!" Vibrant beams.

    [I am prepared for battle, Master] Crinis replies, dignified.

    Alright then.

    ["Let''s move out"]

    We cautiously descend the tree and begin to make our way deeper into the expanse. Here, in the middle, we arepletely surrounded by the dense vegetation. I can''t even see the walls from where we are. This means that vignce needs to high.

    Tiny is under the strictest of instructions not to go running off like a moron. We can''t risk it now!

 Chapter 113 Woodstuffs

    <h4>Chapter 113 Woodstuffs </h4>

    What the heck is this stuff?

    After venturing forth again, it wasn''t long, and only one fight before we came across something curious and I halted the group for a careful inspection.

    We''re looking at one of the mangrove style trees that emerge straight out of the muddy waters of the marsh expanse. It''s tangled knot of roots sinking beneath the water line like so many straws. Supported atop this mess of roots the tree rises, twisted and tall, opening into a grand canopy. It isn''t the top of the tree that has garnered our attention at this moment; it''s the bottom ¡ª specifically, the roots.

    They''re glowing. Not all the roots, mind you, just some of them, half perhaps, but there is a glow happening. The roots in question are shimmering with a soft browny, bluey sort light, the kind of colour that soothes and mollifies the tired mind.

    Curiously I venture close enough to give them a tradition ant investigation, which consists of thwappity thwapping the offending wood with my antennae until I get a good sniff of them. To my more ordinary senses, they seem just like glowing wood.

    Flipping on my mana sense skill, I get a very different picture. When I reach out with my magically attuned mind I can detect water mana, blue and clear, infused with the wood alongside another mana type, slow-moving and earthy in a way I can only imagine is earth mana.

    So this wood is infused with not one, but two types of mana? Is it due to sitting in the muddy waters of the expanse, a ce that is saturated with mana at the best of times and at presentpletely overflowing with the stuff?

    Perhaps this is an example of the kind of rare materials Enid was mentioning? I wonder if the humans can make something out of this stuff? I''ll have to take a sample up with us when we return, not to mention keep an eye out for any more sources.

    Before leaving I give the wood onest thwappity with my antennae, the nimble sense organs flipping about rapidly as if they had a mind of their own before I feel satisfied.

    ["looks like some sort of mana infused wood''] I report back to my group when I join them, a few metres away from the tree.

    "Oooooh" Vibrant coos, "sooooo, what does it do?"

    "I''mpletely certain" I reply firmly, "that I have no clue. We''ll have to wait until we get to the surface and ask if the humans know what we can do with it."

    "Aww. I was hoping we could do something cool with it."

    Personally, I was hoping the same, but to preserve my dignity as the senior ant, I refuse to let my disappointment show.

    "Nothing to get too fussed over Vibrant," I tell the soldier, "let''s go find some monsters to crush."

    "''kay!" she cheers, punching the air with one foreleg.

    I wait a moment as Crinis lifts herself up on a few tentacles and returns to her customary ce on my back. Since she has a walking skill it wouldn''t hurt to have to wander about on her own. There isn''t strictly any reason why she has to be on my back. Perhaps I''ve gotten so used to having little creatures riding around on me that I''ve grown toofortable with it. Since she can fold up into a little ink ck tennis ball, it doesn''t do any harm to have her there.

    [See anything Tiny?] I ask the ape as he pushes through the growth in front of me.

    [Crocs. Big] he grunts, pointing.

    Hmm? I skitter forward, mandibles cking with curiosity. What did he see?

    When I make my way around my sizable ape friend, I follow his arm with my eyes and takes a moment before I can spot exactly what he''s pointing at, but once I do...

    Holy Mackeral! BIG!

    In the distance, perhaps only one hundred metres from us is a gigantic croc. I wasn''t able to see it at first since it was resting in the water, most of its body submerged. When the water rippled, I was able to pinpoint the long snout resting just above the water level and then traced it back to see the tail resting on the shore FIFTEEN metres away.

    I mean, really?

    I can tell from here that this thing is a freakin'' beast. Perhaps this is our first sighting of the legendary, so far mythical tier four offspring of Garralosh? I study the floating beast carefully. Yes, I''m confident that this is just toorge to be a Double Croc. We have a new species here.

    [Don''t even think about it]

    I hear a shuffle next to me.

    [Wha?]

    [Don''t y dumb Tiny. You nt your big ape butt right here in the dirt until I say you can fight. Got it?]

    [Grrrr]

    [I''m not kidding here buddy. Sit down a chill out for a second. We don''t how many crocs there are out there]

    Without turning my head, I can see him shift and look directly at me as if I were crazy.

    [Is that meant to be the fun part?]

    He nods vigorously up and down.

    ¡­. Save me from this muscle head!

    With one antenna I firmly point to the ground next to me. [SIT].

    [Hmph] he sulks and sits with a THUMP.

    ¡­. And of course, the Croc in the distance twitches in response to the sound before slowly turning to face our direction.

    [Dammit Tiny¡­. Was that on purpose?]

    The massive ape looks innocently at me, and wide eyed as a newly born baby giant ape.

    ¡­.

    If he didn''t have the Cunning of brick forged out of smaller bricks that were themselves made of the distilled energy of pure stupid, I''d believe he might be capable of such an act of duplicity. I think he just got lucky.

    ["Ok gang. We have attracted the attention of arge ass croc, possibly a new variety. It looks strong, and we don''t know how many others are about, so be careful!"]

    [Roger!] Vibrant solutes me with one antenna before scuttling a little ways off to look for a nking opportunity.

    [Master, I will defend you with my life!] Crinis vows solemnly.

    [It uh, shouldn''te to that Crinis]

    [Nevertheless!]

    ¡­..

    [Ok thanks¡­.]

    This headache ising back¡­

    Shaking my head to dispel my extraneous thoughts I focus on what is truly worrying me. The oppressive aura that has weighed on our minds and hearts the entire time we have been in this expanse, is iting from this beast?

    To tell the truth, I''m worried. Obviously, I''d be worried! That stupid aura is pressing down on us like a weight strapped to our backs! It isn''t exactlyfortable! The vague oppressive fear that permeates the entire expanse has only grown stronger the further we have progressed.

    ¡­.

    No. It isn''ting from this monster. I can tell that the source is further in, the pressure is rolling in invisible waves from quite a distance yet.

    So even this creature in front of us, a Croca Beast that has undergone three evolutions, is not enough to cause that terror. Just what is waiting for us deeper in the expanse?!

 Chapter 114 Undying

    <h4>Chapter 114 Undying </h4>

    We''ve killed a lot of Croca-Beasts already in our expedition. I don''t know exactly how many children Garralosh has but we are seriously depleting the tables at the family reunion at the rate we are going.

    I''ve now eaten so many of the basic Croca''s that we managed to unlock the intermediate profile for them. It struck me again the riduclous number of specimens you need to consume to get even this far in terms of profiles. Just how many do you need to eat for theplete profile?! A thousand?!

    What exactly does theplete profilemunicate anyway? It must be something damn good to have such high requirements. Or, more likely, it doesn''t and it''s just the Dungeon messing with my head, as usual.

    At any rate, the profile provided the following information:

    Garralosh Infant :

    Might: 31

    Toughness: 17

    Cunning: 9

    Will: 6

    These numbers are roughly in line with what I expected. From my experience with designing the new generation of workers, workers mk2, if you will, I know that it''s so much easier to bulk up on physical stats than mental ones for a new monster. Even so, to produce monsters of this size, the costpared to even my enhanced workers would be out of control. If I were topare the output of the Queen to producing workers or Garralosh infants, the ants would outnumber the crocs more than five to one.

    Since my work was so damned streamlined!

    The more I know the more I think that Garralosh just didn''t see the value in efficiency. Although, now that I think about it, these creatures were designed to be solo hunters, and they certainly manage to terrorise the upper levels just fine, being pretty much the baddest thing on the block around here. So perhaps Garralosh was correct in making sure their offspring could punch hard from the get go.

    Whereas I want my fellow workers to survive through intelligence and cooperation, garralosh wanted to create solo killing machines that would battle their own way up the evolutionarydder. Not a bad approach I suppose, simply inferior to mine.

    At this moment the next rung in that Crocdder iszily swimming towards me, double tails trailing behind it. This thing is absolutely massive and I don''t intend to stuff about in this fight.

    Meditation.

    For the first time in the expanse I activate my recently acquired meditation skill and its effectes into y immediately. Like a shutter sliding down over an open window, my minds are suddenly cut off from distraction, from the outside world.

    The silence is deafening. Where only a moment ago my keen senses, heat detection, near 360 degree eyesight, hearing, scent, were flooding my mind with information, where my inner mind was filling itself with ns, thoughts, worries and distractions, there is now quiet.

    To be honest I hadn''t expected much from this skill when I first used it. Level one skill like meditation? How effective can it be? At best I''d expected a little more rity of thought, a little stillness.

    Instead, it was like being ejected into space. My minds are sealed into a vacuum, separate from the world an unassable as the mundane stimulus of the physical worlds drifts past like debris after a storm.

    The problem I found was that I was so detached from my own body that a monster started chewing my antennae off and I was barely cognizant of it, my minds dismissing the pain to focus their energies inwards.

    If Vibrant hadn''t tackled the shadow beast off me I might have kept on casting spells whilst it tore my head from my body!

    So I''m a little nervous as I activate the skill but as soon as I do, those concerns fall away into nothing.

    I''m as cid as ake that has no giant Crocodiles swimming in it.

    Immediately my minds turn to crafting magic and it''s so damn easy! With the unnatural focus and concentration that the skill brings the weft and weave of the magic is so smooth that the streams of energy seem to dance under the ebb of my thoughts.

    Three streams of gravitational energy flow out under the direction of my sub brains, swirling around each other as they drawn down in concentric circles that grow tighter and tighter until a ball of condensed gravitational mana begins to form.

    To this task my main mind is dedicated. The ball of extraordinary energy looms so clearly in my mind and it''s so simple to reach out with my thoughts and PRESS, squeezing until the ball begins to take a different feeling.

    "Vibrant, give our new friend a few sts of acid. If he''s going to take his time approaching then let''s get a few shots in."

    "Okay!"

    The ant turns to present hermercial district to the foe and fires a few shots of acid at the approaching monster. The enormous Croca has been slowly drifting towards us, not even moving except for thenguid shift of its tails as it propels itself through the water. In the stillness of my mind I can make out the beady red eyes of the monster glittering confidently as it continues its gradual approach.

    As Vibrant''s acid shes through the air the beast finally reacts, opening its mouth wide and ¡­ yawning?

    The acid sshes across the water, much of it wasted on the marsh but certainly some of it contacts the monsters head. Sure enough, a slow sizzling sound arises and I can see the steam rising from bubbling flesh on the creatures snout.

    Within I continue to press the mana that floods out of my gravitational mana nd into an even more dense ball. There is something off about this Croc¡­

    It takes a moment for me to recognise it but with my thoughts so still my observation is much sharper than normal.

    [Stand up Tiny. Time to fight]

    Where only moments ago the acid had been chewing into the monsters face, the flesh is reknitting itself at a rapid pace. Is this Croc undying?!

 Chapter 115 The bigger they are

    <h4>Chapter 115 The bigger they are </h4>

    Our new foe continues to take its time approaching our position. Its skin has rapidly closed over and healed the damage that Vibrant was able to do with her enhanced acid, indicating some powerful regenerative effect. Is it tied to the skin? Surely not even a Croca Beast would be stupid enough to waste a regeneration nd on such a small injury?

    For my part, I continue to use this period of excessive confidence from our foe to create my most potent weapon the gravity bomb! Within my mind the mana pulses with excessive energy as three separate streams of gravitational energy stream into a dense sphere that has begun to darken, turning from purple into ck. As the transition takes ce, the ball starts to shrink even further, packing the mana ever more densely as I continue to pour in more energy andpress it with the force of my will.

    If this moron wants to take us lightly, I''ll give it a wee it won''t forget or survive!

    Crinis slowly extends her tentacles and rises from her resting ce on my carapace. I understand that she wants to create room and have tentacles at the ready in case this monster decides to rush and attack at thest second.

    Tiny is still sitting on his backside, staring at the approaching Croc as if it were a sparkling birthday cake with his name on it. He isn''t able to stand until I rescind my earlier order, which I won''t do since he would race into the water and start punching the beast the second I did. I wouldn''t usually be so against the idea, but since this creature is a newer variety than those wee across before, I want to be cautious.

    Also, I n on vaporising the Croc with a miniature ck hole, and I wouldn''t want my beloved pet Tiny to be caught in the spell.

    "Stay on the nks for us Vibrant, and don''t get caught. If any other monsters try to interfere you have my permission to fight them."

    "Really?! Yippee!" her voice rings out from my right.

    Being able to converse without making a sound is such a fantastic aspect of being an ant. Pheromonenguage is severely underrated. I wonder if humans could have adapted to this over time, or perhaps gically modified ourselves?

    When I get right down to it, what part of an ant isn''t superior to being a human? Except for the brain I suppose, which I got to keep anyway! Best of both worlds!

    The Croca draws close now. Close enough that it has reached the ind of dirt we are standing on and now has to crawl out of the water. Its enormous jaws seem to grin evilly as those two pairs of red eyes glitter in their sockets.

    "HSSSSSSSSSS."

    The creature utters a guttural hissing sound that grates on our ears. Still moving slowly, it begins to push itself off the ground with its powerful front arms, noticeably longer than those of a Double Croc. Up, up and up it goes until it towers high, even more significant than Tiny! Its hulking body is enormous! Heavy and rippling with muscle!

    Part of me is relieved to see it. To achieve that kind of size, it must have dumped almost all of its evolutionary energy into Might, and taken size over quality. Tiny has a more bnced approach; not only is herge, but his muscle density is also fairly decent, creating a lighter, faster moving yet powerful form.

    I''m sure this Croc is quick, but I highly doubt it has achieved back to back maxed out special evolutions, its stats should be manageable for us.

    Standing at its full height, it''s an impressive sight! Sharp ws glitter and pointed white teeth gleam as the monster almost seems to invite us to admire its impressive and intimidating physique!

    ¡­. Is this the Croc version of Tiny or something? How stupid is this variant?

    Tiny himself still sitting, staring at the Croc with stars in his eyes. Don''t be happy, dammit! Hold on, what is that? Are you flexing!?

    He is! Even while sitting, the giant ape is positioning his arms just so, and I can see that his arms and shoulders are tensed, causing his muscles to bulge beneath his fur. He is taking up the challenge of the croc! He refuses to lose in terms of might!

    ¡­.

    Idiots!

    I critically eye the croc as I put the finishing touches on my spell. Being an unknown variant, I haven''t gone light on this one, and my main mind is beginning to buckle under the strain of keeping this ferocious amount of energy contained. The spell itself pushes back against my control, at all times wanting to be released. Should I slip up, I''ve no doubt the spell would explode out of control, probably sucking my entire body inside it and crushing it into an acorn!

    [Forceful mana has reached level 8]

    That helps a little¡­

    In terms of differences from the double croc, whom I believe this particr specimen evolved from, this version is bothrger, and more defensive. The stomach is no longer coated with a lighter colour of skin but thick ted scales, almost like armour, cover the once vulnerable area. The rest of its scales are also darker and denser. Even its face appears to be more thickset and broader.

    Some of this could be attributed to mutation advancements, but I don''t think so. I think this beast was designed to be a brute force tank, able to take and dish out a lot of punishment as it rapidly healed itself in the fight.

    Suddenly the Croc opens its mouth, and red mes begin to gutter in the back of its dark throat!

    Oh no!

    Gravity Bomb!

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOOWL.

    I panic and unleash the gravity bomb the moment the croc goes on the offensive. The spell howls through the air as if tearing a wound in space itself. Not even twenty metres away the towering croc unleashes a torrent of me into the spell, confident it can burn anything a little ant like me can produce.

    Big mistake.

    FWOM!

    [Tiny! LEG IT!]

    The moment the spell contacts its target it expands into a sphere that begins to drag and pull everything around it into itself. A shrieking, tearing void that wants to consume everything!

    Also, are we ¡­ a little too close!?

    Advanced Dash!

    GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    I can feel the pull of my own spell start to take hold of me as my thin little legs move so quickly they be a blur in my eyes.

    GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO!

    Air, leaves, branches and water. All sorts of stuff flies past my face as I try desperately to run away from the immense gravitational pull of my bomb.

    Stupid, stupid! Why the heck would youunch that spell so close yourself?!

    As I frantically scramble to avoid borately killing myself, I idly wonder what happened to that tough crocodile we left behind us.

    [You have in level 17 Imortalis Garallosh]

    [You have gained XP]

    Immortal eh? It turns out not so much.

    When the spell has finally run its course, and the four of us have managed to avoid dying we return to find the dense ball ofpressed stuff sitting innocently in a circr depression in the ground.

    The only problem with this spell is that it doesn''t allow for me to enjoy the Biomass afterwards, dammit! Oh sure, I could try eating this ball. It has the Croc in it, after all. Also, a good chunk of dirt, muddy water, leaves, sticks and goodness knows what else that got pulled in there.

    Even Tiny is eyeing the ball a little sceptically.

    ["Uh¡­ anyone want to try eating that?"]

    "Nope!"

    [Bad]

    [I''m afraid I must decline, master]

    That''s what I thought¡­

 Chapter 116 The encroaching doom

    <h4>Chapter 116 The encroaching doom </h4>

    Since we unexpectedly crushed the Immortalis Garralosh (immortal Garralosh? Even I can work that one out), progress has been slow.

    The density of monsters has been increasing. Not only the Croca beasts in their various forms are moremon but also the local wildlife. One of those stupid Hippo Turtles managed to sneak up on us and almost took Tiny''s arm off, but he managed to dodge away in time, and I tied the bby beast down with Gravity bolts until we were able to kill it. Their strength is in their fat, but also their weakness.

    Hehe.

    Other things have also been growing in strength, namely the oppressive aura that fills the expanse, it''s so thick now it hangs over us like a fog. Even with a Will as high as mine it intrudes on my thoughts and fills me with apulsion.

    This close, I can sense more clearly what the aura is trying to convey ¡ª abination of fear, and demand for obedience. I''m not sure if a nd creates this aura or if it''s some side effect of a sufficiently powerful core, but this oppression is rolling out in waves and suffocating the will from the newborn monsters while also suppressing the instincts of the creatures within the expanse.

    Just what kind of creature can cause such an effect? I''m getting a touch nervous since I think we''re getting reasonably close to finding out!

    ["Everyone holding up ok? I know it isn''t easy to operate under the effect of this pressure"]

    [I am ¡­ all right, Master. I will not fail you!]

    One the one antenna, I''m touched by her loyal spirit, on the other, I''m concerned about herck of self-preservation instinct. Crinis is loyal in an almost fanatical way that Tiny never was. I wonder why?

    [I''m not worried about you failing at all Crinis, I want to make sure you''re fine. If you can''t fight properly, then you won''t be safe, and we will need to pull back. It''s crucial that you be honest here]

    [I am touched by your concern Master! I believe I will be all right. If I feel that I am bing a liability, I will tell you]

    [Good girl Crinis] I pat her by bending one antenna back and tapping her on the head a few times where she is resting on my back. Like a cat, she flops down and turns from a tennis ball into a tennis blob. I need to stop indulging her.

    [How about you Tiny? Feeling all right buddy?] I ask my faithful Bat-faced gori.

    [Hmm] he rumbles.

    The poor guys face is tight with strain. His mental stats are a bit low, to say the least, the aura must be having the most potent effect on him out of all of us.

    [Need fight] he says finally.

    I think I get what he''s trying to say. With the fear andmand pressing into his mind, he wants to fight and have the adrenaline take over. Or perhaps he just feels the need to smash the face in of whatever is making him feel this way. Actually, I''ll bet on the second.

    "How about you Vibrant? You holding up all right?"

    The soldier ant, no longer a small, cheerful hatchling, is more subdued than usual. Even her usually boundless energy and enthusiasm has been dampened by the atmosphere surrounding us.

    "I''m fine" she responds, utterly devoid of her usual sparkle.

    "It''s going to be fine Vibrant, don''t worry", I sidle up next to her and give her a friendly thwippity with my antennae, the ant high five.

    "Once we find this nasty croc down here and smash him, the colony will be able to use all of the stuff down here, and we won''t have to worry about those waves of monsters killing our family. Don''t forget; we also get to eat him!"

    "True!" Vibrant exims, a little energying back to her voice.

    Encouraged, I keep going.

    ["Just think about it," I say intently, slipping into mental speech as well, "how strong must this monster be to create this sort of pressure? Think of the Biomass? It must be so dense with it that every mouthful will give a point. When you take into ount howrge the monster is, how much Biomass do you think is contained within ¡­ why is it raining?"]

    So intent was I on imagining the glorious harvest of rich Biomass and watching the light begin to shine in Vibrants'' eyes, that I didn''t notice Tiny walking up behind me and listen in. Before I''d even finished speaking, he was drooling a river all over my precious diamond carapace!

    [Dammit, Tiny! Stop dribbling me on me! Yuck!]

    [Disgusting! Clean the master immediately to make up for yourck of manners!] Crinis demands, enraged.

    [Uh, I don''t think that''s necessary] I say quickly, but it''s toote.

    Looking shame-faced after being admonished by his fellow pet, Tiny moves swiftly to make amends. He reaches down with two enormous hands, grabs me around the middle, and flings me into the nearby marsh water.

    SPLASH!

    He put his arm into as well! I feel Crinistch hold of me desperately as we fly through the air and then crash into the water.

    Irritated, I stomp out of the water with a soggy Crinis on my back to find Tiny standing on the shore looking extremely pleased with himself and Vibrant on her back cackling with her legs wiggling in the air.

    "Haaa hahahahahaha!" sheughs.

    [¡­.] Tiny smiles at me proudly.

    ["haaaa"] I sigh.

    Feeling a little mollified to see them so happy I walk onto the shore and shake myself down. Having a carapace means I don''t take on water at least, but judging from the weight on my back, it isn''t quite the same for shadow flesh. Luckily the water wasn''t too deep; I might have drowned.

    In my rear vision, I can see Crinis extend a few tentacles and wrap them around herself before squeezing, wringing herself out like a sponge. A torrent of water pours out of her and runs down my back to puddle at my feet. Nice.

    [Please don''t throw me into the water next time Tiny] I say.

    He looks a little confused but nods readily to my request. What am I going to do with this guy? Seriously. At least this moment has lightened the mood a little.

    "Haaaaa hahahahaha haaaaa!"

    "Stopughing! It isn''t that funny!"

    "RRRRRRRRRRRR SSSSSSSSSS."

    A deep, guttural growl echoed around us so loud that it shook the leaves in the trees and rattled my bones. What the hell was that?!

    Suddenly the pressure that had fallen to the back of my mind returns will full force, nearly bowling me over. It''s close!

    My brains kick into overdrive, every senseing alive. Not going to kick the bucket now. Bring it Croc!

 Chapter 117 Eye of the Beast

    <h4>Chapter 117 Eye of the Beast </h4>

    With dirty swamp water dripping off of my carapace I felt the formless pressure build ever higher as the group frantically cast our heads about trying to identify the source. It has to be close! It could being towards us right now!

    ["Eyes open everyone! Something nasty ising!"]

    With mypound eyes, I keep watch in every direction at once, keeping my antennae twitching, trying to focus on what happening both now and a moment into the future. Without hesitation, I begin to prepare my most potent attack, the gravity bomb.

    It was able to one-shot the immortal Croc hopefully it can do the same to whatever the heck this is! My sub brains begin to feed out three separate streams of gravitational mana that I seize with my thoughts and press down into apressed ball that continues to grow and darken as more mana is added.

    This is a risk, my attention is being diverted by the need to focus my main mind on thepression process, but I''m willing to take the chance. If I can st this thing right in its face the moment I see it, then that will be the best oue.

    The marsh has be unusually still. The various creaks and growls that were always in our ears just moments ago have quieted. Then I hear it, in the distance, I can hear a pressing sound as if something were slowly squashing the damp earth of the marsh expanse down. Press, press, press. Each sound ising slowly, but regrly.

    Footsteps!

    Hooooooo boy. I''m getting nervous.

    I activate my mediation skill and feel my minds sink beneath the icy waters of emotionlessness once again. My fear and anxiety falls away and no longer perturbs my thoughts, allowing my spell to continue to take shape at record speed. A handy thing too, cause I think I''m gonna need it!

    The rest of the crew spreads out, doing their best to resist the mounting dread caused by the oppressive aura as the creature draws closer. Tiny has already begun sparking with electricity, his body writhing with snakelike ribbons of lightning as he snarls, revealing his fangs.

    [Crinis, hop off me and look for a nk. I don''t want you directly in the firing line for this one] I tell my orb-like pet.

    For once, she doesn''t try to argue about putting myself in danger, perhaps she senses the seriousness of our predicament, and immediately extends a few tentacles to allow herself to walk a little ways off. Keeping herself low to the ground and out of sight she ces herself close the water line. She''ll have to rely on my directions to get into the battle but I hope she can do some damage without being injured, since it''s so hard for her to get back out of the fight.

    I hear another sound now to apany those slow footsteps. The rustling of leaves and the creaking of wood as a towering figure pushes its way through. I can make out vague details through the shifting leaves. Bright green scales punctuated by shes of red. A sh of a broad, rounded snout studded with jagged teeth. Andrge. Reallyrge. Not only the height, but also in sheer bulk.

    This Croc is ripped.

    Unhurried, the massive Croca steps its way through the branches towards us, reaching out with thick ws to shove branches and trees out of the way as it moved. As more details of our foee into sight, I divert part of my attention to snap on my Mana Sense.

    The Croc zes with light, it''s powerful core radiating energy. This core is stronger than the Queen''s! This core is second fiddle only to Formo''s worm in my experience. In my mind that confirms it. This has to be the monster responsible for the trouble in this expanse. This monster is responsible for sending out the waves of creatures and getting my siblings killed on the surface.

    The Croc steps around a tree and into full view atst.

    If this thing isn''t responsible for the trouble, then I sure as hell don''t want to meet whatever is.

    It''s huge.

    Three tails sweep the ground behind it. Bright green scales, striped with a pattern of red markings. Two fully developed sets of arms extend from the shoulders and its head is horrific. It has two jaws, one on top of the other. What the point of that is, I don''t know, but there it is. The lower jaw hangs open now, a grotesque red tongue hanging low, dripping saliva onto the ground.

    Gross man! Show some ss would you?

    Next to me, Tiny is starting to grunt and shift his weight and the electricity on his body crackles with increasing intensity. Settled within my calm, meditating mind, I know he''s psyching himself up for a charge.

    Also thanks to my calm, meditating mind I believe such a course of action would be reasonably suicidal.

    It isn''t that the Croca is so much taller than Tiny, even though it is. It must be half again as tall as he is. It''s the sheer mass of the creature. Tiny is a fully stacked deck; don''t get me wrong. His enhanced muscture bulks him out to an impressive degree. This Croc is a whole different beast. It''s got to be half as wide as it is tall!

    Deep within my minds, even as I continue to press down to create the densest Gravity Bomb I can, I roughly calcte the monster must weigh six to seven tons. I''m looking at a Croc with slightly more mass than a full-size elephant.

    HOLY MOLY THATSA BIG CROCA!

    Eat Gravity, sucka!

    Gravity Bomb!

    Even within the depths of my mediation skill, the sheer size of the monster has panicked me. Apparently I need more levels in the skill to truly tamp down my emotions. Once the beast reveals itself, I unleash the shackles on the miniature ck hole contained within and open my mouth wide to unleash destruction on the world!

    HOOOOOOOOOOWL.

    The dense rotating ball of pure, concentrated Gravitational energy flies at the gigantic Croca, the wind howling as it is sucked into the spell creating a piercing shriek!

    The Croca''s eyes sh! me bursts from its lower mouth in an instant, engulfing my spell!

    So fast!

    The reaction speed on this Croc is no joke! Part of me is looking down on the Croca beast, however. Just what does it think its mes are going to do to my Gravity Bomb? Getpressed, fool!

    As my spell races towards the beast, it tracks it with its me, after another second I notice it. If I weren''t activating my meditation skill, I wouldn''t have had the presence of mind to detect it. The fire is eating away at my spell! It has anti-magic mes!

    Not good!

    In an instant, my sub brains kick into gear, and each starts constructing gravity bolts. The Gravity Bomb will still probably detonate, but I can''t be confident it''ll have the strength to kill the beast.

    We need to prepare for a drawn-out fight.

    [Tiny! Charge up your lightning and st it from range! I want it to get both barrels but don''t shoot through the fire!]

    Tiny has been busy working himself into a rage, but he isn''t so far gone that he doesn''t hear my orders. So long as he understands them, he has to obey them. Eyes zing with fighting spirit, the ape crouches low before thrusting all his strength down through his legs.

    POW!

    His leap skill and mutated legs give him one hell of a leap. The ground THUDS under the impact and Tiny flies into the air, his entire body writhing with electricity. When hends twenty feet away, the electricity is already snaking down his arms and pooling in his hands.

    FWOM!

    Much diminished, the Gravity Bomb finally reaches its target and detonates, instantly inting to the dark sphere that attempts to devour all.

    Please kill it!

 Chapter 118 Eye of the Beast part 2

    <h4>Chapter 118 Eye of the Beast part 2 </h4>

    The slowly rotating vortex of death engulfed the Gigantic Croca.

    Die! Die you overgrown hand bag!

    Please?

    The Gravity Bomb continues to suck in air, sticks and whatever else is unable to resist its immense pull. The power of the Gravity Bomb still shocks me to my core. When mana reaches a critical density, scary things start to happen and the Gravity Bomb is a pure example of that. However, I know that this is only half the spell I''d hoped it to be. Whatever property the Massive Croc had imbued into its me it had eaten away at the mana packed in my spell, reducing its strength dramatically.

    It''s too hard to get a decent visual on the enemy with the spell still in effect. My pets and I dig in our heels to resist the insidious drag of the bomb and prepare ourselves for the moment the spell drops.

    The next five seconds feel like an eternity. My heart pounds in my chest as I await the results of my spell.

    The spell flickers for a moment and fades. For a brief moment I see the Beast, then the world is fire.

    HOT!

    The clever son of a Garralosh! The damned Croc sacrificed an arm to the spell! It must have sensed the density of the manaing towards it and reached out to trigger the bomb before it could touch its torso!

    The level of strength required to resist the pull at such a close range ¡­ is something I can''t think about right now! It''s too damn hot!

    me erupts everywhere around me and I immediately fire off my three prepared gravity bolts and task my sub brains with cranking out a water construct on the double and I leg it! The three spells are reduced by the me as they pass through but retain some of their power as they strike home against the crocs left leg.

    This monster looks fairly damn strong but I''ll take any advantage I can get at this point!

    "Vibrant! Hit the thing but keep your distance!" I holler.

    "Roger-Roger!" she cries as acid begins to fly at the Croc from behind its shoulder.

    Yikes!

    A torrent of me continues to pour out of the beasts mouth. It''s obviously a little annoyed but that friendly bomb I lobbed its way since the fire seems to follow me wherever I go.

    Dash!

    My legs blur as I activate my dash skill and begin to sprint in a zig zag moving away from the damn beast.

    [Tiny! It''s focused on me. Give it heaps!] I order.

    "ROOOOOW!" Tiny bellows and thrusts both meaty hands forward at once.

    CRACK!

    Two twisting snakes of lightning st forth from the apes hands and stab straight into the Croc''s side! The electricity ripples across the beast and the smell of cooked flesh begins to fill the air.

    "HURRR!" the Croc bellows and turns its zing eyes towards this new target.

    With a moment of reprieve I begin to spin together a few more gravity bolts and assess the situation. To my horror I can already see the arm that had been consumed by my pre-emptive strike is beginning to regrow. A bubbling lump of flesh had appeared where the arm connected to the shoulder, rapidly extending outwards.

    I curse within my mind andunch another two Gravity Bolts at the Croc''s left leg before turning more attention towards the water transformation construct. It''s my only chance of being able to counteract the damn things mes!

    Acid continues to fly out of the surrounding trees as Vibrantunches strikes from a distance. The Croc seems to content to simply shrug off those blows, even as the acid steams as it eats away at the scales on its back. Perhaps its confident it can regenerate the damage along with its arm? That doesn''t bode well!

    [What about me Master? Should I strike?] Vibrant calls desperately from her hiding ce.

    [Absolutely not! You hear me? Don''te out until I give the word!] I cry.

    I have to hold Crinis back until the critical moment when she can get close enough to apply her damage unscathed. The trick is getting the monster to that point!

    [Tiny, JUMP!] I scream.

    The Croc has opened its upper set of jaws this time and a crackling blue me has begun licking the space between the Croc''s teeth when I shout my warning to Tiny.

    Toote.

    Caught up in his bloodlust Tiny was too focused pouring every ounce of electrical energy he could into the Croc. Controlling the lightning from that sort of range was taxing on Tiny in the first ce,bined with his intense focus it isn''t any surprise he wasn''t able to react in time.

    The Croc darts its head forward and a focused torrent of blue me spears through the air. The heat is intense. Even though the me isn''t directed at me I can feel a rush of searing air roll over me.

    Tiny is almost quick enough. He cuts off the flow of lightning and leaps high, but one foot is caught in the narrow st of me and burned clean off.

    "ARRRRRRRR" the giant ape bellows as hends awkwardly, falling to one side and propping himself up on his hands.

    I can see an evil glint in the Croc''s eyes at it looks down on the ape. It takes azy step forward and opens its upper jaw once more, preparing to incinerate thergest of its foes.

    Wrong move!

    Forceful Water Cannon!

    [Meditation has reached level 5]

    [At this level a skill advancement may be purchased]

    [Mediation-> Deep Mediation. cost 1 sp: Allows the user to further separate their emotions from their thoughts and for a longer period of time. A slight boost to mana sensitivity will take ce whilst the skill is active]

    Take it!

    Outside the bubble of my thoughts my emotions are a roiling mess. Seeing Tiny injured has rocked me to my core and for the first time I wonder if we''ve gone it too deep. Have I been to confident? Toocent?

    I refuse to let my friends die!

    As soon the Croc opens its mouth it cops a Water Cannon to the face. The dense beam of water shes into the soft tissue of the creatures pte before it snaps its jaws shut and turns to re at me once more. That''s right you overgrown gecko. Leave my ape alone ande get some!

    I maintain the forceful water cannon and shunt its control off to the sub brains. The little minds are on overdrive right now as they feed they transform the mana, condense it and maintain the cannon. Only under the effect of the mediation skill are they able to find this level of efficiency but this is the limit. If I push them this hard for too long the darn things will cook themselves.

    I can feel them heating up now, within my body the temperature is spiking high around the spot where three little furnaces are generated tremendous heat.

    The area around us is a sea of me now. The red me from the lower mouth may be able to eat mana but it still seems fairly good at setting fire to regr things too! Trees and nts, only moments before saturated with the abundant water of the marsh are now extra crispy and the trees are crackling as the mes consume them.

    In only a few moments the enormous Croc has transformed this watery swamp into a raging inferno.

    The blue me is even more frightening. The devastation caused by it is less, since it was fired in such a narrow beam, but wherever it touched has simply been incinerated to nothing.

    Well, let''s see what we can''t settle this fire at the least. I''d rather not have to fight surrounded by me if I don''t have to.

    I make sure to keep the forceful water cannon ying over the Croc''s face as it twists its head from left to right, trying to avoid the painful beam.

    The creature seems quite capable of resisting the prating power of the spell unfortunately, the beam that is quite capable of ripping through Shadow Flesh like aser is not able to do the same to those bright green scales. So long as I keep the torrent of water aimed at its face, it won''t be able to open its mouths to unleash those terrifying me breaths.

    What''s the y now Croc?

    Rage burning in its eyes, the Croc steps towards me.

 Chapter 119 Eye of the beast part 3

    <h4>Chapter 119 Eye of the beast part 3 </h4>

    Despite being weighed down by several Gravity Bolts, the Croc is still able to step forward, though the left leg drags through the mud. I continue to st the Croc with my water cannon, until the monster is forced to lift one hand to try and block the spray. I''m not doing any sort of serious damage to it, its thick, water-resistant scales are doing a good job minimising the damage so far. So long as I keep threatening its face however, it can''t open its fat mouths and threaten us with its deadly me.

    The moment the Croc tries to break the deadlock, I dash to the side, forcing it to adjust its position to continue blocking my water cannon. I won''t give it a chance to shoot! Whilst I''m doing all this, I''m also condensing mana for another spell, keeping my brains on the red line. I won''t be able to keep up this level of cognition forever!

    I''m also trying to keep the damn monster away from Tiny. Down one foot, the big ape is seriously mad and in the process of trying to prop himself up on one leg and bnce on his knuckles. Judging by the look on his face he wants nothing more than to punch the Crocs face in, thankfully my orders are forcing him to stay back for the moment. I''ve managed to get into a position where he''s behind me and off to one side, hopefully not enough of a target for the Croc to prioritise.

    Crinis is also still in hiding, waiting for my order to strike. We just need an opportunity.

    "An opening!"

    What the HECK?!

    Vibrant, who had been intelligently firing acid from long range, suddenly leaps out of from between two trees behind the giant Croc and charges directly at the beast!

    "What the hell are you doing!" I yell.

    "Biting!" she cheers.

    CHOMP!

    With the incredible speed of her charge she arrives right behind the slowed left leg of the Croc and brings her mandibles down sharply.

    Once! Twice! Thrice! She bites and bites again! Each time her mandibles mp shut, scales split and tear beneath her assault.

    "Get out of there!" I shout.

    Toote.

    Vibrant had done well to avoid the tails that curled and thumped the ground behind the monster on her way in but she overstayed her wee. As if it had eyes in the back of its head, the giant croc twists and swings its tails on different angles, cutting off any means of escape.

    WHAM!

    The foolhardy soldier and is sent flying, a harsh crack in her carapace.

    Dammit!

    "Vibrant! Heal yourself!" I shout.

    It can''t go on like this!

    I can feel the emotion and panic battering at the walls of my meditation skill, trying to destroy the calm bubble in which I sit. I need to turn this around, the situation is only getting worse.

    Decisively, I throw away the Water Cannon spell, letting it fizzle out and devote my minds toplete my next water magic as fast as possible.

    [Advanced Water Magic affinity has reached level 3]

    The strength of the monster is evident in how quickly I''m gaining skill levels. For some reason, it doesn''t cheer me up.

    Finally free of my water cannon harassing its face, the beast grins and opens wide its top jaws, preparing to st me to ash with its blue me breath.

    Not today!

    Finallyplete my spell takes effect as a torrent of mana pours out from me and forms a semi-circle on the ground before my feet.

    ["Hold on folks! This is going to get rough!"] I shout.

    Forceful Tsunami!

    BOOOOM!

    With a roar that would rival any explosion, water bursts out of the ground,pletely destroying the earth in front of me and sweeping forward in an unstoppable wave. The marsh turns out to be the perfect ce to cast this spell as the murky waters rise together with my spell, building the wave even higher and giving it irresistible momentum. The wave reaches over ten feet high and rolls over the surroundings, dousing mes effortlessly and crashing into the Croc like a sledge hammer before continuing on its path.

    Hopefully this doesn''t drown the entire expanse¡­

    With one of its legs significantly damaged and weighed down by gravity the Croc is awkwardly driven off bnce by the wave and knocked down. The slightest of reprieves! I hastily check my mana levels. Not much left in the tank but it might just do.

    I hastily spin together another three Gravity Bolts, one sub brain maintaining my construct, as I check on my crew. Tiny was thankfully behind me so I could angle the spell away from him and Crinis was able to dig in low. I''ve no idea where Vibrant might have gotten to and that''s concerning. I don''t know just how injured she was and if she gets carried away by the wave¡­

    I can''t think of that now, we have to kill this damn thing.

    There!

    The frothing waters recede to reveal a drenched Croc still struggling to get to its feet.

    That''s the leg right there!

    POW! POW! POW!

    Three more gravity bolts fly, striking home on the wounded leg. I want to everything I can to reduce this monstrous creatures mobility to give me time to work on my next spell.

    [Crinis! Tiny! Go in now if you can! Keep it off bnce and do everything you can to NOT DIE!]

    Part of me is railing and screaming against sending my beloved friends into fight but deep in my mediation I can''t feel that emotion clearly. It happens within me, but outside of my thoughts. Inside the bubble of rationality, I know that I need time to prepare a spell that might actually deal decent damage to this beast.

    Delighted to finally be set free, Tiny bellows his challenge and starts charging forward relentlessly. So furious is his charge that he doesn''t even seem slowed down, his fist pounding into the dirt and sending dirt flying behind him as he builds unstoppable momentum. Even as he charges he continues to do two things, roar at the top of his lungs, and grin.

    He''s hopeless.

    Crinis, for her part, slithers out of her hiding ce, half buried in mud now, and unleashes a forest of tentacles. Using her fellow pet as a homing beacon she moves forward, not with any of Tiny''s manic speed but with deadly grace, as her body expands to its full size and her powerful limbs seek out the Croc, slithering through the air like ink ck boa constrictors.

    "HRAAAAA!"

    Bellowing angrily the Croc thrashes and twists, trying to get back on its feet. Just as seems as if its managed to right itself, Tiny opens his bat fangs wide and unleashes a piercing screech!

    "KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!"

    MAH EAR HOLES!

    The sound drills straight through to my brain but I shake it off quickly. The Croc doesn''t seem to be quite so lucky and momentarily freezes just long enough for Tiny to throw himself at the muchrger beast and start hammering it with his fists.

    The force of those punches sends the Croc smashing into the ground causing the earth beneath my feet to vibrate as if an earthquake had urred. Before the Croc can fight back, Crinis arrives on the scene and devotes all of her limbs to binding both arms on the right side of the Crocs body before unleashing her barbs and sawing into the limbs. In a rare show of aggression she unfolds her mouth and brings her Void Maw down on the Crocs shoulder, digging deep into the flesh with her fangs.

    The Croc is seriously mad now, red eyed and screaming with rage it shes and writhes with all of its prodigious strength to throw off thebined assault of my pets.

    They can''t hold for long, I know that.

    Within my mind a slightly new construct is taking shape,yering over the top of the water construct and adding to itsplexity.

    This had better work.

 Chapter 120 Eye of the beast part 4

    <h4>Chapter 120 Eye of the beast part 4 </h4>

    When Water mana affinity leveled up to Advanced water mana affinity, I''d learned many things. I''d poured a lot of resources and evolutionary energy into beefing up my spell casting ability to the point I was happy with it, but the spells hadn''t been quite as impactful as I''d hoped. The mana affinity skills were my first window into increasing the power of my magic. The human mages I''d seen had almost all been specialised in a particr type of mana, especially the younger ones. What had been the reason for this?

    Advanced water mana affinity unveiled a few clues. Along with new constructions, new spell shapes specifically for water magic, I''d also learned how to adjust the water mana transformation construct to produce a slightly different effect. A more potent one.

    As Tiny and Crinis do battle with the monster, I race toplete the new construct, all of my minds dedicated to the task. I''d hoped to have more time to test this before being pushed to using it in such a desperate situation, I''d thought I''d had more time!

    Just another example of me taking things too lightly. I''d assumed that I''d be so powerful, strong enough that we''d be able to blow through most resistance with ease. I constantly have to keep reminding myself that though my evolutions might have given me a massive leg up in terms of my raw stats, I started from perhaps the lowest base in the Dungeon.

    I need to keep pushing myself further ahead.

    With a shattering roar the Croc finally connects a solid blow into Tiny''s ribs, sending the ape rolling through the dirt and into a tree where he lies clutching at his side.

    Come on brains!

    The final pieces of the construct snap into ce as the Croc painfully struggles to its feet. All of the Gravity bolts I''ve piled into that one leg are adding up. Along with the beating it''s taken from Tiny, the creature no longer has the strength to move freely or easily. That has to be enough.

    The beast flexes its ws and prepares to sh Crinis who is still clinging with everything she has to the Croc''s other arms, restraining them with all of her might.

    I won''t let you!

    Ice Spear!

    All of my minds work in concert to power one spell at a time, churning out this new form of mana, Ice!

    Two feet long and needle sharp, the ice spear rockets through the air as if shot from a cannon and ms into the Croc on its chest.

    CRASH!

    Ice shards and scales fly as the spear shatters, but only after the tip is driven into the beasts flesh. The monster turns to me again and prepares to open its mouths to douse me in fire.

    I don''t have three brains for nothing, you sap!

    Ice Spear!

    Another projectile of concentrates ice zips through the air and smashes against the monster, just under its neck. Having avoided the thicker chest scales a bloody hole is torn in the monster as the spear prates deep.

    The flesh immediately begins to bubble and regenerate but not quick enough.

    As the monster recovers from the blow I try to give myself a little extra time by dashing to my right. It works for a moment as the Croc raises its one free hand to defend against my next spear and momentarily loses sight of me.

    It only buys me a few seconds, enough for me to startpressing the ice mana until it turns from a glittering pale colour into a much deeper, richer blue.

    Catching sight of me again the Croc instantly opens its upper jaws and unleashes a narrow torrent of blue me, the air instantly heats to searing hot as the me ignites but I was fore warned by my antennae and I''m already moving, dashing right out of there.

    In fact, wasn''t that dash a little quicker than usual?

    "Still wide open! Hahahahaha!" Vibrant cries as she dashes wildly back into the fray.

    Her carapace is still showing signs of a horrific crack that is in the process of healing, but she doesn''t seem to care as she positions herself behind the Croc once more.

    "Not again!" I cry, aghast.

    "Ahaha! Why not?!" sheughs and charges behind the Croc once more, savaging its wounded leg.

    The Croc knows what to do this time and quickly swings its tails but Vibrant has wised up and smartly dashes low, sliding underneath the strike and running clear.

    She bought me just enough time.

    Forceful Ice Spear!

    The spear this time is four feet long and dense, the ice is a deep, sparkling blue, as if formed from the waters of the deepest depths of the ocean. As I activate the spell it crackles into existence over my head before sting through the air towards the Croc.

    The spear strikes home against the Crocs gut but instead of shattering it simply drives right in, burying half its length into the beast.

    "ARRRRRRRRR!" the Croc bellows in pain and swings at the air wildly.

    My brains are fried and my mana is low. I task both sub brains with holding the ice construct in ce and give my mana a chance to recharge. I''ve been sucking mana out of the ground all this time through my legs but my consumption has been high. I''ll need to take the fight to the Croc the old fashioned way.

    Exhausted, I can only open my mandibles wide and charge in.

    "Yay!" Vibrant shouts and charges back in again.

    The Croc is reeling from the Ice Spear buried in its gut. I bet that took a decent chunk of HP! Please be close to dead, I don''t think I can fight much more!

    Shattering Bite!

    Pumping out as much stamina as I can I begin to mindlessly bite at the Croc, mechanically chomping as much as I can. At some point I fail to dodge a wild swipe of the ws and the Croc tears a foot long gash in my side that requires me to immediately trigger my regeneration nd.

    That stings!

    The Croc is staggering now but so are we. Vibrant has nothing left in the tank and Crinis is almost sagging with exhaustion. Tiny has managed to sit up but he hasn''t been able to get back into the fight. Not forck of trying, he is dragging himself through the dirt with one arm whilst the other is held against his doubtlessly shattered ribs.

    The Croc bes increasingly desperate, growling and roaring with pure rage as it struggles. Pinned to the spot, unable to move due to a leg that feels as if the weight of the world were resting on it, attacked from all sides and bleeding, the beast does the only thing it thinks will save it.

    It opens its lower mouth and covers itself in fire.

    [Ahhhhh!] Crinis screams and rapidly untangles her limbs, flinging herself out of the mes.

    Damn that hurts!

    I''m cooking right here!

    The heat is intense, but the Croc is cooking itself just as surely as it''s cooking us. This is thest gasp attack!

    Vibrant falls back from the mes but I stay. Overhead the massive Croc looms, its double jaws gaping as itboriously heaves air into its burning lungs.

    My antennae twitch. I can sense the next moments before they happen. The Croc stretches wide its lower jaw and lunges forward, seeking to end the pest that has caused such injury to it in one bite.

    In my mind it happens in slow motion, every movement following a pattern that I''d already seen. I spin around, facing away from the Croc. The jaws are almost upon me as I raise my abdomen high, presenting the justice department in all its glory.

    I fill the monsters guts with acid one second before its jaws close and tear away at my flesh.

 Chapter 121 To consume the beast

    <h4>Chapter 121 To consume the beast </h4>

    Turns out, letting a giant Crocodile take a sizeable chunk out of your business district is exceedingly painful. Like, it hurts a frickin'' lot.

    FTAGN!

    MY ASS!

    Is this a hostile takeover of mymercial operations!? What the hell, Croc?!

    In that one strike my Hp has plunged perilously low. I activate my regen nd once again to let whatever regeneration that has umted up to this point flow into my system and pull me back from the brink.

    [Deep Meditation has reached level 2]

    I bet it has.

    [Cerebral Endurance has reached level 4]

    If the brain is a muscle then I''ve pumped the heck out of mine. I''m certain its sprained. Thank goodness for meditation keeping my mind rtively calm in this moment. It isn''t stopping me from rolling around on the ground in agony as I contemte life without a backside, but it is allowing me the freedom of thought to openly mock myself. So that''s something.

    The Croc isn''t doing any better than me thankfully. I fired both barrels of acid straight into his open mouth. I''m assuming that both sets of jaws share one throat, so the poor sucker has little hope of getting anything out of his mouths. The sticky acid will be hardening and gumming up his pipes just as fast as it burns through that soft, soft inner flesh.

    "HSSSSSS! HARRAAAARRR!" the Croc gurgles and hisses as it struggles, falling to the ground as it thrashes about and throws itself off bnce due to its one extra heavy leg.

    CRASH.

    The enormous beast falls heavily into the dirt. It raises all of its avable ws to rip and tear at its own neck, ripping away scales and skin with its own hands.

    Wait a sec. Is what I think it is? Is it just me or is that Croc turning a little blue?

    Sure enough, the Croc is choking. The acid has solidified and blocked its throat, forbidding the passage of air. Even more than the burning effect, theck of air is really starting to tell on the Croc.

    I lie panting as my body slowly tries to regenerate itself. A huge chunk has been ripped out of my carapace and my insides have been exposed to the world. I barely want to move as I watch the Croc gradually struggle less and less, growing more feeble with the passage of time, until finally.

    [You have in level 53 Garralosh Praeceptorem]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have reached level 15]

    [You have reached level 16]

    [You have reached level 17]

    [You have reached level 18]

    [You have reached level 19]

    [You have reached level 20]

    [You have reached level 21]

    ... what?

    Seven levels? Just like that? And level fifty three?! Just how evolved was this monster? If I think about it, my max level should be forty right now. So this monster is at least one evolution beyond me. There''s a chance that it''s more though. A strong chance.

    Holy crap. We took on something like that and survived? What the hell was I thinking?! Just because we evolved once more I thought I was the bees knees, cock of the walk, the big cheese! There''s still a long way to go before I''m truly strong.

    Not that I think monsters this powerful aremon. Not at this level. Unless I miss my guess, this big fellow must have been fairly old. Old enough to pile up a ton of levels and Biomass ¡­

    Biomass.

    Just how much Biomass will we be able to get out of this thing?

    ¡­

    *Gulp*

    [Tiny, are you able to move?]

    He just grunts in reply, his eyes still on the fallen Croc.

    [Get over here and eat. You need to regrow your leg]

    As he starts to pull himself forward with his hands once again I look about for Crinis.

    [Crinis? Are you all right? Where are you?]

    [I''m here, Master] her voice echoes weakly in my mind as I see a tired tentacle wobble into the air a few metres away from me.

    I drag myself over and find a withered bundle of tentacles copsed in a heap around her spherical main body. She''s badly burnt.

    [Here, grab a hold of my antennae and I''ll take you to the food]

    [Is the enemy defeated?] she asks.

    [He''s done for it. Eat and heal yourself. We can talkter]

    I feel slightly ashamed as her tentacles tremble as she reaches up to grasp my antennae. Her grip is feather light, nothing like the strength she should be able to exert. I carefully use my antennae to lift her off the ground and carry her towards the Croc before letting her down.

    "Time to eat, senior?" Vibrant asks cheerfully.

    I sigh.

    "Yes Vibrant, time to eat."

    Out of all of us, it''s Vibrant who came out the least hurt. Mind you, she still has a long crack in the side of her carapace that is yet to heal. At least the wound is no longer deep enough that I can see the muscle attached to the inside of her exo-skeleton.

    Weary to the bone, the four of us crawl to the still remains of the massive Croca. How much Biomass would a creature of this age and evolutionary level contain?

    Tentatively, I reach forward to take a bite.

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass, Garralosh Praeceptorem. One Biomass awarded]

    [You have unlocked the basic profile of Garralosh Praeceptorem]

    [Garralosh Praeceptorem, Garralosh Commander. Among the oldest of Garralosh'' children, themanders are powerful meleebatants. They feature two fire nds which are often mutated inplementary ways. Beware their powerful regenerative abilities and incredible physical strength. These creatures were personally reared by their parent to be leaders of her offspring and carry potent auras. Approach with caution]

    Among the oldest of the children? So not necessarily the oldest? And what else is this? Personally reared by the big Croc itself? I guess that exins why the thing is so though, if it had a big bad monster looking out for it from a young age.

    Does that mean that Garralosh is going toe here for revenge is it? Surely not!

    Please for the love of Gandalf let that not happen.

    Suddenly nervous, I tuck into my food with increased gusto, chowing down vigorously in the hopes of healing my physical wounds and dispelling my nervousness. As I eat, something remarkable begins to happen.

    [you have gained one Biomass]

    [you have gained one Biomass]

    [You have gained one Biomass]

    ¡­..

    So fast!

    I can feel it as well. As the food is consumed it feels heavy, dense even, inside my stomachs. Whatever magical process goes on in there, the pure essence, whatever it is that creates Biomass, is flooding into my body with every bite.

    This isn''t food. It''s gold!

    Pure gold.

    Greedily now I chow down and notice the frenzy with which the others are eating has also increased tenfold. Even Crinis, a withered husk of herself only moments ago, is now tearing huge chunks of food off with every bite.

    Oh no you don''t!

    With the mana I have in my core I activate infused mandibles to enable me to cut offrger chunks of food and increase my eating speed.

    I won''t be outdone! Gimme dat Biomass!

    OM NOM NOM.

 Chapter 122 The spoils and return to the surface

    <h4>Chapter 122 The spoils and return to the surface </h4>

    We feasted on the Croc until there was nothing left. Our stomachs were full to bursting and our wounds gradually closed. In hindsight, it probably wasn''t too smart of us to eat until we werepletelyatose but oddly enough it turned out fine.

    With the Commander and its oppressive aura gone the creatures of the expanse began to slowly regain their former bustle. Around us I could hear their growling and shing as the normal, fric pace of the Dungeon during a wave began to reassert itself. In contrast, the Croca beasts were nowhere to be found. As we ate and theny about recovering, we didn''t see hide nor scale of one.

    My theory is that they must have retreated after the aura from theirmander faded but some scouting will be necessary to confirm this. After I''ve digested of course.

    Speaking of digestion. The sheer amount of Biomass gained from consuming this creature was absurd. When you consider just how many mutations it must have had, not to mention thepleteck of Biomass intake penalties due to evolutionary tier, perhaps it isn''t so surprising that I was able to gain almost 310 Biomass just from my share.

    310!

    A staggering number. The others must have gained close to the same. I think Crinis and Vibrant will be able to max out their mutations at this point. A situation I''m extremely envious of! This trip will have gone somewhat to relieving that stress though. Combined with the food I''ve eaten during our assault on the expanse I''ve managed to pile up close to 400 Biomass!

    Not to mention I''m more than half way to my next evolution. Level 40 is creeping closer into sight!

    Speaking of evolution¡­

    I roll over onto my stomach and painfully crawl my way towards the remains of the Crocamander. Not a whole lot is left to be honest, not even aplete skeleton. As I drag myself forward I eventuallye within range of the gem.

    [Compatible Rare core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute a monster?]

    A rare core.

    Not special.

    Rare.

    The Gem is significantlyrger than the special cores that I''d seen before. Sitting amidst the remains of the gigantic Croca, the spherical gems glitters with a red light, the energy within swirling madly.

    This is some valuable stuff.

    Feeling out myself internally, I feel as though the tightness and pain caused by absorbing thest Special core has almostpletely faded by now. I''m not entirely sure if that means I''ll be able to carry out of my n and absorb another special core before evolving, hopefully so. I''m a bit stuck what to do with this thing though.

    I''m not sure if I can use it, trying to absorb a core and popping from the inside isn''t necessarily the way to go. I''ll have to think on the appropriate use of this treasure.

    The other aspect to consider here is that I have learned of levels of core beyond the special. This unlocks the possibility that there are even more potent cores, in fact I wouldn''t doubt it! I wonder if Garralosh has a rare core or something even more potent?

    Whates after rare? Legendary? Super Rare? Completely Rad core?

    I have no idea!

    Just something else to ponder, along with what possible evolutions would be unlocked with the absorption of a rare care might unlock.

    I can dream dammit!

    All in all it takes a few hours before the gang is ready to move again. We''re still wounded but the worst of the injuries have been recovered. I decide that it will be best if we take our prize core and retreat back to the surface. The expanse is bing more restless as time passes and we aren''t in top shape.

    We''ll need toe back to do some recon to be sure the Croca beasts have actually left and then wait a bit in order to be sure that the waves of monsters will no longer be heading towards the colony.

    Tired but triumphant, Tiny, Crinis, Vibrant and I limp our way back out of the Marsh Expanse towards the shortcut, avoidingbat for the most part. Due to us being careful and not wanting to attract unwanted attention, it takes us about six hours to get out of the Marsh and up the shortcut.

    By the time we get there I''ve been able to activate my regeneration nd once again and the hole in mymercial marketce has mostly covered up. The carapace is still somewhat thin in ces but at the very least my insides are not being fully presented to the outside. All in all a great improvement.

    When the anthill finallyes into sight I almost sag into the ground with relief.

    I''m tired man!

    So damn tired!

    We all nearly died in that fight! I need stress relief. Also I need to work on my skills since my spells aren''t working out the way I want them too at the moment. I wish there was someone I could talk to in order to get some advice about this stuff. I highly doubt most monsters bother with this stuff, they certainly wouldn''t want to have any expertise on the matter. The one time I managed to interrogate a human, I didn''t know enough to know what questions I needed to ask, so there are bound to be massive gaps in what I was able to learn.

    So frustrating!

    Perhaps Enid will be able to help me out.

    Exhausted in body and mind, I drag myself up the anthill and down the main tunnel, Vibrant and my pets wandering along behind me.

    Workers are buzzing about the ce, bustling past me, busy with their own tasks. I''m stopped a few times and we exchange the ant high five enthusiastically before going our separate ways.

    So nice to be back amongst by people!

    I take a moment to pop into checking on the eggs and shock strikes me to my core.

    The eggs! They''re gone!

    In their ce are twenty energetic looking little grubs, dedicated workers watching over them, cleaning them and keeping them feed at all times. They hatched!

    The new generation has arrived!

    Eyes agog, I move into the nursery chamber to give the little grubs a quick tickle with my antennae and can''t help butugh as the little critters wiggle and roll to escape my antennae.

    How exciting!

    After ying with them for a time, I exit the chamber and head down to the Queen''s chamber. She''s still resting there, covered in workers and patiently absorbing the ambient mana here, just below the surface.

    "Mother! I''m back! I''ve got something for you!" I call.

    Gradually, the Queens face emerges from the shifting mass of workers, her enormous antennae reaching out to contact mine.

    "Wee back child, it is good to see you. What have you brought?"

    Suddenly I feel like a little kid bringing a painting they did at school home to show their parents. At least, this is how I assume that would feel, having never experienced it before.

    With a thunk I drop a heavy gem onto the ground.

    "I have a rare core! How close are you to evolving?"

 Chapter 123 Discussion

    <h4>Chapter 123 Discussion </h4>

    Skills, their structure, nature and import, was one of the first things that required attention when we began to study the System in earnest. The reason why the Chrysalis felt the need to implement such measures in the way it did was irrelevant to us, understanding and disseminating this information to allow for the spread of knowledge and to allow for proper nning.

    There was a great deal of knowledge to be discovered. Mapping out trees, discovering the various unlock conditions and skill fusion requirements was a daunting task only made possible by the collective efforts of many contributors.

    In many ways the search toplete this knowledge goes on, as the very limits of the System are yet to be explored. Perhaps only the eldest has found the final skills in the tree, but if she has, then hasn''t shared that information. Perhaps that is for the best.

    Roricant the philosopher. "The Struggle to Adapt".

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Queen looked down at the core and then back up at me, curious.

    "I''m not that close to evolving right now, I have tried to reduce the amount of experience I am taking from my children currently. There has been a great deal of conflict and our family has suffered. It was my intention to allow the children to have a better chance of defending themselves by allowing them to take in experience."

    ¡­ Of course she did. What else would I have expected her to do?!

    "Look, I understand that you are happy to sacrifice your own prospects to help the rest of us survive, but your own level and more importantly, your own evolution, will make a huge difference to the overall strength of the family!"

    "I will consider your words child" the Queen assured me calmly, though I doubted she would do anything of the sort.

    I may have been able to convince her to be slightly greedy with the Biomass, advancing her eggying organs to the point she could select mutation advancements, but I think I was only sessful there due to the promise of tangible benefits for her children. There is no such guarantee when ites to evolution and mother knows it.

    "Look at this core! We defeated a seriously strong monster in the marsh expanse and this core was inside it. A Rare core! Even more powerful than a special core! Who knows what kind of powerful evolution it could unlock for you!?"

    As I try to advertise the merchandise I''ve brought back to my mother she continues to look down at me patiently. I can''t help but get the feeling she is faintly amused by my attempts at persuasion.

    I sigh.

    "You aren''t going to use this core, are you mother?"

    Her antennae twitch in augh.

    "No, child."

    "Well what do you want me to do with it?" I say, frustrated.

    I really didn''t think she''d knock this back. If mother can evolve after absorbing the rare core, who knows how powerful she will be? What she might be capable of? At the heart of the colony lies the Queen after all, if she were to die then it''d be over for this family. I really don''t think we''d be able to raise another Queen before the workers died off.

    Why wouldn''t she want to get stronger?

    As if reading my mind, mother replies.

    "What needs to be considered isn''t how strong I myself can be, but how strong can the family as a whole be. I may be the most powerful individual in the colony for now, but you children are yet very young. It is you and your siblings who must grow strong for the colony to thrive, not I."

    Haaaa.

    "Fine. I''ll take it. Maybe I can use it on Vibrant or something." I kick a few pebbles in irritation.

    Thwack!

    The Queen whips an antennae down on my head sharply.

    "What was that for?" I protest.

    "I believe that this core is precious and that you should be the one to take this opportunity" the Queen decrees.

    "I might not even be able to take it, I''ve already absorbed a special core since evolving!"

    Thwack!

    Mercilessly she brings her antennae down again.

    That stings!

    "Find a way, child. You always have before and the family has been able to survive thanks to your efforts. I believe you can utilise this resource the best of us. Don''t waste it."

    ¡­.

    "Yes mother" I grumble.

    Satisfied with my acquiescence, the Queen gives me a quick pat on the head and turns her attention back to the workers who swarm over her.

    "Oh! One more thing!" I call, "How long until the next wave of eggs will be ready to beid?"

    I want to know this so I have some idea exactly how long I''ll have to get the first twenty in shape so that they can take on the job of training the second wave. I don''t want to be stuck raising new generations of workers forever! I''ve got stuff to do dammit!

    Besides that, I have a sneaking suspicion that two hundred workers wouldn''t fit on my back.

    "Tomorrow."

    "Wassat?"

    "They''ll beid tomorrow."

    ¡­

    "''kay then."

    ¡­

    As the Queen turns back to her attendants, I scurry down into my own chamber beneath the colony and bury my rare core along with the others, mind spinning furiously. She already has enough Biomass for another two hundred!

    I curse myself internally. Shouldn''t have sent up all that damn food. Now I''m going to have hardly any time at all to try and get the first generation into shape! If only Tiny had eaten more¡­

    Never thought I''d be thinking that!

    Tiny and Crinis bunk themselves down in our own chamber for a well-earned rest and Vibrant has already sprinted off to help the workers out whilst I was talking to the Queen.

    I feel as though she''s been taking a more active interest in the activities of the workers since herst evolution, instead of tagging along with me all the time. This can only be a good thing in my mind. The workers could do with having a more powerful and intelligent soldier to protect them.

    With the basics taken care of, I suppose I''d better head up to the vige. Hopefully they haven''t managed to stuff anything up whilst I''ve been gone and hopefully, I''ll be able to find someone to answer a few questions I have about skills.

 Chapter 124 Misunderstanding

    <h4>Chapter 124 Misunderstanding </h4>

    If I''m going to be honest, I don''t really want to go and talk to the humans. The priest will probably be there, a crowd might form, it just feels so irritating. However, they may have information that can help me and I can''t help but feel a little responsible for them.

    In some ways I feel responsible for them in much the same way a human might feel responsible for their pets. They''re a collective of individuals who need me to make sure they aren''t killing themselves as they go about their daily business. I make sure they have the basic necessities of life, security, food and water, and then I let them go about their daily business.

    Much like I cared for my pet colony when I was a human, except with the ants I cared more if they survived.

    Sighing, I make my way up, out of the colony and out the top of the anthill. Diligent workers continue to patrol up and down the tunnel, a few trails leading foragers out into the surrounding wilds, groups of ants returning carrying the remains of surface monsters they''d found and dispatched.

    Quite a few of the remaining workforce has evolved twice, giving them the stats they need to be able to dominate the bulk of surface monsters. Since the workers always act in teams, they''ve been able to mow through the surroundingnds like a scythe through wheat, in some ways reminding me of the fearsome Army Ant. That species of ant is nomadic since they basically strip the area around the colony of food pretty darn quick, forcing them to move to more fertile ground or starve.

    Luckily we won''t have that problem since the Dungeon will provide all of the sustenance we need, and soon the new generation of workers will be in a position to farm deep into the Dungeon, right down to the expanse, without my supervision.

    Then I can investigate the aphid situation and see if I can''te up with an even better solution.

    The future is bright!

    Muahahahaha!

    Oh right, humans. Ugh.

    My musing has distracted me long enough that I''ve arrived at the burgeoning human vige without being aware of it. I''ve already been noticed, several people gathering around me, maintaining a respectful distance thankfully. The number of people quickly builds and I''m fairly sure I saw someone run off to collect Enid and in all likelihood the priest as well.

    As I wait, I take a little time to inspect the work that has been done. The number of crude buildings has certainly increased significantly since I wasst hear, as well as the number of people. It seems as though the flow of refugees hasn''t stalled at all, perhaps it''s even growing.

    A tingle of concern causes my antennae to twitch slightly.

    If the monsters are rampaging further south then there''s a chance they''lle here. I''ll need to make proper preparations, perhaps get some scouting done¡­

    Arrgh!

    The list of things to do just doesn''t seem to end!

    Can''t Pangera just buzz of somewhere else so I can help my colony grow?!

    It isn''t long before Enid rushes over, apanied by the one armed priest. It seems she has several others in tow as well. I don''t pay them much attention, instead I get to work forming the mind bridge, using all of my mental prowess toplete the process quickly.

    [Enid] I greet her once theplex shape has been created.

    [Hello] she sounds nervous, [how did things go in the Dungeon? Well I presume, since you are here safe and sound].

    [It went well enough. My goals were aplished though the fighting was more difficult that I had anticipated. Mypanions and I received no insignificant wounds].

    Her eyes widened.

    [That''s terrible! I''m surprised there was a monster at that level of the Dungeon able to hurt you and your pets. What was it?]

    I give an ant shrug with my antennae, which of course she can''t recognise.

    [More of Garralosh'' offspring. I believe they have retreated from the expanse below us however, which should make us a little safer here].

    Enid nodded, gratitude in in her eyes.

    [I thank you. The people here will be much relieved to hear of it. They have suffered at the hands of Garralosh and her children, hearing of your victory will give them some degree offort. May I?] she asks, gesturing towards the crowd.

    I wave one of my antennae in agreement and the aged woman turns towards the nearby vigers, including the priest, to exin what I had said.

    Behind her, the five or so martial looking refugees listen with attentive faces. Now that I give another look at them, they seem a little on edge. Their leader, a square jawed, tough looking woman, standing in front of the others, is giving me a serious dose of the stink eye.

    I observe her without shifting my head or posture at all.

    What is your beef,dy?

    My thoughts are disturbed as a great cheer erupted from the vigers around me. It was quite a strange sight to see. People started hugging and shouting with exuberance. Smiles wreathed every face and the powerful voice of the priest rolled over the top of all, one hand raised to the sky as he eulogised his heart out.

    Chill out people! One Crocamander doesn''t mean the entire species has been wiped out or anything¡­ sheesh!

    Even Enid was smiling broadly as she turned back to me. I think she could sense my difort at the hubbub bubbling around us so she hastened to reassure me.

    [I apologise for their boisterous behaviour. Good news has been hard toe bytely and even a little thing like this is enough to lift their spirits].

    Her eyes narrowed a little.

    [I¡­ didn''t let them know that you''d been injured. I rather felt that there might be some panic or indeed, some outrage, if they were to know that you had been harmed. I don''t want anyone to start trying to sneak into the Dungeon to exact revenge].

    I couldn''t help a little shake of my head at that. Just how dumb are these people?! Going into the Dungeon, suicide!

    Still, this is as good a time as any to bring up my needs with Enid.

    [Speaking of being injured. The fight helped mee to the realisation that I may need some advice and assistance in regards to developing my skills and abilities. I tried to learn what I could from your Queen but I believe that much information may have been withheld from me. Would you be in a position to assist me?]

    Enid looks slightly stunned to be hearing so many words at once from me. Once she understands my meaning she quickly frowns, her hands nervously ying the front of her skirt.

    [I now a bit. My husband was a high level warrior who spent his days delving in the Dungeon and he taught me a fair bit about thebat skills. However, he was a swordsman and a human. The skills he used may not be applicable for you at all].

    She hesitated a moment before rushing on.

    [You might not like to hear this but our local priest, Beyn] she gestured towards the robed figure, still exhorting the crowd with all of his might, [would be an excellent person to ask. As a priest of the Path he studied the System extensively and part of his responsibilities as a priest is to advise people on builds and skills rting to their profession. He would know far more than I would].

    ¡­.

    Oh great.

    Reluctantly I agree to Enid''s suggestion.

    [All right, fine. Let him know I''m going to weave a mind bridge to him so we can talk, shouldn''t take a minute].

    [Ah, there are some others here who want to speak to you also. Would that be possible?]

    More of them?

    [I''ll talk to this priest first, then we''ll see].

    Enid nods and turns to the priest, tugging at his sleeve to get his attention before speaking to him urgently.

    A few momentster he begins to weep profusely.

    ¡­

    I''m already getting irritated.

 Chapter 125 Confrontation

    <h4>Chapter 125 Confrontation </h4>

    Sobbing uncontrobly with joy, the priest raised his one hand towards me and fell to his knees, quite obviously performing some kind of worship. So caught up with emotion was he, that nearby refugees, temporarily taking leave of their senses, were also swept up in the moment and mimicked his action.

    Surrounded by vigers giving praise on their knees, my ego begins to stir.

    Down, Dark One! You shall not rise here this day! Nor any day!

    I take a moment to control my thoughts. Having people worship you is a quick way to let your ego take over. I can''t imagine anything good happens when someone begins to think of themselves as some sort of god when they are in fact, an ant.

    I haven''t shown any eternal reaction to all of this kerfuffle, keeping still except for the asional twitch of the antennae, but there are others who have responded more strongly. The five new martial looking refugees, led by the square jawed female, do not look impressed to see a group of humans on their knees before a monster.

    You know what? That reaction is probably spot on.

    What sort of people in their right mind would do this sort of thing? If anything, I agree with the five neers. These humans are nuts. In some ways, having a human look at my vigers with such shock and dismay is almost a relief. At least there are some normal humans around here!

    An angry light in her eyes, the leader pushes forward and grabs Enid by the shoulder, pointing at me and speaking in quick, harsh tones.

    What''s all this about then?

    I''m not a big fan of her being so rough towards Enid. The old woman has been nothing but helpful to me and to the humans here. She deserves respect.

    Enid listens without fear to the words being spat at her before shoving the hand from her shoulder and replying curtly to the woman. Then she turns to me, concentrating on our mental link.

    [This person is named Morrelia. She and her group have been fighting surface monsters in this area for weeks. They only recently found us here and to be honest they are quite distrustful of you. They question the vigers loyalty and devotion towards you and your colony. I believe she wants to talk to you to determine if you are using some form of mind control].

    ¡­

    She thinks I''m mind controlling these people? I didn''t even want them here!

    [She seems to be getting a little forceful here Enid. Have they caused any trouble?] I ask.

    The older woman shakes her head.

    [No. I simply believe they are concerned for the safety of the people here].

    I grunt.

    [How concerned do you think they''ll be towards you if they think you''re all under some sort of mind control? Will they attack me, or just kill all of you?]

    Enid blinks, seemingly not having thought of the possibility.

    [I''ll talk to her. But tell her if she gets too handsy with you I''ll be taking that hand with me].

    Turning quickly to the martial looking woman beside her Enid quickly rys my words.

    Nodding with satisfaction, the fighter steps back from Enid and turns to face me with a sharp glint in her eyes. And a hand resting on her sword hilt.

    Yeesh.

    Grumbling internally about humans being far more trouble that they are worth, I ignore the shock and disappointment in the priests'' face as Enid tells him what is happening so I can finish off constructing the bridge, which I extend towards my unwee guest.

    [What?] I huff, irritated.

    Morrelias'' eyes widen slightly at my abrupt rudeness, but she shows no other reaction.

    [Are you able to hear me?] the responsees.

    [Yes I can hear you. It''s a frickin'' mind bridge. I didn''t bust my thorax trying to learn this spell so that I couldn''t talk to people].

    Oooo that''s a bit snippy Anthony. I must be grumpier than I thought. Need to rain it in a little.

    I have none of these problems when talking with ants, just sayin''.

    My words provoke a response this time. Indignant rage seeped through the cracks on that stone face but she held her neutral expression well. The eyes told a different story however, they were alight with anger.

    [Listen to me, creature, my family has ughtered monsters for generations. If you don''t show the proper respect I''ll add your head to my wall].

    Her grip on the pommel of her sword is getting pretty darn tight by the looks of it. Thisdy has some serious angst.

    Mind you, I''m not nning to back down any just for that.

    [Unless you''re a higher level human than I''ve seen around here, taking my head might be more than you can handle].

    Morrelia sneered.

    [You overestimate yourself, monster].

    What did I do to deserve this kind of attitude? This is what I get for saving humans. Somewhat irritated, I snap back.

    [You''re standing in a vige full of people who''s lives I''ve saved, and then protected, for absolutely no gain, and threaten me? Which one of us has issues with manners and respect? As you''ve been only too quick to point out, you are a human who celebrates killing monsters, yet I''m a monster who has saved humans. Is it possible that I''ve done more good for your kind than your family has?]

    If I hit a nervest time I spoke then this time I t out kicked it. Muscles bulge on her arm as she struggles to restrain herself from pulling out her sword. I think she knows it would be a bad idea to fight here surrounded by vigers, but she looks so damn tempted.

    [My brother gave his life fighting in the Dungeon, my father has dedicated himself to the Deep Legion for decades and he is a damn hero. The idea of a monster putting itself above them is an insult!]

    ¡­ she might have a point I suppose.

    [Yeah, I can see how you''d think that. I apologise].

    ¡­.

    [Excuse me?]

    ¡­

    [I apologise?]

    ¡­

    [Soooo, what is the problem here? You think I''m mind controlling these people or something?]

    ¡­.

    [Uh, yes?] Morrelia pulls herself together, [Yes. It seem unbelievable that a group of humans would so readily ept the help of monsters from the Dungeon, impossible, even. I want to be sure that you aren''t manipting these people with your mind magic].

    I sigh and give my antennae a quick clean as I think about the situation. Bringing my front legs up and pulling my antennae through the joint drags the sensitive detectors through the cleaning hairs on the back of my knee, ensuring the antennae remain effective and also feels quite pleasant.

    I don''t recall ever being this clean as a human actually¡­

    [Look, Morrelia. I didn''t want these people here, they followed me after my colony fled in this direction. We ran through or near a few human settlements, none of which we harmed, and this idiot] I stab one antenna at the priest, [decided that following us and depending upon the colony for protection was a great idea. To this point in time I''ve ensured that the colony won''t harm the people here, tried to keep them safe from monsters and provided them with some help getting shelter. That''s it. If you want to take over babysitting these people be my guest].

    Morrelia''s eyes narrowed.

    [You could just be saying these things. Even if the vigers confirmed it, that could be because of your mind control, altering their memories].

    I can''t help but shrug my antennae.

    [Then what are we talking for? If nothing I can say would convince you I don''t mean any harm to these people, then why try and talk to me in the first ce?]

    If she wants to take over the protection of the vige here and bar me from entry, then that could be a blessing in disguise. As long as I can get my info from the priest first, I''m happy enough to nevere back!

    [That is what I can''t understand, monster] Morrelia bursts out, [why haven''t you harmed these people?]

    ¡­

    [Well they''re super irritating, I agree with you there, but I don''t think they deserve to me killed for it].

    [Why? Any monster would be delighted to kill and eat all of these people. Experience! Food! Couldn''t your colony grow in size from eating these people? What exactly is the reason why you are helping them?]

    Ahhhh. Now wee down it. She''s confused! Monsters from the Dungeon are supposed to be hateful things who kill and eat everything they can find, much like the Croca beasts are doing all over Liria right now. If we consider that, then finding an ant who seems quite content to live alongside people would be pretty darn weird, right?

    If I were to exin that I myself was human in a previous life, that I don''t particrly want to kill and eat something that I used to be, would that be convincing?

    She''d probably think I was just insane. A rogue monster gonepletely bananas. What to say then¡­

    All I can think of to say is [I don''t mind ''em that much, these vigers. You people are all right].

    Smooth.

 Chapter 126 The Priest

    <h4>Chapter 126 The Priest </h4>

    Morrelia blinks a few times.

    [You can''t seriously expect me to ept that].

    This is one stubborn person.

    [We''ve already established that you won''t ept anything I say].

    Her eyes narrow.

    [Then would you answer a few questions?]

    It''s amazing how patient everyone is being watching this. I have a crowd of people standing about watching a woman stare at a monster with absolutely nothing happening on the outside. For some reason they all seem riveted, watching me, then watching Morrelia, as if an invisible game of tennis were going on and they had to imagine the movement of the ball.

    [Yes I can answer some questions, but can we make it quick? I have stuff to do]

    I can see her mouth tighten a little at that but I''m only telling the truth. This conversation taking ce at all is a favour to her, I''m not getting anything out of it.

    Maybe I''m just trying to work on my diplomacy. Nearly getting my entiremercial district bitten off was enough to remind me of the old days when I hung about on the ceiling and did my best to never be found.

    The change to walking straight up into my enemies faces happened a little too quick. The caution from those early days kept me alive! Information first! Swaggering up to giant monsters and attacking them head on is not supposed to be my style!

    Stay low! Information is king!

    Thisck of care and attention, this was the work of Dark Anthony. Damn ego beast! Be gone from my sight!

    Remember humility! Remember stealth! Remember not getting half of your ass bitten off!

    With renewed motivation I decide to listen to what Morrelia has to say. Not making enemies I don''t have to is wise policy. Let''s keep it pleasant.

    [Have you ever killed any humans?]

    [Yep]

    DAMMIT.

    Her eyes sh dangerously at my immediate reply and I hasten to exin myself.

    [In defence! My colony was attacked by humans and I defended my family! I surely can''t be med for that! I also killed a few during the rebellion in Liria but I was assisting your Queen retake her throne, you would have done the same had you been around, surely].

    Morrelia listens to my defence and is forced to nod reluctantly.

    [I have heard from Enid and others about what happened during the rebellion in my homnd. I had not heard of your colony being attacked].

    I shrug my antennae.

    [It was just bad luck really. The Queen and her guards ran straight into the anthill whilst fleeing the city. They attacked and we killed them in retaliation. Many of my siblings died in that battle, I honestly wish it had never happened].

    The humans who had killed my kind had been dealt with. Then I took appropriate measures against the Queen to protect myself against her betrayal.

    [I don''t exactly trust humans, there have been plenty trying to kill me above ground, and the ck soldiers have done the same down below. But these vigers have done nothing wrong to me or my colony, so I tolerate them].

    That shouldmunicate my position.

    Instead of being relieved, Morrelia is staring at me with even more intensity than before.

    [Soldiers dressed in ck? You''ve met the Legion?]

    So those soldiers are from the Legion that she keeps going on about? I remember when they forced me out of my first nesting ce, systematically killing every monster they found and burning out the tunnels. I was terrified of them at the time. To be honest, I still feel afraid of them.

    [I wouldn''t say I''ve met them. I''ve seen them. They moved into the Dungeon and started killing everything not long after I was born. I fled from them and wound up finding my colony in the forest expanse].

    [So you''ve not fought them then?]

    Her thoughts are vibrating with intensity as she asks that question.

    [Hell no] I reply, [strictly running from them. I''m not that stupid].

    Morrelia visibly rxes.

    [That is wise of you. They are strong].

    Just you wait,dy. Pretty soon the most powerful and awesome ant colony in the history of any world is going to born.

    [I don''t trust you, monster. But I''m willing to let you live. Perhaps after a period of observation I''ll be able to determine your true colours. I will stay here with my allies and assist the refugees for now. They are what is left of my homnd after all].

    She can''t but sound depressed as she utters that final sentence. It''s true, her home is gone, destroyed by monsters from the Dungeon such as myself. I can''t help but feel a slight twinge of guilt. I didn''t have to dig quite so many tunnels underneath the castle. I can''t help but feel I yed a small part in the destruction of the city and the loss of so many lives.

    The innocent lives anyway. The human Queen got what she deserved.

    [Stick around, feel free. As long as you don''t kill any of my siblings or mess with the colony, I have no beef with you].

    Morrelia nods and breaks off the mind bridge, turning to herpanions as they lean forward to hear the results of the conversation.

    FINALLY.

    No longer forced to be diplomatic I can now turn to the task at hand. Extracting information from this priest.

    I turn towards him, only to find he is still on his knees, giving praise and extolling whatever virtues have taken him at this moment in a sonorous voice.

    This guy¡­

    Reluctantly, I get to work forming the mind bridge and before long I reach out andplete the connection.

    [Hello priest].

    ¡­.

    [OH GREAT ONE IT IS BEYOND JOY TO FINALLY RECEIVE YOUR HALLOWED WORDS. LET ME SAY THAT ..]

    [Loud! Too damn loud!]

    The priests'' face, which had been rapturous as the link was established, is instantly chastened. He tries again.

    [It is a blessing to finally be able to bask in your wisdom. I am honored ¡­]

    [Too soft! Just speak normally man!]

    Now the priest is looking properly distressed. Being told off twice by his religious idol has demoralized him so visibly that the people around him reach out with their hands and ce them on his person to givefort to the poor guy.

    I try to settle him down.

    [Just rx. I have a few questions that you can help me with. Please don''t shout at me, it hurts my head].

    The priest takes a few deep breaths. With his one shaking hand he reaches up to touch the hands ced upon him, as if to draw strength from them.

    Then he faces me calmly.

    [I am ready].

    Okay then.

    [Right, so I had a few questions about the system, I hear you''re pretty knowledgeable about that?]

    ¡­.

    [THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAISE, GREAT ONE! I AM HUMBLED ¡­]

    [Shaddup!]

    It takes a while for me to get him settled but eventually we reach a point where he is able to converse somewhat normally. By the time we get there I''m mentally exhausted.

    [So you want to learn about skills? Particrly magic skills?]

    [That''s right. I need some advice about how to proceed getting stronger].

    [Very well, o Great One. I would be delighted to help you to the extent of my knowledge].

    [First off, talk to me about magic affinities. How important are they? How do they progress?]

    A frown creases the priests youthful brow as he ponders.

    [Let me assume that your skills have progressed to the point where you are able to manipte and shape internal mana in order to cast spells. When learning the basic skills of Mana Maniption and Mana Shaping, you''ll gain knowledge of the basic spell forms, such as barrier magic, simple bolt spells and so on. You''ve learned these?]

    [Yes. So you''re suggesting that there are other spells to work with?]

    [Correct, Great One, how infinite your wisdom. Once you have reached the level of Mana Transformation you will learn how to transform mana into various attributes. Once you have seeded at transforming your mana into any other kind you will unlock the rudimentary affinities. These are the elements, Earth, Fire, Water, Wind].

    [Yes, I''ve gotten that far].

    [Then you have taken the first steps on your path to being a mage! Possibly the first monster of your strata in history to have ever done so!]

    [Settle down buddy] I warn him as the look in his eye bes increasingly wild.

    He bows to me slightly.

    [I am in control of myself, Great One].

    [Good. So I''ve learned Water Mana Affinity and levelled it to Advanced Water Mana affinity, which gave ess to ice magic. What''s next to make myself stronger? My magic doesn''t feel powerful enough for me. Should I focus on boosting my stats? Do I need to level my skills?]

    [Ah yes. The first teaching of the Path is on this matter. It is known as ''the first question'', the very first thing that the civilised races of the surface sought to answer after the System revealed itself to us].

    ¡­.

    [So what''s the answer?]

    [As the saying goes, knowledge is power and Skills are knowledge. Having great physical strength, or mental prowess, is next to worthless if you can''t apply it appropriately].

    I was worried about that.

    Sigh.

    [So what do I need to learn?]

 Chapter 127 Learnings and worship

    <h4>Chapter 127 Learnings and worship </h4>

    We stand now on the brink of the final ascension. There is tremendous fear amongst the people now, but also great anticipation. Such a momentous moment in history, the ambition of it still takes my breath away.

    Who else but we would ever dream of something like this? None of the other peoples would have the mettle, themitment, to see such a project through to the end. In my eyes, it is yet another example of our superiority. The others don''t see it as I do, they are filled with remorse. I care nothing of the fates of those beneath us, or for myself. Only thepletion of our work can move me.

    She is sleeping now. Deep, restful slumber, I hope. It is my fervent wish that she does not wake until we are done. To see the look in her eyes would break me. It would break us all.

    But we wouldn''t stop.

    Excerpt from a private journal, page 344, Author unknown.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    [So the way the System works for humans and monsters has quite significant differences, huh?]

    [From what you''ve told me and the limited information that the Church of the Path has collected over the centuries, there are simrities but also differences, most of them due to unlock requirements].

    [I still can''t believe that there are no prompts for unlocking skills].

    Beyn chuckles ruefully.

    [I''ve read copies of the journals the early researches of the church have kept. The frustration that they experienced trying to track down the exact requirements to unlock advancements nearly drove them mad. Some of them are quite exacting, I assure you].

    [Give me an example]

    [Very well Great One, may your carapace be ever shiny. As we discussed, the surface races do not ''evolve'' and gain strength but instead have ''sses''. Gaining levels in a ss provides stat growth and every ss give different stats at different rates].

    [That still seems unfair to me. Why do most sses have such low growth?]

    Beyn raised a finger of his one remaining hand.

    [It''s true, most sses have appalling stat growth. Take this vige for example. Most of the people here have the ''farmer'' or ''grower'' sses. The stat growth on these jobs is poor, 0.2 Toughness a level and 0.1 for the other stats. Without transitioning to a more advanced ss they''ll be stuck with mediocre stats their whole lives].

    I frown.

    [So why don''t they change sses?]

    Beyn shook his head.

    [The requirements for advancing sses can be quite strict and although a farmer can gain experience through growing and selling produce, the xp gain is pitifulpared to fighting monsters].

    [How are they supposed to fight monsters without decent stats?!] I protest.

    Beyn nods.

    [Exactly. The system rewards battle above all else. In order to advance in ss any other way is hard. It can take decades for a moderately sessful trader to advance to a merchant].

    I think about it. Why would the System be built in such a way to punish nonbat oriented sses? IT doesn''t really seem fair.

    [There must be shortcuts.]

    [There are, but they are only avable to those with resources. For example, a wealthy merchant can take their child with the trader ss into the Dungeon and pay for mercenaries to feed them the xp from kills in order to advance their level rapidly. Such practices aremon in the upper echelons of society and¡­] he sighed heavily, [the Church of the Path is also a major yer in such trade. Knowledge of powerful, advanced sses, escorts to take people on ''pilgrimages'' into the Dungeon, all of it is for sale.]

    [Seems a bit grubby] I point out.

    He nods.

    [I am questioning much that I blindly epted since meeting you, O Great One. The light of your truth has ¡­]

    I tune him out for a few minutes. Every now and again heunches into a sermon and rather than keep yelling at him I''ve just been letting him go until he runs out of steam or catches himself going on too long.

    I''ve been chatting with Beyn, the vige priest, for some time now and the crowd around us doesn''t show any signs of dispersing. How they are so entertained by this game of invisible tennis, I''ve no idea.

    Other than a few kids trying to sneak up and poke my carapace I haven''t had any issues with the crowd so far. The kids have all been intercepted by wary parents and had their hands pped down anyway.

    Beyn has had a lot to say. All sorts of new ideas have been imparted to me, skill fusion, spell tier progression and the mana type matrix. It''s going to take a long time for me to digest these ideas, but for now I can say this much, I have to improve my skills!

    The priest hasn''t been able to give me exact instructions on how to progress my more monstrous skills, since his Church hasn''t been able to study the sorts of skills that monsters have ess to in any depth, but he''s been able to give me a few ideas. Enough to go on for now, anyway.

    [So], I break into Beyn''s rambling, [you''re able to give people advice and such on how to progress here in the vige right? I assume you aren''t charging them for it?]

    He shakes his head vigorously.

    [Absolutely not! However this is little time or energy for the people here to try and advance their sses and gain levels. We are barely surviving, after all.]

    [Right. Tell Enid to get together a list of things that I can do to get the vige up and running and let the people know that they need to be trying to advance their sses. I don''t want to have to protect this vige forever and the sooner you can do it yourselves, the better. Eventually I''ll be prepared to escort small groups into the Dungeon to ''feed'' experience to them. That should speed the process along.]

    Beyn''s face goes ck with astonishment.

    [You would be willing to do this for us Great One?] he asks.

    I shrug.

    [Sure. The faster you can look after yourselves, the better it is for me right? It won''t be hard.]

    He immediately turns to the vigers and begins shouting, his face filled with joy. Very quickly the expression is spread around until all of the adults are staring at me with wonder filled eyes. Some of them are even crying!

    *Thump*

    Oh boy. Herees the kneeling again.

    Almost as one, the people fall to their knees and sp their hands, or hand in Beyn''s case, in prayer. Shouting out their praise and thanks at me.

    I, uh, didn''t think it was that big a deal¡­

    Not far away, Morrelia and her group are watching this disy with narrowed eyes, clearly angered by such words being professed towards a monster of the Dungeon.

    I didn''t ask for this, okay?!

    The noise is so great that I almost didn''t notice the slight vibration running through the ground beneath my feet. Once I detect it my antennae start twitching this way and that through the air, trying to find the source of the sudden, uneasy air that''se over me.

    [Tiny, Crinis,e up here] I say, breaking off my link with the priest.

    Gradually the vibrations grow stronger and stronger until the tread of heavy feet on the earth bes audible.

    Then the growls start.

    [We''re under attack!]

 Chapter 128 Sudden Attack

    <h4>Chapter 128 Sudden Attack </h4>

    The monsters came from the north. They swept south in a hungry pack, seeking, destroying and devouring everything in their path like a tide of beastly Vikings.

    As the monsters drew closer their snarling and growls rang louder in the peoples ears and panic quickly raced across their faces. The fear spread so quickly from person to person around me, clouding their faces and twisting their expressions.

    So quickly they lost the will to fight, these people.

    I shouldn''t be too surprised. These people had lost their homes and families to these creatures. Small and weak it may have been, but they had also lost their country. Against a foe that had taken apart something so muchrger than themselves, it''s only natural that they would be intimidated.

    But I wouldn''t sit idly by.

    [Tiny bring Crinis to me. We need to fight.]

    If those stupid monsters thought that they could get this close to my colony then they are outside their damn minds.

    I loudly ck my mandibles several times in session.

    *CLACK* *CLACK* *CLACK*

    The sharp, stato noises ring out loudly, cutting through the rising fear. The circle of people turn back to me sharply.

    [Priest. Tell the people to go hide and stay out of my way. I will defend my colony but if any monsters get through, the people will need to defend themselves.]

    The priest nodded enthusiastically.

    [Of course, Great One! The blessings of the System belong only to those who are prepared to earn them! Your wisdom is as deep as the Dungeon, as broad the Endless Sky expanse and as ¡­]

    [Just tell them already!]

    [Oh! Right!]

    I break off the mind bridge with the mouthy priest and turns to the people to exin what I''ve said. Gradually some life returns to the faces of the people around me, when I push my way out of the circle, they fall back respectfully to grant me space.

    And good thing too!

    The monsters are upon us.

    As I see the swarm rushing towards the vige, I can''t help but feel a wave of nostalgia roll mover me.

    All of my old friends are here!

    The w centipedes! So many damn centipedes! Like a carpet of pinchy death they slither and climb all over each other, snapping madly at the air as they approach.

    The Dragon Wolf cubs and their evolved versions are here as well, I think I spy an Earth Bear Tyrant stomping amongst the horde.

    Even the little rabbits are here! A, the little fluff balls! Devilish, murdering little fluff balls.

    Not to mention the Croca Beasts. The stupid creatures are here as well.

    It feels as if this is a collection of monsters from the forest expanse area. Perhaps they are gathering the monsters over there, just as they did here, to assault the surface.

    Dangit!

    I thought I was finally free of your meddling!

    The thundering of monstrous feet is growing louder as the horde kicks up dust as they rush towards us. Only a hundred or so more metres and they''ll be amongst the vigers. Not willing to wait, I rush out towards the onrushing horde.

    I don''t have time to power up a Gravity Bomb. I''m going to have to do this the old fashioned way.

    With speed I dash forwards. My brains kick into gear, each one crafting a gravity spear as quickly as possible. I haven''t had that much time to rest since battling against the Croca Commander but it''s enough to deal with these trash, even if there are thousands of them.

    My brains work overtime, swiftly weaving together the magic,yers flowing together as if in fast forward.

    Gravity Spear! Times three!

    As soon as the dark purple projectiles fly out I''m already working on another set. The spears fly home, not that they could miss, mming into the front line of the wave, snaringrge clutches of monsters and binding them together, forcing them to stumble and breaking their running momentum.

    Even as I dash forwards the next wave of spears take shape. I pour forth my gravity mana and empower the spells, letting them fly just as the wave crashes into me.

    Or is it me who crashes into them?

    My sub brains continue spinning more spears as I smash into the thick of the monsters and their blows begin to rain down on my carapace, battering me left and right.

    As if I''m just going to sit here and take it!

    Shattering Bite!

    Ceaseless attacks fall upon my diamond shell but I stand firm, the bulk of the damage failing to pierce through. Centipedes rise to clutch at me and I crush them with a single bite. When a fearsome bear smashes into me from the side, sending me sprawling, I channel mana into my mandibles and dive back at it.

    Bite after bite, I crush its defences, my stamina draining away along with my mana until the beast finally falls.

    Eventually the chip damage begins to pile up. A chip here and a chip here shave away at my health until I''m forced to trigger my regeneration nd. I''m not worried though.

    I can feel theming.

    "GRAAAAAAH!''

    BOOOM!

    With a titanic crash, Tiny announces his arrival to the battlefield. Leaping high, he falls to the ground like thunder, his newly regenerating foot stomping down and crushing a Croc beneath him as hends.

    Then Crinis is there.

    Like a nightmare given form her tentacles explode outwards, snapping onto any monster they touch and rending them apart, or lifting them into the air to toss them into the bottomless void of her maw.

    My heart lifts to see them on the battlefield alongside me.

    As long as they are with me, we can defend the colony against anything. I truly believe that.

    Shattering Bite!

    Before my jaws can even mp shut on the Dragon Wolf before me a blisteringnce of light impales the creature, dispatching it in a single hit.

    Why the hey?!

    Adjusting myself slightly I look back to see a straight path through the monsters has been created by that piercing attack. It must have speared directly through five monsters! What the heck!

    As the monsters gradually close in once more I catch a fleeting glimpse of Morrelia, rage burning in her eyes and her hand extended, her sword clenched in her first.

    That was one powerful strike!

    I hope she wasn''t aiming at me¡­

 Chapter 129 The apple doesnâ€™t fall far from the tree

    <h4>Chapter 129 The apple doesn''t fall far from the tree </h4>

    "RAAA!" Morrelia bellowed and her muscles bunched and shifted beneath her skin before she stabbed her hand out once more.

    To describe it as a stab wouldn''t be doing it justice. The strength, the control, the sheer force of that strike went beyond what I had imagined was possible. As if she were cutting apart the very air, the sword pierced the atmosphere. As it did so, pure light coalesced around her arm and hand, flowing onto the sword itself, rapidly building in intensity until it was blinding.

    The light reached a critical mass just as the sword extended, forming a point at the tip of the de that shone like a miniature sun. Then, in just an instant, the beamnced out, piercing monsters straight through, seemingly without resistance. Just as suddenly as it hade, the light faded and a line of twenty monsters slumped to the ground.

    What the heck is that skill?! How the heck does she do that?!

    As the monsters swirl and growl around me I see Morrelia''s crew arrive to back her up, firing arrows into the crowd with incredible speed, their hands a blur. It looks as though they took a little time to gather their supplies and uncase their bows but they are in the think of it now.

    On impulse I decide to rush back to where the five of them have gathered, tearing my way through a dense cluster of centipedes to do so.

    *ng!*

    An arrow smacks into my carapace as I dash forwards, reflecting cleanly off one of the diamond portions of my carapace and ricocheting off into the swirl of beasts harmlessly.

    OI!

    Slowing my approach, I wave my antennae frantically to signal my peaceful intentions. I''m willing to give the benefit of the doubt on the first shot but any more than that and we are going to have trouble here. Thankfully, the archer''s eyes widen as she recognises me and turns to shoot a fresh target.

    I mean, an apology would have been appreciated but, I suppose under the circumstances¡­

    You''re fighting a giant horde of monsters and a massive ant, I suppose I''m basically the size of a couch, if not quite as high,es charging at you, you''re going to shooting the heck out of that ant. It''s fair enough.

    As I reach their side and unleash a few more gravity spears into the horde, binding monsters, slowing and restricting them, Morrelia turns to me and nods briefly before unleashing another solid beam of light into the throng.

    She''s like a freakin''ser cannon with that skill!

    It''s rad as hell, I have to say.

    She pauses for a second, as if feeling or sensing something, before barking an order to one of her crew, a grizzled looking guy with a face full of scars. He nods and steps forwards, gripping a heavy looking axe in two hands.

    "Haaaaa!" he bellows before sprinting towards the onrushing horde and unleashing wild horizontal swings his axe.

    With every swing a furious arc of light shes out in the shape of a phantom axe, splitting the monsters apart and giving the group breathing room, allowing the two female archers to continue to unleash their bolts of death.

    With this respite I continue to build Gravity Spears, hurling them into the horde to bind the monsters together, asionally firing at a patch of ground to bind the monsters to the earth, creating knots of creatures throughout the mass of monsters that can''t move freely, tripping and blocking the press of beasts behind them.

    "Haaaaaaa, Haaaaaa."

    Next to me I can see Morrelia, eyes closed, going into some sort of breathing meditation. The air seems to whistle between her teeth as they slowly clench and her breathing bes heavier. Before I even have time to mock her within my mind, I feel something change in the air. A bloodthirsty aura rises. A tangible sense of rage and violence that seems to warp the very air around the powerfully built woman.

    As each second passes the air around her grows more dense and her body begins to release a soft red light that stinks of blood.

    What.

    The.

    Heck.

    ¡­

    As I grow more bewildered and confused, the two archers shout out a warning and the axe swinging man turns without hesitation and sprints to get behind Morrelia.

    Just as he does so her eyes open and they are frickin'' glowing with a murderous red light. Snarling like a beast she tears a second sword out of a sheath across her back and explodes into motion.

    The nearest wave of monsters simply explode into chunks of Biomass as she smashes into them like a cannon ball, des shing as her murderous aura rises all the while. All technique and finesse seems to have left her she rips her des through the air, cleaving foes up to ten feet away with wild swings.

    Instead of the light of her skills being pure white, as every other time I''ve ever seen a skill activated, even her own, the light that flows from her swords is bright red. The monsters almost seem intimidated to find this creature amongst them but it''s toote. She swings with wild abandon, shing left and right, leaving herself wide open to attack.

    Some attacks actually do manage to get through, the asional monster making it to her and raking its ws against her arms or across her leather armour.

    She doesn''t care.

    She doesn''t even seem to notice.

    In fact, my startled eyes notice that as that hungry red light continues to tear apart monsters with every sh of steel, her wounds are closing.

    The hell is this?! This is freakin'' hot to death.

    She''s some sort of Vampiric Berserker?!

    And she thinks I''M the monster?!

    I have to say though, watching her in action, a snarling rictus of pure rage locked on her face and her eyes alive with hate, actually glowing with the light of rage.

    Well, it''s enough to bring a tear to my monstrous eyes. That''s the way to fight.

    [Tiny, Crinis! Watch out, one of the humans is a t out berserker and she is killing everything that gets anywhere close to her. Make sure you keep some distance, I don''t think she can recognise friend from foe.]

    [Acknowledged, Master!]

    [Grrrrr FIGHT!]

    I can only roll my eyes at Tiny as he resents my intrusion on his battle. In my minds'' eye I can see him bellowing with rage, the air around him alive with crackling electricity as his fists cause devastation amongst the thronging monsters.

    As well as we are doing, the wave is immense.

    In the tunnels we were able to use the narrow spaces to funnel the enemies into manageable numbers, forcing them to charge directly onto our spears, so to speak. Out here, it simply isn''t the case. They surround, they flow around and separate us. Even worse, some of them ignore us, rushing past the small number of fighters and charging into the vige.

    The front of this horde is so wide that even the ant hill might be threatened at this rate. As monsters continue to break away from our melee and rush towards the closest targets, I can see some of them dashing towards the colony.

    Not only that, I can tell that these monsters are not the freshly hatched creatures that we battled in the tunnels. Despite being regr first strata beast type monsters, they''ve got levels and Biomass behind them, probably from destroying and consuming the people of Liria.

    Their advanced skills and mutations is making them just that little bit harder to crack, and every minute difference begins to pile up rapidly in a melee like this.

    This isn''t going well.

 Chapter 130 The troops arrive

    <h4>Chapter 130 The troops arrive </h4>

    Neen of the Ancients rose during the Cataclysm, The Rending. They were nurtured in the heart of this world, the oldest beings of the Dungeon, they were old long before the Dungeon broke the surface. In darkness they had battled whilst the people of the surface were taking the first steps on the path to civilisation.

    Their power was overwhelming. None could stand before them, when they moved, cities fell, nations crumbled and people died. Like immutablew they were heedless of the plight of mortals, more akin to the forces of nature than creatures.

    We record their sacred names here, that future generations might fear and venerate them as they deserve.

    Yarrum the Eternal Worm.

    Theorazzn of the Decaying World.

    Syssernix the Dark Spear.

    Morribolg of the Fetid Earth.

    Carrire the Hell me.

    Rigorite the Mountain Breaker.

    Tarriflyx the Hunger.

    Arconidem the Demon God.

    Zothoth who Feasts on Sanity.

    Torra the Dread Dog.

    Gon the Sightless Freak.

    Yolesh the Ever Dying.

    Lerrewyn the Grasping Tree.

    Horgran the Butcher.

    Perrianon of Blood.

    Kygar the Storm Bringer.

    Ruminominex Shaper of Earth.

    Braxxin who Froze the Sky.

    Odren the Father of Monsters.

    Excerpt from ''The Gods of Rending'' in the imperial Library of Shuth, Author unknown.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Despite my misgivings about the current situation, I can see that Crinis is having a field day. I''ve been steadily making my way towards the area my two pets are active, trying together knots of monsters and hitting the asional heavy hitter with a pair of gravity bolts, effectively locking them down for a period of time.

    When I finally get a view of Crinis, she is merrily carving away at the monsters around her, rending them, twisting them apart, throwing them into her unending maw of eldritch terror and in general threshing the wheat that these monsters are to her. Only when somethingrger and more powerful approaches does she have any difficulty.

    As I approach, a mighty looking Lion Ogre charged at her, its heavy feet thundering into the ground as the powerfully built creature reached out with its wed hands.

    [Watch out, Crinis!] I shout.

    Naturally she was totally aware of the creature through her tremor sense. Something thatrge and heavy had to be lighting it up like a firework. Before it can grasp her, ten tentacles explode out of her main body and wrap around the creatures legs, pulling them together.

    CRASH!

    Howling with fury, the Ogre can''t maintain its bnce and copses to the ground, shaking the earth so hard that several nearby monsters lose their feet. Despite hitting the ground so hard, the monster isrgely unharmed. Snarling, the beast tries to rip at the tentacles binding its legs together but Crinis is already there.

    Yet more limbs snap out, twisting and winding around the monster, holding its wrists and torso. Crinis isn''t strong enough to win a contest of strength against something as physically imposing as a Lion Ogre, certainly not one of this size, but she doesn''t have to.

    A horrible buzzing sound erupts from the tentacles as Crinis unleashes her barbs. The tiny, hooked des but back and forth at incredible speeds and by the looks of things, the Lion isn''t enjoying it too much.

    Not content with this level of existential terror, Crinis unfolds her main body, exposing the ck, empty void ringed by distended fangs that is her mouth, and mps it down on her foes shoulder, tearing into it without mercy.

    The disy is made even more horrific by the fact that she''s still got tentacles out harvesting monsters around her, even as she takes on this big fish. I think her fear skill is kicking into effect actually, several creatures nearby are looking decidedly intimidated, hesitating as the bloodlust that filled them only moments before is drained away by the sight of this eldritch terror.

    You do you, Crinis. You''re alright in my books.

    Even so, I might turn myself around. It''s hard for me not to be able see what she''s doing but if I angle my body just right she falls into one of my more blurry patches of vision and I''m spared the full details of the gory scene.

    My face is already starting to ache from repeatedly using my biting skills. I''ve had the mana flowing into my mandibles for some time already, improving my cutting power but eventually I''m going to run out of stamina.

    Gritting my mandibles together I start to cut my way out of the horde, moving towards the colony.

    The Gravity Javelins have been having a better than expected effect. After firing twenty or so into the creatures there are many little knots of monsters that are frozen in ce. They aren''t smart enough to reason through the situation, so rather than try and move together, they just run about, smacking into the monsters around them and then getting pulled back together. The groups I stuck to the ground are even more debilitated. The further they get from the point I targeted, the stronger the pull. They''ve effectively been taken out of the fight.

    Each spear hasn''t done that much work but cumtively, the effect is substantially reducing the numbers of the horde.

    Ha!

    Finally!

    I burst out from amongst the monsters and dash with all of my strength to get ahead of them.

    Only to find workers running in the other direction, towards the horde.

    Dammit!

    The colony is already getting into the fight?!

    Gah! My feet scrabble against the ground as I dig my ws in and try to turn around as more and more workers charge past. In the distance I can see the ant hill swarming with workers as they pour out of the many chambers within, rallying to the defence of the colony.

    It wasn''t as if I thought I could keep them from the fighting, well maybe I did, but what I really want is to make sure as many as possible will survive.

    So I turn, and I charge alongside my siblings. All around me now they are silent, the asional ck of mandibles and the faint rasping of carapace as they run. To my antennae though, they are roaring.

    FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! ENEMY! ENEMY! FIGHT!

    The air is thick with the chemical signals of their rage. Their home is threatened and their Queen needs defending, so the colony will rise. The first workers smash into the edge of the monster wave, their mandibles working like machines. Wherever possible two or more ants will gang up on another monster, subduing it,tching onto its limbs and pulling it down before yet more workers approach to finish the job.

    Before I crash back into the horde, I see something else developing in my side view.

    The humans are also charging. Led by, believe or not, the one armed priest, they are wielding their motley collection of busted swords, farming implements and crude spears. Faces twisted with fear and desperation, but also courage and anger, they sprint as fast as their human legs will carry them towards monsters so muchrger than themselves.

    Thest thing I see is the priests face, alight with joy and righteousness, before I''m back amongst the melee, chomping away and crunching monsters as fast my mandibles can move.

 Chapter 131 Battle of Unity

    <h4>Chapter 131 Battle of Unity </h4>

    The frustrating thing about a battle such as this, where the numbers on both sides were rtively high and the fight was spread over a wider front, was just how hard it was to keep track of what was taking ce.

    My senses were overwhelmed on every front. Heat was thick in air from the exertion of thousands of bodies, my eyes were filled with the blur of rapid movement in every direction and my antennae were drowned in the pheromones of my fellow workers. Not to mention the vague impressions of the very near future I received, confusing, shifting images that fluttered against my mind like ghosts. It was a sensory overload and if I hadn''t quite as powerful a mental rig as I did then perhaps I wouldn''t have been able to process half of it.

    Thankfully, I could.

    I could parse all of it.

    It was a strange feeling, to say the least. My brain was able to ept and sort all of this information in a fraction of a second. I could see everything around me, track every enemy, see the subtle shifts of their future selves, observe their body heat and react. ws fell from all around me and I shifted my body at high speeds. A little to the left, nt my carapace a touch on the right, and blows slid off me, or scratched harmlessly against my diamond shell.

    Muahahahaha!

    I am all that is ant! Behold me!

    Phew. Need to cool off. Even in the midst of battle, it''s a heady rush. In the back of my mind I can hear the announcements of Gandalf, letting me know that my skills are improving, but that is the one thing I don''t have the attention to spare for, I can go over thatter.

    Right now, I need to kill! As fast as possible!

    If I had the time I could try and form a Gravity Bomb, but with the humans, Tiny, Crinis and now the colony involved, the risk of coteral damage is too damn high. This battle is simply one that we have to grind out, unfortunately.

    Luckily the workers are perfect for this. As soon as they arrive, they get stuck in, and they don''t stop. I move as fast as I can, ripping into beasts with all of my strength, more often than not just debilitating a monster before moving on. I can leave the remains to the workers but if I can disable as many foes as possible then I will, the survival of my siblingses first.

    My sub brains are ripping out Gravity Bolts as fast as they can. Every five seconds they st out a pair of the spells, rooting some unfortunate monsters to the ground, easy fodder for the follow up wave of workers as I wind my way up and down the front between the horde and the ants.

    [Work your way back towards me guys. Be careful you don''t catch any of the workers in your strikes.]

    Tiny and Crinis acknowledge me silently and I can feel them begin to shift slowly towards me. The two of them are still buried deep in the melee, surrounded by foes but for now they are still holding on. I make sure to warn them not to injure the colony since thest thing I want is to lose family members to Tiny''s lightning or Crinis'' maw.

    The two of them will need to act more cautiously, slowing their killing speed but I want them on this side to support the ants. The more help we have, the fewer colony members will fall.

    Idly I wonder how the humans the humans are doing on their side but I quickly push it out my mind. They have to look after themselves. Morrelia and her crew are over there and the vigers gained some levels and weapon skills when Beyn had them fighting Dungeon monsters in the vige. It will have to be enough for them.

    My family wille first. As always.

    Holy moly, I''m tired.

    I have to switch from using Shattering Bite to less draining skills. The punchier bite skills does a wallop more damage butes with a hefty cost to boot. I can maintain constant use in an extended fight like this, my face already feels like it wants to fall off.

    It would be nice if I could ''see'' my stamina as a resource. ording to Beyn, it''s a ''hidden'' resource in the system, unlike mana and health with are quantified and made visible to everyone. Apparently it''s possible to do the math and calcte how much stamina you have, how quickly it regenerates and how much your skills cost but I rejected Beyn when he (very eagerly) offered to run the numbers. I didn''t want to be ab rat for the priest, and the look in his eyes was off putting to say the least.

    Ripping Bite!

    Using the new, and slightly more brutal, ripping bite I continue to tear into the monsters as they appear before me. Evolved centipedes and Hounds are swarming around now, apparently they were huddled in the middle of the pack, letting their weaker evolutions suffer the first counter attack.

    I grit my mandibles.

    Going to grind this out the hard way.

    And we do.

    After a solid hour of biting, tearing, acid spraying and more biting, the ants from the colony and the human warriors meet each other in the centre of the field. All around is a carpet of ruined monsters, covering the ground with their ichor. The humans are covered in wounds, filth and are gasping for breath, their chests heaving under sweat stained clothes. The ants are fine. Their antennae flicking this way and that as they begin to turn and deal with the precious Biomass.

    Luckily I''d anticipated this moment. Since I was moving just ahead of the ants in the fray, I''d managed to run into the humans first. Cue me, desperately running backwards and forwards spraying ''Don''t fight! Food!'' pheromones all over the ce. The workers were a little confused but by that time there were so few monsters that Tiny was able to sprint along and pound them to g before the suddenly idle workers were attacked.

    Morrelia is there, her vicious, red eyed rage has run its course and she looks haggard, as if her own life force had been sucked out of her. I suspect it might be a cost imposed by activating her berserk state. Still, she stands tall, shoulders square, like a spartan, watching as the ants pick over the Biomass and begin to work, dragging it back to the colony for consumption and distribution.

    After all, we''ve got some specialrvae to feed over there.

    Exhausted, I fumble my way into forming a mind bridge with Morrelia.

    [You''d better get the humans to back off from this area] I say wearily, [It''s only a matter of time before one of the workers bumps into a human and attacks. If your people leave then they will focus on harvesting the food.]

    Even as visibly drained as she is, she still watches me carefully.

    [Why aren''t they as smart as you?] she asks, nodding towards the workers. [why are you so different?]

    [I don''t know] I lie, [look, there have been casualties for both my family and the vige today. Let''s notplicate things. Ask your people to move away before someone gets hurt.]

    Her jaw clenches stubbornly.

    [Some of these monsters have useful parts. The people could use them. We should get our share.]

    My temper res hot, but I try to tamp it down.

    [You aren''t wrong, but I can''t sort out a sharing arrangement right here and right now. Ask your people to step aside and I can ensure your vige will get a chance to harvest from the Dungeon, but if you don''t do it right now then people will die while you stand there wasting my time.]

    Her eyes sh hot at being spoken to like this by a monster but I''m right and she''s not so full of pride that she can''t recognise it.

    Her crew are standing behind her, the two female archers the grizzled axe guy and the swordsman. They are battered and bruised but they are still trying to put up a show of force behind their leader. It''s paper thin.

    For their part, the vigers are just happily staring at the workers as they go about their business, so drained and shell shocked from the battle that they seem to have forgotten not to get too close to the monstrous ants.

    That changes when Morrelia turns to speak to them. Eyes widen with understanding and they begin to step backwards cautiously, trying not to make any sudden moves to antagonise the workforce. I can even see the priest moving amongst their ranks, his robes torn and bloody. The man is like a cockroach, I swear he''s un-kible. He might have more inmon with insects than humans.

    Wearily I throw up my status to check my skill changes.

    Looks like I got three levels in Shattering Bite, two in Ripping Bite, one in Mana Miser, three in advanced exo-skeleton defence, two in Rapid Dash and two in stamina. There are a few skill upgrades to take of there, I''ll do itter when I have a bit more peace.

    A fairly good haul, I have to say. I don''t notice anything else odd about my status. Wearily, I turn to the Biomass. Better help get this stuff stowed away.

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 22 (Special core)

    Might: 41

    Toughness: 29

    Cunning: 44

    Will: 35

    HP: 58/58

    MP: 220/220

    Skills: Excavation Level 8; Improved Acid Shot Level 6; Advanced Grip Level 4; Shattering Bite Level 11; Advanced Stealth Level 5; Splintering Chomp Level 4; Tunnel Map Level 6; Mana Transformation Level 6; Forceful Mana Level 8; External Mana Maniption Level 2; Mana Sensing Level 5; Core Surgery Level 3; Advanced Exo-Skeleton Defence level 10; Pet Communication Level 3; Rapid Dash Level 3; Advanced Water Magic Affinity Level 3; Stamina Level 4; Pet Growth Speed Level 1; Mana Miser Level 5; Cerebral Endurance Level 4; Deep Mediation Level 2; Precise Shooting Level 3; Ripping Bite Level 5;

    Mutations: Omni Focused Eyes +10, Precognititive Infrared Antennae +10, Mana Eating Restrictive Acid +10, Absorption Legs +5, Savage Infused Mandibles +10, Hardened Diamond Carapace +10, Rapid Limb Regeneration nd +10, Pheromone Language nd +5, Deep Gravity Magic nd +5, Divergent Coordination Cortex +5, Regenerating Inner Carapace ting +5;

    Species: Dispersed Mind Ant (Formica)

    Skill points: 24

    Biomass: 356

 Chapter 132 245 - Gathering Thoughts

    <h4>Chapter 132 Chapter 245 - Gathering Thoughts </h4>

    All work and no y makes Anthony, something, something.

    Things have been way too busy! I need some rest!

    Not to mention they''re only going to get more busy from this point¡­ I need to help the humans out a little, get them up and running so they can look after themselves, especially now it looks like there will be more attacks from those damnable crocodiles, over the surface this time. I need to train up my own skills and fill myself with Biomass to get to the point where I''m ready to evolve. Not to mention I need to prepare for my evolution and decide what to do with the rare core. Not to mention, all of this has to be taken care of before the next generation of workers arrives!

    Almost makes me feel as if I wasted my time evicting the stupid Croca beasts from the expanse below, but I know that isn''t true. If we had to worry about attacks across the surface as well as from underneath, I''d be too stressed to let the workers out to hunt.

    So it''s not all doom and gloom.

    I''ve got a heap of Biomass to spend, I''ve got some skills that I can advance, and I''m sure the same is true for Crinis and Tiny. Vibrant is going to be super upset about missing the battle. All the action and food she missed out on? That''s gonna sting.

    Thinking of Vibrant, she''s been unusually responsible and active around the colony since we got back. I might want to ask about that.

    For now though, SLEEP.

    With Tiny and Crinis in tow, I depart from the scene of the battle where the workers are still picking over thest scraps of Biomass, cutting it up and carrying it in their jaws back to the anthill. I spent some time helping out, as well as snacking, which earned me another ten Biomass. Even Tiny and Crinis were helping. Tiny can carry an awful lot and Crinis is exceptional at¡­ separating the food into ¡­ more manageable sizes. I''ll phrase it like that.

    Hopefully none of the vigers were watching or they might have been put off their lunch.

    Down we go, into the massive mound of earth that is our home, through the Queens chamber and into our own little nook at the very bottom of the colony. Underground where the mana is still strong enough to sustain us.

    Crinis descends into the chamber as a mass of ink ck tentacles that quickly withdraw until she appears as a tennis ball sitting atop a single stalk. Tiny just slumps into a corner, throwing himself onto the floor and I swear he was snoring before he hit the ground.

    For my part, I find afy spot between them and grow very still, letting my thoughts slow until they too be frozen in ce and my awareness stretches out to nothing¡­

    HAGAH!

    I''m up!

    Snapping awake, the energy returns and my mind(s) snap into alertness with a suddenness that causes me to stumble slightly as my legs can''t quite keep up. Whoa!

    No problem!

    "Senior! What happened when I was out!" Vibrant loudly exims.

    Wazzat?!

    Turning rapidly, I see Vibrant has taken up a position on the wall near the entrance to our chamber. She probably noticed me awake and immediately asked what was on her mind.

    I decide to y dumb.

    "What do you mean? I don''t remember anything interesting happening¡­"

    "What, what?! The entire colony stinks of Biomass and the workforce is so fat they can barely move! Somethiiiiiiiiiing must have happened!"

    So full of curiosity is she that she''s practically vibrating in ce, her legs scritching and scrabbling against the wall so quickly she may as well be dancing.

    "Okay" I relent, "there was another mass monster attack but across the surface this time. We fought them off and the humans helped¡­ a little."

    "Whaaaaaaaaat?!" she cries, appalled.

    Heheheheh. I knew this would bug her.

    "Huge battle it was. Massive. Why, the horizon was filled enemies, from left to right, nothing but monsters,e to challenge the colony. The workers were heroic, standing tall as any ant has ever stood, why, each worker must have ounted for thirty monsters at least!"

    "No way, no waaay!"

    Unable to take my expansive boasting she leaps off the wall and starts pping me with her antennae, thwack, thwick, thwack!

    Gweheheheh.

    "All right! Enough already!" I fend her off with my own antennae and for a moment it feels like two ten year olds have a p fight until she finally gives up.

    She sighs, deeply.

    "If I''d stayed here instead of helping with hunting I would have got waaaaay more food."

    Which reminds me.

    "Why did you decide to help out with the hunting. Usually you just stick around here but you actually went and helped out on your own."

    Vibrant thinks for a moment, her antennae drawingzy circles in the air.

    "Don''t know!" she exims, "I just felt like the colony needed more food and the rest of the workers needed help!"

    Fair enough. Perhaps this is her advanced intelligenceing into y? Perhaps it''s something else. There is a different sort of air around her now that wasn''t present immediately after she evolved. She seems a little more¡­ grounded¡­ and the workers seem to follow along with whatever she''s doing.

    Even now there are two workers sticking their heads in here just to check up on what she''s doing! What''s going on up there guys?!

    Maybeter I''ll have to check in on her core and see if something is up in her status. Speaking of which, I''ve got points to spend!

    "The battle is over now and the food has been distributed, but there might be a bit still left up there if you want to go eat or help out."

    She''s immediately excited.

    "Kay!"

    Aaaand she''s gone. Motoring up the wall and out of the chamber, her followers racing along behind.

    First thing is to upgrade the skills that need it.

    [Ripping Bite -> shredding bite. Grants the user familiarity and knowledge to more effectively use bite type attacks to tear and break apart their foes.]

    Yikes.

    [Mana Miser -> Mana Scrooge. Increases the ability of the user to use mana more stringently, reducing waste whilst retaining effect.]

    Handy.

    [Advanced Exo-Skeleton Defence -> Expert Exo-Skeleton Defence. Grants high level expertise in using an external skeleton in a way to maximise defensive properties. Greatly increases the ability to disperse energy from hard strikes.]

    Very nice!

    [Mana Sensing -> Empowered Mana Sensing. Grants greater expertise in reaching further with mental senses, searching for mana patters and concentration. Increases the sensitivity of the sense, allowing for more urate readings of smaller stimuli.]

    Also good.

    The warm rush of new knowledge melts over my mind. It never gets old, feeling a rush of information just unfold in my mind is incredible. If I could learn this quickly as a human it would have handy to say the least. I might not have dropped out of school! Well¡­ I probably still would have¡­ who cares!

    I''ve got Biomass to spend, baby!

 Chapter 133 Changing Ways

    <h4>Chapter 133 Changing Ways </h4>

    When you spend your entire life learning to kill something, then killing that thing, it''s awfully hard to turn around and refuse those instincts, Morrelia reflected.

    Thinking back to her childhood, the long days spent drilling skills with her brother in the practice court whilst Mother watched,ughing at their exuberance. When her father was home he would take them the Legionary fort in Liria and they would practice with the trainees. Even from a young age the two children had been a match for those twice as old. She could remember once defeated an eighteen year old sword apprentice when she was only ten, not yet grown into her ss.

    Her father had smiled broadly and ordered the trainee to double his practice time before lifting his daughter in one massive arm and kissing her on the cheek. She''d been so proud.

    Her brother had shone even brighter, his skills rose so quickly as he trained with such ferocious intensity that he''d been epted to the Legion two years early, and immediately became the strongest trainee the moment he walked in the door.

    When he died it was like the light went out of their family.

    Father withdrew, mother left and when the time came Morrelia refused to enlist in the Legion, instead she soldiered around, fighting was the only thing she knew how to do and she was damn good at it. Eventually she settled on her current work, offering her services to viges and small towns on the border to deal with monster infestations. The pay was terrible and the experience was worse, with her skills she could have been a royal guard, but it wasn''t so bad, she felt useful.

    When she found a Dungeon entrance out here in the wilds, things had be better. She would sneak out here and delve, on her own at first and thenter with her team. The experience had been much better, not to mention the money, it allowed her to take poorer paying jobs helping the more remote viges on the edge of the wilderness and not go hungry.

    Now here they were. While she was out fighting, the entire kingdom had burnt to the ground. Father was who knows where in the Dungeon and she was stuck here in a refugee camp that worshipped monsters.

    Sitting in her tent, Morrelia sighed and rubbed her temples. By the System she was tired. The berserker rage always took a lot out of her but this was more than just that. The city of Liria had been her home, she knew so many people there. Her ssmates, the guards who taught her gambling skills behind her parent''s back, the Legion members she spent so much time around. All of it gone, ttened by Monsters.

    It just didn''t seem possible.

    Refusing to sit and dwell on it anymore, Morrelia forced herself to her feet and walked out of her tent., pushing the p aside with one calloused hand. Even if she was only twenty three years old, it had been a long time since she''d been home. She''d been out selling her sword since she was fifteen. The city was gone, the people were here and she''d be damned if she wouldn''t do what she could to help them.

    Dianne had set up their camp just outside the vige proper. The refugees were busy erecting buildings almost full time but it was never enough, more and more families arrived and they needed the shelter far more than her team did. They had their tents and bedrolls, they''d be fine.

    Despite the vicious battle only hours before there was a decided buzz about the ce. People rushed about, building, cleaning, distributing supplies and caring for the wounded. Morrelia''s feet took her to therge open area those who were injured in the battle were being tended.

    As she approached she could see dozens of men and women, on their backs, lying on simple wooden beams ced together to make a raised resting ce. Morrelia grimaced, there was nothing here that could be called a bed, not even close.

    To her shock there had been fewer casualties than she had expected. Once the berserker rage had fallen from her eyes and she realised the vigers hade out to fight, her first instinct had been that she might have killed some of them. Thankfully not. They''d fought well, the priest in the vanguard, chanting and swinging a hammer one handed.

    He was here now, by some miracle still standing, moving amongst the wounded, talking to them.

    She approached him.

    As she walked closer he caught sight of her and smiled.

    "Miss Morrelia. I had no idea you possessed the Berserker ss. Quite a rare thing indeed."

    She paused, not expecting him toment on it. Then she shrugged.

    "I''ve always had a temper, it just unlocked one day."

    The light in the priests'' eyes shifted and she knew he was aware of the lie but he let it pass. Instead, he walked closer, drawing her attention once more back to the thing she had been trying to avoid thinking about.

    "Now you have seen our saviour, the Great Ant, in battle. He is powerful, is he not? Even acting out to prevent the deaths of humans. I wonder how you will resolve that fact with your narrow view of monsters, Ms Morrelia?"

    Her immediate reaction was to sneer.

    "Don''t call me Miss."

    Eyes bright, Beyn nodded, waiting patiently for her to answer his questions.

    She sighed.

    "It''s a tough little bugger and no mistake", Beyn coughed at her disrespectfulnguage but she continued, "the magic it uses is weird, but effective. To be honest, those pets of his¡­"

    They might be even stronger than the ant was, which was ridiculous. The gigantic ape bat was clearly evolved from a lightning fist ape but it was a variety that she had never seen. It''s powerful electrical attacks and immense strength were frightening.

    And the tentacle creature. Morrelia shuddered. Seeing that thing, cutting, tearing and stuffing monsters into its seemingly bottomless mouth had been a disturbing sight to say the least. How the ant had managed to defeat such a strange variety of shadow beast she had no idea.

    There was no doubt in her mind that if it wanted them too, those two pets would tten the vige and destroy everyone in it without the creature having to lift a finger. Not that it had fingers¡­

    Thankfully it appeared to be one of a kind. If the rest of the colony were to be as powerful as that one ant¡­ It boggled the mind.

    Eventually she justughed.

    "I just don''t understand it" she finally admitted to the priest. "I''ve never heard of a monster that would act to protect humans. I don''t know how, I don''t know why. If I hadn''t witnessed it for myself I would never have believed it."

    Beyn nodded eagerly, his youthful face alight with energy despite the dirt and grime all over him. It was easy to forget that his man was no older than she was.

    "Yes. Yes! This is something knew, something different. The System has brought forth a miracle in order to save ¡­"

    Morrelia raised a hand to stall his gathering momentum.

    "Whoa there, buddy. I don''t need the whole sermon. I still don''t trust it, but I''m willing to give it a chance. I don''t have anything to do except stay here and help the refugees anyway, so my team and I will stick around."

    Beyn nodded.

    "In that case, you might want to find Enid, she''s sure to have a use for you."

    Morrelia found the white haired old woman in the thick of the action, as always. Her thin hair was tied up in a tight bun and a small knot of people followed her wherever she went, taking directions and asking questions as Enid continuously spoke in her soft, no nonsense tone.

    It turned out Enid most wanted Morrelia and her group to help with training the vigers. Apparently the farmers, with their ridiculous pools of stamina (the only thing the ss was good for) could handle the work, but the people needed to be able to defend themselves.

    Which is how she found herself not half an hourter with a small group of able bodied students aged from ten to forty, going over basic spear and sword forms.

    Training people to fight who worshipped a monster. What on earth would her father think?

    Morrelia chuckled to herself. Themander would throw a pink fit, but Titus wasn''t here right now and these people needed help. So she would help them.

 Chapter 134 Changer of ways

    <h4>Chapter 134 Changer of ways </h4>

    Right then. For the time being, my skills had been dealt with. Now for the juicy bit.

    The Biomass.

    But first.

    [Crinis¡­]

    When she received my mentalmunication the little ball shrinks in on herself, withdrawing her stalk until she''s almost touching the ground.

    [Um¡­ Y¡­ yes? Master?] she stammers.

    ¡­

    [Is there something you want to tell me? Has some sort of milestone been achieved?] I enquire.

    [N, no? I can''t think of anything like that, Master]

    So evasive!

    [You wouldn''t be worried about having to make choices for yourself again, would you Crinis? Panicked that you might make a selection that I didn''t approve of? If that were the case, I''d be quite disappointed] my voice drops to a sinister low by the end.

    [Hiiiiii!] she squeaks.

    I can only sigh. Why are pets so weird? This should be a joyous asion, the individual should be jumping for joy and as the master I would bathe in that reflected happiness, smiling deeply, feeling smug and satisfied that all things were travelling on the path that I ordained.

    No.

    Instead, I have to bully my own pet into evolving, or watch my pet evolve into an imbecilic lump of muscle meat. Crinis is just paranoid about having to make her own choices, not wishing to do something ''wrong''.

    [Look, Crinis, I''m very happy that you are ready to evolve. It''s a great thing! So as soon as we are finished speaking we will finalize your core and you will evolve. Okay?]

    [¡­..]

    [OKAY?!]

    [yes¡­ Master¡­.]

    Don''t sulk!

    [I want to remind you of something. When I recreated you from your core, I made sure to make adjustments so that you''d be perfect, the best little murder ball of boundless horror and death in all of Pangera. I also created a special evolutionary path for you. You understand?]

    The little ball seems struck dumb, growing incredibly still.

    [You did that Master? For me?]

    [Of course I did. We are connected by bonds of friendship, not just those of Master and servant. Whatever I can do to help you, I will. Do you understand that me creating your evolution means I''m meeting you halfway on this right? I''ve already made a good chunk of the decisions for you. The rest you need to look inside yourself to find the answers that best fit the kind of monster that you want to be."

    [¡­. But!]

    [No buts!]

    THWACK.

    Swinging an antenna around in a vicious arc I whack the little tennis ball right in the middle, sending her flying to the corner in which I keep my core stockpile.

    [Let''s do this!]

    Ignoring her attempted excuses and protests, I fuse together a special core and whack her on the head with it until she finally absorbs it.

    [Now go evolve, dammit!]

    [huuuuuu]

    Sniffling quietly to herself, Crinis retreats to one side of the chamber and begins the process of her evolution. This is only her second evolution but it''s going to be exciting to see exactly how she changes. I know the broad strokes of it of course, but exactly what she will decide to change for herself will be interesting to see.

    I know I''m being harsh on her, after all, the only thing she wants is to be as helpful as possible, but she has to develop some independence, be her own Crinis!

    With that dealt with I poke Tiny until he wakes and put him on guard duty. We are still in the Dungeon after all and if anything spawns in here I need it smashed ASAP. I''m going to be busy mutating and don''t want to be disturbed.

    Finally!

    It''s just me and three hundred and sixty six Biomass.

    It won''t go as far as I want it to go, I get that. I need to get all of my mutations to +15 before I evolve and I still haven''tpleted the +10 set yet. I''m determined this time though, no evolution until it''s done!

    To go from +10 to +15 is going to cost me¡­ Sixty five Biomass.

    ¡­.

    SIXTY FIVE?!

    Ugh. I hate being reminded of this. From five to ten is only forty byparison. I remember when that amount seemed outrageous.

    Well, nothing I can do about it but eat, I suppose.

    For now I want to test something that Beyn mentioned during our discussions. Apparently a big part of the System is focused on consolidation and reinforcement. Fusing is one part of this, where sses and skills can bebined to create a new and more powerful skill. The other side of the coin is when the System doubles down on one thing, making it a stronger and better version of itself.

    ording to Beyn, this typically urs in either threes or twos. Three skillsbine to make a new skill, or two ssesbine to create a new ss. It isn''t a hard and fast rule by any means, he said he knew of one ss which required ten levels in five(!) separate sses before fusion urred, but it is usually the case.

    How this applies to monsters he wasn''t sure, but I have a feeling that the +15 upgrade won''t be just choosing another mutation. I''m determined to find now before progressing any further on my other mutations.

    [Would you like to upgrade Mandibles to +15? This will cost sixty five Biomass.]

    You betcha.

    [At this level you may choose tobine your mutations, or emphasise one. Which will you select?]

    AHA!

    We were right!

    At this stage the System will either allow youbine your current mutations to create a new variant, or emphasise one of your mutations, enhancing it over the other. Interesting! The more I learn about the system the more depth it seems to have.

    Well, with my mandibles I have the infused mutation, which allows me to channel raw mana from my core into them in order to improve their cutting power, and the savage mutation, which increased their size, density and strength, making them the beastly tools of biting they are today.

    Is there one that I prefer over the other? Infused is probably the more powerful boost, but it costs mana, cing another drain on my mental resources, whereas savage is just a straight up passive boost, affecting the structure of the mandibles themselves.

    To be honest, they are a greatbo together. Savage improves my baseline biting power and Infused gives me a higher peak. There isn''t any reason to take one over the other.

    I''ll fuse them!

    Whoa, but first¡­

    [Do you wish to improve Hardened Diamond Carapace to +15, this will cost sixty five Biomass]

    May as well take care of this one at the same time.

    [At this level your mutations will be reinforced. Do you wish to proceed?]

    Hmm! So, since I chose to enhance the original mutation the second time around, I don''t have a fusion option now, only a reinforcement one. It''s not a problem though, I''ve grown super fond of my Diamond Carapace.

    Confirm both of those mutations!

    Wait a sec. I feel something building.

    As if from a great distance.

    Is it the ocean? The rising tide?

    ... nope. It''s the itch.

    PALLALAFLAZZZZ!

 Chapter 135 I mutate therefore I itch

    <h4>Chapter 135 I mutate therefore I itch </h4>

    Ho God! What the heck is this overwhelming itchiness!? From what depths of skin irritant hell did Gandalf find this sensation? My body is fire! My mind is breaking! Why am I the only one who seems to be bothered by this? When Tiny spends Biomass he barely twitches and Crinis doesn''t have a face so I can''t tell what her reaction is but they don''t seem to suffer like this!

    Why Meeeeee!?

    Eventually the torture ends and I slowly pick myself up from the ground.

    I hate it. I hate it soo much.

    Now what''s next?

    First I try to inspect my own carapace to see what has changed and unsurprisingly the shimmering diamond patches of my carapace have extended even further. Hang on a sec¡­

    I peer closer to try and get a better view and what I see shocks me.

    It isn''t that the patches of Diamond have expanded, but rather they''ve been pushed outward by a core of pure diamond. In the centre of each diamond covering the carapace itself, my own exoskeleton, has been transformed into actual Diamond.

    I''m getting more and more expensive¡­

    So is this what will happen if I keep choosing to upgrade this path? I won''t just get a diamondyer atop my carapace but my carapace will actually change into diamond?

    I''m not sure how to feel about that.

    Will my inner carapace ting still be able to heal my carapace if it''s made of diamond? I suppose it will, it all seems to mesh together even when you don''t think it should, Gandalf seems to have those things worked out well enough.

    Next I flex my mandibles, trying to sense if there is a difference. They certainly feel stronger and more solid. Curiously, I channel my mana into them and am pleased to note how smooth the flow of mana feels. The mandibles themselves immediately glow with the energy of mana. Ooooo this feels strong.

    Eagerly, I check my status to see what has changed.

    My Savage Infused Mandibles +10 has now be Empowered Mandibles +15 and my

    Hardened Diamond Carapace +10 has be True Diamond Carapace +15.

    And it only cost me 130 Biomass. *Sob*.

    Ok. Hold it together Anthony. Still have more to spend.

    236 Biomass left. Yikes.

    At forty Biomass a pop I have enough left to upgrade five body parts to +10, and I only needed enough to cover four, so I should be able to get one more part to +15! Fantastic!

    All right. Here we go!

    [Would you like to upgrade Pheromone Language nd to +10?]

    Yep!

    [At this level you may choose a mutation enhancement.]

    Once more the menu blossoms within my mind, filled with the possible selections of pheromone upgrades and there are tons.

    Acid pheromones that cause damage to any who inhale them? What the heck? I mean¡­ I guess the ants don''t inhale the pheromones so it wouldn''t hurt the colony¡­ Not sure on that one.

    Mind Strike pheromones that weaken the will of any whoe into contact with them? Could be handy for setting someone up for a mental attack¡­ pity I can''t do those yet.

    mmable pheromones, fill up an enclosed space with this stuff and then throw in a fire spell. Kaboom! So like, petrol fumes pheromones? WHY?!

    I spy one option that piques my interest.

    Persuasive Language Pheromones. Makes your pheromones more persuasive when being used tomunicate with others, causing others to consider your signals before listening to others.

    This sounds interesting. I might be able to get the Queen to reconsider the rare core situation with this! I''ll take it!

    [Would you like to upgrade your Deep Gravity Magic nd to +10?]

    A yeah.

    [At this level you may select a mutation enhancement]

    Aaand the menu again.

    There are still the same options I had before, as well as some new ones. The condensed Gravity magic nd sounds interesting. This is the one Tiny ended up choosing, which condenses the mana held within the nd slightly. If this upgrade were chosen multiple times and reinforced, perhaps you''d have fully condensed mana sitting in the nd, ready to go, without having to do any extra lifting with my brains.

    But I already have the brains to do that work so that seems like a waste.

    Quicker to refill the nd, mana bes more malleable for spell shaping, mana moves more smoothly. There are a lot of new effects that make spell casting with the mana easier but I feel like that''s a waste of potential. I can increase casting speed by buffing up my brains during evolution, I don''t need to utilise my mutations for that.

    What I really need to do is think forward to the +15 upgrade. Is there a possible fusion that I think would be powerful or should I double down on increasing the capacity of the nd, then reinforcing it to take the capacity even further?

    Personally, I like the idea of having more gravitational mana to y with. After talking with Beyn I now understand that the true power of gravity magic won''t reveal itself until I''m able to unlock the gravity mana affinity skill and start levelling it up. At that point I''ll be given the knowledge of the spell shapes that are unique to Gravity mana and make the most devastating use of its potential.

    So I''m going to take the Expanded Deep Gravity Mana nd.

    And next!

    [Would you like to improve your Divergent Coordination Cortex to +10]

    Let''s keep this rolling!

    [At this level you may select a mutation enhancement]

    Another menu!

    All this text is sending me cross eyes.

    The Coordination Cortex functions as a gatekeeper or secretary to sub minds, increasing their efficiency by sorting inputs and outputs before passing them onto the sub minds, allowing the little brains to better focus and make use of their resources.

    My first upgrade allowed the cortex to better assist the sub minds when they were focused on their own individual tasks, rather thanbining their strengths.

    There are a heap of options avable for this mutation, just as there is for all of them. I can have the cortex be more efficient at assisting minds casting certain kinds of spells, or increase the efficiency of working on certain types of mana. There is a further upgrade on the divergent mutation which assists the brains when they are each concentrating on multiple tasks. Yikes.

    Thinking further ahead though, to the +15 stage, I want to aim for a fusion. My sub brains are for spell casting and I want them to be able to be all singing and dancing. Good at casting spells individually but also working together in a group.

    Combined Coordination Cortex. Increases the efficiency of attached sub brains when working together to aplish a sophisticated task.

    Sounds simple in theory. I''ll take the mutations that make them better at both single tasks and cooperation and then fuse them, see what I get. Hopefully it doesn''t suck.

    NEXT.

    My inner carapace ting!

    [Do you wish to improve Regenerative Inner Carapace ting to +10]

    Lez goooo.

    [At this level you may select a mutation enhancement]

    Soo many great options for the bone ting. Strengthen the ting overall, making it like a second skeletal structure, improve the regenerative ability, improve the speed of the regenerative ability, extend the bone ting inwards so that it protects some organs from damage.

    So many!

    Eventually one catches my eye. My diamond carapace is tough as nails and extremely sparkly. I get that, but my main concern with it is a strong blow cracking it, from a hammer or axe type weapon, of a monster like Tiny punching me. To protect myself against that, I need:

    Dispersive Bone ting. Forms an absorbentyer against the outer skeleton that assist in absorbing and dispersing kic energy from hard strikes.

    I like it. My exo-skeleton is my pride and it shall never be pierced! I won''t rest until I''m as solid as a tank!

    Although I really need to work on my magic defence.

 Chapter 136 Hey big spender

    <h4>Chapter 136 Hey big spender </h4>

    This is a big moment for me. I''ve nearly upgraded every body part to +10. It isn''t the full milestone that +15 would be, but it''s partway there! My mutations have beengging behind for way too long, it''s nice to finally be able to boost up this side of the power equation. I''ve been neglecting the various aspects that can contribute to my strength, apparently to my detriment.

    Ensuring that my core is fully upgraded and evolving has certainly helped, but my skills and mutations have suffered from ack of patience and dedication. That stops now! From here on in, it''s going to be skills and Biomass number one! Evolution is for chumps and Anthony''s who''ve fully mutated themselves.

    Let''s get back to sorting out this mutation bonanza!

    The only part left to mutate to +10 is my legs, the famous tippity tappers! My dancing feet! Which reminds me, I need to check the skills menu for ''fancy feet''. I want to know what the heck that skill does. I can''t help but wonder if Tiny is tap dancing when I''m in torpor.

    [Would you like to improve your Absorption legs to +10? This will cost 40 Biomass]

    Yassss!

    [At this stage, you may select a mutation advancement]

    Hit me with that menu!

    So many great options for legs. Leaping legs is one that grabs my attention immediately. I''d be like the famous Jack Jumper ants, able to leap and deliver my menacing bite from a distance! As cool as I think it would be, I''m not sure how good I''d be jumping into the middle of a pack of enemies, I can''t make quite the samending as Tiny can.

    What else have we got?

    I can double down on Absorption, there are a few options for that, increasing the rate of absorption at a constant rate, or allowing me to dramatically increase it for a short amount of time. There are options to add slicey looking des to the end of my ws, allowing me to attack with my feet or options to increase running speed, reduce stamina cost from dashing, improve my climbing ability.

    Argh! So much cool stuff!

    Think Anthony!

    Look, I don''t think I need more mana. I have the absorption already, and mana miser is helping to reduce my spending, not to mention I have a huge pool of mana to start with, especially for the number of evolutions I''ve experienced. I''ve maxed out my core, so my raw MP is high, and my Gravitational Energy nd has a huge tank, so I''m not likely to run out of mana in a hurry.

    So putting those upgrades aside, what would make a goodbo with absorption, something that would make a sensible fusion option? I don''t have to fuse either, I could emphasise one aspect or the other.

    If we get right down to it, what do I want most out of my legs? Speed and mobility obviously, but I have skills working on that area as well. I have the Stamina skill to build out my stamina and I have the dash skill for speed. Is it worth it to double up and have a mutation as well as a skill affecting the same thing? Maybe that''s what I should do in order to get truly impressive results¡­

    Alright, I think I might test something here, not that this mutation is a bad general choice anyway.

    I''m going to take Rapid Legs. Increases running speed andteral movement potential of the legs.

    Very basic and utility upgrade. Even if it doesn''t work out exactly the way I want, I can''t imagineining about being able to move faster. Whether running into danger, or out it, going faster is always a good option!

    Right then! Time to confirm the purchase!

    [Would you like to improve:

    Pheromone Language nd to Persuasive Pheromone Language nd +10?

    Deep Gravity Magic nd to Expanded Deep Gravity Magic nd +10?

    Divergent Coordination Cortex to Combined Divergent Coordination Cortex +10?

    Regenerative Inner Carapace ting to Dispersive Regenerative Inner Carapace ting +10

    Absorption legs to Rapid Absorption Legs +10? ]

    This is one hell of a purchase.

    At forty each, upgrading five body parts is going to set me back a cool two hundred Biomass! I''ll have thirty six left at the end of it, twenty four shy of upgrading something to +15.

    Confirm that purchase!

    So exciting!

    ¡­.

    Wait.

    ¡­.

    HOW DO I ALWAYS FORGET THE IIIIIIIIITCH!

    I can feel it! It''sing! Oh no! ohnoohnoohnoohnoohnoohnoohnoohnooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR!

    FLABBADABBAFLAAZZZZZZZZ!!!!

    Worse than ever before, the mutation creeps over my entire body, my legs, my nds, the bony tes along the inside of carapace, everywhere! An itch I can''t scratch, so intense I can''t stand it! This is agony!!!

    Immediately I roll onto my back, unable to support my body and twitch there like an electrocuted spider.

    FLAZZA!

    KRAZZA!

    FTAGN!

    BROFLOFLAFOFF!

    And on. And on. And oonnnnnnnnn.

    Make it STAHP!

    ...

    Eventually it fades away. My body has finished performing whatever magic it does when the pure essence of Biomass floods my system, rebuilding my body and reshaping my cells at a stupidly rapid pace.

    When you think about it, it does make a certain kind of sense that it would be an intense feeling, the body itself is being restructured in a pretty serious way after all. I just don''t get why it doesn''t seem to bother anyone other than me!

    I''ve spent a massive amount of Biomass, three hundred and thirty points, and endured the worst itching of my ant life, but I''ve done it. A major step has been taken in the pursuit of the fully upgraded ant pre evolution.

    With that out of the way there is so much to do it still makes me dizzy. Hunting needs to happen obviously, grinding skills along the patterns that Beyn and I discussed, helping the humans out a bit, preparations for the new generation. Too busy!

    First I decide to check in with the twentyrvae ying about in the chambers towards the top of the nest. When I get there the little grubs are still rolling about, stuffing themselves full of food provided by the battle above. Some of the little things are so stuffed they look like pale basketballs and I can''t rolling them around and giving them a tickle with my antennae until they wiggle about trying to escape my clutches. A!

    Enough with thervae teasing. Time to check in on the Queen.

    Let''s see if I can utilise my new persuasive pheromone nd to change her mind about the rare core. Surely she can see the value in improving her own strength?

    THWACK!

    NOPE!

    Rubbing my head with my own antennae, I retreat from a clearly irritated Mother into my own chamber. The new inner carapace ting upgrade is showing its worth here, that blow hurt less than usual thanks to the force being dispersed through the inneryer. Nice to see the ning together!

    Gweheheheh.

    I don''t know what I''m going to have to do with that rare core¡­ I may have to try and absorb it chunks? Is that even possible? Guess we''ll find out¡­

    I move over to my favourite death ball of endless darkness to see she''s fallen into the evolution trance. She must have finished going through the menus as I was still ying with mine and now she''s undergoing the evolution proper.

    I feel a pang in my chest as I think of her tackling those menus. I know she hates it, but I feel unhappy with my pets relying on me to that extent. I want them to be able to take care of themselves and be independent.

    Perhaps the reason I feel so ufortable with Crinis'' dependence on me is because I''m just not used to having someone rely on me, or value my input at all really. The only creatures I can think of that actually needed me in my human life where my pet ants. That''s probably why I was willing to sacrifice so much for them¡­

    Anyway!

    Something to think about another time. She''s managed the tough bit for now and I''m excited to see just how she''lle out. A new and improved Murder Ball! Maybe though, just maybe, I''ll help her with the menus next time.

 Chapter 137 The ancient itch

    <h4>Chapter 137 The ancient itch </h4>

    Somewhere in the forest expanse a predatory. Old and imcable it had hunted these tunnels for hundreds of years. How many creatures had perished between these jaws? How many had been torn by these ws? It was a number too vast to have meaning. Uncountable.

    In the early times, where the memories are dim and blurred, it had hunted with such intensity, such ferocity, nothing was safe from its grasp, nothing could escape its immting breath. Many had tried, powerful beasts, the old kings, beasts grown fat and idle, content to rule their own tiny ponds and venture out only to sustain themselves.

    They had all been hunted down, dragged from theirirs and consumed, fuel to the ever burning fire. The predator had grown strong, powerful. It had revelled in that strength at first, seeking more powerful prey, greater challenge, descending ever downwards.

    But the one known as Garralosh had grown too strong, too fast. When the call hade, Garralosh hadn''t realised what it was at first. It was vindication, triumph! Her long years of struggle, the lonely hunt, had finally borne the ultimate fruit! Recognised for the prowess, the bottomless strength cultivated with the broken bodies of fallen enemies.

    It hade too soon. No sooner had the announcemente, then a pull began to exert itself on her. Descend, descend, descend, descend! Every day, every hour, every second, the call tugged, an endless itch that demanded to be scratched.

    At first it was fine. Garralosh wanted to descend, wanted to seek its rightful ce alongside its peers in the centre of this world. But when it tried to get there ¡­ blocked, prevented, barred. No matter where it went, which paths it travelled, they were always there, pushing Garralosh back, fending it off. Barricades that it could not break through, defences that did not yield to her assault, warriors who did not fear her fangs.

    They fought, so many times, Garralosh killed them, feasted on them, but was never able to break through, always forced to retreat.

    And the pull. It grew every passing moment, insistently tugging at the soul. Descend, descend, descend, DESCEND, DESCEND, DESCEND!

    Desperation had followed, then rage, world burning, soul immting rage. Still there was no breakthrough, Garralosh could not breach past the hated soldiers in ck. They tracked, harried, harassed and repelled the great predator every time it drew near the borders. They had erected a cage around it and no matter how desperate it be, the beast could not escape it.

    Then the madness came.

    Garralosh shifted her massive bulk, cracking a few trees against her scales. It irritated her, to think back to that time, when the madness had finally taken her. She had charged at the blockage, storming the defences. Battered and bruised, she had killed many but payed a hefty price. Finally the ck shirts had brought out their champion and they had done battle.

    BOOM!

    She thrashed her tails amgrily, sweeping away a swathe of the forest in one moment.

    The human had been incredibly strong. They had duelled for hours until finally one of her arms had been smote from her body, the grievous wound forcing her to flee. Even worse, that hungering axe had cursed her flesh, inflicting unending agony and preventing the limb from growing back.

    Even now, many yearster the effect of the curse still lingered, a dull ache that refused to fade. The arm was still notpletely healed, despite enormous efforts being spent.

    Her children watched her from a distance. She could feel them, hesitating to draw closer as they knew the danger of being caught within range of her jaws when the rage struck her. Unable to fight, tormented by the constant tugging at her core, she had started to raise these children in earnest. An army, to help her break the blockade and make her way deeper into the Dungeon atst.

    She had carefully nurtured the first generations, then allowed her children to roam free, letting the strong feast on the weaker monsters in the upperyers before returning to join the ranks of her army.

    She had been prepare to wait. Wait until the tide of her crocodilic children was overwhelming before storming the ck shirts and tearing them to pieces.

    But the wave happened. The mana had surged higher and higher, easing the painful drain on her core and allowing her to rise higher and higher in the Dungeon until finally, she was close enough to the surface to direct her children out of the Dungeon to annihte the cities of the humans that had barred her way for so long.

    The thought of those people, crushed and consumed by her children, filled her with glee. She wondered if the ck shirts down below knew what she had done? Did they cry? Gnash their teeth and weep with rage?

    She hoped so.

    Vaguely, a part of her wondered if she should feel any sorrow for the thousands she had killed. Perhaps once, she might have.

    When Garralosh tried, when she reached far back, into the depths of her mind, she can remember a different time, when she wasn''t a creature of the Dungeon, she''d been something else, soft and pink, vulnerable and weak.

    She could no longer remember if those memories were dream or reality. She could vaguely remember her first years in the Dungeon, the fear, the terror, the sheer exhration.

    But even those fractured memories, of a softer world and a different her, they didn''t feel peaceful. She could remember blood, she could remember her hand, without ws, but with a knife. She could remember the fear, the terror and the exhration.

    Garralosh shifted her weight slightly, then levered herself onto her feet.

    Whatever she had been before, whatever she was now, she was extremely confident of one thing.

    She had always been a monster.

    GRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOWWLLLLL.

    The rumbling of air through her throat caused the trees to shake and the rock to crack. She turned to where her strongest children had been widening the tunnel for her. She could barely fit now, but it would be enough.

    With a surge of mana and her powerful strength she rushed forward, every step carving huge gashes into the stone beneath her feet. The ground itself trembled at her passing and she rushed passed her gathered children, into the tunnel and then up.

    The mana had grown high enough now, impossibly high. She would go the surface and see the ruined cities for herself. She would crush everything that she found and devour the humans whole until their bodies quenched her hunger for vengeance. She would rampage and kill, harry and hunt until the cursed ck soldiers abandoned their posts and rushed to stop her. Then she would destroy them, feast on their remains and finally, finally, she would answer the call and descend to join the Ancients.

    Her lips drew back from her obsidian teeth in a Crocodilic grin.

    She would im her rightful ce atst.

 Chapter 138 The new Crinis

    <h4>Chapter 138 The new Crinis </h4>

    [Crinis, you look wonderful!]

    [R,r,r,r, really, Master?!]

    [Absolutely. What a wonderful evolution! Such an incredible difference! You positively radiate power and strength! Surely you are my most potent servant]

    Crinis wiggles with glee in front of me.

    [D, don''t praise me too much] she says, embarrassed but also delighted.

    [Nonsense. I insist youe over here so I can check on your core immediately!]

    Buttered up by my words, Crinis makes her way towards me shyly.

    She looks pretty muchpletely the same.

    The only difference is that she has been promoted from tennis ball of infinite death and despair, to soft-ball of infinite terror and despair! To put that in other words, she''s slightlyrger.

    On the outside, nothing else has changed with her, the inside is a different story.

    However, after reflecting on my attitude towards Crinis, I reasoned that she would be nervous after evolving, so I thought I should try and praise her a little, put her at ease.

    Practically vibrating with joy, Crinis allows me to ce my antennae on her spherical main body and activate the Core Surgery skill.

    When I finish piecing together her information, I get this:

    Name: Crinis

    Level: 1 (core)

    Might: 78

    Toughness: 65

    Cunning: 34

    Will: 32

    HP: 130/130

    MP: 210/210

    Skills: Advanced Shadow Flesh Maniption Level 6; Advanced Grappling Level 4; Expert Shredding Level 6; Enhanced Tremor Sensing Level 1; Brutal Dismembering Level 2; Greater Fear Inspiration Level 2; Mana Maniption Level 3; Tentacle Walking Level 4;

    Mutations: Durable Shadow flesh+5; Disintegrating Void Maw +5; Bottomless Dimensional Stomach +5; Dividing Tentacles +5; Ripping barbs + 5; Macabre Teeth + 5; Mana Sensory nd, Shadow Magic nd. Shadow Flesh Generator

    Species: Special Death Ball

    Skill points: 12

    Biomass: 243

    Yissssss.

    Look at the power of my pet!

    Solid boost to all stats, Crinis isn''t a straight up hitter but a support fighter. Tiny can smash through the walls, I want Crinis to be a bit more flexible.

    The two new organs I''ve selected, the Mana Sensory nd and the Shadow Flesh Generator should be fantastic additions.

    It was a bit weird, but none of Crinis'' system built evolutions included any mechanism to take away her primary weakness, ack of senses. She was supposed to remain sealed off from all senses except touch for the remainder of her existence, which just seems weird. It kind of feels like whatever decides the Monsters forms and paths loves toe up with a concept and then stick with it absurd extremes.

    I did investigate simply giving Crinis some eyes but the cost is actually quite high. When I thought about it a bit, it does make sense. Eyes areplex organs and require significant brain matter to process the visual signals with any sort of rity. So rather than use up the bulk of an evolution simply sticking eyes on Crinis, I instead opted to give her a different sense.

    The mana sensory nd works much like magical sonar, or like a permanently active version of my own mana sense skill. She''ll be able to ''see'' and visualise mana sources near her, which will of course include monsters, who are filled with the mana generated within their cores. Combined with her tremor sense, she''ll have a unique set of senses that arepletely her own.

    Then the Shadow Flesh Generator. Being a shadow beast, her body has a different make up than the beast type creatures and shadow flesh has its own properties. Malleable, strong, flexible, all good stuff, but it isn''t that tough. Rather than try and make the shadow flesh more defensive,rgely a waste of time, make it easy to rece!

    With the increase to her Might and Toughness stats, Crinis has experienced a boost in her mass, meaning there is more shadow flesh packed into her. This nd will effectively provide a high speed regeneration option should she start to lose tentacles or have holes shot into her. It was the best healing option I could find for her after spending a heap of time mucking about looking through options.

    The shadow magic nd is her own choice. It seems she may have been inspired by me a little and decided to go down the road of inherent magic produced in a nd and controlled magic utilising the raw MP from the core. She has a natural affinity with shadow magic anyway, so I think this is a smart choice.

    Very satisfied with what I''ve found, I withdraw my senses from her core only to find Crinis hovering unusually still.

    [Great job Crinis! I''m super proud of you. The choice of the Shadow Magic nd makes a lot of sense. Great work!]

    [HRCK!]

    ¡­.

    What?

    Ah, she broke.

    Looking closely I can see that she''s gone into silent, vibrate in ce mode.

    Too much praise, she couldn''t handle it all. I think I''ll need to give controlled doses of positive reinforcement over the next week or so to try and build up some level of tolerance within her, because this is just ridiculous.

    Sighing inside, I shift to another part of the cave and try to decide on my next moves. As I walk closer, Tiny looks across at me before settling himself back into guard position.

    Suddenly one of his handssh out and smash into the wall of the chamber, crushing a monster just as it was emerging from the stone. Without changing expression, the big ape grabs the biomass in one hand, shoves it into his mouth and then repositions himself on the other side of the room. He must have developed a method for sensing where the next monster will emerge from and when because he''s gotten so damn good at being ready for it.

    Not that I''mining. I can sense them perfectly well with my heat detecting antennae, but I don''t want to spend my time cleaning up these small fry.

    I have a heck of a lot more work to do. I think the next cab off the rank will be sorting out the humans. I think I get onto that rtively quickly and get it out of the way. After that, I have a list of things that I want to prepare regarding the setup of the nest in order to prepare for the next generation and then I need to get onto my skills training!

    Phew¡­ So busy.

 Chapter 139 Getting down to work

    <h4>Chapter 139 Getting down to work </h4>

    It''s time to get down to work and we have a longundry list of things to do.

    When Crinis revives, I put her on guard duty and take Tiny topside. The first order of business is to lend our muscle to the vigers as they struggle to make space for the growing number of refugees.

    With Tiny''s significant physical prowess we were able to fell trees and clear a wider area for the vigers to use. My own expertise in digging is also put to good use, ttening out terrain, digging foundations for a fewrger buildings and my supreme +15 mandibles are tested for the first time cutting stone.

    Turns out there''s a decentyer of usable stone a few kilometres from the vige. After clearing the dirt around the area I charged my mandibles will mana and utilised the incredible sharpness to cut out blocks that were then transported on rollers to be used in some more advanced construction.

    Despite working fairly feverishly, I did notice the Morrelia had taken up the role of drill instructor, she had cleared a space outside the vige as a rudimentary training court and was absolutely shredding the hide off a surprising number of grinning vigers.

    Looking at the smiling faces of those men and women only reinforced my impression of these people further.

    These vigers are crazy.

    No matter how hard she drilled them, runningps, practicing sword strokes, spear practice, physical exercise, they enthusiastically threw themselves into it with seemingly boundless positivity until they fell over. At that point, another group of vigers would arrive, drag the victims into the shade, give them some water, and then jump into the training themselves.

    When I approached a frazzled looking Enid about the puzzling behaviour, she was happy to exin it.

    [This is a chance for them to change their lives. Most of these people were farmers,bourers, servers or cooks before they were forced to flee. With sses like that, they have little agency in being able to control their own destiny. Simple people like us are reliant on the more martial sses to protect us and as such we are always dependant.]

    Turning her tired face towards the training fields, she smiled.

    [Now they have an opportunity to step up and protect themselves, their families and strike back at the monsters who took their homes. Of course they are overjoyed. Not to mention.]

    She turned back to me, aplicated look on her face.

    [Everything they need just seems to fall into theirp ever since they started following you. There are weapons, metals, a smith has arrived and Beyn has been freely sharing his knowledge of sses and skills. Out of nowhere we have a monstrously strong trainer and you have agreed to assist them in levelling them. This is an opportunity that no one here could have dreamed of only a few months ago.]

    I look askance at her for a moment.

    [You aren''t starting to buy into Beyns'' rubbish are you? I am certainly not a divine messenger of any kind.]

    Enid chuckles and brushes her near white hair back from her forehead.

    [If you keep producing miracles at the rate you have been, I''m not going to have much choice am I?]

    [Please, no. Just, no. If you started treating me like that I''d go nuts. Honestly, I probably wouldn''te back.]

    That just made herugh more.

    [I''ll try to keep any regard I develop for you to myself then.]

    [You better.]

    After talking with her, I kept a closer eye on the vigers and it was true that they did seem to have arge amount of pep in their step, and not only those training with Morrelia. All of them were working industriously and spent their time building, fixing, helping, discussing or throwing themselves into the millions of tasks that arise around any group of people.

    Considering they''d just fled their homes and certainly lost family members over thest period of time they were almostically chipper.

    After a few days of solid effort, Tiny and I had cleared enough space, and provided enough raw materials to keep them going for a while yet. Those with construction rted skills and sses were hard at work transforming our efforts into buildings and the sounds of hammering and sawing could be heard even from the anthill.

    After retreating to check on Crinis and tickle thervae some more it was time to take a few vigers into the Dungeon. Not before I chased down Vibrant to see what on earth she was up to. Turns out her little retinue of workers had swelled to nearly ten and they were madly dashing about above and below ground, rustling up food. They''d kept the grubs so fat they positively gleamed with chubby health and the Queen was already considering the next clutch of eggs.

    Two hundred fresh members of the next generation had beenin the other day, workers already obsessing over them, and now she wanted toy another two hundred!

    I''d had to beg her to hold off at least a few days so that we had enough time to get the new ants up to speed and properly trained before another wave of hatchlingsnded on my head. She reluctantly agreed but I can see that the joy of fulfilling her function after so long has been building in her.

    Since just before I was born, the colony has been on struggle street, the nest raided, workers ughtered, chased from their nest and it''s only now that we have achieved the stability to grow the ant colony the way it was almost meant to grow.

    I can understand her impatience. I really can.

    The next day Tiny and I took the small group of vigers who had achieved a basicbat ss after their harsh grilling from Morrelia into the shortcut.

    Enid decided to tag along to make sure no idents happened and to help me ry my instructions to the people. Curiously, Morrelia decided not toe, preferring to stay and continue training the vigers.

    It was an uneventful trip to be honest. I sent Tiny ahead and let him smash everything that had spawned to the state of near death and then walked down with the vigers, allowing them to take turnsst hitting the monsters and taking in the experience.

    Judging by the looks on their faces and the repeated bowing, they were pretty happy with the results despite it only costing Tiny and I a couple of hours and almost no effort.

    Still, the first power levelling trip was a sess. I asked Enid to strictly warn them not to enter the shortcut, ever. It was for ant use and let directly deep into the firstyer, meaning more powerful monsters could theoretically use it to approach the surface.

    Not to mention, Tiny might simply smash a human to death before he even recognised them if he ran into one down there.

    This was a very much ''for your own safety'' sort of warning.

    After agreeing to make another trip for the next group of vigers to achieve their ss, it was time to turn my attention to the ant nest, specifically, the farms.

    I''d been sending Crinis in there to clean them up periodically, but now it was time to take this farming simtor to the next level in order to provide the kind of oomph we were going to need to raise up strong workers quickly.

 Chapter 140 Preparations continue

    <h4>Chapter 140 Preparations continue </h4>

    It would be utterly ridiculous if the humans were to be working harder than the ants. That is a situation that could never be borne! Never! Ants are the hardest working, most industrious species on the face of the earth.

    Never tiring! Never slowing!

    Now it''s time to show it!

    Watching the humans feverishly working as if possessed by a spirit of madness has ignited a fire within my ant soul. I refuse to be outworked!

    I mean ¡­ the rest of the colony are working their guts out, as always, it''s only me that takes breaks. The workers are either tending to the sudden influx of eggs, keeping them clean, keeping them the right temperature, shifting them between chambers to make sure the moisture in the air is correct, or tending to thervae, feeding them, keeping them plump and happy. Not to mention that Vibrant has been racing about, followed by her own loyal posse of workers, at a mad dash, hauling piles and piles of surface monsters back to the nest.

    ording to her, the surrounding forest is starting to look a little thin of surface monsters so I rmended she take her group into the Dungeon farms and upper tunnels to beef up her helpers and provide some more Biomass rich material for the colony.

    No sooner had the words left my mouth than she was off, dashing down into the Dungeon and soon enough she was back with her team, carryingrge mandible loads of Biomass.

    Naturally this means the Queen is getting ready toy another clutch in the next few days. All of this Biomass hasrgely been funnelled towards her which means my own preparations need to step up a gear!

    First!

    The farms!

    What''s wrong with the farms? Nothing!

    What do we need? MOAR FARMS!

    We need to pump out Biomass and cores at a faster rate than ever before in order to kick start the growth of the hatchlings, and there are going to be a heck of a lot of them!

    So the first thing I do is clear out the existing farms and chow down, no need to waste the food and I somewhat spitefully want to keep it from the Queen in order to slow down the rate of growth, if only a little.

    Thiss me a quick 30 Biomass, since they were rtively empty already due to Vibrant and Crinis'' attention over thest few days. Then the excavation starts. Currently the farms are four , round chambers about twenty metres beneath the surface. In my grand expansion n I add another eight chambers, the new ones roughly double the size of the previous.

    Due to the size of the task I end up recruiting Vibrant and her gang when they return to the nest and we get our face hands stuck into the dirt.

    Ah! The bliss! Ant zen, how I''ve missed you!

    A huge digging project like this produces a heck of a lot of dirt and the vigers are treated to the sight of a steady stream of workers crawling about on the anthill, dumping loads of dirt and doubling the size of our visible home on the surface.

    I''m almost curious to ask what they think we are up to over here but I don''t need the attention, there''s a ton more work to do after all.

    Once the digging is done and I''ve collected two levels in my excavation, enough to advance it to the third rank, expert excavation, I need to do try and increase our core farming speed.

    Unlike at ourst nest, I don''t have a convenient pool of mana charged water that I can siphon off into the nest, in fact, the closest water supply is the river on the other side of the vige.

    Theoretically I could use my water magic to create all of the water that we needed but ording to Beyn, materials created by mana don''t quite have the same natural properties or capacity to hold mana quite like the original does. You can survive on mana produced water, for example, but it doesn''t hydrate nearly as well as natures'' own. This applies to anything made with mana apparently. You can make metals with some advanced sses of earth mage but they just aren''t as good as what can be mined. So rather than settle for second best, I want a natural water source for the farms.

    What does that mean? More digging!

    With Tiny helping me, I get straight into digging out a channel that leads from close the anthill towards the river in a curved line that takes us around the southern edge of the vige. Whilst we take care of the surface side of the equation, I ask Crinis to use her tentacles to burrow holes from the end of the channel that drain into the upper four farms, then create a pool in each of those farms that allows the water to drain off the top into further holes into the lower eight farms.

    With my increasingly magnificent digging skills and Tiny''s brute strength, we dig out a fairly sizeable channel in under a day. It takes a bit longer to make sure the banks of our channel are properly squashed t to prevent leaking and then to create a gate mechanism at the river end and at the anthill end. Thest thing we want is to dump a river worth of water into the nest¡­

    The thwacking I would get from the Queen. Yikes.

    Our work didn''t go unnoticed in the vige and Enid came out to ask us what the hell we were up to. Once we manage tomunicate the thrust of the project, the farmers get immensely excited and it isn''t long before Enid approaches to ask if I can assist them with a channel system for their farms. In return they offered to forge up some proper gates for our irrigation system, something I was happy enough to ept.

    No way I''m digging it for them until I clear my schedule though!

    The ecstatic vigers were delighted to have a chance to help out their saviour the ''Great Ant'' and they forged day and night to get the gates in ce as soon as possible. So it was that a dayter the final barrier between the river and the channel were cleared away and sweet, sweet water flowed to the anthill and down into our farms where it began to absorb the ambient mana in the air, drawing our own home grown, free range monsters to feast and hopefully form some cores.

    Excellent.

    With the major renovations to the nestpleted, I can let the elerated spawn of monsters during the wave take care of the rest and popte the farms. If we keep a steady drip of water going, hopefully in a few days we''ll be able to harvest a nice haul of cores.

    It had better be that quick. We reached another milestone whilst I was busy digging. At first just one but then all of the first twentyrvae started rolling about and spinning their cocoons.

    In a short amount of time they had be pupae, the final stage.

 Chapter 141 Check out my skillz

    <h4>Chapter 141 Check out my skillz </h4>

    I''m exhausted and my mandibles are aching something fierce after all that digging, but is it time to rest?

    NOPE.

    Those damn pupae are teasing me with their very existence. The twentyrge casings are resting against the side of a chamber, taunting me with their stillness. Within them, the hope of ant kind is taking the final steps of their gestation, turning from a grub into something more, something incredible. The ant species to end all ant species.

    At least that''s what I''m hoping for. If they suck I''m going to be really disappointed¡­

    It shouldn''t happen though! I reinforce my own positive mindset. They are going to be great, I''ve put so much effort into creating them and into making sure they''ll get a solid boost to start out their new lives, surely they''ll be great!

    The closer this project is getting to fruition the more stressed I''m getting.

    Put it behind you Anthony, put all of it behind you!

    Focus on yourself for a while, treat yourself. To what should I treat myself? To skill training, of course!

    Not only me, Tiny and Crinis have been roped in as well.

    After discussing things with Beyn and drawing on his knowledge, our knowledge of the system has greatly expanded and the weightiest nugget of wisdom toe out of that was the importance of skills.

    Whereas I had been putting too much emphasis on evolution and the energy within my core, I was ignoring two aspects of the holy trinity of monster power! Evolution! Mutation! Skills!

    All things must be in bnce, so it is in nature, so it is within the monster. When one tree is watered over much, it does not grow properly, drowning instead of thriving, and the other trees wither. Only when the life giving sour is evenly distributed to all three trees shall the monster truly flourish in all aspects, mentally, physically, spiritually!

    I''ve gone some way to addressing the shorings of my mutations but my skills are stillcking. When Beyn had found out that none of mybat skills was of the fourth rank he''d nearly pped me out of sheer shock and in the process lost his only remaining hand. At least now with Shattering Bite advancing I have one fourth rankbat skill. Advancing skills, fusing them and taking them to their extreme ends is what the surface races spend most of their time doing in the pursuit of strength.

    Therefore, the time hase to take part in that most sacred of all system rted activities, grinding!

    Gonna grind like there''s no tomorrow!

    The most important thing to grind? Of course its magic!

    This was the most frustrating thing that Beyn had enlightened me of. I''d thought I''d made use of an awesome hack in using my free magical affinity nd on gravity mana, and in a way, I still had.

    If I''d used it on fire, water or earth or something basic like that, it would have been a massive waste since I''m now able to produce those mana types now without too much stress. The problem is that having the nd doesn''t give me ess to what I really need to make use of it, which is the spell forms. I have the generic spell shapes that I''ve been using, but ording to Beyn, every mana type has particr spells that make best of its attributes, the more advanced the mana type, the more specialised the spells will be.

    Even though he''d never seen Gravity magic before, he was sure it was a particrly advanced form of mana, which means that the skill I want, Gravity Mana Affinity, will be deep in the skill tree somewhere.

    In order to get ess to it, I have to level up my basic affinities, which will unlock the next rank of affinities, and so on until I finally get to gravity.

    ording to Beyn, once I get water magic affinity to the third rank, the next wave of affinity skills will unlock. That is my most immediate goal. Apparently the exact types of mana that unlock are not necessarily set, and can vary from individual to individual. With a bit of luck I might even see Gravity Mana in the next rank but Beyn thought it was extremely unlikely.

    There is apparently a powerful skill fusion avable by levelling all of the basic affinities to the third rank and then fusing them to form the skill Elemental Mana Mastery, which gives powerful boosts to the basic elements. Most local mages aim for this elemental path apparently, but it seems like a waste to me. The higher ranks of magic will surely also have potent fusions avable, I don''t want to waste my time on the lower level stuff anymore.

    Rush to the top!

    So Tiny, Crinis and I settle in to grind our skills, repetitively, endlessly, mind numbingly. For me, that means forming and releasing the ice mana construct over and over again, casting water and ice spells at everything I can see. The walls, dipping into the Dungeon andunching them at monsters, at Tiny once by ident, and the odd rock.

    Using skills inbat situations against monsters gives a much faster boost than just hitting the walls but being as mentally exhausted as we are, I don''t want us diving into fricbat. Keeping to the upper tunnels and picking on some nts is as much as I''m willing tomit to at this point.

    Just like this, we grind, and grind, and grind.

    Crinis is focusing on her tentacle skills, grappling shredding, dismembering. After much persuasion, I eventually get a mortified Crinis to attempt to use her skills on me, thinking that as a highly evolved monster she''d get more experience using her skills on me.

    She was reluctant to say the least, which resulted in one of the stranger conversations of my life as a monster.

    [Dammit, Crinis! Cut me!]

    [Noooooooo]

    [Don''t you want experience? Don''t you want some of these juicy levels?!]

    [I do ¡­ but!]

    [Then hit me dammit! Get those tentacles on this carapace. I order you to try and carve my bum off!]

    [WHAT?! I¡­ NOOOOOOO!]

    Unable to deny my direct order, a screaming and weeping Crinis was forced to attack and attempt to dismember me. Her sawing limbs and intense crushing strength were powerful, to be sure, but they couldn''t crack my shiny carapace.

    She did get a few levels out of the experience, but I decided the trauma it caused her wasn''t worth the effort.

 Chapter 142 Grinding all day, Grinding all night

    <h4>Chapter 142 Grinding all day, Grinding all night </h4>

    The next few days pass in a blur. Crinis, Tiny and I continue to use our skills over and over again in the search of those elusive levels. In order to push harder, we forego sleep. No true training montage includes sleep!

    This does mean things get a little hazy after a while

    Tiny and I managed to take the next group of vigers to change their ss into the shortcut in order to power level them through the transition. Supposedly this boost will help the most since they''re switching from such weak sses to something that has a non-horrific stat gain, these first ten levels or so will give them the oomph they''ll need to elerate to the point they can fight monsters on their own.

    After sending the humans back to their vige it was back to the grind for us. I eventually switched grinding on my bite skills. ording to Beyn it''s highly likely that a fusion of bite skills exists if I can get them to the same rank. I have three bite skills at the moment, the highest being my Shattering Bite, then Splintering Chomp and finally Ripping Bite. If I can get all three of those to the same rank then the option to fuse them will likelye avable. The higher I can get them before that point, the more potent the fusion will be. So I''m going to push and see if I can get them all to rank four, that would be the best oue.

    And all the while, those twenty pupae sit still, somewhere above my head, like ticking time bombs. It should take them roughly a week in pupal form before they hatch and I need to use this time to power myself up as much as possible.

    So the next two days bring more grinding until Tiny, Crinis and I finally copse in a heap, too exhausted to continue any further. Some sleep is in order.

    Before we rest I check in with the others and my own status to see the fruits of ourbours.

    Tiny has gained four level in Ape Boxing, two in Brutal Uppercut, advancing the skill in rank to Severe Brutal uppercut, three levels in fancy feet, increasing in rank to dazzling fancy feet, his Smash skill has increased to Heavy Smash level three.

    His punching skills have all levelled up, making his fists even more deadly inbat. I still have no idea what fancy feet does, but I suspect it has something to do with bnce and footwork, as opposed to actual dancing. I have no proof though¡­

    All in all a respectable boost to his strength, but Dr Anthony rmends further grinding.

    Crinis has also reaped some fruits.

    Her Advanced Shadow Flesh Maniption was the main beneficiary as she was able to raise it to the third rank, Expert Shadow Flesh Maniption level one. Advanced Grappling gained four levels to reach level seven, Enhanced Tremor sense raised two levels, her tentacle walking reached the second rank, at Smooth Tentacle Walking level one. Crinis has also shown her dedicated attitude by obsessively grinding her mana maniption and has managed to take it to Mana Shaping level two already.

    With her flesh maniption reaching new heights,bined with her enhanced mass, Crinis is able now able to manifest a truly ridiculous number of tentacles and her control over them has grown impressive. Razor thin tentacle wires, tentacles, you name it, she can do it. As a shadow puppeteer she is without equal.

    As for myself¡­

    Heh¡­ heh¡­ gweheheheheheh.

    BEHOLD!

    Mana Scrooge two levels up to level three! Cerebral Endurance, up three levels and advances in rank to Advanced Cerebral Endurance level two! Deep meditation up four levels to level six! Stamina up three levels and increases in rank to Advanced Stamina Level two! Mana Transformation up three levels to level nine! Shredding Bite up four levels to level five! Splintering Chomp up two levels to level six and Shattering Bite up one level to level twelve!

    Most importantly, Advanced Water Mana Affinity up a whopping seven levels to ten and advanced to third rank! Expert Water Mana Affinity!

    MUAHAHAHAHAAA!

    *GASP*

    So tired!

    ¡­.

    Phew.

    MUAHAHAHAHAAAA!

    It nearly melted all of my brains together but I did it! How many thousands of water and ice spells did I have to cast? Don''t ask! I don''t want to think about it!

    But ording to Beyn, reaching the third rank should unlock the next set of magical affinities that will be avable to me. No sooner do I spend the skill point to advance the skill do I pop open the menu and see what my options are.

    Come onnnnn Gravity! Gimme that suction! That sounds wrong¡­

    The menu reads as follows!

    Mind Magic Affinity.

    Mineral Magic Affinity.

    Sound Magic Affinity.

    Healing Magic Affinity.

    ¡­..

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

    WHY DAMMIT!?

    My dreams! My hopes! All gone to ashes!

    This means I''ll have to select one of these and level it to the third rank before unlocking the next wave¡­ Which means a heck of a lot more grinding¡­ Ugh!

    Well¡­ which of the three options will be best? I''m guessing I unlocked mind magic do it being the construct I use the second most, mineral magic probably because of my digging skills and species as an ant, presuming it''s a kind of advanced earth magic. Sound magic? Possibly due to my sneak skills? Healing I would put down to my emphasis on regeneration and possibly my exposure to healing mana from the Queen.

    Sigh.

    Perhaps Gravity is simply too powerful to be avable so quickly¡­

    Let''s hope so.

    Of the four options, I think I''ll pick Mind Magic. It makes a lot of sense, since I frequently use it already and I feel like there is a ton of potential there for shenanigans. If it really is capable of reading minds and altering memories then I can do all sort of things with it.

    After picking up all these skills and grinding my minds into dust, it''s time for some rest.

    Exhausted, the three of us copse into sleep, having recruiting Vibrant and her posse to protect us as we rest.

    As torpor gradually leeches through my body and the world grows still, there is one thought lingering in my mind: the next generation is only five days away.

 Chapter 143 Time advances rapidly

    <h4>Chapter 143 Time advances rapidly </h4>

    The next day I dedicated myself to digging out the channels for the vige to use for irrigation. With Tiny helping we shifted a heck of a lot of dirt, very quickly indeed. As a side project we used the extra dirt to erect a nice and high bank for the channelwork, as well as building up the height of the river bank. It never hurts to have a few extrayers of protection in case of flooding!

    The vigers were only too happy to pitch in and their own tireless efforts spurred me on to work even faster. It was interesting to see the farms taking shape so quickly. Teams of humans have been churning out simple wooden fencing whilst other groups have been marking lines in the dirt and digging holes for fence posts. The nting is already happening on thend that we''ve cleared. People have been collecting seed and apparently some farmers had time to bring some with them on carts, all they were waiting for was a clearly delineated space and for someone to plough the new fields. Yet another task that was currently being seen to by dedicated groups of humans. Seeing the cooperative and coordinated groups in action put in mind of nothing but ants at work.

    It made me curious enough to go and find Enid to ask where this industrious spirit of cooperation came from.

    [It''s partly that people need something to focus on in order to take their minds of the tragedy. After losing homes, family, their nation, these people are desperate for something they can work towards] she exined.

    [And the rest?]

    [Beyn] she said simply.

    [He preaches day and night about the benefits of cooperative work, that we should be more like the colony of saviours that have created this sanctuary and that by acting selflessly and working together, the people can give thanks and praise to the Great Ant.]

    ¡­

    [Are you serious?]

    [Perfectly.]

    Stupid priest! Still, if the people are going to be more antlike in their behaviour, it should only work in their favour, they might actually get stuff done.

    Speaking of people getting stuff done. Enid is looking tired. Her wispy white hair and weathered skin look even more lined and thin than usual. The woman is skinny as a wooden rake chewed by termites as it is, her current position as the de facto leader of thismunity seems to be weighing her down.

    [You need a break Enid. The people can live without you for a day, surely. Go lie down or something. The vige won''t be better off if you keel over and have a heart attack.]

    The old woman looks at me strangely for a moment before barking out augh.

    [Your telling me not to work hard? Look at these people! I''ve never seen people working so much or so quickly in all my days. No. Just because I''m old doesn''t mean I can''t keep up the pace. If anything, these young people can''t keep up with me!] she dered proudly with a glint in her eye.

    She''s tough as a stone formed from the fusion of other, lesser stones, that were themselves formed from the skulls of stubbornness record holders. She gives of an indestructible air and at times I have to remind myself that this person was an iron fisted merchant, tough enough to marry one of the highest level mercenaries in a kingdom.

    [All right, fine. Just eat something would you? If a strong breezees your way, who knows where you''ll end up?]

    Enid smiles and nods, reaching out to hesitantly pat me on the carapace.

    [Thank you for your concern. I''ll make sure I eat more.]

    [Anthony.]

    [Sorry? What''s that?]

    [My name] I point to myself with an antenna, [my name is Anthony.]

    A warm smile spreads across Enid''s face and she reaches out to pat me again, more confidently this time.

    [It''s nice to meet you Anthony. Did you call yourself that because it has the word ''Ant'' in it?]

    [¡­ you might not believe this. I''ve never actually noticed that before¡­]

    All she does isugh.

    I''m not exactly why I told Enid my name, but it felt right to do so. Perhaps she''ll eventually put two and two together and realise that an Ant monster really shouldn''t have a name, or even need one. The leap from that fact to my actual origins is quite arge one though, not that I think it will make a difference to anything even if she does realise I was once human.

    I am not human any longer. With every passing day in this new world I can feel my connection to the old me falling away. I like my new family. I like the new me. No longer powerless. No longer unwanted. I''ve made significant upgrades in almost every aspect of my life.

    I mean, the senseless violence I could live without, also the distinctck of pizza. But hey, you can''t ask for everything.

    I wonder how the other souls brought to this ce found it. Gandalf seemed to suggest that he only brought ''damaged'' people here, whatever that means. Perhaps they adapted well to life on this world and found their own little niche here. He did say that most of them just died. Makes you wonder why he makes the effort.

    My idle musings were rudely interrupted by a rising dust cloud in the distance and the vague trembling in the earth.

    Damn Crocodilesing back again. They never learn.

    Two hourster I''m standing amidst the broken wreckage of another Beast Monster swarm. If I eat any more of these damn centipedes I''m going to unlock the final profile for them, surely. I''m sick of the damn bugs!

    Doesn''t help that I''m covered in their ichor, there were a ton of them in this wave.

    Although the vige and the colony suffered losses in the battle, it was much less thanst time. The humans were far better prepared, even though only a few days has passed. Morrelia was her usual violent self and her team backed her up well, but the people they have been training took part. The vige was able to deploy some archers, as well as some properly armed swordsmen and women, the power levellers.

    Although low level and without proper training, they were able to form and hold a rudimentary battle line, with the archers providing supportive fire over the top. With the mad priest Beyn in their midst, they''d fought with a relentless zeal, pushing them to battle on through injuries even a monster would baulk at.

    As for the ant side of the equation, the big difference maker for us in the battle was that Vibrant was here. The powerful soldier was a tank in the battle, crashing through the monsters and disrupting their attempt to overwhelm the workers. The workers themselves benefited from Vibrants aura, giving them extra speed when they were her, but more than that, they seemed to act in a slightly more coordinated way. Acid wasunched from the back of the battle line constantly and the ants just seemed to move more smoothly to engage their targets in outnumbered battles, pulling them apart quickly and then moving on to their next enemy.

    Something is definitely happening there, I have to talk to that ant soon.

    For my part, I brought Tiny and Crinis up and we rampaged through the horde, slowing and disrupting as much as possible. I personally took the chance to try and train my lesser skilled bite skill, Shredding bite. It''s absolutely the messiest of all of my bite skills, hence the mess covering my shiny carapace.

    The things I do for the grind.

 Chapter 144 The day draws near

    <h4>Chapter 144 The day draws near </h4>

    Still, it isn''t as though my efforts have gonepletely to waste. Rushing into the thick of the battle and chomping away certainly got me fairly battered, but the harvest of skill levels is still worth it. It''s a bit unfortunate that these enemies are so unevolved but I suppose arge mass of monsters like this would be far too much for the colony and vige to handle had they been more advanced.

    Nevertheless I was able to gain another three levels in Shredding Bite and two levels in Advanced Stamina. That skill is really starting to have an effect at this point. The skill doesn''t give increased stamina in and of itself, that''s not how skills work. What it does do is provide knowledge and assistance in moving the body in such a way as to reduce the effects of fatigue, effectively making the stamina you have avablest longer. Pretty darn handy thing to have in these battles.

    I was also able to harvest another two levels in Expert Exo-Skeleton defence. Allowing hundreds of weaker monsters the chance to hit my incredibly shiny carapace is at least helping me boost this key defensive skill. I''ll be a happy ant when I can get it to the fourth rank.

    I spent a fair bit of time firing acid about the ce in this battle, which was enough to gain three levels in Improved acid shot and another two in Precise shooting which allowed me to increase it to Advanced Precise Shooting level 1.

    It really does seem that by focusing and concentrating on the skills they advance at a much faster pace than just doing it passively. Another piece of advice I should probably feel grateful to Beyn for. I just don''t feelfortable around that guy¡­

    In the wash up of the battle I was able to secure some of the ¡­ ''salvage'' for the vigers to use, but the majority of it went to the colony, more food for the Queen to put toward another clutch of eggs I suppose. There''s already four hundred of the things sitting in the colony. The first clutch of two hundred are due to hatch any day now and the needs of the colony are going to grow at a darn fast clip from there! Raising up two hundredrvae will be a big job, the colony will have to start hunting in the Dungeon a bit more actively from that point on.

    Fingers crossed I can get the first twenty up and firing fast enough that they can help provide for the rest. I''m sure as heck not doing it all myself!

    The other thing to ur in the wash up of the battle was that Morrelia and Enid approached me about the possibility of some defences for the vige. The colony doesn''t really need walls to protect us, if the enemies want to try and invade us and battle within the tunnels of the nest then they are wee to, they''ll get themselves absolutely ripped to shreds. I can however, see the value for the vige. They lost people in this battle again. Not many, but still. After all of the loss that they''ve seen, losing anyone at this point really hurts.

    Since all I have tomit is a few hours of Tiny''s and my time, I think we can swing it.

    So despite beingpletely exhausted, I found myself hastily throwing down as much Biomass as I could, another twenty points worth, before dragging Tiny over to begin shifting a heap of dirt in order toy the groundwork for some rudimentary defences.

    I don''t have the time to dig all the way around the vige, so I concentrate my efforts in an arc that starts close to the river and curves around the north side of the vige, roughly two hundred metres from the closest buildings.

    Nothing too technical needs to be done at this point, certainly not by me. All I do, with Tiny''s muscr assistance of course, is dig a wide trench and have Tiny pile the dirt on the vige side. Hey presto, rudimentary wall!

    The vigers can do the rest of the work, levelling out the trench on the north side and piling the dirt on the south side. I''m sure they''ll use some logs or something to reinforce it, drive them the ground. I''m not an expert, they''ll work it out I''m sure.

    When that''s done I''ve managed to gain another two levels in Expert Excavation, and despite the soothing nature of digging, I''m wrecked!

    Time to sleep!

    Tiny and I drag ourselves back to the colony and copse into a heap.

    The sweet release of torpor!

    ¡­

    Aaaaaand I''m up!

    Whooo!

    Gotta run at the new day with some energy! Since it won''t be long until those damn pupae hatch and new hatchlings emerge, all shiny and new!

    I''ve been able to tick a few things off my list of preparations but there is still a ton to do. Leaving Tiny on guard duty this time, I get Crinis to hop on my back and we do a final sweep of the farms. I let Crinis take the bulk of the XP and we allow the workers toe in and im the Biomass. The Queen is still rather full from the other day and the workforce needs to keep up their mutations, they certainly aren''t as well fed as my group.

    Vibrant''s little team is bing an exception though. I''ve noticed that her followers are starting to show increasing signs of mutationtely. A gleaming carapace here, a razor sharp mandible there, it''s all adding up to a picture of a powerful squad. I''m d she isn''t sacrificing all of the food to the colony and allowing her workers to grow themselves. The stronger they get, the less risk they experience in hunting.

    The real purpose of clearing out the farms at this stage is to try and harvest some cores and in this we were sessful. Twenty glittering new cores are added to my much diminished stash when we are done. Then I get some more water poured into the farms and it''s time to move onto the next and possibly final set of activities.

    I''ve done my best to empower myself over thisst week, as well as build the capacity of the colony. I''ve done a fair bit of work for the vige as well, but I''m hopeful that they might be able to reciprocate that assistance at a future point and aid the colony. I have a few ideas on that front but it''ll have to wait a bit before that can y out.

    What I need to do now is get back on the hunt and pile up another round of Biomass. I need to eat! The goal of +15 all around is still a long way away and it must be achieved before evolution can ur.

    Whilst I''m at it, I''ll probably get a chance to grind a few more levels of my skills.

    [Tiny, Crinis, to the Dungeon!]

    Only two days until the pupae hatch!

 Chapter 145 The feast, the grind, the spend

    <h4>Chapter 145 The feast, the grind, the spend </h4>

    There isn''t much time and I still want to work on myself as much as possible. I have skills I need to grow and a whole heck of mutations I need to purchase to get myself in fighting shape.

    I don''t want to take my superiority for granted anymore. After losing half of mymercial district to a hostile takeover by the child of Garralosh, I know I need to wise up and get as strong as I can, as fast as I can. My family needs to protected until it can growrge enough and strong enough that it can take care of itself.

    At that point I can sit back and rx and let the colony take care of me for a change. Maybe take a holiday. How does an ant take a holiday? I''ll work something out. Do some digging for fun or something.

    Vibrant and her posse are already in the Dungeon somewhere, farming their little hearts out, so I let the Queen know that I''m heading to the Dungeon for a day and make my way to the shortcut. As we make our way out of the anthill and towards the shortcut I can see the activity in the vige, feverish as always. They have so many projects on the go I can''t understand how they get the energy. They''re working on the wall, still putting up buildings and somehow there are more people doing weapons training than there were before.

    Apparently there''s another Dungeon entrance out there somewhere that Morrelia knows about and she''s going to start taking her crew down on short expeditions. Apparently having had the first twentybat ssed individuals powered through the first levels is enough and now they can handle some short delves and power level their own people. With Morrelia and her people helping, I''m sure they''ll be fine.

    The shortcut is still spawning nt monsters and the odd beast. We smash our way through these freshly spawned beasts, barely stopping to eat until we reach the bottom and make our way into the expanse.

    The scene here is very different to what I remember. The sound of viciousbat and the roars and growls of monsters on the hunt echoes throughout the space. Very different to the eerieck of activity that urred under the suppression of the Croc.

    Needless to say I like it a lot more now.

    Without the newly spawned monsters being sucked in by the oppressive aura and send out in marauding waves the expanse is suddenly flush with life, the enhanced spawn speed of the wave contributing to the vibrant atmosphere.

    Perfect hunting ground!

    Twelve hourster, Tiny, Crinis and I crawl out of the expanse towards the shortcut.

    Why, why is it always so filthy!?

    Once again I''m covered in a fragrant mix of dirt, ichor and swamp water. Tiny also looks quite ridiculous, his fur matted and wet, stuck to his body and covered in muck. Only Crinis is unaffected, a spherical blob of darkness, unsullied by anything unwanted.

    How the heck does she do it?

    The expanse had been full of activity, nts versus turtle hippos and various other monsters crawling out of the woodwork to battle. I checked in on the aphid poption only to find them still rxing, unchallenged on top of the foliage. It seems even in the aggression filled Dungeon, monsters won''t bother killing a creature that will happily feed them so long as they leave it alone.

    I also made sure to secure one Tiny armload of the mana infused wood that we found thest time we were here. I''d love to know if there is anything interesting we can do with it.

    More to the point, if there IS something interesting that can be done with this kind of material, I wonder if the vige can teach the colony what to do with it. I suspect that the more intelligent monsters, such as the Sophos, can make use of the materials they find in the Dungeon and if the colony is going to reign supreme, *cough*, I mean live independently then we need to harness every advantage we can.

    Once more we ascend, crushing our way up the shortcut and I take a few moments to take stock of my own gains over thest hunt.

    First up the 160 Biomass I gained is the most immediately relevant thing. That brings me to 246, enough for some serious upgrades. I was also able to grind some levels over the duration, naturally I didn''t miss such an opportunity.

    Mind magic affinity gained three levels. I used this nonstop during our stay in the expanse. Taking the skill gave me a slew of new mental spells I can use, most of which are variations of or more advanced techniques with, the mind bridge. I mean, it makes sense right? To effect another creature''s mind, you need to make some sort of connection to give you ess to their thoughts, ergo, the mind bridge forms the basis of almost all mind magic.

    The trick I spent most of my time on was misdirection in battle, using the mind bridge to feed foes incorrect stimulus for a brief second duringbat. The monsters would think they''d been attacked from behind, or think they saw a sh of movement in the corner of their eye, or hear the sound of a thumping foot next to them, all of which didn''t exist in reality. At first it hadn''t been as effective as I''d expected but with a bit of practice I was able to be more convincing and my timing improved so I had monsters leaping to dodge attacks that weren''t there or putting their guard up in exactly the ces I didn''t want to attack.

    This sort of mind control feels kind of evil but I can''t say I don''t like it¡­

    Gweheheheh.

    Naturally when using magic to this extent, my other magic rted skills go up as well. Two levels in Mana Scrooge, one in transformation, three in Deep Meditation and two in advanced cerebral endurance. I felt like I was able to gain levels in these skills faster using mind magic than I was with water and ice, perhaps because the magic itself is more advanced? Might have to ask about that.

    The other added benefit of using mind magic to distract and harass my foes was that I was able to simultaneously train my bite skills, so I was able to reap a small harvest there as well.

    Two levels in Shredding bite allowed me to advance it to Tearing Bite, two more levels in Shattering Bite and three in Splintering Chomp. Now that Tearing Bite has reached the third rank, the goal of having all of my bite skills at rank four is suddenly within sight. Once I get them there I''ll attempt the skill fusion and see what sort of skilles out. I''m looking forward to it!

    I haven''t checked in with Tiny and Crinis yet, I''m sure they were able to make gains simr to my own. I''m too tired to battle Crinis and make her spend all of her points right now, I''ll save that forter. I''m sure Tiny hasn''t spent his points, just because he''s toozy to do so. If I had to guess I would assume he is still sitting on all of the points we earned for fighting the giant Croca.

    Damn cker.

    Weary but satisfied, we crawl down into our little chamber beneath the nest and settle in. I''ll have to spend my Biomass and perhaps clean my carapace, have time for a nap and then we will go into high alert, depth con five. The pupae should be ready to hatch!

 Chapter 146 The final preparation

    <h4>Chapter 146 The final preparation </h4>

    After slumping back into our chamber and putting Vibrant on guard duty, it was time for me to spend my newly amassed wealth. Thest few days have been extremely productive, both for the colony and the vige, not to mention the significant gains I''ve made within my own personal strength.

    The knowledge that I''ve gained has proven itself to be valuable almost immediately, my skills have been rapidly levelling. It''ll probably take weeks to get things to the point I''d be happy with it but at least I''m on the way.

    The job I have now is to spend it up big!

    I''ve got 246 in the bank and I''m ready to go!

    At 60 apiece, this is enough to get three body parts to +15, not enough toplete the +15 body but enough to close the gap.

    But what to mutate first? I''m not sure. I''ve hit the main points in the mandibles and carapace. I think I''ll go with a bit of a mix of utility here. I''ll upgrade the coordination cortex, my legs and my gravity magic nd.

    That should be a good boost.

    [Do you wish to improve your Divergent Combined Coordination cortex to +15? This will cost 65 Biomass.]

    Yes.

    [At this level you may choose tobine your mutations, or emphasise one. Which will you select?]

    For this one I''m going fuse the two options. This should help the brains remain strong at both cooperation and individual spell casting.

    [Do you wish to improve your Rapid Absorption Legs to +15? This will cost 65 Biomass]

    Bring it!

    [At this level you may choose tobine your mutations, or emphasise one. Which will you select?]

    I''m less certain on this one. Moving fast is nice, absorbing mana through the legs is also nice. I don''t ''really prefer one over the other to arge degree, but I''m also not certain that they will fuse to something worthwhile.

    I guess for the time being at least I should emphasise the spell casting ahead of the quick movement. Absorbing mana through the legs has increased my MP regeneration by a ferocious amount. If I keep on using spells in battle, having that increased regen will be very helpful. So I''ll emphasise the absorption.

    [Do you wish you improve your Expanded Deep Gravity Magic nd to +15? This will cost 65 Biomass]

    Naturally.

    [At this level your mutations will be reinforced. Do you wish to proceed?]

    Since I''ve taken the same upgrade twice for the gravity magic nd then I naturally won''t get the choice to fuse. I''ll be interested to see how much capacity I''ll have once this mutation is done.

    Confirm all of those!

    Hmm.

    Humma¡­.

    HENG.

    HANGARAMBA!

    DAMMIT!

    As the itch overpowers my senses I can only fall to the ground, twitching uncontrobly as my body no longer responds in the way I want it to.

    I, I hate this.

    Eventually it fades and I regain control of myself, averting my gaze from the judging eyes of Tiny. I can''t help it man! It''s not my fault!

    With that behind me I can have a quick rest. After farming away in the expanse and mutating, I''m ready for a quick break.

    ¡­.

    I''M UP!

    Back in the attack!

    Getting my legs moving I quickly check out the situation in the nest. Phew! The pupae haven''t hatched yet, but it isn''t going to be long. Ominously, the next two hundredrvae have already hatched. Very small at the moment, so soon after emerging from their eggs, the little grubs are tended to by a small army of workers who diligently clean them and stuff them full of the food they''d been amassing for just this purpose.

    As soon as the flood of eggs started hitting the nest, the workers, ever on the job, began to horde food, storing it in their social stomachs and squirrelling it away for the young. Secretly, I''m hoping that this will slow down the Queen a little on her march to explode the colonies poption. Even though the first batch of two hundred eggs has hatched, there''s another two hundred waiting for their moment. In a few days they''ll hatch as well and it''ll be a hell of a job trying to get four hundred members of the new generation up to speed.

    The whole point of creating this new breed of ant to be members of the colony is to give them a chance to fight intelligently, so they don''t have to throw their lives away and die meaninglessly hurling themselves into the enemy. If I don''t raise them properly and bring them out of the weak hatchling phase, then they might die as soon as something looks at them sideways anyway.

    Since I have a moment of time I head over to the vige and bring along a sample of the wood that we brought up from the expanse. I want Enid to take a look at it, since she was a merchant who specialised in Dungeony type stuff.

    To my displeasure, she is otherwise upied supervising a Dungeon delve away from the vige and only Beyn is around to speak with me. Talking with the one armed priest is always¡­ loud.

    [OH GREAT ONE. I AM HONOURED BY YOUR GIFT OF THIS STICK!]

    [Too loud! It''s not a stick, we took it from the expanse below. Give it to Enid]

    [I understand O Great One. I shall present your stick to the mayor as soon as she returns]

    [Not a stick. Mayor? Enid has been promoted?]

    Beyn shrugged.

    [It was more just making formal what had already been in ce. She''s been running this ce since we got here, may as well call her the mayor for her trouble].

    Makes sense I suppose.

 Chapter 147 First words of a new era

    <h4>Chapter 147 First words of a new era </h4>

    With my delivery done I head back to the nest to await the looming emergence of my finest creations.

    These ants could change many things. For one it would be nice to have more options for conversation. Vibrant talks, probably too much for myfort, and mother has many responsibilities, not to mention many children, so I can''t exactly monopolise her time, in good conscience.

    Tiny and Crinis aren''t the best conversationalists either. Tiny barely has the brain capacity to speak and Crinis has a few hang ups that make talking to her, somewhat difficult. Perhaps if I ever work out a way to free them for their pet status they might be a little more engaged, and not quite so respectful.

    Obviously having a decent chat isn''t the reason why I embarked on this project. I wanted to fill the colony with smarter, deadlier workers. Ants with the capacity to reason, tomunicate, to think cooperatively and most of all, to fight strategically and tactically. No more suicidal charges, no more throwing their lives away. Instead, teamwork, some self-preservation instinct, nning and loss minimisation.

    An ant colony that is capable of all the tactical thinking of a nation. That is what I wanted. And now, here I stand, on the dawn of a glorious new ant era!

    My new siblings will soon be born and I''m willing to bet this world has never seen anything quite like them. Smart monsters exist, sure, but not like this. Ants are different, ants are special. They cover the earth, thebined mass of ants is estimated to be the same that of humans, assuming one million ants weighs the same as one person. That''s seven quadrillion ants. On Earth, ants were tiny little insects, unable to increase too much in size as their bodies are unable to support that kind of mass.

    Here on Pangera? This world has magic and all sorts of crazy stuff. Ants the size ofrge dogs? Sure why not? What if we get seven quadrillion ants the size ofrge dogs? What if we get that many and all of them are as intelligent as a human?

    We''d be unstoppable!

    I have to admit though, as I crawl into the nesting chamber where the twenty pupae are resting against the wall, tended to by a small team of workers, that I also have some worries. Fundamentally, what makes an ant colony so sessful is the cooperation between each individual member, to the point where the colony can be considered one creature, each ant a single cell of something greater than itself.

    Where humanity on earth is riven by strife, within nations, within cities and within families, an ant colony is unified, singr in mind and purpose.

    By elevating their intelligence to that of a human, have I introduced those chaotic impulses? Will the new workers exercise free will? Tearing the colony apart from within?

    Once I give space to doubts they begin to scale out of control. Will there be civil war? Will ant fight against ant within the colony, pitting sibling against sibling? Will a tearful Queen be forced to put down an uprising of her own children?

    That would be horrific!

    It isn''t as if I HAD to cooperate with the colony. I, as a human reborn as monster, could have chosen to do whatever I wanted. I decided to embrace the colony, to support and help it, to depend on it and thrive alongside it. Someone else might have chosen differently. Perhaps they would instead feast on the colony, killing workers who wouldn''t fight back, harvesting them for experience and Biomass, growing fat on their supposed family before moving on in the Dungeon as an independent monster, leaving behind a destroyed colony in their wake.

    Is that the kind of thing we''ll have to deal with now? Selfish ants? Who ever heard of selfish ants?! Such a thing doesn''t even make sense! It''s not a concept that should exist in this world or any other. It goes against the very nature of ant kind! Ants are selfless! I mean, they are also mostly brainless, but that''s beside the point!

    My mind is filled with the tragic image of my siblings ripping each other apart in the tunnels of our nest over a stupid and petty justification. Will the unity of the colony be destroyed by the new generation?

    Have I undone the very fabric of ant society with my evil experimentation?!

    WHAT HAVE I DONE?!

    Wait.

    I heard something.

    Silence.

    I''m sure that I heard it. It was the pupae!

    I rush closer to the cocoons, pushing my way amongst the suddenly buzzing workers. Yes! There is sounding from within.

    They''re breaking out!

    The newly formed ants within are starting to break out of their cocoons and the workers on the outside move to assist, peeling away theyers with their mandibles and helping to free the emerging workers.

    Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.

    I''m excited, but also nervous! Making intelligent ants, was it a mistake? Will this be a moment of triumph? Or of failure?

    It''s toote for regret now, the fruits of mybour are being released into the world before my very eyes!

    I almost feel like a mad scientist watching his creatione to life. I yed with these ants when they were grubs but it''s often hard to put them together in my mind as the same creatures. Looking at the vague shapes pushing against the inside of their cocoons, I feel as if I''m seeing them for the first time.

    My heart is pounding within my chest. I''m light headed. I need to breathe. In, out, in, out. Rx Anthony, its fine. You''ve either elevated your colony to the peak of the world or doomed them to copse is savage internal strife that pits sibling against sibling.

    So no stress.

    MAH GAWD I CAN''T TAKE IT!

    The workers swarm over the pupae now, cutting into the fibres of the cocoons and tearing them open, gradually the still soft and pale workers within are being revealed. They are smaller than normal hatchlings. Hatchlings were already quite small but these are noticeably smaller. I had to sacrifice a lot to get their Cunning and Will stats up and their bodies are even weaker than mine was when I was born on this world.

    That''ll change once they start to evolve though. The early part of their lives will be tougher, sure, but the payoff will be there after a few evolutions and they start to specialise.

    The other thing I gave them is a fully developed Language Pheromone nd. These little workers are able to talk the moment they are born. I wonder what they''ll say? A deration of war against the Queen?!

    Surely too soon for that.

    Perhaps they''ll dere their independence? Will theyin? Protest? Will the anguished cries from their very souls will resound throughout the chamber any moment?

    Just how much of their nature is inherently ant? How much of it depends on the mind they are born with? This is a whole lot of questions I should have answered before I embarked on this project¡­

    I have a deep seated fear that these ants are going to do something one day that I''m going to regret.

    Oh! That one is almost free!

    So is that one!

    The workers make faster progress as the outeryers peel away and the ants inside start to be able to move more, their new bodies stiff and unresponsive. Soon the cocoons are torn open and the twenty members of the new generation are lying on the chamber floor, slowly bing ustomed to their new forms.

    I watch apprehensively. I''ve worked myself up too much, I don''t know what to expect.

    Then one of them speaks.

    "D¡­. Death."

    What?

    "M¡­ mah¡­. My death."

    You want to die already?! Are you like Frankenstein''s monster?! Do you yearn to be free of your tormented existence?!

    The worker in question wiggles its limbs more vigorously, growing in strength with each passing moment.

    It speaks again.

    "My death¡­. For¡­ the colony!"

    Then another speaks.

    "My ¡­ life¡­ for ¡­ the colony!"

    And another.

    "My ¡­. Existence¡­. for the colony!"

    As the workers gradually put their feet under themselves and stand, they all begin to cry out, their voices weak at first but growing stronger each second.

    "I will give my life in the service of the Colony!"

    "For the Queen I shall die!"

    "I will be the first to sacrifice myself my the glory of the colony!"

    "I will be the one to throw myself upon our enemies, letting myself be torn apart for the colony!"

    "For the colony!"

    "For the colony!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    The small ants begin roaring as one, the fervour in their voices matching the burning fire in their eyes. I''ve seen it before, this passionate heat that seems to radiate out of them, filling the air of the chamber. I''ve seen it in the eyes of my sibling, the workers, as they throw themselves into battle.

    Now I can hear what it was they were thinking.

    The new generation might have the intelligence of people, but they are ants through and through.

 Chapter 148 Another voice from the dark

    <h4>Chapter 148 Another voice from the dark </h4>

    As the voices of the new hatchlings ring throughout the room, and I start to wonder just what it is that I''ve done, another voice sounds within my mind.

    [Original Species has been detected. New species type has been assigned.]

    Gandalf?! What the heck are you on about?!

    Is he saying that the new hatchlings are recognised by the system as a different species to mine? I did make a lot of changes¡­

    Does this mean that the workers will attack them? That would be terrible!

    Before I can process the implications of what is being said, the voice of the grey one continues to speak.

    [You have been designated as the progenitor of this new species. Do you wish to align your species, and that of your colony, with this new archetype?]

    Uhhhhhhhhhh.

    Yes?

    I suppose?

    The instant I assent within my mind, there is an audible rumble around and within me. A lethargic feeling rises up through my limbs and ws towards my mind, dragging me down into thessitude I recognise as Torpor.

    [Crinis! Watch me ¡­]

    Before I can finish the sentence, my thoughts slow like congealing grease until they move no more.

    ¡­

    I''m up!

    [Crinis! Crinis! How long was I out?!]

    I sway my eyes across the scene around me and try to process what has happened. To all appearances, not much has changed. The hatchlings are still congregating together, shouting and arguing with each other with increasingly loud voices. Something that has changed, is the workers. Their movements are slowing, some of them are already still, and I recognise the creeping lethargy of torpor in all of them.

    [Master?! Is everything alright?] Crinis asks, worried.

    [Just tell me how long it''s been since Ist spoke to you!]

    [Only a few moments, I haven''t even made it up the tunnel to you yet!]

    Just a few seconds? What in the name of heck is going on here?

    The voice of Gandalf mentioned something about new species and I agreed to have mine changed. Maybe I should check my status and see if anything has changed.

    Sure enough, when I bring up my status, my species has changed. No longer [Formica], but [Formica Sapiens].

    As time passes, workers are crowding into the nest, crawling down the tunnel from below and stuffing themselves into chambers only to immediately grow still.

    Wait a second!

    Bursting out of the chamber, I rush down the main tunnel of the nest, passing Crinis on her way up. I ignore her confused questions and throw myself into the Queens chamber. Behind me I can see more workers making their way in from outside, crowding the entrance and crawling over each other to make their way inside the nest.

    Inside the Queens'' chamber I find the perpetually shifting guard of workers around her has grown eerily still. The stillness feels so strange here, in this ce of motions and activity in the heart of colony.

    Gently shifting the workers out of the way I find the Queen herself, silent and still.

    Oooooh boy. I hope I didn''t make a booboo.

    So, if I''m reading the situation correctly, the moment the new generation was born, the system recognised that a new species had been created, then gave me, the creator of that species, the right to change the entire colony to a new designation?

    I wait restlessly in the Queens chamber for any sign of motion. It only took a few seconds for my species to change, why is it taking so much longer for them? Is it because I''m already quite close to what the new generation can evolve into, whereas the others aren''t? What''s going to happen to the workforce? Will they all change into new hatchlings? What exactly is going to happen here!?

    I''m so confused!

    The new hatchlings!

    I rush back up the tunnel into the chamber, once again passing Crinis who was carefully climbing down, trying not to obstruct any workers entering the nest.

    In the egg chamber, the twenty small hatchling haven''t ceased their shouting match, even as the workers who had tended them have grown still around them. Feeling somewhat anxious about the changing situation, I don''t have that much patience for them right now.

    "All of you, shut up!"

    "¡­."

    That was quick.

    As I bellow at them, the twenty small hatchlings turn to me, immediately quietening down. I didn''t realise I had this much charisma as a leader. I''m impressed with me!

    "We have a slight situation in the nest at the moment, so I need you to keep still for a second so I can sort things out."

    "Okay senior!" they respond in unison.

    [Tiny, I want you to guard the nest from below the Queen''s chamber. Crinis, head to the top of the nest but stay within the anthill, don''t let anything but workerse down, understood?]

    [I understand, Master.]

    Tiny just grunts.

    Alright. They''ll protect the colony for the time being. All I have to do is keep these twenty workers contained and wait for the rest of the colony to wake up again. It shouldn''t take too long¡­ right?

    When thest of the workers has entered the nest and found a chamber to sleep in the nest bes unnaturally still. In every chamber, workers, eggs andrvae sit unmoving,pletely silent,pletely still.

    It doesn''t take long for the situation to start to grate on my nerves. I feel like the sole survivor of some hideous disease, surrounded by the perfectly preserved bodies of their former family members. Wake up siblings! Wake up mother! I can''t take being alone like this!

    As I wait, growing increasingly frantic as time passes, I speak to the new generation intermittently, keeping them settled as we wait for some sort of motion in the colony.

    The first one to recover was Vibrant, of course.

    "Hey senior! What''s going on? This is so weird, right? I was hunting down the Dungeon and bringing up some food when this powerful feeling came over me. I rushed back the nest, dropping my food on the way, how strange is that, right? Then as soon as I got here I just took a nap and now I have a different species. Isn''t that strange? And who do we have here? New hatchlings! They''re so small, what''s that all about? Are they sick? Undernourished? I''ve been bringing so much foodtely, it''s impossible they haven''t had enough to eat! Have you been eating? You''re looking stressed. You aren''t hungry are you?"

    "Oh my god! STOP!"

    "Okay!"

    Sigh.

    "Every member of the colony is having their species changed. I don''t know how long they are going to be out so try and help me keep watch on the colony. Can you do that?"

    "Oh, sure! Not a problem!"

    "Okay. If you are doing that, then I might as well get started teaching these new workers. No time like the present I suppose. Not like I can do anything here to help."

    "Alright senior! Have fun!" Vibrant waves an antennae cheerfully as I gather up the new hatchlings and take them towards the farms.

    Nothing is ever simple around here.

 Chapter 149 Training day

    <h4>Chapter 149 Training day </h4>

    "Ok. Let''s try this again. The enemy is down there. We can see them, we are in a superior position where they cannot fight back. All of the advantages are ours. So, what are you going to do? What is your strategy?"

    The twenty hatchlings and I are positioned in one of the original four farms, clinging to the ceiling out of harm''s way. I lured a monster out of the towards the edge of the open space and tied it down with a gravity bolt. The poor creature isbouring on the ground beneath us, barely able to move, whilst I try to teach these hatchlings how to fight.

    The particr young worker I''ve been trying to teach twitches a little as I focus on my attention on them fully. I''m not sure exactly why but these workers seem a little cowed by me. Perhaps it''s just that I''m older andrger.

    "Well, I see the monster down there."

    "Right."

    "I know that I have numerical superiority."

    "Right!"

    Maybe this time I''m getting through to them.

    "I also know that we have a positional advantage here, and the ability to attack our opponent when they can''t fight back."

    "Yeees?"

    Here we go!

    "So, I will charge down to engage the enemy, forcing myself into its jaws so that by my sacrifice my fellow workers will be able to attack without being harmed!"

    DAMMIT.

    Immediately the rest of the hatchlings respond positively.

    "Ooo, that''s a good idea!"

    "Curses! I should have thought of that."

    "That has to be the right answer. It''s wless."

    The worker who suggested it is now staring at me like a puppy waiting to be praised. Almost wiggling with joy as the praise of his fellow hatchlings rings in his ears.

    Ugh. This again.

    "WRONG!"

    *Thwack!*

    Swinging an antennae down hard I p the worker on the head.

    "How many times do I have to say this?! You. Are. Not. To. Die!"

    "Ohhh right" the workers chorus.

    I feel a splitting headacheing on.

    "In none of the ns that you put forward are you allowed to act in a suicidal way. You should always act to minimise the loss to the colony to as great an extent as possible. It is possible for you to resolve this situation without any losing any workers, easily! So you should!"

    The hatchlings look at me as if I''m speaking a differentnguage.

    This is infuriating. It''s almost as if any n in which they don''t die is in some way unsatisfactory. I''ve been trying for thirty minutes to get them to value their own lives, to think of own safety as something that is important, but it just isn''t getting through.

    Not only do they not care about their own lives, not dying seems to be like a personal failure on their part. They burn to sacrifice themselves for the colony, to win something in the exchange and go down in a ze of glory.

    Maybe I''m thinking about this the wrong way. It''s clear that they aren''t going to value themselves for their own sake, but perhaps I get them to value it for another reason.

    "Listen to me, all of you!" I dere.

    Twenty sets of eyes and antennae focus on me withser like focus.

    They''re so earnest, it''s quite cute.

    "Do you wish to serve the colony?" I ask.

    "Of course!"

    "Yes!"

    "I''ll die before this day is done for the colony!"

    "Ok whoa, slow down there. So I take it, you also wish to serve the Queen?"

    "Naturally!"

    "Mother is the heart of the colony!"

    "I will throw my life for the Queen before wakes!"

    "Alright, you there, to the side, just chill out there. Sheesh!"

    I take a moment topose myself.

    "Now answer this question for me. Can you do more to benefit the colony, can you do more to serve the Queen, when you are alive, as opposed to dead?"

    "¡­.."

    They are thinking. They are seriously thinking. In any other situation this would be ridiculous but the fact that they are thinking at all is a massive win!

    "What if¡­." one of the hatchlings pipes up dubiously, "we were to serve the colony for a time, and then die in dutiful service to the colony?"

    "Would you be able to do more for the colony whilst still alive? Especially after you''ve taken Biomass and experience that could have gone to others? Are you selfish?"

    I say the word selfish as if throwing up vile poison and the hatchlings with respond with horror and disgust.

    "Selfish?!"

    "NEVER!"

    "Be used of selfishness?! I would rather die! Unselfishly ¡­ "

    I nod sagely.

    "That''s right. If the colony has invested resources in you, it is your duty to repay the colony with dutiful service, NOT pointless death."

    I lean closer to them.

    "Not to mention, the other thing to consider. Which colony is better, one with one hundred workers, or one with two hundred workers?"

    They think and mutter amongst themselves for a moment before deciding that yes, more workers is clearly superior to less workers. The ant logic of strength in numbers is strong with these ones.

    "Exactly. Now how is the colony supposed to increase its numbers if you die so easily?"

    "¡­"

    Oooh that hit them hard. Time for the final strike!

    "In fact, to strengthen the colony, isn''t it your duty to stay alive as long as possible? Wouldn''t throwing your life away for personal glory actually be an act of ¡­ SELFISHNESS?!"

    Their faces are pure masks of shock. Glorious sacrifice for the colony? Selfish?! It sounds like madness, but the logic is so clear! It sounds like heresy to them, but I''veid out a strong case. The war of ideas in ying out on their faces as I watch them.

    Maybe I have them now. Please, let me have them. I really didn''t think that the first order of business I would have when trying to teach these hatchlings would be to convince them not to throw their lives away at the first opportunity.

    I put so much work into getting to this point. Did they really think I''d let them waste it all?!

    I really hope we don''t have to do this with every new worker that hatches, seriously.

    Slowly, the light of understanding has begun to dawn amongst a few of the hatchlings. I decide that there is a slight chance that some of them may be able to give me a non-stupid answer so I indicate one of the quicker ants toe forward.

    "OK. Let''s try again. Your foe is there below us, we are here. How do you approach the situation?"

    The hatchling considers the question seriously. I can see the cogs turning as it thinks about what I''ve said, what it''s instincts say, and tries to resolve the two.

    "So ¡­ I don''t ¡­ Throw myself at it and ¡­. Die?" it says hesitantly.

    "OBVIOUSLY!"

    *THWACK!*

    "It''s so simple! Get your hunting party together and attack with acid from range! You can damage your target without it being able to threaten you. With enough acid being applied, you might even defeat the enemy without theming close enough to hurt you! See?! Then all of the workers survive, the hunt is sessful and the colony benefits! HOW CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THIS?!"

    They all nod and exim "Oooh!", as if they''ve finally understood. These damn idiots!

    Finally, I snap.

    "RIGHT! Line up! Two rows of ten. I said ten! Now on my signal you will begin firing acid at the target until you run out. NO QUESTIONS, put that antenna DOWN. Make every shot count and focus on your skills? Ready? FIRE!"

    Nothing happens.

    They watch me.

    I watch them.

    Slowly I bring my antennae forward to rub at my temples.

    "The signal to shoot is when I say ''fire''. Ok?"

    "Ooohhh."

    I''m dying here. I''m seriously dying.

    "Fire¡­"

 Chapter 150 263 - New Rules

    <h4>Chapter 150 Chapter 263 - New Rules </h4>

    After a couple of hours I was able to get the hatchlings to operate in a reasonable way. The first few enemies we defeated with acid and then let the little workers chow down after I''d dragged the Biomass clear of the farm. They ran out of acid quickly though and I was forced to incapacitate the prey before letting the young ants swarm it, training their bite skills and gaining experience.

    We repeated this process until the farm was empty, then I had them drink their fill from the water before we moved into the next farm.

    I''d only had to stop them from throwing themselves into the fight and embracing their own certain doom a few times! Progress!

    Despite having intellectually understood my point that by living they would be able to contribute more to the colony than they could by dying, the urge to throw themselves in harms way to protect their fellow hatchlings was overpowering.

    At one point a new monster had burst out of the farm wall whilst the hatchlings were eating. I''d known about it of course, but before I could deal with it, one of the workers had already leaped at the enemy, screaming "I''ll slow it down with my congealed blood! Attack from the nks!"

    Luckily I''d been quick enough to Dash in and knock him aside before crushing the offending monster with a savage bite attack.

    Naturally I''d then thwacked the offending ant on the head andunched into a lecture about appropriate crises response no necessarily including immediate sacrifice. Maybe they one day would be in a situation that demanded sacrifice, but this sure as heck wasn''t it!

    After instructing the ants to spend the Biomass they had umted and handing out a bit of advice (none of them so much as twitched by the way), we moved onto the next farm to repeat the process.

    I need to stuff these hatchlings full of experience and Biomass as fast as possible. There isn''t long until the next wave will be born and then we''ll have two hundred of the little pests to deal with!

    "We stick to the same n as before" I inform my ss of diminutive workers as we cling to the ceiling of the next farm. "We begin with acid bombardment of the target until ammunition is expended, then we move bites. Remember to focus on the skill you are using! We want to see some juicy level ups. Anyone who hits level five is banned from taking more experience, we need everyone to hit five as soon as possible."

    "Yes senior!" they shout.

    In this way we continue to rush through the farms at breakneck speed. With twenty of the little workers we are able to push through the farms at a fairly rapid clip as they team up to devour any avable Biomass in record speed and I defeat the monsters we encounter with ease, tying them down with gravity bolts.

    When we hit the third farm, the first worker reached level five. By the fifth, most of them had reached level five and were ready to form their cores. By the sixth, they all were.

    "Excellent! It''s been a great training session troops! Plenty of Biomass absorbed, skills developed and levels gained. It''s time now to form your cores! Let''s return to the nest and find a safe spot."

    "Roger!"

    Dutifully, the little ants follow along behind me as we retreat to the nest proper. Just to make sure they are looked after I take them down into my own personal chamber at the very base of the nest where Tiny sits on guard, munching on thest thing to try and leap out of the walls at him.

    With a bit of encouragement, the ants settle in and spend their levels, condensing their cores. An exciting moment for any young ant!

    Whilst they do that, I hustle up the main tunnel, the awkward stillness still reverberating through the nest, to check in with Crinis.

    [Nothing has been happening, Master. After thest of the workers returned it has been very still.]

    [Ok. You keep looking out and make sure that we aren''t attacked. I''m counting on you to defend us if we get into trouble.]

    [Of course Master!] Crinis dered confidently, [I will allow no trash to desecrate our home.]

    Well¡­. Good. My greatest fear is that another wave of monsters will attack us over the surface whilst the workers are out ofmission. In which case it would be up to Crinis and myself to hold them off for as long as possible and hope that the workers would start waking up.

    Vibrant is already awake of course and it doesn''t take her long to find me as she darts from chamber to chamber, checking on the workers.

    "Hi-hi! How are things going with the new ones?" she asks, not even pausing as she rushes by me.

    "It''s going well so far, I think they''ll work out¡­. Ok?" nope, she''s gone. At least she''s keeping an eye on all of the chambers like she promised.

    Time to head back down.

    The workers having their species changed is unexpected and I don''t know how long they are going to be out of action. It''s already been a few hours and so far only Vibrant has awakened. It had better not take much longer, it''s really stressing me out.

    When I pass through the Queen''s chamber I take a moment to check in on her. The massive ant who is the mother of all members of the colony appears to be slumbering peacefully. Her body is totally still, sunk deep into torpor.

    I really hope Mother wakes up soon. The colony just isn''t the same without her calming presence. Perhaps it''s just me hoping too hard but I swear I saw her antenna twitch as I turned away to head back down into my chamber. I''ll tell myself it was real for sure. Shell be up soon!

    Whilst the ants finish forming their cores I dig out my own core supply and start fusing together a few special cores. I''m going to have a happy surprise for these little fellow when they wake up!

    Ah, the joys of being a mentor. It''s tough watching them grow up so fast!

 Chapter 151 The waking monarch

    <h4>Chapter 151 The waking monarch </h4>

    Sensation returned to the Queen in increments. A leg twitched, then one of her antenna crackled into life, overloading her fuzzed mind with sensory information she wasn''t ready to process.

    As she drowsed, the feeling of change, of difference, rose within her. Even without being fully alert she knew that she was not the same as she had been when she''d gone to sleep. Her thoughts continued to swirl innguid circles as her body came to life piece by piece. It was always thus for her. She knew that the workers did not enter torpor as she did, her rest was longer, deeper and took longer to emerge from.

    For this reason she tried to rest as little as possible. If something were to happen to her family as she rested, how could she forgive herself? An idle thought stirred vaguely in her mind, if her noisy child were to find out about herck of rest, surely she would be pestered into sleeping more. If was of vital importance that she conceal her tiredness.

    The sensation of change grew stronger as she continued to wake. It was difficult to say exactly what it was, whatever had urred, had happened within her body, it wasn''t easy to feel the difference when the changes were applied to one''s own mind.

    However, a picture was taking shape. The Queen was able to feel her own thoughts moving faster than before. Even half awake, she could sense the change. Her mind felt agile and quick as thoughts moved quicker and things that had seemedplex suddenly seemed simpler, more manageable.

    When she had finally awoken, she shifted her body slightly to ensure her body was alright. Then she tried to find out what was happening in her chamber. Her loyal guards tended to her needs and protected her in this space from spawning monsters, it would be horrible if she were to move too quickly and crush them by mistake. The Queen was under no illusions just how much stronger than her children she was.

    It was a good thing that she checked before shifting herself, her loyal guard were still here with her, except that they were all resting. All of them! Some of them were even deep in torpor on her back. It was hardly unusual for her children to climb on her back, ensuring that she was clean and defending her from threats spawning overhead, but for them to sink into torpor without first moving to another chamber was unheard of.

    What exactly was going on?

    Curious, she brought up her status and stared with surprise at the new species listed there. Formica Sapiens? What exactly had happened?

    Her antennae twitched slightly with exasperation. This had to be the work of her meddling child. Always with grand ideas and strange ns that somehow worked out, the family would be in a far worse position if not for that one''s meddling. It''s a shame that the smartest of her children would also prove to the most frustrating.

    What had they done this time?

    "Good! The cores have been formed well and we''ve reinforced them. Don''t look at me like that, special cores are a rare resource for us, don''t be so ungrateful. A little difort/extreme pain now, but you''ll be thanking me when you evolve!" a voice echoed from below, followed by several weary groans.

    Who do all of these voices belong to? The Queen didn''t recall hearing them before. Other than her meddlesome child of course.

    "Let''s go back to the farms. We need to get back to level five as soon as possible. Before the day is done you''ll havepleted your first evolution, that''s our schedule. Up and at ''em. Gogogogo!"

    At the noisy urging of her meddlesome child a sorry looking cluster of young ants climbed into her chamber from below at what she guessed were the entrances to the ''farms'' that she had been told about.

    She wasn''t sure she liked the idea of spawning so many monsters so close to the nest but she had to admit that the Biomass supplied had been more than expected. The repeated harvesting had given her enough Biomass to push for the second set of two hundred eggs as quickly as she had.

    "Wait a moment children" she called out, causing the young hatchlings to turn towards her with surprise.

    "Mother? You''re awake!" they cried and rushed forward to stand before her.

    "What?! Mother?!" the meddlesome one yelled and rushed into the chamber, brushing aside the much smaller hatchlings effortlessly before fussing over the Queen, pestering her with questions.

    Internally, the Queen smiled, touched by the obvious concern being show by her meddlesome child, externally however.

    *THWACK!*

    "Ow!"

    "What have you done this time, child? The workers, even myself, have been dragged into torpor. My species has also changed. Can you exin?"

    Chastened, the meddlesome child rubbed at their head with an antenna whilst attempting to cate the Queen.

    "Well, things worked very well in the n to create smarter, more capable workers. The first twenty have hatched and I''ve started training them up. They''ve already formed their cores and are well on the way to their first evolution withplete +5 upgrades and fully upgraded cores" the unmistakable note of pride was resonating in that voice which had taken on a lecturing tone.

    The Queen was also proud of what her meddlesome child had achieved. If what had been said was true then these twenty young workers were advancing rapidly and would be a great aid to the family. However¡­

    *THWACK!*

    "Ouch!"

    "And the sleeping?"

    "Right, the torpor. Well, Mother, it turns out that when these hatchlings were born, the system decided that they were a new species. As the ''creator'' of the new species, I was given the option to convert our existing colony over to the new type. I selected yes and everyone fell asleep, including me! I didn''t know it was going to happen! I promise!"

    The Queen slowly nodded. It made sense. Her own species had clearly been changed after waking up, and in her opinion, changing the species of the entire colony was the best option. Different species of ants went to war, this was something she knew instinctively.

    Reaching down with her antenna, gently this time, she patted her meddlesome child on the head.

    "You have done well child. Now give me a moment to speak to my new children."

    Visibly pleased to be off the hook, her meddlesome child hopped to one side and began herding the smaller hatchlings towards her.

    The Queen looked down on her new children carefully. The twenty hatchlings were clearly smaller than those born before the change, but there was something different about them. A glimmer of light in their eyes, the way they looked about the chamber taking in information and thinking. The Queen was slightly disturbed to see that sort of behaviour from her children. She hade to expect it from the meddlesome one, but were these new hatchlings ants as she understood them? Or were they something new?

    "How are you children?" she asked gently.

    The twenty hatchlings perked up at her words, but were clearly suffering.

    "We are well Mother!"

    "Absolutely fine!"

    "Never better!"

    The Queen smiled down at them, their bravado fooled no one.

    "I can see that you are in pain children. Do you require rest?" she enquired.

    Rest was not something workers, nor the Queen, generally indulged in. Part of her was genuinely concerned to see her children suffering, another part was testing their response. She wanted to understand her new children, how were they simr to those who hade before? How were they different?

    "Rest?!" the twenty spat in unison, sounding almost offended at the suggestion.

    "I require no rest, not for another hundred years!" dered one scrappy looking hatchling close to her right foreleg.

    "I will not rest in this lifetime! Death before rest!" cried another.

    The others took up the chant.

    "Death before rest! Death before rest! Death before rest!"

    The Queen''s heart lifted in her thorax. These were ants, down to their very hearts.

    "Always to the death with you lot. Stop shouting at the Queen!" the meddlesome one interrupted, shouting louder than the other twentybined.

    "Sorry to disturb you Mother" the meddlesome one continued, "I should get back to training this bunch. Apparently I need to add a lecture on the necessity and importance of rest!"

    As the meddlesome child red at the hatchlings, the Queen shifted guiltily. Rest was important It just felt like such a waste.

    "Very well, child. I hope you children continue to serve the colony into the future."

    The hatchlings waved at her vigorously with their antennae as they responded.

    "Of course Mother! We will work tirelessly for the family!"

    "Indeed, our efforts will never falter!"

    "I''m honoured to bare this pain for the colony!"

    "Me too!"

    "Alright, alright, get into the farm already, we''re on a schedule here!"

    The meddlesome one herded the young hatchlings back down towards the farms and out of sight as they continued to dere their boundlessmitment to the colony. The Queen couldn''t help but feel warm inside. The future of the family looked bright. Perhaps soon there would be another Queen and they would truly start to expand as her instincts demanded that they should.

    Conflict would follow, it always did in the Dungeon. The Queen was still young but she had learned that lesson early. Still, she weed it. Her family wouldn''t be found wanting against challenge, she firmly believed that.

 Chapter 152 The new colony takes shape

    <h4>Chapter 152 The new colony takes shape </h4>

    After speaking to the Queen I took my ss down into the farms for further instruction. I honestly can''t say what Mother was thinking when I spoke to her, she seemed a mix of happy and mad. I have to say, I was quite nervous talking to her. I mean, how am I supposed to know how she would feel about having her species changed?! She might have been very attached to it. I don''t know!

    Having her species changed by the acts of one of her own children as well. I have to say, being the whole ''creator'' of a new species is sounding ominous to me. For some reason I feel extremely confident that this is going to have further ramifications for me down the line. The system doesn''t like to advertise when you unlock something, but surely creating an all new species in the Dungeon is something major? Maybe it isn''t, maybe new species pop up all the time and those that create them are as mediocre and ordinary as me. At least I hope so. If this blows up in my face and turns into some sort of big deal, then I''m going to be super annoyed.

    The hatchlings are still excited after their meeting with the Queen, their fervour has one again been ignited. Thankfully, the buzz has helped push the pain and difort of their newly maxed out cores to the back of their minds. Now we can push through the training even faster!

    Gweheheheh. Thanks for the assist, Mother!

    My n for the first twenty has always been to push them as hard as possible and give them as good a start to their lives as I can. That means doing for them much the same as what I did for Vibrant. Helping them to evolve with special cores from the get go, maxing out their mutations and with my improved knowledge I can also provide some guidance in regards to skills and progression.

    To maximise their potential I''ll also get them to choose the Superior Hatchling evolution. Judging by Vibrant, I suspect that the superior hatchling allows from improved stat growth for evolutions following after and will hopefully allow her and these twenty to grow into the powerhouses of the colony, allowing me afortable retirement, ticklingrvae grubs and boring hatchlings with stories from ''back in my day'', in the future.

    Ahhh, the stress free life surrounded by family and taking my ease. I never got to experience it in my old life, but now I have a chance! To that end, I''m going to work these twenty little hatchlings to the bone! By the time I''m don''t they''ll be super ants the likes of which the Dungeon has never seen.

    "Line up you little bugs! Let''s get into formation! I''m not going to baby you as much this time, we are going to see some realbat!"

    Their eyes light up as if a burning me has suddenly exploded within and I hastily cut them off before they can speak.

    "Absolutely NONE of you is going to throw yourselves into harms'' way, dammit! The first ant to leap at the enemy in a stupid way is going spend the rest of the training being carried around by the others and fed experience without contributing like a selfish piece of trash!"

    "Gasp!"

    I may as well have told them that the offender would be condemned to an eternity of burning hellfire. Not do any work? Be a burden to others? Selfish?! These concepts are simply not part of their lexicon. I may as well have told them I''d change their species from ant to duck.

    "As you say, Senior!"

    "We will obey your instructions!"

    They all assure me they''ll behave. I''m sure one of them will crack if the situation gets even a little bit tense but it''ll do for now.

    "Just like we practicedst time. We''ll enter the chamber and quickly get into formation, remember to position yourselves so that the business za is facing the foe but you still have line of sight to the target."

    "I thought it was themercial district?"

    "Same thing! You''ll never make it if you just get hung up on the small details. Go! Now! Now! Now!"

    With the sort of coordination only a swarm insect could possibly arrange, the hatchlings and I burst into the farm and quickly take up our positions on the ceiling, raining down acidic death on the fiercely battling monsters below. I''m cheating of course. The tougher looking and most uninjured monsters are the first targeted by own, more powerful and restrictive acid. That should make the next stage easier.

    "Report when you''re out of ammo!"

    "I''m out, Senior!"

    "Out here!"

    "Out! Shall I hurl myself at the enemy to secure our escape?"

    "I''ve already warned you twice! There won''t be a third, understand? The enemy is weakened, form up and advance. We shall engage in melee!"

    Moving into a box like formation with me at the helm, the hatchlings and I advance from the roof, down the wall and then onto the floor, moving intobat with the closest monsters.

    I''ve instructed the hatchlings to purchase the different bite skills as they be avable and train them in unison so that they level at close to a pace. This''ll allow them to get the fusion at tier three as soon as possible. I continue to hold out for the tier four fusions though, it''ll be interesting to see what the difference is.

    I can see the hatchlings snapping and biting with their tier one bites and chomps. The damage they deal individually is minimal, but no ant was ever meant to fight alone. Demonstrating their fast learning capabilities they are already deploying some of the tactics I''d spoken to them about. On my left the hatchlings on the nks and not only moving to surround their foes on the side, but those from behind are climbing on top of their siblings to attack the enemy from above, opening up a new angle of attack.

    I can''t imagine human soldiers riding on theirrades shoulders into battle, it would be faintly ridiculous to be honest. Ants on the other hand have no issue holding each other up and finding footholds on each other. Heck, some species of ants form living nests, the walls and tunnels formed out of masses of ants hanging off each other, climbing on another ant to attack is just basic stuff!

    In this way the hatchling ensure they are never outnumbered and can use their many avenues of attack to ward off more powerful monsters who would otherwise threaten them. Naturally I also have to lend a hand every now and again when things get a little hairy, bailing them out with a well-ced chomp, my powerful mandibles shearing through these weak enemies in a single bite.

    Once we''ve cleaned through the room I get the hatchlings to stuff their faces, mutate anything they can and it''s off to the next one. Then the one after that, then the one after that. We continue to fight and eat until they begin to tell me that their mutations areplete, at which stage I tell them to take the excess Biomass to the Queen, a task they take to with incredible enthusiasm, bursting with pride at the chance to feed the Queen.

    When all the farms are empty, we have finally achieved our goal. All level five, with maxed out mutations. Weary but triumphant, I lead my suffering charges out of the farms and into my chamber where Tiny continues to keep a watchful eye on the Dungeon.

    At this moment I get another pleasant surprise from Vibrant when she tells me the workers are stirring. The colony is waking up!

 Chapter 153 The beast slumbers no more

    <h4>Chapter 153 The beast slumbers no more </h4>

    The hatchlings are herded into my chamber where Tiny is instructed to keep a keen eye on the situation whilst I go to find Vibrant and see what the situation with the workers is like. I find Vibrant hovering around the two hundredrvae that recently hatched, fetching chunks of food that my ss had brought in and just dumping it close to the grubs as she races back and forth, trying to make sure the ravenous little things get fed.

    Whoops!

    The workers tending to the grubs are so omnipresent that I didn''t even think to make sure they were getting fed! Thank goodness Vibrant was on the job. They wouldn''t have starved to death in such a short time by any means, but their development would have been dyed if they went too long between meals. Therval stage of an ants development is primarily for them to stack on mass. They have nothing to do but eat, eat and eat some more. The faster they bulk up the faster they are ready to go into their cocoons and take shape as proper workers of the colony.

    "Vibrant! How are things with the workers?"

    "Hold on a sec, Senior! I need to feed these grubs!" she yells as she rushes past me at a full dash.

    "Aren''t they all fed?"

    "Nope!"

    Dangit. No point beingzy, I''ll pitch in and help. The bulk of the food was stacked in the Queen''s chamber and it doesn''t take us long to deliver it to the remaining grubs who immediately wiggle their ungainly bodies to a position in which they can munch at it. They don''t exactly have the best mouthparts for this but they are giving it a red hot go!

    As we worked, I asked Vibrant again what was going on.

    "I''ve started to see a little movement amongst the workers. The higher evolved ones and the workers I was leading were the first to start moving" she announces cheerfully.

    "Where are they?" I ask.

    "Oh! Everywhere!"

    "¡­."

    Turns out they are scattered all over the nest in various chambers. After rushing here and there I eventually find a worker showing signs of life. This fellow looks like he might''ve been on his second evolution, an advanced worker of some kind. Impressive! I do have the distinct impression that they should have been a bitrger than they currently are though¡­

    "Haaa ¡­. Hrrrrr"

    Whoa! The ant is talking! He''s developed the Pheromone Language nd whilst sleeping?!

    "Hey there buddy. How are you doing? You sleep ok?" I ask.

    "Hen, han ¡­ " as movement slowly returns to the worker, they continue to try and speak using this new mutation.

    "Take your time champ. No need to rush."

    "Harr¡­. Havvv. Have."

    "Have? Have what?"

    "Have ¡­ I ¡­ died¡­ for the colony?"

    "¡­ No."

    "¡­ Dammit."

    COME ON!

    Do I have to deal with this again?!

    Over the next hour, more and more workers wake up and I direct them to the Queen for a quick debrief before they go back to their duties. After speaking to both me and the Queen, and a few workers who had cores being inspected by me, I was able to piece together what had happened to them as they''d slept.

    Not only had the system changed their species, it had also brought them as close in line with the generic temte of the new species as it could. The workers haven''tpletely changed to match the new hatchlings, but they are close. They all have the Pheromone Language nd and all of them have sacrificed size and lost mutations in order to fuel their brain development. They aren''t as smart as the hatchlings are, but they are a heck of a lot smarter than they were before.

    After a few evolutions, I suspect the difference between the old workers and the hatchlings yet to be born will disappear entirely. The first twenty are going to get an extra kick to start off their lives, the hatchlings born after this won''t be getting this sort of VIP treatment.

    I emphasise to each worker, and I have the Queen double down for me to hammer the point home, that each worker is far more valuable to the colony alive than they are dead. I''m not sure if the new wave of sacrifice minded workers have heeded the message or not, but hopefully it sunk in enough that by the time I get the first twenty out there to help manage things there won''t be any damage.

    Speaking of the twenty.

    With the workers slowly going back into action it''s time for their first evolution. I head back down into my chamber and recall Crinis to meet up with us. When she arrives the twenty hatchlings are arranged in a half circle before me in the chamber, Tiny backing me up like a half asleep bouncer.

    "Hatchlings. You are about to embark on the first step of the long road to ant greatness. This evolution will helpy the groundwork for your future progression. It is my aim that in time, you will grow to be the foundations of this colony as it grows and expands. It isn''t feasible for every hatchling to receive the same start in life that you have, the resources required are too great."

    The ants listen to my great spiel with focused eyes. My rambling seems to be resonating in some way. In fact, the spirit in their gaze is starting to make me a little nervous. No need to be quite so serious guys!

    "Ahh. *Cough*. For you first evolution you''ll choose the Superior Hatchling option and I want you to be sure to select a stomach as your organ. This will help hasten your future development of mutations and decrease the demand on the resources of the colony. Beyond that, you can do whatever you want with your stats. From your second evolution onwards you''ll be able to choose a caste and decide how you''ll contribute to the colony from there. Are we ¡­ good?"

    "Yes Senior!" they shout in unison, causing me to jump.

    "Okay! Get to it then, I guess?"

    At that weak instruction the ants quickly cluster in one corner of the chamber and immediately grow still as they begin to interface with the evolution menu.

    After some research it was determined that only by purchasing a stomach upgrade during evolution would the ants begin to mutate their stomach. Some of the mutation advancements are especially appealing and I''ve provided some advice to the hatchling in that regard. Having core surgery is a little bit of a hack in some regards. I can''t see the whole evolution menu when I''m in there but I can look at options that are within reach of the core I''m looking at.

    With all of them choosing a stomach and then mutating it, getting them to +10 for another perfect evolution will be a piece of cake. I''ve done the maths on my cores and I think I only just have enough to max out the cores of all twenty for the next evolution. Five cores each means one hundred cores straight up and then another sixty or so to form the special cores through fusion. I don''t imagine that the royal family of Liria ever imagined their amassed wealth in cores would be wasted in just a few short weeks in this way.

    It''s enough to bring a smile to my heart.

    Gweheheh.

    Not long now and I''ll be able to turn over the bulk of the thinking in the colony to these hatchlings. Once I get them through the second evolution, it''s going to be on them. Then I''ll be a little more free.

    For now though, whilst they are busy evolving I should use my time somewhat productively. The Queen wants me to take on the rare core so I might as well try and start absorbing it.

    Feeling nervous, I dig it out of the wall and the powerful gem rolls onto the dusty earth of my chamber before me. This is one honking big core. I can''t help but feel an internal sting as I contemte trying to absorb this thing.

    This ones gonna hurt.

 Chapter 154 Lining up those ducks

    <h4>Chapter 154 Lining up those ducks </h4>

    The rare core sat on the ground in front of me and I knew it was time to pay the piper. As much as I''d derived a strange sense of joy forcing the hatchlings to absorb a special core, this process seriously hurts. I''ve already maxed out my core AND absorbed a special core. If I absorb this rare core, will I really be able to take it?

    Or will my core just detonate and rip me apart from the inside?

    Hoo boy.

    Here we go.

    Taking a deep breath I gingerly reach down with my antennae and touch them to the cold surface of the core.

    [Compatible Rare core detected. Would you like reinforce your core or reconstitute the monster?]

    I sure as heck don''t want to create one of those crocs as one of my pets, I have to many bad memories of them to even consider it.

    Nothing for it. Gimme dat core juice!

    As soon as I give my mental assent, the densely packed energies contained within the gem-like sphere begin to flow into me, swirling throughout my body before settling in my core core, adding their strength to my own.

    And it hurts immediately.

    I''d gotten used to the vaguely stretched feeling of my maxed out core to the point where it didn''t really bother me. I''m not sure if that was just because I''d be ustomed to the pain or if my body had adjusted to the extended core size. Ultimately it doesn''t matter, as the vast energies within the rare core pour into me and my core starts to grow, the pain is instant and intense.

    My body was not meant to hold a core of this size!

    Damn that stings! Holy Moly! With a capital M!

    This must be what it feels like to have a swollen stomach that is not a stomach but actually a stone formed of condensed mystical energies. The pain isn''t even localised around my core! Unlike before, it is radiating outwards, zapping along my nerves to the ends of my limbs and rebounding off my extremities toe back to my centre even worse than before.

    How delightful!

    Inplete agony, all I can think of is to endure as best I can. I don''t know why, but the idea to immediately stop and just walk away doesn''t ur to me. I don''t need this in my life. I''ve suffered plenty in my new existence, perhaps someone else could pick up this burden for me. I''ve done more for the colony than every other individual in it bar the Queen herself at this point.

    And it isn''t as if I want to be all powerful, lord of all he surveys sort of monster. I don''t especially crave individual power, I''m not deeply ambitious, I''m far toozy for that!

    And yet, I grit my mandibles and hold on.

    Perhaps it was watching the twenty hatchlings be so stoic and selfless in their attitudes. Perhaps it was the eptance of the Queen to what I had done, creating so much change to push the colony forward. Perhaps I''m just stupid. I haven''t ruled that out.

    Whatever the reason, I hold on.

    It hurts and I hold on.

    There is agony and I hold on.

    I feel like my body and mind are breaking into a thousand pieces, but I hold on. As strange as it sounds, I felt rity in those moments. As if the pain radiating out from my core as it grows is searing away the clutter and doubt that normally rattles away inside my mind.

    I feel clean. I feel pure.

    I''ll endure this. I''ll survive. There are things that are more unendurable than this. I have a family now, something I''ve never really had before. I won''t allow them to suffer. I won''t allow them to struggle. Deep down, I''m prepared to shoulder burdens to help them.

    This core needs to be used and I''m the best one to use it. For whatever reason, there is no member of the colony as advanced as I am. For the time being it has to me.

    And so I hold on.

    There is nothing in my universe except for the pain and the ball of packed energy resting on the dirt before me. The transfer of energy is cially slow, or at least it feels that way. This core must hold more than ten times as much energy as a special core. No matter how much I drain out it doesn''t seem like I''m any closer to finishing absorbing it!

    More pain. I endure.

    I hold on until my thoughts fade away to nothing and my vision goes ck.

    HAH!

    I''m up!

    DANG it still hurts!

    When alertness rocks back into my mind I spring to my feet only to find my entire body is screeching with agony. Yeeouch! It''s like every cell in body hit the gym with an enthusiasm they were not able to endure. Not a single part of me isn''t radiating an intense displeasure with their present circumstances.

    And my core.

    Holy moly, the core.

    As if I''d swallowed a rock that carried a grudge, it sits in the centre of my body and it just doesn''t fit. I''m too damn full! Worst of all, I can still see the rare core on the ground in front of me. I must have passed out from the pain before I''d been able to finish the absorption process.

    Perhaps that''s a good thing. I really don''t feel like I could take any more in right now. I really feel as if I''m on the edge of some serious damage here. I hope that after some time has passed the tightness and pain will fade to the point that I can absorb the rest, right before I evolve.

    Gingerly, since every motion sends new signals of hurt rocketing through my nerves, I roll the core to one corner and bury it with the rest of the my stash.

    The hatchlings appear to still be in the process of evolving. Which is good. I need a little rest and recovery time. Before that though, I''d told myself I would check in on the vige, just to make sure that the changes to the colony weren''t about to spark some sort of conflict or misunderstanding.

    So like a geriatric grandpa ant with severe arthritis and three dodgy hips I make my way up the central shaft of the nest. Despite my condition, I can''t help but notice the changes taking ce in the colony already.

    The first and most obvious thing is the pheromone trails that have been left. Where once they were very simple messages, "food here", "brood needs tending", "help dig", they have be much moreplex. Swishing my antennae through the air I get a rush of conversations that have taken cetely and descriptive long term trails that have been marked down several times.

    The first one I run into says "Hi there! Brood is over this way, need help with cleaning and feeding. Current food levels are healthy but expecting a spike in demand soon."

    Followed by "Hi-hi! I''ve been told there will be a spike in demand for food soon! How exciting! Follow this trail above ground to join in the surface hunting. Make sure you hunt in a team! Groups of five, stay alive!"

    I can tell thatst one is Vibrant, apparently continuing to step up her leadership skills.

    In general the messages are friendly are business like. Things like "This way for digging, keep that soil fresh!" or "Afternoon brood chambers this way! Can always use more help, lots of broodtely! :) "

    How the hell did they invent the scent emoji in such a short time?!

    Even as I slowly mber out of the nest I receive lots of greetings and well wishes as I do so.

    "Hello. Keep up the good work!"

    "Hi. Work hard!"

    "Stay healthy there fellow worker. Otherwise you can''t work!"

    I get it¡­ you like working! At least they aren''t talking about throwing their lives away in some pointless fashion. I suspect that the next time the colony is under attack that mighte back out. We''ll see.

    For now I tip toe my way over to the human vige to see how things are travelling.

 Chapter 155 The second phase

    <h4>Chapter 155 The second phase </h4>

    [We need more of this. As soon as you can get it.]

    ¡­

    [Uh, okay? Maybe take it out of my face a little so I can see it?]

    An unusually forceful and intent Enid is waving something in my face with shaking hands. As soon as I waddled my way into the vige someone had gone to fetch her and the normally dignified olderdy had arrived at a dead run, her skirts hiked up with one hand and the other clutching this, object.

    As she withdraws the object slightly I can see that it is, as suspected, the mana infused wood that I delivered to Beyn a day or so ago.

    [Ah. Finally got your hands on that did you? So what is it?] I enquire.

    [It''s mana infused wood.]

    [I can see that in as day! What is it good for?!]

    Enid huffed with her hands on her hips.

    [Well that''s a different question, isn''t it?] she held the branch tenderly in her hands, like a newborn babe, [this wood has absorbed the plentiful mana of the Dungeon and taken on the attributes that surrounded it.]

    [Yeah?]

    [These kinds of materials from the Dungeon are treasured and worth just as much as cores. Nations fight over the rights to expanses and other regions that produce this kind of thing fiercely. They are rare and incredibly useful! Not to mention valuable. In the past I dealt with some things like this that my husband managed to bring up. They sold high, I can tell you. Enchanters and craftsmen love this stuff.]

    [For what?!] I''m losing my patience here.

    Looking down at me disapprovingly, Enid sniffs before answering. [When making items designed to channel certain types of mana, materials like this will amplify the effect. For example, if a staff where made for a water wizard with materials that were imbued with water mana, any spell cast through the staff would be more powerful.]

    [Ooo, that is handy.]

    Enid smiled triumphantly at my growing enthusiasm. [Not only that. You could make shields, swords, armour, or artefacts that would add that element to their offense or defence.]

    [But this wood has double elements in it] I pointed out, [water as well as earth. Is that good?]

    [That!] dered Enid, once again waving the stick with vigour in my face, [is the most important thing! Double affinity! Double the offensive boost, double the defensive! This kind of material is extremely rare! In Liria, anything like this was imed directly by the crown!]

    [Okay. So it''s great stuff. That''s nice. But what exactly can we do with it? I doubt there are any master enchanters hanging around the vige currently, and the colony certainly doesn''t have the ability to make anything with it.]

    Yet.

    With how hard working and dedicated the workers are,bined with their new smarts, who knows what they''ll capable of in a few years? In my mind scenes of the great ant forges begin to appear, the cavernous halls under the earth where thousands of teeming artisans craft ant weapons and armour at an industrial scale.

    Gweheheheh.

    It''s glorious within my mind!

    Focus Anthony. y it cool. The inevitable ant future will arrive in time.

    Enid was looking at me strangely. Dammit Anthony, don''t let the ambition be quite so naked!

    [Well you aren''t wrong] the wily woman answered warily, [but we do have a few tradespeople, apprentices and, more importantly, we have Beyn to help guide us to unlocking the skills and sses rted to shaping mana infused materials and enchanting.]

    [Won''t it take ages for someone to train up those skills? Just how much time do you think we have to spend on something like this?]

    She shook her head.

    [It won''t take as long as you think. By elerating level growth in the Dungeon and with expert knowledge to crack the unlock conditions, the only thing missing is materials to use for grinding skills.]

    [I see. So this is why you want me to bring more up. The question I have for you is, what''s in it for the colony? The expanse is ours and we are the only ones able to go down there and collect the stuff.]

    We got down to a bit of haggling and eventually worked out a distribution deal for the crafted materials, the lions share going to the colony of course. I was also able to extract a promise from a curious Enid to engage in a knowledge sharing arrangement, where the vige would inform the colony of anything they were able to learn.

    With that business concluded, it was time to return to the nest and check in on my ss of hatchlings. Once more painfully shifting my legs one by one as shooting beams of agony rippled through my body with each step, I made my way back to my chamber. The journey only took four times as long as normal. I feel as if I''m prematurely aging.

    Back into the nest as the flood of greetings, conversations and trails rattles my antennae once more. It really is noisy in here now. Thinking back, it wasn''t that long ago that I was worried I''d never have anyone to talk to ever again. To have this constant chatter and noise around me, here, in this ce where I feel so safe¡­

    It''s just nice. Almost enough to bring a tear to my eye, but not quite because I remain physically incapable of it.

    Back down the chamber, the ants are alert again. For whatever reason they are clustered about Tiny as the great ape remains seated on his backside, to all appearances totally asleep.

    [Any issues here Crinis?] I ask my more alert and capablepanion.

    [No problems, Master. The little ones awoke only a short time ago.]

    I have to chuckle at Crinis referring to them as ''little ones''. She isn''t that much older that they are.

    [Why are they looking at Tiny so closely?] I enquire.

    [I''ve no idea. He''s been sleeping on the job for thest thirty minutes] Crinis sounds decidedly irritated at herzy associate.

    [I''ll sort him outter] I promised her before I rounded on the workers.

    "Okay then you lot. One evolution down, one more to go before you have graduated from basic training. You know what that means! More core absorption!" I shout joyfully.

    The best thing to forget about your own pain sometimes, is to inflict it on others.

 Chapter 156 Diving into the depths

    <h4>Chapter 156 Diving into the depths </h4>

    "Stop your cking, aren''t you ready to work for the colony?!"

    "Ugh. Of course, Senior!"

    The hatchlings are once again suffering from the effects of being stuffed full of cores and then absorbing a special core. Packing all of them full has depleted my stash to basically nothing but it''ll be worth it. These twenty are getting the best start in life an ant could possibly hope for.

    Each and every one of them has taken the ''superior hatchling'' evolution that Vibrant had. Their stats have been boosted only a little from their original hatchling form, the only significant difference is in Cunning, since a small boost in that stat represents a substantial shift, but over their next few evolutions the payoff will be huge.

    Regardless of what type of ant these first twenty choose to be, Soldier, Queen or Worker, I want them to be exemry examples that will be able to lead those who follow in their footsteps. I''m on the clock though, I need to get these twenty up to level 10 and evolved before the next set of two hundred hatchlings emerges. Whenst I checked in on the brood they were quite chubby little grubs. It won''t be long before they enter the pupal phase. Gotta move fast!

    Or at least, I would, but I''m still suffering from my own core being oversized. Gawd I hate this feeling.

    Crinis is leading the way down at the moment, with Tiny bringing up the rear. This is a good chance for the two of them to grind some skill points and I don''t want to waste it. Normally I''d want to be grinding those skills myself but the difort I''m experiencing has dampened my enthusiasm somewhat.

    As we descend through the tunnels Crinis reaches out with a forest of dark tentacles, grasping hold of monsters before they even know she''sing. Once held within her grasp there is little they can do to save themselves. More tentaclessh out and the victim is quickly rendered unable to fight before being deposited behind her. One of the ants steps forward to deliver the finishing strike before the rest approach to devour the Biomass.

    We are advancing in record time to be honest. This system is nothing except efficient. The workers are still levelling at a decent pace and their enhanced stomachs are working just as well as I''d hoped they would. Not only has their capacity increased, but apparently the mutation menu for the organ has an option that will allow them to consume Biomass as if they were one tier of evolution lower, reducing the penalty!

    I MUST get my hands on this organ during my next evolution! Things will be made so much simpler! In fact, this organ and mutation should be mandatory for all workers in the colony! The efficiency gains when spread across thousands of workers will be staggering!

    Arrrghh! That stings! Damn core¡­

    What this means for my ss of hatchlings is that they are rapidly piling up Biomass as we advance further into the Dungeon, seeking higher level creatures to feed them the experience they need to reach level ten as soon as possible.

    [How''s it going Crinis? Do you need to rest? I can have Tiny swap in for you any time?]

    [That is unnecessary, Master. I am more than sufficient to dispose of this filth. Please allow me to continue]

    [Sure, sure. As long as you''re okay.]

    I can almost feel the dark joy emanating from Crinis as twists and crunches these monsters into a helpless state. You are walking further and further down a questionable road Crinis. I''m not sure how I should feel about it to be honest.

    For now though, our progress is rapid as we continue to descend.

    After another hour of this I call a halt to our procession and gather the hatchlings before me.

    "You''ve done well to keep up with my elerated learning program so far, your hatchlings. But the time for you to earn your own supper hase!"

    "What do you mean, Senior?" they query me, antennae wibbling with curiosity.

    "I mean, it''s time for the twenty of you to engage in gloriousbat for the colony!"

    "Atst! Before the day is done my broken body will decorate the trash pile of the colony!"

    "I''ve had enough of you! Go stand at the back and think about what you said! Sheesh!"

    I shake my head for a moment before fixing my gaze on the rest of the workers. "You know the rules. Each and every one of you is to make it back to the colony in one piece. We have invested heavily in you because your future contributions to the colony will be immense, don''t waste it!"

    I fix them all with a sharp re, especially that moron at the back.

    "I want to see if our lessons have been sinking in properly and I want to see if you can handle yourselves when my pets and I aren''t here to help you. Have you got what it takes?!"

    As one they roar with their squeaky hatchling voices, "of course, Senior!"

    "Everyonees back alive! Don''t forget!" I ram home the point once more.

    I can''t help but be worried. Tiny, Crinis and myself will be with them of course, ready to step in just in case something goes wrong, but protecting the ants from their own sacrificial impulses could be much more difficult than protecting them from monsters.

    With a flick of an antennae I gesture for the much smaller hatchlings move to the front and take the lead. Once again, they seem strangely deferential as they pass Crinis, greeting her politely even though she can''t hear them.

    [Tiny, make sure to guard our back zone. I don''t want anything to get a jump on us.]

    [Hrrrr, bored.]

    [Don''t care buddy.]

    [What about me, Master?]

    [You''re with me Crinis, hop on.]

    The writhing mass of tentacles before me cheerfully retracts until thepacted softball of infinite despair is once again revealed. She takes her customary position on my back and we are ready to depart. This should be interesting.

    The hatchlings are a little hesitant at first and I can hear them conferring with each other in hushed tones.

    "You don''t really need to talk quietly guys, you don''t actually make any sound" I tell them.

    One of the hatchlings on the outside of the huddle turns to answer me. "We are operating under the assumption that it''s possible other species capable of pheromonalmunication could exist, therefore care should be taken at all times."

    "That''s¡­." actually pretty smart.

    Huh.

    "Who has the best vision?"

    "I''m plus six."

    "Plus seven here."

    "You two take point."

    "Right. Who has the highest acid upgrades?"

    "I''m plus six, extra damage."

    "Also plus six, restrictive."

    "You two should go up top and keep the line of fire open as much as possible."

    "I have the best carapace here, let me frontline."

    "Good. I think we have our formation. Are we ready?"

    "Yes, proceed."

    In almost no time they arrange their team into a working formation and delegate roles to each member based on their best attributes. Watching them arrange themselves so quickly and then begin moving out with such purpose and organisation has got my heart fair pounding in my chest.

    In some ways these hatchlings are more than I had ever hoped they would be.

    "I''ve got the best healing though, you should let me throw myself in the enemies mouth to take their weapons out of the battle."

    "That could be good"

    "Oi! Shut up you!" I yell.

    Some of them still need a lot of work it seems.

 Chapter 157 Back from patrol 1

    <h4>Chapter 157 Back from patrol 1 </h4>

    ''The Civilised Races'' is a term often bandied about casually in schrship, yet many people remain ignorant of it''s true meaning and origins. The lines that be drawn between the races are often no so clear cut as ''these races are civilised, therefore safe, and these are not''. The so called ''Civilised'' are just as prone to greed, violence and short sighted action as the creatures of the Dungeon at times, as history as proven many times.

    Others simply don''t understand the lines drawn between those races who existed before the Descent of the System (often referred to as ''The First Born'') and those who came after (somewhat derogatorily referred to as ''The New Blood'').

    Before the Time of Rending, mana began to infuse the surface, giving rise to magic and many other wonders. At the same time that mana concentrated in certain ces and within some things, a process that only elerated as the Dungeon opened and the surface became flooded with mana at levels that have never been seen again.

    This mana injection changed the surface of Pangera forever, not only due to the monsters that devastated its surface but also by giving rise to new races, such as the Bruanchii, a race of sentient tree like creatures that appeared from a single tree in the southern wilds. Or the Brathian, the aquatic creatures who developed from Lake Bratha after it be flooded with mana during the Rending when a Dungeon opening connected to the Lake.

    The Elder races have not always weed these neers peacefully and when the Dungeon monsters receded, a new wave of conflict began when Old Blood began to mix with New. Eventually peace was established and cooperation began. After all, the System does not recognise the ''Civilised Races'' as monsters, therefore it would be unnatural to fight against each other, at least that is what the Church of the Path has always preached. Others, such as the Sophos, were not so lucky. Branded as monsters by the system they were first excluded and then hunted, causing them to conceal their underground settlements and withdraw from contact with those they had fought beside during the Rending.

    Excerpt from ''Ruminating on the Races'' by schr Fuandri''ll of the Kaarmodo.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Myrrin was exhausted. Her body ached from top to toe and she had a sneaking suspicion one of those toes was broken. The mental fatigue may have been the worst of it. She hadn''t slept in what felt like three days. Why the hell did she let herself get talked into this rubbish?

    "Donnn, remind me why I let you talk me into this rubbish?" she asked irritably.

    Her equally exhausted yet strangely animated fellow legionary turned back to her and she swore she could see the light of madness dancing in his eyes.

    "After two weeks on the Bulwark, you want to spend our precious leave sleeping?! I am going to eat and drink until I''m sick, then do it again!" he dered and continued threading his way through the crowd.

    Mirryn had to admit the idea held some appeal. The things she''d seen, done and been made to understand since her baptism had obliterated her understanding of how the world worked.

    Only now did she understand what an underdeveloped and ignored pocket of the world Liria truly had been.

    The trainees hadn''t been given any time to question or absorb their new circumstances before being thrown into gruelling training. Themander himself tirelessly drilled them. Two days of practice in the living rock suits known as Abyssal armour and they had been thrown into livebat patrols. Three days after that and they''d been broken up and sent to various forts that formed part of the ''Bulwark'', thework of defences that locked a bubble of Dungeon off from the lower levels.

    "Time you find out the sort of the thing the Legion really does down here" themander had informed them gruffly, and find out they had. He''d taken the group on an extended tour of the Bulwark, inspecting the forts and dropping the trainees off as they went.

    Deep down, Mirryn had always felt as if she were tough, as if she were made of stern stuff. Nothing like themander obviously, but still, tough. The Legionaries she had met at her fort were so damn tough she felt they didn''t need Abyssal Armour at all, the monsters would snap in half when they tried to bite them.

    She''d reported to her new Centurion on arrival, a grizzled veteran named Tannar, and been shocked at the man''s age. If he was a day under sixty she''d have been shocked. Thin and wiry, the tendons in his neck in to see, Tannar had very quickly eliminated any concerns about age from her mind.

    The man fought like an angry bear and sounded like one too. His Legionaries hung of every word that came of out his mouth and Mirryn learned rapidly to do the same. This man knew the business of killing monsters and business was good.

    Too good.

    If the wave above had been brutal, down here in the second strata it was worse. Each fort was tasked with locking down one tunnel, preventing monsters froming up and going down. Shorthanded and undersupplied, the Legionaries fought for hours on end, every day. When they couldn''t stand up anymore they were rotated off to rest until they could, then it was back out in the thick of it.

    Mirryn hadn''t even taken off her suit the entire time she was out there.

    She was also made to see some of the other measures the Legion had been forced to in order to hold the line.

    She grimaced.

    "Did you have any irregrs at your fort Donnn?" she asked.

    He paused for a moment as he pushed through the crowd, before starting up again.

    "I see a bar over there,e on" he muttered grimly, pulling her across the street.

    The two of them parted the curtain that hung across the front of the establishment, like most buildings in Railleh it was shaped out of the stone, creating a dark and cool atmosphere inside. Glowstones dotted the walls and roof providing a soft illumination that revealed a crowded bar area, with tables and booths towards the back.

    Behind the bar a massive figure stood, a Golgarin, one of the stone people. His thick hands moved with surprising grace as he poured drinks and fetched sses for his clientele. Barely pausing to take the scene in, Donnn quickly stepped towards the bar and pped down a coin, shing it at owner, who nodded towards them as finished serving his current customer.

    "I guess we know what those prisoners were for now eh?" the mage forced out augh as he yed with the coin in his fingers.

    "The what?" Mirryn asked, leaning onto the stone bar next to him.

    "The prisoners" he repeated, staring at her. When she continued to stare back nkly he continued, "remember? When we came down here to Railleh the Legion brought a bunch of killers and criminals down with us? Where did you think the Irregrs came from?"

    Her eyes widened with understanding. "Oh."

    Donnn grunted. "Right, oh."

    As the massive bartender made his way over Donnn ordered two tall sses of ''something with kick'' and paid the man.

    As the huge figure with skin that looked like solid rock poured out the drinks Mirryn wasn''t sure she felt about the Irregrs. They had certainly helped in the fighting. Not as strong as a full Legionary, but stronger than most normal people. Now she knew where they came from, she didn''t know if it was right or wrong.

    The criminals had been sentenced to death, and in most ways they had died, as humans anyway. She''d seen the Irregrs, seen them eat. She certainly wouldn''t call them people. That was what happened when a person eats Biomass.

 Chapter 158 Back from patrol 2

    <h4>Chapter 158 Back from patrol 2 </h4>

    "Then we were fighting theshe monsters and they are like freaking shombies, I''m tellin'' you. No matter what I hit them with they just don''t shtay down. Finally I burn the shtoopid thing so much it falsh down and this ugly ass bug breaksh out of iz back and jush crawlsh off!"

    "Donnn, I think you''ve had enough. I can''t understand what on earth you''re saying."

    "I''m¡­.. FINE!"

    "You are not fine, you''ve been trying to drink out of the bowl of nuts for thest fifteen minutes!"

    "¡­ Maybe I''sh had enough."

    "I thought you mage types were supposed to be smart. You had enough an hour ago you moron. You''re juicier than a fiddler at festival time. I bet you can''t even walk."

    Donnn''s eyes go nk for a moment as he sways from side to side, testing his bnce.

    "Yous right!" he dered. "I cantsh walk."

    Mirryn grunted with irritation. She''d been happy to join in and have a few drinks but she was quick to realise that the spirits they brewed down here were several levels more intense than anything they''d drunk on the surface. So she''d slowed down her pace, enjoyed the convivial atmosphere and watched the various races and social grouping here in Railleh mixing within the venue.

    Donnn had just wrecked himself andined.

    "Is he going to make it home?" rumbled the barkeep as he approached.

    The enormous Golgarin male had kept a watchful eye on his business all night but hadn''t had to flex his size on anyone, something that Mirryn was quite grateful for. Easily seven feet tall and quite literally looking as if he''d been carved from a mountainside, the man looked as if he could crush two human heads in one of his massive palms.

    Mirryn had heard that the Golgarin weren''t actually made of stone, just that their skin was so dense and,bined with the greyish texture, gave the appearance of rock.

    "I''ll give him a shoulder" she assured him, "he''ll be okay."

    The barkeep grunted and stomped to the other side of the bar, ready to serve another customer who was prepared to continue deep into the morning.

    "Come on Donnn, up you get" Mirryn urged, grabbing her friend by the shoulder.

    "Ey! Eashy!" he mumbled as he staggered to his feet.

    An hourter Mirryn walked out of Donnn''s room in the barracks, loud snoring rumbling out the doorway already. The moron had staggered and stumbled each and every step, not to mention a few stops on the way to expel the worst of his drinks, causing the journey to take four times as long as it should''ve. The second she''d thrown him at his bunk, he''d been out like a light.

    "Big night?" a quiet voice found her from the dark corridor.

    Turning to her left she found Tribune Aurillia approaching from the officers'' quarters, further down this wing of the barracks. All of the Liria branch trainees who had been recently promoted, along with their officers had been bunked together in one wing of the barracks.

    "Ah" Mirryn coughed awkwardly, "bigger for some that for others."

    Aurilliaughed. "I''m not surprised. Young Donnn always struggled to deal with stress. Considering how much has changed for himtely, this was only to be expected."

    "Well, as you say, we''ve had our lives turned upside down. We don''t even have a home on the surface anymore" Mirryn pointed out, a little bitterness leaking through. "It shouldn''t shock anyone that some people can''t cope."

    Aurillia only nodded and walked towards the far younger woman, cing a hand on her shoulder.

    "We have all lost our homes and family above. We can only hope and pray that some of them have survived and fled. Until the mana levels recede, our duty is to hold the Bulwark and prevent even greater destruction."

    Mirryn shrugged her officers hand off and turned to face her directly.

    "And when exactly will that be? Ever since we''vee down here we''ve been fighting. I''ve killed more monsters in the past two months than I''ve killed in all my life up to this point, and it isn''t stopping. Even now the soldiers in the forts are fighting. No matter how much we fight it doesn''t seem to matter. Are we even making a difference?"

    "We are" Aurillia affirmed, no trace of doubt in her voice. "Every monster we kill is a threat that has been removed, every day we hold the Bulwark matters."

    "Why though? Why is it so important that this part of the Dungeon be sealed off? Is this sort of thing normal for the Legion? Have we created pockets like this elsewhere?"

    Aurillia closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and looking directly into the younger Legionary. Mirryn had always been strong. Not only had she taken to the Legions training exceptionally well, she had disyed a rare emotional strength. She''d been the rock of her training group and many who might have failed had passed by leaning on her for support.

    In many ways she reminded Aurillia of herself when she was younger. This was a Legionary who would go far. Probably further than she herself had managed.

    "What do you know about the Ancients?" she asked.

    Mirryn blinked at the sudden change of topic.

    "Not much? I mean, are you referring to the people before the Rending?"

    "No" Aurillia shook her head, "I''m talking about the Ancients. The first monsters."

    Mirryn''s eyes narrowed and seeing it, Aurillia couldn''t help but chuckle.

    "All superstition isn''t it? The first monsters who rose during the Rending and broke the world. Just a legend. The Church of the Path has worked hard to make people forget those old stories, and in some ways for a good reason."

    The officer turned to ce on hand on the wall of the barracks, feeling the solidity of the shaped stone. "There are members of the Legion who have gone to the Sixth Strata, hundreds of years ago, the only non-monstrous entities to ever descend that far. Did you know that? It nearly drove them mad but they came back and told us things we didn''t dare to discount."

    "What did they see?" Mirryn whispered.

    That anyone had been able to descend that far was beyond her imagination. The mana down there would be so thick you could practically swim in it. Just what sort of monsters live down there?

    "There are neen of the Ancients recorded in the old texts. Neen. The Legionaries who descended that far came back with confirmation of three of them. Enormous creatures of fathomless power. More like Gods than monsters. When they returned the Legion turned all of its resources to uncovering their secrets, learning whatever we could about these creatures. In time we discovered something we didn''t expect."

    Aurillia took her hand from the wall and brushed the grit on her uniform.

    "The System wants another Ancient. As far as we know there have always been neen of them, but sometimes powerful monsters are called to descend. We aren''t sure how, or what happens when they get there, but we don''t want to find out. The Legion and other forces have shared knowledge and resources to prevent another Ancient from being created."

    "Garralosh" Mirryn stated.

    Aurillia nodded. "That fat Croc got the call a long time ago. The Dungeon seers can sense it somehow, when the Dungeon reaches out and calls a monster. The second the call went out, the Legion mobilised to lock this region up. We haven''t been able to kill Garralosh, she''s wily and tough as nails, but we''ve sessfully prevented her from descending."

    Mirryn shook her head, trying to take this new information in. One thought nagged at her and she had to ask.

    "What''s the big deal about the Ancients. If they do exist, they haven''t appeared for thousands of years. Does it really matter if another monster joins them in the depths?"

    "Maybe, maybe not" the older woman responded, "there are some who think like you, that it wouldn''t make much difference, there are others who believe that when their number isplete they will rise again and trigger a second Rending. There are some who study the ancient writings who say that Pangera will end at the hands of twenty monsters. Who can say what is real or not? We simply protect, as best we can."

 Chapter 159 Triumph of training

    <h4>Chapter 159 Triumph of training </h4>

    Finally back!

    In reality it probably didn''t take that long, but leading these hatchlings around and making sure that they don''t get themselves killed has been a royal pain in the global financial markets. Although they disyed surprising tactical acumen, organising themselves and operating as only a team of ants could, stamping out the remaining impulse towards sacrifice and martyrdom from their minds has proven to be difficult.

    "It''s the most efficient strategy" one of them protested to me at one stage.

    THWACK!

    "Efficient how?! Whilst having a decoy worker draw away the majority of the pack will allow the rest to engage the mature wolf hound in safer conditions, it''s a suicide mission! One hatchling is no match for ten wolf hounds, even if they are cubs!"

    The victim of my rage rubbed at their head with an antenna. "It''s time efficient and makes use of the resources we have avable to minimise losses!" they protested, "it''s not the same as pointless self-sacrifice!"

    "Time efficient is it?" I growled, "let''s see about that."

    I turned to the rest of the hatchlings. "Who volunteers for the suicide mission?"

    Neen antennae went into the air. Turning back to the hatchling who had suggested the n I found they had raised their antenna as well.

    "So, how quickly and efficiently are you going to collectively decide who is going to go?"

    The mastermind of the scheme looked a little dejected. "I see your point."

    "No" I corrected them, "you are still only seeing part of it."

    THWACK!

    Using my antennae to bring down a vicious double barrelled thwack, I smack the workers head straight into the ground.

    "You are STILL not measuring the weight of your lives correctly! The amassed experience and resources, the investment the colony has made in you, the potential work that you can achieve in the future! You would throw all of that away over one hunt?! It''s not worth it, not even for one of you! AND ¡­" I spit, rounding on the rest of them, "with even a little thought, you could have made arrangements for the ant tasked with the diversion to survive!"

    They all stare at me nkly. The thought hadn''t even crossed their minds, I bet.

    "Dig an escape tunnel for them to run to in advance, prepare a hiding ce, use a pit trap, connect the tunnels so they can loop back, there are many options."

    The menace in my voice caused quite a few hatchlings to break out in a cold sweat on the inside of their carapace, I''ve not doubt.

    "For not even thinking of preserving your own lives, we will go ahead with the diversion n, but I will take the role of the sacrificial diversion myself."

    "No!"

    "Dammit!"

    "That should have been me!"

    "Before this day is done I had nned toy down my life gloriously and unselfishly!"

    "Yeah that''s right" I jeered at them, "no dangerous jobs for you, just the clean up!"

    "Boo!" they roundly boo me for taking the ''glory'' for myself.

    Following that discussion I had the hatchlings re-evaluate their n and take the time to prepare a way out for me, even though I didn''t really need one. Following that extra preparation we executed the strategy wlessly and the hunt was sessful.

    Despite having already evolved once, the hatchlings were able to rack up experience very quickly, with Tiny, Crinis and I defeating anything they couldn''t handle and feeding them thest hits. With their stomach upgrades making it so that they suffered no Biomass penalties for their only evolution, they racked up the points and mutations quickly as well.

    All in all it took only slightly longer than a full day of delving to get all the ants up to level ten. When I think about my own struggles in my early life andpare it to the silver spoon these chumps have been handed I can''t help but feel a little bitter.

    Suck it up Anthony! This is for a future of rxation! If these guys can take care of the colony then you won''t have to! Remember to y the long game!

    When we finally trudge back into the nest, I get the ants to form up around me. I want to give them a little pep talk before the second evolution. This is a big step in their lives, after all.

    "This is a big step in your lives. At this evolution you will be the first workers to select a caste that will determine the nature of your service to the colony. This is the system I designed to allow each individual to choose the path that they themselves believe is best suited to them. The drawback is that multiple specialisations are not really feasible. Because we start so weak as hatchlings, spreading our resources too thin is just too inefficient."

    They all nod at that. Being efficient and getting the most out of every worker has been one of the lessons I''ve hammered into them the most.

    "Think well on how you wish to contribute. Do you want to fight? Do you want to tend to the brood? Will you be our next Queen? Will you help craft and build in ways no ant has ever done before, or will you learn magic and assist the colony through spellcasting?"

    I can see the thoughts turning over through the eyes of every hatchling before me. They are all burning to contribute to the colony, but unlike any ant who hase before them, they get to make a choice. Not some instinctual reflex either, but an actual reasoned, considered choice. I''m not worried that they''ll pick something they aren''t suited to, these ants are nothing if not brutally honest with themselves.

    "Consider your choice carefully and when you are ready you can begin your evolution. I don''t have any particr rules for you this time around. You''re smart enough to make your own decisions."

    With that, I let them go.

    [Crinis, Tiny. I''ll get you to watch over them while they evolve please]

    [Yes Master]

    [Hrn]

    With that taken care of¡­ I''m gonna sleep!

    I''m an absolute wreck. It may not seem like I''ve done anything stressful, and in reality, I haven''t really, but my core is FREAKIN sore! I feel as if all of the bones I don''t have inside my body are broken. Every step in painful. How have I managed to hold on this long? Sheer grit and determination. I will raise up these twenty hatchlings and then my time of rest shalle! Dreaming of not having to stress and worry about the fate of the colony has driven me this far, but I''m spent. If I don''t rest and recuperate then I''m worried my core is just going to straight up shatter.

    Thinking that I still have half a rare core to go my whole body shudders in despair. I''m already full! How the hell am I supposed to fit anymore in, I don''t know. ws crossed that my body will adapt to myrger than intended core.

    I nestle into a corner of my chamber just as the hatchlings are beginning to do the same. After my nap, I may awake to see the fruits of all of thisbour.

 Chapter 160 Naming the twenty

    <h4>Chapter 160 Naming the twenty </h4>

    HAZZAT!

    I''m up!

    My mind sprung to alertness and the first thing I noticed was that the pain inside me had eased a minute amount. JOY! The pain was still intense, to be sure, I felt a like a giant roll of cracked toffee, but the simple fact that I could expect the pain to reduce over time was such a relief that I could weep except that I can''t.

    I stretched my legs gingerly, allowing the ache to settle into each of them in turn before looking around the room. The obvious thing to check on was the hatchlings. I wonder how their evolutions are progressing?

    Oh Ho?! Looking good!

    It would appear I didn''t wake toote. The hatchlings are well into the evolution process, their sizes and forms changing to take on the different castes that they have selected. Tiny and Crinis are tip-toeing amongst them, swatting monsters as they attempt to burst out and attack whatever is near them. I should have let them evolve above ground, now that I think of it. Ah well, my pets had it all in hand.

    I can already make out the choices of a few of the ants, several of the casts look distinctly different after all. This mostly has to do with size. The soldiers put on a fair bit of size after their first evolution, not quite enough to match me in size but that''s mainly because they increase the muscle density just as much as bulk and a fair chunk of energy is spent on defensive nds. They''ll receive a regeneration nd as well as the inner carapace ting at this point, vastly increasing their survivability.

    Others will take the leader path, giving over sheer size and defence for a bit more smarts and buffing auras to push their purebat brethren to greater heights. For the soldiers there is also the scout path, smaller but faster, better able to stealth and with enhanced endurance and sensory organs, these ants will be the far ranging eyes and ears of the colony, their enhanced acid attacks will ensure they can contribute to any fight from range.

    The specialised workers are certainly smaller, their energy going to enhanced minds and more delicate control of their extremities. These will be the workers who tend the brood, enhancing the growth of the hatchlings through aura effects and expediting their hatching, as well as the artisan caste who I hope will turn into the ant builders and shapers.

    The Juvenile Queens, contrary to expectations, actually put on the most size, huge chunks of energy going to increasing their raw mass as well asying the foundation for their egg production system. Even after this evolution they won''t be able to produce young, having to wait one more evolution for their full capacity toe online. In the meantime they can support hunting expeditions with their bulk and healing mana nds.

    Yeah I modelled them on the existing Queen, she''s perfect, so why not?!

    This does mean that any egg producing Queen will be difficult for the colony to produce, since they''ll be tier four monsters, going all the way from hatchling, to juvenile worker, to juvenile Queen, to Young Queen. Just another reason why the Queen''s must be protected at all costs!

    Seeing the young ants begin to stir, my heart swells with pride. This has been a heck of a long project. The first seeds of this idea were nted after the first war of the hill, so long ago. Seeing the ants throwing their lives away so wastefully, I knew that if I could I would change that, give them the ability to reason and n. Turns out I still had to thwack the suicidal impulses out of their heads but it''ll be worth it in the end. Now the colony will grow and I won''t have to worry about protecting the workers from themselves. Not as much, anyway.

    The ants are waking up now, beginning to move themselves and adapt to their new bodies. I can see them curiously turning to examine the rest of their siblings, wondering what each ant picked. Looking at them I can see that they''ve almost perfectly distributed themselves across the roles I had envisioned. I''d be shocked if they hadn''t coordinated themselves after looking at the menu. Sneaky little buggers.

    "Gather around me young ones."

    At the sound of my voice, the young ants turn towards me and drew closer.

    "You have taken the first step and chosen the method by which you will grow the colony. Well done all of you. As a sign of my benediction, and in recognition of your status as the first of a new generation, I will give each of you a name."

    I pause for dramatic effect.

    "What''s a name, Senior?"

    Dammit.

    They''re ants. Of course they have no idea what a name is. They barely have a concept of what an individual is, why would they have any idea of names.

    "A name is like a personal title that belongs only to you. It allows people to remember you and associate your actions to you, even without having seen or met you."

    They still look confused. I guess it doesn''t really matter if they understand it or not. I''m giving them names more for me that I am for them.

    "Can the two Juvenile Queens step closer."

    Yes indeed, not one, but two new Queens. One more evolution for these two and the egg production in the colony could triple. Not that the Queen is really running at full capacity right now, but as the workforce expands, the rate that foodes in will very quickly rise. Not to mention the aphid strategy.

    The two ants before me now where very cid as hatchlings. Attentive and looking out for their siblings they were perfect to take on the mothering role of Queens.

    "Hmm. As the prospective Queens of the colony, I shall give you suitably royal names. You will be known as Antite, and you will be Victoriant."

    The two Juvenile Queens are almost the same size as I am and other than looking mildly confused, they seem pleased enough and retreat to make room for the next ants.

    "Can the Carver Antse forward."

    The specialised crafters, two of them, step forward. Not muchrger than before but with enhanced minds and their front legs ending in the special articte ws with an opposable digit that will be the calling card of their caste.

    "As the future crafters and smiths of ant kind, I''ll name you Cobalt, and you Tungstant."

    Receiving their names the two ants make space for the next to be summoned.

    "Core Shapers, step forward."

    Two more Artisans step forward, small, quick and clever. These are the caste that will be dedicated to exploring the ant of creating custom pets, seeking the heights achieved by the Sophos. The two ants move with an easy grace and confidence that can''t help but influence my choice of name.

    "I shall name you Ellie (sort for elegant) and you shall be Be."

    Receiving their names, the two Core Shapers step back smoothly.

    "Can the two generals step forward."

    The two ants who selected to be the leadership variety of the soldier caste step forward. Somewhat bulky but surrounded with empowering auras, these two give an air of determination and solidity.

    "I shall you name you Sloan, and you Victor."

    Then it was time for the Brood Tenders.

    "You will be known as Theresant, and you shall be Florence."

    Next was the ant mages.

    "Hmm. What sort of magic are you thinking of specialising in?" I say to the first one.

    "Ice magic, Senior."

    "Very well, you shall be Cont. What about you?" I say to the second.

    "Fire magic Senior."

    "Understood. You shall be Propent."

    Next was the scouts.

    "You will be Burke, and you shall be Wills."

    Then the two healers.

    "You shall be Mendant, and you shall be Frances."

    Finally it was time for the four soldiers. I''m not sure how they ended with four, there are nine sses and we could have had doubles in any of them, but nope, all soldier, all the way. Larger than all of their siblings but the Queens, looking potent and dangerous they stepped forward as a unit.

    The first one I remember well. Constantly dering that they would be dead before the day was done, it took a lot of effort to keep this one alive.

    "Firstly, I shall call you Leeroy. Then you shall be Grant. You shall be Advant and you shall be Brendant"

    With that, my work is done.

    "Go forth! Soon there will be another two hundred of you to take care of, then another two hundred after that. You''ll be plenty busy! I''m going back to sleep."

 Chapter 161 The first council

    <h4>Chapter 161 The first council </h4>

    The twenty young ants depart the chamber of the eldest in silence, allowing their Senior the rest and quiet that they seem to crave. They don''t quite understand it, this desire for solitude and a reprieve from work, an unnatural concept for an ant, but due to the individual making the request, they respect it.

    Withoutmunicating they move as one, through the Queens chamber and towards the upper chambers. Now there are six hundred of their kind waiting to be born here, the Queen has been pushing herself towards full production as fast as possible and only yesterday another clutch wasid. It will be one day, maybe a little more, before the first wave of two hundred is born. There is much to do.

    Filing into an unupied upper chamber, the twenty arranged themselves into a rough circle. They haven''t nned or discussed this council, but by some instinct they knew it would ur. The mantle of leadership does not belong to any one ant, all members of the colony understand this, but the twenty, despite being so young, understood that after the eldest and the Senior known as Vibrant, they were the eldest of their race, thus they were expected to lead.

    "Much to be done" the Carver known as Cobalt was the first speak.

    "Indeed" several others answered.

    The general Victor waved their antennae in a gesture of frustration. "The Eldest has many ideas, but the implementation has not been carried through."

    "You speak of the farms?" Burke the scout asked.

    Victor nodded. "I do. Their capacity is woefully inadequate."

    Ellie the Core Shaper stepped forward to speak. "If the Queen isying at full capacity then we can expect two hundred new hatchlings every few days. Currently, the colony is woefully underprepared to feed and groom that many workers, certainly not to the standards the eldest hopes for."

    All twenty lowered their heads in contemtion. The eldest, the first and progenitor of their species, was something of a puzzle to them. As their Senior and indeed, the Eldest of their race, they revered and respected that individual as every member of the colony did, but they were frequently confused by them. Un antlike concepts and behaviour, such as the insistence on the nurture of each individual to the best of the colony''s capacity, went against their instincts, even if they could intellectually understand the benefit.

    Antite spoke for herself and her fellow Juvenile Queen, Victoriant. "I believe we are all agreed that the farms must be dramatically expanded. At least double, perhaps as much as five times the size" she offered softly, "we must ensure that the young are able to grow without want."

    The twenty all nodded. This was the first priority. The wave was a temporary phenomenon in theory, but whilst it persisted they could exploit it to harvest the Biomass and cores they would need to fuel the rapid expansion of the colony. The workforce required to hunt and acquire such an amount of food under normal circumstances did not exist at the moment, so exploiting the current circumstances made a lot of sense.

    "Let us discuss theposition of the workforce moving forward" rumbled Grant, "I would like to hear your thoughts."

    The Eldest had insisted that each worker be allowed to choose their own path, which the twenty acknowledged, but again didn''t quite understand. Of course, each individual ant would choose whatever it was that the colony needed. They themselves had been quite conflicted upon being told they would need to decide for themselves what to evolve into. Only after a lengthy discussion had they decided that what would best serve the colony was for a representative of each caste to be represented amongst them, thus allowing the ants to choose the caste that best suited their temperament without concern.

    The new wave of hatchlings would be desperate to know what it was the colony required, and would then be overjoyed to evolve and fill that gap.

    "We all know why you do not want to speak first" grunted Tungstant, "the colony needs soldiers more than anything else. We have pressing need for strength inbat, scouts and leaders in order to protect ourselves and increase our hunting efficiency."

    "Indeed" seconded Theresant the Brood Keeper. "We also require more workers to tend to the brood. If we wish to ensure that the young are given the best start to life we can manage, security, sustenance and care in therval form are required."

    The twenty all nodded. This was reasonable, and also ran into the other problem that the Eldest had dropped on them unwittingly.

    "Those of us from the specialist sses should begin to experiment and research skills as quickly as possible" Cobalt spoke their thoughts. "The Eldest has procured information from a source outside the colony but we should not trust that source implicitly. Each skill unlock and fusionbination needs to be tested. Not to mention" Cobalt continued wryly, "some castes do not have a clear purpose as of yet. We will need to discover it from scratch."

    The others nodded. Exactly how the Cavers and Core Shapers were supposed to operate, what exactly they were intended to produce, waspletely nebulous at present. Not understanding, with exacting precision, their purpose in the colony was unnatural and intolerable to the ants. It was unlikely they would rest for a moment until they were able to discern a function they could fill.

    "I agree" Sloan pitched in, "we need to establish aplete map of all skill options, fusions and mutations as quickly as possible. For all castes. Peak efficiency is to be sought at all times."

    How the eldest had blundered forward, choosing this and that with seemingly little thought to future possibilities and consequences, yet still managed to be the most powerful individual in the family, was faintly miraculous. The workers did not wish to take any chances, all things should be nned and mapped as much as possible.

    "Now wee to most difficult question" Cont the mage spoke solemnly.

    All the ants fell still as they contemted this, most serious issue.

    "What exactly are we going to do with the Eldest?" Burke muttered.

    The strangely puzzling,pelling and powerful progenitor of their race, followed loyally by the two guardians, each a powerhouse in their own right, represented a tremendous asset to the colony, but also a somewhat random and chaotic element.

    For now it would appear that their Senior intended to ¡­ rest. Surely after a time the Eldest would wish to continue to work for the colony and what should be done then? Should the Senior just do whatever it is that they wanted? Should the twenty make suggestions? As a potent asset to the colony, they certainly didn''t want to see the Eldest pass away during a poorly though out escapade in the Dungeon.

    "We may need some time to consider this issue" Victoriant broke the silence. "I suggest that we rally the colony andmence work for the time being, let us reconvene just prior to the next wave of pupae hatching."

    In silent agreement the twenty turned and rushed out into the bustle of the colony, dropping scent trails and gathering workers for the project they had in mind. It was going to get busy around here.

 Chapter 162 Purpose going forward

    <h4>Chapter 162 Purpose going forward </h4>

    Knowledge of Demon societies of the Third Strata is limited, to put it mildly. I''ve no idea why you would contact me seeking such knowledge, it''s hardly my area of expertise! I suppose it is true that my academy has amassed the most records regarding deep delves of the Dungeon, but that doesn''t mean I''ve had the opportunity to read them all!

    Honestly Ranlon, I don''t know why you waste your time in that third rate college of yours. A schr with your pedigree would be more than wee here at the tower. I know of your distaste for ''petty nobility and their feckless children'', as you have put it, but surely you must be feeling the pinch, rolling around in the dirt with thosemoners.

    As far as Demons and their ilk, I have managed to scrounge up a few records for you. Only a few groups have ever admitted to making contact with the Demon ns, the Legion, a few Mercenarypanies of renown and several of the old empires. All of their public statements on the matter agree that the Demons were cordial, did not attack and allowed them to leave in peace, but in every other way they were detestable. Trickery, lies, deception and entanglement supposedlye as second nature to the Demon ns, making any negotiation with them a tangled nightmare.

    A few sessful trades have been reported, but those were only secured after shrewd bargaining and open threats of violence and retaliation from both sides.

    Everyone knows that the different ns differ vastly from one another and that the wild ''beast demons'' infest the tunnels of the third strata, but specifics are just impossible to find. I''ve put the word out that if a text should be unearthed from the archive with pertinent information to have it brought to my attention but that is the best I can do for the moment.

    Do consider my offer Ranlon, I''d hate to see a mind so bright rot away for such paltry people.

    Excerpt from ''Letter to Ranlon'' by Magio Schr Barrentalio of the Gold Tower.

    Tiny, Crinis and I eventually retreated to a higher chamber and settled in for some rest time. I was vaguely aware of the immense amount of activity throughout the colony but so long as there was no attack or dire need of me I intended to let my aching body rest up.

    And rest I did! For an entire day I did nothing but flop about, dip in and out of torpor andin endlessly within my own mind about my aching core. Perhaps it was a little sad, pathetic even, but dammit, a little self-indulgent whining never hurt anyone! Well it probably has to be honest.

    After another full day of rest the pain in my body had once again been reduced ever so slightly and I decided I''d had enough sitting around on my backside. Even Tiny looks like he might pass out from sheer boredom if we don''t go and fight something soon. Emerging from our chamber the fric atmosphere that has pervaded the colony hits me right in the face. Workers are rushing around with mandible loads of dirt, carting it to the surface for disposal and then rushing back down into the depths of the colony. What is going on?

    Fighting against the flow of traffic I push my way down into the nest and eventually run into the Carver Ant Tunsgant.

    "Hi there Tungstant! What is going on down there?"

    The smaller ant turned towards me and responded somewhat tersely. "Finally emerged Senior? The hatching of the next wave of pupae is expected any moment and we are racing to finish the expansion project before they arrive."

    "Expansion project?" I mutter, "what expansion project?"

    "In order to cater for the increased number of hatchlings it was decided that the colony needed to expand, especially the farming operation. The need for Biomass, experience and cores is going to rise dramatically after all."

    I suppose ¡­ that makes sense.

    "Seems like a good idea" I stutter, "anything for me to do? I''m happy to pitch in."

    If there is work to be done, I''ll roll my sleeves up and help out. What is family for, after all? I''ve had my fill of self-pity for the time being . Time to work and contribute to the colony!

    "Not at the moment" Tungstant immediately cuts down my growing enthusiasm, "preparations are basicallyplete and the hatchlings are expected any moment. The others are in position to wee them andmence their training. I''m expected there at the moment as well. If you''ll excuse me Senior."

    With a dip of his antennae, the Carver ant is off, zipping down another tunnel and heading towards the brood chambers, leaving me somewhat at a loss, standing in a tunnel like I have a stick lodged in my market square.

    This feels strange.

    After being the catalyst for most actions around the colony for so long, it''s weird to wake up and find that not only have ns been made without me, they''ve beenpleted! The twenty have done exactly what I wanted them to do and take the lead for the colony without having to consult me, so why do I suddenly feel so empty!?

    Ovee with a sense of loss, I rush to into the Queen''s chamber and push aside the tending workers until I find her.

    "Mother!" I cried, "am I still special?!?!?!"

    .....

    The Queen looked at me, a mixture of amusement and surprise warring on her face.

    "What on Pangera has gotten into you, child?" she asked, bewildered.

    "The other ants are running the colony without me!"

    The Queen looked even more baffled if anything. "Child, no single one of us ''runs'' the colony. We are all members of the family and we each have our own role to y in helping us to thrive. You have done much already for the colony."

    "Is that so?" I ask, wanting to be convinced.

    "Of course" she affirms, "there are many things that only you can achieve to assist the colony. Do not worry if another worker is doing what you were once doing. Think instead about what it is that only you can do to help our family."

    After speaking to the Queen I make my way back to my chamber, somewhat embarrassed by my outburst and reflecting on what it is that I should do now.

 Chapter 163 Anthony sallies forth

    <h4>Chapter 163 Anthony sallies forth </h4>

    My immediate goals have mostly been achieved. The twenty hatchlings of the new era have made a sessful debut and with my teachings ringing in their ears and the ideal start to life that they''ve enjoyed they have already begun to lift the burden of leadership from my shoulders. Even if it does make me feel somewhat despondent, this is what I craved! The only question now is, what am I supposed to do with myself? I could work on grinding up my skills I suppose. Not to mention levelling up. I felt that levelling up assisted in reducing the burden on my core after I absorbed the first special core, so grabbing some experience would certainly help me.

    Tiny and Crinis need to continue to increase their strength obviously, not to mention I could seek out my third pet. From what I understand, three pets will be the limit without purchasing skills to increase it and frankly, the investment of cores and Biomass would probably climb too high for me to justify the cost. I have to contribute resources into the colony now, I can''t continue to horde them all for myself. One more pet will be my limit. Hopefully I can find something good.

    After all, it isn''t as if the colony has no enemies. Those stupid Crocs have been quiet over thest few days, thankfully, and we haven''t had to fight off any attackstely, other the constant buzz of monsters battling away in the tunnels due to the concentrated mana. I don''t doubt they''ll be back, which means I''ll need to be stronger in order to protect the colony.

    Thinking further ahead, what if my family wants to expand further down into the Dungeon? Odds are they will. With potentially three Queens producing young at a ridiculous speed, there will be thousands of ants in the colony before too long. Tens of thousands even. With all of those mouths to feed, the colony will need more space, more Biomass, cores and other resources if we are to develop the thriving industries that I envisioned.

    To expand down there I''ll need to pave the way, to protect the colony and remove the threats before they be a problem. If wee across a new expanse I''ll need to go in first in order to subdue them to minimise the risk to my siblings. I wouldn''t want them to lose lives going in there and getting hurt!

    Come to think of it, there''s actually a ton of reasons for me to get stronger¡­

    But how am I supposed to do that if I need to stay with the colony and protect it? They couldn''t possibly survive without the protection of me and my pets! Actually, is that even true anymore?

    There are the twenty hatchlings, each of them isn''t super powerful but they can coordinate and organise the workers, each of whom is far more intelligent that they were before. Shortly, there is going to be hundreds more of them. With the colony getting stronger, and the vige also getting stronger, more people have picked up sses and their levels are rising thanks to their frequent Dungeon excursions, I''m probably not needed to fend off the level of incursions we''ve been seeing so far. Especially since Morrelia is around to berserk her way through the hordes like a scythe.

    Thatdy is scary.

    So I guess, if the colony doesn''t need me around all the time then I''m free to scuttle off and do some exploring and levelling with Tiny and Crinis? As long as I don''t get too far away it should be fine, right? I should probably try and push towards thends formally upied by the Kingdom of Liria also. With a little luck I might be able to track down another of big momma crocs children who is no doubt behind the attacks that have been sent our way over the surface.

    That settles it then! Time to go exploring for a while. I have some unfinished business down in the Marsh Expanse, may as well look into that first.

    Just as I get my feet under me and prepare to depart a resounding shout began to echo throughout the colony as hundreds of individuals roared out in pheromonalnguage as loud as they could.

    "MY LIFE FOR THE COLONY!"

    "SACRIFICE FOR THE COLONY!"

    "BEFORE THIS DAY IS DONE WE SHALL BE TORN ASUNDER FOR THE COLONY!"

    Dammit Leeroy!

    From the sounds of things the next two hundred hatchlings have emerged from their cocoons! How exciting!

    [Come on Tiny, Crinis, let''s go check it out. Then we might head down into the Dungeon for a while. It''ll be nice to find something to fight.]

    Tiny grunted in agreement.

    [Fight. Good.]

    Quite so.

    After making our way through the nest the three of us emerge into one of the brood chambers. Inside we find hundreds of tiny hatchlings bustling about, continuing to shout and roar as the first twenty move between them, attempting to get them organised. After a few moments of cheerfully watching the high energy of these new hatchlings I begin to grow irritated by their slow response to the instructions of their Seniors.

    "SHUT IT!" I snap at them.

    By some miracle the hatchlings immediately cut off their racket, turning to face me along with the first twenty. Uh, I didn''t expect to get all of this attention. Whilst I have it I may as well say something.

    "To the new hatchlings, let me say wee to our family. Now do as your told and crack in, the colony needs workers, not corpses! Listen to your seniors and work hard!"

    "Yes Senior!" they shouted and begun to file their way out of the chamber under the watchful eye of the twenty.

    "Thank you Senior" Tungstant approached me to say, "we underestimated how worked up the hatchlings would be upon hatching."

    I could onlyugh at that. "You don''t remember what happened when you and your siblings hatched?" I asked him jokingly, causing the Carver ants antennae to droop with embarrassment.

    "I''m sure you and your brood mates will do a fantastic job taking care of these hatchlings Tungstant. You''ve done good work preparing for them, it''ll go well. I''m nning on taking Tiny and Crinis out for a bit of exploration and levelling. We won''t be far away if you need us, I''ll leave a trail for you."

    "As you say Senior. We will look forward to your return."

 Chapter 164 Delving once again

    <h4>Chapter 164 Delving once again </h4>

    I briefly contemted paying a visit to the vige and checking in, I just don''t know what I would say. I don''t think I''d exin the changes in the colony, I''m not exactly sure how humans would react to the creation of this new species. Knowing the people in the vige, their fervour for all things ant may only increase, an oue I''d rather avoid. If they get even more fired up in their ant obsession I''lle back to find a temple or something in the middle of the vige.

    That''s thest thing I need. It''s already difficult to go into the vige due to getting swarmed by people moments after I arrive, then the priest shows up and starts shouting to the heavens. It''s a pain to say the least. If I didn''t have Enid there to talk to I''m not sure that I''d bothermunicating with them at all.

    It''ll be nice to actually get away from all, not feel pressured by time and obligations, just by the jaws and ws of the deformed beasts in the Dungeon attempting to rip my face off. The less stressful stuff. Tiny lumbered behind me as we began to make our way down into Queens chamber and further down into our own private chamber, currently upied by a few monsters attempting to w at each other.

    Impatient and annoyed, Tiny smashes these monsters in a single backhand before squatting in ce, waiting for me to give the go ahead to move further down the tunnel. The intense light down here hasn''t changed for weeks. Compared to when I first arrived in the world, the illumination is intense, almost stinging my eyes. I''m looking forward to this stupid evening to an end though. From what I understand, the waves are not supposed tost this long. A week, maybe two, then things start to die down and the elerated spawn rates go back to normal, everything is gravy. It''s been months with this wave! The extra Biomass is nice but I really want to be able to sleep peacefully underground again.

    Ah well.

    [Come over here for a second Tiny, I want to check your core.]

    Rolling his eyes the bat faced lightning gori stomped over to me before plonking himself on the ground with a thud. Real graceful.

    I feel like checking in on the progress of my pets every now and again is important since they haven''t been the best at taking care of themselves. I might be driven into taking further pet based skills just to help manage these two. Tiny with his dim witted decision making and Crinis with her paralysing fear of failure have caused no shortage of issues. y it safe and stay on top of the problem. That sounds like a good policy.

    Bringing forth my antennae I ess Tiny''s core and sift through the information to piece together his status.

    Name: Tiny

    Level: 21 (core)

    Might: 154

    Toughness: 42

    Cunning: 7

    Will: 15

    HP: 84/84

    MP: 210/210

    Skills: Expert Ape Boxing level 12; Severe Brutal Uppercut level 4; Enhanced Leap level 6; Advanced Heavy Smash level 3; Advanced Athletics level 5; Advanced Grappling level 3; Potent Crushing Blows level 9; Dazzling Fancy Feet level 4; Advanced Dash Level 5;

    Mutations: Meteoric Enhanced muscture +15, Stone Bones +15; Starfall Legs +15; Shattering Sonic Enhancer +15; Hard Compressing Lightning Mana Affinity nd +10, Hard Compressing Lightning Mana Affinity nd +10, Hyper Rapid Energy Conversion nd +10;

    Species: Dire Lightning Storm Kong

    Skill points: 17

    Biomass: 104

    Overall things are looking good for him. Lots of level ups, plenty of mutations. I think he''s chosen to enhance his +5 mutation every single time he advances things to +10. Which means at +15 he only has the one option to deal with. Makes sense I suppose. Tiny likes to keep things simple, which suits his personality just fine.

    I can''t even be mad.

    He''s well on his way to theplete +15 which is excellent. He still has a fair chunk of Biomass packed away in the tank as well. He''s probably just waiting until he upgrade at least two things at once to cut down on the time he has to spend in the menu.

    [Good job Tiny, everything looks good! You''re getting really strong!]

    He nodded once at my praise.

    [Tiny strong] he affirmed.

    [Alright Crinis, your turn.]

    [Ah! Are you sure, Master?]

    [Yes.]

    Before she can protest further I stretch my antennae back towards the small ck sphere sitting on my back.

    Name: Crinis

    Level: 8 (core)

    Might: 78

    Toughness: 65

    Cunning: 34

    Will: 32

    HP: 130/130

    MP: 210/210

    Skills: Expert Shadow Flesh Maniption Level 1; Expert Grappling Level 1; Expert Shredding Level 6; Enhanced Tremor Sensing Level 6; Brutal Dismembering Level 5; Greater Fear Inspiration Level 3; Mana Shaping Level 9; Smooth Tentacle Walking Level 4;

    Mutations: Dense Durable Shadow flesh +10; Rapid Disintegrating Void Maw +10; Vast Bottomless Dimensional Stomach +10; Empowered Dividing Tentacles +10; Sharpened Ripping barbs + 10; Pointed Macabre Teeth + 10; Wide Fine Mana Sensory nd +10, Deep Shadow Magic nd +5, Swift Shadow Flesh Generator +5

    Species: Special Death Ball

    Skill points: 14

    Biomass: 54

    This is looking impressive! Mana shaping already up to level nine? She must have been practicing diligently in her spare time to grind away at those levels. She''ll be up to Mana Transformation in no time! If I keep cking at practicing my spell casting then I''m going to look bad.

    On the mutation front she''sing along nicely. Very nearly full at +10 across the board.

    [You''ve been spending your points on your own! I''m very impressed Crinis!]

    [T, thank you Master!]

    She sounds as if a weight has been lifted off her tentacles. She must have been worried I''d criticise her choices, as usual. On the contrary, I think it looks like it''s all making sense and that she''s getting much stronger overall.

    [How are you finding the Mana Sensing nd Crinis? Is it helpful?]

    [Ah! Yes it is! *ahem*. The nd has been very useful Master. I can detect mana sources nearby, even if they attempt to conceal themselves visually, it is much harder to hide their mana. I''ve improved it to be more sensitive and have a wider range.]

    [Yes I saw that. Looks like it''s working out well.]

    With my inspectionplete its time to depart. Grinding skills and consuming Biomass are the aims of this expedition, with a little scouting on the side. Intent on clearing out the Dungeon, we don''t even bother to utilise the shortcut but instead plunge straight down the tunnel that connects to our chamber, threshing the monsters in our way like wheat.

    Fingers crossed this helps me deal with my ache!

 Chapter 165 Aphid association

    <h4>Chapter 165 Aphid association </h4>

    Moving with some hesitation so as not to tax my aching body we advance down into the Dungeon, fulling in any gaps on my tunnel map as we go and earning me another level in that skill for my troubles. Unlike before we liberated the Marsh, the tunnels are filled with nts and beasts fighting their maddened little hearts out, tearing at each other as a near endless supply of them continues to rip out of the walls and throw themselves into the fray.

    In other words, normal Dungeon behaviour. It''s a little weird how normal this has all be. Ravenous creatures out of nightmares tearing out of the dirt that surrounds me, attempting to eat me sounds like a nightmare. After living here on Pangera for a few months, it''s all beginning to feel a little s¨¦. I can''t even muster up a sense of danger or excitement as Crinis and Tiny swat most of the monsters the moment theye close to us. I barely get enough time to try and utilise my mind magic to trick and deceive the enemy theyst so little time. This isn''t even useful for grinding!

    I sighed.

    We''ve be too evolved and too highly mutated to feel threatened up here at this level of the Dungeon. The reality is starting to sink in more and more that in order to gain power and strengthen myself for the purpose of protecting the colony then I''ll need to go lower into the Dungeon. Which means leaving the colony for extended periods of time with Tiny and Crinis to hunt, something I''m not prepared to do until I''m certain that my family will be able to protect themselves from all threats. Thinking of Vibrant, the Queen, the twenty and all of my siblingsing to harm I can''t help but feel tight and panicky in my thorax.

    No harm wille to them! I''ll work hard to make sure that it is so!

    With the number of ants starting to climb rapidly, and those ants being more special than any species of ant that hase before, it won''t be long until the colony bes powerful in its own right. All we need is time.

    Completing a clean out of the tunnels my pets and I continue to grind our skill as we take the long the long way down to the Marsh. Refreshingly, we don''t encounter any of those filthy Croca Beasts. I''ve had quite enough of having to fight those punks.

    By the time we reach the Marsh itself I''m tired, aching and more than a little irritable. In order to recover we unearth the shortcut and the three of us clean the ce out and huddle inside for a little peace.

    [So, Tiny. What do you think you''ll evolve into next?] I ask my furry bat faced goripanion.

    Tiny''s eyes lose focus as he stares nkly into the air, considering my question.

    [Gori] he stated finally, nodding with satisfaction at having arrived at such a definitive answer.

    ¡­

    [Aren''t you already a Gori?] I press him.

    He frowns for a moment before his eyes widen with sudden understanding. He then proceeds to stare vaguely into the air again as he contemtes deeply.

    After a minute he arrives at another answer.

    [Bigger Gori] he dered with finality.

    To be fair, he''s probably right. Each evolution has made him more impressively powerful and yet, each time he also grows increasingly more dim. If this trend were continue through further evolutions we wouldn''t be talking about dim any longer, the lights will gopletely out!

    I''m a little worried about Tiny. He''s always been thicker than a concrete milkshake, it''s a part of his personality and I''ve somewhat epted that to some extent I''ll always have to take care of a few things for him, but if he gets any worse after his next evolution I think I''ll have to step in personally.

    It will cause him immense emotional pain, I''ve no doubt about that, but he may have to sacrifice some of his impressive flexing capacity in order to ensure that his brain doesn''t dete like a popped balloon.

    [How about you Crinis?] I turn my attention to my other pet, [What do you think you''ll evolve into?]

    [Don''t you know, Master?] she asked, referring to the adjustments I''d made to her core before she had been reconstructed.

    [Well, as it turns out there are a few options for you at the next evolution] I lower my voice menacingly at this point, [you will have to¡­ MAKE A CHOICE!]

    [A few tentacles extend and start whacking me on the back.

    [S-stop teasing me Master!] Crinis protested.

    [Gweheheheh. There are a few options there. I was able to shape the general direction of those forms and I believe the system will have tidied up the edges for me automatically. I wasn''t quite as skilled at core maniption back then, so I wasn''t able to go as deep.]

    [I''m sure you did wonderful work master!]

    [Very kind of you to say so. I might take a look at the core just before you evolve though. Do remind me about it, would you? I need to make sure that nothing weird or useless has been mixed in.]

    [As you say Master] Crinis said contentedly from my back.

    I feel like she gets reassured when I''m prepared to look into her evolutions and stats personally. If what she was worried about is my disapproval, then perhaps the steady drip ofpliments and positive reinforcement I''m been feeding hertely is starting to have an effect?

    I hope so.

    After an hour of rest to get my aching core back under control we progress into the Marsh expanse itself. What appears before my eyes is that grand vista of swampy waters, densely swaying vegetation and the savage roars of thousands of monsters engage in the vicious struggle of life and death.

    Music to my ears.

    Time to harvest some experience, skill levels, Biomass and most importantly, check in on my little aphid friends. The colony needs to expand its food supply and those little critters might be able to provide me with a solution.

 Chapter 166 The grind of battle

    <h4>Chapter 166 The grind of battle </h4>

    The Marsh Expanse is teeming with monsters and the constant roar of battle. I have a ton of Biomass that I need to collect and a whole host of skills that I need to grind. With Tiny and Crinis by my side I feel perfectly confident wading into the expanse and beginning to battle.

    Monsters are fighting in every tree, on every mound of earth and inside every tepid pool of marsh water. The three of us barrel into the expanse and begin to battle everything that we can see. Tiny is in his element, smashing his fists in every direction, his massive hands thumping and grabbing monsters the moment they fall within his reach. His incredible punches hit with the force of a solid truck and smaller beasts are sent flying out, mming into trees and sshing into the water as Tiny hoots and bellows his rage and joy.

    With her new mana detection sense, Crinis is a menace. No longer reliant on the sense of touch, forced to reach out in every direction to find her foes before she can apply her damage, she knowshes out with precision. Her tentacles reach in every direction,tching onto monsters and binding them before they can blink. Once a creature is entangled by her limbs, it''s over already. Inevitably, more tentaclestch on the foe, winding around arms, legs and torsos before she twists and tears, her barbs extending and rending them apart. Those monsters unfortunate enough to get too close, seeking to attack her spherical main body find an even more unfortunate fate, snatched up by tentacles that suddenly unfold from her body and then forced into her gaping maw wherein her frightening teeth gnash and disintegrate them.

    For my part, I am intent on training my skills. Both of my sub brains are engaged in maintaining a mind magic transformer and casting mental spells. This involves forming a mind bridge with the foe and then utilising it to send magical constructs that essentially detonate in their mind as false stimulus. With my sub-brains and my even my main mind engaged in this activity, I keep things simple as much as possible with my physical fighting.

    Bites, bites and more bites. Shattering bite is a higher level than my other two bite skills, Splintering chomp and Tearing bite, so thetter two and skills I focus on. With my mandibles infused with mana from my core, my mandibles transform into engines of destruction that these newly spawned monsters are unable to stand before.

    In this manner we spend several hours battling to our hearts content until we emerged from the expanse and stumbled back into the shortcut, stopping up the entrance behind us and copsing in a heap. Battered, bruised but satisfied, the three of us cleared out the monsters in the shortcut before taking a quick break. We have battled hard, eaten as much as we could and our relentless focus on our skills have reaped dividends.

    [How''d you go Tiny?] I enquire of my apepanion.

    He nodded. [I punch good!] he dered.

    [Yes, but did you manage to improve your skills?] I ask, exasperated.

    He nodded again. [Punch better now!] he shouted, thrusting one fist into the air.

    Fair enough, I''m not going to get much more definitive information than that by asking.

    [How about you, Crinis? All things on the up and up?]

    [Yes Master] she responded, clearly pleased with herself, [I am quite satisfied with my skill progression. I believe I''ll be more useful than ever before.]

    [You don''t really have to worry about how useful you are¡­] I tried to tell her, [it isn''t like you''ll ever be left behind or anything¡­]

    [No!] she stated definitively, [as a pet we must be useful to our Master! It would be disgraceful if I wasn''t able to carry my own weight. I''ll work even harder to make sure that I won''t be useless!]

    Geez, you''re far from useless. I almost feel bad that I can''t defeat monsters much faster than my own pets. I suppose if I was to start dropping gravity bombs everywhere that I would be racking up experience faster, but the unintended side effects of casting that spell are what worries me. For example, getting myself caught in the st by ident.

    After a little rest, rotating the position of guard to keep the spawning monsters out of our hair, we saddle up and cut our way back into the expanse for the second round. This expanse really has some interesting monsters in it. More of those stupid hippo turtles have appeared, along with some monster types I hadn''t really seen much. A few scraggly looking ape things, a nt that looked like it had been crossed with a mosquito took a chunk out of Tiny before we even realised it was there. With a long, ludicrously pointy, needle like barb emerging from the centre of the nt it looked menacing enough, but we didn''t expect it would be able to extend that needle out on a supple vine, certainly not at speeds like that!

    Before we could blink, Tiny had a massive needle stuck straight into his leg and judging by the look on his face he wasn''t enjoying it much. Fortunately we were able to snap off the needle and destroy the nt before too much damage was done but the fact that Tiny doesn''t have a decent health recovery mechanism continues to worry me. His evolutions seem pointedly driven in the direction of ss cannon. He has immense strength and some natural toughness but can''t recover from damage very well.

    His leg bled profusely so we decided to halt our hunt at that point and retreat up one of therger mangroves. Nestled there in the branches we took a moment to breathe, eat a little Biomass to recover our strength and I went looking for Aphids. Just like ants had done for thousands of years, I wanted to try and exploit the smaller bugs for the syrupy sweet Biomass that they provided in exchange for not eating them. If the colony were able to control them, farm Biomass from them here in this expanse, then another reliable source of Biomass would be unlocked for the colony, fuelling our expansion and the growth of the workers.

    Only now was I starting to appreciate the double natured demand of the colony for Biomass. Not only did we need it to fuel the poption growth of the family, we also needed it to meet my ideal of each individual worker being as strong as they can reasonably be. I myself have spent hundreds of Biomass points to get as strong as I am. I know not every ant could hope to do the same but surely having every member of the colony reaching +10 in their mutations was an ambitious goal but not an unreachable one.

    The aphids themselves are still up there, performing whatever alchemical wizardry they do to extract nutrition from these fat fleshy leaves and convert it into Biomass. The smaller aphids are roughly basketball sized whilst therger ones are about the size of a Labrador. Round, chubby looking beetles with a long prod for a mouth with which they stab the trees to extract sap, their thin spindly legs and long antennae make them look somewhat like an overweight ant. As opposed to myself, a proud formica ant, the aphids are green, helping them blend into the leaves.

    I activate my Mana Sense and carefully scan my way through the aphids. There are a couple of aphids who meet my needs, good. I was worried none of them would have cores. Let''s see if I can get friendly with a few of these aphids and perform a little core surgery.

 Chapter 167 The modified aphid

    <h4>Chapter 167 The modified aphid </h4>

    In my quest to domesticate the aphid, there are a few options avable. I could try and tame them as they are, not changing them in anyway, though I''m not sure exactly how that would go. Aren''t monsters supposed to be brutal, ruthless and cold-hearted killing machines? The very idea of a monster that seems this peaceful doesn''t make a whole lot of sense.

    Although, when you think about it, the life of insects on Earth are just as bloody and merciless as what goes on here in the Dungeon. Ants, spiders, mantis and others battle constantly and without pity, ants themselves kill more insects than any creature on the face of my old, seizing the protein of their fellow insects to feed to theirrvae to fuel their growth. Even in that ultrapetitive environment, aphids exist. Harmless creatures who curry favour with other, stronger insects by offering them food.

    So I suppose it shouldn''t be too surprising that such a monster exists here in the Dungeon, prepared to offer its predators an offering of Biomass in order to continue to exist. I can''t help but be curious about them. A quick core inspection should help me work out exactly what the situation is.

    Approaching the little bugs who continue their cid existence,tched onto the slender branches and fleshy leaves of therge trees, I can tell that several of them have detected my approach as they turn their little bodies to allow themselves to continue feeding yet keep an eye on me at the same time. A few of therger specimens are what I''m after. Thanks to my mana sense I can detect that they contain cores.

    How on earth they amass any experience at all, I''ve no idea, but apparently they must, there are at least three of the little blighters on this tree alone with cores.

    Tentatively, I approach one of therge specimens and the creature quickly turns to present its food court and offers me a glistening globule of Biomass that it excretes. I''ll be ok for the moment thanks friend, let me take a quick look at your core.

    Looming over the creature I extend my antennae to tap it on its green carapace and activate Core Surgery. My mind is suddenly flooded with information and the inner secrets of the Aphid Monsters areid bare before my all seeing eyes.

    It takes a few minutes for me to piece together the information into a more cohesive picture. What I see is frankly a little surprising. Offering Biomass for free? Innocent little bugs, living a life of non-violence that would make Ghandi proud?

    I was na?ve!

    These little buggers are poisoners! Tainted Biomass! A betrayal of the highest order. Within the core all of their secrets areid bare and in as day I can see the process by which the offered Biomass is produced.

    The creatures essentially extract nutrition from the trees, which are themselves high in concentrated mana, due to their position here in this expanse, drawing water from the mana infused pools that about in this expanse. Most of the sap that they extract is used as simple food, fueling their growth and sustaining their lives, but part of it is drained off into a separate process. A ''Biomass infusion organ'' for want of a better name, uses mana and a chemical process to ''encode'' the sap into Biomass, which the aphid can then use on itself. Not a whole lot of Biomass is produced this way but it''s better than they would get from fighting, that''s for sure.

    But there is a further process beyond this, another organ that instils the Biomass with a subtle venom, something that won''t take effect immediately, but should a creature frequently make use of the Biomass from these critters, the toxins would build up in their bodies until they died.

    Sneaky devils!

    As I stare down at the seemingly harmless aphid, continuing to offer me its tainted gift, acting for all the world as if it were as innocent and harmless as a baby. I see through you! I have seen your evil ck heart!

    Well this is a little disappointing. My hopes of providing a herd of aphids to the colony are still very much alive, I''m just going to have to alter the way I go about it. No easy options now.

    I could manipte the core of this one aphid, making it safe to consume and loyal to its new ant overlords, but that doesn''t help that much. I''d have to change every aphid individually, which isn''t really feasible since most of them don''t have a core.

    No.

    Something different is required here. I need to solve the problem of the poisonous Biomass arge number of aphids at once, whilst maintaining their rtively low intelligence and weak physiques. There is a wonderful example I can draw from within my own personal experience.

    I shall create a new species of Aphid! A benign, loyal, harmless team of Biomass producing livestock for the colony. How will I do it? I will craft a new organism that the Dungeon has never see before: the Aphid Queen. The Queen will produce as many members of the new species of aphid as the colony needs, thus bypassing the need to manage or change this existing species.

    Which is lucky, because in order to create this new Queen, I''m going to need quite a few aphid cores¡­

    Sometimeter, there are far fewer aphids on the nearby trees but I have managed to collect quite a few cores, six to be exact. The issue I''m going to have is that each individual Aphid has the basic shape of the aphids I want to create, but they do not have sufficient meat in their cores to allow me to create the Aphid Queen I am envisioning.

    What I''m going to have to do is fuse these six cores, whilst maintaining the structure of the Biological information encoded within. Every other time I''ve fused cores the contents have be aplete mangled mess. That hasn''t mattered since I was only fusing them to increase the energy contained inside and produce special cores which were rapidly absorbed, but this time it''ll be different. The more edits I have to make to a core, the harder it bes. If I fuse the cores and the information contained within getspletely jumbled, there is no way I''ll be able to get it back into a functional form before the sheer number of changes required makes the Core maniption impossible.

    I will need to bring all of my willpower to bear and try to perform this new feat. For the sake of the herd!

 Chapter 168 Counting the gains

    <h4>Chapter 168 Counting the gains </h4>

    After collecting my small collection of aphid cores I get Tiny to carry them and we descend from the trees to battle amongst the monsters once more as we make our way back to the shortcut. To be honest he non-stop grind and battering of battle against the monsters is strangely refreshing. It feels nice to exercise, something that I didn''t really understand as a human. But now, with my mandibles crunching down on my foes and the endless tide of monsters battering at my shiny carapace, I get it, it''s nice to use your body. Especially when it such an incredible specimen of an ant body like mine!

    All things considered, this little escapade has been well worth the time, even if I were only to concentrate on the gains in skills and Biomass. When we finally make it back to the shortcut, clear it out and settle in to rest with Crinis taking the first guard shift I decide to tally up my gains.

    Things have gone rtively well on the Biomass front, we don''t exactly get a lot of time to eat in the Expanse right now since the battle frenzy is in full flight, but I was still able to pile up a substantial amount. With this hunt and previous snacking included I''ve managed to gain another 138 Biomass, which takes my current total to 189. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. The repeated eating and fighting really seems to aid the digestion, speeding up the process of getting the food through the system and freeing up space for the next meal. Perhaps this is the ideal Biomass gathering method, as opposed to gorging until I can barely drag my business district around. I should share this information with the hatchlings, this could be vital for the colony to maximise efficiency!

    My skills have also seen significant improvements. Tearing Bite has reached level 9, one step away from reaching the third rank, which is nice. Advanced Cerebral endurance gained a few levels to reach 7 and Mediation reached the third rank due to my essentially constant use of the mind affecting skill, allowing me to punch it up to Profound Mediation level 2. This skill really has been having a potent effect, allowing my mental state to achieve a level of rity that is startling. The amount of mental processing I''m to aplish in moments of heated battle is bing astonishing, allowing my high mental stats toe into their own.

    Mind Magic Affinity has, thanks to my constant use and heavy focus, also managed to rank up to Enhanced Mind magic affinity. I eagerly checked my avable skills the moment after I made the purchase but no new magic affinity options had be avable to me, sadly. Along with two levels, those where my total gains.

    The constant fighting and heavy battering I received also helped to take my mind off the suffering my core is currently inflicting on me. After levelling a couple of times the pain has noticeably receded, but is still quite intense. It''s going to be a long term project toplete the absorption of that stupid rare core. The evolution I receive had better be absolutely amazing for me to endure all of this suffering. Level forty is still a long way away, so hopefully by the time I get there I canplete that task.

    Rather than spend my points and mutate here and now, I decide to spend some time working on core maniption. Tiny carefully ces the six small, spherical gems on the floor before me where they glitter beautifully. One by one I activate Core Surgery and take a good look at each of the cores, confirming that the information encoded within each, the monstrous DNA, if you will, is the same for all of them. Indeed they are all a match, almost identical in the basic details, only the individual mutations, skill levels and a very minor stat variance exists between each of them. This should be the ideal circumstances to attempt the core fusion that I want.

    In essence, I want to take these cores and meld them together, retaining the general shape and form of the creature within, preventing the data from overwriting or scrambling during the process. In the ideal oue, I''ll be able tobine these cores and create what is basically arge aphid with much more potential energy to y with. From there I''ll be able to manipte that blueprint and form the Aphid Queen from which my species of docile farm animals will spring.

    Okay, here we go. Deftly rolling the first to gems into position with my antennae, I tap each of them with one antenna each and activate the skill, gently pressing them together as I do so. Immediately the pressure on my brains explodes in magnitude as the cores resist my attempt to push them together.

    So far so good. This bit is perfectly normal and I''ve done it dozens of times already when making special cores. This time is different. All I had to dost time was ovee the resistance of the cores and squash them together, this time I need to do that whilst simultaneously ensuring that the information contained within the cores forms a harmonious whole, the new data sliding neatly over the old.

    In order to achieve this duality I task my two sub brains with the fusion itself whilst my main mind is dedicated to ensuring the information within the core maintains its integrity. Deliberately slowing down the fusing process, my mind reaches into both cores at once and tries to get a clear picture of the information flowing between the two.

    Almost like the individual brush strokes of an artwork, each piece of information is part of aplete whole, only making sense in the context of those strokes around it. The colours, the forms, width and depth, allyered on top of and around each other to build up a cohesive image. In fusing the two cores together as I did in the past, I''m basically taking two art works, melting one down into a bucket of paint and throwing it at the other.

    Naturally, chaos was the result!

    I''m getting a bad feeling about how this is going to have to be done.

    I can''t take all of the paint and throw it together haphazardly, it needs to be done just like painting a picture would be, line by line, stroke by stroke. Which means this is going to suck.

    With sheer force of will, my two sub brains cooperate to hold the cores in a state of near fusion, just on the verge of beginning to meld together. Then, with my main mind I reach into one of the cores and strip away a single piece of data, a single brush stroke of the image, which I hold delicately with my thoughts as I transfer it over to the second core and carefullyy it over the top of the same data, melding the two pieces together.

    As the two pieces of data merge wlessly I feel satisfaction but also weariness. Such delicate work is tiring on the mind and my sub brains are already feeling the strain of this constant effort. I''m going to be wrecked by the time this is done¡­

 Chapter 169 My finest creation?

    <h4>Chapter 169 My finest creation? </h4>

    Holy moly, I''mpletely wrecked. Each of my three brains feels like seared mush; soft and jelly-like, yet wreathed in hot, hot mes. I managed to gain two whole levels in cerebral endurance in just under two hours, that''s how mentally intensive this work was. However, I have been sessful.

    I have triumphed!

    Despite being some of the most draining and mind bogglingly difficult mental work I''ve done, I managed toplete the project as well as I can. It was enough to gain me three levels in core surgery, going to show just how difficult what I was attempting to actually was. Each of those levels helped significantly with the task at hand however, so I can only be grateful in the end.

    In front of me sits a gleaming special core, plump with energy, ripe with the encoded information of my artisanal hand crafted creature, ready to be instantiated as a pet.

    I knew I wouldn''t be able to make a heap of edits to the creature I''d created after sessfully fusing the cores together, so I hadn''t gone crazy with it, but I was mostly able to hit my goals. After the fusion wasplete there were a few oddities that had slipped into the design. A few sloppy bits about the ce, such as the one leg that somehow had lost its knee joint, but managed to gain two extra feet. Fixing these took a bit of a toll on me but I was able to have the finalised creature I had hoped for: an oversized aphid, roughly the same size as myself, stuffed full of spare energy.

    Naturally I used that energy to shape the egg production pathway, something that took a heck of a lot more potential than I had thought it would. The egg production organs are expensive. Luckily I had enough budget after fusing six of the normal aphid cores together. Then it was a simple matter of neatening up the edges. I lowered the creatures Cunning a little, I want them to be dependent on their ant masters after all, took away the poison nd, made them overall a little weaker and gave their Biomass production organ a mutation that increased the amount of Biomass they could produce straight out of the gate.

    So if all things go ording to n, once reconstituted, this core will give rise to the first aphid Queen, let''s call her Aphy, who the colony will care for and raise until she is mature and can start producing her aphid offspring which the colony will nurture and use as their own Biomass producing herd. This should work out well, by the time Aphy is producing eggs the colony should have the numbers and levels to startunching raiding parties into the expanse itself and with a little clever nning the aphid farming project could go into action at that point.

    Nice work Anthony!

    I''m quite proud of myself, I have to say. This was a lot of effort and could prove to have a major effect on the colony going forward.

    Weary but satisfied, it''s time to retreat back to the colony. We''ve been gone for roughly a day, which isn''t as long as I thought I''d be off on this particr excursion, but I''m chasing a rest and I want my aphid core to begin its life as a loyal pet of the colony, something I can''t really do down here.

    The three of us battle our way up the surface via the shortcut and then make our way across thend towards the ant hill. I can''t wait to nestle into a nice chamber and get some sleep!

    As we approach the colony I start to notice something is going on. It looks like there is a lot of activity around the anthill. Heaps of ants and it looks like ¡­ humans? What the heck is going on? Each moment we draw closer the more questions I have. The humans have been grouped together, surround by workers on all sides and they seem to be moving closer to the anthill and almost appear to be about to climb up with the intention of going into the nest.

    That would be insane! Certain death!

    What on earth do they think they are doing?!

    Weariness forgotten my legs scrabble wildly into the dirt as I break into a sprint, rushing towards the nest. The workers are the first to notice meing and make way before I crash into them, I don''t drop any speed until I reach the front the human group and start making my way up the anthill where I notice a few of the twenty are waiting for me.

    "Sloan!" I gasp at the ant general, "What the heck is going on here?!"

    Sloan flips his antennae around in a confused manner. "We found these creatures living in close proximity to the nest. In your absence we weren''t sure what to do so we convened a council and discussed the matter."

    "And?" I demand.

    Sloan''s mandibles twitch slightly at the tone of my pheromones. The twenty hatchlings I trained had to put up with my angry roaring on many asions. I can almost see the fear of thwacking rising within him.

    "Well, uh, we decided that it would be best to remove the threat and collect the Biomass that these creatures represented ¡­"

    THWACK!

    All of the nearby react with a twitch when they hear the sharp kic thud of my mandibles impacting on the poor generals carapace.

    "You wanted to eat the vige?!" I roared.

    "We were going to feed them to the Queen!" Sloan protested, "when we approached these creatures they were strangely unafraid of us, they even approached us of their own volition! So we gathered some workers to herd them over this way and they came without a fuss!"

    "You didn''t think that was a bit odd? That these things would just wander up to the nest and feed themselves to the Queen without protest or fighting back in any way?"

    I can see the gears turning in the generals head.

    "No" he replied firmly.

    "Why?"

    "I would dly give my life to the colony, perhaps these creatures feel the same?"

    THWACK!

    "Not every organism on the face of this world is so eager to die for the sake of the colony you eejit! Think it through! I don''t want the vige harmed, they have a great deal of information that they can teach us!"

    "You never said anything about that to us!" Sloan protested weakly.

    THWACK!

    "Never mind that!" I roared, "spread the word that these humans are not to be harmed and they will be returning to their homes shortly."

    "Of course, Eldest."

    All right. I might have stuffed up a little there. But why the heck are the humans just going along with this situation? Where the hell is Enid? Or Morrelia? Surely they wouldn''t be so stupid as to let their people march into the ants nest!?

    I cast my eyes amongst the crowd, desperate to locate them so I can form a mind bridge and exin this event away with some excuse that doesn''t let the vige know how close they came to being Queen food.

    Unfortunately, I don''t spot Enid or Morrelia amongst the people. I do notice one man, dressed in a white robe, with one harm, waving at me enthusiastically from the front.

    Stupid Priest!

 Chapter 170 Feast averted

    <h4>Chapter 170 Feast averted </h4>

    As he walked towards me Beyn disyed a face splitting grin, his eyes alight with energy and passion. This moron is still obsessed with the colony, the ants and me in particr. He probably thinks the vige is being ''blessed'' with a visitation to the nest, when in fact the twenty have arranged the vige for a surprisingly peaceful ughter!

    I weave a mind bridge and connect it to the fool. What on earth am I going to say? How can I exin this away? Gandalf, bestow upon me your wisdom, your sweet gravelly voice and your dominatable eyebrows.

    [Beyn, you havee to the nest] I stated the obvious.

    I don''t want to talk as if I have no idea why they are here. I''m supposed to be the ant who decides what happens with the vige and I''m the only one who''s interacted with them so far, if I don''t know what''s happening then that might raise some suspicion in the mind of the priest I''m not quite as in control and omnipotent as he seems to think. If possible I want to get out of this situation without destroying the trust between the vige and the colony. They still have much to teach us and I don''t feel it''s right to destroy these people who have done nothing to harm us.

    [OH GREAT ONE!] He bellowed, [WHAT A MEMONTOUS -]

    [Loud!]

    [Oh! I''m sorry Great One! My excitement has gotten the better of me! I''m just so happy to get the chance to bring the people so close to the holy mountain!]

    Mountain? What mountain? Does he mean the anthill?! How is even a mountain? It''s only twenty metres tall!

    [Ah, yes. Wee here, to the foot of our great, uh, mountain?]

    [We are all so honoured to be here Great One! When the esteemed members of the great colony came to the vige and begun to gather us together, we were filled with shock and joy! I can only imagine what you have gathered us here for today!]

    [Yes, oh it''s, incredible stuff¡­ Could I ask were Enid, Morrelia and her warriors are?]

    Beyn grimaced at my words. [It is most unfortunate timing, oh Great One. They have left with many of the strongest vigers for a somewhat extended training session in the Dungeon. We have sent scouts several days out from the vige and so far we have encountered no sign of another incursion so Morrelia deemed it would be wise to make use of this breathing room to push as hard as possible to raise the levels of our best fighters.]

    Dammit! Of course they aren''t here at this time, they wouldn''t have let something stupid like this happen!

    [Yes, that is wise of them] I nodded in what I hope is a sage-like manner.

    [So for what purpose have you brought us here Great One?] Beyn asked eagerly, [will you be inviting us within the precious sanctum of your colony? Are we to be inducted into the great secrets of your kind?]

    The guys face is practically shining. So full of hope and light that I would close if my eyes were it a physical possibility. Oh boy,e on Anthony, think!

    [I have brought you here to announce something!] I dered.

    Beyn turns to the people crowded behind him, their faces bright with expectation, and raises his hands, bringing a hush to the gathered throng before he tells them I will be speaking to them. At once, every face is turned towards me as I stand slightly above them, perched on the slope of the anthill.

    I can''t help but feel a little self-conscious with all of these eyes on me. I nervously clean my antennae and I hope my carapace is at its sparkling best. I haven''t had a chance to inspect it too closely since we came back from the expanse and I''d hate for my glorious exoskeleton to be unsightly at this moment.

    [Ah, I wish for you to inform the people that, err, that the, ah, colony has undergone a glorious rebirth!] I stuttered out.

    Perhaps if I give them some small details of the evolution our species has undergone they''ll be satisfied with this announcement and return to the vige.

    Overreacting as per usual, Beyn fell immediately to his knees at my hesitant pronouncement.

    [Oh Great One! How could the radiant and System borne colony of in dominatable workers be made even more perfect? Exactly what has changed within the colony?]

    Good question, and one that I need to be careful when I answer. Too much information coulde back and bite the colony, not enough and they may feel the need to push for more. I need to tread the line with care, lucky that I have six legs and the grip skill, walking narrow lines is what I''m all about.

    [Through the power of the system our species has taken a great step forward, each individual worker has grown stronger, with greater potential. It is safe to say that the Dungeon has never seen a colony such as this one. We will capable of more than before, better coordination, faster development and a level of sophistication that many of the sapient races on the surface can only dream of!]

    The eyes of priest grew wide, his face frozen as if seized by some powerful emotion. After a moment to collect himself he turned to speak to the gathered vige and despite not being able to understand his words, I can see the people turning to admire and examine the workers around them, trying to take in any differences that may have urred.

    [Further, we have brought you here, to the seat of our kind, to announce our desire for continued and deepening ties of cooperation between your people and ours. The colony has much to learn and there is much that you can teach us. In return there will be many things that we will be able to do for you. A mutually beneficial rtionship that we will be pleased to engage in if you are willing.]

    I''m sweating a little on the inside. Hopefully this is enough for them. Further cooperation with the vige and its people has been part of my ns, the ants have so much that they don''t know, about the system, about crafting, about the surface and about the Dungeon. The humans of the vige can help us to develop so much faster than we could on our own.

    As Beyn turned towards the vigers and spoke, I watched them with care. Any concerns I had regarding how this proposal would be met by the humans was swept aside in an instant as they began to cheers and shout, raising their hands to the sky and bowing before me.

    I see some of them weeping with joy even. There is seriously something wrong with these people. How on earth did they be this obsessed with a group of monsters?

 Chapter 171 The Queen has a new pet

    <h4>Chapter 171 The Queen has a new pet </h4>

    As the vigers return to their homes and the rapidly expanding buildings that make up their new town, I breathed a deep sigh of relief. That was not something I had expected to have to deal with upon my return. Turning to one side I face Sloan, the general and organiser of this human round up.

    [Gather your siblings together Sloan] I growl at him, [I need to have a word.]

    [Of course Senior.]

    He scuttled off to find his siblings. I''m sure I''ll find themter down in my chamber, where I''ll have to exin a few things to them. It''s not their fault. I failed to exin the rtionship I was trying to cultivate with the vige and its potential benefits to the colony. I forgot to exin the concept of leaving friendly people well enough alone! In truth, a dramatic oversight on my part and not a fault of theirs. They saw a wealth of Biomass and experience in such close proximity and sought to im it, as any good monster should.

    At least disaster has been averted and the workers have been warned off attacking the vigers. My insides sweat when I think about how close to a massacre we had been. The only reason the workers would have left the humans alive was so they could feed the experience to the Queen since they weren''t resisting in any way. The thought of those men, women and children being funnelled into the Queens chamber, believing they were about to experience something miraculous, only to have their lives ended by my mother''s jaws ¡­ it''s disturbing to say the least.

    No need to think on what might have been! The worst case scenario has been averted and I''ll work hard to make sure that something like this doesn''t happen again! For now, it''s time to introduce the Queen to my new creation!

    Climbing up the nest with Tiny and Crinis close behind I pass numerous workers who are all happy to call out with their customary advice:

    "Work hard, Senior!"

    "Make sure you''re working till you drop!"

    "Hi there Senior! Work!"

    I GET IT.

    Yeesh. I know they''re called ''workers'' bute on. I wonder if I can create a hobby or something for them, some sort of ant diversion. Perhaps I could invent a sport of some kind? It would have to involve digging in some way.

    Musing over ants and theirck of diversions I climb down the main shaft of the nest into the Queens chamber. Below the surface level and packed full of workers, the Queen continues to spend almost all her time in this room, being defended from the ever-spawning nightmares of the Dungeon by her loyal guards who make sure to pass on as much Biomass as possible to their mother.

    "Hello, Mother!" I called out, trying to see the vague outline of the Queen between the seething mass of workers that crawl over her.

    "Hello, child" her warm voice emerges from within the swarm and after a few moments she shifts closer to me, the workers peeling away from her head so that I can see her.

    Big, as always, the Queen is still at least twice as tall as I am and several times longer. An ant the size of a minibus is really quite the impressive sight. I can only image the havoc that would have urred on earth had something like the Queen ever been discovered!

    "What brings you back to the nest so soon child? I had heard that you were out exploring?" she asked mildly.

    "I was! Much exploring was happening! But I''ve managed to cook up something that I think will be extremely useful for the colony and I need your help."

    The Queen''s antennae wave back and forth in curious patterns. "What is it that you need me for young one? You usually don''t require my assistance to meddle with the colony."

    There is definitely a tone of amusement in her voice as she continued to look down on me kindly.

    I take a little time to exin what I found in the marsh expanse, a species of monster that can extract nutrition from nt life and convert it into Biomass that it offers up in exchange for being left alone. I went on to detail the poison that I had detected within the creatures and the steps that I had taken to remedy the situation with my own custom designed species of Aphid.

    "With these loyal aphids, we will have another reliable source of Biomass for the colony, one that doesn''t even require us to have to fight and makes use of resources that we otherwise wouldn''t be able to utilise. Those trees offer no sustenance to us, but through these aphids we can farm an infinite amount of Biomass over time! If the Dungeon Wave ever recedes, then our farms in the nest will be useless, this could help offset that loss!" I dered with pride.

    I can see that the Queen is interested. She leaned down to inspect the core that I had Tiny ce on the chamber floor. The gem glittered brightly in the blue light emanating from the veins of mana winding through the walls of the nest.

    "It does sound like it would be useful" the Queen pondered out loud, "what would I need to do?"

    "Not that much" I said eagerly, d to see that she was interested in my scheme. "The core here is for the aphid Queen, someone needs to reconstitute the core and keep her as their pet. I thought that you would be the best candidate for that. Aphy can stay here with you and the colony will provide the Biomass she needs to produce the aphid for us. We can then send workers down into the expanse to clear out the existing aphids and rece them with our own kind. Some workers will need to remain in the expanse, tending to the aphids, keeping them safe and collecting the Biomass they produce, but they should be safe up in the trees since not many monsters go up there."

    The Queen fell silent as she contemted my words. I''m not sure exactly how she felt about having to give up some of the Biomass that would normally be directed to her and instead let it be fed to the Queen of another species, but I''m certain she was intelligent enough to realise that the colony would get far more back from the aphids than we spent to create them.

    As far as I know, monsters don''t actually age. As long as the aphids are kept safe, they can go on producing Biomass for the colony for eternity. They may not be able to make a ton of it in one day, but with enough aphids over enough time, it''ll add up fast!

    Sure enough, mother was more than smart enough to understand the benefits of my scheme.

    "Very well" she acquiesced, bringing her antennae forward to rest on the core.

    Immediately, the core began to glow and expand, taking shape and changing colour until a brand new Aphid Queen sat blinking on the chamber floor.

 Chapter 172 The second council

    <h4>Chapter 172 The second council </h4>

    The Queen seemed quite taken with her new pet. After giving a little advice regarding skills such as Pet Communication, Pet Growth among others. The Queen eventually decided to take themunication skill, the growth skill and the skill that allowed her to view the status of Aphy, the aphid Queen.

    Those decisions made sense, since she wouldn''t be able tomunicate with her new pet without spending a skill on it. Mind magic is not on the horizon for the Queen and Aphy does not have a pheromone nd. Helping her pet grow more rapidly at the cost of a single skill point also seemed worth the investment to the Queen. Particrly when considering the potential benefit of producing aphid cattle as fast as possible.

    Finally, after I shared my thoughts that the status viewing skill would eventually lead to being able to manipte the status directly, possibly also guide evolutions, the Queen decided to pick up this skill as well. I think that was the correct choice. Aphy isn''t all that smart and has no chance of being able to ess the custom evolution process, not to mention spending her skill points and Biomass points in sensible ways. If the Queen can take over those duties then Aphy will have a much brighter future.

    By the time I leave, the Queen was looking down fondly on her new pet as the green shelled miniature aphid Queen turned this way and that, skittering around the chamber under her masters'' watchful eyes.

    The workers seemed willing to amodate Aphy withoutint also, making room for the little bug and steering it away from trouble when she got too close to dangerous parts of the walls.

    All in all, I''m extremely pleased at how this project has gone! The Queen is happy to have her own little pet and Aphy will produce a host of aphids that the colony can tame and use as our own herd animals. We''ll care for them, protect them, bring them to food, and in return they shall reward us with precious Biomass! Gweheheheh. It''s perfect.

    Burning my minds to a crisp in order to produce that engineered core was totally worth it, and the process helped to reveal some of the technical aspects ofbining cores in a non-hodgepodge manner. The practice of lifting one one line of information at a time andyering it over the data within the other core, like transnting a painting onto another, one brush stroke at a time, felt like the correct method to approach this process. It also helped me to glimpse the pure artistry of the Sophos.

    I firmly believe that their fantastical pets are created by taking pieces of one monster andbining it with pieces of another. I originally though that perhaps they had monstrous willpower, able to force hundreds of changes to a core with ease, but now I suspect that they possess monstrous willpower, and they demonstrate godly skill whenbining cores, taking pieces from two separate, disparate painting andbining them to create a coherent picture that ispletely new.

    My mind filled with thoughts of Formo and his brethren, I descend beneath the Queens chamber, past the off shooting tunnels that lead to the farmingplex and into my own personal space. Within I find the twenty hatchlings already assembled, their various shapes and sizes filling the small room. Another ant has also made an appearance I see.

    ''Hi-hi! How are you Senior!"

    "Vibrant! Been a while. What happened to your posse?"

    The hyper active ant that I''d known ever since she was a grub has now grown into a powerful member of the colony,plete with her own squad of loyal goons who help her when she goes out on quests for the colony.

    "They''re in torpor, of course! Can''t be go, go, GO, all the time!"

    Are you sure? You''ve been non-stop since before you were born! I''m a witness!

    Actually, hang on a sec¡­

    "You''re looking a little different these days, Vibrant. Are yourger? Not to mention, somewhat more aggressive looking? Did you evolve?!"

    "Yup! What do you think?!" Vibrant cheered as she leaped about with excitement.

    Finally reached her third evolution! From superior hatchling to some variety of soldier to whatever she is now, it''s been a rapid rise for Vibrant, even if she did have my help over the first hurdles. Now she''s just as evolved as I am! That can''t be right! I''m going to have to get busy is order to make sure I stay at the head of the pack.

    I refuse to be the inferior ant! They need to continue to look up to me, their Senior!

    Speaking of my Juniors, they are shifting about uneasily as Vibrant continues to dominate the space with her new size and sheer energy.

    "How are you all hatchlings?" I greet them.

    "We are well, Senior" they respond.

    "Although, we aren''t hatchlings anymore, not even superior hatchlings" Mendant the healer is at pains to point out.

    "You''ll always be hatchlings to me Mendant. It was I who taught you from the time you were hatched, after all!"

    Several of them wave their antennae in despondent circles, unhappy that I continue to treat them as if they were fresh out of their cocoons. I can''t really help it, they''ve only been out of their cocoons for only a week and a bit! If they were humans they''d still be unable to lift their heads off the floor. In terms of life experience they have nothing going for themselves.

    "Okay then. I wanted to talk the group of you about a few things that I regrettably neglected to mention when I was teaching you. This may happen again, by the way, since it''s possible I forgot to mention a heap of other pieces of critical information."

    Many heads sink toward the floor in despair, a dense feeling of frustration rose into the air. Sorry guys, I''m not perfect! But I''ll do my best!

    "So, the human vige. Let''s have a quick chat about that, justy a few ground rules and all that jazz. Rule one that I would like to propose is this: No killing and eating the humans in the vige. Are there any questions about that one?"

    Twenty sets of antennae are raised into the air.

    "Dang. Alright. Can someone volunteer their query?"

    It''s Be, the core shaper who steps forward, her smaller size is dwarfed by the looming physique of Vibrant but her eyes glitter with intelligence as she speaks.

    "Those ''humans'' represent a copious amount of experience and Biomass that would help fuel the growth of the colony. What benefit are they to us unharmed?"

    Many antennae wiggle with agreement around the chamber. I sighed.

    "Look, I understand the short term gain that the colony would enjoy were we to harvest the humans of the vige and feed them to the Queen, I get it. What you don''t understand is the benefits of mutual cooperation between two societies. You are the amongst the oldest of our species, technically, but you''ve been alive for such a short time."

    I turned to point one leg towards the vige through hundreds of metres of stone.

    "They have the benefit of thousands of years of history, study and development! Far more valuable than a bumper crop of Biomass and experience, is knowledge. You would throw away the thing that our colony needs most for the thing our colony needs least! Experience and Biomass wille, time is all we need. The expertise of the surface races, amassed over time, is there ready for us to ess. Knowledge of the Dungeon, of evolution, ofnguage, art, construction, forging, weaponry, armour, enchanting, farming, education and more! That is why we shouldn''t attack them."

    "I agree with Senior" Vibrant dered, "the humans have helped us fight off the waves on the surface. Without them we would have lost many more workers. They''ve never attacked us either!"

    "Good point there Vibrant. So, are you starting to see the bigger picture regarding the human vige?"

 Chapter 173 Scouting report

    <h4>Chapter 173 Scouting report </h4>

    The idea of peaceful cooperation between nations or even species is quite the foreign concept to these ants and I shouldn''t be surprised. They are Dungeon monsters after all. I may have made them smarter but their fundamental nature as ants is to serve the colony to the exclusion of all else. Convincing them not to throw their lives away in pointless sacrifice was hard enough of a chore, diplomacy and trade may be a bridge too far!

    It seems that Vibrant at least has begun to grasp the greater picture here.

    "Nope!" she chirped brightly, "I just think we shouldn''t eat things that are willing to help us! There are toooons of things that want to kill us that we can go eat."

    Well¡­ Good enough.

    "Vibrant does raise I valid point" I dered to the others, "during the wave we have a near infinite supply of food spawning in the Dungeon below us, most of the Biomass is going to waste as the monsters battle and feed on each other, only to die and be fed on in return. How long until we are ready to start sending hunting parties into the Dungeon in numbers?"

    It''s Antite the Juvenile Queen who stepped forward to answer this time.

    "The third hatching since the change of species urred several hours ago and are for now awaiting themencement of their training, which means we have more than four hundred of the new workers as well as the numbers we sustained during the wave. The colony has a total workforce of just over one thousand now, but arge proportion of those are not battle ready."

    Over a thousand?! That''s great news! We lost a lot of workers over the journey and to finally reach this tipping point is a wonderful moment!

    "It shouldn''t take too long to get them up to speed surely? How did you go with the first two hundred?" I asked eagerly.

    The twenty shifted slightly in their ces.

    "It was, challenging" admitted Advant the soldier, "drilling into them the basic concepts of self-preservation was extremely difficult and due to the sheer number of them it took some time to rue the recquired Biomass and experience to allow all two hundred to evolve."

    "Wait" I gasped, "does this mean all two hundred have undergone a maxed out first evolution?"

    That would be insane!

    The second Juvenile Queen, Victoriant, coughed. "As you are aware Senior, we don''t have the resources to allow each individual to absorb a special core. We did as best we could, each ant evolved with a core, maxed out mutations and having absorbed all of the cores we could supply. To do any better we would have had to dy their evolution for too long."

    I nodded. That made perfect sense, they did the best they could with the resources that we had avable. I can''tin too much since I was only too happy to hand the task over to them.

    "So what sort of evolutions did they choose? Did we get another even spread like with you guys?"

    Theresant smoothly broke in before anyone else could speak. "As it turned out almost half of them chose to be soldiers, the remainder were mostly workers, with a few artisans mixed in. They are all still in the juvenile stage and it will be some time before they are ready for their next evolution. Our hands are very busy since we already have another two hundred hatchlings to tend to, and another two hundreding in three days."

    In three days?!

    "Just how quickly is the Queen able toy eggs right now?" I demanded.

    "Oh, we get spikes in Biomass every now and again, the creatures spawning in her chamber supply a steady flow but things have slowed down now that so much is being funnelled into the hatchlings. We project that the Queen will be able toy one clutch of two hundred eggs every four days at the moment. Mostly thanks to Vibrant and her team bringing up so much from the tunnels."

    Hearing herself praised like this, Vibrant suddenly turned bashful.

    "Aww, it''s nothing! Just doing what an ant can do!" she giggled.

    Two hundred every four days?! With most of the food going into the hatchlings!

    "So if we were to start sending hunting parties into the Dungeon in, let''s say a week, what sort of speed would we expect to see?" I asked, almost afraid of the answer.

    The general, Sloan, was the one to answer this question.

    "If we are able to get the first batch of two hundred up to their second evolution and then take them into the Dungeon for hunting missions, presuming we are able to achieve this in the stated time frame, I expect that the Queen would be able to hit her production limit of two hundred eggs per day."

    TWO HUNDRED PER DAY?! That''s six thousand in a month! We could be ratcheting up to that kind speed in just a week.

    Without thinking about it, my head turned toward the two juvenile Queens in the room.

    "Yes" Sloan noticed my look, "if that were to ur then developing Victoriant and Antite would be our highest priority. After one more evolution they''ll be able to begin producing eggs and one more evolution after that before they can match the Queen''s output. We forecast it would take just over a month to get to that stage."

    So that would be six hundred eggs per day, and eighteen thousand workers per month¡­

    Just. Hold on a moment. I knew that ants could haverge colonies, obviously I knew that! Being faced with this sort of growth and these kinds of numbers is rather shocking to me!

    "That''s ¡­ good?" I managed to say, still somewhat shocked.

    Just how much Biomass are we going to need to fuel that sort of growth? How many cores will we be able to harvest?

    "Do we need to expand the farms again?" I ask nobody in particr.

    It''s Cobalt the Carver Ant who answered, "we have a team on farm expansion pretty much constantly. Whilst this period of endless spawning continues we need to take everything we can get."

    We sure do. Hold on, constantly expanding the farms?

    "So how many farms are we up to?" I asked the smaller, delicate looking worker caste.

    Cobalt thought for a moment. "Around thirty? I haven''t checked with them today, I apologise, Senior."

    Yikes! This is all snowballing rather quickly. I should have known that when I turned the management of the colony over to ants they wouldn''t stuff around! These guys mean business!

    It''s a good thing really. I want our family to be sessful and prosperous, to dominate the Dungeon and seize it''snds for the glory of our mother, I just didn''t think it would start to happen this quickly.

    "Well, I mean, that all sounds great! I guess, so long as we are clear on the not killing the humans, or any other sapient society we happen to encounter, I''ll just get back to exploring and ¡­ eating?"

    It sounds kind ofzy now that I''ve said it out loud¡­

    "Actually" it''s Burke who broke in at this moment, "we''ve been doing some preliminary scouting over the surface and it seems like something is going on to the north. There''s been smoke, seen at long distances from immense fires, and more humans have been fleeing this way."

    "Indeed" Wills picked up where Burke left off, "the situation on the surface is beginning to look dire. For the time being it seems as if the threat from below has abated, but we feel that only you, Senior, would be able to safely determine the nature of the situation on the surface right now."

    Massive fires? More refugees?

    "What is going on up there?" I wondered out loud.

 Chapter 174 Surface Situation

    <h4>Chapter 174 Surface Situation </h4>

    There must be something serious going on up there for there to be all of this smoke and noise, but what could it be? We haven''t had an attack for a few days now, perhaps there is another one massing? Someone definitely needs to go and check it out, and I can''t deny that the best person for that role would have to be me. There''s only one major problem.

    "I''m happy to go and scout on the surface, but due to my core strength if I spend too long up there then I''ll start to run dry. I can manage a few days up there, perhaps a little longer, but if I''m being super active the amount of time I canst could diminish beyond that."

    "We are aware of the issue regarding the drain of mana on developed cores, we were able to consult with mother about the problem" Burke assured me, "our scouts have made it a priority to discover any pockets of concentrated mana and sniff out Dungeon entrances in order to alleviate the difficulty. We''ve been able to find a number of such locations and mark them heavily with pheromones, as well as create a few trails you could follow."

    That news brightened me up a little.

    "Well that sounds a lot better. I didn''t realise you''d been able to put together such apetent scouting operation in such a short time."

    Wills waggled his antennae dismissively.

    "It''s nothing special right now. When we have more dedicated scout caste soldiers it will be one hundred times more efficient. Not to mention we''ve barely begun to map out the skill and mutation paths best suited to scouting. Burke and I are expecting to havepleted our preliminary investigations next week, which is when we expect the first wave of scout caste evolutions toplete."

    These guys are for sure keeping busy. Look at ''em! Making ns and thinking things through! This is why the colony needed them!

    "That sounds great! Well a few other points I wanted to bring up. I''ve possibly discovered another source of Biomass for the colony, talk to mother for the details. I''d like to speak to the Core Shapers for a moment after we are done here and then I''ll take Tiny and Crinis to go an check out the situation on the surface."

    There was little shifting when I mention the possible Biomass source but otherwise the first twenty hatchlings of the new breed are happy to break of our meeting there, only Be and Ellie the core shapers remain behind. I take the time to exin to them my newfound understanding of fusing cores together and theymunicate with me the tests they have conducted, and the various skillbinations they are experimenting with in order to perform their role.

    Ultimately the core shapers are intended to create specialised pets for members of the colony. That doesn''t necessarily mean that they will use the cores that they design for themselves, but it could. Since the two of them are here, we spend a little extra time discussing their role and what they can contribute to the colony, since they themselves aren''t exactly sure what their purpose is.

    To give some scope to the power of Core Shaping as a discipline, I tell them about the Sophos, an entire race of powerful core shapers who depend upon the creatures that they craft and design for their safety. In particr I tell them off the powerful worm that Formo rode, to this day the most powerful monster core I''ve seen.

    Ellie and Be are immensely excited by this news. When we are done they sprint out of the chamber to continue their skill drilling and to expand their ns. To think that core shaping and pets aren''t important. What nonsense! The Formica Sapiens species wouldn''t even exist without those skills! Not to mention how useful and powerful pets can be. Look at Crinis and Tiny! They''ve paid me back more than ten times the cores and Biomass I''ve had to spend on them. They might give me a few headaches every now and again but it''s worth it.

    Speaking of Crinis and Tiny.

    [So, it looks like we''ll have to go and do some scouting on the surface, team. We all ready for that?] I asked them.

    Tiny looked glum at my words.

    [Surface. Bad.]

    [I get it champ, not a huge fan of having my core leaking either, but there seems to be something big going on up there.]

    The big ape just grunted, his displeasure clear on his bat face.

    [I''m sure we''ll be fine, Master] Crinis chipped in, eager to please as always.

    [You will be] I grumbled, [you''re one evolution away from suffering from theck of mana like Tiny and I.]

    [That isn''t my fault] the ball of indefatigable hunger protested primly, [I''d be ready to evolve if we''d spent more time out hunting.]

    [That''s true. Now is your chance. Even though we''ll be up on the surface, we are likely to run into some Dungeon monsters doing things and going ces that they shouldn''t. Come on then, no time like the present.]

    We all have a decent chunk of Biomass that needs to be spent but I feel there isn''t any harm in putting it off for a while. Whatever is happening up there sounds important, we can mutate when we take a break travelling.

    So it was that not long after returning from our brief expedition, we find ourselves leaving the nest once again, this time to travel across the surface, something I hadn''t expected we would be doing again.

    Before we leave for the north, back into the ravagednds of the Lirian Kingdom, I decide to check in the vige. It''s only been a few hours since I managed to avert the consumption of most of the poption over there after all. If Enid is back from her hunting trip then I''m certain there is going to be a few questions she might have. Smoothing things over before I leave would be the sensible course of action.

    [I''ming too.]

    ¡­

    [I''m sorry, what was that?]

    Morrelia looked down at me, her features set into her customary fierce expression, a mood only reinforced by herbat attire, leather armour and swords belted to her hips.

    [I want toe with you. If something is going on like you say then I think it would be a good idea for someone from the vige to investigate also.]

    Not long after we arrived in the vige I bumped into Enid and Morrelia, only just returned from their Dungeon delve. It didn''t take long to exin what the scouts had reported, as well as brush off any ''special announcements'' they might have heard about. It was after Enid passed on my words to Morrelia that we began to have a problem.

    [I mean, it isn''t as if I would withhold information from the vige. I''ve been very cooperative with you, surely you can agree?] I protested.

    For whatever reason this only caused the warrior woman to frown with even greater ferocity.

    [That''s true] she admitted, [but I want to see for myself what is happening. Perhaps my father is involved. At any rate, it''s past time I went to lend my hand to assist any survivors. The vige will be fine if the rest of my squad stays to help train the people here.]

    [Gah!] I croaked, iling to think of some reason why she shouldn''t tag along. Thisdy is trouble! I''m not sure I could take travelling with her all over the north! [We monsters can move quickly and for long distances. Do you really think you can keep up?]

    She smiled at me, I''m sorry to report that it didn''t make her look any less fierce.

 Chapter 175 Deflect

    <h4>Chapter 175 Deflect </h4>

    Couldn''t keep up eh? The monster kind is supreme, huh? We can faster, further, longer! Morrelia must have beenughing up her sleeve whilst looking down at my stupid, fat face. After we left the Vige, giving Morrelia a short period of time to inform her squad and pack her essentials we set off, leaving a concerned looking Enid behind as we journeyed to the north, heading back towards the ravagednds of the former kingdom of Liria.

    My budding attitude as a monster supremacist has been thoroughly crushed by the leather armoured, dark haired woman. With Tiny lumbering at my side and Crinis riding on my back we departed at a run, sprinting away through the trees, clods of dirt flying behind us as we employed our dash skills, drawing on our reserves of stamina.

    I''d been so confident!

    What a fool.

    When we stopped to rest after thirty minutes of solid dashing, Tiny and I both huffing and puffing, pushed to our limits by the physical exertion, I turned to find Morrelia standing behind me, a quizzical frown on her face. She wasn''t even sweating!

    I''d been so startled to see her, my eyes had almost bugged out my head. I can only give thanks that she can''t read my facial expression. Impatient, she''d tapped her gloved finger to her forehead, indicating that she desired a mind bridge in order tomunicate.

    I sighed and wove the spell, irritated at myself for opening my fat mandibles.

    [Why are we stopping?] blunt as always.

    [Just ah, sussing our the situation, making sure we don''t stumble into any roaming monsters. Not exactly easy to scout whilst running at top speed now is it?] I deflected.

    That caused her to raise one eyebrow in query.

    [That was your top speed?] she asked.

    [Of course not! How could I, the ant known as the Diamond Speedster, have such a low running pace? When I get serious I am naught but a blur! The eyes of mere mortals are not enough to - yes, yes that is as fast as we can dash I''m sorry.]

    Pathetic.

    Halfway through my empty boasting my fa?ade cracks and I immediatelye clean, all resistance shredded by those piercing eyes.

    [The Diamond Speedster eh?] her tone is carefully t, not mocking in anyway, which only makes it worse.

    [No. Not at all. The fastest ant in the colony is Vibrant. I''m a distant second] I confess, no longer holding any desire to try and deceive this damned amazon of a soldier.

    To my fortune, she gets distracted.

    [Vibrant? I didn''t realise you had names. Do all of you have names?]

    [No, not all of us. I''ve handed out a few names here and there but certainly not to everyone in the colony. My name''s Anthony by the way.]

    So grateful am I to be spared any mocking I hand over my name without even considering it, eager to keep the conversation away from my foolishness.

    [Anthony?] Morrelia has a puzzled expression on her face, as if not quite believing that she is having this conversation, learning the name of monster in conversation. [I suppose, it''s nice to meet you Anthony. I guess I can''t call you ''Monster'' anymore.]

    I shrugged my antennae.

    [Call me whatever makes you happy. It''s no chitin off of my carapace. Since we are doing introductions, the giant bat faced ape is Tiny, and the little ball of tentacle death on my back is Crinis.]

    Morrelia looked at my twopanions in turn as I named them. She acts far more wary of the two of them than she does of me to be honest. I can''t really me her. Tiny is visually impressive, his gigantic, heavy frame, rugged silver fur and potent fists speak with great rity about his prowess is battle. Crinis looks harmless, an inanimate little ball without a discerning feature, but anyone who had seen her in action would know enough to be afraid of what she can do.

    [I didn''t realise you had named your pets. Most don''t from what I understand.]

    [I didn''t and still don''t really know what I''m doing with the two of them] I admit, [I''m just sort of working things out as I go along.]

    She turned back to look at me once again.

    [Are they able tomunicate as you do? Using mind magic?]

    I shake my head.

    [Not even a little bit. I had to take a skill that allows mentalmunication with pets to chat with them, they don''t exactly have pheromone nds built it like the ants do.]

    Morrelia nodded thoughtfully at my words, looking down at me with a somewhat changed light in her eyes. I''d chalked the conversation up as a win, since she hadn''t brought up my attempt at leaving her back in the vige due to her supposedck of ability to keep up.

    When ites to running, the woman is more of a monster than I am!

    If nothing else, our excursion out in to the field has given me an opportunity to better familiarise myself with this berserker soldier. Morrelia appears to be in her twenties, perhapste twenties, although I could be adding years due to her stern attitude and there''s a good chance a life lived in the wild battling monsters has done little to tter her. Without looking stout or over muscled she manages to look solid. As if she were a rock capable of resisting whatever forcese her way.

    She wears simple leather armour that leaves her arms bare, with wrist guards strapped to both forearms. Her twin swords sit on her belt, like the rest of her the sheaths are unadorned, simple, functional and practical.

    In terms of appearance, she looks fine, I suppose. I''m finding it difficult to tell human features apart the longer I spend in my new body. I''m bing more capable of distinguishing ant features though, which is a plus.

    Her eyes are a piercing blue, like ice, which contrasts quite sharply with her dark hair, which is pulled back severely and tied into a short ponytail like¡­ thing. Perhaps she''d look more appealing if she didn''t wear a permanent scowl on her face. I''m not sure I''ve ever seen her look cheerful. Although, every time I see her she is having to talk to a giant ant monster, sooo ¡­. It could just be me.

    Unwilling to try and strike up conversation, Tiny and I rest for a few minutes before we continue our journey at a more reasonable pace this time. At least I managed to squeak out a level in dash.

    My antennae waving with furious energy as we travel, I''m able to detect the scout trails pointing to various ces of interest. The scent fades over time and moreplex messages be harder to determine as the words start to blend into each other, so the scouts have worked to keep their signals simple.

    "Dungeon tunnel, small", "river", "buildings".

    Thest one is what catches my attention. Some form of human settlement but the scouts themselves don''t know enough about human society to be more specific. Is it a farm house? Perhaps a small vige or town?

    I decide to follow that trail. The mana in my core is slowly bleeding out at a constant rate, but I''m not too worried at this stage. Heaps of gas left in the tank and we are only a few hours from the nest right now. The point of no return is a long way off yet.

 Chapter 176 The impact

    <h4>Chapter 176 The impact </h4>

    It takes several more hours of hard travel before we make it to the first group of building we''ve seen on our journey. A small cluster of farmhouses built close to each other, a family holding perhaps or a collection of folks gathering together for protection andpany.

    We spot the buildings a long way out. The tall, pointed roofs of the barns poked themselves above the tree line letting us know well in advance we were close to our destination. But even from a distance we could the damage that had been done. Jagged edges ran down the side of the barn were smooth lines were expected, open holes in the thatch work and theck of smoke from the chimneys spoke to what we could expect to find when we arrived.

    I hardened my heart and continued to run forward. I couldn''t help but nce toward Morrelia the closer we got. Her eyes were tight with emotion, whether worry or anger I couldn''t be sure. I hope she doesn''t get too angry when we get there. Going on an anti-monster rampage might be understandable when surveying their wreckage, but in her presentpany it might make things a little awkward.

    Our steps were inevitable and it didn''t take long to close in on the buildings, their condition exactly what I had imagined it would be. Crumbled walls, smashed doors, w marks on the ground, the stones, the trees ¡­ w marks pretty much everywhere.

    It was obvious that monsters had run through here, destroyed this small settlement and moved on. The most unfortunate thing were the clear signs of a struggle. A twisted pitchforky on the ground between two sturdy tables that had been braced against the door of thergest stone house. To one side I noticed an old, rusted sword, snapped in half. On closer inspection, the indentations of powerful teeth could be seen on the de, a sign of where a creature had bitten the sword to pieces.

    It was horrible to imagine, a group of farmers, gathering together to try and hold of a swarm of creatures from the Dungeon below, something they didn''t know much about, something they would never have expected to see. How would they have felt during that final struggle?

    Most chilling of all is thepleteck of any sign of the people who had fought here. No remains for burial, no torn limbs, not even a blood stain.

    As if a monster would ever leave Biomass behind.

    Crawling over the buildings, up the walls and over the shattered ceilings, hit me hard. This was what the refugees were fleeing from, this was the fate of the thousands, tens of thousands of people who hadn''t made it out. Perhaps they hadn''t heard in time, perhaps they''d underestimated the danger, perhaps they just didn''t believe it could happen. Whatever the reason, it had cost them dearly.

    Against my will, horrible visions of returning the nest, only to find it destroyed and despoiled fill my mind. My siblings vanished, eaten by our hated foes, the Queen, my mother in this life, left a lifeless shell in her royal chamber. All signs of the brood would be gone, no eggs, no fat, squigglyrvae, no future for my kind at all.

    Terrible! Unforgiveable! I would be heart broken, filled with anguish and rage should such a thinge to pass!

    Which is exactly why I''m avoiding Morrelia¡­.

    The leather d berserker stomped around the sight, her tension rose with sign of futilebat we uncovered. Her fists clenched and her neck muscles grew taught until I was concerned her head would snap off from sheer pressure.

    Even Tiny can see it and despite his normal, fight happy attitude, he doesn''t appear to want to draw the attention of the dark haired warrior right now. I suspect he just doesn''t want to be a punching bag since he''s able to recognise that Morrelia is an ally and he wouldn''t be able to fight back.

    Finally, unable to restrain her anger any longer, Morrelia exploded with a guttural roar of fury and smashed one backhanded fist into a barn wall. For moment the only sound is the echo of her rage as she stood, breathing deep, before the barn wall copsed, crashing into the ground and bringing the roof down with it.

    ¡­

    Nice punch¡­

    After a few more moments to gather her thoughts, Morrelia started looking about and I had a sinking feeling she was looking for me. Sure enough, she managed to spot me in my totally obvious resting ce behind the chimney of another building. After waving to indicate I should join her on the ground level, she taps one finger to forehead, a frown creasing her face.

    Not very patient are you?! Sorry if I can''t wave the mystical fibres of this world into a universal tranting mind joining bridge of sparklingplexity that would put a hundred spider webs to abject shame!

    The nice thing about having multiple minds is that I can quitefortably weave my spells whilstining internally, plenty of spare brain power to go around.

    [You ok over there?] was my tentative opening line.

    My concern only served to upgrade her frown into a re.

    [I''m. Fine. I want to move on, find some monsters to kill.]

    [Of course we would have to move to find those, since, there sure isn''t any of them here! Ha! Ha! Haaaa.]

    Please don''t berserk and kill me crazydy.

    Morrelia only snorted at my words.

    [Where are we going?]

    [Well] I wondered, [I suppose we keep heading north, find the nearest town. If wee across any fresh looking monster tracks, we could follow them, try to track down any bands of wandering beasties. Are you good at tracking?]

    I''m sure not.

    [I''m a fair tracker] Morrelia assured me. [Let''s get going. I don''t want to stick around here any longer.]

    [Fair enough.]

    Leaving the depressing ruined farm buildings behind we continue on our scouting mission, three monsters and one human berserker. Our steady pace ate away at the distance as we moved further away from our allies and deeper into unknown territory.

    The ant trails were starting to go cold this far out from the colony, the scouts unwilling to travel too far from the nest, which is only fair enough. Morrelia seemed to have an excellent idea of they of thend in what used to be southern Liria, so she guided us toward the closest town. Hopefully what we find there isn''t the same as what we just left behind, but on arger scale.

 Chapter 177 Colony Building

    <h4>Chapter 177 Colony Building </h4>

    Not long after the Eldest had departed the colony, Cobalt stood in the Queens chamber watching the small Aphid Queen amble about under the watchful eye of his mother. Another ridiculous, unheard of practice, brought to life with a seeming absence of effort at the hands of the first of their kind.

    The Eldest puzzled the Council of twenty, as the first hatchling of Formica Sapiens were beginning of think of themselves. Respect and deference was due to the Eldest by the simple nature of seniority, not to mention the conditioned fear that had been beaten into them over their whirlwind ''training''.

    Even so, the Eldest puzzled them. So often engaged in thoughts and actions that seemed to have no ce within an ant mind. Supposedly the twenty were of the same species, but they would never have dreamed of engineering an entire breed of ¡­ cattle?

    And yet it was such an elegant solution to a problem they hadn''t even realised they had. A sustainable, constant source of Biomass which they couldpletely control. The colony would determine how many aphids were created and the colony would deploy them as they wished. The only limiting factor was the avable space within the expanse below them.

    It wouldn''t be a problem for long, Cobalt felt confident the colony would soon extend their grasp out to epass further expanses. If those others included sufficient nt life for the aphids to feed on then their poption could be grown to allow the harvest to continue in those ces also.

    Lost in his thoughts, Cobalt didn''t notice the young aphid Queen approach him. With a start he realised the small green insect was looking at him appealingly, it''s antennae waving to tap into his own.

    "She''s hungry" the Queen''s voice sounded from above and Cobalt turned to see her looking down on him.

    "Mother, it''s wonderful to see you so cheerful" he said.

    By a strange twist of the Dungeon, the Queen was no longer the eldest of their kind and thus technically no longer the leader of the colony, a position reserved for the Eldest, who didn''t seem to want it, except when they did. Irrespective of this, the Queen, as mother to all the members of the colony, received the devotion and adoration of every worker. To see her tending her new pet with such cheer brought joy to every ant who saw it.

    "Thank you child" she said, warmth overflowing in her words, "I must admit I quite enjoy having a pet of my own. Obviously my children bring me the greatest happiness, but they must work for the colony and it can be sometime between visits."

    It was true. Even the ants in the Queen''s chamber were rotated on a regr basis in order for her to be always protected by rested and prepared ants.

    "If you were to ask for them to visit you then they would" Cobalt pointed out.

    The Queen waved one antenna dismissively. "We must all do our work for the colony, child. I would never stand between a member of our family and their task."

    Cobalt could only nod. It was true. An ant should life for their work just as they worked to live. The soldiers were busy training, scouting, nning, getting ready tomence their hunting forays into the Dungeon. The young queens were helping with the training of the current crop of hatchlings, along with the mages and healers. Already the training process of raising hatchlings to their first and second evolutions was undergoing refinement as the colony learned of more skills and mutations that would assist the ants as they prepared to take on their more specific roles.

    Even the Core Shapers were busy, engaged in demanding practice of new skills they had uncovered and utilising the inspiration the Eldest had gifted them with to push their understanding of their role to greater heights, Even if they weren''t able to craft pets for the colony yet, it was only a matter of time as they improved their techniques every day. When more shapers were added to their ranks they would have a clear path of progression established for their new initiates to follow.

    Whereas the Carvers¡­

    Cobalt sighed heavily.

    "Why so glum, child?" the Queen enquired, as she noticed his sombre mood even as she directed several workers to feed her pet.

    "I am feeling confused, Mother" he mumbled, "I am unsure of my purpose within the colony. What exactly is the work that I am expected to achieve? I have thought and thought but I am still unsure which tasks I have been created to achieve."

    The Queen pondered briefly before responding. "There is always work to be done child, an endless supply. There is digging, teaching, tending to the brood, hunting. For what reason are you unable to fund a task?"

    "It isn''t that I can''t find a task to do, Mother, but rather what task is for me alone. When the Eldest designed our siblings it was clear what work they were needed to aplish. Myrade Tungstant and I find ourselves at a loss. Look at me."

    Cobalt used his front legs, thinner, more mobile and articte than those of his siblings, to gesture at himself.

    "Too small and defenceless to fight on the frontline, without the skills and mutations to fight on the backline. I have not the Will for spellcraft, not the tending instincts for brood rearing and not the healing nd for restorative magic. The advantages of my own evolution seem almost pointless."

    "What are they, child? What are the advantages of your form?" the Queen urged.

    Cobalt thought on it for a moment.

    "I''m smaller than most others, but not faster. My forelegs are more mobile and I can move them like this" this was demonstrated by raising them in front of Cobalt''s face, giving a clear view of the three ws that tipped each leg, arranged in a triangr formation.

    Cobalt had only recently made note that the ability to rotate the ws wasn''t shared by Cobalts'' peers. When viewing the humans for the first time, the connection between this strange anatomy and humans wrists and fingers became apparent.

    The Queen watched Cobalt demonstrate his dexterity for a moment before questioning again.

    "And what else, child? I doubt that these ws are the full extent of your gifts."

    "It pretty much is mother" Cobalt groaned, "I have a very high Cunning stat, but I don''t know what I can do with it."

    Cobalt couldn''t be a general or a mage. What use was all of this brain power?

    The Queen looked down at Cobalt thoughtfully, before turning her eyes to upwards to the stone and dirt above.

    "The nest is getting quite haphazard, don''t you think?" she enquired, almost to the air.

    Cobalt frowned. It was true. The rapid expansion of the nest had been done too fast, with not enough thought given to proper nning and aesthetics. The whole ce was turning into a horrid mess of tunnels and chambers, no foresight, no beauty at all.

    "I believe someone should take control, before it bes a problem. Perhaps you could take on the responsibility? Until you find your purpose?" the Queen suggested.

    Cobalt barely heard her, mind already spinning with ideas, ns and designs for theyout of the nest. There''s the farms, the brood chambers to amodate of course. The above ground portion of the nest would need to be expanded, no doubt about it. Head buzzing and the previous concerns forgotten, Cobalt went to find Tungstant and rope the other Carver into this task. Two minds are better than one after all.

 Chapter 178 The surface is just so draining

    <h4>Chapter 178 The surface is just so draining </h4>

    Damn ¡­ I need some mana.

    After running around the surface, we''ve managed to find a whole heap of nothin''. Ruined buildings, burned out farms and abandoned homes. All the while my core is leaking mana into the air. Checking my MP told me that I still had around half of my full tank, but I''m a little nervous about that. If we keep pushing forward then I''m going to reach the point that I''ll need to find some Dungeon ess in order to recharge my batteries since I won''t be able to make it back to the nest before I run dry.

    He''s being stoic about it, but I can see the drain has taken a toll on my big ape associate as well. At the same stage of evolution as me, but with a smaller core, Tiny is nheless experiencing a bit of drain. He hasn''t told me as such, but the expression on his face, tense but puzzled, as if pooping out an orifice that he didn''t know existed and couldn''t quite find, has given the game away.

    No Tiny, that isn''t a waste product, that is your literal life energy being sucked out of your core!

    Gah! This whole thing has given me a headache. It wasn''t long ago that I was a lifeform that didn''t require a mana infused gem within their body in order to sustain themselves. Heck, when I was born onto Pangera, I didn''t have a core at all! Now look at me, filled to the brim with mana and dependent on it like some sort of junky.

    With great poweres great ¡­ addiction? I didn''t think it would evere to this, back when I was fresh and new to the Dungeon, staring at glowing blue veins on the wall and wondering what it was all about, but now I want my fix!

    Gimme'' dat mana!

    Even my legs are providing precious little relief here on the surface. No matter how much I try to soak mana through my legs I''m getting vapour at best.

    I sighed. All I can do is press forward, particrly now. A few hours ago we picked up the trail of a pack of monsters and since then Morrelia has been following them like a demon possessed crazy person. Her hands are tight around the hilts of her swords, only to let go when she realised what she''d done. A littleter her hands were back on those swords, knuckles white.

    That is one angry berserker.

    I have a suspicion that things are going to get nasty soon. For thest hour we''ve been on the road, in a literal sense. After firsting across the tracks amongst the trees and farnd, we followed them, well, Morrelia followed them, the monsters in the group can''t track for nards, until we hit a t dirt road and have been following it since. The road had the appearance of being well maintained, so I expect that somewhere at the end of this is going to be a sizeablemunity, a town or small city, and considering a somewhatrge force of monsters is heading that way (judging by the tracks), I feel something is about to go down.

    It''s going down for real!

    [You sensing anything up ahead, Crinis?]

    [I don''t, Master. My ability to sense mana is far more limited in range that your eyesight. I think I will be much more useful in the confines of the Dungeon] she responded, somewhat despondent.

    [Out here in the open you might struggle, but inside a city you''d be much better off] Iforted her, [each of us had our strengths, not to worry.]

    She didn''t respond but I sensed a more cheerful mentality radiating from the softball on my back. Such a well-meaning horrific dealer of death.

    [I think there might be a fight ahead, Tiny. Stay alert.]

    The ape looked more cheerful in an instant. Damnable ape! I wanted you to be wary, and on your toes! Not happy and ready to run to your stupid death!

    Argh.

    No helping it, I''ve known what Tiny is like for a long time now, he''s not happy unless embroiled in a brutal fight to the death, the more risk to himself the happier he gets. Only a miracle has kept him alive this long. I need to find a healer to join in my retinue of pets, otherwise I doubt he''ll continue to survive. He doesn''t have any built in healing and his toughness isn''t as high as I''d like. He''s a ss cannon is what he is, all brawn, no brain and not enough HP.

    You''re a worry Tiny, no doubt about it.

    The object of my frustration continues to bounce on his heels as we walk, throwingpact punches at the air, a wide grin stretched from bat ear to bat ear. Hopeless.

    Oh? What is that I see?

    In the distance I noticed a grey smudge on the horizon and as we travelled it grew into a city wall when we were close enough for my ant eyes to make out the details. With haste I threw together a mind bridge to chat with Morrelia. She would be sure to know something about this ce.

    [Hey] a ssic lead in.

    [¡­]

    [Hey!] second times the charm.

    [¡­]

    [Heeeeeeeey!] this time, for sure.

    [Would you shut up!? I''m trying to focus!]

    Holy moly! Seems like I poked a bear¡­ I should take the hint and leave her alone.

    [s-sorry. Just wanted to ask a question.]

    [¡­]

    [Do you know anything about the town up ahead?]

    [¡­]

    [It''d be great if we had a little more information is all¡­]

    [GAH! Stupid ant! What do you want?!]

    Along with her ferocious mental sending, Morrelia rounded on me, the barely controlled rage in her eyes seared me with intense heat.

    [Hey there, just, like, chill for a second. All friends here, right?] I shrank back from her re as I spoke and Crinis, sensing my distress, began to extend a few warning tentacles toward the enraged mercenary.

    With a visible effort, Morrelia choked down her anger and when she spoke her mental voice sounded tight with the strain. For a berserk to keep her emotions in check must be quite the taxing exercise.

    [Is your ss actually Berserker? Because that would awesome] I blurted out.

    A thick vein began to throb on her temple and I hurried to move on.

    [Ah, ok. Just wanted some information about what I suspect is a town up ahead. We''ve tracked some monsters here, I can see what looks like a town wall, it only follows that we can expect some monsters fighting up ahead, possibly against some survivors, I was hoping to learn what you nned to do?]

    I spoke quickly to try and squeeze out my query before this enrageddy drew her weapons and cut me down where I stand. For her part, Morrelia blinked as my torrent of words smashed into her head. When I finished she managed to keep a grip on her temper long enough to sate my curiosity.

    [What you''ve said is correct. The town ahead is called Midum. It''s a fair size trading hub with a garrison and city wall. Since the monsters we''ve been tracking are headed this way I believe the city may still stand or is currently under attack. I''ve been trying to maintain the correct emotional state to enter into my Berserk Rage, a feature of my Berserk Tempest ss, at the first sighting of the enemy. Anything else?] she answered my questions in clipped tones, making it clear her emotions were still at a steady boil under the surface.

    [All good. Just, ah, don''t try and kill us when you go all angry.]

    A tight smile is all I get in response as she goes back to ''maintaining the correct mental state''. I don''t begrudge her testy attitude at all, since the closer we came to the city, the more clear it became that it was at least partially on fire.

 Chapter 179 City under attack

    <h4>Chapter 179 City under attack </h4>

    The city of Midum was burning at an impressive rate as we approached. As we drew closer the sound ofbat began to ring in the distance, roaring monsters, shouting people and the sh of steel on w. In a lucky break, the gates of the city were already demolished, overwhelmed by whatever creatures had arrived before us. The wooden gates made a sorry sight as we rushed through them, smashed timbers hanging on hinges pinned into the stone walls.

    The walls were much less impressive close up, nothing at all like those of Liria. A mere four metres tall and two metres think, they were hardly the kind of fortification that would keep out a monster horde, but then again, they weren''t intended to be. The only things they''d expected to have to deal with in this part of Liria was low level surface monsters and bandits, at the very worst an attack from a neighbouring country. Something like a Dungeon monster invasion was never on the cards for these people, right up until happened.

    We surged into the city, the rubble of buildings strewn about our feet. The signs of battle were everywhere, smashed buildings, doors ripped off their hinges, burned out roofs. The only thing missing was the remains of thebatants who had fallen. Because there wouldn''t be any, naturally. Human or monster, the fallen are Biomass, ripe for the taking.

    It makes for an eerie scene. Just like what I''d witnessed at the farm house except magnified in scale a thousand times. It''s almost like running through an old ruin rather than a ce with humans still fighting in it, there is just no sign of anything organic. What were once inns, filled with people,ughter and merriment are now shattered, their signs ripped down, walls knocked in and furniture destroyed. As we race passed one I can see the tables upturned, chairs scattered around the room and even the bar itself carved right down the middle, yet not a single sign of any living thing inside.

    I get the feeling that whatever has happened here, didn''t happen quickly. There are signs of barricades on the streets, of houses torn down to create makeshift walls and open up space for archers. Spent arrows abound in the areas we pass through, scattered across stone or lodged into wood. It seems that once the walls were lost the people here engaged in a brutal fight, street by street, in order to try and survive.

    I skittered over rocks and debris as the once cobbled roads of Midum were now cracked and strewn with the remains of the homes of its citizens. The deeper into the city we get, the louder the sounds ofbat be. I looked at Morrelia as we dashed with all our might and the signs of her emotional state were clear to see if I was careful. Clenched teeth, fierce re, muscles knotting, all signs of her barely repressed rage. If I was to hazard a guess I would say she was bncing herself on the very edge of her ss feature activating, aiming to berserk the second she caught sight of the foe.

    It didn''t take much longer to find them. Rounding a corner we find ourselves approaching the waterline, the wide spread of the¡­ke? Ocean? Laid out before me. Here too is the source of the fire. Large warehouses are burning, sending soot and smoke billowing into the sky. It seems the people here are making onest stand. Several warehouses, those made of the most stone, have been boarded and walled in with whatever the people had to hand. Archers dot the roofs, firing into the hungering mass of creatures below. Men and women with spears defend the edges of the building, stabbing and pushing with desperate fervour to prevent the monsters from finding purchase on the roof. Centipedes, spiders and others climb straight up the walls, jaws ttering as they strive to sate their hunger.

    Around the base of the buildings the doors are barred but more powerful beasts, like Crocas, hounds and bears are attempting to batter them whilst fending of constant thrusts from spear wielders inside the building. It can''tst. The sheer mass of the monsters pressed forward, unable to be denied ess to the building itself which they tear into with fang and w. The stone scrapes and shatters beneath the blows and the tough wood of the warehouse door is already splintering.

    The Croca beasts, stupid fire breathers that they are, bellowed jets of me as they sought to ignite anything they could. Smoke could be seen rising already, something, somewhere inside had already caught alight.

    The moment the creatures came into sight Morrelia was off. Bellowing like a raging hell beast she Dashed with all her might, her entire body seemed to flicker out of existence before she appeared halfway to the enemy with both her swords drawn.

    [Better get in there Tiny, or there won''t be anything left for you by the looks of things!] I shouted at the big ape.

    The words had barely reached his half eaten peanut sized mind before he rumbled forward, knuckles pounding into the road so hard he shattered the stones as he hurled himself forward, lightening crackling around his upper body.

    [There''s a lot of monsters here Crinis, going to have to put you to work I''m afraid] I informed by sightlesspanion as I strove to keep pace with Tiny.

    [Not to worry Master], she assured me, [for having ced themselves in your way I will allow these filth to taste true despair!]

    I''ll bet she will.

    Although I don''t spy anything too powerful in the mix, there are still a heap of monsters here. Easily over a thousand. I''ll need to deploy Crinis'' tentacles of mass dismemberment in order to chew through these kinds of numbers, although I do have a few spells that should prove handy.

    As we close in the backs of the unsuspecting monsters, Morrelia is already there. Her face frozen in a rictus grin of pure hate, her des sh faster than the eye can see, sending waves of pure swordlight into the pressed ranks of the enemy.

    Even in her berserk state, she isn''t so foolish as to dive directly into the middle of the horde, instead she dances around the edge and her twin weapons never cease their brutal motion. As the monsters begin to fall dead and dying by the dozen, they turned and tackle this new threat, ws grasping for a chance to rend flesh.

    Then Tiny arrived.

    BOOM!

    With an impact like thunder, Tiny descended on the monsters like a copsing mountain. He leaped high into the air, gather all of his strength before he delivered a titanic blow to an evolved dragon wolf hound. The beast was smashed directly in half by the twin fists of Tiny, who didn''t pause to admire his handiwork but insteadshed out with his meaty hands, pulped enemies left behind every time he struck.

    [Let''s do it Crinis! Try not to kill any humans!]

    Crinis didn''t respond with words but actions instead. She reached out with two tentacles to grasp my antennae before pulling them back towards herself. Crinis slingshot has be loaded!

    Fire!

    It''s shameful to say but I can''t throw her that far with my antennae alone, they aren''t built for that kind of lifting, but I manage tounch her far enough shended within range of the nearest monsters. No sooner does she touch the ground than tentacles explode out from her body to wrap around the unsuspecting creatures nearby.

    Poor things, I almost pity them.

 Chapter 180 Bird is the word

    <h4>Chapter 180 Bird is the word </h4>

    It''s a factor of the Dungeon that I find has been curiously understudied, the fact that the denizens of that ce, the monsters in all their various forms, change over time. One hundred years ago the tower lead a detailed study into the menace of the Scorpionem genus that had been terrorising the Dungeon under Enlightened Alliancends. And now? That particr variety of monster is gone, almost never seen.

    The question that needs answering is why? Environmental pressures do no not ount for such a rapid extinction of a species from the Dungeon on their own. Monster poptions are incredibly adaptable, even the less intelligent species are known to adjust behaviours and select different mutations in order to adapt to the ever changing conditions around them at lightning quick speeds.

    So why the dearth of Scorpionem monsters? Some of my peers have suggested that they were hunted to extinction, a prospect I findughable. These creatures were featured in a study detailing their detrimental takeover of arge swathe of Dungeon territory, and we are to believe that they were exterminated by the surface races? Not a single documented case of a Dungeon species, let alone genus, being driven extinct by surface intervention exists.

    And why? Because we cannot prevent or control Dungeon spawns. When arge poption of one monster gathers together, it is known to cause a spawn point to form, but it isn''t required. Destroying all of one species at a point does not prevent them from being spawned elsewhere. It''s almost as if the Dungeon decided that it didn''t need or want to spawn Scorpionem monsters anymore, so it stopped. Had they fulfilled their purpose? Were they deemed to be unsessful? We are on the edge of a very important question, one that touches on the very nature and purpose of the Dungeon.

    Does the Dungeon choose which monsters are spawned and where? If so, the implications are terrifying.

    Excerpt from ''Biodiversity in the Dungeon, a dissertation on its breadth and purpose'' by Xinci

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Isaac Bird had seen some plops in his day. When his father had walked out his mother, little Isaac little more than a wee toddler himself, that''d been some ripe, fresh bull plops right there. His poor ma had worked herself to the bone, scrubbing pots and serving tables at the Skeevy Rat, aplete dive on the water front.

    ,

    When Isaac got old enough he''d managed to ''prentice himself out to a local guardpany, finally able to bring home a bit ''o coin to support his ma, only to have her take sick and pass away three monthster.

    That was plops with some serious heft. Real weight to ''em. Some men could be crushed under that kind of weight, but not Isaac Bird, no sir. He''d picked himself up and carried on. After three years of getting his head kicked in, training, levelling and carrying the plops for jeering superiors, he''d be a full guardsman.

    That''d been two years ago and since then, Isaac had been knee deep in it and no mistake. Guards on the take? Plops. Merchants stepping on the citizens, above thew due to their wealth? Big bag ''o plops right there. Poor people strugglin, starvin'', dyin'' with nobody to look after ''em, thrown on the garbage heap to rot with the off fish? That be a steaming mountain of brown right there.

    But thistest one had to take the cake. Watching the merchants and nobles sailing out onto the sweet blue waters of Barka Lake, burning the fishing fleet behind them as savage Dungeon monsters swarmed over the walls, that''d been thergest, most potent serving of plops that Isaac had ever pped eyes on. Sacrificing the people of Midum so they''d have more time to escape, those worthless sacks of trash had ground the poor under their heel all their lives and now they sought to prevent their death the same way they lived: at the detriment of a whole heap of others.

    Isaac shouldn''t have felt surprised, but the callousness of it had rattled him.

    "Anna! Find out what the hell is burnin'' would ya!" he hollered to his second inmand as he struggled to clear the sting out of his eyes. The damned smoke was everywhere. Even as he coughed Isaac found an opening through a crack in the door and thrust his spear through with all his strength.

    [Expert Spear Mastery has reached level 31]

    Well ''aint that somethin''. If he survived he might be able to reach Spear Supremacy before he turned thirty, quite the honour for a town guard.

    The fighting was thick and fierce now, had been for the whole damned week. The walls were lost so quickly, the attacking out of nowhere. Mainly because City Lord Cranten pulled all the scouts in and chucked them inside the wall when he found out what had happened in Liria. Terrified of Monsters erupting out of the ground he''d let them walk right up the walls during the night. min'' moron.

    "Come on you yellow dogs!" Isaac bellowed, "what are you watin'' for? Breathable air?! Get your ass on the door!"

    Beleaguered and suffering, thest able bodied survivors of Midum heeded his call and stumbled back into position, braced against the splintered doors that were thest defence against the swarming beasts outside.

    Isaac tightened his grip on number five, his spear, before he stabbed once more through the crack in the door on instinct. His intuition was rewarded with a pained growl and a squelching impact as the spear tip struck home.

    BOOM!

    "What in the blinkin'' zes was that?!" Isaac hollered as the stones beneath his feet rattled from a colossal impact.

    Thinking the monsters outside the door must have staggered from that impact, Isaac leapt forward to press his face to the crack and his eyes widened at what he saw.

    A sea of monsters heaved across the docks outside the warehouse, but beyond them something he couldn''t exin was took ce. A giant gori monster was smashing smaller monsters into pieces, smashing them like twigs.

    Even as he watched a, writhing mass of tentacles erupted and a hideous beast of horrifying darkness began snatching creatures up and stuffing them into its fanged maw.

    "What in the name of bleedin'' bloody blood" Isaac muttered, scarcely believing what he was seeing. Why would monsters turn on each other now? It didn''t make sense! And where the heck did this lote from?!

    A sh of light caught his eye and he pulled back from the door just in time as a piercing ray of light pierced through the hulking monsters around the door, scything them down like wheat. Only when the spray sted through the crack and into his face did Isaac realise it had been water.

    What on Pangera?!

 Chapter 181 Salvation?

    <h4>Chapter 181 Salvation? </h4>

    "This is a right ploppin'', that''s for sure" Isaac Bird growled as he fell back from the cracks in the door.

    The water he''d seen had sliced through monsters as if they weren''t even there, not to mention the other monsters he''d seen as they battered against the horde assembled outside the warehouse.

    How could he exin it? Had some master mage and tamer heard of their plight whilst travelling past? Such a thing would be a darned miracle. Not only because a mage with the strength and means to raise two powerful pets would be a rare as hens teeth in this part of the world, but such a person would almost assuredly be part of the upper crust and unlikely to lower themselves to assisting some townsfolk and guards stuffed in a warehouse.

    Isaac scrambled back onto his feet and tightened his grip around his spear once more. Whatever the reason, it wouldn''t matter a bit if his people died before the monsters were killed.

    "Step back from the door you bleedin'' piles of min'' trash!" he bellowed over the roar of the fight, "if that wateres through you''re gonna end up in pieces and I aint'' got any glue!"

    The men and women who''d braced the danger to brace the warehouse door stepped back in confusion. The spray of water sted through the cracks and soaked them but they hadn''t seen the water jet itself and didn''t appreciate how deadly it was.

    They moved too slow for Isaac and leapt forward to pull them back. Many of them flinched as if they expected the door to be forced in the second they were no longer holding it shut but no such thing urred.

    "You and you" Isaac pointed at two of the bedraggled survivors, "get out the back and get on bucket duty, make sure there''s nothing burning in here."

    The two, a man and a woman who looked barely old enough for marriage but had fought their way through hell in thest week, nodded and rushed to hit the buckets. The others gathered near the wide doors of the warehouse looked to Isaac for guidance.

    "Looks like help has arrived people" he told them and watched the hope blossom in their expressions.

    Judging from the horrific din from outside the warehouse, the battle was still raging out there. The bellowing of monsters, the crash and thud of heavy blows and impacts rang in their ears without pause.

    What they do? Just wait it out? Hope that whoever hade to their rescue was victorious?

    "I''ll be damned if I hide like a rat in a bleedin'' hole!" Isaac bellowed.

    "Form the line you idiots! You think you''re rescued already? Thousands of monsters out there need killin''! You wanna live then get your arse up and in line! Spears front and at the ready!"

    Isaac stormed through the ranks of his ''guards'', most them fishermen and shopkeepers, as he shouted, pushed and harassed his people until he had a rag tag group of twenty formed up behind the door in the most pathetic excuse for a box formation he''d ever seen. He was damned proud of it.

    Most of these people hadn''t seen a monster and never held a weapon in their life. Here they were one weekter with steady hands and steel in their eyes.

    "If we''re gonna survive then we need to get out there and help. With all the monsters distracted by the assault from behind we''ll have a good chance to stick a few before they even realise we''re there. Get in position now you sack of pig sick! Do I need to open the doors me bloody self?"

    After another minute of furious cursing they were ready. He''d sent a runner to the roof so the archers knew they wereing out and to give them cover and he had two young boys on the door, ready to yank them open and allow the spear wielding formation to charge through.

    Isaac checked his grip on the spear one more time. He''d already busted four spears in thest week, he was hoping this would be thest one he needed.

    "Alright then. Stab ''em right in the face! Charge!" he screamed.

    The doors to the warehouse flew open and they charged out, momentarily blinded by the sudden change in light. It didn''t slow them at all as they hurtled forward, the lot of them screaming like demons of the Dungeon.

    When his vision cleared he was faced with a horrifying bear monster, its fur covered body rippling with muscle. Isaac thanked any gods who might be listening as well the path just to cover his bases, since the creature was faced away from him.

    "Haaaaaaaa!" he roared his challenge and stabbed forward with all his might.

    "Raaaaaaa!" the townsfolk who followed him echoed his ferocity, each of them stabbed out in rough unison, taking advantage of the monsters distraction.

    The twang of bowstrings rang out and Isaac was relieved to see arrows sprout on the backs and shoulders of the monsters in front. Seems like the archers received his message. Fingers crossed this''ll be enough.

    Isaac didn''t know who hade to help them, but he hoped that with them all fighting it would be enough.

    Not willing to dwell on negative thoughts, he pushed them out of his mind and focused on the only thing that mattered. Stabbing. Your shoulders don''t ache, your legs aren''t burning and your lungs aren''t burning from smoke, he told himself, rest when you''re dead!

    As his mind crystalized around that one thought he brought his spear back and lunged forward again, following the instincts embedded in him by the System and honed over countless hours of practice. His waist rotated in synch with his step, transferring his mass through his feet, to his hips, to his shoulders and then to his arms and through them, his spear. At the critical moment he executed a dash, just a tiny one, a ''micro-dash'' as bastard trainer Willom had described it. Put it all together and a simple thrust with a spear became something altogether more deadly.

    Like a bullet, Isaac''s thrust rocketed forward and pierced deep into the hide of the beast, tore through muscle and slipped past bone. With a long groan the bear slumped down, its monstrous form drained of vitality and Isaac turned to find new prey.

    Except there wasn''t any.

    In front of him stood an amazon of a women in leather armour, covered in gore and heaving for breath.

    There were several possible things happening here, but any way it went, Isaac felt like his dreams hade true.

 Chapter 182 Flexing profile

    <h4>Chapter 182 Flexing profile </h4>

    I''ve started toe around to the general idea that I''m stupid. I mean, I''d considered that perhaps I was a little impulsive, Gandalf knows my decision making ''process'' could, when written down, fit on the back of stamp with enough room left over for a drawing of Tiny poking himself in the eyes.

    But I''d never considered myself to be aplete moron. I mean, there was that time I waltzed up to some human guards to say hello whilst I inhabited the body of a monstrous ant, but I still feel I can chalk that one up to stress and shock.

    This time, I don''t believe that I have the capacity to draw on excuses such as those. This goes beyond the impulsive, beyond a habitualck of foresight or pattern ofckadaisical thinking.

    This was just downright stupid.

    As mana leaked out of my core, drained away into the air around me, how did I attack the monster horde in front of me? When my blood was up and the excitement of the fight was upon me, without thinking I decided that the best way to clear the chaff around the warehouse was using the empowered water cannon, pouring out my mana with unrestrained zeal to cut the monsters apart.

    My mana.

    I need that stuff! It is the lifeblood of my monstrous body and I literally need it to live! I was just under half empty when we made it to Midum, half of my life energy gone into the air, and what do I do? I take what is left of the mana in my core, pulled it out in huge amounts, made a water mana transformation construct, then createdpressed water mana in order to hose down the enemy with wild abandon.

    ¡­

    YOU IDIOT, ANTHONY!

    My core gasped for breath as the final ten percent of mana in my core, thest wisp of energy I had left, stirred and sputtered about. I''ve probably got until the end of the day until my core has run out of gas, then the pain wille on fast. This is not good.

    As keen as I am to run for the nearest Dungeon entrance as fast as possible, I want to make sure things are under control here. Not to mention I need to talk to Morrelia to find out the location of a close Dungeon entrance anyway.

    Which means I need to use my mana to craft a mind bridge. Ugh. Using my mana as sparingly as possible, I weave together the mind bridge. Imitted all of my will and energy to ensure that not a single iota of MP was lost without cause. It''s amazing what a little scarcity can do for your outlook.

    [Don''t have long Morrelia, running out of mana. Everything good? You done going berserk?]

    The tough as nails mercenary is stood close to the warehouse, conversing with a grizzled looking fellow in his twenties, a spear held lightly in one hand. As she heard my message Morrelia turned toward me and nodded.

    [Hold on] she sent, [I''m talking to the leader of these survivors. It seems the people in the warehouse are thest ones left from Midum. He says the aristocracy fled on ships into the bay at the first sign of trouble.]

    [ssy stuff.]

    [Hold on a second.]

    She spoke to the fellow for a few moments longer and I could''ve sworn he was leaning in a little closer than one would expect. Wait, now he''s put his spear across his shoulders in just such a way that his biceps are featured prominently.

    Is this guy putting the moves on Morrelia?! That is a brave man right there. Even as they speak she is covered head to toe in monster blood. Her berserker style doesn''t exactly lead to much subtlety when ites to fighting up close and personal.

    [Is this guy cracking onto you Morrelia?] I chortled.

    I could see her shoulders slump from where I stood a dozen metres behind her.

    [I think so] she grumbled, [he seems pretty impressed with my efforts here.]

    [Well you did fight hard. He doesn''t have any credit for us monsters here?]

    [Well] her voice turned sly at this point, [he thinks that I''m some rich wandering expert and you three are my pets.]

    I''m not sure how I feel about that.

    [You know what, that''s probably better for him to believe than the truth. Tell him to get his people together and send them to the vige, just make sure to warn them not to fight any ants that they find.]

    She turned and nodded to me before she faced her would be suitor once again. If anything he''d managed to puff himself up even further. He looked so ridiculous that it''s taken all of my attention. I feel like I''ve forgotten something¡­

    Oh right! I''m dying.

    [Any chance you could tell me where the nearest Dungeon entrance is? I''m almost out of mana and I''m gonna die soon.]

    [WHAT?!]

    [I did say so already]

    [You didn''t say you were dying!]

    [Well¡­ I''ll be dying soon.]

    [That''s the same thing?!]

    She gave us directions to the closest entrance, a small one in the wilderness halfway to the next closest town. As soon as she was done talking I told her I''d wait there for her at the entrance and my pets and I started to stuff our faces quickly with as much Biomass as we can fit in as short a time as possible.

    It can''t have been nice to watch since the flexing guard took one look, nched and then ran inside the warehouse as if he were about to hurl. It was probably Crinis eating that did it, I eat in quite a dignified manner, tearing with my mandibles and then shoving my face into the food so I can reach it with my mouth which is positioned on the underside of my head, below the jaws.

    So much freakin'' centipede. I swear I''ve eaten a thousand of the horrible crawly scum. They taste awful, tear away with their horrible ws and look disgusting to boot. Ever since I was born on this world I''ve had an instinctive hatred of these damn things. I don''t feel any real need to exin it, I just hate ''em. Am I an insect racist? Maybe. Centipedes are gross, on this I will not be persuaded.

    [One Biomass gained]

    [Master profile of the w Centipede unlocked]

    By the rigid white staff of Gandalf! I was starting to think the full profile didn''t exist! A thing of myth, of legend, hidden behind deep mists and beyond imprable mountains! I wonder what the heck it says?

    Master Profile:

    [Unguibus Scolopendra : w centipede, has strong ws and a venomous spike in its tail.

    Might:12

    Toughness: 15

    Cunning: 8

    Will: 12

    Current Evaluation:

    The Unguibus variety of the Centipede Genus has thus far proven to be an adequate survivor at the highest levels of the Dungeon, about topete for food and territory against most of the solitary threats there. It has been determined that this species is worth further investigation and is currently among the more favoured varieties of the Insecta ss. Further spawnings, evolution options and pathways have been developed. The species will next be assessed in two years.]

    Uhh. Wut? The system, that is to say, Gandalf, is assessing the monsters in some fashion? He likes the centipedes?

    He has dropped at least four pegs in my estimations. Now, let''s go get to this Dungeon before I drop dead.

 Chapter 183 Just barely

    <h4>Chapter 183 Just barely </h4>

    Holy mother of all that is good and gracious in this world, puh-lease let me make it alive! I''m burning up! The light is fading! My soul is running before the light! Is that you mum? What is that you say? You wish I''d never been born? Get the hell out of my death vision, human mum! Bring out my real mother, the Queen!

    Gawd, I''m delirious. Which is interesting since I''ve actually not quite run out of mana in my core yet. I''m down to vapour, make no mistake, but not quite out of gas just yet.

    No, wait. Check that, just ran out.

    Oh my word, it hurts! I feel like my soul is suffocating!

    [How much further Crinis?!]

    [I don''t know master, I can''t see!]

    DAMMIT.

    [Tiny! Do you know how much further we need to go?!]

    [Hurts]

    [I KNOW that! More than anything in this world I know it! Do you have any idea how much further we have to run?!]

    [¡­ No]

    I swear by all that is sacred and loved in this world Tiny, if I survive this, I''m going to shrink your muscles until your arms are limp noodles and you have the brain power of two young Einstein''s. You won''t be able to fight and will have to sit around sipping tea, discussing thetest in particle physics. Only then will my wrath be sated!

    It can''t be that far away. I feel as if we''ve been running for ten hours but that can be attributed to my panic and anxiety. If I were to try and guess now it would have to have been closer to two hours.

    Argh! Holy smokes! That tickled me right in the pain zone. How do describe the pain of having an empty core? It''s as if my magic lungs are empty and I''m in a vacuum. No matter how hard my core tries to pull mana in it just isn''t getting anything like enough from the air above ground. My monster body consumes far more mana to operate than can be reced outside of the Dungeon.

    I need to get down below, fast!

    I shoved the pain into the back of my awareness and focused on pushing my little legs until they were on the edge of snapping. I don''t care if they break, as long as I get below ground and away from this agony!

    As he so elegantlymunicated, Tiny is suffering also. Crinis isn''t quite at the point where this is going to be an issue for her but soon enough it will be. Wait, is that sign pir Morrelia told us about?!

    I ran closer for a look. Ten feet tall, the stone column stood to one side of the cobbled road, words and arrows carved onto its surface. Fantastic! We''re close! I circled around the edifice and found an arrow that pointed away from the road, into the surrounding woods. That''d better be it. If I could read the nativenguage it would help.

    [Quick, Tiny! This way!] I hollered at him before I sprinted away. Trees and branches flew past my face as I motored with all of my might. I''m not willing to dash in case the drain on my core is increased but I''m sure as heck going to run as fast as possible!

    How''s my HP looking? GAH! Already down 10%?! This is ridiculous!

    GOGOGOGOGOGO.

    Is that it?! Up ahead a stone structure rose before us. A small fort in the middle of a forest. A ludicrous thing in normal times, but now, a lifesaving fortress of blessed mana.

    I ran straight at the fort and then straight up the wall. Once I crested the moss covered stone I beheld the most glorious sight of my life. Inside the walls, cut straight through the earth is a wonderful crack, dim blue light leaking out of it. Precious mana! Without a shred of hesitation I leapt from the wall and scrambled toward the crack, Tiny not far behind.

    Too much to describe this ce as a ''fort'', more of a guard post, maintained to keep an eye on this particr crack in the ground. Not wide enough to be considered a ''Dungeon Entrance'' and not worth the cost of excavation the Kingdom must have decided to leave well enough alone and not worry about it.

    But I will!

    The pain is excruciating but I grit my mandibles and bear it. It''s time to dig!

    The entrance to do the Dungeon here is only a foot wide, not enough for me to slither into and certainly not enough for Tiny to back hismercial barge into. There is only one choice!

    DIG!

    Embrace the zen of ant living and dig you mana-less insect!

    My face hands pummelled the soil at a relentless pace, dirt and stone was flung into the sky as I whipped my body back and forth, a rhythm of soil extraction achieved in a blink of an eye.

    And with each blessed mandible load of dirt, the sweet, sweet touch of mana flowed more smoothly out of the Dungeon and into my parched core. It still wasn''t enough, each second that passed a new kind of torture as I almost got enough of what I needed but it wasn''t sufficient to quench my thirst.

    Dig! Dig! DIG!

    Tiny was there too, his massive hands scooped out enormous amounts of earth before he threw it over his shoulder. In a short amount of time we had managed to dig out a bowl shaped basin deep enough that both Tiny and I had our heads below ground level but it still wasn''t enough, so we concentrated on digging a narrow tunnel straight down, following the crack into the Dungeon with the idea of widening it out into a chamber once we were deep enough.

    The deeper we went the more mana seeped into our cores until finally sweet relief was at hand.

    At that point we copsed in a heap.

    It was a few hours before Morrelia found us. I awoke to the sight of her head poked down the impromptu tunnel we''d dug.

    Ugh.

    This is what I imagine a hangover feels like. I feel gritty and sore across my entire body. After a few hours of torpor at the very least I''d managed to recharge my core back up to capacity, my feet helping to recharge the batteries once I''d managed to jam them into the crack.

    All six of my legs twitched as I stretched them until the joints cracked. There is still some residual pain in my body from the damage I sustained when my core was empty. I wonder what exactly causes that damage? Does my body fall apart at the cellr level without mana to sustain me? Does the core draw on the energy contained within my cells to prevent itself from damage when there isn''t enough mana for it?

    Interesting questions.

    [Tiny, how are you doing bud?]

    The big ape grunted at me and raised one massive hand to p over his head.

    [Better]

    [Fair enough]

    Above me Morrelia has been pointing to her temple and gracing me with her traditional scowl as I''ve taken my time to stretch.

    Hey, I nearly died, I deserve a little rest after that sort of existential crises. Did I bring the problem down on myself? Yes. Yes I did. I''ve resolved to try and address my shorings, namely my stupendous idiocy, in future to the extent of my ability. I wonder if there is an evolutionary option that would addmon sense to my list of abilities?

    I could really use that.

    I sighed wearily and crafted the necessary mana to form the mind bridge with Morrelia.

    [Hello Morrelia, what is it?]

    She snorted from her position handing upside down in a tunnel.

    [Slept enough down there, Anthony? Any chance you want to get of yourzy backside and do some work?]

    [Hey! I''ll have you know my business district is diligent and flourishing! We''re very excited to be announcing the delivery of new products that will cause our target demographic to positively melt!]

    Bemused, Morrelia shook her head.

    [As usual I have no idea what you are talking about. We have serious business to deal with. I''ve found the tracks of another group of monsters heading north. By the looks of things there is a massive Garralosh type monster with them. If we hurry we might catch up to them before they make it Liria.]

    Well now. That does sound interesting. Another one of the big momma crocs eldest children caught gadding about on the surface?

    How delicious.

 Chapter 184 The children of the beast

    <h4>Chapter 184 The children of the beast </h4>

    Tiny, Crinis and I hauled ourselves out of our temporary respite home to join Morrelia on the surface.

    [What happened to the survivors of Midum?] I queried.

    [They''re getting their stuff together and heading south as quick as their legs will carry them. It might take them awhile to get on the road though, they have almost the entire city to loot after all] Morrelia smirked.

    [How much of that stuff is going to be useful? If they turn up with a mountain of vases and precious jewels they are going to be pretty damn useless when they get to the vige. I don''t think they even have currency there yet.]

    [Oh I''ve no doubt there will be some idiots who prioritise valuables, but I think that most of them will be more sensible and bring things that will be actually useful. I''m expecting quite the interesting haul.]

    Judging by the dangerous glint in Morrelias eyes there is assuredly something she knows that I don''t. As long as it doesn''t affect the colony in any way, then I don''t really care what they get up to.

    [So ] I prompted her, [what about this trail you found?]

    [Oh, right. When I following you to this location I happened to notice that something had carved a path through the forest before doubling back and heading toward Liria. Judging by the tracks there is absolutely a big beastie in the mix.]

    [Interesting] I mused out loud, [perhaps their core ran out of mana, forcing them to turn back to the city in order to recharge? It isn''t as if they have a local guide to point them toward every little crack in the ground after all.]

    Morrelia leaned toward me, interest pain on her face.

    [So the mana on the surface is too thin for you? Is your core really that developed?]

    My antennae waved self-consciously.

    [What? Are you core shaming me? Yes, the mana on the surface is too thin for me and Tiny both. Is that so weird?]

    She shrugged.

    [You just don''t seem to berge enough or evolved enough to have such a strong core. Most creatures from the first strata are able to run around on the surface if they break out of the Dungeon. There are powerful exceptions of course, I doubt Garralosh couldst up here more than ten minutes.]

    [Is she really just a first strata monster? Seems to me that the mother of those beasts would be too much of a big shot for the topyer of the Dungeon, surely?]

    Morrelia paused for a moment before she looked at me oddly.

    [You aren''t wrong] she said finally, [she is way too strong to be as close to the surface as she has been. Mostly because she''s been prevented from getting any lower.]

    Something about her tone tells me that she won''t be much more forting on that topic, so I let the conversationpse as we find the trail and start a high speed chase.

    Thank goodness I managed to get a food a quick nap. Core aside, I needed the rest. There has been way too much running about up here! It shames my ant self to say it, but this is just too much damn work!

    Morrelia is keeping a few things from me, specifically about the Dungeon and Garralosh, but I don''t mind that too much. If someone spent their entire life fighting against monsters, it would be a little tough to turn around and trust one with all of your most precious secrets. Especially those pertaining to security.

    How exactly would you prevent a powerful monster from moving around in the Dungeon? Sounds like some sort of nightmare. Couldn''t they just dig? Thinking about the pathetic hands on the crocs, I don''t they would be very effecting at digging actually. Sad for them, forever denied the true light of zen.

    Once we are on the trail Morrelia transforms from a taciturn warrior to a wolf on the hunt. Her bodynguage changespletely. Gone is the rxed but wary stance, the watchful eyes flicking amongst the shadows, ever watchful for the slightest hint of a threat. Now her every muscle radiates focus and intent. Leaned forward as she runs, her eyes are alight with a hunger that wasn''t there before, her lips peeled back to reveal too many teeth her entire expression has transformed to that of a beast. Her head jerks back and forth and she follows the tracks, seeking any sign of monsters having snuck off or others joining. So intense is her focus I think she could tell me exactly what monsters make up this group we''re following.

    If this is another one of Garralosh'' big kids, then managing to fight one whilst they are potentially drained of mana and suffering on the surface is a perfect opportunity. We managed to beat onest time when they were on a full tank and we''ve powered up somewhat since then, not to mention we didn''t have a murderous berserker with us at that time.

    Run, run, run. I feel like I''ve well and truly covered my step count for the day but it doesn''t end. Through the woods and then out into open farnd the chase continued. I''m interested to see that a significant number of farm animals remain on the surface, wandering here and there as they grazed on the grass. Most of the fences have been knocked down or haverge holes in them where monsters have passed through, so the cattle and sheep and free to explore the world atrge.

    I suppose they mustn''t give Biomass when consumed, otherwise the Monsters would have chowed down on these guys for sure. I wonder why they don''t? Is Biomass an intrinsic property of a monster body?

    Interesting to think about¡­ someone smarter than me will have to work it out.

    Our pace is fast and relentless. After four hours of solid running, by which time Tiny is seriously gging, we start to catch glimpses of our quarry. A small pack of beasts, mostly offspring of Garralosh, with a few others types thrown into the mix for giggles. Sure enough, in the centre of the group, looming over the other monsters and emitting a suffocating pressure is a massive Croc, clearly the same size as the Garralosh Commander we fought in the Marsh Expanse.

    As we draw closer to the enemy Morrelia gripped her weapons tightly and I swear that as we ran she began to growl under her breath. She appears to hate these more evolved Croca Beasts even more than she hates normal monsters. Which is a heck of a lot of hate.

    [Looks like it might be a Garralosh Commander] I tell her, [Ever fought one of those before?]

    She replied only with a shake of her head, her focus stillser-like on our quarry.

    [Watch out for the two mouths, the me attack from each is pretty deadly but thest one we killed had this wicked blue me, crazy dangerous.]

    The news that I''d fought one before seemed to shock Morrelia enough that she actually spoke back.

    [You''ve fought one of those before?] she asked doubtfully.

    [What? Why do you constantly underestimate my incredible power?! Not only did we fight one, we killed it and feasted on its sweet Biomass! Impressed?]

    She shook her head, not to deny my achievement but more in puzzlement.

    [They don''te up this close to the surface, ever. For one of them to be on the surface is beyond strange. Normally they stay close to their parent, reluctant to leave her side. If they are up here, does that mean that ¡­]

    [Big momma croc is up here as well?] I finished her thought.

    A moment of silence falls over us as we contemte what that could mean.

    [If you see a mega crocodile ¡­. Run] I advised.

    I certainly would!

 Chapter 185 Bring down the commander

    <h4>Chapter 185 Bring down themander </h4>

    We gained on our quarry with every passing second but they weren''t aware of us in the slightest. I could see them clearly now, twenty to thirty Croca-Beasts at various stages of evolution surrounded by a simr number of other, first strata Dungeon monsters. In the centre of the pack, arge hulking form ran surrounded by their more diminutive cousins.

    From one hundred metre away, I could it was another Garralosh Commander. One of momma Garralosh eldest children. That loathsome over and under jaw, those massive, bulked shoulders and the writhing triple tails. Seeing one of them again brings back nightmares. Tiny, Crinis and I all suffered at the hands of the first one of these we brought down, I''d rather not get my back zone chomped off this time if I can help it.

    [Let me lead off] I tell Morrelia, [I can clear off a lot of the chaff with one surprise attack.]

    Focused on the enemy ahead, she only nced at me once, raising a single eyebrow to express her doubt before nodding.

    What a ridiculousck of faith! She won''t question me again after she behold the sheer destructive potential of gravity! It''s time to unleash the bomb!

    I take a moment to congratte myself for not drawing on the raw mana of my core, but instead remembering to utilise the gravitational mana within my Gravity Mana nd. The nd will increase the drain on my core as it seeks to replenish the mana it''s lost, sure, but it''s still a lot more manageable than pulling mana straight out of my core and sting it everywhere.

    I made sure I preserved some attention to ensure I don''t run into a fence before I tasked my sub-brains with drawing out the mana, whilst I devoted my main mind topressing it down. Working in tandem, the two sub-brains took hold of the deep well of gravitational mana within me and poured I it out for my main mind to grasp andpress.

    Thenpress it again. Thenpress is some more.

    Although my stats haven''t changed since myst evolution, my ability to work with and to handle mana certainly has. My ability topress mana has improved due to levelling the Forceful mana skill to level 9, my ability to focus has and endure mental strain has increased thanks to the oh so handy cerebral endurance skill line and my control has jumped by leaps and bounds due to my earnest levelling of the meditation skill.

    Compared to when I first started, grasping and moulding my mana are tasks I canplete with rtive ease! I mean, it''s still hard as hell. Oncepressed the mana roils and fights against my control as much as if ever has. My will is wielded like an iron vice, the mana is pressed and held, unable to escape and with no choice but to submit to me.

    At least, sort of.

    The more dense the mana bes, the more unruly, as if repelled by an unseen force it struggled to be released from my grasp. Compressed, squashed andpacted, the mana changed, became deeper, darker and more potent. If I slipped at this stage then the results would be catastrophic as the mana expanded rapidly in a simr fashion to, you know, an explosion.

    There is high reward for this type of spell, but there is also high risk.

    As I wrestled internally with my spell, we continued to pursue our enemies, running behind them at break neck speed. Advanced Stamina has levelled twice since we left the nest. When I considered all the freaking running I''ve done, that doesn''t seem like enough!

    The Croca Beasts don''t seem to be built for extended runs, their bodies are a bitrger than their limbs seem to fit and their impressive bulk must make it tough to run this far. The same goes for Tiny and he''s approaching the end of his rope, so they must be also. These big monsters are built for power in bursts.

    Thankfully it means that we''ve caught up to them.

    Fifty metre behind them now and they still haven''t noticed our approach, so intent are they on running towards the capital. At least, Morrelia assured me they are headed to the capital. Or at least, what''s left of it.

    [How much longer?] Morrelia demanded tersely.

    [Oi! I''m manipting the controlling forces of the universe over here. If I slip in my control then we''ll all die a horrible death!]

    [Then why are you talking?]

    Argh!

    Embrace the meditation, emotions are a distraction I can ill afford.

    Calm. Calm.

    Not so calm.

    Within me the energy of my spell underwent a transformation and turned into the now familiar, near ck gravitation energy of the Gravity Bomb. In my mind the spell appeared as a rotating sphere, it''s edge smooth as if cut by aser and a terrifying pull emanated from within.

    Happy to oblige, I fed more and more mana into the spell, allowed it to drag and yank at my gravitational mana as all of my minds struggled to direct and contain it. Without the razor sharp rity afforded by my meditation skill I wouldn''t dare to push this far, in all previous attempts at casting this spell I would have released it at this point, or just held onto it until I was ready to release. But this time I felt I could go further.

    More mana. Still, more.

    Onward and downward it spiralled into the core of the spell which only grew more dense and heavy as time passed.

    I hadn''t had much opportunity to test the limits of gravity mana nd since I''dst upgraded it to +15, consolidating my capacity upgrades to grant yet more capacity. I''ve pulled a torrent of mana out of the nd at this point but I can feel there is a ton more to give.

    In the back of my mind I shivered thinking about what kind of devastation a Gravity Bomb would cause were I to dump all of my mana into a single one. I doubted I''d even be able to control it.

    [Forceful Mana has reached level 10, upgrade avable]

    [Forceful Mana -> Condensed mana. This skill further schools the user the ways of manapression, instructing in the more elegant method of mana condensing]

    Not a great time but sure! Go for it!

    The more mana I poured into the bomb, the darker it became and the faster it rotated. I felt the spell scream out for release as I continued to force and force more energy into it. And it changed, growing heavier within me. The sheer density of the mana exuded a menacing pull that I began to feel within my very carapace.

    It was at that precise moment that the Garralosh Commander froze in ce before it whipped it''s hideous double jawed head around and looked directly at us.

    Oh nads!

    Fire!

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWL!

    As if all the screaming banshees of hell had been unleashed on the world in an instant, by spell tore into existence before me and howled towards my foes.

 Chapter 186 The stuff of nightmares

    <h4>Chapter 186 The stuff of nightmares </h4>

    What exactly has my mana be? What is it that I have unleashed?! The Gravity Bomb that I unleashed is smaller than my previous efforts but is far more menacing. Reality itself seemed to groan under the weight of this, thing that I had made, this small rotating orb that drained the light from its surrounds as it moved through the air.

    Even the monsters who were the unfortunate targets of my orb of death seemed to sense something wrong was headed their way. Fear, terror, even, overwhelmed the poor beasts. As my spell descended, a dark avatar of air rending death, they scrambled to escape its path, climbed over each other, wed and tore at those who got in their way.

    And all the while the dreadful shriek emanated from the Gravity Bomb as it pulled the atmosphere, as if a whole had been punctured in the sky and the world rushed to fill it.

    What the heck is going to happen when it hits?

    Come to think of it¡­

    [Tiny, Crinis, brace for impact! And maybe back up a bit.]

    I heeded my own advice and scrabbled back a few steps before the spell finally impacted. The monster who was my primary target, loomingrge over its smaller followers, thought fast, snatching up a smaller Garralosh Infant in two of its four ws and in a horrific feat of strength hurled it through the air to take the brunt of the spell.

    I didn''t hear if the Croca beast made a noise before it was consumed, so deafening was the wind that whipped around us, stirred the grass and sent the trees to creaking. The moment the spell impacted against the unlucky croc, it expanded, swallowing it whole. In a sh the Gravity Bomb had manifested its full glory, a near ck, revolving sphere that dragged its victims within to crush them into a particrly spicy meat ball.

    There were a few changes this time. Deep in the mediation skill I observed the destruction impassively. The energy of the Gravity Bomb was greater than any I had cast before. Flickers of ck lightning emanated from it, almost invisible as they appeared and vanished so quickly is was hard to say if they had existed at all.

    What I can see, can feel, is the horrific pull of the spell as it attempts to consume all within its reach. The grass swayed towards the sphere as the wind rushed to fill it. I resisted its force, hunkered low and digging my ws into the dirt with all of my strength.

    Btedly, I reach out to Morrelia. [Hold on! You don''t want to fall into that!]

    [You think?!] she roared back, looking rattled.

    [Yes! Yes I - oh you were being sarcastic.]

    The monsters haven''t fared well. The spell was set off before itnded in their midst but it was close enough that most cannot resist its dreadful pull. They struggled with all of their might but to no effect, one by one they were dragged into air and fell into the Gravity Bomb.

    They made not a sound once they were caught in the spells grasp. If they did, it was snatched out of their jaws by the howling wind. Once within the sphere itself, they vanished, not to be seen again.

    Well, not looking quite the same, at any rate.

    Though it felt much longer, the revolving spherested only a minute before it flickered out of existence, leaving a core of crushed material suspended in the air that promptly fell to the ground.

    Due to its quick thinking and powerful physique, the Commander-Croca is still standing, but it''s detachment of followers has been reduced to a few Titan-Crocs and a mature Dragon-Wolf hound.

    These Gravity Bombs are bing serious business.

    It seems I''m getting closer to getting myself consumed by the spell each time I cast it.

    [Can you hit it with another one of those?] Morrelia queried as she readied her des.

    [Nope. Takes a bit of time to charge it up and friendly fire is a real issue. Once we start fighting it''ll be impossible to cast it safely.]

    [Well then] her eyes narrowed as a fierce expression seized her face, [time to take the fight to this child of the beast.]

    That''s another thing I liked about Morrelia, she seemed to hate the Croca-Beasts just as much as I do.

    [Tiny, Crinis. You guys remember how it went downst time we took on one of these things. It wasn''t great. We all nearly died and my backside was reduced to clear. Let''s be a little more careful this time. Tiny, I want you to hit and run, you gotta stick and move. You stay too close to him you''re going to get torn up. Crinis, stay sneaky, wait for your moment, then hit the arms like you didst time. We''ve trained for this people. Be careful!]

    [Yes Master! I won''t fail you!] Crinis dered passionately.

    [Hrn!] Tiny grunted, his eyes alight at the oing challenge.

    He''s not listening is he¡­

    Sigh.

    [I''ll stay back to start with and join the frayter. Try not to die] I tell Morrelia, but she isn''t listening either. I can see from her expression that she has begun to work herself into the rage she needs to unleash the benefits of her ss. Possessed by her anger and bloodlust she walked towards the towering Crocmander, des gripped in her hands.

    Here we go¡­

    The Croc and thest of its retinue have begun to make moves. Having sensed the oing conflict they have spread themselves and begun to approach us. The Croc-Commander''s steps thundered in our ears and caused the ground to tremble with each tread of its feet.

    Before it can get too close I prepared to unleash my ranged barrage. My sub-brains whir into high gear and begin to draw out gravitational mana independently as they each weaved a gravity bolt. Sunk deep into my mediation they constructed the spells at a rapid pace as I lowered by body, arched my abdomen high to present my famedmercial district.

    Have a taste of what your sibling couldn''t stomach!

    POW!

    A jet of acid streaked through air to ssh against the Croca-Commander''s scaled hide. The monster didn''t bother to deflect or avoid my strike, not threatened by it in the least. Doesn''t mean I''ll stop!

    POW! POW! POW! POW! POW!

    Along with this salvo of acid, the first two gravity bolts streaked forth, another two entered production the moment they were released. Again, whether through confidence, arrogance or stubbornness the Commander refused to dodge, it''s body sshed with acid that hardened even as it burned.

    Likewise my two bolts stuck home on the beasts left leg, the force of gravity would be increased on that one side, perhaps enough to slow the beast. If it wasn''t enough, no matter. If two bolts aren''t sufficient then I will shoot two hundred!

    [Enhanced Precise Shooting (II) has reached level 2]

    Nice! I like this skill since it''s applied to both my spells and my acid. Double value!

    I slowed the pace of my acid barrage and allowed my main mind to form gravity bolts also. I''m unwilling to invest my attention to create condensed bolts, since I need my wits about me for the fight. Just like thest time, quantity will need to win over quality in this contest.

    As I peppered themander with magic and acid, Morrelia had circled to the right as she sought to cut off the remainder of the goon squad whilst Tiny circled to the left, for once not listening to instincts and closing in at the first opportunity.

    No, wait a second. There he goes.

    Dammit, Tiny!

 Chapter 187 Leap of faith

    <h4>Chapter 187 Leap of faith </h4>

    I had to give it to Tiny, he''d tried. He''d given it a red hot go. His untameable hunger for battle is well known. I can still remember him as a not yet full sized ape when he threw himself onto a giant rabbit that reeked of the putrid scent of un-death. Even then, his face had been alight with the joy of battle.

    I just wish that he''d be better at choosing his battles.

    Tiny bellowed his rage at the giant Croca-Commander and smashed his fists into the earth and struck himself on the chest in a fearsome disy of physical power. There is no doubt that he has some serious pecs on him. The muscture on this gori has always been potent, there has never been any question of that. If only his mental attributes were given a small slice of that pie, I wouldn''t have to worry so much.

    Confronted by this obvious challenge the Croca-Commander turned its hideous double mouths toward my dim-witted ape pet as it''s triple tails writhed through the air behind it. The Croc was a fearsome sight, it''s scales glittered in the surface sunlight like hardened gems. Beneath that hard defensive exterior it bristled with physical might, massive shoulders and chest muscles that provided power to the four arms, each of them powerful in their own right and tipped with those razor sharp ws than glinted as they reflected the light.

    Atop all of that rested the sickening double mouthed head. One set of jaws rested atop another, each one studded with razor sharp teeth that poked out here and there. A phenomenon that caused the Croca-Commander to appear as if it had two sinister grins at the same time. Smug, in a word.

    I hurled my justpleted gravity bolts at themander and turned all of my minds toward assembling a mind mana transformation construct as with all the haste I can muster. If Tiny is going to go in and duke it out with this damned monster then he''s going to need all of the help he can get, otherwise I expect roasted gori will be on the menu for these remnants.

    Mind magic inbat has been something I''ve been forced to experiment with since I wasn''t able to select Gravity Magic affinity after reaching a sufficient level in water magic. In order to make full use of the skill I decided to focus on using it to distract and trick my opponents in battle.

    The basic concept is quite simple: use the attributed mana to construct a bridge between your own mind and that of your enemy, then you can craft little ''packages'' of sensation or understanding and st you opponent with them, distracting them, cause them to feel pain that isn''t there, hear sounds that aren''t real.

    Lightning began to crackle around Tiny as he started his charge, electricity writhed over his body inn thick ropes and flickered and shifted constantly. The Croca-Commander watched his approach, a contemptuous gleam in its eye. Unhurried, it opened its lower jaws at a rxed pace, allowing the ck mes to leak and y across its teeth.

    Dammit, dammit, dammit! My emotions roiled in the back of my mind but deep within I continued to be locked in the calm of the mediation skill. My three minds operated inn harmony as they weaved and folded the construct into ce. Not a beat once missed once it was finished, the very second the final thread of mana was in ce, mana was drawn out of my core and fed to the construct, the raw mana emerged out the other end as glimmering mind mana.

    Now make a dang bridge! My panic and desperation slid along the outside of my awareness as Tiny continued to charge directly towards his own imminent, crispy doom. It''s happening too fast. I don''t think I''ll be able to make it!

    The neck of the Croca-Commander bulged as it lunged forward and unleashed a torrent of ck me toward the charging Tiny. The heat seared the moisture off my eyeballs from fifty metres away, so intense were those mes. When my vision cleared, Tiny was nowhere to be seen. In desperation I tuned every sense to its utmost limits and tried to seek him out. In no direction could I see him, my heat detection waspletely frizzled due to the residual energy from that me st.

    I refuse to ept that he is barbequed!

    Even the satisfied look in the Croca-Commanders eyes mocked me. The giant beast turned toward me next, ready to deal out more mmable death.

    Then my antennae reported something strange. Their ability to glimpse into the future was giving me a tickling insight of a future event. An impact or tremendous proportions.

    I looked up.

    And Tiny crashed down.

    Holy moly! I knew he had some serious spring in his legs but I had no idea he could get that high! When the me had been belched out in his direction he must have leaped straight over it, achieved the kind of air time that Jordan could only dream about, before he copsed down on the Croc like a falling mountain.

    BOOOOM!

    The ground quaked as Tiny struck home with an overhead smash. Taken by surprise the Croc could only weather the blow as best as it could, upper body hunched over as its legs buckled, struggling to absorb the impact.

    Unwilling to let go of the momentum, Tiny unleashed his fists and lightning in their full glory, his body rotated like a pro to transfer his weight into every strike. Each time his fist contacted Croc scales, electricity danced along his arms and discharged into the beast, scorching it.

    Nice! Time for the bridge!

    With a deft final few weaves the bridge mmed into ce and my mind was connected to that of the foe. One mind immediately dedicated itself to holding the bridge and transformation construct in ce whilst the other weaved together our first mental assault against the Croc.

    [Get in there Crinis! Whilst Tiny has him distracted!]

    [Right, Master!]

    Out of the long grass an explosion of tentacles urred not twenty metres away from the Commander. Crinis had done well to sneak as close as possible, keeping a low profile in order to take advantage of this moment.

    Weighed down by my gravitational magic and distracted by Tiny''s relentless assault, the Croc wasn''t able to react in time to escape the grasping limbs of Crinis and she locked onto the enemy in seconds. Her tentaclestched onto one arm like an iron mp and that was all it took, in moments more limbs hadshed out and used their leverage to pull her main body toward her victim, where she would begin her dark work.

    Then I felt something roll down the Mind Bridge and m into my awareness like a truck.

 Chapter 188 Mind War

    <h4>Chapter 188 Mind War </h4>

    Dazed, my minds went nk for a terrifying moment before rity returned to me and I focused my awareness on the mind bridge that connected the Commander to me. What the hell had just happened?!

    Somehow, in the midst of all that it was enduring in this moment, the damned Croc had possessed the presence of mind to detect the mental connection that I had created between us and use it to strike at me directly.

    Really, you stupid Croc!? With a giant bat faced gori punching your lights out and a writhing mass of tentacle death descending upon you, the little ant who''d created a mind bridge threatened you the most?! I think you have messed up your priorities!

    Another pulse of mana flooded down the bridge, but this time I was prepared and focused my will to resist the impact. I felt as if I''d braced myself to be hit wrecking ball. The mental strike smashed into my awareness and rattled it like a tin can. I grit my mandibles and brought all of my Will to bare in order to prevent myself from cking out and dropping the bridge.

    If the stupid Croc is so threated by the mind bridge them I''m sure as hell going to maintain it. Even if it''s going to burn through mana faster than I wanted to, especially aftering so close to having exterminated myself through this exact problem.

    I didn''t want to have spend my mana quite so profligately as this but these big monsters aren''t the kind that we can take on without going all out. I just hope that I don''t end up in empty core territory again, that sensation was¡­ ufortable, to put it mildly.

    But how can I utilise this bridge to attack the Croc? Come to think of it, how on earth is this Croc using the Bridge to attack me!? I doubt very much that it''s capable of constructing a mana transformation construct, does it have a mind magic nd? Why the heck would an evil two mouthed Croc have a need for a mind magic nd?! This horrific looking monstrosity hasn''tmunicated with another organism except through the medium of fire in its entire life!

    The beast appeared to judge that I''d been incapacitated by its mental strikes and turned its attention to fending off the relentless assault from Tiny. Repeatedly rocked by the apes tremendous fists the Croca-Commander has taken some damage, blood dripped from a number of open wounds where Tiny had managed to crack its scales.

    Now the Croc had enough room to swing with both arms on its right side, the wide swipe forced Tiny to retreat backwards and the Croc made use of the space to open its top jaws as it unleashed a gout of fire towards my ape pet.

    What I saw then I shall never forget.

    Tiny had been falling backwards, off bnce after the savage swing from the Croc, the follow up fireball should have turned him into a roasted side of ape, but instead, a miracle urred. One moment, Tiny was t footed as he stumbled backward, the next moment he''d risen onto the balls of his feet, his tense expression faded to be reced by one extreme calm,. Then he floated to one side, executed a graceful pirouette and avoided the me breath of the Titan Croc with ease.

    What the hell was that?! When did you learn how to move with such, such grace and precision? His feet flickered so quick was his movement.

    Wait a sec.

    Is that fancy feet?! That suspicious dance rted skill? When the heck have you been practicing that you brute?! Have you been dancing when I can''t see you, you cursed ape?! If you had a skill that was so useful why the heck didn''t you let me know about it? I''ll ignore the fact that I could have checked the details by examining his core but I''ll put that to one side. I never bothered because the name of the skill seemed to be so frivolous that I didn''t think it mattered. Even now, as I pictured myself dancing and floating around enemy strikes, my six legs iling in the air, I just don''t feel like the skill would be for me.

    It''s sure to hit me strike missed, the Croca-Commander was slow to react to this light footed ape and Tiny slid to the creatures side, raised his fists and continued to deliver justice. By now Crinis had managed to bind two of the creatures arms together and begun her gruesome work, the teeth that lined her tentacles ground and sliced away at the Croc who appeared to be less than enjoying the experience.

    This damn Croc. It''s so damn tough it''ll take some time for Crinis to get through, and though Tiny is doing good work, the damage hasn''t piled up as quickly as I''d like. The thing that we need to keep aware of is the mana attrition we are experiencing. I''ve burned through a chunk of my reserves already by creating this mind bridge, and the trickly of mana from my core into the Gravitational Mana nd is a constant worry.

    Simrly, Tiny has expended lightning with every strike, and his core needs to replenish two mana nds, which will increase his expenditure. The Croc must be suffering in a simr way. As a matter of fact, it should be worse. They''re a long way from the nearest Dungeon entrance and ording to Morrelia have been marching straight back toward the capital, no doubt to enter the Dungeon there and bathe in the sweet, sweet mana there.

    Considering that the Croca-Commander is two or more evolutions ahead of me, the drain on its core must be significantly higher. The Croc seems to have been willing to unleash its mes quite freely so far, I wonder how much further it can afford to do so.

    Morrelia has swept into the battle by this stage, cutting through the chaff like a double ded demon. Deep in her Berserker rage she roared and screamed at her foes as shecerated them with her twin swords, causing her to be covered in gore.

    Nasty.

    At least she''s kept the small fry off our backs.

    Time to deal with this Croc. Distracted my Tiny and Crinis I reach deep into myself with all of my minds working together in concert, exerting the full force of my intellect upon my mana. Inside me the mind mana transformation construct glows like an ethereal arch and I bring my will to bare, producing mind attribute mana and condensing it swiftly.

    With my improved skill and the concentrated effort of all of my brains I weave together a sending for the Croca that is based off an experience that I shall not soon forget: the searing, agonizing pain of an empty core. Deftly I weave in the pain, the fear, the desperation and uncertainty into a tight little ball that I fire across the mind bridge and straight into the Croca-Commander''s brain.

    Enjoy that sucka!

 Chapter 189 The Fall

    <h4>Chapter 189 The Fall </h4>

    When my dish of curated agony arrived at its destination the Croc responded much as I would have expected, with unabridged terror and anguish. The sheer terror and pain of ones'' core being drained is unique experience and I''m d I had the chance to share it with this particr Croca-Commander. I feel gratified that I suffered for a noble cause.

    Stunned by the sudden arrival of such a dense and rich package of sensation through the mind bridge that connected us, the Croca appeared to be unable to resist its effects and sumbed for a moment to the illusion that the sensations it felt were real and not, in fact, crafted by a nefarious ant.

    In my experience utilising mental warfare, I''ve found that it''s generally the case that a monster has a chance to ''resist'' your sending through sheer force of mind. I have suspected that this resistance is based upon the Will stat in some way, which is why I had been worried the Croca may be somewhat impervious to my mental strikes. Not so. It seemed that the impressive physique of the Croca-Commander hadn''te without a cost.

    Tiny, we have found your spiritual brothers here in the Croca-Beasts! Tough as nails and just as intelligent!

    The monstrous crocodile reeled in horror at the pain it felt emanate from within, arms iled and the creature attempted to fling Tiny and Crinis away but the two pets were persistent, not willing to allow the beast to escape.

    Chance!

    I flexed my legs and dashed toward the Croca at full speed. I closed the distance in a few seconds, my mandibles opened wide and ready to deliver their own particr brand ofw and order.

    CHOMP!

    I poured my strength into the muscle that lined my head and bit down with every ounce strength in my body. One bite is never enough! No ant was ever intended to win through an alpha strike! Bite, Bite and Bite some more!

    I wasn''t willing to continue to empty my mana from my core, so I refrained from infusing my mandibles with mana and relied on their base destructive power. I''m the first to admit that my destructive power is somewhatcking, that''s nothing new, but with my skills and high level of mutation I can at least contribute something on the ground level.

    I''m not willing to keep flinging spells, that''s for sure! After so recently going through the experience myself, I''m in no hurry to taste of those delights once more.

    Forced to use Splintering Chomp due to the solid defences of the Croca, I work as mechanically as possible, bite, open, bite, open, as I tried to pierce through the hard scales of the monsters'' leg and puncture the sweet, sulent muscle tissue beneath.

    Tiny continued to unleash his barrage of punches even as his feet flickered above the ground as he shifted his weight to suite his punches. Electricity sparked and danced every time he struck home and the damage was piling up.

    For her part, Crinis focused on keeping the two arms she had control of bound and contained as her saw teeth went to work. In order to escte her damage she switched gears slightly and shifted her head so that she had ess to chomp down with her terror inducing teeth on the Crocs shoulder.

    Which may have been a mistake since the pain of having those fangs sink deep into its shoulder seemed to be enough to shock the Croca-Commander out of the delusion that I had supplied it. Its eyes shed red as it bellowed with frustration and rage. Still light on his feet, Tiny managed to slip out of range as the Croc iled at him with its two free arms, its ws raked through the air leaving a shining trail of light as it executed a skill.

    Holy mackerel! That looked sharp!

    Quick as beat the Crocodile switched its y and turned to snap at Crinis with its vicious upper jaws.

    [Crinis watch - ] I called but not quickly enough.

    Thankfully it didn''t matter as Crinis artfully dodged, her entire body morphed out of the way, her shadow disyed its flexibility, and incredible ability topress itself, her body chose to be where the jaws were not.

    [Nice, Crinis! Be careful up there!] I cheered.

    I wonder if that''s a skill that she picked up? That level of movement, the speed she was able to do it, I haven''t seen her do anything like that before. Her body has always been somewhat, amorphous, able to bepressed from her full, inted ball of death down to a mere softball of implied illness.

    This is a different type of shift, as the Crocs jaws closed in she retracted the part of her body that would have been bitten, whilst leaving the rest of it alone. For a moment it even looked as if the Croca had bitten a chunk out of her since there was nothing but air remaining when it withdrew its teeth.

    I refuse to sit by and let the pets do all of the work!

    HAH!

    Digging deep it reared back and crunched down with a Splintering Chomp. A resplendent crunching sound rang out as my mandibles pierced through the crocs scales and bit deep into the leg beneath. With a load groan themander staggered to one side and I seized the opportunity to pull it off bnce and threw my weight to one side, gripping the earth with my ws and hauling on the Croca-Commander with my jaws still lodged in its leg.

    Timber!

 Chapter 190 303 - Donâ€™t mess with momma

    <h4>Chapter 190 Chapter 303 - Don''t mess with momma </h4>

    Slowly at first, then with increasing speed, the Garralosh Commander tilted to one side before it came crashing down to the dirt.

    BOOM!

    The ground vibrated under the weight of its frame as it mmed down, rattling my legs and sending me scrambling to ensure I wasn''t crushed as it came down. Ha, ha! That''s how it''s done! I hope Tiny saw that, he''ll be irritated to no end that I managed to bring it the ground before he did. Gweheheheh!

    "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" someone screamed.

    Ah?! Morrelia?!

    She''s finished off the chaff already?! Focusing my near 360 degree vision I can see that its true, the broken and sliced remains of her foes litter the ground behind her as she charges toward us, her eyes burning with rage and her face twisted in a vicious snarl. Her two des are held low and pointing directly at the Croca Commander as she charges, her dash skill allowing her to move with unnatural speed.

    You want to make your glorious entrance now?! When the work is almost done!? Well, I guess it doesn''t matter that much, help is certainly wee when challenging a monster as powerful as this, even wounded as it is.

    And we have wounded it. Crinis has been biting and sawing away at two of the monsters'' arms and shoulder for a while now and her work has been rewarded. The scales have been prated and ichor is dripping down from between her tentacles. It won''t be much longer and the Croc is going to be down to half arms. Even if she doesn''t get that far, those two arms don''t look as though they''ll be much use in the near future, not without some serious healing.

    Tiny has done more work, certainly more than I expected him to be able to do. His punches have impressive destructive potential on their own, powered by his massive physique, but with him discharging bolts of electricity into the Croc with each blow he''s been savaging the inside of the monster just as badly as he has the outside. Of the three of us, the most raw HP damage has been dealt my the ape, for sure.

    My own contributions have been a bit more on the utility side, slowing the monster, gumming it up with acid, weakening its defences and attacking it mentally in order to provide openings for my two pets to take advantage of. I don''t mind ying the support role for now but I have to say I don''t feel it suits my temperament, I want to be right in the thick of things, pping down the enemies of justice with my face hands. Hopefully after my next evolution I can address my current physical weakness.

    All in good time. I still need to try and finish absorbing the rare core before I can even think of evolution.

    Arriving as a storm of metal, Morrelia begins stabbing with incredible ferocity before the Commander can even right itself after falling to the ground. Her two des don''t bite too deep with each strike, but sheer weight of attacks is going to add up quick at the pace she''s going. At this speed she might even be the one to score thest hit.

    ¡­.

    w-, wait a sec!

    THAT EXPERIENCE IS MIIIIIIIINE!

    [Tiny! Hold down the handbags arms on your side. Jump on them if you have to! Crinis! Wrap up his jaws!]

    [I might not be able to hold too long Master! Holding its arms together is already stretching my limits!]

    [Just do it! I only need you to hold for a little while! We can''t let Morrelia steal the experience!]

    [What!?] Crinis roared, appalled at the thought, [how dare this woman dream of stealing experience from Master?! It won''t happen!]

    As if possessed by a demon, Crinisshed out with her tentacles, wrapping them around the Croca-Commanders jaws and straining to hold them shut.

    [Nice, Crinis!] I cheered.

    Even as she moved, Tiny had followed orders and leapt bodily onto the creatures other side,nding heavily on its arms before simply throwing his whole body down on them, using his weight to pin the limbs to the ground. The Croca-Commander writhed and fought to resist the grip of the monsters wrestling it to the ground. Had it been at full strength then I doubt we would have been able to achieve this, the damn thing is simply too strong. But here and now, on the surface? This Croc is running on fumes.

    This is my chance!

    With all four arms ounted for, the twin jaws sealed by the limbs of Crinis and the tails pinned down by the creatures own body, there will never be a better time to strike than now! Morrelia has continued her furious flurry of strikes, her arms and chest coated with the ichor that is now spraying for the deep wounds she is beginning to inflict. I''m not even certain that she''s trying to steal thest hit, I think she''s just deep in the depths of her rage, but I can''t give this up! I''ve gotta go fast!

    Desperate to achieve thest hit, I draw out mana from my core and direct it into my mandibles as Iunched myself onto the struggling monsters chest. The Croc struggled even more furiously when it realised it was being stepped on by an ant, literally, but there was nothing it could do in the moment as my mandibles began to glow bright with the influx of raw mana.

    I''m going straight for the throat!

    *Shattering Bite!*

    With a ferocious crunch, my mandibles extended out as my energy manifested itself in air and came down with the satisfying sound of a symphony of smashed scales.

    Not enough! Let''s keep this wagon rolling!

    *Bite!* *Bite!* *Bite!*

    With each chomp I dig deeper and the Croca''s struggles grow weaker, until finally¡­

    [You have in level 53 Garralosh Commander]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have reached level 27, one skill point awarded]

    [You have reached level 28, one skill point awarded]

    [You have reached level 29, one skill point awarded]

    [You have reached level 30, one skill point awarded]

    YASS! The XP is MINE!

    Take that Morrelia you poaching - ¡­

    "ggggggGGGGGGGGRRRRRROOOOOOOWLLLLLLLL!"

    ¡­.

    What the heck was that?!

 Chapter 191 The sound of the inevitable

    <h4>Chapter 191 The sound of the inevitable </h4>

    That growl was so low, and so powerful, I could feel it rattle my external bones. What in the name of the ever loving ant queen is going on?!

    Tiny, Crinis and I froze in ce the moment we heard that unearthly rumble, still locked in our moment of triumph over the fallen foe. The Croca-Commander lies still beneath me, its neck torn asunder my mandible assault and I allow the mana to fade from my choppers. Morrelia is standing to one side of the monster, both of her des buried halfway to the hilt in its nk as shees out of her berserk rage.

    Her face appears red and gaunt as she heaves deep breaths into her lungs, the light of anger and bloodlust fading from her eyes and rity of thought returning. She looked down at the defeated Croca-Commander as if surprised to see it there, a flicker of confusion came over her expression and she slowly shook her head from left to right.

    Grooooooooowl!

    Again that deep rumbling growl rattled out from a distance, seeming to shake the verynd itself beneath our feet. The only one present in the moment to not appear nervous at this development was Tiny, who only appeared satisfied as he gazed down on his defeated foe.

    Checking on my core hastily I see that there is still a good 50% capacity still in the tank. The fight was a lot shorter and sharper than I expected it to be, most likely due to the Croc not being able to fully utilise its ability due to wanting to conserve mana itself. I shouldn''t discount the possibility that the Croc was already extremely low on mana, which may exin the rtively low amount of fire it spat at us.

    If I recall correctly, the first Croc-Commander we fought burnt down a good section of the Marsh expanse without even trying. I''ve no doubt this double chinned beast could unleash a simr level of devastation if it so wanted. Inside the Dungeon that is, up here? Who knows?

    Satisfied that I wasn''t likely to run out of mana in the short-term future I begin work on re-establishing the mind bridge to Morrelia that I had letpse during the fight. I''ll still need to be careful, mana-wise. I burned a good chunk of gravitational mana in the fight and I can feel the nd drawing away mana from my core to replenish its stock. Normally, not a problem, the core is replenished a heck of a lot faster than the nd can drain it away, especially when I can get my feet stuck into some Dungeon turf. On the surface, my core does not absorb mana fast enough to sustain me under ideal circumstances, let alone with any extra demands on it. I''ll need to retreat back to our mini-Dungeon base to refill the tank before we go any further. Better safe than sorry.

    [What''s the problem Morrelia? You''re looking a little confused?]

    [Have you been hearing those growls?] she asked, a little vaguely.

    [Well, yeah? Of course. I felt like my carapace had been jammed into a sub-woofer. Way too much base. Do you have any idea what might be causing it?]

    Instead of answering my question, Morrelia posed another of her own.

    [Do you know what species of monster this is?] she asked, pointing at our victim.

    [Yup. Garralosh Commander, no doubt about it. One of the eldest children of Garralosh herself. This is the second time we''ve put one down] I boasted a little bit, even as my antennae wave back and forth attempting to sense the source of the intimidating noise.

    [Have you ever seen it?] Morrelia asked faintly, [Garralosh, I mean?]

    Surprised by the question, I turned my whole body to face Morrelia.

    [Ah, no. Why? Have you?] I asked incredulously.

    GGGGROOOOOOOOOOOOWWLLLLLL!!!!

    Again that bone rattling growl!? What in the name of heck is it?

    [I think we might be about to] Morrelia muttered.

    Waaaait a second. That is the sound of GARRALOSH GROWLING?! I though it a freaking earth tremor or something! No way a monster can make that kind of noise?!

    [Are you sure?!] I demanded.

    She turned toward me.

    [You want to find out?]

    [Absolutely not!]

    I barked out orders to Tiny and Crinis.

    [We are getting out of here on the double! I want to take a few cuts of this prime Croc and then we skedaddle, stage left!]

    Morrelia didn''t bother to wait for us, turning to run as soon as she realised what we were doing and sprinting at top speed back down the trail we followed.

    Tiny and Crinis leapt into action and I assisted in the rather disgusting task of Biomass butchery. The whole Croc was way too heavy for us to carry, but were we really willing to leave behind hundreds of Biomass points lying in the dirt?!

    We may be stupid but at least we are stupid for greed!

    [Cut like you mean it Crinis! We need to be out of here five minutes ago!] I bellowed.

    [What''s a minute?!] Crinis wailed.

    [Just hurry up!]

    In reality it only took two minutes for us to finish separating the two arms that Crinis had been working on during the fight and one of the legs which Tiny promptly picked up and we were out of there!

    [Go! Go! Go dammit! Move those legs!] I roared at Tiny as he struggled to run whilst carrying his grisly cargo under his arms. Crinis copsed onto my back the moment we were finished carving and retracted to herpact, travel sized sphere.

    Dashing with all of our strength the trees became a blur as we raced as quickly as possible to put distance between us and the scene of the battle. The inside of my carapace was sweating bullets at the thought of big momma Garralosh rolling over the horizon and burning us all to death in an instant.

    Horrible visions of six headed crocodiles with nine tails fill my mind and it isn''t long before I''m focusing my attention on the horizon behind us, waiting to see if our doom approaches!

    [Come on Tiny, run faster! Eat an arm or something, pick up the pace!]

    Only too happy to oblige, Tiny continues to run whilst stuffing his face as we flee from the shadow of the mother of all crocodiles.

 Chapter 192 Regroup

    <h4>Chapter 192 Regroup </h4>

    We ran as if the devil himself we behind us liberally applying a pitchfork to our most tendermercial interests. Tiny was significantly slowed by having to carry his Biomass burden but I didn''t consider leaving him behind for long. We eventually made it back to the small Dungeon entrance we had used previously and dove inside, ughtering the small number of spawned monsters before standing still, earls peeled for any sound of encroaching doom.

    [You hear anything Crinis?]

    [Master, I don''t have any ears.]

    [You know what I mean! Do you detect anything?]

    [¡­ No. I wasn''t able to detect anything on the surface either. Whatever was making that noise was far outside my range.]

    [Fair enough. How about you, Tiny?]

    [Whurfft?]

    [Get that Biomass out of your face dammit! And why would having food in your mouth make your mental voice sound different? Do you hear anything?]

    [No¡­]

    [Good!]

    Somewhat of a surprise, Morrelia had chosen to join us in the Dungeon. Perhaps she wanted the shelter of being concealed below ground level. She seemed to be fairly shaken after that fight. I don''t know why she was so rattled, but I can only imagine she has good reason. I haven''t seen her do anything she wasn''t absolutely sure of.

    [You feeling a little better?] I asked her.

    At the moment she had her ear cocked into the air, her face was intent as she listened for any hint of pursuit. She didn''t respond for a full minute until she seemed to feel confident there wasn''t anythinging after us.

    [I think so] so sent, [I just couldn''t believe that a creature like Garralosh could actually be on the surface.]

    [Yeah, shouldn''t that be impossible?!] I protested, [its painful enough for me to be on the surface, some gigantic monster, that is hundreds of years old should have evolved ten times more than I have, should be drained of mana after a few minutes on the surface, surely?!]

    Morrelia looked at me carefully for a moment before she continued to speak.

    [How much¡­ do you know, about Garralosh?] she asked with some reluctance.

    [Pretty much nothing. From the system messages I get when I eat monsters I know a little. That the various Garralosh monsters are her offspring, that she''s a giant Croc and that she raised her children for some sort of purpose. That''s about it.]

    Morrelia appeared to think hard before she continued speaking.

    [I can give you a little more than that, though speaking too much would break faith with people I care about, so I won''t tell you everything.]

    I sense secret knowledge!

    [Whatever you''re happy to share, I''ll be more than grateful for!] I tried to appear harmless and cooperative.

    Morrelia snorted, seeing through my guise in an instant.

    [You''ve been willing to help my people so far, Anthony. It''s only fair that we help a little back. Now. Firstly, I''ll say that Garralosh is probably not as highly evolved as you might think.]

    [but how could that be?] I wondered, [she''s hundreds of years old, isn''t she?]

    Morrelia nodded. [She''s around two hundred and fifty years old. Nobody can know with precision unless they were there to see her spawn but that''s the best guess.]

    [So how could she not have evolved much? I''ve evolved three times already and I''m not even a year old!]

    [You''re not one year old?] Morrelia''s eyes suddenly narrowed as her voice became sharper.

    [Ah.. Yes? Friendly person who is an ally? That shouldn''t be that surprising should it?] I shrank back a little from her cutting aura.

    Seeing my attitude Morrelia''s expression softened. [It''s a little unusual that would be this strong, this young, ording to what I know of Monsters. I was honestly shocked when you unleashed that¡­ ball of death. What was that?]

    Aha! The excellence of my magic has made an impression after all! I swelled up with pride.

    [That! That was my Gravity Bomb! Fearsome destructive power, no?] I boasted.

    [Gravity?] Morrelia asked, her face intent, [Is that the type of mana you used?]

    It was my turn to be a little evasive. I don''t intend to give up all my secrets, woman! Perhaps a little wisdom is finally starting to blossom in me!

    [Let''s not worry about that too much] I deflected, [we were discussing the giant crocodile who is apparently out to eat us?]

    Visibly disappointed, Morrelia nodded and continued with what she had been saying.

    [Garralosh has been prevented from descending deep into the Dungeon. I won''t go into too much detail but suffice to say that she hasn''t had ess to the higher tier monsters and cores she would need to evolve to a massive height. We believe thest time she sessfully evolved was seventy years ago.]

    [Wow! That is a long time to not progress. Wait a second. Did you say something about cores?]

    [I did. Why?]

    Cores¡­. Cores¡­. Something about cores.

    [Crinis?]

    [Yes Master?]

    [Did any of us take the core out of Garralosh Commander that we killed?]

    [You ordered me to focus on the arms and then run, Master. I thought it was odd, but I didn''t want to question your orders.]

    Oh my Gandalf. There''s no way¡­

    [Tiny¡­] I asked desperately, knowing the answer before I even asked the question. [Did you collect the core?]

    The big ape just shook his head, almost proudly. [Nope!] he dered, thumping himself on the chest for emphasis.

    DAMMIT.

    To the immense and visible confusion of Morrelia, I flopped onto my back and started thrashing at the dirt with my legs, a tantrum of the finest quality.

    I could have used that stupid core! Not for me (god no!) but for Mother! If I''de back with a second rare core then surely the Queen could have been persuaded to ept it, allowing herself to evolve into a powerful form that could support the entire colony and more importantly, keep her safe! Such a waste! Anthony you freaking moron?! What''s a hundred Biomasspared to the rare core!?

    As quickly as I''d flopped onto my back, I froze and flipped myself over again.

    [We have to go back!] I dered to Morrelia.

    Her eyes widened. [What?! Are you insane? What will happen if you run into Garralosh?]

    [I need the core out of that monster! That''s a rare core that we left behind out there!]

    She froze.

    [You didn''t get the core?!] she demanded incredulously, [you stayed back there just to get those limbs?!]

    [You freaked me out!] I defended myself, [we heard some supernaturally loud growling and you panicked! Then I panicked!]

    [Even so, I''m not going back there just yet. We shouldy low for the time being and head back out tomorrow.]

    [There is no chance the core will still be there by then! I''ll go on my own, nice and stealthy. I''ll take a quick peek, grab the core if I can then return. Ok?]

    I turned to my two pets.

    [I''m going to go back and take a look for the core, you guys stay here with Morrelia and regroup. Feel free to eat what we took from themander. I''ll be back as soon as I can.]

    With that said I didn''t pause to see if anyone had a response before I ran up the wall and back out onto the surface. If I can get that core for mother then I sure as hell am going to!

 Chapter 193 Stealth ant rides forth, status update

    <h4>Chapter 193 Stealth ant rides forth, status update </h4>

    Leaving behind my three co-adventures I made my way back along our trail as quick as I could whilst keeping a low profile. I was on my own this time, I didn''t want to stumble into a fight that I couldn''t handle.

    It felt unnerving to be exposed on the surface, I felt thatck offort pierce me right in the confidence now that I was here without any backup. In fact, no Tiny and no Crinis alongside me for the first time in how long?! Crinis had been with me since not long after we reached the surface during the wave, but Tiny had been with me long before that, since finding the colony almost!

    That big lug-head. As much as his ¡­ limited decision making capacity and hunger for a fight had been an inconvenience to say the least, it was fun having him around. He wasn''t much for conversation but things tended to never be boring when he was around. He didn''t exactly ''settle'' for the status quo, he pushed himself, he pushed the situation forward, never allowing himself to shy from a challenge. I had to admire that.

    Or he was stupid and free from the sense of self preservation. Either way, it was fun to have him with me.

    I will perform core surgery on him and buff his intellect though. Every time he charges forward into nigh mortal danger, I feel myself age internally another ten years. If he keeps going at the rate he''s going them I''m going to wither away to dust by the end of the year.

    If they even have years here. Or rather, how long is each year in this world? It could be one of those ces that orbits its star once every six thousand days. Presuming people grow at the same speed as they did on Earth, you''d be eighteen earth years by the time your first birthday rolled around.

    Running through the fields I keep my antennae twitching here and there, making use of my range of vision to try and prevent anything from sneaking up on me. I engage in the stealthy patterns of behaviour that served me so well in the first weeks of my life in this world. Obviously I can''t attach myself to the ceiling up here, denying me the full experience of my youth, but I do my best to keep my profile hidden in the long grass, sticking my head up every now and again to take in they of thend.

    I haven''t seen anything yet, but that doesn''t mean that I won''t.

    I''m still gutted that I forgot to secure that core. Just when I thought I might be getting a little smarter, a little more wise, I go ahead and do something stupid like this. That core would mean so much for the colony if I could get it to the Queen, I''m sure of it. If she can evolve in an awesome way, who knows what she might be able to be?

    Perhaps it''s my ant instincts in me, but I deeply want the Queen to be safe and secure in the colony. The thought of any harming to her just makes my little ant heart hurt. Personally, I don''t think it has much to do with my new body. Having a family, having a parent who cared and valued me, that''s something I''ve never had before. I don''t like to dwell on the negative much but my human life had been ¡­ less than ideal.

    Even something simple like being epted without question by my siblings, the trust and care the Queen, my mother, had shown without expecting anything in return. It''s nice. I was desperate for this sense of belonging, I can see that now. Perhaps that was why I was so quick to ept my ce within the colony. Now that I''ve invested so much into my new family, I want to ensure only the best for them.

    Which is why I want this damn core!

    It''s quite the journey to make it back to where we had defeated the Croca-Commander. I focus during my travel time exposed under the open sky, crouching low when I can, moving swiftly and carefully.

    Even so, I get a chance to check my status and take in a few of the skill level ups that I missed during the fight against themander. Mana transformation levelled up to 8, which is nice. Splintering chomp made it to 10 and Advanced mind magic affinity jumped twice to reach 4. Battling against tough foes can really levels at a quick pace. I took a moment to run my eye over my status:

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 30 (Special core)

    Might: 41

    Toughness: 29

    Cunning: 44

    Will: 35

    HP: 58/58

    MP: 180/230

    Skills: Expert Excavation (III) Level 3; Improved Acid Shot (II) Level 9; Advanced Grip (II) Level 4; Shattering Bite (IV) Level 14; Advanced Stealth (II) Level 5; Splintering Chomp (III) Level 10; Tunnel Map (II) Level 6; Mana Transformation (III) Level 8; Condensed Mana (III) Level 1; External Mana Maniption (I) Level 2; Empowered Mana Sensing (II) Level 1; Core Surgery (III) Level 6; Expert Exo-Skeleton Defence (III) level 3; Pet Communication (I) Level 4; Rapid Dash (II) Level 4; Expert Water Magic Affinity (III) Level 1; Advanced Stamina (II) Level 7; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 1; Mana Scrooge (II) Level 5; Advanced Cerebral Endurance (II) Level 9; Profound Mediation (II) Level 2; Advanced Precise Shooting (II) Level 2; Tearing Bite (II) Level 9; Enhanced Mind Magic Affinity (II) level 4;

    Mutations: Omni Focused Eyes +10, Precognitive Infrared Antennae +10, Mana Eating Restrictive Acid +10, Rapid Absorption Legs +15, Empowered Mandibles +15, True Diamond Carapace +15, Rapid Limb Regeneration nd +10, Persuasive Pheromone Language nd +10, Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +15, Adaptable Coordination Cortex +15, Dispersive Regenerating Inner Carapace ting +10;

    Species: Dispersed Mind Ant (Formica)

    Skill points: 19

    Biomass: 212

    I have a lot of Biomass to spend at the moment, I''ll need to take care of that soon. The other thing I need to think about is that I''ll be able to evolve again in ten levels. My strategy of absorbing a portion of the rare core and hoping my body would adapt seems to have worked. The pain and difort is still there, but it''s diminished over time. There may be a shot that I''ll be able to take the rest of the core before I evolve. ws crossed.

    Speaking of levelling skills, I need to ensure I''m taking the time to grind up a few points whilst I''m up here on the surface. I have two sub-brains who are doing nothing but picking their noses right now, may as well set them a task!

    I can almost feel the begrudging eptance as my force my sub minds to begin reaching out and manipting the thin mana in the air. The lowest skill that I have regarding magic is my external mana maniption, so I may as well grind it up to the second rank at least.

    My two brains grab hold of the mana and begin to try and move it outside of my body. It''s a difficult task, much more difficult that grabbing hold of the pliable mana within my core. I need to save that mana as much as possible so forget about using it to practice!

    When I allow the two brains to cooperate, they demonstrate much better progress, utilising their resources together they are able to grab hold of more mana and shift it around inzy patterns in the air.

    Ten minutester I was rewarded with the first level up.

    [External mana maniption has reached level 2]

    Nice! Keep at it sub minds! I''m counting on you!

    It was a strange sensation, having my sub brains working on something as my main mind dithered. It was me working hard to control to the mana outside of my body but at the same time it wasn''t. As if my left hand were busy as hell with a task and my right hand was idle but each hand had its own brain?

    I continued on my way under the open sky and after my external mana maniption skill reached level three I finally found the ce where we had battled the Croca-Commander. There were still signs of our fight to be found, the disturbed grass, the hemisphere of soil that had been consumed by my gravity bomb. The mana here felt ¡­ odd. My two sub minds were still actively reaching out to the mana in the air, but it felt, almost thin. As if there was just less of it to take hold of in this ce.

    The body of the Croca-Commander was gone without a trace. In the soft earth near where we had left it was a reptilian footprint,rge enough that I could stand in it, my entire body epassed within.

    Thatsa big Croc.

 Chapter 194 Return to the others, the plan

    <h4>Chapter 194 Return to the others, the n </h4>

    Around the scene of the battle I could see the oversized footprints pressed into the ground all over the ce. It was clear that they approached from the direction we had pursued themander, meaning they hade from the direction of the capital city, Liria. It was also clear that the creature who hade here had cleaned up all of the Biomass we had left behind. I''m not certain if Biomass could fade on the surface as it did within the Dungeon, I suspected not, which led me to believe that the creature who hade here had chewed all of it up before departing.

    There was no doubt in my mind who these oversized Croc prints belonged to: Garralosh.

    The mother Croc.

    There were so many damned prints in the ground it wasn''t easy to tell how many legs the creature had. Judging by the progression from Croca-Beast to Croca-Commander, I can expect that the number of limbs, tails and heads has only gone up. Images of bizarre formations of Croca parts run through my head. Four heads? Nine tails?! Twenty two arms?!

    I shook myself to push the pictures from my mind. Ultimately, it didn''t matter. The rare core had been lost in my carelessness and I couldn''t get it back. Disappointment and guilt washed over me in that moment. If it had been for me, I doubt I would have cared this much. So stupid!

    Only one way to fix it. Try and hunt down another Croca-Commander and present its core to Mother! Heck, I''ll bring her the core of big momma Garralosh myself if I have to.

    With a upwelling of determination, I decided to ignore the idea that I''d just pledged to defeat a Crocodile who''s feet arerger than my whole body and turned back to meet up with my crew. I spent the journey once again huddled in the long grass, my minds grasping at the mana in the air.

    Curiously, I found the mana replenished itself the further from the battle site I found myself. Why the heck was the ambient mana so thin in just that location? It seemed weird. There must be a reason.

    The only significant event I could think of that had urred in that ce is that Garralosh, a very old, very powerful monster, had passed through the area. But what did that have to do with the mana in the air?

    Wait.

    Hang on a second.

    Big ''ol monster, highly evolved, powerful core, on the surface, needs mana, mana in the air iscking after it passed through¡­

    There are some dots here that I feel I''m connecting¡­

    Stopping in ce, I hesitantly stretched out with my main mind, sending my awareness outside of my body in the strange way that was only possible here in this world, to sense the mana in the air. Like part of the atmosphere, the mana suffused everything, every de of grass, every leaf and the air itself. Not nearly to the level it existed within the Dungeon itself, but still, it was there.

    I grabbed hold of a small portion of mana with my thoughts, gripping it tight in a vice of pure will, and drew it down toward me, toward my body and then inside, toward my core. To my shock, the mana was drawn straight into my core like a drop of water being soaked into a sponge.

    Holy moly!

    So this means I can draw mana out of the air in order to sustain my core whilst I''m up on the surface? Why the hell didn''t I think of that before?! The core draws mana into itself passively, I guess I just didn''t think of trying to supplement its automatic replenishment function by controlling the mana around me. Negligent! I''ve been negligent again! I should not have neglected the External Mana Maniption skill for so long! What other precious secret does it hold?!

    It''s obvious now that Garralosh is using this skill and a much higher level than I am in order to offset the demands of its core whilst moving on the surface, but I still feel it isn''t enough to exin how such an evolved monster can move about up here. I''m only estimating here, and on only a tiny amount of data, but I feel like if I were to rank up the skill and devote my two sub brains to constantly pulling ambient mana into my core, I would still be short of breaking even by just a smidge. If Garralosh has risen the skill to rank four or five, and has a powerful mind rig, she would still be running at a massive loss.

    Perhaps she can only maintain herself up here for short bursts. Then whye at all? It just doesn''t make sense to me. I may need to grill Morrelia further when I make it back to them.

    External mana Maniption had made it to level four by the time I reunited with the gang. The constant use was certainly keeping the skill ticking up a nice rate. The fact I didn''t even have to use my main mind to do it was even better. As a rank one skill, it''s still limited in the knowledge and skill that it grants. I''m excited to see what it will give at the second and third rank.

    When I returned to the improvised Dungeon we had dug I found Morrelia, Crinis and Tiny resting. All three of them looked up at my descent, my pets happy to see me, Morrelia more irritated that anything my the looks of things.

    After connecting the mind bridge I told Morrelia what I had found.

    [So Garralosh has actually set foot on the surface] she frowned.

    [I believe that she''s using external mana maniption to drag mana into her core. The air in the area was extremely thin when I got there].

    Morrelia nodded.

    [It''s a known tactic, even humans use this method to recharge magic items faster.]

    [That alone shouldn''t be enough, surely?] I waggled my antennae in protest, [a monster that size must have a potent core. If a few skills were enough for monsters to operate on the surface, wouldn''t it happen all the time? I understand that it''s basically unheard of for Dungeon monsters to run around on the surface!]

    [It''s true] Morrelia sighed, [the problem is the wave we are experiencing. For some reason it''s caused the density of the ambient mana on the surface to rise, that isn''t meant to happen. That can cause the normal monsters to rise to the surface, but it shouldn''t be enough for a creature like Garralosh. There''s something strange happening and I can''t exin it.]

    She appeared frustrated by herck of understanding toward this situation. Ever since we hade to the former Kingdom of Liria, Morrelia had contained a simmering anger inside her, well, more simmering anger that usual. I had to remind myself every now and again that this was her homnd we''re stomping around in.

    [So what''s the n?] I asked, [I''m here for reconnaissance and I would love to get a chance at grabbing another rare core, so I''m going to stick around. What about you?]

    Morrelia dropped her chin to chest as she thought for a moment.

    [I''ll stay] she dered. [I want to get to the capital and see it for myself. I also want to find out just how a monster like Garralosh is moving around on the surface. There must be more there that we can learn.]

    [Alright, give me a little while to get ready and then we can go.]

    Time to spend some Biomass.

 Chapter 195 Spending and patrol

    <h4>Chapter 195 Spending and patrol </h4>

    I''ve managed to amass over two hundred Biomass since myst big spend, not a heap, not whenpared to thest haul, but still healthy. With this I''ll be able to get three more mutations to +15, bringing me so close to the perfect full mutation form that I want before my next evolution. If I''d been more patient and chewed my way through more Biomass at the early evolutions, I wouldn''t have had to stuff my face so much during this one!

    Lessons have been learned. I won''t be evolving until my mutations areplete!

    As Morrelia sat down to keep watch over us, my pets and I settled in to spend our Biomass. Crinis was already close to the perfect +10 all around. She must be nearly ready to evolve as well. Still only tier two, she can get much stronger yet. Tiny is in the same boat as me, tier two and battling to get enough food into him to get his body fully upgraded.

    Alright then. I still have to upgrade my eyes, my antennae, my regeneration nd, my Language nd and my carapace ting. So after this round of mutations I''ll still have two to go. So close!

    Ok, so which should I go with?

    Eyes for sure. Up here on the surface I find my eyesight still isn''t up to the task of seeing long distances. In the Dungeon, the wide open spaces are not quite this wide and open and I can get around much better, but up here the long distance vision is still a little weak.

    [Would you like to upgrade Omni Focused eyes from +10 to +15? This will cost 65 Biomass?]

    Let''s do it!

    [At this level you may choose tobine your mutations, or emphasise one. Which will you select?]

    Okay then! So far I have upgraded my eyes to have a long distance section of vision focused toward the front, then I upgraded them to have other, separate areas of focused vision pointing in most directions. The effect is that I have quite decent vision forward, above, behind and to the sides of me, but with fairly chunky gaps of poor, blurry eyesight between. I''m happy with both upgrades so I suppose the way forward is to fuse!

    Nice. Let''s hold that one and focus on the next. I think carapace ting will be the solid y. If I''m going to keep fighting against monsters as far out of my league stats wise as themanders, then I want all the defence I can get!

    [Would you like to upgrade your Dispersive Regenerative Carapace ting to +15? This will cost 65 Biomass.]

    Yassss!

    [At this level you may choose tobine your mutations, or emphasise one. Which will you select?]

    Now this is a little interesting. The two upgrades I have on my inner carapace, Dispersive and Regenerative, are both very useful. The dispersive ting helps my carapace to spread out the damage of blunt attacks, making it harder to crack, whilst the regenerative aspect allows my ting to regenerate itself very quickly. This increases my survivability by a lot since my carapace is tough to prate, and heals damage that is done to it.

    If both upgrades are equally good, we will fuse them!

    One to go.

    I think I''ll choose my regeneration nd on this one. If I''m going to be battling up againstrger, more damaging monster, then being able to repair damage during the fight could be critical, just as it has been in the past. The thing that worries me the most is my legs. The carapace that covers my body is super tough, and getting tougher with every mutation and evolution. I''m excessively proud of it to be honest. So shiny, so strong.

    But it doesn''t do a whole lot for my stick-like ant legs. Monstrous ant I may be, my legs are still skinny and oh so snap-able. To be honest, I didn''t think legs this size would be able to hold me up at my current girth, I suppose I have mana to thank for that. They are a defensive liability, so I desperately want to improve my ability to regrow them at a moment''s notice.

    [Would you like to upgrade your Rapid Limb Regeneration nd to +15? This will cost 65 Biomass.]

    [At this level you may choose tobine your mutations, or emphasise one. Which will you select?]

    The two upgrades I have assist in the growth of missing limbs, which thankfully includes my antennae, and speeds up the process. Both are valuable, so fusion is once again the path I choose!

    Alright then! Those choices are all locked in, suppose I''d better confirm them then¡­

    Wait!

    I nearly forgot about the itch again! Shifting my head slightly I can see Morrelia is leaning against the wall, almost appearing to be dozing but I can tell her senses are attuned to possible threats here in this small Dungeon chamber.

    If she sees me wiggling and rolling around on the ground then all of dignity as the leader of the ants will be lost! In fact, one could almost say that my dignity is the dignity of the colony itself! That may be a little bit of a stretch, but still! I need to get her out of the room. Some sort of diversion is necessary.

    [Hey, Morrelia. Any chance you could have a quick look up on the surface? I think I heard something moving around. Through vibrations you know, we ants are very sensitive to vibrations moving through the dirt. It''s the antennae, fantastic wiggly things they are. You know what they say, they aint this long for nothing! Ha! Ha! Haaaaaaa.]

    Smooth.

    Morrelia lifted one eyebrow at my persuasive diatribe before she nodded slightly.

    [Sure, I''ll take a look.]

    So saying she turned and quickly climbed her way up and out of our little chamber.

    Quick as a sh I dove behind Tiny. Not content with this level of coverage I began to dig furiously, my mandibles sending dirt flying into the air, covering Tiny who groaned in irritation but thankfully didn''t move.

    Aha! Now I have secured a small trough in the ground, am screened behind Tiny and Morrelia has left the chamber. I must seize this moment!

    Confirm those mutations!

    ACK!

    So quickly?! Holy mackerel!

    STAGRABALLIGANUFFIN!!!

    It doesn''t take long before I have assumed the now traditional position, on my back and iling wildly at the air with my legs as the overpowering itch of mutation rips through me without mercy. I can only take some small measure offort in the knowledge that I have, for once, managed to not be observed.

    Victory!

    A few minutester, Tiny, Crinis and I emerged from the chamber to find Morrelia resting on the surface. I take a moment to re-establish our mentalmunication that I''d letpse during my ¡­ er ¡­ episode.

    [So where do you think we should go next?] I asked, keeping it cool.

    [There are a few smaller settlements I know of in the area that I''d like to visit, there''s a chance we''ll find some survivors there. Other than that, I want to move toward the capital and get a good look at it.]

    [Sounds reasonable] I agreed, [all of that is quite valuable for the colony as well. Let''s make a start.]

    And so, we were off!

 Chapter 196 Making Motions

    <h4>Chapter 196 Making Motions </h4>

    Once Tiny, Crinis and I had refilled our cores and Morrelia had snacked on her travel rations we set out once again, this time moving slower and taking more care as we moved. We weren''t trying to chase anyone down and stumbling under the eye of big momma Croc was not something we wanted to experience. I made sure I was training my external mana maniption as we moved, putting those sub brains to work and making them earn their keep. This had the added benefit of slowing down the drain on my core since I was able to capture the mana in the air and pull it in to rece my losses.

    I did try and see if I could sense where the mana I lost went, perhaps to see if I could retain it, drag it straight back into myself and therefore never lose any mana at all, but I failed. No matter how I tried I wasn''t able to sense where the mana that left the core went to, whether it bled out into the air, was consumed in some way by my body or just vanished out of my core via some extra-dimensional portal.

    This could be a research project for the colony one day down the line.

    Morrelia seemed to know what she was doing, leading us down farm tracks and dirt roads to locate isted clusters of homes that we would investigate in the hopes of locating survivors tucked away in cers, barns or attics. I was surprised by our strike rate, we did manage to find a surprising number of people who had taken shelter from the monsters and managed to hide themselves.

    When we uncovered the first group of bedraggled survivors, Tiny cracking open the cer doors with his bare hands, I''d been shocked! How the heck had the monsters managed to overlook them?!

    Turns out that the monsters aren''t the best at checking the nooks and crannies. They may have been put under thepulsion of their Croc overlords through some mechanism I have no understanding of, but they do seem to be a littlezy in the execution of their sweeps.

    Therger towns and viges have received the full monster horde treatment. Burnt to the ground, the buildings smashed in and the people eaten or scattered, but the smaller hamlets have been hit with a lighter hand. More of a smash and grab approach, without a vigorous hunt for survivors.

    The people we find are not in a good way. Starved and half crazed from their time in istion, too afraid to stick their heads out into the open air in case a monster happened to be nearby, half of them either attacked or hid from myself, Tiny and Crinis before Morrelia could calm them down. I thought we''d have a hard time convincing the people to move, so fearful were they, but each time we managed to uncover another clutch of starved, desperate people, Morrelia managed to convince the of the security that waited for them in the vige to the south.

    After Morrelia helped the people pack whilst us monsters sat about at a calming distance. We had tried to assist by lifting and shifting things but Morrelia suggested we move to one side and allow the people to get themselves organised without us, as it would cause less "stress" to the survivors.

    Which is fair enough. I do hope that Morrelia emphasised the presence of an entire colony of monsters living right next to this vige of survivors. If any idents were to ur, things could get very hairy down there, very quickly.

    Over the span of a few days we covered a lot of ground, running all over southern Liria. We had a couple of run ins with bands of roving monsters, smaller ones this time, without any of the more evolved Croca beasts. We were able to clean those up without much stress, and I made sure to grind my skills across the battles.

    It didn''t take long for external mana maniption to level to five and I was able to rank it up to Greater External Mana Maniption. The rank up imbued me with the knowledge I needed to extend my reach further and grasp hold of mana at an extended range from my body. This increased the amount of mana I could shift somewhat but not by as much as I''d thought. I could use my will to effect mana almost twice as far away as I could before, a range of almost five metres. The extended range, came at a cost though, the further the mana was from my core, the harder it was to influence.

    The upshot was that my minds burned more mental energy the further away the mana was from me. Whilst my sub brains were able to grasp mana close to me almost constantly, expanding their reach caused them to me out before much time had passed. I decided to slowly increase the range of my mana maniption as my levels increased and I became more confident with the technique.

    After we had made a pass through the surrounding region, we had to retreat back to the Dungeon in order to recharge and plot our move toward the capital. I had business with a croc.

 Chapter 197 Settling in

    <h4>Chapter 197 Settling in </h4>

    Since leaving Midum, Isaac and his fellow survivors had made good time. Isaac found it was easy to motivate folks when they were escaping a literal horde of savage monsters that had killed almost everyone they knew. d to have survived, worried that it wouldn''tst, the townsfolk and former guardsmen and women had packed their stuff with crity and hustled their way south, following the directions that Morrelia had given them.

    Thinking of Morrelia brought a smile to Isaac''s face and pang to his heart. He was deep in it, he could see that as sure as he could see the nose on his own face. He''d never been taken with someone on first sight like this in his entire life. Everything about her just seemed to punch him right in his most tender preferences. Strong, no nonsense, capable, decisive and built with a body that looked as if she could pick him and rip him in half with her bare hands.

    Not to mention her raging temperament which had made him feel as if that might actually happen at any moment. Talking to her had felt like the best and most dangerous thing Isaac had done in his entire life.

    Shaking his head to dismiss the lingering thoughts of the goddess who had captivated him so and tried to focus his mind on the literal mountain of an issue before him.

    "It''s a pile ''o somethin'' alright" he muttered to himself, "just not sure if it''s the plops yet."

    "You say somethin'' Isaac?" Anna, his fellow former Midum town guard queried from his left.

    "Nothin'' worth hearing" he nodded toward the massive hill of dirt that rose before them, "what you make of it, Anna?" he asked.

    The dour guard shook her head. "It''s well over my pay grade Isaac. I never seen anything like it."

    ''Aint that the truth, Isaac thought to himself as he tried to take it all in. He''d been warned before he''d left Midum, spoken to again, at length, when they''d arrived at the vige, but he still wasn''t prepared for the reality of it. A whole colony of monsters, living right next to a human vige.

    And apparently everything was¡­ fine?

    Isaac watched as hundreds of ant monstersrger than his old dog Toby ran about on the enormous mound of dirt at a feverish pace, carrying dirt out of the tunnels, shifting its position on the hill or using their bodies to press andpact the soil.

    "It''s so quiet" Isaac observed to Anna as he watched the ants work.

    "It''s eerie" she agreed after listening for a moment.

    The monsters didn''t talk, ormunicate in any visible way, they just moved around each other in perfect synch. The effort and energy they expended put humanbourers to shame, without a word ofint or a single individual shirking. It was mighty impressive, in a way.

    As to what they were doing., they appeared to be building a castle, out of dirt. Oh it didn''t have all the trimmings of a cast, the fancy towers and gabled roofs, but in Isaac''s more direct mind, this ant hill had the essentials: A big ass wall and a raised fort inside.

    It even had a moat! How in the hell a group of monstrous insects managed to engineer something like this was beyond Isaac. Sure, a moat was nothing but a trench filled with water, sure a wall wasn''t anything but a heap of dirt piled up, but it was the little things. The dirt wall had been properly braced against thick wooden posts, presenting a formidable obstacle to any who wanted to assault the hill. The moat would normally cause all sorts of problem regarding drainage but it seems that the ants had managed to think of that problem and used a bed of crushed stone, packed down hard, to help minimise.

    The moat was even fed from their own channelwork for cryin'' out loud!

    Shaking his head, Isaac turned on his heel and walked back toward the vige, Anna trailing behind.

    "You''re finished looking Isaac?"

    "Aye."

    "What do you make of it?"

    "I haven''t the slightest."

    "People are fair nervous" Anna warned him, "it''s unnerving for them to settle down in a ce so close to a pack of monsters."

    Isaac grunted in agreement, "not surprising, considering they were just chased from their homes."

    There were rumblings amongst the new arrivals, ufortable with their new situation, but Isaac had to admit, the locals were a very ¡­ passionate group of advocates. The priest in particr was relentless in his efforts to ease the new arrivals into coexistence with the colony.

    As he and Anna drew closer to the vige, Isaac saw the one armed silhouette of Beyn hustling towards him. Isaac supressed a sigh. The priest had been weing, helpful, cheerful and tireless is his efforts tofort the people of Midum, which was more than Isaac could have hoped for. It was just that the man was a little ¡­ intense.

    "Greetings friend! Returning after paying homage to our friends?" Beyn called as he cheerfully waved his remaining hand at them in greeting.

    Isaac rolled his eyes. "I wouldn''t say payin'' homage, as such your worship. Just wanted to take a look."

    The former town guardsmen''sck of fervour washed off the priest like water. He simply nodded with enthusiasm, eyes shining as he looked towards the ant hill in the distance. "It''s incredible isn''t it? I can''t believe how fast they are learning, how fast they are changing! I swear they are watching us, trying to understand us. In a years'' time, who knows what they might be capable of? A miracle is what it is. Divine deliverance!"

    "''Course it is father, ''aint nobody sayin'' any different" Isaac hurriedly cut him off. He''d already been subjected to one of father Beyn''s spontaneous sermons and he wasn''t keen to repeat the experience. Only the timely intervention of Mrs Enid Bly had saved him.

    Before the priest could get wound up again, Isaac cast about to divert the topic of conversation but came up nk. Dang it! He had to act fast or something else would set of the fanatical priest! In desperation he flicked a nce at Anna and she received his panicked signal.

    "Ah, your holiness, there, father" she piped up haltingly, "I was, uh, wondering if, you could, ah, tell me some more about the, em, leader ant?"

    You idiot! Isaac thought to himself, you couldn''t possibly have dropped your foot in the sloppy soil any harder than that.

    As expected, the priests eyes lit aze at the mention of his favourite subject. The man''s entire face came alight as if it were receiving the mana of the Dungeon directly.

    "I would love to!" he boomed, throwing his one arm wide as he stepped forward, closing the distance to his victim.

    Isaac averted his eyes from Anna''s pleading gaze. Sometimes sacrifices were necessary in order to achieve the greater good. With the priests'' voice rising to the heavens behind him, Isaac stepped quietly away and moved toward the vige proper.

    He''d been fascinated to learn that the ant monster he''d seen with Morrelia had not been a pet and had in fact been the master of the other two monsters he''d seen. Just thinking about it was enough to make him shiver. Had it wanted to that ant could have ughtered his people without resistance.

    All in all, Isaac had to admit that conditions here in the vige were better than he had expected by far. He''d only arrived a few days ago and already simple housing was being organised, people were being put to work, fields expanded,bat training undertaken. Despite the recent tragedy, the vige town had an incredible energy that was surprising on os many levels.

    In a moment of rity he suddenly realised that the people of the vige reminded him of nothing so much as the colony of ants he''d been watching just minutes ago. The single minded, uining zeal at which they approached their work was unlike anything he''d seen. Something different was happening here, and it wasn''t just the monsters, the people were changing also.

    It''d be interesting to see what came of it.

 Chapter 198 Approaching Liria

    <h4>Chapter 198 Approaching Liria </h4>

    Here now at the end of the world, what do we have to say to those that we destroyed? I''m sure it''s not something that would cross the mind of most on my side of the divide. Would we even say anything, if given the chance? I don''t believe so.

    We saw this path as inevitable. The moment the truth was learned, our feet were marching on this road. Others would not, could not ept this reality. It is no fault of theirs. They are not built as we are. Perhaps they cursed us, wailed against us in their pces and war councils. It matters not.

    We did what had to be done.

    - Author unknown

    We settled back into the mini-Dungeon chamber we had excavated to allow us monsters a chance to regain our mana and rest. Morrelia kept an eye out from up top. She barely seemed to need to sleep, catching a few hours here and there seemed to be enough to sustain her almost superhuman levels of effort over an extended period of time. It''s been a sharp reminder to me that in this world a person is not limited as they were back on earth. Acts of physical or mental prowess that would be impossible to a human on earth can be made trivial here with levels and training.

    So who am I to say that being able to run and fight against horrific beasts for an entire day, sleep for three hours and then do it all again the next is remarkable in this world? Obviously not every person can do that, ording to Beyn, most people level twenty to forty times across their entire lives. That isn''t enough to amount to much for most sses, the stat growth is simply too low. For the elites though, the privileged who are able to, via wealth or ability, farm the Dungeon and raise their levels fast, who knows what kind of incredible feats they are capable of.

    Liria was apparently a young, backwater kingdom, founded by pioneering farmers who wanted to open up morend for agriculture. The real powerhouses are further north and east across theke, so I''m told. I don''t think that''ll matter much to us though, being a small colony in the middle of the wilds, neighbouring a tiny vige, we shouldn''t be of any consequence to anyone for a long time.

    [Are we ready to head to Liria?] I asked Morrelia as she kept an eye out above us.

    [Yes] she answered, [I can''t think of anywhere else in this area where I might find survivors.]

    [I''m surprised you found as many as you did. Makes me think there may be quite a few more hidden away in remote ces, perhaps even in the towns if people were smart enough to hide.]

    It was true. Including the folks from Midum, we''d found hundreds of survivors and sent them packing to the vige. I hope Enid has it all under control down there, finding beds and meals for the vigers was tricky as is, it''s going to be even harder now.

    For now, it isn''t my problem. The colony has sent me out to act as their scout and determine the nature of the threat on the surface and that is what I''m going to do. We''ve managed to do some damage, killed a heap of monsters and rescued some people, that''s all good and noble, but not the main reason why I''m here.

    Although the Biomass and skill levels have been nice. My constant practice of external mana maniption has continued to yield results, taking Greater External Mana Maniption to level 3. Enhanced mind magic affinity levelled once, Advanced Cerebral Endurance went to level ten and I ranked it up to Expert Cerebral Endurance. I also managed to gain a level! It was something of a shock to level up by cleaning up weaker monsters from the upper levels of the Dungeon but I think it was mostly due to the Garralosh Commander putting me close to the edge.

    We''ve also been making sure to keep eating as much Biomass as we can when we get a chance. I''ve gotten my supply back to thirty five, which isn''t much but every little bit helps! My iplete mutations and my impending evolution are weighing on my mind more heavily with every passing day. Something inside is saying that this evolution is going to be different and I want to make sure I''m as prepared as I can be. That feeling could also just be my oversized core causing me pain, who knows.

    [We need to be careful as we approach the city] Morrelia brought me back to our conversation, [I''m still not sure how it''s possible for Garralosh to be up here, but if we run into that beast then I don''t think either of us could make it out alive.]

    [I thought you said she wasn''t as evolved as I thought?] I protested, [now your saying we couldn''t even run away?]

    Morrelia growled in frustration, but it wasn''t directed at me. I could almost feel her re through the dirt above my head.

    [I suppose it doesn''t matter if I tell you, it might even help keep us alive. The truth is that Garralosh has been prevented from descending to the loweryers in order to starve her out. My father, and the Legion, didn''t want to allow Garralosh to grow. I''m not sure exactly why they singled out the beast in this way, but they did it, they boxed her in. The thin mana was supposed to kill the creature eventually, without anyone having to hunt the filthy thing down.]

    [But it hasn''t worked] I pointed out the obvious, [Garralosh seems to be fine and dandy, better than ever in fact, she''s doing the crocodile rock all over the surface for goodness sake!]

    [I know!] Morrelia ground out, [something hasn''t worked and I have no idea what. Garralosh was defeated by my father decades ago and was supposed to have scurried off to slowly die from ack of mana. Something about this situation is very wrong!]

    [Wait a second, your Dad defeated Garralosh? Like, by himself?!]

    Silence.

    Holy HECK?! No wonder Morrelia is so freakishly strong! Thems is some crazy genes!

    [So, uh. If your Dades back up to the surface ¡­ could you, uh, put in a good word for the colony? We aren''t so bad¡­ certainly aren''t crocodilic in any way.]

    [Ha!] Morrelia barked out a shortugh across our mental connection before she managed to stifle it. [Commander Titus isn''t a big fan of Dungeon monsters. If he finds you I can''t think of anything would prevent him from attempting to destroy you utterly.]

    ¡­

    Well, that brought the mood down.

    [Okay, putting your murderous, immensely powerful sire to one side, how do you n to approach the city? I won''t let you go in alone, the colony has requested that I scout and I''m not going back without pping my eyes on the big Croc at least once.]

    Morreliaid out her n and we finessed the details for an hour before we felt confident enough to proceed. I roused Tiny and Crinis from their rest, climbed out of the Dungeon and we were off.

 Chapter 199 The oppressive sense

    <h4>Chapter 199 The oppressive sense </h4>

    After we left our little slice of Dungeon, cores fully charged and feeling fresh, we began to make our way toward the capital in earnest. We''d done a few sweeps out this way before but had resisted the urge to push too close to the city in the event we attracted the wrong type of attention whilst there were still people that could be saved and roving bands of monsters that could be cleaned up toward the south.

    Those things have been cleared up now and there is nothing to stop us making our approach. Moving cautiously, we kept low, avoiding the main roads as Morrelia directed us west into therge forest south of the city. Moving back under those leafy branches was nostalgic to me, on the north side of this forest is where the colony set up our first nest on the surface. Not far from the vige where I bit off Beyns arm. Ah, memories.

    I wonder the Branchies are still around?

    Morrelia takes care that we stay hidden and out of sight as we continue to progress to the north, disying a level of woodcraft that I hadn''t expected to see in such a bloodthirsty warrior. When I, perhaps unwisely,mented on it, she snorted out augh of derision before replying.

    [You think roaming the wilds is as simple as killing everything you find? If you don''t know when and how to hide yourself, a hunter will wind up dead and eaten before they can blink.]

    [That''s a little surprising to me] I replied honestly, [I haven''t seen anything on the surface that could hope to put a scratch on you or me. Is there really a need for that kind of caution?]

    Morrelia continued to move and scout as we spoke, her eyes shifting without pause and her feet ced carefully as we moved.

    [Don''t get a big head. Surface monsters are much weaker than Dungeon monsters, that much is true, but there are still creatures on the surface that are powerful. Why else do you think the entire surface is yet to be reimed? Probably half of thendmass of Pangera is still considered ''wilnds'', with no sapient raceying im to it.

    [But why?!] I eximed, [I just don''t understand. If you have fighters that are able to battle in the Dungeon, then you can surely spend some of that strength on the surface? Don''t people want to rid the surface of monsters? Wouldn''t that be safer?]

    [The key point you aren''t grasping here, is whether or not thatnd is valuable.]

    [Well. You neednd, right? For farming¡­ and¡­ living?]

    Morreliaughed, a harsh barking sound that suited her warriors demeanour far more than a girlish titter would have.

    [Oh aye. For regr folks,nd is critical. Need to farm, grow families, fell lumber, mine. The wealth and prosperity of themon people is built onnd, certainly. What about the elites? What about the rulers of those mighty nations? For what do they neednd for?]

    I could feel the ire rising in Morrelia as she spoke and decided I should keep my mouth shut until she was finished. Wisdom showing itself in me once again!

    [The truth is, to the truly powerful, territory in the Dungeon is a thousand times more valuable that territory on the surface. Rare materials, monsterponents, cores, experience, these are the things that they are willing to fight for. The greatest empires of the surface don''t measure their strength by how wide theirnds are, but how deep. The regr people on the surface are left to fend for themselves, when they aren''t being drafted into some new crusade beneath the earth.]

    [So that''s why you spent your time hunting in the south? You wanted to use your skills and strength to try and help out where others wouldn''t.]

    She hesitated before she spoke, just for a brief moment but I caught it none the less.

    [Yes. Amongst other reasons, I wanted to try and do something to assist people on the border. My crew and I would takemissions to hunt from the monarchy, bounties basically, it wasn''t much but we made a living out of and got to feel that we were doing something worthwhile.]

    I felt like it was a bit of a waste of her skills to be honest. If she''d been doing something more like what she was doing know in the vige, training people and escorting them into the Dungeon to allow them to build up the strength to defend themselves, it would have been a more effective way to protect the people on the border. You know the old saying: Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will kill monsters in defence of family and property.

    Or something.

    I made my opinion known to Morrelia and she seemed to reluctantly agree.

    [It''s possible] she conceded, [I''ve greatly enjoyed training the refugees, more than I had expected I would, to be honest. I''d never thought I''d have the patience for it. I''m not sure if it''s something I could have done before. ess to the Dungeon was restricted in Liria, just like everywhere, and finding people in the viges who were willing to unt that rule and fight for themselves would have been hard before this mess urred.]

    [Why is ess to the Dungeon so restricted anyway? Wouldn''t it be good if people got a little stronger and advanced their sses?]

    Morrelia smiled grimly, her eyes still shifting left and right as she scouted for danger. [That''s exactly why. They don''t want people getting stronger, advancing their sses and potentially creating their own centres of power outside of their control.]

    I sighed internally. Even in another world people would be this petty and selfish. This kind of thing just reinforces to me the wisdom of the colony way of life. The idea of a worker trying to seek some sort of advantage over another worker is almost enough to make to meugh out loud! If anything they would scheme to ensure that they themselves were sacrificing more and working harder than others.

    Our conversation had run its course so Morrelia and I fell into apanionable silence. It would take quite some time for us to make our way through this forest, particrly since we didn''t want to be seen. I wasn''t even training any mental skills as we travelled, wanting to maintain my mental energy in the event that we ran into trouble.

    Fortunately, we didn''t. After extended travel without rest, we managed to make it the northern side of the forest. Somewhat sadly, we didn''t run into the old anthill, I think we passed somewhat to the east of it, but eventually the trees began to thin out as we approached the edge of the forest.

    My nerves grew apace as we advanced, I''d heard a lot about Garralosh since I''d been reborn and her stupid children had scared the willies out of me on more than one asion. I''m ready toy my eyes on the culprit.

 Chapter 200 Over the walls

    <h4>Chapter 200 Over the walls </h4>

    After a long period of stop-start running through the forest we eventually made our way clear of it and into the open fields. The once neat and organised fields that had been nted with crops or contained docile herds of animals were gone, trampled into the muck by monstrous feet. I didn''t expect the sight to effect as much as it did. My heart experienced a definite pang when I gazed upon the sheer destruction and human misery that had urred here.

    I hadn''t exactly had a positive life experience amongst humans before my rebirth. In fact I''d go so far as to say it was horrible. I never knew why, but my parents had hated me from, as far as I could tell, the moment of my birth. Growing up in that kind of environment wasn''t conducive to my ability to form healthy rtionships, things at school went as you might imagine.

    After I grew old enough to care for myself my parents pretty much disappeared, I dropped out of school and most social contact vanished. When I think of it in those terms, it doesn''t seem strange that my mentality became a little weird. It makes me a little ufortable to admit it, but I felt more at home and more wee amongst the colony in this life than I ever did amongst humans in myst one.

    They epted me without wanting anything in return, never asked anything from me and my mother, the Queen, gave me herplete and total trust in an instant, simply because I was member of her family.

    That was something I''d never experienced before. Not even anything remotely like it. Gandalf mentioned that people brought to Pangera were usually crazy in some way, broken, I think was the way he phrased it. I''ve never really thought of myself in that way, my life wasn''t ideal by any means, but I always felt there were plenty who were worse off than me, but not I think I get what he was trying to say.

    He didn''t necessarily just want to bring insane people here to Pangera and reincarnate them as monsters, he wanted to bring people who would feel more at home here, amongst the monsters, than they did in their previous lives. I suppose it could be said that only a crazy person would meet that criteria and perhaps that is what he meant by ''broken'' people.

    I wonder what will happen if I were to meet another person like myself, someone who had originated from Earth. It''s a question that''s been bothering me for a long time. We''re both monsters after all, designed to fight and kill each other in order to progress along our path. If I meet one and they try to nibble my face off I''m certain to fight back, no question about that. Is peaceful cooperation even possible in the Dungeon?

    My mind weighed down by these concerns, we begin to make our way through the final stretch of our journey. We crept across abandoned fields and passed the numerous scattered farmhouses and small viges that orbited the beating heart of this small kingdom, the capital city of Liria.

    The once proud stone walls no longer looked so imposing,rge gaps had been smashed into the stone, giving us glimpses of the destruction that had urred within. Massive stone blocks that had been part of the wall had been scattered across a wide area ofnd, as if the masonry had been smashed by a titans fist, sted out of ce and flown a hundred metres tond in a field.

    What buildings that had existed outside the walls, concentrated around the gates for the most part, had simply ceased to exist, ttened and destroyed, barely a wall remained standing of these dwellings which appeared to have drawn the monsters ire for some reason. They present an ill omen for what remains of the city inside the walls.

    Morrelia grows more tense the closer to the city we get. Her muscles are bunched and knotted by the time we reach two hundred metres of the wall, her eyes are aze with fury, like balls of liquid magma they seem to radiate heat into the air, so great is her wrath.

    [Try and stay cool] I advise her, somewhat uselessly, [Whatever has happened inside the city is likely to be worse than what we see out here and this is exactly the wrong ce to go berserk.]

    [Don''t you think I know that?] she replied, though her teeth remained clenched in her mouth.

    Not going to have a lot of luck there¡­

    [Crinis] I speak to my loyal follower, [If Morrelia flies off the handle, I need you to try and grab her so we can run the heck out of here.]

    [I''ll do my best, Master!] she replies, never failing to follow my instructions to the letter. If only Tiny could be so diligent.

    The ape in question is sniffing the air as we speak, looking bored without anything to fight. Just to be certain I reach out and speak to him as well. I want to make sure there aren''t any incidents.

    [We aren''t here to fight, Tiny] I warned him, [You are not to attack any monster we see inside the city. No fighting at all until we are safely away. This is an order.]

    I reinforce the point to ensure there is no wiggle room for him to avoid obeying me. I can''t afford any stuff ups this time.

    Morrelia and I decide to climb the wall and take a peak rather than slip through one of the cracks and move directly into the city. We want to get as much information as we can whilst remaining as far from any momma Crocs that might happen to be positioned inside the city, so taking a glimpse from a higher vantage point makes the most sense, even if it might outline us against the sky. Most monsters have quite poor vision anyway, especially those from the first strata. Since we only intend to look for a few seconds, we should be safe.

    Hunkered down, we circle the city a little until wee to argely undamaged stretch of wall with no openings for a few hundred metres on either side. If we''re spotted and pursued then the monsters either having to go over the wall of travel the extra distance could mean the difference between life and death.

    I look constantly around at our surroundings, it''s eerily quiet. Where I expected to see roaming hordes of monsters there is almost no motion, no sound. The city feels dead, in aplete way, as if no living existed within it for thest hundred years when only a few months ago I had seen it full of life! Just what is going on here?!

    When we begin to close the final stretch to the base of the wall itself I feel something change.

    I freeze in ce for a moment before snapping out instructions to my pets.

    [You two stay back here! Do not get any closer than this!]

    [Master! No!] Crinis protested.

    Thank goodness she''s sitting on my back and not on my head, otherwise she would have felt this change at the same time I did.

    [Off you get Crinis, Tinye over here and let her ride on your shoulder. Don''t get any closer to the city than this!]

    As an aside I speak to Morrelia. [You can feel that too, right?]

    Her face looks even more tense than it did before, something I hadn''t imagined was possible. If she looked like she could eat rocks before, she looks like she could chew through steel now.

    She nodded. [Somewhat, though I imagine it may be a little different to you.]

    Once Tiny had taken Crinis off my back and moved back a little, the little ball of mayhem protesting the entire time, I began to move forward once more, very slowly.

    It was an aura, an aura that had hit me like a truck running straight into my brain. Oppressive, dominant and filled with endless fury it switched on the moment I drew close enough to feel it, as if someone had flicked a switch. My entire body quailed at the touch of that aura and my minds shied away from it. This was far worse than what we experienced in the Marsh Expanse, this was ten times worse.

    Garralosh. It had to be. If it isn''t the big Croc, if one of her children can unleash this kind of power, then we are cooked. We are a duck stuffed into a chicken, stuffed into a turkey and then double baked kind of cooked. I''m talking well-done with the charred marinade on the outside.

    Focus dammit Anthony! Stop imagining yourself beings so delicious!

    As if moving through msses I firm my will and push forward to the base wall and then begin to climb. One leg at a time, I advance, my ws digging into the stone and sticking like a vice as I reach up to grasp my next foothold.

    [Advanced Grip (II) has reached level 5]

    Shut UP!

    Who cares about that right now?!

    Impressively, Morrelia uses her own bare hands to climb, her fingers disy extraordinary strength as she finds minute holds and gaps in the stone to haul herself up. She still takes longer than I do, walking up a wall is only somewhat harder for me than walking on the ground, but I have natural advantages.

    After ten minutes of silent, tense climbing, we finally reached the top.

    Just before we poked our heads over the edge, Morrelia and I turned to look at each other as possibly the worlds'' first ''Good luck, hope we don''t die'' look was exchanged between human and monster. Then we took the final step and lifted our heads above the edge.

    ¡­.

    That''s a big ass Croc.

 Chapter 201 The beast itself

    <h4>Chapter 201 The beast itself </h4>

    The city was in ruins. Forget about a hurricane, earthquake or other natural disaster, this level of destruction was far beyond that. It looked as if a meteor handnded on the city, or if a god had stamped down with its heavenly foot. If thetter had urred then that god had supremely t arches because the city was just gone.

    It looked as if no two bricks still stood one atop the other. Every building had been ttened, the open spaces were strewn with rubble and the once proud, cobbled roads were broken and cracked. In the distance, the hill on which the castle had once stood, with its inner wall and high towers, there was only a ruin.

    This city had been built up over two hundred years of effort and endeavour, and now it was gone. If anyone wanted to try and recreate the city, establish the kingdom of Liria once again, they would need to do so from scratch. Heck, even the job of cleaning up this mess would take a monumental effort.

    Although, just because the buildings had ceased to be, didn''t mean the space inside the walls was empty. Oh no, it was full to bursting. With Monsters.

    Across every surface, on top of every stone, they stood, stock still. As if mesmerized by an illusion, monsters of every type from the first strata stood rooted to the ground and stared in one direction, unmoving and still. The site sickened me to my core for reasons I couldn''t exin. It was unnatural for monsters to act this way, as if they were mindless drones with no will of their own. These were creatures born of the Dungeon! They should fight, struggle and battle!

    Silent and still they appeared weak, like ves to a greater will than their own. Bears, frogs, centipedes, hounds, slugs, bats, apes, lizards, even a few shadow beasts were in the mix, each doing the exact same thing, staring in the same direction, even the sightless monsters, as if they were receiving the light of the sun from their god.

    Or goddess, in this case.

    She sat above the Dungeon entrance inside the city. When Iy on eyes of the beast it felt as if her aura that dominated the air around me grew stronger, threatening to knock me off the wall. This was supposed to be a weakened monster?! Are you kidding me?!

    I''m not sure what I expected Garralosh to look like, her offspring seemed to gain limbs, heads and tails as they evolved, following a strict ''more is more'' policy, but the big momma Croc did not seem to follow in that pattern. Of all of her different offspring mutations she most resembled a Titan Croc. Long reptilian body, powerful front and back legs that supported her when shey t and would allow her to walk when she stood., with a second pair of arms below the first to help support her more heavily massed upper body.

    Rather than two heads, three heads, or the over and under jaws of the Commanders, Garralosh simply had the one Crocodile head. It was difficult to make out the smaller details at this distance, but I think she did have more than just the two eyes, I''d have to closer to be sure, something that wasn''t going to happen!

    One muscr croc tail extended from the back of her body,zily sweeping back and forth as she rested.

    Long ridges extended down her back, almost long enough to be called spines, from her head all the way to the tip of her tail. They were dark in colour, and gleamed like obsidian in the light. Her scales were a deep, dark green and even at this range I got the sense that they would be as thick as steel tes.

    There was nothing exceptionally remarkable about Garralosh in monster terms, so long as you discounted her size.

    She was huge. It defied physical reality for a crocodile to be thisrge. What is this, the cretaceous period?! Someone get this frickin'' dinosaur out of here! My mind boggled to even look at her. She was to a Croca Beast what a megdon was to gummi shark.

    It was hard to say exactly howrge she was, but from nose to tip of the tail I estimated her to be over twenty metres. She was like a semi-trailer truck, in mass as well as length, since she wasn''t just long, she was built. Her neck, shoulders and body were thick with muscle, not to mention her enormous jaws which looked as if they could shatter a building with one snap. This was ridiculous! Did you pour every ounce of your evolutionary potential into getting massive?! Were you a gym junkie in a previous life? Are you the monster equivalent of a steroid addict?!

    I was so bewildered by the sheer size of the monster that I failed to focus on what was happening around her until I heard Morrelia mutter something under her breath.

    [What is it?] I sent over our mind bridge.

    [Who is that? What are they doing?] she asked, her mind strained with focused intent.

    Who is who? Are you seeing this freakin'' crocodile?!

    I turned my attention back to the area upied by the enormous crocodile and tried to divert my focus away from gawking at Garralosh to take in what was happening in the monsters'' surroundings. From the distance we were, it was hard to make out the small details, but what I saw was enough to throw me into confusion.

    There were humanoids down there. Something told me that they weren''t human, they were too tall and too slender, though their physique was difficult to make out, given that they were covered in long robes with hoods. Basketball ying monks? What the heck is going on down there?

    Not for the first time I cursed my poor ant eyesight. I''d taken huge strides in improving my vision but long distance viewing still remained my weakness. In the Dungeon it didn''t matter so much but it was really biting my thorax right now.

    Now that I took a clearer look, the area around Garralosh did look weird. Shey, brooding and massive in what looked like a crude basin of some kind. The odd robed figures were positioned around her in a loose formation, each of them wielding a staff tipped by a glowing core.

    Something about their positioning tickles my brain and when I try to connect the vague shape in my mind it suddenly snaps into ce that they are forming a spell matrix using their bodies as part of the construct! What the heck kind of magic are they trying to cast?!

    I can''t squint due to myck of eyelids but I still strain as hard as I can to get a glimpse of what is happening in the distance. I can get a vague impression that the robed figures are drawing something up through openings in the earth below them and it seems as if it''s draining down into the basin where Garralosh is resting.

    [Are they¡­ condensing mana for Garralosh?]

 Chapter 202 Flight from Liria

    <h4>Chapter 202 Flight from Liria </h4>

    I can''t be exactly sure but the shape of the basin and the terrain around the robed figures'' feet gives the impression of liquid being brought up from below ground and running downhill to be collected. If they are bringing a liquid up from the Dungeon, what could the liquid be but mana? I mean, I''ve never seen liquid mana, but unless they are bringing up some sweet natural spring water in order to give the biggest Crocodile in all the worlds a soothing bath, perhaps followed by an exfoliating scale scrub, revealing skins'' freshestyer, then what does the Croc need that can be found in the Dungeon?

    Mana.

    I know it can be condensed, I have the freakin'' skill to do it! Perhaps I''ve never seen something like this, but that doesn''t mean it can''t be done!

    [They''re feeding Garralosh mana! Using some sort of voodoo technique topress the mana in the Dungeon and letting her absorb it! That''s how she''s able to hang about on the surface!]

    My minds race, connecting the dots now that I have this information.

    [This is why she isn''t dead!] I exim to Morrelia, [she was never starving of mana. Whoever these people are, they''ve been supporting Garralosh within the Dungeon and keeping her alive, feeding her mana, controlling her.]

    Oh snap! If these guys and gals can regte the flow of mana to Garralosh then she is dependent on them,pletely at their mercy. If they decide to turn the tap off then big momma croc has no choice except to fade slowly away as her core bleeds dry.

    [This is insane] Morrelia ground out, her eyes burning with rage, [who the hell are they?!]

    That is the question of the hour. The two of us remain with our heads poked over the top of the city wall, straining to make out any details.

    Just then, something new caught my eye. Movement to one side of the basin as something that had buried itself beneath the dirt rose up, shaking itself free of the loose soil which cascaded from therge creature and onto the ground. What the heck is this now? Another monster?

    When the dirt finally fell away what was revealed was not a hideous monster or another deformed Croca Beast variant, but arge lizard that appeared to be draped in what I can only describe as luxurious robes and golden jewellery.

    This lizard wasrge. Although it was dwarfed next to Garralosh it was still a hefty ten metres long from nose to tail, but not nearly as bulky. Something about the creature, perhaps its dull scale colour or wrinkly skin, seemed to speak of incredible age. I got the feeling that this lizard had been around the block a few times.

    I could almost feel the weight of its gaze and it stared at me.

    Wait a sec.

    [Morrelia? Is that giant lizard staring at us?]

    [Kaarmodo!] she hissed and jumped from the wall.

    What the heck?! We''re like eight metres up!

    [Hurry up!] she hollered at me across our mental link and I watched stunned as she neatly rolled onnding and began sprinting away from the city.

    [I''m not up to speed here? Why are you running?] I asked as I hesitated at the top of the wall.

    Then I noticed something. Inside the wall, not only was the lizard looking at me, but Garralosh herself had turned to face me.

    And so had every monster inside the walls.

    I leaped from the wall, legs iling in the air as I attempted to p my way to freedom. Why the hell didn''t I give myself wings?! I know I live underground 99% of the time, but still, wings!

    THUD.

    I smacked into the ground with a dull thump, the impact sending shockwaves through my carapace. Thankfully my sturdy exoskeleton and its inner ting managed to absorb the force without cracking, since I didn''t trust my legs to do the job. Not wanting to break any limbs at this critical juncture, I''d wisely tucked them up so my body would hit the ground first. Repairing a broken leg right now would be a little awkward to say the least.

    [RUN!] I shouted at my two pets as they watched from a distance away from the wall, [let''s gogogogogogogogoooooo!]

    The moment I had my legs under me I was dashing, holding nothing back in my desperation to get away. Morrelia was way ahead of me, not pausing in the slightest when she realised I hadn''t moved as quickly as she had. That''s cold! Sensible, but cold!

    [What the heck is that giant lizard?] I wailed at her.

    [It''s a Kaarmodo! They are not monsters, they''re a sapient surface race, like humans!]

    [How in the heck is a giant lizard like a human?]

    [Listen] she growled back at me as we sprinted, [they are one of the elder races that existed on Pangera before the Dungeon opened. They are powerful mages and live for a very long time. Those robed figures we saw are it''s Setsh, bonded servants.]

    [And why is it helping a giant Crocodile Monster ughter a heap of humans?]

    [I have no idea! Would you please focus on running for your life?!]

    Good advice!

    HUUUAAAARRRRRRR!!!!

    The sound of thousands of monsters bellowing in rage at once rattled against my ears and the ground beneath my feet began to rattle like a snare drum. It became apparent why not long after as monsters began to flood out of the gates and over the wall as a tide of death.

    [Move those fancy feet, Tiny! Do NOT stop to fight, do NOT turn and do battle. This is NOT the time to fire up! We are a Jamaican Bobsled team, keep cool and run!] I bellowed at my most wilful pet and with me keeping up the flow of constant orders and reprimands, for once, he wasn''t able to turn fight against impossible odds as he so wished.

    [Where are we running to?] I gasped at Morrelia, the strain of constant dashing already starting to catch up with me. I am taking care of this problem when I evolve next, no doubt about that!

    [I don''t know] she rasped, the usually unppable warrior looked a fair bit pped as she ran, [any bright ideas?]

    [I think so! This way!]

    As if the demon hordes of hades were on our tail, which they sort of were, we ran with all our strength, feet growing leaden and weighed down the further we got. Across fields, around fences and down roads we ran with the constant rumble of monsters feet shaking the ground behind us. I didn''t even want to look behind but my stupid eyes with their near three-sixty degree vision granted me tantalising glimpses of a monster horde greater than any I had ever seen by far. No way I was going to turn and fight this, even ten Gravity Bombs wouldn''t be enough to swallow the entire horde, we had to get to safety.

    Fortunately, it didn''t take too long before it came into sight.

    On a hill in the distance I could see a small church building, still standing somehow when so much of the buildings around here had been ttened. The church was a centre point of a modest town that I had visited before, and I happened to know that I path into the Dungeon could be found in that church!

    [Let''s go to church!] I bellowed at mypanions.

 Chapter 203 The escape

    <h4>Chapter 203 The escape </h4>

    As if the hounds of hell were on our tail, or perhaps the crocodiles of the damned, we fled until my poor ant legs ached with the strain and my antennae drooped low from exhaustion. Into the vige, up into the church and then down in the still open Dungeon entrance the colony had opened what seemed like a lifetime ago.

    Due the wave still ongoing, the tunnel was packed full of monsters and we were forced to pummel and slice our way through them in order to prate into the Dungeon below. The battle was endless but we were careful not to finish off the monsters that we fought, knocking them out of the way, slowing them with gravity magic, even Tiny just bopping them on the head until we were past, anything to create more of a road block for the zombie monster horde following behind us.

    Down we fought, charging through the escape Tunnel that the colony had painstakingly dug until we reached the point where it connected to another Dungeon path via a narrow connection. I''d dug that connection myself in order to go hunting for the colony during our escape and hopefully it would serve us now! Tiny, Crinis, Morrelia and I piled through the narrow connection, widening it in some ces to get Tiny through, before copsing and filling it in behind us.

    A simple ruse, but possibly enough to divert the mindless horde of monsters that pursued us. Damn I wish I knew how the Crocs were able to mind control monsters the way they did. Was it a form of magic? A skill? An aura mutation? I hadn''t seen anything like it in the menu so far, but that could just mean I hadn''t ''unlocked'' it through whatever esoteric means the System used to conceal options until it was happy you''d jumped through the right hoop.

    Could it be something to do with core strength even? Perhaps once I upgrade my core to a rare core, I''ll be able to influence monsters in a simr way? I just don''t know, and it''s frustrating the heck out of me.

    Not content to wait so close to the escape tunnel, we battled further into this side path before I told the others to cover me whilst I dug out a new chamber, blessedly free from the influence of the mana veins and therefore clear of constant mana spawns. At least until the mana veins extend into here we will have a little chance to rest.

    Exhausted we all copse. Tiny is asleep before he even hits the ground, Crinis not far behind, though she preserves her dignity by lowering herself down to the ground with her tentacles before retracting them and growing still.

    Morrelia leans back against the dirt wall and slides down, uncaring how the soil trickles down into her hair, until she''s sitting with her arms resting on her knees. I''m desperate for a bit of torpor in order to recuperate but first I have to know more about what we saw.

    My minds move wearily to reconstruct the mind bridge, sheesh I''m getting a lot of practice with this construct these days, how the heck did I ever get by without it?

    [Any chance you can exin to me a little about what we saw up there? The big lizard thing? The fancy spell work? Who are they and why would they want to keep Garralosh alive?]

    Morrelia sat with her head bowed for a time and I resisted the urge to pester her with questions. I can tell she''s still a tad angry about we saw up there, to put it mildly, and I don''t want to be the one to set off a Berserker explosion.

    [I don''t know why they''d keep that beast alive. I''ve no idea. To think that they would have to have been supporting her for decades in order to prevent her from weakening. Why? It makes no damn sense.]

    [Who is ''they''? You said something about a Koomodo?]

    [Kaarmodo] she corrected me. [The giant lizard you saw is called a Kaarmodo. They''re an ancient race, older even than humans. They live for hundreds of years and are always apanied by their Setsh servants. I don''t know too much about it but from what I understand, the Setsh were a race conquered thousands of years ago and pressed into very by the Kaarmodo. They are bound in some fashion, tied by bonds of magic to their masters.]

    Magically bonded ve race? That got real dark, real quick.

    [So I take it that these Kaarmodo aren''t considered friendly then? Evil race of smanders?]

    Morrelia waved her hand in frustration. [Not really. The Kaarmodo are just another sapient race on the surface. We even trade with them here in Liria. Their empire is in the mountains to the northeast, we share a narrow border with them. I still don''t see why they would support Garralosh. Why would they use that creature to attack Liria? Their empire is thousands of years old! They have everything they could possibly want! What is here for them?]

    Morrelia was visibly angered by her inability to find a reasonable answer. The destruction was on such a broad scale and so indiscriminate, there had to be a good reason!

    I didn''t necessarily agree with her. Who knows why giant lizards with magic ves make decisions? I sure don''t.

    [Could it bend?] I asked. [Perhaps they want to exterminate the minor kingdoms here and move in without anyone thinking they were behind it?]

    She shook her head, rejecting my suggestion outright. [What would be the point? They could walk in and stomp the minor kingdoms with almost no effort anyway. And who would care if they did? The only reason thesends were settled in the first ce is because nobody wanted them!]

    [Okay, well the next suggestion is a little worse. Weapons testing?]

    Morrelia froze. [What do you mean?]

    My inability to shrug really gets me down sometimes. There is an equivalent antennae movement that we ants use, but nobody else seems to understand it.

    [Well, you''ve managed to tame a big bad monster, something that is too strong for the first strata and possibly stronger than most things on the second. Presumably, if you keep growing the monster, helping it to evolve and manage the mana that you give it, you could control it forever. Might be a bit of work, but it would sure be a heck of a lot less resource intensive than raising a pet to be as strong as Garralosh.]

    [And the testing?]

    [Well, if you''ve got this creature under your control, why not see how well it works? They''ve put decades worth of effort into it, may as well see if the project is going to be worth further investment.]

    Morrelia turned to face me, her expression a mask of horror.

    [You really think they''d destroy entire kingdoms filled with people just for that?]

    I shrugged again. Antennae are the best.

    [I''m not a giant lizard with hundreds of years of life behind me. You tell me. Does that sounds like something they''d do?]

    Reluctantly, the Berserker nodded.

    [The Kaarmodo aren''t without rivals. Theypete for resources in the Dungeon with numerous groups and empires. I still can''t believe that they would go this far¡­]

    I stepped over to the visibly emotional Morrelia and patted her on the shoulder with an antenna.

    [People, lizards. They all suck. This is why I''m happy I''m an ant.]

    Smooth.

 Chapter 204 Advance

    <h4>Chapter 204 Advance </h4>

    Wey low in the Dungeon for hours. The dirt and stone that surrounded us meant that we heard nothing of our pursuers, even if they passed within ten metres of us. The constant warfare amongst the regr monsters remained constant, as it always way when they weren''t brainwashed by some fat ass Croc.

    Haaa. I really need to get back to the colony, all of this stress is giving me a potty mouth. Some down time might be nice.

    [We need to get back to the vige] Morrelia sent over our mental connection, catching me by surprise.

    She''d been brooding and punching the walls in fits of anger during our stay here. I could tell she wasn''t too pleased by what I''d had to say, who even knew if it was the truth. To me, it didn''t really matter why an empire of elderly lizards was unleashing a Dungeon monster on their weaker neighbours, what mattered is that they had, and how we were going to cope with it.

    [If we rush back to the colony, won''t we just lead them straight there?] I protested.

    Leading the horde and Garralosh down onto my family was not my idea of being a filial worker. I could already see the twenty, rolling their antennae with frustration at this new mess that I''d caused them whilst refusing to say anything about to me because I was technically the eldest.

    [We aren''t dealing with back kingdom hedge wizards now, Anthony] Morrelia growled at me. She was angry, frustrated, and it was making her a bit short. [They''ll have scried out the entire south by now, since they know which direction we came from. Maybe they had done that even before we poked the hive with a stick. Point is, they will know about the vige and the colony. They aren''t going to leave them be.]

    Gawd.

    [A tiny little vige and colony of harmless ants? Why would go to all that I effort?] I muttered.

    Morrelia snorted at my use of the word ''harmless'', I don''t think she''s buying just how innocent and loveable we are. Or perhaps she knows what we might be capable of¡­

    [They came here to eradicate the people, I don''t think they''ll leave before the job is done. Besides] she added, [I don''t think they''ll want you or I to survive, given what we''ve seen.]

    Makes sense. It doesn''t really mean much if you have raised a secret weapon that nobody knows you can control, if someone has seen you controlling it.

    Dammit!

    [So the only way we actually make it out of this alive, outside of fleeing through the Dungeon, is to rally the colony and vige and fight against them?!]

    The warriors face twisted at my mention of fleeing through the Dungeon, as if the very thought was repellent to her. Hey! I didn''t actually consider doing it! As if I would leave the colony alone to fend for itself in its time of trial. That is my family right there.

    [Correct] Morrelia nodded. [I have no idea how, but the only we make out is if we fight. If we try to flee, they''ll hunt us down eventually. I don''t know a way that we could hide from their scrying magic, we just don''t have the Skills.]

    And fleeing into the wilderness would put the colony at risk at just the moment we were beginning to explode in our potential. If we''d had an extra month then I wouldn''t nearly be this worried, the number of ants the colony would be able to wield by then would smash the horde following Garralosh and drag the stupid Croc down into the mud.

    As it was we just didn''t have the firepower.

    The vigers were in much the same position. The training and Dungeon expeditions had done a lot to take a collection of former famers,bourers and traders and put them on the road to bing proper warriors, but they weren''t there yet. There wasn''t enough of them and they weren''t far enough along in their skill development to turn the tide against a monster like Garralosh.

    [Okay then. First thing first, we need to get the heck out of here and we need to do it fast] I decided.

    [You have a n?] Morrelia asked, her eyes sharpening on me.

    [Nope] I admitted, [ns aren''t really my strong point. I was thinking we could just bust out the way we came in and hightail it south. It''s not subtle but it gets us there as quickly as possible.]

    Morrelia stared at me for a moment before she threw back her head and barked out augh.

    [Too bad the Legion doesn''t ept monsters in the ranks] she chuckled, [I have a feeling you''d fit right in.]

    I turned my antennae toward the woman, reading the air around here subconsciously. She constantly talked about the Legion, not directly of course, but always mentioning it here and there. I know her father is a massive big shot with them, but what about Morrelia? She''s powerful, very much so. Why wasn''t she a member? I refuse to believe she was kicked out.

    [So¡­] I began.

    [I quit after my brother died in the service] she interrupted me.

    ¡­

    How does someone even read what an ant is about to say? I don''t even have facial muscles on the outside! Still, what she''d said did raise another question.

    [How ¡­] I began.

    [My father did not take it well] she answered.

    And judging by the steeled expression on the Berserkers case I wasn''t going to get more information than that out of her. I think I''d pried enough anyway.

    [So we break through the front?] I asked.

    [I think its most likely the horde will have returned to Garralosh'' side. They can''t have their monsters rushing around in the Dungeon forever, no matter that they can replenish their stock during the wave. Let''s go with your idea, but if we run into too much opposition we can retreat back to this position and try to find another way out] Morrelia suggested.

    Sounded good to me.

    [Alright then Tiny and Crinis, are you guys ready to fight your way out?]

    At the word ''Fight'', Tiny literally seemed toe alive, energy and light filled his eyes and his hands clenched and unclenched at the prospect of battle. For her part, Crinis unfolded a few tentacles and walked her way over to me, settling onto my carapace primly. If a shadowy ball of infinite despair could do anything ''primly''.

    [I am ready to fight by your side, Master] she dered.

    Well, good then.

    [But I feelpelled to inform you] she added after a moment''s hesitation, [that I believe I have reached the required level to evolve.]

    Ohhhhhhh boy.

    [Really?! I sputtered with excitement, [that''s great!] I couldn''t help but reach back with my antennae to pat and stroke the little ball.

    [Well done Crinis!] I praised her effusively, [and you even managed to tell me on your own! This is going to be great!]

    ¡­

    [Crinis?]

    Dang. Too much praise, too quickly. She''d short circuited again.

 Chapter 205 Fleeing south (again)

    <h4>Chapter 205 Fleeing south (again) </h4>

    We had to dy our escape for a few minutes until Crinis hade back to herself, but we didn''t dare allow her the extra time to evolve right now, we needed her fighting strength to help us in the tunnels. If we managed to break free and make it to the surface then she could probably evolve whilst riding on my back if it came to it, but until then we needed her alert.

    Once everyone was prepared we enacted our n, such as it was. Bust out into the tunnel, kill everything we see, bust back into the escape tunnel, kill everything we see, break out to the surface in the church, kill everything we see.

    There was a sort of simple elegance to the n that quite appealed to me. At any rate, we were sessful. Relying on the simplest and most direct methods, we chomped, stabbed, punched and tore limb from limb everything that came our way. We were lucky though, the seemingly bottomless horde of monsters that had been sent after us was nowhere to be seen. In fact, it felt as if the zombie monsters had done us a favour by killing the spawned monsters that had crowded the escape tunnel. We had to contend with far less monsters on the way out than we did on the way in. So that''s a plus!

    Things were a little less simple when we reached the surface.

    I''d like to say that it was me who anticipated the ambush and foiled it with my brilliant tactics, a lie I don''t even believe Crinis would have been able to swallow. It was unfortunate, but it Morrelia was the one who made us pause in our escape, not one hundred metres away from the surface entrance beneath the church.

    [You know they''ll have an ambush in ce, right?] she asked as she eyed me askance.

    [Of course] I lied.

    She nodded to herself as if relieved. Not having a human face helped a lot when deceiving humans, I decided. My antennae had waggled like crazy as I''d spoken the obvious lie, my face, which was literally a part of my skeleton, had remained silky smooth.

    My own pets were a little more wise to my deception. Crinis shifted ufortably on my back and Tiny looked at me with ck jawed astonishment. Stupid pets! Don''t give the whole game away!

    [So how do you think we should deal with it?] I prompted Morrelia, hoping to keep her distracted.

    She rubbed her chiselled chin with one hand as she looked towards the exit and contemted. Whoever her parents were, they had some serious jaw genes going on. Morrelia was a solid unit for a woman already but her jawline was so damn sharp it could probably cut steel.

    [Do you think you could rustle up another one of those giant bomb things?] she asked.

    I cked my jaws with joy.

    ¡­

    [You have in level 22 Garralosh Commander]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have reached level 32]

    [You have reached level 33]

    [You have reached level 34]

    HA! None of your fancy tricks this time you idiot crocodile!

    After charging up my Gravity Bomb to a ludicrous degree once more, I unleashed it at the entrance from a safe distance away, Morrelia helping to ensure that proper nning was executed for once in the deployment of this particr magic.

    I aimed the spell to hit right next to the opening and it would appear the Garralosh Commander had been prowling right next the opening in the hopes of catching us the instant we exited the tunnel!

    BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

    THE POWER!

    Internally I cackled with glee as we charged forward to expunge the remaining monsters that hadn''t been caught in the st. Taken aback by the devastating strike that had instantly killed the most powerful monster amongst them, they werepletely unprepared for the savagery of our follow up assault. I took my time tormenting the weaker monsters and squeezed a couple of levels into Tearing Bite, allowing me to upgrade it to the next rank, Severing Bite (III).

    This particr bite skill tree continued to be distasteful, specialising in separating monsters into parts. As an active skill it was even more horrifying, allowing me to slice off monsters limbs from range. Crinis'' seemed delighted by the skill however, further evidence of the dark road on which she treaded.

    After her evolution, who knows exactly what she will be?¡­ I''m nervous. I''m kind of worried to even perform core surgery and manipte the oue, I''d inevitably have to ask her how she wanted it to go and I''m not sure I wanted to hear the oue.

    Speaking of evolution, that Gravity Bomb had helped push me closer than ever before to my next evolution, only six more levels and I''d be there.

    Once we finished off the remaining monsters Morrelia kept watch so we would have the opportunity to chow down on the Commander. We didn''t want to waste any time in the event that Garralosh herself came to collect the corpse as she didst time so I can''t me Morrelia for wanting to avert her eyes from this rapid feasting. It got messy, real quick.

    The rewards were worth it though. The entire corpse hadn''t quite been obliterated by the Gravity Bomb and we fell upon what remained with relish. I managed to obtain a hundred Biomass from the remains, as well as the greater prize.

    [Compatible rare core detected, would you like to absorb or reconstitute the core?]

    [Warning, absorption will take you beyond your current limit.]

    Mu ¡­. Muaha¡­. MUAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

    The core is MINE!

    Filled with glee I rip out the core and hold it in my mandibles, triumphant. I have managed to retrieve it after all! Mother will have to ept it!

    Not willing to wait around any longer we began to cut to the south as fast as we could. Us monsters had our cores recently topped off and I returned to my constant effort to absorb mana from the air using external mana maniption in order to continually top off my core and increase my up time.

    Even so, Morrelia and I made a point to veer to the east asionally in order to try and keep tabs on Garralosh and its lizard handler, along with horde of thousands of monsters it was bringing along for the ride. We found them eventually, moving along the road that wound around the forest towards the south. Garralosh lumbered in the middle of the horde, easily visible even from a great distance, the Kaarmodo mage and its attendants not far behind.

    Their marching speed isn''t too hot, probably trying to maintain the mana in the cores of all the monsters who have them. If they don''t find an entrance to the Dungeon on the way, they''re going to have trouble, although I wager the lizard would be scrying for that as they travelled. I really needed to know more about scrying magic, and how the heck it worked. Morrelia wasn''t sure but she thought it might be an extension of air magic. Still, beholding the sheer size of the horde arrayed against us, and the gargantuan dino of a Croc in the centre of the mass, brought home again just how difficult the uing struggle would be.

    The colony could not afford to lose, we wouldn''t be spared from the jaws of the foe, just as we would not spare the enemy if we were to emerge victorious. Unable to flee, it was backs to the wall time for my family. I would do everything in my power to ensure they came out the victor.

    Mind buzzing furiously, we ran south.

 Chapter 206 Reunite with the family

    <h4>Chapter 206 Reunite with the family </h4>

    By the time we came within reach of the colony''s scent trails I''d managed to level external mana maniption twice, and we werepletely exhausted. Tiny was stumbling with every step, the poor guy was the heaviest of all of us by quite the margin and the hard running had worn him down. Stamina had levelled again for me at least, but only the once, proving just what kind of ridiculous effort was required to get that skill to level up.

    Crinis had declined to evolve on the journey itself, preferring to use the time riding on my back to contemte her skills, Biomass spend and the direction she wanted to take in her all-important evolution. When I could spare it, I turned my own thoughts to the possible uing evolution. I had no idea how the colony would be able to bring down a monster like Garralosh but if I was to do my bit, then I needed to be as strong as possible. Getting six levels in a short amount of time would be difficult without any higher tier monsters to chomp on but it wasn''t impossible.

    The first scent trail I came upon tingled against my antennae as the pheromones registered on my sense of smell.

    "Biomass source in this direction has been exhausted. >:)"

    More scent-mojis!

    Looks like the colony has been raiding towards the north in search of surface monsters to fuel the colony''s growth. They must have been sessful if they managed to wipe them out. Hopefully the workforce was ready to begin to hunt in the Dungeon, if they hadn''t already. Vibrant had been taking her personal posse of workers down there for a while now, but the full time raids needed to start en masse. We didn''t have much time and the colony needs to grow as much as possible.

    Morrelia and I discussed briefly how much time it would take for Garralosh to arrive at the vige and she gave us a week. Maybe a little more. It was a heap of time, and precious little at the same time.

    We slowed a pace a little, this close to the finish line. The scent trails became thicker and more frequent the closer we got until we started to run into small patrols of workers.

    "Hello Eldest!" they greeted me, "work hard!"

    I''m always working hard dammit!

    "How are things with the colony?" I called to them as we passed by.

    "Busy!" one of them called back.

    Wise guy.

    It''s a colony of ants! Of course things are busy!

    Morrelia must have noticed something about the interaction because she reached out to me over the mind bridge.

    [Do you talk to each other?] she enquired.

    Ugh. Letting the humans know more about the colony could be a risk but also a sign of trust. It''s not as if they could overhear what we say to each other, so I don''t really see the risk in it¡­ Perhaps I''ve just grown to trust Morrelia a little more over our time together, which is possibly what she wanted out of this expedition. At any rate, I decide to answer the question.

    [We do] I admitted, [we can talk to each other using our pheromones. It was pretty basic at first but has grown moreplextely. We can talk pretty much as well as humans can.]

    Better, if you include the development of the scent-moji.

    [What did they say?] she asked curiously.

    [I asked how things are with the colony and she told me it''s ''busy''.]

    Morrelia stared at me for a moment before throwing back her head andughing.

    [It''s a colony of ants!] she chortled, [of course they''re busy!]

    Exactly!

    Fifteen minutester we parted ways, Morrelia to head to the vige and myself toward the colony. The workers were thicker now, bustling here and there and it wasn''t long before the saw the anthill in the distance.

    What in the name of great googly-moogly!?!?!

    It''s HUGE.

    The anthill had tripled in size at least. High as a hill and just as wide, with a strong palisade around the outside formed of wooden posts and¡­ was that a moat?!

    Small openings dotted the surface of the massive hill, with ants poking in and out constantly as they went about their various tasks. Burlier looking soldier ants patrolled the hill here and there, antennae twitching this direction and that as they kept their senses sharp for invasion.

    What the heck was been going on in my absence? All this dirt must havee from somewhere, which means the excavation below ground should be spectacr. It appears that scout wasn''t joking when she said things had been ''busy''.

    [Tiny, make yourselffortable and get some rest. You earned it buddy.]

    The weary bat-faced gori flopped to the ground the moment I''d finished speaking, exhausted to the bone. I wasn''t even five metres away before he started snoring.

    cker.

    I would also love to throw myself down the ground and nap but I have serious business to take care of before I''d get the chance. I felt that there would be precious little time to rest over the next few days, what with the impending doom marching south to kill all of us.

    There were several crude bridges made from logsid next to each at intervals around the colony and I hustled over the closest one with Crinis still riding on my back. The footing would seem treacherous and uneven to a human but to the ants it was like a broad highway, my ws gripped into the wood with ease and I passed over the waters swiftly.

    Then up, up and up we went, climbing the side of the hill to reach the main entrance at the top. Scent trails were thick on the ground here, scouting paths, hunting paths, even resource collection paths had beenid out trailing away from the hill.

    Ignoring the smaller entrances I pushed my way to the top so that I could enter through the main opening. I wanted to get the broadest sense of the changes and I was less likely to get losting through the main entrance.

    The problem I had with the anthill is that my tunnel map doesn''t work as well above ground, it only maps out Dungeon tunnels. The portion of the nest beneath the surface level was neatly outlined in my mental map but the rest ¡­ nothing.

    Fortunately scent trails had been used almost like the coloured lines in a hospital to guide workers the right way.

    "Queens chamber."

    "Day Brood chambers."

    "Farms."

    "Lecture Theatre."

    "Artisan workshop."

    "Healing chambers."

    "Mage Training area."

    So organised! Looks like someone finally took charge and put some thought into the nestyout and the sorts of spaces we might need! Thank goodness, because it was never going to me. I''ve beening to know myself more and more recently and I''m happy to admit that this sort of detailed nning is not exactly my forte.

    Clutching onto the wall of the tunnel I made my way down into the depths of the nest, the sheer number of workers rushing around catching me by surprise. It feels as if the colony has doubled in size since I left, which is absurd. I''m sure the numbers aren''t that high but there are surely a heck of a lot more than I sawst time if this level of activity is anything to go by.

    [Crinis, pass me the core.]

    The little blob on my back wordlessly passed the core she had been clutching in one tentacle along for the ride and I grasped it in my teeth.

    I couldn''t wait to show mother what I''d brought her.

 Chapter 207 Mother of Planning

    <h4>Chapter 207 Mother of nning </h4>

    THWACK!

    HIYA!

    SNAP!

    The moment I entered the Queen''s chamber, a powerful antennae came flying at my head. This time though, I was prepared, I''d thought ahead, inspired by Morrelia''s thoughtfulness I had anticipated how my reception would begin.

    Thus it was that I stood upside at the entrance, clinging to the roof with one of my mother''s antennae sped between my own. Sword catching is for fools, antennae catching is a whole new level.

    "Hold on a second, mother! It isn''t like you to be hasty!" I appealed.

    The Queen''s eyesy on me like a weight, peaceful, serene, but heavy.

    "I see you have brought a gift for me child" she replied evenly.

    I tried to shrug my antennae whilst still gripping hers andrgely failed. I wouldn''t weaken my hold just yet, in case she felt I was being particrly foolish.

    "Oh this old thing?" I deflected, "there are so many of them up on the surface that I''m starting to think they don''t hold any value at all. Why, I almost feel bad giving you something of such low rarity."

    "In that case" mother answered, amusement rippling through her voice, "perhaps it would be best if you kept it for yourself."

    Dang it! Operation downy the core was a failure.

    "Is this the kind of wee you give to your child who was away from home, ving away as a scout in dangerous territories for the colony?" I try a different tack and divert the conversation.

    I may have struck a chord with mother on that one, since she retracts her antennae from my grip before she responds.

    "Wee home child. I am, of course, very pleased to see you, even if I am concerned at what mischief you might have caused whilst you were away."

    Oh, she''s definitely amused now. I reply whilst climbing down the wall to the chamber floor, hoping to put myself on more solid ground.

    "You wound me, mother" I say reproachfully even as I sweat inside.

    Truth be told there is some bad newsing our way but it isn''t my fault this time! I may have caused Garralosh andpany toe down this was earlier than they had nned, but considering the Kaarmodo lizard was actively utilising scrying magic, chances are they already knew the human survivors were congregating here.

    The Queen loomed above, still so muchrger than myself. Her chamber still rests under the surface level, within the Dungeon, which necessitates her guard to be constantly on-alert, seizing monsters the moment they spawn from the walls, subduing them and more often than not bringing them to the Queen to kill, feeding experience and Biomass to the monarch.

    "There might have been a couple of things that came up whilst I was away. Nothing we can''t handle¡­" I hope.

    Mother''s antennae waggled with frustrated amusement.

    "I had assumed as much the moment you walked out of the nest."

    Ouch.

    "Where is Aphy? I haven''t seen her about?" I wondered, trying to shift the focus of conversation away from myself.

    The Queen was only too happy to take the bait. Her eyes shone warmly as she discussed her beloved pet.

    "I was worried that Aphy would be at risk here in my chamber, she is currently positioned with the brood under the watchful eye of the tenders. Did you know she''d already evolved?" she said proudly.

    "Congrattions, Mother. I''m pleased to see your pet has brought you such joy."

    And I was. Mother cared deeply for every member of the colony and we all loved her back, but we had stuff to do. It''s nice to have someone be your devotedpanion. I only had to think of the ever loyal Crinis resting on my back to remind myself of the security a devoted pet brought to the owner.

    "Not much longer now and she''ll be able to add her own eggs to the brood chambers" I mused.

    "Yes" the Queen nodded happily, "it will be so helpful for the family."

    Nice. Now that I''ve reminded her of all the good work I''ve done, it''s time to bring her attention back to my gift.

    "So about this core¡­"

    THWACK!

    Ouch!

    Swift as a lightning bolt from the sky, the Queen''s antennae descended on my head. Even with all of my upgrades, that still really smarts!

    "There are others in a better position to make use of this gift than I, child, we have discussed this before" Mother spoke adamantly.

    I winced, but held my ground.

    "I already have one, and I''m not going to need another for a long time. I promise you I will obtain more of these cores for myself before I need it, but right now there is nobody in the colony who can make use of this core as much as you can!"

    The Queen wasn''t convinced.

    "What of the soldiers? What of the generals? If the family is to fight for its survival, they will need to be as strong as possible. I am the only Queen in this colony right now, but there are two others who will soon fulfil this role. I do not fight as the others fight. They need all of the strength they can muster."

    Haaa. The Queen was always downying her own importance to the colony. I''m not sure if she''s just humble or if she just genuinely doesn''t understand what it would mean for the colony if she were lost. In truth, I suspect that she simply sees herself as performing her function for the family as well as can be she believes there are other parts of the colony that need to be strengthened more than herself.

    On that point we disagree and I''m not going to back down this time.

    "For fighting we already have me. I have a rare core already and soon I''ll be prepared to evolve. I promise you that whatever battles threaten the family, I will stand forward and fight. There is no other ant in this colony who is close to matching me. What we need isn''t more battle potential, we need the strongest Queen possible to act as our beacon of hope, our bastion of strength and to fuel our growth."

    My antennae wave passionately in the air as I try to convince the Queen to go along with my idea. Why is it so hard to convince this particr monster to get stronger?!

    "Many times you''ve been thest line of defence for us and I suspect that you will be again. In truth, giving you this core will increase our fighting potential the most, as well as increase the future growth prospects of the colony. You have to ept it. Even if all it does is relieve the nerves of the workers, none of us want to lose you and it will give usfort to see you as powerful as you can be" I pleaded.

    As my words ran out, for the first time I noticed that not only was the Queen watching me in her careful way, but so where her guards, all of them facing me at rapt attention.

    "He''s right, Mother" one of them spoke up.

    "It would be a boon to the colony" another said.

    "You must not fall" a third chipped in, standing directly on the Queens head.

    Gradually more workers began to speak until the chamber was filled with their voices, each of them urging the Queen to ept the rare core, to strengthen herself so that she would not be lost. I was shocked. It was so rare for the workers to express themselves to the Queen, even after they had gained the ability to speak. Her guards were like shadows, ever alert but never questioning her slightest decision. To see them speak out like this was unprecedented. Clearly they thought as I do. The Queen had to be preserved, no matter the cost to the rest of the colony, our Mother would be protected.

    The Queen rose one antenna into the air and all sound cut off in an instant.

    "I will ept this core" she said.

    Her guards turned back to their task withoutment, as if their disy of loyalty and affection had been an illusion the room returned to what it had been but moments before.

    "That''s great" I sighed, relieved to my core.

    Not willing to wait, I rushed forward and deposited therge core on the ground before the Queen before stepping back.

    "How long until you''ll be ready to evolve?" I asked out of curiosity.

    It was one thing to ept the core, it was another to reach max level and evolve. Until that point, all the core did was provide a little extra mana, a little juice in the tank. It was in boosting our evolutionary potential that the core really shone.

    "I can evolve at any time" the Queen said dismissively as she reached down to the core with her antennae, rolling it this way and that as she inspected it.

    Wot?!

    "You can evolve now?! That''s huge news! Is your core maxed out? What about your mutations? You maxed them yeah? Tell me you''ve maxed them!" I gushed.

    The Queen waved one antenna to brush aside my concerns.

    "You know I have not filled my mutations child, the Biomass must go toward the growth of the colony. But yes, I reached my maximum level not too long ago. The children saw to it that I have been supplied sufficient cores to reach my full potential. Something of a waste but they were insistent" she huffed.

    Fantastic news! Good work colony!

    "In that case, I won''t keep you, Mother" I said gleefully, "ept the core and evolve straight away! No need to wait!"

    "Thank you child" the Queen said softly.

    "You''re very wee, Mother" I responded with a tip of my antennae.

    I retreated quietly out of the Queen''s chamber and into my own quarters below where I found the twenty already waiting for me.

 Chapter 208 War Council Part 1

    <h4>Chapter 208 War Council Part 1 </h4>

    "Wee back Eldest" Victoriant, the budding queen to be, greeted me.

    At the sound of her voice, the others turned their antennae toward me, signalling that their attention was with me as I crawled down the wall and onto the floor in the centre of the chamber. There were a few soldiers present, I noted, to keep the spawning monsters out of our carapace long enough for the council to take ce.

    "It''s good to be home" I told them as I settled in ce, observing the first generation of my grand experiment. The twenty hadn''t changed much in my absence, perhaps a few mutations here and there, but none of them had taken the next step and reached evolution. I suppose they hadn''t wanted to hog resources that were needed to grow the poption of the colony.

    That was something I could respect. The twenty did not use their seniority to benefit themselves, they thought only of the best for the colony as a whole. It was the kind of unselfishness that I hade to see as normal within the colony. The workers, the Queen, every member, thought only about contributing to the collective and not about empowering themselves.

    I suppose, as the only true ''non-ant'' in the colony I was the sole exception to that rule. It would be unlikely, or improbable, for any one worker toe into the kind of resources that I hadvished on myself. The sheer wealth of Biomass I had consumed, the cores I had absorbed and the experience I had earned, most workers would have donated much of that to the colony. I suppose in some ways it made me a selfish, member of the colony, but at the same time it had allowed me to contribute my new family in ways that would have been impossible had I not reached as high as I had, as quickly as I had.

    Which was something I would have to consider in the future. We didn''t have the resources, and likely never would, to raise every ant in the colony the same way I had raised my pets, and invested in myself. Maximised cores and Biomass, special cores absorbed to go beyond capacity and push the evolutionary potential to the limit. It simply wasn''t feasible when we were talking about two hundred individual monsters being born per day. My minimum standard would have to be enforced, every worker would generate a core rather evolve in a weakened, dead end state, and each worker would be given the opportunity to reinforce their core before evolving. But I had to consider whether it would be beneficial to pick out individuals for exceptional reinforcement.

    It fundamentally didn''t seem fair to me, but I couldn''t discount the possibility either. After all, I''m just one individual with more resources poured into them than average and I''d been able to change the destiny of the colonypletely by changing our species. Who''s to say another, simrly resourced ant couldn''t do the same via incredible prowess in battle, or magical research, or through crafting?

    For now, I didn''t intend to make any changes to my hatchling rearing policy, but I would have to continue to think on it if we survived this crises.

    "Well" I opened up, "scouting to the north was ¡­ interesting."

    I tried to keep my tone light, but the twenty clearly detected something as each member''s antennae drooped low at my words.

    "Would you like to borate on ''interesting'', Eldest?" Wills the scout asked, almost visibly bracing for an impact.

    "Look, I want to say up front that it wasn''t my fault!" I said defensively, "if anything, I did a good job as a scout by identifying a major threat!"

    At my deration of a major threat, the antennae drooped even lower, almost touching the floor, as I confirmed their worst fears.

    "How big is the threat?" Sloan the general enquired tiredly, trying to focus on the problem.

    "Dinosaur sized?" I hazarded. What sort of size scale are they working with for threat measurement?

    I could see some confusion ripple through the gathered ants and I realised they had no concept of what a dinosaur was, or howrge it would be.

    "Okay. I was able to identify the nature of the destruction urring to the north, as well as locate the source of the strange monster behaviour and the raids that have been sent our way through the Dungeon."

    The twenty all perked up at these words. This was good stuff so far.

    "The unfortunate part is that the creature responsible is a gigantic monster crocodile and she''sing our way to stomp us out, along with the human vige."

    And now they were deted once more.

    "They are also bringing a horde of thousands of monsters and a powerful mage lizard with its own sorcerous attendants."

    If the scout Burke sunk any lower he''d melt into the floor.

    "What are our chances of avoiding the danger?" Frances the healer ant spoke up. "Is there a chance we can deflect this threat onto the human vige or retreat into the Dungeon?"

    I shook my antennae. "I don''t think so. The lizard is capable of scrying magic and probably knew we were here before I even left to scout. Now that they areing this way, I think they''ll work to hunt us down. Since they can control Dungeon monsters somehow, moving into the Dungeon would be too dangerous. Our best bet is to make a stand with the humans and try to fight them off."

    "That''s going to be difficult" Brendant the soldier muttered, "we are only just now beginning to ramp up our growth. Active hunting outside of Vibrant and her group only started two days ago. The Queen has beenying at full capacity since then but those workers will only be fully grown and ready for deployment in a week."

    "We have slightly less than a week to prepare" I informed them, "they''re moving fairly slow and taking the long way around. I can''t be exactly sure why but I pped eyes on them myself before returning."

    "Well that''s something at least" Burke muttered and turned her eyes toward Wills, who nodded and rushed out of the chamber.

    I twitched an antennae, curious at the exchange and Burke filled me in. "Wills has gone to organise our scouting regiment, we''ll need trailsid further to the north and eyes on the horde if we can get them."

    "Be careful" I warned, "that magic lizard is no joke."

    "We''ll be careful" she assured me.

    Hmm. I suppose having as constant a flow of information as possible will be a great first step.

    "We are going to have to fight this" I dered to the council, "and we can''t afford to wait until they get to us before we begin to inflict damage. We need to start chipping away at them as they advance. Does anyone have thoughts on how we can do this?"

    The generals and soldiers pped their antennae for a moment as they considered their options before Leeroy spoke up.

    "I suggest I lead an advanced unit to - "

    "Rejected" I said.

    "You didn''t let me finish!" the offended soldier replied.

    "Alright then, go ahead" I sighed.

    "As I was saying. I lead an advance unit to engage the enemy and die in glorious battle, sacrificing ourselves to buy more time for the colony to prepare. My very guts will rise up to entangle the foe!"

    THWACK!

    I pped down on the ants head in retribution for the nonsense she''d spewed.

    Damned Leeroy¡­ Get some sense in your head!

    "Any serious suggestions?"

    Tungstant used one leg to rub her mandibles as she thought out loud. "We should limit ourselves to the ''hit and run'' tactics that the eldest taught us during training. It should be feasible to attack using tunnels, pitfalls and prebuilt defenceworks that we can abandon and flee. Cobalt and I have cooked up a few ideas in that direction already."

    "Do we have any ants that can do damage from long range?" I asked. All of the workers were born with acid nds, just as I was, but the range wasn''t exactly ster.

    Burke filled me in. "The scouts have a dedicated group with range and damage mutations on their acid nds. We are experimenting with ways that scouts can contribute to pitched battle and using them as an artillery battery in open areas is one of the concepts we are developing. We are soldiers, after all."

    It was true, and easy to forget. The scouts were one of three offshoots of the baseline soldier variant and therefore were beefier than all of the other casts. It would be a mistake to think of them as anything other than a battle asset as well as a scouting force.

    "Fantastic. What else can we get done?"

 Chapter 209 War Council part 2

    <h4>Chapter 209 War Council part 2 </h4>

    "With your permission Eldest, I will leave the council and begin to organise a workforce to prepare our initial fortifications" Tungstant said.

    I waved an antennae in approval and the small, dextrous ant climbed up the wall and out the roof of the chamber in a moment.

    "Alright then. Pitfall traps, tunnels to attack, I like all of these ideas. What else have we got? How is our magic firepowering along?" I asked.

    The two mages in the room, Propent and Cont, shifted on their feet as they became the centre of attention for the council. The mage caste hadn''t had a lot of time to build up their raw magic handling skills, and were without the benefit of my own extensive spending on brain power when it came to evolutions. Having said that, they were no slouches in the brain game and were able to choose their own elemental nd on evolution. So there had to be some juice there.

    "The number of mage ants we have to work with is still limited" Cont hedged.

    There were over a thousand ants in the colony at this time, there were like a hundred new ants being born every day. How few mages could there be?

    "How many are we talking about?" I asked.

    "Five" Cont said tly.

    "Five?!" I sputtered.

    "Oh, seven including Cont and I" Propent offered helpfully.

    Holy moly.

    "Why do we have so few mages? When fighting against a huge horde, like the oneing to kill us right now, more mage ants would be indispensable!"

    I could see it in my mind''s eye already. Tunnel entrances falling in to reveal teams of mage ants who sted the front ranks of the horde with deadly fire, torching dozens of monsters with methrower like magic before retreating through the tunnels which copsed behind them, leaving decimated and crispy ranks of enemies behind them.

    A few members of the council shifted ufortably. "We''ve had most of the hatchlings move into the soldier caste recently" Antite informed me, "Large numbers of scouts and soldiers have been born. Our more specialised castes have had slower recruitment rates for the moment."

    Slower I could understand, but five?!

    "Cont and I have been doing our best to map out the skill paths from scratch and explore methods to raise up the future generations of mage ants" Propent told me ruefully. "We didn''t anticipate a need for a number of mages at this stage and wanted to take more time with our preparation."

    Makes sense, but still, I would have loved to have more mages right now. To clear awayrge amounts of weak enemies they would have been indispensable. There may be a use for the mages we have, of course, but there is a lot that can be said for quantity.

    As they say: Quantity, is a quality all of its own. That''s practically the ants motto.

    "Ok then. We have two main objectives, we need to whittle down the horde that''sing our way, I need to help with that so I can reach my second objective, which is to level up so that I can evolve."

    "You''re close to your next evolution, Eldest?" Victoriant asked, sounding oddly excited.

    "I am" I affirmed with a dip of my antennae, "I only need six more levels. If we''re going to battle against creatures as strong as thoseing our way, we''re going to need every little advantage we can get."

    "I agree" Sloan the General piped up, "we may have the ability to chip away at the number of weaker monsters but tackling anything stronger is going to be beyond us for a time. If the Eldest can evolve then that task will be in capable hands."

    You just wanted to dump all of the hard work onto me, didn''t you? She''s technically correct, but that doesn''t serve to soothe my irritation.

    "I think we can agree that we don''t need to prioritise food gathering or eggying to a high extent in the lead up to this crisis?" I asked the gathered council, "If we don''t survive the uing battle then the colony will cease to exist."

    "We shouldn''t shut down food gathering entirely, surely?" protested Florence, the to this point silent Brood Tender, "without food thervae will starve."

    "I don''t think anyone is suggesting that we cease food gathering operationspletely" Sloan assured her, "but rather that we divert a significant portion of the soldiers currently acting to gather food to prepare for the defence."

    Somewhat mollified, Florence settled back, though she and her fellow Brood Tender were clearly not happy. I understand it, less fooding in means less brood. What else is a Brood Tender going to do?

    "We also need to keep enough senior workers here to ensure that the hatchling training program continues to run unabated. Each new hatchling deserves the best possible start we can give them, don''t forget that!"

    I eyeballed each of them at the same time, something you can only do with extensively upgradedpound eyes, one of the benefits of being an insect monster.

    They each nodded in agreement, more to appease me than anything else. My insistence on equal treatment for the hatchlings still makes little sense to them I suspect, thankfully by virtue of being old they have to listen to me. Hooray for strict respect for the elders!

    "You won''t be ready to move out for a few hours will you, Senior?" Sloan asked me.

    I nodded. "That''s right. Crinis needs to evolve and we all need some rest. We''ve been pretty t out for thest few days and I suspect it''s going to be hectic for a week or so after this."

    "Right" Sloan agreed. "I propose we sent out arge scale hunting party immediately. We could stockpile enough Biomass that egg production doesn''t noticeably suffer over the next few days. The worker and artisan castes can devote their attention to the brood and constructing the initial defences whilst the soldier caste hunts. Once the Eldest has rested sufficiently they can join the digging teams on the frontlines and begin to harass the enemy."

    The rest of the council nodded in agreement. This did seem like a reasonable proposal.

    "I''ll need a favour though¡­" I spoke reluctantly, "can someone get a hold of Vibrant and tell her I need some Biomass hunted for my own personal consumption. I want to finish my mutations before I evolve and I need close a hundred Biomass to do it."

    Taking resources from the colony at a time like this felt bad, but deep down I know it''s necessary. In my mind the hulking figure of Garralosh, her incredible mass and the overwhelming aura she emitted are weighing down on me. Even after evolving there''s little chance I''ll have any hope of matching up against her but I need to make sure that I do everything possible to increase my strength before she arrives here."

    Advant tipped her antennae. "I''ll be able to take care of that. Vibrant has been hunting in the Dungeon incredibly actively with her squad. It''s thanks to her efforts the egg production rate has increased as quickly as it has. I''m sure she''ll be able to provide the Biomass you need in no time."

    "That''s great" I said, relieved of a burden. I really didn''t want to have to go hunting for that Biomass, I simply didn''t have the time.

    Ok then.

    "I think we have the first stage of our n in ce. I''ll leave the details to you to work out. Can some soldiers stay down here so we can rest without being attacked? We can''t waste time sleeping in shifts."

    The soldiers nodded and the council gave me a friendly wave as they quickly dispersed to their undoubted mountain of tasks that needed to be organised. They are better at taking care of that kind of stuff than me. I have my own responsibilities to look to.

    [Ready to evolve Crinis?]

    [Yes, Master!]

 Chapter 210 Crinis evolves

    <h4>Chapter 210 Crinis evolves </h4>

    With the main bulk of the nning done, it was time to get my group rested and ready to head back out into the fray. Not long after the council broke up, Tiny stumbled into our chamber only to flop onto the floor and returned to sleep, absorbing the mana of the Dungeon to restore his exhausted core.

    Speaking of cores, it was time to help Crinis evolve! Only her second evolution since she''d been reforged as my loyal pet and unlike thest evolution, this one would be less of my design. I hadn''t had the skill to affect her evolutions to such a deep extent at the time, so there is an opportunity for Crinis to take a more direct hand in her own evolution here, without my own guiding influence.

    Naturally this meant that the Dungeon would weave the general shape of her choices and there was a chance that some of them would be hot garbage. Fortunately, if that were to happen then Crinis could ask me to dive into her core and sort out some options for her.

    [Are you ready for this Crinis?]

    The little ball wiggled indecisively on the floor in front of me, small tentacles extending this way and that until eventually her form solidified.

    [I - I think so, Master] she told me.

    [You''re doing great. Remember, if the evolution options are terrible, let me know and we can work on developing something a little more concrete that suits what you want.]

    The little blob-like ball nodded somehow and firmed up further as Crinis gained confidence.

    [I know. I feel it''ll go well] she dered.

    I looked down at my loyal and ever diligent sphere of endless murder and torment. She''de a long way in being able to try and take responsibility for making her own choices. It wasn''t that long that she''d been paralysed by fear just thinking of spending her skill points, and now here she was, preparing to make her own decisions in her own evolution.

    I was happy she''d shown such growth over thest few weeks. She''d been working hard to improve herself.

    [Wait a second. You aren''t trying so hard because you think that''s what I want, is it?]

    [¡­.]

    [Oi! Don''t pretend you''re already in the evolution menu!]

    [Can''t hear you master, evolving] Crinis'' voice echoed faintly in my mind.

    Such a dirty trick!

    Well at least she''s working on being independent, even if it''s for the wrong reasons. Personal growth! The journey we are all on as we ughter monsters together! As I leave Crinis to sort through her menu my eyes fell onto Tiny.

    A little personal growth would be nice for the big guy. He was a battle hungry nut case when I reconstituted his core and he is still that same battle hungry nut case. At least he knows what it is that wants from life, I suppose.

    For now though. Time for some rest. After everything that''s gone on since myst snooze, I think I''ve earned it.

    As I fall into thefortable, dark fuzz that is torpor, the ever nearing threat that is Garralosh, her lizard handler and the horde that apanies them weighs on my awareness. I have to believe that the family I''ve found in this new world be able to weather the storm. I know that I''ll do everything in my power to get us all through it.

    HAGGAH!

    I''m up!

    Ahh! Feels so nice to have had a good rest, back in my own little chamber. It may not have been home for long, but it''s more home that anywhere else on this world.

    Tiny is still asleep and Crinis appears to be deep in her meditation sleep. I can already see her little spherical body beginning to change in subtle ways. I''ll be interested to see what the final result is!

    But I have business to take care of first. Sitting in one corner of the chamber is a pile of Biomass and when I approach it I find a pheromone message from the most hyper-active ant of them all.

    "Hi-Hi Senior! Long-time no see! :o. Hope things have been well with you. It''s been busy here! x) This is the second load of food I brought in since Tiny woke up and ate the first lot. Enjoy! ^_^ "

    Figures that Tiny chow down on my food, thank goodness that Vibrant was able to rustle up a second serve. This may not be enough food to give me all of the Biomass that I need, in fact I''m sure it won''t. The quality of this food isn''t enough for me to be able to get the numbers I need before I fill up my two stomachs.

    Without waiting any longer Iy into the food and begin stuffing my face.

    Om Nom Nom!

    Just before I finish stuffing my face, another twenty points of Biomass redited to my name, I notice Crinis beginning to shift in the corner. I immediately abandon my meal and leap over to her resting position, bringing my antennae forward to poke and prod at her in concern.

    [Crinis! You awake? Everything ok?!]

    The changes to her outer physical form are fairly minimal, but more pronounced thanst time. She''s grown slightlyrger, for starters, from a softball size to a¡­ slightlyrger softball size. She''d grown ten small permanent tentacles that curved downward from her body to the floor, lifting it up and allowing her to walk around without having to will any limbs into existence by manipting her shadow flesh.

    I gradually felt her awarenesse to me as she finished waking up.

    [Master?" she queried sleepily, "I''ve done it. Check and see.]

    What a cute little pet she is, so dedicated.

    Eagerly I bring me antennae forward and activate my core surgery skill. The information from her core floods into my mind and after parsing it I put together her status and examine it:

    Name: Crinis

    Level: 1 (core)

    Might: 95

    Toughness: 80

    Cunning: 44

    Will: 42

    HP: 160/160

    MP: 210/210

    Skills: Expert Shadow Flesh Maniption Level 4 (III); Expert Grappling Level 6(III); Expert Shredding Level 8 (III); Enhanced Tremor Sensing Level 8 (II); Brutal Dismembering Level 5 (II); Greater Fear Inspiration Level 4 (II); Mana Transformation Level 2(III); Smooth Tentacle Walking Level 7 (II); Tentacle Fu Level 3 (I); External Mana Maniption level 3 (I); Shadow Magic Affinity Level 1 (I); Stealth Level 3(III);

    Mutations: Dense Durable Shadow flesh +10; Rapid Disintegrating Void Maw +10; Vast Bottomless Dimensional Stomach +10; Empowered Dividing Tentacles +10; Sharpened Ripping barbs + 10; Pointed Macabre Teeth + 10; Wide Fine Mana Sensory nd +10, Rapid Deep Shadow Magic nd +10, Extra Swift Shadow Flesh Generator +10; Shadow Eye; Tentacle Conductor;

    Species: Shadow Murder Orb

    Skill points: 17

    Biomass: 75

    Oho! There''s some good stuff here! In the skills department she''s clearly been making great strides, already reached Mana Transformation. She must have been practicing diligently whilst riding on my back to achieve the tier three skill so quickly. And she got shadow magic affinity right off the bat! I''m so jealous! Not to mention she''s almost reached the same level of Cunning as me! And the rest of her stats are so high as well! Dammit! I feel so inadequate¡­ This is mainly due to her having far higher base stats before her first evolution. Poor ants, we have it so rough in the stats department.

    I can only hope my next evolution will be able to push me over the edge and I can start reaping some high stat gain.

    Looking at her stats, it seems as if Crinis has gone for a bnced approach, improving in every stat. Her mental stats being concentrated in one mind means that her brain must be incredibly powerful, far stronger than my own since my stats are distributed across three brains. With her shadow magic affinity, the full potential of her shadow magic nd has been unlocked as she can now use that mana to its full potential and her high mental stats mean she has the grunt to get the job done.

    Her might stat is still decent without being overwhelming. She''ll continue to be able to battle multiple smaller foes with impunity but will be stronger against the heavier hitters. I think that''s why I see an emphasis on stealth. Crinis seems to have been thinking about her own method of contribution to fighting tougher monsters and I think she has reached her answer with her new organs.

    The Shadow eye¡­ I''m curious about this one.

 Chapter 211 New Crinis, Spending up

    <h4>Chapter 211 New Crinis, Spending up </h4>

    Curious about Crinis'' new Shadow eye I dive deeper into the information hidden within her core,id bare before my core surgery skill. Ah, interesting. It''s dense bloc of information, clearly a powerful organ, far more than the average, if anything I would think that the majority of her evolutionary energy was spent on this.

    From what I can gather, the shadow eye is a special type of sensory organ, it doesn''t help her to ''see'' per se, not like human eyes, it allows her extend her vision or more urately, her ''awareness'' through shadows. I''m not sure exactly how powerful that will prove to be, although I''m sure Crinis will have a use for it, otherwise she wouldn''t have picked it. Combined with her shadow magic nd and affinity Skill, there must be some trick she can use that I''m not aware of.

    The other new organ she gained is also interesting. This is Crinis'' solution to the problem of divided attention. I resolved this issue by adding a number of brains to allow me to think about multiple things at once, but she''s taken a slightly different path. Much like how an octopus has neural connections for each tentacle, Crinis'' new organ, the tentacle conductor, effectively acts as nerve endings for up to eight tentacles, so they''ll be able to move and act independently of her main mind. Eight may not seem like enough considering the kind of numbers she can manifest, but with mutation advances I''m certain she''ll be able to push the boundary higher.

    Interesting! All in all I think she''s done an excellent job!

    [Well Crinis, it looks as if your evolution has been very sessful!] I praised her, freezing my antennae at thest moment so I didn''t pet her. If I overpraise her, she might freeze up and I can''t afford the time. As it is, she''s already quivering a little bit, like a blob of jelly I''d poked.

    Crinis collected herself, lifting her body up on her new permanent tentacles and skittering left and right a little as she got used to them.

    [Thank you Master] she replied warmly, [I spent a great deal of time thinking about how I was going to evolve.]

    [I took a good look at your Shadow Eye, but I''m not quite sure how it''s going to work. I assume it has something to do with your shadow magic affinity?]

    The slightlyrger blob nodded.

    [That''s right. I''ll show you.]

    The squishy orb of death grew still for a moment and I notice that the shadow beneath her body grew noticeably darker over time until it was pitch ck. Then, Crinis deliberately extended a tentacle into the shadow.

    I boggled at the sight of her tentacle extending into solid stone. What is this? Some sort of shadow gate?

    I felt something tickle the bottom of my carapace and I leapt high into the air.

    [Wazzat?!] I cried.

    Crinis giggled, a to this point nearly unheard of sound and I looked down to see the tip of the tentacle emerging from the ground where my shadow had been, wiggling back and forth.

    [Oh that is sweet!] I yelled as Crinis withdrew her tentacle back through the connected shadows and into her body.

    [I can''t move my main body through] she checked my enthusiasm, [but the Shadow Eye allows me to extend by senses through the shadows after I''ve connected them.]

    Oh snap! So she could spy on people, or extend her tentacles to attack things through a shadow that is in a separate room than she is! The possibilities are almost endless.

    [How far can a shadow be before you can''t connect it?] I asked, musing to myself.

    [My range is around twenty metres right now, if I can detect the target shadow through my mana sense, ten if I can''t.]

    I nodded, stroking my chin with an antenna. [Train hard Crinis, this new ability will be extremely powerful when levelled up.]

    [I will Master] Crinis acknowledged, already sounding pumped for the challenge.

    So diligent.

    Crinis, with her shiny new evolution toys to y with, waddles onto my back with her short tentacles and settles into position, no doubt already practicing her skills. I''m somewhat jealous of her at the moment, having sessfullypleted her evolution. with my own dance with body changing looming on the horizon the anticipation and anxiety is continuing to build apace.

    It''s a strange thing, changing your body in such a dramatic way. It''s invigorating, the sense of growth and strength that you feel is incredible. At the same time, there is a tinge of fear, of stepping into the unknown.

    Gah! Thinking about that sort of stuff is just going to hurt my head. Time to move onto what I need to be doing in the here and now: Mutations. I still have three upgrades that I need to do, but only enough Biomass for two. So close! I''ve never been this close to apletely upgraded body before and the sense of aplishment is building the closer I get.

    Just one to go! I''m not sure how I''m going to get the Biomass or time to eat it, but I''ll have to manage somehow. Perhaps I''ll need to lean on Vibrant again to hunt and deliver some food for me.

    Whatever, time to focus on mutations.

    [Do you wish to improve Precognitive Infrared Antennae to +15? This will cost 65 Biomass]

    Yessiree.

    [At this level you may choose tobine your mutations, or emphasise one. Which will you select?]

    This is an interesting one. Infrared is quite useful, another way to detect enemies, another sense to help cover up shortages in other areas. Having said that, my senses have been steadily improving, particrly my sight, there isn''t really a need to emphasise the infrared. The Future Sight has been very interesting, not to mention saving my life (if not my backside).

    My reflexes and reactions are almost not quite fast enough to make full use of the tiny glimpse to the future that my antennae give me. Emphasising this mutation will perhaps give me that extra nano-second that will make all the difference.

    Ok. I''m going to Emphasise the precognitive.

    [Would you like to upgrade your Mana Eating Restrictive Acid to +15? This will cost 65 Biomass]

    Yessss!

    [At this level you may choose tobine your mutations, or emphasise one. Which will you select?]

    Ahh the acid nd, a key feature of the formica variant of the ant species. My ''ol trusty business district and its jets of burning acid have served me well, particrly in the early days. The restrictive property of the acid was such a key thing for me back then and to be honest I still think it''s a valuable property to the acid. I haven''t had much chance to use the magic eating mutationtely but I have high hopes that it will be extremely relevant in the days toe.

    This seems like a m dunk, Combine them!

    [Do you wish to upgrade your Precognitive Infrared Antennae to Future Sight Infrared Antennae?]

    [Do you wish to upgrade your Magic Eating Restrictive Acid to Mana Binding Acid?]

    I do!

    GACK!

 Chapter 212 Belonging

    <h4>Chapter 212 Belonging </h4>

    It took some time for the itching to pass, as it always did. When I finally regained full control of my body again, I picked myself up from the floor, dusted myself off, cleaned my antennae and attempted to move as if nothing had happened.

    The soldiers keeping an eye on the room pointedly didn''t look at me as I climbed the wall and moved up into the Queen''s chamber. Things continued to operate in here as they always did, a cloud of buzzing workers rushed here and there whilst the ever-patient Queen stood still and unmoving amidst the chaos.

    She had not evolved.

    "I will evolve in good time, child" the Queen remonstrated before I''d even begun to speak, predicting my question with ease.

    "What''s the hold up?" I asked piteously, "most ants are happy to have the chance to evolve and dive straight in."

    Perhaps I was being a touch selfish, I''d really wanted to see what shape her evolution would take.

    The Queen looked down at me, her eyes like pools without a single ripple and said: "this decision is more important than most, and due to your ¡­ gift" she gestured to the rare core in front of her, "I will have many options to ponder. I am seeking the correct frame of mind and trying to determine the right path forward, for myself and for the colony."

    Slow and steady wins the race eh? Not an attitude I was super familiar with, but I could recognise the wisdom in it. She was right in the sense that for most ants, their evolution did not weigh on the fate of the colony in quite the same way that the Queen''s did. She was the central figure in this family that the rest of the colony turned around, like some sort of caring, soothing hub.

    Not to mention she was individually the most powerful individual in the colony, with the possible exception of myself. If she was ready to evolve, with a rare core to boot, just what would she be capable of when she''d finished? What sort of juicy options would she unlock? What kind of potent nds were avable to someone with that sort of evolutionary energy at their w tips?

    I sighed.

    I''d have to wait to find out. The Queen was taking this situation very seriously, as well she should.

    "Did any of the twenty tell you about what is happening top side?" I asked, somewhat apprehensively.

    I hadn''t wanted to go into too much detail when I first came in, I''d been getting thwacked just on the basis of the rare core I''d brought in, who knows if I''d still have a shiny, unbroken exo-skeleton on my head. I''d figured that one of the twenty would tell her and I''de in a bitter after the heat had gone out of it.

    "That was not a mess of your making, child" she told me, "you have assisted the family by bringing news of this threat back to us."

    I could tell by the twinkle in the Queen''s eye that she had seen through my scheme to try and avoid recriminations but she was kind enough to make it clear that in this case, she felt I didn''t deserve them.

    "Thanks Mother" I chuckled.

    THWACK!

    Oooo, the ''unexpected, tender moment thwack!''

    She''d got me that time¡­

    "Try not to keep such critical details to yourself after asking me to do something as important as evolving, child" my Mother admonished me, "I need to know in order to make the best decision for the colony."

    I rubbed my sore head and nodded. That was fair, I deserved that. In pushing her to evolve and then keeping the details of the crises that was approaching the colony I''d put my own fear of getting thwacked ahead of the interests of the colony. A selfish thing to do.

    I''d have to get rid of that habit if I was to avoid disappointing my family.

    I moved to slink out of the Queen''s chamber with what remained of my dignity intact and as I left the Queen''s voice sounded out behind me.

    "Good luck child, we are counting on your sess."

    At her words, an unforeseen emotion welled up inside me and I doubled my pace, unable to respond to the upwelling of feeling, I fled from it.

    I didn''t know what to say, how to express it. I wasn''t used to being counted on like this. I wasn''t used to being trusted like this. To have individuals I care about and trust, care about and trust me back in return.

    My family in my past life, if they even deserved the word ''family'', never gave me this, they''d never epted me as I''d been epted here, had certainly never involved and trusted me.

    I didn''t like to dwell on my past life, I felt back then, as I feel now, that plenty of people had it worse than I did. But it feels a little crazy to me that I had to reborn as monstrous ant to finally be able to feel this feeling of¡­ belonging.

    GAH!

    I can''t handle these emotions! I need to channel them into something constructive, like ying my enemies and feasting on their Biomass! New Crinis had tagged along for the ride, her little tentacles clinging onto my back as I moved up the walls.

    [Hurry up, Tiny!] I called down to the big ape, shaking him out of his slumber.

    He''d been slowly rousing when I''d left the chamber but I''d run out of patience with him now. Eating, sleeping and fighting were all he was bothered about.

    [We''re going to fight stuff, by the way] I shouted.

    [Ooo!] I heard back a startled exmation and in moments the giant ape was seen scrambling up the tunnels, his thick fingers clinging to holds in the walls as he climbed.

    It''s time to go pay a visit to the vige and then head to the frontlines. We needed to chip away at the horde and we needed to start as soon as possible!

 Chapter 213 Consultation

    <h4>Chapter 213 Consultation </h4>

    Filled with energy and a surging sense of purpose Iunched myself out of the colony and into the open air of Pangera, my new world. Crinis, Tiny and I moved with deliberate haste and made our way toward the vige. Before we move to the front line and engage ourselves with the activities of the colony there, I wanted to take a moment to check in on the vige.

    I wonder how the people over there are holding together with the threat of horrific death and doom weighing on their minds. The colony has been fine, the ants are a calm bunch when you get down to it. They really only respond with powerful emotion when defending or serving the colony. The threat of death doesn''t weigh particrly on their minds at all.

    Scratch that. The threat of death is something of an attraction to most of them. Thinking of Leeroy I can''t help but wince inside. That moron is only a particrly zealous example of the grant disregard the ants have for their own safety, but he represents an attitude that is still prevalent within the workers, despite my attempts to stamp it out.

    There isn''t a single one of them who wouldn''t happily throw themselves into the jaws of an enemy if they thought it would benefit the colony in some way, the only thing holding them back is my directions to the contrary.

    The people of the vige don''t have that kind of dedication, at least, I be very surprised if they did. It would be rather¡­ disturbing, if they did.

    Hopefully they aren''t panicking too much. Enid runs a tight ship over there and I''m sure Morrelia, upon her return, would be able to inject a steel into the backs of the people there. I can''t imagine her tolerating even the slightest sign of hesitation.

    When we arrive in the vige I''m somewhat surprised to see that my expectations of panic and fear have failed to manifest. In fact, the vigers appear to be calm, determined and focused. There is a heck of a lot of activity in the vige, to be sure, but there is a quiet determination in the air that lends the people with a feeling of control.

    Children are running here and there, carrying equipment, building materials, passing messages, whilst the adults are engaged in all sorts ofbour. The smithy has been finished and men and women ply their trade inside, their faces lit from beneath by the warm glow of the heated metal they are pounding into shape, making nails, swords and I think I can spy an axe.

    In another newly erected building I can see what appear to be bowyer''s at work, their hands carving away at staves with long smooth motions, whittling the wood down into the curved wooden bows I''ve seen in the hands of Morrelia''s team. I can only suppose that those are the predominant bow type in use in the area. Then there are the people drilling and practicing, which seems to be about the entire adult poption of the vige not currently engaged in gathering food or making weapons of war.

    In pockets all over the vige, almost a small town now, with the number of houses and other buildings that have been erected in the time I''ve been gone, vigers who I assume are the more learned and Skilled amongst them are leading groups through drills and basic sparring practice using crude training weapons. The vigers, far from shying away from the martial skills they are learning, express only fierce determination and focus in their faces.

    Moving from group to group, I can see a new face, a somewhat rough looking man I''d ce somewhere in his twenties. Every time hees to a new team, he pauses to look and correct people form and bark out some advice before moving onto

    These people are giving me seriously intense vibes. They have no chill!

    With Crinis on my back and Tiny standing at my side, I make a conspicuous sight and it isn''t long before vigers spot me. A ripple passes through the crowded town centre as people nudge their neighbours, I can see many a finger raised, pointing in my direction and it isn''t long before the entire vige hase to a standstill as every man, woman and child has paused to look at me.

    Sigh.

    May as well get this over with. I''d kind of hoped that the obsession the people here have with me would blow over with time, but thanks to the unending efforts of Beyn and the members of his vige, it seems to be getting worse.

    As I move toward the vige I can see it all happening, the whispering, the pointing, the gazes filled with reverence. The men and women of the vige look at me as if they are looking at a sturdy mountain that shelters them from the howling wind, or a great tree that protects from theshing rain.

    Hang on a sec.

    Are they so confident facing this crises because they think I''m going to save them?! Surely they aren''t that crazy! What kind of human depends on a freakin'' ant monster to swoop in and save the day? That can''t be healthy! Not to mention, I don''t need this pressure in my life! Save yourselves dammit! Go bug Morrelia and get her to save you¡­ she''s plenty strong!

    Disgruntled and somewhat awkward, I make my way into the centre of the vige and wait for Enid to show herself. Usually, as soon as I turn up they send someone running to fetch her, or in a less optimal scenario, they fetch Beyn.

    I tolerate the muttering and ardent stares as I wait, my antennae twitching this way and that until I decide to start cleaning them, just to give myself something to do. The moment I lift my front leg, the crowd who had been quietly gathering around me in a loose circle gasped as one and leapt back, freezing my heart in my thorax for a moment.

    Don''t'' freak me out like that people! I''m just trying to keep clean!

    Fortunately it wasn''t long before I spied Enid, rushing through the crowd which reluctantly parted to allow her through.

    [Hi there Enid] I greeted her once I''d established the mind bridge, [how''ve things been over here in the vige?]

    Enid scowled at my light tone.

    [An unending horde of monsters are about to descend on our heads, led by a vicious Kaarmodo sorcerer, and anchored around a centuries old monster, legendary for its viciousness. I hardly think this is the time for levity, Anthony] Enid said peevishly.

    [When you put it like that] I muttered, [it does take the light out of the situation.]

    Enid sighed, as if the weight of the world was pressing down on her shoulders.

    [Sorry, I feel as if I haven''t slept in weeks] she apologised, [to think I''d be having to work this hard in my old age. My bones are aching I tell you, and there''s still so much to do.]

    [Not a problem] I excused her, [things have been a bit hectic over thest while, there''s no doubt about that.]

    I cast my eyes about.

    [I don''t see any sign of Morrelia. Has she taken people into the Dungeon?]

    Enid nodded.

    [She''s been running people to and from the Dungeon ever since she got back. I don''t think she intends to stop until the horde arrives. I can understand it, every level counts at this point but I worry that she''s pushing herself too hard.]

    [Tell her I think she should take a break at some point] I advised.

    Enid cast me an amused and curious look.

    [You think she''ll listen to you?] she asked incredulously.

    [She might] I shrugged my antennae, [another hand on the scales might push her hard enough that she gets some rest.]

    Enid nodded slowly before diverting the conversation.

    [There''s been a great deal of activity seen at the colony over thest day. So many ants have left the nest.]

    There seemed to be some sort of undertone to what she said, but I couldn''t read it for the life of me.

    [We''ve been sending out an advance party. We intend to try and whittle down the numbers of the horde as much as possible before they arrive. I''ll be heading out there myself shortly.]

    Relief swept over Enid''s face only to be swiftly followed by concern.

    [Will you be safe out there? Don''t underestimate the Kaarmodo, they are ancient and cunning beyond measure.]

    That peaked my curiosity.

    [You''ve had dealing with them before?]

    She nodded.

    [When my merchant enterprise what as it peaks I dealt with one of their mage conves as an import-export agent for them in Liria.]

    [Any advice for me?] I asked hopefully.

    The old woman looked down at me, concern creasing her forehead.

    [Don''t underestimate them] she warned me. [They are smart as whips and bite twice as deep.]

 Chapter 214 The forward HQ

    <h4>Chapter 214 The forward HQ </h4>

    It took a good bit of travel before we were able to reach the first staging area on the path between the nest and the anticipated direction the horde would be travelling. A steady stream of workers ran back and forth in long lines, bringing information back to the nest or returning for designated rest periods.

    I found it curious that even with their enhanced senses and intelligence, which removed the necessity for the ants to move directly on top of a trail like regr ants on Earth would, they still chose to do so. The result being that I was treated to the sight of hundreds of ants the size ofrge dogs hustling about in long trails, one after the other.

    The main difference between this and looking at an ant trail back on Earth, other than the size of course, is that I could hear the chatter between the workers as they ran.

    "Keep it up! Run hard!"

    "We''ve got this! Push, push, push!"

    "So much work to do, no time to slow down now!"

    "Lift those ws! Don''t forget you have six legs, not two like a human. That means three times the work!"

    "Work hard for the colony!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    Endlessly.

    One advantage of not having to breathe in order to talk I suppose, no matter how fast they run or how tired they are, they can talk continuously. It was interesting to hear them pump each other up and encourage one another as they ran, to the point I wasn''t sure if I was listening to monstrous ants or a spin ss at a gym.

    I''ve no doubt that if Vibrant were here, she''d be enthusiastically shouting and cheering the workers onto glorious deeds and greater efforts. I''m looking forward to catching up with Vibrant when she makes her way to the front lines. From what I understand, she decided to remain behind with her dedicated followers in order to make a push toward meeting the colony''s food requirements before she left the nest to join us up here.

    I have a suspicion that the food quota is going to get hit a lot faster than anyone anticipated. With Vibrant fired up for the job it''s going to get done at light speed, which can only be a good thing. The faster it''s done, the sooner those soldiers can get to the front and help with our campaign here to chip away at the horde, and the more food will be built up by those remaining behind to hunt, adding to the stockpile that will have been amassed. If things go like I think they will, the production of eggs may not slow down much at all during this crisis, which will put us in a better spot if we actually manage to pull through.

    My pets and I eventually reach the staging area where the leadership of the raiding force has been gathering as more concrete ns are being drawn up, scouts are being sent out and preliminary ambush preparations are being made. It isn''t much to look at though. When I arrived, I would have missed it had I not been following a scent trail.

    The workers had dug a mini nest into the ground, but in the interest of concealing it as much possible, they''d done a good job of spreading the loose dirt around and carrying it away from the site itself. Arge hole in the ground was the only sign of the nest, one meter across, too small for Tiny and a little squeezy for me to be honest.

    I left Tiny and Crinis topside for the moment and plunged vertically down into the tunnel. The rtive calm of the surface gave to a flurry of activity beneath the ground as workers climbed all over each other as they rushed about their tasks, expanding the size of the nest, excavating side tunnels and secret entrances so that they might enter and leave without being spotted.

    The crush was a little ustrophobic for me, I didn''t have a proper ant mentality about things like personal space, so having ant and dirt shoved in my face constantly made moving around a little disorienting, even as I tried to follow the scent trails to the "nning room".

    By the time I made it through I was quite rattled and extremely grateful to enter a chamber that contained a little free air and only a couple of ants.

    "Wee eldest," Victor the General greeted me, "It''s good to see you made it to the front in time for the first ambush."

    That got my attention. "We''re ready for an ambush already? Do we even have eyes on the horde?"

    Victor shook her head.

    "Our fastest scouts have been sent to locate the horde but they are yet to return. We expect them to make contact with the horde tomorrow and then make their way back. Of course, that is conditional on the horde travelling on the stone trail you described to us."

    "Road, Victor. It''s called a road."

    She waved her antennae dismissively.

    "A strange human convention, it matters not. We have dispatched workers to scout and prepare the ground ahead,e and look."

    Victor pulled me over to a corner of the room where I could dimly see a t raised area had been prepared, the surface of which had been carved into a semnce of terrain. I could see roads, surprisingly detailed little building to represent what I think are towns. Midum was there, as well as the human vige and I believe a rounded hill to represent the main nest of the colony. I believe that would make this hole pushed into the soil over here the forward base we currently upied.

    "This is weirdly well done Victor, did you get some sort of skill for this?" I asked, puzzled.

    The General nodded.

    "Sloan and I both thought it would be important for us to have a way to visualise positional information and terrain. After cking our mandibles together for a while we came up with this!" she gestured towards her borate map proudly. "We had to buy a few skills to make it work, mental visualisation and earth shaping."

    Huh. Interesting. So essentially a carving type skill to be able to shape the dirt into the forms they wanted, which helps to exin the high level of detail in the dirt shapes. Mental visualisation I suppose assists them in forming a picture in their minds of what they know, assisting them in being able to craft these little war maps. Clever stuff.

    "Very handy! These kinds of maps are going to be super useful in nning our strategy. Good work Victor."

    She wiggled her antennae, pleased her efforts had been valued. I''m guessing that some of the other ants had possibly doubted the value of this avenue of development, but as a former human, I knew it was going to pay off.

    I''m d I made the Generals a direct evolution from the soldier caste. We weren''t going to need a whole lot of them, certainly not in the nning area, but Sloan and Victor had proven that having some soldiers with a decent head on their shoulders to lead the way was a wise decision. I did worry at times that the soldiers, having the lowest Cunning stat of any caste, would struggle to perform their duties properly, but with the Generals sprinkled into the mix, helping to keep them on the right track, they''d been performing well.

    Which is just as well since they were going to get a serious test soon.

    "I''ve got a few things that we can add to your map, Victor. Then I''d better get myself towards the front lines. I''ll be a heap more useful up there helping to dig rather than sitting here twiddling my ws."

 Chapter 215 The first ambush

    <h4>Chapter 215 The first ambush </h4>

    I huddled beneath the earth with my brethren. The narrow tunnel was ustrophobic to say the least, the ceiling hung low over my head and knowing just how thin it was didn''t help my space issues. My digging skill conveyed to me the awareness that the tunnel was structurally sound, but for some reason it didn''t help.

    Perhaps I was just nervous about the uing ambush and my nervousness was looking for an outlet. The scouts on either side of me didn''t appear nervous in the slightest. Calm andposed, not moving at all, really. They were rock still as they awaited the signal to begin.

    It had taken two days of solid effort to prepare this, the first ambush ground. We''d had to run hard to get out here, only to find that the workers who''d been sent ahead had already been hard at work for hours and their progress was staggering.

    We assumed that the horde would continue to follow the road south and with that thought, the generals had nned for the first ambush to take ce as far from the home nest as possible, whilst still allowing the workforce time to prepare the ground. The ants had been especially motivated however, my siblings had torn into the digging work with such zeal that by the time my pets and I had arrived, the ground was already littered with pitfalls.

    The workers and soldiers got to work on the forest nearby, taking branches and cutting down trees away from the sight of the road and cutting them into stakes using their razor sharp mandibles, which they then took to the pitfalls and buried them in the bottom.

    Others had been busy tunnelling out our ambush avenues. The area had looked feverish with activity and ants ran everywhere over the ce and dirt flew into the air in dozens of ces at once. It had been such a mess that I had genuinely thought there was no chance that we''d manage to get everything prepared and then cleaned up before the horde had arrived.

    I was a fool to doubt my siblings. Before I''d taken my ce here inside the tunnel, I''d been able to cast my eye over a spotless stretch of cobbled road and idyllic forest. No sign of the dozens of spiked traps or murderous ants hiding above and below the ground.

    "Begin charge" came a whispered message from behind me and I immediately began focusing my three minds on my Gravitational Mana nd.

    I was hoping that Garralosh and the Kaarmodo lizard wouldn''t be able to sense the build-up of mana if I was concealed beneath the soil. It was for that reason that I was positioned several metres back from the covered entrance of our tunnel, in an attempt to ce a good chunk of dirt between the enemy and me as the Gravity Bomb took shape.

    ws crossed, it worked.

    I pulled my mana out at a steady pace. I wasn''t worried about depleting my core since the colony had extended a tunnel from the closest dungeon entrance towards the forward HQ. It wasn''t much but it was enough that Tiny, Crinis and I were able to top up after our trek to the north.

    The Gravity Bomb grew dense as time passed and I continued to feed mana into it at a steady pace.

    "No change, continue charge" came the message from behind me.

    No change in behaviour from the horde, no sign my spell had been detected. All good so far. I hope the ants keeping watch on the horde from above ground were keeping themselves hidden. Without knowing exactly how scrying worked, we''d tried to make sure all of our colony members were as hidden as possible. Each of them was tucked into a burrow or foxhole of some sort, hidden from above such that a view looking down from the sky would be unable to find them.

    The greater the density of the gravity bomb, the more of my attention it demanded and the less extraneous thoughts I could allow. I didn''t want to give away the ambush by blowing myself up, that would be less than ideal.

    "Release when ready" the messenger behind me ryed.

    The words and their meaning whispered around the outside of my awareness, my attention was drawn into the potent spell I was weaving as if it were the ck hole it resembled. Due to the meditation skill my focus was strong enough that the meaning of the words registered and I could act.

    That message meant the enemy was in position and I could unleash my gravity bomb when ready. The timing window was quite tight here so I had to move with haste.

    One leg at a time I pushed myself forward, drawing nearer to the disguised entrance with each movement. On either side of me, scout ants pushed up, ensuring they remained slightly behind me at all times, lest they be caught in the release of the spell.

    The rotating ck mass of the gravity bomb consumed me now. The roiling energies threatened to spin out of my control at any time and only my iron will and powerful minds working in tandem were able to contain it.

    With a sudden lunge, I propelled myself out of the opening, the grass and branches used to disguise the entrance burst outward, and no sooner did Iy eyes on the enemy than I unleashed their doom.

    HOOOOOOOOWL.

    The Gravity Bomb flickered into existence and announced its presence with the now familiar shriek of wind. The very air around us seemed to thin as the spell streaked toward the masses of monsters that made up the horde.

    With the spell released and no longer requiring my constant focus I turn my attention more fully to the array of monsters approaching my position, monsters who are about to have a very bad day.

    Like a nket of zombies, the soundless ranks of Garralosh''s horde are advancing at a slow pace along the road. From my vantage point, poking out of the low roofed tunnel we had dug into a low hill, the horde is spread before me across the ins. I can''t make out the beast herself at this distance, I assume she''s toward the back of the horde, and to be honest I''m grateful. If the regr soldiers had to deal with her crushing aura I''m not sure how they''d fare.

    The Gravity Bomb crashed into the massed ranks of the horde and expanded to its full size, the furious pull of the magic dragging monsters to their soundless deaths and they were crushed in an instant. The sound of Gandalf uttering the system notifications rang in my mind over and over again.

    [You have in ¡­]

    [You have in ¡­]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have in ¡­]

    Twisting in ce, the Gravity Bomb continued to drag more unwilling monsters into its depths, all sound dominated by the endless howl of the wind. Before the spill dissipated, the ambush was sprung. Called out of their hiding ces by the piercing sound of the air being devoured by my spell, soldier ants pour out of their hiding ces, tunnels dug into the surrounding low hills, and, as one, turn to present their business districts to the enemy.

    This is a business convention!

    As the spell continues to wreak havoc amongst the foe, jets of acid are unleashed from hundreds of ants and pour down, burning every monster they touch.

    The scouts around me are super impressive, their acid sts have tremendous range, arcing far beyond those of the other soldiers, raining their fearsome acid payload deep into the horde.

    Oh right! I''m meant to be doing that too!

    Gandalf continues to natter in my ear with notifications as I present the fearsome battery I keep in my back pocket and unleash liquid death at the horde.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    My own acid rained down as the Gravity Bomb flickered and vanished. As the spell disappeared, the enemy seemed to shake themselves awake, as if it were a beast that had just been punched in the face. The horde seemed to blink at our assault, then recover with a roar and charged forward.

    Then Tiny and Crinis appeared.

 Chapter 216 The first ambush part 2

    <h4>Chapter 216 The first ambush part 2 </h4>

    As the waves of monsters began to rush forward to attack the pesky ants who were tormenting them from the low hills surrounding them, Tiny burst out of his hiding ce, crackling with electricity. He''d been hidden much closer to the horde than I was, and it had taken some extremely direct and detailed instructions before I was prepared to allow him to get that close to the enemy.

    The n depended on him not hurling himself in the midst of a horde of tens of thousands of monsters, as I''m sure he would be delighted to do. Speaking of the n, I need to do my bit!

    My sub brains put the time I was firing acid to good use and I put the finishing touches on the basic water affinity transformation construct and turned back around, already pumping out water mana which I wove into a nonpressed water cannon.

    From just in front of my mandibles a fire hose like jet of water fountained out and filled the air with fine spray. At the range I was at, still a good thirty metres away from the first monsters in the horde, the nonpressed water cannon wasn''t going to do any damage. At best I might knock a few monsters off their feet. But that wasn''t the point.

    As the water began to fall on the charging enemies, Tiny bellowed his challenge and thrust his meaty hands forward, unleashed his lightning. The enemy, now covered in a coating of fine mist that I continued to pump out, prove to be delightfully conductive. And when Tiny released twin bolts of pure lightning into them, they were instantaneously fried.

    And we aren''t done. From my raised vantage point I can spy a few patches of darkening shadow between the heaving masses of low level monsters. It''s time for Crinis to begin her dark work. As Tiny continues to roar and discharge ridiculous amounts of electricity, electrocuting huge numbers of monsters, dark tentacles begin to emerge from the ground, slowly at first, then with growing speed.

    The first the monsters know about it is when several of them are suddenly wrapped by dark limbs as thick as a human arm. Then the tentacles flexed, shifted, and allowed their barbs to go about their grisly business. Only moments after she had grasped her first victims, a rain of gore and Biomass had begun as she dismembered the monsters and her tentacles began grasping for new targets even as more of the dreaded limbs began to rise from the dark ground.

    Crinis is currently positioned in a very small and narrow tunnel that has lead her directly beneath the enemy, five metres below ground. With the aid of her shadow magic and Shadow Eye, she can extend her mana sense through the shadows and ''see'' her targets, clear as day. The end result is the disturbing carnage I''m seeing before me.

    With my two pets working on separate areas toward the front of the horde, the charge that had been building in momentum has been stalled, but not for long. The scouts and surrounding soldiers have continued to pour out acid as fast as they can and most have run out of juice. The battle has only been going for a minute at this point but it''s nearly time to stage the retreat.

    Just as I was thinking that, Tiny ran out of juice, the electricity pouring out of him flickered and died off, causing him to roar with frustration and rage. He wanted to fight, I get it, but he was under the strictest instructions for this engagement.

    Once he ran out of juice he had to turn and retreat through the tunnel he''d emerged from. Clearly unhappy, Tiny did just that and I released a knot of tension in my gut. I''d done everything I could to ensure that he''d not stuff things up by throwing his life away, but Tiny had a way of making things difficult. I wasn''t certain I''d done enough until I saw him vanish out of sight beneath the ground.

    Crinis continued her butchery unabated as twenty tentacles grasped and tore through monsters who appeared to be thoroughly intimidated. I guess her fear inspiration skills were paying dividends since it didn''t appear that anybody wanted to try and take a swing at her.

    With Tiny retreating, the rest of the ants did the same, turning and vanishing into their tunnels, leaving no trace of the hundreds strong raiding force that had battered the horde from range only moments ago.

    With the ants gone, Crinis'' limbs retracted beneath the earth, pping a few monsters around on the way out and the horde was left staring at their bloodied front ranks in silence.

    It didn''tst, of course. With a roar the horde surged forward, desperate to rend the ants, who had taunted them only moments before, into tiny pieces and stomp on what was left. Outward they surged, into dozens of now opened tunnels. I could feel the heat of them, roiling through the air as they plunged into my own tunnel, nipping at my heels.

    Just as we''d nned.

    The tunnels were cramped, with low roofs and limited space. Other than the tunnel dug for Tiny, therger monsters couldn''t fit through and indeed it was mostly centipedes and rabbits who had chased after me and my scout artillery force.

    We fled down the tunnel for fifty metres before suddenly turning. This section of the tunnel opened up into a small chamber and a force of soldiers was already in position, arrayed in a ''U'' shape, ready to receive our pursuers.

    When the flood of monsters ran into the chamber, they found themselves surrounded on all sides by the snapping mandibles of angry ants. And when I say all sides, I really mean all sides. The enemy poured straight into the mouth of the U, putting soldiers on their left and right, but it wasn''t just that, soldiers clung to the ceiling and to the walls as well, forming a literal wall of snapping jaws that tore the first wave of monsters apart.

    I took the brunt of the charge, anchoring myself in the centre of the formation and allowing the ineffective strikes of the weaker monsters to bounce off my glorious diamond carapace. Stymied by the narrow tunnels, the horde was unable to bring their superior numbers to bear against us, their own losses clogging up the space as they tried to force themselves forward only to throw themselves into a field of bite attacks.

    Simr battles would be taking ce in a number of tunnels right now, a chance for us ants to inflict further casualties on the enemy without risking much ourselves. The only trick we''d had to work out was how to disengage.

    SNAP! SNAP! I pumped my mandibles dispassionately as my siblings around me did the same. The waves of enemies didn''t seem to ever end and for every monster we chopped down another pushed its way through until the chamber was packed with the Biomass of the fallen. Shame we wouldn''t get a chance to eat it.

    After five minutes of this brutalbat, a shudder ran through the ants as we received the unspoken signal. As one, we stepped back as with a roar the tunnel in front of us copsed, drowning the enemy in tons of dirt in seconds.

    The deep thump of the dirt falling was followed by a chilling silence as the raging battle was brought to a close with sudden finality. The first ambush was over. Hopefully the other tunnels had fared as well as we had, in which case the attack would have been a rousing sess. Thousands of monsters killed, hopefully very few soldiers lost. It was a good start.

 Chapter 217 Musings

    <h4>Chapter 217 Musings </h4>

    I was blessed many times over for such events ur, not only in my lifetime, but in my vicinity, allowing me to take a direct hand in the magnificent triumphs that transpired. But that isn''t what I value most, the thing I gained the greatest joy from. The understanding that was granted to me far outweighed any other considerations in terms of the impact it had on my life and the direction I took.

    What is the System? Divine intervention, most would say, certainly in the human kingdoms where the Church of the Path is most entrenched. A power that was granted to the wise that they may defend the light of civilisation from evil and temper themselves in battle, that they might prove themselves worthy.

    What is the Dungeon? Providence, they would say. A ce of trial, where the gifts of the System are to be developed to fulfilment, so that the worthy might be discerned and given their proper due. That, was the Path.

    But I was shown that it wasn''t so. Even now I am surprised that it didn''t shake me more, I had been diligent and faithful all of my life, trained with the priesthood with such zeal that I had graduated two years ahead of my peers. The masters at the Temple of Ways in Croninheim had anticipated great things from me, but even they could not have anticipated the insights I would gain.

    I was shown a new way, a different path. The depredations and depravities of the church had blinded it to the truth of the world in which we lived. What is the System? A tool, nothing more. A tool to be grasped by strong hands and wielded by each individual to forge a path of their own. The Dungeon? It is not of the divine, but of the earth. It is a tool, nothing more.

    I lost an arm in order to glimpse the true divinity, that creature who forged a path ofpassion, of sharing, protection and purity with the tools that others made objects of their worship. For that blessed realisation I was cast low by mortal hands, only to be raised high by the winds of the divine.

    Excerpt from ''The Path Reforged'' by Beyn Naligic the Apostate.

    Tungstant, Victor and Mendant stood huddled in a small chamber awaiting the next round of scouting reports from the front.

    "Seems as though the ambush went to n" Mendant offered to her sibling.

    Victor waved thepliment away with onezy antennae and continued to click her mandibles irritably.

    "What is so wrong with the battle going the way we wanted it to?" sighed Tungstant, puzzled by the attitude disyed by one of the two generals of the council, "Isn''t that supposed to be a good thing?"

    Victor cked her mandibles a few more times before focusing her attention onto her two siblings. "The ambush went well" she conceded, "but I had hoped most of all to bait some response from Garralosh or the Lizard creature. Those two are the greatest threats to us and not having a clue of what they might be capable of is¡­ worrying."

    "Perhaps they couldn''t do anything? Maybe we just hit them too fast for them to muster a response" Mendant suggested.

    The small healer had spent thest few hours tending to the wounded who had made it back to the fallback position. The ambush had been carried out with surprisingly few casualties but there had been many injuries suffered by the soldiers who had battled in the tunnels. Despite the scales being tipped so far in their favour, it was inevitable that a few legs would be lost, an antennae shorn off here and there. The few soldiers who had actually perished had simply been unlucky.

    Victor cked his mandibles derisively. "We hit them fast but I doubt it was that fast. From the intelligence we have, we''ve been told that the Kaarmodo is to be considered a spell caster greater than the Eldest by several degrees. I refuse to believe that such a creature would be incapable of hitting us back in any way."

    "So what are you suggesting?" Tungstant inquired, exasperated. She liked to work with stone and dirt, concrete materials that behaved the way they ought to. The Generals and soldiers took so many variables into their ws it seemed ridiculous. How were you supposed to guess the mind of giant lizard?

    "I''m not sure" Victor said and Tungstant slumped to the floor.

    Mendant was more patient. "Let''s see what the scouts have to say before we discuss further" she suggested.

    The three ants stood inpanionable silence whilst they waited. The twenty members of the first generation were not often in the same room together anymore, but they quite enjoyed thepanionship of those who had been born alongside them. The only ants to receive the direct ''teachings'' of the Eldest other than Vibrant, they had gone through much together and those bonds still held.

    It was Wills herself who came to report, rushing into the chamber without appearing to be hurried in any way, which was her special talent.

    "Waiting around for little old me?" Wills chuckled, "surely you have better things to do?"

    Victor was in no mood for levity.

    "Give the report, scout" she ground out, "how many of my soldiers died today?"

    "Not many" Wills shrugged, "you''ll seldom have a better fight than this one."

    The scout settled herself unhurriedly before beginning to speak again.

    "Ourst report has the elements of the horde that had been in pursuit pulling back to the main body and resuming their march along the projected path. So far no deviation has been observed. Current count of casualties sits at fifteen. Most of the injured are back up and crawling, thanks to your healers, Mendant."

    Wills nodded towards the healer in question and she responded with a calm tip of her antennae. The colony hadn''t produced many healers yet, barely twenty, but each and every one of them had been sent out as part of the ambush force. Where the fighting was thickest, they were there, healing and regenerating their fellow ants.

    "Estimated casualties inflicted on the enemy are over five thousand, with more to follow I believe."

    Victor flicked an antennae in confusion.

    "What do you mean? We aren''t fighting them right now, why would they be dying?"

    "Scout reports suggest that those monsters who survived the acid strike in a wounded condition are being consumed by their ¡­ allies. I don''t believe those running the show want to be slowed down."

    Possibly as many as six thousand casualties inflicted for the loss of only fifteen soldiers. A tremendous victory by any metric, yet each of the four ants in the chamber was silent.

    "The Eldest won''t be happy" Tungstant sighed, breaking the silence.

    "The Eldest will understand the need. We were never going to get out of this without losing family members" Victor snapped, a touch defensively.

    Tungstant just shook her head.

    "Eldest will understand perfectly well. But that won''t prevent them from being unhappy."

    Silence returned once again as the four members of the twenty considered their strange and often bewildering elder sibling.

    It still felt unnatural to them, to care so much about each individual member of the colony. The Eldest had changed much in designing them, but had failed to remove the instinct of sacrifice. Those fifteen soldiers had died with hearts full of dness, there was no doubt of that. Leeroy would possibly strangle herself with her own guts out of sheer jealousy, to be frank. Only the Eldest seemed immune to this instinct, also Vibrant to some extent, and demanded that every member of the colony fight against it. So they did.

    It also helped that preserving the strength of the colony made good logical sense. The enhanced minds of the Formica Sapiens helped them grasp this point, at least.

    "Have we had word of the Eldest?" Mendant asked Wills, "what was his status?"

    Wills nodded to her respectfully, showing far more deference to the healer than to the General Victor, who ground her mandibles to one side.

    "The Eldest retreated in good order along with both pets. From thest report I received, the Eldest levelled up once during the battle."

    The other three ants each sighed with relief. One level down, five to go.

    None of them wanted to put pressure on the Eldest, but that possible evolution was looming as their ace in the hole. The ants had only just begun their study of the System but already they were unlocking some of its secrets. It was clear to see from their limited experiments that evolutionary bonuses snowballed at an exponential rate, each evolution giving more power than thest. With the rare core consumed as well as the possible unlocks the Eldest had achieved, who knows what mighte out in the Evolution menu?

    "Let''s move onto nning the second ambush. How are preparations proceeding?" Victor pushed the conversation forward.

    Tungstant was eager to detail the digging works and spoke excitedly, finally, something that made sense!

    "The interconnected tunnelworks will allow us an opportunity to draw away a more significant number of enemies and engage them on friendly ground, but we must be prepared. The copsible tunnels worked well on this asion but I would like us to consider more contingencies, such as ¡­"

    The four ants discussed their ns for two more hours as the horde marched inexorably onward.

 Chapter 218 Regroup

    <h4>Chapter 218 Regroup </h4>

    The first ambush had been a rousing sess, even though fifteen of my family members had been lost in the fight. It was just a small taste of the carnage that was toe. I swallowed my sadness as best as I could. It didn''t help anyone if I threw a tantrum and got upset that we''d lost fifteen soldiers in return for killing thousands of enemies. Hitting them from range, drawing them into a tunnel fight, where the ants had every advantage, then copsing the tunnels on the enemy had been an elegant and clean strategy. I couldn''t think of a way to improve it at all.

    Every surviving ant had gained much in terms of experience and skill levels, strengthening the colony with every death we inflicted. The horde had been reduced as well, a win by all measures. Perhaps it was irrational of me, the other members of the colony were extremely pleased and I''m dead certain not a few of them actually envied the fallen, wishing that they themselves had had the unfortunate (fortunate?) luck to die in the battle.

    I''d dealt out a few thwacks already to those I suspected of not valuing their lives as they should and I''d have to do it again before too long.

    We had retreated with all haste through the escape tunnels and then back onto the surface. My pets and I had taken up a position in the rear guard, just in case of pursuit, but it didn''t seem to matter. The enemy either didn''t manage to find any of the exit tunnels in time or had not chased far enough overnd to see us emerge. Whatever the case, we''d retreated at a solid pace to the second set of earthworks being prepared for the next ambush.

    Luckily the enemy moved at such a casual pace, we''d have a few hours of rest and preparation time before they made it to us and the second fight began.

    I''d checked in with a few scouts who told me that Victor and the other members of the twenty here on the front line were nning and I decided to leave them to it. I don''t think I could contribute much that they wouldn''t be able toe up with their own. Instead I decided to check in with my pets and count my own earnings. I hadn''t listened to the pronouncements of the bearded one, may his facial hair ever flow like a mighty white river.

    [How''s the core looking Tiny? You burned a lot of juice up there.]

    The giant bat faced ape sat on the ground next to me, absently picking through the longer hair on his arms, removing stones and twigs that had been caught as we fled. In response to my query he just grunted, seeming to indicate that yes, he had lost a lot of juice, but no, it shouldn''t be a problem.

    [How about you Crinis? I was super impressed with the shadow portal stabbing you got done. Very nice!]

    The Crinis ball on my back wibbled a little at my strong praise and replied, her tone sounding rather pleased with herself, even if her words were negative.

    [I wasn''t happy with the number of tentacles I was able to deploy, nor with how quickly I formed them. I believe I can get much faster. A few more skill levels and mutations and I''ll defeat twice as many of those trash in half the time.]

    [Sure, sure] I agreed.

    I was suitably impressed with Crinis'' evolution but it was true that Tiny was able to reap greater destruction in the limited time we had avable. Unloading both barrels of his lightning on enemies who had been drenched by a super soaker resulted in a heck of a lot of dead stuff.

    [We did well. Let''s all rest up for the next fight] I told my pets before settling myself on the ground and concentrating.

    My sub-brains were hard at work with external mana maniption, trying to drag ambient mana towards the three us to keep our cores topped off. My skills had increased, but so has our consumption after Crinis'' evolution. We had one more battle in us after our Mana nds topped off from draining energy out of our cores, then we''d need to retreat back to the Dungeon to recharge.

    With my main mind I began to flick through my skills to see what had levelled up during the conflict just past.

    Hmm.

    Mana Scrooge levelled up, I''ll take it. On the surface I need to be as careful with my mana as possible. Improved Acid shot hit level 10? Nice! I''ll upgrade that to ¡­ Deadly acid shot? Sounds impressive.

    Mana Transformation, Condensed Mana, external mana maniption all levelled up. Firing off those Gravity Bombs is serious business, in terms of the xp that''s earned, especially when I clean up a lot of monsters like I did.

    Petmunication has levelled up? Finally hit level five! That gets upgraded to ¡­ Distant Pet Communication? Range ofmunication has been improved? Seems good, I''ll pay for that. What else have we got?

    Looks like my extensive chomping has paid off, I managed to squeak a level out of Severing Bite and Splintering Chomp, which is good. I need those two bites to hit rank four in a hurry. Hopefully the bite skill I can create from the fusion of the three bite skills I have is some seriously potent stuff.

    I also managed to pick up a level in expert exo-skeleton defence. Thanks to being chomped a bit during the battle in the tunnels I suppose.

    That seems to be the sum total of my level gains from the battle. I''m notining, I''ll take what I can get at this stage. More than anything else, the raw levels are what are most important. Five more levels to go before I can evolve. I''m going to need to take part in a few more ambushes if I''m going to get there soon. Ideally I could snipe a highly evolved offspring of Garralosh and get a few cheeky levels out of that, but I doubt I''m going to get that lucky.

    The next battle is going to take ce in a few hours. It''s a bit stressful, having to be pumped up for battle so soon after just finishing one, but I think I can get used to it. Perhaps this is how Tiny feels all of the time.

    This is our reality for the next few days, I suppose. Until the threat is dealt with, we need to continue to do as much as we can to inflict damage to the enemy. Killing a few thousand enemies was pretty darn good in thest ambush, but even if we did that every six hours until the horde reached the nest, we''d still have half the horde to deal with at the end of it.

    The pace will need to pick up the pace, which means there will be more casualties amongst my siblings. The thought that we''d been forced into this position, to risk ourselves and spend the lives of our family as currency for our ongoing existence.

    Gradually, I felt the anxiety and fear inside me give way to anger. A tiny spark of rage ignited deep within me and began to smoulder.

 Chapter 219 Stepping forward

    <h4>Chapter 219 Stepping forward </h4>

    Deep in the nest, the Queen contemted. She thought back to the difficult days just after she had spawned in the Dungeon, when she awoke by herself in the dark tunnels that bordered the shadow levels, surrounded by the roar of monsters and consumed with a burning desire. She had battled hard in that time, born with a powerful body, she had nhelesse close to death many times as she had frantically tried to satisfy the instinct that had burned within her mind.

    She had been hungry in those days, aggressive and dominant. She had fought brutally, crushed her prey between her mandibles and squeezed the life out of them as her carapace cracked, life''s blood dripping from wounds that covered her body. She had to push, had to be faster, stronger, more vicious, more deadly, more voracious. There had barely been time to eat before she''d been forced to fight again in those days, an endless battle where she had pushed herself forward with an indomitable will.

    When she''d had enough Biomass, she''d tunnelled into a wall, carved out a small chamber for herself and begun to rear her firstrvae,ying the eggs, then hunting so she had food to provide for her young when they hatched. And when those grubs had finally emerged she had felt something that she had never felt before.

    Satisfaction. Peace. Fulfilment. Creating the colony was her reason for existing, she had realised it in that moment. She had been expressly created for this purpose and in starting her family she had begun to scratch the itch that had burned inside her since the moment she had awoken beneath the ground.

    Since then, her life had changed dramatically. No longer was she hunting, battling every moment to realise her purpose, she was now a defender and protector to her family. The constant flow of workers throughout the nest was like a warm pattering of rain that quenched her spirit.

    There were many missing from the nest now and it wounded her to know that they were fighting and dying so far from where she could help. When she''d offered to advance to the front lines and fight with her children, they had protested vigorously until she had agreed to remain.

    She was still miffed by that. She had been fighting for this family before they had even been born, why couldn''t she fight with her colony? There were two Queens in waiting that could take her ce, a thought that filled the Queen with dness, and not even because the pressure of being the sole individual capable of creating young had been raised from her shoulders, but rather because the burden had been taken from the colony as a whole. No longer did the fate of the colony rest on a single individual, the threat of extinction had been pushed further away and the Queen felt only joy.

    "Still not evolving, Mother?"

    The Queen turned herrge frame so that she could look directly down on the individual who had spoken. Be, the core shaper, had crawled into her chamber and now clung to the roof, looking at the Queen.

    "Are you also disappointed to see that I haven''t rushed my decision, child?" the Queen said, thinking of the troublesome one who had so obviously pushed her to evolve as soon as possible.

    The smaller core shaper shook her antennae in denial.

    "Not at all, Mother, I think you have made the correct decision to weigh your options. I am simply surprised that the pressure of our current situation hasn''t pushed you to move sooner."

    The Queen thought for a moment. It was true that the colony faced a dire set of circumstances, peril such as this had not gripped them since the onset of the wave. She felt pressure, of course. Her family must survive, she would not permit otherwise, all threats would be removed with any force necessary.

    "I am troubled over the decision somewhat" the Queen admitted, causing every ant in the chamber to freeze for a moment before continuing about their business as if nothing had happened.

    Really now. What is that big of an issue for the Queen to admit to being troubled?

    For her part, Be simply nodded her head.

    "I imagine there would be many options for you to choose from, Mother. After taking the rare core, and being such a powerful creature already, I can''t imagine what sort of choices you are being presented with."

    The Queen didn''t think Be was aware of it, but when she spoke of the rare core and evolution, her antennae twitched excitedly. Clearly the child was taking her role very seriously if she was already this enamoured with the power contained in monster cores.

    "In truth, I''ve not yet looked at the menu" the Queen said mildly.

    Be nearly fell off the roof in shock.

    "You haven''t even looked at it?" she sputtered, "then what are you thinking about?"

    What indeed, the Queen mused to herself. Perhaps the younger members of the colony did not grasp this, they were new to their roles and perhaps they thought they were unchangeable and permanent, that the demands of the colony now and the colony in the future would be the same. The Queen knew differently, she remembered when she had been alone, now she was surrounded by hundreds of her children, in a massive nest. They weren''t even the same species as when she had started. The amount of turbulence and change that battered this colony felt strange, unprecedented, to the Queen, as if her instincts were wary of such dramatic shifts. She had a feeling she knew who was the catalyst of all this change¡­

    What the Queen was trying to consider was the colony of tomorrow. She was trying, with the limited life experience and intelligence she had, to grasp the flow of events and understand what it was that her family would need from her tomorrow.

    "What do you think the colony needs from me?" the Queen asked Be suddenly, causing the young ant to twitch at the unexpected question.

    "What do you mean, Mother?" the young Core Shaper asked.

    "Exactly what I said, child. What do you think the colony needs from me?"

    Be was still puzzled. What exactly was the Queen asking her? What did the colony want? From the Queen?

    "Continue to live and be yourself, Mother. We could ask nothing more" Be said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

    The Queen absorbed those words slowly as she pondered, then she nodded.

    "Thank you for your words, child. I will take some time to consider my menu now."

    "Of course!" Be gushed, the words still hung in the air after she had departed, so quickly had she moved.

    The Queen had decided on her path. The family who put so much trust in her would not be allowed to fall.

 Chapter 220 Crafting the future

    <h4>Chapter 220 Crafting the future </h4>

    Be retreated from the Queen''s chamber, an inexplicable excitement building in her thorax. The evolution of the Queen was a subject of particr import to Be and her partner Elligant. The two Core Shaper members of the council had struggled ever since they had evolved into their current forms and responsibilities to get a handle on their purpose, to forge ahead on their path, and they''d been making great strides.

    Be followed the winding tunnels of the nest this way and that, climbing over and around other ants going about their tasks until she made her way into the crafting research and development area. Here it was that those chambers put aside for the mage ants, the carvers and the core shapers to experiment and develop their skills were situated. Be charged into the room designated for the shapers to use, almost nocking Ellie over in her haste.

    "Be! What the heck?" Ellie bellowed, disentangling herself from her exuberant partner.

    Chastened, Be pulled back slightly and straightened her antennae out as she collected her thoughts. The chamber was much as she had left it before, one side dominated by small indents they had carved into the dirt to hold the cores that were delivered to their chambers every day. Rows of the small, basic cores sorted into monster type and organised by evolutionary level, settled in neat lines that were eachbelled via pheromones were the pride of the Carver department. It had taken a lot of agitation from the pair of them to get even this many cores from the soldiers who farmed them in the nest below.

    Ellie and Be had originally wanted every core collected by the colony toe through their ws, that they might practice their skills as much as possible in order to advance through the tiers, but it had been deemed both unreasonable and unnecessary. It was fair enough, seeing as the Core Shapers couldn''t possibly work through that many cores in a single day and there couldn''t be any dy in dispersing the cores to the hatchlings who needed them desperately in order to fuel their evolutions.

    Even so, they had arranged to be delivered a number of cores each day that they could manage, along with their four assistants. With these cores they strained their minds as hard as possible to push their Core Shaping skills to the limit, pushing until their heads were near exploding and they copsed in a heap, at which point the core would be put in a corner with the others which had been manipted and collected at the end of the day for delivery.

    It all came down to cores! There just wasn''t enough of them!

    Since the Elder insisted on fuelling the evolution of as many hatchlings as possible, the colony consumed a ferocious number of cores and farming efforts had expanded to try and meet the ravenous demand. Other than providing water to the farm chambers in order to give the monsters a source of mana infused water, there was yet to be a development in the methods used to increase the speed and likelihood for a monster to develop a core and this was shaping up as a key challenge facing the expansion of the colony.

    It was just one of the project that the Core Shapers had bent their minds to, fuelled by their potent Will.

    "Big news Ellie! The Queen is getting ready to evolve!" Be told her partner.

    Elligant wiggled her antennae in excitement, her mind instantly buzzing with the possible oues.

    "We''ll need to make sure we are there when she emerges from her evolution sleep" Elligant gushed, "when she tells us her species, we''ll be able to add it to the logs!"

    Be nodded enthusiastically, taking in the logs which were carved into another wall in the chamber. This was the collective knowledge that the colony had amassed so far about monster types and evolution. The most key information was obviously that which referred to their own species. The Queen''s evolution should be a rare and unique one, which would give them the opportunity to record an evolution pathway that wouldn''t often be seen. The only evolution that would be more tantalising would be the Eldest, since that particr member of the colony walked down a path of evolution that no other ant had, and in all likelihood no other ant ever would.

    Whilst the two members of the council nattered at each other about the possible paths the Queen''s evolution might take, their four assistants continued their diligent work drawing from the collection of cores to be manipted, carrying them back to their own individual work stations in their mandibles and then touching them with antennae and forcing change to the information inside in order to train their skills.

    One by one the poor ants slumped into the dirt as their minds hit their limits and they rested to try and gather strength for another attempt. This was their day, each and every day, and they loved it. To the Core Shapers of the colony, this was heaven, grinding skills and forging a path into the future as the experts of evolution, all things core and crafters of pets for the colony.

    "How''s our main project going?" Be enquired of Ellie, getting back onto their actual tasks.

    Ellie shook her head.

    "Still inconclusive. The main drawback is still ourck of skill ranks and support skills."

    The two ants moved toward their joint work area beyond the four assistants who remained crumbled in the dirt. In their station a single core sat on a raised mound of earth and the two shapers crowded around it.

    The Core Shapers had been designed by the Eldest in order to fulfil one primary function, which was to design and shape cores that could be reconstituted by members of the colony to assist in work and much of their theory crafting and brainstorming had been toward working out exactly what sort of pets the colony needed.

    The Eldest had certainly proven that they could be powerful when raised properly, but the Shapers had very quickly abandoned that avenue of thought. They would never have the kind of resources to spare that the Eldest hadvished on those pets, they didn''t have enough for the ants, let alone any pets they might create!

    No, that path of enquiry was pointless. Instead, they had focused on pets that would be immediately useful, able to fulfil some sort of need without having to be strengthened and reinforced. They should be useful after they were fully grown and should only expect to evolve once, perhaps twice over the course of their lives.

    Be drew her antennae forward and ced them on the core, their first effort at designing a creature to serve the colony in the capacity of a pet. Activating the Core Shaping skill, she took in the rush of information contained within and sorted it into a readable status.

    After contemting the results she drew back to consult with her fellow Shaper.

    "I''m just not sure if it serves the purpose well enough for us to go with it" she sighed.

    Ellie nodded. They''d attempted to design a pack animal to act as logistics support using the evolved Dragon Wolf Hound as the base. The idea behind the concept being that if a soldier or worker had this pet along they''d be able to move heavy loads much more quickly with fewer ants, speeding up the transport of Biomass, dirt, stone, logs and anything else that they needed to shift.

    The problem was that it was extremely difficult to find something that be better than just throwing more ants at the problem. Need to fight stuff? More ants. Need to move stuff? Send more ants. Need to solve a difficult problem? Get some extra ants in there.

    The two Shapers had been both chagrined, and extremely pleased to be confronted with the superiority of the design of their own species.

    "Let''s turn to our other concept then" Ellie suggested and Be readily agreed.

    Logistics was a bust for the time being, time to go back tobat oriented pets.

 Chapter 221 The third ambush part 1

    <h4>Chapter 221 The third ambush part 1 </h4>

    Wey in wait, ready to spring the third ambush. It''s been six hours since the second battle, which had been another sessful ambush, something that seemed to make Victor very irritated, a feeling I was also beginning to share.

    The horde was massive. Tens of thousands of monsters made up the rolling carpet that made its way toward my home and even after two sessful fights, we were only just making a dent in it, so the possibility existed that Garralosh and the wizard lizard just didn''t care that we were killing their zombie monsters. Even if we kept up this pace, more than half of the monsters would still make it to the colony, more than enough to seriously endanger our existence.

    But I just couldn''t shake the feeling that it wasn''t going to go down that way. Why would they let us attack them, make ourselves stronger and them weaker, without any sort of retaliation? It didn''t make sense for them to do that, especially when they could reach out and do damage to us so easily, or at least, I think they can.

    With no concept of exactly what the Kaarmodo can do, we are left fumbling in the dark as to what its intentions might be. All in all, I''m starting to sympathise with Victor, having an enemy you have no information on refuse to do anything, thus denying you information, is so frustrating.

    The second ambush went smoothly, that''s a win, focus on that. Weunched another Gravity Bomb, followed by an acid attack before retreating into the tunnels, so far so groovy. This time we''d preparedrger underground spaces in which to do battle.

    I personally had been a little shocked that the monsters weren''t restrained from following us into the tunnels, after all, the copsing tunnels did half of the damage in the first ambush, but nope. When the enemy had charged down after me I''d been so shocked, a dragon-wolf cub had run up and bit me on the nose before I even realised it!

    The fighting had been fierce down there, face to face, mandible chomping action and more soldiers had fallen than in the first fight. It pained my heart, but the survivors were able to gain valuable experience and levels in their skills which could make all the difference in the future. Not to mention that the colony produced more soldiers on that day than it lost by four times, but still. Those are my siblings. I can''t and won''t be that callous about it.

    My anger and rage toward the invaders has built with every death they have inflicted on my family in a way that no amount of devastation in Liria could have achieved. Garralosh is going to pay for the losses we''ve suffered and it isn''t going to be cheap.

    I looked to my left and right. It was dark in this forest at night but I could still make out the long lines of ants on either side of me, waiting for the signal tounch the assault. They were so still that they might have been sleeping, if not for the pheromone chatter I was picking up through my antennae.

    "Not long now."

    "Remember the n soldiers."

    "Look sharp!"

    A pause.

    "¡­ how?"

    "¡­ what?"

    "¡­ How do I look sharp? Do I have to angle my carapace to look pointy or something?"

    "No, it''s an expression I heard in thest ambush. It means to be focused."

    "Ah."

    "¡­."

    "Look sharp soldiers!"

    Gawd.

    I really need to keep my pheromone nd shut. I keep throwing out statements or phrases that I learned in my previous life to the confusion of the ants around me. I frequently find myself having to exin things to a puzzled ant, only to have my words repeated back to me by several hundred other colony memberster in the day.

    News travels fast through a colony of ants.

    I''m feeling a little nervous, the battle is going to be slightly different in nature this time. No tunnels will be deployed. Victor has been increasingly cautious and doesn''t want to our attack patterns to be predictable, which I agree with. We only know a fraction of what is possible with magic and I already know that they could flood us, use earth magic to crush us to death under the ground and a host of other things. Just because they haven''t doesn''t mean we should arrogantly assume that they can''t.

    I run over my status since thest fight one more time, double checking what I''ve gained. It''s unusually important for me to be on top of my status right now, since the colony is kind of depending on me to evolve and somehow battle a dinosaur to death.

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 36 (Special core)

    Might: 41

    Toughness: 29

    Cunning: 44

    Will: 35

    HP: 58/58

    MP: 187/230

    Skills: Expert Excavation (III) Level 5; Deadly Acid Shot (III) Level 3; Advanced Grip (II) Level 5; Shattering Bite (IV) Level 15; Advanced Stealth (II) Level 5; Splintering Chomp (III) Level 16; Tunnel Map (II) Level 6; Mana Transformation (III) Level 11; Condensed Mana (III) Level 3; Finer External Mana Maniption (III) Level 2; Empowered Mana Sensing (II) Level 1; Core Surgery (III) Level 6; Expert Exo-Skeleton Defence (III) level 7; Distant Pet Communication (II) Level 2; Rapid Dash (II) Level 6; Expert Water Magic Affinity (III) Level 2; Advanced Stamina (II) Level 9; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 1; Mana Scrooge (II) Level 6; Expert Cerebral Endurance (III) Level 12; Profound Mediation (II) Level 5; Advanced Precise Shooting (II) Level 5; Severing Bite (III) Level 9; Enhanced Mind Magic Affinity (II) level 5;

    Mutations: Perimeter Eyes +15, Future Sight Infrared Antennae +15, Mana Binding Acid +15, Rapid Absorption Legs +15, Empowered Mandibles +15, True Diamond Carapace +15, Regrowth Regeneration nd +15, Persuasive Pheromone Language nd +10, Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +15, Adaptable Coordination Cortex +15, Supportive Inner Carapace ting +15;

    Species: Dispersed Mind Ant (Formica Sapiens)

    Skill points: 20

    Biomass: 46

    I''d gained quite a few levels during the fighting, especially across my bite skills. Greater External Mana Maniption had reached rank three after my sub brains had used it constantly to feed more mana into my core. The upgrade had given me, much as the name suggests, greater control over the movement of mana outside of my body. I''m beginning to catch glimpses of exactly how the skill can be deployed in more useful ways that just dragging mana into my hungry core, such as defending from hostile magic. I think one more rank in the skill will unlock some juicy knowledge, so I intend to keep grinding it.

    I managed to squeak in a few bites of Biomass after thest battle and pushed myself closer to the sixty five I needed to mutate my final body part, the Pheromone Language nd. Perhaps once this battle is done I''ll have the chance to do that and secure my first ever fully upgraded evolution. It''s going to be very satisfying knowing that I''m not going to be kicking myself in the thorax and making it even harder to umte Biomass and mutate than it needs to be.

    I''m also closing in on the bite skill fusion that I''ve been aiming for. ording to Beyn, when all three of my bite skills reach the fourth rank, I''ll have the option to fuse them into a more potent skill. Four more ranks in Splintering Chomp and eleven more for Severing Bite till I get there. That''s another thing I''ll have to focus on during the uing ambush.

    As the ants around me continue to pep each other up, I take a deep slow breath and run over the n in my head, one more time.

 Chapter 222 The third ambush Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 222 The third ambush Part 2 </h4>

    Hunkered down amongst the trees, I waited along with my fellow ants, mostly scouts, for the enemy to arrive. We were roughly a hundred metres from the road and would have to charge across open ground in order to get close enough tounch our acid strikes. Only the soldiers with sufficient speed and range had been chosen to take part in the first phase of the ambush, for good reason too.

    There was more risk to this n, but potentially greater payoff. Moving away from the tunnel based strategy we''d employed in the previous two battles meant we would be more open, but ensuring we didn''t be predictable and y into the enemy''s hands would be well worth it.

    "Steady people, they''reing" I heard from my left.

    And they were. The horde crawled into view, a seemingly endless tide of monsters that walked with eerie quiet, their natural instincts suppressed to the point they almost seemed alien to me. Well, more alien than the crazy, vicious monster creatures who spawn out of thin air underground they normally are.

    We continued to lie low and wait, concealed behind the tree line. The n wasn''t to hit the front of the horde, which we''d done in the past, just in case they were prepared for such a tactic. So we waited for five minutes after the first monsters had passed us by before we crept out of our hiding ces and began to sneak our way closer.

    The scouts had all taken stealth as a skill and at this point they probably had more levels in it than I did, since I didn''t get much of an opportunity to train it anymore. But it felt nice to drop into my old habits, flexing my six legs to keep my body low and close the ground, sticking to the darker shadows and avoiding the light.

    This was a night raid, which was one reason why we werefortable advancing over the open ground. Somewhere overhead the moon shone down on us (I assume, I can only see a vague shininess overhead) which doesn''t really help me sneak, since I''m so shiny myself.

    If I get any more sparkly than this, they''ll think I''m a vampire! Theme kind! But I do love my diamond carapace. After my evolution, the first thing I''m going to upgrade is my carapace to get MOAR diamonds! Gweheheh. The birth of the crystal ant is not far away!

    Slow and purposeful, my team of scouts and I crept closer to the enemy. No magic assault at all in this attack in case we are detected. The horde grew closer in my eyes, the monsters looked lifeless and their behaviour was off-putting. Whatever it is that controls these monsters, I don''t like it.

    We''ve still not been sighted. Things are looking good so far. I''m actually not the ant in the front for this maneuverer, Wills has put herself out there since so many of her fellow scouts are the first in the firing line for this n. I can see her now, a littlerger than the other scouts due to her inted stats, ahead of me and to the left.

    Wait!

    She paused!

    Slowly, the lead scout began to raise her business district into the sky, huddling her lower body toward the ground until her acid barrage was primed to fly like the third quarter profits, in a high arc. At this signal, the rest of the scouts, and myself, formed up into a line with Wills and assumed the same aggressive posture. Time for a hostile takeover.

    Despite being covered in darkness and utilising our stealth skills to their limits, we were still treated to the drill instructor like shouting of Wills as she organised her scouts.

    "Not yet you scum! Why are you so impatient? Are you scouts, or are yourvae? Form up the line! Wait for my signal!" she harangued her troops.

    I assume she wasn''t talking to me at least. If she was, I might have to have words¡­

    POW!

    Along with a pheromone shout of "NOW!", Wills unleashed the first shot of the barrage, one which was quickly followed by dozens more.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    I fired my own acid at a steady pace, aiming for power and distance as opposed to uracy or concentration. The acid would arc high into the air and separate into a wider spray as it fell, reducing the concentration of damage but we didn''t really care. The horde was sorge and dense that every bit of acid we unleashed wouldnd on something.

    Even the sound of the acid being fired wasn''t loud enough to reveal our positions, being only a dull muted thump as the acid burst out, like a new product beingunched with a stealth marketing campaign. A torrent of acid was in the air before the first of itnded, alerting the enemy to our attack. The sizzle of flesh and the roar and groans of monsters is the first sign that battle has begun.

    At first the enemy wasn''t able to spot our position and the monsters milled about, confused and angry as I gleefully continued to empty my acid nd along with my siblings.

    POW! POW!

    Eat acid, suckers!

    Then things changed.

    A light erupted, zing into existence above the horde with an intensity that blinded me for a moment before it faded a little, allowing me to see. As my vision focused again I saw that above the horde, three great balls of light now hung in the air, illuminating the surroundings and stripping us ants of our stealth.

    We were exposed!

    "Run for it!" I shouted to the scouts as the horde turned to face us and charged, hungry to feast on ant flesh.

 Chapter 223 Third ambush part 3

    <h4>Chapter 223 Third ambush part 3 </h4>

    Expose by the light, the scouts turned to retreat after I ordered them, taking advantage of their now rear facingmercial zones to fire a few parting shots at the horde as the monsters charged toward us. I positioned myself between the enemy and the retreating scouts, knowing that I could take more punishment than my siblings and hoping to absorb some enemy fire.

    The monsters looked a touch angry, let off the hook from their zombie control and endless walking they have embraced the opportunity to massacre the ants in front of them with gusto. Unfortunately for them I don''t n on allowing that to happen.

    The worrying sign is the zing lights in the sky, clear evidence that the lizard-wizard and attendants are taking a direct hand in the battle for the first time and there is a gnawing sense of anxiety in my gut as I have to consider what else they may do. Lights in the sky are annoying but not exactly terrifying, but who knows what else they may be capable of.

    Not willing to get surrounded by the horde of onrushing monsters, I turn and start to run at a right angle to the horde, distracting a number of monsters and forcing them to chase after me. To keep them angry, I use a dash to charge toward the closest monster and sever it in twain with a savage bite before turning and dashing away, the ws and teeth of creatures scraping on my carapace as I charge away.

    Gweheheh. Can''t catch me you slugs!

    Of course, at that moment the golden fence sprang into existence in front of me.

    And not just me, it cut off half of the retreating scouts from the woods and safety. What the hell?! Where the heck did this thinge from?!

    Illuminated by the burning lights, I can see two of the lizard''s servants have appeared on either side of the fence. How the heck they got there I''ve no idea. Perhaps they''d been there all along, just waiting for us to move past them so they could spring this trap.

    This doesn''t look good!

    My heart begins pounding in my thorax as I realise the danger that we are in. I can see the scouts are trying to bite the wall or climb over it but nothing seems to effect it, their mandibles and legs can''t find any purchase and the ants are left with no option but to hurl themselves into in the hopes that it might break. Behind us, the horde roared with hunger, sensing the kill between their jaws.

    "Dig under it! Now, now, now!" I bellowed and spun quickly, my ws scratching in the dirt as I executed the turn at high speed.

    POW! POW! POW!

    Thest of my acid sted out and sttered against the magic fence line in three separate locations. Please work you stupid acid, we need this right now!

    I don''t have time to wait and see how it goes, I need to try and save as many of the scouts as I can. My two sub-brains have been hard at work since the moment the wall sprang up, throwing themselves into action before I''d even thought to direct them. Gravity mana is pulled out of my nd and pumped into theplex construct that is the gravity domain.

    This is gonna hurt dammit¡­

    The roar of the horde is deafening in my ears at this moment, the heat rolling of the monsters as they charge, hungry for Biomass buffets into my antennae and the future glimpses of each monster I see are enough to make me dizzy. I shut it all out. None of that is important. I breathe out slowly, and then charge directly into the face of the enemy.

    Leeroy would be proud.

    I mmed into the first monsters, my mass and momentum enough to batter them out of the way, but then moree, and then more. ws, teeth, spikes, mandibles, all of them grasp hold of my limbs and scrape against my precious, shiny carapace, chipping into my HP. I can see almost three hundred and sixty degrees and all of it is monsters right now!

    I pump my mandibles furiously, the jaws of light arcing out and severing multiple monsters into pieces with each bite, but no matter how many I destroy there are thousands more behind them. Come on mini-brains, I need that spell!

    I have to endure the battering of the horde for several more seconds before the spell finally manifests, the blessed purple light expanding out of my body in a delicious hemisphere that pushed down on every enemy inside it with a firm hand.

    Yes!!

    I shake myself like a dog shaking water out of its coat and the monsters climbing over me are knocked clear, unable to hold onto me and contest with the added weight. The second I''m free, I dash. I have to get some separation from the horde. No matter how powerful I am, if I try and take on tens of thousands of monsters at once, I''m going to get worn down and chomped into paste. If enough of them surround me, they''ll grab onto my legs and pile on top of me until I can''t move, then I could only wait to get eaten.

    Speaking of begin eaten, I think I''m missing part of my leg¡­

    Activate the regeneration nd! I''d only lost twelve HP, so it feels like a bit of a waste, but I don''t want to be slowed down right now! Relief bubbles up in me as I finally burst out of the horde and into the clear. I was only in there for twelve seconds or so, but I wouldn''t have wanted to stay and longer.

    How is that damned fence going!?

    In an instant I can take in the situation through my eyes and I''m not happy with what I see. My acid has eaten three gaps into the fence, the edges bubbling and hissing as the fluid continues to chew away at the magic, but the pace is slower than we need. Ants have begun throwing themselves through the gaps and I can see that they''ve begun digging from the other side, trying to connect with other scouts digging from this side and speed up the process.

    It just isn''t happening quickly enough.

    I''ve managed to buy some time but I''m only one ant, and my domain isn''t able to cover the width of the space we were attacking from, already I can see some scouts getting run down by the faster elements of the horde''s charge.

    "Dig dammit!" I screamed at the ants, "They''reing!"

    "Eldest!" it was Wills, appearing on my left side like a ghost, "you need to get out of here!"

    She tried to push me toward the fence line, but I threw her off with little effort.

    "I''m going back in, get your scouts under that fence and continue with the n!" I bellowed.

    I didn''t wait for a reply but turned toward the nearest monster, not even ten metres away, and dashed once again, closing the distance in an instant.

 Chapter 224 Third Ambush Part 4

    <h4>Chapter 224 Third Ambush Part 4 </h4>

    I should learn to hold off on the healing nd. Was I missing part of a leg? Maybe. But right now, as I charge into the literal teeth of a horde of angry monsters, I think that perhaps holding off on spending it might have been the better choice. Because this is going to hurt.

    BAM.

    I crash into the front line of monsters with a crash, their bodies smashed into mine and the monsters began to w and bite at my carapace, wild and eager to rend me limb from limb. I can feel their fangs scraping on my carapace, sometimes harmlessly and other times digging grooves into it that threaten to tear through my defences. My shiny carapace! Don''t damage it! The regenerative upgrade will help heal that damage over time, but I can''t sustain this battering indefinitely.

    Thankfully, I still have my gravity domain cranked up, meaning that most of the weaker, tier one monsters aren''t able to move properly beneath its effects, let aloneunch attacks. They feebly crawl through the dirt and run each other down in order to reach me but most of them get stomped into the ground byrger, more fearsome monsters.

    Bring it punks!

    My mandibles glow with energy as I pour mana into them as well as activating my stamina draining bite skills. I need to go all out here, I can''t afford to hold the energy in my core back. Every second that I buy will allow more scouts to make it to the other side of the wall. Stupid mage ves¡­ If they hadn''t been so far from me I''d have ripped them a new one. Sadly I didn''t have the option.

    CRUNCH!

    With a satisfying slice, my mandibles tore through monsters, cutting away limbs and digging deep into flesh. Naturally I wouldn''t forget, even in the midst of this crisis, to level my Severing Bite! Gwahahaha! The melee whirls and dances around me and a wild excitement builds in my thorax. I can feel my little ant heart pumping with energy as I cut down my opponents and they break themselves on my exoskeleton. Impossible odds, high chance of death, it would sound crazy to say that I missed this kind of fight, but there is a certain feeling that I can only get when my life is on the line. My concentration is honed to a razor''s edge as my mind processes a thousand different things a second, the heat rolling off the bodies that crowd around me, the blurred images of their future movements, the sensations of my sub-brains straining to hold and direct the flow of mana through my domain spell. It''s draining, exhrating, terrifying and fulfilling all at once.

    Perhaps I''m starting to understand Tiny more and more¡­

    Wait, is that a bear?

    OOF!

    An Earth Bear tyrant had reared up and battered my left side with one mighty w, the blow sent sparks flying as it dug channels into my carapace but failed to break through. Still, the impact was enough to stagger me to one side, an opening that the enemies swarming around me were quick to exploit.

    Dangit! I don''t have the time or space to try and rip through one of those bears, they''re too tough to kill that fast. Mind racing, I scrabble my feet underneath me and move away from the horrid creature, mana empowered mandibles chomping as I go. Thanks to the domain, the lumbering brute will struggle to keep up if I keep moving.

    OUCH!

    I think I just lost a chunk out of an antennae! How much longer?!

    "Senior!" I heard a pheromone shout.

    Who the heck?!

    Next second, several new forms appear in my vision, crashing forward and grappling with monsters around me. Then arger ant leapt into the fray, shing about with her deadly mandibles. Larger than the regr soldiers, I can tell her body has been heavily mutated due to her higher than regr colony member Biomass intake. I couldn''t forget the ant that I''d raised from a mere grub what felt like years ago!

    "Vibrant! Aren''t you supposed to be at the ambush point?"

    "You can''t keep all the fun to yourself, Senior!" she cheerfully replied whilst cutting down monsters with every chomp off her mandibles, "the way is clear, it''s time to go!"

    Finally!

    "Thanks Vibrant, let''s bug out!"

    Mandibles shing, I bite several times in rapid session, draining my energy dramatically as I attempt to clear a space around. After crunching through several monsters, I turn my thorax around and get the heck out of there.

    Dash! Dash for justice!

    Leaving a trail of howling and angry beasts behind us, Vibrant, her squad and I disengage and hightail the heck out of there. In front of me, the magic wall still glitters with a bright magical energy. The acid has continued its delightful work and the gaps have grownrger, but more important than that are the many tunnels that have been dug and even now I can see the scouts who were sessfully able to flee have begun to retreat into the forest, still firing acid over the wall and into the swarming horde as they ran.

    I lined myself up with one of the gaps and hurled myself through it with a daring leap, legs scrabbling as Inded on the other side. Vibrant''s speed aura paid massive dividends as we charged with all our strength to gain some separation between us and the monsters following behind. Once we were through the fence, it worked for us rather than against us, the sheer mass of monsters struggled to push through the gaps and narrow tunnels. It didn''t take long for the ve mages to realise this and they allowed the wall to fade. Free of the obstacle the monsters roared anew and charged after us, ravenous for more ants.

    The wall hadn''t gained us much time but each second counted. The scouts had been able to regroup but my heart twisted when I realised a third of them was missing. We''d approached on a front more than a hundred metres wide, and powerful as I waspared to a regr soldier, I wasn''t able to protect all of them. On the left and right nk, the scouts had been quickly overwhelmed, only those who''d been able to regroup in the centre behind me had a chance to make it out.

    I knew things wouldn''t keep going our way forever, and perhaps the loss of one third of the scouting force is a cheap price to pay for the first intervention of the mages in this battle, but it''s still bitter to me. The anger I felt towards the mages, Garralosh and the stupid horde itself continued to build inside me, its heat fuelling me onwards.

    "We made it!" Vibrant cheered next to me, "are we still going to go ahead with the n?"

    "We are" I grated out, struggling to control my rage, "we need to kill as many of these trash as we can."

    Vibrant either didn''t notice, or didn''t care about my aggressive tone. "Sure-sure!" she chirped and turned towards her squad.

    "Keep running to the next point, spread wide and lead on as many as you can. Get pumped for the battle!" she exhorted them and they responded with a variety of cheers and shouts.

    It seems Vibrant''s squad is turning out to be as high energy as she is herself. How ¡­ exhausting.

    The scouts ahead of us, we run at the front of the horde, staying close enough to tempt them onward, allowing them to draw a little closer whenever their charge faltered before speeding away before they could catch us. With Vibrant close by, it was childishly simple, her speed aura enhancing our already quick ant running speed to the point I didn''t need to use my dash skill and was able to preserve some stamina. I allowed the gravity domain topse at this point, slowing the enemy down right now would work against the n, not for it.

    If we were to make the enemy pay a bloody price for the damage they''d inflicted on us today, we needed to drag as many as possible with us.

 Chapter 225 Third Ambush Part 5

    <h4>Chapter 225 Third Ambush Part 5 </h4>

    We continued to kite the monsters for five minutes, pulling them further and further away from the main body of the horde. Our n for this strategy depended on a few things: that Garralosh and wizard-lizard wouldn''t bother to chase us, the former due to a need to conserve mana in her core and thetter because the Kaarmodo seemed reluctant to leave it''s captive Croca Momma alone.

    The second thing we wanted to determine and rely upon was that whatever control the two leaders had over the horde of weaker monsters, there had to be a limit. At some point the monsters must begin to regain their savage nature and break free, or perhaps they would turn and retreat back toward the main body of the horde.

    We needed to understand this behaviour and one of the objectives of this ambush was to determine this.

    "Have we seen any sign that the mage ves have followed us?" I called to Vibrant.

    "Nope!" she replied in a thoroughly positive manner.

    Gah. I hope Wills is on it.

    We continued to run with the horde snapping at our heels and eventually I began to detect heat signatures in the trees. We made it to the ambush point! Now to see what the monsters decide to do.

    With a burst of eleration I rush forward to catch up with the scouts still running ahead of us. In the middle of the pack I find Wills and I feel a small burst of relief. I didn''t want to lose any members of the twenty in such a stupid, small way. The colony had invested in them to the maximum extent possible and they should continue to repay that for the next hundred years at least!

    "Wills! Do we have any idea what the state of the horde behind us is?!" I shouted at her as we ran.

    "No, Eldest. We''ll just have to trust that the others have the situation in w."

    Hope, eh? Fair enough. Things had gone to the dogs already, I wasn''t about to risk making it worse doing something crazy without information. We ran for another three minutes before the monsters behind us began to slow down. We fired acid at them, let them get as close as we could without letting them touch us, practically waggling ourmercial zones in their faces but we came to a point where the monsters stopped chasing, turned and began to make their way back to the horde.

    Holy smokes!

    "We''ve hit the edge of the control range! They''re heading back!" I shouted.

    "We don''t know that for sure" Wills warned,ing to a stop next to me, "it''s possible they''ve been ordered to return and the range is much farther than this. We haven''t seen any sign of the monsters attacking each other, they still appear to be firmly in control."

    Dang, good points.

    "You''re talking a lot of sense Wills. I knew raising you lot was a good idea."

    If anything thepliment seemed to put the scout leader off kilter, causing her to go silent and still. Curious, I turned to inspect her more closely. Is this another Crinis situation? Is Wills weak to praise? I poked her with an antenna. "Hello in there?" I called.

    The scout shook herself alert.

    "I- I''m not used to you giving positive feedback, Eldest."

    What?! I givepliments out all the time! Is she talking about the training I gave them? Now I''m worried all of the twenty are dealing with some kind of PTSD due to my diligent instruction after they were born.

    I turned back to the retreating monsters, moving at what humans would consider a slow jog. They must be tuckered out after all of the running.

    "So, we follow along as per the n?" I asked.

    Wills nodded.

    "We''ve no information that would call for us to change our actions" she confirmed.

    Vibrant, her squad, Wills, the remaining scouts and I grouped up and began to trail behind the departing beasts. As we walked I could sense heat signatures in the trees climbing down and falling in behind us or moving toward the nks.

    In order to avoid bing predictable the soldiers had been concealed in the foliage and branches of the trees overhead, rather than in tunnels. The dark colours that made up our carapace meant there was little chance that they would be seen in the dark, and the meticulous cleanliness of the ants meant there was very little odouring from them, so long they controlled their pheromone nds.

    After another minute there were hundreds of soldiers positioned in a wide arc behind with healers and a few mages mixed in. Victor appeared out of the gloom to my right side, making me jump a little.

    "Dammit, Victor! Why even sneak up on me?!"

    "I''m trying to remain quiet."

    "There are literally hundreds of us walking here, what is the point of sneaking?!"

    "You can never be too careful."

    I''d roll my eyes if I physically could.

    "Is it time to attack yet?" I demanded.

    "It''s time" she confirmed.

    Finally!

    The order was spread wide and it didn''t take long for the eager ants to position themselves for the first strike. The monsters were only twenty metres away and despite the trees blocking line of sight they could still be spotted everywhere you looked.

    Then:

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    Another acid barrage! This time from the hundreds of soldiers who had patiently waited as their scout brethren had risked themselves to pull these monsters this far from the main horde. Their sisters had died to give them this opportunity and they weren''t going to waste it!

    The acid streaked through the air and struck against the retreating monsters, sizzling into their flesh the moment itnded. With a roar the monsters turned once more and charged towards the vicious ants who had dared to strike at them!

    The ants¡­. Retreated.

    Gweheheh.

    We fell back as a unit, maintaining our arc formation with a precision that only insects could muster, firing acid all of the way to enrage the monsters further. When we reached the point where the monsters had turnedst time, they once again stopped and began to retreat back toward the road.

    Excellent.

    "This would appear to confirm it" Victor said, sounding pleased, "full engage!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    From the pheromone nds of hundreds of angry ants the shout went up and we rushed forward to carve up the enemy with our face hands and bathe ourselves in their ichor!

    My mandibles worked like pistons, slicing and dicing as I worked to train my bite skills to the fourth rank and inflict mandible justice upon the hated foe. Centipedes, hounds, rabbits, lizards, the odd spider, none could withstand our wrath. Several times I saw therger monsters, the bears, the Lion ogres, brought down by dozens of ants sting them with acid, pulling at their legs and scissoring off their limbs.

    Then came the call.

    "Retreat!" an ant bellowed and the order was quickly passed down the line. Is perfect synch, the soldiers stepped back, turned and ran, charging away from the suddenly bewildered monsters left in their wake.

    The surprise onlysted for a moment however, as the raging beasts charged, roaring with fury! Only to slow and stop, turn, and begin to walk away.

    If I were capable of it, I would be grinning a wide grin right now.

    We can kite and engage these monsters forever at this point! Whatever control over these monsters is being exercised, it clearly has severe limitations, and we are going to abuse the heck out of that fact.

    Call me John Deere because I am about to get my farm on!

    [Tiny, Crinis, you cane out now.]

    I''d kept my two pets out of the firing line up to this point. They''d been positioned with the ambush troops in woods, hidden from sight and held in reserve.

    [Thank you, Master]

    [HRAAAAAAAAA!]

    I winced as Tiny hurtled past me to throw himself onto the monsters, viciously pounding them into paste with his fists. The rest of the soldiers seemed inspired by the sight and charged in once again, tearing into the enemy with renewed vigour. I could see several wounded were being tended by the healers who utilised their healing magic nds to restore the soldiers to fighting condition. Once healed up, the soldiers jumped to their feet and charged back into the fight, eager to continue inflicting damage.

    Suppose I''d better get back in there!

 Chapter 226 Revel

    <h4>Chapter 226 Revel </h4>

    We ughtered a heck of a lot of monsters in the third ambush. By abusing the limitations of the control used on the monsters we continuously charged, battled, retreated and recovered until our entire force was battled out and exhausted from the ughter, unable to keep up with thest retreating monsters. Even Tiny had copsed to the ground, punched out.

    Soldiers had been lost, of course. Fighting meant casualties and I would just have to get used to the idea. Even when including the scouts that we''d lost, a third of the numbermitted, the losses versus the damage inflicted looked fantastic for the colony. Not only had thousands more monsters been killed, but the experience and Biomass would be imed by the colony in full. Enough Biomass for every soldier who participated in the battle to pump their evolutions up and empower them for the next fight.

    I myself just slumped to the ground once the fighting was done, trusting that some ants would keep a lookout and slipped directly into torpor, only to awaken a few hourster with a developing issue.

    My core! So empty! The gnawing feeling of my energy bleeding into the air was starting to cause that sharp pain I had be all too familiar with. I brought up my status and looked at how much mana remained inside my core. Down to under ten MP! I''d gone all out in the battle so it shouldn''t be a surprise but yikes, that''d been close!

    No time to lose!

    [Tiny, Crinis, are you around?]

    [Yes, Master.]

    [Zzzzzzzzz.]

    [¡­ Tiny, food.]

    [Arruah!?]

    Damned ape.

    [We need to leave and recharge our cores as soon as possible, stuff your faces as best you can and let''s go.]

    With no further ado I joined the soldiers who were busy chowing down on the literal carpet of Biomass thaty over the forest floor and started shovelling food into my mouth. Once my first stomach was filled, I diligently switched to the social stomach and kept on going until I''d expanded in size like a swollen balloon.

    Another 15 points of Biomass locked in. I really don''t get the value out of these low tier monsters but it isn''t as if I have an option. Eating this is still better than eating nothing.

    61 Biomass! So close! Four more points and I''ll achieve my first fully mutated evolution. Much excited!

    Alright. With my own feasting done I waddled over to the nearby scouts and let them know I''d be heading to the Dungeon location the colony had prepared in order to charge up my core. The poor saps where in charge of disposing of the Colony''s dead and it was saddening to see the fallen soldiers lying lifeless on the ground, somehow looking smug and satisfied. I''d been a bit worried at one stage that the ants would eat our dead, Biomass being Biomass after all, but they had unexpectedly followed a more traditional Earth ant path.

    Colonies of ants on Earth were generally speaking, very clean. Since they live in damp, underground environments where mould and fungus can thrive, it''s super important that they be as spotless as possible. To that end the ants would undergo many behaviours to ensure a squeaky clean nest: grooming themselves constantly to remove contamination, using their natural acid to disinfect themselves and each other, rotating the soil inside the nest with soil on the surface to aerate it and establishing a garbage site.

    The garbage site was usually close to, but a respectable distance from the nest itself and it''s in this ce that the workers would carry the waste of the colony. The poop would go here, the bits of food that the ants couldn''t eat, and the colony''s dead.

    In the case of Earth ants, that means a heck of a lot of dead bodies, since the lifespan of most workers is about one month, depending on the species. In the case of my colony here on Pangera, we haven''t had many dead to worry about so it''s not been much of an issue but I feel my heart twinge as I watch the scouts drag the bodies and pile them neatly away from the battlefield.

    With Tiny alongside and Crinis riding on my back we set off at a solid but obese pace. The horde would be ahead of us at the moment, but since the path they followed would curve wide around the forest and we would be moving through it, we''d be able to get back ahead of them in no time.

    We set off at a slow run, each of us weighed down by our food intake, me especially since I had to carry Crinis and her void stomach. How much she could fit in there I''ve no idea but since she weighs more than I do it must be a ton! My stick-like legs are shaking holding up the balloon of infinite hunger. I vowed to myself that after my evolution I''d beef my legs up to the point where carrying three Crinis''s wouldn''t faze me in the slightest!

    After our bodies started digesting the food in our systems and doing¡­ whatever it did with it, still no idea where the waste went (perhaps our digestive system is faultless and there isn''t any waste?), and we were able to pick up the pace.

    As we travelled, I took some time to check my status after the battle and I was delighted to see that I''d levelled once again. It''s getting close! And my more physical battle skills had also seen a significant amount of growth. Hours of solid battling would do that, I suppose.

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 37 (Special core)

    Might: 41

    Toughness: 29

    Cunning: 44

    Will: 35

    HP: 58/58

    MP: 230/230

    Skills: Expert Excavation (III) Level 5; Deadly Acid Shot (III) Level 4; Advanced Grip (II) Level 5; Shattering Bite (IV) Level 15; Advanced Stealth (II) Level 5; Splintering Chomp (III) Level 19; Tunnel Map (II) Level 6; Mana Transformation (III) Level 11; Condensed Mana (III) Level 3; Finer External Mana Maniption (III) Level 3; Empowered Mana Sensing (II) Level 2; Core Surgery (III) Level 6; Expert Exo-Skeleton Defence (III) level 11; Distant Pet Communication (II) Level 3; Rapid Dash (II) Level 8; Expert Water Magic Affinity (III) Level 2; Expert Stamina (III) Level 1; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 1; Mana Scrooge (II) Level 7; Expert Cerebral Endurance (III) Level 12; Profound Meditation (III) Level 5; Advanced Precise Shooting (II) Level 7; Severing Bite (III) Level 13; Enhanced Mind Magic Affinity (II) level 5;

    Mutations: Perimeter Eyes +15, Future Sight Infrared Antennae +15, Mana Binding Acid +15, Rapid Absorption Legs +15, Empowered Mandibles +15, True Diamond Carapace +15, Regrowth Regeneration nd +15, Persuasive Pheromone Language nd +10, Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +15, Adaptable Coordination Cortex +15, Supportive Inner Carapace ting +15;

    Species: Dispersed Mind Ant (Formica Sapiens)

    Skill points: 20

    Biomass: 61

 Chapter 227 All revved up and ....

    <h4>Chapter 227 All revved up and .... </h4>

    It feels good to be charged up and not on the verge of a horrible death! Whoo!

    Thankfully we were able to make it to the discreet Dungeon entrance the colony had prepared close to the forward HQ without too much mana leaking out of our cores. Using my sub-minds I tried to turn the external mana maniption up to 11 and drag the mana down into all three of our cores with some sess. It certainly helped to level the skill, if nothing else. Shifting mana in three different directions was a heck of a lot harder than just pulling it in one, so the strain on my sub-brains was also increased. They were fairly cooked by the time we reached the Dungeon and I was happy to let them recover in peace.

    Not now though, now we are back in the game!

    Even better, I took my chance in the Dungeon whilst the wave was still ongion and chomped through the monsters who spawned as I was waiting for my core to refill. I didn''t get a heap of Biomass but I got enough to tip me over to 65 in the bank! Good thing too since I didn''t think I could possibly eat any more¡­

    I digest fast but not quite that fast.

    Upgrading my stomach is going to be one of the best things about this next evolution, I swear, even more than the stats.

    Ready to roll, the three of us made our way topside and then toward the forward HQ, the nning centre of this opening stage of the war effort. I left Tiny and Crinis on the surface and plunged down in the dark chambers packed with ants of all varieties rushing in every direction, zooming at my face and then climbing straight over me as I tried to get my bearings, waggling my antennae about to pick up the scent trails I needed.

    It was interesting, almost frightening to watch how quickly the ants were learning and adapting to new situations. As a species, we Formica Sapiens had never faced a threat like this, heck, most members of the colony were only a few weeks old! But somehow, under the pressure of this existential crisis, the ants were pouring all of their energy, concentration and newfound mental power into absorbing everything they could. It was strange to sit in a room with ant monsters and listen to them propose ideas, debate, look for solutions, weigh risks. I suppose it''s only now that I''m starting to realise that even I had underestimated what a difference making the colony more intelligent would cause.

    Speaking of arguing ants, I found the nning chamber and the members of the council inside, along with Vibrant, already arguing with each other the next steps. It didn''t take long to work out what the main issue was.

    "We don''t need them" Victor said tly.

    "I lost dozens of scouts in thest attack. I''m not going to sit on my abdomen and pretend this threat is less dangerous than it is. We must secure their assistance!" Wills spat back.

    Victor twitched, visibly angered by the statement.

    "I do not underestimate the threat, Wills! You should know better than anyone - " she began to defend herself.

    "Whoa now" I broke in, "I think this might be the first time I''ve ever heard any of you siblings argue with each other."

    I spoke in a quiet and calm way as I crawled slowly into the chamber but nheless each member of the council in the chamber froze, whether they had been arguing or not. Seems like I had been right after all. It wasn''t only Wills that possessed a deep seated fear of their teacher.

    Sheesh! I''d been so nice to them when I raised them! Maybe a few ''thwacks!'' will straighten them out¡­

    It was the healer, Mendant, who turned to speak to me first.

    "Eldest, wee back. I am pleased to see you have recovered fully from your efforts."

    Her voice was calm and soothing as always, but I couldn''t help but detect the slight wobble to her antennae that betrayed her nervousness.

    I nodded towards her to acknowledge her greeting as I continued to step forward until I had ced myself between Victor and Wills, both of whom stepped back slightly as I approached.

    "Now" I said mildly, "whilst it''s nice to see some passion from the leaders of the colony, and dissenting opinions are an important part of effective decision making, let''s see if we can take a little heat out of the discussion. What''s got everyone so worked up?"

    It was certainly interesting to see this kind of conflict between the members of the council. So far they''d been able to reach a consensus in a peaceful manner every time. It seemed that emotion was beginning to y arger part in their thinking, which could change things dramatically. Not necessarily in a bad way either.

    "It''s humans!" Vibrant chirped, "they''ve offered to help us whittle down the horde."

    Hmm.

    This was interesting. Wills, upset at the loss of her scouts, wanted to bring the humans in to help in order to prevent further losses, whilst Victor didn''t agree with bringing them in. Perhaps she didn''t want to increase the number of unknown variables at y as we moved into a critical stage of the battles.

    It was odd to see one of the twenty be so emotional about the loss of ant life. It was a little cold to say it, but they were very callous about that sort of thing usually. Somewhat different,to see ants taking on such human characteristics. Perhaps when each member of the colony is a barely thinking drone, it''s no real loss when one dies, but when they have developed minds and personalities, voices and ambitions, it became harder to think that they didn''t matter.

    I could also understand what Victor is concerned about. The Kaarmodo has begun to respond to our incursions. This meant that things would be much riskier from now own. I''ve no doubt that the trick we used in thest battle would no longer be effective, some sort of workaround having been implemented to prevent such fruitless waste. This meant we needed to continue to adapt and try new tactics without knowing what could being back our way.

    Adding in extra risk factors was just a recipe for disaster¡­

    "It''s going to be risky no matter what we do" I mused out loud.

    Wills stirred.

    "Exactly" she dered, "more options can''t be a bad thing."

    I turned on her.

    "That doesn''t mean that risks shouldn''t be managed. If things aren''t properly thought through it will be a heck of a lot more than a few dozen sisters we end up losing."

    I stared her down and she stepped back from me once more.

    "That was my point" Victor chimed in, "there is just too much risk in bringing a force we don''t control to battle."

    I turned around to face him.

    "Risks can be controlled and mitigated. There just has to be a will to get it done."

    I stared her down in turn, forcing the general to back off.

    I sighed.

    "Things are getting heated and I understand that we are all under the pump here, but you need to be able to keep emotion off the table and deal with problems as they pop up. The colony depends on you for guidance. You are ant leaders. Make sure you act like it."

    Very nice. Dignified, controlled and powerful.

    "Wow-wow Senior! I''ve never heard you talk like that before!" Vibrant gasped.

    Dammit, Vibrant! Give me my moment!

    The two ants who had only moments ago been arguing, began to vigorously groom themselves in an effort to calm their minds. When she was finished Victor spoke:

    "So you are suggesting that we ept help from the humans?"

    I nodded.

    "Yes, but in a way that will allow us to control the risk to our efforts."

    "How are you going to do that?" Wills broke in.

    I shrugged my antennae.

    "Simple. I''ll go work with them and we''ll form a separate team that works independently. What could go wrong?"

 Chapter 228 Ant + Simian

    <h4>Chapter 228 Ant + Simian </h4>

    After discussing a few other things with the members of the council in the forward HQ, I headed out, collecting my two pets, and made my way to where the delegation from the vige was purported to be waiting.

    I wasn''t entirely clear on how the humans had attempted tomunicate with the members of the colony, or why they would attempt such a dangerous thing. The colony was a lot more lenient towards the vigers than they had been before, but they were still very distrustful of anything other than our own kind. I suppose desperate times call for desperate measures, perhaps I should have seen thising.

    A kilometre away from the forward HQ I found a small collection of tents situated around a campfire, sentries at watch around the perimeter. When I take the whole camp in, it looks as if the vige has only sent twenty, or thereabouts, people on this forward adventure. A mixture of men and women, and hopefully Morrelia somewhere in the camp. The rest of the vigers would be¡­ interesting to deal with. If by interesting I mean, awkward as hell.

    O my gawd. Is Beyn here?! Thest thing I need is to try and fight a damned war with that lunatic one armed priest chasing me around!

    With Tiny lumbering along behind me we don''t exactly make for the stealthiest group of monsters, so they knew we wereing long before we walked into the camp. I was a little disconcerted to see that Morrelia has not made an appearance. Instead, I recognise the man I saw leading the weapons training in the vige before we left, and he''s also the guy we saw in the port city when we liberated it!

    Now I recognise him! Didn''t he also try to flex on Morrelia? Perhaps that''s why he was picked to lead this group, he''s clearly suicidal.

    As I approached the group, the tough looking guard stopped leaning on his spear and stood tall before entering into what I can only describe as an interpretive dance.

    Just. Just what is happening?

    As he drew wide, all embracing circles in the air with his hands, his face a mask of pure concentration, my eyes slid to the vigers standing lined beside him. They were staring at me with a fierce energy in their faces and a fervent light in their eyes. These people look so intense! That guy literally has sweat dripping his hose he''s so focused!

    As the leader continues his slow, graceful gestures I''d begun weaving the mind mana transformation construct and then extended the mind bridge out towards the man. It took a little longer to weave the spell than it normally would, I was distracted by the bizarre yet fascinating movements being performed in front of me.

    [What the hell are you doing?] I asked.

    The man stumbled, cursed under his breath and looked about wildly, trying to locate the source of the voice.

    [It''s me, over here] I waved my antennae at him, [nobody told you I could make mind bridges? Did you speak to Enid or anyone before you came out here?]

    The man looked at my slowly waving antennae, then reached one hand up to touch his head. His eyes seemed to not believe what it was they were looking at.

    [Yes. Mind bridge. I, the ant, am talking to you. Please speak back with your mind.]

    [Well this is some plops right here] the man thought at me.

    ¡­ plops?

    [I''m not going to disagree with that] I told him.

    [.. You heard that?]

    [Sure did.]

    [¡­ so you''re the ant monster¡­ leader?]

    [I suppose you can think of me like that. How exactly were you expecting tomunicate with the colony without getting me toe over and talk to you? I''m the only one capable of mind magic at this point in time] I asked him.

    He scratched his cheek with one hand and looked a bit embarrassed as he replied.

    [Well, Morrelia had me practice the greetin'' dance o'' cooperation and ..]

    [I''m sorry, what?] I broke in incredulously.

    [The uh ¡­ greetin'' dance of cooperation?]

    [¡­]

    [There''s no such thing, is there?]

    [Uhh¡­]

    The man growled before he cursed out loud. The vigers next to him looked rmed at what wasing out of his mouth and stared at me nervously, suddenly anxious at my response.

    Chill out people, I have no idea what he said. I''m guessing it wasn''t directed at me, in any case.

    [I have to say, I''m impressed] I told him.

    He looked at me, confused.

    [How so?]

    [Morrelia fed you that garbage and taught you that dance with a straight face the whole time? Can''t have been easy.]

    He nodded ruefully. [She''s somethin'' alright.]

    I don''t think he and I were quite on the same page with our attitudes re:Morrelia, but at least I appreciated the joke she''d sent my way.

    [Okay, so you''re here. I assume Morrelia has continued to delve with other vigers?]

    [She sure has] he agreed, [We were wantin'' to send her out for this, seein'' as how you an'' her have worked together before an'' she seemsfortable with it, but she said that someone else should go an'' help build rtionships with the colony.]

    And I''m willing to bet she rmended this guy, practically insisted that he go, in fact. Which managed to neatly put him somewhere that she wouldn''t have to deal with him when she came back to town. Cunning, very cunning. Not a move I would have expected from Morrelia the berserker, but here we are.

    [Ok, so you approached the colony and they managed to work out that you were offering assistance, and now I''m here to work with you. What''s your name by the way?]

    [Isaac Bird] he told me.

    Isaac had a look on his face as he gave his name that I hade to interpret as the ''I can''t believe I''m having polite conversation with, and offering my name to monster of the Dungeon. What a world'' kind of look.

    [Hey Isaac, I''m Anthony]

    He hesitated.

    [Anthony?]

    [Yes. Yes it has ''ant'' in it. We all get it.]

    [Right.]

    [So, let''s sit down and work out how this is going to go then, shall we?]

    [Right you are, Anthony.]

    So we got to talking.

 Chapter 229 Hatching a plot

    <h4>Chapter 229 Hatching a plot </h4>

    [So how many people did you bring?] I led off with.

    Isaac drew himself up.

    [I''ve got eighteen o'' the vigers finest, as well as some of me old guards back from Midum. They''ll give a good ount of themselves, no doubt about it.]

    I nodded.

    [That''s great Isaac, just fantastic. So your thought is to form a spear wall with less than twenty people against a horde of a hundred thousand monsters?]

    [Well uh, not exactly, you see, uh ¡­ how many?]

    [Did they tell you anything before they sent you out here?!]

    [Ms Morrelia did try to exin the details of the threat but I was a little ¡­ distracted ¡­ at the time.]

    This guy¡­ I can only hope that he wasn''t staring at anything he shouldn''t have been, I don''t think he''d have any eyes left if he had.

    [Alright, look. We''ve got a powerful Kaarmodo wizard with a cadre of its ve people assisting a Crocodile that looks so thick it shouldn''t be supported by the surface of the freakin''. I''m talking about a reptile so massive it should have its own moon! Surrounding those creatures is a horde of monsters almost 100,000 strong. So let''s think about some hit and run sort of jazz, ok?]

    [Y-Yeah] Isaac stuttered, [sounds good.]

    He paused.

    [We are deep in the plops, aren''t we?]

    [All the way up to our necks, Isaac. Not going to be easy to dig out of this.]

    [S''all right] Isaac chuckled, [I''ve been shovellin'' most of my life. You couldn''t have a better man along for the job.]

    [Good stuff.]

    We sat down under the watchful eyes of the vigers and began to n our strategy. With such a small number of fighters, we couldn''t hope to engage the horde directly in any form, not even using the methods the colony had adopted thus far. That goes double now that the Kaarmodo had begun to take a direct hand in the conflict. Everything had be much more fraught with peril and the risks we could take had to be minimised.

    In those sorts of conditions, it was unrealistic to expect that this small detachment would be able to inflict meaningful damage on the enemy, so we should instead turn our goals to more reasonable objectives.

    [What would those objectives be?] Isaac asked me.

    [Levels] I told him firmly.

    [Levels?] he asked, puzzled.

    [Absolutely. Don''t worry about killing the entire horde, just worry about killing. There''s literally thousands of monsters out there. That means thousands of XP sacks waiting to be harvested. As long as we are gaining XP and levelling our skills, then we are winning.]

    Isaac stroked his chin as he thought through the idea.

    [Inflict some damage, and power ourselves up for the final conflict.]

    [Exactly] I agreed.

    I wasn''t about to tell him that gaining XP was extremely critical for me, in order to ensure that I could evolve, that was secret colony only information, but this also happened to be the best strategy for he and his people to adopt. If it worked out well for both of us, then what''s the harm?

    I spent an hour talking to Isaac and having him pass my words on to the rest of his group. I told them about the scrying magic at y, the way thest ambush had panned out and the best methods we could use to attack the enemy without endangering ourselves.

    Satisfied that we''d ticked all the boxes we could, the humans loaded up their gear and we moved out. As we marched, I noticed that it was quite easy to work out which of the humans in the group hade from the ''old school'' vigers, as I thought of those who had been there in the early days, and those who hade in thetest wave, the people Morrelia and I had liberated as we moved through Liria.

    The OG vigers were super respectful, almost reverent, in their attitudes as I walked along with them, whilst the neers were much more distrusting, their eyes flicking toward me and my pets often and their bodynguage betrayed their nervousness.

    Not that I was surprised or unhappy with that. If anything, their response was the more natural one. I feared that in time these new vigers would adopt the same attitudes as the old ones, perhaps more exposure to Beyn and his preaching would make this inevitable. That guy must have some seriously high levels in his preaching skills, like rank four at least. When he opened his mouth, every person nearby went ck jawed and vacant eyed until he was finished. It was crazy to see.

    It took our group long hours of quick marching to get close to the front line. The horde was closing the distance to the nest and vige with every moment that passed and I could feel it in the diminished time it took to reach the front lines. The humans set up camp in a concealed location in a copse of trees but I took it a step further and dug out a tunnel for Crinis, Tiny and myself to rest in.

    When the morning came the humans spread out and began to move more cautiously, scouting the road from a distance for signs of the enemy. It was close to midday by the time we found them, the thick carpet of monsters that nketed a ridiculous amount of ground. We crept about through some low hills, flicking our heads over the top to monitor the progress of the monsters that continued to follow the road.

    It was interesting, I knew for a fact that the colony had covered that road in traps, pitfalls with spikes and even more shallow traps designed to break limbs and inconvenience more that lethal damage, anything to slow the approaching enemy down.

    But it didn''t seem that they cared at all. The horde continued to push down the predictable path, generally following the road around the forest and to the south and the front ranks of monsters simply fell into the traps impaling themselves on the spikes only to be pushed further into the pit as the monsters behind them piled on top. With the pit trap filled with their own bodies the monsters continued to walk forward and crunched their own members under their feet.

    It was bizarre to watch, and I couldn''t make out the details at this sort of distance, but it seemed as if the traps may cause more casualties than anything else we''d done, which felt cheap in some way.

    As we drew closer and began to engage our sneak Skills, we took care to ensure we had eyes on the horde at all times. Due to the scrying magic of the Kaarmodo, it''s possible that it knew exactly where we were, but so long as we kept our eyes open for monsters heading our way, we thought we could manage it.

    Low to the ground, we crept forward. I even made Tiny lie down and crawl, something he wasn''t particrly happy about. The closer we got, the clearer I was able to make out the finer details, and I began to notice something happening on the edges of the horde¡­

 Chapter 230 The never ending ambush

    <h4>Chapter 230 The never ending ambush </h4>

    There were small disturbances around the edges of the seething mass of monsters, particrly toward the front and forest sides, thetter of which I couldn''t really make out. When we got in range, I was able to see small groups of ants engaging in a seemingly endless series of running engagements with the horde.

    Small groups of five or six ants wereunching themselves from hiding ces, either tunnels or out of the tree line and making lightning quick attacks against the monsters closest to them. Someunched acid barrages before they retreated with sharp movements, others plunged toward the mass of enemies and engaged them in short, violent skirmishes before they broke and fled. At any one moment there were upwards of thirty groups attacking the horde independent of each other, and those were the ones I could see!

    It seems as if Victor was having simr thoughts to me in the next phase. By breaking into smaller groups that managed themselves, the risk to the overall force was reduced and we became too difficult for the horde to tackle. If the monsters were to chase the pesky ants, they''d simply run away, disappear into tunnels or vanish into the forest. If the monsters pursued too far, then they would regain their senses and break away from the control that bound them, which for our purposes was just as good as killing them.

    Some groups would be caught, snapped up by monsters who moved quicker than they expected, or sted by magic from the wizard lizard and its attendants, but even so there would only be five ants lost at a time. Obviously five ants is five too many in my opinion, but I can understand the tactic, it''s basically what I want to enact with the humans.

    After conversing with Isaac, the humans arranged themselves into small teams, half of which stayed in reserve and the other half moved forward to engage the fringes of the horde. I took my pets with me and moved up to attack also.

    I needed levels and there''s only one way I was going to get them. Time to fight.

    [Stay alert crew. We don''t know what might happen and we''re out in the open now.]

    [I will, Master. So long as I live, no harm wille to you!] Crinis dered.

    [Punch!] Tiny roared.

    Fair enough then.

    It felt a little odd to be approaching the horde so brazen and open like this. We were dependent on the horde itself being as ungainly as it had proven to be in the past. My senses were sharpened to their maximum, trying to grasp any indication that some funny business would be going on. But I detected nothing.

    As we drew closer, I used every resource avable to me to try and detect the Kaarmodo at work, or more likely, it''s ve attendants. Crinis also utilised her mana sense, though it had a much shorter range. As we approached, we sensed nothing, so I made the decision to engage.

    With Crinis on my back, Tiny and I drew closer to the horde until the masses of monsters were within twenty meters of us. Seeing us approach the centipedes cked their ws angrily and the hounds growled a warning which we promptly ignored.

    Not giving our opponents a moment to gather themselves, we charged straight into them, ploughing through the front rank with explosive force!

    Tiny smashed the enemies around him with powerful sweeps of his fists, the kic force enough to shatter the body of any monster he hit. From my back, Crinis extended tentacles to the creatures beyond my reach and began to saw them apart in a gory and terrifying disy of her alien physique.

    For my part, I simply chomped, alternating between the two skills I needed to level, piercing and slicing each monster as ite within range of our jaws.

    Then, we fled!

    [Get your hairy ape butt out of there Tiny!]

    Grumpy and discontented with the short burst of action, Tiny flung the surrounding monsters away from himself and joined us in our exuberant flight from danger.

    The fight hadsted only seconds, we''d impacted hard, inflicted as much damage as we could and fled before the horde could surround us. Using our superior speed we hurtled back into the hills over a kilometre away from the road itself.

    The monsters pursued us for hundred metres or so before they fell back toward the main body of the horde, following the directives given to them by the mind that had suppressed them.

    In order to prevent the colony from ambushing them as they had previously, it appeared that the monsters would no longer pursue away from the support of their fellow horde monsters. Which meant the colony now had to expose themselves to inflict damage.

    We were trapped in a way. We needed to inflict damage, it was absolutely necessary that we reduced the numbers of the horde before they reached the colony. There was no way we could hope to fend of these tens of thousands of monsters in one pitched battle, they''d simply roll over us.

    Once the horde had settled at the angle we''d attacked ( and the monsters had consumed the Biomass of their fallen brethren), we waited a while to see if anything changed. After a half hour, I was confident that no steps had been taken to prevent us from engaging again, so we did.

    This is going to take a lot of time.

 Chapter 231 Planning is hard

    <h4>Chapter 231 nning is hard </h4>

    Our mission is divine. Passed down through the centuries from our forebears who were fortunate enough to hear the words of the great one. Toplete the circle, to finish the work that was begun but neverpleted. Only then can the path be opened and the way to a greater existence be made manifest.

    What is this world, with its endless trials and monsters, but purgatory? This is not where we are meant to be. This is not a ce where anyone belongs. Only at one point in history was it possible for our lord to reach out to us, to enlighten us to the truth. Our society was told many secrets which we recorded in the Book of Red Truth.

    Since that initialmunication, we have not heard from our master, but messages have been passed through intermediaries and we know that progress has been made.

    Neen is not enough. Twenty are required. There are those with potential out there, we have seen them, found them. If we can raise one up, lift it to the pinnacle that is required, then the circle will close and the way will be opened.

    We are everywhere, in all nations and amongst all peoples. It is only a matter of time.

    From the writings on the Red Truth, Author Unknown.

    -----------------------------------------------------------

    Victor was struggling.

    When she had first evolved into a General, she''d thought it would be simple. Despite all the lessons that the Eldest had drilled into her and her siblings, about tactics, about preserving lives, her instincts had been clear. Ants would fight as they had always fought: overwhelming through superior numbers and avoiding anything that didn''t work on.

    Even with her increased intelligence, it didn''t seem as if that generic n had any holes in it. When the Eldest had insisted that every ant, every soldier and worker, be given the utmost opportunity to survive, she''d listened but not understood what that would mean.

    You couldn''t throw ants at a fight until it went away if each of those ants needed to be preserved to the best of your ability. You couldn''t adopt attrition tactics, when you were charged with preserving the lives of your soldiers at all costs.

    And the thing that was most grating, the thing that gave Victor the most stress, was that she was starting to care. She''d seen it already in the others, in Wills most of all. Every ant in the colony would happily die for the sake of the family, but now they were reaching a point where they were not willing to sacrifice each other. This level of care and emotion felt alien and strange to Victor, but she feared it was only a matter of time before it spread throughout the colony.

    Increased cognitive function had brought many blessings to the species but it also meant a shift in behaviours and attitudes. Victor just wished that they''d had time to learn these lessons without a crisis hanging over their heads.

    "How''s the word from the front?" she turned to one of her aides and asked.

    Therge soldier ant shook her body slightly, intimidated at being in the presence of one of her seniors.

    "Yes, General! There has been a message from the scouts delivered in thest five minutes! The Kaarmodo acolytes appeared at the front line and began a spell offensive against our skirmish forces. We''ve had multiple ounts of the acolytes appearing from thin air, the scouts suspect some advanced kind of magic is at y."

    Victor winced. They''d been worried about that.

    "Casualties?" she asked, not wanting to hear the answer.

    "Four groups were destroyed before the general retreat was effected."

    Victor sighed. That meant twenty ants had been killed, most likely in an instant. When each soldier had such potential it was an incredible waste for them to die, that was the real shame of it. Their numbers would be replenished shortly, in fact, only twenty casualties meant that their numbers would increase when the next wave of soldiers arrived, but Victor could no longer think of it as the dead being reced. They couldn''t be reced.

    The Eldest had started something strange in the colony and Victor could hope that they knew what they were doing.

    "I need to speak to Wills, do you know where she is?" Victor asked her aide.

    "I haven''t heard General. Last report I received had the scout leader making her way toward the front."

    Victor cursed. Wills had shown an increasing tendency to try and take matters into her own hands. It meant that the scouts'' operations tended to work smoothly but it also meant that Victor could never get hold of her sibling when she needed to.

    "I''ll go find her. You hold here and inform me of any developments when I get back."

    "Yes, Ma''am!" the soldier saluted with one antenna.

    Victor crawled out of her chamber, with its increasingly detailed map of the terrain and the horde on it. The enemy would reach this forward base within the next twenty four hours, the ants would have abandoned it by then. ording to projections the horde would then take two days to make the final push to the nest.

    Victor could only hope that preparations had been finished at the nest by that time. The digging teams from the front had already been sent back toward the nest,ying their traps and digging ambush tunnels. It wouldn''t be long before that work wasplete and they could return to the main colony to assist in construction there.

    As Victor crawled through the tunnels the soldiers and workers didn''t give way for her, that wasn''t the ant way. They simply crawled over the top of each other and called out with their pheromone nds.

    "Keep working hard General!"

    "No cking now, General!"

    "Almost time for us to start getting serious, isn''t it General?"

    Victor chuckled to herself. At least some things about the colony hadn''t changed, they''d only be more prevalent. These ants would happily work themselves to death if they were allowed. Actually, that reminded her.

    "Don''t forget your mandatory breaks!" she shouted so everyone in the tunnel could hear.

    A chorus of groans and curses rang out, tickling her antennae and making herugh out loud this time. They were still ants, no matter what else had changed.

 Chapter 232 People helping people

    <h4>Chapter 232 People helping people </h4>

    Enid sighed as she stretched out her aching spine. She''d been on her feet for almost two days and she just wasn''t as young as she used to be. If this catastrophe had urred twenty years ago, she''d have been in much better shape for one, and Derrion would have still been with her.

    Her heart panged as she thought of her departed husband. The memory of him still ached and she tried to avoid thinking of him too often. You could only prick your finger on a thorn so many times before you learn to stop poking.

    She''d thought that with the disaster that had befallen her nation, and the hectic days that had followed, she wouldn''t think of him much as she''d be upied. And she had been upied, to an absurd degree. Enid wasn''t certain that even at the height of her trading enterprise that she''d ever worked this much. Despite theck of rest, the endless list of problems that people insisted on dropping on her table, she found herself thinking of Derrion more and more.

    He would have been the perfect person to lead these people.

    His slow, warm smile, his quiet strength and the short cut hair that he never bothered to take of that hung in his eyes. Even as he aged he''d never lost his affable nature, able to talk to the powerful and the poor in exactly the same way with nobody taking offense.

    A legend with the sword, able to unlock a rare ss after years of training and delving, he''d achieved a level of skill that Liria had perhaps not seen since its founding. In this situation, his strength, his confidence and hispassion would have seen these people through, Enid had no doubt about that.

    But they didn''t have Derrion Ruther, the legendary sword demon, they had Enid Ruther, the merchant, and she was doing the best she could.

    Straightening up, Enid spotted a figure in dark leathers at the end of the street and quickly called out.

    "Morrelia! Are you back!"

    In answer to her call a hand was raised and soon the too serious face of the mercenary came into view.

    "Enid, how are you holding up?" Morrelia greeted the older woman gruffly.

    Enid tried and failed to keep a scowl off her face. Old she may be but she hated when the younger folk treated her as if she were made of porcin. She''d been running trade caravans north to the Iron Kingdom before they''d even been born!

    "I''m fine" she snapped, then sighed. "Sorry Morrelia, I''m a bit tired, but I''m fine."

    The mercenary just grunted and leaned against the wall next to her.

    "You''re holding up better than I am then, I''m absolutely exhausted. I swear you''re made of something different, mana infused bones or something. How are you still going?"

    "Someone''s gotta" Enid said simply, "it may as well be me. Maybe what they say is true and people get wiser as they get older. In that case I''d be the wisest person about town."

    Morrelia chuckled.

    "I could drink to that" she groaned as she straightened up, "if we had any time. Have you seen Beyn? He was supposed to organise the next group heading to the Dungeon and it''s time to be going."

    "You only just got back!" Enid protested, "aren''t you the one pushing yourself too hard?"

    If there was one person pushing themselves harder than Enid was, it was Morrelia. Whilst Enid had been working non-stop, all she had to do was organise people, make decisions and calm tensions. The young mercenary had been fighting with the risk of death hanging over her head as she led the inexperienced vigers into the teeth of the Dungeon. During a wave no less!

    Morrelia could see the look on Enid''s face and shrugged.

    "It''s not as bad as all that. The monsters are low level and to be honest, these vigers are as determined and disciplined as any Legion recruit I''ve seen."

    The older woman nodded slowly. It was true. The people who had washed up in the vige from destruction of Liria had proven to be resilient and driven to an almost absurd degree.

    She sighed.

    "Let''s go and find Beyn, I think I know where he''ll be."

    The two of them set off through the vige, frequently having stop as Enid shared an encouraging word with the people she came across. The smiths were still working hard, pounding the metal that had been dug up by workers three kilometres from the vige and smelted at a facility they''dpleted not a week ago.

    The two of them found Beyn where Enid had suspected he would be. He''d recently asked Enid and other senior members to allocate a parcel ofnd close to the center of their nned town to him, supposedly for the church.

    The only question Enid had in her mind was, what exactly he was nning on worshipping?

    She had a fair idea she knew the answer but she hadn''t felt brave enough to ask yet.

    The one armed priest had a small crowd around him, Enid recognised them as the next group to head to the Dungeon. They each had their heads bowed in reverent prayer as Beyn spoke to them.

    "¡­ the spirit of the Great One watch over you and encourage you to embrace the creed of his kind. Selflessness, cooperation and unrelenting, unwavering faith. With these virtues as our cornerstone we shall fear no danger, ovee all obstacles and conquer all foes! What say you, brothers and sisters?"

    "Aye!" they answered his call passionately.

    "When we are beneath the ground, and the foe presses on us from all sides, remember our creed! Remember that your brother and sisters are with you! Do not falter, be not afraid! We will rise as a collective or fall as independent creatures. Will you be able to cast aside your ego and unite?"

    "Aye!" came the response.

    Enid was confused. What was going on here?

    The two women watched as Beynpleted his service before he walked over to join them.

    "Did I hear correctly, priest?" Morrelia asked quietly, "did you say that you would be joining us in the Dungeon?"

    His face a mask of peace and serenity, Beyn nodded.

    "Indeed, I have decided that I should join with my brothers and sisters and experience the peril of the Dungeon alongside them."

    "What is happening here, Beyn?" Enid demanded, "you know that you have no business being in the Dungeon!"

    The priest simply smiled. His expression was calm, but flickering light burned in his eyes.

    "I''ve said it all along Enid Ruther. I''ve been clear from the beginning, in fact. What is happening here?" he waved a hand at the buildings and hardworking people around inhabiting them, "the world is changing, right here and now. We need all embrace the new order, I shall support our people until it is so."

 Chapter 233 Tussling with mage slaves

    <h4>Chapter 233 Tussling with mage ves </h4>

    Each of my three brains screeched with pain as I condensed more mana into the gravity bomb. The spell was already dense to the point it had turned dark and now it rotated ominously as it drew more and more mana into itself.

    I grit my mandibles tight and tried to focus. Much like exercising a muscle until it burned, straining my minds to this point hurt. Having one headache is bad enough, having three separate headaches at the same time is so much worse!

    I wouldn''t have to hold on for long though¡­

    After a few more seconds of pushing mana into the spell, just before my control began to slip, I leapt up from my hiding ce and let it rip.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOWL!

    The mournful cry of the gravity bomb rang out as the sphere of condensed gravity mana sted forth and began to exert its terrible pull on the air around it. The monsters of the horde had grown ustomed to this soundtely and they scrambled to move away from the inevitable death that would soon find them.

    Except it wasn''t inevitable any more.

    No sooner had I unleashed the spell into the pre-dawn air than I leapt to one side and began to scramble left and right. Good thing I did to, as a fireball impacted the hill not two metres behind bymercial zone, causing me to curse.

    Those buggers are getting quicker!

    Thanks to my wide field of vision, even as I dodged and hurled myself about I could see my nemeses for thest few days approaching from within the horde. The ve attendants of the Kaarmodo wore long, pale robes with hoods that concealed their faces and I hadn''t had an opportunity to get a glimpse of their features, despite them chasing me around over thest twelve hours.

    Two of the mages continued to attempt to crash my stocks with searing hot fire magic whilst the others raised their hands and began to perform the magic I was here to see. We''d been doing this little dance repeatedly throughout the night and this bit right here was something I desperately wanted to understand.

    The gravity bomb continued to hurtle through the air. The mages had only seconds before it would impact and expand, unleashing its full, terrible might. This one was a condensed gravity bomb after all. Despite their desperate flight to escape, quite a few monsters on the edge of the horde were still likely to get caught in the st.

    Come on then you lizard lovers, let''s see if you can handle this one!

    I desperately tried to keep my eyes on the mages as I continued to dodge frantically, my mana sense active and my aching minds sharpened to their limits.

    The mages did two things at once. First, they raised a magical barrier between themselves and the bomb, but I was prepared for this.

    POW! POW! POW!

    Jets of acid arced out of my business district, liquid justice sent to deliver my wrath to the enemy. The moment I fired out the acid, the two fire flinging mages turned their attention to the acid and managed to catch two of my shots with fireballs but one made it through.

    As the bomb crashed into the barrier, the magical shield bent to absorb the pressure, as if it were a giant stic sheet being pressed into by giants finger. The acid impacted not long after and began to eat through the shield, tearing apart the threads and allowing the bomb to push forward until the barrier shattered like ss.

    I felt no triumph however, I knew what was up as I''d seen this interaction before. As the spell had been caught by the barrier for precious seconds, no less than four of the mage attendants had been hard at work. With my mana sense active I''d been able to see it as they''d reached out with External Mana maniption and began to drain away the mana contained within my spell.

    They tore into the mana with desperate energy, trying to kick over my sand castle with fierce hammer blows, thebined efforts of the four mages rapidly unspooling my gravity bomb. But this time something was different. This was a condensed gravity bomb, with as much juice as I could pack in with my current abilities, the mana contained within was far more potent that the spell they had defeatedst time!

    It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that this was the most potent gravity bomb I was capable of creating at this time.

    When the spell broke through the barrier, it still had plenty of oomph left, far more than the mages were anticipating. I could only imagine the look of shock on their faces as the spell flew forward, ready to impact in their midst, since their faces were still covered and all.

    BOOM!

    The bomb crashed into the ground and expanded rapidly into the swirling vortex of doom that I hade to know and love. Due to the efforts of the mages that spell had lost half of its potency. This appeared to be a coordinated technique that they used to break down spells. I must master this application of external mana maniption! With my multiple brains on the job, I could be defending and attacking with magic at the same time!

    Sadly for the ve mages, half of a condensed gravity bomb is still a heck of a thing to deal with.

    Using surprisingly agile footwork, the six mages tried to slip away. The speed and grace they were able to move their bodies felt strange, perhaps it was magical in some way? They didn''t appear to shift their feet as they glided away at high speed.

    All but one, that is.

    A little too close to the st, a little too slow to begin moving, the poor sap found himself caught in the inexorable pull of the gravity bomb. The trapped creature shrieked, the high pitched hissing sound pierced my ears even from a distance of near one hundred metres.

    The other mages turned back at the sound and reached out to save theirrade but it was toote. In another second the mage was gone, sucked into the swirling heart of the gravity bomb and crushed by the potent forces inside.

    [You have in Level 46 Setsh Bonded Mage Attendant]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have reached level 38]

    Yass! Finally!

    The Setsh servant wasn''t the only creature get caught in the st, plenty of monsters also suffered the wrath of my gravity magic.

 Chapter 234 Angry Wizard Lizard

    <h4>Chapter 234 Angry Wizard Lizard </h4>

    As I watched the gravity bomb spend itself and fade into nothing I turned and sprinted away from the horde. I''d been ying this game with the mage attendants for hours now but this was the first time I actually managed to destroy one.

    A little nervous at the potential wrath of the Kaarmodo, I decided to get the heck out of there.

    [Get your people back, Isaac!] I shouted at my human associate.

    I felt him acknowledge my words and continued to sprint into the hills to the south east of the horde where I''d left Tiny and Crinis.

    Isaac and I had spent thest day engaged in the hit and run strategy the colony had begun to employ and we''d had good sess with it. The humans had used their bows to pick off monsters from range and if any monsters detached from the main force they''d kited back and engaged them with spears, keeping themselves in the clear.

    For my part, I''d used acid and my mandibles to inflict bits and pieces of damage, but the pace we were thinning the horde was worrying to me, not to mention the poor experience I was getting from chomping away at these monsters.

    So I''d decided not to hold back and go loud. Which meant charging up gravity bombs and hurling them into the horde. Naturally this meant I started destroying monsters at a rather elerated pace, in fact, so quickly that there had been a fairly swift response from the other side. The attendants had shown up and began to appear whenever I jumped up and spat a gravity bomb at them. Using their shield technique they''d been able to absorb the spell and break it apart before it couldnd and cause more damage, whilst also trying to fry me at range with their elemental magic.

    So a game of cat and mouse had begun, where I tried various methods to surprise them and get my gravity bombs to punch through their defences and they tried to anticipate my movements and be in the right ce at the right time. I hadn''t been too mad about it, since it meant the bulk of the attendants were busy trying to chase me down and didn''t have time to fend of the ongoing skirmishing of the colony. I may have been unable to kill as many monsters as I wanted but the soldier caste had been hard at work fighting and many monsters had bitten the dust, I felt sure.

    Finally, in order to break the stalemate on my end, I''d been forced to unleash my ace in the hole, the most potent gravity bomb I could make, and it''d finallyted me a mage attendant. If we could remove those mages from the equation entirely it''d make this whole process a lot simpler, but they''ve been cagey, always moving together in groups.

    [How did it go, master?] Crinis asked.

    [n went off without a hitch. Only one of them got caught by the bomb though.]

    [The least they deserve is death by crushing for daring to attack you, master. If I ever get a tentacle on them I''d¡­]

    Crinis didn''t finish the thought, so consumed with rage was she. She''d even extended a few tentacles and was violently twisting them in the air as she rent imaginary ve mages into pieces.

    [One down, plenty to go. No need to tie yourself into a knot about it. They''re trying to kill us, we''re trying to kill them. Standard day here on Pangera from my experience.]

    It was true. Sapient or non-sapient, everything I''de across seemed to be interested in killing me or something else. Except Formo of the Sophos. He was a good dude. If I manage to survive this business with Garralosh then I''ll have to spend some time tracking down the Sophos colony and say hi. Formo didn''t seem too interested in my death and they would make incredible allies. The information they could provide the core shapers alone would be priceless!

    [You''ve kicked the plop pile right hard,] that was Isaac, trotting toward us. [The horde is stirring something fierce! I think it''s goin'' ta be best toy low for a time.]

    [Any sign of movement from the Kaarmodo?] I asked him.

    He frowned.

    [Not that I saw,] he said, [but I didn''t want to get too close. An angry, centuries old lizard mage ''ain''t exactly somethin'' I want to get close to.]

    [You make a good point,] I muttered.

    I hastily checked my core, getting a touch low. Firing off all these gravity bombs had certainly put a strain on the core as my gravitational mana nd continued to pull energy from it in order to top up.

    [Might be time for a tactical retreat, let things simmer down and take a moment to rest and refuel. How are your people holding up, Isaac?]

    The former town guard grimaced.

    [They''re wrecked,] he admitted, [a kip and a hot meal would go over well.]

    [Right then. You get to a safe distance and set up a camp somewhere south. We''ll head back to the forward nest and rest up. Don''t act on your own, we''ll find you.]

    Isaac nodded and turned to speak to his group.

    [Fight?] Tiny asked hopefully.

    [No. Rest,] I told him.

    The giant ape pondered that for a moment before nodding begrudgingly. If he wasn''t going to fight then a nap was the next best thing.

    Trying to remain behind the cover of the hills, my pets and I circled around to the front of the horde, making sure to keep a safe distance. I wanted to let the rest of the colony know what had happened as quickly as possible, certainly before I retreated to charge up, just in case something happened.

    As it happened, I bumped into arger group of ants led by the most energetic soldier of them all.

    "Hi-hi senior!" Vibrant cheered, hopping from one set of legs to the other, "how are you doing on your side?"

    "Not too bad," I admitted, not wanting to prompt Vibrant into a longer conversation, "but I did have something I wanted to mention."

    "Oh? Did something big happen? It''s been the same old, same old over here. We''re just running in and out over and over again so much I''m getting dizzy. I''m tired but hey! It beats not doing anything, I wish I could get more Biomass though, I''m hungry? Are you hungry? Why is there a cloud over your head?"

    "What?" I gaped.

    She was right. A hundred metres over my head a cloud was forming rapidly. Way too rapidly.

    "Run for it! The big lizard is making a move!" I bellowed.

    After a moment of hesitation the ants scattered in every direction, sprinting away to safety in response to my words.

    That''s when the lightning came down.

    Boom!

    Ance of destruction speared the ground next to me, sending a shower of hot dirt into the air that thudded into my carapace.

    Holy moly!

    Boom!

    I leapt to the left but not fast enough! My eyes could see the blinding light explode in the sky above and my vision failed for a second. When it came back, I could see arge ape with smoke rising from his fur standing over me.

    [Tiny!] I shouted.

    [Run!] he growled.

    Good call! My legs scrabbled in the dirt as I elerated and began to sprint away from the horde.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The rain of lightning continued to fall.

 Chapter 235 Ride the lightning

    <h4>Chapter 235 Ride the lightning </h4>

    The storm seemed to follow me as I ran, a rain of lightning pouring out of the sky andncing into the earth around me.

    Boom! Boom!

    Tiny and I, with Crinis on my back, continued to scrabble and run, lurching from side to side as we tried to dodge the lightning strikes. How are you supposed to dodge lightning strikes! It''s lightning! This just isn''t ying fair! I''ll conveniently ignore the fact I''ve had Tiny roasting monsters with lightning for months now, since it doesn''t have any bearing on our current situation.

    I think we made the Wizard Lizard a little bit mad.

    Boom!

    Yeeouch! That one was close! The thunder roaring in my ears is almost enough to cause mental damage on its own. My ears aren''t great but they sure as heck can hear that.

    Whoa!

    Boom!

    Another bolt struck the ground where I''d been just a moment before. Even whilst running for my life I was shocked (heh) at how well I was dodging these things. Is this my incredible insect reflexesing to life? Am I finally one with my six legged people?!

    Wait a second.

    Boom!

    Another lightning bolt dodged! I''m an idiot, it''s my antennae. Moments before the lightning strikes, my antennae light up with the power of the bolt descending. It''s a strange but subtle sensation, which is perhaps why I didn''t notice it at first, an illusory phantom of real sensation. It isn''t as if I ''see'' the lightning, it isn''t my eyes that detect a moment into the future, it''s my antennae. What I get is a feeling, a sensation of sensations toe.

    Hah! This is incredible! I can even dodge lightning!

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    GAH!

    Spoke too soon!

    In an instant my body lit up like a Christmas tree as a bolt from the sky connected with my carapace. The insane electrical energy roasted my body from the inside out as it passed through me and into the ground. I immediately activated my regeneration nd and scrambled to put my feet back underneath me as the cool, healing fluid spread throughout my body.

    That seriously hurt!

    Oh my god!

    [Crinis! Are you ok?!]

    [I-I''m alright, Master,] Crinis mumbled from my back, [I can ¡­ hold on.]

    She didn''t sound good. I could barely make her out in my vision, smoke rising from her tentacles. We need to get the heck out of here!

    The moment I''d been hit, Tiny had roared and leapt to stand over me. He paid for his dedication with another bolt of lightning ripping through his body. Fortunately he seemed at least somewhat resistant to the electrical damage. As a Dire Lightning Storm Kong should be.

    I pushed myself back onto my feet.

    [Let''s move it Tiny!]

    "Come on Senior! Dash!" Vibrant shouted.

    She ran back alongside me, close enough that she was able to offer me the speed boost from her aura but far enough she wasn''t too threatened by the precision lightning strikes. I was grateful for her bravery, every little bit of speed would help!

    Boom!

    The lightning continued to fall like hammers from the sky as the Lizard Wizard continued to disy its unrelenting wrath at me for daring to destroy its servant. You''re trying to kill my whole family, pal! Try to think from my point of view!

    Boom!

    Never mind then!

    My HP had been cut in half by that first strike, only to be gradually rebounding now as the regenerative nd did its work. I cked my mandibles in irritation as we ran. I really needed to work on my magic defence, opponents like this one had me at a severe disadvantage!

    Or did they?!

    As I focused on running and sensing the lightning with my antennae, I tasked my sub-minds with a new job. They reached out immediately into the surrounding air, using my mana sense skill and began to try and manipte the mana in an area around me.

    Boom!

    There it is! By focusing using my mana sense I was able to detect the mind numbing amount of mana that the storm cloud above my head contained. It appeared to the skill as if a burning ball of fire existed directly overhead! That is an astonishing amount of mana. Is this power of a centuries old giant Lizard?

    And right there I can see the mana concentrating toward a single point! Then my antennae begin to tingle and I leapt to the left. Another lightning strike crashed into the ground and once again a hail of dirt clods spattered into me.

    We continued to run as fast as we could as the lightning targeted me with unerring precision. How the heck is that lizard able to target me from such long range?! Is it through the scrying magic?! It isn''t as if every lightning bolt targets me, but the vast majority do.

    With my sub-minds I tried to reach up to the cloud above my head. If I could use the external mana maniption skill to break apart the spell we''ll be able to get the heck out of this hell storm! Sadly, try as I might, I can''t extend my mana maniption to that extent. My sub-minds strained as hard as they could but the furthest away from my body I can manipte the mana is just shy of the clouds above my head.

    Dammit!

    I really need to rank up that skill! This is how I''m going to defend myself from magical attacks!

    With the help of Vibrant and using the mana sense to predict lightning strikes we ran on for a kilometre before the storm finally abated. It was quite a sight to see the crackling, dark cloud that had been pelting us with deadly lightning simply fade away over the course of a second.

    I can only assume that we moved beyond the range of the Lizard. I''d never seen magic on that sort of scale, at that sort of distance before. What rank do the rted skills need to get to before you can start to cast that sort of spell?!

    I guess after a couple of hundred years I would be able to get a few skills to rank nine or ten at least. They must get incredibly powerful at that level.

    [Ha ha! We made it out senior!] Vibrant did a little dance of joy to celebrate.

    [Could you talk to the council about pulling back the skirmishers for a time? I''m worried that things are going to get more dangerous from this point on if the Kaarmodo starts to take a more direct hand against all of the colony and not just me.]

    [Roger!] Vibrant saluted with one antennae and raced off, apanied by her gang of fifty ants. I swear her group just keeps gettingrger¡­

    Desperate for rest and a bit of healing, my pets and I made our way toward the small Dungeon chamber that the workers had provided for us. Once there we chewed up the creatures who had spawned in order to heal and satisfy our hunger before slipping into sleep or torpor.

    After today''s excitement we needed a good snooze before tomorrow. That would be the day we abandoned the forward HQ entirely and moved back to the main nest. I hope things have been going well back there¡­

 Chapter 236 Cradle of the end times

    <h4>Chapter 236 Cradle of the end times </h4>

    The role of the Brood Tender seemed straight forward enough. It was mostly in the name, after all. The Brood consisted of the unhatched eggs, thervae and the pupae that were the future generations of the colony and ensuring that they were cared for in as optimal a way as possible was the Brood Tenders primary responsibility.

    "How goes the Brood today, Florence?"

    "Theresant? Nice to see you! You''ve been at the academy for days! The darlings are busy little grubs, as usual!"

    The two council members approached each other with dness ringing from their antennae. The two ants had a peaceful and motherly disposition which was why they had volunteered to take up this role, despite the immense pressure involved.

    "Are we going to reach our target for today?" Florence asked her sister, "two hundred hatchings, two hundred graduations?"

    "I believe so," came the reply, "my people in the academy have assure me the current crop of hatchlings will be ready to graduate on time."

    "Wonderful!"

    "I agree!"

    The two ants fell into apanionable silence as they moved to a brood chamber near the surface. Thervae needed warmth to elerate their growth, so they were moved to chambers closer to the surface during the day as the sun shone and then deeper underground at night, where the heat remained trapped. With the wave at y however, the Brood Tenders were unwilling to risk their charges in the Dungeon proper, so they''d asked if some fire mage ants could assist in warming the chambers for the Brood.

    The two siblings arrived and were greeted by their fellow tenders already hard at work in the chamber. The ovepping nourishing auras washed over them and gave them both a little shiver of joy. The aura nd was an expensive part of the evolution from worker caste to Brood Tenders, which seemed like a waste because the nd itself didn''t have a powerful effect. It essentially calmed and nourished infants of aura owner''s species, helping grow faster and stronger.

    When the aura effect was ovepped with others however, the effect became more noticeable. When it had first been noticed that those hatched from chambers with more Tenders in them were slightly more developed, even having a few extra stat points, the colony had decided to produce arge batch of Brood Tenders to further investigate this caste.

    It was no exaggeration to say that currently, apart from the soldiers, the colony was pouring the most resources into the Brood Tenders. In order tobat the crisis facing the family, soldiers were needed desperately, but so were the specialised ants required to raise them.

    Theresant and Florence cleaned thervae, tickled them and yed with them before they moved onto the next chamber, doing the rounds so that they could keep an eye on the progress of every member of the brood. As they passed through the tunnels, other ants made space for them respectfully as they called out words of encouragement.

    "Tenders, work hard today!"

    "How fares the brood today, Tenders? Can I assist in any way?"

    "Make sure those hatchlings are putting forth all of their effort, Tenders! We don''t wantzy ants in the colony!"

    "Small chance of that,"ughed Florence.

    The Brood Tenders were given space wherever they went, nothing was allowed to impede their work. The brood was the future of the colony, it was ingrained into ant nature to prioritise the rearing of the young above almost everything else and that hadn''t changed when the species of the colony had shifted.

    They''d only grown more thoughtful and calcting about how they went about it.

    Florence and Theresant gathered in the main brood chamber, where the pupae, those young in their final stage of development before they emerged from their cocoons, where being nurtured byrge cluster of their caste.

    "Greetings sisters" Theresant called to them as she entered the chamber.

    "Greetings, senior" they replied.

    "Has there been any further developments regarding skill development or progression?"

    One of the Tenders stepped forward.

    "No, senior. Only a few of us have managed to raise the Nurturing skill to the third rank, but no new skills have been unlocked."

    "Make sure that the test groups are kept separate. On different sides of the colony if possible. We need to ensure we can iste the cause in the event that new options be avable."

    "Of course, senior," the Tenders acknowledged.

    The colony was elerating their efforts to grapple with the system. Test groups for every caste of worker, soldier and artisans were hard at work trying to unlock new skills, test skill fusion options and explore the benefits of ranking up skills were. This would enable the paths of future generations of ants to be smoother and more efficient as they didn''t have to waste time or effort in crafting the perfect build for their role.

    It had been Florence who first unlocked the nurturing skill by raising a young single handedly from egg to hatchling. Such a thing had been more likely back when there were fewer Tenders about, but it was still aplete fluke that no other worker had touched that particrrvae other than Florence right up until it spun its cocoon and then hatched. The skill granted knowledge and instincts when raising the young, turning the Tenders into almost supernaturally gifted carers. Which in turn caused thervae to develop more rapidly and emerge from their cocoons stronger and smarter than they otherwise would.

    Now every Tender was assigned an egg on their first day in the caste. They felt sure that there were further skills to be unlocked to deal with rearing that would allow them to provide even better care for their charges.

    Theresant had been the one to unlock the teaching skill. She''d been one of the council members assigned to training new hatchlings and helping to develop the process that turned a hatchling into a thriving member of the colony. The system of teaching young hatchlings had developed rapidly in the colony, a far sight from the early days when the eldest had handed responsibility over to the twenty.

    Now the Academy was a formal, tested education program that aimed to maximise efficiency and effectiveness. It was discovered, thanks to Theresants efforts, that the Tenders had a key role to y here as well. She had been the first instructor to take a ss all the way through the program solo, thus unlocking the Teaching Skill. It was believed that the unlock was tied to a certain number of individuals gaining a certain number of skill levels under an individual''s tutge but they hadn''t managed to pinpoint the numbers yet.

    After teaching had been unlocked the associated Instructor rity skill had been discovered, allowing instructors to better structure their lessons to ensure the message was received during a training session. This skill had been a lifesaver and greatly expedited the time it took for a new hatchling to grasp the eldest'' decree to preserve life.

    So the Tenders had be a key part of the Academy as well, as they were in a better position than most to spend their skill points on these nonbat, non-craft rted skills.

    "Who would have thought," Theresant asked Florence, "that our caste would so quickly rise to such a key role in the colony?"

    Her sibling dipped her antennae in acknowledgement.

    "I have to say, I didn''t expect us to be quite so in demand, or effective."

    "I have to praise the supreme wisdom of the eldest," Theresant admitted, "only they could have foreseen how critical the Brood Tenders would be to the colony."

    "Oh, I quite agree," said Florence, "the academy, the Tenders, the way the colony continues to grow and develop is all ording the grand design of the eldest. Such foresight, it takes my breath away."

    The two members of the council nodded solemnly to one another as they eachmitted to never forget the incredible being who seemed to hold the very future between their mandibles. How lucky were they, to be the creation of such a creature?

 Chapter 237 Dignity of the Eldest

    <h4>Chapter 237 Dignity of the Eldest </h4>

    My core still hurts and it''s starting to worry me. After gaining some levels and exercising the pain has diminished to the point where I don''t notice it so much on a conscious level. It just stings. Sitting in the small Dungeon chamber and feeling the mana flow in, I''m starting to worry about pushing to absorb the full rare core. Will I actually be able to take it? I know I''m technically pushing my core beyond what the system mandates is the ''maximum safe limit'', but that''s probably just a guideline right?

    It''ll be fine! I''m sure of it. What''s the worst that could happen? My core detonates and tears me apart from the inside?

    ¡­

    Well, that would suck, actually, that would be pretty damn bad. I''ll keep my ws crossed.

    Since I''m here in the Dungeon, soaking up some mana and getting a rest, I may as well tick off all of the boxes that I can. I get the feeling I''m not going to get much of a chance to rest over the next two days, things are going to get intense the closer we get to the nest.

    First cab off the rank is, my mutations! The final mutation is locked and loaded! This is a momentous moment for me. Due to impetuousness, impatience, and a general inability to focus, I''ve never reached maximum mutations before evolving. I''m excited! This means I won''t have to struggle as hard to cover the Biomass gap after I''ve evolved!

    Actually, once I''ve evolved I''ll reach the fourth tier, which means that Biomass from tier one gets halved again. So I''ll be down to one eighth Biomass from tier one creatures? Yikes! That''s practically nothing! Hunting for Biomass at the top of the Dungeon is going to bepletely pointless¡­

    Alright! Pheromone nd time!

    Ah, the faithful pheromone nd. Where would I be without you? Enabler ofmunication! Bringer of wisdom and light! Truly the greatest thing I gave to the Formica Sapiens (in my opinion) is the ability to properly speak with each other. With it, the beginning of the great ant civilisation, the unstoppable empire of the ant, has begun!

    Gweheheheheh!

    Wait, don''t get so ahead of yourself, Anthony! You have to survive the horrific death army of zombie monsters marching towards the family as you sit here soaking your stock portfolio in mana!

    Ok, let''s do this.

    I hastily engaged the menu and began pondering my options for mutating my pheromone nd.

    Language is great, obviously, and persuasive was a bit of a tack-on to be honest. I''d hoped it would make it a little easier to get the colony on side with some of my more wild ideas, such as not getting themselves killed. The issue I have with this mutation is that it''s hard to determine if it''s being effective. Where the ants persuaded because of my unique persuasive pheromones? Or was it my unique charm?

    ¡­

    Probably the pheromones, let''s be real.

    If I have no strong feelings one way or the other, I''ll embrace the beige alert and Fuse!

    [Do you wish tobine your Persuasive Pheromone Language nd to form Loquacious Pheromone nd? This will cost 65 Biomass.]

    Let''s go!

    HAGGAK!

    So quick! The itch erupted instantly inside my rear zone as my pheromone nd underwent the mutation process. This never gets better, it only gets worse!

    At least I don''t have to deal with multiple nds mutating at once this time. It doesn''t seem to matter much, I''m still on the floor twitching like an idiot! Don''t look at me like that Tiny!

    Preserve my dignity!

    GAH!

    Fortunately the itch doesn''tst too long and I was able to collect myself from the ground. Nobody appeared to be looking too closely. Good.

    Alright, I think it''s time to go through the status. I haven''t checked it for a while, what with the constant fighting.

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 38 (Special core)

    Might: 41

    Toughness: 29

    Cunning: 44

    Will: 35

    HP: 58/58

    MP: 230/230

    Skills: Expert Excavation (III) Level 5; Deadly Acid Shot (III) Level 5; Advanced Grip (II) Level 5; Shattering Bite (IV) Level 15; Advanced Stealth (II) Level 7; Splintering Chomp (IV) Level 2; Tunnel Map (II) Level 6; Mana Transformation (III) Level 12; Condensed Mana (III) Level 5; Finer External Mana Maniption (III) Level 5; Empowered Mana Sensing (II) Level 6; Core Surgery (III) Level 6; Expert Exo-Skeleton Defence (III) level 11; Distant Pet Communication (II) Level 4; Rapid Dash (II) Level 9; Expert Water Magic Affinity (III) Level 2; Expert Stamina (III) Level 3; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 1; Mana Scrooge (II) Level 9; Expert Cerebral Endurance (III) Level 14; Profound Meditation (III) Level 7; Advanced Precise Shooting (II) Level 7; Severing Bite (III) Level 15; Enhanced Mind Magic Affinity (II) level 6;

    Mutations: Perimeter Eyes +15, Future Sight Infrared Antennae +15, Mana Binding Acid +15, Rapid Absorption Legs +15, Empowered Mandibles +15, True Diamond Carapace +15, Regrowth Regeneration nd +15, Loquacious Pheromone nd +15, Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +15, Adaptable Coordination Cortex +15, Supportive Inner Carapace ting +15;

    Species: Dispersed Mind Ant (Formica Sapiens)

    Skill points: 19

    Biomass: 7

    Holy mackerel that''s a lot of skill ups! I didn''t even remember that Splintering chomp had reached rank 4! Nice! Only one bite skill to go before the fusion shall begin! I really managed to gain a lot of levels in the mana rted skills as well¡­ always a good thing in my mind.

    I''ve reached level 38 as well. Finally! I''m actually a bit concerned by this. I need two more levels in two days if I''m going to evolve before they reach the nest. Not even two days. And if the Lizard Wizard is going to keep hurling lightning storms at me whenever I get close, that is going to be a serious problem!

    I might need to consult with the council on this one¡­

 Chapter 238 The final stretch begins

    <h4>Chapter 238 The final stretch begins </h4>

    After exiting the Dungeon I was able to see that the evacuation of the forward HQ had already begun. Hundreds of ants, perhaps as many as a thousand, were rushing this way and that, digging, lifting and generally getting things done everywhere he looked. A long trail had already been established and soldiers as well as workers were vanishing into the distance as they marched back towards the nest and home.

    They were very different ants from those who had started this fight. Thousands of Biomass had been consumed over thest five days, not to mention the experience and levels that had been gained. Mutations were evident everywhere I looked, Soldiers with glittering carapace, even a few diamond looking ones, long flowing antennae, thicker, more powerful legs.

    For those who had survived, the battles had been a forge in which their strength had been tempered. They had emerged bigger and badder than before, ready to put their lives on the line in the defence of their colony and Queen in the final battle toe.

    I spotted a dense cluster of antsmuning near the main entrance and made my way over. Sure enough, the leadership was grouped there, giving out instructions and consulting onst minute changes in strategy.

    "Hey, Victor! Wills! Mendant! How''s things going?"

    The three members of the twenty turned at my call and watched silently as I approached.

    ''Well, ever since the er, lightning incident, things have been tense," Victor admitted.

    Yeah, I kind of had feeling that might be the case.

    "Any more casualties?" I asked, nervous.

    "No, Eldest," Mendant answered me gently, "we have simply been reluctant to engage with the horde with such an unstable element at y."

    "I can understand that. I may be able to help even."

    Wills perked up at my words.

    "You''vee up with a way to attack the Kaarmodo? That''ll be incredible."

    "Ah, no. Nothing that grand. I still need two more levels before I can evolve right? Which means I''m going to have to go back in. I''ll join up with the humans and try to hit the horde from behind, which should attract the attention of our friend the wizard lizard, since it''s me that they''re after."

    "Meaning the colony will be able to operate with far less risk from the front," Victor mused.

    "You''re taking a lot of risk onto yourself Eldest," Mendant worried, "isn''t there a better way that we could approach this?"

    I shook my antennae in refusal.

    "I won''t have members of the family sacrificing themselves so I can farm experience peacefully," I said firmly, "I refuse. This is the way it''s going to be. It''ll also work to minimise the risks to the greatest number of us."

    I gave Mendant a friendly pat on the head with an antenna.

    "Not to worry, I''m not easy to kill. Enough monsters have tried, but I''m still here."

    The healer shifted ufortably under my antennae as an embarrassed teenager might as they suffered the affection of a parent.

    "How long until you move out, Eldest?" Victor asked.

    I shrugged.

    "No time like the present I suppose. The humans should already be waiting close to where I left them. I''ll need an hour to circle around and meet up with them, then another hour to get into position behind the enemy. I get the feeling you might notice once I get their attention."

    Victor nodded. If the sky starting sprouting lightning bolts again then it would be hard not to notice.

    "How goes the evacuation?" I asked, shifting the topic.

    "Quickly and efficiently," Victor stated proudly.

    As if it could be anything else. You''re ants for goodness sake.

    "Fair enough. I''d better get moving, the sooner I get to fighting the sooner I can evolve."

    "Be careful out there, Eldest," Wills warned me, "we''re going to need you by the end."

    "Miss out on the final showdown? Me?!" I protested, "you must be crazy."

    With a final few words to the council members present I turned to run only to find many of the surrounding soldiers and workers frozen in ce, watching me.

    Uhhh¡­ what''s happening people?

    The air itself seemed to be still, so perfectly motionless was every ant present. I twitched my antennae nervously, ufortable under the attention of so many of my siblings. What are they waiting for? Do they want me to say something? Since when did they need me to tell them what to do?

    Ah! Come on Anthony! Think! Say something inspirational. Something moving. Something with meaning!

    "Ah¡­. " I stuttered. Nice start!

    "Ahem. Uh¡­ Work hard! Er¡­ For the colony?" I mumbled.

    There was a moment of silence before:

    "FOR THE COLONY" roared a thousand ants in unison.

    Then, just like that, they went back to working, even faster than before. Confused, I turned to Mendant who had quietly approached my side.

    Seeing the query in my eyes she answered me.

    "They look up to you. They seek guidance from you on how to be a proper Formica Sapiens."

    I goggled at her.

    "You are all far better ants than I''ll ever be" I told her honestly.

    The ants who heard me fell silent for some reason, but I paid them no mind, it was time to get moving.

    [Let''s go Tiny.]

    With my pet ape in tow and Crinis on my back, I sped off away from the ants and into the open space. The horde wouldn''t be far away from this ce so I made sure to keep my head down and avoid getting too close as we cast a wide circle around them.

    Lightning bolts falling on my head wasn''t something I was in a rush to experience again.

    Eventually we looped around far enough and we managed to find the humans camped in a copse of trees, sensibly concealed from prying eyes.

    [Seems like things areing to a head,] Isaac observed as I brought him up to speed.

    [What you think?] I asked him, [Do you want to stick around and take a few more jabs? Or do you want to head back to town?]

    Isaac rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

    [I think me an'' the gang are up for some more action. I''d say Enid has things arranged back at the vige.]

    [¡­ and Morrelia will still be in the Dungeon.]

    The man deted before my eyes.

    [That''s true too,] he muttered.

    This man was sure going to die soon. If not to the horde, then to an angry berserker.

 Chapter 239 Tempting fate

    <h4>Chapter 239 Tempting fate </h4>

    Isaac and his squad packed their stuff and we began to mosey our way to the back of the horde. It takes an hour of careful movement, creeping where we can and trying to prevent the monsters from seeing us. The entire time I kept an eye on the sky, worried that any second a dark cloud would form and I''d be forced to start dancing the dance of life.

    Thankfully, it didn''t happen. Whatever the Kaarmodo was doing, it didn''t appear to be scrying for my location, or at least it wasn''t actively throwing at spells at me. I understand that I volunteered to draw the Wizard Lizard''s attention to me in order to relieve the burden from the rest of the colony, but I didn''t want to take that heat before I''d even started to engage the horde inbat!

    So we crept, crawled and sashayed towards the rear of the horde and once we were there, we grouped up to hatch a n.

    [So you want to draw the attention, and lightning, of the Kaarmodo onto your head?] Isaac asked.

    [That''s right,] I confirmed.

    [I love it,] he told me, [I won''t stand next to you, but I love it. What do you want from me and my team?]

    [We''ll split up into two teams and engage separately. I''m assuming that once the Kaarmodo notices me, the fireworks might begin, so I''ll try and be cautious but it makes sense that you stay a reasonable distance from me. When the lightning sh fire sh doom begins to rain on me, I want you guys to keep an eye out for the mage ves.]

    Isaac nodded as he rubbed his chin with one hand.

    [You want us to try and find a chance to jump ''em,] he observed.

    [Nothing fancy,] I warned him, [try and take a few pot shots. Chances are you won''t be able to actually take one of them down, but if you can distract them, that''ll help me a ton. Just remember, if you actually manage to take one of them down, you''ll need to high-tail it out of here.]

    The former town guard didn''t hesitate to nod with vigour.

    [I don''t n on letting me or my crew get cooked,] heughed, [we''ll tag along with you on this one. Give me a chance to talk with my people and we''ll be in position soon.]

    [You do that,] I told him, [we''ll go get started.]

    As Isaac gathered his team, who were still keeping a respectful distance from me, Tiny, Crinis and I made our way towards the horde.

    It was stressful creeping up on the business end of the mass of monsters, half expecting magical death at any moment, but surprisingly, we continued to evade notice and it wasn''t long until we''d managed to sneak close enough that the back end of the monsters marching away from us came into view.

    Yes, even Tiny had managed to sneak up to this point, that''s how little attention they were paying us.

    It was almost a letdown. Here we were, hugging the ground, shoving our faces into the dirt, even Crinis is off my back and crawling tentacle by tentacle in order to lower my profile. Tiny is crawling also! His massive shoulders dig troughs into the dirt as he pushes forward with his butt too high in the air. We''re really trying here but it feels as if the horde isn''t giving us the proper respect!

    We''ll show them!

    I grit my mandibles to contain my indignation and we crawl even closer, until the vast field of monsters is only twenty metres in front of us. So close I can smell them and sense the heat rising from the densely packed beasts into the sky.

    Then I start weaving a spell.

    Not the gravity bomb this time, I''m concerned that the Kaarmodo might sense the potent mana build up before I''m ready to release.

    No, this time I''m aiming for the condensed water cannon. At this range I''ll be able to slice through the closest ranks of monsters like a hot knife through a soft and meltable spread of some sort.

    [Tiny, prepare to charge lightning,] I instructed my battle hungry ape friend and got a devilish bat grin in return.

    [What about me, Master?] Crinis asked, eager for direction.

    [You know what to do Crinis. Make them afraid,] I told my pet horror ball.

    [Understood,] she purred.

    As she continued to creep forward on her short, permanent tentacles the shadow beneath her body darkened to an impossible ck and she began to extend tentacles into it. It wouldn''t be long before she was ready to bring them up directly underneath the monsters before us.

    As I directed my sub-brains to do the heavy lifting on the spell I was working on, I activated my mana sense. This Skill had beening in handytely and I honestly don''t know why I don''t have it on all the time. It does make more material things harder to perceive but when my number one threat is death by Wizard Lizard, keeping an eye on the flow of mana around me makes a lot more sense.

    As my vision transformed, bing coloured with the density and flow of mana around me, I grew shocked at what I saw. A vast confluence of mana was forming in the middle of the horde. It rotated slowly, like a tornado gathering speed and was beginning to pull the mana from the surrounding air into the centre.

    Even the mana around me, on the outside of the horde, was starting to move, to flow toward that grand working that even as I watched continued to extend further into the sky and rotate faster.

    What the heck is going on!?!?!

    "GOOOOAAAAARRRRRRRRRR," a voice growled.

    So deep had that utterance been that the ground beneath my feet trembled, the air itself battering into my ears. Garralosh! It had to be! What the heck is going on in there!

    My heart began to speed up as the cyclone of mana grew stronger each second. What''s happening?! Are they working a grand spell that''ll annihte the colony from here?! No way right? We''re still two days travel away! What could they possibly need all this energy for?

    It was then that I saw a figure stand up in the centre of the horde.

    Garralosh stood tall, raising her massive body up onto her rear legs for the first time in my sight. She was huge. It wasn''t easy to see at this distance but some things I didn''t need the details for. Even from this far away the giant momma croc glowed to my mana sense, a testament to the mana packed into her body and core.

    I switched off my mana sense so that I could better see her physical body and I could only swallow my shock. How the heck is she so massive?! Over ten metres tall, Tiny standing up wouldn''t evene up to her waist. Even more intimidating than her size was her bulk. Garralosh rippled with barely contained strength, each of her arms thicker than Tiny''s legs, and the ape never skipped leg day. Heck, her arms might be thicker than my freakin'' body! The torso those arms attached to was equally huge, her entire body seemed to exude its own gravity, so densely packed was the muscle mass on that creature.

    Holy smokes!

    When she evolved she must have pumped points into muscle density rather than size at a crazy ratio to end up like that! It was less efficient than gettingrger in terms of raw stats, but it did allow her to pack an incredible amount of power into a smaller frame.

    The gigantic monster threw her head back and opened her jaws wide, exposing the absurdly long croc teeth held within. In order to blur my sight of those teeth, I flicked my mana sense back on and was treated to the sight of the mana cyclone inverting itself.

    Instead of rising into the sky, the conflux turned and began to shrink, still pulling in the mana from the air towards the centre. All of that mana continued to flood forward and sink toward the hulking croc looming in the middle.

    They''re feeding mana to Garralosh! Trying to keep her core topped off!

    In which case, now might be the perfect time to attack¡­

 Chapter 240 Go Time

    <h4>Chapter 240 Go Time </h4>

    With the Wizard Lizard and its collection of friendly mage ves upied with drenching the gigantic croc in their midst with mana, now seems like the perfect time to rip into the horde. ws crossed they won''t be able to divert their attention towards us whilst engaged in this sort of activity.

    [Let''s hit ''em hard!] I roared at my pets and opened up the condensed water cannon I''d been working on.

    The super dense beam of water sted out and drilled into the back of a particrly annoying looking giant centipede before I turned the spell to the side and begin scything through the ranks of monsters before me. With an excited grin on his face, Tiny climbed to his feet and thrust his hands forward, unleashing his lightning to the limit.

    At the same time, Crinis unleashed her tentacles, allowing the curled limbs to emerge from the very shadows of the monsters before us, grasping them tightly and beginning to rend them apart before they even realised they were under attack.

    Gweheheheh!

    Yesssssss. Feel our power! Behold our might! Surprise attack right in themercial district! How you like them apples? Huh!? Bet you don''t like it much! You''ll regret attacking my colony!

    Cackling to myself I continued to y the concentrated beam of water on the monsters before me, sweeping it back and forth in slow arcs that scythe down the monsters in front of us. Spray fountained into the air, covering monsters as far as fifty metres away in droplets of water that left them vulnerable to the oing lightning onught.

    There was something cathartic about unleashing this level of mayhem against an enemy so muchrger and more powerful than myself. I couldn''t say it was, but a part of me rejoiced in this risk taking behaviour. Exposing myself to danger was bing habit forming.

    At least Tiny was happy¡­

    And he was. As much as the giant bat-faced ape loved to get his fists on the enemy, he also enjoyed a good roasting from time to time. It wasn''t quite as satisfying for him, but nevertheless he gained a great deal of joy from it. For her part, Crinis was eerily silent, almost quivering with barely concealed rage as she unleashed her dark arts upon the hapless foes. So numerous were her tentacles that I was forced to try and avoid severing them with my water cannon and direct the spray away.

    Our onught was so rapid and overwhelming the monsters didn''t know how to respond at first, milling about in confusion, turning this way and that, seemingly devoid of direction. And perhaps they were! If the big croc and the Kaarmodo are busy doing the mana thing, then regardless which of them is responsible for voodoo''ing these monsters into line, they aren''t getting directions from either of them right now!

    This is the time to strike!

    [Let''s go loud! Tiny, once you''re out of electricity, get your fists in there. Try to cover us Crinis, I''m going in!]

    Tiny''s grin grew so wide every one of his fangs was revealed as he doubled his efforts to output his lightning mana as fast as possible. We might be able to harvest some serious xp if the response is going to be this slow!

    I started to step forward whilst maintaining my concentration on the spell. The effective range on the water cannon wasn''t as much as I''d like and if I wanted to keep cutting through the monsters then I needed to close the distance. The first targets of our assault were already beyond saving, we need to press forward, deeper into the belly of the beast in order to find more victims.

    And that''s exactly what we did, with Crinis staying slightly behind to position for our escape, we stepped into the mass of monsters until a wide semi-circle of carnage had been created before us. The notifications of the bushy bearded one rang constantly in my mind and I pushed them to one side. No need to get distracted by that misceneous noise, I''ll check my status after we get out.

    At this point the monsters began to turn and push back into us. The lethargy was gradually falling away from them and being reced with the more customary aggression and rage as the light returned to their eyes. Growls and roars began to fill the air along with the clicking of mandibles and stomping of feet.

    I noticed the change immediately and snapped my mana sense back on. It still seems as if the Kaarmodo is still performing its grand working, the mana continues to flood toward the centre of the horde. The area around here is going to be dead mana-wise after this is done.

    I took a moment to consider my options. The monsters are beginning to fight back, which is bad, but the Kaarmodo is still distracted, which is good, the further we push forward the more vulnerable we''ll be, which is bad, but the more we push in the more damage we can inflict, which is good.

    Gah!

    [Keep swinging Tiny! We''ll hit ''em for two more minutes and then skedaddle!] I hollered to my pets.

    Tiny roared and started throwing his fists around with wild abandon, fresh out of electricity with which to aim at his opponents. Bellowing with anger, the monsters around him turned to engage, trying to bite, w and beat the giant ape into submission. Reluctantly I let my spell fade in order to relieve the pressure on my sub-brains. After maintaining the water water mana construct and pumping out condensed mana for so long they were reaching their limits.

    I did get them to keep the water mana construct formed, just in case.

    With the jet of piercing water no longer holding them back, the monsters before us started to copse towards me, baring their fangs at Crinis and I. Settle down monsters, you''re about to catch these (face) hands.

    Receive the Severing Bite of my Justice!

    CHOMP!

    We were in deep now, and getting deeper. More and more monsters were responding to our aggression and piling into the melee that had developed. Crinis did her best to keep us from being surrounded, but as time went on she was forced to dedicate more tentacles to defending herself as foes swarmed around her.

    Things were getting dicey. As an evolved rabbit attempted to kick my head in, sending shockwaves through my carapace that were absorbed by my inner ting, I thought that perhaps we were in a little too deep. I twisted my body to avoid the ws of Dragon Wolf hound and severed the rabbit''s legs, I decided it was time to enact our exit strategy.

    [Tiny! Scream!] I shouted.

    Immediately the giant ape through his head back and unleashed his sonic scream. The mind numbing st of sound exploded outwards, stunning everything within earshot and making my head ring.

    [Break free! Time to get out of here!]

    Following my own advice, I stumbled only a little due to the stun before I managed to shake off both the effects and the monsters hanging onto me. Satisfied with the havoc caused and the damage inflicted, Tiny and I began to run for the hills.

    That''s when the magic fence popped up.

 Chapter 241 Timely Intervention

    <h4>Chapter 241 Timely Intervention </h4>

    I''m not a fan of magic fences at the best of times, but when I''m trying to break out of an encircling horde of thousands of monsters I really don''t want to see one. So my first thought when I saw a wall of golden light appear in front of me was ''oh plops''.

    Because it didn''t take a genius to realise who was responsible for this sudden and inconvenient impediment. Sure enough, to either side of me, two Setsh mage servants had appeared, seemingly from thin air.

    Aren''t you guys supposed to be somewhere else right now?! Why the heck are you here?!

    My feet scrambled to halt my momentum as I tumbled forwards but ultimately I failed to stop in time.

    BAM!

    I mmed into the barrier of flowing light, the shock of the impact reverberating throughout my exo-skeleton. That frickin'' hurt! But they stuffed up this time, the two mages are much closer than they werest time. I brushed off the impact and focused my eyes on the two of them. Robed and hooded as always, there was very little I could make out of their bodies, but they were close. Each not even ten metres from me.

    I don''t know if this is a trap or if they''re just taking advantage of the situation, but I''ll happily take another one of these guys down, even if it means having to ride the lightning again.

    Dash!

    Activating my dash skill I streak forward at high speed, my mandibles open wide, ready to rend and tear at the mage to my right. Before I chomp down a tingle from my antennae warns me something ising. I m on the brakes, my legs scrabbling to halt my momentum just as another barrier sprung into existence, shielding my target behind a protective wall of golden light.

    Dammit!

    What the heck is going on?!

    Out the corner of my eyes I can see that two more of the mage ves have appeared, their barriers joining together with the first just in front of the first two mages, protecting them from my wrath. I don''t like this. Not one bit!

    Indecision and uneasiness struck me in that moment. What should I do? Dig under? Run back? What if more of them areing, or are already there? Will my acid break through?

    GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

    Once again the air around me rumbled at the power of that voice and, in the back of my mind, I noted that the suffocating aura that rolled off Momma Croc grew stronger, ever so slightly. And then again.

    She''sing!

    Oh nonononononoNONONONO.

    I''m NOT going down here like this!

    I refuse to end my second life as Croca plops. Refuse! I''d rather be fed to a nest of w-centipedes. I''d rather be melted down and eaten by an acid slug. Heck, I''d prefer to be chewed up by a stupid thorn lizard than get eaten by Garralosh!

    I spun in ce, expertly presenting my business district towards the first barrier.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    As I spun I unleashed my acid of perpetual prosperity which sshed into the barrier and adhered to it, sizzling as it began to eat away at the mana.

    [Tiny! Get over here buddy!]

    Unfortunately Tiny had been caught inside the barrier with me, so I called him to join me.

    [Crinis! Any chance you can tenderise any of these mage ves?!]

    Since she''d been hanging back, Crinis hadn''t been trapped with us, but she still had plenty of monsters to deal with, even if they were temporarily stunned for a moment.

    [I''m trying, Master!] she cried. [There is something blocking me!]

    I cursed. They must have nned ahead after seeing how Crinis operated in order to prevent her getting a tentacle on these mages. Makes sense, I don''t think the big lizard wants to risk any more of them and wouldn''t send them out if he thought they''d be separated into bite size chunks.

    My acid is still bubbling away at the barrier but it''s taking its sweet time. Were they able to counter the effects of the acid in some way?

    I''m not a fan of this, not a fan at all.

    With a sh another barrier was formed behind me,pleting the encirclement. Most frustrating of all, every one of the six Setsh used to create the cage of light walls was on the outside of it. Cowards! How dare they entrap me like this?! What did I ever do to them?! Other than kill one of them that time¡­

    What''s happening now?

    To my shock and surprise, thebined barriers began to slowly extend upwards. Looks like they are intent on creating aplete cage! I checked on the progress of my acid, but it wasn''t working fast enough for my taste. They must have done something to resist its effects, the crafty sods.

    However, they didn''t count on one thing.

    [Tiny! Grab me and jump out of here!]

    [Raaaaah!]

    Not needing to be told twice, Tiny grabbed me up in his arms and threw me onto his back where I clung with all the strength my ws could manage. As the barrier continued to close overhead and the oppressive aura of Garralosh pressed down on us, Tiny took two running steps and exploded forth.

    He pushed every fibre of his bunched leg muscles to the limit and burst into the air.

    Holy smokes!

    The air whistled over my carapace, pushing my antennae back against my head and driving the micro hairs on my face nuts.

    I knew Tiny had some jumping power, I''d seen him leap high often enough, but being carried by him was a very different experience!

    We soared through the air and out of the still forming cage, the light barrier melding shut beneath Tiny''s feet.

    THUD!

    We mmed into the ground and only my grip skill kept me from falling t on my face. Haha! Stupid mages! You think you can trap us that easy?

    Oh snap!

    No sooner did we soar out of the barrier andnd heavily than fire began erupting around us! The Setsh Mage servants had dropped the light barrier the moment we''d escaped and now attempted to BBQ what they had failed to contain.

    BOOM!

    Yeeouch! That was close! Fireballs began flying through the air apanied by jets of me and arcing balls of ming death that rained down from above.

    Isn''t this a little excessive?!

    I clung onto Tiny for dear life as he began to shift and sway, disying the full extent of his fancy feet. With a grace that belied his size, he shimmied here, spun there and navigated the maze of destruction by the thinnest of margins. But by gosh it was close!

    The sharp sound of arrows whistling through the air pierced through the roar of mes, lifting my heart. Isaac had turned up! Right on time!

 Chapter 242 Lightning Crashes

    <h4>Chapter 242 Lightning Crashes </h4>

    On a nearby rise to the side of the road, Isaac and his archers had appeared, each one bending their bows and taking aim at the mage ves. As the arrows sped through the air, the mages were forced to split their attention, raising barriers to defend themselves from the barrage whilst maintaining their own offensive.

    Some of the mages turned their attention to disrupting Isaac and his hunting party, flinging spells at them that seared the air. But at this range, it was hard for them to be urate and deadly enough. The archers were able to scramble out of the danger zone in time that they were able to avoid injury, but the mages seeded in scattering the archers which was their aim.

    All this time, Tiny continued to weave his way through danger. He was doing remarkably well, enough that I was convinced we were going to get into the clear.

    Then the lightning started falling¡­

    Damn Wizard Lizard! This may be a bit unreasonable, but I wish you''d let me kill off your servants without exacting vengeance!

    With my mana sense flipped on, I could tell that the great working was finished now. Garralosh had topped off her core and was heading this way, and the Kaarmodo had enough free attention to weave together another lightning storm. Which is something we did not need!

    [I''m jumping off, Tiny!] I shouted and leapt clear of the big ape the moment I saw a chance.

    Crinis was frantically waddling through the grass to the side of the road, her basketball sized body supported on her small, stubby permanent tentacles. It would have been adorable in a situation that less fraught with mortal peril.

    [Crinis, reach out to me!] I bellowed.

    As she wiggled and wobbled her way forward, Crinis extended a long limb from her main body out towards me.

    DASH!

    I activated the skill and my stamina infused my body, sending me hurtling forward with vital energy. Bursts of me erupted around me, singeing my carapace as lightning began to rain down from above.

    I focused my sub-brains to their limits, using them to analyse the information from my antennae, the heat I sensed from the fire and the blurred lines of the future that were whispered to me through my antennae. By juking left and right I did everything I could to throw off the aim of my tormentors as I made my way to Crinis.

    [Grab hold!] I yelled.

    My charge took me close enough that Crinis was able totch hold of my carapace and begin to haul herself toward me.

    [Don''t let go, Crinis!]

    [I never will, Master!]

    That ¡­ didn''t sound right. Never mind it now, we need to get the hell out of here! Once again, time to dash!

    BOOM! BOOM!

    The rolling thunder sounded more like an explosion to me as the strikesnded just metres away. Tiny leapt close and was struck multiple times, shrugging it off as best he could as he tanked the lightning magic for me.

    I could see Isaac on the hill, hopping from one foot to the other and shouting at me. I can''t understand, you moron! I''m not about to create a mind bridge in the middle of this fiasco! His fellow archers are still dodging the odd fireball and unleashing arrows when they can. It''d be nice if their leader would bother to help out.

    With every second that passed we put another metre between the horde, the mages and us and it began to tell, bing easier to dodge and avoid the spellsing our way, with the obvious exception of the lightning strikes from above.

    With my mana sense on, I kept tabs on the roiling mana overhead. It really is impressive how much mana there is packed into that spell. All of that energy just for little old me? The Kaarmodo must be more than slightly attached to the ve attendants. I''d feel bad for the Lizard Wizard if they weren''t marching a giant monster along with a giant army towards my home.

    No mercy for invaders!

    But for now, run to the hills!

    Run for your lives!

    *CRACKLE!*

    The dark cloud that hung low overhead began to spark and ripple with electricity. The lightning bolts ceased for a beat and I could see in my mana sense that the power in the spell was condensing towards a central point.

    Deep within the cloud a light began to glow. It grew brighter by the second until it became a near blinding radiance that pierced my eyes. Something big ising! I''m not a big fan of this!

    DAAAAAAAAASH!

    With a plop, Crinis hauled herself onto my back after reeling herself in using the tentacle she''d stuck to me and now she clung on for dear life as I sprinted, my legs a blur to my eyes as I covered the ground at high speed.

    [Watch out above Tiny! Get clear of me!]

    The bat-faced ape shook his head and growled angrily but was forced to obey my directmand and leapt to one side, putting some distance between us. Overhead, the cloud shrank in on itself as the remaining mana within concentrated down to a single point.

    Isaac had collected himself, I could see him now with a spear in hand. As a javelin thrower might, he ran forward and with a mighty roarunched the spear into a high arc that seemed to be heading right towards me.

    Wait a sec, it IS heading right toward me! What the heck!

    HAH!

    At thest second I threw myself to one side, my legs tripping over each other and I fell towards the ground as several things happened at once.

    The spear punched into the ground right where I''d been running with a reverberating thud, the metal hafted weapon pushed deep into the ground as the momentum pushed the butt forward until the weapon stood vertically.

    Then the lightning came.

    BOOOOOOOOM!

    Like ance from the heavens, it fell. My sight became filled with light in an instant and, not for the first time, I wished I had eyelids. This is going to give me some serious retina burn! The impact pierced the ground and sent a shower of earth into the air. So fierce was the force, it rippled through the air and smashed into me as I fell, burning me and sending me tumbling end over end, squashing Crinis into my back.

    I''ve been cooked! Also, I can''t see!

    Not only that, my ears are ringing as if I were a bell that was struck! What the hell was that?! Am I alive? It''s all white!?

    [Are you alright, Crinis?]

    [I¡­ I think so!]

    [Tiny?]

    [Raaaah!]

    Ok, that''s good.

    [Uh, Crinis?]

    [Yes, Master?]

    [Any chance you can let me know which way is forward?]

    [I-I''ll try!]

    And we were off once more! Standing still is death! Using her ability to sense mana, Crinis pointed us away from the horde and we ran into the distance.

 Chapter 243 Dangerous Games

    <h4>Chapter 243 Dangerous Games </h4>

    Blinded and frantic, I ran as fast as I could away from the horde (I hoped) whilst Tiny bounded alongside. As I stumbled and tripped over what felt like every obstacle, bump and uneven patch of ground on my path, I tried to lunge left and right to avoid the fireballs and other spells that continued to be flung my way. The odd explosion actuallynded quite close but thanks to Crinistching onto my mandibles with a tentacle each, she was able to steer me away from the spells that she detected by literally steering me.

    It was undignified but I was much more interested in survival than my pride.

    I was confused as to what had urred in that strange confluence of events, but I didn''t have to ponder over it until the very real mortal peril I found myself in had subsided, so I persisted in running as far and as fast as I could.

    THWACK!

    Ouch! I''m under attack! Still blinded and bewildered, my forward momentum was suddenly and forcefully brought to a halt by something blocking my path. An enemy? Feel my wrath!

    *Shattering Bite!*

    Crunch!

    My jaws flooded with energy as the active skill took effect and snapped them shut on whatever was barring my way. I felt whatever it was splinter and shatter beneath the force of my bite, followed by a vague tingling sensation from my antennae. What is this thing in front of me? I don''t detect any heat from it, so it shouldn''t be a monster. My antennae are telling me something is leaning over this way?

    OOF!

    A crunch of a different sort rang out as the tree I had just fellednded squarely on my carapace, the weight and force of the impact ttening me in an instant and putting several hairline cracks in my exoskeleton. At least those''ll heal up fast.

    [Are you alright, Crinis? I think I just dropped a tree on us.]

    [I''m alright, Master. A little t, but otherwise fine.]

    I felt her shift about on my back for a moment before another downward spike in pressure forced the wind out of me again.

    OOF!

    Crinis extended a few tentacles and seeded in lifting the tree off of us before she threw it to one side.

    The two of usy on the ground in a battered daze for a minute or two, neither of us sensing any danger and neither of us willing to move without a motivating force.

    [Are you here, Tiny?]

    [Hmm] came the grunted reply.

    Fantastic, the gang''s all here.

    As Iy in a daze, waiting, the white gradually began to fade as my normal vision returned. Blessed light! The power of eyeballs in all their glory! After spending so much time obsessing over my vision in my early days on Pangera, it was more than a little disconcerting to have that sense removed, even temporarily. That lightning had surely been something special. I''d never seen anything like it. The force, the power, the sheer destructive impact of it. I''m not sure even Tiny could have survived such a thing hitting him directly.

    So how did I survive?

    At that moment, I saw Isaac and his crew approaching.

    My weary and still somewhat scattered minds put together the necessary mind mana and I reached out to the former guard captain.

    [Well, if it isn''t speary mcspearface.]

    He halted his step.

    [What the heck does that mean?] he asked.

    [Nothing,] I harrumphed, [I was just a little miffed when you threw that spear at my head!]

    [If I hadn''t done that the lightnin'' bolt would ''ave turned you into a crispy husk of yer former self!] Isaac protested, [I was expectin'' thanks, to be honest!]

    I hesitated.

    [You mean to say that you threw that in order to make it act as a lightning rod to save me?]

    He nodded vigorously.

    [Of course! Why would I try ''an kill ya?]

    [I''ve no idea, I just didn''t think you''d be smart enough to think of something like that.]

    Isaac stared at me for a moment before he muttered something out loud to himself. Then heughed.

    [Well, perhaps I''ve a little more goin'' on upstairs than you give me credit for.]

    I could only nod in agreement, still exhausted from my misadventure.

    [Thanks Isaac] I told him, [you really pulled my portfolio out of the bear market.]

    [You''re ¡­ wee?]

    [That was one heck of a throw though. I don''t think I''ve ever seen someone with an arm like that.]

    Isaac thought for a moment and shrugged.

    [Where would you have seen someone throw? I don''t think you ants have quite the physiology for it.]

    He wasn''t wrong, but he wasn''t quite getting at what I was saying either. I was speaking of my experience on Earth. Obviously there are tons of fantastical and insane things that are possible in this world that simply weren''t on Earth, but the different levels of ability between humans is the one that keeps surprising me. He must have thrown that heavy spear over a hundred metres! An unspeakable feat of strength on my old world

    The man in question smiled as he pictured the scene in his mind.

    [I wasn''t sure I''d get there, to be honest,] he admitted, [I saw the lightnin'' buildin'' in the cloud over ya head and figured you''d be toast if that hit ya. My throwin'' skill isn''t the best, so I was a bit worried I might skewer ya but I couldn''t think of another way to divert that lightnin''.]

    The more he concentrated on the image in his mind, the more his rustic ent came to the fore. It was one of the more interesting things I''d noted about direct mind to mindmunication is that a person still tended to think messages in much the same way they spoke them, ents and all.

    [Well, let''s say I owe you and leave it at that, Isaac.]

    [As you say, Anthony.]

    The two of us sat in silent contemtion for a time.

    [So what''s the y now?] Isaac broke the peace first.

    [I''m not exactly sure,] I confessed, [we need to keep killing stuff but it''s going to get more dangerous the longer this goes on.]

    Isaac grinned.

    [Danger, I can handle. As for the rest o'' my people here, they seem mighty devoted to keepin'' your shiny shell in one piece. I think they''ll stick around.]

    [It''s not a shell. It''s a ¡­ never mind. The first thing we need to do is change our position and wait for the heat to die down. We''ll have to be extra vignt at all times. The Kaarmodo could be scrying us at any time and those mage servants have a habit of appearing rather suddenly in awkward ces.]

    [We should stay spread out as well] Isaac pointed out. [If they try to spring another cage on us and we all get caught inside, things''ll get ugly.]

    [Right you are,] I agreed.

    With the basics of our next steps nned out, we shuffled off with Isaac and his group to find somewhere to recuperate not far from the horde, but far enough to befortable. I desperately need that XP and I''m going to have to keep taking risks in order to get it.

 Chapter 244 Council Councils

    <h4>Chapter 244 Council Councils </h4>

    "How''d it go Tungstant?" Cobalt asked.

    The carver ant slumped into the council chamber, exhausted but with a glimmer in her eye that suggested she was more energetic than she appeared.

    "Well enough I suppose" The small ant replied, dragging her tired front ws across her antennae.

    "Will she be able to move more freely now?" Antite asked, her concern for her mother bleeding through.

    "Should be fine now", Tungstant replied, "we had to be a little careful in ces seeing as the structure is moreplicated than it was before, but with a bit of care we were able to widen the main shaft and strengthen the walls to bear her weight. She should be able to move vertically within the nest without too many issues."

    Each of the ants rxed slightly upon receiving this news. The evolution of the Queen had been a major event in the life of the colony and one that required several adjustments the moment the Queen had awoken in her new form. For one, she''d needed to retreat slightly lower in the Dungeon, meaning that a new chamber had to be prepared and more soldiers ced on guard to ensure no harm came to the Queen or to the brood.

    Secondly, the carvers had needed to make several adjustments to the main body of the nest to ensure that the main pathways within the nest were able to amodate the Queen''s new size. The main shaft in the nest had been dug justrge enough for the Queen to move through before she had evolved, as she was by far thergest ant in the colony, but her new size had necessitated some careful work to ensure the widening project didn''t copse or disturb any other chambers.

    "The newly discovered ''Architecture'' skill seems to already be paying dividends to the carver caste," Cobalt observed, "along with ''Engineering'' our ability to make precise structural changes is vastly improved."

    "I agree, sister," Tunsgtant responded with building enthusiasm, "but you know I think we also need to investigate the possibilities behind the utilisation of Earth magic in nest construction."

    "You aren''t worried about the increased Skill training load?"

    "Well I think that the Brood Tenders may be able to offset that."

    "With the education Skills?"

    "Exactly!"

    "It may be worthwhile even without. It feels that there is sure to be a skill unlock in there somewhere."

    "I quite agree."

    "Do you two want to save that conversation until after the council is finished?" Cont asked, amused.

    "Apologies."

    "Sorry about that, sisters."

    The twenty took a moment to clean their antennae and settle into their spots as they prepared for perhaps the most important council meeting of the colony''s history. It wouldn''t be long until the horde arrived at the nest and the family would engage in a battle for its very survival. To make matters moreplicated, the Eldest was still engaged in levelling up and had yet to return, meaning the twenty would be forced to make the final preparations on their own.

    They were arrayed in a circle in a simrly shaped room that sloped down slightly towards the centre. Each of the council members had their own ce, including two spare positions for the Eldest and for Vibrant, should either choose to attend.

    For the time being, Vibrant had chosen to attend to the Queen, ensuring her safety and providing food to pick up the pace of egg production. One of the things toe out of the Queen''s evolution was an increase in her daily maximum egg production from two hundred to three hundred. Not a massive increase, since the Queen had emphasised other aspects of her form with her chosen evolution path, but it would make a difference over time.

    Every member of the council knew that casualties were going to be inevitable in the uing battle, perhaps as much as half of the colony would be destroyed, maybe even more. By ensuring a healthy amount of brood was prepared in advance, the colony would be able to ensure that they would regenerate as fast as possible.

    "How far from evolving are you two?" Mendant leant over and whispered to the two Juvenile Queens to her side, Antite and Victoriant.

    "Still quite a ways, I''m afraid," Antite whispered back. "The jump for tier three to four isrge, even the Eldest hasn''t reached it yet."

    "Yes, but the Eldest hasn''t had the colony force feeding experience down their throat" Mendant pointed out.

    "Due to the oing conflict, we''ve asked that thebat castes and members of the colony be given priority over our own growth," Victoriant chimed in. "Every advantage must be seized in order to achieve victory, and even if we were to evolve before the battle, which we couldn''t, our eggs wouldn''t have hatched by the time we had to fight."

    Mendant nodded.

    It was a fair enough stance. The colony had ced great importance on evolving these two Queens into an eggying state, but even with the support of the colony during the wave, reaching level forty was no easy feat. Once the threat had been dealt with, then the family would return to funnelling resources into the two young Queens.

    "I believe our preparations are almostplete on the construction side of things?" Sloan spoke out to get the discussion rolling.

    "Absolutely" Tungstant agreed. "The traps are done, the ambush tunnels are ready, the wall and moat have been prepared. Without any brilliant ideas popping up, I''m not sure what else we''ll be able to do."

    "Great work. Our gratitude goes to the carver caste," Sloan dipped her antennae in a show of respect, a gesture which the two carvers reciprocated.

    "The academy has been running on schedule. We should have our final ss of graduates ready twelve hours before the horde arrives," Florence chipped in.

    Grant the soldier nodded her head.

    "We''ve got as many troops as possible battling and strengthening themselves in the Dungeon. Every skill level counts at this point."

    "How many are down there?" Sloan inquired.

    "A touch over four hundred atst count."

    "Combined with the harassing forces we have in the field, we''vemitted a lot of soldiers outside the nest. Is the Queen secure?"

    "Of course!" Grant huffed, her antennae twitching in irritation. "Do you think we''d leave Mother in any way vulnerable?"

    Sloan raised her own antennae in a mollifying gesture.

    "I apologise. Of course you wouldn''t. How goes the preparations of the mage caste?"

    Cont raised her head, as if she hadn''t been paying attention and only tuned in once her name was spoken.

    "What''s that?" the mage ant asked.

    Sloan bit back a curse. Damn mages, always had their heads in a cloud.

    "How are the preparations going for the mage caste?"

    "Oh! Right as rain. We need a ton of Skill levels before we can be truly useful, so the new mage ants are in the Dungeon, assigned to teams with the soldiers. We''re hoping to have one hundredbat ready mage ants in time for the battle."

    All the members of the council waved their antennae in approval at this. It had been a risk to produce so many Mage Ants this close to the arrival of the horde but with recent breakthroughs in the academy program, as well as Cont and Propent nailing down their desired skill progression path had meant the time to develop a new mage ant had been drastically reduced. With the numerous Skills required to be effective, the mage ants were still a long term investment for the colony, but their help would be invaluable in distracting the enemy mages.

    "We project our project should bepleted in fourteen hours," Be the core shaper chipped in.

    "That''s cutting it close," Advant the soldier frowned.

    "Modifying cores is exhausting and difficult work," Be defended her caste. "Not to mention there aren''t that many of us." The second statement was a little cutting, since the core shapers had been neglected in favour of other castes.

    "Considering the number of Shadow Beast cores we''ve handed over, the results had better be worth it," Advant muttered.

    Ellie bristled.

    "You needn''t be concerned. Our early field tests have been extremely promising. The first Shaper teams with their modified beast pets will be deployed to the Dungeon in the next two hours. We think you''ll be impressed at their effectiveness."

    The council nodded soothingly toward the grumpy member. It was well known that the shapers had a near perpetual headache due to spending every spare moment modifying cores in order to raise their skills. Elligant and Be had been desperate to prove the worth of their caste and the Shadow Beast pet initiative had been their best chance to date.

    "Has there been any word from the Eldest?" Victor turned to the two scout leaders to ask.

    Burke and Wills both shook their heads.

    "Not a peep. We''ve got scouts keeping an eye on the Eldest, obviously, but it''s been difficult to get close. Lightning storms, fireballs, even boulders and ice spears seem to be filling the air around the Eldest almost constantly."

    The council shifted ufortably at that. None wanted to see the Eldest fall.

    "Fromst report the Eldest is still alive, and battling the Mage Servants to try and gain the experience required for evolution. No need to worry."

    "By distracting the mages, the Eldest has ensured our advance force has been able to operate in much safer conditions," Victor affirmed. "Casualties have dropped massively and the damage inflicted on the horde has risen ordingly."

    The twenty fell into silent appreciation at the risks the Eldest was taking on behalf of the family, all except one Soldier, who, when considering the glorious, almost suicidal fight their senior was embroiled in, couldn''t help but curse softly.

    "Lucky bastard."

 Chapter 245 At least stamina is levelling up.

    <h4>Chapter 245 At least stamina is levelling up. </h4>

    Damn this horde, damn it to its monstrous, scaly core. I''ve been at this for hours now, engaged in an endless tug of war with Setsh mage servants, and to a lesser extent, their hidden master who remains tucked somewhere in the centre of the slowly moving monster mass.

    Thankfully Garralosh hasn''t reared her ugly head again. When I felt that aura pressure mounting on me my heart nearly leapt out of my mouth and into my loving face hands. I am not ready nor willing to go face to face with that giant mega-monster yet. Hopefully after I''ve evolved I''ll have some chance of dealing with it, though I''ve no idea how. I''ll be evolving into a tier four creature and although I''ve been told that Garralosh may not be as highly evolved as I think, she must be tier six or seven. I refuse to believe she''s tier five, refuse!

    Given that''s the case, however, I do have hope. I think the Queen was tier five, which means that she''ll have advanced to tier six, with the aid of the rare core no less. Although a lot of her evolutionary energy has been spend on her reproductive capacity, I''m hopefully that between the two of us we''ll be able to hold off the big Croc and the Kaarmodo from devastating our family members.

    ws crossed.

    But to get to that point I need to defeat some monsters and that is proving difficult!

    Oh snap! Lighting!

    BOOM!

    I threw myself to the side at thest moment as a jaggednce of light stabbed down from above, sending a burst of soil into the air in the ce I had been standing. Stupid Kaarmodo! Annoyed, I pick myself up and wave one w at the sky.

    I know you''re watching you stupid Wizard Lizard! Too bad I don''t have any fingers, otherwise I''d give you something to look at!

    I generally don''t like to be rude, but this Lizard is really getting on my nerves. Every time I take a rest anywhere close to the horde, the pot shotse out. To say that it''s getting irritating would be an understatement. Without my future sense antennae, I''d have been thoroughly cooked by now.

    At least I''ve managed to gain a few skill levels, but getting raw XP is getting harder and harder the closer the horde gets to the nest. I can''t afford to wait much longer!

    Currently my status looks like this:

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 39 (Special core)

    Might: 41

    Toughness: 29

    Cunning: 44

    Will: 35

    HP: 58/58

    MP: 176/230

    Skills: Expert Excavation (III) Level 5; Deadly Acid Shot (III) Level 7; Advanced Grip (II) Level 6; Shattering Bite (IV) Level 15; Advanced Stealth (II) Level 9; Splintering Chomp (IV) Level 2; Tunnel Map (II) Level 6; Mana Transformation (III) Level 13; Condensed Mana (III) Level 7; Finer External Mana Maniption (III) Level 8; Empowered Mana Sensing (II) Level 9; Core Surgery (III) Level 6; Expert Exo-Skeleton Defence (III) level 14; Distant Pet Communication (II) Level 5; Flicker Dash (III) Level 2; Expert Water Magic Affinity (III) Level 3; Expert Stamina (III) Level 5; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 1; Mana Coveter (III) Level 1; Expert Cerebral Endurance (III) Level 19; Profound Meditation (III) Level 10; Advanced Precise Shooting (II) Level 8; Severing Bite (III) Level 18; Enhanced Mind Magic Affinity (II) level 7;

    Mutations: Perimeter Eyes +15, Future Sight Infrared Antennae +15, Mana Binding Acid +15, Rapid Absorption Legs +15, Empowered Mandibles +15, True Diamond Carapace +15, Regrowth Regeneration nd +15, Loquacious Pheromone nd +15, Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +15, Adaptable Coordination Cortex +15, Supportive Inner Carapace ting +15;

    Species: Dispersed Mind Ant (Formica Sapiens)

    Skill points: 18

    Biomass: 7

    All of my goals are currently within reach! Just two more levels in severing bite and I''ll be able to prompt the System for the skill fusion. And ONE. MORE. LEVEL.

    Just one!

    I''m so damn stressed! Just let me fight some stupid monsters already! I need to evolve!

    Wait¡­

    HAP!

    BOOM!

    Missed again you stupid Lizard! Shove off already! I threw myself onto my back and wiggled aggressively at the sky. Scry THAT you reptile!

    Whoops!

    BOOM!

    Haha! Getting mad are you?! Not liking my dominance disy? I''ve got plenty more where that came from!

    Oh boy, the clouds are starting to gather, think it''s time to move on. I gathered myself and moved around the horde toward the location I sensed Tiny and Crinis where operating. I''d asked them to fight away from me in the hopes that we could split up the Mage Servants but it hadn''t worked. The horde was seemingly happy to absorb the massive losses that my two pets were able to inflict, so long as I was kept at arm''s length.

    Which meant that the two of them were getting some great experience and raising their skill levels, which was great, just a shame it didn''t help me to do the same. Gah! I''m tired of trying to go around these stupid mages to get at the horde. With their very own eye in the sky, I just haven''t been able to get a hold of them. It''s starting to fall to night time now, and the horde is expected to reach the colony sometime tomorrow. I''m running out of time!

    Wait a second. Maybe I''m thinking about this situation all wrong. What if I didn''t try and avoid the servants to get to the horde, but avoided the horde and tried to get at the servants? After all, the servants are perfectly prepared to step forward and fight me, I don''t have any trouble at all getting into a scrap with them. It''s not an easy fight by any means, but with the exception of that one time, I haven''t actually been trying to fight them, just keep away from them.

    If you won''t let me get experience from the horde, then I''ll just have to take it from your servants, Mr Kaarmodo. I can hardly be med that''s ite to this.

    Gweheheheheh.

    But how am I going to do it? I''ll need help, that''s for sure. Tiny and Crinis will have to group up with me, maybe even Isaac and his group as well. They might be able to provide some ranged fire support. It''s risky though. The second the Lizard Wizard realises what I''m doing, they are going toe down on me hard. Even harder than they have before.

    And I''ll need to be quick. If the fight drags on, there is a good chance Garralosh will wander over and that''s not something I''m prepared to deal with right now.

    Onest roll of the dice to level up. Let''s see how this goes.

 Chapter 246 Get â€™EM

    <h4>Chapter 246 Get ''EM </h4>

    My pets and I strolled brazenly toward the horde, as if we didn''t'' have a care in the world. It was a fa?ade, of course. I was sweating blood on the inside. Not knowing when some ancient mage might choose to drop a thunderstorm on my shiny carapace is a stress inducing state of mind, to say the least. The outward appearance of confidence is what we were searching for in this instance.

    Before we got too close, the three of us split up, Tiny and Crinis hung back and moved to either side of me but at a distance. We didn''t want another cage scenario to y out with more than one of us in the cage. Since they seemed to be either invisible when they chose, it was possible that the mages were already around us, so we were on high alert.

    My every sense was tuned to the maximum. I detected no heat signatures I couldn''t exin from nearby, nor did I perceive any ripples from the future. The vast horde was arrayed in front of us, walking towards the location of the vige and the colony as they had done for six days already. I knew that on the other side of the mass of creatures the soldiers of the colony were at work, inflicting whatever damage they could. I hope they''ve been safer since I''ve been causing havoc back here. I now casualties are inevitable, I know it, but it still hurts know it''s happening.

    Hopefully after this fight I''ll be able to retreat back to the colony along with the rest of my siblings and finalise our preparations.

    When I was within twenty metres of the closest monster, I turned to present my business district to my foes and showered them with my justice!

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    Four rapid sts of acid that sted high into the air before they arced down, scattering in the air and falling across a wide area.

    "Roaaaar!"

    As soon as itnded, many monsters howled in pain and rage at the sudden attack, and they began to thrash about as they searched for the source of their woe. In this instance, the merciless and mindless nature of the horde came to the fore. Without food to sustain them, the monsters had been forced to rely on consuming each other to gain energy on the long march. For the most part, this meant picking over the Biomass that the colony left behind after raiding and fighting, or picking it out of the spike traps that the workers had left behind.

    But ultimately it didn''t take much for the horde to turn on a wounded member, almost nothing really. After six days of solid marching, with no human cities or towns to feast on, the monsters were ravenous. So the poor and unfortunate victims of my acid were rather rapidly set upon by their starved neighbours and a quick but violent feeding frenzymenced.

    I''d used this method a few times before, as had the rest of the colony. The damage inflicted on the enemy was high, but no experience was gained since I didn''t actuallyst hit anything. All I wanted to do was draw out my Lizard friends without expending my magic.

    The faint tingle that''sing to me from my antennae seems to indicate that they have taken the bait. They''re craft these ve mages, always trying to catch me off guard, distracted or otherwise upied.

    HAH!

    Suddenly activating my rank three dash, my body flickered for a moment as I ran forward at almost supernatural speed! Once you get to this rank, the active skills really take on a life of their own!

    Severing Bite!

    Along with my future sense, the sudden flickering of heat revealed the location of the mage just as they were about to appear. Hoping to get the jump on them for a change I leapt out for the surprise

    bite attack!

    WHAM!

    Stupid light barrier! I really want to learn how to cast this thing. At thest possible moment, the barrier sprung into existence around the freshly appeared and very startled Setsh ve mage. This version of the spell was less of a wall and more of a cocoon that surrounded the mage in protective sphere. I was willing to bet it even went through the ground beneath their feet. As the mage stumbled back and fell onto their backside, I realised it likely wasn''t even them who cast that barrier.

    Perhaps the great Kaarmodo is still looking out for their servants?

    If I''m going to get my mandibles onto one of these punks, I''m going to have to pull something out of the hat that I haven''t showed them yet. Thankfully, I''ve got just the thing.

    More and more mages appeared around me, their spells already prepared. Tongues of meshed towards me but I was already moving, throwing myself to one side and dashing toward another target.

    Severing Bite!

    CRUNCH!

    As the jaws of light that extended from my mandibles sliced down towards my target I was foiled once again by the barrier spell. The de like bite skill I used connected with the glowing light and attempted to slice through but failed.

    Fortunately, we have more than one way to hit a barrier.

    From the ground around the mage, tentacles began to emerge and wrap themselves around the light barrier, squeezing it tight. Rather than try and get inside the wall of light, which Crinis had tried and failed to do, this time she was going to try and smash the barrier from the outside.

    A dozen tentacles wrapped around the mage, almostpletely hiding them from view. The limbs pulsed and flexed as Crinis began to try to rip and tear her way through, the teeth on the inside of her tentacles sawing away at the magic.

    I''ll leave that one for Crinis! I dashed toward another mage, moving so fast my legs vanished.

    CRUNCH!

    Another powerful bite mmed down on the mage as fire spells continued to fell in my wake. Another barrier prevented my mandibles from closing down, but I wasn''t deterred. Without waiting I rolled to one side and sped away just as Tiny arrived.

    Falling from the sky like a copsing meteor, the giant ape hammered both hands down onto the wall of light that surrounded the startled mage.

    BOOM!

    The impact was thunderous and fractures spider webbed through the shield instantly. Thankfully for the mage, the spell held and didn''t break down, but with the ten foot tall monster staring down at him, I don''t think the mage felt particrly secure.

    We hadn''t run at them like this before and I could tell they were rattled. The spells they cast were erratic and the mages couldn''t seem to decide whether to continue the barrage on me or try to protect their fellow ves.

    Not to worry, things are only going to get worse for you!

 Chapter 247 Câ€™MERE

    <h4>Chapter 247 C''MERE </h4>

    Putting the servants on the defensive was only phase one of the n, but it appears to have worked. There are six of them here at the moment, and possibly more still in hiding, but so long as we''re careful we should be fine. It''s rare that every magees when I turn up, in fact the one time they did we just turned around and ran off. However, it seems that the Lizard Wizard can''t spare them and that remains the only time I''ve seen all of them in the field at once, luckily for us.

    [Don''t let yourselves get roasted,] I warned my pets.

    I wouldn''t put it past either of them to go too far and try to tank a few spells in order to try and help me. It''s a wonderful spirit but I''m not willing to risk the health of my pets for something as small as this. If this attempt doesn''t seed, then we''ll just try again until either we seed or die trying.

    [I''m being careful, Master] Crinis assured me.

    [Grrrrr] Tiny grunted.

    Time to put more pressure on these mages!

    I continued to blitz around with my dash skill, which rapidly drained my stamina but I didn''t have a choice, what with the fireballs and infernos that were being conjured around me. Even so, I managed to find the time to squeeze off a cheeky shot from the business district. A bit of guerri marketing, if you will.

    POW! POW! POW!

    All three shots hammered home onto the hastily raised shield of one mage who had the enjoyable experience of their line of sight being covered with a sticky, adhesive acid that began to bubble and hiss as it ate away the magical protection that surrounded them. Nasty!

    Another mage hampered, another step closer to the ultimate victory. Now for the next one. Rolling underneath a jet of me one of the mages unleashed at me, nearly catching my own antennae on fire, I spun expertly and fired once again!

    POW! POW! POW!

    Three more sts of acid, one more inconvenienced mage!

    The mage servants are having a hard time maintaining their barrage, what with the imminent threats to their lives, so the pressure has begun to ease off wonderfully, allowing me to fire myst three shotsfortably.

    POW! POW! POW!

    With three mages now tied down by acid and with Tiny and Crinis upying one each, (Crinis has extended even more tentacles,pletely covering her victim from view) that left me with just one mage with an unobstructed view of the fight. Let''s call that mage, Biomass A. Even with the hood up and full body robes preventing me from seeing them directly, I can tell that Biomass A is feeling nervous as I alter the angle of my run and begin to close in on them.

    My antennae tingled and I jumped high just in time for another jet of me to pass underneath me. Close, but no cigar! I wonder why these mages rely on fire magic so much in fights like this. They clearly have other options but fire seems to be their go to. A question I''ll never get answered I suppose. Ah well.

    Once I get close enough I put my two sub-brains to work. Filled with malicious intent, my two smaller minds begin to activate the external mana maniption skill they have be so familiar with over thest week or so, and begin to try and drain away the mana that sustains the barrier around my friend Biomass A.

    The bodynguage of my target became even more frantic as the mage felt what I was doing, desperately trying to fend off my physical body as well as the intruding tendrils of my sub-brains that were busy trying to deconstruct their spell.

    Gweheheheh. Yessss. Struggle all you want, but it won''t help my dear friend, Biomass A. I shall taste the sweet, sweet experience that is contained within you nest attacking ves soon enough!

    I mean, I kind of feel sorry for the Setsh on one level. They don''t really have a choice in what they get up to, magically bound ves that they are. Ultimately though, what does it matter? Willing or not, they''ve been doing their darned best to kill me and I''m certain they''ll do the same to the colony when they get there. Heck, they already did it to Liria and all of its people!

    Uh oh. Here we go, then. Big daddy (or mommy, I shouldn''t assume) lizard wizard is getting mad now that I''m attacking its servants directly. The storm overhead is brewing again and it''s looking like a big one!

    *CRACKLE*

    Powered by magic, the dark clouds began to form out of thin air at a ridiculous speed. It won''t be long before the lightning starts to fall like rain around here. Fortunately, this time I came prepared.

    Rushing from their hiding cese Isaac and his crew, each wielding the metal spears they have diligently been practicing throwing for thest few hours. Like a hunting party of angry tribesmen, they lofted the spears over their shoulders as they ran and hurled them high into the air with a mighty roar. The weapons arced gracefully through the sky before they thudded into the dirt, standing tall and upright as convenient lightning rods.

    The storm churned overhead and I could almost feel the Kaarmodo''s agitation as it stared down at a small field of newly sprouted metal poles. At this sort of distance, you can''t control the lightning too precisely, can you Mr Lizard? No, no, you have to use this big overhead mess of a spell at this sort of range and although you might get through to me eventually, how much time do you think you have?!

    My pets continued to aggressively posture and batter at their respective targets but it was me who drew the ire of the lightning. By circling and tormenting my target, Biomass A, I appeared to have angered the Wizard Lizard deeply, which meant that Tiny and Crinis were able to torment their own victims in lightning-free peace.

    *BOOM!* *BOOM!*

    Lightning stabbed down from the sky but thanks to the spears, things were made more difficult for the Kaarmodo. Sometimes the lightning would fall close to me, but other times it would jag towards the spears and discharge all that energy straight into the ground.

    I continued to run circles around the mage, ripping and tearing at its barrier with my minds and even chomping down on it to test its strength. The entire engagement had only taken a minute up to this point but things were rapidlying to a head.

    This was a smash and grab tactic, we were here for a good time, not a long time.

    C''mon, c''mon, c''mon, c''mon!

    Target me! Fire at me!

    It''s only a matter of time!

    Another five seconds passed before suddenly Crinis'' voice rang in my mind.

    [Master!]

    Nice!

    I turned instantly and sprinted away from the fight, the lightning bolts falling around me as I dashed. Jump left! Roll right! Stop for a second! My concentration was pushed to the limit as I avoided the furious barrage from the skies whilst trying to put distance between myself and the fight.

    After all, I was the distraction in this fight, and it appeared that my n had worked perfectly!

    [Are you ready, Crinis?] I yelled back to my pet.

    [Ready!] she dered, holding her prize high, wrapped in her tentacles.

    Gravity mana flooded into my mandibles from my Gravitational mana nd and caused them to glow with purple energy.

    [Now, Crinis!]

    On my signal, Crinis opened her tentacles to reveal the Setsh mage servant she had sessfully dug out of the ground, still encased in its light shield. We''d suspected, andter confirmed that the shield rooted the mages to the ground somehow, but with sufficient arm, or in this case, tentacle power, we figured they could be dug up, we just hadn''t tried it yet.

    And now that they were airborne, they could be pulled.

    YOINK!

    Focusing on my gravity mandibles, I reached out with the energy,tched onto the shield and pulled.

    COME HERE!

 Chapter 248 Level 40

    <h4>Chapter 248 Level 40 </h4>

    I''m not sure how the ve mage felt as they flew through the sky and into my waiting mandibles, but it can''t have been pleasant. I tried not to dwell on it in the moment. I''ve already had to defeat human opponents in the defence of my family, taking down the Setsh shouldn''t weigh on my conscience any more than that did.

    CRUNCH!

    I brought my mandibles down hard on the shield that protected my bag of experience. The spell was not so weak as to break as of yet, but my mandibles sank into it with a satisfying crackle. With the mage safely trapped within my jaws, there was only one thing to do. Flee!

    Thunder crackled overhead as I pushed my tired legs once more and dashed to freedom, carrying my prize!

    [Get out of there, guys! Tiny, pick up Crinis and run for it!]

    Even if I thought, I was going to draw the majority of the fire, it was necessary for the two of them to get out of there as fast as possible. Tiny might be able to take a few shots of lightning but I don''t want to put his tolerance to the test.

    Nor mine for that matter! Lightning continued to crash down in my wake as I fled the scene of the heist. The Kaarmodo must be furious! Having to watch as I escape with one of its precious servants!

    Gweheheheh.

    Starting to regreting for my colony yet, you stupid Lizard?

    I ran as far and as fast as I could, eventually leaving the range at which the Kaarmodo could threaten me. It seemed as if the Lizard wasn''t willing to risk more of its servants trying to retrieve this one, which left it in an unfortunate situation indeed.

    I won''t go into the details of what came next, it''s a little unfortunate. I was able to crack the shell eventually and ¡­ end the mage.

    [Severing Bite has reached level 19]

    [You have in Level 48 Setsh Bonded Mage Attendant]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have reached level 40]

    [You have reached the maximum level for your tier. Evolution Menu is avable.]

    Atst.... AT LAST!

    I''ve done it!

    Not caring if the Kaarmodo was scrying from above, I threw myself onto the ground and wiggled with sheer joy, my legs kicking ecstatically in the air. Finally ready to evolve to the fourth tier after all this time! My levelling speed had been severely knocked back by having to fight against lower tier monsters this entire time, but I''ve finally done it. And just in time!

    Suddenly recalling that I don''t have the time to sit around wiggling, I righted myself and reached out to my pets.

    [Are you guys close?]

    [Nearly there, Master.]

    [I''lle and meet you, we need to make our way back to the colony as quickly as possible!]

    [S-So you''ve finally reached it?]

    [I have indeed, Crinis! It''s time for this mighty one to reach and even greater height!]

    [That''s fantastic, Master!]

    Crinis is overflowing with happiness and congrattions, but all I can feel from Tiny is a grudging jealousy.

    [Aww, not to worry Tiny. You''ll get your chance to evolve soon,] I teased.

    [Grrrr!] he rumbled back.

    It didn''t take long to meet up with my pets and we began our trek around the horde towards the colony. We made sure back off a good distance though, I''m sure the Kaarmodo is mad as heck about losing another servant and I''m not especially keen about dodging lightning bolts from on high the entire way back.

    After a short while we ran into Isaac and his team who had managed a sessful retreat.

    [Ho there Isaac. Made it out alright I see.]

    [Nothin'' to it,] the former guard grinned. [You look like you got what you wanted out of it.]

    [Sure did,] I happily admitted. [It''s time to get back to the colony and prepare for the final battle. What are you going to do?]

    Isaac stroked the scraggly beard developing on his chin after several long days doing it tough.

    [I think it might be time to regroup. We''ve got, what, less than a day? My group needs a chance to rest and I want to ogle - I mean talk to Morrelia once before the battle.]

    [Right you are then. Pass on my thanks to your group, they''ve been more helpful than I expected.]

    [That seems unnecessarily harsh,] Isaac muttered, but turned to speak to his squad.

    Oddly, upon hearing his words, they faced me and bowed low as one, their faces beaming with happiness and pride.

    Odd.

    Never mind, I''ve got bigger fish to fry. Evolution! And I mustn''t forget that my bite skill is on the verge of reaching the fourth tier also! Finally! I feel like I''ve been slicing limbs off of monsters for weeks now and only now am I close to getting the skill fusion that I''ve been waiting for!

    I said our goodbyes to the squad who, for their own safety I rmended moved separately from us. No need to put themselves at greater risk than they had to. For our part, we crept our way around the horde, only approaching for me to YOINK the asional monster into my waiting mandibles to train my Severing Bite skill. I didn''t mind throwing away my gravitational mana in this way now, since I knew I''d be heading underground to evolve anyway.

    For an evolution like this, tier four and with a rare core, I thought it would be for the best to be safely ensconced in the Dungeon so that my core would be charged once I awoke.

    It took six hours of crawling and chomping on monsters for us to make it the front of the horde where we were forced to hang about for another few hours whilst I pulled more enemies to a gristly end before the voice of Gandalf rang in my ears.

    [Severing Bite has reached level 20, upgrade avable.]

    It''s alling up Anthony! Muahahahahaa!

    Now I can head to the nest without regret and submit myself to the painful experience of absorbing the rest of that rare core. ws crossed, I won''t die!

 Chapter 249 Return and Nest

    <h4>Chapter 249 Return and Nest </h4>

    "Are you returning to the colony, Eldest?" one of the scouts came up to ask.

    "Yep! It''s time for me to evolve."

    "Are you returning to the colony, Eldest?" one of the scouts came up to ask.

    "Yep! It''s time for me to evolve."

    "With your permission Eldest I shall inform the council of this event."

    "Go for it,"

    Once I reached the front I started to run into more and more scouts and soldiers, as well as other castes mixed into the small raiding teams. It appeared as if the colony was scaling down their raiding operations, withdrawing the forward squads to the nest in order to spend the final hours before the battle preparing and resting. Which made a lot of sense really. Ensuring the ground was prepared and the warriors of the colony where fresh would make a huge differencepared to the starved and tired horde monsters who''d been forced to march for a week solid on almost no food.

    Even though the ants started with very poor stats, it shouldn''t be forgotten that every ant was a tier three monster after having gone through the training program, the same tier as me. They didn''t have the benefit of maxed evolutions like I had, but they were certainly a cut above the average monster in the horde. Bizarrely enough this fight would be a battle of quantity against quality, and the colony of ants would be on the quality side of the equation.

    At least that was true for the general horde. Garralosh and her children were a whole different kettle of fish. That''s where the Queen and I came into the equation. Hopefully it would be enough to tip the bnce.

    "Off to evolve are you, Eldest? Keep up the hard work!"

    "When am I not working hard?!"

    "That''s the spirit!"

    Gah! The closer we came to the nest the more ants we bumped into. Running back and forth between the nest and the front, passing messages and keeping eyes on the situation, or just returning to regroup or sleep. Each and every one of them was happy to chip in with ament, which is nice on the one hand but gets exhausting after a few hundred repetitions.

    Even still, it was nice to be wanted.

    My pets and I made sure to motor as quick as we could, but even so it took several hours to make it back to the nest. Colony activity continued to rise, we found workers digging here and there, soldiers patrolling and scouts rushing here and there. It felt good to be back amongst the family again. The heart of the family.

    I couldn''t help but let my mind wander over what had urred in the time I''d been gone. Had the Queen evolved yet? Had the defences beenpleted? How many new ants had been born and trained whilst I''d been away? I was also looking forward to the progress that had been made by the different artisan castes over the previous week. The ants were coborating and pushing themselves so hard that their speed of development was getting out of control.

    When I tried to picture what the colony would be like in a year''s time, I just couldn''t. I knew that the ants would have incredible potential if I was able to increase their intelligence, but how could I have anticipated that it would be this sessful? If we were able to survive theing battle, the sky would be the limit for my colony.

    Or the centre, more to the point.

    When we finally began the final approach to the nest, the first thing I saw was the nest itself. They''d made it even taller! At some point it had gone beyond ''hill-like'' to just a full-on hill! At this rate I''d need to start thinking about how high a hill needed to be before you''d have to ssify it as a mountain! At this range I could barely make out the small forms of the ants bustling about on that enormous dirt pile.

    As we drew closer to the nest I could see the huge amount of work that had gone into the defences being prepared. Traps were everywhere, dug into the soil and marked with pheromones. I had to lead Tiny around a zig zagging path to avoid him falling into what I''m sure would be a spiky and painful hole.

    Beyond the traps wereyers of walls and led toward the nest. Each wall wasn''trge, only two to three metres, but after the enemy crested the first wall, a secondy a hundred metres beyond it, and a third a hundred metres beyond that. A lip of dirt a metre thick at the top of each wall would provide some defence from enemy projectiles and spells whilst the ants unleashed their own barrage upon the horde with the height advantage and in rtive safety.

    There were eight walls in total that formed a wide ring around the main nest and we climbed over them one by one as we made our way forward. Holy mackerel! There''s even traps in between the walls as well! The colony had really gone all out on this one. I wonder how many trees they had to cut down in order to form this many stakes¡­ Hopefully haven''t caused a deforestation issue in the local area.

    I can see that someone has been directing the construction to maximise the colony''s chances against the horde of weaker monsters that wereing our way. There are probably hundreds of tunnels dug through the area as well, concealed. I can detect some of them nearby from their pheromone markers. It''ll be interesting to see what the twenty have nned for those.

    When we made it to the main hill we began the climb and received the friendly greetings of every ant we walked past. I had many opportunities to engage in some friendly antennae pping and exchange pleasantries with the members of the colony.

    "How are you, Eldest?"

    "Looking forward to the battle, Eldest?"

    "Who''s going to defeat more enemies Eldest, you or the Queen?"

    "The Queen obviously" I scoffed at the ant who asked me that.

    She''s tier six! With a rare core evolution! Don''t even try andpare us. That''s just madness.

    It was a relief when I finally reached the top of the hill and took a look around. From this high up, it was easy to see the vige in the distance, many of the trees between the two locations had been cut down, ensuring a clear line of sight between the two locations. My eyesight wasn''t good enough to see what the humans were up to, but I''m sure they were just as busy preparing for the oing disaster.

    My anger at the horde and those behind it hadn''t diminished over time, in fact it had only grownrger. Garralosh and the Kaarmodo would pay for what they brought upon my family. I could only hope that the rage was enough to sustain for what was toe.

    [Let''s go down and find the rest of my rare core. It''s time to do this.]

    "With your permission Eldest I shall inform the council of this event."

    "Go for it,"

    Once I reached the front I started to run into more and more scouts and soldiers, as well as other castes mixed into the small raiding teams. It appeared as if the colony was scaling down their raiding operations, withdrawing the forward squads to the nest in order to spend the final hours before the battle preparing and resting. Which made a lot of sense really. Ensuring the ground was prepared and the warriors of the colony where fresh would make a huge differencepared to the starved and tired horde monsters who''d been forced to march for a week solid on almost no food.

    Even though the ants started with very poor stats, it shouldn''t be forgotten that every ant was a tier three monster after having gone through the training program, the same tier as me. They didn''t have the benefit of maxed evolutions like I had, but they were certainly a cut above the average monster in the horde. Bizarrely enough this fight would be a battle of quantity against quality, and the colony of ants would be on the quality side of the equation.

    At least that was true for the general horde. Garralosh and her children were a whole different kettle of fish. That''s where the Queen and I came into the equation. Hopefully it would be enough to tip the bnce.

    "Off to evolve are you, Eldest? Keep up the hard work!"

    "When am I not working hard?!"

    "That''s the spirit!"

    Gah! The closer we came to the nest the more ants we bumped into. Running back and forth between the nest and the front, passing messages and keeping eyes on the situation, or just returning to regroup or sleep. Each and every one of them was happy to chip in with ament, which is nice on the one hand but gets exhausting after a few hundred repetitions.

    Even still, it was nice to be wanted.

    My pets and I made sure to motor as quick as we could, but even so it took several hours to make it back to the nest. Colony activity continued to rise, we found workers digging here and there, soldiers patrolling and scouts rushing here and there. It felt good to be back amongst the family again. The heart of the family.

    I couldn''t help but let my mind wander over what had urred in the time I''d been gone. Had the Queen evolved yet? Had the defences beenpleted? How many new ants had been born and trained whilst I''d been away? I was also looking forward to the progress that had been made by the different artisan castes over the previous week. The ants were coborating and pushing themselves so hard that their speed of development was getting out of control.

    When I tried to picture what the colony would be like in a year''s time, I just couldn''t. I knew that the ants would have incredible potential if I was able to increase their intelligence, but how could I have anticipated that it would be this sessful? If we were able to survive theing battle, the sky would be the limit for my colony.

    Or the centre, more to the point.

    When we finally began the final approach to the nest, the first thing I saw was the nest itself. They''d made it even taller! At some point it had gone beyond ''hill-like'' to just a full-on hill! At this rate I''d need to start thinking about how high a hill needed to be before you''d have to ssify it as a mountain! At this range I could barely make out the small forms of the ants bustling about on that enormous dirt pile.

    As we drew closer to the nest I could see the huge amount of work that had gone into the defences being prepared. Traps were everywhere, dug into the soil and marked with pheromones. I had to lead Tiny around a zig zagging path to avoid him falling into what I''m sure would be a spiky and painful hole.

    Beyond the traps wereyers of walls and led toward the nest. Each wall wasn''trge, only two to three metres, but after the enemy crested the first wall, a secondy a hundred metres beyond it, and a third a hundred metres beyond that. A lip of dirt a metre thick at the top of each wall would provide some defence from enemy projectiles and spells whilst the ants unleashed their own barrage upon the horde with the height advantage and in rtive safety.

    There were eight walls in total that formed a wide ring around the main nest and we climbed over them one by one as we made our way forward. Holy mackerel! There''s even traps in between the walls as well! The colony had really gone all out on this one. I wonder how many trees they had to cut down in order to form this many stakes¡­ Hopefully haven''t caused a deforestation issue in the local area.

    I can see that someone has been directing the construction to maximise the colony''s chances against the horde of weaker monsters that wereing our way. There are probably hundreds of tunnels dug through the area as well, concealed. I can detect some of them nearby from their pheromone markers. It''ll be interesting to see what the twenty have nned for those.

    When we made it to the main hill we began the climb and received the friendly greetings of every ant we walked past. I had many opportunities to engage in some friendly antennae pping and exchange pleasantries with the members of the colony.

    "How are you, Eldest?"

    "Looking forward to the battle, Eldest?"

    "Who''s going to defeat more enemies Eldest, you or the Queen?"

    "The Queen obviously" I scoffed at the ant who asked me that.

    She''s tier six! With a rare core evolution! Don''t even try andpare us. That''s just madness.

    It was a relief when I finally reached the top of the hill and took a look around. From this high up, it was easy to see the vige in the distance, many of the trees between the two locations had been cut down, ensuring a clear line of sight between the two locations. My eyesight wasn''t good enough to see what the humans were up to, but I''m sure they were just as busy preparing for the oing disaster.

    My anger at the horde and those behind it hadn''t diminished over time, in fact it had only grownrger. Garralosh and the Kaarmodo would pay for what they brought upon my family. I could only hope that the rage was enough to sustain for what was toe.

    [Let''s go down and find the rest of my rare core. It''s time to do this.]

 Chapter 250 Wrestling with the core

    <h4>Chapter 250 Wrestling with the core </h4>

    Down into the nest we plunged. Is it just me, or is the opening a lot wider than it used to be? Even Tiny fits into the main shaft quitefortably now. I wonder what that''s all about. As usual, my antennae are assaulted by a plethora of pheromones. Trails that paint the way to each of the different sections of the nest are mixed with an overwhelming number of more short term messages from ants coordinating the many tasks that they''ve been given.

    "We need more wood! Follow this trail for the worker teams heading to the forest!"

    "Food! Get on it! You think the colony feeds itself?! Hunting parties are leaving from the Dungeon staging area now!"

    "Got nothing to do? What the hell is wrong with you?! There''s always earthworks going on, report to the Carver headquarters to join a work team!"

    "Hey! Stay positive and work hard! :D"

    ¡­ Not sure what the point of thatst one was¡­ just trying to keep spirits up around the ce I guess. I hardly think it''s necessary, the ants I can see look as if they could hardly work any harder. In fact, the only ant I can see standing still for any amount of time is ¡­ me. Dangit, better get moving before I start to look conspicuous andzy.

    We clung to the wall and made our way straight down, innumerable ants rushing in and out of smaller side tunnels constantly. I feel as if the poption has definitely lifted whilst I''ve been gone. If we managed to hatch and graduate two hundred a day then the colony would have gained 1400 new members in the time I''ve been gone. Some of that would have been offset by losses at the front, but even considering that, there would have been roughly one thousand more ants in the colony than there had been before.

    If only we''d had another week! Then I''d be far less concerned.

    When I reached the Queen''s chamber I was quite confused to find that, apart from a few guards, it was empty! No Queen, no retinue of attendant soldiers and tenders, nothing! Where has she gone? Curious, I led Tiny and walked down the walls and followed the main shaft beneath the Queen''s chamber into my own room.

    Even this space has been widened, at least double the space it was before, but other than a couple of soldiers who sit around the outside of the room, keeping watch for spawning monsters so that they might leap on them the moment they emerge, the chamber is empty.

    [Home sweet home] I told my pets.

    [It''s nice to be back] Crinis assured me.

    [Hrrr] Tiny let his actions do the talking as he threw himself down onto the ground to rest.

    That was fair enough. Our run back to the nest had been exhausting. Matter of fact, our entirest week had been exhausting. The entire colony must be tottering on its feet unless the mandatory rest has kicked in. The amount of work that had been done was staggering. I know it''s almost impossible for the ants to admit they are tired, but I hope that the council will start forcing the family to rest before the final battle. Even just a couple of hours of torpor could make all the difference. Especially now when the horde was only four hours away!

    OK. No more stalling. Time to get that rare core out.

    I''ve been dreading this experience for months. I''ve already pushed my core beyond the System Imposed limit and even though gaining some levels and Biomassbined with a bit of time has helped ease the pain, it hasn''t ever gone away. Even now my core aches with a dull throb, an inexplicable tightness that I can feel twinge every time I breathe.

    Now where is that stupid thing? I know I left it here somewhere¡­

    Ah!

    Flipping on my mana sense, my mind is momentarily blinded by the ever present glow of the mana flooding out of the Dungeon walls. After a second or two I was able to blink the background re out of my mind and focus on detecting the glowing core I had buried in the wall.

    There it is!

    I scuttled over to the wall and extracted the gem with my mandibles before I retreated back into the centre of the chamber, the bright, spherical gem held in my mandibles.

    [I might need your help with this Crinis. I''m a bit worried about how it''s going to go,] I admitted.

    [Anything, master. I''ll be ready for your orders,] the sphere of cosmic horror and tentacle death assured me.

    [Thanks, Crinis.]

    This tender moment of bonding between a monster and his devoted pet was only disrupted by the thunderous nasal snoring of Tiny a few metres away.

    Alright then, here goes¡­

    [Compatible rare core detected!]

    [Would you like to absorb, or reconstitute this core? Warning! Your core has pushed beyond the allowed limit for your evolution. Further absorption may prove fatal. Do you wish to proceed?]

    You know¡­ Not really? But if I don''t push myself beyond the limit, how can I possibly hope to match up to powerful creatures like Garralosh and the Kaarmodo?

    Fear blossomed within me, along with the constant anxiety that had been bubbling away inside me, the nervous worry that I''d shoved into the back of my mind gushed to the fore.

    I don''t want to die¡­ again. I''m enjoying my life on Pangera! I finally have a family. I finally feel epted. I don''t want to lose it all now that things are getting better and better every day.

    At the same time, that fear of losing my family is what is driving me forward. If I don''t go this hard and risk it all, I might not be able to defend the colony that hase to mean so much to me. How would it feel, to lose the colony knowing that I didn''t do all that I could to protect it?

    [Bring it! Absorb that core!]

    PAIN.

    Holy smokes! Ahhh! That.. That stings! Right in the core!

    The moment I give the mentalmand to my good friend Gandalf the system, the energy began to leak out of the core and swirl through the air as a bright energy vapour toward me and then into my own core, which immediately began to expand.

    Which was a problem.

    Unable to contain the pain, I slumped to one side and copsed into the dirt floor of the chamber, my legs twitching uncontrobly as my focus is turned inward toward the agonizing changes that are taking ce within my body.

    HAAARGHHH!

    Come on Anthony! You can do this! Hold on man!

    The pressure continues to build as the energy flows into me, the outward pressure of the expanding core is pushing outward against my inner organs, which in turn is pressed into my carapace, causing me to feel like a balloon on the verge of popping.

    I can hear a vague noise echoing in my ears and with a start I realise it''s my own mandibles grinding against each other. Even my face hands are starting to hurt! This is absurd! The pressure builds and builds until I can feel my core on the verge of cracking.

    The outwards force is just too much! I need something pressing down on the other way, otherwise, I''m gonna burst!

    [Crinis! Wrap me up and squish me!] I screamed desperately.

    [What?!]

    [Just do it!]

 Chapter 251 Crushed

    <h4>Chapter 251 Crushed </h4>

    Unable to refuse my order, Crinis was forced to extend multiple tentacles which she unwillingly began to wrap around my carapace and squeeze, thecklustre force evidence to her confusion and reluctance.

    [Crinis!] I cried out in agony, [If you don''tpress me I''m gonna pop! Please!]

    The outward pressure continued to build as the energy in my core swirled dangerously, drawing more and more from the rare core into itself and growingrger with each moment that passed.

    Crack!

    Deep within my body a horrific sound reverberated outward and waves of pain washed through my entire body, sending me writhing and twisting on the floor.

    [Crinis!]

    [I''ll do it!]

    Suddenly afraid, Crinis reached out with more tentacles and wrapped them around my body covering almost every inch of my carapace and began to squeeze.

    I became still, not because it hurt any less, in fact, it began to hurt more, but with Crinis wrapping me up so tight there wasn''t anywhere I could go! In fact, in her rush to obey my desperate plea, she inadvertently caught one of my legs up in her tentacles and the limb was immediately crushed.

    She''s strong!

    But, holy moly, this hurts! The outward pressure of the growing core has now been met with the inward pressure of Crinis. I have no sound medical basis for this procedure, but I''m rolling with my gut instinct here! If all goes well, maybe I''ll survive¡­

    Please finish soon, please finish soon. COME ON!

    In the centre of my thorax, my innards are being shredded, pressed down onto the core, they are being used in an attempt to hold the stressed gem together whilst also having to endure the core pressing back against them. Ravaging pain, the likes of which I''ve only experienced once before, wracked my form.

    Back then, the only thing I had to live for was my colony.

    Strangely enough, that''s still true today!

    I REFUSE TO DIE!

    [Give it everything Crinis! Don''t worry about hurting me!]

    [Ahhhh- OK!]

    Pressure.

    More and more, Crinis'' limbs crushed and grinded down on my carapace with such force that even my diamond shell began to crack and splinter beneath her ministrations. The inward force and the outward pressure continued to grind my insides to paste and it was all I could do not to pass out.

    Activate the regeneration nd!

    I have a horrible feeling that this is gonna hurt. But if I can keep my organs functioning for a bit longer, maybe I''ll be able to survive.

    AAAAARGGGHHH!

    I''d writhe in pain, but I can''t! How much longer to go?!

    I stared at the core lying on the ground in front of me, a steady stream of energy vapour poured off it and into me. I think I''m about halfway through absorbing what''s left of it. Half way through and I''m barely hanging on!

    Come on Anthony! Would the Queen whinge and moan like this? No! Hold yourself together! Show the other ants how it''s done!

    I continued to endure through the agony which seemed to defy the odds and grow worse each second. Just stop it, pain! Nobody asked you to get any worse! EERGHHH. I''m losing my sense of things, as well as my senses. At least I think I am, is everything fading?

    I startled Crinis by starting to bang what little was exposed of my head into the floor of the chamber.

    Wake up Anthony! No time for sleeping! There''s a lot of stuff still to do and it won''t get done if you pass out and die here! Grit those face hands and endure you son of a Queen!

    Inch by agonizing inch the core was absorbed into me, it''s energy overflowing into my own core and fuelling it''s growth. I better get one hell of an evolution out of this! Despite my best efforts, my mind is starting to fade. The pain is too much. Is this what it would feel like if Tiny tried to do math? Reality is slipping from my grasp.

    It would be so easy. So easy, just to let all go. But I won''t. I''m a stubborn creature at heart.

    Did I let it go when I was abandoned by my family? Nope. Or when I was kicked out of school and shunned by everyone I''d known? Negative! I''m not likely to give up now that there are people (ants) who actually need me!

    Despite the intense pain, a sense of purpose and determination welled up inside me and I grabbed hold of it with all six legs plus my mandibles. I can take it!

    And I did. I held on until the final wisp of energy leaked out of the rare core and it disappeared inside me, the ordeal finallyplete.

    Except it isn''t!

    It still hurts like all get out! If I don''t evolve immediately, I might not be able to hold onto consciousness, pass out and die!

    I feel like my guts have been blended, mashed, pureed, minced and then blended again for the hell of it! How much health have I got left?! 6 HP!?!?! Is it still going down?! I nervously watched my health for a moment to see if the recovery nd was healing me, but after twenty seconds my health hadn''t moved at all¡­

    In fact, it felt as if a terrible pressure was squeezing me from all sides, forcing the air from my lungs!

    Oh.

    [Crinis, you can let me go now!]

    [Oh! O-Of course!]

    Not being crushed to death my own pet helps the pain a little, but not much. It''s time, I need to engage the evolution menu!

 Chapter 252 Evolution Begins!

    <h4>Chapter 252 Evolution Begins! </h4>

    I can''t handle this suffering anymore! Gimme the menu!

    Forget about doing anything else, I''m worried about dealing with the evolution system properly in this state! Isn''t there a pain resistance skill or something!?

    Apparently, not.

    [Would you like to use the evolution menu?]

    ABSOLUTELY! PLEASE!

    [Congrattions on reaching the maximum level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.]

    [ You have maximised your mutations! As a reward, an additional ten percent evolutionary energy will be granted.]

    WHAT!? Bonus energy!?

    [Warning: evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.]

    [Your evolution options are as follows (Each evolution is of the species Formica Sapiens):

    ? Veteran Mature Worker

    ? Senior Mage Ant

    ? Mana Soldier (special)

    ? Ascended Mind Ant (special)

    ? Nascent Hive Mind (rare)

    ? Collective Mage Ant (rare)

    ? Colony Paragon (rare)]

    Ohhhhhhh boy! Putting aside the bonus energy thing, these options look¡­ ARGH¡­ tasty.

    I just wish I was in slightly less agony so that I could properly enjoy this moment¡­.

    If it weren''t for my¡­ ARRRGHH ¡­ current circumstances¡­ I would have loved to have gone through all of the options, some of them sound so juicy¡­ OUCH! But I can''t, obviously. I''ll have to jump straight to the good stuff.

    Tell me about the Nascent Hive Mind!

    [Rare Evolution: Nascent Hive Mind. +100 bonus to Cunning, +100 bonus to Willpower, -30 penalty to Might - 20 penalty to Toughness. This evolution will weaken the host physically, transforming them into an almost immobile entity. A rare Mental Dominator Cortex (Formica Sapiens) will be granted with this evolution that will allow the host to usurp and control the body of other members of its species, acting as the ''brain'' for all.]

    What the heck is with these bonuses?!

    100 to Cunning and Willpower?! What''s up with that? And the negatives?! I didn''t know something like that was even¡­ Ugh¡­ possible.

    So what is this then? I''d turn into some sort of giant brain that can control each member of the colony? I guess such a thing would be ¡­ HUCK!.... Powerful. Imagine millions of swarming insects, all controlled by a single mind. That level of coordination would be unstoppable.

    But I didn''t make the colony smart just so I could take away their free will and do all the thinking for them! Rejected!

    Ugh! This hurts¡­. What''s next?

    [Rare Evolution: Collective Mage Ant +40 bonus to Cunning, +40 bonus to Willpower. This evolution grants significant mental prowess and includes a free rare Social Processing Cortex (Formica Sapiens), which allow the host to temporarily draw on the mental stats of the specified species within a radius. This organ effectively allows the user to utilise the minds of nearby members of the specified species to assist the host with mental cognitive activity.]

    Holy Gandalf!

    Forty to Cunning AND Willpower? Without transforming me into a stomping brain?! It''s almost enough to shock me out of the pain! Almost¡­ And what''s this? The Social Processing Cortex? From the description it seems as if it would allow me to utilise the minds of nearby colony members as sort of coprocessors, borrowing their minds to help me cast spells.

    The kind of spell flinging I could do with that¡­ I could probably even use my sub-minds to manage the job of coordinating the extra minds. The power I''d be able to wield would be boggling! Not to mention, more ants would mean more processing power!

    This is some serious mind power, possibly enough to match the Kaarmodo in raw spell flinging ability.

    HACK! Dammit! I wish my guts didn''t feel like they''re about to burst, thinking would be much easier.

    Despite the raw power, I''m not sure if this is the evolution I want. Borrowing my strength from the colony isn''t really what I wanted, and I''d also hoped to evolve into something a little more rounded this time, rather than continue down my mage ant path to the end. If I''m going to survive in battle against Garralosh and the horde then I''m going to need to be able to take a few hits. Not to mention have the raw physical might to use my new bite skill to its fullest potential. I''ll need to take care of that fusion after evolving.

    Let''s shelve this evolution as a ''maybe'' and check the next one.

    [Rare Evolution: Juvenile Colony Paragon. +15 bonus to Cunning, +15 bonus to Willpower, +40 bonus to Might, +40 bonus to Toughness. This evolution will transform the host into the paragon of their species, the ideal form. This evolution includes the rare Collective Will Vestibule (Formica Sapiens). This organ collects mental energy generated by the faith and goodwill of the specified species and transforms it into regeneration.]

    ARGH! Is it the pain, or this blinding stat boost that caused me to cry out? I can''t even say myself! Rounded bonus to all stats is nice, it''ll allow me to spend my evolutionary energy on other things, not to mention the overall gain is massive!

    Since Will and Cunning take more energy to generate than Might and Toughness, the overall stat boost lines up, but this is more in line with my wishes of rounding out my stats. And the unique nd seems powerful. I''m not sure what faith and goodwill energy is, or how it would help with regeneration? But at least I wouldn''t be taking over my family members'' minds or borrowing their brains for my own purposes¡­ This nd seems more in line with what I feelfortable doing.

    GAWD this hurts. Distract, distract!

    This evolution also mentions it''s a juvenile, which means the mature version must be even more impressive.

    Alright, I think I''m settled on this one!

    Choose Juvenile Colony Paragon!

 Chapter 253 Rounding out the evolution

    <h4>Chapter 253 Rounding out the evolution </h4>

    After selecting the species I would evolve into, the expanded manual evolution menu appeared. I was thankful just to have the distraction, my core was full to bursting with energy and I couldn''t wait to drain the stupid thing dry, improve my body and cease this horrific suffering!

    Alright, now that the menu is in front of me, what did I have to do again? I feel like I had to eat something¡­ Oh right! My stomach!

    Eagerly, I fiddle about with the menu and begin to check my options for changing my stomach from a non-mutable organ and into a mutable one. Since it turns out that not every organ within a monsters body is able to be upgraded at the time they are born, getting the new members of the colony to enable their stomachs for mutation during their first evolution was critical. Once they could upgrade it, selecting the option to make food consumption more efficient by negating the evolution penalty.

    Now I would get the opportunity to do the same thing!

    Gweheheheh!

    After I messed about navigating the menu, ignoring the twinges of ming agony that red inside my body, I was able to find the option to enable my stomach for mutations. Thankfully it was quite cheap, roughly half the cost of a basic organ to do so.

    I wasn''t done here either, I also wanted to take a leaf out of Tiny''s book and enable my muscles to be mutable as well. He''d been able to upgrade his muscture to be incredibly powerful, and if I wanted my bite to pierce the heavens one day, I''d need to do the same thing.

    Two for the price of one!

    How much energy do I have left?

    Holy smoking mackerels! I have freakin'' tons! Is this the benefit of pushing my core beyond its limits? And then pushing the extra 10% bonus for apleted mutation set on top? I''ll be able to go much further than I already have with my stats! Not to mention nds! What should I buy? More organs? An aura?! Ah, the snowball effect of my repeated special evolutions has finallye into y! I feel like a kid in a store! Except that I have money to spend!

    It''s intoxicating! I feel like I might pass out!

    No wait, I really might pass out. Hold on, me! Nearly there!

    The first thing I do is go for the Cunning. I''ll y with my stats until I''m happy and then I''ll worry about organs and other such things afterwards. Alright then. With the +15 I got from my evolution, I decide to spend most of it shaping a third sub-brain which I ce between the other two and connect to the coordination cortex. I have the cortex after all, it''d be a massive waste to not take advantage of it, which means more sub-brains!

    My new third brain I makerger and more potent than the other two, I want it to act as a kind of ''boss'' brain that will lead the way inbined spell casting, acting as the guide and brunt force. While I''m at it, I beef up the other two sub-brains slightly, giving them a little extra punch. Having done that, I have a shade of my free +15 Cunning and Will left over, so I spend it upgrading my main mind, and I give a little extra boost from my spare energy as well.

    When that job is done, I sit back and admire my new brain power. Fearsome! With this evolution I''ve taken my mental game to a whole new level! Now onto the physical stats. I want to spend my Might on roughly sixty percent size and forty percent density. It''ll make a bitrger a bit faster, but I really need the quick stats. In my next evolution I may be able to correct the imbnce and give more energy back to density, but for now I need to emphasise raw stats.

    A straight up forty might does a long way in making me arger boi. I try to ensure that the density of muscle is concentrated in my head, since those are the muscles responsible for powering my bite. I''ll need all the juice I can get in that department if I''m going to match it with a giant crocodile. I supplement the free stats with some extra from my evolutionary energy pool, making my overall might gain fifty points. If I''m going to address my terrible physical stats in this evolution then I need tomit.

    Toughness is mainly spent thickening and powering up my carapace but I spare some thought to buffing up the walls of my internal organs. It''s unlikely to help much but some types of energy, such as electricity, are able to go straight through my outer defences, so toughening up the insides should help reduce that damage, at least a little. As with my Might, I spend some energy to bring my overall toughness gain up to fifty, rounding out the bonus stats nicely.

    Since I''m already in the menu I decide to poke around at my new Collective Will nd. Each of the three rare evolutions gave massive stat gain as well, as powerful as what was described as a ''rare'' organ. In the case of this evolution, it was the Collective Will Vestibule. Rather than an organ it almost appeared to be formed from crystalised flesh. Which is creepy enough, but more staggering than that was the sheer cost of the thing.

    This was one expensive organ! It cost more than most of the high end aura nds! Significantly more! And I get it for free?! Viva rare core! Viva rare evolution!

    I''m not even perfectly aware of what this thing does, but I''m positive it''s going to be amazing! How could it not?

    OK. Cool it off. We have a fair whack of energy still to spend. More stats? Hmm. Not sure. Wings? Again¡­ not sure. Will I really need the wings underground? Flying sounds nice and all, but I like getting my face hands and ws into the dirt. Perhaps I''ll revisit the wings idea another time.

    I could put a stinger onto my back zone? Lots of different ants have stingers, and I can definitely see how they''d be useful, injecting painful venom into my enemies. But no. I''m firmly in camp acid. The products released from my business district have widespread renown and fame after my aggressive marketing. I wouldn''t want to turn around and start to advertise a whole new line of wares. Perhaps there''s something I can use to give my acid a boost?

    I flick through the exhaustive menu, my mind happy for something to focus on other than my screaming innards until I find a few items I like the look of.

    [Acid Nozzle. An attachment organ that allows for more flexible and precise aiming from acid nds.]

    This nd is quite cheap and essentially acts as a small, flexible ''barrel'' on the end of my acid nd that can help me aim without having to change my body position as much. For example, I''ll be able to lift my abdomen up high and the use the nozzle to fire directly forward without having to turn around. Nice!

    Whilst I''m at it.

    [Acid concentration nd. Attached to acid producing organ, this nd will secrete a concentration that will cause the acid produced to condense and purify, improving it''s qualities.]

    Nice one! Essentially improving the power of the mutations that I already have, meaning my acid will do more damage, be more sticky and eat through mana faster. Not bad for one cheap nd! Heck, I''m on a roll, why not keep it going!

    [Acid stimtion nd. Improves the speed of acid production in the attached nd.]

    Since my acid is going to much more flexible and potent, I may as well ensure that I have more of it! Phew. It''s a good thing my back zone is so muchrger than it was before, I never would have fit this gear in here otherwise.

    What else can I do? I''ve bought three little cheap nds, I think it''s time to spend the rest of the energy on something big! Something expensive and powerful that''ll help tie my mental and physical attributes together.

    Maybe I can do something with my nervous system?

    After all, that''s the part of the body that connects the mind to the muscle!

    I poked through the menu for a few minutes and managed to find a heap of options regarding nerves and the nervous system in general, and much as I suspected, they were quite pricey to buy. Some of the tastiest options I couldn''t afford, even before I''d bought any nds, but there still quite a few that caught my eye.

    After some consideration, I spend the remainder of my energy making my nervous system mutable and then buying this one to go with it:

    [Sub-neuralwork. An extension to the main nervous system that reduces response times by allowing automatic reaction processing in the extremities.]

    Gweheheh. With my nervous system ready to be upgraded, and with this item alongside, my reaction speeds will be extraordinarily fast! When I consider what I might be capable of with my future sense antennae ¡­. Hopefully ites together.

 Chapter 254 Sinking

    <h4>Chapter 254 Sinking </h4>

    I can''t wait to see my status when this evolution is done. It''s going to be craaaaazy. I''m already getting a headache just thinking about having to upgrade all of these new nds. So many!

    But it''ll be worth it, I may have gone on a bit of a shopping spree, but the utility I''ve gained is immense, not to mention by all around beefier stats. My size is possibly going to double, perhaps even more than that after this. I''m gonna start pushing Tiny around once I''m done. Gweheheheh.

    Alright then. Time to confirm everything and drain this dangerously overloaded core. Just being free of this pain is enough for me to eagerly finish up with the menu and wee the deep embrace of torpor. As it has in the past, thessitude begins to fall over me immediately, my vision fading to ck and sensation falling blessedly away. Ah, no more pain, no more sensation of a physical body at all!

    Wait a second. I remember this sensation.

    My mind continued to sink, falling deeper in on itself as if I were circling a cosmic drain to the centre of the world.

    Here we go again. Off to chat with Gandalf.

    Being my second ride on the ¡­ whatever this was ¡­ I let myself go and tried to enjoy it without the sense of vertigo kicking in. I have to say, it isn''t easy to enjoy a disembodied experience since there isn''t really any actual sensation but rather a vague dizzying sense of movement. Without any ability to perceive my environment and without any real sense of distance, I found myself feeling vaguely bored as I waited for the ride to be over.

    [Well I do apologise if you find the trip dull. There isn''t really any other way to bring you to me.]

    Ah, the gruff voice of the Grey One himself. It''s seriously uncanny how much they sound alike. Is this some form of cosmic ident?

    Yes, well. It is what it is I suppose. How''ve you been, Gandalf?

    A deep chuckle resounded around my free floating mind.

    [This name you have for me is amusing. You continue to insist on using it?]

    It''s not as if I know your real name now, is it?

    [And if I told you my real name would you change your way of speaking?]

    No.

    [¡­]

    ¡­

    [You''ve certainly kept up your fast pace,] the voice changed the subject, [I didn''t expect to see you here so soon after thest time. I suppose your circumstances can be somewhat to me.]

    You can tell what''s going on up there? I''m a bit shocked.

    [It shouldn''t be that surprising, surely. Everything touched by the system is within my grasp. It''s only natural I could track the progress of so many monsters as they rushed toward you.]

    Yeah well, any chance We could get some help out of you? It doesn''t seem entirely fair. How are they controlling all those monsters anyway? Isn''t that infringing on your role?

    [Not really. Certain monsters have that authority. It''s all part of the design.]

    Right¡­.

    [You should have died, you know,] Gandalf said suddenly, [You weren''t made to push your core that hard at your current level of evolution. Your core should have cracked and you should have been killed. That''s how the system was designed, after all.]

    Well¡­ what can I say? Sorry to disappoint you?

    [Oh, I''m not disappointed. Quite the opposite. You''re a promising specimen, after all. It would have been a shame to lose you so soon.]

    I guess I''m annoyingly good at surviving when I shouldn''t. You said the system was designed, was it you who designed it?

    [Oh, think you''re going to ask the questions do you?]

    I tried to roll my eyes but then realised I don''t have a body, or eyes that can be rolled.

    You brought me down here just to talk at me? A little dialogue isn''t such a bad thing is it?

    [You know, it''s been a long time since I was able to talk to someone like you. As I mentioned before, those that I''ve brought into the Dungeon tend to be on the broken side, and being let loose in that environment tends to warp them even further.]

    There was a pause before the voice continued mildly.

    [¡­ Like that Garralosh for example.]

    Well that stopped me cold.

    Garralosh was an outsider like me?

    [Of course. She''s from your world even. I can''t say if the timeline was close to yours. Temporal vectors tend to get very fuzzy with this sort of summoning. But yes, she was like you. Unleashed on the Dungeon, alone and had to rely on her wits and savagery to survive. She''s been here for hundreds of years now. She did very well at first,] Gandalf mused, [perhaps too well. She threw away every piece of herself that inhibited her survival until there was almost nothing left.]

    Yeah, who would have thought that someone would make desperate choices when thrown into a murder pit and forced to fight for their life.

    [Are you being sarcastic?]

    Not at all.

    [I had high hopes for her you know,] the voice mused, [she was much like you, rose up quickly. But in terms of long term impact you''ve already surpassed her in a lot of ways.]

    Like how? By creating a new species?

    [By creating such a sessful species. She made her own species also. Inadequate, inefficient things.]

    Gandalf sounded very dismissive of the Croca-Beasts, almost as if they were insulting in some way.

    I''m not a big fan of the Crocs, for obvious reasons, but they seem pretty killy to me?

    [Bah. Without the support of their parent the species would have been wiped out by normal Dungeon spawns within ten years. They provide no value.]

    How are monsters supposed to provide ''value'' anyway? As long as they''re killing things, they''re serving their purpose aren''t they?

    [In some ways, yes. But in others, no.]

    Alright then, stay cryptic.

    [I''m curious, does knowing that your enemy shares so much inmon with your change anything for you? Are you still willing to fight against a fellow human?]

    Who''s a human? She''s a giant crocodile and I''m a massive ant. Of course it doesn''t change anything.

    [Oh? I expected a little more sentiment from you.]

    I''m a big believer in the loving the skin/carapace you''re in. Had a human life and it was fine ¡­

    [You starved yourself to death remember ¡­]

    I feel like you''re never going to get over that. It was fine, but that''s over now. New life, new family and I''m not about to let someone destroy it just because they happened to be a human before they were brought here.

    [I find yourmitment towards your second life to be admirable. Not many in your position have been able to say the same. I hope you wake up in time to defend your home.]

    Wait.. What do you mean? I should have heaps of time, right?

    [Well, this evolution is a bit special. You did have a lot of energy in your core to expend. It''s going to take a bit longer than usual.]

    I was suddenly frantic at this news. I had to wake up in time. What would be the point of my struggles otherwise? I could feel my mind fading into nothing as my consciousness was returned to my body.

    Dammit Gandalf....

 Chapter 255 368 - The soldiers life

    <h4>Chapter 255 Chapter 368 - The soldiers life </h4>

    It was a busy time for the soldiers. Grant had been run off her six legs over thest week. In some ways it was a relief to have the enemy finally arrive on the doorstep! Now she''d have the chance to rip into them directly with her mandibles and not have to stress about extraneous matters!

    "Make sure you watch over the eldest carefully" shemanded the guards who remained in the chamber where the Eldest was undergoing their evolution.

    The soldiers would hardly have done any different, but they saluted the council member with an antennae anyway before continuing their careful observation of the chamber walls. The Eldesty close to the centre of the chamber undergoing the process of evolution. The two guardians sat nearby, watching over their master and Grant was careful to give them their space. The two creatures were quite revered in the colony and their unending loyalty to the Eldest was firmly to their credit.

    Grant stepped out of the chamber and made her way further down into the newest section of the nest. The Carvers had been excited to have an excuse to have to expand the nest in a new way and the Queen''s evolution had been the perfect opportunity. She''d needed more space and to be deeper in the Dungeon which had required an extensive expansion to the lower reaches of the nest.

    "Nice work soldiers. Keep up the hard work," Grant nodded to the many soldiers she passed.

    She came across a general patrolling with five soldiers trailing behind her moving in the opposite direction.

    "How goes things general?"

    "The extra patrols are putting a strain on resources, Senior," the smaller soldier variant replied, "the Dungeon wall spawns have been faster than usual over thest day. It feels as though something has changed."

    Grant swiped her antennae in a concerned gesture.

    "Have any other patrol groups reported this issue?" She asked.

    "All of them," confirmed the patrol leader.

    Grant pondered for a moment. There were a few implications of increased Dungeon spawn rate, and she didn''t like any of them.

    "I''ll speak to the council," she assured the patrol, "if we can spare any more soldiers they''ll be sent down as soon as we can manage."

    "I appreciate it, Senior," the general snapped out a quick salute before she moved on with the rest of her patrol.

    Grant shook her head. This wasn''t what the colony needed. At a time when not just every soldier, but every member of the colony, was required top side to deal with uing battle,mitting yet more soldiers to the Dungeon sections of the colony was far from ideal.

    But it would have to be done. The Queen was down here along with the Eldest. Any risk at all to either of them was uneptable. She supposed they could remove all members of the colony to the above ground section of the nest for the duration of the battle and leave the freshly spawned monsters to battle each other here in the lower tunnels. Abandoning any amount of territory to those filthy creatures angered Grant deep down, though she couldn''t say exactly why.

    As she mulled over her emotions she made her way down into the Dungeon until she came to the chamber the council had made for their use, directly above the Queen''s chamber.

    "The Eldest had begun to evolve," she announced as she entered.

    There was a relieved rustle as the few members of the council present shifted their bodies and their antennae twitched. The twenty members of the council were extremely busy. There wasn''t so much of a formal meeting as a rolling series of consultations with whoever was present at the time. For the time being, Mendant, Victoriant, Florence and Cont were in the chamber, the others were out on business. For many in the council, this chamber had be something of a break room, shameful as it was to admit it.

    "How was it?" Mendant asked, concerned, "absorbing the core?"

    Grant paused as she considered how to describe the scene she had observed from the tunnel above the Eldest''s chamber. Like a fool, she''d feared for the Eldest''s life as his own guardian hand engulfed him in tentacles that writhed and squeezed with tremendous strength. Even covered, she could sense the agony that rolled through the air in waves.

    "Difficult. But the Eldest, seeded, as always."

    "Of course," Cont pitched in, "We can only marvel at how powerful a mage the Eldest will be once the evolution isplete."

    Grant stabbed her antennae forward in irritation.

    "I believe the Eldest will seek physical strength in order to lead the soldiers from the front," she said with certainty.

    She could see it in her mind, the colossal strength of the Eldest, scattering the foe and harvesting their lives as wheat before the scythe, the soldier caste charging through the wake.

    "D-Do you think the Eldest will invest in a healing magic nd?" Mendant asked hopefully.

    "No," the others replied, which caused the healer to drop her head in sadness.

    "The patrols need to be increased in the lower tunnels." Grant said.

    Victoriant focused on the Soldier, surprise clear in her voice.

    "Again? I hope this trend doesn''t continue," she worried.

    "We''ll have to wait and see," Cont replied, "there''s no use engaging in idle spection."

    Grant nodded in agreement. Guessing would get them nowhere in a hurry.

    "Has most of the colony been pulled in for the mandatory rest period?" Cont asked.

    "I think so," Grant confirmed, "I haven''t spoken to Burke or Wills for a few hours, but I think they''ve managed to bring in everyone. The upper nest has been turned over to the Brood Tenders to monitor, since they are nonbatants, whilst the soldiers are patrolling down here."

    "Did Vibrante in?"

    "I heard she had to be dragged in by a team of scouts," Grant chuckled.

    "I was there," Cont confirmed, "it took twenty of them to hold her down whilst her team was blocked by thirty soldiers. She wanted to get onest food run in before the battle started."

    Grant sighed. Vibrant''s work ethic was second to none and she had the respect of every ant in the colony for it, but it was by far the better choice for the colony that she and her team were rested and fresh for the battle than a little more food was stored away.

    "She ended uping peacefully in the end," Cont continued. "Once we pointed out the Eldest was returning to the nest to evolve, she was happy enough toe back."

    Once again the Eldest did work for the colony without even being present. Truly something special.

    "I''m heading down to consult with the Queen" Grant announced, "I think Sloan is down there as well. I want to make sure my soldiers are in position."

    The others nodded.

    "Keep working hard," Cont said.

    "Of course," Grant replied.

 Chapter 256 War Queen

    <h4>Chapter 256 War Queen </h4>

    Grant exited the small council chamber and returned to the widened main shaft. Gripping onto the walls that glowed with intense, blue light, she made her descent toward the lowest chamber in the nest where the Queen now rested.

    As the shaft opened up, Grant took in the contents of the room at once. It was crawling with ants. Over a hundred had beenmitted to the defence of this room. The spawns were happening rapidly now, shadow beasts and nt monsters erupted from their cocoons in the walls at regr intervals and no harm would be allowed toe to the main upant of this chamber.

    She loomedrge in Grant''s eyes now. She sat in the centre of the chamber as her protectors revolved around her, as if she emitted a powerful force that kept them close but unwilling to approach. Grant saw a shadow beast erupt out of the floor, right under the giant form. Before she could even shout out, the Queen had shifted her weight and stabbed down with one leg, impaling the shadow beast clean through. The Queen brought the leg to her mouth and swallowed the Biomass in one go.

    "Have youe to greet me, child?" a warm voice rang out.

    Grant started and came back to herself.

    "Ah, yes Mother. I''ve been checking on the soldiers and I wanted to speak to Sloan, if she was here."

    "She is." The Queen flicked an antennae toward one corner where Grant could see a small cluster of scouts, generals and soldiers had gathered.

    Grantpleted her climb down the wall and steadied herself on the floor, looking up at the new form of her only parent. The Queen had already been thergest ant in the colony by a wide margin, but her evolution had pushed the boundary even further. Grant was one of thergest ants also, being a Mature Soldier who had the benefit of maxed core evolutions. The Queen towered over Grant. Her mandibles were almost equal in size to Grant''s own head.

    The power contained in the rare core was no joke.

    "Tell me," the Queen continued, "did the troublesome one return?"

    "Yes, Mother," Grant told her, "the Eldest has begun their evolution in the chambers above."

    The Queen tilted her head to more directly face the roof of her chamber, as if she could prate theyers of rock and soil thaty between and stare at her wayward offspring.

    "That is good then," she huffed.

    "Were you worried that the Eldest may not make it back?" Grant enquired.

    The Queen lowered her head to look Grantpound eye topound eye.

    "I am always worried about that one. Do you think I don''t have cause?"

    Grant shifted, ufortable with the scrutiny. She was unwilling to admit wrongdoing or poor judgement in the Eldest. How could she? The Eldest had done more for the colony than any other, the Queen included. The Eldest had created their species!

    "The Eldest has been known to push a little too hard at times," she was able to admit.

    The Queen chuckled. The scent of her mirth spread throughout the chamber and tickled the antennae of every ant present, causing them to pause for a moment as the warmth of her emotion washed over them.

    "I have to agree," the Queen hummed.

    It was a delicate thing, what the colony was undergoing at the moment. For the Queen to not be the Eldest member of their colony was possibly unprecedented in the history of ant monsters. The council had been wary that there may be a power struggle between the two most revered members of the colony. On the one w, the Queen, mother to them all, who had raised the colony from nothing. On the other hand, the ant who had caused the colony to be reborn into something new, something better, and in so doing had imed the position of the Eldest Formica Sapiens in the Dungeon.

    To their relief, no such conflict had be evident, or even appeared to be brewing. The Queen remained devoted to all her children. Uninhibitedly so. But she appeared to hold extra concern for her most troublesome child. The Eldest, for their part, appeared devoted to the Queen and the colony without reservation. Both of them appeared happy to leave the day to day running of the colony to the council. Which seemed to work fine.

    It wasn''t normal. It wasn''t antlike, to worry about these things. Grant could sense that now. The colony had been pulled into unexplored Dungeon by the Eldest and they would need to puzzle their own way out.

    "What are they talking about over there?" Grant muttered as she watched the huddle around Sloan.

    "They are discussing how to adapt the ns for the uing battle," the Queen chimed in unexpectedly.

    "Adapt the ns?" Grant cried, "why are they changing the ns?! We''ve pinned down every angle we can possibly cover!"

    The Queen shifted.

    "That''s my fault," she sighed, "They are trying to ount for what I''ve said I will do during the battle."

    That brought Grant up short.

    "What have you said you''ll do?" she asked, nervous.

    "Lead from the front, child, as I should," the Queen replied calmly.

    "What?!" Grant panicked.

    Nonononoononono! Uneptable! The Queen couldn''t be on the front lines! She should be in the nest! Deep in the nest! And covered in Soldiers!

    As if reading her mind, the Queen chuckled again.

    "I did not take this evolution to be sheltered in the nest during the battle, child. I will fight, as I did when the colony was young."

    Grant took a few deep breaths and looked up at the Queen, taking in her new form.

    Thick tes of hardened carapace covered the folds in her exoskeleton and around her head. Her legs were thicker, and tipped in sharp spikes that gleamed wickedly in the cold light of the cavern. The sheer size of the Queen, possibly double what she had been before, was a testament to the muscle mass she possessed.

    The Queen''s body had transformed. No longer was she just strong, she had be a physical powerhouse. That was just the outside. Who knew what powerful organs or nds she had chosen as part of her evolution.

    "What was the name of your evolution, Mother? If you don''t mind me asking."

    "War Queen."

    The Queen raised herself to her full height, lifting her body from the ground she dominated the room with her majestic aura.

    "There will soon be other Queens for this colony, Queens who will be able to raise young and provide the future generations of the colony. What is needed now is not a Queen who will hide behind her children and allow them to sacrifice themselves for her safety. I will step forward and shield my children with my own body and, should I fall, I will fall with the knowledge that by my efforts I have given all I could in the defence of my family."

    The Queen looked down at Grant.

    "Perhaps I am being selfish. But I will fight."

    She reared back and reached up with her powerful front legs. She dug them into the wall and began to pull her massive body up the vertical face of the tunnel. Grant watched her climb in stunned silence. The idea of the mother of the colony charging forward into almost certain death drove her to the brink of panic.

    When the Queen left her sight she woke up to herself and rushed toward the huddle in the corner.

    "Sloan!" she yelled, "what are we going to do!?"

    The general red at her fiercely as she barged into the meeting.

    "We keep her alive," she hissed, "no matter the cost."

 Chapter 257 The Dark Army

    <h4>Chapter 257 The Dark Army </h4>

    "What do you think, Ellie?"

    "They''re magnificent, Be. Works of engineering, imagination, and unyielding effort! This must be the art that the Eldest spoke of when we were in training."

    "I agree! This is art!"

    "Do you think the other members of the council will agree with us?" Ellie asked hopefully.

    "Not a chance," Be replied.

    The two Core Shapers didn''t allow the perceived dearth of culture in their fellow council members to dim their enthusiasm at the sessful culmination of their project. The colony had entered the mandatory rest period now and almost all members of the family had entered torpor. As nonbatants, the two Shapers were not expected to participate in the battle. But that didn''t mean that none of the Shapers caste would be present. Fifty Shapers rested in therge chamber that had been constructed once the colony had approved the project.

    These shapers were young, barely hatched in time through the dedicated nurturing of the Breed Tenders and then put through a brutal, elerated training regime in the academy in order to bring this project online in time.

    "I wonder if this is how the Queen feels. Gazing down on her children," Be wondered aloud.

    "Perhaps," Elligant mused. "Though, as beautiful as our creations are, can they reallypare to the wonder of the ants the Elder created?"

    "Of course not!" Be scoffed. Then, "I do wish we could have gotten one more evolution into them before they were forced into battle."

    "No point fretting. We were lucky to get this project off the ground at all. Don''t you have confidence in our work?"

    "How could I not? The Eldest put us onto this path with their own words! It''s sure to seed!"

    "Which do you think will perform better, the Manglers, or the Reavers?"

    The subjects in question were the one hundred shadow beasts that were also resting in the chamber. The council had been loath to give up the resources, but saw the potential in a force of Core Shapers with pet soldiers. How could they not? The Eldest deployed such tactics with tremendous sess! It also helped to bolster the numbers of the colony and provide them with disposable soldiers who could be reconstituted and raised again provided the colony recovered the core.

    The Shapers hadboured long and hard to turn Shadow Beast cores into these modified troops. Elligant''s design, the Shadow Reaver, boasted enhanced arm strength, more devastating ws and fangs than the regr beasts. The Mangler, Be''s concept, sported increased leg strength and a streamlined body, dramatically increasing speed, along with nasty venom secreted by needle like ws.

    Both shapers had found the ''budget'' for their modifications by shaving away at the Cunning and Will of the original monster. With the Core Shaper controller, fully tooled up with pet rted skills, in charge of the thinking, the pets didn''t need that much intelligence.

    "Did you remember how they performed in the Dungeon?" Be gushed to her sibling.

    "I do! I do! Wasn''t it marvellous?"

    "Who could have imagined the devastation that they would cause. Such ferocity!"

    "And we didn''t lose a single one! Mark my scent Be, after this battle the Core Shapers will rise high in the colony! The Shapers will became the true elite force of our family!"

    The two ants huddled together in the dark chamber with eyes that sparkled as they imagined the bright and glorious future of their caste. The thought that they might lose the battle never entered their minds.

    Elsewhere in the colony¡­

    "Surely the fire mages will cause the most damage!" Propent dered.

    "Nonsense!" Cont refuted coolly, "the water mages will wash away the stain of the invaders by the hundreds. If not thousands. I struggle to see how your hot-headed members will keep up."

    "Bah! You really think the enemy is going to be scared off by getting DAMP?! My Mage-Ants will be causing explosions, not hosing down the enemy! Are you trying to hurt them or clean them."

    The two council members continued to bicker with each other as their fellow caste members rested within the chamber. Soldiers patrolled the space as this chamber was below ground level, a deliberate choice in order to afford the mages a chance to refill their cores and magic affinity nds.

    A curious phenomenon had been observed by the colony as the numbers of the mage ants had continued to swell in the build up to the battle. Of the four base elements that were the cheapest and easiest to train, the vast majority eschewed earth and air, following their elders into either fire or water. A mild rivalry between the two camps had appeared immediately.

    "Do you think the open field will have an impact on the result?" Cont mused.

    "You mean, as opposed to fighting in the Dungeon tunnels?" Propent queried, her earlier ire vanished as if it had never been.

    "Right. I''ve been thinking about the impact of the more open space on our respective element''s spell selection."

    "Any particr construct you have in mind? I can''t imagine the bolt spell will be much less applicable in the open than it is in a tunnel¡­"

    "I think it will be more useful due to the increased range. But no I was thinking of the barrier spells."

    Propents eyes lit up.

    "Do you mean, using them in an offensive capacity?"

    "Quite."

    "Ho! Ho! That does sound interesting! Have you calcted the mana expenditure against the expected damage inflicted?"

    "The numbers appear to be very promising."

    "Surely the fire barrier outperforms water in this capacity."

    "It does enjoy a slight edge¡­"

    "Ha! Do you think we''ll be able to work it into our tactics before the battle starts?''

    "Depends on how long we have after the imposed rest period ends and the call to deployes from the scouts."

    "Hmm. It''s going to be tight."

    The two Mage Ants fell into contemtive silence as they pondered on the possible timelines they might be confronted with in testing and utilising this possible new tactic.

    "You know," Propent spoke slowly, her mind still upied with the problem of timing, "after this battle is done, we, Mage-Ants, will be hailed as the heroes of the colony."

    "Naturally," Cont said absently. "We should already be seen as such, really. The battle will merely establish in the other''s minds what we already know."

    "Our resource allocation should double at least."

    "Triple, I should think."

    "What we could do with triple the resources¡­"

    In the minds of both members of the twenty, a glorious future began to unfold. The colony would be reborn. At the pinnacle of the new structure would be the Mage-Ant! Given priority for cores, Biomass and the best assignments, the Mage caste would lead the colony into the future, every other caste subsumed into serving their more capable siblings.

    After all, isn''t the Eldest primarily a Mage-ant?!

    The two Mages continued to imagine the incredible future that awaited them, neither one considering for a moment that they might lose the fight.

 Chapter 258 The approaching tide

    <h4>Chapter 258 The approaching tide </h4>

    In the distance, a rising tide of fangs, ws and flesh approached. When Morrelia squinted, she could make out the individual forms of the monsters as they undted across thend and between the trees. There didn''t seem to be an end to the horde. They spread. Like water pooling over the floor from a spilled cup, until they filled the space in front of her.

    It wouldn''t be long until theypped up against the fortifications the vigers had erected and the battle would begin in earnest.

    "I''m still not certain we shoulda put ourselves so close to our ''neighbours''," Isaac muttered.

    Morrelia rolled her eyes.

    "You spent several days with their leader and came home just fine. Do you really think they''re going to eat us?"

    The former guard shifted ufortably.

    "I''m jus'' sayin'' we might want to on our guard once the fightin'' is done. Maybe we look appetising at that point."

    "If we live to see the end of this battle, there''ll be tens of thousands of dead monsters right over there. I don''t think they''ll need to turn on us for food," Morrelia pointed out before turning her back on the man.

    Despite his experience in the field with Anthony, he still had difficulty oveing his instincts to distrust monsters.

    Not that he''s entirely wrong about that.

    Morrelia couldn''t be entirely sure why she wasn''t afraid of the colony of strange ants, or their stranger spokes¡­ant. She just ¡­ wasn''t. She was cautious of them, always cautious, but not afraid. Perhaps she was just losing her edge. Or, more likely, grabbing onto whatever piece of debris she could reach after a tsunami had washed the nation of her birth away.

    "How much longer until they arrive?" Enid asked, walking up behind them.

    Morrelia turned to face the leader of the human vige and nodded her head respectfully. Enid may never have been a soldier, but she had Morrelia''s respect for her attitude and grit alone.

    "Should be less than an hour before the main body of the horde reaches us. Could be a lot less if they decide to pick up the pace as they reach the final stretch."

    Enid frowned as she looked over the edge of the dirt wall at the monsters. Morrelia choked back augh as she watched the older woman. Enid looked as if she were staring at dog that had spread mud on her carpet rather than a vering mass of Dungeon monsters the likes of which the surface hadn''t seen in thousands of years.

    "I suppose we''ll have to get our people in position then. Is everyone ready?" Enid sighed.

    "Ready as they''ll ever be, ma''am," Isaac chipped in, shing a broad smile.

    The man had been on the charm offensive the moment he''d met Enid. If the age difference were any less severe, Morrelia would have suspected him of ulterior motives, as it was she believed he was simply ustomed to greasing the wheels of leadership whenever he could. A vital skill for a guardsmen, she was sure.

    "I''ll go ready the troops," Morrelia grunted before she leapt down from the rampart and jogged toward the shaded area the vigers were resting.

    She was decked out in her full fighting gear already and the boiled leather gave her an intimidating air that was only heightened by the plethora of weapons that graced her form. Her bow, dual des, knives strapped to her forearms and sheathed in her boots. Morrelia was ready for war.

    The ''troops'' in this case were lying t on their backs, many of them asleep, resting in the shade spread by nearby trees. Looking at their tired faces, Morrelia mentally kicked herself. She had to continuously remind herself that she wasn''t dealing with professional soldiers, trainees or mercenaries, but determined vige people. They were farmers, traders and craftspeople. Most of them hadn''t held a de until the current crises.

    But they were willing. By the Legion they were willing. When she beat them down, they stood up. When she drilled them to exhaustion, they wanted more. When the monsters charged, they charged right back.

    In the face of such determination, how could she hold back? In the past week, every able bodied refugee had been pushed to the edge of their tolerance and then a little further. Constant practice in the vige, constant delves into the Dungeon, had brought everyone to the edge. Morrelia herself had barely slept in the past week, snatching a few hours here and there. She was used to it however, broken sleep like this was standard practice when on a delve. The vigers had no such tolerance and once the training had been dered over, they''d copsed in a heap and barely moved since.

    No point regretting it now. You did everything you could, let''s see if it was enough to keep them alive.

    She drew a deep breath.

    "TIME TO GET UP YOU USELESS SACKS OF SICK! THERE''S BLOOD TO BE SPILLED AND SURE AS HELL IT ISN''T GOING TO SPILL ITSELF!" She bellowed.

    He roar echoed off the earthworks and the distant trees, returning to thunder in the ears of the unfortunate vigers a second time as they responded instantly to her call. Sleep was rubbed out of eyes and limbs were stretched as the men and women she had trained picked themselves up in response to her call.

    Little did she know that on the rampart someone was having a very different reaction.

    "Puts my old drill instructor to shame," Isaac sighed as he watched Morrelia''s distant form, her shout still ringing in his ears.

    Enid looked at the man sidewise before she shook her head slightly to clear her ears. Apparently she wasn''t deaf enough.

    Used to this sort of treatment (and volume), her troops were up and in rows in a respectable amount of time. In almost neat rows and with their gear mostly worn correctly even. Morrelia couldn''t help but feel a twitch in the corner of her eye when she spotted shirt not tucked in or scabbards not fastened correctly.

    She took a breath. These aren''t professionals, just vigers that are trying to survive. Don''t judge them by the old standard. In fact, looking at their drawn faces, covered in grit, their hands blistering with fresh callouses, and the determined light in their eyes, she felt incredible pride.

    "THE ENEMY IS NO LONGER COMING!" She roared and paused for a moment before she raised a finger to point at the wall behind her. "THEY ARE HERE!"

    She watched their faces closely, no fear did she see. No terror. Only determination. Her heart lifted. She wasn''t much of one for speeches. If she was a leader, then she was a leader in the mould of her father. Her brother had the charm, the words and grace of their mother, that she had alwayscked. In so many ways she was Titus'' daughter. Maybe that was why she found it so hard to forgive him, just as she knew that he would never forgive himself.

    "REJOICE!" she bellowed. "REJOICE! THE WAITING IS OVER! THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE! THIS BLOOD ISN''T GOING TO SPILL ITSELF! GET YOUR BACKSIDES UP ON THAT WALL!"

    And they did. Faces hard and shoulders square, they walked toward the wall and took in the sight of endless horde. Their armour was ragged, sewn leather and smashed together metal tes. Their weapons were chipped in ces, the hafts splintered in others, the best the forges could produce on such short notice, but they didn''t care. The hands that had once known the plough now gripped a spear just as surely. The men were grizzled, no time for shaving in thest week. The women had hacked their hair short, much as Morrelia had done. No time for vanity when fighting.

    They would do themselves proud today. Filled with a resolute spirit, Morrelia turned and joined them, her twin des rattled as she drew them from their sheathes. They would work hard today.

    Up on the wall, Isaac brushed a single tear from his eye.

    "One day, I''m gonna marry that woman."

 Chapter 259 Contact

    <h4>Chapter 259 Contact </h4>

    "About time they got here," Burke muttered to herself as the horde made its final approach to the outeryer of fortifications the colony had erected.

    "Everything ready?" Wills asked for the fourth time in thest five minutes.

    "Yes, everything is ready. You really should have rested when you were told to."

    "Couldn''t," Wills flicked her antennae, "the scouts were still out there."

    "That doesn''t mean that you had to be."

    "We disagree on that point."

    "I know," Burke lifted an antenna and brought it down with a gentle thwack on her siblings head. "Now that the battle has arrived, you''re useless. Go back with the otherte returning scouts and get an hour of rest. This isn''t going to be over by then."

    Stubborn, Wills shook her head.

    "I''ll be fine for a while yet," she said, "I''ve got a full load of acid and I''m not sleeping till these invaders have felt every drop of it."

    "Fair enough then. Just make sure you don''t push too far forward. Stick to the n. Deliver the product and then get to safety."

    The two scouts fell into apanionable silence as the horde made its final approach. One hundred metres. That''s all that separated the enemy from the first defensive line. After a week of solid fighting, it was a relief to have ite to this.

    "About time then," Burke announced.

    "Seems like it," Wills agreed.

    "Pass the order to open fire," Burke told the general resting behind her.

    The ant snapped out a quick salute.

    "Of course, Elder. Fire when ready!"

    All along the outer wall the order was passed in rapid pheromonemunication. Not a single sound was uttered yet a thousand monstrous ants leapt into motion simultaneously. Not far away the human defenders could only marvel and the eerie quiet in which the ants operated.

    To the ants however, the ''noise'' was deafening.

    "Scouts prepare to fire! Long range will engage in ten seconds! Ten seconds! Soldiers and generals will fire in thirty seconds! Wait for themand!"

    "Here theye! Are you ready to work?!"

    "Five seconds! Five seconds! Check your angles! Don''t aim for the front line! Second row!"

    "Show them what real monsters are made of!"

    "Two! One! FIRE!"

    In an instant the entire scouting brigade of the Formica Sapiens, their collective business districts already pointed at the foe, unleashed a barrage of acid skyward.

    POW!

    A faint whistle emitted from each ant''s volley as the acid cut through the air with incredible power. All together the shrill sound pierced the air but faded quickly as the acid lost momentum and began to reach its apex. From there, it fell.

    Even from this range, Burke could see the rage and pain on the monsters'' faces as the acid fell amongst them, eating into their bodies and chewing into their flesh. Any monster who fell was set upon by its fellow horde members in an instant, torn apart and consumed in seconds. Hundreds of monsters were felled in this way but barely made a dent in a sea of enemies thaty before them. The ants were undaunted.

    POW! POW! POW!

    The scouts continued their steady barrage, firing in sequence as a well drilled unit would.

    "I''m about half empty" Burke observed, "what do you think of the range?"

    "I think it''s close. I haven''t been tracking the time," Wills replied.

    "Soldiers and generals, FIRE!" the order rippled down the line.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    The rest of soldier caste on the wall joined in the barrage. So much acid filled the sky it began to fall on the horde like burning rain. The ants were careful to spread their fire as much as possible. It wasn''t as if it were possible to miss in this scenario, but to inflict maximum damage on the horde the ants didn''t need to inflict fatal damage. It was better to wound as many as possible and allow their ravenous allies to deal with the rest.

    Despite the acid that poured from the sky and the creatures who threw themselves on their wounded brethren, the horde continued to advance, an unstoppable wave of momentum that couldn''t be halted. Despite the damage caused by the acid bombardment, the colony may as well have been spitting in the wind.

    "I''m empty," Burke dered, reorienting herself so she could look out over the wall once again. "Ten more seconds till they hit the wall I think."

    A pervasive feeling of determined calm possessed the warriors of the colony. Everything was on the line today. Mistakes could not be afforded, not even the slightest mishap. Unless every member fought to their utmost potential, the colony would fall and that could not be allowed.

    The ants had nned a defence in depth to maximise their terrain advantage and the unthinking nature of their enemies. The battle would be long and brutal. There would be an opportunity for the desperate rage of the final stand, but not yet.

    "Alright then," Wills replied, retreating from the wall where her position was taken by an eager soldier. "I''ll head back and rest."

    "Good on you," Burke approved, "I''ll try and make sure some of them are alive for you when youe back."

    Wills waved an amused antennae and made a hasty retreat. If she wasn''t going to be fighting then she had no business on the front lines, muddying up the waters.

    With her sibling gone, Burke focused her attention back on the horde as it crashed into the first earthen rampart the colony had erected. Monsters of dozens of shapes and sizes crushed against the solid barrier and were smashed into the ground as those behind them climbed over them. Roars and screams of rage and the dying rattle of monsters filled the air as the soldiers in the front row began to lean forward and chomp at the first enemies toe into range.

    Burke took her position, not at the front but one row behind. The council had determined this was as close as any member was allowed to get to the thick of the fighting. Truth be told, only the soldiers and scout portion of the twenty would dare fight here. Burke felt it was necessary that the council shoulder the risks of the colony along with their siblings. They weren''t some protected caste whom the colony existed to serve. The very idea was repellent. They existed to serve the colony!

    The soldiers at the edge of the wall continued to lunge forward, snapping at monsters below Burke''s line of sight. There was no risk the soldiers would fall, they could grip as well as any other ant, obviously, but if they were caught hold of they might be pulled down.

    The horrific din of the horde reached a fever pitch as the monsters pressed against the wall and sought to climb it. The wall wasn''t immense, only three metres tall, but most monsters weren''t as adept at climbing vertical surfaces as the ants were.

    But some of them could and after a few more seconds Burke began to see the first creatures reach the top of the wall. Like lightning, Burke lunged forward and brought her mandibles closed on a spider that had poked its hideous, fanged head over the edge of the wall.

    The beast''s eight legs (disgusting!) scrabbled and scratched at Burke''s carapace as the scout leader pulled the creature back over the wall. In seconds it was surrounded by soldiers and scouts. The ants worked together and ripped the monster apart before it could free itself. As the soldiers pulled back to return to their positions, healers rushed forward to grab the Biomass. They''d use it to create stockpiles close to the front to assist with their healing efforts.

    First one down, Burke told herself. A heck of a lot to go.

 Chapter 260 The boldest soldier!

    <h4>Chapter 260 The boldest soldier! </h4>

    "Take that!" Leeroy roared as her mandibles tore down yet another foe.

    The blood and mana within her body thrummed with excitement as the battle unfolded before her eyes. The ants were fighting, gloriously fighting! All along the wall the horde surged and pushed higher, bringing them within reach of the deadly jaws of the insects above.

    "Hahahaha! Die for the colony!" she screamed as she tore into another creature.

    Was she telling the enemy to die for the colony, or inviting herself and her siblings to do so? Even she wasn''t sure as the joy of battle overtook her senses. She''d put herself on the frontlines, obviously. As close to the action as she could get. She figured the others had assumed that she would do that from the start, so was it really a breach of trust if she followed through with that expectation?

    Freed from concerns such as the grand strategy, self-preservation or any sense of the situation around her, Leeroy was able to embrace and indulge her burning desire: to fight! To put her life on the line in the service of her family! What was the point in preserving her life if she could spend it to save even a single one of her siblings? None! Joy soaring in her heart, Leeroy continued to lunge forward to a dangerous degree, teetering over the edge of the wall so she could reach more foes!

    The nearby general assigned to this section of wall eyed the manic council member warily. She couldn''t help but sigh at the vagaries of fate. That her unit would be tasked with the mission of ensuring the safety of Leeroy, was not something that filled the ant with glee. She would do her duty, naturally, she just felt that, what with the apocalyptic battle the colony was facing, her job didn''t need to be made any harder.

    "Step up the line" she bellowed.

    Moving as one, the reserve soldiers pushed forward to support the ants on the edge of the wall. Some of them grabbed onto the legs of the ants in front, whilst others moved alongside them to help prevent them from being overwhelmed. It had only been a minute since the horde had made its first contact against the wall. Already the enemy was beginning to wash over the top of the wall. It was too soon. The colony needed to drag out the fight whilst minimising their losses.

    They would need to hold at this wall as long as they could.

    "Hold the wall!" she cried, "for the colony!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    Inplete silence the soldiers roared as one. Thousands of individuals moving in a coordinated unit they battled furiously at the edge of the wall.

    Where the hell is our mage support? The general couldn''t help but worry as she watched her soldiers battle under the umbre of her aura. How long were they nning to take? If this goes on much longer then we''ll start to lose soldiers.

    Just at that moment the roar of mes erupted behind her. Long pirs of fire from the second wall roared into the sky. Like furious dragons they took flight before arching down. Searing heat and the crackling sound of mes assaulted the ants as the spells passed nearby, but it was upon the enemy the full force of the strike fell.

    Ten metres past the edge of the wall, the fire impacted and spread. The fireball swelled and hundreds of monsters were engulfed in the ze instantly. The fire mages had struck!

    The smell of burning Biomass and the shrieks of monsters pierced the air. The monsters had piled themselves high against the earth wall and now that density came back to haunt them. Hundreds were roasted in an instant. The mes roared hot enough to singe Leeroy''s antennae as she continued to hang over the edge of the wall.

    "That''s what you get!" She cackled at the monsters suffering beneath her, indifferent to their pain.

    Any pity would have been needless in any case, as the monsters did not suffer for long. The horde still appeared endless and the monsters only pressed forward all the harder. Those who had fallen to the spell were consumed and only secondster the enemy began to threaten the wall once again.

    "A chomp for you! And a chomp for you! You dare face me? Feel the edge of my mandibles of wrath!"

    Leeroy was driven to the peak of excitement by the carnage. Her eyes shone with such an intense fighting spirit, her enemies may well have been losing HP when they looked too closely. The sh of monsters! The colony fighting as one to repel the invaders! It was intoxicating.

    The words of the Eldest rang in her ears.

    No sacrifice without purpose. Preservation of life is the fundamental principle of a flourishing society. Leeroy had been drilled on these points many times, much more than her siblings, yet in the heat of the moment, even this was not enough to contain her boundless spirit of sacrifice!

    As therge Soldier ant screamed and roared her defiance at the enemy, the nearby general began to notice a changee over the figure. It was almost as if she were vibrating with pure energy. The general sharpened her attention. It would be soon¡­

    After chomping away one more foe, Leeroy could no longer contain herself. She shuffled back a few steps and paused for a single heartbeat to gather her strength.

    "WITNESS ME!" She screamed as she scrambled forward a few steps and hurled herself off the wall.

    In that one glorious moment, when her legs left the ground and her body began to sail into the air, Leeroy felt as if she could see her own future. She would fall amidst the enemy and fight with every fibre of her being. Like a burning me consuming its fuel, she would re bright and many monsters would fall before her. But eventually, she would be ovee. Torn apart by the enemy, she would pass away at the foot of the wall, selling her life in its defence.

    But so great would be her sacrifice, so expensive would be her death, that she would turn the fate of the battle! Right here, she would save her family!

    s, it wasn''t to be. After too short a time, Leeroy felt her legs seized by powerful mandibles and her forward momentum was seized.

    "What?!" she cried, "let me go! It''s all part of the n!"

    The general sighed.

    "It may be part of your n, Elder, but I was instructed by general Sloan that we were to prevent you leaping off the wall as part of her n."

    Damn you Sloan! Leeroy raged. I''ll get my chance yet!

 Chapter 261 Pushes and pulls

    <h4>Chapter 261 Pushes and pulls </h4>

    A delivery system of flesh and bone. That''s what the horde truly was. As an instrument of the dark will that controlled it, the massive gathering of enved monsters had been used to scour the kingdom of Liria and possibly neighbouring kingdoms as well. Here and now? That mass of bodies served a different purpose. To deliver Garralosh and her children to the target of her wrath as easily as possible.

    Sloan knew that only when they had destroyed enough, thinned enough of the horde away, would the true enemy show its face. Until then, Garralosh and the Kaarmodo would be content to stay back and allow their unwitting soldiers to absorb the punishment.

    "The key to this battle, is holding enough strength in reserve that we can deal with the Croca-Beasts when theye," Sloan had dered at the nning meeting.

    To that end, the colony had prepared waves of tricks and schemes that they could employ. The horde would pay dearly for every inch of ground they took. The worry was, the primary reserve force of the colony still hadn''t woken up.

    The Eldest was still sleeping!

    Sloan couldn''t help but clean her antennae over and over again in an attempt to calm her nerves. Something her sibling couldn''t help but notice.

    "Calm down," Victor advised.

    "I would if I could!" Sloan snapped back.

    "The Eldest will awaken in time. How could you doubt it?"

    "You do realise what will happen if they don''t?"

    "I suspect that we''ll all be wiped out and the colony will cease to exist," Victor replied, unruffled.

    "Y-yes! That''s right!"

    "And how does you stressing about it change anything? Have a little faith in the Eldest. When have they ever let us down?"

    That was a little hard to argue against. The Eldest was a six legged storm, stirring up change wherever they went, but to date they had never let the colony down. Indeed, they had pushed the colony forward at every turn.

    Sloan dragged her antennae through the knee joints of her front legs once more before she settled with a sigh. The two generals were positioned in the main nest in a chamber close to the surface. In a room next to them, scouts came and went at a furious pace, passing information to a team of generals who sorted it and manipted arge three dimensional map carved into the chamber floor.

    "Let''s see how the battle is progressing," Victor suggested and moved to inspect the map.

    Sloan cked her mandibles in irritation.

    "I don''t like it that we are stuck here, Victor," Sloan grumbled.

    Her sibling sighed, but sympathised.

    "I want to be out there on the wall just as much as you. But the two of us are the best generals in the colony. We can best serve the colony from here. Don''t go Leeroy on me."

    "I wouldn''t go that far," Sloan chuckled.

    Unlike the two rtively calm generals, the war chamber was a flurry of activity and filled with the muffled scents of a dozen different conversations. Ants crawled carefully over the map, making constant adjustments to the sticks and ce markers there.

    "Looks as if the first wall has done its job," Victor observed as she poured over the map.

    "We can still hold it," Sloan proposed. "If wemit the reserves from the second wall we could hold on for another thirty minutes, at least."

    "The risk would be too high," the other general countered, "and unnecessary. The outer wall wasn''t built to hold and was never intended to resist assault for an extended period."

    Sloan nodded. This was how the two of them did their best nning. One proposed a n, the other tried to tear it down. After the back and forth was done, they feltfortable that they had the best strategy they could make.

    "Alright then. Time to sound the retreat."

    Victor turned to the scouts waiting to carry messages to the front.

    "Pass the word for the retreat from the first wall. Prepare the reserves. We want every family member to make it back."

    The scouts saluted and raced off to deliver their prepared messages whilst the two generals turned their eyes back to the map. Ants poured over it once more, making the delicate adjustments based on the event they knew were going to y out above.

    Furious activity exploded within the nest. Ants ran over the top of each other as they hastened to reach their assigned positions. The potential for devastating loss was huge. The retreat needed to be managed carefully, with precision. An orderly retreat back to the second wall was the aim, not a scattered manoeuvre with the lines being overrun and soldiers being cut down left and right.

    To this end, Proppnt had taken her ce amongst the fire mages.

    When the word came for the retreat, the spell slinging ants leapt into action.

    "Get ready for it!" Proppnt bellowed, "draw out every scrap of your fire mana!"

    The ant mages had been striving to master the skills of spell casting and mana shaping ever since the Eldest had shared the knowledge of them with the colony, but few had achieved a reasonable level of mastery. In fact, most of the ants were still stuck drawing from their fire mana nd until it was empty and then retreating to the Dungeon to recharge.

    It had been an endless source of frustration for Propent and Cont but the reality was that the Mage Antscked the raw stats to push their skills into the higher tiers. Nheless, progress had been made in group spell casting, certain skills had been unearthed that allowed the ants to work in small teams to achieve better effects and the benefits were showing.

    In teams of five, the fire mages began to draw out the mana contained in their nds. The ants were positioned in a circr formation, facing inwards and in the middle of each group a bright me sparked into life. The me grew brighter over time as more mana was fed into it. At this stage, the lead mage in each group, the one with the highest maniption skills, began to shape the raw energy into the desired construct.

    It was a delicate moment, but each of these ants had trained hard for this. Proppnt watched each of the five teams closely, seeking out any sign that the spells might go awry. As the intensity built, the council members focus grew sharper, until the spells werepleted and the pirs of me roared once more into the sky.

    As they did, the generals on the front lines prepared their soldiers as scouts rushed to cover each section of the wall,unching an acid barrage deep into the horde to further muddy the waters.

    Grant grit her mandibles as the mes began to arc down.

    "Get ready to fall-back!" she roared.

    "Push!" came the order and the soldiers all along the wall shoved forward, snapping and biting at the monsters who threatened to tear them down into the mouth of the horde. Using their bodies and the strength of the ants who assisted them, the ants shoved back against the attackers, throwing them back of the wall and creating a breath of distance between the two forces.

    "Run back! Now! Go, go, go!" from the pheromone nds of hundreds of ants all along the perimeter the call came, mming into every set of antennae.

    As one the ants turned and abandoned their firstyer of defences, dashing back as fast as they could. The scent trails for the retreat paths had beenin days ago and they did not deviate from those safe passages in the slightest.

    Grant waited until her section of wall was abandonedpletely before she turned to go. Monsters had already pushed back against the wall and began to climb over in increasing numbers. It didn''t matter. She turned and dashed away just as the fire spells fell on top of the wall, incinerating the monsters and creating more distance between the attackers and the retreating ants.

    The first wall had been taken at great cost to the horde. Grant felt deeply satisfied at the work that had been done. On to the next one.

 Chapter 262 The Queen strode forth

    <h4>Chapter 262 The Queen strode forth </h4>

    The colony seeded in pulling back to the second of their defensive lines with minimal losses. Each of the walls was shorter in length than the previous, allowing the ants topress their numbers further each time they fell back.

    Wills was pleased with the progress of the battle so far. After her (too short) rest, she''d emerged in time to see the retreat from the first wall and touch base with her people. The scouts had served as message runners and long range attackers for the most part, very few had fallen during the initial stage of the battle, but that could change at any moment. The scout leader felt sorrow as members of her colony had fallen at the first wall, an emotion she was stilling to terms with. Each death only hardened her resolve to see the enemy fall.

    From the second wall she looked down as the horde pushed over the lip of the first in increasing numbers. Unthinking and without restraint, the horde didn''t pause to consider what the hundred metres of open ground between the two walls might mean. When the monsters saw their enemies crawling up the face of the next wall, they charged.

    A ripple of glee shivered along Will''s antennae as the monsters triggered the first traps. Pitfalls, dead drops, spiked wooden stakes. The open ground was littered with the efforts of the worker caste. Some of those chutes dropped more than twenty metres straight down, where teams of workers waited to collect the fresh Biomass and bring it back to the nest to restock the colony supplies.

    If the monsters were stupid enough, those chutes would continue to provide Biomass during the day. If the monsters decided to attack the nest through the drops, the ants would copse the tunnels and move back to simr positions behind the next wall.

    "Lucky our enemies are this stupid, eh Wills?"

    The scout leader turned to look more fully at her sibling, Grant.

    "True," the scout agreed, "but I''d still be happier if there were fewer of them."

    "That''ll be us, soon enough," the soldier prophesied, "uncountable thousands of us. We''ll be able to smash a pathetic pile of monsters like this with ease."

    "It won''t be monsters like this that''ll challenge us," Wills disagreed, "we''ll be fighting against creatures from much deeper in the Dungeon. How deep have we explored? A few kilometres? If that? ording to the Eldest, the Dungeon is thousands of kilometres deep. Who can say what opponents await the colony down there."

    "That''s why we need to continually improve and rise to the challenge!" Grant pped her sibling on the back with one powerful, soldier leg. The impact caused the smaller scout to stumble slightly.

    "Perhaps let''s focus on the battle at hand?" Wills winced and distracted therger soldier.

    "Good idea," Grant nodded and turned her attention back to the onrushing monsters, still triggering innumerable traps on their way to the second wall.

    Already the ants had begun another acid barrage, the scouts who had emptied their reserves had returned to unleash the fresh product they had made whilst the battle had raged at the first wall.

    Will''s watched the devastation with satisfaction. By the time the mass of creatures reached the final wall around the nest, there would only be the Croca-Beasts left. When the colony finally had a chance to feast on those Crocs, Wills would be first in line for a chomp.

    Just as she prepared to unleash her own acid at the enemy, what little she had in the tank at any rate, she felt a changee over the colony. A silent ripple of emotion rolled through the defenders, a stillness that brought quiet with it even as they continued to go through the motions of defending their home.

    It wasn''t as if the ants were made quiet, or sleepy, or pacified. Quite the opposite. Within each ant defending the wall a spark had been lit that filled their frame with fervour. They were still and quiet because they felt that if they were to move to suddenly, they could no longer contain the frantic energy that boiled up inside them!

    Wills could feel it within her own carapace. Her blood surged through her body and rushed into her brain, causing her to feel light headed. She felt as if her energy were inexhaustible, as if she could fight all day. In fact, if she didn''t fight all day, she might go mad from having nowhere to direct this energy!

    What is happening?! She wondered.

    She didn''t have to think for long. Rising from the top of the nest behind her came a sight that lifted her spirit even as her heart sank. First the long antennae, then powerful, elongated mandibles, followed by the heavily armoured and muscled head of thergest and most beautiful ant Wills had ever seen emerged. Powerful, thickened legs followed and pulled through the rest of her body. The Queen stood atop the peak of her nest and surveyed those who hade to attack her children.

    CLACK!

    One snap of her mighty jaws sent a wave of emotion through each of her children. Her rage and disgust toward the enemy had been conveyed in that gesture and each member of the colony felt a ferocious impulse seize hold of their thoughts.

    Mother was here!

    CLACK!

    Without consultation the colony answered their Queen. Over a thousand soldiers, scouts and mages on the surface snapped shut their mandibles as one. The noise was sharp and piercing, like the mming of a thousand doors.

    Her royalty clear in every line of her stance, the Queen looked down at her children and felt her heart surge with emotion. Such good children they were. She would defend them to her final breath!

    Even as her instincts screamed at her to exult in the presence of her Queen, Wills could only fervently hope that her mother would note down from the nest.

    Stay there, stay safe, go back down, let us take care of you, stay there, stay safe, be safe, stay there!

    She begged the Queen in her mind over and over but she knew it would do no good.

    Mother hade for her children.

    CLACK!

    Once more the Queen snapped her enormous mandibles shut and this time she moved down from the peak of the nest. From behind her a swarm of soldiers, mages and even carvers boiled out of the nest and surged forward to surround their Queen.

    CLACK!

    The colony answered back once more and this time, they didn''t stop, rhythmically snapping their mandibles as the Queen strode from the nest to the front lines.

    CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK!

    Each time they brought their mandibles closed the sound grew louder. Wills herself felt as if her jaw might break but neither could she stop herself. She both shivered with fear and exalted with joy. The Queen was here! The Queen was here!

    The monsters of the horde rushed forward, uncaring of the deafening noise that thundered over the lip of the wall towards them. They knew only to press forward as their instincts demanded. But when they reached the wall and began to climb, they would find something had changed.

    The Queen had stepped forth and the ants would not hold back any longer.

 Chapter 263 The Queen effect

    <h4>Chapter 263 The Queen effect </h4>

    When the monsters pushed forward over the lines of traps and climbed over each other to ascend the wall, they found a ravenous wall of ants waiting for them. The soldiers were desperate, frantic for the opportunity to tear their opponents apart. From a distance, the wall appeared to have gained height. Ants stood atop each other, lunging forward to seize an enemy and dragging them back into the solid mass of monstrous insect.

    When the Queen herself arrived at the front, the ferocity of her soldiers increased. She pushed through the mass of her children until she reached the edge of the wall and looked out over the horde that threatened her nest. Somewhere out there was the mastermind of this attack, the Queen''s blood boiled with anger at the thought. When would theye forward and suffer her wrath?

    Until then, she would have to sate her hunger on these minions.

    The Queen''s legs were no longer tipped with standard ws, but rather a new version that she could close together to form a fearsome spike. She extended her front legs over the edge of the wall and began to spear monsters as if they were fish.

    *Stab!* *Stab!*

    The Queen had dutifully examined the skills she could purchase after her evolution and indeed a stab rted option had unlocked for her. The knowledge of how and when to most optimally strike had been trickled into her mind and now she put it to good use.

    Every time she stabbed down she pierced a monster straight through. She would then lean back on her rear legs and haul the now valuable Biomass back over the wall to pass to her children before turning back to stab once more. It was easy. The monsters were packed so thick that it wasn''t as if she could miss.

    The Queen felt ted. For so long she had been trapped in the nest, hearing about her children striding forth to do battle with their enemy but she had been unable to help. Now, she was here, she was ready. She would fight alongside her children and shoulder her portion of the burden. It was gruesome and difficult, but it made her d. She couldn''t help emitting pheromone waves of satisfaction and savage joy that radiated over the wall and struck the antennae of every ant on the wall.

    It was a feeling they reciprocated. But there was a deeper emotion that possessed them. The ant colony would fight at their fiercest for two things, the brood, and their Queen. Ingrained in their instincts was the need to defend the future generations, they would sacrifice anything to protect them. The brood, the next few generations of the colony, was safely tucked away in the nest, as secure as the colony could make them, whilst the Queen, who embodied countless generations of colony members, was exposed to tremendous danger!

    Newfound intelligence battled with inborn instinct and the intelligence was losing. In the face of the threat to their mother, their sense of self-preservation began to fall away. What reced it was pure, ferocious and unthinking aggression.

    All along the wall, the colony members took dangerous risks to put their mandibles on the enemy and around the Queen the fervour reached feverish levels. Even the nonbat castes had emerged from their secure chambers within the nest to follow their Queen into battle.

    Victor watched from the top of the main nest, despair rising in her thorax. The Queen''s influence on the mentality of the colony was too strong. Even from here she could feel it, the urge to rush to the forefront of the battle and put her body between the Queen and any danger. Only through an effort of Will was she able to resist the call. She knew that she would be more useful managing the colony''s strategy, she knew that. But her instincts didn''t seem to care. They screamed at her mercilessly to fight, to bite and w to defend her Queen!

    The feeling was so powerful that Victor began to suspect it was more than just her own instincts. It was possible the effect was enhanced by an option the Queen chose in her evolution? Some organ or nd that whipped up the fervour of the ants within a certain range? Imagine if Leeroy were still out there¡­

    What could they do!? They couldn''t control the Queen, they wouldn''t even want to try, and so long as the Queen was fighting, this rage would possess every ant who went anywhere near her. Victor and Sloan had workshopped a range of strategies to manage the Queen''s influence on the battle but they hadn''t expected her pull to be this strong. It was threatening to throw away the nning and effort that had gone into preparing for this battle.

    It was only the second wall! There were so many more traps and tricks prepared before the colony needed to make their final stand!

    As Victor chewed over her options, the Queen had pushed such concerns to the side. She knew her ce and was willing to sacrifice herself for the survival of her children, indeed she would wee such a fate.

    In order to preserve her energy and the mana that was draining out of her core, she limited herself to simple stabs. She had more cards to y but it wouldn''t do to reveal them this early in the battle. It didn''t take long for the monsters to press up against the wall and begin to spill over the top. Their screams of rage filled the air and they reached out desperately with their ws, only to be met with the Queen''s mandibles.

    *CHOMP*

    Longer than any other ants and savagely barbed, her mandibles crashed together with a shattering snap that ended three monsters in a single bite. With a toss of her head she flung the Biomass back to the waiting workers behind and stabbed forward again. The monsters within reach tried to scratch and bite her forelegs but newly armoured and reinforced, the carapace there was far too tough for them. They could only watch as two more victims were lifted high into the air, back over the wall and out of sight.

    So engrossed was the Queen in the battle that she paid no attention to the clouds forming with unnatural speed overhead. Light shed, electricity crackled and lightning began to fall.

 Chapter 264 Her time will come

    <h4>Chapter 264 Her time wille </h4>

    Electrical energy crackled over head as the ants continued to battle mindlessly on the wall. With a crack like the sound of a whip, the first strike fell directly on the Queen. Conserving her energy, the Queen was holding her section of the wall with ease when she was struck. The boltnded on her abdomen and electricity pierced her carapace and roiled through her insides.

    The smell of burnt flesh rose as the Queen''s enormous frame began to smoke. The ants close by were driven to the edge of madness by the attack on their mother, but were helpless to retaliate against the clouds overhead! The Queen herself remained calm. Her antennae glowed softly with light as she channelled healing magic from her Healing Mana nd to repair her wounds.

    She hadn''t suffered much damage from the strike, not even close to critical damage. During her evolution she''d toughened herself a considerable amount, a decision that paid dividends now. The healing mana washed through her body, restoring damaged muscle and repairing her organs in moments.

    But the lightning continued to fall.

    *Boom!* *Boom! *Boom!*

    The skies overhead crackled with an immense amount of energy and each bolt struck unerringly down on the giant figure that towered over the rest. It was clear the Kaarmodo had identified the Queen as a threat and was trying to weaken her, if not destroy her!

    The Queen endured. Bolt after bolt fell from the sky, driving the ants into a frenzy. Their mother was under assault! How could they stand it?! The Queen focused on healing herself and ensuring that none of her children were caught in the discharge. Even whilst enduring the pain and concentrating on her healing mana, she was still able to keep her section of wall clear with repeated snaps of her giant mandibles.

    "Mother!" screamed Victor, who had rushed to the front when she noticed the gathering clouds. "Mother! You must retreat!"

    The Queen shook her antennae in denial.

    "I can still fight," she insisted as she crunched more monsters with her jaws. "My children are fighting, and so shall I!"

    "You''re starting to smoke! You can''t tell me you aren''t taking damage!" Victor cried, trying to make her scent detected over the roiling pheromones being released all around.

    "I can take it. Better me than the children," the Queen stubbornly insisted.

    Victor tried to maintain control of her instincts which demanded that she fight to defend her mother. Fighting was not the solution here. The Queen needed to move back, it was far too soon for her tomit to the battle!

    If only the Eldest were here! Mother listened to the Eldest, trusted them. How much longer until that damn evolution was finished?!

    "The colony is going crazy! If you stay here taking this damage, they might just charge over the wall. You need to get back, even just for a time!"

    *BOOM!*

    With a blinding sh, a tremendous bolt of lightningnced down from the roiling clouds above and connected to the Queen. The mother of the colony threw her head back, frozen in pain as the energy burned through her body, sizzling her internal organs and causing her HP to plunge.

    "MOTHER!" screamed Victor, ovee with anxiety.

    Agony rippled through the Queen and she poured more effort to directing her healing mana to close her wounds. Pain was not enough to deter her from her course. Neither pain, nor danger or threat to her life would turn her from this path. In fact, she was d. Every bolt of lightning that fell on her was mana and effort that was expended on her and not on her children. She would be the bulwark for her family, the strong tower behind which they could find shelter.

    She pushed her feet under her and lifted her head to snap out once more with her deadly mandibles. She tried to push the voices away and focus. She had much work to do, but one broke through.

    "Look at your back!" Victor cried. The general had crawled onto the wall directly in front of the Queen, her back to the enemy in an effort to capture her mothers'' attention.

    The Queen hastily swatted the much smaller ant down from the wall and back to safety with one leg before she reared her body up to observe her own back.

    It was covered in ants.

    Were she the type to curse, perhaps the Queen would have indulged herself in this moment, but she didn''t. She turned, and she ran.

    The clouds crackled overhead and the Queen wasted no time rushing back from the second wall toward the nest. As she retreated, the storm overhead began to disperse, the Kaarmodo was apparently unwilling tomit to holding it in ce if she were not on the front herself.

    With the presence of the Queen fading from the frontline, the battle returned to a more controlled type of frenzy. Generals were able to organise and arrange their soldiers, scouts shook off their rage and returned to their work as runners. Over the next few minutes, the colony was able to restore order to their efforts.

    As she rushed back to the nest, the Queen appeared outwardly calm, but was boiling with frustration on the inside. She wanted to fight and defend her family but it appeared as if her children would not allow it. When she was threatened by the lightning, they had selflessly climbed onto her back to try and protect her.

    It was a gesture that filled her heart, but broke it at the same time. She did not want her children to die for her, she wanted to fight and die for them!

    The nonbat caste members, who had exited the nest with her, escorted her back to it, anxiously crawling in every direction to ensure she was safe. When she reached the peak of the nest, the Queen looked back to the second wall, several hundred metres away, where her family was fighting and dying for its survival. For a short, glorious moment, she had been able to share in that struggle with them, and she would again before the end.

    With a small sigh, the Queen plunged once more down into the darkness. She would recharge her core, heal her injuries and prepare to emerge once again. The battle was not done, and neither was she.

    For her part, Victor was relieved. The Queen would not stay put for long, but for the time being the battle was back in control. The Queen and the Eldest were the trump cards of the colony, they couldn''t not be yed too early. If the Queen had remained at the front and prompted Garralosh toe out, before the Eldest had finished evolving¡­

    It could have been a disaster!

    Come to think of it, the wall was no ce for her to be either. As the two sides once again threw themselves at each other, Victor ran from the front, over the remaining walls and into the nest. Inside the nning chamber, Sloan awaited her.

    "Sounds like things have stabilised for the time being," Sloan told her, "great work."

    Victor shook her antennae in denial.

    "It''s only a matter of time until the Queenes up again. The next time shees up, I don''t think she''ll go back, no matter what."

    "But that''s good information to have," Sloan insisted. "We know that the next time she fights, we''ll have to y all our tricks."

    A shiver of fear ran over Victor as she considered what might have happened in those moments.

    "She could''ve died up there, Sloan."

    Her sibling came closer and patted her on the head with one antennae.

    "We won''t let that happen. No matter what."

    "No matter what."

 Chapter 265 The Patient Ones

    <h4>Chapter 265 The Patient Ones </h4>

    Antite and Victoriant sat in the secure chamber in which the Eldest was evolving. Soldiers and scouts lined the walls, Brood Tenders, with their soothing growth auras were in attendance and the two guardians watched all with a sharp eye from their positions on either side of their master.

    "How long until the Eldest wakes up do you think?" Antite asked for the fifth time.

    "I have no idea," Victoriant gave the same reply.

    The two juvenile Queens fidgeted for a moment, giving their antennae a restless sweep through their knee joints, before they settled once more. The Eldest had undergone many changes over thest hour, a dramatic increase in size being the most obvious, but still they showed no sign of awakening. This deep in the nest, the battle could neither be felt nor heard, but it weighed heavily on their minds.

    "I didn''t think it would be this frustrating," Victoriant sighed.

    "I''m beginning to understand why the Queen is getting so restless," her sibling agreed.

    "At least mother can actually perform her function. She cany eggs and create a future for the colony. What about us? We aren''t allowed to fight, can''t try to gain experience and can''ty eggs. I just feel so useless."

    "Cheer up, Victoriant. We knew we would need to be patient when we chose this path. If you look on the bright side, the two of us are closer to our next evolution than the other members of the council."

    "That''s only true because other members of the colony risk themselves and fight in order to bring monsters to us so that we gain the experience."

    Speaking of which, after a short tussle near one of the walls, a soldier came toward the two of them carrying a heavily damaged shadow beast which was promptly deposited at their feet.

    "Thank you very much," Antite called as the soldier returned to her post.

    "I''m level fifteen," Victoriant told her sibling.

    "Me too," Antite confirmed.

    "Then, who got the experiencest time?"

    "I believe it was me."

    "Alright then."

    Victoriant leaned down and finished off the heavily wounded monster with a quick snap of her mandibles. In truth, the two juvenile queens were weak fighters. Theirrge size was less due to a powerful physique and more to create space for the numerous organs necessary to facilitate the eggying process. Unlike the Queen, their evolution wasn''t designed to battle in order to get the colony off the ground. The Eldest had designed their path with pure eggying in mind.

    One more evolution and they would be able to start producing a small number of eggs per day, and one more after that until they would fully mature as Queens, able to produce hundreds of eggs each day, so long as they were provided the Biomass to do so.

    The two siblings absentmindedly consumed the Biomass in front of them. In truth, the pair of them had already maxed out their mutations. They only ate to stockpile Biomass for their impending evolution. Indeed, the colony had been willingly funnelling resources into the pair, hoping to increase the growth rate of the colony as soon as possible. The two of them already boasted maxed out cores and had both been presented with special cores some time ago. Five more levels and they would be ready to evolve on the spot.

    The two Queens to be were interrupted in their contemtion by Tungstant storming into the chamber from above and rushing down the wall.

    "How is the Eldest?" the harried looking carver ant asked.

    Victoriant flicked a curious antennae at her sibling before she responded.

    "No change since thest time you came in, as you can see."

    The smaller ant slumped in frustration before she wandered over to where the Eldest rested. The two guardians shifted at her approach, not hostile, but ensuring the little carver was aware they knew she was there.

    Fortunately, Tungstant was familiar with this task and gave the guardians their due as she approached. Victoriant and Antite watched as the carver performed the now familiar dance of measuring the height and length of the Eldest by stepping out the distances with careful, measured steps. This job done, Tungstant began to wave her antennae over the Eldest'' carapace, using her sense of smell and the fine touch of micro hairs to examine any changes she could detect in the Eldest.

    Job done, the little ant turned back despondently, only to be pounced on by her two siblings.

    "How goes the battle?!" The two juvenile queens demanded.

    Tungstant jumped back at the surprise attack before she sighed.

    "Preparations are being made to retreat from the second wall, the call should be made any moment now."

    "Only the second wall? There''s still six to go! How long will this battle go on?" Victoriant eximed.

    "It takes a long time to kill tens of thousands of monsters," Tungstant replied, irritated. "We''ve made our calctions to the best of our abilities. This was the maximum amount of defences we could prepare in time and it should be enough to eliminate the horde whilst preserving as many lives as possible."

    Victoriant deted a little, frustrated at the prospect of having to sit, under guard in a chamber so far from the battle. With no capacity to influence the battle they could only sit and wait as others battled to protect their future.

    Tungstant softened her voice.

    "I know it''s painful, I''m in much the same situation as you are. It isn''t as if I can dig or build anything to influence the battle at this point. I''m just running messages and checking on the Eldest. Who still doesn''t show any sign of waking up!"

    "It doesn''t seem as if they''ve grown since thest time you were here," Antite offered. "Perhaps the evolution is close topleted?"

    Tungstant shook her antennae.

    "I''m afraid that may not be true. The change in size is probably the first and easiest part of the evolution. I can''t sense much from the outside, but I believe there are significant changes taking ce within the body of the Eldest. It may yet be some time until the change ispleted."

    "But¡­" Victoriant protested, "what about the battle?!"

    "We''ll just have to hold on," the carver shrugged her antennae, "ording to my predictions, we won''t be able to end this battle without the Eldest taking part, we''ll just have tost until they can join the fight."

    The ants fell silent as they contemted the next few hours and the future of their colony. The struggle up above would be brutal, vicious and filled with danger, but each of these siblings would rather they be allowed up there than trapped down here, waiting.

 Chapter 266 A different perspective

    <h4>Chapter 266 A different perspective </h4>

    The master was irritated.

    Assan''diri could feel the rising ire of his master through the bond. Like a ckened Death Asp monster, it hissed, sibnt, at a constant measure that put all of the Setsh on edge.

    "Diri!" muttered a nearby voice.

    He turned to see Chen''thra, his wife, approach from his left.

    "Master is losing his patience," she hissed, "his ck mood hangs over us like a storm."

    "I feel it, my heart, of course I feel it. Ever since the loss of our kin, the master has been losing faith in this mission."

    They shared a moment of quiet sorrow. They had not had the time to perform the proper rituals tomemorate their lost Bond Kin, something that doubled their grief. Killed by the devilish monster that had gued and taunted them for so long, their kin would not rest properly until the rites had been observed.

    The rage of the master had been as hot as the desert sands when they had fallen. The Setsh had shared in the zing intensity of it. That one of their sacred number would be lost to such a monster had rankled. The creature had toyed with them. Dancing on the edge of their range, unleashing spells that they had never seen before, vanishing like mist.

    They had consoled themselves that the final reckoning would be theirs. Garralosh was determined to exterminate all the humans from the pathetic frontier kingdoms and she would destroy these pesky monsters whilst she was at it.

    At first they had worried that the humans and monsters would flee, but rejoiced when repeated scrying showed that no such movements were taking ce. The Setsh had not wished for their master to spend years chasing rabble and refuse through the wilds, and thankfully he hadn''t needed to. They had expected the humans and monsters would crumble the moment they arrived, crushed under the weight of the thousands of monsters that rushed at them.

    They could not have been more wrong!

    "Have you ever seen a collection of monsters like this?" Chen''thra asked, bewildered.

    "I have not, my heart," Assan''diri confirmed, just as confused.

    The walls, the traps, the ambushes, the stratagems. One after the other, after the other.

    "Did you hear what happened in thest hour?"

    "The third wall was taken, was it not?"

    "It was, and when the chatka charged toward the fourth, the ants flooded them!"

    "They what?!"

    "They flooded them! The sand sted creatures built a covered reservoir and they knocked out the walls. The chatka were washed into holes and taken beneath the ground! I''ve never heard of such a thing!"

    The two shuddered and Assan''diri reached out, his hand unconsciously seeking that of his wife. To those who had lived their entire lives in the deserts and mountains of the true kingdom, death by water sent shivers down their spines.

    The two stood deep in the belly of the horde, surrounded by chatka, ve monsters, on all sides. More worrying than those, were the hundreds of gigantic crocodile like monsters that shared this space in the centre. The master hadmitted to this sacred purpose and the Bond Kin would serve as dutifully as ever, but he wished he had been able to leave his wife at home.

    "Come, my heart, let us return to thepound."

    To his relief, his wife nodded her assent and the two turned their back on the battle and strode toward the source of the simmering anger that thrummed across the Bond.

    Assan''diri tried to ignore the Garralosh spawn as they passed. The monsters stared at the two robed figures with scarcely concealed hunger. Only the iron will of their parent was able to keep the primitive brutes in line. Even the knowledge that the master would scour their flesh from their bones should theyy one scaled w on the Setsh wasn''t enough to sink into their simple minds.

    He tried not to be too disrespectful of the creatures in his thoughts. His master had dedicated a great deal of time to this project and it wouldn''t do if the Kin were to harbor ill thoughts towards something the master had devoted such attention to.

    [Do not mind it Assan''diri. I have no great opinion of these creatures myself.]

    Assan''diri and his wife both stumbled at the sudden touch of the great mind of their master through the bond.

    [Master. I prostrate myself. I did not mean any offence.]

    He made good on his words by immediately dropping to his knees and bowing low in the dirt. Chen''thra joined him without hesitation.

    [Peace,] the master sighed, [I have intruded on your thoughts without announcing myself, you need not apologise. There is no disloyalty in your thoughts.]

    The two Setsh straightened themselves, their thoughts seized by the weariness they sensed in their master.

    [I sense our task may being to an end. The skein shifts rapidly here. This ebb and flow of possibility are shifting beneath our feet, yet I sense a conclusion wille. Sess or failure will be decided soon.]

    The two servants shared a significant nce.

    [Do you anticipate the Setsh will be deployed? We are willing to serve.]

    [No.]

    There was finality in that response.

    [I will not tolerate further loss of the Bond Kin. Our charge has made this her mission and it will be on her to see it through. I alone will be enough to satisfy the demands of the order that Garralosh be supported.]

    Assan''diri mped his fangs shut and grimaced within his hood. If it weren''t for that cursed monster hunting them, the master would not need to tax themselves in this way.

    [Have I fallen so low that my own Bond Kin will fuss over me in this way, Assan''diri?]

    The servant hissed in agitation and once more threw himself on the dirt to bow low in the direction of his master. Even without being able to see the blessed form of his Bond holder, he was able to bow directly toward him.

    [I mean no offense, Master! Please discipline me as you see fit.]

    [Enough. If not for the Bond Kin fussing over us, we, Kaarmodo, would do naught but debate and hibernate until our species faced extinction. Gather the Kin. We must channel the ambient mana once more into our charge. If Garralosh is to have the best chance of sess, then we must ensure her core isn''t depleted.]

    [As you wish, master.]

    The touch of the master over the Bond faded and the two servants rushed to fulfil their master''s instructions. It seemed as if their long quest would finally reach a conclusion. The Setsh longed for the hot winds and sheer peaks of their mountain home. Whether Garralosh were sessful and broke through or failed andnguished in this cage of her own making, Assan''diri no longer cared. So long as the master was able to discharge his duty, they could return home with pride.

 Chapter 267 Fight for your life

    <h4>Chapter 267 Fight for your life </h4>

    "Am I gonna make it, Ms Enid?" the boy begged tearfully.

    Enid nced down at the horrific gut wound the soldier had suffered, her face set in a calming smile.

    "You''re going to be fine, soldier," she soothed him, wiping the sweat from his face with a grimy cloth. "The healers will get to you as soon as they can."

    Fear boiled in the young warriors eyes as he clutched at her. He wasn''t going to make it. ck blood leaked from the wound in his gut. Monster w, she guessed. She felt helpless, but continued tofort the doomedd as his lifeblood drained away.

    She''d seen many things in her life, travelling the caravans hadn''t always been safe. On asion, when her husband had caved to her pestering, she''d even been able to join him on a few delves. The danger had been real and many times she''d feared for her life.

    But nothing could have prepared her for this. Even now, she could hear them. The roar, the screams and the sh of steel rang out across the clearing from the wall. Nestled against the side of the ants defences, the human wall had held strong, but the cost had been steep. The medical tent had seen a steady stream of wounded from the moment the battled had begun, and without any healing magic practitioners, there was nothing they could do for those with serious wounds but bandage and clean them. With that done, the injured could do nothing exceptnguish on pallets alongside a growing assembly of their fellow warriors.

    Enid had also been on the wall during the fighting. Not for long, of course. She knew she''d only be underfoot when the fighting got hot, however she couldn''t resist the need to see the fight, to share the risk, at least for a time, that her fellow vigers would undertake.

    The sight would haunt her for the rest of her life.

    As gruesome as it had been at the human wall, the monsters that were their neighbours fought a far more brutal battle. The sight of the monster versus monsterbat had been horrifying to behold. Creatures torn to pieces and consumed on the spot, the wounded stomped underfoot or dragged away. The attacking horde howled and shrieked until ones ears rang with pain, but the ants battled in an eerie silence.

    Only by their bodynguage was it possible to get a sense of their emotions and that was almost impossible at the best of times. Only when the Queen had emerged had Enid been able to clearly sense their fear. Once that gigantic monster had made herself known and rushed to the front, the ants had be frenzied. Not with rage, or hate. Enid felt sure of it. They had felt afraid. When the lightning had fallen on their Queen, the thousands of monsters had be frantic.

    Enid had been afraid at that point. Afraid of what would have happened if the Queen had fallen to the lightning and been torn apart by her attackers. What would have happened to the ants who remained? What would they have done, in their grief and rage? She shuddered to think of it.

    "Mary," Enid called softly to a nearby nurse, "could you get me another cloth, please? This young man needs to have his wounds cleaned."

    The young girl looked down at the suffering young man for a moment before she nced back at Enid''s face and nodded quietly. The boy gripped her hand tighter.

    "Do you know if my brother is okay?" he gasped.

    "I haven''t seen him in here," she reassured him, "I''m sure he''s still fighting."

    He rxed back onto his pallet.

    "I saw him fighting next to the beast," he forced out, a rictus grin on his face. "He always looked up to her."

    Enid couldn''t help but snort at the use of Morrelia''s nickname. She didn''t know when they''d started referring to her as ''the beast'' but she sure as heck didn''t want to be about when the young berserker found out. To Enid''s knowledge, Morrelia had been on the wall battling like a maniac the entire time. With her reckless, two handed style it would be a miracle if she hadn''t suffered major wounds by this time.

    If only they had healers! Enid would happily cut her left arm off for a decent apothecary even!

    Ultimately, Enid had begun to feel despair. What if, despite everything they''d done, it still wasn''t enough. Just like the young boy, who couldn''t be more than fifteen, she felt her hopes slowly dying. She would never let it show on her face or in her demeanour, but she was afraid. Not for herself, but for her people. They deserved so much better than this.

    At that moment, she felt a stir run through the medical tent. A wave of energy that crackled in the air. Tension, excitement and fear, all rolled in one.

    "Ms Enid!" Mary rushed back, a cloth forgotten in her hand.

    "What is it child?" Enid asked, concerned.

    "They''vee! They''vee to save us!"

    "Who!?"

    It didn''t take long for the question to answer itself. From her position seated on the ground, Enid could see people shuffling to one side, trying to make space for something to make it through. She gasped when the first one came into sight.

    Antennae twitched and mandibles cked as a dozen monstrous ants pushed their way into the medical tent. Without a word or a sign, they split up and move about the tent, each headed to a different wounded. One came right next to Enid and brought its antennae down on the dyingd. When healing mana began to flow down the antennae and into the boy, Enid could hold her tears no longer. As life came back into his face, so too did hope blossom in again inside her.

    She did not know where this strange colony hade from, but in that moment she had to admit that Beyn was possibly onto something. How could they not be heaven sent?

 Chapter 268 Croc Around the Bloc

    <h4>Chapter 268 Croc Around the Bloc </h4>

    "Hold the line!" sprayed Grant to the ants around her, "don''t let these motherless scum over the wall!"

    She faked left before biting down hard with her mandibles on a wed hand that threatened her. The dirt wall defences of the ants had held firm so far, only by voluntary retreat had they been taken by the enemy. As each consecutive wall had been surrendered, the ants'' defences had be concentrated and more sophisticated.

    Now on the sixth wall, the greater preparations were bearing fruit. The moat was deep here, and filled with Biomass. Sharpened stakes dotted the face of the wall and many monsters had lost their lives pushing forward into them.

    Spears of water erupted out of the moat and dozens of monsters fell back, pierced through their sides. Not far from where Grant fought on the wall, the water mage slumped to the ground, exhausted.

    "Get back to the nest," Grant ordered, her pheromones cutting through the myriad scents of the battle.

    "I''ve got one more in me" the mage forced out.

    "Denied, get back in the nest and recharge. One spell here isn''t worth dying your return to the fieldter," Grant ordered even as she fended off another attacker on the wall.

    The mage ant pushed her feet back under her and with the assistance of a nearby healer, crawled away from the fighting and towards the nest.

    The general assigned to this section of wall shook her head. The colony was pushing itself hard and the will to sacrifice themselves had risen within each ant as long as the battle had gone on. When push came to shove, each individual would rather die than allow another to die in their ce. It had be harder and harder to get soldiers to take breaks, to make healers recharge their mana nds and even the generals had be obstinate, some had even pushed forward into the fight themselves!

    The generals were norger than a juvenile soldier. All the evolutionary energy in their second evolution went into raising their Cunning and the Combat Aura nd. When it came to applying damage with their mandibles, even scouts were much superior, forget about the soldiers themselves!

    "Get back!" Grant yelled.

    The ants around her scuttled back from the wall just as a giant rotting toad monster opened its distended and grotesque mouth and unleashed a gout of putrid liquid that washed over the surface of the wall.

    "Dirt! Go! Go!" the general ordered even as she ran forward with her mandibles filled with soft earth.

    The green liquid bubbled and steamed on the ground as the ants scrambled to cover it with dirt. After a few seconds the horrific mess was nowhere in sight and they leapt back to the edge of the wall to battle against the monsters who threatened to spill over the edge.

    Grant cursed inside. Those stupid toads had be a problem ever since they''d first appeared at the fifth wall. If they weren''t spotted in the heaving mass of monsters at the wall before they spewed out their poisonous, acidic soup a great deal of damage could be done to the ants in a short period of time. The wounds caused were excruciating and required a massive amount of mana to heal. Almost every healer on the wall had been sent back to rest at one point, drained of their mana after treating the burns.

    "Hold the line!" Grant shouted once again and her fellow soldiers, which theirrger bodies and powerful mandibles stepped once more.

    GROOOOOOWL!

    Grant felt the ground beneath her feet vibrate as a low growl from hundreds of throats shook the air. She stared out over the thronging horde, much smaller now than it had been at the start, and she saw them.

    They pushed their way through the horde in packs of three or four. Standing upright they towered over many of the monsters around them. Light glinted off their dark scales and razor ws. Some of them opened their massive jaws wide and shed their teeth as their growls continued to rumble deep in their chests.

    "THEY''RE COMING!" she roared. "THE CROCS ARE COMING!"

    All along the wall the ants rippled with energy as the word raced down the line and back up to the nest. Excitement pounded in Grant''s thorax. Finally the filthy crocs were prepared to show their faces. Atst the battle would move to its destined conclusion!

    Since the smaller crocs had moved forward, the big one couldn''t be too far behind!

    Sure enough, it didn''t take long for the order toe back from the main nest.

    "We''re abandoning the wall! Prepare to push on the count of ten!"

    "Get ready!"

    "Still work to do here! Don''t ck!"

    "Don''t ck, yourself!"

    "Five!"

    Grant braced herself and she felt the soldiers on either side do the same.

    "Mages start to channel! Stay clean on the lines!" The generals hollered.

    The smaller ant mages came forward until they were right behind their soldier siblings and began to channel the mana within them.

    They crafted it into the mind bending shapes and constructs that would bring death to their enemies and a reprieve to the colony, if only for a few seconds.

    "PUSH!"

    "RAH!"

    As one, the soldiers shoved forward and ripped into the monsters in front of them. They teamed up to throw monsters down from the wall and shove them back, clearing space to allow them to disengage. The soldiers backed up and turned around before they rushed away from the wall, leaving the smaller mages as the front line.

    Up and down the wall a hundred ant magespleted their spells, stepped forward and unleashed them on the horde at the foot of the walls. Gouts of me and spears of water poured down from the top of the wall. The shrieks and roars of injured, infuriated monsters filled the air as the ants silentlypleted their deadly task.

    With their limited cores and mana nds, they weren''t able to maintain the magical onught for long, only a few seconds, but it was enough. As the monsters of the horde descended on their wounded members to feast on their Biomass the ants turned and fled back to the seventh and penultimate wall.

    "Looks like the number crunching by the bigger brained castes was pretty much dead on," Grant observed to the nearby general as they retreated together.

    The two ants carefully followed the prepared scent trails as they narrowly dodged the traps and tunnels that dotted the open ground between the walls.

    "We might even have one wall to spare," the general chuckled.

    Grant shook her antennae.

    "We''ll need more than one to hold off Garrlosh''s children. They''re bigger and stronger than most of the trash we''ve been dealing with so far."

    The ants crawled up the face of their seventh defensiveyer and took position at the top. They would have a few precious seconds of rest before they were tested again. Rested troops greeted them as they crested the wall. Scouts, soldiers, healers and generals, already in ce and ready to battle the enemy.

    The ant hill rose high behind them, much closer now than when the battle started. The colony was prepared to make their final stand now. Once this position was overrun, only one wall would stand stood between the nest itself and the horde.

    "How many casualties so far?" Grant asked one of the healers.

    "Below three hundred so far," the worker replied.

    A remarkable number. A miracle almost. They''d defeated thousands of mindless enemies for the cost of only several hundred colony members. It would get harder now though.

    At that moment, Grant noticed a disturbance at the peak of the nest. A flood of worker and artisan caste ants poured out of the opening at the peak, followed by a familiar, massive frame.

    Grant felt conflicted, but she had to admit, it was a good time for the Queen to reappear.

 Chapter 269 The Leeroy Initiative

    <h4>Chapter 269 The Leeroy Initiative </h4>

    "Haul your abdomen, Sloan!" Victor yelled at her slower contemporary.

    "I''ming!" Sloan grumbled back.

    The two generals were exhausted. They hadn''t fought on the front line during the course of the battle but they''d been debating, nning and coordinating the efforts of the colony without pause for over a day without rest.

    "Finally getting to the good part and you want to miss out?" Victor joked.

    "I''ll push you into the mouth of a Garralosh spawn," Sloan promised, "watch yourself up there."

    "I''m not worried, Leeroy will probably already be in there and can push me out."

    At the mention of the more¡­ enthusiastic of their soldier siblings, an irritated twitch flicked through Sloan''s antennae. Now that they''de to this point, nothing could be held back any longer. Which meant that Leeroy, and the soldiers who''d kept her pinned down in the nest, had been sent back to the wall.

    The two generals rushed out of the dark nest and into the bright light of the surface. Victor shielded her eyes with her antennae as best she could as she stared at the carnage taking ce beyond the walls. From this high up, she could see the children of Garralosh approach, mes trickling out from between their teeth.

    "About time you ckers made it up here," Burke observed from nearby.

    "We haven''t been cking!" Sloan ground out.

    "I know that, obviously." Burke turned to Victor. "Why is she so tense?"

    "Not much torpor."

    "Ah."

    The three of them continued to observe the battle. Things were heating up now, and not just because of the me spewing crocodile monsters. The Queen had re-joined the front line and the ants there had quickly reached a boiling peak of rage and fury.

    "We need to get down there," Sloan gasped urgently.

    "I know," Victor replied, intent.

    "Do you really think you can stop her?" Burke asked the two generals.

    "Not a chance," Victor replied.

    "We managed to convince her to return once. Why not once more?" Sloan protested, desperation crept into her scent.

    Victor flicked her antennae toward the battle that raged at the seventh wall.

    "The Queen ismitted. I don''t think she expects to survive this battle. The only reason she retreatedst time was because she would have caused more deaths than she saved. There is nowhere else to retreat to now, if the colony puts itself between her and danger again, she''ll just push us to one side."

    "We have to help her!" Sloan pleaded.

    "Of course we will. Coming Burke?"

    "Let''s go!"

    The three members of the twenty rushed forward to join in the battle. There was nothing left to do now but fight. The closer they came the more their senses were overwhelmed by the din of battle. The roar of the monsters, the sh of ws, mandibles and carapace, the stink of Biomass mixed with a thousand messages pouring out of the ants every second.

    More than that, the three felt the boiling rage and feverish heat that built within the closer they came to the Queen. Before they could reach the edge of the wall, the Queen and the ferocious worker and artisan caste ants that had followed her crashed against the enemy like a tidal wave.

    Acid flew into the air, so thick it fell like rain over the enemy and the Garralosh spawn roared with pain and anger. The ants cared not and made no sound as they doubled their ferocity. For every monster that made it to the top of the wall, four or five ants were there to meet it. The soldiers on the front line were the first to move, they seized the victim in their mandibles and pulled, trying to haul them over the wall.

    Then the smaller ants got hold of them and the unfortunate creature was buried under a swarm of bodies.

    Then the children of Garralosh reached the wall. mes roared into the sky and hundreds of ants fell back from the edge, lest the inferno im them. The wash of heat was felt dozens of metres away as the air crackled against Burke''s antennae.

    The only ant not to take a backward step was the Queen.

    The mes licked against her carapace but she didn''t appear to care, her attention was seized by the face of her enemy, after all this time, atst they would feel her wrath!

    The moment the hideous creatures came within her range, the Queen reared back and raised her head before she lunged forward and unleashed a torrent of acid from her mouth! Garralosh spawn in front of her were bathed in acid in an instant, their scales sizzled and melted as they stumbled forward through the downpour.

    It didn''t take long for some of the monsters to retaliate, raising their multi mouthed heads to belch powerful mes to counteract the acid. The Queen did not relent and continued to pour out her acid, the powerful stream rained down on monsters up to thirty metres away. When acid and me met, the stream exploded into boiling hot clouds of acidic steam that wafted over the battlefield, scalding all who touched them. Sadly the colony had no wind mages to direct the horrific steam and some small amount drifted towards the walls.

    Unwilling to drain all her acid away, the Queen relented in her opening salvo and cked her mandibles eagerly. She hungered for vengeance!

    "Queen! Please be careful!" Sloan sputtered, exhausted from the run.

    "I''ll not go back. Not this time. I''m needed here," the Queen spoke sharply, unwilling to waste time arguing.

    "I know that! Just ¡­ try not to die!" the general begged.

    Before the Queen could respond, another scent intruded on their conversation.

    "Your time''s up, Sloan! Let''s do this!" Leeroy shouted as she barrelled forward, excitement and rage evident in every inch of her frame.

    Victor groaned as she watched her sibling rush forward. The enthusiastic approach she didn''t mind, it was thepleteck of a sign that Leeroy intended to stop that concerned her.

    "Leeroy -!" She tried to call, but to no avail.

    The soldier anticipated her siblings would attempt to cut her off and moved to render their efforts useless.

    "Not this time, Sloan! I will fight, MY WAY!"

    With a daring leap, sheunched onto the abdomen of the Queen and rushed up her back, rising above the tumult of battle. Even the Queen was taken by surprise by this manoeuvre and didn''t move as the much smaller scrambled up her back.

    "Leeroy! Don''t be stupid!"

    "I AM AWAITED!!! OUR CARAPACE WILL GLEAM FOREVER, SHINY AND RED!!! LEEROOYYYYYY!!!"

    So shouting, the soldier ant heroically leapt from her bewildered mother''s head and soared high into the air. So powerful was her jump, she appeared to float in defiance of gravity as she soared above the heads of the monsters below.

    "By my two antennae, why is she screaming her own name!? " Sloan despaired.

    The two generals could only watch as their over enthusiastic sibling sailed into the open air above the wall, above the horde of gnashing monsters and hulking crocodiles, before she began to fall.

    Stillness had fallen across the colony, as all the ants watched this majestic leap to glory. Their poor ant hearts, already filled to bursting with the urge to fight, boiled over in that moment and they threw away all restraint. The Queen was with them, how could they fail?!

    Ant after ant began to throw themselves off the wall and into the fray, casting aside the high ground and the benefit of their defences to better take hold of the enemy.

    "Do you think that Leeroy remembered that this was part of the n? Victor asked Sloan.

    "I really don''t think so."

    The sibling in question fell down into the horde and vanished into the swirl of bodies.

    "Time to go?"

    "Let''s do this."

    The two ants tapped antennae in the ssic ''ant high five'', before they took a running start and leapt off the wall. The two generals had worked hard on this aspect of the n. It was time tounch ''the Leeroy initiative!''

    The Queen could only watch in shock as more and more of her children literally threw themselves into the jaws of the enemy below before she too hurled herself over the wall, healing mana charging within her antennae.

    Please be in time!

 Chapter 270 Shadow Offensive

    <h4>Chapter 270 Shadow Offensive </h4>

    "Atst our time hase!" Be exulted.

    "Our moment to shine!" Agreed Ellie.

    "I''ll be d to get out this damp hole finally," Be huffed.

    The two core shapers nced around at their crampedpatriots and their loyal shadow beasts, crammed into this small underground chamber.

    "We can go, time to move out!" A scout near the entrance confirmed.

    "Here we go!" Elllie cheered as the ants and their pets began to charge towards the entrance to the surface tunnel.

    It''s taken a long time for the Carvers toplete this chamber, time in which the Core Shapers had further refined their tactics and tried to squeeze thest few mutations out of their charges before the battle.

    They were as ready now as they could possibly be, given the circumstances.

    "Do you really think that we should be heading up there?" Ellligant worried.

    "I mean, I know we agreed not to. But I don''t believe that every member of the council has managed to restrain themselves. Do you? Remember the name of this strategy?"

    "You make a good point."

    "So let''s go!"

    From just behind her, two massive shadow beasts raised their heads and began to move forward in support of their master. The two of them weren''t technically supposed to have crafted their own pets, but they figured there was no better way to conduct their research than this, surely!?

    Not to mention, how were they supposed to properly train their skills and test the limits of their caste without their own pets? With such reasoning they had convinced themselves to not only create their own pets, but invest in them to an absurd degree, even giving up their own food to ensure the maximum amount of Biomass was received by their creations.

    "How far beneath the ground are we?" Ellie asked the scout who lead their procession into the narrow, upward sloping tunnel.

    "The chamber we just left is thirty metres down. The final staging chamber above us is ten metres below."

    "I''m surprised they were able to build so many tunnels without the ground copsing on our heads," Bemented.

    "The Carvers are beginning to unlock some truly impressive skills," the scout replied.

    The Carvers were proving their worth to the colony and every member of every caste approved of their work. Who could disapprove of such skilful digging?

    Through the soil there came a dull thudding sound as creatures above brawled back and forth. From the ceiling, dirt broke away and trickled down over the ants and shadow beasts that marched through the narrow tunnel.

    Up and up they went, following the winding path, like a spiral staircase through the cold, damp soil. The ants moved inplete silence, even more so than usual. The Shapers didn''t have much time to talk to each other and were engaged in mentalmunication with their pets, preparing them for what was toe.

    Soon they came to the staging chamber. Multiple tunnels, even narrower than that which they hade through, lined the walls.

    "Remember your number and head to the designated tunnel entrance. Pets first, shapers behind," hissed the guide.

    The ants began to move with greater urgency as the rumbling tter from overhead grew ever louder. Dirt fell regrly now, trickling over carapaces and irritating the ants by getting caught in the sensitive hairs on their antennae.

    It was made worse by the fact the ants were unable to stop and clean them in such narrow tunnels! It''d dy the ants behind them!

    Be ground her mandibles and resisted the powerful urge to clean herself.

    [Move up,] she told her two pets.

    [Hrmm,] they both grunted in reply.

    It was a shame that they''d reduced their intelligence to this extent, she reflected, it would be nice if they could hold a decent conversation. But, their battle prowess was what actually mattered and they''d done all they could to punch that up a level.

    Noise and heat grew as they drew closer to the surface. After a few short minutes the tunnel came to an end. Each of these short tunnels opened into a pitfall that was possibly already full of Biomass, they needed to copse the entrance with care.

    Be instructed her two pets in the lead to scrape away at the softened dirt wall with their ws until it crumbled away to reveal a grisly sight. The pitfall did indeed do its job and the bottoms of it was filled with Biomass. She bit back her hunger though, there was work to do. Since the opening of their tunnel was two metres above the bottom of the pitfall, her two pets were able to push their way out into the open, standing on the broken bodies of the monsters in the bottom of the pit.

    Light, heat and sound buffeted against Be as she crawled out into the open. Above her head the battle raged, monsters of the horde and even Garralosh spawn stood above, shoving and pushing each other as they attempted not to fall.

    Once she cleared the tunnel entrance, more Shapers and their pets followed until the bottom of the pitfall became dangerously overcrowded.

    "It''s time to go!" shouted Be, "let''s show them what the shapers can do!"

    "Charge!"

    Despite their surging spirits, the Shapers themselves did not charge. As members of the artisan caste, they were amongst the smallest of all the members of the colony and not well suited to directbat.

    But they enthusiastically cheered their pets on!

    Chaos already reigned on the battlefield. The ants had begun to pour down from the wall and take the fight to their hated foes, the Queen herself had leapt down and begun to charge her antennae with healing magic.

    At that exact moment, hundreds of raging shadow beasts erupted from within the pitfall traps and began to tear into every enemy they could reach with wild ferocity.

 Chapter 271 Mosh Pit

    <h4>Chapter 271 Mosh Pit </h4>

    The Queennded with a cmitous thud, several unfortunate monsters were crushed beneath her bulk or stabbed through by her legs as she fell. Her legs strained to the breaking point, but she absorbed the shock and ran forward, bulldozing her way toward the ce her wayward child fell.

    She reached deep into her healing mana nd and dragged the dense fog of energy out and into her antennae where it was amplified. More and more of her children were pouring off the wall and down into the crowded space. The melee was quickly bing out of control.

    Conflicting emotions battled in the Queen''s thorax. She feared for her family, she was terrified that they would suffer due to her actions. At the same time, she exulted. This was what she had been born to do, and her instincts were afire with joy. She turned her body and scythed through a raging bear with a single chomp of her razor sharp mandibles.

    System notifications rang within her mind but she paid them no attention. Her focus was on the healing energy building to a peak in her antennae. When she could contain it no more, the energy exploded outwards in a rolling nova of light that washed over the battlefield in an expanding ring.

    Only the ants were affected by this mana, and then felt its invigorating properties wash away their fatigue and ease their pain in an instant. Already filled with the burning rage and desperate anxiety that seeing their mother fighting on the frontlines caused, colony members of all castes were driven to a frenzy and threw themselves upon the enemy in groups, tearing their foes apart with their vicious jaws.

    After stomping her way another ten metres forward, the Queen stood over the healing body of the soldier who had leapt so energetically from her head. The ant in question was quite wounded, even in the short time she''d been submerged in the churning soup of monsters.

    "Did¡­ Did I win the battle?" she croaked.

    The Queen stood over the smaller ant and defended her space with savage chomps of her mandibles.

    "No child," the Queen responded, puzzled, "you must get up and fight"

    "¡­. Fine."

    At that time, hundreds of dark shadow monsters erupted from out of the pitfalls. In a nightmarish scene, the creatures reached out of the holes in the ground with their dark, shadowy arms and dragged struggling monsters down into the pit with them. It didn''t take long for the creatures to push their way out of the pits and begin to engage the monsters all around them.

    Then the Garralosh spawn arrived.

    mes belching from their open mouths, the giant crocodile monsters bounded forward to tear into the shadow pets and smaller battles broke out everywhere.

    "My Queen! Be careful!" Sloan had arrived next to her mother and couldn''t resist trying to caution her.

    "Don''t be ridiculous, Sloan!" Victor scoffed, "it''s a battle! Start worrying about yourself!"

    The Queen quite agreed with Victor at this point and turned her attention to the approaching crocodiles. These were the monsters who were responsible for bringing this battle to her family and she would delight in returning the pain to them.

    CLACK!

    The Queen snapped her mandibles shut with tremendous force. The sound cut through the noise of the battle with ease, a whip crack that punctured through the din. In front of her a wall of Crocodile flesh rose up and she began to step toward them. As she did, her carapace began to glow bright with energy that unfolded and epassed her entire body.

    As she gathered speed, the light built in intensity, the pure blue light of mana built to a brightness than almost pained the eye of the monsters forced to gaze upon her. She had no eyes for any of the smaller creatures that she crushed beneath her feet, she hungered to unleash her strength on those that had caused the conflict that had harmed so many of her children.

    Maybe if she were to destroy enough Garralosh spawn, then their mother would feel the pain.

    The crocodiles reared up before her and unleashed their ming breath. The energy that had rued in her carapace red brighter, warding off the damage and the Queen continued her assault.

    CHOMP!

    The moment the first was in range she lunged forward with her mandibles and crunched down on them. Her savage, barbed jaws crushed the creature and without pause the Queen swung her body to fling the Biomass away and free herself for another bite.

    [You have in level 8 Garralosh Betor.]

    [You have gained experience.]

    The system notifications rang in her mind but the Queen paid no attention. Atst she had the chance to seek retribution and she would seize it!

    "The Queen has gone in deep!" Sloan worried to Victor, her scent barely able to cut through the chaos of the battlefield.

    The Queen was barely visible to them now. She''d pushed forward beyond what any of the ants who were in position to support her could reach, beyond even the positions of the core shapers and their pets! If it weren''t for her glowing carapace that seemed to ward off damage somehow, they might not have been able to see her at all.

    "We have a task force for this," Victor reminded her sibling, frustrated. Did she really have to put up with Sloan''s anxiety here and now?! They were in a battlefield for the Eldest''s sake!

    Victor ducked back from a w that swiped in her direction and retaliated with a careful bite, aimed low to hamstring her hound-like opponent. Her jaws found purchase and she twisted her body to allow the mandibles to inflict maximum damage before she released her grip and leapt back, creating space for other ants to make use of the opening.

    "I don''t see them though?!" Sloan whined.

    "You want to go looking for Vibrant? Go then. The rest of us will just stay here and¡­ you know¡­ fight this battle."

    Not for the first time Victor was grateful that she didn''t need to use her mouth to talk like humans did. Ridiculous notion.

    "HI-Hi! Did someone call me!?"

    The scent arrived at just the same time as Vibrant did. Arge bulky soldier who could move with incredible speed, the two generals hadn''t seen hering in the slightest until she was on top of them.

    "Atst! You need to go protect the Queen!" Sloan shouted.

    Vibrant lifted her herself up to take a look.

    "Uhh. She looks like she''s doing pretty fine to me? And she glows! That''s so nice! Wow! What a bite!" Vibrant cheered her parent on with enthusiasm.

    A momentter, Vibrant''s personal followers had arrived. The twenty had been unable to exin why, but some ants feltpelled to follow the energetic leader, as if the colony were calling them to assist and aid her. The council weren''t going toin about it, Vibrant and her group did more work for the colony in the field than almost any others. They were a mixed team by now, soldiers and scouts mostly, but the odd ant mage and a healer mixed in for good measure.

    "Could you at least fight your way forward, so that she has a path of retreat?" Sloan begged.

    "Sure-sure! Sounds fun!"

    With that, Vibrant took off once more and her squad followed closely on her heels, wreaking havoc amongst the enemy as she raced forward.

 Chapter 272 Gotta go fast!

    <h4>Chapter 272 Gotta go fast! </h4>

    Vibrant was ted. After hunting and working right up until the battle had begun, she''d been told that she and her squad should rest so they''d be able to fight at their best when it mattered the most. Naturally she''d refused. Rest?! REST?! Laughable! With so much action going on, how could anyone possibly think to rest!?

    I mean, she''d hunted for food in the Dungeon, battled the endless waves of shadow beasts and creatures in wild conflict and then they''d dragged the Biomass back to the nest only to turn around and set out again once they''d gotten there. When they weren''t doing that, they''d been out harassing the horde in an endless series of hit and run attacks that had them fighting on the razors edge of life and death for hours on end. And they''d been doing those things for aboooooout. Three days straight?

    So maybe she''d needed a bit of a rest. Somewhat. When her healer had copsed in the ground, six legs syed in all directions and passed out, she''d been convinced. So the group had gathered together, watched over by a few diligent soldiers (who also had to miss out of the action,miserations were had) and rested in the Dungeon.

    She''d awoken a few hourster, recharged, refreshed and ready for action! She''d missed the start of the battle, but that was okay! She''d be able to make up for lost time if she fought fast enough!

    "Gogogogogogogogogogogogogogogo!" Sheughed and her squad followed behind her as they charged forward into the enemy at blinding speed.

    Vibrant had made sure that the first things she maxed out were her speed aura nd and the mutations on her legs. The thrill of running as fast as she possibly could was intoxicating. The wind in her antennae! The confused look on a monsters face as she ran past them. So funny!

    After following her for so long, her squad had be ustomed to living at a certain pace. She''d never asked them, but she assumed they enjoyed it just as much as she did.

    "Get'' em!" She hollered and they crashed into the ugly Croca-Beasts with a vengeance.

    "Aha!" She cheered as her first visceral chomp crashed down on one of the monsters her Senior hated so much. She wasn''t sure why the Senior hated them so much, but they sure did! Vibrant was only too happy to along with it.

    Acid flew over their heads and rained down on the crocs in front of them. The massive beasts retaliated with tremendous gouts of me that roared into the sky whilst others simply ignored it, they allowed the acid to fall upon their scales and continued to push forward to swipe and bite at any ant foolish enough to draw close.

    The battle was a cacophony of sensation to Vibrant and her mind swam with it. The smells, sights and sounds battered into her brain until she was giddy.

    Her followers, fifty of them now, dashed forward to support their leader as the she leapt into battle recklessly. ws raked along her side, great lines were gouged into her carapace and one of her antennae was near bitten off in just moments but Vibrant continued tough and push forward.

    Forward! Forward! Forward!

    Vibrant didn''t know any other way!

    She grew tired of being stuck in one ce in an instant. She didn''t want to stand here and go back and forth with these stupid Crocs! She wanted to run! Unable to contain herself any longer, Vibrant dug her ws into the soft ground and punched her legs down. She elerated in an instant, her six legs moved in a blinding rhythm that couldn''t be seen as she shifted herrge frame and blew past the crocodile before her.

    "Slow-Slow!" She teased as raced away.

    As her Senior had done in battle, she raced from fight to fight and aided her colony brethren in their struggles. The fight had been joined in earnest now and ants fought inrge groups against the monsters that pressed towards their home. The Garralosh spawn had reached the frontlines and the risk towards the ants had be magnified by a hundred times. Stronger and less stupid than the mindless, starved zombie monsters of the horde, the Croca-Beasts were cunning and brutal in their tactics.

    For the next five minutes, Vibrant was everywhere. She moved so quickly not even her own squad could keep up with her as she raced through the battle unimpeded. Her wounds piled up but she hardly noticed. This was exciting! So many powerful opponents in one ce made her heart pound deep inside her thorax as their auras washed over the field.

    She chomped a leg here, knocked a croc off bnce there, she danced through the chaos whilst refusing to stay in one ce and engage any one foe for too long. Large and highly evolved Crocs challenged her but she simplyughed in their faces and ran to another conflict.

    Further back, Grant kept her eyes on the sky.

    "I don''t see any storm clouds brewing," she noted.

    Mendant cked irritably.

    "Stay still while I''m healing you. If you''re going to get yourself near cut in half then the least you could do is not move when I''m putting you back together!"

    "Sorry, sister," Grant apologised.

    She thought her sibling was being a touch overdramatic, she wasn''t cut in half or anything like it! Whilst the healer continued to draw precious healing mana, augmented through her antennae and into Grant''s body, the soldier once more contemted the sky.

    When and where was the Kaarmodo going to strike? The Queen had quickly felt the wrath of the powerful mage when she had first appeared but she''d been on the field for nearly ten minutes and not a single spell had been sent her way There had to be a reason. Had something changed?

    "Do you have much mana sense?" Grant asked Mendant.

    "Would you shut up and stay still if I answer this question?" The healer replied.

    "Maybe," Grant hedged.

    Mendant scoffed a little before she replied.

    "Yes I do. The ambient mana is being sucked beyond the wall. We think that Garralosh is getting a top off before shees out."

    "What?!"

    THWACK!

    "Stay STILL, you idiot!" Mendant red.

    Grant slumped to the ground in agony. The healer hadn''t targeted her head with that strike but the wound instead.

    "I thought you were supposed to heal injuries," the soldier grumbled.

    "You running off and getting yourself killed doesn''t help the colony. The Generals have been told. The second she shows up, the retreat to the final wall will ur. Until then we fight it out here."

    "But what about the Queen?!"

    "She isn''t likely to listen to you, is she? The Eldest is going to be the only one who could get her to back off and hopefully they wake up soon."

    GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

    So deep it almost couldn''t be described as a sound the growl rumbled through the air and through the ground. Grant felt her carapace vibrate with the force of it.

    "Real soon."

 Chapter 273 Dreaming

    <h4>Chapter 273 Dreaming </h4>

    "Hi-Hi! How''s it going Mother? You can glow now? That''s cool! Can I glow someday, or is it a Queen thing?"

    The Queen didn''t have time to spare to turn to the babbling child who had appeared beside her. She was deep in battle with a colossal Garralosh Spawn, far taller than she was and the wounds on both sides had piled up. The creature leered with both its jaws as the Queen lowered her body to build the energy in her legs.

    GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

    It came again, that rumble that seemed to shake the world itself. There was hunger in it, the Queen could sense it. A vast hunger, appetite without end, and rage also. She had no idea what had driven the old monster to such anger but she cared little.

    "Someone sounds upset! I wonder why? Not enough Biomass maybe? That always annoyed me. The Senior used to stuff Biomass into my face all the time! Sometimes I wouldn''t be able to talk for hours! The Senior really wanted me to grow up strong!" Vibrant nattered.

    Somehow, the little soldier managed to dash back and forth as she battled at extreme speed, all whilst she talked at a constant, rapid speed. The Queen felt the faint beginnings of a headache. Distracted, she missed a dodge and a long armed swing from her opponent thundered into her side. Her mana enhanced carapace red and sparks flew as the ws prated the energy and gouged into her side.

    "Too slow! Gotta move faster than that, Mother!" Vibrantughed as she dashed forward.

    Before she could twitch an antennae, the smaller ant had appeared by the leg of her foe andtched on with her mandibles. She savaged the leg with all of her strength before she darted away and dodged a sweep of the monster''s tail.

    She wasn''t going to fall for that again!

    Seizing the moment, the Queen lunged forward and bulled her way into the face of the massive lizard. Knocked off bnce the creature roared with both its mouths but the Queen feinted high before she bit low, her mandibles dug deep into the torso.

    GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

    That rumble came again and every monster shivered as the air seemed to vibrate inside their lungs. Such a thing would terrify any normal creature, but the ants were indomitable. The aura released by the Queen pumped them full of energy and filled their hearts with thirst for battle. They continued to rush forward and tear into the enemy, their own wounds and safety a distant thought in their minds.

    The battle raged before the eighth wall. The ants threw themselves at the Garralosh spawn and the remnants of the horde with reckless abandon and wounds mounted on both sides. Even with the nking attack of the Shadow Beast pets, their superior teamwork, mage and healers, the ants were sustaining damage. Soldiers, scouts and more had begun to fall in increasing numbers but no backwards steps would be taken.

    The Queen fought at the front throughout it all, tireless and without peer on the field, she threw herself into the more powerful Garralosh Spawn over and over again. Supported by her children she was able toy many of them low, but they were many and she was but one. Even she began to g as her wounds began to mount.

    "The Queen''s started to struggle up there!" Advant shouted, "we need to get healers up there immediately!"

    "What healers?!" Grant called back, exhausted, "almost all of them are recharging their nds and cores. We just have to get up there somehow!"

    As the Queen battled and struggled, the ant''s ferocity rose to a fever pitch. Every time she was injured, it was as if the entire colony flinched before they hit back twice as hard. The core shapers themselves dared to rise out of the pitfalls and fight alongside their pets, mages poured out their mana, holding nothing in reserve. The fight became increasingly bloody on both sides.

    "She''sing!" the pheromone message smashed into Grant like a truck.

    "What?!" she called back.

    A scout raced up and down the line of battle as she repeated the same message again.

    "She''sing!"

    Grant froze for a moment. Her heart seemed to slow in her chest. The time hade. The white hot frenzy of the ants cooled as the message sank into their antennae and reality asserted itself.

    "RETREAT! Back to the final wall if you want to live!"

    Would the colony survive? Or would they perish here and now?

    "Someone has to go tell the Queen¡­." she muttered.

    But would the Queen retreat? Should she? If the Queen couldn''t fight off the beast, then none of them could.

    ---------------------------------------------

    This torpor felt different somehow. I wasn''t sure exactly what it was. I tried to put my feelers on it but thinking is difficult, elusive. My awareness is washing to and fro, separate pieces thate together only to float apart once more. It''s hard to think.

    Am I awake? Or is this a lucid dream?

    Something is different.

    Faint whispers tickle in the back of my mind. They creep up to my ears. Or antennae? I don''t know. Perhaps they speak straight into my thoughts? I don''t know. Strange whispers they are, indistinct and blurred, I can''t understand them fully. In some ways they are more like impulses or desires, but I feel that they are not my own. As time passes they be louder and there are more of them. They drag and pull at my skin. Or carapace? No. Deeper than that. A thousand tiny hooks that tug at my very soul.

    I feel helpless to answer them. I''m adrift in a dark river, distant from my own body and unable to react. I''m changing. I can feel it. Even as the whispers grew louder and my body shifted at the edge of my awareness, something more fundamental was changing. This was evolution.

    What did it mean to evolve? To change oneself in a physical sense? I had thought that was the case. Even as I float, half asleep, I can still tell that this is different. This is deeper. The longer it goes on, the more my mind wants to sink, to fall into the centre and stay there. Why move? When I move, things are destroyed. Better to be still and quiet.

    Stop whispering to me. Stop pulling at me. I want to sleep.

    But I can''t. The hooks are insistent. Each moment that passes they drag me a little further out of the river and closer to shore. A thousand hooks and a thousand voices, each with their own particr tug and tone. Over time my mind and my bodye back together, to meet once more in the middle. The light came back to my eyes, so slowly.

    I''m so hungry, yet, and it''s the strangest thing, on the inside, I feel so full. The whispers are louder now. Insistent and desperate. They need me, very much. They need me, and so I will go. The call alone is enough for me.

    With great care, I lift a leg, then another, then another, until all six were positioned around me. Then I pushed, and the blood began to flow through my body once more. Mana sputtered to life inside my core and began to trickle out through my veins and then further, to seep into every fibre of me.

    But still the whispers, still the hooks with their endless pull. It isn''t pain I feel, when they drag at my heart, but something far worse. I need to go to them.

    I''ming. I''m awake.

 Chapter 274 Stand Against

    <h4>Chapter 274 Stand Against </h4>

    "Vibrant! We need to get to the Queen!" Grant punched out her pheromone message with all of her strength.

    "Wha? To Mother? Why?" The fast moving ant slowed down for just a moment to respond.

    "Garralosh ising to the wall! We need to bring her back a bit closer to the nest. Heal her if we can!"

    "Okay! :D" Vibrant replied.

    Grant was frustrated by her sibling''s seemingly flippant attitude but bit back her anger and tried to focus. For the colony to have the highest chance of sess, the n needed to be followed. Draw the Queen back to the eighth wall and she can fight against Garralosh there.

    If they did that, then maybe they would buy enough time for the Eldest to awaken and then perhaps they might just survive.

    "How fast are you?!" Vibrant asked.

    "Fast enough," Grant grit her mandibles and replied.

    "Then let''s go! Follow me!" Vibrant chirped before she turned around and ran toward a member of her squad.

    "Give us a boost!" She called and the soldier in question ducked her head to allow Vibrant to race up onto her back.

    Bewildered, Grant had only a moment to think before she threw herself forward and she too leapt from the poor soldier''s back.

    "Gogogogogogo!" Vibrant cackled as her legs shed at impossible speed and she took off across the backs of ants and monsters alike, racing toward the ce the Queen was fighting.

    This is insane! Grant could only sharpen her mind and race forward, trying to maintain her bnce as she dodged snapping jaws, belched mes and raking ws as she scrambled to keep up.

    "Hahahahaha!" Vibrantughed with delight and began to fire acid into the crowd of monsters beneath her as she ran.

    Grant cursed. Since she was behind the other ant, this only made keeping up all the harder!

    Nheless, they made it. Vibrant flung herself from a monster and onto the still glowing carapace of the Queen, followed a few momentster by Grant.

    "Mother!" Grant pushed out, exhausted. "Garralosh herself ising! The colony is going to pull back to the eighth wall. You need toe with us!"

    "I can see the creature already, child." The Queen sounded exhausted, but calm.

    What?

    Grant scrabbled a little higher up her mother''s back and looked out over the roiling mass of monsters. The entire battlefield was a mess. Biomass, broken walls spread before her like a carpet. The ground was pockmarked with holes, traps and to her right she could see the human wall beset by Garralosh spawn. The fighting was fierce, but it didn''t hold Grant''s eye for long. The slow approach of the titanic crocodile did that.

    Unhurried, her mouth gaped open to reveal her enormous teeth in a cruel grin, Garralosh stomped her way forward. Every time one of her feet came down the ground groaned beneath her weight. Any Biomass she stepped on was crushed to paste. The giant crocodile looked inevitable, like a mountain of scales and teeth. Her ws gleamed, each looked hard as diamond and as thick as Grant''s own head.

    How were they supposed to kill that?!

    "That''s a big Croca! Like, the biggest! Look at those teeth! They''d chop me in half with one bite, no doubt! I wonder how she tastes?" Vibrant continued to talk in a constant stream.

    "Pull back to the wall, Mother! The colony will be able to support you from there, and you can get healing!" Grant pleaded.

    The Queen''s antennae drooped.

    "Very well, child."

    Having made up her mind, the Queen didn''t hesitate and turned. Under the influence of Vibrant''s speed aura, she made excellent time as she stomped her way through the field, stabbing down with her legs to spear monsters on the way. The closer she came to the wall, the more ants swarmed around her. They feasted on any enemy that was foolish enough toe too close and when the Queen reached the base of the final wall, she allowed herself a moment to rest.

    The pressure from the horde and the Garralosh spawn had begun to ck as their mother approached. Thergest Crocs were the first to pull back, followed by their younger siblings and then the horde monsters. The prepared barrage of the artillery spells and interference tactics of the shadow beasts were almost unnecessary as the colony enacted its final retreat.

    Healers, fresh from the nest, rushed forward to tend to her wounds and try to restore her energy. A dozen of the small ants climbed over her, their antennae glowing bright with energy as they touched the healing mana to her carapace.

    The Queen checked on her core and sighed. She had begun to run low on mana. Her infused carapace put a great deal of strain on her core and it wouldn''t be long until she leached out enough energy to cause pain. Hopefully her fight with Garralosh would be swift.

    The ants once more employed their acid barrage from the top of their final wall. The encroaching Garralosh spawn suffered from the rain of acid, the numerous traps and the sneak attacks from Shadow Beast petsunched from hidden tunnels in the soil.

    CRUNCH.

    Like a nightmare made into flesh, a giant, wed hand reached over the wall. ws dug into the packed dirt and muscles bunched as the mother of crocodiles pulled her massive frame over the seventh wall. She slowly swung her head to regard the finalyer of defence, as well as the towering nest behind it, before she pulled the rest of her body up onto the wall.

    The Garralosh spawn shrank back in the presence of their parent. Whether through fear, respect, or if they were cowed by the crushing aura that she emitted. The ants grew still as their nemesis drew closer. After a week of frenzied battle and preparation, she was finally here, before them.

    Even from a distance of one hundred metres, it was clear to see that Garralosh towered over the Queen. Even without standing up, the Croc was far more massive than thergest ant in the colony. It was clear the enormous beast felt no threat from the colony in front of her. She opened her mouth a huffed, an action which caused dark red mes to flicker in the depths of her gullet.

    As stillness overcame the battlefield, Garralosh stepped forward at a slow pace. The ants on the wall held firm. The crushing aura and presence of the most powerful monster they''d ever seen weighed down on them, tried to press them into the dirt, but they would not sumb. The colony stood tall, as one, and faced down the demon who had decided that they should die.

    Up on the wall, Sloan was calm.

    "Let''s get into the bunkers then. It won''t be long until we get to see the mother Croc''s fire."

    "Good idea," Victor agreed.

    Scout ants began to run up and down the line as they passed along the message. Ants scurried to protect themselves. They threw themselves into prepared bunkers or behind walls in anticipation of Garralosh unleashing her mes.

    The Queen was toorge for such measures. She readied herself for the onught, unaware of the dozen water mages on the wall behind her, ready to lend what aid they could.

    Garralosh seemed to watch the flurry of activity with amusement. As if ying with her food, the massive beast continued to take slow measured steps toward the Queen. mes licked against her teeth with every step but the anticipated roar of me never came. Instead, the looming pressure grew each moment as the nightmare beast approached.

    The Queen had had enough.

    CLACK!

    With a fierce snap of her mandibles she charged as the light in her carapace red to its brightest point.

    HUFF, HUFF, HUFF.

    Air whooshed from the titanic lungs of the Croc, creating a breeze strong enough for the ants to feel fifty metres away. Garralosh wasughing.

 Chapter 275 Shaping Up

    <h4>Chapter 275 Shaping Up </h4>

    The Queen of the colony charged toward her muchrger foe, her momentum built with each step. To the ants on the wall, she looked majestic, a shining beacon of strength that attacked with grace and courage.

    But the closer she drew to Garralosh, the more hopeless it looked. Garralosh was a mountain of a monster, easily twice the Queen''s length and perhaps as much as ten times the mass. What could she hope to do?

    Unable to contain herself, Grant scrambled to keep up with her mother''s courageous charge. What she could do to assist in this battle, she didn''t know, but fear had taken a grip on her heart. She could not sit back and watch her mother die.

    The ants on the wall poked their noses out from behind their earthworks and scrambled to assist their parent in the battle. Scouts and magesunched a ferocious barrage of magic and acid that soared through the air to rain down on the beast. The colony unleashed it''s firepower on the massive monster and Garralosh ignored it all. Her sunken red eyes were locked on the Queen as she approached and even though her scales steamed from acid burn she did not react.

    When the Queen drew within twenty metres she stopped on the spot and unleashed her acid spray for the second time. A deluge of acid in a concentrated jet erupted from her mouth and she sted the hated monster before her in the face. The barrage continued for a full minute, the massive figure of Garralosh almostpletely obscured beneath the mes and steam.

    The temperature began to rise. The bubbling acid hissed and steam belched into the sky faster and faster as time wore on. The Queen could feel the heat as it buffeted her carapace and dried her eyes. Something was wrong. She backed up a few steps as her acid spray ran dry. She remained watchful, on edge as the massive form of Garralosh remained hidden behind the mist.

    Thud. Thud.

    Like a mountain that had begun to walk, the beast stepped forward, no sign of haste evident in her movements. The Queen was wary. She doubted something as old and sessful as Garralosh could possibly be this slow. She kept her legs tensed as she watched her enemy approach.

    Garralosh'' scales burned a deep orange. Her enormous snout came into view first. The scales atop her jaw were no longer the deep green that they had been before. Instead, they have turned orange, streaked with violent shades of red that pulsed underneath. The air rippled as it heated and the shape of the giant monster became further distorted in the haze.

    The temperature was intense. The Queen backed away as Garralosh approached. The heat was so thick she could feel it even through her mana infused carapace. Were she to charge forward, she may take damage just from the air itself.

    But, ultimately, she had no choice. If she were not tomit to the battle, there were no others in the colony who could. Thankfully her children were not incapable. The fire mages ceased their activities as they could see it had little effect. Instead, the water mages stepped up and began to coborate in small teams. In moments, spires of twisting water rose into the sky and speared down toward the hulking beast.

    When the water mmed home, an explosion of steam followed, and the Queen sensed her time hade. She assumed the beast would be blinded, and she dashed to one side, her mandibles opened wide as she closed on what she felt would be where Garralosh''s nk would be.

    CHOMP!

    The Queen regretted, not for the first time, that she hadn''t taken more time to raise her skills. Her experience came mostly in the form of almost dead monsters her children brought to her. Most of the time she hadn''t even bothered to use a skill when she''d finished them. A waste.

    Her mandibles glowed bright with the power of her stamina and lunged forward.

    CLANK!

    Only to bounce off, as if she had bitten something harder than mana infused stone. The Queen rattled her body to shake off the stunned, sore feeling that blossomed in the muscles of her face and lunged forward again.

    CHOMP!

    CLANK!

    The scales were just too hard! She couldn''t get through!

    TSSSSSSS.

    The Queen noticed the tips of her mandibles had begun to steam and pain radiated from them as they burned. The Queen was undeterred. Pain wouldn''t not be enough to stop her, only death would suffice for that. Garralosh turnedzily, under no threat from the assault of this small ant.

    The Queen was unwilling to allow the giant beast to turn and face her directly, so again she dashed, further this time. If the nk was too thick, perhaps there would be a weakness further back, at the tail. The Queen bit down with all her strength on the tail, almost as thick as her own body. Again, the scales proved too durable. Frustrated, the Queen bit down again, but Garralosh moved.

    The tail, which had driftedzily in the air only a moment before, snapped out like lightning. The Queen didn''t have time to react before it crashed into her infused carapace. One moment she had lunged forward, the next she spun through the air andnded heavily over ten metres away with a boom. Dirt flew into the air where the Queennded and the ants on the wall nearly lost their minds.

    To see the Queen under assault in this way was unbearable. Their minds boiled with rage and their hearts demanded vengeance, their instincts made war on their intellect. They knew that there was nothing they could do to harm the mother crocodile in directbat. The Soldiers could attack her with all their might and Garralosh could sleep through it, her scales were impervious to their bites. She could ignore the fire magic, dissolve the water magic, even the shadow beast pets had no hope of causing an injury.

    All they could do was get in their mother''s way and cause her pain as Garralosh destroyed them with ease. They might have gone anyway, charged forward into suicidal danger, they''d done it before after all. But somehow they felt that their hopes were being listened to, that someone woulde for them. So they stayed back.

    Even the monsters of the horde, and the Garralosh spawn, pulled back to allow their mother her fun. The horde was but a tattered remnant of its former self and even the numbers of the Croca beasts had been thinned, brought low by the fury of the colony.

    The Queen pushed herself up once again and drew on the strength of her evolution. She couldn''t afford to hesitate anymore. From deep within the nest, where the Brood Tenders cared for the brood, to the thousands who lined the walls of the colony and huddled in bunkers, the Queen pulled on the strength of her children, and began to grow.

 Chapter 276 Stay Away

    <h4>Chapter 276 Stay Away </h4>

    The Queen felt herself growrger as she borrowed the strength of her children. The ants could feel themselves be diminished, but they allowed it willingly. They would sacrifice far more for their Queen, this was nothing to them.

    Garralosh watched from the ce she had struck the Queen, that powerful tail once more swungzily through the air as she watched her prey with cruel eyes. She moved slowly, unhurried. Every movement of the giant monster gave the impression of power and confidence. Even as the weakling before her grewrger, she felt no threat.

    The Mother of the colony was concerned. Her core had begun to run low. The Queen had poured out all of her mana to empower her carapace and now she had spent much of what remained to activate this feature of her War Queen evolution. She had gained two main things when she evolved. First, the aura to empower and drive her children in battle, and second, the ability to gain strength from those she had birthed herself.

    She grew until she was half again asrge as she had been. She took a moment to steady herself and then charged.

    CRASH!

    She mmed into the side of the giant croc and felt the creature shift, ever so slightly. The Queen was encouraged and once more opened her jaws wide.

    CHOMP!

    CRUNCH!

    Her mandibles closed with shattering force and the sound of something cracking rose in the air. The Queen pulled back to take in the damage of her assault. Before her eyes, a single, glowing scale now sported a crack, several inches deep.

    She sensed danger and leapt, pushed down with all six legs. Garralosh, irritated by the damage caused to one of her scales, finally moved. Her head snapped around with blinding speed and her colossal jaws snapped shut where the Queen had been just moments before.

    The Queen settled herself before a blinding pain rocked her head. Her antenna! Between the teeth of Garralosh dangled a singr antennae, so small and tiny in those jaws. The Croc snapped her jaws again and the organ was gone. Biomass for the great beast.

    HUFF, HUFF!

    Garralosh chuffed herughter once more. Air swirled around her as she did so, as if a titan had gripped a bellows.

    The pain could be ignored. The threat to her family could not. The Queen pushed her suffering to one side and once more stalked on her six legs around Garralosh. Grant despaired. The Queen had grown to be the secondrgest monster she had ever seen. A titanic ant who wouldn''t be able to fit within the nest, even after they''d modified it for her evolution! Even with her strength increased to such a degree, she still couldn''t prate the defences of that monster!

    Even if the Eldest were to awaken, what could they do?! A lower tier than the Queen, with none of her physical strength, would they be able to cause a wound to this creature? Would the colony really die this day?

    Perhaps they should have run. They should have hidden themselves away. Would Garralosh really have pursued them? Perhaps, if the colony had given up the humans, then Garralosh would have left them alone? Would that have been eptable?

    For the first time, she felt doubt. She herself had run forward to assist the Queen, but now that she was here, what could she do? She could only watch, and try not to get in the way, as the Queen battled on behalf of her family.

    The Queen herself had not given up. Whatever damage she was able to do would aid her most troublesome child when they came out to fight. Every second she fought drained not only her own core, but that of the beast as well. Each moment she endured was a small victory. She would fight for as long as she could, until death imed her. She could only believe that the troublesome one would be able to finish the work that she could not.

    That child¡­ Full of strange ideas and dispensing such careless wonders. With such a leader, the Queen felt certain the colony would survive without her.

    And so she would hold nothing back!

    With a silent cry, the Queen dashed forward once more! She pulled greater strength from her children, which caused her core to begin to sputter and blink as the final wisps of mana were drained from it.

    Stillrger she grew, and as she drew near, Garralosh opened her great mouth wide in delight. Would this prey give a proper struggle? It had been so long¡­

    A low growl rumbled in the back of the monster''s throat and shook the air once more, but the Queen paid no heed. She would strike a blow here for her children, nothing could shake her indomitable will. Again, Garralosh, who had returned to moving in herzy, unfocused way, elerated with shocking speed for a monster of her size, snapped forward, her jagged teeth shing in the sun.

    The Queen had anticipated it, and once again leapt, her momentum carried her forward and over the body of the beast, away from that deadly maw. Shended heavily on the other side of her foe and immediately ttened herself against the ground as that massive tail swiped through the air above her. Dirt sted into the air from the wind of the strike, dirtying the antennae of the ants on the wall.

    But the mother of the colony had no time to clean her remaining antenna, before Garralosh could reposition her tail, the Queen had already struck.

    CHOMP!

    With the strength of her whole body behind the strike, the Queen chomped down on her hated enemy.

    CRUNCH!

    And this time, she broke through. Hot blood sizzled as it flew into the air and the Queen felt a surge of wild joy as she felt the scales crumple beneath her mandibles and the soft flesh underneath.

    GRRRR!

    Garralosh rumbled a growl, not in pain but anger! How long since she''d suffered a wound? Prey should know its ce! The great monster struck out with her second arm closest to the Queen and knocked the puny insect backward a few metres. The Queen scrambled to regain her footing, there would surely be a follow uping.

    Quick as a snake, Garralosh whipped her head around, her throat contorted as if it had be engorged from within.

    "Mother! Time to move!" Vibrant said.

    The smaller ant had zipped into the battle without the Queen having noticed her move. She was grateful that her daughter had made a move however, as a momentter she dashed to one side just that tiny bit faster due to Vibrant''s aura.

    Just in time. Garralosh''s grossly bulged throat gave way to her open maw and from between her jaws spewed a st of boiling magma. The air itself hissed and steamed as the temperature soared. Garralosh shifted her head and lunged forward again as she unleashed another st of liquid rock. The Queen shifted her position desperately but even with Vibrant assisting she wasn''t able to avoid the sshespletely.

    The magma sizzled into her infused carapace which caused the Queen to ck her mandibles in pain. Hot! She backtracked quickly to put some distance between herself and the beast. When she tried to steady her footing, she slumped to the ground.

    Shocked, the Queen checked her condition and with dismay realised that her core was empty! Crippling pain exploded through her body and she writhed in ce on the ground. The ants on the wall froze in horror as their mother appeared unable to move.

    The Garralosh spawn who watched from a distance grinned malicious grins as drool dripped from their elongated teeth. y time may be over atst, time for the feast to begin.

    Garralosh herself leered hungrily at her fallen opponent. She swallowed the magma that had rued in her gullet and began to stomp toward the Queen, her mouth open in a horrific crocodilic grin. Now she would feast, then she would burn the nest to g, send her children in to purge it of the meddlesome insects and then she would crush the humans beneath her feet. Then her revenge would beplete. With each step she loomed closer to the ant Queen until she was nearly on top of her, a delicious morsel.

    In that moment, when delightful images of her victory rolled through the mind of the great Croc, she failed to sense the dense magic that came her way. A roiling sphere of immense power that mmed into her side and expanded into a vortex of death that attempted to crush her body to pieces.

    HORRRRRRRRRR!!!

    Garralosh roared in pain and tried to fling herself to one side. To her shock, she found even her own boundless strength wasn''t enough to escape the pull of this vile magic! She dug her ws into the soft earth and scrambled to avoid the damage that rent her side.

    For the ants on the wall, that spell was a wee sight, and so were the pheromones they hearding from behind them.

    "Get away from her you BITCH!"

 Chapter 277 The Paragonâ€™s fight

    <h4>Chapter 277 The Paragon''s fight </h4>

    How long have I been asleep?! Just what on earth went on around here?! From the mound of the nest the surrounding area is aplete disaster zone! The rings of walls the colony had worked so hard to build are in ruins, smashed apart and, in ces, the dirt walls had copsed to create wide ramparts that had be covered in fallen monsters.

    In fact, just about everything I could see was covered in Biomass. Holy moly! Just how many enemies had they managed to kill whilst I was sleeping? Judging by the thick carpet of remains that I see spread before me over the ground, just about all of them! This much Biomass will feed the colony for ages! We could triple our numbers if we manage to shovel all of this into the Queen.

    Actually, speaking of the Queen¡­.

    Gotta get down there!

    Garralosh is scrabbling in the dirt as she tries to escape the howling vortex that is my Gravity Bomb. Good luck with that you mega lizard. If I''d had enough time I''d have condensed it and maybe you''d be dead already. My three sub minds begin to weave together another one as I concentrate on my rush to the front line. I need to get down there before my spell is finished.

    "Eldest, you''re awake!" Sloan appears at my side to say.

    "Obviously! What the hell is going on? What happened to the Queen?"

    "She''s been fighting Garralosh for a few minutes. The creature is too powerful for us, we could only try and support her from a distance. I think her core has run out of mana!"

    I cursed.

    "I''ll get down there and distract the fat Croc. When you get a chance, get down there and get Mother out. You understand me?"

    "Of course, Eldest! Good luck!"

    I''m gonna need it¡­

    As they saw me, the rest of the colony had to chip in their ten cents.

    "Finally awake, Eldest?"

    "The cker has arrived! We''ve been doing all the work!"

    "Shove some Biomass in it you lot," I grumbled, "I''m here now, aren''t I?"

    "Barely in time! Work hard, Eldest!"

    "Show them what the colony is made of, Eldest!"

    As I speed past the ants who huddle at the wall, I can feel them tug at me through my new nd. It''s a bit¡­ disconcerting. I don''t really understand what it means and, to be honest, I''m still struggling to adapt to my new body! My status has undergone a massive change, I''m more than twice my previous size for starts! In fact, I''d say I''m even a bit bigger than the Queen was before she evolved, but still smaller than afterwards. Which means I''m running aroundrger than a mini bus. I''d estimate my size at over two metres tall and six metres long. That change is¡­. Abrupt! I''m not used to this size! I''m freakin'' huge now! The other ants look tiny as I skitter over their heads.

    The moment I woke up and got moving I took a peek at my status and the change is stunning.

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 1 (Special core) (V)

    Might: 91

    Toughness: 79

    Cunning: 64

    Will: 45

    HP: 159/159

    MP: 250/250

    Skills:

    General:

    Expert Excavation (III) Level 5; Advanced Grip (II) Level 6; Advanced Stealth (II) Level 9; Tunnel Map (II) Level 6; Expert Cerebral Endurance (III) Level 19; Expert Stamina (III) Level 5; Profound Meditation (III) Level 10; Flicker Dash (III) Level 2;

    Mana:

    Mana Transformation (III) Level 13; Condensed Mana (III) Level 7; Finer External Mana Maniption (III) Level 8; Mana Coveter (III) Level 1; Expert Water Magic Affinity (III) Level 3; Enhanced Mind Magic Affinity (II) level 7; Empowered Mana Sensing (II) Level 9;

    Pet:

    Distant Pet Communication (II) Level 5; Core Surgery (III) Level 6; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 1;

    Defensive:

    Expert Exo-Skeleton Defence (III) level 14;

    Offensive:

    Deadly Acid Shot (III) Level 7; Advanced Precise Shooting (II) Level 8; Omen Bite (IV);

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Perimeter Eyes +15, Future Sight Infrared Antennae +15;

    Defence:

    True Diamond Carapace +15, Supportive Inner Carapace ting +15;

    Physical:

    Rapid Absorption Legs +15, Empowered Mandibles +15, Regrowth Regeneration nd +15, Loquacious Pheromone nd +15, Stomach, Muscture, Sub-Neural Network;

    Acid:

    Mana Binding Acid +15, Acid Nozzle, Acid Concentration nd, Acid Stimtion nd;

    Mental:

    Adaptable Coordination Cortex +15;

    Mana:

    Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +15, Collective Will Vestibule +3;

    Species: Juvenile Colony Paragon (Formica Sapiens)

    Skill points: 9

    Biomass: 0

    I put all of the Biomass I had avable and took my Vestibule to +3. If anything is going to help me out in this fight, it''s going to be that. Then I bought my fusion bite skill for nine(!!) skill points. I''m banking a lot on that skill, I''m not confident I can break through that damn Crocs scales without a truly epic skill!

    When I reach the wall and fling myself off it, to my shock I find that my three sub brains have alreadypleted a Gravity Bomb. Far from a maximum power one, but I''ll take it! The first spell has begun to flicker and die so the timing is perfect!

    Fire!

    HOOOOWLLLL!

    Another spinning, dark purple sphere of death erupted from my mouth and sped straight toward Garralosh''s monstrous bulk. She seems distracted, since she fails to dodge and the spell strikes home again! Gweheheheheh! Take that you stupid lizard! Feel the superiority of ant-kind with your own body!

    Man, my brains have really taken a step forward! With each of them gaining more ''grunt'' in the form of buffed stats, and the addition of the third, more powerful sub-brain, coupled with the multiplicative effect of the coordination cortex allowing them to achieve more together than they could apart, they are really proving some serious worth!

    Now that I''m this close to Garralosh I''ll need to be careful with Gravity Bombs for a time. I switch the pilot sub brain into forming a Mind Magic Array and put the other two to the task of forming gravity bolts. If Garralosh wants to be the heaviest monster around, I can make that wishe true¡­

    "Hi-Hi, Senior!"

    "Vibrant? Why are you down here?"

    "Helping, of course! Did you have a good sleep?"

    "I think I slept a little too well¡­"

    "It''s been booooring without you here. Are you gonna fight?"

    "Well¡­. Yeah? Think you can stick around? I could use your speed."

    "Everyone needs more speed!" she giggled and dashed behind me.

    "First thing''s first, we need to cover for the Queen until the others can get her out."

    I dash forward to reach the Queen''s side. On the sidelines the Croca-Beasts stand in a wide semi-circle around their mother. They appear angry, hungry but somehow, in the eyes of the more evolved ones, I can see their unshakable confidence. They''ve never seen their mother lose and they don''t think they''re about to see it happen now. I suspect that unless Garralosh asks them to intervene in her fight, then they won''t.

    I can use that.

    "Troublesome child."

    The warm scent of the Queen wash over my antennae as she greets me.

    "Hi there, Mother, how''s the battle going?" I try to be flippant but I can''t help but show my relief that she is still alright.

    "Better, now that you are here. I ¡­ can no longer fight."

    "You did your bit, now it''s my turn. The others are going to get you out of here, any second now."

    Even when I look back at the wall, I can''t see any activity there. Where is the rescue party?! They must be up to something, no chance they''d leave mother down here to die.

    "Time to get to work then!" I said.

    I left my mother and ran to engage the humongous Croc from another angle. Her scales are glowing orange?! Is that normal? Damn, it''s hot! This is going to limit my acid options¡­

    No matter! I can make it work!

    With my mind magic array ready to go I fire off my prepared Gravity bolts, focusing both spells on one of Garralosh''s feet and begin to weave a mind bridge towards her.

    Let''s see what goes on in the mind of a former human who turned into a giant lizard!

 Chapter 278 Twisted Mind

    <h4>Chapter 278 Twisted Mind </h4>

    I wove the bridge deftly and with incredible ease, the likes of which I hadn''t felt before. The extra stats flexed their muscles here, the Cunning allowing me toprehend and visualise theplex patterns with so much more rity, the Will allowing me to handle the mana and direct it to my wishes much easier.

    It''s so nice!

    When the bridge connects atst, my second Gravity Bomb has flickered out of existence and an extremelyrge, angry Crocodile is staring at me with pure rage in her eyes. Across her nk and toward her back leg there are chunks of flesh missing, carved out of her by the crushing force of gravity. The blood that leaks from the wounds sizzles into the vapour in an instant due to the incredible heat emanating from her body. Before I can try and speak to her, I notice her throat bulge impressively and I think it''s time to motor.

    "Vibrant! You still with me?"

    "Yup-Yup! Ready to roll!"

    "Great, let''s move!"

    DASH!

    As I dashed away and tried to circle around the massive croc a huge gout of magma erupted from her mouth andnded behind me. HOT! Seriously hot! Lava now?! Is that the next level after me? Weren''t happy with the super-hot coloured mes were you? Needed to take it to the next level? Sheesh!

    Garralosh began to twist her body with shocking speed and the pressure of her magma spray increased exponentially all of a sudden. Hotve flew at my face and I had to jump! My legs push down hard and I fly into the air as the spray of magma hit the ground right where I''d been.

    Yikes!

    She''s a lot quicker than she looks! I should have expected that, to be honest. She didn''t live this long and get as strong as she did without having a couple of tricks up her sleeve¡­ Scales¡­ whatever.

    [So how does it feel to get this old?] I ask her.

    [KILL! HATE! CRUSH! KILL! HATE! CRUSH! KILL! HATE! CRUSH! KILL! HATE! CRUSH! KILL! HATE! CRUSH!] a deep and powerful voice raged in my mind.

    Ooookay!

    Near bottomless depths of anger, fear and thirst for killing wash back against my thoughts through the mind bridge. Holy moly, her mind is a freakin mess. I''m not sure what I expected to find in there. A former human, thrown into the Dungeon and forced to live as a crocodile monster for over a hundred years, it would mess up a lot of people. But there is chaos in there. She''spletely nuts!

    [Uh¡­ How''s Crocodile life?]

    [DIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!]

    [So¡­ not great then?]

    I''m starting to think I''m lucky to get words of any sort out of her at all. Thank goodness for mind magic. Not that I thought talking her down would ever work, but I''m starting to think nomunication at all is going to be possible.

    Instead, I''ll divert my energy to more standard tactics. My sub brains begin to craft horrible experiences and sensory tricks to send through the bridge and I devote my main mind to concentrate on the fight.

    "Still here Vibrant?"

    "It''s hot, but I''m fine!"

    She''s way faster than me, no chance she gets hit.

    "Stick with me but don''t get too close, alright? It''s going to get hairy!"

    It may have been unfortunate what happened to you, Garralosh, but I''m not going to hold back just because you were a human once! I gather my strength and dash once more, this time I don''t head around the enormous enemy, but straight toward her.

    My nerves are firing on all cylinders and my antennae are ring warnings at me. The glimpse of the future I can see isn''t pleasant! My enhanced nervous system fires so fast my brain barely has time to register before my body has begun moving. So quick! I throw myself to the left just in time to avoid a powerful burst ofva from that cavernous maw in front of me.

    That''s one huge mouth! She could fit Tiny in there standing up! I shiver. Good thing I told my pets to hang back. Tiny would get carried away and eaten in about five seconds I think, and I doubt Crinis could do anything to this monster anyway. She''s just too damn tough.

    My legs scrabble beneath me and I throw myself forward again closing in on the beast. Thatst dodge has thrown me off targeting her wounded side, I''ll have to make do with the healthy side. I zip past the open maw and slip past her front leg when my antennae res a warning at me once more.

    She''s crafty!

    To my mind''s eye I can ''see'' her middle leg rise, ws grasping to stomp down at my head. I roll left again, putting myself underneath her torso just as the w stomps down, sting a cloud of dust into the air from the sheer force of it.

    BOOM!

    If I got hit by that I''d be a pancake! I''d pop like a balloon! Just what are her stats like, anyway! I roll myself back the other way and spin my body to angle my head properly. I sure as heck hope that this skill proves to be worth it. Rank four fused skill. The bite of destiny! Those searing scales burn before me as I make a small prayer to the pearlescent sheen of the great Gandalf''s beard and activate my new skill.

    OMEN CHOMP!

    I worked so hard for this damn skill. Please be awesome, please be awesome.

    The moment I activate it, I feel that something is different. My stamina depletes by a massive chunk all at once, enough to make me stagger as the drain leaves me light headed for a brief moment. But that doesn''t stop the skill from executing. The jaws of light that would normally appear and extend my range do not manifest. Instead, the jaws are dark and full of foreboding. Two metres beyond the reach of my own mandibles, they extend outwards and appear as a horrific mash of all three of my old bite skillsbined.

    Sharp, for piercing armour, ded for cutting flesh, and t to crush and crack, they are a nightmare of different surfaces designed to do nasty things to ces monsters would rather not have nasty things happen to. I plunge forward with my head and those mighty jaws close on the fearsome scales of Garralosh!

    SCREEEECH!

    Sparks fly as my mandibles grate along the scales, leaving deep trenches cut into them before halfway through my bite motion, the ''teeth'' find a better purchase.

    CRUNCH!

    It''s a special feeling, when the enemies defences crumble before the incredible might of your face hands. Even if my face feels like it''s on fire, and my mandibles are starting to smoke, the sensation of the scales cracking and splintering before my might is a delight!

    Not for Garralosh though, obviously.

    "GROOOWWLLLL!"

    She ''aint happy.

 Chapter 279 Communal Will

    <h4>Chapter 279 Communal Will </h4>

    I revel in my triumphant bite for a fraction of a second too long. Even the tingle of my antennae and a lightning quick response isn''t enough topletely save me from the retaliatory sweep of Garralosh''s mid leg. It''s hard to twist an ant body. Hard in the sense that you can''t do it. So she clips me on the way through and all of a sudden I find myself airborne.

    Ouch! That stings!

    How much HP did I even lose just then? Thirty?! She barely touched me!

    THUD!

    Ind in a heap and quickly scramble to get back on my legs and running. I don''t want to stand still with this massive Croc on my case! With Vibrant nearby, all my movements are that tiny bit sharper and that makes all the difference when Garralosh dashed toward me.

    Let me tell you. Watching somethingrge move fast, is kinda weird. Tiny with his fancy feet, which he uses to move with a lightness and delicacy that an over three metre tall gori has no business moving with. Even that sight pales inparison to seeing Garralosh dash.

    The Croc must weigh as much as a truck, if not more. Even lying down she''s absurdly taller than I am, and the sheer mass of her is ridiculous. But clearly she''s been working on her skills over her long life, since she essentially teleports in front of me, her jaws shing before my eyes.

    DODGE!

    HOLY MACKEREL, DODGE!

    SNAP!

    My legs explode with energy and I throw my body to one side so hard I can''t evennd and instead roll end over end before I can get my feet underneath me. So scary! She''s so damn quick!

    AH! AGAIN!

    Without pause, Garralosh uses her dash once more to appear directly in front of my face!

    MOVE IT OR LOSE IT ANTHONY!

    I swear to Gandalf, if I check the menuter and realise there''s a dodge skill I never bought I''m gonna kick myself right in the abdomen!

    I scramble my legs beneath me again and push with all my strength and I nearly make it. One leg gets caught in those cavernous jaws and pain rockets up my front left leg as half of it is simply gone. Even as the pain rocks my head I can''t sit still. I smash together a mental illusion with my sub-brains and m it across the mental bridge and I blindly dodge once more.

    I know she''sing for me, I can feel it!

    It works! In the mind of the giant Croc, she gets an image of my dodging to the left but instead I fling myself to the right and she takes the bait, her indescribable jaws m shut where I''m not and I take a moment to elerate away to get some distance.

    Gravity bolts!

    Mentally I inspect the damage as my sub-brains try to slow down that stupidly fast monster with a few gravity bolts to help weight her down. My poor leg! It hurts like fire! Holy heck! Not to mention I''m already feeling tired from the constant dashing and the one use of my all new, all powerful bite skill. The effect was great but the stamina cost was real!

    Actually¡­ I''m not as tired as I should be?

    Without the benefit of three sixty degree vision, it takes Garralosh a precious second to locate my new position and she rumbles with anger once she spots me.

    [Had enough yet?!]

    [CRUSHCRUSHCRUSHCRUSHCRUSHCRUSHCRUSHCRUSHCRUSHCRUSHCRUSHCRUSHCRUSH]

    [Calm down! Sheesh!]

    Her mind still boils with red rage. I can''t get any sense of the human who was once inside, only a cruel beast of anger and hate. Only one thing for me to do¡­ turn and run! Dash! I need to buy myself a little more time in order to figure this out.

    Why am I not tired!?

    In fact, my HP is also increasing?! What''s going on?! Deep inside me, an outpouring of energy is happening. A continuous flow that seems to pour into both my stamina and my health, filling up my depleted stocks even as they start to drain. What''s the source?

    I can feel it. The whispers, the hooks, the tugging, the energy. It''s alling from the Collective Will Vestibule! The faith of the ants is being transformed into regenerative energy! It''s flooding into me! It''s still not enough to regenerate my leg in time¡­

    Activate the regeneration nd!

    As the nd empties itself and its healing fluids flood my system, my limb begins to regrow at a visible pace. Not to mention the cracks I collected in my carapace after getting hit start to close over. Then, to my shock, I feel the energy flooding from my Collective Will Vestibule and into my regeneration nd, refilling it at an insane speed!

    Holy Moly! This is powerful stuff!

    POW! POW!

    My trusty sub-brains have been pumping out the Gravity Bolts and I manage to smack the big Croc with two more. Hopefully that can help slow down her insane speed!

    The remarkable effects of the Vestibule are shocking to me. If it can replenish my stamina, refresh my organs and heal me, then can''t I fight for¡­ almost indefinitely?! And if the amount of energy I get scales with the number of ants¡­ this could get out of control, real fast.

    Have¡­ Have I finally be awesome?! Well, defeating the giant Croc would be one way to find out¡­ Let''s have at it!

    [Ready to surrender yet?!]

    Whates back across the mind bridge couldn''t really be described as words, but rather a psychic st of a boundless hunger for violence. Garralosh doesn''t seem to have had any chill time in thest hundred years. Her mind is aplete mess. I can sense that she is being dragged in many directions, pulled this way and that by the System, by her own mad desires and by the struggle to survive. It''d be nice if I could help her, but she feels way too far gone for that.

    With me having put a little range between the two of us, Garralosh''s throat bulges as she once again brings up magma from wherever the heck she is storing it inside her body. I only need ten more seconds for my leg toe back, I''ll just have to hang on until then.

    In order to facilitate my dodging, I start to weave together more mental distractions to torment my foe. I decide to take a slightly different tack this time, and I weave an illusion with elements from earth in it. Let''s see how she reacts to this!

 Chapter 280 Attack the mind

    <h4>Chapter 280 Attack the mind </h4>

    Perhaps, somewhere deep inside the leathery hide and muscle bound physique, there still exists the person Garralosh was before she came here. Maybe I can shock her with an image, or sensation. It''s been a heck of a long time since she came here, but it might get some response. If it distracts her for a couple of seconds, I''ll be happy!

    So as the mountain-like Crocodile prepared to charge me once more, I spun together the first sensation I could think of from my past life on Earth. Ice Cream. It''s pretty universal, right? It''s possible she never ate it, but maybe she saw it at least, or was aware of it. I gotta try something!

    Dash!

    Rumbling with anger, Garralosh dashed toward me her enormous jaws wide open to snap down on me. Those are some serious jaws! I swear she could snap a megalodon in half with one bite. Thanks to my antennae, and her avenue of attack beingpletely predictable, I manage to dash to one side. Sadly, I lose my bnce due to not having all of my legs.

    Yikes!

    Quick! Hit her with the Ice Cream! My minds m the prepared stimuli across the mind bridge and hammer it into that raging mind. The cold sensation on the tongue, the creamy rich texture, the curled sphere of a scoop. Every aspect of ice cream I could think of I bundled together and threw it at her.

    And she froze.

    NICE!

    Dash! With Vibrant tailing behind me, I dash on an angle to try and get behind the beast. Anything to get me away from that mouth! Come on leg, how much longer! I can see the flesh extending down, the w beginning to form at the end at a ridiculous speed. It itches like mad, but not nearly as terrible as mutating. A few more seconds and I''ll be good to go!

    But wait. She''s still not moving? This could be a chance! A few moments have passed and Garralosh is still frozen in ce, perfectly still. Since I''m this close, I might as well get a quick chomp in! I change the direction of my dash to bring me a little closer to her body and position myself near the base of her tail.

    Omen Chomp!

    Once more, my stamina drains precipitously and the dark mandibles of energy manifest themselves to tear into Garralosh''s body.

    CRUNCH!

    And once more a wound is struck! Her scales are so thick that even with my extended mandibles, I can barely reach through them to the muscle beneath, but reach it I do. With a satisfying tear, I can see the damage has been done and immediately sprint away to get more distance.

    GROOOOWWWL!

    My bite has snapped Garralosh from her reverie, and she turns toward me, a glowing ball of raging fire in Crocodile shape. Luckily I have a few things going for me at this point. One, my leg has been reformed, and second, I have a new mental package to send her.

    The speed at which my brains can weave this stuff together is truly incredible. Evolutionary energy well spent! All around us I see the battlefield hade to aplete stop. The Croca-Beasts in all their forms remain poised away from the wall. Growling they snap their jaws and flex their ws as they watch their mother fight. Hundreds of them stand together in this way, an intimidating sight, to say the least.

    On the ant side, they have poked their heads up and I can see thousands of them staring down at me as I fight. Are any of them going toe down for the Queen?! Actually, what the heck is happening to the Queen?! I can barely see her now, it appears as if she''s sinking into the ground! Oh, they''re digging underneath her! Smart. She''s already more than half underground at this point, a minute or two more and they''ll be able to drag her deeper into the Dungeon to recharge her energy.

    Other than that, the only ants near me are Vibrant and... is that Grant? Close to the wall but not quite in its shade, the soldier is hesitating, caught between her desire to help and the certain knowledge she would get in the way.

    Get back to the wall you idiot!

    But I don''t have time to worry about the spectators, I need to worry about the ant in more direct danger. Namely, me.

    [Not a fan of Ice Cream then?] I ask Garralosh.

    [DON''T] she screamed back.

    Uh.

    [Don''t what?!] I ask, confused.

    [DON''T.]

    Not sure how to take that. Let''s discuss again after I hit you with this one. Before she can dash, cough up pureva or do anything else that might snuff out my life, I smack her right in the frontal lobe with another Earth memory I have.

    Birthday cake.

    Flickering candles, cream, icing and the sponginess of a good cake. This one was a little harder for me, since I don''t remember having my own birthday cake at any point, but I did eat a few when I was first in school. The teacher would bring out a cake for each student on their birthday. Quite a shock to me, I''d never heard of anything like it, but the fun of it, the song and taste stayed with me.

    About to dash forward, saliva dripping from between her gigantic teeth, Garralosh stumbles and her chest smashes into the ground. The Croca-Beasts watching from the sidelines fell silent as they saw the rare sight of their mother stumble, even the slightest. I''m sure that to those idiotic beasts, their mother, to them, must appear as an all-powerful existence. To see her fall must be quite the shock.

    It''s definitely getting to her! Who''d have thought that she would still have these memories buried deep in that skull of hers. I''m not going to let this chance go by. Once again with all six legs, it''s time to dash!

    Unleash the Omen Chomp!

    As I position myself to deliver another savage bite, a st of anguish smacks me over the mind bridge. Garralosh is screaming.

    [DON''T MAKE ME REMEMBER!]

    Uhh, what? Bitte for that I''m afraid!

    CHOMP!

    CRUNCH!

    Once more, the scales shatter and flesh tears as my mandibles dig deep into the body of Garralosh and she howls in pain.

    [Remember what?] I ask.

    [STOP IT!]

    Don''t think I have an option to stop, actually. In fact, I''ve got another one in the chamber and ready to go. This is something that I''ve actually missed from the old life. Something simple but I feel like it''ll have an impact.

    Bed.

 Chapter 281 Itâ€™s getting hot!

    <h4>Chapter 281 It''s getting hot! </h4>

    Beds are wonderful things, don''t you think? Especially if you have a good one. My family had never shown me affection in any meaningful way, but I did have decent stuff. At least, I did until the collectors got hold of me. My bed had given me the wee andfort that was missing from everywhere else in my home. Warm, snug, safe. My head resting on a soft pillow, the reassuring weight of sheets and nkets. It had been my sanctuary. A vessel that could carry me out of my life, away from the rejection, harsh words and angry eyes. How bad can life be when you have afortable bed? Probably terrible, but hey, I have my own policy.

    I had to wonder if Garralosh had felt the same way, in her past life. Gandalf, the System, said that all of us were a little odd, in our lives, which was why we were chosen. Perhaps this would be amon thread between us. Or at least, increase the thread count¡­ heh.

    As the increasingly irate crocodile prepared to attack once more, I hit her right in the face with all of my most fluffy bed time memories. Sinking into a mattress, drowsy with sleep, cool sheets covering me and my pyjamas. Pyjamas! Damn I miss Pyjamas. Why the hell didn''t I wear them all the time? Superior to regr clothes in every respect!

    Ah!

    I let myself get distracted by my own mental attack! How''s Garralosh responding? The giant crocodile has faltered once more and I take the opportunity for another cheeky Omen Chomp! The mountainous reptile is missing a few chunks from various ces and ichor is steaming off her still burning scales. The hiss and bubble of it is a constant background noise in the battle at this point.

    CHOMP!

    Take that! In fact, she still isn''t responding, I''ll take a chance and go for a sneaky second chomp, inflict some of that deep damage.

    CHOMP!

    The hit to my stamina is massive but the outpouring of energy from the Vestibule replenishes me. The Will of the colony is bing my strength! Already my health is near full again and the regeneration nd is nearly ready to go once more. This is insane!

    A wall of anguish ms into my mind, stunning me for a short moment. A snap. She''s not happy!

    [STOP BRINGING IT BACK!] she screamed and then promptly exploded.

    Not literally exploded in the ''flesh flew everywhere'' kind of way. But power and heat burst from her in a cmitous wave of rolling fire that blew me backwards and gave me a thorough roasting at the same time. I felt pain erupt all over my frame as my carapace began to sizzle, the organs and muscle beneath rising to a temperature they don''t like to operate at. I''m a smoking ruin of an ant! She did that in an instant!

    "Vibrant! Are you alright?"

    "Fine-fine! I''m too fast!"

    "HCK! Good for you¡­"

    I cough and a small cloud of smoke is spat out of my mouth. I need healing! I activate my healing nd once more, the precious healing fluid that built up since myst use began to flood into my system once more. Only half of a full dose, but I''ll take what I can get!

    My vision is hazy as the wall of fire that rolled over me toasted my vision to a degree, but the mind bridge is painting a picture of what Garralosh is doing right now.

    She is full of rage, thrashing and wing at the dirt, snapping at the air. Tons and tons of reptileshing out with all her strength is a heck of thing to be close to. Her anger is cataclysmic. The ground shakes and the air is filled with the sound of her fury. She''s like a natural disaster made manifest, a titan, something primordial from before the gods were born.

    All I can do is try to keep my feet and scramble back to create some distance as I heal up. I really need to thank the unshakeable faith the colony has in me at this point, as their energy continues to flood my body, healing me and restoring my reserves. I''m not sure why they have faith in me right now, I''m not sure I would!

    My eyese back into focus and I can see Garralosh in all her fury. Her eyes are mad with rage as she unleashes her terrifying strength in an uncontrolled frenzy. So strong is she that her strikes into the ground are causing shockwaves that are copsing the colony''s tunnels beneath us. Long sections of ground fall straight down to create troughs and trenches where before there was only t earth.

    She''s not liking this! I would go so far as to say that she''s really hating it!

    ¡­

    I should keep going!

    My sub-brains continue to churn out magic. The most powerful of them is maintaining and operating the mind magic construct on its own as the other two cooperate to weave together the sensations and illusions. It appears as if the Vestibule is also supporting my brains as even they seem to be holding up under the strain of constant spell weaving admirably well. The vestibule is the gift that keeps on giving!

    The ground around Garralosh is destroyed, burnt and thrashed into a mess and she doesn''t look like she''s going to stop any time soon. With Vibrant behind me, keeping her speed aura covering me, I decide to go in once more. I need to take every opportunity to do damage!

    As I dash forward I smack her with more memories from Earth. C. Fast food. Couches. Television. Sport. Anything I think she might be able to remember, anything that might disrupt her thinking.

    As the barrage of mind magic ms home, I maintain a little distance, just in case she decides to explode again, but she doesn''t. I''ll have to take a chance. I dash in once again.

    CHOMP! CHOMP!

    At this close range I decide to take a risk and try something different. I raise my abdomen up and lower the front sections of my body to improve the angle and expose my business district! Even with just this position I can easily fire my acid straight forward thanks to my new additions!

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    I rapid fire a few sts of my new and improved merchandise straight into the wounds I just caused before I turn and dash as fast as I can away. I can see the ripple of pain run through the enormous frame of Garralosh as the acid begins to eat into her. Why isn''t she healing herself? She must have a healing nd of some description, surely¡­

    All the while I continue to send a constant stream of mind magic across the bridge. Any impression, any thought or sensation that might work, I package it up and st it across. I can feel it impact against her mind, also. Each time the magic hits home her thoughts shudder away from it, desperately trying to protect herself from remembering what her life had been like.

    But then something changed. Her mind opened up, reached out across the mind bridge and seized hold of mine. I felt like a mouse gripped in the fist of a gori. What the hell is happening?! She battered me with her pain and fury, turning her madness into a weapon that she used to beat me right in the mind.

    You want to y this way?! I doubt you know mind magic like I do! If she''s going to open herself up to me like this, then I''m going to step on through!

    All four of my minds switched focus and my body grewpletely still for a second as I spun together a spell of incredibleplexity. When it was finished it appeared like a ship woven together of spider thread. I put myself aboard andunched it across the bridge, straight into the mind of maddened Croc.

 Chapter 282 The person within

    <h4>Chapter 282 The person within </h4>

    I''d not attempted this spell before, but I''d known how to do it since my mind magic affinity skill had ranked up. Essentially, the spell allowed the wielder to invade the mind of the other. Garralosh had almost sessfully done something simr with pure, raw emotion, but my attempt was more sophisticated. Since she had opened herself up by exploding across the bridge, I''d be a fool to throw away the opportunity. Matching the titanic croc physically was impossible, I needed to use other methods and this could be my silver bullet.

    Borne on a gleaming craft of pure mind mana, my consciousness crossed the bridge and plunged deep into the turbulent waters of Garalosh''s mind. It''s a weird sensation, I have to say. My body fades away from my thoughts and I no longer receive feeling or sensation from it, the pains aches and general rush of sensory information is gone and the universe turns ck.

    Then like a diver knifing into water I pierce the barrier around my enemies thoughts and I''m beset on all sides by her emotions. Let me get this out of the way. She''s nuts. It''s madness in here! All around I sense violent, roiling emotions that smash into the spell that shields my mind. shes of memory appear and disappear with explosive speed, each one a shard that stabs toward me in an attempt to hurt and maim.

    I see Garralosh,rge and powerful, feasting on the broken remains of a gigantic, multi-headed centipede. Wounds cover her frame but the exultation of victory burns in her chest as she gulps down the Biomass.

    A sh and then another memory surfaces.

    Croca-Beasts quiver in fear as I look down on them through their mother''s eyes. All she feels is rage, hunger and drag on her soul that never seems to cease. Beneath her front feet, pinned to the floor is amander, heavily wounded. With a savage twist of her ws, its life is over and it''s time to feast.

    A human wields a massive axe like an extension of his own body, his movements powerful and fluid. He''s impossibly strong and batters Garralosh away when she pushes close. Her mind is afire with hate and a desperate, frantic yearning. She''s so close. The deep tunnels are just beyond her reach! With sh, the human vanishes from her sight but an explosion of pain shatters her mind and looking down, one of her limbs is gone.

    I shove these memory shards away and push deeper, my spell plunges further into the recesses of her mind. I feel like a ship''s captain sailing directly into the teeth of a hurricane. The further I go, the more her memories batter me and try to drag me down. But I press forward. If I can get deep enough I can seize her mind. In the best case scenario I''ll be able to seize control of her body. She won''t be able to move a muscle whilst I chop her down. It''s risky, but any way of fighting her is risky!

    Deeper still.

    A giant lizard with attendants on either side stands fearlessly before her might. An offer is made, a bargain is struck. Garralosh can barely understand it, her mind no longer used to moving in such convoluted ways. She needs to eat. She needs to go deeper. That is all she can understand.

    Deeper.

    My perception grows darker as I descend, like a stone sinking to the bottom of a pond. More memories assault me. Endless scenes of hunting, of killing and feasting. I see Garralosh grow younger and younger as I go further back. Less evolved, smaller. Desperate battle after desperate battle shes past. Her life an endless stream of fights where her life was on the line. She was wounded severely countless times, but always emerged victorious.

    I can feel my vessel starting to crack under the pressure, but I don''t think I can go back. Would the spell even make it? I don''t know! Part of me is worried, but the other part has be fascinated by the incredible scenes I''m seeing. I want to know more!

    Deeper still!

    There are other memories beginning to surface now. Long buried, they are washed out and faded. Perhaps only my mental assault was able to bring these out at all. How long had it been since Garralosh thought of herself as a human? Perhaps at some point she had simply begun to imagine that she had never had another life, that she had always been a monster.

    But deep in her mind, she remembers.

    I see a girl, a young woman really. Perhaps in her twenties? There is anger and fear in her. Sheshes out, a knife in her hand. Red sshes and she runs,ughing, crying. She doesn''t get far, she''s cornered. They''re angry, but she doesn''t care. She tries to push through. ck.

    Even further back.

    She''s younger now. It looks like she''s in a school? I can see kids in uniforms, regr ssrooms. It''s confusing. It doesn''t look as if Garralosh lived on Earth much earlier than I did. Things look outdated, sure. I don''t see anyputers. But it isn''t as if it''s the eighteen hundreds or anything. More like the eighties¡­

    Yikes! Judging by that guys hair, this has to be the eighties. That''s weird! Does this mean time flows differently between Pangera and Earth? Or perhaps our souls have been held by the System, unconscious in a state of limbo until we get seeded into the Dungeon? Maybe I died and just slept for hundreds of years!

    Focus Anthony. Got stuff to do right now. Have the existential crisester.

    The world through Garralosh''s eyes is grey, isted and threatening. She flinches away from people. Except when theye for her, then she moves toward. I can see why Gandalf made her a crocodile. Her bite was pretty savage even as a human¡­. Yeouch.

    The fatigue is real. It''s been a desperate struggle to get this far and frankly, if it weren''t for the support of the Collective Will Vestibule, still trickling energy into me, I''d be in far worse shape.

    But I''ve made it. Hovering before me in the dark is a sphere of pure white. I reach out, and I seize it.

    [You really should''ve spent some more points on Will.]

    My advice doesn''t seem to go down too well. The thing that embodies Garralosh in this strange nk space we find ourselves in, thrashes and twists like a mad thing in my grasp, desperate to rend, to tear, to bite!

    [Steady now,] Imand and bring my mind to bear to force her to be still.

    She fights me the whole way. Even after I manage to get her still, she still writhes with rebellious energy. How long has it been, I wonder, since she wasn''t in control?

    [Let''s have a chat.]

 Chapter 283 Dialogue

    <h4>Chapter 283 Dialogue </h4>

    I''m not sure what I expected, honestly. Here in the base of Garralosh''s psyche, I kind of thought I''d be talking to a person. Instead, her mind is represented by an amorphous shifting mass that is at any one time part human, part crocodile, part Escher painting.

    [I WILL KILL YOU.]

    Good start!

    [You do a lot of that. Killing I mean. Why do you have such a grudge against the people up here anyway?]

    [THEY HURT ME.]

    When shemunicates, it''s like a psychic scream that punches into my mind with brute force. Unpleasant, to say the least.

    [How the hell did a bunch of farmers and townsfolk hurt you? They could barely hurt me!]

    [NOT THEM. OTHER''S. VENGEANCE.]

    So¡­. To get back at the person who had chopped off her arm, she annihted a kingdom full of innocent people. Yeesh.

    [So, care to exin that dragging feeling I noticed in your memories?]

    The second I mention it, her struggles double in intensity and my mind starts to ache under the strain of pinning her down.

    [GET OUT OF MY HEAD!]

    [No.]

    Once again I''m able to master her, my will is superior. Neglecting her mental stats is proving to be a grievous error. I suspect the Karmodo has done a fair bit of mind magic on her and she doesn''t even remember it. I can only imagine the Lizard Wizard would have magnitudes for control and finesse than I do. I barely know what I''m doing!

    [THE PULL. I EVOLVED TOO MUCH. TOO FAST. I WAS CALLED TO THE CENTER. OTHERS LIKE ME. ALL DEEPER.]

    Called? By the System? Or something else?

    [You don''t like remembering that you were human do you? Tried pretty damn hard to suppress it. Must have been part of what kept you¡­ sane-ish. Even a cruddy life as a human was better than being a monster in the Dungeon I suppose.]

    [DON''T WANT TO REMEMBER.]

    [Yeah, I know. I''m not minding it so much, you know. Then again, I''ve always sort of gone with the flow. The constant danger and the threat of death isn''t great, don''t get me wrong, but it''s nice to feel like I have a purpose, you know?]

    [NO.]

    [Fair enough. So what was the n in the end? You came to the surface, destroyed a kingdom, maybe two, and then what?]

    [PULL THEM AWAY. BREAK THROUGH. KILL.]

    [Always the killing with you. It''s never, just ''kick back and rx'' or ''vacation from murder'', just kill, kill, kill. What about my colony then, huh? What about us? We never did squat to you!]

    [KILLED MY CHILDREN.]

    [They tried to kill me first, to be fair.]

    [THEY ARE MINE. THEY ARE FOR ME.]

    [In what sense? Wait, I''m not sure I want to know.]

    I honestly thought the mind of Garralosh would be¡­ more than this. She''s super old! More than a century! Maybe even two! Where''s the umted wisdom of the ages? I suppose, if you spend all your time sunk in a brutal, animalistic fog of fighting and eating, your mind doesn''t exactly develop a great deal.

    She''s a mass of instincts and emotions. There isn''t much left of the human inside. Just enough for me to taunt her with, basically.

    As fun and interesting as the conversation is, and I do genuinely want to learn more about this once human turned murder lizard, it''s mainly a distraction for the careful spell I''ve been weaving. Here in this ce, time isn''t passing on the outside, at least, that''s how I understand it. I''ve been in Garralosh''s head for a minute or two but probably only a few seconds have passed on the outside. My goal is to try and bind her mind from her body, to trap her awareness here in this mental space, so that I can inflict lethal damage before she manages to free herself.

    Not exactly a glorious victory, but I''ll take what I can get!

    So even as Imunicate, the careful weave of my spell continues. A cage. A prison of mind magic that will bind this weak mind from its decidedly not weak body. Mind magic is so damn useful, who''d have thought?!

    [What happened to you, huh? You were a human being at one stage. I get you felt like embracing your new life here, I can rte to that, believe me, but mass destruction? Seems a little off the deep end, doesn''t it?]

    [NO ONE CAN STAND IN MY WAY!]

    [Well¡­ obviously, they can. It already happened.]

    [I''LL KILL THEM!]

    [Yeesh. Back to this.]

    Distantly, I can feel my brains working that sweet, sweet mana with all the grace and dexterity they can summon. The cage is rapidly taking shape.

    [I WILL KILL YOU. I WILL EAT YOU!] Garralosh began roaring at me, her words a psychic barrage of madness. [I WILL KILL ALL OF YOU. ALL OF THE INSECTS WILL BE CRUSHED BENEATH MY FEET. I WILL CONSUME THE HUMANS AND TURN THEM INTO MORE OF MY KIND. THEN I WILL DESCEND AND THERE WILL BE DEATH. I WILL SLAUGHTER EVERYTHING I SEE UNTIL I FIND THE THING THAT BROUGHT ME HERE AND I WILL KILL IT!]

    Whoa there!

    Along with her assault she once again tried to break loose from my control but I hold on for dear life. My mind strains to the breaking point, the very fabric of my minding apart at the seams as her desperate insanity gives the beast new strength. We fight a silent, mental war for a few minutes but I manage to subdue her once again. Come on, cage! I need you now!

    [So you''ve spoken to Gandalf, then? Err.. The System I mean?] I gasp out.

    [FOR WHAT I HAVE SUFFERED, I WILL KILL THAT CREATURE A THOUSAND TIMES.]

    Holy moly. Got some serious rage issues here. Not entirely unjustified, I suppose. It doesn''t sound as if Garralosh has truly enjoyed her second life experience. One out of five stars, wouldn''t stay again. My spell has almostpleted. Just need to keep her talking a bit longer.

    [One quick question. I know you don''t want to remember, but I can''t help but be curious. My name''s Anthony, by the way. I''ve kept that name from my old life. May as well, right? Do you remember your name? From ¡­ before?]

    I''m not sure what I expected from the twisting, amorphous blob of rage that is Garralosh''s mind as a response. Perhaps she would fly off the handle again, or go nuts in some other way. Instead, she grows still. I can feel her searching. Reaching back into memories she''d long forgotten she had. It''s as if, once I asked her, she had to try and remember.

    Not that get an answer. Cage is ready to go! Finally! Enjoy jail!

    BAM!

    Wait. Why am I the one that''s locked up.

    [You have done enough here, insect.]

    What in the jimminy''s!? A new voice speaks from nowhere, shocking me right down to mymercial zone. Unlike the mind of Garralosh, which is shallow, but wild and unruly, this one feels still, and old, and strong.

    [Uh. Mr Kaarmodo, sir, I presume?]

    I get a chuckle out of it for that. Desperate, I attempt to free myself from its grasp, but much as I had held Garralosh, I am now held. How the heck did the wizard lizard even follow me in here! Did he craft a bridge to Garralosh and follow me in¡­ or¡­

    Oh snap.

    Did he have a bridge connected to me the whole time and concealed it from me?! That''s freakin'' scary!

    [So uh. Heck of a time to intervene in the battle. I really had her on the ropes you know¡­ Any chance you''ll let me finish the job? Fair and square and all that.]

    I can feel a gentle probing from the alien mind as it considers my words and investigates my mental projection.

    [You are like her,] wonder and confusion fills the voice, [you are not from this ce.]

    [Nope. 100% imported goods. Does that mean anything?]

    [It means everything.]

    A pause. That strange, powerful mind turns slowly as the Kaarmodo ponders. For my part, I''m freakin'' out! I''m literally at the mercy of the Wizard Lizard! Stay cool, Anthony. Lizards can smell fear!

    [I had decided that I would not interfere much in your confrontation with Garralosh. Should she emerge triumphant on her own, that would prove her worth. But when the opportunity came to take revenge on the creature who slew my Setsh, I could not resist. Now. Hmmmm. I will let you go. I can say that I have aided Garralosh as I was instructed to do. That is enough.]

    [Well that''s great. Good choice! I''m behind thispletely. Let us both out and we can go back to fighting, all even.]

    [Not quite even.]

    A cold sh of reptilian anger.

    [I let her out a few moments ago.]

    My awareness ms back into my body and the light returns to my eyes and I see a giant tail descend toward my face.

    Well nards¡­

 Chapter 284 Sacrifice

    <h4>Chapter 284 Sacrifice </h4>

    That crafty leather faced lizard! He''d let Garralosh regain control of her body a few seconds before me! Now I''m deep in brown town! My enhanced neuralwork fires at a speed beyond what would normally be possible and I''m dodging before my brain can fully process what has urred.

    Synapses spark, muscles fire and I fly to the right as mountain crushing might of that tail falls down on me like a meteor. My eyes are filled with burning scales and all sound fades from my ears. Heat is all my antennae can sense and the brief glimpse into the future is giving me confusing signals. The tail is obviously my main concern but something is alsoing from my left? I don''t know! It does seem clear on one thing though.

    I''m not going to make it.

    Dammit, dammit, dammit! I can''t fail here. Not now! That damned wizard lizard isn''t going to get the best of me! Each of my four minds frantically spins to try ande up with something, anything that might get my oversized backside out of this predicament, but Ie up empty.

    BAM!

    As the devastating tail of Garralosh is brushing against my antennae and about to crush my face, something, or somethings, smash into me. I get pushed twice, once on the side, and once from below, almost simultaneously. My carapace cracks a little under the strain and pain radiates out from the injury and I lurch to one side.

    BOOM!

    Like a mountain copsing, the tail of my enemy crushes the ground, sending dirt flying into the air. My left side is still caught by the strike and my carapace explodes in pain as part of my body squishes in a very unpleasant way. My organs! My precious organs! And my legs? Forget ''em! Stupid stick-like ant legs!

    Before Garralosh can recover, I throw my dignity to the wind, tuck what''s left of my legs and roll like a tumbleweed, scrabbling to put some distance between us. My health has been cut in half by that one strike, even the diamond carapace not able to withstand the devastating power of that strike.

    Her mind may be weak but her body is OP. Way too OP!

    As I frantically discharge my healing organ once more, desperate to fix my legs and injured body, I notice Vibrant is caught up with me, sprawled on the ground by my side.

    "Vibrant?" I sputter. Talking hurts. Everything hurts.

    For once, the hyper-active ant is quiet.

    Not far away, Garralosh appears to be going mad. She raises her tail and repeatedly smashes it into the ground in an uncontrolled frenzy, causing the ground to shake with her rage.

    "You weren''t moving! Both of you went still and we weren''t sure what was going on! We tried to make sure you were okay, and then the fat croc started moving, but you didn''t! We had to get Senior out of the way!"

    "We?"

    "..."

    Where''s Grant?

    That stupid soldier had been down from the wall during the entire battle. She''d been wanting to help, I could see it in every line of her body. I''d hoped she would see some sense and retreat. She was supposed to retreat!

    "Vibrant? Where is she? WHERE THE HELL IS GRANT?"

    "Look out!"

    Garralosh wasn''t willing to wait for me. She cast her head around until she saw her strike had failed. A choking roar burst from her throat as she dashes madly toward me. Reason and thought are gone from her eyes, only insanity and rage remain.

    At this moment, I can''t bring myself to care about the human inside the monster. She''s going down. At this point the mind bridge has outlived its usefulness. With Garralosh in a frenzy, she is sending waves of aggression and lunacy across, assaulting my thoughts every second. Even if I try to send distractions to her, I doubt they''ll register. Time to drop it and move to more aggressive forms of magic.

    The gigantic beast charges towards me in a mindless rage, any semnce of cunning or thought gone from her actions. Her ws tear great rents in the earth as she carves the ground apart to fling herself forward that little bit faster.

    Need to dodge! Now!

    Trying to match the timing, I wait until thest moment before I throw myself to one side. Without the use of all of my limbs, I can only get so far and Vibrant lunges forward to bite down on my legs and try to haul me clear. It''s almost enough. I catch a battering from one of her legs as the giant beast barrels past me, snapping at the air like a wild beast. More HP gone. The Vestibule is helping with a constant trickle of healing energy, but it''s going to take too long. I need to end this fight, and soon!

    I''ll need to slow Garralosh down if I''m to have a hope ofsting for that much time. It''s time for some serious Gravity magic. I can only hope the Kaarmodo feels he''s interfered enough to satisfy whatever reptilian sense of duty he has. I don''t have the capacity to deal with both giant lizards at once right now.

    All four of my minds devote all of their attention to the task. My Gravity Mana nd is suddenly seized by four separate wills and mana begins to pour out at an unprecedented speed. The mana is gathered together and then crushed, held in ce by my indomitable will, fuelled by my grief and rage. I will not yield to Garralosh, the Kaarmodo, and I will certainly not yield to my own mana!

    Crush! More mana floods out and I seize it and force it to obey. As if I were crushing a bowling ball with my bare hands, I grip the rapidly condensing sphere of pure energy and tighten my hold, crushing it smaller and smaller each moment. The mana roils and spasms in my grip, trying to break free, to escape my containment, but I refuse to let go. The sphere of energy grows darker each second as I push my brains to the limit.

    Naturally, this means I can''t spare the attention to know when Garralosh is about to eat me.

    Vaguely I sense the giant beast turn, her movements feral and wild, as she tries to control her momentum and direct it into another charge. Saliva sizzles in her mouth and boils on the ground where it drips freely from between her teeth.

    "Tell me when to dodge, Vibrant!"

    "Wha-what!?"

    "JUST TELL ME WHEN TO DODGE!"

    Perhaps it''s stupid, but this is all I can do right now. Everything is being poured into this. Dammit! The mana isn''t flowing fast enough! The Gravity Bomb isn''t going to be ready by the time Garralosh reaches me. If I throw everything I have into preparing the spell, it might be ready before she gets to me the next time. It''ll have to be. With a little luck, I''ll be able to hit her before she gets too close and I get sucked in too.

    This is no small Gravity Bomb. I''m going all out. Nothing else will satisfy my rage.

 Chapter 285 The Boom Times

    <h4>Chapter 285 The Boom Times </h4>

    Grant had always been a quiet one, even when I''d trained her. I wasn''t shocked at all when she''d evolved into a Soldier, low-key dedication to the colony was always her way. As I watch Garralosh charge once more in an unthinking mad frenzy, I feel so lost, that such a bright and promising member of the colony, of the council, would fall to such a creature.

    Former human? Who cares if she was a former human? Grant was my sibling, a member of the same family. Her life was ten thousand times more meaningful that of this bloodthirsty crocodile.

    The momentum that Garralosh builds is terrifying. All that weight, all that mass, when she''s able to dash, she''s like a freight train. The kic force must be out of this world. I''m only dimly aware of it. Vibrant will tell me when I need to dodge, my focus is inwards. Within, the sphere of mana continues to grow in power. More mana floods into it every second and as each moment passes it fights harder to escape my control. I can feel my Gravitational Mana nd emptying at a ferocious rate, a veritable flood of energy being directed into a ball that grows smaller and smaller as I tighten my grip.

    To inflict real damage on Garralosh, it needs to be as strong as possible! The colour has already begun to shift, turning from purple and deepening to near ck. The sphere of energy begins to revolve as its density rises, further threatening to escape my control. Dammit! I direct two of my sub-brains to holding the mana in ce, relieving them of mana extraction duty. With that change I''m able to stabilise the spell and continue to condense it, my main mind and major sub brain directing more mana into it.

    "Senior! Now!"

    It only takes Garralosh a few seconds to cross the distance between us, her speed is insane. Physics tells me that a monster that size should tear itself apart if it were to move that quickly, but Pangera doesn''t follow the same rules. The world quakes and trembles at the tread of her wed feet, her jaws snap madly. There is nothing left behind her eyes but bottomless hunger and a hunger for death.

    When Vibrant calls, I snap my attention back to my body for the split second it takes to fire my synapses and throw myself to my left as hard as I can. In that moment a terrifying sight shes into my brain, the myriad sensations of the battle instilled into one moment that assaults all of my senses. The shuddering of the ground beneath my ws, the rolling waves of heat that sear the air around Garralosh, the maddened red gleam of her eyes and the light shing from her curved crocodile teeth. With her mouth wide open I can see the back of her throat, something countless monsters must have seen over thest century. It''s dark back there, her mouth is so cavernous.

    Then, in a fraction of a second, it''s gone. I fling myself away and her head tries to track me but she''s moving too fast! Or is she! With her two front legs on her right side, she swipes out, her jagged ws cutting through the air with a vicious howl.

    BAM!

    The air is punched out of me as my diamond carapace crunches under the force of her w. I tried to angle my body, but one w, thest w, spears home and pierces my abdomen. The momentum of my jump and the force of the blow send me tumbling through the air until Ind with a crash, choking in the dirt.

    I gasp in pain. My insides have now been introduced to my outsides, but it''s not enough to shake my resolve. Even now, with a sliver of HP left, my attention is still inward. Nothing matters except for this spell. Regardless of how broken my body is, my mind is like a steel trap.

    The energy that trickles into me through the Vestibule is yet to falter in any way. In fact, I think it''s probably increased as the battle has gone on. Which seems to mean that the belief of the ants has increased the more broken and battered I''ve be. I''m not sure what that says about the colony, but it can''t be good.

    "Are you ok, Senior?" Vibrant calls to me, worried.

    "Never better," I manage to sputter out, "has she turned around yet?"

    "Just about! I don''t think you can dodge again!"

    "Don''t n to."

    I can throw this spell at any time, but I want to pour as much energy into it as I can before I let it rip. The mana condensed into the spell is running wild by now, but still I pour more into it. Desperate to maintain control, I task my main sub-brain to assist in containing andpressing the mana. The Gravity Bomb itself has shrunk down to a tiny point, smaller than any bomb I''ve made. It''s close to pitch ck also. The spell revolves in silent menace within my mind as I recklessly rip out all the mana I can control and throw it into the violently rebelling spell.

    A few more seconds is all I need!

    "She''sing, Senior! She''s about to charge!"

    All of my focus is internal, I don''t want to devote any attention to my eyes, I can barely spare a thought for my antennae.

    "Which way is she?"

    "Wha-Wha?"

    "Point me at her!"

    After a moment I can feel something push into my side which tears my wounds further, unleashing another wave of pain that I roughly shove to one side.

    More. More. More!

    By far the most powerful spell I''ve ever formed is ready to be unleashed. The sheer density of mana is starting to y havoc with my body as the spell battles to unleash its energy. It''s now or never! My three sub-brains are screaming in pain as they strain to their limits to contain the unimaginable energy that I''ve unleashed and I try to focus my eyes.

    Garralosh ising. Hurtling herself forward, still in the grip of her mindless rage. You could have been so much more than this. You should never havee here and harmed my family.

    You think your hunger is bottomless? See if you can match up to this!

    Experience the fury of this Mega Gravity Bomb!

    I push my body up with my shaking legs, open my mouth, and unleash a demon. The world goes dark, and then it screams.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWLLLLLL!!!!

    I swear I see a flicker of fear in the eyes of Garralosh as the spell rips into reality, but it''s toote. She can''t turn, she can''t dodge. The spell ms home into her chest and all hell breaks loose.

 Chapter 286 The Beast Falls

    <h4>Chapter 286 The Beast Falls </h4>

    Air, sound, even light itself seems to drain away as the Gravity Bomb tears its way though the space between us. Even deep in her frenzy, Garralosh has enough awareness to know that the dark, rotating sphere screaming its way towards her face is bad news. Her ws dig into the ground as she attempts to shift her momentum. It''s an impossible task.

    She''s too damn big, even with her high level skills assisting, she can''t possibly turn that ship around in time. The piercing wail of the Gravity Bomb drowns out all noise as it streaks towards the giant Croc and Garralosh barely manages to turn, getting her head out of the way, before the spell strikes her in the side.

    Broken and leaking blood onto the floor, I watch the sphere m into my foe and then expand. Like the eye of an angry god opening, the sphere shes open in a split second and tears into reality. The sound is unbelievable. I''m sure that Garralosh is screaming, bellowing in pain, but I can''t hear any of it. The ground is being ripped into the air and sucked into the spell. The air is being dragged in from over a hundred metres away. The flow of air causes the wind to rise which cascades onward until a raging storm has arisen, the gravity bomb in the centre. The wind circles and shrieks, so quick I feel as if it could cut me. Particles of dirt caught in the storm stab at my wounds as I struggle to stay on the ground.

    My legs are so damn weak!

    My wounds have really piled up, and the healing isn''ting through fast enough! I can feel my body trying to stitch itself back together, muscles knitting, carapace healing over, organs closing themselves. I need all the strength I can get to anchor myself to the ground. In desperation, I trigger my healing nd once more, a pathetic trickle of healing stimnt drains into my system. It''s not enough.

    My muscles are crying out in pain. My minds, no longer distracted by the formation of the spell are hit full force with the severity of my wounds and I struggle to cope. To block it out I sink deep into the cold embrace of the meditation skill. The needs and wants of my body fade slightly and I watch my work unfold with a detached curiosity.

    The Gravity Bomb is pitch ck. Even the light around has grown dim, the edges of the sphere are almost impossible to make out. It''s hard to even see Garralosh, as she suffers the direct influence of the spell. It hangs in the air where it first expanded, motionless, whilst the rest of the world is destroyed around it.

    CRACK!

    With a snap that rings in my ears as it echoes from the distant trees the ground cracks and shifts. Directly beneath the miniature ck hole I''ve created, the rock is being pulled upward. Great, jagged rents appear and extend in moments as Pangera, here in this ce, begins to be pulled apart. Still the air is howling and descending in a twisting spiral. Dimly I''m aware that even the clouds overhead have begun to move, to turn as the winds reach even the atmosphere.

    "Senior!"

    The pheromones barely register to my antennae before they are snatched away by the wind.

    "Hold on, Senior! You aren''t going flying today!"

    It''s Vibrant. She stuck close to me during this entire battle and even now she refuses to abandon me.

    "Get out¡­" I wheeze, but she doesn''t seem to notice.

    "Sorry about this, Senior!" She chirps, irrepressible even in these circumstances, then I feel her bite down on my carapace and dig her ws into the dirt. Just in time. I''m holding on with all my strength, but my legs ¡­ well¡­ I don''t even have all of my legs at this stage, never mind the state of the ones I do have. As a matter of fact, just the two of us might not be enough.

    The pull from the Gravity Bomb is ridiculously strong. What Garralosh is feeling, caught in the middle, I can hardly imagine. Bit by bit, my ws begin to lose their hold on the ground. It also doesn''t help that the ground around my feet is losing hold on itself, and is starting to break apart.

    "Let go of me Vibrant!" I push out. "No pointing with me!"

    "Nope-Nope!" Is all she says.

    It feels as if the world is disappearing into that ck sphere of death. Chunks of soil have begun to break off the eighth wall and fly through the air to vanish inside the ominous void. I hope the ants are safe! With a spasm, my ws give up the ghost, my muscles no longer able to sustain my grip. With a lurch I rise into the air only to be yanked back down to the ground by a force I can''t see.

    What the heck was that?

    I shift my body and catch a glimpse of a darker than dark patch of soil beneath me from which a small forest of ck tentacles have emerged to wrap themselves around my waist.

    Crinis! What timing! Please tell me Tiny isn''t going toe up here. I''m worried he might try and fight the Gravity Bomb if he were to see it.

    Momentster I feel more chomps and bites on my extremities and carapace. Even as the insane drag of the spell tries to pull me into the air into its ever hungering maw, I feel more stable than ever. What''s happened?! I take a risk and shift myself a little and to my shock and horror I see a forest of ants behind me, each of them gripping onto each other and the ground as those closest have gripped onto me. They''ve formed living chains that emerge from tunnels in the ground dozens of metres away to bind me back down to the ground.

    That''s insanely risky!

    "You idiots!" I rage. Or at least, I attempt to rage. I don''t have the energy for anything like raging.

    "We''ve got you, Senior!" I catch a message, from Leeroy of all ants.

    "How the ¡­ heck are you ¡­ still alive?!" I squeeze out, but nobody can pick up my message, or they choose to ignore it.

    Pinned to the ground by my colony I have little choice but to flop in ce as the twopeting forces seek to rend me in half. I do have the time to look out across the field of battle to see that no such aid has been rendered to Garralosh. Her children have fled, even now they run to seek shelter behind the seventh wall, dragging themselves away from the Gravity Bomb on all fours, or sixes, for those with the extra set of legs. Fear is written in every line of them, but not one seeks to defend their parent.

    Suffering the horrific forces unleashed by my spell, Garralosh struggles alone. And struggle she does, for she isn''t dead. I''ve been paying close attention in the hopes that the gruff voice of our noble system wizard will resound in my ears, but no luck so far.

    We stay like for far too long. I watch the Gravity Bomb devour and consume everything that it can until it eventually flickers and fade away. All at once the nightmare I unleashed is over. The howling wind, the circling clouds, the groaning earth. All of it fades away and the light returns once more.

    Garralosh is alive. But only just. A full third of her body has been carved away, eaten by the void.

    "Heal me, quick." I say.

 Chapter 287 The Conclusion, The Feast

    <h4>Chapter 287 The Conclusion, The Feast </h4>

    As Garralosh lies, heaving in pain, her aura diminished almost to nothing, I receive healing from a team of hastily summoned ants. Though the battle has drained them to the point of exhaustion, they manage to squeeze out enough healing mana that I''m able to push my legs underneath my body and stand up once more.

    "Eldest." Victor speaks up as she approaches from my right. "Is it over? Do you think Garralosh can still fight?"

    "I don''t know. I''ll go and sort it out. Get the colony back to safety. If the Croca-Beastse back, we could have trouble."

    I see her hesitate for a brief moment.

    "Are you sure? We can send a team of soldiers."

    I must look like absolute hell. Truth be told, I feel that way. The healers have done what they can, but even then I''m barely together. The cracks and holes in my carapace are in the process of closing over, and my organs are back on the inside of my body, which is a win. The pain is still incredible though, and to be honest, I''m desperate for a nap. But I won''t risk anyone else, not after what happened to Grant.

    "I''ll go. Stay back."

    With that, I begin to pick up my legs, one at a time, and walk toward my fallen foe. Even most of the way dead, Garralosh is still mighty in appearance, her enormous frame dwarfs me as I approach. The pure madness is gone from her eyes now. Instead of rage they are filled with pain and anguish. Which isn''t surprising. The Gravity Bomb has taken a massive chunk out of her. From her left shoulder to her mid-section, part of her body has been perfectly carved away where the sphere of the spell touched her. What''s incredible is that she was able to prevent the rest of her body from being dragged in, even though she was so close. Being that strong has its upsides, I guess.

    Shudders ripple through her as her nerves are afire with agony. To think, she wouldn''t have ended like this if she hadn''t chased after a few hundred survivors and me. Hundreds of years of fighting in the Dungeon, reduced to this. I can''t find any sympathy in me, can''t find much emotion at all, to be honest. I''m just tired.

    My brains are collectively fried, but still I push myself and spin together a mind magic construct as I slowly approach. It takes time. Both to arrive at Garralosh''s exposed neck, and to form a mind bridge between the two of us. I can feel something drag me forward. The Collective Will Vestibule is whispering to me, even as it trickles life giving energy back into my body. A thousand tiny voices that urge me to one action. Not that it would have mattered. I''d have done it anyway.

    As I approach, I see her eye track me, barely focused.

    [This could have gone better for you,] I observe to the fallen crocodile.

    [¡­ My¡­ My¡­ ]

    She struggles to speak as I draw closer to her, my mandibles opening wide. She''s alone in this moment, her children have abandoned her, even the Kaarmodo appears to have retreated in the aftermath.

    [¡­ Name¡­ My ¡­. Name¡­ was¡­]

    [Her name, was Grant.]

    CHOMP!

    [You have in level 132 Unique Monster ''Garralosh'']

    [You have gained experience.]

    [You have reached level 2, One Skill point awarded.]

    [You have reached level 3, One Skill point awarded.]

    [You have reached level 4 ¡­]

    I let the voice of the system fade in my mind as the air flows of out Garralosh like a bellows. After a moment, it''s done and she lies inert. After a life of senseless violence, she is just Biomass now. Nothing more, nothing less. And if I''m not mistaken, quite a lot of Biomass. In fact, there are thousands of monsters worth of Biomass waiting to be collected¡­ this is going to take ages to clean up.

    I stand still a moment, to try and take it in. I''d wondered how it might feel, to be in this moment, to exist in this ce, but I can''t exin it. I feel relief, I suppose. Damn, I''m tired. I slept for so long, and I''m tired again already. The workers will give me hell for it if I go back to rest now!

    Speaking of which, the colony has begun to gather around. Those who had emerged already, those who remained behind the walls, even the core shapers and their pets who had hidden underground, all emerge and make their way towards the fallen titan.

    In moments, almost the entire colony is gathered around me. The Queen is still resting in the Dungeon, of course, defended and guarded by a watchful contingent. The Brood Tenders are doing their thing, I''ve no doubt, but just about everyone else is here, it seems.

    The silence and stillness are heavy. Not many creatures can do silent watchfulness like a huge crowd of ants can. They don''t move, they don''t speak. They physically can''t blink. Not even a whisper of pheromone in the air either. What do they want? A speech?

    What would I even say? Oh boy. I''m getting stressed. I don''t know how to deal with this level of attention. If someone could give me a level of direction here? Some instruction? No? Think for a second Anthony! If you were a giant ant monster who''d just achieved a long sought after victory, what would you want to hear? Wait a second. I am an oversized ant monster who just achieved a long sought after victory! Just tell them whatever is on my mind, and it should be fine!

    Here goes!

    "Ah. Hello."

    Nice start! Smooth.

    "Today, through the efforts of every member, the colony has emerged victorious in our battle against Garralosh and her children. The mother of crocs is dead, her children are scattered and the horde has been smashed."

    I give my audience a quick eyeball to judge their reaction. It''s not helping, they don''t have one. Thousands of nk ant faces stare back at me. Even their antennae don''t twitch. The air is perfectly still now. After the chaos and cmity that has urred here, the silence is bizarre, almost otherworldly.

    "We.. Uh¡­" I stumble there a bit, I can admit it, keep pushing forward! "We lost many members of the family today. It''s important that their struggle isn''t forgotten. They were not soulless creatures who served unthinkingly, that was what the horde had been. Our fallen served their family with all of their strength and gave everything they had, willingly."

    As the Will of the colony trickles into me, I grow stronger and I grow more confident, my pheromones reaching far and wide.

    "I want all of you to remember this. This is the kind of family I wish for us to be. It is right, it is ant, for all of us to give everything for the colony."

    I can feel the flicker of agreement in their eyes as I say that. It''s natural, of course. The colony should be ced above all. But I''m not done. That alone is not enough.

    "Remember. If you do that. The colony will give everything for you in return."

    Hmm. I''ve lost them on that one. I don''t think they understand what I mean. Never mind. I''ll teach them and they''ll learn in time.

    "We''ve achieved victory today. Don''t forget it! For the colony!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    Their response is so intense my antennae freeze up for a second as the wave of ''voices'' smack into me all at once. And it keeps going, on and on and on.

    "FOR THE COLONY! FOR THE COLONY!"

    Only when I raise my antennae high does it stop.

    "There is an enormous amount of work to do. Stop cking! The Biomass here will birth ten thousand new siblings! Don''t waste it!"

    And with that, the crowd dispersed. All at once every ant began to move in a different direction and within seconds there were teams everywhere, carving up the Biomass and trails of workers form to haul it seemingly from thin air. Everywhere I look the battle field teems with ants, the battle seemingly forgotten, intent on their work.

    Except behind me. The body of Garralosh lies still and untouched.

    [Tiny, Crinis. I need you two up here. No chance I''m going to be able to eat this all on my own.]

 Chapter 288 Heat is Rising, heat is falling

    <h4>Chapter 288 Heat is Rising, heat is falling </h4>

    A hundred of the most highly trained and powerful warriors within the Liria Bulwark sat in the tunnels, sweat and grime covering their forms. Each of them was exhausted. They''d battled for hours here, on the edge of the defensive line. Wave after wave of shadow beasts had assaulted their position. Even the odd demon had been mixed in, something that Myrrin had never thought she''d see.

    A tap at her shoulder caused Myrrin to turn and then raise her head to gaze up at the monstrous auxiliary soldier beside her. Unable to talk with a grotesquely fanged muzzle where his mouth had once been, he raised his w tipped paws instead and gestured to her in the simple but effective signnguage she''d learned at the fort.

    She watched his hands intently for a moment before she shook her head.

    "No idea. I''ve heard stories, but I''ve never seen anything like¡­" she gestured helplessly toward the scene that held them all captive for thest twenty minutes. "¡­ that."

    Head cocked to one side, the auxiliary listened carefully then nodded politely and turned back to watch the spectacle. Mirryn kept her eye on him for a moment longer before she turned back. It had taken her some time to grow ustomed to the auxiliaries. Half human, half monster, they were not a pretty sight to see. Not to mention, no two were ever the same. The twisted mutations they manifested depended in part on the monster flesh they were fed, and in part on the human being, she''d be told. Still, after fighting alongside them thisst week, she''d gotten over her reservations. Condemned criminals they may have been, down here, they were Legion.

    A blinding sh of light from in front caused her to shut her eyes and a deafening crash followed by a hail of stones and debris announced the use of another rock shattering skill. The constant howl and scream of monsters was dimmed for just a second before it rose once more to fever pitch.

    It was hell, down here. Day in, day out, they''d fought and battled until they could no longer stand, until their hands no longer worked and they needed to be pried out of their armour, scrubbed down by workers and thrown into a bed for a few hours of nightmare gued sleep. Then back into the action. Mirryn had fired so many arrows, in so many monsters, she was sure the Dungeon would have been empty by now. But it didn''t make a dent. Nothing did. This was only one fort along the Bulwark and hundreds of thousands of monsters had met their doom here. But it was never enough.

    Mirryn turned to her other side andid a hand on the scarred runic metal of her new partner. The Abyssal armour she''d been issued, a fine example of the medium sized ''Ranger'' pattern that she''d been wearing throughout the conflict. Since they''d been relieved at the front she figured she may as well take it off and rest for a moment. It wasn''t exactly heavy, but wearing the armour was taxing on the mind and spirit.

    BOOM!

    Another impact pierced the shriek of monsters and another shower of dust and rock battered into the tunnel walls, drawing her attention back to the battle still taking ce not even fifty metres from where she sat.

    Encased in his oversized, rune inscribed Abyssal armour, themander held the tunnel, by himself. The great axe in his hands hummed with delight as each swing send red des of light tearing through dozens of monsters at once. Every now and again, he would stomp down with one armoured foot and the tunnel itself would shake, which forced everything in front of him to stumble, which allowed him to wind up another swing.

    He''d been at it for twenty minutes already.

    They''d been fighting as usual, when themander had just shown up, pushed his way to the front, and started tearing monsters apart with those wide, impossibly powerful swings. They''d tried to help at first, but themander had gestured them to move back and kept going. So they had. It felt surreal, to be here at the front and not fighting. She could tell from the bemused expressions of those around her that they felt the same.

    Mirryn sighed. Every muscle ached. In fact, she could barely remember a time when they hadn''t ached. What had life been like, before she''de down into the Dungeon on this delve? What did the sun even look like? It hardly mattered, it was bright enough down here, the tunnels had zed with light constantly ever since the wave had started.

    As she pondered the re of the Dungeon her eyes flicked towards the veins that lined the tunnel. She thought for a moment, a frown creased her face as she tried to register what it was that she thought she saw. She stood slowly and began to walk toward the closest wall, her attention fixated on it to the point even the horrific sounds of battle faded from her mind.

    There was something about the walls. Something about the mana veins. She stared straight at one from only a few metres away. Since when had she started to be unable to stare straight at one? But now she could. Now she could. Because¡­ the mana ¡­ was decreasing?

    In one motion she turned and sprinted back toward where her fellow Legionaries were resting, shouting at the top of her lungs like a mad banshee.

    "The mana is decreasing! The wave is ending! The mana is decreasing!"

    At first they looked at her as if she were mad. What did she think she was doing, but gradually they realised what it was she was saying, what it could mean if it was true. One by one they turned to the walls and looked for themselves. It didn''t take long for them to confirm with their own eyes what she had said, and with delighted roars of triumph the Legion leapt to its feet.

    There was jubtion, hugs, even the monster auxiliaries were howling and snarling with glee.

    With spirits renewed and joy in their hearts, the Legionaries suited up, readied their weapons and charged into battle alongside the tirelessmander. Onest push! Onest push and then it would all be over!

    Five hourster, Mirryny t on the ground of the tunnel, still in her armour. The flow of monsters had begun to decrease atst, and when the relieving force had arrived from Raileh, her squad had chosen to stay on for an extra hour to help beat thest of the enemy back.

    In truth, with themander there, it had been the easiest shift she''d had across the entire wave.

    The man wasn''t human. Mirryn understood that in some ways, neither was she, but Titus was so far beyond her own limits he simply couldn''t be the same species anymore. Just what did a Legionary have to go through to get that strong?

    She wasn''t sure she wanted to know.

    With a grimace, she sat up and took stock. The battle still raged, but at a reduced cadence, some two hundred metres away. She''d retreated back to the fort proper and most of the Legionaries on her shift were still here, taking a brief rest before they hit their bunks.

    Themander was still on his feet. He walked from soldier to soldier, a word here, a pat on the soldier there. His eyes gleamed with fierce energy all the while. He didn''t even look tired. When he saw her staring, he said a final word to the Legionary he was speaking with and moved toward her.

    "Finally getting my mana levels back to where they used to be," he told her quietly. "Taken quite a while to get my motor running again."

    It was clear he''d seen what she was thinking and Mirryn couldn''t help but blush at how easily she was read.

    "I''ve never seen anything like it,mander. I didn''t mean to be rude."

    He waved a hand to dismiss her concern.

    "Don''t think much of it. Those of us who''ve served the deep, are a little different than most. You haven''t met any Legionaries who''ve been that low other than me. We rarelye back up at all."

    "Why did you then,mander?"

    He paused for a moment, a little of the light went out of his eyes.

    "My children. My wife became pregnant and I requested a transfer to the surface."

    "I''m sorry, sir. I shouldn''t have pried."

    "It''s fine."

    A tussle behind them at the entrance to the fort broke the awkward silence before it could truly settle and a haggard-looking messenger burst forward.

    "Commander, sir! The Dungeon Seers have reported. Garralosh has been in!"

 Chapter 289 Food Coma

    <h4>Chapter 289 Food Coma </h4>

    It took two days to clear the battlefield. Two whole days of the entire colony working around the clock, hauling, cutting, storing and generally stuffing their faces at every possible moment. Even with so many ants eating so much, the nest was still stuffed to the brim with Biomass that needed to get consumed yesterday. The Queen had consumed the most, from the moment she had recovered until she''s been forced to rest by concerned members of the twenty. Well, the neen now, I suppose.

    Grant''s core had been recovered, but nobody suggested we reconstitute her. Having a member of the family, a sibling, start following one of us around as a pet was too weird for any ant to consider. This did mean there was an opening on the council, which I suppose would need to be filled at some point. I have no idea how they n on going about that, try and find the next oldest soldier? Raise up a new council from scratch? I don''t want to be involved, whatever they decide.

    I mean, believe me, I''ve got my own problems. Tiny, Crinis and I had started consuming the Biomass that had once been Garralosh and it didn''t take us long to realise a few things. One, it did feel a bit strange to be consuming the monstrous remains that had once housed a human being. Two, as expected of the old monster, she was Biomass rich. And three, there was no way we were going to be able to get through all of it before it dissolved to nothing. Garralosh was one chunky croc. She must have weighed around twenty tons! Even after a good chunk was lost to the Gravity Bomb, we couldn''t handle it at all. Not to mention the core we dug out of her. I don''t even want to think about that massive thing.

    And since this food was the most rich of all, I decided it would make the most sense if it was consumed first. After we had filled ourselves to the brim, and all of my stomachs were packed, I told the surrounding ants to dig in, eat some for themselves, take some to the Queen, take some to Victoriant and her sister as well.

    Spread the love, you know?

    The next thing I realised was that I couldn''t stay up on the surface for nearly as long as I could before. The mana in my core flooded out at a truly disturbing rate. By the time I finished eating, I was practically running on fumes and had to roll my swollen abdomen back into the nest. It was a lot harder to manoeuvre in there since my evolution, quite a few tunnels were too small for me to even consider entering. I was able to make my way down to my old resting chamber and rested there.

    And so, for thest two days the ever ongoing cycle of eating and resting had repeated themselves until the surface was somewhat back to normal, the carpet of Biomass had been consumed, and the colony was able to return to business as usual. Brood production went back into overdrive, the Queen now producing three hundred eggs per day. Not satisfied with this rate of growth, the colony sought to take advantage of the fading vestiges of the wave and took Victoriant and Antite out of the nest and into the Dungeon for a power levelling spree.

    By the evening of the second day they returned to the nest in triumph! Both of them settled in to evolve to the fourth tier where they would begin their lives as egg producing Queens of the colony. There was quite a lot of energy amongst the nest at that, I have to say. A great deal of excitement and anticipation. It felt as if the very first Formica Sapiens colony had reached a major milestone of producing our first home grown eggying Queens.

    As they were evolving, Tiny, Crinis and I have a small opportunity to take stock. I''m super happy that the wave is receding, obviously. Far less danger, the ease of exploration is opening up again. There''s a ton of stuff I want to do in the Dungeon after all. I''ve been hoping to check in on the Sophos for ages, for example. I know they can''t be too far away, beneath Liria somewhere, for sure. I really want to go deeper and see how things work down there, forge a path for the colony and all that. But more to the point, as the mana levels are falling, my little hidey hole, so close to the surface, isn''t providing me with enough juice! I have to go deeper in order to live!

    Stupid Dungeon.

    The Queen has it even worse than I do. Her chamber has been relocated to a much deeper location, forcing the colony to expand down toward the swamp expanse. With spawn rates returning to normal levels, we are easily able to handle such a project. The colony has grown strong, and from here out will only explode in capability.

    I also have a ton of skill points and Biomass I need to deal with, I picked up a heap of levels from my fight with Garralosh, as I expected from a battle with a creature so far above me. I''ll have to deal with that sooner orter. For now though, I''m not too bothered. I''m looking forward to a more rxing existence where I''m not stressing about dying every second of the day.

    No existential crises! No imminent doom! I feel as if I just slip into torpor and stay there for a few weeks. I don''t want to do a thing!

    Of course, I can''t do that. The nest is positively buzzing with activity and energy. Brood Tenders are rearing and teaching, mage ants and core shapers are experimenting, carvers are building and studying. Even the soldiers and scouts have gone nuts, hunting and exploring in the Dungeon without pause, eking every little bit of experience and Biomass they can get before the wave is over.

    It seems as if once the surface clean-up wasplete, I fell in a heap whilst the rest of the colony just kept on going. The guilt is overpowering! Or perhaps that guilt is just the constant niggle of whispers and tugs that filter through the Vestibule. I don''t want to think too closely on that though, instead, I ignore it with all my strength!

    So I finally pick myself up and head up and out of the nest. I may as well pay the humans a visit before I wander off, just to make sure they aren''t doing anything too stupid. With Crinis riding on my now much more spacious back and Tiny following behind, I make my way out of the nest only to pause when we crest the top of the hill ande across a team of carvers working on something that appears to be shaped from solid earth.

    "What are you guys¡­ oh my god."

    The dozen workers jump at my words and pull back to reveal that the massive project they are cooperating on is an earth carving of me, post evolution. I appear to be standing watch over the entrance to the colony, my steely eyes and noble antennae are matched by my fierce mandibles and aggressive pose. The statue manages to convey a sense of protectiveness and dignity that I''m fairly confident I don''t possess.

    The carvers are frozen as if they were naughty children caught with their hands in the biscuit tin. For my part, I have no idea what to say and can only shake my head in disbelief.

    After a minute, I turn to walk toward the human vige.

    "Make one for Grant," I tell them.

    The carvers each look at each other before they nod and begin to shape the soil next to my own effigy.

    I have to wonder, where the hell did they get the idea for that?

 Chapter 290 The Church of Anthony

    <h4>Chapter 290 The Church of Anthony </h4>

    [What in the name of all that is good on Pangera, has infected your minds?] I said.

    Enid could only grimace next to me before she tried to justify it, dropping her in my esteem a few points.

    [People saw what you did during the battle. From our wall we were able to watch the whole fight. Not to mention the healers who appeared during the battle to cure our wounded. There isn''t a single person in the vige who could say they don''t have at least one family member who was directly saved by them.]

    [Gratitude I understand. Gratitude would bepletely fine! This isn''t gratitude! What the heck is this?!]

    Enid shrugged helplessly.

    [With sentiment running high before the battle took ce. It''s obviously going to be overflowing now that it''s done, considering what happened! These people have lost everything, Anthony, they need something to cling onto. Something to give them hope for the future.]

    [I cannot believe you okayed this. Did you fall on your head or something? A monster clock you with a rock? It blows my mind that anyone at all thinks this is a good idea!]

    My frustration is starting to bubble over and I can''t help stabbing forward with my antennae toward the monstrosity that we are currently discussing.

    Enid hesitates before she speaks again, but speak she does.

    [You have to admit that you aren''t much like a normal monster. Or... Anything like a normal monster. Are you sure there wasn''t anything unusual about your creation?]

    [Of course not,] I deadpan, [pure ant right down to my ws.]

    I have no idea if the humans on the surface know about monsters inhabited by humans from Earth like the Sophos are, but I''m sure as hell not going to be the one to tell them.

    Enid frowns at me as she adjusts her shawl. I say nothing to appease her suspicions.

    [Don''t distract from the subject at hand, Enid! That ,] I stab one antenna toward the construction, [is going to cause a lot of problems.]

    She could only shrug helplessly.

    [I don''t think even you could convince them to take it down. I''m not sure that I even want them to.]

    [You''ve fallen to the dark side Enid.]

    [The what?]

    [Do not give up hope. There is always another chance to walk in the light.]

    [I have no idea what you mean.]

    I''m not happy about this situation, but I''m not sure what I can reasonably do about it.

    Enid and I stand on a slight hill as we gaze at the feverish construction taking ce not twenty metres away. Men and women sweat in the heat as they work, digging, ttening, squaring stones. The foundations are already starting to take ce of what will certainly be a far toorge a structure of imposing stone.

    To one side, a worker is going to town on a granite boulder. Already the ant-like features are starting to take shape of what I''m told will eventually be a mighty statue of me. Ant observers are about the ce as well, members of the colony who''ve snuck over for a sticky beak and see what the humans are up to. Turns out a couple of mages have even managed to unlock the mind magic skill. It''s difficult for them to use it with any level of proficiency, or for very long, but already earlymunication attempts have been made.

    For the most part, they''ve been asking the vigers how they do stuff. Tungstant is over at the forge right at this moment, along with a mind mage, hassling the smiths about their craft.. It started yesterday apparently, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it will continue for a long time toe.

    Even Beyn is down there working! The priest is still wearing his now tatty robes and is working with his one remaining arm, clearing rock and jovially encouraging the people around him. Not that they seem to need a pick me up. Ever since I''ve arrived their faces have been lit with joy and they''ve been working at a furious pace.

    It all leads me to one, sincere conclusion: these people are very sick.

    [This is a literal temple to a monster, Enid.]

    [To you, Anthony.]

    [And what exactly do you think I am?!]

    [I''m not sure, why don''t you tell me?]

    [A monster!]

    [Really?]

    [YES!]

    [Hmmph. Not like any monster I''ve ever heard of.]

    Gawd. Even Enid has been infected. It''s contagious. Do I need to iste thismunity? Set up a containment? It would be irresponsible to allow others to be exposed. Or indeed, if the wider world found out that these people were worshipping monsters, would they just get wiped out? Perhaps I need to iste them for their own protection¡­

    [You haven''t sent anyone out of the vige at this point, have you Enid?]

    She nods decisively.

    [Oh yes. There are more survivors out there, I''m sure of it. We also need to get far enough north to check what the damage was like to the neighbouring kingdoms. If they''re fine they may be able to send aid. We also want to keep an eye on the main Dungeon entrance where the capital used to stand. Just in case anythinges up. We''ve had dozens of volunteers ride out, most of them yesterday.]

    [Dammit! I was too slow!]

    [To what?]

    [¡­ Nothing.]

    As frustrating as this is, I''m happy to see the ants and humans coexisting in a peaceful, non-eating each other way. It seems as if the council has taken my message of trying to learn from our neighbours and have been pushing forward even more rapidly than I had expected. My shock just goes to show that I''ve underestimated the colony''s appetite for work once again.

    The vige itself saw remarkably little damage during the assault. The people had wisely set their defences alongside ours, away from the established buildings of the vige. As a consequence, the monsters left them alone. Garralosh wanted to destroy the people, she didn''t really care for their irrigation system.

    As I look across the vige, the people seem happy, industrious. Farms are springing up, the houses are starting to get a little more of a permanent vibe to them. Even the kids seem happy.

    [Looks like you''vee through the crises okay then.] I said to Enid.

    [Thanks to you,] she replied.

    [Not this again.]

    [I''m just being honest. None of us would have survived if not for you. I don''t understand why you would be so against humans giving you such respect.]

    [This isn''t respect. You don''t build a temple, to show respect. How can you not think this is weird?! Am I going to lose my cred as a monster over this?]

    [I don''t follow.]

    Haaa. These humans are so tiring. I should get out of here before Beyn tries to speak to me.

    [I''ll be heading into the Dungeon for a while. Plus it''s a lot harder for me to be on the surface now, so you won''t see much of me. Maybe this temple situation might blow over if I don''t show my face for a bit.]

    Enid''s snort speaks to what she thinks of that idea.

    [Looks like the colony is going to keep hassling you guys for knowledge anyway. If you keep teaching them, I''ll make sure that we keep protecting you.]

    [Sounds fair,] she observed.

    [I need to get out of here.]

    I broke the contact with her and turned to walk back to the colony. These people are nuts.

 Chapter 291 Unexpected meeting

    <h4>Chapter 291 Unexpected meeting </h4>

    In an effort to return to normalcy, I think it''s best that I get back to the colony as quickly as possible. With Crinis and Tiny in tow, we make our way out of the vige. Before long my thoughts begin to wander toward the Common Will Vestibule. It''s powerful, there''s no doubt about that. The constant flow of energy that trickles from the gem-like organ and into my system is nourishing in an all-epassing way. It washes away my fatigue, refills my other nds, heals me and perhaps does other things as well. If it was able to provide me with mana it would be an all-singing, all-dancing provider of everything I could possibly need.

    As it is, it''s immensely powerful. The only issue I have with it is the strange whispers and thoughts that pop into my head. I''m finding I get an urge to do stuff at random and I have a sneaking suspicion I know what''s causing it, and why, and the connotations are a little disturbing to me. I don''t intend to set myself up as some sort of king, but the colony feels like it''s trending that way at the moment. I''m not sure I like it. I''m really looking forward to breaking out on my own for some Dungeon exploration. Just put some space between the family and myself for a little while and let things settle down. I''ll need time to adjust to this new evolution and Tiny and Crinis need to evolve and build their strength if they''re to keep up with me.

    Before the wave is gonepletely, we need to push deep, maybe even try and find the second strata. Do some fighting, level up a few skills, clear the air a little. After all the excitement of the attack by Garralosh, I can''t wait to get back to a simpler life.

    Muddling along like this, I walk for twenty minutes before I wake up to the fact that I''m nowhere near the nest.

    [What the heck?! Where are we?!]

    [I - I''m not sure, Master!]

    [Hurrn?!] Tiny grunts.

    It seems as if we''ve wandered into the forest. I immediately get suspicious. There''s no way I would''ve gotten lost, I''m an ant! I follow the pheromone trail when I walk. I could walk along the path whilst I was asleep and still manage to get there! Someone has been ying with my mind!

    And I can think of one likely suspect¡­

    [Uhh. Hello, Mr Kaarmodo. I hope you''ve brought me here for a friendly chat. No hard feelings about me killing Garralosh right? Or for murdering your attendants? Uh. Maybe I shouldn''t have mentioned that. I mean, they did try to kill me first. Self-defence is a thing, right?]

    I babble within my own mind as I nervously watch the surrounding trees for any sign arge, vengeful lizard is about to charge forward and attempt to bite my head off.

    To my chagrin, there is only silence in my mind after my words and I don''t see any movement around me. Doubt begins to creep in. Did the Kaarmodo drag me out here just to y funny buggers? Is he just messing with me?

    With caution, I turn around to orient myself back to the nest.

    [GAH!]

    And out of nowhere the Kaarmodo has appeared! nked by six of his Setsh attendants with their hoods down for once, the Lizard Wizard is standing only three metres away! I leap back in shock as Tiny and Crinis move to take an aggressive position, ready toe to my defence.

    [What the heck are you doing?! You''ll give me a heart attack! You''ve been there this whole time, haven''t you? ying tricks on me?!]

    The Lizard shifts his weight slightly as his eyes stare unblinking into mine. Something tells me that''s as close as a Kaarmodo gets toughing out loud. When I calm myself a little, I take a good look at this maniptor and his attendants. I haven''t been able to see them this close before and it''s interesting to see them now. The Lizard himself is bedecked in finery. I hesitate to say it, but for a giant lizard, he is rolling in bling. Woven tapestries with gleaming golden thread tasselsy across his back, the colours are rich and deep, purples, greens and yellows that depict mountain scenes and deep caves filled with magic. On each of his legs he wears at least one golden ring and his neck is positively covered in them.

    The servants are simrly well dressed. With their hoods back for once I get to see their faces properly for once. I''d thought they would look more human, but they are definitely more than a little part lizard. Their faces are heavily scaled, whilst still maintaining a humanoid shape. Eye colours vary from deep gold to emerald green but each are vertically slit as a reptiles. Golden nose rings, nes and torques, each intricately carved and decorated with jewels adorn each and every one of them. Pretty darn shy for ves.

    [Perhaps I should have made my presence known earlier.] The voice of the Kaarmodo resounds in my mind. Very notably, that was not an apology. [Please be at ease, I have note to destroy you.]

    Ouch. Very aggressive choice of words there.

    [So¡­ no hard feelings about the.. Uh¡­ unfortunate loss of your ves then?]

    Why the hell would you remind him of that, Anthony? Not smooth! Opposite of smooth!

    A spike of pain jabs into my brain across the mind bridge that I have only just begun to sense, causing my legs to spasm. I let it roll over me, probably well deserved to be honest, as I consider his spell weaving. How the hell he''s able to hide them like this I have no idea.

    [These are not my ves, and you are lucky that they did not hear you describe them as such. They are bonded to me, and I am bonded to them. Our rtionship is one of mutual respect and dependence.]

    [Okay. Sure.] I shrugged my antennae. [Doesn''t really matter to me. Since you brought me out here, without the intention to annihte my atoms, what exactly would you like to say?]

    I don''t feel particrlyfortable talking to this ancient wizard. The sooner he lets me get on my way, the happier I''ll be.

    [There is no need to rush, young one. It wasn''t easy getting close to form this mental connection without your colony mates detecting us. Depending on how much you know, we may need to converse for some time.]

    [Know about what?]

    [Hmm¡­. Do you know ¡­ where you are?]

    My antennae twitch a little at the odd question. What''s he getting at here?

    [You mean¡­ Pangera? The? The smoking ashes of what was once the kingdom of Liria? The uncivilised wilds? I''m not sure what you mean.]

    The Kaarmodo shifts his legs slightly which causes his attendants to nce at him for a moment. Once they are certain he''sfortable they return their t, unfriendly stares to me.

    [Hmm. This may take some time.]

 Chapter 292 Conversations with a wizard lizard

    <h4>Chapter 292 Conversations with a wizard lizard </h4>

    [I do not wish to burden you with knowledge that you may not be prepared to understand. My order has spent much time plumbing the mysteries behind this ce and despite centuries of effort, we have only been able to learn a portion of the whole truth. Even that limited understanding camergely through the intervention of an outside influence.]

    I have a feeling I should pull up a chair and whip out my spiral bound notebook as the teacher is about tounch into lecture. So naturally did the lizard slip into a lecturing tone that I presume he''s actually well practiced in it.

    [Master! What is happening here? Do we need to fight?] Crinis breaks into my thoughts.

    [I think we''re okay. He seems to want to exin something to us. Stay alert, just in case.]

    [Of course, Master.]

    [I do have a name,] the Kaarmodo drawled.

    [Well¡­ if you never tell me what it is, you can hardlyin that I don''t use it.]

    [That¡­ is true. Hmmm. We tend not to share our names with outsiders, but this may be a special circumstance. It is truly rare for one of my order to have such an opportunity. Hmmm. My name is Ivran''tep, second schr of the tower at Gold Peak.]

    [Nice to meet you champ. My name is Anthony¡­. I''m an ant.]

    [Hmm¡­ Indeed. You are.]

    An awkward pause develops as Ivran''tep examines me slowly, hisrge angr head turning slight fractions this way and that.

    [Hmmm... As I say, we don''t tend to have the opportunity to talk with those such as yourself, especially when you are in fit state to speak coherently back. Too often, the process of being inserted into the Dungeon and left to fend for themselves is too much for your minds. Garralosh herself was almostpletely lost by the time we became aware of her. I have been with her for many years, but I was rarely was she able to speak with me.]

    I''m taken aback by how up front he''s being with me.

    [So you know all about us then? Humans from Earth, inserted into the Dungeon as monsters to spice up the ce?]

    [Hmm. The records of my order go back over a thousand years and we have encountered less than ten of your kind across the entire globe. We have heard of this ''Earth'' before, but we know precious little about it. We also do not know why your kind is brought here. Do you have some clue?]

    I think I might keep the fact I can talk to the Dungeon itself quiet for the time being.

    [Who knows? Maybe the Dungeon gets bored.]

    [Hmm. Perhaps so. Perhaps so. There may be some merit in this suggestion. I will ponder on itter. For now though, are you in possession of Garralosh''s core?]

    HUCK!! I don''t want to think about that stupid gem. Don''t even want to remember it exists!

    [I am. Not here with me, obviously, but ¡­ yes.]

    [That is a rare treasure. I would be very careful that the knowledge of what you have doesn''t travel far. A core of that type is exceptionally rare and exceptionally powerful.]

    I can''t help but shrink back from Ivran''tep at those words.

    [Your saying you don''t want it?]

    He blinks slowly.

    [I do not. We are not interested in the core, we are interested in those with the power to absorb it.]

    [You say ''we''. I presume you''re referring to your order? Is this a Kaarmodo sorcerous cabal of some sort?]

    [No. My order is not limited to the Kaarmodo, although we are quite epted in the mountain empire. We are found across the face of Pangera among those with great knowledge of this world and the courage to face it.]

    [Does this collection of esteemed schrs have a name?]

    [The conve of the Red Truth.]

    [That doesn''t sound ominous at all.]

    [Hmm. It does sound ominous. Deliberately so. We bear dangerous knowledge and must act as such.]

    Well that makes me nervous.

    [Look. I''m not sure I want to have any part of this ''dangerous knowledge''. Please tell me what it is that you want to say, but try not to¡­ you know¡­ unleash any eldritch truths on me.]

    [I can do this. Hmm. You have heard of the Ancients¡­?]

    Thinking back, I do know that Formo the Sophos mentioned something about them.

    [Vaguely. Very old monsters that live very deep in the Dungeon. That''s about all I got.]

    [It is sufficient. There are many old monsters who live deep but the true ancients number only neen. They seek to make that number whole, they wish for another to join their ranks.]

    I do not like where this is going.

    [My order seeks to assist them in this endeavour, indeed, it is our sole purpose. There are many who would prefer that such a thing never came to pass. There is conflict, of a sort.]

    [So that''s why you were following Garralosh around? Keeping her alive when others were trying to bottle her up and kill her?]

    [Yes.]

    [And when you met me you decided to back off a little because¡­ You feel you might have found a better prospect?]

    [Yes.]

    [Nards.]

    [I do not know what this word means.]

    [It''s uh, never mind. I don''t really think I''m down for this. I''m happy just doing my thing.]

    [It is not intended that we would force this arrangement on you. There are many candidates for the final seat at the highest table. I am but one agent, and the charge with whom I worked has now fallen. I will return to my people now, it has been many years and we yearn for home. Should you choose to make use of that core, then perhaps, there wille a time that we meet again.]

    There''s a note of finality in themunication from Ivran''tep. It''s clear he wants to leave. He said as much, but also left many questions.

    [Just one thing,] I break in before he can turn to leave, then I hesitate. [I-If I were to reconstitute her core. Garralosh''s core, then would ¡­ she ¡­e back?]

    The narrow eyes of the Kaarmodo blink slowly as he processes my words.

    [No,] he responds. [I do not know where your souls go, when you die here. But they are not contained in the core. She is gone.]

    [Alright¡­ Thanks for that.]

    [Farewell. Good luck to you, Anthony. I hope that you find it within yourself to ascend. Only then will you have a chance to break free.]

    With that, the Lizard and his entourage turn and walk into the forest. It isn''t long before they are gonepletely from my sight. Mind abuzz with concerns, I begin to walk back to the nest. I have so much to think about, I''m not even sure where to start. I can''t wait to go hunting in the Dungeon.

 Chapter 293 Letâ€™s get back to business

    <h4>Chapter 293 Let''s get back to business </h4>

    Finally! Back in the nest and away from the crazy! The Kaarmodo is gone (hopefully) and I have nothing to worry about. Let''s go get it!

    Full of energy, I barrel into the nest and charge down the main shaft. I''m heading for that Dungeon and nothing''s going to stop me! Lumbering behind, Tiny shares my enthusiasm. He missed the entire battle and I can tell he''s sour about it. The closer we get to the Dungeon, the brighter the big ape''s eyes be. By the time we make it to our old resting ce his ears are twitching with excitement. I''m with you Tiny, it''ll be great to get back to the simple life!

    [Eldest.]

    No. Pls. Don''t do it to me like this. I was so close. So damn close!

    [What is it Victor?]

    The now much smaller than me general crawls out of a side tunnel to appear in my line of sight.

    [I was hoping to have a quick word before you left.]

    [Okay, Victor. Hit me. What''s happening.]

    [The council wants to elevate Vibrant to the position left vacant by Grant''s passing. She''s the logical choice as the next eldest soldier in the colony, even if she probably won''t be around all that much. What do you think?]

    [It''s fine with me,] I say, a little exasperated. [You don''t need me to okay these things. Just do what you think is best.]

    [Of course. We just wanted to make sure you approved.]

    [It''s fine,] I repeat. [Is there anything else?]

    I''m itching to go here.

    The general hesitates for a brief moment before she shrugs off her concerns.

    [I think we''ll talk to you when you get back. This time is important for the development of the colony. We don''t want anything to go wrong.]

    [What could go wrong?] Iugh. [There''s nothing here to stop us right now.]

    Even I feel the slight chill in the air that descends in the face of my brazen overconfidence.

    [Okay. I''ll check in with you guys when I get back. Just keep it simple. Everyone needs to keep learning, keep growing the colony and secure more territory, but slowly. No need toplicate things.]

    [As you say, Eldest. That''s what we thought also.]

    [Alright then. I''ll drop in to see Mother when we get down there. Catch youter Victor.]

    And finally free!

    Tiny, Crinis and I burst out into the Dungeon atst! Muahahaha! Time for these stupid monsters to be my stress relief!

    Thest vestiges of the wave are beginning to fade now, monsters no longer spring from the walls fully formed, mana levels are sinking back to what I got to experience for a brief time just after I was born. It hasn''t fallen to that point yet though, and spawn rates from normal spawn locations are still higher than normal. The colony has been busy cleaning out the tunnels around the nest as fast as possible in order to make use of this. Even the farms havergely been abandoned now, left to try and develop their own ecosystems, hopefully a few spawn locations develop and they can still be used, albeit in a reduced way.

    It takes a little while, but we eventually find some action away from the nest where the colony hasn''t been able to clear away all the monsters and we smash them like a bowling ball hitting some very brittle pins.

    With savage glee Tiny unleashes his frustration through his unstoppable fists. As he goes to work, a grin splits his face and lightning dances across his mighty shoulders. Crinis also lets her¡­ tentacles¡­ down, and the cold fury of the JellyMaw is once again unleashed on the poor denizens of the Dungeon. I can almost see Crinis'' cold smile as her writhing limbs perform their dark dance, tearing limb from limb and cutting monsters to ribbons.

    I let my pets do most of the work, they need the experience far more than I do and it''s soothing to me in a curious way to watch my two friends go to work. A bit of acid here and there is the extent of my contribution. More to let myself grow ustomed to my new range and aiming capacity than anything else. Being able to shoot in front of me without having to turn around is such a boon I can hardly describe it. Especially now that I''m thisrge. As an insect, I''m not especially flexible, there isn''t a whole lot of twisting that goes on, I just have to turn my entire body around to orient my business district. Now I can just lift mymercial interests high, lower the front of my body and POW! Acid time.

    The concentrated acid has increased damage, duration and sticking effect thanks to the concentration nd as well. And since it regenerates faster, I can fire it for days! Very happy with my acid system overall. And with new organses new opportunities for mutation! I need to y around with my new abilities a little more before I decide on what to do there. If I make a hasty decision before I''ve had time to consider what I want to do with my acidwork back there, I''m sure I''lle to regret it.

    Just like this, the three of us happily smash the pitiful and unfortunate monsters that wee across, pausing to eat Biomass asionally when we find something of a reasonable tier. None of us is particrly struggling for Biomass right now, after consuming Garralosh we have a mighty hoard, but it never hurts. Before we left I quickly purchased the mutation the ants in the colony had been using.

    My Efficient Stomach +5 reduces the penalty for consuming Biomass of a lower tier monster. Doesn''t eliminate it, but every little bit helps!

    Without much dallying, we make our way down to the Marsh Expanse and find the satellite nest where the Queen is currently residing. Dug into the shortcut I''d constructed earlier, thisrge and spacious chamber is, for the moment, the beating heart of the colony in the sense that all egg production is urring here. Even Victoriant and Antite have moved in.

    Considering its importance, it''s only natural that the ce is bristling with soldiers and brood tenders.

    [How goes it everyone?]

    As I enter, hundreds of ants turn from their tasks to face me for a moment before they return to their tasks. A constant stream of Biomass is being brought into the space and taken to one end where the three Queens are currently residing.

    After their evolution, Victoriant and Antite have progressed from Juvenile Queens to Young Queens! Each of them is able toy fifty eggs a day. It might not seem like much, but over time it''ll rapidly add up. The Queen, post evolution, is now able to produce three hundred eggs per day, bringing the weekly total numbers to two thousand eight hundred new brood each week.

    Which is many.

    [Hello child,] the Queen greats me warmly.

    I almost brace for a solid thwacking out of habit, but she doesn''t attack me this time, but rather turns to give me a pat on the head with one antenna.

    [Hi there, Mother! How are our new Queens doing?]

    [Greetings, Eldest,] Antite answers. [It''s wonderful to be able to contribute something atst.]

    [Finally! I can''t wait to see my children at work,] Victoriant says happily.

    [They are doing very well,] the Queen assures me. [And yourself. What are you nning to do?]

    [Going to hit the Dungeon, level up some skills, explore a little. Hopefully get Crinis or Tiny to evolve. Want to try and find a few things also.]

    [Oh?]

    [It might be nothing, but we''ll see how it goes.]

    [Very well. Stay safe. The colony needs you still.]

    [Of course! You know me.]

    [That''s why I worry.]

 Chapter 294 Aphid Time, Spending Up!

    <h4>Chapter 294 Aphid Time, Spending Up! </h4>

    "If you believe your entire world is a prison, is it wrong to try and break it?"

    Question posed by Orisan''shan. Founder of the Closed Circle Society at the Academy of Stone Soul.

    After chatting for a little while, I bid farewell to the Queens and let them get back to their important work, namely eating and producing brood. In one month, the colony will have over ten thousand individuals. I''ve no idea how they''re going to manage the education program now that the wave is subsiding, but I''m sure that the council will be able to work something out. Getting literally thousands of monsters to form a core, level up to tier three and get enough Biomass to mutate is going to be a logistical nightmare. Especially now that the farms are not going to be effective.

    Wait a second! A sh of understanding hits me and I dash back toward the Queen.

    "The Aphid Queen? Where is she?"

    Surprise showing in the twitch of her antennae, the Queen turns back to face me.

    "My pet? She''s down here, producing young aphid. Where did you think she was?"

    Excitement thrills through me.

    "So it''s started then? The aphid project? Are there any in the expanse?"

    Victoriant nods.

    "I think the first of the aphid went out yesterday. The soldiers and scouts have been hard at work in the expanse getting it ready. Wills, Advant and Sloan have been down here since yesterday. Didn''t you know?"

    ¡­

    "Uh¡­ I''ve been busy."

    The Queen''s antennae begin to vibrate, as if she sensed my lie and is preparing a thwack. I need to clear off!

    "I''ll go check it out! Thanks-bye!"

    And we''re outta there! Practically sprinting, I blow past some confused looking Brood Tenders and out into the Dungeon tunnels. From there it''s a short hop over to the expanse proper and the ant presence here is immediate.

    Soldiers and scouts are in position around the entrance, climbing over the mounds of damp earth and clinging to the trees. There are literally hundreds of them here, and a steady column of Biomass is being hauled out and taken to the Queens in a steady column.

    Holy moly! I blinked and the colony moved into the expanse in a sh! Faced with hundreds of cooperative monsters, it appears as if the monsters of the expanse had little choice but to roll over and ept their fate.

    "Eldest? I didn''t expect to see you here," Advant''s scent reaches me.

    I turn to face the much smaller soldier approaching from the nearby column.

    "Hey there Advant. How goes the expanse takeover?"

    "Smoothly! We managed to exterminate the old aphid poption pretty easily. The new aphids are being tended to now and they started producing Biomass just a few hours ago. Want to have a look?"

    Of course!

    My glee knows no bounds as I follow Advant into the depths of the marsh, helping to pulverise monsters along the way. It doesn''t take long before I''m able to witness a tender sight that I''d only seen in documentaries before. High in the branches of thergest, mana infused trees, tiny aphids cling to the thinner branches, extracting whatever sweet tree juice they need to survive. All the while a team of ants watch over them, checking the aphids for problems and shifting them about periodically to ensure they''re getting the most efficient meal. As I watch the ants begin to prod the little bugs with their antennae and the aphids happily offer up Biomass for their defenders.

    Perfect!

    "How many aphid do we have so far?" I ask my guide.

    "Roughly thirty. The Aphid Queen only started producing young recently, but the poption should rapidly expand. We think we should have over a thousand in a week."

    Makes sense. The aphid, despite their cuteness, are very simple and weak monsters. The onlyplex thing about them is their capacity to offer Biomass nectar from their business district. No weapons, no armour, no advanced senses. They are helpless without the ants watching over them. Which means, eggying wise, they are cheap as chips to produce. The Aphid Queen could knock out a couple thousand a week, given enough food.

    It''s wonderful to see the systeming together!

    "This is good stuff Advant. This might help the colony pick up the shortfall in Biomass now that the wave has receded."

    "Just as you predicted, Eldest."

    With that casual expression of confidence in my non-existent foresight, the ant ps me on the side with one antenna and then wanders off to see to her many duties. Which leaves Tiny, Crinis and myself in the middle of the marsh expanse, left to our own devices.

    Not willing to put it off any more, I let Crinis and Tiny cut loose to rustle up some experience whilst I try and deal with something I''ve been putting off for some time: my status.

    I might have four brains but I just can''t handle the numbers dammit! Since the fight with Garralosh, I got a heap of levels, a heap of skill levels, a ton of Biomass and with all my new nds, there is a metric ton of mutations I need to do. Perhaps the fear of the itch is what did it, or perhaps the fight with Garralosh just left a bad taste in my mouth. Regardless, the time is now!

    Right now my status looks like this:

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 14 (Rare Core) (V)

    Might: 91

    Toughness: 79

    Cunning: 64

    Will: 45

    HP: 158/158

    MP: 230/230

    Skills:

    General:

    Expert Excavation (III) Level 5; Advanced Grip (II) Level 8; Advanced Stealth (II) Level 9; Tunnel Map (II) Level 6; Iron Mind (IV) Level 2; Expert Stamina (III) Level 7; Profound Meditation (III) Level 12; Flicker Dash (III) Level 5;

    Mana:

    Mana Transformation (III) Level 15; Condensed Mana (III) Level 9; Finer External Mana Maniption (III) Level 8; Mana Coveter (III) Level 2; Expert Water Magic Affinity (III) Level 3; Enhanced Mind Magic Affinity (II) Level 9; Empowered Mana Sensing (II) Level 9;

    Pet:

    Distant Pet Communication (II) Level 5; Core Surgery (III) Level 6; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 1;

    Defensive:

    Expert Exo-Skeleton Defence (III) Level 16;

    Offensive:

    Deadly Acid Shot (III) Level 8; Advanced Precise Shooting (II) Level 9; Omen Chomp (IV) Level 3;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Perimeter Eyes +15, Future Sight Infrared Antennae +15;

    Defence:

    True Diamond Carapace +15, Supportive Inner Carapace ting +15;

    Physical:

    Rapid Absorption Legs +15, Empowered Mandibles +15, Regrowth Regeneration nd +15, Loquacious Pheromone nd +15, Discerning Stomach +5, Muscture, Sub-Neural Network;

    Acid:

    Mana Binding Acid +15, Acid Nozzle, Acid Concentration nd, Acid Stimtion nd;

    Mental:

    Adaptable Coordination Cortex +15;

    Mana:

    Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +15, Collective Will Vestibule +3;

    Species: Juvenile Colony Paragon (Formica Sapiens)

    Skill points: 20

    Biomass: 463

    I upgraded Cerebral Endurance to Iron Mind and gained a bunch of levels in a heap of skills. What''s really gonna take my time is the Biomass expenditure. After ONE feast of Garralosh I gained over four hundred and fifty points. It''s nonsense is what it is. Just how many mutations did that old monster had? Mind you¡­ just how Biomass rich am I bing? I''d rather not think on that actually.

    May as well get started with it then. We''ve moved a little distance away from the ants, and my loyal pets can shield me from prying eyes.

    Bring on the menu!

    I''ll start with my new acidwork.

    [Do you wish to improve Acid Nozzle to +5? This will cost 15 Biomass]

    [At this level you may choose a mutation advancement, select from the menu]

    Once again the vast list of possible mutations unfolds within my mind. What a pain. Even for something as simple as the acid nozzle, there''s still this many options?! Let''s see here. Focused acid nozzle? Reduces range but increases the force of the acid spray. Hose acid nozzle? Instead of firing in bursts it turns into a hose like attack. Hmmm. Flexible acid nozzle, increases the flexibility to improve firing angle even further. I mean, that''s what I originally purchased the nozzle for, but I''m satisfied with the result so far. I think I''ll focus in a different direction.

    After much musing I decide to go with the Pressurised Acid Nozzle. This option improves the range and reduces the spread of the acid fired, meaning I deliver my product with more precision across more distance. This is something I can only endorse.

    The Concentration nd. This organ serves the purpose of thickening and increasing the potency of the acid within the acid nd it''s attached to. I wonder what sort of options I''ll get here?

    [Do you wish to improve Acid Concentration nd to +5? This will cost 15 Biomass]

    [At this level you may choose a mutation advancement, select from the menu]

    Alright then. The list has hundreds of options, many of them what I expected. You can use the concentration nd to add extra effects to the acid, elemental damage, longersting, more acidic. It seems as if the concentration nd makes a nice pairing with the acid nd as you can spread your bonuses or further reinforce them with this organ. There isn''t anything that''s too wild here, although the ''solidifying acid'' one is weird. Turn the acid solid? Why?! Perhaps it would make sense in a monster built a little differently than I am, I certainly wouldn''t want to be delivering that product.

    In the end I select the Potent Acid Concentration nd +5. This will improve the ability of the concentration nd to perform its role, making the sticky and mana eating effects of my acid more powerful, without doing much for the damage caused by my acid.

    Lock it in and keep going¡­ only 433 Biomass to go. Ugh.

 Chapter 295 Hello again my old friend

    <h4>Chapter 295 Hello again my old friend </h4>

    Next on the chopping block is the final link in themercial zone the Acid Stimtion nd. It''s a simple nd that does what it says on the tin, replenishes the acid faster. I''m curious what sort of upgrades would be avable for something so rtively straight forward.

    [Do you wish to improve Acid Stimtion nd to +5? This will cost 15 Biomass]

    [At this level you may choose a mutation advancement, select from the menu]

    If the list is shorter, then I don''t think I can tell. Still a metric ton of options. Short bursts of rapid regeneration? Constant but smaller effect? Tie rapid replenishment of acid to certain times of day or particr conditions? Drain stamina to increase replenishment? Drain mana? Drain HP?! Thatst one is a bit nasty. Literally draw blood and turn it into acid. How in the heck¡­

    But the mana and stamina options intrigue me. By triggering the nd, it will start to consume the specified resource to stimte the acid nd and increase acid production. Since mana is a resource I have a lot of use for and don''t really want to increase the drain on, stamina seems like a logical choice. Especially when I consider that I gain increased regeneration from the Vestibule.

    Fatiguing Acid Stimtion nd +5 it is!

    With that, my business district has chosen its path. To keep things simple I''ll take the option to double down on those upgrades at +10 and reinforce them at +15, which should give some potent effects. This is for purity of effect in these interconnected organs and not because I can''t be bothered searching through the menus for more options! That''s my story and I''ll maintain that lie to my grave!

    With that done, I can turn my attention to my muscture and Sub-Neuralwork. These are two upgrades that I''m very excited about. First, the muscles.

    [Do you wish to improve Muscture to +5? This will cost 15 Biomass]

    [At this level you may choose a mutation advancement, select from the menu]

    Again the menu, and again the tantalizing options. stic muscles, extra flexible muscles, muscles that are hardened to resist damage, muscles that self-repair, muscles that you can force to break themselves for a burst of extra strength. I guess I need to focus on what I want my muscles to do¡­ as an invertebrate, my muscles don''t feel quite as critical to me, since they''re on the inside rather than the outside. Flexibility options are irrelevant, defensive options I can also discard. What I really want, is to bite harder. I''m a fairly uplicated ant, I suppose. Moar biting. That is the name of the game when ites to my muscles.

    The most important muscles to an ant are right in their face! No endurance, just more instant power!

    Twitch Muscture +5. Increases the instant release of power for rapid but short movements. This looks good. It doesn''t help with sustained biting but it helps give more explosiveness to my bites. It may even have an effect on my movement, allowing for a faster dash.

    And then the Sub-Neuralwork. Essentially a fast response nervous system add in to increase reaction times, this little enhancement cost me a fair bit of evolutionary energy and I''m very interested to see what sort of mutations are avable for something like this.

    [Do you wish to improve Sub-Neural Network to +5? This will cost 15 Biomass]

    [At this level you may choose a mutation advancement, select from the menu]

    And I shall!

    Look at these options! External Sub Neuralwork? Enable the nerves to extend outside the body itself and detect fluctuations to further improve response times?! Wouldn''t having nerve endings outside your body be a little on the risky side?! There''s a heap of options to make thework more sensitive to various forms of stimuli, or respond to specific threats. Heat, cold, poison, air movement, mana density. Seems as if you can tailor the response based on the threats to get hyper fast reaction speeds to the threat you hate the most. It''s tempting, for sure, but I''d prefer to have something less effective but more generally useful.

    After a while I settle on something I think is fairly sweet.

    Gated Sub Neural Network +5. Forms mana spatial gates that send signals directly to receptors in the brain, shortening travel time of signals from extremities. It does cost extra mana to maintain but I think will provide the biggest generic boost without any other serious drawbacks.

    So essentially, my body bes covered in this little gateways where my nervese together which teleports the signals into my brain. That is freaking awesome. Lock it in! The only question is, do I want the same thing at +10? I''ll need to consider the options I think.

    And now for the Vestibule. Saving the finest forst.

    [Do you wish to improve Collective Will Vestibule to +5? This will cost 9 Biomass]

    [At this level you may choose a mutation advancement, select from the menu]

    I have to admit I feel a little trepidation with this. The Vestibule is far and away the single most powerful nd I have, I certainly don''t want to mess it up with a poor selection. Let''s see what we have.

    The majority of options are surprisingly what you would expect. Improve the effect the Vestibule has on stamina, or stress, or health regeneration, or nd rearmament. There is no option to allow it to regenerate mana though, curse the luck. Other options rte to range of the effect, allowing the organ to be effective further away from the source of the ''Will''. I get a stab of fear when I notice the option to include another species in the designation of the Vestibule. Am I really prepared to start receiving energy from the humans of the vige? Those nutters? No. I don''t think I could handle it.

    For now, I think it''s safest to go with something conservative and just increase the range. I can''t always guarantee that I''ll be close enough to the colony and if I can have their support as I roam the Dungeon, I''ll be a great deal happier.

    Let''s lock in the Vast Collective Will Vestibule +5.

    Then I''ll pay for those.

    ¡­

    Oh right.

    The itch.

 Chapter 296 Search for the Sophos

    <h4>Chapter 296 Search for the Sophos </h4>

    Ah, the itch is back. It''s horrendous. In just moments I''m on the ground with Tiny and Crinis watching over my prone and twitching form. Perhaps I should have waited until I was on my own, but once I started I got caught up! Why do I suffer this endless torment!?

    To be honest, the worst part, by far, is the Vestibule. As the strange flesh crystal undergoes its mutation, waves of irritating, irresistible itchiness roll through my whole body until my eyes are bugging out of my head. I hate it! I hate it so much!

    After five minutes, it''s all done and I immediately start queueing up the mutations for +10. If I''m going to put up with this then I''m going to get it all done at once. Maximum pain in the minimum amount of time. Let''s do this! After poking through the menu I end up with my selections looking like this:

    Hyper Pressurised Acid Nozzle +10,

    Thickened Potent Acid Concentration nd +10,

    Rapid Fatiguing Acid Stimtion nd +10,

    Instant Twitch Muscture +10,

    Wide Gated Sub-Neuralwork +10.

    Doubling down on all of the upgrades that I''d selected before. This particr purchase is going to set me back a cool two hundred Biomass. Quite the hefty price to pay. I''ll have one hundred and eighty eight when it''s done. The previous itch only just beginning to fade from my mind, I grit my mandibles and confirm my selections with the great and bearded system.

    ¡­.

    HAGGACKAFLA!!!!

    Wait a sec¡­.

    SMAGGAGLEADAP!!!!

    Is there another oneing?.... HA¡­. HAG¡­.. No ¡­. No I''m good¡­. SHLAMALAMANAN!!!! Aaand I''m back on the floor. This time it takes me ten minutes to get back myself as my body undergoes a savage round of mutations. To be honest it isn''t quite as bad as thest time because I chose not to mutate the Vestibule. I want to think a little more on that before Imit to anything.

    In fact, the range I got from the first mutation seems to be quite significant. I can feel the trickle of energy rocket back up to what it had been during the battle. It seems as if the entire colony is back within my range now. Which is good. Upgrading from +3 to +5 seems to have also increased the amount of energy trickling into my system, which is a plus! With more upgrades, the Vestibule will really start to flex some serious power. Something to look forward to.

    [Alright guys. I''m okay.]

    [Are you finished mutating, Master?]

    [Yeah, I''m all good.]

    I push my legs under me and get back to my glorious, not iling on the floor self.

    [Alright. We need to go exploring and I want to try and find an old friend.]

    [An old friend, master?]

    [Yep. Formo the Sophos. Stand-up guy, but a little old fashioned. I didn''t have you when I met that guy. He''s a super powerful Core Engineer with pets that are insanely powerful. He suggested his whole vige was quite close by. Hopefully they''re as friendly as he was.]

    [I''m sure that we can make our escape if they prove difficult, Master.]

    [Ehh. You didn''t see that worm.]

    [Worm?]

    [Let''s just say, it was bad news. Let''s go Tiny. Time to hunt the Dungeon!]

    Tiny is only too happy to leap to his feet and get back into the swing of things. The ''things'' swinging arergely his fists in this instance, as he pummels his way through the monsters in our path. With Crinis providing support, her tentaclesshing out, grasping hold of poor unfortunate monsters who don''t get long toment their fate before they are rendered, then eaten.

    We need to head back towards the forest expanse. Ist saw Formo in the tunnels branching off from that ce, so hopefully I''ll be able to get in contact with him somewhere over there. I don''t have a bright idea on how to find him other than wandering around the tunnels and broadcasting widely through mind magic. But before I can start that, we need to get back toward the right location.

    And so we battle! Glorious, glorious battle!

    It''s almost insulting how easy it is for us now. We tear our way through the first strata monsters like a super heated knife through already partially melted butter. Even an earth bear tyrant isn''t able to stand up to my Omen Chomp for more than a single bite attack. My newly upgraded muscture allows me to snap down with incredible speed and force, and the upgraded skill, which allowed me to tear into even Garralosh''s powerful scales, is easily able to pierce the hides of these monsters.

    But I still sit back and give most of the experience to Crinis and Tiny. Crinis in particr, is quite close to her evolution. She''s only a tier three lifeform at the moment, as opposed to Tiny''s tier four and my tier five. If I can get her a rare core, then she''ll get a massive boost in power during her next evolution. More things to look forward to!

 Chapter 297 Tunnel time

    <h4>Chapter 297 Tunnel time </h4>

    My mandibles close with a mighty crunch and another massive centipede has met an early grave.

    [You have in level 15 Adult w Centipede]

    [You have gained experience.]

    To one side, Tiny is pinning down a rotting rabbit and he is repeatedly punching it in the head until it stops moving and on the other, Crinis continues to work her dark magic on the creatures unfortunate enough to fall into her clutches.

    [Got things under control, team?]

    [URAAA!] Tiny bellows, both in my mind and out loud as his fists finish their work.

    [Yes, Master. These low ss filth will be out of your way in just a moment. Do not trouble yourself over them.]

    [I mean, they aren''t really any trouble.]

    [Just leave them to me! I mean¡­ us.]

    [Uh¡­ okay.]

    It may just be me, but I feel that Crinis has be a little more intensetely. She''s always been a little bit ¡­ on edge. But since the Garralosh fight she''s been fighting hard for every scrap of experience she can get her horrific, barbed limbs on.

    [How close are you to evolving now Crinis?]

    [¡­ I still need six more levels.]

    [Don''t stress about it. We''ll get you up to level twenty in no time t. You''re doing great work, no need to beat yourself up.]

    [Yes, Master.]

    I can tell from the sullen knot she''s making with her tentacles that she''s not happy. Tiny is still flexing his hands and eagerly eyeing our surroundings looking for things to beat up. I can''t help but sigh a little. Both of my pets are feeling the desire for strength. I understand it, now that I''ve reached tier five, my strength has skyrocketed. Crinis doesn''t want to feel useless and Tiny doesn''t want to fall behind.

    I need to get my hands on some appropriate level cores for them in preparation. Tiny will need a rare core, who knows where I can get my mandibles on one of those. I think Crinis will be fine with a special core evolution. Trying to absorb a rare core at her tier may not be safe.

    [Let''s keep looking around. We must be getting close to the forest expanse by now.]

    The three of us clean ourselves up for a moment, scanning our defeated foes for cores to absorb and eating a little Biomass before we move on. I''ve been trying to get back to the ce I saw Formo, since that would be the obvious ce to start searching. We''ve been pushing through the twisting tunnels of the Dungeon for three days, taking a brief nap to refresh ourselves after the first fifteen hours.

    We are far from the colony here and the support from my Vestibule has begun to fade. I''m honestly surprised it goes this far, I''m a long way out after all. Perhaps further mutations to increase the range will keep me in touch with my siblings from a truly ridiculous distance. Food for thought.

    The tunnels before us are dark and oppressive once more, now that the light of the walls has faded back to a muted glow. Jagged stone formations cast pointed shadows at odd angles and the constant shrieking roar of monsters has been reced by the muted scurrying and furtive battles that I recall from my ''youth''.

    The mana levels are still higher than they were when I was born, but we are back to a much morefortable state of affairs. Certainly travelling is much morefortable than it was before. Our trio continues to pick our way forward through the tunnels. I focus on my antennae as we travel, ensuring that I try and pick up every lurking creature. Running through all these tunnels is doing wonders for my tunnel map, I''m filling in all sorts of new territory. As this tiny slice of the Dungeon continues to unfold in my mind map, the thousands of smaller andrger tunnels that twist in every direction, branching seemingly infinitely, the sheer size andplexity of the Dungeon is starting toe into view.

    It''s big. It''s real big.

    Wait a sec¡­ tentacles?

    [Watch out, Master!]

    From her traditional riding position on my back., Crinis whips out a few tentacles to grab a nearby stone pir and drags me to one side just as another set of tentacles whip through the air where I''d been just a moment before.

    [Crinis?! What the hell?!]

    [It''s not me!]

    I process that for a second.

    [Another JellyMaw!?]

    I''d been slow to react since when I see tentacles in my future sense I ignore it. It''s always Crinis after all!

    [GRRRRR!]

    Just as I realise what is attacking me, Crinis releases a decidedly un-Crinis like growl of rage.

    [Crinis what''s -]

    Before I can even ask what''s wrong, there is an explosion of dark limbs within the narrow tunnel, blocking my sight entirely. The almost ck tentacles writhe through the air towards us and with a shriek of rage Crinisunches herself forward, throwing herself from my back and rapidly expanding.

    In seconds the tunnel ispletely filled with writhing limbs and I can''t for the life of me tell which tentacles belong to which creature. Tiny and I back off a little, helpless to discern where exactly we should attack.

    [Crinis are you alright?!]

    [DIEEEEEEE!!]

    Yikes! Something about this has really gotten underneath Crinis'' skin! Wanting to help my pet, I scramble up the side of the tunnel and try to get a better view. As my ws grip the stone I feel a little dismay at the difficulty I feel hauling my newfound bulk off the ground.

    Damn! This mass and size are really weighing me down here. Literally!

    Gritting my mandibles I haul myself up and get myself upside down to try and push forward. Unfortunately the tunnel is still a wall of battling tentacles in front of me. Crinis'' main body is pushing forward toward the conflict, eager to close the distance and I decide to do the same.

    Here we go, try something new. Upside down DASH of power!

    My legs scream at the load as I activate my dash skill whilst hanging upside down from the roof. In less than a second I smash into the wall of coiling limbs, my sheer size pushing them out of the way through sheer momentum. Beyond, I see something I didn''t expect to see.

    Simr to Crinis, but also different, the monster looks like a dark flower made of shadow and tentacles. Thick limbs like petals rotate around the centre of a giant, dripping maw, suspended on a stalk-like pir of limbs. The ''head'' of this monstrous flower tips from side to side as an increasing number of tentacles extend from the body tobat my pet.

    Is this thing more evolved than Crinis is?!

 Chapter 298 Shadow Flower

    <h4>Chapter 298 Shadow Flower </h4>

    [DIEEEEEE!] Crinis shrieks as she continues her furious tentacle assault, one that is matched by the dark flower in its intensity.

    Their conflict looks like nothing quite so much as an enormous pile of shoces actively tying themselves into knots. That interaction takes a darker turn in seconds as both sets of shoces suddenly extend differing but equally savage barbs that start to tear into each other with abandon.

    The tunnel reverberates with the sound of buzzing and rending as the two shadow creatures start slicing each other apart. Their shadow flesh is curiously pliable and doesn''t offer much resistance to the cutting force as bits and pieces of both start to litter the floor.

    [Crinis?! Are you okay there?!]

    [DIE! DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEEEEEEEEEE!] is all I get in response.

    Holy moly! She has dived right off the deep end!

    I need to assist. Not that I think Crinis will lose in this JellyMaw showdown. I just want to ensure that she doesn''t get too torn up in the process. Indeed, already she''s begun sprouting new tentacles to reces those that have been lost and those limbs whip through the air to battle alongside their brethren in the great tangle.

    From my precarious position on the ceiling I can see the shadow flower extend limbs like roots across the floor of the tunnel, burrowing into the soil, but I also manage to see the creatures own shadow deepening to ck darker than night.

    At that moment I make use of my new and improved business district to fire my sizzling product at the enemy!

    POW! POW! POW!

    How do you like that for an express delivery?! The acidic fluid rockets through the air fast enough to produce a piercing whistle, and the flower, not ten metres away from me, recoils as if struck by stones when my projectiles strike home. At that speed I suppose the liquid would feel rather solid, I hadn''t thought of that. Though less sshy than usual, I''m happy to see that the acid still gums up and starts burning its way through the shadow flesh of the flower at a prodigious rate.

    POW! POW! POW!

    Plenty more where that came from, you offensive rose of death! And I mean, plenty more. With the full weight of my new production system back there, my acid has once again be the potent weapon it was when I''d first been born.

    Ah, the nostalgia is real. Back when I was so weak that everything I saw was a threat and rangedbat was my only viable path to victory. The memories, the terrifying, harrowing memories. Things havee along way since those days, thank Gandalf.

    For now, let''s focus on what''s truly important. Quenching the white hot rage that appears to be burning within the heart of my poor eldritch monstrosity of infinite horror.

    The flower is not enjoying my new and improved product by any means. It writhes in pain, a hundred tendrils coiling around itself to shield it from my wrath. Not likely, you Crinis-irritating flower. It''s way harder than that to get away from me.

    My legs are still straining to hold my more impressive bulk attached to the ceiling, but I''m able to scurry forward to bring myself closer to the creature, just as Crinispletes her work with the shadows. Suddenly, a dozen ravenous, barbed limbs rise from the floor andtch onto the beast, hungrily tearing into its flesh.

    Just in time for me to apply my mandibles.

    Omen Chomp!

    A huge chunk of stamina drains away as the nightmarish dark mandibles manifest before me and slice through the air. Shadow flesh isn''t the toughest stuff in the world to start with and in the face of such a powerful skill, the limbs that extend from the flower are shorn away like hair caught in a barber''s scissors.

    A frankly disgusting amount of limbs flopped to the ground and with a psychic shriek of savage joy, Crinis bounds forward, her jaws wide open to reveal the cavernous, dark void within. I have to admit, the Flower puts up a valiant defence. It has a remarkable amount of shadow flesh in the tank, and if I''m not mistaken there is something fancy going on with those roots.

    Flipping on my mana sense, my suspicion is confirmed. The creature has prated tentacles deep into the ground and is sucking mana up at a furious rate. In fact, that might exin its prodigious capacity to create shadow flesh. If the creature had some sort of capacity to convert mana into shadow flesh at an elerated rate, that would be an interesting solution to the problem that Crinis attempted to solve with her Shadow Flesh Generation nd. I have to admit, this shadow flower is an interesting design based on the original JellyMaw.

    Hang on a second¡­ Design?

    Suddenly suspicious, I turn my gaze at the creature itself. A powerful core zes inside it. Probably not a rare but pushing the upper limits of special, for sure. I can''t shake the feeling that this creature is a little more carefully put together than the Dungeons own scattershot approach.

    [Hold on, Crinis!] I call.

    Toote.

    [FEEEASSSSSSSSTTT!!!] She hisses viciously as her maw opens wide.

    What I saw then, was not meant for mortal eyes. The process of one JellyMaw consuming another is, I can only imagine, the sort of thing dark gods whisper to each other at their evil clubs of nefariousness to make each other shiver. It was loud. It was messy. It was not quick.

    When it was done, Tiny and I stood looking down at the now shrunken Crinis who appears to be covering herself with tentacles in order to shield herself from what she must assume is our judging gaze.

    [Crinis¡­]

    [Don''t look at me!]

    [¡­]

    [I''ve disgraced myself!]

    [You really haven''t.]

    [I lost control!]

    [As if I haven''t. Let''s not mention Tiny.]

    Tiny nods in solemn agreement.

    [I am not worthy of your words, Master. Please disregard this disgusting servant.]

    [That''s isn''t -]

    Like a distant wave that rushed from a kilometre away to inside my head within a second, a formless pressure built within my mind and then exploded into my consciousness with an audible SNAP.

    [Holy heck that smarts!]

    [I SAY YOU CRETIN! WHAT IN THE NAME OF BOSH HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SERVANT!]

    The mental contact is powerful, skilful and as loud as a foghorn sting within an ear canal.

    [You wouldn''t happen to be a Sophos would you?]

    [OH HO! SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU''VE DONE YOU RAPSCALLION. I''LL STRIP OUT YOUR CORE AND MOLD YOU INTO A FOOTREST! HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU, SIR!]

    Maybe you shouldn''t have left your pet out in the tunnels on its own if you cared so much?!

    [I COULD READ THAT YOU TWIT! DON''T YOU EVEN START ME! I''LL FEED YOU TO MY WORM AND LAUGH. LAUGH I SAY!]

    I do NOT want to be fed to one of those worms!

    [Wait a second! Any chance you know Formo? We came looking for him. He knows me!]

    [¡­]

    C''mon Formo. Please don''t be a recluse that nobody''s ever heard of.

    [WHY DIDN''T YOU SAY SO? I''LL COME FIND YOU, OLD BOY! HOLD TIGHT!]

    Thank you Formo. Thank you from your shrivelled legs to your bulbous, eyeless head.

 Chapter 299 The Sophos Village

    <h4>Chapter 299 The Sophos Vige </h4>

    When our guide finally appeared before us, I did a quick double take as he was remarkably simr to Formo in appearance. The impression was somewhat reinforced when he arrived riding on the back of a tremendously fearsome worm monster.

    [WHAT HO! ARE YOU THE DASTARDLY CREATURES WHO THROTTLED MY CREATION?]

    I take that as my cue to step forward then.

    [Ah, yes. Hello there! Wee in peace! Had we realised that the creature we were battling had belonged to one of the Sophos, we''d have left it well enough alone.]

    This particr member of Formo''s people shares much the same appearance as Formo himself. The Sophos are quite small, with thin, gangly arms and legs that support an unimpressive torso which in turn supports a truly impressive nonce.

    Without eyes or perhaps even ears, the Sophos have an impressively bulbous head that they can''t seem to hold up properly, resulting in a hunched posture that makes them look even smaller than they ought to. They appearpletely hairless and somewhat wrinkly, which I can easily tell, since they don''t appear to wear any clothes other than a loincloth.

    [WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE CORE FORGE IS THAT?!]

    I can''t help but look around frantically to see what he''s screaming about, but the guy doesn''t have eyes! How the hell am I supposed to know what he''s looking at?! His head didn''t even move!

    [I''m not sure what you mean?!]

    [YOUR PET! HOW IN THE BLAZES DID YOU GET YOUR GRUBBY MANDIBLES ON ONE?!]

    [Are you referring to Tiny? I mean. He''s a big ''ol Gori. There''s a few of them in the forest expanse, I''m sure. We can''t be far from it, I''d be happy to take you.]

    [NO, YOU BLITHERING NUMBSKULL! THE LIGHTNING FIST APE IS AS COMMON AS MUD AFTER IT RAINS ON A MUD FARM! I''M TALKING ABOUT THE SHADOW CREATURE!]

    [Crinis? Uh. Just got lucky I suppose?]

    [GIVE HER TO ME!]

    [Nope.]

    A brief silence descends between myself and the Sophos, who looks down at me (maybe) imperiously from atop his powerful worm mount. I get the feeling he never considered the possibility I might say no to that request.

    [IT WOULD SEEM TO ME, THAT YOU OWE ME REPARATIONS AFTER DESTROYING MY CREATION.]

    Even if the volume hasn''t changed, it feels as if his tone has be a little less demanding.

    [You may be right about that,] I''m happy to admit.

    [IF YOU GIVE ME CONTROL OF YOUR PET THEN I SHALL CONSIDER THE DEBT ERASED.]

    [No chance.]

    Silence descends once more.

    [WHY?] The Sophos finally demands.

    I don''t have to think on that.

    [These are not simply my pets. They are my friends. You don''t just give away friends that have battled loyally by your side, that''s nuts.]

    The Sophos res down at me incredulously.

    [BOY. THEY ARE MAGICALLY COMPELLED TO SERVE YOU LOYALLY.]

    I shrug my antennae.

    [I don''t care about that.]

    A moment.

    [And how in the heck did you know I was a boy?!] I demand.

    With his sightless gaze, the Sophos looks down at me, as if considering how to punish my disrespectful self, when a great boomingugh rattles into my head.

    [HOHOHOHO! IT''S RARE TO SEE SOMEONE WITH A TRUE RESPECT FOR THE MASTER/PET BOND OUTSIDE OF MY KIND. WHAT A TREAT! A TREAT I SAY! AS TO THE OTHER, I MAY HAVE NO EYES BUT THE BLASTED DUNGEON CAN''T HIDE MUCH FROM ME. WE SEE MUCH THAT IT WOULD RATHER REMAIN HIDDEN!]

    In a surprising move, the Sophos leapt from the back of his mount tond quite lightly before the head of his worm and drew near to us.

    [MY NAME IS TIRIMON. ALLOW ME TO GUIDE YOU TO OUR CONCLAVE.]

    [Hello Tirimon. I''m Anthony, this is Tiny and this is Crinis. Nice to meet you!]

    Our journey to the vige was a little unpleasant. I can still remember the modes of transport I enjoyed back on Earth. Buses, cars, bikes and all that normal stuff. I never thought I''d yearn quite so hard to return to those simple times as hard as I did whilst riding on the back of a giant, slithering rock-worm.

    You can''t see a thing for starters. The worm is almost as thick as the tunnel, so we were forced to squeeze ourselves into gaps where some of the body ring segments were smaller than the others. Tiny and I smacked our heads a few times on the roof of the tunnels.

    That would have been bad enough, if Tirimon hadn''t then turned to apologize to us about having to shut our minds down only a brief moment before my consciousness was smothered from within my own head.

    I awoke to find myself within a strange cavern with another Sophos leaning down to look into mypound eyes. Something about the colouring of his leathery skin tickled my mind. Or perhaps that was the mind bridge that sprung so effortlessly between us.

    [Formo?]

    [NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN, OLD BOY!]

 Chapter 300 Formo returns

    <h4>Chapter 300 Formo returns </h4>

    [Is there a particr reason why you Sophos are so loud?]

    [LOUD? WE''RE TALKING MENTALLY YOU CRETIN. NOT A SOUND IS MADE!]

    [Formo! You know exactly what I mean! Every time I form a mind bridge with a Sophos I''ve had my head rung like a bell! Can you tone it down a little?]

    [WE ARE SIMPLY EXUBERANT, MY BOY! FULL OF BEANS!]

    [I seriously doubt you eat beans, Formo.]

    [WELL, NOT UNLESS IT WAS A BEAN MONSTER I SUPPOSE!]

    [Just, take it down a notch, please?]

    [I SHALL- ahem. I shall try. I must say young Anthony, I didn''t expect that I would see you again. Judging by your change in size, you''ve been quite productive over the course of the wave.]

    [Well, once the colony got rolling, the wave was almost more help than it was harm.]

    [Hmm. I wonder if you understand why that might have been the case.]

    [I''m not sure what you mean.]

    [No matter. Come, my boy, let us wander this way. My domicile is found near the forge.]

    The two of us continue our stroll through the Sophosmunity. I''m not sure what I expected, but the ce is much more humble than I had assumed it would be. After my first meeting with Formo, I envisioned the Sophos to be an all-powerfulmunity of core shapers withoutpare. I''d assumed that they would live in thep of luxury, but that isn''t the case.

    The vige is built along wide tunnels, with domiciles carved out of the rock. I''d asked where the giant worms and such lived and had been informed that most of them lived in holding areas beneath the vige. I''d been a little surprised at that. I''d expected that they might treat their pets a little better, considering how much they relied on them. Tiny and Crinis have been sent down there as pets are discouraged in the upper levels. I''ve been assured they''ll be treated with the utmost respect, and I really have no option but to trust them. Formo has never steered me wrong yet.

    The other thing that struck me is the totalck of Mana Veins here. The walls are bizarrely clear of them, light instead being provided by a series of core powered lighting instations. I was pretty darn interested in learning how the heck they did that but Formo was cagey about it when I asked. Damn you, you bulbous headed Sophos! Give me your secrets!

    Another thing that struck me was how few Sophos I saw. Most of them looked fairly simr, the real defining feature I could pick out was the mottled colouring of their skin. Most of their skin was green, but some had patches of red, or blue, or even orange I saw. Other than that, their featureless faces appears the same from one to the next. Mind you, they would probably say the same about us ants.

    [I don''t see a whole lot of your people around Formo. Is it a market day or something? People sleeping in?]

    [What? Of course not! There just aren''t many of us! We''ve worked hard to ruffle the Dungeon''s feathers and it doesn''t appreciate it, not a whit! So the spawn rate for Sophos is abysmally low.]

    Even I can tell how bitter he is from his tone.

    [How does that even work? The Dungeon just up and decided your people were monsters?]

    [BAH! You touch on a sore subject, old boy. We don''t much like talking about, but when the opportunity to rant about the Dungeon pops up, who am I to pass it up?!]

    [I''m sure I wouldn''t know.]

    [INDEED! My people were underground dwellers long before the Dungeon appeared. When mana began to seep through the ground, we were the first to experience and make use of it. When the Dungeon tunnels connected to ours, we were the first toe into contact with monsters and battle them. The surfacers ignored our warnings andughed at our pleas for help. I have to say, their attitude towards us was much the same back then as it is now.]

    [That''s terrible.]

    [STIFF UPPER LIP AND ALL THAT OLD SPORT! It''s tough to keep a good Sophos down! We adapted, thrived even! But things began to change. After hundreds of years, we were so steeped in the mana of the Dungeon that the stupid System couldn''t differentiate between us and monsters. In an instant, like a switch was flipped, we lost our sses, we couldn''t bear young, our levels were gone and only Biomass could sate us.]

    My mind boggled. What a tragedy! How the heck did they survive?

    [Just step this way. That was more than a thousand years ago, and there are some of us still alive from that time. We were nearly wiped out, I''m afraid to say, it was a close run thing. Luckily we''d relied on our pets from the outset, and they did not desert us. Now we build our settlements around any spawn point we know has produced a Sophos and we battle against the Dungeon wherever we can.]

    [How do you actually fight the Dungeon? Is it a thing that you can hit? I thought it was more of a nebulous sort of¡­. Entity.]

    I''m not sure how much I should share about my conversations with a mind that seems to think it runs the show around here. The Sophos may already know about it, or they might pin me down and dissect me. They seem pretty anti-system in general to me. Probably best if I y it cool.

    [Oh, there is much about the Dungeon that can be learned, even when it doesn''t want you to. It''s also possible to work against the interests of the Dungeon, once you know what it wants. For example, have you seen the Expert Profile of a creature after consuming a ton of it?]

    Ah, the profiles! I''ve unlocked a heap of those after all the fighting and eating that''s gone on over thest few weeks and I haven''t been bothered to read through them all. I actually unlocked Garralosh''s full profile after eating her Biomass, considering there was only one of her the Expert Profile was unlocked straight away. I haven''t been able to bring myself to read it yet. I mean, I killed and then ate her. I''d rather not learn something that gave me cause to regret it. As a fellow former human though, I probably owe it to her.

    [Sure I have. Those damn centipedes were the first.]

    Formo nodded his head.

    [PRECICELY! Ahem. You were probably a mite taken aback by what it said. That profile gives a little insight into the dastardly intentions of the Dungeon.]

    [If I recall correctly, that profile suggested that the centipedes were proving to be a good species and would be propagated further¡­]

    [Right. Which means that species has been sessful and the Dungeon wants to see more of it. Spawn rates will go up and new varieties will be tried, perhaps a shadow variant on the second strata, or perhaps further down than that.]

    [What?!] I squawked. [Those filthy centipedes are trash. TRASH I SAY!]

    [INDEED, OLD SPICE! SO IF YOU WERE TO GIVE THE SYSTEM WHAT FOR, THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO HUNT DOWN EVERY CLAW CENTIPEDE YOU COULD FIND AND WIPE THEM FROM THE DUNGEON IN ONE FELL SWOOP! THUS FOILING THE BLIGHTER''S PLANS!]

    [You know what, I just might.]

    I''m certain the colony would be happy to follow me in an anti-centipede crusade. I hate those things.

    [Ah, just around here.]

    The two of us turn a corner and I can''t help but gasp. Before me the space opens up into a massive cavern and every surface is filled with circr work stations cut into the stone. Here and there I can see Sophos diligently meditating in the clear space in the centre of their stations, a core sitting in their gnarled hands as they strive to modify it to their wishes. There are cores, everywhere. Every bench hold dozens of the things and in the middle of the cavern a huge repository with tiered shelving runs from the floor to the ceiling and eachyer is covered in cores.

    I can''t help but drool a little.

    [WELCOME TO THE FORGE, YOU LUCKY DEVIL! NOT MANY GET TO SEE IT, YOU KNOW. HERE WE CREATE THE MOST FEARSOME PETS THE WHOLE WORLD OVER!]

    The pride is obvious as Formo slips up control of his volume, but I don''t mind too much. This is quite the sight!

 Chapter 301 Day Spa

    <h4>Chapter 301 Day Spa </h4>

    [Most of our civilisation was lost when the sted system changed us. No need for farmers, artists or poets when you''re a monster. It was our ability to manipte cores and create pets to fight for us that mattered, and over the years we''ve taken that skill as far as we can.]

    The two of us were rxing in Formo''s house, carved into the wall around the outside of the forge. The inside was as simple as the outside, a small number of rooms, a crude bed and furniture which had been carved from the rock. Formo sat on a stone chair next to a small table whilst I stood just outside with my head through the door. This part of the town wasn''t exactly made for monsters to movefortably in, and the Sophos were quite small.

    [I''m a bit surprised that you guys all seem to look pretty simr. Since you''re monsters, shouldn''t you have evolutions and all that? What tier are you anyway?]

    Formo''s snort rang in my mind for a moment before he spoke.

    [It''s a touch rude to ask that sort of thing, old bean. But I don''t mind I suppose. We deliberately don''t evolve much in order to keep our settlements in the upper levels of the Dungeon. Most of us are tier five and a few of us are tier six. We use mana concentration enchantments to bring mana up from below in order to sustain us. If we kept on evolving, that''d be impractical and we''d have to move down. This settlement is already something of an oddity, since most of ourmunities are in the second strata. Better cores down there.]

    [I can imagine. Any chance you would share those enchantments?]

    [Nope.]

    [Dammit.]

    I think for a moment. I can feel that the mana in the air is more concentrated in here than it was in the tunnels outside, which is crazy considering there aren''t any mana veins. Are they moving mana around with some sort of mana air conditioning system?!

    [Your friend Tirimon seemed very interested in my pet Crinis. Any particr reason for that?]

    [Is that the tentacly one?]

    I nod.

    [Yes,] he began to muse, one wed handing up to stroke his narrow chin. [That''s quite the rare specimen you have there. Quite rare indeed. Very new species. We encountered them for the first time during the wave, which I presume, you did as well.]

    [For sure. Scared the heck out of me.]

    [Hah! I bet! It''s not unusual for the Dungeon to spit out new species during events like a wave, see how they fare. Now that things are calming down, we''re quite keen to send an expedition to the lower levels to see what we can see.]

    I refrain from pointing out that they won''t see much, due to being blind. That''s too cheap, even for me.

    [No one''s going to steal her are they?] I ask nervously.

    [What?! THEFT!? NONSENSE! The Sophos aren''t petty thieves! ]

    [Tirimon seemed pretty keen to get his hands on her.]

    [Tirimon is a BLITHERING IDIOT for letting his pet out into the tunnels unsupervised. If he wanted to test its performance then he should have done so here in the proving grounds. I''m sure he wanted to rece his lost specimen but he got what he gosh darn deserved.]

    He stood up, his thin legs wobbling a little as his oversized head began to tip his bnce.

    [WHOA THERE! Might as well pop down to the pens if you''re worried though. I wouldn''t mind checking in on my pets also.]

    I have to back myself up a little in order to clear the doorway and we pass through the forge where Sophos diligently work their craft and wee to an enormous staircase leading both up and down. These stairs are so massive that I think even Garralosh would be able to navigate them! Makes sense I suppose, there would have to be somewhere the Sophos could move their pets throughout theirmunity. That''s probably why their streets are so wide to start with.

    The stairs slowly curve and it isn''t long before we arrive in the ''downstairs'' area and my mandibles drop open reflexively. Had I really thought the Sophos would treat their pets poorly? I''m an idiot.

    What I see could only be described as the most luxurious stable I''ve ever seen. A trickling stream of mana infused water meanders between spacious pens with high walls andfortable amenities. The pets have beds. BEDS! And they look so much better than what the Sophos themselves enjoy! In fact, from the entrance I can see into a nearby pen where one of those enormous worms isfortably nestled on an enormous padded cushion. A pile of Biomass rests next to thenguid worm and I can see a Sophos inside, massaging the great beast.

    In fact, there are far more Sophos here than there were upstairs. They move from pen to pen, checking on creatures, or even just resting alongside them. They don''t appear to be doing much physicalbour, which is understandable considering how weak they are, instead they direct other pets to the heavy lifting and move alongside them.

    [It seems as if your people spend more time down here than upstairs.]

    [Hurrumph! We can''t have children anymore, you know. The Dungeon doesn''t allow natural reproduction from ''monsters''. Not in the way we could before. My people invest most of their energy in their pets. They are the only children we''ll ever have. Of course, not all pets are treated this way. Some are disposable soldiers, an unfortunate reality of living in the Dungeon, those who''ve been with us for a long time though¡­ It''s hard, when they die.]

    [I understand. I''ve wanted to try and find a way to free my pets.]

    [Hmm. You don''t want them to bepelled to follow you but do so from their own choice?]

    [Right!]

    Nice to meet someone who understands my principle!

    [SMASHING empathy there chap, but I have to say we haven''t found a way to do it. When you reconstitute a core, the bond is formed and we don''t know how to sever it.]

    [Dang.]

    Speaking of my pets, I find the pair of them resting in thep of luxury within a pen waited on hand and foot. Tiny appears to be loving life as reclines in a padded chair that seems designed to hold his sort of weight as he munches on handfuls of Biomass. Crinis, for her part, is cringing against the wall trying to hide herself for a small crowd of six Sophos who appear to be standing and staring at her, motionless.

    Now of course, I know that they are probably having a rich (and loud) mental conversation but I have to say, it looks a little creepy.

    I can feel Formo weaving together a mind bridge in mere seconds as he attaches us to what I can only describe as a mind web, a multi-link bridge construct between the Sophos.

    [WHAT IS ALL THE HUBBUB?!] he bellows.

    [NO NEED TO BUTT IN, YOU PEASANT!] Comes the sharp reply.

    As they erupt amongst themselves, I wander over to Crinis.

    [How''s it going there, Crinis? How long have they been here?]

    [The. Whole. Time.]

    Oof.

 Chapter 302 The real art of core shaping

    <h4>Chapter 302 The real art of core shaping </h4>

    [Do you guys mind? My pet is feeling a little put upon here.]

    As one the Sophos turn on me.

    [MIND YOURSELF, BOY! THE EXPERTS ARE TALKING!]

    Yikes. Not one to mince words, this one. Although, I could say the same for all of the Sophos I''ve met. They seem universally loud and pugnacious.

    [THAT''S HIS PET, YOU NINCOMPOOP!]

    [HOW DARE YOU!]

    [OH, I DARE THAT AND MORE!]

    [FORMO, YOU SLACK JAWED NINNY! I''LL MAKE PAJAMAS OUT OF YOUR FAVOURITE PET FOR YOUR WORDS!]

    [YOU WANT TO TRY IT ASONAN? I''LL TURN YOUR HOUSE INTO A BIOMASS PANTRY. AND LAUGH! HEARTILY!]

    [Calm down! Sheesh! No need to get so worked up!] I interject.

    They turn on me once more.

    [THIS- ahem. This is merely banter, old boy. Conflict between Sophos is- well, its unheard of.]

    [AND NOT JUST BECAUSE WE CAN''T TALK!]

    [OH HO! JOLLY GOOD JAPE!]

    [QUITE SO!]

    I''m not sure if my burgeoning headache or weariness will be more pressing in the short term. These damn Sophos are exhausting.

    [WE WERE MERELY EXAMINING THE CHOICES YOU''D MADE WITH YOUR PET!] the one named Asonan shouts at me.

    [I don''t see why it''s so interesting] I said, honestly. [For the most part, I let Crinis make her own choices.]

    Silence fell at my words as the Sophos sightlessly stare at me for a moment before they turn back to studying Crinis.

    [Anthony, you really let your pets make their own evolution decisions?]

    [Yes?]

    [Even that one?] Formo points and Tiny as the ape continues to shovel handfuls of Biomass into his face.

    [Yep.]

    [You didn''t design their evolutions? Or manually control their evolutions?]

    [I did a little work on Crinis before I reconstituted her, but my skill levels were low back then, and still are now,pared to yours I suppose, so I wasn''t able to get much done. For the most part, I let them pick what they think will work out.]

    [¡­ why?]

    I can tell the other Sophos are listening along themunal line as Formo queries me. I''m not sure why they have such an interest though, I feel a little defensive.

    [Look. I''lle clean! On the one hand I can''t be bothered to micromanage every little thing, on the other, they have their own minds, even if they''re pets! They can decide what they want and how they want to go about it! These are big decisions, after all!]

    [We don''t disagree with that, we just find it interesting that your pets were able to make quite good decisions without your input.]

    [Really?]

    [Yes. Although with that one,] he points at Tiny again, [You''ll need to intervene. The Lightning Fist Ape is an interesting creature, but it chews up its own mental attributes every time it evolves until it eventually bes effectively mindless. We rarely bother with them due to the hassle, but if you can find a bnce it could prove to be strong.]

    [Uhh, that''s great advice.]

    [We tend not to give our pets such free reign. But I can respect your choice to do so.]

    [Thanks!]

    [WE REALLY CAN''T DECIDE HOW MUCH POTENTIAL THIS NEW SHADOW BEAST HAS,] another member of the Crinis fan club interjects. [IT''S AN INTERESTING NEW APPLICATION OF THE SHADOW FLESH ARCHETYPE. I''M CURIOUS TO SEE HOW IT WILL EVOLVE!]

    [Well I think Crinis is pretty darn close to evolving right now, aren''t you Crinis?]

    [Ah! Yes, Master!]

    [Well we can see that by looking at her core,] Formo says.

    [How the heck can you look at her core without touching her?]

    I can almost feel the Sophos around me rolling their non-existent eyes.

    [Level up your skills Anthony. We hardly waste time on core shaping our real pets until we reach rank six.]

    SIX?!

    [Sheesh. I created a whole new species of Ant monster and I''m only rank three in core shaping.]

    [YOU DID WHAT?!]

    I get a solid mental st right in the sconce at that. All of the Sophos turn to stare at me once more, but this time the air feels a little more tense.

    [I, uh. I modified the Queen''s core to produce offspring more like me and the species of the entire colony, including myself, changed when they were born.]

    [WHAT A BLASTED THING TO DO!]

    [INCREDIBLE!]

    [INSPIRED!]

    [BLOODY FANTASTIC IS WHAT IT IS!]

    [ANTHONY MY BOY!] Formo is back to his head thumping loudest. [CREATING A NEW SPECIES IS A GRAND ACHIEVEMENT! ESPECIALLY FOR A LOST SOUL SUCH AS YOU! GOOD SHOW! GOOD SHOW INDEED!]

    His pronouncement is met with a chorus of "GOOD SHOW!" and "INDEED, YES!" from the gallery.

    [Phew. I have to admit for a second there I thought you guys might get angry at me for making super intelligent monster ants.]

    [BAH! WE''RE NOT SO EASILY FRIGHTENED! WE''VE FOUGHT OFF SWARM MONSTERS DOZENS OF TIMES!]

    [HUNDREDS!]

    [WE ARE NOT INTIMIDATED BY ANTS!]

    [You know, that''s nice to hear. It''s good to find people who aren''t afraid of monsters.]

    [WHAT BOSH! WE ARE MONSTERS!]

    [I even made a caste within the colony who are dedicated to core shaping after I was inspired by Formo''s pets.]

    [OUTRAGEOUS?!]

    [HOW DARE YOU, INSECT?!]

    [NOW, THAT IS THREATENING!]

    [What really?!]

    [NO! OF COURSE NOT!]

    I sag to the floor a little, my legs sying out. These Sophos are exhausting to deal with. Almost as if taking pity on me, the Sophos gather around to pat me on the carapace with their gnarled hands.

    [It''s rare that we find someone who values the shaping arts to such a degree. We''re impressed, Anthony.]

    [Thanks, Formo.]

    [Lost souls such as yourself are not often in such a good position as you. Most that wee across are¡­ disturbed, even from the beginning. That you have been able to defy the Dungeon and find a ce in it is impressive.]

    [Thanks. I''ve only run into one other of my kind and that was Garralosh.]

    [Hmm. She died recently, did she not?]

    [How do you know?]

    [There are ways.]

    [Be mysterious then. I know you mentioned another that you''d met.]

    [Young Sarah! Fine young woman/bear.]

    [BEAR?!]

    [Indeed!]

    [How is that fair?!]

    [What? That she started as a powerful bear? And Garralosh started as a fiendish crocodile, whilst you were an ant?]

    [Exactly?]

    [Just another reason to hate the Dungeon!]

    [QUITE SO!]

    [HEAR HEAR!]

    No need to remind me about that. These guys really carried a grudge.

    [COME YOUNG ANT MONSTER. LET US DISCUSS THE FINE ART OF CORE-SHAPING, AND IF YOU WISH WE CAN SPEAK OF WHAT WE KNOW OF YOUR KIND.]

    [That''d be great!]

 Chapter 303 The Fires of Industry

    <h4>Chapter 303 The Fires of Industry </h4>

    Tungstant snapped back to alertness with a start. Her mind was still fuzzy with fatigue, but she pushed her feet beneath her with crity, energy surging through her body. There was so much to do! So much work, so much discovery! It was electric! How could a Formica Sapiens possibly rest when the tasks to performy spread before them like a delicious banquet? Impossible!

    She charged out of the chamber in which she was resting to find the tunnels filled with frenzied ants. Pheromones zed against her antennae, the air was thick with antsmunicating at a rapid pace.

    "Hurry up! I''ve gotta get to the new crafting district yesterday!"

    "Not my fault you''rete, cker!"

    "Quit polluting the air with your nonsense! Some of us are trying to discuss construction theories!"

    "Take it a workshop or chamber. This ispletely not the ce for that!"

    The Carver caste council member took it all in for a moment before she threw herself into the crush. In an instant she was buffeted on all sides by ants of all castes as they rushed to get to a hundred different ces. Her position as a council member afforded her no extra consideration from her siblings, they cared only for the task at hand.

    She followed the branches of the tunnel toward her first destination, the brood chambers. Upon arrival, he couldn''t help but feel delighted by the masses of young she found there. Hundreds of them, lovingly cared for by dozens of tenders. This early in the day, the Brood were being transferred to higher chambers in order to benefit from the warmth of the sun.

    Tungstant frowned. The humans used fires in order to warm enclosed spaces. It was a crude system, to be sure, and the smoke would be troublesome. Perhaps she should check in with the mage caste to see if they were making headway with enchanting. It should be rtively simple to produce a core enchanted to generate heat. With some care, the brood chambers could be at the optimal temperature for the entire day.

    More work to be done, but rather than crushed, she was delighted. Her mind was afire with the possibilities. The visits to the human vige had been everything the Eldest had promised they would be. ess to a civilisation with thousands of years of learning behind them had been invaluable. Of course, the people of the vige were still struggling in the aftermath of their kingdom beingid to waste, but still the ants had been able to extract a tremendous amount of information. Forging, construction, enchanting, agriculture had all been new concepts to the colony but they had pestered the humans endlessly and then started experimenting straight away.

    And with experimentation, came new skills and new skills meant grinding!

    "Florence! How goes the brood?"

    The brood tender turned away from her charges for a brief moment to speak with her fellow council member.

    "Tungstant. As nice as it is to see you, we really are very busy here right now. Could you make this quick?"

    "Who has time for a conversation that not''s quick these days?" Laughed the carver. "I was asked by the generals to check in, they wanted to know how many hatchlings we were expecting over the next few days. They''ve been attempting to scout out hunting grounds in order to provide enough experience and they''re worried there won''t be enough.

    Florence twitched her antennae but was able to recall the numbers in an instant.

    "Three hundred and twenty four tomorrow and three hundred and fifty seven tomorrow."

    "Fair enough. How long until we reach full capacity?"

    "The first round of eggs from the new Queens hatched yesterday. We expect them to enter the pupal stage in five days."

    "Great! Have a great day, Florence."

    "To you as well."

    The Tenders were always so polite. If only the mages could follow their example, as that was Tungstant''s next destination. Back out into the connecting tunnels of madness before she made it to the mage chambers. Inside, dozens of mage caste ants were practicing their craft, grinding their skills and experimenting with enchanting cores.

    "Got some more work for us, Tungstant? Need to hand more tasks to the big thinkers in the colony?"

    "You do know carvers have higher Cunning than mages, right?"

    "Speak not of this heresy!"

    "Actually, Propent, I had something that might be right up your alley. Fire enchantments to keep the brood chambers warm."

    "Oh Ho! I see it. Yes. Yes! Simplicity itself!"

    "Just make sure you test everything properly. I''ll put a team of carvers on it as well. We canpare notes. Have your researchers made much progress?"

    "We were only able to learn a small number of basic enchantments from the humans. Other that using those to grind our skills, making new breakthroughs is difficult. It''s going to take time."

    "Not to mention theck of resources."

    Tungstant looked out over the chamber. The colony still hadn''t done much by way of architecture, most chambers were just hollowed out spaces of earth and rock without decoration, but she could see the beginnings of customization here in the space. Each mage had carved out their own little work space, demarcated by a small circle of raised dirt. Within each space, mage ants were meditating, shaping mana or engraving mana onto cores.

    The cores were the key. They needed cores for new members of the colony, they needed cores for the core shapers, they needed cores for enchanting. The colony had an insatiable appetite for them right now, and there was only one way to get them, fight and destroy monsters.

    "The soldiers and scouts are doing everything they can," Propent said, "we just have to make do with what we have."

    Tungstant could only agree. "Keep in touch. Things are moving fast right now, we don''t want to miss anything."

    "You could say, things are really heating up."

    "Just. Why?"

    Only too happy to leave the mages behind Tungstant began to make her way back to the carver workshops. Of all the castes, theirs had been the one to receive the most new knowledge from the humans and with so many areas of advancement to keep track of she couldn''t afford to be away for long.

    The workshops were where the carvers had been doing the bulk of their work and it was a flurry of activity as usual when she arrived. Cobalt was watching over a team of carvers who were experimenting with new developments in earth magic.

    "How goes it, Cobalt?" Tungstant greeted her sibling.

    "Busy! Where have you been cking this time?" Came the good natured reply.

    "Has there been much progress?"

    "Since yesterday? No, of course not. These things take time."

    "I just can''t help but feel a little impatient."

    "I understand that, sister. If we rush we''lle to false conclusions. Steady progress is key."

    "I''ve been told we will be getting four hundred new carvers in three days."

    "That''s more than we thought!"

    "Well, do we have work for them?"

    "We could find work for twice that number."

    "Right. All of the castes are being pushed hard right now."

    "We wouldn''t have it any other way."

    Looking out over the ever expanding workshop, Tungstant felt a burning passion rising in her chest. Here and there, ants were constructing forges, trying to create tools shaped to their ws to replicate the techniques they''d seen from the humans. Already a few had learned the Skill. Next to them were experiments in enchanting, earth magic, engraving. She could see along one wall where a carver was using earth magic to shape a wall, gouging neat and perfect lines into a mural. Artwork, a tapestry of stone and soil.

    Curious, she moved closer to inspect the work. It was still taking shape, but it was clear already what it would be. The Eldest was depicted in bold lines, standing atop a fallen monstrosity, Garralosh. It was strange, the sensation of emotion that rushed through her abdomen as she beheld the picture. The power images, and storytelling. This was also something the colony would seize. They would seize everything.

 Chapter 304 Road to recovery

    <h4>Chapter 304 Road to recovery </h4>

    Morrelia was tired. There were many reasons for a person in the vige to be tired. Construction had continued unabated since the threat of the horde had faded for one. The militia had not relented in their training and practice either, which consumed a lot of energy. Small scale Dungeon delves still took ce every day, much safer now than when the wave had been underway and that required coordinating and supervision.

    There were rescue teams being sent out constantly also. Morrelia knew that she and Anthony hadn''t managed to find everyone in the kingdom who might have been hiding from the ravenous beasts, there were sure to be more out there and many members of the vige had volunteered to go out to search. Perhaps they hoped to find family members or friends who might have survived, it hardly mattered. This required coordination, administrative effort and a heck of a lot of oversight.

    None of which came easy, and obviously that didn''t help Morrelia''s energy levels. But mostly, she was tired because of Isaac.

    "Well ''ello there spicydy. What might ''ave you lookin'' so magnificent today?"

    "By the Legion."

    Morrelia groaned and pped a hand over her eyes to shield them from the pain.

    "Isaac. Not again," she growled.

    She took her hand away to reveal the man in question, leaning against her door frame, a broad grin on his face and a te of hot breakfast in one hand.

    "The roar of the tigress does nothin'' to dampen this Lion''s ardour."

    "They aren''t even¡­ you know what? I don''t care. Give me the food."

    She snatched the te out of his hand and shouldered past him eliciting a grunt that the lower levelled man tried to contain. Morrelia didn''t notice and kept walking, shovelling the much needed meal into her mouth. She had no idea who had managed to start making fresh bread but in her opinion, that person needed a church more than Anthony did. If he could eat regr food, she had a feeling the ant might agree. She couldn''t imagine he reacted well to seeing the church being built. She''d asked Enid about it and the older woman had been cagey, which told Morrelia all she needed to know.

    "I just want to go one day without having to punch you," she spoke to the air.

    But sure enough, Isaac was right behind her.

    "I thought those were love taps!" She could feel the muck-eating grin on his face, even without having to turn around.

    "I swear, if I weren''t so busy, I''d get my des and hack you to pieces. Why are you trying so hard to piss a berserker off?"

    "Sounds like the mes of yer passion are burnin'' out of control!"

    "FINE!"

    In one motion she whirled around, te gripped in two hands and she -.

    Ten minutester she was with Enid in the under construction town hall.

    "The healers are busy enough as it is," the mayor groused. "It''s not like the ant healers pay us a visit every day."

    "I know," Morrelia sighed.

    "This is three days in a row now."

    "I know! How is this my fault, by the way?"

    Enid pped her pen down and stared at the younger woman.

    "Because Isaac is an idiot and you are a former Legion trainee. One of you is expected to have some self-control and it isn''t him!"

    "Send me away then. Let me go on a delve, or to hunt for survivors. Let me go to the city and see if the Legion forcees up. You know I can be useful there."

    Enid raised a hand and pinched the bridge of her nose. There was so much damn work. They''d managed to get a paper press together, goodness knows how, and she had seized on the opportunity to start documenting everything, as a good merchant would. A census was done, followed by an inventory then they''d had to start drafting official documents. The kingdom of Liria might have fallen but Enid would be damned to the fifth strata if she would live in a ce withoutw.

    Which meant consulting the people, drafting a town guard, putting regtions in ce. It took a tremendous amount of time. Then of course there was the trickly of survivors that wereing in. The search parties had been sessful, which meant more mouths to feed and house, which meant more work.

    How it all got done, Enid had no idea and she was the only person who knew everything that was going on.

    "Enid, you need help."

    "What?" She snapped, only to find Morrelia looking at her with worry in her eyes.

    "Your burning out, Enid. You need help, bring someone on board who can help shoulder the load. There''s too much going on and too many people for you to be doing all this by yourself. And it''s going to get worse, you know that."

    Enid sighed.

    "I know," she said. Her shoulders slumped a little. "I''ve known that for ages. I could run my merchant house by myself, but this is bigger. I just¡­ If I start bringing in more people, make a council, then all of this will start to feel official. Politics wille into it, tussling for authority. We don''t need that."

    "What we don''t need is the mayor to fall t on her face from exhaustion."

    "Maybe I''d be less tired if our strongest warrior wasn''t knocking out the captain of the town guard daily."

    "Ahem. Putting that aside. I don''t'' think it''ll be as bad as you suspect. The people here are united. I''ve never seen anything like it. Besides, the ants are watching us so closely now. People are on their best behaviour."

    "Maybe you''re right."

    "I am."

    The two women fell into apanionable silence for a moment. Outside Enid''s office, the sounds of a vige, not a vige, a town, drifted in through the ssless window.

    "I''m going to get out of your hair," Morrelia announced. "You don''t need me right now. I''ll leave some people behind to keep training and leading the delves, but I think I''ll be put to better use in the city. I''ll head over there and start a delve to try and make contact with the Legion. They might be on their way up already, wouldn''t hurt to meet them halfway."

    The mayor watched her coolly for a moment.

    "Even I''ve heard of Titus. How do you think your father is going to react if he finds out what things are like here?"

    The air grew still as they both considered that. Legion policy toward monsters was direct, clear and incredibly simple. Kill them.

    "Are you saying," Morrelia began slowly, "that you don''t want the Legion to know about this ce?"

    "What I''m saying, is that you should be careful how much you say if you happen to have a reunion. Coteral damage is inevitable when the Abyssal Legion moves in force. You know that better than anyone. These are good people here, just trying to put their lives back together. They''ve taken the help that was avable. That''s not a sin."

    Morrelia looked down the still seated Enid, her eyes narrowed.

    "Just what have you started to believe, Enid? That sounds quite close to something that Beyn might say."

    Enid turned to look out the window.

    "It doesn''t matter," she sighed, "I can''t tell you what is divine and what isn''t. I''ve gotten attached to these people and I''d rather they not be purged. That is something we can all agree on, isn''t it?"

    Morrelia nodded.

    "It is."

 Chapter 305 Hospitality

    <h4>Chapter 305 Hospitality </h4>

    It''s been nice, visiting the Sophos. Despite their somewhat decrepit and ghastly appearance, they were fine hosts. Every day they''d bring Biomass to Tiny, Crinis and I and we''d feast together with Formo and his favourite pets. They even took time to show me how they worked with cores and put together some of their most powerful pets. I have to say, their means and methods were far beyond what I was capable of. Even after the first session I was happy to bow down to their superior skill and capability.

    Particrly in the area of core melding. Which is apparently a skill I''ve yet to unlock. Many of the Sophos best monsters were formed by fusing multiple cores together. This is an advantage in a number of areas. Firstly, by making changes to multiple cores, it was possible to effect more changes than if you focused on a single core. The resistance barrier they called it, the wall you pushed up against every time you made a change to a core. More changes, more resistance. If you could only make ten changes to one core, then by forming a monster out of two cores, you could make twenty changes!

    Of course, it sounded far simpler than it was. That was just the theory. The art, as Formo was at great pains to point out, was in making the changes in such a way that not only did you push toward your desired oue, you simultaneously shaped the cores so they would fit more snugly together. Doing that, was a massive pain in themercial zone. The Sophos could spend days, even weeks, plotting a single change to ensure that the final oue was closer to what they wanted, whilst also enabling the fusion process. I myself had seen multiple Sophos standing over a pair of cores arguing and pping each other over the head as they discussed what changes to make to a pair of cores.

    Then there were the three core constructions. Holy moly, that was a whole new level. Only the best and brightest of the Sophos dared to attempt it. Those with the best stats and highest Skill levels. Apparently the worms were such a pet. Crafted for each Sophos either by themselves, if they were capable enough, or by an expert. Each core had to moulded with the final product in mind, which involved two fusions. So the first two cores had to be shaped in such a way that they would fit together snugly and ept a third once that process was done. It sounded likepleting a puzzle that then had to fit inside another puzzle. HARD! COMPLEX!

    I was keen to give it a go and take my findings back to the colony. The core shapers had already proved their worth and this was just more evidence that they would be able to make a powerful contribution to the family.

    [I can see it in your face you BLIGHTER, you''re thinking of trying this, aren''t you?] Formo burst into my thoughts.

    [¡­ maybe]

    [Well don''t be a COLOSSAL, BLITHERING INGRATE. These techniques are incredibly stressful to the mind and require high level Skills. You''re only up to Core Surgery and don''t even have the core fusion skill. That bes avable once you rank up Core Surgery. Don''t even think of trying this until that''s done.]

    [What''s the harm?" I protest. "Even if it doesn''t work out, it''s not like the core is wasted. I can just give it to a pet to absorb it, right?]

    [NOT RIGHT, YOU DONKEY!]

    [Donkey?!]

    [Every core is precious! And some are vanishingly rare. Besides, more experience towards the next Skill level is granted from utilising that Skill correctly, as opposed to stuffing around! You could fudge your way to the next rank over hundreds of failures or you could achieve it with dozens of sesses. If your colony is trying to raise many core shapers, do you truly believe you have cores to waste?]

    [Ah. No. No we do not.]

    [PRECISELY, OLD BOY! Do as we do and take your time to ensure each core you work on is a SMASHING sess. That''ll maximise your gains.]

    [Good advice¡­ Should we go help your worm?]

    [Barry? BAH! With Garralosh gone, there''s nothing around here that can hold a candle to him! Worry not!]

    [I suppose so¡­]

    It truly didn''t appear as ''Barry'' needed much help. The worm is gleefully smashing everything we came across, either using its tremendous bulk or simply swallowing everything in front of it.

    [I do want to point out though, we came out here to get experience for Crinis.]

    [Ah! So we did!] Formo exims as he smacks himself in his bulbous noggin. [Barry! Heel you lovable noodle!]

    It was a little strange to hear Formo call his pet as if it were a dog, especially when he could have kept that conversation private, it was even stranger to see the massive worm turn and slither back, full of excitement and practically wriggling in delight.

    [Okay Crinis. Your time to shine. Go in there and smash some monsters! We''ll get you fully mutated and ready to evolve in no time!]

    [Alright, Master!]

    The abominable ball of death sitting on my back raised two tentacles like clenched fists in front of her face in a somewhat adorable pose before she inted in size to open her mouth and reveal the nightmare void barred behind her razer teeth.

    [You too Tiny, get in there and practice your Skills. Just don''t steal too much, these kills are worth way more XP to Crinis than they are to you.]

    [HRN!] Tiny grunts in acknowledgement.

    It''s amazing how much hemunicates with a grunt. I can tell from that grunt that he''s not happy to be restricted in his fighting, but nheless happy to be able to cut loose.

    [What about yourself?] Formo asks.

    [Ah, no. Not for me, thanks. I''ve recently hit tier five, these monsters won''t do a lot for me.]

    [Right you are! Won''t be long till you''ll need to descend!]

    [Wassat?]

    [Well the mana here is too thin! It''s already too thin! You''ve been fine in ourmune because the mana is thicker there!]

    As Crinis and Tiny move forward and begin to hunt I check my core and notice that he''s right! I''ve started losing MP! This is a big deal since I''ve been using my sub-brains to draw in mana using external mana maniption in order to train the skill and it''s still not enough! Yikes! I could work a bit harder and maybe be fine, but still, this isn''t a good sign.

    [You''re a second strata creature now, NO MISTAKE MY LAD. I rmend you head there immediately when you''ve finished your holiday with us! The mana here in the first strata is weak! WEAK I SAY! Every time you go down a strata, there''s a qualitative change. You''ll see.]

    [I guess you''re right.]

    [Besides, there''s a good chance you might be able to find more people such as yourself down there. With a bit of luck they''re more sane than Garralosh was!]

 Chapter 306 Crinis Evolution

    <h4>Chapter 306 Crinis Evolution </h4>

    [The time hase, Crinis! Time to seize your destiny. To elevate yourself to a higher ne. A new tier, if you will. You shall be stronger, more powerful, more excellent in every way. But choices will need to be made. You must navigate thebyrinthine System and make the selections that speak true to you. Be certain of your path and firm in your convictions! What you select matters not, only how you feel about your choices matters. Reach deep inside the infinite void of endless murder that lies within and be true to the self you find there! Do you hear me Crinis!]

    [I- I do! Master!]

    [Good energy! You''vee a long way, Crinis! Tiny and I are proud of you!]

    [HRM] Tiny grunts.

    [Exactly! We are with you all the way. There is nothing to fear except fear itself! And that fear is something we will fight! On the beaches! And the trenches! Or tunnels, I suppose¡­]

    Dammit, I''m losing it!

    [I''ve got it, Master! Don''t worry, I''ll be fine.]

    [Okay, great!]

    Phew. I was really running out of steam there. I need to see if there''s a pep-talk skill. Any help I can get would be wee, because I suck.

    [Got your mutations sorted then?]

    [Yes.]

    [Special core''s been absorbed?]

    [Yes.]

    [Right. Then we are all systems go. Let me just check your core to see if everything''s on the up and up.]

    So saying, I scuttle up to Crinis and touch my antennae to her shadow flesh.

    Name: Crinis

    Level: 20 (core) (III)

    Might: 90

    Toughness: 80

    Cunning: 41

    Will: 42

    HP: 160/160

    MP: 230/230

    Skills: Expert Shadow Flesh Maniption Level 15 (III); Expert Grappling Level 12 (III); Expert Shredding Level 16 (III); Greater Tremor Sensing Level 5 (III); Barbaric Dismembering Level 1 (III); Greater Fear Inspiration Level 9 (II); Mana Transformation Level 11 (III); Slick Tentacle Walking Level 4 (III); Advanced Tentacle Fu Level 4 (II); Further External Mana Maniption level 4 (II); Advanced Shadow Magic Affinity Level 2 (II); Stealth Level 3(I);

    Mutations: Armoured Shadow flesh +15; Obliterating Void Maw +15; Endless Dimensional Stomach +15; Legion Tentacles +15; Razor Barbs + 15; Grisly Teeth + 15; Omniscient Mana Sensory nd +15, Reservoir Shadow Magic nd +15, Abrupt Shadow Flesh Generator +15; Clear Shadow Eye +15; Masterful Tentacle Conductor +15;

    Species: Shadow Murder Orb

    Skill points: 27

    Biomass: 14

    As always, Crinis has been diligent in practicing her skills. All of her magic abilities are progressing at a steady pace, as well as her fighting skills. She should probably emphasise her Shadow Magic Affinity until she can get it to at least the third rank. The real juice starts toe out at around that level. The real difference is the mutations. After eating her fair share of Garralosh, and stuffing her face through the tunnels in the days since, she''d been able to get enough Biomass to max out her mutations, further aiding her evolution.

    As I look at her choices, I can tell she''s put a lot of thought into it. She fused her Shadow flesh mutations to create a tougher body that would hopefully take a bit more of a beating. She chose to emphasise the disintegrating aspect of her Maw, anything that went in there would start to break down at a fairly rapid clip. Nasty. Fused her stomach and now it truly is starting to get bottomless. Her dividing tentacles were fused and how she''s able to produce even more of the damn things. She chose to emphasise the cutting aspect of her barbs and how they are sharp. Should help her cut through sterner defences. The teeth¡­ I don''t want to talk about the teeth. They scare me. Her sensory nd was fused, increasing range and granrity of her detection. Her Shadow magic nd was fused, bringing the properties of rapid refilling and greater capacity. The shadow flesh generator now spits the stuff out even faster than before. The Shadow eye was interesting. She chose options to increase the rity of her shadow sight and then reinforce it. Makes a world of difference, I''m told. As to the tentacle conductor, she surprised me a little. I thought for sure she would increase the number of tentacles it could control, but instead she gave it finer control, allowing the sub-brain to make incredibly fine movements without her having to think about it.

    All up, she''s done a great job. How far she''se from when she couldn''t make a choice for herself at all! Looking at this powerful, intelligent and aplished pet, my heart is filled with pride. If I could, I would shed a single, manly tear.

    [Looks fantastic, Crinis. Go forth! Evolve!]

    [Okay!]

    Crinis gives her guts pose once more before she slithers into the corner of the pen and falls still. I turn to the ogling audience of Sophos.

    [Can she have a little privacy please?]

    [WHAT?! OH! OF COURSE, APOLOGIES!]

    These guys are incorrigible. I can''t find in my heart to get mad at them though. They''re just obsessed with pets to a truly unhealthy degree. Helping each other evolve their pets is par for the course around here. To them, I''d the odd one out who wants his pets to evolve themselves and would rather nobody was around.

    [I''ll wait for you upstairs, Anthony. You can find me at my home.]

    [Thanks, Formo. Appreciate it.]

    [Not at all!]

    Turning on their heels, the small crowd of Sophos walk away, stumbling every now and again as they lose their bnce. They really have horrific physical stats. Tiny drags my attention back by rolling over and pping his hands against the soft leaf matter that makes his bed.

    [Bit unhappy are you, eh Tiny?]

    [HUFF!] the giant ape snorts and turns his back toward me.

    What a baby. I crawl over to him and pat one furry shoulder with my antennae.

    [No need to worry about it, big guy. Crinis is just catching up in tier. It was bound to happen eventually. You still have a significant lead in levels. You''ll hit tier five long before she does.]

    He shrugs his massive shoulders, but I can tell some of the angst is draining out of him.

    [Won''t be long now and we''ll head down to the second strata. Thicker mana down there. Crazier monsters. Who knows what we''re going to find, eh? Could be anything! We should be able to find some serious fights, don''t you think?]

    [GRRRR.]

    [That''s right! Things will pick up Tiny, don''t you worry.]

    Somewhat satisfied, the battle mad ape, settles himself and prepares to sleep. For my part, I lower my body to the ground and start to practice my mind magic skills as I wait for Crinis toplete her evolution. For tier four, it should take half a day. I''m very curious to see how shees out!

 Chapter 307 Gratuitous Death Sphere

    <h4>Chapter 307 Gratuitous Death Sphere </h4>

    Of course there''s a dodge skill. It''s obvious that there would be one. It''s a ssic skill! One of the very basics. Right up there with ''charge'' and ''hit'', there is always going to be dodge! I don''t remember seeing it in the menu when I first checked the avable skills, so it must have unlocked at some point. Perhaps when my stats were high enough, or after I''d sessfully avoided an attack from something.

    Why the heck didn''t I go back and check for dodge? I suppose I''ve adopted a strategy of allowing myself to get hit for mostbatants. What with my incredible, shiny carapace and ability to shift position to maximise the usefulness of said shiny carapace, I''ve not really needed to dodge. Except when I run into the big powerful stuff, then I really, really needed to.

    Grumbling at myself, I purchase the dodge skill. I really need to be a little more diligent in checking for new skills popping up over the course of my battles. There''s no prompts, so you never know if something super useful has popped up. Whilst I wait for Crinis toplete her evolution, I pass the mind magic shenanigans over to my sub-brains and peruse the lists looking for more defensive options.

    Sure enough, a couple stand out and I purchase them readily.

    [Endure: Provides knowledge and instincts to assist absorbing impacts when struck by heavy blows.]

    [Grace: Assists the user in maintaining bnce when moving or inbat.]

    Combined with dodge, these skills should help to elevate my defensive game to a new level! With my future sense and massively heightened reflexes, I should be able to dodge, duck and weave my way out of a lot of trouble! If I''d thought to purchase these skills and level them up I''d have had a much easier time avoiding those reckless charges from Garralosh!

    Ah well, no use crying over it.

    Actually since, I''m sitting around waiting. I should do a couple of cheeky mutations. Before we advance deeper into the Dungeon, I surely want to upgrade my stomach. If we''re going to run into some higher tier enemies, I definitely want to be able secure my fill of that sweet Biomass!

    [Do you wish to improve Discerning Stomach +5 to Bottomless Discerning Stomach +10? This will cost 40 Biomass.]

    I do! And then for another 65, I''ll fuse those two upgrades to achieve the Gluttonous stomach +15! Bwahaha!

    Nice!

    HURK!

    It''s okay! I can take it! Just one organ mutating is nothing to me now! A mere stomach. How could that possiblypare to the maddening itch of your very skeleton mutating? Or your muscles?! Bah! I can resist! I''ll stand strong!

    [Master? Are you alright?]

    [GAH! Crinis! I thought you were still evolving?!]

    [I''m finished, as you can see.]

    It was true. She''d changed very slightly in shape once again. Her evolutions had a tendency to be undramatic on the outside, but a little more show stopping on the inside. This time was no different. Her size has once again seen an increase, she''s approaching a beach ball now. She still has eight stubby tentacles and are permanently extended that act as her ''legs'' and now she has four slender tentacles that extend equidistant from each other around the circumference of her body, almost like arms.

    [Looking good there, Crinis!] I grind out as my stomach continues its metamorphosis. [I hope you''re happy with everything that you picked!]

    The ball of death shifted from side to side, suddenly shy.

    [I believe so, Master. Why don''t you check and see what you think?]

    [Good idea!] I gasp.

    Moving slowly so as not to betray the awful itch tearing up my insides, I stagger jerkily towards Crinis and p an antennae down on her before she can question myck of control.

    [Right then! Let''s have a look!]

    Name: Crinis

    Level: 1 (Special Core) (IV)

    Might: 100

    Toughness: 90

    Cunning: 56

    Will: 57

    HP: 180/180

    MP: 230/230

    Skills: Expert Shadow Flesh Maniption Level 15 (III); Expert Grappling Level 12 (III); Expert Shredding Level 16 (III); Greater Tremor Sensing Level 5 (III); Barbaric Dismembering Level 1 (III); Greater Fear Inspiration Level 9 (II); Mana Transformation Level 11 (III); Slick Tentacle Walking Level 4 (III); Advanced Tentacle Fu Level 4 (II); Further External Mana Maniption level 4 (II); Advanced Shadow Magic Affinity Level 2 (II); Stealth Level 3(I);

    Mutations: Armoured Shadow flesh +15; Obliterating Void Maw +15; Endless Dimensional Stomach +15; Legion Tentacles +15; Razor Barbs + 15; Grisly Teeth + 15; Omniscient Mana Sensory nd +15, Reservoir Shadow Magic nd +15, Abrupt Shadow Flesh Generator +15; Dark Shadow Eye +15; Masterful Tentacle Conductor +15; Tentacle Conductor; Light Sink; Shade Phase Organ;

    Species: Gratuitous Killing Sphere

    Skill points: 27

    Biomass: 14

    From the looks of things, Crinis has continued her bnced stat increases. Her stats are still good even whenpared to mine. Curse my lowly starting ant stats! I''m starting to ovee that handicap now, but even so, it stings a little. Her organ choices are interesting.

    Another Tentacle Conductor? Clearly she''s aiming for the ability to control even more tentacles. Considering how many she can manifest, it makes sense. I wonder if she''ll stick to the same mutations with this one? Finer control of a smaller number? Or go the opposite way, somewhat improved control over more limbs?

    The Light Sink. That''s interesting. She seems to be fully pursuing the limits of her shadow nature. This little organ will allow her to absorb light, darkening whatever area she''s in. I wager with enough mutations she''ll be able to strengthen the effect to the point she''s surrounded byplete darkness whenever she wants. A massive advantage for her, since she needs no light to see and indeed, some of her abilities are stronger in the dark.

    Lastly, the Shade Phase Organ. Quite the incredible piece of evolutionary gear. If I''m reading this correctly, it''ll allow her to move not just her tentacles, but her main body through patches of shadow. A limited teleport, if you will. That could get particrly nasty. Along with the development of her skills, Crinis is ready to take on the second strata!

    [Great work Crinis! I''m very proud of you!]

    [Thank you, Master. If you''ve finished mutating we can head upstairs.]

    I can hide nothing from them.

 Chapter 308 Departure

    <h4>Chapter 308 Departure </h4>

    The second strata has for centuries been known as the ce in which true danger begins. The first is considered the realm of the mercenary, the opportunist. Any party with a modicum of organisation and training should be able to eke out a living there. Farming for the smallest of cores and the petty materials that form at such low levels of concentration.

    No, the real promise and opportunity of the Dungeon lies below. Where the mana grows thick, and takes on attributes as it is exuded into the air. The second strata, the shadow realm, is the first such challenge. It should not be assumed that only shadow mana can be found here, but it is for sure the thickest. There are other insidious and dark forces at work here. Undead, terrible lightless and cold creatures abound in thisyer, making it far more dangerous than the first. But the rewards aremensurately great.

    The Dungeon is always fair. Greater risk means greater reward. Cores are more abundant there, not to mention the incredible wealth of attributed minerals and materials. The armour of the Undying Phnx of Rillex was crafted from metals mined in thisyer, the powerful death mana sustained those men beyond what their bodies could endure. Such are the rewards of the deeper delves.

    [A shame you couldn''t stay longer, old chap! It''s been wonderful to make your acquaintance a bit better this time.]

    [Likewise, Formo! Your people have been remarkably hospitable. I have only positive things to say! Except for maybe the noise¡­]

    [WHAT?!]

    I wince.

    [That''s it, right there.]

    [I suppose you are right. We hardly notice it, you know. Until you pointed it out, I hadn''t even considered how we sound to others.]

    [Well, how often do you meet other people? I can''t imagine you get many visitors down here.]

    [Hardly any! Since we were ssified as monsters, we get hunted by a lot of opportunistic nipoops. Those tend to get fed to the worms. There are a few groups still willing to trade with us, but they tend to be considered a little unsavoury by upstairs standards.]

    [IGNORANCE!] I shout.

    [QUITE SO!] Formo agrees. [Nevertheless, we persevere. Good luck on your journey, young Anthony. I wish the best for your colony.]

    [Any chance I could bring some of my core shapers here to learn from you?]

    [HO HO! HA! No.]

    [Worth a try.]

    [No it wasn''t. Your kin are more than wee toe and trade with us, but we don''t share all of our secrets so easily.]

    [Didn''t seem so shy when you were teaching me¡­]

    [We didn''t show you nearly everything, boy!]

    [Fine, fine. All the best Formo.]

    [Farewell, young Anthony.]

    Only Formo came to see me off, which is fine. I gather that these sorts of farewells are not a big thing amongst the Sophos. I''ve had a good time staying here, and I''ve learned a ton, but it''s time to move on. Some might say I''ve been shirking my duty to the colony, and we can''t have that!

    Standing in the tunnel somewhere outside the Sophos vige, I wave to Formo with one antenna. Naturally they wouldn''t see me off from the vige, oh no, they had to darken our minds before hauling us out on a worm. At least they were polite this time and didn''t knock us out immediately, they asked politely, which is something.

    Formo raises one scrawny, shrivelled arm to wave back before he mounts his enormous worm and turns around, moving back down the tunnel.

    [Alright then gang. Time to go deeper!]

    [Yes, Master!]

    [HRAAAAA!]

    Tiny matches his mentalmunication with a rowdy bellow. He''s ready to unleash his rage upon more powerful monsters and harvest that rich, sulent xp! And I can''t say I me him. I''m ready for a more serious challenge as well. With Crinis on my back and Tiny thumping the ground by my side with his meaty fists, we set our sights on a new destination.

    Using my Tunnel Map, we angle back towards the colony, but with a new twist: we''re going down. As the tunnels start to slope downward I can feel excitement building in my heart and relief building in my core. Every metre down thickens the mana in the atmosphere and eases the burden on my newly densified core. My body is thirsty for mana now, I can feel it. Even using my sub-brains to drag the nearby energy into my core is barely enough to sate my appetite. The second strata is calling to me and I''m happy to answer.

    Not to mention all of the goodies the Sophos told me about down there. Enriched materials, stronger monster cores arepelling arguments. When we eventually return to the colony, it''ll be with a mighty haul of riches, I''ve no doubt. Before then, we need to amass cores to reinforce ourselves and experience to improve our levels and skills.

    We proceed with caution through the Dungeon. The after effects of the wave are still being felt here in the form of monsters who were spawned in the height of the wave or made their way up and are now surrounded by monsters who aren''t their match. Most of what we encounter are just the usual first strata dross, not nearly able to match up to us, but every now and again wee across a nasty shadow creature or evolved beast which means we need to progress carefully.

    I let Tiny and Crinis fight for the most part, both of them need more experience than I do, but I take more than my fair share of the Biomass. I need a heck of a lot of the stuff now, post evolution and I''m going to make sure I max everything before I evolve again.

    It takes days for us to shift our away across since we moveterally more than we do vertically, but soon enough wee to a ce where the narrow, craggy tunnel opens up to a wide, wide passage before us. Immediately I can smell a change in the mana in the air. We''re close!

 Chapter 309 Gate to the Second Strata

    <h4>Chapter 309 Gate to the Second Strata </h4>

    The air tickles against my mana sense, a new sensation, like a pool of shadowpping against my mind. There''s something else that''s off about this tunnel. It''s too¡­ civilised. The usual crags and stony pirs that jut upwards or downwards are curiously absent. It''s almost as if someone had curated this section of tunnel to make it more ptable to move through.

    Oh snap!

    Have wee across another travelled section of tunnel that the humans use? Or does someone else live around here? I can''t rule it out. It''s time to engage stealth mode! Which I have to say, I''m not nearly as good at now, given my size¡­ It''s better than nothing!

    [You guys hang here for a minute. I need to go and explore this tunnel to make sure it''s safe.]

    [Hurr?] Tiny grunts.

    [No we can''t just fight everything. If we run into those Legion guys, they''ll be more trouble than we need right now. Use your head.]

    [Harr!]

    [Yes, I was a bit harsh there, I apologise.]

    For an ape so thick that his skull might have been condensed in the heart of a neutron star, which itself was the bastard child of another, even more dense neutron star, he really could inject plenty of emotion into a grunt.

    Crinis, ever obedient and eager to please, was happy to hop off my back but I''m certain she''s nning on keeping an eye on me with her mana senses. Time to engage stealth mode! Come on Grip Skill! Strain! My ws groan as I start my journey up the wall, my vastly increased mass causing all sorts of trouble. With a bit of effort I make my way to the ceiling of the cavern and start snooping along down the side of the cavern.

    With every step the mana thickens and changes, my legs drink it in from the walls and my core soaks in it, recharging at a rapid pace. Nice! We must be close now. This tunnel is truly massive. It gapes, more than a hundred metres wide and easily more than twenty metres tall. It''s quite the drop from up here, even for me. But fortune favours the bold, forward Anthony! Go boldly! Where no Formica Sapiens has gone before!

    Yes. The further out into the tunnel I travel, the more clear the signs of civilised intervention is. The floor of the tunnel hasn''t been carved into stairs, but it''s clearly been ttened and smoothed out, especially in the middle. Perhaps some kind of road? I''m intrigued!

    Slowly and carefully I shuffle forward step by painful step, even gaining a new level in Grip along the way. Which helps, but not much. Damn. I''ve got six legs, I should know to never skip leg day! Tough it out, Anthony! Breathe through it!

    A few hundred metres down I spot something that makes me do a double take. It''s a wall. Normally not cause for a whole lot of excitement, but when I say wall I mean an actual, constructed wall. I might not have noticed it if I hadn''t noticed the smooth curve as it met the tunnel wall on the other side. Bless you, eye mutations. All of those itches were worth it!

    Like a stalking tiger, which is actually an ant and upside down, I creep forward one leg at a time. I''ve learned since thest time I snuck up on a guard post, they have monster detecting crystals. Considering I can detect a few small critters creeping about, suspiciously few, to be honest, I don''t think they know I''m here already, but I don''t want to get much closer.

    Instead, I creep around the perimeter long enough to establish that this isn''t some tiny guard post but rather a more substantial fort-like structure. I can see a rampart, a gate, narrow windows for the firing out of. What I don''t see is any people hanging around, but to be honest, I don''t need to. I''ve seen enough!

    Time to hightail it out of here! Stealthily¡­

    I turn and sneak my way back to my waiting pets. Tiny is asleep and Crinis is quite anxious. Typical.

    [We have an issue guys.]

    [What is it, Master?]

    [The way forward is guarded by a big ass fort.]

    [HARR!]

    [One we won''t attack you abs for brains!]

    [How we will proceed then?]

    [We will do as any good ant should! Prepare the digging formation!]

    What else would an ant do? All problems can be solved through the power of digging! The tunnel won''t even have to be that long. A couple of hundred metres and I should be able to pop out past the fort and home free to the second strata! Gweheheh.

    The deep calm of ant zen washes over me as my face hands get busy in the soil and rock. With my tunnel map, it''s trivial to angle our little tunnel to curve so that it will meet up with the main passage past the fort. Post evolution, all that extra power I have goes a long way to speeding up the digging process. My mandibles dig huge grooves out of the dirt, crushing rock with ease and making rapid progress. Tiny and Crinis take up position behind me and haul the dirt out. Tiny with his massive ape hands and Crinis with her hundreds of tentacles are able to scoop and shove the loose material behind us at a rapid pace.

    At this speed we''ll be through in less than a day! Muahahahaha! Stupid fort! Did you really think you could stop me?

 Chapter 310 Break through to the other side

    <h4>Chapter 310 Break through to the other side </h4>

    Diggy-Diggy Dig!

    It''s digging time! My soul is soothed and my very being is suffused with peaceful serenity as I get busy chomping my way through the dirt and soil. The going is slower than I''d thought it would be, I''d underestimated the increased tunnel size required to fit my newfound bulk through. It really is quite dibobting (is that a Sophos''ism?) to have ones'' body change to such a massive degree. I''m more than double the size I was just one evolution ago. For my next evolution, which should be far away, I think I''ll be focusing less on increasing my size and more on density. There should be a heap of easy gains to be had there since I erged myself so drasticallyst time.

    Still, such thoughts melt away as I dig. They are transient, as the dirt is transient. With ourbour and efforts, such things can be moved, they can be shifted, made light by the work of our face hands. Indeed, the only truth we find is that which we unearth for ourselves. Dig, for peace. Dig, for truth. No matter the reason, dig!

    Time flows by and I''m truly disappointed to find that my time carving out this tunnel hase to an end as the rock crumbles before my chomping mandibles, opening up to reveal a dark, dark, cavern. Poking my head through I can see the other side of the fort some two hundred metres away on my right. The gate is more clearly visible from here, a tough looking steel grating covers even more imposing banded gates. The fort is built into the wall of the cavern itself, its stone walls curving to meet the cavern rock on either side. The ground leading downward toward where I currently spy from has been cleared away to allow clear sight lines and make it impossible to sneak up. Thankfully they weren''t that thorough on the uphill side.

    Well, it''s none of my concern. I''m in the clear!

    [We''re through. Let''s go guys! Second strata here wee!]

    The excitement is real as Crinis and Tiny help me rip away thest of the stones and we tumble out into the main cavern. With barely a moment to pause and gather our bnce, we bound forward into the dark. And it''s dark for real. The light seems to sputter weakly throughout the cavern as we race forward, trying to put some distance between us and the fort.

    Hugging one side of the rocky cavern walls, my antennae detect strange movement amongst the deepening shadows. Flitting forms dart about on the edges of my sight in an unnerving way. The other thing my antennae notice, is that it''s getting bleedin'' cold! With every step the temperature is dropping and my heat detection is falling away. Even the hints of creatures that I see seem to give off barely any heat.

    Come to think of it, does Crinis? I swivel my temperature awareness back to the erged blob riding on my back. Sure enough, as the heat leeches out of the air her temperature has fallen down to practically nothing.

    [You cold, Crinis?]

    [Uh, no?]

    [How about you Tiny?]

    [Cold,] he grunts.

    He actually spoke a word?! He must feel very strongly about it to manage to squeeze out actualnguage! That tells me I''m onto something here.

    Another hundred metres down the tunnel wee to the tipping point. The tunnel curves down sharply here, as much as forty-five degrees, and before us is what I can only describe as a shoreline. Except it isn''t water that eddies and swirls before my feet, but something else entirely. It''s like a mist, or a fog that hugs the ground, except thicker, brought almost to the point of being liquid. It stretches out before us and seems to go on forever down the tunnel. I think this is the official border. Formo had told me I''d notice the change when I got to it, and here it is. Tentative, I dip one w into the stuff. Just for a second.

    Cold!

    It''s like freaking ice! I snatch my limb back and the dark air seems to cling to it for a second before settling back down to its normal calm, unruffled swirling. You know, I knew it would be dark. But I didn''t expect the cold. We''re going deeper into the ground, shouldn''t it be getting warmer?! This doesn''t make any sense. But then again, it is mana. Who am I to tell it what it can and can''t do?

    Nothing for it. I''m not going to let a chill stop me from progressing on my path to adventure, awesome and colony world domination!

    [Come on team, let''s go!]

    Leading boldly, I push forward, plunging down into the Second Strata. Immediately the cold washes over me, and as soon as my head pokes through the surfaceyer, I can appreciate just what the Shadowyer is all about. Dang it''s dark! Where the heck is the light from the mana veins? Thatforting blue glow I''ve relied on for so long?! I bring my head closer to the wall and to my shock I realise that the mana veins are still there, but no longer do they pulse with soothing blue mana, but ck shadow magic now flows through the Dungeon''s veins!

    [Oooh, this is nice!] Crinis croons from my back.

    I can feel her stretching her tentacles and her powerful flex as they reach out into the cold, dark air.

    [This must feel likeing home in a way. How do you like the air here?]

    [It''s invigorating! I feel like I''m connected to every inch of space down here!]

    I suppose that makes sense, since this ce is so damn dark andpletely saturated with the kind of mana she uses to reach through shadows. I wonder, does that mean that other shadow beasts are able to do the same? I don''t like the sound of that!

    I try to scry the dark tunnel with my eyes, but they just aren''t doing much for me down here. I''m starting to get a little nervous. My heat sensing antennae are almost useless, my eyes are in the same useless senses boat. How the heck am I supposed to navigate? There could be shadow monsters reaching out of thin air to poke me in the eyes right now!

    Quick! Mana sense! I mentally snap on the skill and I''m relieved to find that it works just dandy here the secondyer. The thick mana in the air floods my senses, but just like eyes underwater, the sense still works, just not perfectly. Looks like I''ll be grinding this Skill for the time being. Let''s press forward!

 Chapter 311 World of Shadow

    <h4>Chapter 311 World of Shadow </h4>

    Although cold and dark in extreme ways, it''ll be nice when the colony expands down to conquer this ce. A new terrain, a new frontier that shall submit to the superior power of the ant. I feel a little guilty leaving the family behind, but things were a little weird there after my evolution. The whispers I was hearing, the reverence I was starting to get, it didn''t quite sit right with me. It seemed like a good time for a little separation. Perhaps after some time apart the strange atmosphere that was taking over up there will dissipate. And maybe I''ll be able to figure out what exactly being a colony paragon entails. I''m a ''juvenile'' after all. I can suppose that when I next evolve, I''ll be given the option for ''mature'' colony paragon. That may be the rare evolution, or perhaps even a normal one. What''ll that entail? I already have themunal will nd, weird flesh crystal that it is. Do I get another? Or something else? And the strange whispers that I heard. What the heck was that about? I don''t want to think about it too much, I shy away from the implications. I''ll have to face up to it at some point I suppose.

    But not now! Right now, we have a new world to explore! And what a strange ce it is!

    It''s been curiously quiet, activity-wise, as we continue to descend quite sharply into the second strata, With every second that passes my mana sense grows a little more ustomed to navigating this swirling mass of dark mana. It''s almost like navigating through a storm. Instead of hail and sleet pelting down from above, it''s the ebb and flow of Shadows that twirl like mist caught in a breeze. Except there''s no wind down here. Spooky. I start to feel like I''m underwater, plunged into a Shadow Sea.

    And thendscape begins to change as we progress. The rocks be strange, for one. They twist and curve in strange directions. Instead of normal stgmites and stctites they create an eerie geometry. Sharp angles and unexpected curves create shapes that cannot be found in any nature I subscribe to. The beginnings of an ecosystem are popping up amongst the rocks.

    As we skitter along, Tiny trundling next to me, the great ape''s shoulders shrug ufortably as he eyes the tunnel with unease. On my back, Crinis still appears to be having the time of her life. Her newer ''arm'' tentacles wave happily in the air, almost as if they were trailing through the thickening shadow magic, or as if she were waggling her ''fingers'' in it.

    At our tread, small shifts of movement amongst the rocks are the first thing that clues me into a new form of monstrous life here. I skitter a little closer and I''m stunned by what I see. It almost looks like a coral. From the stone floor, at first it appears like a small rock formation, maybe basketball size, but tiny fronds emerge from holes in the rock to trail gently in the air. It would almost be adorable, if not for the staring eyes that tip half of the stalks, and the mouths full of razor fangs that top the others. When I draw near, the gently waving fronds retract into the stone in an instant, all that remains is a seemingly innocent junk of stone with indistinct holes.

    Well, provided they don''t get anyrger than that, I don''t anticipate this thing being a problem. Wait, did I just curse myself?

    As I ponder just how horrifying a massive version of this creature would be, a sudden shift in the twisting shadows around me snags my attention. To my mana sense, it looks as if small whirlpools appear spinning in mid-air. To my eyes, I don''t see a thing. What a curious thing¡­

    Then five shadow beasts leap out of the air.

    [Holy moly! Enemy attack!]

    I shout to my allies, uncertain if they are wise to the danger and in Tiny''s case I can see I was right. The ape looks confused as his head swivels left and right, trying to see. Crinis is, of course, right in her element. More sensitive to the changes in the mana than I am, her tentacles are already in air and snaking towards these beasts as they begin to fall towards us.

    I can sense the shing before it even urs and my reflexes are absurdly fast, twisting my body to the side and presenting the perfect angle of carapace to the shadow ws that strike down from the lead beast. Sparks fly from the diamond carapace, unmatched under heaven for both hardness, and sparklyness.

    The beast snarls, its twisted maw of rubbery shadow flesh grimaces as its surprise attack is foiled. Toote for regret, creature! Experience my mandibles of power!

    CHOMP!

    Toozy to even activate an attack skill I snap out with my mandibles, fully expecting the rending of shadow flesh between my snapping jaws, shock strikes as my jaws snap shut. Even though I saw it happen, I''m not sure I believe it! The Shadow beast absorbed it''s leg inside its body and just extended it out again in a different position! They can do that?!

    Since when?!

    [Something is weird! Smash them!]

    "ROOOAAAAA!"

    Tiny bellows in rage as one of the beasts swoops down and rakes its ws along his back, drawing blood. Unwilling to take it, his lips peel back to reveal his sharp bat fangs and his massive hands sweep through the air. One creature is unfortunate enough tond within that meaty palm and with a shout of joy Tiny clenches his fist, securing his victim. It isn''t pretty. After he brings the monster up in front of his face to roar at it, Tiny rears back to smash the beast into the ground with all his strength. Noing back from that one. I don''t care what type of fancy tricks they have.

    The strange, slippery abilities the monsters are disying are giving Crinis some trouble. Every time her tentaclestch onto one, they morph and reform their bodies to escape. But she learns quick. Multiple limbs start to reach for each creature,tching on in several ces at once. The beasts aren''t able to shift themselves fast enough before the barbs emerge and begin to rend them apart.

    After that, it isn''t long before we clean up thest of the beasts. The fight was instructive. It''s clear that the shadow monsters will enjoy advantages here that they don''t otherwise. I wonder what else will crop up?

 Chapter 312 Goals and amibitions

    <h4>Chapter 312 Goals and amibitions </h4>

    [Remember why we came down here guys?]

    [To escape our responsibilities?]

    [No! Crinis, what the hell?!]

    [Sorry, Master! I- I thought you said -]

    [Never mind what I said! Those are things we keep between us. Special secrets that we never utter out loud.]

    [But we aren''t talking out loud?]

    [Besides the point! No, let''s focus on the other important reasons we''re here.]

    Crinis raises one of her thin tendrils to scratch herself on the top of her sphere.

    [Well. We''re here so you can absorb mana and survive long term¡­]

    [Mission aplished on that front. My core is ticking along great down here.]

    [Wonderful!] Crinis considers again for a moment. [We also came to get experience and Biomass for Tiny and myself.]

    [Right. Since we don''t get much experience up above, or Biomass, we should find more challenging, highly evolved monsters down here.]

    [And we want to scout out the strata for the colony, since the Queen will need toe down here eventually.]

    [She will, and soon.]

    [And you wanted to try and find traces of others like you.]

    [Correct! More like myself and Garralosh. ording to the Sophos, there are a few of us down there in the depths. I''d love to hear what they''ve been up to, so long as they managed to hold onto a little sanity.]

    I think for a moment.

    [Does it bother you that I was from another world and resurrected here as a monster, Crinis?]

    [No? Why would it?]

    [Uh. I have no idea. Perhaps you would think I wasn''t a proper monster since I used to be a human?]

    [Pfft. Master? Not a proper monster? Surely you''re joking with me!]

    Eh?

    [What do you mean?]

    [Come now, Master. I don''t think you''ll find another monster that''s as strong¡­]

    Well I mean, that''s true.

    [¡­ or as wise¡­]

    I am known far and wide for my great wisdom, it''s true!

    [¡­ or as savage¡­]

    Natura- ¡­ wait, what now?

    [¡­ as cruel and relentless¡­]

    Hold on, really?!

    [¡­ merciless and ambitious as my Master!]

    [That''s really how you think of me?]

    [Of course!]

    Ouch. That''s some serious psychological damage you''re inflicting there Crinis. You don''t even realise it, either. Actually, somehow that makes it worse. Am I really that nasty? I mean, I''ve done some stuff, but cruel? Savage?! I''m not confident that Crinis'' views can be trusted on this one. She has a strange nt sometimes. In my mind I''m a perfectly lovable ant monster.

    We finish munching on the Biomass of the defeated Shadow Beasts and I''m interested when a notification pings from the System.

    [Master profile of the Dark Ghoul unlocked.]

    Oh? I''ve not checked in on my unlocked profiles for a long time, but Formo did say that the master profile was a way of peering into the mind of the Dungeon itself. Which he seemed to think was important. There''s no harm in it, so I may as well take a look.

    Idly munching I bring up the full profile for the.. Dark Ghoul.

    Master Profile:

    [Tenebris Pallidi: Dark Ghoul, A Shadow Affinity monster with powerful ws and tricky movement. Beware the Shadows.]

    Might: 56

    Toughness: 33

    Cunning: 15

    Will: 18

    Current Evaluation:

    The Dark Ghoul is an iterated version of early base design Shadow Creatures. Despite the age and rtively crude design, the Pallidi has proven to be an enduring monster archetype, the Shadow variant particrly so. Perturbations were introduced to the evolutionary tree of the creature this cycle to attempt to find a better pathway to carry forward, as higher tier versions haven''t lived up to the base monster''s efficiency.

    Interesting. So it seems these Dark Ghouls have been around for a long time, since the Dungeon finds them to be sessful monsters, but the evolved versions are underwhelming? I''ve yet to see much of the evolved versions of this monster. No doubt I''ll run into plenty down here. Not that I want to do too much fighting just yet. I think it''ll be better if Tiny and I can limate to the conditions in this strata a bit before we go too crazy.

    To that end, I decide it may be best if we leave this main passageway and explore a few side tunnels. We''re less likely to run into any big bads, or stumble into an expanse if we stick to the smaller passages. If we use the body analogy, these big tunnels are the main arteries that connect the organs, or expanses, together. The smaller tunnels are like capiries, the little veins that are useful for hiding and settling smaller monsters in. Sadly, I no longer fit in all of these but there are some that arerger than the others and I can get around alright.

    I direct the team to the left wall, dodging around some more weird corals and I stop when I feel something wrap around my leg. Not feeling too threatened I look down and notice the waving fronds another small nt like thing. It almost appears like seaweed. Long and wide leaves that float through the air as if we were underwater. I didn''t notice them since this specimen seems quite small, less than a metre tall, just enough to wrap up the tip of one of my legs.

    I pull my leg free with ease but when I do, a sharp stab of cold pierces into me. Ouch! What the heck was that?! Bringing my eyes closer for a better look, I spy small needle points line the edges of the fronds. It appears this stupid nt stabbed me! If only my legs were as tough as the rest of me¡­

    I will have vengeance. Without mercy I turn and unleash a st of acid at the offending seaweed and watch with satisfaction as it bubbles away to nothing. Still, checking my HP I notice that I''ve only taken a single point of damage from that strike, but the cold feeling remains, as if ice were injected in my veins. Poison is a strong possibility here.

    [Crinis?]

    [Yes, Master?]

    [Could you cut the end of my leg off?]

    [!?]

    [Please?]

    Protesting, but not as strongly as I''d expected she would, Crinis wraps the stinging leg in one tentacle and her barbs do the rest. Thankfully I can regenerate half a leg in no time t. Ten minutester and we are back on the move, wary of poison nt things.

    Within another ten minutes we locate a side tunnel with enough headroom to amodate Tiny and myself, so we plunge forth. The narrower space gives a sense offort in this lightless environment and I feel a little more secure, less worried about creatures springing from nowhere.

    At least the - Oh god! Creepy spider!

 Chapter 313 Wrong Legged

    <h4>Chapter 313 Wrong Legged </h4>

    To my eyes, there is nothing wrong with the tunnel ahead. More of the coral-like nt fronds crop up, along with a few specimens of stabbing fronds, which I''ll provide my trademark service whenever I can. Visually, there''s nothing wrong, the scene is peaceful, idyllic. One might even venture to say picturesque. My mana sense, however, paints a very different scene.

    Threads of pure shadow cover the tunnel from top to bottom. As if the darkness itself had been woven into thick webs that cling to the walls, the ceiling and the floor for dozens of metres. Worst of all, in the centre of the mess sits the most horrific looking arachnid I''ve ever imagined. I look down on spiders for having two more legs than is necessary. I mean, you get to six legs, the perfect number, enjoyed by the majority of lifeforms on Earth and probably Pangera. You''re at six, why the hell would you keep getting more? You''ve achieved leg nirvana, the goldilocks zone of legs! An organism would have to be diabolically stupid, or dipped in pure distilled evil to fail to recognise the holy nature of the insect.

    So I hate spiders for that reason. Stupid or evil, I care not which. They all are horrible and deserve whates to them. This spider has seen the wicked ways of its kind, witnessed them indulge in their cauldron of sin and thought itself: "What we have going on here? It''s good stuff. I''m impressed, I dig the vibe. But check this crazy idea. What if we had¡­ what if we were to have¡­ more legs?"

    I recoil in horror as the bloated beast reveals itself to my mind. Eight? No. Ten? No. Twelve? Not at all. Sixteen legs! Why?! In the name of all that is good and sacred in this world and all others, WHY?! That number of legs ispletely superfluous! I cannot imagine any advantage to be gained by possessing this ridiculous number of legs. This creature I cannot allow to survive! I shall rend it to pieces and devour its legs with savage glee! Glee I tell you!

    Facing off against the many-legged Taratect of legend, I won''t back down. The webs will be a problem, but not one that I can''t handle. They appear to be woven out of attributed mana, not actually physical or tangible in the normal sense. Luckily for me, my acid is the perfect tool for deconstructing this mess.

    Foul creature of evil! Eat acid!

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    [Hurr?!] Tiny grunts in confusion as I unleash acid into the seemingly normal tunnel. His expression changes quickly as tangles ropes of shadow begin to melt and fray into view.

    We''re going to have to do something for Tiny, he''s going to struggle in this Strata if he can''t see what he''s doing. Crinis has none of these issues and ispletely aware of what I''m doing.

    [Why does it have so few limbs?] She asks with revulsion.

    [¡­ Wrong question Crinis. And I have less!?]

    [You''re different! You''re perfect, Master!]

    [Correct! Insect kind reigns supreme!]

    POW! POW!

    More acid flies out, chewing through the webs at a rapid clip. The many legged spider doesn''t appear to enjoy the process of having its sweet home torn into shreds. From its position clinging to the top of the tunnel with its grotesque number of legs the spider descends and reaches out. Able to grip both sides off the tunnel at once its limbs seem to stretch forever as it begins to advance on us with a deadly grace.

    Yuck! This just keeps getting worse! The creature is like a nightmare daddy long-legs of a spider! Each limb is metres long, thin and bent sharply at the joint. The details of the body are still hard to make out. It''s bulbous and disgusting, I can say that much with certainty, but the rest is still hidden in darkness.

    Not for long!

    POW! POW! POW!

    Raising my business end up high, I aim forward and continue to deliver liquid justice toward the face of the creature. The more my acid chews through the web, the more the scattering droplets ssh closer to the offending beast.

    Unleashing a long guttural hiss, the spider bares its fangs at me and what a hideous maw it is. Not one set of fangs, oh no, just like everything else about this arachnid, it''s decided to take things to extremes. It''s mouth is nearly enough to rival that of Crinis, my dear murder sphere, in its sheer horrific-ness. Multiple sets of jaws make a ring of sharp grabbers that reach out, grasping at the air as if tasting me.

    It seems as if you want to get closer to me, mister spider. I believe I can find it in my heart to grant your wish!

    My sub-minds stir and begin to pump gravity mana into my mandibles. Theirbined efforts are able to flood my jaws with energy in a few seconds, energy which I''m only too happy to reach out with towards our many legged friend.

    YOINK!

    I seize the spider and cause it to fall toward me, preparing the Omen Chomp Skill to deal fantastic and deadly damage to this offensive arachnid. However, the beast reacts with incredible speed, digging into the walls with its ws and defying the suddenly resistible call of my face hands.

    Damn you spider! Do I really have to go in there and get you?!

    POW! POW! POW!

    I unleash further sts of acid at the arachnid, trying to bait it out, but it proves to be surprisingly dextrous, dodging wildly and trying to remain ensconced within its tattered web. Maybe I''ll try ¡­

    YOINK!

    My mandibles glow bright with gravitation mana once more as I try to drag the spider out, but it resists once again, snatching at the walls with its many legs and straining against my pull. This damn spider! It wants me to chase it into what remains of its webs. I''m not going in there, who knows what crazy shadow web tricks it has going on in there! I also don''t want to have to sit here and acid the webs away. The gross stuff extends for dozens of metres, I can''t be bothered melting it all!

    I feel Crinis stir on my back and I tip my front end upwards a little to get a better view. Perhaps frustrated by myck of progress at extracting our webbed friend, she wants to take action. Her permanent tentacles wiggle back and forth as she concentrates and the darkness around her deepens, thickening until it almost appears solid. Her body ripples like the surface of a pond after you throw in a stone and a dozen limbs sh out of her main body and plunge into the shadow portal she created around herself.

    The spider unleashes a shriek of surprise as its body is seized by Crinis. Actually no, she''s not going for the body, she''s going for the legs! Her tentaclessh out from the darkness and wind around each of the spider''s legs in a sh, immobilising it in an instant. Furious, the spider opens its jaws wide and sink its fangs into one of the offending limbs.

    [Tsk.] Crinis mutters, withdrawing the damaged tentacle before she extends others to wrap around it and carve it off.

    [What the heck, Crinis?!]

    [Poison.]

    [Ah.]

    The rest of the spiders legs begin to suffer much the same as Crinis'' tentacles as her buzzing barbs begin to rend them from its body. With the spider momentarily incapacitated in this way, Tiny is finally able to make it out in the darkness. With a whoop of joy, he leaps forward, heedless of the webs, reaching his victim just as his fellow petpletes her dark work and de-legs the spider.

    What follows is mercifully brief as Tiny electrifies his fists and smashes the spider''s head into a fine paste. I feel like he was venting his frustration, much as I wanted to do. Ah well, nice job, Tiny.

 Chapter 314 Tunnels of shadow

    <h4>Chapter 314 Tunnels of shadow </h4>

    The perils of the Dungeon are many. Physiological and psychological. There are many threats that seek to cause bodily harm. The monsters, naturally, are what most consider the deadliest things a person might encounter in the Dungeon, and I admit that they person may have the right of it in this instance. Ravenous beasts with a boundless ferocity and low cunning are the least threatening of these creatures. At deeper levels one must contend with creatures capable of so much more. Magic, strategy, social hierarchy, advanced pack tactics apanied by higher stats and more developed skills.

    But this is far from the only threat. Starting in the second strata, the Dungeon spawns moreplex eco-systems. The Shadow Sea (as some refer to it) being the first of these makes it no less deadly. Large and terrifying monsters may require most of a would-be delvers'' attention, but the stone and tunnel holds innumerable fatal threats.

    Then there''s the cold, relentless biting cold. Without the proper Skills and preparation, it saps away energy, drains focus and is yet another burden, along with the unending dark, that weighs on the mind. Many a brave Mercenary has been broken by the second strata without ever battling a monster there. It is a ce that is inimical to the sapient races of the surface, designed to trap and destroy them, break and bury them. Yet we persist in rushing toward our doom, desperate to unlock the wealth and mystery of the world beneath our feet. No sooner had a team conquered the second strata than they rushed into the third, only to find a whole new world of challenges that awaited them.

    The conditions of the Dungeon, Magio Schr Tarius.

    The Biomass of shadow monsters always has a weird texture. It''s rubbery and feels less solid, but at the same time is quite filling. I don''t partake too much, the pets still take priority, but I get a couple of points from it, which goes to show this spider must have evolved at least a few times.

    May as well check the profile. I''m interested to see what the Dungeon has to say about it.

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Aranea Plurimorum, you are awarded one Biomass]

    [Basic profile of the Aranea Plurimorum unlocked]

    [Aranea Plurimorum - Many Hands Spider. This monster uses its stealth and webs formed of shadow mana to entrap its prey. An ambush hunter by nature, direct confrontation is not this creatures greatest strength.]

    Yeah, I get that much. Spiders are cowards, everyone knows that. Filthy, many-legged wimps who shun a fair fight. I''ll conveniently ignore any and all webless arachnids to justify my snobbery. You don''t see ants hiding in wait, making sticky traps! No! Ants charge forward, facing up to muchrger and more powerful foes in a direct assault! Sure, we usually outnumber our opponents several thousand to one, but hey, no need to focus on the little details.

    Still, the webs weren''t too impressive in the end, Tiny was able to leap straight through them, no problem at all. Crinis and I had to pick our way through a little more gingerly. I''m not sure why, but I just don''t like the look of the stuff. The web hasn''t dissolved or anything since we defeated the spider. In order to progress through the tunnel we''re going to have to melt or destroy it.

    [Good job getting on top of that spider, Tiny. I''m impressed you could break through the webs so easily.]

    The big ape looks proud of himself, a wide smile on his bat-like face. With a wide wave of his meaty hand he manages to convey the sense that it was no trouble at all but only he could have managed it.

    [Don''t get so full of yourself. You had no clue if that web would be safe for you to jump through. What if you''d gotten stuck?]

    He frowns and clenches a fist before waving it with vigour. He''s saying that it wouldn''t matter what the web had going on, he''d have been able to smash through it regardless.

    [This is what I keep saying. You can''t just smash everything with brute strength. What about Garralosh? You couldn''t fight her with strength could you?]

    He detes a little and waves his fist vaguely toward the ceiling.

    [You''d have been able to fight her if you were just a bit stronger?! I think you''d need to be a lot stronger. I''m serious here you dumb ape. I''m worried that one of these days you''re going to get yourself into a real mess. Crinis and I have both been poisoned so far in this stupid shadowyer. What would you do if you were inflicted with that?]

    A fierce grin splits his face and he wiggles his eyebrows.

    [No you can''t punch poison, you idiot!]

    Still smiling the great ape goes back to shovelling the Biomass into his face. Well, he seems fine. Out of idle curiosity I check his status. I don''t know what I expect to see, but something brings me up short.

    [Hey Tiny, did that spider injure you?]

    He frowns at me, insulted by the suggestion.

    [No? So why are you missing three HP?]

    He looks confused for a moment before he starts to check over his body, shifting his arms to inspect them carefully before pawing at his back. Unable to find any wounds he shrugs at me and goes back to eating.

    During the whole performance I watch as his health ticks down another point.

    [You got poisoned by the webs you idiot!]

    I p myself in the forehead with one antenna out of frustration. Of course there was some trick to the webs! There were made out of shadow mana! There''s no way a bottom feeding monster like a spider would be satisfied just wrapping people up with webs. There''d be tricks to it. Attributes in the threads, razor sharp threads, remote thread control, weapons made out of webs! All sorts of stuff is possible!

    And whilst I''ve been thinking his health has gone down another two points! For his part, Tiny looks mildly confused. He raises up on fist and acts as if he were going to hit himself in the stomach, then looks at me.

    [NO! You can''t punch the poison out of yourself! Just how dumb can you be?! Argh! I''ll have to try healing you. Hold on a minute.]

    Grumbling at the effort required, Iboriously start to weave together a healing mana construct. It''s not one I''ve used before and learning a new construct is always a massive pain in the abdomen. Moreplex that an architectural schematic, more intricate than an artwork. Without the Skills and beyond human brain power, they''d be impossible to hold in one mind.

    Luckily I''ve got four minds now! It still takes me ten minutes to get it up and running. I push out some healing mana and ungraciously pour it into Tiny. He''d lost thirty HP whilst waiting for me and I keep pumping it into him until he gets back up to full.

    [There you go, you dumb ape. Try not to do - ¡­]

    His health is still going down. We might have a problem here.

 Chapter 315 Stupid Ape

    <h4>Chapter 315 Stupid Ape </h4>

    I continue to heal Tiny every few minutes as we sit in the ruins of the lousy spider''s web. Every time I heal him, his health starts to trickle down again a few momentster. Does this poison never run out? What the heck is going with it?! If I had the power of resurrection then I''d bring that stupid spider back just so I could kill it all over again. How dare it do this to my loyal, stupid, hardworking, idiotic, steadfast and stupid pet?!

    But after an hour of constantly healing him, my minds are starting to hurt and the slow leak of health out of Tiny is yet to stop. Begrudgingly I spend a Skill point to buy Healing Magic Affinity Level 1. I probably should have bought it ages ago, it''s not like it''s never going toe in handy, but for some reason I held off. I don''t want to be the healer of the party, I want to shove that responsibility to another so I can focus on being badass and annihting stuff. But if just dumping healing mana into the big ape isn''t going to do the job, perhaps the skill will teach me some poison removal magic?

    Aha!

    It''s here. I thought as much. The trickling knowledge of healing magic is filling up my brain! Lots of new spell forms and interesting methods are here, including one for the removal of poison. Grumbling at the inconvenience, I whip up the required spell and apply to the ape who still looks like he wants to punch himself in the stomach.

    I should let him¡­

    The healing mana settles onto him and sinks into his body whilst I sit back with a sigh. There we go, crises averted.

    [Be more careful next time you moron!] I scold Tiny.

    He frowns, his bat ears twitch and he holds his fist up once more.

    [NO! I just cured you! Why would you want to punch yourse- ¡­]

    His health is still going down¡­

    DAMMIT! Why?! What the heck kind of web-fu did that taratect have going on, huh? Hacks? Is it hacks? Some sort of cheat skill?! I never got one of those Gandalf! You bearded moron!

    [Crinis! Do you have any idea what is going on? Some sort of Shadow poison? Have you seen a skill like that at all?]

    [No, I haven''t. But I don''t think it''s poison¡­]

    [What? What do you mean?]

    [Look closely, Master. You should be able to see it with your mana sense.]

    [My mana vision isn''t as good as yours¡­]

    I focus on Tiny once more, not with my eyes, but with my mind. Crinis has a huge advantage over me here in this department, but my skills aren''t totallycking. Letting my mind reach out I examine with minute detail the mana that flows through Tiny''s body. His core res bright in my mind and the energy that ripples through his entire frame is bright and energetic. He seems fine? Wait!

    I grasp a sliver of something that slips away from me. What the heck was that? Determined, I focus harder and strain to grasp what I''d seen. There it is! Roaming through his body like a cunning worm is a slithering shard of shadow mana! It wasn''t poison that those webs injected him with, it was a spell!

    How insidious! This must be some sort of advanced Skill or technique, it has to be. I get the feeling that spider was quite a high level, grown fat during the wave on the fresh monsters that swarmed through its tunnel. Now that I can sense what is happening, I can see the harm being done in real time. Like a dark snake the mana flits throughout Tiny''s body, wrecking and damaging everything ites across, causing his HP to drop. When I heal the damage, his situation doesn''t improve as the mana continues its work. The poison removal didn''t work, since it''s not actually poison that he''s infected with!

    What the heck are we supposed to do?!

    [Alright Tiny. I want to listen carefully.]

    A serious expressiones across the bat features of my first pet. He leans forward, attentive, his huge fists curled in hisp.

    [You aren''t poisoned by the spider. You''ve been infected with damaging Shadow Mana.]

    His eyes steady, Tiny nods slowly. Then, he thunderously punches himself in the stomach. Unable to resist his own colossal strength, he groans and copses to the tunnel floor.

    [¡­ you idiot.]

    After I heal him up again, he managed to do quite a lot of damage to himself, I try to use external mana maniption to dissolve or remove the offending spell but it''s too hard for me. Either the fact that the mana is trapped within his body, which means it''s more difficult for me to effect, or its too elusive and slippery for me to take hold of.

    And so ites to this. I decide that we''ll continue our delve of the second strata and I''ll have to keep healing Tiny as we go. Perhaps if my healing mana gets to a high enough rank I''ll be able to cure him, or if my external mana maniption ranks up, I''ll be able to help. Either way, the spell inside him is small enough that he doesn''t lose his health super quickly. As long as I keep topping him up, he''ll be fine.

    Still, it''s an inconvenience I''d rather not have to put up with, and the constant threat to my oldestpanions life is anxiety inducing. We''re off to a poor start here in the second strata. We need to be smarter in our approach. Although, considering the membership of our group, with me leading it, this mess was somewhat predictable. Well the benefit of hindsight is 20-20 as they say. We can only move forward with greater wisdom! Greater enthusiasm!

    Whoops! Better heal Tiny again¡­

    I''m going to have to manage my sub-brains, or have them manage each other. They can flip the job of maintaining the construct between them in order to get enough rest. With three of them, it should be fine. By fine, I mean I won''t have to dedicate my main mind to the job of topping Tiny off. This should help to train my skills quickly as well.

    With that renewed spirit we set off once more! I clear out the spider webs and we advance down the side tunnel. There are still small nts cropping up and we take some time to investigate each one before we continue. Crinis is forced to sacrifice two more tentacles to poison and negative energy as we progress. I''m starting to sense a theme in this strata. Wee across a few creatures that are easily dispatched, but then we find something that really irritates me.

    Centipedes¡­. Always with the lousy centipedes.

 Chapter 316 The Wizardsâ€™ favourite

    <h4>Chapter 316 The Wizards'' favourite </h4>

    Before me in the tunnel twists a tangled trap of terrible centipedes. Clearly though, these centipedes are of a new and different breed. Bodies of sleek shadow flesh, segmented armour that practically smokes with dark wisps of mana and gnashing mandibles that gleam to my mana sense.

    I mean. What the hell?! Why does the Dungeon love these stupid creatures so much? Of all the invertebrates that exist on Earth, or that the Dungeon could dream up and cobble together out of random insect parts or something. Why is it that the Dungeon is so prepared tovish its love on these filthy centipedes?! I''m starting to understand the point of view of the Sophos more and more¡­ Perhaps I''ll do just as Formo suggested and eliminate every root and twig of these cursed creatures from the Dungeon just to expose their inferiority once and for all!

    [Tiny! Crinis! Attack without mercy! Annihte them all!]

    DASH!

    The three of us rush forward to do battle and the centipedes hiss with fury as they sense us approaching their nest. The creatures appear to have abandoned the built up mound style of nest I observed in the forest expanse and instead look to have dug out a pit into the tunnel floor. It''s sizeable, more than ten metres across, and it is filled with the hideous things.

    They gnash their mandibles, spit and splutter as we throw ourselves bodily into the pit. Dozens of centipedes rise up to meet me but they hold no fear for me. Even if this new species isrger and more formidable than the old version, I''ll show them what I''m made of!

    CLINK! CLANK!

    Mandibles and stingers fly from every side only to bounce off my precious diamond carapace. I can''t wait to upgrade it again, the day when I''m covered in precious diamond wille soon! Prepare to receive the bite of justice and destiny, filthy bugs!

    Omen Chomp!

    The mandibles of dark energy expand before me as my stamina plummets and six centipedes are caught between the ethereal jaws.

    CRUNCH!

    [You have in level 14 Stitit Tenebris Scolopendra (II)]

    ¡­

    [You have gained experience]

    A whole new breed of centipede for me to destroy! I shall purge them all!

    BOOM!

    Tiny leaps down in the pit and copses on the swarming monsters like a rockslide. A rockslide bursting with electrical energy for some reason. The sound of sparking lightning fills the air as his fur writhes with ropes of electricity that sizzle and re every time he touches a foe, which is lots, since he''s in a pit full of them. The cries of burning bugs and the scent of roasting Biomass fill the air.

    Haha! More!

    CHOMP! CHOMP!

    The pit is filled with dozens of centipedes and their rage at having their home invaded is palpable. They bite and stab at us and we return in kind. Crinis is able to extend her limbs to reach every nook and crevice of this habitat and she begins to carve the creatures apart without mercy. I feel that my pets may have inherited my distaste of this creature. Which is a good thing! Hatred of centipedes should be universal!

    Despite being a new species, the clutch of creepy crawlies proves to be of little threat and we exterminate them in short order. A triumph for Ant kind over the weaker arthropod! And now, the feast!

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Stitit Tenebris Scolopendra].

    [Basic Profile Unlocked]

    [A new variant of the w Centipede, the Dark Arisen Centipede has taken on the properties of the second strata, such as shadow flesh, affinity for darkness and shadow, as well as enhanced poison abilities. Along with a general increase of toughness, cunning, might and will, the Dark Arisen Centipede is far more dangerous than its weaker cousins.]

    You what!? Damn you, Gandalf! You''vevished this level of attention on these stupid creatures, and they''re still so weak? I''m gonna eat them all! Just you watch!

    We chomp our way through the nest of coiled insects, Crinis in particr shoving them into her cavernous maw with relish, before we continue to explore the tunnels. Having to pause and heal Tiny every so often is a bit of a pain, but otherwise we make good progress. We find a few monsters, but nothing so extreme as the spider for the next few hours and we begin to get into a groove.

    It''s taking a little while for me to adjust to being nearly sightless. After investing so much of my early Biomass points in my eyes, it''s quite painful toe down to this strata and find myself totally blinded. I assumed it would be dark down here, but this level of dark is out of control. Goths would hesitate in the face of this much ck. To my mana sense the walls positively pulse with the shadow mana that flows through the Dungeon veins, leaching out into the air and stealing away the light.

    The monsters glitter, like small glowing points of shifting energy in a dark cloud. It''s hard to make them out, but it''s doable, and I''m getting better with practice. A few more Skill levels won''t hurt, but I expect it''s going to take a couple of days for that to happen. In the meantime, I think I can make do with what I have. Tiny''s the one struggling the most. He''s basically just operating on sound and the light he can produce from his electricity. Whenever he bumps into something he starts sparking just long enough for him to demolish whatever it was that got in his way, usually a rock.

    The tunnel twists and turns, but always slopes downward. The further we go, the thicker and more dense the corals and nts be, forcing us to shift our path or cut our way through. It takes time but we progress at a steady pace. There are some smaller tunnels that shoot off this one, but most are too small for me to enter anymore. These ces are the refuge of the weaker and smaller monsters, amongst which I no longer count myself a member.

    After a few more hours wee back to the main tunnel that we broke off from. I can see in my tunnel map that we''ve moved basically in parallel but followed a far more twisting path. Not to worry, we need to continue gathering experience.

    [Come on Tiny, let''s follow a few more of the side tunnels before we get too much further. If we keep following this major tunnel, we''re sure to connect to an expanse eventually and I want us to be ready.]

    [Hurr.]

    Tiny rumbles a growl back at me. I can tell he''s still irritated by the shadow mana ripping through his body and the monsters we''ve battled so far haven''t been enough to ke his desire for challenge. I''m not too worried though. I''m sure the second strata has way more interesting things to throw at us that what we''ve seen so far¡­

 Chapter 317 The Monsters Come

    <h4>Chapter 317 The Monsters Come </h4>

    It''s true that shadow monsters seem to be stronger than the creatures of the first strata at a lower level of evolution. Most of the monsters we encounter are tier two or three, but they are significantly stronger than monsters of that same tier we encountered above. It''s keeping life interesting, but the experience and Biomass penalties are still applied. Frustrating! With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I''ming to realise this means I''ll be permanently gimped for being born as a first strata monster.

    It makes sense, Dungeon wise. Down here the mana is thicker and attributed. This means the Dungeon is able to produce different kinds of body parts, the shadow flesh, for example. Who knows what the lower strata monsters are capable of, or what they''re made of? Perhaps there are ants born below who are diamond from the moment theye out of their pupal stage¡­.

    Jealous! That better not be true!

    The only way we can keep up is to push our mutations and Skills to the limit. Although, I wonder if it''s possible to recreate certain body parts as more powerful versions, made from more mana intensive materials, is what I''m driving at. I''ve not seen the option so far, but that doesn''t mean it won''t ever exist. Perhaps just arriving in the second strata was enough to unlock the option. I''ll have to wait until I evolve again to confirm this, but that''s a long way in the future. Tier five creatures are thin on the ground so far, but to be fair we''re only creeping through smaller side tunnels right now. Other than the strong monsters who''ve created their own little kingdoms like that spider, there are mostly small fry here now.

    Must have been crazy down here during the wave though. Thank goodness I never had to see it.

    [Master, I sense something strange.]

    [Really?]

    Mana sense levelled up a little while ago and I was able to rank it up to Expanded mana sensing, which improved my range, but not my finesse. Crinis still has me dead to rights when ites to detecting our foes.

    [I''m not finding anything though?]

    I concentrate harder but to no avail.

    [It''s weird,] Crinis mutters, [it''s like dust? The moment I find it, it''s gone again.]

    I can feel the orb on my back writhing its tentacles back and forth as she tries to find whatever has triggered her eye.

    [Tiny, you hearing anything?]

    One thing we''ve learned is that Tiny''s ears, even without mutations, are really good. I shouldn''t be surprised, considering he has therge, triangr ears of a bat. I think when he evolves again, he should make them mutable. When I ask what he hears, he cocks his head to one side and listens for a moment before shaking his heavy head.

    [Think you can give us some light?]

    The big ape nods and concentrates for a moment before he begins to spark, electricity roaming over his fur and illuminating the tunnel oh so slightly. The flickering light throws the objects in the tunnel into relief, ironically filling the tunnel with shadows. Because that''s what we need more of.

    It''s enough light that my fancypound eyeballs are able to be put to use and I scan the tunnel to try and find what it is that we''re sensing. But there''s nothing there.

    [Are you sure, Crinis?]

    [Positive. It''s fast, and small. I think there''s more of them.]

    [Eh? More? Like, how many?]

    I look around nervously, but I don''t even know what I''m looking for! Gently swaying fronds of various poisonous or stabby nts wave through the air, along with dotted stone formations that extend mouths, or barbs, or barbed mouths out in order to feast on monsters that pass by. Along with general outcroppings of rock, the tunnels are starting to get quite busy, making it harder to spot¡­ whatever it is I''m looking for.

    Wait! I sense something!

    To my mana sense it looks as if dust that had been floating through the air, suddenlyes together and darts behind a stone.

    [I''ve seen it! It''s like some dust that moves!]

    [Dust?]

    [Small particles. It was floating in the air and then came together into a ball and hid. Tiny, spark up a little more, we might be able to see it.]

    Tiny grunts in response and the electricity bes more intense, sizzling and cracking dangerously in the air. The heat in the tunnel begins to rise as the light glitters through the shadow strata. At first, I can''t see anything.

    [Crinis?]

    [It''s hard to detect. I feel as if it''s everywhere and nowhere.]

    [That doesn''t sound good¡­]

    I stare hard, using my mental faculties as well as my physical ones. I don''t want to be taken by surprise down here in this sea of shadows. Who knows what might happen? More poisons, or death mana, or teeth from the shadows, or dodgy fast food. Who knows what horrors lurk in the darkness?

    [Over there!]

    I flick an antenna to the right, pointing to the slight movement I saw. Tiny and Crinis both turn quickly, just in time to watch a patch of dirt on the wall crawl together into a blob.

    [What is it?] I wonder.

    A small sound reaches my ears then, as if a tiny vibration were rocking the tunnel. The small hairs that cover my antennae stand on end and I turn to look at the tunnel walls on the other side. All around us, the walls are shaking as what had appeared to be ayer of dark dirtes to life and starts to gather together.

    [It''s all around us!] I holler at the others.

    [Master! I can sense it now. It''s huge!]

    I can too. For dozens of metres in front of us as well as dozens behind, my mana sense is ring as whatever this is begins to literally pull itself together from its disparate parts.

    "ROOOOAAR!" Tiny bellows, smashing his chest with his mighty fists, his eyes burning with rage.

    Finally, a decent fight, he seems to be saying as he snarls, his fangs on disy. Lightning surges even thicker across his body and begins to umte on his fists as all around the walls continue to crawl and shift. The dust gathers together into small blobs that then begin to seek each other out and merge. Rapidly, bodies are forming all over the ce but my mana sense is telling me that this is one creature. All the mana I sense from it is exactly the same.

    Not willing to wait, Tiny leaps forward and smashes his charged fist into one of the blobs, scattering it with explosive force. The disparate pieces st into a nearby wall before they quiver and begin to move once more. Tiny shakes his fist, unsatisfied, and turns to another blob to st it with lightning. Twin streaks of blue energy shatter the air and the blob is vaporised in a moment. To my mana sense, I can see that not all of the dust was destroyed, but at least some of it was. As if sensing that it can be harmed, the dust surrounding us begins to amalgamate more quickly.

    You hurt it Tiny, keep going!]

    The ape grins.

 Chapter 318 Dust to Dust

    <h4>Chapter 318 Dust to Dust </h4>

    Lightning crackles through the air as Tiny unleashes his full arsenal. His fur floats in the air as he positively writhes with snaking lightning. It curls around his arms, sparks of his ears and runs down his huge silver back. As the creature continues to coalesce around us, Tiny begins to st lightning from his fists. Every time he swings his mighty hands a spear of lightning would fly out and annihte one of the blobs. They scatter and begin to form once more, but each time a little smaller than they had been before.

    Even so, dozens of clumps are still forming, each one now the size of a person. It''s creepy as heck. These things pulse and shift all around us, on the ceiling, the walls and the floor of the tunnel in front of us and behind. Just when I start to wonder how the monster is supposed to attack us, the closest blob flexes, changing its shape and revealing a mouth ringed with razor sharp barbs.

    [Look out! Mouths!]

    I step backwards but Crinis has already acted,shing out with her tentacles to seize the offending shape. Her limb wraps around the blob and tightens, crushing it in an instant. It doesn''t seem to slow the monster down though, as the individual particles begin to gather once more.

    [It''s on me!] Crinis cries and I realise that the dust which had stuck to her tentacle was slowly creeping its way towards her main body. [Get off of me you filth!] she roars and whips the coated limb through the air, flicking the dust offensive dust away.

    [Tiny''s hurting it, but not enough. Do you think we should run for it?] I call to my pets.

    "ROOAR" Tiny bellows, his face alight with glee as he sts out electricity everywhere in the tunnel.

    [How dare you touch me you traaaaash!] Crinis screams as he tentacles begin to fly in all directions, scattering the blobs around the tunnel.

    Ooookay. So no tactical retreat? It doesn''t look like it''s possible at any rate. In front of us, and behind, the blobs in the distance had merged together to block the tunnel. Before mey a pulsating wall formed from the dust particles and the same sceney behind me. As I watch, the wall shifts and a huge bulge protrudes, taking the shape of a circr mouth, massive in scale, with the needle like barb teeth.

    What the heck is this monster?! My mana sense is telling me that the monster is all around me, as if I were already in its stomach. The feeling isn''t great. And if I''m not mistaken, the more time passes, the faster the thing is able to move. As if it''s waking up, or perhaps the more its able to bring itself together, the more control it has over its body.

    Movement is everywhere, mouths and teeth are starting to protrude from every direction, faster than Tiny and Crinis can destroy them. I''m frozen by indecision. How do you fight something like this? Biting won''t work! I don''t think gravity magic will work. I could hose it down with water, will that do anything?! Should I try and connect to its mind? I just don''t know!

    Seconds pass as I try to settle on a n of attack but the decision is taken out of my ws as the yawning mouths extend to try and consume me. My antennae ze with warnings of attacksing from all sides and my nervous system lights up like a Christmas tree. Without having any time to think, my reflexes fire, informed by my defensive Skills. I dodge two bites and allow another to scrape across the tough armour of my carapace on my side. I flinch in pain as the teeth gouge into my exoskeleton. These teeth are something special, yikes! I''ll need to be careful.

    And to make things better, the giant formations that block the tunnel in front and behind have begun to advance on us, attempting to squeeze us in the middle. Come on, Anthony! There has to be something you can do! Gritting my mandibles so tight they grind against each other, I shunt control of the healing mana construct to one of my weaker sub-brains. It''s going to push that mind pretty hard but this will free up resources.

    I don''t think water is going to work on this monster and I don''t want to take a chance on mind magic. Tiny''s lightning was able to burn away small chunks of the creature, maybe fire will help? I quickly throw up the menu and buy the Fire Mana Affinity Skill as my two free sub-brains start to throw together the fire construct. It takes precious seconds to puzzle out the unfamiliar shape, time I don''t have.

    [Tiny! Time to go all out! Crinis, you too!]

    Tiny''s been having the time of his life. He''s been sting out wave after wave of electricity out of his fists at every blob he can see. Anything thates close to him he scatters with his hands directly. Every st of lightning illuminates the savage grin that twists his features and reveals the fiery light in his eyes. At my words he howls bright and pours out thest of his reserve of lightning filling the air with chittering sparks that fly in all directions.

    From her ce on my back, Crinis expands to her full size, her mouth opening to reveal the void she carries inside, ringed with teeth. Dozens of tentacles extend rapidly to fill the tunnel, the thick limbs whipping through the air so fast they blur to p and tear at the dust wherever she can reach it. It slows them down, a little. The individual pieces of the creature continue to lunge toward us and I rely on my defensive skills to dodge or deflect their bites, whereas Tiny and Crinis p the enemy away more directly.

    As fast as the pieces are scattered, theye together. The entire tunnel is full of the beast now, no walls, floor or ceiling, only congealing and amassing mouths that gnash and leer at us from all sides. The situation is looking grim as the fire mana construct snaps into ce and I immediately feed mana into it. My antennae twitch and my limbs fire as the mouths descend from all sides. It looks as if the tunnel is copsing as darkness fills my vision on all sides.

    Omen Chomp!

    The dark, ethereal mandibles punch a hole in one side as I leap through it, the rest of the teeth scraping on my carefully angled armour. I activate my mediation skill in an attempt to push away the chaos that threatens to wash away my calm. Take the fire mana, shape it, quickly.

    It glows a deep red and my minds seize upon it, weaving it and shaping it. The knowledge of basic fire magic has been trickling into my brain since I purchased the skill and I grasp onto a shape that I know well. The water cannon spell, it has an equivalent here, and hopefully it works the way I want it to.

    The monster is all around me know, visibility is gone. I hear Tiny bellow and roar from nearby and Crinis the crunching sound of Crinis mming her limbs into the rock echoes from above as I weave my spell.

    [Duck!] I cry.

    A torrent of fire erupts from in front of my face, so bright and so hot that my eyes and antennae re with pain. Actual light and heat! I didn''t realise how much I''d missed it down here! Greedily I feed mana from my core into the fire magic construct, taking hold of the magic and pouring it into my spell.

    As the first tongues of me lick against it the creature unleashes an ear splitting shriek! The form that presses in all around me shudders as I direct the fire to burn it. Fire was a good choice! It''s super effective!

 Chapter 319 The Deep

    <h4>Chapter 319 The Deep </h4>

    The monster thrashes this way and that as I pursue it with my me thrower. Ha! This feels awesome! I didn''t realise how cold I was until I had an enormous fire exploding from right next to my face. Whoops! Need to be careful not to singe the antenna! I snatch my two sense organs back before they dip dangerously low into the jet of me. Mana flows out of my core at a fast pace, but I''m absorbing plenty of energy through my feet. Interestingly the dark attributed mana of the strata is what''s sucked through my legs, but when it arrives at my core it''s changed back to pure, unattributed mana. My suspicion is that the core is unable to ept any type of mana other than clean, untainted energy.

    Luckily, my reserves are being replenished just as fast as they are being expended, which means, thanks to the hard work of my two sub-brains, I can keep this me thrower going forever! Gweheheheh!

    Burn baby, burn!

    I leap left and right, sting the monster all around with the jet of me as its shrieks and cries pierce our ears. All around us the creature shudders as the fire incinerates its strange body. Roast you uppity monster! Be burned by the mes of your own gumption! Also by me. I don''t want you to think that I''m not part of this situation, I absolutely am. And I''m taking a great deal of joy in it.

    Fire does appear to be the creatures Achilles heel. The body that we struggled to damage effectively before has now be kindling, quite literally ash in the wind. Everywhere the fire touches the monster melts away, the air filling with the scent of burning flesh.

    After ten more seconds, the monster has had enough. The blobs are all shifting away from us, revealing the stone and soil of the tunnel that had been concealed beneath. Far more sprightly than it was when it had first awoken, the creature still isn''t very quick. Luckily for us.

    [Don''t let it go, guys! We need to destroy it, seize its core and feast on its Biomass!]

    [Agreed!]

    [Harrr!]

    Still fired up (heh), my pets are eager to chase down the creature as it attempts to flee. Gleefully keeping my methrower active, we chase one half of the monster down the tunnel in the direction we came from. After roasting it all to pieces, we turn around and race to catch up with the other half, still busily glooping its way down the tunnel. Burn sucka!

    [You have in level 41 Venator Atramento.]

    [You have gained experience.]

    [You have reached level 15. One skill point awarded.]

    Take that! You want to ambush us? Want to feast on this incredible diamond hide? No chance! MUAHAHAHAA!

    There isn''t much left of the monster after I''m done burning it to a crisp. What''s left doesn''t look particrly appetizing either. What had originally appeared to be tiny specks of dust are actually little bloblets, more fluid than dirt. Each individual piece is a tiny drop of shadow flesh that somehow the creature is able to spread out and control even if there is no connection to its main body. This is something I''ve not seen before, it was certainly creepy as heck. All that remains is gloopy, wet looking mess of Biomass that we reluctantly chow down on.

    [Venator Atremento, Ink Hunter (V). This monster uses its ability to disperse its body to prey upon unsuspecting victims. Extremely difficult to defeat through physical violence, the creature has a fearsome ability to prey on those weaker than itself.]

    Oh, I''m sure. When it picks on someone stronger it gets cooked and eaten! The Biomass proves to be quite rich as well. There isn''t as much as we''d like but we share it out. The final surprisees when we get to the end of our meal.

    [Compatible rare core detected. Would you like to absorb it, or reconstitute the monster?]

    Hmm. I think we can hold onto this forter. I let Tiny keep the core. He stashes it somewhere in his fur, I''m not sure exactly how, one moment it''s in his giant hand, then he reaches up to an armpit and the core is gone. Whatever, I''ll take it. The creature was actually tier five? Interesting. I guess that exins how weird it was. If it had been tier two or three, I''d be terrified of what it would look like after a few more evolutions.

    After resting briefly, we continue our journey through this branch tunnel. Funnily enough there aren''t many other monsters around this section of tunnel, probably preyed upon by our friend the hunter. In short order we make our way back to the main tunnel and I decide that we''ll stick to one side and follow it. The tunnel continues to shift downward but at the same time we are descending, we are trending in the direction of the colony. Once we get back to underneath it, I n to rise up the tunnels, scout out they of thend and reconnect with my family. This way I can hunt out any threats and do the heavy lifting for the colony as they start to take on the second strata.

    After a few tough fights and a whole heap of easy ones. I think we''re ready to see what this Strata really has to offer. I want to get into an expanse, see what we can see. We continue our journey for another day. We had to shift off to a side tunnel and carve out a space in order to rest. The sweet embrace of torpor was most wee to me, and I rested secure in the knowledge that Crinis was watching over me.

    Naturally I had to top Tiny off before I could rest, and then again the moment I awoke. The invasive mana is still rampaging through his body, causing damage constantly. My healing skills have improved thanks to the constant exertion but not yet enough to increase the rank of the skill, the only thing I can think might help me remove it. Regardless, refreshed and ready we continue our travels, fighting when we need to and carefully avoiding the many forms of venomous nts that are bing more and moremon.

    After another six hours of delving there''s a notable change to the feel of the mana in the air. Our tunnel has curved this way and that but always sloping downward. I''ve noticed a few tunnelsing together, merging and I suspect that I know why. Carefully, with all senses attuned, we advance and it isn''t long before the tunnel floor drops away, the ceiling rises impossibly high and a vast, open space of incredibly dense dark mana yawns before us like an underwater ocean.

    This¡­ is not what I expected.

 Chapter 320 Wide open spaces

    <h4>Chapter 320 Wide open spaces </h4>

    The expanse before me is truly deserving of that name. It''s impossibly vast. How the heck can such a space exist underground? Is this even stable? I start to be nervous about the ground beneath my feet. All of this is possible with mana, be cool Anthony. Magic is magically stable despite being hollow like a piece of Swiss cheese.

    My eyes aren''t able to prate the dense Shadow mana before me, visibility is only twenty metres at best. But to my mana sense, I can trace the veins that line the walls as they rise, and rise, and rise above my head, and fall the same way below my feet. The space in between just feels¡­ empty.

    [Well. We found our first expanse guys. Let''s head on down and see what we can see. Surely there''s more to it than this.]

    With Crinis riding on my back and Tiny climbing beside me we begin to make our way down the wall. It''s steep and my increased size doesn''t make life easy. I really need to continue to level up my grip skill if I want to be able to climb like this. I firm my resolve. It''s time to go back to climbing on the ceiling, or at least the wall, as much as I can. The skill seems to level up faster now that I''m heavier, so I''ll hopefully see some progress pretty quick.

    Down we climb. The stone and rock is ice cold beneath my ws, much like the air around us. Insects don''t like the cold much, ants are known to hibernate in winter, entire colonies going dormant and hanging out in their nests, waiting for warm weather to return. I have to admit that I feel a sluggishness that creeps into my limbs. But my Will is strong and I fight it off. It''s going to take more than cold to slow this ant down.

    Holy shadow mackerel! What is this I can sense? Out in the open space, above my head I can sense a gigantic lifeform twisting through the air. No wait, not twisting. It''s swimming? Seriously? The monsters'' mana is dense and powerful, a strong core is definitely found in the heart of this beast. Not that I''m super tempted to fight it or anything, I can''t even see it! It turns back on itself like an enormous snake, or elongated whale before it speeds away, vanishing at the edge of my perception.

    If I had lungs I''d let out a tense breath. Yikes! That is one heck of a monster! Well, there must be more stuff here, since there''s no way a creature could evolve to that kind of size without feeding on something. A heap of something! Hopefully we can avoid whatever the heck it was until we learn a little more.

    [Crinis, did you get a good look at that creature?]

    [Yes, Master. It looked strong.]

    Tiny immediately turns his head towards us before snapping it up to the air. He peers into the dark but quickly bes frustrated, his ears twitch as his irritation builds.

    [You can''t fight it anyway you moron! It basically flies, you can''t reach it!]

    He growls, his ears drooping in disappointment.

    [I''m going to ''forget'' to heal you one of these days,] I threaten him.

    A wide grin splits his face and he flexes his arms impressively at me, disregarding my anger. I can''t help but chuckle at his antics. It''s hard to stay mad at him.

    [The monster was veryrge, and strong. But that isn''t all, I sensed strong magic in it.]

    [What is shadow? Or poison?]

    [No, it was Death.]

    [Well, butts.]

    Death aligned creatures are just ¡­ no. The rabbit was bad enough, I don''t want to deal with some undead sea leviathan of darkness! No part of that sounds good! But I''m not willing to turn back. Whatever challenges we face, we''ll smash through directly. What sort of ant shirks hard work?

    Ignoring the fact that I am avoiding my work at the colony right this moment, we continue to descend and after thirty more minutes of w cramping wall climbing, I notice the wall is starting to curve toward level. What''s more I can sense, rather than see,rge obstructions rising from below. As we get closer I can see that they are massive versions of the tiny corals and vegetation that we were able to see in the tunnels outside. More climbing reveals that these corals climb almost a hundred metres into the open air above, rising from the dark soil of the expanse floor that finallyes into view.

    The scale of this ce is really hurting my head. I think it might be as much as a kilometre high, maybe even more. It''s difficult to say, I can neither see nor sense that far, but if we assume that we entered the expanse at roughly the vertical halfway mark, then a kilometre sounds about right. Which feels insane, but I''m going to suppress my Earth logic. This is Pangera, there''s magic for goodness'' sake. What''s a giant evolving ant monster to say this would be impossible?

    When we reach the bottom, it''s a surprising scene that we see before us. Thick and tall fronds wave to the movement of a wind or current that only they can feel. Enormous corals tower taller than trees and form an borate maze of tangled stone that looks impossible to navigate. It feels like a reef for titans, but instead of a riot of bright colours the palette is t and grey. The leaves are dark, almost ck and the corals are muted whites, as if bleached. Here and there I can detect life, monsters, flicking in the gaps, feasting on the nts or on each other. And somewhere above the leviathan swims, perhaps with other creatures that treat this world of shadow as a vast ocean.

    Alright Anthony, time to get your game face on. Let''s shake it out. I flex each of my six legs and rattle my body to try and loosen any kinks in the system. Brain check. All of the brains appear to be on task and working hard. Central sub-brain is in control of the healing construct, left sub-brain is healing Tiny up, right sub-brain is practicing external mana maniption. Main mind is checking on the others. Nice. Stamina feels good, Skills are locked and loaded, core is full and mana nd is topped off. We''re ready, we''re pumped up.

    Finally, we''re going to be let loose in a hunting ground that''s close to our level. No more pesky experience penalties or Biomass reductions! When I think of the Skill level ups and mutations that await us my mouth starts gnashing at the air uncontroble. My thirst for adventure is unquenchable! My appetite for levels can never be sated!

    [Tiny? Crinis? You ready to head in?]

    In response, Tiny just nods and grins. Crinis lifts herself from my back and begins to crawl forward, supported by her tentacles.

    [Master, I suggest you allow me to go first. I''m better suited to the scouting role here.]

    [Well, I have to admit that you''re right. Lead the way Crinis. Just make sure you don''t take all the prey for yourself!]

    [I wouldn''t dream of it, Master!]

    [I''m sure.]

 Chapter 321 Reunion

    <h4>Chapter 321 Reunion </h4>

    Commander Titus was a stoic man with a reputation for an Iron will and an unbreakable sense of duty. And it was true, he''d lived a hard life and had made hard choices without hesitation. Where others would shirk their responsibilities, Titus shouldered his burden with pride. For this, he was both loved and respected. Themander knew his reputation and did his best to live up to it. Square shoulders and a stern countenance were synonymous with Titus, as if his face and body had been carved from granite.

    But if there was one thing that could push him to the edge of cracking, it was the person he sawing toward him now.

    The Legion had marched hard back to Railleh as the wave had waned and the shocking news of Garralosh''s demise spread. The Legionaries had been in dire need of rest, but not all were able to receive it. As the technical crews, smiths and enchantersboured long to repair worn weapons and armour, scouting parties had been dispatched to ascertain the environment within the Bulwark. Messages were sent to every outpost, ritual spells ofmunication were enacted to reach out to the wider Legionwork and now they awaited word from their superiors.

    With the wreckage of their homes weighing on their minds, Titus and his troops had been unable to rest. After the centurions had found the third party attempting to escape the barracks and venture to the surface, Titus had considered relenting and allowing a team to establish an outpost on the surface. When the fourth escape party had contained a good number of centurions, Titus finally gave the order that he himself would lead a full column to the surface. All advanced gear was left behind, only leathers and basic weaponry allowed. The soldiers were eager to be away.

    Despite their victory in the lines, the soldiers'' mood was grim. They knew roughly what awaited them above. A ruined city, a destroyed nation. How many of their loved ones had survived the ughter? They pushed hard and Titus marched at their head, as relentless and unyielding as a stone. The Legionaries stuck to the main paths, as direct as they could be. What monsters they found were ruthlessly crushed.

    On the fourth day, as they were climbing up the main tunnel, they''d heard footstepsing down. Titus raised a fist, then pointed to his left and right. Immediately archers had moved to covered positions along the walls of the tunnel as shield bearing legionaries formed up beside him. There they had waited as the sounds of approach grew louder. Humans, by the sound of things, a small group, ten or less.

    Titus'' ears were far from normal. At his level, with his skills and ss benefits, he was barely the same species as those who dwelt on the surface. He could clearly hear the footfalls of those approaching, though they were still two hundred metres away. He could make out the tone of their voices, almost the words as well. Then he heard a woman speak, harsh, cutting, and the other voices grew quiet, their steps more careful.

    Titus nearly dropped his axe. He knew that voice, would recognise that wasp tongue whenever he heard it. It was all he could do not to break ranks and run forward. To the soldiers around him it merely appeared as if he grew as still as a winter pond.

    Ears strained hard, Titus held himself back as the other group came into view. When they did, his eyes narrowed. Farmboys and merchants'' daughters with shoddy gear, no levels and little training. In normal times he''d roll them up, smack their heads and boot them out of his Dungeon, but these were not normal times, and the hard faced woman in stout leathers leading them demanded his attention.

    Her name was on his lips but he dared not call it out, lest his will break and he ran to his daughter. He wouldn''t stand for such a break of decorum, besides, if he tried Morrelia might just punch him. She wasn''t one for public disys of affection.

    "Is that Morr? Morrelia! Hey! Longtime no see!" A male voice called out.

    CRACK!

    The stone beneath Titus'' feet shattered into dust, sending of cloud of stone chips flying in all directions. Shouts of rm and confusion arose but Titus himself hadn''t moved, instead he remained at ease, his hands sped behind his back and his axe strapped across his shoulders.

    To one side, Donnn cursed his own stupidity. How could he be so careless as to call out to Morrelia in front of themander? It was well known that the legendarymander of stone doted on his daughter, even if he never let it show. The young Mage felt ice cold sweat rolling down his back as he felt as if he were grasped in a giant fist. He prayed that his voice hadn''t stood out too much and wasn''t recognised, otherwise death mighte for him!

    Indeed, Titus had recognised Donnn, and his mind seethed with the torturous drills he would put the Legionary through the moment they got back. As she approached the Legion force, Morrelia couldn''t help but sigh. She''d hoped to run into her father and her formerrades here, but it was awkward. And she knew exactly what Titus was thinking about at this moment. Some things never changed.

    The Legionaries waited patiently as the smaller viger force approached. When they drew close enough, Morrelia stepped forward as the representative and moved to greet the Legionaries. The vigers themselves were quite overawed. The legendary Abyssal Legion lived up to its reputation. To these people''s eyes, despite the glorious victory they''d achieved, these soldiers looked like heroes, returning to the surface after defeating who knows what horrors in the deep.

    "Commander Titus," Morrelia greeted her father.

    "Daughter," he returned, rejecting the formal tone she attempted to set.

    He saw his daughter''s eyes narrow at that and he felt his heart swell with pride. She was as stubborn as he was. She''d taken more after him, less like her mother. It was a curse and blessing.

 Chapter 322 Reunion Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 322 Reunion Part 2 </h4>

    "Morr, you seem well."

    "Father, you seem to be in good health also. Not that I should be so surprised."

    Titus, frowned.

    "What is that supposed to mean."

    Morrelia rolled her eyes.

    "Only that you''re basically unkible up here. Other than Garralosh, what monster could possibly harm you in the first or second strata?"

    Perhaps it was foolish, but Titus still felt pride that his daughter recognised his strength. In his mind, she was still the little girl who would follow at his heels, striking fiercely at his back with wooden training swords. She was a warrior born, a lion cub, ready to be a legionnaire from the moment she opened her eyes.

    "I''d never seen you happier, than you began your training. You had a fire in you then, you were like an inferno. Everyone was warmed by your zeal," Titus said wistfully.

    Morrelia looked up at themander, confused.

    "It''s unlike you to reminisce about the past, father." She chuckled a little bitterly. "We both know that to be a legionary was everything I''d ever wanted, to follow you and mother into service. And we both know why I left. That''s history now."

    Titus cocked an eyebrow.

    "You''re barely into your twenties, far too young to be talking about history." His voice softened. "We would have you back. At any time. Just say the word and I''ll make it so."

    "That''s against regtions. I''m a deserter!"

    "Damn the regtions. You are my daughter. If the Legion wouldn''t have you then I''d quit myself."

    Morrelia''s eyes widened and she dragged her father away from the crowd toward one side of the cavern. The Legionaries, disciplined and reserved, had not batted an eye at theirmanders words and the vigers had been too far away to overhear them. But how could she allow themander, the hero of the Legion in Liria, to speak such words out loud.

    "Watch what you say!"'' She hissed. "If the people found out you would abandon them¡­"

    "What people?" Titus asked. "Tell me truly, daughter, what is left above ground? Is there any kingdom left? Do not doubt this, even if every one of them were still alive, I would put you first."

    Tears sprung up in Morrelia''s eyes.

    "Why are you saying this now? Has something changed?"

    Titus shrugged his broad shoulders, his stony countenance as unreadable as ever.

    "Things are moving Morr. There''s change in the Dungeon, I can feel it. First this wave, then Garralosh getting killed. I don''t know what, and I don''t know why, but I have a feeling that things are going to get messy. I want you to be safe."

    "I can take care of myself."

    "I know you can. But I don''t know what''sing. This old man would rather you were close by, where I can help if you get into trouble. It''s a father''s right to worry for his child."

    Morrelia gripped the hilts of her two des as she stared up at Titus.

    "There''s more, isn''t there? What aren''t you telling me?"

    Titus stifled a sigh and turned to look back at the Legionaries assembled and waiting for him in the centre of the tunnel.

    "With the kingdom gone, and the lizard dead, there''s no reason for the legion to maintain the Bulwark. It''s costly in blood and coin, the highmand will be eager to move those resources elsewhere."

    As she realised what he was saying, Morrelia''s eyes widened.

    "You mean¡­?"

    Titus nodded.

    "I think they''re going to call us in. Open the gateway and bring us to the ck Castle."

    "Mother." Tears threatened to spill over but Morrelia controlled herself and blinked them away.

    "Yes, daughter. You would be able to see her again. I must say, it''ll be nice to see my wife again after all this time."

    "Not that I could tell, looking at your face," Morreliaughed.

    It was true, even now Titus maintained his usual, stern demeanour.

    "You don''t have to join again if you don''t want to, you can juste with us."

    "There''s no way they would allow that! A non-Legionary at the seat of their power?"

    "Don''t underestimate what your mother will allow in order to see your face again. You''re the only one we have left."

    "But ¡­" Morrelia hesitated, "The people here, they need my help."

    "Tell me," Titus said.

    Morrelia told him of the survivors, and their growing town. She told him of the daring rescue mission sheunched with the aid of a ''mysterious mage'' and his pets. That even now people were flowing into the town.

    "I never trusted mysterious mages," Titus grunted, "handsome is he, this fellow?" Themander''s eyes narrowed as he imagined some perfumed fop in silks with books leering around his daughter.

    "Anthony? No." Morreliaughed. "I would say that he''s quite hideous in fact. I don''t think he''s anything like what you''re imagining."

    Titus rxed a fraction.

    "That''s good then." He shrugged ever so slightly. "You don''t have to make your decision right now. Think about it. Come and talk with us. I''m sure you have some old friends you could catch up with. I should go and have a word with a few of your people as well. Not that I don''t trust you mind, just to maintain friendly rtions."

    For some reason, his daughter appeared mildly worried by that, but she nodded, even if it was a touch reluctant. Titus was a bit offended. Did she think he was so charmless he couldn''t avoid scaring a few farmers? He pped his daughter on the shoulder and gave her a gentle shove toward the Legion ranks before he turned to walk toward the gathered vigers.

    Morrelia cursed a little under her breath. Her fathers'' version of ''gentle'' and any normal humans were a long way apart. She''d gained a few levels since she''d left the Legion, spent most of her time delving and fighting, but she was still a mile away from reaching his ridiculous strength. What would it take!? Grumbling, she walked towards the Legionaries and began to spy out some familiar faces.

    "Greetings good people," Titus began his charm offensive. "I must apologise for the Legion being unable to defend you in person, I understand you have suffered much. Rest assured, we did all we could in the tunnels below to prevent an even worse tragedy unfolding."

    Even as he said it he knew it wasn''t enough. What did it matter to these people that the Legion had fought, bled and died in the tunnels whilst their homes had been destroyed and their family members consumed by rampaging monsters? He''d be lucky if they didn''t spit in his face. He was prepared to take it. It was the least he could do for failing to protect them.

    To his surprise, they simply nodded. A middle aged man clutching a simple spear stepped forward and bowed clumsily.

    "It''s ah, nice to meet youmander. We''ve heard a lot about you. We was provided for, in the end. Maybe it was fate, or destiny, but the Great One gave us shelter and showed us the way forward."

    Great one? Perhaps the mage Morrelia had mentioned.

    "Morrelia spoke of this, Anthony. A mage of some power I understand. I hope he''s not spending too much time with my daughter." Titus half joked, his eyes narrowing a fraction.

    The viger nched.

    "Oh no sir, the Great One is busy helping his family most of the time."

    The man had a family? Even better.

    "No sir, it''s Isaac who''s pesterin'' her. Proposes every day from what I hear."

    Stone shattered and exploded in every direction as the tunnel became filled with a dense murderous intent and invisible pressure that weighed on everyone like a ton of bricks.

    "What," Titus said, "was that name again?"

 Chapter 323 Light the way

    <h4>Chapter 323 Light the way </h4>

    It doesn''t take long before the sheer, overwhelming darkness wears me down. I can''t take it anymore! I''ve had it! I''ve had it right up to the tips of my antennae! Through constant use, my mana sense is improving, but too slowly to satisfy my need for sweet and tender sensory input. Therefore, I decide to push my minds even harder and craft up a fire mana construct. Now one of my weaker sub-minds is maintaining the healing mana construct, the other the fire construct and the more powerful sub-mind is alternating operating the two in order to keep Tiny''s health topped off and provide fire mana for me to produce some damn light! Having to upkeep the constructs is hard for the sub-brains, right on the edge of their capabilities and it won''t be long until they start to ache under the strain. Whatever, they''ll just have to toughen up.

    The spell is simple enough, thank goodness, much less demanding than the me thrower. The end result is a ball of fire that sits a metre above my head. With concentration, I''m able to move it around and I can feed it more mana in order to increase the intensity of the light. Of course, there are drawbacks. The heat source so close to my antennae makes them light up and constantly st me with the strong signal, like having a powerful smell right under your nose all the time. It''s not a bad smell, just strong, and constant. The other issue is, although mypound eyes that face forward are now able to see something, those pointing straight at the me are constantly sted by the light which, here in this lightless realm, is freakin'' bright!

    After ten minutes of it my eyes grow so sore that I ask Crinis to intervene. With care, she''s able to extend a few slender tentacles to form a bridge above my eyes that shields them from direct light. The very first pair of ant sunsses has been invented! Sort of¡­

    With these actions we are finally a little morefortable to explore the expanse, which, to be honest, is extremely creepy. The tangle of overgrown corals are like gigantic roots made of stone that have woven together to form a three dimensional maze dozens of metres high. Under the light the endless nooks and hollows flicker with shadows that seem to hint of tunnels and openings that fade to nothing as we draw closer. And there''s monsters here. Lots of them. We don''t see much of them, but I can hear them and sense their mana as they duck and dart through this ce with speed and grace where we trudge through like snails.

    I swear, if I don''t find and chomp one of these creatures soon and I''m going to start going wild on these corals. The only thing holding me back is the suspicion that they might all copse down on my head were I to try. Crinis seems perfectly happy here, riding on my back and soaking in the thick mana that matches her affinity perfectly. Tiny shares my irritation. Being close to my own size, he shares my struggle to navigate the narrow openings we squeeze through.

    Just when I think I can''t take it anymore, I poke my head through a gap between two rival corals and notice there''s a clearing ahead with some actual open space! Atst! Even better, it''s full of monsters to fight!

    [Tiny! Crinis! Something to do! Let''s crack in!] I cheer as I charge forward and out into open air. Because naturally we were ten metres off the ground at this point.

    I can''t make myself care about it. I m into the ground, my legs straining under the pressure, releasing unpleasant popping sounds. Thankfully, they don''t break. In front of me is what appears to be a nest of some sort of crab monster. They''ve created a depression in the floor of the expanse, carving out the floor until it resembles a bowl. Smaller crabs skitter about, startled by our descent but in the main the crabs are big and nasty looking.

    Instead of crab legs they have slippery tentacles that support their hard, shell covered bodies. Their faces are a mass of writhing polyps tipped with dripping limbs, making them resemble a cluster of sea anemone more than anything else. I pump more mana into my fire light to study the creatures better and they flinch back from the me. I don''t believe they have eyes, but I think the heat scares them. Nheless, therger and more powerful looking specimense forward to shape up to us. Flexing ws filled with narrow spikes that weep a dark ck fluid.

    It''s always toxins down here. It''s starting to get annoying. I have the remove poison spell, but I''d like to have more protection against it. My carapace has been the best defence so far, since the monsters have a hard time prating to inflict their nastiness on me, but if they happen to get through, I want to be able to resist. If I open up my menu and find poison resistance that I haven''t purchased I''m going to be super irritated.

    [Tiny! Try not to get poisoned! I want you to hit ''em with lightning and stay light on those twinkle toes of yours. Got it?]

    [Hrrn] he nods, reluctant.

    ying defensive isn''t his style, but he''s going to have to cope with it for the time being. If he''s careful he can still get his swings in.

    [Crinis, go wild.]

    [I will, Master.]

    [Let''s do it!]

    Full of vigour, I charge toward the mass of crabs, my mandibles flexing with anticipation. Therger crabs are big boys, as tall as I am with plenty of mass behind them. No way they aren''t tier four. They don''t back down and came rushing forward on their tentacle legs to meet us, their faces writhing in a disgusting manner.

    Let''s see if your shell is able to match up to this!

    Omen Chomp!

    Like the manifestation of an angry god, the two dark jaws manifest and m shut in time with my own, catching the crab metres in front of me and with a massive CRUNCH, its shell begins to crack under the pressure. The crab falls back into its allies, arms swinging wildly and I step back a little to create space. I only need a little room to raise my rear end high and unleash my acid!

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    I st out four quick shots, not aiming at anything specific but just hoping to cause a little chaos. Tiny has had to heed my orders and rather than leap into the middle of the thick cluster of crustaceans he dances along the edge, powerful arms swinging and delivering powerful shocks to everything he hits.

    This of course makes me the focus of attention and it isn''t long before more crabs slither around their injuredrade to surround me. Luckily I have an anti-surround weapon on hand, which I call Crinis. Tentacles explode from the ball on my back, snatching up crabs left and right. A second after she grabs one the air bes filled with the high pitch screech of her barbs scratching away at the dense shells. Desperate to free themselves, the crabs start to snap at her limbs with their ws, tearing and ripping them as much as they can. Some crabs are able to free themselves, with help, but others aren''t as lucky. With their outer defences broken, the poor creatures are as weak as I myself would be and quickly fall.

    Come on crabs. I''m still hungry!

 Chapter 324 Crustacean sensation

    <h4>Chapter 324 Crustacean sensation </h4>

    I hope these crabs taste good, after all the nasty monsters we''ve had to eat on the second Strata so far, I''m hoping that they live up to the reputation of Earth crabs for being delicious. I suppose I need to finish the fight first.

    Omen Chomp.

    CRUNCH!

    Another crab reels, its shell cracking as slinters fly in all directions. The disgusting mass of anemone on its face roil and grasp for me but I''m already moving. My fast reflexes and future sense thrive in a situation like this. Monsters surround me on all sides but I''m able to move deftly with a speed that belies myrge size. My synapses fire with incredible speed as I feel the monsters around me move. ws reach for me, gross mouth parts seek to drill into me and in the midst of it all I shift my position with precision.

    Angle the carapace here. Shift my legs now. Tilt my body to the left. Each movement presents a better angle, each time I step with my six legs, I''m able to dodge by a hair. They strike my carapace repeatedly. The sharp spines in the ws are damn sharp. Whenever they grab at me, they dig and chip into my hard shell, trying to inject their venom. So far, my carapace holds. Its'' actually starting to give me a great sense of pride! How''s that you damn crabs? Your shells are like nothing before us, but mine still holds strong! The ant reigns supreme yet again! MUAHAHAHAHA!

    But if the fight drags on too long, they might put my endurance to the test. Although the Inner Carapace ting is doing its sweet work, I don''t want to put it to the test, and I don''t want to rely on my healing nd too much. I need to save it for recing legs more than healing chips in my precious diamond carapace.

    Even if they aggravate me!

    Stupid crabs! Omen Chomp!

    CRUNCH!

    Gweheheheh. Enjoy that, you stupid crab! Although, I''m starting to get tired. Too many uses of the Omen Chomp in a row is a massive drain on the stamina, I''ll have to shelve it for a moment to let myself recover. I''ll have to do something to get these monsters off of me.

    Sr re!

    I pump mana into my fireball and it sts the clearing with light, chasing away the shadows and sending the creatures around me skittering back in fear. Nice! Since they fear the heat so much, I''ll just have to give them an extra dose!

    Using my main mind to shape the spell I draw out more fire mana and feed it into a basic bolt pattern. I''m familiar enough with this working that I can whip it out in seconds, even with the minor adjustments for the fire mana. Shortly, I have a rough and ready fireball ready to throw!

    I st it towards the closest monster and it reacts sharply, flinging up its ws to keep the hateful heat away from itself. Surprisingly the monster doesn''t burn. I was kind of expecting it to light up like a candle but no such pyrotechnics take ce. However, the crab definitely hates it. After absorbing the bolt with its ws, it begins writhing on the ground, out of the action. I''ll take it.

    I put my strongest sub-mind onto the task of spitting out firebolts and concentrate my efforts on biting, firing acid and making a general nuisance of myself as Tiny rips up the outside of the fight and Crinis works hard to keep the monsters from swarming me. Every firebolt puts a crab down, even without dealing fatal damage, they are easy pickings for a quick chomp.

    Like this we rip through the clearing until the only monsters left were the smallest crabs, tier ones probably, scuttling away into the coral forest, slipping into gaps through which we can''t hope to follow.

    [Nice work team! Tiny, I''m impressed you did so well following directions, thanks to that you aren''t dead! Crinis, nice support! You did great!]

    I pat her with one of my antenna, causing her to freeze in ce with joy. She''s still working on that apparently.

    We have imed this clearing for the colony! Our first piece of territory in this expanse, indeed, in the entire second strata! Although I don''t think we can im it for long. I walk to the centre of the depression in the floor and right at the bottom there is a dense pool of mana. Spawn point. Exins why the crabs upied this territory. Very normal behaviour for monsters with a base level of intelligence, so the Sophos told me. They like to grade monster intelligence based on a few simple behaviours. Apparently, the dumbest monsters usually are physically powerful roamers, wandering about smashing stuff until they either be too powerful to stop and take over an area, or more likely they get eaten when they run into something stronger.

    Above them, you have pack hunters, creatures with some level of social behaviour in order to ovee rtively weaker individual strength. Above them, you have crude societal structures, like these crabs, or even the w centipedes. At least smart enough to form a group around a spawn point and act together in mutual defence. Of course, higher than that you have things like my colony. Creatures capable of sophisticated social behaviours. Naturally higher than this is the monsters who begin to approach human intelligence. Alone or in groups, they''re a much higher threat than anything else. ording to the Sophos, monsters tend to get either smarter, or stronger, or both, the lower you go in the Dungeon. These crabs seem to be literal bottom feeders here in this expanse, which tells me that there are much stronger creatures we''ll have to contend with.

    It''s kind of nice not to be top dog. After sensing that massive leviathan earlier, I''m quite sure that I''m not even close to the biggest and baddest monster down here. Which is exciting. A new challenge! A great feast! I can''t wait.

    For now. We need to count our gains from this crab harvest. I got quite a few skill ups. Omen chomp, healing mana, fire mana, defence. I even got a level! Quite the profitable fight! Hopefully Crinis and Tiny reaped an even greater reward.

    Time to eat!

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Allium Major Capsule (IV). One Biomass awarded.]

    [Allium Major Capsule: Greater w Anemone (IV). A hybrid between a sessful nt species and a crustacean archetype, the Greater w Anemone has a strong defence and multiple ways to apply deadly poison. Beware its mouth parts with are capable of tunnelling through flesh to consume its victims from within.]

    Well that''s horrifying. Also, the taste is awful. These crabs have made it onto my hit list.

 Chapter 325 Digesting Gains

    <h4>Chapter 325 Digesting Gains </h4>

    The taste may be terrible, but the rewards are good. Ever since I was reborn in this Dungeon, the one thing that has remained constant, is my belief that level ups are delicious. With some Biomass under my belt and a little peace and quiet here in this clearing, it''s an ideal time to take stock and mutate a little. A chance to fortify ourselves before we continue our mission of conquest.

    [Alright then, squad. Time to mutate and upgrade anything you need to. We''ll get it done before we set forth.]

    [Alright, Master.]

    [Uuoooo!]

    Tiny''s excited. Speaking of which, better heal him.

    [Healing Magic Affinity has reached level 5.]

    Oohhh. Nice! I can spend a point to upgrade that to the next level. Maybe it''ll give me the secret medicine I need to rip foreign mana out of Tiny''s body. In fact, I might as well go through all my skills right now. Be a little more thorough. There''s a couple of things that havee a long way since I''dst gone through my full status. My core shaping skills that I practiced with the Sophos have levelled nicely. I''ve been continuing to train with every core we can spare, but mastering the fusion techniques has proven difficult. I''m certain I''ll be able to get it, but it''s going to take more time. My defensive skills are levelling at good pace, my mental skills also. I''ve had to spend a lot of skill points on upgrading recently, I never thought I''d ever run out. I still have ten in the bank, but that could disappear in a sh, especially if I try another skill fusion.

    I''ve been considering, since I purchased the fire magic affinity, why not get all of the elemental affinities and aim for the fusion of all four? The elemental mastery skill sounds powerful. People usually don''t go for it, since the time required to raise each of the skills to an appropriate rank is a drain. But with multiple brains on the job, I might be able to get there. I don''t know when I''ll finally get ess to Gravity Magic Affinity, and elemental spells are proving more useful than I expected. May as well go for it. But not yet.

    For now there''s other business to be about. And what''s that business? Mutation! Naturally! It''s time for me to once again indulge in the love of carapace! I''m determined that the first thing to reach +25 is going to be my exo-skeleton! It couldn''t possibly be anything else! But to go from +20 to +25 is going to take some serious Biomass. One hundred and fifteen smackers, just for this! For one upgrade! But for my precious Carapace, it''s worth it!

    Thest upgrade took me from True Diamond Carapace, to Hardened True Diamond carapace, which further toughened the sections of carapace bonded to the tough diamond exterior. There''s probably going to be a ton of options again, but I''m all in on diamond. I will be unbreakable!

    [Would you like to upgrade Hardened True Diamond carapace to +25? This will cost 115 Biomass.]

    Confirm it! Don''t even talk to me about the cost.!

    [At this level you may choose a mutation advancement, select from the menu.]

    I won''t be distracted! So many options, but I don''t care! I rush through the menu searching for the upgrades that will further let me walk the path of shiny diamonds. Aha! Here it is!

    [Complete Diamond Carapace. Expands the range of Diamond coating to cover the entire exo-skeleton.]

    It''s here! Finally the time when my entire exterior is coated with precious diamond! I don''t know why but I''ve be addicted to feeling this expensive! To improve matters, this is going to remove thest weak points in my exterior! No more worrying about whether a stray stab is going magically stab straight through me. Now, all attacks must go through the full might of the diamond carapace!

    Confirm it! Confirm it immediately!

    HAGOOF!

    It itches! It itches so bad! It starts strong and spreads so fast that my entire carapace feels like it''s on fire in an instant. I can feel the sections of diamond coating spreading out to cover thest of me, crawling over my face, tracing the edges of my eyes and running up to the base of my antennae. I''m bing encased! It''s glorious!

    When the itch fades away, I''m happy enough that I ignore the odd looks I get from Tiny and Crinis. There are a ton of other things that I could have upgraded first, but I''m d I went through with the carapace mutation. I have the satisfaction that at least one body part is prepared for the next evolution. I only have 48 Biomass left. Enough to do a little bit of work with, but I''ll leave it for now. At the end of the reflection session my status looks like this:

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 16 (Rare) (V)

    Might: 91

    Toughness: 79

    Cunning: 64

    Will: 45

    HP: 158/158

    MP: 250/250

    Skills:

    General:

    Expert Excavation (III) Level 7; Expert Grip (III) Level 1; Advanced Stealth (II) Level 9; Tunnel Map (II) Level 9; Iron Mind (IV) Level 4; Expert Stamina (III) Level 9; Profound Meditation (III) Level 14; Flicker Dash (III) Level 9;

    Mana:

    Mana Transformation (III) Level 19; Condensed Mana (III) Level 10; Finer External Mana Maniption (III) Level 9; Mana Coveter (III) Level 5; Expert Water Magic Affinity (III) Level 3; Empowered Mind Magic Affinity (III) Level 1; Expanded Mana Sensing (III) Level 6; Enhanced Healing Magic Affinity (II) Level 1; Fire Magic Affinity (I) Level 4;

    Pet:

    Distant Pet Communication (II) Level 5; Core Surgery (III) Level 14; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 1;

    Defensive:

    Expert Exo-Skeleton Defence (III) Level 19; Advanced Dodge (II) level 2; Advanced Endure (II) Level 2; Grace (I) Level 4;

    Offensive:

    Deadly Acid Shot (III) Level 9; Expert Precise Shooting (III) Level 2; Omen Chomp (IV) Level 6;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Perimeter Eyes +15, Future Sight Infrared Antennae +15,

    Defence

    Complete Diamond Carapace +25, Supportive Inner Carapace ting +15,

    Physical

    Rapid Absorption Legs +15, Empowered Mandibles +15, Regrowth Regeneration nd +15, Loquacious Pheromone nd +15, Gluttonous Stomach + 15; Instant Twitch Muscture +10, Wide Gated Sub-Neural Network +10;

    Acid:

    Mana Binding Acid +15, Hyper Pressurised Acid Nozzle +10; Potent Acid Concentration nd +10, Fatiguing Acid Stimtion nd +10,

    Mental:

    Adaptable Coordination Cortex +15,

    Mana:

    Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +15, Collective Will Vestibule +5;

    Species: Juvenile Colony Paragon (Formica Sapiens)

    Skill points: 10

    Biomass: 48

    [Alright guys! It''s time to move out!]

 Chapter 326 Advancing into the unknown

    <h4>Chapter 326 Advancing into the unknown </h4>

    The nice thing about having this me is that it illuminates our surrounding, giving the sweet light of¡­ light, into this dark world of shadow. That''s great. I''m a huge fan. The bad part about it is that we essentially light a signal fire to all of the monsters with the eyes to see it. Perhaps they can even feel the flickering heat my orb of me emits. It seems unlikely, but it''s the only source of heat I''ve found down here, maybe they can.

    After we leave the crab cavern, it quickly bes apparent that whatever creatures have been flicking about on the edge of our awareness have continued to track us. Crinis was the first to notice, with her highly sensitive ability to track mana sources. Whatever they are, these monsters are slick, able to sneak away anytime we try to get an eye on them. They''re also smart. Perhaps a pack monster. There''s quite a few of them out there, enough to keep tabs on us from all directions at once. Organised, numerous and cunning. I don''t like it. At least I can assume they''re weak, otherwise they would havee for us already. They know where we are, they know we''re alone, it''s perfect. Clearly, they think they still cannot take us. Which means they''re waiting for an opportunity or for juicier prey toe along.

    It''s frustrating, but since I can''t seem to hunt these creatures down and fight them on my own terms, I''ll just have to keep moving forward with the expectation that whenever we get into a fight, we might also have to deal with a pack of slippery somethings. I wonder if they didn''t jump into the crab fight so they could watch us fight? If so they might be smarter than I thought. Or perhaps they were busy feasting on the little crabs that escaped.

    Whatever, it''s time to move on!

    Our business done, Tiny, Crinis and I get mobile once more and hit the road. Except in this case it''s less of a road and more of a horrific, dark, stone coral jungle of death. With the me burning bright, we''re able to navigate a little more carefully, which helps a great deal. The atmosphere down here is oppressive. Despite being an ant, I find the coral jungle kind of ustrophobic. There''s no order, no pattern. Instead of neat tunnels and friendly scent trails, there''s just a tangled mass of pain the backside.

    [I''ve had it! Let''s see if we can get a little height!]

    [Master?]

    [We saw that the stone corals and nts reached up to a point and then stop right? We could climb up to the top of the corals and then walk along that. We don''t have to struggle to push our way through the this mess. If we sense anything below us, we can crawl down and fight it, right? So we should cover way more ground this way!]

    [Okay!]

    Crinis is happy enough to agree. So we start to choose paths that take us a little higher in this mess and I immediately notice that the higher up you go, the more free space we see. It makes sense that things would free up I suppose. The other thing I notice is that with more spacees more monsters! Whoo!

    After squeezing our way up we run into some more spiders, a lower tier than that nasty bug we fought up in the tunnels but assuredly the same base species. The moment he sees them, skittering along the stone and baring their fangs at us, Tiny goes nuts. Lightning crackles and shes across his hands, so bright I can barely see and he sts every spider he can see with both barrels. A dozen of the eight-legged pests are exterminated in moments before he then decides he''s not satisfied sting them from a distance and runs in to get his fists dirty.

    I think he''s holding a grudge against these spiders. I suppose it can''t be toofortable having this mana ripping up his body constantly. He doesn''t seem to react much to what I''m sure must be a quite painful ailment, but clearly he''s mad about it!

    [Let''s go and support, Crinis!]

    These spiders appear to be only tier two or three and we make short work of them. I crunch any thate close with my mandibles and re my fireball every now and again to scare them which makes them easy pickings for Crinis. In short order, thirty of the hideous beasts have been destroyed and it''s time to feast once more.

    [Make sure to gather up any cores that you find guys!] I remind my pets as we munch on the Biomass.

    Our ie of cores has been fantastic down here. The spherical mana stones seem much moremon in the Second Strata, as opposed to the first. Up there maybe one in five monsters had a core unless they were close to a source of mana they could absorb, down here where the ambient mana is so many times thicker the ratio is closer to one in two. For monsters tier three and over, it''s more like ny percent. It seems that creatures who don''t form a core run into a wall pretty quickly, outssed by their kin who are able to absorb more mana and gain more from each evolution.

    I made the right call, all that time ago! I knew I was right! Forming the core immediately was absolutely the right choice. It''s nice to have ones'' choices reinforced in such a direct manner.

    I gain a few Skill levels from the fight and another thirty Biomass, which is a nice haul. Tiny did most of the damage, so I didn''t manage to level, but crucially, my Fire Magic Affinity reached level five so I can rank that skill up. The knowledge of new, totally sweet fire magic starts to seep into my brain the moment I confirm the upgrade, dropping my avable skill points down to nine. To make matter worse, I pick up the Earth Magic Affinity, putting them down to eight. They seemed to plentiful at one point, now I''m starting to run dry! Ah well. Hopefully I''ll start to level faster once we get into some more fights.

    It shouldn''t take long before we find a few, maybe up on top of the corals there''ll be more action.

 Chapter 327 Attack from two sides

    <h4>Chapter 327 Attack from two sides </h4>

    As the fish swirl around us, biting and tearing at us from a dozen angles at once, from belowes a new threat. Almost like dogs, wolves or hounds, they run and leap, agile as monkeys across the stone as theye snapping our heels. Slippery as eels and mouths frothing they ran around us, circling at speed as the fish keep snapping at us. Although some of dogs lookrger than the others, some of the fish more powerful, I''m fairly certain these are lower tier monsters, only threatening in their numbers, not their strength. They are all rather irritating though.

    [Crinis, try to deal with fish, I''ll take of the dog situation!]

    [Okay, Master!] Crinis deres, sounding determined.

    When she decides to go all out, Crinis can be quite intimidating, to say the least. More than three dozen tentacles explode out of her rapidly inting body, creating an instant web of barbed death for the fish that nibble and rip at her. With her little tentacle brains steering them without her having to think about it, arge number of the limbs are mobile at once, makingplex manoeuvres that chase and whip toward the fish with deadly precision. The fish are small and are able to twist past her grasping tentacles more often than not, but she starts to take hold of them and gradually whittle down her numbers.

    For my part, I need to help Tiny. The dogs are circling him, nipping at his feet as he bellows as takes wild swings at them. Whenever he tries to zap them they duck away into crevices and gaps where he can''t see them, only to emerge again when he turns away.

    The big guy''s getting pretty frustrated, his eyes have gone red with rage. Any longer and he''s going to start smashing the terrain into pieces and we might just fall into a den of vipers beneath our feet! My ws grip the coral hard and I dash forward, my bulk scatters the dogs in front of me as I catch one in my mandibles.

    CHOMP!

    [Chill out, Tiny! I''m here to support!]

    The moment I show up on the scene the dogs scatter away, not willing to stand in front of me. Instead that loop around to my sides and start to prowl, nipping at my legs and business district. It''s low! These damn dogs are so sneaky and their tactics are so dirty! Where''s the eager, upfront battle of monsters?! The sh of strength, the contest of will? All of this sneaking and backstabbing is diminishing our dignity as monsters isn''t it?! Even if I used to do it!

    Fortunately, I have just the thing to deal with enemies who want to stay behind me!

    POW! POW! POW!

    Acid flies out to strike with precision against the unsuspecting dogs. In moments the liquid hardens, weighing them down even as it burns them. A momentter the dogs abandon their strategy of remaining behind me and start to stick to my sides. So persistent!

    With my attention elsewhere, I barely notice one of the dogs sneaking up from below until my antennae tingle a warning. From a gap between theyers of coral a monster leaps forth,rger than the others. With its mouth open wide its tongueshes out, a pointed barb on the tip, stretching over two metres to stab towards me from beneath! Dodge! My reflexes fire and I twist my body to one side.

    CLANG!

    The pointed barb shears off after my carapace deflects it, the diamond coating saving me once more. The tongue gets reeled back in and the creature vanishes back into the darkness below me.

    "Rooaaar!"

    When Tiny roars I turn to see him copse on his side, one his legs impaled by a spear like tongue. The moment he goes down the dogs scatter and retreat, at least, those not covered in my acid do, but I can sense their lurking presence below us.

    Now they want to poison and run?! The cheek of these mutts! It''s almost enough to make me wish I was a spider so I could wrap them up in webs and torture them at my leisure! No, Anthony, don''t think such dark thoughts. If you were hunting as an ant should, you''d have hundreds of your siblings by your side right now, cutting off their retreat and swarming them at every opportunity. The ant way is still the superior way.

    Since Crinis has the fish under control I move closer to Tiny, working my Healing Mana construct with my main mind to shape together the poison removal spell. As I work, the flesh around the puncture wound is necrotising rapidly, it must hurt like hell. What sort of poison is this?! It works damn fast¡­

    In the minute it takes me to piece the spell together, Tiny is already starting to appear faded, his breath bing shallow and his bat features going pale. When I finally cast the spell, I can sense the poison being drained out of him, the spell purifying and cleansing it from his body. In such a short time it had done a ton of damage and I move quickly to heal him back up.

    Hmmm. The poor ape. His offensive power is still able to cut it, but he''s beginning to show some weaknesses here on this level. As a creature with skin, his defence isn''t able to ward off these insidious poison attacks as effectively as I can, and Crinis, with her amorphous shadow flesh, is much more capable of removing poisoned limbs before they be a problem. There''s a lot of gaps that his next evolution needs to cover, I''m going to have to work hard to make sure it can happen.

    When Tiny stands up ready to fight once more, I can sense the dogs slink out of range, not wanting to continue the fight. Yeah, you better run you mangy mutts! At least I have three of them I can eat! And eat them I do.

    [New source of Biomass consumed Umbra Venandi (I), One Biomass awarded.]

    [Umbra Vanandi, Shadow Creeper (I). This creature is weak by itself, but if able to will form packs under the leadership of a higher tiered creeper. They are quite intelligent, able to utilise tactics to corner prey, striking when at its most vulnerable point, injecting their venom before retreating to await the victim to weaken.]

    Well that squares away with what we saw from them.

    [The fish are defeated, Master!]

    [Oh! Well done Crinis! I wonder why those fish decided to chase after us?]

    [They didn''t seem to like the fire much¡­]

    [Yeah, but are they afraid of it, or do they want to attack it?]

    [Both, maybe?]

    [Both, huh.]

    Certainly, when we stuck our heads up, the monsters seemed to pay a lot of attention to the me. More urately, it really seemed to tick them off. Perhaps Crinis is right and they are afraid of the me, so they hate it? Want to extinguish it? Perhaps we can make use of that¡­

    [Crinis, have you ever gone fishing before?]

 Chapter 328 Fishing for Levels

    <h4>Chapter 328 Fishing for Levels </h4>

    Ah, fishing. It''s a peaceful, pleasurable and altogether gentlemanly pursuit. A meaningful hobby for those who enjoy quiet and rest. The sun dappling on the gentle waves. The quiet hum of insects and the chirp of birds in the trees. Serenity. Tranquillity. These are the words I associate with this noble activity.

    [Master! I really don''t think we can handle any more!]

    [That can''t be, it''s only been two minutes. What''s Tiny''s opinion?]

    [Master! You know he gets happier the more danger he''s in!]

    [Oh,e now Crinis. I''m sure Tiny has a reasonable and measured opinion on how things are going.]

    [I really must disagree!]

    [How''s it going down there, Tiny? Do you think you can handle some more?]

    [HOOOOAAAAAAAR!!]

    [That''s what I thought!]

    I manipte the fireball to extend it further away from my position, nestling on the upper reaches of the reef and re it once again. This draws the ire of the monsters swimming above, some of whom can no longer bear for this source of hated heat and light to exist, and charge down to massacre the being responsible for it. Which of course leads them into the trap we have prepared for them. Crinis has extended a maze of tentacles, all she can handle, which is more than even I thought she could, to block up the path the monsters need to take to get to me. Just in front of her position, Tiny meets the oing rush head on, his fur alight with electrical energy, his fists moving swiftly, snapping out with jabs and straights that pick monsters right out of the air.

    He makes for an impressive figure when he actually tries to focus. Up on the balls of his feet he shifts his position with speed and grace, he keeps the enemy in front of him as he dances, his hands reaping a dreadful toll. For her part, Crinis maintains her maze of limbs out, the active tentacles mixed inside with the stationary ones, snatching unsuspecting monsters out of the air, coiling around them and rending them with her barbs.

    All ording to the n, of course. The only problem we really have is that we''ve drawn in more monsters than we expected. Fish, leeches, some sort of eel thing and big shark creature that stinks of death. So a good catch, to be sure, but Crinis is starting to get overwhelmed. The majority of the tentacles she''s extended aren''t being actively controlled by her, so when the monsters who are toorge to slip between the gaps get frustrated, they just start ripping and tearing into the limbs. Due to her mutations, Crinis'' shadow flesh is much tougher than it was, but it still isn''t as difficult to prate as my carapace, not even close. The shark in particr is able to tear through it with ease, forcing Crinis to regenerate her flesh and extend fresh tentacles to fill in the gaps.

    [Master, your assistance would be most wee!]

    [Are you sure, Crinis? This is all for your levels you know!? Aren''t you going to show me how powerful, you''ve be?]

    [I-I will! I can do this! I won''t let you down, Master!]

    [That''s the spirit, Crinis! By oveing your limits you will ascend to a new height and greater power! Be the Sphere of Unending Decapitation that you always yearned to be!]

    [Okay!]

    With this motivational speech, Crinis redoubles her efforts and in a few short minutes the air fills with wails of terror as monsters learn what fear really is. After Crinis'' plea, I do bring the light inside our little hiding ce, no longer ring it to draw in victims. The battle is fierce and vicious, pushing Tiny and Crinis to the edge of their abilities. The two of them are battered by the time it finishes. Tiny has wounds all over his body and I move fast to heal him, don''t want his ongoing affliction to finish him off while we eat. I also perform a poison extraction on him, since I assume he was infected by one of his assants. For her part, Crinis has shrunk, a good chunk of her shadow flesh has been lost in the battle and it will take her some time to regenerate it all. Her central body took little damage though, so her HP isn''t much affected. This appears to be another quirk of her shadow flesh physiology.

    [Good job team! Hopefully you managed to harvest some levels out of all that?]

    [I did!]

    Tiny nods in such a way that conveys to me he did indeed gain a few levels and he enjoyed the fight immensely, furthermore, would it be possible to send more enemies next time?

    [I think that was about as much as you can handle, Tiny. You did nearly die after all.]

    He seems to shrug in a way that indicates he doesn''t agree with me, but he''s stronger now so it should be fine.

    [Stop being dumb and eat. We have a ton of Biomass we need to clean up.]

    The unfortunate part of fighting up here is that a lot of Biomass fell through the gaps in the Corals and has been lost below us, but we''ve managed to hold onto more than half the total. I''ve grown ustomed to the taste of shadow monsters over the weeks but it really is terrible. Not that anything I''ve had to eat since I was reborn in this world is delicious. Perhaps I should have eaten some human food back at the vige? They have a temple to me now right? I could get them to leave offerings of delicious meals! But, it wouldn''t have any Biomass, so it seems like a waste. Could I get them to cook monster parts for me?

    As I ruminate on the possibilities of Biomass cuisine, the three of us munch our fill and then rest. More Biomass points have been harvested and my total has reached one hundred and fifty one. A good opportunity for a cheeky upgrade. I think I know just what I want to improve as well. I could do a lot of things with this Biomass, but I''ve really been having a lot of fun, and getting a lot of use out of, my instant twitch muscture and my Wide Gated Sub-Neuralwork. The muscture allows greater strength to be exerted in smaller bursts, perfect for snapping mandibles or quick dodges, and my neuralwork helps me react to the barrage of information my eyes and antennae provide in the midst of a fight.

    These twobined have improved my offense, but more dramatically, taken my defence to a whole new level! In fact, they''ve truly allowed my defensive skill, Exo-Skeleton Defence, to shine brighter than before and I''m levelling that Skill much faster than previously. It''s alling together!

    So naturally I want to take these two body parts to +15!

    [Do you wish to improve Instant Twitch Muscture +10 and Wide Gated Sub-Neural Network +10 to +15? This will cost 130 Biomass.]

    I do!

    [At this level you may choose tobine your mutations, or emphasise one. Which will you select?]

    For both of these body parts I chose to go deeper down one aspect rather than generalise, so reinforcing the effect is the only choice that makes sense! Bring it!

    CHANGALANGATANG!

    STUPID ITCH!

    When it finally fades away, I look in satisfaction at the entries in my status.

    Blink Muscture +15 and Transmission Sub-Neural Network +15.

 Chapter 329 Devastation

    <h4>Chapter 329 Devastation </h4>

    Titus surveyed the broken wreckage of the once prosperous city of Liria. The Legion fort around the Dungeon entrance had been levelled giving him a clear view of the devastation the moment he had stepped back onto the surface. Garralosh and her monsters had done their work thoroughly here. Everywhere he looked he saw wreckage, as if the beasts couldn''t stand to leave one stone on top of another. The Legionmander felt the pain in his heart as took in the ruins. He could see the ruins of Baker Dockerty''s shop from where he stood. The jolly old man had been full of life, ready with a smile and a zed bun, Titus'' favourite, every time he''d stopped by. So much waste, so much loss. All because of one stupid monster.

    He blew a breath, releasing the tension building in his chest. What was the point of raging at a dead beast? The kingdom was gone, Garralosh was gone, the Legions'' responsibilities in this backward part of the world were over. Still, Titus felt no sense of satisfaction. They hadn''t managed to defeat the giant Croc themselves and he was still filled with regret that he had failed to take her life when they had shed. His axe had bitten her flesh, taken an arm but she had slithered away like a snake. Perhaps if he''d pursued then, he would never have witnessed this scene now, perhaps his son would have taken the trials elsewhere and survived. Regret boiled in his belly.

    Sensing her fathers'' emotions, Morrelia stepped forward and ced a hand on his shoulder.

    "You''re an idiot," she said.

    Titus turned his stony face toward her.

    "You did more for this country, more for this city than any dozen other people in its historybined. You fought harder and longer than even the Legion asked of you. There was nothing more you could have done, so stop being stupid and feeling guilty about this. None of it is your fault."

    Nearby Legionaries looked quite chagrined to hear their reveredmander spoken to in this way but what could they do? It was his daughter! Titus himself didn''t seem to mind at all. He only nodded and patted the rough and calloused hand on his shoulder with own, equally worn one.

    "You always had a way with words, Morr."

    Morrelia snorted.

    "No I don''t and you know it. I''m just in a unique position to look at you as human instead of a legend."

    "You don''t see me as a legend?"

    "My memories are of you teaching me how toce up a boot, not saving the kingdom for the umpteenth time." She stepped away from her father to run her eyes over the wreckage again. "I still can''t believe this happened. When Anthony and I first came here, this whole space was filled with monsters, almost every surface was covered with them. How did we ever kill so many?"

    Titus flicked an eye when she said that. Behind him, many Legionaries were ovee with emotion as they reached the surface. Many of them had been born here, had parents, spouses, some of them had children. Morrelia had been able to provide a list, the names of everyone who had gathered at the survivor vige. It was a scarcefort. Only a fraction of the people who''d lived in the kingdom remained, and the capital had been the hardest hit. The tears and cries of anguish stung. Sometimes he wished he could unbend long enough to show that kind of emotion, but he never did. Part of him was afraid that if he ever let it out he would never be able to bottle it up again. Only his family were able to truly see what went on under the surface, only his wife and daughter. He was determined to keep them safe.

    "Have you thought about my offer, Morr? I want you toe with us when we go."

    Morrelia frowned. In truth, she was conflicted. During the journey upward, she''d spent time talking to her old friends, from her centurions, trainees in her year who''d gone on to make full legionary and others who''d started not long before she left. The Abyssal Legion had been such a part of her life, to reconnect with it again had felt so natural, as if she had been weed back to the family. To her, the Legion was literally family. It was a chance to spend time with her father, to reconnect with her mother, after ten years of separation. She didn''t want to abandon themunity in the south, the survivors that she''d formed bonds with through desperate battles and struggles, but how could she turn away from this chance. If she did, how long would it be until she saw her parents again?

    Enid, Beyn, Isaac. Well, Isaac could burn in the third strata, but the others, even Anthony, that puzzling creature who seemed to turn everything she''d been taught about monsters on its head. There was something building there, something special. She wanted to be a part of it, wanted to help build it. It was an adventure, creating something entirely new out of the ashes of the old.

    "Give me a little more time to think." She told her father.

    Themander looked as if he had more to say, but refrained himself. He wouldn''t push her. His children had never reacted well to being pushed. He''d never ever mentioned the idea of joining the Legion to them as they''d grown up. He wasn''t certain he wanted that life for them. Sure enough, they''d thrown themselves in head first the moment they''de of age. Morrelia was the most headstrong of all, it was unusual of her to be undecided in anything. He would give her the space she needed.

    A sob, almost a muffled cry sounded behind them, and the two turned to see a devastated Alberton, the Legion Loremaster for Liria. The old schr had a hand raised to cover his mouth and his eyes were red as he took in the wreckage of his home.

    Titus stepped toward his friend, putting a powerful arm over his shoulders. Morrelia approached his other side, reaching up to grasp his arm. Alberton had been a big part of her upbringing in the Legion, both as her father''s friend and as her teacher when she was a trainee.

    "Lean on me, old man," Titus encouraged his friend, who appeared to be close to copse. "Don''t stand on ceremony."

    "The entire Kingdom? Everything my family has built for hundreds of years. All gone? So many people¡­" The old Legion schr was beside himself as he openly wept. His entire life, his family, his history, wiped from the face of the world. All that was left was ashes.

    "This is why we call them monsters, Morrelia. Look at what they''ve done. Look at this! We can never have peace until they all are dead. As if they never existed in the first ce."

 Chapter 330 Devastation Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 330 Devastation Part 2 </h4>

    The pain and suffering the members of the Legion, the pain in their faces and voices affected Morrelia deeply. These were the men and women who had dedicated their lives to defending the sapient races of the surface from the depredations of the Dungeon. They were the inheritors of a mission that originated since the Rending and had endured for thousands of years. To those battle hardened eyes, the annihtion of Liria represented more evidence of righteousness of their cause. It was hard for Morrelia to disagree with that sentiment, it was something she herself had believed her entire life. It was hard to deny, the monsters were responsible for this catastrophe. They brought death and destruction with them everywhere they went, and had done so since the moment they had breached the surface.

    And yet, she had seen a different way. A monster who was prepared to cooperate with humans, who was prepared to bring other monsters along with their ideals. Coexistence was possible, she''d seen it with her own eyes. The very concept flew in the face of everything that she''d been taught. What everyone on the surface had been taught.

    What did this mean? Who should she talk to? Who could she talk to? The people in the vige were a little too enthusiastic to throw away the lessons of history and embrace a new way, not without good reason, but could they really trusted to see things clearly. Simrly the members of the Legion were too far nted in their view. They were literally a monster exterminating army, unmatched in zeal and efficiency. Were they really the people to talk to about cooperating with a monster? Morrelia could imagine how it would go. The moment she spoke to Titus about what Anthony really was, they would drop all their ns, march south and exterminate every ant and human they found, pat themselves on the back and count it a job well done.

    The thought of Enid cut down by her father''s axe made her feel physically nauseous. It was pretty much inevitable that Isaac would die that way, but the others didn''t deserve it.

    "You look troubled, Morrelia. Care to share your thoughts?"

    "Myrrin?"

    "Hi there," the younger woman smiled and came to sit down on the stone Morrelia was resting on.

    It had been a cornerstone for the White Lion, well known tavern in this corner of the city. Not much remained of it now. One crumbled wall and the smashed remains of the once gleaming oak bar. Shards of ssy scattered across the ground, the final remnants of the bottles the innkeeper, Gregor, had one taken such pride in.

    "Feels a little strange to be trying to give advice to my own Senior," Myrrin admitted.

    Morrelia scoffed.

    "I''m not your Senior. I''m someone who dropped out of training whereas you are a full Legionary. Under what definition could I possibly be considered Senior to you?"

    Mirryn shrugged. It was hard to exin, especially to Morrelia''s face, that she was so dominant and overbearing, so forceful in her personality, it was hard to think of her as anything but a superior.

    "You''ve probably even outleveled me," Morrelia grimaced, "doing whatever it is you Legion types do in the deep."

    "Surely not!" Myrrin protested, but secretly she thought she just might have. The ughter she''d taken part in during the wave had catapulted her levels and stats to a height she had never dreamed of achieving.

    The other woman''s eyes narrowed, as if detecting the underlying truth, but she let it go.

    "You''ll being with us won''t you?" Myrrin asked. "I''ve never been through a gate, I''d only heard of them. It''d be nice to have more people we know on the other side."

    Her ck leather armour creaked as Morrelia shifted ufortably.

    "I''m still thinking about it. I''m just not certain."

    "I understand. Things were pretty tense when you left."

    "I said a lot of things that I came to regret."

    "You were grieving, we all were."

    "That doesn''t make it okay."

    "Time heals all wounds, so I''m told. Maybe you should trust in us more."

    "Maybe I should," Morrelia admitted.

    Myrrin leaned back and looked up at the sky.

    "Seems like we won''t get a chance to visit this vige of yours. Runner came up an hour ago. They''re going to send us through early. Themander has already issued the order to pack everything up and get back to marching. Alberton''s furious. He wanted more time tob through what was left of the archives."

    "It would take weeks to excavate anything out of there! Garralosh caved the entire thing in!"

    Mirryn giggled.

    "Themander tried to tell him, but the old man is too stubborn when ites to his precious books. I think we''re going to see the Loremaster carried away over the shoulder of a centurion soon!"

    "Save me from stubborn old men," Morrelia muttered.

    "At the very least you''lle down and see us off, won''t you? We''ve so much more to talk about, I don''t want to have to wave you off in an hour."

    "I can promise that much." Morrelia was reluctant to leave her father behind so soon, and it had been nice, catching up with old friends. "It''ll be interesting for me, I''ve never seen the underground city."

    "It''s fairly interesting, to say the least!"

    "I''ll bet."

    The two fell into apanionable silence. The only noise the asional shout from a Legionary as they bustled about packing and securing their supplies for the journey back down into the deep. A gate was being opened at the fort below which would take them to the fabled ck Castle, founding headquarters of the Abyssal Legion. Despite her old life having being destroyed, Myrrin was excited to find out what this new chapter would bring.

    "Come on then,zy bones." Mirryn stood up. "You might as welle and help."

    "I suppose I may as well," Morrelia grumbled as she stood and stretched out her tired muscles.

    The two walked back toward the Dungeon entrance to find the officers busy running their rulers over the logistics of the march, chasing down every stray member of the expedition and confirming details with their own superiors. At the centre of it all stood Titus, barking orders where necessary but mainly being a silent pir of calm in the centre of a storm of activity. We he spotted hering he walked towards her without hesitation.

    "Are youing with us?" He asked without preamble.

    "I''ming to the gate." Morrelia stressed. "I haven''t decided to join back up."

    His face showed no emotion, but she knew he was happy to hear this news.

    "Good then. Make sure you report to Tribune Auri, she''s in charge of our headcount and food."

    She almost snapped out a quick legionary salute, but managed to restrain herself at thest moment. Her father''s eyes missed nothing and wereughing at her as he turned away.

    "See if I ever salute you again, old man!" she fumed to herself before she went to gather her few belongings and weapons before seeking out the Tribune.

    As they finished readying themselves, darkness had begun to fall over the ruins of the city. The vigers who had apanied Morrelia north had begun the journey back, to report on what they had seen and bring word of the conditions in the Dungeon.

 Chapter 331 My Head hurts

    <h4>Chapter 331 My Head hurts </h4>

    So far the upper reef farming strategy has proven to be sessful, if stressful. Some monsters seem too reluctant to approach the bright me, but others are clearly maddened by it, charging down to extinguish me, and it with extreme prejudice. After we started to see less monsters swarming out original spot, we had to pick up and move to another location, clearing out the riff raff along the way before rmencing our farming practices. So far we''ve been at it for four days and both of my pets are enjoying the benefits of the near constant fighting. Both of their levels have been steadily climbing and theirbat skills have been getting some serious boosts. Most of the monsters they fight have been tier two and above, which really helps in terms of XP gain. The influx of Biomass has also been most wee.

    For my part, I''ve been grinding away at a number of Skills. Nonbat rted ones for the most part, since I''m making sure that Tiny and Crinis do most of the fighting in order to hasten their evolution to the fifth tier. The skill I''m most interested in raising right now is my Core Surgery Skill. I need to unlock the mysteries of the advanced techniques employed by the Sophos so that I can teach them to the colony when I return but so far they''ve proven to be difficult to master.

    Grinding away at manipting cores in order to increase my skill level and bring me closer to increasing the rank of the Skill is one thing. I can do that, no problems, and I have been. But mastering the ability to fuse two cores together so neatly that they slide into each other likeser-cut metal is a freakin'' nightmare! For starters, I need to get Core Surgery to the next rank before I can even unlock the skill, but I''ve been practicing the techniques required in order to ensure I can get my hands on the skill as quickly as possible. I''ve been straining my poor head as much as possible but so far all I''ve gotten is a headache and some not quite as horribly scrambled as before fused cores.

    Once I''m done with them I''ve been handing the cores over to Crinis and Tiny to make sure that they are as close to maxed out as we can get them. It shouldn''t be much longer now and they''ll be almost ready to ept the final core to tip them over the edge. I''m keeping an eye out for a rare core but so far we haven''te across one. Special cores seem much moremon down here and we''vee into possession of a few of those, but rare cores are proving elusive.

    The issue I had with my core is that I pushed it to max size, then absorbed a special core immediately after I evolved. My hope had been that with time and patience I would have been able to absorb two special cores beyond the limit and gain a more powerful evolution that way. My gambit ended up being taken to an entirely new level when I obtained the rare core and tried to push the experiment even further. So not only did I absorb a special core past the normal maximum, I went ahead and absorbed a rare core as well! The end result was excruciating pain and a very high risk of damage to my core. That I only escaped such a fate could only be put down to dumb luck. By the blessings of Gandalf''s ever bristling, bushy beard and brows was I able to survive!

    For Crinis and Tiny, if I only feed them the rare core, they should go through a truly painful and ufortable experience, but not have to experience the risk of permanent damage. Even now I still worry that something went wrong and I just haven''t been able to notice. A hidden w in my core, a fault line or hairline fracture that might re up and bite me right in the profit margins when I least expect it. It''s anxiety inducing!

    My magic skills have been the other focus. Healing Magic is getting a constant workout due to Tiny''s affliction, so level gains have been steady there and I''ve made a point of ying with fire magic during the downtime when we hide away to rest in order to keep pushing that Skill higher. I went ahead and bought the air magic affinity, just to round out my basic avatar elements. I''ve not had a chance to try and level Earth or Air magic yet, my brains are already pushed to the straining point maintaining the healing and fire mana constructs. I''m starting to think I''m going to need a lot more brains down the line. To utilise one type of magic effectively, without a nd to produce that mana for you, it really requires you to perform two tasks simultaneously. You have to create and maintain the construct, which takes an effort of Will on its own. Then you had to operate the construct, feed it raw mana to produce the desired affinity. THEN you had to take the new mana of the desired affinity and shape it into a mind bending, intricate shape to produce the desired spell!

    In an ideal world, you would have two brains to perform these tasks. One to hold onto and operate the construct, and one to shape the spells. For the time being, I''m using my weaker sub brains to maintain the constructs and the stronger one takes turns operating them and shaping the spells. This means I have to pitch in with my main mind every now and again, which is frankly a pain. I''d much rather all this petty grinding be done by the sub-brains so I can focus on other things. Perhaps my sub-minds wille to resent me for that, but they''ll just have to deal with it! They know who''s in charge!

    The other thing I need to consider is how far I want to push the elemental magic Skills before I attempt to fuse them. The further you push them before fusion, the more potent the fused skill will be, that''s a fundamental truth of the System that Beyn imparted to me. Certainly it''s been true with my bite skill. The result of the fusion has proven to be very strong after I pushed each bite Skill to the fourth tier. Right now, I think my goal is go for the fourth tier Since I have multiple minds to grind away at these Skills, I should aim high. Who knows how humans and Kaarmodo manage to train their Skills to the heights that they do? With only a single brain? Crazy.

    Right now, the three of us are resting. After an extended fishing expedition, we retreated down to roughly halfway to the bottom of the coral reef where we found a nice and cosy little alcove. Crinis and Tiny are sleeping presently whilst I keep watch. It''ll be Tiny''s turn to watch when I slip into a little torpor to get some rest. Naturally I have to explicitly order him not to sleep when I do so, otherwise he cks off.

    In front of me is a small pile of cores, our harvest from thest hunt. I say small, but thirty cores is quite respectable when I think about it. The abundance of cores down here is starting to change my view of normal. A haul like this in the first strata would be considered incredible wealth.

    With a sigh I bring my antennae forward and touch them to the next core. I need to keep pushing and force myself to adapt these stupid things to the extreme level that I can, then try to fit them together with another core from a different species. It gruelling, headache inducing work, but someone''s gotta do it!

 Chapter 332 Grinding for kicks

    <h4>Chapter 332 Grinding for kicks </h4>

    I stagger awake from torpor, my body snapping into motion faster than my brain can keep up. The result is that my legs spasm and my antennae stab into the air at the same time, giving out a general vibe of intense energy coupled with mind shattering fear.

    "Hugga?!"

    I''m still getting used to not being able to blink. At no time in the day is this more apparent to me than just after I wake up. The urge to clear the sleep out of my eyes, to eliminate the dryness, but I can''t blink! There is no sleep! I can''t even rub my eyes or anything. It''s weird but for some reason this is some of thest hang-ups I have as human turned ant. Generally speaking, I''m good with the rest of it. I don''t have many problems anymore with my new form, in fact, it''s pretty great. In my opinion, those who wouldn''t swap from human to monster ant are fools! Seriously mentally deficient! I even get to join a family with thousands of siblings! For someone who never had any brothers or sisters in their human life, this is a big plus for me! Well, I suppose I still don''t have any brothers¡­

    [Okay guys, I''m up. Are we ready for some more fishing?]

    My two pets give me their acknowledgement and make our slow and careful way back to the top of the coral reef to try and reel in some more monsters. Our farming is starting to slow down at this spot, we''ll have to move soon. It''s hard to be sure exactly where you are in this absurdly massive expanse, but I''ve been trying to skirt the edges of the coral reef without heading towards the centre. I don''t want to pull down something on the level of that giant leviathan, not until we''ve had more time to power up, explore and scout out the situation at the top of the food chain. Right now, the n is toy rtively low and keep pumping our Skills, eating Biomass and pushing Tiny and Crinis towards their next evolution.

    [Okay Crinis. Are you set up and good to go?]

    [Ready, Master!]

    [How about you Tiny?]

    [Oooo!]

    [Nice. It was slowing down at the end of thest one, so I''m going to start fairly bright. Be prepared for the enemy toe in hot!]

    Having forewarned my pets I push more fire mana into the ball of light even as I manoeuvre it out past thest grasping tendrils of the corals and shadow seaweed. The response from the drifting schools of sea monsters is immediate. Some dart away from the heat and light, moving away from that wich causes them to feel fear and difort, but others, others charge headlong to destroy it! Straight into our!

    The battle is fierce and I contribute in the little ways that I can from my hiding ce. Smashing out the odd fireball spell and chomping on anything that gets too close isn''t a huge contribution but when my poor pets are getting swarmed, every little bit helps. When the fighting is done, we hoover up all the Biomass we can, the stomach upgrades proving their worth once more, before we retreat back to our hidey hole to count our gains.

    All in all, another profitable run. I managed to level up, which is a pleasant surprise. It feels nice to reach level seventeen, even if I''m still a long way from my next evolution which is at level eighty. Both of my pets are creeping closer to their tier five evolution. Level forty is still a ways off for the two of them, but if we continue our routine, they''re sure to get there before too long. I really did skip ahead of them a lot in levels by harvesting the XP from those Crocamanders. Then I got the experience for finishing Garralosh, which was another ton of levels.

    Once we make it back I take a few hours to grind through the cores we were able to find. After all of my grinding over thest five days, I was finally able to level Core Surgery enough that I could increase its rank to Core Crafting (IV), which means that so long as I can pull it off, the Core fusion skill will unlock for me. After a number of attempts, I still fail to slot two cores together neatly enough to satisfy the unlock condition. Through painstaking trial and error I''ve gotten much closer, but still aren''t there yet. The two creatures I''ve chosen are the Leech and Fish. Taking weak variants of these two creatures, only tier two, due to their more simple cores, I''ve been trying to shape them intopatible parts before fusing the two cores together. The trick is to focus on the traits you want to keep from each of the creatures and manipte them in such a way that the fusion won''t affect the integrity of that part of the core.

    Easier said than done since I''m yet to seed. When I''m done with all of the cores they are absorbed by Tiny and Crinis but the two of them inform me that they''ve maxed out their cores now and can''t take anymore. This is good news! The preparations for their evolutions are getting closer and closer to beingplete. This means thest six cores are mine to absorb! It''s going to take a heck of a long time before my own core is maxed out. Since you can double the size of your core each evolution, that little bit extra I squeezed inst time pays me forward double this evolution, which means more evolutionary energy again! So long as I can find a suitable core to use at the end of the process, I''ll be good.

    My mind automatically shies away from thinking about the core we took from Garralosh, still stashed with the colony far above my head. Nope. Not even going to consider that until I absolutely have to. With another round of feasting behind us, our Biomass has built up quite significantly. I haven''t upgraded myself during this hunt spree, so I suppose I might as well go ahead and do a little spending.

    With two hundred and fifty seven points to spend, there''s plenty I can do!

    In order to maximise my gains, I think I''m going to take my stomach upgrades from +15 all the way to +25, maxing it out. This should help keep the Biomass flowing even faster and allow me to get the rest of my upgrades in a shorter time. It''s going to cost a whopping two hundred and five Biomass just for this one body part, but it should prove worth it in the long term. To be honest, I probably should have invested in it straight away but I get easily distracted by other, shinier upgrades.

    The list of choices expands rapidly in my mind and there are many to choose from. I wouldn''t have thought there would be such a list for just a stomach, but the System never fails to be creative. Faster digestion is an interesting choice. You could spend less time between meals, increasing Biomass intake that way. There are a lot of options that allow for increased Biomass extraction from a particr type of monster, which is intriguing. Essentially the stomach would mutate to be more adept at refining Biomass from, for example, shadow based monsters. It seems limited in usefulness however, unless you intended to stay and hunt in a particr strata for an extended period of time.

    That could be super worth it for the ant queens though, now that I think about it. I doubt Victoriant and Antite are going to keep evolving to a super high tier, they might even stop taking XP at tier five or six, which means they would probably stay in the second strata for a very long time. If these mutations can increase their efficiency for the prey consumed here, the colony might benefit a great deal!

    For my part, I take the next level of Biomass penalty reduction and stomach capacity increase, doubling down on the mutations I chose at previous levels. The end result is the Vast Hungering Stomach +25! Gweheheheh. Maxing out mutations always puts a smile on my dial. If only I didn''t have to deal with the stupid itch¡­

 Chapter 333 Fighting in the Shadows

    <h4>Chapter 333 Fighting in the Shadows </h4>

    Having pushed my stomach to the maximum possible level quickly starts to pay dividends. After mutating, the three of us pick ourselves up and start to move to another spot. The usual method to traverse the coral reef is to climb our way back down to the ground and move from there. This has a few benefits. Firstly, we don''t get hunted by monsters from above and there''s no chance of identally bumping into any leviathan ss monsters, which is nice. Safety first as I always say! Secondly, we increase the possibility of happening across a nest or den of monsters along the ground. The crabs proved to be such a tasty and delicious meal of XP and Biomass, one I have no objection to indulging in once more. We haven''t stumbled across many such treats but if we don''t try then we never will.

    It just so happens that in the process of moving, always a careful and slow affair in this web of coral nts with their stinging barbs, I sense a signature of a nearby cluster of monsters. How delightful! A travel snack!

    [Tiny, Crinis. I can sense a nest of creatures to the left over there. Can you see them Crinis?]

    [Oh! Ah, yes! I have them!]

    [You should have picked them up way before me. What''s the story Crinis? Have you been sleeping back there?]

    [I haven''t been asleep! I was just ¡­ distracted.]

    [Distracted? By what? Is there something else around here?]

    That''d be thest thing I need, jumped by some monster leaping out of nowhere to smack me in the thorax whilst my supposedly omnipresent eye was dazed and confused. It''s very unlike Crinis to be anything but perfectly diligent. She''s almost obsessively careful in her scouting responsibilities. Her Ability to sense mana sources at great range and rity is such a blessing down here. I haven''t checked, but I hope that the first thing she mutated to +20 was her Mana Sensory nd followed closely by her Shadow Eye. Thetter of those two has grown to be quite the handy thing here in the Second Strata. It gives her the ability to see through shadows, and since shadow mana is literally everywhere down here, she''s able to get a good look directly at whatever is in range of the thing.

    [No, there isn''t anything else here! I was just ¡­ thinking.]

    Thinking? What sort of development is this?!

    [What were you thinking about? If you don''t mind sharing that is,] I hasten to add.

    I''ve been trying to build a sense of independence in my pets for a long time, I''m certainly not going to try and squash this fleeting sign of development from my most dedicated pet!

    [¡­ It''s nothing.]

    [¡­ Sure. Remember you can always talk to me, or not. Your thoughts are your own. If you decide that you''d like to chat to me, you can do so anytime. Okay?]

    [Yes, Master.]

    [Alright then. Now let''s go annihte whatever it is that''s upying this nest nearby.]

    [I think it''s Centipedes again, Master.]

    DAMN CENTIPEDES. EXPERIENCE THE HEAT OF MY RAAAAAAAGE!

    Thirty minutester the hated shadow variant of the w centipede has had their territory reduced by one nest. I''m still determined topletely erase this hated species from the entire Dungeon. Perhaps it will be impossible on my own, but with the assistance of the colony, we may be able to aplish one day. The thought of millions of ants hunting the hated centipede throughout the entire world of Pangera puts a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart. It''s decided! The moment we return to the colony I shall pass on this most sacred of missions!

    As we''re busy munching on the Biomass, Crinis interrupts my thoughts.

    [Master, I think I''m sensing something?]

    [More monsters? Excellent! I''m barely warmed up.]

    [I''m not sure that it''s monsters, it feels different. I think they''reing this way.]

    This sounds a little interesting. What could be going on here? I reach out with my own mana sense, but I can''t get a handle on what it is that Crinis is telling me about.

    [They might being for the clearing. Let''s get behind some cover. I want to try and get a look at whatever this is. What direction are theying from?]

    Once Crinis points out a direction with one slender tentacle, the three of us scramble to hide on the other side. I duck and weave through the stone coral until we are reasonably behind cover. It''s not easy for an antrger than a car to hide, but I do my best! Hopefully the stealth skill to carry me a little here. Tiny isn''t particrly stealthy either so I urge him to get a little further back. Crinis is, quite naturally, still resting on my back and quite small in her shrunken form, shouldn''t be any problems there.

    After a few moments, I start to detect what is was the she was talking about. There are six different mana sources I detect, but they''re different to what I would normally associate with monsters. Monsters are bright with mana, filled to the brim with it as it flows through every fibre of their bodies. If the monster has a core, it glows like a lightbulb to my mana sense, and energy ripples around those creatures as their core pulls in the mana around them.

    What I sense now isn''t like that, not at all. Their seems to be hardly any mana inside the bodies of these creatures, nothing at all like a monster. It''s so confusing! What could possibly be down in the Dungeon looking so dim to my mana sense?

    I''m curious! What is it? What could it be?! Unconsciously, I nudge myself a little closer to the clearer to get a better view as these six strange entities step into view.

    The six figures step into the clearing, taking in the scattered remains of the Biomass we had been consuming. They move quickly toward the centre of the clearing and I take in my first impressions. It''s immediately obvious why they didn''t feel like monsters. It''s because they aren''t. Monsters, that is. If I''m not mistaken then these are sapient creatures, possibly from the surface. They''re humanoid, but taller and bulkier than a human. I''d put the tallest at over eight feet tall, nearly as tall as Tiny, and wide, thick in the shoulders and hips. Unless the light is ying tricks with me, it also appears as if they are made out of, or at least covered in, stone.

    "Gruhalesa Rorrhan." One of them speaks and its voice is as deep and rough as two rocks being crushed together.

    I''m agog, fascinated. Surface people! Withnguage! Made of stone! This might help exin why they felt so strange to my mana sense. They had a stronger reaction than humans had in the past, which made me think there was no chance they were a sapient race, but clearly they have a bit more of the special stuff in their makeup. Not as much as monsters, who are literally born from the stuff, but hey.

    The obvious problem that I have now is, how the heck do I get as far as possible from these giant stone people before they try and hack me apart for my delicious core?

 Chapter 334 Stone Skin, Fast Feet!

    <h4>Chapter 334 Stone Skin, Fast Feet! </h4>

    Suddenly gripped by fear I hunker down and try to keep myself as still as possible. Don''t breathe, don''t even blink! Blink and your dead! Wait¡­ I don''t have eyelids! Settle, Anthony. y it cool. My mentality is frazzled after being thrown into this unexpected situation. I have just the Skill for this. Without hesitating, I sink my mind deep into the soothing calm of meditation.

    When using this Skill, emotion fades into the back of my mind, brushing against the edges of my awareness instead of rushing to the forefront and dominating my decision making. To be honest, I should probably spend almost all of my time sunk deep into the meditation Skill. I can recognise that when I use the Skill and my emotions don''t cloud my thinking. The problem is that I don''t really like the feeling of being this cold and logical, it doesn''t feel like me. So I tend to avoid it, even though I recognise how much better my decision making would be. The more I use the Skill, the higher level it would get as well. Who knows what depths of emotionlessness are possible as it continues to rank up?

    Those considerations are for another time, right now I need to focus and get out of this situation cleanly. My thoughts clear and I watch the six figures with cold detachment, taking in details that I hadn''t focused on before. The armour the stone people are wearing is minimal. Their arms and chests are mostly bare, they have arms guards strapped to their forearms, the glint of hard metal standing out against their dark grey skin. A variety of weapons are visible on their backs or hips. Large curved des and two handed swords on their backs, as oversized as one would expect due to their massive frames. One of looks like he''s carrying a Buster Sword! Look at the size of that thing! A shiver runs throughout outside of my awareness as the image of that massive edge shearing through my carapace flits through my mind.

    Don''t worry, the diamond carapace is invible, it will never fail you. Their eyes scan the clearing constantly as they take in the signs. Their movements feel professional and clean, they never move too far from each other, their hands stand on the hilts of their weapons and they talk constantly, muttering low whispers to each other. Presumably about what they see or sense.

    Tobat the ever-present darkness they each hold a glowing crystal in one hand which emits a strong beam of light, like a

    I need to be careful here. I know for a fact that mana detecting Skills are possible for humans as well, and I''ve seen humans use mana detecting crystals. If they bust out something like that, my overloaded tier five core is going to light up like a firework.

    I''ve seen enough. Staying still any longer than this carries way too much risk.

    [We need to sneak out of here team. Get yourself ready to go. We move slow and silent.]

    My two pets give me their assent and I shift my legs slow and steady, gradually pulling myself further away from the clearing. I don''t know why these six stone people are down here, and as much as I''d like to get some information, I don''t want to risk it. I have no idea how powerful these people are. Nor do I want to start any beef. Maybe Iunch a gravity bomb in there and wipe them out, get a bunch of experience and walk awayughing. Then three dayster the entire expanse is flooded with very angry stone folks wondering where their team went and hunting for my impressive sparkly hide?! No way!

    [Advanced Stealth (II) has reached Level 10, upgrade avable.]

    I''ll take it. Perfect timing for this particr upgrade. Without hesitation I spent the skill point to upgrade the rank of stealth. As the knowledge trickles into my mind I begin to employ the techniques that blossom into understanding, minimising my massive profile, using the shadows and lowering my weight with care to supress sound.

    I only manage to take ten steps before my antennae sent a shock through my non-existent spine. A tingle of warning that sends phantasmic ripples off all over my carapace.

    DUCK!

    BOOM!

    The coral around me explodes as my hyper speed reflexes send me smashing my own head into the dirt to duck low. As a testament to my newfound reactionary prowess, I even manage to tuck my antennae in and neither of them gets chopped off! Winning!

    [GO, GO, GO! Get on your bike and ride!]

    Tiny bellows out a hoot of rage mixed with two parts joy as he leaps to his feet and with one mighty bound sends himself flying up into the coral branches as they copse around us. With my near three sixty degree vision I can see the coral appears to have been sheared off, as if sliced with a giant knife, and the giant structures are starting toe down around our ears.

    Agile as a ¡­ well¡­ a monkey, Tiny flings himself through the wreckage even as it descends through the air but I don''t have time to admire it, I need to motor! Six legs scrabbling and spinning like a road runner my muscles strain as I push my legs to their extreme, forcing immense amounts of power through my legs to the point I can feel them about to crack. Luckily they don''t and I gain traction. We''re away!

    BOOM!

    Missed me!

    [Advanced Dodge has reached Level 3.]

    Excellent! Keep running!

    DASH!

    Putting all of my Skills to use I move so fast my antennae are pressed back against the top of my head by wind pressure and the scenery around me fades to a blur. In my mind I can sense the six dim figuresunching in pursuit, moving with incredible speed and precision. These people might be a higher level than I thought! This is exactly the sort of thing I didn''t want to happen!

    How did they spot me? Detection skill? Another one of those enchanted crystal gizmos? Good ''ol fashion eyesight? At this point it doesn''t matter, I just have to get away.

    [Hang on Crinis! See if you can throw them off somehow!]

    [Okay!]

    Darting left and right I manage to avoid to the following strikes. I can see them, if only vaguely, as they sh out around me. It''s sword light, but narrower and so much faster than I''ve ever seen before. In just a heartbeat itshes out, slicing through everything in range and then it''s gone. This is surely a high rank Skill in use. I don''t want to mess with whoever is throwing these out, the variables and potential danger are simply too high to bother with.

    It''s not like I''m defending my home or anything, I have no stakes here. Better to just run away and live to fight another day. So, I run!

    DASH!

    Another surge of strength pulses through my legs and I zip forward my eyes can''t even follow my own movement. The coral branches and swaying seaweed rush past and I don''t even care if I get stung by some horrific poison. Escape first and then cleanse poisonter!

    Even now I can still sense the enemy behind me, flitting like shadows through the destruction that they wrought.

    LEFT!

    Fzzz, ting!

    A buzzing sound tickles my ear before a steel tipped crossbow bolt ms into the ground next to me and I stumble slightly due to the sudden change in direction before catching myself and continuing to run. I need more distractions!

    POW! POW! POW! POW! POW!

    Acid flies out in all sorts of directions, wherever I can sense them. Wherever it strikes the acid sizzles and turns sticky, causing the pursuers to shift and adjust their trajectories to avoid it. It doesn''t buy much, but every little bit helps.

    [Crinis? Got something yet?]

    POW! POW! POW!

    [Now!]

    After concentrating hard, Crinis plunges her tentacles into her own shadow on my back and they emerge dozens of meters behind us, erupting from the ground to form a dark web that reaches greedily to engulf one of the hunters.

 Chapter 335 The hunt is on

    <h4>Chapter 335 The hunt is on </h4>

    I don''t exactly who these people are, but they are very persistent! Thanks to the magnificent meditation Skill, I''m very much cool, a cidke. Not a ripple on the surface of my thoughts.

    BOOM! CRUNCH!

    Not upset at anything, I am a calm blue ocean. I embrace serenity. Serenity now.

    BOOM!

    Serenity now!

    PLEASE stop trying to inflict such deep cuts on my business zone! The level of budget cuts they want to inflict simply can''t be borne in this fiscal quarter. My Gaster has been experiencing very lean times. That''s a lie but don''t focus on that part, focus on the part where I don''t get sliced and diced!

    They are trying to link around and surround me, moving as a unit even though I''m sure that they aren''t speaking. How could they? The copsing corals fall with the weight of buildings as they crash down to the floor of the expanse. As we run the air is full of the roar of stone as it crushes and crunches everything around us.

    Why the heck are so keen on killing me? Am I so delicious? Is my core so precious?! Surely not! Is it my carapace? It could be? Shiny and pure, coated with pure diamond. Who wouldn''t want it? It''s my curse for being so beautiful! Did I bring this on myself for being so attractive, so illuminating? Like a precious jewel, my lustre is too bright to resist.

    Whatever the reason, I will escape! I will run free!

    Firing acid in all directions I put my minds to work, furiously pondering ways to enable my escape. Should I cast spells? Difficult. Wielding fire magic, water magic or gravity will be tough. If they catch up to me, Gravity could prove very helpful. I could slow them down using bolts or the domain in order to preserve myself. Hitting them whilst they flit through this waterfall of destruction is near impossible. Also, I don''t want to antagonise the hunters if possible. Clean escape is by far my preferred option.

    Therefore, the best course of action, my minds reason, is to find a distraction and use the chaos to run!

    [Crinis, keep a Shadow Eye out for distractions!]

    [I''m a little busy here, Master!]

    [Get a second brain already!]

    To be fair, Crinis is probably using her main brain to focus on her tentacles involved in her little surprise attack. Which appears to have gone well! Her target is currently engulfed in tentacles that surround them like a sphere of horrific des and pulsing limbs. Hopefully no emotional scarring results from the stay within this eldritch prison.

    The other hunters react with obscene speed to the threat and divert themselves to theirrade the moment the threat manifests itself. des sh, shadows converge and light erupts behind me as I push my speed to the limit and haul my precious diamond backside away.

    [Ahhh!]

    Crinis cries out in pain as her limbs are severed and she hauls what remains back out of her shadow gate.

    [What''s wrong? That wouldn''t normally hurt so bad?!]

    [I don''t know! It just hurt!]

    Dammit. These hunters are getting on my nerves now. How dare they hurt my pet?!

    [Hang on!]

    But I''ll make sure to make use of this opportunity!

    Bringing my brains into the escape, I perform a number of acts at once. I dash around and through a dense section of coral whilst firing a barrage of acid toward the clumped shadows and grasping for nearby monsters with my mana sense.

    In a moment of blind panic, I find a tiny spark and I seize it. In a second I''ve realised just what I managed to detect and if I could, I''d smile. Sweet justice ising for you little mutts and I''m gonna enjoy it. From a safe distance.

    Heart surging with hope and joy that allow to wash through my meditative mind I angle my way through the coral forest toward the nest of shadow hounds. Crinis'' painful sacrifice has bought us enough time and separation that I have the space to get clear. Acid now gums up as many surfaces between the hunters and I, which buys just a tiny bit of time more as they resume the chase.

    It''s enough. I burst into the clearing as sword light explodes around me once more and a horrified pack of Shadows hounds is already in the process of hightailing everywhere and in all directions, clearly spooked by the cacophony they''d no doubt detectednding on theirps in such a sudden manner. Luckily for me they flight in all directions includes back toward the direction I came in, right into the faces of the hunters.

    MUAHAHAHA!

    How do you like them apples?!

    Now, let''s get clear!

    [Tiny! Where the hell are you!?]

    [Haaar?!]

    Up there?! Above my head the big ape is swinging through the coral like a ¡­ I''m not going to say it. I''ll just say he looks at home up there,fortable even. I can feel the resentment building up. I''ve been down here struggling and running, where was my loyal pet during this time? Lazily swinging and leaping above our heads!

    You''ll get yours, Tiny. When I''m done with your core, you''ll see. After you evolve your head will turn into an actual brick! You''ll be a giant lightning ape with a literal fired y brick for a head! I''m sure it''s possible. With the power of mana anything can be achieved. A brick head, which contains within it, another, more dense brick. That''s you Tiny! Laugh while you still have a soft, malleable face!

    Despite my smooth work it still takes us five more minutes of desperate running until I''m confident that our pursuers have lost the trail. Tiny, Crinis and I sit hunched in a small pocket of space halfway up the coral forest. All of us are breathing heavy and recuperating from our frenzied escape. A part of me is still paranoid, expecting des of sword light to explode around me at any second. Those hunters were fierce, and persistent! They were freakin'' dogged in their pursuit! Is hunting a monster like me really that valuable? Is it my core? Surely not. It''s a good core, don''t get me wrong, especially for a creature of my tier, but for strong and skilled fighters like the stone temple pilots back there, it can''t be the first one they''ve ever seen.

    Now that I reflect back. The whole chase feels a little off. None of those sword shes feltpletely lethal to me. Surely I shouldn''t have been able to dodge that many strikes so cleanly? The more I think back, the more I feel as if those strikes weren''t lethal. Were they trying to cripple me, rather than kill me?

    A chill runs through my core. Something feels off about this. Why are these stone hunters down here so soon after the wave? Are they normal Dungeon delvers, or is their purpose something else? I have this ufortable feeling something is happening that I don''t understand.

    [How are you Crinis?]

    [I-I''m okay. It hurt, but I''ve reced the flesh that I lost.]

    [Great. Tiny,e over here and I''ll heal you.]

    Once I top off his HP it''s time for us to rest.

    [Let''s recoup our strength. I''m not sure we''ve seen thest of those hunters, much as I wish I could say different.]

    This is going to make life more difficult for us. If we have to keep our eyes open for stone people trying to slice our legs off, we won''t be able to hunt as tantly as we have up to this point. Which means slower rates of experience and Biomass gain, which makes Anthony a very sad ant.

    No matter, we''ll just have to cope with the situation. Furtive and stealthy hunting may be less efficient, but it''s safer. A little safety sounds like just the thing I want right now.

 Chapter 336 Theyâ€™re Coming

    <h4>Chapter 336 They''re Coming </h4>

    Turns out that our rest doesn''tst for long. When an opportunityes along in dire circumstances such as these, I''m not going to say no! After thirty minutes of catching our breath and healing up, Crinis perks up a few seconds before I notice it also.

    A strong reaction from my mana sense, below us. From the glow of the core I feel as if this monster has to be tier five, the same as me. This is a good chance to harvest some experience and gain a powerful core to y with then absorb. Should be go for it? Those hunters could still be around after all. It hasn''t been long since we lost them and if they''re still snooping around the area, I don''t want to get their attention back on us so soon.

    But, oh! This prey feels so juicy! Nice strong core, surely a ton of Biomass on offer as well. Since I was only just considering how scarce good hunting opportunities are going to be if these hunters stick around, can I really afford to turn away from a tempting target such as this?

    [Let''s go and check it out at least. Surely there''s no harm from that?]

    Reasoning this way, we emerge with caution from our resting ce and start to descend toward the creature which feels as if it''s leisurely picking its way through the coral undergrowth, confident in its own strength. Oh ho, we''ll see how strong you are my little fish.

    Something about stalking prey tickles the primitive parts of my human consciousness. It''s dynamic and exciting. I climb down vertically, my ws gripping the surface tight as my antennae sweep through the air, soaking in every little particle the atmosphere has to give me.

    Even Tiny seems sharpen up, his ears twitch furtively as he take in the sounds of the expanse, his eyes focused with an unusual gleam.

    [Nice, Tiny. I like to see that look on your face. Stay frosty.]

    He gives a confused grunt.

    [I mean, stay sharp.]

    He frowns, his ears droop a little.

    [Just stay focused dammit!]

    Ears perking back up, Tiny gives me a toothy grin as his powerful hands grip the coral, lowering himself hand over hand. For her part, Crinis is focused and intent as she concentrates her special sense on tracking the prey. It doesn''t take long for us to find it. The creature resembles a mutated lobster. It''s front end is raised up, two powerful, fearsome looking ws on its right side, a mass of writhing leech-like limbs on the other. Those things look particrly nasty, tentacles tipped with ringed mouths as if they seek to suck out their victims blood.

    Nasty.

    Beneath the strong looking carapace the many little lobster legs scuttled away as the creature moved with thezy grace and confidence of a creature who feels unthreatened in its current environment. Compared to the usual crabs and leeches, this monster would surely have little trouble moving through this ce, but not today Mr Lobster. I wonder if you taste as expensive as you look?

    No, wait. Stay cool, Anthony. Don''t rush things, you might end up in serious trouble that way. Still spying on the unhurried creature from above, I cast about with all of my senses, trying to find any hint of the hunters.

    [Crinis, I want you to go and scout around, see if you can find any sign of suspicious movement. We don''t want to run into those damn stone people again and get jumped when we attack.]

    [Okay, Master. Will you be okay with me moving away?] Crinis fretted.

    [Of course, don''t worry so much!]

    Reluctance was evident in every tentacle on Crinis'' body as she rose from my back to extend her limbs to move away.

    [Tiny, don''t attack, let''s just rx here and take it easy until Crinis has had a look. We need to be careful right now.]

    A look of dissatisfaction crosses the face of the big ape, but faced with a direct order he doesn''t have a choice but to follow my directions. The two of us hang like giant but more attractive spiders from above the monster. We control our breathing and move as little as possible to stay hidden whilst Crinis does her scouting. Beneath us, totally oblivious to the two hungry creatures watching from above, the massive lobster continues to scuttle on its way.

    After five minutes Tiny and I have had to change our position twice and still Crinis hasn''t back from her scouting mission. I''m starting to get a little nervous but then her voice rings in my mind.

    [Master, I think I found something strange. Come to me.]

    Oh no. That''s not what I wanted to here. Moving carefully the two of us move toward the direction I can sense Crinis and we find her hanging from a coral branch by her tentacles, her body still in its shrunken form to minimise her profile.

    [Toward the left, Master, along the ground.]

    I stretch out my own mana awareness and I find them, faint ghosts of energy, creeping through the lower reef.

    Dammit! Stupid hunters! They''re still here, all six of them, moving in a pack!

    [Now Master, toward the right.]

    Uh wot? I already found them on the left? Don''t tell me¡­ Heart sinking toward my core I turn my senses in the other direction and after a few short moments I find them. Another six moving in the same direction as the first lot, perhaps sixty metres apart. They''reing through the coral like a drag! Trying to scoop me up like a fish!

    No, no, no! Not like this!

    [We need to get out of here. They''re clearly hunting for us. But where can we go?!]

    [What about up, Master? I haven''t detected them above us.]

    Good idea!

    [Move slow and careful, we need to stay hidden at all costs!]

    Twelve hunters on our tail. Twelve. And those are just the ones we''ve found so far! Was the tier five monster, so nonchntly moving through the area they''d lost me in just bait? Is this all part of their masterful n? Why the hell would they even want me that badly?! I don''t like this Gandalf!

    One leg at a time we creep toward the upper reaches of the coral branches in order to escape above the hunters. If we can get high enough and then sneak over the top of the two hunting groups, we''ll be in the clear! Once we get past, we can race toward the edge of the expanse and get the heck out of dodge. With this strange behaviour from the hunters, it''s just too dangerous to stay here anymore.

    You win, hunters! You''ve managed to chase me out of here, my tail between my legs. I don''t want to deal with your nonsense, so I''m out! Go and hunt each other and your mothers for all I care, just leave me out of it. The closer we get the top the more we start to angle across to loop over the hunters heads, far below us now. Desperate to get away from this, I''m willing to take the risk.

    Of course they predicted it. They saw me and my pets climbing during thest chase, they know that we can climb high in the coral with ease!

    As we loop over the top of the hunters and exultation is soaring in my heart, I feel Crinis stiffen on my back and then I sense them as well. A third group, right in front of my face. They haven''t seen us yet, but we only have seconds before they do.

    What to do? Fight? Run? Hide?! My sub minds begin to spin at a thousand kilometres an hour, drawing on mana and preparing spells that might help as I try to think. I barely got away from six of these people, how the heck will I get away from eighteen?!

 Chapter 337 Spider to the fly

    <h4>Chapter 337 Spider to the fly </h4>

    Well, nards. This isn''t ideal, not even close. Enemies below, enemies in front. With these new groups popping out of nowhere, my mind is starting to conjure stone faced hunters leaping out of the shadows in every direction, ready to drag me to the ground and peel of my carapace. It''s not going to happen, I won''t let it!

    [We''re in too deep now, they''re all around us. We''ve no choice but to try and break through the middle. Crinis, stay on my back and help distract them. Tiny, try your best to follow and throw a little lightning to keep them off our trail. It''s going to take a real effort to slip out of this one, but we can do it. Let''s go!]

    It''s clear that these hunters are determined to get their rocky hands on me, even though I have no idea why. I can''t afford to y nice anymore. I didn''t want to get violent before in case it increased their desire to chase me, but it appears that was a waste of effort on my part. They were always going toe for me, I should have gone hard when there were only six.

    To be fair though, it isn''t as if I could have predicted a situation like this! More hunters appearing to try and track me down? It''s inexplicable! It defies exnation! How could they possibly know what a magnificent specimen of a monster I am? They only caught a glimpse of me! Nevertheless, no more Mr Nice Anthony. I''m getting out of this encirclement and never turning back. They won''t even smell me again!

    [Go!]

    As I holler out thatmand the three of us burst out with as much speed as we can, all pretence of stealth thrown away. We head toward the left, moving toward one of the groups sharply but away from the others just as quick. The reaction of the stone people is rapid and decisive. The group in front detects us in an instant and moves to intercept as the group below us rises through the coral branches to cut us off from below. The final group of the three circles around behind us and starts to climb, cutting us off from below.

    You aren''t the only ones who have ideas! Let''s see what happens when we do this!

    ring to brilliant life above my head the globe of me makes a glorious reappearance, flooding the area with light and blessed heat. Quick as a thought I whip the ball of fire upward as I high as I can and pump it full of fire mana churned out by my main sub-mind. Like a miniature sun the fire roars, sending light deep into the vast ocean of shadow above, bringing warmth to a ce that hasn''t felt it since it was formed.

    And the monsters hate it. Even as my mind starts to work on my next spell, the angry cries and roars of hundreds of monsters can be heard echoing down from above. This will bring any other hunter groups right to me, but I just have to chance it right now. A massive swirl of chaos is going to be my best chance to escape and I''m going to make the biggest I possibly can to make it happen!

    They''re alreadying, the hordes of fish and sea snakes and creatures that want to extinguish my me and myself at the same time. As they pour down from above I can feel the shadows hesitate before they rmit to the chase. They''re determined, I''ll give them that.

    But not as determined as me! Freedom beckons to me and I shall seek to leap into its weing arms, no matter the cost! My antennae forewarn me of the iing sword light and my legs pulse with strength as I shift my not inconsiderable weight to respond to the perceived threat.

    CRUNCH.

    Shards of coral fly through the air as des fly up from below and sever branches all around me. My minds frantically churn as I fall, helping to calcte the best path through this copsing mess. I have to jump from falling branch to falling branch even as I weave together my gravity domain. If they are going toe at me, they''re going to have to deal with the power of gravity! Let''s see them ovee that!

    The purple mana from the gravitational mana nd explodes out from me and forms a dense sphere around me. It''s a strain to maintain it at this time but I''ll have to push myself hard to get out of this. The hunters react with caution when they witness the gravity domain expand outwards. I can feel them hesitate in my mana sense, but only a fraction of a second. Nothing will deter them!

    From abovees the swarm of enemies. Shadow fish, sharks, tentacles monstrosities of all kinds hurl themselves into my gravity domain, trying to bite me at any cost. What they find is that their own weight is massively increased and swimming freely through the air is not quite as easy as they found it moments ago. The weaker monsters even drop out of the bottom of the domain, hopefully right onto the heads of the hunters below.

    The hunters on my right grip their des and unleash their strikes in a coordinated unit, almost as if they are thinking with one mind. Six separate sword lights sh out and carve away the footing around me, forcing me to jump clear looking for more footing I can dig my ws into. I can''t afford to lose speed and every moment I''m in the air is a moment my legs aren''t rocketing me forward.

    My antennae tingle and more des streak through the air towards me, ripping apart the coral I was about tond on, sending me tumbling through the air. I might have fallen right down into their hands after those well ced strikes, but fortunately my backup army of fish has arrived to muddy the waters and the hunters can''t follow up, buying me and my pets precious seconds.

    [Crinis, Tiny! Gonna need some help!] I shout as I frantically try to get my feet back under me and generate some traction.

    Lightning crackles and tentacles fly in response to my call. The hunters are swift and nimble, but even they struggle to evade the wild arcs of electrical energy thate flying their way. Crinis contributes in her traditional manner, by spawning all manner of horrific tentacle nightmare zones towards the enemy and sinking her limbs into their very shadows.

    Nice! Good work team! Still falling through the air, I manage to get my legs set on a tumbling block of coral long enough to leap from it toward a nearby stable coral piece. The second my feet touch down on that precious safe ground I''m going to dash and never look back! So long suckers! Stay here and y tag with each other forever for all I care!

    At that moment a powerful blow strikes my consciousness and rings it like a bell. My vision cks out for a moment and each of my minds screams in pain but I manage to hold on and stay awake. My thoughts are sluggish and my brain, all of my brains, ache powerfully. My momentarypse was enough for me to miss my foothold and my Grip Skill isn''t enough to support my massive frame. I slide away from the coral and now I''m falling again. Shouts from Crinis ring in my mind but they are dim and spike into my mind as if from a great distance.

    [Get¡­ Safe,] I manage to squeeze out before another blow strikes my head and I fall away.

 Chapter 338 The latest candidate

    <h4>Chapter 338 Thetest candidate </h4>

    It was to us that the Ancient the world woulde to know as Yarrum The Eternal Worm woulde. Deep below the Mother Mountain, the Everworm rose during the time of Rending and our elders did contend with that great ancient.

    We were arrogant in that time. Our bones were as strong as the stone in which we made our homes and our cities rose high to the sky and deep beneath the ground. As the Eldest of the children of Pangera, we saw this world as ours to inherit and control. From our great fortress capital Marrazan we projected our strength outward from the Mother Mountain and forged the first great surface empire.

    As the mana rose and the cmity befell us, the first sign of the doom toe was a faint grinding echo reported by the deepest miner Triads. For weeks the sound grew louder until even wisest and most powerful of our Shapers in their towers high atop the peaks couldn''t sleep for the incessant noise. As if the mountain itself ground its teeth, the sound was said to drive some to despair as it grew louder day by day. Despite this warning, it was a great shock to our people the day Yarrum came. Who could have possibly been prepared for such a thing?

    If you go to Marrazan today, and should you be granted entry to the lower tunnels by the Sentinels, there you would find a ce guarded by the strongest of our race, watched over by the most powerful of the Shapers. The Zirakkan''nolia, the Gateway to the Underworld. No portal or working of spatial magic, the Gateway is a three hundred metre wide tunnel and stretches beneath the city to an unknown depth. Some specte the tunnel, created by the Everworm as it rose to the surface, leads directly to the centre of the world. If any have been able to measure its depth, their findings have been kept hidden.

    Why Yarrum chose to rise to us we don''t know. Why the worm chose to descend the same way it came up, we don''t'' know. The ancient empire battled the worm for many years before the lowering mana levels forced it to retreat below. In that time, only one of the earth kin was known to have exchanged words with the ancient, Igniun Faranon. The greatest of the Shapers in the ancient empire, she sought tomune with monster for reasons she kept to herself.

    Whatever she learned, she did not share and retreated from the public eye. When the war was finally over and the campaign to reim the homnd of the Kin began, she vanished entirely. To where, to do what, is still not known.

    Excerpt from ''The Fall of the Ancient Empire'' by Shaper Schr Raknos of the Iron Circle.

    Granin Lazus leaned heavily on his staff as did his Triad mates beside him. The difficulty of such a mental working was high and the strain was considerable against normal foes. That the triad had been pushed to such an extent against a single foe was testament to the strength of the individual monster they had tackled. Granin himself was shaken from his brief encounter with that alien mind.

    Images of swarming ant monsters crawling through tunnels, walking over the top of each other, their antennae always moving. Chambers filled with heavingrvae, glistening eggs and an endless number of monster bodies being brought in to feed their ravenous hunger. Most striking had been the fleeting glimpse he had seen of what he could only assume was the Queen. A monstrous creature of immense size, an alien intelligence gleaming in its'' eyes.

    It was enough to make his granite skin feel brittle.

    "Are you well, Ternate Lazus?" Corun Nium, the second of the Triad asked.

    "I need a moment to recover, Nium. The mind of the monster was bizarre and alien. I learned more than I wanted to, I think."

    "Knowledge of the monster?" the second leaned closer, "surely that is valuable to us? Were you able to confirm we have found the right creature?"

    Granin frowned and lowered his voice.

    "Do not speak not of this now. Not all are with us."

    Nium pulled back, properly chastened by his Ternate. Fortunately, the younger Golgarin Mind Shaper was spared having his blushes seen by the dark basalt he had chosen for his true skin.

    The third member of the triad, Torrina Lakshan, stood quietly, recovering. The strain of their group working was showing on her face.

    "Take the time you need to recover your strength, Lakshan," Nium told her, "the other triads will need more time to properly subdue our target."

    The weary Mind Shaper looked toward her elder and nodded her understanding. Nium couldn''t help but grunt. Not one for many words was his youngest apprentice. Feeling his age, he scratched at his granite coated arms and groaned aloud as he sat on a nearby rock outcropping.

    The beginnings of a headache were starting to grind the stones in his old head and there was no escaping it. He''d pay a high price for the shaping he''d undertaken this day. In some ways he couldn''t wait toy on eyes on the monster who''d needed a full triad of Mind Shapers to knock it out and managed to avoid capture from two triads of the Golgari''s famed warriors.

    "Hopefully this creature will be the key we need," he muttered to himself.

    For the next ten minutes he and his fellow triad members rested and recovered their strength as each fought to stave off the pain that blossomed in their heads. Conversation sputtered to nothing as none among them would cope well with speaking in the midst of their suffering. Stone skin they might have, but stone minds they did not!

    Not far away the shriek and ng ofbat continued as the other triads fought off the myriad creatures lured down by their quarry''s ingenious call. The Shapers were left out of it, thankfully. When another five minutes had passed the noise finally dimmed and Granin felt in control of himself enough to summon his team and move to meet the creature he had helped to capture.

    Still weary, he did his best to conceal it and trudged toward the others.

    He was quickly confronted by an angry pair of eyes that belonged to the leader of this expedition, an experienced delver with a powerful sword arm and solid skills. Granin didn''t like him. The other had chosen limestone streaked with silver as his true skin, aughable indulgence of vanity. It made the Golgari warrior shine with colour and reflect the light like liquid metal, but the stone was brittle and weak.

    "About time you crawled over here. Some of us have been working."

    Granin ignored the pup. He had eyes only for the monster, the next candidate to attempt to bear the Red Truth.

 Chapter 339 Face to ... thing

    <h4>Chapter 339 Face to ... thing </h4>

    Granin felt hopeful in his heart as moved closer to the creature. He had anticipated this moment since he had been informed a new ancient candidate had been identified. Even better, one whom the Abyssal Legion was ignorant of. He''d had to exert a great deal of effort, alongside the other members of the cult, to put together a few delves to search the Second Strata beneath the ruins of Liria and by some miracle they''d found it.

    Golgari stood in their triads around the monster, their weapons drawn and eyes darting attentively. Several bore exterior damage to their true skin, a testament to the difficulty they had endured, but Granin focused his attention on the creature. It wasrge,rger than he expected. Six thin, dark legs rose from the second of its body segments before they bent sharply back down to the ground. The mandibles looked barbaric. Long and jagged, with spikes for gripping, ridges for crushing and tearing and judging by the broad head, plenty of muscle mass behind them. Surprisingly colourful for an ant, the monster''s body was a rust red colour, but the gleam of light off that carapace showed it had been coated with another substance. Most disconcerting were the eyes. Multifaceted and unblinking, those eyes stared in all directions at once, watching all of them. He felt certain a fierce intelligence and powerful will to survive resided there.

    Surrounded by six warriors with des drawn and held down by weightedting, Granin didn''t doubt for a second that the monstrous ant would be desperate to escape. He would need tomunicate with it, and soon, to prevent tragedy from urring.

    "Are you listening to me?" an outraged voice broke into the Shapers'' thoughts.

    The old Shaper suppressed a sigh and turned away from his magnificent catch to address the younger Golgari. He reminded himself to be patient, that out in the Dungeon, it was not he who made the decisions. One false move could undo the work that the cult had done to get to this point. He wouldn''t let ite to that.

    "I apologise, Warrior Balta. I was distracted by the monster you and your brave men and women have been able to capture. Your family''s reputation is clearly well deserved."

    One didn''t be an Elder Shaper without a century or two worth of schmoozing practice under the skin. His smooth words had the desired effect as he witnessed the puffed up scion of a wealthy house swallow his anger at being ignored and allow his childish temper to be tamped by the praise directed to his family.

    "So long as you understand who is the leader of this expedition."

    "It is you, of course," the words came easy to the wily shaper''s lips, "as the highest levelled warrior among us, the responsibility is yours."

    The Shaper smoothed over the rough stone and cated the younger warrior, inwardly muttering at the ridiculous necessity of it. Calm now that the proper deference had been shown, Coriinam Balta gestured with one glittering hand to the restrained monster.

    "I''m not sure why it was so necessary Ie out here to restrain this¡­ thing. Should I remove the core?"

    "No!" Granin eximed before he moderated his tone. "No," he repeated, "it is not for the core that the Shapers sought to capture this monster. Now that we have it we are to transport it via gateway to the field academy beneath Ogrinnore."

    The silver flecked face of Coriinam twisted at the incredulous nature of these instructions.

    "Transport the creature? Has your true skin turned your brain to granite? This monster wasn''t easy for us to capture! How are we supposed to march through an expanse and bring it with us? Just kill the thing and be done with it!"

    As if you could have caught it without us, Granin grumbled internally. He interjected to cut off the hot-headed idiot before he took a sword to the precious specimen, keenly aware that all this time they were being watched by the unblinking eyes of the monster.

    "Whilst I defer to yourmand in the field, Balta, I will have to remind you that the Shapers'' circle has provided the funding for this delve and set the terms. Should we return without the creature alive then that would surely be a blemish on your record."

    Balta''s eyes widened as he felt outrage boil up inside him. A blemish? On his record!? Unthinkable!

    "Fine!" He spat. "We will bring the creature back, alive! But I will ensure it is crippled for the journey. I won''t ept arguments on this. The safety of the triads is my highest priority."

    Being a vengeful little ass is your highest priority. Granin controlled himself and refrained from speaking. So long as they could get the candidate monster back to the cult, all would be well. Hopefully it wouldn''t be too angered by the limestone idiots antics.

    "If you will allow me, leader, I would like to have a moment to work my craft on the creature. I may be able to intimidate or dominate it into cooperation."

    Balta grunted and turned away, disying the contempt for Shaping that was somon amongst his ss. This suited Granin just fine. The less eyes on him for this moment, the better. He took a breath and closed his eyes to centre himself. His head still throbbed from his earlier exertions and this was a risky thing to do. If the monster attacked him, it would be difficult to fend it off in his weakened state. The fact that the ant was capable of mind magic was one of the few things the cult knew about it.

    Granin steadied his breathing and centred himself before began to weave a mind bridge between himself and the creature. He didn''t try to hide what he was doing and the giant ant watched him from only ten metres away, perfectly, disturbingly still.

    An old and experienced Shaper with extremely high Skill levels, it didn''t take him long to form the connection. He was hesitant to solidify the link, but he couldn''t hesitate for long, who knew how much time Balta would give him?

    [Do not be rmed. I only mean to speak with you. I do not mean you harm.]

    The ant didn''t move or react in any way. Not even a twitch of its long and dangling antennae. Finally, a voice echoed back in Granin''s mind.

    [You''ve got a strange way of showing it, rocky.]

 Chapter 340 Custody

    <h4>Chapter 340 Custody </h4>

    A fearsome pressure was exerted from the powerful monster. Even surrounded and tied down with heavy weights, Granin couldn''t help but take a step back as that voice echoed in his mind through their link. He swallowed hard and sought to quickly rify himself.

    [You''ve spoken to one of my order before. A Kaarmodo, named Ivran''tep?]

    A pause.

    [The Wizard Lizard? You know him? You''re a member of his¡­ conve¡­ thingy?]

    The Golgari shaper felt his skin itch. The tone of the monster was light, airy, but from it he sensed a dangerous and potent air. The dichotomy of impressions was enough to put him on edge.

    [Yes and no. I don''t have much time, so I must speak quickly. Will you give me a moment?]

    [Do I have much choice?]

    [You do. It''s not our intention to force you, but circumstances have forced my hand.]

    [Alright then, Stone Man. I''m listening.]

    Granin secretly took a calming breath as he put his thoughts in order.

    [My people are called the Golgari and among us those who wield magic are called Shapers and we are regarded beneath those who employ the warrior arts.]

    [Stupid.]

    [I won''t disagree, but it is important I exin this so you understand the dynamics of this hunting party and the reason we have sought you. I must urgently tell you that I am not in charge of this expedition and not all of my people here are members of the cult. I want you toe alive, but others would be happy to see you dead. I encourage you to cooperate, even though it may not seem to be in your best interests, as otherwise you will surely perish.]

    He was mostly thinking of the imminent arrival of their moronic leader to break the legs of this precious specimen.

    [Keep talking and I''ll think about it.]

    [¡­ As you say. Let me quickly tell you how I came to be here. The cult enve where I study was contacted by Ivran''tep because we were the closest members to where it was assumed you would travel. He told us he had identified a promising candidate monster and that we should attempt to be aware of your progress and growth. Normally the matter would drop there, it''s not our policy to attempt to force a monster to ascend, but circumstances have taken a dramatic change recently.]

    [So you and the Kaarmodo are members of the same group?]

    A brief hesitation. How to exin several thousand years of interconnected history between secret societies?

    [Sort of,] he hedged, [you could think of us as branches of the same organisation. More urately, my cult and the conve are separate entities that sharemon purpose.]

    [You want to raise the twentieth ancient.]

    [Exactly. So we cooperate. Since you were known to being into our sphere of influence, he passed his knowledge of you onto us.]

    [Which led to me being hunted down like an animal¡­ how?]

    [I was getting to that¡­]

    "Step aside, Shaper," came the cold and superior tones of Balta.

    Stifling a groan, Granin raced to inform the monster of what was happening.

    [This idiot is the warrior leader of the expedition. I cannot overrule hismands in the field, even though I represent the people who funded it. He has demanded that we cripple you for the journey.]

    [Journey? Cripple?! Talk fast rock-face. I can take this guy down and all of us will go with him if I don''t like what I hear!]

    Such a im was bold, but considering the strange magic the monster was able to employ, not impossible.

    [He wants to break your legs, I think. That will make it harder for you to escape as we transport you back to the custody of the cult. No further harm wille to you on this trip, I give my word.]

    [What about after this trip? I suppose it''s all beach chairs and milkshakes after that? I''ll trust you, but I want something in return.]

    [What?!]

    "Lazus. Step to one side so I can ensure the safety of our expedition. You wouldn''t want to be used of standing between a warrior and the execution of their duty, would you?"

    Granin cursed under his breath.

    [What is it, monster? Quickly!]

    [Find my pets, heal them and bring them with us.]

    [Done.]

    The old Golgari broke the link and stepped away from the giant ant before he turned to the warrior leader, dipping his head in a show of respect.

    "I have been able to subdue the monster to some degree. You will find it cooperative. I do not believe that it is necessary to inflict harm upon it. The Circle of Shapers seeks to bring the beast in alive, after all. My triad are more than willing to take over responsibility for the safe handling of the monster."

    Coriinam Balta was in no mood to cate a member of a lesser profession. He waved a hand dismissively in the older Golgari''s face and promptly ignored him. He stepped toward the monster and unsheathed his de, the soft ring of steel resounded in the air and the low light reflected from the perfectly imbued de. Balta was eager for this moment. Not only had the monster embarrassed him by escaping from in front of his face, he''d been forced to rely on the Shapers twice. Once to locate it again and twice to ensure it was captured. He would strike back now to put both offending parties in their ce.

    Granin stifled his protests as the de struck twice, the sword light shing expertly along each side of the monster, severing it''s legs cleanly.

    Balta wasn''t sure what he expected the creature''s reaction to be, but he was sure it wasn''t what he got, which was, nothing. The creature remained perfectly still, its antennae still, its eyes alert and staring. There was a moment of tense silence as the warriors waited for a violent response from this beast, but none was forting. Disgruntled, Balta sheathed his de and it was at that moment the ant gradually opened its mandibles and then snapped them shut.

    *ck*.

    It repeated the gesture with the same deliberate pace, over and over.

    *ck*¡­ *ck*¡­ *ck*¡­ *ck*¡­ *ck*¡­

    As each sound rang out like soft, repeatedughter Balta''s face be uglier. Finally he snapped and ripped the de from his sheath in a rage.

    "You dare to mock me, beast?!?!"

    The great two handed sword swept down faster than the eye could see, the de light shing out in a blinding arc to slice directly into the face of the ant. So unexpected was this behaviour that all stood frozen in shock as the blow struck home. Granin himself was filled with despair that turned to relief and the light cleared to show the ant stood as it had before, a small scratch carved into its carapace right between its eyes. Even as the stunned crowd watched, the small groove began to heal itself, filling up with a thick fluid that began to harden into fresh exo-skeleton. This time, Granin could not contain himself and burst out at the expedition leader.

    "Balta! I insist that you refrain from attacking the creature. We are specifically tasked with returning it, alive!"

    The silver speckled Golgari warrior stood breathing heavily with rage still in his eyes as he witnessed the poor efficacy of his strike. Even with its legs severed, the creature seemed to watch him,pletely unafraid. Before the shocked eyes of the hunting party, the mandibles once again slowly opened wide before snapping shut.

    *ck*¡­ *ck*¡­ *ck*

 Chapter 341 Not a fan

    <h4>Chapter 341 Not a fan </h4>

    "Are you alright, Granin?"

    The old Shaper raised his head wearily to meet the concerned gaze of his youngest triad member. Torrinna Laksham gleamed in the darkness of the Shadow Realm, a product of the ore she''d been able to obtain to form her True Skin, an infused variant of Manganese she''d stumbled on by chance. He tried not to nce at the padded leather armour that covered her left leg. He should probably be grateful the warrior circle left her any of the precious material at all, but he couldn''t help but feel bitter and suspect they''d ensured that she wouldn''t have enough to form a whole skin. She was tough as nails though, more than willing to bear the shame of being iplete in order to utilise the enhanced properties of the ore to enhance her Shaping. The Circle had high expectations of her, as did the cult.

    "I''m fine," he muttered, waving away her concerns. "When you get to my age these jaunts in the Dungeon be more taxing on the system."

    A pair of serious eyes looked down on him as he rested after his recent exertions. The confrontation between Balta and the monster had put everyone on edge. The creature appeared more than willing to try to get under the silver fool''s skin and being a puffed up warrior, the glorious leader was unwilling to endure what he saw as an inferior creature''s mocking. In the end, his own triad members had been forced to restrain the enraged warrior before he''d thrown himself upon the restrained monster in a blind rage. A ridiculous disy for an esteemed member of the warrior Circle and aplete embarrassment for his family. Granin was hoping they''d settle for paying off the members of the delve to keep it quiet rather than resort to more ¡­ extreme measures. Not that the monster cared.

    "I don''t think I''ve ever seen a creature with such a low sense of self preservation," he burst out.

    Laksham raised one stony eyebrow.

    "You expected the candidate to cooperate after we chased it down and abducted it? I think he''s being well behaved all things considered."

    Granin was a little taken aback.

    "Him? That sounds a little familiar. Have you beenmunicating with the specimen much, Laksham?"

    He knew she''d been speaking to it via a mind bridge, as had Nium, the second of the triad, it was necessary that he himself not be the only one making contact with the creature. But now he began to suspect that they may have been speaking more than he assumed.

    She shrugged.

    "This is the first time I''vee into contact with a proper candidate. You can''t me for being curious. What if he''s the one?"

    "Don''t let your imagination run wild," he rebuked the young shaper. "It''s not a proper candidate yet. I''m not certain what the leadership is nning right now, this isn''t the sort of action that we would normally take. I do know that the cult hasn''t decided to throw our support behind this creature yet."

    "You really shouldn''t refer to him as an it. You know as well as I do that he''s a Sapient creature. He was a human before he was reborn here as a monster, he deserves to be treated with some respect."

    "I won''t hold him being human against him," Granin retorted, "you need to recognise that whatever it was before, it is now a creature of the Dungeon. A monster. We may have a different opinion of creatures from the Dungeon than most people, but there is still a certain level of caution that I rmend in you. They don''t y by the same rules we do and we must always be cautious in our dealings with them."

    "I am always careful," Laksham stated, her gaze steady and calm.

    Granin rolled his eyes and pushed himself back onto his weary feet. He wasn''t about to argue with the young Shaper, he wouldn''t win even if he tried. She was a stubborn as an actual rock, this one. It wasn''t a problem, she was smart and cautious, he could trust her to make good decisions. It was the other Shaper in his triad he was worried about. Nium could be a little more impetuous and things might getplicated if the monster was able to sway him into doing something stupid.

    "It''s almost time to perform the healing again, isn''t it?" Laksham spoke suddenly.

    Granin groaned.

    "Dammit, I''d almost forgotten. Could you handle it this time? I need to go find Nium."

    A nod was his only reply before Laksham moved away into the darkness surrounded them, making her way toward the monster''s ape pet. He almost envied the ease with which she was able to sense it out. At her age he hadn''t been able to wield a fraction of that sort of skill. Pushing his misced jealousy aside, Granin moved back toward the rest of the group. They weren''t far away, the warrior triads stood close together keeping watch over their cargo. The monster seemed to be behaving itself, its antennae looping in slowzy circles as its legless body remained perfectly still. He wasn''t sure how, but he just knew that it was paying close attention to him the moment he walked into sight. It was unnerving being around a creature whose line of sight was impossible to track.

    He quickly wove a mind bridge to his fellow Shaper in order tomunicate privately.

    [Nium, has the specimen told us where it''s other pet has gone?]

    [Not a word about it. Denies everything. I feel like if I keep asking, he''s going to start denying even having a second pet.]

    ''He?'' Granin grimaced.

    [I know for a fact that theymunicated when the ape came in for healing. All I want to know is that there isn''t some creature out there plotting an ambush or some desperate rescue attempt that will get people killed.]

    [Come on, Granin. He''s not that stupid. This is a highly intelligent monster we have here, he knows he isn''t getting away. He''s quite pleasant once you get to know him.]

    [Right. I''m going to limit your contact with the specimen for the rest of this trip.]

    [What? Why?!]

    [You''re getting too close to the specimen!]

    [To Anthony?]

    [You know its name?!]

    [Of course! Me and Anthony are buds!]

    He couldn''t help but sigh and pinch his brow. Did young members of the cultck caution towards monsterspletely these days?! The idea of the cult was to raise up a new ancient, yes. That didn''t mean that they make nice with every monster to fall into their hands!

    [That''s it! No moremunicating with the monster for you! Go help the slightly more sensible member of our triad to heal the ape pet. I''ll deal with this.]

    Breaking of the connection he re-wove the mind bridge toward the monster who sat still and innocent looking as a thousand kilogrammb.

    [Trying to make my people sympathetic?]

    The antennae flicked in such a way as to elicit exasperation.

    [I''ve been dragged around legless for days now you stone headed stone head! You can hardly me me for reaching out for a chat! How much longer until we get to this gate anyway?]

    [Two more days. You make sure you behave until then.]

    [I''ll be good.]

 Chapter 342 Gateway

    <h4>Chapter 342 Gateway </h4>

    The pain Granin had been experiencing in his head had only grown more pronounced as they continued to travel toward the Golgari gatewaywork. Having banned his two fellow triad members from conversing with the specimen, he was forced to take responsibility for allmunication onto his own shoulders. This had quickly proven to be both irritating and exasperating. Being dragged, legless, through the expanse and into the tunnels over a period of days wouldn''t do anyone''s mood any good but Granin was starting to believe that the creature was diverting its frustration into annoying him and trying to provoke Balta at every opportunity.

    Like the time the leader had walked behind the monster, a foolish move as it turned out. From seemingly nowhere the creature had unleashed a st of sticky acid that had etched away the Warrior''s True Skin before they''d been able to remove it, an affront that had driven him almost berserk with rage. No matter how many times he warned the monster that antagonizing a powerful and connected individual like Balta was a bad idea it didn''t seem to care. After the acid attack came more ckingughter every time the warrior came near. Balta had attacked the monster twice more, the second time managing to cut through the carapace and draw blood. Not that the creature seemed too perturbed, the injury was healed in minutes.

    During this period of observation, Granin took copious notes. His role as a member of the Circle of Shapers and member of the cult meant he was well versed with documenting monster characteristics, not to mention his superiors in the cult would expect a full report of the monster. Initially he''d had some doubts about the capability of the creature, an ant was historically pathetically weak by itself. Terrifying inrge numbers, to be sure, but amongst the Dungeon''s most unthreatening creatures when battled alone. That this specimen had managed to rue such strength and powerful evolutions from such a weak base was fascinating. Of course, the reborn monsters, those whose soul had been reborn, either experienced an elerated start due to their greater than the average monster intelligence, or burned out spectacrly, unable to adjust to their new existence. The cult had found several such creatures over the centuries, not manypared to how many were created by the Dungeon, but they were documented obsessively when they were found. Several had been sponsored by the cult but none had been able to achieve the seat of the final ancient.

    Granin didn''t hold much hope for this particr specimen, but he was starting to think more of it than he had at first.

    [Any chance you remember where your second servant went?]

    [You know, I honestly don''t remember having a second servant¡­ Me and Tiny, that''s the way it''s been for a long time.]

    [You know I could stop healing your ape friend, how long do you think he wouldst if that happened?]

    [I could kill you, me and everyone here with one spell. Let''s y nice, eh? Aren''t you trying to cooperate with me? Holy moly, there''s no need to get your knickers in a twist. Make sure you heal my ape and bring him along with us and I''ll have another reason to go along with what you say. ept the leverage I''m offering you!]

    The sted creature had a point.

    Despite the obvious intelligence, impressive defensive ability and magical prowess, he wasn''t sure the monster would be sessful in receiving the support of the cult. They''d been cultivating monsters of their own, they had prospects they''d been supporting from the shadows for a long time, it wouldn''t be easy to supnt these established prospects.

    Although something different was brewing at the cult. The air had felt tensetely, ever since the strangely extended and potent wave had urred. Granin wasn''t close enough to the upper echelons to have an inkling what they were thinking, but something about the atmosphere was growing colder, people were on edge and a flurry of urgent meetings had been arranged. That in and of itself was unusual, the cult was a secret society after all, mobilising the members quickly and quietly wasn''t easy.

    "Final checks! Shapers to the fore!" Came a loud call.

    Granin looked up to see the triads in defensive position around their quarry. The creature was close to motionless as usual, the only sign it was paying any attention was its slowly waving antennae. It had taken five days since the capture of the monster to get to this point, far longer than it would usually take. Forced to drag the creature through the expanse and into the tunnels to get here, it had not been a journey that anyone had enjoyed. He began to suspect that even Balta began to regret his impulsive decision to hack off the monster''s legs.

    They''d finally made it. Before them stood a seeming dead end, a tunnel that ended in an innocuous wall like a billion other tunnels in the Dungeon.

    [This is a gate?]

    [Break off this connection, I need to concentrate for this.]

    [You''re the one who opens it? What kind of magic is this anyway? Spatial?]

    [Be quiet! This is hard!]

    [Makes sense, I suppose. Puncturing a hole in space or time or whatever should be difficult.]

    [I''m not talking anymore.]

    [Oh, right! Gotcha! Good luck stone man.]

    Granin, Nium and Laskham gathered together facing the end of the tunnel and raised their hands. He focused hard and reached out to connect his mind to that of his second, Nium. What made this even more difficult was that he wouldn''t be able to draw on the assistance of Laksham, since she was upied concealing the great ape they''d been forced to heal and keep alive in the shadows over the journey. This meant that the two of them would need to work even harder to Shape this working.

    Still, Granin was an old hand, under his guidance they reached out to reveal and then activate the runes etched into the tunnel wall. Enchanted monster cores buried into the wall came alive and began to funnel mana from the Dungeon and fuel the Gate.

    The runes formed a circle around the edges of the tunnel wall and gradually a pinpoint of pure light appeared in the centre. Here in the second strata, such a thing was blinding and Granin had his eyes firmly closed. He needed to work with his mind, not his eyes.

    With the assistance of his second, he reached through the hole with his mind and entered the in between space, a nk world of white that seemed to stretch forever in all directions. He expertly oriented himself and directed his thoughts toward the direction he needed and honed in on the mind reaching back toward him.

    Like people sping hands they locked onto each other and began to solidify the link, forming a bridge of pure mana between the two gates.

    "The gate will open in five seconds," he ground out, "we''ll hold it for twenty, no more than that."

    Balta nodded. This was Shaper business and he had no ce sticking his nose into it, not that any warrior would lower themselves to do so.

    "Grab the ropes and haul!" Hemanded and the hunting party leapt to follow his order, hauling the monster toward the gate, picking up speed as the tiny circle of light widened to upy the entire circle within the runes.

    The light was blinding and the monster struggled weakly as they dragged it forward, unable to protect its eyes. Fortunately it didn''tst long. In just a few seconds the warriors had dragged it through and vanished into the light, they would appear instantly on the other side.

    All that was left were the three shapers and their hidden guest.

    "Are you ready, Laksham"

    A terse nod was all Granin got to acknowledge his words and he nodded back. Secondster she was gone, followed by Nium. The final remaining Shaper, Granin grit his teeth as he held the gate without Nium assisting him and walked forward slowly so as not to break concentration. The moment he stepped through the gate melted behind him, as if he had thrown himself from a cliff that had copsed the instant his feet left the ground he felt a rush of adrenaline as the pathway began to copse behind him. For a dizzying second he felt as if he might be lost in the between space but then he was through and sucking in a deep breath to calm his pounding heart.

    "We made it home."

    The monster watched him with glittering eyes, it''s thoughts inscrutable. As the members of the delve stretched and began to rx, their attention was seized by a strange popping sound. Turning toward the creature they saw that its legs were regenerating at a visible rate. In only a few minutes it was able to stand on its own.

    *ck*

    After a single snap of the mandibles, it sat back down again.

 Chapter 343 Escaping?

    <h4>Chapter 343 Escaping? </h4>

    The gate emerged into a dark tunnel, the tell-tale ck veins of mana threaded through the walls signalled that they remained in the second strata, but Granin knew they have travelled a great distance. Over a hundred kilometres in fact. The delving party were now firmly within the territory imed by Galgarin the empire to the east of Liria, beyond the greatke. They stood in a near empty tunnel, almost identical to that which they had left on the other side, with the exception of a small outpost that hosted a team of Shapers on rotating duty. Having connected the gate, the triad of Shapers responsible for this side of the gate nodded politely to the delving team, curiously eyed the enormous ant they had dragged through with them before retreating behind the outpost door to rest.

    Granin heaved out a breath as he let the terrible feeling of being thest through the gate to leech out of him.

    Balta was having none of it.

    "Let us be away. I want to arrive with the beast at the warrior''s circle to turn in the request and retire. Let''s move!"

    After snapping out his orders, the prideful warrior turned and began to march away, leaving the others scrambling to follow his wishes and seized the ropes attached to theting to drag the monster away. Granin sputtered for a moment in shock before he threw off his lethargy and raised his voice.

    "Warrior Balta! The request does not require us to return the creature to the Warrior''s circle but to the Shaper''s outpost beyond the city!"

    The moment he heard the older Golgarin speak, Balta turned on his heel and strode back toward the Shaper. The moment he was close enough he mmed his fist into Granin''s stomach, his fist grinding into the hard granite skin. Instantly overwhelmed by the warrior''s strength, Granin copsed to his knees gasping for breath. Balta looked down on him dispassionately, shaking his fist.

    "Do not gainsay my orders in the field, Shaper. Thanks to your wretched circle, the city is still an hour''s march from the gate, which means I still haveplete authority over this delve. If you seek to countermand my orders one more time, I''ll have you put to death for insubordination. Do you understand me?"

    Mind racing, Granin tried to understand what was happening as he coughed and tried to catch his breath on his hands and knees. To one side, Nium knelt beside him and ced a hand on his back in concern. What was Ba up to? He was within his rights to flex his authority here, he was technically correct to state that they were still in the field and that he still held absolutemand over the delve. But why bother? The request required them to return the monster to the Shapers outpost. Why would he want to drag it all the way to the Warrior''s circle? When he attempted to hand in the request, he would be refused and have to turn around and take the monster back out of the city and to the outpost as was required.

    As Balta turned to march away, Granin saw him nce toward the monster and his heart dropped in his chest. This idiot warrior. He wanted revenge. In the Warrior''s circle the Shapers would have no allies, no one they could depend upon to help. Balta would have a number of ways he could dy them long enough for his n to "invite" the warriors to rest at theirpound, naturally taking the monster with them. Once it was there, it would never emerge and they would say an ident urred, pay reparations to the Shapers and forget about it. If Granin tried to object inside the city, then he would be "invited" as well, along with his triad and they would share the fate of the creature.

    The warriors hefted their ropes and began to drag the monster after the swiftly marching Balta but the moment the ropes became taut they jerked to a halt. They looked back confused, only to see the monster had dug in with its regrown legs and was refusing to move. The warriors shared a confused look before they redoubled their effort, only to see the monster working even harder to resist, using its considerable size and strength to resist the pull. Eight Golgari warriors then began to engage in a ridiculous game of tug of war with a massive insect. The warriors were powerful, filled with the strength the Golgari were famous for and although it was slow, they began to make progress.

    *ck!*

    The ant unleashed an irritated ck of its mandibles and decided to change the ying field. The ground shifted and dirt began to fly as it employed Earth magic to dig itself into a hole in a matter of seconds, causing the warriors to curse under their breath. Balta continued to march away, confident that his arrangements would be followed and ignorant of the growing mess getting further and further behind him.

    If the monster could hold out against the warriors, then Granin had a chance ofpleting his task yet. He turned to Laksham who was clearly straining to maintain the mour she had cast over the ape monster.

    "You won''t be able to hold on for much longer Laksham. Run toward the outpost and try to reach the circle there. If we can get enough people here then we can take the monster there ourselves. Go!"

    Quick on the uptake, she understood what the older Shaper was trying to say and turned to run immediately. Still on the ground, Granin forced his tired mind to weave the threads of mana required to connect his mind to the monster''s.

    [You need to tell your ape to go with Laksham and cooperate.]

    [What the heck is going on here stone face? The silver guy is being more of a douche bag than usual!]

    [I told you provoking him would have consequences! He''s trying to get you taken to the Warrior''s circle so he can have you killed off! You need to hold out until we can bring more of my people here to take custody of you!]

    [Alright, fine. Sure I can''t kill him?]

    [If you kill him there''s no saving you from the vengeance that wille!]

    [Okay, okay. Sheesh. I''ll turtle up here.]

    "Nium," Granin whispered to his second, "Go after Laksham and help keep her safe, then return with the Shapers. Once Baltaes back, we''ll have to follow orders or he''ll cut us down. Better there were only one shaper here than two."

    "Are you sure you''re alright?"

    "I''ll be fine! Get out of here!"

    The younger Golgari took off like a shot and by the time Balta finally realised nobody was following him and returned, both he and Laksham were out of sight. Eyes filled with rage, it was clear the leader knew what had happened. He couldn''t dy any longer, if the monster wasn''t going to cooperate, that was all the excuse he needed.

    "The creature is attempting to fight back! Destroy it! Shaper Granin, invade the creature''s mind and annihte it! This is an order!"

    "Without the support of my triad it will be impossible, warrior Balta!" Granin tried to demur.

    "If isn''t done in five minutes I''ll dere you a traitor and put you down myself!"

    Coriinam Balta was in frothing rage at this point. His eight foot frame quivered with anger and his sword leapt from its scabbard, shing sword light toward the monster before he had even finished speaking.

    [This guy has serious anger issues.]

    The creature sounded wryly amused as the blows began to rain down on it, even cutting through the defensiveyer of dirt it had created. The other warriors quickly joined in, surrounding the creature from all sides and hacking at it with abandon.

    [If I don''t incapacitate you in five minutes he''s going to kill me too. He''s lost it!]

    [You really are a pain in my thorax, you know that? You could have just left me chilling in the expanse. Would that have been such a bad thing? But oh no, had to capture me and drag me back to you stupid cult. Why would I even want to be an ancient?! I was happy back with my colony. Should have stuck with them, then I wouldn''t be in this mess.]

    [You''d really want to live with a collective of mindless monsters?]

    [Mindless? Well ¡­ yes, mindless. But they didn''t kidnap me and get me jumped by a pack of stone skinned sword maniacs!]

    [I take your point, but how are we going to get out here?!]

    The warriors continued to pour strikes onto the hardened carapace of the monster as sparks flew everywhere. At this range it was difficult for the warriors to inflict real damage, especially since the monster was wily, never giving them a good angle or allowing them to close the distance. The creature defended itself as best it could without fighting back, shifting its body to deflect blows and trying to disrupt the footing of the enemy by shifting the earth beneath their feet, but it was being worn down.

    [Only one thing for it I suppose!]

    That was all the warning Granin got before the ant exploded out from its hiding hole with extreme speed, rushing toward him and snatching him up in its mandibles. Bolts of purple mana flew out from the creature to strike against the warriors repeatedly, one bolt every few seconds. Granin strangled a cry in his throat as he saw the monster fight back, but it didn''t seem as if they suffered any damage from the magic.

    [I''m just slowing them down. Although¡­.]

    POW! POW! POW!

    Acid flew from the creatures bulbous backside and coated Balta from head to toe as he readied another strike against the monster. Then they were off, speeding down the tunnel as bolts of magic continued to fly back at their pursuing warriors.

    [So which way to the cult?] the bright, positive voice of the monster rang inside Granin''s head.

    Dangling from the jaws of this giant ant, he could only think that his headache had grown significantly worse.

 Chapter 344 Run! To Captivity!

    <h4>Chapter 344 Run! To Captivity! </h4>

    [Stop wriggling!] Came the irritated thoughts of the monster.

    Granin resolutely continued to wriggle. He wasn''t about to remain locked in the jaws of a monster that wasn''t under his direct control!

    [If you don''t settle down I''ll either drop you and leave you for the silver surfer back there, or I''ll start to wonder who your cult would rather see turn up alive, me or you!]

    The Shaper couldn''t help but splutter at that.

    [You really think they''d wee you after you killed the cult member sent to capture you!?]

    The two of them were still speeding away, the six legs of the ant shing with incredible speed to propel the enormous bulk of the creature forward. Behind them the nine warriors, led by a Balta so irate he was practically frothing at the mouth, or that might be acid, chased them through the tunnels.

    [Split up ahead! Left or right? And you know what? I bet it wouldn''t be the first time a cult member was killed by the monster they were supposed to look after. I can imagine Garralosh going through a few such as yourself¡­]

    [Left! And I assure you that isn''t the case!]

    Despite his bluster, Granin couldn''t help but reduce the effort he put into his wiggling dramatically.

    [Much as I thought¡­ Cosying up to monsters is rather risky work I would imagine.]

    [Don''t question the sacred mission of the cult!]

    [Look, I''m not questioning it. I''m just sayin'' that monsters tend to want to eat things that will give them experience. By the by, just out of curiosity, what level are you?]

    [Not that high! Low actually! I barely have a ss, in fact!]

    [¡­ Rx, buddy. I''m not going to eat you. You do notice me carrying you to safety right now? Are you experiencing all of the not being eaten that is urring at this time?]

    [¡­ I am.]

    [Right. Let''s remember where we are right now. We are in a ce tha - left or right?]

    [Right!]

    [Great. We''re in a ce where I have no idea how to get back to where we were before. We could have travelled to the other side of the world for all I know. Not to mention you have my ape, and let''s presume that there''s a whole massive load of you stone-heads about the ce right now. You understand what I''m getting at?]

    [How are you casting all this magic while talking?]

    [Multiple brains my man. Divide and conquer. Why?]

    [Multiple brains?! You have more than one brain?!]

    [Of course. I can devote an entire brain to thinking about how annoying running away from you stone folk is a massive pain in the business district at all times! Useful, no?]

    [Wouldn''t it be better to learn the Split Thought Skill?]

    [The what now?!]

    Granin bit his tongue (metaphorically) at that. Naturally the monster read into his sudden silence.

    [Interesting¡­ Wouldn''t mind telling me how to unlock that would you?]

    [I''d rather not.]

    [Oh nooo. My mandibles are slipping.]

    The powerful jaws holding him aloft flexed dangerously, pinching him around the ribs, but Granin was unmoved.

    [I won''t! I said too much already.]

    [Tch. Cheapskate.]

    [Left up here!]

    [Right. Damn, these guys are persistent.]

    Sword light continued to sh around them as the warriors gave chase, their powerful sword skills required the monster to skitter from side to side with insane reaction speeds to dodge or tank hits, focusing on keeping its legs unharmed. Bolts of purple magic flew out every few seconds, disrupting the followers'' formation and asionally scoring a hit.

    [What does that spell even do?] Granin asked, bewildered.

    [You want information from me but won''t hand out your own? That''s cheap, man. I''ll share, that way at least one of us is a nice guy. It makes them heavier.]

    [Makes them heavier? Is that¡­ what kind of magic is that?]

    [I think I''ll keep that little titbit to myself. I do need a few strong cards up my carapace, after all.]

    Granin could admit to himself that was fair enough. He didn''t know what the cult had nned for this monster, honestly no idea. With the strange currents at y, it was probably for the best if this creature was careful with its secrets. It wasn''t as if everything had gone ording to his own ns up to this point.

    [You really are keeping ahead of them fairly well.] He couldn''t help but sound impressed.

    [If you lot hadn''t knocked me out, you really think I would have been caught so easily? I''d love to know how you did that.]

    [You know mind magic don''t you?] Granin was confused.

    [Not as well as I thought I did apparently.]

    The pursuit was hot and dangerous, but somehow Granin felt himself engaging almost against his will. Perhaps the threat of imminent harm was enough to lower his guard and make him open up to the creature.

    [This is one of the things the cult could help you with. Developing your skills, teaching you secret unlocks and mutations. We have over a thousand years of history and research trying to get monsters to be as strong as they can possibly be.]

    [It''s not like I have much choice is it? I have to rely on you guys now. You''ve not given me a whole lot of choice on that front.]

    [I suppose not.] Granin paused to reflect for a moment. [It''s not usually like this, you know. You were human once, we know that. Normally we would reach out and speak to you, negotiate, see if your goals were aligned with ours. We don''t strong arm intelligent monsters like you.]

    [Something changed eh? We''ll find out soon enough I suppose. Holy moly! Do these guys ever run out of stamina?!]

    [Not likely. Our racial bonus helps us out on that front.]

    [Racial bonus?! What the hell¡­]

    [It''s not like you monsters don''t get your own perks. I don''t get stronger by eating, for example.]

    [Apparently you get strong just by being born.]

    [Take a right here and slow down. You might start to see others of my kind, so be careful.]

    [Slow down? I''ll get chopped to heck!]

    [No, you won''t. We''re close now and Balta knows it, he can''t keep following for long. My people wille to meet us soon. It''s over.]

    [Alright then, you''re the boss. I hope my ape is okay.]

 Chapter 345 Changing Circumstances

    <h4>Chapter 345 Changing Circumstances </h4>

    It is something of a fascination of mine, I admit it Beoram. Do you not feel the same? Such brief conversations have such far reaching consequences. Two, separate, strong minded, high level individuals, in positions of authority and respecte into contact with these ancient murder machines (I know you consider it sphemous but let us not quibble about the facts. Yarrum is projected to have devoured hundreds of thousands of my kind at least) and everything changes! They drop their previous positions and begin to work against (in many cases) their own society, and risk bringing the wrath of the immensely powerful Abyssal Legion down upon their heads!

    What in the good name of Pangera did they say? Oh, I know what you''ll say Beoram: "We know exactly what they said, it''s in the book of the Red Truth" and roll your eyes at me as you always do. But you have to admit that there is no way to ensure that the revtions of the book areplete. Something could have been left out! How would you possibly know? You can''t just go on blindly assuming that the author was a good and reliable narrator without proof! And when it''s literally a book about a conversation between two entities, it''s impossible to confirm any of it! Now don''t you send me another letter filled with your threats and nonsense about disrespect. I''ve been a member of the Cult for eighty years! Eighty years in the field mind you, now putting my heels up and theorising like some I might add. My dedication to the cause is beyond question. All I''m asking is that you seriously engage with the question.

    I just can''t imagine what form that dialogue took. Mind magic was involved, naturally, was there maniption on either end? Both individuals were (reportedly!) among the most powerful and high level magic users our respective societies have ever produced, certainly capable of mental warfare. Then again, the ancients were absurdly powerful beings akin to gods. Even if mind magic wasn''t a particr strength of the Ever Worm, it can''t be ruled out that it could dominate the mind of a mortal.

    It can''t be helped Beoram, I can''t be cured of this feverish curiosity. I burn to know the answers to these impossible questions! Sadly, most of mypatriots share your own (very unschrly)ck of rigor on this subject. Holy texts should be subjected to the same level of academic schr as other works, if not more! Your continual refusal to see this is a definite point against your academic reputation! At least with me.

    ? Letter from Schr Poran ct to Beoram Sallis''tan in the year 1432 A.C.

    Granin trudged through the halls of the Shaper Circle outpost, still rattled by his journey pinched in the mandibles of a giant ant. Luckily the creature had sufficient control not to pierce through his true skin. Granite may not be the most expensive material to rece, one of the reasons Ganin had made the practical selection, but having to walk amongst his peers with a damaged skin would be shameful to say the least.

    He could be grateful ¡­ maybe grateful was too strong a word¡­ he could acknowledge, that Balta had finally seen the light and backed off before he''d been confronted by the twenty Shapers who''d rushed out to meet them. He hadn''t been sure that would happen, especially after he was drenched in acid. A battle in the tunnels between the warriors and Shapers would have been a major incident to say the least. Still, the look of poorly supressed rage on Balta''s face as he''d been forced to back down made Granin doubt they''d heard thest of the incident. No doubt the senior Shapers were in a tizzy over the issue, and the cult would be shaking their heads at the unwanted attention.

    "Granin Lazus, here to see the Leading Triad." He pulled up outside a wide and imposing pair of double doors, the dark wooden beams iid with strips of polished stone.

    Two tall Golgari Shapers dressed in ceremonial robes draped from their waists down, leaving their upper body bare stood on either side of the doors. As one they turned to open the doors, their hands freezing onto the stone and their powerful frames shifting the weight with ease. Inside was a tasteful office, drab in many ways, except for the long stone table that held three aged Shapers, papers and open books piled high in front of them.

    "Ah, Lazus. Nice to see you again." Spoke up the woman in the centre, Irette mine.

    "mine, a pleasure as always." Try his might his tone came out wry and tired. He''d never done well speaking to authority. Probably the reason he remained in the middle ranks.

    "You may speak freely here Lazus. The cult has moved decisively to ensure that every post in this ce is held by our people."

    Granin was impressed.

    "That must have meant calling in a lot of favours."

    "Of course it did, but the leadership of the cult has determined that the time hase for bold action." Broke in the surly voice of the wizened Shaper to mine''s left. "What we don''t need right now is unnecessary tension with the sted Warriors Circle! What were you thinking?!"

    Damn ant!

    "I think you''ll find that it wasn''t my idea to provoke or attack the Warrior Leader of the delve, Gravus. The specimen we acquired made that decision all on its own."

    Oridene Gravus, so old his true skin had begun to crumble, waved a hand dismissively.

    "It sounds like this creature is more trouble than it''s worth!" He dered. "We should feed it to one of our more promising specimens and be done with it!"

    "No need to be hasty," soothed the third member of the triad, "from the intelligence we received the creature was quite promising, also a reborn soul. Not something we should so casually toss aside."

    The youngest member of the triad and usually the most reasonable, Biritite Crys attempted to y peacemaker. A role she was well suited too.

    Gravus huffed.

    "Those damned lizards wouldn''t know a good stone if we through it up their nostrils. Tell me Lazuz, how do you think the creature holds up?"

    Granin visibly hesitated and mine broke in to ease his mind.

    "Do not worry overmuch, Shaper Lazus, the fate of the creature you captured will not rest on your words alone. We will follow the process as best we can in these trying times. It will receive an interview and assessment before this triad will make a decision."

    Somewhat mollified, Granin gave his honest thoughts.

    "The creature is difficult. Cagey, untrusting and holds back information regrly. Much of this can be attributed to the sudden and violent manner of capture which bypassed all the normal protocols."

    A loud harrumph erupted from Gravus, it was he who had authorised this mission and its conditions.

    "Nevertheless, I''ve found the monster to be surprisingly capable. It''s certainly not afraid to cause a stir, has a huge variety of mutations and Skills, even a high level of core shaping which it has used to grow two quite formidable pets."

    "Pets? A waste of resources, surely!"

    "Shaper Gravus. As the first of this triad I will order you to hold your tongue if you continue to interrupt," smine had run out of patience.

    "As I was saying. Pets, two of them, although one has gone missing and we are unable to determine where it went. The creature itself refuses to say a word on the matter."

    "Hardly relevant if it failed to get through the gate," smine spoke dismissively.

    "Quite so," Granin agreed. "I merely raise the pets to indicate the wide variety of capabilities the creature has. The magical skills it has demonstrated are quite well developed and I''m aware that it has invested heavily in raising its abilities in this area. I discovered through dialogue it actually has multiple brains¡­"

    "Wouldn''t utilising the relevant skill be more efficient?" Asked Crys, baffled.

    "It would, but it has ¡­ had no awareness of the Skill until I asked the same question."

    "It sounds like this monster has a range of curious abilities. I''ll be curious to see how it performs in the uing trials."

    "Trials? What exactly is being nned here, smine?"

    "The Cult has decided that our time is running out. A new ancient must arise soon if we to fulfill our destiny and reach beyond the confines of this world."

    "What?! Isn''t that a little sudden?!"

    "We believe this to be true. All of our candidates will be put to the test. We must have a final specimen behind which we can throw all our strength!"

    "And the rest?"

    "Fuel for the fire."

 Chapter 346 Locked up

    <h4>Chapter 346 Locked up </h4>

    Not sure what I expected really. Did I think I would be confined? Yes, obviously yes. You can''t just capture a monster and then let it wander around willy-nilly. A few questions are bound to be raised. Why the hell do you have a monster walking around, please kill it until it''s dead, for example. Particrly if you''re going to be supporting and strengthening said monster. I can''t imagine most of these stone people are likely to be big fans of the endeavour. The whole ''Monsters v Everyone else'' dynamic has been fairly well established by my experiences up to this point. For whatever reason these crazy nutters want to make a new big bad monster to go to the centre of the world and hang out with the other neen ancients.

    I''m not keen on the idea. I want to support my family and help to develop the greatest empire of ant monsters that ever existed. Other than that, I want to sleep a lot. It''s not too much to ask is it? I suppose there are other things I''d like to do. I wouldn''t mind meeting up with another reincarnated human such as myself. One that isn''tpletely nuts, that is. Garralosh wasn''t what I would describe as particrly stable by the time I met her. Although you could make an argument she wasn''t too well held together when she was a human. Yikes.

    It''d be nice to be able to chew the fat with someone who''s had simr experiences is all I''m saying! I mean, they''re unlikely to be an ant, so that sucks for them, but just because they aren''t a member of the greatest species doesn''t mean we couldn''t get along and have a good chat. How''s the Dungeon been treating you? Which Biomass vour is favourite? How much do centipedes suck? That sort of thing.

    I''m kind of hopeful they might have one here in thispound. From what I gathered, there''s a few monsters tucked away here. ''Specimens'' as that stone man would put it. Since they study individuals like me when theye across us, there''s a chance one is kicking around nearby. Maybe I should try and reach out with mind magic? No, shouldn''t risk it. The people around here seem strong at mind magic and not afraid to use it in nasty ways, something the Sophos never did since they probably never felt threatened by me.

    After meeting a sortie of stone-folk who were friendly and dressed in robes that were tied around their waists (what is it with these people and being bare chested?! Why the shirt hate?!), I was promptly surrounded and escorted with all haste toward theirpound. The ''outpost'' was basically a fortress carved into the wall of an open section of tunnel, hardly small enough to be called a measly outpost!

    Before I had too much time to take in the sights, I was bundled into a downward leading tunnel and shoved into what is essentially a cell. Don''t get me wrong, it''s quite a nice cell. Not on the level of what the Sophos provided for their pets, that was practically a day spa for monsters, but it''s not bad. A little bit of space to move around in, even for me, some food and water provided, a cosy spot of soft materials to snooze on. No windows whatsoever and obviously hardened walls to repel physical attacks.

    Above me on walkways that looked down into my cell, three shapers stood still as the stone that made up their skin and watched me carefully at all times.

    No privacy! Good thing I don''t need to use a toilet or shower. I''d be embarrassed! I have to say, it even makes me nervous to sleep. I''ve no doubt that all three of them are powerful mind mages, capable ofunching fearsome strikes to knock me out if I''m doing something dodgy. I''ve actually attempted to speak with them a few times but I haven''t gotten any reply, they rebuff my mind bridges and fray them before I can connect.

    So, there isn''t a lot to do, basically. If they want to win me over to their side and get me to work for their ultimate goal of raising another ancient, they need to make a bit more effort! I''m sure they will eventually. I suppose I just need to rest until they''re good and ready.

    I did consider running away, a few times in fact. The thought of carrying Granin away as a hostage had been sorely tempting, but ultimately I thought going along with the Golgari Shapers had been the safer bet. I have no idea where I am, or how to get back home, or how many hunters would chase me or anything about the situation at all.

    From the moment they caught me in the expanse I''ve been in their power. I can only hope Crinis is able toplete her mission and perhaps then some help might be able to find me. I can''t feel anything from the colony at this moment, none of their energy is reaching me, so I know they''re some distance away.

    Either I manage to convince the Golgari to let me go, which I don''t feel is likely, or I prove to them that I''m useful in fulfilling their grand mission. The only other option is escape and I''m not certain I''ll be able to survive that. Haaaah. This sucks. If only I''d stuck with the colony and helped them expand, I wouldn''t be in this stupid mess! Yet another instance where avoiding my responsibilities hase back to bite me right in the profit margin.

    You''d think an ant would learn.

    Faintly I can hear the sound of stone shifting above me and a few momentster three new shapers enter with their rocky chests on disy to look down at me.

    As an insect can, I stare back at them without shifting my head an inch, remaining perfectly still. If it unnerves them at all, they give no visible reaction, only watching me silently. It''s hard to tell, but I believe the three neers are older than the other three. Something about how brittle their outer skin is, or is it perhaps a little pale and ossified? Regardless, they feel like authority figures, something might be happening here.

    Sure enough, after some waiting a mind bridge is formed and extended out to me. With nothing else to do my mana senses are fully attuned and for this reason I''m able to detect something strange about the way this bridge is formed. I don''t think it''s malicious in any way, but I feel as if it is woven between all three of them, and by all three of them at the same time. Is this the method that Granin and his team used to attack me?

    [We extend a greeting to you, reborn soul. We apologise for the abrupt manner of bringing you to us, but circumstances have pressed us into desperate measures.]

    The three of them stare down at me like hawks. The words are friendly but the eyes certainly aren''t.

    [Nice to meet you folks! Gosh darn, I really hope I can be an ancient one day!]

    Hah! Got ''em.

 Chapter 347 Honesty is refreshing

    <h4>Chapter 347 Honesty is refreshing </h4>

    They seem to be the bigwigs around here, unless I miss my guess. These three radiate that sort of aura. Although I can''t say I approve of the way they are looking down on me like I''m some sort of roach who they might want to squish. I''m a much more valuable sort of insect than that, thank you very much! The ant is far more noble, far more dignified than any runt that hides under your fridge! Their cold and calcting eyes don''t fill me with warm feelings, something tells me that this conversation isn''t going to be one of my all-time favourites.

    Because I''m certain they''re here to chat. They need to evaluate the merchandise after all. Otherwise how could they make a sound judgement as to its value. These nutters only care about one thing, which is making a monster as powerful as possible andunching it at the centre of the Dungeon in the hopes that it breaks through all in its way to ascend to the most powerful tier of monster that apparently exists. As much as I enjoy a good cannon, I''m not convinced that I want to be a cannonball!

    I''ll have to wait and see how much of a choice they give me. I don''t think I can break out of this ce, so only rescue or following their instructions is left to me at this point. I can''t help but curse my poor decisions that led to this oue. Maybe if I''d been more vicious and fought to kill from the beginning then I would have escaped, made it back to my colony and been safe there. But nooo, peaceful Anthony wanted to slip away without causing enmity. Well where did that get me?! Clutched in the palm of these cultists!

    Patience, Anthony. No need to fly off the handle. Need to make a good impression on these fogeys so they don''t immediately knock me out and feed my precious Biomass to some hyena they''ve had locked up here for thest hundred years.

    [Your enthusiasm at the prospect of achieving the dream of our fellowship is certainly inspiring,] came the dry tones of who I presume to be the leader of these three, the woman in the centre, [but you must understand that we can''t take your dedication at face value? A more solid contribution is required to demonstrate your sincerity.]

    [But I''m so sincere. Off the scale even. I want to be an ancient so bad, I already defeated a candidate out of sheer jealousy!]

    Anthony, you''re smoother than a greased snail! This couldn''t be going better.

    [We''ve heard of your triumph over the beast known as Garralosh. I must ask, were you not perturbed to destroy another of your own kind?]

    Ohh. Tricky question. Don''t want to seem too bloodthirsty, also don''t want to appear too peaceful. If I exin that she threatened my family, then I may be pressured to exin why I would step up to the te for a colony of ''brainless'' ants. The less time spent discussing the colony the better. I get the feeling that the attitude Granin disyed toward my family would be a heck of a lot less flippant if he realised what I''d done to make them more intelligent.

    Thest thing I want to do is unleash some sort of crusade against my family!

    [Garralosh threatened me directly and travelled a long way to hunt me down. I refused to hide from her forever. I don''t relish the fact I had to take her down, but I also don''t regret it. She forced the issue onto me when she could have left well enough alone.]

    [You don''t take responsibility for your actions?]

    [I didn''t say that.] These people are tricky! [I said I have no regrets with my choices.]

    [Interesting.]

    The three of them stare down at me for a moment, possibly consulting amongst themselves as I sweat internally. What exactly do these people want from me? If I knew that, then I''d have a much better idea of how to answer them.

    [Monster,] a different voice this time, gruff and full of ire, [what do you believe makes the most powerful creature?]

    An odd question¡­ I mean¡­ How would I know? I have my own ideas, of course, but I can''t say with any kind of certainty that they''d be the best possible ways. Why are you asking me buddy? You''re the one with hundreds of years of monster rearing knowledge at your beck and call! Maybe that''s the point, he wants me to admit that they have the knowledge and expertise that I don''t. An interesting y. The shaper in question is almost ring down at me, so intense is his stare. What I did I do to get you so worked up, old man? Shouldn''t I be the one who''s annoyed?!

    [I don''t know.] I answer honestly. [How could I? I''ve been a monster for under a year, and before that I spent less that fifteen years as a human. I didn''t know I could get mutations until I upgraded my first body segment to plus five. I didn''t know how cores worked until I had one. I didn''t know how reconstitution of cores worked until I tried it. Outside of some information and tips I picked up along the way, I''ve been flying blind ever since I was reborn here.]

    [Interesting that you admit it so readily. Does that mean you would be willing to submit to our guidance?]

    [Happy to take advice. You guys have a lot of information to draw on, obviously.]

    The Shaper frowned.

    [I did not mean advice. I mean that you would exclusively develop along the lines that we prescribed for you.]

    [Ah, I see. Heck no.] I refuse firmly.

    He seems a little taken aback by my abrupt refusal and stares hard at me.

    [Care to borate on why?] The first speakeres back into the conversation, filling the gap left by her associate.

    [It''s my life, my body and I''m the one who''ll make decisions regarding my own future. Didn''t the original ancients develop that same way?]

    [We don''t know how they developed. They grew to power in a time before the Dungeon had breached the surface of this world.] She sounds thoughtful as she considers my words. [I won''t say that your argument is without merit.]

    I can tell that angry man wants to interrupt then, and maybe he does on a more private line. Regardless, a few momentster I hear the leader''s voice again.

    [I would like to exin to you what is going to happen here going forward.]

    [Hit me. My body is ready.]

 Chapter 348 461 - Too much honesty is maybe not so great

    <h4>Chapter 348 Chapter 461 - Too much honesty is maybe not so great </h4>

    I''m a little nervous. What''s the story going to be? No matter what I don''t think it''s going to be something I like. Don''t keep me in suspense, let me hear the damage. Just how bad are things going to be. The three guards remain perfectly still during this time, watchful and poised they don''t miss a single movement I make. The three older shapers are a little more mobile, but not much. I get the feeling that these Golgari are a little more attached to stone than just having different varieties of it for skin. They are unusually still when they don''t have to be moving, as if bing a rock themselves.

    [You know the purpose of our Cult?]

    [Absolutely. You desire for a twentieth ancient to take its ce amongst the other neen. Something about ''closing the circle'' or some such.]

    She nods her head in agreement.

    [That is correct. We seek to empower a monster in order than it maye to dominate the lower Strata and achieve a tier of evolution on par with the existing ancients.]

    I''m a little surprised to hear that.

    [Do you actually know what tier the ancients are?] The theoretical maximum tier? I wonder how high it is! Ten? TWENTY?!

    [No, we don''t.]

    Dang.

    [To our knowledge there have been only two conversations between the sapient races of the surface and the ancients. During the Cataclysm we now refer to as the ''Time of Rending'', the mana level in the Dungeon rose to unprecedented heights. When the tunnels connected to the surface, mana from the centre of Pangera flooded the skies, followed a tidal wave of monsters that nearly washed away any remnant of civilisation on this world.]

    Yikes.

    [Sounds pretty bad. How long ago was this?]

    [More than two thousand years ago. When the mana reached its peak, the ancients themselves were able toe to the surface for a time, devastating all that they found. Tales of the destruction they wrought are legend to this day. Schrs debate the history of these events, for not much that was written during that time survives today, but we do not believe the ancients sought to particrly destroy the surface world. In our Cult we are told that they devoured monsters more readily than they did us.]

    [Well why not? That''s how monsters get stronger after all.]

    [The ancients cannot evolve, nor can they level up. This we believe to be true. So why consume so much? Could it be that they sought to help rather than hinder?]

    Giant monsters turn up and eat everything and these people think they were trying to be helpful?! Crazy talk.

    [Sure¡­] Imely agree.

    [During this time, two conversations took ce. The one you spoke to before spoke of the ''Red Truth''. This is the name given to the knowledge that was passed on from a dialogue between a powerful Kaarmodo Wizard and Arconidem, who rose under theirnds. For us, it was Yarrum, the Eternal Worm. A Shaper by the name of Irrin Stelixmuned with the great worm before founding the Cult of the Worm in secret.]

    [So¡­ what did they say? The ancients, I mean.]

    All three of them snap their attention to me.

    [That we will not share,] the words are sharp, cutting.

    [Sure, sure. No need to get stressed!]

    They rx about half a percent.

    [Those who do not share our goals are not able to receive the words of the ancients. It is a sacred mission.]

    [Of course it is. Gotta ¡­ you just gotta love them ancients. Worms. The whole lotta them. Great stuff.]

    I think that works? There was a brief pause in the dialogue. I presume the three of them were discussing my incredible, sincere and fervent love of the ancients and worms. For my part, I continue to remain perfectly still whilst I watch them. No need to give anything away.

    [Did you notice anything odd about thest wave?] A new voice breaks into the conversation, younger, a little more light than the others.

    [How could I? It was the first wave I''d ever experienced.]

    I don''t have a point of reference for that. The wave was immensely dangerous to us at first, but eventually turned into a boon for the colony, enabling us to harvest experience and Biomass at an unprecedented speed. By the end of it, I''d started hoping it might stick around. The solid defences we encountered on the way down to the second strata gave me pause though. There may have been more going on beneath us than I had assumed.

    [We thought that might be the case. Compared to other recent waves, this was much longer and more intense. The mana levels in the upper strata rose beyond what we would expect, by far, and the duration of the wave was much longer. Even now, the mana has yet to return to what we would consider normal levels.]

    [I had noticed that,] I can''t help but muse, [it started to rise not along after I was born in the Dungeon and its never gone back to the level I experienced then. I can''t say I never wondered why that might be the case.]

    There is another brief pause as they confer.

    [Indeed. The Cult of the Worm has decided that it is likely another Cataclysm ising. We never experienced the build up to the time of Rending, since, at that time the Dungeon had not breached the surface and was unknown. We believe that the waves will start to build, as if from an ocean, each one greater than thest and receding a shorter distance until the next arrives until the mana will crash over the surface of Pangera, perhaps for thest time.]

    Why the heck would it be for thest time? You have no reason to think that?! Or perhaps they do, or perhaps they want me to think they do! Sneaky.

    [That''s interesting.] I try to stay focused.

    [For us, as well as those who follow the Red Truth, this has precipitated a call to action. The time for the final ancient to ascend is running short. We can no longer divide our efforts and resources in a dozen different directions, hoping that one of our candidates will achieve the final ascension. This approach has failed so far and there is no reason to believe it will serve for the final push. Instead, we are taking a different approach.]

    [Oh?] I''m not sure I like the sound of this.

    [We have gathered all of the monsters we are currently supporting here in this ce. Although it is crude, the Cult has decided that the best way to determine the most worthy monster is through a trial bybat.]

    [¡­ soooo ¡­ you want us to like .. Duel? For the right to be sponsored by you guys? What if we lose?]

    [Naturally, those monsters who lose will be fuel to speed the growth of the more deserving monster who wins.]

    [That''s cold. I''m a sapient creature you know? You want me to fight to the death like a ve?!]

    [We understand your past, but it isn''t your present. Time is short and we have been driven to these barbaric methods. We don''t like it, but we have no choice.]

    You think you have no choice, but you don''t know for sure! By the by, I think that guy is perfectly happy at this turn of events. He''s looking at me as if I''m a juicy steak for his favourite dog.

 Chapter 349 The Legionaries Tales

    <h4>Chapter 349 The Legionaries Tales </h4>

    The Legion headquarters in the independent underground city state of Rylleh was a ce that Morrelia had never been. This deep into the first Strata, on the very border between theyers, was a dangerous ce only the very powerful would tread in small numbers. Her own small mercenary team had certainly never delved this low, choosing to hone their skills in those expanse that they could reach. Compared to her own small team and their desperate struggles to hunt and descend the Dungeon as best they could, the extravagance of power and wealth on disy in Rylleh made her sigh with irritation. All that time she''d spent battering away on her own, trying to struggle without relying on anyone, the Legion had a fully functioning fortress down here to muster andunch delves from. It was connected via a functioning Gateway to boot! Even this was only a small part of therge and vibrant city thaty spread out beneath her.

    She had to ask herself if she''d wasted all that time for nothing. Running away from the Legion when her brother had died, had it been the right choice? She''d been so confused, consumed with grief and unable to believe that her brother, always so capable and strong, so personable and careful, could have failed and died. Her father''s face when he''d told her had been pale and his voice had quavered ever so slightly, the only sign of weakness she had ever seen from him. Perhaps that, more than anything, had shaken her. She wasn''t afraid to die fighting the Dungeon, she risked death every time she set foot beneath the ground, but it was crushing to see and feel what that death would mean to those left behind.

    "It''s amazing, isn''t it?"

    Morrelia started at the unexpected voice. Somehow Titus had managed to sneak up on her as she was thinking. She cursed under her breath. How did a man thatrge move so soundlessly! Just what sort of Skills was he training? She turned as the familiar figure of themander walked beside her and leaned on the stone rampart that lined the outer wall of the fortress, overlooking the city.

    "The first time I came here, I couldn''t believe that such a thing was possible. So many different people,ing together to form a city in the Dungeon of all ces." Titus shook his head at the memory. "That it was so prosperous, so safe. I didn''t understand it.. Of course, I went on to learn that many such ces exist in Pangera. Many of them muchrger and more grand than Rylleh."

    "How deep are they?" Morrelia asked, taking her father by surprise.

    "The cities? Depends on which ones you mean. Most of the time, the depth depends on the people who founded it. Independent cities like this one are usually in the first and secondyer. There''s one in the third that I know of. I haven''t been there myself but I know the Legion has a presence in that area."

    "Really? The third?" Morrelia was surprised. The thirdyer was supposed to be an inhospitable ce of fire and ash, hardly the sort of ce you would expect to see anyone living. "Wait a second," she considered for a moment, "does that mean that there are cities even deeper? Non-independent ones?"

    Titus smiled down at his daughter. Just talking about the depths of the Dungeon had her eyes afire with the thirst for battle and adventure. He couldn''t help but reminisce about his own youth, he''d been much the same, hungry to push further, to delve more, level up and ovee all challenges. That fire had driven him deep, as far as any human had been, alongside his brothers and sisters of the Legion. He''d wanted to experience it all again with both of his children, the death of his eldest son had been a savage blow, but there was a chance that Morrelia mighte back around. He resisted the temptation to push her to join once more. He knew her mentality, it was far too close to his own. Pushing her hard would only make her run away. She was stubborn as a brick baked out of a stone that was formed in the core of another brick.

    "The Dungeon has many secrets to reveal. There are great cities in the fourth and fifth strata. There''s an entire empire that exists in the fifth strata. On flying inds."

    "How the heck do you have flying inds under the ground?!" Morrelia was bbergasted.

    "Ha!" Themander barked out one pureugh before he reined himself in. He snuck a quick nce at the ramparts around them to ensure he hadn''t been seen. It wouldn''t do for his reputation to crumble because he was caughtughing. He looked back toward Morrelia as she stared at him, disbelieving. "Nobody ever believes me about the inds," he chuckled.

    Morrelia''s head was spinning. Information of the deep Dungeon was so rare in Liria, these sorts of topics were just not discussed. Anyone who had this information kept it to themselves and used it for the benefit of their own organisation. Even the Legion wouldn''t share it with mere recruits. It was beyond strange that Titus would be so talkative about the Dungeon. He''d been close lipped about it since she was an infant, no matter how much she''d begged, he wouldn''t say a word. Her eyes narrowed a little.

    "What are you scheming, old man?"

    Titus'' eyes opened wide innocently.

    "Who? Me? You use me of scheming?"

    Morrelia sighed.

    "I know what you''re doing. Do you really want me to join the Legion again that badly? Appealing to my sense of adventure?"

    The eyes of themander glittered.

    "I do," he readily admitted it. Now that it was in the open, he wouldn''t step down. "Not only for me, but for your mother as well. It''s not easy for us to have a life separate from our children. We wanted to share it with you, but we didn''t choose to force you. Instead, we were delighted when both you and your brother leapt headlong into the Legion. What happened was a tragedy, but what made it worse was that you leaving made it feel as if I''d lost both of my children instead of one."

    These were dangerous topics, things they''d not spoken about, ever. Emotion surged inside Morrelia, things that she''d suppressed for years came rushing to the surface.

    "And can you tell me now, what happened? I know you were there. I know that you know! Do you know how hard it''s been, not being sure how your own family died?!"

    "He died during the delve. That was the official word of the Legion. You have reason to doubt it?" Titus demurred.

    It was painful for him. So painful he felt as if his chest were being torn out, but he didn''t let any of it show on his face.

    "Of course I doubt it! Do you really think he would have failed in the first strata?! He was far too strong. And you were there. How could he die!? How could any of them have died?!"

    This was the reason why Morrelia had left the Legion and fled from her father. She simply couldn''t believe what she had been told about her brother''s death. It just didn''t seem possible. It didn''t even seem usible.

    Titus took a deep breath and blew out the air in his lungs. He could see the pain in his child''s eyes and it tested him like never before. No matter how hard it was, he had always shouldered the burden and done his duty. No matter what it cost him, he would follow through. He could only hope that his daughter was strong enough.

    "If you want to know," he spoke slowly and Morrelia hung on his every word, "then you must re-join the Legion."

    She stared at him with a cold intensity that crackled in the air. This was the first time Titus had deviated from the official line, even in the slightest. It was the only concession she would receive and it was confirmation that she hadn''t been told the entire truth. This was it. She would have the answers she had sought for so long if she signed back up. She turned to face her father squarely and snapped a Legion salute, fist to her heart.

    "Reporting for duty,mander."

    Titus nodded and returned her gesture.

    "Wee back, cadet."

 Chapter 350 Morrelia Awakens

    <h4>Chapter 350 Morrelia Awakens </h4>

    The agonising pain had long faded, leaving in its wake a vastssitude, as if every cell in her body had been ripped apart and now had to pull itself back together. She felt tired on a level that she hadn''t known existed. Beyond her bones and down into the deepest recesses of her marrow, she felt exhausted. The spark of stubbornness in her mind refused to allow her to sink into unconsciousness, and though it was the hardest thing that she had ever done, she forced her eyes open. She stilly in the stone basin, the hard stone unyielding beneath her. Above her the dull light of the enchanted stone was slowly fading, pitching the space into twilight. Morrelia grimaced hard and stretched out her hands. Her body screamed at her not to move, every muscle aching, but she wouldn''t listen.

    With the gradual movement of an invalid, she pulled herself upright and supported her weight against the wall. Below her, the final drops of concentrated mana were draining away, falling beneath, doubtlessly to be recycled and used again to torment the next trainee to qualify for this hellish process. She took a deep breath and slowly turned around, her bare feet shuffling against the stone. When she finally managed to set her feet and took a moment to steady herself, she looked up to find her father looking at her, a rare show of emotion showing on his face. Pride radiated from eyes but also great sorrow and she knew that he was mourning his son all over again in this moment.

    "Congrattions Legionary," Titus voice was rough and tired as she was, Morrelia swore she could she moisture in his eyes.

    Morrelia could barely find the energy to smile, but she did.

    "Thank youmander," she said.

    She couldn''t remember what happened next. Later Titus would tell her that she''d passed out on the spot, he''d had to leap forward to stop her from smacking her stubborn head against the rock. When she awoke she was in a small room, on a hard bed. As she groggily took the room in, she realised the furniture was austere, basic. The bed wasrge enough, but hard, unyielding and the walls were unadorned, bare, except for one thing. On a simple steel hook hung the ck leathers of a full Legionary uniform and the moment she saw it she cried. When she gathered herself and put it on, she left her chamber to find her father leaning against the wall in the corridor.

    "Come with me," he said.

    The two of them travelled in silence through the fortress, neither willing to break thepanionable silence that had broken out between them. Both of their lives had changed the moment she had opened her eyes. It was hard for Morrelia to grasp that she had achieved the dream she''d had since she was a child, the dream she''d shared with her brother. She wasn''t sure how to feel, or what to say. Likewise, her father didn''t trust himself to speak. His chest was full of emotions and he was afraid that if he opened his mouth he''d no longer be able to keep them contained, so he remained silent.

    Through the twisted corridors they walked, passed soldiers standing silent and tall on sentry duty, and auxiliaries working hard to fulfill the thousands of tasks that the fortress needed to keep itself running, until finally they came to an inscribed wall covered in carved script. She threw a confused nce at her father and he dropped his chin to his broad chest, his eyes hooded.

    "Go and talk to your brother," he instructed.

    Morrelia felt her heart beat faster at thismand and turned back to the wall, covered in neat rows of names. She stepped closer, her eyes trailing through the list, searching for one that was familiar. The closer she came to the end, the more she began to recognise. Seniors who had gone delving when she was still a trainee, even some in the year directly above her. Finally she found what she was looking for. Romanus Marius. She raised one hand and let her calloused fingers trail through the grooves that made her brother''s name. Even now, yearster, she felt as if she could never forget his face, his voice. He''d been such a presence, able to lift others up and make them want to be the best version of themselves. He''d been charismatic, charming, somebody people wanted to follow, everything that she wasn''t. She''d hated him for that, even as she''d admired him. He would justugh at her.

    "Morr, you''re being ridiculous," he would smile and say, "don''t you think there are things that you can do better than me?"

    She remembered staring at him, dumbfounded. Romanus was perfect! What could she possibly do better than him?! He must have read her expression, because he shook his head, stepped forward and ced a hand on the top of her head. "Trust me, Morr. By the time you''re done, I''ll be looking up to you."

    Lost in her memories, she didn''t hear her father step up behind her, his feet slow and heavy.

    "This wall," he stated, "carries the names of all of those trainees who didn''t survive the baptism."

    Shock and indignation filled Morrelia at this and her head flew up to stare at her father. Titus met her gaze and slowly shook his head. Of course he wouldn''t lie to her.

    "Nobody could believe it. He had passed every trial, every test, every measurement with flying colours. He was so far above the minimum levels, he was practically assured to seed. Your mother was devastated, I was lost. We just didn''t imagine that it would happen to him."

    Morrelia still refused to believe it.

    "It''s not possible! How could I have seeded where he failed? You can''t possibly exin that?!"

    There was sorrow in Titus'' eyes as he looked down at his daughter. He raised his arms and embraced her as he hadn''t done in years. "I don''t why he failed. I just don''t know. I wish I had an exnation, but even now I have no words. No matter how I searched I haven''t found anything to exin what happened. But this is something you need to understand, and something Romanus tried to tell you many times. He believed it, and I always believed it as well. You will be stronger than he was. One day, you''ll be stronger than me."

    Despite her father''s words, Morrelia refused to believe it, but her voice had been stolen away, so she couldn''t say anything. Instead she tried to digest the truth that she had tried to find for so long. Despite finally getting the answers she had wanted, all she was left with was bitterness, and determination.

    Two dayster, the Legion prepared to travel through the gate. They would enter the main legion headquarters, deep below the ground, an impregnable stronghold built during the Cataclysm thousands of years ago.

 Chapter 351 Was Dancing to the...

    <h4>Chapter 351 Was Dancing to the... </h4>

    Jailhouse rocks on all sides. These people seriously love their stones. I''ve made that observation before and I probably will again, but it bears repeating. There is clearly a strong physical and spiritual connection between these, Golgari? Golgarin? Gagarin? Something like that. Any information I can gather on their customs, thoughts, patterns, history, anything at all, could prove useful. Because this situation is desperate! There''s no other way to think about it, I''m in trouble here. Fighting to the death against other powerful monsters, creatures that have been groomed for however long? Oh no. Anthony isn''t going to let anything slip on this one. My mind isser focused! It''s like aser beamed through a crystal to be a smaller, more focusedser that is then sted through a person''s eye, corrects their vision on the way through, hits the lens and is sharpened even further before melting the brain on the way out.

    To that end, I''ve begun doing all I can to suss out my situation. The first key is to act natural. If the guards are suspicious of me then they''ll watch me twice as closely as every other monster, which will make my life difficult. Far better that I appear to be the perfect candidate, cooperative and peaceful. So I''ve taken some time to engage in typical ant behaviour. I spend an inordinate amount of time grooming myself, which I have to admit is a wonderfully soothing use of time anyway. Cleaning the mandibles, picking out all the gross bits of Biomass that have gotten stuck in the barbed sections. I actually had to use water magic to get that done, sting the filth off my magnificent face hands with a concentrated water hose. It made a tremendous mess of course, even the guards up above got sshed pretty bad. Another twelve guards ran in, yelling and pointing all over the ce. It was quite a sight. I presume they were frustrated at the mess but I managed to use a little fire magic to dry the ce out in no time. My disy was so effective that another ten guards came in to admire my work. At least I presume that''s what they were doing, seeing as they kept yelling and pointing at the fires.

    After that incident, my usual number of guards was doubled from three to six, but I don''t think it''s due to any negative reason. My suspicion is that they want to make sure they catch any other brilliant ideas I have and admire my many talents and capacities. Other than that, cleaning the antennae is always important and requires careful precision, pulling the antennae through the elbow joints on my front legs with the utmost care, using the tiny hairs in the joint to remove dirt and detritus from the sensory organs. Usually ants would clean each other in teams to ensure that each and every member of the colony is spick and span, not bringing bacteria or mould into the nest. Mould can be a real killer to ants, since the nest is usually kept quite warm and damp in order to create the perfect conditions for rearingrvae. Some types of ants even have small nds that secrete an anti-bacterial that they use to clean themselves! Truly, the ant is the king of the insect world!

    Apart from cleaning myself, I''ve been taking care to spread pheromones around my chamber in order to make it smell a little more like a nest. It''s a small thing, but it does soothe me to have the familiar scent around me at all times. It didn''t take long to aplish this so I once againpsed into boredom. Man this is tough. Being locked up with nothing to do? It''s torture! Even as I thought that, I could feel my sub-brains screaming in protest. Naturally with all this free time on my hands, I made sure that each of the sub-brains was grinding hard at my magic skills. Each of them is being pushed to the limit every second, to the point that I frequently have three pounding headaches! Of course, the main mind needs to be kept focused and clear at all times, ready to respond to moments of crises, so I can''t use it to train magic skills. That would be insane.

    The goal is to grind away at the elemental skills and mana sensing,pression and shaping to bring my all around levels up and get as close as possible to the unity elemental skill. I need every edge I can get for the uing battles, I don''t think for one second they''ll be easy. The only monster I''ve ever battled that one of these cults supported was Garralosh and I don''t want to say I''d be able to beat her again if you locked us in some weird cage and made us fight it out. That Croc was scary! So my sub-brains are on the grind twenty four seven. I''ll work them until they burn into sludge and leak out my ear holes!

    I hope Tiny is okay¡­

    Granin told me he''d take care of him, and I hope I can trust the guy. The other members of his team were getting quite fond of the big lug, so perhaps I can count on them to intervene if their leader doesn''t. Whatever happens, I don''t want them to bring him in here. If he gets caught up in this stupid tournament business then I''m not sure if he''d survive. Although ¡­ I wonder if they''d let him participate alongside me? He''s one of my pets after all, a part of my strength! Nononono. Don''t be tempted, he''s better off on the outside. I''ll have to make my way out of here on my own.

    After two full days have passed since my interview, I feel as if I''m going mad. I took a moment to surreptitiously try to interfere with the walls using earth magic. Since they''re made of rock, I presumed they could be interfered with. Naturally it wasn''t that simple. The second I did so the walls lit up with runes and I felt a force m into my mind like a battering ram, sending me reeling. By the time my mind stopped spinning there were twelve guards staring down at me with decidedly angry faces. I can assume they weren''t too happy with my supposed escape attempt. I tried to look like the most innocent ant I could, which I think had a solid effect. I fully expected someone to connect a mind bridge and yell at me for a bit but oddly enough no-one did. I''m not sure if this is a good or bad sign.

    A dayter I got my answer.

    The first sign I had that something was changing was the door to my amodations grinding open. The door itself was an impressive piece of work, thick and banded with strange, glowing metals that were obviously warded heavily. On the other side of the door six robed shapers stared at me with t, unfriendly eyes as the six guards from above lowered adder and climbed down to take up a defensive position behind me. Still without speaking with me, they gestured for me to follow them before walking backwards down the tunnel leading from my chamber, eyes on me the entire way.

    This is looking ominous. Is it round one already? Do I have to fight?! Are they going to execute me?!

    I need to be careful¡­

    I stop my sub-minds from spinning their shapes and give them a few moments to rest. They''ve been working hard thest few days and need a few moments of rest before I can use them to fight. I''m tempted to use my healing nd but I know that it has a limited effect on easing mental fatigue. If I was in range of enough members of the colony this issue would be resolved in just a few minutes, but sadly I can''t sense a single ant in my vicinity.

    Down the tunnel we walk, then a right at a T-intersection that brings us to another tunnel which we travel down. Every now and again we pass other doors which I give a cursory swipe with my antennae to try and get a scent of what''s on the other side. I sense heat behind a few of them, and behind others I pick up some strange smells. Definitely monsters. These must be the rooms of my fellow candidates. I''ve passed six of them so far, I wonder how many they have locked up here?!

    As I wonder about this, wee to a set of broad gates that rattle as they rise into the ceiling above my head. I have to say, this tunnel is quite spacious, able to fit my bulk into it with room to spare. Clearly this area is designed with monsters in mind.

    As the gate finishes rising, my escorts back into the open space beyond, gesturing for me to follow. Alright brains, I hope you guys are ready to go. This might be showtime. Inside the space I find an open, circr area of t ground interspersed with obstacles. Yep. This is clearly a monster coliseum. Looks like it''s time to get it on like Donkey Kong. My weary sub-minds begin to pull on my gravitational mana and I begin to condense it with my main mind. I can''t risk the weaker minds losing control of the spell, I have to do the heavy lifting myself.

    As I''m settling into war mode and getting my game-mandibles on, I feel a tentative and hesitant mind bridge reach out towards me. Is this a test? The guards are still standing around and watching me. I''m confident it hasn''te from them.

    Warily I allow the contact toplete and immediately hear a tentative voice echo in my mind.

    [It''s okay! I-I''m not going to hurt you.]

 Chapter 352 The monster in the mirror

    <h4>Chapter 352 The monster in the mirror </h4>

    [Not going to hurt me, eh? That sounds like something someone nning to hurt me might say!]

    Aha! I''m not going to fall for your games! This is most likely to be a sneak attack! Although my escort still hasn''t moved away, standing around in me a rough circle facing inwards, I don''t imagine that they''d be too interested in staying around in the event another monster came over and started to throw down. Perhaps they aren''t lying?

    [Um. I''m not going to attack you. The Shapers wanted me to talk to you!]

    [Oh really? If they wanted to talk to me, why wouldn''t they just do it themselves?!]

    I still can''t identify the origin of this mind bridge. I know it''s somewhere either inside this circrbat space, or just outside it. I can see other entrances spaced around the outside edge, there''s a possibility the individualmunicating is beyond one of these. The fact they''ve been able to disguise their mind bridge indicates that they have a not inconsiderable amount of skill, something to be wary of.

    [I think¡­ they mentioned that they thought you would respond better if you spoke to someone like you¡­]

    [Someone like me? An ant?! Are you a member of my colonye to rescue me and suffered capture as well?! Impossible! How could you know where I was?! Are you from a rival colony!? Come forth and I shall exterminate you!]

    [Wow, you''re an ant? They didn''t mention that. I wonder why? You aren''t disgusting, are you?]

    How offensive!

    [I''m an ant! Of course I''m not disgusting! I''m the most noble and incredible arthropod of them all!]

    [Okay! Settle down! You''re really fiery. This isn''t what I expected¡­]

    [Well don''t me me for being a little tense. I get captured, locked up, told I have to fight in death matches and then marched out here without anyone saying a word. Then someone starts trash talking my species. I mean, how would you react?]

    The distant voice seems to pause for a moment to consider before responding.

    [You know what, I would be pretty mad. I''m sorry. I should have realised the Shapers would give you the silent treatment, they''re often like that. I''ve been here for a long time, so I''ve kind of gotten used to it.]

    Been here a long time? In what capacity?

    [Who are you exactly? You talk about the Shapers as if you aren''t one, which makes me think you''re a monster, but you also say you don''t intend to hurt me, which doesn''t sound like something a monster can guarantee right now, considering the whole, ''monsters will fight to the death'' thing.]

    [Yeah, I don''t know a whole lot about that. Look, I''m going to be straight with you, I''m a monster, like you. More than that, I''m a reincarnated human, from Earth! Like you!]

    [¡­]

    [Aren''t you excited? I know I was when I finally got a chance to talk to someone else like me.]

    [¡­]

    [Don''t you have anything to say?]

    [Uhh, well. First of all, it''s a little odd having this conversation when I can''t see you. Second, I guess I''m a bit surprised. I really didn''t think I''d be able to meet another reincarnated monster so soon.]

    [Another one?! You already met one!? But you''re so young! It took me decades, dammit!]

    [Decades, you''ve really been here for a while then? Yes, I met with one, she wasn''t what I would describe as ¡­ very stable.]

    [Ah,] the voice sounded sad, [yes, that happens to some of us. To be honest, all of the people like us that I''ve met have been a little¡­ odd, from the beginning. Including myself.]

    [Indeed, that does seem to be the case.]

    Except me, obviously. My life was pretty normal and I would have to say I''m quite well adjusted. Garralosh was crazy in the coconut though, for real.

    [Feel like stepping out and having this little chat in person?]

    I''d like to p eyes on this individual, I''m sort of curious to see what sort of monster they happen to be. I also might be able to gauge their strength, just in case their words are a pack of filthy, filthy lies and I might have to fight them in the end. In mypound vision, I make sure to pay attention to my escort in order to witness any change in their behaviour. For the moment they appear, much as they always have, with a stony demeanour (heh), keeping a watchful eye on my every twitch.

    [Alright then. I''lle out, just give me a second.]

    One of the gateways on the other side of this circr death arena jerks outward. Not a smooth glide, as would happen if people with hands were pushing it open, but a solid jump, as if an elephant had just battered it with its head. Arge shadow looms in the slight opening before the door jerks again, opening yet wider. A hulking mass of creature shoves its nose through the door and starts to squeeze through.

    The head is the first thing I see, obviously. Even though the shape and colouration are quite strange, it''s quite clear what type of animal this is.

    [You''re a bear!]

    The pointed nose of the monster jerks up at my words, causing our gaze to meet.

    [Oh! Ugh. You really are an ant.]

    This ant hate is really rubbing my thorax the wrong way.

    [Ant are clearly incredible and amazing. Why the heck would you want to be a stupid bear!?]

    The massive bear monster shoulders through the door and ambles out into the open before starting to waddle over toward me. In terms of size, it''s significantlyrger than I am, bulging muscles ripple with each forward step of thoserge forelegs. At my needling, the bear peels its lips back to reveal dripping teeth.

    [I cannot believe I would need to try and convince someone that bears are better than ants. Honestly, what is even with you guys? Why''d you reincarnate as such weird creatures.]

    [Hold on there smokey. First, ants are for the win, second, what guys? Third, I kept pet ants, apparently that''s enough.]

    The bear''s steps slow for just a moment before she continues to lumber toward me.

    [Pet ants? Ants? How do you even keep pet ants?]

    [Don''t knock it until you''ve tried it! There''s a wholemunity with tons of stuff out there. Lots of stuff on youtube as well!]

    [I had no idea¡­ As to the other guy, there''s one more of us here. James. He came in a few years ago.]

    Hang on a second. I feel as if I''m neglecting something. Something about the bear. Who told me about the bear? Was it Enid? No. Someone balder¡­ The Sophos!

    The huge bear''s steps slow until it''s within twenty metres of me before it stops and somewhatically lowers its back legs to sit up facing me, scratching at its chin with one w.

    [Sarah?] I ask.

    [Hey! How''d you know my name?]

    [Did you happen to spend any time with the Sophos? Little bald skinny guys? Ride around on death worms?]

    [I did! Wow. That was so long ago¡­ just after I woke up in the Dungeon.]

    [They told me it was fifty years ago!]

    [Sounds about right.]

    [But you''re still in the second strata?! I thought you''d be way deeper! They seem to think so as well.]

    The big bear hesitates for a moment.

    [Look, let''s talk. First, why don''t you tell me your name?]

 Chapter 353 So Bohemian like me

    <h4>Chapter 353 So Bohemian like me </h4>

    I have to wonder what the minders are doing whilst Sarah and I engage in a mental conversation. I mean, are they listening in? I suppose it''s possible. I can''t sense them at all, but I suppose that isn''t any sort of guarantee, considering their higher Skill levels. Perhaps this is all just part of their research, learning about people like me and our monstrous transformations. I can''t afford to care too much about it, since this is such a rare opportunity.

    Perhaps I''ve been away from the colony for too long. It''s nice to have a conversation with someone who is able to reciprocate my human culture. I''ve still spent longer as a human than as an ant after all, and the humans I''ve met here on Pangera have been ¡­ a bit odd, let''s put it that way. Sarah on the other hand, seems quite normal, all things considered. Despite freely acknowledging being a bit unbnced, shees across as well spoken and measured.

    [I wasn''t always this steady,] she confides, [in the first few years it was rough, as I''m sure you know. After my ¡­ death ¡­ on Earth, and being reborn here¡­ It''s hard at the start. You know what I mean.]

    [You''re referring to the terror and existential dread of having to fight for survival in a strange world of death?]

    [Exactly that.]

    [Yes, I recall. I mean, I was a tiny little ant monster. Just about every monster I saw was able to rip me apart. You started out as a bear! It can''t have been that bad.]

    It''s odd to think of a bear giving you the stink eye, especially a giant, elephant sized bear with a distended maw that housed teeth as long as a human forearm, but here we are.

    [Look, Anthony, I didn''t start this size. I didn''t even start as a fully grown bear. I was a cub! A little harmless bear cub!]

    I''m immediately suspicious.

    [Just a cub eh? A harmless little fuzzy ball of fluff, with the ws, and the fangs. Howrge were you exactly? Somehow I don''t think you were just an average, Earth sized cub¡­]

    [I ¡­ might have been a touchrger than normal.]

    [Just a touch, huh?]

    [It''s not like you were a normal sized ant!]

    [How the heck would I have survived if I was a regr sized ant?! Not to mention, I was born outside of my colony! Without it''s colony, a regr ant will die in a day!]

    [Is that so? I wonder why?]

    I will never turn down the chance to educate someone about the glorious world of ants!

    [You need to think of individual ants as cells that make up arger organism when they work together. One ant is not capable of surviving, it needs its brethren to work together to provide context, decision making and safety.]

    [So¡­ ants are weak?]

    [No. Ants are sophisticated social creatures who are mutually dependent on each other!]

    [But an ant on its own can''t survive¡­]

    [Not the point!]

    [You''re a bit weird Anthony,] Sarahughed at me.

    It''d been a long time since I''d heard such a rxed, earnestugh. Something about it just helped the tension to unwind a few notches in my non-existent shoulders. It helps a lot that Sarah is such a friendly, sociable person. It''s hard to believe that she was deemed nuts enough to have her soul ripped into this.

    [I don''t know what it is, both you and James have such weird pets. No wonder you both ended up in such odd species when you were born here.]

    [Odd? He''s not another insect is he?]

    I will brook nopetition for the throne of the greatest insect!

    [What? Oh, no. I won''t tell you, I don''t want to ruin the surprise. They''ll probably bring him out to meet you next time. They tend to be a little precious with us. The Shapers, I mean.]

    That sends my antennae into the air a little.

    [Precious? I''ve been informed that I''ll be fighting to the death against other monsters that they''ve nurtured. It doesn''t seem like they''re being all that careful with me. Some might say, just the opposite!]

    Sarah''s big bear head slumps to the ground and huffs with irritation, sending a cloud of dust swirling from the wind of it.

    [I know,] she sighs, [something has gotten right into their heads. They''ve been so nice to me you know. I was half insane by the time I made it down to the second strata. I was lonely, blood crazed and starving. The istion and constant fighting starts to chip away at your mind and before you know it you''re a screaming loony. If I hadn''t gotten picked up by a patrol of Shapers by chance I don''t know what would have happened to me.]

    [What happened?] I was curious to know.

    [It was quite surprising to me. At the time I was so on edge and ready to fight, the first time they made contact through a mind bridge and tried to talk with me I wentpletely mental. I thrashed around, trying to find them but they just backed off and waited until I calmed down before they tried again. It took them three days before I was able to talk back to them, then another three before I agreed to meet them. After that I decided to take them up on their offer and came back here with them. They put me up, feed me, converse with me, taught me all sorts of stuff. It''s been great.]

    [So why the death blender now? Seems like there has been a clear shift in policy.]

    [I know and they just won''t talk to me,] Sarah huffs, clearly frustrated, [I''ve been told that I won''t be part of the ''selection'' but that they still consider me a strong candidate. They won''t even tell me if James will be thrown in! He better not, that would be barbaric!]

    [Isn''t the whole thing barbaric? I mean, I''m in it.]

    [Well, yes! Yes it is! Because we are people, not just monsters! They can''t do this to us!]

    Even after decades as a monster, Sarah still seems to cling to the idea of herself as being something different. A person, a human, a creature who is valued and has worth. She might have been here being coddled by the Shapers for too long. I''ve already had to learn the lesson, monsters are not the same as people. We''re spawned from the Dungeon and that makes all the difference. Other than the ancients, the rest of us are just resources to the surface people. In the end we can only count on ourselves. At least I have my family, the colony, that I can lean on. Sarah had nothing. I feel sorry for her, to be honest. She had to lean on the Shapers to stay sane, but they''ve made her lose her edge at the same time.

    [They absolutely can. I can''t break out of here on my own. I''ve tested a few things already and they are watching me like a damn hawk with binocrs. They can easily force me to fight. Just knock me out, drag me out here and wait for me to wake up. Or not, just leave me here unconscious to be free experience and Biomass to their pet favourite.]

    [They aren''t bad people, Anthony.]

    I shrug my antennae.

    [It doesn''t matter to me if they''re bad or not, I couldn''t care less. My only worry is surviving.]

    [Time''s up.] A new voice broke into our mentalmunication.

    Clearly the Shapers had been listening the entire time if they were able to break into our conversation so smoothly. Spying? Just keeping tabs or were they trying to learn something? The other question, did Sarah know about it? My guards are already gesturing for me to return back the way I came, the gate opening wide for me to pass through into the tunnel back to my cell.

    [Nice meeting your Sarah. Hope we get another chance to chat soon.]

    [You too Anthony. Stay safe.]

    [Ha!]

    I can''t help but bark out a bit of augh at that. Stay safe? It''s not really up to me now, is it?

 Chapter 354 The Rock in my corner

    <h4>Chapter 354 The Rock in my corner </h4>

    After my odd little meeting with Sarah I was summarily returned to my room. As the door ms home behind me and the guards take their customary ces up above I have to wonder what the point of it was. What were they hoping I''d get out of it? Were they trying to show me they weren''t monsters? How nice and good they are? Bit of augh when I''m going to get wheeled out of this room and made to fight to the death at any moment!

    Did they really think bringing out another reborn human to show me how benevolent and wise they were was going to be enough?! Laughable! I will happily ditch the lot of them to get back to the colony. My siblings would wee me and put me to work for the family in a heartbeat, mother would p me on the head for being so foolish as to leave in the first ce. Ah, I miss my mother. I was stupid for trying to run away and do my own thing. Who cares if the thoughts and desires of the colony get whispered into my head? Isn''t it a good thing? Doesn''t that mean I can be more helpful to the colony?! Isn''t being helpful to the colony what an ant is supposed to do?!

    I hope Tiny and Crinis are alright. Perhaps my stupidity would be easier to bear if it weren''t for the fact I''ve dragged my two beloved pets into this situation with me. Tiny needs constant healing to help him survive the poisonous mana that''s invaded his body, he needs me more than ever! He''s too stupid to survive on his own! If I hadn''t been so worried about lowering his fighting prowess I would have boosted his intelligence ages ago. Now it''s toote. And Crinis! Poor Crinis. Such an innocent little blob of death murder. It was hard to give her such a dangerous task, and I know she''ll go at it with all her might. Gah! If only I was stronger I wouldn''t have been caught and put in this stupid position! My rage is building! Rage at the Golgari! But also, rage at myself!

    I sit perfectly still inside my cell and stew. There''s arge te covered in Biomass nearby but I''m in no mood to indulge in it. Instead, my minds are full of visions of myself battling, tunnelling, escaping and getting the heck out of here! Ofing back with the colony and wreaking havoc amongst the Golgari! Twisted dreams of tearing down their cities and plundering their wealth are filling my bead! Is it an overreaction? Maybe! But my heart burns at the injustice! I demand vengeance!

    I sit and seethe for an hour in perfect stillness. I can even see that the guards are perturbed by myck of action. They see nothing, not even a twitch of an antenna. It must look as if I''m a statue, something not even living. It''s quite nice, the ability of an insect to remain still. Eventually the situation changes though, but not through any action of mine. I hear the sound of the door swinging open in the above area, swiftly followed by shuffling footsteps, as if whoever had entered was dragging their feet.

    When I felt the mind bridge reach out to me I felt as if I already knew which voice I was going to hear.

    [How''s things, Granin my man?]

    [¡­ I hate this.]

    [I missed you too buddy.]

    [Dammit it all to heck. This whole thing is stupid to begin with. I''m stupid, you''re stupid, the cult is stupid.]

    [Anything else?]

    [Me.]

    [You already said that, Granin.]

    [It bears repeating.]

    A minuteter thedder lowers down and a therge, grunting form of my favourite Shaper climbs down into my cell with me, eyed watchfully by the trio of goons up above.

    [Uh,] I mumble, [How''s Tiny?]

    Granin fixes me with a steady re before responding.

    [That ape,] he sent each word with a bite at the end, [eats enough for five monsters the same size. My people can barely keep up with him.]

    Typical. That fat monkey only cares about eating and fighting, if he can''t fight, he''ll eat twice as much.

    [Let him out to fight every now and again and he''ll settle down. He needs some activity to distract him from eating.]

    [I might do that. Thanks.]

    [No worries, Granin.]

    [Look, I''ve been meaning to mention this for a while now. We Golgari refer to each other with our surnames, not our first names. Only good friends and family use first names.]

    I pretend to be shocked.

    [Why Granin, what are you saying? Aren''t we the best of friends?]

    [You know what, screw you.]

    [See what I mean? We have this banter going on.]

    Granin Lazus sat down heavily and ran one tired, stone hand over his face. The poor guy, I can sympathise with him somewhat. But hey, who asked him to knock me out and drag me here?

    [Why don''t you just tell me what you''re doing here Granin? I know you didn''te here of your own volition, so the higher ups sent you for something. What''s the scoop?]

    I watch the Shaper release a pained sigh before hemunicated again.

    [Yeah. The people running this mad house have ''given'' me the ''honour'' of being your sponsor for their uing murder fest. Before you ask, let me exin. Normally when we bring a monster in and try to support it, one of the Shapers is chosen to be the sponsor. That Shaper and by extension the other members of their triad, are responsible for guiding the monster, securing it resources and generally pushing it as far as it can go down the path of evolution.]

    [So you''re like¡­ my trainer? What am I, a pocket monster?]

    Granin looks at me, confused.

    [I don''t have pockets. I''m not even wearing pants.]

    [Why is that, by the way? Your entire race just hates clothes?]

    [Our skin is made of rocks. Other than covering our genitals, what would we need clothes for?]

    [Pockets?]

    The Shaper reached down with one hand to indicate the sizeable pocket sewn into his garment.

    [You make a good point. So whates next?]

    [Do you ever move? You haven''t shifted since I came in here.]

    [I''m trying to weird out the guards above us.]

    [I assure you, it''s working. Look. I want to say, clearly, that I think this whole thing is insane. If I''d known what they were nning to do here, I never would have brought you in. I''ve spent my adult life in the cult and although I wouldn''t say I''m a huge fan of monsters, I believe the quest to find the next ancient is sacred. What''s happening here? This blood sport? It''s a betrayal of more than a thousand years of tradition.]

    I''m actually touched.

    [That''s nice to know, Granin. Sincerely.]

    [I still don''t like you.]

    [Aww. You just can''t admit I''ve grown on you.]

    [You know what else grows on me? Rock fungus.]

    [Where does that grow? Not on the -]

    [Yes.] Granin nodded.

    [Yikes¡­]

    Between the two of us a weary sort of silence developed. In Granin I had a sort of kindred spirit. A person who thought this whole thing was stupid and didn''t want to involved, yet was forced to participate anyway. Which did beg a question.

    [Why you, Granin? Why were you chosen to take on this role as my sponsor? You clearly don''t want it, yet someone felt that you were the man for the job. Is it a punishment of some sort?]

    [Pretty much.] A wide smile spread across the Shaper''s face. [I don''t know what you did but you managed to annoy the head honchos. They aren''t big fans of you, even if you are one of the rare reborn monsters. They don''t think you have a snowball;s chance in the Third Strata of surviving against their pet little projects, so rather than waste any resources on you, they put me in, someone they also don''t like and don''t rate so that you can fail quickly and get eaten by a more deserving monster. Once that''s done, I''ll get tossed back into the refuse along with my triad of outcasts.]

    I''m kind of stunned.

    [Don''t they realise I''m going to eat them all?!]

    Granin grinned.

    [I don''t think they have any idea who they''re dealing with.]

 Chapter 355 Strategising

    <h4>Chapter 355 Strategising </h4>

    Granin and I discuss a few things before we get down to the nitty gritty. For the most part I want to learn about his people and what makes them tick. He''s a little guarded about some things, but quite forting about others. For instance, he''s quite happy to tell me why he''s on the outer with his Cult and with the Shapers in general. Supposedly there''s been quite a lot of moving and shaking going on within the Cult of the Wormtely. Recruitment has picked up over thest fifty years and the cult has risen to a level of prominence that it hasn''t enjoyed at any point in its history.

    This influx of people, ideas and energy was always going to cause friction. Granin fell into the ''steady and cautious'' camp, the group who wanted to consolidate their gains and take a measured approach, as they always had in the past. Being cautious is never a bad idea for a Cult that isn''t supposed to exist in the first ce, I suppose. But he found that the ground changed under their feet too quickly, as the ''reckless moron camp'' (Granin''s words) pushed harder than expected and seized control of the leadership.

    [The stupid idiots are so willing to risk what''s been built by painstaking effort in the shadows.] Granin moaned to me bitterly. [What kills me the most, is that it''s people like me out in the field, loyal to the cause and dedicated, the bedrock of this cult, that get sent out and sacrificed on poorly thought out and badly researched tasks. The mission to capture you was a perfect example! No proper nning, no backup strategy, no thought of having full control of the delving party. Look how that nearly wound up! A disaster! Back in the day, we''d have observed, made gradual contact, felt out the situation to get a sense of fit. There sure as hell wouldn''t have been any warriors involved! Bloody meatheads.]

    A constant refrain in Granin''s whining is how much the Shapers and Warriors don''t get along.

    [Tell me a story here, Granin. Why is that your entire society glorifies the Warriors and takes a dump on the Shapers? Seems odd to me. Magic is both awesome and rad. Things like that gateway are only possible because of magic, so why the hate?]

    I can see Granin consider the implications before he decides to answer me. He''s being careful not to give me too much information that I can use against him, but enough that I feel satisfied he''s working with me. I''m happy to take the trade, something is much, much better than nothing.

    [It goes back to the Cataclysm.] He finally relents and answers me. [Back then, the mana started to rise to unprecedented levels and every society on the surface experienced a magic revolution. Mages were more powerful than they''d ever been before, or since, and they created miracles in that time that elevated the craft to unprecedented heights.]

    [But then came the monsters,] I guess.

    He nodded.

    [Quite right. The Dungeon opened up and the world was destroyed. Us Golgari were always a martial people to begin with. Our natural skills and racial bonuses push us in that direction quite naturally. We''rerge, I''m not even that tall, the biggest of us can get up to ten feet, heavily built, and our true skin provides us with a strong defence without having to invest in armour, allowing our fighters to focus on weapon skills more than other races. Since the rise of the Shapers was immediately followed by the Rending, the people naturallyy the me at the Shaper''s feet, ming them for bringing the Dungeon upon them and we''ve been scorned ever since.]

    [But that''s stupid!] I protest. [The mana rose due to the Dungeon reaching the surface, not the other way round! Surely they know that!]

    [They probably do,] Granin shrugs, [but they don''t care. It fits the narrative they want to believe, that''s all that matters. Ever since then the Warriors'' circle has been dominant in Golgari society and the Shapers have been suppressed. I think the Shapers have been pushed to the breaking pointtely, which is why the Cult was able to bring so many into the fold.]

    It''s an interesting situation. I can''t help but muse over it. In my mind, the Golgari empire upies a vast amount of Dungeon territory no doubt connected by these gates. Without the Shapers, the whole thing would fall into a heap in mere days. Without the gates, the individual cities and outposts would need to travel between each other in order tomunicate and share supplies, risking the Dungeon for days or weeks at a time to send the simplest message. Impossible, surely?

    Not to mention, this kind of setup will be perfect for the colony! Satellite colonies, connected by magical gateways would allow us to cover more ground with less numbers. That''ll be critical since we need to ensure we farm the Dungeon carefully. Spawn points are closely associated with monster poption, if we strip the tunnels bare of monsters in our greed, then the spawn points will dry up, leading to less monsters overall and a dramatic reduction in the XP intake of the colony. We have to be smart about it, farm the right amount, not too much, not too little.

    To make this sessful, we need to cover more territory! How to cover more territory without clearing out the Dungeon? Gates! GAH! My heart is on fire! If I can learn the secret of these gates then the colony will have a limitless future! I must uncover the secret!

    [So Granin, tell me how the gates work?]

    [No way.]

    DAMMIT.

    [Look. I don''t know why you''d even want to learn about that. Who are you going to use it with? Besides, we''ve spent enough time on these side issues. We need to get focused on how to prep you for your first fight.]

    [Fine.]

    I''ll wait, but don''t you dare think I won''t keep working on this!

    [So, do you mind if I take a quick peek at your core?]

    [No way.]

    [I had a feeling that might be the case.]

    Granin brings a hand up to rub his stony temple again. Poor guy must deal with a lot of headaches. As if I''m going to let him use a core maniption Skill on me! He''d be mad to think I''d agree!

    [So we have to do this the old fashioned way,] he grumbles, [can you tell me what the focus of your build is?]

    [Build what?]

    [You''re kidding, right? Your build? Your skills and stuff?]

    [Oh! You mean like, what am I aiming for with my stats and stuff?]

    [Right. What''s your focus? Where are you putting in the most effort?]

    [Yeah. I''m a bit of an all-rounder, I suppose.]

    I mean, It''s better not to have something you can''t do, right? Cover all the bases, so to speak? Oh, Granin''s rubbing his temples again.

    [Oh boy. Look, usually it''s way better to have a general focus for your build, a specific set of skills and mutations that you stack up to be as strong as possible, then you vour around the edges. It''s about building synergy. You know what synergy is?]

    [A conjunction or opposition?]

    [No, that''s syzygy.]

    [Then no.]

    [It''s when things work together to produce an effect more powerful than the sum of its parts. Like, imagine a lightning monster, right? It develops a lightning mana nd which gives it ess to free, premade lightning mana. Then it say, takes a teeth mutation that lowers lightning resistance. So when it bites something, its lightning bes more effective. It''s a basic example, but that''s synergy.]

    [I think I get it.]

    [Right, and that''s only a basic, basic example. The same things can be done with Skills. There are Skills that support other Skills, as well as Skills that can work together with mutations. For example, think about that bite mutation we had, you could take the Skill Curse Infliction which would make you better able to apply a curse through your bite, lowering the resistances further. Most people don''t know that it works with Bite mutations, it took the Cult ages to work it out. Then you could take a toxin mutation which applies a toxin which lowers lightning resistance applied through the bite, then take the Toxin Mastery Skill which allows you to better inject toxins. With a single bite you can sh one elemental resistance by as much as thirty percent, even at low levels!]

    [That sounds¡­. Really impressive actually.]

    This is good stuff. The Sophos were never so explicit when exining these sorts of concepts. Their focus was mainly on the techniques and mastery of manipting cores, I think they just assumed I would know about maximising gains from appropriate builds! I''ve been so blind!

    [Teach me more, Master!]

    [Oh, so now you''re impressed? We''ve been studying this stuff for over a thousand years. This is just the beginning. The unfortunate thing is, we have hardly any research on ant type monsters. I went to the archive this morning and had a look. Pretty much nk.]

    [What?! That''s morally wrong! Discrimination!]

    [Well. Ants are considered a huge menace in the Dungeon which can get rapidly out of control, so they pretty much get exterminated whenever they''re found. Keeping a Queen captive is probably too much of a risk, and keeping an individual worker isn''t worth the effort, so you can understand why we never bothered.]

    [I suppose so¡­]

    Please don''t exterminate my family!

    [But that''s fine. Other insect types have been researched to death. I''ve got full lists of skills and mutations for most of your body types, so let''s work through this.]

    [Okay then.]

 Chapter 356 Putting the ducks in a row

    <h4>Chapter 356 Putting the ducks in a row </h4>

    Granin Lazus looked around the room with thinly veiled contempt. He didn''t recognise most of the Cult members who were present. The new blood had flooded this outpost, filling it to the brim until the entire ce stank of impatience, ignorance and disregard for tried and tested methods. All these Golgari, some of them with their true skin barely set, looked so excited to be there. Huddled together in their triads their excited whispered fill the room.

    "Boss, how''s our man looking? Ready to go?"

    The insistent whisper of Corun Nium, second of Granin''s triad probably drew more attention to them than talking in a regr voice would have done. The sibnt hiss cut through the hubbub around them and drew more than a few curious eyes. Granin just shrugged at them and tried to insinuate through gestures that his second was suffering from a mental ailment and his medication had run out.

    "Boss. Hey. Boss!" Like being prodded directly in the ear with a knife, the hissing voice seemed to stab directly into his brain.

    "Dammit Nium! Shut up would you!" Granin bellowed.

    All sound in the chamber cut off as everyone turned to look at the cause of the disturbance. All they saw was a fuming Granin, a very slightly abashed Corun and Torrina Laksham, third of the triad, trying to shrink out of sight. Far from wanting to hide, Granin openly red back at everyone who met his eyes until he was satisfied they had registered his anger. Gradually the sound picked up again as the various groups resumed their chatter, only then did he turn back to his second.

    "Your damned stage whisper is the least effective possible way of hiding what you want to talk about. Just speak like a normal person."

    "Sorry, Boss. I''m just worried. The Cult has never done anything like this before, have they?"

    "They haven''t" Torrina broke in quietly from the side, "at least ording to all the records that I can ess."

    "That''s what I''m saying. Is Anthony going to be alright? How''s he feeling? I can''t imagine he''s in a good ce right now."

    He did look genuinely concerned and Granin couldn''t help but wonder again at how quickly the cursed insect had managed to win over the members of his triad. His own conversations with the creature were irritating more than anything else.

    "He''s fine," he grunted, "I wouldn''t say that he''s happy about the situation. Far from it. But he''s managed to wrap his head around what''s going to happen to him."

    "Did you find time to talk to him about strategy? About his build? What sort of Skills are we working with?" Torrina asked, her voice quiet but intense.

    Granin snorted.

    "First off, he wouldn''t let me look at his core. Damned ingrate."

    The other two members of the triad shared a nce.

    "I''m not too surprised by that," Corun said slowly.

    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Granin huffed.

    "Well. You haven''t exactly endeared yourself to him. You have to admit, your demeanour is less than friendly at the best of times, and towards Anthony you''ve been particrly cold."

    Torrina nodded in agreement, which soured Granin''s mood.

    "I haven''t been that bad," he protested. Then he reflected. "Have I?" he wondered, sounding far less convinced than a moment ago.

    The two younger shapers shared another look with seemed to confirm the mounting suspicion that he''d treated the newest member of the Cult''s menagerie worse than he should have.

    "Look, I did manage to talk to him a fair bit. He was cagey, and there was a lot he didn''t want to share, but we managed to find a few things that he can work on before this circus gets started. We three know that he''s got a lot more going on under the hood than people expect. He''s going to shock some of these morons, I have no doubt about that."

    Corun smiled and nodded. This was what he wanted to hear!

    "Do you think he''s got a chance of winning this thing? That''s his only way of getting out alive, right?"

    The still expression that came over his leader''s face didn''t inspire a lot of confidence in him.

    "Granin?" He asked.

    "I''m not sure he''s going to have what it takes to go all the way," he said reluctantly. "I know there''s a few projects that the Cult has squirreled away for a long time. If they''ve been brought here and dragged into this mess then it would be hard to see the ant making it through alive."

    "Let''s hope he doesn''t get put against such a monster in the first round then." Torrina observed quietly.

    The three of them fell into a grim silence as they each contemted the fate of their charge in the uing battles. All around them the Shapers of the cult engaged in polite small talk, animated discussion and quiet strategizing about their own prospects in the tournament. Observations, tips and pointers were exchanged as the Golgari mages tried to predict the oues of theoretical matchups and considered the finer points of monster archetypes. The atrium was the perfect space for this kind of thing. A wide chamber with soft andfortable furniture for reclining in, sconces and columns around which small groups would naturally form. Anytime the Shapers would hold some form of gathering it would inevitably be in a space such as this. Granin hated them, much as he hated all of the formal settings he was forced to endure. He would rather be in the field. Out there he was able to make his own decisions and didn''t have to put up with other''s idiocy.

    A short timeter there came a single, loud chime that resounded through the space with unnatural rity, cutting through all conversation and silencing any words yet to escape from lips. The note hung in the air pure and clean as the chatter ceased as if cut by a knife and all in attendance turned toward the centre of the space where the leading triad had assembled to address the gathering.

 Chapter 357 Opening night

    <h4>Chapter 357 Opening night </h4>

    Somewhat cynically, Granin noted that it was Biritite Crys, the fresh faced youngster who stepped forward to address the gathered Shapers. Presenting the face of change, the new way, as full of promise and youthful vigour. An innocent face atop the monster beneath. Granin couldn''t help but curse in his mind. Stuck here in the outpost he didn''t have any opportunity to contact his own allies in the cult. The broader picture hovered beyond his grasp. It was possible that the insane bloodsport that was about to take ce here was being replicated across cult strongholds all over the Golgari empire. How many promising monsters, reared with care over years, the culmination of all the research and effort of their forebears would be destroyed in the pursuit of this short sightedness?

    "Wee all. It''s wonderful to see so many members of the Cult of the Worm able to meet in such open congress. This is certainly the first time I''ve been able to witness such a gathering, but I''m certain there will be many more in the near future."

    Warm apuse greeted these words as Crys managed to look both abashed and pleased at the approbation of her fellows. Behind her, the two older members of her triad looked on with approval.

    "As happy as I am, as we all are, to witness the strides the Cult of the Worm has taken over thest decade, we must be sure that we don''t rest on oururels. The leadership has determined that a sense of urgency must infuse our work going forward. Our purpose has remained the same over the duration of our existence. To reach that end we have umted knowledge, experience and resources through rigorous experimentation and practical application of our craft.

    "But nowes the time when we must put these things to use. The pressure is building upon us and we need to apply that pressure to our charges. In the heat of the crucible we hope to create a perfect being. Perfect as Yarrum is perfect. A monster of indomitable strength, unyielding will and inevitable victory. It is our hope, that through theing contest the final ancient will be born."

    More apuse, rapturous this time. Many voices called out to Yarrum, called on him to watch over their efforts as they struggled to fulfil hismand and break the chains of this world. Amidst it all, Granin and his fellow triad members were a point of stillness amidst the activity. They showed no joy or acim, or indeed, any response at all. Ever watchful, Irette mine, first in the leading triad in the outpost, took notice of thisck of enthusiasm but quickly dismissed it. The ant would be crushed underfoot soon enough, there was no need to be concerned with Lazus and his ilk.

    Crys raised one hand and quiet gradually descended on the gathering.

    "Each triad here represents one monster in theing trial, one hope of the cult. I urge that each and every one of you give your all to ensure that your charge puts forward all of their strength. Only through yourbined efforts will we be able to crown the most deserving candidate. We have gathered together worthy specimens from cult strongholds across a five hundred kilometre stretch of the empire. An effort that has proven once again the growing might and influence of our cause. Each of these specimens represent the hope and distilled wisdom of our elders and I for one can''t wait to see which will be the most worthy!"

    Shouts and cheers rose from the gathered shapers as they called out the names of their own charges, each wanting to demonstrate their conviction that it would be their own monster who would reign supreme. Granin had doubts. If his hunch was correct, the leading triad already had a favourite picked out, the contest was an excuse to feed as much experience and biomass to their chosen monster as possible.

    "The pairings for the first round have been drawn. To ensure objectivity, my triad and I have randomised the process to the best of our ability. If you have any concerns with the draw, please don''t hesitate to speak with Oridene Gravus."

    The old Golgari red hard at the surrounding shapers as if daring them to bring aint before him. Granin doubted anyone would take them up on the offer. Not dying any longer, Crys turned and summoned a block of stone from the floor using earth magic. With another wave, letters began to appear on the stone, revealing the pairings for all to see.

    There was immediately jostling for position as the eager shapers pushed past each other to get a better glimpse, as if that they could seize some sort of advantage by finding the name of their opponent a few seconds ahead of the enemy. Although Corun bounced on his heels a bit, their triad waited patiently for the frenzy to die down before they began to push their way forward.

    When he finally reached the stone Granin ran his eyes over it dispassionately until he found the name he was looking for. Seeing the opponent, his eyes flickered, then he turned back to his two allies.

    "Let''s go. We''ve got work to do."

    The two of them nodded and as a unit they walked away from the excited murmurings of the gathering behind them.

    They had to trade a few favours to get the information they wanted, but in the end it was easier than Granin had thought it would be. If there was one thing that Shapers were eager to bber about it was powerful monsters.

    "What do you think, boss?" Corun asked, concern written all over his face.

    In contrast, Torrina looked much moreposed. Granin eyed her appreciatively. It seemed as if she had already reached the same conclusions that he had, but with ess to less information. She really was a hidden gem. He''d lucked out when the other triads had refused to take her. She was the most promising young Golgari he''d seen for a long time.

    "They''ve mucked up," Granin stated confidently. "They wanted to crush Anthony early and use him as food for one of their pet favourites. I expected as much from the beginning. Heartless cretins. Despite the fact he''s a reincarnator, they just don''t believe that the ant archetype has any hope of bing individually strong."

    He couldn''t help but shrug a little sheepishly.

    "I have to say, I agreed with them until very recently. Common wisdom in the Cult has dismissed ants as a dead end without promise."

    "I think we know that''s not true anymore," Torrina stated.

    "Don''t get ahead of yourselves," Granin warned, "our current charge is far stronger than I would have expected an ant to get, but he''s far from achieving the sort of level he needs. We just got lucky in the first round."

    Corun was still confused.

    "I don''t get it, it''d be nice if someone clued me in."

    Granin pped him on the back.

    "In their hubris, they''ve yed straight into our greatest strength, putting the heaviest, slowest beast they have up against the ant. All power, no brain." He huffed with displeasure. "No elegance at all."

    "Isn''t that a bad thing? Big and strong? It sounds like Anthony is going to get crushed like a ¡­. Bug?"

    "Not to worry. I think we''ll get to see some interesting faces tomorrow." Granin chuckled evilly. "I can hardly wait."

 Chapter 358 The first fight

    <h4>Chapter 358 The first fight </h4>

    Thebat grounds had been used by the Cult of the Worm to conduct field tests and training for prospective candidates for many years. It was a wide, circr field of loose sand and obstructing stones that had been created for this purpose. It wasn''t easy to operate this kind of facility under the nose of the Shaper''s circle, which is why the cult strictly practiced these sorts of activities in out of the way outposts, away from the cities and the prying eyes of those who would obstruct them. This was, however, the first time thebat grounds would be used for such a brutal and bloodypetition as this.

    Oridene Gravus shifted in his seat as the murmur and hum of his fellow cult members around him increased in pitch and intensity. Tonight, the first few battles of the contest would take ce and there were several bouts that he was looking forward to, in particr the first. Customarily the viewing area would be a ce of silent reflection and learning as diligent cult members helped to train their candidates through live battle. On this particr night, things were a little more ¡­ energetic. Even though he was happy to acknowledge the influx of energy and enthusiasm into the Cult over thest decade, Gravus could admit to himself that he wasn''t fullyfortable with the rapid pace of change taking ce.

    But he would endure it, dly. Creating and guiding the twentieth ancient was a sacred task, bestowed upon them by the Eternal Worm itself, a being so much greater than the entire Golgari empire put together. When the circle wasplete and their shackles were broken, they would experience true freedom. For this, any sacrifice was worth it.

    A rattling sound reached his ears and he turned his head toward the main gates, sitting forward in anticipation. This promised to be an interesting spectacle. On the far end of thebat grounds, the gate inched upwards until it locked into position with a resounding crash. From the shadowed recesses of the tunnel, arge monster emerged tentatively. The ant had arrived.

    Immediately the tone of the watching Shapers became derisive and critical. Gravus didn''t even need to hear what they were saying to understand the sentiments that they expressed. Although the ant type monster was amongst the most feared and despised of all the different archetypes, nobody had high hopes for this creature. It was almost ironic. Ants had caused untold amounts of devastation throughout the Dungeon over the centuries, wiping out cities, annihting eco systems and cleansing vast swathes of territory in breathtakingly short spans of time. The discovery of a nest was enough to put most of the Dungeon''s civilised powers on a war footing untilplete extermination had been achieved. Yet Gravus couldn''t muster any fear of this creature. A lone ant was only fearsome because it signified the presence of a horde of simr creatures nearby. No Dungeon inhabitant throughout all of Pangera would lose to a single ant! Baseline stats were too low, offensive potential was weak, defensive prowess was still below average, well below average for an invertebrate. They came from such a low base and potential evolutions just had such little promise. It was just this creature''s poor luck to be reborn as such a weak monster.

    To his knowledge, this was the first and only reincarnator to be born into an ant monster, at least that hade to the attention of the Cult. In many ways, it was quite a waste. This Anthony character had an ¡­ interesting attitude. If circumstances had been different, there was a chance that cooperation between them would have been fruitful. s, the unfortunate nature of his rebirth made it impossible. Reincarnated monsters were something of a special interest for the cult, as they often provided the greatest insights. A cooperative monster like Sarah was a gold mine of information and research. What was so pitiful about Anthony''s case was that there was simply no interest within the cult to investigate the possibilities of an individual ant.

    Gravus almost started when someone suddenly sat down heavily beside him, interrupting his musings as he looked down on the unnaturally still insect brooding in the grounds. He was quite irritated to realise it was Granin Lazus.

    "Don''t you have somewhere to be? Like supporting your candidate alongside your triad?" Gravus groused.

    Granin responded with a wry chuckle.

    "I don''t think too much fussing is going to be necessary for this one, Gravus. Do you?"

    Oridene Gravus grunted in response. At least Lazus wasn''t aplete fool, despite what his record might suggest. He''d probably seen the writing on the wall the moment the pairings had been released and not bothered wasting any time on the creature.

    "I''m d to see you''ve held on to a little of your intellect." Gravus harrumphed.

    "Oh stow it, you cantankerous goat," Granin replied, "always convinced you''re on the right side of everything, aren''t you? Not much has changed. If I didn''t want to see your face at the end of this, I wouldn''t have bothered sitting up here."

    Having said his piece, Granin folded both arms across his chest and stared down into the pit with rapt attention as the opposing gate began to rattle open. Somewhat taken aback by his fellow Shaper''s words, Gravus took a few seconds to process what he''d heard. Did Granin actually think that the ant could win? Had he gonepletely soft in the head? Too much time out in the field might have weakened his judgement perhaps? With a contemptuous snort, the older of the two Shapers turned his attention back to the field. He''d ignore this fool''s jibes for now, plenty of time to make him eat his words when his charge had been ttened and eaten.

    With a resounding crash, the second gate mmed into position and from the shadows a massive creature shuffled forward. When it was fully revealed there were gasps and a wave of excited chattering arose from the spectating cult members. A huge, bulky frame supported on eight thick, powerful legs, the Rhinosergradon was an imposing sight. Arge, brutish head that sported three gleaming horns emerged into the light, thick bone ting pushing through the leathery skin provided even more defence atop the rock hard skin that covered the creature.

    It was a slow moving boulder of a monster, at least four times the weight of the ant that faced it from across the field. The moment itid its eyes on its opponent, the hulking brute huffed out a st of air, lowered its horn and charged! The ground rumbled beneath the beast''s feet, even the seat beneath Gravus vibrated with each step, causing an appreciative gleam to light up in his eye. Trying to contain the smug feeling that arose in his heart, he nced toward the Shaper sitting next to him. To his surprise, Granin didn''t look in the least bit worried. In fact, he looked more calm than before.

    "It''s even slower than I thought it would be," Granin observed, "this thing is so slow moving, no way you could trust it to hit a deadline."

 Chapter 359 Getting bogged down

    <h4>Chapter 359 Getting bogged down </h4>

    Gravus wanted to retort at the idiocy being spilled from the seat next to him but things developed quickly in thebat grounds. The charge of the Rhinosergradon rapidly gained momentum and speed, smashing through the boulders in its way as if they were made of paper. He leaned back with satisfaction at the sight and couldn''t help musing out loud.

    "An experiment from our brothers and sisters in the north of the empire, this creature represents the distilled wisdom of the Cult in the fields of strength and toughness! Not many will be able to resist its devastating charge."

    A cold snort was his only reply as Granin continued to keep his eyes glued to the battle. The ant attempted to retaliate, firing a rapid series of dark purple bolts at the oing threat, as well as raising its rear most segment to unleash several sts of acid. Reincarnators often presented with interesting and unusual builds and Gravus was interested to see what the ant was capable of, but even he was disappointed at the totalck of effect from the strikes. The purple bolt spells struck their target with ease, the Rhinosergradon being asrge as it was, but as far as he could see there was no visible effect. Some kind of curse perhaps? The acid was even more ineffectual, sizzling and bubbling away, it wasn''t able to prate the thick hide of the charging Rhino.

    What was that magic? Not being able to identify a particr spell at first nce wasn''t unusual, but theplete and utterck of visual effect was baffling. What was the ant hoping to achieve?! When the Rhinosergradon had reached halfway across the field, the ant still showed no sign of moving from its position. st after st of the purple bolt flew out along with more acid strikes. The target for the acid appeared to have shifted as it began tond lower on the body, striking the legs and shoulders of the beast, but there was still little effect.

    Undeterred, the powerful Rhino monster built more speed the further it charged. This was one of the key mutations that had been built into this creature''s build. An impressive innovation by the Shapers to say the least. The more the beast charged, the faster it would be able to go, turning itself into an unstoppable hammer of mass and power! Though it appeared to be slow and overburdened by its excessive mass, the opposite was actually true! By standing still, the ant had yed directly into the strengths of the opponent. If he''d had the wit to move closer to hisrger opponent and attempt to circle, it would have been harder for the beast to build up sufficient speed to achieve an unavoidable charge. By standing in one ce, the Rhinosergradon was absolved of needing to turn and bleeding momentum. It appeared that this battle was all but over.

    "I hope you guys thought to reinforce the wall before you allowed that thing toe out," Granin observed idly.

    Gravus'' eyes narrowed. He wasn''t sure if that work had been done actually. This could be bad.

    "You aren''t worried that your charge is going to get stted all over the wall?" Gravus sneered?

    "No. I''m worried that several of my fellow Cult members are going to experience serious injuries."

    It seemed as if the cult members felt the same way. Those who were in line with the unstoppable beast charging in their direction were beginning to scramble out of the way and make a run for safer seats. They didn''t have long to execute the move, for the final stretch of distance, the Rhinosergradon finally utilised the Dash Skill and transformed itself into a blurry streak that shot forward as if it wereunched using air magic. At the same time it lowered its horn and stabbed forward, sending a wide st of light streaking toward the hapless looking ant.

    BOOM!

    The massive Rhino mmed into the wall like a gigantic, speeding boulder, causing the entire outpost to shake. The Shapers in the viewing areas not sitting down were bowled over and even those sitting were rocked back and forth, having to take a moment to recollect their bnce. Dust and debris of what was left of the wall trailed through the air before mming into the ground. Many onlookers were forced to employ their own magical arts to deflect the projectiles. Fortunately it appeared nobody was hurt.

    "It would appear that sufficient power and a well-crafted build are more than enough to ovee an insect with enhanced mental stats. Hardly a surprise." The leading Shaper sneered.

    Granin shook his head.

    "This is the problem with you people. So sure of what you think you know, you can''t change your minds when reality is smacking you in the face."

    "What are you talking about? Are we even watching the same contest?"

    "Apparently not. Look down there, moron."

    One granite covered arm rose to point and Gravus turned his head almost despite himself. The dust had begun to clear and the scene that was revealed wasical. The Rhinosergradon had executed its charge splendidly, achieving an almost irresistible amount of force at the apex of its charge, certainly for creatures of the same tier. Anything struck by that blow would be annihted. Yet that impressive attack had left it lodged firmly in the reinforced stone wall. Only the back half of its body remained visible, the rear four legs scrabbling at the loose sand of thebat grounds to try extricate itself from its predicament.

    Where the ant had stood was now revealed to be a hole in the ground from which two antennae had begun to emerge. The two sensory organs twitched this way and that before the mandibles and head of the ant cleared the top of the tunnel, followed by the rest of the creature. Seeing its opponent wedged into the debris, even the ant appeared to be stunned for a moment before it happily began to renew its barrage of purple bolt spells, once again to no apparent effect.

    "One dimensional monsters are wonderful thought experiments," derision and contempt dripped from Granin''s voice as he delighted in the sight of his candidate tormenting his opponent. "Achieving theoretical maximums of force and toughness, it''s great fun. Everyone loves to see the big numbers. But they are never and have never been viable monsters outside of a vacuum. I almost spat out my drink when I heard a triad had spent four years grooming this Rhinosergradon. A colossal waste of time and effort. Being too rigid is a tremendous weakness, the cult has been aware of that for almost a thousand years."

    The criticism stung Gravus, just as much as his expected winner''s feeble attempts to extricate itself. He had to retort.

    "It''s not over yet. The Rhinosergradon has the strongest defence of all the candidates in this experiment. An ant has only a feeble offensive base. Despite the fact that it''s buried in the wall, the Rhino has yet to take any damage at all. It''s too soon to dere yourself the winner!"

    Granin just shook his head as he watched Anthony cast Gravity bolt after Gravity bolt into his hapless opponent. Considering the starting mass of that fat Rhino, after being hit with twenty condensed gravity bolts, how heavy had it be?

 Chapter 360 Tiers of magic, delicious meals

    <h4>Chapter 360 Tiers of magic, delicious meals </h4>

    Anthony had been prepared to share a few things with Granin, even though he''d remained guarded throughout their conversation. The revtion of Gravity magic had been the most startling to him, something that had surprised Anthony quite a bit. When Granin had pressed him, he''d been happy to admit that this was a force that was quitemonly understood in his own world. It was quite odd that in the Cult of the Worm''s long history of cultivating rtionships with reincarnators, records of this branch of magic hadn''t be widely known. The ant had theorised that because deeper understanding of just how important and powerful Gravity could be was rtively recent on his past world, and that the time rtionship between the two ces was quite ''wibbly-wobbly'', it''s possible that most of the individuals they''d interacted with in the past simply hadn''t known about it.

    Regardless, the conversation had developed and Anthonyined that he was yet to gain ess to the Gravity Magic Affinity Skill, which had given Granin an opportunity to share his knowledge. Magic, he''d exined, was divided into distinct tiers. Gaining ess to the next tier required either a certain master of the previous one, or a powerful affinity with a particr type of mana. A monster who chose many death rted mutations would be far more likely to gain ess to that particr type of mana earlier, even if they didn''t have a Death Mana nd. It terms of what magic fell into which tiers, that was sometimes a little fuzzy.

    The first and most essible were the base elements. Water, Earth, Fire and Air. Almost everyone was required to start with one of more of these. Some Shapers chose to spend a significant amount of time mastering two, three or even all four of these base elements whereas others tried to level up just one of them as quickly as they could in order to move onto more powerful forms of magic. There were positives and negatives to both schools of thought, but Granin tended to think that having a strong foundation in the elements was useful, especially in the field. The spells were easier, the mana more forgiving to work with. When you were exhausted, stressed and mentally drained, it was far easier to draw on Air or Fire mana than it was to try and manipte something like Lightning, Shadow or Poison.

    From those base four elements, there were lots of ces to go. At certain levels of mastery the base elements could be fused to create more powerful varieties, or ranked up to give ess to specialised or powerful forms. Water could ranked up to unlock ice, fire could be ranked up to unlock blue me. Earth and fire could be fused at rank three mastery to form Lava Mana Affinity. Simrly Ice and Water could unlock Fog Mana affinity. Or those options could be discarded and the practitioner could perhaps unlock the rare elements: Lightning, Wood, Metal and Decay.

    Above that the more abstract powers began to appear. Healing, Mind, Life, Death, Doom, Fate, Space, Heart, Poison and many others. There was a great deal of disagreement about exactly which affinity belonged in which tier, because each individual was given different options by the System depending on a myriad of factors that nobody had been able to urately map. Anthony himself was a perfect example, skipping ahead to Mind and Healing mana without having to progress through the rare elements. Granin had surmised that this was due to his Gravity Mana nd and regr use of that mana type,bined with his generally weak base element Skills causing the System to shunt him higher up.

    Exactly where Gravity mana fell into the tier ratings, Granin couldn''t be certain. From what he''d been able to understand from the ants somewhat rambling exnations, it was probably on par with Space, or even above it. Granin had cautioned him not to be too grant with the more powerful aspects of this mana type. If he were to pull off something too crazy then he''d be set upon by the Cult who would be desperate to unlock the secrets of this new magic. At that point, he would never have any semnce of freedom.

    Still, judging by the reaction around him, quite a few were growing curious about this strange purple mana that the giant ant seemed to be happily pelting at his opponent. The more the Rhinosergardron was hit, the slower and more lethargic it became. It''s originally vigorous and powerful movements had be increasingly sluggish and pained, as if the creature had the weight of a mountain on its back. Which it did, in some ways.

    "What is going on?" Gravus couldn''t help but ask out loud.

    Such a physically powerful monster was acting as if it had been drained of all its strength, no longer able to even support its own body! Had the ant drained its physical stats in some way? Or inflicted some sort of strength reducing curse? Such a thing usually didn''t stack well, each sessive cast achieving less that thest, it wasn''t capable of achieving this sort of effect!

    He ground his teeth in irritation. The more lopsided the battle below became, the more satisfaction radiated from the seat beside him. The sted fool Granin wasn''t even bothering to hide it, openly grinning and even chuckling to himself as his charge fired spell after spell into the now faltering backside of its opponent.

    "Such a powerful beast," Granin happily mocked, "so strong! Look! It can almost stand up under its own weight! Oh. No. Never mind, it copsed back onto the ground. For a moment there I thought the finest minds in the Cult had wrought a true masterpiece. The next ancient was right before my eyes!"

    "It''s not over yet!" Gravus snapped. "Whatever curses that damned ant has applied will wear off eventually. I don''t believe it has a way to break through the Rhinoserrgardron''s defence!"

    Granin couldn''t believe what he was hearing.

    "Still not giving up? The damned fatty can''t even stand! Don''t be more stubborn than the stone on your skin, Gravus!"

    Indeed, even the ant seemed to think that things were getting pathetic. Before the boggled eyes of the watching shapers, the ant ceased firing its spells and climbed directly up onto the back of the struggling Rhino monster. Goodness knows what the team who''d designed and reared this creature thought, watching a pathetic ant of all things literally walking over their masterpiece and standing on top of it.

    What urred next was even more jarring. The ant turned this way and that, its antennae tipping and tapping rapidly as it clearly tried to find a gap in the tough bone ting that covered the Rhino. When it was unable to find one, the ant almost seemed to slump with weariness before it reared back and bared its mandibles.

    CHOMP!

    The bite was far more powerful than those observing had expected. The dark energy that manifested bit down hard on the ting, sending chips flying into the air. One bite wasn''t nearly enough though and the ant continued to chomp as the creature struggled weakly beneath it.

    CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

    The gallery was then treated to the sight of an ant flopping down on its own opponents back to rest and recover its stamina for a full five minutes. At this point Granin was sure he heard the sound of the Rhino''s triad passing out from pure rage.

    CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

    ¡­

    CHOMP!

    "Uh. We have a victor! The Rhinosergradron has fallen to the¡­ ant."

    Granin frowned. Even the adjudicator was being so unprofessional. Standards in the Cult had fallen badly. Sitting next to him, Gravus ground his teeth audibly as muttered conversations broke out amongst the stands.

    Oblivious to it all, Anthony had once again slumped down to rest. After a minute or two he shook of the lethargy and watched by the apoplectic gaze of the Shapers who had sacrificed years to rear the perfect Rhino, he began to eat.

 Chapter 361 Eye of the tiger, mouth of a teamster

    <h4>Chapter 361 Eye of the tiger, mouth of a teamster </h4>

    Hmmm¡­

    He¡­ hehe¡­.

    Heheha¡­. Hoo¡­

    Ha!... Hahahahaha!

    MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!

    Victory! Sweet, sweet victory has been secured! For the colony! For all of ant kind! I almost felt sorry for that stupid Rhino monster. I rate the monster as little more than a ridiculous concept. It was too slow when it mattered and unable to defend itself in so many situation. Hardly the kind of thing that could be depended on in any sort of situation. After battering it with a hail of condensed gravity bolts, it was unable to muster any sort of resistance at all!

    When the monster can''t even move, surely they couldn''t have believed I wouldn''t be able to break through that tough defence eventually? Morons! Pure morons! Now they will be forced to bow before the mighty strength of ant kind! They have no choice but to acknowledge our superiority!

    GWEHEHEHEHEHEHE!

    [They still think you''re useless,] Granin broke into my triumphant internal monologue.

    WHAT?!

    After the battle I''d eaten my fill of the Rhino and been escorted back to my cell. Fortunately the Shapers weren''t cheap enough to rob me and my hard won Biomass was delivered to me along with the core of the in monster. Granin appeared shortly after, radiating smugness, for a debrief.

    [How did you even know what I was thinking?] I demand.

    [It''s not hard to work it out. You''re very prideful of your species and your antennae do this weird twitchy thing when you get overly happy.]

    Dangit.

    [It''s nice to see you in a better mood at any rate,] Granin continued, [you''ve been a little unsteady for a while now. If you don''t mind me saying so.]

    [I wonder why that would be?!]

    I feel like he has a point. Being captured and thrown into this terrible situation has thrown me off bnce. It''s been a real struggle to adapt to the rapid change in my circumstances and face being put at the mercy of others for the first time since my rebirth. My stress had been building to dangerous levels. Although it would be weird for a human to say, having the opportunity to battle and triumph has really helped me settle down. I feel like I''m thinking more clearly and I feel much more calm.

    I can''t hold onto the grudge, that doesn''t help me get out of this situation. That''s something I need to keep on reminding myself. The time to hold tight to the grudge is after I''ve made my escape and made contact with the colony¡­

    [See, you''re doing it again, the happy antennae wiggling thing.]

    [Ah¡­ How curious.]

    [Don''t waste the core of this beast either. It''s a tier six and they made sure to stuff it full at every level. Could even make an interesting pet¡­]

    [Rejected. I already have a meathead power pet. I don''t need another.]

    [You mean the ape? This creature is much superior to that¡­]

    [Rejected.]

    [Fine.]

    Granin shakes his head and dismisses the thought with a wave of his hand.

    [Have you taken any time to look at your status since the fight?]

    [I haven''t actually. I know I got a few levels¡­]

    [May as well take a peek, then we can work out what you need to do before the next battle. We should have a few days.]

    [Right.]

    I quickly brought up my menu and checked out my status.

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 23 (Rare) (V)

    Might: 91

    Toughness: 79

    Cunning: 64

    Will: 45

    HP: 158/158

    MP: 250/250

    Skills:

    General:

    Expert Excavation (III) Level 7; Expert Grip (III) Level 2; Expert Stealth (II) Level 1; Tunnel Guide (III) Level 2; Iron Mind (IV) Level 6; Expert Stamina (III) Level 12; Profound Meditation (III) Level 16; Flicker Dash (III) Level 10;

    Mana:

    Mana Moulding (IV) Level 2; Condensed Mana (III) Level 11; Finer External Mana Maniption (III) Level 15; Mana Coveter (III) Level 7; Expert Water Magic Affinity (III) Level 3; Empowered Mind Magic Affinity (III) Level 6; Expanded Mana Sensing (III) Level 8; Enhanced Healing Magic Affinity (III) Level 4; Advanced Fire Magic Affinity (II) Level 5; Advanced Earth Magic Affinity Level 2; Air Magic Affinity Level 1;

    Pet:

    Distant Pet Communication (II) Level 5; Core Crafting (IV) Level 2; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 1;

    Defensive:

    Master Exo-Skeleton Defence (IV) Level 2; Advanced Dodge (II) level 8; Advanced Endure (II) Level 4; Advanced Grace (II) Level 3;

    Offensive:

    Deadly Acid Shot (III) Level 9; Expert Precise Shooting (III) Level 2; Omen Chomp (IV) Level 8;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Perimeter Eyes +15, Future Sight Infrared Antennae +15,

    Defence

    Complete Diamond Carapace +25, Supportive Inner Carapace ting +15,

    Physical

    Rapid Absorption Legs +15, Empowered Mandibles +15, Regrowth Regeneration nd +15, Loquacious Pheromone nd +15, Vast Hungering Stomach + 25; Blink Muscture +15, Transmission Sub-Neural Network +15;

    Acid:

    Mana Binding Acid +15, Hyper Pressurised Acid Nozzle +10; Potent Acid Concentration nd +10, Fatiguing Acid Stimtion nd +10,

    Mental:

    Adaptable Coordination Cortex +15,

    Mana:

    Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +15, Collective Will Vestibule +5;

    Species: Juvenile Colony Paragon (Formica Sapiens)

    Skill points: 8

    Biomass: 327

    A lot of progress has been made! Having my sub-brains grinding away at skills has been worth it. My mana maniption has reached rank four, which is nice. External Mana Maniption is climbing particrly well, this can only be a good thing. The elemental magics are chugging along. I haven''t started on air yet, but I should get there at some point. After grinding for food and chomping on most of the Rhino I''ve piled up a good bank of Biomass as well, all of which needs spending!

    A heck of a long way to go for my next evolution. Level eighty seems forever away. I doubt I''ll manage to get to it during this darnedpetition at any rate.

    I''m not willing to reveal too much information to Granin, but I feel as though the rock man has earned at least some level of trust from me. Certainly, there is a lot that I can learn from him. Whereas the Sophos were willing to share with me their secrets of Core Shaping and pet rearing, they were a little more close mouthed on general System knowledge. I was able to learn some stuff from Beyn, but his knowledge is more specialised for helping humans. These guys, the cultists, have an incredibly in depth knowledge of the System from the monster perspective. I''m not likely to find another opportunity like this for a long time!

    After I share some of my information with Granin he pauses to think for a few minutes before confirming something with me.

    "So you have four brains inside that shell of yours?"

    "Yep."

    "And a coordination cortex?"

    "Sure do."

    "¡­ why?"

    Isn''t it obvious?

    "So I can think about multiple things at once? I can cast multiple spells at the same time, maintain multiple mana constructs at once. It seemed like an inevitable choice if I wanted to use magic in fights."

    "... In a way, you aren''t wrong. There is a lot of value for a monster to have multiple minds. The reason we don''t see it often in monsters that ur in the Dungeon, or even those that we raise in the Cult, is that it takes a tremendous amount of evolutionary energy to develop mental stats, brain matter being asplex as it is. By investing so much into your brains, you''ve sacrificed a lot in other areas."

    "I mean, yes. I did go very much in a magic focused direction to begin with."

    "Right, but what''s happened is that your other stats havegged behind where they would need to be in order to bepetitive at your tier of evolution. I also doubt that your mutations focus in one direction, but rather have all sorts of effects? Right?"

    "Maybe."

    "Right. On the multiple brains, did you ever consider how the surface races raised powerful mages seeing as we can''t develop new brains?"

    ¡­

    "You know what, I never considered it."

    "No reason why you should, I suppose. For those of us with Magic rted sses, we gain mental stats with every level up, which can lead to some big numbers, but even so we can''t think of multiple things at once. If you level up external mana maniption and mind magic far enough, you''ll be able to use external mind constructs. Essentially they''re constructs made from mind magic that simte a brain. They still rely on the thinking power of the brain which cast it, but it allows a Shaper to think about multiple things at once."

    "So wait a moment. If I have four brains, and each of them is able to create these simted brains¡­"

    "With high level skills, you could have each brain running three constructs, for a total of twelve."

    Holy moly!

    "Don''t get too excited," Granin warned, "right now your brains are more than likely too weak to make effective use of the technique. A small amount of mental power divided into three just means you''ll have three useless mind constructs. Having powerful minds that utilise this technique isn''t incredibly more efficient than simply creating more brains, but it is better by a decent percentage. You''ll want to develop in this direction in the future, so you''ll have more evolutionary energy left over to supplement your other stats."

    "I thought you''d want me to pour it all into mental stats."

    "That would be better" Granin nodded, "but you aren''t an unthinking monster I get to shape. You have your own mind and you can do what you want."

    "I knew we were friends, Granin!"

    "I hate you, deeply."

 Chapter 362 The Regimen

    <h4>Chapter 362 The Regimen </h4>

    [Still, one advantage you have over monsters of your tier is that you have a fairly capable basis for multiple thought threads, which is the optimal way to grind your mental Skills.]

    [That''s what I''ve been doing. At leasttely. The idea was to advance my magic as fast as possible to try and unlock the Gravity Magic Affinity. I have a feeling that once I get it, it''ll be strong.]

    Granin nods.

    [I''ve no doubt of that. Space magic is one of the most advanced forms of magic known and only old boulders like myself manage to level our Skills to the point we can unlock it. Even then, it levels up extremely slowly. Only the most powerful and gifted of Shapers can do more than create and open gates with it.]

    Thinking of an army of ants teleporting around through magical gateways, I mutter: [yeah, well, gates sound pretty good.]

    [You aren''t wrong. They form a huge part of every Dungeon civilisation. I''d go so far as to say, colonising the Dungeon would have been impossible without it. If your Gravity magic is as fundamental as that, it may be some time before you''re able to unlock the affinity.]

    [Dammit.]

    [Agreed,] Granin sighs, [acquiring that skill would be the easiest and fastest way to power you up. Since you don''t have ess to it, and we don''t know when you will, there''s little point in trying to grind for it now. If we throw all our eggs in that basket and the Skill doesn''t show up, then you''ll end up in a bad way.]

    [I don''t know about that,] I protest, [it''s not as if thatst battle was a real struggle. I dealt with that supposedly powerful monster with ease.]

    Granin gave me a long steady look at that point. I could almost hear his thoughts turning in his head, I could see how hard he was struggling not to call me an idiot.

    [Out with it then,] I sigh.

    The Shaper shrugged heavily and sat down before looking me in the eye.

    [Look, Anthony. That Rhino was a stupid thought experiment. Had itnded that charge on you, you would have exploded into a thousand tiny pieces in an instant.]

    [What about my Diamond Carapace?]

    [In an instant,] he insists, [your carapace wouldn''t count for squat. It was carefully raised over a period of years, fed cores and Biomass, tested in battle after battle. It took the blood, sweat and tears of a team of three Shapers to create that creature and it was a certified killing machine. Luckily for you, it wasn''t that smart, and it was inflexible. I don''t think the poor creature even considered you would use Earth magic to open a tunnel beneath you whilst casting all those other spells.]

    [So you''re saying I was lucky.]

    [In a way, you were very lucky. The opponent wascking in intelligence, which is something you have an unfair advantage in, since you''re a reincarnator. Most of the monsters that you''ll face will be smarter, most of them will be just as clever as the average human.]

    [I thought it wasn''t popr to invest in mental stats at this tier?]

    [That''s true, but creating a hulking brute without a brain is just asking for your expensive,bour intensive project to club its own brain out with a rock. Remember, these aren''t pets. They are true, wild monsters that have undergone extensive core shaping after spawning.]

    He makes a good point. Tiny has been as much a hindrance as he has a help at various points. In some ways it just adds to his loveable charm, but in others it''s nearly got us killed. It''s all trade-offs.

    [So what''s the y then? What do you think I need to work on?]

    Instead of answering directly, the Shaper asks me another question.

    [What are your basic elemental skills like?]

    [You mean, fire, water, earth and air? I mean. I have them. None of them are past rank three though.]

    [Oh? That''s better than I thought. If you can get all of them to rank three and fuse them then you''ll have a bit more firepower in your corner.]

    [To rank three? Is that all? I thought fusions would be better the higher rank the Skills were. Shouldn''t I try and hold on for rank four at least?]

    Granin hesitates.

    [Yes. Technically, yes. The rank four fusion is much stronger than the third rank one. The fifth is even better than that. I''m not sure that anyone has done rank six. Certainly I''ve no idea what that fusion results in. You''d have to level up the four skills seventy five times, which would take a heck of a long time.]

    [But it would be worth it in the long run¡­]

    [Surviving in the short term has to trump nning for the long term at some point¡­]

    He has a point there. But nobody got anywhere without taking risks! I have a feeling like if Ipromise too much then my path to power in the future is going to get cut short. Compromise now,promise in the future, when will it end? I need to push hard, right now. Also, I have an advantage that Granin doesn''t know about. The Gravity Bomb. I know it''s a risk, but if I get deep enough into this tournament, hopefully the Cult won''t be so prepared to sacrifice me to learn about my magic and I can snag a free win by sting some poor monster into apressed ball of their former selves.

    [You''ve got to go big or go home, Granin! We''re shooting for a more powerful fusion! Rank five! Hit me up top!]

    I raise a foreleg for the inevitable five but to my mounting shock it appears as if Granin fully intends to leave me hanging. Perhaps he''s able to sense my mounting despair over the mental link because he speaks up after a moment.

    [I have no idea why you''re raising your leg up in the air. I need to hit you where? And by the way, you do realise that in this case ''going home'' means being murdered and then eaten?]

    [It''s a ''high five'', you need to¡­ never mind. Yes, I understand that I''m taking a significant risk. I just feel like if I can get as much strength as possible from the base elements, then I won''t need anything else to push me through until I can finally get my Gravity Affinity.]

    Granin thinks about it for a few minutes.

    [I take your point. If you can get hold of a more powerful fusion then it may prove to be more efficient going forward. I just hope we can keep you alive to that point.]

    [If I don''t manage it, it''s not as if I''ll have to worry about whates after.]

    [True. Just what sort of life did you live on your world?]

    [Pretty ordinary I suppose. I mean, I think so? Stabbings aremon, or so I believe¡­]

    [You died from stabbing? That sounds rough.]

    [What? Nonono. A stabbing is just a hospital visit, no worries there. Got patched up a few times. No, I starved to death.]

    [How the hell¡­]

    [Doesn''t really matter does it? Bug off, Granin. Time for training!]

 Chapter 363 An unlikely ally

    <h4>Chapter 363 An unlikely ally </h4>

    I spent the next two days training my Skills. In order to maximise my training speed, members of Granin''s triad came to assist me. Something I''d already noticed is that Skills train much faster in abat situation. Field practice, so to speak. The System doesn''t seem to be too picky about what exactly counts asbat since I can shape the earth beneath Torrina''s feet over and over again and hey that counts. I''m notining about it, it means my Skills go up faster after all, but I can''t help but feel a little put out that there are such obvious loopholes in the mechanics of the System. Surely Gandalf could have thought of some of these exploits.

    I''ve no idea where Granin has got himself off to, but I don''t seem him across these two days. Torrina and Corun keep mepany instead. The former doesn''t say much but her quietpetence and advice with handling magic are well received, thetter doesn''t shut up and keeps me informed of all the goings-on back in thebat area. I can feel the battles urring now and again. Even here in my chamber, over a hundred metres away from that arena the floor shakes and dust shakes loose as the roof and walls rattle from the force of colossal impacts.

    It''s going down out there in a big way, so I''m told. Every day, multiple battles, ur as these mad Cult members throw their proto-ancients at each other to see which monsteres out alive. After every fight Corun runs into my chamber to rave about the battle, filling me in on all the gossip. I''d prefer it if he stopped telling me about how all the Shapers were reacting to the results. What do I care if some ancient stone person was reduced to tears and movingly eulogised his monster pupil of ten years? I don''t! I don''t at all! These people are maniacs running a death tournament!

    I mean, monsters kill each other all the time, right? We fight and eat each other, it''s only natural if you can call anything considering monsters that are born out of pure magical energy to be natural. But being forced to fight by these Shapers for their reasons is really rubbing me the wrong way. However, I have to admit that making use of their resources and knowledge will help me, and I can take all of this knowledge back to the colony if I ever make it out of here. Just thinking of what the family will be able to do with all of this knowledge is enough to make my mandibles quiver. The teleporting ant empire of doom will be a reality!

    After two days of grinding, I manage to get my Earth Mana Affinity to level eight of the second rank and my Fire Mana Affinity to level nine. With a little more time I''ll manage to get both of them to rank three, then I n to switch over and start working on Air Mana. I also manage to gain two levels in Mana Moulding. I love that Skill. Every time it levels up the knowledge of how to handle mana just matures in my mind and I gain a little more speed, a little more finesse and a bit more confidence. With my multiple minds, each sunk into the blessed tranquil sea of meditation acting as a force multiplier, I get faster and faster at weaving my spells.

    Toward the end of the second day, Granin finally reappears along with another team of three Shapers, each looking super serious. Torrina had been acting as my ''opponent'' for training and she quickly stands to one side as the others enter my chamber through the above door. Very swiftly a mind bridge stretches out toward me and Granin''s voice echoes in my mind.

    [How goes the training?]

    [Good, I suppose. Numbers are going up, still a long way from where we want to be.]

    [From where you want to be, you mean,] he can''t help but throw that in, [I''m pretty sure you''ll be able to reach tier three in each of those basic elements before the next bout. But no matter. Get ready to move out, these three are going to be your escorts.]

    I''m a little confused.

    [Uh... Why? Didn''t you just say I''m not fighting now?]

    [Not a fight. The matches for the day are done. Tomorrow will mark the end of the first round and you''ll be up fairly quickly after that I imagine. No, I''ve gotten permission for you to meet the other reincarnator that the Cult has taken under its wing.]

    [Oh, right! James, I think his name was?]

    [Right. He''s also not in the tournament, mainly due to some higher-ups pulling some serious strings. Lucky for him really. He''s not that strong in a fight.]

    Poor guy. At least he''s not in this deathmatch tournament, so it''s not all bad.

    Much the same as when I was brought to meet Sarah, the three escort Shapers bring me out of my cell and through the tunnels before guiding me through the gates and out into thebat area. The space looks a great deal different after two straight days of brutal monsterbat. Chunks have been ripped out of the ground, stones are smashed to pieces, the walls are scarred or outright destroyed in a few ces. Not to mention the ichor stains on the ground and about the ce. Phew, this is grim stuff.

    What I don''t see is a monster. Where the heck is this James guy? Is he hiding behind a gate like Sarah was? If I wasn''t scared of the huge bear of death, I''m not likely to be scared of whatever this ''weak at fighting'' guy has be.

    After a few more moments of confusion, a mind bridge connects to me from somewhere in the chamber.

    [Eyyy. My fellow invertebrate! How''s things?]

    I still don''t see anything. My antennae twitch but I can''t sense any heat either. Where the heck is this guy? Is he invisible?

    [Uhh. Good! I guess? Not really? Where the heck are you? Hiding? There''s no shame in being a monster, man. Come out and own it!]

    [Me? Ashamed? Of this glorious form?! Never! I just prefer it down here is all. I think you''ll understand when you see me. I''ming up!]

    Below?

    Twenty metres away the ground begins to rumble before abruptly bursting upwards to reveal a weird, pointy mash of flesh that bulges outwards to reveal a giant¡­ worm? A body divided into segments, a bright pink colour, a distinctck of eyes. He looks nothing like the intimidating worms of death but rather a squishy style worm ready for the end of a hook. The only remarkable thing about him is his size, more than twice as long as myself, possibly as much as fourteen metres in length.

    [Soo¡­ you''re a worm James?]

    [Yep!] His voice rings happily in my mind. [Check out this glorious body. Have you ever seen anything like it? I mean, technically I''m not a worm, I''m a Mature Elemental Worm of Earth.]

    [Earthworm James?]

    [Well, I mean, most of my friends call me Jim.]

    [Nice to meet you, Jim. I''m Anthony. As you can see, I''m a big ''ol ant.]

    [I do see! Spines are overrated!]

    [Agreed!]

    Finally, someone who speaks a little sense.

 Chapter 364 Another Perspective

    <h4>Chapter 364 Another Perspective </h4>

    [Yeah, these Cultists are crazy. I shouldn''t have to say that should I? They''re Cultists. Just because they worship the biggest and baddest worm in this world doesn''t mean they get to skate on that.]

    [You make a solid point. Sarah didn''t seem to share your point of view though. She seemed a little more forgiving of them.]

    The massive worm gives a little wriggle that I can only interpret as dismissal.

    [Sarah''s just too nice. They took her in when she was desperate, gave her rest and someone to talk to and she was won over inside a year. They basically let her get out of the monster life, go back to being civilised. I can''t me her too much.]

    [What about you? You''ve been here for a few years, so I hear. Gone native? Out of the monster game?]

    [Me? Hell no! This incredible specimen of a Megadrile is still in the game! I''m just taking a rest and grinding my Skills. I had it rough out there, man. You think you had it tough as an ant? Try being a worm! How am I supposed to fight?]

    The man has a point. Actually, the former-man-now-worm has a point. How exactly was he meant to fight?

    [So how did you fight?]

    [I didn''t! I hid underground and snuck up to steal scraps of Biomass like the gorgeous detritovore that I am.]

    [Not too dissimr from my own early strategy to be honest. How long did you have to keep that up?]

    [About a year.]

    [A YEAR?!]

    [Took a long time! Food was hard toe by, I spent most of my time starving, buried under the ground in the dark. The only way I could tell when monsters were near was through the tremors they sent through the ground.]

    [That sounds rough. How the hell did you even get to this point?]

    This ispelling stuff. I really didn''t think that I''d ever run into someone that had a harder start than I did. It seems impossible that someone would be able to go from a blind, almostpletely harmless worm to evolving at least three times by the look of him.

    [Once I''d gotten up a few mutations I started to gain confidence. Defence was a little better, sneaking skills levelled up a bit and I was able to inject a poison with a bite.]

    [You have a mouth?]

    [Of course I have a mouth! You think worms can''t eat?]

    [You''re right. Stupid question. Go on.]

    [So I was able to start doing a little hunting. Small creatures here and there. Took another year before I was able to evolve.]

    [Wait,] I broke in, [you didn''t form your core first?]

    The giant worm in front of me twists angrily.

    [How the hell was I supposed to know that core first is better!? I spent two years getting to level five! You think I had the patience to wait before finally getting some safety!?]

    [You make a good point, again. I apologise, Elemental Worm of Earth Jim. Do go on.]

    Worms can''t shrug, theck of shoulders makes it difficult, but somehow Jim manages to convey the general sense of one.

    [Not much more to it. Kept slithering, kept grinding. Got my core, evolved a few more times, snuck my way down here and got picked up by the Worm Cult. They like having me around, being a worm helps with that I suppose. Wouldn''t mind meeting the big fe one day. Yarrum? Would love to know what sort of species he is? Wonder if he''d be willing to ept a worm bro. Worm son? Mini-me? I''ll work it out.]

    This guy seems to have bottomless confidence in his way of the worm. It''s kind of inspiring. This is someone who has stuck fast to the path of loving the skin he''s in, just as I have. I need to stick to my guns, not that there was much chance of me doing any different! My ant soul burns bright, too bright! James and his worm obsession have nothing on my love of ants. I literally died for ants, dammit!

    [So you n to just keep grinding here before leaving? Do you think they''ll let you leave?]

    [The Shapers? Oh yeah. They might be nuts, but they''re usually on the level. Well, excepttely. This whole death tournament thing? What the hell is this? Madness! They''ve lost what little they had left of their minds. Nuts, I''m telling you, nuts.]

    [So you still think they''ll let you go?]

    James spoke slowly, as if he were exining something to someone very young. Or very dim.

    [Anthony. I''m a worm. I literally eat rocks and dirt. At this point of my evolution, I think I can melt down metals and eat that as well. How would they keep me here?]

    I think he''s being a little na?ve. These Shapers have a whole lot of tricks up their sleeves, even though they don''t wear shirts. The moment he tries to wriggle out of their sight, I bet they knock him senseless with mind magic and drag him back up. Heck, maybe Jim knows that and he''s working on his mental defence Skills. It''s not really my business I suppose. Just like with Sarah, other than being formerly human, what do we have inmon? James is living his best worm life and I have a new family, one that actually loves me.

    God damn that stung me in the thorax. Something I ate?

    [Well, judging the by shifting feet of my escort over here James - ]

    [Please, Anthony. Call me Jim.]

    [Alright, Jim. I think they''re going to drag me back to my cell where I''ll resume grinding away at my Skills in the hope that I won''t die. Any advice before I go?]

    [Yeah, I think you''re right. Their faces don''t change much but you can tell when they get fidgety.] Jim sounds a bit depressed as he confirms my suspicion. [Look, just try to cover your bases, alright? From what I know, the members of this Cult have been trying just about everything to create a new ancient. Which means that there''s all types of crazy monsters in this ce. Just be aware that they cane at you from weird angles. You''re still young on Pangera, you haven''t seen how crazy stuff can get. So just, be careful.]

    [That''s¡­ given me something to think about. Thanks Jim.]

    [Anytime.]

    The giant worm in front of me coils up like a plump snake and waves a friendly tail at me. I can''t help but wave my antennae back and with a happy little wriggle, the worm dives, literally dives, into the ground and in a sh, he''s gone. He can seriously move through that dirt! He might actually be able to do what he says. If he ever meets up with Yarrum, I hope he doesn''t get eaten.

    [Alright boys and girls. I''m ready to go back to my cell! And when''s dinner around here anyway?]

    Another march through the tunnels and back to my cell where Granin is waiting.

    [Did you have a good conversation with James?]

    [Oh yeah. He thinks you lot are as crazy as I do.]

    Even Granin cracks a smile at that.

    [I know. He''s smart. If you survive the next fight then I''ll try and get the three of you together. The least they can do is let you all talk together. That I had to fight so hard to get you to meet James is a disgrace.]

    Wait, what?

    [They don''t want me meeting the other former humans?]

    [Hmph. I get the impression they think you''re a bad influence.]

    [Ah. I definitely am.]

    [I know.]

 Chapter 365 Meanwhile, back at the colony

    <h4>Chapter 365 Meanwhile, back at the colony </h4>

    Vibrant bit down hard on her prey and the System notification rang within her head a few momentster. Without pause, she flung the Biomass behind her and pressed forward whilst a silent throng of furious monsters swarmed in her wake. Her group was all around her, she could feel them now, ever since hertest evolution, sharing her strength. She''d be something between a Soldier and a General now, empowering those members of the colony who were willing to join her group. Not only their speed was enhanced, but also their Skills, an increase to movement and bite-rted abilities that turned them into Dashing, Dodging and Chomping machines with boundless energy. Vibrant pushed hard and they pushed hard alongside her. Always the vanguard. No retreat.

    The Eldest had called them, and the family had answered. In all directions, the colony had exploded outwards in aggressive expansion. Thousands of ants filled the tunnel, ripping and tearing everything in sight and dragging it back to Queens to fuel future expansion. The academy had graduated many new siblings for Vibrant and her fellow council members and all were hungry to work for the family. The colony was exploding with energy right now and the catalyst had been the arrival of the guardian.

    "Vibrant!"

    "Who''s that?"

    The pheromones were thick in the air as ants battled andmunicated with each other, trying to coordinate, calling for assistance, it was hard for Vibrant to make out the scent of who was trying to contact her. Frustrated, she backed out of the fight and allowed others to climb over her to reach the front.

    "Over here!"

    The tingle in her antennae told her what she needed to know and she turned to her left to find Victor waving in her direction. At first, Vibrant didn''t recognise her sister, there had been quite a change.

    "You''ve evolved?"

    A nod.

    "Just yesterday."

    "Nice. We need more Tier fours in the deep."

    "That is why I havee. The Soldiers have already evolved, and we are pushing hard to evolve as many support roles as we can, but it''s going to take more time."

    "We can try and feed more experience to the healers, in particr," Vibrant proposed, "we need them more than anything else right now. They''re keeping our momentum up."

    Victor considered for a moment before she agreed.

    "You''re right. I''ll tell the scouts to get the word out. That''s not why I''m here though. The guardian found something and we need you to take a look."

    "Where?"

    Vibrant wasted no time and asked where she needed to go. Not a single member of the colony was willing to wait for even a second whilst the Eldestnguished in need of help.

    "Follow me."

    As Vibrant followed closely behind the newly evolved General a hundred other ants peeled off the fight to follow in her footsteps, quickly reced by fresh soldiers who had been hovering behind the front lines. Off they raced, through the dark and cold of the second strata. All around them the air was thick with the scent of pheromone trails. The colony was battling on many concurrent fronts, in tunnels, in various expanse'' and every battle was being fought with overwhelming numbers.

    The colony had quickly realised that teams of ten members weren''t going to be enough in the Second Strata, tier three and intelligent they may be, but the danger in this world of shadow warranted greater security. After all, wasn''t it the Eldest who had taught them that every death of a colony member was a waste? A waste of potential, a waste ofbour, a waste of resources! It couldn''t be borne! As new soldiers, scouts, generals and healers had poured out of the academy the number of ants in each conflict swelled instantly. With hundreds of ants working together they''d swept everything before them.

    It didn''t take long for them to arrive. Vibrant started when she noticed the huge, menacing form of the Eldest''s guardian looming in the tunnel. Powerful, writhing tentacles filled the space around the gaping mouth filled with razor teeth. It would be intimidating to any creature not of the colony, it certainly wasn''t going to cause any fear in Vibrant.

    "Crinis! How''ve you been? I haven''t seen you for a few days!"

    The two monsters were muchrger than they''d been when they''d first met but their friendship remained strong. Neither could suppress a burst of happiness at seeing the other, Vibrant bounced up to her friend full of energy and Crinis''s tentacles wriggled with joy for a moment before they returned to their aggravatedshing at the air.

    A nearby mage ant struggled hard for a minute before connecting the two of them with a mind bridge.

    [I keep forgetting you can''t talk ant. What have you found, Crinis?] Vibrant quickly asked.

    [This is the ce where Master vanished, I''m sure of it. At the end of the tunnel.] She used a tentacle to indicate the solid wall in front of them. [I couldn''t get close enough to see what happened, but this ce is a dead-end and when I followed after they were gone.]

    [Great! We''re finally getting somewhere!]

    [No, we aren''t!] That massive mouth snapped at the air in frustration. [I don''t see anything! There''s no hidden door or tunnel here, I''m sure of it!]

    Already a team of ants werebing through every inch of the tunnel with their antennae tapping furiously at every surface. If there was anything to find, they would surely find it.

    "Do we have any of the mage casteing?" Vibrant turned to Victor.

    "We do," she nodded, "I think Propent ising personally."

    [The mages are the way. There''s bound to be something here. We''ll find it.] Vibrant assured her friend.

    [This is taking too long. I need to get to my Master. I feel strange Vibrant, I''m worried.]

    Agitated, the guardian of the Eldest, Crinis, be more and more knotted. Her tentacles extended and split before they twisted back on themselves again and again until she''d be little more than a gigantic mass of tentacles. Vibrant could easily sympathise with the sentiment. Ever since Crinis had arrived at the colony and told them the Eldest had been abducted, every member of the colony had felt as if their core had been gripped by an icy pair of mandibles. The already obsessive and workaholic ants had be infused with a desperate frenzy. Every project had been pushed forward and caution had been thrown to the wind.

    [Don''t'' worry Crinis. We''ll find the Eldest and return them to the family. Anything that tries to stand between us will be annihted, be it the Dungeon or anything else.]

    A cold fire burned in Vibrant''s eyes as she spoke. The Eldest had sacrificed all for the colony. The colony was prepared to sacrifice all in turn.

 Chapter 366 Antdustrial Revolution

    <h4>Chapter 366 Antdustrial Revolution </h4>

    The history of enchanted equipment is as long and storied as that of sses themselves. Though many gloss over or even ignore the manifold achievements of the crafters, it is an undeniable fact that without their expertise in producing powerful weapons and armour, the Sapient races of the surface would have had enjoyed none of the sess in delving that they have achieved.

    The early records of System made equipment arepletely lost to us, of course, but following the Cataclysm there are many records of scavenging the strange wonders that had been attempted and constructed in that time. A society put itself back together, the uptake of talented individuals into the crafting fields was slow, as the surface needed to be reimed and with the recent memory of the disaster fresh in people''s minds, martial and magical sses proliferated.

    At first, progress was slow, staves that allowed mages to recharge their mana faster, shields that were enhanced to improve their durability. Weaving mana into objects is as much an art as it is a science, but slowly the Skills of the artisans rose and so too did the demand for monster cores. A demand that quickly became voracious.

    With more hands at the till and more resources, developments came thick and fast. Agni Ruffterson developed the first reflective shield, theuded Ms Bromina Steelhand was the first to channel elemental mana through a weapon, building the construct within the weapon itself. It was the great mage artificer Wyrrin Le who discovered the secret of enchantments that could directly increase the Stats of a person, and his research lead directly to the uncovering of Skill enhancing enchantments. These breakthroughs changed the world and now even the meanest mercenary delve will be equipped with such gear, as even a paltry +1 can mean the difference between survival and an ignoble death.

    ? Excerpt from ''The historical significance and progression of the Crafting arts'' by T.J. Smithinson

    "Why are five of my best smiths passed out in the tunnels?!" Cobalt bellowed.

    The artisan in charge of the new forge was just as indignant.

    "I told them to wait until the chamber was properly prepared! The air vents aren''t in yet and neither are the heat sinks! The second I turned my back they rushed in and started working!"

    Cobalt pped herself on the forehead with an antenna. These morons. She understood why they''d do it, the pressure piling up on the worker caste bing a mountain that pressed down on their backs. This was the second forge they''d constructed inside the nest in the past week and it wasn''t finished yet. Putting in the air vents required specialised enchanted cores that drew the air in so it could expelled on the surface, and the heat sinks were yet more enchanted cores that sucked the heat and allowed it to be dispersed into specialised cooling channels.

    It was all work, work, work! The demands never stoppeding! More nesting space, more brood chambers! Construction on the new deep nest, a secure location for the three queens and a newunching point for the offensive, just inside the Second Strata, had already begun. Combined with the relentless push for new territory which demanded even more time for the carvers, they were pushed to the breaking point!

    And they loved it! Cobalt and Tungstant had been relentless, chewing through work faster than they chewed through dirt and their fellow caste members had done the same. The council had to step in and send detachments of soldiers to enforce the mandatory rest periods before the carvers had worked themselves to copse. Seeing their fellow caste members being forcibly dragged away, legs kicking at the air had only spurred the remainder of the carvers to work harder! If they were going to be forced to rest then they needed toplete more work in less time!

    "Why are five smiths lying down in the middle of this work avnche!" The angry rush of pheromones sted down the tunnel.

    "Hey, Tungstant, what brings you down here?"

    "Cobalt! I came toplete the instation of the cores for the new forge. Did these idiots try and work in there before it was ready?"

    Cobalt gave a solemn nod.

    "Damn fools! Everything we''ve learned about ant biology tells us how dangerous that is! Not to mention they''re losing work time!"

    The colony had been furiously learning all it could in a huge number of fields but one which had been the most impactful had been ant physiology and beyond that, monster physiology. Things that they had known instinctively, preferred temperature, moisture levels, humidity, where now being explored to discover the reasons why. One of their primary discoveries as they''d ventured into the world of forging, is that the damp environment they enjoyed in the nest didn''t mesh very well with a zing hot furnace for shaping metal. For the ants to work with such tools, a specialised environment needed to be constructed. Experimentation had started immediately, the heat sinks and air vents where the early fruits of thisbour.

    "No help for it. Come on then, Cobalt. You and I can get this done as fast as possible, we need this forge operational."

    The two council members got right to work. Tungstant had brought the required materials in a carry bag slung over her neck, yet another creation of the carver caste, and the two began installing the precious enchanted arrays with their empowering monster cores in key locations around the forge. After an hour they were finished and stepped back as the enchantments hummed into life. The air immediately began to move within the chamber as the temperature dropped. Everything seemed to be working properly.

    They didn''t even have time to congratte each other before the five smiths barged into the chamber and began to fire up the forges, preparing to heat metal and shape it to suit the colony''s needs.

    "Work hard to make up for the wasted time!" Cobalt berated them before the two left the chamber.

    "What''s next on your agenda?" Cobalt asked as they sped away down the tunnels.

    "I''m headed to the new nest to oversee construction there. Things are getting to a critical point and we need to make sure it''s secure."

    "Isn''t the Queen already stationed there?" Cobalt asked, concerned.

    "She is," Tunstant confirmed, "but the Core Shapers have set up their new workstation down there and are acting as defence whilst the Soldiers are out, From what I hear the entire area is crawling with their Shadow Pets. They perform excellently in the Second Strata I''m told."

    "Makes sense I suppose. How about the brood transport tunnel? We don''t want to risk moving them through the regr tunnels, surely?"

    "Work finished on it yesterday and the scouts have started transporting brood already. Once they''ve cleared the backlog the tenders should be able to handle the load. Getting Carvers to learn some Earth magic has been a great call."

    The two ants quickly reached a branch in the tunnel where they would need to part ways.

    "Don''t forget to take your mandatory rest periods, Cobalt," Tungstant warned her sister, "think of what the Eldest will do when they get back and finds out you were skiving on taking breaks."

    Cobalt shuddered.

    "Same goes for you. Work hard for the colony."

    "For the colony."

 Chapter 367 If you got it, spend it.

    <h4>Chapter 367 If you got it, spend it. </h4>

    I need to prepare. Granin''s gone to check my draw for the next round and time is going to be short. I was up first for the first round, the second is likely to be the same. I''ve done what training I can to improve my elemental magic and there have been definite gains. The temptation to fuse them is real. I''d have a weapon in my hands that I could employ right away. The fact that the weapon would be so wed is holding me back. It might be useful to me right now, might even help carry me through this tournament of death. After that? It''d fade in power quickly and be a waste of Skill points. I refuse to allow the effort I''ve put in go to waste! Instead, I''ll use it as the foundation of even greater strength in the future.

    All I have to do is survive.

    To that end, I need to make use of the resources I have avable to me right now, and the resource I have in greater abundance than any other is Biomass! It''s itchy time! After the hunting that I did with Tiny and Crinis, the Biomass I secured from the Rhino, as well as the food Granin was able to secure for me here in my cell, I''ve piled up quite a little money bin of points. As I''ve already begun, I''m going to push my upgrades to +25 for the maximum effect I can get. With a little bit of time, hopefully, I can be ustomed to my new mutations before the fight begins.

    Alright then, let''s see what we need to upgrade. At one hundred and fifteen Biomass a pop, upgrading from +20 to +25 is so costly it makes by carapace hurt, but there''s nothing for it. I want to get all my mutable organs up to +25 as soon as possible. I still have quite a few at +20 that need to be given that final push. My Carapace ting, my eyes, my antennae, my legs, mandibles ¡­ GAH! So many! It''s going to take thousands of Biomass to get all this done¡­ Luckily I''m getting some nice and dense food from this tournament I suppose.

    I think the first thing I want to upgrade is my mandibles. My primary physical attack option and certainly a powerful one. I think the best choice will be to continue the emphasis of the mana channelling. The more types of mana that I be able to fuse into my mandibles the more variety I''ll be able to introduce to my attacks. Being able to target the enemies weakness will certainly help me. When I eventually fuse the elemental Skills to create some powerful new Skill then I assume it''ll propel my bites into a new realm along with the rest of my magic.

    Alright. Just to be sure, I''d better take a look at the options.

    As usual, taking a nce at the menu immediately creates a list that is far too long to manage. Scrolling through shows me so many options that are tempting, including a few new ones. Cursed mandibles, diamond mandibles(!), Paralyzing mandibles, extending mandibles and so much more. Making my mandibles as shiny as the rest of me is certainly tempting, I take a great deal of pride in my diamond exterior. The extending mandibles are pretty cool. A new part is added to my face that essentially allows the mandibles to extend outward from my head, increasing the range by almost fifty percent. I assume it would do the same for the energy projected by my Skills which would represent a powerful extension in my range. s, I can''t allow myself to be distracted by these baubles. I have to knuckle down and get my mana infusion on.

    [Do you wish to improve Bright Empowered Mandibles to Mana Flooded Mandibles? This will cost one hundred and fifteen Biomass.]

    Put a pin in that one. Although this means I''ll be more reliant on my mana infusion for damage as opposed to raw physical power, I think the versatility will make it a worthy trade-off. Onto the next!

    I''m anticipating a lot of pain in this tournament, so I suppose I should prioritise working on my defences. I''m not as reliant on the healing nd now that I have healing mana, but it does give me a massive burst of healing without requiring me to form a mana structure in the middle of a fight, which is certainly more convenient. What I''m longing for is the day I can pass off my healing duties to my third pet, but I still haven''te across a creature that is suitable for the role. Hopefully, I''ll find one soon. In the meantime, I''ll look to upgrade both my Inner-Carapace ting and my Regeneration nd.

    First, time to dive into the Carapace ting. The list is always long, no matter how specific the body part and some of the options are just weird, whereas others are questionable at best. My focus with the ting has been to increase its capacity to absorb damage and tack on a little healing. The idea is to increase the physical defence of my carapace to an almost unbreakable point whilst giving it some in-built healing. The trick here is, do I want more damage absorption or more healing? Hmmm. Last time I went with healing, so this time I think it''s time for hardening.

    There are a few options that serve my purpose, the first being upgrades to my earlier defensive choice, distributive. These options give the ting more flex, which will help disperse more force and prevent the connected carapace from cracking when struck with direct force. After sorting through the options, I decide to take one of these. The idea behind the carapace ting was a good one. If the carapace is excellent against a de, then it''s weak against a hammer. The ting exists to help shore up that weakness.

    I lock that choice in and then move onto the next organ, the regeneration nd.

    So far my choices regarding the regeneration nd have been to allow it to regenerate faster and to increase the speed of limb regeneration. Trying to cover up the weakness of my legs wasn''t the wrong choice. Although not as thin and spindlypared to the rest of me as normal Earth ants would be, they''re still very weak and not nearly covered by the same level of protection as the rest of me. Right now the limb regeneration is pretty darn quick, but not quite enough for me to be able to pop out new legs in the middle of a fight. I have healing magic now topensate for that, but perhaps it isn''t enough¡­

    If I think about it though, my Collective Will Vestibule helps to recharge and refill the nd faster when more ants are around me. This might make me look at faster recharging mutations as a waste, but instead, it makes me think of what Granin spoke to me about. Synergy. If I can stack recharge effects on my healing nd, won''t I be able to repeatedly heal myself throughout a single fight, thus transforming myself into some sort of unkible juggernaut of death? If my defences continue to strengthen and my healing continues to pile up, isn''t that a powerful example of synergy right there? I quite like it! Let''s go down that direction!

    [Do you wish to improve Supportive Healing Inner Carapace ting to Braced Healing Inner Carapace ting +25? Do you wish to improve Potent Regeneration nd +20 to Frequent Potent Regeneration nd +25? This will cost 230 Biomass.]

    All up an expenditure of 345 Biomass. Ouch. That''s going to leave me with¡­ fifteen. Yikes. Hopefully, my next opponent is; a: delicious and b: doesn''t kill me.

    Time to bring on the itch!

    I confirm my choices and wait, tense.

    SHAGGABAGARNIFLOP!

 Chapter 368 In the red corner

    <h4>Chapter 368 In the red corner </h4>

    I don''t have that much time to recover before Granin returns to my cell. I suppose I should count myself lucky that he didn''t walk in whilst I was mutating, that would have been embarrassing. I''m tempted to ask him about it actually, something I really should have asked the Sophos when I had the chance. My pets don''t seem to have any issues when they mutate, and my siblings in the colony don''t seem to either. Is this something that only reincarnated Earthlings suffer from? Next time I speak to Jim and Sarah I should ask. I''d rather not ask Granin and have him make fun of me or something.

    When he arrives, I can tell something isn''t right. His craggy face is even more miserable than usual and he wastes no time in climbing down to meet me.

    [Hey Granin, you look like you were carved out of granite. Something go wrong?]

    [You''re not funny.]

    [You have no sense of humour, how would you know?]

    Granin sighs and throws himself down onto the only suitable chair in my cell. His stone body thuds down with significant weight and he raises a hand scrape across his brow. This doesn''t look good.

    [That bad?] I ask, feeling trepidatious.

    [It''s not great,] he admits, [They''re still looking to set you up with unfavourable matchups. After stuffing up the first round, it appears they''ve be determined to correct the mistake.]

    [What have we got? Some brutal physical specimen? Ready to crush me beneath its iron heels?]

    [Worse. This time they''ve gone after your strength. They tried dumb forcest time, this round they''ve gone with a highly intelligent magic using monster. Difference being that its raw stats and Skills are far above yours. You''ll have no magical advantage in this one, in fact, you''ll be at a massive deficit.]

    That doesn''t sound good. I''ve invested a lot in my magic. If this monster is a tier higher than me and even more invested in it, then that''s going to neutralise my greatest strength. Does this mean that I need to rely on my physical ability to carry me through? I may have to.

    [The other thing I need to tell you is that your opponent is a demon.]

    ¡­

    [Like¡­ from hell? What does that mean? Pitchforks? Will I get pronged?]

    Demons? What the heck does he mean by demons?! Have they opened the gate on mars and sprung forth beasts from the very depths of the infernal ne just to roast an ant?! What am I supposed to do?! Where''s DOOM guy?!

    [No. What''s hell? And pitchforks? Aren''t those for farmers? Shut up for a minute. Demons are what we call the monsters native to the Third Strata. It''s a ce of nightmares, ash and fire, in that order. The creatures there attack the mental and emotional weakness that all mortals possess to try and demoralise us and make us weak. They are powerful, tricky and have a distinct strata advantage over you.]

    I''m not sure I''ve heard him use that terminology before.

    [What do you mean by that?]

    [You know how the Shadow monsters, like that pet you don''t remember, are made of shadow flesh? Since it''s a substance that requires more dense mana to create, the monsters of the first strata don''t have ess to such a thing when they''re made. In our trade we would consider shadow monsters to have a strata advantage over monsters of the firstyer, they have ess to body parts and materials that are ¡­ better.]

    [So the same thing goes for the demons of the Third Strata, right? They''ve got stuff that requires an even higher mana density to spawn. Stuff that I can''t even see in the menu?]

    A nod.

    [Right,] Granin says heavily. [It''s going to be hard to ovee the gap. I firmly believe that you have a shot, but I''m not going to say it''ll be easy. We only have a few hours before the fight starts. We need to do all the work we can on your magical defences between now and then. If we can squeeze out even one Skill level up, it''ll be worth it.]

    For the next few hours Granin continuously shaped mana in the air whilst I tear it apart using external mana maniption. Desperate to make gains I use all of my brains for the task, reaching out and taking hold of the mana outside my body before trying to unravel it. It''s gruelling work, but we''re sessful in gaining another level before my ''escorts''e to take me out to the next match.

    My ant heart begins to pound in my chest as I take the now familiar march down the long tunnel, around the bends and past those many other locked cells that house mypetition. It doesn''t take long to reach the gate before thebat area, the three shapers behind me watching my every move. With a slow rattle the gate opens and I force myself to walk through into the rtively open air and wide space on the other side. Interesting, it appears as if they''ve repaired all the damage to the outer wall between the rounds. The work was way tooplete to have been done by hand. Earth magic? Stone magic? Combination of the two? Some of the obstructions have also made a return, rocky obtrusions that burst upward from the sandy floor. I can see the Shapers watching from the viewing stands, their mutterings barely audible at this range.

    Perhaps most importantly I can see my adversary, already present at the other side of the area.

    My first thought is that it''s a bat. Two leathery wings extend from its body and pzily to keep it mid-air. My second thought is that it''s small. Really small. The body of the thing is probably only asrge as a watermelon, the two wings stretching out to either side of it. My third thought is: ''that is a freaky looking eyeball.''

    The ''body'' of the creature appears to be little more than a giant, swollen eyeball, rimmed in dark red flesh that is absurdly bright. The flesh doesn''t really capture my attention though, since the eye itself is far more striking. It''s luridly, sickeningly, mind-bendingly green. Toplete the picture, thest thing thates to my attention are the two thin, dangling arms that drop down from just beneath where the wings connect to the ¡­ body/eye.

    All of my senses tune to their fullest. I''m tense, I''m ready. Even so I almost miss the thread of mind mana that slithers toward me from the monster opposite. I don''t even have time to take it apart before it connects and I brace myself for an onught. Instead, I hear a low, sibnt voice echo in my mind.

    [I see you.]

    Well ¡­ yeah? When I reply, I can''t help but lower my voice and mentally ''whisper'' back.

    [Of course you can. You''re basically just an eyeball with wings.]

    [I see your family. I see your siblings. The warmth. The support. I see how nice it issssss.]

    I''m just confused at this point.

    [Yes. It''s nice. How do you see that anyway?]

    The green eye zes brighter and the voice suddenly booms in my mind.

    [I WANT IT. I WILL TAKE IT ALL!]

    Seems stable.

 Chapter 369 Envy

    <h4>Chapter 369 Envy </h4>

    The little winged demon continues to idly p and hovers in ce as it res at me with its maddened eye whilst I try to figure out exactly how this thing is higher evolved than me. If it poured all of its evolutionary energy into mental stats and organs that enhanced its magical ability, how the heck is able to fit all of that into such a tiny body? I know for a fact that my brains upy more space than the tiny monster upies and it supposedly has a much bigger mind than I do! Where did all that brain matter go? Does it have ess to some sort of megapressed neurons or something? If so, it''s not fair! That sounds like it would be really useful!

    Besides that, I need to focus. My sub-brains have already put together the mana constructs I feel I''m going to need for this battle. Firstly, condensed ice magic construct. Since the creature is a ''demon'' from the Third Strata, a ce of fire and ash, it stands to reason that fire magic wouldn''t be too effective, therefore it seems as if ice will be the best bet. Granin supported the decision so I can''t be too far off the mark. For my secondary option, I''ve actually gone with healing magic. If I''m going to get close to this nasty fellow and bite him to death, then I suspect that I''m going to take an absolute battering on the way in. With my newfound regenerative abilities,bined with healing mana, I''m hoping that I''ll have enough staying power to absorb the punishment that''s sure toe my way.

    The real problem I have is that Granin wasn''t able to tell me what sort of magic this little beast might be capable of. It''s been trained by a triad of Shapers, just like every other monster in this ce, but what they decided was the most effective use of that brainpower was I have no idea. I''m going to have to find out the hard way I suppose.

    This is going to be rough.

    I can''t believe such a small monster is giving such an intense feeling of pressure, but even beyond what I''ve been told about it, the insane looking little bugger just creeps me out. The voice in my head sure isn''t helping.

    [Ahhhhh. I know you now. I can see your tasssssste.]

    [You are one weird unit buddy. I think we''re done here.]

    Before the Shaper in charge of the fight can dere it''s begun I reach out to the mind bridge connecting the two of us and flex my will, tearing it to shreds. The feeling of having the mental connection cut so suddenly is jarring but I''m certain its significantly worse for the mini-demon. A moment of triumph before the start of the bout! Good start. Before I can even finish congratting myself I sense another mind bridge worming its way toward me. I don''t know how he does it but the spell is so hard to sense as if he were using stealth mode or something. Reaching out with my mind I seize the threads and tear it apart once more, but before I''m even done I sense another bridgeing, then another, and another one after that!

    Holy moly!

    Launching into action mode I sink my minds into meditation and put my main mind as well as my biggest sub-brain to work on tearing the spells apart before they reach me. Tense seconds pass as I focus all of my attention on cutting apart the spells that seem to fly at me without end. Every single one of themes from a different angle, feels slightly different and moves at a different speed. It''s impossible to sense any sort of rhythm or pattern and the demon is relentless. Each moment that passes brings the bridges that little bit closer to connecting and redouble my efforts. 0I focus so hard on the mental battle that I barely register the Shaper sweeping a hand to indicate the start of the fight.

    Oh right! I need to atta -.

    BOOM!

    I fly back from a tremendous impact that sends me reeling, my legs scrabbling in the air as I struggle to gain my bnce in the air.

    THUD.

    Ind heavily and try to put my feet under me as fast as I can. What the hell just happened to me? Am I damaged?! What''s going on?

    [I sssssee your pain. It''s sssso nice!]

    When the heck?! Speaking of pain, my freakin'' head hurts! Just ignore it, Anthony! You need to move!

    DASH!

    BOOM!

    Another explosion rocks the position just behind me, once again lifting me off the ground. That first shot hurt. Checking my HP I can see I''m already down twenty points, arge chunk has been taken out of my carapace right between my eyes. Yeeouch! Don''t want to get hit with another one of those, need to keep moving!

    DASH!

    I try to collect my thoughts as I move around the outside of the ring. I think this little devil battered me with mind bridges just so I''d be distracted, then bopped me right in the face with a spell the second the fight started. How dirty! This damnable demon is sneaky! I don''t think I''ve ever faced a monster this smart. This is going to be hard.

    I decide not to pull the trigger on my healing nd just yet. Internal damage isn''t too bad and external damage will be healed over time, I just need to give my ting a little time. If I get hit in the same ce again it might be lights out, but I need to risk it to win the biscuit. The biscuit in this instance being some delicious demon meat.

    [Give it all to me. All your thingssss are for me!]

    BOOM!

    I can barely see it. The little monster hasn''t moved since the fight started and his spells are as fast as lightning. It''s a small red orb that zaps out from the eye in a straight line and detonates when it contacts something. I''ve never even heard of that kind of magic! Dammit Granin, what the hell is this?!

    No point getting mad, I just need to focus and get closer enough to chomp the damn monster into shreds. For now, I''ll leave the mind bridge alone, it hasn''t attacked me across the bridge yet so I''ll leave it alone whilst being ready to sever it at a moment''s notice. Instead, I''ll use the brainpower I have to get my own offence going. If the floaty eyeball wants to talk smack then I''m happy to oblige.

    [I''ve heard eating eyes is good for the brain. We''re going to find out if that''s true today!]

    Eat ice!

    Start with the basics, I fling out a shard of ice, aiming to skewer the damned demon and pin him to the wall but before it reaches the target it dissolved to nothing in mid-air.

    Dodge!

    BOOM!

    Another explosion sends sand and dirt flying in every direction and I scrabble to keep my feet. Can''t stop moving, even for a second. The nasty little creature is clearly aiming for my head, trying to score the knockout punch. As if I''d let you! More Ice!

    Weaving condensed mana takes more effort and energy on my part, but it''s also harder for the demon to break apart, requiring more effort on his part. Judging from his earlier performance, he can shape a heck of a lot of spells at once when he wants to if I can distract his attention even a little then that''s going to help me close in.

    This time two bolts of deep blue ice fly through the air like spears. They dissolve once more but I notice they get much closer tonding than the single-shot did. When the monster is distracted breaking down my magic I angle my dash to reach a little closer. I''ming for you!

 Chapter 370 The real master of magic

    <h4>Chapter 370 The real master of magic </h4>

    The second I put a leg within twenty metres of the demon, it suddenly acts. One of its dangling arms flicked in my direction and three of the red balls flew in my direction at once!

    BOOM!

    Arrrgh! Pain blossoms along the side of my abdomen as I manage to turn my body at thest moment, protecting my head. The unfortunate result is that my legs are exposed and as the three balls detonate alongside me they are immediately ravaged with pain. That little beast has been acting weak this whole time! I should have known that throwing one spell at a time was way too easy. I''ve fallen for his trap again. His stupid spells are so fast that I barely have a chance to start breaking them apart before theynd. Not to mention he weaves them together with such speed that the moment I sense the mana build-up he''s almost ready to shoot. This stupid little gremlin is giving me a headache!

    [You have it. I will taaaake it! Give it to meeeeeee!]

    [Get bent!]

    I''ve no choice but to trigger the regeneration nd. Two legs on my left side are heavily crippled and are impeding my mobility. If I leave it like this I''m only going to be food for more of those ridiculous explosion balls. Just what sort of magic is that anyway?! Once again put on the defensive I focus on dodging and moving in unpredictable patterns as the healing fluid rockets through my system, creating new tissues and connecting them at an absurd pace. To speed the process I fire off mytest Ice Spears and then begin to weave a healing spell toy onto myself.

    Of course, the little demon doesn''t want to make life easy for me. Now that the jig is up, he''s more than willing to toss multiple spells at the same time but with greater distance between us, I''ve got much more time to dodge. I watch the demon carefully each moment and I can see he''s enjoying this. The sadistic little imp. Even now I can''t be sure that he''s not toying with me. Regardless, I''ve managed to survive long enough to get the healing spell off andbined with the effect of my healing nd, my body is knitting itself together at a stupidly fast pace. Watching my HP climb so fast is certainly a good feeling. Granin was right. Stacking effects on top of each other is the way to produce a better effect!

    With my legs back under me, I take my distance from the beast to prepare my next offensive. Sensing my defensive posture the monster takes the pressure off and starts talking some smack.

    [Come back to meeee. Is it better where you are? I want iiiit!]

    [Oh, don''t worry eyeball, I''mmin'' back over there. Don''t worry about it.]

    The creature''s wings do a little wriggle of glee as I talk back to it and the eye widens even further if that''s at all possible. I swear that eye is starting to be darker and it looks a little .. Broken. As if it were a window that was starting to crack. No matter. If it means something, I don''t know what and there''s little point guessing. I just need to focus on my next offensive.

    Keeping an eye on my opponent and making sure that I never stop moving, I focus my main mind and strongest sub mind on shaping my next offensive ice spell. Handling the condensed ice mana is difficult and it takes quite a bit of work to put this spell together. Hopefully, it''s strong enough to make it difficult for the mini-demon to break it apart.

    Once I have the spell ready, I don''t fire it immediately. It takes about ten seconds to ready that magic, enough time for my enemy to weave any number of hideous constructs to inflict on me. I''ve no doubt that he can sense the magic I''ve built up and he must be ready to retaliate the second I unleash it, so instead, I hold onto it and begin to close the distance between us bit by bit.

    Dashing head-on is just asking to get a death ball to the noggin, so instead I angle my dashes to bring me a little closer after each one as the monster and I engage in a little game of chicken. If I can bait out his counterspells whilst still being at a reasonable range then the chances of a sessful dodge are much greater, the closer I get the less time he''ll have to break my spell apart. My heart is right in my mandibles as the gap between us continues to shrink. The sand flies out from beneath me and out behind me as my legs kick up a trail as I run, getting closer every time I move.

    The monster finally decides to act and flicks its hand out once more as I close within thirty metres. The second it does I kick my legs hard and rise into the air, the moment I do so I unleash the spell I''ve held onto. The spell drops down into the ground in the form of a bright ice blue light that starts to race through the sand toward the monster as I raise my legs high to keep them from the inevitable explosion. The monster unleashed four of the deadly balls of death this time and threw them out in an arc that would have surely caught me had I continued to run forward, instead they detonate beneath me, throwing me further into the air.

    The concussive force is absorbed by my carapace ting but even so, I take some internal damage from the st. Those spells pack a punch! Still, my spell should distract the monster long enough for me to get back onto my feet and close in for a juicy chomp!

    I reorient my body and catch sight of my opponent and my spell racing through the ground toward him. To my surprise, the imp doesn''t seem too concerned with the ice magic making its way to the sand beneath it, instead, its eye res at me even harder. At this range I can see that the eye isn''t broken but filled with thick, pulsing capiries that appear like cracks in a mirror, threading their way through the iris. Just as I make this disgusting discovery, something else happens.

    The air beneath the pping eyeball ripples before it seems to unfold, revealing a huge grinning mouth suspended in mid-air, full of gnashing teeth. Just before my spell erupts the mouth opens wide to reveal a bright green, fleshy tongue that unfolds to taste the air as the eye shes dangerously.

    Not good!

    POW! POW! POW! POW! POW!

    Angling my body I unload a barrage of acid toward the monster as the eye res dazzlingly bright. The ice magic res in the ground and a sharp pir of ice spears out of the ground to thrust toward the flying monster just as a searing beam of bright green lightnces out from that eye and pierces my body. The ice pir stabs home and scrapes the side of the monster, unleashing a spray of sizzling ck blood into the air. The shock of the strike throws the monster off bnce and the beam sears through my body, cutting a deep gash in me before ncing off into the stands.

    OUCH! That stings!

    OOMPH!

    Hitting the ground stings even worse! Desperation explodes in my mind as I take stock. I''m hurt, I''m hurt real bad. It''s only been a minute since Ist used my healing nd and there''s precious little juice recharged back in there but I fire it off anyway. Every little bit helps! My legs feel weak as I push them beneath myself and start to haul my body behind a rock. Healing mana, do your thing!

 Chapter 371 The secret technique of my elders

    <h4>Chapter 371 The secret technique of my elders </h4>

    Sunk deep into meditation, by mind is cool andposed, the pain ringing on the outside of my awareness. I can take this, I can handle it. Get that healing spell going ASAP and worry about everything elseter. I push my legs to drag my damaged body to some sort of cover as my two most powerful minds cooperate to throw together some healing magic. It only takes a few seconds but it feels like an eternity before the spell isplete and my flesh begins to knit back together. It isn''t enough though, the damage this time is severe. Whatever that damn eyebeam was, it was strong enough to cut through my carapace like it was paper. I think a piece of stomach is hanging outside of my body. Yuck. I can only hope that the demon was hurt bad enough to keep it froming over here and finishing me off. I know that my spell managed to slice it, hopefully my acid will help cause a distraction as well.

    I hunker down for a few tense moments as I spin together another healing spell toy onto myself. The second it starts ticking I flex my legs and dash out from behind the rock I''d used for shelter.

    BOOM!

    Just before the thing explodes. Nice timing, Anthony! Shards of stone tter off my carapace and fall like rain across the wholebat area in the wake of that explosion. The sand kicks up into a wave of precious vision blocking dust that allows me to jink once more as I reach out with my mana sense to grasp the location of the creature.

    Every second brings me closer to full health! Hold on, ant! You can do it! Even as my health increases, there''s another problem that is bing more and more urgent. My stamina is falling. I''ve been dashing about like a mad thing ever since this fight started and I''m getting pretty darn tired! Although I can keep healing myself and drag the fight out, I''m pitting my own physical stamina against the little demon''s mental stamina, and I''m not confident that''s a battle I can win.

    Before my situation bes too desperate and I can no longer run, I need to heal up and then bet everything on the next strike! Luckily thatst exchange gave me a hint! This is going to get crazy.

    I keep dodging about to buy more time as the dust clears and I get a clear view of my opponent once more. The acid does appear to have done some work along with my ice pir. Dark blood is dripping down the monster''s arm and one of its leathery bat wings has a gaping hole. Oddly enough the hole doesn''t seem to have any effect on the creature''s ability to stay airborne. There must be some sort of trickery there. It still isn''t nimbly flying about however, rather just hovering in one ce. There must be a reason for that. At least, I hope to heck there''s a reason for that.

    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

    Seemingly enraged, the creature throws out st after st, forcing me to dodge and dash with all of my strength as my healing spells stitch me back together. That eerie mouth that appears to be suspended in mid-air, attached to nothing, keeps grinning at me, as if it were the Cheshire cat but the mouth wasrge enough to swallow a sheep whole.

    It''s creepy!

    Still, I think I''m just about as ready as I''m going to get. Dragging this out is only going to make things more disadvantageous to me. The eye appears to be drained of energy, the green no longer as bright and ring as it was before, but over time it''s been recovering. This could mean that the eye can''t use its mega-beamser continuously, having to wait for a recharge. Or it could be a trick. Either way I still have to go for it. Reluctantly, I let go of both the mana constructs I''ve held onto so far. For the n I have in mind, I''m not going to need them and if it doesn''t work out, I''m still not going to need them!

    With all four of my brains free and focused and I hone my senses in on the floating beast with razor sharpness. I can see it all. The heat, the movement, the mana, even that little whisper of the future. I''m going to need all of it for this. If things go well, this scene is going to detonate under the watching shapers like a quake.

    Breathe, Anthony. Just breathe. Focus and bring it home.

    FOR THE COLONY!

    [I WANT YOUR PAAAAIN. I WANT YOUR FLESSSSSH! I WANT YOUR SOUUULLL! GIVE THEM TO MEEE!]

    [I hope you taste nearly as good as you fight!]

    Once again the high speed dance begins as I try to close in on the monster, dashing and dodging ever closer as he fires exploding missiles of death my way. With all of my brains on deck, the three sub-brains cooperating with the aid of the coordination cortex, I can follow the flow of the fight much better than before. I sense the spells faster, my body reacts quicker and those echoes of the future are more helpful when I have the avable brain power to take them in.

    POW! POW! POW!

    I weave in acid sts to keep the monster distracted as I move, trying to throw the monster off its game. Every little bit of attention I can distract from myself will help in the long run! My enhanced reactions are firing on all cylinders and even the eyeball seems to be getting frustrated as his eye glows brighter and brighter and his little gestures get angrier every time he waves his hand. Feeling pressure yet, little demon? I''ming for you!

    CLACK!

    I snap my mandibles hard and the sound echoes around thebat area.

    CLACK! CLACK! CLACK!

    As I race from ce to ce, narrowly dodging and skirting around the explosions I continue to ck my mandibles to taunt the demon. The eye bulges with rage, the worm-like capiries swell with fluid as the once smiling mouth now snarls.

    GWEHEHEHEH! Yesssss. Get mad, get distracted. I''ming for you!

    As I close to within thirty metres I can sense the time ising and my mind sharpens to a point like a razor. It''sing, any second now! I''m dashing across the creature, moving from the creature''s left to its right at high speed. This manoeuvre is going to be tough as heck. Elders of the past, give me your strength!

    The eye starts to re bright once more as the creature raises its hand. I''m so focused that the limb almost appears to move in slow motion. It raises up and with a flick of that little bony wrist I feel six res of mana from the monster. Six huh? You were still holding back on me! No matter, I have you now!

    Before the small spheres of destruction appear, I can already see them. Little echoes of the future, almost transparent, fly outward in a broad arc, trying to entrap me in a wall of explosions. Every nerve in my body fires at once as I leap into action. My legs kick and dig at the dirt as I try to arrest my momentum and change direction. My body turns to face the monster as I slide. Those ghostly future images of the deadly spells are quickly followed by the real thing as the six spheres materialise and st outward. My minds are wound so tight I can feel them screaming in pain. I can''t breathe, I can''t think. All of my focus is on those spells and the feel of my body.

    The time ising! Don''t miss it. Miss and I''m dead. Don''t die. Don''t die! DON''T DIE!

    JUMP!

    The moment I stop sliding through the sand and feel my ws dig into the ground, I calcte the angle and jump. The future echo of the spells is already right in front of my face, the real thing only a heartbeat behind. As I leap, my legs spread wide to allow one of the spells to pass through them before it impacts the ground beneath me.

    The detonation sears the underside of my body and pain sears my minds, but more important than that, the force of the explosionbined with the lift from my own jump propels me straight toward the monster with impossible speed.

    [IT''S A ROCKET JUMP FOOL! DOOM GUY LIVES IN MEEEEEEEEE!]

 Chapter 372 Demonically delicious

    <h4>Chapter 372 Demonically delicious </h4>

    My massive ant body hurtles through the air as if I''ve been fired out of a cannon with my mandibles open wide. The air whistles past, pushing my antennae back against my head with the force. I''m seriously moving now, I can almost taste that demon now! Even as I prepare for the chomp, the monster doesn''t appear to have given up. Resentment and anger are umted in that eye and it shes blindingly green once more!

    I knew it woulde down to this! I''ve no way to dodge and no way out. Flying head on, if thatser hits me it''ll drill straight through my head and roast my brain, I can''t allow it to happen!

    All four of my brains reach out toward the demon and grasp hold of the immense mana flooding into that eye. Being so close to it, I can feel the weave of mana being concentrated in that eye and even in this situation I can appreciate the sheer skill on disy. The dense threads of mana are weaved with such speed and precision it shocks me. The little demon is painting a four dimensional masterpiece with thousands of individual brushstrokes in a matter of seconds. The mastery such a feat requires is astounding! Not that I can allow it to happen¡­

    Desperate to prevent the spell from firing I use every bit of my Will to take hold of the mana and rip it apart. As I fly through the air, my jaws prepared to crunch, a contest of minds takes ce and I''m severely outmatched. As I try to seize the mana taking shape within the eye and break it, destroying the fragile work the demon has created, it tries to lock the mana in ce, holding it firm and denying my attempts even as it races to finish the spell before I can bite it.

    Once again I''m left in awe at the sheer mental power of the creature. So this is what a true master of magic looks like! Even though it has evolved one more time than I have, I really didn''t expect the difference to be this severe. How the hell does it pack so much raw brain into that tiny body?! It''s insane!

    It might be an unfair arm wrestle, but it''s one that I have no choice but to win! Victory or defeat is measured in a matter of milliseconds. In this strange slow motion world that we upy I can already see the dark energy that manifests my omen chomp taking shape at the edges of my mandibles. In less than a second they''ll expand outward and close on the soft, squishy body of this demon, ending it. I just have to dy theser beam until then!

    Frantic, I redouble my efforts! If you can build, then I''ll destroy! RIP! RIP! RIP! RIP! RIP! RIP! RIP! Every mind I possess is working at its maximum capacity, my entire body is screaming in pain. We have to get there in time!

    To my horror, my antennae begin to tingle and something I really don''t want to see begins to take shape in front of my eyes. From the centre of that bulging eyeball a phantomser sts outwards,ncing toward my head, directly between my eyes.

    NONONOONONONONONONNONOONOONONONONONONONO!

    I''m so damn close!

    Tear! Destory! Demolish! Anything! Like an insane child going to town on a pinata I cannot be stopped, recklessly trying to destroy every piece of mana I can get my mental hands on.

    But it''s not enough! The Will of the demon is as solid as Iron and the realser sts out from the eye, spearing down the trail left behind by its future echo. AHHHHHHHH NOOOOO!

    MOTHER!

    CHOMP!

    Silence reigns over thebat area as the dust settles. For a brief, paralysing moment I''m not even sure if I''m alive or dead. My body feels dead. Am I dead? Is Gandalf going to speak to me again or will my soul just dissipate into nothing? Geez, my head hurts. The worst part of four brains means four simultaneous headaches is a real thing I have to deal with. It sucks.

    If my head hurts¡­ then I must be alive. Surely you don''t get afterlife headaches?! I attempt to wiggle my antennae and to my joy I find I can still move them! Aha! I live! I''M ALIVE! Almost unable to believe it, I start tapping my head all over with my antennae, just trying to confirm that my head still exists. I swear I saw thatser zap straight into my head¡­

    Creepily, I find that it actually did. Right between my eye orbs a significant hole has been drilled directly into my carapace. In a thousandth of a second it probably would have tunnelled all the way through and into my brain. My body goespletely weak with relief. That was way too close. Holy moly, I can''t take many more of these!

    At the same time I can feel a giddy excitement welling up inside me, making me shake with silent antughter.

    I live! Against all the odds, I still live! Screw you Dungeon! Get stuffed Shapers! I roll with all the punches and I''m still kicking! This insect is here to stay! BWAHAHAHAAAAA!

    Wait a second¡­ I haven''t received the Dungeon notifications!

    I roll to my feet and scrabble to turn around. Where the heck is the demon?! Heart in my mouth, I rush to where I''d collided with it and breathe a sigh of relief. It might not be dead, but it''s not looking so hot. The eye has been crushed and its body is a wreck. It''s a minor miracle that it''s still alive. The tenuous connection between us still exists and I feel a voice whisper in my mind.

    [I wanted ¡­ your everthinggg.]

    I look down on the now pitifully broken body of the demon.

    [You¡­ are freakin'' weird man. I can''t lie.]

    CHOMP!

    [You have in level 57 Luminare Daemon Invidia (VI)]

    [You have gained experience!]

    [You have reached level 24.]

    [You have reached level 25.]

    [You have reached level 26.]

    [You have reached level 27.]

    [You have reached level 28.]

    The moment the demon is confirmed dead, something bizarre happens. As if a hole connected to a world of grossness opened, a flood of brain matter and bits explode out the back of the demon''s head. The creepy mouth also materialises a connection to the main body andunching out from behindes a gigantic, distended stomach. In a matter of seconds a huge pile of offal has appeared, steaming in the dim light of thebat area.

    Uh ¡­ delicious?

 Chapter 373 The shock of it all

    <h4>Chapter 373 The shock of it all </h4>

    Up in the stands Granin can''t help but chuckle in relief as he watched Anthony gingerly approach the disgusting pile of Biomass that had seemingly been vomited from thin air. Perhaps at some point he could have told his charge that demons stored body parts in self-contained micro-dimensions, allowingrge and powerful monsters to appear small and harmless, the bulk of their body mass shunted off into a pocket space. The Shapers would dearly love to be able to control such a piece of magic but it had eluded them for eons. The demons seemed to have ess to it as a matter of course, simply for being born demons, as if it were a natural part of their biology. Whatever the case, it certainly made them creepy and deceptive enemies to fight against.

    That had been close. Far too close. Going into the fight he''d given Anthony a ten percent chance ofing out on top, but even he''d been shocked by the amount of power that''d been packed into that little demon. A monster fully specialised in physical stats with great speed and power would have been much better off than the ant. Not only were his statscking, his Skills were also weak whenpared to a more specialised monster since he''d spent so much time grinding his magic and mental abilities. This tournament was almost fiendishly set up to target his weakness as a generalised creature. But still, he''d been able to win.

    That final manoeuvre had been dreamed up on the border between genius and insanity, Granin was sure of it. Who would think of using the st from an explosion to propel themselves toward their enemy head first? It was insane, tremendously difficult to pull off and almost certainly suicide. And yet Granin was now looking down at a monster cheerfully chowing down on its defeated foe having utilised just such a move.

    As the tension slowly drained out of Granin he couldn''t help but be increasingly aware of the shock and disappointment radiating from the Shapers around him, particrly from the figure on his left.

    "Incredible. A truly brilliant tactical decision." He mused out loud, seemingly to himself.

    Gravus immediately blew up.

    "Tactical decision?! It was a FLUKE! Pure luck! I''ve never seen such a disgusting disy! That inferior creature had been outssed the entire bout until that - that - idiotic disy!"

    The vehemence at which Gravus spat his vitriol shocked even Granin and he couldn''t help but turn to look at the elderly Shaper directly. The old man was visibly livid, chest heaving and eyes aze, his hands were gripped in fists so tight his true skin was starting to crack. A sensible and sane Shaper would clearly not poke the tiger and tastefully retreat in this situation. What profit could be had out of provoking a viper like Gravus? Sadly, Granin had never considered himself particrly sensible.

    "An idiotic disy? Are you daft, blind or both? That idiotic disy secured victory from a clearly disadvantageous position. I demand you acknowledge the genius that has been disyed before you here today!"

    If he was a roused tiger before, Gravus transformed into a volcano now. He turned toward Granin, face twisted with rage and arms flying wildly.

    "Demand? DEMAND?! You don''t get to demand anything from me Granin you half qualified excuse for a Shaper! You''re just a big a piece of TRASH as that insect that you sponsor! You''re very presence in this cult makes me sick."

    Granin blinked slowly. The fire had begun to burn in him now, the other''s words had said too much that was usually left unspoken. He took a step towards the other Shaper until they were almost bumping foreheads and his voice dropped to a menacing whisper.

    "And why might that be, Gravus? Is it because we get things done? Is it because we actually achieve something, instead of sitting on our ossified asses in a tower, cowering like a little grub? Why don''t you say it? Why don''t you tell me exactly why you don''t want me and my charge here in this cult? Hmm?"

    Gravus was too lost in his rage to notice the dangerous glint in the other''s eye. Puffed up on indignation and anger he blustered forward, unafraid.

    "You know exactly why you''re unworthy, Granin! Your family is a TRASH offshoot of a TRASH n! And you, you are the perfect descendant of that line. The ultimate trash! Don''t pretend you don''t know it!" He sneered. "Your true skin announces your status for all the world to see! Filthy base stone for a filthy base Shaper! I''m still shocked you weren''t abandoned by your family in disgrace but it goes to show how little morals they have!"

    Hold onto it Granin. Hold it in. You can''t be the first to swing. He took in a slow breath before he returned fire.

    "Yet my achievements in the cult are piled high whilst you have done nothing to earn your exalted position. I bet it burns you deep inside, knowing just how much a fraud you are. What do you know? Nothing. What have you done? Nothing. You aren''t wrong. That insect down there and I are very alike. We keep getting things done despite you. Just how powerless are you Gravus? It kills you, but you know it''s true. At the end of the day, it''s going to be that ant and I standing at the top whilst you and your vaunted n p from the sidelines."

    "OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

    He''d achieved his goal, the old man hadpletely snapped. With that final roar, Gravus threw aside his dignity, drew back his fist incited the first brawl to have ever urred in the viewing area of thebat arena. The onlookers, stunned by the vicious disy of words between their two colleagues who had been preparing to retire from the arena to spread this delicious gossip, but soon found themselves gobsmacked as they witnessed a full on fist fight. Even more than this, the words spoken on both sides had ignited the passions of more than a few in the stands, and as the fists flew more than a few arguments began which quickly descended into an all-out battle that drew in everyone in attendance.

    Down in the pit, the ant couldn''t help but pause its meal for a brief moment as it watched the developing spectacle before dismissing them all with a flick of its antennae and returning to its meal.

    An hourter Granin was grinning broadly as Anthony finished his meal. Torrina Laksham alternated between looking at the giant ant with an approving gaze and ring at her triad leader with smouldering anger.

    "You punched Oridene Gravus. The Oridene Gravus?" Corun asked, bewildered.

    "I did more than that!" Granin boasted. "I thrashed him!"

    He chortled delightedly at the memory. Gravus had never worked much in the field, he was a ssic schr, as physically weak as a Golgari could get. Combined with his advanced age, it had never been close to a fair fight. Granin had beaten down on the loathsome spectre until his low ss granite fists had started to powder.

    "And what are your heroics going to do for Anthony''s chances in this tournament?" Torrina asked sharply. "Gravus will stop at nothing to humiliate you now!"

    Granin harrumphed.

    "He was already doing everything he could to make things hard for Anthony. Nothing is going to change except that now everyone knows what''s going on since he admitted it openly. If anything, it''ll be better now!"

    Corun looked at him, wide eyed.

    "Do you really think so?"

    "Of course it won''t!" Torrina snapped at them. "The bias is open knowledge now and so is the grudge. Gravus will pull the whole weight of his triad behind him to settle this now! We''re going to get squeezed for every resource between now and the next fight and you better believe they''ll be pulling out all the stops to put the hardest matchup they can find in front of us!"

    As if her words had punctured him, Granin slumped forward.

    "You''re right." He sighed. "I know you''re right."

    He looked up at his two triad members and his charge.

    "I''m sorry. I let myself get carried away."

    "Don''t be sorry, be better. We''re going to have to pull in every favour and get as many eyes on our candidate as possible if we want to pull through. We need to ensure Anthony gets the best of everything from now on. We need Biomass, training, cores and we need it yesterday!"

    Granin wearily pulled himself to his feet.

    "Come on Corun. You and I need to hit up the quartermaster before Gravus can wake up."

    "YOU KNOCKED HIM OUT?!" Corun shrieked.

    "What does it matter now? Let''s go. Torrina, you talk to Anthony and work on a n for training."

 Chapter 374 I feel potential here

    <h4>Chapter 374 I feel potential here </h4>

    The Biomass left behind by the demon was even less appetising in appearance than my usual fare, but that doesn''t mean I''m going to leave a juicy pile of Biomass on the floor. I need ''dem points! So I stuff my +25 stomach until the only remnant of that hideous demon is the ratherrge glowing core on the floor.

    After myst match and I obtained the core of the Rhino I did what I usually do with such a core. I pushed my core surgery skill to the limit making edits that I felt made sense until it felt like making further changes was like shifting a brick wall with my eyeballs, then I absorbed it. Surprisingly enough, the monster had contained a rare core, pushing my MP higher by a good chunk. I still haven''t maxed out my core for this evolution, so I''ve been spared the pain and difort of pushing my core beyond its limit so far.

    But this core. This just might be what I''m looking for. The core is also rare, not surprising considering the sheer power of the monster. I could muck about with the core and then absorb it, but I feel that might be a waste of this opportunity! This monster is exactly what I want! Even the profile seems to suggest that this creature would be ideal for the pet I''ve been needing to fill!

    [Luminare Daemon Invidia: Lesser Envy Demon, This Lesser Demon has shed it''s base demonic shell and taken on the aspect of Envy. All Envy demons are supremely jealous and covet what they perceive others to have. To that end they are intensely insightful, able to see that which others would rather keep hidden, and use powerful mental abilities to dominate their opponents through magicalbat.]

    Even the brutally dominant magic user that I encountered was just the lesser variant?! And what does it mean by ''shed its base demonic shell''. It seems to suggest that a demon doesn''t even count as a proper demon until they reach tier six?! My own colony members are considered fully fledged members when they reach tier three! And it''s not like it''s twice as tough to reach tier six as it is tier three, it''s forty levels to get to tier three including core formation. It''s three hundred and twenty to get to tier six! Monstrous!

    Putting aside what life may be like in the Third Strata, the weak physical skills,ck of mobility and focus on pure spellcasting make this monster feel as if it doesn''t belong on its own, flying solo. As part of a group, acting as a support caster? Perfection! Eager to investigate the possibilities to their fullest I bring my antennae down to touch the core and activate the core surgery skill. My mind is immediately flooded with the densely encoded biology of the demon.

    Holy moly! Granin wasn''t kidding when he told me that the creatures from the lower strata get ess to some sweet goodies that I''d never pped eyes on. Dimensional pocket?! They get their own little bag of holding in which to store their own guts! That exins the gizzard explosion when I finally finished the monster off¡­ Still, that''s only the beginning.

    That sheer brain power was entirely contained within the one mind. No multiple brain shenanigans for this guy. The triad that managed him probably ensured that he''d be able to make full use of the mind construct technique to leverage those raw stats. It goes without saying that the demon has far higher mental stats than I do, whilst its physical stats are fully in tank mode. Some of these organs are just crazy. Eye of Envy? Allows the demon to see mental state and memories? Give me a break! That''s a thing?! No wonder he was talking all that crazy talk. On the other hand, he''s able to look inside and see exactly what support someone would need the instant they need it whilst using his creepy ability to apply devastating targeted mental magic.

    The deeper I look, the more convinced I be. This little demon will make the perfect pet to round out my little gang. Without buying more pet rted Skills I won''t be able to have any more pets than three, but I don''t need or want more than that. I''m starting to really feel the pinch in terms of resources to provide for the pets. The sheer number of cores, amount of experience and weight of Biomass required to keep them as strong as possible is getting hard to find. And that situation is only going to get worse. I need to make sure that I myself keep levelling and upgrading my mutations to keep pace with the threats I seem to continuously run into, which naturally takes away from what I can give my pets. Once I add this little demon to retinue, I think I''ll have to stop.

    [What are you doing, Anthony? Practicing your Core Surgery?] Torrina breaks into my thoughts.

    [Ah. Actually no. I''m examining the core to see if the little demon will make a good pet to round out my group. I think it will fit quite nicely! I need a support type caster and this guy will fit the role admirably well when he manages to train up a few new skills.]

    The Shaper stares at me for a moment before breaking out into a fit ofughter.

    [What''s so funny?] I ask.

    [I''m just imagining the triad who raised this monster. They must have worked so hard. The painstaking effort to capture a demon and raise it all the way to tier six, training and guiding its development, only to have it lose to an ant. And then the ant takes all that hard work and turns it into a pet! I hope they never hear about it.]

    [If anything, it''s apliment!] I defend myself. [They did a great job on this guy, his mutations, stats and organs work well together to create a powerful and insightful caster. He''s perfect for what I have in mind.]

    [You aren''t wrong,] she agrees, [but have you considered that passing up on absorbing this core will mean that you''ll be that little bit weaker for your next fight? Can you really afford to n for the future right now?]

    [I still think it''s rubbish that I can''t take pets into the fights,] I grumble, [I spent a lot of time and effort on my pets.]

    [Whoever brought the most monsters would win. Apetition of wealth is not in the interests of the Cult,] Torrina reminds me.

    [I know,] I sigh. [Yes I know that the danger I''m in is very real, I only made it out of thatst fight by the finest of margins after all. But if I throw away all of my long term goals to survive this tournament, what will I have left in the event that I do win? Nothing! I''ll be worse off than when I started, having all of my paths to advance cut off.]

    [In the end it''s up to you. We''re here to advise, nothing more. To be honest, I agree with what you''re saying. It''s one of the reasons that I agree with Granin on this tournament. Pushing monsters to fight or die forces short term thinking and corner cutting. An ancient won''t be born in such conditions. The current ancients spent who knows how long growing into their strength.]

    [Well said. Alright then, no point holding back, let''s make this happen.]

    Giving my full attention to the core, I bring my antennae forward and tap them onto the core.

    [Compatible monster core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute a monster?]

    Reconstitute!

    Let the third and final pet be born!

    The core immediately emits a blinding light as it melts down and takes on a new form. When the process isplete, a tiny eyeball with stunted, weakened wings slowly opens and looks up at me.

    [Hey there little guy. Wee to the team!]

 Chapter 375 Back at it

    <h4>Chapter 375 Back at it </h4>

    A few hourster, Granin barges into the chamber and pushes past my ever watching triad of guards to climb down into my cell. When he reaches the bottom and sees me feeding a little mini-demon, he freezes for just a second before he bursts outughing.

    [You as well?] Iin.

    [I mean - I just - ¡­ Can you imagine their faces if they heard?]

    Not this again. I''m almost starting to feel guilty.

    [He''s an incredible piece of work!] I point out defensively. [I didn''t even need to do anything to change his core, just fiddled with his evolutions a little.]

    [I know, I know.] Granin waves a hand. [I have to say I was pretty impressed they managed to raise a demon so well, it''s notoriously difficult to do.]

    That''s intriguing. Now that I have a demon in my little group, I''m quite curious to learn more about them. The more I know about my team members, the better I''m able to support them.

    [Why''s that the case? Is it something to do with the basic shell mentioned in the profile?]

    Granin nods.

    [Demons are a bit of an oddity in the Dungeon. You can effectively think of them as being divided into two groups. The lower-tiered demons spawn as basically brainless, violent monsters who are even more bloodthirsty than your average beast. Sometimes they don''t even eat what they hunt, just move onto the next battle to satisfy their bloodlust.]

    [What a waste of perfectly good Biomass!]

    [I know. As they evolve, they get stronger, but their basic instincts don''t go away. All demons are capable magic users basically from birth, even those who focus on it and evolve down the path to bing like our little friend here,] he gestures to the Envy demon, [get more adept with magic but are still enved by their instincts.]

    [So they get smarter, but remain mindless killing machines?]

    [Basically. They be more cunning killing machines.]

    [The Third Strata sounds terrifying!]

    [It is. But we aren''t done yet.]

    [There''s more?!]

    [Oh, yes. Once they reach tier six, the demons begin to take on aspects and transition to the second group. These are the upper demons. More powerful, more specialised and entirely in control of their instincts. Just as smart as the surface races, they have their own society down there and believe me when I say that it''s brutal.]

    [Waaaaait a second. You''re telling me that when demons evolve enough, they ''graduate'' into a fully formed demon society?]

    This is shocking news!

    [Indeed,] Granin confirms, [ruled over from far below by Arconidem the Demon Lord and author of the Red Truth. The Demon Cities are a massive threat to the civilised people of Pangera.]

    [Wait, so you guys don''t trade or interact with them in any way?]

    [With demons? That''s illegal. The penalty is death. The Abyssal Legion wages a constant war or the Demon Cities, trying to exterminate them entirely. To any delvers, the demons are a continual menace. They don''t want us down there and hunt down any delvers they find like animals. Thankfully, they spend far more time fighting each other than they do us.]

    [Why''s that? Aren''t they intelligent?]

    Granin shrugs helplessly.

    [They just like killing. Doesn''t matter what it is. If you can''t kill the demons in your own city, then the demons in the city next door are fair game. They might be able to control their urges, but that doesn''t mean they don''t enjoy indulging them. Be careful with your new friend there. He''s not able to betray you, but you might find he gets a little erratic if you don''t let him cut loose now and again.]

    I look at my new pet. The mini-eyeball is quite adorable. He can''t support himself on his wings just yet and has to ''walk'' around on his little stick-thin arms. When I try to feed him a tiny mouth appears in thin air to start nibbling on the Biomass I offer. Obviously, I''m not feeding him the Biomass from his own former body. I don''t know if that has a bad effect, but it''s surely very weird.

    [Enough about the demon, we need to work out what you are going to be doing between now and the next fight.]

    [Keep grinding on my elemental skills? The ice magic turned out to be quite effective.]

    Granin frowns, his rocky face turning stern.

    [That might do for now, but I feel like we''re going to need something else. You''re aiming for the rank five fusion, which is unlikely to happen before the end of the tournament, so raising the elemental skills won''t be a massive help.]

    I hesitate.

    [I have a ¡­ uh ¡­ special attack that I can use. If the enemy is taken by surprise, it basically a guaranteed win. I could use it in the next round to buy some more time.]

    Granin stares at me for a moment.

    [Is it a Gravity spell?] He asks astutely.

    [It is,] I confirm reluctantly.

    I don''t want to spill all of my secrets. I still don''t fully trust Granin and his team. More than that, I don''t trust the broader Shapermunity even a little bit. Granin thinks for a moment and speaks a few words to Torrina. She nods and concentrates hard for a time before nodding back to her leader.

    [Alright, they aren''t listening in. I''ve told you already that Gravity magic is risky, but we might have to pull the trigger on it this time. Even in this short amount of time, Gravus'' allies are moving on his behalf. Things are going to get rough for us and the next matchup is going to be a serious problem. If you blow up the next opponent with some powerful unknown spell, then they''ll be screaming to have you taken out and interrogated.]

    [So¡­ I shouldn''t use it?]

    [Not necessarily. If I get to work early, we cany the groundwork for our counter-argument. The leading triad doesn''t have universal support in their suppression of you and between now and then we can stoke those attitudes and point to the numerous abuses that start popping up. With a little luck, we''ll have enough sympathy on our side that when they try to seize you, we can deny them.]

    [You don''t soundpletely sure that''ll work out.]

    Granin sits down heavily and sighs.

    [I''m not. But our backs are getting pressed harder and harder against the wall. You''ve set yourself up for long term sess, but these monsters have been tuned to be super-efficient at these low tiers. It''s not a fair matchup to begin with and the more rounds you win, the more optimised monsters you''re going to run into.]

    [If I don''t make use of every trick in the arsenal, it''s going to be almost impossible to win.] I finish his thought.

    [Right,] he agrees. [We were going to have to uncork Gravity magic at some point. Hopefully, you''ve given me enough warning that I can protect you from the fallout.]

    He pauses for a second.

    [Just how powerful is this spell anyway? Like, stronger than that eyeser?]

    Oh boy.

    [Granin, I don''t think you''ll believe it until you see it.]

    He shakes his head.

    [Alright. I''ll get to work right away. We''re going to be busy over the next two days. Get right into training and consider your next mutations. You need to get the maximum value out of whatever you choose to go with, so think carefully.]

    He says a few words to Torrina before turning to climb thedder and hustle out of the cell.

    [Alright then Anthony,] the younger Shaper speaks up, [you ready for elemental training?]

    My brains still ache like mad, and my body is exhausted. But I stand up and shuffle my new pet back a little with one leg.

    [Of course. I''m always ready.]

    This isn''t thezy holiday I had in mind.

 Chapter 376 Meeting of the minds

    <h4>Chapter 376 Meeting of the minds </h4>

    I don''t get much time between gruelling bouts of training my elemental Skills, but the time I do get I spend ying with my new pet, the mini-demon. He''s awkward, unable to fly on his stunted wings and frequently tumbles over when walking about on his weak little arms. Every time he falls his big green eyeball wells up with moisture and I have to soothe him for a while before he can calm down and get back up.

    I don''t remember Tiny or Crinis being this fragile.

    Long dormant, my Pet Growth Speed Skill finally has a chance to level up! This Skill will reduce the time it takes for the little guy to grow into his full,bat-ready form. I''d kind of hoped that it would reduce the amount of Biomass that he''d need to eat to grow, making the whole process a bit cheaper, but instead it just seems to increase the speed he goes through food. He''s always hungry and the more he eats, the faster he grows.

    Not that he''s going to get thatrge. Not visibly at least. He''s probably expanding a great deal inside his little pocket dimension.

    Eventually, my brains burn out and I have to beg Torrina to leave me be so I can go into some sweet, sweet torpor. I need to rest! I''mpletely drained! The second she''s gone I make myselffortable and sink immediately into blessed inactivity, my body goespletely still. Sweet release! A rxing feeling takes over my body and slowly my minds grow still and oblivion takes over.

    SHABAM!

    I''m back, baby! For whatever reason, there''s no slow recovery from torpor! I was never much of a morning person, I can remember many mornings feeling a touch low energy, but ever since my rebirth I''m just full of beans after waking up! I''m ready! I''m ready to take on the world! I manage to flex my legs and bounce around my cell as if I were shadowboxing for a brief moment before I realise Torrina is in the room and watching me.

    [You seem full of energy,] she sounds amused, [ready for more training then?]

    Dammit!

    This rock-woman has no mercy¡­ Sigh¡­ may as well get into it.

    After another four hours of relentless training with only a brief pause to eat and feed my new pet, the relentless monotony of the was only broken when Granin entered the room and ordered Torrina to leave. I can''t cry, but I swear real tears nearly fall when I hear his gruff voice. Getting levels and improving my Skills is important, of course, I know that, but the training the three Shapers are putting me through is truly brutal.

    Compress the mana, shape the mana, cast the spell, tear apart my spell, start again. Over and over. Not only is it repetitive, but it''s also really hard! Not to mention, I have to do this in two entirely separate elements casting two different spells at the same time! Every one of my minds is pushed to the limit for the duration of the training and a painful headache multiplied by four assaults me whenever I stop. It''s effective training, but holy moly is it rough.

    [Granin, I honestly never thought I''d be so grateful to see you.]

    The big Golgari Shaper looks up at me in surprise.

    [What''s the matter? I never thought I''d hear such words from you. Ah, Torrina has been training you? Hehe. You have my sympathy.]

    He looks at me with barely concealed happiness, as if he is drawing greatfort from my suffering.

    [She''s always like this?! I thought she was only pushing me so hard because of the short timeframe!]

    [Oh no,] he shakes his head, [she''s crazy. You have to understand that she came from low social status, like me, but she was able to raise herself high through her ridiculous work ethic. She''s a well-regarded prospect amongst her peers.]

    [Hold on a second. I thought you were considered to be a problematic no-hoper. How''d this bright young star end up in your triad?] I ask pointedly.

    Granin frowns.

    [That''s all down to social standing and politics. Enough about that.] He waves away the matter of Torrina with one hand whilst fixing me with a re. [Through hard work and bending a few fingers I''ve managed to secure a meeting for you with the other reincarnators. It wasn''t easy, but I even managed to ensure that you wouldn''t be listened in on. As far as I''m aware this is the first time that three of you have met together in the history of the Golgari empire.]

    [You mean, like anywhere?]

    [It may have happened somewhere on Pangera, but we don''t know about it. I figured this would be a good chance for you to try and make some allies. James and more specifically Sarah have been here a long time. There are many Shapers who are sympathetic to them. If you can get them to put in a good word for you, it''ll have some weight around the outpost.]

    Interesting! I have heard that normally there aren''t nearly so many of us spawning into the Dungeon so close together. If there was ever going to be a time when a group of us former Earthlings were going to meet up, it was now. A short timeter the three escorts arrive and we set off once more on the short journey from my cell to thebat area. Nice to be making this trip secure in the knowledge that I don''t have to annihte anything whilst risking annihtion when I reach the end of it.

    After being led into the open, circr arena, I''m pleasantly surprised to see Jim and Sarah have already arrived. The giant worm is sitting in arge coiled loop, his blind head pointing this way and that, whilst Sarah, the immense bear monster is sat on her hind legs, huffing withughter. It takes me a few moments to connect up to the others with a mind bridge so I can join the conversation.

    [What''s so funny?] I ask as I skitter up to join them.

    [Ah, Anthony! Nice to see you!] Sarah sounds genuinely d to see that I''ve managed to survive the tournament so far. [Jim is just prattling on, as he tends to do.]

    [It''s not about worms is it?] I needle him.

    [It should have been!] Jim deres proudly. [Despite being the Cult of the Worm, there''s hardly enough emphasis given to all things worm around here. Nobody seems to appreciate this noblest of all species!]

    Sarah huffs out anotherugh.

    [The Cult doesn''t worship worms! They worship Yarrum, there''s a difference.]

    Jim curls up and flicks his tail with contempt.

    [What would Yarrum be without his mighty worminess?!]

    [An ancient,] Sarah and I chime in together.

    [Bah! Yet more unbelievers in the way of worm! Don''t worry, I''m used to it.]

    Jim seems insulted by our unwillingness to fully buy into his worm enthusiasm, but I''m not certain how much of his petnce is real or performance. I can''t help but feel there''s more to Jim than meets the eye. He can''t be this upfront, can he?

    [So Anthony, how''ve you been?] Sarah sounds a little anxious as she turns her massive bear head towards me.

    [Me? Competing in a tournament of death, filled with anxiety and struggle. Same as usual! Why?]

    The giant bear detes as she hears my words. I can tell that she still feels bad about me having to risk my life on themand of the Shapers. Clearly, her loyalty to this mad cult is still strong, but she disagrees with their actions here. Perhaps there''s a little hope for her after all.

    [I''ve asked so many times but they don''t want to stop the tournament. It''s not right!] Sarah says, despondent.

    [Why would they listen to you?] Jim interjects. [We''re not equals in their eyes, we''re experiments. Means to an end. They don''t care that we were once people.]

    [That''s not true!] Sarah protests.

    [Sorry Sarah, I have to agree with Jim,] I chime in. [My experience is a little bit more extreme than yours, but do you think that if they found you when they found me you''d be treated any differently? I don''t think so.]

    I can tell that Sarah wants to argue but there isn''t much ammunition for her to use. I think I take a little risk with these two. Nothing ventured, nothing gained after all.

    [Look. I don''t want to say too much, but there''s a slight chance I''ll break out of here before the end of the tournament. Any chance you''d want toe with?]

 Chapter 377 The Worm Conspiracy

    <h4>Chapter 377 The Worm Conspiracy </h4>

    [Hell yes my invertebrate brother! This is what I''m talking about! Leave the crazies to be crazy and let''s get out of here. We''ll have a way better chance of surviving together than we would on our own!]

    Jim the Elemental Worm of Earth is all in. Not too surprising considering he already wants to escape and has made no secret of it. His entire body wiggles with delight as he enthusiastically expresses his desire to get out of crazy town. Sarah is far less enthralled.

    [Escape?! Why?!] she says, aghast. [The Shapers have taken care of you for years, Jim! You''re safe here. Going back out into the Dungeon, it''s insane!]

    The giant worm doesn''t stop its dance as he replies, exasperation clear in his voice.

    [I''ve been telling you that I want to get out of here for more than twelve months, Sarah.]

    [I didn''t think you actually wanted to leave! Why would you ever want to leave?!]

    [We are prisoners here. Well-fed and well cared for prisoners, to be sure, but prisoners all the same! Do you think just because they speak to you politely that you aren''t a captive? Can you go wherever you want? Can you do anything without their permission? You need to wake up!]

    [It''s better than living like a mindless beast. You want to go back to kill or be killed?! Or more likely, spending months at a time hiding beneath the dirt?!]

    [Whoa there,] I break in. [Let''s just chill for a moment, that got heated fast.]

    The two monsters are staring at each other (as well as a worm can stare anyways, I really don''t think he has eyes) and Sarah is clearly agitated, her breath booming like bellows as she sucks in the air. From that brief interchange I get the feeling that they might have had this sort of interaction multiple times before, with much the same conclusion. Looks like I need to y the peacemaker.

    [Look. I didn''t mean to stir up any bad feelings here. Yes, the Dungeon is a scary and dangerous ce where you have to fight to survive,] I say to Sarah, [and yes, you are in fact prisoners here kept under the thumb of the Cult,] I say to Jim. [I think we can all agree that those things are true, right?]

    The other two former humans grumble in agreeance.

    [Great. Clearly, Jim is less intimidated by the thought of surviving in the Dungeon than Sarah is, that''s fine. There''s no judgement here.] I try to move my antennae in a soothing way. Calming circles, all that jazz. [And it''s clear that Sarah isn''t as chafed by her restricted freedoms as Jim is, that''s also fine. Let''s just talk it out, work out where each of us stands and most importantly, not leak this idea to the Shapers and get Anthony brutally murdered, alright?]

    I gave them a moment to collect themselves. Why are they getting all bent out of shape? If anyone has the right to be feeling a little tense at the moment, surely it''s me!

    [Okay, how about Sarah goes first? Is that alright, Jim?]

    The worm gives anguid tail wave as a reply, indicating hisck of care.

    [Alright then Sarah, tell us how you feel about the escape n.]

    I feel like I''m managing a couple''s therapy session for my parents. At least this time nobody''s screaming at me.

    [Okay.] The gigantic bear nods her head and settles back on her hindquarters. She takes a few moments to frame her thoughts before she continues. [Obviously, it''s been a long time for me. In the Dungeon, I mean. I had an advantage over the two of you, I suppose. I was reborn as a bear, not an insect. I don''t think I was super powerful but I was quite strong and I was able to defend myself pretty well. But, I wasn''t very good¡­ at it. Being a monster, I mean. I suppose ¡­ it must sound silly, but, fighting¡­ and killing. I hated it. I found refuge with the Sophos for a time, but I wasn''tfortable there, they didn''t understand why I didn''t want to fight.]

    I nod my antennae sympathetically. They wouldn''t make sense of that at all. A monster that wouldn''t fight? What''s the point of it?!

    [When the Shapers found me, I was almost mad from the fear and the violence. I just¡­ I don''t want to go back¡­ I don''t want to be on my own again.]

    A pause.

    [Thanks for sharing, Sarah. I think we can all agree that fighting to survive is difficult and scary. I think we can also agree that not everyone is wired to thrive in that sort of environment. I just want you to consider one thing Sarah. If you were to escape with us, you wouldn''t be on your own, but would have people to talk to, people who could help share the danger with you. Something to think about.]

    This is actually super tiring. I''m not built for this.

    [Jim, why don''t you tell us your thoughts about escaping?]

    [dly! I am more afraid of the Shapers turning on me and stuffing me into this tournament than I am of the Dungeon. Simple. Remember, my experience of the Dungeon wasn''t great, in fact it was absolutely awful! But I''ll take that situation, which I can control, over being fed to some death weapon of a monster.]

    Again, a pause.

    [Great, I think that''s helped rify everyone''s thoughts.]

    Talking this reasonably is taking a toll on me. I think I can feel my headacheing back.

    [Why do you think the Shapers would force you into the tournament, Jim?] Sarah asks her friend. [They love you here. They''ve always been good to you.]

    [Things are changing, Sarah. I''ve said this before, but surely you can see it now. Look at Anthony! You never would have thought that he''d be stuck where he is now, would you? He''s just like us! Why are you so sure that they won''t do the same to you and me? To me, it doesn''t make any sense that you ignore this possibility. Maybe you can afford to, since you''re strong. If they put me in there, it''ll be a ughter. I can''t afford the risk!]

    [I have to agree that I don''t particrly feel the love that you allude to here, Sarah. They''ve spent a lot of time and resources on you over decades. I feel like the new regime may want to collect at some point.]

    She probably feels a little ganged up on with the two of us coordinating against her. To be honest, I don''t really care if she decides to join the escape n or not. We''d have a higher chance of sess if she was with us, I''ve no doubt, but myrger goal is to try and meet back up with the Colony, something I''m not too sure either of these two would be enthusiastic about. One we get away from the Golgari, I''ll be striking out on my own.

    [Let me think about it,] Sarah finally mutters after a long pause.

    [Sure] I say easily. [Just remember, don''t get me killed. Please. I really mean it.]

 Chapter 378 Why so much pain?

    <h4>Chapter 378 Why so much pain? </h4>

    After discussing the great escape the conversation turns back to more idle topics. Where did you live on Earth? Wow, I sure didn''t live anywhere near there! How did you die? Don''t want to talk about it? I''m not surprised! It''s probably not surprising that we aren''t the type of people who''d want to excessively share about our human lives. Given what I learned from the lord of the Dungeon, Mr Beardy Man himself, put together with the few small hints that I got from the others, I understand that none of us had fantastic lives.

    I mean, mine was fine, but Garralosh and these two seem to have suffered some nasty stuff.

    Ah well, the past is in the past. We''re all monsters now and we need to live the best monster life we can. Which for me means getting the heck out of here without bing some other monster''s lunch so I can reunite with my family. They must be struggling without me, desperate for my guidance and steady leadership¡­

    Don''t be delusional, Anthony. They''re probably doing just fine without you. In fact, if anyone should be worried, it should be them worrying about me. Our conversation ys out quite pleasantly in the end and we go our separate ways. I notice that Sarah takes a good long look at her trio of escorts before she moves off with them. Perhaps she''s actually starting to wake up to the reality of her life here. If she actually does manage to make an escape with Jim, I think she''ll find the Dungeon far less intimidating than she did before. Company makes all the difference. If I didn''t have the Colony and Tiny, I might have ended up exactly the same as her. Going from being a human living in a society to being a monster incapable ofmunication is rough to say the least. No one to talk to, even just to vent and destress makes things tough mentally.

    Jim had it even harder, slithering around in the soil,pletely blind. He ys it off as if it were fine, but I think he suffered a great deal in those early days. Unable to fight, unable to see or talk. Living in a world ofplete darkness whilst being so defenceless and clueless. It must have left some scars on him. It would be impossible for it not to. His willingness to throw himself back into the thick of it is admirable, but I feel he too would benefit from having apanion to share the danger with.

    It''s unlikely to have anything to do with me anyway. If we get out alive, we''ll soon part ways. For now, the staying alive part is what I need to focus on. Back in my cell I''m not too shocked to find Torrina waiting once more.

    [Do you have to be here? Don''t you have something else to do?] I groan.

    She quirks one stony eyebrow at me.

    [Corun is keeping Tiny alive for the moment so I''d thought I''d stay here and do the same for you. You''d prefer the alternative?]

    [No ma''am. Let''s get to it!]

    As much as I whine, I know she''s doing me a huge favour by helping my training. I''m not too interested in dying and this is the best way I can try and keep myself alive. I''d be an absolute idiot to put less than all of my effort into it. I''ll be thrown into another death match in two days, harder than thest one probably. Every level up is critical.

    And I am getting them, level ups I mean. Grinding away at two different types of magic at the same time is progressing my Skills at a quick pace. Not only the elemental Skills, but my supplementary mental Skills as well. I''ve gained two levels in Iron Mind and one in Profound Meditation as well as bringing all of my elemental Skills, bar Air, up to rank three. The third rank is some sort of pivot for the elements, unlocking more powerful varieties of the original shape. Water unlocked Ice magic at rank three and it proves the same for the others. Earth Magic unlocked Stone Magic and Fire magic unlocked Blue me. All sorts of new stuff can be done with Stone Magic but Blue me just seems to be hotter me. Still useful, no doubt about that, just less exciting I suppose.

    From what I''m told that''s it as far as new types of Elements from the base Skills, which is another reason why people don''t pursue them very far. You made it to rank three? That''s all she wrote folks, move along. For my part, I fully intend to keep pushing. Before the next fight starts I''ll have all of them at rank three and be pushing for rank four.

    [Any word on my next opponent?] I squeeze out to Torrina during training.

    She whips a quick spell at me in case I be distracted but I manage to rip it apart at thest second.

    [Not yet,] she informs me, [the second round hasn''t finished yet. I think we still have two more days, perhaps a little less.]

    Another two days¡­ ugh.

    [Is there any chance you could sneak Tiny in here? I''d love to say hi to the big lug.]

    [I''m keeping him as close as possible, but it might be tricky to bring him into thepound. I''ll see what I can do.]

    [I appreciate it.]

    And I really do. Not having Tiny and Crinis with me is causing all sorts of anxiety. They''re my closestpanions! My best buds! It just doesn''t feel right when they''re not around. I know that some would say they''re not ''friends'' as such, more ''magically bound ves'' but I hold no truck with that. I don''t even subscribe to the Sophos attitude towards pets. Despite the Sophos being so generous and loving towards their pets, they still view them as possessions. I want to go beyond that. I will set them free one day! As soon as I work out how¡­

    [Are you worried about your other pet?]

    [Ye - ¡­ what other pet?]

    Safe! Just in time!

    [Alright then, keep your secrets.]

    [I shall! I mean, what secrets?]

    That actually gets augh out of Torrina, a rare feat indeed. She''s quite taciturn usually. In just this manner the training drags on until I''m forced to beg for rest. I take a little time to feed and tickle my new pet and then straight into torpor I go. When I wake up I have a snack of some Biomass, which I have a decent stockpile of, and then I anxiously await the next Golgari through the door. To my momentary delight, it''s not Torrina the cold faced training torturer, but Granin who enters.

    [I honestly never thought I''d be this happy to see you, Granin.]

    He grunts.

    [I think we''ll fix that in a hurry. Let''s have a chat about the next couple of rounds. We need to work out a strategy.]

 Chapter 379 The shape of the days to come

    <h4>Chapter 379 The shape of the days toe </h4>

    Granin and I end up sitting facing each other. Though in my case ''sitting'' is more of afortable crouch, which brings us reasonably close to eye level. Although again, in my case, I technically have a heck of a lot of eyes.

    [There were a hundred and twenty-eight monsters at the start of this tournament. After just two rounds, we''re down to thirty-two.]

    Even through the rock on his face, I can see his disgust in and clear. He looks like he wants to spit.

    [Nearly a hundred projects that the Cult had invested in, gone to waste. The amount of effort, care and expertise that has been utterly wasted here is a travesty.]

    I''m a little confused. Don''t these monsters always end up dying? What the heck do they do with them?

    [Usually, we release them into the Dungeon,] he replies after I query him. [Once we''ve done everything we can, training and raising the monster to the best of our collective abilities, we let them go out to the Dungeon to seek their destiny, hoping that they''ll descend to the deepest Dungeon and be the final Ancient.]

    [You just let them go? Like, releasing them into the wild?! Surely they all die?]

    [We don''t know if they''re all dead,] he grumbles, [and even that''s beside the point. Unless we let them out to fight and grow on their own, there''s no chance they''ll be an Ancient. The idea that you can keep and control a creature of that sort of power would be insane.]

    He makes a decent point there. Trying to hold onto a monster as it grew increasingly strong would be difficult. These aren''t pets; they have absolutely no issue biting the hand that feeds them. While many of the monsters are smart and can be reasoned with, eventually they''ll get to tier eight or nine and can the Cult keep them caged at that point?

    Doubtful.

    [Anyway,] Granin waves a hand, [the third round ising, after which there''ll be four more.]

    [Four more rounds?! Holy moly.]

    [Four. Round of sixteen. Round of eight, Semi-final and Final. That''s why I wanted to talk to you. If you go ahead and use your mega spell, or whatever it''s called, in the next round, then you''ll have to contend with the knowledge of it being revealed for the remaining four. Those monsters that are left are going to be no pushovers either. Regardless of how I feel about this tournament, the winners are getting stronger as thepetition goes on. Some of these beasts are powerful.]

    I hesitate for a moment. The first fight was a piece of cake, but thest round nearly killed me. It was way too close, insanely close. If I have to go through that another four times ¡­ I don''t want to go through that another four times.

    [What are you thinking? Do I need to hold off further? Wait for another round? I barely made it past thest opponent. If the next one is going to be even worse, then will I even be able to survive without using my most powerful card?]

    The crusty old Shaper leans back till his head thuds into the wall and he''s looking straight up. The stone head must be helpful sometimes.

    [I''m not sure,] he admits. [It''s a risk, either way. I''m reasonably sure that we''ll be able to protect you in the event your magic leaks out. Is this spell something you can try and whip out mid-battle?]

    I think about it. It takes a significant amount of time to create a gravity bomb. Compressing the mana is mentally taxing and draining as hell. I was able to do it against Garralosh mainly because she was incoherent with rage. Perhaps one day I''ll have the raw mental strength to crunch out a Gravity Bomb on the fly, but not yet.

    [Unlikely. I''d need to prepare it before the battle started.]

    Granin sat up.

    [You need topress and prepare the spell? Are you sure it''ll hit?]

    [Oh yeah. It''s hard to get away from it.]

    [So it''s fast.]

    [No.]

    ¡­

    [You''ll just have to see it for yourself, Granin. Try not to be sitting anywhere near it when it goes off.]

    He looks at me for a moment before nodding and standing up.

    [If there''s nothing else, then I''ll leave you to train and prepare. There isn''t much time, try not to waste any time.]

    [What have I done except train, copse into sleep and feed my new pet?]

    [That''s what I''m talking about.]

    [Gasp! Feeding an adorable little monster is never a waste of time! Is it, little guy?]

    Slowly growing every day that passes, the small demon looks up at me with its one bulbous green eyeball and flutters its wings.

    [You have food. I desire it!]

    Talking already! He''s growing up so fast! In fact, my pet speed raising Skill has already grown to three also. It must be elerating his growth speed more and more as time passes.

    [Of course little guy! Food is on the way!]

    Like a doting parent, I grab some Biomass and pass to it the greedy demon who materialises his mouth out of the air and starts shovelling the food into his extra-dimensional belly.

    [Anthony¡­]

    [Huh?]

    [Start training!]

    [Oh yeah.]

    Back to the grind, I suppose. I need to name this little dude. It''ll have to wait for another time, however. I train alone until Torrina returns to push things harder and push my brains to their limits. In the moments where I have the energy to think I wonder if the Colony is training like this, and how well received the methods would be by the Mages. What the heck do they care about pain? That''s just how you know you''re working hard!

    Energised by the thought of my siblings doing what they always do, I throw myself into practice and reap the reward of sweet, sweet levels. Before I know it, the third round is underway and who else would be asked to lift the curtain but the best insect in the Dungeon? (It''s not you, Jim.)

 Chapter 380 The round that wasnâ€™t

    <h4>Chapter 380 The round that wasn''t </h4>

    It would be a lie to say that Granin wasn''t nervous as he shifted in his seat and watched the gates rise tomence the third round ofpetition. That damned ant had been quite adamant that his spell would be a spectacr one-hit kill for any creature that didn''t know it wasing. Granin himself knew of some pretty potent artillery type spells that required a triad to work together for an extended cast,pressing and shaping mana before releasing it in a glorious burst of devastation. Still, such spells were not at all useful in a one on one duel.

    As he tried to contain his nervousness, he also did his best to ignore the muttered whispers of the Shapers around him in the stands. Gravus was a notable absentee for this round, and not a single person in attendance had failed to notice. Since the old stone was unlikely to back down on his own ord, there was little doubt that his triad leader had forbidden him from attending. After the campaign, Granin had waged bringing attention to the open bias against his sponsored monster the leading triad had to step a little more carefully lest they jeopardise the legitimacy of their tournament.

    Having Gravus blow-up and get into another fistfight would not be a good look for them. Even as he understood their motives, Granin was a little disappointed. Baiting Gravus into another explosion would have served his purposes perfectly.

    With a rattle and a crash, the gates mmed into their frames fully raised, and the gathered Shapers leaned forward in their seats as the two monsters emerged from their respective tunnels. From one side came a gleaming ant, barbed mandibles already gnashing at the air. Even from where he sat, Granin could feel the mana concentration within Anthony growing by the second. He was already working on his spell, and everyone could sense it. That happened to include the monster who''d entered opposite. A ponderous mound of dark goop, the Death Creeper was a pain of a monster to kill. Capable of rotting flesh that even approached it, the Creeper exuded a powerful aura of decay that few monsters of the Second Strata could match. As it sensed the powerful build-up of mana within its opponent, the creature wisely began to disperse its mass.

    This creature was a tough opponent for Anthony in Granin''s eyes. His acid would do little to the beast since the acid itself would dissolve to nothing before doing any sort of damage, and if he tried to close in and bite, he''d be suffering damage just from being close to the thing. Magic was the best way to deal with the Creeper but even that was hard to achieve. Without a doubt, the triad in charge of raising this Creeper had taken the necessary precautions and built magic resistance into the monster from an early stage.

    The Creeper didn''t appear overconfident at all and moved cautiously, spreading itself out and oozing its way toward its opponent. For his part, Anthony continued showboating and snapped at the air with his mandibles while his antennae swirled wildly. What the hell is he doing?

    "Mind if I join you?"

    Granin started when someone spoke nearby and turned to see a smiling Shaper standing nearby looking down at him. He frowned a touch when he realised who this was: Inaron, triad leader responsible for raising the Creeper fighting below.

    "Sure. Take a seat."

    It was a little unusual forpeting sponsors to be sitting next to each other during a bout but not unheard of during this tournament. Some Shapers found the process too emotional, whereas others remained quite detached.

    "My thanks," came the reply as Inaron took his seat. "That seems to be quite the spell your creature is working on there. The mana feels dense and almost unstable."

    Granin grunted.

    "His best chance of oveing your Creeper is overwhelming it with magic. I get the feeling this fight is going to short and decisive either way."

    "Oh, I agree. If the spell fails to do fatal damage, then I believe the ant will find itself quickly overwhelmed."

    Inaron sounded immensely confident in his assessment, enough so that Granin turned to him curiously.

    "You don''t believe the spell will be effective?"

    Not wanting to appear impolite Inaron simply nodded.

    "Indeed. The weak point of the Creeper is its slow movementbined with its poor ability to contest ranged opponents. In the Dungeon, as I''m sure you know, they are typically an ambush predator, not suited to chasing down their prey. My triad and I have put a huge amount of effort into designing this Creeper to ovee those issues. It''s ability to resist magical offence and disperse damage is first ss."

    Granin nodded. He''d seen the Creeper''s first two fights, and they went much as Inaron said. Closing in against the monster was ying to its strengths, and it would use its liquid-like flesh to engulf its opponent and allow its death aura to do the work whilst absorbing whatever punishment its victim dealt out in its death throes. In the tournament the opponents of the Creeper had taken the safe approach, attempting to kite the monster and punish it from range. Neither had seeded. The Creeper had spread itself out across a disgustinglyrge area and slowly cornered its foe while absorbing the damage sent its way. In both cases, the opponent had been cornered, wrapped up and sumbed shortly after.

    The same scene was ying out again, except this time the opponent hadn''t even bothered to cast a single spell, choosing instead to pose dramatically. Granin had to resist the urge to p his forehead. What is that idiot doing?

    Iranon almost seeded in keeping the pity from his face as he observed, "I believe your monster is ready to unleash its spell. I''m most curious to see what it is."

    "You and me both," Granin muttered.

    Before they had a chance to continue their discussion, the ant ceased his antics and opened his jaws wide. The vast build-up of mana within the creature had reached a crescendo; the spell was ready.

    Granin sat forward and watched intently. From what he understood, Gravity magic was able to change weight. Useful, but not in any way as impressive as tunnelling through space. For Gravity Magic to be as high in rank or higher than Space magic, there had to be more to it than that, he just had no idea what it might be. Anthony had refused to tell him and if weren''t for the life or death situation the tournament represented he would never have had a chance to see.

    "Come on, Anthony. Show me something special." He prayed.

    Then it happened.

    From between the open mandibles of the ant monster, a ball so dark as to appear almost ck flickered into existence. After a moment that stretched out in silence, it sted toward the Creeper. The uproar was instantaneous.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWLLLLLLLLLL.

    As the ball shot forward, the air in thebat arena stirred to a mighty wind within a second. A piercing shriek stabbed Granin in the ears, causing sharp pain. Every Shaper watching stood in the same moment as they witnessed the spell fly toward the Creeper. Granin''s eyes bulged in his head as he fought against the buffeting wind. All of the air in the room was being sucked toward that damned ball! What the hell was it?!

    Even the light around the spell seemed to fade into darkness which made it difficult to discern the edge of the spell. Where did the sphere end and the dark begin? Nobody could say! In response to the appearance of this shrieking magic, the Creeper had reacted as it had been taught to, spreading its malleable liquid-like flesh out as wide as possible. Like a wave crashing onto a beach, it covered almost half thebat area in its dark body.

    It took only a few seconds for the spell to cross the distance. Powerful or not, Granin still didn''t see how such a small spell would be capable of destroying that much magic resistant monster flesh.

    The ball mmed into the soft flesh of the Creeper and vanished within. For a heartbeat Granin feared that nothing would happen, that the spell had been absorbed and destroyed just like that, but then the body of the monster expanded in an instant and that horrifying shriek stirred the air once again.

    A ck sphere several metres in diameter appeared, the body of the Creeper around it was just gone, somehow vanished. The pull of the air was even stronger now, the light dimmed even further, and Granin could feel something that stirred in him a deep fear. He was being pulled forward. His feet slid toward the edge of the area slightly before he blinked and braced himself. He could see other Shapers around him doing the same. The spell was trying to drag him in! If he could feel it from up here, what was it like down there?

    He only had to look at the Creeper to get an idea. At first the monster had epted the loss of a chunk of its body, such a thing was normal after all, but as it had tried to pull away from the spell, it had found that it couldn''t. In fact, it was being pulled toward it! Granin could see the monster trying to pull its flesh away, but it was useless. With every second that passed more and more of the Creeper was pulled into the sphere where it simply vanished, as if it had never been.

    The Shapers watched the whole process in shocked silence until the spell flickered and disappeared. The vast Creeper was nowhere to be seen. The only thing that remained in the arena was a gleaming ant, still posing up on its hind legs with the front two extended wide on either side.

 Chapter 381 494 - Dangerous Satisfaction

    <h4>Chapter 381 Chapter 494 - Dangerous Satisfaction </h4>

    The Shapers in the stands watched in shocked silence as the ant monster rxed its pose and made its way across to its defeated foe. At first, it didn''t seem as if there was anything left after the vortex of doom vanished but when Granin looked closely he could see a small ball the size of his own clenched fist resting in the depression left behind in the aftermath of the spell.

    Anthony crawled down into the crater and before the befuddled eyes of the spectators began to drag the sphere back toward his own exit where a very wary triad of guards was waiting.

    Even though he was forewarned, Granin was as stunned as everyone else. Anthony had warned him that he wouldn''t believe it until he saw it, and he was right! What the hell was that?! The incredible suction, that horrifying dark sphere that seemed to consume the very air itself! The power was beyond his expectations, far beyond! Judging by the look on Inaron''s face, he was struggling to ept what he''d just seen also.

    "I have to hand it to you, Inaron," Granin tried to y it cool, "I''m truly impressed by the defensive capabilities your monster disyed. Great work."

    So saying, he tried to escape from the spectator area by walking casually toward the exit. Unfortunately, he didn''t make it three steps before Inaron grabbed him by the arm.

    "What in the name of the Worm was that?! I''ve never seen that spell before Granin!"

    "Oh, that? You know, it''s a ¡­" he groped for some excuse to y it off, "abination of dark and fire magic. You felt that wind kick up, right? That''s from the, uh, mes."

    He tried to pull his arm loose but the numbed Iranon still had him locked in a death grip. ncing around he could see that other Shapers had recovered from their initial mise and had started to move toward him. If he got stuck here he''d be bogged down by questions and pestering until he crumbled to dust! He couldn''t allow it. If he left Anthony alone for that long the insect would be dragged away by Gravus to a separate chamber and he''d probably never find him again. He had to get out, now.

    Granin was a Golgari of action. Make a n, follow the n, always deliver. So that''s what he would do. He turned to face Iranon head-on and ced his loose hand on the Shaper''s shoulder.

    "Sorry about this Iranon. I''ll buy you some Rock Beer next time."

    "What are you -."

    BAM!

    With one colossal fist, Granin knocked the words straight of his colleague''s mouth and the sense out of his head. Out cold, the poor schr loosened his grip and fell back into the seats with a tter. Finally free, Granin did what any self-respecting mage of advanced age would do. He turned and bolted for the exits shouldering aside all who tried to ost him on his way. Angry shouts punctuated the air in his wake but he didn''t dare dy. The moment word of what happened got back to the leading triad, things would hit the fan.

    Dammit, Anthony! I know you said it was big, but I never imagined it would be like that!

    It took ten minutes of dashing through the tunnels for Granin to finally make it Anthony''s chamber. When he arrived he was relieved to see Corun and Torrina already here and no sign of Gravus.

    "What the hell was that spell, Granin?" Corun nearly shouted. "I could hear it from out in the corridor!"

    "You didn''t ask, Anthony? He''s right there?" Confused, Granin pointed at the ant attempting to gnaw at the ball of presumably squashed Biomass.

    "He won''t say anything," Corun grumbled, "just tell me it''s his ''special move'' and can''t be advertised."

    [Bitte for keeping it under wraps now, isn''t it?] Granin sent to the bug-brained fool. [The whole ce is in an uproar! I had to knock out another Shaper just to get here!]

    The ant didn''t turn its head, but Granin had grown to understand that due to hispound eyes Anthony could still see him, shifting his head just wasn''t necessary most of the time.

    [It''s pretty awesome, I have to agree. Keeping Corun in the dark is just fun, he''s practically pouting over there! What a baby.]

    Granin froze.

    [That''s so petty!]

    [I''m trying to eat here Granin. What do you need?]

    A persistent scraping sound jarred the ears of all present as the giant ant tried to snap and chomp at the ball on the ground in front of it, without much sess.

    [Is it¡­pressed?] Torrina broke in to ask.

    [Of course, it''spressed! It''s been smashed together by the force of gravity! With enough mana that spell could probably do the same thing to the as it did to that Creeper thing.]

    Granin''s eyes bulged.

    [What did you say?!] he shrieked.

    [Calm down. It would take, like, a lot of mana. Way too much. What you saw then was pretty much as strong as I can handle the spell right now.]

    The old Shaper tried to clear his head for a moment. Torrina filled in the silence.

    [Anthony, I thought your gravity magic affected weight. Made things heavier or lighter. How does it produce the effect that you created?] She asked slowly.

    The ant snapped its mandibles in irritation.

    [Exining gravity is so weird. It''s gravity! Besides, I don''t have any particr reason I need to share this information with you, do I?]

    At that moment the doors to the upstairs viewing are blown open and Gravus barged in followed by six Shapers.

    "Everyone out!" He bellowed. "I will be assuming the management of the creature!"

    Even from below Granin could see the greed zing in the eyes of the old cantankerous snake. New magic was a lure that Shapers found hard to resist and it didn''t look like Gravus was trying too hard right now. Anthony''s gravity magic wasn''t too desirable initially, the effects were novel but hardly intimidating. After that disy, the story hadpletely changed.

    "Over my dead body, Gravus!" Granin roared as he stomped toward thedder to climb back to the upper level.

    Corun and Torrina had leapt to their feet when the invaders had appeared and when they saw Granin charge forward they leap to back him up. Triads acted together in the face of outsiders and they would do no different now when the stakes were high. Granin was like an angry bull as he surged up thedder, curses and threats pouring out of his mouth to the extent that even those who entered behind Gravus were looking a little pale. Not the fearless leader though, his face twisted with rage as he beheld his most detested individual flying toward him.

    Before the inevitable confrontation could explode the door was forced open once again and the much calmer visage of Irette mine entered the chamber.

    "That''s quite enough, I think," she warned those present.

    Gravus restrained himself with a visible effort whilst Granin and his two triad mates finished making their way up thedder where they then paused, eyeing the crowd distrustfully. The situation was tense, feelings were running high on both sides. So Gravus was absolutely not surprised when that stupid ant went and opened his big mouth.

    [I''m happy to let you know a little about my magic,] he sent to mine, [IF you let me out of this stupid tournament. Good deal, no?]

 Chapter 382 Deal with devil - ant

    <h4>Chapter 382 Deal with devil - ant </h4>

    The thing about Golgari is that they''re totally covered in stone. It''s easy to forget it sometimes, since the rock moves and shifts along with their movements, as if it were a part of them. Scratch that, it is a part of them, just not something they were born with. I''ve been able to get a little detail out of the few members of the species I''ve spent my time with, and picked up a few other morsels of insight through observation. Essentially, they''re born without that rocky outer coating and when they get old enough, fully grown, I assume, they choose a mineral or some type of ore and then bond it onto their skin, forming a second skin.

    Although the process seems to bring the stone to some sort of life, making it an actual part of their bodies, you have to remember that these are people with actual rock on the outside of their bodies. It makes reading certain social cues difficult. Males and females aren''t quite as distinctive in their body shape, for example. I suppose the rocks sort of round out the edges, making it a little harder to tell them apart. For another thing, changes in expression are hard to read, since their faces tend to be quite immobile. A smile is easy enough, but something like a frown can be tricky since the stone doesn''t wrinkle like a human''s skin would. Anything around the eyes can be difficult also, the muscle movements are usually small and get almostpletely washed out by the second skin.

    I mean, this is me speaking as a former human turned insect. I''m sure they have no issue telling all this stuff apart and if I mentioned it they''d look at me like I was nuts. I also can''t dismiss the possibility that after spending a significant amount of time around monsters and other ants that my ability to discern humanoid social cues is beginning to degrade in a massive way. I mean, I can tell what an ant is feeling by the movement of their antennae, which is pretty cool. It''s trade-offs.

    Anyway, the reason my mind turns to Golgari expressions is because I can easily tell that the minedy is SUPER cheesed off. No doubt about it. The re is there, the eyes are almost hot enough to burn a hole in my carapace, the brows are drawn, I can tell and that jaw is clenched like an iron vice. Holy molydy, you''re going to crack a mr, ease up a little!

    I''m not sure what''s got her so mad. If they''re willing to let me out of this death tournament of death, in which I might die, then I''m happy to trade a little knowledge. It''s not as if they''ve ever unlocked gravity magic in the history of their species, so they aren''t likely to get it anytime soon. For whatever reason they''ve never been able to create pets with it either and I seriously doubt just knowing its possible will cause the system to slip it into the menu for them.

    [You seek to bargain with the Cult of the Worm?] Even her mental voice sounds as if it were pushed through gritted teeth. How does she even do that?

    [Sure. Why not? I have something you want, you have something I want, why not do a trade? What I want, just in case you weren''t aware, is to leave this ce alive and go back to where you, you know, abducted me, a sapient reincarnated person, against my will.]

    If anything her re grows even hotter. Jeez. If this is getting her so mad then imagine if I was talking to Gravus! That moron might have just popped from sheer indignant rage.

    [Considering that you are our captive, it would seem that you have a significantly weakened bargaining position, wouldn''t you say?]

    So far this mental connection has been private, but with herst words I feel her reaching out to Gravus to bring him into the conversation. Not to be outdone I spin Granin into the loop as well.

    [Captive. Prisoner. ve. All great words to describe my situation. The situation you put me in. Because, you know, that''s apparently something that you''refortable with. As for leverage, I''m not exactly sure what you think you''ve got. If I don''t give up my knowledge willingly, how are you nning on getting it out of me?]

    [Oh, there are ways, insect!] Gravus kicks in as I knew he would. [I will rip it from your mind if I have to!]

    Even mine winces a little at the barbarity of that suggestion.

    [You want to get in a tug of war with me, Gravus? I notice you brought six other Shapers in here with you, very brave.] I snap my mandibles with a sharp CLACK! [And if you tried it, maybe I''d turn you into a little ball of hardened mush and eat you. Did you think of that?] For emphasis I nudge the remains of the Creeper and let it roll a little before ites to a rest.

    Granin eyes me warily but I don''t need any reminding that I''m ying a dangerous game. The risk that they''ll simply overwhelm my mental defences and knock me out is very real. I''m gambling that they can''t get any real information out of me if I''m not conscious.

    Just, let me go you stupid rock people! I want out of here and back to my family! Why''d you idiots bring me here in the first ce if all you want is me dead?!

    ¡­

    That''s actually a good question. Maybe I should ask that. After Gravus stops choking on his own spit after I threatened him, of course.

    [Not only do you think you''re in a position to bargain with us, you now think you can threaten us?] She asks coolly. It appears she''s managed to get her temper under control.

    [Look, all I want is to leave. I don''t want to be here, I''m not a big fan of having to fight for my life every few days and frankly, the hospitality has been verycking. You want a bit of knowledge out of me? Sure. Have at it. Just let me go. I vanish into the Dungeon and you''ll never hear from me again. You seriously don''t seem like you want me here anyway. Let''s make a deal and we all get what we want. Juicy new magic for you and me out sight.]

    Granin clears his throat before he joins in.

    [Anthony has raised a valid point, mine. Many have made note that Anthony has been deprived of resources and the questionable matchups have raised more than a few brows. It was hardly necessary for Gravus to open his blowhole and confirm the leading triad''s bias, but he went and did it anyway so now every Shaper in this facility is aware of it.]

    [Do you have a point, Granin?] mine turns to face him. I get the feeling she is mentally standing on Gravus'' foot otherwise there''s no way he''d have kept his mouth shut.

    [My point is quite simple,] Granin replies, smooth as silk, [I have gathered the required quorum to move a motion of no confidence in your triad''s leadership. Should you push me, or Anthony, to give up his secrets against his free will, or engage in any further tant maniption of this event, then I''ll be forced to push that motion ahead.]

    A tense silence descends in each of our respective minds, which I promptly break.

    [What''s this motion of no confidence? Is it bad?] I say openly, knowing that mine and Gravus can hear me.

    Granin''s lip twitches in amusement and he responds openly as well.

    [Very bad. For all of us. Remember that the Cult of the Worm is supposed to be a secret society. Not every Shaper is a member, not even close. If the motion is passed then a high ranking Shaper would be sent to investigate and mediate. It would be rather difficult to keep what has been happening here under wraps at that point. The leading triad would be outed as Cultists, as would I and my triad, and we''d be put to death.]

    Ouch.

    This move seems to have caught mine by surprise, her eyes narrow as Granin exins his ploy and her hands clench and unclench.

    [Give us some time to consider.] She says coldly before turning on her heels and leaving the way she came in, followed by Gravus and flunkies.

    Great! Now I''ve got more time to try and eat this stupid Biomass. I refuse to let it go to waste this time!

 Chapter 383 Idle Monster

    <h4>Chapter 383 Idle Monster </h4>

    It took time and effort, but finally, I have been sessful in my quest to consume the Biomass resulting from a Gravity Bomb! After contending with the dense ball of ex-monster with my mandibles without sess, I had to apply other methods to try and soften it. Water magic and acid had some effect, but not much on the unyielding chunk but they did provide the impetus that allowed the breakthrough! By first cooling the sphere and then heating it with ice and fire magic respectively, then biting the heck out of it I''d been able to crack the ball open finally. Once such a weakness has been exposed, it was merely a matter of persistence, chomping on the thing over and over again to break off small kes and shards that I could eat one by one.

    The taste is horrendous. Unimaginably bad. But there''s little that can be done about that, the pursuit of Biomass doesn''t allow for weak stomachs! If I wasn''t willing to eat something disgusting, I would have starved to death long ago. I wouldn''t have even made it as long as I did as a human! Something like this isughable.

    Of course, my sub-brains continue their brutal training regime even as I worry this ball of food into manageable chunks. No rest can be allowed if I''m to survive the uing rounds. Despite my peace offering to the leaders of this farce of a Cult, I don''t think they''ll let me have the easy way out. Their greed for knowledge is one thing, their dedication to their idiotic vision quite another. After getting to this point and sacrificing so many of their own members'' projects, would they really be willing to throw the rules out the window to let me go? I''m not sure even the lure of new magic is enough to get my deal over the line.

    Even beyond their stubborn ideology is their strange and seemingly baseless dislike of me as an individual. You don''t like ant monsters, fine. We do start very weak, it''s true. I''ve been lucky I''ve made it as far as I have. Yet there seems to be this strange insistence that I wind up dead. Why?! It can''t just be because they don''t want me wasting resources they would rather see being funnelled into stronger monsters. If that was all they wanted, surely they''d just have to wait until I ran into another creature that I couldn''t beat and all my umted experience and Biomass would go toward their desired end.

    It just doesn''t make sense. I feel like there''s something missing, and it''s making me even more ufortable. I don''t want to hang around this ce any longer than I have to. The sooner I can get out, the better. The next chance I get I''ll need to talk to Jim and see how he''s going with his preparations. I may need to rely on my fellow reincarnators to enact our daring escape before things here escte even further.

    I don''t dare wait and hope that the Colony will find me. The distance is great and the direction unknown. Even if they''re all working hard, and I''m sure that they are, it''s too much to ask that they would be able to find me and set me free. No, even if they found me, I''m not sure I''d want them exposing themselves. I''ve no idea how the nutters in this cult would react to intelligent ants, and beyond that, I don''t want to bring the wrath of the Golgari empire down on my family. Even with all of the promise and strength that the Colony has shown, I don''t think we''d be able to survive.

    Granted I haven''t seen exactly howrge or powerful the supposed Golgari civilisation is, but I don''t feel like taking any risks. Until I know otherwise, I need to assume it can''t be handled by us ants.

    Putting all that aside, what do I need to do now? Mutate baby! I''ve got a whole pile of Biomass stored up after two sessful fights and managing to consume the remains of the Creeper has given me quite a number to work with and I intend to DO WORK. In total I have a whopping five hundred and ten Biomass to spend. These monsters are packed full of juicy goodness and the further we go in this mad tournament the juicier they get. They''re like pinatas filled with candy that lets me improve myself. Eating through all of these monsters isting me levels and Biomass at a pretty heft pace, which is good! I''d just rather get it done with less risk. Risk is bad.

    So what to spend it on?! Excitement is real! I can feel my heart all aflutter! Time to dig into those menus! First thing first, I need to work out what to upgrade. So far the only things I''ve managed to max out at +25 are my Carapace, ting, Stomach and Regeneration nd. There''s a heck of a lot left to go. My mandibles are probably a top priority, increasing my offensive power could do with a boost. Although my magic has proven to be the decisive factor so far. Perhaps I should go with my coordination cortex? Improving the performance of my brains would also assist with my training speed, since I''d be able to cast more spells more rapidly.

    That seems intelligent! Let''s go with that then!

    Quickly bringing up the menu, I peruse the options as I think about the direction I''ve taken my coordination cortex so far. The first two mutations focused on improving the brain''s ability to work independently, then I improved their ability to work together and fused it. For the +20 upgrade, I took the Indomitable option, which allowed the coordination cortex to help spread the load of mental strain across my minds to prolong my ability to work for an extended time under stress. Whenbined with my Collective Will Vestibule, if I ever get back in range of the Colony, I might be able to keep slinging spells forever.

    Which had worked well, I have to say. My sub-brains get put through a lot of work, no cking for them! Letting my coordination cortex help lighten the burden has been good, and I think I''m willing to go further down that line of mutation, especially given my current circumstances. Perhaps next time I evolve, I need to look for something that might give me some of that synergy along these lines. If I can make my brains work harder for longer that''ll have a tremendous increase in my magical Skills training speed.

    Browsing down the menu, I can''t see anything that particrly grabs my eye. In the end, I settle on an option that extends from Indomitable, Unyielding. This option will allow me to push my minds even further. That''s 115 Biomass down the gurgler. What''s next?

 Chapter 384 Keep the train going

    <h4>Chapter 384 Keep the train going </h4>

    The mutation wagon stops for no ant! With one choice locked in it''s time to go for the next one, and I think I have just the thing. I thought about it when I was considering myst upgrade, namely my Vestibule. I haven''t wanted to upgrade this organ since I''m out of range of the Colony and it provides no benefit to me, but I had an idea. The first upgrade I picked gave me extended range with the organ, which was great. What if I keep mutating it and extending the range each time? It''s only +5 right now, and the distance it can reach is significant, beyond a kilometre. Extend the range at +10, consolidate it at +15 and then take range-extending mutations at +20 and +25, just how far will it reach? As much as ten kilometres?

    If the Colony does end uping to find me, this will make it SO much more straightforward. I can sense them when theye in range, and although I never confirmed it, I''m pretty sure that they can tell as well. Even if they can''t, being able to know when they are close will help me time my escape and find my way back to them. It won''t help me inbat at all, but it could be critical when the timees.

    My heart aches a little for the other upgrades that I''ll be giving up. Increased regeneration being the juiciest of those. I haven''t had an in-depth look through that menu, and right now, I can''t bring myself to do it. It''s just going to hurt me when I see options that I can'' take due to my circumstances. Stupid Cultists! Just another reason to get mad at these crazy rock people.

    I smash through the menus as fast as I can and lock in the range extending options through to +25, not allowing my eyes to take in anything else. I don''t see you, incredible options! I don''t see you at alllllll!

    *Sob*.

    I hate this. But what''s done is done. It was the right thing to do. Just like that another THREE HUNDRED AND TEN Biomass is gone. Argh! It hurts! It hurts so bad! Dammit Gandalf, these prices are painful. You cut me to the quick! That''s 420 gone so far. With only ny left, I don''t have enough to take an organ to +25, so I close down the menu and confirm my options.

    [Do you wish to upgrade your Indomitable Coordination Cortex +20 to Unyielding Coordination Cortex +25 and Ranged Collective Will Vestibule +5 to Endless Collective Will Vestibule +25? This will cost 420 Biomass.]

    Confirm it! Let me ascend to a higher ne!

    ¡­

    FTAGN!

    Gah!

    I recover from the itching after thirty minutes and give myself a shake. I have to say that the Collective Will Vestibule is a particrly itchy thing to mutate. The weird flesh crystal just gives out a different sensation, it''s odd, I don''t know how to exin it correctly. Let''s just say I hate it and move on. What''s my reward for going through the ufortable sensation of mutation? More training! Whoo!

    That''s not strictly true, though, because, after several more hours of pointless grinding, Corun arrives through the main doors with a wee surprise.

    [Tiny!]

    [Grah!]

    When the gate swings open I''m greeted by the sight of arge, hairy gori with a broad grin on his bat featured face. Not the kind of creature to hold back, Tiny runs into my small chamber and tries to pick me up in a broad hug. Sadly for him, I''m no longer that much smaller than him, also he''s a lot taller than me, so all that happens is he squashes one of my legs with his brawny arm.

    [Ouch! What are you doing, Tiny!? That stings man!]

    His enthusiasm seems undimmed however and he starts pping me on the back with his massive hands until I manage to shoo him off me.

    [Alright, alright you big dumb ape, I''m happy to see you too!]

    It''s nice to see the big guy again, and since his face is beaming still with that broad grin, I''m guessing he reciprocates. Even after I push off me he doesn''t want to separate too far and keeps a hand on my shiny back.

    [He''s been wanting toe in here for ages,] chuckles Corun, [he doesn''t like settling down much, does he? I had to take him out hunting yesterday just so he could blow off some stress.]

    I''m immediately worried.

    [Is that safe? He''s not going to get picked up by more of your helpful Cultist friends or anything is he?]

    The young Shaper raises both of his hands up, palms towards me in a calming gesture.

    [It''s all good, Anthony. The Cult knows he''s here, how else do you think I was able to get him in here? They aren''t interested in him; they just wanted to make sure he wasn''t causing problems, alright? It''s okay.]

    Well, that''s a relief. I pat Tiny on the arm with one antenna.

    [You wanted to get out and stretch your legs, Tiny? Good on you buddy. I can''t believe yousted as long as you did.]

    He gives me a sorrowful look and grunts sadly. Looks like he had a rough time.

    [Corun, could you do me a favour and take Tiny out a few more times? He needs to fight and evolve as soon as possible. I''m hoping it''ll help deal with his Shadow poison trouble.]

    Running my senses through Tiny, I can tell that his ''issue'' is still very much a reality. The Shadow mana doesn''t seem to have worn itself out, if anything it''s grown more aggressive, wrecking its way through his body and damaging his internals everywhere it went.

    I hit him with a heal reflexively, but while it cures his injuries, it does nothing to deal with the poisonous mana itself. Corun notices my efforts and grimaces.

    [Yeah, I''ve been healing him pretty much non-stop while Torrina and Granin have been in here helping you. It''s been a massive pain in the rock, to be honest. My healing mana Skill is rising at a solid pace, which is nice, but I haven''t had a good night''s sleep in a week!]

    [That''s rough man. Imagine your body was being ripped up from the inside instead. I wonder how''d that go?]

    [I take your point. I''ll make getting Tiny out for hunting a priority. Since we can''t solve the issue through conventional means, it might be possible that his evolution will solve the problem. I might talk to Granin about it actually. He might know something relevant.]

    The prospect of frequent hunting and evolution has pushed Tiny toward a delirious level of joy. His grin looks like it''s going to split his face and happiness is radiating out of his eyes.

    [Oh! Right! Wait for a second Tiny, I have something for you!]

    I turn and rummage through my pile of resources and drag out a glowing, spherical gem¡ªquite a sizeable one.

    [This is a rare core I made for you! Fuse with it now so you''re ready for your evolution!]

    He doesn''t look quite as happy now¡­

 Chapter 385 No tickle

    <h4>Chapter 385 No tickle </h4>

    There''s not a lot to do when imprisoned. It''s lucky that I''m used to this sort of thing, others might have a really hard time. In fact, being confined to a small space without anything to do is almost bringing up nostalgic feelings of my human life. Except this time I''m brought regr meals and have pleasant, non-shouty conversations. It''s a plus. After Tiny hung around for a little while and I forced him to absorb that rare core he and Corun headed off for some more hunting. I''m levelling and mutating at a good pace here and I''m keen for my first pet to keep pace with me. I''m sure Crinis is levelling like crazy, wherever she is. When I imagine what she would do to anything that tried to prevent her from getting back to me, let''s just say I don''t picture it going well for the unfortunate creature.

    ws crossed she manages to level up enough to evolve before I meet up with her again. She''s going to need at least that much power if we end up getting pursued by those damn Golgari hunting parties again.

    Corun did manage to speak to Granin and he was fairly confident that Tiny''s problem could be resolved through evolution, which would be amazing. The poor dude has been getting his insides ripped up for long enough already. It can''t be pleasant. Although he puts a brave face on it, I can tell it''s driving him bananas. Since he''s out hunting, and with the ''joy'' of having a rare core absorbed after maxing out he''s going to be fully motivated to level up and evolve, so it shouldn''t take long.

    For me, I''m back to training and raising my newfound pet! Who I still have to name. The Envy Demon is nearly fully grown now, even if he hasn''t physically changed size all that much. The floating eyeball stores 90% of its body in a separate dimension after all, which I''m sure is now packed full of brains. Soon enough he''ll be able to start casting magic again and I fully intend to have him grinding healing and support magic as fast as possible. His offensive ability is already way higher than I need it to be, but after chatting with Torrina and Corun the wide variety of support magic out there is making me drool. I had no idea this stuff was possible! Certainly I didn''t realise how powerful it could be! This is going to revolutionise the Colony when I get back there. But who will cast the spells? Generals are probably too stupid¡­ maybe if they evolve to tier four? Mages obviously can, but they''re primarily offensive in nature¡­ healers maybe?

    Gah! I can''t decide. I''ll leave it to the council to work out. They can do the heavy lifting when ites to thinking about the way the Colony should operate going forward. That''s exactly why the council was formed in the first ce!

    Still, these different branches of support magic are interesting. Healing magic is an obvious one, restoring health and all that. Mind magic has applications for distracting enemies, which is also great. But Illusion magic, an advanced form of light magic that can create false images, much cheaper and easier than trying to insert thoughts into your opponent''s head. Barrier magic exists, allowing the caster to produce actual magical shields with varying properties. Curse magic and necrotic magic to weaken foes or damage them over time.

    The options are almost endless!

    Ah, little Demon! Your future will be busy indeed! So many skills to train, so little time! I can picture Tiny leaping into battle with a powerful shield defending him from harm. Or Crinis extending tentacles through the ground only to have a forest of illusory dark limbs spring up around the real one. With my plethora of defensive options and healing abilities I''ll be truly unkible with shields and additional healing to back me up! Gweheheheh. It''s going to be great.

    All I have to do is get out this damn hellhole.

    I haven''t received any signal from the Colony through the newly expanded range of my Vestibule, much to my disappointment. I''d hoped that as soon as the mutation wasplete they would be there, on the edge of my awareness, but nope. Nothing. I just have to keep my ws crossed that eventually they''ll find their way towards me.

    More practice with Torrina before Granin eventually storms back in to break up the monotony.

    [Granin, thank Gandalf in his shiny whiteness of beard and robe! Tell this mad woman to give me a rest!]

    [Torrina,y off the bug for a bit. You can keep torturing him in a minute.]

    [Sure.]

    The originator of my pain sits down looking not even slightly tired. Surely that''s just a ruse! I don''t care how advanced her Skills are, there''s no way she can keep casting like this when I''m putting four brains into the effort to her one!

    [How is she able to do this?!] I demand of Granin. [I''m putting some serious mental firepower into this! She''s what twenty years old?! How high can her Skills be?!]

    Granin pauses for a second as he descends thedder down to the bottom of my cell before continuing.

    [Anthony, how old do you think I am?] He asks.

    [I don''t know. Fifty?]

    [I''m over a hundred and fifty¡­]

    [You what mate?!]

    Perfect! First the Lizard Wizard who was hundreds of years old and now this! Is every sapient race on this damned able to live hundreds of years or something?!

    [Torrina is more than forty years old and she''s been training in the magical arts since she was six. Yes, her Skills are higher than yours, obviously. More importantly, I''ve got word back from the leadership regarding your situation.]

    [Oh! Did they take me up on my offer?]

    Certainly it would be the best possible oue if they did. Getting out of here as soon as possible is all I can think about these days.

    [No.]

    [Dang.]

 Chapter 386 What comes next?

    <h4>Chapter 386 Whates next? </h4>

    I suppose I shouldn''t be disappointed that they turned me down, but I can''t help a little pang of emotion run through my mind. Maybe just once, just ONCE, someone would ept the antenna I offered in trust and then walk away. But no. It had to be this crap again. Thest time a sapient surface dweller threw my generosity in my face was the Queen of Liria. I responded to that affront in a sensible fashion. I robbed her and her kingdom blind and took every core in their treasury. I wonder what sort of goodies I''ll be able to find in the Cult''s coffers?

    [I''m a bit surprised they shot your deal down, to be honest,] Granin admits, [you disy of gravity magic has put every Shaper in the facility in a tizzy. New magic. New powerful magic. It''s a potent lure.]

    [Not potent enough, apparently,] I mutter a little bitterly, [what possible reason could they have to turn it down? Honestly. I want to know what would motivate them to deny my request. It''s an obvious win-win.]

    Aplicated expressiones over Granin''s face as he considers his answer. The big and apparently very old Shaper slowly paces back and forth as the little Demon watches him with its piercing green eye.

    [I''m not sure.] He eventually admits. [Something strange is happening, and I don''t have any idea what is it, which bothers me.]

    [Bothers you?] I scoff. [How do you think I feel?]

    [Not great, I imagine,] he chuckles, [I am sorry that I dragged you into this, you know. I had no idea it would turn out this way.]

    I shrug my antennae.

    [Just following orders eh, Granin? Not much, you or I could do about it. I don''t hold a grudge.]

    Not against Granin anyway. The Shapers, in general, were subject to my unending wrath! Or at least, the leadership in this outpost. They''ve surely earned a ce on the naughty list. Torrina and Corun had also helped out as best they could. It wasn''t their fault that their Cult had gone down this crazy path. If I got the chance, I would make the Cult pay but just getting my thorax out of their grip would be enough for me.

    [I appreciate it. I mean that. You''ve been treated badly, it''s almostical. The question is, why?]

    [Any thoughts.]

    [I''ve been puzzling over it for thest little while,] he said while stroking his granite chin, [it doesn''t make a whole lot of sense when you look at it. They want you in the tournament badly enough that they would pass up knowledge of new magic to get it. So they want to you in their littlepetition, but they sure as hell don''t want you to win it, as evidenced by their repeated efforts to get you killed.]

    [So they want me to fight, but they want me to lose¡­]

    [That seems to have been the n from the beginning. Even now it feels like they''re still banking on this strategy to extract Gravity Magic from you. If they can get your core, then they can raise you as a pet and try to learn it that way.]

    That''s horrifying!

    [Would that even work?!] I shriek.

    [Probably not.] Granin doesn''t seem too bothered by the thought of me being raised from the dead. [Raising a creature as a pet doesn''t ''bring it back to life'', per se, it brings the body back to life, but a new mind is in there, or the previous mind is wiped clean, we aren''t sure which.]

    [So even if they did that, I wouldn''t know anything in particr about gravity magic since I won''t have the knowledge from my own world.]

    [Right. They probably assume you have the rted affinity Skill, which would make all the difference since the reborn you would know the spell shapes and such. In reality, they''d get absolutely nothing from it.]

    [Why don''t you tell them that,] I point out, [maybe they''lle back and deal with me then.]

    [They wouldn''t believe me. The only way to prove it would be let one of them to analyse your core. Feel like doing that?]

    [Not really¡­]

    Who knows what shenanigans they might pull if I let them have ess to my core?! I''m way too paranoid about it even to allow the slightest chance that they could pull strange ploy. These are people actively trying to make me dead after all.

    [That''s what I thought. They still appear to want to try and kill you through the tournament for the time being. The question we have is what is motivating them to want you dead. Initially, I thought it was just because they saw your species as inferior, but now I''m starting to have doubts.]

    [You mean you don''t think my species is inferior anymore?] Haha! Is the true power of the ant is being spread through my glorious actions?

    [Ah, no. Ant workers suck. But at this point, their insistence on your death doesn''t make sense if that''s the only motivation.]

    We spend fifteen minutes pondering the reason and sharing our wild theories, but we don''t get anywhere. Granin isn''t much of a schemer, and I certainly aren''t any good at it. Best to leave that sort of stuff to the Council, in my opinion. In the end, our strategy remains the same. Keep training my magic Skills and obliterate my opponent with maximum force!

    [Remember, they''re bound to have a countermeasure or strategy in ce to counter your spell of doom,] Granin warns me. [I''m not saying don''t use it, but the next opponent will chosen with that spell in mind. I highly doubt they''ll be as vulnerable to it as yourst foe.]

    [What does that look like, though?] I ask him as he turns to leave. [I doubt someone can take that spell apart before it hits, or be tough enough to survive its effects. What are they going to throw at me?]

    [Don''t underestimate what''s possible in the Dungeon. Even something that can appear overwhelming can have weaknesses. Having said that, my guess is speed. They''ll put in something that escape the area of the spell before it cannd. That''s what I''d do anyway.]

    Granin leaves Torrina and I behind to keep working on my base magic skills and elemental affinities but I can''t help but think on Granin''s words. If they throw something fast at me, exactly how fast would it be? How would I deal with it? Some of the monsters I''ve seen have been pretty damn extreme. A monster designed from tier one to utilise speed as a weapon¡­ just what does that look like?

 Chapter 387 The rumble below

    <h4>Chapter 387 The rumble below </h4>

    Six monstrous ants each the size ofrge hounds snapped their mandibles toward the human hunting party, the sharp *ck* sounds reverberated through the rock walled tunnel yet Isaac Bird, Chief Guard of Renewal Vige, didn''t feel threatened. He raised a hand to signal the delving party behind him to halt which they did without hesitating. A small jolt of pride welled up in his chest at his troop''s quick response but it was followed by a more powerful pang of loss. He''d trained these men and women with Morrelia, but he hadn''t seen that glorious paragon of the female gender for weeks now. If the rumours were to be believed, then she wouldn''t being back at all¡­

    He couldn''t think about his bride-to-be now! There were more important things to worry about. He shook his head slightly to refocus and sharpened his eyes on the monsters before him. A small Colony hunting party, the sort the human delving parties had reported seeing more of over thest weeks. Isaac drew a deep breath through his nose and detected a faint tang of blood in the air. The Colony had been hunting and found sess nearby, the ants were defending their Biomass. Isaac signalled to his people once more and began to slowly back away.

    Once a respectable distance had been created the ants rxed their posture and skittered away, leaving a lone sentry to keep watch on the pesky humans. Seeing the de-esction of the monstrous neighbours Isaac wasfortable taking his eyes off them and turning back to his party.

    "Looks like they''re going to be blocking off this tunnel for a little while yet. May as well get cosy."

    The group seemed to agree and settled in for a short rest, leaning against walls or sitting down on the hard stone. They were bing used to seeing the monsters in the tunnels as the Colony appeared to be increasing its activity in the surface levels. Far from frightening them, it lifted the hearts of those from Renewal Vige every time they came across the sacred monsters performing their task of cleansing the Dungeon. To their minds, the fact that the ants would annihte all Dungeon monsters with extreme prejudice yet leave the humans untouched was yet more evidence that this Colony of ants was special. Sacred.

    If they were to realise the aggressive expansion of the Colony through the upperyers was merely the young of the colony, tier one and two ants working in groups with their academy instructors in order to obtain the Biomass and experience needed to ''graduate'', then they might be a touch nervous despite their faith. Considering they were seeing more ants than ever before, this increase of sightings would clue them into just how high the daily egg production of the Colony had climbed. If they were to wonder where the more powerful ants had gone, and why, then that would lead them down some very unexpected paths before they could find an answer.

    Increasingly when the humans went delving they would find huge stretches of tunnel had been picked clean, not even a stain remained to show what had urred. It hadn''t taken long for them to realise that this was the tell-tale sign of an ant sweep, which was what they had taken to calling these Biomass raids. They didn''t mind too much, the tunnels were dangerous and even though they were here to level up they didn''t mind this evidence of the safety of their homes. They may not have had a national army, or the Legion (fat lot of good they''d proven to be) guarding over their Dungeon entrances, but they had something even better!

    "Should be a lucky hunt today, Captain," one of the delvers said to Isaac.

    The Guard turned to the speaker, Roy Drum, an early volunteer to the Dungeon Delving teams. The ex-farmer was a lean faced, serious sort of person who had the characteristic tan from working in the sun most of his adult life. Didn''t do him much good down in the Dungeon though.

    "Why''s that then?" Isaac asked him.

    Roy gestured down the tunnel to where the single ant still watched them warily.

    "We''vee under the eyes of the Colony. ''Tis a good sign."

    Isaac stifled a sigh and nodded to the man before looking away. The fervour with which the members of the vige worshipped the mysterious ants remained hard for him to ept. He definitely recognised that the Colony was special, something perhaps entirely new in the history of the Dungeon. An entiremunity of intelligent monsters that did not exhibit any form of aggression towards people. It was insane, unheard of. It was a fact that the ants had acted to defend the people of the vige when they didn''t have to. It was enough to make a believer out of him, he just wasn''t as far gone as most of the vigers.

    In fact, at this moment more than one of his party had begun to kneel and pray toward the watching ant. Exasperated by this disy of piety the Guard Captain could only wonder what the watching ant was thinking.

    The ant in question, a Brood Tender, was watching the humans with a feeling bordering on contempt. They didn''t appear to be doing anything. Sozy! Luckily the ants would be finished soon and this training group would move onto another section of tunnel before making their way down to the Marsh Expanse where the newborn ants would drink their fill of aphid nectar before evolving. The trip through the tunnels and down to the expanse had be something of a rite of passage for new members of the Colony, and the aphids provided a safe and reliable source of Biomass which the ants could use to max out the mutations of the young. Thinking about the foresight of the Eldest made her antennae quiver in wonder. Despite the rtiveck of Biomass avablepared to the wave, the Colony was thriving and graduating more new members per day than ever before. The new Queens had begun producing young already back in the original nest!

    Isaac knew none of this. What he knew was that he had ten vigers-turned-delvers that needed experience and they weren''t going to get any here. He gathered a few of the more experienced members of the group around him; Roy Drum, Cedric Malon, Mel Blonc, and had a brief nning session. Predictably, the others wanted to stay and observe the ants until they moved on, but Isaac wanted to move on and argued strongly to get his way.

    "We''ve been down for two days already. Supplies are gonna get thin on the ground soon. We can''t afford to waste four hours for the Colony to move on and then wander along in their wake not fightin''!"

    After ten minutes or so the group grudgingly agreed and they began to pick themselves up, gathering gear and shouldering packs.

    "Come on then, you lot!" Isaac grinned at them. "These monsters aren''t going to kill themselves, they need you to provide assistance with the end of your spear! A little gentle persuasion! Make sure you get your point across!"

    "Please shut up, Captain." Mel begged. "I can''t take another two days of this."

    "Insubordination! On my delve!? Get that spear over your head and hold it till I say!"

    Mel groaned but raised her hands nheless as the others chuckled at her expense. Isaac smiled to himself as he felt the mood amongst the delve be more energised. They had a lot of ground they needed to cover if they were to hit their targets for this delve and Isaac would be damned if he was going to miss. As they began marching again Isaac took the forward position and watched carefully for any ambushes, but he couldn''t help his thoughts turning to a certain berserker and just how attractive her enraged re made her look.

 Chapter 388 Trade

    <h4>Chapter 388 Trade </h4>

    Enid Ruther couldn''t decide if she was more tired or invigorated. The council meeting had runte, again, until even Bertold the guild leader had been nodding in his cup. And yet not a single member would say they''d left the gathering anything less than upbeat. Perhaps it was true what her husband used to say and people truly did see the best of each other in the darkest of times. Unlike Derrion, she''d never been forced to confront those dark moments battling in the Dungeon, instead she got to see the best her people could offer now, after their homes and families had been destroyed in such a brutal manner.

    To juxtapose such suffering with the incrediblemunity that had sprung up in the middle of nowhere was at timespletely jarring, yet unless she was thinking of it consciously it all just felt so natural. Of course the Gorion family would lend their meagre spare supplies to the Tirin''s who''d just arrived with nothing but the clothes on their back, why would anyone ever think that they wouldn''t?! Or that the builders would happily shove away their dinner and start levelling ground and cutting beams the second Enid knocked on their door and said new houses where needed. She didn''t say they were needed immediately and hastened to tell them so but they just shrugged, grinned and got to work.

    She''d never seen such an unselfish work ethic in all her life and every day she woke up expecting to find it gone and reced with more normal greed, but it clung to themunity like a stubborn virus. By now even the neighbours were starting to notice the unflinching generosity and dedication of the people, Enid herself had been questioned on it more than once.

    [No,] she''d been forced to say, [it isn''t normal for people to work like this.]

    [Curious,] the ant had stared up at her with its unblinking eyes as it pondered her words, [you wouldn''t describe humans as¡­zy ¡­ would you?]

    The insects were normally almost totally void of emotion, but somehow she could sense just how repellent the concept ofziness was to the creature. Which made sense, she supposed, ants were not exactly known for being rxed and ck creatures.

    [Humans can bezy,] she admitted, [just like any other creature¡­]

    The ant stared at her for a long moment.

    [¡­ almost any other creature, I meant to say. Obviously the Colony is excepted from such¡­ weak¡­ fleshy concerns.]

    She swore the ant''s antennae wiggled a little at her acknowledgement. Thinking back to that conversation caused a slight chuckle to break through the old woman''s gruff exterior as she walked through the cool night. In some ways the insects of Anthony''s colony were highly intelligent and curious creatures, full of questions and full of an insatiable thirst to learn. In other ways they were like children, incapable of deception andpletely certain of their own point of view. Would the monsters be old and jaded, as so many mortal species did? Or would they continue forward forever sure in themselves?

    Needless to say, Enid wouldn''t live long enough to find out. It was a miracle she was still going, all things considered. At nearly seventy years of age, she was easily the oldest survivor of the disaster. Which was surprising since she''d not gained a whole lot of toughness across her lifetime. Perhaps it was Will keeping her old bones moving?

    She rapped at the door of the bowyer and pushed her way in without waiting for a response. A rush of warm air blew past as she stepped blinking into the newly made workspace. Wood chips and shavings covered every surface and the air felt thick with it, causing her to cough as she waved a hand in front of her. What she didn''t see was her damn craftsman.

    "Aarran Yewman! Where the hell are you? I told you I''d be here after the meeting!"

    From another room came the scraping of a chair across the floor and the overweight, balding bowmaker stumbled into the room.

    "Keep it down Enid, you old crow!" He growled in his low, rumbling, voice. "I just sat down to eat my dinner, I''ve been waiting around out here for more than an hour."

    "Hardly my fault if the meeting runs long, is it?" Enid re-joined. "Have you taken a look at it yet or have you been cking?"

    Mumbling to himself about the apology Aarran knew he was never going to get, he limped across the room to his work bench and reached up to pull down a long stave of wood from an overhead rack.

    "cking? Unlike some people who sit around all day and call it work, I''ve been busy. Take a look at this."

    So saying he tossed the stave toward Enid, forcing her to catch it out of the air with a squawk. The moment she had it in her hands though, her eyes sharpened and her merchant''s instincts took over. The wood was smooth, the grain fine. The flex was perfect as well. She brought it closer to her eyes and noted with excitement the slight gleam that ran through the wood.

    "This is good stuff."

    "Aye. That it is," Aarran agreed. "Those ants have some good stuff in their mandibles there, I''d have worked with wood of that quality probably three or four times in my entire life, and I''ve been cutting bows since I was five."

    A recent addition to Renewal Vige, Aarran was a master Bowyer from a kingdom neighbouring Liria, Holt. It seems that before she came south the hated Garralosh wasn''t too concerned if she crossed borders and her monsters had rampaged through many of the border kingdoms. The outriders had ranged far and fast to bring word of this refuge to everyone who could make it and even now more people were flooding in, seemingly by the day. Enid had finally started delegating as much as she needed to and for now things were holding together.

    "What sort of enchantment do you think the wood will hold?" She asked.

    She had her own opinion but Aarran would know better than her. This was his particr area of expertise, after all.

    "Just about any basic enchantment of Earth, Water or Wood affinity I would think. Ice arrows would be a good one, but there''s a heap of options. Problem is, I can''t do the enchanting myself. Have you lined up anyone to do it for you?"

    His tone said that he was doubtful she''d managed that. Several craftsmen were working hard to develop their enchanting skills but none were far enough along that she''d be willing to let them work on such precious material as this.

    "Well, that''s the thing. I think I have found someone to perform the enchanting, but they need to practice first. I''ve been asked to provide some practice staves for them to work on. Do you think you could supply them?"

    "Well, sure." Aarran folded his arms. "How many do they want?"

    "A thousand¡­"

    "A THOUSAND? Where the hell do you think I''m going to find the time to make that many?! And who could possibly have a thousand cores to spare making practice bows?!" The irate bowyer stared at her as if she were daft, which was fair.

    Enid sighed. She knew this would happen.

    "I know you''ve only been here a few days, Aarran, and I appreciate everything you''ve been able to for us¡­"

    "Aye."

    "¡­ did you happen to talk to Priest Beyn yesterday?"

    "¡­ Aye."

    "And what did you think? About what he had to say."

    The big man hesitated for a moment.

    "It''s¡­ hard to take."

    Enid nodded.

    "I know. By all that is holy, I know. But it''s all true. You''ve seen them around, you know the Colony means us no harm. More than that, they have acted out to help us in a huge number of ways. This is one of them. They''ve offered to perform the enchanting for us."

    The craftsman''s eyes widened to an almost dangerous degree.

    "The ants?! Enchanting? In return for what?"

    "That''s the thing. They just want the experience and Skill levels. Apparently they''ve been enchanting like crazy down there. Unlike us, they have the resources to burn testing and experimenting and they are actually getting somewhere!"

    "There has to be a price, Enid." Aarran rebuffed her, not willing to trust monsters. "What could they possibly want."

    "Knowledge. Before he left, Anth- ¡­ Their leader told me that the ants would help us in return for ess to our knowledge. If they ask a question, make sure you answer it, that''s all."

    The old man nodded slowly.

    "And what happens when we have no more knowledge to give?" He asked. "Do they abandon us? Or worse? I spoke to Beyn and I''ve been in that church he built. It ain''t natural, Enid. Quite a few neers are nervous about it. People are worried that we trust these monsters too much."

    Enid sighed. This was a recurring issue that cropped up with every new group of refugees who settled here. After some time, they would limate, or more likely, Beyn would talk them around to his way of thinking. But then another group woulde and the whisperings would start all over again. It just felt like each time it happened it took longer from the rumblings to settle down. Some people just t refused to believe that an ant brought down Garralosh and saved them from the horde. Enid didn''t even me them, it seemed crazy. Perhaps if Anthony was here then it would be easier to convince them. Things just seemed to happen when that creature was around.

    "Just think about it," Enid told him. "I have assurances that they can do what we want. I''d rather not have to order you Aarran, but we need to make the most of this. These weapons will not only make us safe, they''ll secure us financially. For years. If you agree, then deliver whatever you can to Beyn in the morning and start working on the rest."

    Not bothering to stay and argue, Enid turned and left. It waste and she was cold. Her own nkets awaited.

 Chapter 389 Holy ground

    <h4>Chapter 389 Holy ground </h4>

    Beyn Antseeker, for that was now his name, tread forward with reverence. This was a sacred ce, and one toward which he felt only the deepest respect. They were all around him now and he did his best not to disturb their paths and they moved passed him with purpose. They were always so sure of themselves, the Path was clear before their multi-faceted eyes and their many legs could not stray from it.

    [Hurry your step, human. There is much work to be done.]

    Ah!

    [I apologise, holy one. I was distracted, also it is difficult for me to carry these with only one arm.]

    It was true. Currently, Beyn was carrying an arm load of ten unstrung bow staves in a delivery to the Colony under his one good arm. There had been tremendous excitement amongst the faithful when the offer of the Colony to enchant weapons for the Vige. Such a thing was yet more evidence of the righteousness of their cause. How could anyone continue to hold doubts as to the nature of this Colony, to the sanctity of the Great One? Such an offer only put more fuel on the fires of faith and Beyn had immediately held a public gathering to preach in the Vige square, praising this news to the heavens.

    Enid had been quite annoyed with him at that. Considering the transaction hadn''t been finalised and the craftsmen in particr had not yet agreed to take part. Beyn had scoffed at such meagre constraints. Such things would be swept away by the current of destiny that had seized them all in its waves!

    She''d hit him after that and he had executed a tactical retreat. It was frustrating to Beyn that none were closer to the ants, or the Great One in the vige than Enid was, yet she held herself back from truly embracing the new Path. She''d never been particrly religious and Beyn had many disagreements with her acting as her Priest, yet he believed that deep down the faith burned strong within her.

    How could it not? She had witnessed the miracles of the Colony from just as close as he had!

    [Are you sure that I shouldn''t carry them for you?] His escort flexed her mandibles to demonstrate their willingness to help.

    [I must decline,] Beyn hastened to say. [The agreement stated that we must deliver the material to you directly and I do not intend to shirk my work.]

    [That''s good then.] The ant nodded its antennae and continued to lead the way toward the nest.

    Even though this particr Mage had no idea why the council had agreed to let this human inside the nest she would do her job and escort them properly. If he so much as looked at a brood chamber he was getting chomped.

    The Priest was quite aware that he was in danger. He knew a great deal about the Colony, more than the ants suspected in all likelihood. He couldn''t help it, he was endlessly curious about this manifestation of a miracle, as were his followers. Once the ants had begun to interact with the people of Vige in an attempt to learn what they knew of production, construction and civilisation, the faithful had begun an earnest campaign to learn about them. There was nothing malicious in their hearts, they simply yearned to grow closer, to learn anything they could about the object of their reverence.

    And so when they were approached by the Colony to share they knowledge, they did so dly and when they felt they could, they politely, respectfully and tactfully asked questions back. Most of the time the ants would refuse to answer. They didn''t seem to particrly trust humans and were, quite naturally, very insr. It was to expected, after all. Divine monsters they may be, but the nature of the Colony was to be loyal to itself. Even so, every drab of information was hoarded, analysed and ruminated on. Every utterance of an ant was taken as holy gospel, to be studied and dissected.

    In this way, tiny tidbits of information were rued in order to paint a picture. A blurry picture, with giant gaps. But a picture nheless. For instance, they learned that it was the will of the Great One that directed the Colony to interact so closely with the Vige. They also learned that the Colony was actively making use of their newfound knowledge as much as possible. Enchanting, forging, building. Every day the ants woulde back with more detailed questions, as if they''d taken what they''d learned that day, tried to apply it through the night, thene back for more insights.

    But the holy grail, the most coveted prize of all, besides further words with the Great One, was to have ess to the nest. They craved it! Oh how they craved it! Even though he knew it was a pipe-dream. As if the ants would ever let them inside their most precious abode! If there was ever to be a chance, it would be through the strengthening bonds of cooperation between the twomunities. This exchange had provided an in and Beyn Antseeker was determined to seek with all his strength!

    [Hold up there, human Beyn.] He was warned by his escort and he stopped.

    After a few moments of silence another,rger ant emerged from the ground to his right. He started. He hadn''t even noticed the opening in the ground and yet now a monster had just sprung from it.

    [Greetings, human Beyn.] Came another voice. [My name is Cobalt. Please follow me.]

    A name?! A named ant?! They''d heard whispers of this select group of individuals but there had been precious little information about them.

    The ant¡­ Cobalt¡­ turned around and vanished once more beneath the ground, leaving the wary Priest little choice but to follow. It was awkward, he was unbnced due to carrying his cargo under his one arm and the low ceiling, clearly not made for creatures of his height, forced him to stoop.

    But he persevered. Indeed, his heart was alight with joy! He would dly walk over hot coals in order to get even a glimpse into the inner sanctum of these holy creatures! As he shuffled through the tunnels, it was clear that he wasn''t being shown anything the ants were not prepared to allow him to see. He saw no young, no sign of the Queen that had been sighted during the battle against Garralosh. Instead he saw something even more shocking. Chamber after chamber that had been shaped and purposed for crafting. Forges,plete with stone floors, magically operated bellows and venttion. Enchanting chambers filled with cores and decorated with special, antfortable stations in which the creatures could work.

    [Your weapons will be enchanted here,] Cobalt finally stopped and indicated a particr chamber with his antennae. [Please leave the staves and bring another load at this time tomorrow. We are confident we will have worked out the process after a week, maybe two.]

    Not daring to speak, Beyny down his burden and bowed deeply towards every ant he could see before he was escorted out. Though his face was calm, his heart burned with renewed fervour. He hadn''t dared to imagine they coulde this far. What could they be but divine?

 Chapter 390 Round Four

    <h4>Chapter 390 Round Four </h4>

    There''s been a notable increase in spectators between rounds. When I had my first fight there was hardly anyone about to watch the spectacle but now, here in round four? Someone''s getting popr! The observation area is packed.. Standing room only. It makes sense in a morbid way. One hundred and twenty eight triads had an entrant in this tournament and now only sixteen were still working. All those idle hands means more stoneyered bums in seats I suppose. Not to mention all of the triads who manage the surviving monsters are here to scout. When there''s only eight fights, it''s not hard to make it to all of them and keep an eye on the opposition.

    With this bumper audience I''ll need to ensure I put on a show!

    No wait¡­ Why the hell would I do that? Just focus on not getting dead and surviving long enough to escape! Don''t do anything unnecessary, idiot! Trying to snap back into focus I shake off the surprise I felt at the size of the crowd and worry about what''s in front of me. The gate hasn''t risen to let my opponent in yet, so I still have some time. Best get myself fully prepared. Sink into the meditation skill, get my sub-brains prepping some mana. Our intel spoke to the speed and dexterity of this opponent, so we decided a Gravity mana focused strategy would help even the odds. I''ve also whipped up a Fire mana construct just in case. The wide range of the me thrower spell and general explodiness should help catch out my more nimble opponent.

    Oh ho! Here we go. I stretch out my six legs as the gate opposite begins to rattle as it rises to reveal the creature behind it. It looks¡­ just as weird as I was told. It''s tall, probably as tall as Tiny, but thin, like, really thin. It looks like it hasn''t eaten anything in its entire life! Emaciated is one thing, but this guy is pushing it to a new level. He kind of looks like a shadow beast was crossed with a sloth. He has gangly arms tipped with long, curved ws that cast a wicked gleam. In fact, I suspect they are actually glowing, though it''s hard to tell in this lighting. Could be an elemental mutation, or perhaps a mana infusion that aids cutting power? Could be something new they added to help deal with my carapace. The creature has a narrow face with a particrly non-threatening mole-like pointy face. Something tells me the teeth he''s packing in there are the real deal though.

    As it strolls into the arena the creature stretches its limbsnguorously in a nonchnt disy. Considering those limbs are made from shadow flesh those stretches are a little disturbing, the limbs bending too far to be normal, the flesh extending far more than it should.

    Alright there, buddy. No need to put yourself on disy. Oh look, the Shapers are eating it up. Chumps. So much pointing and muttering going on up there. Get with the program guys, where''s the ant love? I can''t help but ck my mandibles in irritation. Stupid sloth monster, stealing my limelight. I''ll get my revenge by eating him, I suppose that''ll have to do. One final check of my skills and constructs. Everything looks good. Time to start weaving andpressing my first spell.

    As my sub-brains get busy focusing on casting, I watch the opponent like an ant-hawk. The biggest threat this monster poses is his insane speed and lightning fast attacks. No elemental damage, no magic or super fancy tricks. Granin spected that the triad who created this beast designed it to make best use out of its rubbery, shadow flesh by creating a beast that could push its body past breaking point, literally shred its own tissues to achieve speed and power that would otherwise be impossible. The unique properties of shadow flesh means that the monster can regrow and rece the damage far more easily than I can heal. Even Crinis utilises simr mutations that allow her to just ''pump'' more shadow goop into damaged areas to rece what''s been lost.

    It makes for an intimidating prospect. I''ll need to be careful. Well¡­ of course I do, it''s a fight to the death.

    I know the battle is going to start in a few seconds so I waste no time unleashing my first spell before the Shapers dere the fight has begun. It''s a defensive spell which is apparently allowed. Before my opponent can move a muscle my Gravity Domain expands outwards in an ever revolving sphere centred on me. I''m not actually sure if the spell prates through the ground¡­ I might need to investigate that.

    In a loud voice, the Shaper announces the start of the battle and I nearly flinch even sunk into meditation, my mind hyper-alert and focusing on my foe. I''m not sure what I expected to happen. I think deep down I imagined him disappearing like a cartoon character, only to appear behind me looking smug whilst I appear foolish and confused. Not that such a thing would work on me anyway, I can see behind me! MUAHAHAHA.

    No, instead the monster continues its casual behaviour and strolls toward me, it''s movementsnguid and rxed. I don''t know if this guy is overconfident or if this is how he always acts. Oh well, no reason not to execute the n. With my condensed Gravity Domain slowly revolving around me I engage my brains again and draw out more Gravity mana to shape into spells. Thank goodness my Gravity Mana nd contains so much of the precious juice. Granin and I theorised that it would be a key element in slowing my speedy opponent down. My first attempt is gravity spear, the old favourite.

    I settle my feet and try to get low. No point trying to contest this creature in speed, I have no hope of winning such a contest and running around is only going to open up blind spots. Instead, I''ll force him toe to me and act like the mountain against his wind.

    As the monster draws closer I snap my mandibles open and unleash the spear in a straight line directly into the creature''s face. See if you can act smug now! Contrary to my expectations however, the creature casually leans to one side and allows the spear to brush past its lithe frame. Damn thing barely broke stride!

    That spell moves pretty damn fast. Not like, a bullet fast, we aren''t talking Neo levels of dodge here, but still, fast. It felt like he just swayed out of the way of an arrow I''d fired at his face. Maybe if I aim lower, go for the middle of his body, then he''ll have to at least move a little more.

    Drawing on thebined power of my two weaker sub-brains I throw together another spear and cast it as fast as I can. By this time the monster is within thirty metres of me, having walked his way straight toward me from the other side of the arena. The moment the spear is unleashed I raise up my profit margin and unleash a barrage of acid.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    The spell streaks forward whilst overhead the acid arcs into the air before spreading and starting to fall. I tried to arrange the four shots in a spread around the monster''s current location. Let''s see how you dodge now¡­

    Almost as if in slow motion, the monster''s eyes sharpen and it bends its legs. Then, with a flicker of light, it''s gone!

    WHAM!

    A tremendous impact ms into my side, but I''m ready! My legs absorb the shock and I angle my carapace to allow those long, curved ws to slide off my side with a screech. My mandibles open wide and snap shut in an instant but the creature is already gone. With a kick of his legs he pushes off the ground and almost glides through the air tond more than ten metres away.

    So fast! So damn fast! Without my enhanced reflexes and future sense, I''d have had no idea what had even hit me! That''s how every fight has gone so far for this monster apparently. One hit kills. Even then, he aimed for my eye, the gap in my defences. I had to perform a tiny dash to bring my head out from under that strike and have it sh on my carapace instead.

    Now he''s just standing outside the range of my Domain looking at me with his head cocked, as if he''s shocked I''m still alive. This monster is irritating in the extreme.

 Chapter 391 Speed. I am not Speed.

    <h4>Chapter 391 Speed. I am not Speed. </h4>

    This cocky monster is going to catch these mandibles, just as soon as I manage to get a hook on him. The strange thing is how he was able to enter and exit my gravity domain so easily¡­ Is it a question of mass? True, he''s thin as an anorexic stick on an Atkins diet, but I''d assumed that he''d be dense, like Crinis. That shadow flesh can be packed pretty darn tight. I''m starting to suspect that they may not have done that in order to avoid hampering his speed. Which means that gravity magic may not be the answer to my problems. Or perhaps it still is? I may just need to think outside the box. Regardless, I still have tricks I haven''t shown off that I can use.

    I take a moment to check on the damage to my carapace whilst my opponent is still pondering the meaning of my continuing existence. Looks like he managed to gouge a chunk out of my beautiful diamond skeleton. I shouldn''t be surprised considering the strength behind that blow. If my carapace was any weaker he might have blown a hole right through it. As it stands the damage is already being repaired by the inner-ting below, the grooves left behind from the ws are filling up with a clear gel-like fluid that will soon harden into new carapace. It''ll take a lot more than this to break down my defence!

    Carapace is love! Carapace is life! Diamonds are forever! Gweheheheh.

    Trying to catch the monster unawares, I st off a quick Gravity Spear but to no avail. With another seemingly casual movement, the monster is able to step to one side and avoid the spell, which fizzles into the ground behind him. He must have very high levels of the Dodge Skill, possibly even precognitive abilities simr to my own. He just makes dodging look so easy. That slight movement seems to have been the signal for him to start back up again. The monster leans to one side and begins to walk, rapidly picking up pace until he''s sprinting at an insane speed, looping around me in a circle. Sand flies up in a curtain, thrown into the air by the creature''s feet as I wonder what he''s trying to achieve. I can''t get dizzy, bud. I don''t have to turn my head to keep my eyes on you¡­

    He is staying out of the range of my Gravity Domain though, which is worth noting.

    Not willing to wait for the enemy to make the first move, I draw out my fire mana and weave together a particrly nasty spell. The monster is moving almost too quickly for me to get a solid lock on it, but that shouldn''t matter for this spell. It only takes seconds for me to piece together the lines of magic and power them. Within moments my mandibles open wide and a sizzling hose of me erupts from in front of my face! Burn, sucka!

    A hiss of pain reaches my ears before my antennae tingle once again. Acting on instinct, my nerves fire at once and my body twitches to one side.

    BAM!

    Another sharp impact! Once again the beast was trying to stuff its ws straight through my eyes and into my head! Nasty! My shift was enough to cause the strike to fall on another part of my head, no major harm done. I don''t turn off the mes and keep pouring more mana into it. I''ve now got two spells of different Affinities going at once, quite a difficult feat. Without the training I''ve receivedtely, this would be far more difficult. My brains are truly flexing their power now!

    My carapace starts to warm up as I spin in ce and st my surroundings with zing mes. The sand sounds as if it''s cooking and begins to glow a bright red as the creature leaps left and right, trying to avoid the heat. Too hot for you, mole face? I''ve got plenty more where this came from! The torrent of fire continues to pour out from in front of my face as my minds strain to control the flood of mana powering the Spell. I angle my body left and right but the opponent is just too slippery, unleashing a hiss of rage before nimbly dodging away, jumping over or ducking beneath the Spell and sprinting to find another angle to approach.

    Whilst I keep the fire magic flowing, the monster is hesitant to approach and seems content to wait me out. Unwilling to allow my mana reserves to fall too low, I reluctantly let the spell drop and start watching my enemy closely. The fire magic was effective and I know for sure I scored a hit. That might not mean much, considering the creature is known to have powerful regenerative abilities, but I''ll take the minor victory.

    In fact, so far this match is going fairly well. I might not be able to put damage onto the monster in front of me, but he hasn''t been able to do much to me either. All in all, I''m feeling pretty safe! Wait, don''t think that, Anthony. That''s a g right there.

    No sooner do I think that thought than the monster opposite seems toe to the same conclusion. His current tactics aren''t working and right now it''s going to be a race to see if I''ll run out of Mana before he runs out of Stamina. Considering how draining it must be to move at that kind of speed, I can''t see me losing that race. In other words, the monster and I appear to decide simultaneously that it''s time to take this fight to the next level.

    The monster''s eyes flicker and it leaps away from me. Once itnds, the beast opens its strange, pointed mouth and screams, before its entire body begins to turn red, as if the blood within its veins has boiled in an instant.

    Is this your secret powerup moment? Are you about to unleash your final technique?! I don''t think so!

    Unwilling to let the monster have any time to itself, I flood my mandibles with Gravity Mana and prepare to unveil my next trick. With a mental shout of ''GET OVER HERE'', I YOINK the creature with a powerful pull and it''s light mass causes it to fall directly toward me. I can see the shock in its eyes as the ground no longer feels like the ground and it falls directly toward the eager jaws of its foe. But it''s not the face hands I want my enemy to catch, but a bit of heat.

    As the creature falls toward me, my mandibles open wide and fire boils out from before my face, submitting my enemy to a glorious roast, one which it doesn''t appreciate judging by the horrific screech of pain it emits.

    Then itpletes its journey and ms into my head, wing and biting like a mad thing having a bad day. As soon as ittches its hands onto me the beast pulls itself away from my head and starts to go to town on my back with a flurry of enraged strikes.

    BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

    With horrific, unimaginable strength far beyond what I have felt before from this thing it batters away at my carapace with its elongated, curved ws, tearing chunks out my diamond shell with every strike. What''s more, I can see that the creature''s own body falling apart with every movement. Ichor begins to burst out of its limbs and drip down onto my exo-skeleton where it sizzles and steams.

 Chapter 392 Gaining Traction

    <h4>Chapter 392 Gaining Traction </h4>

    The diamond carapace will never yield!

    ¡­

    I hope! In the meantime, let''s not put it to the test and get this freaky mole monster off of my back! As it continues to wail on my precious shiny exterior, I try to flip him off by flinging myself left and right¡ªsand flies as I move with vigour but to no avail. I don''t know if he''s got glue on his feet or something, but he''s managed to dig right in up there. I can''t even turn my head around to bite him since Ick a neck and all that.

    The answer will have toe from private industry! Even with the monster standing on me, with my newfangled essories back there, I''m able to lift my abdomen enough that I can get an angle on the beast.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    A rapid-fire barrage of acid! Behold the might and efficacy of mytest product!

    "HSSSSSSSSSS!"

    The creature sounds like steam escaping a vent as the acid clings to its body, seeping into its already open wounds and burning at its flesh. As it''s distracted, I try to fling it off once more, and whatever tension it was holding in its feet breaks. It flies from my back andnds heavily nearby, writhing in pain.

    Chance!

    I''ve been hoping for this moment! My sub-brains have been busy crafting the often underutilised inverse-gravity bolts! I have two in the chamber and ready to fly, and once I see the monsternd, I unleash them. The two sts of purple magic fly home and strike the monster right in the centre of its mass. Rather than celebrate I take a second to inspect the damage I''ve sustained.

    It''s not a great picture. The carapace across the back of my abdomen and thorax has taken a shredding. Deep gouges that cut almost the entire way through to my body cover me, each weeping the clear gel released from the inner-carapace ting. In terms of HP, I haven''t lost much, only twenty points so far in the fight, but if this creature manages to cut through my defence, I don''t think he''ll need to do it a second time. The power contained in each of those strikes is no joke!

    The question I have is, do I risk using my regeneration nd to patch up my carapace or wait in case I sustain massive damageter in the fight? I don''t want to waste usage of the organ, only to find my legs have been chopped off in the next minute. Then again, I don''t want to save it at then get cut in half from one swipe of those horrible ws.

    Deciding that prevention is better than recover, I trigger the nd as my sub-brains spin up another set of inverse bolts. I''ve had way less practice with this form of the spell, and it shows, the rtively simple magic taking up to ten seconds to form. To save on brainpower, I drop the Gravity Domain. The low mass and high power of the monster made it ineffective anyway. Now that my strategy has flipped less gravity rather than more, it no longer makes sense to spend resources on it.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    The acid barrage doesn''t stop for love nor money, and the creature rolls desperately away as the rain of high-quality merchandise continues to fall. The monster is still suffering the effects from overtaxing its own body, but even as I watch it stand and heave for oxygen, its wounds are starting to heal. It''s triggered whatever healing capacity it has. I''m not too worried about it; this was something that I was always going to have force out at some point and getting done just as I''ve used mine makes me feelfortable.

    It continues to roll away from my acid rain, dying until it manages to return to full health no doubt. But this presents another opportunity. Taking careful aim, I wait for my chance and fire out my second set of anti-gravity bolts just as the creature is about to finish one dodge roll. Even now, it''s still damn quick, and its high dodge Skill allows it to evade one of my spells, but I''m delighted to see the other smack home.

    After three bolts the effect should be starting to show now, surely.

    After being struck, the mole-monster seems to have had enough. It''s burning red flesh, and sizzling blood appears to demand it leap into action and so it does! Only¡­ it doesn''t. It tries to dash to one side and build up speed for another of its devastating killing blows, yet something is different. Its legs are spinning, but it isn''t able to get the kind of speed it expects.

    Gweheheheheh.

    Are you feeling a little light-headed, maybe? Perhaps a bit light in the body? Having some issues getting your feet to stick in the sand the way you want?

    MUAHAHAHAHAAAA!

    No traction for you!

    "HSSSSSSSS!"

    Once more, the monster lets out a steam-like hiss. It''s not in pain this time; it''s expressing pure frustration. Whilst still moving quickly, the creature isn''t moving anywhere near the sort of speed it was able to achieve before. Although my spell isn''t affecting it powerfully enough to lift it into the air, the inverse gravity bolt has reduced the pull of gravity on it to the point where it can''t get the sort of traction it needs to generate that blistering pace.

    Not fast enough now, monster!

    I snap my mandibles with glee, and for the first time in the fight, I begin to push forward, hunting for my foe with my mandibles. Uncertain and confused, the monster tries to dart left and right to escape, but I''m ready. My fire mana construct has been humming away in the background and drawing deeply on my mana reserves I pull together a demanding spell. Right before my enemies eyes, a giant wall of me erupts from the ground. The heat is oppressive, even to me. But it''s so much worse for the shadow monster. It flinches away instinctively which is enough to grant me a brief opening.

    BAM!

    Another inverted gravity bolt hits home as I close in with a Dash. Get ready for a chomp!

    CRUNCH!

    Dammit! The creature slithers away from my mandibles like an eel, its absurdly high Dodge allowing it to evade even in such dire circumstances. I don''t believe you can keep it up forever, monster! Sooner orter I''m going to get you!

    The monster seems to understand the same. Rather than try and create distance, it instead closes in, angling to my side to avoid my jaws. I''m not going to let you! The wall of fire is still burning, fuelled by a constant stream of fire mana pouring out of me and with my back to it, the monster can''t circle all the way around. I turn rapidly to keep it in front of me, and once it closes in on the wall, it''s forced to stop ande at me directly.

    CHOMP!

    I missed again! Where the heck did he go?!

    I look around frantically only to see a flicker of movement above. He jumped! And he went way, way higher than he expected¡­

    Using the explosive power of its legs,bined with its lightened body, the monster has flown almost thirty metres into the air, nearly high enough to touch the roof of the arena! I think he wanted to leap onto my back and try once again to stab through my eyes or something, but he didn''t expect the spell to affect him in this way.

    It''s a fatal mistake. I have all the time in the world to reposition myself and prepare my jaws at the point ofnding. Frantic, the creatureshes at the air to try and change its path of descent, but nothing helps.

    Omen Chomp!

    CRUNCH.

    It''s over.

 Chapter 393 Getting too far

    <h4>Chapter 393 Getting too far </h4>

    The announcements of the Bearded One ring within my mind as my speedy foe falls to the ground, neatly bisected by the omen chomp.

    [You have defeated Level 2 Regulus Bestiae saltus]

    [You have gained XP]

    [You have reached level 36.]

    [You have reached level 37.]

    [You have reached level 38.]

    [You have reached level 39.]

    [You have reached level 40.]

    [You have reached level 41.]

    [Basic profile unlocked.]

    [Regulus Bestiae Saltus, wed Leaping Beast (VI). This modified version of the Leaping Beast excels in rapid movement and decisive strikes. Unsuited to extended engagements, its preferred strategy is to kill from the shadows with a single blow. Its powerful muscture and advanced ws give it the strength and prating power to tear through almost any defence.]

    Heh. Almost any defence. Just not the Diamond Carapace!

    Still, that was actually scarier than the final result showed. If my carapace was weaker, or if I didn''t have the inner-ting, then there''s a good chance the monster could have pierced through and minced my insides. Or if I didn''t have my future-sense or rapid reflexes, then my carapace wouldn''t have mattered as the creature would have stabbed me through the eye on its first attack. In the end, it was actually a bad matchup for the Leaping Beast. I was uniquely resilient against its preferred strategy and even possessed the means to slow it down long enough to damage it. Against most monsters I wager it would be able to finish them before they could blink. The Shapers were so focused on the Gravity Bomb that they picked my opponent based on that spell alone. Foolish!

    No matter. It''s done, I survived another round. Hopefully my enemies amongst the Shapers are grinding their teeth watching another of their precious favourites go down in mes. More Biomass for me! And honestly, the experience is really piling up! Six entire levels from this guy! Juicy! I''m already past the halfway mark for my next evolution, which is frankly ridiculous. It wasn''t that long ago I evolved. Am I going to get to tier six before Tiny can make it to tier five? That''ll really irritate the big ape. Heheheh.

    Pleasantly lost to my own thoughts I amble over to the Biomass and begin to drag it back to my side of the Arena. Soon enough the gates are opened and we''re on our way back to my own cell. This will buy me a little more time, maybe another day, possibly two. I imagine the time between rounds will shrink, since there''s far fewer fights in each round. In fact, going into round five, how many monsters are left? If we started with one hundred and twenty eight¡­ there''s only eight left once this round is done?! Holy moly! So I''m a quarter-finalist! Whoo!

    Wait, I don''t care about winning this thing, get me out of here! Although a few more levels wouldn''t hurt¡­

    No! Focus, Anthony! Get back to the Family. You can get levels in a heap of different ways, forget about the incredible wealth of Biomass each of these monsters represents. Speaking of which.

    NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM.

    [Already eating, you pig!] Torrina''s teasing mental voice connects to mine.

    [I''m starving. All that training drains a ton of energy.] I reply calmly as I continue to chomp away.

    [I''ve got good news for you, Anthony. Corun told me that your pet evolved this morning.]

    [What? Already?!] There goes my ns to double evolve before Tiny catches up.

    Even so, this is great news! My first pet has reached my level once again!

    [What about his mana poisoning? Was that resolved?] I ask anxiously.

    She nods and smiles.

    [Apparently so! It even appears to have had an effect on his evolution. In a positive way.]

    I almost sag to the ground with relief. Tiny''s ongoing internal injuries had been a huge source of stress for me, and him I''m sure, and to know that it''s been dealt with is fantastic news.

    [Things are turning up Anthony today, Torrina! When do you think I''ll get a chance to see Tiny? I''d love to see his new form. What''s his species? No wait, let me guess¡­ ck Mountain Storm Gori? Shadow Fist Electric Ape King?! DARK PRIMATE OF THE STORM?!]

    [Settle down a little! I don''t know what it is, you''ll have to wait until Corun can bring him in. We might be able to bring him in tomorrow. I''m not sure what they''re nning to do with the schedule. Things might elerate from this point on or they might slow down. It''s all down to the whims of the leadership and who knows what they''re thinking.]

    Stupid thoughts. They''re thinking stupid thoughts. They don''t seem too capable of any other kind, that lot. Theirck of capacity to understand the greatness of ants is merely the greatest and most obvious of their failings. Morons. I have no time to ponder their many ws today. Today is the day to celebrate!

    Or it would be if I could work out what this stupid itching feeling is. Am I mutating?! No, that''s ridiculous, surely I''d know if I was mutating. The itch isn''t that severe, either. It''s like a tickle mixed with an itch mixed with a whisper. I can barely feel it at all, it''s so minor, but it''s persistent, as if someone were scratching with the tip of a single nail at the edge of my consciousness. Whatever it is, it''s irritating as heck, but also strangely familiar. Have I felt this before?

    I grow still and stop eating, causing Torrina to look at me curiously.

    [Something wrong, Anthony?] She asks.

    [Uhh¡­ ] I mumble, distracted.

    That single nail has been joined by another. Then another. Then another. Then ten more. Then twenty more. Then a hundred more. Then a thousand more. Deep inside my carapace my Vestibule sparks to life and begins leaking energy into my body once more. It starts as a trickle but as the seconds pass it grows to a steady flow. My entire body tingles with a new energy.

    Slowly, I lower my head back down to my Biomass and take a bite. In the back of my mind I can sense a flood of connections reaching out across space to whisper in my ear, each of them saying the same thing.

    "We''reing."

    [It''s nothing.] I take a slow bite.

    [Nothing at all.]

 Chapter 394 Imminent escape

    <h4>Chapter 394 Imminent escape </h4>

    Ohhhhh boy. It''s the Squad! The Team! The Gals! The Sisterhood! The Family! The Colony ising to get me! I feel giddy, it''s almost like I''m being broken out of prison. Wait, that''s exactly what''s happening. Need to stay cool. No need to let people know what''s happening. As far as they''re concerned, business as usual. Which means, training, eating, mutating and getting ready to fight the next battle. I''ll need to try and meet Jim soon and see if he''s ready to progress with his escape strategy. Should probably check in with Sarah to see if she wants toe with us. I sort of doubt it, considering how reluctant she wasst time we spoke.

    In my mind the ideal scenario is till that I escape and make my way out to re-join the Colony. If those crazy ants bust into this ce¡­ it''ll get real messy real quick. And not just for the Shapers. I can''t imagine an invasion by thousands of ant monsters would be swept under the rug. Once the word got out the Gori would pull together an extermination force. Hundreds, maybe thousands of those damn Warriors, with Shaper support and who knows what other tricks they''ve got stashed away under the rug. It would be a disaster, one that I''m keen to avoid.

    Gotta get busy. Not wanting to waste time, I throw my brains into training even as I chomp down on the Biomass in front of me. Torrina raises an eyebrow at me.

    [So keen to train today, Anthony? I can feel you working your mana.]

    [Things are only going to get tougher from this point on. Can''t afford to stuff around. Gotta train, then mutate.]

    [Alright. Granin will be happy to hear it. Give me a second and I''ll help you.]

    [Sure. Any chance I''ll be able to get another meeting with Jim and Sarah? I''d like to have a word with them soon if it''s at all possible.]

    [I''ll talk to Granin. He''s the one who can make it happen.]

    [Thanks, I appreciate it.]

    After stretching her mental muscles for a few minutes, Torrina is ready to start sending magic my way and I fall back into the familiar patterns. Weave my Spells together whilst tearing hers apart. Stretch the minds, push to the edge. After the first hour my training partner seems to notice something is different.

    [Are you in good shape today, Anthony? You seem to be holding up better than usual.]

    [I''m good to go for ages yet. I''m not even tired!]

    [¡­ that''s what I mean.]

    Oh. Of course, the Vestibule! The sweet healing energies of the Colony are flooding through my system, soothing my pains and taking away my fatigue. Once again that boundless energy is flooding into me. In fact, way more energy than I''m used to. How many ants areing here right now?! I know that they''ve been hatching more than before, but what the heck? How many members does the Colony even have right now? Two thousand? THREE thousand?! Yikes. That''s gonna be a lot of mouths to feed. I hope the council is managing to raise them all properly. I don''t want them cutting corners and not giving each ant the chance to achieve their potential!

    Speaking of which. I wonder if any ants have reached tier four. That''ll be cool to see. And Crinis! Sweet Crinis the ever faithful, over-zealous pet. She must have evolved by now, surely. What sort of cuddly eldritch horrors await, I can''t wait to see!

    After a few more hours of training, Torrina excuses herself to go find Granin and pass on my requests. This gives me time to brush myself into tip top shape for the uing escape. I''ll need to arrange something with Corun for Tiny as well. Take him out for another hunting trip perhaps? Then I can meet up with him outside the facility. That could work.

    Alright, time to get down to mutating.

    After chowing down on all of my foe I''ve got three hundred and nine Biomass to y with, which is enough to get some serious work done. After thest fight, where my enhanced reflexes and rapid response muscture yed such a key role, alongside my antennae of course. I think I want to focus on pushing these body parts closer to perfection.

    The nerves and muscles are both at +15 at this point, and it''ll cost me one hundred and eighty Biomass to push both to +20. Which will leave me just enough to push my antennae up to +25. Nice!

    Let''s hit those menus!

    After confirming my intentions with the System I hit up the menu for my nerves and admire the plethora of options. The endless creativity of the options never ceases to amaze me. I mean, it''s nerves! What the heck can you do with nerves?! Make them faster, right? But oh no, there''s so much more. Broader nerve paths to allow more signal load, vastly increasing the number of sensory nerves in the extremities, regenerating nerves that reconnect themselves when damaged, memory nerve packets to pre-package muscle memories, muscle fibres along the nerve paths so that they can move. What the heck is that?! You can transition the nervous System to a liquid state, turn it into metal, whatever you want basically. It''s crazy.

    The memory packets are tempting, but I wouldn''t know what sort of thing to chunk into that memory. Also I''d be worried about performing actions without actually intending to. I don''t want to be involuntarily chomping things. Instead, MOAR speed is what we want. Thus the Transmission sub-neuralwork +15 shall be the Instant Transmission sub-neuralwork +20. Capable of truly hair raising speed!

    Onto the muscture. My efforts so far have been to enhance the ability of my muscles to make rapid motions. An explosive release of power, rather than a sustained one. This means I can move faster and snap my mandibles quicker, which is all great. It means I haven''t been able to increase my staying power. The mutation wouldn''t help in a wrestle, or any extending chomping. It''s all in the initial bite! Combined with my neuralwork, it''s allowed me to make very quick responses and that''s kept me alive more than once. This is the sort of synergy that Granin was talking about. Each mutation working together to create something better than the sum of its parts. No need to change gears now!

    Ignoring the many tasty side options, I hone in on perfecting the response time of my muscles and thus my Blink Muscture +15 will be Hyper Twitch Muscture +20.

    Now for the antennae.

 Chapter 395 508 - Mosty Chatting

    <h4>Chapter 395 Chapter 508 - Mosty Chatting </h4>

    That''s two of my mutations out of the way, time to bring it home with the final y. This one''s straight forward. The infrared detection has been useful, there''s no denying that, but the future-sense has been literally life-saving. In the unfolding menu there remains a thousand and one options of other things that I can upgrade my antennae to detect, air, electric current, mana, life (how does that work?) amongst others. I have to say though, something more interesting than the literal future is unlikely to pop up. During myst mutation I pumped up my capacity for future sensing and I''ll do so again now. Perhaps after this mutation I''ll entertain branching down another path, but for now I''m pretty sold on it.

    I look through the menu and select Far-sight Oracle Antennae +25, costing me another 115 Biomass. This level of expense is really painful. Confirm those mutations! Let''s get this over with!

    ¡­

    BLAMAMATION!

    Gawd almighty! Why the heck?!?! ACK!

    Once again I dissolve into a twitching mess on the floor as my body is wracked by waves of horrific itching. My antennae in particr are the worst this time around, my head and indeed my brain are affected by the change and let me tell you, having your brain start to itch is less pleasant than it sounds.

    It passes as it always does and I''m back on the go before ten minutes is up. Which is a good thing since Granin wanders in shortly after that.

    [Another round, another win, Granin. Isn''t this supposed to be hard?] I boast.

    [Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let''s not worry about the myriad of factors that fell your way to help that win happen. If anything, I think that creature was one of the better designs in this tournament. Certainly better than some bug.]

    ¡­ Now of all times might not be the time to be throwing shade at my species, Granin.

    [Don''t go all still on me, I''m joking you touchy insect! You did great.]

    Ah.

    [Compliments, Granin? You aren''t behaving like yourself.]

    The big Golgari reaches the bottom of thedder and settles down in a seat for some face to face chat.

    [Well, perhaps I''m starting to feel like we might actually win this thing. Which is good news, since I''ll feel less bad about having forced you into it when I captured you.]

    [¡­ I''ll be alive as well.]

    He waves a hand.

    [Sure, that too. Torrina bumped into me and said you had a few things on the go. You want to meet with the other reincarnators? What''s brought that on?]

    Need to watch my words a little here.

    [Well, each round is another chance that I might finally die and so it''d be nice to get a word in whilst I still can. There''s a lot of things I haven''t asked them yet. Like when they died on Earth. Why the heck didn''t I ask when they died?]

    I can finally get confirmation of the passage of time between Earth and Pangera!

    [You''re thinking about the time difference? It''s inconsistent. We''ve looked into that, ages ago.]

    Dammit!

    [I''ll do what I can but there''s been some strange rumblings about those twotely, especially Sarah.]

    I''m confused.

    [What do you mean, rumblings? What''s going on Granin?]

    He shrugs, a look of distaste flickering over his face.

    [I don''t know enough to borate right now. It''splicated. Look, exactly who is in charge of the reincarnators is usually up for debate since they''re technically "guests" of the Shapers. As I said, working with the Shapers is usually a partnership, that''s how it''s meant to go. In our case, we haven''t pushed the reincarnators we found and formed rtionships with into bing Ancients the way we do with other monsters.]

    Seems a little odd. We start with quite an advantage over most species after all.

    [Why''s that? There must be a reason.]

    [Several, in fact. First is that none of the existing Ancients are reincarnators, as far as we know. Certainly it wasn''t until several hundred years after the cataclysm that the first reborn souls were found by the Cult in its various forms. This leads us to believe that the appearances of your people didn''t start until well after the Dungeon was formed.]

    [How long did it exist before it broke the surface, do you think?]

    I''m not sure why, but I''m curious.

    Granin just shakes his head.

    [You ask that question around the right schrs and you''ll start a fist fight. Short answer, nobody is sure, but a long time. The second main reason is that nearly all of you are reborn in the first strata, thus limiting you to basic Beast type species until you evolve to a high tier, a milestone that most don''t survive to reach.]

    [Nasty. Wait. So it''s possible for me to ''upgrade'' in some way. I might get ess to the goodies that the monsters in the lower strata get their ws on?]

    A nod.

    [Yeah, of course. How else would you have any chance of descending. The Dungeon is a real pain in the backside, but it''s scrupulously fair to monsters. Theoretically, every species has the chance to descend to the centre. It''s just harder for the upper species since they start behind the curve of the creatures below them.]

    Huh. Well that''s interesting. I wonder what sort of options will pop up the further I go down. Perhaps Shadow Ant? Daemon Ant? Whatever is in the fourth strata?

    [Hey Granin, what sort of creatures live in the fourth strata?]

    He snorts.

    [You haven''t even made it out of here alive, or even set foot in the third strata, and you want to learn about the fourth?]

    [Come on. I''m just curious.]

    [Sure you are. The fourth strata is a doozy. As if any of them aren''t. Mythic Beasts. Think of the sort of stuff you saw in the first strata, but with the power turned up about a hundred times.]

    [So like¡­. Really, really big Goris.]

    He just shakes his head at me.

    [Listen, your pet? He''s not even a quarter the size of some of the things down there. Let alone you. If you want my advice. IF you manage to survive this mess, then take a little time in the second strata to umte a bit of strength. The third isn''t a cake walk by any stretch and the Demons there are smart and tough as nails. You''ll want to be as prepared as you can be.]

    Wise words.

    [What do you think about that Invidia?]

    [You have knowledge. I shall have it.]

    [Yeah, yeah. We were just talking about your home strata. You want to get back to Demon¡­ Town¡­ or whatever?]

    [I will follow the Master.]

    [Well, yeah. You know what? Just go back to practicing healing.]

    [Level ups. They will be mine!]

    Going to take a little adjusting to get used to the little guy. Still, his eye is glowing with what I hope is delight as he weaves spells together with enviable ease. As long as he''s happy.

 Chapter 396 Worm Your Way In

    <h4>Chapter 396 Worm Your Way In </h4>

    Booms and thuds shake my cell as the battles continue out in the arena. With my Meditation Skill blunting outside influences my magic practice continues smoothly as Torrina batters my mind with her expert magical handling. To make things even more rude, she suggests that I order Invidia to participate in the training and somehow I''m talked into letting Invidia attack me with mental magic. After just ten minutes under theirbined assault I''m ready to beg for mercy, which Torrina doesn''t grant. After thirty minutes I want to copse on the floor like a puddle, which Torrina refuses to allow. I could just order Invidia to cease his mind magic but somehow I feel like if I did that I''d lose.

    [I was blinded by the sweet lure of levels! Damn you Torrina!]

    The harridan in question frowns at me.

    [If you still have the mental energy to whine at me then we aren''t working hard enough.]

    [I HAVE FOUR BRAINS DAMMIT. IT''S NOT THAT HARD TO THINK THINGS AT YOU.]

    [Way too much energy. I''m going to increase the pressure.]

    [Noooooooo!]

    Me and my big¡­. Brain¡­ The presence of the Colony within the range of my Vestibule is working against me now. Even as my brains strain to their breaking point, the cursed Vestibule is refreshing them with nourishing energy from my siblings. The end result is that Ist another two hours before the threads of magic twist out of my grasp and copse into nothing.

    [I''m out! No more!]

    Torrina nods, seemingly satisfied with my efforts.

    [You''ve done well this time. Much better than before.]

    [Guess I''m finally getting the hang of it! Ha! Ha¡­ ha.]

    [Hmm,] she eyes me suspiciously before leaving the cell to get some rest.

    Speaking of which, time for me to do the same. Invidia and I snack on some Biomass and I have to whop him with an antennae when he tries to take my food. He didn''t even bother eating his own food first, he didn''t want his own food, he wanted mine! Being an Envy Demon must be a massive pain in the backside. He''s almost totally incapable of being happy with what he has. That''s rough.

    Following the food it''s time for torpor. I''m so out of it I could practically hibernate. I''m done. Time to snooze¡­

    HAP! I''m up!

    Wasn''t out for too long either. The Vestibule continues to do its work, turning me into an inexhaustible dynamo. Along with all that energy has returned the persistent whispers that drove me to separate myself from the Colony in the first ce. To be honest, I''m still d to have them back. I''ll take it over theplete silence that I endured before.

    Awake once more there is precious little to do in my cell until Granin turns up some timeter. When he sees me up and about a look of surprise shes over his face before he climbs down to my level.

    [I hate this stupiddder. I''ll bet the other monsters have cells with stairs¡­] he grumbles as he moves hand by hand down the offending contraption.

    [Wait, there are better cells than this one?]

    [Of course there are! This is the sort of holding area we use for dangerous, uncooperative samples. Why do you think you have those three chuckleheads up there?] He jerks a thumb at the triad of Shaper guards whose presence is so constant it almost doesn''t register on my mind anymore.

    [Typical. There has got to be some sort of phobia to exin this prejudiced treatment.]

    [I didn''t expect you''d be up this quick. Thought I''d have to wake you.] Granin sighs as he settles himself down onto his seat.

    [Oh? Something that needs attention?]

    He nods.

    [Managed to setup that meeting, but it''ll only be with James, I''m afraid. Sarah is off limits right now.]

    [What?! Why?]

    He holds his stone covered palms up toward me.

    [I have no idea, officially. I haven''t been told why she''s been isted, only that she has. I can make a few guesses as to why, as I''m sure you can too.]

    A cold fear blooms inside me as the first thought to strike is that she betrayed the escape n, but it quickly fades. No, I don''t think she would betray us. Much more likely that the jerks who keep jerking it up all over the ce have continued their jerking ways of jerkhood.

    [They''re forcing her into the tournament, aren''t they?] I say.

    [I can''t be certain, but that''s what I think as well. I don''t know if it''s because they want you dead or if this was their intention from the beginning, but I feel almost certain that your opponent in the next round is going to be Sarah.]

    Well, that sucks.

    [What do you think my odds would be if it actually turned out to be true?] I ask.

    I really want to escape before that happens, but if I have to fight her I''d like to know where I stand.

    [None.] Comes the blunt reply.

    [What?! Really?! What about my magic, my defence, my Gravity Bomb?!]

    Granin ps a hand to his forehead and drags it down his face.

    [Look, I don''t want to go into all of the details right now, but yes, none. She''s way more powerful that you, with far higher levels in her Skills and her species is both rare and dynamic. She''s also just much older than you and the other monsters in the tournament. If she actually enters and decides to fight, then she''ll win. It''s that simple.]

    Yikes. She didn''t seem all that intimidating when I met her, but she wasn''t exactly flexing her strength or anything. Granin''s the expert on these things, I''ll just have to trust that he knows what he''s on about. Which means I need to get the heck out of here, as soon as possible!

    [Alright then, off to see Jim!]

    With my escort leading the way I once again make my way to the arena to find the worm wriggling his way through the sands.

    [Hey, Jim!] I call out. [Have you heard what''s going down with Sarah?]

    I get a nod from the tail. At least, I think it''s the tail.

    [Yeah. No. Kind of? The friendly Shapers I talk to have gone quiet on her and I''ve not been able to get into herpound to speak with her for two days now.]

    [She has her ownpound?! What the hell man.]

    [Don''t look at me, I won''t know you''re doing it. Blind and all that.]

    [Look, I''ve been told that she''s most likely been forced into the tournament and she''ll be my next opponent.]

    [Ouch. You have nooo chance.]

    [Thanks, worm breath. Appreciate the vote of confidence.]

    The big worm slithers itself into aplicated knot, clearly agitated.

    [Look, she''s tough. She was strong before she got here, right? Her problem isn''t in Stats or Skills, it''s mental. She''s a freakin'' beast when she wants to be.]

    [Which is why I need to get out of here stat. How are things with the n?]

    [They''ve been better. I''m being watched, pretty damn closely, but I think I can finish by tomorrow.]

    [Tomorrow?! That''s going to cut it mighty close.]

    [I''m doing what I can, alright?! This isn''t easy work. In case you haven''t noticed, we''re literally surrounded by mages.]

    [Well, at least you won''t have to tunnel Sarah out, not much chance of being able to bring her along now.]

    [Yeah.] Jim detes at the thought. [She''s a good egg. She deserves better than this. I wish I could have made her listen to me.]

    [Not your fault, Jim. Look, if we can get out, there''s always a chance we cane back and get her, right?]

    [Right.]

    The worm and ant conspiracy is ready to beunched!

 Chapter 397 The Horror

    <h4>Chapter 397 The Horror </h4>

    It wasn''t easy to exin how they knew, but they did. A tantalising feeling, as if their minds were connected across a great space to something that collected all those thoughts like a whirlpool of the colonies wants and needs. The moment Vibrant ced a leg within its range, she could sense it.

    "Finally!" She yelled with delight, pping her followers around with her antennae enthusiastically. "That silly Eldest really went a long way but not far enough to escape from us!"

    "Please, Vibrant," came the urgent whisper from a general within her squad, "it isn''t wise to refer to the Eldest as silly! Or to suggest the Eldest ran away."

    "You think weird, Emeliant," Vibrant assured her trusted follower, "That''s why I like you."

    Still unused to having a name, Emiliant was caught between the joy of being acknowledged by her leader and the fear of getting in trouble for her irreverence.

    She worried too much, something that Vibrant found immensely amusing since Vibrant didn''t worry at all.

    "Stop your fussing! If you keep twitching your antenna like that, I''ll have to take your name back."

    Emeliant froze.

    "C-can you do that?" She whispered.

    "What? No! Geez, you need to rx a little. Let''s go kill some monsters. We''ve almost made it!"

    So saying, Vibrant dashed off with incredible speed, leaving Emiliant and the rest of her squad in the dust. This was the treatment they were well used to by this point, and they rushed to catch up, the less physical castes climbing onto the backs of the tier four soldiers and scouts in order to keep up.

    Knowing they were following behind, Vibrant didn''t go all out but insteadfortably rushed toward the front lines, her connection to the Eldest growing stronger with each stride. She''d travelled a long way to take part in this conflict, and she wasn''t about to let it end before she got her slice of whatever had kept the Eldest from them.

    She''d been in another zone entirely when word the Eldest had been detected rushed through the Colony. One ant passed it onto the next and word raced hundreds of kilometres into the deepest tunnels and most defended nests. At once, without any need to consult, the Colony''s entire expansion process halted as ants began to reassign themselves to this new front. The regr business of the Colony continued, of course, but every ant not dedicated to producing, raising or feeding the young had barrelled through the tunnels, moving east. Always east. As a trickle turns into a flood, so too did the movements of the Colony as one group ran into the next which ran into the next.

    Now thousands of siblings poured through the tunnels within range of the Eldest, each burned with an inner me that only grew brighter the closer they got.

    Thankfully, the council had stepped in and taken things in hand.

    "Whoa there, Vibrant. Got a second for a chat?"

    Vibrant screeched to a halt, dirt and rock flying as her ws dug in.

    "Hey-hey! If it isn''t Burke! You look¡­ different."

    The scout wiggled her elongated antennae proudly.

    "Pretty good! Tier four brought a few unusual surprises. We''re still trying to work out the optimal paths for the rest to follow, it''s taking longer than we thought."

    "As long as we get it right, the Colony will prosper in the future."

    "Exactly."

    The scout leader''s new form wasrger than before, but not by much. She was dwarfed by some of the tier four soldiers, which were being called majors. She was sleeker, more streamlined and her colours had be more muted. In fact, it almost appeared as if she was blending into the rock behind her. He antennae were the other major change. Far longer and bristling with minute hairs they looked as if they were several times more sensitive than they''d been before.

    "I just wanted to stop you before you went barging in. Things are sensitive on the front lines, we can''t move as we want."

    "Why not?" Vibrant queried.

    Moving cautiously wasn''t exactly her style, but she''d been forced to adapt as part of the council.

    "We''ve found evidence of a civilised race upying these areas."

    "Are they the ones holding the Eldest?"

    "Likely so."

    Vibrant fell into thought. No matter how fast she was, there was some trouble she just couldn''t outrun¡ªexposing the Colony to a group more organised and powerful than the Lirian kingdom would be a veryrge serving of fast-moving trouble.

    "What was the decision?" She asked.

    Burke rxed slightly. It was never a sure thing that Vibrant would listen when the council asked her to do things. She was strangely¡­ independent. Always serving the Colony, but in the way that she thought was best. To this point, the council had never found any of her decisions to turn out poorly, but they still worried.

    "We''ve sent in teams of core shapers. Their pet shadow beasts can scout more openly and arouse less suspicion than we can. Tunneling crews have also been set up but we need more mage support. Some passages are hard to avoid and we''re concerned that our cores will be detected if we get too close."

    "That''s all great. But what do you need me to do?"

    "You are your team are going to be best utilised as messengers. The tier four scouts have been allowed to go forward, they have the Skills and mutations to get away with it, we hope, which means we''re short on fast legs."

    "I''ve got plenty of those!" Dered Vibrant as her weary followers rushed into view.

    Just as Vibrant was about to greet her squad and cheer on their new role as hard running scouts, something else emerged from the tunnel behind them, startling every ant present with its speed and malevolent aura.

    A deep pool of shadow shed across the ground before it seemed to sense the open space and stilled. After a few seconds the pool darkened and a forest of ck tentacles burst forth. They grasped and twisted through the air, gripping onto anything they could before they snapped taught and pulled.

    From out of the pool emerged a horror. An amorphous blob of flesh with three mouths filled with barbed teeth that crackled with malicious energy. A terrible screech arose in the tunnel that set every ants antenna afire with vibrations.

    "SHHHHHHAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

    Each of the mouths wailed independently in a strange cacophony that caused Burke to shiver uncontrobly, though she could not exin why.

    Vibrant disyed a very different reaction.

    "CRIN-CRIN!" She whooped and rushed toward her friend.

    [WHERE IS THE MASTER?!] Crinis roared. [TAKE ME TO THE MASTER!]

    [Whoa there! Hold on! We can sense the Eldest. They aren''t far away!]

    [Haaaaaah¡­.]

    The giant ball seemed to dete, the shing, tooth covered limbs retracting into the body as if rapidly shrank.

    [Why can you sense them when I can''t¡­. It''s not fair!]

    Vibrant dashed over to pat Crinis lightly on the head with her antenna.

    [Not long now, Crin-Crin. Won''t be long now.]

    [Where is the enemy, Vibrant? WHO is the enemy?]

    The poor horror was clearly agitated, her tentacles writhing and twisting in knots. Every now and again she would lose control and her ripping teeth emerged to rip great chunks out of the stone around her. Vibrant continued to soothe her friend as she told them what they knew.

    [I will go and scout at the front lines.] Crinis dered. [I''m a shadow monster so I won''t be suspected.]

    Burke wasn''t too sure about that, but she wasn''t prepared to put her word against one of the Eldest'' guardians. The tentacled horror slithered down the tunnel toward the east with jaws gnashing eagerly.

 Chapter 398 How to outwit a scholar

    <h4>Chapter 398 How to outwit a schr </h4>

    The Shapers are professional monster wranglers with over a thousand years of experience in the craft. They''re smart, industrious, coordinated and would have put an extreme amount of thought into ensuring that none of their captives escape. Which raises the question, if you are one of those captives and you do want to escape, how exactly should you be going about it?

    There are a number of schools of thought on the matter. Careful nning, strategic application of force, pitting wits against wits, all ssic stuff. Hard to work alone, obviously, so you might reach out to allies, put a crew together as it were. Once everyone gives you the ''You daughter of a Queen, I''m in'' you start piecing together your n bit by bit under the watchful eye of your captors. It''s exciting, riveting stuff that makes for amazing intellectualpetition.

    The other way to go is to acknowledge that your captors are smarter, better prepared, willing to invest a hell of a lot more energy than you are and so you need a different approach. How do you defeat the opponent who has more wits? Don''t engage in a battle of wits! That would be freakin'' stupid! No, instead you punch them the face way harder than they think you can. Then, you leg it.

    Jim and I, we may not be the sharpest set of tools in the shed, but we are smart enough to know that we aren''t that smart. Which counts for something! Therefore, our escape n does not hinge on an borate scheme, meticulous timing or coordinating watches. It involves the two of us digging our way out, faster and better than the Shapers could possibly expect us to. Which wasn''t hard for us to set up, all things considered. They''ve never examined my core, thus they don''t truly know what I''m capable of, and my training has proceeded very quickly, especially in my particr area of focus: Earth Magic.

    My wormpatriot isn''t a prisoner in the technical sense and has some limited freedoms which he''s used to test the boundaries of what he can get away with when tunnelling about the ce. He also has refused to have his core checked for over a year and so far no Shaper has pushed him on it. What we''ve learned is that thepound does is fact have measures in ce to prevent monsters from digging out. Magically hardened stone, barriers around the cells as well as a few other nasty surprises. Combined with the constant surveince is quite enough to contend with.

    The great worm of Earth had already been hard at work, manipting the ground around him to create small micro tunnels that he hoped were undetectable to the Shapers who no doubt kept an eye on such things as the soil and stone integrity around their facility. It was a rare feature of his earth attuned ss that he was able to manipte soil and stone at such a range but he''d had to be careful and work slowly. If things worked out the way he wanted them to, those micro tunnels would mean he could dig through at twice the speed he could into unprepared ground.

    Which meant that all I had to do was dig my own way out of my cell and meet up with him. In order for that to happen though, I need to get Granin and Torrina out of my hair.

    [So Corun has Tiny out on a hunting expedition? Hope that''s all going well.]

    [From what I understand it''s been good. Your pet has been eager to get back out hunting, Corun thinks he wants to test his new abilities.]

    [No. He just loves punching things.]

    [Ah.]

    Granin huffs with irritation from his position to the side on his chair.

    [What are you so mad about, Granin? In fact, why are you even here? Are you sure you don''t need to take a long walk or something?]

    [No, I don''t, and I''m irritated because I don''t know what is motivating the leadership of my own cult anymore.]

    [Your cult?]

    [You know what I mean!] He throws his hands into the air, frustration in on his stone covered face. [I just can''t understand what is happening here and it''s slowly driving me mad. Why are our traditions being thrown out after so long? What exactly are we hoping to achieve here?]

    [We? You still put yourself on the same page as the rest of them?]

    [Of course I do you blithering insect! I don''t have to exin to an ant the idea of loyalty to the collective, do I?]

    [You do not.]

    Granin rpses into his muttering pensive thinking pose whilst Torrina watches from the side, concern marring her features. For my part, I''m having an internal debate. Has this situation been good? No. How do I feel about the Cult of the Worm? Not great. Who was the cult member who put me in this sucky scenario? Granin. But he and his triad have been good to me. They''ve worked harder than they could have ever been expected to and Granin has put himself on the line to try and help me. If possible, I don''t want them to get caught up in any trouble on my ount. How to warn them without letting them know what I''m nning? And what if I end uping back for Sarah? What about the Colony? This could get messy.

    [So, Granin. How''s things?]

    [I''m trying to think over here.]

    [Right. I get that. Just hear me out for a moment. If, by some strange chance, I managed to escape from here, what would happen to you and the gang?]

    [Us? Punishment, but nothing too dramatic, why? You finally sorted out an escape n?]

    [Of course not. I''m not smart enough for that.]

    [True.]

    Why you¡­.. I''m calm.

    [Let''s just say that I did escape. All I want to say is that it''s probably not a great idea for you to stay here in thispound. Just in case.]

    Granin unfolds his hands and looks at me seriously.

    [Are you seriously trying to suggest that you would be able to threaten this entirepound full of mages?]

    I think about the number of ants I''m sensing through my Vestibule.

    [No?]

    He sits for a moment and thinks before opening his eyes and looking right into one of my own.

    [You didn''t deserve the sort of treatment you''ve received here, Anthony. If I''d known what was going to happen to you, I''d never have brought you in.]

    I''m touched.

    [Thanks, Granin. That means a lot. And thanks to you Torrina, you''ve helped me out a lot.]

    The young Shaper walks toward me and puts one hand on my carapace, the metal in her skin shimmering in the low light.

    [You are a special monster, Anthony. Perhaps one day you''ll ascend and fulfil our dreams.]

    [Yeah, unlikely.]

    [Let''s get out of here, Torrina. I think Anthony needs a little alone time.]

    So saying, Granin and Torrina climb up thedder and exit my cell without looking back. Strange though it may seem, I hope I see them again. They''re good people.

    [Alright Invidia, are you ready?]

    [Freedom. I shall have it!]

    [Damn right. Get that illusion cracking.]

 Chapter 399 Daring do

    <h4>Chapter 399 Daring do </h4>

    The n isn''tplicated, which I hope means it''s more likely to seed. Once I have the space to myself, Invidia begins to weave an illusion around me. The image I ask him to create isn''t anything too fancy, just an shell of myself, cast around myself. The only part of the spell that extends beyond that covers the floor for thirty centimetres beyond my feet. The moment the image is in ce I weave together an earth mana construct and start pumping energy through it, taking hold of the now dark brown mana and using it to create a spell of my own.

    A spell that I direct downward, into the stone beneath my feet. The Shapers above can sense the mana being utilised, but they''ve been sensing me and Invidia cast magic down here for days on end. The only time spells aren''t being created in this cell is when I''m asleep! But I won''t be able to conceal what I''m doing for long.

    In order to divert their attention I have Invidia practice some of his louder spells. We aren''t allowed to damage the room, but he can set off some smaller explosions here and there. As he does I begin to tunnel downward, the stone and rock breaking under the strength of my earth drill spell. Earth mana is interesting in that it allows you to move and shape soil and then stone into almost any form you please. As I push open a space downward Ipact the soil to the sides as much as possible to avoid having to bring too much to the surface. The Shapers are wise to this sort of magic though, they''ve pact the dirt incredibly tight around the cells. After only a minute the dirt begins to rise and spill out around my legs.

    This is going to be tougher than I thought. I''d hoped to be able to carve out a space the size of my body in order to hide myself in it before the signs of my digging became too apparent. Ah well, nothing for it then!

    I renew my magic assault on the ground, chewing away at the stone beneath my feet until chunks of stone begin to spill out between my legs. Thanks to my training and rtively high rank in earth mana, I''m able to make rapid progress. Of course, the stone chips appearing out of nowhere are a slight giveaway that something fishy is going on. The triad of Shapers looking down at me step forward as one to peer intently into my cell.

    Toote, fools! Muahahahaha!

    Desperate joy surging in my heart I pull my legs close to body and drop down into the widening gap in the floor, face first. Engage earth mandibles! One my sub-brains begin to direct more mana from my core into my earth affinity construct and then pushing it into my mandibles which begin to glow with a russet stone colour. Ha! The mandibles aren''t just for yoinking people across battlefields, I can infuse any type of mana I want! Once the mana builds up in my mandibles I begin chomping away at the dirt like a maniac, the empowered jaws shearing through the stone as if it were butter.

    Dig! Hear the roar of my soul and dig to freedom!

    They aren''t going to let me do that, are they?

    BOOM!

    From behind I can sense the concussive release of mana as spells begin to detonate in the cell.

    [How''re you holding up, Invidia?]

    [The barrier will hold, for now.]

    [Nice work. Try to hold them of as long as you can.]

    [Yessssss.]

    [Focus, buddy.]

    The eyeball is following the n and formed a dome shaped barrier over the entrance to our escape tunnel after following in behind me. He probably won''t be able to hold off their barrage for long but if I can get us far enough underground then it won''t matter.

    CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

    With relentless energy I work my face hands and rip into the stone even as my sub-brains direct their spells to shape and split it. Now this is digging! With my earth magic I don''t even have to bother shifting the rock after I shatter it! No more trips back to the start of the tunnel for me! Dig, Anthony! Dig as if your life depends on it!

    The attack on my mindes suddenly and stabs home like the point of a knife. I can feel my consciousness rock from the blow as darkness begins to swim on the edge of my vision. This is the exact same technique that Granin used to knock me out when I captured. Unfortunately for these suckers, I''m not going down as easy this time!

    I pass control of my body over to a sub-brain and use the entirety of my main mind to focus on my mental defences. The attack they''re using is an advanced application of mind magic and one that I can''t quite execute yet. What''s more, the three Shapers are coordinating to perform the strike, three advanced mages focusing their minds in harmony to cast a single, powerful spell. It''s little wonder the I and any monster of my tier wouldn''t be able to handle it alone. That''s just way too much mental firepower to handle.

    Luckily I''m no longer alone!

    [Drop the barrier, switch to mental defence!]

    [I will take their pain!]

    [Stay creepy.]

    As I cast my senses out to try and sense their next strike, Invidia does the same. But, since he has more than enough processing power to spare, he also goes on the offence.

    [They hold me off. I WILL have their mindsssss!]

    A task that he throws himself into with relish. As powerful as he is, I still don''t expect Invidia to seed in breaking down three mages. All he has to do is buy a little time. Every second a veritable blizzard of stone chunks flies out the back of the tunnel and into my cell as I burrow free.

    Here ites!

    My external mana senses tingle aspact spell zips toward me through the stone. The moment I sense it I try to take hold of the spell and break it apart with my mind, shredding the threads that hold it together. Invidia does a better job than I but between the two of us we still aren''t able to destroy it. The spell is expertly constructed and dense with mana. At best, we''re able to take a third of the mana out of it before it strikes my mind.

    YEEOUCH!

    My brains ring as if struck like a bell but I manage to hold onto consciousness and continue digging. Ha! Two was enough to put me outst time, but not now! I swear, when I evolve next I gonna pump my Will to an absurd level. No way I''m letting myself stay vulnerable to this sort of attack. The next few seconds are tense as I furiously dig whilst sensing in all directions, trying to work out where the knife wille from.

    Above me I can sense a flurry of mental mana as Invidia steps up his assault on the mages, trying to bring one of them down.

    Dig, dig, dig! Shouldn''t be far now!

    BAM!

    Another blow stabs toward my mind which I once again strain to break down without sess. My vision swims in front of my eyes and my mind wavers on the verge of shutting down under the assault. My legs buckle for a moment but straighten again the next as I stabilise. The energy pouring out of my Collective Will Vestibule pushes back against the pain and steadies my mind. The Colony isn''t about to let me fall at thest hurdle!

    With a mighty chomp the stone in front of me crumbles away from me, starting a chain reaction that cascades the rock down into an open space. When the ground beneath my ws gives way I fall downward andnd t on the top of my head.

    [You gotta be more careful when you tunnel straight down. That''s amateur hour.]

    [Seriously, Jim? You''re going to critique my tunnelling technique now?]

    [You''re right. Let''s go¡­ Worms rule.]

    [Dammit, Jim!]

 Chapter 400 Flight for freedom

    <h4>Chapter 400 Flight for freedom </h4>

    I scramble to right myself just as Invidia drops down the tunnel and onto my back. Luckily that extra-dimensional heft of his doesn''t trante to actual weight, otherwise he might''ve put a crack in my carapace.

    [Which way?] I say to Jim.

    [Um¡­ Um¡­ this way!]

    [You don''t sound super confident.]

    [It''s going to be fine!]

    There''s an unusual note of panic in the worm''s thoughts as he wriggles this way and that before throwing his head into a wall and chewing through it at a ridiculous pace. In a few moments his entire body is gone and all I have to do is squeeze into the tunnel he''s dug.

    [Just stay calm, Jim. Everything''s going fine!] I try to soothe my associate.

    He''s wanted this for a long time but now that wee to it, he seems to be falling apart a little. As long as he can hold it together long enough for us to reach the outside tunnels we''ll be alright.

    Another mind stabes my way, but significantly weaker than before and with Invidia''s help I''m able to break it down before it strikes me. Perhaps we''ve managed to put enough distance between the Shaper''s and ourselves to make manipting mana more difficult for them? Whatever the case I''m d for it!

    With my demon pet following along behind, I start to use my earth mana to copse the tunnel behind us as we dig. Don''t want those nosy Shapers following too easily. I don''t doubt they can shift the dirt using earth magic, same as I can, but every little bit helps. I''m not sure what the Shapers will do if they happen to catch us again, probably not anything too lethal, although I''d rather not put that thought to the test. They''ve been trying to tenderise my juicy flesh since the stupid tournament started after all.

    The going is a bit slower now as we''re well out of range of Jim''s prepared micro tunnels. Still, if I had to have anyone on my side to chew through reinforced stone, it would be Jim. He''s incredibly quick, using abination of his own earth mana and raw chewing power to break down the stone and chow down on it.

    At first I wasn''t sure what was happening to the rock and I had to ask him.

    [You actually eat the stone?]

    [Heck yeah. Delicious!]

    [I refuse to believe that rocks are delicious.]

    [You''re missing out. Also I can break it down into earth mana inside my body.]

    [You can what?!]

    Turns out that as long as he''s eating then he can keep churning out his earth magic. The dude turned himself into a literal digging machine in order to break out from the Shapers'' control. That''s the level of dedication he has and I respect the hell out of it. The two of us endure some tense moments as we tunnel our way out, constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop and a horde of ticked off magical stone people to clobber our faces in.

    But¡­ it didn''t happen. For the next ten minutes, Jim works his magic and gobbles down stone as I trail along behind him, copsing the stone and anxiously waiting for an attack that never materialises.

    [We should be almost there!] Jim calls back to me.

    [Seriously? They haven''t followed us at all!]

    [Maybe they don''t want to keep us that bad?]

    [They kept you locked up for freaking years, Jim! You really think they''re just going to let us walk away?]

    [All I can tell you is that the stone is getting softer. We shouldn''t be far away from a Dungeon tunnel. I think we''re beneath it, I''m gonna start angling up.]

    Nice. All that''s left for me to do is meet up with Tiny and then head towards the Colony. The progress of my siblings has slowed over thest day, which makes sense. If they came close enough to recognise that there''s an entire Golgari empire operating in this section of the Dungeon, then they''d be suicidal if they didn''t hit the brakes and start to think things through a little more carefully. Now that they can sense me moving toward them (I hope), it should be easy to reconnect with my family.

    And Crinis! Hope that little bundle of existential terror has been doing well without me around. She''s a bit nervous at the best of times. Having to go it alone for such a long time is sure to put some stress on her nerves.

    [BOOM BABY! We out!] Jim cries with glee.

    [Seriously?!]

    [Letsa go! I''ve been waiting so long for this moment! Screw you, Shapers! I''m a free worm!]

    [Move your slithering butt, Jim! Invidia and I want out!]

    [I will take this freedom!]

    [Damn right!]

    [Alright, hold your carapace.]

    Jim slides his body forward and I dash out to embrace the sweet, sweet free air. Atst! I was only locked up for a period of weeks but that was long enough to know that it sucks! Monsters were born to be free! We did it! And it was freakin'' easy!

    [That went way smoother than I expected] I wonder out loud.

    [How could you doubt my incredible powers?] Jim scoffs, still wriggling with joy.

    [Just hold on a second.]

    I take a moment to check our surroundings. It is quite a wide tunnel space that we''ve broken into. The area is open to an unusual degree, no debris or columns at all. It almost looks as if the outside of the tunnel has been shaped. In fact, not far from where we broke through the floor is a wall that is borately carved.

    [Hey Jim, what''s up with that wall? Looks weird.]

    [I''m blind¡­ What are you talking about?]

    [It''s got all these¡­ pictures and recesses and stuff.]

    [What do you mean?]

    [I mean¡­ carvings. Super borate carvings.]

    [Of what?]

    [Golgari? I think?]

    Not easy to make a carving of rock people on a rock surface I suppose.

    [Oh. Now those recesses are lighting up.]

    [Like how?]

    [Like¡­ with lights?]

    A pause.

    [Those wouldn''t be windows now would they?] Jim asks in a decidedly tense tone.

    [You know what? I think they are. They put them in as watch areas around the gate.]

    [GATE?!]

    [Well it''s opening up now. Very impressive piece of stonework. Not sure how your hearing is but I can absolutely hear shouting.]

    [WE NEED TO RUN!]

    [I already started, worm breath. Next time can you not tunnel us in front of a Golgari city?!]

    [I CAN''T HELP BEING BLIND!]

 Chapter 401 Pay the bill

    <h4>Chapter 401 Pay the bill </h4>

    A crash resounded through the room as Irette mine hurled her ss across her private study. The crystal vessel struck the ornate carved stone bookshelf built into the wall and shattered, flinging shards across the room. The only other person present, the youngest member of her triad, Biritite Crys, flinched as her true skin repelled the sharp slivers and tried to pacify her leader.

    "Th-They can''t have gotten far, we still have tracking spells attached to the two of them, we''ll know where they are shortly."

    mine rounded on the younger Shaper in a fury, her hands shed through the air as she spoke as if she were attempting to strike down the reality around her.

    "Know where they are? Oh, I know where they are. I received word two minutes ago that they surfaced not a hundred metres outside the gates of Stonehall!"

    "No!" Crys gasped.

    "Oh, that''s not all! They hung around just long for every guard on the wall to spot them before fleeing. They''ll have geomancers trace their tunnel straight back to us!"

    mine''s eyes were wild with rage as she exined to her triad member the depth of the disaster that had just taken ce. That stupid bug! All it had to do was die and their backers in the city would be happy. How could they anticipate one pitiful insect would be so difficult to kill?!

    "Can we insert our own people into the city''s search party? They must be a Shaper, right?"

    "They never use anyone who isn''t totally loyal to the Warrior''s circle! Don''t be so stupid," mine said.

    She resisted the urge to strike her contemporary. She needed to be calm, there had to be a way to salvage this.

    "I-is there a chance we can count on assistance? Fr-From our ¡­ backers?" Crys hesitated to suggest.

    Her only response was a growl that emanated from deep within her leader''s throat. Their ''backers'' had proven to be far more trouble than they were worth. The money and resources they''d provided had pushed their faction to the top of the Worm Cult in only a few years, but the moment that had been achieved, the demands started to roll in. Ever since, they''d been tying themselves in knots trying to meet their outrageous demands whilst also advancing the proper agenda of the Cult, a delicate tightrope that had taken an immense amount of skill to navigate.

    "They won''t help us," mine said bitterly, "they''ll cut ties the moment they sense the stone is crumbling. If anything, we can expect them to be the loudest amongst those seeking to bring us down."

    Crys stepped forward, filled with energy.

    "Then why don''t we pull them down with us?" She hissed, suddenly fierce. "We have enoughpromising material to drag them through the mud for a generation. They''ll have to help us!"

    Her leader slowed her pacing as she tried to think.

    "That would be¡­ "

    Dangerous. Risky. Madness. Not to mention a matter well above her station in the hierarchy of the Cult.

    "I''d need to contact the leadership. But we don''t have time! DAMN IT!"

    At that moment, Oridene Gravus burst into the room, rage written all across his face. mine flung a hand up to point right between his eyes before he could speak.

    "Not a word out of you! Not. One. If you hadn''t been so tant we could have moved quietly against that sted creature a week ago! Like we''d intended!"

    She turned back to Crys.

    "Your idea has some merit. I''ll reach out to our contact and try to put pressure on. I''ll need the two of you with me to present a unified front. We''re ying a dangerous game now and we don''t have much time."

    She strode behind her desk and pulled out a drawer filled with enchantedmunication crystals, each nestled in its own pouch and clearlybelled. Gravus turned to the other member of the triad, his brow furrowed.

    "They were spotted outside the city," Crys filled him in, her voice terse, "the city might be able to trace them back to us."

    His eyes grew wide.

    "If they think we were raising ants in here¡­"

    "Exactly!" She snapped. "We''d be finished. The entire Worm Cult might get pulled out by the roots by the time the Warrior''s Circle is done with us!"

    "But they were the ones¡­" he spluttered.

    Crys leaned in and jabbed him in the chest.

    "You and I know that, Oridene. But are they going to own up to their part in it?"

    His expression soured as he contemted the likelihood of that ever happening. They''d be only too happy to send their ''allies'' into oblivion if it kept their own noses clean.

    "It''s ready," mine announced, "Oridene, Biritite,e join me."

    The crystal glimmered with a bright light as it was ced into its carved holder in the centre of the quartz desk that dominated the study. The triad took their ces for the call, Gravus and Crys nking mine as she sat in the seat of her office and stared down domineeringly at the crystal.

    It wasn''t long before the matching crystal was activated and a projection of the Golgari at the other end appeared in the air above the crystal. The triad as one shrank back instinctively from the withered Warrior whose image had appeared.

    "This had better be important, mine. I''ve little to waste on the likes of you," he sneered.

    Irette mine swallowed and steadied herself. No matter how far she rose, or how much she detested them, a lifetime of submissiveness to the Warrior caste was difficult to ovee.

    "We have an issue that will soon be yours as well."

    A frown creased the already aged face.

    "Oh? This had better be interesting." He warned.

    "We''ve had two specimens escape from the outpost," she stated, "one of which was the monster you asked us to put down."

    His eyes bulged.

    "It still isn''t dead?" He raged. "You were told to kill it the moment it was in your hands!"

    "It wasn''t expedient to do so."

    "Expedient?!" He red, "I have little care for what you consider ''expedient''. You were told to get it done and so you should have done it! Who do you think holds your leash?"

    Irrette forced her anger down and strove to remain calm.

    "We are not able to act as we please here in the cult. Certain customs still need to be observed. Just because an old family in the Warrior''s Circle wants something dead doesn''t mean we will leap to obey! We aren''t your assassins."

    "You are our servants, bought and paid for!"

    Gravus was trembling with rage by this time and Crys covertly reached a hand around to grip his arm. If he blew up at their contact then there was little chance they would secure the assistance they needed.

    "Well, this is about to be your problem," mine snapped, "since the two monsters who escaped have turned up outside the city gates!"

    "They what? ¡­ ah. There will be a search for the insect. The city is going to get involved and you don''t want it being traced back to you¡­ I see. I presume you want me and those I represent to intervene on your behalf?"

    "We think it''s time for the old ns to step forward and get their hands dirty. We wouldn''t be in this situation if one of your scions didn''tck even the slightest element of control!"

    There was a pause.

    "Watch your words Shaper. Don''t forget who you are, and who you are talking to. We can make you disappear overnight with a snap of our fingers."

    "You might be getting yourself a little dirty with the blowback from such a situation. It''s so hard to stay clean these days."

    ¡­

    "I''ll contact you again in an hour. If you haven''t got a lead for me by then I''ll bury that entire outpost and leave you to the Dungeon. You hear me mine?"

    "Clearly."

 Chapter 402 Fly, you fools!

    <h4>Chapter 402 Fly, you fools! </h4>

    [Worms are stupid.]

    [I said I was sorry already¡­]

    [They look disgusting and they eat dirt.]

    [I know, okay? I know.]

    [They''re soft and don''t have a carapace which makes them less shiny.]

    [Not all ants are shiny! Only you are shiny!]

    [Are you talking back to me?! Invidia, I think he''s talking back to me!]

    [Sssstrange. It should be shame.]

    [Yeah, you''re supposed to be shame! Aren''t you, Jim?]

    [¡­ yes. I am shame. Can we PLEASE discuss this another time? Like, when we aren''t being ACTIVELY chased?!]

    [I suppose¡­]

    As much as I enjoy reminding our resident worm that he and his entire species are massive failures who the world would most likely be better off without, we do have something of a situation on our ws. After we popped up outside those massive stone gates, we hightailed it back underground but it wasn''t long before we started to sense signs that we were being followed.

    Luckily, Jim was able to retrace the tunnel that I''d copsed a lot faster than he could dig through solid rock, but we couldn''t follow that all the way back, we''d just end up in the Shaper outpost that we''d started in. Which meant that we needed to dig our way into another Dungeon tunnel, a job for which we needed Jim''s now suspect earth senses to try and find.

    [Look, I found a tunnel, didn''t I?]

    [Just not the right one¡­]

    [I was close!]

    [Close to a city full of Golgari¡­]

    [I''ll be quiet.]

    Every few seconds I can feel pulses of magic radiate down through the ground, trying to home in on us. I''m not sure if these are some form of mental attack or if this is just a location spell of some sort? Monster detection? Perhaps trying to sense vibrations in the rock? Either way I''m not a huge fan. Jim and I are using every technique we can to speed up our tunnel digging. He''s biting and utilising his earth magic to its limits as I do the same from just behind him. I''ve put Invidia on tunnel copse duty so I can focus morepletely on assisting the digging. It''s hard to manipte the mana that far ahead of myself, Jim is a long worm after all, so I need to put real effort in.

    Another pulse! They''reing quicker now¡­ Does that mean they''re homing in on us or are we getting further away? I wish I knew!

    [How far, Jim? We can''t be far, surely!]

    [Not far! I''ve found another tunnel, probably¡­ twenty metres dead ahead!]

    [Poor phrasing given the circumstances!]

    [Agreed!]

    There''s a rising panic in the worm that is worrying. The more danger we get into, the more unsettled he bes. Being a sheltered creature, not having to fight for so long, having his meals brought to him, it must have killed his edge. Although, judging from his history, this guy was never the most aggressive of monsters since his rebirth.

    [Hold it together, Jim. We''re gonna get there!]

    [Right!]

    Also, it would be super great if I could not have worm butt in my face sometime soon, I''m well over it. It takes a couple of minutes for us to drill our way through and with a joyous cry, Jim rushes into the dark tunnel in front, shouting with glee.

    [We did it!]

    [Get down, Jim!]

    I st out of the tunnel with Invidia close behind, my mandibles wide.

    CHOMP!

    The shadow centipede shrieks as my jaws shear it apart and it falls to one side, twitching. Stupid centipedes! They pop up every time I don''t want them to!

    [What the hell was that?!] Jim cries, panicking.

    [Shadow centipede. They''re new. Stay alert, Jim! You''re in the Dungeon now. What do you want to do? Try and hide in the walls or do you want toe with me?]

    He hesitates.

    [Look, I don''t care if you want to go alone, I really don''t,] I assure him, [I''ve got ces to be and you''d rather hide, it''s fine. I just need you to make a call very, very quickly.]

    The giant worm shudders for a moment as he struggles to decide.

    [I''lle with you. I''m still too close to try and hide here, they''ll be able to find me before I get too far.]

    [Let''s go!]

    HAZZOW! I''m off!

    [Invidia! I want you to st anything that looks like it''s going to get too close! Alright?]

    [Yesssss.]

    [Let''s hustle!]

    When you don''t know if an angry team of eight foot tall rock people are going to leap at you from the shadows, motivation to run isn''t hard toe by. Invidia isn''t the fastest, so I pile him onto my back and start dashing down the tunnel. I don''t know exactly how to get to the Colony, but I can sense a general direction that I need to travel in.

    Jim does his best to keep up, but he isn''t designed for t out speed. In terms of tunnelling through the earth, nobody could hope to match him. Over rock though? He''s sluggish at best. Which isn''t the problem that I thought it might have been. This is the Dungeon after all. You can''t get far without running into monsters, a hazard which Jim isn''t the best qualified to deal with. So it falls to Invidia and I to tear into the creatures that try to prevent us from fleeing.

    As we rush through the dark, cold tunnels that twist and turn I use my Tunnel Map to ensure we''re moving away from the Golgari city we stumbled into earlier. Obviously not somewhere I''m keen to return to. Neither in the short term, nor ever, if I''m frank. Robbing the Lirians was augh but tussling with the Golgari is not on the cards.

    Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!

    I cut through the second strata shadow creatures that inhabit these tunnels with Invidia casting support magic on me. The support spells make all the difference as my enemies reel from his dizzying mental attacks, are rebuffed by his shields or straight up detonated by his explosions. The support caster I always wanted is finally here and it feels so damn good.

    [This way, Jim! Keep hustling. I think we''re nearly there!]

    [Where exactly is it that you think is going to be safe? I thought we were just trying to get further away from the Golgari?]

    He sounds a little suspicious, which I can''t me him for. As far as he knows, there isn''t any safe ce anywhere in the Dungeon.

    [Look, I''m an ant.]

    [¡­ yes?]

    [Where do you think an ant would feel safe? Supported? Enveloped in the warm love of their family?]

    [You don''t mean¡­]

    [You''re going to meet the Colony, Jim!]

    The shuffling wormes to a screeching halt.

    [You want to betray me?! Turn me into ant food? Is that it, Anthony? I can''t believe this!]

    [Wait, what?]

    The worm shifts its head from side to side, as if looking for a way out.

    [What do you think is going to happen to me when I get surrounded by ant monsters?!]

    [¡­ what?]

    [They''ll eat me!]

    [Jim, they aren''t going to eat you if I tell them not to. Trust me, they aren''t like what you''re thinking.]

    [Oh, so they aren''t a ravenous horde of killing machines?]

    [¡­.]

    [Aha!]

    [Look, they might be a ravenous horde of killing machines, but they''re also intelligent and very serious about what I say to them. Perhaps to an unhealthy degree. So don''t worry about getting eaten. They''ll help you, they''ll even protect you. Protect both of us.]

    He wiggles a bit, clearly unconvinced.

    [Look, that is where I''m going. If you want to head your own way, I''ll say good luck to you. You make the call.]

    It doesn''t take him long to make a decision. The Colony is going to have a visitor!

 Chapter 403 Closing in on closing in

    <h4>Chapter 403 Closing in on closing in </h4>

    For the next ten minutes we make our way through curving tunnels, obliterating monsters whenever wee across them and leaving the Biomass on the ground. It hurts to leave food behind but what can we do? The Dungeon will feast on the remains of my hard work today. Well, I say hard work, but battling with Invidia on my side is a whole different story. The shields, the illusions, the damaging spells that get thrown out at the perfect timing. It''s almost rude. He''s just so damn fast with it. Having poked at this core, I know the little dude''s numbers are insane, and I''ve been on the receiving end of that processing power as well, I have a very deep appreciation for his strengths. When I get Tiny and Crinis back, the gang will beplete and nothing in this Strata will be able to stand against us. We''ll mow our way through it like a gue.

    Speaking of my pets, where the hell is Tiny? It''s not as if I could set up a rendezvous point with Corun, but he should be in this general area, right? Trying to hunt down my missing bat-gori, I curve our escape path to bring us a little closer to the outpost in which we were imprisoned, just trying to pick up signs of his presence. It''s not like I need to run into him directly, as long as I get close enough I''ll be able to detect him. Stuff like this is why I need to advance my pet Skills more! If the range on my petmunication Skill was higher then I''d be able to find him so much easier.

    [Tiny! Where the heck are you, you dumb gorr?! Eating. I bet you''re eating somewhere!]

    That would be like him, stuffing his face whilst I''m trying to track him down. Maybe I can use that to try and find him? Considering he just evolved, he''ll be wanting to fight and eat as much as possible to improve his mutations (also because he''s a glutton) and test his new abilities. What I need to do is try to find sections of Dungeon that he might have cleaned out.

    Jim and Ie to an intersection. We''ve been moving through a wide arterial tunnel which is typical of those I''ve seen so far in the second strata. The dark, poisonous nt life, the stone coral and the ambushing shadow creatures who lurk around every corner. When wee to the crossroads where the tunnel branches in three different directions, I pause and consider my options as Jim slithers up behind me.

    [What''s wrong?] He says, weary.

    [Just thinking of the best path to travel. Not sure exactly which way I want to go.]

    [You don''t? I thought you could sense your ''family'' or whatever.]

    [I can, just trying to pick up another straggler on the way.]

    [Really?! Are you sure this is the time to be running around on these side quests when we need to get our monstrous backsides to safety?! You do realise the Golgari will be hunting us by now, right?]

    [Of course they are. Don''t worry, we''ll be fine.]

    [Maybe you''ll be fine, but they''ll take me easily. I don''t want to go back, Anthony.]

    [Alright already, just chill out for a second.]

    I turn back to the tunnels and make a quick assessment. The branch to the right definitely seems more quiet than the others. If a hungry, giant gori had recently run through one of them, it was likely to be that one. Problem is it appears as if it''ll take us even closer to the outpost than we are now¡­ I''ll have to risk it.

    [Alright, this way,] I say to Jim, not bothering to mention the little details like our proximity to the Golgari.

    We take off again and he follows behind, but I''m definitely feeling the pressure now. This is taking time that we don''t have and it''s with immense relief that I start to notice damaged areas on the tunnel floor and walls. Normally this wouldn''t be much to take notice of, monsters damage the walls of the tunnels all the time, but these crater-like indentations are suspiciously fist shaped.

    Quick! We pick up the pace and rush through the tunnel, making great time since we don''t have to fight anything, but unfortunately it''s taking us in the wrong direction.

    "ROOOOOOAAAAR!!''

    BOOM!

    A deep, primal roar echoes off the walls followed quickly by a resounding crash. This sounds promising!

    [Full speed ahead!]

    I dash forward as another bellow shakes the stones. Something big is fighting up ahead and judging by the sound it isn''t being too subtle about it.

    [Tiny!] I call through my Pet Communication Skill. [Tiny, is that you?!]

    [Rrr?] Comes the confused reply.

    [Nice! Stay put buddy, I''ming to find you!]

    [Raaaa!] He responds happily.

    After another minute of mad running in which Jimgs behind, Ie across a gigantic figure munching on what appears to be some sort of spiny urchin creature.

    [Tiny?! You got huge!]

    He grins down at me with me glee and ps his chest proudly. It''s true, he''s grown a lot in hisst evolution, and his size isn''t the only change. His colour has changed. His fur had been turning increasingly white over his past evolutions as he turned into a kind of super-silverback but now his hair has turned pure ck barring lightning bolt shaped streaks that run down his shoulders and back. His arms and shoulders are even thicker than before and unless I miss my guess there are some wings poking out from behind his shoulders?

    [Tiny, can you FLY!?]

    [HAARRRR!] He roars, standing up and flexing in a disy of strength.

    He does have wings! It''s just¡­ he isn''t likely to be flying on them any time soon. When he unfolds them they stretch to an impressive ten metres across, butpared his sheer bulk¡­ I doubt he could even glide with them. Maybe after another evolution they''ll be fully grown and he can use them properly. For now, he seems incredibly impressed with himself and his new wings.

    [Lookin'' good buddy. Great to see you out in the Dungeon again.]

    [Hrrrrn,] he hums in agreement.

    [Alright, we need to get going and get going fast. Are you ready to make a run for it?]

    He nods and starts to lumber up to just as a tired and wheezing worm wriggles into view.

    [What¡­ the heck¡­ is¡­ that?]

    [This is my pet, Tiny.]

    I turn to the ape.

    [This is Jim, he''s a friend and he''sing with us. Oh, also we have a new team member! Tiny, meet Invidia, he''s fully grown now! Invidia, meet Tiny. He''s like your elder brother, I suppose.]

    The little eyeball narrows as he looks up at the gigantic, five metre tall ape.

    [I will berge one day. Larger than you!]

    [Hrrn?] Tiny cocks his head to one side.

    [Invidia, you should remember that you''re actually a heck of a lotrger than you look. Like, ny percent of you is stuffed into your dimensional thingy.]

    [Ah, yessss.]

    The eyeball now looks smug as he turns away from Tiny on his spindly little arms and flutters back to my side.

    [Alright, let''s get the heck out of here, we don''t have time to waste.]

    With introductions made, we turn and flee back in the direction we came, moving away from the Gori who are no doubt hot on our heels.

 Chapter 404 Pursued

    <h4>Chapter 404 Pursued </h4>

    We make good time as we flee once more, this time with the hulking form of Tiny stomping along behind us. It''s nice to have the big guy''s powerful presence with the group once more. Sometimes a problem just needs to be hit really hard, and while Tiny might have his faults, that is certainly something that he brings to the table. In spades.

    In terms of speed, he still can''t keep up with me, but at least he''s faster than before. What''s surprising is that he uses his wings when he gets the space. They re out from his back and stretch much wider than I''d thought was possible before they push down with tremendous force, giving the giant ape a bit of lift, leading to a burst of speed. It''s quite impressive when it happens, which isn''t often in these more narrow tunnels.

    [So what happened to Corun?]

    [Harrr?]

    [Wasn''t he supposed to be with you?]

    My understanding was that Corun would take Tiny out hunting in the tunnels; it''s not as if he could just let Tiny loose in the Dungeon without supervising him.

    [Arrr. Bek.]

    [He went back?]

    [Hnn.] A nod.

    Strange¡­

    [Did he say why?]

    Shake of the head. Huh. Perhaps he got a message from Granin letting him know that I''d be making my great escape? Or maybe he''d just known all along? I suppose it doesn''t matter now since we''ve managed to meet up and escape. What happened before isn''t especially relevant. Better to focus on getting ahead of the Golgari and getting back to the embrace of the family. I''ming Colony! Just wait for me!

    I can still feel them out there, pouring energy into me through the Vestibule, providing the fuel to push me further. There are so many ants in range, I''m still not tired, despite all the running I''ve had to do. Looking at Jim, he''s struggling. He just isn''t made for long-distance travel.

    [You alright there, Jim?]

    [¡­ fine¡­. I think¡­ how much further?]

    [Not long. Another ten minutes, I think!]

    [Oh boy¡­]

    [Come on, you overfed worm! You''ve had it too soft for too long. Time to toughen up!]

    He doesn''t bother to reply, instead focusing on wriggling a little faster as he slithers forward. It doesn''t take long to make it back to the junction, and this time we branch away from the outpost and head towards the ever-increasing signaling from the Colony members nearby. Our progress immediately slows as we have to deal with the monsters who''ve taken up residence in the tunnel, but it doesn''t have much of an impact. With Tiny along with us, we burn through these lower-tier creatures with ease, smashing them aside and moving on without breaking a sweat. The only hold up is when I have to convince Tiny not to stop and eat.

    [Let''s go!]

    [Harrr?!?!] Hemunicates his confusion and outrage at the mere suggestion we leave food behind with just a grunt.

    [We''re being chased by the Golgari! You know, those stone people! Do you want to be caught again? I sure don''t!]

    [Hrraaaa¡­] He sighs dejectedly and grabs a quick chunk of Biomass to stuff into his mouth as he runs.

    [Good enough!]

    Even though we move as quickly as we can, I can''t help but feel a growing fear that we''re going to get caught. In my opinion, the perfect result would be to escape back to the Colony without seeing another Golgari. If they catch up and we have to fight, then there''s a solid chance that I''ll have to injure or destroy them, since I sure as heck don''t want them to take me back. If they end up losing warriors in the process of tracking me down then that''s likely to light a fire I''d prefer stayed unlit. The more resources they pour into trying to track me down, the higher the chance of them running into the Colony and then attempting to exterminate it.

    Having an entire empire of giant rock people sending a force to squash my family would be less than ideal. If that happened then¡­ Geez, I don''t even know what would need to be done? Relocate the Colony? Fight back? Go deeper into the Dungeon? Go higher? Who even knows?!

    Focus, Anthony! Get your head in the game, man! Let''s get my big fat abdomen to safety as fast as possible and then I don''t have to worry about it!

    Unfortunately, it doesn''t go that way. After five minutes of desperate running and battling, they finally catch us. The first sign is a tingle in my antennae warning me of impending danger. On reflex, I leap to one side and ¡­

    CRASH!

    Narrowly dodge a figure that falls from above with the force of a copsing building.

    [Keep running!] I shout to Jim and the pets before I turn to see someone stand amidst the dust and stone.

    It''s a Golgari Warrior, easy enough to tell from the oversized sword and fancy looking outer skin. As the light ys over the ore that covers him, it glitters like a rainbow. Is this another moron who chose his skin for aesthetic purposes and not for defence? I whip together a mind bridge between the two of us to try and gain some advantage.

    [Hey there, sparkles. Looking pretty.]

    Heh. Nice start. The Warrior doesn''t respond,unching another attack that brings his enormous de around in a circle before it shes out toward me, exploding with sword light that flies off the edge and cuts the stone between us. Warned by my fore-sense, I''m able to dodge to one side and chomp out with my mandibles.

    SNAP!

    He falls back; face settled in fierce concentration.

    [Not need to rush so much, sparkles. They want me alive, don''t they? Where are your buddies? Everyone knows you Warriors can''t do anything without two friends to watch and p.]

    "AAAAAHHHH!" He roars as he winds up his next swing.

    Maybe I touched a nerve there? His blow is so telegraphed I don''t even need my mutations to dodge out of the way. As I leap clear, I make sure to leave a present behind.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    A rain of acid pours down on the Warrior, focusing on his legs. The acid sizzles away at the stone and begins to gum up, hindering his movement. At the same time, I fire off the mind magic package my sub-brains have cooked up across the bridge. It''s not the same as the devastating mental attacks the Shapers used against me, but it''s enough to send this Warrior reeling for the second that I need to flee.

    [Later, sucker!]

    Gweheheheh. As I run, I continue to fire acid in a wide spray that not only hits the Warrior but sprays across the ground, sizzling on the rocks behind me. If I''d stayed, I might have been able to defeat that Warrior, but with the Golgari it always pays to remember that they work in teams of three. If you find one, the other two surely aren''t far away. They must have spread out to cover more ground, but now that they''ve seen me this area is sure to be crawling with Warriors and Shapers before long.

    Need to cover as much ground as possible before that can happen¡ªtime to DASH.

 Chapter 405 Triad in front, triad behind

    <h4>Chapter 405 Triad in front, triad behind </h4>

    [Haul that monkey butt, Tiny! We need to move, move, move!] I shout as I zip after my pets.

    Invidia has seized hold of the big ape with his stick-thin arms and clings to his ck fur as Tiny leaps and bounds forward with all of his strength, making the little demon p like a g in a high wind. Lagging behind as always is Jim, and I catch up to him in no time.

    [Jim! You need to pick up the pace! The Warriors have caught up to us!]

    [What?! How many? He shrieks.

    [Just the one.]

    [Did you ¡­ finish it?] He asks, desperately.

    [No time. Doesn''t matter anyway, there''ll be more in the area, which is why we need to move.]

    [I''m trying, damn you... I''m not ¡­ built for this!]

    His thoughtse with gaps breaking up each sentence as if he doesn''t have the energy to think coherently anymore. The stress of the situation is having a distinct effect on him as well. I''ll try to reassure him.

    [Don''t worry, Jim. Just a few more minutes and we''ll make it to the Colony. I can sense them, hundreds, maybe thousands. Just keep pushing, and we''ll get there. I won''t leave you behind. If the Golgari catch up, I''ll hold them off with my pets, alright?]

    [O-Okay¡­]

    [Good worm. Keep at it!]

    Contrary to my slithery associate, I''m bursting with energy. The more we flee, the more the Vestibule pays off, replenishing my energy and soothing my aches. We continue to run, but it''s a nervous thing, with my antennae focusing more behind me than in front of me. Thanks to my particr brand ofpound vision, it''s not a big deal to focus in all directions. It won''t take long for the Warrior I left behind to catch up again, that mental barrage is something he can probably shake off in a few seconds at most, and I don''t expect the acid to be much of a hindrance. It does affect stone, but not nearly as well as it does biological matter. The amount I hit him with won''t do much damage. If it slows him down for another second or two, that''s a win.

    I keep the mental construct suspended in my mind in case I need a bit more of that brand of magic. It''s plenty useful for distracting and disrupting enemies without doing anything too lethal to them. If I''m forced to it though, I''ll abandon it for a more direct form of persuasive magic. Fire, maybe.

    In front of us, a pack of shadow creepers poke their heads up before hissing in our direction as we rumble toward them.

    [Leave them!] I shout. [I don''t care if they attack us. More chaos is better, and we can''t afford the time!]

    All I get is a grunt from Tiny as we continue to sprint past the pack who, thankfully, leave us alone. If they get tangled up with the Warriors, then I''ll be a happy little insect but based on my knowledge of the monsters they''ll probably let them through and try and tangle with all of us once things get messy. I hate those things!

    A flicker of something catches my eyes and a ripple of feeling twitches in my antennae, and I throw my body to one side.

    BOOM!

    Where the heck are these guysing from?! I can''t even sense them until they''re almost on top of me!

    [Keep running!] I holler and follow my advice as I regain my feet and dash forward, my legs a blur as they move faster than my eyes can track.

    Gogogogogogo! WHOA!

    BOOM!

    Another one!

    I right myself and start to dash off once again before a de of light erupts from the shadows on my right, cutting off my path of escape. Don''t underestimate me, you punks! Do you think I''m going back to dance for your amusement?! Don''t make meugh! I throw myself forward directly into the line of the de and allow it to strike my side as I pick up speed, angling myself to protect my legs.

    OOF!

    The strike shatters against my carapace, leaving a shallow slice in it but the sheer force is enough to make me stumble for a brief moment, which isn''t enough for the triad to catch up as I spin my legs and rush away once more. They''re going to have to do better than that if want to get through my diamond carapace! You want to try and cut it with a sword?! Pure madness. That''s precisely the kind of attack that it''s specifically designed to ward off! Muahahaha!

    I like to think of my carapace as medieval armour. When a soldier or knight was properly kitted out with padded wool, leather and chainmail, it was pretty much impossible to hurt with them a sword sh, which was the entire point. To deal damage, you needed to use either massive blunt force, like a heavy axe or hammer, or punch through it with a powerful stab. That''s precisely how my diamond carapace works, whilst also being way shinier. I''m incredibly resistant to cutting, and thanks to my inner-ting, I''m pretty damn hard to crack with blunt force. Thest way to try and get through is with a powerful stabbing attack, which is something I''ll need to address at some point in my evolution.

    If these guys want to fling more sword light my way, I''m more than happy to take them. Just don''t cut off my legs, I need those.

    Dash! Need to get more distance. I''m frantic for everyst metre of space of I can get. Each step brings me that little bit closer to safety and a little further from not being in control of my destiny. I won''t have it again! I refuse! Damn stone-heads, just get out of my way already! Their stubborn refusal to let me go is driving my anger toward them to rise, to the point where I don''t even mind if they reach the Colony alongside me. That will just mean that none of them will return to their stupid city!

    Arrrgh! No! Bad Anthony!

    I throw on the brakes and screech to a halt as I call out to my pets.

    [Tiny, Invidia! With me! Let''s try and put these three down quickly! Non-lethal if we can manage it!]

    [Yessss.]

    [HARRRR!]

    I''m not sure if Invidia is especially delighted or is just saying yes, but Tiny is clearly pleased to get a chance to punch some stone people in the face. I just can''t let them find out about the Colony. I''ve brought disaster down on their heads already, and I refuse to allow it to happen again. I''ll knock down these three and then flee to safety.

    [Keep going in that direction, Jim!] I yell at him, [It won''t be long until you find them! Tell them I sent you and you''ll be fine!]

    [¡­ alright¡­. Then¡­] He wheezes.

    Hopefully, he still has the energy to whip up a mind bridge, the poor worm. I don''t want to get eaten because I ran him ragged trying to find Tiny¡­ He slithers off into the distance as my pets, and I go face to face against the three suddenly wary Golgari Warriors. The tunnel isn''t wide enough for much manoeuvring, especially with Tiny in here. There''s little choice for them but toe right at us if they want to.

    But¡­ they don''t. When we stop, ready to fight, the Golgari simply stop and watch, weapons at the ready.

    What are they doing? Aren''t they trying to fight us? Or are they just?

    BOOM!

    Waiting for reinforcements¡­ dammit.

 Chapter 406 Fight for freedom

    <h4>Chapter 406 Fight for freedom </h4>

    Of course they don''t want to fight, why would they want to fight? All they have to do is keep us here until more of their stupid triads show up. If I was them, I wouldn''t fight me either! Argh! What the heck am I going to do now? My mind spins as another triad of Warriors straightens up behind us, trying to box us in. Two triads are here now, and I don''t doubt there are more, including Shaper triads, on their way to track us down. I''m guessing if we try and fight these guys they''ll just retreat and dy whilst keeping their eyes on us until enough show up that they can put us down.

    I can''t afford to wait! I need to force the action to happen right now!

    Gravity mana floods my mandibles and they begin to glow an ominous purple. I turn to face the Warriors behind us, blocking us off from the passage Jim has retreated through. They brandish their weapons and ready themselves for battle, but they won''t be prepared for whates next!

    YOINK!

    I pull the Golgari positioned in the centre and he falls toward me in a rush. Mandibles open wide, I prepare to ''wee'' this guest to the battle but am interrupted when the other two members of the triad dash to their ally and throw themselves bodily at him, weighing him down. Interesting. Perhaps they were told a few things by the Shapers before they came out? If so, they work quickly. Even if they didn''t fall into my mandibles, I''ve still created an opportunity. The three Golgari in front are lying tangled in a heap, unable to protect themselves.

    [Tiny! Keep those three of our backs whilst I deal with these punks. Invidia, help me get these three out of action, but no fatalities.]

    [Master, are you sssssure?]

    [We don''t need to give them extra motivation to hunt us down. I want them unable to fight, but still living. That means explody magic is on the shelf.]

    [¡­. Understood.]

    He does love a good explosion. Orders transmitted at the speed of thought, we pounce toward the Golgari who are leaping to their feet, but not quickly enough. My mandibles open wide and I snap them shut without activating any Skills. Somehow, my target manages to twist away and I follow as Inividaunches a blizzard of mental strikes against the Warriors. Easily spinning together three separate mind bridges, he packs each of them with dense blocks of mind mana and pummels the Warriors with them while he conjures illusions of monsters attacking from the shadows.

    Under that sort of barrage the three have little hope of organising a fighting retreat as I close in. Sorry about this, stone-people, but I can''t have you finding the Colony.

    CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

    And just like that, three proud Warriors have been shortened. Their tough exteriors cause a bit of trouble, what with the stone skin and all, but ultimately they fall prey to my mandibles. They shouldn''t be following us around any time soon.

    [Heal them,] Imand Invidia, [just not too much. I don''t want them to die, but I don''t want them to spring up and start dancing, either.]

    The eyeball stares at me for a second.

    [Isss that likely?]

    [¡­ The dancing? No!]

    Invidia throws his little arms up in the air and deftly weaves his magic as roars and crashes resound behind me. Tiny appears to be enjoying himself as des of light sh at his body and he responds with sts of lightning and stone shattering punches. He''s holding on well for now, this might be a good chance to disappear.

    [Keep holding them off, Tiny! I''ll try and vanish and then we''ll get you and Invidia out!]

    "ROOAAR!" He bellows, throwing another haymaker.

    I think that means he''s got the n. Maybe.

    [Invidia, back him up, make sure he doesn''t annihte anyone.]

    Time for me to split! I''ll get myself out of here, make sure Jim is safe, then extract my pets without drawing down further heat! It''s perfect! Things could not be going better!

    FWOOSH!

    BOOM!

    A massive fireball explodes right in front of my face, searing my antennae with heat and causing me to scuttle backwards. Yeeouch! What the heck was that?! I let my guard down for one second and now I''m getting bombarded with spells!?

    [More of them, Massster!] Invidia hisses.

    Then he does a neat trick which I need to get the hang of myself, he uses our mind bridge to send a snippet of information, much the same way I use it against enemies to distract and deceive. Instead of working against me however, he sends me an image of what he can see, another triad rushing down the tunnel, flinging spells at Tiny. Dammit! Those idiot Shapers have arrived! This makes things much more difficult¡­

    My senses tingle as I detect the early signs of more magic being thrown our way.

    [Snuff it out, Invidia!]

    Charged balls of fire streak through the air towards us, endangering the wounded Golgari just as much as us. These idiots don''t even know they''re here! Working together, Invidia and I reach out our minds and seize hold of their magics, ripping them apart at the seams until they failed, falling to pieces and fizzling out in the air. How the heck am I supposed to escape into obscurity now? If I leave Tiny and Invidia to fight these guys on their own, there''s no way they''ll be able to hold them off, especially if they aren''t allowed to utilise lethal tactics.

    This situation is rapidly turning against me and I''m not hopeful I''ll be able to get out of here with a happy ending. It might be time to start getting rough with these dang Golgari, I''m tired of messing around.

 Chapter 407 A new kind of mayhem

    <h4>Chapter 407 A new kind of mayhem </h4>

    Gah! This is just getting worse and worse. I refuse to get pulled down by these damn Golgari again. I can almost feel the stony morons closing in from every direction. The tunnels must be loaded with these hunting triads, Warriors and Shapers alike. If they sent out four triads to hunt me the first time, how many are they willing to send out now? I''m dangerously close to not caring if they make it back to their city alive. Any oue is better than them learning of the Colony''s existence. Even more concerning, I can feel my siblings converging on this ce. A thousand tiny points of light fluttering in my Vestibule, each creeping closer to me with resolute will. Stay away you morons! You need to protect the family!

    [Tiny! Let them have it!]

    ¡­

    "RUAAAAAAAHHHH!"

    Freed from the shackles I ced on him, the giant ape freezes for a second before unleashing a shattering roar of pure savagery. His dark fur crackles to life and ribbons of electricity begin to spark across his body, coiling and twisting around his arms like jagged snakes.

    [Invidia! Back him up!]

    My little envy demon''s eye narrows to a slit as he floats closer to the conflict, seemingly unimpressed at being tasked with babysitting his ''older brother''. Tiny is certainly not prepared to wait for him though, positively drooling at the prospect of cutting loose on these stubborn foes. The triad of Warriors facing him sense the change in the air and brace their weapons as the Shapers in the distance send another wave of offensive magic over their heads.

    Tiny smashes his fists against his chest and roars once more. The power of his bellow is enough to shake the rock above our head. His eyes ze red with fury and the crackling lightning rises to a chittering crescendo before he hunches forward and ¡­ vanishes. Only to reappear fifteen metres away, fist poised to strike down on an unsuspecting Golgari wielding a massive two-handed hammer.

    What the HECK!??!?!

    A sudden explosion of wind erupts a secondter as Tiny''s fistshes out, wreathed in crackling energy. That fist is twice asrge as that Warrior''s head! You really aren''t holding back now, are you Tiny? Fortunately for the stone covered fighter, the punch never connects. His nearby ally reacts just fast enough, shing out a de of sword-light that crunches into his own triad member, sending him crashing metres away as Tiny''s brick of a fist shes through the air, an explosion of electricity ring into existence where his opponent''s head had just been.

    Two fireballs arc through the air and home in the ape before he can reposition but Invidia is ready. In a mind-bending disy of mastery, the air seems to warp as he grasps the ambient mana with his Will and forges it into a barrier.

    BOOM!

    The sound is deafening and dust flies as the walls shake from the force of the impact, but Tiny stands unharmed as the smoke clears, fists held at the ready. I''m still endlessly impressed by the ease at which Invidia is able to manipte the mana outside his body. For most mages, this is their bread and butter since, unlike monsters, they don''t have the capacity to draw in and store mana to nearly the same extent. The ambient mana in the air, especially in the Dungeon, provides all the fuel they need to power their spells. Unlike most monsters, and much like myself, Invidia has been trained to use mana the same as a Sapient mage would, and his expertise in handling external mana far exceeds my own. This Skill allows him to utilise Barrier magic, something I haven''t even scratched the surface of.

    [Nice work, Invidia. You''re the best, dammit!]

    I can''t help but get jealous.

    The eye gleams with an unknown emotion at my words.

    [Your praissse. I will have it!]

    Still creepy though.

    Even Tiny seems impressed by his new sibling''s ability. Where he''d expected to tank those spells head on, he now standspletely unharmed and raring to go. A devilish grin splits his face and heunches himself forward once more, fists aze with light. He snaps out a sharp one-twobo, sending sts of energy radiating toward the closest Warrior who''d just saved his ally.

    Fist-light!? And so fast?!

    His Gori boxing has evolved to a new level I see! All too happy to have someone else covering for him, Tinyunches a continuous, blistering offense against his hapless foes. As always, his fighting style leaves himselfpletely vulnerable, totally heedless of personal defence. Into this gap, Invidia seamlessly steps¡­ floats? Barriers at clutch moments, illusions of lightning and monsters creeping out of the shadowsbine with an endless mental onught to disorient the enemy and keep Tiny safe. Not to mention, the moment that Tiny does get hurt, a wallop of healing magic is going to hit him right in the face. THIS was the reason I was so intent on securing the services of a monster like Invidia. I''m tough enough to take the hits. I designed myself for that purpose after all. Crinis is smart enough not to get in over her head¡­ most of the time, anyway. But Tiny can''t. He can''t manually control his evolution and even if he could, he''d only pack on more muscle and probably a fist on top of his existing fist for double the punching. His unstoppable offensive strength made him a powerful monster, but a vulnerable one. With Invidia here to cover for him, he can atst truly stretch his wings and fight the way he wants to.

    Tiny has finally been unshackled!

    Thebination of the two monsters is so dominant that even when the Shaper triad is able to close the distance and join the fight proper, they still aren''t able to turn the tides. Bit by bit, my pets batter down the Warriors and fend off the Shapers, the Golgari unable to suppress their rampage.

    It''s enough to bring a tear to the eye of any proud ant, if I were able to cry. Unfortunately, I don''t have the time to do that, since another two triads have looped around behind us. Don''t you guys have something better to do? Like, anything at all?! Why all this fuss for an escaped ant and a useless worm!? As Tiny and Invidia hold down the fort on the other side, I posture aggressively to ward off these six. They seem hesitant to engage, perhaps happy to wait for an even greater numerical advantage?

    Actually¡­ I think I recognise that sparkly fellow¡­ He looks more eager that the rest and possibly more stupid as well¡­ I whip together a mind bridge and try connecting to him on a hunch.

    [Balta? Is that you? Did you miss dragging me around so much you wanted a second crack at it?]

    As my words meet their target the individual in question explodes with rage and rips his oversized de from its sheath.

    [Insolent beast! This time I''m here to rip you limb from limb! You''ll die screaming in agony before I''m done!]

    [You really are stupid¡­ I let you gost time and youe back for more? Come on then, stop hiding behind your friends and attack.]

    He doesn''t rise to the bait and smirks at me.

    [Do you really think I''m that stupid?]

    [Yes.]

    Ah. Now he''s attacking.

 Chapter 408 Rescue from the dark

    <h4>Chapter 408 Rescue from the dark </h4>

    The proud Golgari scion charges headfirst toward me, his fancy de dancing in his hands. This guy really is stupid. Baited so easily, by a monster no less. I suppose I should consider myself lucky that he''s diving in so recklessly, it''s what I want after all. What I didn''t expect was that the rest of the triads in front of me would leap into action the moment he stuck his dumb neck out.

    Don''t underestimate the power of little rich kids, Anthony! These other Golgari are probably all on the payroll! A personal protection force for the ''young master'' as he goes out to seek retribution for the wrongs that were done to him. Despicable. If the Colony jumps out then he''ll get to see the true meaning of borrowing the power of your family! It''s getting less likely I''m going to get the oue I want here. Nothing for me to do now but knuckle down and win this battle however I can. If I can do that much then the other ants won''t need to get involved.

    [I don''t think you want to do this, pebble boy,] I warn as I flex my mandibles. [You couldn''t handle mest time and I''m a heck of a lot better since then.]

    [Taste my de you trash!] He roars back and shes at me with blinding speed.

    urate and sharp, his sword light flies toward me, cutting a line straight through the rock where it intersects the ground. Impressive, as always. Let''s see how well the ''ol carapace holds up against this one? Tucking my legs and rotating my body, I present my abdomen to the de and let it hit me as I return fire with acid!

    POW! POW! POW!

    A rapid fire st arcs out, causing the charging Warriors to dodge, losing their bnce and momentum.

    BAM!

    The de ms into me and I rebound through the air a little beforendingfortably on my six legs. The cut has carved a groove into my shiny diamond shell but nothing to write home about. Even myst opponent in the tournament was able to do more damage than this.

    [If I give you a hundred free strikes, you might even manage to wound me,] I mock and pump mana into my mandibles.

    His expression twists with rage as he wordlessly shouts and unleashes another sh, closing the distance to try and apply his de to me directly. This guy is way too easy to bait. He''s not even bothering to try and block or sever the mind bridge between us. Surely there''s a reason for that? Or are these Warriors really so fixated on physical Skills that they don''t learn any type of mana maniption at all?!

    In the time it takes my mandibles to charge, six des of light are already streaking through the air toward me. The strikes are well ced, boxing me in so that I''ll have to ept the blows no matter which way I dodge. Which is fine. If they want to try and whittle me down one blow at a time, I''ll outpace their damage with my regeneration. If they want to try and wear me down, they''ll eventually learn it isn''t going to happen with so many Colony members here.

    I leap to my right and tuck my left legs to ept two blows before Ind. The des m into me, cutting deeper than junior''s but not by much. Their shes move slower and may not be as sharp, but they seem to have more ''oomph'' behind them. Perhaps a difference in technique or maybe they''re simply older and have greater Might? Regardless, my defence is holding up strong. Time for a little offence. The moment Ind, another wave of shes is on its way, but I outmanoeuvre them by turning to the wall and dashing straight up it! My ws dig into the rock and I fly up the round wall of the tunnel until I''m upside down, looking down on the bewildered faces of my foes.

    I suppose I must look a little odd, hanging upside down at my size. I''m not a mini little ant like I used to be, after all. I''m close to the size the Queen was before she evolved, so basically a minibus. Well, no need to look up here so foolishly, why don''t you Warriorse and join me?

    YOINK!

    I pick a member of the group who''s isted to one side and try to drag them to me with my infused mandibles. With a cry of shock the chosen Warrior falls toward me, rising from the ground as my mandibles flex in preparation. The other''s shout a warning to each other and their des erupt in light at the same time, sending out a barrage of shes towards me at once.

    Dang it. More countermeasures?!

    Unable to remain in the same ce, I dodge to one side but I''m hampered by the strain being upside down puts on my ws. My Grip Skill just hasn''te along as fast as it needs to. I can''t shift my weight quickly and it shows as more blows sh out and slice into my carapace before I can right myself. Dangit, the ceiling may have been a tactical mistake. Nothing for it now but to try and make the best of it.

    Eat fire, suckers!

    My sub-brains are always busy and now they''ve cooked up a juicy fire-mana construct and now I bring it to bear in the form of a raging methrower that erupts from between my mandibles. Feel the heat of my wrath! As I direct the mes toward my foes, my business district, open all hours, continues to rain a barrage of acid on the Golgari. Watching them scatter beneath me as I cling to the roof is certainly gratifying. Gweheheheh. Dance for me you pitiful scum!

    BOOM!

    GAH!

    THUMP!

    Oof. More people want to join this dance already?! Where the heck are you guys springing from? When I was enjoying myself roasting my opponents, another triad of Shapers must have arrived and taken umbrage with my activities. Rather mean spirited of them if you ask me. If I hadn''t reacted fast enough I might have been slightly cooked myself. As it was, the st of fire they sent my way was enough to st the rock beneath my ws, resulting in a short but painful drop.

    Legs iling in the air I quickly right myself to see the forces arrayed against me. Holy moly, they really didn''t want to let me go this time! Not one, but two triads of Shapers have joined on this front, and more Warriors have appeared from behind, putting pressure on Tiny and Invidia. If any more than this turn up, we are going to be in serious trouble¡­

    Each of my brains is racing, flushing hot with exertion and my senses are strained to the limit, but even so I almost failed to notice the concentration of mana beneath my feet thickening. Trying to catch me by surprise? I don''t think so?! I throw myself to one side, but even so I''m toote. My antennae tingle in warning but before I can move, the ground beneath my feet erupts in a wave of ck that blooms outwards in a circle around me.

    What the?!?!

    In a sh the dark substance snaps onto my carapace and wraps itself around me, binding and blinding me. No, dammit! What the hell is this?!?! Some sort of shadow magic?! Wait¡­ CRINIS?!?!

    [I''ve found you, Master! This time, I''ll NEVER let you go!]

 Chapter 409 The Creeping

    <h4>Chapter 409 The Creeping </h4>

    [DAMMIT CRINIS! I can''t see!]

    [It''s fine!]

    [How is it fine?!]

    [IT JUST IS!]

    [No! How the heck can I fight if I can''t see the enemy?! What is even happening?!]

    [I''ll fight for you! You don''t need to do anything!]

    [Are you kidding me?! There''s no way you can take them all on by yourself!]

    [Watch me!]

    [I CAN''T!]

    I''m currently entombed in a shell of Crinis after all. Not only is she covering my eyes, she''s covering all of me! How is she even doing this? She sent her entire body through my shadow in a sh! So much faster than she was able to use the Shadows before. This can only mean one thing¡­

    [You''ve evolved!]

    [Of course, Master! Did you think I would rest beforeing back to your side?]

    [Well¡­ no. I didn''t.]

    My Vestibule tingles with energy, causing panic to spark inside me.

    [Wait, Crinis! What''s the Colony doing?!]

    [Oh, they''reing! They''ll be here any minute.]

    Through the liquid shadow flesh of Crinis'' body I can sense the ongoing battle. Thuds and impacts ripple through her form as she takes damage that had been directed at me.

    [Why are theying?! They need to stay hidden!]

    [Once they got this close, they didn''t seem to want to stop. I think they''re almost here.]

    [Dammit, Crinis! At least let me see what''s happening! That''s an order!]

    Reluctantly, the flesh parts and lets the light in once more, blinding me momentarily after the pitch ck Crinis had inflicted on me. She appears to have gone through a few changes whilst I was gone. A writhing mass of flesh and tentacles rises from my back like a pir, three separate mouths gaping and gnashing at the air as she sends her limbs twisting through the air toward the Golgari. For their part, the Warriors and Shapers are firing a literal barrage of strikes her way, the savage light from their weapons cutting into her flesh dozens of times.

    [Crinis! Are you alright?!]

    [I''m fine! Don''t worry about me, Master. I''m here to keep you safe!]

    [You need to get off me, Crinis. We need to end this fight before the Colony arrives!]

    The wall to my right crumbles as a huge pair of mandibles break through the stone.

    "LEEEEEEROOOOOOY!!!!"

    Somehow loud enough that the scent reaches my antennae despite being almost totally covered by Crinis, the war cry of the dumbest ant in the history of the species floods the tunnel as a HUGE soldier bursts through the wall and dives headfirst intobat. The Golgari are dumbfounded for the smallest of windows before they move to respond. That''s Leeroy?! She''s big! Some of the Colony members must have hit tier four whilst I was away. What an exciting development! No wait¡­

    "What the heck are you doing?!" I scream, but since my pheromone nd is covered, they don''t smell a thing I''m saying.

    [Get off, Crinis! I need to fix this! NOW!] I bark at her.

    But it''s already toote. Maybe it was toote the moment I was captured. Once Leeroy has made her entrance, a dozen simr holes open up from all angles of the tunnel and hundreds of ants swarm out of them. The Golgari are overwhelmed in seconds, buried under an avnche of insects. Only a few have the intelligence to flee the second an ant is seen, the rest fall victim to the relentless crush of the Colony. Before I can count to ten, the tunnel is awash with ants crawling over every surface and all signs of conflict are done with.

    Dammit.

    "The Eldest has been secured!"

    "West tunnel, clear!"

    "East tunnel, clear!"

    "Move, move, move! Don''t stop those ws! Scouts every hundred metres for a kilometre in all tunnel branches!"

    "Prepare to close the emergency tunnels! Earth mages at the ready!"

    "Has the council been notified?"

    "They''re on the way!"

    Why the hell are theying here?! As the tidal wave of pheromone conversations wash over my antennae, finally freed from Crinis'' death grip, I feel the wee buzz of my family wrap around me once more. The Vestibule ispletely alive now, whispering to me the needs and desires of every ant within range. It''s overwhelming at first, but when I hear the council members areing this way, I lever myself to my feet.

    Crinis has pulled back a little after I yelled at her, but she''s still clinging to my abdomen, stuck to me like putty from a hell dimension.

    [Tiny, Crinis, Invidia. We need to get moving.]

    [Yes, Master!]

    [Harrrr.]

    [Yesssss.]

    They each respond in their own way and gather around me as I begin to march through the tunnel.

    "Anyone tell me where my friend Jim went?" I ask the ants nearby.

    "The worm? You should find him a few hundred metres down the tunnel. Take a left at the branch," a scout replies.

    "Thanks."

    At least I think that was a scout. Judging by the long antennae and sleek carapace design, it would be weird if they were a soldier. As time passes and I move further away from the site of the battle, the number of ants congregating actually increases. More and more of them are flooding out of the nearby tunnels and climbing out of small emergency tunnels that they''ve dug every second until I feel as if I''m inside the nest, rather than some tunnel goodness knows how far away.

    Naturally, every ant is busy. Hustling here and there, securing their own patch of territory, covering their own personal angle, all to ensure that I return to the Colony safely. It''s enough to bring a lump to the throat. They sacrifice so much for me. I have to stop letting them down, or what would be the point of me? The oldest and strongest member of the Colony can''t keep dragging it down like this! I''m the Paragon, dangit!

    [Master, who is this¡­ creature?] Crinis breaks into my thoughts.

    Oh, right! I didn''t make introductions.

    [Crinis, this is the final member of our group, Invidia. He''s an envy demon from the third strata. He''ll be in charge of support magic and eyesers. Invidia, this is your older sister, Crinis. She''s in charge of being terrifying and tentacles.]

    The little eyeball with wings looks up at the now massive Crinis who performs a truly horrifying manoeuvre. Her mouths, which had been facing forward, invert through her body and appear on the other side before they open wide, disying her razor sharp fangs. A single tentacle extends from the gtinous blob of flesh her main body has be and Invidia reaches out a stick-thin arm to shake it.

    [Wee, Invidia. Let''s protect the Master together.]

    [It sssssshalll be sssooo.]

    Introductionsplete, they return to their normal positions, Crinis clinging to my back and Invidia floating along behind me as Tiny brings up the rear. I notice that Crinis is still yet to detach herself from my back since she arrived.

    [You didn''t really mean it when you said you''d never let me go, did you Crinis?]

    [¡­]

    [Come on, Crinis! Was it really that bad!?]

    [Yes.]

    [¡­Really?]

    [Yes.]

    [¡­ Alright then.]

    There''s an argument lost. Well, she did a great job getting the Colony anding back to find me. If it keeps her happy then I can''tin.

    [You did well, Crinis. I might not have escaped if not for you. You saved me.]

    [¡­]

    Aaand she''s out.

 Chapter 410 The early Colony gets the worm

    <h4>Chapter 410 The early Colony gets the worm </h4>

    When I finallye across Jim, he''s shivering up against the wall of the tunnel as dozens of ants keep watch on him, some literally on top of him.

    [Jim! You made it out, alright I see!]

    [Anthony! Thank the- WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!]

    [You mean Crinis? She''s my pet.]

    [THAT is your pet?]

    [For sure, she''s great. Anyway, why are you shaking like a leaf in a storm? Something wrong?]

    [Every cell in my body is screaming at me to escape from these ants. I swear they are tasting me in their minds. They look hungry, Anthony!]

    [You can''t tell if an ant is hungry by looking at them, Jim.]

    [I can sense it.]

    [No you can''t! Besides, what would be the point? We ants are always hungry.]

    [Nooooo. Don''t eat me, Anthony! I have a family! My poor worm children!]

    [You aren''t going to be eaten, Jim!] I scoff at him. [If the Colony was going to eat you, you''d be eaten already! Just rx for a second.]

    [It''s hard to rx when literal predators are climbing on you.]

    He has a good point. When ites to insects and small organisms, ants are just about kings of the hill. Worms are just one of the near infinite number of things that ants will prey upon as they seek out the protein they need to raise the ravenous brood.

    [Just take a minute to appreciate your achievement! You''re free! You made it out! If you want to, you can slither into the wall and vanish. Back to the Dungeon!]

    [I''m too exhausted to take it in. I think I need to rest before I can enjoy it. Besides, I can''t feel at ease knowing what Sarah is going through. If she doesn''t fight, then isn''t she just going to get eaten. It''s not right¡­]

    He''s got a point. He said before we left that he wanted to go back and rescue his friend. Now that the Colony has exposed itself, there isn''t much reason not to back and try to bust her out. If it''s going to happen though, it''ll need to happen soon. The Golgari will get word of an active ant colony soon and will start to mobilise their no doubt considerable resources against us. We need to get in, hit the outpost and get out before that can happen. If we pull the Colony all the way back to Liria, perhaps there''s a chance they never find us.

    [I''ll let you rest here then. I''m going to go talk to the leadership and see what we can do about getting Sarah out.]

    [Leadership? What do you mean? What''s going on with these ants, Anthony?]

    [It''s¡­ a little hard to exin. Let''s just say, I made ants as smart as people?]

    [You did WHAT?!] The worm explodes.

    I get defensive.

    [Hey! I just wanted to help out my family, you know?]

    [So you made giant monstrous ants with the intelligence of humans? Do you have any idea what you''ve done?!]

    [¡­ made a super cool Colony of ants?]

    [Oh my god. I can''t take it anymore. I''m going to sleep.]

    Having said so, the giant worm goes totally limp and flops on the ground under the watchful eye of his ant protectors. What''s his deal anyway? I don''t see how smart ants are any worse than smart apes or smart rock-skinned people. In fact, aren''t they just better? I mean, I''ll take my current family over my old one in a heartbeat. No time to worry about that now. I need to find whichever members of the Council were foolish enough toe all the way out here. Wherever ''here'' is. Time to n a quick smash ''n'' grab and then we are marching home!

    I find the usual suspects gathered nearby, waiting for me to turn up for a chat. They dug out a convenient meeting chamber for us to use so we don''t block off the tunnel, which still has a ton of traffic moving through it as ants go about their work.

    "Eldest, it''s wonderful to see you again!" This from Burke.

    "It''s pleasing to see that this operation was a sess." Sloan tips her antennae at me.

    "You must have gone through a lot, Eldest! You didn''t happen to pick up any new magical secrets, did you?" Propent asks eagerly.

    "I''ve learned a lot. About a heap of things, which I''m happy to share a bitter on."

    Phew. It''s all a bit overwhelming. The situation has changed so quickly that I need a moment to adjust. The Vestibule continues to pump me full of energy and keep me fresh, but the emotional fatigue is something it can''t help me with.

    "It''s great to be back with you all. Thanks foring for me."

    "Of course we came to get you! Through great danger and GLORIOUS battle we have made our way to sacrifice ourselves to secure your freedom!"

    "Shut up, Leeroy."

    "Yes, Eldest."

    "Haaah. Where even are we? How far from the nest have wee?"

    "I can field that," Burke chips in, "we''re approximately a hundred and thirty two kilometres in a straight line across the surface from the nest. In terms of movement through the tunnels, we could probably triple that number."

    "HOLY MOLY."

    That''s a heck of a long way.

    "How did you guys even manage to find me?"

    It seems like an impossible mission. Three hundred kilometres of tunnel? In a matter of weeks?! What the heck have they had to do in order to cover that sort of ground?

    "It''s not as bad as you think," Propent chuckles, "the Colony has kicked quite a few things into overdrive since youst were in the nest. We are covering quite a lot of Dungeon territory every day. We need to in order to keep the graduates andrvae fed and growing."

    "I suppose the two new Queens are running at capacity now?" Victoriant and Antite will be pleased to finally be performing their role. It''s something they''ve wanted for a long time.

    Leeroy twitches.

    "TWO Queens? What do you mean. There''s like¡­ six?"

    SIX?!

    "It''s true," Burke shrugs her antennae. "It''s been a little while since I wasst home. But the Tenders were setting up a second nest for the Queen in the secondyer and a new group of less mature Queens were being raised in the original nest."

    Somehow when she says ''the Queen'', it''s still obvious who it is that she''s talking about. So we have more than one nest now? And a nest in the second strata?! That''s impressive as hell!

    "That''s incredible. I''m so grateful that you''ve been able to do all this."

    "What do you mean? We''re just working."

    Of course. Just doing their jobs, what else would they be doing. Thankfully they consider their work running hundreds of kilometres to drag their troublesome Elder out of trouble.

    "Things are going to get dangerous here soon. An empire of people called the Golgari live in this area. We''re on the outskirts of their territory now."

    "We''ve seen the signs, even observed them a few times. They look tough," Burke observes.

    "They can be very strong," I agree, "and once word gets out that we are here, they''ll put together some serious firepower to hunt us down and eradicate the Colony. I''d rather we didn''t fight them and just retreated."

    "Sensible," Burke observes.

    "UNACCEPTABLE!" Leeroy shouts.

    "Before we do that though, I have something I want to get done¡­."

 Chapter 411 Diversions

    <h4>Chapter 411 Diversions </h4>

    "How was I supposed to know he was going to escape?" Granin said. "You think he was likely to admit such a thing right before he attempted it?"

    "I''ve had reports that much of the mentalmunication between yourself and the ant were shielded from prying. Why would that be?" Gravus rumbled, uncharacteristically keeping his temper in check.

    Granin''s eyes widened.

    "Because, as my charge, and as a reincarnated individual, Anthony had those rights within the cult. I swear by the Worm, you boneheads don''t even remember what he is!"

    "He was a monster under the control of the cult," Gravus growled.

    "He was an individual under the care of the cult," Granin ground out.

    The two old Shapers red at each other, openly indulging in their mutual dislike. Granin felt his knuckles itch with the desire to punch this sorry sack of a stone right in the face again, just to prove a point, but he restrained himself. He was being interrogated and didn''t particrly want to drag the rest of his triad down with him.

    "And I suppose the frequent meetings with the other reincarnated individuals under our care, leading to the escape of one of them, had nothing to do with your machinations?"

    "Machinations?" Granin snorted. "The only plotting here has been going on in the vast space between your ears. It''s natural for them to want tomunicate with each other, given their shared history. Each of those meetings was approved, by your triad, and, just maybe, James was eager to escape because he feared being forced intobat to the death. You know, like you did to Anthony, and then to Sarah."

    Gravus puffed up with indignation.

    "You know very well that the specimen known as Sarah volunteered for the role. She has relied on the Shapers for many years, it''s little surprise that she wants to give back."

    Silence hung in the air for a few long seconds as Granin stared his adversary in the eyes coolly. It was hard to believe the old blowhard would be able to spit those lines with a straight face. If it were Granin, he expected the shame would be enough to melt him down to g.

    "There''s a few rumours going around the outpost," Granin said, "ugly rumours. People are talking about Sarah, about how scared she was of returning to the Dungeon. There''s even spection ¡­"

    He leaned forward conspiratorially.

    "¡­ that some disgusting piece of trash, threatened to send her to the third strata and leave her there if she didn''t agree to participate in the Dungeon and murder one of her own kind."

    "Terrible," Gravus said through gritted teeth.

    "Shocking," Granin forced through his own rictus grin. "It''s this kind of disgusting conduct that gives Shapers across the empire a bad name."

    The two returned to their silent, hate filled staring contest whilst behind them Torrina and Corun rolled their eyes. He couldn''t help himself, this leader of theirs. If he wasn''t so busy sticking his nose into messes and stirring the pot, he''d have been inducted to the leadership decades ago. But, if he was able to practice that kind of restraint, he wouldn''t be Granin, and they wouldn''t respect him nearly so much.

    Behind Gravus, his own triad members sat, equally frustrated, though they were more disciplined and didn''t show it on their faces. It had been a long, tiring night for them as they tried to organise the pursuit of the escapees and manage the increasingly shrill demands of the city, and of the Warriorswork who supported them. When word came back a few hours ago that the majority of the triads sent out had been destroyed by an overwhelming force of ants, the entire city had exploded. A few things had begun to happen at once. Officials scrambled to put together a suppression force. Warriors scrambled to insert themselves into that force in order to reap glory and rewards. Shapers rushed to get out of that force in order to avoid having their study routines disturbed, not to mention all that nasty danger that would be involved. But the most fierce and determinedpetition was surely the intense round of me shifting that urred amongst the leadership circles all over the city.

    Warriors and Shapers were dead. An ant colony was on the city''s doorstep and nobody knew about it. The citizens were in an uproar, every Circle in the city from the Merchants to the Crafters was up in arms. The Noble circle had, to this point, been mercifully silent, but for how long nobody could guess. Yet another reason to find someone to point the finger at when things got grim. Naturally the leading triad in the outpost hade to the most logical conclusion in regards to their own scapegoat. Granin and his triad had been working closely with the specimen in question and had agitated on its behalf most aggressively. It was very usible that they knew the extent of its ns.

    mine leaned forward, her elbows on her desk and her handsced beneath her chin.

    "It''s going to be difficult to convince the city that you had no knowledge of what was going to take ce, Granin," she managed to sound regretful. "If or when theye here asking questions then we are going to need to have some answers for them. What should we tell them?"

    "Through your own idiotic policies you pressed intelligent and dangerous creatures against a wall, forcing them to make desperate choices that have endangered us all?"

    "I don''t think we''ll be saying that," mine smiled.

    "Why start being honest now?" Granin grunted.

    Crys stepped forward and inserted herself into the dialogue.

    "If you don''t want to be detained then you are going to have to give us apelling reason. Is there anything you can say in your own defence?"

    Corun yawned widely and Torrina stifled a chuckle. The two of them immediately drew res from the leading triad opposite, but they couldn''t bring themselves to care. Not to say that the threat to their own freedom and safety wasn''t real, it absolutely was, but these individuals no longer held any awe or fear for them. They now saw them as Granin did, foolish and desperate Golgari who''d made a mess and refused to clean it up.

    Granin too was tired of ying games.

    "Detained? That''s a big word to be throwing around so casually¡­"

    "Casually?" Crys snapped, "do you think anything about the current situation calls for such a rxed attitude from you? Shapers have died."

    "Yes, they have," Granin muttered and his eyes burned with rage as he stared at the idiots who''d caused this mess. "Let''s make something very clear. Very obvious. If you try to have me and my triad detained, we are going to have a little civil war right here in this outpost."

    "What are you talking about?" Gravus spat.

    "You can only be so ipetent, for so long, before people start looking to kick you down a peg. You three have been so transparent with your maniptions, so brutish with your methods, that even the die-hard idiots are finding it hard to justify supporting you. I have the numbers to remove you from office right now if I wanted to."

    "You''re bluffing," mine said.

    "It''ll take you an hour to confirm I''m right. So why don''t you scurry off and do that. Once that''s done you can let me and my triad members leave this outpost and get busy trying to pin your mess on someone else."

    Granin remained calm to the end, though his immense disdain was in to see. He still had no idea how such fools had reached such a high post within the Cult. They''d had standards once upon a time. What had happened?

    Crys, Gravus and mine shot each other a worried look. If what the crusty old fool said was true¡­

    "We''ll have a brief recess before we reconvene this meeting," mine dered before the three of them marched out together.

    The silence in the room stretched out for a few minutes before anyone spoke.

    "We going to get the heck out of town, Granin?" Corun asked.

    "Absolutely. I have no idea what Anthony has nned, but I have no intention of being here to see it."

 Chapter 412 The fear

    <h4>Chapter 412 The fear </h4>

    Sarah was afraid. Although, just saying that didn''t mean much. She may as well have said "Sarah was breathing", because she was always afraid. Always. She''d been afraid for so long that she no longer remembered what had first caused her to fear. She no longer remembered what it was that she feared the most. Her life, her first life, was mostly a haze of half-remembered pictures and blurred faces to her now, but somehow she could still remember the fear. It had been cold, and hard. It stabbed deep into her heart when she was young and never left, it carved out a space inside and made itself at home. She''d died afraid and been reborn afraid, the Dungeon was just yet another thing for her to fear. This terror was more visceral, hot and red, and she had nearly gone mad with it. She could remember days when she''d barely had a human thought, lost in the snarling, biting, tearing rampage that sparked when she was pushed to the edge by the things that haunted her new life.

    It was strange that she''d been reborn as a bear. They were strong creatures, deadly, powerful, capable. All things that were so far from her own existence that she couldn''t imagine applying those terms to herself. On the verge of breaking down, tilting on thest crumbling precipice of her sanity, she''d thrown herself on the mercy of the Shapers and they had taken her in and healed her. Fed her, talked to her and with tender care had pieced her near-shattered mind back together. It had taken years before she would talk to them in sentences. More years before she would stop waking up roaring and snarling as she bashed down walls. She didn''t trust the Shapers on a whim, they earned that trust over decades.

    Which meant it hurt even more when they''d changed. James had seen it long before she had. He was wary of the new faces, the rule changes and shifting atmosphere. He''d tried to warn her, but she''d been too scared to listen. She felt safe here. The ever-bubbling cauldron of fright within her had been reduced to a simmer. Sometimes she was even able to pretend that she wasn''t afraid at all. That had all changed when Anthony had arrived. Just an ant, but he''d been everything that she wasn''t. So sure, so confident. When she looked into those bizarre, fractured bug eyes of his she''d not sensed the slightest fear in him. The Dungeon held so little fear for him, it was crazy. She''d begun to wonder what it was that made him so different to herself. She was stronger than he was, she thought. Probably by a lot. So why? Why did he thrive where she didn''t? What did he have that shecked?

    She didn''t have an answer to that question, even now.

    The gate rattled before her eyes as it raised and she stepped slowly into thebat arena, her head hanging low and listless. She didn''t want to be here. The sand shifted and slid beneath her paws, the ring eyes of the Shapers seemed to burn into her fur and the charged energy in the air pressed down on her. A whine built in her throat and she couldn''t control it until it whimpered out of her muzzle. She could smell the bloodlust from her opponent rise sharply at the sound. It sensed weakness. The creature was a de beast, a rare creature found in the first strata, usually in areas with a strong concentration of mana. The recent rise in density had caused a spike in such monster spawnings and the Shapers had sprung into action at the prospect of capturing such powerful creatures. With four huge de arms attached to a powerfully muscled body, covered in spikes and pointy protrusions, the de beast was a horrific opponent for most creatures. Faster than it looked, durable as all get out and almost inexhaustible, they terrorised most monsters from the first strata.

    She didn''t want to fight it.

    She didn''t want to go back to what she was when she fought things like this, didn''t want to retreat back into the madness and savagery that protected her from her cowardice. But even that would be better than going back out there. She''d never been to the third strata, but she''d approached its edge, only once. She shivered at the memory. She couldn''t go back there. She couldn''t stand it.

    In her heart she was still confused. Still hurt by what was happening and just unable to understand it. Why was she being made to fight? Why were the monsters fighting at all? Did Anthony and Jim escape? She hadn''t been able to see them for days. All such thoughts were pushed rudely aside as the battlemenced. The de beast stepped forward and she raised her head. Her sheer size and bulk gave the monster pause. It didn''t want to approach directly, wary of her ws and fangs. Instead it began to circle around, huge glittering des slicing through the air in a disy of dominance.

    Sarah''s heart pounded in her chest and her body trembled as the monster closed in. Her vision swam and she could barely focus as her confusion and desperation paralysed her. She didn''t notice the unease ripple through the Shapers watching from the stands, she wasn''t cognizant of the impacts shuddering through the stone around her. Nor did she hear the scraping and grinding that seemed to echo through the walls.

    She sure as hell did notice when a hole opened up in the centre of the arena and a familiar looking ant head popped out of the ground.

    [Stupid¡­ SAND! UGH! That''ll be in my carapace for days¡­ Hey! Found her!]

    The ant was suddenly lifted into the air as a huge worm shoved its way through the hole.

    [Sarah! Hey! We came back to get you! Are you alright?!]

    The words echoed in her mind but she just couldn''t process them.

    [Jim? ¡­ Is that you?] she wondered.

    [How many other giant worms do you know?! Don''t answer that, I might get jealous. What the heck is that thing!?] He screeched.

    The de beast had stepped back, cautious at the appearance of these new monsters, but now that they turned toward it, the monster prepared to assault them all at once. Sadly, it never got the chance. The sand beneath it''s feet began to sink away as a new hole opened up beneath it. It''s de arms scrabbled at the air but to no avail as a host of mandibles reached up to drag it down below sight.

    [I wouldn''t worry about it,] Anthony said.

    The worm turned its blind head towards the unmoving bear once more.

    [Come ON, Sarah! We need to get the heck out of here! You aren''t still nning on staying are you?]

    [No?] She muttered. [Jim, what''s happening?]

    Only now did she start to notice the chaos erupting around her.

    [I just brought the family in for a quick smash n'' grab.] Anthony said.

    Sarahtched onto one word.

    [Family?]

    The ant''s antennae seemed to wobble with joy.

    [Oh, I think you''re really going to like ''em!]

 Chapter 413 The SAS of Colonies

    <h4>Chapter 413 The SAS of Colonies </h4>

    We get in and we get out. That''s the fundamental truth of this raid and I''m going to stick to it like a sticky substance applied to another, less sticky thing. There must be a better analogy, but I''m too pumped up to iron it out right now. It takes a little convincing but eventually we get Sarah down into the tunnel and fleeing with her buddy Jim. With her mental state as muddled as it is, I don''t want her hanging around for the rest of what''s going to happen around here. Namely, robbing the facility blind and running off with the loot.

    We don''t n to destroy the Shapers themselves in the process, but it''s inevitable that a few get caught up in the crossfire. I''ve made peace with that, seeing as they didn''t particrly care if I myself was broken in the course of constructing their super monster. Leaving the arena, I crawl back down under the surface and immediately I''m covered in a goop like darkness that wraps itself around me.

    [Master! I''vepleted my task and returned to you.]

    [Yes¡­ I noticed. Good job, Crinis. Did the other Shadow monsters get out safely?]

    [Most of them did, Master. I believe that between the pets and I we were able to secure almost all of the cores.]

    [Great. I''m sure you managed to make yourself plenty distracting up there.]

    [What are you saying, Master?] A dangerous note creeps into her tone as she questions me.

    [Ah¡­ Nothing! Just that you have a very striking appearance!]

    [Why thank you!]

    [ACK! Don''t squeeze me!]

    I''m d I sent Crinis with the Core Shapers as part of our distraction. Not only would she be able to support the others and the show of force that much more terrifying, it gave me a bit of time without being choked. I quite enjoyed that time. Sadly, it''s over now, and as I make my way through the tunnel, it bes clear that Crinis has no intention of relinquishing her grip.

    Thework of tunnels dug throughout the outpost are swarming with the Colony as ants rush toplete their objectives. After securing Sarah, I only have one more stop on my schedule: the leading triad. I don''t intend to rub my freedom in their faces or anything, as nice as that would be, I just want to be present to make sure they don''t cause any problems for my siblings. As irritating as those three were, I have to respect the power and authority that they possess inside the outpost. If anyone will be able to rally the Shapers against us, it''s going to be them.

    So with Crinis attached, I rush through tunnels and burst out into the corridors of the Shaper outpost, tracking my target. Pandemonium reigns everywhere I can look as ants ransack rooms and herd shellshocked Shapers into corners, keeping them isted and confused. Nice to see my instructions being followed, not that I doubted it. If we can avoid heating up the inevitable Golgari counterstrike any more than we already have, then I''ll be pleased. No need to throw more fuel on to that fire. I instructed the Colony to put them down with a vengeance if they tried to fight back though. With the element of surprise on our side, not to mention a rather ridiculous numbers advantage, it was never going to be hard for us to overwhelm the ce.

    [I still can''t believe these scum held you prisoner,] Crinis bristles as we rush through corridors not quiterge enough for my frame.

    [Settle down, Crinis. Most of these people had nothing to do with that decision. Let''s just leave them be.]

    [You''re too nice, Master. I still think you should let me spend some time with a few of them. They won''t evere after us again!]

    As she imagines getting her tentacles on the Shapers I can feel her barbs start to form and grate against my carapace. I shudder to think what would happen to any Golgari that falls into her clutches. Is there a Geneva convention on Pangera? Anyws regarding being partially rendered by a void beast from the depths of madness and despair? Probably not, now that I think about it. This world doesn''t muck around when ites to the war between surface and Dungeon creatures.

    [Do you have any idea where Tiny and Invidia wound up?] I ask.

    [I haven''t seen them, but they shouldn''t be far away. Can you reach them?]

    [Tiny! Invidia! Where did you guys wind up?]

    [RAAAAH!]

    [¡­ Inivida, where are you right now?]

    [We have found the rest of the monsssters. Sssssoon, we will take their everything.]

    ¡­ So I''ll take that to mean they''ve broken into the monster cells and have started fighting the remaining tournament contenders. That''s some juicy experience and biomass right there and I don''t intend to let it go to waste. My siblings would be able to overwhelm them, of course, but the casualties would be uneptable. Better to leave it to Tiny and Invidia. Those two working together will be able to crush any one monster, no matter how well designed it is.

    All of those precious resources, I''ll be taking them for my pets, thank you very much! Muahahahaha!

    [You remember the n, Crinis?]

    [We find the leaders and give them pain.]

    ¡­

    [Wait.. No?]

    [We find the leaders and I will give them pain.]

    [No!]

    [You''re too nice, Master.]

    [Stop choking me.]

    If I didn''t have a carapace I''d have been torn to bits by Crinis'' unconscious tentacle flexing. It''s a pain that she''s like this, but I feel so bad for sending her off on her own that I can''t bring myself to say anything about it! I can only pray in my heart that she''ll get over her abandonment issues soon.

    "These corridors are confusing! Where''s a damn scout?!"

    "Right here, Eldest!"

    A wiry ant sticks her head out of a nearby doorway and salutes with an antenna.

    "Have we located the leadership yet? I''m getting twisted about in these damn corridors."

    "We haven''t, but the only remaining pocket of resistance is up two levels. We theorise that those you''re looking for are there."

    "Resistance?! Still?! I''m on my way!"

    Don''t worry, my siblings! I''m on my way! The need to protect my Colony rages like a fire in my core and I lean back on my hind-most legs to begin chomping at the ceiling.

    [We''re going up, Crinis!]

    [I''m with you, Master!]

    [Stop choking me!]

    After the reinforced rock around the outpost, chewing through the floors is nothing. A couple of bites and the rock cascades down around me, bouncing off my carapace and Crinis'' exposed flesh. Reaching up, my ws grasp hold of the stone and I pull myrge frame through the gap and I attack the ceiling once again. I can feel it now, in my mana sense. There are dozens of spells being worked above my head. This won''t do!

    CHOMP! CHOMP!

    The ceiling copses around me and the sound of battle begins to batter against my antennae.

    "What the heck is going on up here?!" I rage.

    "Eldest!"

    "The Eldest is here¡­"

    The ants react with surprise as I burst my way through and some of them even freeze for a second before they resume their tasks. That''s unusual. For an ant to forget their work for even one second is odd.

    "Eldest, d you made it," Burke calls from nearby. "Join me over here for a second."

    The air is awash with pheromones as the Colony battles the foe, making it difficult to pick out each particr scent. I suppose people talking over each other is much the same situation. The area is a ruin, rooms smashed apart and walls crumbling in every direction. It appears as if the two sides are separated by a solid stone corridor and I''ve surfaced on the ant side. Spells are being constantly hurled toward the ants, who''ve bunkered down behind cover and retaliate with acid barrages when they get the chance. ssic stalemate.

    Burke is nearby, clinging to the ceiling and keeping a close eye on the enemy down the corridor from behind a pir.

    "What''s going on?" I demand. "Any casualties?"

    "A few," she admits, "those spells are no joke. The healers are doing what they can but we lost a few in the first barrage."

    "I''LL KILL THEM!"

    "Hey, Eldest, remember your own n?"

    "Oh¡­ right."

    "This is slowing us down and we need it resolved right now. Judging by the heavy resistance, we have to assume that something or someone valuable is down this way. Think you can break us through?"

    "Burke, you shouldn''t ask stupid questions."

    "Of course, Eldest."

 Chapter 414 Barging In

    <h4>Chapter 414 Barging In </h4>

    Anger boils inside me at the thought that these moronic Shapers would dare to kill my siblings! Outrageous! They''ve nobody to me for their current circumstances but themselves, I''ve no pity for them at all. My attitude toward the Golgari is hardening at a frightening pace. If I hadn''t had such positive experiences with Granin and his triad then there''s a possibility that none of the Shapers would have made it out of this assault alive. I suppose that''s a dark thought, but these people are messing with my family! That''s not something I can allow anymore.

    [Crinis, do you think you could jump through to the Shadows in the next room?]

    [I''ll need a distraction. They''ll be on the lookout for a tactic like that.]

    [Not a problem. I can give you all the distraction you''ll need. Keep your senses open and wait for your chance.]

    [Right, Master!]

    ¡­

    [That means you need to climb off me and move to the side.]

    [¡­ No it doesn''t.]

    [Yes, it does! What''s the point of me drawing their fire and creating a distraction if YOU are the one being hit?!]

    [But¡­]

    [No buts! Get your nightmarish gloop over in that corner and wait for a chance!]

    Grumbling and full of reluctance, I''m finally able to get Crinis to climb off of me and out of sight in a corner where she huddles pitifully, small tentacles extended in my direction trying totch onto my legs.

    I avoid her feeble attempts with ruthless precision, she''ll be glued back onto my carapace before too long anyway, I need to enjoy this brief moment of freedom whilst itsts. Troublesome pet dealt with, I approach the fire zone at the end of the corridor, an area covered in ants clinging to any piece of cover they can find and sting acid at the mages whenever they get the chance.

    "No mage support?" I demand a nearby soldier.

    "They got tied up on other floors keeping the peace. They''re the only ones who can talk to these people, after all."

    Makes sense.

    "Have negotiations been attempted here?" I ask.

    "No. They opened fire the second they saw us!"

    Hmmph.

    "Well, it''s time they got what they deserved for it, don''t you think, soldier?"

    "Yes, Eldest!"

    I hunch out of sight and wait for the next barrage of spells to fly down the corridor. It arrives after a few seconds, a wave of fireballs, bolts of ice and other more esoteric magics that detonate, shatter and otherwise peter out against the rubble without finding a target. In the next moment the ants step from cover or raise their abdomens to unleash their formic acid spray.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    Solid jets of sizzling liquid streak through the air down the corridor to stter against something out of sight and the ants begin to duck back down again in anticipation of the next wave of spells. This is the time I choose to spring from my cover and unleash my own barrage of acid!

    POW! POW! POW!

    A rapid fire trio of shots fly down the length of the corridor and impact against what is definitely a magical shield of some sort. The Shapers, who''d been preparing to return fire, are shocked to see their precious shield begin to bubble and steam as my acid begins to eat into it. I follow up with a solid st of methrower magic as I charge down the corridor, my bulk taking up almost the entire space.

    I''m not intending to harm the Shapers with this magic, I doubt they could be harmed by magic on this level, but I''m hoping it prevents them from seeing meing. mes belching out from between my mandibles, I race down the corridor like a freight train, but as expected, it only takes a moment until I can feel my mes being broken apart by the highly trained mages I''m attacking.

    BOOM! THUD!

    Spells begin to fly through the mes in the other direction, mming into my carapace with impressive force. The best I can do to protect my eyes is lower my rear legs as I run, creating an angle to protect the top of my head, but the damage adds up. It''s not as if they can miss me after all. I''m a giant ant-fish in a rather small barrel at this moment. As long as they don''t get a lucky shot, it''s unlikely that they''ll be able to puncture my carapace in a single shot.

    SHING!

    ¡­ Or not!? My momentum crumbles for a moment as an almost clear shard of ice flies through my mes and lodges deep in my carapace. Ouch! Someone put a huge amount of mana into that thing! But it''s only enough to slow me down for a second. The corridor is only twenty metres long and after another two strides I burst through the opening and m bodily into their melting shield, mandibles snapping.

    The room has nine mages inside, three full triads, not to mention the exact people I''m looking for! I can see Gravus'' face nch as he realises exactly which ant hase to pay him a visit. Gweheheheheh. I''ve been wanting to see you, Gravus!

    CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

    My mandibles flex and shatter their barrier with sheer force as I use my legs to knock the mages around, disrupting their formation. With all of their focus on me, that''s more than enough of an opening for Crinis to work her magic. The floor darkens to midnight ck and a forest of tendrils rise as if growing from the floor itself. In moments, they thicken into powerful tentacles,tching onto the Shapers and curling around them as the dark mass of Crinis'' main body forms in the centre of the room, her mouths gnashing hungrily at the air.

    I think two of the Shapers just passed out from sheer terror¡­ the rest are tightly bound and aren''t liable to be doing much of anything until we decide to let them go.

    Luckily not the three that I''m hoping to talk to!

    "Get in here! Hustle now, I''m doing all of your work!"

    Shashashashasha.

    After I call out to the Colony they flood down the corridor and in moments the Shapers each have a set of mandibles around their neck whilst yet more antsb through the room, a fairly plush looking study with an impressive desk on one side. There has to be some juicy loot in here, I hope we find it.

    "Get some mages up here, I want them to check for any enchanted items," I say to a passing general and she snaps out a quick salute.

    I probably didn''t need to say anything, no doubt they''d already sent for mages to sweep the area, but I like to feel as if I''m useful. With that taken care of, I gleefully spin together a mind bridge and prepare for a chat with some of my favourite rock covered people.

    [Irette mine. How nice to see you!]

 Chapter 415 Bringing the Shapers home to visit

    <h4>Chapter 415 Bringing the Shapers home to visit </h4>

    The leading triad each stare daggers at me as my siblings sweep through their office, crawling over the walls. They probe every surface for potential valuables leaving no stone unturned. Already various items have been snatched up in greedy mandibles and carted away under the disbelieving eyes of the Shapers. I doubt this is how they expected a monster invasion to go, most of them seem to scarcely believe they''re still alive. If I''m being honest, that''s not an unreasonable state of mind for them to be in.

    [I don''t suppose you thought you''d wind up in a situation like this, did you mine?] I can''t help but taunt a little.

    The once powerful Shaper is a shadow of her former self, looking frazzled and worn down, as much a person with solid rock for skin can. She res at me fiercely before replying.

    [It seems we were right to treat you as a monster and not as a person. You''re actions reveal the beast that you are.]

    Her mentalmunication is loaded with venom but the sheer arrogance of her words robs me of the ability to address her tone.

    [You don''t think stuffing me in a cell and trying to kill me has motivated my response in any way?]

    [You should be thanking us,] she sneers, [you gained much from the Cult of the Worm, did you not? Our experience and knowledge, levels and Biomass. You were happy to take those things from us. Look how you have rewarded our hospitality.]

    [You''re out of control,dy.] I ck my mandibles. [You had so many opportunities to prevent this oue. You could have left me alone in the Dungeon, but no. You could have treated me with dignity, but no. You could have taken my bargain when it was offered, but no. You''re going to get the bad ending that you worked so hard to achieve.]

    [You speak as if you are the only thing that mattered, but there are many points of view, many shifting alliances. Even if we wanted to change our policy, there were existing considerations you know nothing about.]

    I shrug my antennae.

    [So? I don''t have to take into ount your situation, only my own. If someone else has driven you to this point, then me them, not me.]

    I give her a friendly pat on the head with one w and she flinches away from me. Gravus looks like he''s about ready to explode with rage, but perhaps the mandibles around his neck are helping him hold it in.

    [Now that my family is here, we''re going to ransack this outpost, take everything we can use and leave you with a smoking ruin. Them''s the breaks, I suppose.]

    [My people will hunt you down, monster,] she spat, [and when we do, I''m going to be there. I rip your core out myself and reincarnate your corpse just so I can desecrate it.]

    Well, that''s just nasty.

    [Your people are indeed going to being for us, which is why we''re trying to move quickly. But, you know what? I''m not that certain that I want to leave you behind anymore.]

    Obviously a Golgari can''t really turn pale. They can turn a bit grey, though.

    [You wouldn''t!]

    [Why not? Like you said, Shaper knowledge is invaluable, I''m not going to arrogantly say that I''ve learned everything you guys happen to know. Also, when your peoplee for us, they might hesitate just a little if we have some of their own held hostage.]

    [And why would I cooperate?]

    mine is attempting to appear strong, but I can tell that she''s rattled. Not that I me her. She''s facing the prospect of being dragged off by a ravenous horde of insect monsters.

    [The only way you get to go back to your people alive is if you keep me happy. If you don''t, I''ll be feeding you to thervae. They get ever so hungry.]

    I can''t help but get a little overdramatic with the threats. Luckily, I think she bought it.

    [We''ll take the younger one as well,] I add as an afterthought.

    [What?!] mine screeches in my mind but before she can blink, I''ve tasked two soldiers with taking away her fellow triad member who doesn''t appear to be very amused by the situation, if the kicking and screaming is any indicator.

    [I''ll kill you!] mine rages.

    I stare at her carefully but the emotion appears genuine. Interesting. We might be able to use this leverage.

    [Cooperate with us and we won''t harm a single stone on her skin.] I promise. I don''t need to say what''ll happen if she doesn''t.

    mine is dragged out of the room by another soldier whilst being carefully watched by a Mage as the rest of the Shapers nervously watch. Not seeing any reason to keep them in suspense, I open upmunications with them.

    [Hey there folks. It''s Anthony, in case you didn''t recognise me. I''m going to take those two with me when we leave for hostage purposes. You''ll probably get them back, we''ll see how it goes.]

    A pause.

    [Maybe don''t kidnap and try to kill the next sentient creature you run across. Bit of advice there¡­ What else? Ah, we''ll leave you all alive, no worries there.]

    They all sag with relief.

    [¡­ I should have mentioned that first. Sorry. Catch you allter then, please don''t hunt us down¡­ Bye.]

    I awkwardly cut off themunication and turn to the scout next to me.

    "Burke, are we done in here?"

    She nods.

    "Looks like it. Other floors are reporting their tasks areplete as well."

    "Great." The tension drains out of me a little. "I''m done with this ce. Let''s go home!"

    [Tiny! Invidia! Finish eating in a hurry, we are getting out of here!]

    [Harr?!!? NOM! NOM! NOM! NOM!]

    [You don''t have to message me that you''re eating! Just eat!]

    Damn ape! That''s a disturbing mental sound.

    I mean, how do you even convey the sound of chewing through mindmunication? Actually, I don''t want that question answered. As we leave the chamber, Crinis unwinds her tentacles from around the remaining Shapers and once moretches onto me, her body goopifying itself as she adheres to my carapace.

    [I''m back, Master!]

    [¡­ I noticed.]

    [Did I do well?]

    [Absolutely.]

    She wriggles with glee and I can feel my carapace crunching as she exerts her strength unintentionally. Geez. She''s a lot stronger than she was before. Quite the evolution she undertook. I''ll have to give her a core a good look over once we get some breathing room and a bit of downtime. At this point it''s hard to say when that might actually happen. Maybe we escape cleanly, maybe we get caught in a long, running battle with the Golgari. Ugh, I hope not.

    As I rush back down through the holes and tunnels an ever increasing tide of ants joins be, legs blurring in a flurry of movement. Many carry object in their mandibles, cores, valuable materials, a few have even got books. No idea what they intend to do with those. Can we even read? Our eyes aren''t exactly made for hyper-focus on one thing. Well, I''m sure they know what they''re doing better than I do.

    I pass our two prisoners on the way, each being herded by a collection of ants each, soldiers and mages for the most part. I can tell they''re trying to move slowly, but the ants are not having it, prodding and snapping at them constantly. In this manner, we retreat from the outpost and back out into the Dungeon tunnels, a very full Tiny and Invidia slotting in with the procession.

    From here, it''s a long journey back to the Colony. Hopefully we figure out spatial magic on the way, could help the trip along.

 Chapter 416 The Trek

    <h4>Chapter 416 The Trek </h4>

    When the Colony gathers in the tunnels outside the ravaged outpost, we quickly take stock before we march through the tunnels. It''s quite an inspiring sight to me, the long column of ants pouring through the tunnels, obliterating everything they find. My pets and I bring up the rear and it''s great to finally get a chance to take a peek at their cores and admire the upgrades that they''ve achieved. Some good evolutions for Tiny and Crinis, and I can see that both of them have been working hard at improving their Skills. Invidia has also been putting in work, judging by the increase to his magical abilities. Considering the short timeframe that he''s had, his improvements in the magical fields that I''ve instructed him to work on are impressive. Although, when you take into ount the sheer grunt he''s able to put behind his spells, it shouldn''t be that surprising.

    "Quite a good haul it looks like," I observe to Burke when she drops back to scout the rear of the column.

    "Agreed. The wealth of cores we were able to obtain has got the Core Shapers drooling."

    "Was there anything other than cores that we got our mandibles on?"

    "Oh yes. We cut apart and dragged away anything enchanted as well as a collection of mana empowered materials. The carvers and mages are going to be very excited. Not to mention those two prisoners you picked out. If we can extract anything useable from them then they might even prove to be the best part of the haul."

    I''m a bit doubtful.

    "You really think they''re going to hand over reliable information? They aren''t exactly willing co-operators."

    "There''s a few things that we can try

    "Did I see books getting carried away? What the heck are we going to be doing with books?"

    The smaller ant wiggles her antennae indecisively.

    "I''m not sure on the books, you might need to talk to one of the mages about that one. If I was to take a guess, I suppose it might be for trading with the humans in the vige."

    I have to think for a second.

    "You mean Enid and Beyn''s lot? What will they need with these books. We don''t even know if many of them can read!"

    Another shrug.

    "It''s worth a shot. It''s entirely possible that the mages have some method in mind to read the texts themselves. I''m just guessing here. If you don''t have any more questions, Eldest, then I''m going to scout. Pursuit should have started by now."

    "Good point. Stay safe."

    With a flick on an antenna to acknowledge my words, Burke vanishes into the dark shadows of the second strata, covering our retreat and hunting for signs of the Golgari. They must be out there somewhere, ready to hunt us down. We exposed ourselves by going back to retrieve Sarah and raid the Shaper outpost, but I have to hope it''s going to turn out to be worth it.

    Then it''s back to marching along with the column. We cover ground quickly, as a nearly tireless army of ants should. Tiny is the first of my own group to grow tired. Hardly unexpected since Crinis is being carried by me and Invidia is hitching a ride on Tiny''s shoulder.

    [Any chance you can cast something enervating on Tiny, Invidia? Big guy''scking a bit of pep in his step.]

    [I don''t know thisss magic. Can only heal.]

    [Fair enough. Going to have to tough it out big fe.]

    [Hrrrrr,] he whines in the back of his throat.

    Despite his reluctance, Tiny keeps putting one big, ape foot in front of the other until the column is called to a halt. Hunting parties immediately peel off to try and secure Biomass for the group. Energy is low and it needs recharging! Shortly after the stop, the members of the council who are present find their way back to me for a chat, minus Burke of course, she''s still out scouting.

    "How far behind do you think they are? We set a good pace. I wouldn''t think those meatbags would be able to keep up with us." Propent proposed.

    Be the Core Shaper shook her antennae.

    "Don''t underestimate them Propent. They were able to capture the Eldest, I think they could handle you easily enough."

    "No need to bring that up," I groan, "but yes, they can be very capable. Especially when their Warriors and Shapers are working together. It''s possible they have other castes that they can deploy in battle and I just haven''t seen them yet. So we have to be cautious."

    "Agreed," Sloan cuts in. "The scouts have been deployed, along with a contingent of our Core Shapers and their pets to keep an antenna out behind us. We marched hard for thest few hours and we need to rest before we continue. I want to ensure that we stay well rested and well fed for the journey. If they manage to catch us and start a fight, I don''t want a single ant to be in poor condition."

    I like the sentiment. Keep our energy up, stay alert and push hard. Sounds like the Colony''s regr attitude, to be honest.

    "What about torpor? We need to rest at some point," I point out.

    All of the members of the council look ufortable when I mention the hated word: ''rest''.

    "Let''s think about itter," Sloan cks her mandibles, trying to move the conversation on quickly.

    "Sloan¡­ There''s no point trying to keep everyone rested and then not let anyone sleep. We have to rest if we''re going to be in fighting shape."

    Except for me, since the Vestibule kept me supplied with all the energy I can spend. I won''t need to rest until my mental fatigue piles up to the point I need to pass out.

    "How long do we think it''s going to take to make it back to the nest?" I ask. "Probably take a little less time than it took for you to get out to me?"

    Sloan nodded her antennae.

    "We think it''ll take a week of hard marching, but only if we don''t get interrupted by pursuers."

    Which is likely. As if to fulfil that prophecy, Burke ran back into view at the end of the tunnel and approached us.

    "They''reing," she announced, "an hour behind, maybe less. There''s a lot of them, and I think they mean business. They look decked out for a war."

    Not unexpected news, but still unwee.

    "Do you think we can lose them in the tunnels?" Sloan asks.

    "I''m not sure," Burke sounds hesitant. "It''s almost as if they''re tracking us. If they keeping straight, they''ll run right into us."

    Well that''s not good.

    "We might have to cut this break short," I warn the others. "I''m going to go back and take a quick look."

    "Be careful, Eldest," Propent warns me. "We only just got you back."

    "Not to worry, I''m not exactly keen tond in their hands again. Just going to have a cheeky peek and then I''ll be right back."

    Burke sends a few scouts to escort us with a flick of her antennae and we head off to see exactly what the Gori have sent after us.

 Chapter 417 The royal hunt

    <h4>Chapter 417 The royal hunt </h4>

    The Queen almost felt young again as her mandibles crunched through a writhing shadow centipede. The experience notification rang in her mind but she hardly listened, too eager to chomp down the waiting Biomass before moving onto the next target. She felt a savage joy at being back on the hunt, taking the risks her children were so willing to face and putting them on her own carapace.

    Mealplete, she raised back up and searched for another tunnel she could attack. That''s when the Brood Tender at her side spoke up.

    "Mother, it''s time to head back to the nest. You should have hit your quota by now," Theresant reminded her.

    The Queen started.

    "Already? How long have I been out?"

    "It''s been three hours, Mother. If anything, we are past the time you were supposed to return."

    Checking her avable Biomass, the Queen was surprised to find that her daughter was correct. She was beyond the required number to produce her next clutch of eggs.

    "I apologise, child," she told Theresant, "let''s return."

    The Queen turned her bulk around and began the trek back to her nest within the second strata. The Colony hadboured long, battling against the shadow beasts to carve out a secure space they werefortable cing their precious Queens in. Only to find that their Mother insisted on leaving the security of the newly constructed fortress to secure her own Biomass.

    The Queen couldn''t help but sigh as her escort settled in around her sides. It''s not that she minded thepany when hunting, but she felt it was a waste of resources. She was perfectly capable of holding her own out in the tunnels without aid, which meant the soldiers and scouts would be free to secure territory, or gather food for the other Queens, but she''d been forced topromise. When she''d told Victor that she would go out battling on her own, the poor girl nearly went into torpor from shock. Nothing was stopping the Queen from simply walking out anyway, her children wouldn''t stop her, but she didn''t like to worry them. So a mixed escort of fifty members was agreed on to apany her whenever she was outside of the Colony.

    "Did you enjoy your hunt, Mother?" Theresant asked.

    "Very much, child. I feel as if I''m contributing to the Colony again," the Queen hummed.

    Theresant could only shake her antennae. Giving birth to almost every living member of the Colony didn''t count as a contribution? If that''s the case, every ant was being far too ck! Thankfully for the brood tenders, none of the other Queens showed the slightest inclination to leave the nests, happy to perform their task in the safety and security that the Colony was only too happy to provide. Mother, on the other hand, had been spawned fighting and alone. The only time she''d felt as if she were fulfilling her potential was probably in those early days when the Colony consisted of only a single member and she''d had to gather Biomass and construct the first nest by herself. A monumental effort which left every one of her children in awe.

    As they marched the Queen happily watched as her escort picked off the few monsters they encountered along the way. With her Biomass quota achieved, there was no need for her to monopolise the food or experience. She had no need to evolve again in the short term, and the Colony demanded more powerful members now that they sought to control another strata. It was pleasing to see the number of tier four children she had now. No longer was the troublesome one the lone standout, though she felt certain that particr child was pushing close to tier six by now. Once that happened, the Queen would no longer be the highest evolution in the Colony, which would be a strange feeling. Thinking of that particr ant caused her antennae to twitch. She felt sure that they were doing something foolish, somewhere in the Dungeon¡­

    In fact, nothing was more certain. Nheless, she hoped that the efforts to return them safely were proceeding well. She had every faith in her children. They had achieved so much, after all! Not the least of which was this second nest.

    The approach to the second nest was marked by the borate carvings that were etched into the walls as their small convoy approached. The carvers had begun taking their caste name quite seriously once the secrets of earth magic had begun to be known to them, they never seemed to stop carving! Abination of magic and their front ws was used to create these images and the Queen had to say she found them ¡­ nice.

    Scenes of the Colony at work, learning, fighting, growing, scouting and teaching covered the walls, the troublesome child featuring prominently, as did she herself. Then the tunnel began to slope upwards and they began to encounter the outer defences of the nest. Layers of raised walls and ambush positions were frequent for the next few hundred metres, then they approached the first ''gate''.

    This was a concept the humans above had given to the carvers and they had been fascinated by the idea. A tunnel, with a door? It sounded ludicrous at first, but as the humans had exined it, Tungstant had be enamoured of the concept. Not just a door, but a powerful door! Made from strong materials and designed to repel intruders!

    The gate loomed before them now, a glittering construction of enchanted metal with the proud image of an ant head carved right in the centre. From above, antennae poked out of holes as the sentries kept watch.

    "I''m justing back toy eggs, child," the Queen called up. "Could you open the gate please?"

    "Of course, Mother!" Came the call. Followed quickly by "It''s Mother! Get the gate open, quick!"

    The Queen shifted her legs and tried not to chuckle at her children''s enthusiasm. They did step too carefully around her sometimes. In a trice, the gate swung outward to reveal the cluster of ants who worked the mechanism to open them. The Queen had no idea how it worked, but Tungstant had assured her it was very clever.

    More tunnelsyered with obstacles for foes needed to be traversed before they came to another gate, this one doubleyered and even more impressive. Once navigated, they atst reached the inner sanctum, the nest. The Queen weed the sight with a warm heart as her children bustled energetically around her. Of course, not all of these ants were her children, not anymore, but she still thought of them that way, and they all still called her ''mother'', which is all that mattered really. There were many smaller tunnels within the nest, but the Queen stuck to the main,rger thoroughfares as she made her way to the brood chambers.

    "Ah, hello Mother!" Came a scent she knew well from a side chamber.

    "Tungstant? Still working, child?" The Queen weed her daughter.

    "Of course! Never a ck moment, eh Mother?" the carver twitched her antennae in amusement. "Besides that, I can''t rest until the nest is finished!"

    The Queen was confused.

    "I thought it was done already. You''ve done so much," she gestured to the carvings that covered every surface within the nest.

    "Not at all, Mother! There''s still so much to be done! We''repacting the ground!"

    "Compacting¡­ whatever do you mean?"

    "We''re trying to make it harder to dig through," Tungstant exined. "If another colony wanted to invade us, this will make it much harder for them to tunnel past our gates and avoid our defences. It''s tough work though. I wish we''d thought of it before we started construction."

    "I''m sure it''ll be fine," the Queen encouraged her, "you''ve done so well."

    The Queen continued down the chamber, leaving her busy child to her work and soon found herself in the very heart of the second nest. Surrounded by enchanted chambers filled with brood, theying chamber was upied only by the three Queens and the brood tenders. Even her escort had taken up a position outside, not willing to disturb the brood in any way.

    This was sacred work, the very future of the colony!

    Antite and Victoriant looked up happily as they saw the Queen return.

    "Wee home, Mother," they chorused along with the brood tenders in the chamber.

    "Hello again, my children. How goes the work today?"

    "All done," they both replied happily.

    The two younger Queens radiated contentment and happiness with their days taskplete. Once their quota of eggs was reached, they had done all they could for the colony and tended to engage in idle gossip and y with the brood to while away the hours.

    "How was your excursion, Mother?"

    "Satisfactory, child," the Queen replied as she began tomit her Biomass towards producing her next clutch. "You two are wee to join me any time."

    "Oh, not for me thanks," Antite shivered, "I couldn''t possibly fight like you mother."

    "Didn''t the troublesome one train you to fight?" The Queen asked, surprised.

    At the mention of their ''education'' with the Eldest, both young Queens froze in ce and didn''t reply. The Queen sighed. Some trauma was difficult to ovee. It was probably the distaste for battle they experienced during their training that pushed these two into bing Queens in the first ce. Nothing to do about it now. She shifted around the chamber as she waited for the eggs to be ready, already thinking of her next hunt.

 Chapter 418 The next generation Part1

    <h4>Chapter 418 The next generation Part1 </h4>

    She wasn''t sure who began it, but the new hatchling was only too willing to join in the cry along with her siblings.

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    "MY LIFE FOR THE COLONY!" She poured her heart and soul into her pheromones as she dered her willingness to sacrifice for her family.

    As each ant emerged, fully formed from their cocoons they joined the roar until the brood chamber was flooded with the scent of insect determination. It was rousing stuff, and she felt her heart pound with excitement. The long days and weeks as arvae and then a cocoon were fuzzy memories for her, but the impatience to contribute had existed even then. Now atst she could run, and chomp, and die!

    Seemingly oblivious to the righteous fury burning in the hearts of their charges, the brood tenders continued to pick over the new ants, ensuring that they were clean and helping to cut free any that were still struggling with their string cocoons. When they were all loose the hatchlings continued to vent their excitement and dedication for some time. It was muchter when the air was finally clear enough for the tenders to announce what would happen next.

    One of the brood tenders crawled to the centre of the chamber and loudly cked her mandibles to draw the new hatchlings attention.

    "Wee to the Colony, new hatchlings! You are all now precious members of our family. In ordance to the will of the Eldest, you will now be taken to the academy to be taught and trained, so that you may contribute as best you can."

    The new hatchling wiggled with glee at the thought of contributing to the Colony. She had to go to this ''academy'' ce first? Not a problem! She would tear down all obstacles that would keep her from the glorious destiny that awaited. Following the announcement, the team of brood tenders began to shepherd the hatchlings as a group out of the chamber and into the tunnels. The hatchling saw a few brood tenders remain behind and begin cleaning up the broken cocoons, probably preparing the space for the next wave of pupae to arrive.

    So it was within the Colony, her instincts told her. Each generation should sacrifice for the next! The new hatchlings chattered amongst themselves as they moved through the tunnels and gaped at therger, more powerful ants that passed them on the way.

    "New hatchlings eh?" One passing ant called, a huge and bulky specimen of an ant with powerful mandibles. "Work hard for the Colony!"

    "So," drawled another ant, this one a touch smaller, with a smooth, sloped carapace, "who''s going to die first for the colony!"

    "ME! ME!" She yelled along with the rest of her siblings as one of the tenders marched over to the small ant and thwacked him sharply on the head with an antenna.

    "Enough of that," the tender called back, "let''s keep marching! We don''t want to bete, they''ll call uszy!"

    Lazy?! NEVER! The new hatchling was determined that she would never be calledzy in her entire life! Such a thing was unthinkable! She rushed to the front and started pushing her siblings along.

    "Hurry up, you!" She hassled them. "Do you WANT to be calledzy?"

    "NO!" They roared and matched her pace, forcing the tenders to pick up their own speed as they chuckled at their new charges'' enthusiasm.

    After a few more minutes they were guided into a small chamber that smelled different, wild and exciting. There were other scents in here, smells that were not of the Colony. Would they be asked to fight? To kill?! How exciting! The brood tenders ushered them in and directed the hatchlings to settle on one side of the room which sloped down to face a small t space at the front. In that area arge, powerful ant sat, watching them. Not asrge as the ant they saw earlier, but still impressive, this ant gave off a feeling of control andmand. Each of the hatchlings felt energised and full of strength in their presence.

    The hatchling was almost bursting with excitement now. Surely now they would be led into glorious battle! Any moment now!

    "Right!" Therge ant roared suddenly, their pheromones flooding the room and battered against her antennae. "What have we got here then?"

    "Hatchling ss two hundred and sixteen. Twenty students await instruction, general," replied one of the tenders around the outside of the room.

    "Good," the ''general'' replied. "Bright eager young ants I see. The Colony will have a sure future with this lot."

    She preened with pride at the words of the general. She was a good hatchling!

    "BUT NOT YET!" Came another roar and she was smacked back into reality. "Right now, YOU ARE WEAK. STUPID. AND UNFIT TO SERVE!"

    So domineering were those pheromones that she wasn''t able to muster any sort of reply and the rest of her siblings cowered as well.

    "Let me tell you what is going to happen," the general began to march back and forth in front of them, poking any hatchling within reach with an antenna to prod them into better posture. "We are going to teach you how to fight. We are going to teach you how to work as a team and achieve maximum efficiency in battle. We''ll teach you how to secure food, how to recognise danger, we''ll teach you about the threats that abound in this ce and how to keep your Colony thriving!"

    She nodded, eagerly. This was all great stuff!

    "MORE THAN THAT! We are going to make you useful! We''ll feed you Biomass, get you mutations, help you form your core and evolve. Not once, BUT TWICE. Only then, has the Eldest deemed you fit to serve!"

    The hatchlings shifted ufortably at that. Soaking up resources they didn''t earn? That Biomass could be used to raise the next generation¡­ Why waste it on them?

    "AFTER the colony has done all that, and we''ve poured all this effort into you, you will have the opportunity to join a caste and begin to work!"

    What?! But she was ready to work right now!

    "Please," she raised an antenna, "is there no work for a hatchling?"

    The general marched up the slope to where she stood and THWACK! Smacked her on the head with an antenna.

    "NO! These are the arrangements the Eldest has decreed will best serve the colony! Are you going to argue with the Eldest? With the Queen?!"

    "No," she shrank back from the omni-directional death stare of the general.

    She wouldn''t dare argue against such luminaries of the colony, but at the same time it didn''t feel right. Her instincts told her this was all wrong!

    "Good," the general snapped. "Once you''ve evolved you''ll be able to join in battle. What are you going to do then?"

    They all knew the answer to this!

    "DIE FOR THE COLONY!"

    "SILENCE, HATCHLINGS!" The general roared.

    She stared in stunned silence along with the rest of the newborn ants. What did they say wrong?

    "After we pour in our effort, pour in Biomass and experience, you''ll die? You''ll WASTE our efforts? Are you going to bring this level of INEFFICIENCY into the colony!? No! The only way an ant can work, is if they are alive! Dying when you can live is nothing but skipping out on work, WHICH WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!"

    It was hard to argue with that, but somehow, the hatchling still felt that it was wrong¡­ She was to prioritise her own life?

    "But¡­ Isn''t that¡­ selfish?" She protested. "How can keeping myself alive be worth it for the Colony?"

    "Because¡­ " the general loomed over her, "when you die you rob the Colony of thebour you would be able to provide for the rest of your life! We ants operate more efficiently in greater numbers. More numbers, more efficiency! If our colony members keep dying by being stupid, then we have less numbers! Less numbers is less efficiency! AM I GETTING THROUGH TO YOU HATCHLING?!"

    She stood firm in the face of the general''s overwhelming scent but could no longer muster the will to argue with her elders.

    "Yes¡­ general."

    "GOOD!" The general turned around and marched back to the front of the chamber. "Below us is the farm! A controlled series of chambers that host several spawn points of monstersmon to the first strata of our Dungeon home. We will analyse their characteristics and discuss tactics for the next two hours. Be sure to memorise every word as you will then break into teams of five under the guidance of the brood tenders to secure your first round of Biomass and experience. Then we return here to review. Let''s get started¡­"

 Chapter 419 The next generation pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 419 The next generation pt 2 </h4>

    The training regime was brutal, and the hatchling ate it up. Lectures, followed by practice drills, followed by live practice, followed by a review. The brood tenders patiently exined every mistake, and stepped them through every decision, questioning the young ants'' thinking and drilling their sacrificial tendencies out of them. Then more lectures, more drills and the cycle continued. They repeated the same thing five times before they were allowed to copse into torpor.

    The moment she awoke, the hatchling was greeted by the hard stare of another,rge and intimidating ant. The general was gone, reced by a simr sized, but smoother looking ant. Its carapace was thinner and more streamlined, the mandibles not asrge. When her antennae picked up the scent, she realised that this was the ant who''d been thwacked by a tender in the tunnels the previous day.

    "Finally awake? Didn''t realise the Colony was raising suchzy brood."

    The hatchling was still tired and hungry, but she wasn''t about to appearzy! She sprung up and poked her nearby siblings with her legs to get them up and alert. The brood tenders around the sides of the chamber watched carefully as the ants came to attention.

    "Good. You''ve been yelled at by a general all yesterday. That''s grand and all. Today we''ll begin teaching you how to use the greatest weapon the Eldest gave you."

    The scout bent one antenna back to indicate her head.

    "The story goes that the Eldest was born smart, smarter than any other ant. The rest of us though? Stupid, regr old monsters. Then the Eldest learned a way to create a brand new type of ant. A way to turn all of us into something like them. Just like that, this Colony was born."

    The hatchling felt the stirring of awe in her thorax at these words. Able to change the entire Colony? Make each and every member more powerful? Such a level of contribution was¡­ absurd.

    "So if you aren''t thinking, if you aren''t using your Cunning to its fullest," the ant continued, "then you aren''t achieving the incredible potential you''ve been gifted with. So today, we''re going to be learning about scouting. I''m a scout, another soldier caste evolution. For the next four hours I''ll lecture you on the Dungeon, expected conditions, hazards and dangers, teamwork when moving in the tunnels. Memorise it all and then we''ll head out for a live scouting exercise. Understood?"

    "Yes!" The hatchlings replied.

    She listened intently to every word, devouring the knowledge just as her siblings did. When the four hours were up, her brain ached fiercely but there was no rest. The scout led them directly out of their learning chamber and the hatchlings were once again divided into teams with their brood tender mentor guiding them out into the Dungeon. Once there, they prowled the tunnels, crawling over the ceilings and walls as they practiced hiding, setting ambushes and tracking, then they returned to the nest for another lengthy debrief.

    Then another round of lectures.

    Then back out into the tunnels. When they were done, the hatchlings copsed into torpor after shovelling down the Biomass that they were provided. Then they were up again, their brood tender teachers still present, but a new ant had reced the scout.

    "WAKE UP YOU, LAZY GRUBS!"

    An explosion of mes erupted from the ant''s mouth, causing all the hatchlings to leap awake.

    "You''ve got the mental stats to use magic and every day the Colony learns new and important ways to employ it! No matter what caste you be part of, you need a basic understanding of the Skills and methods employed in the magical arts! First we will hunt for experience and Biomass in the farm, then we will consume mana infused water. This will help you to form your core! By the time we are done, every ant in this ss must have formed their core. Then we return for eight hours of Skill training! Be prepared!"

    The hatchling wasn''t sure how she felt about being able to shoot mes from her mouth, but it seemed powerful, and powerful was good for the Colony! She would learn! The mage wasted no time and immediately led the ss down into the farm where they engaged in controlled battles against the monsters that spawned there. Consuming Biomass and raising their basic Skills. Eventually they were led to a pool of water that was fed from above, a steady flow draining down from a gap in the ceiling.

    The water tasted electrifying and the hatchling gulped it down greedily. Then more hunting, then more drinking. The moment a student reached level five they were no longer allowed to take experience, giving the rest over to the others. The hatchling achieved level five quickly but continued to aggressively hunt with her team in order to secure levels for her group.

    Eventually each ant formed their core and returned to the lesson chamber for an extended grilling session from their mage instructor.

    And on it went. The ants were given a thorough drilling in the basic Skills required for each caste. Instructed in the intricatework that made the entire Colony tick. If a single member of their ss failed to understand even a part of it, they were sent back for another gruelling day of training. The hatchling worked tirelessly under the watchful gaze of the instructors to teach her siblings and ensure the sspleted its tasks.

    After a week, they were ready to evolve for the first time. There was huge excitement in the ss. They were to be assigned their caste! This would determine the kind of work they would do for the Colony, what could be more important? The ants eagerly leapt out of torpor to find their teachers were already in position, the general in the centre of the teaching space.

    "CONGRATULATIONS! You have taken the first step in not being useless! Each member of this ss should have maximum mutations, a core and have attained level five once more. Along with a basic understanding of the roles of every caste in the Colony, this is the requirement to qualify for your first evolution!"

    The general and the other teachers surveyed the ss with serious eyes. Their antennae monitoring every stray scent.

    "In ordance with the wishes of the Eldest there is a limited amount of choice given to you. We will tell you what evolutions are needed, you will sort yourself into groups so that the quotas are reached!"

    The hatchling felt conflicted at these words. She just wanted to do what the Colony told her to do. Now she had to choose?

    "TEN SOLDIERS are needed! SIX ARTISANS AND FOUR WORKERS! Soldiers to the back of the chamber! Artisans on the left, workers on the right!"

    The students began to sort themselves, moving toward a direction that they preferred. The hatchling was frozen in ce. She didn''t know which one she wanted to do, which one was more important? What if she picked something and another hatchling wouldn''t be able to go where they felt they could best serve? Would she deny the Colony ess to a talented and willing member?! How could she make this decision? Just tell her what to do!

    With a start, she realised that the rest of her siblings had sorted themselves and only she remained standing in ce. The general stood in front of her, the overwhelming scent of authority rolling off her in waves.

    "What''s wrong, student?" she asked.

    "Tell me what to do," the hatchling said.

    The general looked down at her for a moment.

    "If you don''t pick, I will pick for you. But be warned, if I have to choose for you, then your task will be more difficult and thankless than any other task. No glory wille to you and your service will not be seen."

    The hatchling felt only relief.

    "I don''t care. Please tell me how I can serve."

    "Fine. Walk out of the chamber and speak to the brood tender in the tunnel."

    She was shocked.

    "What?"

    "Go."

    Without another word, the hatchling rose from her ce and left the chamber. In the tunnel she found a brood tender who indicated for her to follow and then led the way toward a nearby chamber, wherein other students were being gathered, each led by a tender.

    The chamber was much like thest, sloped downward toward the front where a t space for teaching upied the focal point. Twenty spaces for students were crafted into the slope, but in this chamber, twenty small glittering gems rested in each space. At the urging of her teacher, the hatchling moved to one of the student spaces and looked down at the strange, spherical gem. It was a core, she knew that, but it wasrger than any core she''d seen before. Besides, she''d already absorbed all of the cores that she could before evolution. What could she need this one for?

    She waited as the chamber filled up and when every student seat was filled the room became still. Shortly after, an ant with a powerful aura of authority stepped into the chamber.

    "Greetings, hatchlings," she said without any preamble. "My name is Advant. I''m a Soldier, trained by the Eldest and among the first twenty ants born in the new Colony."

    The hatchling quivered in awe. This was a true legend of the Colony!

    "You are here," she went on, "because you have disyed excellence in your sses above the expected level, and exhibited the traits the Colony most prizes. Selflessness, dedication, devotion, zeal and drive. For this reason you have been selected to be the second ever batch of special evolution hatchlings. The ants around you will be your team for the rest of your life. The colony has need of an exceptional group of ants and you are to be that group. Absorb the cores in front of you and evolve. After that, your training will get hard. Be prepared. But first, I will name you."

    Advant moved through the rows of students and as he passed each one, she tapped them on the head and spoke to them their name. When the mighty soldier reached the hatchling she felt an antenna tap her on the head.

    "Your name is Protectant. Serve well."

 Chapter 420 Whoâ€™s tracking who

    <h4>Chapter 420 Who''s tracking who </h4>

    Following the scent trails the scouting parties had put down, it didn''t take long for us to make our way through the twisting tunnels to where the Golgari would soon pass. We positioned ourselves in cover at an angle where we could see theming from a good range. I didn''t want to get too close to them. I wouldn''t underestimate the stone-people ever again. While the majority of Warriors and Shapers had proven to be unable to damage me in small numbers now, I wasn''t going to push my luck. In terms of monsters, I was quite exceptional. 99% of the Dungeon''s creations didn''t get to evolve in the way I did, with a maxed out core, or possessed this many mutations. I might have started out as a measly ant, but I was starting to be stacked. It made sense to me that the average Golgari wouldn''t be able to match me. But something I''d learned from Granin still gave me pause. He''d told me that most of the Shapers in the outpost were just schrs, hardly any were real Dungeon delvers. Stuck in offices and reading books all day, they had polished Skills but not many levels orbat experience.

    I even suspected the Warriors I''d fought were of a simr bent. As far as I knew, they weren''t members of an official Golgari military or any such thing. If anything, Coriinam Balta gave me the impression of a pampered youth who''d done far more training than fighting. A show of strength, rather than the reality. Their sword shes might make a fancy light show, but without the proper OOMPH that raw stats provided then they simplycked the prating power to deal with my carapace. If nothing else, that proved that they were under levelled.

    Would that be true for all Golgari? Hell no. These were people who made their home inside the Dungeon. Shapers like Granin had seen a ton of action in the tunnels. I had little doubt he was the highest levelled Shaper inside that outpost. With the walls of the town, there had to be individuals or a group that the others depended on to do the heavy lifting keeping them safe. A militia, a defence force. Heck, maybe a fully blown army. Whoever it was, I hadn''t seen them and I wasn''t keen to fight them. We''d already had casualties on this rescue mission, just another thing to weigh on my conscience. If I could avoid more death amongst my family, I sure as hell would.

    For now, we''re only here to observe so we settle into position and wait.

    Tiny isn''t much good at being still¡­ or hidden,e to think of it, so I end up sending him back up the tunnel a hundred metres or so where he promptly goes to sleep. The rest of us have more patience and watch the tunnel with sharp eyes. As promised by the scouts, the Golgari turn up an hourter, moving fast. We hear them well before we see them, the pounding of stone feet on stone making the sound more like a crunch than a thump.

    The Golgari in the lead were huge, even by their standards. A dozen giants strode forth, perhaps three metres tall, withicallyrge weapons strapped to their backs. And their skin! This was no ordinary true-skin. These folks glittered in the dim Dungeon light from head to toe. They were covered entirely with metal ore! From what I''d been able to pick up about Golgari culture, finding ores capable of holding the mana required to bond it to their bodies wasn''t easy. That meant high quality ores were expensive. When I''d asked Torrina how much her own ore was worth, she''d given me a strange look before exining that asking a Golgari about their true-skin was simply not done. Before I could apologise, she''dughed and exined it anyway. The reason her own skin wasn''tplete was due to the ludicrous expense required to purchase more. She''d made the decision to use a higher grade ore and form an iplete skin rather than substitute for something worse, but in sufficient quantity. Yet here were these freakin'' mutants wandering around, enormous, and covered head to toe in gleaming ores!

    Each one of those guys was covered in enough money to buy a Golgari mansion, I had no doubt.

    Were these dudes likely to be under levelled? NOT LIKELY. I wasn''t going to tangle with them unless I had absolutely no choice. Behind them came a more usual procession of Warriors and Shapers, but each individual wore something I''d not seen before, a dark brown braided rope around their neck that nearly blended into their stone skin. Did this indicate that they were all part of one faction? Or was it something that they''d put on when they became part of this expedition?

    Mixed amongst the crowd were other Golgari that didn''t match anything I''d seen before. Robed figures with thick staves they gripped in one hand dotted the procession, along with a few shorter members apanied by what were clearly their monstrous pets. In a small cluster came something that I wasn''t sure I would ever see. Golgari wearing armour¡­

    There were only three of them, but they put the fear of Gandalf into me. Why the hell were they wearing armour?! What''s the point? Does it mean their true skin is weak? Can''t be! Even Granin, who''d formed his true skin from the weakest, mostmon ore he could, just because he was a jerk, never wore a stitch of armour. Not leather, or cloth and sure as hell not metal!

    I have no idea what this signifies¡­ When theye to the branch before us, the procession halts for a moment and there''s a pause as various members converse. It appears as though the robed individuals are being consulted quite heavily, along with the pet keepers¡­ interesting. After a few minutes they ready themselves again and take the path directly toward the colony.

    "How do they know?" I wonder.

    "What''s that, Eldest?" A scout asks.

    "They''re tracking us. They aren''t uncertain of which direction we''re in, they know. How?"

    "I''m not certain. We need to inform the others."

    "Send a scout back immediately."

    One of the scouts rushes off to let the rest of our convoy know whilst my pets and I slink back out of sight to stay ahead of the Golgari. They might be tracking the two prisoners that we took. Or perhaps there''s some sort of tracking spell on me? I can''t find any magic on my person, but there might be a method to hide it, how would I know?! Perhaps they have a way of monitoring Dungeon traffic, like remote sensors they''ve built into the walls in their territory¡­ Could they be picking up on our pheromone trails?!

    Like any good ant, the entire troop has beenying trails everywhere they go, it''s how we navigate. Just because the ants in the Colony have better eyes than normal, doesn''t mean they''ve abandoned their instincts. Unlike me, who was human once, the others are pure ants at heart. The pheromone trail is their guiding light!

    The more I consider it, the more I think it must be true. The Golgari know they''vee out to hunt an ant Colony, and it''s not the first time in history one has spawned. What better method of tracking down the nest than following the pheromone trails? Thank goodness I came back here to scout, otherwise they''d have been able to follow us all the way back to the Queen¡­

 Chapter 421 Run? Fight?

    <h4>Chapter 421 Run? Fight? </h4>

    The ancients surfaced all over the face of Pangera, almost equidistant from each other. Wherever they rose, they caused a unique catastrophe to befall those unfortunate enough to be caught in the chaos. Yarrum consumed all in his path, Kygar caused lightning to fall for a month, burning all to ash, Morribolg turned the ground to mud over a vast area, sinking the entire city of Yallowyn beneath the ground in less than a minute. Due to the colossal damage, the sheer scale of death that they caused, actual eye-witness ounts of the ancients are nearly impossible to find. Because they rose so far apart, most kingdoms assumed that they were the only ones to be afflicted by a monster of such impossible might. It was hundreds of years before schrs were able to connect the neen creatures together.

    Further frustrating the efforts of schrs is the deepyer of secrecy that many shroud the ancients in. Some were forting with their information, sharing all they could of these leviathans to better inform the world of the threat they posed, but others were silent. They hoarded the knowledge of their experience and enacted strict penalties on any caught sharing it. Over the years, their grip has only tightened. Of Zothoth, almost nothing is known in the broadermunity. It rose amongst the tribes of the dust ins, far to the west, and they do not speak of him. Lerrewyn arose in the Deep Forests in the south. Were the ancient not seen from hundreds of kilometres away, it''s possible that only eighteen ancients would be spoken of, since the Bruanchii have said nothing but its name.

    Regardless, the topic of the ancients is a source of tremendous enquiry across the world, in open colleges and within secret societies. There are as many theories as there are schrs, but some have gained credibility over the decades. One such thought, postted by Xinci, stated that it was possible the ancients each popted a single strata, possibly the final strata of the Dungeon, and each maintained their own territory there. For this reason, they did not rise together, but moved directly up from their ownnds. By tracing the locations of their breach back to the centre of Pangera (the diameter of the being calcted by the Magio-Schrs in the year 726 AR), Xinci proposed a possible map of the territorial boundaries of each ancient within the final strata. Although this map is far for epted fact, it does exin many observations. A curious feature of the map however, is that when assuming each territory is the same size, and that each ancient rose directly from their own resting ce, there is an unimed ce in the map, a twentieth territory.

    This has led many schrs to specte that another ancient exists. If that monster surfaced in the Rending, if anyone saw it, then have yet to speak its name.

    ---------

    By the time I was able to reconnect with the Colony they''d already taken measures. All use of pheromones was banned as we once again resumed the long march back to the nest. It was bizarre to experience. It was normal for the ants to make no noise as they travelled, to a human passer-by we would be unnervingly quiet. But to us ants there was a never ending cacophony ofmunication! Conversations between ants, trailsid by the leaders in the convoy and even the old scent trails put down by the scouts who ranged far ahead of the rest of us all mixed together to assault the antennae. With no pheromones being produced, it was as if true silence had descended on the colony for the first time in its history. As a former human, I probably coped better than my siblings, but even for me it was truly strange.

    I had to constantly stop myself from trying to speak with my fellow ants and my antennae were constantly tip-tapping, trying to find the scents that my ant brain thinks should definitely be there. The rest of the ants around me are totally ufortable, wandering backwards and forwards as they try to navigate with their eyes instead of their sense of smell. Hopefully we don''t have to deal with this for long. If we can travel a dozen or so kilometres without leaving a trail behind, that should be enough for the Golgari to get lost.

    Fortunately I still have my pets to speak to!

    [Hey, Tiny! How''s everything going? Enjoying the trek?]

    [Nurrr.]

    [It can''t be that bad¡­]

    [Raaaa.]

    [Fair enough then, you make a good point.]

    As a power athlete, rather than an endurance runner, Tiny isn''t cut out for this sort of extended effort. He''s knackered. Ah well, surely someone else is up for a chat!

    [Crinis! My gtinous horror from the deep! How are you going?]

    [I''m not letting go.]

    [¡­ I didn''t even -]

    [I know what you wanted to say, Master!]

    My carapace creaks as she squeezes me.

    [But I''m going to make sure that you stay safe!]

    [That''s¡­ That''s great. Thanks, Crinis¡­]

    Phew boy. That''s going to need some more time. Thank goodness I have Invidia around now! He''s just riding around on Tiny''s back, so he''ll be rested and down for a chat, surely!

    [Invidia! How''s my favourite greed demon? Getting used to having all the ants around?]

    The eye is watching me, lit from within with a rising glow of green.

    [The affectionssss of the dark one¡­ They belongssss to you¡­]

    [¡­ I suppose so¡­ why?]

    He doesn''t answer, but his eye narrows and burns more brightly.

    [Is¡­ everything alright there, Invidia?]

    [Yesssssssssssssssssssssssss.]

    Okay! Creepy as always! I need more time to get used to this guy. The way he thinks is just different. Having exhausted all options of conversation, I return to marching in determined silence. For about five minutes before I start to go crazy. I just can''t walk along here, doing nothing! I want to go back and check on the expedition, see how they react when the scent trails vanishes. The chance still exists that it''s me that they''re tracing, after all. Sadly, it appears as though the council members are able to follow my thoughts now.

    I feel a mind bridge reach out towards me and I allow it to connect. I recognise this ant mind.

    [Propent? What''s going on?]

    [Sorry to bother you, Eldest. Just wanted to ask that you don''t go running off on your own.]

    [¡­ What do you mean?]

    [I think we both know what the long pause at the start of that sentence means, Eldest.]

    [¡­ Maybe?]

    [The scouts are watching the Golgari constantly. Burke will go nuts if you rush back there again. She doesn''t have enough scouts to cover all the directions that need watching and keep a sneaky guard on you at the same time.]

    [Wait. I''m being guarded?]

    [Not right now. But the moment you leave the convoy you will be.]

    [But what if they''re tracking me with some sort of magic we haven''t seen yet! There''s still too much we aren''t aware of, Propent!]

    [We''ve considered the possibility. The others and I want to eliminate all other possibilities before we consider moving you away from the convoy. Right now, the two prisoners are being led on a roundabout tour through nearby tunnels, we wish to see if the convoy is tracking them. At the same time, the scouts areying false trails behind us that lead just about everywhere. Only when we''ve confirmed that these methods are ineffective will we chance moving you off.]

    [I don''t like sitting here while others risk their lives for me, Propent.]

    [I know, Eldest. Just please bear with it for a little while.]

    [¡­ You said all of you agree on this. Even Leeroy?]

    [Ah, no. Leeroy is currently under heavy guard in the centre of the convoy. She''s tried to escape nine times already.]

    The thought that me trying to run off is even a little bit simr to the behaviour of that lunatic is enough to send a shiver down my non-existent spine. I''ll wait!

 Chapter 422 A game of cat and mouse

    <h4>Chapter 422 A game of cat and mouse </h4>

    Things weren''t going the way they were meant to. When things in the Dungeon didn''t go the way they were meant to, that usually indicated something was going very wrong. There wasn''t a single Dungeon delver who didn''t feel the same way. As chaotic and unpredictable as the ce was, there were ways tobat it, knowledge that was sure and tested over hundreds of years. When creepers were around, you packed up and tried to lose them. When Binding Spiders appeared, you burned them out of their nests. When ants turned up, they would mindlessly devour everything they found, regardless of the cost.

    So what exactly was happening here?

    Ants that invaded a specific outpost, left survivors, took prisoners? It made no sense. Not only did it not make sense, it waspletely unfathomable. There just wasn''t enough information to hand, particrly with how silent the Shapers were being, to try and draw any urate conclusions.

    This made Ferrox Irron concerned. He didn''t like being concerned.

    His armour shifted ufortably around him as he walked in the centre of the expedition and he cursed. He must have made a mistake when strapping it on that morning. The stuff was a right pain in the true-skin to attach and cost a fortune to maintain, but it had proved its use in battle on more than one asion. He ran one hand down the runic inscription on the inner side of the gauntlets. The mana density here wasn''t nearly high enough to maintain constant use, but wouldst for a good ten, twenty minutes of hard fighting if it kept charging at the current rate.

    He was getting irritable. His feet hurt, his back hurt, his armour was chafing and the enemy wasn''t behaving the way they were supposed to. This was starting to feel like a truly disastrous outing.

    "Stellen! What the hell is going on up there?" He demanded of his attendant.

    "Lord Irron. There appears to be some manner of disagreement amongst the Seekers."

    "The useless mutt managers. What''s the problem this time?"

    The attendant checked his master with a quick nce, observing the slight frown and general air of disagreeability that hung around the man. He''d told the man not to attempt to don his armour without assistance, but what would a lowly attendant know? He sighed without thinking and managed to cover it with a slight cough.

    "Haa-hem! From what I can ascertain, my lord, there appears to be some disagreement about the route we should take."

    The irritable feeling that had been niggling at Ferrox red into full blown anger for a moment before he was able to tamp it down. He''d known this wasing, he''d felt it clear as day.

    "Go and tell them to present themselves here so their betters can sort it out," he ordered Stellen before he copsed into silent meditation.

    If he were to get through the rest of the day without doing something he''d regret then he''d need to try and find some calm.

    "Why Irron, what troubles you so?" Came a cloying and coquettish voice from behind him.

    He jerked around too quickly and his armour grated against his true-skin underneath, scraping against the ore. He cursed. That sort of damage would take hours to buff out of his true-skin. Won''t Stellen be pleased. The look on the smug attendant''s face as he polished his master would be just another nail in the coffin of Irron''s mood.

    "Is there some reason you have addressed me, Lady Calytryx?" He managed to push the polite address through his gritted teeth.

    "Not at all, my lord Irron," theughter in her voice said otherwise, "I merely observe that you appear a touch out of sorts. Whatever could be the trouble to dent the jovial attitude of such a regarded noble?"

    Oregal Calytryx took great pleasure in seeing her old rival and fellow veteran noble suffering. Retiring to the edge of the empire had been a move they''d both made hoping to be rid of others like them, only to find they now lived within the same circle in the same city! The niggling war had begun immediately and no ceasefire was in sight.

    "You know, Calytryx," Irron grated, acerbically, "I''ve no idea how that husband of yours manages to stay so cheerful, given his circumstances."

    "Lord Calytryx is an endless optimist."

    "Mired in the bottom of a well."

    "He couldn''t have finerpany."

    The twopsed intopanionable silence as they waited for the others toe to them, as proper nobles should. The titles weighed on the both of them, but it was hardly something they were allowed to put down. In a few long minutes, Stellen returned with a half-dozen grumpy looking Seekers, their pets trailing at their heels.

    "What''s the problem?" Irron demanded. "We have a rather important task to be about, do we not? Why the dy?"

    Stellen bowed to his lord,dy Calytryx and the other nobles who listened a few metres distant, interested, but not wanting to intrude if they didn''t have to.

    "I have spoken to our eminent Seekers and it appears that they do not agree on the direction the quarry we pursue has travelled."

    "I found the scent trail down the westward tunnel break, my lord. Strong it was, near made my snuffer sneeze his nose off."

    "Please, my lord anddy, this man is a fool. My charges and I found the trail leading to the northeast, clear as day."

    "Haven''t you both just located divergent scout trails?" Irron snapped.

    Both Seekers hastily assured him that they had located the correct trail, far too strong for a few scouts, and the other Seeker had clearly made the blunder.

    "This is odd, Irron," Calytryx observed.

    "I agree," he nodded, grim. His poor mood was proving more prophetic than he''d supposed. "The possibility exists that both of these men are correct and we are being led on a false trail¡­"

    "Such a thing would be¡­ unusual," his fellow noble observed carefully.

    Unusual? It would bepletely unheard of in the annals of Golgari history. An ant colony with the sort of intelligence to pull a manoeuvre like this? It didn''t bear thinking about. Yet it remained consistent with what they knew of these monsters. Strange behaviour, unusual goals and methods. It would be foolish to think that normal thinking and methods would apply in this case.

    "I don''t like this," he muttered.

    "We don''t know enough," Calytryx agreed.

    Irron sank deep into thought. If these damnable Dungeon spawn were able to consider the ways in which they might be being tracked and attempt countermeasures then they possessed more advanced thought processes than any hive creature the Golgari had ever encountered. Which meant they would be incredibly dangerous. The possibility still existed that this was all a coincidence, but such a thing was bing increasingly unlikely. Irron hadn''t risen to being a noble, the most celebrated caste of soldiers in the empire, by ignoring his instincts.

    "Bring me the Farseers and the Shapers," he ordered.

    In short order it was done. The robed Farseers stood before him in their robes and holding their staves in one hand. Irron tried not to pull a face, the Farseers were a difficult lot to get along with, they always seemed delighted to know something you didn''t, but they were necessary out in the Dungeon. The Shapers on the other hand, know-it-all do nothings and schrs. Just being around them set his teeth on edge. The Shaper in front of him now, put in charge of his fellow mages by virtue of his close knowledge of the quarry, was not much like the Shapers Irron had met in the past, but he disliked the man on principle.

    "We report to you, as you requested, my lord," the Farseer envoy bowed low.

    "What do you want?" The Shaper grunted.

    Irron reigned in his temper before he smashed the man into pieces with a single punch.

    "It appears the quarry is taking measures to avoid being traced by their scent," he told them. "I asked for the esteemed Farseers so that they might report if their own methods of tracking remained unhindered."

    "It is so, my lord," the Farseer bowed once more. "Their feet have touched the Dungeon and so it knows them. So long as it does, we do as well."

    That was good news.

    "I''ve asked for the Shaper representative to join us in case there is any new information to share with us. It would seem these ants are behaving in ways that are beyond what we might expect from monsters such as these. Has anything trickled out of that highly trained mind of yours, Shaper? Something that might save Golgari lives?"

    "Not a damned thing," Granin grunted.

 Chapter 423 Being bait

    <h4>Chapter 423 Being bait </h4>

    "Why did I think this was a good idea?"

    "I have to say, Eldest, I''m not entirely sure. I wasn''t surprised when you suggested it though."

    "I get the feeling that''s almost an insult, Propent¡­."

    "I wouldn''t dream of it, Eldest. My respect for you knows no bounds."

    "I can''t tell if you''re being sarcastic or not anymore."

    "What''s sarcastic mean?"

    ¡­

    "I''m starting to think that you and the others need another round of training. It''ll take care of this poor attitude I''m starting to detect."

    "Ah, no. I mean. Please. We are¡­ far too busy, Eldest."

    "I suppose that''s true. You guys have it rough, what with all the expectations that are put on you. I really appreciate all the work that you do."

    "We do what we must so that the Colony will thrive."

    "As do we all I suppose¡­ You''d better head on back now, Propent. It won''t be long until they arrive."

    "Good luck, Eldest. Don''t forget the contingency ns and reserves."

    Heh. As if I''m going to use them.

    "If you don''t call on us, we''ll probably run out on our own and get killed."

    Dammit.

    "Did you put Leeroy in charge or something?!"

    "Of course not, but we could."

    More training is definitely on the cards for the council. Especially Leeroy. That damn fool of ant is nothing but a headache and now the others are starting to weaponize her suicidal tendencies against me. They know I can''t allow that moronic ant to get herself, or others, killed. At the same time, they know I''ll never allow another ant to put themselves in danger in order to save me. So they''re manipting me into ensuring that I won''t refuse to bring out the reinforcements in case something does go wrong.

    Haaa. It''s hard being an authority figure in a group of such self-sacrificing creatures. Nobody is willing to take a step back, especially when the stakes are high. In fact, the higher the stakes, the more eager they be to throw themselves in the fire.

    "Fine. If I need help, I''ll ask for it. Okay?"

    Seemingly satisfied, the mage turns and dashes up the tunnel to re-join the others. Which leaves me and my pets to face the oing Golgari. Not that we intend to fight them, naturally. It mighte to that, but only in the very worst of circumstances. Theck of scent trails did seem to mess with the trackers hunting us, but only for a time. The guys with the pets no longer go out to scout nearly as often, seemingly relegated to a minor role as the enemy relies on some other method to track us.

    They weren''t tracking the hostages, we''d managed to establish that. When the two Shapers were shifted to another tunnel, the Golgari showed no sign of shifting from the path of the Colony. We next checked if Jim or Sarah were being tracked but they showed no reaction to the two of them either. Now it was time to see if it was me they were after. The only way to do that was to dangle myself like a juicy worm down a side tunnel as the Colony continued on their merry way.

    Now here we are, my pets and I, waiting to see if the Golgari will divert themselves to follow me, or follow the rest of the ants. Once again the stealth skilles into y as I wait for the enemy to approach, and they do, at their own steady pace. The procession is mostly unchanged from thest time I saw it, the various members in the same positions. I haven''t seen a supply train yet but I presume it must be toward the back. I can''t imagine all these massive humanoids are going to march this far on an empty stomach.

    Oh, here we go. Now wee to it. They reach the divide in the tunnel not a hundred metres away from where I hide ande to a stop. It''s a little odd to see the enemy in this way, stretching, chatting and working kinks out of their backs as they wait for a decision to be made. I can see where the conferring is taking ce. The armoured figures in the centre of the column are discussing quite animatedly. It''s hard to make out this far away, but the fact that something is being considered down there is clear.

    Perhaps they do know where I am¡­ That''s¡­ not a good thing. Not good at all. After a few minutes of waiting, the decision of the column bes clear. Surprisingly, they split. A small party of fifteen breaks off to move down the tunnel towards me whilst the others continue on their path, unerringly following the colony as they''ve done all this time. Unfortunately for me, it looks like quite a few beefy characters are heading my way. It''ll get messy if we wait much longer.

    [Come on gang. Let''s get the heck out of here.]

    Creeping carefully, we retreat down the tunnel, trying to stay out of sight. But something doesn''t quite seem right. These Golgari are moving swiftly. Way too swiftly. In fact¡­ aren''t they just charging?!

    [Forget the sneaking! Book it!]

    No longer bothering to try and hide our presence, we start sprinting down the tunnel in a mad dash! Behind, the Golgari see us and pick up their own pace.

    Dammit! Not only did they know which direction I was in, they even knew I was close! How!? There must be a spell or something of the like on me. When and how they put it on me doesn''t matter now. The only thing that matters now, is do I turn and fight? Or try to flee? Should I bring the Colony in to be part of the ambush? There''s a chance we can overwhelm these guys and thin the column that hunts us. I need to get a look and see who''se to fight me.

    I risk a slight turn to bring the sprinting fighters into my view. Oh yeah, they''ve brought out the big guns. Several of those huge monsters, and even one of the armoured figures. I''m not a fan of this at all! Looks like some Shapers havee also¡­ In fact¡­ they look a touch familiar¡­

 Chapter 424 What are you really made of?

    <h4>Chapter 424 What are you really made of? </h4>

    As I flee down the dark, cold tunnel of the second strata with my pets, I try to get a sense of the strength possessed by the Golgari behind us. The first few are just massive. Hulking titans of humanoids that seem way toorge to move the way that they do. I know that unlike monsters, size doesn''t equate to strength with the sapient races. At least, not directly. ording to Beyn, the stats that humans possess aren''t linked to their mass, but rather the capacity to channel mana through their bodies. Having said that, he did exin that someone with arger might stat is going to be bulkier than others. Looking at these behemoths, I''m reminded of his words. They look like the hulk covered in gleaming stone. Or like the thing, but not a joke. I never thought I''d see a non-monster that could arm wrestle Tiny, but here we are. Comparatively, the armoured figure is smaller, although still a regr Golgari height, pushing three metres. But something about the way they move is giving me the heeby-jeebies. If I had money, I''d be betting all of it that the armoured figures are the strongest in the group chasing us.

    Not only chasing, but gaining!

    [Come on, Tiny! Pump those ape legs! We need more speed!]

    [GRAAAAH!]

    The giant ape roars in my mind and out loud as he spreads his wings, beating them furiously in an attempt to build up more speed. It does help, but not enough as the Golgari gain on us. They''re doing it so easily too. The expressions on their faces are so calm and confident, as if we represent no threat to them at all.

    Good thing that we were prepared for this sort of eventuality. One thing about a hive mind of individually intelligent creatures, there''s enough brain power to go around to cover for all eventualities. Certainly, the Colony was never going to leave me hanging out to dry. Not far up the tunnel are our reinforcements, ready to spring from their hiding ces and assault the enemy in numbers. Before that happens, I want to try my own mandibles at the fight, see if we can''t bring this to a standstill before I need to call out my siblings.

    [Get ready to turn and fight!] I call to my pets and they each respond with determination.

    [¡­ That means you need to climb off me, Crinis.]

    [Oh! Right. Sorry, Master.]

    Yeesh. I can feel her reluctantly pulling herself away from my carapace as we continue our mad dash for a few seconds longer.

    [Alright¡­ turn!]

    As one, the four of us dig in our heels and slow our momentum, turning around to face the enemy. A flicker of understanding ripples through the Golgari eyes as they heft their weapons and prepare for contact. It''s Tiny whomits first, as it should be. His face distorts in a raw bellow of rage and delight that shakes the cavern, causing a rain of dust and stone before he leaps high into the air. His wings unfold and brush against the ceiling and he draws back both fists over his head. Those ham-sized fists glow fiercely with bright light before he descends like a god hammer toward the huge Golgari in the front. The frontline stone-people gather in an instant,bining their strength to withstand the mighty blow that''sing.

    But the bag of tricks isn''t empty yet, not by a long shot. As Tiny falls, his image blurs and shimmers and he appears to slide to one side. Then, with a distorting flicker, there are four Tiny''s descending on the enemy! With ease and precision, Invidia weaves an illusion to protect the great ape as he strikes at the foe. One of the soldiers shes wildly with his oversized de, bisecting two of the images cleanly, but before he can strike once more, Tinynds amongst them.

    BOOM!

    The stone beneath my feet shakes as an explosion of dust fills the tunnel, showering me with pebbles and dust. What became of the Golgari at the point of impact, I''ve no idea, I can''t see a thing. I briefly consider a little air magic to clear the debris, but I decide against it. This is perfect cover for my own approach! Gweheheheheh. Fear the ant that you don''t seeing!

    I lower by body and dash forward, firing off a few acid barrages as I move, trying to avoid Tiny''sst known location. Even using mana sense right now isn''t helping much, since there are so many bodies of powerful energy present. Oddly enough, it''s my heat sense that gives me the clearest indication of where Tiny is, since the Golgari, who are sealed in stone, don''t release all that much heat. Behind me, Invidia takes up an unobtrusive position as his green eye zes with energy. I can already feel the mana around him whirling in an intricate dance as his ridiculous brain power goes to work, weaving many spells at once.

    For her part, Crinis is forming up her body from the ooze she''d reduced herself to, all three mouths gaping and gnashing horrifically as her tentacles begin to spread. Not only is she reaching and grasping toward the Golgari, but dozens of limbs are plunging into the darkening shadows around her, sinking into the floor and walls only to reappear closer to the enemy.

    This is exciting! The gang, assembled atst, standing united against the enemy with the Colony at our backs. It''s enough to really get the blood pumping! I can''t help but ck my mandibles in excitement, my six legs blurring as I speed through the tunnel. From my Vestibulee a thousand tiny voices, urging me on, demanding that they be given the chance to fight alongside me. I take that energy and channel it, filling my body with that drive until I feel like my heart will explode.

    The Colony is with me!

    "FOR THE COLONY!" I scream asrge stone shapes loom out of the darkness.

    A glint of metal and a sound like a copsing tidal wave set my antennae zing as I duck and angle my carapace to receive the blow.

    BAM!

    My poor legs creak as a titanic strike digs a chunk of diamond from my thorax before deflecting above me. Didn''t expect me to be that tough, did you?! Now revel in the power of my mandibles!

    Omen Chomp!

    The dark energy manifests around my jaws and I mp them down on the gleaming giant in front of me.

    CRUNCH!

    Yikes! This guy''s tough! Whatever material they used to create that skin, they sure as hell picked a hard one! With my mandibles gripped around the Golgari I spin my body and throw them away, using my far greater mass to send them stumbling backward as I press forward to find Tiny. Crinis has started to take a more active part of the battle now, her tentacles reaching and grasping. Once shetches onto someone they instantly be encoiled by a dozen limbs that dig and tear at them relentlessly. I''m fairly sure she has more up her sleeves as well, judging by the strange behaviour of the shadows around here. Things are starting to heat up!

 Chapter 425 The heck are you doing?!

    <h4>Chapter 425 The heck are you doing?! </h4>

    Just in case things start to turn south, I direct my sub-brains to start drawing on my gravitational mana. I''m not confident that I''ll be able to subdue this lot, when pushe to shove I need a way out. As I try to shape up to the looming shadows around me, the dust that still fills the air is sucked away into a ball, leaving everyone blinking in the sudden rity. Everyone except Tiny, who keeps swinging his fists and sting out lightning as if nothing changed.

    There are fifteen Golgari in total and they are all moving in to fight. Thanks to Invidia, the fight isn''t going to go out of our favour immediately due tock of numbers. His barrage of mental attacks, illusions and barriers are enough to keep the opponent on the back foot as Tiny wreaks havoc amongst them. Light on his feet, Tiny shows what he can do when he gets serious. Lightning fast ape jabs, the powerful gori hook, not to mention the devastating kong upper. All jaw droppingly powerful weapons in the arsenal of his Ape Boxing Skill.

    The Golgari respond with the sort of practiced ease that makes me nervous. Thergest three, with their gleaming skin and oversized weapons, have regained their bnce and move to the front. Even the one I threw is back on his feet, axe swinging through the air. Behind them the armoured guy, along with a group of Warriors and Shapers, are fending off Crinis'' tentacles as they watch for openings. Particrly the armoured guy, he''s barely having to fight at all, mainly just watching us, or watching me specifically.

    All of a sudden the three giants dash forward, covering the few metres between them and me in an instant, their weapons shing through the air, glowing with deadly light. Hah! No matter how fast you move, I can react! Their blows are coordinated, aiming to cut off my path of escape. It''s impossible to angle my carapace to receive all three, so I dodge to my left, legs firing with impossible speed, and tilt myself to one side.

    BAM! BAM! BAM!

    Two of the strikes crunch into me and I brace my legs once again to absorb the impact as the third ms into the ground beside me. The diamond carapace proves it''s up to the task and despite the glittering chips flying into the air, neither of the two great swords are able to puncture through my exo-skeleton. I can tell the two didn''t expect to fail to puncture me from the surprise on their faces, but I''ve only just begun shocking you, chumps!

    At point nk range I pump a gravity bolt into the two Golgari elites who managed to hit me. I wish I''d had the time to condense them, but regr old mana will have to do. At the same time I flood my mandibles with gravity mana and shift to the left. The moment it''s charged, I reach out and yank the third elite toward me, causing him to crash into the other two. Unfortunately they''re so monstrously strong that they hold their ground, even with one of their own falling into their backs. It''s enough of a shock to give me the brief moment of time that I need!

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    Eat rapid fire acid, fools! Point nk shots fire from the celebratedmercial empire straight onto the front two elites, sttering them with my patented cleaning agent. Having done the deed I do the only noble thing, turn around and run!

    [Tiny, deal with these guys!]

    [HRE HRE HRE HRE.]

    The giant ape''s gleefulughter echoes in my head as we trade ces, me running out and him charging in. I don''t want to get bogged down with those three, they''re tough as bricks and strong as an ox on steroids. I''ve got chunks missing out of my back! Chunks, I say! Luckily the carapace is healing itself already. No, my business is with the other members of this group. With Tiny supplying the threat and Invidia keeping him alive, I can plough into the softer targets that Crinis has been harassing all this time.

    She still hasn''tmitted her main body, which is smart, until that armoured guy moves, I don''t want us to get in too deep. If he''s stronger than the big three, I wouldn''t want to try taking a hit! More gravity bolts fly as I start to weave together something a little heavier. The regr Warriors are tough, better than the ones I faced before and they move with precision and power to strike at me. Without the sheer strength of the elites though, they struggle to break through my diamond shell. My reflexes fire with insane speed, allowing me to turn, weave and nt my body to deflect blows I seeing a fraction before they begin.

    CHOMP! CHOMP!

    My mandiblessh out at the press of bodies around me. Every time I grip a Golgari in my jaws, I turn and throw them to sow more chaos, right up until the gravity domain descends.

    A dark purple sphere of pure gravity expands outwards with me in the centre, pulling all the Golgari to the ground. They''re strong, too strong to fall from such a spell, but it''s enough to hinder their movements as their weapons drag their arms down to the ground. Probably my favourite thing about the gravity domain against opponents like these, is the way every blow bes more difficult for them. With the weight of their own des pulling them down, my carapace is easily able to deflect normal strikes, buying more time for the diamondyer to heal itself.

    Still, things are getting crazy in here. Tired of messing around, weapons are starting to light up as Skills are put to use. The area bes full of glowing ape fists, de light and crushing mandibles as I fight my way back to the Shapers. These are the guys who need to get put out of action the most. Without mage support, I''m not as worried about the Warriors. When the potential exists for me to get half knocked out with one punch, I can''t fight properly!

    Get outta my way!

    Protected by the domain and with the armoured figure still just watching the action, I bully my way through the surrounding Warriors to confront the Shapers, only to run into a familiar face. He doesn''t look super happy to see me though. Gah! Making contact in this situation is risky, but I''ll have to chance it.

    [GRANIN! What the hell, man?!]

    [I know,] he sighs. [Got recruited just as forcefully as you did.]

    [Is that Torrina and Corun over there?]

    [Yep,] he confirms. [We''re the experts on all things Anthony and ants, apparently.]

    BAM! BAM!

    Weapons continue to rattle against my carapace as I dodge left and right whilst trying to work out what the hell I''m going to do about my allies being here to hunt me down.

    [So what''s the n then Granin? Going to attack me? Kill my family?]

    [Honestly? I was hoping we never caught up to you. We aren''t being particrly useful right now, but eventually we''ll get an order that we can''t refuse.]

    [Dammit, Granin. You put me in a pretty damn awkward position here.]

    [Tell me about it.]

    This sucks. I think it''s time to bug out.

    [Retreat! Fall back down the tunnel and we''ll scare them off with numbers! Tiny, get the he-]

    CRUNCH!

    In a motion so fast I could barely register what was happening, even as I sensed it in advance, the armoured figure drew his sword, lunged forward and crossed the space between us. His de, illuminated with cold light and glowing runes, punctured my carapace with an rming rip, the tip of the de barely sliding past my core as I lifted my legs on one side to shift the angle.

    What in the name of heck was THAT?!

 Chapter 426 Stabbed in the heart! Whoâ€™s to blame?!

    <h4>Chapter 426 Stabbed in the heart! Who''s to me?! </h4>

    YEEEOUCH!

    If someone ever told you that getting an enchanted de through the gizzards is a good time, let me be the first to assure that isn''t the case! The pain is immediate and intense and I throw my body to the side in a desperate roll, keen to dislodge that sword from my guts. Thankfully, the armoured warrior has a grip of steel and the sword pulls cleanly out as I dodge away. Tucking my legs, I spring back up to find the mysterious figure watching me carefully once again. This situation is not cool and I don''t approve of it! How the heck did he get through me so easily? Is it something special about the sword? Or something about the fighter himself?! The sword sure as hell looks rad though, covered in glittering runic script and dotted with embedded cores down the de. I bet that''s expensive¡­

    I strain my senses and trigger my healing nd to try and deal with my internal injuries. My pets have already started to retreat, following my order, which has the unfortunate side effect of leaving me high and dry as Ig behind them. Was this his n? I pour more mana into the gravity domain, pressing down andpressing the energy to increase the strength of the pull.

    [Crinis, I need some distraction. Have you got something for me?]

    [Master?! Are you alright?!]

    [I won''t be if you can''t give me some cover! Invidia, you too!]

    As I speak to my two pets, I''m already moving, assuming that they have my back. If I stay here for a few more seconds, I''m going to get surrounded, domain or no. I watch the armoured figure like a hawk-ant as I start scooching my way back toward the reinforcements and away from the Golgari. The huge elite warriors are turning on me already whilst their leader watches on, de held loosely in his hand. Thankfully, before they take a swing, a sudden darkness blooms around me, plunging the already dim tunnel inplete ck. At the same time, my mana sensees alight as spheres of concentrated energy re into life around me. Crinis and Invidia havee to save the day, obscuring me in a visual and a mana sense. Time to DASH!

    The moment I realise I''m hidden, my legs explode into motion and I rush forward, keen to get some separation between these rock-people and myself. As nice as Granin is, he''s clearly not in control here and I won''t rely on Golgari kindness again. Just as I pick up traction, my antennae flicker a warning and I twist my body by a fraction as the runic de plunges toward me with inhuman speed.

    CRUNCH!

    Dammit! That freaking hurts!

    Once again, with a sickening splintering, that hateful de has pierced my wonderful diamond carapace and poked a hole in my organs! I need those organs!This guy moves so fast it''s beyond belief! How was he even able to locate me? Sound?! Surely that''s not possible! At least he made one mistake, which was to attack me from behind.

    POW! POW! POW!

    Eat acid! At point nk range, the powerful Golgari has no choice but to cop the sizzling liquid right in the chest as I pull away once again.

    [Invidia! Shield!]

    The restorative fluid from my healing nd is still sloshing through my body from the first strike and my hp slowly regenerates as I gain some distance. After two seconds, a hardened barrier forms between the Golgari and I, granting me some level of protection. Thank goodness that guy didn''t chop off my legs! For whatever reason he seemed to think his stabbing attacks would be fatal in one hit, so he saw no need to immobilise me. It''s true, I can''t seem to defend myself against those strikes, theye too fast and hard for even my hyper-elerated reflexes. That in and of itself is something I never thought would be possible.

    I rush thirty metres back down the tunnel and re-join my pets. I can sense the Colony swarming in their hidden chambers around me, granting me a strong sense offort. Even if I can''t hold them off on my own, we can hold them off together. Damn my guts hurt. I watch as the darkness fades away to reveal the Golgari, reforming their group as they begin to march towards us once more. Toward the back, Granin, Torrina and Corun walk with their people, grim looks upon their faces.

    If I was to guess, I''d think that they didn''t want this toe to a bloody end, just as much as I don''t. Those three helped a lot in the past and I certainly can''t say they''d be spared if an all-out battle were to ensue here. At the same time, I know things won''t go as well for me and the Colony if they decide to fight for real. That figure encased in steel is the key. That''s clearly the leader here. My acid seems to have had little effect on them, the armour seems just as polished as it was before. It doesn''t look as if the acid was even able to adhere properly and just sloughed off. Please don''t tell me that''s some sort of enchanted armour!?

    A fight is still possible, but I''m going to try another way first.

    "Come on out, family! Time for a show of force!"

    I call out to the ants hidden around us and they begin to reveal themselves immediately. The core shaperse first, their shadow beast pets sliding from cover and blending into the darkness around them. Thene the soldiers, the scouts, the mages, healers and generals. Hundreds of them crawl out of the walls and floor until they cover every surface, forming a living wall of carapace and mandibles that confronts the mere fifteen Golgari. Gweheheh. Leave it to a Colony of ants to perform a dominant disy of numbers!

    Some might expect that I would feel ashamed at this overwhelming numerical advantage. Such people are fools! Chatans, all! Also, they smell bad! Ants need numbers to win, these sorts of odds are only natural. Viva swarm!

    I''ll give the Golgari credit, they remain stone faced (heh) when confronted with this intimidating scene. When we show no sign of advancing, they slow to a halt and stand before us, weapons poised. Between the two sides, a stand-off ensues. The two forces are separated by only a dozen metres and the potential for explosive violence is thick in the air. The cold and oppressive darkness of the second strata presses in around us and not a single figure wants to move in case they spark the conflict.

    It''s into this tense atmosphere that I will need to insert my charm.

    With slow caution, I deliberately weave together a mind bridge and extend it to the armoured Golgari. I don''t want to startle anyone, so I keep my control tight and the contact light. The spell settles on him gently and I open myself up to the channel with care. Damn, I could cut this air with an antenna, I swear it''s that thick. Need to be so careful here.

    [What''s happening, rock-man?] Gotta keep it light.

 Chapter 427 They really want me stabbed

    <h4>Chapter 427 They really want me stabbed </h4>

    A nice, light touch. That''s always the correct y. Keep it friendly, no need to shout or get angry, that stuff never defused anything. Believe me, I know. You gotta smile through the screaming, that''s how you get your bacon out of the frying pan. So far, signs are good! The powerful Golgari warrior, encased in gleaming metal, is yet to stab me through the face, so let''s call the initial salvo a victory!

    [You would be Anthony, I presume?]

    The mental voice thates back to me is deep and powerfully resonant. Just by touching that mind I can tell that this guy is not ordinary. There are depths of power here that he hasn''t yet disyed. A sleeping aura that boils beneath the surface, controlled and concealed. I get the feeling that if this guy were to really cut loose, not only my pets and I, but also his allies would be impacted by it.

    [That''s me. One big ''ol ant.]

    [You were once a human, were you not?]

    [That is indeed the case.]

    [Interesting. I presume you choose to surround yourself with these monsters for security, yes?]

    He gestures towards the eerily still wall of ants that cover the tunnel walls and ceiling with one hand as I watch him carefully for any sign of motion. If he moves a single toe, I want to see it happening in advance. Come on antennae, don''t fail me now!

    [I''m not sure what you mean. I''ve been more wee and treated far better amongst them than with any ''civilised'' race I''vee across so far. With the possible exception of the Sophos.]

    [Monsters rejecting the Sapient to consort with monsters. I''m hardly surprised.]

    What?!

    [That attitude may be part of the problem, uh, what was your name?]

    [I do not give my name to creatures such as you. Why do you wish to talk with me, creature? We have business to be about.]

    This guy has issues. Serious problems in the upstairs department.

    [You still want to fight? I think we both know that were we to continue, every Golgari behind you would die, even if you survived.]

    It''s hard to read the man''s emotions, his face being hidden behind the intricate helmet he wears along with the armour. Now that I''m close enough to get a good look, the armour is super fancy. Smooth, burnished surfaces, elegant lines and incredible fine detailing. I''ll be shocked if it isn''t enchanted. The cores must be socketed somewhere inside the suit, which makes sense. They''d create a weak point where they ced anywhere else. Such a suite must be immensely difficult to make, not to mention pricey. My estimation of this guys'' status is rising even further.

    [These proud Warriors would be pleased to give their lives to achieve our mission. Which, I might add, is exterminating you and your kind.]

    [You really want to test the dedication of your members against mine? I''ll give you a hint at how that''ll go: they''re insects.]

    The figure has barely moved, and now indicates indifference with the slightest lift of his shoulders.

    [You have killed my people, monster. The city has charged me and mine with the extermination of your kind, down to thest, so that no further infestation will spread to threaten the empire of stone. I know not what you seek to achieve with this banter.]

    [Preservation of life? ording to your own words, more of your people will die here in this tunnel than have perished at my people''s mandibles, so far. If you actually care to keep your people alive, then turning around, and returning to your city, is by far the best choice. I have no wish to kill your people, we seek only to return to our home, far from here.]

    The ants around me maintain their eerie, inhuman stillness, all eyes locked on the gleaming figure encased in metal. Even to me, it''s a creepy scene. When I include Crinis, all three maws open and dripping with ooze as she gnaws on the air whilst staring at the Golgari, it bes a touch unnerving.

    [Just chill out, Crinis.]

    [He stabbed you, Master!]

    [I''m aware¡­]

    [Twice!]

    [I was there! Just don''t attack unless I say, alright?]

    [Fine¡­]

    Phew. This situation is bad enough without Crinis going off the deep end andmitting us all to battle. Even now the bulk of the Golgari force is still tracking the majority of the Colony, somewhere in the tunnels around us. My fear is that battle has alreadymenced over there, though I know the Colony is doing all they can to maintain the distance. There should be no chance that they are fighting, but still, I worry.

    The armoured figure has remained silent for a few beats and I feelpelled to fill the silence.

    [You need to make a decision, guy. Either you turn around and walk away or we fight it out to the death right here. There doesn''t appear to be any middle ground.]

    [These ants,] he muses, [they don''t behave as they should. I presume that''s because of your influence?]

    [I suppose a little of my personality rubbed off on them, what can I say? On the bright side, they aren''t trying to eat you right now.]

    He nods and hefts his weapon.

    [Hopefully they''ll return to their savage selves after you are dead.]

    No. C''mon, please.

    My antennae flicker a warning to me and I respond on instinct, twisting to one side and the sword slides passed my face and sinks into my thorax.

    [Are you serious?! Do you have any idea how many are going to die because of this?!]

    Omen Chomp!

    My mandibles crunch around the armour, dragging the figure closer to my face.

    [There''s going to be war! None of your people will make itback to their city.]

    He wrenches his de from my carapace and brings up his arm.

    [The Empire of stone is always at war with the Dungeon, monster.]

 Chapter 428 War commences

    <h4>Chapter 428 Warmences </h4>

    Well nards. I mean, even with a sword sticking in me and an angry Golgari in a fancy suit of armour staring hatefully into my eyes, all I can think of is the unwinding consequences of this action. How many ants, how many creatures, will suffer as a result? All so unnecessary! These freakin'' morons!

    Luckily for me, my fellow colony members are not quite as upset at the prospect of the oing conflict. The moment the armoured stone giant strikes me, the hundreds of ants, not to mention my pets, leap into action. Acid and spells, held at the ready during the standoff, are now let fly. The air is suddenly full of sizzling liquid, fireballs and pheromones as the ants scream their war cries and rush headfirst into the conflict. Before I can even attempt to dislodge the de from my carapace, Crinis hasshed the powerful Golgari warrior with a dozen limbs. A horrific grinding sound begins as she unsheathes her barbs and they begin to tear into his armour.

    Tiny wastes no time and leaps into the thick of the fray, leading the ant charge, Invidia tagging along behind as every surface of the tunnel bes a crawling mass of insect as they surge toward the enemy.

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    "DESTROY THEM!"

    "DEFEND THE ELDEST!"

    The ants cry out relentlessly as they stream forward to battle, biting and chomping everything they can, utilising the group tactics that were drilled into them at the academy. The Golgari don''t wait for death but instead spring forward like the trained professional warriors that they are. Against the swarming ants they deploy wide sweeping des of sword light, trying to cut down as many of the onrushing monsters as they can. The result is probably not as impressive as they''d hoped. Big bodied tier four soldiers in the front lines perform their duty and throw themselves in harm''s way to protect their more vulnerable kin. Their thick carapace'' absorb the strikes,rge rents appearing in their bodies, but they don''t stop pushing forward.

    The armoured Golgari and I remain locked in our own little world, each hardly moving. I can tell Crinis isn''t having much luck breaking through that powerful armour, and I don''t expect she will. The gear this guy is wearing puts him on another level and I don''t think she''ll be able to cut through to him at his current tier. I wonder what sort of ore someone this strong was able to secure for their skin? Something fancy no doubt, but surely not as strong as his armour.

    [You killed a lot of your own people today,] I tell him.

    [You''re very confident for a bug,] he tells me. [Do you think we can''t squash you as we please?]

    [You''ve never seen anything like us before, rock-head. When you crawl back to your home, make sure you remember that this didn''t have to happen!]

    [CRINIS!]

    At my mental shout, Crinis releases her grip on him and my mandibles crunch down on him, heedless of how his de twists in my carapace. With the energy of the colony flooding out of the Vestibule and diffusing throughout my body, I truly feel as if my lifeforce is boundless!

    OMEN CHOMP! OMEN CHOMP! OMEN CHOMP!

    Not holding back anymore, the dark mandibles manifest and m down, rapid fire onto the glittering armour worn by the figure. Sensing my intent, he reacts to defend himself and the runes engraved in the metal re to life, drawing on the mana in the air for the first time. As my jaws mp down, I can feel them being repulsed by a force emanating outward from the armour. It''s not really a problem though, since my jaws are far from the only weapons I have avable.

    I let the mind bridge dissolve and the mind mana construct with it. I don''t see the point in talking to this guy any longer and I highly doubt someone as strong as he is will be vulnerable to my mental tricks. Instead, I draw on the fire-mana construct I prepared during our chat and give him a face full of blue mes. Rocks can melt, sucka! How do you like them toasty apples?

    The heat from the flickering tongues of blue me is intense, I can feel the moisture evaporating from my eyeballs even though I''m the one casting it! I can''t imagine it''s a whole lot of fun for the enemy. Indeed, after only a second of being wreathed in me he moves once again. With that eerie, impossible speed, he withdraws the de from my side and this time, rather than stab me, he batters the de into my side with raw strength, diverting the me away. I switch off the magic before I can roast my own siblings with it and allow the strike to turn my body around.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    I know the acid isn''t going to do much to him, but it doesn''t hurt to let him have a second serving! This also has the added benefit of shifting my core away from that damn sword and presenting him with the least vital section of my body. Which turns out to be a good thing since he stabs me there before I can turn around again. I grit my mandibles against the pain and trigger my healing nd again. I can only thank my bulk that his one handed sword isn''t able to prate far enough to pierce my core from back there.

    Determined, I swing myself back around to face him directly, my antennae zing withser focus to try and detect his moves before he can make them. When wee face to face once more, his sword is already in position to pierce my brain, but I don''t respond, opening my jaws wide to unleash more fire. The de flickers forwards, only to be pped in mid-air by a Crinis tentacle. The figure''s strength is still immense and she isn''t able to divert the depletely, but it''s enough to turn the strike from my head.

    He growls in frustration as his de sinks into my thorax once again and the mes roar against his armour. I don''t care how damn tough you are, this level of fire has got to hurt. I can feel a welling frustration building within him as well. I''m sure he wants to finish me off quickly and go help the rest of the Golgari, but I''m continuing to prove difficult to kill. Every second that passes the Colony gets closer to victory over the others. There''s just no way that fourteen stone people are going to be able to hold off hundreds of tier three and four monsters who can work together. I can only hope that Granin and his triad are able to make it out alive. It would be rough if the only reward they received for helping me was an untimely end at the mandibles of my siblings.

    Heh. You''ve got no chance of finishing me off fast enough to save them, punk. What are you gonna do about it? Isn''t it time we took the gloves off?

 Chapter 429 Battle concludes

    <h4>Chapter 429 Battle concludes </h4>

    Like air in a bellows, I can feel the strength within this armored figure rise and fall as he tries to control it. I think he knows as well as I do, that he doesn''t have any choice but to unleash it. What will it matter if some of his people be coteral damage, if none of them are going to survive anyway? The same proposition is looming before my multifaceted eyes as well. If I don''t force this guy to retreat, he''ll kill every ant here, ore very close to it. I''m going to have to pull out the big guns to get him out of here, and there''s little chance I''ll be able to prevent the rest of the colony from getting caught up in the crossfire. It''s not a choice I like, but I''m just going to have to deal with it!

    Come on then, block-head. Show me what you''ve got!

    Power is surging through me as the Vestibule channels the will of every ant in range, thousands of individuals, into me as energy. Harnessing that, I push my body and minds further than I ever have before. One of my sub-brains weaves together a new elemental construct as I focus my energy on my jaws and lunge forward for another vicious chomp. I fight against the pain of the de in my side as I fight to hold him still as he gets roasted by the intense heat of the blue me that pours from my mouth. I feel the surge building before ites, but rather than retreat, I step forward, bringing the Golgari even closer, so that I might shield my family from as much harm as possible.

    Light zes from the armour in front of me as an irresistible wave of force expands outwards from my foe, sting everything away. I try to absorb the power of it and hold him down, but my legs give out, unable to hold on in the face of such strength. My mandibles are forced open and the sword is torn out of me as my huge body is blown backwards five metres as the very rock around us shakes from the force of the impact. When my vision clears I can see that the walls have been caved in around the figure, with many ants crushed against the stone from the Skill that was unleashed.

    HRRRRR. Damn this moron! If he''s so desperate for a war that''ll kill thousands, then at the very least he should be one the first to fall!

    My minds work in wless harmony as I weave together two different elements to form an entirely new form of spell. Roaring heat from the fire mana construct held in my left brain melds with firm earth mana from my right to form a new mana, thick and bursting with raw power, my central sub-brain takes hold of this new energy and crafts a spell out of it, all in the blink of an eye.

    The ability to form new types of mana is just one of the startling advances my spellcraft has made over thest few weeks! My capacity to manipte mana has grown by leaps and bounds, not to mention that never ending, repetitive practice has driven these new patterns into my subconscious. I''ve been having dreams about them for Gandalf''s sake. It all shows in the incredible ease I pull together this new magic.

    EAT LAVA, SUCKA!

    Five metres in front of me, the armoured Golgari is aze with energy. Mana floods into his armour and de as he draws back to unleash a mighty blow toward me. Luckily, I can strike before he gets the chance. Before my face, a sizzling ball of molten rock takes shape before itunches through the air and ms into the figure''s chest. The physical force of it is enough to disrupt his bnce, but far from enough to knock him down. That''s what the next three are for! Lava bolt afterva bolt rockets toward him as he fights to hold his feet. As I hurl the magic, I also advance, step by step, never letting my focus waver. If I allow him a moment of respite he''ll be able to unleash his Skill and who knows the devastation that he''ll be able to cause with that? I can''t give him the chance!

    The battle continues to happen around me as ants rush into battle, pheromones flying through the air to rattle off my antennae. Cries of victory, calls for healers, requests for backup wash over me and slide past my consciousness. Sunk deep into meditation, my focus is absolute. I won''t be distracted. Step. Step. My mandibles flex and open wide, charging with power as the dark mandibles bloom to life around them.

    Omen Chomp!

    With a shout of rage, the Golgari tightens his grip on the hilt of his sword and brings it down in a massive overhead strike. The moment it begins to move, the pressure it unleashes is absurd, nearly crushing me to the floor. With my very slight glimpse into the future, my senses scream at me that this de means death. Even the sight of it is horrifying. His stamina has flooded the de until it''s bursting with light which extends from the tip of the de through the ceiling of the tunnel. The runes along the de are lit with pure mana and the energy in the air howls through the air form a vortex around the de itself.

    To be struck by the attack would kill me, I''m certain of that. Diamond carapace or no, this is still an ability above my grade. But I refuse to dodge! Acting against every instinct in my body, I don''t roll to the side, or leap backwards. In that split second, hovering on the border of life and death, I dash forward.

    The arm descends as my mandibles close.

    SNAP!

    BOOOOOM!

    My mandibles crunch down on his arm, arresting its descent, but with a roar of rage, he forces the skill to fall. Using only his wrist, he directs the howling storm down through the de and onto my back. In thatst moment, I hear a resounding SNAP from his arm, and a final st ofva sprays from my mouth across the figure''s face, then the sword falls.

    At first, I don''t feel anything and I''m filled with relief. Then I realise that I don''t feel anything. Before I can work out what the problem is, I still need to deal with this idiot in front of my face. He roars in pain as the molten stone slips through the gaps in his helmet to bubble against his true skin. Despite his grip remaining firm around his sword hilt, his wrist hangs loose, unable to exert strength. If I''m going to get a chance to finish off this chump, this is it!

    I attack in a frenzy, my jaws pump furiously as I st him withva. At this point nk range, the bolts ssh and almost as much of the stuffnds on me as slips through his armour. The molten stone hisses furiously as it superheats my carapace, but I pay it no mind, I can''t afford to. I trigger my healing nd again and keep on biting. Desperate to fight me off, the Golgari uses his good hand to hammer at my head with his ferocious strength, trying to force my head away. My strength fading, I can''t resist for long and he eventually seeds in smashing a fist down on my eye. Instantly blinded on that side, I reel in pain and my jaws cken, allowing the Golgari loose.

    He doesn''t hesitate and explodes outwards with power, forcing me and every ant nearby back against the walls. With a final nce at the skittering horde of insects around him, he flickers and dashes away down the tunnel, smashing down any ant that gets in his way. As he fades from view, it''s only then that I realise my abdomen is missing. As in, the whole thing.

    DAMMIT! Closed for business?!

    Then I pass out.

 Chapter 430 Incredible advances in medical technology

    <h4>Chapter 430 Incredible advances in medical technology </h4>

    Turns out that the tier four healers have a whole new range of tricks up their carapace. Some of them have even reced their acid production with a variant that allows them to shoot regenerative fluids instead. They''ve literally got medic guns! The things that are possible in this world, I tell you. When Ie around, a group of healers is clustered around me, fussing over my injuries. I immediately nce back at my shattered rear-zone and sigh with relief when I see that it''s started to regenerate. It doesn''t look pretty, that''s for sure. In fact, it looks anything but pretty. A pulsing blob of flesh, covered with a congealingyer of glittering, clear shell hangs off of my thorax. Yuck.

    Luckily, it''s growing and regenerating nicely. When I check my status, there''s no change in my nds or organs, which is great. I''d have been majorly ticked off if all of the hard work I''d put into mutation, not to mention all the itching I''d put up with, had been lost in the business district. I''m feeling surprisingly good considering a third of my body was smashed to nothing. That strike waspletely nuts, by far the most powerful Skill I''ve seen. The armoured Golgari are not to be messed with, that''s be clear. Maybe after I''ve evolved again I''ll be able to go up against them more evenly.

    The Colony around me doesn''t seem to share my rxed attitude to my injury. There are at least twenty ants hovering around me right now, screaming constantly about the situation.

    "We need more regenerating fluid! Hurry up with it!"

    "I''m all out! There''s a lot of healing that needs to get done around here!"

    "THEN GET THE HECK OUT OF THE WAY!"

    "Do any of you healers know healing magic? NONE of you?! Why the HELL don''t we have magic healers in this group?!"

    ¡­ I kind of feel nervous about telling them that I have a healing magic. I mean, I''ve been using it on myself, don''t get me wrong, they just seem very tense. I could also let them know that Invidia is perfectly capable of healing, but I''ve got him out healing the injured ants in the tunnels and don''t need him to be dragged back here to look after me.

    "Let me through, step back a little, let me through."

    A calm, authoritative voice broke through the babble and soon Propent appeared next to me.

    "You look a little worse for wear, Eldest."

    "Ah, hey there. What''s the damage like?"

    I know we lost people. I just hope it wasn''t too bad.

    "Not as bad as you might expect, Eldest. The healers are doing great work, as they always do, and the overwhelming numbers advantage allowed us to effectively swarm the enemy."

    "Fair enough," I sigh. "Were there any prisoners? Did anyone surrender?"

    Please let Granin and the others have survived.

    "We did actually have three surrender during the fight. They are under guard right now. I thought you might want to speak to them before we move on."

    "Great! Fantastic news! Where are they?"

    After getting directions, I ignore the shouting of the healers and start dragging my battered body towards my erstwhile allies. I find the three of them standing calmly, surrounded by dozens of monstrous ants. Tiny is there also, joking around with Corun as the two of them throw yful punches at each other. When I appear, Granin and Torrina turn towards me and I feel theirbined minds reaching out to mine.

    [Hey there, squad! I''m so d you survived!] I greet them.

    Granin huffs.

    [You look like crap.]

    I take in the slowly morphing blob of flesh hanging off my back-end.

    [Well, I think I got off pretty light, all things considered.]

    Granin brings his hands up to run over his face. He looks weary.

    [A lot of my people have died here. This isn''t going to turn out well, Anthony.]

    [Hey, look. I tried. I offered to just let you guys walk away, back to your city where we would never be seen again. That moron insisted on battle, even if the situation was against you.]

    [I figured,] Granin sighs, [it sucks, but it was predictable. The Nobles won''t back down once they''ve been given a task. That''s just how it goes.]

    He eyes the rest of the ants around him and further down the tunnel.

    [I can see what you''ve done here. You modified the Queen, didn''t you?]

    I fiddle my antennae and kick the dirt a little.

    [I did,] I confess. [I wanted my Colony to thrive, to be sessful. In this world, they''re my family after all. Is that so wrong?]

    Granin falls silent for a moment and Torrina steps forward to fill in the gap.

    [It isn''t like you did the wrong thing, Anthony, but you have to understand how others are going to react when they find out what you''ve done. A normal Colony of ants is considered a scourge. What you''ve created here will be seen as the enemy of all sapient life on Pangera.]

    [But why?] I protest. [We haven''t been the aggressors in any conflict. The Colony has just been doing its thing, raising young and exploring the Dungeon. We haven''t done anything wrong!]

    She only shakes her head.

    [It doesn''t matter. If you keep exploring, keep expanding, then you''ll run into other Dungeon powers eventually. The lower you go, the more crowded it bes. Battles for territory happen all the time down here and nobody wants to share. If your Colony shows up they are going to get violently rejected.]

    [It''s not only that,] Granin breaks in. [The Dungeon is all about resources. Experience, cores and rare materials.]

    I''m not sure what that has to do with¡­

    [Oh, heck. We are a resource.]

    Granin nods.

    [Big ant Colony? Tons of experience. And if I''m not mistaken, every one of these ants has a core. A walking fortune. Probably a lot of useable monster parts as well. Good chunk of carapace can make fine armour, in the right hands. People are going to fight for the chance toe and hunt you down.]

    Well, dammit. I''d not considered it like that. This sucks.

    [Now that things havee to this, once word gets back to the city, then things are going to start mobilising. You''ll have a little time, but not much, before the Empire starts to move against you. If you''re lucky, it''ll just be them. If you''re unlucky, they''ll invite others as well.]

    [Others?]

    [Other kingdoms. Other forces and armies that upy space in the Dungeon. You''re lucky that the area you live in is so undeveloped, at the higher levels at least. But I guarantee that there are powerful groups taking up space below you.]

    Hardly shocking, I suppose. Still, they paint a very depressing picture of almost endless conflict toe.

    [So, what are you guys going to do?] I ask.

    Granin pulls a face and spits to one side.

    [Hell. There''s basically no way for me to avoid the conflict toe. I''m not even sure how I''ll exin our survival.]

    [You can alwayse with me,] I offer.

    [No thanks,] he rebuts, [I know you''ve been treated poorly, and that theing conflict isn''t on you, but I think I''ll head back to the Shapers and try to get the Cult on firm footing. I''m not the sort of Golgari who can fight against his people.]

    [Fair enough. I couldn''t ask it of you.]

    It''s disappointing. Despite everything, Granin has be something of a mentor to me. But I understand his choice and can only wish the best for him.

    [So, I''ll be sending these two idiots with you instead,] he points at Torrina and Corun.

 Chapter 431 The long walk home

    <h4>Chapter 431 The long walk home </h4>

    The tunnels are aplete mess. Huge cracks run through the stone and sections are copsing all over the ce. Before we even meet up with the main group, I know what''s taken ce. The moment I came under attack, the message was passed to enact the ambush on the Golgari in the other tunnel.

    No point allowing the two groups of rock-people to reunite and fight together. Decisive action was called for. I objected to the Colony going to head to head against such a powerful enemy, but the other members of the council assured me that they had another strategy in mind. Which turned out to be copsing the tunnel on top of the enemies'' heads. Using earth mages and our natural predilection to tunnel digging, the council was able to arrange a fairly broad tunnel copse in a matter of hours. After the stone came down, the ants moved in to fight whatever they could find, taking advantage of the less than ideal state of their opponents.

    The fact that the armoured Golgari, the ''nobles'', were in the center of the column would have yed to our advantage. They should''ve taken the brunt of the fall, and been too far from the front to be in a position to fight the ants when they charged. Somehow, I doubt they died. With their Skills, armour and doubtlessly potent true skin, if anyone was going to survive a tunnel copse it would be them. All the more reason to get ourselves out of here.

    "Eldest! What a glorious injury you''ve received! I''m jealous¡­"

    "Leeroy, you idiot. You''re looking disappointingly healthy."

    "I was unable to find an enemy during the battle. I wanted to start unearthing the Golgari but the others stopped me."

    Her antennae droop sadly as she talks of saving the lives of our enemies, only so that she could end them in person.

    "I''m tired, Leeroy. What did you want?"

    "Right! The others were wondering if you wanted to discuss what was going to happen next? It''s a little up in the air, from what I gather."

    Up in the air? Why the heck would it be up in the air? Let''s go home! Irritated, I drag my still regenerating backside around the tunnel until I find the other council members gathered in a huddle.

    "What the heck is going on here?" I demand. "We need to get away from this ce and go back to the nest! Why am I hearing about discussions regarding our ''ns''?"

    The others make room for me as I barge forward, myrger frame taking up much of the room. Only the tier four soldiers can rival me for size but even they fall short of my bulk and I loom over the council. When I think about it, my eyes are probably at a simr height level to that of a tall human, my third body segment actually being the ''tallest'' part of my body. It''s in length that my true mass lies and I''m a fairly chunky ant at this point.

    "Obviously the n is to get back to the nest," Burke exins patiently, "but we need to do it in such a way that we don''t get followed. At the very least we need to make tracking us as difficult as possible. The more time we can buy for the Colony to grow, the better."

    Actually, that''s a damn good point.

    "Doesn''t that just mean we keep going without using pheromones?" I ask.

    "Look," Burke says, exasperated, "doing that isn''t as simple as some of you seem to think. My scouts rely on those trails to move around and ensure that they stay on safe paths! We don''t have mind magic tomunicate, and it''s too risky to drag a mage that far away from the main group. Long range scouting is basically impossible without pheromonalmunication."

    Ahh. I''m starting to see the problem.

    "So that means we need to move slower in order to ensure we don''t take any wrong turns and run into trouble," I say.

    "Right," Burke agrees, "but we can''t really afford to slow down that much."

    "Not to mention," breaks in Sloan, "that we still don''t know how they were tracking us once we ceased using our pheromones. Without that knowledge, it''s impossible for us to be certain we can''t be followed."

    "Have either of the prisoners said anything?" I ask.

    "Nothing!" deres Leeroy. "They won''t even fight with me!"

    "What about the two new Golgari you brought back with you?" Burke asks.

    "How do you even know about that already?"

    "I have my sources, Eldest."

    "I bet. No, I''m not going to question them on anything that might be considered a betrayal of their own people. To be honest, I''m not even sure why they were sent with us. I''ll have to work that out with themter. For now, let''s put our antennae together and work out a n."

    The four of us rattle on for twenty minutes withouting to any conclusive path forward. It''s frustrating, but we''re dealing with something unknown, a Skill that we don''t know about, perhaps. In the end, all we can do is try to limit our scent and move as quickly as possible. To that end, it''s agreed that the main group will maintain ''radio silence'' whilst the scouts roaming ahead would be able to put down a limited number of trails to mark paths. Alongside this, an extensivework of false trials would beid by splinter groups roving away from the main group before they returned.

    "If we slow ourselves down too much worrying about something we don''t understand, we''re only shooting ourselves in the w," I tell them.

    "Right you are, Eldest."

    "Sounds good!"

    "If you don''t mind, I''m going to try and finish healing myself as we start marching."

    They agree that seems like a good idea and I pull away from the group to go find my pets. Predictably they''re hanging out with Corun and Torrina, both of whom seem a little stunned to be where they''ve ended up. As I painfully crawl over, I whip up a mind bridge and extend it to both of them.

    [He didn''t tell you what he was going to do, did he?]

    Torrina starts when my mind touches hers and turns her head to find me amongst the swarming ants.

    [No, he didn''t. I kind of had a feeling that something like this might happen though,] she replies.

    [You did?!] Corun cries. [You might have said something. I had no idea¡­]

    I''m also a little curious.

    [Why did you think he would leave you behind?] I ask. [This is hardly a wonderful ce to be for you guys. Your people are about to go to war with mine, for starters.]

    Torrina thinks for a moment before she replies, the gleaming metal of her skin shining softly in the dark.

    [Do you remember what the Cult of the Worm is all about, Anthony?]

    [Finding the twentieth ancient? Or creating the twentieth, more urately.]

    [Right,] she nods, [it''s not unusual for the Cult to appoint a mentor, a steward, to prospects thate under our care, which was done for you. The Cult ced Granin and his triad in charge of you.]

    [So?]

    I''m struggling to see where this is going.

    [So you''re still our responsibility as a candidate monster.]

    [This seems a little far to go just to fulfill that responsibility, Torrina. I''m not buying it.]

    [We take that a little more seriously than you seem to think we do. But there is more. I think that Granin hase to believe you actually have a chance.]

    ¡­

    [WOT?!]

    [That makes sense,] Corun muses. [For Granin to stick his neck out like this. To put the two of us in harm''s way? He must really believe in you.]

    [Ah, heck.]

    So the old man was loopy in the end after all. No way I want something like bing an ancient. Sounds like way too much work. Not to mention, I have no idea what''s supposed to happen when twenty of them get together. Something big apparently. I can''t be bothered thinking about this. I''ve got about a week of marching ahead of me.

    [Invidia! Get over here and help me fix my butt. We start marching soon.]

 Chapter 432 The heart of the Legion pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 432 The heart of the Legion pt 1 </h4>

    Morrelia groaned as she peeled her eyes open. Her eyelids had other ideas and refused to respond to orders. Her brain and muscles immediately fell into a battle, neither side willing to budge until atst, she triumphed and forced her eyes open. A victory, but hard fought. She was already exhausted and all she''d done was open her eyes.

    She wouldn''t be defeated like this, not before she''d even rolled out of bed! Slowly, she grit her teeth and began to move her arms and legs. Only slight movements, just a little twitch of a finger, or a curl of toe. Every time she made the attempt, her body would scream with protest and send jagged pokers of pain shooting down her nerves. She was nothing if not determined, or stubborn, her mother would say with a smile, so she persisted. Eventually she was able to clench her hands into fists, which was another win. Then, she was able to shift her feet without significant pain.

    Sensing victory, she decided to attempt to leap from her bed in one go. She carefully gathered her strength, grit her teeth in determination and loosened her joints before she flung herself forward! Only to find she moved not a bit, since she was still strapped into the runic armour she''d had on yesterday. In fact, judging by the somewhat lowered perspective she currently enjoyed, it was entirely possible that when she copsed into bed, the legs on it had broken.

    "Crud," she muttered as her body continued to remind her of its numerous aches.

    There was nothing for it. She stifled her groans and levered herself out of bed awkwardly, waddling like a turtle to shift the heavy tes of enchanted stone and metal. She might be strong, stronger than she''d ever been, but this stuff was heavy. Once she was up she was able to appreciate the areas of her skin where the leather strapping had chafed as she slept. A whole new type of pain for her to enjoy during today''s training. Without much time to prepare herself, she grabbed her well-used pot of salve down from her shelf and awkwardly reached between the tes to try and cover the worst of her injuries.

    All of the new Legionaries were sharing medicinal tips and this particr ointment had proven to be a boon. Cheap to requisition from the Legionary supply and effective for the price, the stuff was a godsend to Morrelia on a day like this. Ministrationsplete, she stomped out of her room and into the corridor before making her way to the gathering square outside. Already, seven other newly promoted Legionaries in full armour stood to attention, watched over by a stone-still centurion. Cheering that she hadn''t been thest to awake, she rushed to take her ce in line, posture perfect and gaze determined.

    It was another three minutes before thest unfortunates ttered out of the dorm and into the square, by which time the centurion was practically radiating his displeasure. Thest to emerge took one frantic nce around the square, which only confirmed her fate. Without even being ordered, she turned toward the parade ground and started running.

    "Double it," the centurion said in clipped tones.

    Each of the Legionaries stood in line winced at the fate of theirrade. Double the usual run? That''s ten kilometres in full armour before training even begins! As the unfortunate nked off, the metal of her boots jarring with each step, the rest of them awaited their instructions for the day. The centurion looked over them with a critical eye, making note of their appearance, their demeanor and how willing their res were. He firmly believed that cultivating one''s re was a critical part of Legionary training. If you couldn''t stare down a tier three monster then you shouldn''t be let off the base.

    "There aren''t many Legionaries who arrive in the here without havingpleted their runic armour training," the centurion began, "but those that do receive the most vigorous and punishing regime the Legion has to offer. The Iron Temple does not produce weak Legionaries."

    Morrelia and the rest nodded firmly. The lot of them had been promoted from all over Pangera and not one of them had gone through anything like what they''d experienced over thest month. Brutal, unforgiving, relentless, merciless centurions had driven them to the brink of breaking down and held them there for the entire duration of their stay. If they weren''t undertaking endless physical drills, they were in the Dungeon, exhausted and fighting until they dropped. Only to get a ssh of water in the face and sent back in.

    It was madness, but it worked. Morrelia had experienced growth iparable to anything she''d experienced before. Her stats, her levels, her Skills. All had exploded rapidly, a testament to the quality of training given here.

    "Now for today''s assignment, rest!" The centurion barked.

    The Legionaries flinched before the words had a chance to soak in. When they had, they only looked confused. Rest? There was never rest! What the heck was this ''rest'' that he spoke of?!

    "Training course is done, Legionaries. Your sses have reached the required level and your Skills have progressed to the point that you are no longer required to report here. Your time in the Iron Temple is done."

    Relief washed over the faces of most of them, but not Morrelia. The centurion was amused to note a flicker of irritation on her face before it was reced with a decidedly false smile.

    "A report on your training progress and aplishment will be sent to yourmanders. You have two hours before you are expected to report to your divisions, until then, pack and clean your armour."

    "What about the rest?" One of the Legionaries protested.

    The centurion shot her a re.

    "That IS your rest! Or would you rather run?" He jerked a thumb at the still running member.

    "No, sir!"

    "That''s what I thought. Legionary Faronicus, report to me. The rest of you are dismissed."

    They each crashed a fist over their heart before moving to their duty, an excited babble of chatter rising as they went. Morrelia stepped toward the centurion warily. She hadn''t tried to stand out during her training, but her father''s surname carried certain connotations that she''d only be aware of once she''d arrived.

    "Your situation is a little unusual, Legionary, in that your training report will end up in the hands of your father. Before I submit it, I want to be sure you arefortable with that scenario."

    Morrelia breathed a sigh of relief. If that was all it was, she didn''t have a problem.

    "No, that''s fine," she said.

    The centurion looked at the fierce young woman before with approval in his gaze. Commander Titus would no doubt be pleased by the glowing report about tond in his hands. His daughter would be a rare Legionary if she were given the chance to grow.

    "Dismissed, Legionary. Good luck in your division."

    "Thank you, centurion."

    Morrelia turned and marched back to her rooms where she began the long and painful process of peeling herself out of her runic armour and cleaning down each individual piece. Before that though, another round of salve.

 Chapter 433 The heart of the Legion pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 433 The heart of the Legion pt 2 </h4>

    Titus walked the long corridors of his new billet with a training report held in one hand, his face cast in stone as usual. It was difficult though, since the corner of his mouth kept threatening to curl up as he read of his daughter''s training exploits. The centurions in charge of her training had used some interesting terms, ''manic dedication'', ''boundless tolerance for bloodshed'' and ''disturbing disregard for pain'' where a few of his favorites.

    The trainers in the Iron Temple didn''t hand out praise lightly, an ornery group of veterans from the deep strata, they prided themselves on producing the best results and the most conditioned Legionaries. Judging by the numbers Morrelia had achieved in her new ss and the growth of her Skills, she''d excelled even by their standards. Pride tinged with sadness welled up within him. He was filled with joy to see Morrelia achieving her potential, but it was bittersweet that her brother would never receive the same opportunities.

    He shook his head to shake off the creeping mncholy. Romanus wasn''t served by him wallowing in self-pity and Titus wasn''t about to allow it of himself. He finished reading the report and dropped it into the satchel by his side as he reached a door set into the stone wall. He knocked firmly and opened it without waiting for a reply.

    At his entrance, three figures inside the room stood to attention once they caught sight of him. He snapped a quick salute, fist to heart, before waving for them to be at ease.

    "Greetings all, just checking in with Aurillia."

    The room was a typical office space in the Legion, sparse and militant, a desk, a bookshelf and a few chairs. Aurillia stood behind the desk,den with papers whilst two of the younger Legionaries from Liria assisted with the tedious minutiae of administration. Titus had been all too willing to offload the paperwork to his long suffering adjutant, he simply didn''t have the time to look after his own Legionaries since the upper brass were intent on having him run all over the temple for meeting after meeting.

    "Any chance you''ve arrived to assist with these requisition forms,mander?" Aurillia asked with an arched brow.

    "Not in a million years," he replied tly and the faces of the two assistants fell.

    Donnn and Mirryn had been stuck in this office for days now, wading through the demanding beaurocracy of the Abyssal Legion. They''d never imagined that the Legion they''d signed up for so long ago would have such strict requirements for paperwork. When the tribune had pointed out that running an independent army on a global scale required as disciplined an approach to administration as it did to soldier training, they could only nod their heads and agree.

    "How''s progress rehoming our Legionaries?" Titus asked.

    Aurillia sighed.

    "Slow,mander. Very slow. There''s hot spots ring all over the Dungeon and everymander in the fortress is demanding supplies and reinforcements. Our request to reform our Legion has been epted, but there seems to be an issue giving us the people we need."

    Titus frowned.

    "It''s not unexpected," he said, "but still disappointing. We were understrength to start with, and after the defense at the Bulwark we are undermanned, but deserving."

    "Thest wave pushed a lot of garrisons hard, apparently. There just aren''t enough recruits to go around,mander."

    Titus'' eyes glinted.

    "I might have to make use of my connections if this thing is going to get done."

    Aurillia nched.

    "You''d actually try it? With her?"

    Titus nodded.

    "She''s not that scary," he said offhandedly, "you just have to get used to her."

    "Maybe to you she''s not," Aurillia shot back, "I haven''t met her in ten years and she still scared me."

    Donnn and Myrrin stared at each other wide eyed. Who could the two officers possibly be talking about? Someone able to scare tribune Aurillia? Even intimidate themander? What sort of legendary figure could this be?!

    "Have you even been to see her since we arrived?" Aurillia asked.

    "Of course I have," Titus said, impatient.

    "How many times?" Aurillia was skeptical

    "Three or four," Titus mused.

    "That''s all? That''s your wife, Titus!"

    "She''s busy and so am I," he harrumphed, "you think I can just march into her office whenever I want?"

    Aurillia blinked.

    "You can''t?"

    "Of course not! If I show up there unannounced, she''d kick me out herself!"

    "But now you think you can just wander in there and ask her to give us preferential treatment?"

    "No. I have an appointment."

    "You do?"

    Titus shrugged.

    "It was always going toe down to this. The Abyssal Legion has never had an abundance of resources, we squeeze every centimeter out of what we have. If nothing else, the brass know that whatever they ce in my hands won''t be wasted. So I nned ahead and set this up."

    Aurillia ran her eyes over the stacks of paper heaped on her desk.

    "Are you telling me," she said, her voice trembling with barely suppressed rage, "that I''ve been going to war with these damned forms for nothing?"

    "No!" He hastened to assure her. "All of this stuff still needs to get done. If we don''t toe the line, we won''t get so much as a sword. If anything, these efforts have been central to our chances of sess."

    He ran an eye over his longest serving officer.

    "Take a day off Aurillia. After today, our situation will change anyway. You cane back and tackle the paper once we know where we stand."

    He turned to the two young Legionaries who looked as if they were trying to fade into the walls.

    "I''ll take these two with me. Minerva always had a soft spot for the young, up anders. She won''t get too nasty with them around. Get up you two. Time to go meet the Consul."

 Chapter 434 Heart of the Legion Pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 434 Heart of the Legion Pt 3 </h4>

    Even now, a month after arriving in the great fortress of the Legion, Myrrin still couldn''t quite believe her eyes whenever she saw it. Along with Donnn, she trailed behind hermander as they made their way out of the remote barracks she and her fellow refugees from Liria had been billeted in. When themander pushed open the door and strode through, the bright light red in her eyes and she raised a hand to provide some relief. After several days straight of being locked indoors, the outside was a little too well lit for her to handle.

    It was almost like stepping out when on the surface. Overhead was a truly vast space, farrger that even Rhylleh had contained. Numerous powerful crystals dotted the ceiling, flooding the enormous expanse with light. The entire space was arranged as an impregnable fortress, walls and towers in concentric rings radiated outward from the centre, every building was designed to be as defensible as possible, whilst also contributing to the overallyout. In the distance she could see the central tower rising like a mountain from the ground. Forgedpletely of red iron, the impossible tower dominated the entire expanse, dyeing the skyline a blood red, along with its eight siblings. The sister towers formed a great ring around the central pir, rising to tremendous heights and standing guard over the fortress, iron spears of unbreakable will.

    As impressive as the outer towers were, hundreds of metres tall and perfectly straight, they were like nothing any of the Lirian Legionaries had ever seen before, they faded into the background whenpared to the central fort. It dominated the entire, vast expanse with ease. A brooding titan of rust red metal that climbed from the floor of the expanse to close to the ceiling, more than two kilometres high. Built inyers, the tower grew thinner as it rose, each new section protected by its own wall and defences. Even from this far away they could make out the enormous siege engines that dotted the walls. This vast structure was the very heart of the Abyssal Legion, wherein the highest ranking members made decisions that would be carried out by their legionaries across Pangera.

    It was difficult not to imagine what secrets were contained within, what knowledge had been hidden away since the Legion had been founded. If there wasanywhere that forbidden technologies and methods would be held, it would be there, the Red Mountain.

    "I''ve never been in the Mountain," Myrrin muttered to Donnn, "have you?"

    His eyes were fastened on the looming fortress.

    "Of course not," he rasped back, "you think they just allow anyone in there?"

    She noticed her friend was unusually pale, and sweating as they walked.

    "You look as if you''ve seen a ghost. What''s wrong with you? Is the Red Mountain that intimidating?"

    It certainly was to her. It''s a freaking mountain made of metal! Who ever heard of such a demented thing?!

    "You realise who we''re going to go and see, right?" Donnn hissed.

    Myrrin''s eyes widened.

    "Themander''s wife? I''ve never met her, she left Liria before I had the chance. Have you ever seen her?"

    "Not that," he said, "the title. Consul. We''re going to see the Consul!"

    Myrrin allowed that to sink in for a moment.

    "Sweet steel of home!" She suddenly cried out loud.

    With a SNAP, themander''s boots halted on the road and he turned to face the two of them with a wry expression on his face.

    "I can hear every word you''ve said back there."

    Myrrin and Donnn flushed red from embarrassment, but themander just waved it off.

    "Come walk up here next to me and we''ll talk as we go. We don''t want you embarrassing yourself in front of Minerva now do we?"

    "Of course not,mander!" Myrrin snapped out a crisp salute.

    "We wouldn''t dream of it, sir!" Donnn mirrored her movement perfectly.

    Titus stared at them.

    "Just rx a little," he told them, "you''re making me nervous and I''m married to the woman."

    He turned around and resumed walking as the two of them caught up to him.

    "Look, Minerva might be one of the highest ranking members of the Legion on Pangera, sure. But she''s not as terrifying as people make out."

    "I don''t know,mander," Donnn said warily, "Aurillia seemed more than a little intimidated."

    "Well, sure," he acknowledged, "but that''s an isted case, you''ll see."

    The two young legionaries weren''t much mollified but they had little choice but to follow their leader as he marched onward toward the ever growing mountain in the distance. The streets of the fortress were built to the exacting standard of the Legion engineers. Straight, t stone and wide paths allowed for the easy flow of traffic and there was plenty of that. Legionaries in armour moving goods to warehouses or delivering supplies to the innumerable barracks throughout the expanse, or moving out to the teleportation arrays for deployment. With so many soldiers and administration staff in one ce, the fortress held as many civilians as any city, but here, nothing was allowed to distract from the military purpose of the fortress.

    Alberton the loremaster had droned on and on about the ce when they''d arrived, blinking through the teleportation gates, filling the head of every legionary who''d never been here with the history of the Abyssal Legion''s seat of power.

    This ce had never been conquered, not even during the Cataclysm, she''d learned. This expanse had been found and imed by the first Legion in the opening years of the Rending, and as the conflict raged on, they''d built it up to its current state and used it as a staging ground and central organising point for the entire war effort. Its location was an intensely held secret, Myrrin didn''t even know what strata they were in, though from the extremely dense mana in the air, she was afraid that she could take a guess.

    "Have you been to the forges yet? At the foot of the spears," Titus waved toward the great towers that pierced the sky, "that''s where the best arms the Abyssal Legion has to offer are made, including my axe."

    Myrrin felt her heart skip a beat with excitement at the news. She''d long admired themander''s axe, a weapon of incredible power. She''d love to see where it was made, but her enthusiasm quickly dimmed. The closer they got to the towering Mountain, the more it''s sheer size loomed over them, the more their hearts quailed. The size, scope and power of it was overwhelming. Only themander was unaffected, his step getting lighter and his stride extending the closer they came to it.

 Chapter 435 The Heart of the Legion pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 435 The Heart of the Legion pt 4 </h4>

    Donnn and Myrrin struggled to breathe. They huddled together in a vain attempt to ward off the suffocating waves of pressure that emanated from the legionaries around them. There didn''t seem to be a single guard standing at their post, or official running messages, who didn''t seem as though they were a high level powerhouse with the stats of a top level delver. The two young legionaries felt as small as mice clinging to a toothpick in an ocean storm as they trailed in theirmander''s wake, desperately struggling not to sumb. For his part, Titus didn''t appear to notice their plight. After they were allowed entrance through the yawning gate of the Iron Mountain they hastily made their way inside to find the interior bedecked in breathtaking marble, the wide open halls lined with incredible, life-like statues of long passed legionaries. Themander''s steps only lengthened as he moved from ce to ce, giving his name at each checkpoint they crossed and gradually prating deeper into the heart of the fortress.

    It took hours and by the end, Myrrin''s head was spinning. She couldn''t say where they were, who''d they''d met, or even why they were there anymore. Every time they moved from one chamber into the next, the strength of the legionaries on guard seemed to leap to a new tier. The soldiers standing on guard next to her were resplendent in the most impressive Legion armour that she''d ever seen. Trimmed in gold, the living rock tes wreathed precious metals and alive with veins of fire mana that seeped heat into the air as it trickled through the stone. She wasn''t even able to look the man in the eye, and when she snuck a nce at Donnn next to her, she found he was sweating profusely and shaking in his seat.

    For goodness sake,mander! Why did you have to bring us with you?!

    Oblivious to her suffering, Titus was talking quietly with an armoured official outside a grand set of double doors. The doors themselves were borately carved and decorated, set into an archway that extended fifteen metres high. A full squad of ten legionaries stood guard in formation outside the door, their dominant auras unrestrained, flooding the room with their thirst for battle. After a few moments, the official stepped through the cavernous door, leaving Titus by himself. He gazed at the door in silence before he turned back to his two, cowering young legionaries. He clicked his tongue before walking over and pping them on the shoulder.

    "Come one now, young ones. You need to show a little more mettle than this. Don''t embarrass our legion."

    The two of them stopped trembling and looked up at him, eyes filled with a kindling resolve.

    "Don''t forget," he said, "it''s going to be way worse on the other side of the door."

    He gave both of them a squeeze on the shoulder with his sausage fingered hands before he turned to walk back to the door, never noticing the crumbling confidence he left behind.

    "I don''t want to be here anymore," Donnn moaned under his breath. "I curse the day I ever got curious about the inside of the Iron Mountain."

    "Y-you''re g-going to meet the c-consul! A-aren''t you excited?"

    "You''re stuttering. I''m sweating like I''ve spent a day doing drills in amour. This isn''t looking good."

    "I-if I pass out in f-front of the consul, will I b-be discharged?" Myrrin whispered, horrified.

    "Of course not. Themander will just hate you forever."

    "Nooooo."

    When the official stepped back through the oversized doors, they both jumped in their seats and shut their mouths, staring straight ahead. Titus exchanged a few short words before he returned to them.

    "We''re up. Step quickly, we don''t get much of her time."

    So saying he brushed down the shoulders of their uniforms with his palms as if they were unruly children before grabbing each of them by the arms and straightening their posture.

    "It''s going to be tough in there, show me what you''re made of."

    He shot each of them a hard stare, his cold blue eyes piercing through the mountainous pressure that suffocated them and stiffened their spines.

    "Yes,mander!" Myrrin shouted unthinkingly and saluted him, Donnn following suit a momentter.

    A deafening silence fell in the chamber as the officials, guards and fellow waiting functionaries turned to stare at the young legionaries. The two of them froze in embarrassment, but Titus actually smiled. That rare sight was enough to focus the two and they followed at his heels as they walked up to the intimidating guards and that oversized door.

    A little of the steel had leaked out of the guards as the trio walked through their ranks, the stiff youngsters trailing behind their stoicmander. They made a conscious effort to lighten the strength of their aura as they allowed them to walk through. Once they were gone, the guards resumed their full bore assault on everyone outside the door. Defending the consul was their responsibility and they would perform that duty to the death.

    The moment Titus stepped through the door he felt a frozen air pierce straight through him to his bones. He braced himself against and allowed his eyes to take in this new room. The office of the consul was surprisingly small, given the door. The room was roughly ten metres wide, lined by columns decorated with mana infused gold, the stone itself seemed to glow with a soft metallic light. The ceiling was high, vaulted at the top with every inch carved with depictions of legion glory. There was the battle of Deep Field, the defeat of Gtrix, the siege at Crumbling Rock, each a legendary battle from the Rending. At the end of the room, a slight, dark haired woman sat behind a deep red, crystal desk. Every inch of the walls and floor was exposed, stone or metal, without any softening furnishings at all. She refused to use them. The room felt cold and unyielding, rigid and formal, much like the legion.

    And though no expression showed on her face, she radiated an air that let Titus know she was absolutely furious.

    He stepped quickly through the door to allow his dual shields to step through, wide eyed as they stepped into the sparse office and he immediately felt the pressure on him ease. He allowed himself to unknot just a little as he stepped toward the desk, his boots cking on the polished stone floor until he stood before his wife and offered her his salute.

    "Commander Titus Faronicus!" He announced himself.

    Donnn and Myrrin hastened to offer their own salute.

    "Myrrin Smithson!"

    "Donnn Branger!"

    Minerva shot Titus a brief re before she stood to return their salute. Had the man gone soft? Bringing in these two to protect him from her wrath?!

    "Wee to the office of the consul, legionaries. Be at ease."

    Almost unconsciously she appraised the two young soldiers in front of her. Lirian stock, young and only recently promoted, she judged. She watched as they strove to maintain their cool and decided that Titus had trained them well. As he usually did.

    "What happened to Liria was a tragedy, and a failure of the Abyssal Legion. Would you not agree, Titus?"

    Titus stifled a wince, theck of title was a warning sign.

    "It was," he agreed, not breaking his posture. "The legion garrison was barely able to maintain the bulwark during the wave. We were totally unable to prevent what urred on the surface."

    "I know," Minerva nodded, then sighed. "We wanted to divert reinforcements, but the wave put pressure on us everywhere. If I''d had double the reserves we still may not have been able to relieve Liria. Please, allow me to extend an apology to you, children of that kingdom and loyal soldiers of our legion."

    Myrrin and Donnn stiffened in ce before they wordlessly saluted once more, unable to speak. The destruction of their homnd had cut deeply. Even though they had fought as hard as they could in the depths to defend it, it hadn''t been enough.

    She stood from behind her desk and walked around it to face her husband and his "shields". She was dressed in regtion legion leathers, with solid boots on her feet and her well-toned arms free, as if she expected to swing a weapon at any moment. Her short, cropped hair seemed to bristle as she red anew at Titus, her eyes very reminiscent of her daughter''s.

    "Don''t think that bringing these two is going to save you, Titus!"

    With no warning, she blurred in ce, appearing directly in front of themander, her fist sank deep into his stomach.

    "Where is Morrelia?! Do you think I wouldn''t know she was here?!"

    To his credit, Titus straightened instantly, no sign of pain showing on his face.

    "She went straight to the Temple after she arrived, she hadn''t changed her ss yet."

    "She couldn''t drop by on the way?"

    "That was up to her."

    "You couldn''t make her?"

    "I chose not to."

    BAM!

    Another brutal fist to the gut, this time sending themander sliding back three metres, his boots screeching on the marble floor. He straightened once more, his face still cid.

    "When you epted a term as consul, raising the children was my responsibility. That''s what we agreed."

    Minerva stared hard at him before she nodded.

    "That''s true. Only a few more months and I''ll be free of this sted office."

    She idly shook her wrist as she looked at her husband''s stomach.

    "Have you levelled up a few times?" she asked.

    "Three times," he admitted.

    She frowned.

    "Defensive skills?"

    "Iron skin."

    "That makes sense. You''ve definitely toughened up."

    "Lucky me," he said wryly.

    His wife had always had a temper, much like his daughter. Being separated from her family had only sharpened it. Her guilt at not being with them when Romanus died fuelled much of her anger. Once she had epted the post of consul, she was duty-bound to remain for the full, ten year term.

    "I know why you''re here. You want me to reform your legion and get you back out into the fight, and you want to take Morrelia with you. Am I right?"

    "Yes, consul."

    Minerva leaned back against the hard crystal of her desk.

    "We''re being pressed everywhere, even now. Mana levels haven''t fallen like they should after the wave and some outposts in the deep are reporting they might be on the rise again. Things aren''t right out there Titus."

    "All the more reason to have good legionaries in the field."

    "Hmm."

    She looked at him steadily.

    "It might be your lucky day. We had a reporte in from the Empire of Stone. Ants. They appear to have made their nest somewhere beneath where Liria once stood."

    Titus'' eyes narrowed.

    "I did report that an ant nest had been located."

    "But there wasn''t the capacity to deal with it right away. It was a problem we''d assumed we could put off for a time, perhaps the wave might have killed the colony off. Now it seems they''re raiding locations more than a hundred kilometres away from where you found them. Your legion will be reformed and you''ll get your new recruits. Head back to Liria and clean up this infestation, then return. We''ll have need of you down here before long."

    Titus nodded, his face serious. Ants were always a problem.

    "Understood, Consul." He turned to leave.

    "Not so fast," Minerva cut him off. "You two head outside. I need to have a ¡­ private word with my husband. After all, Titus, it''s been so long since we''ve spoken."

    Titus felt a heat rise in his chest. This damned woman.

 Chapter 436 Arriving home

    <h4>Chapter 436 Arriving home </h4>

    It''s a long ''ol march home, over a week before it''s all said and done. It wasn''t hard for me to find a use for the time, however, since there was the whole ''impending war of doom and death'' looming over our heads. How on Pangera I manage to stumble from one of these disasters into the next I have no idea. Am I cursed by Gandalf, the almighty voice of the System? If so, please let me know! I''m worried I''m causing more harm than good by sticking around the Colony. The nagging thought that they''d be better off if I just wandered into the Dungeon and never came back pokes its way into my mind and refuses to go away.

    On the other side of the coin, the endless whispers of the Colony that arrive through the Vestibule tickly at the edge of my awareness, pleading with me to stay, to help, to lead. It''s so hard to refuse them, especially when there are so many of them nearby, the voices swell from a collection of whispers to a deafening chorus. What''s it going to be like when we make it back to the main nest? I''m almost scared to find out.

    Of course, no time can be wasted, even when marching through the Dungeon! Crinis, Invidia and myself devote our time to practicing our mana handling and developing our magic Skills. Crinis has been diligent in her Shadow Magic practice and is starting to do some interesting things. Deadly, disturbing and horrific things, for sure, but also interesting. I encourage her to pick up mind magic affinity when she can, since she has the potential to reach an advanced enough stage that she could make use of the multiyered mind construct technique the Shapers informed me of. It''s clear from her evolution into the Tri-Maw Amorphous Horror, that she will pursue a bnced stat build, at least for now, which means that she may eventually reach the point of bing a sincere magical threat. I think it''s a build that suits her role in our little team, since she isn''t really needed to output damage, that''s more for Tiny and me, or even Invidia to do.

    Invidia continues to develop and practice his defensive shield and healing magic. Whenever he gets the chance to cure an ants wounds, he floats off shouting [give your painss to meeeeeee!] in a rather charming, yet disy of care to his new insect brethren. The ants, for their part, respond with perfect calm in the face of the glowing green eyeball of doom. They don''t seem to flinch no matter what pets I raise, simply epting them as part of the Colony and moving on with life. His grotesque mental stats and potent magical Skills, coupled with his heavily caster focused collection of organs and mutations, allow him to progress rapidly as he just never seems to run out of mana, or the capacity to shape the stuff to his will.

    I''m jealous dammit.

    I have a long way to go before I manage to fuse my elemental casting Skills as the desired tier. I''vee a long way, and learned a few new tricks, including the ability to weave the basic elements together. Pushing earth and fire together to createva mana is way more taxing and far less efficient than simply fusing the two affinity Skills together to form Lava Magic Affinity, but right now I maintain the flexibility of using earth, fire andva mana whenever I want. Hopefully when I eventually fuse all elements together, I''ll still have ess to those options. The idea is use the elemental magic as a stopgap until I get myself to the higher ranked stuff. Gravity magic is out there somewhere! I just need to keep on believing.

    Invidia himself has an elemental fusion magic. Fire and Airing together to form hisbustion magic, which he can use to such devastating effect.

    So I use the week to drill my weaker magic Skills, Air and Earth, sessfully ranking them up to tier four and getting some decent levels towards rank five. Whenever I get a chance, I continue to grind at my Core Maniption Skills as well. We seized quite a few valuable cores in our raid against the Shapers and I grab a couple every time we break to fiddle around with, still trying to master the fusion technique. I''ve no desire for more pets for myself, but the work is challenging and if I can master the technique, I''ll be able to pass it on to the Core Shapers back at the nest.

    Besides, if I manage to create a super cool new pet monster core, then I can just give it to another ant. Be and Ellie back at the nest would be delighted to have a fancy new pet, I''m sure of it!

    I can sense it when we begin to approach the nest. More and more ants have been flickering into existence within my Vestibule, tiny motes of energy appearing and drifting from the strange organ and into my body, nourishing me with their energy.

    It''s quite a thing to find that with so many ants around, I don''t really get tired at all. The only fatigue build up I have to deal with is emotional, which seems fine. Even after grinding away at cores until my head aches, it''s a only a short time until I feel fresh one more, ready to go again. My grind capacity is starting to get out of control!

    "Eldest, we''re getting close to the new nest," Sloanes over to let me know.

    "I figured as much already," I tell him, "it''s been a long haul."

    "That it has."

    I can only imagine what a pain it''s been to try and organise our path as we escape, a burden that has fallen almost entirely onto the carapace of Sloan. She''s borne up well, something for which I''m extremely grateful. If they''d tried to bring me into the nning, who knows what would have happened.

    "Do you think they''ll be able to track us, after all the measures we took?"

    Decoy paths, detours through numerous expanse'' and long stretches of pheromone free travel were just a few of the tricks we attempted during the journey. Burke was going crazy running all over the ce, sending groups of scouts on deep side tunnels to try and muddy our trail.

    "We can hope that they can''t, but we have to assume that they can," Sloan sighed, a little of her weariness showing through. "If we don''t start preparing then when they get here then we''ll lose too much."

    I can''t help but feel guilt welling up within me at those words. If only I hadn''t gotten caught¡­

    "Don''t mistake me, Eldest," Sloan breaks into my thoughts. "Regardless of the oue, we still would have gone to save you. We all know that you would have done the same for us."

    My eyes would be welling up with tears if that were something I could still do.

    "Thanks, Sloan. I really appreciate that."

    "Not at all, Eldest."

    "Now, you make sure you get a proper rest once we get in the nest, alright?"

    She flinches a little at hearing the dreaded word. I double down.

    "And you spread the word to every member of this expedition. I expect a full twenty hours of torpor for each and every one of you."

    "TWEN-"

    "You heard me Sloan."

    "They may not like being punished like this, Eldest¡­"

    "I couldn''t care less. Everyone is exhausted and exhausted workers are sloppy workers. Rest!"

    "¡­ fine," she mutters, but I can tell she''s still unhappy.

    "Come on then, Sloan. I''m really looking forward to seeing what the carvers have been up to down here. I wonder if they''ve learned any more about building in the time I''ve been gone."

 Chapter 437 Status update

    437 Status update

    Anthony Status page:

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 42 (Rare) (V)

    Might: 91

    Toughness: 79

    Cunning: 64

    Will: 45

    HP: 158/158

    MP: 250/250

    Skills:

    General:

    Expert Excavation (III) Level 15; Expert Grip (III) Level 4; Expert Stealth (II) Level 5; Tunnel Guide (III) Level 6; Iron Mind (IV) Level 18; Expert Stamina (III) Level 15; Profound Meditation (III) Level 19; Flicker Dash (III) Level 18;

    Mana:

    Mana Craft (V) Level 2; Condensed Mana (IV) Level 3; Finer External Mana Maniption (IV) Level 5; Mana Coveter (III) Level 18; Improved Ice Magic Affinity (IV) Level 15; Expert Mind Magic Affinity (IV) Level 7; Expanded Mana Sensing (III) Level 15; Enhanced Healing Magic Affinity (II) Level 9; Blue Fire Magic Affinity (IV) Level 5; Expert Earth Magic Affinity (III) Level 19; Expert Air Magic Affinity Level (III) 18;

    Pet:

    Distant Pet Communication (II) Level 9; Core Crafting (IV) Level 10; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 5;

    Defensive:

    Master Exo-Skeleton Defence (IV) Level 15; Expert Dodge (III) level 12; Expert Endure (III) Level 3; Advanced Grace (II) Level 9;

    Offensive:

    Deadly Acid Shot (III) Level 15; Master Precise Shooting (IV) Level 5; Omen Chomp (IV) Level 22;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Perimeter Eyes +15, Far-sight Oracle Antennae +25;

    Defence:

    Complete Diamond Carapace +25, Braced Healing Inner Carapace ting +25;

    Physical:

    Rapid Absorption Legs +15, Mana Flooded Mandibles +25, Frequent Potent Regeneration nd +25, Loquacious Pheromone nd +15, Vast Hungering Stomach + 25; Hyper-Twitch Muscture +20, Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +20;

    Acid:

    Mana Binding Acid +15, Hyper Pressurised Acid Nozzle +10; Potent Acid Concentration nd +10, Fatiguing Acid Stimtion nd +10;

    Mental:

    Unyielding Coordination Cortex +25;

    Mana:

    Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +15, Endless Collective Will Vestibule +5;

    Species: Juvenile Colony Paragon (Formica Sapiens)

    Skill points: 19

    Biomass: 258

    Tiny Status Page:

    Name: Tiny

    Level: 5 (Rare core) (V)

    Might: 267

    Toughness: 51

    Cunning: 11

    Will: 28

    HP: 102/102

    MP: 262/262

    Skills:

    Master Ape Boxing (III) level 7; Severe Brutal Uppercut (III) level 19; Comet Leap (IV) level 1; Expert Heavy Smash level 10; Advanced Athletics (II) level 11; Expert Grappling level (III) 12; Prating Crushing Blows (III) level 20; Dazzling Fancy Feet (III) level 18; Flicker Dash Level 12; Advanced Kong Straight (II) Level 12; Expert Ape Jab (III) Level 3; Advanced Dodge (II) Level 6; Initial Kong Combo (II) Level 8;

    Mutations:

    Detonator Enhanced muscture +20, Granite Bones +20; Copsing Starfall Legs +20; Stone Splitting Sonic Enhancer +20; Compacting Rapid Lightning Mana Affinity nd +20, Compacting Rapid Compressing Lightning Mana Affinity nd +20, Combusting Energy Conversion nd +20; stic Shadow Wings +12; Hyper Conductive Fur +10; Regenerating Lead Fists +11;

    Species: Shadow Kong Emperor

    Skill points: 30

    Biomass: 104

    Crinis Status Page:

    Name: Crinis

    Level: 7 (Rare Core) (V)

    Might: 130

    Toughness: 110

    Cunning: 86

    Will: 64

    HP: 180/180

    MP: 260/260

    Skills:

    Master Shadow Flesh Maniption (IV) Level 15 ; Master Grappling Level 5 (IV); Master Shredding (IV) Level 21; Grand Tremor Sensing (IV) Level 8 ; Barbaric Dismembering (III) Level 14 ; Deeper Fear Inspiration (III) Level 14; Mana Moulding Level (IV) 11; Slick Tentacle Walking (III) Level 16 ; Expert Tentacle Fu Level 12 (III); Further External Mana Maniption level 4 (II); Expert Shadow Magic Affinity (III) Level 13; Advanced Stealth (II) Level 9;

    Mutations:

    Flexible Armoured Shadow flesh +20; Disintegrating Void Maw +20; Vast Endless Dimensional Stomach +20; Dual Legion Tentacles +20; Sharpened Razor Barbs + 20;  Visceral Teeth + 20; Extended Omniscient Mana Sensory nd +20, Deep Reservoir Shadow Magic nd +20, Instant Shadow Flesh Generator +20; Prating Shadow Eye +20; Expanded Masterful Tentacle Conductor +20; Expanded Masterful Tentacle Conductor +20; Unending Light Sink +20; Rapid Shade Phase Organ+20; Void Maw +20; Void Maw +20; Dissolving Cell structure +11;

    Species: Tri-Maw Amorphous Horror

    Skill points: 26

    Biomass: 14

    Invidia Status Page

    Name: Invidia

    Level: 12 (Rare) (VI)

    Might: 14

    Toughness: 40

    Cunning: 212

    Will: 149

    HP: 80/80

    MP: 404/404

    Skills:

    General:

    Diamond Mind (V) Level 43; Expert Stamina (III) Level 15; Zen Meditation (IV) Level 19; Expert Clumsy Flight (III) Level 12;

    Mana:

    Mana Weaving (VI) Level 25; Compounded Mana (V) Level 14; Gripping External Mana Maniption (V) Level 31; Mana Hoarder (IV) Level 6; Layered Mind Magic Affinity (V) Level 7; Broad Mana Sensing (V) Level 7; Enhanced Demon Laser (III) Level 17; Level 1; Master Combustion Magic Affinity (IV) 13; Expert Shield Magic Affinity (III) Level 8; Enhanced Healing Magic Affinity (II) Level 6;

    Defensive:

    Master Flutter (IV) Level 11;

    Offensive:

    Master Precise Shooting (IV) Level 12;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Prating Eye of Envy + 25; Grand Mana sensory Organ +25; Fine-tuned Mana fment finder +25;

    Physical:

    Vast Bottomless Stomach + 25; Rapid Mana Charging Wings +25, Erged Mana Finding Demon Pocket +25; Mana Absorbing Dimension Mouth +25;

    Mental:

    Omni-Divergent Thought Brain +25; Reinforced Will Barrier +25; Layered Neural Adaptor +25;

    Mana:

    Mana Manipting Cortex +25;

    Species: Lesser Envy Demon

    Skill points: 25

    Biomass: 133

 Chapter 438 The new nest

    <h4>Chapter 438 The new nest </h4>

    As we approach the nest I find myself in a huddle with Torrina, Corun and my pet gang in the centre of our column. I''m not sure where the prisoners are being held, somewhere toward the back, I imagine. Hopefully they can adjust to their new abode. I may not like them very much, but I don''t want total suffering for them. ws crossed we use them as part of a peace negotiation or something.

    My Vestibule is sparking to life as more and more antse into range and begin to provide their own trickle of energy. Frankly, the number of ants is already out of control and I don''t think I''ve reached them all yet. I''d estimate close to five thousand are feeding me energy and I''m starting to buzz as if I just drank ten cups of coffee and followed it with a kilogram of raw sugar. Keeping my focus is¡­ difficult. Perhaps a higher Will stat will help me resist this effect? I''ll need to test itter.

    The tunnel begins to widen out and tten itself as the rocky protrusions are suddenly gone, as if sheared away by mandibles. The roof remains a little rough though and it takes me a little while to figure out why. Behind each carefully sloped bump is a well disguised hole behind which an ant could emerge without being seen. Clever stuff! In fact, when I look closer, the tunnel ceiling has been left deliberately rough, and not smoothed out like the floor. The ground has been smoothed out so well you could y marbles on here, but the small deviations and bumps that make the stone much easier to grip remain above my head.

    [This is some good work,] Corun observes as he walks.

    [What do you mean?] I ask him.

    He pulls a face.

    [Look closely at the floor and walls. Achieving this level of smoothness isn''t easy with magic. It appears to have beenpressed as well. Trying to get itpacted and remain this even? I''m impressed.]

    He''s right. My digging Skill is telling me the soil all around has been pressed hard, making it much harder to bite into. Yet it''s super smooth, with nothing to grip or hold onto. Is that to make it harder to reach the roof tunnels from the ground?

    [Wait a second, what''s that?] Torrina breaks in. [Further up on the wall, it doesn''t look as t.]

    She''s right. As we approach it bes clear that there''s an image carved into the wall. The indentation is shallow, not enough to provide a foothold, but the image is sharp nheless. Magically done, no doubt.

    [Look at that,] Torrina gasps, [it''s so well done!]

    [Very lifelike!] Corun admires the image, walking closer to take it in. [Looks like it was made with abination of magic and carving. See here? You can see the residual scrape marks, even if only barely. A lot of effort went into this!]

    From behind I can see the image is of a very impressive and dignified ant, standing proud with a well-shaped carapace and powerful mandibles cking with determination. If I was in any doubt who it was meant to be, the small ape depicted riding on the ant''s back would give it away.

    [Is that meant to be Tiny?] Corun wonders, looking over at the big ape.

    [That''s me and Tiny just after he was reconstituted,] I tell them reluctantly.

    They both look at me, then back at the carving, then back at me before they both turn away. They''re trying to hide it but I can see both of their shoulders are shaking as they strain to repress theirughter.

    [I didn''t ask for them to do that! Alright?! Let''s just keep moving!]

    There''s heaps of great ants in this Colony, carve someone else dammit! Like the Queen! Or Vibrant! Or anybody!

    Sadly, that wasn''t thest time I had to put up with the Golgariughing. Turns out that wasn''t the only carving that depicted me and my pets. I''m not sure which carver was the first to work out his technique, but they sure as hell went nuts with it! Every damn inch of the walls is covered with art!

    There''s me arriving at the Colony for the first time. Meeting with Mother. The development of Pheromonenguage, using traps to feed the Colony, hunting in groups. The first war of the hill is depicted invish detail, a series of enormous murals dedicated to scenes of the great battle.

    Torrina and Corun can''t help but be curious about the evolving story so I wind up having to exin the images as we go along, despite each of them glorifying my contributions far too much, something I hasten to assure them. Our escape during the wave, meeting Crinis, running into Beyn, it''s all there.

    Exining the interactions we''ve had with the humans of Liria is awkward to say the least. Both of the Golgari have perplexed looks on their faces when that particr saga is done. Only for it to be followed with the war against Garralosh and her spawn.

    [That is one big monster,] Corun gasps. [On the surface? That''s insane!]

    [Oh, she had help,] I assure him, and point an antenna to the ce a lizard nked by his six servants is shown.

    [A Kaarmodo! She was a candidate?]

    [Yes indeed,] I confirm. [That''s the damnable lizard that told you lot about me, Granin informed me. Can''t say I''m grateful.]

    [Aww, but then you would have never met me!] Corun protests.

    [You''re making it worse,] Torrina jokes with him, before turning to me. [Did you absorb the core from that creature? If not, do you still have it?]

    [I ¡­ didn''t absorb it, no. But I do still have it.]

    I haven''t wanted to think about that core ever since the fight.

    She nods.

    [That''s good. I''d like to see it if possible,] she holds up her hands, [I won''t interfere with it in any way. A chance to peer at the details of a candidate monster is a rare blessing.]

    [I suppose I can arrange that,] I sigh.

    With all the trouble looming, I''ll have to focus on maxing out my core, which probably means absorbing that thing as soon as I can. Not looking forward to that¡­

    Up ahead the tunnel narrows down to a limited opening on the right hand side and as we pass through, I can see that there are numerous defensive positions carved into the back of the opening, almost like a vertical wall which would allow ants to look out when clinging to the rock. Clever idea!

    Shortly after passing through we''re joined by two more busybodies.

    [Can''t we rest! I can only slither so much!] Jimins.

    The week of travel has been especially hard on the worm and more than once I''ve seen him looped around Sarah like a bby scarf whilst she marched with us.

    [I could get the ants to grip you with their mandibles and drag you,] I offer him, [although they might get a taste for your tender flesh.]

    The giant worm shudders and the menacing bear that looms over all of us ces a gentle w on his back.

    [Don''t tease him, Anthony,] she says, [Jim''s having a hard enough time moving into a nest full of predators.]

    [He''s never been safer in his life than now,] I scoff, [but I do understand. Soon enough you''ll have your ownfy space and you can work out what you want to do with yourselves. No pressure from me.]

    [Thanks, Anthony. For everything. By the way, have you seen these incredible carvings?] She nudges her nose toward a three metre tall depiction of me entering the second strata. [The details are incredible! You''re telling me that ants did this? What else can they do?]

    As she talks we approach a gigantic bound steel gate set into the tunnel. Numerous cores and enchantments hum with power across the surface and smack in the centre stands a proud image of an ant''s head.

    [Apparently, anything¡­] I tell her.

    These damn siblings of mine?! Haven''t they learned a bit too much!?

 Chapter 439 Tickles Denied

    <h4>Chapter 439 Tickles Denied </h4>

    As if the first gate wasn''t impressive enough, the second one is evenrger, thicker and more heavily enchanted than the first. Not to mention it positively bristles with ants in defended lookout posts. How anyone could possibly break through, I''ve no idea. If another wave happened, we''d beughing at the monsters on the outside. Unless a battering ram made from living metal happens to spawn nearby, I don''t think anything will get through.

    That''s not a challenge, Gandalf! Don''t you dare create that frickin'' creature just to spite me!

    After passing through the second gate, the procession began to break up. Sarah and Jim are led to a nearby chamber to rest as the scouts, soldiers and generals break away to find their own chambers to enjoy their rest. As they march past me I don''t see the grateful ants I thought I would, but tense and somewhat resentful ones. You hate rest that much?! For a brief moment I contemte increasing their enforced break to twenty four hours, but managed to contain myself.

    "I told you they wouldn''t like it."

    "Sloan? Bah! Who cares if they don''t like it? Rest is important and we''re all extremely fatigued. They need it."

    She shrugs.

    "You may be right about that. I know I''m exhausted."

    I look at her appraisingly.

    "That''s not something I hear many members of the council admit to, Sloan. Is this indicative of growth?"

    "Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps I''ve just been working harder."

    "You''re tier four now, so you should be."

    "True."

    With the soldier caste gone, the workers and crafters also peel away to find their own ces to rest, making sure to give me the stink eye as they leave. I make it a point to stare them down, waving them away with my antennae. Yeah, you go rest and you freakin'' like it.

    Without any destination in mind, I start to wander down a branching tunnel, just taking in the design with my pets in tow. The further I go, the more of my siblings begin to cover the surface of the tunnel and I notice something different. The way the tunnel has been shaped is off. Only when I pause, causing a few hurried ants to crawl over me since I''m holding up traffic, do I realise the difference. In the first nest, tunnels were usually round and fairly narrow. Like you would imagine the inside of an ant nest to be back on Earth. Cramped, little tunnels that connect simrly cramped chambers together.

    This is different. The tunnel is wide, with enough overhead space to allow ''twones'' of traffic to exist, one on the floor and one on the ceiling. More than that, the shape of the floor and ceiling aren''t t, but rather folded into waves, like the letter ''w''. By watching the ants travelling around me, I realise that this increases the surface area that can be gripped, allowing more ants to move through at the same time. The ceiling is shaped the same way, but with the dips and valleys opposite to the floor, so the same distance is maintained from the ground and the roof at all times. It''s a little thing, but it''s super clever! They''ve really been putting those brains I gave them to good use! Chuffed, I keep moving down the tunnel, taking in the sights.

    After a few dozen metres, I notice something that I haven''t seen before embedded in one of the walls. Curious, I skitter over to it so I can make a more thorough inspection. It looks like a metal te, indented with numerous grooves that form a strange pattern. I look at the thing with interest, unable to work out what it''s for. Have the Carvers decided to engage in some sort of modern art project? I wouldn''t call the thing objectively beautiful, but it certainly is different. Then all of a sudden the metal te speaks at me.

    "Remember, daily rest is mandatory!"

    "Gah!"

    I leap back in surprise when my antennae register the ant pheromones emitting from the thing. What the heck was that?! It speaks? Obviously I know that it isn''t speaking as an ant would, of its own volition. This is clearly a clever invention that can store pheromonal messages and ''y'' them like a recording! Astounding!

    I approach it once more and start tippy tapping it with my antennae, in the hopes of detecting exactly what is happening. I can''t sense a damn thing though. Once it had spread its message, all sign of pheromones have vanished without a trace. Are they magically developed? That would be nuts. Curiosity fulfilled, I continued to make my way within the nest.

    When wee across a chamber, the first thing I notice is its unusual size. Much like the tunnels, it''s been built wider, with a higher ceiling and the surfaces are all constructed with that same wavy rise and fall, dotted with side tunnels. My antennae tingle with a constant stream of antmunication and the persistent trails that advertise where each tunnel leads. Rather disturbingly, in the centre of the chamber, a rather borate looking stone statue of what appears to be me stands proudly, pointing into the distance with one leg as the antennae slope forward at a noble and confident angle. An angle you would never find my own antennae at, by the way.

    These damn ants with their carvings and statues! Why? Why would ants like statues?! It makes no sense! I feel a bubbling rage building up in my carapace and for a moment I''m tempted to go down there and smack the thing down, but rather quickly I start to get noticed. Which isn''t hard when Tiny, Crinis and Invidia are trailing along behind me.

    It isn''t much, but the ants slow down a touch when they see me, some of them muttering or whispering to each other as they rush past.

    [You guys probably need a bit of rest. Find yourselves afortable chamber and get some sleep. We''ll go out hunting tomorrow before we make any long term ns.]

    [Hmm. Slip.]

    [Understood, Master. You won''t go far, will you?]

    [No¡­]

    [Fine.]

    [Precioussss sssleep. I wantsss it!]

    The three of them wander off and I''m confident it won''t be long until a helpful ant leads them to a quiet spot. For myself, I want to try and find somewhere a little less crowded. Maybe I''ll go y with the brood. Those little grubs are always in need of a good tickling! Putting my antennae down I start to follow the trails to the brood chambers, joining into the winding trails that flow this way and that throughout the nest. Before long I tumble into a soothing chamber filled with wigglingrvae, lovingly tended by the ever watchful brood tenders.

    "Hey all," I say, "just looking for a quiet spot. Mind if I hang out here for a while?"

    These grubs look criminally under-tickled! I have much work to do. Waiting for a response, I check on the ants and notice that they don''t seem to be looking at me. This is something that''s hard to tell amongst us members of the Colony, since we see pretty close to omni-directionally, but it''s a skill I''ve been developing. They''re watching something behind me, right in my blind spot. I have a bad feeling about this.

    "Hello Mothe-"

    THWACK!

    Dammit! She could never have snuck up on me if I wasn''t distracted by the grubs!

    "Wee home, child. It''s been some time since I saw you."

 Chapter 440 Words with Mother

    <h4>Chapter 440 Words with Mother </h4>

    "Oh! Hello there Mother¡­ I, uh, didn''t expect to see you here!"

    "In the brood chambers, child? Where else would I be?"

    I can almost sense another thwacking¡­ The first one really hurt! She''s had a serious increase to her physical stats since her evolution. I rub the top of my head with an antenna as I quickly ponder my response.

    "Wherever you want to be, Mother?"

    THWACK!

    Ouch!

    "You wouldn''t be suggesting I would skip out on my duty to the Colony, would you?"

    "Of course not! Who would ever think of such a thing?!"

    Dangit, Mother! My poor head! What did I even do? Turning around to face my overbearing parent, I take a chance to see how she''s been faring. She looks fine, no wounds or scarring to mar her carapace. That ever-present twinkle in her eye is still apparent, as is the unusual level of force she''s able to generate with her antennae. There must be a ''mother'' perk buried in the system somewhere that grants bonus damage when disciplining children, otherwise it just doesn''t make sense.

    "If you''re mad at me, Mother, then please just tell me what I''ve done," I capitte.

    I don''t have the heart to try and get out of my well-earned ''thwacks''. I''ve once again evaded my responsibilities and brought danger down on the Colony. A few knocks on the head are the least of what I deserve. Instead, the Queen just looks down at me, curious.

    "I am not mad at you, child. I am pleased to see you."

    "Got a funny way of showing it¡­" I mutter.

    "What was that? I didn''t quite catch the scent."

    "Ah, nothing! Well, uh. It''s nice to see you in such good health! Managing to get out much?"

    "Why yes. I leave the Colony for a daily hunt in order to secure my own Biomass. The prey in the nearby tunnels is bing rather thin, however. I may need to start ranging further¡­"

    They actually let the Queen out for hunts? Not that they could stop her, I suppose, but yikes. I''d love to have seen the council members'' faces when they realised the Queen was going to leave their fortress of a nest and run around in the tunnels.

    "I''m going to assume you have an escort?"

    The Queen sighs.

    "Yes. They insist and I don''t really want to say no, even if I do think it''s a bit of a waste. Those children could all be contributing in a more meaningful way. I feel bad for them."

    She shouldn''t.

    "Mother, I think if you were to ask, you''d find that every member of your escort is more than happy to be there. I''m sure of it, in fact."

    The honour of guarding the Queen? Almost every ant in the Colony would be delighted to have the chance. I''ve no doubt that every member of her guards was carefully chosen to be the best at what they do. No way the council would leave the health of their Mother to chance.

    This chamber really is packed with brood. Dozens of brood tenders pick amongst the little grubs, ensuring that each is fed and cleaned, ready to take on the next step in their lifecycle and be a pupa. Pretty clear that the Queens have been busy down here.

    "Looks like the rate of growth has exploded," I tip an antenna at the young, "are we still making sure each hatchling is educated properly?"

    "Yes," she assures me. "Although the majority of the brood are born in this nest, they are transported to the first nest during the pupal stage. When they emerge they are taken through the training program before they enter service. I try to keep up with what is being done with the new children, just so I know they''re being taken care of."

    "Well, that''s good. I was a bit worried that they''d get ck once the poption started to explode. Must be hard for them to rustle up enough Biomass and XP for this many hatchlings though¡­"

    There really are a lot. I don''t even know how many eggs are beingid each day right now, could it be as many as a thousand a day?! That would be insane¡­

    "This was mentioned to me once," the Queen informs me, "I believe that the creation of two new nests is being nned in order to extend the hunting grounds."

    TWO more nests? Already?! When I left, this one hadn''t even been started?! Things are really elerating now¡­ Things will spiral out of control pretty darn fast soon. I don''t want to pretend I''ll be able to manage this Colony once the poption hits the millions. If we keep expanding at this rate, that''ll be sooner rather thanter. And what sort of effect will the Vestibule have on me with that many little voices whispering in the back of my mind? They''re already so insistent, I can feel them tugging at my awareness, nudging me in different directions than I would otherwise take. The Collective Will Vestibule does exactly what it says on the tin, it feeds me the Will of all of the ants within range, telling me what they want, driving me to act as the agent of that super-mind.

    And they are imcable. They want me to hunt, to battle, to dig, to build, to seek and destroy our enemies and tend the young. They want all of those with an intensity that is beyond anything a human could achieve. Even as familiar with ants as I am, even I''m a little shocked that I never seem to detect the slightest ripple of selfish desire. Always the collective, putting the Colony above themselves, never a solitary thought of indulgence or rxation. At this point, I don''t even know what I would do if one did start to think that way. Punish them? Celebrate them? Perhaps as we expand, it''s only inevitable that such an individual will be born.

    As I ponder the inevitable future of the Colony, the Queen looks down on me patiently.

    "What are you pondering, child? Don''t you have important work to be about? I know that many are waiting to speak with you."

    Her words shake me out of my contemtion. I have a massive list of jobs to get done. I need to share the things I''ve learned about spell casting with the Mages, I have to talk to the Core Shapers and pass on the techniques and strategies I learned from the Sophos. Then I should meet with the council about our nning in regards to theing conflict. Not to mention the expansion of our territory and how I might help with that. I should probably pay a visit to the surface (if I even can) and check in with the humans and the upper nest, just to make sure things are still peaceful up there. So much to do!

    "Yes that''s true," I nod my antennae, "there''s a huge list of things I have to get done. Thanks for the reminder."

    I turn and march toward the nearest grub.

    "What are you doing, child?" The Queen asks, confused.

    "I decided to start with the most important job first. Grub tickling!"

    THWACK!

 Chapter 441 A busy day in the antborough

    <h4>Chapter 441 A busy day in the antborough </h4>

    Despite receiving the justice of my mother, I stoically endured her disapproving gaze for as long as I could manage in order to tickle grubs. Their joyful wiggles warmed my heart even as I quailed inside, anticipating another THWACK at any moment. In the end, I could only hold out for ten minutes before I slunk from the chamber, only to find myself in even more sacred territory, the eggying room!

    Victoriant and Antite look up at me in surprise as I crawl down through a gap in the ceiling.

    "Eldest! What are you doing here?"

    "Oh, you know me. Just checking in on everyone and seeing how things are going."

    "He''s avoiding work," the Queen calls out as she enters the chamber after me.

    The two younger Queens give each other a brief look.

    "The Eldest? Avoiding work? Surely you jest Mother!"

    "Such a thing is impossible!"

    The two of themugh together and I hasten to cut Mother off before she can destroy my reputation. What can I use to distract her?!

    "Ah! Is that Aphy the aphid Queen I see? She''s gotten big!"

    It''s true, in one corner of the eggying chamber, a muchrger than before aphid Queen is nibbling on some Biomass next to her own little pile of eggs, looking very pleased with herself.

    "Yes, she evolved not that long ago," the Queen can''t help but rush over to dote on her pet with pats and scritches. "I wasn''t sure about bringing her down to this Strata, but in the end I felt a lot morefortable when she''s somewhere I can keep an eye on her. You do like to get up to mischief, don''t you Aphy?"

    "Chirrup!"

    The much smaller bug monster makes a noise of delight as it leans into the Queen''s antenna like some sort of cat.

    "The brood tenders take care of the aphid young as well?" I ask.

    "Of course!" Victoriant chips in, "they seem to get the bonus stats from their care just as well as the hatchlings do, and each aphid will pay the colony back far more Biomass that we spend on Aphy to get them hatched."

    "So the feeding is going well in the marsh expanse?"

    "Aphy''s children are far more useful than that," the Queen tells me warmly, still radiating affection towards her pet, "they''ve been spread to four separate expanses in the first Strata now."

    FOUR!?

    "Since when did we own that much territory?" I ask, bbergasted.

    "After you left, the expansion happened pretty quickly," Antite muses. "The Generals, Soldiers and Scouts were super excited about it. They were all fired up every time they found a new expanse. I think they sent a thousand Soldiers into the Red Woods Expanse on the first day they found it."

    A thousand?! But why?!

    "I heard the same," Victoriant confirms, "I think they conquered the whole thing in two hours."

    Yeesh, they really were getting carried away.

    "How many members of the Colony are there, right now?" I ask. "The number can''t be that high, can it?"

    There''s a moment of reflective silence as the three gathered Queens ponder for a moment.

    "You know, child, I''m not exactly sure," Mother answers me. "I haven''t been keeping count¡­ perhaps the brood tenders on the council might know?"

    The two younger Queens both echo the sentiment, they''ve no idea. I can get a rough sense of how many are in range of the Vestibule, but I can''t actually count them precisely.

    "I''ll ask as I move around the nest, someone must be keeping a count."

    Ah well, can''t put it off any longer. I limber up my legs and make my way up the wall.

    "Heading out, child?" The Queen asks, barely concealed amusement peppering her scent.

    "Yes, Mother. The work never ends, as well you know."

    "An end to work? What a terrible thought," she muses before turning back to pat Aphy some more.

    Hah. I''ve only just gotten back and already a vacation is starting to sound nice. No! Bad Anthony! Stay firm! Alright then, time to head over to the core shapers, then I''ll check in with the mages and teach them a few things. I need to catch up with the carvers, talk about their ns. Maybe there''s some engineering or building knowledge tucked away in my head somewhere¡­ Unlikely, but maybe I can describe a few cool buildings and see if it inspires them?

    I need to find who''s making all these carvings of me as well. And the statues! Enough is enough already!

    After that¡­ council I suppose, then surface. Yeesh, so much to do. I might need to try and slip some torpor in there somewhere, just in case I need a mental break. Full of determination, I follow the scent trails to the core shaper workshop and find both Be and Ellie hard at work. It takes a few hours but I''m able to demonstrate the new techniques I''ve learned and share all the knowledge of monster builds that I picked up from the Shapers. The two council members seem giddy with delight at these gifts and dere that they must bemitted to the library immediately!

    "Library?" I ask, puzzled.

    "Of course!" Ellie proims, "we need to preserve this information for further study."

    "Yeah, but how? Since when do you have a library?"

    "Oh! You haven''t seen one yet? The carvers got the idea from the humans, I think. A way to store information. Check it out!"

    She rushes over the one side of the busy chamber and returns with a metal te grasped gently in her mandibles.

    She ces it on the table and I peer at the thing closely. It looks like a page, but instead of lines of text, it has grooves filled with a clear, gel like substance. I''m a little nervous that it''s going to shout something at me like the one I found in the tunnel, but I bring an antenna down to smell it.

    "Core experiment #424. Attempting to make something useful out of the centipede variety of monster has proven to be impossible. A more hopeless, failed concept of a monster is yet to be -."

    "You''ve found a way to preserve pheromones?!"

    "Indeed! It''s very useful being able to ''read''. Saves a lot of time around here, let me tell you." Ellie assures me.

    "Efficiency is way up," Be confirms.

    The rate these ants are developing is out of control.

    "Well, good luck with what I told you. I hope it helps out a bit."

    I make a hasty farewell and totter off to my next meeting. Books? Ants with books. I guess it makes sense in a way, I just didn''t think they''d get going this fast. How long until they put an ant on the moon? Neil Antstrong may be just a few generations away!

 Chapter 442 Upturning the applecart

    <h4>Chapter 442 Upturning the applecart </h4>

    After my visit to the core shapers and taking in their own advancements, I hustle off to find Propent and Cont. I track down the two mages busily training their own Skills and overseeing the progress of their fellow caste members in the ''mage training area''. Appropriate, I suppose. A ratherrge, enclosed ce that puts me somewhat in mind of a bowling alley. Long, straightnes to the left and right on both the floor and the ceiling, each ending in a carved, enchanted target which the ants hurl spells at.

    The noise is deafening. Roaring mes, shattering ice, sshing water, crunching stone and rushing air are all around, the sounds mingling into a shattering din. Luckily, hearing has nothing to do with being able to talk when you''re an ant, so I manage to find who I''m looking for by asking around.

    "Hello, Eldest," Cont wees me, "how do you like our new training facility?"

    "It''s looking good!" I congratte the two of them, "presumably you''re seeing some good results from it?"

    She flicks an antenna with authority.

    "At the moment we have three separate training areas that are being assessed. All of these mages report daily on their MP used, number of spells cast and Skill gains. Hopefully, we''ll have some hard data soon and can adjust our training to be more optimised."

    Already conducting experiments and trying to optimise the training time? They grow up so fast¡­ Also, three separate locations? Looking around, there must be at least a hundred mages in here! I keep forgetting how many of us there are now. Focusing on why I''vee, I tell the two council members all about my experience with the Golgari Shapers, the ways of training, different levels of magic, the various elements andbinations thereof, and the extraordinary power of mind magic whenbined with high stats.

    It''s a lot for the two of them to digest and I leave them to it after letting them know I''ll be hosting a council meetingter on. With that job ticked off, it''s time to chase down the carvers, Tungstant and Cobalt. The two of them are much harder to find, neither of them are working in the forges, enchanting chambers or even in the statuary.

    Yes. A statuary. I know I wanted to let the ants do whatever they felt called to them, let them find their own way in life¡­ I just didn''t expect statues!

    Sigh.

    Just let it go. It makes them happy, what''s the harm in it? I''ll just move on. Before I leave that particr chamber I just ask very politely if they would consider other subjects for their works. I''m not sure how well they listen to that suggestion, most of them appeared to be taking my measurements with their antennae whilst I was talking.

    I dly hustle my way out of there and eventually track down the two I''m looking for in a ''design sketching chamber''. As I enter, I don''t see the two of them drawing anything, but rather talking to each other as they fuss over an intricate 3D model of carved stone.

    "Looks good!" I say as I approach. "Is that theyout of this nest?"

    They startle a little as I approach, so engrossed in their discussion that they don''t notice me squeeze into the room.

    "Oh, Eldest!" Cobalt greets me. "No, not at all. This is the proposed design for the third nest."

    "What do you mean, proposed? I thought this was epted!" Tungstant protests.

    "With this tunnelyout? Please."

    "You have topromise somewhere, Cobalt!" The other carver fumes. "The stone in the third quadrant is too soft! Proper design has to be shaped to suite the environment, not forced on it!"

    "You call this suiting the environment? This is a hack! Difficult problems require elegant solutions!"

    "What''s Ellie got to do with this?"

    "Whoa there, you two. Chill out a little."

    I interrupt them before theyunch into what feels like a well-worn argument and they remain silent as I inspect the model. It really is a fantastic piece of work. Every chamber is perfectly shaped to the desired dimensions, not to mention they are ''open'' on one side to show the intricately formed interior of every space. Some of the connections between pieces are spiderweb thin, appearing as delicate as blown ss.

    "How the heck do you make something like this?" I ask them in wonder.

    "Oh, it''s something we figured out. Certain types of rock can hold mana which makes them more durable," Tungstant informs me.

    I''m impressed as heck! What an incredible disy of skill! I cast my eyes over the intricate connection of chambers, tunnels, with their borate defences. In the heart of the nest design lies the eggying and brood chambers, as one would expect,plete with tiny stone grub carvings.

    "Do we even have Queens to popte this nest?" I ask. "I thought there were only the three here and then another group in the first nest?"

    Cobalt answers me.

    "Another six Queens have begun being raised as soon as this nest waspleted," she says, "ording to our timetable, we should have the new nests in a solid, defendable state by the time they are ready to move down."

    Six more Queen''s? Almost doubling the rate of eggying we currently have¡­ yikes. I shake off my shock and spend a little time talking to the two of them about whatever I can recall from Earth that pertained to construction. Some of it is just words, like "superstructure", or "load bearing walls", but perhaps more useful are the descriptions of famous buildings that I could still picture. The Pyramids, the Eiffel tower, the statue of liberty, stadiums, hospitals, skyscrapers. Basically, I dump everything I think of on them and leave it for them to sort out. Hopefully, they''ll be able to pull at least a little workable information from the mess I just handed over.

    "Ah! Don''t forget about the council meeting. Two hours!" I call back to them as I leave their chamber.

    The two of them are standing in silent contemtion and don''t respond to me before I''m gone. I''m sure they caught my scent, it''ll be fine. With two hours to kill before the meeting begins, I have a little time on my ws. What to do?

    [Master Mind Magic Affinity (IV) has reached Level 8.]

    Oh! Nice! Ever since my gruelling training with Torrina, I''ve been in the habit of constantly working my sub-brains, always handling one type of construct or another. Right now, all three brains are grinding away on Mind Magic, trying to push closer to that rank five threshold. With my feet nted firmly in the mana rich walls of the Dungeon, I don''t have any issue with mana and thanks to my Vestibule, mental fatigue isn''t as much of an issue, meaning the training has been more effective than ever!

    I''d really rather not, but I suppose I may as well head over to that mage training area and work on my spells. Still a long way to go before I hit that elemental fusion I''m after. I wonder what sort of Skill I''ll get when I finally manage toplete it? Well, I just hope it doesn''t suck.

 Chapter 443 Council Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 443 Council Meeting </h4>

    "Was it really necessary to construct a council meeting chamber? We hardly ever have a meeting¡­"

    It''s quite nice too. They even have what appear to be ant specific chairs. They look like a padded bench in three sections, one for each of our body segments, joined together at the right angle for us to rest on them. Interestingly, this means that there''s a specific chair for each of us due to the polymorphic nature of our colony. One size doesn''t fit all when ites to us. The chairs are arranged in a wide circle with a low round table carved from pure rock in the centre. Atop the table sits a ttened map of the dungeon engraved on the surface in perfect detail.

    "I can''t help but feel like this is more effort than was needed."

    Since we entered from the roof, the walls are free from openings and host an incredible panoramic carving of the twenty, with myself featuring prominently, because of course. It''s nice to see Grant is also given pride of ce, her sacrifice remembered with a wonderful mural of her service to our family. Her death still weighs on me heavily, perhaps that''s arge part of why I needed to get away from the colony after the battle. Don''t worry Grant, I won''t run away anymore¡­

    "It''s fine, isn''t it Eldest? These meetings are usually important, right? Seems like we should hold them in an important looking ce," Wills gives her thoughts.

    "I can see what the Eldest is saying," Tungstant muses, "this space is close to the centre of the nest and could have been used for all sorts of things."

    "Right? We can hold these meetings in any tunnel, no need to get fancy," I press.

    "Well, I think it''s nice," says Antite as she settles onto her chair. "We need to be worthy of the space our family has prepared for us."

    That''s a good sentiment. A little hesitant, I crawl over my own seat and gradually lower myself down into it, allowing my not insignificant weight to fall on it. It''s surprisinglyfy, allowing my legs to just hang loose, without any need to support the rest of me.

    "I think it''s important that we clearly assess our current situation," Victor leads off, "what are our threats? Where is the enemy?"

    "It may be more valuable to understand where the colony stands as a whole, as opposed to focusing on our foes," Sloan disagrees.

    "I''m more interested in that, to start with," I say, "There''s so much happening right now that I don''t know about. The development of our knowledge, techniques and craftsmanship is way beyond what I expected at this point."

    Each of the council members shifts and wiggles their antennae with glee, pleased with thispliment, especially the carvers.

    "We only did as you asked of us, Eldest," Mendant answers me, "we tried to draw every ounce of information from the humans that we could and adapt it to our needs."

    "I''m just surprised at what you picked up. Like, the magnificent carvings and artworks," I gesture to the walls with one antenna, "not exactly the sort of thing I expected the colony to prioritise."

    The rest of the council shift slightly to take in the walls a little better.

    "Well, to be honest, most of us didn''t really see the point of it," Cobalt admits.

    "It was really only a small group of carvers who decided to pick it up in earnest," Tungstant says.

    "Any idea why?" I''m curious.

    "I''m not sure, you might have to ask them yourself. The rest of the carvers who specialise in construction have picked up the Skill to one degree or another. Once the bar for aesthetics had been set, we were determined that it would uniform. Since it doesn''t detract from the function of the spaces, there''s not really any harm," Cobalt says.

    "Fine. I just want it put on the record that I''m ufortable with having so many images of myself hung up everywhere."

    "Uh¡­ What''s the ''record''," Cont asks.

    "Like, a written record of our meeting."

    "Ooh" they chorus.

    "Let''s do that," Mendant says.

    "No problem, I''ll write it all downter and we can publish it in one of the central tunnels. That way anyone can read it," Be deres.

    "Alright, fine! Now what the heck is going on with the colony?"

    "I''ll start!" Vibrant throws an antenna into the air. "You all talk too much! So, after you left we took a whole bunch of new territory and expanse'', you can see them here, here and over there." She raises up a leg to point at the map. "We got a whole bunch of foot and experience. New nest is here, new nests going over there and around here somewhere. We think there''s an underground city around here somewhere and -"

    "Wait, what?!" I shout.

    "A city, or something like it. The signs are there, at least. Shaped passages, footprints, noises¡­ So, anyway -"

    "We need to seize that city."

    Silence falls at the table, no scent hanging in the air.

    "That''s¡­ unusual,ing from you, Eldest," Advant observes.

    "Portals. I exined this to Cont and Propent already, but our foes can move vast distances in an instant with this magic. If there are portals in that city¡­"

    "They''ll appear right next to us?" Sloan asks slowly.

    "Right. This nk zone which might have a city in it¡­ that''s right between this nest and the proposed third. If an army were to suddenly appear there, we''ll have a difficult fight on our ws."

    "The Eldest is right," Victor says, "we need to strike first to neutralise this threat. We can mobilise a force in two hours."

    "We can''t move that quickly!" Advant protests. "We have no idea what we''re going into. We cannot afford to throw lives away before this conflict even begins!"

    Another moment of contemtion.

    "I agree with Advant. We should still have a little time, they still don''t know exactly where we are. A few days. Scout it out, push deeper and get a clearer picture. We need to act fast."

    "Great!" Vibrant cheers.

    "I''ll head to the vige and talk to them about this. There may be a way they can help. I want Cobalt and Mendant toe with me. I have a few things to discuss with you two. We''lle back to this meeting in a day, when we know more. And can someone please get me a count of how many ants there are!"

 Chapter 444 Whatâ€™s going on up here?

    <h4>Chapter 444 What''s going on up here? </h4>

    The council meeting was cut brutally short, the revtion of a possible city underground, so close to where the Colony is operating, warranted immediate investigation. If an enormous pile of Golgari pop out of a city, right on our doorstep, our home ground advantage will go for nothing. Not to mention they could nk us horrifically. I also need to be wary of the possible reinforcements that they call in. We need to move fast, ufortably fast.

    To this end, I hurry to gather up my entourage for this whirlwind trip to the surface. I pick up Torrina and Corun before gathering my pets. Rather than bring them with me, I decide to send them in support of the scouting efforts. They''ll be more useful there. If something does end up going south, they''ll be able to help the ants escape with lives. There''s only one problem with this n.

    [Nooooooo, I won''t leave you, Master!]

    [Crinis! I''m only going to the surface, I''ll be back in less than a day! Will you get off me!?]

    [I won''t!]

    [Don''t make me order you!]

    [Don''t do it, Master! You''ll get sucked through a portal, or challenged by a mega-monster, or slip and fall down a pit andnd in the fifth strata, or an ancient will rise from the depths and swallow you, forcing you to live as a parasite in its gullet, or a great confluence of stars will smite you down the moment you set foot out of the tunnels! Take me with you!]

    ¡­ All of those things soundpletely ridiculous, but why is it I can''t seem to say that none of them will happen? I have managed to put my ws in some unlikely, bad situations during my stay on Pangera.

    [Alright, fine! Youe with me. Tiny and Invidia, you guys go with Sloan to check out this underground city.]

    [Yes!]

    [I shallll peel away their secretssss.]

    Crinis nearly cracks my carapace with her grip as she wriggles with joy at my concession. I suppose it does make sense to take a bodyguard with me wherever I go. It''s certainly not likely that I run into trouble on the surface, but I''m starting to be allergic to taking chances. With that done, I depart on a brisk journey upwards to the surface nest. Corun and Torrina do an admirable job keeping up with my monstrous stamina but we do end up having to take a few breaks. It''s during one of these that I notice something strange.

    My Vestibule is still aze with energy from the plethora of ants that pick their way through the tunnels around me. Scouting, hunting, hatchlings on training expeditions, there''s no shortage of reasons for the Colony to be active in this area. Yet I feel there''s something else, something¡­ slippery. A tiny presence that somehow slips out of my awareness when I''m not paying attention to it. A small cluster of muted lights that seem to hover nearby, fading in and out of existence. Since they turn up in the Vestibule, I have to assume they''re rted to the Colony in some way, but nheless, I''m put on edge by their strange elusiveness. For the rest of the journey, I try to identify or see whatever is causing this phenomenon, but I can''t seem to get a grip on them.

    Besides that, we reach the surface nest without incident. It''s interesting to be surrounded by so many hatchlings in the tunnels. They''re so tiny! It''s hard to believe I was once so small and weak. I''m almost tall enough for them to crawl beneath me without having to lift myself up! As one would expect, there are more Brood Tenders here than anything else, supervising the pupae and guiding the hatchlings once they''ve emerged. It''s nice to see that a sizeable garrison of morebat-oriented castes still maintain a very visible presence in order to protect the precious future of the Colony. Not to mention the huge number of carvers bustling about, carting materials, and working in the huge forging chambers we pass.

    There''s something weird about watching ants work a smithy¡­

    As we pass one such chamber, I see a carver, amongst the smallest of all the castes, taking a blinding hot rod of metal out of a circr forge with her bare mandibles, before cing it down on a low built anvil. Moving quickly, she skitters off to one side and triggers a mechanism that brings a heavy weight down from above onto the metal with a resounding ng! Sparks fly and she resets the mechanism, the weight rising slowly as she repositions the metal with her mandibles before triggering it again.

    I was wondering how they were hoping to work metal without the capacity to use a hammer¡­ although with another evolution they could probably work to build up the strength in their front arms. They could grip a hammer just fine, but the leg strength isn''t there at tier three.

    We rush past all manner of interesting chambers until we breach the surface. I step into the re of the bright, surface light and immediately feel my core shudder in pain. Here on the surface, the mana concentration takes a massive dip and the drain that was already in effect the moment I crossed from the second strata to the first suddenly kicks into overdrive. My days of leisurely wandering about up here are long gone, my friends. It''s the tunnels for me.

    As I did in the past, I reach out with my external mana control and drag every scrap of energy I can reach into my core to stave off the drain, but even with my increased Skills, I can''t cover for my loss as effectively as I could before myst evolution. The increased need for mana appears to grow exponentially at each tier. After one more evolution, I won''t even make it half a day on the surface before my core runs dry.

    The town hase a long way since we began. Even standing atop the evenrger and more heavily defended ant hill, I can see new buildings have arisen, and the beginnings of a town wall going up, ants mixed with the human workers, helping to clearnd and shape stones. As I crawl from the hill, I''m a little shocked to see a small open-air building, almost like the tiered seating you''d see in a sports stadium, but much more modest. Every row is filled to capacity with humans wearing strange brown robes, with weird pointy things sticking out the top.

    Come to think of it, they kind of look like antennae¡­

    The moment Ie within their sight, every single one of them throws their hands in the air and cries out with an ecstatic voice.

    "PRAISE THE GREAT ONE! PRAISE HIS SHINYNESS. MAY THE SHADOWS FLEE FROM HIS CARAPACE, AND HIS MANDIBLES PIERCE THE HIDE OF EVIL!"

    What in the hell¡­

    I try to skirt around and avoid them, but the moment I try, they leap from the tforms and rush to greet me. Just when I think I''m going to be buried under a pile of human bodies, they stop and form a loose circle around me, with their hands sped in front of their chests, facing outwards. When I move, they move with me, forming a living barrier of devoutness that goes where I go. When I pick up the pace, they try and run with me, but it''s clear that they can''t all keep up. I sigh and slow down, allowing them to do what they want¡­

    This feels really weird.

 Chapter 445 Would you go to war for some insects?

    <h4>Chapter 445 Would you go to war for some insects? </h4>

    With my circle around me, I eventually find my way into town. It''s a shocking transformation that''s taken ce. Cobbled roads with drainage ditches, a smattering of proper, stone buildings, way more people than I remember and a plethora of other indicators of a thriving, happymunity. To think that mere months ago this ce didn''t have one brick on top of another. There''s still quite a few ants about the ce, watching the humans go about their business, helping out here and there. Most of them are mages, of course, but every now and again a carver pops up with a mage escort to perform the mind magic for them.

    The Colony really has taken my instructions to learn from the humans very seriously. It seems as though they won''t be satisfied until they extract every little piece of information they can get their mandibles on. Considering the rate of improvement that they''ve shown, it''s working like a charm.

    Corun and Torrina draw a lot of strange looks as they apany me into the town. Being Golgari, they stand head and shoulders above even the tallest human in town, not to mention their glittering stone skin and generalck of clothing. But even they, as strange and new to these people as they are, don''t seem to be enough to distract from the spectacle of forty robed ''ant-people'' escorting me through the streets. Having them just be there is one thing, but the shouting adds a whole newyer of awkwardness.

    "MAKE WAY FOR THE GREAT ONE!"

    "DO NOT SULLY THE SHINE OF HOLINESS!"

    "PAY PROPER RESPECT! MAKE WAY FOR THE MANDIBLES OF JUSTICE!"

    The WHAT?!

    I thought I was the only one who called them that¡­ Regardless, this public disy of devotion receives something of a mixed response from the gathering crowd of onlookers. Some people, presumably those who''ve seen me before, possibly during the battle against Garralosh, cheer and wave as they see me, or sp their hands and join the shouting, which is less great. Others appear more curious than ted, likely those who haven''t seen an ant of this sort of size or apparent importance wandering around. Then there''s others who seem less delighted to have a giant monster in quite such close proximity to themselves.

    I should have waited outside of town. I just got a little enthused and wanted to see all of the changes that had taken ce. They''ve worked hard, these people. Can''t help if I wanted to have a bit of a sticky-beak.

    [You seem popr up here,] Corunughs over a mind bridge.

    [When you save people''s lives from a horrible death by monster, they tend to be grateful, even if you are a monster.]

    [Even so, some of this feels a little¡­ religious, don''t you think?]

    [I''m not sure I get what you mean¡­]

    [The robes, the singing of praises and such. Granin might be on the right track with you, you''ve already managed to create your own cult!]

    [Antenna Cult?] Torrina says.

    [I was thinking ''Carapace Cult''.]

    [Whoa there, hold on. First off, I do not have a cult. Second of all, you''re cult is the ''Cult of the Worm''. Before you try and start making fun of other people''s cults, not that I have one, you might want to examine your own situation first.]

    [It''s nice to finally see some humans treat Master with the respect he deserves!] Crinis remarks, snippily.

    [They are slowing me down though,] I sigh, [being up here can''t be any morefortable for you than it is for me, Crinis.]

    [I''m fine!]

    [No you aren''t, but not to worry, we''re nearly done.]

    Despite the ever increasing crowd of onlookers, we do eventually push our way through to the newly constructed town hall, a two story building of simple stone construction that is nevertheless very impressive considering how quick they whipped it up. It''s nothingpared to what the carvers are building underground, but hey, they''re only human.

    I use my mana sense and reach out with a mind bridge once I find the person I need.

    [Enid! You can''t possibly tell me that you didn''t know I wasing. Half the town is out here gabbing.]

    [Oh, I know,] she sounds equal parts irritated and weary, [but I''ve been stuck in here listening to people natter on about their issues which apparently can''t be put aside for the sake of a monster.]

    [Are theycking gratitude to that extent?] I''m incredulous, [I hate to interrupt, you but I can''t stay up here for long. One more evolution and you''ll probably never see me on the surface again! Any chance I can break up the meeting? We''ve got some big stuff going on down there.]

    [By all means. It''s hard to focus on mentalmunication when people won''t stop talking to you.]

    Not if you had better mental stats. Enid needs a few more levels if you ask me. Although, she may be a touch too old for Dungeon delving. I turn to one of my ant-headed bodyguards and whipped together a quick connection.

    [Hey there, it''s me, the giant ant standing next to you.]

    The fellow I''m talking to, a middle aged looking chap with a weather beaten face, leaps a metre into the air before turning to look at me with a panic stricken face.

    [Hey, buddy, just breathe, alright? Stay cool. I just need you to grab some of your people, go in there, and make sure Enid cane out and talk to me. Okay? Keep it simple.]

    Seemingly unable to form a coherent response, he nods jerkily, and then thinks better of it and bows deeply. After a moment to collect himself, he grabs two others and drags them into the building, whispering furiously to them as they go. The chap looks a touch ssy eyed, I hope he''s alright. It''s better than having that one armed priest Beyn around, goodness knows what would happen if he were here.

    Not long after they went in, the three ant-robed people bring out a rather startled looking Enid being carried in their arms. She knew that something was going to happen, but I''m not sure that she expected this.

    [Hey, Enid,] I greet her with a friendly wave of an antenna, [been a little while.]

    [It certainly has. Have you changed colour?]

    [What? Ah, no. That''s Crinis. Say hello, Crinis.]

    A section of gloop detaches from my carapace and forms a barbed tentacle, much to the horror of most people watching. Crinis extends the limb towards Enid and waves it yfully before retracting it back into her main mass.

    [She says hi.]

    Enid shakes her head slightly, before she brushes her skirts down and shoos away the hovering ant-people.

    [Apparently there''s something important happening going on down in the Dungeon? Must be big if you''vee back up here, it can''t be pleasant for you. Does it have something to do with your two Golgari friends?]

    [Look, it''s not great to be here, and that''s no knock on thepany. I''m not sure exactly how to phrase this delicately, so I''m just going toe out and say it. I might have identally started a war with the Golgari which is likely to kick off sometime in the next week. There''s also a city under us, apparently? We''ll be trying to take control of that over the next few days.]

    Enid just stares at me.

    [You WHAT? With the Golgari?! Then why are they here?] She points an usatory finger at Torrina and Corun who look back coolly.

    [They, uh, just really believe in me? They''re on our side¡­ because, reasons.]

    [¡­ Right.]

    She massages her temples for a moment as she closes her eyes to think.

    [What do you need from us?] She says, her eyes calm and steady when she opens them again.

    [I really thought you''d be a little more shocked by this.] I admit.

    She sighs.

    [There''s no point, is there? Things move so fast around here that I''m better off just epting and not thinking about it for too long. I''ll need to get the town council together and discuss this, but I''m willing to pledge you our support.]

    That takes me back a little.

    [Really? I was just going to let you know what was happening, I didn''t have any intention of asking you to fight¡­]

    [Anthony, if the Colony is destroyed, we won''tst much longer. Anyone who''s cooperated with monsters as we have, isn''t exactly looked on favourably. For good or for ill, our fates are tied to yours.]

    I scratch my head with an antenna.

    [Well, sure. I guess we''ll take any help we can get. Probably best if you think about what you have to offer, since I have no clue. We''ll be able to coordinate more closely after that.]

    She nods.

    [Alright. The work never ends around here,] she sighs.

    [When ants are involved, it tends to get like that,] Iugh.

    We exchange pleasantries for a few minutes before I decide to end the conversation. If anything, the surrounding crowd has only grown in size as we''ve talked and I don''t want to deal with the unpleasant feeling of my core bleeding out any longer. Saying farewell to the mayor, I turn and head back toward the nest. I have a core I need to collect in there.

 Chapter 446 Picking up something Iâ€™d rather not

    <h4>Chapter 446 Picking up something I''d rather not </h4>

    "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaait!"

    I won''t. I''m running for it. With a great leap, I fly into the air, over the heads of the ant-robed people and crash back down to the ground. My legs creak under the strain, but I care not, forcing myself to sprint as soon as I can.

    "WAIT FOR ME, GREAT OOOOONNNEEE!!!"

    It''s not happening, you mad priest. I barely talk to you and now people are wearing strange robes and following me around like secret service. A few more conversations and you''ll have newborn babies dressed up asrvae, and people will start trying to carry me around on a pnquin or something¡­ Actually the baby thing sounds cute¡­

    No! I''ll be strong! DASH!

    I kick up a huge cloud of dust and just like that, I leave the humans and Beyn floundering in my wake as I run for the hill. The sweet mana, it calls to me! As do the more reasonable behaviours of my family members. I''d rather talk to Leeroy than exchange words with that nutty priest. My time in the town was certainly interesting, and it''s nice to know that the Colony still has a strong ally in Enid, even if some of the more recent arrivals don''t look quite as favourably on us. I can''t help but feel a little disgruntled about that. Who saved all their lives, bore the brunt of the horde attack, and is even helping them build their town to this very day? Sheesh.

    I speed back to the nest with Crinis still attached to my carapace, plunging into the wee dark the moment I can. The sweet blue light of mana infuses my body and I breathe a sigh of relief as the drain from my core slows significantly. With constant application of external mana maniption, it''s possible for me to slowly replenish my reserves in the first strata, a thought which unwinds the unconscious knot of tension in the back of my head.

    Walking around with mana leaking from your core is almost like a human taking a trip down the streets whilst bleeding from an open vein. Your very life energy is slowly dripping out of you as you try and ignore it and concentrate on other things but it''s always there, the sense of impending death prodding away at your mind. I''m not a fan. Which is why I was happy enough toe back here in a hurry, even though there''s something I have to do now that I''ve been avoiding for a long time.

    Moving much slower now, I make my way through the nest, trying to make space for the many hatchlings and others that I share these more cramped tunnels with. Those tricky flickers in my Vestibule have returned, but I ignore them for the moment. I need to concentrate on this task, she deserves my full attention.

    Pushing ever deeper into the nest, I make my way to the brood chambers, where hundreds of pupae line dozens of chambers, each lovingly cared for by their brood tenders. In the centre of these lies the egg chamber, where several immature Queens now reside in what used to be Mother''s room.

    "Hello, all!" I greet them. "Hope things are going well. I''ve seen the designs for the new nests and they''re absolutely out of control, you''ll love them."

    "Eldest!" They cry in surprise.

    "Just passing through, came to pick something up from my old room."

    I can feel Crinis shift on my carapace as I speak, but she chooses to remain silent. She knows why I''vee, even if she doesn''t understand why I''ve hesitated until now.

    "We didn''t expect you, Eldest," one of the Queens steps forward to say, "but we heard you had arrived in the nest. Is there anything we can help with?"

    "No, no," Iugh, "you do your best for the Colony and leave this sort of thing for me. You have a very important job to do, much more important than mine. Good luck!"

    So saying, I ignore their looks of surprise and crawl down through the gap in the floor and down into what used to be the space reserved for myself, Tiny and Crinis. Just as the nest below ground has expanded, so too has this one. Dozens of extra chambers and tunnels have been carved out, the misced dirt and rock added to the towering ant hill above ground. This unadorned little chamber has been left untouched throughout those works.

    It''s a bit cramped, now. With myrger frame and Crinis glooped on me, I fill the space in a way I never did before. Which brings me ufortably close to the object I left here when I left, Garralosh''s core.

    I still have mixed feelings about that fight, and the eventual death of Garralosh. If she hadn''t ended the life of one of my family, Grant the brave, who sacrificed her life for me, then I''m not sure I would have found it in me to finish her off. We made use of her Biomass, though the Colony ate much of it, but her core was something I couldn''t bring myself to deal with at the time.

    I could reconstitute her. Bring back a brand new Garralosh copy to stomp around on behalf of the Colony, but without her soul. The human who had been reborn on Pangera is gone forever, perhaps to another, even stranger life. Certainly the new Garralosh would be more sane than thest. It''s a fairly low bar to jump over, if I''m honest. Still, I don''t think that I''ll bring back the giant croc. The drain on resources that the Colony would experience trying to keep her up and fighting fit wouldn''t be worth it. Not to mention the baggage of all of those that were trying to hunt her down returning to finish the job.

    No, I didn''te here for that. This core needs to be absorbed. I wasn''t prepared to do it after the battle, and not only because it''s so ufortably big, but because it represents the struggle of Garralosh, the suffering that she endured, vanishing from this world for good. When this core is gone, there really will be nothing left of her. Nothing except for the profile that was unlocked when I consumed her.

    With a sigh, I bring it up using the menu and read through it once more.

    [Garralosh. The unique monster known as Garralosh is the reincarnation of Janice Thornton, a human from Earth. The product of a violent household, Janice''s view of rtionships grew twisted and callous. As she matured, she grew more cruel and maniptive, eventuallying to utilise violence and brutality to get her way. This ever escting spiral resulted in her descent to madness and two murders before eventually she was cut down. Her soul was selected as a likely candidate for resurrection due to her urge to dominate and confront with violence. It was hoped that her introduction to the Dungeon would allow her to vent her more bloodthirsty urges and develop herself as an apex predator. Instead, she drowned in conflict and descended further into madness. Her desire to dominate, control and gain vengeance eventually led to her istion and entrapment. Despite reaching a reasonable level of evolution for a first strata monster, Garralosh is yet another failed transnted soul, leaving little to no mark on the Dungeon and its ecosystem.]

    Does the Dungeon have a simr profile ready for me? Bit of a disturbing thought. Gingerly, I grab the core in my mandibles and begin to make my way back down to the second strata.

 Chapter 447 Strange new surrounds

    <h4>Chapter 447 Strange new surrounds </h4>

    [I don''t know what I was expecting, but it sure wasn''t this.]

    Jim, therge and ever floppy worm, slithered through the tunnels beside the hulking, menacing form of his friend, Sarah. The two former humans had achieved their goal, a long cherished one for the worm, of escaping from their gilded cage amongst the Golgari. When Anthony had first arrived amongst them, they hadn''t known what to make of him, but he''d done it, pulled off the seemingly impossible escape, and brought them back to his home.

    And what a home it turned out to be. Vaulted chambers, beautiful carvings, a surprisingly stunning array of statues, most of which were dedicated to Anthony, all lovingly crafted in intricate detail, were just some of the startling features of the ant nest.

    [Are you getting morefortable being around all of these ants?] Sarah asked, sounding concerned.

    [It''s still a struggle, if I''m being honest,] he admitted, [my coils can''t help but shiver whenever they crawl over me. Gyah!]

    It just so happened, at that moment a host of ants skittered out of a side tunnel and made their way over the big worm''s body. He stilled his body and tried not to writhe too much as their ws pinched his skin. If he reacted badly and actually hurt one of the colony members, who knows what would happen to him. In the outer tunnels of the nest, there was far less traffic, so the two of them had found their way out here in order to stretch their legs and coils, take in some air and try to decide what they should do next.

    The heavy traffic found in the inner sections of the nest was noticeably lighter here, but that didn''t mean Jim didn''t tense up every now and again as their hosts made their way over him as they went about their business.

    [We''re certainly safe here,] Sarah said, a little hesitantly, [I haven''t even seen a monster other than the ants since we got here. And the defences around the nest were certainly impressive.]

    Jim wiggled nonmittedly.

    [Is that really what you want? To hide behind the protection that someone else is willing to offer you? Aren''t you just putting yourself back in the cage you escaped from?]

    Sarah was silent for a moment and Jim hastened to console her.

    [Ah! I''m not judging you or anything, I know that it''s hard for you to fight and that you''d rather not. I just don''t want to see you go back into your shell and give up your independence, just after you got it back.]

    She absorbed that and considered her own feelings before she responded.

    [You might be right, Jim. I guess, I still feel scared. I''m relieved to get away from the Golgari after what they forced me to do, but I don''t know if I''m ready to go back into the Dungeon¡­]

    [We could do it together,] he encouraged her, [just in little bits. Go out for ten minutes a day, build up immunity to it over time. We could head out with the - GYAHAHA!!]

    The ants crawled across him, paying no mind to his sudden freeze.

    [I''m not sure if I should be offended by that,] he muttered, [anyway. We could head out with the Queen. I saw her go out a few hours ago with a big escort of ants. I asked around and apparently she goes out hunting every day to get her own food. That''d be a safe way to go about it.]

    The giant bear, with its bristled fur and muscle packed frame looked down at the worm, a little surprised.

    [You''ve been talking to the ants? I didn''t think you''d want to do that.]

    [Because I''m afraid of them?!]

    [No. Because you didn''t want to rely on them.]

    Jim deted a little as the sudden anger he''d felt drained away.

    [Oh. I thought - GYOOO!... I figured we couldn''t exactly wait for Anthony to get back before we start working things out. He sort of vanished on us as soon as he got back¡­]

    [He has a lot of things to worry about now that he''s back here,] Sarah chided him. [We can''t expect him to hang around and wait on us hand and foot.]

    [I get it,] Jim huffed, [what with the waring, he''s got a lot on his te.]

    The big worm froze, realising toote what he''d said.

    [Jim?] Sarah asked slowly. [What war are you talking about?]

    Jim sighed and pped himself in his mind. He wasn''t really keeping it a secret, but he hadn''t told her when he''d found out and then hadn''t been sure what he should say.

    [I spoke to a few of the ants with names, though I wasn''t able to get a hold of them for long. Vibrant in particr was¡­ fast. From what I gather, the Colony doesn''t expect the Golgari to let them go after what they did, killing their people and stealing their property.]

    [You mean ¡­ us?]

    [Us and other things. We managed to fight off the force that was pursuing us, but the Colony believes that they can still be followed, so eventually they''lle here in force to exterminate them. That''s why things have been so crazy since we came here, the ants are getting themselves ready to fight.]

    The two of them continued to make their way down the tunnel as they tried to straighten out their tangled thoughts. Sarah ambled along, her shoulders almost brushing the ceiling as she walked, whilst Jim shuffled along at her side.

    [It''s not our fight, you know,] Jim burst out, [they might have saved us, but they don''t need us for their war. And the Golgari aren''t after us. We can take a few days to help you get used to the Dungeon and then we can make our own way. Find somewhere else that''s safe.]

    [Jim¡­]

    [We could go find the Sophos that you told me about, or we could live, just the two of us. I know you don''t want to fight, and nobody has the right to make you, certainly not against any non-monster. We can just leave this behind us¡­]

    [Jim. We can''t do that, and you know it,] Sarah cut him off sternly. [They saved us. I''m not going to abandon them now that they need help.]

    Jim pulled back a little.

    [Are you sure about that, Sarah? You know what that means, right? You''ll have to fight. You might have to kill Golgari.]

    Even the thought of such a conflict was enough to set the great bear to trembling, but she didn''t back down.

    [You said it, didn''t you? Anthony said it as well. We can''t just run away forever, right? At some point, I have to fight. The Colony hasn''t done anything wrong to me or you, why should they suffer for us? I - I think I''m going to stay. I''ll try to fight.]

    [You might die, Sarah.]

    The bear didn''t shrink away at all at those words.

    [It''s not dying that I''m afraid of, Jim.]

    At that moment, a flurry of movement from further up the tunnel caught their attention. From the shadows emerged Anthony, his carapace covered by the ink coloured pet he called Crinis, carrying a gigantic core in his mandibles. When he saw the two of them, his antennae perked up and he rushed forward to greet them.

    [Hey there you two! How''ve things been. Sorry I haven''t caught up with you since we got here, things have been a little¡­ hectic.]

    [Because of the war, right? I want to help,] Sarah told him firmly.

    Anthony twitched and he turned toward Jim a little, as if to ask if she was serious.

    [She seems to have made up her mind,] Jim muttered. [I suppose I''ll help out as well.]

    The massive ant looked at the two of them for a moment before his antennae seemed to shrug.

    [Hey, sure thing. To be honest, the help is very wee. I expect when the Golgari get here, we''re going to have our backs against the wall. Why don''t the two of youe with me for a second, we can have a chat and I''ll try and sort out something for you.]

    This branch tunnel wasn''t wide enough for the three of them to traverse at the same time, so Anthony had to back up until they reached a wider branch to turn down.

    [I don''t want to tell you what you can and can''t do to help,] the ant was telling the two of them. [You want to help dig tunnels? Great! You want to help defend the nest, also great! You want to fight on the front lines? You''re insane, but hey, that''s also great.]

    [Isn''t that where you''re going to be?] Sarah asked him.

    [Well, yeah. But it''s my family after all. Better me than them.] He turned and pointed at the many smaller ants bustling throughout the tunnels.

    [You really think that, don''t you?]

    Anthony shrugged again.

    [Of course. Anyways, I think what I''ll do is get one of our teachers to talk to you specifically, Sarah. Work out exactly what you want to do and how you can help. Florence is her name. A good worker. Jim, I might put you in touch with Cobalt, she''s a carver, in charge of building stuff. I''m certain she''ll be able to find a heap of things you could do¡­]

    He kept nattering at them, totally unaware of the very different emotions growing within his two fellow reincarnators.

 Chapter 448 Taking Stock

    <h4>Chapter 448 Taking Stock </h4>

    After dropping Sarah and Jim with Florence, I rush back out to the storage area I''m told we stashed our haul from the outpost in. I''m feeling a touch buoyed by the run-in I had with Sarah and Jim. I''m not sure how much they''ll be able to help out, but like I told them, every little bit helps. I doubt it would ever happen, but having Sarah on the front lines, a monster who''s supposedly strong enough to rip me up would make an incredible ally. It would take a lot to get there, considering her aversion to violence, but I''m sure she''ll be able to contribute no matter what.

    When I finally make it to the chamber, I find a wide, low ceilinged chamber filled with precious loot. My siblings have been busy in here, categorising and stacking all of the goods in neat shelves that they''ve shaped out of stone. Probably another innovation that they stole from the humans. At the time I arrive, Cont is there, picking through the various magical materials and items. Ellie is also there, making a meticulous inventory of the many, many cores we brought back.

    I crawl over and drop Garralosh''s core with a massive THUD. Ellie''s antennae begin to quiver uncontrobly the moment she notices it.

    "Eldest! That core?! Are you here to donate it?"

    "Ah, no. This one''s for me, unfortunately."

    "Are you going to make a pet with it? Surely you will!?"

    "You know what core this is, right?"

    "Of course I know! I still can''t believe you never let us study it, but it''s an amazing chance to create an incredibly strong pet."

    I shouldn''t be surprised that the core shaper would be interested in the most potent core the Colony has gotten its mandibles on, but I kind of hoped they''d have gotten over it by now?

    [No, I won''t. I''ll be absorbing this core after I''ve maxed out my current limit. That''s why I came here, have you finished categorising the cores yet? I want to take the more useless ones and absorb them.]

    [Hmm. I may not have enough for you here. A lot of these cores are of real interest to us. Unknown monsters that we haven''te across before, new organs that we haven''t experimented with, there''s a dizzying amount of new information.]

    "Surely there''s a bit of trash that they had lying around. I just need the energy, not quality."

    [Give me a second,] she says and starts rummaging around, looking for what I need.

    I leave her to her work and wander over to where Cont is busy.

    [Hey there Cont,] I greet her, [did we actually get anything useful from those geezers?]

    She scratches her head with one antenna.

    [Well, it''s not easy to say at this stage. We certainly got a lot of stuff that we haven''t seen before. I assume that it''s useful, otherwise why would the Shapers have been storing it? But since we''ve nevere across this stuff before, we don''t know what we can do with it. Hence, myck ofmitment.]

    [What sort of stuff did we get?]

    She starts pointing out various things on the shelves with a w.

    [We managed to scrounge up a few pieces of equipment, staves mostly, a couple of enchanted robes and ¡­ loincloths? There are also many other items that we are yet to be certain of their purpose. Over here, I''ve collected a series of gems and implements that I believe are for scrying for certain mana signatures over great range. If we can discover what each enchantment is designed to find, it will be a great advancement in our ability to create magical scouting tools.]

    Fascinating!

    [Are we making any progress on that front?] I ask.

    [Not yet, we''ve only conducted initial studies on the tools at this stage. We''re assembling teams of our best tier four mages and enchanters to look over them. ws crossed, they''ll be able to unravel the secret soon. If we can make scrying tools for Golgari¡­]

    [Holy. Moly. That would be a game changer. Because they surely have ways to scry monsters. Did we have anything else?]

    [Well, we did collect quite a variety of mana infused ores and metals. It seems to be something that they quite fancied, since we found such an abundance of it.]

    She leads me to a separate shelf behind the first,den with chunks of glittering ore. Flipping on my mana-sense, I can feel the pure energy of the Dungeon flowing throughout these materials. Some are clearly more precious than others, but all of them are rich with mana.

    [Any idea what we can do with these?] I ask wonderingly.

    Cont shrugs.

    [I have no idea. Our only thought at the moment is to try and determine what affinities these materials have and then pass them over to the carvers. They should be able to make something useful out of them.]

    Makes sense. There''s not really any point in hoarding them. If the Colony can work out how to create useful items out of this stuff, then we''d have a reason to actually seek it out and mine it.

    [Have the humans been consulted about what to do with these materials?]

    [I believe that is still being done, Eldest.]

    [Right¡­]

    [Here you are, Eldest!] Ellie breaks in. [This is what we have that you can use.]

    With little ceremony, she crawls up next to me and drops a thin stone bucket filled with cores on the ground. Even just by looking, I can tell that there won''t be enough to max out my core. Still, can''t be ungrateful for the help of the colony.

    [Cheers, Ellie. This is a big help.]

    [Anytime, Eldest. I better get back to work.]

    I decide to leave the two council members to their business. I ce Garralosh''s core on top of the bucket, even though it doesn''t quite fit, and lift the container in my mandibles before heading out of the storeroom. Carefully bncing myself, I tread through the tunnels until I arrive at a rtively small, out of the way chamber that I picked out for myself. Not too much traffic nearby and not much going on inside, the room is quite perfect for my purposes. I wearily plunk down all the cores and take a moment to settle myself.

    Physically, I''m not tired at all, but emotionally I''m starting to g a bit. Too much running around, too many things to worry about. I need to take a break. Time for a little well-earned torpor, I think. I can deal with these cores after that, then try and find out what''s happening with this city.

 Chapter 449 Waking

    <h4>Chapter 449 Waking </h4>

    The return of the Eldest after their brief time apart from the Colony was a momentous event. Throughout the history of our kind, it was always the Eldest who acted as the catalyst of change, the arbour of progress. As we grew in strength, wisdom and capability, there was danger ofcency, of waste and inefficiency as we followed a thousand different trails of knowledge to their fruitless conclusions. Instead, at the critical moment, the Eldest brought us firm paths on which we were only just bing ready to tread, new ideas to throw our burgeoning industry forward and expand our imaginations.

    Most importantly of all, they brought us enemies against which we could test ourselves, obstacles that we had to strive to ovee. This contention is not universally epted amongst my siblings, but it is my belief that every action they undertook was deliberate and calcted, that they forged the Colony like a smith-ant forges metal, alternating the guidance of their hammer with the intense heat of the forge. In this conflict, we would be forced to purify our conceptual understanding of what we were and how we were to function. To be something even greater, stronger and more ambitious than before. All the while, the Eldest was there, watching over us, guiding us in the right direction. The Eldest saw the beginning and the end of our journey all at once. Only they saw what it was that we would be.

    Excerpt from ''Development of the Colony: The first age'' by Historiant

    SHASHIFRASS!

    I''m up! Boy, I really needed a bit of torpor, more than I thought I did. I feel refreshed! I stretch out my antennae and flick my legs in a few different directions, finishing off with a few short hops to get the joints lubricated. Nice. Maybe I should implement this as a sort of morning exercise for the colony? A healthy body and a healthy mind leads to a healthy society! Perhaps they could set up some of those pheromone speakers for this purpose?

    The image of millions of monstrous ants, lined up in row upon row, performing morning jazzer-cise blooms in my mind and I almost fall overughing.

    [Is everything alright, Master?]

    [Gah! Crinis?! I actually forgot you were there for a second¡­]

    She wiggles a little with happiness.

    [Is that because I''ve be your second skin? I told you I''d never part with you again, this is just a natural progression.]

    In what way is this natural? In fact, in what way is any part of Crinis natural? She looks like a nightmare born when another nightmare went to sleep. In order to keep her happy, I''ll continue to tolerate this arrangement, but I''d be lying if I said I was getting ustomed to it. If anything, me forgetting that she''s attached to me is just my mind fantasising about regaining my freedom.

    Grumbling a little to myself internally, I gather up the cores I collected and begin to absorb them. I need to reinforce my core and put myself in a position of maximum strength for the uing conflict. Nothing less than peak, optimum condition can be epted. Before I evolve, I need to take in the Garralosh core also, pushing myself to a new peak of evolutionary energy. It''ll be intense, and most likely very painful, but it needs to be done to secure the future of the Colony.

    A flicker of energy in my Vestibule captures my attention before it fades away into the background once more. This irritating thing is back again! What exactly is it?! Having these stupid ghost ant signals creep up on me all the time is really getting on my nerves! I''m determined to work out exactly what is giving this strange feeling. I feel like someone is trying to pull one over on me. I refuse to allow it!

    Brimming with fierce energy, I sweep up the remainder of the cores and check my status. Looks like I''m getting close to my maxed out core, I''ll need to try and source the rest of the cores I need either out in the Dungeon, or perhaps from the city. Maybe I can buy them there? I don''t know what they''d want in trade. Would they even be willing to trade with a monstrous ant is another question¡­

    Alright then, time to get moving. I spring up to my feet and suddenly dash out the chamber. Maximum speed! As I do so, I focus all of my sub-brains on the Vestibule as it provides a steady flow of energy from the thousands of ants congregating throughout the nest. I''m going to find you, you damn flickers! They must be ants who are causing it, some sort of sneaky ant! I''ll uncover your mask and give you a good thwacking for following me around!

    AHA!

    Almost simultaneously, I perceive the tiniest sputter of energy within the Vestibule and my antennae sense a disturbance in the tunnel ahead of me. Have I found one of them atst? I can''t see them though?!

    DASH!

    Even more determined, I put the hammer down and elerate to the limit! My huge body flies down the narrow tunnel, sending smaller ants scurrying in all directions and diving down side tunnels to get out of my way. Oho! The flicker has moved around the bend up ahead. Need to turn! I m my ws into the ground and haul my mass around the tight bend before I dash once more. You won''t escape me!

    Even now, I can''t see them, but I can feel that I''m getting closer! Any second now and you will receive my thwack of justice!

    "Why hello, Eldest, I didn''t expect to see you here."

    From behind a bend up ahead, Advant steps smartly forward, cutting off my path. I hop slightly andnd with all six legs dug into the ground to slow my advance as my momentum causes me to dig deep furrows in the ground. I manage to stop mere centimetres away from rolling over Advant and causing an embarrassing scene for the council, squashing one of their members.

    "Advant? Where the heck did youe from?" I gasp.

    "Who, me? I was looking for you, Eldest. It''s time for the follow up meeting to discuss the scouting reports."

    I grow still for a moment.

    "You''re timing here is rather perfect, Advant. You wouldn''t be hiding anything from me would you?"

    I raise an antenna.

    "O-Of course not, Eldest! Why would I do such a thing?!"

    Leaning in a little closer I stare down at the soldier.

    "I''m not sure. That''s why it bugs me so much."

 Chapter 450 Scouting Report

    <h4>Chapter 450 Scouting Report </h4>

    Records of the early days of non-monster habitation of the Dungeon are scarce, to say the least. The Dungeon opened itself during the cataclysm known as the Rending, and certainly before that time the vastwork of caves and tunnels beneath the ground was both unknown and inessible to those on the surface. During the event itself, when hordes of monsters poured out of holes in the surface every day, pressing forward into the Dungeon was difficult, but not impossible. There are scattered records of several expeditions that managed to gain a foothold beneath the surface. ording to the journal written by in of Exeter, the ruling ten decreed that defending against the monsters beneath the surface, where narrow tunnels make perfect chokepoints, would be far less costly than attempting to curb them on the surface, and so dispatched a mighty force to seize a Dungeon entrance.

    Although the loss of life was horrific, Exeter was the first nation on record to establish a permanent foothold within the Dungeon. It began life as a crude defensive fort at first, the site, which came to be named Victoria, was reinforced and expanded throughout the Rending. It became a frontline defence against the monsters and was effective at reducing the numbers that breached the surface.

    Victoria still exists today, though not in the form it once did. As Exeter pushed deeper into the Dungeon to seize its wealth and research its secrets, Victoria became a gateway city between the depths and the surface kingdom, a ce of trade and travel. Although firmly ced within the first strata, Victoria is considered the first true metropolis beneath the ground, though many others would follow. Empires, kingdoms and nations of all sorts would rush to seizend in the Dungeon, establishing cities of their own. Even powerful merchant collectives or independent mercenarypanies were able to construct their own safe havens in less desirable Dungeon locations. In this way, themunity below ground expanded.

    Excerpt from "Societies of the Dungeon, Chapter 1: Introduction" by H.R. Dough''n''Stough

    I keep a suspicious eye on Advant as we march around to the council chamber, the teasing flicker in my Vestibule having now conspicuously vanished. They''re trying to pull something over on me here, and I will not allow it! To think, the council that I raised and taught from mere hatchlings to the powerful and advanced monsters that they are today would try and sneak something past me. The whole idea is absurd! It will not be allowed to stand!

    By the time we reach the chamber and settle in, Advant is almost shaking after receiving my withering, omni-directional re for ten minutes straight. She hasn''t cracked though, which means I''m still in the dark regarding their nefarious scheme. It''s unfortunate that the survival of the Colony is at stake right now, I can''t afford to be distracted by these side games. After another five minutes pass, the entire council has been assembled and settled into our individual seats.

    "Hi-Hi! Eldest!" Vibrant chirrups the moment she enters the room. "It''s been exciting out there! Things have moved soo fast! Even for me! I''ve been all over the ce for thest day, I don''t think I''ve stopped moving, even for a moment!"

    "That''s great, Vibrant," I break in to stop the flow of scents flying from her before she can really get going. One of the things I''ve noticed about pheromone basedmunication, is that at no point is the person ''speaking'' required to pause to take a breath. If an ant really wants to, they canunch into a diatribe that can be quite horrendous in length. Eventually they''ll run out of pheromones, but with a few mutations, they canst a heck of a long time.

    "So, what exactly did we learn?" I ask, moving to head off potential monologues from Vibrant.

    "Quite a lot," Burke responds smoothly, "our scouts managed to infiltrate the outskirts undetected and gather quite a chunk of actionable intelligence."

    "You''re sure that you weren''t found?" I''m doubtful. How could a city in the Dungeon survive without being monster proof?

    "We can''t bepletely sure," Wills answers me, her antennae drooping slightly, "but we took every possible measure we could to avoid discovery. We tunnelled in ourselves, sent our stealthiest members and cooperated with the shapers and mages."

    "That''s right," Be waved a leg to draw attention to herself. "We sent the pets in to see what they could see! We even made them fight each other to look believable. The tunnel approaches are watched carefully, that''s for sure. The second we crossed a line, BAM, a bunch of humans jumped on the pets and annihted them!"

    That''s a little worrying.

    "Did you dig past that line?" I ask, intent.

    "Are you concerned about a spherical detection zone?" Propent asks. "We considered the same thing. Not to worry, we made sure to retreat before crossing over the line."

    Hmm.

    "So how much did we actually learn? It doesn''t sound like we were able to get close to the city at all!"

    "We know it''s location, how much space it upies, we''ve identified all of the entrances and tested the defences. Preparations have been made on tunnel ess from a wide range of entrance points and every path in and out of the city is being monitored. Quite a bit in twenty four hours, I should say."

    When you put it like that¡­ Actually, what the heck did I expect? Aplete census of the city? The names of every man, woman, child and a detailed inventory of their house pets? The ce is effectively surrounded and pushing any further risks exposing us at a time when surprise is our most powerful weapon. Hang on, there''s a thought.

    "A census! I want a census done of the Colony! A record of every single member of the family. I want to know their cast, their age, the MP that their core can take, their skill levels and mutations! I want the works! Someone get on that!"

    "Uhh, Eldest? Is that rted to what we were talking about?" Sloan asks, her antennae twitching in a puzzled manner.

    "Absolutely not. It came into my head and I thought it was important enough that I should mention it. Right then. If we''ve learned all that we''re going to learn, it''s time to go for it. What''s the n? When are we going in?"

    There''s a moment of silence as the members of the council look at each other. I can almost hear them silently considering who should speak and how they should frame it.

    "No," I cut in, "I''m not sitting it out, and the first member of this council to ask me to will be ''re-educated''."

    I THWACK the table with all of my might, leaving a slight crack in the surface and causing each of the ants to flinch, except Vibrant, who leaps up with glee.

    "I told them! I said it was dumb! Did you really think the Eldest would sit and watch as the rest of us ran in? You girls keep thinking that you can shield the Eldest and the Queen, but you''re nuts. It won''t work! Nope-nope! In fact, when I told the Queen what we were going to do, she insisted oning along!"

    "YOU DID WHAT?!" The rest of the council screams at her.

    Seemingly oblivious to their outrage, Vibrant continues to hop and wiggle on the spot. She''s still surprisingly light on her legs considering howrge she is.

    "Yep-yep! She''s real excited! Or determined¡­ One of those! With the Eldest and the Queen running into the unknown danger where who knows what waits for us?! It''s going to be AMAZING!"

    Sloan and Victor have copsed on their chairs, legs dangling uselessly and eyes staring nk into space. I can only imagine that all of their ns have gone up in smoke at this point. I think they''re reworking every strategy that they had and building in as much protection for the Queen as they possibly can. I have to admit, I''m a little nervous myself, but by this stage I''ve given up on trying to keep the Queen out of trouble. Mother is Mother, after all! She''s more than capable of taking care of herself. What''s more dangerous is the possibility of these guys going off the rails and jeopardising the mission in an attempt to keep her out of danger.

    "Look, the Queen is going to get in there and fight. There''s nothing you can do about that." I cut Vibrant off as she continues to rave and address the rest of the council. "If you want to protect her, then let''smit hard and make sure that our takeover of this city is done as quickly as thoroughly as possible. If it turns into a pitched battle in the streets then we''ve failed already. This needs to be over before an effective defence can be mounted. We get in, smash the defences, quell the popce and take any teleporters offline. Make sense?"

    Leeroy puts up an antenna.

    "So we don''t destroy everything in the city?"

    "No! Why would we destroy everything in the city?!"

    "Because¡­ what are going to do with a city full of people who hate us?"

    "We - ¡­ That''s a surprisingly sensible pointing from you Leeroy. Look, we''ll win them over, or if we can''t, we just walk away and leave them alone. As long as they don''t have those teleportation gates, we don''t have any beef with them."

    "So we eat them?"

    "Not that sort of beef!"

    THWACK!

 Chapter 451 This is something different

    <h4>Chapter 451 This is something different </h4>

    Torrina Laksham wasn''t sure what to think. The more time she spent around that remarkable ant, the more things didn''t make sense. When she and Corun had apanied Anthony to the surface, she''d been stunned to find an entiremunity of humans who not only seemed to ept the ant and his Colony, but were rapidly approaching something very close to worship.

    The moment they''d seen the weing party, with their robes and ant-like regalia, she and Corun had shared a long and significant nce. The parallels they could draw between their own Cult and the behaviour on disy were far too easy to draw. It was almost disturbing to see such devout actions taking ce in clear daylight, in full view of everyone. The two of them had spent their entire adult lives concealing their beliefs and ideology, only to see these humans being so forward and direct with their burgeoning faith. It was, in many ways, shocking.

    But also exciting. They were here following the direction of their triad leader, hoping to help cultivate a new ancient, and here was a group of people who responded to Anthony in much the same way that groups all over the world had reacted to the ancients during the cataclysm. To Torrina, it was a powerful sign that they were on the right track. Corun was less convinced.

    [These people are backwards hicks from the middle of nowhere. Most of them have barely ever set foot in the Dungeon, let alone faced a monster inbat,] he argued over a mind bridge, [the moment any powerful monster appeared in front of them, they were bound to admire it.]

    [Admiration is one thing,] Torrina said, [worship is quite another. Look around you Corun. There are monsters walking through the streets of a human settlement. And nobody cares. In fact, they are respected, revered and weed. I''m not certain that such a thing has happened in the entire history of Pangera, from the cataclysm to now.]

    Corun just shook his head and looked around a little more. It was hard to deny the argument that his triad partner put forward, but he wasn''t ready tomit quite as much. These people were just so backward. He found it hard to put any stock at all in their thoughts and beliefs. That didn''t mean he saw nothing that he could learn from their interactions with the Colony, which was why he''d agreed to remain behind when Anthony had returned to the Dungeon.

    The two of them had stayed with the Mayor, Enid, the previous night and plumbed her for information on the history of the town and it''s interactions with Anthony. The old woman was tough as any stone and quite cagey, but was unable to conceal her own deep respect and unquestioning faith in her powerful insect ally.

    [These people are from the backend of the backend,] Corun tried again, [frontier farmers with no foundation, no connection to any of the great powers and no history. Regardless of what they think, is it really that important? You need to remember that Anthony is a special case, a reincarnated human. He''s inclined to help these people based on his history, not to mention he''s well aware of what the Colony would be able to learn from people such as these. He wanted them to trust him.]

    The two of them were walking out of the town, apanying a group of armed members and ant-robes led by the one-armed priest, Beyn, but Torrina was frustrated enough by his remarks that she stopped to stare at him.

    [Do you really think it''s so easy for a monster to gain the trust of humans? Or any sapient race? He didn''t have the advantage of the god-like strength the ancients possessed, so how do you think he was able to do it? This has never happened before. Do you understand what that means? By its very definition, this is special. You''d have to be a fool to discount the significance of what these people represent.]

    By the end of her rant, the usually cool as ice Golgari Shaper had more than a little heat in her gaze as she red at Corun. Despite being the older of the two, Corun threw his hands up in surrender.

    [Alright! Cool down! I''m not used to seeing you get this fired up, Torrina.]

    She took a deep breath and felt her ire recede before she continued in a more even tone.

    [I find that your ownck of enthusiasm to be more confusing. I feel there is a growing possibility that there is a real chance Anthony will ascend to be the twentieth ancient. The more I consider it, the harder I find it to remain level headed.]

    "Everything alright back there?" a voice called.

    Torrina and Corun turned to see that their entire group had stalled to wait for them as they''d discussed silently through mentalmunication. Corun smiled easily and raised a hand.

    "Apologies to you all, mypatriot and I were merely discussing a few points and didn''t want to disturb you. We won''t dy you any further."

    The two Golgari towered over the humans, their stone covered bodies and heavily built frames meant that even thergest human looked frail and childlike when stood next to them. This meant they acted in a very polite and reserved way around their hosts, not wanting to cause any idents or to put the humans off side.

    "You havee in support of the Great One, that is enough to grant you a great deal of leeway," Beyn dered.

    With his remaining arm, he waved the group forward as they marched toward the towering anthill in the distance. Seeing an opportunity to pick the brains of this key human, Torrina strode forward to speak to him.

    "Priest Beyn, may I have a moment of your time? I have questions regarding your own interactions with the¡­ Great One."

    The priest nodded, but didn''t turn his head toward her, instead remaining focused on the nest in front of him.

    "I see that you hesitate to refer to him as such. Perhaps you know his name?"

    She nodded.

    "Yes, I see. I choose not to use that name, instead referring to them with a title I bestowed myself. Perhaps it is hubris on my part, but I feel that being so personal wouldn''t be right for someone such as myself."

    Torrina tried to look as if she understood.

    "I believe I heard, Priest Beyn, that you are the first human toe into contact with the Great One. How did that meeting go?"

    The Priestughed and waggled the stump of his arm.

    "He bit my arm off."

    Torrina nearly tripped.

    "Not the most auspicious beginning, I''ll happily admit," Beyn said with a wry smile, "I was confused then, I didn''t understand what it was that I was witness to. It took some time, but I eventually was able to see the true path that had beenid before my feet."

    "Sounds like you''ve had quite a range of experiences."

    "Indeed I have."

    "I''d love to hear more."

    The priest was only too happy to talk and she listened intently as the anthill grew to loom over them until eventually they entered one of its many tunnels and plunged beneath the ground. It wasn''t long until a representative of the Colony approached the group and led them deeper. There was a major campaign underway and the town would not sit to one side.

 Chapter 452 Ant squad, assemble!

    <h4>Chapter 452 Ant squad, assemble! </h4>

    I have sought to capture the Eldest in their purest form for many years in various media. Stone was the first material I utilised, crude and rough, it was appropriate for them at that time. Just like the stone that I hewed with mandible, w and magic, they were rough and unpolished, a creature of brute strength and straight edges. The edges never really changed, the Eldest remains as straight forward an ant as there is to find in the Colony. At least, if you know the turnings of their mind, as I do. I''ve watched them for far too long to be entirely ignorant of their inner workings.

    When others try to learn my skills, I do my utmost to help them, of course. Even a few humans and some amongst the golgari have sought out my expertise after seeing my works. Of the basics, I had nought to teach them, they were skilled artists all. But there remained something of the spirit, of the dignity and power the Eldest possesses that they were never able to properly capture. I can honestly say that I held nothing back in my efforts to teach them, there are none in the Colony who would hoard knowledge of how to spread the Eldest''s glory, but I failed every one of my students.

    To properly depict the Eldest, one must acknowledge the creature they truly are. The humans, the golgari and the other sapients, even many amongst the Colony, close their eyes to those aspects of their subject that they are not capable ofprehending. The Eldest is powerful, yes. The Eldest is mighty, of course. The Eldest is wise and generous and caring and brave and clever and joyful and frequently inscrutable, all know this. But first and foremost, the Eldest is an individual who contains and has experienced great pain. To me, the magnificent dignity of the Eldest is made even more impressive because of its source. Everything that they are, and everything that they aplish springs from a bottomless well of suffering that most do not know exists and none can name the origin.

    It''s not something I speak of directly, it isn''t my ce, but I try to guide the eye of my students toward it. There, in that hesitation, do you see it? Here, in this selfless sacrifice, do you understand? They see a great mountain towering into the sky and try to capture it. I can see a tiny fraction of that mountain below the surface as it descends to darkness. It isn''t much, but it is all anyone is allowed to see.

    Excerpt from the private diary of Michangnt, great sculptor of the Colony.

    The more time passes, the greater the chance of things going wrong, to that end, it was decided to strike against the city as quickly as possible. The council left me out of the logistics, and I''m very d they did. I think we can all acknowledge that isn''t where my strengths lie. Instead, I gathered up my pets and put us all to practicing our Skills as we waited for the human contingent to join us. That the people of the town were so willing to risk their lives and limbs in this way was more than a little surprising to me, but what the heck, I''ll take it. We don''t intend to use them in abat role, the ants are far better equipped for that, but we hope that they can talk down our opposition. People who think they have to win or die and get eaten are likely to fight very hard indeed. If instead we can have a person exin to the people of the city that they won''t be consumed, nor killed, then perhaps they''ll stand down and we can prevent as much death as possible.

    To both sides, that is. I''m pretty confident the Colony could exterminate every man, woman and child in that city, but where would that leave us? If word ever got out, every Empire, Kingdom, mercenary and farmer with a sharp pitchfork would travel from all over the world to exterminate us. Perhaps that might happen even if we spare them, but I''ll take a chance at life over a guarantee of death any day of the week. We need more time to get stronger. Eventually, everyone is going to want toe for us, I know that. On Pangera, we are the equivalent of thousands and thousands of crawling bags of gold. The only way we can survive is if we are more trouble to profit from than it''s worth bothering with. Which trantes to strength. More high level ants, more ants in general. It''s a straight forward form that only needs time toe to fruition.

    As I grind away with several minds at my elemental Skills, Tiny punches at the air, Crinis practices Shadow Magic and Invidia makes barriers for Tiny to smash, I try to go back over the n. The Colony is going to go all out for this one, a full ten thousand ants are being assembled for the assault. Soldiers, scouts, mages, core shapers, medics, generals, the whole shebang. I think every single tier four member is being called in. From what I gather, this means that aside from the necessary guard presence in the nests, along with the castes who don''t operate on the field of battle, the Colony will have next to no members anywhere in the Dungeon. Naturally there will be scouts out and about, as well as a few patrols, but for the most part, we are going all in against this city.

    We should win handily. No, scratch that. We WILL win, easily. All resistance crushed and the unconditional surrender of the city will be offered in less than an hour. We go in, find any gates, smash ''em and work out what to do after that. I need to focus on my own job, which is to subdue any elites that wee across. With my three pets, I make up the mostpact fighting force the Colony has at its disposal, the only thing we can bring to bear against the truly strong. The council, not to mention the rest of the ants, are totally willing to bring down powerhouses through sheer, exhausting weight of numbers, but I refuse. The loss of life would be obscene, as it is in nature when ants take on those creatures greater and more powerful than themselves. I suppose I''m greedy. It''s not enough to win, I want to win and lose as few family members as possible.

    Thinking these sorts of thoughts, I while away a few hours until the humans arrive, along with Torrina and Corun.

    [Hey there gang,] I reach out to them, [how was the trip?]

    "I greet you, oh Great One! We are here to serve and pledge ourselves to illuminating your glory!"

    Before they can reply, Beyn leaps forward and prostrates himself in one smooth motion. There''s no way he did that first try, he must have practiced. The rest of the "ant robes" follow suit and are kneeling in the dirt in a sh, dering their joy and singing praise. With a weary sigh, I extend another mind bridge out to the one armed priest.

    [How are you Beyn? I''m a little surpri- ]

    [YOUR VOICE FILLS ME JOY, GREAT ONE! I CANNOT EXPRE-]

    [LOUD!]

    This idiot. He''s nothing but helpful, but he really gets carried away with the ''great one'' business. For a moment I consider attempting to redirect his devotion to the Queen, but I decide against it. Although far more deserving of these powerful emotions, I wouldn''t want to burden her unnecessarily.

    [It''s nice to see you as well, Beyn, just keep it down, man. I was going to say I''m surprised Enid let you lead the procession down here.]

    [IT WAS¡­ It was believed that for this particr task, sincerity of feeling and honest dedication were the most important traits to make us morepelling witnesses for the Colony. For that reason, I was asked to bring my most devoted followers down to assist.]

    His mental voice has be much more reasonable, but a literal flood of tears is pouring out of his eyes as he stares at me with frantic joy stered on his face. It''s freakin'' creepy! Still, I can tolerate it, he and his people are only here to help, at significant risk to themselves. With some difficulty I create a branching mind bridge and connect it to all of the humans who are present so I can speak to them all at once.

    [I wee you and thank you for volunteering. It is my hope that your participation will save many lives, both ant and otherwise. For your bravery, and dedication, I thank you.]

    I dip my head and antennae in a short bow/nod toward them and by the time I bring my head back up, each and every one of them is flooding the tunnel with their tears.

 Chapter 453 Attack on Rylleh

    <h4>Chapter 453 Attack on Rylleh </h4>

    The Dungeon city of Rylleh is rtively young, in city terms, barely older than the expansionist kingdoms that took root above it. Formed by a collective of experienced and high level delvers, the city benefited from the protection and knowledge of these individuals, allowing it to prosper rtively quickly. Positioned in a rtively barren section of the Dungeon''s first strata, the city doesn''t provide much in terms of resources or prime delving ground, but it does offer something much harder toe across, independence. Unbound from any greater authority and capable of standing its ground against the mercenary union, the city-state of Rylleh offers a haven to those who wish to delve without being tied up in string.

    Naturally this means trading away richer hunting grounds for the frontier, but to a small yet vocal portion of delvers, the trade-off is more than worth it. So Rylleh has remained quietly prosperous for hundreds of years, administered by a ruling council of inherited seats controlled by the descendants of the founders, the city has relied on its own guard and a deployment of Abyssal Legion to defend itself from the depredations of the Dungeon.

    Though really, what could possibly harm such a city in the first strata?

    -Excerpt from Barringer''s Guide to the Frontier: Adventures in the fringe

    Wace Danton ground his teeth on a fresh wedge of dungeon chew, pausing only to lean over and spit, as he stared at the warning crystal array in front of him. Stood by his side, his deputy rolled her eyes and took a discreet step away from the man. Chew was amon enough vice in Rylleh, useful as a stimnt with slight numbing properties, but by the Path did the stuff stink!

    "Captain¡­" she warned.

    "No."

    "Regtions¡­"

    "I write the damn regtions, Yas."

    "The council will be shocked to hear of it."

    "Lieutenant Yasmine, could we perhaps focus on something a little more important than my personal habits? Like our jobs?"

    Yasmine just sighed, adjusted her sses and checked her clipboard once more. The captain had been spooked by the multiple rms that had been tripped in thest two days and had ordered every guardsmen to be in a heightened state of alert. She didn''t think the man had slept in twenty four hours, hence the copious amounts of chew he kept cramming in his maw. Even she felt he was overreacting, monsters approached the outer tunnels all the time, she had to admit that the old man had good instincts. He''d been captain of the Rylleh guard for over twenty years at this point, and a powerful delver before that. If anyone knew the Dungeon like the back of their hand, it was him.

    "It just doesn''t feel right," Wace muttered to himself as he stared at the array. "Why would so many trigger, so close together? All shadow monsters¡­"

    Here in the central guard tower, they were situated almost in the centre of the city, next to the council chambers themselves. Ever since the rms had triggered, Wace and Yasmine had been ensconced deep in the tower, in constant contact with the crystal array that connected to each and every outpost that guarded the entrances to the Dungeon. By connecting to a simr enchanted detection device in each outpost, themand array before them would light up to show the location of any monster that encroached within the city''s detection radius, the instant they did so. On the wall behind them,munication spells powered by monster cores gave them real timemunication with every guard on the perimeter and every guard station within the city itself.

    It was a massively expensive investment that many had called unnecessary, but the measures had proven invaluable ever since the work had beenpleted. The ability to instantly respond to any possible incursion was worth so much to the defence of the city.

    "Still no word from the delving parties outside the city?" He asked Yasmine without turning around.

    "Not since youst asked twenty minutes ago¡­" she said.

    "It''s strange."

    "No, it isn''t," she insisted. "There are only five groups delving right now and all of them nned to delve for at least a month. Two days of no-contact is hardly unusual."

    The old man stubbornly shook his head.

    "Fool girl," he muttered, not tearing his eyes from the array.

    She felt her temper re.

    "If I''m so wrong, why don''t you deign to exin why?" She spat.

    She immediately regretted her actions and snapped out a salute to her superior officer.

    "I''m sorry, captain! I don''t know what came over me!"

    He didn''t bother to look up.

    "You''re tired and cranky because I made you stay here all night instead of going home and getting rest," he said, "it''s only reasonable. Focus and I''ll exin."

    He pointed to the outer ring of crystals that represented the outermost guard posts.

    "We had this post, this, this, and this, all detect monsters within an hour of each other. All of them shadow monsters, second strata dwellers. Right?"

    "Right" she nodded slowly.

    "So if there''s enough second strata beasties out there that they hit each of these points near simultaneously, there must be a huge contingent of them that have risen up to thisyer."

    She thought for a moment.

    "If our delvers had run into anything like that¡­"

    "They''d have reported it immediately," he confirmed, still staring at the crystals. "That''s why I don''t think it fits."

    He spat to one side, then stuffed another wedge of chew into his mouth.

    Suddenly, one of the crystals on the array lit up and Wace stood quickly, his chair ttering over behind him as he leaned in to stare. A tiny ball of red light representing a single monster red to life as it approached the guard station to the west of the city.

    "What do you think it is?" Yasmine asked.

    "Shhh," Wace hissed, his eyes intent.

    sh, sh, sh, sh! In the span of second, four more lights burst to light and Wace mmed a hand down on the array. Immediately a sphere was projected above the array, a model of Rylleh and its surrounds. In the time it took his eyes to focus on the projection, each and every array crystal was lit. Within the projected sphere red lights began to appear by the dozen asmunications began to crackle through the arrays behind him.

    "Uhh, captain? Got a lot of contacts within the perimeter."

    "Captain?! Something in the tunnels! I can hear theming!"

    "Orders? Monsters on the approach!"

    "They''re in the walls! They''re in the walls!"

    Yasmine''s eyes widened in horror as she stared, unmoving at what was unfolding before her. This many contacts? So close together? Is this a wave?!

    "WE''RE UNDER ATTACK!" Wace roared. "PREPARE TO FALL BACK TO THE CITY!"

    "What!?"

    "Confirm?! Captain, confirm!?"

    "GET YOUR ARSES BACK TO THE CITY!" Wace turned to bellow directly to the wall. "AND SOMEBODY CONFIRM A DAMN VISUAL!"

    "I don''t see anything, captain!"

    "Yasmine! Yasmine? Yas?!" The captain turned to his second inmand to find her staring in a daze at the projection behind him.

    He shoved her roughly in the arm until she turned to look at him, her eyes vacant.

    "Focus, idiot!" he hissed. "Get those damn soldiers back to the gates and then lock them! You hear me?! Get to it!"

    He turned her around and pushed her toward the audio arrays before he spun back to the projection. There were hundreds of small glowing points of red light now, and more appeared every second in every direction, all moving toward the city.

    "What the hell are you?" he muttered, "what could you possibly be?"

    The guards manning the outer defences fell back immediately, abandoning their posts and equipment as they sprinted to safety. One by one the guard stations went silent until the monsters approached them. That''s when Wace heard it.

    "Click, click, click¡­"

    "Click, click, click, click, click, click, click ¡­ "

    "Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICK."

    From every array the same sound rattled out a thousand times over a few seconds. It wasn''t the sound of a foot, or a boot, but something harder and sharper, stabbing against the stone as it gripped. Wace only had to think for a second to determine what kind of monster it could be.

    That''s when he knew they were dead.

 Chapter 454 Attack on Rylleh pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 454 Attack on Rylleh pt 2 </h4>

    The captain of the Rylleh guard knew, deep in his gut, that he was dead, that everyone around him was dead. He felt as if his blood had slowed to a crawl in his veins as he stared at the projection, more red lights blooming to life each second. There were thousands of them, because of course there were. He knew what wasing. In that moment, he felt as if two divergent pathsy before him. He could surrender to the inevitable death that awaited him and every person living in the city,y down and give in, or he could fight and take as many of the filthy monsters down with him as he could.

    It didn''t seem like much of a choice at all to Wace.

    "Yasmine! YAS! Get over here!"

    His second inmand, a quaver of panic running just beneath the surface, rushed back to his side and he stepped in front of the disy before he turned to speak to her.

    "What''s been happening?" he asked.

    He could hear the rumbling and tter of more guardsmen piling into the headquarters, responding to the emergency summons that was automatically sent out once the rms were tripped.

    "Well," Yasmine steadied herself, "I''ve done as you asked. All of the outer guardsmen are retreating to the gates, which are being closed and reinforced. The reserves have been summoned and the city has been notified of an attack."

    Wace nodded.

    "Right, I want everyone to abandon the gates and fall back to the city centre. Issue an evacuation order to the popce. Everyone into the city centre, copse the buildings in a hundred metre radius beyond the square. Then I want -"

    "Have you gone mad?" Yasmine demanded, aghast. "Are you abandoning the city?! You''ll kill us all!"

    "They''re tunnelling through the rock! The walls are useless, they''re just going to go around them. They''re tunnelling up from underneath us as we speak!"

    "That''s impossible! What about the enchantments? The reinforced rock? It''s absurdly hard to break through the stone!"

    "It would be if they were human," he ground out, "but they bloody well aren''t. Now listen close and keep your bloody mouth shut, alright?"

    He reached out and grabbed her by the shoulder, his old calloused hand digging painfully into her flesh. She looked at him and noticed for the first time the faint glint of something mad in his eyes, something other.

    "Are you alright, captain?" she whispered.

    "I will be soon," he chuckled, "now shut up and listen. I''m going to tell you something and it''s very important that you don''t spread this around. Thest thing we want is a panic, alright? Do you understand?"

    "I-I think so, captain."

    "Good. We are under attack by ants. This is an ant horde."

    He muttered the words low, forcing her to lean closer to hear him. He could see the moment sheprehended him as her face drained of blood and she began to shake. He gripped her tighter and tried to give her the strength to hold on.

    "There''s thousands of them, alright? Thousands. Not a single one below tier three. I know, shut up," he held her eyes as she tried to break in but he refused to allow her to panic. "The gates are going to be useless, they''ll tunnel around ande at our people from behind. The only way we have a chance is if we gather in the square and use those walls to hold them off. Alright? Breathe, Yas. Just breathe. We can make it, but we have to act fast! I need you to hold it together and help get the orders out, otherwise we''re finished."

    Used to dealing with bar scuffles and the rare monster wave, she wasn''t equipped to handle this, but she gathered her courage and nodded. She would do her best for the city of her birth. They wouldn''t die today!

    Seeing the firming determination in her face, Wace nodded and released her to her duty. He''d had to lie to her, to keep her steady. Even when they gathered in the square, the ants would tunnel under the walls ande at them from beneath, but hopefully they''d be able to swat a few of the filthy bugs as they approached. It was the best they could hope for.

    Not even aware of the smile that twisted his face, Wace rushed out to give his orders.

    Not far away.

    "They want us to WHAT?!"

    "Abandon the gate! Orders came straight from Wace!"

    "Like hell we are!" Ernes yelled back through themunication crystal, "has that old fool turned traitor?!"

    The voice on the other side of the enchanted gem grew frustrated at his intransigence.

    "If you think the captain has betrayed the city, your''re drunk. Get your men to the square and follow orders! This is an attack, not a Sunday dance!"

    Ernes Bally mmed his fist onto the expensive array, cracking it right down the middle. He''d be damned if he was going to abandon his post during an invasion, regardless what his orders were! When it was all said and done, he''d bemended for holding his ground whilst Wace was dragged through the mud for his cowardice.

    "What are our orders, Ernes?" one of his men called.

    "We hold the line! Whoever is stupid enough to take this city on is going to get a taste of our steel!"

    Confidence surging, he rushed out of the guard house attached to the west gate and helped to finish closing and sealing the gate. A massive construction of enchanted metal and stone, the gates had held off hordes of monsters during the recent wave and Ernes doubted there was any chance they would fail now.

    "Prepare the firing ports! Mages at the ready, archers behind! Shields up!" he roared.

    There were more than fifty guards manning the gate by now and they leapt to their tasks like a well-oiled machine. As their major, his heart swelled with pride as he rushed to join them. A full fifteen metres high, the back of the gate was lined with three tiers of viewing ports essed by ramps that joined across the centre. At hismand, the guards flew up thedders and took their positions, ready to throw open the hatches built into the gate and annihte on whatever they saw on the other side.

    "Steady, men!" Ernes urged them, "when I give themand, unleash hell fire!"

    Heart pounding in his chest, he took a deep breath to calm himself. His reputation would be made by what he did here today. This was going to be the defining moment of his life. He was ready. It was time.

    He needed to see what was happening, so he threw open his own hatch and courageously lent over to look, exposing his head to enemy fire. For a brief second, he gained vision of the tunnel approach to the gate before he flicked his head back out of the way and mmed the hatch shut.

    "Well, how is it, sir?" the guard next to him asked.

    Ernes frowned. He wasn''t sure exactly what he''d just seen. He''d expected onrushing soldiers, siege weapons, or something.

    "I need another look," he muttered and performed the action again.

    Open, peek, m!

    ¡­

    Did that person have antennae on his head?

    Then a voice called out from beyond the gate.

    "Please surrender to the Colony, and you''ll be spared! Weapons down, uh, would be very appreciated! There isn''t much time, so, I''d do it fast¡­"

    A murmur of confusion arose from the guards on the gate as they tried to unpack exactly what that meant.

    "Major? What the heck is that?"

    Ernes shook his head, still confused.

    "I think it was a person? Asking for our surrender?" Anger built inside him once more. "Mages! Prepare to fire the tunnel on my mark!"

    Asking for him to surrender? Idiocy! He refused to bend to Wace, he wasn''t about to lie down for a single invader. They''d roast this fool to send a message. Regardless of what happened at every other gate, the west gate would stand firm!

    "Three, two, one, m-"

    BOOM!

    Before he could say the final word, the stone exploded outward on both sides of the gate. A shower of rock and dust flew into the air but even that couldn''t obscure the two gigantic ants that had burst out of the wall.

    CLACK! CLACK!

    Jagged and barbed mandibles opened and shut with tremendous force, unleashing an ear splitting crack into the air. Ernes could only stare in horror as the two titans turned toward the guardsmen and woman clinging to the back of the gate preparing to fire on the person outside. Before they could even begin to process what was happening, a flood of insects poured through the tunnel openings, climbing up the walls and throwing themselves onto the guards in seconds. Ernes couldn''t even scream before an ant was upon him, throwing itself forward andtching its mandibles around his neck.

 Chapter 455 Attack on Rylleh pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 455 Attack on Rylleh pt 3 </h4>

    From what I understand, we expected the gates to be abandoned at this point, so I''m more than a little shocked to find this one fully manned. Not that it did them much good, as it turned out. Surely by now the city knows exactly what is attacking them? What did they really expect gates to do? We''re ants! Never happier than when we''re digging!

    I should also say that the generals have got together and created specialised digging teams. Only a colony of ants would have the resources and spare bodies to be able to dedicate individuals to such a niche task as breaking through hardened and magically reinforced stone, but here we are. Turns out that when mages who''s sole pursuit is breaking down earth enchantments are paired with huge soldiers that have dedicated every ounce of Biomass and evolutionary energy to ripping through stone with their mandibles, that you can really dig a tunnel. As it happens, you dig the heck out of a tunnel, regardless of what people have done to try and prevent you from doing just that.

    So ten of these teams went to work and I was able to burst out of the wall in suitably dramatic fashion with hardly a wait. The Queen was able toe out at just the same time and I have to say, the poor defenders looked as though they fair browned their trousers. In less than ten seconds they were overwhelmed and pinned to the ground, multiple ants gripping them by their limbs and pinching their necks at just the right pressure. At that point they became very still indeed. When Tiny and Invidia leapt out (Crinis is still with me), they became practically statues.

    "Well, that went fairly smoothly," I observe to the Queen.

    She dips her antennae, but I can tell she''s anxious, looking for the next fight.

    "We have done well so far, child, but we must advance. If the others reach the city before us¡­"

    She''s worried that they''ll take the brunt of the return fire when she and I should be absorbing it instead. Good ''ol mother! Always thinking of her children.

    "Not to worry, they know to hold back and give us a little time to get ahead of them. Let''s get this gate down and then we can move on."

    Working together, the two of us approach the massive gate, nearly as impressive as our nest gates, and get to work opening it. Since we''re on the inside, there''s no need to try and tear the thing down, we just leverage the bar off its mount and bam, gate''s open. With that job done we are able to wee Beyn within the city without much fanfare.

    A decision was made that we ants wouldn''tmunicate with the defenders, since the idea of intelligent ants was more likely to terrify them than the thought of a human invader with a horde of ants under their control. So once he''s inside, we task Beyn with trying to sound like he''s in charge (not hard for the priest) and getting information out of our captured defenders. I didn''t think they''d talk much, but I was genuinely surprised at how much they were willing to cough up in a short amount of time. I suppose having two or three monsters with their mandibles on you is rather persuasive. The humans also seem rather shocked that they aren''t dead, which adds another element to their mental distress.

    With our tasks done, the Queen and I prepare to run ahead of the rest of the invasion and get closer to the city. At the moment we are still in a well-shaped tunnel, but I can see it opens up roughly a hundred metres ahead. After all the fuss, I''m quite keen to see what this city looks like! Discounting the nest, this will be the first major Dungeon construction I''ll haveid my many lensed eyes on! Despite the fact that I''m ostensibly invading the ce, I feel quite like a tourist!

    "Alright then, Mother. Ready to charge forward recklessly and endanger ourselves?"

    THWACK!

    "That is not what we are doing," she reprimands me firmly, "we are attempting to focus attention on ourselves as we are in the best position to absorb danger."

    I rub my head and refrain from pointing out that it''s basically the same thing in the end. Mother has a look in her eye as if she knows what I''m thinking and one of her antenna twitches irritably.

    "Right then, off we go! Come on Tiny! Keep up Invidia!" I say and scurry off.

    Mother is in a grumpy mood! She must be stressed, what with all of this invasion stuff going on. For now, it''s best to avoid giving her opportunities to punish me too extensively.

    At the east gate.

    "How much longer do you anticipate the Eldest will need before they move into the city itself?" Sloan asked.

    "Give them at least another five minutes. I know we estimated ten minutes of ''Eldest dy'', but I think we can afford a little more buffer time considering the gate abandonment has gone ording to n," Victor suggested.

    "Agreed."

    "Do you think the Queen will be alright?"

    "Don''t start this again, Victor. We''ve done all that we can on that front¡­"

    "I''m just worried!"

    "We''re all worried!"

    The two generals cleaned their antennae vigorously to calm themselves before deting. It was true, they''d done all they could to ensure their mother would be safe. The extra measures put in ce to protect the Eldest were, so far, working well, though Advant was adamant that they suspected something.

    "At least everything is going to n so far¡­" Victor said.

    "The next part was always going to be the major challenge," Sloan agreed, "oveing stone and dirt isn''t a challenge. Getting what we need from this city without having to destroy the inhabitants and throw our sibling''s lives away was the challenging part. That''s the sort of thing we rely on the Eldest for."

    "Would you two stuffy generals get to doing something useful? I swear, theziest caste of the lot. All you do is stand around, provide auras and think a lot."

    Burke, like most scouts, never hesitated to needle the generals. In truth, though they were the most physically fragile of all the soldier caste evolutions, the generals still put themselves on the front line and fought. Rather than armchair nners, the ''generals'' were more like hardened squad leaders in the forces of the Colony.

    "We decided to wait an extra five minutes," Sloan informed her sister.

    "Ah, Eldest allowance?"

    "Indeed."

    In the distance, the ants could feel a powerful vibration shake the air as it rattled against the fine hairs of their antennae, followed by the sound of arge crash in theirparatively smaller ears. If they had to hazard a guess, they''d say that arge building or wall had copsed, possibly as a monster of considerable size had smashed into it. In that moment, they each considered whether the Queen or the Eldest were responsible for this destruction.

 Chapter 456 Attack on Rylleh pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 456 Attack on Rylleh pt 4 </h4>

    Yasmine had seen the captain focused on his work. During the more intense moments of thest wave, he''d been relentless in his energy and application, but this time something was different. Gone was the calm, determined figure that she was ustomed to, reced by a beast with so much nervous energy he almost vibrated in ce. He roared and shouted through themunication arrays and at anyone who happened to cross his path. He bullied and intimidated everyone who so much as queried a word that came out of his mouth. She could have epted that, perhaps, considering the situation they were in, especially knowing what he had told her, but the wild look in his eye coupled with the rictus grin stered on his face unnerved her to no end. Wanting to escape, she''d offered to act as a liaison and assist the citizens falling back to the square.

    There was panic in the streets by the time she arrived, the news of the gates being abandoned had spread like wildfire, causing an uproar that threatened to turn an orderly retreat into a riot. Yasmine was forced to intervene multiple times in her first few minutes outside to prevent altercations between city folks and the guards trying to protect them.

    "Get to the square! Take nothing with you but what you can carry! Move with all haste! Volunteers to the armoury!"

    The crush in the streets was unbearable, only her superior physical stats due to her ss allowing her to press through the crowds. On every corner, a guardsmen or volunteer hollered out orders at the top of their lungs as teams went door to door. There wasn''t enough time to ensure everyone obeyed themand, anyone who chose to stay in their homes would be abandoned. Left to fend for themselves against the ravenous ants.

    She shivered as she considered the fate that awaited those who didn''t listen. A fate she couldn''t even warn them about. It was only a matter of time before the true nature of this invasion was revealed, but every second between now and then allowed them save precious lives. Yasmine had no doubt that the instant the citizens realised they were being invaded by ants, a mad panic would descend.

    As she neared the market on Dionys street she found the guard out in force, funnelling people toward the square and the inner wall to be found there. She rushed forward, shing the insignia on her uniform the moment she arrived.

    "Lieutenant Yasmine," Sargent Lyssa saluted hurriedly, "are there new orders?"

    She shook her head.

    "At the moment we continue to get as many people into the square as we can."

    Lyssa nodded grimly before she turned back to the hundreds of terrified people rushing past.

    "Does the captain really think all of these people are going to fit? The town hall doesn''t have enough room for this, surely? Are they nning to activate the gates?"

    "I don''t know," Yasmine said softly, "we don''t control the gates, the council does. It''s possible they''re reaching out for aid, or for somewhere to receive us, but we haven''t heard from them."

    "Useless bastards," the Sargent spat, "If their ancestors could see what their blood hase to."

    Yasmine swallowed her agreement. There was little point ragging on their rulers now.

    "I''ll head upstairs," she indicated Merry''s fine potions and wares, an alchemist shop with an upstairs residence, "see if I can get a better view."

    "Right you are lieutenant."

    Inside the market was mayhem as the merchants tried to load their wares into carts to bring with them or were zealously defending their cash boxes. Yasmine had no time for any of them, ignoring their indignant screams as she rushed into Merry''s and kicked down the door blocking the stairs. Good thing the fussy old man wasn''t home, otherwise he''d have pitched a fit. She leapt up four stairs at a time and burst onto the westward facing balcony just in time to see something she would never forget.

    From the west gate entrance crept an enormous ant, taller than a person and long. It''s long mandibles were barbed and cruel, but it''s carapace glittered with the most beautiful light. An earthy red colour with a rear segment of pure ck, the creature poised at the gateway and gazed down on the city from above like a pitiless conqueror. It stood eerily still and made not a sound for a handful of breaths as Yasmine felt a scream constrict her throat.

    What was this creature? Tier four, five?! An ant!? There were thousands more of them out there, she knew that, if there were more like this one, what sort of chance did they have?

    CLACK!

    Even from hundreds of metres away, she clearly heard the sound. The great monster had opened those horrific jaws wide and mmed them shut with unspeakable force, the piercing sound tore through the din of the city with ease. From where she stood, Yasmine could see the people in the streets turn and look, start pointing as they discovered where the noise wasing from.

    A terrified hush descended on Rylleh as that monster gazed down on them, not an ounce of mercy reflected in its frame. When it finally moved, it was slow, one leg a time, it stalked down the ramp that lead to the city itself and from the tunnel behind it emerged an enormous, dark ape that crackled with electricity, another smaller shape on its back. As the creature slowly began to move amongst the buildings, another ant emerged from the tunnel, evenrger that the first. This one didn''t hesitate, but moved forward immediately, clearing the way for what came next.

    From out of the tunnel came an explosion of monstrous ants, dozens of them at once, crawling over every avable space of the entrance. They ran up the walls, towards the ceiling, fanning out in all directions as more and more poured out each second. If anything, the flow increased with each heartbeat until the area around the entrance was carpeted in a living wave of giant insects.

    As if a spell were broken, a great cry rose from the people of Rylleh. A unified scream of pure terror that emanated from thousands of throats. In an instant, the semi-orderly evacuation was over and the crowd transformed into a frantic mob. Rather than watch her own people shove and crush each other, Yasmine reached up with shaking hands to grip the eave above her head and pull herself onto the roof. Her stomach churned and she struggled to contain her bile as she righted her bnce and looked around.

    From the east, the north and south, the scene was repeated. The inner sanctuary of the Rylleh had been punctured so easily by these creatures and now they came in a great flood to wash the city away. She fell to her knees, no longer able to stand. For a reason she couldn''t exin, she turned back to gaze at the first ant to enter, and found herself staring at something new.

    A thousand barbed tentacles rose from the ant''s back, attached to a central trunk that housed three separate, gaping maws of pure darkness. As tears began to roll down her face, Yasmine watched as each of those mouths opened impossibly wide, paused, then screamed, a piercing wail that blew through every mortal soul that heard it and rattled their minds like weathervanes.

    That sound seeped through their ears, into their brains before it sunk into a deeper ce, a primal ce of fear and terror that every child knows and adults wish they could forget. For many, the madness that followed was almost a relief.

 Chapter 457 Attack on Rylleh pt 5

    <h4>Chapter 457 Attack on Rylleh pt 5 </h4>

    This ce is amazing! I mean, wow, ingenuity and all that good stuff is on disy in copious amounts right here. The city itself is nestled inside a gigantic egg-shaped cavern, with some sort of humungous crystal light source on the ceiling? What the heck is that thing!? Are they powering it with cores? Holy heck that must suck up a lot of mana. My entrancees out about halfway up the side of the egg and from that point down the buildings begin to appear, built right into the walls of the cavern itself. All sorts of impressive stone constructions poke out, fort-like citadels and graceful mansions gradually give way to more humble living spaces and markets. I wonder how they find the vertical living here on the side of the cavern? Must be a little awkward getting up and down. I hope for their sake that there was something other than stairs to get up here, that would have been painful.

    The most stunning aspect of the city and one that I only noticed after entering the main chamber, is the totalck of Dungeon veins! How the heck have they achieved something like this?! I''ve not seen such a thing done before, not even by the Sophos! This secret must be unlocked for the Colony! As we expand deeper into the Dungeon, this could make our nests invulnerable fortresses during a wave and ensure the safety of the precious brood! If nothing elsees of this raid, then this technique must be uncovered!

    I don''t get so distracted by gawping at everything new around me that I neglect to pay attention to the defenders of the city, such as there are. It appears that the citizens are being herded into the city centre, I can see an inner wall there where I assume they hope to make their final stand. There also seems to be a terrific amount of screaming and running going on as my siblings flood into the chamber.

    [Hey, Crinis. What was that scream thing all about?]

    [I am letting them know what they are dealing with!]

    [It looks like you got quite a strong reaction.]

    [Naturally I did, Master! I wanted to ensure they ran away¡­ in ordance with your ns, of course!]

    ¡­

    Suspicious. Not that I have the time to deal with it right now.

    [Come on Tiny, let''s move up and see if anyonees to try and deal with us. Stay alert, they may attempt to ambush us from amongst the buildings, so be careful.]

    Attempting to follow my own advice, I stick to the middle of the pleasingly wide roads as I rush down the side of the cavern. Judging by the winch and pulley systems I see about the ce, these sections aren''t really for walking on, but they suit me just fine!

    BOOM!

    "What the heck, mother?!"

    Rather than follow my example, the Queen simply smashes through the first building that gets in her way, sending the stone tumbling down and damaging a few more houses on its way. She looks evenrger than usual, I assume she''s activated her ''war queen'' form.

    "What is it, child?" she asks as she continues to barrel forward.

    If they were nning on lying in wait within the buildings, I''m going to assume they aren''t considering it anymore.

    Within a nearby building.

    From the third story window, Sylvin was able to see the onrushing horde of monsters, led by two truly colossal insects.

    "What do you think, boss? Should we leg it?" a voice asked him nervously.

    Sylvin sneered but managed to wipe the expression from his face before he turned back to his nervouspatriots.

    "Run?" he said, "why would we run away when a literal fortune is rushing forward to meet us!"

    There was nervousness and anxiety in the air inside the Mercenary Union of Rylleh, that was a smell that he knew well, but rising above that fear was a more powerful motivator: greed.

    "Jessim, do we have any more union membersing in?" he asked.

    "No sir, we got about half the membership in here, the others must''ve headed to the square."

    "More for the rest of us then," Sylvin chuckled and a few others in the room picked up on his energy andughed along. ncing around the room, he could see the rising tension in his fellow merc''s faces. It was a familiar scene, one didn''t make a living hunting monsters in the Dungeon without being familiar with pre-battle jitters. His people just needed a little push.

    "What we''ve got out there," he pointed out the upstairs window to the masses of ants creeping into the city, "is money on legs. A horde of low-tier, low stat monsters with no Biomass. If we stay in our teams and hold the line, we can kill a million of them."

    There were rumblings of agreement as people hefted weapons and tightened their fists.

    "Over there," Sylvin now pointed to the two enormous ants leading the charge, "is the real payday. Tier five, maybe six. Sounds scary, but remember, these are ants. The tier may be high, but the stats are low. You''ll never get a better chance for experience than this. And don''t forget the cores. We get our hands on them, and we''re set for life."

    Grins and eager faces began to appear amongst the gathered men and women of the Union. These people were hardened monster killers and they weren''t about to run and hide like the guard at the first sign of Dungeon spawn. After all, this was how they got paid. Sylvin shot an assessing nce around the room. He''d worked out of the Rylleh Merc Union building for years and he recognised many of the faces he saw, but there were still many he did not. At least his regr team was here, he trusted them to watch his back.

    "Make sure you''ve got your gear organised, people. This is going to be bloody work today and don''t think otherwise. We''ve only got a few minutes to prepare before they reach us, the big two need to go down first. Let''s get moving."

    All around the room, hardened mercenaries began to organise themselves into teams, checking their equipment and a dozen muttered discussions began at once. Sylvin moved to one side and indicated with his head for his team to join him. The troops were all fired up and it was time to work out how to seize the prize when it hit the deck. They were mercenaries after all, sharing just wasn''t in their vocabry.

 Chapter 458 Attack on Rylleh pt 6

    <h4>Chapter 458 Attack on Rylleh pt 6 </h4>

    Sylvin gathered his team and as the Mercenaries began to fan out from their building he kept close with the people he trusted. Ogran was a tremendous brute of a fighter who wielded a two-handed hammer in battle, perfect for shattering the carapace defence that these ants relied on. His level wasn''t the highest in the group, but his physical strength certainly was. They''d need to rely on him to crack the big ants open. Yann was the scout of the group, deadly with a bow in hand or the rapier she kept at her waist, her stealth had reached a high rank, allowing her to move with almost no sound. With her shadow cloak, made from weaver spider threads farmed in the second strata, she could vanish into the shadows in an instant, a powerful ability for someone with her talents. Sylvin had been pleased when they added the mage Illianus to the group. A highly skilled Golgari merc, she was excellent with healing spells and possessed an impressive offensive repertoire to back it up.

    He himself was something of an all-rounder. He''d spent a lot of time grinding away delving in the first and second strata when perhaps he could have challenged the depths. But he wasn''t stupid. How many had he seen think that they''d graduated the first two strata and leave Rylleh to find opportunities somewhere deeper? Most of them were dead within the month. The shadow sea was perilous to life, but the demons of the third strata were cunning, vicious and held little love for delvers in their territory. One wrong step would see an entire party annihted in the blink of an eye should they run across a demon hunting pack.

    Dabbling in elemental magic, training his stealth, his movement skills and weapon handling, he''d never bothered to focus on only one area, rather he kept himself interested by branching out. This had earned him a reputation as the best delver in Rylleh, something he acknowledged but hardly valued.

    Inhaling through his nose, Sylvin almost scent the terror in the air. He chuckled in wry amusement. Imagine, living in the Dungeon and not bothering to level up enough to feel safe. It was insane that so many of the civilians in this city were so incapable. Sure, they only lived in the first strata, a small pond, but they were so content to be the tiniest fish here.

    Not him.

    "Yann, get out there and find a spot high enough to give you good line of sight. You''ve got no chance of dealing damage with that sewing needle you call a sword."

    "Get stuffed, Sylvin," she scoffed, but vanished into the gloom in a breath, already making her way higher.

    "It''ll be you and me on the frontline, Ogran," Sylvin turned to the brawny human, "stay nimble and don''t get hit. We''ll need your hammer to crack this nut."

    "You got it, boss," Ogran rumbled.

    A man of few words, he merely hefted his hammer kept his eyes on the surroundings, a professional.

    "I suppose you want me to back you up and try and keep you safe whilst you prance around pretending you know what you''re doing," Illianus drawled.

    Her leader shot her a grin.

    "Business as usual, eh Illi?" he said.

    "That''s not my name," she warned him.

    "I know," he smiled, "let''s get to work, they''ll be here any minute."

    The abandoned streets and buildings made for an eerie backdrop as the four mercs moved swiftly to prepare the perfect ambush location. Behind them, more teams were taking defensive positions, getting ready to fend off the swarm that was descending on them. Barricades were being set, obstructions made use of and chokepoints set up by those looking to profit from killing as many ants as possible. A few of the more high level groups doing just as Sylvin and his team were, getting ready to jump the big fish. The experience alone for killing these high tier monsters was almost prize enough for them, the fortune a potential rare core represented to shallow delvers like them was just the icing on the cake.

    Even now they could still hear the wailing of the popce as they rioted to safety. The scent of smoke had begun to rise in the air, evidence that somewhere a fire had started. Probably some idiot looting during the chaos. Sylvin pushed it all from his mind, he needed to focus. Along with all the mercenaries around him, he settled his body, crouched behind a corner as he watched the two massive ants pick their way forward, walking over the top of buildings or just smashing through them.

    He studied the creatures closely, using all of his years of experience as a delver. Both were heavily mutated, especially the smaller one, which didn''t seem to make much sense. Judging by the shape of the mandibles and carapace, the offensive and defensive abilities were sure to be formidable. He felt a flicker of nerves in his heart, but he quickly quieted them. This may be a higher tier of monster than he was used to fighting, but they were just ants. He shared a nce with Ogran, who huddled next to him. The big man was as cool as ice, hands steady on the haft of his weapon. They were going to do this, they would win.

    Sylvin never saw the attacking. All of his concentration was honed to a razor''s edge, focused on the two great monster''s that approached, but even were he to be more generally aware, he still may not have noticed. The ants seemed to materialise from thin air, they leapt from nearby buildings, charged from the streets around them and erupted from the stones beneath their feet.

    When their jaws found him, Sylvin managed to cry "they''re here!", before he was pinned to the stone.

    Ogransted a little longer, able to swing his hammer and knock aside the first attacker, but three more were on him before he could ready another strike. They bore him down, their mandibles shattering his hammer and gripping his limbs. Atop a nearby building, crouched against the te roof, Yann saw nothing before they found her, too confident in her own Skill. Illianus, at least, knew what wasing, her finely tuned magical senses gave her the slightest glimpse of the monsters closing in, but her mind was assaulted on multiple fronts at once, battering at her mental defences until they crumbled and she fell, unconscious.

    Their workplete in less than ten seconds, the twenty ants checked each other and their surrounds, making sure that their efforts had gone unnoticed by those around them. One of the ants moved from group to group with light steps as she checked on her fellows. The situation well in hand, she leant down to look at the face of Sylvin, mped in the mandibles of her sibling.

    "To think that pitiful creatures such as this, would dare to raise their hand against the Eldest," Protectant muttered.

    "Do you think they noticed us?" Defendant wondered.

    "I don''t think so," she replied, "but we must be careful. They''ve alreadye so close to us already."

    "What do you want us to do with these aggressors?" Defendant asked, her jaws squeezing tighter around the mercenaries head.

    "Knock them out, quickly. Then back to the shadows. We''ll have much work today, the Eldest is going to be busy," came the reply.

    Sylvin heard none of this, since none of it was spoken out loud. All he knew was the fear of death and the pressure around his head, until a blow fell on his skull, and he knew nothing.

 Chapter 459 Attack on Rylleh pt 7

    <h4>Chapter 459 Attack on Rylleh pt 7 </h4>

    I swear I sensed something for a moment, those damn flickers that pop up in my Vestibule for a few seconds before they vanish once again. My suspicions are starting to firm on that front, and I''m not happy. There''ll be words with the council when this mess is done, but I can''t be distracted by these¡­ watchers right now. The Queen and I have been making quite the show of ourselves, mother has knocked down a few more buildings (I didn''t imagine she had such a destructive side), but so far nothing hase forward to challenge us as we move deeper into the city. At the pace we''re going, the people have managed to stay well ahead of us as they retreat to the walled square in the distance, but I''d expected that someone woulde out here and have a crack at us!

    WHACK!

    Oh! There they are!

    From the buildings around us emerge an insultingly small band of warriors and mages, firing arrows that glitter with the light of Skills, waves of sword light and a smattering of elemental spells. All of which peter out against my powerful and attractive diamond carapace.

    "Mother! Looks like someone decided toe out and y!"

    "This is not a game, child," she huffs, "let eliminate this threat and move on. The sooner we are done with this task, the safer the Colony will be."

    "Hard to argue with that."

    With my preternatural senses tuned in and my nerves firing, these piffling little blows are nothing to me. I ran along the sides of the buildings and turn my best angles to receive the strikes as I close the distance with a dash. As I loom over my first target, a brawny looking human with a standard looking sword and shield, I almost feel pity for the guy. Still, it''s better that he falls by my mandibles than by the Queen''s. I''ve rushed ahead of her but even from here I can hear her jaws gnashing as she charges forward, ready to rend these poor people into more harmless forms. Better that I deal with them before she gets the chance!

    My victim-to-be looks up at me with a sneer and brandishes his shield in my face. It explodes with bright light, blinding mepletely! With a roar of triumph, another leaps from a nearby roof, mighty hammer aglow with power as he prepares to bring it down on my head. But I¡­ step backwards, causing the powerful blow tond with tremendous force on the cobbled street beneath our feet. Blinding me was a clever move, pitiful humans! But my senses are greater than just my sight! In point of fact, my mana sense and my heat detecting antennae both were able to inform me of the iing danger in this instance.

    I will reward your cleverness by allowing you to sample the finest produce in the entire strata, straight from the source!

    POW! POW! POW! POW! POW!

    A rapid fire rain of merchandise and justice falls amongst the swarming fighters, causing them to cry out in shock or run for cover. The acid itself burns at their armour and gums up their limbs, restricting their movements even as it burns away at the mage''s shields. Gweheheheh. Such a multi-purpose, good for all situations thing my acid is! With my eyes still blinded, I can''t work too precisely, so resort to wide sweeps of my mandibles to send my adversaries stumbling as my sub-brains reach out and twist apart the threads of magic that fly my way. Surprisingly, the spells are better crafted than I expected, clearly a few of these chaps and chapettes have worked on their Skills, but after I get my minds on them, what remains of their fireballs, ice spears and wind des doesn''t amount to much.

    I should be able to wind this up with minimal injuries if everything keeps going this way!

    [HOW DARE YOU ATTACK MY MASTER?!]

    Ah.

    I''d neglected to take Crinis'' feelings into ount. Actually,e to think of it, where is Tiny?

    "HUUUAAAARRRR!"

    BOOM!

    There he is. Just as dozens of tentacles explode from my back as Crinis makes her terrifying presence known once more, Tiny and Invidia enter the fray in an explosion of fists and spells. Confronted with such a concentration of high tier monsters, the opponents arrayed before us begin to waver. It''s all a little confusing to me, they saw use in! Didn''t they have a n? Perhaps those flickers have something to do with this situation. At any rate, they don''t seem to know what to do in this moment as the four of us run amok amongst them. With Invidia in the fray, his magical prowess almostpletely suppresses the local mages and his shields protect Tiny and myself from the worst of the attacks thate our way.

    By the time the Queen arrives, we managed to suppress or incapacitate almost all of them. I try to turn my gaze from the fate that awaited those unfortunate saps. The Queen does not appear to be in the mood to dy the conclusion of the day''s events. It''s pretty ugly. The members of the Colony are almost upon us now and they take it upon themselves to clean up after us, keeping watch on the defeated and ensuring they can''t get up to any more mischief.

    "Looks like it might be a clear run down to the square, mother," I observe.

    "Then perhaps we''ll be able to finish this quickly," she replies and begins to crawl forwards with purpose.

    "Hold up a second! Don''t forget the speakers, we''ll need to wait a second."

    "Oh, fine."

    She''s definitely feeling impatient. This was the n though. Backed into a corner, terrified and desperate, the people of this city are right where we want them, but at the same time, on the edge and dangerous. If we provoke them, who knows what damage they''d do to themselves, to us, to whatever they can get their hands on? We figured it would be wiser to try and send in our humanmunication specialists to try and open dialogue and bring this campaign to a swift conclusion. Indeed, we only have to wait a minute before a few of the brown robes arrive, joined by my most devoted, one-armed priest.

    [Please don''t shout at me,] I sigh as I reach out to connect a bridge to the people.

    [We are blessed to be in your presence, Great One,] Beyn replies.

    His mind is so incredibly focused on containing the ''volume'' of his thoughts that the mental contact trembles with suppressed energy. It''s almost as distracting as just getting shouted at. Almost being the key word.

    [This is going to be a dangerous moment for you lot. Be careful but don''t let them stall us. We need to find and shut down any magical gates in here and we need it done yesterday.]

    [Fear not, Great One. We will serve with all our hearts, the danger is nothing to us.]

    Looking at the fanatical zeal in their eyes, I actually believe it.

 Chapter 460 Attack on Rylleh pt 8

    <h4>Chapter 460 Attack on Rylleh pt 8 </h4>

    There had been little to nomunication from the council, not that it was a surprise to Captain Wace. In recent years, the ruling families had be little more than leeches, perpetually sucking at the prosperity that their ancestors had achieved. He could almost imagine their faces, locked in their mansions as they panicked and strove to preserve their possessions. The indecision and paralysis that had likely seized them in this crisis was so easy to picture it was almostical. A wisp of glee bubbled up in the captain''s belly and he nearly giggled out loud before he restrained himself.

    The pressure had pushed him right to the edge, he could tell that about himself, now. The despair that he''d thought had fallen away from him he now realised was merely suppressed, forced into the background of his mind where it ate away at his sanity. He was grateful for it. In half an hour he''d been able to move with incredible purpose, and enact decisions with crystal rity thanks to his own burgeoning insanity, and he had hopefully enabled, not a saving of lives, but a more dignified end for the city which he had served his entire life.

    Because it wasing to an end, indeed, it was already over. He could see it so clearly. The insects had prated the city''s defences with such insulting ease, had presented those tasked with protecting the people with such an impossible task. Defend against insurmountable odds on every conceivable front? It fundamentally could not be done. What choice did he have but to try and pull his people back to a central location? No other option was presented to him.

    When that thought struck him, Wace was led to a conclusion that disturbed him in a way that he found difficult to shake. He had made the correct decisions for his people, his decades of experience assured him of that. If there were better moves to make, he simply didn''t know them. Yet he couldn''t help but feel that he''d been led to his current position, that he''d been dancing in the palm of his opponent all this time. That each of his decisions, as good as they''d felt at the time, were nothing but a path that had been set in front of his feet by another intelligence.

    Could it be possible that the ants themselves were not the orchestrators of this invasion? The way they''d so expertly tested and circumvented the protections around the city, the way they''d so efficiently overwhelmed any opposition. That didn''t strike him as anything that he''d ever read of conflict against Dungeon spawned ants. The literature that he''d seen was clear, ants would throw themselves forward in suicidal rushes, crawling over massed piles of their own dead to reach their enemies. Unending hordes of low tier creatures, starved of Biomass and experience attacking single points, following scent trails from their nests, battering against the foe until the prey grew tired, or sloppy, or simply gave up hope. He knew from the scanning array that not a single one of these creatures was below tier three! How could this be any ordinary colony?!

    Another giggle threatened to erupt but he managed to stifle it into a cough, although a few guardsmen and women nearby looked at him askance. Someone had tamed an ant Queen, used it as a pet and were now utilising it to assault Rylleh. This was the most usible exnation! Why didn''t he think of it before? Was it simply a crime so rare and unspeakable that he hadn''t been willing to consider it? Perhaps.

    The square, as it was generally referred to by the people of the city, was rtivelyrge, given the poption. It was home to the administrative and ruling arm of Rylleh. The council building, the treasury, the guard offices and the sorts of wide open, well gardened spaces that only the extravagantly wealthy could afford to surround themselves with in a literal underground living space, all surrounded with argely decorative but still functional wall. Those manicuredwns and borate rock gardens were now covered in shivering and crying refugees. The inner sanctum of the elite, perforated by those people they most wanted to keep out.

    Upon the wall was every guardsmen, volunteer and mercenary that Wace could find and give a weapon, along with Wace himself. He hadn''t heard from Yasmine in more than ten minutes, apparently lost somewhere near the market. A shame that, she was a good officer, if a little soft. He stared out into the city, waiting for the attacker''s next move. Would theye forward to try and negotiate? In which case, perhaps there was a sliver of a chance that the people might live. Or would they, far more likely, simply overwhelm the defenders from all sides, using the experience and Biomass the citizens would provide to grow their ant force even further?

    Regardless of what he thought would happen, he was still shocked when a one-armed man, dressed in an earthy brown robe with what appeared to be antennae sticking out the top, along with another twenty of his kind, stepped slowly down the main road toward them. Behind those figures stood two enormous ants, perhaps Queens of this colony, and behind them the ranks of thousands more gathered on all sides.

    "Hee, hee!"

    As he looked down on these strange humans, he couldn''t help butugh aloud. They just looked so ridiculous. Clumsily woven antennae drooping down over their faces from the top of their hoods that did little to properly conceal their faces. Were these really the masterminds of this entire invasion? The people in control of this powerful, enormous army of monsters?

    Tension was high on the wall as the humans stepped forward, easily within bow range. Wace himself felt the air thicken around him. If someone lost their cool and took a shot, then every single one of them would die. Judging by the expressions on those around him, this fact was very apparent to everyone, not just to him. The overwhelming show of force in front of them was enough to convince them that resistance was a gesture more than a hope for survival.

    Not able to wait any longer, Wace leaned over the parapet and called out to the strange ant¡­ people, before they got any closer. The figure in the lead, a young man with only one remaining arm, paused his step, which led the entire procession toe to a halt. There was a long moment of silence before the lead ant figure raised his head, drew a powerful breath and began to speak.

    "YOU STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF -"

    THWACK!

    In a mind boggling scene, the smaller of the tworge ants brought an antenna down to strike the human on the head, which caused him to lurch forward before he caught his bnce. Once he''d righted himself, the human turned toward the ant, bowed deeply (Wace swore the antenna twitched again) and then turned back to the wall.

    "AHEM! WE INVADED YOUR CITY, BUT WE DO NOT SEEK TO END YOUR LIVES! IF YOU ACCEDE TO OUR DEMANDS, THEN ALL OF YOU SHALL BE SPARED!"

    There were a few sighs of relief on the wall, but just as many snorts of distrust. After the mass panic and the deaths it had no doubt caused, to appear as a peaceful intruder at this point was far-fetched. But Wace did not share their reaction, he was neither relieved, nor distrustful. Instead, he was chortling, his shoulders shaking as a grin twisted his lips. Just when he''d decided that the ants were controlled by another agent, that disy in front of him now clearly said otherwise! When he thought about it, his entire day had just been insane. He may as well lean into it.

 Chapter 461 Attack on Rylleh pt 9

    <h4>Chapter 461 Attack on Rylleh pt 9 </h4>

    Beyn was nervous, yet exultant, but terrified whilst also experiencing a deep sense of unfurling faith. The enormity of the moment wasn''t lost on him, far from it, this was the first time the holy ones, the Great One, would be exposed to the widermunity of Pangera! And he, Beyn the one-armed, humble priest, was to be the spokesman, the representative that wouldmunicate their glory to the world!

    ¡­ except that he couldn''t. He wasn''t allowed to say any of the words that exploded in his heart and soared to the snow-capped peaks of his soul. He felt wracked with a pain that sent shudders through his entire frame as he strove to restrain himself. He had already failed once, in a shameful disy that had brought swift retribution from the Great One. Richly deserved punishment that nevertheless sent him into paroxysms of faith induced joy. It was wrong for him to find such delight in the touch of the one he revered so, but he couldn''t help it! He wasn''t worthy, wretched unbeliever that he had once been, far too lost to receive such contact!

    Behind him, the rest of the delegation looked on with eyes bulging from their heads. Even if they knew he was being disciplined, to see Priest Beyn receive the touch of the Great One elevated him to new heights in their esteem. Truly, he was the right person to lead their congregation. Selected by the Great One the moment they breached the surface, this level of closeness only reaffirmed his eminence.

    Beyn himself continued to battle within himself, a titanic sh that consumed him as he desperately strove to say only the words he was meant to.

    Suddenly, he felt the touch of the Great One upon his mind and tears began to well in his eyes. He wasn''t worthy!

    [Look, just chill out, alright? You look like you''re about to pass out, I swear to goodness you''re vibrating in ce! Deep breaths. Just breathe.]

    Covertly, the priest attempted to follow this advice in the depths of his hood. Inhale. Exhale. He focused and tried to still his frantic thoughts and emotions. It worked, a little, maybe enough.

    [Okay now. Just remember what we need you to say and how we need toe across here. We don''t want them knowing what they''re dealing with, not yet, alright?]

    Beyn nodded to himself. Yes, he must maintain this shameful charade for the time being. It would be painful, it would be difficult, but he could do this! He gathered himself and began to speak once more, hoping that his unusual dy had gonergely unnoticed.

    "I SAY AGAIN!" he called, "THERE NEED BE NO MORE HARM DONE THIS DAY! SEND OUT A DELEGATION THAT WE MAY NEGOTIATE WITH!"

    There was a pause as his words were digested before someone called back.

    "I think we''d rather talk from where we are, if it''s all the same!"

    Refusing to talk with the Great One?! INSOLENCE!

    [Just ask them if they''d like us to go in there and talk with them,] the Great One cut in, heading off another off-script explosion.

    Beyn wasn''t sure exactly what he meant, but he dutifully followed his instructions.

    "IF YOU SO CHOOSE, WELL WILL COME OVER THE WALL TO NEGOTIATE WITH YOU!"

    "Fine! I''lle out!"

    A miracle! Though he had no idea why, the words of the Great One had brought about such a swift resolution! A miracle indeed! Within five minutes an older gentleman emerged from the narrowly opened gate which mmed shut behind him before he began walking over. Beyn took a moment to study this person, as he felt the thousands of ants in view were also doing, their collective attention somehow materialised in the tense atmosphere like a nket that weighed down on everything. Grizzled, experienced, solid and somehow not entirely predictable was Beyn''s read on him. There was something about him that spoke of instability, not that he could be med, faced with such glorious inevitability as the Colony, who wouldn''t be rattled?

    The man certainly didn''tck for courage as he willingly abandoned the safety of his wall to venture out, alone, and walk forward into the face of an army of monsters. Not just any person could do such a thing.

    "My name is Captain Wace Danton," he spoke and bowed toward Beyn, but also somehow toward the Great One, a gesture which raised him in Beyn''s esteem immensely. "I head the guard here in Rylleh, the guard you have so roundly defeated this day."

    "DO NOT¡­ ahem. Do not me yourself or your soldiers for such a failing, your defeat was a foregone conclusion, with the army we have at our disposal."

    "True," Wace ceded, his gaze wandering over the ants who covered every surface of every building he could see from where he stood. Each monster was perfectly still, barely a twitch of an antenna to show that they still lived. Despite their eyes not needing to focus, he could almost feel that their attention was on him, not the least the two giant creatures so close to him.

    It was enough to drive someone mad¡­

    "I would love to know what it is that has brought about this¡­ invasion. I find it difficult to imagine what a human in charge of such arge colony of monsters would want."

    Beyn stared at the man nkly for a moment before he remembered. Oh, right! The fiction! He was supposed to be in control.

    "I will not mince words as our mission is time sensitive. We wish to know how many spatial gates exist here in this city, and where they are. We seek to dismantle them as soon as possible. Once that isplete, we will leave your people to their own devices. All we ask is that we are allowed to oversee the city to ensure that no new gates are constructed."

    Wace felt his head spin. They wanted to cut off this area of Dungeon? But why?! There must be more that he doesn''t know.

    "Such a thing would be difficult," he said, "the people here depend on those gates for many things, without them we''ll be isted, unable to trade with the other cities, unable to contact our families and friends. Many in the city are travellers whose homes lie elsewhere. They''d be abandoned here, cut off from their supportworks."

    The priest frowned at this less than instant capittion.

    "The gates wille down within the next hour, Captain. There are two ways that can happen. With your people aiding us, or we tear the city apart and destroy them ourselves. What there isn''t, is a way those gates stay operating."

    There was a strange pause as the priest stared straight ahead, as if listening to another voice.

    "We will provide what constion we can. Nobody will starve and what material goods we can provide we shall strive to do so. It is not the fault of the people of this city that we''vee here, you are unfortunately caught in the crossfire. Nevertheless, we must achieve what we have set out to do this day."

    Wace could see no hesitation in the eyes of the surprisingly young man. He spoke of eliminating the city as if it were simply a matter of course. Chilling.

    "There are only two ces with gates," Wace sighed, "inside the square is the transport ministry, and¡­ " he gestured to an imposing fort carved into the wall of the city, "the Abyssal Legion fort up there."

 Chapter 462 Attack on Rylleh pt 10

    <h4>Chapter 462 Attack on Rylleh pt 10 </h4>

    The moment this Wace guy revealed the locations of the gates, the Colony sprang into action. I could hear orders being snapped out as ants began to gather in teams, flooding away towards the fort on the outskirts of the city. Even my heart skipped a beat. This could be a major blunder! We''d anticipated the gates would be here, in the centre, and so they were, but we didn''t foresee that there''d be more around the edge of the city! Almost all our forces are concentrated here for the final push! If those gates open and those Legion nutterse pouring out¡­

    "One of us should go," I tell Mother, "those Legion soldiers are no joke, as I recall."

    Though I was super weak back then. I have no idea what their rtive strength would be now, realistically.

    "Which of us should it be?" she asks me. "I''m willing to go where I''m most needed."

    I hesitate. I need to stay here to helpmunicate, but I''m worried that the fort will prove to be the more dangerous of the options.

    "Go to the fort," I tell her reluctantly, "as soon as I''m done here, I''ll head up there as well, just in case. Make sure you take a few members of the council up there with you. If it turns serious, we''d rather have more firepower than we need than not enough."

    The Queen''s antennae twitch.

    "What about you, child? Will you be alright here?"

    I suspect she thinks I''m taking on too much here.

    "Not to worry," I assure her, "I alone would be enough."

    The Queen turns to leave and rushes to join the flow of ants marching into the distance as I focus back onto the idiot priest and the negotiations taking ce with the guard captain, Wace.

    [We want to get in and dismantle that gate as soon as possible,] I urge Beyn, [no dys, we get in there, right now.]

    The two humans continue to exchange their inefficient, noisy words as I wait, impatient to get moving. If I can smack this thing down fast enough, then maybe I''ll be able to make it over to that fort in the event something nasty starts up over there. I think Beyn can sense my impatience as my mentalmunication bes more and more curt. After a few more minutes, I run out of patience.

    [Tell them we will have ess to the gate within the next two minutes or we''ll be charging over the wall and bringing it down ourselves, no more stalling.]

    [He''s worried about sending ants within the wall. The people are unlikely to react well.]

    The priest sounds highly offended that our reception would be anything less than celebratory, but I can understand what the captain is worried about. If a riot breaks out inside, where I imagine people are densely packed, then the potential for fatalities will skyrocket. I harden my heart to the possibility.

    [Tell him that''s not our problem. If his people can''t control themselves then they be another obstacle that we''ll ovee. Those gates areing down. Now.]

    Injected with my determination, Beyn toughens his stance and delivers our ultimatum. Rather than sweat, flinch, or any of the other behaviours I would expect, he looks as if he''s about tough before he turns back toward the walls. We give him a single minute to let the people on the other side of the wall know we''reing before we follow.

    The waiting is unbearable. The Colony and I stand around, impatient as the seconds tick by.

    "Do you really think they''ll let us in?" Advant asks.

    "They will if they know what''s good for them!" Propent cackles.

    She really is getting more and more aggressive the higher her me magic Skill rises. I wonder if Skills can have an impact on our personalities. Is it more than just knowledge that Gandalf the wise is slipping into our brains? Something to chew overter. Just to be careful, I task my sub-brains with whipping up another construct and preparing some gravity magic. Not the bomb, that might be a little overkill, but the domain will help keep me safe if the crowd turns hostile.

    Despite my reservations, Wace appears on the wall and waves us forward. Somewhat trepidatious, Beyn and ten of his followers lead a contingent of ants towards the gates which open wide to allow us inside. Inside we find masses of people, huddling together amongst truly borate buildings, terrified of the monsters that they find in their midst. The ants outside the wall move closer, increasing the pressure on those manning the parapet, pushing the whole situation closer to the brink of disaster. One idiot doing the wrong thing is all it''s going to take for this to turn into a bloodbath.

    As I stride into the square, the faces of the assembled humans, with a few golgari and possibly others mixed in, are a mixture of hatred, fear and disgust. Thankfully, a great deal of that emotion is deflected toward Beyn and his robed followers. Nice save, crazy people! Taking all the heat for us! I appreciate your sacrifice. Severalrge buildings loom within the square but the Captain wastes no time (for once) and directs us to thergest. Even though the centre of the city has be packed with people, this single building appears to bepletely unupied which may have something to do with the thickly swirling magical energies around the building.

    When we finally break in, we don''t find a horde of enemy soldiers pouring through active gates, but rather threerge archways, unpowered and dormant. Enchantments and runes built into the gates appear to be collecting mana and storing it, which leads me to believe that the gates need to be charged before being opened. Handy for us, they appear to have been mid-cycle when weunched our attack. What fortuitous timing!

    In a jiffy, the ants move in, study everything they see and break the gates down into segments, shearing the stone with clean bites so it can be reassembled and studied back at the nest. Mission aplished; we turn to exit the square as quickly as possible. I don''t want to expose my family to danger any more than is necessary.

    But that''s when it happens.

    I don''t know what motivates the little kid, he could only be six or seven years old. Mature enough to know that us monsters had done something bad, but not enough to realise what provoking us might mean. I could see his face amongst the crowd, screwed up in anger and frustration, much like many of those around him. Unlike those adults, this child had the courage, orck of understanding, to express that feeling. Winding back his little arm, he gripped hard onto something and threw it with all his might. Right at me.

    With my senses, with my reflexes, there''s not a chance that it will hit me, and honestly what could it do, even if it did? I understand all this, it''smon sense for someone who''d been human, like me, to know that a little child isn''t going to have some sort of mega-grenade to hurl at the biggest and baddest monster that he can see.

    But there are members of my family whock my level of understanding, young and foolish creatures that they are.

    "IT''S AN ATTACK! GET DOWN!" screams an ant, appearing almost from thin air as she threw herself forward into the path of the projectile.

    In an instant, more of them pop into existence, leaping onto my carapace to cover me from harm and forming a defensive wall around me.

    "COVER DAMMIT! PROVIDE COVER!"

    "CHECK THE ELDEST FOR WOUNDS! MEDIC!"

    The first ant continues to glide gracefully through the air, my hyper-reflexes cause the entire scene to unfold in near slow motion as I be almost buried under these mystery ants. The projectile, a harmless toy ball, spins through the air and rebounds from the ant''s carapace with a gentle ''tok!''. The ant in question continues her flight, legs a tangled mess, before she thuds into the groundpletely unharmed.

    Perhaps it''s lucky that the humans seem far too shocked to react to this bizarre scene that''s unfolded. The rest of the Colony also seems a touch surprised, staring at these neers with bewilderment in their eyes. Sadly, for them, I react the fastest.

    [Crinis! Get them!]

    So close to me, the ants have no chance of escape from the tentacles that sprout from my abdomen and wrap them tight. Crinis lifts each of the creatures into the air as they suddenly scrabble to try and escape her grasp. No chance! Glee builds within as I stalk over to the ant on the ground, using her antennae to check herself for injuries.

    Just as I close in, she seems to realise what''s happening and tries to scurry away like lightning, but I nab her in my mandibles and lift her up so she has no choice but to look into my eyes.

    "Fooooound youuuuuuuu!"

 Chapter 463 The aftermath

    <h4>Chapter 463 The aftermath </h4>

    The surrounding crowds, pressed together in the square, recoil with horror as Crinis makes her presence known. The fact that she snatched up the mysterious ants rather than start munching on the helpless crowd isn''t enough topletely mollify their fears. Screams and indignant cries rise as they push to create distance from me, while the kid who threw the stupid ball looks on with wide eyes before being dragged away by who I presume is his mother.

    Whelp, time for me to get out of here.

    "Let''s get the heck out of here!" I shout to my siblings before speaking to Beyn over the mental link. [We need to leave this area. Let things calm down a bit before wee back.]

    The priest readily agrees, and our convoy makes directly for the nearest wall as the crowd scrambles to make room for us to pass by. A few guards brandish their spears at us, but the ants ignore them, climbing straight up the wall and using their bodies to shove the guards to one side to create space for those behind to head straight over. Each of the ant-robed humans is picked up by arge soldier and carried over whilst clutched in mandibles. You''d think they''d be a little afraid at being gripped in the crushing jaws of powerful monsters, but instead they look almost radiantly happy. These people are just as far gone as the damned priest. There''s no hope for them anymore.

    I maintain my grip on the still struggling ant as Crinis holds aloft the other neen. It makes crawling up the wall rather difficult, the individual ants are rtively small, but holding twenty of them is no joke in terms of weight! Up and over and once more in the clear as the uproar behind us continues. Being surrounded by my fellow insects rather than the panicked citizens of this city is such a relief. Back amongst my own kind!

    Those ants who''d taken apart the gates were already on their way out of the city, wasting no time in their quest to return the precious artifacts back to the nest. If we can unlock the secrets of this magic, the future of the Colony will truly know no limits! A solid contingent of soldiers and scouts go with them, guarding the precious cargo. For the rest of the ants present, the work is clear. We may have seized the gates inside the square, but there are no guarantees that there aren''t more besides those that we were told of.

    "Do you think all of the gates will have that distinctive mana gathering array?" Cont asks from nearby.

    Struggling to contain my wiggling captives, I take a moment to reply.

    "I''m not sure," I admit, "since there''s no Dungeon veins in here, the mana is much thinner than it is out in the tunnels, so it would make sense they''d need such arrays to power the gates. But we don''t know enough to assume that would be the case."

    The mage nods her head.

    "We''ll just have to manually search then."

    "Wouldn''t hurt to send out the mages to test the mana density around the ce anyway. Never know what they might turn up."

    The low concentration of mana is almost enough to cause me problems. Only by using my external mana maniption to pull energy toward myself am I able to maintain my core.

    Cont rushes off to facilitate the search as the majority of ants turn and scurry away into the city. I remain with perhaps a thousand others to watch over the walled square where order is gradually being restored, judging by the diminishing level of noiseing over the parapet. As much I want to run to the fort in support of the Queen, the situation here just isn''t stable enough that I can be confident the city defenders won''t get feisty again. At the very least, this gives me a little time to interrogate my captives. Gweheheheh.

    "So," I address the ant gripped in my mandibles, "I presume you''re the little flickers I''ve been sensingtely?"

    At detecting my scent, the prisoner goes limp in my grip. I wait a moment to see what will happen, but to my surprise, she doesn''t respond at all.

    "Hello?" I say, "are you not going to respond to me?"

    Nothing. Every single ant that Crinis holds in her grip has simrly gone ck. I can sense that they are still alive, it appears as though this is their strategy to avoid my interrogation. Foolish! Do they really believe that giving me the silent treatment is going to be enough to dissuade me!?

    "Let me just take a guess at something and see how you feel about it, alright?" I watch all of the captives closely as I continue my line of questioning, "let''s say that after I was captured by the golgari and vanished from the Colony that the council got together and decided that having me running around doing dangerous stuff was a bit of a pain, but not something that they could control."

    The very idea of the council trying to tell me what to do. Laughable! I trained them from the time they were grubs!

    "So instead, they thought to themselves, ''since we can''t prevent the Eldest from doing whatever they want, instead we''ll try to make sure they stay safe. Why not provide some guards?'' or something along those lines. Only they immediately realise that I would say no. I do not need or want a group of guards following me around, I would more likely have to protect them as opposed to them protecting me. Not to mention the appalling waste of resources that would be."

    My mandibles grip the still limp ant a little tighter.

    "Instead of dropping the idea there and then, like sensible ants, they thought they''d go a step further. ''If the Eldest doesn''t want to be protected, but at the same time needs to be protected, why not guard them in secret!? We''ll make special guards to watch over the Eldest without even letting them know!''."

    Each of the twenty figures exudes a sense of martyrdom now, as if they know the jig is up.

    "So, the council put into a motion a n, probably with a stupid name like Operation Silent Shield."

    Twitch.

    "Really? Holy moly. So, Operation Silent Shieldmences, they recruit twenty promising young hatchlings, ones who are dedicated to a fault, willing to serve in any way and give them the best training, full core evolutions and full mutations. Maybe even special evolutions?"

    Twitch.

    "Right. And for yourst evolution, you''re probably tier four, I would guess? Yes, judging by your mana, tier four. For yourst evolution, you all chose some sort of advanced nd that masks your presence, from all sources. Or does it work on perception? Perhaps the Vestibule was working correctly the whole time and I filtered it out without realising? Maybe my Will stat was too high¡­ Well? Which is it?"

    I prod my captive, but she stubbornly refuses to say anything.

    "Well, I suppose it doesn''t matter. Even if you hadn''t leapt out when you did, I would have tracked you down eventually."

    I can''t help but sigh. I shouldn''t be surprised that the council would pull a move like this. I can''t even be mad, not really. These twenty young ants represent the council worrying about me, attempting to look after my safety without letting me know. They basically used up a second council worth of resources, special cores and everything, just to look after me. I wish I could be more confident in saying it was a waste of effort, but I can''t deny the run of trouble I''ve been getting myself into.

    [Crinis, let them go please.]

    [Are you sure, Master?] she huffs.

    She sounds irritated that these ants were attempting to do her job.

    [Yes, let them go.]

    She uncoils her limbs and each of the neen insects she''d captured sprints away into the shadows where they disappear. It''s uncanny how fast it happens. Despite not moving, I can tell that the remaining ant in my mandibles is feeling distinctly hopeful. She seems to be hanging in a more optimistic way. I just need one thing before I let her go.

    "Name."

    ¡­

    I give her a shake.

    "Name. I''ll let you go, once I get your name. They did name you, right?"

    A pause.

    "¡­ Protectant."

    Really?! Not that I can judge I suppose.

    "Thanks for looking out for me, Protectant. I''ll be having a chat with Advantter, and then with you and your sisters. Right now, we need to get back to work."

    With that, I let her drop and she dashes away to join her team out of sight. As satisfying as it is to drag this little group out into the light, I have other things to worry about. As the seconds drag by, I keep thinking about the Legion fort and beyond that, what the future is going to look like for this city. The trick is, we can''t leave them alone, not anymore. We know that they can build gates, what''s to stop them doing it again?

    A consideration for another time¡­ and probably one that I punt to the council, let them work it out. Maybe the humans from the vige can help, I don''t know. Having to manage some sort of subservient city state under the control of an ant colony feels a little odd. Ah well, maybe I''ll let Beyn at them, he seems to be able to sell just about anyone on the concept of ant messiahs.

 Chapter 464 Silent Halls

    <h4>Chapter 464 Silent Halls </h4>

    You might think it would be challenging to operate in a territory administered by ants. Indeed, I have heard many express such sentiments, going so far as to insinuate that I''m suffering from an affliction of the mind when I tell them otherwise. Any attempt to exin on my part is waved away as the ravings of a lunatic. Good thing they''ll still trade, even if they refuse to engage in proper discourse. Gold forged by ants is still gold, as it turns out.

    It just made so much sense! It took a little adjusting to, of course, but once I did, my business began to thrive! Perhaps I had an edge in that department, as I was far quicker to ept the new status quo than many of mypetitors. The bribes? The under the table deals? Gone, overnight. You can''t bribe an ant! There were many who tried, only to stand rather awkwardly, a purse covertly extended in one hand as a giant insect stared back at them, uprehending. The entire concept ofmerce was foreign to their society. They didn''t sell, or buy, or trade in any way, but once they understood the fundamental nature of it: fairpensation in exchange for goods and services, then they decided to ensure that that''s what would happen! Any merchant who failed to see the light was hurt in the simplest and most profound way possible: crippling fines.

    Overcharging? Half your business gone, overnight. Fraudulent goods? Half, vanished. Repeat offenders were out of business in a week. No matter how they tried to conceal their shoddy dealings, the ants always sniffed them out. They wailed and gnashed their teeth as they appealed to the council, but the ants didn''t care. Why would they? When it was suggested that the penalties might be too onerous, they were genuinely puzzled and rejected anypromise. Since the seized materials were immediately and efficiently distributed to the poor in the city, there was a blossoming of support amongst the people for the new administrators.

    Thus, a new ying field was created for the merchant ss. A ce administered by uncorruptible, brutally fair and somehow almost omniscient creatures who questioned the very existence of business. With such dramatic drops in costs, the ants insisted the savings be passed on, ''fair''pensation, after all. The drop in prices allowed many who could never ess my goods to now be customers, and the volumes I moved rose and rose.

    For an honest businessman, nothing is better than working for ants!

    Excerpt from "Letter to Bnan of Tulson" by the merchant Chulo of Rylleh"

    ----------------------------------------

    It takes the Colony a few hours to search through the entire city thoroughly. Every building, every mansion, every room and every cer is opened for insect inspection. Sometime during the process wordes back from the force the Queen led to the Legion fort informing us that it was empty. Not a single soul was found inside the walls. What''s more, papers, documentation, cores, rare materials, all gone. Several forges and workshops were scraped entirely clean, not a piece of wire or pliers left behind to indicate what they may have been working on in there.

    It''s clear that they realised we wereing in advance and wiped clean all traces of themselves and their technology from the fort before abandoning it. How much notice would they have needed to pull that off? A day? Two? Did they realise what was happening once we began testing the defences around the city, or did they have some other means of detecting our presence? The possibility also exists that they were recalled in preparation for an assault on another front after receiving a call for aid from the golgari.

    No matter which of those situations turns out to be true, it doesn''t bode well for us. The gates were found within the fort, just as captain Wace had suggested they would be, and were summarily taken apart and returned to the nest for further study. Lending further credence to his words, no other gates were found anywhere in the city, not even in thergest and most wealthy looking abodes. In this city at least, running a private gateway appears to have been too expensive to justify.

    With our immediate missionplete and the safety of the Colony secured for the short term, the Colony begins to move out of the city. The headache of having to administer the city as part of the colony''s territory also begins to make itself known as Beyn enters into negotiations on our behalf. He arranges for a full meeting of the Rylleh city council in the next day, decreeing how many ants will remain in the city and where they should go, what the guardsmen will be allowed to do and not do. It''s a nightmare that I simply don''t have the attention to detail to handle.

    Besides that, I have my own council meeting to attend. We need to decide what the next steps are going to be given the conquest of the city has gone ording to our best case scenario.

    "We still have no idea where they''re going toe for us from," Sloan grumbles.

    "At least we can be confident that it isn''t going to be from here. Which means the expansion and construction of the new nests can proceed," Tungstant sounds pleased at the prospect.

    "I agree, we need to expand," I say, "not just across the second strata either. We can''t afford to be ignoring any resource. We need more surface nests and to grow our reach in the first strata also. The more territory we can balloon into, the sooner we''ll know where they''reing from."

    The council reacts with muted surprise at my words. I suppose they didn''t expect me to be advocating for reckless expansion.

    "We can do that, Eldest. It steps our timetable forward a bit, but we can do it," Cobalt says.

    "We also need to expand down," I tell them firmly, "there''s a good chance that even though the first and second strata in this area arergely abandoned, that the richer territory beneath us is likely to have been imed. There''ll be more cities with gates, and races like the golgari, who''ve made their civilisation in the depths of the Dungeon. I think the direction of the attack wille from below."

    "Pushing down is dangerous," Victor warns me, "the Colony doesn''t know enough of what goes on down there."

    "That''s why I need to go," I say and before they can protest and I continue, "not on my own, not this time. I''ll take Vibrant and her team, and I''ll have my new protectors along for the ride."

    I re at Advant and she wilts a little.

    "We need to send the strongest we have to uncover as much as we can, as quickly as possible. This is the best way to get the job done. I don''t intend to take any unnecessary risks, but in my view, Dungeon exploration is key to our survival. Not only because of what we can learn, but because we need to continue to level up and evolve our people if we want to survive."

    Myself, Tiny, Crinis and Invidia are still the strongest non-Queens in the Colony and we need to continue to power ourselves up to meet the threats that will face us. We can''t be everywhere at once, so others need to step up with us, Vibrant being the obvious next choice.

    "I advise that we push for further integration with the human vige," Cont interjects. "They''ve proven that they can be useful to be our face when we interact with non-Dungeon spawn and I think it would be wise to continue to do so."

    I''m a little shocked to hear thising from ¡­ not me. The rest of the council are happy to include humans?

    "I agree," Ellie speaks up, "many of our advancements havee from interacting with those people, I''m sure there''s still a lot we can learn. We could look at establishing new viges alongside each of our surface nests, to ensure that there''s always someone to ''talk for us''."

    "That''s a greater level of cooperation than we anticipated embracing," Advant sounds unconvinced, "would they really be willing to ept such a thing? Where would we even find the people to popte new viges? They don''t seem to be able to increase their numbers like we do."

    The rest of the council nod as they consider this massive failing of the human race. I can''t help butugh inside. Yes, they aren''t producing hundreds of new children every day like we are, it doesn''t quite work like that for them! More''s the pity, if we could churn out devoted human helpers at even ten per day, it would be a serious help.

    "I''ll scatter the scouts and get them ranging away from the nests, we''ll shoot for as wide an area of coverage as possible," Burke tells the group. "With any luck, we''ll be able to catch theming a long way out."

    "I''ll lead a team toward the golgari territory," Wills offers, "they''ll most likelye through that area."

    "We should meet back at the main nest in around a week. Does that seem reasonable to everyone?" Sloan asks.

    None of the members take any issue with that, and so the various council members disperse. Vibrant hops towards me, full of energy.

    "Hey-hey! Ready to go and explore! Just like old times! I hope we go fast, we''ll go fast right? Lots of ground to cover after all! Let''s go, go, go!"

    I''m already regretting this¡­

 Chapter 465 Downward growth

    <h4>Chapter 465 Downward growth </h4>

    "Are we there yet?"

    "No."

    "Are we there yet?"

    "No."

    "Are we there yet?"

    "Dammit, Vibrant! NO! It''s going to take us a while to get there, okay?! We''re moving as fast as we can already. We can''t go any faster than this. Just think of something else to talk about!"

    A moment of blessed, blessed silence descends amongst our group as we run through the tunnels. My pets and I are all here, along with Vibrant and her whole posse, several hundred ants at this point, as well as my twenty ''shadow helpers.'' This is the advance group of powerful troops that I''ve chosen to take on a push further into the depths of the Dungeon. A special mission, in a sense. If the warning given to me by Corun and Torrina is true, then there''s likely to be more settlements, cities, probablyrger ones than Rylleh, below us. My suspicion is that the next closest path of attack is likely to be from deeper in the third strata or perhaps even in the fourth. The Colony needs to get its eyes as deep as possible and we will be the vanguard of that.

    I still feel a little useless. Although I think this work is necessary and that we''re the best group in the Colony for the job, I have to say that the real work, of building the nests, rearing the young, developing the culture and taming new territory, you know, actually constructing the kingdom of the Colony, is being left for the others. We''re just off to fight and snoop around. It kind of fees strange to consider my family as nowrge enough, and powerful enough, to be taking territory and building something that is closer to a nation than a family. But hey, hard to keep a good ant down. Can''t really fault them for being the industrious, powerful and all around awesome collective of kick-ass insects. They gonna do what they gonna do.

    As the Eldest, it''s my duty to oversee and support them as they grow! Not to inhibit their dreams and desires!

    "Are we there yet?"

    "GAH! Vibrant! Aren''t you evolved now? All grown? You''re a leader, you have your squad that follows you around and all that? You have a position on the council! How the heck are you still this impatient?!"

    "What do you mean? I''ve always been like this! Why? Do you think there''s some reason for me to change? I''ve just kept on doing things the way I''ve always done them! It''s been working out okay!"

    I eye her sceptically. She''s still this casual and cavalier, yet things have been working out alright? Somehow I''m doubting that. I take a moment to have a look at the group of ants that is dutifully following along in their leader''s wake. If Vibrant actually hasn''t changed from the hyper-energetic, impulsive and enthusiastic ant that I recall, how the heck are any of these Colony members still alive?!

    One of the smaller ants trailing along behind us appears to nod her head a little at my words before catching herself and checking to make sure Vibrant hasn''t noticed. Vibrant, of course, hasn''t, as she''s too busy nattering on and flicking her antennae in every direction as new scents make themselves known to her. Sigh. I honestly thought she''d grown past this stage. Perhaps all the organs and mutations she has that emphasise speed are just making her experience moments of rtively normal movement as painfully slow? I mean, we''re all running right now, but there''s no doubt that she could speed ahead of us with ease should she choose to do so.

    "Well, what have you been doingtely? I can see that your group has grown in size again. How do you recruit members, anyway? They just show up out of the blue?"

    "Uhhh, where''s the blue? This ce is pretty dark, is this the ck? The mana in the first strata is blue! Do you mean theye from the first strata? I suppose so since that''s where we''re all raised. Not me though! I spent a lot of time on the surface when I was a hatchling, didn''t I? I mean, I don''t need to tell you that, you were there too. Well, not all the time, but you know what I mean."

    "I do."

    This is exhausting.

    "No, it''s just a saying that refers to¡­ never mind. Where do theye from?"

    "Oh well, I don''t know really. They approach me and ask if they can join the group and I always say yes, because, why not? We''re ants, after all! We''re happier and more effective the more of us are around!"

    She says that as if it were justmon sense and I suppose for ants it is. I can think of a lot of humans who didn''t necessarily enjoy thepany of other people. I mean, as a human I frequently tried to get people to enjoy mypany, but I don''t think I could say I was sessful. I mean, my parents certainly didn''t like spending time with me, given the whole abandonment thing. I guess not all humans enjoypany? Personally, the ant vibe is good, now that I''m more ustomed to it. The more of my siblings there are, the morefortable I feel.

    "So you don''t have any criteria or anything? Everyone is wee?"

    "Yep-yep!"

    I turn my attention toward the smaller ant I noticed behind us and she tenses immediately, not expecting me to focus on her.

    "So tell me, what made you want to follow Vibrant?"

    I mean, I know that Vibrant is a champion monster, as they''re described by the humans. Individuals born with higher stats, better evolutions and a strange capacity for leadership that attracts others towards them. To my knowledge, another champion is yet to be born in the Colony, but it''s only a matter of time. The more we understand them and the way they work, the better we can make use of their talents.

    The ant, a general by the look of her, considers my question seriously for a moment before she answers.

    "I felt that aiding and assisting Vibrant would be the best oue for the Colony and for myself. I believe I made the right choice, considering all that we''ve been able to achieve."

    Good answer. Vibrant and her team have been in the hottest and most active areas of the Colony''s expansion, for sure. Not to mention the role they yed in extracting my butt from the fire after I was captured. Interesting that she put forward that she was motivated by a ''feeling''. Was that inspired by the mysterious champion quality that Vibrant possesses?

    [Massssster.]

    [Oh. What''s up Invidia? You sense something?]

    [I foundsss an expansssssse. I crave its secretss!]

    [And you''ll get ''em chief!]

    Not that you''ll be satisfied¡­

    "Hey, Vibrant. Invidia says he''s found an expanse nearby."

    "Yay-yay! Let''s gooooo!"

    And she''s off.

    "I didn''t tell you WHERE! HEY?!"

 Chapter 466 The Dark Web

    <h4>Chapter 466 The Dark Web </h4>

    Any person of sufficient courage, who has walked the Dungeon long enough to know its pain and glory, wille to hunger for the power that is buried at the root of this world.

    Words attributed to Gaius Magnus, founding member of the Legionem Abyssi

    We''re moving in. It feels nice, in a way, to be boldly adventuring where no ant has gone before alongside my fellow Colony members. We creep toward the powerful flow of mana that Invidia has sensed, making short work of any monster that happens to pop up in our way. I almost feel sorry for the critters as they''re set upon by dozens of ants before I even get my mandibles open. I could push my way to the front, but somehow I don''t feel it''s appropriate for me to hog all the experience for myself. The Colony is going to need other powerful members, that''s why I brought Vibrant and her group here to begin with. Which reminds me¡­

    "PROTECTANT!"

    Vibrant and the other ants around me all twitch in surprise as I flood the tunnel with pheromones. Vibrant in particr has a quizzical tilt to her antennae as she looks at me. If I''m guessing correctly, she probably had nothing to do with the n to put twenty baby sitters around me. Even if they discussed it in front of her, I doubt Vibrant would have been interested enough to follow along. This sort of scheming ispletely not her style.

    I wait for two minutes before I decide to call again.

    "GET OUT HERE PROTECTANT OR I SWEAR I''LL GET THE COUNCIL TO REASSIGN YOU TO GUARDING LEEROY!"

    It only takes a few seconds for her to appear over my head, clinging to the roof of the tunnel. She looks a little sulky and I feel a little bad for my threat.

    "This isn''t supposed to be part of how we operate, Eldest," she says.

    She''s lucky I can''t roll my eyes.

    "Oh, I know all about Operation Silent Shield. Gawd. I called you here because I need to make sure you understand something. The council, Advant, Sloan, even the Queen, are not the ones who tell you how to do this job. I do. If we can work together, then we''ll all have happier lives and more safety than if I have to keep guessing what it is you''re going to do."

    She remains silent and watchful as I speak and I can almost hear the gears turning in her head and she thinks over my words.

    "If you''re thinking of activating some stupid protocol that you were taught where you pretend to cooperate with me but just keep doing things the way they told you, I''m going to be super annoyed."

    Twitch.

    She''s so easy to read. Perhaps it''s because she''s so used to not being seen at all? If nobody can see her, or doesn''t notice her, what would be the point of learning to control your reactions? A blind spot in their training.

    "Look, all I want to say for now is that you need to be careful before you jump out of nowhere and take a hit for me. You''re no use to anyone dead. In this expanse I just want you lot to pick around the edges and secure some xp and Biomass for yourselves."

    She looks at me steadily for a moment.

    "That''s not really what we were trained to do, Eldest."

    "Yeah, I''m sure you''re meant to live the most sacrificial lives in the history of the Colony. Always on duty, never resting, never a moment of peace. It''s all super noble and everything, but let me ask you this question. If I evolve and I''m tier six, whilst you''re all still tier four, what exactly are you going to protect me from that I can''t handle myself?"

    ¡­

    I let that thought sit in the air as Protectant digests it before I dismiss her with a flick of my antenna. She gratefully fades away into the darkness to join her fellows and I feel Crinis stir on my abdomen.

    [Problem, Crinis?]

    [I don''t like the way these neers have tried to take your security as their responsibility.]

    [It''s not something that I chose, or something that they chose. We may as well make sure they''re useful, since they''re here. Not to worry, I still consider you my realst line of defence.]

    HRK!

    Letting her emotions get the better of her, Crinis dang near puts a crack in my carapace by gripping on too tight. Trying to push the difort from my mind, I push forward with the others and before long we arrive at the entrance of this new expanse. The pure, dark mana flows into our faces and wraps around us as the ground drops away beneath our feet. In front of us a vast space opens up, the shadow mana so thick that it swirls in massive currents, like rope coiling around itself. Thergest detail that really hits home is that the whole ce is covered in webs. Giant webs. Monstrous, mountainous webs. Clinging to the gaps between the strands of the huge web, are just more webs! What the heck is this ce?!

    "That looks nasty," Vibrantins, her antennae twitching with disgust as she looks out onto the mess that awaits us.

    "I bet half of it''s poisoned as well???" I mutter.

    The air amongst the group has certainly fallen, except for with Tiny. The big ape is positively grinning, his eyes zing with a fierce light as his fists clench at his sides.

    [You want to get revenge, eh big fe?] I ask him.

    He nods vigorously and bellows as he ms his chest.

    [SMASH!] he roars in my mind.

    A word! An actually properly formed word! I mean, if there was going to be one word that he got right, it was going to be that one!

    [Good stuff Tiny!, we''ll get in there and tear those stupid webs to shreds!]

    "Come on, team! This is a chance to strike a blow against the foul arachnid menace and ensure they remember for all time the superiority of the insect! For the colony!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    "Down with the arachnids!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    Close enough. Our group pushes forward into the expanse and immediately begins to descend, scaling the rocky wall and making sure to avoid the webs where they connect to the stone. We hear the chittering and cking of hateful spiders in the darkness as we move, but we ignore them all. Their time wille, but not yet. Our conquest of this expanse is going toe from the territory where we are superior, the ground. Making our way up into the nightmare tangle of webs willeter, after we test and ensure the safety of the footing.

 Chapter 467 The truly disgusting face of the foe

    <h4>Chapter 467 The truly disgusting face of the foe </h4>

    The floor of this particr expanse is quite simr to thest one I was in. Long fronds of those spined weed like nts that drift and bend with the flow of shadow mana in the air. The stone coral is also present, but the huge strands of web that are anchored to the rock dominate the space that we can see. I can detect flickers of mana in just about every direction, monsters huddling away from this new invasion of their space. An interesting point is that I can feel mana flowing through the massive webs I can see also. The spiders that made these must be simr to the one that poisoned Tiny.

    "Be careful of the webs," I warn everyone around me, "there''s shadow mana infused inside."

    There are a few mages in Vibrant''s group and they quickly busy themselves running over to the nearest web and investigate it, their antennae quivering with eagerness.

    [You watch yourself,] I say to Tiny, [I don''t know if you''re immune to the influence of that mana or not, but I don''t see any reason to take a chance, do you?]

    The big ape looks mad but he shakes his head with a grimace. The pain of having your insides constantly eaten away seems to have made asting impression on him. Since his evolution, I''m pretty sure he would be at the very least, resistant to the effects of that mana, but we have absolutely no reason to push our luck.

    [Any chance I can send you out on a scouting mission?] I ask Crinis.

    [No.]

    Haaah.

    [Fine. I guess we''ll just hold here for a moment as we get our bearings. Invidia! Let''s do some practice!]

    The magical skills grind is never ending and today is no exception. Invidia practices his shields, forming barriers out of hardened mana in the air as I st them with whatever element I happen to be practicing. That, or we engage in mind magic duels, which I almost always lose. I think that once I manage to evolve again, I''ll be able to have the raw power to keep up with him. If Ibine higher stats with sufficient mind magic ability to create those mental constructs that he uses, I might even be able toe out ahead!

    For now I work on my fire magic. I know that it''s effective against these stupid spiders and their webs so I want to ensure I''m well practiced with my constructs. The fire bolt, fire spear, even the fire domain mighte in handy in this ce. The fire domain is a little tricky to use though. My allies and pets aren''t affected by the mes of the domain itself, but since it produces such ridiculous amounts of heat, that it tends to set everything around it on fire and those mes can absolutely burn my allies, as Tiny found out. Considering how mmable these spiders have proven to be, the use of the domain might be questionable.

    Vibrant, being who she is, doesn''t share my patience and decides to lead a group to scout the surrounding area, screaming at me about how she''ll ''just take a quick look!''. Naturally, she returns ten minutester with the severed pieces of a monster gripped in her mandibles.

    "Eldest! Look at what I found!"

    "Did you ''find'' it, or did you chase it down and bite it until it questioned its life choices?"

    "One of those! Yes!"

    The creature itself appears to be some sort of scorpion? Hardened carapace (of an inferior sort) in segments that support a powerful looking tail. When I take a closer look at the barbed point of that tail, I notice an interesting detail.

    "Did this thing shoot barbs from its tail?" I ask Vibrant.

    "Oh, yeah! They were fast, too! I mean, not fast fast, like me, but quick!"

    I thought so. The muscture at the tip is oddly shaped and way too bulky for just stabbing. Looks like it''s all attached to some sinew which acts as aunching mechanism. The barbs themselves are probably formed deeper in the tail so there''s a ready stock of ammunition. Seeing the ws and tail is bringing up some bad memories for me. If those damn centipedes pop up in here then this expanse is going to experience the full measure of my wrath.

    Still, this is evidence that there''s more than just one type of arachnid making a home here in this expanse. The eight legged menace has truly gained a strong foothold in this cursed ce! I can tell from the ants around me that they too are burning with outrage and disgust at the appearance of these wrong things. It''s time to go to war!

    "Enough waiting, we''ll leave the webs forter. For now, we can sweep around this area and clean up anything that we can get our mandibles on! If it has the wrong number of legs, it is to be destroyed without mercy!"

    [Come on guys, let''s get hunting.]

    Without further ado, teams of ants, a very excited Vibrant and my group swarm out into the darkness. Acting as coordinated units, the native monsters are unable to put up much resistance before our onught. I have fun operating twin me throwers and roasting whatever gets in front of me as Crinis performs her dark work and Tiny punches everything into pieces. For his part, Invidia acts as the perfect support mage, shielding and healing whilst unleashing his potent disruptive capabilities of illusion and bewilderment.

    The monsters we find are, for the most part, more of the scorpion variety, though we do start toe across some spiders. Nimble creatures of shadow and death, they constantly try tounch sneak attacks, creeping from the dark with their glistening mandibles ready to puncture our defences. With Crinis and Invidia on the lookout, they never had much chance, but when we regroup it''s clear that a few of Vibrant''s squad weren''t so lucky.

    [Invidia, see what you can do to heal them.]

    [Yessss. I sssshall takess their suffering!]

    [Good stuff.]

    There are already healer ants picking over the wounded, but Invidia has a lot more oomph when ites to magic.

    "Stupid sneaky spiders!" Vibrantins, "jumping out of the shadows like that!"

    She''s fussing over the injured as she deres her disgust for the deplorable stealth tactics of the enemy.

    "This is their hunting method. No pointining about it, we just need toe up with countermeasures. What have we learned?"

    "Well, there''s a lot, and I mean a lot of monsters out there. They look like they''re trying to give us a run for our money in the numbers department, Eldest! They''re dumb and like creeping up from behind, which works super good here in the dark, and they can jump down from those webs! The scorpion things are also around, but they''re not much trouble. Their barbs are poisoned though."

    "Oh, how do you know?"

    "I''m poisoned right now."

    ¡­

    "Medic!"

 Chapter 468 Prepare to strike

    <h4>Chapter 468 Prepare to strike </h4>

    Thanks to our advanced medical techniques, or at least, advancedpared to how primitive they were before, our woundedpatriots are back on their feet in a rtively short amount of time.

    "Let me up!"

    Ah, the truly wondrous cooperation that members of the same colony can disy. It''s heart-warming.

    "I won''t run! This time!"

    The collective and unselfish nature of the ant is a marvel of nature. The healers see to their injured siblings not only with care and dedication, but true joy, as they fulfill their chosen purpose and dedicate theirbour to the glory of our family.

    "Eldest! I''ll be good!"

    Over here we have a slightly different example. An ant being sat on by a giant gori because she refused to sit still whilst the poison she readily admitted to coursing through her veins was expunged. How impatient can you get?! Too impatient to be healed of frickin'' poison?! There''s a limit! Luckily, Invidia was on the ball and before Vibrant had managed to get up a full head of steam, she ran mandibles first into a barrier which stunned her long enough for Tiny totch onto her leg. After a brief wrestle that she was destined to lose, I asked Tiny to ensure she remained still for the rest of her treatment, so he sat on her. For some reason, she''s chosen to persistentlyin about this eminently satisfactory oue.

    "What is the problem, Vibrant? You are poisoned. You are getting healed. Because you couldn''t sit still long enough for that to happen, you are being pressed to the ground by ape butt. None of this should be confusing to you!"

    "I''m booooored!"

    "WHO CARES?!"

    "Oh! Me! Me!"

    "THAT WAS RHETORICAL!"

    GAH! I''m going to burst a valve or something.

    "Just be sat on until we get the all clear and next time don''t get bit, alright?"

    We haven''t even gotten up into the vast tangle of webs above our heads, the true home territory of this gang of spiders, and already we''re having trouble with tactics. If we constantly have to stop and purge poison from amongst the ranks, then we''ll have a slow time of it indeed. If we get jumped by a swarm with half of our members out of action due to poisoning¡­ I''d be fine, more likely than not, but the regr ants with us wouldn''t be so lucky. The objective here is to level up Vibrant''s squad, not get them wiped out.

    "Do we have any generals around here?"

    One of the ants nearby raises an antenna in response to my question.

    "Yes, Eldest. I''m Emilia, one of Vibrant''s generals."

    This is the ant I saw on the way here, running along at Vibrant''s heels.

    "Emilia? She named you?"

    "She''s named most of us, Eldest."

    The general sounds proud of the fact, which is fine. I never imed to have some divine right to name all ants, it''s just curious that Vibrant would take it on herself to hand out names. I wonder why she did. Just because I did? That seems unlikely. Perhaps now that the ants know about the concept of names, they''re beginning to grow fond of the idea? I think I''d like that, if it were true. I mean, technically we''d all have the samest name, being descended from the same individual. And it appears we may have finally reached the stage where the word ''ant'' doesn''t have to feature in every name.

    "Alright then, Emilia. I think we should mix up our strategy for our next outing. Mages in every group, light up the area to reduce sneak attack opportunities, scouts with eyes on the sky. Keep the groups close together in case the mes attract too much attention. We can shut off the fire and work on clearing out the mess. Also, do we have any core shapers in this group?"

    Emilia looks at me a little confused for a moment.

    "We do, Eldest. But why are you telling me this?"

    "So, we can¡­ so we can do the things I''ve suggested?"

    "We follow Vibrant."

    Oh really?! Interesting! They are in fact loyal to Vibrant in such a direct way that they won''t do what I tell them, just because I tell them to? That''s neat! Far from being frustrated or mad about it, I feel somewhat happy. Finally, some people who won''t just do everything I say! Having everyone following my instructions is beyond weird, given my previous life. As a human, I don''t think anyone did what I suggested even once¡­

    At any rate, this situation is an easy enough fix.

    "Hey Vibrant, should Emilia do what I said?"

    "Will you let me up?!"

    "Sure."

    "Do it, Emmy!"

    [Tiny, let her up.]

    [Haaah.]

    The big ape almost seems a little disappointed at having to relinquish hisfortable seat. Freed from the rather burdensome weight the gori posed, Vibrant springs to her feet and immediately dashes around in a blistering circle.

    "Ahhh! I need to move my legs! All six are cramping!"

    "Vibrant!"

    "Yep-yep!" she cheerfully replies without stopping her sprint.

    "Sit down and let the healers finish checking you or I''ll get Crinis to hold you down this time!"

    "Crin-Crin wouldn''t do that!"

    "Wanna bet?"

    "What''s a bet?"

    "SIT!" I flood the area with a roar of pheromones which are apparently just persuasive enough to make Vibrant stop running. "Now, what did you think of my idea?"

    "Hmm? Ah! I thought it sounded good! We''re best suited for high speed fighting though, so I think we should make sure every group keeps moving! I can stay in the middle and help out where I need. I can be there in a sh!"

    "That''s¡­ actually a good idea."

    Vibrant and her squad are just as she said, specialised in moving, hit and run style fights. After joining her squad, most of the members have taken at least one mutation to enhance their speed and train their dashing skills relentlessly. When her generals evolved to tier four, they unanimously chose a speed or agility aura power to supplement their existingbat aura. The result is an incredibly mobile force that does its best work on the run.

    "Alright then Vibrant, we''ll do it as you''ve suggested, how does that sound, Emilia?"

    The tier four general salutes with one antenna toward Vibrant and then me.

    "I''ll see it done!"

    She quickly scuttles off to arrange things with the other generals of the group and before long teams are being reforged and more detailed movement ns being discussed. I only have one more thing I need to organise before I''m ready to go.

    "Protectant, make sure you and your team secure experience and Biomass during this outing. I want a full report when we''re done."

    ¡­

    "Understood."

    The message is barely a whisper against my antennae and the ant herself refuses to step out of hiding, but it appears I''ve gotten my point across. There is a metric boatload of spiders in this expanse, should be enough experience for all of us! In fact, the numbers make me curious if all of these eight-legged beasties are spawned, or if a giant spider momma exists in this expanse and has taken over the ce. The truly giant, kilometres high web seems to suggest that a big ol'' spider is living in here somewhere. If she''sying eggs, then a ridiculous poption of young would make perfect sense. Perhaps if I eat and get a few profiles I might get an answer to that question. Although spiders don''t produce at quite the same prodigious rate as ants, they cany up to a thousand eggs in a single clutch, depending on the species. That''s a pittancepared to say, army ant queens, whoy around three-hundred thousand per day, but spiders are usually a lot more capable on their own than a single ant. Heck, army ants are pretty much blind, and the workers are tiny. Not that it matters with those sorts of numbers.

    Imagine if my colony was producing three hundred thousand new hatchlings every day¡­ Yeesh. It''d get out of control pretty darn fast.

 Chapter 469 Attack on the eight-legged

    <h4>Chapter 469 Attack on the eight-legged </h4>

    Our second outing is less experimental and much better nned than the first. Ants spread throughout the surrounding terrain in a spiral pattern, mages burning bright mes that illuminate the area and chase the shadows back, exposing the creeping spiders that seek to approach from the dark. Just as it did when I was fishing for monsters with Tiny and Crinis, the hated light brings down more creatures who seek to extinguish the painful spark and before long the surrounding area is filled with hissing and spitting. From the shadows all around and overhead, the arachnidse running, their eight ws click-cking on the surfaces they crawl on. Without the benefit of striking from the shadows, the ants see theming and respond like the well-disciplined troops that they are. Barrages of acid and magic wound the enemy from range, slowing them enough that nimble scouts and soldiers can easily duck in and out, biting and tearing with their mandibles before darting away.

    Always fighting, always moving, that''s the way Vibrant likes to do battle.

    My pets and I stay on the ground, but we strike out from the main group. Every now and again I re a bright st of fire into the air in an attempt to draw away a portion of the monsters descending on the ants and into our own monster blending apparatus. Crinis has detached herself from my back, for once, and joined the others on the front lines to help deal with the onrushing horde of skittering beasts. The spiders and scorpionse in all shapes and sizes, some of them clearly tier one, but strangely, many more are higher. I suppose the weaker are either killed off quickly or ascend once we get this deep.

    [Invidia! Scorpions on the left!]

    [I sssseeee them alllll!]

    A barrier snaps into being just as the damn pinchy beats unleash another salvo of their damned spines. The projectiles hurtle through the air with incredible force, whistling as they pierce the space between us. They crunch into the demon''s barrier with a sound like fracturing ss and I''m genuinely not sure if it''s the barrier or the spines that have broken. The damn things hit hard. Not hard enough to break through my splendid carapace, of course, but hard enough that the impacts sent a shudder through my body.

    If they hit Tiny? They''d rip through the muscle bound idiot. The poison wouldn''t really matter once his soft, tender flesh was taken into ount. Ah well, good thing he has Invidia backing him up and a kind, diligent master to pick up after him.

    Eat me throwers!

    Twin jets of blue me burst out from before my mandibles, roasting the damned arachnids where they stand. The creatures ck their ws and try to run, but I keep the fire trained on them until they copse to one side, cooked to perfection. Of course, the sudden re of light only brings more of the damned things down on our heads, but it''s all fun and games.

    [You have in level 24 (III) Sagitta Scorpionem.]

    [You have gained experience.]

    A little bit of experience never went down the wrong way. Going to take a heck of a lot more to evolve if all I get to fight are tier threes though. I''m fairly confident there are much higher tier monsters above our heads right now. Maybe a few fives, perhaps a six? No more than that, though. I doubt a seven could manage in the mana here, certainly not at peak condition.

    The skittering menace is really starting to mount up at this point. Dozens of the sneaky beggars are angrily snipping their fangs as they scramble down through the coral and leap from their webs. Normally I wouldn''t worry about these sorts of numbers, but we have to be cautious due to the venom they possess. Which means we need to deploy excessive measures.

    [Tiny! Invidia! Let''s see the light show!]

    [HHHURRRRRAAAAAAAA!]

    [I''ll take their soullsssssss!]

    [¡­ Can you actually do that?]

    I don''t get a response from the little demon as he''s already focused on unleashing his specialbination attack with attack. I say special, really it''s just the two of them going nuts with thergest power output they can manage in a short time frame. In practical terms, that means Tiny unfurls his wings and leaps into the air, lightning crackling all over his frame with such intensity I can barely stand to look at him. After charging up the voltage for a few seconds, he lets it rip and unleashes twisting ribbons of sizzling electricity in the air around him. The bolts seek to ground themselves through the nearest monsters, who quickly find themselves attracting far more lightning than they''d like to see. As he does this, Invidia begins to do what I haven''t let him do since I reconstituted him, which is charge up his eyeser. Explosions rock the stone around us as the envy demon weaves his magic of destruction, all the while his one eye grows more and more bulbous and luminous. It isn''t long before it starts to feel as if we have a bright greenmp of extreme power beaming out into the dark. Being the crafty little demon he is, Invidia lines up the maximum number of spiders he can before he finally unloads the spell.

    It''s just as destructive as I remember, shredding through stone, spiders, scorpions and everything else that happens to get in the way of it. Invidia himself delights in the destruction, wiggling his stick-thin arms over his eye and his too-small wings p and flutter to keep him aloft. Between the two of them, we manage to clear away the swarm of monsters that was descending on us, but naturally the incredibly bright nature of their efforts, we''ve only called down another wave.

    [Crinis, time to go to work.]

    [Yes, master!]

    Hey bubbly, chipper tonepletely at odds with the grisly nature of her fighting style, Crinis begins to unfold herself even further, extending tentacle after tentacle out into the gloom around us. The descending spiders find themselves caught in an altogether different sort of web, one that coils and twists, that grips and squeezes. If that were all it did, it wouldn''t be so bad. But no, after that point the barbse out, followed by the tearing and grinding. Mere tier three creatures have little hope of standing up to Crinis, not unless their numbers were truly absurd. I still need to unleash the odd jet of me, usually at monstersing toward us from across the ground, but Crinis takes care of the majority of the monsters above over the next five minutes.

    Even though I can''t see everything that goes on up there, I can hear the spiders start running away in terror, so I can take a guess at what it was like.

    [Uh, good job, Crinis.]

    [Thank you, master!]

    So saying, she gathers herself into a blob of pure darkness once more and drops down onto my abdomen, glomping onto my carapace once more and making herself at home.

    [Oof! Alright then. Let''s start a slow retreat back to the group and see how we all went.]

    With my pets in tow, I begin to retrace our steps back toward the agreed meeting point. There are still many monsters about in the darkness and we deal with them as they appear. A lot of precious Biomass is left behind as we do this, but I''m hoping that we''ll be back to collect it before it dissolves back into the Dungeon. It''s more important that our little strike force get together and assess our progress than spending time gobbling down food. There''ll be plenty of time for thatter!

    Before long, I run into Vibrant and her group, already running through the numbers and assessing the situation. Well, her generals are doing that. Vibrant herself is running around between groups of ants, checking everyone is well, asking if they need help and generally sticking her antennae into everyone else''s business.

    "Vibrant!"

    "Eldest! Hi-hi! How''d you go fighting the nasty things?!"

    "Uh, well, I suppose. How about you and your team?"

    "We did good! Really good!"

    Somehow I doubt she has the numbers to back that statement up.

    "Alright then. Let''s go through it¡­."

 Chapter 470 The great working pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 470 The great working pt 1 </h4>

    Deep beneath the surface, underyers of rock and stone, burned a me that had never been seen on Pangera before. No ordinary me, this. It did not burn, yet its heat was unbearable. Had no colour, yet glowed bright with the light of molten steel. Made no sound, yet contained the ringing of a thousand hammers on a thousand anvils. The me of insect industry had roared to life within the Colony of Formica Sapiens and its intensity grew day by day such that should it continue unchecked, it would consume all the world.

    The Eldest hadmanded his siblings to look upon the humans, on their sciences, skills and craft, and learn from them. The Colony had done, as they always did, their utmost toply. No effort was spared, no question left unasked and every observation was discussed, disseminated and dissected so that every kernel of wisdom would be extracted. The cksmithing trade was one that the Colony had initially dismissed. What need had they for tools? Their mandibles could dig better than any spade! Cut rock better than any pick! Not only that, what need had the ants of swords, spears or axes? Their bodies were not soft and weak, like the humans were. The opposite was true! Where the humans sought topensate for their sagginess with more solid materials, the ants were already armed and armoured from birth! What need had they for metal?

    Yet, there were other concerns. Many valuable minerals could be found in the Dungeon. If the Colony learned to extract and refine them, trade became possible. As knowledge of construction grew, the ability to manipte metals became more valuable. As Skills at finer maniptions were uncovered and levelled up, more detailed metal work was possible. Suddenly the ant smiths were called upon to make brackets, fittings, moulds and pins for any number of widgets. Yet the initial assessment still rang true within the Colony: they did not need smiths to forge arms nor armour.

    The crafter startled from her torpor and began to drag her antennae through her elbows for a clean, still feeling groggy. Ever since she''d evolved to tier four her rest just hadn''t been the same. Antennae clean, she began to pick over herself in the way that only insects would recognise. A fastidious need for cleanliness was born into all the ants of the Colony, and it never left them, no matter how intelligent they had be. Her first task of the dayplete, she stretched all six of her legs and then, slowly at first, began to crawl out of the chamber she shared with her sixty two roommates. At least this time she hadn''t had to sleep whilst clinging to the roof. That was always a less restful torpor.

    Entering the tunnels, she felt the ever present messages of the Colony waft into her antennae. "Go this way for such and such", or "go that way for things and stuff" none of it was relevant to her, yet it always helped invigorate her. She felt immediately connected to therger organism, the super-organism, that was the Colony itself. Her chamber wasn''t far from where she performed her work and she was eager to return to it, so she made good time through the tunnels, the twists and turns as familiar as her own legs.

    One more left turn and she was in her element. The temperature rose with each step and the ringing sound of metal impacting on metal filled the air. Every chamber she passed was part of the great machine the Colony had built within its nest. A powerful production line that took raw ore at one end, processed it, refined it, sted it in a crucible and produced ingots of strong metal at the other end.

    She herself had been part of developing that project, the frustrating days of experimentation, of trial and error as the detail obsessed carvers iterated on what they''d learned from the humans, always seeking to improve by even a fraction of a percent. She was aware that those tests continued still, elsewhere in the nest. Waste was inefficient and inefficiency was not something the Colony was prepared to tolerate. Thus they strove to improve their processes. Every ingot that formed with impurities was an indictment on the entire carver caste, an insult that burned inside their carapace and drove them to do better.

    But she had long graduated from that more menialbour. Her Skills at handling the refined metals had grown at a prodigious rate, such that she had been given a new task. Entrusted with the finished product of the long refinement process, her new task was the final and most important of all: smithing.

    She came to her own chamber and eagerly leapt inside, ready to begin. A fresh stockpile of ingotsy waiting, delivered as she rested, as they always were. Now brimming with energy, she rushed to her station and began preparing it for work. Enchantments were activated, the fire primed, the air cirction hummed to life and the quenching stations were meticulously examined for faults. As she busied herself preparing, she was interrupted by a somewhat unwee visitor.

    "The materials consumed by your project are bing a drain," the message wafted around the chamber, disturbed by the airflow that was necessary for the ants to work in such hot environments.

    With a sigh, the crafter turned to the entrance and came face to face with what humans would consider a ''boss'' or ''supervisor''. Such roles didn''t really exist within the Colony. Each ant was given responsibility that best suited their abilities and inclinations. This particr carver had a talent for organisation and an excoriating eye for detail. Giving her responsibility for managing the resources of the foundry made perfect sense.

    "My Skills continue to improve day by day." the crafter defended herself, "I''m confident that the next rank up will be crucial in unlocking the techniques I need toplete the work."

    "How many levels is your cksmithing skill from its next rank up?"

    "Three."

    The newly arrived crafter''s antennae twitched as she envisioned the amount of raw materials required to provide enough metal for those three levels.

    "I know I don''t need to remind you, there isn''t much enthusiasm for your project within the caste. Some have even begun to suggest you are being selfish by pursuing such an unneeded piece of equipment."

    "Selfish¡­"

    That stung. To learn that her own caste, her own contemporaries would say such a thing about her¡­ did they really have so little faith in her abilities? Nameless she may be, but it was no conceit to say that she possessed the highest cksmithing Skill in the Colony, at Expert cksmithing (III) 17, so close to the fourth rank. She''d been working with metal longer than almost any other ant. Did they really think she would be pushing ahead with a project such as this if she wasn''t firm in her resolve?

    She shook her antennae. It mattered not. Only results mattered.

    "I have utmost belief that I will produce results. All that is needed is time."

    The other crafter nodded.

    "I will give you as much time as I can. Though you burn through ingots like none other in the Colony, it''s also true that you level up faster than anyone else. Hard to think that you''d be in the wrong."

    "I ¡­ thank you."

    Without another word, the ant departed, leaving the crafter to her own devices. Unwilling to waste any time, she began to renew her preparations. Her mandibles and legs were busy, but her mind was focused on something different. Ever since she''d been introduced to the concept, she couldn''t help but be captivated by it. The idea of an ant, bedecked in armour, a steel insect juggernaut, had possessed her. Should she seed in creating it, an all-new type of soldier would be born, one with an entirely different sort of strength!

    Her heart aze with passion, the ant grasped hold of the first ingot in her mandibles and put it to the fire. Herst prototype had failed, but she had learned much, and her Skills had grown. Perhaps this time, she would break through.

 Chapter 471 The Great Working pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 471 The Great Working pt 2 </h4>

    The crafters of the Colony were an interesting and formidable bunch, to be sure. The first time I worked with them was when I had heard they were willing to provide certain materials, namely processed mana infused woods, at near cost. Being an engraver and enchanter, such a ridiculous drop in price was far too tempting to give up, even if it meant dealing with an upying force of monsters. If mypetitors were to take advantage of this new supplier and I didn''t, they could price me out of the market instantly! In many respects, I didn''t have a choice, and, I''m a little ashamed to say, I wasn''t pleased at being forced to deal with the ''monsters'' at the time. I saw this move on their part as a way of forcing the city to be reliant on their help. Since the gates were closed and Dungeon delving banned, we didn''t have anywhere else to go but to rely on an ever dwindling stockpile anyway.

    So, steaming on the inside I swallowed my pride and took part in a trade mission. The ants and their human associates were extremely amodating, which did little to dull my distrust, and led the group of simrly disgruntled merchants and crafters to the closest nest. Our safety was impably managed. Not once in my life had I experienced such a peaceful journey through the Dungeon. What was more surprising, was that the ants and their associates were more than happy to speak on the nature of this trade agreement, and their honesty was almost disturbing to a long-time businessman such as myself.

    They were open about the reason for the low price they demanded for their goods. They simply had little need of money and were harvesting the materials at a rate faster than they could consume them. When I pointed out that they were processing the raw materials themselves, couldn''t they then go ahead andplete the final product, they admitted that the number of ants in the Colony dedicated to creating such things was limited. They didn''t see a need for wands, couldn''t operate bows in the ssical sense, were insulted by the idea of a stave and used stone for almost all their furniture.

    (The idea of insect furniture was quite startling to me at the time.)

    From the description I was given, I began to think of the crafters in the antmunity as short sighted,cking in appreciation for their craft and quite possibly stupid. How wrong I was. The crafters of the Colony were INSANELY dedicated. Their attention to detail was inhuman, their work ethic, unparalleled. When they showed us the chambers where the raw woods were cut and shaped, the workers were industrious to the point of obsession. A single poor cut was intolerable to them and every one of them was fanatical in their pursuit of efficiency. When next they showed us the area in which the mana grains were examined and refined, I almost couldn''t believe my eyes. Row after row of ants sifted and organised the cuts of wood before meticulously examining each one. Not a single one faltered in their concentration for even a second in the hour I was there.

    I was beyond impressed. Refining the grains is mind-numbing, headache inducing, incredibly detailed work. Highly qualified workers that could perform this task were almost impossible to find and worth their weight in gold, simply because almost no sane person could endure the job and its exacting standards. I came away sure in the knowledge that Colony, for as long as it existed, would be the centre of industry in the area. Who could hope to match that level of production?

    As I worked with them more, I came to see that the only real weakness of the ant crafters was theirck of imagination. They could grind through tedious tasks like no sapient creature ever could, but when it came to making bold leaps of creativity. They were the definition of ''by the book''. I was certain that this woulde to be asting advantage that we held over them. How disappointed I was to learn that it simply wasn''t true for all of them. Even within an ant Colony, remarkable individuals could emerge thatpletely upset their dynamic.

    -Excerpt from the journal of an unknown bowyer of Rylleh.

    The crafterboured tirelessly, firing and shaping the metal without pause or rest. It consumed all of her attention, to the point the ant who delivered her Biomass was forced to physically drag her to the food before she would eat it. She made fine rings and riveted them together, she made solid tes that ovepped with cunning joints, she made fine scales andyered them, she made and made and made. Small test pieces,rger scale prototypes. She burnt through all of the knowledge the System had granted her on the working and shaping of metal, desperate to find a solution that would meld what she knew about armour with the reality of Formica Sapiens biology.

    She didn''t stop for three days, until she was dragged unceremoniously from her chamber, still trying to work the bellows and fire another ingot.

    "No! I''m so close to the next level!" she cried out, straining against the firm pull of the three ants tearing her from her work.

    "You''ve already skipped one mandatory rest period," one of them scolded, "any more and we''ll be forced to block you from entering the workshop for three days."

    Three days?! She couldn''t bear it! Filled with indignation against the Eldest for their regtions, the crafter allowed herself to unceremoniously dragged through the tunnels and deposited back in her rest chamber. She resisted the urge to try and sneak back in, that hadn''t gone well for her thest time she''d tried. They''d be on the lookout for a repeat offender like her anyway. There was little choice but for her to ede and get some rest. But first¡­

    She moved through the chamber, careful not to disturb the torpor of the others in the room as she made her way to the back corner. Once there, she used her mandibles to lift a strategically ced stone to reveal a small steel container buried in the dirt. Slowly, so as not to make any unnecessary noise, she lifted the box up with her mandibles and opened it to reveal a small collection of materials and cores. The rainy day supplies!

    She couldn''t possibly rest yet, her vision hadn''t even begun to fade! So instead, she continued to grind away in secret at her second passion: enchanting. She''d only recently reached the third rank in her enchanting Skill, quite a ways behind her cksmithing, but with the limited time and resources she had, she considered it quite the achievement. She felt that she would never be satisfied handing her work off to another crafter toplete. Imagine, when she finally managed toplete the first, perfect ant armour, only to give it to someone else to stuff up the enchanting work?! The very thought was enough to make her grind her mandibles.

    To prevent such a travesty, she spent the next five hours tinkering with the cores and metals, testing differentbinations until her mind felt dull and fuzzy. Only then did she pack away the box, conceal it once more and allow herself to fall into torpor.

    It wasn''t long into her next shift that the magical milestone came to pass.

    [Expert cksmithing (III) has reached level 20, upgrade avable.]

    ted, she raced into the menu to confirm the selection.

    [Expert cksmithing (III) -> Basic Metalsmithing (IV). Cost 1 sp. Imbues the Skill user with more detailed knowledge of metalworking, guiding them to more urate and finer shaping. Also grants advanced knowledge of metalworking patterns.]

    Yes, yes, yes, YES!

    She mentally smashed the confirm button and almost swooned as she felt the knowledge begin to trickle into her mind. New ideas, new methods, new instincts all blossomed in her thoughts as the System poured the knowledge into her head like a cup being filled with life giving water. When it was done, she remained perfectly still, digesting, thinking, feeling out exactly what it was that she had learned. She remained that way for an hour, before she realised she had yet more to do with her menu.

    Once more she opened the interface and mentally tabbed through it, this time checking for new Skills. Had her advancement unlocked anything new? A speciality? A more specific, in-depth Skill? Almost in a frenzy, she ripped through the menu until she found something.

    [Armour Smithing (I)]

    Finally! Weapon smithing was also there, but she ignored itpletely. Here finally was the Skill she''d been hoping for! Maybe with this, she''d have the knowledge necessary to make her vision a reality! Just before she confirmed the Skill purchase, yet another caught her eye.

    [Enchantment forging optimization (I)]

    What was that?

 Chapter 472 The Great Working pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 472 The Great Working pt 3 </h4>

    As much as the crafter wanted to leap into further work, to practice each and every new pattern she''d learned to tease out all of the little morsels of information that could only be learned through application, she knew she couldn''t. She was the first cksmith to reach the rank four Skill and therefore the first to unlock the new Skill specialisations, which meant she had certain obligations to the Colony.

    She packed away her tools and shut down her workstation before stepping into the tunnel and hunting down the organiser. The ant turned to her with a quizzical tilt to her antennae.

    "I didn''t expect to see you out of your room. I suppose you must have ranked up cksmithing?"

    The crafter nodded.

    "I did," she confirmed, "and I have a few new Skill options to report."

    "Excellent news. I''ll fetch the brood tenders."

    She scurried off, leaving the crafter to wait. Thankfully, it wasn''t long before she returned with a pair of eager brood tenders who took over the moment they entered the chamber.

    "Is this the crafter? How wonderful! Well done, sibling, we''re very proud of you! The very first in the Colony to unlock these new Skills, a truly meaningful contribution."

    "And new Skill unlocks as well! We''ll have to go through your status in detail to ensure we can pinpoint the conditions. We have a lot of work to do!"

    The crafter sighed as the two brood tenders fussed over her as if she were a new hatchling. It was only natural that the tenders took responsibility within the Colony for studying and documenting the System, since they were the ones most involved in teaching it, but their mothering nature slowed the process down significantly. It was several hourster before the crafter, near her limits, was finally able to return to her workshop, exhausted, but brimming with excitement. She threw herself into her work, determined to unravel the secrets of her new Skills and push them into the next tier.

    For three whole days she forged without rest, her fire burned unending and the ring of nging metal sounded again and again as she worked in a fever. Her mad spree was only brought to an end when a team of five workers forced their way into her workshop (she''d barred the door) and dragged her away as she cackled with mad delirium.

    After a full day of observed rest, during which she was restrained by an earth mage, the crafter was allowed to return to her workshop to inspect the fruits of herbours. Thest day and a bit was little more than a blur in her memory, so she was quite surprised to see the sheer volume of different patterns and pieces she''d produced. Her two new Skills had even made it to the second rank! Something was beginning to synthesise in her mind and she couldn''t wait to get started!

    Except there was something standing in her way.

    "You''re running out of time," the supervisor told her.

    "What?" the crafter was shocked, "I''m closer than I''ve ever been before!"

    "And the amount of resources you''re consuming has increased, with nothing to show for it."

    With a flick of her mandibles, the supervisor indicated the sheer amount of armour bits and pieces that littered the small workshop.

    "It''s bing harder and harder for me to source materials for you. If you want to continue this project, then you need something to show for it, and soon. The voices of those who are displeased by the waste are growing louder by the day. Inefficiency isn''t something the Colony is willing to tolerate."

    "But how are we supposed to develop something new without experimentation and failure? How am I supposed to push my Skills forward without practice?"

    It was generally epted in the Colony that to develop Skills and uncover new branches of knowledge it was necessary to test, test and test again. Hundreds of ants had beenmitted to sub-optimal Skill and mutation builds in an attempt to unearth new fusions orbinations. Yet, they used her of waste?!

    "Your case is somewhat unique," the organiser told her, "because the products you produce in your practice have no value to the Colony, yet to mine and refine the metal you use costs a huge investment of energy. Furthermore, many are convinced that what you are trying to make is something with fundamentally no value. I''ve heard several say that the most talented cksmith in the Colony is wasting her talent. Only results will still their voices."

    With that stark warning, she left the crafter alone to consider her path. In the mind of the crafter, there was pressure, concern, and not a little anger at the short-sightedness of her fellow crafters, but not a single iota of doubt. She knew, KNEW, that what she sought to build was close to being within her grasp. The ant armour would be realised! She would forge it right here, with her own mandibles!

    Burning with conviction, the crafter cleaned her workspace, and began to n. As she lifted different pieces of armour, each forged with their own unique methods, an image began to take shape in her mind''s eye. A powerful soldier ant, covered in gleaming metal that thrummed with enchantments. An iron juggernaut of unstoppable might. The Steel insect!

    Yes! She could use moulded tes over ayer of mail for the head. And scale would be used in the joints and to cover the petiole. The abdomen would need to be flexible, of course, but also thick. The thickest tes would need to be around the thorax. She had to consider how it would attach to the carapace itself. Where to strap it? And how would the armour interact with the carapace? There had to be a way to maximise the benefit of both carapace and steel¡­

    In her head, the full suit slowly began to take shape as she considered processes, pieces and techniques, discarding this one, modifying that one. And between the carapace and armour, an entire newyer began to take shape. One that would allow the armour to flex, yet be braced against the unyielding exo-skeleton beneath. As she filled in the details, the more her understanding of enchantment yed into the design. If she modified these materials, the enchantment effect would be stronger. If she connected this section to that, the magical effect wouldn''t be diluted by the ipatibility of the metals.

    Eyes aze and antennae twitching with insane energy, she fired up the forge and shoved in a mandible load of ingots. Today, she wouldplete a prototype that would prove the entire Colony wrong!

 Chapter 473 The Great Working

    <h4>Chapter 473 The Great Working </h4>

    "I still don''t understand why I have to be the one to wear this," Leeroy grumbled.

    "You know exactly why," Brendant was having none of her sibling''s nonsense, "because we asked this crafter to make it to fit you, since you''re the one most in need of extra protection."

    Leeroy fidgeted and wiggled and the many, many different pieces of equipment were attached to her carapace by the fussy crafter, who constantly had to poke and prod the council member to get her to be still.

    "Stop your fidgeting," the crafter scolded, "the point of this armour is to keep you alive."

    "That''s why I don''t like it," the soldier muttered.

    "What was that, Leeroy?" Brendant demanded.

    "Nothing! Nothing at all."

    "You''ve been warned any number of times to adjust your attitude," Brendant told her wearily, "you aren''t a hatchling anymore, stop acting like it. It''s your responsibility to fight, yes, but also to do everything you can to preserve the investment the Colony has made in you. Do you think everyone is givenplete core evolutions like you? Does every ant in our family receive the personal education of the Eldest? You need to stop being so selfish."

    Leeroy endured this lecture in dignified silence, she''d heard the same thing many times before. At times she wondered if she was just built fundamentally differentpared to the rest of her siblings. She just couldn''t see things the same way they did. But the Eldest had spoken, and everyone appeared to ept their word. All Leeroy could do is continue to secretly plot and n her own glorious contribution to the greatness of the Colony. Something that this new armour would actively seek to impede!

    Already she hated it.

    "There are five cores powering the enchantment matrix," the crafter was saying, "two of those are here and here," she thwacked the metal with an antenna to indicate the locations, "which help to regte the weight of the heavier tes."

    The crafter moved toward Leeroy''s head where she finished tightening the straps for the helmet as she continued exining.

    "The other three cores are concentrated toward the front of the armour. The metals here are infused with earth mana and the cores help to enhance that stability and hardness. The idea is to give maximum protection to the vital areas, as well as preserve the mass and momentum advantage the armour gives."

    As she finished her exnation, the crafter stepped back and felt a surge of joy as she beheld thepleted product. Leeroy was arge tier four soldier, with a thick carapace that housed a powerful muscture. Even with the enchantments lightening the load, the full set of armour still weighed over a ton, a soldier with less physical stats would likely struggle to move wearing that suit.

    Watching the process from the side, Brendant had to admit that the crafter had done an incredible job. The many various pieces of armour fit together ingeniously, clips, hooks and straps used in a variety of clever ces to help hold the suit together. She didn''t have high expectations for this project, but looking at the final product now, she had to admit that she was impressed. Leeroy had been transformed from an indomitable soldier to something else entirely. The helmet gave her the visage of a fearsome demon, the folds of the metal that protected her eyes cast her features into shadow. tes of metal swept down the sides of her head and curved around her mandibles, jutting forward beneath them to protect her mouth.

    Thick tes covered her abdomen and thorax, with the most attention given to the ting down the sides of her body. Virtually no protection was afforded to the underside of the carapace. The idea was to keep the body low and charge forward, allowing the armour to both protect, and add to the impact.

    The shock absorbent properties of the armour were also excellent. The crafter had done an incredible job of building an internal structure on the inside of the metal. The joints cunningly inserted would allow the armour to flex whilst the inneryer would transfer force from the armour to the carapace, dispersing the impact across a wider area and borrowing the strength of the existing exo-skeleton.

    "Well, nothing to do now but test it. Are you happy to proceed, crafter?"

    The smaller ant did one final tour around the indignant form of her test subject, checking straps and brushing her antennae lovingly over the ting one final time. Suddenly nervous, she stepped away and steadied herself before replying.

    "It''s ready."

    The supporting ants cleared space to allow the two big soldiers some room.

    "Alright then Leeroy, I''m going to enjoy this!" Brendantughed rushing forward.

    For the next ten minutes, she charged, bit and battered her sibling as Leeroy stood and absorbed the punishment with a resigned attitude. From the side, the crafter watched intently, her heart pounding in her chest. She needn''t have worried, her work held up remarkably well. With her powerful jaws and many mutations, Brendant was able to puncture the armour in several ces, but was unable to do any meaningful damage to the carapace beneath, the force of her mandibles wasted on the metal.

    "I have to say, it''s far more durable than I expected," the soldier observed as she stepped back. "Although carrying all that weight can''t be good for your mobility."

    "Certainly, only the stronger soldier specimens would be able to wear a suit this heavy," the crafter informed her, "for other castes, such as the generals, a more lightweight version would be needed."

    "Makes sense. Alright then Leeroy, time for revenge, let''s have it."

    After enduring the attentions of her sibling for so long, Leeroy was more than ready to return the favour. Though, it should be noted that her enthusiasm wascking. Without the threat of very real, mortal danger, she just couldn''t be enthused. She shook her body to settle the armour, still adjusting to the feel of it before she set her feet and charged. Although slow to get going, she built up speed quickly, the dirt flying every time her ws dug into the soil.

    The crafter''s eyes shone as she watched that charge. The power, the force, the unstoppable momentum! This was it!

    Mandibles wide, Leeroy dashed with all her strength, her speed much reduced but the power of that charge was undeniable. Brendant braced herself as best she could, but it was for naught. When the fusion of steel and insect that Leeroy had be collided with her, Brendant was instantly bowled over. Unable to stop her own momentum, Leeroy charged directly through her sister and smashed into the wall of the tunnel, cracking the stone heavily and burying her head in the dirt.

    It took several minutes to extract the soldier, but the crafter was ted. This model of the armour was merely the first. In her eyes, it was a crude and brutish thing,cking the elegance and with only a fraction of the raw strength that she envisioned. Even so, look at how well it performed!

    "Well," Brendant said as she picked herself up, "that''s quite the thing, isn''t it?! I''ve got a crack in my carapace! I don''t think she even bit me! I''m impressed! What do you think Leeroy?"

    A little dazed, the other council member staggered over with a depressed air.

    "It works really well. I feel almost un-kible in this."

    "So why do you look so unhappy?"

    "I feel almost un-kible in this."

    "Ah."

    Ignoring her idiot sister, Brendant turned to the crafter.

    "Congrattions. Although it has a huge cost in resources, this armour does appear as if it will have a use. We can create and maintain a small number of these to begin with. I presume you have revisions? Smithant?"

    The crafter started.

    "What''s a Smithant?"

    "You are. You''ve got a lot of work to do. I think I might be rmending the Eldest pay you a visit as well, if they get a chance. I''m sure they''d want to see what it is you''ve done. Good job!"

 Chapter 474 The Delegation pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 474 The Delegation pt 1 </h4>

    It would be an understatement to say that Enid was nervous. The first time her husband had taken her into the Dungeon, she''d been nervous. When smuggling Karak shells from the blue desert, she was nervous. Marching into the heart of the Colony''s nest? She was distinctly nervous. When representatives had approached her about the ants wishing to engage in further cooperation with the refugees living on the surface, she''d nearly fallen out of her chair. It was true that the people had grown morefortable in the presence of the monsters, even Enid herself had experienced a profound shift in attitude toward them, but she''d felt that the ants were more or less uncaring of the humans who were their neighbours.

    Certainly, they were curious. Even now members of the Colony, almost exclusively mages and crafters, wandered through the town, observing, questioning. It was hard for a craftsman to go a day without having a giant insect poke its antennae through a window and start asking about this or that. Some found it intrusive, but the ants certainly did more than their fair share of work around the ce. Whether it was tilling fields, sourcing construction materials, extending the irrigation system that they themselves had built, the Colony did a lot to help a group of people they didn''t really owe anything to.

    She stepped carefully as they continued to tread through what must be close to sacred ground to the ants. They''d trudged through the Dungeon for many hours to make it to this subterranean nest. The town council had been more than a little apprehensive about journeying this deep, in the frontier kingdoms there were very few people who were able to venture to the second strata safely. Aarran the Bowyer had been amongst the most hesitant to venture down, yet the Colony had managed to make the trip almost boring.

    Being escorted by a full hundred monsters seemed almost extravagant, but they''d done a remarkable job. Enid didn''t think she''d even heard a monster during the entire trip, a ridiculous thought under normal circumstances, yet the sheer numerical strength of the Colony made the impossible possible.

    "I still don''t believe what I''m seeing."

    Enid rolled her eyes and looked at Isaac as he gazed with wonder at the intricate carvings that adorned every wall that they''d passed. She herself had been shocked at the quality of the work. Her mercantile spirit had ignited at the sight of the intricate details. Work of this quality would have high demand in several markets that she could think of. She''d have to see if she could track down the artist during her visit.

    "Try and focus, Isaac. We''re here representing Renewal as members of the council. Stop gawping at the walls and try to project a little dignity," she snapped wryly.

    The guard captain did straighten up, but it didn''tst long. Five minutester he was staring idiotically at something else. Enid went to rebuke him again, but Aarran cut her off.

    "Leave him be, Mayor. I can hardly keep my mouth shut myself. If you''d told me something like this existed in the Dungeon, I''d have called you a liar to your face."

    She turned her re in this new direction, but the grizzled old craftsman was as immune to her ire as always. He merely shrugged and went back to carefully cing his feet as they navigated the tunnels.

    [Are there any problems?] the slightly alien voice of her guide rang in her mind.

    She concentrated on the connection and replied.

    [No, nothing wrong. I think my people are just a little surprised at how far your family has progressed in such a short time.]

    She could feel the ant''s pride radiating across the bridge. Enid had noticed that the best way topliment an ant was to praise their family.

    [Yes, we have worked very hard to apply the concepts that we have learned from the Eldest.]

    [Didn''t you learn them from us?]

    [It was the Eldest''s idea to do that,] the mage shrugged.

    That was another observation that Enid had made. They were almost incorrigible in their determination to assign credit and or praise to Anthony, often for things that he himself wouldn''t agree had anything to do with him. Indeed, after considering the value of the artworks that she''d seen, her second thought had been how hrious the ''Eldest''s'' reaction must have been the first time he''d seen it.

    Rounding a corner they came to arge central chamber. Its size and perfectly uniform shape was enough to impress the visitors, but the borate carvings on the walls, when viewed alongside the truly massive carving of Anthony in the centre, were beautifully illuminated by glowing orbs ced around the base. The walls and floor of the room bristled with ants, climbing over each other as they darted in and out of the many tunnels that branched from this probably central area. Enid sucked in a breath at the sight, there must be thousands of Colony members around them at this moment in time.

    "Ah! Wee! Glory to the Colony!" came a call from their left.

    "GLORY!"

    Startled to hear another human voice in this nest of monsters, the delegation turned to see a group of robed figures approaching them after having exited a nearby tunnel. At their lead, as ever, was the one armed priest, Beyn.

    "I was wondering when you were going to show up," Enid greeted him, "you''ve been down here this whole time?"

    "I have," the priest''s eyes were almost zed over with joy at living in such close proximity to the ants and Enid averted her gaze from the disturbing sight. "The Colony - "

    As he said the word, the figures behind him erupted in a unified shout of "Praise their wisdom! Praise the Colony!"

    Beyn waited for them to finish before he continued. "- have been very amodating. It seems that they were impressed at how useful myrades and I proved to be during the siege and now wish to engage in a deeper partnership!"

    The mayor of Renewal was shocked.

    "You were useful?" she could hardly believe it. "I thought you''d all end up getting in the way before dying in aical and stupid manner after making fools of yourselves."

    Beyn''s expression turned hurt.

    "Really now, Enid. You surely wouldn''t expect that the Colony -"

    "PRAISE! PRAISE!"

    "- would let us just die? Especially after asking for our help!"

    Enid noticed that he didn''t even attempt to protest the likelihood of them making fools of themselves, just that the Colony wouldn''t let them die for it. With Beyn and his followers here, there were a total of thirty-five humans huddled together amidst the mass of insect life that boiled with activity around them. She tried to draw closer to Beyn.

    "Have you any idea what they want us for?" she muttered, "look at what they''ve been able to achieve in just a few months! What can we actually do for them?"

    The priest''s eyes glittered at her praise for the Colony. He''d observed the softening of the mayor''s attitude toward the ants over time, and was mighty pleased to see that it continued.

    "I can only suppose," he whispered back, "that they want us to act as a face for their interests. During the siege, I was used to negotiate with the city and I think they want you and a few others to represent them in further talks."

    Her business mind instantly understood what the Colony was driving at. By bringing along other people who had lived peacefully and prosperously under their ''rule'', the ants would be able to start to ay the fears of the people in the city. They would also be able to make use of Enid''s sharp negotiating skills when it came to matters that they themselves likely didn''t understand. Although it was an imposition on Enid herself, it isn''t like she would say no. Her responsibility was to the people of Renewal, and a deeper rtionship with Anthony and his family could only benefit them.

    [It is nice to see you all gathered here together,] a new, powerful mind reached out to Enid and spoke to her. Judging by the heads swivelling around her, the rest of the gathering was able to hear this new voice as well. How''d they worked that out?

    Arge ant pushed forward from the crush of insects around them and dipped it''s antennae in greeting.

    [I am Cont. Mage Ant and representative of the council here to wee you to our main nest. It is nice to see both members of the town council,] she used one leg to gesture to Enid and her group, [as well as Priest Beyn and his acolytes who proved so useful at Rylleh. Come, let us move somewhere a little more private.]

    A pause.

    [I do ask that you be careful as we walk. We are moving to a room quite close to the brood chambers and security is very tight, as I''m sure you understand. Sudden moves or noises would make the guards jumpy and they take their role very seriously.]

    With that warning, Cont turned and began to stride through the press of ants, who began to clear a path and move around the humans as they started to shuffle forward. Enid herself could barely breathe as she turned to look with a face full of dread at the idiot acolytes trailing behind their leader. Those idiots were supposed to be quiet?!

 Chapter 475 The Delegation Pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 475 The Delegation Pt 2 </h4>

    It took ten minutes for the ants to herd the humans into a side tunnel and from there into a small butfortable room,plete with chairs and at which they could sit. Enid herself had no eyes for the furnishings, instead her focus wasser sharp on the ants around them who definitely appeared more tense and alert than they did a moment ago.

    Antennae twitching, mandibles flexing, sudden, jumpy movements were all indications of nervousness that she''d witnessed in the ants and all of those signs were present in those watching them at this minute. All except Cont, that is. The powerful mage was as her name, rxed andfortable as she asked for the humans to sit and took her ce at the head of the table on a strange, ant shaped seat.

    It slowly dawned on Enid what it meant to be so close to the brood. She knew how the lifecycle of the ants went. Therval ant monsters demanded a huge amount of Biomass before they could weave their cocoons and mature to full grown members of the Colony. Somewhere nearby, a literal army of flesh eating grubs were being served mountains of monster remains. In the back of her mind, she almost felt as if she could hear the sound of thousands of mandibles tearing into meat and crunching bone.

    She felt sick.

    Beyn on the other hand, was totally ted! He was so close to the heart of the Colony, he could practically hear the heartbeat thudding in the walls. It filled him ecstasy, yet also humbled him. What was one, pathetic life next to the majesty of the Colony and its children? Thousands of young miracles were being reared nearby, angels of the System. What could one such as him do inparison to that?

    The rest of the council looked nervously to Enid for leadership and sheboured to pull herself together. It wouldn''t do to shame herself or the proud people of Renewal here! Come on Enid, pull yourself together! She reprimanded herself harshly and rallied her spirit, chasing the gnashing sounds away.

    [Thank you for amodating us here, Cont,] she gestured to the seats and table, [it''s clear you went to some trouble to make usfortable.]

    [Oh, it''s nothing. The furniture is but stone and wood, things we shape easily enough.]

    Aarran harrumphed quietly at this insult to his profession, but Cont either didn''t notice or ignored the man.

    [We thank you anyway,] Enid continued as she kicked the idiot craftsman under the table, [though I must ask, why bring us so close to the brood chambers if it makes you ufortable? I, for one, am happy to relocate to another ce if our hosts will be more at ease.]

    Please let us leave!

    [That won''t be necessary,] Cont replied, dashing her hopes, [the Eldest made it clear to us that if we want to receive trust from another sapient being, then we must extend trust. This is true on an individual level, but also on a societal level. It is our intention to seek greater trust from you and your people, so it is necessary that we disy trust towards you. For that reason we have brought you here, next to our heart.]

    The mage turned toward one wall to better gesture for her human audience.

    [Through that wall and down a tunnel lies the eggying chamber of this nest where the Queen resides.]

    This announcement was met with a stunned silence in the room. Not a single human made a sound as they stared toward that unassuming wall. None except for Beyn. The priest''s eyes bulged in their sockets and a strangled gargling sound croaked out of his throat as he desperately tried to hold in his jubtion. So intense was the war of feeling within him that his face turned a deep shade of red and he was forced to bring his hand to his throat to prevent his roars of praise escaping his soul. This bizarre demonstration quickly drew the attention of everyone in the room, including Cont, who had no idea what she was looking at. To the humans, it appeared as if the priest was actively trying to choke himself to death.

    Enid wanted to leap across the table and knock the idiot out, but at her age and with her stats, she wasn''t likely to seed. The closest to Beyn were his acolytes, who insisted on sitting behind him, but they were just as lost to religious fervour as their leader, either silently praying with frantic energy or actively in the process of fainting. Before Enid had a chance to rectify the situation, Cont went and made things worse.

    [It was our intention to bring any who were willing to meet the Queen down into the chamber once our discussion wasplete¡­]

    Cont sounded ever so slightly hesitant as she took in the strange mix of reactions she was getting. Nevertheless she pressed forward with the Colony''s most generous offer of hospitality. Holding the mind bridge in so many divisions was taxing, even if she had help, and interpreting human responses was difficult at the best of times. When the two different groups were presenting her with such divergent expressions, she didn''t know what to make of it.

    When Beyn heard those words, a piercing shrill escaped his mouth, like the scream of a dying eagle, which caused him to mp down on his throat even more vigorously, cutting off that noise and strangling it down to a low croak. By this time his eyes werepletely bloodshot and his face had begun to darken its shade of red to verge on purple. He desperately needed oxygen but he wasn''t willing to risk it. He couldn''t! What if he disturbed the Queen?! What if he were to startle thervae as they grew?! No, better that he do what he must to prevent such a travesty from taking ce. Better he were dead!

    The rest of the acolytes were in little better shape as they each battled to contain an entirely new, even greater wave of exultation. As if their previous dam had been able to contain the waters of their joy, but this new flood, so soon after the first, was just too much for their reinforced banks to withstand. First one, then more, began to sway on their feet and copse to the floor.

    Beyn himself continued to hold on, though it only appeared he suffered more for it. The town council watched with horrified fascination as Beyn continued to croak and gurgle with his one remaining hand locked in a vice grip on his own neck. Wild eyed and trembling, the priest began to foam at the mouth as his eyes rolled up in his head and for the first time in months he wished he had his other hand back. The better to strangle himself with.

    There was a profound silence in the room as the addled priest finally slumped from his chair, unconscious.

    [I am uncertain what has happened,] Cont said.

    [Erm,] Enid stammered, [p-perhaps we might say that the honour of meeting the Queen was too much for Beyn and the acolytes. They felt that they were unworthy.]

    The massive ant considered that for a moment before she nodded.

    [It is well that they hold such respect. The Queen is the progenitor of us all and deserves such consideration.]

    Enid breathed a sigh of relief as she inwardly damned Beyn and his idiot followers. They''de so close to disaster thanks to these morons! Ironically, if they''d been any less devout, things would have been much, much worse!

 Chapter 476 The Delegation pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 476 The Delegation pt 3 </h4>

    The talks themselves were the most straightforward negotiation of Enid''s life. Cont was calm, intelligent and without guile as she spoke clearly and directly with the human council.

    The Colony wanted them to assist with negotiations going forward into the future, was this possible?

    Yes, it was something they could do, indeed, there would be many who would be happy to volunteer to assist the ants, beyond the passed out fanatics on the floor.

    In exchange for the assistance, the Colony would be prepared to expand their efforts to assist the town in its development. Including a wide ranging search campaign for more refugees.

    Fantastic, this help would be most wee.

    And it was done. From start to finish it took less than five minutes for them to reach an in-principle agreement, and then a further five were required for Cont to outline exactly what the oing talks with the Dungeon city of Rylleh would entail. Enid was able to gather, from the things that the mage said, that the Colony didn''t really know what to do with the city, nor had any real interest in extracting anything from it. The city had presented a threat, they neutralised that threat, now they just wanted to ensure that the city went along, doing its own thing, whilst not building any gates.

    Cont seemed to feel that this was an entirely reasonable position for the ants to take, and from their perspective, it was. Enid was quite certain that the people of the city wouldn''t quite see it that way, what with their ess to the broader Dungeon society beingpletely cut off. The list ofints they''d bring to the table would be staggering, of that she had no doubt. But that was now her problem to deal with as much as it was the Colony''s, that was her agreement.

    With the generic talkspleted, the moment that each and every member of the council had been dreading had arrived. Cont was almost cheery as she brought it up to the delegation.

    [With the more unpleasant business out of the way, I would like to now, as a gesture of trust, invite all of you to meet the Queen in her chamber. You will be heavily under guard, of course, but this is the deepest gesture of openness that we can offer, apart from allowing you to contact our young, which we aren''tfortable doing at this time.]

    Such a direct and well-mannered invitation! Enid nced at the rest of the council and sure enough, each of them was already sweating bullets. They managed to hide it well, but the widened eyes and frozen expressions on their faces told of the inner struggle taking ce as they sought to find a reasonable excuse to turn down this visit. As if such a thing could be allowed. Imagine if the ants were to extend this invitation with open hearts, only for every visitor to refuse it. The mayor wasn''t sure how the ants would take it, but in sapient societies, such a rejection would be seen as a massive p in the face. She wasn''t exactly thrilled with the idea ofing face to face with such a monster, but she refused to insult the Colony in such a way.

    [If you don''t mind, Cont,] she led with, [I''d like to ept your gracious invitation on behalf of the council. I would not want to disturb her majesty overmuch with our visit, I alone will be sufficient representative of Renewal.]

    The palpable relief on the faces of her fellow council members was a disgrace and Enid turned a hard re of contempt at the lot of them. They didn''t even have the decency to look ashamed! Next time the elections came up, she''d have to make sure that more capable members of themunity were persuaded to run. If this was the best that their people had to offer then they were doomed to begin with.

    She turned back to Cont.

    [Though it would be nice if Isaac could join me in case I trip. I am very old for a human you understand.]

    The giant ant tipped her antennae in eptance even as Isaac released a disgraceful whimper, his face a picture of wounded betrayal.

    [This is eptable. I''m sure the Queen would prefer to not be crowded. Though I must ask, what is the term ''your majesty'' referring to?]

    Enid faltered.

    [It''s uh¡­ a term used to refer to royalty.]

    [Who is royal?]

    [The Queen?]

    Cont stared at her for a moment, uprehending before she replied.

    [But the Queen is not royalty, she is the Queen.]

    ¡­

    [Of course.]

    Enid and an openly weeping Isaac were escorted out of the room and back into the adjoining tunnel. Isaac managed to pull himself together after Enid whispered ''Morrelia'' under her breath, which fortunately urred before they reached a downward slope that they could see opened into arger chamber.

    The two humans steeled themselves before they descended under the watchful eyes of the massive insects that loomed over them, watching their every move. At the bottom of the slope, Enid closed her eyes for a moment as she braced her aged heart and then stepped forward into the chamber.

    The Queen both was, and wasn''t what she had expected. She was, by far, the biggest ant that Enid had ever seen, towering over the humans as she turned to stare at the two intruders with mild curiosity. Massive mandibles, a gleaming, thick carapace, her legs reached as tall as a house roof before angling back down to the ground. But where she''d expected a bloated, pulsating creature that was barely able to move under her own power, the Queen was instead powerful, sleek and mobile. Only herrger rear segment gave hint to the different nature of her species.

    More than that, the presence of two other Queens was quite a shock to the system! Not asrge as their mother, the two younger ants stood behind theirrger parent as they goggled at the humans who had tread into this, the most private of all chambers. Indeed, other than Enid, Isaac, Cont and the guards they''de in with, there were no other ants in the chamber, making it the most peaceful and unpopted room in the nest that they''d seen.

    [I''ll handle the mind bridge connection,] Cont announced, [just give me a moment.]

    An awkward silence descended between the two sides as they stood looking at each but unable to offerment. Isaac had managed to take hold of himself quite well utilising deep breathing exercises and imagining Morrelia''s excited face spattered in gore during an intense battle. Even the site of these truly intimidating insects wasn''t enough to blow away the ardour he felt towards his goddess.

    [Done,] Cont announced, [Mother, this is Enid, Mayor of the human settlement on the surface and Isaac, some sort of soldier.]

    The giant Queen brought her antennae toward each of them as they were introduced, getting a sense for them.

    [Wee to the eggying chamber, guests of my family. I must admit, I did not expect that any would ept the offer to visit this ce, but I wee you.]

    The Queen''s voice was deep, and warm. Not at all harsh or domineering as one might expect of a mighty monster of the Dungeon. Enid could feel a connection to that voice immediately. This was the voice of a matriarch, of someone who ced family above all. That was something she could rte to. She took a bold step forward and addressed the Queen.

    [I¡­ We are most pleased to be her, Queen of the Colony.] Manners never hurt anyone, it was one of Enid''s dictums. [I have to ask, why did you think nobody woulde here?]

    Initially she''d thought that the Queen was assuming they''d be too frightened, but when she thought a little more, she doubted that was true. The Queen wouldn''t think that anyone would be afraid of her, why would they? If the Colony had said they would be safe, then they would be safe. That''s the end of the matter. And why would anyone doubt the word of the Colony? As far as Enid was aware, not one ant had lied even once in all of their dealings and conversations with humans. She thought something else must have gone on in the mind of the Queen, and she was interested in knowing what it was.

    The Queen pointed toward Cont with an antenna as she exined.

    [I have a small understanding of human society. Of ''mayors'' and ''rulers''. Individuals in charge of things. I am not such a figure in the Colony. I am the mother of many, but I am not a central figure now that we have more Queens.]

    [Mother! That simply isn''t true!] Cont protested.

    THWACK!

    The Queen whipped one of her antennae down to crack it onto the head of the mage ant in a move that brought nothing to mind so much an impatient mother rapping her child on the head with a wooden spoon. The image was soical that Enid nearughed out loud.

    [You and your siblings'' continued insistence on something that I do not see as real makes you near as frustrating as the troublesome one. ept what I say.]

    [Yes, mother.]

 Chapter 477 The Delegation pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 477 The Delegation pt 4 </h4>

    Though the Queen probably wouldn''t describe herself this way, to Enid, she was quintessentially a grandmother who was tired of her children and grandchildren fussing around her. To the elderly mayor of Renewal, this was something she could immediately empathise with.

    [It''s irritating when they don''t take your word at face value, is it not?] Enid asked.

    The Queen nodded, a dip of the antennae, in ant bodynguage.

    [I am frustrated when they im on the one mandible that they have the utmost respect for my wishes, and on the other they go behind my back to circumvent me at every turn.]

    [I wouldn''t put it that way, Mother!]

    The antenna twitched and Cont fell silent, again.

    [I wouldn''t have been able to participate in the siege of Rylleh had Vibrant not told me about it, something I assume that she was specifically told not to do. This is exactly the sort of thing I''m referring to.]

    The Queen''s gaze was calm and still, yet Cont could do nothing but wilt in the face of those imcable eyes. This was the ant who had raised the Colony up from nothing, literally by herself. Where it not for a quirk of fate, the respect afforded to the Eldest would instead fall on this individuals shoulders. There was little the Council could do when confronted by their mother directly, which is why they tended to scheme behind her back in an effort to keep her from harm''s way.

    Enid found herself feeling sorry for the poor mage and stepped in to redirect the Queen''s attention.

    [It can be frustrating, that is true,] she sympathised, [I have experienced the same thing myself, many a time. I do find that it is important to remember that their concernes from a ce of love. They do not wish for you toe to harm, because they care for you.]

    The mayor shot Cont a re before she could pipe up again and get herself thwacked. Where had the intelligent and calm negotiator gone? Enid could onlyment. It appeared that being exposed to their mother turned all of the ants'' brains to mush. The Queen, for her part, only looked confused by what had been said. She absentmindedly raised her forelegs to clear her antennae as he pondered it.

    [I do not understand,] she said finally, [if harm were to befall me, the colony would only suffer in the sense that the egg production I provide would need to be reced. This is something that our family has the ability to do. Hundreds of my childrene to harm every day, if what way am I more special than them?]

    Although she was talking to Enid, the Queen''s soft gaze drilled directly into Cont''s carapace. She wasn''t sure how she''de to adopt this role of conflict resolution between the ant council and their parent, but Enid found herself enjoying it immensely. If Anthony were here, would he squirm just as badly as Cont? She had to wonder just how often it was necessary for the Queen to knock him back into line. If she had to guess, it would be a frequent urrence.

    Cont adopted a pleading stance toward Enid and the old woman once again stepped in on her behalf.

    [It might be possible that this idea of emotional attachment to an individual is new in the Colony, but it is quitemon amongst all the Sapient races, not just humans. It is also natural for most organisms to feel a bond to their parent, just as a parent feels a bond towards its children. I''m sure you would agree, Queen, that you care for your children and wish the best for them. Likewise, they care for you and wish the best for you.]

    The Queen flicked an antenna in dismissal.

    [Then they should stop fussing about and let me serve the Colony as best I can. I will not be prevented from performing the work I deem best suits my abilities. Doing such a thing is not ant.]

    [I would also suggest that your children do a better job respecting the wishes of their mother.]

    Cont sank into the floor as both the Queen and the human mayor turned against her so suddenly. Out of desperation she reached out for a final handhold.

    [Isaac Bird, what is your view of this matter?]

    The man had been standing almost preternaturally still in an attempt to avoid drawing the attention of the ants, something he''d failed spectacrly at. Whilst the Queen was engaged with Enid, Antite and Victoriant had both, wisely, chosen to avoid that conversation and instead moved to inspect this other human who had entered their chamber. The two massive Queens had engaged in an extended bout of trying to engage the guard in conversation and poking him with their antennae when he refused to answer.

    Almost d for the distraction, he turned to Cont and replied.

    [Ah. If I told me mam what she could do, she''d fair whack me on the head. I don''t try and I''m happier for it.]

    Not really what the mage ant had wanted to hear, but she sagged in defeat. The next time this sort of thing happened, she''d be sending the generals along, she thought bitterly. Sloan and Victor where the main culprits when it came to schemes that revolved around mother, yet they always managed to avoid the me. Actually, that gave her an idea¡­

    [I understand you mother, and I am sorry that we have caused you frustration. In truth, it is Sloan and Victor who make decisions regarding the members who are to be deployed in battle. If you wish to avoid further incidents in the future, I suggest you speak to them directly.]

    It was difficult for Enid not to burst outughing. Did she really just watch a giant ant monster dob on its siblings to its mother?! What was the worlding to? If she were to describe this entire conversation to Beynter, she wasn''t sure that he would believe it. Heck, if she''d told her past self just ten minutes ago how this chat would go, she''d have called herself mad.

    Yet she could only stifle her grin as a messenger was summoned, presumably through pheromones, and then sent scampering away to fetch the two generals who would no doubt receive a strongly worded dressing down from the irritated Queen. As they waited, Enid continued to converse with the giant ant and found her to be every bit the proud matriarch she appeared to be. They each boasted of their children and the aplishments of their families, though Enid had to concede her own brood hadn''t quite measured up to the Colony, but the Queen was prepared to make allowances for her humanity holding her down in that regard.

    In fact, when the Queen discovered that humans required an entire nine months to bring a single baby to term, she''d been quite shocked. How where there so many humans then? It just didn''t make sense!

    [Have you tried eating more?] the Queen asked, concerned. [I know it isn''t the same between you and monsters, but I feel that such a length of time just can''t be healthy.]

    Unfortunately, Enid didn''t manage to exin human biology to the Queen''s satisfaction by the time she had to leave, but she did feel as though she might have made a friend.

 Chapter 478 Free from webs

    <h4>Chapter 478 Free from webs </h4>

    [Damn spider! Get down here and face me!]

    The house-sized arachnid, safe in her hole in the wall ringed with poisonous strands of webbing as thick as a car waggled her fangs at me in derision and pointed one leg at the hundreds of ants standing next to me.

    [Oh? You''lle out if they go away? Somehow I doubt that you eight-legged coward!]

    The spider cked her fangs and by waving her front four legs managed to convey the message that I was an invading, leg-deficient fool who couldn''t be trusted and I may as well scuttle away with my stupid pets and fellow ants because she wasn''ting out to fight. I think she also insulted my mother.

    [COME DOWN HERE AND SAY THAT, BUG!]

    I was so mad I was hopping on the coating of stone and dirt we''d covered the webbing in, causing trickles of the material to fall into the cavernous space below.

    "Eldest, why are you so upset?" Emilia asks.

    "She insulted our mother!" I roar back.

    The smaller generals aura turns dangerous as she stares up at the giant spider.

    "Oh did she¡­."

    The ants within smellshot pass the message along and within moments all of the ants are flinging scented insults up at the spider who gleefully waggles her legs back at us. The rage is rising to a fever pitch when another mind cuts through my emotions.

    [Isssss bait. Thissss creature wantsssss death. Not for itssssself, but for you. Denyyy it.]

    Invidia''s eye glowed with insight as it stared up at the looming mother spider. I brought myself back under control and told the ants to stand down. It wasn''t like us to lose control of our emotions. Actually, it was totally like me. It wasn''t like my siblings to lose control of their emotions. This dastardly spider might be more clever than I''ve been giving it credit for.

    [Fine, you stay up there you bloated sack of schemes. Just keep this in mind, there''s going to be an army of ants marching through here at some point, and if you''re still around, I''ll personally feed you to my mother. Clear?]

    I aggressively snap my mandibles at the spider matriarch before turning around and leading our strike force away. The ants are reluctant to leave, unwilling to leave the insult unaddressed, but when I firmly turn and walk away, they follow along as I head back to base camp, my pets trundling along in my wake.

    It takes a long time to traverse the vast web back down to the ground. It''s taken a full week of campaigning to get to this point, but the expanse has been basically conquered. Obviously, we did discover the presence of a powerful spider who wasying eggs in here, but it took a long time before we were able to pin down the location of herir. It was also quite a project to neutralise the sted webs. Once we worked out that we could treat the webs much the same as I treated that damn slug''s goo all that time ago, it was a lot of work to haul the dirt and soil necessary to create our superhighway through the ridiculous of mega-webs that cover this expanse top to bottom.

    Once we did though, it was all over for the arachnids. Turns out that the spider brood wasn''t nearly as cooperative as the ants. Such an inferior species! Gweheheheh. With hundreds of cooperative ants working together with our advanced tactics, the hidden super squad and my pets and I, they never had a chance. Even so, there were so many of the darn things in this huge expanse that they took a whole week to wipe out! I''ve been biting so much, my mandibles hurt!

    The haul in experience and Biomass has been worth it, not really for me, but for Vibrant and her squad, it''s been super valuable.

    "Hey-hey! Wee back! How''d you go with the big one?! Was it big? Was it tasty?! I bet it was!"

    Speaking of whom, the hyper energetic soldieres bouncing along the web from a separate corner of the expanse.

    "Find anything on your side?" I ask her.

    "Nope-nope! It''s all been cleared out! We left the spawn points alone though, just like you said. It''s so empty here now, it''s almost weird!"

    I nod. Leaving the spawn points alone will let this ce regenerate into a nice hunting ground for the Colony. Unless I miss my guess, the fat spider will move out and into a different territory. We''ve wiped out her army and cornered her once, if wee back with more ants, I don''t care what sort of traps she has tucked away up that cave of hers, it won''t be enough. A monster doesn''t get to tier six or seven without developing enough of a brain to work out when they''re outmatched.

    "I suppose we better continue our recon mission then. Gather everyone up and we''ll head out into the tunnels. We''ve got a lot of ground to cover and we spent a lot of time in here."

    "We got a lot of levels though! My friends have never been so big before! Soo many evolutions!"

    Wait a sec¡­

    "Did you just say friends?" I ask her.

    Vibrant tilts her antennae in confusion.

    "I suppose so? Is that bad?"

    "Ah, not really? I think? I mean, do you even know what friends are?"

    "Yup-yup! Just like Crinis and me! Buds for ever!"

    A tentacle extends from my back and reaches out to Vibrant to give the inky tendril of darkness a quick ''p!'' in the air with an antenna. I guess that''s a high five?

    [You two did hang out a lot when you were little, didn''t you, Crinis?]

    [We did. And Vibrant helped me a lot when you went missing. We even ate humans together.]

    [I see. Well that''s good then.]

    ¡­

    Hang on, WHAT?!

    Ah, forget it. Do I even want to know? Not like they were eating ants. Nope, the Colony has a strange respect for the dead, at least, the same respect that a normal ant Colony has for its dead. They take them out of the nest and watch them, much like normal ants remove bodies and ce them a distance away so they don''t invite fungus or disease into their home. In this world, it goes a little farther. They don''t eat the Biomass, nor do they harvest the cores from the deceased ants. In what might seem like a tremendous loss of efficiency, they let them return to the dungeon, dissolving into pure mana before they vanish. I''ve seen a few such¡­ I hesitate to call them ceremonies, but they do feel quite impactful, in their own way, since I''ve arrived. I''d rather not see any more.

    The real haul for me personally has been the ongoing development of my Skills. Nothing helps pump up those levels likebat experience, even against weaker foes. Thanks to having a decent group of ants around me, my brains have been able to churn out battle magic non-stop. The day of elemental fusion is drawing ever closer! MUAHAHAHA!

    I''m so close to the avatar state I can almost feel the arrow on my forehead. Watch out Dungeon! I''ming for you!

 Chapter 479 Exploration and sweet sweet skills

    <h4>Chapter 479 Exploration and sweet sweet skills </h4>

    Another expanse conquered, the great web has been brought low. Vibrant and I lead our group back out into a new section of tunnel as we prepare tounch the next leg of our advance party scouting. The first item on our list of jobs is to retrace our steps, filling in our Tunnel maps and checking that nothing has passed us by during our battle. After climbing through the Dungeon, we reconnect to the point we entered the expanse and find a group of three scouts sneaking about on the roof.

    With a quick salute, they report that no changes have been reported to the main nest at this stage. The scouting and expansion mission goes on in all directions around the main nest. The two new nests are under construction, new Queens almost ready to move in. Sounds like great progress is being made on all fronts! There''s some news regarding Leeroy and a new squad being sent to fight and level up in the second strata, which is a bit surprising.

    A squad with Leeroy in charge? Sounds like a bad DC movie with a band of mildly super-powered criminals banding together. I hope the generals have some idea what they''re doing. If I get up there and Leeroy has managed to get herself killed, I''m going to be super annoyed. I''ve spent a lot of effort keeping that ant alive and I refuse to let all of it go to waste! I''ll make a sensible damn member of the council out of her yet.

    With all of the news being positive, we pass our update to the scouts so they can return it to the Colony and resume our mission. The time for the next meeting of the council isn''t far away and we probably should head back, but since there isn''t any major news, I feelfortable extending our search to the nearby tunnels. Levelling up is one of our objectives, checking for signs of an approaching force is the other! Plenty of the first has been done, but not much of the second.

    In terms of powering up Vibrant''s squad, we''ve been an unmitigated sess. Everyst one of them has reached tier four and are well on the way to maxing out their mutations. There were even plenty of cores to soak up in there, meaning that a lot of them have solidly reinforced their internal gems.

    I''m bing certain that arger core does more than simply increase the maximum amount of mana that can be stored. The more sensitive my mana sight bes, the clearer I can detect the flow of mana in my fellow monsters and it''s clear thatrger cores equate to more mana moving throughout their bodies. It''s difficult to examine myself, but my pets are clearly circting a great deal more energy throughout themselves.

    As I continue to think about the nature of monsters and mana (without getting anywhere) and practice my elemental magic, the group spreads out through the tunnels seeking signs of habitation or a force on the move.

    [Blue fire magic affinity (IV) has reached level 40, upgrade avable]

    [Advanced Blue Fire magic affinity (V), cost 1 sp. Enables those who possess skill ess to more advanced maniptions of the greater me. Concentrating heat to finer points and generating greater heat at the point of ignition are key elements of this skill.]

    So I can what¡­ create a blowtorch? Whatever, gotta buy it anyway. As I confirm the choice, the usual trickle of knowledge seeps into my brain, drowning out the endless chatter that streams out of Vibrant for a precious few seconds. This is the first of my basic elemental magics to reach rank five, a cause for celebration! Although I can''t dwell on it for long. I can almost feel my sub-brains sigh wearily as they whip up a new construct, releasing the fire mana converter they''ve been holding for several days now. Water next, I suppose, go with the opposite, just to keep things interesting.

    I regret going for the rank five fusion. It takes sooo many levels! I''ve been grinding away at these damn elemental Skills for weeks! I mean, that''s rapid progresspared to what most would be capable of, due to my Vestibule and multiple brains setup, but it''s getting more than a little tiresome. At least fire is done. I can cross that off the list. Another thirteen levels of ice, and that''ll be in the cooler too.

    "Hey-hey senior! The scouts think they might have found something! Over here, over here!"

    Before she''s even finished talking, Vibrant has zoomed off, leaving me to trail along in her wake, as usual. When I do finally catch up after ten minutes of solid running, I find the scouts have indeed managed to find something interesting. In a wider tunnel, already cleaned out by Vibrant''s squad, we find clear signs of civilisation. Built into the wall appears to be some kind of way station. A solid, curving wall that tucks the door tight against the wall, concealing it from casual monster investigation is all that can be revealed from this side, but from the size of the entrance, it doesn''t seem as though too much would fit inside there.

    Perhaps this is a kind of resting point for delvers? Giving shelter and a ce to resupply? I haven''t seen any such thing before, but that certainly doesn''t mean that they couldn''t exist. How else would soft humans get around down here? At least the Golgari have themon sense to cover up their spongy flesh with something approaching a carapace.

    "What are you thinking, Vibrant?" I ask the hyper-excited ant.

    "We crack it open and take a look! Why wouldn''t we? Right?! Don''t you want to know what it is? I do!"

    "But what do you think is going to be - aaand she''s gone."

    Without waiting for me to finish my no doubt boring sentence, Vibrant leaps forward to engage her loyal squad.

    "Open it up! Let''s gogogogo!" she cheers.

    The ants salute, snapping an antenna to their heads and in less than a minute the wall has been chomped and magicked out of the way to reveal, much as I suspected, a rather small open area with space toy out a few bedrolls, tightly packed shelves set into the wall with neat packages and jars. There you go, what a nice little design. It''s almost like an igloo carved into the wall. A little safe haven for those who need a break from the rigours of the Dungeon. I can imagine how it would feel, for a delver, to make it to this ce. Drained, tired, arms heavy and burning after hours of fighting. The horrors of the Dungeon behind you, for just a moment, you crawl through the narrow entrance, muffling all sound, for even here you aren''t truly safe. Afortable meal, a restful sleep. Must be worth more than a person''s weight in gold, that sort of rest, down here.

    Then imagine that peaceful rest being interrupted by an army of giant ant monsters tearing into the shelter and exposing you to open air. What sort of look would you have on your face?

    Turns out, I don''t need to wonder about that, since I''m staring at two examples right now. A naked pair of strange furred humanoids stare out at us in utter terror, shock and perhaps embarrassment, before they pass out. Prisoners! How convenient!

 Chapter 480 Gathering Once More

    <h4>Chapter 480 Gathering Once More </h4>

    Thankfully, this awkward moment is resolved in the best way possible when both of the humanoids copse to the ground, passed out. My siblings around me react with general confusion before they shrug their collective antennae and grab the two prisoners to take back to the Colony for questioning. I do step in to ensure that we take their supplies back with us, which a few soldiers and scouts step forward to do. I imagine these two are going to want some clothes when they wake up.

    A detachment of thirty return to the nest while the rest of us continue to make our sweep. The monsters are densely packed here in these tunnels and even with our mage ants teaming up to firebomb the hazardous corals, webs, seaweed and various other deadly things that fill up the space here in the second strata, it takes time.

    It''s taken me a long time, but I''m finally starting to get the hang of this ce. It''s always freezing cold, which isn''t ideal for us ants. There are many species of ant who hibernate in the winter, we aren''t fans of low temperatures at all. Fire magic provides some relief, the ants huddle around mes that burn constantly around the mages when they need a little warmth. Apart from the cold, the dark is the second issue. It''s oppressive, and every ant who''se down here has been drilled to train their mana sense, regardless how poor their mental stats may happen to be. Relying on ourpletely rubbish natural eyesight would be a recipe for utter disaster!

    I know that some members of the Colony have been experimenting with different mutations for vision. Rather than doing as I''ve done, and just brute force quality mutations to try and bring back something akin to human levels of focus from apound eye, they''ve been switching to infrared, or hyper-sensitive movement detection, or vibration vision.

    Almost all of which sound cooler than what I chose. Not being able to see was a real point of stress for me after I spawned in the Dungeon! I needed thatfort!

    After spending another half day poking deeper into the Dungeon, sweeping out tunnels and expanding our map, I decide to pull the pin and drag Vibrant back to the nest. We profited a lot in terms of experience and Biomass, I even managed to force the secret squad to level up, which is a hidden bonus, but we failed to detect any sign of theing invasion, and meeting aside, I don''t want to get much further away from the rest of the family in case the invasion sneaks past us.

    So back we go, it takes a while to retrace our steps, we pushed a fair way down, but after a nearly a day of climbing, we make it back home to the nest.

    "What. In the name of heck. Are you wearing?" I say to Leeroy.

    "Armour."

    "But¡­ why?"

    "To keep me alive."

    "I get that¡­ Just¡­ I mean, has it worked?"

    "Extremely well."

    She sounds miserable admitting that.

    "And there''s a group of you that wear this?"

    "Five of us now."

    That''s is literally tons of metal being forged to make that much armour¡­

    "So this is the Leeroy squad then? Your team? What are you called?"

    "I didn''t want us to have a name," Leeroy hedges.

    "But someone came up with one anyway?" I press her, "surely a team with this many resources poured into them has got a name. The council loves naming stuff."

    They seem obsessed with it these days.

    "Maybe someone did¡­" Leeroy mutters.

    "Out with it Leeroy," I demand, "it can''t be that bad."

    "¡­ The Immortals."

    "Oof. That''s rough, Leeroy," I try tofort her. I know that the idea of being immune to death would be a miserable situation for her.

    "Do you really mean that, Eldest?" she perks up.

    "No. I hope you live for a thousand years before you finally die in a tunnel copse or something. Stop being stupid." I reprimand her. "You''re not a hatchling anymore, you need to live and work."

    "I suppose so," she says, but I can see her heart isn''t in it.

    "Look on the bright side," I relent, "now that you have this armour and a group to work with, odds are the generals are going use you on the frontline in the uing battles. You''ll be right in the thick of the danger, where the fighting is hottest! That doesn''t sound so bad, does it?"

    "I suppose not¡­" I can see the gears turning in her head. There''s absolutely no chance the generals will send her in without some n to extract her out again, but I can let her dream a little I suppose. I''m too soft dammit!

    "By the way, Eldest, you were supposed to pay a visit to Smithant at some point soon, she''s really excited about it."

    There''s a hint of ill feeling in Leeroy''s pheromones as she mentions the name, but I don''t recognise it.

    "Who''s this?" I ask.

    "Smithant, the crafter who came up with this idea," she raps her helmet with one antenna for emphasis.

    "You mean it wasn''t Tungstant or Cobalt who came up with this?" I''m genuinely shocked.

    "No, they hated the idea. This one nutter was obsessed with it and now I''m stuck with this."

    Fascinating!

    "I''ll definitely pay her a visit!" I tell Leeroy as she turns to leave. She waves a weary antenna back at me and I continue on my way deeper into the nest.

    The ce is absolutely jumping with activity. Even more crowded than before, the manyyers of pheromone trails have been ovein with all new scents. Construction teams for nests two and three, resource transportation and storage trails, even a tea room!

    Hold up. A team room?! I have to see this. So thinking, I turn from my path toward the council chamber and scuttle along, following the path around the many twists and turns of the nest until Ie to an area on the outskirts of the nest. The tunnels are thinner and more narrow here, to the point I just barely squeeze in, my legs pinched up against my sides. The chambers are smaller too, with doors on them for some reason. When the heck did we start making doors?

    When I make it to the end of the trail and stick my head into this so called ''tea-room'' I realise exactly what this area is for. Inside, I find Enid, Beyn, Torrina and Corun engaged in conversation, seated infortable wooden furniture, replete with cushions, around a dainty table. The entire room is bedecked with all the trimmings of a fine human home, with cupboards, fine china and a tea pot lovingly wrought in the shape of an ant''s head.

    After a moment of whipping up a mind mana construct, I intrude into what was clearly a cosy conversation.

    [You lot are all looking veryfortable. Any work getting done around here?]

    They''ve seen me already, hard not to notice such a shiny head poking through the open door, not to mention my size.

    [A great deal of work, in fact,] Enid snaps back, a little waspish. [Some of us have been negotiating on behalf of your Colony for the entire day against stubborn, greedy, idiotic merchants and over-privileged morons.]

    I twitch my mandibles in surprise. It''s unlike Enid to be so rude!

    [Ah, thanks Enid. How''d it all go? The Colony brought you in to do all the talking, I suppose. Wasn''t my idea, you can''t me me.]

    The old mayor sighs and raises a hand to massage her brow as Torrina and Corun sip their tea, content to observe rather than contribute.

    [I apologise, Anthony. The talks have been cially slow, and it doesn''t help that I have to exin the details in excruciating detail to the ants immediately after I finish haggling with the damn delegates.]

    I can imagine my siblings are quite interested in learning about this sort of thing. Negotiations between rival powers aren''t something the Colony has had to deal with in the past. Come to think of it, no ant would have had to deal with these issues in the history of Pangera.

    [If they''re being difficult, surely there''s a few things we can do to hustle the dialogue along?]

    She thinks for a moment before a slow smile dawns on her face.

    [If you have the time, I''m sure we can work something out¡­]

 Chapter 481 Advisors

    <h4>Chapter 481 Advisors </h4>

    After chatting with Enid a little more, she finishes her tea and heads off to rest. The next day of talks will prove to be an eventful one, I''m sure, given what we''ve discussed, but for now I have two expectant looking Golgari to deal with.

    [Been a while, Anthony,] Corun greets me coolly, [how were things down in the Dungeon? Anything interesting happen?]

    Torrina is looking at me with her usual deadpan expression, but I can tell that she''s a little more frosty than usual. It''s easy to see that something is up with these two.

    [Alright then, what''s gotten into you two? It''s not like you guys to skirt around the subject, goodness knows Granin wasn''t even physically capable of holding his words in.]

    That got a slight smile out of Corun, and perhaps a mild release of tension around the eyes for Torrina. Even so, they still took a long nce at each other before Torrina spoke to me.

    [Anthony, why do you think we are here?]

    Well, that''s quite the question, isn''t it?

    [I suppose because Granin thought I had potential to be an ancient and he wanted you two to keep an eye on me and record my progress for history? Make note of my sesses and failures so that you can implement the knowledge better for future subjects?]

    She shakes her head.

    [Not exactly. We''re supposed to be here, not just as some sort of supervisors, but as guides and assistants. We are willing and able to take on a much more hands-on role than you seem to have envisioned for us.]

    [What do you mean,] I protest, [I haven''t told you what you can and can''t do at all. As far as I''m concerned, I trust you guys and you''re free to do what you want concerning your mission and myself. I just rmend you step lightly around the family, they can be a bit touchy sometimes.]

    Neither of them blink at me describing a growing civilisation of thousands of murderous ant monsters ''a bit touchy'' which shows me that they''re limating pretty well to life around here. Murder ants are the norm in the nest!

    [I thought this might be the case,] she sighs, [you think you''ll just leave us to our devices and we''ll work things out? That''s not exactly how we want to operate.]

    [Well, how do you want to operate? My time amongst the Golgari wasn''t exactly a happy memory, you know. I''m aware that it wasn''t your fault, but the Cult of the Worm''s way of doing things isn''t exactly something I''m willing to invest in, you know?]

    [I understand your frustration, I just want you to hear ours a little.] She gestures to herself and Corun, [we can help you a lot more than we have been able to so far, we just need you to trust us, and bring us along. When you dive off into the Dungeon for a week at a time and leave us behind, or when you take us to the surface and then vanish back underground without us, it makes it hard to be able to help.]

    [Sooo, you want to tag along a bit more closely when I''m moving around?]

    [In short, yes] she nods.

    Uuuuughhh. Another member of the entourage? I''ve got more than enough people following me around as it is! Corun appears to sense my reluctance, and jumps in to back Torrina up.

    [Look, we don''t need to get in the way, and we certainly don''t need to be up front and fighting or anything. So long as we''re in the general area so that we know what''s happening, and can approach you when we feel we have something to contribute. That doesn''t sound too bad, does it?]

    I think about it.

    [You know what, that sounds pretty good. You''ve got a deal.]

    I extend an antenna through the door and they both shake it solemnly before returning to their tea. I excuse myself and get back onto the pheromone trails. Things to do, ants to see! Back into the bustling tunnels and my first port of call is the industrial district. The crafters have turned this section of the nest into their own empire. The mining efforts of the Colony have expanded to cover hundreds of square kilometres of Dungeon by now, and every scrap that is extracted in the field is brought back here for processing.

    Tons of material are hauled into this section of the nest each day and the fires burn all day and all night, melting down the g, extracting and purifying the metals. It''s hot, hard work, but the smallest caste of all is more than up to the task, using tools and ingenious devices, even magic, when their frames aren''t up to the task. Buried deep at the end of this maze of workshops I find the remarkable ant I was told to find.

    "Smithant, I presume?"

    A rtivelyrge crafter, obviously tier four, is busy in her own private workshop working on several things at once. With one leg, she''s poking and prodding at her forge, manipting whatever she has heating in there, with another she''s working her pulley hammer, pounding a sheet of heated steel into shape, using her mandibles to grip and bend the material, whilst also using magic to inscribe runes onto yet another, finished piece. I''ve heard about working hard, but this is insane! More to the point, she doesn''t seem to realise that I''m here.

    "Hello there? Everything alright?"

    Without pausing in her work, the ant snaps at me.

    "I had a rest two days ago! You mandatory rest enforcers are getting more insufferable by the week! I can''t be asleep, and fulfil the order the council has ced for armour at the same time now, can I? So shove off?"

    "Two days eh? Sounds like someone is well overdue for a nap."

    "I TOLD you¡­. Oh."

    Finally dropping her work to face the doorway fully, Smithant finally sees who hase to visit and the realisation is written all over her face.

    "When we''re done here, you''re going to sleep. No arguments," I warn her.

    She detes a little.

    "Yes, Eldest."

    "I''ve seen your work, the suit you made for Leeroy? Amazing! I''m told you also enchanted it yourself?"

    "That''s true¡­" full of fire only a moment ago, the crafter seems quite shy when ites to taking apliment. "But that suit is nothing," she fires up, plete garbagepared to what I can make now. My enchanting and smithing keep levelling and the refinements I can make will improve the durability of the metal and the efficacy of the magic by fifteen, maybe even twenty percent!"

    "That''s not a small amount."

    "It''s just the beginning," the more she talks about her work, the more animated she bes until her passion is burning just as hot as the forge behind her. "The more we expand, the better quality ore we find and as more time passes, the better we get at processing it. I feel like the metal I get improves every day I crawl into my workshop. And the better the metal I work with, the faster my skills climb! I''ve even heard that there''s a team of crafters working on a more efficient anvil and hammer design."

    She pats her still glowing anvil with her w.

    "Much as I love the old thing, it''s hard to keep up with demand."

    I''m a bit surprised.

    "Aren''t there more crafters who can work with you? At the very least support you?"

    The usual solution the Colony attempts to employ is to throw greater numbers at the problem. Generally works out okay, I don''t see why this situation would be any different. Smithant cks her mandibles in irritation.

    "Most of the crafters still don''t see the need for armour on ants. We have a carapace after all."

    "But even the council seems to find it useful!"

    "They still haven''t ordered anyone to assist me, and until they do, I don''t think anyone will bother. I''m the only one working on armour in the entire Colony."

    What nonsense is this?! The most talented smith in the entire colony, ving away on her own without support?! This is worse than madness!

    "That''s going to change," I tell her, "anything that helps to keep our people alive is something that needs to be explored. A carapace isn''t going to be enough for the fight that''sing. I''ll put the word out that this is to be a priority. I don''t think every ant needs a full set of armour, but defensive enhancement is something I want every frontline soldier to have. After I next evolve, I''ll get you to make me a set as well."

    Time for the antdustrial revolution to reach an entirely new phase!

 Chapter 482 The Simplest Way

    <h4>Chapter 482 The Simplest Way </h4>

    The centuries following the event that came to be known as the Descent, when the System applied itself to the peoples of Pangera, remain shrouded in darkness. The Cataclysm that came afterward destroyed almost all records, but those scraps we have ess to speak of great upheaval, followed by an age of enlightenment before the Dungeon opened on the surface.

    Like most things that fall into a civilised society''s hands, the System was quickly seen as a weapon that would give a tremendous advantage to those who were able to master it first. This isrgely conjecture on my part, but it is highly likely that the people of that time engaged in the same sort of questionable practices that were seen in the post-Rending era, when people sought to recapture that which was lost.

    In that time it was unheard of to die of old age, not just because of the many conflicts, but allowing a person to pass away naturally would waste a tremendous resource. It wasmon for children to execute their parents as theyy on their deathbed, so that they could inherit the experience gained for the kill. Compared to other atrocities, that practice could be considered mild. ves were forced to endure unimaginable horrors in the name of experimentation, all to secure an edge over theirpetitors.

    Many hoped that the storied ''golden age'' would re-emerge after the age of suffering and secrecy, but in many ways that veil still remains. Knowledge of the System is hoarded between societies, faiths, even members of the same delving teams have been known to withhold what they''ve gleaned of its inner workings. Builds, sses, fusions, any piece of information can lead to apetitive advantage.

    And that is meaningful. The System allows a person to rise to unbelievable heights. With the power of mana, and the knowledge of how to wield one''s inner strength, incredible feats be possible. Firing des of light from your weapons, weaving the elements or even bending light with one''s mind. Those few who managed to scale the heights and achieve the pinnacle, the highest level, the most powerful sses, all had a deep,sting impact on Pangera. Many founded their own kingdoms, others destroyed empires that had existed for centuries.

    In the pursuit of that sort of power, people will do almost anything. The question I have is, how this conflict was managed during the ''golden age''? The only answer that seems usible, is that someone so powerful arose that they were able to enforce their ideals on the entire. If that is indeed the case, what happened to them?

    Excerpt from ''A dissertation on the consequences of the Descent and its impact on modern society'' By Innirit the heretic.

    It''s a shame that I had too much on my te to participate myself, but the other members of the council were more than capable of running such a simple mission. Enid''s idea to simplify the negotiation process was simple and ingenious. It hadn''t taken her long to realise what the problem was, what exactly was causing the talks to be so painfully slow and make the natives of Rylleh so intractable. The people in charge were wastes of space.

    They weren''t stupid or anything, at least, not in her opinion, they just existed in veryfortable circumstances and didn''t want to see that change. For the most part, they were born into those circumstances, inheriting their positions as descendants of those intrepid delvers who managed to gather enough wealth and power that they were able to carve out their own independent space which eventually grew into the city of Rylleh.

    So how to deal with these well-to-do leeches? Simple. Under the direction of Sloan, and working with Wace on the inside, the Colony abducted each and every one of them, moved them to Renewal, dropping them on the doorstep of Beyn''s church like lostmbs. While they were at it, the ants looted their mansions and broke them down to rubble, carting away the precious materials watched by, oddly enough, the cheering masses. Generations of discontent erupted once people got wind of what was happening and in a dramatic shift in public opinion, the Colony became the champions of the people in one night.

    Not to say that there wasn''t unrest, you can''t simply uprootrge family units unterally and expect everyone to be happy about it. The ructions in Rylleh werergely overshadowed by the outpouring of goodwill the Colony experienced, a worthy trade. In Renewal, the once noble ss were now destitute and dependant on the support of an ant worshippingmunity. It only took a day before they gave up trying to convince people to take them into the Dungeon in exchange for promised riches. The next day they banded together tounch an expedition of their own. I''m told they made it about two hundred metres outside the town before a detachment of scouts chased them back. The next day they took up farming.

    With the talks on hold until elections could be arranged in Rylleh, a much more cheerful Enid spent her time drinking tea and chatting with myself, Corun and Torrina, and asionally Beyn, when we managed to stop him wandering around the tunnels.

    For my part, I had to meet with the Council, minus Sloan, to try and work out what our next steps were. We gathered once more in the somehow even more luxurious council chamber, the ant chairs now lined with soft fabrics and the table topped with a beautifully carved wooden surface instead of the rude stone we''d had before.

    What the point of the fabric is, I''ve no idea. We''re ants! We have a skeleton on the outside of our bodies! Although it does mean there''s less chance the stone will scuff my diamond carapace¡­

    It can stay.

 Chapter 483 Where the hell are they?!

    <h4>Chapter 483 Where the hell are they?! </h4>

    As the Colony expands and grows, it''s bing increasingly difficult to get the Council together. The members are needed all over the ce. Victoriant and Antite have their regr eggying duties, which takes the bulk of their time. When they aren''tying, they usually have a ridiculous amount of Biomass they need to consume, as well as ruing experience from the monsters the Colony brings to them forst hitting. Evolving the Queens is still one of the top priorities of the Colony after all.

    Needless to say, Burke and Wills have covered an unbelievable amount of territory over thest week. I don''t think I''ve ever seen either of them look tired, but their legs are definitely hanging a little lower as they rest on their chairs. Coordinating the scouting expeditions throughout the literally thousands of tunnels and branches in every direction must havee close to frying their brains. Turns out when your territory isrgely spherical, it''s harder to manage than a nice t piece ofnd.

    The Soldiers have all been fighting in the many, many battles of expansion taking ce all throughout the second strata as we strive to soak up as much space and resources as we possibly can before the attack begins. Chief amongst those resources is Biomass and experience. Our troops need to be fighting fit and as strong as they can get, as fast as we can get them there. Needless to say the Generals have been heavily involved in this activity. Organising the logistics of it all must have been a nightmare.

    The worker sses have all been busy running support in the meantime, not to mention the constant research and development that goes on. Nest building, manufacturing, testing, experimenting and pushing the boundaries of possibility in all areas. They are the scientists and engineers pushing the Colony forward. Which reminds me of something.

    "I understand you had something of a breakthrough recently?" I ask Ellie and Be, the two core shapers as they settle into their chairs.

    The two of them perk up immediately, delighted to talk about their work.

    "Oh, we sure have! We''ve been testing with that corebination technique you brought back to us from the Sophos, geez I''d love to meet them. Anyway, since we''ve evolved to tier four, along with many of our fellow researchers, we''ve been making a lot of headway in utilising the technique. Our first ''folded'' pet core design waspleted yesterday!"

    "Oh? What did you manage to fuse?"

    "A centipede and a garralosh infant¡­"

    Holy heck. I do NOT want to see that.

    "How on Pangera did you manage to get those two to go together?"

    Their antennae twitch wildly.

    "It ¡­ wasn''t easy. Extensive modifications were made to both creatures before the cores were able to merge. We don''t believe the resulting creature will be useful, at all, but it''s an important milestone!"

    "Agreed¡­ you didn''t actually reconstitute one of these did you?"

    "We did not."

    Phew. Such a monstrosity should not be called into existence, even in the name of progress.

    "This is really good news. Keep it up you two! I have high hopes for you. If we can develop more powerful and useful pets, it can have a positive impact in all aspects of the Colony."

    The two core shapers happily salute me and prepare for the council proper to begin. I sincerely believe what I said, the Sophos have shown the raw power that pets can hold. The core shapers have already proven that their pets can be useful, but with time, and as their Skill levels rise, their creations will be more and more deadly. The Colony will be able to pour enough resources into those pets that they can be truly powerful.

    "Alright then," I address the gathered council members, "where the hell are they?"

    "What do you mean, Eldest?" Victor asks.

    "We''re expecting an invasion from multiple fronts! Where are they?! Have they just given up and gone home? Are we safe? I mean, has anyone seen any sign of the golgari invading us?"

    There''s an awkward moment around the table as the ants look at each other.

    "We haven''t seen anything," Burke admits, "we''ve been expanding our zone of control in every direction and our scouts have pushed hard toward golgari territory, but so far there hasn''t been any sign of them."

    Wills backs her partner up.

    "It''s true. We''ve set up rys of scouts to bring word as soon as they spot anything approaching through the tunnels. Right now, we just haven''t found evidence of the invasion."

    "That doesn''t mean they aren''ting though," Advant warns the table, "we are still expecting arge enemy force to approach us, possibly from multiple directions."

    "Our expansion has been going ording to n," Tungstant chips in, "the next two second strata nests are active and we''ve begun to develop surface nests toplement them. The new Queens are in ce and the Biomass has begun to flow."

    "Egg production has reached a new high at a touch over five thousand per day. It''s going to put a strain on the academy as we attempt to graduate theserger sses. Our territory will need to continue to expand if we want to secure the experience and cores necessary to ensure our standards are met," the Brood tender, Florence informs the table.

    "Also, we estimate that the total number of members in the Colony at around a hundred thousand," she adds.

    "Five thousand a day?! A hundred thousand?!?!" I shout.

    *THWACK!*

    "Eldest! What was that for?" Leeroyins.

    "Sorry, I was shocked there for a second."

    "But I didn''t do anything!"

    "You have a helmet on, you probably didn''t even feel a thing. Shush."

    "That''s right," Theresant affirms, "it''s be quite stressful, trying to keep up. A problem which will only get worse when the hatchlings from the two new nests emerge. We actually want to take this opportunity to ask for more resources to be dedicated toward the academies and rearing the brood."

    "Done," every member of the table immediately agrees.

    Regardless of the situation, the Colony does not hesitate to invest in the next generation. Sacrificing the future to preserve the present is not a trade any ant is willing to make. Everything is for the brood.

    "I suppose that means that we need to rush the construction of the surface nests in order to provide training grounds," Cobalt muses. "That might mean the defences for the new nests are left unfinished for longer than we anticipated."

    "It might be necessary," I say, "if the war against the golgari drags on, we''ll have time to shore up our defences, but those hatchlings will be necessary reinforcements down the line."

    A heavy silence falls around the table as the council is forced to confront the idea that a protracted fight will leave many ants dead. It''s not something that the Colony has had to deal with so far, extended war against a superior foe. Which leads me to believe that there''s another thing I need to say which they may not have considered.

    "We need to think about what will happen if we lose this fight," I announce.

    Each member of the council goes perfectly still, their antennae frozen with shock as they process what I said.

    "We don''t know what ising, we don''t know when they''re going to get here, and we don''t know that we''ll be able to defeat this enemy. In the event that we lose, there needs to be a n that will allow the Colony to survive. They''ll try and hunt down every one of us if we can''t push them back, so we''ll need to be clever, hide Queens in faraway ces, build disguised nests on the surface and ce tier one and two ants there who can rebuild from scratch, given time. It''s important that our family carry on, even if we should fall."

    The council digests my words for a few long moments. I can tell they aren''t happy about it, but they know it makes sense. No matter what happens, the Colony must survive.

 Chapter 484 Creeping doom

    <h4>Chapter 484 Creeping doom </h4>

    In this world.

    All things.

    Flow.

    To the Colony.

    ¡¤ Spoken by Cobalt at the seizure of the lightning mines of Al''Razza.

    The n has to have a name, of course. What is it with these ants and their insistence on stupid names?! I shoot down a few of the more obnoxious ones, like "Omega Seed Shield" and "Phoenix Ant mes". I mean¡­ why?! What the heck does mes have to do with anything, even if there are phoenix mes? That''s just stupid and I administer a phew THWACKS to drive the point home to these thickies.

    In the end, I manage to sell them on "Slow Grow".

    "There''s a chance that through some unknown magical means, the enemy may be able to interpret our pheromones," I tell them, "so any reference to seeds or phoenixes may lead them to uncover the plot and immediately know what it means. From this point, Slow Grow will be used to refer to this concept, and any pheromone messaging rted to it will be scrubbed as thoroughly as possible. Acid wash the whole room if you have to."

    The council agreed immediately. No measure is too extreme when the survival of the Colony, and indeed, our entire species may be on the line.

    "Make this a priority," I inform them, "for my part, I''m going to get myself back out into the tunnels, scouting and fighting. I''ll make sure not to get too far away, and I''ll keep a scout ry between me and the nest at all times. Vibrant, you should get your team back out into the field as well. Skills and levels are going to win us this war, we need to get ''em."

    "Are you sure you don''t want to go with Vibrant again, Eldest?" Sloan asks, "yourst expedition was very fruitful as I understand. The expanse you conquered is certainly one of thergest we''ve yet seen."

    "Be careful in there," I warn her, "the big spider mother in there wasn''t defeated and I get the feeling she holds a grudge. She''s a sneaky so and so, don''t take any risks. If she''s still in there, we''ll need an extensive digging project to get her out."

    Leeroy looks like she''s about to volunteer something, but her fellow Soldier, Brendant, puts a w on her back and she quiets. Sending her and her squad after arge, powerful monster would be exactly the sort of thing she''d be looking for to enact her ''glorious sacrifice'' n. That''s not happening.

    "That reminds me. I''ve seen the work that Smithant has done for Leeroy and the group and after talking to her, it''s be clear that she isn''t getting the help that she needs. It seems that most carvers don''t feel that making armour is worth their time."

    Both Tungstant and Cobalt shift in their seats, ufortable with the topic.

    "It''s true that there isn''t much enthusiasm when ites to creating armour or weapons for ants," Cobalt admits, "most of the artisans feel that it''s a waste to pour their effort into making things that we get naturally. If we want tougher defences, just mutate your carapace, if we need stronger weapons, mutate the mandibles. So far, our bodies have proven to be more capable than the things we can make."

    It''s clear from their words that they, in part, seem to agree with this sentiment. Sheer stupidity in my opinion.

    "Look, the reality of the situation is that for most members of the Colony, tier four or five is the highest they can expect to go in terms of evolutions. Particrly in the short term. If we manage to continue to expand and we exist as a stable family for the next hundred years, that''ll change, but for now, it''s not. So if a soldier has maxed mutations for carapace, mandibles and whatever other organs they have which arebat rted, they are no longer able to get stronger until they evolve, which may be a long timeing. How can that ant possibly improve?"

    "I see what you''re saying," Tungstant says, "the armour can be used in the meantime to shore up their carapace until they can evolve."

    "Better than that, wearing the armour will help keep them alive until they can evolve. It''s win-win. After my next evolution, I myself intend to order a set. I''ll certainly get one for Tiny."

    "If we spread word of that around, a few more crafters may be willing to lend a hand," Cobalt muses.

    "Do whatever you have to do," I tell them, "just get Smithant the help that she needs. Asking her to produce enough sets to d even a small force of ants on her own is just ridiculous. The amount of work that goes into one of these suits is insane."

    I have a think.

    "I think I''ll go pay a visit to our prisoners before I leave," I announce, "from what I hear, we haven''t gotten much out of them, so I may as well poke my antennae in and see what they have to say."

    "The human, Beyn, has been speaking with the two new ones you brought in, Eldest," Mendant tells me in her gentle, soothing voice, "he''s been quite excited to speak with them from what I understand."

    That''s just great. He''ll be filling their heads with all sorts of nonsense.

    "As soon as we hear anything about the enemy making their approach, we need to meet back here as a matter of urgency. Until then, continue the expansion, continue to develop our defences andworks, and put Slow Grow into action as soon as possible."

    Nods all around. I make a circuit of the chamber, exchanging pheromones with each of the council members as I make my way out. The Colony is growing toorge to be managed by just these twenty individuals. Perhaps not numerically, there are plenty of cities with one hundred thousand people in them who get by with a council, but geographically we are covering a huge amount of space. The two new nests are one thing, but the hunting territories around them, the various expanses that the Colony has conquered, the extensive mining operations, there''s a whole lot going on. Sometime soon I''m going to have to ensure that the council is getting sufficient help, they can''t keep doing it on their own.

    I mean, at the rate the eggs are going to beid, we''ll be up to a million strong Colony before too long! What an exciting and scary thought! If the golgari were scared of us before, they''ll be terrified of us then! Gweheheheh.

    Still, as I leave the council, there''s a certain feeling of stress and gloom hanging over the members as they each contemte their roles under the threat of the impending invasion. A million things to do, but all of them will be dropped the instant one of those stone-skinned fools poke their noses into our territory.

    With a shake of my antennae, I try to brush my concerns away. The only thing I can do, is try my best to do my duty as the strongest ant in the colony. Get stronger, and allow my siblings to rise up alongside me. I''ll act as their sword to drive away those that would bring them harm, and their shield to defend them as they grow and be strong.

    To that end, we need MOAR LEVELS!

    [Are we heading back out into the Dungeon, Master?] Crinis asks.

    [Sometimes I forget you don''t hear what''s said in pheromonenguage, Crinis. I just walk around assuming that you know what''s been discussed after a meeting like that.]

    [I know,] she huffs, [I''ve been considering acquiring a pheromone sensory nd when I next evolve, but when I checked the menust time, it was unusually expensive. I think because I have none of the sensory receptors or nerve centres required to interpret the information.]

    [That''d be a waste! Just remind me and I''ll be happy to let you know what''s going on.]

    [Then I will do that, Master,] she sounds happy.

    [By the by, what level are you Crinis?]

    [Only level 21 Master,] she sound sad.

    [That''s not so bad! Why are you down about it?]

    [I''ll evolve a long time after you, again.]

    [I got a lot of experience fighting against big nasty monsters, Crinis. Garralosh, the stupid tournament. All of those were extremely challenging and not exactly something I would have sought out on my own, given the choice.]

    [I know that,] she mutters in my head, [I just don''t like when you are so much stronger than me. How can I protect you against the sorts of enemies you''ll go up against at tier six?]

    [Look on the bright side,] I say, [when I''m tier six, you won''t have to protect me from enemies at tier five anymore.]

    [That doesn''t help¡­]

    Ah well. Worth a shot. Crinis has continued to be as protective of me as always, ever since we reunited after I escaped (with help) from the golgari. She''s still riding around, attached to my carapace. She''s heavy, but I can''t quite bring myself toin about it to her.

    [Hey Tiny, Invidia. We need to get ready to go.]

    The big ape looks up, his fists clenching with excitement.

    [Fiiight?] he grunts.

    I sigh.

    [Yes, we''re going back out to fight.]

    He grins broadly and lumbers toward me, pping me on the back with happiness. For his part, Invidia materialises his haunting, toothy grin in the air beneath his hovering eye, which shes green.

    [I willll haaaavvveeee levellllssssss.]

    [Not too many,] I warn him, [you''re still a higher tier than the rest of us. No point funnelling experience into you.]

    Therge eye shes brighter as the envy demon baulks at being denied that which he desires, but I prod him with my antennae.

    [None of that. We''ll go check in on Jim and Sarah, pop by the prisoners, then a final check on our Biomass and Skills situation, then out to scout and take names. Let''s go.]

 Chapter 485 Doing the Rounds

    <h4>Chapter 485 Doing the Rounds </h4>

    I find Jim and Sarah in a ce I didn''t quite expect, visiting the golgari prisoners, which is an unexpected convenience for me. As I bustle onto the scene, my pets in tow, my two fellow ex-prisoners appear to be getting ready to leave.

    [Hey there you two! How''ve you been?]

    I don''t think I''ll ever get used to seeing humanish reactions from giant monsters. Jim is a gigantic worm, he basically doesn''t have a face, you can''t even see his mouth most of the time, but I can still recognise the awkward jerking motion he makes as he reacts to my voice.

    Sarah, for her part, has a much more standard face. Eyes, nose, big ol'' horrifying bear maw filled with death fangs of murderising. Standard. Those huge eyes blink slowly as she looks down at me for a moment.

    [Anthony? I-I didn''t expect to see you here¡­]

    [Yeah, I''ve been ignoring this lot for a while. Letting them stew in their own juices, as the fairly disgusting saying goes. I guess I''m not that shocked to see you here, considering how long you were¡­ a guest of the cult. Manage to get anything out of them?]

    [I''m afraid not,] she says sadly, [they don''t want to open up to me. I can''t get any answers out of them about what they nned to do with me, or why. I guess I just wanted to know what made them want to turn on me.]

    [Self-interest,] I shrug, [isn''t it always? That''s why you''re better off hanging with the Colony. If you ask one of these ants if they''re self-interested, they''d probably p you in the face.]

    [What about you Anthony?] Jim interrupts suddenly, his tone a little sharp, [can you make the same im? You aren''t an ant like them, after all, you were human once.]

    I''m a little taken aback at these words, but I consider for a moment and do my best to answer.

    [I don''t think I''m particrly self-interested, or selfish. I didn''t have that many wants or needs in my past life. I mean, some security would have been nice. Physical or emotional, either one, I''m not picky. Could have used some heat in the winter actually, thosest few years were rough. Perhaps a few less beatings? I always wondered about that, you know? They knew I didn''t have any money, so why continue the beatings? I tried asking once, but -]

    [Jeez, I don''t need your life story. I just want to know you won''t turn on us to look after yourself like they did,] the big worm jabs his ringed tail back towards the improvised ''cell'' the golgari are being kept in.

    I scratch my head with an antenna.

    [How did you die, Jim?]

    He freezes for a long second.

    [I''d rather not talk about it,] he mutters.

    [That''s fair enough. I shouldn''t have asked. I myself starved to death because I gave all myst scraps of food to an ant colony I''d raised in my room. There were so many of them, I kind of figured they''d need it more than me, you know?]

    [Thank you, Anthony,] Sarah says quietly, [I think you answered his question.]

    [All good,] I give the two of them a cheery wave with an antenna, [all the people from Earth who wind up in this ce are a little weird. We need to keep looking out for each other.]

    [Right,] the enormous bear lumbers to her feet and begins to plod down the corridor, her vast bulk taking up most of the avable space.

    [Come on, Jim,] she calls back, [let''s go hunting.]

    [Again?!] the worm is aghast. [We just got back!]

    [I feel motivated. Come on.]

    [Fine, fine.]

    If a worm can slither in a resentful way, then that''s what I witness as Jim and his many segments vanish around the corner. Those two have been out hunting? Nice! I hope Sarah managed to keep herself under control. Having an insane raging doom bear stronger than myself tearing the tunnels apart would be a slight problem, to say the least. She has Jim to help keep her in line, that should be enough.

    Pushing the two friends out of my mind, I round another corner to find who I came here to see. When Iy eyes on the ''cell'' the colony stashed these two in, I almost stumble over. It''s clear the ants don''t have any real understanding of the concept of prisoners. These rooms are done up just the same as Enid''s sitting room! The damn golgari are just sipping tea and rxing in an idyllic, well-furnished sitting room! That''s not the y!

    If it weren''t for the team of eight mages ced about the ce watching them like hawks, you''d never know they were captives.

    "Just having a quick chat," I inform the guards.

    "Go ahead, Eldest. These two don''t do much. Maybe talking to you will stir something up."

    I hope not. I don''t expect them to give us any meaningful intelligence, but at the least we might be able to use them as bargaining chips. It''s unlikely, given how willing their leaders were to throw lives away, but I don''t want to rule anything out at this point.

    I reach out with a mind bridge and feel it snap into ce in short order.

    [I was wondering when you woulde to gloat,] Irette mine sneers at me.

    How do you even sneer over a purely mental form ofmunication? Her face didn''t move, but there''s a definite sneerish tone to her thoughts.

    [Gloat about what? ] I ask, curious.

    [Flipping the tables on us? Taking us captive and cing us in your control where once you were in ours?] she seems almost bbergasted that I would need to ask.

    [Oh, that. Honestly, I kind of forgot you two were here. There''s a lot going on around here at the moment.]

    [You WHAT?!] mine bursts out before her fellow triad member settles her down and turns to speak to me.

    [Come now, Anthony,] she says, calm on the surface but with a simmering anger underneath, [you don''t really expect us to believe that you forgot we were here, do you?]

    Ahh¡­ They seem annoyed. Might as well y it cool.

    [Of course not. I''ve been¡­ brooding! Yes, indeed! Brooding about¡­ the unspeakable torture that I''m going to inflict on you, my former tormentors! Aha! What suffering¡­ err¡­ awaits you! Unless you tell me what I want to know!]

    [You really did forget us didn''t you?]

    [I really did, yes, I''m sorry.]

    I''m not that good at ying the viin.

    [I don''t think it''s entirely my fault,] I say to their chagrined faces, [what with the whole threat of invasion thing hanging over our heads. The golgari who chased us were not happy, not happy at all.]

    [Did they say anything about us?] Biritite Crys perks up.

    [Not a word. Don''t think they care about Shapers much, from what I gathered. No, they were mainly concerned with annihting us.]

    [As you deserve,] Irette spits at me, [a failure like you shouldn''t even exist.]

    [That''s a lot of resentment from someone who had me locked up and forced to fight in a death tournament against my will. You seriously don''t think you deserve just a little of the misfortune you''ve suffered? And what do you think is going to happen if the golgari do make it this far? I highly doubt they''ll think a Colony of intelligent ant monsters kept you livingfortably and supplied in tea, during your entire captivity. Do you?]

    I can tell that Irette is simply too angry to listen to what I have to say, but a flicker of understanding appears in the eyes of Biritite and I keep speaking to both of them, but mainly to her.

    [The only chance you have of getting back into the empire of stone, or whatever you call yourselves, is to cooperate with me. There are cult members in the Colony right now, it''s not like I''ve totally cut ties. The nutcase warriors on the way here are never going to take you home. The question you have to ask is, how badly do you want to see me fail? What price are you willing to pay?]

    With that thought, I leave them to stew a little longer. I''ll check in again when I get back from this excursion. Who knows? They might have something useful to share.

 Chapter 486 A Strange New World

    <h4>Chapter 486 A Strange New World </h4>

    Many a recruit has been lost to the Demons of the third strata, despite the Legion''s best efforts to prepare them. It provides somefort that Delvers who belong to the Mercenary Union fall at a higher rate, which means our training does have some effect. Independents have it the worst. Without prior knowledge, or the proper mental preparations, their chances of sess in that burning hell are almost nil.

    Records indicate that the earliest expeditionsunched by the Legionem Abyssi had simr expectations of the dangers they would confront there that most delvers hold today. The Dungeon is a ce of violence and death, the first and second strata offer noforts, every living thing, nt or animal, is a potential threat. It stands to reason the deeper you go, the more violent and merciless the strata would be.

    And that is indeed, a true inclination. The third strata is far more deadly than the second, but in a much different way. The Dungeon is as cunning as it is brutal and as brutal as it is cunning. The lesser demons of the third strata swarm the ins, feasting and warring in roving bands of mindless beasts. Like swarms of vermin, they fight and kill endlessly, the spawn rate absurdly high for such a powerful ss of monster.

    But once they reach a high enough tier, they rise above the rabble. Above the ins tower the fortress cities of the Demon aristocracy, pces of intrigue, wealth and guile that have entrapped so many a gullible soldier. If a Demon tells you something, it''s probably true, just never in the way that you expect.

    -Abyssal Legion training manual review - dated 640 AR.

    Leaving the golgari Shapers to their business, I wander a few doors down to check on the newest of our additions. Not wanting to intimidate them, I leave Tiny and Invidia in the corridor. Crinis, predictably, doesn''t want to peel herself off my carapace, so I give her direct instructions not to terrify the two humanoids.

    [How am I supposed to know what scares them, Master?] she asks, genuinely interested.

    It''s a valid question, different people are afraid of different things. Not to mention the culture gap. What''s terrifying to a human may be hrious to these fur-people. Crinis has horrifying fangs, perhaps they do too? I didn''t get a great look at the tooth situation, so I''m not sure how much maw they''d be able to handle.

    I mean, what is it that Crinis does that''s scary? The way she moves is pretty creepy, with the slithering, tentacles and inky flesh that''s ck as the depths of evil. I mean, the mouths are surely out, right? Unless these people are descended from sharks, which seems unlikely, given the fur, then I can''t imagine they''d be pleased to see that trio of horrendous, all-consuming portals of death. The tentacles are likewise out. Tentacles in general have a weird sort of vibe, add the ripping barbs that cleave flesh and sanity like a chainsaw and you have a recipe for disaster.

    [You know what Crinis, maybe just remain as still as possible and don''t do anything. I can''t imagine anything you might do that wouldn''t be scary to most organisms.]

    [Thank you, Master!]

    She seems genuinely pleased by my statement and gives a happy wriggle before settling back into herself. So she wants to be terrifying? I mean, why not, right? Go with what works for you. Crinis has been scary as hell since I first saw her original form, before she was my pet. Her power has skyrocketed since that time, and she''s only be more fear inducing. The memory of that horrific scream she unleashed in Rylleh pops into my head. That was something to see/hear. It didn''t have that much of an effect on me, I assume allies aren''t affected, but the people in the city who heard it didn''t look too sh afterwards.

    I''ll worry about Crinis another time, for now, I need to put my best w forward and represent the Colony to this newmunity we''ve stumbled into. Hopefully this group won''t dere war on us¡­

    The guards are rtively unobtrusive around this cell, hanging back from the door and not making themselves known. A team of mages are still present, of course, to sense the mana inside the ''cell'' and react to any suspicious fluctuations.

    "Anything interesting happen?" I ask them.

    "Eldest," they salute, "nothing unexpected. A few tentativemunication attempts were made by Cont, but not much came of it. They''ve remained very quiet, haven''t heard anything out of them, really."

    "They sound like model guests. I''ll pop in and have a chat, see if we can establishmunications."

    I rap on the door with a mandible before pushing it open. The ants on duty haven''t bothered to lock it. Honestly, what would be the point? If someone can escape from the middle of a nest with tens of thousands of monsters flooding every tunnel, room and surface within, fair y to them, they deserve to get out.

    The door, if you could call it that, isrge enough to be a gate, plenty of room for the more bulky castes of ant to fit through, even so, it''s a bit of a squeeze for me. I move slowly, not wanting to unnerve anyone on the other side. Having a giant pair of serrated mandibles poke through your door would be enough to upset most people.

    I reach out with mind mana and find the two people within the, as it turns out, quite extensive chambers. Wherever the ants have taken their interior decorating tips from (I suspect Enid), they''ve really taken the style to heart. As I enter the rooms in which our not-quite-willing guests have been stationed, I find them once again to bevishly decorated with fine, carved wooden furniture, lush woven rugs and plump cushions on every chair.

    The two ¡­ prisoners¡­ are currently seated on the floor, thankfully better dressed than they were thest time I saw them. Their position seems rather unusual, seated on the floor facing each other, their eyes closed and their breathing regr. Some sort of meditation?

    Not wanting to intrude, I settle myself on the floor, my carapace protected from the rough stone by the rugs. Did some ant somewhere weave these? I can''t even imagine that happening. As I look closer, I can see an image of myself, bravely leading a cluster of smaller ants to follow me into a tunnel that appears to rise out of the Dungeon.

    Yep, some crafter has actually taken up weaving. I can''t even¡­

    I''m left waiting for a few minutes, so I use the time to examine these two new creatures more closely. They are mostly humanoid, though assuredly more animalistic in many of their features. The fur, for starters, but also their faces. Slightly more confusing are the ways the two of them differ from one another. On the left, therger of the two, has more canid features, almost wolf-like in the shape of the jaw, whereas the other is more sleek. Not quite like a cat, but perhaps an ermine, or something along those lines?

    [You know, it can be considered rude to stare.]

    A gruff voice rings in my mind and the wolf-person opens a pair of piercing, golden eyes and turns them on me.

    [But I mustmend you for your patience. What business do you have with the Folk?]

 Chapter 487 Who are these Folks?

    <h4>Chapter 487 Who are these Folks? </h4>

    [So your people are called¡­ the Folks?]

    [Folk.]

    [The Folk?]

    [Yes.]

    [So¡­ The Folk?]

    [That is correct.]

    [Is that like¡­ a nickname, or a trantion thing? Or is it just¡­ The Folk?]

    So far, the wolf-like guy has been cid, a cold yet calm air of dignity surrounding him. For some reason, after my repeated questions, a crack begins to show in his fa?ade.

    [Our people are collectively known as the Folk. It is a name we chose for ourselves, hundreds of years ago and it remains our name today,] he says shortly.

    [Right. It''s just¡­]

    [Just what?]

    A hint of anger in his eyes causes me to change my words.

    [¡­ such a cool and interesting name. Really great. I know that if I could name mymunity whatever I wanted to, I''d for sure, call it The Folk. If it wasn''t taken, I mean. By you. What a good name.]

    [You don''t like it do you?]

    [I think it''s a bit weird.]

    [I see,] the wolf closes his eyes, his face a mask of calm discipline, [your thoughts belong to you and you are worthy of them. Nheless, the name of our people does not change, we should move past it if our discussions are to bear fruit.]

    Was that some sort of dig? Big wordsing from one of ''the folks''.

    [Sure. Well, I know you''ve spoken to one of my siblings already, Cont would have exined to you who we are and what we''re about around here?]

    He nods, his eyes still sharp.

    [Yes. This Cont, was quite respectful. I enjoyed my conversations with her. For one so young, she possessed a settled and insightful mind. I had wondered if all of your kind were simr, but I see that I am wrong.]

    [Oh, totally,] I agree, [if you want some more peaceful, rxing and well-mannered conversation, you should talk to Vibrant. Absolutely the most zen member of the family.]

    He eyes me for a moment as if trying to determine my intentions. Good luck trying to get a read on an ant, buddy. We don''t even have a face, it''s all bones on the outside. We can tell quite a bit about each other''s state of mind just by watching antennae, the more subtle cues of the stance and of course scent, but I doubt this guy has managed to achieve that level of insight in a few meetings with one of us. I can''t wait to see how he deals with the chattiest ant to ever exist.

    [Then I look forward to speaking with this¡­ Vibrant. I hope that the exchange will result in mutual benefit.]

    [Oh, I''m sure it will. So, do you two have names, or would you rather I continue to refer to you as ''The Folk''?]

    He raises a hand and I notice that his nails are long and curved, more like ws than human fingernails. The hands are alsorger than what a human might have. Perhaps that''s just a trait of this individual, but I suspect that it might be amon trend amongst the wolf-like folks. The girl, who has remained silent to this point, is certainly much shorter than he is, and much more delicate. Her fur is snowy white, and her features much more delicate than the harsh angles of a canid. Definitely more of a weasel type.

    [We are not so quick to share our names among those we do not consider friends. Considering how our rtionship began,] he pauses for dramatic effect, just to remind me that our ''rtionship'' such as it is, began when we abducted them in the Dungeon, [for now, you may call me Grey, and you may refer to my apprentice as White.]

    As in, the colour of their fur? Seems a bit¡­ simple? Also, she''s his apprentice? Were they on some sort of teaching journey through the Dungeon?

    Could it be the case that this is anothermunity with as bad a naming sense as the Colony? I mean, it''s not like my own naming sense is particrly good, just take a look at the council for an example of that. My own poor sense seems to have been adopted by them to an almost absurd degree and spread throughout my family. It''s nice to think we may have some kindred spirits.

    [Sure. Grey, White, nice to meet you. You can call me Diamond, I suppose.]

    The two of the run their eyes over my glittering carapace and I can''t help but feel proud of my splendid shininess. You could shampoo your fur every day for a year, Grey, you still wouldn''t look this slick.

    [First thing I''d like to do is extend an apology, on behalf of my family, for abducting you in the Dungeon. We aren''t in the habit of kidnapping people¡­ or folk¡­ against their will and imprisoning them. We aren''t intending to keep you. Once our discussions areplete, we will be happy to return you to where we found you, and repair the damage to the safe house. If it weren''t for the circumstances we find ourselves in currently, we wouldn''t be so quick use such harsh measures.]

    The two of them nod graciously to ept my apology.

    [Indeed,] Grey says, [your situation has been described to me in some small detail by Cont. A war with the empire of stone. Your Colony will find it difficult to survive, I fear.]

    [We may, but I don''t think we''ll be the easy food you and they seem to think we will be. I have to say, you don''t seem to be quite as upset by the idea of a sentient ant Colony as I might have expected. Most people we talk to don''t react quite so¡­ calmly.

    [What would I gain from showing otherwise,] Grey replies dryly, [I would hardly be wise to announce my hatred and disgust of your kind when surrounded in the seat of your power.]

    [That''s¡­ true.]

    [However,] he continues, [it is true that the Folk do have a more rxed attitude towards those such as you. Intelligent monsters are not something we are unfamiliar with.]

    Well that sounds nice.

    [I must tell you, the Folk have suffered greatly from the scourge of ant-type monsters in the Dungeon, much as all races have. I should also say, that we are not a nation, as you might think we are. We are a loose conglomeration of tribes without any form of central government. I would be pleased to bring word of your Colony to my people, but I cannot say what effect that news might have. Some will want to destroy you, others will seek you as allies against the threats we face, whilst others would be indifferent. There would be no consensus, and indeed, there would be no attempt to enforce one. I know that this may not be what you want to hear, but the strictures of my tribe demand that I am honest with you.]

    Grey has adopted a more formal tone as he drops this bad news and as he finishes, he bows toward me and White mimics his action. Might think this is bad news, but frankly, the fact that they wouldn''t all immediately want us dead is a massive win. Better than I expected!

 Chapter 488 Punching out the numbers

    <h4>Chapter 488 Punching out the numbers </h4>

    It is no mystery to the theorists of the Colony why most of the races we encountered were initially hostile. Our kind is dangerous, it''s for precisely this reason that we were able to deal with others as equals, because we were strong, a threat. Mutual destruction isn''t the best stance to begin inter-species diplomacy, but it was all that was afforded us, most of the time.

    The existence of other intelligent societies of monsters did help to pave the way for us. After all, the sapients of Pangera had been dealing with their kind for thousands of years. Often an antagonistic rtionship, with aundry list of broken alliances and betrayals, on both sides, but at the very least there was an established framework they could use to converse with us.

    Here it was that the Eldest had the greatest effect. Whilst the attention they gave to foreign policy was sporadic at best, (though many would say that the intention of the Eldest was to raise the capacity of the Colony to handle its own problems, rather than the failing of a mighty being with a limited attention span, my own thoughts on this topic are detailed to a greater degree in my other writings), the attitude that the Colony adapted in dealings with other races was set by the Eldest very early in our history.

    It was a point of view that, whilst never stated explicitly in council documents, nevertheless governed all interactions between we ants and others. The Colony was, is, and always will be, open, supportive and willing to work with any who approach us. We have worked immensely hard to bring up those who did not spurn us, raised viges to mighty cities, cities to great nations, nations to mighty empires. Aggression, war and bad faith were always met with the same, but only until our enemies were able to change their stance. Once an olive branch was extended, the Colony was always willing to ept it.

    Naturally, this has caused the Colony to be on the receiving end of its share of betrayals, yet it is the opinion of most Schrs within the Colony that this was a necessary cost of pursuing a peaceful agenda. We have always been able to make the argument that we were in the right, that we dealt in good faith. In this way our reputation spread across the world, and did more work in our favour than anything else.

    Our name became a byword for fairness, but also for a disproportionate response. Give the Colony a kindness, and they will repay it tenfold, do them a disservice, and they will do the same.

    Too many were unable, or unwilling to heed this message and receive the Eldest''s kindness. The destruction that followed in those instances is, in this schr''s opinion, both the Eldest''s greatest failing, and greatest triumph.

    ¡¤ Diplomacy and the Colony - A treatise by Historiant.

    My conversation with Grey and White rolls on for more than an hour. His people, the er, Folk, seem to be an interesting lot. He''s quite cagey about where exactly they live, which is understandable, I suppose. As far as he knows, Cont and I are the friendly face of what is actually a ravenous horde, intent on sniffing out their cities and consuming their young. When I tell him about the one city we have actually sort of conquered, he at first expresses some doubt that such a thing has actually urred, but when I continue to affirm the existence of Rylleh, a city under the administration of the Colony (to all intents and purposes) he expresses a desire to go and see it for himself.

    When I tell him about the existence of a vige where the Colony and humans coexist, he''s equally interested in taking a peek. Then it became my turn to be a little cagey. I wasn''t against him looking at the vige, so long as Enid didn''t mind, but I didn''t necessarily want him to know where it was, either. Without a more full and thorough understanding of portal and gate magic, we don''t know that more advanced societies can''t just pop a magic portal into existence anywhere they want.

    Grey himself mentioned that sections of the Folk are likely to be openly hostile to us without denying that he himself may feel that way, so it''s not as if he''s necessarily a trusted agent. In the end, we part ways with a generally positive vibe. I''ll leave the particrs of how this interaction is handled from this point onward to the council. I''ve managed to put my point of view across, I think, and I get the sense that Grey is prepared to be upfront with the Colony, which is better than I expected.

    White is another story. I get nothing out of her, regardless what I try. When I direct a question to her directly, she merely turns to look at Grey and he answers in her ce. When I tried to slip a sneaky question to her directly, namely: [Is this ugly guy keeping you against your will?], she stifled a giggle and shook her head. In the end, White remains a mystery. An apprentice of some kind, apparently, but more than that, I have no idea.

    Heading out into the tunnel, I re-join with my pets and make our way back through the tunnels of the nest to our own private chamber. Interestingly enough, the Colony hasn''t made much of an effort to decorate this space without asking me. This chamber reminds me of the original ant nests, back before I''d made them smarter. Unadorned dirt walls, a nice ovoid sort of shape. It''s cozy. Also, it''s nice not to see my own damn face every time I look at a wall.

    [Alright gang. Get your Biomass and Skills in order. We need to crunch the numbers before we head out and do some power levelling. Make sure that you''re in tip top shape!]

    Each of my pets, my closest allies, react in their own way. Tiny smacks himself on the chest with both fists, excited for the battle toe. Crinis tightens her grip on my carapace at the mention of danger, no doubt considering all that she''ll need to protect me from, and probably worrying about a few, far-fetched scenarios. Invidia''s eye just gleams as he thinks about the Biomass and experience his victims possess, resources that he now yearns to seize.

    I just shake my head and crack open my menu, ready to poke about and check on my progress.

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 51 (Rare) (V)

    Might: 91

    Toughness: 79

    Cunning: 64

    Will: 45

    HP: 158/158

    MP: 300/300

    Skills:

    General:

    Master Excavation (IV) Level 3; Expert Grip (III) Level 7; Expert Stealth (III) Level 6; Tunnel Guide (III) Level 9; Iron Mind (IV) Level 21; Expert Stamina (III) Level 19; Still Meditation (IV) Level 4; Snap Dash (IV) Level 5;

    Mana:

    Mana Craft (V) Level 15; Condensed Mana (IV) Level 7; Finer External Mana Maniption (IV) Level 9; Mana Hoarder (IV) Level 15; Master Mind Magic Affinity (IV) Level 17; Directed Mana Sensing (IV) Level 2; Expert Healing Magic Affinity (III) Level 11; Advanced Blue Fire Magic Affinity (V) Level 2; Expert Stone Magic Affinity (IV) Level 18; Gas Magic Affinity (IV) Level 26; Ice Magic Affinity (IV) Level 31;

    Pet:

    Further Pet Communication (III) Level 4; Core Crafting (IV) Level 13; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 5;

    Defensive:

    Master Exo-Skeleton Defence (IV) Level 26; Expert Dodge (III) level 19; Expert Endure (III) Level 10; Expert Grace (III) Level 5;

    Offensive:

    Deadly Acid Shot (III) Level 19; Master Precise Shooting (IV) Level 11; Omen Chomp (IV) Level 35;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Perimeter Eyes +15, Far-sight Oracle Antennae +25;

    Defence:

    Complete Diamond Carapace +25, Braced Healing Inner Carapace ting +25;

    Physical:

    Rapid Absorption Legs +15, Mana Flooded Mandibles +25, Frequent Potent Regeneration nd +25, Loquacious Pheromone nd +15, Vast Hungering Stomach + 25; Hyper-Twitch Muscture +20, Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +20;

    Acid:

    Mana Binding Acid +15, Hyper Pressurised Acid Nozzle +10; Potent Acid Concentration nd +10, Fatiguing Acid Stimtion nd +10;

    Mental:

    Unyielding Coordination Cortex +25;

    Mana:

    Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +15, Endless Collective Will Vestibule +25;

    Species: Juvenile Colony Paragon (Formica Sapiens)

    Skill points: 15

    Biomass: 423

    Quite a few Skills have ranked up recently and I have a ton of Biomass to spend. I really need to check and see if anything new has been unlocked recently also. Time to get busy chatting to old friend Gandalf, I suppose.

 Chapter 489 Finessing the Numbers

    <h4>Chapter 489 Finessing the Numbers </h4>

    Once again, I''ve managed to pile up a respectable amount of Biomass, though far less than I could have. The priority was given to pumping up those around me on recent trips, on the next one I can afford to be more¡­ dare I say it¡­ selfish. It''s not selfish to feed myself dammit! I need to max out my mutations before I can even think about evolving. Anyone who thinks I''m going to miss out on that juicy, free bonus evolutionary energy for maxed evolutions is insane! Insane I tell you!

    To that end, I need to stuff my face. I won''t apologise for it!

    The other thing I need to do is usebat to pump up my Skills as fast as possible. Elemental magic needs to be the priority. Once I finally achieve the rank five fusion, I''ll be able to finally push my practice in other directions. Mind magic will probably be the next area of magical study I need to push. Those mind constructs will allow me to push my prowess to a whole new level once I evolve and pump my brain power.

    I feel like it''s been a long time since I''ve even considered evolving. The Colony has been expanding so quickly, and conflict hase to find us at such a rapid pace, that I haven''t had any time at all to consider my own progress. I guess in the back of my mind I''d kind of pushed all thought of evolution away since level eighty was such a ridiculously long way away. Not anymore though! Only twenty nine more levels! Sounds like a lot, but it''s a heck of a lot less than eighty!

    I''m getting excited just thinking about it. Evolution is so addictive, I swear.

    Alright, let''s get busy, if I sit around here and keep pondering my next evolution then nothing is going to get done. Leaving my pets to sort out their own numbers (even Tiny appears to be counting on his fingers, his face a mask of concentration), I duck out into the corridor and g down a passing ant.

    "Hey there, any chance you can get word to the golgari Torrina and Corun toe and drop by here?"

    "Sure thing. Work hard!"

    "When am I not?"

    "¡­"

    "Alright already! Geez!"

    Everyone''s a critic. Just because I''m not currently doing something, doesn''t mean I''m not doing something. Sort of. I quickly brush up on the Skills that I''ve upgraded recently whilst I wait for my two advisors to arrive.

    Flicker Dash ranking up into Snap Dash was a nice one. The improved dash skill has a dramatically shorter wind up than before. Not that the charging time was long, but if you cut half a second down to a quarter of a second, you notice. It''s simr to the feeling of gathering strength in your legs before you jump. With flicker dash, there was a brief moment of wind up before the explosive speed was unleashed, now that time is almost gone. Combined with my reflexes, even faster dodging is now possible. Gweheheheh.

    My digging Skill has once more ranked up, Master Excavation taking my ability to move serious dirt to a whole new level. The pursuit of ant zen will never stop! Meditation ranked up once again, which is handy. The Skill is basically a form of enhanced concentration, allowing the Skill user to push emotion and distractions to one side and draw out 100% of their strength. This new rank improves the ability of the Skill to be utilised when moving in high speed, stressful situations. Allowing me to stay centered and focused, even when dashing all over the ce.

    Directed mana sensing is a handy one, essentially allowing me to extend my sensing range by focusing on a particr direction, like focusing a beam of concentration. Ranking up grace is just helping me with my bnce, never a thing to be underestimated when you can run up multiple surfaces and have six legs. All in all, my progress has been decent without being overwhelming. My strength has been steadily ticking up, without any major leaps.

    That has to change! MOAR power will be needed if I''m going to defend the Colony and fight off the invaders! It''s unlikely I''ll manage to evolve before the golgari arrive, but I can push my Skills as far as possible before then and see what happens.

    Ten minutester my advisors arrive and I wee them into my chamber.

    [Wait, this is where you live?] Corun asks, nk faced.

    [Sort of, I suppose? I don''t really live anywhere. This is just the chamber we use to sleep and n. Does any ant really have a ce where they live? I mean, we live in the nest, right?]

    [I suppose,] he looks at the bare, smooth walls. [You were a human though, once upon a time. I guess I would have expected you to have more of a need for a personal space?]

    I''m a bit confused.

    [I have my own room,] I point out, [how many ants in the Colony have their own room? It''s more than enough.]

    Corun looks like he wants to say more but Torrina cuts him off ruthlessly.

    [Who cares about this!? What did you want to talk to us about?]

    I shrug.

    [I was nning on purchasing some mutations and doing some serious power levelling over the next few days, so I thought I''d consult my resident experts? Isn''t that what you wanted?]

    She nods.

    [It is. Although I kind of feel like you''re doing this out of courtesy rather than because you feel any real desire for our help. Regardless, I''m happy to discuss your ns. Are you still aiming for the rank five elemental fusion?]

    [Yep,] I confirm, [I''m getting close, too. Fire magic is already there. The others are getting closer by the day.]

    Corun shakes his head.

    [Rank five? I mean¡­ why though?]

    Torrina rolls her eyes at him.

    [Still, Corun? He made up his mind, leave it alone.]

    [Nobody goes for tier five,] he protests, [that''s so many Skill levels for such basic magic!]

    [But it synergises well with my current build,] I tell him firmly, [I''ve split my mental power across too many brains to be able to handle the more powerful magics. With this fusion, I''ll be able to maximise the offensive output I can achieve from my sub-brain setup.]

    He blinks.

    [That sounds like a lot more sense than I''m used to hearing from you, Anthony.]

    [I''m trying to get better at being assertive. I think it''s working?]

    [It''s working fine,] Torrina assures me, [and I agree with your choices. If you continue to progress and rank up your other core Skills, your bite, movement and defensive ones mainly, then you shouldn''t have any issues up until it''s time to evolve. Just make sure you consult with us before you do it.]

    [Why?]

    [I presume you mean to absorb that core, before you do?]

    That core, Garralosh''s, is buried in the wall next to where I''m standing as a matter of fact. Old habits die hard and stashing cores in my own chamber has worked for me so far.

    [Yep.]

    [Tier five to tier six is a big evolution for a monster,] she tells me seriously, [not that any evolution is unimportant, but the jump in evolutionary energy avable at this tier is huge, and you''ll be sitting at tier six for a long time. One hundred and sixty levels takes a long time to get, even if you''re being fed by others.]

    [As if the Colony would stand it if I made them all force feed me experience,] Iugh, [that''s a totally shameful level ofziness.]

    She shrugs.

    [I think they''d only be too happy to do it, and it might not be the wrong call. You can do a lot of work at tier six. At that tier, normal delvers would need to dispatch several teams of experts to beat such a monster. Even elites in the second strata wouldn''t dare go one on one with a tier six. At tier seven? That''s basically as powerful as it gets up here. Though, you wouldn''t be able to remain at this depth for long, you''d be a powerful deterrent to attackers.]

    I hesitate. Would it really be okay to have the Colony feed me experience? Bring already crippled monsters up to me tost hit like they do for the Queens?

    [No,] I say, [it feels wrong. Besides, the Queens need that sort of treatment because they have important work to do in the nests and can''t be risked. The regr members of the Colony need experience and Biomass also. I''m perfectly capable of getting my own and not stealing from their te. Every ant is part of strength, not just me.]

    She watches me carefully.

    [It''s your call,] she says, [I won''t tell you what to do, ever. All I will do is present ideas.]

    [That one''s out,] I say.

    [Have you considered what path you''ll take for the rest of your mutations?] Corun asks.

    I consider for a moment.

    [I''m not sure exactly where I want to go. I have a few thoughts,] I hedge, [but I don''t know what to do that''ll best suit a monster like me.]

    [I''m not surprised,] Corun chuckles, [there hasn''t really been a monster like you. High tier ants are basically unheard of outside of the founding Queen. Quantity and not quality are the usual way the ants like to y. You''re a bit unique in that sense.]

    [So you don''t know of any sweetbos I can use?] I ask, a touch disappointed.

    [That''s not exactly true,] he muses, [there''s tons of research done on other insect archetypes, just not ants. Some of it should apply though.]

    [We studied what we could before we left,] Torrina assures me, [and we brought some documents with us, I''d love to go through them with you.]

    She starts to rummage through a document satchel strapped to her side and I begin to feel a headacheing on. I didn''t realise there''d be book learning! How long does she want to take?

    [Look,] I break in, [I''ll take a look at the options and sort something out and then we can go through the more advanced stuff togetherter? Ok?]

    Torrina frowns at me doubtfully, which is hard to notice on a golgari what with the stone skin.

    [They''re your mutations,] she tells me, [you can do what you want. Just try to make sure that you always build on what you already have. Even weaker mutations that have lost their usefulness can fold into a new n.]

    [Think about it carefully, Anthony,] Corun urges me, [next time we''ll give you the full rundown, alright? Your sixth tier is going to be fearsome, I guarantee it.]

    [Alright, thanks, I appreciate it. If there''s nothing else. I''ll get to itching.]

 Chapter 490 Improve Thyself!

    <h4>Chapter 490 Improve Thyself! </h4>

    Time to bring on the exquisite pain of self-improvement. I have a ton of Biomass to spend and the time to roll around on the floor looking like a fool. Let''s get to it!

    But what to improve next? I''ve still got a ton of things that need to be upgraded to +25. Improving my eyes is an option that leaps out at me. My initial struggle on Pangera was my pathetic ant eyesight, and while getting it to +20 along with a few choice mutations has certainly helped alleviate the situation, it''s still not exactly where I''d like it to be. Having said that though, improving my eyeballs isn''t going to do a whole lot for me in this strata. This ce has two main features, being dark as heck and being cold as a tomb. Eyes may not be the y.

    My Gravity magic nd is a touch neglected, I could bring that up to speed, but again, my focus is in other directions at the moment. If I lean on my gravity magic nd too hard then I''ll only be slowing the progress of my elemental Skills. Perhaps I can better spend my points elsewhere.

    The more I peruse my list of options, the more I''m drawn to the business district. There''s a lot of potential upgrades avable there, and the number of organs could potentially allow me to build some synergy between them, to further improve the potency of my corporate sector.

    The three new additions were the acid nozzle, which gives me more flexible aim, the acid concentration nd, for thickening the acid, and the stimtion nd, which speed up the process of reloading. So far, most of my mutations have concentrated on improving the organs at doing their core job, but I feel like I want to be a little more creative this time.

    Eager to check out the possibilities, I dive right in and start poking through the more off beat options in the menu. First, I take a look at the nozzle. The pressurised tube helps to throttle the produce as it emerges, acting like someone squeezing the end of a hose to increase the range. It''s done good work, but I''m satisfied with the range, time to see if we can add a little heat, a little spice, to this aspect of the zone.

    The list is exhaustively long, all sorts of things strike my eye. For such a small nd, it''s quite versatile. Many of the options allow it to ce some sort of effect on the nature of the spray. Widen the acid st, fire the acid a tter arc, as well as more generic options that improve the ability of the nozzle to flex, broadening its ability to effect aim. I''m not interested in that ordinary stuff. Give me the sauce, Gandalf! I want something a little off the wall!

    As I ponder the list, I try to think about what I want my acid to do in a fight. The sticky effect has done good work for me in the past, it was key in slowing down my opponents, restricting them and allowing my former squishy self to stay safe. But now things are different, the stickiness just isn''t enough to hinder the kind of enemies I fight now, they''re just too strong for a mutation of that level to have enough of an effect. Not to mention, I''m more than happy for my foes to get up in my grill and take a shot. My diamond carapace and inner ting are more than capable of absorbing punishment! Not to mention my self-healing abilities are bing better and better.

    No, kiting my opponents isn''t what I need, so the stickiness has outlived its usefulness as the primary factor in my acid. The magic eating is still effective. Being able to dissolve shields, chew away magical effects and even weaken iing spells without using my brains is super useful. Big fan of this aspect, I''m d I reinforced it when I mutated my acid nd to +20. But now I need to find something else to add into the mix.

    What''s it gonna be.

    I scroll through the list, trying to find an option that brings my existing mutations together whilst offering a new vour for my merchandise. I flick over to my other acid based organs, trying to find what I want from my acid. Eventually I end up going back to my main acid nd. At +20, it still needs to be improved to +25 and I suppose it makes sense that I start here as I try to jazz up my production line.

    Options, options, options. What sort of acid do I want? There are a lot of choices that jump out at me. Acid that burns? Acid that freezes? Acid that freeze burns?! That''s new. Acid that chews through inorganic matter better? Acid that eats light. Like¡­ how? Why? Regenerating acid that reproduces itself? So like, after you shoot it, it actually makes more of itself until it runs out of stuff to eat? That''s¡­ strong. What else we got? Don''t want tomit early.

    Dammit Gandalf, you always make this so hard! I swear if I look through here long enough, I''m going to find a mutation that causes the acid to chew through time or something. Ah, there it is. Makes the target age as it eats their future. What the hell is that?! Come on Gandalf!?!?! Are you outside your mind?! Why would you put an option like that in there? Reading closely, it seems as though the effect is rather weak. You''d need a ton of mutations, and then basically submerge someone in a tank of the stuff in order to meaningfully age them. Fair enough then, that seems like a bncing factor.

    Let''s go back to this acid that makes more acid as it eats stuff. I feel like this could be useful. It synergises well with my existing mutations. The stickiness will have more of an effect, because it''ll just keep multiplying, getting more and more gloopy. As for eating magic, it''ll keep eating away at whatever mana it touches until that mana construct is gone, even if I don''t keep firing it. I''m starting to warm to this idea¡­

    I can st out a wave of acid, and even if I don''t hit much, it''s still going to grow and be a problem. Let''s not forget that thanks to my concentration nd, the acid itself is quite damaging, even if I don''t have any direct damage mutations. The effect will be light at just the first mutation, but if Imit to it over this evolution and the next, then it should be able to do some work.

 Chapter 491 Outward bound

    <h4>Chapter 491 Outward bound </h4>

    After fiddling around a bit, I end up settling on the following mutations:

    My Mana-Feasting Bind Acid nd +20 will add the self-propagating trait and be the Propagating Mana-Feasting Bind Acid nd +25.

    That is¡­ quite the mouthful. Hopefully it bes a little more readable when Ipress these traits down. I''m assuming I get to do that again at +30. in addition to that, which will take a good 115 chunk of Biomass out of my reserve, I''ve made upgrades to the rest of the business district to bring the whole thing together.

    My Acid nozzle has had its pressurised trait reinforced and then gained the scattershot mutation. My theory being that if the acid is able to make more of itself, then applying a little bit of it to a wider area will allow me to bring the slow burn of never ending acid to a massive number of foes. Alternatively, I can use this mode to st a scattershot onto a particrlyrge enemy, creating dozens of acid hotspots that will only grow over time. That''s taken it from +10 all the way to +20 for a cool 155 Biomass.

    The Acid Concentration nd has so far been used to power up the traits inherent in my main acid nd, thickening the mixture, so to speak. That''s great, and I reinforced that at +15, but for +20 I wanted to emphasise damage, and the concentration nd had a wealth of options to boost the effectiveness of my produce in that department. The usual suspects make an appearance here, elemental damage and so on, but rather than take those options, I had the nd inject a little extra spice into the mixture, a little addition that will reduce the defence of whatever the acid hits to the melting effect. Should help kick the deeps of the acid to the next level.

    That''s another 155 Biomass which turns my Potent Acid concentration nd +10 to the Thickened Weakening Acid concentration nd +20. My acid stimtion nd is still stuck at +10, but I''ll have to deal with that for the moment. Not to mention, none of my new acidponents have reached +25. It''s going to take a heck of a lot more Biomass before I''m finished revamping themercial zone.

    With a weary sigh, I check over my selections once more and then give Tiny a subtle nod. He nods back, a serious look on his face, for once, and moves to block the entrance to my chamber. Once she notices what''s happening, Crinis detaches from me and manifests her body to block all line of sight to me from the outside. Not even my annoying body guards will be able to see what goes on in this space!

    Operation "ckout"'' is in full effect¡­

    Confirm!

    HARCK!

    FTTTT¡­ SHABA¡­

    COLLIBLAMAWAGAAAAA!

    It itches so bad! Dammit all!

    Not far away.

    Corun and Torrina make their way through the Colony discussing theories and options that they''ll need to present to Anthony the next time they get the chance. They could talk for hours on this topic, this is their purpose, as well as the entire focus of the cult, after all, but they got the sense Anthony wasn''t quite as interested in pouring through the details, so they were determined to work out the kinks in their research before speaking to him again.

    After a few minutes an easy silence fell as they bothpsed into their thoughts.

    "Hey, Torr," Corun broke his silence.

    "Yes?" she prompted.

    "What do you think Anthony meant when he mentioned itching?"

    She pursed her lips and frowned for a moment as she considered.

    "I''ve no idea," she admitted, "do ants get itchy under their carapace?"

    "You want to ask one?"

    They both hesitated. The ants could get quite touchy when it came to their carapace.

    "Maybe ask him next time," Torrina suggested.

    Corun nodded. That sounded like the best n.

    Deep beneath the surface¡­

    It took a few seconds for the dizzying sense of vertigo to fade, and with it went the nausea. Morrelia took a deep breath and resisted the urge to raise the facete of her runic armour to take a better look around.

    "Don''t," the stern voice of her father rumbled from her side, causing her to jump.

    "Commander," she ground out, her temper ring, "surely you have better things to do than babysitting new Legionnaires?"

    "It''s only normal that my personal guard be near me, is it not?" Titus spoke levelly.

    Morrelia felt a spark of the berserker''s rage ignite in her chest and she shoved it down, brutally. Not for the first time she wondered if she shouldn''t have tried so hard in her training. Her apparently glowing reports from the Iron Church and her field Centurions had given her father the perfect excuse to keep her close at hand. She''d protested vigorously when she''d learned of her assignment to themander''s guards. In fact, she''d been so mad she''d dared to pay a visit to her mother in the hopes that the woman would overrule her husband.

    A total waste of time. Her mother had been delighted to see her and wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug the second she entered her office, but when she''d told her of her grievance, the Consul had simplyughed at her and shrugged it off.

    "He might look like he''s carved from stone, but did you really think your father would risk losing you?" her mother had asked seriously.

    When Morrelia had argued, she found herself gasping on the floor, crushed under the weight of her mother''s aura.

    "Let it go daughter," came themand, delivered in ice cold tones, "you are strong, your promotion is not unwarranted. Besides, I too have no desire to lose any more children."

    And that was that. She''d hoped that over the years she might have closed the gap between her and her mother, but it looked as if it had only grown wider. How that was even possible when the woman spent all her time in an office, she had no idea. How did she even get that strong?!

    "Weesssssssss to you," a sibnt voice slithered through the air and defiled the ears of the Legion.

    She didn''t know what it was about it, but she felt unclean just hearing that voice speak.

    "Who -" she began.

    "Later," Titus said.

    He strode forward, the light in his eyes giving away his burning anger to those who knew him as well as his daughter. He hated dealing with these creatures. Maybe once he was done with ants he could persuade the leadership that it was time for another crusade. The demons were a cancer that should have been exterminated centuries ago.

    The axe on his back responded to his anger, stirring in its sheath as it echoed his rage back at him. With a push of will he forced its influence from his mind.

    You''ll never win, he thought at the entombed demon within. You are destined to lose to me for the rest of your existence.

    The soul trapped in the weapon bellowed its fury and tried to w at his mind, but Titus endured the blows and forced it back into the axe where it prowled like a wounded dragon. Being back in its home strata had woken it up more than it had been in decades but Titus had no fear. He''d conquered the demon when it was alive and he''d dominated it every day since.

    Without turning, he could sense the stern demeanour of the thousand armoured figures at his back as he strode forward to negotiate their passage. The Legion had arrived in the third strata. Soon their work would begin.

 Chapter 492 Back in Action

    <h4>Chapter 492 Back in Action </h4>

    When the itching finally fades away, Crinis peels herself off the walls and regroups back onto my carapace to reveal something I didn''t expect to see. Protectant, her cover dropped without me having to drag her out of the shadows for once, stands right in front of me, in the centre of the room. Exposed to my senses, she wears a nervous air, as if the simple fact of been able to be seen makes her ufortable.

    "Didn''t expect to see you, Protectant. What''s up?"

    Her antennae twitch in surprise.

    "The rest of the nest? The surface nest? The surface? About two hundred million tons of rock and soil? I don''t understand the question, Eldest."

    Sometimes I forget the ants aren''t up to speed with the lingo.

    "I just mean to see what''s up with you. I mean - forget it. Why are you out of cover? I assume you have something to say?"

    "Where have you been?"

    The question is more direct than I expected, but it''s pretty much what I thought she''d say.

    "Right here," I''m still not going to bow down to these babysitters.

    "We couldn''t see you."

    "I know, that was the point of Operation ckout."

    As I announce the name of my scheme I can see her antennae go crazy with barely suppressed excitement. These damn security guards are as bad as the council. They love nothing better than a truly awful n title.

    "Why did you need to hide from us?"

    I can almost see her force her intrigue away in order to focus on the point at hand.

    "Sometimes an Eldest needs a little privacy. You''ll just have to deal with it."

    "It makes it hard for us to do fulfil our purpose."

    "What did you think was going to happen to me here in the nest? Forget it, you''ll just need to cope. We''re heading out to do some grinding deeper in the strata now. I want to make sure you and your team keep levelling and progressing your mutations. You can''t protect me from anything if you''re too weak."

    "We''ll keep ten on you at all times," she says sullenly.

    They hate the idea of getting stronger for some reason.

    "That''s fine. The others should probably hunt in teams of five, or ten depending on the level of the opponents. Let''s move."

    Tiny is the first to move, leaping to his feet from where he sat at the entrance to the chamber, his muscles bunching with excitement as he does his little gori boxing shuffle, throwing mini-punches into the air. The ape is pumped up and ready to fight. In fact, even Invidia has allowed his Cheshire cat grin to appear. Seems like the whole crew is ready to rumble.

    Who am I to deny them? We speed out of our chamber and race through the nest, taking the fastest route through the mighty gates (still being reinforced) and taking new paths deeper into the strata. It''s hard to move too quickly in the second strata, what with poisonous little barbs attached to almost everything we see. By now we''ve be far morefortable traversing the tunnels and we need less breaks to heal Tiny after he stumbles into something else that wants to kill him.

    In this way, we make solid progress as we descend, clearing out tunnels and stripping them bare of Biomass. The pure ck mana pulses from the walls, filling the air like tar. I swear that it''s getting thicker. Is there going to be another wave soon? Somehow I get the feeling it''ll be harder to deal with this time, exposed to the second strata, and the third beneath it as we are now. If we can master the technique that Rylleh used to push the Dungeon veins out of their territory, we''ll manage to survive it much better, I should ask how we''re progressing with that the next time I get a chance.

    For now, I don''t need to focus on that. There''s only me, my pets, my babysitters, and the need to smash as many monsters in as short as possible a time frame. We need dat sweet, sweet experience! Elemental constructs whizzing with mana, I step forward and unleash all the mana I have into our foes as we press forward. Slowly but surely, the levelse.

    In the third strata.

    "Do you know what we''re going up against?" Myrrin asked her friend.

    Morrelia frowned and resisted the urge to spit.

    "No," she said sourly, "the old man loves his secrets. Aside from the fact we''re in the third strata, I don''t even know where we are. I don''t think anyone does. Themander is keeping his cards close to his chest."

    The two remained standing to attention along with their full Legion as they awaited permission to exit the citadel they had arrived in. Even though the Runic Armour shielded them from the elements, the searing heat scalded their skin and the taste of ash filled their mouths. Morrelia had never been in the third strata before, and she wasn''t particrly enjoying it now. That was understatement. She''d barely seen any of the ce, and she hated it.

    The Legion was thoroughly drilled, to the point that when themander strode back into the hall in which they waited, not a one of them moved. But the tension in the air certainly raised a few notches.

    "Finally," Morrelia muttered as she strode forward with her fellow guards.

    Her centurion, a grizzled veteran named Pompeus, shot her a dark look and she sighed internally, knowing that she''d get another grilling. She wished he wouldn''t waste his time, she''d done everything she could think of to get thrown off this duty, but Titus wasn''t having it. She had too much respect for the Legion to keep pushing the boundaries and fallen into line, but a few mutteredints were inevitable in this situation.

    "We''ve got our marching orders," themander told them, "form up the troops for an address, we move out in an hour."

    Immediately, auxiliaries were sent running to inform the centurions as Morrelia and herrades fell into line behind themander. She spotted Myrrin in the crowd and rolled her eyes which caused the younger woman to stifle augh behind her visor.

    In a matter of moments, things were ready and a thousand heavily armoured, heavily armed members of the Abyssal Legion looked to theirmander expectantly. Titus wasted no time.

    "Legionnaires. Wee to the first deployment of our newly formed Legion. We have many old faces from Liria, new recruits from around Pangera and a smattering of veterans from the deep world. I wee you all."

    He paused to stare at them for a moment and each soldier met his eye with firm resolve.

    "We''ve not had long to limate, only a few weeks. Like most units, the real work of forging us into a cohesive whole will be done in the fires of battle. We have been deployed to the ins of Lang, directly beneath old Liria. During thest wave, the local kingdoms were annihted by a monster uprising, though there are several Dungeonmunities that still stand."

    Morrelia felt her stomach twist when she realised where they were. The ruins of Liria, the horrific army of the beast Garralosh. These were not pleasant memories for her.

    "It appears as though the Dungeon hasn''t done enough damage here. We''ve been called in by allies in the Empire of Stone to deal with a local infestation. A colony of ants has taken hold of the area, several months old and from what understand, has evolved in a fairly unique way. We will reach the engagement zone in three days, at which time we willunch a cooperative assault with our allies. Our goal is theplete and total extermination of the colony. Not a single insect is to survive the purge. Understood?"

    A thousand fists crashed into a thousand chest tes. Morrelia followed suit, but felt numb on the inside. The Colony? She was here to kill the Colony?! Anthony?

 Chapter 493 Elementary my dear... deer

    <h4>Chapter 493 Elementary my dear... deer </h4>

    Dungeon warfare is probably the most studied and practiced craft on Pangera. The Rending was a rude introduction to the intricacies of the three dimensional conflict beneath the surface, but the sapient races of the surface proved to be quick studies, and the basic strategies were established, most likely independently, all across the world.

    Fighting Monsters is always a losing prospect. They can''t be exterminated, they simply respawn and nothing that is known will prevent the Dungeon from doing that. But poption control is possible, and indeed, it is the primary upation of those who are tasked with defending the surface from a repeat invasion. By culling poptions, scattering concentrations of spawn points and draining mana from areas of particr density.

    These tactics can be effective, but the work is relentless. Without constant monitoring, depleted respawn points will reform elsewhere, poptions will swell and mana will flow, like water, to pool in another location. War with the monsters is an exhausting, never ending chore that all civilisations of Pangera must engage in ceaselessly.

    But this is not the true conflict.

    There are a multitude of empires, kingdoms, city-states and alliances within the Dungeon and their wars, battles and spats are endless. Several Historian colleagues of this author have spent decades attempting to map the history of inter-sapient conflicts and have floated the idea that there has been no time during the post-cataclysm era, that all of Pangera has been at peace. As stunning as it is to think about, the records appear to line up, there has never been a time when the Dungeon hasn''t been home to an inter-Sapient conflict.

    Which means the strategy of warfare within the Dungeon is a highly developed art-form. Even the rtively simple act of breaching walls has be an intricate process. The more rigid the doctrines be, the more predictable the oues. It''s said that the Grand-Strategists can predict the oues of a decade long war before the first blow is struck.

    Regardless, it''s a fascinating area of study that I don''t think I''ll ever tire of.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from a letter by the historian Agronidas of the Tower.

    During the hunting, I keep in regr contact with the Colony through a chain of swift running scouts and from the sounds of things, they''re as busy as ever over there. What I haven''t heard about, is the arrival of an invasion force, which I find a touch surprising. I''ve spent two days hunting down here! When are they going to get off their butts and attack us already?!

    I mean, I don''t want to sound ridiculous, but I''d almost prefer for the assault toe now, rather than endure this mysterious silence. It''s unbearable. Every moment I expect the penny to drop and a violent struggle to survive to begin. In the meantime, all I can do is keep pushing, keep grinding, trying to get as strong as possible, as quickly as possible.

    We''ve been relentless and everyone is suffering from gging energy levels, even me. At this distance from the colony, I don''t get a whole lot of energy from the Vestibule, at least my babysitters are useful for something as they provide me a trickle.

    Still, forty-eight hours of relentless fighting hasn''t been for nothing. The levels are piling in and I''ve managed some tasty rank-ups. I put a bit of effort into chomping down on the endless shadow creatures and pushing my Omen Chomp into the next rank. It''s been close for a long time, but I''ve been so focused on icing, burning, crushing, or slicing my opponents magically that the ol'' fashioned mandible chomp has fallen by the wayside a little bit. But if I''m going to be battling more of those armoured chumps, then a little extra shell cracking power is going toe in handy.

    [Omen Chomp IV -> Doom Chomp V. This advanced bite technique allows the wielder to further harness their inner energy and use it to inflict harm through the medium of teeth, mandibles or fangs. Range and power are both increased at this rank, and the wielder gains insight into shaping the energy utilised in the strike.]

    When the trickle of knowledge flowed into my brain, it was quite a surprise to find that the ethereal, energy based mandibles that manifested when I employed the Skill could, in fact, be manipted. I can''t do a whole lot with it right now, but I can make the mandibles a bit sharper, for added puncturing, or a bit more grindy, for¡­ grinding¡­ I suppose.

    I have to say, the jump from rank four to five does provide a significant boost in power, from what I''ve seen so far. I''m quite curious to see what sort of qualitative leap in strength the sixth tier will bring. Bit of a shame it''s going to take a hundred and sixty levels to get there!

    My other Skills have been progressing well. Very well, in fact! Without anyone else to prevent me from hoovering up the experience, I''ve made good progress. Nothing pumps the Skill levels quite like battle does! Ice magic affinity has pushed all the way to rank five! Whoo! I''m also making solid progress (heh) on my Earth magic. It won''t be long until that too reaches the fifth tier, then I can move onto the final remaining element.

    [Master, I sense prey!]

    [Oh ho! Anything interesting?]

    [I''m detecting a powerful concentration of death mana. Could be one creature, maybe a small group.]

    [Ugh. I hate those things.]

    [Experience is experience, Master.]

    [Yeah, I know.]

    The deeper we push into the second strata, the thicker the stench of death bes. It isn''t as if the shadow mana fades away, it''s simply joined by another, more malevolent force. With the rise in death mana, we naturally see a rise in a type of monster I''m not at all fond of.

    The undead.

    The group creeps down the tunnel in order to get a better eye on the enemy, only to find they already have their eyes on us, in a sense. Only fifty metres away, sunk to its knees in a thick soup of what I can only describe as evil sludge stands a proud looking deer monster. Or, it would have been proud looking, if its eyes weren''t missing andrge chunks of its flesh appear to have simply sloughed off somewhere along the line.

    I don''t have to focus particrly hard to sense the rising cloud of death around the monster. Curiously, it just stands there, staring at us. Hey, free xp is free xp. I''ll take it! My sub-brains work together, pumping mana from my core through my stone magic construct to produce the new energy which is seized by my main mind to weave together a deadly spike of hardened,pressed stone.

    The stone spear is a simple, brutal, yet effective weapon, especially when using condensed mana. I''ve seen these rocks puncture holes in all sorts of things. They should be fit for purpose here. Not wanting to waste the opportunity my patient target is providing, I whip together half a dozen spears beforeunching them all at once. The end result is¡­ messy. Each spear is over a metre long and as thick as an adult human wrist. They pierce straight into the deer, which makes no sound, and sink deep into its flesh.

    [You have in¡­ ]

    [Nice!] I cheer.

    "CONTACT!"

    [What did you say?] I ask Crinis.

    [That wasn''t me, Master! Mana signatures lighting up everywhere! It''s a trap!]

    [BOOK IT, PEOPLE!]

 Chapter 494 First Contact

    <h4>Chapter 494 First Contact </h4>

    The ssic deer in the headlights trap! I should have seen iting a mile away!? Since when is a monster that helpless ever left alive in the Dungeon for more than a minute? This is the Dungeon for goodness sake! An ecosystem with morepetition in it that this one surely doesn''t exist! It''s so dark here I can''t see the individuals that have leapt forth from the shadows, and I don''t mean to stick around until I can.

    [Move it, Tiny! We are NOT sticking around to say hello,] I order my unruly pet.

    The giant bat-faced ape was flexing his fists, eyes ring wild and fierce as he sought for something to pummel. I''m not having any of it. Unknown enemies? We are getting out of here! I can feel Crinis writhing on my thorax, desperate to attack those who would do me harm, but I act quickly to reel her in.

    [Crinis! We''re leaving!]

    [But, Master!]

    [No buts!]

    Thankfully, Invidia is smart enough that I don''t have to order him to retreat from a disadvantageous fight. The demon is already moving and I follow his spherical, winged form as we rush back the way we came. Which still leaves me with one problem.

    "Get the hell out of here, Protectant. I want your people ahead of me as we run! And don''t you dare go against me here! If one of you dies, I swear I''ll resurrect them so you know you can''t escape my wrath!"

    The threat ispletely hollow, I''d never desecrate the remains of my siblings, but it seems to work. No member of the secret brigade appears and throws themselves in harm''s way, so I assume they are running ahead of me.

    CRACK!

    With an explosion of light, an incandescent beam of sword light sts from the shadows and shes toward me, carving deep gouges in the stone floor on its way. Holy heck! Dodge! My antennae ze with future signs of severe danger and my nerves fire, throwing my body to one side before I have time to think about it.

    I skitter to one side, a tangle of legs that scrabble against the stone to regain purchase. The moment I do, I DASH with all of my strength, picking up speed in an instant and rocketing forward as I sense more shapes emerging behind me. Whoever they are, they''re fast. Not to mention, hot! Not in a physically attractive way, though I haven''t seen them yet, but in a literal sense. My antennae are tingling at the insane amount of heat they generate.

    They can''t possibly be people! They''d be cooking themselves from the inside out at those sorts of temperatures!

    Have I been osted by some sort ofva people?! I wouldn''t put it past Pangera to haveva people! Desperate to gain information as I flee, my brains whip together a fire elemental construct and I hastily craft a me thrower, powering it with weak, upressed mana. I''m not interested in damage, I just want to see!

    Rocketing behind an outcropping of stone to dodge yet another of those fierce de lights, I rotate my body, ever so slightly, and let rip with the fire. A jet of pure orange me roars out behind me, pushing back the darkness for a brief second. I see glimpses, shes of detail. Then the dark returns.

    I''ve seen enough!

    [Invidia! I need barriers and mental distractions! Pile it on!]

    [Their mindsssss are like stonessssss! I sssshall take them regardlesss!]

    [What do you mean, stone?!] I cry but the little demon doesn''t answer, already pouring his considerable mental might into slowing down our enemies.

    What I saw in that brief sh didn''t fill me with joy. Rather the opposite. Large bodies wrapped in steel and stone. Some sort of armoured suit? In the brief glimpse I got, I could see runes and the tell-tale signs of mana flowing through the materials. Whoever they are, they are rocking some high end tech! I think Smithant would get quite a bit out of a conversation with this lot.

    CRACK! BOOM!

    If they didn''t try and kill her on sight, that is!

    [How are we looking, Invidia?]

    [Almossst!]

    Almost!? When ites to magical mind warfare, this demon is a freak! What''s going on! I let my other constructs disintegrate and pull together some mind mana as I scrabble my way around corners, using the deadly vegetation of the second strata to cover my retreat. Once the mana is ready, my sub-minds weave together a bridge and start extending it to the nearest attacker.

    I sink my mind deep into the meditation Skill, trying to let my emotions fall away so I can focus. My minds drink in the calm that follows, the ragged edges vanishing as my nerves fade away. Even so, I feel a ruffle on unease as the mind bridge fails totch. I don''t have time to examine how or why, I just get a vague sense of the spell slipping off their mind instead of snapping into ce as it should.

    Some sort of mind defence enchanted into their helmets?! Holy moly, I didn''t even know that was possible! Who are these people!? Well, if I can''t slow them down with mind magic, I guess they''ll have to settle for the finest produce found in this strata!

    POW! POW! POW! POW! POW!

    A rapid fire cannonade erupts from my back zone, the new scattershot mode engaged, causing a wide spray of acid to st everything within twenty metres behind me. It doesn''t slow them. I can feel the dense mana powering their suits flowing unimpeded as they employ their movement skills to rocket through the tunnels, their forms a blur in the dark.

    That doesn''t stop me though. With its new properties, my acid doesn''t need to make a ssh (heh) the moment it connects, it''s yet to show its true power after all.

    POW! POW! POW! POW! POW!

    The barrage doesn''t stop as my pets and I tear through the tunnels, our foes hot on our heels. I don''t know how much of what I fire actually connects with our pursuers, but it doesn''t matter. I know that some of what I fired hit home, and as long as a little bit did, they are going to experience the magic of my acid.

    I keep firing until I have nothing left in the tank.

 Chapter 495 The Welcome Stranger

    <h4>Chapter 495 The Wee Stranger </h4>

    Those chasing in my wake don''t seem to appreciate my gifts. Angry shouts and a barrage of de light explode from behind me, shattering the stone and sending shards bouncing from my carapace. I don''t think they like my souped up merchandise. They''ll like it even less soon enough¡­ Gweheheh.

    Wha?!

    BOOM!

    My senses tingle and my legs fire before I understand why, just in time to avoid the fireball that streaks beneath me, searing the fine hairs on my legs before detonating against the tunnel wall in front of me. My vision bes filled with smoke and dust, my antennae muddled by the residual heat. Even so, my future sense sends shes of sensory input into my mind and I leap to my left, just in time to avoid the glittering broadsword that slices down.

    ng!

    The de shes before my eyes and pierces deep into the stone between my mandibles, slicing through the stone as if it weren''t there. Holy heck! My mandibles flex and snap shut with concussive force.

    Doom Chomp!

    The dark jaws of energy manifest and close with brutal swiftness. Irritatingly, the de snakes up from the ground and draws a shining arc in the air that my jaws crunch down on and stop. They just blocked my Doom Chomp with sword light? Is that even a thing?

    Turns out, it nearly is, but not quite. After a moment of strain, the light shatters and my jawsplete their path, crunching shut. But holy mcjiggers is that armour tough! I feel like I just mped my mandibles down on a rod of reinforced concrete! What the heck is that stuff made of? Regardless, I wasn''t able to prate the bulky suit in my first bite, but the person wearing it doesn''t lookfortable. With a heave, I lift them from the ground and spin my body to one side, tossing them like a dwarf directly back into the path of the oing pursuers.

    And they''re gaining. It looks like there''s ten of them and with this one making the sacrifice y to hold me up, they''ve closed the distance to just a dozen metres. At this sort of range, they can dash to cover it in an instant. If I turn my back on them now, I''m going to tank a heck of a lot of shots from them before I get far. We might have to stand and deliver.

    [Form up! Crinis! Time to peel off and get busy. Tiny! I want you on the front line making a mess, just make sure you don''t die. Invidia, you''re on support. You have permission to bring the boom if necessary.]

    That bulging eye shes green and curves with delight.

    [Yesssssss,] he gloats.

    "Protectant andpany, I want you in the back. If you try and step out against foes like this, you''ll get cooked. Your Skill levels aren''t high enough. If you think you have a chance to pick off one of them and take them out of the fight, go for it. No chances though, operate in two groups of ten."

    Luckily I can think at my pets and speak with pheromones at the same time. Instructions ryed, I turn to take up the frontline position against this obstinate foe.

    [Sse Se Se Ssssse!] Invidia chortles to himself with a sibnt hiss as I feel the prodigious power of his mind go to work.

    He''s been banned from using his explosive magics since he tends to suck up all of the experience when he deploys it. Finally let off the leash, I can feel the mad little eyeball drawing out enormous flows of mana, spinning together into deadly flowers that he scatters amongst our enemies.

    Now that I face up to them, I have to wonder, who are these people? These armoured death soldiers of doom!? They sure as heck don''t look like any Golgari that I''ve ever seen. So who are they? Is this just a hunting team, on a delve? They seem a little too well armed and armoured for that. The massive tes of living rock and steel that make up their suits are impressive as hell, every inch of the damn things look enchanted to the brim. But their weapons are just the same! Two of them even sport massive tower shields that positively hum with mana. This lot are of a way higher league than what we''ve seen before.

    Tiny, Crinis and Invidia step forward and begin to make their presence known. Here in the depths of the seconds strata, Crinis is at her most powerful, the thick shadow mana allowing her to manifest her tentacles almost anywhere she pleases. As she rises from my back and begins to take her true form, dozens of twisting limbs break away and slither through the air, only to vanish into the darkness. Tiny unleashes his lightning across his bulging, muscr form, his roar of defiance shaking the ceiling.

    Invidia just res at the enemy and unleashes his creations.

    From the darknesses a shout of warning and in a sh the figures dash together, huddled behind the two shields that unleash a burst of radiant light before¡­

    BOOM!

    The magic of Invidia strikes home and shakes the tunnel even further. To my shock, the barrier of energy the shield soldiers erected manages to hold strong against the spell. Brandishing their shields high, the two step forward in unison, pushing their barrier forward as the others fan out behind them.

    The longer I''m part of this conflict, the less I like how it''s going. At the very least, I can take somefort from the sight of the acid I fired growing on them. Not in an emotional sense, but in the literal. Clumps of acidic, sticky goop cling to their armour where it sizzles and steams, eating into stone, metal and mana alike. Given enough time, it''s sure to wreak havoc with their enchantments.

    My sub-minds are busy, frantic even, spinning together an ice magic construct and continuing my attempts totch onto the mind of one of these attackers. Whatever they''ve done to their helmets, it''s still working, the spell just slides off them without taking hold. We''ve got to learn how to do that!

    Ah well, if the mind magic won''t stick, let''s see how they like shards of ice with a side serving of my mandibles!

    DOOM CHOMP!

    Rearing back, I put my carapace into it this time and force my will into the energy flowing out of my body. The dark mandibles manifest once more, but tter, built for impact. The two shield bearers step forward, fearless, the dome-like shield enveloping them still. You want to underestimate this ant? You won''t be thest!

    CRACK!

    My jaws strike home and once again theye to a stop, forcing me to strain against the force pushing them back. Unwilling to allow me to attack their shield, the two soldiers and those behind themsh out, weapon strikes and spells zipping through the air toward me.

    Fortunately, I''m not alone! In a heartbeat, multiple shields condense in the air before me, snapping together from the ambient mana. It isn''t enough to hold back the strikes sent my way, but it is enough to dull them. When they finally reach me, the blows dissipate against my diamond carapace, barely scratching the surface.

    I retaliate in kind, spears of ice forming around me that I send zipping through the air toward the others as I clench my face zone, trying to shatter this damn shield!

    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

    Explosions ring out and I can''t be sure if it''s Invidia at work or Tiny. More and more stone dust trickles down from the ceiling, some of it into my eyes as the repeated detonations shake the Dungeon.

    [Scum! How DARE you strike Master!]

    Crinis has had enough. From every surface of the chamber springs a forest of barbed tentacles, each one seeking out a target to dismember like a limb seeking missile. Put on the defensive, the enemies scatter,shing out with their weapons to try and thin the sheer number of grasping vines. Even now, they don''t panic, and that bothers me more than it should. And will this shield break already?!?!

    From the back of the tunnel, behind our enemy, I hear noise and my heart sinks as I realise that more areing. When the first one steps into view, illuminated by the glow of fire and lightning, I swear that I sense something familiar. Armoured like the others, but with two wickedly curved des, one held in each hand, the figure rushes forward to help the others, armour igniting into a burning red, like the fury of a berserker made manifest.

    That''s exactly when Protectant decides to strike.

 Chapter 496 Hatâ€™s off to you

    <h4>Chapter 496 Hat''s off to you </h4>

    The approaching red-armoured figure clearly hadn''t expected to be descended upon by the heretofore hidden ant squad. Even I was a little shocked to see them, to be honest, and I''d known that they were there the entire time. I''ve looked a little deeper into the methods that Protectant and her squad uses to keep themselves from being noticed, much to their difort. I''vee to believe that the council hasn''t asked them to ignore my instructions explicitly, but trained them to think that protecting me from myself is literally half their job.

    Which hurts. It''s probably fair, but it still hurts.

    So, even when I ask them to do, or not do, certain things, they look at me askance and I can almost hear their internal dialogue, wondering if I''m about to get myself killed. But, their stealth organs are an incredible piece of work, some of Gandalf''s finest. It''s an immensely powerful application of mind magic. One that infiltrates passively, slipping through any defence that I''ve seen and making the recipient ignore their presence. Even for me, when my Vestibule is clearly receiving energy from the twenty super spies, it won''t let me pinpoint their existence, because my mind doesn''t want to acknowledge that they are real.

    There are limitations of course. If they get too close, if they intrude on another creature''s senses too much, then the charade falls apart. With a high enough Will stat, the effect can also be resisted, somewhat. The other cost being that purchasing the organ basically sucked up all of the evolutionary energy they had avable when they went from tier three to four, leaving them withparatively low stats.

    Even so, working together in a team of ten, they leap from concealment to seize upon this eager figure, one who had run too far ahead of her group and thus made herself vulnerable. I watch from my position in the fight as Protectant and her group meld into my perception, already leaping forward to strike the strangely familiar figure.

    A two-weaponed berserker? I know one of those, but why would Morrelia be here trying to kill us? And surely all berserkers use two weapons, they don''t seem like the defensive type. I mean, they wouldn''t be berserkers if they were, right?

    This internal monologue continues as the figure is brought to the ground, wrists seized by two separate ants as the others swarm atop the armour, biting and gnawing as they try to prate the thick te.

    "Protectant!" I holler, "get the helmet off!"

    My pheromones flood the room and reach the group instantly. They react instinctively, leaping to follow my directions as they use their mandibles to pry at the helmet, trying to rip it clear. The soldiers in front of me don''t respond well to one of their own being jumped. On either side of the shield bros, a pair forms up and activates a new type of Skill. Movements so in sync they almost look like robots, the four bring their des down in a shining arc, the weapons swung so quickly I can''t see them move. What''s more shocking, is the de light merges forming together to create a single beam that slices towards me, thicker and more threatening than before.

    Two of these beams cut towards me, one from each side and I have so little time to react. Luckily, Invidia is there for me, his shields snapping into ce a moment before those deadly arcs of light hit home. But this time they don''t hold, the concentrated sword light bursts through the shields and ms into my carapace, digging into the diamond coating and forcing me to release my grip on the shields.

    That hurt! Not wanting to take any chances, I pump my system full of regeneration fluid just as my antennae register what Protectant is telling me.

    "We have it, Eldest! The helmet!"

    Nice! Held in readiness all this time, the mind bridge I had formed snaps into ce on that now unprotected mind. I push hard with my mind mana, flooding their mind with my own consciousness. Who are you?! What the hell are you doing here?

    Wait a second¡­ This mind feels familiar.

    [RUN!] Morrelia screams at me.

    I snap the connection.

    [We are getting out of here, people! Back up now, now, now!]

    "Protectant, get your people stealthed and get the heck out of here! Get behind me!"

    Luckily, nobody decides to take this moment to question me. Tiny swings his massive arms to create space and leaps behind me, dragging Invidia along in one meaty fist. Crinis slithers back toward my carapace, but at the same time weaves her shadow magic to suck away the little light left in the room. The ten babysitter ants that had revealed themselves break away and scuttle along the walls, racing behind me as they fade back out of view.

    [Tiny, punch the roof! Invidia, help him out!]

    Tiny unfurls his wings and leaps upwards, mming into the stone overhead with one colossal fist just as more explosions detonate around him.

    [Crinis, pull us out!]

    [Yes, Master!]

    An ominous rumble echoes from overhead as Crinis extends her limbs to grasp each of us and then grab the tunnel ahead of us. She slingshots us forward as an ominous crack sounds out and the stone shatters, copsing behind us and burying the tunnel in tons of rubble.

    What had only moments ago been a furious fight is now nothing but darkness and pressure. This really hurts. I mean, I don''t really mind being surrounded by dirt and stone, but this is a little more ustrophobic than I''m used to.

    [You guys okay?]

    [I am alright, Master.]

    [You''re so squishy, you probably didn''t lose any hp.]

    [That''s rude.]

    [Sorry. How about you Tiny? Invidia?]

    [He isss heavily wounded.]

    [Try and heal him up, I''ll dig my way to you.]

    Wearily, I pull together an earth mana construct and begin to weave some spells to try and create a little space for my mandibles to move and soften up the solid rock in front of my face. It takes some time, but gradually I''m able to create space by chomping up the stone, pushing it behind me with my legs andpressing it there. When I finally make my way to where Tiny is buried, I find the big ape copsed onto top of Invidia, shielding the eyeball with his body from the stone that crushed into his back.

    The two of us manage to heal him up and I wiggle my way to the front to continue digging us out. The entire time, I can''t help but wonder what exactly happened back there. Super powerful armoured soldiers? Morrelia there with them? What''s happening? And if there are two groups of these soldiers, then are there more? What about back in the nest? Have the Golgarie?

    I''m worried. Buried in the stone as we slowly chew our way out, I''m worried.

 Chapter 497 The fire and steel

    <h4>Chapter 497 The fire and steel </h4>

    When he''d rounded the corner and seen the swarm of insects bear his daughter to the ground, Titus had felt the mana in his blood ignite with rage. When they''d fled, and the ape monster had brought down the tunnel, burying his legionaries, burying Morrelia in tons of stone, it wasn''t fire, but ice that filled his veins.

    The roar of fury that escaped tore from themander was only defeated by the roar of the itself as the tunnel copsed. Without a pause, Titus dropped his axe to the floor and charged forward, tearing into the rock with his bare hands. The axe, warm and ready for the blood of battle, began to cool, disappointment flooding its fiery soul. Next time, it promised itself.

    The other members of themander''s personal guard, along with the Legionaries following behind, rushed forward to assist. Titus saw none of it, heard none of it. All he saw was his daughter vanishing beneath the rubble. His muscles screamed and the metal of his Legionary armour groaned as he reached out with his armoured hands to pull away tons of rock at a time. He worked with such concentrated fury that the others were forced to step away, lest they be crushed by a stray boulder.

    Titus worked as if possessed, without fatiguing in the slightest. When he uncovered a red armoured foot, he redoubled his efforts, moving even faster when earth magic specialists arrived to assist. Morrelia was unconscious, her helmet half-jammed back onto her head, protecting her just enough. Even so, blood ran from her nose as Titus hauled her from the rubble and into the waiting arm of the medics.

    There was nothing more he could do for her, so Titus turned back to retrieve the rest of his Legion.

    "Tunnel copse, nasty business," Alberton muttered.

    Titus didn''t reply. The two men sat outside a hastily erected med-post, waiting for word that Morrelia had awoken. It had taken several hours to clear the tunnelpletely. No sign of enemy casualties was found, not even ichor. There was evidence that they had dug themselves free, along with residual traces of earth mana, healing mana and another, unknown mana source. Thatst one was causing a great deal of muttering amongst the mages.

    "I''m sure she''ll be fine, Titus," Alberton tried tofort his friend.

    Titus wasn''t listening.

    "Have you ever read of an ant-type monster cultivating pets?" Titus asked, his brow furrowed and eyes distant.

    The Loremaster looked at his old friend as if he were on stimnts.

    "No? I don''t even need to reference the records to check that. No known pattern of ant behaviour includes pet rearing. It''s just not how they operate."

    Titus'' eyes flickered as he put himself back in that moment, running down the tunnel, axe in hand. Morrelia had been attacked in front of him, but past them were others, an ape, a shadow being and arge ant.

    "I''m confident in what I saw," Titus said, "arge ant, probably tier five, with two, possibly more pets, each tier four or five."

    Alberton stared for a moment, frozen in shock.

    "Tier five? An ant-type?" he muttered, "but that''s¡­ absurd! How would one ant rue the kind of resources to evolve that far, and so quickly?"

    "Don''t forget the pets," Titus said, his voice low and intense.

    "Yes, yes. The pets also. That''s a staggering amount of cores¡­ It just doesn''t make sense. The Biomass necessary would allow for hundreds of individual ants¡­ Let me think now. Have any known species recorded a non-insect resource expenditure¡­"

    The wizened old legionary continued to think out loud, half-finished sentences referencing the dozens of books on ant-type monster morphology he''d studied over thest month. It mattered little to Titus, he had what he wanted.

    The very first encounter they''d had with this infestation, and it already showed multiple paths of divergence from known Dungeon patterns. That gave him pause. It was known for thousands of years that the Dungeon didn''t make wholesale changes to sessful, recorded species. Slight changes, urring over hundreds of years, was the normal, expected sequence. Whatever this was, it wasn''t normal.

    With a loud crash that startled the loremaster from his thoughts, Titus brought his mailed fist down on his armoured knee and stood. This action signalled strategists, advisors and centurions that had been lurking nearby to rush toward him, babbling for attention. He silenced all of them with a re.

    "I want our position fortified right here," he ordered, "get the medicus in ce as a priority. I want logistics established within six hours and bridge-link in ten. Provisional gate can be erected one kilometre down tunnel."

    As he spoke, people peeled off from the small crowd around him, sprinting to pass on orders.

    "I need geomancers and Dungeon seers in every scout group and want those scouts out yesterday. We''ve had contact with the target colony, any move upwards from here might take us into contact, I want all squads to act ordingly."

    He turned and spoke to Aurillia, waiting to one side.

    "Once we have contact I want you to liaison with the Golgari representative as soon as you can. They aren''t telling us something and I want to know what it is before it gets some of my legionaries killed."

    His loyal tribune nodded and ran off to prepare for the chicanery that was likely toe. Titus hated politics, but he especially hated it when his supposed allies were withholding information. He continued to dole out instructions until the crowd of centurions, legates and tribunes had scattered, leaving him with Alberton standing outside Morrelia''s med tent.

    The loremaster looked hismander in the eye, his face grave.

    "It''s an abomination, Titus, has to be."

    "A reincarnator? You''re sure?" Titus questioned, no judgement in his voice.

    "I can''t think of anything else it could be," his friend nodded, "nothing else makes sense. From what you''ve said, it was too intelligent, employed too much magic, and operated in ways that ant monsters just don''t."

    "And it''s hanging around its colony," Titus mused.

    Alberton leaned closer.

    "This could get bad,mander. If it''s a normal abomination, then it''ll go blood crazy before too long, we have enough to deal with it. But if it works together with its colony¡­"

    "Could be a force multiplier," Titus sounded grim.

    "Exactly. Thest thing we need is an ant colony with some sort of sapient leadership. Every time the Legion has engaged that sort of threat, we''ve needed to go full deployment."

    "Resources are stretched thin, that might be hard to do."

    "They''ll do it, Titus. Trust me."

 Chapter 498 A hive of activity

    <h4>Chapter 498 A hive of activity </h4>

    Deep in the second strata, a furious scout was running as if all the demons of the third were after its delicious abdomen. She had left her ry station thirty minutes ago and was almost out of gas, her mutations specialised in speed, not so much endurance. It was a close run thing, she staggered thest few steps, her stamina finally spent, but that was as intended. The Colony knew exactly how far she could run, just as far as every other scout in the chain, and she passed on her message sessfully before being taken to a chamber to rest, another ant dispatched to take her ce in the ry.

    Word spread quickly, the pheromones filling the nest within minutes. There was no fear, only grim determination, and in the case of Leeroy, desperate hope.

    "The Golgari areing," Victor announced.

    "Those rock-heads arete, I was almost getting bored," Burke said.

    "We''ve got a lot to do," Victor shook her antennae, "almost too much. Even with the extra time, we still aren''t ready. The new nests aren''t fully fortified, our number of tier fourbat castes isn''t high enough and the core shapers aren''t back yet. I''m worried."

    "What about the Eldest?" Cont asked, "what do we know about their status?"

    "Runner came in a few minutes ago," Burke told her sister, "Eldest got tangled with something in the depths and is on the way back. Next runner should have better information."

    "If it''s a second invasion force," Victor muttered.

    "n for the worst, hope for the best," Burke pped her on the thorax with one antenna, "that''s what we keep you generals around for, right?"

    "Thanks," Victor grumbled, "leave all the nning to us, as usual. How did this happen anyway? It''s not like the generals have the highest Cunning stat of the castes¡­"

    The three council members turned to look at the corner of the grand meeting chamber. As if sensing their gaze, Cobalt looked up from the stone model she''d been crafting in the stone.

    "Don''t look at me!" she protested. "We''ve got enough on our te trying shore up the defences! These things don''t just invent themselves you know!"

    "What are you working on right now?" Victor asked.

    "A system that can ry pheromones long distances at rapid speed that we can ce in the ry stations. That way we won''t need runners, giving us a faster response time and freeing up those scouts for more important work¡­"

    Victor considered for a moment.

    "I can''t argue with that. Keep up the good work." She turned to the other two. "I''ll get back to nning then. No way in heck I could work something like that out."

    "Stick to what you''re good at," Burke replied, "speaking of, I''d better check in with the stations. If things go ording to n, we should be getting more detailed reports over the next ten minutes."

    Her words proved to be prophetic, as several exhausted scouts sprinted into the outer edges of the nest, passing on their intelligence before staggering away to rest. Everything confirmed what they already knew, and drew a more detailed picture of the attacking force. Within thirty minutes, all avable council members had gathered, putting their collective minds to studying the war map assembled on the council table.

    "Did it have to be three dimensional?" Victoriant wondered.

    "No," Cobalt replied.

    "So why is it?"

    "Because we could," the carver said.

    "Forget that," Sloan snapped, "we need to focus here. From our reports so far, we''re looking at a Golgari force that''s five times the size of what pursued us when we rescued the Eldest. Not to mention, initial scout reports state that from what they''ve seen, these troops look significantly higher level."

    "They brought out the proper soldiers," Leeroy leaned forward in her chair until her eyes were nearly pressed into the model. "I can''t wait to fight them."

    "You''ll be waiting a long time," Sloan muttered.

    "What was that?"

    "Nothing. Now, let me draw your attention to this area,"

    The general used her antenna as a pointer to indicate a particr section of tunnel at the lower end of the model.

    "The Eldest passed beyond where our mapping teams have explored, but theirst known position what at the end of this tunnel branch. Reports are still sketchy, but the Eldest informed the ry scouts that an unknown force attacked in the depths. Exactposition, strength and intention of this force is unknown, but we can''t afford to underestimate it."

    "That''s right," Victor picked up where her sister left off, "at this moment, we are looking at deploying our forces to defend in depth evenly across the two known fronts. Information is critical at this early stage. Wills, what have you got for us?"

    Newly returned from the field, the second scout council member cleaned her antennae, still dusty from the tunnels.

    "We''ve got ten thousand scouts in the field, either in rys or in active scouting teams. Our stealthiest members are moving to track the progress of these two forces, but we still don''t have eyes on the second. From what we see of the Golgari, they areing in packed with supplies. Large trains of wheeled carriers pulled by what we assume are monster pets, not to mention arge contingent of mages. I expect they mean to set up a forward base."

    "If they put a gate down, that could mean infinite reinforcements," Brendant observed.

    "You think they want to challenge us on numbers?" Advant asked, incredulous.

    "I think they''re taking us seriously," Brendant replied, "which is not a good thing. Have we made any progress studying the gates we took from Rylleh yet?" She asked the two mages present.

    Propent shook her head.

    "It''s enchantment on a level that we haven''te across before. We don''t even have a single mage who''s managed to learn the relevant branch of magic specialisation yet. We''re attempting to brute force as much information as we can, but it''s very slow going and taking a lot of resources."

    "To be honest," Cont followed up, "I think our members would be better spent levelling their Skills and trying to unlock spatial magic before continuing this path of study. We can''t afford to be this inefficient."

    Victor wasn''t prepared to let it go.

    "If we can harness these gates, learn how to build them, how to work them, then our colony will endure forever, even if we lose this war. They''ll never be able to catch us, we could spread across the."

    "I think if they learned that we could make them, every sapient on this would join in the hunt to make us extinct," Cont shot back.

    "Enough! You two are too loud!" Vibrant smacked the table with one leg, the sharp sound ringing through the chamber. "Let the mages decide what they think is best! They''re the mages! We have a heap of work to do preparing the defences and getting ready to fight, so let''s go fast! I''m tired of talking!"

    With that stunning deration, the powerful soldier turned and dashed from the chamber, leaving behind nothing but a blurry outline where she used to be. The remainder of the council watched her go for a moment, all thinking the exact same thing.

    "Did you ever think she''d get tired of talking?" Antite wondered.

 Chapter 499 The work of war

    <h4>Chapter 499 The work of war </h4>

    The ants were not aware of the age old adage from Earth "battles are won on the training ground", but they certainly knew how to throw their efforts into wholehearted preparations regardless. Not that much changed once the invasion forces had been spotted, the Colony had been working full throttle on building capacity and shoring up their defences already. It was however, undeniable that the imminent threat added a certain frisson to the air.

    Perhaps the mandatory rest observers were a little less diligent, perhaps a few more workers decided to push their next torpor back a few hours, perhaps those teams training in the various expanses within the Colony''s territory took a few more risks. Everyone pushed that little bit harder, trying to eke out that final edge that would help the family to survive.

    As the workers, crafters and soldiers raced toplete their tasks, far to the East of the Colony, the initial skirmishes had already begun.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    "SHOT OUT!"

    "Two kilometre clearance! GO! GO! GO!"

    "Next team in five! Five! Keep clear of the sightnes and watch your abdomens. I want those antennae sharp and eyes focused. I''m talking every lens!"

    Thest team to fire their long range acid barrage raced through the tunnels, putting a solid distance between themselves and the enemy as stealth specialist scouts kept an eye on the response from the Golgari. Most scouts took extensive range extensions in their acid setup, but not all invested in extensive acid setups like the Eldest. Those that did chose to divert Biomass investment away from more typical mutations, like improving the mandibles or carapace, and instead poured those points into bing dedicated acid artillery.

    "Did we hit?" One scout asked her sibling as they ran to the clearance zone. "I didn''t even see them."

    "The spotter had us lined up pretty well. Even if it wasn''t a direct hit, with that much acid in the air, something must have gotten hit," the other reasoned.

    "Quiet back there!" Therger scout running in front sent back to them. "You''re clogging up the tunnel with scent. Just run!"

    They continued to run in silence, the ten scouts keeping to a tight formation, their heavily mutated legs whipping through the air and sending the terrain shing past. When they finally arrived at their destination, they found dozens of teams resting in groups around the tunnel, some clearly preparing to head back to the front.

    In the centre of it all stood an antrger than the others, one of the council members, Burke.

    "Well done team," she weed the newly arrived group, "head to the back and rest your legs. We have a stash of Biomass back there, make sure you fill up, mutate if you can and get ready. When it''s your turn to head back, I''ll let you know."

    The scouts saluted their elder with an antenna snapped to their head and scuttled away to take their ce amongst the hundreds of other ants. Burke watched them go for a moment before turning back to eastward facing tunnel entrance, waiting on the next group.

    "How goes it?" Advant asked, approaching from across the ceiling.

    "Why are you up there?"

    "I''ve been training my grip. I''ve let it stagnate for too long, so I''m sticking to ceilings as much as possible."

    Grip was an important Skill for Soldiers, since they had the most mass of all the castes, they needed higher ranks of Grip topensate in order to be able traverse walls and roofs as they wanted. They could solve the problem by improving the strength of the gripping ws on the end of their legs during evolution, but no soldier was willing to spend the energy on something that didn''t directly improve theirbat capability.

    "So, how''s it going?" Advant asked again.

    Burke sighed, or at least, unleashed the pheromone equivalent.

    "It''s hard to say. We aren''t allowed to get close enough to really assess what''s happening, so we don''t really know if we are achieving anything at all. These are maximum range strikes. Most of the scouts can''t even see what they''re aiming at."

    "The idea isn''t to inflict damage, remember. The whole point is try and fatigue the enemy."

    "I know."

    It had been Frances, the healer''s idea, oddly enough. The ants had an enormous advantage, from what they''d seen, in numbers over the enemy, which meant they could afford to be profligate in their use of each ant''s energy. If ten ants were able to wear down a single Golgari, that would be a worthy trade. The healer had pointed out that fatigue would be a far greater danger for the sapients than it was for the Colony. By constantly threatening the enemy and forcing them to defend against an endless acid barrage, the council aimed at sapping energy from the invaders, bit by bit.

    "I just wish we could engage them more directly," Burke said, "it feels like we aren''t doing enough."

    "You''re starting to sound like Leeroy," Advant joked, "be patient. We aren''t going to be able to beat these block-heads without fighting smart. If ites down to it and we have to swarm them through the tunnel walls, we will, but until we don''t have a choice, we need to explore every possible advantage we can get our mandibles on."

    "I know, I know. Imagine a scout being lectured by a soldier on patience."

    "Had to happen sometime," the two of them cked their mandibles in a quickugh as another team raced through the tunnel toward them.

    "Good work!" Burke greeted them before asking them to take their ce. "Next team away!" She called, sending another group of scouts running back to the front to repeat the never ending cycle.

    "What to do you think about what Sloan said?" Advant asked.

    "About the tunnel copses? I think it makes sense. We have to try and think about countering things we haven''t seen yet, and she made a good argument."

    "I suppose," the soldier didn''t sound convinced, "I just don''t know how they could counter an entire tunnel dropping on their head."

    "Just because it worked for us once, doesn''t mean it''s going to work every time," the scout lectured her sister, "I''m with the generals on this one. There''s no way they don''t have a method to detect or prevent tunnel copses. They live down here. I think the only reason we managed to pull it offst time is because they didn''t expect it. They certainly will now."

    "Alright, fine. I suppose you''re right. How do you think the other scout teams are finding things in the deep?"

    "I have no idea, but I''ll tell you what, I''d rather be me than Wills right now."

 Chapter 500 A Determined Enemy

    <h4>Chapter 500 A Determined Enemy </h4>

    They''re digging in for the long haul, and I hate it. I hate it! I don''t want them to be this sensible! Constructing a fortified position? Securing their supply lines? Pushing forward with caution? No! This isn''t what I want to see! I want them to charge ahead, frothing at the mouth and underestimating us to the point of stupidity!

    I can wish, can''t I?

    After digging our way out of the tunnel and healing up our injuries, my pets and I retraced our steps until we met up with the ry scouts. After sending word back to the Colony, I decided we''d be best served here, keeping an eye on this new threat, determining how severe it was, and sucking up all the XP in the area. The more we take for ourselves, the less that they''ll get. Not to mention, the number of levels I need toplete my fusion, my next big power spike, is getting lower and lower.

    But spying on this mystery army is proving to be a right pain in the rear-zone. We can''t get anywhere close to them. Their guard is up so high I can''t even see over the top of it. Those stupid monster detecting crystals are in ce, they have mages in every patrol around the outside of their camp, a camp they built with almost ant-like efficiency, I might add. It seems as though they have every method of monster detection I know of installed already, as well as a few I don''t. When I sent one of my babysitters to go investigate as best, they could, even they were detected before making it much past the guards.

    How the heck were they able to detect them?! There must be some method I haven''t heard of yet¡­ Since then, they''ve been rtively quiet, but it''s been less than a day. They send out patrols to investigate the nearby tunnels, but they don''t go far. Certainly not far enough that I feelfortable trying to engage them, they''re just too close to the reinforcements.

    Their numbers are another thing we don''t know. There''s more of them than I initially thought, and the camp that''s been set up certainly seems like it would hold hundreds, but I just don''t know enough.

    And Morrelia. I''d kind of hoped that she''de out here I''d have a chance to talk with her, ask a question or two. Like, "Hey Morrelia, how have you been? Why are you with these armoured murder-bots who are trying to take my head off?" When was this something that happened?!

    Too many questions and I have no answers.

    I find myself seated in a disgruntled tangle of legs, my senses focused on the tunnel ahead which twists and turns and after three kilometres leads to the zone inhabited by those tin cans when a fresh scout approaches.

    "Eldest! Word hase from the Colony!"

    "Finally! What''s happening up there?"

    I''ve been waiting a long time for this! Although, I have to admit that the ry system the scouts have worked out is lightning fast. These poor scouts have run a heck of a long way to the Colony and back.

    "The Golgari invasion force has been sighted, and preliminary engagements are taking ce."

    "Holy moly!"

    "Indeed. Only indirectbat is the information I have at this time, Eldest."

    "Do we have a picture of the strength of their force?"

    "I''m not aware of it if we do, Eldest."

    Dammit.

    "Alright, thanks. I appreciate your hard work."

    The weary scout tips her antennae to me and stumbles back to her waiting post, clearly on herst six legs. So much to think about. Thinking isn''t my speciality! To be honest, I''m not entirely sure what my speciality is¡­ I can work that outter! Gah! I''m going crazy just standing around here cleaning my antennae, watching this mystery force entrench themselves whilst I can''t do anything about it. I need to move.

    Problem is, the ce where the Colony is shing with the Golgari is ages away. If I were to rush there, it''d take hours to get there, and then what if something terrible happened here whilst I was on my way?! We have two areas of conflict, and as far as I know, I can''t be in two ces at once! I didn''t think it was possible, but my irritation at Morrelia''s new goon squad has risen to an even higher pitch. I address the team.

    [Let''s get going. There''s no point sitting here banging our heads against the wall. We need levels and Biomass, and if these punks are going to give us time to get it, I''m not going to say no.]

    My pets are ready to go in a moment, stepping forward (or floating, or just hanging onto my carapace) eager to go into battle once more.

    "I''m going to keep grinding," I tell the scouts nearby. "If something happens,e and get me, I''ll leave a pheromone trail, but I want you all to be very careful. We don''t know enough about what''s happening here, and I don''t want to see my siblings waste their lives."

    The ants acknowledge my scent and go back to their careful monitoring of the tunnels, and I head upwards, ready to dig into more Biomass and harvest some experience.

    Nearby.

    "Keep focused you daft boy! Things are happening!"

    Donnn shook his head slightly to clear the cobwebs and refocused his attention on the array. Braxis nodded in satisfaction, not taking his eyes or mind from the enchanted device.

    "We have movement," he muttered, "but who, and where?"

    The younger mage worked hard to sync his mind, not only with the crystal monster detection array in front of him but also on his own mage-armour. The enchantments and cores woven into the bulky metal and stone tes enhanced his ability to direct his thoughts and control mana, but only if he properly harnessed them.

    "What are you sensing, boy?" the grizzled senior mage asked the young man.

    Donnn pushed his mind harder, right to the point where

    pain spiked through his brain before backing off with a sigh.

    "The big one. The signal is fading, I think it''s rising, along with a lot of others. I''m not sure how many."

    Braxis grunted.

    "Yeah well, they''re pretty damn hard to find with a field array, even for me. Almost all of them are moving out, in five minutes they''ll be out of range. There''s still a few around though. Must be keeping an eye on us, the cheeky buggers."

    The old man chuckled at his own horrible joke, whilst Donnn forced out a weak grin. Braxis was a veteran mage of the Legion and certainly a far higher level than new blood like him. It paid to not get on his bad side.

    "All right then. I''ll keep an eye here, you go report to themander. I get the feeling he''ll want to know what''s going on."

    Forcing down his nerves, Donnn gathered his courage, saluted his officer and made his way out of their tent and into the darkness of the fric camp. Legionaries ran every which way, carting stone, shifting supplies, getting ready to patrol or organising the rapid expansion and construction. In only a few hours a random section of tunnel had been transformed into a proto-base. He and the other mages had worked themselves to the bone shaping stone, ttening areas, raising others and blocking off the entrances. The moment he''d finished that shift, he''d been dragged in to help man the monster sensing array. His head was pounding after so many hours of continuous spellcraft.

    Hopefully, themander would let him rest soon.

    He pushed through the camp and made his way to themand tent, the centre of activity in the camp. After making himself known to a legate, stating his business and waiting in line for ten minutes, he stepped inside to find Titus looming over a table, a crude map of the tunnel structure around their location spread out before him.

    Donnn crashed his fist to his heart in a brisk salute, and themander nced up at him and nodded. Behind that powerful figure, hulking in his massive armour, stood his personal guard. He got the unnerving feeling that each of them watched him, and somehow every corner of the tent at the same time.

    "At ease young Legionary. What has old Braxis got for us?"

    "Movement from the enemy, sir. The first ant we''d spotted, the high tier one, has moved upward, taking the pets and stealthed ants with them. He expects they''ll be beyond our range in five."

    Themander grunted, his eyes dropping back to the map as he traced his finger along a tunnel above their current position.

    "Any of them still here?" he asked without looking up.

    "Yes, sir. A half dozen, not many."

    "Keeping an eye on us. Watching and waiting."

    Titus straightened to his full height.

    "Good work Donnn. Go get yourself some rest, you''ll be needed on rotation in five hours."

    The relief that had risen within the Legionary at the word ''rest'' barely had time to grow before it was ruthlessly crushed by hismander. Five hours?! What was he, a monster? Grumbling to himself, Donnn turned neatly on his heel and walked out, then staggered the rest of the way to his own bunk. He didn''t even bother unstrapping and powering down his armour when he got there, he just copsed into his roll, asleep before his head touched the nkets.

    Back in themand tent, Titus was disturbed. These ants didn''t behave as ants should. Even the presence of an abomination wasn''t enough to fully ount for it. He had a gnawing feeling in his gut that wasn''t going away. He''d learned to trust that feeling over the years, he wasn''t about to ignore it now. In another six hours, he''d have contact with the Golgari, and he intended to ask them some very pointed questions.

 Chapter 501 The stone endures

    <h4>Chapter 501 The stone endures </h4>

    What is mana? It was an embarrassingly long time before the tower had anything even remotely approaching a satisfying answer to this question. Even now, we have no real way of knowing if we are correct, since we don''t know where ites from, how it''s made or where it goes. We know that it existed on Pangera before the Dungeon broke the surface. It''s possible that mana has always existed on Pangera since the pre-history times, but that''s another thing we cannot confirm.

    The deeper one goes into the Dungeon, the more dense it bes. This, we have known for a long time. There has been a lot of argument over whether the mana was emanating outward from the centre of the, or being drawn from the outside inward. A great deal of effort was put into tracing the mana flows on the surface and most studies have been inconclusive on this issue.

    As to the nature of mana itself, who knows? It''s a type of energy. It''s malleable. It can be changed into a massive variety of other forms of mana, each with their own attributes, strengths and weaknesses. It''s tied into the natural world, as it replicates things that are possible without it. Sometimes. Other times it achieves things that are impossible without its use.

    To this day it baffles us, though we use it extensively in our daily lives and research.

    ¡¤ Grand Mage Trissitan of the tower.

    The mana was rising. It wasn''t a dramatic issue in the present moment, but should this extermination drag out, it might cause problems. The spawn rates have already begun to rise, if it were to be another Wave¡­

    The High de shook his head. It wouldn''te to that, so soon after a wave had justpleted. There hadn''t been two such events so close together in the history of the Empire of Stone. It would be foolish to adjust his strategy to amodate such a freak urrence. The levels were still within tolerance, no doubt they would peak soon and then continue to decline until mana levels returned to what they should be.

    He dismissed the thoughts from his mind with practiced ease and sank himself further into the meditative state necessary for the ritual. All concerns and awareness faded from view. The mission no longer existed, the tent around him turned to ck and even the myriad of sounds of the camp that had intruded so rudely a moment before were gone.

    All that remained was the stillness, and the de.

    With smooth, practiced motions, the High de withdrew the container of stone seed. The precious mineral, ground into a glittering dust, flickered in the near perfect darkness, the only significant source of light within the tent. With care, the Warrior drew his de and ced in on the prepared cloth spread before him. Once, twice, thrice he cleaned its surface, ensuring that not a speck of dust marred it''s perfect surface. Only then did he take the stone seed and slowly tap a small amount into the palm of his hand.

    He could feel the mana within the dust, strong and vibrant, through the rock of his true skin. It was tantalising. Sunk deep into meditation, he ignored it and stretched his hand out to the de. Before he opened his hand, he could already feel the hunger wake within the de, the living stone keen for sustenance.

    Lapisvitae, the stone of life. As he allowed the seed to trickle from his palm onto the surface of the de it greedily drank it in, absorbing the mineral and the mana it contained to strengthen and sustain itself. It was almost a waste to awaken the de only to cut insect trash, a pathetic breed of monster, unworthy of his talents. But his circle had been slighted, his people attacked. Nothing but the obliteration of his enemies would satisfy his rage.

    The sword emitted a faint light as he slid it back into its sheath. It would take time to digest the meal he had given it, but in time it would put forth a measure of its true power. Ritualplete, the High de rose and rxed his meditative state. Once again the mundane world impugned his senses, the noise, mess and pain. He would deal with it as he always did: withoutint, mercy or hesitation.

    Kooranon of the house Balta rose to his full height and marched from his tent. He was tired of these pests spitting at his camp, it was time they endured his wroth.

    --------------------

    Vibrant was running. She wasn''t exactly sure where to, or what she was going to do when she got there, but wherever and whatever was going to happen, she wanted to make sure it was going to happen fast. Problems seemed to sort themselves out so long as she was quick enough. It was one of the reasons her mutations continued to emphasise speed. The faster she went, the easier things got, so why not just keep getting faster? She couldn''t wait until her next evolution. The sort of speed she''d be able to achieve then would truly be something to behold!

    "Vibrant! Senior! Where are we going?" Emilia, her loyal general asked.

    Vibrantughed.

    "I''m not sure! Down I suppose? Isn''t it good to go down? Better than sitting around in a council room. That''s boring!"

    They were racing through the tunnels, her and her loyal followers, each and every one of them built for speed. The entire group was tier four now, a fearsome group of insects to be sure. They fell upon everything in their way with ferocious, coordinated strikes and devoured the Biomass like a school of sharks before sprinting to catch up with the lead group. In this way they rued experience and Biomass at a great pace.

    "I believe the Eldest is down here somewhere! Do you think we should join forces with them?" Emilia shouted, desperate to keep pace with her leader.

    "Crin-crin! I wonder what she''s up to? Something fun, I''m sure! That''s a good idea Emilia! Well done!"

    The general tried to suppress the flood of joy at being praised by this erratic, scatterbrained leader she had chosen to follow. She needed to focus! The Colony was at war and Vibrant would need her advice and strategic nous if the squad was going to perform at its best.

    Vibrant spied a shadow beast slinking across the tunnel in front of her and dashed for it, her mandibles smashing shut around the creature''s neck, inflicting massive damage. The beast snarled, shocked at the horrendous speed the enemy had disyed. Moving a body thatrge so quickly wasn''t easy, even in the Dungeon!

    "Food-food!" Crinis cackled and chomped down once more.

    In a few more chomps, the bulk of the Biomass was gone and Vibrant was off and running once again. Ever since she''d reached the fifth rank of dash, using the instantaneous burst of speed to surprise her enemies had be her favourite tactic.

    Behind her the sound of two hundred ants pounding the stone with their ws echoed along the chamber, along with the crunch and crack of mandibles closing around hapless foes. The Colony was on the move.

 Chapter 502 Marshall the colony

    <h4>Chapter 502 Marshall the colony </h4>

    It was almost funny, Mendant thought to herself, that such a highly anticipated and foreshadowed invasion would result in such frantic activity on the part of the Colony. None of them were surprised, and yet all them managed to be in the wrong ce and behind the pace when the enemy finally arrived. She herself was rushing through the main nest, organising teams of healers about to depart for the front lines.

    Or what were soon to be the front lines. The real fighting was yet to begin, and like every time the Colony started a fight, there would be many, many of her siblings that needed healing. Her other priority for the moment, the construction of the massive ''hospital'' inside the nest, was behind schedule also.

    The idea of a central location in which to tend the most severely wounded made sense to Mendant, though she hadn''t realised that there existed a term for such a facility until recently. The hospital was intended to house those that would require an extended period of time and a preponderance of resources to bring back to full strength. Being monsters, even the most severe injuries would heal quickly, given the application of healing fluid, magic and a hearty feed of Biomass, but the regeneration process could take days. Also, the discovery that more highly evolved and mutated members of the family were more difficult to heal hade as something of a shock to the Colony.

    Perhaps the Queen was the first high tier ant to be injured, but none could remember that time, before the Colony had trulye into being. The Eldest had recovered from severe injuries during the escape from Golgari territory and the amount of healing fluid used to heal those wounds was incredible. This had led to the disturbing discovery of increased healing times for the growing number of tier four ants in the Colony.

    Thus the hospital. The worst injured might need a full week to recover, and drain resource that would not be avable at the front. s, the carvers where being pushed the brink, constructing two whole new nests, new surface nests, myriadyers of defences throughout Colony territory as well as major construction projects here in the main nest.

    Thest team departed, loaded with precious Biomass containers to fuel the troops on the frontlines and Mendant turned to run back to the construction site. The healers would be just as busy as the carvers soon enough.

    Something that Cobalt would likely dispute. She herself hadn''t entered torpor in three days, and had been forced to flee from rest enforcers twice in that time. She was pushing her limits right to the edge and she knew it, but circumstances were forcing her hand. The amount of construction going on in Colony territory was mind boggling. Managing the flow of resources, the extraction, processing and instation of each and every piece was a nightmare of logistics that (in her opinion) put the grand strategy of the generals to shame in itsplexity.

    Hundreds of tons of material were moved by carvers each and every hour, thousands of them, hauling stone and ore with their mandibles, shaping the Dungeon with their magics. That didn''t even include the dozens of ongoing research projects! Forcing Dungeon veins from an area? Top priority, ording to the council! Unravelling gate technology? Top priority! Developing new runebinations forbat enchantments? Top priority! Better gates! Stronger doors! More cunning traps! It never ended!

    The carver focused her mind and tried to shake away herints. They didn''t matter! Only the work mattered! She herself was deep into the process of designing another addition to the nest. The Colony''s intake of materials from the resource gathering outposts would soon outstrip their current capacity to process and refine them. They could expand it, obviously, but such a solution was inelegant and inefficient, something that would twist in her guts like a knife. If they took that approach, the carvers would need to constantly be adding onto a system on the brink of failure forever. It would take up too much space, weaken the internal defences of the nest and fail to process the materials in a timely manner, which would hamper the war effort.

    No, a new system was needed. And since the forges, smelters and refiners within the nest were being redesigned, why not the mining stations? And if the mining stations were being rebuilt, why not develop a better transport method?

    Alone in a chamber, Cobalt slumped to the stone, slipping into torpor against her will. In the centre of therge chamber stood a grand stone carving, ten metres by ten metres it depicted the carver''s section of the nest, not as it was, but as it would be. A revolution wasing.

    The mages were gging. In the lead up to the invasion, Propent and Cont had led their caste in a concerted drive to raisebat effectiveness as high as possible in the shortest possible time frame. This had necessitated that the mages begin activebat training, mage against mage. The injuries had been¡­ more extensive than anticipated, but the results were worth it. The rest of their caste was engaged in research alongside the carvers, desperately bending their minds to pry open the secrets of gates and Dungeon ''folding'' as they hade to refer to it.

    The final push had been a twenty four hour duelling marathon in which mages had slung spells at each other without pause, until their brains had almost started leaking out of their ears. Every ounce of experience they could gain had been squeezed out of the exhausted ants until they''d copsed into torpor. Now that the enemy had arrived, the troops were being woken and organised, Propent moved through the rest chambers and training areas, designating each and every individual a deployment n ording to the arranged schedule. In ones and twos, the mage ants of the Colony filed out of the nest, met up with teams of scouts, soldiers and healers, before moving out to the front line.

    Wills was in a good position to see it happen. Outside the main nest a flood of ants poured out the main thoroughfares, dashing past the open gates and into the Dungeon in a tide of soldiers. Tens of thousands of them, row after row, marched past her, formed into their assigned teams and left. They would travel as fast as they could to make it to their assigned positions in the n, the pheromone trails had already beenin, ready to lead them to their ce.

    The sight of her family marching to war gave the lithe scout mixed feelings. There was no fear in them, no regrets or hesitation. Many of them were only weeks old, didn''t even recall a time when the grand nest in the second strata didn''t exist. Now they went to defend it with their lives against an unknown enemy.

    She cleaned her antennae in the elbow joint of her legs. A soothing gesture. What woulde woulde. There wasn''t anything they could do more than they had already done. Preparations had urred at a frenzied pace, ants working themselves into the dirt. All that was left was to measure their strength against what Pangera would throw at them.

    The Colony would triumph, as they always did, of this she was sure. With the Eldest to lead them, how could they fail?

 Chapter 503 A chat with Titus

    <h4>Chapter 503 A chat with Titus </h4>

    Titus hated dressing up. But the Golgari High des were notorious sticklers for protocol and tradition, so his hands were tied. He''d be damned if he''d put on his full dress uniform though, absolutely no chance. The jumped up pile of rocks would have to be satisfied with him giving his armour a solid polish. So it was that in the final hours of the bridge ry being assembled, Titus took off his borate Legion Runic Armour, sat in front of themand tent and attended to the buckles, tes and stone whilst directing his Legion.

    His hands worked the leather straps, polished the buckles and cleaned the stone almost automatically, not really having to look at what he was doing, his eyes instead roving over the camp. There wasn''t a single Legionary with five years of experience who couldn''t clean their armour in their sleep, and Titus had far more than that.

    When the job was done, he put the suit back on, almost feeling a sense of relief when the final te snapped into ce, sealing him in.

    "Feeling morefortablemander?" Alberton asked from his seat nearby.

    Titus shrugged his shoulders, feeling the heavy suit fall into ce on his frame.

    "It doesn''t feel right being in the field without being armoured up," Titus said.

    He performed a few rapid checks with hands, pulling on a te here, shoving with his palms there, testing the joints and straps. The Loremaster frowned.

    "Be careful of the mana ¡­" he began.

    "I know," Titus cut him off and continued his meticulous checks.

    Alberton was silent for a moment before he continued quietly.

    "I worry sometimes, old friend. Just be careful."

    Titus didn''t look up from his inspection and after a long moment Alberton sighed and rose from his seat, checking every strap and seal on the back of the suit.

    "wless as alwaysmander," he said, pping him on the pauldron with one wrinkled hand.

    "Are you going to suit up?"

    The Loremaster snorted.

    "What for? My Skills are in research and documents, not swords and sorcery."

    Titus turned and looked his friend in the eye.

    "Put it on," he ordered, "something isn''t quite right on this mission and I don''t want to lose anyone. In fact, pass the order, I want all personnel to be battle ready at all times. No exceptions."

    Without pausing to listen to the Loremaster''s spluttering protestations, Titus turned and strode toward themunications tent. As he walked he managed to loosen his jaw and tamp down his anger. It wasn''t Alberton''s fault. The mana was rising and the armour drank it in, pouring it into his infused body. He made a mental note to have the medics do regr checks on every member of the Legion, including himself.

    The effect of mana on the human body had many implications. Mana sickness was just the mostmon of these. Once adapted to a certain level of mana, withdrawal became the next concern, wasting away just like a monster would. What the old Legionary worried about was something only high level individuals had to be wary of: addiction.

    Titus brushed through the opening of the stiff canvas tent to find Braxis fussing over a core as it was lowered into the array.

    "Careful, careful! That thing cracks and it''s six months pay for a louse like you!"

    "This would be a lot easier if you''d stop shouting at me."

    "Shut up and work!"

    The youngster, Donnn, rolled his eyes as he ced the precious core into its housing. The moment it clicked into ce, the entire array hummed to life, apanied by an inward whoosh of mana as the core began to drain it.

    "Is it ready?" Titus rumbled from the entrance.

    "Ah, Commander. Just in time, it''s ready to roll. Give it a second to charge and I''ll engage the Bridge. Shouldn''t take long."

    Titus nodded and strode around the tent to stand in front of the device. This was far from the first time he''d used a Bridge Ry. As he waited for the mage to finish his work, the younger Legionary watching attentively over his shoulder, Titus thought about the current campaign. The more he thought, the higher his temper red until he forced it down again.

    Hiding information? From the Legion? The Legionem Abyssi were not to be lied to, something the Empire of Stone appeared to have forgotten.

    "I''m through,mander," Braxis'' voice sounded distant and eyes seemed to be open but saw nothing. Titus knew he was reaching through the array with his mind, seeking out the connection to the Golgari camp. "You''re speaking now."

    So saying, Braxis turned his nk eyes onto hismander and Titus felt his mind reach out to his own. Rxing his will, he allowed himself to be carried out of his own body. There was a feeling of being dragged, and a rush of distance, then he stood before the High de Balta, surrounded by swirling darkness and mist.

    Eyes cold, the Golgari drew his de,y it across his palms and bowed over it.

    "Before the living stone I greet you, Titus of the Legion."

    Titus returned the gesture with a Legionary salute, crashing his right fist into his chest te, right over his heart.

    "The Abyssal Legion sends its greetings, High de," Titus said.

    The barest minimum of decorum addressed, the two men settled on their heels and weighed each other. Titus was familiar with the Golgari, they were a martial people, numerous within the Legion, he knew exactly what he was looking at.

    As if sensing the tinge of contempt from his opposite''s expression, the High de Balta sneered as he addressed his ally.

    "You havee calling so soon,mander. Has the Legion run into difficulty already? Are the insects too difficult and you must request my help?"

    Titus didn''t answer immediately, he just stared, hard, at the Golgari. To his credit, Balta appeared unruffled, his demeanour condescending and superior.

    "The Legionem Abyssi does not appreciate when information is withheld."

    That got a raised eyebrow.

    "You use the Empire of Stone of withholding knowledge from you? This is a bold im you make,mander. By your honour, I trust you have proof," his voice sharpened by the end.

    The word honour from the mouth of this snake curdled Titus'' gut, but he kept his face smooth, even as he allowed a little heat to enter his eyes.

    "If I decide that your Empire has misled us, then I will petition the Consul for a punitive expedition to be dispatched immediately," Titus spoke evenly, "perhaps after we put a few cities to the torch your people will remember how to treat their allies."

    "You would dare?!"

    "It wouldn''t be my first time."

    The two leaders red at each other, hands twitching as they longed to grasp weapons that didn''t truly exist here in this mind space. After a long, tense moment, Titus crossed his arms and settled back on his heels.

    "However, I don''t believe it was the Empire that provided false information to us."

    He didn''t bother rifying his usation. If he spoke aloud his suspicions of the High de, Balta would be honour bound to defend himself. Better to let those words hang in the air, unspoken.

    "Your Legion has forgotten their ce, it would seem. You were requested to join this expedition to support the Empire in crushing this infestation. Instead you arrive here with threats and usations."

    "We encountered an abomination."

    The reaction was immediate. Rage red in the eyes of the High de, only to quickly cool to simmering anger.

    "Where?"

    "You didn''t tell us there was an abomination. One being here changes the nature of the conflict significantly."

    "Where?!" Balta raged.

    Titus didn''t answer. He simply stood and stared at his opposite. After a moment the Golgari calmed himself.

    "That creature has insulted my family, injured my kin and brought shame to my house. I will destroy that filth with my own hands, slowly. Where did you find it?" He demanded.

    Titus sighed internally. Petty feuds and grudges. It was always like this with the Golgari. They were as stubborn and hard headed as their own skin.

    "I need to make something clear to you at the beginning of this cooperation," Titus spoke slowly, "you have a personal stake in this expedition, I understand that now, but I want to make something very clear."

    He leaned forward.

    "I don''t care."

    A pause.

    "The Legion hase here, at your request, to exterminate this nest before it gets out of control. With or without your help, that is exactly what we are going to do. If you get in my way, I''ll cut you down myself."

    Titus spoke tly, without emotion, as if he were discussing the weather. It wasn''t an opinion, it was simply fact.

    "Now tell me everything that you should have told me before, or I''ll go hunt your precious quarry myself, kill it with mercy and dignity, then bury it with honour. It''s right outside my camp, after all."

    The High de''s eyes glittered with malice.

    "Fine."

 Chapter 504 The rage

    <h4>Chapter 504 The rage </h4>

    When the bellow of pure rage shook the stone around the Legion camp, Aurillia was one of the few who didn''t start wildly staring around themselves, trying to understand what had happened. She''d soldiered with themander for a long time, and it wasn''t the first time she heard him get angry. She was surprised, to be sure, that roar had shaken everyone, such was the sheer volume and depth of anger contained within it. She just wasn''t confused, she knew what had happened.

    "What was that?!"

    Aurillia turned to see Titus'' daughter, the young Morrelia, approach her. The berserker''s eyes were wide, as if she wasn''t quite believing what she was hearing.

    Aurillia raised a brow.

    "You''ve never heard your father get angry before?"

    She shook her head.

    "No, never."

    The tribune was initially surprised at this, but then, considering her parents, it was most likely the mother who''d disyed the most temper. Only in the field did Titus experience these sorts of eruptions. The man himself then appeared, storming out of themunications tent, the rage rolling off him in waves. So powerful was his aura that even experienced Legionaries were forced to draw back.

    Morrelia watched, wide eyed, as her usually unppable father stormed across the camp, his face a mask of ck rage. When he reached the stone wall of the tunnel, he pulled back one fist and mmed it into the rock so quickly she couldn''t see his hand move.

    BOOM!

    The stone exploded, sending chips flying throughout the camp and leaving the enragedmander with his arm buried up to the shoulder. With inhuman strength, he yanked it out in one solid pull and shook it, clearly irritated by the dust now coating the armour which had only moments ago been pristine. Aurillia decided to seize the moment whilst Titus was distracted to approach.

    Expression carefully neutral, she marched in front of themander and offered a crisp salute.

    "Commander Titus, tribune Aurillia reporting."

    "Stop it," he grunted.

    She maintained her parade ground perfect form, feet t, shoulders down, the exact angle on the saluting arm.

    "I don''t know what you mean,mander."

    "Every time I lose my temper, you march over, as formal as possible in a misguided attempt to inject some calm. It''s irritating."

    "But effective."

    "That''s why it''s irritating."

    Titus closed his eyes and drew a deep, slow breath. He focused his mind and concentrated on pushing his anger away, forcing it out of his clenched muscles and pounding heart, out of his racing blood and into his lungs. From his lungs, he imagined forcing the emotion into the air contained therein, which he then breathed out. It only took a moment, but he was noticeably more calm. The almost physical pressure he''d exerted had eased, if notpletely, at least enough that it was morefortable standing close to him.

    Though she tried to hide it, Aurillia breathed out a sigh of relief as the waves of anger stopped battering against her consciousness. Whatever had set him off this time, it must have been bad.

    "I presume you''ve just finishedmunicating with our valued allies?" She enquired as Morrelia tentatively approached.

    At the mention of the Golgari, Titus'' face twisted once more, but only for an instant before he was able to smooth it back to its normal state of smooth stone.

    "I have."

    He paused for a moment, ensuring he had mastered himself before he continued.

    "When they requested the Legion assist them in this endeavour, it would appear that the Housemunicating with us withheld some information."

    Morrelia came and stood beside the tribune, a worried expression on her face. She tentatively tried to speak up.

    "Fathe -"

    "How bad is it?" Aurillia asked.

    "Bad," Titus ground out. "Not only did they not tell us there is an abomination in this Colony of insects, apparently two others might be present, as they have somehow joined forces within Golgari territory."

    "Quite a coincidence."

    "Indeed," he spat. "If that were all, it would be bad enough. I''d have brought a second Legion on this extermination, just to be sure."

    "There''s more?" Aurillia sounded appalled.

    Keeping information from the Legion simply wasn''t done. What sort of colossal moron had decided it was a good idea this time?

    "The ant abomination has modified the core of at least one Queen and turned the whole damn Colony Sapient."

    There was a moment of silence as the tribune absorbed that.

    "WHAT?!" She bellowed.

    "That''s what I said," Titus nodded.

    Morrelia winced at Aurillia''s outburst, but mustered her courage and tried to inject herself into the conversation again.

    "Comman -,"

    "The species is apparently called Formica Sapiens. Numerous tier three, some tier four specimens spotted, and that was weeks ago. We can expect far more fours and possibly some fives mixed in. On top of that, there are magic capable ants, as well as some with their own pets and healers in the mix."

    The tribune was aghast.

    "This is a disaster! The potential damage from such a swarm is.. is¡­ monstrous!"

    She was staggered by the sheer scale of the disaster. A normal ant colony, when left unchecked, was enough to tear down kingdoms, destroy cities and consume tens of thousands of lives. A Colony where every single insect was intelligent?

    Titus breathed out slowly.

    "Yes. If I''d been told this ahead of time, I''d have brought five Legions. Cornering the Colony and ensuring none of the damned monsters escape to continue to the species is going to be a nightmare with our numbers. Even managing to engage the filthy beasts is going to be a pain."

    Expression grim, Titus began to think about what he needed to do.

    "Alright. Aurillia, I want you to assemble the officers. Ten minutes. We have to redraw the parameters of our campaign here. We''ll try and get reinforcements, though I think it''ll be a struggle to get the numbers I want. That means every soldier is going to have to carry more weight. I want the troops informed of a shift in policy within the hour. Things are going to get rough and they need to be warned."

    "Yes, Commander."

    The tribune offered a crisp salute before she turned on her heel and walked swiftly away, leaving Titus and Morrelia alone together. Themander offered his daughter a weary smile.

    "I apologise for losing my temper. I always tried to control it around you and your brother."

    Suddenly addressed by the person she was trying to speak to moments ago, Morrelia could only nod.

    Titus sighed.

    "Things are going to get ugly here. Sentient monsters are a nasty fight at the best of times. The sort of numbers we''re dealing with here? We''re going to lose good people. Dead Legionaries, all thanks to that prideful trash pile."

    He reached out and ced a hand on his daughter''s shoulder.

    "Get some rest while you can. There''s a lot of killing to do soon. It''s not going to be easy, but it''s necessary to keep people safe."

    So saying, he removed his hand, squared his shoulders and marched forward into the camp. He had work to do.

    Morrelia slumped her shoulders.

    "Ah, hell," she said.

 Chapter 505 Easy Breezy

    <h4>Chapter 505 Easy Breezy </h4>

    Abyssal Legion Armour is known by many names, Runic Armour, Legion te, Abyssal Armour. As far as I can determine, no ''official'' nomenture exists. At least, if one did in the past, it has since been lost. Instead, the terms used tend to vary from region to region, or Legion to Legion.

    For the purposes of this text, I shall use the term Abyssal Armour, as that is the mostmonly used in my own deployment.

    Legion records from The Rending are surprisingly robust in some areas. Fortunately, the creation of the armour is one such field of study. Though others would doubtless refute such a im, the Legion was the first surface dwelling organisation to prate deep into the Dungeon. Desperate to survive, the early leadership would reach out to any branch that they thought would pull them from the surging currents. A great deal was discovered, and utilised, that is now forbidden.

    What they eventually learned was that in order to survive, it wasn''t enough to just defend the surface. The means and materials required to destroy the monsters weren''t to be found there, but deep in the Dungeon itself. It was the confluence of several discoveries that led to the development of the first suits.

    Lapisvitae. The living stone. Harder than steel, highly responsive to mana and able to be grown to a desired shape, the material was perfect for creating arms and armour that would respond well to enchantment. Unlike others, the Legion has never prioritised using the stone for weapons, but instead highly prized its defensive properties and included it in our armour. The usage can vary, depending on where the armour was forged, but most typically Lapisvitae is used to form the chest te, thigh guards and gorget. The bs of living stone are grown to the desired shape and fused to the metal using means I shall not borate on here.

    The second major discovery was what came to be known as Abyssal Iron. Difficult to mine, impossible to work, the stuff was so highly prized by the early Legion that they founded their central fortress on top of the only known node. Not all suits of Abyssal Armour are made out of this metal, it''s too rare for that, but the best ones are. Despite being notoriously hard to work with, the Iron possessed several properties that the Legion prizes. First, it''s indescribably tough. Second, it conducts mana to an absurd degree, whilst also being resistant to magical damage, a contradiction I cannot begin to exin. Third, it was discovered that the Iron could hold captive the ''essence'' or ''soul'' of a monster. Trapped within, the creature would lend a portion of its own strength and will to metal, turning the monster''s strength against its own kind.

    The third discovery was the baptism through which each Legionary is reborn, their bodies adapted to ept the flow of mana to a higher degree than other mortals. On its own this wasn''t relevant, but when both Baptism and Abyssal Armour becamemon within the Legion, a method was developed where the one would connect to the other. A feedback loop, where the armour would feed mana into the body, through the channels forged by the absorption of liquid mana, where it strengthened the Legionary, and then back into the armour, powering its enchantments.

    In this way the Legion solidified its already considerable strength and paved the way for modern patterns of Abyssal armour. Though much has changed over the centuries, (the types of enchantments used, the preferred shape andyout of the armour, the monster core array) the basic threeponents remain the same. Living Stone te. Abyssal Iron frame. A Legionary with mana in their veins.

    Excerpt from ''Origins of the Legion - a reflection'' by Alberton. Loremaster of the Liria

    "Dammit Vibrant! It''s not my fault if Crinis doesn''t want to go y with you!"

    "Is-is! The only reason she won''te is because she''s worried about you! If you weren''t the sort of ant that vanished into pits, or, or got captured, or vanished into thin air and needed others to save you, or ---"

    "ALRIGHT! FINE!"

    [Crinis, go and y with this moron for a while would you?]

    "Yay-yay!"

    [Master, I''m not sure. This isn''t really a good time¡­]

    [Crinis, I''m so fed up with her whinging, I''ll order you if I have to. I promise I won''t fight the invaders and I''ll retreat if they find me, alright? Just go have fun.]

    [¡­ Alright. But be careful! I won''t be far away!]

    [Okay, okay.]

    The void of infinite darkness and suffering peels herself off my carapace andtches onto Vibrant who continues to dance around like a gigantic, hideous insect-child. With her new passenger on board, the energetic ant speeds away into the Dungeon with Crinis'' tentacles fluttering in the wind.

    FINALLY!

    Some peace and quiet. I don''t know how she manages to cram so many words into such a small amount of time. And she never seems to run out! I actually believe she''s mutated her pheromone nd to increase her supply so she doesn''t have to worry about running out! Otherwise there would be no way she could possibly go on as much as she does.

    With the pest no longer polluting the air and smothering my antennae with her irritating scent, I can finally concentrate. I give my idle sub-brains a kick and they almost begrudgingly get back to work, spinning together the Gas magic construct, the advanced form of the basic air construct. I form two at once and have each of my smaller sub-brains maintain them as the central sub-brain and my main mind get to work operating them and weaving the spells I need together.

    It''s a shame that Vibrant wouldn''t shut up long enough for me to try this little trick on her. Ah well, Tiny gets a kick out of it.

    [You ready, big guy?]

    The giant bat-faced ape shakes his shoulders as he gives me a thumbs up with one of his engine sized fists, a broad grin splitting his face. The two spells aren''t that hard to weave really, I mean, notpared to some others. Creating a de of wind so sharp it can cut stone takes a bit of work after all. The first spell anchors to Tiny (a trick that took quite a while for me to get a hold on. Invidia helped a lot) and sits right in front of him. It basically splits the air ahead of him and causes it to pass by his sides.

    The second is simr. It anchors behind Tiny and takes hold of the air passing around him, and then elerates it. The effect is that he goes super fast.

    [Alright then, you''re set to go! Invidia, stick close to him.]

    [I am ssssspeeeed.]

    [You''re about to be. GO!]

    And he''s off! Dashing away he leaves only a blurred outline of himself, a small orb with wings hanging onto his back. That''ll keep him upied for a while. More alone time for me to work on my magic.

    [Gas Magic Affinity has reached level 32!]

    Whoo! Nice! Eight more levels and I''ll be ready to fuse! I''m sure our invading friends will be calm enough to wait until I reach that milestone¡­

 Chapter 506 618 - The Press

    <h4>Chapter 506 Chapter 618 - The Press </h4>

    "Hold the line!" Advant flooded the surrounding space with her pheromones.

    "FOR THE COLONY!" The ants roared back.

    BOOM!

    Another explosion rocked the tunnel, sending Colony members sprawling in the dust. Healers rushed forward, antennae darting over the fallen, checking for pheromones indicating injury or distress. The medics had to be careful, too many soldiers were hiding their injuries, or at least refusing to acknowledge them.

    Once they''d identified those in need, they pulled them back from the front line and began to administer emergency treatment

    "Mages! Return fire!" Advant continued to flood thebat zone with instructions, trying to bring some order to the chaos. "Another acid barrage! Where''s my artillery!?"

    A team of ants pressed forward, collectively raising their business districts and unleashing a flood of acid at the enemies in the distance. With dust, spells, smoke and the acrid haze of acid filling the tunnel, it was almost impossible to see what was happening in the distance. Advant strained to see, frustrated by her inability to determine the enemy''s movements.

    "They''re advancing!" Called her spotter.

    "Fall back!" she roared, "Give ground, steady pace! Healers to the rear!"

    The ants organise themselves instantly, tiny bursts of pheromones flying between them as theymunicate rapidly. Every member was constantly aware of where their neighbours were. Compound eyes, antennae firing with the scent messages, the Colony members were in constantmunication with each other.

    The healers scurried to pull the injured back untilrger soldiers moved to join them. Their wounded family members clung to their back with mandibles and ws and they made an organized retreat.

    "Ready the copse!" Advant ordered and the gathered mages got to work quickly.

    Mana flowed and shifted in the air. Great torrents of the stuff, drilling into the ceiling, softening the rock in ces, splitting it apart in others. The mages were guided by their digging Skill, helping them to ascertain how to best perform their work.

    Advant watched them carefully, waiting. It was subtle at first, one mage, then another twitched as if poked, their hold on the mana slipping from their grasp.

    "They''re pushing back!" One of them announced. "I''ve lost control of the stone!"

    "Don''t force it! Pull back with the others. Quickly!"

    The mages broke off their working as the ceiling of the tunnel continued to groan and shift above their heads. The powerful Soldier was thest to retreat, watchful for any pursuit, but none came. The Stone people had been advancing for a day, frustrating the Colony''s attempts to hold them back. Somehow they were even able to overpower the ant mages and prevent them from copsing the tunnels when they tried it. With their superiormand of earth magic, it was even possible that they could drop the tunnel ceilings right on the Colony''s heads, but they didn''t want a few crushed ants, they wanted to continue to push forward. Toward the nest.

    The forwardbat group fell back two kilometres until they reached the next defence point, a joining of three sizeable tunnels to form one major arterial passage. The Carvers had been hard at work here, ambush tunnels, thick walls enchanted against damage, a significant narrowing of the passage. They would make a major stand here.

    Weary and in need of healing, Advant led her group into the defences, directing her members to rest and eat.

    "There''s plenty more fighting to do," she warned them, "anyone skipping torpor will be sent straight back to the nest. Maybe you can exin to mother why you thought you knew better than to do as the Colony asked of you."

    The ants shrank back visibly from that threat. Getting a dressing down from the Queen was something few ants got to experience, but all dreaded. Only the Eldest had demonstrated any capacity to withstand the pressure, just another legendary aspect of their existence.

    "That''s an effective way to threaten the troops," another scentmented, "I might have to try that one on the mages."

    Advant turned to see Propent walk over. The mage looked exhausted, her antennae drooping against her will, her legs barely holding her abdomen off the ground.

    "I think I need to use it on you," Advant observed, "it seems you''re in need of some torpor yourself."

    The mage waved one antennae wearily.

    "I would if I could. I assume you know what''s been happening?"

    "The tunnels not copsing?"

    The smaller ant nodded.

    "It''s not as if it was central to our strategy, but it has exposed a weakness. They are stronger than us when we fight them directly without bringing our advantage in numbers to bear. This goes for the soldiers as well as the mages."

    "It''s not as if we didn''t know that already," Advant pointed out.

    "True, but I don''t think we were prepared for how great the gap would be. I don''t even think copsing the tunnels would slow them that much, only hours perhaps, but they refuse to give us even that much. We aren''t even able to seed at tunnelling behind them. They can sense us as we move through the stone."

    Advant knew this much. Once the golgari had begun to press forward, they''d been relentless. The Colony had no desire to throw lives away battling to the death over stretches of tunnel so far from their nests, so their dying strategy had been put into y. Slow down the advance, wear them out, never let them rest. It was too early to say it wasn''t having any effect, but Advant wasn''t as confident as she had been.

    "Have you had word from the other fronts?" she asked.

    Propent nodded.

    "I caught up with Burke on my way here. It''s the same on every angle they''re pushing forward. Every now and again they send out splinter groups to feel out the side passages, but never far enough that we can cut them off. They''re hunting the nest, they don''t care about anything else."

    "They know we''ll never retreat from the brood," Advant guessed, "they believe we''ll stand and fight when they get close enough."

    "Which is why I think they invited the second force," the mage shared, "a pincer, to make it more difficult for us to simply retreat away from the golgari with the young."

    The conflict had only begun, one day of fighting with almost no casualties, yet already Advant was feeling pressured.

    "Stay cool," Propent advised, "and you know it''s serious if it''s me saying that. We have a long road and a lot of battle ahead. Things can change faster than you think. Be ready."

    "Good advice," the soldier conceded, "let''s both of us get some torpor whilst we can, sister. The battle here is going to be fierce."

 Chapter 507 In the dark, but not alone

    <h4>Chapter 507 In the dark, but not alone </h4>

    It took a long time before we actually began to fight as the sapient do. The gift the Eldest bestowed on us seemed natural, once we had it. Our old forms fell away and were reced by the new in such a seamless way, we never considered what that transition really meant for an embarrassingly long time. Although the Colony learned at a tremendously fast pace, and developed in many different directions at once, in battle, too often we defaulted to the behaviour of monsters without thinking.

    To the monster, fighting is for territory, food or preservation. Using all the tools at their disposal, monsters fight in a brutal fashion to meet their needs. We thought we were brutal. We crushed our prey with horrific violence, never giving them the chance to fight back. What were we, if not apex predators?

    The sapient showed us different ways and reasons to battle. For hate, for revenge, for power, as punishment and as reward. In truth, there are a thousand reasons why they fight, a thousand times a thousand, almost all of them unimportant or nonsensical in the eyes of the Colony. But the way they fought, even against each other¡­

    Savage, merciless, pitiless. They would go further than any monster would in seeking the destruction of their enemies, chase them to the end of the world andugh the whole way. The Colony had to learn to treat them the same way, if we wanted to survive. The records show the discontent these actions caused amongst our family, it was unnatural to engage in such a profligate waste of resources. To push an already defeated foe into the dirt, in case they might one day rise up again? The Colony did not fear the defeated as the sapients did. What had fallen to the Colony once, would only fall harder the second time. What we discovered over time is that our actions were interpreted as ''mercy'' and ''weakness'', a sign that we were prey, not predator.

    What we learned was how to finally teach the foolish who we really were.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from ''The History of Warfare in the Colony'' by Historiant

    Granin sighed. He was tired. He could feel it in his bones. Beneath the granite that covered him, beneath the flesh and right in the core of him, he was tired. It wasn''t the two days he''d been awake that was draining him, though it didn''t help. He could push for a week if he needed to, and it was starting to look as if he did. The perpetual posturing and bickering within the Shaper Circle wasn''t the main issue, though it certainly grated on him. How a race with such affinity to themon building blocks of the world became such posers he had no idea, but it was reality. Not even the constant suppression of the Warriors had drained him to this point. He was so ustomed to it that he almost didn''t notice that the Shapers were thest to be fed, thest to get water, the first to wake and thest to sleep.

    It was the Nobles.

    Granin had decided that he hated the nobles. Those High Ladies and Lords, the des of this house or that, their true-skin inevitably formed of such rare minerals that they gleamed in the darkness of second strata, dragging everyone else through the mud it was in unnecessary.

    He himself had little doubt that the only reason he was here was so his body could be left in a ditch on the way home in order to expunge whatever shame the House of Balta had decided Anthony had inflicted on them. He knew it wasn''t likely, but if he lived to see the day when Anthony chomped a few of these pompous morons in half, he''d be able to die a happy golgari.

    "Lazus! You awake?" A callous voice called.

    "Why wouldn''t I be? Haven''t been given permission to sleep," the old Shaper grumbled, careful to pitch his voice low. "Over here," he called.

    The figure stumbled in the dark and cursed as he made his way over. The Shapers didn''t warrant the expense of lights on this expedition apparently. This kind of suppression was a touch unusual, but not unheard of. Though it would probably end the way it always did.

    "You Lazus?" the voice asked.

    "That''s me."

    "They want you at the front immediately."

    The barely concealed sneer in his voice told Granin all he needed to know about this messenger. Warrior, snobbish, highly skilled and stupid. Just like everyone else on this damn mission.

    "Alright then," he hauled himself to his feet, "I wouldn''t want to keep them waiting."

    As they made their way through the camp it grew progressively brighter as they left the Shapers Circle behind, entered the Warriors and then the Nobles. Here the pride of House Balta rested, Shield Guardians, de Saints, Sword Dancers, veterans of waves, internecine House conflicts and more than a few from thest Wood War.

    To his surprise, Granin wasn''t stopped here, but instead directed through the centre of the camp and toward the front. He heard it before he saw it, shouted orders, the ring of Skills and explosions of magic. He almost sighed. He''d been here not that long ago, pitting his Will against the ants as they tried to push back and hold against the golgari or, failing that, causing rock falls to dy them. He almost chuckled at that. The monsters had no need to worry about angering the Church of the Path by disfiguring the ''holy'' order of the Dungeon. Not like the golgari didn''t indulge in a little copse every now and again. All was well as long as there wasn''t proof.

    As they advanced they walked past a number of mages, each with their eyes closed and senses extended, watching the stone with their minds. It was draining work that required constant concentration, something no Warrior would appreciate. He shook his head to try and clear away his sluggish thoughts. Damn, he needed some sleep.

    At the rear of the line, a tall, decorated golgari watched the action with a critical eye. It was toward him that Granin was led. The closer they got, the more he could make out of the battle taking ce. Mana res lit the area, prating the hideous dark, illuminating the two fronts. Disciplined rows of golgari were exchanging fire with a walled defence a hundred metres away that positively bristled with ants. From the other side they unleashed a flood of acid and spells. There must be thousands of them over there.

    Just what the heck has Anthony done over there?

    "Right pain in the backside," a voice broke his concentration.

    The old Shaper started when he realised it was the authoritative figure speaking to him. The Warrior eyed him with a critical eye before he turned back to the scene unfolding before him.

    "Who would have thought these bloody insects would be building forts?"

    Granin shifted on his feet a little. He''d known it, that''s for sure. The next sentence took him by surprise.

    "Ready to join the charge?"

    "Crud."

 Chapter 508 In the mouth of madness

    <h4>Chapter 508 In the mouth of madness </h4>

    He sensed them before they came. The Shapers had been ordered to keep their senses tuned for just such an ambush, but the ants were getting clever. They must have ced dampeners or some other form of mana suppression in the tunnels, which meant he didn''t have a whole lot of time once he detected the tell-tale signs through the ground.

    "Contact!" Granin hollered, "beneath! Above! And in the damn walls!"

    His voice didn''t carry far above the din, but enough heard him to make a difference.

    Shields went up, exploding with shimmering light that expanded to cover the golgari force on the nks even as Shapers wove together shields. res of light arrowed from mage''s hands into the rock around the tunnel, bringing points of illumination to the oppressive darkness.

    What they saw wasn''t pretty. From well concealed points on the walls and ceiling came a flood of insects, their antennae twitching furiously, lidless eyes staring as theyunched their attack. Acid and magic came at the invaders from all sides, hammering into shields and coating them with hissing goo.

    "Hold the line!" A voice roared, cutting through the noise. "Nothing here we didn''t expect! Push forward! PUSH damn you!"

    Granin could only shake his head. Low de Hironus Balta led this offensive, hoping to cover himself with glory in the eyes of his House and n. Why the minor noble felt it necessary to drag an exhausted Shaper into the middle of the fight, he had a few suspicions, none of them good. Not much he could do about it now. Granin had known something like this would happen when he sent his triad away. He hoped those two kids were doing alright. More than that, he hoped Anthony was living up to the promise that the old Shaper had seen in him.

    The tunnel was wide, close to two hundred metres at its widest point when the multiple passages came together, but the golgari hadn''t spread to cover that space as they pushed toward the walled fort the ants had created. The attacking force was a thousand members strong, but they were outnumbered at least five to one.

    He forced his tired mind to work, splitting off his mental constructs and tasking each of them with a role. Pain spiked through his head and he stifled a wince. He was pushing his limits here. Insanity had erupted in the tunnel and there was too much to take in. Mana swirled wildly through the air as hundreds of mages drew on the energy and cast it back out in a different form. Granin dedicated his own resources to firming up the shields on the left nk where he stood. Offensive magic was just as likely to hurt as harm in a situation like this. With acid covering the shields, he wouldn''t be able to see what he was aiming at.

    The ants weren''tmitting so far, hanging back and not closing with the deadly des of the golgari. It made for a slow, grinding battle where neither side wanted tomit. At least, so far. It was only a matter of time until someone dered the charge.

    "SHIELD WALL!" Came a deafening shout. "ANCHOR YOURSELVES!"

    What? Granin almost did a double take but forced himself not to turn his attention to the front. He had his own role to y and he knew better than to split his focus when he was already so drained.

    The Low de almost wished he were able to avert his eyes, he wasn''t quite able to parse exactly what he was looking at. The golgari had been making slow and steady progress toward the ant fort. The moment they''d closed the distance, the insects would have been forced to retreat or die throwing themselves against a wall of swords.

    It was clear the ants were pursuing a strategy of attrition, trying to wear down their betters. The very idea made Balta curl his lip. The Warriors of House Balta were indefatigable! They would push forward for weeks if necessary! The battle progressed exactly as he imagined it, right up until the ants defending the wall of their fort had parted and a host of armoured monstrosities had charged forth.

    Huge ants covered in steel rushed forward with almost palpable glee, their mandibles eagerly gnashing and chomping at the air. From behind those behemoths came a tidal wave of insects, thousands of them, sting acid overhead as they ran upon the floor and ceiling,

    A quiver of fear rose in his chest but he ruthlessly quashed it. A noble of the Houses wouldn''t falter in the face of these damned insects! He gave the orders to hold the line and a host of huge, broad shouldered Warriors stepped forward, massive tower shields mounted on their arms. Together they activated their defensive Skills as the front line stepped in behind them.

    "LET THEM TASTE YOUR SWORD!" He ordered and stepped forward himself, de in hand.

    Such was the weight and power of the insect charge that the ground under their feet was shaking, but the golgari held firm. Balta tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword and centred himself, allowing his emotions to fade as he channelled his energy into the de. When he felt the technique reach its peak he bellowed and the sword de shed, tracing a brilliant arc of light in the air.

    It was just one of a torrent of sword light that flew forward from the golgari lines towards the onrushing ants. Balta eagerly waited to see the result of their barrage. In his mind''s eye he could already see the bugs cut to pieces, their charge dying in its infancy.

    What he didn''t expect, was for the armoured figures to throw themselves onto the sword light. He almost didn''t believe it, but he swore he saw two of them thud into each other, trying to push the other aside so they could be the one to take the blow for the other.

    The sword light struck home and the screech of metal filled the air as the ant-armour was rent and cut, causing the leading figures to stumble, but they didn''t stop. Before the golgari could take another breath, the ants crashed into their line and all hell broke loose.

 Chapter 509 Blissful danger

    <h4>Chapter 509 Blissful danger </h4>

    "LEEEEEEROOOOOOOOOOOOY!"

    What a day! WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY! The Immortals unleashed their war cry, the name of their great leader, as they charged toward what would surely be their useful deaths! The golgari formed a fortress before them, theirbined shields creating a wall of golden light that the ants just couldn''t wait to run into.

    "No!" roared Leeroy as she battered aside one of her subordinates with a vicious shoulder check. "I will be the one to die!"

    The soldier watched the powerful arc of sword light descend on her as if it moved in slow motion. Perhaps this would be her chance, maybe this was her moment! The armour was an extension of her own body. She felt it, as the beam of condensed energy crunched into the steel, cutting deep rents in the folded metal and sending shockwaves of pressure through her carapace. There was pain, she was scarred, but she did not find oblivion. A dissapointment.

    "THE SEARCH GOES ON, SISTERS!"

    "WE SEEK!"

    The Immortals charged with renewed vigour, the mighty enemy arrayed before them igniting a me in their hearts and cores that burned like a sun.

    "You lot are weird," muttered a small voice.

    Clung underneath Leeroy, her ws dug into special grooves cut for purpose and her head protected behind a curve of folded steel, the healer had to wonder who had thought it was a good idea to send these crazed siblings into battle.

    Leeroy cared nothing for the opinion of others. She cared only for this moment, this charge and this enemy. The wall loomed before them, the golgari stood firm against their massed charge, confident in the strength of their defence. She hoped they were right.

    Closer. Closer! CLOSER!

    Tons of metal encased ant continued to endure the blows that rained down on them as they closed with the enemy, the rest of the Colony''s attack force following close behind. At thest possible moment, Leeroy synched her three pairs of legs, ready to unleash the new technique she had discovered.

    DASH! DASH! DASH!

    Firing each pair of legs just off time with each other, the Immortals push their thin ant legs to the breaking point, three separate dashes executed almost at once. The sheer force almost shattered their joints but pushed the armoured titans to the peak of their speed. The heavily armoured insects time their charge perfectly, crashing home into the golden shield line like a wave of steel.

    Please! Leeroy hoped.

    Nope! The medic dered, releasing her grip and dropping to the ground along with her sisters who appeared from under the other armoured figures. Once on the ground they turned their mandibles to the dirt, burrowing down as the rest of the attack wave flowed over their backs.

    Leeroy turned her body and felt her carapace crunch into the golgari defence. A test of the hardest the Colony could produce and the shield wall of the golgari. Despite her pounding heart and screaming soul, it was the shield that broke first, the enormous shield of energy cracked, then shattered under thebined weight of the Immortals.

    Carried forward by her momentum, Leeroy smashed into the golgari themselves, splintering shields and stumbling to the ground, her legs giving way beneath her. The Colony swarmed forward over her back as the soldier took a moment to check her body and collect her thoughts.

    She was injured. The impact against the shield had crumpled her armour and a web of stress fractures had appeared on her carapace. Yet, she lived. Still, she lived. Her body protested as she forced her legs to the ground and pushed herself up, regenerative fluid already sloshing through her body. The pain was intense, but she ignored it, hope igniting within her once more. The battle still continued, after all.

    "THE SEARCH GOES ON, SISTERS!"

    The battered Immortals responded in chorus.

    "WE SEEK!"

    Advant, directing the fight from close to the front could only twitch her antennae, a mix of irritation and bemusement rising inside her. At first it seemed like a good idea to take those soldiers who, like Leeroy, struggled with the concept of valuing their own lives and put them together with Leeroy in the Immortals. Armoured to the utmost limit of the Colony''s skills, they were the hardest to kill of any soldier after all. Instead, Leeroy had turned theirck of care into a fanatical desire for a glorious death.

    When the Eldest got back, they weren''t going to be pleased.

    She shook off the stray thoughts. The battle raged around her and she had a job to do. The golgari were surrounded on three sides, the Colony closing into melee on every front. It had been a deliberate decision not to surround thempletely, they still weren''t sure of the fighting strength the golgari possessed and it had been deemed wise not to find out when they were given no escape.

    Advant climbed a nearby rock to better see the conflict. The ants pressed hard, the barrage of acid and magic never ending. Though their front shield was destroyed, there must be mages maintaining the barriers on the nks, since the acid barrage isn''t getting through. The ants are though. From her elevated position, she could see soldiers pressing forward and engaging the enemy with their mandibles.

    Details were hard to make out, smoke and steam had begun to fill the tunnel, but the fighting must have been fierce. She could see healers working hard, dragging injured ants out of the conflict, risking their lives to fetch their wounded siblings back to the pits they''d prepared. With that tiny bit of cover, they set about administering what treatment they could. From behind, Advant could see reinforcements still pouring from the fort behind her, the ants crawling over each other and every surface of the tunnel in order to close with their opponents.

    The Colony hadmitted five thousand ants to this battle, the first real test against the golgari. Not a number that could contend with the full force brought against them, but enough to take a fight if it presented itself. When the enemy had dared to advance with only a small portion of their numbers against them, Advant and her siblings had decided they had no choice but tomit.

    The main battle ground was a heaving mess in her eyes, the small details of the conflict werepletely lost in the crush. But that wasn''t what she was looking for. All of her senses strained to their utmost as she focused, trying to see the overall picture of the battlefield. The golgari were shocked by the charge of the Immortals, but they were holding their formation. The ants increased the pressure, gripping their enemy in the mandibles formed by their three pronged assault, and slowly the golgari began to pull back. A fighting retreat.

    Advant watched, tense as a bowstring, for thirty minutes as the fighting raged until finally there was a response from the golgari camp. Massed ranks began to appear, led by figures in gleaming armour in the distance. It was time to sound the retreat.

    "PULL BACK!" She roared, her pheromones flooding the area around her.

    In moments her message had been ryed, blowing away the other scents in the tunnel as every ant passed it on. In an instant, the seething mass of insects that had pressed the golgari from multiple sides broke away and ran, carrying their wounded with them as they went. The acid and magic barrage continued as the soldiers retreated, until that too was over and the ants vanished into their hidden tunnels.

    In ten seconds, what had moments ago been a raging battle was eerily silent. Advant watched their enemy closely. The golgari appeared confused, several wanting to press forward to take advantage of the open field, others pulling back and yet more milling about in confusion. After observing for a few long moments, she too made her withdrawal, the first major battle of the conflictplete. There would be much to discuss and analyse, no doubt the generals would have much to say. For the moment, the enemy advance had been halted.

    A victory for the Colony.

 Chapter 510 Ah, Nards

    <h4>Chapter 510 Ah, Nards </h4>

    She''s really gonna kill me this time. I mean, Crinis was clingy to an absurd degree before based on myst disappearance, what''s going to happen this time. I''m afraid, afraid GANDALF! The image of Crinis burrowing her tentacles through my carapace and taking residence within my skeleton rises in my mind, causing me to shudder.

    She would do that! She would totally do that!

    Nononono. Having her stuck to my carapace all the time was bad enough! It was like having a second skin that disapprove of my every decision. Imagine what that''s like! A disagreeable SKIN! I can''t handle it getting worse, I just can''t!

    BOOM!

    An impact detonates under my ws, sending me sprawling and I scramble to get my legs back under me and run. Can''t you guys leave me alone? I''m trying to deal with real problems here!

    The five heavily armoured soldiers chasing me don''t seem all that sympathetic to my plight. In fact they seem rather insistent that they continue trying to poke holes in me with various pointy implements. Having foreign objects inside my carapace is exactly what I''m worried about right now. I don''t need this as well!

    I fire a quick air de hoping to scatter them, but the big one steps forward with his shield, absorbing the impact as the others run around to nking positions. Come on! How is this fair? If I had my full squad here, I''d show you!

    With my legs under me once more, it''s time to DASH! Blows sh into my carapace, carving deep slices into the precious diamond as I run down the tunnel, fleeing into the dark. Stop marking my shiny exterior, dammit! How am I supposed to lie to Crinis about this if she sees me covered in de marks?!

    DASH! DASH! DASH!

    POW! POW! POW! POW! POW!

    Acidunches from the rear zone as I run away into the darkness, trying to shake my pursuers. Just my luck that I decide to poke my antennae at the camp right when a patrol wasing back. How the heck was I supposed to know?! All I wanted was a little peek, just to see if I was needed, and I was being careful! They must have been using some kind of Skill or technique, because they practically tripped over me before I noticed they were there.

    Not even heat signatures! How the heck are these people so damn cold?!

    HAP!

    BOOM!

    I leap just in time to avoid a vicious thrust that fired a ray of sword light straight for my head. These people don''t y around. In fact, with their bulky armour and helmets covering their faces, it''s hard to believe that they aren''t the monsters rather than me!

    How do you like this then?

    With a sound of tearing wind, I unleash three wind spears at once, the spells twisting and warping the air in the tunnel and spreading the acid in all directions. Chance! I''ve explored these tunnels before, at least somewhat, and I know that the tunnel wall right over there is super thin! I run with all speed, firing more acid and wind magic as I go, trying to conceal my movements.

    Made it to the wall! Here we go!

    CHOMP! CHOMP!

    I rip into the stone with wild abandon and in only a few bites I manage to open up a hole and dive into it! Only to get my abdomen stuck¡­

    Again with this?! Am I fat?! Are you calling me fat, you stupid Dungeon!? Dammit, legs! PUSH! I force with my legs until I squeeze through the gap with a ''pop!'' andnd on the other side.

    Gweheheheh.

    With this gap, surely they won''t be able to catch up to me. Dash!

    BOOM!

    Next to me the wall explodes as another arc of de light cuts through the rock and cuts a deep gash on the opposite wall of the tunnel.

    DAMMIT!

    RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN!

    Part of me really wants to turn and shape up to these pests, but I''m worried. I''m too close to their base for one (not my fault, by the way) and I don''t know that I would win, especially without my pets! Gah! They''ve forced me into unknown Dungeon territory here. This is all unexplored terrain. As I speed through, firing wind magic (gotta push for those levels,bat always helps!) I try to look for anything that might lend me an advantage.

    All I find are the usual things, shadow beasts, stupid seaweed and deadly spike nts all over the ce. Not to mention a decent number of what I''ve started to call ''dead fish''. Smaller creatures full of Death Mana that can swim through the air riding on the mana currents. They''re a right pain in the backside, but I''ve not time to deal with them now. I''m sure a few willtch onto my carapace and I''ll have to st them offter.

    Just another irritating thing caused by these damn murder hobos!

    I cut around the corner just in time to avoid another coordinated strike that slices into the rock as if it were paper. Yikes! Not keen to test my head against that level of strike¡­ Aha! What''s that?

    Up ahead I notice the tunnel opens up into a major passage and lo and behold, right in the middle, I find a HUGE root that connects the roof to the floor. I''ve never seen anything like this around this area, but this could be my chance! The soil around tree roots is usually far more loose than other ces, since the ground gets broken up by the roots pushing through. I might be onto something here!

    I zig and zag as I run and then skirt around the blind side of the root. This thing is massive, it must be thirty metres in diameter at least! Easily enough to block sight of me. Once there, I coil my legs and spring into the air! As I descend, I pull back my mandibles as I spin together an earth mana construct.

    Ind head first, digging into the soil in a frenzy of biting and shovelling with my legs even as my sub-brains weave mana to help drill into the ground as fast as possible. DIG! DIG! DIG! Gotta get as deep as possible! No chances can be taken!

    Fully immersing myself in the power of zen, I dig with all of the efficiency that my ant body can muster, burrowing into the soil at a rate that would make Jim proud. Only when the business district has been fully submerged do I feel even remotely safe, but even then I don''t stop digging.

    Once I feel I''ve reached a significant enough depth, I freeze, hoping against hope that they won''t be able to find me. I expand all of my senses, trying to get a sense of what is going on around me, only then do I notice something I really should have picked up on before.

    This root, has a metric truck load of mana inside it¡­ Like, holy moly that is a lot of mana. When I push my awareness inside the root, it''s almost as if the pure, dense mana is slowly moving inside like sap within a tree.

    What the heck is this thing? And why, if it''s so loaded with mana and totally defenceless, aren''t monsters chomping it to bits trying to get at the energy within? I raced around the thing rather quickly, but I don''t think I saw a single monster close to it¡­

    I''m getting a bad feeling about this.

    Deciding to take my chances, I angle myself and dig my way back up, squeezing myself out between the root and the soil. To my vast surprise, I don''t see any soldiers trying to cut me down, or indeed any monsters nearby. Did my digging ruse work?

    Being exceptionally careful this time, I sneak my way back to where my pets left me, copsing in a relieved heap the moment I make it. Not five minutester, Crinis and Vibrant return.

    [Hey there, Crinis,] I say, desperately acting casual, [did you have fun?]

    I''m sure I''m okay. I even triggered my healing nd on the way back to take care of any minor wounds and I thoroughly cleaned myself. Please, for the love of the bearded one, let me get away with this!

    [I did. Thank you, Master.]

    The mass of tentacles and death unfolds from Vibrant''s back and once again takes up residence wrapped around my abdomen.

    [Did you manage to stay out of trouble, Master?]

    [Trouble? Me? Of course not! Just practicing magic is all I''ve been doing.]

    [Hmm. Alright then.]

    PHEW!

 Chapter 511 The Enemy Advances

    <h4>Chapter 511 The Enemy Advances </h4>

    The Empire of Stone endures forever. That is their im, at least. It''s no secret that the rock-people are a proud and stubborn people, proud of their history as one of the ''Old Races'' of Pangera. They are survivors, hardy and tough, their natural advantages and the sses that tie to their race have proven to be enough to bring them through the Cataclysm, as well as the chaos that followed.

    Golgari youth are born much as human children are, indeed, they are simr in size, strength and develop at aparable pace. The children of the golgari are rarely seen by outsiders, particrly within the Empire. Without those who have chosen to live away from the stronghold of their people, it''s unlikely anyone would have ever seen the natural skin colour of their children (it''s grey).

    When they mature, the rock-people begin to differ more and more from a standard human. They are significantly taller and heavier. The mean height for gori is over seven feet, with exceptionally tall individuals standing over nine. They are physically stronger as well, their mass reaching over two hundred kilograms even without their ''true-skin'', the name they give the mineral coating they wear.

    When theye of age, young golgari participate in a bonding ceremony that fuses their skin with a rock covering. A unique property of their skin allows it to form a strong bond with minerals that melds the two substances together, essentially forming a new skin. It is a misconception that the stone outer covering is a ''secondyer'' of skin, one that the golgari themselves usually don''t bother to correct.

    Their affinity to stone goes beyond their capacity to make it part of themselves. Golgari society as a whole is stratified and rigidly divided. Families are divided into Houses and ns, each in constantpetition with each other. Individuals are separated into Circles based on aptitude and ss. Due to their powerful physical properties and martial history, Warriors, those who fight with stamina and weapons, are esteemed, whilst those who manipte mana are generally disparaged. The Crafting Circle, Merchant Circle, even the Growers Circle enjoy a position of higher prestige than the mages. This is a feature almost unique to the golgari in Pangera, as generally mages are venerated, or at the very least highly respected for their prowess.

    Finally, we must address the golgari affinity for working in groups, or teams of three, which they refer to as ''triads'', a time honoured tradition, the origins of which cannot be determined. It is possible that not even the golgari themselves know. Only those individuals who rise to prominence in the Warriors Circle are epted to operate outside of a triad for an extended period, having proven their exceptionality. Such individuals are greatly respected and given the title of de. These are the Nobles, leaders of the Houses, generals and strategists of note.

    The rock-people continue to be a force to be reckoned with inside the Dungeon. Despite their stubbornness, their infighting and their somewhat archaic views, they endure against pressure better than almost any other society.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from ''Notes on the Old Races'' - by Arritrea.

    High de Balta was displeased. He had marshalled the forces of his House, called in favours and sshed coin to ensure he would lead this expedition. He had done all he could to pull in veteran Warriors and equip them with the best avable gear he could find. Time had constrained him in this regard, as well as the remote location. Deeper in the core of the Empire, he would have been able to muster double the numbers with higher levels and better sses, but he''d been satisfied with what he''d managed to assemble.

    Ants, even intelligent ones, should have stood no chance against the golgari might he had brought to crush them. Yet here he stood, looking down at his nephew who knelt at his feet, reporting that the insects had pushed him back when he had attempted to im their pathetic fort.

    "I do not want to hear words of failure from your mouth, nephew. Failure is not something that we ept in our House. Do you understand what I''m saying?"

    The younger golgari de trembled under the simmering anger of his elder that lurked just beneath the surface. He had been brash and taken his force to assault the insects without waiting for the othermanders to organise their forces. Had he been victorious, the glory would have belonged to himself alone. In failure, he received all of the shame that went with his defeat.

    "Where you not of my own House, I would have expelled you from this expedition and sent you home in disgrace," High de Balta spat.

    "Please, uncle, give me another chance!"

    "You weren''t given a chance! You just decided to seize one for yourself! Arrogance is only epted when it is backed by ability! You have proven youck thetter but hold an abundance of the former!"

    Real anger zed in the eyes of the elder now. This promising youth had achieved the rank of Low de at a young age. The House had great expectations for him, only for the fool to grow impatient and make himself aughing stock. Defeated in pitched battle by ants.

    "A hundred of our people lie dead due to your ambition and stupidity. That is the price of your arrogance. I will give you another chance. Not to lead, but to demonstrate your ability with a sword is not as useless as your head. When the next assault goes, you will lead the charge personally."

    "I hear and obey!"

    Hironus Balta, on his knees before the leader of his House, tried to disguise his sigh of relief. Had the High de wanted he could have done far worse. He would get a chance to prove to his rivals that he deserved his rank. It would suffice.

    In the East, the other half of this invasion force was progressing in their advance, though with less haste and more sess. Yet Titus wasn''t pleased with what he heard.

    "A root of the One Tree? You''re sure?" He asked.

    "I''ve seen them before,mander. It''s hard to mistake something like that."

    Titus could only nod. It''s true, the One Tree wasn''t the sort of thing that could be described as small, or be used of blending in.

    "So what happened?"

    "The target fled towards the root and burrowed itself in the soil in an obvious and slightly ridiculous way. We decided it best not to disturb the root and retreated."

    "Wise," Titus acknowledged the squad leader with a nod, "take your team to the mess and get some food in you. You''ll be back out there soon enough."

    With a crisp salute, the man left Titus to his thoughts.

    "I don''t like it Titus," Aurillia warned hermander, "a root showing up here? This isn''t going to be good."

    "We don''t know if it''s going to be active," he cautioned.

    "After that idiotic creature burrowed down next to it? I''d be shocked if it didn''t start sprouting tomorrow."

    As much as he hated to admit it, his Tribune was most likely correct. From the moment his Legion had first engaged the enemy, things had not gone ording to n. An intelligent Colony, likely a waveing, his allies had proven untrustworthy and now this. Another variable into the mix was thest thing he needed.

    Titus growled in frustration. He''d feel a lot better once he started cutting down insects. It was time he headed out on patrol. His axe was thirsty.

 Chapter 512 Death Comes

    <h4>Chapter 512 Death Comes </h4>

    The Old Races against the New is a troubling rivalry that has arisen in the centuries since the Cataclysm. Perhaps it is understandable that those who existed on Pangera in a time before the Dungeon would view those that came after with suspicion. They know for a fact, after all, that they are free of the corruption that the Dungeon brought to the world, whereas the same cannot be said for those who cameter.

    The New Races, on the other hand, rose to sapience and formed their societies after the surface was breached and damaged by spawned creatures. Their peoples have never known a world without monsters, never walked the surface without fear and indeed, do not value the surface in the way their elders do.

    The Humans, Kaarmodo, Golgari, Brathian initially viewed the neers with hostility and attempted to push them out of the Dungeon. The Sophos who fell, originally an Old Race, were hunted to the brink of extinction once the Cataclysm subsided and conquest of the Dungeon begun. When contact was first made between Old and New, conflict erupted immediately. Only after the New Races had demonstrated their ability to defend themselves and their interests (also once they hade into contact with each other and formed a mutual cooperation agreement) did the Old and New begin to enter discussions and de escte.

    The Bruanchii, The Folk and the Krath, being the most prominent among the New, have proven to be bold yers in the fiercepetition for resources that goes on in the Dungeon. Sometimes working together, sometimes in opposition, they have disyed a fearlessness and willingness to take on great risks that their elders would avoid. Some argue that this is due to their lower intelligence orck of stable foundations, whilst others believe it to be a necessity, given that they arose so much more recently than theirpetitors and need to catch up.

    The origins of most New Races is still a contested matter amongst many academics. The Bruanchii, for example arose within the wilnds of the south, though it is not known exactly where, or when. The Folk are a loose amalgamation of many peoples with a simr philosophy, and were first encountered in the Dungeon itself, leading many to believe they are monstrous in nature. It has since been proven that they are able to live and thrive on the surface, taking away the credence of that theory.

    How the people of Pangera will coexist moving forward, no credible theorist is willing to say. Shifts and changes within the Dungeon are capable of shattering centuries old alliances in a matter of days. Nothing is permanent and all is in flux. It is safe to wager, however, that the Old and New races will continue to hold to their own for the most part, preferring to trust in those simr to themselves.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from ''Musing on the Races of Pangera'' by Tirino

    The conflict was proving to be a nightmare for Sloan, one that she simply couldn''t wake from.

    "News from the front, general!" Announced an exhausted runner, crawling into themand post.

    "Which front?" Sloan snapped.

    "The deeper front! The enemy advance has shattered the first outpost. Casualties were heavy."

    Ice struck the general''s heart, but she steeled herself against it. She resisted the urge to indulge in her nature like Leeroy and throw herself out of themand post, rush to the front line to die with her siblings. She could do more good for her family here, so here she would remain.

    It was hard, but she would do it.

    "What about the Eldest?" She asked.

    "The Eldest and all Guardians were able to retreat safely. Only thanks to their intervention were any saved at all."

    That bad?

    "Is there a full reporting?"

    "Yes, general. Should only be a few hours behind me."

    The weary scout stood on shaking legs, having pushed herself to the limit to bring this dire news to the nest. Runners like her were racing through the Colony''s territory without pause during this conflict, hundreds at a time.

    "Go rest, scout. You''ve done well."

    Sloan saluted the exhausted ant with one antenna and nodded when the gesture was returned. Medics rushed forward to tend to the scout before she copsed and the council member turned back to the war map. The enormous sculpture took almost ten cubic metres of space in the centre of the openmand post. A host of carvers crawled over and inside the thing, being careful not to damage the incredible piece of work. Using Tunnel Maps and Earth Magic, the carvers had created a vast statue of stone that urately depicted the territory of the Colony.

    Even the fine details were ounted for, the defences and gates, the location of forces and even a special g to indicate the location of the Eldest was present. Sloan watched with interest as one of the carvers responded to the most recent news and grasp that g in her mandibles and shifted it closer to the nest.

    "What did I miss?" Victor asked, rushing into the chamber.

    "Assault on the deeper front. The first outer fort has fallen. How was your rest?"

    "Terrible. It''s impossible to enjoy torpor with all of this mess running through your head."

    Victor gestured with one mandible to the flurry of activity that surrounded them.

    "And I''ll save you a bit of trouble, the enemy has broken through in the East as well, I intercepted the scout on the way in. You know the weirdest thing? Not a single one of the Immortals was killed in the retreat."

    Sloan stared.

    "How is that even possible? They volunteered to be the front of every conflict!"

    Her fellow general could only shrug her antennae.

    "They are supposed to be ''Immortal'' right? Say what you want about that armour, but it does a good job of protecting them. After the beating they received in training, their armour Skills should be decent as well."

    "They are going to be even more insufferable when they get back."

    "¡­ you''re right."

    They both turned to view the territory of the Colony, making calctions as the little gs which represented their enemies advanced closer to the nest.

    "The first ring of defences has fallen and many of our siblings have fallen," Victor observed.

    "I don''t want to sound callous, but more have graduated since the beginning of the conflict than have died. In terms of numbers, our situation has improved, not gotten worse."

    "I don''t think the Eldest would like that thinking."

    "I doubt they would, but we have to deal in realities. There is no way the Colony will be able to survive without sacrifice."

    "I understand that. You and I have been given the job of observing the conflict as a whole. The Eldest on the other hand¡­ They might take things a bit more personally."

    Sloan had to agree, the Eldest had always ced a high priority on the lives of the Colony. Higher than the individual ants themselves ever did.

    "You don''t think the Eldest will do something¡­ unwise¡­ do you?" She asked tentatively.

    "Think? No¡­ I''d bet on it."

 Chapter 513 Vengeance

    <h4>Chapter 513 Vengeance </h4>

    It was already personal. Now it''s¡­ more personal. When the armoured death machines had started to advance, the scouts had alerted me and I''d gathered the troops and headed to the first defensive position. The carvers had been working overtime, throwing up walls, forts and all sorts of little traps throughout the entirety of the Colony''s territory.

    When the killers arrived, they''d cut through our defensive line with ease. Hundreds of them had advanced against our position, weapons aglow with deadly light and armour pulsing with mana. They had been visible, even through the thick darkness of the second strata. Magic hadn''t affected them much, acid hadn''t slowed them down, they just kepting.

    When the leader drew close enough, they''d drawn back with a massive axe and unleashed something I''d never seen before. It wasn''t a sh, or an arc of de light. It was more like a freakin'' WALL. When it closed in on me, it was like the entire world went white. I''d tried to protect my siblings by leaping in front of those near me and the resulting wounds had put me out of the fight. Without Invidia shielding and healing me, I might not have made it out at all.

    Those damn metal bucket murderers! Hundreds of my siblings died in the chaos after that! They charged and cut through the lines. Protectant and her group appeared and dragged me out, right when I was getting my guts back insi --- I mean warmed up!

    Geh.

    It was a defeat. A total defeat. The rest of the Colony fell back to the next defensive position, ready to try again, undeterred by the deaths. Not me though. I have too much rage! WAY too much rage!

    "I don''t think this is wise, Eldest¡­"

    I won''t be satisfied until I inflict damage on the enemy. My mandibles must rend. REND I SAY.

    "Eldest¡­"

    I can''t take on hundreds of them at once¡­ no. That would be suicide, even for me. What I CAN do is ambush one of their patrols. With my pets and Protectant''s crew, we should be able to overpower and finish them off before reinforcements cane.

    "I don''t think the Council would approve¡­"

    Who cares if these stupid tin cans get angry? They''re already here killing us! Time to return the treatment back to them, with extreme vengeance. A second of my baby-sitters materialises out of nowhere.

    "I agree with Protectant. This isn''t a good idea."

    I''ve been ignoring Protectant, as is my policy when she offers advice, but who the heck is this?

    "I''ve never seen you before. Why are you popping out now?"

    The ant shifts ufortably, unhappy to be out of the shadows.

    "It didn''t seem like you were listening and I felt our point of view needed to be emphasised."

    "What''s your name?"

    "Defendant."

    Seriously?!

    "Look. Our Colony members have been killed and I am determined to seek righteous vengeance! Justice! What can you possibly have against that?!"

    "You would be better served to join with the rest of the Colony and assist in the defence. Your capacity to punish the enemy will surely be higher there, not to mention your own safety¡­"

    "Safety be damned! This is about attack! Aggressive moves to let them know that they can''t kill us with impunity!"

    Protectant and Defendant share a nervous twitch and I can tell they are watching each other carefully. I cut them off before they can start to organise against me.

    "Let''s discuss this rationally," I begin, "I want to establish a few things first, though."

    The two ants nod.

    "Alright. I''m not sure exactly what the council has ordered you to do, so let me ask this: Do you have to follow me wherever I go?"

    "Yes," the two answer immediately.

    "Okay. Thanks. Secondly¡­"

    DASH!

    I''m off!

    [Let''s go Tiny! Invidia! It''s time to strike a blow against the tin cans!]

    Full of a desire to inflict pain on the invaders, I rush down the tunnel at top speed, my pets hot on my heels. I don''t even need to turn my head to see the two baby-sitters freeze in shock before chasing after me in a panic. Gweheheh. No matter what, you''ll get dragged into my schemes! You think the council will be able to prevent me from quenching the fires of rage that burn inside my heart?!

    The sight of my family members broken and dying on the ground around me refuses to leave my mind. I refuse to not strike back!

    I have to be careful about it, I understand that much. If I get caught by arge number of those armoured soldiers then I''m going to get myself killed, which isn''t going to help the Colony at all. The tiny voices that trickle through my Vestibule demand that I fight though, and I''m fully inclined to listen to them. We make a wide loop around, trying to avoid the front and circle into position between the fort where west fought and the camp upied by the enemy.

    I''ve spent hours running through all of this area and adding it to my Tunnel Map whilst they built their stupid camp, I have it well mapped out. Only a small portion of this remains dark to me, mostly around that weird root that I found. I''m still interested in investigating that a bit further, but first I must attend to my business.

    Once wee close enough, I engage full stealth mode, creeping as much as possible from cover to cover and sending Crinis ahead to scout, hiding in the shadows. The soldiers frequently sent scouts out into this area, usually in teams of five. By myself, I wouldn''t be able to take them on, but with my full crew, I have confidence. As long as some unholy demon like that axe wielding freak doesn''te, we''ll be able to win.

    It''s not a fair fight after all, it''s an ambush!

    Dishonourable? Who cares about dishonourable?! My dead family members don''t care! When wee to a likely location, I carefully begin to dig a hidey hole for us whilst employing my new Skill. That''s right! The technology of the ant is always evolving! I think this Skill became unlocked when I ranked up external mana maniptionst but I didn''t notice until recently.

    The Skill? Mana Masking! This Skill grants knowledge of how to conceal mana signatures of monsters and other sources from detection. Although it''s only rank one since I just bought it, this is going toe in handy. I have to dedicate a sub-brain to managing the load, but it''ll be worth it. Perhaps if the Skill was high enough, I''d be able to hide a Gravity Bomb from detection, but there''s no way it can do that now. I only hope it''ll fool the soldiers long enough for them toe close.

    With our hiding ce dug and my brains busily constructing a false mana impression around us, we settle in and wait. Crinis extends tentacles into the shadows, using her advanced senses to keep watch whilst we wait.

    Fortunately, we only have to wait an hour before Crinis passes word.

    [Master, five areing.]

 Chapter 514 Short... and sharp

    <h4>Chapter 514 Short... and sharp </h4>

    With Crinis'' announcement, my entire carapace tenses (metaphorically). It''s time, I''m ready for action, my entire spirit is primed and filled with ire. These tin-people have hurt my family and now I''m going to give the pain back to them.

    [Steady, Master. Control the mana.]

    My ever faithful Crinis provides a timely warning and I check myself. My emotions had begun to get the better of me and my mana disguise was fluctuating. Cursing myself for my carelessness, I sink deep into the meditation Skill, pushing my distractions away and sharpening my minds to their limit. No mistakes, no emotions.

    My main mind runs a quick check of preparations. Gas mana construct is ready to go, my first spell already constructed and held in waiting. My legs are flexed, like coiled springs, ready to leap from the hiding ce in half a second. All I need is the word.

    [How long, Crinis?]

    [They''reing. I don''t think they sense me, or if they have they''re pretending. I am ready to strike at any time, Master.]

    [Wait for the rest of us.]

    [Yes, Master.]

    A tense silence.

    I feel another mind intrude on my own.

    [Fight?] Tiny asks.

    [Almost.]

    [Fight¡­] he responds, despondent.

    [Just wait ten seconds you thick ape! Just how badly do you want to punch something?!]

    He looks at me seriously, a thoughtful expression on his face as he considers my question. After a second he holds up ten fingers and nods solemnly.

    [A ten. Is that out of ten?]

    He nods again.

    [So you reaaaaaally want to fight?]

    Another nod.

    [I have just one more question. Just a quick one. If I were to ask you the same question another time, do you think you''d ever, under any circumstances, give me an answer other than ten?]

    A slight pause, then a slow headshake.

    This idiot.

    [They are slowing down. I think they sense something! Master!]

    [Attack!] I send the mental roar at my pets as my legs fire and I rocket out of the hole.

    Still fifty metres away stand five heavily armoured figures, their weapons up having sensed something was off about this stretch of tunnel. Toote!

    With a thought I unleash the spell I had prepared, sting out a fierce tornado toward the soldiers. The sharp winds cut into the rocks, sending stone shards into the air and destroying visibility. Not that I minded.

    [Tiny! Move it!]

    The ape was slower than me at getting out of our crammed in little hole, but once he finds his feet, his wings unfurl and he bounds forward, hands outstretched, Invidia riding on his back. The soldiers respond quickly, barriers forming as they raise their shields and activate their defensive Skills to fend off my spell. It''s all the time we need to close the distance.

    POW! POW! POW! POW! BOOM!

    Acid flies and explosions ring out the moment the wind dissipates. The noise is sure to bring attention down on us swiftly, but I''ve decided that we will hold nothing back in order to achieve a swift victory. We close the distance in a sh, my mandibles wide open and the Doom Chomp already forming.

    CRUNCH!

    The soldiers are disciplined and show no fear, shing out with their weapons and attempting to get into formation, but we don''t let them. I''ve noticed that these people are far more powerful when they work effectively together, which means disrupting their teamwork is our top priority. This is the role Tiny is ying to perfection as the enraged apeshes out with lightning coated fists and smashes everything in his way. His absurd strength is on disy as he crashes through the soldiers as they attempt to dodge and duck out of the way, treating him like a bull.

    CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

    My sub-brains continue to pump out wind des, firing them every moment I can find a target. The only thing I really have to be careful of is hitting Tiny. Not that he''d notice, he''s way too pumped up. In the frenzy of battle, all of my minds are razor focused on the task of destruction.

    Two soldiers have taken a position in front of me, their powerful armour deterring my mandibles, for now at least. The Doom Chomp isn''t to be underestimated! This powerful rank five Skill, along with my heavily mutated mandibles are more than capable of punching through this armour¡­

    Eventually.

    "Get in here and help already, Protectant!" I yell.

    I detect the whiff of a sigh from above me before all twenty of the hidden babysitters materialise on the ceiling. After a brief moment theyunch from their perches to strike at the soldiers, neatly dividing themselves between the five enemies, four ants for each. They don''t try and defeat them on their own, but instead disrupt and distract, acting much like ants on Earth would, grabbing at limbs and trying to pin the enemy down. It''s an effective tactic and the pressure on us eases for a critical moment.

    "We need to hurry, Eldest," Protectant warns me, "let''s finish this quickly and hurry back to the Colony."

    She''s right, this is taking too long already.

    I turn my sub-minds away from the wind construct and instead draw on my gravity mana, flooding my mandibles with the powerful energy and forming multiple bolts at a time.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    In the next ten seconds I smash the soldier in front of me with gravity bolts until they can no longer move effectively, only releasing them from my mandibles when I''m sure they can no longer fight. Distracted and separated, the others can''t prevent me from using the YOINK ability of the gravity infused mandibles to pull them to me.

    One by one, I bring all of the armoured soldiers down in this way, the baby-sitters club, Tiny, Crinis and Invidia keeping them off bnce and unable to retaliate. No longer able to defend themselves, the soldiers strain to lift their weapons and activate their Skills, still desperate to fight for their lives.

    [The magic will wear off if we don''t act soon, Master. Do you want me to--- ?]

    [No,] I say, [I''ll do it myself.]

    Using my mandibles, I take their helmets off and end them in one swift bite. They stare at me with hatred and rage, not an ounce of fear in them as I do it. Sunk deep into the meditation Skill, there is little emotion, except the whispers that echo throughout my body that trickle through the Vestibule. They tell me something I need to hear. They tell me something that pushes away the tremors in my heart.

    They say: "Good Work."

 Chapter 515 Growth, then growth

    <h4>Chapter 515 Growth, then growth </h4>

    As we flee from the scene of the battle with all haste, I take a moment to let the System messages from the battle roll over me.

    [You have in Level 54 Legionem Shieldbearer (Human)]

    [You have in Level 44 Legionem Armoured Scout (Human)]

    [You have in Level 45 Legionem Shieldbearer (Human)]

    [You have in Level 58 Legionem Swordsman (Human)]

    [You have in Level 42 Legionem Armoured Scout (Human)]

    [You have gained experience]

    [You have reached level 58]

    A lot of experience was gained there. Also, the next evolution is getting a lot closer. Another twenty two levels and I''ll reach that mythical level 80 that seemed so far away after I''d evolved. It''s a shame to leave their armour and technology behind, but I don''t want any dys. I believe it''s likely they''ll have a way to know when their people go down. All in all, this ambush was highly sessful, but still, I can''t shake the feeling that my mandibles are unclean.

    [They havee to kill you, Master. Don''t worry over them when they wouldn''t do the same for you,] Crinis'' voice echoes in my mind.

    I twitch, startled by her sudden words. How well is she able to read my mood? I still have meditation active! I hardly even have a mood!

    [What do you mean?] I ask her, [why would I be feeling anything other than triumph right now?]

    A pause as Crinis considers her reply.

    [I have been your servant for a long time now, Master. I have watched carefully and I see more than you think. I know that you do not want to hurt the humans. You didn''t really want to hurt the golgari either. Even though they are filth that treated Master so poorly! They should be burned¡­ burned! They should be flung into a pit of ten thousand mouths and ---]

    [Crinis!]

    [---ah. I''m sorry. I just felt that defeating this enemy would make you sad, so I spoke. I hope I have not disturbed you for no reason.]

    I sigh.

    [No, Crinis. You''re totally right, as you usually are. I felt as though¡­ I felt like we could be a bit better than this, with monsters for everyone to fight against, why would they go out of their way to fight us? I thought if the Colony was peaceful and didn''t attack anyone, then we''d be left alone. At least, that''s what I''d hoped. It appears as though I was just being foolish from the beginning.]

    I can feel Crinis bristle on my carapace.

    [Master isn''t wrong! Everyone else is wrong! What reason do they have to attack your family? None! These trash have no excuse for their behaviour!]

    She''s riled up. I can feel the teeth of her tentacles grinding against my perfect diamond shell. I wince. Please don''t scratch me! It heals up pretty fast, but it hurts my heart.

    [I guess it doesn''t matter who''s wrong or right now,] I try to soothe her, [this is the situation that we''re in and we''re going to have to deal with it. I can''t be half-assed anymore, it''s them or us, and we weren''t the ones to push it to that point.]

    [Master?]

    [Yes?]

    [What''s an ass?]

    [¡­]

    How could I even exin it¡­ monsters don''t have butts!

    I deflect as best I can as we wind our way through the narrow tunnels until wee to the point I''d been looking for. That weird root had appeared in this location and I want to take another gander at it before it bes too hard for us to make it into this area. It doesn''t take long for us to arrive at the location, although I don''t recognise it at first.

    Where first there had been a regr, second strata tunnel, filled with darkness and the scent of death, grasping nts and shadow beasts, is a now a totally different scene. Green vegetation has exploded along the walls, thick and vibrant. The four of us pull up out of reach of the vines and strangely grasping branches in surprise.

    "What the heck is this?" I ask nobody in particr.

    "A-are you talking to us?" Protectant asks from over my head. "We have no idea."

    "No, I wasn''t ---. Doesn''t matter I suppose. Should we try and push into this?"

    We''re still some distance from the root itself and I can''t even see it, but I can''t imagine anything else is responsible for this explosion of greenery. Seeing this amount of bright nt life, is just so weird for this part of the Dungeon, it''s almost surreal looking at it. Why the heck would it be green anyway? I don''t think photosynthesis is happening down here!

    [I''m not going to lie,] I announce to my pets, [but I''ve got a bad feeling about this ce. I''m not sure that I want to meet whatever it was that caused this to happen.]

    Whatever did this might be a scary thing, which is fine with me, since that would mean that those stupid soldiers will have to deal with it, not me. Still, I can''t say I''m not curious about it, just not enough to take any risks right now.

    [Let''s get the heck out of here,] I say as I turn around and make my way back.

    We''ll loop around and regroup with the Colony, ready to defend the next fort. When those metal encased chumpse back, I hope they''re prepared to ept a gravity bomb to the face! To be honest, it wouldn''t shock me if they had some sort of countermeasure for hyper-condensed spells. Come to think of it, I hope we do too. Surely someone has thought of that, no way I''m the first.

    We make good time looping back to the Colony and manage to arrive before another major offensive, what''s more, we find some timely reinforcements have returned from their training trip.

    "Eldest, nice to see you again!" Be calls, hopping with excitement.

    "Ellie, Be! Good to see you too! How did the training trip go?"

    The Core shapers were sent on a long range expedition to soak up experience and farm cores away from the Colony. With the number of graduatesing out of the Academy and the demands of the soldiers, scouts and generals for experience, the call was made that there just wasn''t enough to go around.

    "Sorry we''rete," Be said, "when we got out there, we found a whole lot more than we expected and were reluctant to leave without taking everything we could."

    I shrug.

    "It''s fine. You did what was asked of you and there''s still a long way to go in this war. I hope the results are enough. Are your pets going to give a good show of themselves?"

    Be chomps her mandibles aggressively,

    "They are ready to go! Our Skills have improved a lot, and so have theirs! We also have a few new types we''ve developed in the mix. They''ll make the Colony proud."

    "Good. It won''t be long before they''ll be put to the test. Make sure your people get enough rest and then slot into the defence. It''s going to get wild around here."

 Chapter 516 Differing Views

    <h4>Chapter 516 Differing Views </h4>

    "What will we do with them?" Morrelia''s voice was subdued.

    Titus stared unblinking at the five bodies arranged before him.

    "They will be returned to their families for burial. If their families do not im them, or if they requested it themselves, they will be taken to the surface and buried in the Legion memorial in Tanna."

    Morrelia turned her head to gaze up at her father.

    "There''s a Legion memorial?" she''d never heard of such a thing. She hesitated for a moment. "Is that where brother¡­?"

    He nodded grimly.

    "We don''t bury our dead in the Dungeon. They deserve the light of the surface, not this cursed world below."

    Themander stood with his full guard as watch for the fallen Legionaries. Found outside the camp, there had been little mourning, or even surprise when theirrades had been found. Death was part of war and the Abyssal Legion was always at war.

    Alberton approached from one side.

    "Interesting that they were not eaten," he observed, "most monsters won''t pass up the opportunity for Biomass, especially social insects."

    Morrelia was shocked by the man''s callous attitude but Titus merely nodded.

    "This was the abomination''s work," he said.

    "You are likely to be right," the loremaster agreed. "Either it wanted to send a message, or wasn''t ready to feast on its former species."

    As someone who had spent a considerable amount of time with that ''abomination'', Morrelia felt sick at the idea of Anthony being responsible for what she saw in front of her.

    "How can you be sure it was the¡­ reincarnator?" She protested, "all of the ants are smart, couldn''t it have been any of them?"

    Alberton shook his head. Themander''s daughter was a fierce warrior, but she was still too green as a Legionary.

    "There would be no reason for a regr monster not to eat the bodies," he pointed out, "it''s sad to say, but most Legionaries who fall within the Dungeon do not get buried. No, your father and I believe it was a lingering sense of humanity within the abomination that caused it to act this way."

    She tried to digest the thought, but struggled to ept it. Ever since the campaign had begun, she had been trying to understand what the right thing to do was. The Colony was peaceful, she knew that, yet the Legion insisted that they be wiped out before they became a greater threat. The ants were peaceful for now, but what about in the future? What if Anthony died, and the Colony were left without the leader that held them back? What then?

    "I still don''t understand why you refer to them as ''abominations''", she said, "aren''t they just people? Humans, like us? They didn''t choose toe back this way, right? The Dungeon did that to them."

    Titus and the loremaster shared a look.

    "Don''t think of those who have been reborn in this world as monsters as people," he warned her, "they may have been something like a human in their past life, but each and every one of them is twisted, broken. The records tell of numerous asions where we encountered such beings. In every case they were eventually put down at great cost. The Dungeon chooses the souls it does with good reason, each of them is chosen to further its purpose. That is just another reason why they should be killed as swiftly as we can manage."

    Themander backed him up.

    "The moment they were born inside a monster, that is what they were. Not human, monster. Truth be told, the abominations are the most dangerous of all monsters. All the drive, experience and intelligence of a sapient packed into an evolving killing machine."

    "Why do you think it decided to strike now?" Alberton thought out loud.

    "Revenge," Titus grunted, "that''s the easiest to understand. We pushed hard into the ants and killed many, so it decided to strike back. In a way, this is my fault. We could have predicted this and doubled the size of the scout teams."

    Morrelia felt sick. The thought of the dead Colony members weighed heavily on her, and the thought of Anthony, filled with a thirst for revenge fighting and killing her fellow Legionaries was awful. Who was right? Who was wrong? She wasn''t sure what she should do in this moment. Should she confront her father and tell him the Colony was peaceful? After what had been said today, she didn''t think it would matter. Alberton and Titus would simply say that they would turn against the Sapients eventually, better to put the ants down now before they became toorge a threat.

    She wasn''t sure that she believed that, but she was far from as experienced with these things as her elders were. What if she was wrong? The idea of the Colony turning itself against humans the way Garralosh had done seemed absurd, but the damage they could do if they chose to¡­ As devastating as the beast had been to the frontier kingdoms, she knew that Anthony''s family would be capable of far more.

    She snapped out of her thoughts to realise that her father and the loremaster were still speaking.

    "¡­ from the fortress?" Alberton asked.

    "It''ll be a few days at the least. The Legion is deployed in a lot of ces putting out fires after thest wave, we''re stretched thin."

    "What about calling people up from below?"

    Titus grunted.

    "If things are rough in the upper stratum, what do you think it''s going to be like down there? Besides, we can''t afford the time it would take to limate them to the thinner mana. No, we''ll have to make do with what we have for now. It''s going to take longer than I''d like, but we need to push forward slow and steady."

    "Will the golgari be happy about that?"

    "You think I care?"

    Far above.

    It had been many years since the one who called himself ''Grey'' had walked the surface of this world, and he couldn''t do so for long, but what he had seen was not what he expected. Ants cooperating and working alongside humans who¡­ revered them in return. It wasn''t like anything he''d ever seen before.

    His visit to the ''conquered'' territory of Rylleh had been much the same. When an underground city fell to the monsters, it was expected it would be a wastnd, the people consumed for Biomass and destroyed. What he found instead was a city that went on much as it had before. The people chafed at the seizure of the gates, cutting them off from the rest of society, but the Colony had gone to great lengths to ensure they were supplied with essentials.

    What therge ant had told him had proven to be true. Even moving through the territory of the ants had been remarkably safe, the Dungeon patrolled better than most Sapient controlled territories. It was almost enough for him to forgive being made to listen to Vibrant for an hour. He''d spoken only three words in those sixty minutes, two of which were ''hello'' and ''goodbye''.

    "What do you think, White?" he spoke to his apprentice without looking at her, "what is it that we have stumbled into here?"

    There was no sound as response, instead, her voice rang within his mind.

    [This species has gone against their nature to a high degree, teacher] she replied, [it is hard to think of them as monsters at all.]

    "Yet that is what they are," he reminded her, "in the eyes of the System, they are designated monsters and so that is what they shall be seen as."

    [Not to the Folk,] came the firm reply.

    "Indeed. I sense that you have made a determination already, apprentice. Normally I would not be so quick to pass judgement, but given the circumstances this colony finds themselves in, I must choose haste."

    The two continued to walk in silence through the tunnels, moving back toward the nest. Ants passed by them frequently, rushing to achieve whatever task their family needed of them in this time of war. Though Grey suspected they moved with the same sense of urgency no matter the overall circumstances.

    [I am sensing the resonance of the Bruanchii, teacher. I feel that they will be here soon.]

    "So quickly?" Grey asked, a sh of surprise flickered in his eyes. "Curious."

    Things were moving faster than normal, the currents of time felt turbulent around him. A storm was brewing for certain, unusual for a ce so high in the Dungeon. What role would the Folk have to y? He would need to meditate on this.

 Chapter 517 The Cavalry arrives

    <h4>Chapter 517 The Cavalry arrives </h4>

    Hironus Balta bared his de and executed the ''blooming flower'' technique, six consecutive shes that unleashed a barrage of light so quickly that they each flew out like the petals of a single rose. The ants before him were unable to withstand the power of his sword and were driven back or cut through directly. He stepped over the fallen bodies of the insects, allowing those behind him to drive their des through the carapace and im the experience.

    As a member of the noble circle, he was entitled to take it, but the gain from tier four monsters, or worse, tier three, was beneath his notice. All along the line the battle still raged, but having broken through in the centre, it was only a matter of time until the ants were forced to disengage, lest they be copsed on and ughtered.

    With no opponents in front of him, Balta took a long breath and centred himself. He''d been ced in the centre for three consecutive battles now, having to re-establish his reputation after the disastrous loss in the earlier battle. To his left and right, the fight raged on, ants covering the floor and ceiling battling to hold off the golgari who pushed forward step by step, their coordinated shield wall holding strong.

    Just as he prepared to charge to his right and begin copsing the line, he noticed something subtle. Though chaos reigned around him, the sound of shing des and snapping mandibles filling the air yet still, he could feel something. It took a moment for him to realise what it was, the ground beneath his feet had begun to tremble.

    The current battle was taking ce in a wide tunnel with a low ceiling, perfect for the ants to utilise their roof clinging skills to double their battleline. This particr area also sloped upwards towards the surface. Filled with a worrying premonition, Baltashed out once more with his weapon, clearing space around him and charged forward, deeper into the ant''s territory. The farther he dashed the more he could see of the slope and soon he was seeing something that caused rage to re up within his heart.

    The armoured ants! They hadn''t been seen in the front line since his inglorious defeat, something that had caused the low-de no small amount of ire. Once more they appeared before him, they charged in unison, a gleaming line of massive insects covered in steel.

    Balta set his feet and began channelling his energy through the Living Stone de in his hands. With his next strike, he would skewer the lead ant straight through its head! The de soaked up his intent as he primed the skill, shining bright and brighter each moment. This was his chance, delivered by The Path itself to help him establish himself once again.

    The ants hurtled forward, much as they had the first time, their legs a blur as they ran towards danger. The de grew brighter and brighter as the distance between the two closed. The golgari exulted in his heart as the moment to unleash his skill drew closer. So ted was he, that he failed to notice something rather crucial.

    "ROOOOAAAAAARRRR!"

    An earth shattering roar shattered the air throughout the battlefield, sting away the noise and for a brief moment, both sides were smothered inplete silence. Shocked, Balta felt the threads of his Skill unravel as he finally took his focus off the hated armoured ants. There he saw something that didn''t quite register at first. A titanic bear, eyes aze with dark me and jaws open to reveal enormous curved fangs.

    Only then did Balta realise that the ants were arranged in a v formation, thergest armoured figure in the centre, with the gargantuan bear nestled between them. More than that, the bear itself was also covered in thick tes of armour that crackled with mana. With the metal and sheer mass of the monsters rushing toward him Balta felt as if a mountain was about to copse on him.

    He abandoned all attempts to charge his Skill and turned to rush back towards the safety of his own lines.

    "BRACE!" He bellowed. "BRACE THE LINE! SHIELDS UP!"

    Despite not being assigned a position of leadership for this assault, hismanding presence was enough for the golgari in the centre of the line to instantly respond. The shield bearers rushed forward, their eyes firm as they mmed their shields into the ground and activated their defensive Skills in synch. A wall of golden light erupted at once as the powerful Warriors anchored themselves and each other. Mages stepped forward to weave barriers and attempt to modify the terrain, anything to slow and disrupt the charge that wasing. Immediately they felt themselves be contested by a swarm of minds seeking to firm the ground and prevent their efforts.

    "There''s moreing!" Someone shouted.

    Balta looked up to see it was true. Behind the armoured wave of monsters, a scurrying flood of insects followed, hundreds, maybe thousands of monsters charging along all surfaces of the tunnel made a horrifying sight.

    "Stones," Balta cursed under his breath.

    It was clear the ants had nned for the centre of their line to copse in this battle. Now their reinforcements wereing to shove the golgari back in and smash their opponents in the middle of the line. He had confidence though, after the first battle where the armoured ants had shown the strength of their charge, they had taken steps to ensure it wouldn''t happen again. The only thing that made him nervous was the fearsome bear. Could this be something the ants prepared for such a situation?

    Back amongst his fellow Warriors, Balta felt emboldened and snapped out shes of de along with those around him, only to see the armoured figures fight to amongst themselves to ept the strikes. Armour was dented, ants stumbled, but the charge did not falter. The bear seemed to be growingrger andrger as it came closer, its eyes leaving a trailing streak of mes as it ran.

    Balta focused his eyes and realised the monster''s body was wreathed in a red aura that grew stronger the closer it came.

    "It''s berserking!" He realised in a sh.

    "ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRR!"

    Another deafening roar echoed from the monster''s mouth, the sheer volume making many Warriors flinch back. This monster wasn''t a tier four ant, something they didn''t fear, but at least tier five, possibly tier six. Clearly it was powerful.

    "HOLD!" Balta yelled as he set his body alongside those around him, helping to brace the shield line.

    In the final moment, the ants elerated across thest few metres in an instant, smashing their bodies against the golgari line heedless of any risk to themselves. There was a thunderous impact, but at first it seemed as if the shields would hold. Then came the bear, bellowing with rage it leapt over the armoured ants and collided with the barrier like a copsing building.

    Surrounded with a blood red aura of rage and madness, the bear shattered the shields andnded amongst the golgari who had only a moment to gather themselves before they were under attack. ws and teeth snapped and shed before Balta''s face as he wove a defensive pattern of light with his de. A few secondster, the second wave of ants crashed amongst their lines and the fight was on for real.

 Chapter 518 Elemental Soup

    <h4>Chapter 518 Elemental Soup </h4>

    Wind de! Tornado! Wind speed! Wind st! GAH! I''m exhausted. Every inch of my mind is devoted towards creating gas mana and whipping it into spells. The target for the spells is naturally the stupid armoured forces, the Legionaries, I suppose.

    The experience notifications finally unveiled just who this enemy is. I can only assume this is the Abyssal Legion that Morrelia and others have spoken about. Her father was a prominent member as I recall, which probably exins why she''s here. What a mess she''s gotten herself into, sent to kill the Colony. Traitor! Well, I haven''t seen her on the battlefield since that first encounter in which she actually saved my life, so I won''t be so fast to judge. Let Morrelia worry about Morrelia, she can handle herself, we ants have enough on our te at the moment!

    PA! PA!

    My barrage of wind spells is little more than an irritation to the oing Legion. Their powerful armour and mages are more than enough to deflect my efforts. I mean, I could be throwing rocks, fire, spears of ice or even blobs ofva at them right now! Instead, I continue to attack them with a stiff breeze. And why, do you ask? Because I only need one more level! One more measly level!

    Sitting there in my status menu: [Gas Magic Affinity (IV) Level 39], it''s taunting me! I''ve been spamming these damn wind spells until my mind is an aching mess. All of my minds! An enormous amount of brain matter has been dedicated to blowing wind at these invaders, all for the sake of this precious rank up. And it''s so close!

    The Legion advances at a steady pace, as they always do. Their front rank of shields an imprable barrier to our attacks, even the barrage of acid failing to eat away at them. At least we haven''t seen that axe wielding demon again for the time being. Even without that freakin'' superhuman, they''ve been managing to push us back on all fronts. They''ve spread out, creating a wider and wider front, attempting to corral us back to our nests.

    Still, time is being bought, the war of attrition continues! You think you can be more determined than ants?! You''re out of your mind! Every day our numbers increase and our Skills improve! Except for this damn Gas magic!

    Come on!

    POW! POW! POW!

    More des, more balls of concentrated wind, more spinning dervishes of de wind. My brains are on fire. Only the regeneration provided by the whispering vestibule has sustained me to this point. Without it, I''d be a quivering mess on the ground, unable to think or function from sheer mental fatigue.

    I''m not even finding the many whispers of the Colony inside me much of a burden right now, since they want me to be doing basically what I''m doing already. Namely, throw everything and the kitchen sink at the invaders who dare to encroach on our territory. Mind you, if I listened to them totally, I''d be charging forward to rip into the enemy with my bare mandibles and most likely die in the process.

    It seems more than a few ants in the Colony still harbour a secret desire to end themselves in glorious sacrifice. Apparently some ''re-education'' is necessary, the academy hasn''t done enough to stamp out this heresy.

    Still on the Legion marches, several hundred of them in tight formation. They are methodical to an absurd degree when ites to Dungeonbat, yet try to counter us at every turn. Once they push us out of a tunnel, they defend it to the hilt, even to the point of monitoring the surrounding earth for any digging attempts. When we try to tunnel behind them, they detect it early and try to close our tunnels around us. We almost lost many ants that way.

    "COME ON YOU STUPID TIN CANS!" I yell at the approaching wall of armour, "at the very least, give me my damn level!"

    [Gas magic (IV) has reached level 40, rank up avable.]

    AT LAST! AT LAST!

    My time has arrived, my suffering is finally over! I''ve been grinding away at this damn fusion for so long I can''t even bear to think of it! At that moment, the approaching Legion break their ranks and begin to charge, weapons aze with light.

    "Fall back!"

    We have never intended to defend this position to the death. For the moment, our strategy isn''t to engage these Legionaries in closebat, rather to try and wear them down as we give ground. I hear the fighting is far more fierce on the other front. At some point we''ll have to engage here too, but for now retreat is the order of the day.

    [Let''s get out of here, gang.]

    Following the order, my pets and I turn along with the rest of the Colony and make our way back down the tunnel. I''m more than happy to follow, I have a Skill fusion to explore.

    First, I purchase Advanced Gas magic (V), which sets me back one Skill point, not a big deal. The tickling feeling of knowledge spreading through my mind begins immediately, sinking in and bing a part of my magical repertoire.

    As desperate as I am to fuse immediately, I wait. Only when I''ve retreated to a safe location will I dare to engage in that fusion. There''s a chance that the fusion might soak up my attention and render me immobile for an extended period of time.

    "Eldest, how did the defence go?" Vibrant pops up next to me.

    "Gah! Vibrant, sheesh. You need to let people know you''re creeping up before you start talking."

    "What are you saying? You can see in every direction! Although I do move fast, was I moving too fast? I''m superfast. On the other mandible, I''m not fast enough! More speed is better, don''t you think? I know I think so. When I evolve again, I''m considering more legs. Would that be weird? It''d be weird. Six legs is best. More muscle would be better. Speed muscle! That gave me an idea! I''m gonna go think about it! Bye-bye!"

    Zoom! She''s off!

    That hurts my head sometimes.

    "I am interested in hearing how the defence went, Eldest."

    I spy two other council members approaching, Ellie and Be. I shrug.

    "Pretty typical, I have to say. We shot at them, tried to slow them down, they pushed forward and we left. I think your caste is in there now, harassing and being annoying as much as possible until the next time they push forward."

    The core shapers are perfect for the task, able to risk their pets in ways we would rather not do with our own members. They harass from range and make probing attacks whenever they get a chance, constantly pushing to prevent the Legion from being able to settle.

    "Alright, I need to back off the front for a bit, not sure how long. Keep things steady for the next few hours, alright?" I say.

    The two core shapers look a little confused, but readily agree to my request. Full of glee, I scurry away with my pets in tow, keen to put some distance between me and the front. After ten minutes of sprinting, I''m both tired and way too impatient to wait any longer.

    FUSION!

    [Do you want to fuse the Skills: Advanced Blue Fire Magic Affinity (V) Level 2; Advanced Stone Magic Affinity (V) Level 1; Advanced Gas Magic Affinity (V) Level 1 and Advanced Ice Magic Affinity (V) Level 2? This will cost fifteen Skill points.]

    Fifteen!? Whatever, who cares? Paid.

    Immediately, my braines alive with a trickling sensation that soaks into every crevice until I can''t feel anything else.

 Chapter 519 The new construct

    <h4>Chapter 519 The new construct </h4>

    The four rank five Skills were melting down and blending together inside my mind, forming a new pool of knowledge that was greater than the sum of its parts. Excitement was bursting inside my heart. What woulde of this powerful fusion? My only fear was that it wouldn''t reach my expectations. I was forced into grinding for this due to Gravity Mana speciality not showing up in my Skill list after all this time. Before I moved onto the next tier of magic and started grinding away at it, I wanted to secure the best possible foundation I could for the first tier.

    A part of me still regretted that I didn''t stick it out for the rank six fusion, but grinding for so many levels would take years, time I just didn''t have. I could only hope that what I gained here would be enough to carry my magical offense until more powerful options became viable for me.

    Judging by the information flowing inside my mind, it just might do! The sheer volume of what was entering and forming was indicating that this fusion was going to reveal something particrly juicy. All I could do was wait. Like pieces slotting into a puzzle, new knowledge slowly took shape, each passing moment making the picture that little bit clearer. When I finally realised just what it was that was forming, I couldn''t help but ck my mandibles in appreciation.

    Holy moly. This wasn''t just juicy, it was a juice festival. This was a river formed by the pulping and squeezing of fresh fruits. No getting away from it, I was in juice town.

    The fusion took a long time, a period of hours, but what was revealed was well worth the time investment. It was a new type of construct. Every construct was a fiendish, demon puzzle formed of mana that allowed raw, unattributed energy to transform into one of the myriad of types. Forming the construct, maintaining and operating it, consumed one of my brains most of the time. It was difficult work that required fine mana control and a powerful Will. It was like holding a squat, not for minutes, but hours at a time.

    This new design that was revealed took the puzzles I had already seen and blew them out of the water. It was absurd, obscene even. This sort of thing would be censored in any normal society, it wasn''t safe to look at.

    It was like a globe within a globe within a globe, repeated down to the molecr level, each level inscribed on the inside and outside with intricate runes. The number of lines andyers of mana that needed to be formed would be in the hundreds of thousands! Taking in the sheer scope of the thing I can''t help but cry out.

    Damnit, Gandalf! What the heck is this thing?! Next time I evolve I''m gonna bite you right in the beard!

    I could already tell it was going to take a lot of practice to even be able to form this construct correctly, let alone do so quickly under pressure. But for what it was able to do, it was worth it.

    My four elemental Skills were gone, no longer did they clutter up my Skills list. Instead, a brand new Skill had formed in their ce: All Element Mana Speciality (V) Level 1.

    I wasn''t sure what I expected, but this is good. That single construct, that monstrosity of a contraption, was able to produce all of the elemental mana types. All of them! The basic forms, the advance forms, and thebined forms!

    Water mana? No problem. Ice mana? Done. Fire mana? Blue Fire mana?! Wind! Gas! Earth! Stone! Lava! Steam! Mud!

    No longer did I have to hack together thebined forms by making the elements separately and forcing them together (something of a hack), an inefficient and wasteful method at the best of times, now I could form them directly! Not only that, the proper spell patterns had been imprinted in my mind along with the construct. It was as if I had been given the Specialities of each of the fusion types along with the knowledge of this new construct.

    This would be incredibly valuable for me when fighting. If my main sub-mind was able to maintain and operate this construct then I''d be able to throw around three different types of elements at once using my other three brains. That would be huge! The flexibility alone. Not having to break down a construct and form another in order to change elements¡­ the amount of mental effort saved during a battle would be massive!

    The truly remarkable thing about this fusion was that its true strength wouldn''t be revealed until after my next evolution. Once I was able to increase the raw oomph of my four brains and mastered mind magic to a sufficient degree, I''d be able to make use of the mind construct technique, stacking multiple minds in each brain! I wouldn''t have just four minds then, I''d have eight, or twelve! And if each of my brains were to form and maintain this new construct¡­ I''d be able to throw out eight or twelve different spells at a time and every single one of them could be any of the basic mana elements.

    The very thought of being able to switch up my element of attack at a moment''s notice was enough to make me feel giddy. Always the right tool for the job.

    I''m super satisfied with this rank five fusion. Very satisfied indeed! It feels good to achieve goals like this. Now I suppose I need to look at what I need to be training and grinding next¡­ practicing forming the new construct is a massive priority, and after that I''ll need to focus on mind magic. I don''t want to begging behind, when the timees to evolve, everything needs to be ready!

    Ah, an ant''s work is never done.

 Chapter 520 Put through the paces

    <h4>Chapter 520 Put through the paces </h4>

    Obviously, my new Skill would be totally useless to me if I weren''t able to make effective use of it, so all four of my brains were made to practice forming it. Early signs¡­ weren''t good. It was a nightmare frankly. The entire thing fell to ribbons in my hands, falling apart and vanishing into dust as I watch.

    This construct is a fiendish mass ofplexity, it''s like a construct within a construct within a construct. Which.. I suppose¡­ is exactly what it is. It''s capable of creating twelve different types of elemental energy, basically twelve constructs in one! I''m not deterred though, thinking back to how difficult I found creating my first construct, I know that this is only going to be a matter of time. It''s like ying an instrument, it takes time to memorise exactly how all the pieces fit together.

    [Master?]

    [Huh? Crinis? What''s up?]

    I feel my loyal eldritch terror shift on my carapace.

    [How long are you nning to stay here, Master? I know you want some time to spend on your new Skill, but it''s been several hours already.]

    Oh, right. The war.

    [Thanks for the time check, Crinis. We do have things we need to be about. Let''s go.]

    Thest part I say to all of my pets and we gather up to return to the front lines. I toss the practice regime onto the sub-brains and let them deal with it whilst I go back to where the action is. I can almost feel my sub-brains shuddering with pain as the load of putting together this monstrosity of a constructnds solely in theirp. They can suck it up! I don''t have the luxury to let them ck off.

    It doesn''t take long to return to the front, I didn''t move that far and it''s not like it would move that far in such a short amount of time. I do get a surprise once I arrive at the defensive line in the form of an unexpected visitor.

    "Sloan! I''m a little surprised to see you out of the main nest. How are things travelling up there?"

    The two generals of the council have been locked in the main nest managing the two sided conflict to the best of their abilities. We''ve been relying on them to be the organisers and decision makers when ites to overall strategy, a heavy burden that I was only too happy to not be a part of.

    She gives a weary wave of an antenna.

    "Busy" she sighs, "very busy. Things are constantly changing and the Colony is now sorge that keeping track of all the moving parts is impossible."

    "Are we really growing that fast? Are the second and third nests operational now?"

    She nods.

    "Yes, and producing new brood at full capacity. The Brood Tenders have been in a frenzy, trying to ensure the academy handles the load. There are still teams out there expanding territory and securing resources for the hatchlings even whilst this conflict goes on. Making sure every area has the resources they need has been difficult."

    That only makes sense. Nothing is more important than the brood and hatchlings, they''re the future of the Colony after all. No matter what is happening out here, the Colony has to ensure that the next generation is cared for.

    "What brings you down here then? Getting bored being locked upstairs? Keen to get your mandibles dirty on the frontlines?" I tease.

    "Something like that," she surprises me. "Victor and I decided that we needed to get a better sense of what was happening so we each came to a separate battleline. This way we''ll have a more direct understanding."

    I think for a moment.

    "Are you sure you didn''t just get sick of feeling as if you were hiding in the nest and wanted to experience a bit of danger?" I use.

    My antennae poke forward in an usatory fashion, pinning the smaller general on the spot.

    "N-no, of course not," Sloan ys it cool and waves away my concern.

    "Hmm," I eye her with suspicion.

    Is it possible that the selfless danger seeking instincts of the Colony are still this prevalent? My re-education campaign will be strict indeed.

    "How are things on the other front?" I allow myself to get diverted by the question I really want to ask.

    "Bloody. The fighting is much more direct there than here. Sarah has agreed to engage as well and with her help we''ve been able to take the fight right to the golgari for the time being."

    I''m shocked.

    "Sarah? Really?! I really didn''t think she''d be willing¡­ Hopefully she''s alright."

    It''s hard to imagine that reserved and timid person fighting in a gruesome battle, even if she is a ginormous death bear of doom.

    "Things on this front are downright boring inparison to that," I shrug, "we''ve just been probing and retreating constantly."

    The general gives me an odd look.

    "What?" I ask.

    "I''m just surprised you''re being so patient and going along with what we asked, Eldest," she tells me frankly.

    I''m tempted to deal out a THWACK for that¡­ but it''s too urate. I''ve been biding my time waiting for the Skill fusion to ur, patiently grinding levels. I''ve no need to hold back anymore.

    "That may change in the next battle," I answer and Sloan nods.

    "We predicted as much. Victor thought you''d crack earlier, I''m the winner of this bet," she says, looking smug.

    THWACK!

    It isn''t long until my newfoundck of restraint is put to the test. The Legion wants to push our lines back faster and faster it would seem, meaning the harassing core shapers have been pulled back and I, along with the more martial caste members, have been put back on the line of fire.

    The overall strategy of the colony is still to give ground to the Legion, but I intend to make them pay a steeper price this time. You could say I want them to experience the gravity of the situation.

    Gweheheheh.

    So it is that when the legion appears before me, advancing towards us once more, I no longer trouble myself with flinging wind at them. Instead, I start powering up a Gravity Bomb. It''s been a long time since I tried to harness this level of energy, but my minds work together once again to bring that dark purple mana out of the Gravitational Mana nd and begin topress it into the miniature sphere of crushing power that I''vee to know and love.

    As the mana bes more dense andpressed, more unruly and wild, I see a response from the enemy lines. As I thought, with this level of mana being gathered, it doesn''t take them long to be able to detect it. I can''t even put any attention towards trying to disguise the build-up, since I want all of my mental muscle dedicated to creating the biggest bomb I can.

    The reaction is fast from the other side. The Legionaries stop advancing and brace their shield line. From where I stand I can see their mages move to the front, preparing shields and readying themselves to break apart my spell once I unleash it.

    As if I would let it be that easy!

    [Let them have it!]

    [Sssssshall I take everythingggg? Even their sssssouls?]

    Invidia sounds delighted to be let off the chain as his eye begins to shine with a dangerous light.

 Chapter 521 Itâ€™s da bomb

    <h4>Chapter 521 It''s da bomb </h4>

    My minds are pushed to the breaking point once more. Containing this level of energy isn''t easy, and it doesn''t get easier. One might think that my increasing stats and levels would make this process more manageable, but in fact, all it does is allow me to push further and make a more destructive gravity bomb! What sort of moron would keep the power of the spell the same? That would be madness. Madness!

    As I continue to squeeze and crush the mana together, squeezing my minds to the breaking point as I do so, Invidia floats forward, delighted to be finally let off the leash. Not just a little let off the leash either, totally free of my many restrictions.

    He''s a powerful monster in his own right, this little demon, I only managed to defeat him based on a superior knowledge of jumping. Now all of that power is directed towards the defensive line of the Legion as they await my spell.

    It starts with explosions, as it usually does. The tunnel is suddenly rocked with detonations that shake the dust from the stone roof and pierce the oppressive dark with light for just a moment.

    BOOM! BOOM!

    The little ball flits gleefully in the air, his two long, stick-thin arms dangling down past the wide Cheshire-grin that appears beneath his body.

    [Even if you want to keep it. I wantssss your life!] He purrs.

    His eye shes bright with green energy as mana begins to umte within the orb. Explosions continue to burst against the shield wall as the envy demon prepares his most powerful attack. The speed he pulls it together still puts me to shame, as his eye is filled to bursting with mana before I''m even close topleting my Gravity Bomb. One more evolution and I''ll show you! Damn eyeball.

    Ignorant of my own envy, Invidia grins widely before he darts forward and unleashes a terrifying ray energy. The eye beam of death lives again! Even focused on my own growing ball of doom, I take particr interest in watching the Legion deal with this situation. The mages brace hard, more barriers springing to life even as they reach out with their minds to break apart the magic. The beam travels so quickly, they don''t get much time before it impacts their shields, shattering one after the other until it crashes into the front line of soldiers.

    They brace hard, each one supporting the Legionaries around them, their defensive shields coalescing into one defensive line. The green ray hits home and tries to drill through, a piercing whine rises in the tunnel as the two forces contest each other. Finally, the beam scatters across the face of the shield wall and disperses having failed to break through.

    His eye exhausted of its strength for the time being, Invidia returns to flinging detonations toward the Legion as their mages attempt to reinforce their barriers. The little demon doesn''t give them time to gather themselves, working magic as quickly as only a hyper-specialised monster can.

    "Bring the artillery!" I call to the ants around me, causing them to shift.

    The Legion is still outside the range of most soldiers, but the scouts who''ve evolved for range will still reach with their acid at this point. Anything we can use to put the heat on them will help, even if only a little. In a few seconds time, the acid barrage begins to fly over my head, forcing the Legion to defend against the sizzling liquid as well as Invidia''s magic.

    I don''t have the minds to pay attention to them anymore, all of my focus is invested in the slowly rotating sphere of gravity magic. It has darkened almost to pure ck as I pour everyst drop of mana I can get into it until I feel as if I''m trying to squeeze a brick inside another brick, or a thought into Tiny''s mind.

    All four brains are aching, screaming even, but I keep forcing. I need this one to be big, I''ve no doubt that the Legion will be more capable at repelling magic than even the Kaarmodo and its servants. Once I can''t take anymore, I open my mandibles wide and unleash the beast.

    I immediately get a surprise. Turns out even the second strata can get darker. When the ball of magic appears, that familiar, spine tingling shriek fills the air.

    HOOOOOOOWLLLLLLLLLLLL!

    All the air in the tunnel is pulled into the sphere as it travels, vanishing into the imprable depths as it goes. Drained as I am, I can see the wall of Legionaries concentrating as they tighten their defence to prepare for the storm.

    Prepare all you like, if that thing hits home, you''re going to be in trouble.

    The moment I release the Gravity Bomb, I feel the tension rise in the enemy. They could feel the build up of the spell, they could tell what sort of thing I would be throwing their way. But I highly doubt they could have predicted just what the bomb can do!

    I grip the floor tightly with my ws, making sure I''m not sucked forward and Tiny has to reach out a hand to snatch Invidia out of the air, lest the demon be dragged into the maw. The pull of the sphere is so strong, and it hasn''t properly detonated yet!

    I''m almost a little fearful of the effect.

    Almost as if to ay my fears, I feel a host of minds reach out to break down the spell, ripping into the mana and dispersing it as best they can before it ms into their ranks. Good luck to you, I know as well as anyone how hard it is to break apartpressed mana. Still, they manage more than I expect in the short amount of time they have. They frantically tear away at the gravity bomb, reducing its power by half when it finally impacts.

    There''s a flicker in the darkness and the ball is gone, reced with arge sphere of slowly rotating pure ck that begins to try and drag in everything it can touch. Itsts for only ten seconds before the mages manage to break it down and disperse the spell, but the damage is done. When the bomb is gone and some light returns, we can see the Legionary line is in shambles. Heavily wounded soldiers are being picked up and dragged away as quickly as they can manage whilst others step forward to brace their shields towards our position.

    I''m almost tempted to try andunch an offensive as they retreat, but I resist the urge. We aren''t prepared for that, no need to snatch a defeat from this victory. The Legion pulls back to nurse their wounds and adjust their strategy as the Colony ck their mandibles. They won''t be so bold as to advance right into my face without properly ounting for my spells now, which means a slower advance, which means more time for the Colony.

    I''ll take it.

 Chapter 522 Mind Games

    <h4>Chapter 522 Mind Games </h4>

    The following day proves that the Legion is being more careful with their approach. I received two experience notifications from the first gravity bomb, giving me another level, but the next assault isn''t as bountiful. More mages, tighter shield walls with moreyers. It means they can''t spread themselves out as thinly as they did before, and their overall forward progress is slower, as they have to sit and wait whilst the magical barrage is underway.

    The extra time means a lot to the Colony. Every day, thousands more ants graduate from the academy to reinforce our numbers, our Skills improve and we draw closer to cracking the many technological challenges that we face.

    The only issue is that we''re running out of territory. The Legion has pushed at us hard, and even if they slow down now, eventually they''ll be knocking at the gates of the nest. The more I see of them, the more convinced I be that there isn''t much a tier three ant is going to be able to do to these Legionaries. Even in tremendous numbers, I worry that the Legion would be able to cut them down just as fast as they appear. With enough ants, we''d drag them down with us eventually, but I''m not happy about engaging in a strategy that will result in so many deaths. This is my family we''re talking about! The lives lost already is too much!

    "Eldest, are you ready?"

    "Huh, what?" I snap out of my thinking to find Ellie looking at me.

    "Are youing to the meeting? Sloan wanted to talk to us before she leaves."

    Oh, right.

    I follow along in her wake, my pets and baby-sitters trailing behind. A minuteter wee to a hastily dug out chamber to find the council members present on this front in the room, along with Wills, who appeared over thest day.

    "What''s happening people?" I wave an antennae to them as I enter.

    Sloan looks confused for a moment, then shrugs and ignores what I said.

    "Thanks foring, Eldest. Are all ready?"

    Present in the chamber are Sloan, Vibrant, Ellie, Be, Frances the healer, Wills and myself. Not a bad showing, all things considered. Each of us nods and settles in for the discussion.

    "I wanted to check with you before I head back to the nest and start making decisions about how to deploy our forces. The main idea I want to hear from you on, is a change in our overall strategy on this front."

    That gets my attention.

    "A change, in what way?" I ask.

    "In my opinion, we need to be less passive," she says, "we haven''t been able to slow them as much as we wanted, and so far we haven''t seen any sign of them being worn down by our harassment. If things keep going at this pace, we''ll be forced into a battle at the gates of the nest without getting the full measure of our opponents."

    "It''s too risky!" I protest. "So many ants would perish if we did that!"

    Isn''t this exactly what I was thinking about before?! Howe I came to the opposite conclusion that Sloan did?

    There''s silence for a moment, except from Vibrant, she''s bouncing from side to side cking her mandibles in a rhythm.

    "Eldest, we have to ept that there will be casualties, no matter what we do. There''s no way for us to fight against this Legion without putting our lives on the line."

    "Sure, I get that, but we aren''t talking about just a few, here. If the Colony goes hard at those Legionaries, it''s going to be a one sided massacre!"

    All of the ants shift on their legs.

    "Eldest¡­ You''re being too protective of us," Ellie tells me gently, "you can''t fight all of our battles for us, you need to step aside and let us do what we need to do."

    Geh. Are the children all grown up? No! Papa refuses to ept it!

    "I hardly think you''re giving me credit. Plenty of our siblings have fallen already! Too many!"

    "That''s what we mean," Be backs up her sibling, "the conflict has hardly started. We never expected that we''d be able to defend the colony without significant sacrifice, not this time. The enemy is just too strong."

    "Why can''t we just go all in when they reach the gates?" I stubbornly refuse to give up. "We have every advantage there and they''ll be stretched further than before, more fatigued. I don''t see why we need to start attacking them now."

    "Weeeeell," Vibrant butts in, "I agree with Sloan-Sloan. My generals are getting all worked up, wanting to fight! Have to keep telling them no but they don''t like it! When they found out the other front is all fighty-smashy, they got super sad and asked if we could go there. We could make it pretty fast I think, we''re all super-fast! But I thought we should stay here with the Eldest. I think I was right. Was I right?"

    "You were right," Sloan assures her, and cuts in to ensure she stops talking, "we need our best and most powerful soldiers here to ensure that as many ants survive as possible."

    She turns to me.

    "That''s what we want you to do, Eldest. We want you to do your best to make sure that as many of us survive as possible. But we can''t hold back and not fight any longer. Our original strategy just isn''t giving the results we hoped for."

    The rest of the council members present all nod in agreement and my mood sinks. What''s worse is that I know they''re right. The Vestibule doesn''t give me anywhere to hide when ites to the desires of the ants. Their will is whispered into my being constantly, urging me to act as their instrument. The Colony members don''t want to employ this slow retreat, tiring and wearing down their enemies. They want to swarm and bite and tear until nothing moves anymore!

    "Fine," I sigh, "you win. If this is what you want, I won''t say no. Just¡­ let''s try and be careful, alright? I really don''t want to see hordes of us fall at the hands of these damn invaders. I want us to preserve our strength if we can."

    The conversation continues after that, but the main topic of conversation is dealt with. When Sloan returns to the nest, we''ll employ a more aggressive stance towards the Legion. This is going to be chaotic.

 Chapter 523 A New Way pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 523 A New Way pt 1 </h4>

    Beyn was troubled in spirit, something he had rarely been during his life. He remembered his time in the seminary, training to serve The Path. Even at that young age, his spirit had burned with certainty and divine purpose. He had risen long before the sun and slept long after it had set, devoting his every waking moment to the scripture, his meditations and the development of his oratory skills. It had been a simple time of purity and growth, one that he was fond of.

    But the measure of his devotion in those years would pale inparison to the ze that would awaken in hister life. With the loss of his arm, an even greater purpose would be revealed to him, a deeper truth! And yet, he was unable to serve as he so desired!

    "Priest Beyn. How are you feeling?"

    He was dragged from his thoughts by a voice and he turned to see one of the true believers, Margaret, approaching him with concern.

    "I am fine, sister," he assured her, "my symptoms have abated atst and I make haste to the temple to join our brethren."

    A look of relief shed over the middle aged woman''s face.

    "That is a relief, Priest. We feared the worst when you were returned to us."

    Beyn tried to hide a grimace at the unwanted memory. He''d been unwilling to leave the nest to the point that he had suffered severe Mana Sickness. A gross oversight on his part. When the illness had started, he''d assumed it was due to an oversaturation of joy, but s. Without the intervention of Cont, he might have died down there, but he was saved when he was dragged to the surface by a soldier that gripped him around the waist with its mandibles. Almost all of the brethren who''d joined him in the nest had to be removed in this way, though his symptoms were by far the worse.

    The fact he''d been forced to be removed from the nest at such a crucial time was the source of his disquiet. As much as Cont had wanted to keep it quiet, he knew of the great challenge that faced the Colony at this time, how could he not sense the tension that was in the air? More than anything he yearned to lend his support, to aid and abet the great Colony and the Great One as they fended away the evil that threatened to snuff out the miracle of their existence.

    He was filled with impotent rage! Bursting with fervour and zeal with nowhere to direct it! If he didn''t find a way to channel these emotions he felt as if he might just explode on the spot.

    Margaret joined him on his walk through the streets of Renewal as he walked toward the church. Many people called out to him and he waved back to them with his remaining arm, stopping to exchange a few words here and there with the faithful.

    "The people have responded well to the word, haven''t they?" Margaret noted with obvious pride. "I was worried that the neers wouldn''t be willing to receive our teachings."

    Beyn only smiled.

    "How could they deny the truth when it was right before their eyes?" He gestured to one side where an ant was currently helping carry stone blocks for a new construction. Thew court would be impressive when it was done. In Beyn''s eyes this would bergely due to the way the building incorporated the Colony, with viewing hatches built into the walls, wide doors to allow them to enter and the ant designed seating Beyn had witnessed in the nest. In his mind, every building in the town should be able to amodate the people of the Great One. It was they who illuminated the path for themunity after all.

    No matter how pleased he was to be amongst his flock once more, Beyn did not allow his feet to tarry and Margaret had to hurry to keep up with him as he strode toward the Church. The feelings of helplessness he experienced during his convalescence had built within him and he needed to be amongst the devoted once more to seek relief. Perhaps together, they would find a way they could assist their saviours. There had to be something!

    The closer he came to the looming stone building, the faster he moved until he had almost broken into a run, his eyes filled with the grand edifice that fronted the church. They had been truly blessed when they awoke one day to find an ant crafter had risen from the nest and taken an interest in their work. The congregation had watched with bated breath as the Colony member had inspected their own humble carvings, including the statue of the Great One that featured prominently inside. They were never able tomunicate with this mysterious individual, but they must have passed muster, as the blessed creature had spent a week working on the church, carving with mandibles and magic with equal skill to transform the once austere and square building into a magnificent work of art.

    Evenying his eyes on the structure was enough to soothe the pain in his heart and he struggled for a moment to restrain the tears that threatened to fall as he took in the sheer beauty before him. There were always people who gathered outside the building to admire it, but Beyn had no time for them today. Normally he would stay to speak, perhaps even preach, but not today. He moved through the people, barely acknowledging their presence as he rushed to the door and pushed it open.

    Inside, a circle of the devoted were already gathered, wearing their ropes and attached antennae of glory. As one, they turned to the door and when they saw who had arrived, faces lit up with joy. Heart soaring, the priest rushed forward to greet his people. There was no need for words between them. These were the people who had experienced the deeper truth of the Colony and its majesty. Within the nest, they had experienced much together, and had their eyes opened even further (something he had not thought possible). These were the people whose feet were most firm upon the path.

    Without speaking, they once again formed a circle in the centre of the church andmuned with their spirits. They all felt the same pain, being unable to reach out and aid their saviours in their time of need. All around the walls, the Colony looked down on them. The statues of the Great One around the wide room looked at them with patience and wisdom in their eyes.

    There had to be a solution, there had to be a way forward. There was always a path!

    Together, the congregationmuned and prayed. There was anguish in their hearts, but also hope, as well as something new¡­ As time passed, they could feel it building within themselves, and alongside it, excitement grew. Minutes turned to hours, but not one of them moved to leave. Instead, their resolve only grew. Nobody spoke, nobody moved.

    A great change wasing.

 Chapter 524 A new way pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 524 A new way pt 2 </h4>

    How could a person describe their connection to the System that governed Pangera? It moved through them, existed within them and all around them. It had been part of their lives from the moment they were born. Only those sapients who existed at the moment of descent could have told you the difference between the before and the now. It was an inescapable, unchosen overseer that applied its rules to all creatures it chose to invest itself in. Yet there were times when the System responded to the people, rather than the other way around. It was an entity of adaptation in many ways. When the world changed around it, it shifted to better represent the circumstances it found itself in.

    This change coulde as a response to technology, equipment or tactics. The Abyssal Legion is one such example, their members undergoing such drastic changes and using such specialised arms and armour that numerous new sses became avable to them. Many other cases were known, and many more unknown, across the societies of the world.

    What was more rare, was the System responding not only to circumstance, but to will. Those few asions when the Sapient people of Pangera were able to effect change in the System based on their desires, altering reality to better suit themselves, rather than the other way around. This phenomenon was so rare, no schr would be able to find a reliable example of it urring throughout recorded history. Such things were simply not written down. It was too personal, too spiritual for that.

    Such an experience took ce inside the Church of the Great One. That indescribable feeling, built within Beyn and his closest followers. They could feel a powerful emotion building within. An uplifting, a changing, a bing. Each of these humans felt the same thing, but none of them could describe it. How could someone find the words to discuss this feeling? It was as if the hand of god reached down to alter their DNA. As if the fundamental pieces that made up their existence were altered by an unseen force.

    And then it was done.

    [You have met the conditions for a new ss: Antmancer. You can change your ss through the System prompt.]

    All of their eyes flew open at once to stare in shocked incredulity at the person opposite to them, only to find that person looking back with the same expression. In an instant they knew that each of them had received the same message from the System. In the next second all eyes flew to Beyn.

    He was frozen. He felt as if he''d been struck by a bolt of lightning. His nerves wouldn''t respond, they were jammed. He couldn''t even think about wanting to think. So immobile was he, no breath moved in his body, and he slowly began to turn red.

    Then the tears came. Slowly at first, they dripped from his eyes and into hisshes, but soon gave way to a raging flood. When they saw this, the congregation joined him in an instant, each of them openly sobbing with joy. When recallingter, Beyn couldn''t say at which moment he had changed his ss, and neither could the others. Somehow during the outpouring of their emotions they each essed the System menu and switched their ss without even stopping to consider the benefits and drawbacks of such a change. In fact, they didn''t care. This was a miracle. Another one. Truly this was the heavens assuring Beyn that his feet had not strayed from the path that had beenid out before him!

    The first they knew of the ss change was when they smelled something odd inside the church.

    "Lazy," it said.

    Beyn was so shocked he fell to one side and tried to put out his hands to stop his fall, only to realise at thest second he only had one hand and face nted on the ground. With pain racking his body, he looked up from the cold stone floor to see a member of the Colony on the wall, watching them.

    "Don''t you have work to do?" The ant huffed before turning around and skittering away.

    The priest watched it go,pletely stunned, as did the congregation around him.

    "Priest¡­. Beyn¡­ did you¡­ hear? Or¡­ smell? What I just ¡­" brother John stammered.

    From the floor, Beyn''s eyes slowly bulged out of his head as he realised he hadn''t imagined what just happened.

    "I did," he said. Then he roared.

    "I DID!"

    It wasn''t easy for a one armed person to leap quickly to their feet, yet the priest managed it with crity and surprising grace before he sprinted out the door. The others followed after him, filled with energy just as he was, even if they weren''t sure what he wanted to do. Beyn frantically scanned around the church before he found what he was looking for. Nearby, an ant was seen looking in the window at a potter who was busy at his craft. Without hesitation, he ran forward and threw himself on the ground before the startled insect.

    "Speak unto me of your wisdom!" He cried. "Instruct me so that I might better serve!"

    There was a heavy pause as people nearby turned to look with strange expressions at this eminent figure in theirmunity throwing himself into the dirt and trying to speak with an ant monster with his voice. The Colony member, a carver, looked at this strange, robed human and the ones who came after with a steady eye for a moment.

    "These humans need more to do. Too much rest is driving them crazy."

    So saying, the ant flicked its antennae and turned back to watching the strange human art of shaping y with their¡­ hands.

 Chapter 525 A New Way pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 525 A New Way pt 3 </h4>

    Emotions ran high amongst the congregation for some time and it was difficult for any of them to articte their thoughts as they waited for the emotional high to leave them. Every time they came close to being able to hold a conversation, an ant would appear, tell them to get to work and the mere fact of being able to process the Colony''s pheromonenguage drove them once more into paroxysms of joy, driving away all rational thought.

    Beyn himself experienced waves of euphoria so powerful he nearly lost consciousness several times before he was able to make a break for the interior of the church building. His flock rushed to follow him and they huddled in a corner out of sight until they were able to calm themselves to the point of holding a whispered conversation.

    Beyn raised his face to look at the barely controlled expressions of his brothers and sisters in faith and tried to contain the roaring of his spirit. He needed to be calm in this moment and provide leadership. He was trained for this, he was the closest thing to a System expert in Renewal and the creation of a brand new ss in this ce was an extraordinary miracle.

    He cleared his throat and began to whisper to his people.

    "Brothers and Sisters," he began, "what has urred today is a miracle."

    He paused to gather himself.

    "A miracle," his voice came out a little stronger this time and the others watched with bated breath as their leader stopped once more to master himself.

    "I apologise. What has urred here today¡­ IS A MIRACLE!" He roared, his face instantly flushing with excitement.

    Once unleashed, his spirit could no longer be a contained.

    "A MIRACLE! A MIRACLE! A MIRACLE!" He drew a deep breath and thrust his remaining hand to the sky. " A MIIIIIIRRAAAAAAAA¡­ "

    The others watched with wide eyes as Beyn became more and more red and his voice higher and higher in pitch until the priest''s eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted dead away. Brother Thomas leapt forward to catch the fallen clergyman''s head before it cracked into the stone floor as several others stepped forward with expert timing to lower their leader to the floor. With long practiced precision, they rolled him onto his side and made space to allow him to breathe as they patiently waited.

    After a few minutes, Beyn regained consciousness and sat up immediately, causing his head to spin.

    "I''m sorry everyone, I''ve disgraced myself again."

    The others frantically waved their hands to indicate he shouldn''t worry about it. Beyn epted their feelings with gratitude and tried to speak once more.

    "We have witnessed¡­ something very special here today. I can tell you that as someone trained in this knowledge. It can only be said that our powerful desire to aid the Colony,bined with our fervour, has been recognised by the System itself and given us a path forward. Let usmune and confirm the details of our new ss."

    For the next few minutes the flock spoke in hushed tones, unwilling to lose themselves to emotion in this critical moment. Together they were able to make note of the abilities their new ss gave them and check to see that they were all identical.

    The name of the ss: Antmancer!

    It suggested to Beyn that it was a type of mage or support ss, specialising in ants somehow. The stat gain per level was an interesting blend of three main stats rather than the high priority given to two that most sses experienced.

    Per level, +2 Toughness, +2 Cunning and +3 Will. A gain of seven stats is more than respectable. Beyn could only think that this was the power of a newly formed ss. The stat gain was an important clue to the purpose of a ss, Beyn knew as much. It was a signpost. Even without considering the Skills that were gained, he could tell that this would be a mental focused ss that required endurance. Toughness and Will, the defensive pair were emphasised here. The Cunning would provide power to the Skills they had.

    The all important Skills. It took some time for the group to whisper to each other before they were confident they understood all that the System was telling them. The Core ss Skill was a magical passive that allowed them to understand pheromones at rank one. Beyn told the group he thought it highly likely that as they ranked up the Skill it would allow them tomunicate back. To produce pheromones of their own, through mana, and speak with the ants as easily as they spoke to other humans.

    Each of them only received one other Skill upon epting the ss: Formica Sapiens inspiration. By utilising it, they would be able to provide powerful bonuses to both ants and other humans. Once they''d confirmed the description, the nature of this glorious happening became clearer to the one-armed priest.

    Their purpose was made yet more clear. They were to be the bridge between the ants and those around them. They would allow the humans of Renewal to fight alongside the Colony, for only when they battled alongside both would the Antmancers level.

    "We must prepare," Beyn whispered, "for the crusade."

 Chapter 526 A New Way pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 526 A New Way pt 4 </h4>

    Enid was tired, yet energised. She found herself constantly in this state as ofte. There were never enough hours in the day for all the things that needed to be done, which meant she was constantly on the run, difficult for a woman of her age. At the same time, she was enthused every day to rise to the challenges of her new home.

    From the tragedy that Garralosh had inflicted on the people living on the frontier, they had brought about a miracle of rebirth with the help of the Colony. The town of Renewal grew every day at a pace that could only be described as dizzying. If someone had told her how well the people would be able to grow a newmunity as quickly and with this level of harmony when they''d started, she''d have refused to believe it.

    She''d returned to themunity after negotiations had beenpleted with the representatives of Rylleh. They''d bargained as hard as any merchant in the end, a testament to what people with their backs against the wall were capable of. With the threat of Colony behind her though, there was little they could do to enforce their bluster. The terms were settled to the satisfaction of the nest and for the most part the city was satisfied.

    "Mayor," a voice called her back to the present.

    Enid turned to see her assistant, Ruth, approach from across the room, a rather worried expression on her face. Usually a steady young woman, it was a rare day that she looked so unsettled. Enid could immediately guess the root of the problem.

    "What''s he done this time?" she sighed.

    How the hell that damnable priest had managed to screw something up so quickly, she could only imagine. When she''d checked on him yesterday, he was still convalescing from his mana poisoning. He should be barely out of bed!

    "He and the faithful have gathered in the square, he''s really preaching up a storm down there."

    Enid frowned.

    "Sounds like normal behaviour to me. What''s the issue?"

    Ruth hesitated.

    "It''s just¡­ some of the ims being made are quite extraordinary. The crowd is really being whipped into a frenzy. Half of Renewal is down there already."

    "What? What are they saying?"

    In the square, arge crowd had gathered to listen as the Priest spoke to the miracle that had urred, his booming voice captivating the attention of everyone who heard it.

    "THE TIME HAS COME!" he orated, "TO RISE! TO STEP FORWARD AND BE COUNTED! OUR SAVIOURS, THE COLONY, BATTLE FOR THEIR VERY SURVIVAL BENEATH THE GROUND. THEY SAVED OUR LIVES, REBUILT OUR HOPES AND DREAMS AND GAVE HOPE TO THOSE WHO HAD NONE!"

    He took a breath before he continued with even greater fervour than before.

    "I KNOW HOW YOU HAVE FELT! TO STAND ON THE SIDELINE, POWERLESS TO GIVE AID! I TOO, HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT CRUSHING DISAPPOINTMENT. NO LONGER! NO LONGER! THE SYSTEM HAS HEARD THE PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL AND OUR PATIENCE HAS BEEN REWARDED!"

    Beyn was never more in his element than when addressing a crowd. His Skills in this area were high level and more than that, his experience over years of delivering fiery sermons had honed his instincts to a fine point. He could already sense the restless energy building in his audience, getting ready to reach a fine crescendo.

    "WITH OUR NEW CLASS, THE ANTMANCER, GRANTED TO US ON THIS VERY DAY, WE SHALL BE ABLE TO STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH OUR ANT SAVIOURS AND REPAY OUR DEBTS!"

    The rumbling in the crowd grew stronger as he continued to exhort them with this great miracle. Beyn possessed a ster reputation for honesty and good dealings within themunity, there were none who would doubt his word. Even in matters of the Colony he was strictly factual (ording to his worldview). It''s not like he had to make things up to impress on people the good works of the Colony.

    "REMEMBER EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!" He thrust forward an usatory finger. "THE PEACE YOU EXPERIENCE NOW, A PEACE THAT THE COLONY FOUGHT AND DIED TO ACHIEVE, IS FALSE! EVEN NOW THE WAR CONTINUES BENEATH OUR FEET!"

    Some shifted in the crowd at his words. Love for the Colony was strong amongst these people, they weren''t happy that their saviours were forced to fight whilst they themselves were powerless to help them.

    "TAKE HEART AND PREPARE YOURSELVES, MY PEOPLE! WE ARE PREPARING TO LAUNCH A GREAT CRUSADE INTO THE DUNGEON! WE WILL FIGHT ALONGSIDE THE COLONY AND ENSURE OUR FUTURE TOGETHER WITH OUR OWN HANDS! GATHER TOGETHER ALL WHO ARE WILLING! ONLY TOGETHER CAN WE -"

    Beyn''s mind was razor focused on the audience and his own speech. They were his instrument and modtions of his powerful voice seized their attention and didn''t let it go. His presence demanded their attention, they were razor focused on him. Simrly, speaking in such a precise, weaponised way was draining on the priest. His focus on the crowd was absolute.

    Which is why nobody saw the book flying through the air until it mmed into the side of his head.

    WHAM!

    Both the audience and Beyn were stunned as he stumbled to the side and fell to the ground. After he gathered his senses, he turned to see Enid storming towards him from the council building.

    "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING YOU IDIOT PRIEST?!" She roared when she got her hands on him.

    Beyn looked up at her, shocked.

    "I''m spreading the word of our miracle and calling the people to action. What else was I supposed to do? We need to help the Colony, Enid!"

    The mayor leaned down to re at him from point nk range, the fire in her eyes burning bright.

    "We''re talking about people''s lives, Beyn! They''ll die! Remember that!" She hissed.

    "I am prepared to die for the Colony!" he said.

    "I don''t care about that! Any idiot can die! Are you willing to raise the orphans who will be left behind? Are you willing to do that?! Are you willing to bury the dead and speak sce to those who grieve?! You should have brought this to the Council first! We would have been able to find a way to do this and keep it safe! Now we have no control, you''ve whipped them up into a frenzy. If we''re lucky, they won''t be rushing down into the Dungeon by the end of the day!"

    Only then did Beyn realise the folly of his actions. His powerful Skills in oration were a heavy responsibility, his ability to persuade was almost magical. What''s more, he had a responsibility to thismunity as its priest! He''d been so eager to spread the word of this new miracle, he hadn''t paused to consider the best way to do it.

    Frantic, he looked out over the crowd only to see the intense energy he had generated in them hadn''t decreased, if anything the opposite was true. Men and women were shouting and cheering, hoisting weapons into the sky. Already some had found nearby Colony members and were kneeling and praying before them in readiness. The euphoria that he had felt only moments ago faded away with the grim reality of the miracle that had been granted to them. Fighting alongside the ants meant dying alongside them. It was something to be celebrated, but also mourned.

    But nothing could stop it now. The humans wereing.

 Chapter 527 The Churn

    <h4>Chapter 527 The Churn </h4>

    Titus stifled his grimace as he walked from the battlefield. To others who looked at him, he was as stone faced and unshakable as ever, but inside, he was tired. High stats and the superhuman abilities of a powerfully levelled Legionary were able to sustain him for a long time, longer than almost any other type of soldier on Pangera, but not forever.

    A few days ago, by the Legion, only a few days? A few days ago the ants had escted the conflict, no longer content to dy and cede ground. The rise in intensity had required that Titus and his troops match their fervour.

    "Are you alright,mander?"

    Titus recognised the voice of his daughter, and the concern that she had. She knew better than most that he hadn''t rested in almost a week.

    "Fine," he replied.

    He heard a doubtful snort from behind him and nearly smiled. Morrelia had not learned grace as she aged, much like her mother.

    "I didn''t expect that you would need to fight so much yourself, isn''t it a bit overkill for you to show up?" she asked.

    Without turning, Titus gestured for his daughter to walk by his side. After a moment she was there, her hands resting easily on the hilts of her des. Although she looked rxed and confident on the surface, Morrelia''s emotions were far from settled. Battling against the Colony was still something she couldn''t bring herself to do, and fortunately, she hadn''t had to up to this point. Even though Titus had entered the fight, even as one of his assigned guards, she simply didn''t have any opportunity to fight, her father destroyed every ant he could reach.

    The Colony had adapted quickly to his appearance on the field and began to avoidbat the moment they realised he was around, something Morrelia was more than grateful for.

    "Time is against us in this campaign, daughter," he told her, "the insects are being careful, trying to force us to expend our strength and waste our time. Every day that passes, our supply lines grow longer, our Legionaries more weary, and for what? Are we even killing the creatures faster than they are recing themselves?"

    The Commander''s hand gripped tight around the handle of his axe for a moment before he rxed again. The spirit trapped within raged without end but he crushed it with his will after a brief struggle. Whenever he grew frustrated, angry or tired, the foul beast would attempt to break him. Laughable.

    "Unless we gain ess to their nest and kill every Queen we find, we won''t be able to make real progress. Once that''s done we can take our time to hunt down and extinguish every individual."

    Morrelia was silent for a moment.

    "It doesn''t bother you at all that they''re sapient?" she asked, finally.

    Titus raised a brow.

    "No."

    He ced a hand on the armoured shoulder next to him.

    "They are monsters, born from mana. They are the children of the Dungeon and it is that which they serve. I''m surprised that I would need to exin this to you, of all people."

    The young Legionary beside him didn''t reply immediately and Titus continued to walk back towards his own lines at his usual long stride. Behind him, several squads were in the process of making meticulous checks over the defences the ants had just abandoned. No matter how many times the Legion foiled their traps and ambushes, the sted bugs never stopped trying. He knew they didn''t even expect them to work, they just wanted to slow down and exhaust his soldiers.

    It would have worked too.

    "I suppose I''m just not used to fighting monsters that can think and feel," Morrelia sighed, hiding her true feelings within.

    He nodded. This was something every delver who achieved the strength to reach the lower strata had to deal with. Though rarely would anyone encounter it in the second strata of all ces. Monsters became more intelligent, built societies, traded and formed rtionships.

    But it didn''t change what they were, fundamentally. When the cataclysm urred, the old Legion records showed that these supposedly ''peaceful'' creatures had rallied behind the Ancients and helpedy waste to the surface. The Legion never forgot and never forgave. For them, the war had never ended.

    "Not to worry," he told her, "you''lle to see the way of things, in time. Follow in the footsteps of the veterans and you can''t go wrong."

    He didn''t notice the slight sigh his daughter released behind her helmet.

    "I suppose so," she said.

    When they returned behind the lines, Titus waved her away as he went to consult with the officers, leaving Morrelia with some precious time to her own thoughts. Though it didn''tst long.

    "Hey Morr!" called Myrrin who approached enthusiastically, "how are you?"

    The berserker smiled to see such a friendly face.

    "Tired," she replied, "where are you getting your energy?"

    "Just got off break," the archer grinned, "rested and ready to go! They put five hundred of us back in camp for some shuteye. Seems like they want to make a big push before the reinforcementse."

    Caught in the middle of nodding her understanding, Morrelia froze.

    "Reinforcements?" she said.

    "Yup," her friend cheered, "about time too! I heard themander put the request in pretty much the second wended here. Not sure how many areing, hopefully another Legion at least. Then we''ll be able to smash our way through these bugs."

    Myrrin sounded particrly fierce by the end of her statement, revealing the depth of her antipathy toward the Colony, taking Morrelia aback.

    "I didn''t think you were so eager to kill them." she said, a little stiffly.

    She got a ''are you crazy?'' look in return.

    "They''re monsters," Myrrin said, "and my squad has lost two people to them in thest few days. Why wouldn''t I want them dead?"

    It was true. The fighting had grown more intense and even though the ants were being killed, the Legionaries were too. The grim rage within the Legion camp had only grown higher with each passing day as more of their members fell. The cumtive effect of her doubts and this new information was enough to make Morrelia feel ill. She needed some air.

    "I''ll catch up with youter Myrrin," she said, "good luck out there."

    Myrrin tried to catch hold of her friend, but she evaded her grasp and slipped back amongst the rows of tents and out of sight. The young woman stared for a moment, a worried expression written on her face, but turned back to her duties after a moment. Morrelia was tough as nails forged fromrger, tougher nails. Whatever was bothering her, she could handle it.

 Chapter 528 Itâ€™s progress, I suppose

    <h4>Chapter 528 It''s progress, I suppose </h4>

    Nearly¡­ there¡­ just a bit more¡­ I need to just¡­ get this bit.. No! Stupid sub-brain, hold that bit steady! GAH! Other sub-brain! What the hell are you doing over there?! Just hold it steady, dammit! Cursing at my own minds whilst my other minds grumble back at me is confusing enough, but the four separate brains manage to steady the ship once more and I worked frantically to slot the final pieces of the construct into ce.

    Once thest frame was put in ce I nearly winced, expecting the thing to explode in my face, but to my surprise, it held together, suspended in my mind and maintained by my main sub-mind. Mind you, just holding the thing in ce was exhausting to that mind. The damn construct was soplicated I don''t think the one sub-mind could even operate it whilst holding it together.

    Maintaining a construct isn''t as easy as just holding a ball in your hand, after all. It''s more like keeping the molecr structure of the ball in mind at all times, as if it were your will that held it together, rather than physics. Which is exactly what''s happening here. The construct will only hold together so long as I actively hold its shape. Without that conscious effort, it would dissolve like snow in an oven.

    But FINALLY! It''splete! It took so much practice I thought I was going to go mad, but it''s finally in ce! This thing has been such a pain in the thorax to put together, it better live up to the effort that I put into it! Lousy magic. Why can''t I just wave my antennae around and ck my mandibles a few times, eh?

    Not wanting to push too hard, I get one of the smaller sub-minds to carefully feed a little mana into the construct. Ever so slowly, the mana seeps out of my core and is then directed into the all-purpose opening. Once the mana is inside, things get a little more interesting. Since the unattributed mana can take any of a dozen paths throughout the structure, it takes fine control to navigate the desired route and produce the element I want.

    My sub-mind strains hard to maintain such a delicate grip on the energy but eventually the construct rotates and spits out a tiny amount of fire mana. Enough to heat a sausage. It''s pathetic, and not nearly as much mana as I can produce from the fire construct with half the effort. Even so, I''m still happy with the result.

    This represents progress! With more practice, I''ll be able to form the construct without having tomit all of my minds to it, then I''ll be able to operate without so much effort. Like any instrument, only diligent practice will allow me to operate the construct without having to consciously think about every little piece of it. Eventually, I''ll be able to spit out as much of whatever type of mana I want.

    Since I have the construct up and running, I decide to continue practicing with it, directing my two smaller sub-minds to operate it whilst I go about my business. Even with the constant regeneration provided by the Colony within range of the Vestibule, I won''t be able to maintain this level of effort continuously, but I should be able to hold onto it for a few hours.

    [Have you seeded, Master?] Crinis asks.

    [I have! Finally!] It''s hard to keep the pride from leaking into my tone.

    [Congrattions, Master! I expected it would only be a matter of time.]

    [Why thanks, Crinis. I appreciate the vote of confidence! How goes your own magic practice?]

    [I continue to focus solely on shadow magic. I have been able to make progress, but it''s been slow.]

    [Don''t forget to work on your mind mana,] I remind her, [with enough brain power, you''ll be able to make use of the mind constructs. Once you can do that, your training speed in other areas will multiply.]

    [Of course, Master. I''ll rededicate myself.]

    No-no, I think you''re plenty dedicated¡­ rather, don''t you dare get any more dedicated than you are now!

    My pets and I are huddled in a side tunnel, getting some mandated rest whilst the scouts are out with the core shapers, trying to get a sense of the Legion''s next move. Not far away, a steady stream of wounded continue to be taken from the forward field hospital to a more robust setup closer to the nest. Healers skitter about, anxiously tending to the muchrger castes in their care. Since the healers are too small, it generally falls to soldiers to grip their injured siblings in their mandibles and carry them with care whilst the healers run alongside, ensuring they remain stabilised.

    Those with minor injuries will heal themselves at the front with regenerative fluid and Biomass. Those injuries would heal in a few hours on their own. The more seriously injured, those with missing legs orrge chunks of carapace sheared away, will likely take days to bebat ready again.

    As I''d warned, the fighting had grown brutal once the Colony had made the decision to challenge the Legion. A flood of reinforcements had arrived from the nest shortly after Sloan had returned, sent to help us brace the line. Even with our vastly superior numbers, it was just way too difficult to bring the armoured tin-cans down. My pets and I were able to help sway the fight tremendously wherever we were, but we just couldn''t be on every battlefield at once.

    Thank goodness I never ran into the axe wielding demon again. I was quite happy when the others adopted my suggestion to just abandon whatever field he turned up to. We''d have to face him down eventually, but until we were forced to, putting ants in front of him was just throwing away the lives of our family. Uneptable!

    "Working hard, Eldest?"

    "You''ve had enough rest haven''t you?"

    "If you don''t hurry, we won''t leave any fighting for you to do!"

    The passing ants, even the injured ones, call out to me as they go, their spirits undaunted by the challenge before them. I give a wave back with an antenna as I watch them go, their voices whispering within the Vestibule. If anything, the mood of the Colony has only been rising the harder the fight has gotten. Giving away territory without fighting over it had gone against the ant nature of my family and now that they were permitted to, they leapt into the battle with joy and ferocity.

    [Fight?] Tiny rumbled, as if sensing my thoughts.

    I''m about to tell him to sit on his big hairy butt and wait when I spot a general rushing through the tunnels turn towards us.

    [Seems so,] I tell him, [rest time is over.]

    A massive grin splits the face of the ape, his eyes darkening to a deep shade of red as the anger kindles in his heart.

 Chapter 529 Monkey Business

    <h4>Chapter 529 Monkey Business </h4>

    The Storm rages in the sky

    The Madness lurks in the dark

    The Eye watches all

    Whilst

    Their Master sleeps

    Until The Day

    When All Be One in Him.

    - Prayer of the Faithful

    With reluctance I let the construct dissolve away and give my brains a chance to rest as the battle draws nearer. I''m still not proficient enough with it to employ the thing in battle, better to give my all to pump out a gravity bomb and then do what I can to support the ants around me. No matter how sneaky I get, the bombs haven''t managed to inflict any casualties after the first, but if I stop throwing them then perhaps the Legion would start to spread their numbers thinner and push us harder on a wider front, something I don''t want. So every fight starts with a bang, so to speak, as long as I''m around, just to keep them on their toes.

    "Are you ready, Eldest?" Wills asks as my pets and I push our way to the front.

    "Rested as I''ve ever been," I lie, "how about you? Manage to get a bit of torpor in between battles?"

    My antennae poke forward in an usatory manner as I ask my pointed question. The scout backs up defensively.

    "There wasn''t time, Eldest! I swear!" she continues to retreat as I move forward. "I''ll get some rest after this one, I promise! Two hours!"

    I raise an antenna.

    "Fine! Four hours! That''s all I can spare!"

    I lower the appendage.

    "I''m not trying to bully you," I tell the scout, "but you have to remember that rest is a weapon. We need our decision makers to be sharp and thinking clearly, not fatigued and run off their feet. If we make mistakes, our family pays the price, don''t forget it."

    I''ll conveniently skip the fact that I just spent my allocated rest time practicing a fiendishly difficult mental construct and burned through my mental reserves just before showing up to a fight. Thankfully, I have the Vestibule in my back pocket, which means I''ll be able to recover to nearly peak condition soon enough, even if the emotional fatigue is starting to weigh on me.

    "I know, Eldest, it''s just hard to find the time, there''s a ton of stuff to do¡­"

    "As if every member of the Colony isn''t saying the same thing since the day they were born?" I ask sceptically. "Find some scouts you can trust to help cover you for a few hours, it''s not that hard. Get some damn rest!"

    Perhaps sensing the iing ''THWACK!'' the scout dashes away to help organise the artillery as the front line of ants begins to take shape around the defences. The closer we get to the nest, the more thorough and borate the preparations the carvers have been able to make. Where once were simple tunnels, walls and ambush points are now pit fall traps, rock falls, hardened rock stakes, reinforcedpacted stone barricades and more. I can only imagine how irritating it is for the enemy to clear one set of walls after a tough fight, only to find an even more borate set of walls waiting a kilometre further up the tunnel.

    Still, it hasn''t been enough to stop them. Even as the ants form themselves into silent ranks,yer onyer of ferocious insect ready to fight, the Legion has begun to form up opposite us. Simr to us, they are strangely quiet as they arrange themselves in rows of heavily armed soldiers, their faces hidden behind the steel ting of their helmets.

    Won''t be long now.

    I start pouring my gravity mana out to form the gravity bomb, not even bothering to try and hide what I''m doing. I''ve positioned myself at the front of the line and they clearly see me, so I don''t see what would be the point. After almost ten of these conflicts over thest few days, the process has be somewhat routine. Indeed, things begin to follow the expected pattern. Recognising my presence, the Legion soldiers begin their measured approach in the face of a hail of spells and acid, their barriers holding tight against the offensive.

    When the gravity bomb is ready, I unleash it upon them, the horrifying darkness and screaming of the air driving away all thought of anything else the moment it appears. The enemy responds smoothly to the appearance of the magic, doing everything they can to weaken it from the second I unleash it. Even with Invidia helping to distract them by unleashing all the magic he can, the soldiers stand firm and manage to disperse the spell bybining their efforts. Still, I can see the toll it takes on them. Several mages are forced to retire to the rear of the Legion forces, totally spent by the mental effort of resisting the bomb.

    With the main threat dealt with, the advance begins anew, steady and slow as the Colony continues to fling everything they have at them. After a few moments to rest, I whip together an ice construct and start hurling spears at the approaching wall as fast as I can. This much is totally standard by this time, things are proceeding as expected. If it continues along the usual lines, I expect that we''ll see a charge from them soon, followed by the full on melee until we eventually retreat.

    Except there''s something that isn''t going as expected. Rather than his usual restless moping during this part of the battle, Tiny is agitated, thumping his chest and bellowing his rage at the encroaching Legion soldiers. The great ape''s eyes have turned a deep red and lightning has already begun to crackle and jump in the air around him.

    [Hey Tiny, you alright buddy?] I ask him, concerned.

    He doesn''t respond, instead raising himself higher to shake his fists at the enemy and st them with arcing bolts of electricity. When his blows fail to leave much of an impact, his anger grows even stronger, his snarls and bellows reaching a deafening crescendo.

    [Whoa there big guy, don''t do anythi- ]

    Toote.

    Gripped by his fury and desire for battle, the massive ape unfurls his dark wings and leaps forward from the wall, hurtling himself toward the Legion in a spectacrly Leeroy-like course of action.

    [What are you doing you idiot!?] I mentally roar at him but he isn''t listening.

    [Invidia! Get after him!]

    [Yesssss.]

    [What will we do, Master?]

    [We''ll have to go after him!] I reply to Crinis grimly as I stand and climb over the wall.

    I don''t know what in the name of heck has possessed the moron but he''s gone right over the deep end. Perhaps the simple fact he hasn''t had a satisfying fight in over a week of battles has been enough to drive him over the edge? Having to retreat and fall back constantly isn''t exactly the sort of thing Tiny is built to do, after all. Regardless the reason, I need to try and save that idiot before he gets himself killed!

    It happens so quickly that I don''t have time to speak to the confused ants around me before I''m over the wall and dashing forward, desperate to catch up to the bounding bat-gori. With those dark wings of his, he can really cover the ground quickly with abination of leaps and ps.

    Come on. DASH!

    My legs strain as I rush forward, still flinging ice spells at the enemy with desperate energy as I try to close the distance. Behind me I can see the Colony scurrying to change their ns as wave after wave of soldiers, generals, scouts and the shadow pets of the shapers pour over the top of the wall and charge across the open ground.

    I swear to god Tiny, if this goes bad I''ll THWACK you until you''re nothing but a gori shaped outline on the wall!

    Completely ignorant of the rising tide of my indignation, Tiny continues to bellow with a mix of pure rage and joy as he bounds faster and faster toward the Legion. When he''s still thirty metres away, he hurls himself into the air, wings spread to their limit as he explodes with electricity, channelling the energy into his giant fists. Those great hands shine so bright with the concentrated lightning mana that they''re blinding and I almost stumble in my charge across the uneven ground.

    Even the Legion is forced to block their eyes as they raise their shields, maintaining their strong barriers as they do so. Without me ordering him to, I see Invidia weaving the mana around Tiny with incredible skill, creating shield after shield to protect the stupid monkey from his own offense. In a moment of inspiration, I hastily weave together a few gravity bolts and fire them at Tiny when he reaches the peak of his jump, increasing his weight.

    He falls like a copsing star, smashing into the gathered shields of the Legion and shattering them with a deafening thunder p.

 Chapter 530 Fists of fury

    <h4>Chapter 530 Fists of fury </h4>

    I don''t know what shocked me more, the fact that Tiny managed tond without getting himself killed, or that he actually managed to break through theyered shields and barriers of the Legion. Since he actually managed the impossible, I''m not about to let the chance slip by.

    "GOGOGOGOGOGOGO!" I flood the tunnel with a wave ofmanding pheromones that batter into the antennae of the ants behind me, driving them forward in a frenzied wave of insects.

    [Crinis, I need you to go big on this one, alright? Keep your losses below fifty percent though.]

    [I''ll do my best, Master.]

    Crinis acknowledges my order and I feel her gathering mana a moment before she slips off my carapace and into the shadows of the tunnel, vanishing without a trace.

    [Go hard, Invidia! Keep Tiny alive if it''s at all possible!]

    [Hissss sssuffering will be mine!]

    [Good boy.]

    As Tiny''s huge body ms down into the ranks of the Legion, dust and debris flies in a wide circle, obscuring the scene from my eyes. I can hear a ton of shouting, screaming and the omnipresent ring of steel. But all of those sounds are driven away by the piercing scream that detonates inside the tunnel. It''s Tiny! The dumb ape has unleashed his primal scream in an effort to stun the Legionaries. Even more powerful than before, the waves of sound are enough to blow my antennae back into my carapace. I swear I can feel my eyes being pressed back into my head! What it feels like standing right next to him I have no idea, but it sure can''t be pleasant.

    Well, that''s for the Legion to worry about, not me.

    Desperately hoping that the scream was enough to keep my first pet alive long enough, I drive my legs even harder to arrive that split second faster, my minds weaving mana at a dizzying pace.

    POW! POW! POW! POW! POW! POW!

    An endless stream of acid sts fly from the back zone, the hungry acid falling in a rain on the massed Legion soldiers as I charge. Every little thing that can help is going to be needed now. Just as I approach the front line the dust begins to clear and I see the wall of shields braced right in my face.

    A hell.

    BAM!

    I m face first into the Legion lines and the resistance is fierce, but my momentum is just too much to be stopped. I crash through the shields in front of me, sending soldiers flying as my legs scramble and I lose my bnce, copsing in a heap in the tight ranks of the enemy. Not good! Gravity Domain!

    My sub-brains force out the sphere of dark purple mana, making all around me heavier. It probably won''t help much against the powerful soldiers around me, but I''ll take anything I can get. Once that job is done, I continue flinging ice magic as I pick myself up to my feet and start chomping like a mad thing. Surrounded by stupid armoured soldiers, how the heck am I supposed to miss?

    CHOMP!

    Despite only just getting back to my feet, I can already feel the blows beginning to rain down on my diamond carapace. If they are given a few more seconds, the Legionaries will begin to coordinate their attacks and rip into my precious exo-skeleton. Fortunately, they don''t get that much time.

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    The horde of ants ms into the disordered Legion force and washes over them like a wave. The front row of ants batters into the shields of their foes and the ants behind simply climb over the top of them and throw themselves into the fray, followed by the ants behind them, then the ants behind them, until the entire melee is a carpet of soldiers biting and gnawing at every bit of metal they get their mandibles on.

    [TINY! Where the hell are you?!] I call mentally to my pet.

    [FIGHT!]es the roar back at me.

    [OBVIOUSLY YOU IDIOT! BUT WHERE?!]

    Forget asking him, I''ll just have to find him. The battlefield is now a tangle of ants, Legionaries and shadow beast pets embroiled in a grand melee. I can''t see anything in any direction. All around, the crush of bodies presses against me, buffeting me from side to side and it''s hard to make headway.

    [Crinis, any idea which way I need to go to find my way to Tiny?]

    [Yes, Master! Head towards your left!]

    [Great! ¡­ Which way is left? Wait, I think I got it.]

    I feel bad about distracting Crinis when she''s about to make her entrance, but I really can''t tell where the heck I am. Once I think I work it out, I orient myself and just start shoving, chomping whenever I see a sh of metal. After a few moments, I see the darkness around me begin to deepen as the light drains away. From out of the deepest patches of ck snake long, barbed limbs that coil around any Legion soldier unfortunate enough to take their notice. Once they take hold, the tentacles begin to contort and twist and the sound of shrieking metal fills the air as Crinis begins to try and cut her way through the Legionary armour.

    I manage to st through enough of the melee that I meet up with Tiny once more and the sight is something to behold. The great ape is bloody, cuts all over his body staining his fur and making him look like some form of nightmare creature. Despite his numerous wounds, a fierce grin is stered across his bat face as he swings his massive fists in a dizzying disy of speed and power. Lightning surges across his body and darts down his hands whenever he strikes, sting those foolish enough to get in his way with electrical discharges that smoke straight through their armour. Even so, the number of strikes directed towards Tiny is ridiculous and even Invidia isn''t able to block them all.

    Come on!

    Gritting my mandibles, I throw my body forward and use my own frame to shield my friend from the barrage directed towards him. At the same time I trigger my regeneration nd and allow the liquid to flush through my system, helping to restore my HP even as I lose it.

    [Come on, Tiny! Time to fight our way out!]

 Chapter 531 The prize

    <h4>Chapter 531 The prize </h4>

    Tiny''s fists are a sight to behold. Tireless and dauntless, his hands sh out faster than the ant eye can see, each strike apanied by a sh of light as fists of pure energy materialise and crash into his targets like trucks. As I watch he winds up and unleashes a devastating uppercut that starts at his feet and finishes above his head. An arc of light materialises from the fist and rises underneath a legionary soldier and lifts them with tremendous force to crash into the ceiling.

    Holy heck! That had to hurt.

    Despite the spectacr sess of that swing, Tiny received numerous cuts and strikes during the wind up and recovery. He can''t afford to take much more damage! Get back you tin-cans! Get back!

    Doom Chomp!

    The intimidating jaws of dark energy gnash and bite at the swirling melee around us. It''s hard to prate the powerful armour of the Legion, but I know I manage to get a few good bites in here and there as I use my body as a living shield for Tiny. Invidia is doing all he can to distract the enemy and keep his ape charge standing, healing and shielding Tiny in a dizzying disy of magical prowess. So far, it''s just enough to keep the big guy swinging, along with my own impressive diamond carapace absorbing it''s fair share of blows.

    In fact, would it be fair to say that they are targeting me more than Tiny right now?!

    A barrage of weapon strikes sh out of the darkness at me, carving gouges in my carapace and knocking my weight around. My nerves allow me to make precision,st second dodges that keep my legs attached to my body and protect my eyes from being punctured. The battlefield truly has descended into aplete mess, with fanatical ants literally throwing their bodies at the enemy, crawling over the roof and dropping onto the Legion from above.

    More and more ants join the fray until the entire tunnel is just a seething mass of ants. Once the numbers get high enough, Tiny and I can finally rx, since there aren''t enough soldiers with a clear shot at us to cause significant issues. Once they realise they can''t im the major prize, the enemy begin a fighting retreat. When they manage to group together, the Legion soldiers are adept atyering their shields andbining their strikes to sweep away a number of ants at once, giving themselves breathing room to try and free more of their allies.

    I push forward hard in an attempt to stay on the front lines in order to protect my siblings, but there''s so darn many of them that I''d have to crush them in order to get through. After ten minutes of shoving and snapping whenever I can, I suddenly find myself alone in the field.

    Did¡­ did we win?

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    "CHARGE!"

    "GET ''EM!"

    The Colony has clearly not had enough of chomping on the Legion. The ants surge forward, hungry to extract their full measure of vengeance now that they finally have the upper mandible.

    [Crinis! Block them! Don''t let the Colony pursue them!]

    The Legion has been diligent in seizing our strongholds and bringing their line forward in unison. I''ve no doubt that if we chase them down the tunnel we''ll run into traps and reinforcements. If we aren''t careful, they''ll flip this victory into a defeat before we can blink!

    The horde of ants rushes forward but the shadows deepen beyond ck in front of them and a forest of tentacles rises from the floors. In the blink of an eye a forest of dark, writhing limbs have risen in front of them, blocking the path of the charge.

    "Get back!" I call, "get back to our walls!"

    With persistent calls and the odd THWACK! I manage to get the Colony turned around. I get that they''re excited but I sure as heck don''t want to lose any more of them. Indeed, the battlefield is littered with wounded and fallen ants. They may have managed to pile on and get within biting range of the Legion for a change, but that doesn''t change the fact that those armoured soldiers pack a ridiculous punch in a small package.

    The healers are already out in full force, gathering up the wounded and providing emergency treatment. Nutritious Biomass is delivered to those in most need to help kick start the natural healing process and get them back on their feet faster. I ask Invidia to help out where he can as I wearily survey the battlefield. It was a short and sharp conflict, but I''mpletely exhausted. I might actually need some torpor after that one.

    I wander around and find Tiny slumped against the wall with a satisfied smile on his face and his body covered in wounds. I almost call Invidia back to take care of the ape but I stop myself when I realise that most of the injuries are already closed. Even so, he must havee close to losing all of his HP multiple times in that fight. I swear at one point I saw him with one arm barely hanging on. Even with Invidia in his back pocket, he still isn''t protected enough to make it out of engagements like this in one piece.

    [You dumb gori,] I sigh at him, [fighting is good and all, but you need to make it out alive or it doesn''t count.]

    [Harr,] he scoffs and then winces as his wounds re up.

    [You deserve that. Rest you big lug, I''ll try and get some food for you.]

    Predictably, his eyes light up at the mention of food and he nods at me with vigour. Predictable.

    "Quite the unexpected fight, Eldest."

    Gah! I didn''t even notice Wills creep up on me, I was so preupied.

    "Don''t me me," I say, "I had nothing to do with it. Tiny decided he wanted to fight today."

    "Turns out it was a good thing that he did," she says, "the real question I have though, is what we''re going to do with all of that."

    With a flick of her antennae, the scout indicates the two dozen or so suits of armour being dragged away towards our own walls.

    "I can think of an ant who might want to take a look at those¡­"

 Chapter 532 RnD

    <h4>Chapter 532 RnD </h4>

    The hammer of anvils and the searing heat of metal surrounded Smithant on all sides and she couldn''t be happier.

    "How do I manage this part?" another carver scuttled up to her and asked.

    "Ah, the folding? It''s like this¡­ " she exined the process with care and demonstrated some of the techniques on her own workbench as the other ant watched withser-like focus.

    "I understand," the carver nodded, "I''ll make an attempt and return to see what you think."

    So saying the ant ran off to her own workspace and soon another anvil was ringing in chorus along with the others. It felt so nice to have helpers! It was only weeks ago when she wasbouring on these projects by herself! Only weeks? It seemed like a lifetime ago. After breaking through with her Skills and forging the first suit of enchanted ant armour for Leeroy, she''d managed to receive the blessing of the Eldest and, suffice to say, the word of the most important ant in the Colony went a long way toward getting approval.

    With more resources at her disposal, and the help to make use of them, the armour workshop of the Colony was now a small thrivingmunity of armoursmiths, dedicated to their profession with the sort of unflinching fanaticism that came so naturally to the ants.

    Filled with pleasant feelings and eager to return to her own work, Smithant was more than a little irritated to hear a mour and rush and a horde of ants descended into the workshop, taking up space and hauling what appeared to be heavy sacks filled with the unmistakable tinkle of metal on metal. At least they were interrupting her for something worthwhile, she grumbled. As long as there was metal involved, she was interested.

    "What has got you lot so riled up?" she demanded as the cavalcade of ants flooded into her workspace, covering every inch of the walls and ceiling, taking up defensive positions.

    "Sorry for the trouble," came a recognised scent, "the generals are a little nervous about this stuff and wanted a full security detail. Forget that thergest soldiers won''t even fit in the workshop area."

    "Tungstant?"

    The carver council member skittered into the room, poking and prodding at the bags on the ground with her front legs. It was quite rare for the council members to show up here, especially right now.

    "I thought you were working on the defences of the three nests¡­ What are you doing here?"

    The council member shook her antennae and kept prodding at the bags.

    "Because of this stuff, obviously. I''ve been told what we have here, but I haven''t actually seen it. Come on over here and let''s have a look, I''m so curious to have a look."

    "What could they possibly bring in that would need this kind of attention?" As curious as she was, Smithant kind of resented having so many of her siblings crowded into her private work area. Nobody had bothered toe in here before, why were they so desperate to jump in now?!

    Still, the lure of the bags drew her in. What could it be? A new mineral or type of metal? It was possible that scouts and miners had turned up something new and unexpected in their explorations. The Colony refused to abandon expansion and search efforts during the conflict after all.

    Interest stirred within the carapace of the crafter and she found herself drawn to the sharply angled lumps hidden with the bags. Where the heck did the Colony even get bags from anyway? Tungstant noticed her unspoken question.

    "We''ve started making them to help carry stuff. One ant, even a carver, can carry a heck of a lot in two bags slung over the carapace. Now help me get these things open."

    It took a few moments for the two to recognise the bottom of the unfamiliar container and upend it to send the precious contents tumbling out onto the floor. The moment the gleaming tes of enchantment encrusted armour hit the floor, something magical happened, something remarkable, unexinable and unfathomable. It was a lightning strike, an earthquake, an eruption and an implosion all at once, and it took ce directly in the centre of Smithant''s heart.

    In that instant, she fell in love.

    "What¡­ what have you¡­"

    Her pheromones trailed away to nothing as she drew ever closer to the gleaming tes of armour. Her antennae swept forward to caress the curved metal with an almost tender softness as her mandibles cked together rhythmically. If she noticed this strange behaviour, Tungstant didn''t seem to pay it any mind. Indeed, she''d been around the carvers long enough to know what could happen to them around the objects of their obsession. This level of strangeness didn''t even approach the kind of things that stupid sculpture inspired ant had done since she''d started working.

    "These are full sets of Legion armour that we seized from the battlefield, one set in each of these bags. The mages have swept over and analysed them to the best of their ability in order to check if there are hazardous enchantments on them, but if there is it''s far beyond our ability to detect it."

    "I see."

    Tungstant wasn''t confident that she''d been heard, but she continued anyway.

    "If fact, from what I''ve been told from those who''ve taken a look at this, the technology on disy is far beyond anything we have at our disposal. The mages weren''t even able to identify the materials used to make these suits. We can''t even specte on it, to be honest. Naturally, as the foremost expert on the subject, we decided to bring this to you. Learn whatever you can from them, but be careful, we don''t know what this armour can do if you start melting it down."

    "Melt it down?!" Smithant cried,ing back to her senses, "sacrilege! Who would possibly of destroying such perfection?"

    She snatched up one of the pauldrons in her mandibles as an antenna drooped down to pet the curved metal.

    "Noone will hurt you my darling. My gem¡­ My preciousss."

    "Great! I''ll leave you to it then," Tungstant said and turned around to hurry back to her own work.

    The many guards and sentries remained in ce, but Smithant didn''t see them, couldn''t possibly imagine they existed. All of the material things in creation were only herself, and the armour. All else was dust.

 Chapter 533 Heart of glass

    <h4>Chapter 533 Heart of ss </h4>

    She knew she would have to break it. It was obvious. How on Pangera was she supposed to learn the secrets of this incredible armour without hitting it, breaking it open, melting it? She couldn''t! She knew she couldn''t. And yet¡­ she struggled to bring herself to do it. She''d examined the armour in intricate detail. Every sense she could bring to bear had been utilised withser-like focus on every curve and fold of the suits she could ess. Her antennae were intimately familiar with every square inch. Her eyes had examined each marking and rune, the entirework of which (that was visible) she had copied onto sheets of metal that adorned the walls of her forge.

    Several of the watchful scouts had been yelled at for allowing their legs to pollute those surfaces as they shifted around the room, disturbing her thoughts for seemingly no good reason. What were they supposed to protect her from?! The scouts fobbed her off, with generic statements about ''dangerous enemy technology'', as they''d been ordered to. The fact that Tungstant had ced them there to protect Smithant in the event something went very wrong, they wouldn''t say. The Colony was not about to lose their foremost armour expert so soon after she had demonstrated her worth! Not even for Legion armour would that be worthwhile.

    So they carefully watched as the carver interacted with the armour, their cores in their jaws each time she dropped something or started gnawing on the armour with her mandibles, worried that something would explode before they had the chance to throw themselves on top of it.

    Eventually, she was forced to weigh her affection for the incredible craftsmanship of the Legion pieces that had fallen into her ws against her own Skills and knowledge (and by extension, the Colony''s). Of course, her own Skills won out. How much more precious would equally stunning works be, if they hade from her own forge? The very thought sent her into a catatonic state of joy for several long minutes.

    The decision made, she wasted no time in getting to work. The ants had developed many ant-specific tools for manipting armour in order for them to manage the process of detailing and enchanting. With the straps undone and the joints snipped, Smithant used her front two ws to lift and mount the armour on the frames she''d constructed and started the painful process of deconstructing the suits.

    It took long hours of arduous (and tearful) toil. The armour was tough. Really tough. The materials were totally alien to her experience and far more durable than anything she''d worked with to date. Not only was the stuff harder to break, snap, pierce or shatter, it was lighter, responded to mana better and held enchantments more than three times as efficiently! The strange stone was a wonder in and of itself. It could detect mana sources around it and actively tried to consume that mana. She nearly had a few cores drained dry when they were ced too close to the stuff. When she tested it on herself (the watching scouts came this close to leaping off the roof in a massive pile-on) she found that even through her carapace and flesh, the stone was able to siphon away a portion of the mana in her core.

    The only logical conclusion was that the mineral was, in some sense, living. The number of experiments she would need to conduct on the stuff to test it was immeasurable and would likely take years. Reluctant as she was to part with it, she had little choice but to pass responsibility for that investigation over to the mages. She had armour to make and precious little time to take on a task that could instead be done by a dozen teams of mage-ants.

    The metal was a more familiar material. She wasn''t sure what she''d expected to find after the encounter with the strange stone, but the steel was (as far as she could tell) inert. A relief. If the Legion had managed to find some sort of living metal and learned to shape it, she might have despaired of the Colony ever catching up to their craftsmanship.

    The material was unknownto her, that much made sense. She could work at identifying and categorizing the qualities of the metal, but it was unlikely she would be able to do more until they found an unprocessed sample of the stuff for herself. Where her interest trulyy, and where she stood to gain the most from this investigation, was the techniques used rather than the materials.

    And those techniques were, quite literally, next level. She was able to see what had been achieved but couldn''t picture how for the life of her. It reality, this metal wasn''t too much better than that the Colony had ess too, at least the raw material. Smithant theorised that the processing and treatment applied to the ore was what resulted in the higher level of tensile strength and lighter weight. Which took what was a rtively small advantage in rawponents and widened it significantly. This led the carver to further believe that there were far better suits of armour out there. She refused to believe that a force as old and established as this Legion didn''t have ess to ore that far surpassed this.

    The other key advantage was in the way their smiths had worked the final metal. Although she couldn''tpletely reverse engineer the techniques that had been used in the forging, she was able to analyse the final result. Then she could try and make educated guesses as to the process that had been used. If she were sessful in her work, she might be rewarded with a significant amount of experience towards her smithing Skill. At the very least, it was going to be a great benefit to the Colony to gain some insight into how some of the best out there made their armour.

    In terms of unlocking the benefits to their enchanting methods, she was even further behind in that department. Although she worked hard on her enchanting Skills, it was her secondary profession, she wasn''t the highest level in the Colony by a long shot. She''d have to bring in a few experts to help break down that tangled web.

    But all of that wouldn''t require the use of this many suits. The Colony had seized over ten full sets of this superb stuff, it would be a waste for it to collect dust in her collection (though she longed for it, she couldn''t condone the inefficiency). She couldn''t replicate these materials, or their techniques, but what she could do was hack these suits apart and then cobble them back together to the best of her ability. It would be a pretty nasty piece of patchwork, and splicing together the enchantments would be an absolute nightmare, but she was fairly confident she could get it to work. The only question was, who out there was in need of the worst best armour the Colony had to offer?

 Chapter 534 Suiting Up

    <h4>Chapter 534 Suiting Up </h4>

    The giant gori shifted ufortably as Smithant crawled over him, taking measurements with her antennae and trying to work out the best way she could cobble the armour she had onto his massive frame.

    Tiny, for his part, suffered through it as best he could. Naturally, his preference would be to smash the stupid sword people''s faces in, but he''d been ordered toe all the way up to the nest by his Master and so he had no choice but to do so. In his own opinion, the previous fight had been a magnificent sess. Much face was smashed, many blowsnded upon the enemy. Tiny had punched until his fists bled and wrists cracked, the rage within him all but spent. Yet the Master was more concerned with ''near fatal wounds'' and ''catastrophic loss of blood'', things that Tiny didn''t deem nearly as important. Still, the master had heard that there might be a powerful set of armour on offer and so now here he was.

    Antennae tippy-tap on his arm and he dutifully raises it to allow the ant to measure his arms and shoulders.

    It''s a good thing the Colony managed to haul so many suits back from the battlefield, Smithant reflected, since there were only so many pieces that would be useable in this reconstruction and she had a heck of a lot of surface area to cover. The rest of the ants in attendance watched from the sidelines, slightly anxious for the oue. The pets raised by the Eldest had achieved a strange sort of status amongst the Colony. They weren''t ants, obviously, but they were still epted as part of the family. In a sense they were an extension of the Eldest, and therefore deserving of some measure of the respect reserved for that august individual.

    So the Colony stepped carefully and deferentially around Tiny as he sat and sulked during the extended measuring session. In truth, it took hours toplete since Smithant constantly moved back and forth, fetching sections of armour from her workshop and using her mandibles to hold them against Tiny to check their fit.

    Gradually, the shape of what she would need to make began to take shape in the mind of the carver. It wasn''t going to be pretty, and it certainly wasn''t going to be something like a full suit of armour, but it was going to provide a lot more protection than fur and skin. With the rough outlineplete, she got to work.

    Back in her workshop, watched over by the ever paranoid eyes of the scouts clinging to the roof, she began the arduous task of making the cuts necessary to separate the armour into the pieces she would need. Hours of painful, slow and careful work followed. She had to cut the armour without weakening it as much as possible, easier said than done. She also had to keep in mind the chunks of enchanted runes inscribed in the armour and what she would need to change and modify to create a workingwork of her own.

    Several of her helpers came to hold pieces and manoeuvre the sections for her, which helped speed things along remarkably. As the hours progressed, more and more of her team piled into her workspace to assist on the project. Eventually they were forced to take a wall down to amodate them all as they worked in a frenzy. Sections were cut,pared, recut, straps added, bindings tied and piecesyered over each other in a thousand differentbinations. After a few hours, a trio of high level enchanters arrived to study the armour and within a minute had been swept into the project. Along with Smithant, they studied the intricate rune script engraved on the armour,rge sections of which they couldn''t interpret.

    The process of snipping, rewriting and editing the runes was a mammoth one and the ants set to it with gusto, forming a separate team working alongside the first. It was hectic work, but the ants felt their Skill levels rising rapidly as they continued, not stopping until the final product began to take shape.

    As pure ant artisans and crafters, it hurt their sensibilities to send out something as rough as what they finally made. It was crude, a hodgepodge of bits and pieces taken from far finer work, but it functioned. The enchantment matrix might spark a little bit (metaphorically) but it did the job. Despite how rough it was, due to the excellence of the source materials, there was little question that it was the best armour the Colony had produced to date.

    When Tiny put it on, Smithant couldn''t help but think he looked that much more¡­ eager.

    The armour was spotty in ces, but it did a good job of covering his chest, shoulders and belly. It was a mismatch of stone and metal ting strapped together and heavily padded underneath with cloth and leather. For the most part, they hadn''t been able to cover his arms and legs, aside from some ting covering the front of his legs.

    The hardest piece of work by far had been the helmet. In order to make it, they''d been forced to break apart nearly fifteen of the human head protectors and splice them together in order to fit over Tiny''s much, much, much, much thicker skull. The final result was enormously heavy and far from the best fit, but it added much needed protection to the face zone.

    When the armour was finally assembled and strapped on, Tiny rolled his shoulders and swung his arms a few times before grunting in satisfaction. It was ufortable and weighed him down, but there was a satisfying heft to the bs of metal and stone that he found quite satisfying. More than that, with his task of getting armourpleted, he was free to re-join his master once again. His greatest hope was that his new equipment would prevent him from being sent away from the fighting again. He''d lost so much smashing time.

 Chapter 535 The Sound of the Beast

    <h4>Chapter 535 The Sound of the Beast </h4>

    Myrrin continued to push hard alongside her brothers and sisters of steel. The grim men and women of the Legion battled hard with little rest against endless waves of insects. She pulled her helmet off for a moment and sat, leaning her back against the rough tunnel wall. Without the aid of her helmet, the oppressive darkness of the second strata swept over her once more. She''d had her helmet on for so long she''d almost forgotten how dark it was, she could barely see her own hand in front of her face.

    "Myrrin, got any space on that wall for a weary mage?" came the tired voice of Donnn.

    The young Legionary snorted in derision.

    "A tired mage? How would it be possible to see such a thing? Standing at the back and waving your hands around can''t be that tiring can it?"

    "Leave off," came the grumbled reply as Donnn leaned back into the wall and slid down to a seated position. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to contest the minds of these stupid ants? There''s no end to them."

    She felt her curiosity piqued.

    "I can''t really. What''s it like?"

    Her friend shuddered.

    "I imagine it''s simr to what it feels like on the front. You push forward and immediately get jumped by a dozen opponents that swarm over you in seconds. After that it''s just a desperate wrestle until they give up or someone elsees along and saves you."

    She nodded.

    "Sounds about right," she said quietly.

    She fell silent for a moment before she barked out a humourlessugh.

    "What''s so funny?" Donnn asked.

    She smiled in the dark.

    "You remember during the wave, under Liria, when we fought for days on end against the monsters? We swore we''d never see anything that bad ever again."

    He couldn''t help but chuckle at how na?ve they''d been.

    "I suppose this is kind of simr. Endless waves of monsters to fight. Days without sleep. Themander pushing us forward like a ve driver."

    "It''s not the same," Myrrin refuted, "not the same at all."

    "How do you figure?"

    "During the wave we fought so many monsters, but they were mindless, in a frenzy. The moment they saw us, they charged forward and didn''t stop until they were cut to bits. These ants¡­ "

    She trailed away and Donnn sighed.

    "Are too cunning," he finished the thought for her and she nodded.

    The traps, the secret tunnels, the ambush attempts, the constant probing on the nks, sneak attacks trying to cut off their supplies, attempted tunnel copses, mental assaults, barrages of spells, reinforced stone walls bristling with spikes. It was brutal, draining and constant. At any moment there could be four or five tunneling attempts going on in different locations throughout the area of Dungeon they''d captured. Not a single one had ever seeded, but the ants didn''t stop trying. At first Myrrin had thought they were just being stupid, but she''d seen how draining it had been for the mages and auxiliaries to haul their detecting equipment around, setting it up all over again every time the front moved. They even had to staff the thing in rotating shifts, not for a single moment allowing the array to be unattended.

    If their vignce ever slipped, even for a period of minutes, the ants would be behind them, filling the tunnels in an instant and crawling over every wall and ceiling as they sought to inflict any damage they could.

    "You''re right," Donnn said, "this is so much worse. I''d much rather throw fireballs until I passed out than engage in these mental battles. They just feel so alien."

    "You should see them from the front," Myrrin said softly, "they''re so desperate to bite us they crawl on top of each other to reach us. It''s like watching a living wall of monsterse rushing towards us rather than a charge. I swear I can feel their rage, even though their eyes are so cold."

    The mage shrugged.

    "We came here to kill them all," he yawned, "I''m not surprised they''re a little cheesed off. How much longer until the next push?"

    "Only a few minutes," she sighed and pulled on her helmet. "I''m getting a break after this one. You?"

    "No," he said, "unlike some people, I have a solemn duty to perform and I won''t be caught shirking."

    "Except you would if you could," she smiled.

    "Hells yes."

    The two friendspsed into afortable silence as they drank in this rare opportunity for a break. It didn''tst long. With her helmet back on, Myrrin could see her fellow Legionaries hurrying forward as they prepared for the next push. The centurions huddled together not far away, pouring over scout reports and discussing the overall strategy. Things had changed since the incident a few days ago when one of the attack groups had their shield line broken. The defensive line had been reinforced further for every push. It only mattered when that huge ant and its disgusting pets showed up to the battlefield, but it couldn''t be predicted where it would show.

    Myrrin herself had seen it in the field a few days ago. The magic it had cast was horrifying. For a moment it had almost looked as if theyered shield in front of her would break and she would be consumed by that void. It had held, of course, and the rest of the fight had gone ording to expectations, but when she saw that creature across the field from her, she couldn''t help but worry. The giant ape pet that had reportedly been a key factor in the retreat hadn''t been seen since that battle. She could only hope it had been killed. Thest thing she wanted was to face up to something like that.

    "FALL IN!" came the call and Donnn sighed.

    "Back at it," he said as he hauled himself to his feet. "I hear we expect to reach their nest before too long, so hopefully we''ve reached the tail end of this campaign."

    Myrrin barked a humourlessugh.

    "You really think fighting in the nest is going to be the easy part of this? It''ll take longer to break through there than it''s taken to get to this point, mark my words."

    "We have auxiliaries and more Legionariesing," the mage pointed out, "that''s going to help take the pressure off."

    "I hope so¡­"

    The two parted ways as they made their way back to their respective squads. The actions required before every attack had be so routine that the scout couldplete them without thinking, but she had been warned against the temptation to mindlessly perform her maintenance. She made sure that she focused on every minute detail as shepleted her equipment check alongside herrades as their centurion watched on like a hawk. She checked every strap and buckle, tested each enchantment and examined all of her weapons before turning and doing the same to the Legionary on her left as they performed the same inspection on her. When all was confirmed ready, they reported to their centurion, a grizzled veteran from the wars on the third strata, who nodded and led them in a brisk march through the lines.

    The sentries nodded to them and gave short words of encouragement as they scanned the darkness for ants and before long they had arrived at the staging ground. Row upon row of disciplined Legionaries formed up and Myrrin was proud to take her ce amongst them. They weren''t in the front for this assault, something she was secretly grateful for, but rather toward the middle. She cast her eyes forward but it was hard to make out what was ahead of her through the darkness.

    After a few minutes of nervous waiting, the order came to advance. Eyes up, she marched forward in time with herrades, her hand gripped around her bow. The shape of the ant defence gradually took shape in the gloom, the walls already bristling with innumerable insects that clicked and cked softly in the darkness. Just when she had begun to rx, she saw it.

    In the centre of the wall, surrounded by the thickest number of insects, that huge hulking figure loomed. Even in the dim light, its carapace glittered and sparkled, at least around its eyes. Myrrin suppressed a shudder. She swore she could feel the malice and rage emanating from it across the tunnel. Just above it flittered the small shape of the demon pet that appeared alongside it, the green light of its eye a tiny point of light in the dark. Looks like she was going to experience another battle in the presence of that creature, the most powerful ant in the Colony. She drew a deep breath. At least it didn''t have that¡­.

    "ROOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!"

    A mindless scream of rage and bloodlust boomed out from behind the ant wall, so powerful it shook the air and rattled the stone. Trickles of soil shaken loose from the ceiling fell on the heads of the Legion as they advanced.

    What the hell was that?

    From behind the wall a giant hand appeared on the lip, followed by another. Over the next few seconds an enormous, hulking brute lifted itself up over the edge, its eyes glowing red with fury. As she drew closer, Myrrin felt a ripple of anger from the silent Legionaries around them, a few curse words were shoved passed gritted teeth and soon she saw why.

    The ape was covered in the armour of the fallen soldiers. The ants had desecrated their Abyssal armour and turned it to their own purposes. Behind the thick visor over the ape''s head, she swore she saw the beast recognise their anger¡­ and grin.

 Chapter 536 Armoured Kong

    <h4>Chapter 536 Armoured Kong </h4>

    The various Strata of the Dungeon are as different from one another as can be, each holding unique characteristics that can only be found in those ces. There is some discussion around whether the environment of that Strata is the cause of the predominant mana attributes in those ces, or does the mana that gives shape to the environment?

    Since no schr was present as the variousyers of the Dungeon took shape, it''s impossible for us to know for certain. What we can do, as researchers, delvers and academics, is to study the current state of the variousyers and hypothesise as to their formation. In the following pages I will provide a detailed breakdown of theyers known to the Magio Schrs of the Imperial College and give my own thoughts as to their purpose and origins.

    (Inquisitor Note: Details of the lower strata are NOT for distribution on pain of death. Do not disseminate, discuss or pass on this information without the express clearance of the Inquisitorium.)

    First Strata: The Layer of Beasts, as it ismonly referred is the weakest and least dangerous. The mana here is of a low concentration and is unable to support the more advanced monster types that can be found deeper.

    Second Strata: The Shadow Sea, due to its nature, is far more threatening than the firstyer, despite being only slightly deeper into the Dungeon. The darkness, cold and high concentration of death mana can create many unique monster types that can prove fatal to the unprepared. It has been noted by many that thisyer holds special affinity to stealth Skills and types, proving the perfect hunting and training ground for those who specialise in such builds.

    Third Strata: The Red teau. The world of the Demons and the yground of Arconidem''s subjects. The mana here behaves in such peculiar ways that it isn''t easy to assign a single affinity to the entireyer, but fire is certainly a persistent, and violent affinity that is found here. The Demon society, such that it is, is one that has adapted to this environment (or perhaps created it?) and certainly those monsters themselves are by far the greatest danger. Those that rule over that ce are worse tyrants than any that has sat on a throne on the surface.

    Fourth Strata: Mythic Realm. It is in the fourthyer that what mages like to ss as the ''higher mana'' affinities begin to appear, those that are beyond the basic elemental types. The monsters here draw power from many sources and are as varied as the environments that can be found. It is certainly worth noting that thisyer is home to the highest concentration of many rare minerals that are prized highly by the Sapient races, making territory here among the most fiercely sought after.

    Fifth Strata: Fields of Decay. A troublesome ce to say the least, the fifth strata is almost inhospitable to life. Filled with mana of decay, dposition and rot, few powers seek to fight for control over thesends and contest against the almost indestructible monsters that roam through it. ording to the earliest records the Tower has ess to, the first Delvers to reach this ce found remnants of a different environment and traces of mana with attributes that no longer exist there. It is theorized by many that Theorazzn somehow tainted this entireyer upon his ascent, changing it into what it has now be.

    (Inquisitor Note: Information of the lower strata is strictly forbidden. The remaining pages are sealed to the scroll.)

    Gaining Invidia helped Tiny tremendously in terms of his survivability inbat. The numerous shields, which only get stronger as the little demon improved his Skills, with the constant flowing of sweet, sweet healing mana had done wonders in allowing the big ape to unleash his inner ss cannon. When I''d heard there was an opportunity to kit him out in some hacked together Legion armour¡­ I have to say, I''d been a bit sceptical it would make much of a difference. However, after watching the ape nearly get himself killed diving headlong into the Legion, I knew that something had to be done. To be honest, I took this chance just to get Tiny away from the front for a few days in order to prevent him diving into bristling Legion formations for a bit. Perhaps that would be enough to cool him off.

    Turns out I was wrong on many fronts. Not only did the slight visit not calm Tiny down, it appears to have bottled his rage even further,pressing it into a neutron star of fury that has apparently exploded. The moment he saw the Legion gathering to assault our position he began to roar and bellow non-stop, mming his fists into his shiny new armoured chest and throwing punches at the distant foe. To be fair to him, the Legion didn''t seem all that happy to see him, either. Once they were able to see him, I saw a crack in their usual cast-iron discipline. A visible ripple moved through the ranks and it became immediately clear that Tiny was their primary target once they drew closer. The amount of firepower directed his way was extraordinary! Sword light, spells and a few kitchen sinks flew up at him well before the distance had closed to the point that such things could hurt him.

    When the battle lines closed, that was when all hell broke loose. I''d forced Tiny to remain on the wall by giving a strict, clear order using only small words which I''d repeated fourteen times. That didn''t stop him from bathing the approaching Legion with Lightning the moment he could. If I hadn''t ordered him to stop, he might have run out of juice before he even got to throw a punch!

    When the fighting started in earnest as the Legionaries battered our walls and the ants started to apply the mandibles, that''s when Tiny''s new outfit got its first real test. Holy moly did they want to make him holy. That they failed is a testimonial about the effectiveness of their own craftsmanship, I suppose. With Invidia helping to blunt the damage and the armour in ce to protect his vitals, the giant ape was gleefully throwing fists well past the point I thought he would need to retire from the fight. Eventually I had to dive in front of him and nearly get killed in order to force him to retreat, but even after all that, the armour held up fine. If he were to repeat his action from earlier and dive into the middle of the Legion assault, he''d fare way better than before, but I''m sure as heck not going to let him do that until we have to go for broke out the front of the gates of the nest.

    It''s too risky now anyway. After thest time Tiny was on the field and he broke through the enemy shield wall, the Legion has thickened their numbers and beefed up their defences when they advance on us. Not even super-mad Tiny would break through that nonsense now. I can''t be mad though, having tomit greater numbers to each push means they''ve had to slow down a bit, and every hour gained helps.

    It certainly helps me. Being inbat with these high level opponents is doing wonders for my Skills! I''ve got some nice improvements that I need to examine, as well as spend some time perusing the System menu for new unlocks. My biggest achievement over thest few days though has to be my stabilisation of the omni-elemental array! Now I''ll be able to use the thing in battle and start levelling that Skill! Very excited.

    As we retreat from the ruins of ourst defensive outpost, I share a few words with Tiny.

    [How did you find the new armour?] I ask.

    The big ape looks at me for a moment before shrugging as we run side by side.

    [Really?] I''m surprised by hisck of enthusiasm. [You''ve held up well under the barrage in that battle. You''d have been shredded to bits before!]

    He shrugs again and waves his fist vaguely in the air before returning to running.

    [You don''t really care because it doesn''t help you hit harder?]

    He nods and grins.

    THIS IDIOT.

 Chapter 537 The Hunger

    <h4>Chapter 537 The Hunger </h4>

    wSarah took a deep breath and felt the frigid air of the second strata fill her lungs where she held it for a few long seconds before she exhaled, the wind of her breath so strong it nearly knocked over an ant who had been walking in front of her. She paid no mind, or rather, she didn''t notice at all, her attention was focused inward, all external distractions shoved away.

    She took another deep, slow breath. In. Hold. Out. Wait. In. Hold. Out. Wait.

    This was a cycle she remembered learning as a human on Earth, something her psychologist had told her would help her be calm. Cyclical breathing. That was the name of the technique. It had helped her, in her past life. Most of the time. She flinched away from the memories of her previous existence and once more focused on her breathing. Each stage five seconds long.

    In. Hold. Out. Wait. In. Hold. Out. Wait.

    Even though she wasn''t conscious of it, a team of ants crawled over the enormous bear as shey sprawled on her belly. The great warrior Sarah had contributed much to the defence of the Colony and her unselfish fight had made the ants well disposed towards her. As she rested, they tended to her fur, cleaning it meticulously and ensuring there were no small wounds or barbs that may cause issuester. It was the same level of care with which they tended to each other before and after a battle, Sarah deserved that much. Also, they had noticed that she breathed easier when they were active around her, the aura of violence and malevolence that suffused the air around her abated when they drew close. From this they surmised that they were providing some sort of emotionalfort, another thing they were pleased to do.

    From the wall of the tunnel, Jim watched silently as hispanion battled her nature. He had created a burrow within the tunnel wall and only his head emerged, protruding into the open space. From the moment Sarah had joined the front lines, he had been here also. Not to fight, he wasn''t much use for that, but to try and support his friend. He could feel her now, sense the internal struggle with his mind as she battled against the violent nature that hadin dormant so long within her.

    [Sarah¡­ ] he eventually asked, [are you alright over there?]

    The great bear opened one eye and for a terrifying instant an overwhelming pressure of violence pressed into the consciousness of the worm, filling his mind with a hunger for battle. He wanted to rip, to tear, to do all sorts of non-worm like things. How would he even tear? Then Sarah released a great huff, knocked over another ant and the aura was gone, restrained once more in the depths of her mind.

    [I''m fine,] she replied, [it''s alright. I''ve got it under control.]

    She pushed her feet underneath herself and forced herself to standing, sending the cleaning crew on her back to scatter quickly. She turned to face her friend in the wall.

    [See? No problem.]

    The worm wiggled derisively.

    [Sarah, you''re the worst liar I ever met. Putting that aside, I can still feel the malevolence inside you. I have very sensitive mental faculties, remember? You can''t conceal this from me.]

    Sarah just sighed and shrugged her massive bear shoulders.

    [What do you want me to do about it? It''s not like I can just stop fighting.]

    [Why not?] Jim asked indignantly, [you''ve done more than enough! How long do you expect to throw yourself against the golgari to defend a ce that isn''t yours? You don''t owe ¡­]

    [Don''t I?] she cut in. [Are you sure that I don''t owe anything, Jim? If it weren''t for the Colony, if it weren''t for Anthony, where would I be now?]

    [Then what about what you owe me?] the worm demanded. [Have I been useless? Have I not supported you and helped you escape? Huh? Don''t I deserve a little gratitude?]

    The two looked at each other for a long moment.

    [So. What? You want me to pay you back by betraying the Colony? Is that it?] Sarah asked, her mental voice low and soft.

    Jim recoiled as if struck.

    [What? No! I mean¡­]

    At that moment the two friends were interrupted as Cont arrived.

    [Hello to you both,] the ant said once the mind bridges had stabilised. [I hope I find you well.]

    [O-of course,] Sarah replied. [And you?]

    The ant paused for a moment.

    [I am also well. I am still not used to your human style greetings, I hope I was urate.]

    Sarah briefly wondered how the ants greeted each other and once the thought was in her head, she couldn''t shake it. She had to ask. In response, the mage ant turned to the nearby traffic. There was no visible response, but first the passing ant''s antennae began to twitch, followed by Cont''s.

    [I told them to work hard,] the ant exined, [and they told me to stop cking off.]

    Sarah and Jim both stared at her.

    [We usually encourage each other to work when we see others of the Colony. If we see them not working, we tell them to get to work. If we see them working hard, we tell them to keep it up.]

    [Don''t you ever tell them to rest?] Jim wondered.

    Cont looked nervous for a second.

    [No,] the ant muttered as she turned her body this way and that, as if searching for something, [we don''t say that.]

    [Why do you look so nervous?] Sarah asked, confused by the transformation.

    [I haven''t gone into torpor for a few days,] came the distracted reply, [I''d forgot about it until just now.]

    [You haven''t slept? Why is that so worrying?]

    [It''s nothing,] once again the mage was cool andposed, [I''ve been sent to let you know our n for the uing defence.]

    [Okay] said Sarah, [ I''m ready to fight anytime.]

    She pointedly ignored the bristling worm in the wall.

    [That is good. We are retreating.]

    [Whe- wait¡­ what?!]

    [Retreating,] Cont emphasised. She gestured with one leg toward the procession of ants making their way past. [As you can see the process has already begun. The generals have decided to cede the final stretch of defences in order to consolidate around the gates. Let the enemy extend themselves across the distance as we recuperate.]

    Sarah was confused.

    [I thought you wanted to fight for every inch of ground,] she protested, [wear the golgari down, has that changed?]

    [We have worn them down,] Cont told her, [in no small part thanks to you, we have been able to force them to pay a high price for advancing. There are many circumstances that led to this decision being made.]

    [Like what?] having been so ready to throw herself back into the fight, Sarah was keen to understand the change.

    [The mana is rising in the tunnels,] Cont said, [the spawn rates of the shadow creatures is rising. Extending our supply lines outside the nest is bing more difficult and it is necessary to withdraw soldiers to defend the young. And if it is difficult for the Colony, with all our numbers, to hold off the beasts...]

    [It''s worse for the golgari¡­]

    [Just so. We anticipate there will be another wave before too long. Though exactly when is not something we can guess. If we are able to repel the enemy at the gates, then our hope is that they will be forced to retreat when the Dungeon bes too dangerous.]

    Slowly, Sarah and Jim began to understand what this meant to the ants.

    [The time for the final stand is fast approaching,] Cont confirmed, [we will live or die based on the events of the next few days. Keep in mind Sarah and Jim, you are friends of the Colony but you are notpelled to fight. The battle will be fierce at the gates, so think carefully whether you want to fight. None will think less of you if you choose to sit out.]

    The ant spoke to both of them, but all present understood it was to the great bear that her message was intended. Sarah wanted to reply immediately, but felt her thoughts constrict unexpectedly. Before she could force herself to agree, Cont had vanished. Had she been less distracted she would have noticed the council member being dragged away quickly and silently by a team of ants as she struggled for freedom. With the liaison gone, she had little choice but to join the trail as they made their way back to the nest.

 Chapter 538 Under the sea

    <h4>Chapter 538 Under the sea </h4>

    When the order came to pull back to the nest, I honestly couldn''t say if I was unhappy or relieved. We''d battled these stupid Legion punks for every inch of ground. Thousands of Colony members had died in the defence. Now we were just supposed to hand over thest five kilometres of tunnel for free? As a gift? Were we rolling out the red carpet for these killers?

    Of course I know that''s not the intention, but it still rankles me. On the other hand, I''m freakin'' tired. Exhausted even. I haven''t enjoyed proper torpor in so long I swear I''ve sensed Protectant and her gang grouping up to try and drag me away. My body might feel young and sprightly, filled to bursting with the energy of the Colony supplied, but my mind is spongy and bruised. I need sleep! I need release from this endless war of attrition.

    So it''s with these mixed feelings that I finally make my return to the main nest. Each of the three nests are expected to be hit in the uing siege, but this is still the centre of the Colony''s strength and despite not being asked to, I want to position myself here where the fighting is going to be hottest. As the massive trail of tens of thousands of ants winds toward home, it''s hard not to take notice of how freaking cold it is. Ants aren''t the best when ites to dealing with low temperatures and I can see the soldiers around me are struggling somewhat to deal with it. The sea of shadows has grown thicker over thest few days, the oppressive darkness and freezing cold are pressing down on us ever more viciously.

    It''s obvious another wave ising. Possibly worse than the first. This deep down we''re sure to run into significant numbers of third strata monsters as they rise, possibly even the fourth. Where thest wave turned into an opportunity for us, this one may be a great trial for the Colony. If we survive our current predicament, we''ll be thrust right into a fresh onught. Even so, I find it hard to believe the Colony will falter. My new family has never let me down yet.

    Plenty of time to worry about the future when it happens, right now I need to take aprehensive look at my situation. Fighting against the Legion is certainly good for Skills, I can''tin about that much. I''ve experienced growth in a lot of areas, particrly in those I''ve been using repeatedly. My mental Skills along with my targeting have grown by leaps and bounds along with solid improvements in my magic. My stockpile of Biomass hasn''t grown by as much as I would like, opportunities for hunting have been nil for a long time, after all. The Colony did keep us well fed over the course of the battles, but not enough to significantly increase what I''d stashed away before the Legion arrived. Still, there''ll be room for a few final mutations before thest battle heats up.

    As I busy myself pouring through my Skill list and wondering which of my organs and body parts I should mutate next, the convoy rolls ever forward until finally we reach the gates of the nest.

    If I thought things were ostentatious and overdone before, the carvers have taken things to an entirely new level now. The entire tunnel bristles like a porcupine on a bad hair day with reinforced steel spikes. I can see ambush and firing tunnels every few metres, peppering the roof of the tunnel. Even the slope moving toward the gate has been changed to a steep downward grade, forcing the enemy to march uphill to reach the gates. The massive steel doors themselves are now packed so full of enchantments and cores that I can practically feel them vibrate in ce. This is just the outer gate! The inner one is surely even more ridiculous.

    It was.

    The carvers have not been cking whilst the other castes have been fighting. I''m impressed as hell. The vats full of acid ready to tip on the enemy are the cherry on top of a spectacrly deadly cake. If the Legion tries to approach through the front door, they''re in for a very bad time. Hopefully the Colony has considered what to do in the event that the enemy decides to try and tunnel around our defences. Magically condensed stone is wonderful and all that, but it can be beaten. We''ve done it ourselves after all.

    Just as I make my way into the nest proper I spy a few unexpected faces before I can slither away to work on my mutations.

    [Enid,] I say, [imagine seeing you here. And in such goodpany¡­]

    I pointedly try to avoid looking at the thirty robed figures who crashed down to their knees the moment I appeared. The mayor rolls her eyes discreetly and replies.

    [I think you''re going to be more than a little surprised when you realise just what''s happened up there. I don''t think even you could have predicted this.]

    [Predicted what?] I ask.

    Rather than answer me, Enid just smiles and gestures towards the foremost robed figure, one conspicuously missing an arm. Dammit. Somehow I know this is going to be annoying.

    [Beyn, if you yell at me I swear I will banish you from the Colony for all time. Try to keep it down and tell me what is going on here.]

    The threat works a treat and I see the naked fear take root in the priest''s eyes. For once, he actually hesitates before sting my mind with his thoughts.

    [Great One. A new miracle has urred. My fellow faithful have been blessed with a unique ss by the System that will allow the people of the surface to fight alongside their saviours. So we havee -]

    [Hell no.]

    He stares at me. I stare unblinking back at him.

    [Do you have any idea what the Legion would do to you people? It''ll be a massacre. No way.]

    I turn to Enid.

    [Tell him how stupid this is Enid. Unless this new ss of theirs allows them to shoot beams of pure destruction from their butts or something, there''s no chance they''ll be able to stand against the Legion.]

    Enid blinks rapidly.

    [Why the butt?] she wonders.

    [I was born shooting acid from back there, alright? Don''t judge me. Now exin to this moronic priest why he''s such a moron.]

    The elderly woman sighs.

    [It''s not that simple. It''s a buff ss that works on sapients and ants so long as you are together. You could use a buff, could you not?]

    As much as I want to say no, we are heavily outmatched by our opponents this time. Sensing my hesitation, Enid breaks into my thoughts.

    [We''ve already spoken to Sloan and Victor and they''ve approved our involvement provided you agree. A lot of people from Renewal havee to help defend the nests. We feel that we have a chance to repay our debt.]

    I scoff.

    [Come on Enid. How many people would be dumb enough to run into the Dungeon to try and defend a colony of monstrous ants? They''d have to bepletey and irrevocably insane.]

    Before I even finish my rant, they have begun to arrive in the chamber. People. Hundreds of them. Farmers, merchants, craftsmen and women, each and every one of them a refugee from the devastation of Garralosh. Word of my arrival must have spread quickly, because they run towards me in waves, more of them appearing every moment. When the first arrive behind the priests, they immediately join them, falling to their knees and raising their hands in prayer towards me.

    Moree, then more, still more, until I stand with my pets and the great gate of the Colony behind me, and thousands of humans kneeling in a great arc before me.

    [Just about every person of fighting age came,] Enid says gently. [Almost the entire town.]

    I can''t even shake my head.

    [What is wrong with you people?]

 Chapter 539 One Day More

    <h4>Chapter 539 One Day More </h4>

    Deep within the main nest of the young race of ants that he hade to know as ''The Colony'', the sage who had named himself Grey sat in deep meditation. Nearby, his apprentice, White, sat and watched patiently as her master performed those feats of the mind she was not yet capable of. For though he sat still, not a single muscle moving across his entire frame, his mind roamed wide, seeking andmuning. After several hours of stillness, he finally opened his eyes and breathed a deep sigh, rxing the tension that had seized him.

    "What were you able to find, Teacher?" White asked him.

    In response he only shook his head. A momentter she felt his mind nudge against her own.

    [You know better than to speak out loud in this ce,] he admonished her. [The Colony are not our enemies, but they are not Folk.]

    The fox-girl ducked her head to acknowledge the reprimand.

    [I understand. I feared you would be tired after your Seeking and did not wish to tax you.]

    Her concern warmed his old heart, but he did not allow it to show on his face.

    [I am stronger than you give me credit for, youngling. I have no need of your coddling.]

    [Putting that aside, were you able to contact the Bruan''chii?]

    [Impatient as ever, my disciple. Yes. The Grove Keeper has awoken and begun to tend to her children. The Grove has grown so quickly, I fear that the anger of the Mother Tree has been roused.]

    [Isn''t that rare? I had read that the Mother Tree was a lover of peace.]

    Grey leaned back and rubbed his legs secretly, trying to keep the motion out of his young charge''s eyes.

    [The Mother Tree is, before anything else, a tree. She can be vicious when ites to matters that touch on her survival, or that of her children. From what I could glean, she has felt the presence of the Abyssal Legion in this ce and she has no love for them, putting it mildly.]

    White nodded. Knowledge of the war between the young races and the old was important history to their people. The conflict between the Legion and Bruan''chii had been particrly fierce, at the height of which the Mother Tree herself had been under siege, even wounded, by the Legionaries. Had the alliance not been brokered in time, it''s possible that the Legion would have been sessful in their attempts to cull this new race from Pangera.

    [Do you believe that they will intervene?] she asked her teacher.

    [I do. I''m not sure if they will risk open conflict at this stage, but I think a show of force will be the least we can expect from them.]

    [And our people?]

    The wolf-man heaved a deep breath and shook his head.

    [It is never so easy to reach a consensus amongst the Folk, you know that, White. The decision to ept the Colony as a young race and allow them to join the alliance will take years, and many honour battles, to settle. The tribes are fractious at the best of times. Unless they are threatened, they will not unify quickly.]

    [Surely your words carry weight there, Master. You could push them to act quickly.]

    Grey turned his eyes directly on his disciple and stared hard at her. She sat still, hands folded in herp as she looked back at him steadily. Her eyes were clear and focused, unpolluted by selfishness and greed.

    [You havee to admire The Colony, haven''t you child? You desire our people to reach forth their hand and shelter them?]

    [I do,] she acknowledged, not attempting to deny it. [I do not believe you should extinguish an entire race on the premise that they may one day do evil. I do not see evil here, but good.]

    [A simple view of the world,] he told her. [There are always currents, variables and uncertainties. The nature of ''good'' and ''evil'' are not so clear. Do you think the Legion to be evil? I do not. They simply do what they think is right, as do we all. It is rare indeed to find the individual who walks on a path that they know to be wrong.]

    [I have heard these words before,] his normally demure student told him, her mind firm, [but they do not answer my question. Will you act?]

    Grey closed his eyes once more and regted his breathing, sinking once more into meditation. He ignored the irritated huff White released when she saw his actions and instead pondered the answer to her question. Was he willing to act? Usually so confident in his decisions, this time he wasn''t sure. The branching paths of fate spread so far and wide from this point it was impossible to predict the consequences of any action. Who could walk boldly on such paths?

    Deeper in the Dungeon.

    The Grove Keeper was newly awakened, but already his body was flexible and lithe, filled with the power of the Mother. His memory still shifted and drifted, not yet settled in his new form, but he didn''t mind. Here in the Grove, so close to the tendril of the Origin Tree, he knew no harm coulde to him. So long as the Mother watched over them, they would be safe and act to carry out her will. In this moment, her will was clear. Anger and indignation rang throughout the Grove until every branch and leaf quivered with it. The hated enemy had been found attempting to extinguish new light, just as they had attempted on the Keeper''s own people. It would not stand.

    Around the tendril, a vast garden had formed, filled to bursting with life and greenery that drank in the dark mana of the Second Strata without pause, transforming it into nutrition that further powered the growth of each vine, flower, tree and shrub. To the outside eye, it appeared as if a flourishing ecosystem of nts had sprung to life here in the most harsh of environments, a miracle of nature. The Keeper roamed amongst the nts, caressing each in turn as he encouraged their growth and felt their energy flow into him in return.

    The truth was more simple, of course. This was not a plethora of nts, but one entity. All was the Mother Tree, each and every lifeform in the grove just another expression of her careful design to draw in the power of the Dungeon and transform it to fuel her people. That energy was already being put to good use. The Keeper turned back to the tendril, the fment that extended from one of his mother''s roots and saw the dozens of shapes beginning to emerge.

    A smile creased the wooden face of the Keeper as he saw these new children of the Mother being born. It wouldn''t be long now until they emerged, fully formed and ready to be the vessels of her anger. He raised one hand and blessed their growth, feeling the natural energies flow out from him and infuse the growing forms. The Bruan''chii wereing.

    In the Legion camp.

    Titus leaned against the table and examined the various scout reportsid out atop it.

    "An enchanted gate made of steel?" he asked.

    "That''s right," Aurillia replied.

    "Twenty tons?"

    "At least."

    "The same at the other nests identified?"

    "Yes."

    He raised one hand to pinch his brow.

    "They''ve developed so fast¡­"

    "Good thing we''re here then."

    He leaned back and thought for a moment.

    "With the irregrs who''ve arrived we should be able to seed on a full frontal assault of the gate but I''m worried about the no doubt hundreds of traps they''ve woven into the ce."

    "Ants are industrious, who''d have thought?"

    Titus only grunted, too focused to even make a pretence ofughing.

    "Has the siege team had any luck identifying weak points in the stone?" he asked.

    The report from the earth magic specialists was already on the table in front of him and he''d read it twice but he asked anyway.

    "None of it is especially hard, but none of it is soft either. We could tunnel through easily enough, but the diggers are reluctant to try and drill into an ant nest. They''ll know it''s happening immediately and move to counter us."

    Titus frowned. The fact that this colony of ants was already capable of causing even a slight headache to his admittedly fresh Legion was a problem. If they were given a year? Or five? It would take a hefty mobilisation of forces and the number of casualties would be high. Better to strike decisively now, nip the problem in the bud.

    "Looks like I''ll have to frontline myself," Titus said.

    "You''ve explored every other avenue,mander."

    The Abyssal Legion did not like to let their high level members take centre stage when they didn''t have to. Whereas some armies would let level seventy elites shepherd and protect rookies through hard battles, the Legion preferred to trust their training and equipment and push the new Legionaries intobat. Expecting that Titus would step in and solve every issue, fight every battle when it got hard, would only stifle the growth of the soldiers and let them embrace a security nket that wouldn''t always be there. They wanted smart, powerful Legionaries, not cowards.

    Given the pressure they were under in this conflict, both timewise and in ack of personnel, it was permitted that Titus take the field. To prevent the numerous casualties it would take to assault the gate, it was more than eptable that he take on the responsibility of destroying it himself.

    Themander stood from the table and rolled his shoulders as he took a deep breath. The mana was rising steadily. There wasn''t much time left until the wave, another reason why he needed to act fast. He felt the mana stir in his bones as he breathed in again. How long had it been since he''d needed to fight hard? Not since Garralosh had gotten away from him and even then he''d been hampered by theck of mana in the first strata. The current level of ambient mana was just enough for him to really cut loose.

    It was almost enough to make him smile. Hisst campaign in the sixthyer was so long ago now. Did he even still have the moves?

    In the golgari camp.

    Kooranon Balta knelt in the stone, his de standing straight before him, the tip bnced perfectly on the t ground. As he had been taught so long ago, he focused his entire being on the sword, his mind and soul, seeking resonance with the de. It was believed amongst the des in the golgari that the precious weapons they wielded, formed and shaped from the Living Stone to fit their wielders over a period of years, were living creatures. The stone itself was alive, certainly, but more than that, the swords could develop and grow a personality of their own.

    It was to connect with that gestalt being that the High de now sought to do, but it was elusive. Sometimes for a fleeting moment he would sense a response from the weapon as it reached back toward him, but then it would be gone, lost as if it had never been.

    After another hour he rxed his stance, stepped forward and withdrew the de from the ground before he cleaned it meticulously. As he nourished it with mana he felt the de quiver in delight as it fed before it once more became inert. Kooranon was not discouraged, he knew of High des who had sought and nourished their des for hundreds of years who had only received fleeting acknowledgement from their weapons. Even so, the pursuit of oneness with the de was well worth the price.

    After a moment to centre himself, he sheathed the de with care and turned to find his attendant waiting in the same ce as when he had begun hismunion.

    "Prepare the camp," he ordered, "it''s time."

 Chapter 540 What does it take to get Biomass around here?

    <h4>Chapter 540 What does it take to get Biomass around here? </h4>

    Turns out food gets scarce during a siege. I know for a fact that the Colony created a massive stockpile in preparation for this. Like, a mountain of Biomass, packed up and ready to go. Problem is that almost all of that is going to be delivered to the Queens in order to ensure that the Colony''s brood production doesn''t flinch from the daily maximum even during a period when we can''t easily hunt. I get it. I do. The broodes before all, obviously. We''re ants after all. But dammit, I''m hungry!

    I feel a nudge at the edge of my attention and I turn to see Tiny staring at me with wide, pitiful eyes.

    I slowly shift my head side to side and two huge tears begin to well up within the ape''s eyes.

    [I know buddy. It''s going to be rough for a little while, but we can survive. We''re going to get through this together.]

    Tiny reaches out to me with one shaking hand and ces it against my carapace as if trying to draw strength through it.

    [In times like this, we can only depend on each other. We''ve been together through the times of plenty, we can fight it out together in the lean times as well. If you don''t believe in yourself, Tiny, believe in the me who believes in you. There is power in you yet. Your race is not yet run. Conquer the hunger!]

    *Chomp*

    What¡­ What was that?

    I look up at Tiny once again to find his hand has now grasped my leg which he has raised up to his mouth.

    [Did you just try and bite me?]

    Silence.

    [Tiny,] I focus on him dangerously as he begins to sweat through his fur, [if you are attempting to eat me right now, I''m going to hand you over to Crinis for punishment. Now take my leg out of your mouth.]

    He does.

    [Ah! You got slobber all over it dammit! I can''t believe I have to say this, but from this point forward you are ordered to never eat me!]

    Stupid ape!

    "Eldest, how are your preparations going?"

    AH!

    "Nothing weird is happening here, Advant! Nothing! My dignity hasn''t been impacted in the slightest! And if you ask your baby-sitter squad, they''ll tell you the same!"

    When saying thest part I raise my abdomen high to threaten the ceiling of our chamber with a judicious acid spray to ensure that Protectant and her squad get the message. Imagine the Colony finding out that one of my own pets tried to eat me as Iforted them for ack of food. The shame of it.

    "Of course, Eldest," Advant brushes it off, "I was just wondering how you were doing making your final preparations. The council meets in a few hours and we need you to be there."

    Another meeting? The enemy is at the gates! How many of these damn meetings are they nning on having?!

    "I will definitely be there," I lie, "just give me some time to finish my mutations up."

    "Of course, Eldest."

    The soldier turns to leave me in peace for the time being and I immediately bring up my menu in order to rush through the mutation process. If I get it done quickly enough, I can vanish somewhere before the meeting starts. They''re the council, dammit! I don''t even technically have a seat, at least, that''s my view and I''m sticking to it. Alright now, how much Biomass do I have to work with?

    A quick perusal tells me that I have a grand total of two hundred and fifty one. More than I thought I might have at this point. Nice! So what lucky body part is going to get the upgrade this time? I can probably afford two here. Personally, I think it''s time for legs. Legs are needed! My legs are absorbing all the mana I need. Especially down here in the second strata. Only heavy duty spell slinging can drain me. Especially once I get to draining mana using external mana maniption. It may be a problem in the future, but for now, I''m solid. In the +20 upgrade I wanted to improve their ability to absorb damage, resulting in the Tough Rapid Absorption Legs +20. It must be noted that not having my legs cut off has been a wee experience.

    Because the Legion for sure targets our legs. The carapace is hard and tough to deal with, but if you take off an ant''s legs, what the heck are they going to do to you? Even insects on Earth know this much. When ants fight each other, they''re always going for the legs, with a few notable exceptions. With my potent reflexes and foresight, I''m almost always able to move my legs out of harm''s way, but sometimes it just isn''t possible. During the grand melee after Tiny smashed the Legion shield I had absolutely no room to dodge and had to rely on natural toughness. Which is why I''m going straight to Hardened Rapid Absorption Legs +25! Which is going to set me back a cool 115 Biomass. I have enough left to take one more body part from 20 to 25. Only question is, what shall it be?

    I still need to upgrade a few things, but perhaps the one I''m leaning towards the most is my muscture. So far I''ve poured all of my mutations into increasing the speed at which my muscles can fire, which has given me the superhuman reflexes of a radioactive spider, but I''m not certain that I want to keep pushing down this road exclusively. My reflexes are already super fast, especially when connected to my limited pre-cognition. My nervous system can probably carry the load of increasing my reflexes further, what I need from my muscles is more power! I need some OOMPH! Tiny''s mutations focus almost exclusively on the amount of strength he can punch out and although I don''t feel like I need to match him in that department, I''d love to get myself a little slice of that.

    Of course, my need for power is pretty isted in terms of where it needs to be applied. It''s all about the face-hands. I need to be able to bite harder. Mandibles are great, everyone should have them, but I need to be biting harder if I want to crack open the real tough nuts out there. Even the dedicated tier four soldiers haven''t been able to get through the Legion armour, and all of their stats and mutations are directed to the purpose of tanking and biting. Even if I have the benefit of special evolutions and bonus stats, I can''t get through either. There has to be some mutation here that can give me that edge!

    I start pouring through the menu, going through the hundreds of options until I find something that catches my eye. Lock Muscture. From the description, it acts in a way that is simr to the famous trap-jaw ant from Earth. It allows the muscles to be ''set'' in a certain position, poised to fire almost like a bow string. When the tension is released it can ur with tremendous power! The trap-jaw has, pound for pound, one of the strongest bites on the!

    This also has synergy with my existing muscle mutations, since they can fire so quickly! Using this, I''ll be able to pull my mandibles back and ''lock'' them, stretching the muscles in my head and then releasing that pent up power all at once. Of course, with only one mutation the sticity of the muscles isn''t going to be much, but it''ll help!

    Lock Hyper-Twitch Muscture +25 here wee!

    That''s 230 Biomass gone. Yeesh, easye, easy go these days. Lock those choices in, Gandalf! I''ve got a meeting to dodge!

    Although I feel like I''ve forgotten something¡­

    ¡­

    CHADANGADANGALOOZA!

    THIS freakin'' ITCH!

 Chapter 541 Daughterâ€™s fear

    <h4>Chapter 541 Daughter''s fear </h4>

    The Legion war machine had swung into motion. Warriors of the Abyss, the Legion had been in a constant state of war for over a thousand years. The struggle against the Dungeon did not end with the Cataclysm, it had merely changed, and over all that time they had be very good at what they did. That machinery was now within Titus'' hands and he directed with precision and confidence towards meeting his ends. From his side, Morrelia watched with mounting dread as her father drew the noose tighter around the neck of the Colony. In her heart, a storm had been brewing as the conflict had drawn on and she felt her emotions boiling to the bursting point without having any solid idea of what would happen after.

    She had finally reconnected with her Father, with her Mother. The pain and hurt she had felt after the death of her brother had finally begun to heal. Even as she had rebelled against her family and the Legion, she had hoped for this feeling of resolution. She had the answers she''d wanted all along. Slipping back into her ce amongst the family she had grown up with, not just her parents but the army that they served, had felt like such a homing. She felt whole once more, no longer angry at the world with nowhere to direct her rage.

    But now thatfort had been stripped away by harsh reality. Where once she had been convinced that killing monsters was always the correct decision, she was no longer so sure. The Colony had done no harm in her eyes, yet had done so much good. They had protected the lives of the Liria refugees when the Legion itself had failed. Not only had they saved those people, they had assisted them, helped them to thrive where normal monsters would have only killed and eaten. It was something that had fundamentally challenged her understanding of monsters and the Dungeon forever, yet now she stood on the brink of participating in an assault to kill those very saviours.

    It wasn''t right. It couldn''t be right. The only question that was left to answer was if she was willing to throw away what she had regained in order to stand up for it. She didn''t have an answer to that question yet, but she was running out of time. The pressure had built within her to a point where she feared to move, lest she explode andsh out at those she cared about. So it was a subdued Morrelia who checked over her armour, once more surrendering to the familiar routine. The Legion camp had been moved forward over the previous day with the help of the reinforcements that had arrived. Not an hours march away, the great nest of the Colony awaited them. Titus had ordered the assault and informed his guard that he would participate on the frontline, personally. There was nothing left for her to do but prepare to take the field. Desperate to avoid her traitorous thoughts, she was all too happy to engage in a mindless task.

    Her checkplete, she began to put the armour on. Piece by piece she strapped it over the thick padding she already wore, ensuring that each section clicked into ce, locked in with its neighbours. Her two weapons found their sheaths and she ced her helmet on her head. She was ready. For what, she wasn''t sure, but she was ready.

    She left her tent to find the camp alive with activity. All around her Legionaries rushed toplete the final preparations for what was sure to be a difficult battle. Orders were being ryed, scout reports continued to flow in constantly, necessitatingst minute changes in strategy. Centurions argued loudly in corners as soldiers assembled their armour and honed their weapons in groups. Despite the fric action, the mood was subdued, grim. The faces she saw were focused and ready, determined and unflinching. Many of the Legionaries in the camp were fairly green, much as she was, yet over such a short time they had be inured to the grind of war.

    She found her father in his customary ce, in themand tent surrounded by the tribunes and other senior officers of their Legion. The new addition, the leader of the auxiliary force was a seven foot giant of a man covered in thick reptilian scales. His name was Charles, apparently. A former convict sent to the Legion and force fed Biomass in order to turn him into a serviceable weapon. He had served with distinction and risen tomand his ownpany which had been attached to Titus'' force for this mission. She herself felt slightly ufortable in the man''s presence. He was a living reminder of just how far the Legion was willing to push in order to see the spawn of the Dungeon die. When she arrived, her father spotted her almost instantly and waved the officers away as he strode out of the tent to meet her.

    "Don''t you have work to do?" she asked him.

    "Indeed. Making sure my daughter survives is my most important duty."

    She rolled her eyes.

    "You''reying it on a bit thick,mander."

    Titus'' expression didn''t change in the slightest, his seriousness carved into the nes of his face as if sculpted from stone.

    "I don''t joke, child. Your mother gave me official orders to ensure that you didn''t die during this extermination."

    Morrelia stumbled.

    "You''re kidding!" Would her mother really bend the rules to issue an order like that?!

    "Sign and sealed," Titus nodded, "I never kid about orders."

    The berserker felt lucky she had put her helmet on already since nobody could tell her face had flushed bright red. The Consul of the Legion issuing official orders to keep her child alive! It was a scandal! It was nepotism! It was¡­ very like her.

    "Come on now," her father patted her on the shoulder, "let''s get moving. It''s time."

    Only then did she realise her father had already suited up, his massive, bulky armour appeared to weigh a ton, yet he moved as if he didn''t notice he was wearing it. Even his great axe was already strapped into position on his shoulder. Morrelia fell into ce with her fellow guards and marched in precise order, her mind once more falling into chaos. What was the right thing to do? How was she supposed to save this situation?!

    That long march toward the nest was special hell for Titus'' daughter. With every step she thought about talking to themander, yet every other step she reminded herself it would do no good. She felt confident that even if the Colony had done miraculous things, the Legion would still want them dead. They were monsters and that was enough. If she spoke up, all she would aplish would be to disgrace her family and get locked up in the camp as a traitor to the Legion her parent''s had served their entire lives. The Legion her brother had died attempting to serve. She couldn''t do it.

    Suddenly, she noticed her father had stopped marching and she stilled her feet, looking about it confusion. They stood at the head of the Legion column and behind her the thousands of soldiers ground to a halt as they waited. What had stopped them? She strained her neck to try and see. What she saw caused her heart to leap into her throat.

    "Wee, fellow humans," Enid called to them. "Wee to the nest of the Colony."

    In the centre of the tunnel stood a lone, old woman, garbed in simple robes and bearing a solid stick of oak to assist her walking. There was no fear on her face, in fact, she was smiling at them. From Enid''s point of view the approaching Legion was almost entirely shrouded in darkness, the thick mana of the second strata meant that all but the first few rows of soldiers were blurred to nothing in her eyes. Old age probably yed its own part in that.

    "I see you,mander Titus. I have never met you, but I''ve heard many stories of the man who came to Liria to raise his family. Would you be willing to speak with me?"

    Titus turned back to the rest of them.

    "Wait here," he said and strode forward.

 Chapter 542 Diplomacy with the damned

    <h4>Chapter 542 Diplomacy with the damned </h4>

    The Colony had been clever with its strategy so far, if a little naive. The inexperience in fighting sapient enemies was likely the reason for their rtively direct approach. If they were allowed to grow, that would change. Yet another reason to excise this problem before it grew too severe. Still, Titus feltpelled to keep his eyes wide open as he approached the elderly woman who stood alone in the tunnel before him.

    "I am Titus," he confirmed, mander of the Legionem Abyssi. I have to say I did not expect to find a Lirian in this ce. May I know your name?"

    The old soldier stood straight and tall, not bothering to try and appear unthreatening. How could he? He was wearing a full set of heavy Abyssal armour with a demonic axe on his back. In truth, he was threatening. Not that Enid seemed to mind.

    "My name is Enid Ruther,mander. You might have known my husband."

    Titus frowned.

    "Derrion? The mercenary?"

    The mayor smiled, pleased to see her dearest husband was still remembered.

    "That''s right," she nodded, "he spoke highly of you."

    "He was one of the good ones. The dark de of Arranyss. I seldom have respect for mercs, but your husband was very capable and stuck to the rules. I was saddened to hear of his death."

    "He had no time for union politics. He always saw the Dungeon as his ce of work and had no interest in jostling for control."

    Themander grunted.

    "Good thing too. As much as I would like to take the time to pay the proper respect to your husband, Ms Ruther, I am sure you are aware of what is happening in this ce and that my time is limited. I can guess why you are here, but I''m prepared to listen to what you have to say."

    "I agree. It''s unpleasant that we find ourselves in this position." Enid smoothed her skirt as she gathered her courage. "I don''t know what happened in the Dungeon during the wave,mander, but I imagine it wasn''t easy for you. I presume you were upied when Garralosh rose to the surface."

    "We held the line and prevented the lower monsters surging into Liria. We couldn''t predict that Garralosh would be able to do what it did."

    She only shook her head.

    "I don''t me you, or the Legion, for what happened during the wave. None of us could have known that a beast like that would be able to survive on the surface. But I must inform you that the beast Garralosh you once fought, was defeated by the Colony you now seek to destroy."

    Titus only shrugged.

    "Monsters kill monsters all the time. I deeply regret I wasn''t able to finish the vile creature when I had the chance, but I do not intend to spare these monsters because they rid the world of an evil."

    "They did more than just that," she insisted, "they saved us. They scoured the countryside and dug survivors out of the ruins. They built us homes, irrigated our fields, fed us, defended us and brought us together. It is no exaggeration to say that without the support of these monsters, there likely would be no survivors of Liria or the frontier kingdoms at all. We owe the ants our lives and have lived in harmony with them for months. You seek to destroy them simply because they are monsters and were created by the Dungeon. We have decided that this is wrong."

    "You intend to defend these creatures against my Legionaries? There are many in my ranks to were born in Liria. Are you really willing to fight against your own people?"

    "I can say the same to you,mander," Enid''s eyes hardened. "You have brought war and destruction down on this Colony who has done nothing but help me and my people. How can you be seen as anything but an enemy?"

    "And what of the people of Rylleh?" Titus demanded. "The city was overrun weeks ago, have they too been spared the creatures hunger?"

    "There a number of people from that city amongst our ranks today," Enid returned, "it seems that many consider the arrival of the Colony a liberation, rather than a death sentence. That city has not been harmed by the Colony, far from it."

    Themander frowned. It was beyond his expectations that this colony would act in such a way, but it wasn''t totally unheard of. The abomination had clearly influenced the ants not to predate on the human poption, but for how long would thatst? If that creature born of another world were to perish, how long before the ants would revert to their true nature? For that matter, how long until the abomination itself would lose its sense of self and sink into the murderous carnage that imed them all in the end?

    This changed nothing in the end. The hard lines of Titus'' face didn''t budge.

    "The Legion has given its orders and I do not intend to debate the righteousness of them here. We will destroy these creatures and stamp them from the Dungeon so that not a single one remains. If you choose to take the field against us then I must warn you that we will not show mercy to those who side with the creatures of the Dungeon against their own kind. I will give you four hours to talk to your people and inform them of our position. During that time, should anyone approach our lines, they will be let through and given safe passage to wherever they want to go. Should they remain, they will die alongside the insects."

    So saying, themander snapped out a crisp salute and turned back towards his people. Enid only sighed. This was the oue she expected, but it stilly heavy on her heart. To the Legion, the people of Renewal were now traitors who had abandoned the Sapient races to side with the ancient enemy. It was inevitable once they had made the decision to stand with the Colony.

    "Would you think we did the right thing, Derrion?" she wondered out loud.

    The discussions were over. She turned and began the walk back to the nest where an open gate awaited her. She had much to discuss with her people.

    Titus have orders to have the Legion pull back and widen the tunnel to allow for a temporary camp to be created. The Legionaries rested and conversed in quiet voices as Titus and the tribunes moved from group to group and informed them of what awaited them in the battle ahead. Some expressed sadness, others anger, most felt a level of disbelief that their own people would stand against them on the side of monsters, but none were unwilling to fight. They made war on the Dungeon. Always.

    Enid moved amongst the people inside the gate. Farmers, traders, crafters and town guards before thest wave, now they stood firm in their resolution to defend those that had saved their lives and given them hope. Some were dismayed to find that their own kind would fail to see the goodness of the Colony (let alone its holiness), but their resolve was unflinching. When the four hours had psed, not a single person had abandoned the Colony.

    Disappointed, but not surprised, Titus once more formed up the Legion and they once again began their simultaneous approaches toward the gates of the nest. It wasn''t long until they were able to look up and see the huge metal gates ahead of them. The giant ant head carved into the centre stared down at them indifferently, projecting an alien aura that seemed to say whaty beyond did not belong to human kind. But it would soon, Titus promised himself.

    The mighty Legionary gripped the haft of his axe tight in both hands as he stoked the demon within. The gate loomedrge in his eyes. Come what may, he would crush that thing beneath his boot before the day was done.

 Chapter 543 The Siege Pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 543 The Siege Pt 1 </h4>

    Gweheheheh. I have seeded in dodging the meeting! Once my mutation wasplete, I used all of my guile and cunning to slip away. Of course, I needed to find a ce to wait out the time before the battle started where the council wouldn''t disturb me, so I naturally made straight for the gates in order to while away the time with the ants and humans stationed there.

    When I poked my head out of the tunnels and the great outer gate of the nest loomed before me, I was more than a little surprised to find the entire council gathered and waiting for me.

    "Ah, the Eldest has arrived atst," Advant observed with a perfectly t scent, "now we can start the meeting."

    You smug little¡­

    "How did you even know which gate I would go to?" I demanded. "I could''ve gone to the other side of the nest for all you knew!"

    "The assault is expected to be concentrated on this side of the nest," the soldier responds without acknowledging my question, "how are our preparations looking at this point?"

    Defeated, I had no choice but to sit in and listen to the council go over many of the details we had already expected. We were cut off from the other nests who had dug themselves in to the greatest possible extent in preparation. The Legion and golgari had loosely cooperated to form a wide that locked us off from the Dungeon and had since established defensive positions at every exit. The Colony had effectively be boxed inside three separate cages. From our scouting we''d determined that the enemy had concentrated their forces here, at the main nest. Clearly they intend to deal as powerful a blow against the Colony as possible in the time they have. Makes sense, considering the rising threat of a wave. If they can cripple us enough, then they may not even have to lift a finger to destroy the rest of us as the other nests may be too weakened to survive the wave on their own.

    Meanwhile, the Legion and golgari could just clean this nest out, re-establish the gates and wait out the storm. I''ve no doubt they would be able to manage their own defence against the monsters that wille.

    By the end of the meeting, I almost fell into torpor. It''s important stuff, obviously, but there really isn''t anything to go over that we didn''t already know, or didn''t suspect would happen. All that was left to do was hold the gates. If we could do that, we would survive, if not, not. When the discussion finally wraps up, someone pokes me back to my senses and I notice Propent shaking Vibrant out of torpor. Then it''s off to the gates to prepare.

    Once there I learn that things are already well under way. Enid steps out for our agreed on appeal for sanity, only for it to unsurprisingly fall on deaf ears. The Legion was never likely to back down, but I kind of hoped they would. To my surprise, not a single one of the vigers or folks from Rylleh decide to cross the fence, despite making it perfectly clear they could if they wanted to. The humans give off a determined and solid air, as if they are enduring a trial that they cannot contemte failing. At least, that''s the sort of thing Beyn has been shouting for thest hour. The man is a preaching machine and has put his Skills on full disy here today. It''s a while before the battle is expected to begin, and he''s out here pumping people up with fiery words and zing passion. How he keeps going without tearing his throat apart, I have no idea, but he does. The people are loving it and their energy is quickly raised to fever pitch even as more sensible people like Enid and Isaac look on from the side, bemused.

    The ants, for their part, pay no mind to the spectacle at all. Instead, the thousands of members of the Colony stationed here spend their time makingst second preparations, checking every tunnel, every trap, every mechanism for the umpteenth time to ensure that it will perform as expected.

    When the time finallyes, I make my way up the gate along with a smattering of humans and ants. My petse along for the ride also. Sally ports are a fairly standard feature of a defensive wall or gate, a small opening that a group can exit from without having to open the gate proper. In constructing the great gates of the nest the carvers were sure to include these smaller doors but in a very ant way. The sally ports on our gates are all attached to the roof. So it is that Tiny, Crinis, Invidia and my very own honour guard exit through the hatch at the top of the gate and position ourselves to meet the enemy as they approach. At first nce it may seem as if this is an exposed location and a suicidal ce to be, nothing could be further from the truth. The walls around us bristle with tunnels filled to the brim with ants. The whole point of the gate is so that we can harass and attack the enemy from rtive safety, in order to do that we need to poke our noses out from behind it.

    Normally this would involve soldiers standing on top of a wall in which the gate was ced, but the Colony didn''t want a wall. Ants can crawl straight up the things, so why bother? Instead, the gate covers the entire tunnel, a barrier between the inside and out. May it stand forever!

    We don''t have long to position our battle line before the sound of fighting begins to make its way up the tunnel towards us. The crash and boom of spells, the crunch of stone and the acrid sting of acid fill the air and echo off the stone walls before us. After a few more minutes I can feel the ebb and flow of the magical warfare that''s taking ce as the ants try to copse boulders onto the heads of the Legion, throw fireballs, ice shards and everything else as the enemy deflects, disrupts and shields in order to push forward. Indeed, the Legion mages have be more ruthless and cunning over time as they reach out with their minds to attempt to crush the tunnels around the ants, forcing the Colony''s mages to enter a defensive battle to maintain the shape of the stone around them.

    A running force of scouts keeps far ahead of the closest soldiers as they unleash a continuous barrage of acid. The specialised artillery ants are a sight to behold as they unleash litres and litres of sizzling acid with every st, literally making it rain flesh dissolving liquid on the tightly packed ranks of our foes. As the legionaries advance towards us, they retreat a little more, never ceasing in their firing patterns.

    Before long, the first ranks of the enemye into sight and I can only sigh at the appearance of the hulking brute in the lead. That dreadful axe is already gleaming with energy, ready to unleash death upon us at any moment. In fact, behind the armoured demon I can even see an old friend, Morrelia. Despite wearing her helmet, I can tell from the colour and shape of the armour that it''s her inside there. I''d dearly love to ask her a question or two about this whole situation, but I sincerely doubt I''m likely to get a chance. After the time we spent together, I can''t say it doesn''t hurt to see her appear on the field of battle against us. Though she did save us thest time I saw her so ¡­

    Who knows?

    At any rate, it''s time to get this show on the road.

    "Anyone else think our guests look thirsty?" I ask nobody in particr. "Let''s give them a drink."

    A moment of silence.

    "Should we release the acid?"es a hesitant scent from behind the ceiling above me.

    "Yes. That''s what I meant when I said give them a drink. I don''t mean for them to actually drink the acid, but rather insinuating¡­ never mind. Just tip it out."

    "Got it, Eldest,"es the reply.

    I thought that whole process was going to be so much cooler than it turned out. I had the line prepared and everything.

    At this stage the Legion are only a hundred metres from the gate itself, still engaged in the slowly moving running battle as they advance step by step toward our gate. Packed ranks of hundreds of Legionaries make a hell of a turtle formation, their defensive Skills ovepping to form an impregnable barrier. Sure would be hard to crack through that. I can''t even imagine how much acid it would take to chew through their stamina.

    From the holes in the ceiling I hear the screech of metal as arge mechanism is pulled to one side, followed quickly by the slosh, then the roar, of a massive amount of fluid.

    Maybe twenty million litres will do the job?

 Chapter 544 The Siege Pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 544 The Siege Pt 2 </h4>

    Turns out that acid that can propagate itself almost infinitely can pile up if you give it enough time. After I chose and began to use the multiplicative acid mutation, more than a few of the scouts took a solid look at it and liked what they saw. If I were to try and produce twenty mega-litres on my own it would take far too long. The acid is able to replicate itself, sure, but with only one mutation dedicated to the effect, it isn''t that powerful yet. A hundred ants working together was required to build up this tidal wave of delight.

    The moment the flood begins I can no longer see the reaction of the Legion forces which only a moment ago had dominated the approach to the gate. The downward sloping tunnel works perfectly to direct the absurd rush of acid as if foams and froths before my eyes and pours toward the approaching army. The sound is horrendous as the acid crashes into the hard stone of the tunnel and reaches out from there, hungry for flesh and metal. It might be unfortunate for them, but the Legion provides both.

    There isn''t much I can do to further enhance the damage of this particr strike, so I prepare for the next stage as we wait to see how effective this tactic is. My inner minds focus as I bring forth the power of the gravitation mana, crunching it down andpressing it in on itself again and again as I mould a tiny ball of screaming death within myself. Even though I shouldn''t be distracted whilst attempting to do this, I can''t help but extend my main mind forward to get some sense of what is happening.

    What I detect immediately is the titanic battle taking ce between the Legion mages and the spell weavers of the Colony. Hundreds of minds warring against each other as they attempt to seize control of the ground around them. The flow of mana is hectic in my eyes, swirls, gusts and ripples have been reced by tears, whirlpools and hurricanes as each side tries to wrench the flow into their control. The Legion has drawn on their mastery of earth to modify the shape of the tunnel, blunting the force of the river of acid and diverting it to the sides, though my siblings have resisted their efforts at every turn. In enacting these changes however, the mages of the enemy have been forced to abandon their efforts to stymie the ants attempting to copse the roof down on their heads. Even as the torrent of acid slides down the side of their barriers, eating into their shields of light as it continues to propagate itself, the battle of minds surges overhead.

    If the humans falter even for a moment, they''ll be in for a nasty surprise. There are metal spikes that weigh tons each lodged into the stone up there. If they are allowed to fall it''s going to be a bad day for whoever gets hit.

    This is the strategy of the Colony when ites to this defence. One attack isn''t going to be enough to divert the power of these soldiers, they''re too strong, too experienced and more than we can deal with at our current level of strength. Since one strike won''t defeat them, we''ll hit them a hundred times. A hundred times a hundred. However many it takes until they fall. So we strike from multiple directions at once, the acid tanks, the mages in the stone and more.

    Never the kind of creatures to let something go to waste, I know that the acid is going to be collected in special holding tanks carved out of the stone deep below the tunnel. The Legion may never have noticed the holes in the stone beneath their feet when they began their ascent towards the gate, but they are certainly there. A hundred metres below the tanks await, from which the acid can be pumped back to the top of the tunnel. An ingenious system that hundreds of carvers spent a week carving out. Sadly, it''ll take hours to refill so we can only deploy the acid again if we manage to repel this first approach from our enemies.

    "How did it go, Eldest?"

    It''s Ellie, hiding in a chamber on the other side of the wall to my right.

    "I think we got their feet wet at the least, but it hasn''t stopped them. On the plus side, they aren''ting any closer right now."

    It took over a minute for the tanks to fully empty themselves, dumping out acid at a shocking pace. As the deafening roar fades away I can finally hear myself think and more than one ant clicks their mandibles in shock at the ferocious disy.

    "In other words, they''re right in position?"

    "Yep. Think you''re pets are going to be up to the task?"

    "They''ll make you proud, Eldest."

    "Let''s see it."

    [Is it possible that I can join them, Master?] Crinis asks me.

    [No, Crinis. We''ve gone over this. I need you here with me. Let''s watch and see how they do.]

    The blob attached to my carapace wiggles in a mix of frustration and happiness as I turn my attention back to the ever hungering ball of mana spiralling in power within my mind. The bomb is reaching the critical point of overload and I need to devote all of my attention to it but I can''t help but keep my eyes peeled for the attack of the core shapers.

    The moment the Legion bes visible again behind the haze of acid mist in the air it''s clear to see how they were able to survive. Deep gouges have been carved into the ground on either side of their formation. From the ruined appearance of the tunnel floor, it looks as if abination of magic and sheer physical strength was used to create these gashes, which means they must have directed weapon strikes at the stone to help break it up. More than that, their soldiers have tightly packed together in a narrow column, shields pressed against each other with their defensive abilities activated. From my position near the gate they present ayered wall of golden light which patches of acid still cling too, sizzling away.

    It might be a pain, but I can''t help but be impressed that they survived. Sorry Morrelia, but that''s not the only trick we have up our sleeves.

    It only takes seconds for the order to slip down the chain and I see something that most people would rather not see in their lifetimes. The furious acid has burned away the thin coating that once covered the floor to reveal a narrow gap in the tunnel walls, close to the floor. If I weren''t looking for it, there''s almost no chance I could see it at all, it''s so narrow. From that narrow gap on both sides a darkness wells up and then begins to pour out onto the floor. All the way up and down on both sides of the Legion column a tide of pure ck is massing. From out of the shadows, slowly at first but quickly gathering speed, extends a forest of tentacles, hundreds, thousands of them, as the darkness moulds itself to reveal its true form.

    Centipedes.

 Chapter 545 The Siege pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 545 The Siege pt 3 </h4>

    The hated foe, the reviled enemy. My hatred of the centipede knows almost no bounds! Long did they torment me in my youth, only for me to turn the tables on them and use the foul creatures as fuel for my own growth. Once the table flipped, I refuse to allow it to flip back again, no matter how much the Dungeon seems to like the putrid things. Naturally my own predisposition against the centipedes was passed onto the Colony which led to an aggressive campaign to delete them from the Dungeon. Wherever the Colony has been, war against the many-legs has been waged. Their nests have been expunged, their spawn points camped until the mana dissipated and no more of them appeared. It''s safe to say that whilst we ants have left most spawn points alone in order to have monsters to hunt, the centipede no longer exists within our territory. They have been deleted.

    As a result of this extensive activity, a tremendous number of centipede cores has flooded into the ws of the core shapers. Interestingly enough, it was found that the centipede core is a remarkably mouldable one. It''s as if the ''gic'' code of the many-legs is so basic and primitive that the shapers had great sess utilising the Sophos'' ''folding'' technique, fusing the centipede together with other creatures. After experimenting with various forms of the omni-present shadow beasts, this variant was created.

    The Centi-sludge!

    At least, that''s what I call them. I think that Ellie told me their name but I forget already.

    Utilising advanced shadow flesh technology, these centi-sludges are able to mould themselves into a goop-like state in much the same way that Crinis does. Simrly, they have the ability to extend a tendril of dark flesh filled with the same potent toxin that filled the centipede stingers. A devious creation that represents the dedication and hard work of the Colony Core Shaper caste, the centi-sludge is a nasty little package on its own, but when multiplied by thousands can create all sorts of problems.

    The Legion doesn''t hold back and disys the rapid response expected from soldiers with such high levels of discipline and training. The moment the tendrils start to reach for them the sh of de light explodes as hundreds of swords and axes strike out, cutting swathes into the slithering pile of centipedes reaching for them. From where I hang on the roof, packing more and more gravity mana into my bomb I can see the light carve into the centipedes, bisecting many of them, but even so they don''t stop moving.

    In truth, these pets have almost no defensive capabilities. The strikes cut straight through them without resistance, splitting hundreds of them apart at a time. But that just doesn''t do the job. The pieces of the monsters that have been cut away return to goop which is then imed by any of the centi-sludges nearby, iming the precious shadow flesh as part of their own body. Unless the core itself is damaged, or the Legion is able to cut away at them fast enough that they don''t get a chance to reform themselves before the flesh is dissolved into the Dungeon, they won''t stoping!

    Gweheheheh.

    Although, to pay for this roach-like level of survivability, not only did the centi-sludgesck in toughness, but their offense was low. The purpose of this tactic is not to defeat the Legion, but rather to wear them down. If some of them get poisoned while we are at it, all the better! As the Legion engages with the pets, turning their attention from one crisis to the next, a sortie of ants emerge from the gate. A mixed force of mages and scouts, they begin to rain down ranged firepower toward the leading Legion figures in order to amp up the pressure. The Legion''s shields have formed a wall of light that now flickers and shes with each new impact as the Colony ups their offense, trying to batter through the attacker''s stamina.

    We don''t need to win, we only need to hold. As long as we make the Legion go back to their camp and try again another day, that''s a victory.

    With a mentalmand I send Invidia to join in the barrage, lighting up the tunnel with his detonations. I warn him not to go too hard yet. Our part in this defence is not yet done. I don''t have the spare mental energy to reach out and keep an eye on the ongoing mental warfare taking ce in the tunnel but I wager it''s ramped up another notch. Attacking the mages by putting them under constant pressure to defend theirrades is a lynchpin of our strategy. Even if the individual Legionaries prove to be indefatigable monsters, the minds of the spellcasters can''t be. Even if they have hundreds of super wizards in their ranks, the Colony is able to throw literally thousands of ant mages at them until they crack.

    Compress,press,press!

    In the final stages of preparation, the only thing that exists in my consciousness is the gravity bomb. It grows darker and darker as the crushing force begins to take on a life of its own. Even so I continue to force more of the purple gravity mana into it until the pressure of holding the sphere of pure magic together starts to push back against my mind. Working with mana in this way is always headache inducing and each of my four brains is pounding by the time I cut off the supply of mana and prepare the spell forunch.

    "I''m ready to throw out the bomb. Clear the deck!" I call out a warning to the ants in the area.

    The word is passed along rapidly and the core shapers coordinate to clear their centipedes out of the danger zone as quickly as possible.

    [Invidia, are you clear?]

    [Yessssss.]

    Nice.

    "ck hole in the hole!"

    HHHHOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWLLLLLL!!!

    As ever, the gravity bomb announces its presence in spectacr fashion, causing a storm of wind and filling the tunnel with the now familiar shriek the moment I release it. The sound is deafening, as if the air itself were screaming as the near ck sphere devoured it. It''s a terror inducing effect that''s only magnified by the spell swallowing all light as it travels. The ants around me know what''sing and dig their ws into the walls of the tunnel even as I do the same. The Legion too is familiar with this scene now and their response hasn''t changed, only grown stronger over time.

    Shields and barriers spring to life by the dozens the moment I unleash the spell and a host of minds reach out to rip the gravity bomb apart before it cannd. At the same time the antsunch a new offensive, hundreds of mages that had remained hidden until now throw their Will into the contest. Once again the battle to control the rock of the tunnel is pushed to the brink as the Colony attempts to drop tons of stone and pointed bs of pure iron onto the heads of the attackers. Invidia himself goes to work batting away the mages who try to unmake the gravity bomb, pitting his own considerable prowess against the Legion in an attempt to preserve the power I packed into the spell.

    The bomb strikes home as it always does, flickering into its final form, the slowly rotating sphere of pure destruction. The pull is immediate and dreadful. Hanging from the roof, I dig in as hard as I can to resist being a victim of my own spell. It''s a risk, casting this spell whilst hanging here, since my weight is so much higher than my grip has been able to sustain, but where there is a Will, there is a way and I hold on fiercely as the bomb ravages all it can touch.

 Chapter 546 The Siege pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 546 The Siege pt 4 </h4>

    Bwahahahaha! Behold my power! I have to say, watching the devastation unleashed by the gravity bomb never fails to elicit an exaggerated sense of achievement in me. Look at what I have wrought! In reality, the bomb is structurally the simplest piece of magic I''ve ever attempted on Pangera, a blob of pure gravitational mana crushed into itself as hard as I can manage before being flung out into the world. Far more than Cunning, Will is the stat that determines the strength of this spell since my ability to force andpact mana is dependent on my willpower. The current rendition of my most destructive spell can only be called an unqualified sess by my own standards. The potent drag of the expanded gravity bomb threatens to pull me from my perch on the ceiling and I see many ants fighting to maintain their position on the walls.

    What it feels like closer to the epicentre, I can only imagine. Unpleasant, I''m sure. Although all of my brains are exhausted so soon after releasing the gravity mana, I extend my senses out towards the Legion in order to get a sense of how the struggle is going. Thankfully, they''re struggling. Although they have expertlyyered their defensive abilities with magical shields and ripped away at my spell, they''ve not been able to do the work that they have previously to mitigate the spell before it was able tond. The many pronged attack of the Colony has done its work in forcing our opponents into having to make difficult decisions. Do they try and hold the ceiling together and strike back at the ants positioned in the tunnels there? Do they fend off the limitless poisoned tentacles of the centi-sludge, or do theymit everything to limiting the impact of the gravity bomb?

    It feels as if they chose to do all of the above and as a result they''ve lost some ground on each front. Sections of the tunnel roof are starting to slip even as the shadow pets begin to close on their lines, reaching out to spread their toxic blessing and the bomb is shattering the protections they put in ce just as quickly as they put them up. It''s clear that the Legion didn''t expect us to be able to bring the number of mages to bear that we have, expecting that they would retain theirfortable superiority in this regard. The fools!

    From my perspective, all action in the tunnel hase to a stop as the screaming sphere of ck death slowly rotates in ce as it consumes everything that falls into its maw. The air, the dirt, the light, nothing is safe from its insatiable hunger and all we can do is hold on until it peters out. After hurling this spell into the teeth of the Legion so many times without breaking through, it''s almost a shock when a notification from Gandalfes through,

    [You have defeated level 53 Abyssal Legion Scout]

    [You have gained XP]

    [You achieved Level 63, One skill point awarded]

    Holy moly! I actually got one? Take that! Wait¡­ it wasn''t Morrelia was it? Ugh, can I really afford to worry about that right now? I force all thoughts of the dark haired berserker from my mind and focus on the task at hand. The Legion is under extreme pressure right now and if we''re going to win we can''t allow it to stop. The second the spell runs out of power it flickers and then fades to nothing. The silence and stillness that hangs in the air is profound after the cacophony of shrieking wind that had felt so oppressive just a moment ago. The Legion is still there, ranked up together with shields to the front, but it''s clear that those in the vanguard have suffered under the effects of my spell. Many are showing injuries, some have copsed to the ground, one knee in the dirt as they breathe heavily. Tanking the brunt of my strike for their fellows has cost these Legionaries dearly and for many of them they will have no further part in this battle. I notice Morrelia is not among the wounded which gives me mixed feelings. On the other hand, I know how to feel about the hulking, axe wielding form in front of the column. That massive chap appears almost totally unharmed, with barely a scuff in his armour. Judging by the positioning of the other soldiers, it appears as if the nearby Legionaries stepped forward to protect their leader from the worst of it, taking the wrath of the gravity bomb onto their own shoulders. An action that caused one of them to pay the ultimate price.

    Unwilling to let this chance slip, the ants dash forward to renew their bombardment, with Tiny, Invidia and Crinis joining in from a safe distance. Wearing down the opponent before the final sh is still the name of the game and I refuse to let Tiny leap into the ranks of the enemy and get himself filleted by the axe guy before he manages tond a single punch. Instead, I have him throwing boulders using his considerable arm strength and sting out with lightning when he gets a chance. Just as the long range strike begins once more, the Legion appears to make a decisive move, advancing rapidly toward the wall. I can see the wounded and exhausted warriors being picked up and moved to the rear of the column which flows around them like water even as the axe wielding hulk bullies his way forward at their head. The imposing soldier batters aside the projectiles directed at him, or just in ignores them, allowing the acid and spells to smack into his crackling armour as if uncaring of his own safety. With each step, he gathers momentum and I begin to sense an ominous energy building within the head of the axe. Wild, brutal and hungry for violence, that''s the sense I get. An unrestrained thirst for blood and vengeance emanates from the weapon and many ants within range of the baleful aura react with insectile rage. The energy contained within the weapon grows and grows as the figure draws closer, climbing to unbelievable heights but even so the strike isn''t unleashed. What the heck are they aiming for?

    Then it hits me.

    [He''s going for the gate!] I roar at Invidia, [Shield now!]

    The demon has nothing if not a quick mind and before I even finish the thought the flow of mana around the gate behind me has begun to swirl and shift and the little eyeball shapes it into barriers.

    "He''s going to try and bring down the gate! Hit him! Defend the Nest!" I st the entire tunnel with pheromones, snapping every ant within range to attention.

    "FOR THE COLONY!" they roar as they rush into battle.

    This guy wants to bring down the gates himself? He''s either mad or far more powerful than we expected and I''m terrified that it''s thetter. Even so, what can we do? If we must fall to preserve the Colony, then that''s exactly what we are going to do. Filled with this resolution, I drop from the tunnel roof and position myself between the lone Legionary and the gate, putting my exquisite diamond form in the firing line. Come on then you stupid spectre of death. Let''s see if you can charge into the mandibles of the Colony and walk away unscathed!

 Chapter 547 The Siege pt 5

    <h4>Chapter 547 The Siege pt 5 </h4>

    I regret my choices. Many of them. How did this situation wind up with me facing down this inhuman axe-maniac whilst he charged his weapon with what feels like enough energy to cut a mountain in half? The things that people do for their families, that''s all I can say. I can feel the Colony and Invidia working overtime to establish all the shields they can as quickly as possible,yering the protections across the already potent enchantments of the gate. Hopefully it''s going to be enough.

    [Crinis, get off me.]

    [NO!]

    [IT''S AN ORDER! GET OUT OF THE WAY!]

    I refuse to let her get caught up in the fallout here. Her Skills and mutations are totally unsuited to facing down this kind of situation, all that will happen is she''ll get herself killed for nothing. That''s an oue I won''t allow. I barely register as my loyal friend peels herself off my carapace and disappears into the shadows along the side of the tunnel, all of my focus is on that dreaded axe. My minds churn as I try to think of anything I can do to help mitigate this attack. Sinking into the depths of meditation, time almost seems to slow as I process everything as fast as I can. Do I have enough time to whip together a spell? Probably not, judging by the speed the axe strike is gathering energy, it''s almost ready to go. Can I create a physical barrier somehow? Digging maybe? Unlikely to help. This guy is trying to cut down solid steel gates with an axe. If I put a few rocks in the way it isn''t going to make a difference.

    There has to be something, think!

    As I try toe up with ideas, the lone Legionary continues to sprint forward under thebined bombardment of everything the Colony can throw at him. Tiny is sting with lightning. Acid is raining from the openings in the gate and walls. Spells fall like rain as the mages spit out fireballs, ice shards and everything else they can muster. Maybe I can use a little gravity magic? I don''t need to spin a construct for it and I''m well practiced at the basic forms, my main mind doesn''t even need to get involved.

    Quick as a thought, my sub-brains begin to form and throw out basic gravity bolts at the onrushing juggernaut in the hopes that it does something. All I can really do beyond that is try and get up in this guy''s face. I dig my ws in the stone to get a firm grip and take a moment to steady my nerves.

    DASH!

    As fast as I can, dash!

    Right into the jaws of death!

    Because that''s exactly what it feels like. My senses are going crazy at the sheer amount of energy pouring off that demonic weapon, so much that the very air itself seems to warp with it. An aura of bloodlust and violence permeates the air around the charging figure, leaking from the axe itself, saturating the minds of everyone who draws too close. Even sunk into meditation with all of my emotions pushed to one side I can feel it. A rage that seems to bubble up from within and eat away at my thoughts. I don''t let it. Even the cold logical thoughts of my own brain, severed from my emotions, tell me that this course of action is illogical. I don''t listen. Even the Vestibule, the gateway through which the Will of the Colony leaks into my being is begging me to turn aside and allow others to go in my ce. But I won''t.

    I don''t know why. I can''t exin it, but something deep within my carapace is telling me that this is a pivotal moment. He cannot be allowed to sunder the gate. I won''t let him.

    The figure loomsrge in my vision as we close on one another at hectic speeds. My mandibles stretch open wide, the dark energy of the doom chomp manifesting around me as I approach. More and more gravity bolts fly forward, peppering the figure all over without slowing his seemingly unstoppable momentum. Just before I reach him my mandibles begin to snap shut as every cell in my body screams for me to flee this danger, to get out of the way and preserve myself because this is something that is way out of my league.

    I don''t listen.

    I was never very good at being what other people expected of me. Not in this life, or thest.

    With a shout that impacts the air, the lone Legionary stretches back his arms that tiny bit more, like an stic band stretched right to the breaking point, before unleashing his strike. It''s so fast I don''t even see the axe move. One minute it''s over his shoulder, the gauntlets gripped tight around the haft, the next the axe is buried in the stone at his feet, all the way up to those same gauntlets. My mandibles strain for a final second as the world flickers before me and I feel a tidal wave of energy explode in the air in front of my face. It''s a de of axe light like none I''ve ever seen before. Instead of the normal soft glow of white light, this arc of power is blood red. Rather than the size of a de, it stretches from the ceiling to the floor in a vertical line of pure destruction.

    Toote to prevent the strike from being unleashed, I try to pull myself to one side but in a sh the strike is upon me. Then it''s gone. One of my sub-brains triggers my healing nd without my conscious thought and a feeling of almost puzzlement flutters in me. Why do that? But then the paines. Searing agony explodes down the right side of my body as I struggle toprehend what just happened.

    [Master! I''m here!]

    My thoughts are sluggish, what''s going on?

    The darkness around me is pitch ck and a forest of tentacles explode around me, enveloping my entire body in their embrace. Before my eyes are covered, I can see the sole Legionary in front of me on one knee, his weapon still buried in the ground as he draws deep, shuddering breaths. Despite being so vulnerable, no attacks fall on him. Why isn''t the Colony attacking?

    I feel myself sink and I can''t even process the sensation as Crinis pulls me into the shadow, dragging my body through the darkness and out the other side. Where am I? The pain is intense.

    "Healing! The Eldest needs healing!"

    "Move aside!"

    As the tentacles unwrap from around me I realise where I am. Crinis has brought me right in front of the gate, the gigantic steel barriers tower above me as my siblings swarm around me, desperate to heal my injuries. I don''t have eyes for them. Instead, my addled mind tries to take in the jagged rent that has been carved into the left gate. The metal is twisted and warped where that horrific axe blow impacted and then cut through. It''s strange, why would he only target one side of the gate? Come to think of it, why can''t I see out of my right eye?

    Or feel my right legs?

    Ah. I think I get it. With the healing energies of my regeneration nd flooding through my body, Invidia''s healing magic and the ministrations of the Colony, I can feel my flesh knitting itself back together and regrowing the part of my body that has been shearedpletely off. Who needed a right side of the body anyway? Unfortunately it doesn''t seem as if I''m going to get much time to pull myself together (heh).

    Further down the tunnel, the Legion leader has managed to stand and his soldiers have surged forward to epass him within their ranks once more. Having secured their leader, they''ve resumed their purposeful march toward the now damaged gates and the Colony is scrambling to resume the defence. No chance you punks are getting through this damn gate today!

    "Get me back on my feet dammit," I manage to say, "we aren''t done here yet."

 Chapter 548 The Siege pt 6

    <h4>Chapter 548 The Siege pt 6 </h4>

    The Legion advances to where I lie convalescent, still recovering from my grievous injuries. The only blessing I can see is that the one man army who cut through half of the gate is no longer in the frontlines, reced by a wall of armoured bodies that hold their weapons and shields with perfect discipline. Once Crinis has pulled me clear, the Colony continues their barrage and a horde of my siblings sally forth from the gate to surround me.

    "Get me back behind the gate," I squeeze out, "we didn''t n to take a stand here."

    The ants around me don''t respond at all and I wonder if they smelled what I had to say at all.

    "H-hello? You need to either move me behind the gate or leave me here. What the heck are you doing?"

    "Eldest, I mean this with all my respect, but please shut your pheromone hole. We''re trying to heal you and you need to stop moving."

    Who was that?! Mendant?! Where the heck do you get the nerve to speak to me like that?! The healer lookspletely unperturbed, as if an enemy army wasn''t closing on her position with each passing moment. Are these ants crazy or what? We can''t fight here, we''ll get ughtered! If I can''t be moved, then just retreat to safety, I''ll fight my way out! This won''t be thest you see of me! Before I get the chance to insist, the ants have already formed ranks around me, hundreds turning into thousands in mere seconds. I quickly realise that they aren''t going to give me up.

    [Crinis! Can you move me again? Through the shadows?]

    [I can''t master, I''m sorry. It took almost all of my shadow mana to get you this far,] she sounds panicked.

    [It''s going to be fine,] I reassure her, [my face is almost back together, see? I''ll be in biting shape again in no time.]

    She doesn''t seem to be encouraged by my words. I see her twisting herself into mind bending, non-Euclidian shapes that I''m certain are formed of more dimensions than there should be in her anxiety.

    [Invidia, get the buffs onto Tiny. I get the feeling there''s going to be a scrap in here shortly! Tiny, you are NOT allowed to die! That''s an order!]

    I can''t see much now, the ants are swarming over me as the healers continue to administer their healing fluid to help regenerate my flesh, but I can sense something I never expected and momentster, I see one. What the hell are the humans doing out here?!?!? Led by that manic priest, at least a hundred humans have marched forth from the gate to squeeze in amongst the muchrger bodies of the soldiers and scouts in the front ranks between me and the Legion. The priest himself has a short spear gripped in his one good hand which he waves back and forth with frantic energy as he bellows words I can''t quite make out to the gathered humans. His voice rolls like thunder with the power of a war drum as he urges his fellows to battle.

    When the Antmancers activate their Skill, their bodies ignite and begin to spread an aura that envelops every ant and human within reach. Even I can feel it, giving strength to the limbs I still possess and filling my heart with courage. It doesn''t help that the Vestibule continues to whisper of the ant''s desire for battle, to make the enemy pay for the damage they''ve done. It''s difficult for me to ignore them in the heat of the battle. I feel the urge to scurry forward on my three remaining legs and try to stab the Legionaries to death with my one remaining mandible.

    I don''t think that will go too well.

    "Can I be moved yet?" I whine to Mendant.

    Her antennae twitch and I swear by my Mother that she almost thwacked me.

    "Any other member of the Colony would be dead right now. No, you can''t be moved," she tells me as she continues to work.

    Dammit. This is going to get ugly.

    From where I lie, I only get shes of vision from the front lines, but I can tell the two forces are closing together as the Colony and its allies press forward to allow more room between the fighting and me. Are you kidding me?! The battle right in front of the gates and I''m not even going to be able to participate?! This must be some sort of joke. I''m tempted to ask if I can move yet but there''s something in Mendant''s eye that causes me to hesitate.

    [Crinis, go support the Colony,] I ask her, [they''re going to need your help.]

    [You are heavily injured, Master. You need me here to protect you!]

    [I need you to protect my family more. Go on, Crinis. Do this for me.]

    The amorphous blob of immitigable darkness shudders once beforeshing out with tentacles that drag her deep into the shadows of the tunnel roof. Before long she has vanished from sight as she slithers closer to the enemy. All I can do now is lie still and wait for the healing toplete as the sounds and vibrations of battle rise to a fever pitch moments before the two armies crash. Even now reinforcements pour out from behind the gate, piling up on top of each other until the tunnel is almost filled to capacity from bottom to top with a writhing mass of furious monsters, with me buried somewhere at the bottom.

    With a colossal THUD that rumbles through the stone on which I lie the two opposing armies sh for the first time. There is little yelling or talking (with the exception of Beyn), the antsmunicating in perfect silence whilst the Legion are too disciplined for random noise, yet the sound is still deafening. The sh of steel on carapace, the vibration and detonation of activated Skills and spells fill the air until I can''t tell what is happening anymore. All the while my antennae are battered with a flood of pheromones from my siblings.

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    "FOR THE ELDEST!"

    "STRIKE FOR THE BROOD!"

    "FORWARD SISTERS!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    Infused with aura of the antmancers and their own generals, the soldiers, scouts, mages and every other caste in the fighting are driven to the peak of their fighting abilities as they throw themselves against the Legion army in an endless tide of fury. A deafening screech erupts from a distance away, piercing through the sounds like a knife and I know that Tiny has entered the fray, using his scream to distract and stun to buy enough time for his fists toe to bear. On the edges of my mana sense I can feel the centi-sludges and other pets creeping out from gaps in the wall, pressuring the Legion line all the way back down the tunnel in an attempt to sow chaos in the enemy lines.

    Shortly after I see the mad priest once more, standing upon a rock dislodged in the fighting, his face is a twisted mask of ecstasy and rage as he bellows, his words pounding into my ears like waves on rocks. How the man isn''t dead yet stood up like he is, I have no idea, but there he remains, preaching with righteous fury as the battle rages around him. The knowledge that my siblings are fighting and dying so close and being unable to help them tears me apart inside. I have always wanted to fight for my family, but so often they are the ones who fight for me. Having them fight on my behalf is something so precious, I didn''t even realise how much I needed it in my past life, but now that I have it I refuse to let it go. I will take hold of this family with my mandibles and they will never be able to dislodge me.

    "Please," I beg Mendant, "let me go fight."

    The healer looks down on me once more and this time I see no irritation or anger in her, only eptance, patience and love.

    "Don''t worry, Eldest," she tells me, "we will protect you."

 Chapter 549 The Siege pt 7

    <h4>Chapter 549 The Siege pt 7 </h4>

    The battle raged around Isaac Bird and in the brief moments where he wasn''t desperately trying to keep himself from getting skewered or sliced in half he had to wonder why he was even here. Peer pressure was part of it, he could admit that to himself. When three quarters of the guards under him had volunteered to go down and aid in the defence it would have looked a little ridiculous if he, their leader, didn''t go with them. There was an element of pride, also. The ants had done much to help the refugees and now when a chance came for the people to return the favour it would be churlish to turn it down. Another part of him, a more honest part, was willing to admit that he''d hoped to see Morrelia here. When she''d left, all those weeks ago, he regretted not going with her, and now that she''d returned with the Legion, how could he not take this chance? What exactly he hoped to aplish in wooing the woman who captured his heart with her fierce and headstrong ways from the opposite side of a battlefield, he wasn''t sure, but it was worth a go! He hoped it was worth a go.

    "SPEARS UP LADS!" he roared into the din and hoped his people could hear him as the Legionaries surged forward for another sh.

    CLICKCLICKCLACKCLIK!

    A chorus of snapped mandibles rang out as the ants issues their own warcry. Isaac held his ground and tried not to get buffeted by the huge monsters around him as they crawled over each other and clung to the ceiling to try and get at the enemy.

    "FOR THE COLONY!" Roared the priest from behind him. "DELIVER VENGEANCE UPON THE INFIDEL WHO REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT WHICH HAS BEEN MADE CLEAR TO US! FIGHT! FIGHT FOR THE COLONY!"

    "I''m fightin'', I''m fightin''!" Isaac grumbled as he activated his shield wall Skill and deflected a st of sword light upwards.

    The ant above him angled its carapace to absorb the diminished blow before it lunged forward to try and snap the sword of the offending soldier but the enemy was too crafty and snatched the weapon back just in time.

    "Try this on!" He roared and executed a perfect micro-dash as he ignited his spear with energy and used Expert Thrust.

    A pure beam of light shot forward from the weapon and caught the enemy unawares, hitting them full in the chest. Other than knocking the wind out of them, the strike didn''t appear to do much to the foe. The ranks closed around the soldier who was back in the fight a few momentster after collecting their breath.

    "Their armour is too damn tough. What the hell is tha'' stuff even made of?" Even exhausted in the midst of battle, Isaac couldn''t help butin to himself about how unfair life was.

    Whilst it was true that the Colony had provided the guards with brand new arms and armour, far better quality than anything they''d been able toy their hands on before, it felt a little inadequate when they were put against the bloody Abyssal Legion. Still, beggars couldn''t be choosers. If he was here in his old gear he had no doubt his head would have left his shoulders behind some time ago.

    "DO NOT YIELD TO THE HERETIC. DEFEND THE PATH WHICH WE HAVE FOUND THROUGH TRIAL AND SUFFERING. DO NOT FORGET THOSE THAT SAVED US! DO NOT ABANDON THE ONE WHO LIBERATED YOU FROM FEAR!"

    How the damned priest didn''t detonate at the neck projecting that level of volume, Isaac would never know. It was inhuman as far as he was concerned. Not that he had much time to worry about it.

    "SPEARS UP!" He roared again as the two sides surged toward each other once more.

    The sh and ring of steel filled his ears as the sh and flicker of light sted his eyes. There were hundreds of beings fighting at once, each employing their Skills, equipment and natural gifts to the limit as both sides struggled to hold on. Isaac snarled and bellowed as he dipped low before executing a sneaky shield charge. He clipped his opponent''s weapon at a different angle than was expected which caused the soldier to lurch backwards before he was disarmed. Not willing to let go of this chance, Isaacshed his spear through a tight sweep that clipped the left foot of the Legionary and caused him to crash to the ground.

    The moment the man fell, his allies on either side leapt to defend the breach and protect theirrade as those behind pushed forward to cover the gaps. The ants refused to let it happen so easily and dove forward, hurling their bodies into the swords of the enemy to try and widen the break in the line.

    "RALLY TO ME!" Isaac called, hoping someone could hear him above the mour.

    If the ants were going to push, he sure as hell wasn''t going to let them do it alone! He cursed and spat with wild abandon as heshed out with his spear, desperate to widen the gap and take the pressure off the monsters who absorbed insane amounts of punishment without taking a backward step. It wouldn''t be possible for Isaac to perform half of these heroics without the boost he was receiving from Beyn and his kin. The more humans and ants gathered together, the greater the strength of the buff and right now Isaac was riding high, his stats pushed to levels he''d never experienced in his life.

    "DEFEND THIS HOLY GROUND WITH EVERY FIBRE OF YOUR BEING! LET YOUR VERY SOUL SHAKE WITH THE POWER OF YOUR EFFORTS AS WE DRIVE AWAY THESE LOST ONES. DO NOT BLAME THEM CHILDREN, FOR THEY TREAD THE FALSE PATH, COLD AND ALONE WITHOUT THE LIGHT OF THE GREAT ONE TO ALLEVIATE THEIR FEAR!"

    Does he ever shut up?! Isaac shoved all thoughts of the priest from his mind as he frantically battled in the front lines. The fighting had reached a fever pitch as both sides jumped on the tiny, infinitesimal edge he had created for the Colony and he was finding it harder and harder to hold his ground. Sweat poured into his eyes, his shield was battered and rent, and his spear arm shook from pure exhaustion. He refused to quit. So long as the ants kept fighting, so would he.

    "Come an'' get it you shiny bastards!" he grimaced his challenge as he forced himself to keep fighting.

    Then she was there. For the rest of his life, he would fail to exin how he recognised her so quickly, but the instant that red armoured figure, a brutal short sword in either hand stepped into view, he knew it was her. His heart froze in his chest and a foolish smile broke out on his face. It was wildly not the time for it, he knew that, but somehow he just couldn''t help it.

    "Hey Morr. How''ve you been?" he grinned.

    He didn''t get a reply before Morrelia charged forward, her twin weapons a blur as she struck at him from both sides. Somehow he managed to parry the first attack with the shaft of his spear and catch the second square on his shield. The weight from that blow nearly caved his shield inpletely and he suspected his arm may have been fractured but he didn''t have time to worry about it. Still with a stupid grin on his face he struck back, spearncing out only to find empty air as she brought both her weapons up in a perfectly timed cross block. She didn''t give him time to recover, snapping out a quick kick that threw him back a few feet. God''s she was strong!

    He set his feet quickly and brought his weapon up once more, eager for the fight to continue.

    "That all you got?" heughed, "and here''n I thought you was supposed to be strong!"

    It was aplete bluff and both of them knew it, but he wasn''t going to back down, and neither was she.

    "HAAAAAA!" Morrelia bellowed and Isaac could see her eyes ze with red light through her helmet as her berserker Skill ignited.

    Isaac watched as she charged forward, heedless of the danger, like a stone from a siege engine right into the ant lines. Her weapons smashed his spear and shield aside with ease as she crunched straight into his chest and just kept going. He felt his feet lift from the ground as her shoulder bore his weight deeper amongst the swarming Colony. When she finally stopped running she copsed on top of him, causing him to cough out a mouthful of bright red blood.

    "Nice ta see you too," he said.

    "You''re an idiot," came back her distraught reply. As the ants and humans descended on the top of them she dropped her weapons and ripped off her helmet, exposing her midnight ck hair to the light.

    "Capture me, Isaac," she said.

    Was it the chest injury, or those magnificent words that finally drove him over the edge? A few secondster, as Morrelia raised her hands in surrender and was taken away under guard, the ants would find Isaac passed out, blood leaking from numerous wounds. What they couldn''t exin was the copious flow from his nose that continued long after they had already healed him. A quirk of human physiology, they decided, and promptly forgot about it.

 Chapter 550 The Siege pt 8

    <h4>Chapter 550 The Siege pt 8 </h4>

    "THE SEARCH GOES ON, SISTERS!"

    "WE SEEK!"

    "Oh no you don''t! Retreat now! That''s an order!"

    Brendant waved her antennae threateningly at the ''Immortals'' and their reckless leader.

    "Leeroy! Get your metal covered carapace back to the gate! The enemy has pulled back and so are you!"

    It was never a good idea to give the misguided armoured soldier a chance to ''misinterpret'' her orders. Brendant watched like a hawk as the heavy assault ants begrudgingly turned themselves around, putting their backs to the retreating enemy and dragging themselves back to the gate. Healers swarmed over the ants already, tending to the numerous, near fatal wounds that covered them.

    Even from where she stood, Brendant could hear the medics taunting the survivors.

    "Ooo. That''s a rough wound, nearly enough to kill you, wasn''t it? Good thing you survived!"

    "Just a few centimetres to the left and you''d have been done. Look at the scoring in the carapace next to your eye! Punched right through the armour it did. Not a problem though, you''ll be back to full health in just a few hours."

    The healers continued to bait and mock their charges all the way back to the gates where the immortals moved toward the foundries established just inside where their armour could undergo an emergency refit. No doubt Smithant was already bashing the exhausted soldiers over the head with her hammer,menting the damage done to her precious armour. The moniker ''immortals'' had run amazingly true over the duration of the siege, only a single member had perished in the fighting so far. The others had been unsure whether to curse or praise their sister for her misfortune, but they had gathered for a solemn vigil as the soldier had been peeled from her armour andid to rest.

    Though the tunnel before the gate was now almost totally bare, still, the council member did not turn back. There was still one more warrior of the Colony yet to return.

    "How is she?" the soldier asked one of the nearby mages.

    The two of them watched the great bear as it drew deep, measured breaths. Each exhtion sounded like a gale and blew dust and earth into a small whirlwind in front of the huge monster''s face.

    "She ising back to herself more slowly after each battle. We are growing concerned for her wellbeing."

    Sarah, the friend of the Colony had been instrumental in holding back the golgari on this side of the nest, but more and more the ants were bing worried for her state of mind. A team of antsbed over her frame, cleaning and soothing her as she slowly reimed her sense of self from the fury that seized her during battle.

    "She must not participate in the next sh, preferably the next two. Tell her the council has ordered that she rest herself."

    The mage twitched her antennae.

    "I will tell her, but she we will not like it. She wants to help," the mage hesitated, "and I believe that part of her yearns for this state. She wants to fight."

    "But we cannot allow her back into a state she once rejected fighting on our behalf. Be sure to tell her what I said."

    Without the bear on their side, the next shes would be far more difficult, but it was necessary. The other side was holding against the more powerful Legion without the assistance of a tier six behemoth like Sarah, though they did have the Eldest, they would have to make do here. Weary and filled with a thousand worries, Brendant finally retreated behind the gate and returned to the embrace of the nest once more.

    Thousands of ants swarmed here, each with a specific job to do. Triage was taking ce in the field hospital as the many wounded were tended to. The most grievously injured would be shifted to the dedicated facilities as soon as they were able to be moved, whereas the others would heal on the spot. A bit of Biomass, magic and regeneration fluid all they needed to repair their wounds.

    "How goes it?" came a scent from the left.

    "Wills? It goes as it goes, I''m afraid."

    The scout, clung to the roof, nodded her antennae in acknowledgement. The enemy had been repelled four times from the gate so far, but the cost was higher than they would like. Still, they were holding, which was all they needed to do. So far the foe had managed to reach the gate twice and inflict significant damage to the metal before they had been pushed back. Eventually they would smash through and the Colony would be forced to retreat to the second, and finalyer of defence.

    "We''ll have to make the next defence without the help of Sarah. She needs to rest to regain her sense of self."

    The scout hesitated for a moment.

    "That''s going to make things ¡­ more interesting."

    "We don''t have a choice. It may finally be time tomit the humans to the front."

    The Colony had hesitated to send out the humans so far, a decision that hadn''t gone down too well with the people themselves. The general feeling amongst the ants was that they should be responsible for defending their own nest and didn''t want to depend on assistance from others. The mayor Enid had rightly pointed out that the Colony had helped defend the human homes, so why shouldn''t they return the favour? It looked as though they were about to get their chance.

    "They''ll be happy about that," Wills said. "I wanted to pass on that the scouts haven''t managed to break through to the satellite nests. We''ll keep trying, but it looks as though we''re still ringed in."

    The nest itself was a massive area. How the enemy had managed to contain them in all directions and detect every attempt to tunnel out was something beyond the ant''s understanding. There was still so much they had to learn before they couldpete on equal footing with enemies like these. Given enough time, Brendant knew that the Colony would not only match their opponents, but exceed them in all aspects, but that day was far off yet.

    Numbers and hard work were what they could depend on for now, it was their only chance.

    [Where is she?!] a voice broke into her thoughts.

    [Friend Jim?] Brendant asked.

    [Obviously it''s me!] came the irritated reply of therge worm, [where the hell is Sarah?]

    [She is still recovering outside the gate. She is being watched by a team of ants as she gathers herself, worry not.]

    [Oh, I''m worried. I''m massively worried. Do you even realise what she''s doing to herself for you? You should tell her to step back from the battle before it''s toote for her!]

    [We have.]

    [And¡­ what?]

    [We have noticed her struggles and I have asked the mages to tell her to rest for the next two shes. After that she will be able to choose whether to re-join the fight or not.]

    [That''s not good enough. If you give her a chance to fight, she will. Tell her to step backpletely.]

    Brendant paused for a moment.

    [We will not take away her autonomy without good reason.]

    [You mean you can''t win without her.]

    [It will be more difficult,] the soldier readily admitted, [but we will still win.]

    The worm went silent and Brendant felt him tunnel away through the soil, no doubt returning to the chamber set aside for himself and Sarah to which his friend would soon return. Before long, the council member had pushed the interaction from her mind. The battle went on and there was much to do.

 Chapter 551 The Siege pt 9

    <h4>Chapter 551 The Siege pt 9 </h4>

    Having to wait for your legs to regrow sucks. Even if it only takes an hour considering all the healing that the Colony, my pets and I can pour into it. I even mutated these legs so that they grow back faster. An ant without legs is like¡­ pretty much anything without its legs. Not particrly mobile. By the time I have my ws back under me enough that I can walk, the battle is over. After a bruising and bloody exchange, the Legion pulled back and gave the Colony the room it needed to make an orderly retreat. Obviously that also included dragging my sorry carapace inside where far too many medics fussed over me whilst others waited for their wounds to be tended.

    "I''m fine!" I told them. "Go bother someone else! Look, you can''t even see my insides anymore!"

    It''s true, the muscle has mostly regrown to cover the organs which have been inly visible not so long ago. The carapace which had been sheared off has also begun to reform at the edges, which is nice to see. Reforging the diamond carapace from nothing can take some time, so it''s nice to see it making a swift recovery. Thanks to the Vestibule, I''ve already been able to unload another full st from the regeneration nd which,bined with the ministrations of Invidia, have gone a long way to speeding up my recovery. What I''ve found though, is thating back from heavy injuries like this has a minimum time frame. No matter how much healing magic and regeneration fluid you pump into yourself, there''s a hard cap to how fast my cells will regenerate themselves. Some things just take longer than others, like the carapace for example. With the organs and muscles regrown, the only thing I can do now is wait.

    "There are plenty of ants and humans who need caring for, there''s nothing else you can do for me now," I assure the fussy healers.

    "Are you sure about that Eldest?" Mendant asks. "You aren''t exactly¡­ all the way back together."

    "I''m sure. Go tend to our new allies. They look like they need some care."

    "Are you sure you don''t want to just go talk to the prisoner?" The healer asks me, he antennae looming dangerously.

    "Not at all!" I protest. "The energy of the healers is a precious resource and I would hate for it to be wasted when it could be better spent elsewhere. Please. Tend to the humans and the ants in need. I will heal given enough time."

    There were indeed plenty of humans and other ants in need of care. Despite the Colony going all in to try and protect their human allies, not all of them had made it back, and many were injured. The number of injured and fallen on the part of the Colony numbered in the thousands, yet another wrong toy at the feet of the Legion. It would be days before some of them were back tobat readiness, and all would need to draw from the limited supply of Biomass stored in the nest.

    After giving me a couple hundred side-eyes pound eyes and all that), Mendant finally gives in and waves away the swarming healers, directing them to the many others who need their help. Once the council member herself moves away, I take it upon myself to mosey over to where the crowd has gathered. I say mosey. My legs aren''t fully regrown yet, so it''s a bit more of a ''drag'' but I get over there in the end.

    Morellia has, as far as I know, turned herself in to our custody, or something along those lines. Isaac hasn''t been able tomunicate all that well since the battle for some reason and Beyn can''t bring himself to talk to her, given that she''s a ''heretic betrayer'' or some such. Without Enid being here, it''s been hard to find someone tomunicate with the berserker, so things have been at a bit of a standstill as far as I can see.

    The Legionary is sitting on the ground with her arms raised in the air, her weapons having been taken long ago. With her helmet off, it''s clear to see that she isn''t afraid of what may ur here. Whether that''s because she doesn''t think we''ll hurt her or she doesn''t care, I''ll have to find out. Damn I need some torpor. Hopefully I don''t get dragged away or anything before I talk to Morrelia.

    "By the by Protectant, I didn''t see you in the battle," I say to the empty air.

    After a brief silence, I get a near undetectable reply brush against my antennae.

    "Please don''t address me when there are so many around. We want to remain secret, remember?"

    I tap my antennae together in acknowledgement and wait.

    "We could do nothing to prevent you leaping in front of the strike that nearly killed you, unfortunately. Once the guardian pulled you back to the gate, we were positioned around you the whole time."

    "You didn''t show yourselves, even then?" I ask, a touch incredulous.

    "It wasn''t necessary. Should any of the enemy have reached us, we would have fought them, to the death if needed."

    I sigh. So many of our siblings made that sacrifice in the battle. Having such potent defenders is nice, but I''ll always feel the council wasted resources that could have been better spent protecting others. Ah well, it''s all water under the bridge now I suppose. I push my tired brains to whip up a mind bridge and I extend it out towards Morrelia as she watches me approach.

    [Hey there, Morrelia,] I greet her with a wave of an antenna, [how''ve you been?]

    Her face twists with an unknown emotion before she finally smiles, her shoulders sagging.

    [I didn''t know what you would say to me when we met again, but I should never have had any doubt.]

    I honestly don''t know what she means.

    [Thanks for saving me, by the way,] I tell her. [If you hadn''t told me to run, things would have gone sideways pretty fast. That dude with the axe is something else. Look at what he did to my carapace, dammit!]

    She takes a good look at the still healing (andpletely disgusting) wound.

    [A foot to the left and he might have carved me clean in half!] Iin. [Is someone like that even human anymore?]

    [That''s my father] she says quietly.

    [Lovely guy. Charming even. I mean, so human. Such a warm personality and totally regr level of strength.]

    She bursts outughing.

 Chapter 552 The Siege pt 10

    <h4>Chapter 552 The Siege pt 10 </h4>

    Despite being surrounded by hostile monsters who, quite rightly, were more than a little suspicious of her, Morrelia felt more at peace than she had in a long time. The Colony weren''t in the wrong, she''d known that all along. The problem was, she wasn''t sure that her father was wrong either. In the end, she decided her conscience would not abide sentencing Anthony and his family to death on the grounds that they might do something in the future. So far, they had only been a force for good and until that changed, they did not deserve to be exterminated.

    She knew what this would mean should the Colony turn against the Sapient races in the future. Given enough time, the ants would amass unfathomable strength and should they attack, Pangea would be devastated before they could be stopped. In the end, she had decided it was a risk she was willing to take.

    [You really don''t seem to care,] she said to Anthony, [it doesn''t bother you that I betrayed your trust and joined an army that was fighting against you?]

    The giant ant looked at her quizzically, his antennae twitching in the random way they did whenever he was confused.

    [No?] came his voice in her mind. [Should I be? I mean, from what you''ve said, you haven''t personally fought us, didn''t pass on any intelligence about us and have given us a potential key to survival in this conflict. Rather than be mad, I think I ought to thank you.]

    Those jagged mandibles cked happily and Morrelia knew he was about to do just what he''d said he would and thank her. For some reason, she was unwilling to hear that.

    [I didn''t even tell you I was going!] she burst out. [I just straight up abandoned the vige and the Colony! And for what? To turn around and attack the people I had wanted to save?]

    All the guilt that the proud soldier had been suppressing came flooding out, surprising her with the intensity of the emotion. She seethed with rage and self-loathing that had piled up over the weeks as she''d supressed her doubts and fears about her chosen course of action. She felt so stupid now. The indecision and hesitation that gued her seemed so foolish now, as if those feelings had belonged to another person. She realised her hands had clenched into fists that shook with the strength of her anger and she struggled to release the tension in her body.

    [Sigh. Let me just roll over here a bit ¡­ Ahhh. That''s a bit better.]

    The giant ant in front of her scrabbled in the dirt with his still undeveloped right side legs until he''d managed to tilt his carapace to present his wounded side to the roof.

    [You gotta keep the dirt out of it, you know what I mean? Clean wound is a healthy wound. I mean, not healthy, but better. Actually, can monsters even get infections? Is their bacteria in the Dungeon? I''ve never thought of that. Is there monstrous bacteria?! That would terrifying, holy moly!]

    ¡­

    [What were you saying again?]

    It was infuriating, the way he always turned the conversation away from the darker paths. It was particrly maddening because even now she couldn''t be sure he was doing it on purpose. He was so young. It was easy to forget that some times. The voice that echoed in her mind whenever they spoke belonged to a boy not yet in his full growth. She didn''t know why she always forgot that about him.

    [Oh, right. I remember now, the abandonment thing. Look, I really think if you want to make that argument, you''re talking to the wrong species, if you take my meaning.]

    He gestured to himself with all six legs, though three of them were smaller than the others, making the motion rather lopsided.

    [I''m an ant. Well, I''m an ant now, I suppose. Family is everything to us. I mean, everything. If you told any ant here that you walked out on the vige in order to be with your family and you felt bad about it, they''d look at you like you were defective. Then they''d probably insist that you get some sleep. We''re big on that here. Which reminds me.]

    There was a brief pause in the conversation as Anthony grew still, his antennae sweeping around the swarming ants around them. Then each of those ants froze in ce for a fraction of second before resuming what they were doing, except now with a good dose of nervous energy added into the mix. After spending enough time amongst the ants, it wasn''t too hard to pick up on a few of their emotional tells. The erratic, soft cks of the mandibles, the incessant antennae cleaning and frequent flexing of the legs were all tells of a nervous ant.

    [What did you say to them?] she asked.

    [Just reminded them that rest is mandatory.]

    Morrelia felt augh bubble up in her chest.

    [You have to mandate rest periods?]

    [Absolutely. Even then we get rebels who try and skip it sometimes.]

    [What happens to them?]

    [Dark things. I would rather not speak of it. Let us get back to your problems. You went to be with your father and mother. That''s fine and totally the right thing to do. Could you have asked your dad to not almost cut me in half? Sure, I''d have liked it if you did. But you''ve done the next best thing by the sounds of it. You''re absolutely sure he won''t take the field if you''re our prisoner?]

    [So long as you get the message out that I''ll be killed should he do so. My mother ordered that he bring me back alive, which means he can''t take any action that would get me killed.]

    [Because it''s an order? You don''t think he''d refuse to take the field just because you''re his daughter?]

    She hesitated, which told Anthony what he needed to know.

    [Yeouch. That''s rough.]

    [He might and he might not,] Morrelia slumped over. [His duty is very important to him. I''m not saying that family isn''t, but he has thousands of people, thousands of families to consider when making decisions. He takes that seriously.]

    The ant nodded.

    [Ack of selfishness. A strong ant-like trait that we respect. I suppose that order might turn into a relief for him. Now he has no reason to refuse to ede, given that it allows him to spare his daughter as well as follow orders. Wait a second¡­ did you say your mother gave the orders? Your mum is even stronger than your dad?! What is up with your family?!]

    Morrelia could only shrug helplessly.

    [I didn''t even realise how strong they were growing up. It just seemed normal to my brother and I.]

    [You have a brother?]

    The old and familiar pain stirred up.

    [I had a brother.]

    An antenna came down and patted her on the head.

    [I''m sorry for your loss. The loss of a sibling is a painful thing. I have lost many in this lifetime and each of them stings in their own way.]

    [I suppose I never thought about that. Each of you are rted, aren''t you? Siblings from the same parent.]

    [Technically some of the Colony members are my nieces now that we have more than one Queen, but I rather just think of them all as siblings. There''s no need for a generational hierarchy in the Colony.]

    Morrelia was sceptical.

    [Don''t they call you the ''Eldest'' and listen to you because you''re technically the first of them? Sounds like a hierarchy already exists.]

    [That''s on them! I had nothing to do with that, and frankly I regret that it turned out this way. I was just a regr ant back in the day, one face in the crowd, and I liked it. Now I have all sorts of nonsense to deal with.]

    For some reason he red and snapped his mandibles at the roof as he spoke. It was a little ridiculous and Morrelia felt the tension drain out of her.

    [I''m ready, you can take me to my cell now.] She levered herself to her feet.

    Anthony flicked an antenna.

    [Meh. We''ll put you in Enid''s rooms. I''m sure she''ll be happy to see you. She brews a good cup of tea as well, or so I''m told. Nice to catch up Morrelia. Don''t be a stranger. Provided your family doesn''t keep trying to kill us, I suppose.]

 Chapter 553 The Siege pt 11

    <h4>Chapter 553 The Siege pt 11 </h4>

    Alberton and Titus stood in grim silence as they awaited the emissary of the Colony to approach. The elderly woman looked the same as she had before, her expression the same resigned weariness that she had borne the first time they had met.

    "I apologise for making you wait," she greeted them, "my old bones aren''t as nimble as they once were."

    Titus was in no mood for pleasantries.

    "My daughter," he ground out, "does she still live?"

    If Enid was surprised by his coarse attitude, she did not show it.

    "She is still alive, of course she is. She spent many weeks with us helping the survivors of the Garralosh wave. I personally count her as a friend and would not see here to harm."

    It was such an infinitesimal change that only Alberton, through his long years working alongside hismander, saw the release of tension in Titus when he learned that Morrelia had not perished during the battle. Ever since his daughter had berserked and charged headfirst into the enemy lines he''d been wound as tight as a void-steel trap.

    "What do you desire in exchange for the safe return of the prisoner?" he asked, his voice stiff.

    Enid paused.

    "You desire a prisoner exchange? Pardon my rudeness, but I do not believe you have captured any of our people¡­" she left a deliberate gap, "¡­ alive."

    It was true. On campaign against the monsters, the Legionem Abyssi did not take prisoners. Never had, never would.

    "Can you offer a reprieve? Leave the Colony alone for a period of months? The ants would be more than willing to amodate such an offer," Enid said.

    Alberton grimaced, after even just two months, these ants would have multiplied into the millions. Multiple Legions would need to be deployed, probably even golems and praetorians. Such an expensive campaign would drain them of precious resources at a time when they couldn''t afford it. Besides which, the Loremaster nced at Titus.

    "I will not entertain anything that goes counter to my orders," Titus stated tly. "We havee here to exterminate this threat and that is what we intend to do."

    Enid nodded in understanding.

    "Although I hate to say it, that doesn''t give the Colony much reason to continue to keep your daughter alive though, does itmander?" she pointed out. "There must be a point at which your duty and your familial affection can intersect, don''t you think?"

    "You''re threatening her life?" Alberton demanded, "didn''t you say moments ago that she was your friend?"

    "She IS a friend," Enid insisted, "to me and many others in Renewal. But the Colony will make any decisions regarding her safety. They are fighting for their existence because of you. The idea that they would baulk at them killing a prisoner when you ughter every one of them you get your hands on isughable."

    Though she tried to hide it, the contempt she felt for their actions seeped into her voice as she spoke.

    "You would weigh the lives of monsters against those of humans?" Alberton scoffed. "And then expect us to do the same?"

    "You would give no weight to the lives of monsters, and then expect them to treat you differently?" Enid countered.

    "Enough," Titus growled and the controlled rage in the man''s voice was enough to silence the others in an instant. "No more games, Enid Ruther. You are a skilled negotiator and I have not the patience for this dance. State your terms."

    When he wasn''t actively holding himself back, the power of themander rolled off him in waves and Enid needed a moment to steel herself before she spoke. With Morrelia''s help, they had agreed on what the arrangement should be long before she had walked out to parley, but it was necessary that they create some form of illusion to protect the girl.

    "The Colony will keep your daughter alive so long as you,mander Titus, do not take the field for the remainder of this battle. Should your forces be victorious, you find her within the nest, safely ensconced in my rooms. Should you pull back for whatever reason, send an emissary and she will be returned to you."

    Alberton was troubled. This offer implied that the enemy was confident they would be able to hold the Legion at bay until circumstances forced them to fall back. This meant the Colony was as keenly aware of the approaching wave as they were. Maintaining a siege in the second strata would be impossible. Once these tunnels became flooded with demons, they would be forced to retreat. More than that, he was worried of the growing tree-kin presence in the tunnels below. Scouts reported that the forest spread further by the hour and movement had been spotted within several times. Most likely, the grove-keeper was already awake and the others wouldn''t be far behind. The Loremaster inwardly cursed. That infernal tree would hound them any chance it got. How unlucky they had stumbled on a root stem out here in the middle of nowhere. The odds of it were so small he almost developed a headache just thinking about it.

    "If I do not take the field, more of my soldiers will die in order to see that those living on the surface do so in peace," Titus said.

    "I live on the surface, right next to the biggest anthill I''ve ever seen and I''m doing just fine," Enid replied.

    "My people will still die."

    "Not if you turn around and leave."

    "You know I can''t do that."

    "Then you must make a choice,mander. Will you sacrifice the lives of your soldiers in order to save one of them? It''s not a decision a leader would make," Enid sighed, "but it''s one that a father might."

    If Morrelia was right, Titus had little choice in the matter at all. His orders were clear and he had to follow them. Even if he was willing to sacrifice his daughter, which he likely wasn''t, he would have to agree to their terms. The end result was that due to Morrelia''s action, innocent soldiers would die who might otherwise have lived. A hard choice, but one that may have saved hundreds of thousands of Colony members.

    Alberton was about to speak, but Titus cut him off.

    "I agree," he rumbled.

    Having said his piece, themander nodded stiffly to Enid and turned on his heel to march back to his camp. Caught t footed, Alberton stumbled a little before he too turned and caught up to his friend.

    "Are you sure about this, old friend?" the Loremaster asked. "Do you really believe that they will hold to their end of this arrangement?"

    "I believe Enid Ruther to be an honourable woman," Titus replied, "this is the best chance I have to ensure that my child is returned to me." His voice quietened. "I cannot lose her too, Alberton. I just can''t."

    Only when he heard those words did Alberton understand the true depth of the struggle that took ce inside hismander. The loss of his first child had cut the man in a way that had never healed, though he hid it far too well. Should his daughter die, the man considered throughout the Legion to be unbreakable may crack like a fragile egg, never toe back together.

 Chapter 554 The Siege pt 12

    <h4>Chapter 554 The Siege pt 12 </h4>

    Ah! It''s nice to have fully grown legs again. Like, just being able to walk normally is such a sweet thing. Only took a few hours too. There are advantages to being a monster, don''t let me say that there aren''t. Heck, if you ask me, I''d prefer monster every time! Which is probably exactly why the bearded bozo picked up my soul for this gig in the first ce. Still, if I''d had this level of healing in my past life, I''d have missed a lot less meals. Which might have helped with the whole starvation situation.

    Ah well.

    No point crying over spilt¡­ life. Got a whole new family with their lives on the line, and it''s time toe good. Waving one antenna through the air I get a sense of the mood in the crowd of ants gathered outside the second gate. Despite the impending battle, or perhaps because of the impending battle, the general feeling is positive. My siblings are so packed full of fighting spirit they practically vibrate in ce. I don''t know why I even bother to check anymore, it''s more of a reflex than something that I actually need to do. Trickling through the Vestibule, the whispered will of the Colony is always there within my thoughts, inescapable and inevitable. I know what they want. They tell me, all the time. I can hear the ants defending against the golgari just as well as the Queens deep within the nest. Sometimes I forget that it''s not the normal for me to know these things and I have to consciously remind myself what it is that I''m hearing. It''s a bit weird but I''m getting the hang of it. If it gets worse in my next evolution though, it''ll get annoying.

    The other thing that rings rms to my senses is the concentration of mana. The speed of the rise towards thest wave was much faster in thest few days and we''ve hit that point already. Every hour it gets higher. The shadows are so thick you could spread them on toast. Even this high up in the strata, the stink of death is starting to creep into everything. I mean, it''s not really a smell, but the sickly taint of death mana is starting to permeate the air and stick to everything it touches. I hope they''re cleaning it out of the brood chambers, we don''t want the young getting exposed to this stuff, it''s nasty.

    Before too long a full st wave is going to kick off and the council has agreed that the Legion and golgari are unlikely to want to pursue their siege with an infinite number of crazed monsters flooding the tunnels. Heck, if we ended up holding them out of the nest, their encirclement would end up protecting us rather than hurting us. Given the time frame involved, it looks like they have enough of a window for one big push to try and crack the gates before they run out of time. Since thest attack, we''ve had almost six hours of tense quiet in the nest. Our enemies have all pulled back and I suspect they are gathering their strength and coordinating their ns for an all-out assault.

    Naturally, the Colony has not wasted that time. If the enemy is going to give us an opportunity to get some work done, then we ants aren''t going to hold back. The carvers have gone absolutely ballistic, swarming all over the ce in a frenzy of mandibles and earth mana. It was quite a sight to see. One second, you''d be looking at a stretch of tunnel, the next it would be filled with ants crammed together like sardines in a can. After ten minutes of furious work they''d vanish, leaving behind a reinforced tunnel with choke points, traps, hardened walls, embedded steel stakes and pristine carvings engraved in the stone.

    WHY THE CARVINGS?!

    I wanted to yell at them but they were gone so quickly, I didn''t get a chance! Off to their next assignment. Now I sit outside the second gate, awaiting the resumption of the fighting. I doubt it''ll be long, I can already sense the mana stirring at the end of the tunnel.

    "I still think we shouldn''t have abandoned the first gate," Vibrant interrupts my thoughts, "it was a great gate! Very shiny and metal and it must have taken so long to build. I know that the carvers worked on it for ages! Think about all that work going to waste, it isn''t right! The second gate is bigger though¡­ and shinier! Why is it more shiny? Is it the metal? I bet it''s the metal. Do you think it''s the metal? Maybe they polished it. I wonder if polishing the gate makes it stronger in some way. Does magic slide off it? It probably doesn''t. Do you know -"

    "Gah! Vibrant! Can you hold it in for a minute or two? My antennae feel like they''re about to fall off!"

    "No, I can''t."

    ¡­ At least she''s honest.

    "You''ve been like this since you were arvae, I can''t be surprised about it now," I sigh. "Just try and not die, alright? These guys pack some serious heat, I nearly got carved in half and your carapace is weak as paperpared to mine, so be careful."

    "It is not!" she protests, "I''ve upgraded my carapace heavily I''ll have you know!"

    "Didn''t you get some mutation that made it lighter so you could run faster?"

    "¡­ no."

    "That''s what I thought. Just don''t get killed, alright? It''s going to be hard to make use of your speed out here in the crush."

    "Kay-kay, Eldest. I''ll be careful."

    I still feel like I''m herding children half the time with the Colony, even if most of them are smarter than me. Good thing I''m not fighting on the same front as Leeroy. I''d have probably smashed her armour to pieces through sheer force of thwacking.

    "Movement down the tunnel!" I smell someone call down the tunnel and in a moment I see Burke running back through the darkness.

    "I think they''reing, Eldest."

    "Of course they are," I tell her, "what the heck else were they going to do? Leave us alone?"

    Around me an elite force of thousands of the Colony''s finest stirs, peppered amongst them the human reinforcements of the vige with their antmancers, including the stupid priest. If the Legion wants to break through here and into the nest, they''re going to have to pay a heavy price. I''ll make sure of it.

 Chapter 555 The Siege pt 13

    <h4>Chapter 555 The Siege pt 13 </h4>

    Granin sighed and scratched at the solid granite covering his leg. He could feel his hands against the stone as if it were a part of his own body, a product of the fusion process he''d experienced in his youth. He''d never regretted choosing the humble ore that now coated his body. Granite wasmon as mud, resistant to weathering and hard to grind down. It was the same kind of stubborn that he was and he liked how much it suited him just as much as he liked the message it sent.

    Too many unted their wealth and connections, using the sacred tradition of bonding to the stone as a means to differentiate themselves from their fellow golgari. He found it distasteful. It was another sign of the degradation, the rot, that had sunk into the Empire of Stone through the centuries. Whenever they saw him, whenever those elites were forced to turn their gaze on his skin, he was pping them in the face. He could see the distaste in their eyes, see the sneer that was born in the corner of their lips. Though he wouldn''t admit it, certainly not at his advanced age, he took a childlike glee in rubbing their faces in it. In forcing them to look at how the rest of them lived.

    Which was why, when summoned to stand before the High de, he took particr pleasure in scratching his leg and making no effort to conceal the boredom that he felt at being forced to stand and wait for his ''betters'' to notice him. At least it gave him a little time to reflect.

    He''d had to admit that he''d been right to trust his instincts with Anthony. That boy showed tremendous promise for a monster and had ovee everything Pangera had thrown at him so far. What he''d seen of the Colony so far from this conflict had impressed him to no end. There was clearly great potential in the ant-strain of monsters that had gone unexplored all this time. Granin couldn''t fault the researchers who''d gone before him though, he himself had overlooked them despite dedicating his research within the Cult of the Worm to other sidelined species.

    If Anthony managed to survive and evolve another two or three times, his true potential would be unveiled. Thinking about it, the ambitions that Granin had thought buried with his youth ignited within him once again. The dream of every cult member was to create or mentor the final ancient andplete the circle. This had been their mission since the mission had been handed down to them by the Great Worm itself. Like all new cult members, Granin had yearned for that glory and devoted long hours to scouring books and roaming the Dungeon in search of overlooked, under-researched or unseen specimens. Whilst he''d contributed well above the average for a cult member and experienced many great sesses, the dream had eventually died out in him.

    Only for a strange ant to stumble into his path and open his eyes to new possibilities and a future that he had given up on seeing within his lifetime. At times he regretted not going with his younger Triad members when Anthony had escaped. He had decided at the time that he would rather stand alongside his people for the trials that were toe, but every day his people seemed to find a new way to let him know that they didn''t want him there.

    A few metres away, the warrior caste muttered amongst themselves in a loose circle around the High de. Their glorious leader listened to all of it with a pensive frown on his face, as if anything that was being said was in any way relevant. Granin doubted they had anything to say that hadn''t already been chewed over a hundred times. Despite spending golgari blood like water, they were no closer to achieving their goal and they were running out of time. All for the pride of the ns.

    "Shaper Lazus, the High de wishes to speak with you."

    Finally they have time for him. He still isn''t sure why they insist on speaking to him at all. They have their own n aligned Shapers, loyal to the house of Balta, why call on someone like him? Because of Anthony, obviously, but he wasn''t sure what it was about his connection to Anthony that interested them so much.

    "I am here," Granin announced himself, making a point of openly disying his granite skin as he saluted. "What is your will?"

    The High de stared hard at him, disgust and contempt clear on his face for all to see. Granin nearlyughed out loud but managed to stifle it in his chest. If he only knew Granin felt the exact same about him, how would he react? He''d probably cut off the Shaper''s head, to be honest.

    "It is good to see you have survived the hardships of this expedition," Kooranon Balta intoned in the needlessly formal way of the nobility. "You have proven to be a survivor."

    "Shapers learn to adapt and survive in situations that don''t allow us control. The Dungeon does not bend to our will from birth, so we learn to manage it," Granin replied.

    Muttering and growls rose from the warriors around him for the implied insult to their caste. Every citizen of the Empire hopped when the warriors said jump. They truly were coddled from the day they were born. Though usually Granin would put some effort into concealing his jabs, he must be more bored with living than he thought. Insulting warriors to their face was a quick way to get into an honour duel. Totally fair one on onebat, with no magic allowed¡­

    Surprisingly, the High de raised a hand and silenced those around him in an instant.

    "You are bold," he observed, "perhaps foolishly so."

    "With respect," Granin nodded, "I think I''m merely getting old. One tends to lose their subtlety as one ages."

    "I have found the same. Perhaps I would be able to speak with you directly then."

    He waved a hand and an adjutant brought a chair over in a rush, cing it behind the noble and inviting him to sit with a quiet "by your will". With his eyes still on Granin, Kooranon sat, cing his sheathed de across his knees. The Shaper noted wryly that no seat was offered to him. Typical bloody nobles.

    "You have a rtionship with the reincarnated creature, do you not? He was under your care during his stay with the Shapers?"

    "He was. I wouldn''t say we had a rtionship, but we spoke many times."

    The noble''s eyes glittered.

    "That is good," he said, "I had hoped for as much. You may be fit to serve the purpose I have in mind then."

    Granin had a bad feeling about this.

    "May I know what the nature of service will be?" he asked, not expecting an answer.

    Surprisingly, the High de borated.

    "I have made no secret of my desire for the creature to die by my hand. It is necessary to expunge the shame that filth has ced on my house. Sadly, breaking down this nest and ughtering all within has proven more challenging than anticipated, and, strange as it might be, the possibility that the wave will force us to retreat before the work can bepleted has be very real."

    He leaned forward, his hands caressing the sheath of the de he held unconsciously.

    "This is uneptable."

    The unbridled anger that burned in the noble was intense and the power of the man began to leak out, oppressing Granin where he stood. As much as he looked down on the warrior, his level was the real deal.

    "So I have been forced to consider an alternate strategy to destroy the pest. I will use you as bait and demand the beast meet me inbat outside the gate. Should it refuse, I will cut off your head in full view of the nest and the siege will resume."

    Somehow, Granin doubted this was in line with what the High de had no doubt promised his allies in the Legion, but it wouldn''t matter to him. n honour was the only honour that truly mattered to the des.

    "Typical," he sighed.

    A sharp blow cracked the stone on the back of his head and he knew no more.

 Chapter 556 The Siege pt 14

    <h4>Chapter 556 The Siege pt 14 </h4>

    I can already hear the fighting. The sounds of shing steel and snapping mandibles tug at my ws and I have to force myself to resist charging blindly into the fray like a shinier, much smarter Leeroy. Keeping myself so still has never been so hard before. Then again, the only member of my family that I know was exposed to danger in my previous life was myself. In Pangera, I have thousands of siblings exposed to terrible danger almost every day. It''s enough to drive a person nuts.

    The Vestibule makes my situation even worse, but if I focus then I can filter out their whispers.

    We have a n and I''m going to stick to it. When the fighting gets hot here at the gate, I''m going to be right in the thick of it, which is where I want to be. At the front gate, the lead force of a few thousand is busy putting the Legion through their paces using all of the same tricks and tactics that we spent on them the first time around. River of acid, magic barrage, the works. They''ll have to fight their way through all of it a second time before they even get through the first gate. By the time they reach me here, I''m hoping that they''ll be all tuckered out and want to quit and go home.

    More likely they''ll be mad as hell and wanting to carve me into itty bitty pieces but at the very least they''ll have worked to get here. The ants and humans on this side of the picture need every edge we can get.

    "How confident are you, Eldest?" Advant asks.

    The powerful soldier stands next to me in the dark, her antennae twitching in a rarely seen sign of nerves.

    "We''re going to win," I tell her with certainty, "we''re ants. What can they possibly do against us?"

    "They''ve managed to bottle us up in our nest and destroy the outer gate."

    "Bah. Just a flesh wound."

    "You nearly got cut in half."

    "As I said, just a flesh wound."

    "Getting cut in half is just a flesh wound?"

    "I''m perfectly fine now aren''t I?"

    A beat.

    "So you''re saying the Colony might get cut in half but we''ll heal eventually?"

    "No! I''m saying we''ll be fine!"

    ¡­

    "I think so too."

    All around us the packed ants of the Colony stir. It''s not like we can keep our scent conversation private from them, not that I felt any need. I truly believe that we will win. My family has been incredible from the moment I found them in this life and I refuse to believe they won''t ovee this challenge just like they have every other.

    BOOM!

    A thunderous impact roars down the tunnel as the gates buckle on their hinges. A momentter, a flood of ants begins to pour through the gap between the two doors, a gap that rapidly widens as more of my siblings push it open as they retreat. It looks like the line has buckled at the first gate, a bit faster than expected. No matter.

    Injured soldiers and scouts supported by their still healthy allies as the retreat urs in swift silence. When they reach us, the lines part in unison to allow the wounded through, medics already rushing forward to work their magic. The air is tense now as we watch and wait for the enemy to show their faces. It takes longer than I expect, they must be being cautious in the extreme. Understandable, considering this is their big push. If they fail on this assault, they probably won''t be able to muster another before the wave hits.

    After ten minutes, I see the gate buckle as armoured figures appear and begin to force them open, teams bracing their shoulders against the metal and pushing with raw physical strength. The gate Titus cut into is in particrly bad shape. That mad man managed to cut through the damn thing from a hundred metres away. I hope the Legion doesn''t have many more like him tucked away somewhere, because just one is more than the entire Colony can handle at the moment.

    Another ten minutes pass in tense silence as the legionaries force open gates and reassemble themselves into the disciplined, imprable ranks that we havee to know them for. Our side watches it all happen, unwilling to be baited into a fight other than the one we''ve prepared for. These buggers are crafty. They looked all disorganised as they were moving through the gate, but I wager if we''d try to charge over we''d have found them snapped into neat ranks in a matter of moments.

    [How are you holding up there Priest?]

    In a rare showing of charity toward the crazy, one-armed human I reach out to him with my mind and initiate a conversation. Inwardly, I brace myself for what maye of it. If he doesn''t shout at me, I''ll take it as a win. To my shock, the priest sounds incredibly lucid.

    [I am well, Great One. My brethren and I eagerly await theing contest. We hope that in a few hours, the Colony will be freed from this threat and able to once more pursue its grand destiny.]

    I mean. He sounds calm, but the words are about as batty as I''d expected.

    [Any idea what sort of destiny you have in mind?]

    I''m sort of curious to learn what he thinks this rapidly swelling pile of monster ants is going to amount to.

    [I have no idea,] he surprises me instead. [It is not for me to guess or influence you, or the Colony, in any direction in particr. Such a thing would be sacrilege. We will wait and watch as we tread upon the path that you set before our feet. That is our mission.]

    [Fair enough I suppose. I like that you don''t intend to interfere with the Colony. I don''t think that would go down too well. Oh, right! I forgot you can smell our pheromonenguage now. How''s that going for you?]

    [It is wonderful. I cannot wait until I am able tomunicate with a scent of my own.]

    That will be¡­ interesting. How will the scent be produced? I''m going to assume ''magic'' and not some sort of extreme diet leading to eloquent tulence.

    Up ahead, the Legion has begun their advance, marching toward us with measured steps that shake the ground with their uniform tread. It''s time.

    [Thanks for the chat Beyn. We are counting on your guys in this battle. Do your best to keep your people alive.]

    [I will, Great One. May you also fight well and survive into the new day.]

    Maybe I was wrong about Beyn being a lunatic. During that conversation he was cool as a cucumber. Maybe he''s turned over a new leaf and calmed himself down? That''s be a wee change, to be sure. Let''s see. Interested in this ''new Beyn'', I lift up my head and survey the massed forces of the Colony, scanning for a sign of the priest. I know which direction he is after the mind connection¡­ just need to.. Ah! There he is.

    He''s actually a little hard to miss, standing atop a rock. I didn''t notice him at first because rather than wearing his usual robes, he is almost totally naked, his bare and pale skin revealed for all to see. In his one good hand he is holding a gnarled staff with an ant head carved on the top, which he is brandishing at the oing Legion. From his mouth, an endless stream of both vile curses and foam are directed toward the enemy as his eyes bulge with the fervour of his rage.

    You know what? This makes more sense to me. This is fine.

 Chapter 557 The Siege pt 15

    <h4>Chapter 557 The Siege pt 15 </h4>

    As the approaching wall of legionaries draws closer, I perform a final check to make sure everything is ready for the battle toe. Do I have a giant ape? Check. Crazy shadow blob of unending horror? Check. Weird eyeball dude? Check. Omni-elemental construct fired up and ready to go? Check. Even my spiffy diamond carapace is back to full shininess. I couldn''t possibly be more ready to deal out the pain.

    [Tiny, you remember what you need to do?] I ask.

    The big bat-faced gori turns to look down at me and nods slowly, a broad grin splitting his face.

    [Tiny smash,] he deres confidently, one car tire sized paw patting himself on the chest.

    With his patchwork armour and helmet strapped on, he makes quite the intimidating sight. Smithant outdid herself when pping this stuff together, her work has kept the big fe''s injuries down to an almost unheard of level. He''s going to need every bit of that protection for this one, as there is simply no retreat. We fight until the fight is won.

    [How about you Crinis? Are you going to be alright?]

    [I would rather stay by your side, Master,] sheins yet again.

    [You''ll be able to inflict far more punishment on the enemy from where you are rather than hanging on the back of my carapace. There''s no avoiding the danger this time, we just need to dive in and hope for the best.]

    [I understand, I simply worry about you. I will do my best to bring a swift end to this conflict.]

    [Make sure you stay safe in there. When your supply of shadow flesh runs out, you need to retreat. That''s the agreement, remember?]

    [I know!]

    I''ve been hassling her a bit over the n for this battle, so I understand why she might be a bit frustrated. I''ve been doing all I can to try and make sure that my pets will survive the fight, but in Crinis'' case, all she cares about is if I survive. Fortunately, I get to make the final call.

    [How about you Invidia? You ready to cut loose?]

    The eyeball is hovering further back towards the gate amongst the other mages of the Colony, further back than the front-liners like myself and Tiny. Going to need to rely on his firepower pretty heavily if we want to make it through this. The Legion is going to put a big target on him for sure and I expect a ton of magic and arrow fire to go his way once the fighting gets thick.

    [I am alwaysssss ready. They wantsss to take what we have? I envy their optimisssssm.]

    Invida is throwing shade at the Legion now? Colour me surprised. Just goes to show that if you try hard enough, you can even tick off a greed demon. I have to give our enemies their due, they have been working hard. The massed ranks of the Legion begin to step forward with their slow, measured tread and immediately the long range acid artillery kicks into gear. Huge, dense arcing jets of sizzling acid fly overhead, the force of the shots so powerful that even the spray and drizzlends in front of me. The artillery squad have really been amping up their Skill levels during these battles and the effects are clearly visible here. As I watch the burning liquid ssh against the goldenyers of the enemy shields, I nervously check my omni-elemental construct once more.

    I''ve decided to make the decision to lean on this new-fangled piece of technology for this battle. Normally, I''d be winding up a massive gravity bomb and chucking it at the Legion, but I don''t think I should in this fight. Although the bomb does a great job of causing chaos and inflicting the asional casualty, as well as serving the intended purpose of wearing down the barriers the Legion puts up, taxing their mages and soldiers alike. It''s a great n and I loved it, but this fight isn''t like the others. This is going to be a grind. This is going to be a no holds barred head-butting contest until one side blinks. The bomb is a great piece of work, but it tires out my brains to the point that even with the Vestibule refilling my tank it takes a while to get back to full strength and frankly, I wasn''t sure it would be a good idea to knock myself out so hard at the beginning.

    Practice with the new construct has continued whenever I have the chance and now I''m finally confident that each of my brains is prepped and knows what they are doing well enough that I can manage to use the thing effectively. My current setup is to have the main sub-brain focus on maintaining the construct whilst the two sub-brains operate the thing. The only problem with this is that none of the brains are quite up to the tasks they''ve been assigned on their own. Maintaining the construct and helping to create the desired mana types is too much for therger sub-mind, which means my main mind needs to chip in and help. Simrly, the two smaller sub-minds aren''t quite up to the task of producing and weaving the mana thates out on their own, which means the main mind needs to pitch in and help.

    Does it make much sense that I made the main mind the strongest and then only relied on it for biting and dodging whilst the smaller, weaker sub-minds have to do the heavy lifting magic wise? It doesn''t does it? Ah well. It''s not easy, but if I can maintain the delicate bnce of ducking in with my main brain to help out when needed then it alles together to a reasonable degree. It''s not perfect, but it''s usable. If fact, the time to put it to the test has finally arrived. I absentmindedly raise my abdomen to start aiming my own acid barrage toward the oing Legionaries whilst my focus turns inward. My main sub-mind is already straining under the pressure so I jump in to aid it as the two sub-minds begin to operate the construct. Raw mana flows from my core which is quickly replenished by the flow pouring up through my legs, before splitting into halves and entering the manyyered sphere at two separate points. Now the magic really begins. As each segment of the construct rotates in its own direction, the sub-minds hold onto the flow of mana that they control and direct it carefully through abyrinthine route that only they can see. As the energy traverses the construct, it begins to change, taking on the properties of the desired elements and then rising through theyers once more to exit, ready to be shaped.

    My main mind leaps to work controlling the flow of mana as the two sub-minds grasp hold of the new mana and begin to shape it into spells.

    Nothing tooplicated to start with, this is already hard enough without getting too crazy. The two types of mana I''ve produced areva (thebination of fire and earth) and air. With theva, I''m forming a simpleva bolt, the most basic of all spells. Theva mana is tricky to work with. It''s turbulent and broiling. Too hot to handle, in a way. With the air mana, I create something akin to the spear shape. Air acts very differently to the other types of mana, which makes sense as it isn''t as solid as they are. The spear isn''t exactly something that I''ll throw at the enemy, creating a pointy tornado and flinging it about isn''t really something I can do (yet). Instead, it will act more like a wind tunnel, drawing air in one side, elerating it and then flinging it out the other side.

    Think of it as a booster tunnel that I want to shootva through. Because¡­ that''s exactly what it is.

    Let ''em fly!

    Theva bolts are about the size of my eye, the molten oozing liquid burns with a fierce energy and I feel a little relief from the sub-brains as the spells are finally pulled from their grasp. Once the orbs ofva enter the wind tunnels, they shoot forward faster than I can track with my eyes, only to crack into the Legion barriers over a hundred metres away where they steam and sizzle before I realise it.

    That''s tasty!

 Chapter 558 The Siege pt 16

    <h4>Chapter 558 The Siege pt 16 </h4>

    Cont looked out from her perch next to the upper sally port of the great gate and felt nothing but confusion.

    "Do you want to go tell him, or should I?" she said to Sloan who was clinging to the wall next to her.

    The general shook her head, bewildered.

    "I mean. They have to know, right? There''s no chance that they don''t know."

    "I assume they know. I mean, what are the odds the two forces aren''tmunicating to this extent?"

    "Almost none, surely. Such ack of organisation in our foes would throw our ns way out."

    "Hasn''t this thrown them way out anyway?"

    Sloan hesitated.

    "That''s¡­ true."

    The two of them looked out in silence for a few more moments at the totally unexpected scene before them.

    "What do you think we should do?" Cont asked, her scent as calm and unruffled as it always was.

    "I don''t know!" Sloan fretted. Why would these idiots perform this sort of moronic action now of all times? It didn''t make any sense!

    Once again that strange, undirected mentalmunication washed out over them, rippling through the ambient mana in the air and into their heads.

    [Bring the reincarnated one here, or this one, a friend of that creature, will die.]

    Just inside the first gate, a procession of golgari stood with one of their own forced to kneel on the ground at sword point whilst an borately armoured figure reclined in a chair next to him, watching all that urred with an expression of detached boredom. Next to them a trio of mages worked together, supposedly sending out the mind magicmunications.

    "They have to mean the Eldest¡­ Who else could they possibly want?" Cont wondered with some interest.

    "I have no idea, but the Eldest isn''t here. There is almost a zero percent chance that they don''t know that! Surely!" Sloan said. "¡­ We have to talk to them."

    "What, why?" Cont asked. In her opinion, if one of the golgari wanted to kill another golgari for some reason, why not let them do it? One less for them to fight when they made a push for the gate.

    "If the Eldest is involved, there might be some element at y that we don''t understand," Sloan sighed. "Anytime something weird happens, it''s usually to do with the Eldest."

    Cont could only nod to that. It was true. For whatever reason, the Eldest gobbled down trouble like a Queen taking in Biomass. The end result was something good, but the appetite appeared to be endless.

    "So you want me to reach out to them?" Cont offered. "I''ll need to move a little closer, I don''t think I can extend a mind bridge that far."

    "I''ll arrange an escort."

    The general scuttled away and had a thousand ants ready to escort the mage closer to the enemy in a matter of seconds. Cont had a thought though.

    "Do you think a thousand may send the wrong message?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "They have a total of.." she counted quickly, "eight golgari over there. If we walk closer with a thousand, might they think they are being attacked?"

    "You think a thousand is too many?" Sloan rubbed the top of her head with an antennae. A thousand didn''t feel like many to her. Then again, she was an ant. "I''ll send a hundred."

    The mage nodded. A hundred should be fine. Shortly thereafter a procession of a hundred and one ants cautiously advanced toward the golgari delegation, ready to flee at a moment''s notice. Sloan had considered things carefully and the delegation contained a healthy mix of mages, for raising shields, scouts, for detecting foul y, and soldiers, to hold the line in the event the others needed to retreat. Once they had covered half the ground toward the first gate, they very obviously stopped and parked themselves for a moment. Acting with great caution, Cont wove together a mind bridge and extended it toward the trio of mages in the golgari party.

    [I greet you on behalf of the Colony,] she started off formally, [I havee to rify exactly what it is that you want.]

    The stone-people allmunicated with each other for a long moment before a reply came back.

    [The reincarnated ant. We want you to bring them here so that they may duel the High de Balta. He wishes to expunge the shame the creature has cast upon his house with his own hand.]

    Cont was rather taken aback by this. This guy came all the way out here chasing the Eldest? For what? Some imagined insult? She couldn''t possiblyprehend the meaning behind such actions, but she didn''t let her confusion show. True to her name, she remained calm.

    [When you refer to the ''reincarnated one'', you refer to the member of our family who was captured by your people? Large? Shiny carapace?] Better to be sure.

    More conferring.

    [That is correct.]

    Nice to have that confirmed.

    [You are aware that the individual you refer to is currently engaged in fighting your allies on the other side of the nest?]

    [We are.]

    ¡­

    [It will be difficult to bring the one you want here to this ce,] Cont said, which was putting it mildly. There was battle going on! Did they forget that?

    [We believe the reincarnated one will not want this individual to perish. His name is Granin and he knew the monster we want quite well.]

    In all likelihood the Eldest would not want this golgari to die. Surely not even these invaders would be so foolish as to try a gambit such as this if they weren''t at least somewhatpetent. On the other w, there was precious little chance the Eldest would be able to extricate themself from the battle with the Legion. Feeling somewhat deted, Cont bade the enemy farewell and returned to Sloan at the gate. She rapidly exined the situation to the general who pondered for a moment.

    "We will need to consult those two. They might know something that can help sort this out."

 Chapter 559 The Siege pt 17

    <h4>Chapter 559 The Siege pt 17 </h4>

    It didn''t take long to locate the two golgari advisors within the Colony. Corun and Torrina were anxiously awaiting news of the oue in Enid''s rooms. The Colony had been unwilling to allow the two to fight on the frontline, despite them putting forward numerous requests. In the end it was the Eldest himself who shot them down, relegating the pair to tea and biscuits with the mayor as the fight to determine their survival went on without them.

    Needless to say, they were more than a little shocked to be summoned to the gate during the battle, and even more shocked to learn of the circumstances when they got there.

    "By the granite gonads of my forefathers!" Corun swore. "Is that idiot noble seriously trying to fight an honour duel against a monster here and now?! With Granin''s head on the line? This is madness!"

    Torrina stared hard at the gate, as if her gaze were enough to pierce the hundreds of tons of metal that stood between her and her mentor.

    "We have to save him," she turned to her fellow triad member, "we can''t just leave him there."

    The usually cold and distant Torrina was nowhere to be seen, reced with someone whose eyes brimmed with fear. For once, the talented Shaper appeared to have no clue how she should proceed. Seeing the change in her, Corun drew quiet as he wracked his brain trying to find a solution.

    [I have to tell you,] Cont told them, [at the moment we have no intention of bringing the Eldest here to do battle with this person.]

    Corun was taken aback by how direct the mage was being with him, but he couldn''t support their decision when his mentor''s life was on the line.

    [I assure you], he pleaded, [Anthony would not want Granin to die!]

    Cont eyed him.

    [They probably wouldn''t,] she admitted, [but is the Eldest willing to sacrifice hundreds of their siblings in order toe here and fight to the death against a foe of unknown strength? Indeed, it would seem to be in the best interest of the Colony to take this decision away from the Eldest, and allow them to focus on the battle in front of them.]

    [Is that how the Colony treats its oldest member now?] Corun asked. [You control Anthony and make decisions for him?]

    [Do not presume to judge how we treat members of our own family!] the usually cid mage disyed her rising anger in her furious tone, [the Eldest is fighting for the survival of our entire species. What is one golgari, regardless of who, against that?]

    As much as he wanted to argue, Corun could not tell Cont that she was wrong. He wrestled with himself for a moment before his shoulders slumped in defeat.

    [Is there really nothing we can do?] he pleaded. [Granin has done so much for Anthony. It''s not right that we would abandon him.]

    He brightened as an idea struck him.

    [You could let me go,] he said, [perhaps they would take me instead. I could reason with them, or fight in Anthony''s ce.]

    Torrina had kept her mind attuned to the conversation, listening with stone faced silence as Corun tried to negotiate for the Colony to save her teacher, but she couldn''t remain silent now.

    [Corun, you mustn''t!] she broke in, [you''d be cut down in a second!]

    Her fellow triad member set his jaw.

    "You can''t be sure of that," he said out loud, "I''m stronger than you think."

    "I know you''re good, but that''s a High de! In a one on one fight, you wouldn''t stand a chance. If you get yourself killed, they''ll kill Granin too, and I''ll be the only one left."

    The heartbreak of being the lone survivor of a triad was not something she was willing to bear, not when she could save at least one of the most important people in her life.

    "Then what do you propose we do?" Corun hissed, his frustration bubbling up, "they won''t get Anthony, and if nobody goes out there then Granin is as good as dead!"

    "Please, calm yourselves," a new voice pierced the gloom that had descended over the two Shapers, "I may be able to assist in this matter."

    Outside the gate, Balta was rapidly growing impatient.

    "How much longer before they bring the beast here for me to y?" he demanded.

    "We do not know, High de," the leader of the Shaper triad managed to hide his exasperation and reply with proper deference. How could he possibly know?! These were ants he was negotiating with! Who knew how they would react to anything!

    He was positively relieved when he realised there was movement at the gate once more, the giant, looming ant head split as one side of the gate was pushed open slightly and a figure emerged. It wasn''t an ant, which was disappointing, but at least some form of response wasing their way. The mage could only hope it was enough to relieve the irritated noble''s temper before he started taking it out on them.

    Balta watched the distant person approach with hooded eyes, scanning for every detail his eyes could pick out. What he saw intrigued him. This was no ordinary messenger. Something about the way they moved told him that this person was high level. There was a confidence, a bnce in every step that only those with true power possessed. From what the High de knew, there shouldn''t be such a person here with these miserable ants. He resisted the urge to lean forward to see better so as not to give away his curiosity as he tried to gather more information.

    There wasn''t much to glean. The figure was shrouded in a dark robe and appeared to carry no weapons, with the hood pulled up to cover their face, it wasn''t even possible to determine race or gender.

    "Halt there," called the Shaper as the mystery person drew within twenty paces. "Reveal yourself and state your business."

    The figure made no move to draw back their hood as they responded. The voice that emerged was steady and sure, confident and calm. When he heard it, the High de''s eyes narrowed.

    "I havee to negotiate, on behalf of my people."

    There was a moment of pause before Balta himself replied.

    "Who are ''your people''?" he demanded, "if you are an ant, you are surely a strange one. My demands are clear, bring me the abomination or this one dies."

    He gestured without looking at the silent Granin who remained forced to his knees, tied and bound securely. The figureughed quietly as they revealed their face.

    "I am indeed, no member of the Colony," Grey said, "but the Folk have something to say regarding what is taking ce here."

    The wolf-like features of the representative struck the golgari dumb momentarily, except for Granin who chuckled through his gag. What in the name of the Great Worm is one the Folk doing here?! Not even he could have predicted this! Anthony truly did bring chaos wherever he went.

    Almost against his will, Balta sat straighter when Grey revealed himself. The currents were shifting quickly beneath his feet and he struggled to hold his ground. He still needed to get what he wanted and he would not allow this turn of events to deny him!

    "Your people hold no im to this territory," he sneered, "and have no authority in these tunnels. Were I to cut you down where you stand, the Folk would have no ability to seek redress from me. You are obstructing us in prosecuting an extermination."

    "Things are rarely so simple," Grey chided as he massaged his palms and forearms, "and never when the Dungeon is concerned. I have applied to have the Colony recognised as one of the New Races. The tribes deliberate as we speak."

    "It will be years before theye to any sort of agreement," Balta scoffed, "why does this concern me."

    "Because," Grey said, "it means I am within my rights to fight to defend this new race, ording to the Laws of my people."

    The wolf flexed his hands and from each finger snapped a wickedly gleaming w several inches long.

    "What are you proposing?" The High de asked as he eyed those edges.

    "Well. I could take a position at the gate and carve your people apart by the dozens as they approach, dooming your expedition to failure¡­"

    "Or," Balta grated.

    "¡­ or, you could ept me as a substitute for your duel," Grey smiled fiercely, his pointed teeth on disy.

 Chapter 560 The Siege pt 18

    <h4>Chapter 560 The Siege pt 18 </h4>

    Spell after spell I flung toward the oing Legion soldiers, battering away at theiryered bubbles of golden shields along with the rest of my siblings. Hundreds, thousands of projectiles and magical strikes rocket through the air, sometimes colliding before even reaching the target, to smash into the enemy defences which sh and burst with rippling waves of light with each connection. It was a dazzling sight to behold, not that I had the time to appreciate it. The return fire had begun. My sharpened reflexes and precognitive instincts keep me rtively safe from the barrage of arrows that crunch into the stone as if they''ve been fired out of a cannon. I am forced to constantly hop from side to side as my antennae tingled constantly, warning me of the projectiles directed at me.

    I get the feeling the Legionaries are holding a grudge, or perhaps I just make too shiny of a target out here in the front of the Colony lines. My diamond carapace is so damn sparkly that the enemy just can''t help but shoot at it. At least I''m serving my intended purpose and absorbing more than my fair share of the damage, keeping my siblings safer through this early part of the battle. It does throw off my concentration though, making it much harder to maintain my wind assistedva assault. The need for my main mind to continuously pick up the ck for the other brains makes it hard to focus on dodging and casting at the same time. I decide to focus more on my spells, which means I get hit momentster.

    Not a problem for the diamond carapace! Gweheheheh. Oh shoot!

    Seeing me get hit with an arrow appears to have emboldened the Legion mages and snipers, at least, that''s what it seems like since the wave of ordinance being sent my way has intensified. Settle down people! You need to find your chill! The carapace on the lower side of my body gets pelted with shards of stone as impacts crunch into the rock between my legs. I''m dancing the dance of my people, which turns out to be a frantic six-legged scramble back and forth whilst contorting my body into strange shapes and flinging spells. It can''t look too dignified, but it''s going to get the job done!

    BOOM!

    Aha! Invidia is finally in range to do his thing! Explosions begin to rock the tunnel, sending dust and stone flying into the air and causing trickles of loose soil to rain down from above as the impacts shake the stone itself. The balls of fire are spectacr as they blossom against the enemy shields, causing them to spark and ripple as the Legion continues their imcable advance. I can''t help but be a little impressed with the indomitable and unyielding discipline of the Legion soldiers. We are pouring all the firepower that the Colony can muster down on their heads right now and they don''t flinch. It must help that they''re encased from head to toe in armour far better than anything we can make, but still, they''re just humans. Compared to us ants, they''re clearlycking in many respects (legs) but even so they''ve pushed our backs to the wall.

    As the Legion draws closer, it bes harder and harder to dodge the iing fire and I begin to take more damage than I would like as arrows and spells start to chip my precious carapace. Incremental damage will pile up over time and the closer the Legion gets, the stronger these shots are. Colony mages are doing their best to erect shields and take the sting out of our foe''s magical barrage, but as the distance shortens they have much less time to work. Naturally, the same goes for us.

    BOOM!

    Holy smokes! The heat from that one nearly singed the hair off of my antennae. The re of the light momentarily blinds me and I hop to one side before my vision is restored, trusting in my instincts to keep from taking an arrow through the eye. Not being able to blink really sucks at moments like this, I can''t shield my vision even though I want to! I notice all around me the Soldiers are starting to loosen their joints and flex their mandibles as the ranks tighten. It won''t be long now until the two sides collide for the first melee of this battle and it pays to ensure you aren''t too tightly wound up before it happens. The ranks tighten and even my performative disy of dodging bes reduced in scale as I have less space to manoeuvre.

    Working with theva mana is too hard for my weary sub-brains right now, I need to switch over to something that''s going to be more effective in close range. Limiting myself to the easier to work with base elements, I flip to water and fire. The two opposing elements don''t y all that well together, but I suspect that they''ll be more effective at impacting the battle in ways other than direct damage.

    Sensing his moment is near, the armoured colossus that is Tiny draws himself up to his full height. Up to this moment he''s just been parked on his backside behind me waiting impatiently for a chance to get into the action. I didn''t want him to waste his charge so I ordered him to hold back in this initial phase. Rather than spend all of his fuel sting the shields, I decided he''d be better off swinging his lightning fists in closebat and that moment has nearly arrived. Even from behind his gnarled and twisted helmet I can tell the great ape has a massive grin on his face as he clenches his hands in mighty fists and begins to punch the ground and air, eager to begin the fight.

    Not much further to go now, only fifty metres between us.

    The flurry of spells and projectiles is now so thick that mid-air collisions are detonating just as often as Invidia''s explosions. Bright res of light and bursts of acid fall everywhere between the two armies and dodging has be all but impossible now. With my two sub-brains having managed the process of starting to grind out the new mana forms, I squeeze myself back into formation fully, powerful soldiers on both sides, and then hunker down for the charge. Pelted by arrows and spells, our HP starts to fall immediately but none falter in their position, even for a second. Eyes as powerfully mutated as mine aren''t enough to keep track of the sheer volume of firepower being thrown around and my antennae are overwhelmed with the feedback. Heat signals re up and die every instant and the future sense is almost painful at the sheer amount of information it tries to cram into my head. The sound is deafening. Explosions crack and shake the rock, acid sizzles and arrows fizz through the air before they crunch into stone or carapace or bury themselves in soft earth.

    It''s overwhelming and for a few minutes is all I and my fellow front-line ants know as we sit still and wait for our moment.

    I''m holding up better than most, thanks to my higher level of evolution and carapace, but even so, I''m grateful when I feel a cool healing touch spread over my back and then the rest of my exo-skeleton.

    "Thanks for the heal!" I tell the medic hidden in an emergency trench just behind me, "but make sure the rest of the line gets a dose before I do!"

    "No can do Eldest," the little ant tells me as she burrows herself back down to safety. "Everyone gets healed whenever we can get to them. We don''t have the ability to set up a schedule."

    The healers have really changed over the course of the conflict. No longer are they the timid creatures they once were. They know their job and they don''t take no guff, even from me. Mother help any ant who tries to get between them and healing those that need it.

    "Right you are," I say and shift my position slightly to ensure the trench is covered by my body.

    That burst of healing works to counteract the damage I''d been taking and by the time it runs out I''m almost back to full again. Only thirty metres remain between the two sides. It won''t be long now.

    Then something unexpected happens. The ranks of the Legion, normally so uniform and unbreakable, split apart. The soldiers take brisk steps, shields and defensive formations maintained at all times as the column breaks into halves that press themselves against the wall to maximise the space between. It only makes sense if they''re clearing the way for something¡­

    "Something ising!" I warn the ants around me and brace my legs into the ground.

    "HUURAAAAAAA!!!" an inhuman bellow slices through the cacophony of sound in the tunnel and through the gap in the Legion lines storm creatures the likes of which I have never seen.

    Swollen and misshapen, with no armour or weapons, but tough hides and gleaming ws, they look more like monsters than anything else. But something in their faces, something in their eyes, tells me that I''m wrong. Were these¡­ people?!

    "GRAAAAAAHHH!!"

    Tiny doesn''t care what they are, he''s ready to fight. Unleashing his own devastating war cry, the giant ape ms his fists into the ground, shaking the stone beneath my feet. Whether it''s my pet''s rage or the collective instincts of the Colony, but in that one moment every one of us is up and charging, legs a blur as we pick up speed and race toward the monstrosities hurtling back at us. I can see the humans begin to emerge from their bunkers behind me, taking up positions spread throughout the second line of ants where they''ll be protected from the worst of the fray, but I don''t have much mind for them right now. Twin jets erupt from my mouth, one of me and one of water, the liquid steaming and bubbling in an instant, creating a wave of searing steam in front of me. The front line of creatures screams in rage and pain before the two sides collide with an almighty CRASH.

    "FOR THE COLONY!" I bellow.

    "FOR THE COLONY!"es the reply of thousands.

    No more time to think. Blows crunch into my body and my mandibles open wide. Time to fight!

 Chapter 561 The Siege to 19

    <h4>Chapter 561 The Siege to 19 </h4>

    Whatever these things are, they''re fast and they hit hard. The creature in front of me shrieks in rage as it presses through my screen of steaming hot¡­ steam, and brings two massive hands down on my back in a devastating hammer blow. My legs buckle under the impact but barely manage to hold my body up as the diamond carapace and inner-ting does the work absorbing the blow. My mandibles are locked in position and I unleash them, feeling the coiled energy within unleash all at once in a mighty chomp!

    The jagged edges of my jaws slice forward and the opponent in front of me screeches with pain. Yeah, you don''t like that, do ya?! Ouch! Dammit, this guy is tougher than I gave him credit for, he recovered from the bite quickly and scraped his ws down my back. He was aiming for the antennae but my reflexes fired in time and I pushed forward into his chest. I don''t have time to mess around with this guy! I channel my newly minted fire mana into my mandibles and they begin to glow white hot, heat rolling from them in waves as I reset the muscles in my face and lunge forward again.

    CHOMP!

    As strong a physical specimen as this weird hybrid is, itcks the same level of protection that the regr Legionaries have and even without using my skill, the power of my muscture is enough to bite deep. The sizzling smell of roasting meat that fills the air is disgusting enough on its own and my opponent falls back before me. As much as I want to lunge forward for the finishing blow, I resist the urge and maintain my formation with the ants around me. If I go out too deep, I''ll only get surrounded and end up needing my siblings to rush forward and bail me out, increasing the risks they have to face. Not worth it. Instead, I''ll stand here and absorb my share of the punishment as we grind out this battle. This one''s going in for the long haul.

    The crush of bodies forces another hulking monstrosity in front of me in short enough order and I greet them with another burst of searing hot steam, which obviously goes down very well with my next customer. I follow up that opening salvo with another roasting hot chomp and get punched in the head for my trouble. Bare fists against my carapace turns out to be a bad idea though, who would have thought. The shock of the impact rattles the enemy long enough that I can lunge forward and bite down once again.

    "GRUAAAAAAA!"

    BOOM!

    Tiny''s here. d in his armour he looks like an unstoppable juggernaut, the sheer mass of him is intimidating enough, but then he starts to throw hands and things get really scary. Just not for us. Standing just behind the frontline of soldiers, Tiny''s fists ze with light and electricity and he uses his potent ape boxing skills to send fists of pure energy smashing into the faces of the oing tide of creatures. Relying on their natural toughness, they try to withstand his strength but quickly find it impossible to tank it head on. With a devastating uppercut that starts from his toes and ends with his knuckles nearly scraping the ceiling of the tunnel, Tiny sends a number of enemies flying as if a bomb had detonated beneath their feet.

    But they don''t stoping, and not all of the defensive line is holding as well as this section with myself and Tiny in it.

    [Invidia, I need you to support the rest of the line, don''t let them buckle under the pressure. Crinis, get ready to intervene if you need to.]

    [I hearssss you.]

    [Yes, Master.]

    Ironically, this is exactly the sort of drawn out fight that Leeroy and her group are perfectly suited to fight. Vibrant is a powerful soldier and her group are all highly evolved, but they''re built for speed, not this sort of face to face slug fest. It''s going to be tough going for the speedy ant so long as the battle lines remain static, she simply has no room in which to run. As the pressure increases and the packed armies smash into each other again and again it bes harder to have the spare room for thoughts of the rest of the battle. In my face is a constant stream of these disfigured part monsters, each one quick and strong, smashing at my carapace and trying to w my eyes before I can finish them off or drive them back. At my back, the ants hold the line and push up behind me, asionally climbing onto my back to dart forward and provide support, shrinking my vision even further.

    The heat and noise are intense to the point I''m forced to sink my mind deep into the meditation Skill just to maintain my focus. It''s something that I''ve be reluctant to do at times. Being able to think free from distracting emotions is nice and all, but emotions can be a source of great energy and drive, pushing me past the point when my mind under the influence of the meditation skill would pull the pin. The distractions are overwhelming to the point that I don''t have any choice in the end.

    CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

    My mandibles reset and snap, reset and snap as fast as I can manage it until my face starts to ache. The extra prating power of the bites is more than wee, allowing me to preserve stamina by holding off on using my Doom Chomp but still inflict severe damage on the foe. In the back of my mind, I''m conscious that this is merely the opening stanza of the battle. Whoever and whatever these creatures are, they are the prelude for the true fight toe. Waiting in the wings for us to tire, the Legion is still out there and they''ll join in the fight the moment they feel the time is right.

    [Master, I''m stepping in.]

    Dammit! Surely they aren''t breaking through already?!

    DOOM CHOMP!

    To gain space, I activate my most powerful physical Skill. The ck mandibles of dark energy manifest and crunch closed on everything ten feet in front of my face, the momentum and power of my new muscr mutation tranting into the Skill. Whatever is left standing after the strike I st with steam and rear back, lowering my back legs and extending the front to lift my head high enough to see. Crinis is right, a section of the line to my right is starting to struggle. The freaks, sensing weakness, hold and scream with savage glee as they pile on the pressure, activating their Skills and shing into the lines with wild abandon, heedless for their own safety. Crinis steps into the breach, announcing her presence in her usual insidious way as a forest of barbed limbs rise from the tunnel floor. The moment they are long enough, they begin to wind themselves around the unsuspecting forms of the attackers, binding them tight as the barbs dig into their flesh and begin to perform their dark work.

    I lower myself back down, unwilling to see the rest. Hopefully she manages to trigger her fear skills and these guys back off a little. If the ant battle line is already starting to break, it''s a worrying sign to say the least. Will we need to bring the humans forward and activate their buff already? I hope not, we need to hold off as long as possible before we bring the antmancers into the fray. Their buff is powerful, boosting the stats of ourbatants, but the humans simply aren''t trained for extended, intense fighting such as this and we don''t have enough people to rotate them during the battle. No matter what, we can''t bring them forward until the Legionaries themselves stand before us.

    It only took a second, but the space in front of me is once again filled with opponents to fight and I feel my reflexes trigger just in time to help me avoid another strike directed toward my eyes.

    Dammit! Do I need diamond eyes now?!

    CHOMP!

    This is going to be a long fight¡­

 Chapter 562 The Siege pt 20

    <h4>Chapter 562 The Siege pt 20 </h4>

    Titus watched the battle unfold from the rear ranks of the Legion column, his experienced eye catching numerous ws in execution that any outside observer would fail to notice. He couldn''t prevent the slight twitch of his eye at the sight. They can''t help it, he reminded himself, his Legion was still green, not used to working together andcking proper drill experience. The auxiliaries were even worse, though it was moremon for the shock troops to show such ack. Former prisoners ted for death, they hadn''te from the best stock, even so the Legion had turned them into viable soldiers, given them a family, a purpose and the dignity they hadcked most of their lives.

    "Don''t pull that face,mander, I can see it too. Don''t you worry, I''ll give them a proper tongueshing when they get back."

    Titus turned to his side where themanding officer of the auxiliary detachment stood, doing much the same thing he himself was, looking over the field of battle, seeking ws in both sides of the conflict.

    "Your unit is rtively fresh into the field?" he enquired.

    Waving a gnarled w, the former human turned to one side and pulled a towel from beneath his robes, which he then used to wipe the slobber from his distended jaws.

    "Pardon,mander. I figured you wouldn''t want a shower as well as a conversation!"

    A wheezing chuckle emerged from the auxiliary which threatened to do just that as a spray of sizzling droolunched from the back of his throat. Titus nced down and saw that little was left of the towel, most of the fabric already being melted away.

    "Cloud smander?" themander asked.

    "Spot on! You know, most people think the acid came from a bile monster or some such. Terrible eating! I''m far too ssy to be caught feasting on Biomass such as that!"

    Once again the wheeze and cough which passed for augh, followed by another spray of hissing fluid.

    "We lost a lot of people during thest wave," he continued, "fresh recruits get shoved into the mix with hardly a ''how do you do'' and we need to whip them into shape faster than you can blink. It''s not easy, but I think we''ve done fairly well."

    Titus nodded. If what he was saying was true, then the many tacticalpses he saw were understandable, generous even.

    "It''s hard for us once we get in the field," the auxiliarymander went on, gesturing at his own facial appendages, munication isn''t our strong point at the best of times. If I start barking orders at my troops I''m likely to melt half of them!"

    Wheeze. Cough. Spray.

    "So we''ll give them a full review once we''re done. The blood will have cooled by then. Once the monster gets into you, the urge to fight is always there, after all."

    "Your sacrifice is honoured,mander."

    The once-human shrugged his massive, misshapen shoulders.

    "It''s nothing. Not like I was doing anything worthwhile before I enlisted. No need for the title, just call me Ristos."

    Titus nodded.

    "Ristos then. Your troops don''t appear to have listened closely to the briefing. I can see many moving to engage the abomination in directbat. I believe they were instructed to avoid that target, it''s too strong for them."

    Wheeze. Cough. Spray.

    "Some of us are a little hotter in the blood than others, shall we say. When they hear there''s a big bad monster out there, they want to show that they''re bigger and badder, you know? It''s something that happens, I''ve seen it a lot over the years. That''s why auxiliaries who can''t ovee the urge don''tst long. Oof. There goes another one."

    The ant in question had reared back and unleashed a brutal chomp, crunching the opponent in front of him into a mangled mess in an instant.

    "Stupid waste of Biomass," Ristos sighed. "Don''t matter how you warn them, some people just too stupid to live."

    Themander rolled his shoulders and turned back to his own Legion. They continued to support the assault with long range fire and medical assistance, dragging the wounded clear for healing and pounding the ant''s shields with an endless barrage of spells and arrow fire. It wasn''t like they could miss. There must have been twenty thousand ant monsters packed into the tunnel in front of them. The rows of the enemy were so densely packed from floor to ceiling that the imposing metal gate (the second damned gate!) was almost totally invisible.

    He still felt irritated by the existence of that imposing ant head studded metal monstrosity. If he''d known there was another, he''d have been much more reluctant to step out of the battle. It wouldn''t have swayed his decision in the end. Morrelia had to survive, that was the end of it. He could still feel his body protest when he recalled the blow he''d unleashed to damage what had turned out to be the outer gate. It had been a long time since he''d been forced to unleash his Master Axe Arts and the strain had been severe. The mana saturation in his cells was still too low to channel Skills of that magnitude, though age may have also yed a factor. He wasn''t exactly in his prime anymore, and hadn''t been at his peak strength for some years. The surface would do that to a person. Not even the mana tonics were enough to stave off the decay.

    Almost by habit, he checked the ambient mana and then was forced to stifle a sigh. It was still rising. The wave coulde anytime now. Might be a few days, might be in an hour. The ants had done everything they could to dy the Legion advance and if they were lucky it might just pay off. Titus pushed it from his mind, he wouldn''t stress over things he couldn''t control, that was a quick way to burn out in the Legion. Besides, if the waves kepting at this pace, everyone would have much bigger things to worry about than an ant colony. A second cataclysm, the rising of the ancients. If it came to pass as he suspected it might, he may just need to get back into top shape. Just the thought of baring his axe at one of the neen strongest monsters in the Dungeon was enough to get his blood pumping.

    "Tell your people to push harder, Ristos," Titus ordered, "In five minutes I''m going to order my ranks forward and you''ll have a chance to rest before the next engagement."

    "Right you are thenmander," the half-monster saluted before he turned and loped forward through the column to ry his instructions.

    An experienced and able ally was always wee in Titus'' book, even if he did threaten to melt your face off every time heughed.

 Chapter 563 The Siege pt 21

    <h4>Chapter 563 The Siege pt 21 </h4>

    Cont and Sloan watched, gobsmacked as the fight unfolded before them. At first it seemed as though everything had gone well, after Grey had walked out and spoken with the Golgari, the kneeling form of the Shaper, Granin, had risen to his feet, had his bindings broken and painfully jogged his way toward the gate. It was clear at that point that the negotiations had been a sess. In the distance, the small camp the golgari had erected was disassembled by the mages and the two figures of the noble and Grey stood a slight distance apart, both of them watching as the newly freed Granin made his painful way to the nest.

    When he arrived the gate was pushed open slightly as a few ants emerged to wee him. Mage ants all of them, they reached out with their minds to reassure him before leading him inside where he was sure to be greeted and cared for by the two who had pled so strongly for his life. Against the odds, their wishes had been granted and their mentor had been returned to them, all that was left was to witness the oue of the battle.

    "How do you think it will go?" Cont asked her more martially knowledgeable sister.

    Sloan started, her concentration broken.

    "Sorry, what?" she said, distracted.

    "Who do you think will win?" Cont tried again with patience.

    The general turned slightly toward her sister.

    "How on Pangera am I supposed to know?" she sounded exasperated. "I don''t know their levels or Skills even slightly! From what we know, they don''t even evolve, so I can''t judge from their physical forms or mutations. What am I supposed to go on?"

    "They have sses," Cont offered sagely, "their species doesn''t change, but they have a ''ss'' that gives stats per level. You should know this much."

    Sloan shrugged.

    "I know it, of course I do," she jabbed a leg toward the two figures in the distance, "but I don''t know what their sses or stats are, so I can''t possibly make a prediction."

    "Does it really matter to us? Who wins I mean."

    The thought hadn''t urred to Sloan and she contemted for a moment as Grey and his opponent began to move, walking apart until there were five hatchling lengths between them. Did it really matter? She had obviously wanted Grey to win, since he was more or less on the Colony''s side, though he had gone to some lengths to conceal his motives and opinions from the Colony. They certainly knew nothing of his true strength. Ultimately though, with Granin released to their custody, the oue of the duel didn''t seem to be all that important. The Shaper was only relevant to the Colony because of his connection to the Eldest, nothing their lives depended on. If Grey could win though¡­ that might take an important piece for the golgari off the table. With this, the most powerful of their number removed from the battle, the odds of holding off the rock-people until the wave began improved dramatically.

    "If Grey wins, our position will be much stronger. Also, he is an ally, of a sort. It would obviously be better if our allies are stronger," Sloan reasoned.

    "That''s true," her sister agreed and the two settled in to watch as the distant figures bowed to one another in a strange disy of etiquette before they both took a pose.

    The golgari had dispensed with his sheath, the glittering de of stone shining with the same potent energy that rippled through the hardened ''skin'' that coated his body. No armour was worn for this duel apparently, the noble had dispensed with it, revealing his true skin for all to see. The stone was streaked with golden rivers of mana that rippled and flowed as he moved, casting light around him in a dazzling disy of power. Whatever mineral or ore had been used it was clearly top shelf, Sloan had never seen anything like it. She wagered Smithant would give an antenna to study it for five minutes. The sword itself was slender and curved, but long, perhaps as much as two meters. Held in the grip of the giant warrior, it looked sharp and deadly, a precision implement of death. When weighed against Grey, unarmed and far smaller, dressed in a humble robe with his ws unsheathed, it didn''t look favorable for him.

    When it began, Sloan could have sworn that she''d missed it. One moment the two were still as statues, watching each other for the slightest movement, the next they had shifted. It was as if they had vanished from where they stood and reappeared in another ce, dispensing with the hassle of traversing the intervening distance.

    So fast!

    Several more times the two of them flickered until finally they shed. The poor eyes of the ant general caught the impact a second after it happened. The golgari had rushed forward, his entire body a blur as the great de hade down in an overhead chop. The energy infused in the de was so great it felt to Sloan as if a thousand tons of rock was descending on Grey at the speed of a lightning bolt. Inescapable. Unfazed by the danger, Grey had swung both hands from right to left, his ws zing with light that had extended outward and shed with the de, diverting it to the side.

    The stone shattered under the force of the impact, shards flying as several tons of rock disintegrated. With his opponent unbnced, Greyshed out with his ws, once, twice, thrice, almost too fast to see before he danced back out of reach, both hands extended. The noble golgari took his time righting himself as he gripped the hilt of his sword in one hand, using the other to brush dust and stone from his skin. Whatever material he was coated in, it was clearly tough as nails, not a scratch could be seen on him.

    The two exchanged a few words which Sloan and Cont couldn''t hear before they once again took a ready stance, giving the two ants a chance to process what they''d seen.

    "What the hell was that?!" Sloan gasped.

    "Did you see the mana packed in that sword?!" Cont was shocked. "That was insane! How does it hold that much?"

    "Did you see the speed?"

    "The power¡­"

    It was clear then to the two council members, that outside of the Eldest and possibly the Queen herself, there were none who could hope to stand against individuals as powerful as these two. Indeed, no matter how many tier three ants they were to throw at the twobatants before them, would it really matter? In the face of this kind of condensed might, only an individual of equal strength would suffice. Unless they could cultivate warriors ofparable ability themselves, the casualties they would suffer to bring down these exceptional individuals would be obscene. And who knew? Were creatures such as these two even that rare in the depths?

 Chapter 564 The Siege pt 22

    <h4>Chapter 564 The Siege pt 22 </h4>

    Grey and his opponent, the High de Kooranon Balta, studied each other, their experience and observation Skills provided a constant stream of information as they continued to feel each other out. Using his rank five Keen Eye, Grey could see every muscle twitch, every exhtion of breath in excruciating detail. The golgari wouldn''t be able to twitch a toe without the wolf-folk being able to tell him how many millimeters he''d shifted it. Not just sight, every sense was pushed to the limit of his ability, Skills and his natural advantages as one of the folk ensuring that nothing took ce outside of his notice.

    Experience was what allowed him to filter that information, to disregard that which wasn''t important. He could smell the ant pheromones that nketed this tunnel, smell the blood and ichor of those that had fallen beyond the gate before him, but ignored those, all that mattered was the battle.

    He centered himself as the great warriors of the Folk were trained to do, bnced his mind against his instinct to find the proper equilibrium. Almost reflexively, so ingrained was the technique, Grey began to circte the mana inside his body around his center, creating a flow that empowered his movements and hastened the absorption of energy throughout his body. It had been so long since he''d fought in a high level duel such as this. The old familiar feeling had begun to stir in his veins, the impression of being on the hunt. The wolf within him had begun to bare its fangs and he allowed the sensation to wash over him, acknowledging its presence but he did not embrace nor dismiss it. Equilibrium was his safe harbor.

    The High de mastered his breathing and once more began to exert his aura. Powerful and domineering, it swept through the air and attempted to crush down on the wolf-kin, intimidating and robbing him of strength. As before, he did not resist it, but instead let it pass through him. Such childish tricks were a waste of precious energy in a duel and would have no effect on him. The fact that the High de insisted on attempting it disyed ack of experience.

    "You will yield to me, beast," Balta said, confidence dripping from hisrge frame. "How many of your kind have fallen to my de already? You are just another notch and you don''t even know it."

    Anger red in Grey''s heart. The war between the new and old races of Pangera never really ended and conflict between the Empire of Stone and the Folk continued to this day. There was a chance that Balta had in his people in the depths, it was true, but most likely it was just a taunt. He allowed the anger to sputter out. This was not the time for anger.

    "You are a pup," Grey said calmly, "whining and snuffling in the dirt, waiting for the alpha to teach you the ways of the world. What are you waiting for? I''m right here."

    The golgari''s stone covered face twisted with rage and he lunged forward, the rock beneath his feet shifting with the force of his Dash. In a battle of this level, there wasn''t time to think or ponder, no consideration for the next move. It was a realm of highly trained reflexes so fast and automatic that an argument could be made the brain wasn''t involved at all. Grey threw himself into the battle, refusing to direct or control his body to strike. He didn''t need to, it would strike all by itself. He and his instinct were one and the same.

    He Dashed with his right foot only, rotating his body as his left activated Meteor sh. Stamina and mana drained out of him through his ws as the Skill activated and manifested in the air. Enhanced by the rotation of his body, the five jagged cuts streaked through the air at a speed faster than even his eyes could follow. As predicted, Balta had charged directly forward, relying on his toughened body to absorb whatever Grey could unleash, yet once again he had been underestimated. With a loud crunch, the sh impacted the golgari''s side and threw off his bnce enough that the destructive overhead strike flew past its target by centimeters.

    Breathe. Then flow. The wild joy in his heart surged and Grey allowed his lips to peel back in a savage snarl, baring his fangs. His body continued its rotation,pleting the full spin in an instant whereupon he mmed both feet down and charged. Mana swirled in the air and within his body as his hands fell inward to rest at his hips. Dash. DASH. DASH. Three times in less than a second he executed a perfect micro dash, bringing his speed up to a dizzying height as his hands concentrated stamina and mana. Unleashing his named Skill, he thrust both hands forward, palms up and ws extended.

    Pierce the Wall!

    The light from each w unified in a single fang that shot outward from his thrust and dug into the side of the noble.

    The golgari wasn''t without his own Skills. Unable to bring his de to bear in time, he activated his own Dash to take momentum from the strike as golden streaks of metal on his skin slithered together toward the point of impact. Just before the moment of impact, Grey noticed the telltale shimmer of a shield around the frame of the noble, then his Skillnded and blew the body of the golgari away.

    He wasn''t finished though, despite how much that must have hurt. As he sted out from the point of impact, Balta rotated his body to protect his head before he mmed into the roof of the tunnel and felt the rock shatter around his frame. Even from that position he was able to fight back, his free hand gripped the hilt of his living stone de and he used it to send a wide defensive sh toward the beast as he freed himself from the stone. Contrary to his opponent''s expectations, Grey did not choose to follow up on his advantage, instead, he chose to be patient. Eyes wide, he studied everything. How hurt was the golgari? How effective had his strike been? At the same time he focused on regting his breathing and ensuring his state of mind was not disturbed. It had taken a long time for him to learn the necessity of resisting his urge to chase, but it had been a valuable lesson.

    As Balta dropped back to the tunnel floor, Grey flexed his hands and shook out his legs, ensuring he remained as limber as possible.

    "That''s a very tough mineral you have bonded to your skin," he observed conversationally, "quite a rare find."

    Balta sneered as the light glittered on his true skin.

    "We prize the stone above all things, beast. Naturally the best ore is destined to fall to the best of our people."

    He was unbnced to his left side, Grey was sure of it. The moment he detected the weakness his pupils dted and the breath caught in his throat for the briefest of moments, then it passed and he was in control once more. It was unfortunate, but in that moment he lost control of his bloodlust, the murderous aura of the hunter had surged out of his body and judging by the expression on the noble''s face, he had sensed it. It was almost funny. Balta had been so willing to call him a beast as a taunt, not realising that the description was quite apt. Grey was a beast, and Balta was his prey.

    A wide and feral grin stretched across Grey''s face as he epted the rising tide of the wolf within.

    "Naturally," he growled through his exposed fangs, "and I suppose you won that ore by your own hand? Did you Balta? Or did someone else buy it, like everything else exceptional about you?"

    The mix of fear and outrage on the noble''s face was like ripe wine on Grey''s tongue and he didn''t wait for a reply before he lunged forward. The golgari responded with excellent reflexes and high level Skills, shing out once, twice, thrice with his sword in the blink of an eye. The sword light howled with malevolence as it carved through the stone floor of the tunnel, but Balta paid it no mind. His foe had dodged at thest possible moment, he had sensed it. His eyes flickered as he tried to track his opponent but the aged wolf had gotten even faster than before and his instincts were yet to catch up.

    He never saw the final blowing. Grey had leapt above the sword blows and used his shifting cloak to blend with the stone behind him. In a battle of this level, losing track of your opponent for an instant was ten times longer than they needed to end the fight. Focusing hard on his inner self, Grey breathed and shoved hard with both feet. To the outside observer, it looked as if the wolf-kin pushed off thin air, descending on his unaware opponent like a fangedet. A vortex of mana and stamina formed in front of him and he rotated his body to give it more speed and power. When he reached the High de, he sent all of that energy driving into the giant, rock covered frame with the points of his ws.

    BOOM!

    The stone around them shattered like porcin as Grey drove his foe deep into the ground. By the time his attack had dissipated, he found he had buried the golgari in ten metres of solid rock. As he had no personal grudge with this foe, he ensured that the noble still lived before he hauled the fellow up and carried him back to the tunnel floor. Once there, hey Balta down on the ground so that he might be collected by his people, turned and began to walk back to the nest.

    A nice little fight. Just enough to whet the pte.

 Chapter 565 The Siege pt 23

    <h4>Chapter 565 The Siege pt 23 </h4>

    At least those crazy malformed humans were good for experience. Whatever the Legion did to turn them into¡­ what they were, they certainly seemed tock the finely tuned discipline of their more regrpatriots. After I''d demonstrated the ability to rip into them using my Doom Chomp, cutting down several at a time, they continued toe, almost ant-like in their eagerness to sacrifice themselves for their allies. If they''d just fought defensively, been a bit more cagey in front of me, then I wouldn''t have been able to hit their numbers even half as hard as I did in the end. I''ve not been paying attention to the notifications that Gandalf has been whispering into my ear, but I''m sure I must have racked up three levels from these clowns by now. If they want to throw experience at me, I''m more than happy to take it!

    Although I''m a little tired from having to use the draining Doom Chomp so many times, which was possibly their aim.

    It doesn''t look like I''m going to get time to rest, either. When the bizarre creatures pull back from the ant line, they slide expertly through the perfectly aligned ranks of heavy armored Legion soldiers waiting behind them. The moment the way is clear, the ranks reform into a solid wall of shields and des that begin to close with us at speed.

    "Bring up the humans!"es the call from the generals huddled close to the front. The words are repeated all the way up and down the line before being passed through mages to the human antmancers dotted throughout the battlefield.

    With an enthusiastic roar, the first real sound from our side of the field, the human volunteers and the robed figures of Beyn and his true believers take their ces in our formation. A half-second before the two forces collide I feel the rush and surge throughout my body as the potent buff rolls through me from the nearest Antmancer. I see every ant around me stand a little taller, a little firmer, as their stats get a healthy bump from the aura effect. It''s needed too, without it, most soldiers simply aren''t able to stay in front of the more powerful Legionary soldiers for long. For me? It makes me a real pain in their backside.

    The nice thing about the aura provided by the antmancers, is that it doesn''t cancel the benefits we gain from the generals, so that''s nice, but also that the stat boost they give affects all stats. Which means my brains get that little edge they need to be able to handle the construct I have spinning without me having to interfere with the main mind nearly as much. Gweheheheh. It might not be much, but I''ll take every advantage I can get in this contest for the survival of my family.

    The two lines smash together as carapace and mandibles contest against stone and steel. A shield is thrust in my face and a short sword flickers like a snake tongue, seeking my eyes. Always the eyes with these people! Is my diamond carapace so damn impressive that you''ve just given up on ever breaking through. With my antennae still functioning and my reflexes primed and ready I''m able to make small adjustments of my legs, shifting my head by a few centimeters in order to deflect each attempt.

    Get out of here punk!

    Firing my legs in a Dash, I surge forward with my head tilted to one side, using my ''shoulder'' to smash into the braced shields. The new muscle augmentation isn''t just useful for my mandibles. I''ve found that if I set my legs before a dash I can snap out with more power and eleration than before. Which is certainly handy! Faced with my bulk, the soldier in front of me has little choice but to give ground as I crunch him back into the ranks lined up behind him. They brace together to absorb the impact, but I''ve gotten the little bit of breathing space that I wanted.

    Eat steam!

    I st all of them in the face with a searing wave of steam as I wind my mandibles back and unleash a mighty Doom Chomp!

    SNAP!

    I feel my mandibles pierce and crunch but theck of notifications tells me my attempt hasn''t been as sessful as it was with the previous wave of foes. These armored guys are hard nuts to crack! Especially when the ranks are packed together like this. The extended mandibles of dark light that manifest when I use the skill help to extend my reach, certainly, but they also spread the impact out across a half dozen Legionaries. When they all work together to absorb the blow, it bes even harder to break through their defense.

    I throw away the residual fire and water mana so I can start cooking up theva mana againbined with a little earth mana. Hopefully I can make something good happen with thisbo, I have a few good ideas.

    "ROOOOAAAAAAR!!!''

    The colossus of metal and muscle that is Tiny continues to be a pain for the Legion as he sends his devastating fists over the heads of the Colony members in front, smacking them in the face over and over again with his electrified punches. Crinis has retreated to the shadows once more now that she isn''t needed to shore up that faltering section of the line, but I get a feeling we''re going to need her again fairly soon. With the two forces confronting each other at this range, I know Invidia is working double time on the defensive end. I can feel the spells flying over my head with my mana sense, an endless flurry of magic that could cause incalcble damage to either side should one group of mages get on top. Even with all our numbers, the Colony is being suppressed in this area as more and more of the Legion mages find their range and pile on the offense. With Invidia throwing his enormous ability behind the mage-ants, the line is holding for the time being.

    All I can do is keep battling away here in the front lines, using my body to protect my family as best I can.

    Once the lines hit, the battle devolves into an endless tug of war as the two fronts smack into each other endlessly, shoving, stabbing and biting in an attempt to break the other. I continue to use every trick I have in the book, charging, biting, sting with acid andva as the fatigue starts to set in, even for me, but it never ends. The effort is unrelenting and neither side is prepared to back down. As the minutes grind past though, it starts to be clear that the Colony is being pushed back. The line is just too wide and I can''t cover the whole thing at once. Wherever I and my pets aren''t, the Legion pushes forward, wounding our soldiers, cutting them down and advancing one step at a time. Even deploying Crinis isn''t enough to stem the tide.

    Can that wave start already?!

 Chapter 566 The Siege pt 24

    <h4>Chapter 566 The Siege pt 24 </h4>

    "Something isn''t right," Sloan suddenly scented out loud.

    Cont looked askance at her sister as the two of them continued to hang outside the second gate facing the golgari invasion. She could tell the general wasn''t discussing with her but thinking out loud, so she remained silent and waited.

    "They''ve formed up, but they aren''t approaching us, why is that?"

    One of the two ants most central to the Colony''s nning of this siege was more than a little off-put when she saw something so out of her expectations. The force from the Empire of Stone had behaved almost exactly as expected right up until they started demanding honor duels in front of the gates. With the bizarre rituals of their people disposed with, Sloan had expected the golgari to return to their expected behavior and assault the gate. They were here to exterminate her family, were they not? How was that going to be achieved if they didn''t attack? They were on the clock, after all. The entire strategy that Sloan and Victor had hammered out centered on the concept of their enemies working within a limited time frame. If the wave started before they had finished their task, they would be forced to retreat. They couldn''t possibly hope to stand against both the Colony and a raging Dungeon filled with desperate monsters? Surely?!

    Yet before her eyes, something inexplicable was taking ce. Once their leader had been collected and returned to his troops behind the first gate, the golgari had forced the gate open wider and formed ranks, their soldiers imposing in their sheer size and mass. Not wanting to be caught unprepared, the Colony had deployed their own troops, along with the human volunteers and prepared for the confrontation. Except it hadn''te. ording to her understanding of the situation, it should have begun immediately, yet here they were, several minutester, still waiting for the enemy to take a forward step.

    "Perhaps they''re waiting for their leader to awaken? They seem quite rigid in their authority structures," Cont suggested.

    Sloan shook her antennae.

    "They are an organised semi-military force who pride themselves on martial skills. I refuse to believe they don''t have a second inmand willing to issue orders toplete the mission. It would be insane to arrange themand structure in any other way. This is something else¡­"

    The general stared, her twinpound eyes focused on the unmoving ranks of the golgari in the distance as if trying to prate their thoughts.

    "Do you think their ranks looks thin?" she asked.

    Taken by surprise by the change in topic, Cont could only go still as she tried to assess the ''thickness'' of the enemy soldiers.

    "They seem well fed to me?" she said.

    "And why didn''t they open the gate all the way? Do you see the way it isn''t fully open? They could probably fit an extra six soldiers to each rank through that gap if they pushed it open all the way. It doesn''t make sense to create a choke point for their own troops there. It only makes it take longer to bring their soldiers to bear against ours. It only makes sense if there''s something they don''t want us to see. Something that they''re hiding, out of our line of sight."

    That made a lot more sense to the mage. She was instantly more alert, scanning the distance with her mind as well as her eyes.

    "You think there is some sort of super weapon back there? Something we haven''t seen and can''t predict?" This was one of the council''s greatest fears. They were young as a people and it was certain that those races and groups that had existed for hundreds, if not thousands of years would have innumerable pieces of wisdom that the Colony just hadn''t had the time to experience. They couldn''t prepare for the unknown, only acknowledge that it existed.

    "¡­ No," Sloan said, her eyes still scanning the distance.

    Cont was confused.

    "Then what?" she said.

    "¡­ I think we''ve been betrayed."

    So saying the general turned and dashed back within the nest as if a hundred golgari soldiers were at her back.

    Within the nest.

    The Queen cked her mandibles in an attempt to dispel her irritation but knew it wouldn''t seed. Her conversation with the human, Enid, had been enlightening and had helped exin the exasperating behaviors of her children, but it did little to alleviate the frustration she felt at being treated like a grub. Out of deference for the concern of her children, she had agreed to remain within the nest to protect the brood in the event of a breach, a role that kept her out of the fighting altogether. If the battle came to the brood chambers, then it was already lost, she understood that much just from having the ns exined to her by one of the soldiers who stood guard. Still, she had agreed, only to find now how chafed she felt not being able to fight alongside her children. She felt as if her carapace were being scratched from the inside. A constant, maddening sensation that just wouldn''t go away, no matter how she scratched at it.

    Not for the first time, she stood, her six legs heaved her bulk from the floor, only for to her to slowly lower herself back down. She had given her word she would remain and defend the brood, so she would. No matter how much it grated her. Internally she vowed that her children would never extract another such pledge from her, no matter how they pleaded.

    "How do you think the battle is going, mother?" Antite asked, obviously nervous.

    The two young Queens were anxious, despite being members of the council and privy to all the nning that had gone on, they felt helpless being unable to help protect their family. For the Queen''s life had continued much as it always did. The Biomass reserves were brought to them, they ate, and then produced their maximum daily quota of brood. The brood tenders cared for and raised the young in the chambers, much as they had before. The only real difference in their environment was the huge chambers carved beneath the eggying space to house the hatchling who couldn''t be transported to the surface nest for their academy training. Obviously, the Queen hadn''t been able to leave on her regr hunting expeditions, another imposition that chafed her, but otherwise the three of them continued to perform their role for the Colony without pause.

    "I''m sure it will be fine," the Queen soothed her daughter, patting her on the head with an antenna, "trust that they will work hard and seed, just as we must¡­"

    She trailed off, her antennae quivering.

    At that moment, several soldiers broke into the chamber at high alert. A scout moved away from the others and approached the royal triplet.

    "We have detected vibrations in this area, moving fast. Really fast. We aren''t sure what''s going on, but we want to be careful."

    Antite and Victoriant looked up at their mother anxiously and she tried to soothe them until she suddenly paused. She felt something. Something odd...

    The Queen turned toward one of the walls of the eggying chamber and approached it slowly, her two antennae dancing in the air as she felt the vibrations in the air. As she drew near, a trickle of dirt broke loose on the wall, cascading down the rock toe to a rest on the floor. Then another. Then another. As she finally came face to face with the wall, the rock had started to quiver and shift, almost as if it were being pushed from the other side.

    "Daughters," the Queen called, not turning around, "fetch the guards. All of them."

    "Mother?" Victoriant called.

    "Now, child," came the stern reply.

    Suddenly, the wall bulged and the Queen leapt back to avoid the copsing stone and dust that rained down when whatever it was finally broke through. Waving her antennae to clear away the dust, the Queen found herself face to face with the featureless, ringed face of a giant worm.

    [I''m sorry,] she heard in her head.

    Before she could respond, the worm lowered its face, the almost invisible mouth opening wide to crunch into the stone floor of the chamber and in a blink it was gone, burrowed into space between the rooms. With the bloated creature no longer blocking her view, the Queen was able to see the massed ranks of stone covered warriors charging toward the new opening and she reacted in the only way she knew how.

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    Mandibles wide, the War-Queen charged into the breach.

 Chapter 567 The Siege pt 25

    <h4>Chapter 567 The Siege pt 25 </h4>

    Brendant dashed into the depths of the nest, the emergency pheromone trails screaming against her antennae with every step. The brood was in danger! The Queens were under assault! Every nerve in her body was on fire with desperate rage. There wasn''t a single ant in the Colony who wouldn''t put their life down to protect the brood, including the Eldest, and now they flooded from every inch of the nest toward the breach.

    She burst into the eggying chamber to find a scene of utter chaos. Without any n or strategy, the ants were racing forward to throw themselves upon the enemy any way they could. Brood Tenders raced up the walls and dropped down on the golgari from above, biting and tearing with their feeble jaws until they were dispatched by the stone people in short order. That didn''t stop others from repeating the action and already the piles of dead and dying ants being dragged out by exhausted medics were growing into hills.

    A member of the Council and graduate of the Eldest''s own training program, Brendant knew she needed to be calm, needed to take control of the situation and establish some order, only then would the chances of a sessful defense be maximized. She knew that. But when she saw the Queen, covered in wounds, thrashing and biting in the midst of the battle, she lost it. Her reasoning fled, reced by her instinct and the next thing she knew she was face to face with the golgari, her mandibles cracked as she bit again and again.

    What had happened?! Where was the Queen!?

    She pulled back a moment and lifted her head, desperately seeking her mother amidst the heaving bodies still locked in battle. There! She was there! Somehow, someone had managed to get her to retreat. In glimpses caught through the legs and segments of ants that crawled over the top of each other to grapple with the invaders, she saw the Queen being tended to by healers as she stood, wounded heavily and dripping ichor on the floor.

    "Hey-hey! You awake now Brendy?" A scent managed to cut through the chaos long enough for Brendant to catch the meaning.

    Vibrant?

    "You gotta do better than that Brendy!" her sister chided, "can''t go losing your temper just because Mother had to fight. Not like she didn''t want to anyway."

    Suddenly she was there at her side, the massive and absurdly quick soldier who talked just as fast as she moved.

    "Hi-hi! You look a little beat up, let me getcha!"

    Those massive mandibles reached out to grasp hold of her thorax and before she knew what was happening, Brendant was being dragged away from the fighting.

    "Hey! Vibrant, let me go! I can still fight."

    "Hummmm," Vibrant released a meaningless, musical scent as she continued to haul her wayward sibling out of the fight before dumping her in front of a small team of medics and generals. "Got her out of there finally!" Vibrant cheered, "Get her fixed up alright? She couldn''t bite a cheese wheel with her mandibles like that! What have you been doing Brendy? Trying to chomp their swords in half?"

    Bewildered and confused, the soldier could barely process the rapid fire wordsing out of Vibrant as the healers stepped forward, applying magic and regeneration fluid to her many injuries. Her carapace began to tickle as it started to stretch and flex, the damaged sections stitching shut at a visible pace.

    "Vibrant?" she finally muttered, "when did you get here?"

    "Pretty fast! We got word over at the gate so me and my team raced over here to help out. Everyone was pretty mad so we ran-ran super fast, I don''t think I''ve ever run like that before. Good thing others did such a good job holding the breach, but the time we got here, the stony people hadn''t gotten far at all!"

    "What about the brood?" Brendant was desperate, "What about the young?"

    This chamber was directly connected to the chambers above where the eggs were kept before hatching, and then above those were the myriad rooms reserved for thervae. For a brief moment, even the irrepressible Vibrant was at a loss for words and she knew something was wrong.

    "Tell me," she said.

    Vibrant sighed, a scent rarely detected in her vicinity.

    "We weren''t fast enough," she said softly, "several groups of golgari were able to invade the upper chambers, they''re still fighting up there."

    A crushing feeling of despair and rage seized Brendant''s heart as she thought of the young lives lost, but after a few seconds, the anger won.

    "Come on, let''s scour these scum from our home!" she dered.

    "No-no you don''t!" Vibrant said, tapping the wounded soldier on her still mending carapace. "You''re in no shape to still fight. Me though? I''m still good to go!"

    With a savage ck of her mandibles, the speedy soldier was gone, back into the thick of the fray and where she went, her loyal troops followed. Filled with righteous anger and the need for speed, they ploughed into the fight, leaping over the backs of their own allies to ensure they crashed into the golgari lines at full speed.

    "FOR THE COLONY!" Vibrant roared and her followers echoed her cry as they impacted the front lines like a thunderp.

    The resurgence of Vibrant and her allies gave the Colony the little bit of breathing room they needed. Once Brendant stabilised her condition, she kept a cool head and began to organise the defense, a job that sorely needed doing. Gradually, the Brood Tenders were taken out of the battle, reced by soldiers. Mage and scout support arrived and began to pepper the enemy from range. The medics were given more space to work and proper paths established for the transport of the wounded.

    The battle still raged, but the Colony were starting to hold the line.

 Chapter 568 The Siege pt 26

    <h4>Chapter 568 The Siege pt 26 </h4>

    RAGE! RAAAAAAGE! That damned worm! How could he do this to us?! After everything we did for him?! He''s food. FOOD I TELL YOU! If I ever get my mandibles on that worm I''ll feed him to thervae myself! The mere thought of the brood being destroyed by the golgari makes the mana in my body boil like theva I''m spitting out of my mouth. He let them in to the eggying chamber?! With MOTHER?!

    I''m so damned angry I''m going blind! I''m going to bust a vein at this rate! Is that even something I can do? Perhaps I''ll be able to manifest it out of sheer anger, at this rate, I can believe I''ll make it happen.

    I channel my anger into the only positive avenue I have avable to me. Chomping like a fiend and sting my enemies with bolts ofva to the face! All I get in exchange is about seventeen sword strikes to the carapace and I think someone kicked me¡­ Since Vibrant and her crew had to take off, things have gotten tense here at this gate, and when I say tense, I mean, real tense. The Legion is pushing us hard and the ant line has been driven back to within the shadow of the gate. Spells and arrows are smacking into the grand metal structure already, but so far the enchantments are holding steady and there''s been minimal damage.

    "Come on you ckers! Are you trying to live forever?!" an ant bellows from nearby.

    "Victor! What the hell are you doing here?!" I cry.

    "Trying to shore up the line! We diverted a portion of the troops from the other front to here, but they haven''t been able to make up the difference. We need to go harder!"

    I check my menu for a second. I''m getting constantly topped off with healing, pumping my regeneration nd on cool down and the Vestibule replenishing my energy. With all of the ants in the nest providing me with a portion of energy, I''ve been able to push well beyond the normal limits of my body, but even that has a limit. I''ve been chomping and throwing my weight around out here for a long time and I''m starting to feel it.

    [Tiny! You got much left in the tank big guy?]

    The giant ape has been giving his all in the fight since the very beginning and to be honest I''m not even sure how he''s still out here swinging. In reply to my query, the exhausted and battered bat-faced gori shes me a grin full of fire before he throws out another fist. I mean fist literally now, since he''s long been out of the stamina required to activate his skills properly. His hands are a bloody mess by this point, but he doesn''t flinch as he crunches his knuckles into the shields of the enemy over and over again.

    [Crinis?]

    [I''m running low on my reserves of shadow flesh, Master! They''ve been targeting my limbs whenever they can see them.]

    Dammit.

    [Keep pushing but don''t take too many risks. I can''t afford for you to take permanent damage.]

    [You''re taking damage¡­]

    [What was that?]

    [¡­]

    That''s what I thought. I let Crinis sulk on her own as she continues to operate as best she can. The Legion are a terrible matchup for her and she''s done far more than I expected of her at this point. Instead of trying to saw the enemy apart, she''s been disrupting as much as she possibly can, sneaking her tentacles out into the enemy ranks and grabbing ankles, shoving legs, doing whatever she can to blunt the offensive and help the front line hold up.

    As I continue to battle with the Legionaries in front of me I feel another wash of healing flow over my carapace from behind as the healer who''s been with me throughout the battle pops her head up once more.

    "How''s it looking?" she asks through the mass of scents.

    "It''s been better," is all I can manage.

    She seems to take it in stride.

    "Do I need to move back?" she says.

    If the frontline needs to fall back then we need to let the healers and generals behind us know in advance. Even a few seconds is enough for them to uproot their positions and find a new bunker further back before we crawl backwards. Needless to say, this has already happened numerous times over the course of the battle. I give out a short, sharpugh.

    "The next time we retreat, we''re going to be behind the gate, little one."

    "Oh," is all she says before she sinks back below the surface of the tunnel floor to recharge her abilities.

    I''d shake my head, but I''m already doing that since I managed to get a good grip on a shield for once. Gimme that! I pull the b ofyered metal to one side and unleash a st ofva that coats the Legionary in front of me right across the chest te. The stone there glows bright red from the heat as he falls back, releasing his grip on the shield before I can hit him again and the ranks close tight in front of me as another soldier steps forward to take his ce.

    Dammit! Irritated, I throw the offending shield back over the lines and reset my mandibles for another Doom Chomp.

    "Watch it up there!"es a strong scent. "You nearly knocked a human''s head clean off!"

    What? Raising my head just a little, I can see that it''s true. At some point, Beyn has ended up behind me and I''ve darn near brained the man with that throw. Rather than be mad, the priest''s eyes ze with purpose as he seizes the shield with his one hand andbors to lift it from the ground despite it being clearly too heavy for the man. I can already see him roaring out some nonsense or other, the pitch of his voice rising to seemingly inhuman levels.

    Why do I get the terrible feeling I''ve created a ''holy artifact'' or some other nonsense?

    [Invidia, if you see a spelling at the priest, don''t work too hard to deflect it, alright?]

    [Your siblingssss protect them mossst ardently.]

    [So you''re saying he''d live anyway.]

    [Mossst likely.]

    Dammit. I''m still mad as hell!

    KEEP BITING!

 Chapter 569 The Siege pt 27

    <h4>Chapter 569 The Siege pt 27 </h4>

    Titus watched the battle unfold from the rear of the formation. The irregrs had formed up once again and begun to execute another charge. Using them as shock troops, charging, pulling back, charging again, was a brutally effective tactic the Legion had long made use of. It was hard on the half-monsters, in terms of effort and casualties, but it was a role they seemed to relish. The ants had held up remarkably well against the punishment, but as he had expected, they were being ground down.

    In the distance, he could see the abomination buck andsh out with its mandibles, using its body to shove against the tide and try to push the Legion back, all to no avail. The auxiliary troops rammed into the gaps the regr Legionaries opened up for them and the ant lines were thrown back once more. Another wave of the giant insects flooded out of the gate, jaws snapping at the air in rage as they reced those who had fallen and after a few minutes of furious fighting the order was given and the irregrs pulled back, reced by the iron wall of the Legionaries who continued to relentlessly batter away at an enemy that outnumbered them immensely, but couldn''t hope to match them one on one.

    In a way, the ants had chosen a poor field ofbat. Within the confines of the tunnel, their ability to maximise the effectiveness of their numbers was hampered. In a more open battleground, where they could nk or open up more fronts, their numbers would matter far more. Still, they hadn''t had a choice. In many ways, he had to acknowledge the cleverness of whoever had coordinated the defence of the ants, presumably the abomination. This was the only n that could hope to save them, and it had almost worked.

    Had the wavee early, and he had been worried for some time that it would, he would have ordered his troops back to the base camp already. Orders were orders, but anymander who pushed toplete the mission and got their Legion wiped out would get hanged and deservedly so. Even now there was a chance, a narrowing window in which he would be forced to order the retreat, but it was so slim now that he felt rising confidence that this nest would be purged before time ran out.

    It was likely the satellite nests wouldn''t survive the surge of monsters from the third strata without the support of their most powerful members here, but just in case he would have his troops bunker down within the nest to ride out the wave. Once it was done, they could emerge and track down the remnants at their leisure.

    "Looks like the gate is starting to take damage,mander," Aurillia observed from his side.

    The other tribunes attached to his Legion nodded their heads, each of them an experienced head with decades of experience, they watched the fight with the air of hawks.

    "After the next push, they''ll probably fall back behind the gate and wait for us to break it down," Titus mused.

    "Do you think they have another gate?" Alberton asked, the Loremaster having joined with his advisors. "They have two, why not three?"

    "Judging by the size of the nest, I deem it unlikely," spoke up Meognus, a newly attached tribune, "but the possibility exists, as you say. If we find another gate, we''ll knock that one down too. How else can we achieve our aim?"

    The young tribune was a fresh promotion, ced within Titus'' Legion for a bit of seasoning. He was a good soldier, but Titus found him a little green as a leader.

    "Our troops are tired and drained, casualties are mounting and exhausted Legionaries make more mistakes," Titus spoke slowly, no judgement in his voice, "if there is another gate, we will pull back to give rest, water and food to our people. The men and women who put on the armour of the Legion are our greatest resource and they mustn''t be wasted under any circumstances."

    There were a few nods, but it was Alberton who protested.

    "B-but¡­"

    Titus silenced him with a re.

    "Under any circumstances," he repeated.

    His friend turned his head away from the anger on themander''s face, his protest dying in his throat. ''What about Morrelia?'' he''d wanted to say, but Titus had known his intentions before he finished opening his mouth. Despite appearances, Titus was desperately worried about his daughter. The thought of her in the clutches of these monsters was enough to make his blood boil and his stomach turn, but there was only one way within his power he could bring her back and so he would follow it to the letter and hope.

    After a few moments of awkward silence, the other tribunes began to offer their own thoughts on the battle as it raged on. To the more seasoned officers, the cold, brutal calction of war was evident in their observations. Discussions centred on the rate the monsters were in versus the number of Legion casualties and how those numbers could be improved were had in quiet voices amongst them as various hypothesis were pondered. Such talks may seem inhuman, and Titus found new officers often struggled with them, but in reality, this was how amander and his tribunes ensured aims were aplished with the minimum possible losses. To do anything less than confront the harsh reality the Legionaries faced with unemotional logic would be an unthinkable abrogation of responsibility.

    Over the next minutes, things yed out much as expected. Though the abomination and the pets it had raised caused significant issues, they were not individually powerful enough to overthrow the course of the battle. It was lucky they hadn''t had a chance to evolve again. Had the reincarnated monster reached the next tier, this fight would have been far more difficult. As it was, the next charge of the irregrs disrupted the ant lines enough that they were forced to pull back once more lest the Legionaries cut their haphazard formation to pieces. Acid and spells rained down on the Legion forces as they advanced more and began to batter at the gate itself. Without proper siege equipment, it would take some time to break down, but with the proper application of fire and water the metal could be warped and splintered. Throw in some good old fashioned whacking with sword and axe skills to provide some oomph and the job would get done.

    The closer they got to breaking through, the more tense Titus became. He hoped he could trust the enemy to provide mercy to his only remaining child. Would they hold to their word and keep her safe? Or would they strike her down out of spite once the battle was lost?

    So lost on his thoughts was themander that he didn''t notice the disturbance behind until Aurillia reached out to shake his arm.

    "Titus!" she shouted, "look behind!"

    Shocked at his ownck of awareness, the veteran turned to see something he had truly hoped not to see.

    Green. The entire tunnel had turned green. Even as he watched, vines and leaves sprouted out through the Dungeon walls, transforming the darkness around them into an emerald sea.

    "That damned tree!" Titus growled under his breath as he drew his axe in a tight grip.

    "The Great Mother Tree feels much the same toward you," an unfathomably deep voice echoed out of the darkness. "You have made war on her and she does not forget, nor forgive."

    "Your mother is a monster," Titus spoke tly.

    "Haaaa," a sound halfway between a sigh, augh and bending tree branch resounded through the tunnel, causing the leaves to bend and flutter.

    A great figure stepped into the light, massive, as his kind always were, his head near scraped the ceiling of the tunnel as his thick wooden limbs were as far around as the mightiest of trees.

    "What care do we children have for the origins of our parent? She made us, that is enough."

    "She is spawned from the Dungeon," Titus replied, "that is enough."

    A tense air had descended amongst the officers and those Legionaries around them as each of them stared at the neer. As if it sensed the hostility, the greenery had ceased its expansion and remained as it was, ominously writhing and twisting with every word that was spoken. At Titus'' deration, a rustle so loud it was almost a shout rippled through every leaf and the giant figure cocked its head.

    "She has told your kind she had no choice regarding the manner of her birth in this world," the giant said.

    "Did she also have no choice in the lives she has consumed?" Titus didn''t back down.

    The giant shook his wooden head slowly.

    "There can be no understanding between our people, this is old growth."

    "Why are you here, Grove Keeper?" Titus demanded, "this conflict has nothing to do with your kind, or your damned mother."

    From the abundant growth, more figures emerged, smaller and thinner, but nheless powerful, the bruan''chii formed loose ranks behind their Keeper.

    "Haaaaa," that sound came again as the Grove Keeper looked down on them with ancient eyes, "you want something, so the mother will take it away."

    He shrugged.

    "She can be petty like that," he said.

    The leaves rustled again with malicious glee.

 Chapter 570 The Siege pt 28

    <h4>Chapter 570 The Siege pt 28 </h4>

    The massed ranks of my siblings can only watch as the gate bulges and buckles under the immense weight of the pressure the Legion is applying. Exhausted and weary, thest fighting fit ants on this side of the nest stand ready for the final conflict. Once those gatese down, this will be the final stand. If the Legion manages to break through this point, they''ll be able to separate into smaller teams in the narrower tunnels where we can''t hope to apply the numbers needed to defeat them. They''ll destroy the nest one piece at a time until they reach the brood chambers where the golgari are fighting andplete the annihtion of the Queens and young.

    Looking around I can see that we''ve all been pushed to the brink. Almost every ant is carrying wounds but the healers are so tapped out they have to be selective where they apply their ministrations. I''m pretty sure I saw Beyn spitting blood a little while ago, even his legendary vocal endurance unable to go the distance. Tiny''s hands have been healed a few times already and I can still see they''re raw and broken. Crinis has lost almost all of her reserve flesh and Invidia is suffering the kind of mental exertion migraines I frequently experience after casting too many spells. Even so, we need to front up again. The gate booms and shudders as our enemies batter it down, but each second that passes is a blessed relief. A few moments to recuperate will do wonders for all of us. We''re going to need all the energy we can get in a minute.

    A strange silence descends amongst the collective ants and humans that remain. We watch the gate as it gradually breaks down, awaiting the foe toe together.

    Elsewhere, in the brood chambers.

    An Asura Bear was a cursed creature at its core. Truthfully, Sarah couldn''t remember even choosing the evolution, so lost in the rage and fear was she at that time that it''s possible she hadn''t made a choice at all. Yet somehow, the form she had chosen was so devastatingly suited to her that it seeded in tipping her over a precipice that had taken her a decade to climb back up. She could feel herself teetering on the lip of that cliff now, her psyche bnced on the edge of sanity and that pit of mindless violence in which she had dwelled. The problem was, deep within, it was so hard to care.

    Next to her core, in the centre of her massive frame beat the asura heart, the powerful mutation that gave her species its name. It provided incredible strength, but at a cost. The heart fed on her negative emotions, her rage, pain and fear, magnified them, liquified them and send them pumping throughout her body until every inch of her frame was suffused with them. She could feel it now. The pain of betrayal, the anger of broken trust, the fear of losing herself again. She could feel it all echo through every cell of her body until she was drunk with it.

    And it made her strong.

    She could barely see the golgari in front of her, her vision had long since faded from red to ck. There was a chance her wild swipes did just as much damage to the Colony as it did the target of her wrath, but she didn''t, couldn''t care. Maybe her eyes had been injured, or perhaps she was already so far gone that seeing what she hit just wasn''t important to her anymore. Regardless, she could feel the devastation wrought every time she struck out. Flesh was parted, armour split, metal cracked and bones splintered. It was like wine on her tongue. Fresh Biomass between her teeth. She needed more.

    There was pain, somewhere. Her entire body ached, but she couldn''t tell why. It didn''t matter. She could still swing her paws and bite with her muzzle. That was all that mattered.

    The Queen watched everything from a distance with worry growing in her heart.

    "Will she be alright?" she asked the healer by her side once again.

    Frances cked her mandibles.

    "I don''t know," the healer was uncharacteristically short, the stress of the situation causing her to constantly rake her antennae through the elbows of her front legs. "Mother, please retreat. We''ve not been able to fully heal you and this area isn''t safe," she pleaded.

    "I will not," the Queen replied, her tone sharp. "Cease treating me immediately and go help the others. The bear appears on the verge of copse, why do you not treat her instead?"

    "I cannot reach her, and even if I could, we can''t be sure she won''t just kill me on the spot. We''ve already had a number of ants wounded by her in this fight."

    "And so?" The Queen demanded. "Is she not lost to her rage as she has been before? Why do we not help her?"

    "We aren''t strong enough!" Frances was growing exasperated. No matter how she tried, she was unable to persuade her mother to leave this dangerous area and it was making her desperate. "The only one in the Colony who could hope to stand up to friend Sarah is the Eldest and they aren''t here!"

    "But I am," the Queen stated and pushed herself to standing.

    The healer watched her mother rise with growing horror.

    "Mother, no!" she cried.

    But it was toote, the Queen stepped forward once, twice, then waded into the thick of battle, the rampaging form of the bear firm within her sights.

    Outside the nest.

    "You won''t retreat?" Titus asked.

    "We will not," the Grove Keeper replied.

    The standoff between the two sides continued as Titus weighed his options, his mind churning furiously. There were only two paths he could take that he could see. He could stand down, order his Legion to retreat, and possibly secure the release of his daughter in the process, or he could fight. He had promised not to take action against the Colony, and he would not, but the bruan''chii were another thing entirely. If they were able to hold off the children of the mad tree here, and the Legionaries seeded in breaking into the nest, there was a chance they could still aplish their goal. His grip tightened around the haft of his axe.

    "You don''t leave me with many choices," Titus ground out, his anger beginning to kindle in his chest as he weighed the lives of his soldiers in his mind.

    "That is our intention," came the answer. "The mother will take everything from you that she can. So far from your metal mountain, there is nothing you can do to resist her."

    "Is that so?"

    Even as they spoke, the number of figures who emerged from behind the Grove Keeper continued to rise as more of his people stepped forward. Fortunately, there was only the one Keeper, the tree wouldn''t be able to support more than that this high in the Dungeon.

    "Haaaaa. It is so," the Keeper replied.

    Titus brought up his axe so that he could hold it in a two handed grip.

    "Let''s find out then," he said grimly.

    Deep in the Dungeon.

    A chasm plunged downward, filled with an imprable darkness. There was no movement here, no living thing would dare set foot so close to the home of the hungering one. To do so was certain death, this was instinct so ingrained that it seemed as though monsters were now spawned with it. For a hundred years, no monster except those that had the misfortune to be born in the area had existed in this ce, and those that were spawned here did not live for long.

    From somewhere deeper, though it felt not that far away, an inaudible thump rippled outward, like a silent thunderp. The wave of invisible pressure swept through the rock and the darkness, swept through the chasm and continued on its way, outwards through the strata.

    Silence reigned once more.

    For a few moments, it seemed that nothing would happen, but this was merely the calm, the storm was sure to follow. And follow it did. The mana in the area drained away rapidly, thinning to less than half of what it had been only a few moments ago, but then it came roaring back. Like the tide which retreats only to crash back in fury as a tidal wave, the mana flooded outward with a tangible roar, suffusing every rock, every twig with a dizzying amount of power.

    Then there came a stir. Slowly at first, then with growing speed, the great chasm began to close. There was a great cracking sound as hundreds of tons of stone shattered into pieces, the two walls finally crunching together with a deafening crescendo. Then, after a moment, they parted once more. Visible here and there now that the dirt and rock had begun to fall away were massive, triangr ridges, each one stained a deep red. If an observer stood far back enough, it would be easy to guess what they were, teeth. Hundreds and hundreds of teeth.

    An aura filled with a terrible madness exploded outward, driven by one, insatiable urge.

    HUNGER.

 Chapter 571 The Siege pt 29

    <h4>Chapter 571 The Siege pt 29 </h4>

    When the gates finally fell, they fell with a resounding ''boom'' that echoed from the walls of the tunnel. Might seem a little excessive to knock the damn things off their hinges, but that''s what the Legionaries decided to do anyway. Perhaps they felt the width of the nest entrance was a reasonable width for them to engage in and I have to agree. The tunnel approach to the nest narrows as it approaches the gate, stays the same for a short distance before it opens out into the chamber beyond. To be honest, they''re probably just happy not to see yet another gate waiting for them in the distance.

    Once the gates are down, it takes the Legion a few minutes to reorganise their formation before they once again begin their approach.

    Boom!

    What the heck was that?! The vibrations of a colossal impact roll through the rock beneath my legs and my antennae waggle through the air in confusion as I try to pick up the source. It didn''t happen within the nest, that''s for sure, whatever it was that caused that, it surely originated outside the gates.

    "Eldest! Can you sense what that was?" Burke rushes up to me.

    "I''m trying to work it out," I reply distractedly as I focus on watching the approaching soldiers whilst reaching out with my mind.

    The distance is too far for me to reach, even with my rtively high Skills, but there are definitely fluctuations in the mana further down the tunnel, behind the approaching force.

    "I can''t be sure," I respond tersely as I set my mandibles, "but it seems like something is happening at the rear of the Legion forces."

    "Like what?!" Burke is baffled.

    "How the hell am I supposed to know, Burke? Maybe put a scout on it?"

    "There''s an army between us and that location!"

    "I noticed!"

    The two sides have already begun to elerate towards each other and I join my brethren, using all three pairs of legs to synchronise three separate dashes to achieve maximum speed.

    *CRUNCH*

    The two fully braced armies smash into each other as both sides activate their Skills, spells and everything else they have at their disposal. Armour and carapace are dented, cracked and splintered as neither side holds back any of their strength, the Legion on the precipice of victory, the Colony on the edge of annihtion. My carapace absorbs numerous blows in the first few seconds as weapon light blooms all around me. Only my future sight and heightened reflexes keep my antennae attached to my head as my body makes the minute adjustments necessary to absorb all the strikes with my diamond exo-skeleton. Precious diamond carapace. Where would I be without you? If I could, I''d kiss that precious stuff, but thankfully for my dignity such a thing is impossible.

    By this point, my sub-brains are fairly cooked and I''ve released the omni-elemental construct, opting instead to deploy a simple gravity domain over as wide an area as I can, hoping the already tired Legionaries will suffer under the added weight of their armour. It''s hard to tell what sort of effect it''s having, but then again, it''s hard to get a good visual of the battlefield when I''m doing the dirty work here in the front line. Shields and the shes from enemy attacks are pretty much all I can see at any moment!

    The fighting is savage and relentless as I chomp everything in front of me until my jaws ache with a constant throbbing pain and the barbs on my mandibles begin to crack and splinter. My regeneration nd is running dry again already and my helpful healer friend had to pop up and top me off within the first five minutes of the conflict.

    "For the Colony!" the cry rises from somewhere behind me.

    "FOR THE COLONY!" a thunderous wave of pheromones crashes through the battlefield, stunning my antennae with its intensity.

    Within the eggying chamber, the Queen once again pushed herself to the forefront of the battle, shouldering aside the children who tried to block her way. She would not be denied by them, not this time. Unwilling to put up any real resistance to their mother''s advance, the soldiers and generals gave ground the moment they felt her push against them. If she wanted to go to the front, none were prepared to go all out to stop her. What were they supposed to do? Fight their mother and drag her from the front whilst also fighting the golgari?

    So it was that the Queen reached the ce she had wanted to be, right by the side of the bear who appeared to be on the brink of death. Covered in wounds, her fur matted and dark with her own ichor, the friend of the Colony fought on as if she felt none of it, a seemingly never ending roar bellowing from her maw. The giant ant reared back, her antennae bursting into light so bright it chased away the shadows in the chamber before she unleashed a vast pulse of healing magic that swept through the ant forces, though a great chunk of it was absorbed by the bear.

    Wounds visibly knit before her eyes as the body of the raging beast soaked up the healing power and regenerated itself, but the bear didn''t seem to notice, no change came over her at all. The golgari certainly noticed. They had been on the verge of finally bringing down this monstrous entity, only for it now to get a sudden boost of health. Despair gripped their lines which was only made worse when the Queen activated her war form. Drawing energy from every ant in the room, she grew in size until she loomed over the enemy who shrank back from the mighty visage before them.

    The Queen had changed from her fight with Garralosh. Unable to protect her children in that fight, she had taken steps to ensure she would not be foundcking in strength. Her daily hunts had helped to level herbat Skills, the extra Biomass she had taken in was spent to improve her body for fighting. Never again would she allow the enemy to bully her children.

    "GET OUT OF MY NEST!" she roared.

    Her mandibles glowed bright and manifested two enormous jaws that extended from her own before mming shut, crunching the front rank of the golgari. With the Queen returning to the battle, the tide had shifted in the Colony''s favour. After having matched the strength of the demonic bear for so long, and grinding out the battle against the endless ants, the sudden appearance of a powerful tier six monster was too much for them to handle and they began to pull back from the front, drawing their forces back into the tunnel through which they hade.

    That''s when things changed.

    Sarah''s endless roar of mindless rage had only grown louder as the fight had gone on. Now, she found nothing in front of her to rend, so she turned andshed out at the first thing she saw. The ws raked down the side of the Queen and carved deep gouges in her carapace. Taken by surprise, the Queen was slow to respond and before she could turn her gigantic body another swipe ripped a chunk of exo-skeleton away, spraying the air with ichor.

    "DEFEND THE QUEEN!" the Colony became frantic at seeing their mother attacked and rushed forward to protect her.

    "GET BACK!" the Queen demanded as she faced down the maddened bear. "She does not know what she is doing!"

    With her mandibles between them, she was much better able to ward Sarah away, lunging forward to ram the bear and put her off bnce. Whilst it prevented her from taking any more serious wounds, everything the Queen did only seemed to drive the bear deeper into her rage, increasing her strength until her ws ignited with a murderous red light that seemed to tear at the fabric of reality, as well as fill the Queen''s mind with gibbering voices of anger with every swing. The Colony watched paralysed in the moment as the Queen struggled to fend off the mighty creature, and the golgari, sensing a change in their fortunes, stopped their retreat and waited to see what might happen.

 Chapter 572 684 - The Siege pt 30

    <h4>Chapter 572 Chapter 684 - The Siege pt 30 </h4>

    Grove Keepers were unreasonably strong. How exactly they were born, the Legion wasn''t sure. They weren''t monsters, as such, none of the bruan''chii were. They were not spawned of the Dungeon and unlike the ants, they weren''t created by a ''parent'' monster through the traditional means. This was why the Legion didn''t really have a problem with the wood people per se, but rather their murderous, meddling parent. Naturally the bruan''chii were unwilling to sit by and allow the Legion to destroy the source of their entire race, and so conflict had ensued. Throughout the decades of battle, the Legion had learned many lessons, one of the most important being: Grove Keepers were unreasonably strong.

    The gigantic tree creature brought one ponderous wooden fist down in an overhead smash that would copse a house but Titus was undaunted. Timing his footwork perfectly, he Dashed to one side before pivoting and Dashing once more, forward this time, his axe raised to strike. The Keeper moved with deceptive speed and grace, pulling his left leg back and rotating his body to sweep his left arm in a wide arc to catch themander before he could unleash his blow.

    Without pause, Titus brought the axe down, using the enormous power of his wrists to divert the de to the side where it collided with the offending arm, releasing a shockwave that rumbled the stones around him.

    "Haaaa," the tree rumbled with its impossibly deep voice. "You are a strong one."

    Titus reset himself, his eyes absorbing everything in an instant. The blow had been shallow, without the full weight of his Skills or Might behind it. Even so, he had carved a deep wound through the bark of his opponent from which leaked a thick, golden sap. Themander breathed deep, soaking the mana surrounding him into his body and sending it circting through his mana channels at a furious pace. As if awakening to a craving he had long put behind him, no matter how much energy he poured into his body, it still wanted more. The amount wasn''t the problem, but the purity. Once he had be limated to the mana in the deeper strata, the thin stuff this high up would never be enough to truly top him off. Nevertheless, he would make do with what he had.

    He approached the tree with caution, unwilling to be caught off guard. With a flick of his wrist, his axe ignited with red light, a powerful aura rising from the de. In an instant, the vines and growth around his feetshed out from the wall, a thousand barbs reached for his flesh and sought to twist within his armour.

    "HAH!"

    With a mighty roar, energy exploded from Titus'' body and the vines were incinerated to ash before they could reach him. Seeing the green growth burn sparked anger within the eyes of the Grove Keeper for the first time and he stepped forward, his body suddenly illuminated with thousands of runes and shone with green energy.

    "This ce has been imed by the mother-tree!" the giant roared, pushing forward with both hands.

    A wave of energy erupted from the keeper and the growth around them went mad as it drank in the power he emitted and exploded with growth. Twisted shapes of flowers filled with fanged jaws and vines as thick as a man with barbs that dripped with virulent, orange poisons erupted all around Titus within seconds, yet he did not retreat. He took a deep breath and poured his energy into the axe in his grip before he swung it in a wide arc around him.

    A wave of force erupted from the edge of the de that annihted the growth in a ten metre radius centred on the heavy armoured Legionary. The Keeper hummed out a low growl and stepped forward again, drawing his hand back for a mighty blow. Titus'' face bore no expression, still carved in lines of iron as it always was and he watched the strikee before he shifted his feet again and prepared to intercept it. The demon sealed within his weapon howled with glee as he shed out once more, putting the weight of his armour behind the blow and grunted with satisfaction as he felt the weapon bite deep.

    Still, Grove Keepers were known for their potent regeneration and Titus knew it would take too long for him to bring down the bruan''chii to stop his Legionaries from falling at the hands of the others. Instead, he dyed and hoped that the battle within the nest went well for his people. Determined, he raised his axe again and waited for the other to make the next move.

    Within the eggying chamber, the Queen was stuck in a battle for her life. The enraged bear, though smaller than the Queen in her war form was still significantly stronger, the power of her rage driving her might to incredible heights. Whilst the giant ant was permanently on the defence, unwilling to unleash any bite that would deal significant damage to her opponent, Sarah did not hold back, attacking in an endless, mindless rush that never ceased. The Queen knew that this couldn''t go on forever, there was only so much ground she could give, only so long she could drag out the fight, before herrger form expired and she would be reduced to her normal size. Without the bonus stats she gained from drawing on the strength of her children, she would fall quickly to the bear.

    "Whatever it is you want to do, you need to do it fast, my Queen," Brendant warned her from nearby. "We will not sit by and watch her destroy you, friend of the Colony or not."

    "There must be something we can do to reach her," the Queen argued, "haven''t you done so many times before?"

    "We have, but never have we seen her so far gone that she would attack us. It is what she feared would happen, but we were unable to persuade her from battle for long."

    The soldier shook her head with genuine grief. Sarah had been a loyal friend to the ants and had bled for them many times during the invasion. Without her, the golgari would have done far more damage, and advanced far more quickly than they did. It pained her to see the bear lost to the madness she had feared for so long. Even so, she hardened her heart. There was no life, except perhaps that of the Eldest, that she would put before the Queen''s.

    "Get a mage!" the Queen demanded. "Connect my mind to hers. Let me try to reach her."

    Ever ready to obey themands of their mother, Advant didn''t need to say anything before a small team of mages leapt forward to weave the necessary mind magic. In only a few seconds the connection was established and the Queen could feel her thoughts match with those of the once-human, Sarah.

    [Sarah,] she called, [you do not need to fight.]

    The maddened bear did not react, nor slow in its assault. Wild swings of those deadly ws shed through the air and threatened to rip the Queen apart if she didn''t dodge.

    [We will not hurt you,] the mother of the Colony spoke again, [there is no need to embrace your rage.]

    She searched the bear in front of her for any flicker of recognition, any hint of the person within, but she saw nothing. There was nothing to indicate that she had even been heard. It was difficult, unlike the meddlesome one, the Queen did not have the mastery over mind magic necessary to project her mind into another being''s consciousness. All she had were words. Words, and actions. Instead of retreating, instead of trying to fend away the vicious ws that tried to end her life, the Queen did the unthinkable, she lunged forward. She didn''t bite, or dodge, or defend herself at all, instead, she brought her antennae down on the bear''s head and allowed her healing mana to flow through them whilst those dreadful ws tore into her.

    "MOTHER!" Brendant cried in horror. "Attack!" she ordered, "get in there and save the Queen!"

    [It''s fine now,] the Queen paid no mind to her mounting wounds as she sought to reach out to the rage-filled soul in front of her. [You are safe, you are protected, you have done well.]

    The ants swarmed forward to defend the heart of their family but the distance they had kept in order to respect the Queen''s wishes cost them precious seconds. Again and again the mighty bear shed with her paws and snapped with her maw until the Queen''s carapace was cracked and rent. All the while the Queen continued to pour her healing magic into the other and repeat the same soft words of praise. As Brendant rushed forward to attack the bear and sell her life in the defence of the Queen, she was shocked to find that Sarah was slowing down. Her swipes became less damaging, with longer pauses in between and the deathly aura was fading from her ws. As one, the Colony''s charge slowed to a halt as the Queen continued to soothe the bear, whose endless roar had finally begun to fade, receding until it was scarce more than a whimper.

    The Queen was exhausted and on the verge of copse, but she watched the light return to the eyes of the one who had helped save her children with joy.

    [You are safe,] she said, [you are protected. You are home.]

 Chapter 573 The Siege - FINAL

    <h4>Chapter 573 The Siege - FINAL </h4>

    By Gandalf I''m tired.

    BAM!

    Stop hitting me, dammit!

    DOOM CHOMP!

    Just like every time I activate the Skill, a team of Legionaries with heavy shields leap forward, activating a host of abilities and anchoring against each other.

    CRUNCH!

    Despite my mandibles biting deep into the metal bs these muscle heads call shields, I once again am not able to prate through and deal real damage. Stupid tin cans! Eat acid then! I drop my thorax low and raise my abdomen so I can st the a-team in front of me with a face full of burn juice before resetting my position in the formation. The ants on my left and right depend on me to protect their nks and if I extend too far or drop back a bit I expose them to unnecessary danger, something that''s happened a fair bit over the course of the battle.

    "Need a heal?" I scent the pheromones of my designated healer friend behind me.

    "You''ve recharged already?" I''m a bit shocked.

    "Nope. But I''ve found another healer who can top you off if needed."

    I find it a little suspicious how capable and seemingly high level the healer who was ced behind me in the battle line turned out to be, and now, when healers are needed desperately all along the line she just so happens to have another of her caste waiting in reserve?

    "I''m totally fine," I lie, "get that healing where it''s needed."

    I can almost hear the shrug of antennae behind me and the little ant burrows back down into the soil as the fight rages on. A few more exchanges and I see Tiny off to my right getting battered in the chest. A salvo of fireballs and charged arrows strike him right in the chest te, knocking him off his feet. The big ape howls with rage but he''s so exhausted he can''t keep his feet any longer and topples over, scattering the Colony members beneath his feet.

    [Invidia! Crinis! Make sure Tiny gets out of there in one piece.]

    Desperate to make a distraction, I charge forward into the ranks of the Legion once more, shoving them back with my bulk. Only this time, I don''t retreat quickly, instead, charging out again, snapping my mandibles for all I''m worth and sting everyone I can see with gravity bolts. It''s been a miracle that Tiny made it this long, he''s not exactly built for endurance. Without the armour protecting him, I''d have ordered him out of the fight ages ago. If I actually survive long enough, I''m going to find Smithant and personally thank that little genius. I''ll have to see if she can find any see-through materials when I get my own armour. I can''t have my magnificent carapace obscured for any reason!

    BAM!

    Although, I could probably do with some extra shielding now¡­ The Legion forces are quick to capitalise on my poor position and close around my nks faster than Vibrant eating breakfast. My senses sharpen to their finest point as my antennae, reflexes and muscles move in perfect synchronisation, deflecting and dodging every blow I can and diverting others to sh against my carapace. Precious diamond carapace, saving my bacon once again!

    Truth be told, the Legionaries are moving a bit slow, certainly theyck the oomph they usually do. The battle has been long as just as the ants have grown weary, even these indomitable humans have grown tired of the constant effort. Trying to fight your way through tens of thousands of monstrous ants is going to take it out of you, no matter who you are. Although the gravity domain and bolts that I''m firing out might not seem like they have much of an effect, I''m confident they are keeping me alive right now as the soldiers targeting my life find it that little bit harder to move and swing their weapons.

    Chomp! Chomp! CHOMP!

    I thrash around desperately and I''m pleased to see that my distraction has done its job. A chance to put down the indescribably attractive ant that I am has lured the Legion away from the area Tiny fell and the Colony has rushed extra numbers to shore up the line as Crinis drags her fellow pet away whilst Invidia heals him out of any immediate danger.

    [Great work!] I call back to them. [Once Tiny is safe, pleasee and rescue me¡­]

    [MASTER!]

    I''m going to get told off pretty bad by Crinis after this. Perhaps death is the answer. No! Can''t think like that, need to live!

    From behind the lines Victor watches the surge offense of the Eldest falter as they are quickly surrounded. The loss of the great ape guardian has been keenly felt in the lines, but there is nothing for it, the Colony has no choice but to press forward!

    "Get in there and fight!" she orders every ant in reserve forward. "Follow the Eldest and battle for the Colony!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"es back the roar as the ants, only recently healed from their injuries plunge back into the fray once more.

    Unwilling to be left behind, Victor herself runs forward to join the conflict. What does it matter if she were to fall here? After this, there are no more ns or strategies that she needs to look over. Either they stand here, or perish. Sensing the frantic energy of these final moments, the human allies join with the surging ants as they charge forward with their final gasp of strength. All the while, the Eldest rampages throughout the Legion ranks, throwing their weight around and absorbing an absurd amount of punishment as they seek to disrupt the enemy''s battleline.

    "Break through!" Victor roared as she lunged forward, her mandibles chomping as she hurled her body into the soldiers in front, buckling their line as the next wave ran over her back to crash in again.

    Every avable ant had joined the charge and all along the line the scene of fresh troops surging into the Legion shields and swords was repeated. Soldiers, scouts, mages, healers, every ant present on the field of battle had joined this final assault in the hopes of finally breaking through. The enemy realised quickly what was happening and redoubled their efforts, fighting as a cohesive unit to stave off the wave of ants who had arrived.

    The ferocity of the battle had reached a fric peak. Neither side was willing to take a backward step and in three short minutes Victor had witnessed hundreds of acts of selfless courage, skill and sacrifice from both sides. In the middle of it all, the diamond ant burned bright, like the re of a candle on the verge of going out. No matter how the ants pressed, or how much ground they gained, the Eldest remained always beyond reach. As if psychically linked with the Colony itself, every time Victor surged along with her siblings, the Eldest would also plunge deeper into the sea of Legion troops. Unable to reach their progenitor, the first of their kind and most selfless defender, the ants of the Colony only grew more frenzied, charging again and again into the enemy line to shove them back, heedless of their own injuries.

    Victor could see the Legion''s strategy y out. They wanted to absorb the charge, give ground and let the Colony''s spirit break along with their momentum. In that moment, they would seek to return the pain they had endured a hundredfold with a counter charge that would shatter the ant formation and break open the nest once and for all. Even knowing this, there was nothing Victor could do. All they could do was follow in the footsteps of their progenitor, the first of their kind, and charge into the des of the enemy.

    Suffused with the boost of their human allies, who roared and screamed as they raised their shaking arms and ran on unsteady legs, the Colony unleashed its true ferocity on the Legion. For one moment, one shining moment, Victor thought they would break. The Eldest was unstoppable and no matter how they tried, the Legionaries could not bring them down. Wherever they went, the Legion formation buckled and broke, opening gaps through which poured hundreds of giant ants within seconds as they bit and crunched whatever they could find in their need to reach their saviour. After driving so deep, and causing so much disruption, Victor saw the line on the verge of copse and felt hope surge from deep within her core.

    But like an illusion, it rippled and was gone, the gaps closing over before her eyes and the wall of shields re-established itself and the ant''s charge finally faltered. A momentter she saw why. The Eldest had copsed, one of their legs finally getting caught and had been severed at the joint and their momentum had brought them down with a crash. In just a few moments, the Legionaries would descend on the prone form of the strongest ant and there was nothing Victor could do about it.

    And that''s when it came. A tidal wave of mana that tore through the tunnel like a scream. The Dungeon veinstticed through the stone seemed to pulse and writhe as the walls began to shift as monsters took shape within, soon to be spawned and emerge.

    Both sides stopped instantly and Victor could almost curse as the joy surged within her. Now?! The wavees NOW?! Even ten minutes earlier and he wouldn''t have had to endure this mad rush of disaster. Without a word, the Legion forces pulled back and marched a brisk pace, their fatigue only showing in rare ces as they vacated the battlefield, taking their wounded with them. After a second, Victor rushed forward to support the Eldest and soon the giant ant was hoisted onto the backs of a few strong soldiers so they could be transported back to the nest.

    "Just like that?" the Eldest echoed Victor''s own thoughts, "they pick up and leave?"

    No one replied for a long moment as the mana continued to surge around them, filling the tunnel with an intoxicating level of energy. Then the Eldest began tough, both in scent and in thought as mind magic spilled out of them and into every ant and human in reach. It was as if a bubbling wellspring of relief and dness had burst into being within all of them and none dared to speak lest they disturb it and snuff it out. So it was that Eldest was silently escorted back into the nest,ughing joyously all the way.

 Chapter 574 The Bell Tolls for Thee

    <h4>Chapter 574 The Bell Tolls for Thee </h4>

    Titus was relieved to find Morrelia had been returned as promised not an hour after the Legion had withdrawn from the battle. The instant the surge of mana had arrived, Titus had stood down in his fight with the Keeper and the bruan''chii had stood aside. The purpose of the tree-people had been to stymie the Legion and their mission had been aplished. The Keeper had been gracious, but the leaves had not, rustling with obvious happiness at seeing her enemies fail in their task. Titus didn''t care. Including the auxiliaries, hundreds of good Legionaries had been lost in this endeavour and even the safe return of his only child couldn''tpletely snuff the morose feeling in his chest.

    Legionaries fight monsters and died doing it all the time, he knew that it was just a reality of the world, but he was never able topletely shut away the pain of his soldiers dying under hismand. His wife would just say hecked maturity, but then she was always more suited tomand than he was. She was in charge of the whole bloody Legion at this point after all.

    "Morrelia," he said, embracing his daughter when she reached him, "I''m d to see you are safe."

    She''d been escorted back by a group of humans led by Enid Ruther to the end of the tunnel that led toward the nest. Titus had recalled all his troops to this point and was still waiting for some of the further out groups toe back. He pushed his daughter back so he could look into her face and saw the mixed emotions there. Happiness, shame, guilt. No doubt she med herself for losing control of her berserker skills in the midst of battle and getting captured. She had so much promise, if she learned from her mistakes she would be amander before too long.

    He reached up and ced a hand on her head.

    "Your mother will be so pleased to see you again. If you''d died just before she finished hermission, I fear she would have copsed the Iron Mountain down on her own head."

    It was a poor attempt at a joke and the more Titus thought about it, the more realistic a scenario it seemed. Watching the expression on her father''s face shift from joking to a glum realisation made Morreliaugh and the knot inside her eased slightly with the release of tension. She had betrayed the Legion, but she believed it had been for the right reasons. With any luck they would never return and the Colony would continue to be peaceful and cooperative with everyone they came across. If so, she would never have to regret too strongly the decision that she had made here.

    "I hope you and your people are able to retreat safely before things get too crazy down here," Enid said. Then she frowned. "I also hope you nevere back."

    It was far more grace than he could expect to receive from opponents he''d been fighting not an hour previous.

    "I thank you for your words," Titus nodded, "I do not know where the Legion will send us next, With this new waveing so close on the heels of thest one, there will be problems all over Pangera. We defend many remotemunities from the Dungeon and our people are stretched thin."

    "I know the work you do to defend the helpless and it is appreciated around the world," Enid snapped, "if only you''d devoted yourselves to doing that instead ofing here and trying to kill people that didn''t need killing. I''ve lost a lot of good folk and so have you."

    Themander could only shake his head.

    "The two tasks are one and the same. We came here to protect people from what these monsters will be. I hope you realise the mistake you have made before it''s toote."

    With nothing left to say to each other, the two sides parted ways and Titus got back to organising his forces, counting the dead, ensuring the injured were cared for and arranging logistics. He would need to get his Legion to a gate as soon as possible and he was determined that none would be left behind. After two more hours, every head had been ounted for and the Legion began their march. They were exhausted and drained, but noneined. Better a hard stretch of travel now followed by rest than a never ending battle against the monsters who were already beginning to spawn from the walls.

    Enid sighed as she watched them go before she turned back to walk up the tunnel to the nest. Already the ants were swarming over the ruins of their once pristine tunnel, trying to re-establish their defences before the wave hit in force. It was amazing the damage that good people with bad ideas could do, she reflected. Though doubtless Titus would say the exact same thing about her. Not wanting to dwell on such depressing thoughts, she instead turned her mind to the things she would need to do next and the list quickly grew.

    First of all she would need to contact the families of those who had fallen. An unenviable job, but a necessary one. She could remember many times her husband would take on this duty, informing the loved ones of those who hadn''t made it back from a delve. Shoulders square, Enid walked briskly. There was work to be done.

    When the High de Balta had awoken he had instinctively felt that they had lost. That he had lost. Not only the duel, but the expedition, his reputation and that of his house. When confirmation came from contacting the Abyssal Legion that the reincarnator yet lived, he knew that he had been ruined. The reputation he had staked, the favours he had called in, all for nothing. Less than nothing. The wave wouldn''t finish the ants as some of his advisors hoped, he was sure of it. In fact, he was scornful of those who were prepared to think it. The ants had been stronger, far stronger, than he had expected and thousands of golgari had been lost in the tunnels. When he returned to the empire the disgrace of this failure would haunt the house of Balta for years. He felt so frustrated he could burst.

    Full of spite and bitterness, he barely paid attention as the lesser nobles arranged their swift retreat back to the nearest gate. They would need to travel hard and even then they wouldn''t make it before the monsters started to spawn. Yet more trouble awaited them. When they finally began to move, the golgari expedition was a silent and morose column of warriors and shapers each lost in their own thoughts. Such was the manner of the defeated.

    Inside the nest, the Colony had not paused to rest for even a moment. The council hadunched into action only to find that their various caste members had already leaped into their work. The carvers were everywhere, in the tunnels, working on the gates, shaping stone and metal with the assistance of the soldiers who were doing the heavy lifting, many of them injured. The healers worked frantically, trying to turn over as many wounded as possible in as short a time as they could manage. If an ant was eighty percent healed, they were out the door, Biomass, time and their own regeneration would take care of the rest. The more severely damaged Colony members were overflowing the more long term wards within the nest and tunnels were co-opted for emergency treatment areas.

    The Colony had lost many over the duration of the conflict. The final toll, when it was eventually counted, wasrge, over ten thousand members of the family had fallen in the fighting. Fortunately, the Queen''s had not ceased egg production during the long siege and the total poption of the Colony hadn''t much changed. Even so, many excellent ants had fallen and they were mourned. The Colony grieved in the only way they knew: work.

 Chapter 575 What was lost, what was gained

    <h4>Chapter 575 What was lost, what was gained </h4>

    Legs are something I grow back easily enough. The cracks and damage to my carapace is going to take significantly longer, especially considering how I''m totally out of juice in my regeneration nd. The inner ting will help a ton though and before too long, I''ll be back on my feet and out there working with my siblings in no time.

    ¡­

    BUT I DON''T WANNA! I''m tired dammit! The Legion has been gone less than an hour and I still don''t have a fullplement of legs! Give me a break! Please! Where are the mandatory rest enforcers? I have an emergency situation for them?! Actually, I think I spot one over there, what''s she doing? Lifting rubble. Dang. I suppose in these dire times, even the strictest of Colony rules must be waived to some degree. Until I get all of my legs back, I''m stuck sitting in the middle of the chamber within the gate whilst a flurry of work gets done around me. At least I get to ''listen'' in on the various reports as theye in.

    The brood chambers have been secured, though it was apparently quite difficult to defeat the golgari. I have only sympathy for the soldiers and scouts who had to go in there. Trying to fight amongst the brood without injuring them? A nightmare scenario. A few clutches of eggs were totally destroyed, as well as manyrvae. Even though the damage was contained to just a few rooms, the losses could be as many as a thousand. The eggs are kept fairly bundled up after all, there are hundreds of them in each egg chamber.

    The very thought of the losses suffered by the next generation makes my blood boil and I''m sure every ant in the Colony feels the same. If it weren''t for the wave, I''m fairly confident a team would have beenunched to chase down the stone people and end them. I''d have gone. Just thinking of the adorable grubs who never managed to reach maturity¡­ I wonder if the Colony will let me retire and be a full time grub tickler? There''s a need that I can fill! The grubs deserve only the best tickles!

    Bah. No chance. The Queen would chase me out of the brood chambers in a matter of minutes. It was a relief when a passing brood tender was able to let me know that the Queen was alright. For some reason I''d thought she''d be safe in the eggying chamber, but trust the Queen to find some way to nearly die whenever there''s a major fight going on. Apparently, she nearly died twice this time, which is a new record. Her injuries were fairly major and they don''t think she''ll be back to egg-production for a few days, which must be serious. Sarah has apparently holed herself up in the chamber with the Queens and is refusing to leave, though she needs some serious healing as well from what the tenders tell me. I''ll have to pick myself up and get over there for a visit, once I can walk that is.

    As for that traitorous ringworm, there hasn''t been any sighting. He''s so damn good at hiding in the stone and soil of the Dungeon, it''ll be a nightmare to find him. With the wave going on, I doubt the Colony will have the antpower to spare looking for his treacheryden backside. The second he turns up, he''s going to be food, I swear it on the lost grubs! What he hoped to achieve with his betrayal, I''ve no clue, and I don''t care. Justice will find him eventually.

    Knowing how bad he is at fighting, I''ve little doubt he''s burrowed himself as deep and far as he can from any tunnel or expanse and he''ll stay there until the wave is passed. He lived a long time that way, I don''t expect his habits are going to change now.

    "Hey Eldest, cking off I see?"

    "Brendant? What do you mean?" I gesture down at my missing limbs. "What exactly are you expecting of me in this situation, eh?"

    "Not much I suppose," she cks her mandibles, seemingly feeling quite chipper. "The council wants to have a full meeting in a few hours, once we get a better sense of where we stand. The wave is going to be a real problem and the nest is in pretty bad shape right now."

    "What about the other nests?" I ask, "have we had any word of how they are travelling?"

    "Runners are on the way as we speak. We should hear back before the meeting."

    I''m nervous about those other nests. They''re smaller and less well protected than this one. Even if the golgari and Legion left them alone, I fear that the wave will be a huge challenge for them to ovee.

    "What''s the most important undertaking right now? What''s got the highest priority?" I''m curious about what they''re focusing on.

    The big soldier thinks for a moment.

    "Probably moving the hatchlings up to the surface training grounds. If we don''t manage to move them before the wave really picks up, it''s going to be a nightmare to shift themter. There''s thousands of the little sisters packed away under the Queen''s chambers and they need to get to the academy as quickly as we can manage."

    "I guess we can restart the farm project as well," I muse, "they were able to provide a ton of Biomass during the first wave. And I guess we need to secure the surface nests as well. There''s no guarantee that any nasties that climb up from below will bump into us here, they might get all the way to the surface¡­"

    Holy moly, I''m starting to see the sheer body of work in front of us. Brendant sees the realisation flicker in my antennae and clicks her mandibles in understanding.

    "Get well soon, Eldest," she says, "there''s plenty for you to do."

    Great. She skitters off to organise more escort groups for hatchlings and I continue to flop about as the small stumps that will be my new legs continue to sprout. Before much time has passed I feel a familiar mind reach out to me.

    [Not looking so hot over there, kid. Not exactly like the mighty ancient I had in mind.]

    What the?

    [Granin?!]

    I use a few legs on one side to spin my body around and face the big shaper standing behind me with his two triad-mates by his side.

    [What the hell happened to you, you old brick head?] I cry, [I thought you were stuck with the golgari?]

    He pulls a face.

    [Bah. It''s all politics. I wanted to stay and help out with the cult and try to clean up the mess we were left with when the city found out about the stupid games they were ying. Instead, the Balta n went nuts, demanded they be given the rights to hunt you down as a matter of honour and drafted me into the expedition. Typical warrior circle rubbish,] he spat. [On the fringes of the empire, the houses can do whatever they want and get away with it, the interior doesn''t care. I swear, the whole golgari race has been in decline ever since the cataclysm. Too much pride isn''t healthy, especially when a giant worm shows up and eats everyone.]

    I can tell the old shaper is deeply irritated, so I let him grumble for a few seconds before I follow up with another question.

    [So what''s your n now? You going to hang around.]

    [If you''ll have me,] he shrugs. [I''m not good for much but I happen to be an expert in monster evolution, between the three of us here, we can be a big help. Theter evolutions are very different from the first, the options really widen up.]

    Wot?

    [MORE options?! You have to be kidding me! The menu lists are a mile long!]

    He chuckles.

    [Oh boy, you''re not going to like this then. Good thing you have us around. No rush, there''s still time until you evolve again. What''s your level anyway?]

    Uhhh, good question. I''ve been pretty much ignoring the System messages for days now. I''ll take a quick peak.

    HOLY MOLY! Seventy three?!

 Chapter 576 Close to power

    <h4>Chapter 576 Close to power </h4>

    My reaction must have given something away, Granin was always quite good at reading me. Amazingly so considering I don''t have facial muscles and therefore no expression to speak of. Perhaps his many decades of experience working with monsters has given him some sort of sixth sense in matters such as this.

    [What''s your level?] he asks.

    [Bit rude, just up and asking like that, isn''t it?] I feel exposed.

    He grunts.

    [Keep your false modesty. There''s a whole nest of ants here who need your strength, so out with it.]

    [Seventy three.]

    [That''s close,] he whistles, [you''re going to need that consultation before too long. With the waveing, those levels and the Biomass requirements should be filled pretty quick.]

    He pauses our conversation for a moment to turn and speak to Torrina and Corun. The three of them converse in rapid tones for a moment before he turns back to me.

    [Sounds like you haven''t exactly been availing yourself of the help I sent you,] he says sourly.

    I feel a little guilty. The two golgari cultists had abandoned their people toe and help me because they, along with Granin, saw potential for something great in me. I''ve just never been much of a careful nner. Or a deep thinker. Or patient. Hang on a second. Am I just stupid?

    [Don''t think about it too much,] Granin sighs, [I know you can''t be bothered thinking about this stuff. Since you aren''t going anywhere until the little stumps wiggling on your side grow a bit more, I may as well exin a couple of things.]

    The big shaper lowers himself to the ground and sits in front of me, looking at me face to face.

    [The thing you need to keep in mind, is that monsters are stronger than people.]

    That doesn''t seem right. That Titus guy was crazy strong! He carved down one of the frickin'' gates by himself! As if sensing my protest before it arrives, Granin raises a hand.

    [I know, alright? Just stop thinking for a minute and listen. Yes, individuals can be very strong. You might even say monstrously strong,] he smirks before he settles and continues, [in the legends, during the Rending, the great golgari heroes were supposedly capable of truly ridiculous feats. One of the first shapers was supposedly so strong in earth magic, he could conjure a mountain to smash his foes with. Whether or not that''s true, none can say. Now whilst that strength might seem impressive, the number of golgari, human, folk or any other race who manage to achieve that kind of power are less than one in a million. Way less. The other indisputable fact is, no person has ever matched the kind of strength that the ancients possess, and each of them, is a monster.]

    [How many billions of monsters does it take before one rises to the level of an ancient?] I say sceptically, [all you''ve really told me is that monsters have higher potential.]

    Granin waves a hand.

    [We''re getting a little side tracked, talking about the ancients. What I was more trying to emphasise is that, generally speaking, a monster is stronger than a human or golgari. Strong monsters need teams of strong people to bring them down. Eventually, some monsters get powerful enough thatrge teams of up to a hundred are necessary. You''ve probably met a few like that, surely?]

    Garralosh, obviously, but she was a special case, being a reincarnator like me. I''ve seen strong monsters though. The giant whale fish thing I glimpsed in the first expanse I visited in the second strata, or the giant spider mama who was such a pain in the butt. Seeing agreement in me, he continues.

    [Right. At the moment you''re tier five, once you reach tier six and above, you''ve joined the ranks of the elite monsters, the type that very few people can hope to match one on one. They exist of course, especially the deeper in the Dungeon you get, but you''re on the precipice of real strength.]

    He gives me a second for that to sink in.

    [The other thing you need to be aware of is how the options will change starting with your next evolution. You probably noticed looking at your eyeball over there,] he gestures toward Invidia, [that he has mutations and abilities that haven''t been avable to you. Am I right?]

    I nod slowly.

    [That''s true. I figured it was because of the strata we originated from. As a demon, he gets ess to juicier stuff than me, since I''m just an insect from the upperyers.]

    [That''s true. The deeper you go, the ''juicier'' the options a monster will get by default. However, the ying field is meant to be level in the Dungeon. Sapients and monsters alike, everyone is supposed to have the same chance to seed. This means there must be a way to bnce this discrepancy.]

    [I''m assuming your about to tell me what it is?]

    [Obviously. It''s called the Rescindic Principle of Mutable Advancement in the academic circles. We mostly just call it a cash in.]

    [¡­ a cash in.]

    He nods.

    [Yes. Basically, you trade in all your current mutations on a particr body part in order to upgrade it to a better base model. Once you evolve at +25, this option will be avable to you.]

    [What do you mean by better base model?] I''m confused.

    I can tell Granin is passionate about this stuff, the more he exins, the more animated he gets and I''m starting to get a little lost. Seeing the dazed emotion in my eyes, he settles himself.

    [Let''s use your carapace as example.]

    [Not my carapace!] I try to cover my glittering shell with my antennae and fail miserably.

    [Bear with me, alright? You''ll like this.] He soothes me with a gesture. [Your carapace started out as the default exo-skeleton that all insect monsters in the first strata have ess to. The thickness might have varied, but you ultimately had the exact same protection that the centipedes had.]

    How revolting.

    [Now, you''ve made excellent improvements and your diamond carapace is extremely durable, I think you picked very well. But what if I told you, it''s possible to revert your carapace back to +0, but instead of starting over with in jane regr chitin, it could be diamond from the get go?]

    Wait¡­ that would mean¡­

    [Right,] he affirms. [Then you could upgrade it from scratch again, adding more and more diamond mutations along the way. By the time you got back to +25, your carapace would be twice as tough as it is now. Not only is this a great way for a monster such as yourself to power up, it''s also a necessary step for you topete with monsters in the deeperyers. Unlike you, they were spawned in an environment with far higher mana concentration, so they get the good stuff right out of the gate.]

    [But the amount of Biomass that would take!] I protest, [it''s insane! I''ll struggle to get everything maxed before I hit level eighty as it is. Then the next evolution won''t be until level one-sixty. And the Biomass to take everything from zero to +30 will be bonkers!]

    It just doesn''t seem feasible, and it appears that Granin agrees.

    [Which is why you don''t reset everything. That''s stupid,] he says, [at most, I rmend that you do two of your body parts. Some of these resets will probably appear in your evolution choices as well, and those count too. Say you get one cash in from your evolution, then during the process, cash in one other thing. Also keep in mind that there are better cash in choices avable at +30 than there are at +25, and so on. If you want your carapace to be as strong as possible, you either need to reset it every evolution, or wait until your reach tier seven or eight before you cash in.]

    My mind is spinning. The number of possibilities this opens up is nuts¡­

    [I told you it was going to get crazy,] Granin grins. [Look at the envy demon. You could make your internal structure mutable at your next evolution, then chomp away until you get it to +30. The next time you evolved you could cash in and change it to the same as his, the pocket dimension. No matter what breaks through your shell, your organs would suffer no damage. It''s a handy one to have.]

    He stands up and brushes off his granite exterior.

    [I''ll have a word with you about the choices you could look at first when it''s time for you to evolve. In the meantime, I want to have a word with the rest of the leadership. There''s a council or something right?]

    [Uh, yeah?] I''m confused. [What do you want with them?]

    [I want to make sure they know how important it is to funnel resources to you,] he says tly, [one tier six powerhouse will do more to protect the Colony during the wave than a thousand tier threes. If they''d concentrated their efforts on you, you''d be tier six already and this siege would have gone much better for you and your whole family. You wouldn''t have been able to take on the Legion single handed, but they would have had to have been very careful about what they chose to put in front of you. From here on out, it''s the big leagues, Anthony. Especially this high up. If the Colony is going to survive, they need strong members, and they should start with you.]

    ¡­ I think they wanted to do that ages ago, but I told them no¡­ I won''t mention it though. Might as well keep that tidbit to myself.

 Chapter 577 The Breaking Wave

    <h4>Chapter 577 The Breaking Wave </h4>

    The process of ''peeling'', or ''folding'' Dungeon veins in order to create low mana density zones within the Dungeon was possibly the most important technique developed in the history of sapient habitation of the world below. Without this method, it would be difficult enough to live at any depth during times of normal mana concentration. During a wave, it''s impossible to exist as any settlement would be forced into a constant state of warfare as monsters leap from the walls, roof and floor.

    Though expensive,bour intensive and requiring specific materials to achieve, the technique has been a foundational pir of every major city and gathering ce within the Dungeon, even in the upper strata. The method itself makes use of the Dungeon veins'' own behaviour, wherein they invade and extend themselves into every avable space.

    Evidence exists that societies were performing the ''folding'' technique during thetter stage of the Rending, as the various surviving empires and militaries began to extend their reach into the lower levels. It isn''t known if the factions spread the knowledge amongst themselves or if the method was derived separately by each, but those who were able to first grasp the process and make use of it enjoyed a significant advantage in the territorial struggle that followed.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from page 25 of ''Territorial disputes and sovereignty in the Dungeon'', by Cicero.

    Tungstant''s brain was spinning with a headybination of exhaustion, exhration, grief, relief and worry. There was so much work for the carver caste to do and so little time in which to aplish it that she honestly didn''t think there was much chance it would bepleted in time. What she needed to know yesterday, was exactly how much they could get done, and exactly what state the nest''s defences would be in by the time the wave hit for real.

    "How long until the gate is ready to go?" she asked with as much patience as she could muster.

    The team in front of herunched into a long and detailed exnation of the structural integrity of the gate, the need to forge new brackets and anchor them to the wall, the re-shaping andpacting that needed to be done to the rock until she cracked.

    "Just estimate a time!" she barked. "I know there are challenges, I know it''splicated, and I know you''re working as hard as possible, just give me your best guess. Please."

    The lead carver on the job sized up the council member for a moment, her antennae scratching the top of her head.

    "It would take days to get the gates refitted in any proper way," the ant said finally, "there''s just too much damage to the brackets and getting new ones fitted can''t be rushed."

    That was far too long. Monsters would be storming up the tunnel in less than an hour! The carver cked her mandibles to settle the uneasy team around her.

    "Instead, we go fast and nasty. Stand up what''s left of the old gates, patch them up as best we can and mould the rock around them to hold them in ce. It''s bad work, but we can get it done in a few hours, worry about the rest when we get a chance."

    Tungstant and the other carvers bristled at the suggestion and even the one suggesting it looked somewhat disgusted. If there was one thing the entire caste hated, it was sloppy craftsmanship, and that extended to all circumstances and projects, even emergencies. In this situation though¡­

    "Get it done as fast as you can," she told the team. "If you need help from the mage caste, make sure you put in a request quickly, they''ve been cooking up something big over there and you''ll need to get in early if you want the extra help."

    One of the carvers flicks an antenna dismissively.

    "They can''t handle earth magic as well as we can," she said, "I''m sure we''ll be fine."

    "Fast work, not good work," Tungstant grimaced (which for an ant, involved flexing the mandibles and tilting the antennae in an unsightly angle). "If the extra mage support will get the job done faster, that''s what we care about right now. We can do emergency patch work after the fact if necessary."

    They all grumble but ede to the wisdom of the decision in the end. A renewed frenzy takes over the worksite as the new direction is adopted and the carvers get to work establishing the leverage they''ll need to get the gates standing again. With that rtively minor fire put out, she was able to turn around and rush back into the nest, already considering the next emergency she needed to take care of.

    Right! The council meeting!

    Suddenly remembering that she had that chore to deal with, she changed direction sharply, making her way to the designated council chamber as quickly as she could. A part of her was irritated at the idea that important work was being dyed for a meeting of all things, but she understood the necessity of it. Without proper coordination, theplex machinery of the Colony couldn''t function properly, especially in a crisis like this. Most of the time the Colony ran itself just fine, her siblings were perfectly capable of making decisions regarding what needed doing, and how. But sometimes the overall macro n needed to be considered and the council suited that function.

    She raced in to find most of the members already gathered. Even the Eldest was there, although they were still somewhatcking in the leg department. She rushed to her seat and no sooner had she plopped herself down in it, her thorax restingfortably in the carved grooves than Cobalt flicked a quick query her way.

    "How''s things looking with the gate?" she scented quietly.

    "Not great," she replied, just as softly, "but I think we''ll be able to hack together a rough solution in a few hours that should hold for now."

    The other carver pulled a face and Tungstant had to stifle augh. Some things were consistent for all of them.

    "I know we''re all very busy," called Cont from her end of the table, "so let''s try and get through this as fast as we can. Before we start, is there anything you would like to say to the group, Eldest?"

    All twenty members turned their eyes to the Eldest who fidgeted on their chair with the sudden attention.

    "Ah, me? Say something? Anything? Like what?"

    "Whatever you want," Cont replied, a little exasperated.

    "I suppose I can," the Eldest said and then paused for a moment, clearly gathering their thoughts, "first thing I want to say is that I''m proud of all of you. Yeah. You''ve done a great job and as a family we''vee so far since the time you were born. I know I could never do the things that all of you do every day and I guess.. I just wanted to say how proud I am. Every member of the Colony is incredible, and so are you. Don''t forget it."

    Thest sentence is a little more firm than the others and each member felt an implicit threat, as if they would suffer dire consequences should they dare forget how much the Eldest was pleased with them.

    "Second thing I wanted to say was that¡­ the uing wave is going to be a challenge, obviously. There''s going to be a huge amount of monsters banging on the gates and flooding our territory. It''s going to be hard, it''s going to be exhausting. And so soon after we just overcame the greatest threat we''ve ever faced. The creatures we''ll see, probably from the third strata, are going to be stronger than anything we''ve encountered before. But I wanted us to look at this wave in a different way. For all the challenges we''ll face, this wave could be an opportunity. More monsters means more experience, more Biomass. Thest wave forced us to escape to the surface, we weren''t strong enough to hold our ground, but even then we were able to farm and benefit a great deal. This time, we have nests, we''re deep, we have tens of thousands of members. We can do so much more than we did before. We''re not going to retreat. We''re going to step forward. This wave is going to give us cover from the Legion, and the golgari and we need to use the time to get so strong they won''t even bother trying to mess with us. That''s all I wanted to say."

    There was silence around the table as the Eldest settled back into their seat. The Eldest had gotten more steady the more they had spoken and in the end had spoken quite clearly about the direction they envisaged the Colony should go in. Tungstant found the message inspiring. Instead of a threat¡­ this was a chance. If they became so strong that even the Legion would be too hesitant to attack. If that happened, they would get even more space, and then use that space to grow even more powerful.

    The glorious future of the Colony was shining brightly in her mind in that moment, and in the minds of all the others who sat around that table. Except the Eldest, who was waggling the stump of a leg back and forth.

 Chapter 578 Turning over a new leaf

    <h4>Chapter 578 Turning over a new leaf </h4>

    Discussions progressed at a rapid pace after my initial, rather embarrassing speech. There was a ton of things on the go around the Colony and still too much that we didn''t know. The status of the two satellite nests was still unknown, how exactly we were going to handle training the surge of hatchlings heading up to the surface, the huge amount of wounded that still needed caring for. Several things were easy to take care of. We made sure to issue an emergency recall of all aphids who were currently deployed in the expanse within our territory. It wouldn''t be safe for them to remain in ce during the wave and I''m fairly confident most of them were brought back to the nests before the siege anyway. Prioritising the expansion of the colony''s capability in the metallurgy space was a no-brainer and the carvers were directed to get back onto this process as soon as the defences were done.

    Cobalt and Tungstant had worked with their caste to design a truly ambitious system for the delivery, sorting and smelting of ores that would increase the capacity of the main nest to produce ingots by tenfold should it get off the ground. Securing a supply of raw ore would be difficult during the wave, but it was important the Colony work to position itself toe out of the onught in the best possible position.

    In the middle of discussions, I dropped a bomb.

    "I''m not certain that tier three is enough for our graduates anymore."

    My pronouncement was met with a stunned silence and I quickly raised my antennae in a cating gesture.

    "I know, I know. Getting so many ants to tier three so quickly is already a massive task. There already aren''t enough cores to go around, Biomass is in constant demand and as the number of satellite nests increases, so will the number of hatchlings in need of training. I get it. The challenges are real. I want to ask you though, do you really believe that tier three is enough to contend with what we are facing right now, and are likely to face in the future?"

    The council members all consider my words carefully as I speak and Victor pipes up after a few moments of thought.

    "From the perspective of a general, a tier four in the warrior caste is more than twice as useful as a tier three. The evolutions of the general caste are better fighters, provide more beneficial auras and even their raw stats make them better nners. Soldiers, it goes without saying just how much a soldier can gain in terms of defensive ability, jaw strength, regeneration and speed in that one evolution. Scouts are the same, I''m sure you would agree, Burke and Wills, are much more capable at the fourth tier."

    "Getting them to tier five would be far better than getting them to tier four, but that doesn''t mean it''s feasible," Propent objected. "Obviously a mage is far better at controlling spells with an extra evolution under their belt, but the bottom line is, experience and cores, where are you going to get them from? If we end up pushing more ants to evolve faster, but without providing the necessary cores to increase the avable evolutionary energy, then we''d be crippling rather than helping ourselves."

    "I agree with that point," I tell them, "in fact I want us to put a higher priority on maxed cores for every evolution as well."

    More silence meets my second announcement.

    "Look," I say, resting my two antennae on the table much like a human putting their elbows down and steepling their fingers, "we aim to get smarter and better in every aspect of Colony life, all the time. Am I right?"

    The other council members could only agree.

    "Raising the brood to be as strong as possible is the most fundamental and important duty this Colony undertakes. There is nowhere and nothing more deserving of innovation and improvement than this. We need more experience? Let''s think about how to make it happen. We need more cores? Let''s explore ways we can make it happen! I know the brood tenders have put an enormous amount of work into their curriculum and their methods of instruction for the hatchlings, they haven''t stopped trying to improve. It''s the rest of us who need to lift when ites to supplying the raw materials. During the wave, I don''t think this is going to be much of a problem, but going forward, I think this is a change we have to make."

    The two brood tenders on the council, Theresant and Florence, both ck their mandibles in gratitude that I acknowledge the hard work they and their entire caste has put in, something the rest of the council immediately echoes. After more discussions and apportioning of work, the council breaks up and everyone rushes back to doing what needs to be done. Everyone has their role and their own special task assigned to them, even me, which is why I find myself outside the nest looking curiously at the overflowing vegetation that has taken over this section of Dungeon.

    Scouts had reported the strange phenomenon, as well the presence of unknown creatures lurking amidst the growth not long after the siege had been lifted, so naturally the council decided to send me to stick my nose in and investigate.

    Using all the senses I have avable, I step forward slowly toward the abundant nt life that has seemingly sprung from nowhere but I order my three loyal pets to stay back. This stuff could be poisonous, or worse. I get a really weird feeling from the nts. I''m not sure if it''s the mana flow, or the way they look¡­ but something about it just rubs me the wrong way and I find myself very reluctant to push forward.

    Good thing too, because only a few momentster a gigantic creature who looks like five tree-trunks arranged in a vaguely humanoid shape stomps around the corner and approaches. At first I want to give the monster both barrels of a fire ball but slipping along in his wake are creatures that I recognise much more clearly.

    Branchies! What the heck are branchies doing down here in the Dungeon?!

    Almost eagerly, I spin together a mind bridge and reach out only to find another mind probe toward mine first.

    [Ah, hello?] I start out with a ssic.

    [Greetings, friend insect. It is nice to see that someone hase out to see us, atst.]

    Come on, man/giant tree thing! We''ve got stuff to deal with in the nest, give us a break!

    [I apologise if there has been any offense,] smooth, diplomatic, and most importantly, smooth. Like a buttered snail surfing in a tub of grease. [There has been a great deal to do within the nest and the scouts reported the presence of this¡­ ntlife, not that long ago.]

    The giant wooden guy waves a creaking arm.

    [No offense, was caused,] the mind that touches mine is strange andplex. It feels deep and old, yet at the same time, young and childlike. [We wanted to remain to speak with your people before we retreated back to our grove. I am a Grove Keeper, and I can better keep my people safe in the seat of my mother''s power.]

    Feels like there''s a lot to unpack there.

    [Your people? Are you referring to the people behind you? I think I met some of them while I was up on the surface. Not these people exactly, you know, but¡­ people.]

    Those giant eyes blink slowly.

    [Yes,] he finally answers, [a small group of the Bruan''chii had made their home in the Lirian forest. They told the mother about you and she has extended her roots through this area in an attempt to seek you out. In the end, it was pure happenstance that you stumbled into one and she was able to determine your position.]

    Bruan''chii, eh? How¡­ convenient. Wait, his mother has roots? As in, literally a tree?

    [So your mother was looking for us? Is it possible that I ask why?]

    Please don''t be a psycho killer tree, please don''t be a psycho killer tree. I do NOT need that in my life right now.

    [Because we were able to recognise you for what you were. A traveller from another world, just as she was.]

    [Another reincarnated soul?] I''m shocked, [how about that?]

    Wait a minute. All of us transnted souls are a bit¡­ on the iffy side, sanity wise. Might as well ask a probing question.

    [Would you say your mother is¡­ how to phrase this¡­ a rational and calm sort of individual?]

    The giant tree-person hesitates and the leaves around me break out loud rustling that almost sounds likeughter.

    [No,]es the answer, [no I would not.]

 Chapter 579 Moving on up, moving on... etc

    <h4>Chapter 579 Moving on up, moving on... etc </h4>

    My conversation with the bruan''chii Grove Keeper was disappointingly short, but enlightening. There was precious little time before the wave reached a full throated roar and the tree-people didn''t want to be caught out in the open. Apparently the ''mother tree'' wasn''t able, or didn''t want to, maintain all the vegetation that she had caused to grow through the tunnels over the duration of the wave. I was a little shocked to learn that every leaf, vine and flower I saw was in fact as extension of the one tree rather than separate nts. Since she''s a monster like me, I wonder what tier it takes to be powerful enough you can essentially extend yourself through huge swathes of Dungeon at will. I could have asked of course, but I think it would have been a bit rude. If I ever get close to enough to the tree herself, I might be in a position to ask a few, more pointed questions.

    With the Grove Keeper and his charges returning to their grove, there isn''t much else for me or my pets to do but help out with the defence of the Colony. The wave is just about to break and I can feel the heat sources in the walls building constantly. At this stage, we only have a few minutes before they start pouring out. Already the spawn rate in the Dungeon has gone crazy and the tunnels are beginning to fill with the roars, shrieks, and shes of monstrousbat. I remember this noise, and not too fondly. Better get used to it since it''ll be weeks until we get to enjoy anything like quiet again.

    [Alright guys, we''re going to split up and defend the nest. I''ll take the spot in front of the damaged gate. I want Crinis to block the entrance to the tunnel that connects to the brood chambers, Invidia and Tiny can take the gate the golgari damaged. Make sure as few monsters as possible get passed you, alright?]

    This will give the Colony a little more time to finish organising the defences. They''ll be busy cleaning up the monsters that spawn on the inside of the nest anyways. Crinis raises a tentative tentacle.

    [Are you sure you''ll be alright on your own Master? You nearly died¡­ again¡­ in thest battle.]

    There''s a certain intensity to the little blob of indescribable horror that sends a shiver down my non-existent spine. Dammit, she''s not happy.

    [I get it, I understand what you''re saying, Crinis. It was my fault that time, I got a bit carried away. Thankfully, we all survived and are healthy, so we can perform this duty.]

    [But¡­]

    [Crinis,] I say, drawing closer and looking down at anxiously wobbling blob. She stills as Ie near, and I use an antennae to pat her on the ¡­ let''s say head? [That hole is still being closed by the Colony and there''s a chance that monsters will break through and attack the brood. We can''t let that happen, no matter what. This is the most important position and I only trust you to do it. You''ll be able to make sure not a single monster gets through. Please, I''m counting on you to do this.]

    The little ball vibrates in ce as my words of ce pile up until she explodes as I finish speaking.

    [O-of course! Master! I won''t let any disgusting filth slip by! You can count on me!]

    Gweheheheh. Crises averted. The blob of imprable darkness wastes no time, sinking into the shadows and in a moment, she''s gone, making her way around to the other side of the nest where a mighty forest of barbed limbs will soon sprout. It''s a little mean to manipte Crinis out of being mad at me, but what I told her was the pure truth. She''s much better suited to tackling huge numbers of rtively weak monsters, it''s her specialty. With her guarding the tunnel dug by the hated worm, I won''t have to worry a bit.

    [Tiny, Invidia? Got any questions?]

    Tiny looks at me, looks at Invidia, looks at his stomach, then back to me, all without a change of expression. Somehow, it makes perfect sense to me. I think my brain is degenerating the more I interact with him.

    [I don''t know how you guys want to split up the Biomass, work it out between you. I will say, however, if you want more to eat, try not to explode as many monsters. That goes for both of you. Your full-strength punches are just as bad as Invidia''s explosions right now, you know that right?]

    He was about to point andugh at this demonicpanion but my admonishment wipes the smile from Tiny''s face and he looks a little pensive as the two of them make their way back through the nest to the other side. I can tell what he''s thinking, he''s trying to weigh up his love of food versus his love of hitting things as hard as he can. I honestly don''t know which urge will turn out to be the winner. He does need to make sure he gets the Biomass he needs for his next evolution. He''s still a long way from the tier six evolution, much as Crinis is, but it doesn''t hurt to start racking up those points as early as possible. I''ve still got a lot of eating ahead of me regardless of whether or not I can pile up the seven levels I need.

    With my troops deployed, there isn''t much for me to do except nt my butt in front of the destroyed gate and wait for the fireworks to start. My carapace is pretty much fully healed by this point, but I''m not too worried. The monsters that will spawn around here are likely to be shadow beasts and the like, only at level one at that. As the heat signs grow stronger in the walls, Iboriously put together the omni-elemental construct, the stupid thing sitting like a lump of iron in my minds. Tell you what, I can''t wait until I evolve and pump up my brains some more, then this thing won''t be such a pain in the thorax.

    By the time I finish getting it ready, the monsters have already begun to emerge. The distant din ofbat grows louder by the second until the first monsters of the wave make themselves known. All along the tunnel, from the walls, floor and ceiling a shower of dirt erupts as ws, heads, maws and monsters of all types erupt from the Dungeon veins. Instantly, the tunnel around me has as many as thirty monsters in it, each of them starving and enraged, drunk on the overflowing mana that birthed them. Without a pause to catch their breath, they begin to throw themselves at each other in a disy of savage violence. Survival of the fittest isw in the Dungeon, something no monster needs to be taught.

    A couple of the closer ones decide that I look like a juicy enough morsel that they ignore the weaker pray and charge toward me, shadow flesh bulging and distending with the force of their roars. I idly spin together a few fire bolts. Time to harvest a few Skill levels.

 Chapter 580 The wonders of science

    <h4>Chapter 580 The wonders of science </h4>

    They''d done it. After so much time and effort had been expended, they''d finally done it. The mage caste had put themselves through the ringer during the siege, they had battered their minds against the invaders until they bordered on shattering. It had been a painful regime of brutal mental warfare seemingly without end. What had made things even more difficult for the brainy caste of spell-slingers were the critical research tasks draining their numbers. The Colony had decided that the gates and Dungeon vein removal projects were so critical, so vital to the future sess of their kind, that even the threat of imminent destruction was not enough to curtail the development of these techniques.

    Progress on the gates remained painfully slow. It was clear that without higher levelled specialists in both enchantment and the as yet unseen space magic would be required to make significant headway there. On the other hand, the teams assigned to reverse-engineering the methods witnessed in the city of Rylleh had achieved a breakthrough.

    As jubnt as she was, Propent couldn''t help but look askance at the team of mages and carvers who had worked together to make this possible. She studied theplex, almost wavy, interlocking series of walls in front of her once more.

    "And you''re sure this is going to work?" she asked them.

    One of the mages stepped forward, her antennae waving furiously.

    "Of course it''s going to work you old bat! What the heck do you think we''ve been doing down here while y- HRCK!"

    With extreme speed, a team of previously stealthed ants leapt from the ceiling of the chamber and tackled the mage to the ground mid-rant. Before anyone could think to intervene, the new arrivals had swarmed over the downed ant, expertly knocking her out with a precision bite to cut off cirction to her brain before the shadows enfolded them once more. In less than a second they were gone once more, taking the furious mage with them. The only sign of their presence was an ominously lingering pheromone message that hung in the air long after they were gone.

    "Sleep well¡­" was all it said.

    Even Propent felt a chill run down her carapace at the disy. The sleep monitors took their work deadly seriously. They were clearly starting to manage their evolutions and skills in a direction to better allow them to perform their role, making them terrifyingly capable. The sudden disappearance of their colleague had an even greater effect on the rest of the research, their terror was clear to see in every inch of their frames.

    "Just how long as it been since your team leader slept?" Propent asked.

    "T-t-t-three days," stammered a carver.

    "And how long have you been awake?" she followed up.

    The little ant trembled so violently Propent was worried her exo-skeleton was about to crack.

    "She''s been awake for two days and twenty-two hours," another team member helpfully supplied.

    Propent cked her mandibles.

    "Better get through this quick then. So, someone else this time, preferably someone not driven near delirious fromck of rest. Are you sure this is going to work?"

    The much smaller ants consulted amongst themselves for a moment before a pair stepped forward, one carver and one mage.

    "ording to our calctions, there is a strong chance of sess," the mage spoke with crisp words, "although we were unable to derive the exact method used in Rylleh, we believe that this is as close as we can get to an approximate recreation."

    Math. The council member tried to be too repulsed by the sudden mention of ''calctions''. That stuff was far more up Cont''s alley. She herself was firmly in the ''blow stuff up and think about itter'' school of magic. Whichever cursed fool on the surface had introduced the concept to the mage caste, it had spread like wildfire and split her siblings right down the middle. She turned to the carver.

    "What do you think?" she asked.

    The smaller ant rubbed one of the strange ws on her foreleg across the top of her head.

    "It''s a butt load of work, fine work at that," the ant sighed, "but it''s held up in our tests so far. Only problem is, we haven''t been able to try it on asrge a surface area as the nest, so we can''t be certain everything will be the same."

    She didn''t like the sound of that. Propent wandered over to the mock-up the team had erected in the centre of the room and tried to ignore the battles going on elsewhere in the chamber. Damn waves made it so hard to concentrate. It really was precise work. The team had erected no fewer than ten separate walls in a space less than a foot wide, each one folding back on the others in pattern soplex it could pass for a magic construct. It was only possible to create such razor thin walls and shape them in such a way by reinforcing andpressing them to an absurd degree with magic. The level of earth magic on disy was formidable. To rece the outer walls of an entire chamber with thisyered wall formation would be¡­ a monstrous undertaking.

    They''d attempted to exin it to her, something about guiding the veins, folding them and then ''rolling'' them along ''pre-determined channels of high mana sensitivity''. It didn''t make a whole lot of sense to her, but she hadn''t spent weeks working non-stop to develop the method.

    "You''ve got the go-ahead," she told them. "I want the eggying and brood chambers to be done within forty-eight hours. We''ll mobilise the entire mage caste and every carver with an earth magic Skill of rank four or above."

    The team went wild with joy, pping each other with their antennae, high-fiving and cking their mandibles with glee. Propent watched them celebrate with a warm feeling until she noticed the shadows extending from the walls, drawing closer to the team each second.

    "BUT-", she suddenly shouted, before she lowered the intensity of her scent and continued, "but only after you rest. This work is too important to trust to tired minds. Six hours for all of you, minimum, in the meantime I''ll start organising the shifts and getting the antpower we need."

    The team grumbled amongst themselves about the dy, but she paid them no mind, instead watching as the darkness began to recede back to the walls.

    By the Eldest, she thought to herself, that''s terrifying.

    "Congrattions to all of you," she told them, "this breakthrough will go down in the history of the Colony and I believe the Eldest will want toe and congratte you personally on your achievement. Our whole family is proud of you."

    The delighted team continued to celebrate and praise each other as they made their way to the mage torpor chambers, never realising the dark shadows that trailed along behind them the entire way.

 Chapter 581 Waves gonna wave

    <h4>Chapter 581 Waves gonna wave </h4>

    When word finally came back from the satellite nests the sense of relief in the Colony was noticeable. Burke herself was the first to receive the message and made sure to pass it on as quickly as she could. The smaller nests had held up well, suffering no more than a few probing attacks intended to keep them in ce. They hadn''t been able to stock away Biomass as the main nest had though, theck of food growing into a real problem over the course of the siege. Now that the wave was underway, that problem was in the process of rapidly rectifying itself.

    The Eldest and their pets continued to guard the most vulnerable points of entry into the nest itself whilst a flurry of activity continued behind them. Burke and Wills where everywhere, running messages, coordinating scouting parties and doing the legwork that kept the Colony running as one efficient unit. The two bumped into each other sprinting in opposite directions down a long tunnel and decided to take a short break to catch up on news.

    "I heard about the satellites, that''s good news," Wills told her, "from the sounds of things, the Queens haven''t been able to maintain production over there. Our need for graduated hatchlings is dire."

    "We could double the number of scouts and I''d still have work for them to do," Burke agreed, "but there''s little we can do about it right now. Once the nests are secure, we can move forward from there."

    "Agreed. Have you seen what the mages are up to in the brood chambers?"

    Burke indicated to the negative and Wills quickly filled her in on the new technique and the massive scale of the earthworks taking ce in the heart of the nest.

    "That''s a big deal," the scout cked, "if they can do that for the entire nest¡­"

    During their conversation a roaring shadow beast erupted from the wall right between the two. Reflexes and instincts highly trained, they both turned as one and snapped at the creature, ending its existence in the Dungeon as quickly as it had begun.

    "¡­ things will get a lot easier to manage around here," she finished.

    Wills nodded.

    "From what I hear, the carvers are raving mad about it. The constant spawns are making it almost impossible to do any sort of industrial work. Their workshops are crowded as is and now they need to cram soldiers into every nook and cranny to defend them. It''s a mess."

    The ants who focused their attentions on crafting were indeed being ''driven mad''. Workshops were being upended as monsters crawled out of the floor under their work stations, screamed out of the walls and generally made a mess of the ce as the soldiers and scouts charged forward to battle them. The only group of production style ants that weren''t too perturbed by the whole thing were the core shapers. Maintaining their concentration was hard, but the never ending monster spawns provided an endless stream of experience and biomass for their weaker creations.

    If the mages were actually able to achieve what they had set out to do, life in the nest might return to some semnce of normality. And this was only the beginning. In another section of the nest, Victor and Sloan huddled together, along with dozens of other high level generals working together in teams. The enormous scale model of the section of Dungeon they were in had been expanded to include every piece of new territory the Colony had explored and the two council members were busy identifying potential choke points, trying to anticipate problems and organise the troops within the nest.

    "What''s the status at the gate?" Sloan asked a passing scout.

    "The Eldest is still there, very little has managed to approach the gate itself," came back the report.

    The two generals breathed a sigh of relief. The Eldest was buying them precious time to re-establish their defences and get some control back. The two generals were determined to make the most of the opportunity. It wouldn''tst, they both understood that. How could it? Right now the Eldest and their guardians would be holding off the monsters with ease since they were level one, tier one creatures springing into the tunnels the moment they were spawned. Although the constant ''waves'' of spawns were draining, disrupting and all around irritating, the Colony had grown to a point where even in the second strata, they weren''t much of a threat. The real danger of the wave had only just begun to take shape and was yet to appear. It was the survivors, the winners, the monsters who, for whatever reason, were able to survive and thrive in the mess of the Dungeon. Be they newly spawned, fresh out of a wall, or perhaps had already had a few evolutions under their belt before the wave got going, it was those creatures who would rapidly rise in power that would be a threat.

    Then, after that, woulde the creatures from below. They hadn''t had to experience it during the first wave, apparently the Legion had been holding off the beasties from the depths, unintentionally saving the Colony a great deal of pain. Perhaps even saving their lives. This time, there would be no such protection. The creatures from the third strata woulde screaming up from below and begin to batter against the Colony in earnest. It would take a little while before they arrived, but they would.

    "What about here?" Sloan indicated a particr section of tunnel with an antenna.

    Victor leaned closer.

    "Feasible. We''ll need to coordinate with the fortification teams. We''ll need to find a carver with a high level of the ''defensive fortification'' Skill and ce them with each design group. These barricades cannot be weak."

    "Good idea," her sibling agreed, "I think we also need to ask the core shapers to take a greater role in the tunnels. This environment is perfect for them and they''ll leap at the chance."

    "With so many soldiers and scouts injured, it''d certainly take a load off our shoulders," Victor sighed.

    The two of them were fatigued to a dangerous extent. It wouldn''t surprise either of them if they were to be seized and dragged away at any moment, but they both refused to go for torpor until the bones of the strategy for tackling the wave had been constructed. The Eldest had been right about this wave. The Colony wasn''t the same as it was thest time. There were well over a hundred thousand of them now. They were smarter, stronger, better prepared. If they moved fast, were smart, and gripped this chance tight in their mandibles, they coulde out the other end in a far better position than they went in.

    All around them, teams of generals dissected the Dungeonyout and nned. Patrols, aggressive sweeps, defensive emcements. They targeted areas that could be controlled, areas they could build in. They paid particr attention to areas with water sources or particrly high concentrations of mana. Every expanse they had encountered was being analysed for their potential as a threat, but also as a resource.

    Thergest farming operation in the history of the frontier kingdoms was beginning to take shape.

 Chapter 582 Charge toward evolution

    <h4>Chapter 582 Charge toward evolution </h4>

    I''ve been out here for hours and I still haven''t levelled up. Oops, herees another one. Thirty metres down the tunnel, the dirt bulges before crumbling away to reveal a newly spawned shadow crawler. Despite having six legs, I really can''t approve of these things, their faces look like a mosquito, with a piercing snout almost a metre long. My minds churn and, in a few moments, a condensed fireball whizzes forward, smacking into the creature and detonating with a wave of heat that rolls all the way back to me, lighting up my antennae and drying out my eyeballs.

    Dammit.

    [You have in level 1 - ¡­]

    Yeah, yeah, yeah. A tier one, level one enemy isn''t going to do squat for me. It''s pretty much not even worth the time to go and eat the Biomass. I''ve seen a couple of monsters make their way up the tunnel who were rank three and I happily consumed them, but for the most part I''ve been content to let the masses of creatures have it out with each other, asionally deploying the me thrower like fire magic to keep them away from the gate. Only twice has anything above tier threee close enough for me to fight and those battles were at least interesting. Despite the near deafening noise of screaming, screeching and roaring, apanied by the visually stimting sight of hundreds of monsters fighting for dear life within eyeshot, I''m bored. I''M SO DAMN BORED. All I''m doing is sitting here picking on small fries whilst the Colony goes insane working their abdomens off behind me.

    Already the remains of the gate have been raised and sealed into ce. I can still see the carvers at work now, guarded by teams of soldiers as they crawl all over the metal surface of the once mighty bulwark, doing whatever they can to repair the metal and the enchantments that were woven into the structure of the steel. I have to say, despite their best efforts, the gate still looks like garbage. Huge rents, dents and tears are still evident all over the ce and the once mighty ant head carved into the surface is looking much worse for wear. If I''m being honest, it''s so ugly it could pass for a centipede.

    I know that me being here is buying the Colony precious time, and that it''s valuable, but it''s just not all that stimting. Still, I remain. If I were to go do something else, they''d need to station a whole team of soldiers and scouts to rece me and both of those castes saw massive casualties during the siege, and there are still thousands of injured who need time to get their legs back under them. And this is a wave, after all. I''m sure that the inside of the nest is aplete mess, with soldiers on duty every twenty metres of tunnel and clinging to walls all around the chambers.

    Ah well, hopefully I''ll be able to move on soon and do something a little more exciting. I have to admit, being this close to my next evolution is tantalising. Evolving is such a massive boost of power for a monster and I''ve been in my current form for quite a while. Amassing eighty levels is no easy feat, especially when I''m sharing a lot of experience with my pets and my twenty bodyguards. Just thinking about what juicy options may appear gets me excited. What body parts will I make mutable this time? What could I add to my perfect ant form? So many questions¡­

    Even just nning out the possible stat distribution is exciting. Gah! I need to distract myself and think about something else.

    At least all this spare time has removed any excuse I might have had to continue avoiding my status. Trawling through the numbers has always been a bit of a pain, but I have to admit it was pleasant to see the number of upgrades I''ve managed to rue. Turns out fighting non-stop for days on end is pretty helpful when ites to levelling skills. Who''d have thunk it?

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 73 (Rare) (V)

    Might: 91

    Toughness: 79

    Cunning: 64

    Will: 45

    HP: 158/158

    MP: 300/300

    Skills:

    General:

    Master Excavation (IV) Level 3; Expert Grip (III) Level 9; Expert Stealth (III) Level 6; Tunnel Guide (III) Level 11; Iron Mind (IV) Level 30; Master Stamina (IV) Level 6; Still Meditation (IV) Level 12; Snap Dash (IV) Level 11;

    Mana:

    Mana Craft (V) Level 24; Condensed Mana (IV) Level 18; Finer External Mana Maniption (IV) Level 16; Mana Hoarder (IV) Level 22; Master Mind Magic Affinity (IV) Level 20; Directed Mana Sensing (IV) Level 12; Expert Healing Magic Affinity (III) Level 14; Omni-Elemental Affinity (V) Level 4; Mana Masking (II) Level 6;

    Pet:

    Further Pet Communication (III) Level 7; Core Crafting (IV) Level 13; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 5;

    Defensive:

    Grandmaster Exo-Skeleton Defence (V) Level 11; Master Dodge (IV) level 25; Master Endure (IV) Level 6; Expert Grace (III) Level 14;

    Offensive:

    Unerring Acid Shot (IV) Level 6; Master Precise Shooting (IV) Level 23; Doom Chomp (V) Level 23;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Perimeter Eyes +20, Far-sight Oracle Antennae +25;

    Defence:

    Complete Diamond Carapace +25, Braced Healing Inner Carapace ting +25;

    Physical:

    Hardened Rapid Absorption Legs +25, Mana Flooded Mandibles +25, Frequent Potent Regeneration nd +25, Loquacious Pheromone nd +15, Vast Hungering Stomach +25; Lock Hyper-Twitch Muscture +25, Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +20;

    Acid:

    Propagating Mana-Feasting Bind Acid nd +25, Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +20; Thickened Weakening Acid concentration nd +20, Fatiguing Acid Stimtion nd +10;

    Mental:

    Unyielding Coordination Cortex +25;

    Mana:

    Bottomless Gravity Magic nd +20, Endless Collective Will Vestibule +25;

    Species: Juvenile Colony Paragon (Formica Sapiens)

    Skill points: 14

    Biomass: 224

    A lot of Skill upgrades havee in, which cost me more than a small number of Skill points. All in all, my physical Skills as well as my generic mana Skills have seen a massive upgrade. One of the most impactful is probably the often-under-appreciated Stamina Skill, which has made it all the way up to rank four. At this level, the knowledge of how to move and rest my body in order to minimise the expenditure of energy has seeped into the deepest crevices of my mind. Combined with the Vestibule, it''s this Skill that allowed me to fight for as long as I did. Grandmaster exo-skeleton defence is likely what kept me alive during that final battle, rank five Skills are no joke and my precision when shifting my body to best utilise my carapace has grown to a new height. Combined with the Endure Skill reaching rank four, I was able to deflect, absorb and otherwise tank a heck of a lot more damage than I otherwise would have. Although I didn''t achieve too many rank ups in my magic skills, the levels are progressing nicely. I can already tell that when some of these Skills hit rank five I''ll see a huge upgrade in my spell casting capacity. With a few Skill points in the bank, all I really need to worry about now is finalising my mutations and capping out my core before I''m ready to evolve! I''m getting pumped up!

    After hosing down a few more piddling monsters with blue mes, I continue to wait until my reverie is disrupted by an exhausted looking Sloan.

    "Hey, Sloan! You look rough! Be careful you don''t get caught out skipping torpor."

    The general waves a droopy antenna in dismissal.

    "I''m so far gone I''m sure they''re on their way right now," she says, "besides, you''re myst stop before I go get some rest."

    "Oho! Does this mean you don''t need me here on the gate anymore? Got another job that needs doing?"

    She nods.

    "Yes. Well, no. Sort of. I''m so damn tired¡­"

    I give her second to gather her thoughts as the weary ant literally sways on her legs.

    "You''re setting a bad example Sloan."

    "I know, I know. We can hold the gates here now, and there really isn''t anything that we need your help with urgently, except level up. We need you to evolve as quickly as possible in order to help us deal with the monsters from the third strata when theye."

    That''s ¡­ a good call. Invidia is an example of a third strata demon, albeit a finely crafted and powerful one. If a swarm of creatures on his levele charging up the tunnels, things will get really hairy, real fast.

    "So you just want me to charge off into the Dungeon with my crew and try to level up? You sure about that?" I ask dubiously.

    That''s the sort of thing I usually do when I''m trying to avoid my responsibilities. Now it turns out that it''s exactly what the council wants me to do?

    "We''re sure. Even more than that, we''re going to start stockpiling Biomass here at the nest for you. Get all the experience you can, as fast as you can. Once you reach level eightye home and we''ll make sure everything is ready for the evolution."

    "Sounds good to me, Sloan! I''m off!"

    Whoo! By the time she finishes talking, I''m already gone, dashing through the monsters littering the tunnel and making my way around the nest to collect my pets. After bashing my head into the Legion for so long, I''m about ready to find someone my own size to pick on! Tier six, here Ie!

 Chapter 583 I spied a spider

    <h4>Chapter 583 I spied a spider </h4>

    Tiny was more than happy to abandon his post for something more exciting and I think Crinis was just relieved she was able to return to me without something dramatic urring, such as me being sucked through a ck hole into the hundredth strata, if that even exists. With the gang assembled, we set off into the deeper tunnels and it was rapidly apparent that things were starting to heat up within the frozen spaces of the second strata. Monsters were fighting everywhere. Shadow beasts in various states of evolution and all sorts of other critters filled every nook and cranny that we came across, either fighting or consuming the Biomass of the opponent in the fight they''d just won. When we slid close to an expanse, the number of monsters we ran into climbed even higher until there was a full on mob that we''d need to physically push through if we wanted to move forward. We weren''t interested in getting into an expanse, I know how crazy those ces get during a wave, all we wanted was the experience.

    Which we took, obviously.

    Between the four of us tier five monsters (Invidia is already tier six, but anyway), we were able to sweep away the opposition without too many issues. The only problem we faced was fatigue, since it took a fair bit of effort to scour the tunnels of hundreds of monsters and the further we moved from the nest, the less power I got from my Vestibule. About halfway to our destination we ended up having to ''pull over'' for a break. I dug away a section of tunnel wall and sealed it back over behind us so we could rest rtively free from the disturbance of the wave. It''d been a long time since I''d had to do that for all of us and it was eye opening to realise just how muchrger the chamber had to be now that we had all evolved to this point. Crinis wasn''t much of an issue, being a blob that canpress herself, and obviously Invidia keeps the vast bulk of his mass tucked away in a pocket dimension, but Tiny and I have be fairly sizeable. Things have really changed since he was little and used to ride around on my back. I did also have to make room for my twenty babysitters since Protectant insisted theye in with us. Irritating!

    It did make me wonder, with the tier six evolutioning up, just howrge am I going to get? Asrge as the Queen? Maybe¡­ It''s going to be weird if I end up that size, some of the tunnels won''t even berge enough to contain me¡­

    Eh, I''ll worry about that when it happens. After a very wee and overdue period of torpor, I rouse the gang and we head out once more. I need experience, which means we need to find as many higher tier monsters as we possibly can, and I can remember one such creature that we''d found who managed to escape my grasp. That''s right, it''s that darn mama spider! I hadn''t wanted to pursue her into her cave of deathst time, but I''m confident now that we can handle anything she can throw at us! The time for the domination of the eight legged to beplete is nigh! Down with the arachnid! Gweheheheh!

    Thanks to my tunnel map, I know exactly where that tunnel is located and we make our way there slowly, having to fight every step of the way. Rather than dive into the expanse, we skirt around the edges until we locate the point I think is closest to the spider''sir from the outside. Of course I''m going to dig through! Can you imagine fighting all over those webs during a wave?! No thanks! Once I have a rough idea I use my mana sense and get some help from Crinis to try and guide my efforts as I start digging down to where their is.

    Submerging myself within the ant zen, the time passes swiftly and before I know it, I can sense the looming mana of the spider boss somewhere in front.

    [Alright team, time to put the n into action. You know what to do?]

    [Yessssss.]

    [Yes, Master!]

    [HRAAA!]

    [Good. Get ready!]

    I reach within, all of my minds working in concert on the task of bringing forth the dark purple mana that sits next to my core. More and more energy is extracted as I utilise my skills topact it until the most deadly spell I know has been formed. The Gravity Bomb is taking shape! Naturally, we retreat further back down the tunnel to a safe distance as I form the spell and though I don''t think it''ll do much good, I do my best to mask the mana I condense. The spider will probably work out that we''reing, but if all goes ording to n, it won''t be able to escape. For several long minutes I rush the mana down until the bomb is prepared and I prepare to fire it.

    [Fire in the hole!]

    So saying, I unleash the slowly rotating sphere of nigh on ck mana. The moment it impacts the end of my narrow tunnel, it expands to its full size and the horrifying pull makes itself known. Rock, earth and cobwebs fly into the singrity constantly, being crushed and smashed into pieces. Despite being able to see the destruction take ce, there''s no sound other than the howling wind, as if what happened in the sphere urred in another universe. We wait out the spell in grim silence until it flickers and vanishes, leaving behind rubble and a ball of extremely dense detritus.

    [Go! Get in there!] I shout and immediately dash!

    Tiny and Invidia are right behind me, with Crinis riding along on my shell. I can see through the section of tunnel we sted open that a dense nest of webs is woven on the other side. At least, it was dense, after the bomb a huge section has been reduced to nothing, dragged in and obliterated by the spell.

    [Invidia!]

    The demon doesn''t reply but immediately lets fly with his magic.

    BOOM! BOOM!

    A chain of explosions rock the tunnel ahead, sting at the walls of the tunnel the spider has made her home. The webs are strong, super strong, to the point where a huge amount of effort is needed to destroy them. The rock that they rest on, however, is just in old rock.

    BOOM! BOOM!

    Sections of tunnel wall copse with a thunderous roar, dragging down the web attached to them and making a mess of what was only moments ago a spider paradise. That''s right spider, all that you love shall be turned to ash! This is your punishment for the sin of too many legs! After a minute of sting away at her nest and blocking the exit, the spider mama has had enough. With a deafening screech, her bulbous form rockets out of the depths of her nest and into our waiting arms.

    A deathly chill of poison spreads out from abdomen as she appears, tainting the air and causing the micro hairs on my antennae to shrivel the moment she draws close. I knew this monster would have some tricks up her sleeve, let''s see if it''s enough to save her!

 Chapter 584 Seizing the levels

    <h4>Chapter 584 Seizing the levels </h4>

    In truth, the establishment of the Core Shapers by the Eldest proved over time to be a master stroke. At first, there were many who decried the resources being sent to the caste instead of being used to nourish the next generation. Perhaps at first, this was indeed the case. As hardworking and talented as Elegant and Be were in those early days, they l acked Skill levels, expertise and the raw statistical power required forplex core shaping. The Core Shapers were a sinkhole of precious cores, the most importantmodity to the Colony, as it was needed to fuel evolutions and there was never anywhere close to enough to satisfy the Colony''s needs. Some postte that thesting damage done by the Shapers draining cores at this time had a muchrger carry on effect than may have been seen on the surface, but I personally doubt it.

    The Council was strict with resource allocation then, just as they are now. Be and Ellie were forced to work miracles with the pittance that they were given, raising their caste up with nothing more than scraps and fumes. Eventually, the Core Shapers rose to a ce of prominence and their contributions could no longer be denied by even the most strident of critics. Able to take risks with their pets that ants could not, able to adapt to any environment or conditions by changing out their followers, able to range far on their own, relying on their defenders to protect them. The number of cores brought back to the Colony through out-of-territory resource collection missions is a staggering figure, one that most Colony members are totally unaware of. Lone Core Shapers braving the dangers of the Dungeon on their own or in small teams, venturing outside of Colony territory and battling hard to bring back precious materials.

    It is a lesson in long term nning that only the Eldest had the reach to see and the wisdom to undertake. No step that they undertook in the formation of the early Colony failed to bear tremendous fruit down the line.

    Excerpt from ''On the castes'' by Historiant

    The spider was mad. Real mad. A natural response to having her secret nest invaded and subjected to repeated explosions, I have to admit. It''s only going to get worse for you spider! I''m not leaving until I get that sweet, sweet experience! Gweheheheh.

    ording to our n, Tiny takes his distance before sting the spider with every ounce of lightning he has, a dissatisfied expression written inly on his face. You want to punch the poisonous death spider that much? You idiot! Crinis extends her limbs from the shadows, making calcted strikes against the spider''s legs as Invidia continues to detonate the surrounding rock, copsing the web and diluting the home ground advantage of our adversary.

    For my part, I bite, and st with fire, and do whatever else I can to upy the attention of this high tier beast. The spider''s shrieks of rage rise to an all new crescendo and if I could stuff my antennae into my ears, I would. Instead, I bite all the harder.

    DOOM CHOMP!

    My muscles snap with immense power, sending the ck jaws through the air so quickly I can no longer see them move. Despite her immense bulk, the spider moves with surprising grace and she manages to sway to the side, avoiding my bite by the slightest of margins before she bares her fangs at me, striking with blinding quickness. My antennae have already tingled a warning to me and my reflexes pay off, allowing me to skip backward, out of her range. Her bite Skill appears to be weaker than mine, the range and power are not nearly as devastating as my own Doom Chomp. Although¡­ I can''t rule out that it''s all a bluff. This spider is sneaky and intelligent, I can''t trust anything at face value. She probably wants me to think ''oh, this is a pathetic excuse of a bite, I can tank this no problem'', then, when I stand in front of her, not dodging like an idiot, her true strike will reveal itself and stab through my heart in a second.

    I''m on to you spider!

    Maybe I''m overthinking, but somehow I don''t think so. This spider is clearly capable of producing powerful poison and even an aura of death. I refuse to believe that her fangs are just for show. Remaining cautious, I snap and bite at the bulbous monster and keep her on the back foot as the rest of my team keep piling on the damage. Crinis uses her barbed limbs to twist and grab at every leg she can grasp, wrenching and biting into the armour covering the arachnid''s limbs. Tiny unleashes wave after wave of electric energy on the spider, roasting the huge monster with blue lightning, his face growing more and more disgruntled each moment. Invidia keeps weaving his magical mastery, as usual, wless execution on disy as he controls his mana with perfection. Man, must be nice to be tier six, I can''t wait!

    Damn spider, gimme my experience!

    The fight enters into a brief stalemate as the spider continues to bait and lunge whilst we maintain our vigil of wearing the creature down. Four against one, we don''t need to be the ones to take any risks here. In the end, it''s Tiny who breaks the deadlock by growing so impatient that he goes against the n and decides to start swinging. I can see on his face the moment when he cracks, the irritation and anger piled up in him until he snaps and unleashes a deep bellow, cutting off the lightning and leaping forward with his fists bared.

    Stupid ape! How many times are you going to try and get yourself killed?!

    Tiny has gotten toofortable getting into the thick of the fight since he got his armour, as he was no longer such a ss cannon that he''d get shattered from the slightest blow. That doesn''t mean you''re going to be safe you moron! Just as I suspected, the spider has clearly been hiding her strength. The moment Tiny came close enough to unleash his fist, she darts forward, her entire body suddenly blurred and hard to see, as if wreathed in illusion, as her fangs gleam with a deadly cold light. Not expecting this sudden burst of speed, Tiny''s punch flies over the spider''s head as her fangs reach toward him, poison dripping from the tips.

    BOOM!

    Invidia to the rescue. Gandalf and his luminous beard bless that little eyeball. Before the spider can close on the bat faced ape, two things happen. First, a multiyered shield springs up between them which the monster crunches into, slowing her charge significantly as she breaks through, and second, an explosion detonates just underneath the spider, lifting her body into the air and robbing her of her grip on the floor.

    Chance!

    Even Tiny seizes upon this moment to deliver a devastating uppercut straight into the ominous fangs of the arachnid, shocking the monster. It''s the prelude to the end as I Dash forward, my jaws at the ready.

    CRUNCH!

    The Doom Chomp strikes home and the giant spider simply cannot resist its prating power. After a few twitches, the fight is done.

    [You have received experience.]

    GWEHEHEHEH.

 Chapter 585 80 Achieved

    <h4>Chapter 585 80 Achieved </h4>

    The death of the spider, along with all the ''cleaning'' my pets and I had done on our journey was enough to push me to level 76, tantalisingly close to the goal. I was keen to get back out and hunting for experience, but the remains of the big spider were right in front of us and I refuse to let Biomass go to waste! This is a tier six monster after all! The four of us dug in and in a short amount of time, all signs that the giant arachnid had been here at all were gone, vanished without a trace. I decide I can spare a little time and explore the rest of the tunnel in which we''d fought. There''s a chance that hideous creature had some good stuff hidden in here, perhaps a Biomass store tucked away in a cupboard, or some cores that we could seize upon. Instead, I find something a little disheartening.

    At the end of the tunnel, bundled tight in protective webs are eggs. Hundreds of eggs. After the Colony had swept through and depopted the area, it was clear that the spider mama had been determined to re-establish the dominance of her family over the strata in which we found them. Although it brings me no joy, I can''t allow these spiders to hatch andpete with the Colony, so I get Invidia to destroy them.

    I copped out, alright?! I didn''t want to go around destroying eggs!

    With the deed done, I make sure Crinis grabs the core and we back out into the regr tunnels and start sweeping our way deeper. The longer the wave goes on, the faster the monsters will spawn, and already they''re piling up quickly! From what I understand after talking to Granin and the others, the mana never returned to ''normal'' levels after the first wave, which is something highly unusual. What''s even more unusual is having waves this close together. ording to the Shapers, this may point to something rather nasty urring where we experience a series of waves, each longer and more potent than thest. If that''s the case, the Colony has little choice but to level up as fast as possible if we''re going to survive. We''ve grown to the point we can handle the second strata well enough, but what about monsters from the third? Or fourth? If a wave is strong enough, and long enough, then they''re going to get here eventually.

    In fact, they''re going to get here right about now.

    After burning my way through a mass of tentacled shadow monsters, my pets and I find ourselves standing in a strangely clear section of tunnel that ought to be upied by more fighting monsters. Instead we can see the signs of recent battle and the rather obvious remains of some creature messily eating what was left of their foes. Not a great sign. Following the tunnel around a corner wee face to face with the culprit, who strikes me rather immediately as not being a shadow creature.

    The monster has four grotesquely muscled limbs that each end in a hardened, flesh coloured point. It''s body is a bloated, constantly writhing mass of pink ¡­ something whilst its head appears to be little but a mouth. As we watch, it finishes its battle against arge shadow centipede by leaping forward with incredible speed andnding on all fours, one of the forelimbs spearing the arthropod straight through. Not even waiting for the creature to pass away, the hideous monster shrieks a piercing, rage filled scream and starts tearing into the centipede with that enormous mouth, its spear-like limbs dug deep into the floor.

    What the heck is that thing!?

    [Invidia, any idea what the heck that is?]

    [I do notsssss. I have never sssssseeen it before.]

    [Are you sure? It sure as heck doesn''t look like something from this strata! It must be from the third! That''s your home isn''t it?]

    [ have no memoriesssss of that ce¡­ I have no memoriessss before you reconstituted me.]

    Huh. I guess I hadn''t really thought about how Invidia hade to be in the ce I fought him. I suppose it makes sense. He was captured by the golgari at the earliest stage of his growth and then reared to meet the exact specifications of the Shapers. If my memory serves me correctly, a demon isn''t considered fully down until it reaches tier six, like the eyeball has. So this thing is tier five at most? Yikes. It''srger than me already and if I''m not mistaken it might be able to drive one of those damn pointy hands it has straight through me just like it did to that shadow creature. That''s exactly the sort of weapon best suited to prating my diamond carapace!

    It''s like a sword versus armour back in the ancient days. Someone wearing te armour or even chain mail is not going to get cut if you sh them with a de, they just won''t. If you had a big enough sword you might be able to bash your way into breaking some bones or getting a cut in, but generally speaking, the way you used a sword against armour was to stab. You puncture through the protectiveyer by putting the maximum amount of pressure on the smallest point, piercing like a needle. It''s almost as if this damn demon was designed to perforate my precious diamond coating. I won''t allow it!

    [Take it down all! With extreme prejudice!]

    Tiny didn''t need to be told twice, eagerly leaping into the fight as Crinis slunk through the shadows. Not wanted to have the experience stolen from me, I instruct Invidia not to go on the offensive and instead focus on protection and healing duties. For my part, I spam gravity bolts at the monster in the hopes of slowing it down as I gradually close the distance, keeping one wary eye on each of those four limbs. The monster screams that piercing, outraged shriek when it notices us engaging with it and turns to face us. It moves on all fours and every time it shifts its position those legs rise out of the stone floor of the tunnel and then pierce back through it like it was jelly. It makes moving a little awkward for the monster since it has to send almost half of a limb into the floor before it can find purchase, but it appears to just muscle through the problem and is remarkably fast as it repositions to meet our assault.

    Four against one, big mouth! You haven''t got hope!

    Tiny dances forward, light on his feet with his hands raised ready to strike. Once he finds his range, he starts peppering the creature with blindingly fast lefts. The tight,pact punches are so unlike what I''ve gotten used to from the giant ape that I almost stumble in ce. Has he ranked up his ape boxing skill? What is this textbook orthodox boxing style?

    [That''s it Tiny! Master the left, master the world!]

    With each impact of the light exploding from Tiny''s hands, the monster is knocked off bnce and its anger builds to a terrifying crescendo. I don''t think it''s taking much damage from the blizzard of punches, but it''s finding it hard to move out from under the pinning assault. Not one to back down from an opportunity, I pepper the beast with a few more gravity bolts as I close the distance with a flicker dash, my form blurring from the high speed manoeuvre. When I''m close enough to engage my Doom Chomp I notice that Crinis has also arrived, a forest of her dark limbs twisting out of the shadows on the floor to wrap themselves around the demon''s legs and begin to saw away at the tightly packed muscle.

    Assaulted from all sides in this way, there isn''t much the poor demon can do to resist as we continuously chomp away at its health. That grotesque mouth snaps and bites at us constantly and I almost lose an antennae when it suddenly extends its jaw a metre out of its face. Whoever heard of an extendable jaw?! What the heck! Soon enough we finish it off and the experience is enough to push me up another level.

    [You have in level 31 Luvenis Avarita Daemon]

    [You have gained experience.]

    [You have reached level 77. One skill point awarded.]

    Aw yeah! Three levels to go baby! We chomp away at the Biomass and I take a quick moment to study the profile, curious to learn more about the demons.

    [Iuvenis Avarita Daemon: Young Avarice Demon. Perpetually hungry, always angry and spoiling for a fight. Beware the destructive power of the hardened flesh spears that tip its limbs].

    An Avarice Demon huh? Nasty. Once we finish our meal, we scoop the core and continue to hunt, finding a few more of the Avarice demons prowling the tunnels, crushing everything that they find. After we clear out all that we can find over the next four hours, I finally reach my target.

    [You have reached level 80. One skill point awarded.]

    [Maximum level reached. You may now use the evolution menu.]

    Whoo!

 Chapter 586 All you can eat

    <h4>Chapter 586 All you can eat </h4>

    With the level milestone achieved, I take a quick break to celebrate and high five (with antennae) the team, before we begin the journey back to the nest. With the wave in full swing, we end up having to re sweep most of the tunnels that had already been cleared as the empty space was either taken up by monsters who had spawned elsewhere, or freshly spawned monsters already jumping out of the walls again. It''s hard to imagine, but I think I actually was starting to forget just how tiring the wave was. Just getting through these totally normal tunnels is an exhausting slog of fight after fight. The moment we deal with one monster, another onees screaming out of a side tunnel.

    It''s almost as if the heightened mana levels send the monsters nuts as well as drives the spawn rate to ridiculous levels. It could just be the fact that there''s no opportunity for monsters to carve out their own space and settle into some territory which causes them to be whipped up into a mindless rage. Whatever the case, by the time we make it back to the nest the four of us, as well as my twenty unseen observers, are all thoroughly tired and done with the Dungeon for the time being. All in all it took a little over three days for us to travel and secure the levels I need to evolve. It''s pretty obvious when we get back just how busy the Colony has been, the gates alone have seen a massive improvement. As we approach it''s clear to see the fortifications positively bristling with ants ready to defend the entrance to the nest. If they managed to repair the acid pool, there shouldn''t be too many issues holding off monsters, although if more powerful demons show up things might get hairy.

    Before we enter the nest, I turn back to face the empty space above my head.

    "Protectant, you need to get out here for a chat."

    Silence.

    "You could just talk to the air. I would rather not show myself," her scent creeps up to my antennae from nowhere.

    "It''s weird trying to hold a conversation with someone I can''t see. Just get out here!"

    With her usual sulky disposition, Protectant reveals herself and drops down from the roof toe into view.

    "What can I do for you Eldest? I''d like to remind you that we are supposed to be a secret protection detail. You make our jobs harder when you constantly reveal our existence."

    "Hey, I don''t feel any real need to make your lives more difficult, but you need to adjust and have a little more flexibility than what the Council demanded of you. All of their nonsense went out the window the minute I worked out you exist."

    I stare down at the much smaller elite ant but she makes a point of turning her head to face past me. Still don''t want to give up on the mission eh? Sigh. What a pain.

    "Alright, I''ll get down to business then. I''m going to be spending the next few days finalising my evolution. It''s going to take at least two days, maybe as much as a week. I was asleep for a long time during thest one, so who knows this time? Not me, that''s for sure."

    "And? We will watch over you, as always."

    "Nope, not as always. I don''t need protection when I''m evolving, I''ll be in the middle of the nest for goodness sake! What could possibly happen to me in there? I''ll have my pets watching over me just in case anything happens, having more security than that is nonsensical! You and your neen sisters are going to use this time to power up."

    "What?!" she says, aghast. "You want us to abandon the mission,pletely?! You won''t keep any of us with you?"

    They''re dedicated, I''ll give them that.

    "No! After I evolve, I''m going to be tier six! We''ve had this conversation before, if you twenty can''t keep up with me, then you can hardly protect me from something I can''t defeat myself! I need every one of you to max out your cores and mutations and prepare for special evolutions. Every one of you needs to be tier five by the time this wave ends. If you want to make sure you''re ready to protect me, then any tier five members can return to guard duty once I''ve finished evolving, but only up to a maximum of five. The rest of you stick together until everyst one of you has achieved a perfect tier five, you hear me? This is an order!"

    I really don''t like to boss around the other ants, I''m just notfortable with telling them what to do, but these twenty are only going to get themselves killed if they don''t power up, and they won''t take time to level up and mutate if I don''t force them to. Even if they don''t ept my logic, they can''t refuse a directmand and Protectant positively wilts under my omni-directional re.

    "It will be done as youmand, Eldest," she mutters before she vanishes once again.

    With that unpleasant conversation dealt with, I head into the nest to find a small weing party waiting on the other side. Granin, Torrina and Corun are present, as well as Florence and Victor. I''m especially surprised to see the brood tender away from the young where she spends essentially all of her time when she isn''t in a meeting.

    ["Hello all!"] I greet everyone with abination of pheromones and mind magic, ["I didn''t expect you to wee me back at the gates. How are things in the nest?"]

    "Everything is fine," Victor assures me quickly, "our ns are already well advanced and our defences here and in the satellite nests have been established."

    Florence nods.

    "That''s right," she happily agrees, "and the hatchlings have been able to enter the Academy and begin their proper training. The school has already begun arge expansion project to amodate the boosted numbers but we are confident we canplete the task."

    Man, the brood tenders are by far the most soothing caste, always cheerful and upbeat. They work just as hard as everyone else, don''t get me wrong, but they all seem to share the same calm and happy aura that Florence and Theresant have.

    "Well that''s great."

    I switch back to speaking to everyone.

    ["So what brings you guys here?"]

    Granin steps forward and looks at Victor for a moment. The ant nods and his voice rings out in my mind.

    [The ants are getting ready to take you straight to the Biomass store they''ve setup for you. The council has been taking my advice about selecting a few members to nurture into high tier powerhouses to shore up your strength seriously and you are the first to get the fast road treatment. The Colony is going to provide all the Biomass and cores you need now that you''ve hit level eighty. I wanted to tag along with my triad so we could advise and discuss your options whilst you eat.]

    ["Makes sense I suppose. Lead the way."]

    The nest was abuzz with activity when I left and it ispletely the same now. As we move through the tunnels there are ants everywhere doing goodness knows how many different tasks. In every chamber and at regr intervals down the tunnels there are soldiers and scouts on guard, ready to leap upon every monster that spawns from the mana dense walls. Even the automated messages from the walls are on point.

    "The wave is upon us!" I get sted from a nearby unit and taken by surprise. "Work hard to secure the future of the Colony! Take regr torpor breaks!"

    Nice to see thatst bit hasn''t been dropped. My siblings need to rest. Eventually we arrive in a smallish chamber and I immediately notice two things about it. First is the massive pile of Biomass that has Tiny instantly drooling. Second is the totalck of mana veins on the walls.

    "You guys actually figured it out?!" I''m shocked and delighted.

    "The mages figured it out and the inner areas of the nest have been converted. This ce is close to the brood chambers and was prepared for your evolution. It wasn''t much extra effort considering the work that was already being done."

    Holy moly. They figured this out in the nick of time.

    [All right then, Anthony,] Granin breaks in. [Get to eating, we have a lot to talk about.]

    The three golgari grab a seat and make themselvesfortable whilst they watch me, somewhat impatiently as I hesitate. With a vast internal sigh, I move over to the Biomass and start to eat.

    [All right,] I say, [what first?]

 Chapter 587 Ugh... planning

    <h4>Chapter 587 Ugh... nning </h4>

    This is one huge pile of food¡­ there''s no way I can fit it all in! I kind of want to call my pets over and have them indulge as well, but I feel bad about it since the Colony has gathered all of this for me. I guess I''ll dive in and if there''s any left when I''m done I''ll make sure the others get their fair share.

    [Alright gang. Get some rest but keep an eye out. I''ll make sure you get your foodter, alright?]

    [Yesssss,] Invidia says but I can see his eye zing with green light as he eyes off my food.

    [Yes, Master,] Crinis says, happy to attach herself once more to my carapace and allows her shape to blob.

    [Hurrrrr¡­] Tiny growls, the saliva pouring from his mouth as he openly gnashes his teeth as if eating already.

    [That''s gross, Tiny! Just move over there, alright? We ate a bunch of demons in the tunnels not that long ago. Mutate or something.]

    With my badgering, he finally turns his back on the feast and sulks in the corner. Five minutester, he''s asleep.

    [Alright then, Granin. What''s the first thing you want to discuss?] I sigh as I start to tuck into the mountain of food.

    [The Rescindic Principle, obviously.]

    [What the heck was that?]

    [The cash in,] Torrina breaks in, [it''s going to be one of the most important decisions of this evolution.]

    [If not the most important,] Granin grunts. [It''s a good idea that we discuss your options since there are likely to be a few built into the choices you get when you evolve. If you have a clear picture of what you want, then it''ll be easier to eliminate some options and focus in on the ones you prefer.]

    [Alright then,] I grumble, [so what''s the best choice? Is there a reason I shouldn''t just reset everything and get a totally awesome new body? Just get it all over and done with?]

    Granin''s eyes go wide and I can tell he wants to facepalm but is resisting by sheer force of will. Corun doesn''t quite seed and smack himself in the face at my apparent idiocy.

    [What? What''s the problem? So my mutations get set back to zero, but if I sit here in the Colony and they pump me full of Biomass, I''ll be able to get them all back to a respectable level in a couple of days! I''ll be way more powerful, won''t I?]

    [Allow me,] Torrina says, mostly to the others and Granin nods before he waves her forward. [Anthony,] the talented young Shaper says, [there are a few reasons why you don''t want to do that, although you can, the option will be avable to you. One reason is that the further you go down the tiers of evolution, the better reset options you will find. I don''t doubt that there will be many options avable only to second and possibly a few from third strata monsters when you evolve this time. The next time you evolve, you will see a few that may normally be seen on the fourth strata. Constantly resetting your body parts is hugely inefficient and the more you evolve, the worse it gets. For tier six, it''s going to cost you a hundred and forty Biomass to improve each body part from +25 to +30, but if you start your whole body from scratch, it''s going to cost four hundred and fifty five per body part.]

    I flinch. Ouch. That''s a whole lotta Biomass. Four hundred and fifty five? For each mutable part of my body? That''s¡­ insane. I''d have to eat through half a strata to amass that. And at tier six, it''d have to be the third strata at that. Although the Colony could pour resources into me, the thought of that much Biomass going towards bumping up my mutations when it could instead be spent on the hatchlings, or other members of the Colony¡­

    [Let''s say you did that,] she continues, [and piled up the thousands of Biomass necessary to evolve into tier seven with all mutations at +30, what do you do then? Cash it all in again? Because there''ll be better options avable at tier seven, and at tier eight, and so on. A better, more efficient strategy is to cycle critical body parts and reset them every few evolutions, if you get that far. Think of everything you consider the most important parts of your body and divide them into three groups. Cash in one set now, one set next evolution and one set the evolution after that. Then repeat the process. At least, that''s one way you could manage it.]

    I keep eating as I think over what she said. The sheer Biomass cost of resetting my entire body has pretty much pushed me away from the idea. I mean, I could do it, but to get that much food into me would mean I''d probably be still trying to get those points even after I reached level one-sixty.

    [You said there were other reasons?] I ask.

    [The other main reason is what we would describe as Monster Dysmorphia. Which is to say that not all body parts resonate well with each other.]

    [It''splicated as hell and has mainly to do with the higher concentrations of mana needed to fuel these moreplex structures,] Granin breaks in, scratching his head. [In the first strata, a monster''s body is more or less straightforward and the way mana is used to form them is simple and uplicated. When you get to the third and below, things start to get weird.]

    [Weird?] I ask.

    [Weird,] he nods. [Without going into too much detail, because I think you''d find it boring as heck,plex mana structures don''t always resonate well with each other. In extreme cases a monster with two body parts that don''t cooperate can literally be torn apart by the conflux of mana.]

    [Holy Moly!]

    [Which is why taking it slow and being a little careful is a sensible idea. The three of us can advise you about thebinations we know don''t work, but the evolution System itself will confirm the safety of the reset, but only for current parts of your body.]

    [So you mean, the System will check if the reset parts will work with my body now, but not the other parts that I reset?! What kind of hack job is that?!]

    Granin justughs.

    [If you can talk to the System itself, then you canin about it then. Otherwise, it''s better to think about which parts of your body you want to cash in on this evolution. Keep eating, and we''ll work it out.]

 Chapter 588 Final Mutations pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 588 Final Mutations pt 1 </h4>

    As I keep stuffing my face, Granin and I discuss my various body parts and what might qualify as a good option for a ''reset'' in my next evolution. I remain a little cagey about a few things, such as the existence of the Vestibule, but I try to be as honest as I can during our discussions. A few things get ruled out pretty fast. No need to do anything fancy with the pheromone nds at this point, for example. I''m not even sure what sort of new functionality I would gain for my pheromone nd. Demon pheromones? Pheromones made from mes? Geh.

    In this way we eliminate candidates and before long we arrive at a shortlist. Carapace (obviously), Mandibles, Acid nd, Legs, Regeneration nd, Eyes. All the big ticket items. Would be great to do my brain, but it''s not even mutable at this point, so it can''t be reset. The carapace is there for very clear reasons. I was promised a reset of pure diamond and by Gandalf, I''m going to get it. If an option appears to reforge my mandibles into some awesome demon chitin or something of the sort then it would surely be a significant boost to the strength of my bite, which is always handy. My legs are an obvious weak point and although the diamond carapace does offer them some thin protection, changing their base properties to something more durable would help to keep me from being legless quite as often. The Regeneration nd is a (literal) life saver and a significant upgrade there would be incredible. My vision speaks for itself. Better eyes means better life. Being able to see stuffing is a useful trait to have, and with the reset, who knows what sort of crazy options I might see?

    I personally feel like there''s a strong chance that the Vestibule wille up as an option to be reset in the evolution choices, given that my current species includes the term ''juvenile''. It would make sense that the natural progression would be to a ''mature'' Colony Paragon of some variety, and the key organ of this species is the Vestibule. Exactly what sort of option would be provided to reforge the Vestibule itself, I''ve no idea, but I think it will be powerful. There is the likelihood that such an upgrade would have adverse side effects, such as giving the Colony an evenrger window to sneak their Will into my mind, but there''s a good chance that the trade-off will be worth it.

    [You might want to rethink your idea of picking carapace on this evolution,] Granin tells me.

    [What!? My carapace is a life-saving, incredibly shiny part of my body! What could possibly be more important than that?]

    Granin holds up both his hands.

    [Whoa there. It''s beautiful and amazing, we all get that, just take a second to hear me out.]

    He waits until I settle back down and get back to shovelling Biomass into my face before he continues.

    [I totally agree that your carapace is important, it''s your foremost defensive tool after all, but there are two good reasons that you should hold off during this evolution. Firstly, the options you may get at this stage of evolution are inferior to what you''ll get next time. In my opinion, your carapace and ting, upgraded to +30, are going to be sufficient to protect you through the third strata. If you evolve before you attack the fourth, you''ll be able to upgrade to a much better base material.]

    Something about the tone of his thought suggests he knows something he hasn''t said.

    [Do you happen to know what I might get if I hold off?] I ask pointedly.

    He nods.

    [There are a few different diamond voured materials you could see, but all of them are good. Living Diamond, Void Diamond, Liquid Diamond, just to name a few. All are seen mostly on the fifth strata but there''s a chance they''ll show up when you evolve to tier seven.]

    Holy moly! All of those sound so awesome! Liquid Diamond?! How does that even work?!

    [Alright,] I say, trying to hide my excitement and totally failing, [what about the other reason.]

    [The other reason is the inner carapace ting. I actually love this mutation and I think it''s done more than you realise to keep you alive to this point, but it can do more. The synergy between the carapace and ting isn''t what it could be. I''m suggesting that when you reset your carapace, you reset the ting at the same time. This will let you pick options that harmonize, and allow you to reconfigure your mutations to line up perfectly, giving you the best possible oue. Does that sound reasonable?]

    He does make a good case.

    [Alright, I''m convinced, and I''m also full. Step back a second for me, would you?]

    The golgari Shaper hurriedly steps out of the way and I back up a bit, my gaster having swollen to absurd proportions after cramming both of my stomachs full of Biomass. Geh, I feel like I''m gonna chuck. Is this what a replete feels like? I used to wonder what it was like to be one of those ants who just hung around inside a nest and allowed other ants to fill up their social stomachs with food to the point they could move. Living food storage units¡­

    Alright, with all of this Biomass, I should have enough to at least make a serious dent in the remainder of the evolutions I need to make. Let me check what''s going on in here. ording to the menu, I have seven body parts still in need of mutation, some of them more than one. Eyes, pheromone nd, Neuralwork, my three new acid additions and the Gravity mana nd. I think it makes sense to start with the eyes and take them from +20 to +25. Let''s take a squiz at the options.

    [Alright, I think I''m going to focus on my mutations for the moment. If possible can I get some privacy for this?]

    It''s hard to tell, but I think Granin quirks an eyebrow at my words.

    [You sure you don''t want any advice on this?]

    [Ah, no. I think I can handle this bit. I''ll be sure to speak to you again before I evolve, don''t worry.]

    He shrugs.

    [Alright then, have it your way.]

    He turns around and after a brief argument with Torrina in which she gives a massive case of stink eye, he leads the triad out of the chamber.

    [Alright team, let''s assume formation C!] I instruct my pets.

    In an instant, Crinis has leapt into action, nketing the chamber inplete darkness using her magic whilst also expanding her body to cover my frame in a sphere of inky ck shadow flesh. Invidia uses his shield magic to erect opaque barriers before every door frame, blocking line of sight as well as physical entry into the chamber whilst Tiny takes up a vignt guard position halfway between the entrances and my own body.

    There, now there''s no chance anyone will see me when I mutate. Now I can focus on the menus. Let''s do this!

 Chapter 589 Final Mutations pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 589 Final Mutations pt 2 </h4>

    Now, with my privacy secured, it''s time to mutate. Time to dive once more into the depths of the menu lists and bring back only the finest mutations. It''s time to begin where it all began: my eyeballs. It seems like a lifetime ago that I first mutated my eyes in order to improve my then terrible vision. Even now I''m not satisfied with my eyes, but then my memory of what it was like to view the world as a human is more than a little funny by now. I''ve been in ant form for months now, and even then I''ve been in five different ant bodies so far. It''s hard for me to remember exactly what my eyesight was like as a hatchling at this point, let alone remembering what it was like in my previous life.

    I might have been a human for fifteen years, but recency bias is real!

    Alright then, my vision is currently sitting at +20. The Heightened Perimeter Eyes have served me well during the siege. The improved rity has been a massive boon, helping me make the best of my reflexes by seeing the threatsing at me from all directions. In hindsight, my focus has really been to try and take all the best parts ofpound eyes (multi-directional vision) andbine it with the benefits of a more humanish eye setup. The end result is that I still havepound eyes, but each one of the thousands of tiny lenses that make up my eyeballs are almost as good as those within a normal eye. It''s pretty crazy to think about. That level of precision andplexity would bepletely impossible for a normal creature on Earth, yet here I am on Pangera, an ant with super vision.

    And there''s no need to stop now! I want sharper eyesight! Better motion tracking! In all directions at the same time! Gweheheh!

    The only way to achieve something like that is to just keep piling on the upgrades, one by one. The list of mutations in the menu is as overwhelming as ever and the crazy options overflow. X-ray vision, firing heat sts from the eyes¡­ why though? TIME VISION? See things ¡­ after¡­ they happened? Isn''t that just normal vision? Or this like a peering into the past kind of thing? Seems far less useful than the future vision I get from my antennae¡­ Weird.

    I can''t even begin to imagine the sort of things that would pop up in here if I cashed in my eye mutations when I evolve. Laser eyes? Curse eyes? Goodness knows. I trawl through the seemingly endless list until I find the sorts of things I''m looking for: upgrades that continue to track in the direction my mutations are already going. Plenty of stuff to expand the range of the vision, another upgrade like the one I chose earlier which creates patches of sharper focus. Eventually I find what I''m looking for in a generic focal enhancement. With this, my eye shall be the Sharpened Perimeter Eyes + 25!

    Lock it in, what''s next on my list?

    The Pheromone nd! The ol'' faithful. Who would have thought that the simple mutation of thenguage nd would have such far reaching impact? Come to think of it, packing the capacity fornguage into one mutation is a little generous of the System, isn''t it? It''s not the sort of thing that Gandalf is known for, the stingy bearded bugger. I wonder if this became some sort of standard mutation for more intelligent bugs down in the depths? It does teachnguage, not really, it just expands the range of scents the pheromone nd can produce to have sufficient gradient thatnguage can be expressed. It does increase it a lot though¡­ The pheromone nd went from "danger, food, warm, cold" to "hello guest, please be wee. Care for some tea?" all in one mutation!

    Eh. I''m not going to look a gift mutation in the pheromones¡­ or whatever. What do I want here? To be honest, most of the upgrades here seem like a waste to me. There are options that do all sorts of things in here, turning pheromones into weapons, as a sleep poison, even a choice that helps create sensory illusions in organisms that smell them, basically hallucinogen scent! But since I use them strictly formunication purposes, most of these options are bunk. I''ll just take one that makes my pheromones travel further so I can ''yell'' harder. Myst two mutations were both about making my pheromones more persuasive, which in hindsight is a bit of a waste. I don''t need to be persuading the Colony, they don''t need any help doing what I ask them.

    So my Convincing Pheromone nd +20 will be the Loud Convincing Pheromone nd +25. Next!

    I''ve got the three acid nds to deal with and the Gravity mana nd. I''ll think I''ll do the Gravity nd next. For every single mutation I''ve selected for my Gravity Mana nd, I''ve gone down the same path, which is to expand the capacity. This is for a few reasons, namely that the Gravity Bomb takes a huge chunk of mana to cast and the better I get at condensing mana the more mana I need to fuel the spell. But I want to take something different this time, I want to borrow a leaf from (of all the beings) Tiny. His lightning nds have a great little mutation that condenses the mana inside the nd. It doesn''t condense it muchpared to doing the work manually, but it gets the process started. It also has the benefit of making every spell I weave with mana straight out of the nd a little bit stronger without me having to do any heavy lifting.

    So the Unending Gravity Mana nd +20 will now be the Compressing Unending Gravity Mana nd +25

    Three upgrades down and a cool three hundred and forty five Biomass gone, just like that. The only body parts I have left are the three new editions to the business district and the neuralwork, not all of which are sitting at +20 yet. This part is going to be expensive, I hope I have enough to afford it, I really don''t want to have to eat anymore right now. Firstly, I''m going to look at the neuralwork. Who would have thought that starting to mutate my nervous system would have such a beneficial effect in the long run? Combined with my carapace and my antennae, this nervous system has been what kept me alive long enough to reach this level. Having impossibly fast reflexes is always a win, no matter what. The question is, what do I want to mutate into thework now? Trawling through the list, I can see upgrades that will help me make it even faster, but at this point, I''m not sure that''s even necessary. I''m already reacting to the future, having my nerves send signals .0000001 of a second faster doesn''t seem necessary at this point.

    So what do I want my nerves to do? They do the job that nerves do extremely well already. They send signals and they do it really, really fast. What else can I possibly want here? I pour through the list, weighing up the options I find until Ie across one that I like. This mutation creates nerve bundles at certain points in the body that help manage coordination better. It''s like how an octopus has a separate set of nerves for each tentacle, helping to coordinate the movement of each limb so they can work together. If I''m not wrong, this may even synergise with my existing mutations, since the hyper fast signals will be transmitted to these new bundles, who could make my legs move without my main brain even having to be contacted! Perfect!

    The Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +20 shall be the Coordinating Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network + 25! Boom!

    Now, it''s nozzle time. So far I''ve upgraded it to increase the range of my acid shot and introduced a scattershot mode. I''m pretty happy with both upgrades as is, to be honest. I don''t need to have absurd range with my acid, I''m not trying to turn myself into a sniper or artillery like some of the scouts are, and the scattershot does a good job spreading the acid over an area when I''m shooting at max range. If I upgraded that mutation more, the acid shot would eventually be more like a shotgun, sting over an area up close, which I don''t think I need. So I''m in the unusual ce of looking for a new upgrade. What has the menu got for me?!

    Lots. It has lots. Just like everything else, there''s a ton of options that seem either excessive, weird or rather imaginative. There''s the usual list of properties that the nozzle could add to the acid, including elemental damage, somehow. There''s actually an ignition option here as well, which I suppose would be handy if I turned my acid mmable. Hang on, I could literally shoot fire out of my backside?! Holy moly! It''s a bit more extreme than what I''m looking for though¡­ As usual, I''m more interested in mutations that move along the lines of what the organ was intended to do in the first ce. The nozzle makes aiming easier, helps me shoot further and can scatter the acid over an area. Is there something I can purchase that will help aim? I trawl through the list for a while until Ie across just what I''m looking for.

    It''s an odd little mutation that adds a bundle of nerves to the nozzle that assist in making unconscious aiming corrections. Combined with my rapidly climbing uracy Skill, this mutation could help me hit the target first time every time. Just what the doctor ordered!

    So the Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +20 will be the Guided Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle + 25! That''s a mouthful. I guess that''s what happens when you mash three different mutations onto one organ.

    Now the acid concentration nd! I really like this nd, it was cheap to buy and its sole function is to be the acid nd''s hype man. It makes whatever the acid is already doing, do it better, and I added the weakening property to try and drain my enemies during long fights. It''s a solidbo and I think I''m going to stick with it by enhancing the weakening property this time around. It''s pretty simple to find the mutation I want and with this the Thickened Weakening Acid concentration nd +20 bes the Thickened Draining Acid concentration nd +25!

    Nice.

    One to go! Six hundred and ny Biomass down the drain! Holy smokes this is expensive. Checking my Biomass total, I think I''m just going to have enough to squeak all of the necessary mutations in, although thest one is going to be the priciest. The Fatiguing acid stimtion nd of +10. I need to upgrade this dude three more times! Better get to it. Activating the menu I upgrade the nd to the +15 mark and choose to consolidate the existing mutation. The stimtion nd works to increase the production of acid, which is great, the mutation I chose lets the organ drain stamina in order to replenish the acid faster, which works well with my Vestibule since my stamina is topped up by that organ. For the +20 and +25 upgrades, I kind of want to go in a different direction, see what else the menu has to offer.

    There''s plenty to choose from, as usual. Most of them are around different ways to increase the regenerative speed of the acid, but others are a little more creative with their interpretation of what ''stimte'' means when ites to the acid nd. Stimte it to do what? Make more acid? Thicken the acid? Bring about change in the acid? Add properties to the Acid? It''s aplex system I''ve got going on back there and only the finest produce are allowed to emerge from it, so I need to pick well.

    In the end, I select something that works with what I have already. This mutation drains stamina, but rather than increase the production rate of the acid, it thickens it, making it more potent. This obviously synergises on multiple levels with my existing setup. By the time this is done my acid is going to be craaaaazy! At +25, I choose another mutation to enforce my new selection and with that I''m finally done!

    The Fatiguing Acid Stimtion nd +10 has be the Exhausting Thickener Acid Stimtion nd +25! Whoo!

    [Do you wish to confirm these selections? This will cost nine hundred and sixty Biomass.]

    Holy McBiomass! That''s a lot! Do I have enough? I do! By¡­ two. Phew, that was close! Confirm it all, Gandalf! Let''s get his show on the road!

    ¡­ Any second now.

    ¡­

    Here ites¡­

    ¡­

    BLATTAPHLATTACAAA! It''s so bad! MY NERVES ARE ON FIRE DAMMIT!

 Chapter 590 The core of the matter

    <h4>Chapter 590 The core of the matter </h4>

    When the itch finally fades away I find myself on my back, my legs syed in all directions and pinned down by the barbed tentacles of Crinis.

    [Crinis? What happened?]

    [You were iling too much, Master. I thought it better to hold you down than have you slip out of my containment.]

    That would be a disaster that would increase my risk of being seen by at least three hundred percent! That cannot be allowed!

    [You did the right thing Crinis. Well done. Any chance you can let me up now?]

    [Oh! Yes!]

    Somewhat reluctantly, the limbs retract back into the orb of shadow flesh that still conceals me and I roll onto my feet. It was bad this time, real bad. Doing so many high level mutations at the same time? It''s always bad, but a few of the organs made it worse. The sub-neuralwork is brutal every time, the eyes are a particr sore point for me, and doing three separate organs inside the business district just made that whole scenario back there into a nightmare. It''s done now though, Anthony, just forget about it and move onto the next job. Getting close to evolution time!

    [Alright then everyone, job''s done. Let''s get moving to the next one.]

    My pets file in behind me as I stumble out of the chamber and back out into the tunnels where I find Granin and the others waiting. My body feels a little awkward, as it always does after a heavy dose of mutation. I think the neural changes are affecting me the most.

    [All done?] Granin asks.

    [Fully mutated,] I confirm, [time to sort out the core.]

    His eyes brighten at the mention of the core.

    [I heard you had an interesting specimen you''d reserved around here somewhere. I''d love to take a look at it.]

    [As long as you''re quick,] I grumble, [I need to absorb that thing and I don''t particrly feel like building up the suspense.]

    As a group we file along the tunnels, with a few Colony members tagging along to keep track of me for the Council. Seems like they want to know where I''m up to with the process of evolving in real-time. I guess it''s a big deal not only for me, but for the family as a whole. Not to worry, Colony! I won''t let you down. After a quick journey we arrive in a chamber not far from the Core Shaper''s work area and after a quick discussion with a nearby ant we settle in. A few minutester, Be and Ellie arrive with a selection of cores, including one enormous sample gripped in Be''s mandibles.

    "Here you go eldest! This should be enough to max you out, and here''s Garralosh''s core, just as you asked!"

    "You haven''t fiddled with it, have you?" I ask.

    The two of them look shocked.

    "Of course not! We''ve studied it extensively, but we followed your instructions and made no alterations to the core itself! Even though we really wanted to!"

    "Shut up, Be!"

    "Whoops!"

    "As long as you didn''t tamper with it, it''s fine. Make sure you check with Crinis, she has some new cores for you to y with."

    It wouldn''t actually matter if they did. As far as absorbing a core goes, you can mess with it as much as you want before absorbing, the energy contained within the core is the same, but for whatever reason I didn''t want them ying with Garralosh''s core. It just didn''t feel right.

    "Is this it?" Granin brightens up when he sees the chunky core enter the room. "Can I take a look?"

    He waits for me to give him permission before stepping over and gently lifting the core out of Be''s grip. What follows is a brief but vigorous discussion between the three golgari as they take turns analysing the core and giving their thoughts. Corun and Torrina have already had a look at it before, but it''s clear how much they value Granin''s insight by how attentively they listen when he speaks. The guy is an authority on monsters, after all.

    [Are you guys done?] I break in. [I''ve got evolving to do over here.]

    [Oh! Right.] Granin starts at my words then turns and ces the core on the ground in front of me before stepping back. [It''s not often I get to see the core of a monster one of our sister cults deemed worthy of mentorship. She was a powerful beast, although with a lot of wasted potential. I still find it staggering she was able to move on the surface at this level of strength, the effort involved for the Kaarmodo must have been exhausting.]

    [I don''t have that much sympathy, to be honest,] I tell him dryly as I look down on all that remains of the reincarnated human. You were one crazy monster, Garralosh, sorry you had to end this way.

    I start off with the normal cores, reinforcing my own until I hit the limit. Last time I took in a special core as well as a rare core beyond this point, something I don''t care to repeat. Gandalf himself told me that such a thing normally results in death and I''m not one to tempt fate twice.

    "Okay then, here we go."

    [Compatible Rare core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core, or reconstitute the monster?]

    Reinforce me.

    Just as every time before, the core begins to dissolve into pure energy that twists through the air and into my body, suffusing the hard gem in the centre of my being and growing it. The pain is terrible as always, the erged core pushing up against my insides in ways it was never meant to. Garralosh''s core is huge, muchrger than the rare core I absorbedst time. If I had to hazard a guess, if it were even a tiny bitrger it would no longer qualify as a rare core, instead being pushed to whatever stage came after that.

    It takes several minutes for the process toplete and by the end I am feeling as if I had eaten another meal the size of thest one. I feel bloated, stuffed, gassy, and twinges of pain fire through my body every time I try to move. Ugh. I hate this.

    Crinis wraps herself around my carapace and pats me on the back with one tentacle, which does help somewhat. Tiny just points andughs at me. Damn ape, you''ll get yours when you evolve again, just you wait.

    With my core asrge as it''s going to get at my current evolution, my max MP now sits at a rather impressive 530. This is a heck of a lot more evolutionary energy than I''ve ever had to work with before. A nervous energy starts to bubble within as I get ready to take the final step.

    [Alright then. Time to evolve.]

    Granin smiles wide.

    [What?] I ask him.

    [Me? I just love this stuff,] he shrugs, [powerful monsters and evolution have literally been my life''s work. Give me a break if I get excited.]

    [Doesn''t hurt that I''m also a candidate for an ancient that you identified either, does it?]

    His smile widens.

    [I have to admit that it does add a certain zest,] he agrees. [Where are you going to do this? Here?]

    [No,] I sigh, [they want me back in the other chamber where monsters won''t spawn.]

    Which means I have to walk back. Yay.

 Chapter 591 Evolution pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 591 Evolution pt 1 </h4>

    ¡¤ It doesn''t take long to make our way back to the chamber in which I force fed myself in order to afford those mutations. Despite the pain and difort, I''m super excited since each step is taking me closer to my next form. A new and more powerful me is on the horizon! Sadly, almost all of that enthusiasm drains out of me when I see what is waiting for me outside the chamber.

    Filled with ire, I stalk up towards the morons and start yelling at them.

    "Dammit, Beyn! What the heck are you doing here?!"

    The priest and his acolytes are gathered at the entrance to the chamber, all dressed in their robes with the antennae sewn to the top with their hands in the air as if summoning the great sky god. At my yell, they all flinch and turn towards me, bowing deeply once they see meing. It''s Beyn who first replies, speaking to me with his human voice, which I obviously can''t understand.

    "I have no idea what you''re saying, man. Give me a minute."

    The priest looks frustrated by his inability tomunicate via pheromones despite being able to understand them. How would he even ''speak'' via scent? What sort of difference can a ss make in a human body? I whip together some mind mana and reach out to the one armed human.

    [Well?] I demand.

    [O GREAT ONE! WE HAVE HEARD OF YOUR ASCENSION AND HAVE COME TO - ]

    [Loud! Tone it down you oaf!]

    [Ah! I apologise great one¡­ My brothers and sisters have heard word of your ascension to a higher state of being through the Colony. We have no desire to interfere in the process, but merely wish to be present for this holy and sacred asion.]

    Seriously?! He''s so sincere too! All of them are! They''re staring at me with such light and hope in their eyes!

    [Alright, fine! Just stand outside the chamber and try not to be a nuisance. I can''t believe you were even allowed this close to the brood.]

    The look of joy that breaks over the priest''s face is so bright it almost burns away all ten thousand of my retinas. He immediately turns to the others and within seconds, all of them are shouting with joy and openly weeping.

    "Quiet, would you!? The brood chambers are right next to this ce! If you disturb the young, don''t think the brood tenders will go lightly on you."

    When they receive my pheromone message the gathered antmancers regain control of themselves and return to a much quieter form of dumb behaviour. How did any of these guys survive the siege? They''re clearly damaged. They look so damn happy though, I just don''t have the heart to chase them away.

    "All right, move aside please. I need to get into the chamber."

    As I walk past them, a few reach out to try andy hands on my carapace, which I wouldn''t really mind, but before they can touch me their hands are pped away by small tentacles that emerge from the dark shadows on my back. Crinis says no, apparently. Inside the chamber, I settle into afortable position with the triad of Shapers assembled before me.

    [Crinis, Tiny and Invidia. You guys chow down on the left over Biomass whilst I get settled. Once I start evolving, I''ll be in your care until I wake up, okay?]

    [Yes, Master!]

    [It ssssshall, be ssssso.]

    Tiny is already eating¡­

    [Alright kid, you ready?] Granin asks.

    [Ready as I''ll ever be, I suppose. Why are you guys here anyway? Aren''t we basically done with the advice process and such?]

    Corun steps forward.

    [Yeah, we were just hoping to hear about the options you get in the evolution menu. We, as in, the cult, document these sorts of things and there''s precious little information for powerful ant evolutions. Like, almost none.]

    [Look, I don''t mind you guys knowing about some of this stuff, but I''m not sure I''mfortable with you taking it back to your cult. Come to think of it, will you guys even be wee back with the Shapers?]

    [Unlikely,] Granin shrugs, [bridges are pretty much burnt to the ground at this point. We can keep the info under our hat if that''s what you want. There''s a good chance we can learn more about your species and the different ways the System views your progress through the options you''re given.]

    [Alright then, here we go.]

    Come on then Gandalf, let''s get this show on the road.

    [Would you like to use the evolution menu?]

    Hit me!

    [Congrattions on reaching the maximum level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

    Warning: evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.

    Your evolution options are as follows: (All options are formica sapiens)

    o Grand Major

    o Senior Ant Mage

    o Worker Commander

    o Ant Archmage (special)

    o Colony Guardian (special)

    o Hive General (special)

    o Elemental Ant (rare)

    o Diamond Soldier (rare)

    o All-seeing Scout (rare)

    o Mature Colony Paragon (rare)]

    [Holy moly! That''s a lotta options!]

    [How many did you get?] Granin asks, his voice intent.

    [Three normal, three special and four rare.]

    Corun whistles and Torrina looks impressed.

    [That''s a good number, means the System sees lots of potential paths in you. Only having one option isn''t necessarily bad, but it means your avenues to develop have been narrowed to only a single path. Having lots at this stage means there''s many directions for you that the System views as viable.]

    I check through the list again.

    [Looks like the rare options I sawst time aren''t popping up again. Nothing about the Nascent Hive Mind or Collective Mage are here. I was kind of expecting they might still show in the list, perhaps in a different form.]

    [Generally speaking, when a monster turns its back on a specialised path, the System won''t present that option again,] Torrina says as Corun starts scribbling down everything I say into a little notepad. [Rare evolution choices tend to be very specific and often cut off paths when selecting them, so when you didn''t take those options, the System disregarded them for you. Generic choices are still likely to show up all the way though. I''m guessing that there are Soldier and Worker type evolutions in the normal choices, right?]

    I nod.

    [Just so.]

    Well, I''m not going toin if the System no longer wants to turn me into an immobile mind controlling brain.

    [Alright then, let''s go through these. I''m going to assume you want all the descriptions and everything?]

    All three of the golgari nod eagerly.

    Sigh.

 Chapter 592 Evolution pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 592 Evolution pt 2 </h4>

    In the interests of expanding the Colony''s knowledge of future evolution options, I take the time to explore the normal evolutions I''ve been offered and let the eager triad document the stat gains, organ benefits and descriptions offered by the System. In truth, the stat gain for even these ''ordinary'' evolutions was much higher than I expected and my hopes climbed sky-high for what the more delectable ''rare'' choices would have to offer. With the first three options out of the way, I take the time to go through each of the special evolutions carefully. You never know if there might be a diamond in the rough!

    [Special Evolution: Ant Archmage. +60 bonus to Cunning, +60 Bonus to Willpower. This evolution provides a significant boost to the power of the mind, along with a Manaweave Core Crystal. This new organ grows around the core and focuses the user''s mind on the mana contained within, making it easier to handle and use. A new eye is also granted, the ''mana eye'', which allows the Ant Archmage to project mental sensing abilities through the eye to increase their effectiveness.]

    This is a special evolution?! Look at these stats! And the bonus organs are nuts? Manaweave Core Crystal? Excuse me?! This seems like a super useful organ for a monster like me who focuses more on traditional spellcasting using mana from the core than most monsters who rely on mana nds.

    Granin looks impressed with the offering.

    [That''s better than I expected, to be honest. If you wanted to focus on a pure spellcasting build, this wouldn''t be a bad option at all. Don''t underestimate the Mana Eye either. It might not be as expensive as the crystal in terms of evolution energy, but it''s no slouch. You can think of it as directly bumping your mana sense up a rank for free, and that''s before you mutate it.]

    [That''s¡­ super good. Isn''t it?]

    [Heck yes it is,] Corun seems excited, [if you took this option you''d almost be as good at spell shaping as Invidia!]

    Being as strong as one of my pets, one that I already defeated, doesn''t make me all that happy. Still, the gulf between Invidia''s and my mastery of magic is vast. Even getting close to his level will be hard. It''s tricky to remember sometimes, since he''s just a little floating eyeball with tiny wings and arms, but Invidia''s mass is like, ny percent brain.

    [The mage ants will want to know about this one for sure,] I muse, [make sure you guys let them know when youplete your report.]

    [Of course,] Granin nods.

    Onto the next.

    [Special Evolution: Colony Guardian. +80 bonus to Might. +80 bonus to Toughness. Focused on physical prowess, the Colony Guardian receives arge bonus to physical stats, furthermore, additional purchase of physical stats are cheaper during this evolution. The carapace of the Colony Guardian will be reforged into Demonic Chitin (warning, this will reset all mutations).]

    [There it is,] Granin whistles, [the first reset option.]

    I''m a bit confused.

    [The raw stats are great, but the bonuses don''t seem as good as the first option. Am I missing something?]

    [You''re probably undervaluing what''s being offered quite a bit,] Torrina frowns, thinking. [A reset consumes quite a bit of energy, so getting one for free is always an excellent thing. As to the physical stat cost reduction, this is also an excellent saving. If you poured all your evolutionary energy into physical stats in this evolution, you could gain a truly monstrous boost. It''s like getting bonus evolutionary energy from thin air.]

    [When you put it like that¡­ I suppose it''s better than I thought.]

    [Honestly, out of the two options we''ve seen so far, I think this one is better,] Granin advises, [You would sacrifice your mental stats in this evolution, but you could make yourself a physical powerhouse. Still, as we discussed, I wouldn''t rmend a carapace reset this time around.]

    [Right.]

    ¡­ and demonic chitin might sound strong, but it surely isn''t as shiny as living diamond. Just wait for me, my precious¡­

    [Special Evolution: Hive General. +20 bonus to Cunning, +20 bonus to Will, +40 bonus to Might, +40 bonus to Toughness. A frontline leader, the Hive general benefits from mixed stats and grows in power the more of their kind fight on the battlefield. The Hive Storm Aura nd will provide a scaling bonus to physical prowess, healing and ferocity to all members of the same species within range, the more affected by the aura, the stronger it bes. In addition, a Collective Tactical Cortex will be added.]

    Yeesh. This one sounds strong also¡­

    [This is good stuff,] Granin looks impressed. [No reset, but that scaling aura is nasty. I''ve heard about it popping up a few times in the past when hive insects have spawned, it never ends well. Seeing it at tier six kind of surprises me, but then again not many insect monsters get that high, certainly notmunal ones.]

    It almost sounds a little insulting when he phrases it like that, but I can''t disagree with him. With tens of thousands of members, the Colony will struggle to push many members to tier six anytime soon.

    [What the heck does the cortex do?] I ask him, I want to see if he knows before I check with the System.

    [From what I understand it''s like having a mind map of every member of your species within range. You know where they are and how they''re doing, generally speaking. I suppose the idea is that you can instantly respond to changes on the battlefield.]

    [Fair enough.]

    I double check quickly and the golgari is spot on. Granin really knows his stuff.

    [Alright, enough with the appetisers,] the old Shaper rubs his hands together, [time for the main course! Let''s take a look at the rare options!]

    Just as excited as he is, I fire up the menu for the first of the rare options.

    [Rare evolution: Elemental Ant. +80 bonus to Cunning, +80 bonus to Will, +20 bonus to Might, +20 bonus to Toughness. The Elemental Ant is a force of nature, with devastating spells that cover all the basic elements. In pursuit of Elemental perfection, some potential is lost. A mythic Omni-Elemental Mana Flux is formed around the core. The Antennae will be remade into Spectrum Crystal, able to better channel elemental mana and sense its flow. An All-Season Eye is granted. As a price, all non-elemental mana nds will be removed and banned. Non elemental mana based skills will be unavable in the menu.]

    Yikes! This is some heavy stuff! Holy stat gain! I ry the information to Granin and he once again nods appreciatively.

    [I''m starting to think the System will rewardmunal insects who make it to the upper tiers. Spectrum Crystal is not third strata, maybe not even fourth¡­ It''s clear that your rank five fusion has opened this option for you. I have to say, it''s strong. Very strong.]

    [What is this Mana Flux thing?]

    [A Mana Flux is like a ¡­ whirlpool. It draws mana in and changes its attribute before storing it in the core. This is the only way I know of that a core can hold attributed mana.]

    [And since its omni-element¡­]

    [It''ll hold all of the elements. You won''t even need a construct to change it,] he confirms.

    Wow-ee. This is impressive stuff.

    [And the Crystal thing?]

    [It''s basically a substance that reacts well to elemental mana. If you were to cast spells through your antennae, they''d be more powerful. Mutations would only enhance that further.]

    Right.

    [The eye?]

    [Lets you see elemental fluctuations. It''s a specialised version of the mana eye from earlier.]

    [All of this seems like good stuff.]

    [It is,] he agrees, [that''s why the cost is high. You''ll cut off a lot of future potential, but the payoff is massive.]

    This bears some thinking about¡­

 Chapter 593 Evolution pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 593 Evolution pt 3 </h4>

    After discussing the various benefits of the Elemental Ant, which were impressive to say the least, I was ready to move on. As cool as the evolution is, I''m not about to throw away my precious gravity mana. Powerful elemental spells? Sure, that''d be great and all, but would they really match up to what the Gravity Bomb can do? Can they match up to what the gravity bomb will be able to do in the future? The more mental strength I umte, the deadlier the gravity bomb will get. If I ever manage to actually snipe the Gravity Mana Affinity skill, then my proficiency will soar!

    Besides, trading future growth for strength in the present is just not my style. I''d much rather go the other way!

    Moving onto the next option, the Diamond Soldier. I''ve got a good feeling about this one!

    [Rare Evolution: Diamond Soldier. +20 bonus to Cunning, +20 bonus to Will, +100 bonus to Might, +100 bonus to Toughness. The Diamond Soldier is an unbreakable frontline warrior and leader who is capable of turning the tide of battle single handed, without drawing on the support of others of its kind. The carapace and mandibles will be reforged into Fetid Diamond, a material as hard as it is toxic, enemies who draw too close, or suffer a bite, will experience the immensely powerful poison embedded within (warning, this will reset all mutations). In addition, a diamond parasite hive will be added.]

    Uh¡­ what? Granin winces.

    [I was worried about this happening,] he says.

    [What do you mean?]

    [This is basically the option you wanted next evolution. Despite how it sounds, this is actually better than I thought you might get at this stage. Fetid Diamond is a fourth strata material, it''s exceptionally powerful. Hard as nails, much more so than your current exo-skeleton, and even a touch of the stuff is capable of killing the unprepared. Your mandibles would effectively get not only a hardness upgrade, but an exceptionally potent toxin upgrade for free.]

    [But what''s this about a parasite hive?! I''m not sure how I feel about that!]

    Torrina raises her hands in a calming gesture.

    [It''s a good thing, even if it sounds¡­ a little weird. Basically a small nest of symbiotic parasites would be created within the carapace and they excrete material that hardens and toughens your shell over time. It''s a powerful upgrade.]

    I''m really notfortable with voluntarily adding parasites to my carapace.

    [If you''d gotten this option next time, you probably would have seen some of the diamond types from the fifth strata, like I told you about. There''s still a chance you might see it, but since it came up here¡­]

    [The odds are diminished¡­]

    [Right,] he nods.

    Well damn.

    [Is Fetid Diamond even shiny?] I ask.

    All three of the golgari look away.

    [It''s more of a dull yellow-green,] Torrina mutters.

    REJECTED, DAMMIT.

    I really had my hopes up for the Diamond Soldier! The stats are great, the cash-ins are good, just the material is wrong! What a waste! If this costs me my perfect diamond upgrade next time, I''m going to be super annoyed! Annoyed I say! Bah to you, Gandalf! Even if I have to pay for the cash-ins myself, I''m getting me a sweet, fifth strata diamond shell, no matter what!

    Next!

    [Rare Evolution: All-Seeing Scout. +40 bonus to Cunning, +30 bonus to Will, +80 bonus to Might, +80 bonus to Toughness. To see all and know all is the purpose of the All-Seeing Scout. The eyes are remade into Demonic Lenses (warning, this will reset all mutations). In addition, a Visual Array Matrix will be added to the brain, along with a Spectral Wave Eye. Together, these will eliminate the ability of the All-Seeing Scout to see, instead allowing them to view all things in the mind''s eye.]

    Wait¡­ So bing an ''All-Seeing Scout''¡­ makes me blind?!

    [Pretty much,] Granin says, [you''ll be a bit like Crinis, except with much more potent non-visual ''sight''. The two Demonic Lenses don''t act like eyes at all, more like receptors that will coordinate with the Spectral Wave Eye to capture signals that normal eyes just can''t see. The Visual Array Matrix is pretty much a must for this sort of build since your normal brain won''t be able to interpret the scope of information that you''ll be getting.]

    Huh. So if I think about this with an Earth analogy, the two demonic lenses are like satellite dishes, the Spectral Eye is like the antenna and the Matrix is like aputer. The eye detects the signals collected by the dishes and the matrix interprets it all. I mean, it sounds handy and all, but I''m not convinced that it''s for me.

    [This is actually strong,] Corun pipes up, [sensory upgrades are expensive, very much so, and a package like this is pretty much top of the line for a monster of your tier. You''d be impossible to sneak up on, and don''t underestimate the benefits that these types of senses can have for mages.]

    I turn to Granin.

    [It''s true,] he shrugs, [your sensitivity to mana will go way up. Forget Mana Sense, with this setup you''ll be able to see mana. Heck, you can actually ''see'' a short distance into stone if my memory serves. And this is all before mutations. You can upgrade the lenses to be more sensitive, have longer range, collect in a wider area, specialise in a certain type of input, and ditto with the Spectral Eye. A small side benefit, demonic lenses are, as I said, not eyes. They''re hard, much harder than chitin. You''d effectively eliminate the weak point in your carapace with this evolution.]

    That is an unexpected and potentially juicy side benefit. Initially I was quite disappointed in this evolution, but I''ve warmed up to it after their analysis. It''s true that having better information is a keyponent of battle. Knowing where your opponent is at all times, finding them before they find you, it''s all extremely important, especially for the stealthy, one on one stylebat that scouts tend to engage in. If I spent more time roaming out on my own than I did fighting alongside the Colony, this would be a betterbat evolution than even the Diamond Soldier in my opinion. I''ll have to think about this one carefully if the next evolution disappoints.

    I hesitate for a moment.

    [I''m not sure how much I''m going to tell you about the next evolution,] I tell the triad, [it has to do with my current species and there''s a few things in there I''m not sure I want to share.]

    [I wondered why you wouldn''t let me take a look at your core,] Granin muses, stroking his chin, [I can make a few guesses, obviously, but I was never confident I was right.]

    He turns to look at his triad mates. Torrina gives him a small nod and Corun shrugs, then Granin turns back to me with a smile.

    [Our advice will obviously be limited without full information, but you have every right to your secrets. I will just say this, evolutions that go in a sequence, like from minor to major or young to mature, are usually better to be seen through all the way. There''s a pattern or a set of benefits that the System intends will bepleted over the course of multiple evolutions. If you bail part-way through, you generally won''t get the full package that the System intended. Sometimes there are perfectly good reasons to go in a different direction though, so don''t feel trapped.]

    I nod my antennae.

    [Thanks, Granin, and you guys also. I appreciate you respecting my boundaries.]

    [Hey, this is your decision,] Granin tells me, [we''re just here for the ride.]

    [More like you want to stuff me on a throne.]

    Graninughs.

    [More like I want you to climb onto the throne on your own. But that''s still a long, long way off.]

    Who knows how far off, I still don''t even know how deep the Dungeon is. I asked Granin and he told me that he had no idea, apparently nobody did. ording to what the Cult of the Worm knew, nobody had ever encountered the Ancients on their own strata, only in higheryers during particrly powerful waves, and of course during the Cataclysm. For all I know there''s thirty strata and I won''t reach the strength of an ancient until I''m tier fifty!

    Bah! No more stalling. I''m nervous for this one. Okay. Here we go.

    [Rare Evolution: Mature Colony Paragon. +40 bonus to Cunning, +40 Bonus to Willpower, +90 bonus to Might, +90 bonus to Toughness. The Colony Paragon grows in strength and stature, pioneering in all areas in which the Colony seeks to excel. A leader, a soldier and a symbol, the Paragon is one with the Colony and the Colony is one with the Paragon. The Collective Will Vestibule (formica sapiens) will be reforged into Soul Crystal (warning, this will reset all mutations). In addition, a Communal Spirit Nave will be attached.]

    Uhhh, wot?

 Chapter 594 Evolution pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 594 Evolution pt 4 </h4>

    First of all, these stats are insane. Look at these numbers! It wasn''t as if the Juvenile Colony Paragon had bad bonuses to begin with, but this is taking it to another level. It feels like what Granin told me is true, but more than that, I can almost sense the System, the bearded one, urging me to stick to a path and see the evolutions through. I wonder if there''s another Paragon type evolution to follow after this one? If so, how far does it go?

    Questions, questions.

    Beyond the mandible cking stat gain, the Vestibule being cashed in is pretty much what I expected. It''s the defining piece of the Paragon evolution and a key element of the species that clearly is going to be built on. The main issue I have is that I don''t know whether or not ''soul crystal'' is any good, or if I should be holding out for better. It certainly sounds good. Souls are powerful¡­ right? I''ve certainly not heard of anything like it. There''s no obvious demonic link to tie this to the third strata, or the fourth to be honest. Perhaps Granin can fill me in¡­ do I ask?

    I''m not sure exactly why I''m as hesitant as I am to reveal information about my species to Granin, Torrina and Corun. I trust them, and after everything that''s happened, they''ve thrown their lot in behind me to a degree that only fanatical cultists could probably justify. On the other hand, there are aspects to the Paragon that I''m not totallyfortable with, like the Will of the Colony seeping into me constantly, a process that will probably only get worse with this new ''Spirit Nave'', whatever that is.

    For now, I won''t ask. Perhaps if I get further into the evolution menu, I''ll be able to sus something out about the crystal.

    Come on then Gandalf, tell me something about this Nave. You were awfully quiet about it in the description!

    [The Communal Spirit Nave acts as a channel for the energy of the Vestibule, directing and focusing it, concentrating it into a more dense and powerful energy.]

    Huh. Interesting. So it''s like an amplifier for the regenerative energy that the Vestibule already provides? That''s nice, I can handle that. Nothing too¡­ strange¡­ about it. For a moment there I was worried I''d be hearing the voices of my sibling''s spirits as well as their minds, and quite frankly, I think that would just about drive me nuts.

    What do you have to say about the Soul Crystal then, oh beardy boy of the bristling brows?

    [Soul Crystal: An exceptionally rare material of pure condensed souls. Soul Crystal is the perfect medium through which to move spiritual energy.]

    Alright then. I''m going to assume that the energy gathered by the Vestibule counts as ''spiritual'' energy, otherwise this upgrade would make little sense. Reading the description, there really doesn''t seem to be any tie to the third or fourth strata that I can detect, which makes me wonder if this is actually a fifth strata material? If so, this is an absolute payday.

    [All right, I have decided on my evolution,] I announce.

    Granin smiles.

    [I''m going to assume it''s thest one then?] he asks.

    I nod.

    [Right,] he sighs, [I would love to know more about it, but Ipletely respect your desire for privacy. I hope you can give us some general information so we know what to expect and can offer suggestions before you go into the final phase of the menu?]

    I give the triad the general information, such as the stats, and make a few allusions to the choice buffing certain advantages that I already have.

    [Also, I don''t want to expose too much here, but I suspect that the reset I''ve been offered might be from the fifth strata¡­]

    All three of their eyes go wide at that and Granin whistles sharply.

    [If that''s true, it''s a big deal. The types of matter found in the deeper parts of the Dungeon far outstrip anything you find higher up. Each level down is a real qualitative leap. The amount of evolutionary energy packed into that reset alone will make evolution worth the while, besides the rest of it.]

    That''s good to hear, makes me feel a little morefortable and secure in my choice.

    [Do you have any advice going into the next phase?] I ask.

    The three of them confer for a few short minutes before theye back to me.

    [Keep in mind the things we talked about and make sure you hit your stat goals. If you make it the values we talked about, you should be able to achieve what you want. The extra stats you get from this evolution help a lot and you can either put in the energy that we nned and push your numbers even higher, or you can spend that energy elsewhere, try and shore up a few weaknesses.]

    [Good advice. Alright, I''m going in.]

    Having confirmed my species, I''m taken deeper into the menu and the vast yground that is the manual evolution screen enfolds me within its embrace. I have quite a few decisions that need to be made at this point, but before I worry about any of that, I take a moment to admire the vast pool of evolutionary energy I have at my disposal. The core of Garralosh is paying dividends to me right now in the form of this enormous wealth, truly the most I could hope to extract from my current tier. With the bonus on top for max mutations, I have a lot ofrgesse to unload.

    First things first, I need to spend my bonus stat points. I''ve spent a lot of my Might on increasing my size, getting as many stats as I could at the expense of gettingrger. This time I feelfortable concentrating more on increasing the density of my muscture. As I spend the free points, I can tell that my size is still going to increase significantly, but the overall strength I can exert skyrockets and my musclespact and be more dense.

    The Toughness I spread around fairly evenly, hardening my body overall and increasing the amount of punishment I can take. The exoskeleton thickens and hardens, the chitin on my legs grows tougher and my internal body grows ever so slightly more durable. Next is time for a big spend. The first thing I do is make all of my brains mutable, all four of them. It takes more energy to do that than I expected, I think just because brain matter and neurons are so much moreplex than something like muscle fibre or chitin.

    With that job done, I get to the more difficult task of allocating my bonus stats. The aim of the game here isn''t to create more sub-brains, absolutely not. After chatting with Granin, I''vee to understand that my earlier strategy to increase my brain power isn''t the most efficient way, but with further investment, will pay off. I need each of my brains to be capable of weaving and handling mind magic constructs. This is going to take a ton of energy to achieve, even after the generous bonus stats from my evolution.

    I get to work, beefing up each of my brains with additional brain matter and pumping up the Will investment in each. I decide not to hold back and push harder in this department, raising my mental power to the point where my suffering when trying to use the omni-elemental construct will be utterly scrubbed from my mind. It''s not a sexy spend, but I''m satisfied with it. All in all, it costs me almost half of my avable energy to achieve, but with this, my days of magical dominance are just beginning.

    With what remains, I need to start shopping for my cash in option. There''s so much to choose from here, but after I take the mandibles and carapace off the table, there are only a few main body parts for me to y with. In the end, I decide to focus on my antennae. It might seem like nothing, but my antennae have evolved to be a keyponent of my build. The future sight alone pulls its weight and is something I will absolutely reinvest in once I can. I''m a bit disappointed to see that the Spectrum crystal is outside of my budget. That would have been a real nice pickup, but sadly, it isn''t to be. Instead, I look through the many possible options that are within my limits, and there are many.

    Most of the shiny new antennae I have avable to me are clearly from the third strata, with titles like ''Infernal Lattice Antennae'', or ''Weave of Greed Antennae''. As little as I like the idea of these demonic sounding names being attached to me, I''m sure there''s something I can find in here that is going to serve my purpose. I''m pretty open to the benefits I get, I don''t mind if it''s something that helps my future sight, or something that helps my spellcasting, or even something that just improves my sense of smell to a high degree. There''s a heap of options that give weird stuff, like giving my antennae the ability to st enemies with fire, to turn any fire spell channelled through them into a more powerful infernal me variant, even one that allows me to sense, of all things, people''s inner desires. What the heck do I care about people''s inner desires?! I already get the wants of my family seeping into my head through the Vestibule! People outside of the family don''t matter to the point I need to peek inside their head!

    Bah. There has to be something I can find in here¡­

    Aha! What have we here?

    [Twilight Fment. A material with extreme sensitivity to vibrations and reacts to sensory input of all kinds.]

    All kinds, eh? Including THE ECHOES OF THE FUTURE? I''m getting the sense (heh) that it will based on that vague, all-epassing description. I feel good about it, and I''m happy to dodge some of the more bizarre and evil sounding options. What''s up with these demons?! Lock that in.

    Huh, what do you know? A little more energy left over after that one, which is a happy surprise. I think I''ll make use of that and bulk up my physical stats a little more. This will be the evolution where I finally stamp my authority as a physical and mental powerhouse! Muahahahahaaaa! No longer a weak little hatchling, I''m going to be so mighty!

    I eagerly look over my selections. I cannot wait to evolve!

 Chapter 595 That magnificent beard

    <h4>Chapter 595 That magnificent beard </h4>

    I look over my options onest time before I confirm everything. I have to say, the ol'' status sheet is looking pretty darn good. A massive boost in stats, my brains bing mutable, a heck of a lot more physical power and the benefits of expanding my Vestibule setup to be even more of an enduring powerhouse. I can hardly wait! Not to mention the slow process of reforging my body into something better than what I started with is quite exciting. It may only be the antennae and Vestibule so far, but eventually the whole body will be remade! We can make it better! Faster! Stronger! We have the technology!

    Satisfied with what I see, I confirm the options and once more feel my consciousness falling into the now-familiar sinkhole of nothingness. The sensation of having your awareness circling the drain filled with a ck void is a little disconcerting, I have to say. But as the saying goes, you can adapt to anything, so it''s more of a detached fascination that I feel as I fall endlessly until Ie into the presence of the great bearded one once more.

    [I don''t actually have a beard, you know.]

    The voice echoes out into my mind, sounding mildly amused.

    Look, Gandalf has a beard. Gandalf without a beard just isn''t a thing. I don''t think my mind could evenprehend it. Like¡­ fire without heat or water without wet. If Gandalf didn''t have a beard, would he even be Gandalf? Actually, this is getting deep¡­

    [I am not this Gandalf that you keep calling me. You do realise that, don''t you?]

    Are you going to tell me your name this time?

    [No.]

    Gandalf you remain.

    [¡­ I suppose that''s fair enough. In terms of the level of delusion those in your position usually possess, this is quite minor, all things considered.]

    Yeah, that''s a question I have actually. How many of my kind are actually kicking around down here?! Since thest time we spoke, I''ve met three. Three! It''s not like I''ve covered a wide range of territory either, only a tiny sliver of the world! Are you snatching souls from Earth constantly? What''s your deal, man?!

    [The collection and injection of souls into the world is not something I handle directly. It is mere happenstance that your world aligns closely with this one. When a suitable soul is detected, it is drawn here and reborn into the Dungeon. It is simply a thing that is.]

    Huh. You''ve mentioned this before, but ''suitable'' tends to mean ''a bit nuts'' from what I understand.

    [Most minds are not capable of surviving the transition to a monstrous form. The following challenge of having to endure within the Dungeon breaks the rest.]

    It sounds like you have experience with this¡­

    [Oh, yes. It was quite some time before the filter could determine who had the better chance of survival. The first generations of transnted souls were¡­ disappointing, to say the least.]

    Sounds like a rtively mild way of describing people suffering breakdowns and getting eaten in by monsters¡­

    [As I said, it isn''t something I control directly, it is merely part of the working.]

    Uh-huh. Well thank goodness the Dungeon is filled with crazies, eh? So much more stable and easy to deal with. You weren''t lying about Garralosh, by the way, she waspletely gone. Fully nuts. To be honest, if it weren''t for that, I probably wouldn''t have survived fighting her.

    [It''s true that she had suffered long. She showed much early promise, but her savagery was not tempered by cunning. She grew too fast, and did not hide her strength from those who would do her harm. Any monster that shows such rapid growth is marked with a target, something she failed to grasp until it was far toote.]

    Do I have that same target painted on my back now, seeing as I was the one who killed her?

    [To some extent, perhaps. You have already drawn to your side those that would see you grow to your full potential.]

    Do you mean Granin and the triad? You know about the cult? Or should I say, cults?

    [Of course. There is nothing that happens on this world that is outside of my purview should I wish it to be so.]

    Then I suppose you would know all about the ancients and the stuff that they have going on?

    [Of course. Everything the System touches is within my scope,] the voice sounds rather smug at this, [regardless of what they might wish, they are bound by it still.]

    You make it sound as if they want to break out of the System. Is something like that even possible?

    [Should I fill in all the nks for you? What reason would I have to answer such a question?]

    ¡­ Because you''re super nice?

    Well that got augh out of him.

    [You are an interesting specimen, I must admit. Your species has be quite a force, and you yourself continue to rise from strength to strength. Your current path of evolution has you on a powerful trajectory. I am curious, however, if you are sofortable tying so much of strength into the survival of your species. Without them, you will only possess a fraction of the strength.]

    I mean, it''s fine I guess? If they all die, it''s not like I''m going to be alive anyway, right?

    [¡­]

    ¡­

    [Why?]

    What do you mean why?! It''s obvious I''d die attempting to save them! As if it were even possible that the Queen would be killed before me!

    [I find it so curious that someone with your own history of families would be so attached to what could only loosely be described as a family in this world.]

    Loosely described? Don''t be absurd! We''re all rted! Heck, most of us are straight-up siblings! And my previous experience might not have been perfect¡­

    [You were abandoned and left to starve to death¡­]

    You bring up the starving thing every time. It might not have been perfect, but I couldn''t have asked for a better family this time around. I get so much trust and support from them. It would be weird if I didn''t try to give it back. Which brings up something else I really wanted to say to you, now that I have the chance.

    [Oh? Something you want to say to me?]

    Yes. I''ve been thinking about this for a while, and I thought I should say in case I don''t get another chance. I uh, suppose I, uh, just wanted to say thanks¡­ I guess. Thanks for letting me be born here, as an ant. I feel like I fit in here, probably better than I ever did on Earth¡­ and it''s been¡­ good. So¡­ thanks.

    There''s a moment of silence between us.

    [You know, I don''t think anyone has ever thanked me for being born here, not in the entire history of the System,] the voice muses, [I have to say the experience is a little¡­ odd. You''re wee? Is that what people say at moments like this?]

    I suppose so. Just how out of touch with manners are you?

    [Very,] the voice chuckles. [Our time hase to an end, I sense. Good luck until I see you again. Try not to die.]

    Well, that''s cheery ¡­. Thought to¡­ end¡­. On...

    The darkness takes me. Once more, I feel my soul return to my body and then all sensation disappears as I begin to change. Myst thought is that I hope I''m not asleep for too long¡­

 Chapter 596 The Sanctum of Sleep pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 596 The Sanctum of Sleep pt 1 </h4>

    The nameless one idled against the side of a tunnel for a brief moment, checking her surrounds. Activity had been furious within the nest ever since the siege had lifted and opportunities to enter the Dark Passage had been harder toe across. Thankfully, the Eldest blessed her and the tunnel was, for this brief window of time, empty. She leaned against the deep shadows, ingeniously created by a collection of wrinkles that were so unobtrusive it was hard to even notice them. Even if one were to see, would they ever realise that each centimetre, every angle, was a deliberate choice designed specifically to create this convergence of shadows.

    As the pressure increased, there was a small ''click'', and she felt a brief sensation of falling before shended on her feet in a tunnel shrouded inplete shadow. The Dark Passage. A feeling offort overtook the nameless one as she was embraced by the darkness, this was the ce where she felt most at home. There were no scent trails in the Passage, a strange oddity for any ce within the nest, but she wasn''t surprised. She reached out with an antennae, seeking along the wall until she found what she was after, a groove, dug in a particr way, that told her just what she needed to know. Now confident, she turned and began to move, her antennae always seeking along the tunnel wall as she ran.

    Before long, she began to run into others, but they did not greet each other, no scent was exchanged, for such was forbidden. Instead, they ran alongside each other, working together whenever they came across a vile Dungeon spawn infecting the tunnels. The wave hadplicated things, but she had learned of the great working undertaken by the mages to peel back the Dungeon veins. It would only be a matter of time before the same method had been applied here, their work was too important to allow for distractions. As they ran, enshrouded in perfect dark, they came across more tunnels, each bringing more of her siblings into this main branch. Every tunnel was lined with the same enchantment, powered by pure back cores filled with Shadow Mana, the light eaters.

    They ran together until finally, the tunnel, which had been growing wider as more branches folded into it, came to a dead end. A wall loomed before them, studded with light eaters to the point where it appeared more as a wall of pure shadow rather than stone. Without pause, the nameless one approached and extended her antennae, feeling this, then that, until she found an almost imperceptible indent. The first located, it wasn''t long until she identified the second and pushed against both at the same time. She had to concentrate, if the timing was even slightly off¡­

    ''Click''.

    So soft she nearly couldn''t hear it, the mechanical device slotted into ce and in a second, the wall that blocked the way was suddenly gone, dropped into the floor below. Whaty beyond, was the sacred ground of the order, the Sanctum. Each of her siblings ducked their heads to pay their respects as they crossed the threshold, as she herself did when it came her turn to enter. If anything, the darkness was even moreplete in here, not a single speck of light allowed to exist within. There was no scent either, which meant each of the order was required to rely on their other sense, that which marked them apart from the rest of the Colony.

    Once inside, she found herself within the antechamber, staffed at all times with several acolytes who stood as still as statues, mimicking the state of torpor as best they could. The nameless one had intelligence to share, so she approached the acolyte of knowledge.

    Greetings, Sister. You have wisdom for the Sanctum? The acolyte signed, her antennae performing an intricate dance in the air.

    A test? Too obvious, the nameless one had been part of the order since its very foundation.

    The Eldest rests, she signed.

    Eight hours a day, the acolyte wryly signed back, before both performed the eightfold genuflection.

    It was a sacred number, the ideal amount of sleep, as proscribed by the Eldest. It was central to all that the order sought to aplish.

    Yes, Sister, I bring news from the mining shafts.

    The acolyte''s antennae twitched in surprise.

    I thought the shafts were closed for the time being. They weren''t nned to be reopened for thirty-one hours.

    Trust the Acolyte of knowledge to have such intricate knowledge, it was her role, after all.

    Some of the workers have banded together with a team from Vibrant''s army. They have arranged to reopen early, though it is only possible if they agree to work double shifts.

    This cannot be borne, the acolyte showed dismay, without rest, the workers will be sloppy, the soldiers, unable to properly perform their duties. All shall suffer from their greed to work! How dare they shun the wisdom of the Eldest in so tant a manner. She shook off her irritation. The Sanctum thanks you for this news, sister. Be wee, and find rest within.

    Her taskplete, the nameless one backed respectfully away from the acolyte of knowledge, who had already turned to the acolyte of strategy, and made her way deeper within the Sanctum. Passing through the antechamber, she found the outer training grounds, where new members for the order endured the harsh training necessary to achieve full membership of the order. At the moment, it appeared as if a fresh induction group was being trained. An acolyte of instruction hung from the ceiling by a single leg, waving her antennae in slow, exaggerated motions, instructing the initiates in the hiddennguage of the order. Twenty young ants hung from the roof in front of her, each gripping the ceiling with only a single leg. Their weak grip Skill was evident in their wobbling and the nameless one knew from experience it was only a matter of time until one fell to the stone floor below.

    In fact, before she passed by one did indeed fall. The crack of chitin on rock was impossibly loud in this silent ce and the initiatey on the floor, leg twitching in pain for only a moment. Several other acolytes of training appeared from the walls to minister to their sister. In short order, the leg was tended to, the initiate righted on her feet, and sent back to the ceiling. Now she would train the next leg until it too was no longer able to bear her weight.

    The soldiers were always the first to fall, their increased strength not enough to offset their higher mass.

    It was necessary though. A high rank in Grip was the foundation on which the order was built, running w in w with Stealth. Observing targets from above, from the side, hiding on pirs and anything else they could hang onto was a necessary part for any member of the order. The nameless one herself had spent an entire week hanging upside down once, even entering torpor whilst hidden on the ceiling.

    Moving past the outer training grounds, she reached the main part of the sanctum, the most sacred of all of its many chambers. Inside she found thousands of her siblings and fellow members of the order, each engaged in their most sacred of duties: torpor.

    The Eldest had decreed long ago that it was the responsibility of every member of the Colony to ensure that they rested, and from that moment on, the order had begun to take shape. Members of every caste had been weed, for theirs was difficult work and every advantage and strength was needed to ensure it was done perfectly. Too many within the Colony spurned the Eldest''s wisdom and worked beyond their measure, but they could not escape the order for long.

    The grand resting chamber was carved in the shape of a great wheel divided into eight segments. An acolyte of rest stood at silent attention on the outer area of one segment and the nameless one made her way over. Each segment of the chamber was filled with ants at rest, but soon it would be time for one segment to wake up and return to their work, then it would be time for the nameless one to sleep. She was looking forward to it, her sixteen hour shift had been all to brief, but the work had been hard. She was ready.

    This nameless one greets you, one of her siblings signed to her.

    I see you, she replied, this nameless one is pleased to see you once again.

    Was your work fruitful?

    I was able to uncover a nned breach.

    Excellent! The sleep cells will once again be filled I see.

    The two friends chatted for several minutes, as they tended to do whenever they met here at the end of a shift. Before long, the acolyte indicated to them that is was almost time and they readied themselves for rest. Already the deep lethargy of torpor was beginning to take its grip on the nameless one and she waited patiently for the others to wake.

    Which gradually they did. Up and down the segment, hundreds of ants began to stir, jolted into wakefulness, they turned and moved to exit the outer ring of the segment and clear space for the iing shift.

    I hope you rested well, nameless ones, the acolyte signed to them as they passed.

    Once thest ant had exited the segment, the acolyte turned to them.

    Good work, nameless ones. Please take your deserved rest, as the Eldest intended.

    They each performed the eightfold genuflection, slower now that they were each on the verge of sleep, before shuffling into the segment, ensuring that all had room. The nameless one felt her consciousness slipping and dly let it go, surrendering herself to torpor. After all, when she woke there would be so much work to do, and only sixteen hours in which to get it done.

 Chapter 597 The Sanctum of Sleep pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 597 The Sanctum of Sleep pt 2 </h4>

    The nameless one came back to herself precisely eight hourster, rested and refreshed. Truly the greatest experience of torpor could only be enjoyed here, on the fulcrum of eight amongst her fellow members of the order. As the rest of those on her shift came awake and began to move off their segment they greeted each other in the hiddennguage, signing with their antennae and exchanging ns for the day. As they passed the acolyte on the outer edge of the fulcrum they greeted her as she did them, exchanged a few signs with the now ending shift and then they were away, ready to start the shift.

    The nameless one was eager to begin. Sixteen hours of solid worky in front of her and it was imperative that she make a fast start. They never skipped their rest in the order, which meant they had to work harder, faster and more efficient than every other member of the Colony, otherwise how could they hope to police them? So it was that all of the newly awakened broke into a sprint the moment they were clear of the inner chamber, running to their assignments as fast as they could, vanishing into the Dark Passage and emerging from hidden exits all over the nest. The nameless one did not join them immediately. Her rank was such that she needed to make an additional stop before she could begin her work.

    She rushed through the sanctum,pletely soundless, until she came to a small, borately carved chamber in which an acolyte stoodpletely still. She approached respectfully.

    The Eldest rests, she greeted the acolyte of shadows respectfully.

    Eight hours a day, came the reply and both genuflected.

    What word from the shadows? The nameless one asked. Is there a task?

    There is, came the solemn reply. The many-headed beast has stirred against us once more, seeking to escape their responsibilities and our notice.

    Again!?

    So soon? Are we sure of this intelligence?

    The acolyte eyed her reproachfully.

    It is not for us to question the shadow, she reprimanded.

    The nameless one bowed her head in repentance.

    If not for the shadow, we might not havee across this news. The many-headed beast is cunning beyondpare, it has hidden its ns deep. The acolyte waggled her antennae in a slow chuckle. Just not deep enough.

    When and where do I strike? The nameless one asked.

    Go to the confluence of ways, beneath the croca-star. A waypoint has been established and an acolyte of nning will meet you there. Shadows take you, sister.

    I go.

    So saying, the nameless one turned and ran. To tackle an enemy on this scale wasn''t something that usually came up, but things had been hectic in the Colonytely, and many were beginning to push the bounds¡­ They would learn, of course, that it was impossible to escape from the order. Though they slept the most, there were none who worked harder, of that, she was certain. Once more into the Dark Passage, the hidden way between the tunnels. Long had the carvers and mages in the orderboured on these narrow tunnels. Undetectable, devoid of light and intricate in their design, they were woven throughout the very heart of the Colony and reached nearly every part of it. Even the new satellite nests had the Dark Passage woven into their design, carvers of the order building the tunnels and establishing the secretwork right under the noses of their siblings as the nests were established.

    Everywhere the Colony went, so too did the order.

    She ran through the still darkness, her antennae constantly moving, feeling and sensing for the hidden location markers carved into the walls. It was additionally tense in the Passage during the Wave, she had to constantly be on the lookout for monsters. Although she ran past a few, she knew that these were pets, controlled by the core shapers within the order who had tasked their charges with sweeping the tunnels clean. She gave them their space and continued to run.

    After ten minutes of zig-zagging, she arrived at the confluence, a wide meeting point of many tunnels close to the heart of the Nest. Many of her siblings were here when she arrived, moving from tunnel to tunnel, gathering into teams, or meeting with the present acolytes of action to coordinate their strikes. She had other business. She turned her attention and antennae to the roof and began to feel her way amongst the descriptive carvings there. The entire ceiling was an borate mural, though she had met none who could im to know who carved it, which contained many scenes radiating out from the centre of the chamber, each filled with breathtaking beauty. It was the outer edge of the chamber that contained what she sought, and she headed there directly and began moving clockwise around the edge. At various points she came across various monsters defeated by the Eldest emzoned on a star as if they had be part of a constetion that illuminated the Eldest''s strength. Eventually, she found what she was looking for, a croca beast, jaws wide open and a savage gleam in its eye, as if ready to leap off the stone and consume the ants around them.

    The croca-star.

    She approached the nearby acolyte and greeted her. Genuflectionsplete, they began to discuss the mission.

    The many-headed beast has made ns to skip torpor and gather in one ce, which will give us the perfect opportunity to strike, the acolyte told her.

    Do we know the meeting ce? The nameless one asked.

    We do not, though our every effort has gone into discovering just that. From what we have been told, the location has not been shared with any not of the beast.

    The beast grows ever more cautious.

    Indeed.

    Where can I rendezvous? I am eager to begin work.

    I will lead you. There are three teams assembled for the task, with two more on the way. Find your ce amongst them quickly, we cannot allow this breach to ur.

    The nameless one nodded. Once one ant thought they could get away with skipping torpor, the desire seemed to spread like a contagion. Every attempted breach needed to be put down harshly. Only that would be enough to discourage infractions. It wasn''t possible to get everyone, the Colony was just toorge for that, but they would try, and some days, they got very, very close. She followed the acolyte as they raced down a side tunnel and it wasn''t long before they entered one of the small operation chambers that dotted the Dark Passage. Small,pact spaces in which the order could gather to run localised operations, serving as a nning headquarters, gathering ce and briefing room, all in one. Inside she found a full team awaiting instructions.

    Wee, nameless one, she was greeted by a general who stood over a map a carver had magically engraved on the floor, please join us.

    She signed her greetings and got to work, familiarising herself with the operation further. She quickly learned that timing was of the essence, only an hour remained until the breach was expected to ur, and they still didn''t know where. It was possible they could try and nab the targets separately, but that would create a logistical nightmare. And if they weren''t careful, word would leak the moment the first target went down, driving the rest into hiding. They would still be caught, but only at a great cost of time and energy. The order had to be efficient, otherwise they would be ineffective.

    The work quickly drew her in as they discussed theories, options and strategies. ns were proposed, debated and discarded rapidly as the discussion evolved. In ten minutes, they had a working n and scattered through the tunnels, ready to return forty minutester for the final briefing.

    To think she had been ready to hunt down a few miners and soldiers in this shift, now she had much bigger fish to fry.

    It had been a while since the nameless one had put the Council to sleep.

 Chapter 598 The sanctum of sleep pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 598 The sanctum of sleep pt 3 </h4>

    "Ensure you hit your targets, here, here and here. With these junctions secured, the digging teams will be able to move rtively unhindered. That''s where the difficultyes in. You''ll need to make sure that the crossroads remains blocked and sweep out spawning monsters at the same time. I know that''s going to be hard, but we can''t spare the antpower to send another team. The diggers will help you, all you have to do is -"

    The nameless one allowed the words to wash over her as she focused her mind. This was a difficult infiltration, but nothing she hadn''t done before. She knew from experience however that apse in concentration would be fatal, exposing her cover for all to see and forcing her to retreat, her prey alerted to her presence. Not that they didn''t already know she was after them, that much was already clear.

    Down below was the Dungeon Map, created in the central nning hub of the general caste. She was stuck to the roof, her ws like steel traps that wouldn''t allow even a speck of dust to leak from her iron grip, overlooking Sloan as the general discussed ns for securing sections of the Dungeon for construction. Except there was a problem. She wasn''t sure what it was that rubbed her senses the wrong way, but every instinct in her body was telling her something was deeply wrong.

    Beneath her, Sloan waved away the general she''d been talking to and returned to perusing the map, discussing a few points with a carver representative, hammering out the finer details of their ns. Looking down at her, the nameless one saw no sign of tension or stress to indicate that this individual was nning to breach her sleeping obligations. To all intents and purposes, Sloan had the appearance of an anting to the end of her workday and wrapping things up so she could find a sleep chamber and enter torpor.

    Could the shadow be wrong?

    The nameless one drew the shadows deeper around and pulled her body t against the ceiling. It was impossible for the shadow to be wrong, she had to push all such thoughts out of her head. So the shadow was right, a breach was happening, then what was it about Sloan that bothered her so? She focused her eyes and homed in on every detail of the general, every movement, every little tic and shift of weight, every change in her scent. No detail was too small to escape her notice, there was nowhere to hide from the eyes of the order.

    Wait, what was that?

    A strange flicker of the light caught her attention. It was such a minor thing that had she not been concentrating, she would have missed it entirely. Where was it again? She focused, patient as a predator as she continued to observe Sloan beneath her. There! The shadow! How could she not have seen the shadow!? As Sloan went about her business, discussing and nning, the nameless one focused instead on the y of light around her feet, and after a few moments, she realised something.

    The shadow doesn''t fit!

    It wasn''t anything major, the legs were just slightly off, the abdomen and thorax not quite the right dimensions, but you could see it if you were looking for it. The shadow that Sloan projected didn''t match the shape of her body. It was a double!

    She cursed admiringly in her mind as she drew the shadows around her like a cloak and began to sneak her way to the exit point. The council had reced themselves with doubles cloaked in some kind of illusion spell! The mages within the order would need to learn of this technique as soon as possible. They needed to find a way to better break it. For now, the slight differences in shape had been enough for her to see through the ruse. She had to inform the others!

    [Ghost Stealth (VI) has reached Level 94].

    Not now! She focused her senses and body to the utmost, ensuring that no sight or sound would be noticed as she made her escape. She was fortunate to scuttle away without being seen and made her way back into the Dark Passage. Once inside, she urgently messaged her fellow team member who awaited her inside.

    It''s a body double! Sloan has been reced by another ant cloaked in some kind of light or illusion spell!

    Are you certain? The other ant signed back intently.

    The shadow betrays them! It doesn''t fit the body. I believe that every member of the council we are shadowing has been reced and the real members are hidden!

    Her fellow order member cursed silently.

    We will need to confirm this as soon as possible. Return to the meeting ce whilst I spread the message. We should have confirmation in ten minutes.

    The two of them rushed to perform their tasks knowing that time was of the essence. When she arrived back at the nning chamber and ryed the news to the members gathered there, the reaction was much as she expected.

    Damn this beast! Are they daring us to put them under 24/7 surveince?

    They need to put more effort into their work rather than spending all this energy trying to dodge torpor!

    What is wrong with their heads?!

    It was fine to be angry, but they didn''t have the time to waste on such useless emotion. The nameless one stepped forward.

    Your frustration is understandable, but a waste of energy. We have a task to perform, don''t lose focus on the work.

    With her signed message, the group quickly got back to nning how they could ovee this disaster together. They were deep in discussions when word came back from those shadowing the other members of the council. As suspected, all of them were fakes.

    What do we do? One member of the group demanded. We''ve already lost track of the targets and we have no leads on where they might be! Regr methods have been exhausted. I suggest we appeal to the shadow.

    The others paused for a moment as they contemted that suggestion. It wasn''t forbidden to ask the shadow for assistance, but it certainly wasn''t encouraged. Even if they were to ask, there was no guarantee that they would get an answer. The entity known as shadow preferred tomunicate through those few acolytes dedicated to receiving their messages, rather than reaching out to just anyone. The nameless one considered the suggestion and decided it might be worth a try.

    We are out of time. The meeting is intended to take ce in only ten minutes and we have no clues as to where. The situation has be desperate and I am unwilling to let it go. I suggest we all appeal to the shadow and see if it will intervene on our behalf. This mission was brought to us by the shadow originally, after all.

    After a little more discussion the group agreed and got to work. The chamber entrance was sealed and all light in the room was suppressed as each member channelled as much shadow mana as they could, nketing the room in utter darkness. The mana thickened gradually, seeping into the air around them and saturating all it touched as the ants bowed low in supplication, covering their eyes ceremoniously and waiting. For several long minutes, nothing except the growing density of shadow marked any change in the space as they each remained perfectly still. Then, there was a faint sound, almost like a sigh, and the gathered shadow mana scattered in an instant, bringing the light back.

    The nameless one raised her head eagerly as others leapt to reopen the chamber. As sight returned to them, they found words written in pure darkness engraved on the wall and they felt joy in their hearts. There was no escape for the targets of the order.

 Chapter 599 The Sanctum of Sleep pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 599 The Sanctum of Sleep pt 4 </h4>

    "Where you followed?"

    "I don''t think so¡­"

    "You THINK? THINKING isn''t good enough!"

    "Cool it! Your scent is spreading too far. Are you trying to bring them down on our heads?"

    "¡­ I''m sorry. I''m just so stressed."

    "And tired? Maybe you should sleep! Torpor usually takes care of that. So I''m told, I don''t do it much. I find it''s too slow for my pace. So, what have you all been up to? I''ve been running around doing heeeaaaps of stuff. It''s so busy right now! I can''t believe how much stuff there is to do! Can you? And the Eldest is Evolving! That''s exciting! I wonder¡­"

    "Vibrant! I''m too tired to listen to you for too long today, can you wait a second while we try and get settled?"

    The hyper-energetic soldier subsided with a sigh whilst the rest of the Council settled into the crude and cramped chamber that had been prepared for the meeting. A far cry from the luxurious carved surroundings of the normal meeting chamber, this room was intended for use as a Biomass storage chamber, recently emptied of its stockpile in order to fuel the Eldest''s evolution. It was small, dark, cramped, and best of all, almost nobody in the nest knew that it was even avable. Perfect for a group of ants attempting to avoid being dragged off to torpor.

    They were all there, even Antite and Victoriant. Sneaking that pair out of the nesting chamber was a feat in and of itself. It would have been impossible without the assistance of the Queen, who aided them in the interests of seeing the two younger royals get out of the eggying chamber more often. A sedentary life being waited on hand and foot wasn''t healthy for a good Queen, in her opinion.

    "You calmed down yet, Sloan?"

    The general nervously rubbed her antennae through her forelegs.

    "I think so. I''ve been so damned busy, and arranging this on top of everything else has been such a hassle¡­"

    "I feel like those damned torpor enforcers were giving us a break during the siege. A ton of ants, including almost all of us, went well under the required amount of rest and there were hardly any dragged away. Now that the siege is over, they''ve been popping out of the woodwork all over the ce! I lost every member of my two best teams today!" Beined. "They just vanished! I walked past their work area one minute, all of them where altering cores, Ie back two minutester, gone! No traces!"

    They all shuddered.

    "I say they''ve gone too far!" Advant mmed an antenna down on the rock they''d gathered around with force. "The Eldest did demand that we all sleep, but forcing us to sleep against our will? Don''t they understand how much work there is to do?! There''s a wave on right now!"

    "They''re following themands of the Eldest," Burke wryly informed them, "are you really going to go and tell them that the Eldest was wrong and that their orders don''t need to be obeyed? Or perhaps, you want to go to the Eldest and tell them that they are wrong?"

    Every member of the Council felt the pain of a thousand thwacks echo from deep within their memory at those words. No. No they wouldn''t be going to the Eldest and asking them to change their policy.

    "Let''s just focus on what we came here to do," Cont injected wearily, "I know all of us are well past due for a rest, and we will need to enter torpor at some point. Let''s make use of the time we have productively."

    "Agreed!" The others chorused and they quickly settled in to conduct their business.

    "First off, let''s go around the table for a status update, starting with the carvers."

    "Ahem. Work on the new gates has been progressing¡­"

    The council began their deliberations, each focused on the meeting and trying to take in the overall state of the Colony during this critical time so that they might better offer their own perspective and wisdom. Underneath it all, though none would admit, there was also a slight fission of smug self-satisfaction. They''d done it. It had taken a frankly ridiculous amount of work and preparation, but they''d finally slipped the noose and left the torpor police in the dust. For that reason, the meeting progressed with a renewed sense of energy and excitement, a shared feeling of triumph surging within each member of the council.

    The nameless one could almost smell it on them.

    Look how happy they are, rubbing their hard work right into the Eldest''s face, one of the team members signed from the roof.

    Focus, the nameless one signed back in a short, sharp gesture.

    She too felt irritated by such tant disobedience beings shown by the only ants in the Colony to have received the instruction of the Eldest directly, but it was useless emotion that hindered the work. She would pay it no mind.

    Be wary of your positioning, she signed again, and saw several shadows shift slightly as the others checked themselves.

    The room was small, with hardly any space to operate in. If it weren''t for the intervention of the Shadow, they would never have reached this ce before the council arrived. Sneaking in with all twenty in the room already would have been almost impossible. As it was, they were limited in how many of the order were able to hide within the chamber, the other teams were positioned in the tunnels outside.

    The nameless one looked down from her position at Vibrant in particr. The soldier looked full of energy, practically bouncing with impatience as she waited for her turn to speak. She''d checked the Vibrant board within the Sanctum before she''d left and she knew for a fact it had been three days since thest time Vibrant had rested. Even then, she''d only been in torpor for thirty minutes.

    We''re going to get you this time, the nameless one promised herself, there''s no way out for you now¡­

    Unaware of their surroundings, the council members attended to their business in high spirits. They were halfway through discussing the cement of the second farming expansion when their antennae reacted to a new scent at the same time.

    "Working hard I see¡­"

    Each of them froze in ce at that sinister scent and slowly turned their focus to the ceiling, where they finally noticed the unnaturally dark shadow above their heads, a shadow that slowly materialised into an ant staring down at them with cold indifference.

    "But work time is¡­ OVER!"

    "Oh shoot! Everyone scramble!" Sloan cried.

    Bem erupted in an instant. The two Queens were the first to fall, two ants leapt from the corners of the room and released some sort of sleep pheromone directly onto their antennae, causing them to slump over into slumber almost immediately.

    "Come and get me!" Leeroy yelled, her heavy armour nking and screeching as she tried to manoeuvre in the narrow space.

    A wall of ants leapt through the door into the room, dividing themselves instantly amongst the various council members and working to subdue them with expert precision.

    Cobalt and Tungstant fell next. It was a close thing, but they were seized and rendered unconscious with strikes to the thorax, cutting off the mana supply to the brain, just as they attempted to slip into a hidden escape tunnel that they must have dug in advance. Overwhelmed, the other council members could only put up a token resistance before, with cries of dismay, they too were taken down.

    All except one.

    "Too slow! Too slow!" Cackling madly, Vibrant burst out of the chamber and into the tunnel, somehow sliding past the waiting mandibles of the nameless one, who had positioned herself above the door for this moment.

    Dammit!

    Cursing to herself, the nameless one gripped with two legs and swung her body through the entrance and into the corridor,tching onto the ceiling and sprinting in the same millisecond.

    "Nap time, Vibrant!" Came an authoritative voice.

    The nameless one looked up and saw that the members of her order had formed a blockade further up the tunnel, using their bodies to close off the opening.

    Not enough, the nameless one sighed.

    Vibrant merelyughed and elerated even further. The wall of ants readied themselves for impact, bracing their legs, gripping with their ws and extending their mandibles. There was no way she could get past all of th-

    WHOOSH!

    Vibrant''s entire body flickered and vanished, only to reappear on the other side of the blockade a split secondter. She stood there,pletely still for a moment, as the ants behind her appeared frozen in time. Then, one by one, they began to fall.

    Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

    They peeled off the wall andnded on the hard stone floor, unconscious.

    "Tsk! Tsk! Need to keep up!" Vibrantughed.

    SNAP!

    So close!

    The nameless one had known the others would not seed and had run straight through, trusting that Vibrant would clear the obstruction for her, which she did. Her sneak attack,unching from the wall, was so close to being a sess, but she was noticed at thest second.

    "That wasn''t half bad," Vibrant cked her mandibles joyfully," but you''ll need to better than that to put me to sleep!"

    The nameless one felt helpless as she saw the soldier set her legs. Once she dashed away, there would be no chance of catching up to her¡­

    "See you next time!" Vibrantughed.

    DASH!

    BAM!

    It took a moment for the nameless one to understand what she was seeing. Instead of vanishing into the distance, Vibrant had somehow tripped herself up andnded t and on her face! What could possibly have happened?!

    "Crin-Crin? ¡­ why ¡­ would ¡­ you?" Vibrant croaked, her face half buried in the stone floor.

    Only then did the nameless one notice the bottomless shadow that had formed beneath the escaping soldier, and the many barbed limbs that had emerged to seize hold of her legs.

    The Shadow!

    Unwilling to let this chance slip the nameless oneunched herself onto Vibrant''s back and mped her mandibles down just below her head.

    "Don''t worry, Vibrant," the nameless one couldn''t resist saying, "You''ll be in our care for a looong time. Rest well."

    "Noooooo¡­.ooooo....oo..."

    Struggling to the end, Vibrant finally went limp, but even then the nameless one held and counted to eight before releasing her grip. Her job done, she leapt down from Vibrant''s back and bowed toward the deep shadow and the tentacles that were already fading back to nothing. She imagined that one of them waved to her before it sank into the dark, but it may have been a trick of the light.

    Later.

    And that''s how we finally caught Vibrant, the nameless one signed to her friend.

    Wow! The shadow in the flesh! You''ve had a busy shift to say the least! Where were the council when you saw themst?

    In the cells, the nameless one couldn''t help but have a smug nt to her antennae as she signed her reply, they''re getting the full treatment. Massage, carapace wax and shine, aromatherapy, full body clean, the works.

    They''ll wake up so refreshed!

    Yes, the nameless one sighed in satisfaction, yes they will.

    Good work, nameless ones. Please take your deserved rest, as the Eldest intended, the acolyte signed to them.

    The ants shuffled onto their segment of the fulcrum, the nameless one already feeling her entire body going ck. Torpor awaited, and she readily allowed it to drag her mind to stillness. In eight hours, she would wake, and the hunt would be on once more¡­

 Chapter 600 Royal High Tea pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 600 Royal High Tea pt 1 </h4>

    Enid once again checked her appearance in the polished brass mirror that the Colony had provided for her room. It normally wasn''t something she would bother with, but today''s appointment was something special, after all. She knew the Queen, first of her kind amongst the Colony, wasn''t exactly royalty in the technical sense, but the giant ant did possess a certain aura that demanded respect and Enid refused to give less than the proper dues as the mayor of Renewal.

    The refugees who made their home above were dependent on the Colony in more ways than one. No longer did they rely on the ants forbour or materials, they had grown to the point where they could provide such things for themselves, most of the time, but their ongoing survival still rested in the mandibles of these creatures. Should Anthony and his kind ever turn on them, the town, and everyone in it, would be swept away in an instant.

    The elder woman shook her head to dismiss such depressing thoughts from her head. There had been no sign that the ants would evermit such an action and deep down, Enid herself believed the Dungeon would cease spawning monsters before Anthony turned on the people he had decided to save. Beyn might be crazy in the truest sense of the word, but he was right about one thing: Anthony was a saviour to the people she now looked after and that was unlikely to ever change.

    Preparationsplete, she gathered her tea pot, tray and small selection of home baked biscuits and moved out of her apartment, closing the newly installed door behind her. The door itself was an impressive piece of work, intricately carved with leaves and scrolls of ivy that framed her name ced right in the centre. A pair of smaller ants hade and ced it only yesterday, using their strangely mobile front ws to nail on the hinges to the wooden frame they glued onto the smooth stone. It didn''t have a lock, the ants didn''t seem to see the need for locks amongst their private chambers. She idly wondered if thieving was ever an issue amongst the members of the Colony, but quickly dismissed the thought. What would they even steal from each other? As far as she could tell, they didn''t have possessions!

    Fully equipped, Enid made her way through the tunnels of the Colony, many of which now featured narrow stairs for the human visitors to use. At every stretch, alert soldiers stood at attention, their antennae waving slowly as they kept watch for the ever spawning monsters of the wave. It was remarkable how well the Colony had been able to hold against the unending enemies that came with a wave, their massive numbers helping a great deal on that front, but eventually they would be hard pressed to maintain their defensive posture when the creatures of the lower strata came knocking.

    Though she had little doubt they would meet that challenge. She had heard that Anthony had already begun his evolution to the sixth tier, a huge milestone for any monster. How powerful would he be when he emerged? He was likely already the strongest first strata born ant to have ever existed, with the possible exception of his mother, of course.

    Enid was undisturbed as she made her way into the very heart of the nest, save for a few guards giving her the once over with their antennae before waving her through. After a short walk, she had entered the most heavily guarded chambers and tunnels the Colony possessed, the brood chambers. All around she could see the brood tenders carrying and caring for their charges, fat grubs the size of small dogs, each one only a few weeks away from emerging as a full grown hatchling, ready to take on the world alongside their siblings.

    The grubs themselves were kind of cute, once you got used to them. Even so, the tenders would never allow any but themselves and a select few ants to touch them. Nothing within the nest was defended more zealously than the future generations of the Colony.

    With her tter held at the ready, Enid descended into the location of her appointment, the very centre of the nest itself: the eggying chamber.

    Their work for the day alreadypleted, the three Queens rested infort, a guard detachment present even though the offending mana veins had been banished from the walls. She nodded politely to the three massive ants and received a respectful dip of the antennae in response before she sat at the prepared human sized chair and table, ced her tray in front of her and waited.

    It wasn''t long before a rather harried looking Cont burst into the chamber, the normally reserved and calm mage in an uncharacteristic fluster as she ran through the entrance. Enid examined the ant mage as she apparently conversed with her mother, the elder Queen''s antennae twitching reflexively as Cont exined herself. There was something a little different about her, in fact, about Antite and Victoriant as well. What was it?

    Her eyes weren''t what they used to be so she had to squint a little in the dim light of the chamber but eventually she realised what it was. They were practically gleaming. Their carapace had an unusually healthy shine, with not a speck of dust or dirt to be seen. When they moved, the light shifted and shimmered on the chitin as if it had been polished to a mirror shine. Enid had seen merchant princes who would pay a fortune to achieve this level polish on their furniture! How had they done it?

    After a few short minutes, she felt the touch of Cont''s mind on her own.

    [Wee, friend Enid,] the mage said, [I trust you have been well?]

    [Hard not to be,] she smiled, [you take such good care of us down here.]

    [That is well. Your trip to the surface was without incident?]

    In order to stave off mana sickness, it was necessary that she and every other human who visited the nest make regr trips to the surface in order to regte their mana saturation. Enid herself had a mountain of work to do every time she went back, administering to the seemingly endless developments on the surface. It was almost a relief to dere the need for a diplomatic mission and return to the nest.

    [It was. I hope you have also been well, Cont. You are looking practically radiant today.]

    She intended it as apliment, but the mage practically flinched at her words.

    [Yes,] she muttered, [I have¡­ rested¡­ recently.]

    Enidughed.

    [Usually we would consider that a good thing,] she said, [yet for some reason you don''t appear all too happy to feel so refreshed.]

    [The issue of resting is¡­plicated, within the Colony. Enough of me, I will facilitate the bridge between Mother and yourself.]

    A few short moments and then she felt the powerful, brooding mind of the Queen touch against her own.

    [Greetings, friend Enid,] the Queen once again dipped her head in wee, [I have been looking forward to your visit. I must apologise for my daughter,] Cont shivered a little, [for beingte. Managing themselves does not appear to be a strong point amongst some of my children.]

    [You are the one who created Anthony, after all,] Enid chuckled.

    The Queen''s antennae wavered dangerously at the mention of the ''troublesome one'' and Cont took a discreet step backwards, putting herself out of range.

    [That one has been able to achieve much,] the Queen admitted, [when not frittering about and wasting time.]

    The giant ant leaned forward to inspect the things that Enid had brought with her.

    [What is this you have carried here, friend Enid? I do not recall seeing such things before.]

    She gestured to each item in turn.

    [I have a tea pot, full of freshly brewed tea, a few biscuits that I baked on the surface beforeing back down and a few cups.]

    The queen poked at the crockery with one leg.

    [And what is this ¡­ tea?]

    [I''m surprised you don''t know, since it was your children who provided the leaves. It''s a drink that humans and other races greatly enjoy, made by pouring boiling water over the dried leaves of certain nts. Sometimes it isbined with milk, though I don''t much care for the stuff in my old age.]

    She reached out and lifted the pot toward the giant monster.

    [Would you care for a cup?]

 Chapter 601 Royal High Tea pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 601 Royal High Tea pt 2 </h4>

    Enid wasn''t sure if the three gigantic ants were just humoring her or were in fact genuinely interested in the tea. She''d brought it along for herself, a long conversation, even a mental one, needed a good cup of tea in order to keep one''s thoughts flowing smoothly. They were quite the curious trio however, so she had brought a few extra cups, thergest that she had, in the event that they might want some. Even so, she was most surprised when the Queen took up her offer, quickly followed up by the other two each requesting a cup.

    So it was that Enid Ruther, retired merchant and mayor of Renewal, found herself pouring tea for three massive ants as they crowded around her table, watching her every move with agog fascination.

    [After the brew has steeped for a while, the vour seeps out of the leaves and into the water,] she exined, [usually it doesn''t take long, but some nts require more steeping than others. Certain mana rich leaves might need to be soaked overnight, or so I''ve heard.] She shrugged as she carefully poured. [I''m not certain where your children managed to source this particr variety from, but the vour is excellent, if I do say so myself.]

    She poured a cup for each of them, ensuring that the pot didn''t drip, then took a small pouch from one of her pockets.

    [Would anyone care for some sugar?] she asked. [I managed to grab some from my hidden supply in my house during myst visit. It''s a bit of a luxury, but an old woman needs to keep her energy up, so I say.]

    The three ants looked curiously at the small pouch.

    [What is this sugar that you speak of?] the Queen asked. [I do not believe I have heard of it.]

    [Oh, I''m a little surprised to hear that, considering how the regr surface ants are crazy about the stuff. Though I don''t know where you would find a source of sugar down here¡­]

    Enid reached into her pouch and pinched a small amount of the tiny crystals in between her fingers and brought it out for them to see.

    [It''s a vouring that we make from sugar cane, a crop that is grown in some ces on the surface. It''s quite rare in these parts and I brought this pouch with me when I fled my home during thest wave. There isn''t much left I''m afraid, but you are certainly wee to try it. It has a strong, sweet vour, so rather than eat it directly, we would normally mix in other things, such as a nice cup of tea, or something like these biscuits I brought with me.]

    The Queen brought her head closer in order to better inspect the contents of Enid''s hand and the mayor forced herself not to flinch as the giant monster loomed over her, the hidden mouth behind the mandibles inly visible for a rare moment. The antennae drifted over the sugar, smelling the tiny granules that she held in her hand, brushing against them.

    [It smells, energizing. Like mana packed into a small space.]

    [They are known to house a lot of energy, which is why I suppose most insects will go out of their way to hunt it down. I have to be very careful with my sugar, otherwise it gets stolen by ants in a heartbeat.]

    The Queen jerked her head up.

    [Which ants have been thieving?! My children wouldn''t dare!] Her antennae swished with rage and for a moment it appeared as if she would stride over to Cont and thwack her right there and then.

    [Ah! I meant non-monstrous ants, from the surface!] Enid quickly rified herself as she held up her finger and thumb, indicating the size of ''normal'' ants, [tiny little ones. They can smell the sugar from quite far away and will hunt it down relentlessly. As far as I know, no member of your Colony has ever tasted the stuff.]

    The Queen (and Cont) rxed.

    [I see. I would like some sugar in my tea. Thank you, friend Enid.]

    Victoriant and Antite also enthusiastically requested some sugar be added, so Enid happily mixed a generous spoonful into each of their cups, and then her own.

    [Please enjoy,] she said.

    It took Enid a moment to realise that none of them were moving, each of the Queens watching her intently rather than making any attempt to drink. It took her another moment to realise that they had no idea how to drink, and were waiting on her to demonstrate. Chuckling to herself, she reached out and picked up her cup, gripping it by the handle and around the brim, which she brought to her lips and sipped.

    "Ahhhh," she exhaled.

    Where did the Colony manage to source these leaves? They were amongst the best she had ever tasted. Were they seized during the capture of Rylleh?

    The three ants watched the tiny human drink from her cup before turning their attention toward their own, miniature drinking vessels. Enid had small, nimble hands, perfect for drinking from such a dainty vessel, but how were they supposed to do it? Their ws were strong, possibly too strong. If they tried to grip the cup and bring it to their mouths, they would surely break. Pick it up in their mandibles? Impossible. Their mouth was beneath the mandibles. How could they drink from the cup if they picked it up this way?

    In the end, the Queen solved the issue by having the three of them take turns lowering their head down to the table and drink their tea directly from the cup without picking it up. Generously, she allowed her daughters to go first, then she drank her own. The taste was¡­ different. Unique. She had never eaten any ''human food'' before, only Biomass, so was quite unprepared for the vour. At first she wasn''t sure that she enjoyed it. The heat, theck of meatiness, none of the tell-tale savour that Biomass provided. Yet, there was somethingpelling about it. The bitterness of the leavesbined with the faint sweetness that faded all too swiftly.

    That vour¡­ it was intriguing. Enervating. She felt a slight tingle rush through each of her limbs as the sugarced tea slid into her stomach.

    [How did your majesties find it?] Enid asked, amused.

    Each of them had be immediately still upon drinking the tea, even their antennae, normally constantly in motion, had be stiff with focus. It had looked soical that she''d had to force herself not tough out loud. Now she wondered if she might have made a mistake. Would introducing sugar to the Colony cause some issues? Surely not, right? They were a race of giant ants that fed on mana and Biomass. They didn''t have any need for an energy rich food source like sugar.

    The Queen turned her attention to the biscuits.

    [Friend Enid, do these also contain the sugar?]

    Enid looked down at her small te of ginger nuts, a family recipe that her husband had adored.

    [Yes they do. Would you like one?]

    The Queen nodded her assent, her focus intent on the bikkies. Trying to hide her smile, Enid ced three biscuits around the table and watched as the huge Queens lowered their mouths to the table and gobbled them down in half a bite.

    [I apologise for their small size,] Enid said, [I had intended to eat them as we spoke as they go perfectly alongside tea. If I''d been more thoughtful I would have tried to bake some a littlerger. Are you even able to taste them, given how small they are?]

    [We can,] the Queen confirmed, somewhat dreamily. [The vour is faint, but it is there, along with a slight crunch that I find appetising.]

    [A good biscuit needs a good crunch,] Enid confirmed, [if they aren''t baked correctly, then they''re too soft. Overbake them, and they turn hard and bitter. Proper baking is all about the timing.]

    [Interesting,] the Queen said. [I thank you for your gifts, friend Enid. May I enquire how your people fare on the surface?]

    She wasn''t especially interested in humans, but she had learned through repeated conversations with the mayor that enquiring about things the person you were ''chatting'' with cared about was amon opening gambit. So she listened with interest as Enid described the goings on of the people, and answered with great detail as Enid turned the conversation back to her, enquiring about life in the Colony and how her children fared. As usual, she took great pleasure in the exchange, although this time a part of her mind lingered on something else.

    That night, as Enid returned to her chamber to rest, the first of many hunting parties wasunched. These ants would scour the Dungeon and surface with great zeal, for their mother had made a request, and what mother wanted, she would get!

    No matter where this ''sugar-cane'' hid, the Colony would find it!

 Chapter 602 Live Evil pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 602 Live Evil pt 1 </h4>

    Dead, huh. Can''t say I''m surprised, rather, if I was any less skilful then I wouldn''t havested nearly as long as I did. To think that the greatest assassin the underground had ever known would go out in such a fashion. It hurts my pride to even think about it. Had I been too focused on the target? I must have been if an ice-cream van had rounded the corner without me even noticing. I can only hope the shot I squeezed off as I was crushed beneath the tyres was enough to finish off my contract. Odin Malum hadn''t failed a job yet and even dead, that''s a record I''d like to keep intact.

    The afterlife so far is a little more drab than I expected. Nothing but darkness presses around me, trying to ovee my will. A foolish attempt.

    [Wee Odin.]

    A voice speaks suddenly out of the gloom, its words prating directly into my mind. Some sort of telepathy? How is this possible?

    [You have died.]

    I''m aware of that. What sort of fool wouldn''t be aware of their own death. The sight of the hapless driver behind the wheel of that ursed frozen confectionary truck will be branded into my mind''s eye forever more.

    [Be calm, you will soon awaken to experience life again in a new world.]

    Calm? I''m always calm. If I''m not, then that''s because I have chosen not to be. This must be a pre-set message, like an automated recording. That implies that I may not be only the person who has experienced reincarnation on this ''new world''. Others like me? I hardly think there are any as capable as I am, but it does make me a little intrigued. Finding people from Earth and extracting what they know will be a good source of information. In the underworld, survival is everything, and information is the key to survival. Knowing too much was never an issue, so long as nobody was aware that you knew it.

    [You will be reborn on the world of Pangera.]

    Pangera? Like Pangea? That hardly seems original. Come on voice, I grow tired of your mewling, tell me something that is actually relevant, something that might help me survive in this ce that you seem intent on throwing me into.

    [Destiny and luck shall determine your fate.]

    Luck? Luck will have nothing to do with it. I relied on my skills and intuition to keep me alive in my past existence and I''ll do the same in this one. I''ll rise to the top once more, no matter how bloody my hands need to get. If you''re going to be stupid enough to give me a second chance, then I''m going to make sure it doesn''t go to waste.

    [You will be reborn with the following status:]

    Status? What''s a status?

    [Name: Odin Malum

    Level: 1 (I)

    Might: 45

    Toughness: 36

    Cunning: 31

    Will: 32

    HP: 72/72

    MP: 0/0

    Skills:

    Demonic Convergence (I) level 1; Bite (I) Level 3; Demon w (I) Level 3; Crawl (I) Level 1; Mana Sense (I) Level 2;

    Species: Initial Demon Larva

    Skill points: 1

    Biomass: 1]

    [You have one Skill point and one Biomass avable.]

    [Go forth and forge your own path.]

    That was a lot to take in, and at the same time, not much at all. So I''m not being reborn as a human? Why was I reincarnated here by this entity with the gruff voice if not for my expertise as a person? There must be another trait that is desired and I need to find out what it is. If I can determine why I''ve been chosen for this treatment then perhaps I can leverage that information in some way. Wait, I can''t make assumptions. Is there a chance that everyone is reborn here when they die?

    Unlikely, but I can''t rule it out. It would be interesting to learn after all of these years that there was in fact a unified afterlife, and it was some weird game world with an unimaginative name. Enough with the spection, what do I know?

    My species is listed as an Initial Demon Larva. The name is telling. First, ''initial'' indicates that there are multiple stages of ''demonrva'', which shows that there is some capacity for growth that is recognised by this ''game system''. Second, I''m a demon of some kind. In the Judeo-Christian variety? Will I have horns and a pointy tail? For someone who was often referred to as a ''demon'' in their life, this almost feels fitting in some way.

    For the stats that I''ve been given, I have no reference to determine if they are strong or weak, so I''ll put those aside for now. The Skills are interesting. Bite, w, crawl all seem rather straightforward in application, but the other two¡­ Demonic Convergence? Mana Sense? What exactly is mana? How does one sense it?

    Wait, something is happening¡­

    My mind snaps into focus and all intrusive thoughts are driven away in an instant as I try to take in as much information as I can. What am I sensing? It''s faint, like a weak signaling through a radio, but growing stronger. I can feel something. It''s wrapped around me, like a tight nket or cocoon. Can I move? I try to flex or manipte but I feel disconnected from any sensation, as if my body is far away and I''m having to control it through the post.

    I can tell that I''m drawing closer to it, that my body and mind are harmonising with time, but I refuse to wait.

    Harder now, I force with my iron will and feel a responsee back atst. That response seems to strengthen my connection and everything seems that much clearer now. Excellent. I harden my mind and push again, able to now feel myself flex and buckle against whatever it is that contains me. Something gives way I feel myself tumble forward. Quick as death I try to snap onto a ledge or find something to grip, but my body doesn''t respond quickly enough and I start to fall.

    Unpanicked, I roll my body onto its side and brace myself to absorb the shock ofnding. Ites, but is much softer than I expected. I must have fallen only a short distance, perhaps I was attached to a wall? Much more in synch with myself now, I begin to analyse myself whilst I take in the environment around me. Understanding my own body is my highest priority. If I don''t know what my weapons are, I won''t be able to hone them.

    Giving Odin Malum a second chance? It''s so foolish that it''s almostughable. I''ll take great pleasure in ending whoever it was that thought they could y god with me.

 Chapter 603 Live Evil pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 603 Live Evil pt 2 </h4>

    My body was¡­ strange. Certainly far from ideal for my purposes. I still possess the normal senses one would expect, sight, smell, sound, touch and taste, perhaps even better than I''d experienced as a human, but the configuration of my physical form¡­ not so much. As far as I can tell, I''m a legless, fleshy blob with two deceptively powerful arms that emerged either side of my fanged mouth.

    My body also appears to be covered in a ck, thickened tar like substance that is quite difficult for my ws to prate. So a slug with arms and a mouth covered in a defensive coating. Unpleasant, but I can deal with it.

    I constantly shift my body and swing my limbs as I turn my attention to my surroundings. Conditioning myself and my reflexes to this new reality will be key to my survival. I can feel a vague sense of dysmorphia rising at having my consciousness transnted into this rather horrific form, but I squash it ruthlessly. Anything that will impede my ability to survive in this new reality cannot be tolerated. Any instinct that works against this goal must be expunged.

    I could feel the familiar mindset roll over me like a cloud. It was always like this when I was on a job. I had to be cold, calcted, make the right move at the right time and with the perfect execution. When the game was life and death, there was no other way to y. Even here and now, in this new body and in this new world, I can feel the thrill bubbling beneath my surface thoughts. If I could only find something to fight, something to hunt. That would scratch my itch!

    The environment was hot. Overwhelmingly hot. The rock around me radiates heat to an absurd degree and not far away I can see open pools ofva that flowed into ces unknown whilst lighting up the area. Everything else I see is sted, ck rock. Except something moved.

    A flicker of motion captures my attention and I react instantly, using my two powerful limbs to drag my fleshy body into cover where I could gain a better vantage point. Like a panther, I prowl, a bby, meat sack of a panther, but a predator no less. Around the jagged, burning stones I pull my body until I find what it was that I had seen. One of my own kind, a disgusting blob of dark flesh dragged itself forward with its arms. What it was doing, I didn''t know. From what I can tell, it had only recently been born, much as I was, emerging from the rock. In fact, yes, I can see it, a patch of ground not far from where my fellowrva was now, loose stone and the indentation in the ground indicating where it had liberated itself from the heated stone.

    I now had a choice. Should I attempt to befriend this creature and forge an alliance? Strength did exist in numbers, this was something I knew well. Two might survive where one would fail. Then there was the other choice¡­

    Odin only knew one way.

    After reaching the creature''s blind spot, I flung myself from the rock soundlessly and sailed through the air, my ws and fangs at the ready. Strength in numbers was the policy of the sheep. I have always been a predator! Let others cower and huddle together in fear, that has never been my path. Besides, my information is iplete. If I reveal myself to the creature and it attacks me, I will have thrown away the advantage of surprise for nothing, putting me into an essentially even battle for no gain. Better that I silence the thing now than take any risks. Besides, I believe there will be much that I can learn from this creature¡­

    My ws strike with deadly precision, my steady aim not having changed though my body has greatly diverged from what I knew. With the angle of my body, my mouth falls in the perfect position and I sink my teeth into the tough hide of the beast and it screeches with pain.

    This style of fightingcks the grace and elegance of my usual performance, but I have to admit, there is a certain visceral satisfaction in it, being this up close and personal.

    Latched onto its back, the creature thrashes and tries to dislodge me but I hold on with my teeth as I rake at it with my ws over and over again. The wounds piling up and my foe''s struggles growing weaker over time.

    [Demon w has reached level 4.]

    Interesting¡­ Once again the strange voice speaks to me of this game elements. As I continue to attack my prey, I notice that I appear to be doing more damage than before, even if the difference is only slight. So these skills could help me improve at actions in this world? Fascinating¡­

    After a little more struggle, my victim finally copses and I release my grip, only to find the voice speaking into my mind once more.

    [You have defeated Level 1 Initial Demon Larva.]

    [You have gained XP.]

    I''d been right. This world would reward me, much as a game would, if I defeat enemies. If I have a level, that meant I could level up. If I can rue experience by fighting, improving my skills and gaining levels, then that is what I will do. I need to amass power, and quickly. Which led me to my other path of enquiry. It''s sitting right there in my status: Biomass.

    Biomass meant food, it meant matter, and I didn''t see anything else to eat around here except this thing. Jaws open wide, I rip into the meat without dy, unwilling to waste any time and uncaring what it might taste like. For the record, it tasted disgusting, but the voice spoke once again, which sharpened my mind immediately.

    [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Initial Demon Larva you are awarded one Biomass.]

    [Basic profile of the Initial Demon Larva unlocked.]

    Yet more information. Perfect.

 Chapter 604 Live Evil pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 604 Live Evil pt 3 </h4>

    I wolf down the remains of the creature as quickly as possible, not willing to leave myself vulnerable on open ground any longer than I have to. I myself dropped out of a stone wall and this unfortunate being crawled up out of the floor, which means there could be more of my kind ready to appear at a moment''s notice from any surface around us. I won''t take the risk, not until I know if others like me are hostile or not. As my jaws crunch and tear, I try to examine this ''profile'', seeding in having it supplied within my mind after a few attempts.

    Basic Profile:

    [Coepi Demon Larva: Initial Demon Larva, The first phase of the demon life cycle. Beware the ws, they are stronger than they appear.]

    Well that didn''t tell me much. And what''s with the poor Latin? No matter.

    [You have gained one Biomass.]

    And I can''t eat anymore. It''s actually a surprise that I managed to get through so much of a creature the same size as myself, in fact, it should have been physically impossible, especially since I don''t believe that I''ve increased in size. No matter, I can explore this and other questions shortly. Using my arms, I drag myself across the boiling rocks until I find a neat crevice where I can hide whilst I consider my next n of attack. So far, I haven''t seen any other movement, but that doesn''t mean there won''t be morervae popping out of the walls.

    I was able to gain six Biomass from the creature I defeated, not much but I have to assume that there is something I can do with these ''points''. It''s clear to see that they are an important element of this game like world and I need to understand how they function immediately. After a short while, I worked it out.

    [You can use skill points to purchase new skills or upgrade existing ones.]

    [Biomass can be spent to improve or modify aspects of your physical, monstrous form.]

    [Skills avable to purchase:

    Stealth: cost 1sp, improves your ability to hide and move unseen

    Mana Maniption: cost 1sp, Allows you to control mana with your mind.

    Defensive posture: cost 1sp, Improves the ability to protect yourself.

    Leaping Strike: cost 1sp, Increases damage and proficiency when making a jump attack.

    Demon Fury: cost 1sp, Channel the rage of demon kind to increase damage.]

    [Body improvements avable to purchase:

    Demon Eyes +1: Improves eyesight.

    Infernal w +1 : Hardens and sharpens your ws.

    Purgation Maw +1 : Improves the strength of your bite.

    Tar Hide +1 : Toughens and thickens your hide.

    Pocket Stomach +1 : improves the capacity of your pocket dimension stomach.]

    Interesting¡­

    So I''m able to spend my Skill points to purchase skills and upgrade ones that I already possess? Or did they reach a threshold? And these were the skills avable to me right now? I wonder if leaping strike was avable by default or if it appeared as a response to my actions. For now, I don''t see the purpose of purchasing stealth, I''ll rely instead on my own natural instincts and take different options to increase my offensive power. If there''s one thing that I''mfortable with, it''s stealth.

    As for the body improvements¡­ This required careful thought. Only an idiot would rush a decision like this.

    Eyes I dismiss immediately. What''s needed in this situation is purebat power, I''m in a fight for my survival, not an easter egg hunt. After some consideration, I purchase three upgrades for my ''infernal ws'', which consumes all of my Biomass, and the Leaping Strike skill. After I confirm my choices with the gruff voice in my mind, a strange sensation ovees me. Knowledge seeps into my mind like liquid being poured straight into my memories. How to leap, when to leap, the best angles to use. Much of it aligned with what I already knew, but applied to my new body rather than a human form.

    As to the ws, a slight tickling sensation was all I could feel as they changed shape in front of my eyes. They grew a little longer, a little thicker, and perhaps a touch sharper on the edge. These were all advantages that I can use in my next fight. Having spent my resources, it''s time to continue scouting my surroundings. If I''m lucky I may even run into another morsel that I can use to fuel my growth¡­

    Or better yet, observe others of my kind to see how they interact. I also need to try and make use of the Skills that I''m yet to investigate, namely mana sight. If some strange form of magic exists in this odd world, then I need to understand it. I lever myself out of my hiding ce and skulk through the dips and cracks between the rocks as I move around, every so often poking my head up to examine my surroundings. Less than a minute into my exploration I notice another of my kind creeping about the rocks.

    Another prey? Before I can reposition myself to properly observe this specimen, I notice another has emerged somewhere behind me. Not good. Unwilling to be seen, I hide my presence and skirt around several rocks to circle around and put both of the demons on the same side of me. If they''re going to fight, I want them to fight each other rather than me.

    Except there''s now a third. I hear it burst out of the ground right behind me, wed hands scrabbling and shoving at the stone as it drags its body upward. I turn swiftly, cursing my bad luck. I can''t move quickly enough to hide before it sees me, the best I can do is face up to it and see what happens!

    After another second of freeing itself, the newly born demonrva locks eyes with me and for a moment, it freezes. Then it screams andunches itself at me, ws extended and reaching for my face.

    Well that answers that question¡­

 Chapter 605 Live Evil pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 605 Live Evil pt 4 </h4>

    Name: Odin Malum

    Level: 4 (I)

    Might: 45

    Toughness: 36

    Cunning: 31

    Will: 32

    HP: 58/72

    MP: 0/0

    Skills:

    Demonic Convergence (I) Level 1; Prating Bite (II) Level 2; Advanced Demon w (II) Level 3; Crawl (I) Level 1; Mana Sense (I) Level 2; Leaping Strike (I) Level 3;

    Mutations:

    Demon Eyes +1; Infernal w +5; Purgation Maw +5; Tar Hide +1; Pocket Stomach +3;

    Species: Initial Demon Larva

    Skill points: 1

    Biomass: 6

    Clinging to the wall, I take a few moments to breathe. Thirty metres up, I was mostly clear of the ruckus below, though I knew that at any moment more of my species could emerge and begin to fight. After the second fight, things had taken a downhill turn and conditions in this area had deteriorated at an rming rate. It turned out that Initial Demon Larvae were innately hostile to each other. Not only had I been jumped by the creature which had emerged from behind, forcing me to engage in a sudden battle to the death, others had emerged at the same time or shortly thereafter and had immediately set about a noisy melee, wing, biting and screaming at each other.

    Which would have been manageable, except that the noise attracted morervae and in less than a minute''s time, the entire teau of sted rock on which I''d emerged was covered in a roiling brawl in which absolutely no quarter was given. That''s not how I operate. I like things to be a little more nned, a little more orderly. Without any option, I was forced to get my hands dirty and seize what I could as I fought my way out. I''d sustained wounds in the process but I found that they healed at an elerated rate after I consumed further Biomass, which I did whenever I could. It was difficult though, since the moment a fight was won, everyrva nearby would abandon their own conflict to rush over and try to seize the Biomass for themselves. The moment nothing remained, the brawl would break out all over again. What little food I''d managed to gain had been used to fuel my recovery and upgrade my weapons. Offense trumps defence.

    After fighting clear of the mess, I climbed the nearby wall and now I finally have a chance to survey the area. Looking down I can still see hundreds of other demonrvae locked in mortalbat, every crevice of ck stone home to at least one such battle. They were bestial, mindless creatures, without any sort of cunning or strategy. All they did was fight, seemingly without end and without purpose, though I believe I may discover something in the near future which might shed some light on the matter. Already some of the creatures below were beginning to show some level of dominance. Strong enough to win a fight and seize some of the spoils and develop themselves, using the Biomass to enhance their strength and press their advantage further.

    If this natural cycle yed itself out, then most of thervae that hade to this teau to fight would be fodder for the few, perhaps even the one, survivor.

    And it was a teau. I''d originally thought the wall to my side was the edge of whatever space I was in, but it isn''t. I was reborn lower down on this wall on what amounted to a ledge, jutting out of the side of a tall pir rising toward the ceiling impossibly high above. It had been hard to notice before, since my attention was directed inward and at my immediate surroundings, but now that I take in the broader picture I''m slowly bing aware of just where I am. In order to get a better view, I decide to continue to climb this wall until I reach the top. I can see the edge from where I am, possibly another seventy metres above.

    My arms are powerful, and although my body is arge fleshy sack, they are enough to keep propelling me toward the top, although they are trembling and weak by the time I reach the ledge. Pulling myself over the lip, I dominate my weakness and force myself to dive into cover without pausing to rest. To my relief, there are no enemies present to take immediate advantage of my temporary weakness. Once my strength returns, I drag myself out and begin to poke my noseless face about. What I see is a narrow, mostly t stretch that is roughly circr that terminates less than a hundred metres away in a sheer drop. All around me, a vast, underground expanse stretches outwards to the limits of my vision.

    Feeling stunned by the bizarre, illogical geography around me, I turn back to the edge behind me and look down. I can see below me the ledge on which I was born, still swarming with demons battling against each other. Beyond that, the ground drops away several hundred metres more to what I believe must be the floor of this vast, vast cavern. As far as I can see, in every direction, I see exactly the same thing. sted rock. Boilingva. And demons. So, so many demons. The little fleshy bags with arms that are my fellow demon siblings are everywhere. Thousands. Tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands. To the horizon of my sight, where things grow fuzzy and blurred in the distance, I can still see them.

    What''s more, stalking amongst them, I can seerger demons of several different forms, ying the smallerrvae with ease and engaging in running battles against each other. Further off, emerging from the floor are pirs rising high into the air, perhaps miles high, to connect the floor to the distant ceiling. Nothing that I see makes sense from an Earth perspective, the very idea of something such as this existing underground makespletely no sense.

    And yet here I am.

    I''m not sure exactly what is happening, but it''s clear that there is some sort of race on. A race to fight, consume and grow. Only the winner would be allowed to survive. This stedndscape covered in demons. Am I sure this isn''t actually hell? No matter, it''s perfect. This is the perfect environment for Odin Malum to thrive. I destroyed others to live in my past life and I''ll do the same in this one.

    The voice mentioned that I can mutate when I reached +5, which is apparently the limit for my level of evolution. I need to mutate immediately, seize whatever advantage I can, then return to the ledge and fight for resources. I''ll need to be strong if I''m going to traverse the floor below. This was going to be a challenge.

 Chapter 606 Live Evil pt 5

    <h4>Chapter 606 Live Evil pt 5 </h4>

    Therval sea, that''s what I started to call it. I don''t know howrge that endless in of ck rock is, but I haven''t seen a single inch of it that wasn''t covered in demonrvae fighting to survive. Uncounted millions of them. It didn''t take long to reach level five and unlock my first evolution, but I didn''t take it immediately, there was so much I didn''t know. Later, I''d maxed my mutations and formed a core, and only after that was I prepared to take the next step. Good thing that I did.

    The hardest part was finding a ce free from conflict where I felt safe in case the evolution knocked me out, which it did. Returning to the fray in my new form was almost too easy at first. The normal demonrvae couldn''t hurt me, but my increased strength and more potent weapons gave me an absurd advantage. But that was only at first. It wasn''t long before the others found me, others like me. Only then did I realise the unspoken rules of the ins, you weren''t supposed to punch down, at least not too much. In order to evolve and grow beyond this second stage, I was supposed to prey on the others who had managed to evolve as I had.

    So that''s what I did. It reminded me of the old days in a way. No longer was the melee as intense or relentless as before, instead it was a series of duels, one on one battles of skill and wit that would give strength to the winner, death to the loser. I won. Of course I won.

    Every now and again the smaller ones would gang up and try to bring me down, but I wasrger, stronger and my Skills had advanced far beyond theirs. There was nothing they could do for me. In that way I reached level ten, but again I waited. Only when all of my mutations and my core were pushed to the limit was I prepared to make that step.

    My final opponent was tough, having reinforced their hide during their evolution, which was the wrong choice. Although it was difficult for my ws to break through, their weapons weren''t enough to inflict damage on me either. We fought for a long time, and though it may have appeared as though it was a standstill, I was always winning. When the defences of my foe finally gave way and the despair began to rise from them, I could almost smell it. A feeling of overwhelming, unrivalled joy shivered through me and I closed for the final blow, which is when I first heard it.

    [Demonic Convergence has risen to level 2.]

    The first time I managed to level that Skill. I pondered over what it meantter, with my mealplete and my hiding ce secured, high on a precarious piece of rock with a crack running down one side. In the end, I didn''t understand it, I couldn''t work out why the Skill had levelled at that time. There wasn''t anything I was doing consciously to activate it at the time. Was it perhaps passive in some way? But what way?

    Shrugging it off, I made my final checks and evolved. For my first evolution, only three options were presented, and each of them were quite simr. Initial Demon Larva became Developing Demon Larva, and each of the choices gave a vour of different stats and bonuses. Most of my sess hade with my ws, so I chose the option that would grant me the most physical power and came with augmentations to my two arms that allowed them to snap through the air as fast as whips. Other than almost doubling in size, my body didn''t change much, still a sack of tar covered meat with a mouth and two arms tipped in razor sharp ws.

    This second evolution was a little different. Again, I progressed from Developing Demon Larva, this time to Prime Demon Larva, but the choices were more divergent. I was careful, as an assassin should be, and examined every option with forensic detail, but I knew I couldn''t hesitate too long. As I was going through these menus my rivals out in therval sea were growing stronger. I''de close to dying so many times already, a single second, one upgrade, one level, could be the difference between living and dying. There was no way I was going to end up in another demon''s gut. I refused to be Biomass for another''s growth.

    I stuck to my strengths, choosing the option which allowed me to further enhance my advantage in strength and speed. Defence was important, and that''s why offense came first. This evolution allowed me to add a weakening aura to my ws that would infect the mana of any enemy I struck, draining them of their energy and making them more susceptible to my blows. This would pair well with the prating mutations I had already chosen for the des on my hands, ensuring that the effect would go through.

    For the rest of the evolutionary energy, I used it to further enhance my Might, with the dregs being pushed into Toughness.

    When I awoke, I was still a sack of meat, but once again I had grown muchrger, towering over my initial size. With my preparationsplete, it was back down to the endless ins of battle. The weakest demons were now almost not worth the time it took to eat them, the second level not much better. It was for the others like me that I sought out and our battles were mighty, crushing many beneath us as we fought.

    The divergent paths were showing more sharply at this stage, and some of my foes fought with bewildering magic, sting me with fire, dazzling me with attacks on my mind orunching beams of pure energy from their eyes. Others tough, hard as rocks and healed rapidly, wounds closing before my eyes. Yet others were huge, as I was, powerful arms covered in barbs, ws, spikes, even mouths or suckers that tried to drain my blood away. I beat them all by being swifter, more brutal, more cunning. In each case I became intoxicated by their fear and despair, and I continued to hear it.

    [Demonic Convergence has reached level 2.]

    [Demonic Convergence has reached level 3.]

    [Demonic Convergence has reached level 4.]

    [Demonic Convergence has reached level 5.]

    Then I advanced it, curiosity alone demanded it.

    [Demonic Convergence of ughter has reached level 2.]

    [Demonic Convergence of ughter has reached level 3.]

    [Demonic Conv ¡­]

    I stalked the ins like a conquering king, only giving way when I saw any who were higher above than I, but those were few and far between. As my victories piled up and my strength rued, I grew in confidence, striking at my foes rapidly, one after another. I barely slept, barely rested at all, and soon level twenty came. Again I waited. I knew of the rewards for those who were patient, and I gathered my power until I reached my perfect strength. This time, things were different again. I reached the end of therval stage it seemed, as none of my options included those terms. Instead, it was time to pick a more advanced form.

    [Pupal Demon of ughter.]

    Was this the purpose of the demonic convergence? Was it rted to my evolution in some way? Regardless, this was always the option I would choose. It was suited perfectly to my style and I relished in the new form I would take. No longer a graceless blob, I would change, bing a scythe armed nightmare with lithe limbs, able to stand on strange, double jointed legs. This was more like it! I picked over each of the details with care, ensuring each of my choices would harmonise and work together to better be a part of my perfect strength. Only then did I confirm my choices, ready for the embrace of the dark to swallow me as my body underwent its metamorphosis.

    But it didn''t happen, instead I was pulled from my body, my mind dragged down to a different ce, a ce of endless, torrential red, where the fires burned ck and hot enough to scorch my very soul. There I saw a being sorge that I couldn''tprehend it and for the first time in so many years I felt fear. It towered over me like a human towers over an ant, a nightmarish representation of the demonrva, covered with eyes and mouths and seated on a vast throne. As I watched, the throne shifted and with horror I realised the chair itself was part of the creature''s body. Slowly the creature stirred, the air itself thickening like blood as it did so, pressing me down to the floor like a worm.

    [Ahhhhhhhhhhh. Another hase, after so long.]

    The voice shredded my Will and filled my head with echoes of gibbering whispers and despair filled screams as one of those eyes opened to focus on my tiny, huddled form. How could anything this powerful exist?! What was this world?!

    [Yessssssss. Tell me, pitiful one. How does it feel to kneel before your God?]

 Chapter 607 Awakening

    <h4>Chapter 607 Awakening </h4>

    The voices are back again. In fact, I''d say they''re even stronger than before. There''s so damn many of them! When hundreds of thousands of voices are whispering at you, it''s no longer a quiet sound, it''s a roar, powerful enough to drown out my own thoughts if I''m not careful. Each entity, each soul, is like a single drop of water, a coalesced portion of Will that slips through the ether and into the Vestibule in a way that I don''t understand. From there they sink deep into my consciousness, running together and gathering momentum until a raging torrent is formed, a whirlpool of thoughts, feelings and desires that threatens to sweep me away.

    But I''m not afraid. Even in this half-dream, half-awake state I understand a simple truth: my family will not harm me. In all of their wishes, hopes and ambitions, there are none that desire for me toe to harm. Their support surrounds me like a storm, but also a nket. As I gradually return to wakefulness, I start to wonder what it was that caused this change.

    Is this simply the rity of the new Vestibule? Is it transmitting the Will of the Colony to me the same as it always did, but stronger? Or is the new addition, the Communal Spirit Nave, to me? I thought all it would do is magnify the regeneration I received from the energy the Vestibule provides, but perhaps it also has the effect of magnifying the slivers of Will thate from the Colony to me? I''m not sure, and even if I were, there isn''t much I could do to change the situation. This is something that I have be determined to grow used to, so that''s what I''m going to do. No more running away.

    The senses of my bodye back to me piece by piece and with the return of these more mundane sensations, the whispers begin to fade to the background, receding until nothing remains but a dull roar that bleeds into my soul.

    "WAPPACHAAA!" I''m up!

    With my exmation, I spring to life and the waiting pets around me react to my awakening in their own manner. Tiny sees that I''ve risen and falls back onto his backside, already preparing to settle into a seemingly long anticipated nap. Before I can even finish shaking the lethargy out of my legs, he''s already snoring loudly in the corner. Lazy ape. For her part, Crinis is much happier to see me.

    [Master! You''ve awoken!]

    [I sure have. How''ve things been whilst I was gone?]

    [Very quiet. None have disturbed your rest.]

    [Any word from outside the nest? No problems with the wave?]

    [I have not heard, Master, as far as I''m aware there have been no major developments, but if there were it''s unlikely that we would be told. We wouldn''t leave your side no matter what was urring.]

    I guess that makes sense. I did order them to watch over me after all. No longer restricted to keeping watch over me, Crinis all too happily detaches her dark shadowy form from the wall where she had been clinging andtches onto my carapace, blobbing around my abdomen like rubbery coating of pure shadow.

    [Bit bigger than before? What do you think, Crinis?]

    [I can sense that your power has greatly increased, Master. Surely there are no scum who would dare to still despoil your greatness now.]

    I highly doubt that, but I don''t need to rile her up.

    [Hey Invidia, how''re things?]

    The floating eyeball has watched all the goings on with his lidless eye from near the entrance to the chamber. At my words he dips and bobbles in the air for a moment before his vast mind reaches back to mine.

    [Thingsssss are good. Your transssformation isplete. I sennsssse your mind is no longer quite ssssso weak.]

    For a second I see that great eyeball sh green before it fades once more.

    [Still not able to keep up with your brainpower, but I''m getting better.]

    It''s true, but it doesn''t hurt to try and deflect the covetous orb every now and again. I''ve never really discussed his envious nature with the demon, but it does seem to be a little inconvenient. He seems to be caught in a state of perpetual want for things he sees others have. Can''t exactly be a very satisfying way to live¡­ Maybe that''s just part of being a demon from the third strata? I don''t know. I just want the little dude to be happy.

    Now fully awake, I try to skitter left and right a little, just getting used to my new body. This room sure does feel more cramped than it did before¡­ Like, I know that I''ve grownrger, but I didn''t think it was going to be by this much. I really did pour a ridiculous amount of energy into my stats in this evolution, both the mental and the physical. I can''t wait to see how it feels to fight in this new body. There''s no rushing the proper process though! Back to basics!

    I hum a little song to myself as I rapidly shift my legs, dodging left and right as I avoid attacks from imagined enemies. Every now and again I snap my mandibles with a satisfying CRUNCH! I can really feel the added power from the increased muscture in my head. Which means my head is bigger than before, yet again. I really don''t want to end up as one of those big headed ants. They just look¡­ unbnced. I can say from experience that it takes a little while to grow ustomed to a new body, and although the change isn''t as ridiculous as going from human to ant, it still takes a bit of time to get my sense of bnce back. The changes to my mental prowess is probably going to be the hardest to get used to, since the greatest change took ce there. I can''t wait to start throwing some spells around to see what I can do now with all of this firepower I''m packing. Going to have to get out into the nest and see what''s going on, then make my way out into the Dungeon to smack some monsters around! I can''t wait!

    Feeling more in control of myself, I step out into the tunnel and pause when I see a little worker making her way past. She makes way for my bulk as she heads up the tunnel wall to squeeze through and I weave a quick message to her with my antennae.

    Thank you nameless one. Rest well.

    I almost don''t notice when she freezes in ce for a second before sprinting down the corridor and out of sight. Ignorant to her reaction, I make my way through the tunnels, cking my mandibles in irritation when I find a few paths I can no longer use due to my increased size. Is this how irritating it is to be the Queen? What a pain! Eventually I find my way to where I''m going, it wasn''t far away but getting onto the correct tunnels was more difficult than it should be. Soon enough, Crinis, Invidia and I find ourselves in one of the greatest ces in Pangera: the brood chambers!

    I can spot some grubs that need a tickle!

 Chapter 608 Motherâ€™s Love

    <h4>Chapter 608 Mother''s Love </h4>

    Eager to begin my tickling spree, I rush into the chambers only to pull up when I notice someone rather unexpected in the room. Reacting quickly, I spin together a mind construct, marvelling at how powerful my mind feels handling the mana.

    [Hey there, Sarah! How''s things?]

    The giant bear sits in the centre of the chamber, grubs and brood tenders swarming around her as she reaches out to roll thervae around with her big paws.

    [Oh, hey Anthony,] she says, turning toward me, [you look different. Did you evolve?]

    Although the polite tone is still there, she has a certain listless quality to her tone, a sort of lifelessness that wasn''t there before. I''d heard all about the battle that had been fought here in the brood chambers, how Sarah had fought to the brink of death fending off the golgari, and how she had turned on the Queen in her blind rage. I wish I''d gotten a chance to speak to her before the evolution, but there was never enough time, the pressure to reach the next tier was high and I felt like it needed to be done as fast as possible. Right now though, I''m not about to let this chance slip past.

    [Sure did! You''ve certainly made yourself at home,] I say, indicating the gleeful grubs wiggling about around her furry form, [the brood tenders were happy to let you in here?]

    The massive bear manages to almost look shy. Almost, she fails in the end. She just looks too scary.

    [It was¡­ the Queen''s idea. She thought it would be rxing, and it is.]

    She reaches out and scritches one grub with the tip of a w and the little thing shivers with delight.

    [Of course it is,] I''m indignant, [brood tickling is the greatest pastime there is!]

    And I may as well get to it. Nobody said I couldn''t tickle and talk at the same time. I bustle into the chamber which is quite crowded all of a sudden, now housing two tier six creatures alongside the usual inhabitants, but it felt cosy rather than crowded, and I happily settled down, my antennae already extended outward to start rolling the grubs around.

    [I never got the chance to thank you properly,] I say, tormenting my first victim with an initial salvo of tickles, [you went way above what any of us could have asked of you and you didn''t have to. Without you, thousands more members of my family would have died, thank you.]

    The great bear shifts ufortably.

    [I''m not even sure if I was fighting to save your family or just because I wanted revenge on the golgari. Or¡­ perhaps I just¡­ just wanted to fight. The rage is addictive¡­ it wasn''t easy to turn my back on it the first time. I thought I''d be free of it once I escaped the cult and their ns, but I threw myself into it the moment I had the chance.]

    She grows still as she talk with me, her pawsing to rest on the ground at her side. Haha! That means more grubs for me!

    [From my perspective, it''s so much simpler than that. You helped us, and we''re all grateful for that help. In the process, you managed to give the golgari a whack on the nose, what''s not to like?]

    She rolls her massive shoulder des and goes to speak but I cut her off before she can get started.

    [I know that you lost control at the end.]

    The hulking monster that Sarah has be seems to fold up on herself at my words. I can practically smell the shameing off her. It actually makes me a little mad.

    [But nothing happened in the end. Nothing. Happened. You fought off the enemy and the Queen was able to calm you down. There isn''t a single ant in the Colony who holds it against you, not after what you did and what mother said. Like it or not, you''re part of this family now.]

    [¡­ is that really true?] she asks, her mind full of doubt. [I''m not an ant. And when I think that the Queen nearly died because of me¡­ ]

    She trails off and I can see that her mental scars go deep, not just due to this incident, but everything that had gone on in her life. This life as well as the previous. It wasn''t my ce to try and talk to her about her past, but there was something that I could assure her of.

    [Look around you,] I invite her.

    A little confused, she raises her huge snout and takes a look around the chamber.

    [Where do you think you are?] I ask.

    [¡­ in a brood chamber?] She replies, confused.

    [EXACTLY. You think we let just anyone in here? This is the brood we''re talking about! Every single ant in the Colony would throw down their life in order to preserve the future generations. If you weren''t family, do you really think that we would let you in here? Would these tenders tolerate your presence if it weren''t the case? They barely put up with me being in here! Me!]

    As if to prove my point, one of the many caretakers in the room gives me an irritated prod in the side with one leg.

    "You need to give me that grub," she tells me curtly.

    "Ah, sure."

    I release therva I''d been tormenting with relentless tickles into her care and the little thing copses with relief, finally freed from my antennae. Time for the next victim! Gweheheheh! Sourcing another grub, I roll it about with my antennae as the little thing wriggles with joy. So cute! So soothing! It takes me a little while to realise that Sarah still hasn''t said anything. I look over to see her sitting morosely, a pensive look on her bear face.

    [Look. Nobody here is going to make you fight. And if you want to fight, nobody here is going to stop you. Here, in this Colony, you can make your own decisions, you''re free. If you want help, for anything, just ask and me or someone else wille and do what needs to be done. You''ve earned that from us.]

    She nods silently and I return to my tickles for a time before she speaks again.

    [What about Jim?] she asks quietly.

    Hot anger burns in my gut at the mention of that traitorous tapeworm.

    [The moment we find him, he''ll be food,] I say, my mind tight with rage.

    I can see that she''s troubled, wrestling with thoughts inside her head, until she sighs.

    [I didn''t think he would be forgiven,] she said, [not after what he did. I just¡­ I don''t know.]

    [He was your friend, I think I understand where you''reing from. But brood died because of him. There''s noing back from that, not with us.]

    [I think he did it for me, you know,] she confesses, her mind so still and quiet I almost can''t hear her words. [He didn''t want me to fight. He was so scared, so worried that I''d lose myself again. Maybe he thought that if he ended the conflict, broke the siege, then it would all be over. I think he wanted to save me.]

    I shrug my antennae.

    [So?]

    The giant bear huffs in anger, turning her gaze back to me.

    [What do you mean, so? Doesn''t that mean that the betrayal, and everyone who died, the brood, almost the Queen, it was all because of me!]

    [Is that what you''re worried about? That''s just nonsense. You were helping us, any decision that moron made is one that he made himself. He bears the responsibility, not you.]

    The bear drooped her shoulders once again.

    [I wish I could agree with you,] she mutters.

    [Look, you''re really being a downer in what is meant to be joyous tickle time. Tell you what, why don''t you go exin yourself to the Queen and see how she feels about it. She was the one most affected by your actions, so you should go and listen to her words on it.]

    There''s a moment of silence as Sarah digests my words before she nods with determination.

    [You''re right. I should talk to the Queen and let her decide what to do. Whatever punishment she decides, I''ll live with it.]

    With a resolute attitude, the powerful bear rises onto her four legs and pads down the tunnel, making her way to the eggying chamber. Content with the extra space, I settle in and keep rolling the grubs around,ughing as they wiggle about with glee, but I make sure to prop an ear open, waiting for a particr sound to echo down the tunnel. It doesn''t take long, and when it finally arrives, it''s like music to my ears.

    *THWACK!*

    Holy moly! That sounded like a big one! Chuckling to myself, I push my six legs under me and make my way out of the brood chamber. Mother will be wanting a word with me as well no doubt. Good thing my carapace has gotten this tough.

 Chapter 609 And thwacks for all

    <h4>Chapter 609 And thwacks for all </h4>

    I enter the eggying chamber to find Sarah rubbing the top of her giant bear head with one paw whilst mother looms over her, clearly irritated. A nearby mage spins together a mind bridge and I allow it to connect to me withoutint. It seems that mother wants Sarah to be able to listen in on the conversation. Makes sense, excluding her and using pheromonenguage would be quite rude in these circumstances.

    [Was this your idea?] Mother demands with less than her usual patience.

    [She mes herself for what happened and you are the only one who can really forgive her,] I shrug my antennae. [It made sense to send her down here so she could tell you herself and get punished for it.]

    [Wait. You knew I was going to get whacked?] Sarah says, an usatory glint in her eye.

    [Thwacked. And of course, you were being ridiculous. Me trying to knock some sense into you just wouldn''t have the same effect, so I sent you down to experience some of Mother''s wisdom.]

    THWACK!

    Oof! Still hurts! Maybe after my next evolution and my carapace is upgraded these won''t be quite so sharp? Or perhaps I should concentrate a build-up of extra dense carapace on the top of my head? I eye the Queen''s antennae carefully. I''m certain she''s chosen some form of mutation that makes them hit harder.

    [Stop staring at my antennae,] the Queen demands.

    [How could you even tell?! I havepound eyes!]

    [I just know,] she says nonsensically.

    [Alright, so Sarah got thwacked for being dumb,] I rub my head just as she was a moment ago, [why did I get hit?]

    [The same reason,] the Queen tells me, still clearly annoyed.

    Well, it isn''t as if I didn''t know it wasing.

    [Did you exin to Sarah that she was wrong to think as she did?] I try to deflect.

    [No,] the Queen replies, [I just told her she was being foolish, because she was.]

    [This all seems a little rude,] Sarah grumbles.

    [Quiet, child,] the Queen tells her, [I''ll get back to you in a moment.]

    The Asura Bear flinches and sits up a little straighter, like a schoolchild being reprimanded by a teacher. I snicker at the sight and the Queen rounds on me again.

    [Something funny, child?] she says, dangerously calm.

    Careful Anthony¡­

    [Absolutely not, mother. My attitude is solemn and serious, as always.]

    Her antennae twitch, but she finds nothing wrong with my words so finally settles down a little. She turns back to Sarah, sparing me her forensic examination for the time being.

    [I will hear no more talk of forgiveness from you,] she tells Sarah, her mental voice once more settling into its normal soothing tone. [This is now your home and we are now your family. There is no such thing as me between us so long as that remains true. The choices of your friend are not your choices and we do not hold them against you, so from this point on, neither will you.]

    Sarah hung her head.

    [I''m not sure it''s that easy,] she whispers.

    The Queen raises an antennae threateningly.

    [It''s fine! I''m fine! No more guilt!] Sarah waves her massive wed paws in front of her muzzle in surrender.

    I nod from the side. Truly there is no power greater than the thwacks of mother. Such miraculous results.

    THWACK!

    [What was that one for?!]

    [I sensed some foolish thoughtsing from your direction,] the Queen says firmly, [was I wrong?]

    Dammit! I need to be more careful when there''s a mind bridge connecting us!

    [Nowe,] the Queen turns back to the centre of the chamber and settles herselffortably. [Let us talk, it''s been some time sincest you paid me a visit. You too, Sarah. It will be pleasant to share yourpany.]

    As I walk over I take note of the human sized table and chair carved from stone that had been installed in the eggying chamber, but quickly put it from my mind. I''m sure there''s a reason for it. With the three of us seated, we take a few hours to discuss the various goings on. The Queen and Sarah ask me about my evolution and I''m honest with them, for the most part. I talk to Sarah about her current evolution and how she feels about it, not great, it turns out. The Queen suggests that perhaps she push for tier seven, where she may be able to reverse or at least alter some of the things her current form does that drive her out of control and Sarah promises to think about it.

    [Don''t forget you have Granin and his triad here,] I tell her. [They might be from the cult of the worm, but they''re good people, like the ones who originally took you in. They''ll be more than happy to help you with some advice.]

    [Thank you Anthony, I''ll think about it,] she smiles.

    It''s a scary smile, but a smile nheless. The conversation turns from there to the Queen''s evolution and I ask her about it directly, but I get a surprising answer.

    [I do not n to evolve again anytime soon,] she tells me bluntly. [I consume enough resources as it is, with my hunts and having to take in Biomass for the eggs. I am umting experience slowly, on my own, eventually I will reach tier seven, but it will not be for a long time. I think this is fine, since reaching the next tier would force me deeper into the Dungeon and away from this nest.]

    Actually,e to think of it, I haven''t bothered to examine my own core since waking up. How am I holding up? I turn my senses inward and I''m a little dismayed to find that I''m leaking mana. How''s this even possible? There''s a wave going on! Only then do I remember that the walls in this chamber are free from dungeon veins, making the ambient mana much lower than it would otherwise be. Even so, I''m quite shocked. It''s quite possible that once the wave is finished I won''t be able to sustain myself at this depth without making a conscious effort to drag in mana, and even then I might not be able to do so indefinitely. Has the timee already to relocate myself further down? I suppose the Queen is fine since her core isn''t as dense as mine, but Sarah might be in a simr boat as me.

    [How are you doing at this depth, Sarah?] I ask her directly. [Is your core able to handle it?]

    [I''m probably the same as you are now,] she admits. [before the wave, it was a little tough. In these chambers, the mana is a bit thin. I can''t stay in here forever. Without the golgari enchantments thickening the mana in my chambers, there''s no way I would have been able to stay in the second strata as long as I have.]

    [Does this mean you need to move deeper, child?] the Queen asks me.

    I reluctantly nod.

    [I think so,] I confess, [especially once the wave is over.]

    The Queen shrugs her antennae.

    [I do not see the problem,] she says, [before long there will be many ants who need to move deeper. You will do as you always have and move as the vanguard of the Colony. I am sure you will be able to secure a ce for us in the depths before we need it. You have always been capable in that regard.]

    [You sure you don''t mean to say that I''m capable of getting the Colony into a mess and then needing the whole family to drag me out of it?] I ask.

    She frowns at me. It''s an odd thing, an ant frown. There''s no facial muscles, obviously, it''s more about the mandibles and antennae than anything else.

    [I was trying to be nice about it,] she says. [Enough. I think it is time that you return to your duties.]

    [Who, me?] I ask.

    [Of course you. There is much work to be done, is there not? The wave threatens our nests even as we speak and the most formidable warrior of the Colony is sitting here idle. I will keep you no longer.]

    [Ugh, fine.]

    I push my legs under me and stand up.

    [Sarah, mother. It''s been wonderful to chat with you, but duty calls.]

    I turn and walk away, Invidia floating over my shoulder.

    [Anthony¡­] the Queen''s mind rings against my own.

    [Yes?] I ask innocently.

    [You appear to be walking towards the brood chambers,] an undercurrent of warning runs through her mental sending, putting my hairs on end.

    [Hah! Whoops! What a blunder! I think I better go this way then¡­ thanks for pointing out the mistake! Haha!]

    Dammit! Wait for me, grubs! I''ll be back!

 Chapter 610 Whatâ€™s been going on?

    <h4>Chapter 610 What''s been going on? </h4>

    Back to work then. No rest for the wicked, so they say. Not that I''m wicked. Whatever. Leaving the eggying chamber and embracing the rush of mana thates once I leave the dungeon vein free zone in the heart of the nest, I try to get my bearings and work out exactly what I should be doing next. Quite honestly, there''s a lot on my list. I could talk to Granin and the crew, get my bearings on what to do mutation and skill-wise going forward. Or I could go visit the other golgari prisoners, it''s been ages since I dropped in on Irette mine and co. What the heck have they even been up to all this time? How do they feel about the golgari failing in their assault and being left behind? Come to think of it, what the heck are we going to do with them from here on out? Eh, I''m sure the council will work it out.

    There''s also White and Grey to think of. From what I''ve heard, Grey put on quite the show and absolutely humiliated the leader of the invasion during the siege, which would have been amazing to see. I should definitely squeeze in a convo with them before I leave the nest. I should probably check in with the council at some point also. I''m sure each of them are furiously busy, what with the wave and all that, but I''ve little doubt that there are things I could do to help them out. If I end up visiting each caste, I''m sure to wind up with aundry list of tasks as long as my body. I could probably take the time to go and see the branchies again as well. They''ve proven to be quite a bit more powerful than initially expected and if we can get their ''mother'' on our side then she would be an incredible ally. Not to mention it''d be nice to get to know another reincarnator such as myself. At least, one that isn''t likely to kill me.

    I''d love to hunt down that miserable worm while I have a chance, but I just don''t believe that I''ll find him. If he wriggled away and the golgari didn''t capture him again then he could be anywhere. If my guess is correct, he''s well beyond our reach, burrowed into the deepest darkest hole he could find, somewhere not even the Dungeon will reach him. Eventually the wave will end and he''ll have to stick his nose out. When he does, we''ll be there.

    Gah! I''m getting mad thinking about that traitor, I need to get to work in order to distract my thoughts.

    Our first port of call is to collect Tiny. After kicking the ape awake and dragging him out of hisfy nook by the leg, we set a course looping through the nest in order to visit all the individuals I need to catch up with. I find Grey and White meditating together in their chambers, as usual and I try not to cheese off the wolfish ''Folk'' over the course of our discussion. As our chat winds up, Grey lets me know that he will be leaving shortly.

    [Oh? Why''s that? Our hospitality not good enough for you?]

    [Far from it,] the wolf remarks, [considering what and where you are, our amodations have been much better than expected. But it is time to return. White mustplete her training journey and it will be necessary for me to provide witness to our leadership before they can make a ruling on the matter of your sapience. Should things go well, then diplomatic channels will be opened with your Colony and you''ll be afforded the respect a new race deserves.]

    [That''d make a mighty change from the treatment we''ve experienced so far,] I remark.

    He waves a hand, a frown on his face.

    [You''ll find all of the so called ''new races'' have experienced harsh treatment from the old. Only through many battles in which we proved our strength were we afforded the space to stand on our own. Although the peace has endured for many, many years, anger still runs deep on both sides and small scale fighting is incessant. You''ll never truly be at peace with the old, but with time and further battles, you may be able to secure some measure of peace.]

    [You mean they''lle back and try again?! Don''t these people have hobbies?]

    He chuckles and even White hides a smile behind her sleeve.

    [They do: killing you,] Greyughs. [I wish that was a joke. They''ll be back. It might not be the Legion and the golgari, or either of them for that matter. There are plenty of others out there who are intolerant of your kind of life. In fact, once the word gets out, expect a horde of hunters to descend on this area to prey on your people for resources.]

    [We''ll put them in their ce.]

    He shrugs.

    [Then stronger ones wille. This too will be a problem you cannot avoid. Not in the short to medium term.]

    Well¡­ that sucks. On that cheery note I leave them be and head over to visit the prisoners in the nearby cells. Turns out Irette hasn''t taken the defeat of the golgari all too well. I think she might have been holding out hope that they would win, liberate her and she would be able to return home to live infort amongst the Shapers once more. Her dream shattered, she''s but a fragment of her former self. Can''t say I''m super sympathetic, but it''s still a bit sad to see someone brought so low. Hopefully she can pick herself back up soon. After that I continue to whip around the Colony on my whirlwind tour, dropping in on each and every caste, saying hi to the council members and trying to get a picture of what is needed from me.

    None of this is strictly necessary of course. If I want to know what members of my family really want, all I have to do is open my mind to the whispers pouring through the Vestibule. But I won''t! Face to face meetings are more polite after all! Let''s stick with that reason. As expected, each member of the council has a huge list of things that they need done, but are strangely hesitant to ask for me to do anything directly. It''s only when I run into Sloan that the general tells me why.

    "Granin has convinced us that the best thing for the Colony is for you to power up," she says bluntly. "Which means that the members of the council are under instructions not to load you down with chores."

    "But that''s no good!" I protest. "What''s the point of being the strongest member of the family if I don''t do anything to help the family?"

    "The idea is that we have you around to deal with the stuff that we can''t deal with ourselves. For the time being, just get out into the Dungeon and defeat monsters. The pressure from the wave is building and it''s getting harder to hold our lines, especially in the ces where we aren''t fully entrenched. In this case, just go out and take all the experience and Biomass you can. That''s the best thing for us right now."

    I guess I can do that. Time to put my newfound muscle to the test!

 Chapter 611 Going on tour

    <h4>Chapter 611 Going on tour </h4>

    Turns out that the Colony had already begun to invest a significant amount of time and energy into the wave farming project. As I exit the nest and make my way out into the tunnels, I see the vast wheels of ant industry turning on a grand scale. Tens of thousands of carvers, each and every one of them an Earth Mage, shifting impossible amounts of stone and dirt, diverting water, creating new chambers and tunnels as part of an immense, interconnected web of ''farms''. Each stretch of tunnel I moved through was patrolled by yet more soldiers, scouts, generals, mages and core shapers, keeping watch for the endless spawns that the Dungeon spewed forth.

    The sheer quantity of work being done was mind boggling and frankly well beyond the scale that I envisioned when I put the idea to the council. They didn''t muck around, that''s for sure. Once the idea was in their heads, they wanted to go asrge as they possibly could. I''ll never use them of having too small an appetite! From what I''ve seen just on my way out of the nest, the new farming setup will be hundreds of times the size of the previous one, built around the surface nest. If all goes well, the amount of Biomass and cores we can gain will fuel the Colony into another wave of expansion. The trick is, are we going to be able to defend such arge swathe of territory?

    Which is where enormous construction project number twoes into the picture. As my pets and I leave the nest behind and travel further away from itsforts, we no longer see the ongoing farming project and the thousands upon thousands ofbourers hard at work. Instead, we see thousands and thousands ofbourers hard at work at somethingpletely different: fortifications.

    Turns out there are a whole host of Skills within the System rted to building, shaping, designing and utilising defensive emcements. It make sense, since there''s pretty much a Skill for everything, near as I can tell, and after the siege, the carvers of the Colony have be, if not masters, then certainly experienced in putting together some hefty defences. Their Skills trained from the days on end they toiled shoring up the nests, these workers have now turned their attention to a grander stage, the defensive wall that will encircle the core of the Colony''s territory.

    Tons of rock are shifted and shaped every hour and even as I watch sturdy walls, ramparts, spiked embankments, pitfalls and moree into existence, every single inch of them hardened and baptized by the magic of the carvers. They''ve even gone so far as to prepare healing centres and resting chambers, peeled free of the Dungeon''s veins through monumental effort, in order that the healers can work unimpeded. I know for a fact that this work is replicated throughout the Colony''s territory, a vast sphere of walls and forts that will defend each and every tunnel that would provide ess for the invading wave.

    The overall design was that of a detail oriented mad person, or Sloan, Victor, Cobalt and Tungstant, as they are otherwise known. I''d seen the carvings and barely been able to make heads or tails of them, even when they were exined to me. It wasn''t as if they were satisfied with one wall per entrance, oh no, that would be insane! The pitiful delusions of a mad ant! Instead, there wereyers uponyers ofredoubts, forts, walls, traps that could be abandoned or retaken as needs required, all intricately designed to funnel the hordes of enemies to deadly killing grounds where thergest tunnels intersect and merge.

    As we continue to march, even these enormous works are put behind us and something else takes their ce: the sights and sounds of battle. This is the true face of the wave, after all. Not construction, not relentlessly patrolling soldiers, but an endless war of attrition against a literal wave of monsters without end. Here the Colony has ced the vast majority of its strength, almost a hundred thousand monstrous ants form an unbroken, living wall to hold off the wave until the fortifications areplete. It''s toward these frontlines that we make our way, and it isn''t long until the deafening roar of monsters at war is resounding from the tunnel walls and echoing off the stone.

    In the tunnel ahead a team of hundreds is pushing back against the wave in this section of tunnel, trying to ensure that none get through. Even as we approach, I can see that the fight is desperate and difficult, with ants being pulled from the frontline and healed before being sent back in or dragged away for further treatment. Without the benefit of a proper defence, the Colony is forced to put bodies against bodies and there is clearly a toll.

    As we approach, a nearby general rushes up to me.

    "Eldest! I didn''t expect to see you here, but I wouldn''t say no to some help."

    I look over the fight taking ce not a hundred metres away.

    "How bad is it general?"

    The much smaller soldier caste member doesn''t equivocate.

    "We were holding fairly easily at first, but it keeps getting harder and I''m having to rotate my soldiers for rest more often. The pressure on the healers is increasing by the hour and without more mage support, we may find it difficult to hold out more than a day if things keep getting worse."

    That''s worse than I thought¡­ It isn''t hard to see what the problem is. Far from the usual tier one shadow beasts that are jumping out of the walls higher up in the strata, these ants are battling against far more formidable foes. Death Magic infested brutes, huge shadow dogs, spiders and more highly evolved monsters shriek and scream as they throw themselves at the Colony''s defenders without end. Despite their advanced tactics and cooperation, the fight simply never ends and ironically it is the ants who are being worn down by the overwhelming number of foes.

    I can also spot mixed into the endless hordes are a few creatures simr to those I fought thest time I came out here. Demons.

 Chapter 612 The Paragon Emerges

    <h4>Chapter 612 The Paragon Emerges </h4>

    The demons are powerful monsters, no doubt about it. It should have been a given, seeing as how strong Invidia is, but I thought he was an exceptional case. He was hand crafted and raised by a team of Shapers who supposedly knew what they were doing, whereas the monsters of the third strata that I''ve run into so far are purely wild. Even so, the natural advantages they have seem to far outstrip those of the natives to the second strata. Incredible, overpowered strength and defencebined with body parts and shapes more advanced those that the members of the Colony were born with.

    In a conflict between first and third strata monsters, the differences in starting conditions really do be apparent. The chitin we ants have been born with simply doesn''t match up to the tough hides and devastatingly sharp ws and teeth of the demons. Combined with their ability to pack obscene amounts of brain power into small, nimble bodies via their dimensional insides, it bes easy to see how even intelligent ants are going to struggle against them. The wall we have to ovee is just that high.

    "How''ve you fared against the demons so far?" I ask the general and she flicks an antenna in irritation.

    "They''re either tough as rocks, strong as the Queen, fast as Vibrant or smarter than Cobalt," sheins, "and so far we haven''t seen any beyond tier four. Every time one of themes close, webine our firepower and bring it down as fast as possible, even so we struggle sometimes. If we don''t kill them fast enough, the rest of the monsters close in on us and the fight turns nasty until we can stabilise again."

    "Sounds rough. I had a chat with the council before I came down here and I''m told that there will be a flood of reinforcements that will meet you once the defensive line is finished building. Almost the entire graduating ss of the academy is being poured intobat castes."

    "That''ll be wee. We lost a lot of good soldiers during the wave."

    We both dip our heads in a moment of silence.

    "Have you been able to capture any cores from the demons? The sooner we get them into the hands of the core shapers, the sooner those beasties will be fighting on our side."

    Even if they don''t make any changes, reconstituting those cores and raising the demons up to fighting strength will give us a force of shock troops that we can throw at the wave without worrying too much if they survive. At the very least they''ll be able to mow through most of the shadow creatures we end up fighting.

    "We''ve retrieved some," the general tells me, "but we haven''t been able to deliver them back to the nest yet. We haven''t seen a runner in a while."

    "They shouldn''t be too far away," I frown, "I know the scouts have setup ry stations all through the area. If something happened to your runner then you should see another one in an hour or so."

    "That''s good," the general acknowledges before she gives me a bit of side eye, no easy task for an insect. "So, what kind of help can we expect from you, Eldest? How long are you here for?"

    I stretch my legs and ck my mandibles in amusement.

    "I just evolved and I''m keen to see what this new body can do," I chuckle, "so I think my pets and I might take a stroll deeper into the Dungeon and relieve the pressure a bit. As for how long, we''ll see how we go."

    The general nods and snaps out a quick salute with one antenna.

    "Right you are then Eldest. My girls will appreciate a break, the longest you can give them."

    "Coming right up!"

    Our discussionplete, the general turns back to her people and I face mine. Tiny is as eager as I would expect, ready to deliver fist to face, his armour polished to a high gleam by Smithant before we left. Crinis is a little nervous, I can tell by the way she keeps shifting and morphing on my back. Invidia looks, mostly bored, to be honest.

    [All right gang. Make your final checks and then we are going in. Don''t go too crazy,] I warn them, mostly for Tiny''s sake, [this is going to be a long fight. Our aim is to go the distance, not wear ourselves out in ten minutes. I want to push deep and try to clear out the monsters all the way to a major junction. That will relieve the pressure on as many defensive points as possible. If things go south, we copse the tunnel and get the heck out of dodge. With any luck, the rubble will slow the monsters long enough for us to retreat to safety. Any questions?]

    They each shake their head and I give them a nod.

    [Alright, let me juste to grips with my status and then we''ll be good to go.]

    I haven''t been actively avoiding looking at my status, but I''ve been a bit nervous about it since evolving. This evolution was a big jump and, strange as it sounds, I''m a little intimidated by the changes.

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 1 (Rare) (VI)

    Might: 205

    Toughness: 180

    Cunning: 145

    Will: 100

    HP: 360/360

    MP: 530/530

    Skills:

    General:

    Master Excavation (IV) Level 3; Expert Grip (III) Level 9; Expert Stealth (III) Level 6; Tunnel Guide (III) Level 11; Iron Mind (IV) Level 30; Master Stamina (IV) Level 6; Still Meditation (IV) Level 12; Snap Dash (IV) Level 11;

    Mana:

    Mana Craft (V) Level 24; Condensed Mana (IV) Level 18; Finer External Mana Maniption (IV) Level 16; Mana Hoarder (IV) Level 22; Master Mind Magic Affinity (IV) Level 20; Directed Mana Sensing (IV) Level 12; Expert Healing Magic Affinity (III) Level 14; Omni-Elemental Affinity (V) Level 4; Mana Masking (II) Level 6;

    Pet:

    Further Pet Communication (III) Level 7; Core Crafting (IV) Level 13; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 5;

    Defensive:

    Grandmaster Exo-Skeleton Defence (V) Level 11; Master Dodge (IV) level 25; Master Endure (IV) Level 6; Expert Grace (III) Level 14;

    Offensive:

    Unerring Acid Shot (IV) Level 6; Master Precise Shooting (IV) Level 23; Doom Chomp (V) Level 23;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Sharpened Perimeter Eyes +25, Antennae (Twilight Fment);

    Defence:

    Complete Diamond Carapace +25, Braced Healing Inner Carapace ting +25;

    Physical:

    Hardened Rapid Absorption Legs +25, Mana Flooded Mandibles +25, Frequent Potent Regeneration nd +25, Loud Convincing Pheromone nd +25, Vast Hungering Stomach +25; Lock Hyper-Twitch Muscture +25, Coordinating Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +25;

    Acid:

    Propagating Mana-Feasting Bind Acid nd +25, Guided Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +25; Thickened Draining Acid Concentration nd +25, Exhausting Thickener Acid Stimtion nd +25;

    Mental:

    Unyielding Coordination Cortex +25; Main brain; Sub-Brains;

    Mana:

    Compressing Unending Gravity Magic nd +25, Collective Will Vestibule (Soul Crystal), Communal Spirit Nave;

    Species: Mature Colony Paragon

    Skill points: 21

    Biomass: 113

    The first thing I need to do is mutate my antennae. My fighting style hase to rely on my future sense,bined with my lightning-fast reflexes and sturdy carapace to make me disturbingly hard to damage. Having just been reset, my new antennae are not setup to read the faint tremors of the future as they used to be, something I''ll need to remedy immediately. That isn''t to say that I haven''t noticed the improvement my newly reforged antennae provide, far from it. They look glorious, to start with. The Twilight fment that now make up the basic structure of my antennae are like glittering crystal wires of a dusky hue. They catch the light whenever I move and, in my opinion, look quite fetching. The other benefit is just how darned sensitive they are. The fment splits off into impossibly fine threads up and down the length of each antenna where my hairs used to be, and let me tell you, they are very, very fine detectors. I can smell a trail the second a molecule of pheromone wafts anywhere near me, even the tiniest shift in the air current is like a shout in my ear. Comparing the performance pre-reset to now is like night and day. To think that monsters deeper down get to be born with this stuff?! No fair!

    Although, everything they have to fight is also born with these advantages, and they can onlye up here to fight us during a wave¡­ Bah. Still unfair!

    I have enough Biomass to lock in the first three mutations for my antennae, so I double down on the future sense and then reinforce it, skipping over the heat sensing ability I chosest time.

    [Crinis, cover me.]

    Luckily most of the ants are facing outward, toward the enemy, so they don''t notice Crinis envelop my body, hiding me from sight as I twitch and thrash whilst my antennae mutate. When it''s finallyplete, I emerge from my dark cocoon ready for battle. Let''s do this!

 Chapter 613 725 - The Paragon Fights

    <h4>Chapter 613 Chapter 725 - The Paragon Fights </h4>

    To be honest, I''m both overwhelmed, and a little sad about my new stats. It''s an incredible improvement over myst evolution, the gains to each of my stats is more than double, a feat which required the immense bonuses provided by the Mature Paragon evolution as well as a massive chunk of my evolutionary energy. It was necessary though. My stats had beengging behind where they needed to be as I invested a lot of energy over thest few evolutions in expensive organs. Even though the gain is massive, I stillg behind Tiny in raw physical power and behind Invidia in mental might. It''s true that the two of them are more of a streamlined, specific type of monster, but I need to work harder to make up for myck of raw power by using my versatility to its finest.

    Comparing my Cunning stat to Invidia''s, the differential is made even worse by the fact that my own mental stats are split across four separate brains, whereas his are devoted entirely to one. Using the mental construct magic, he''s able to replicate the ability to think about multiple things at once without having to physically divide his brains, as I have. Although I''ve made a huge stride forward with this evolution, I still have a long way to go before I can be a truly intimidating magical force. Having made all of my brains mutable is going to be interesting to explore as well. I''m sure there are plenty of options that''ll help me take my spell casting game to a whole new level. So many more strides forward waiting in the future!

    Having said that, I still have a level of juice in the tank that I''ve nevere close to having before, and it''s finally time to put it to the test! Eager to get started, I rally my pets and we start to move toward the line of battling ants in front of us. As we walk, I order my sub-brains to kick into gear and marvel as they stir the mana in my core, drawing it out and weaving it into the omni-elemental construct. It''s still hard, obviously, but it isn''t close to the near impossible task that it was before. Each of the brains works in harmony, guided by the coordination cortex as they cooperate to weave and fold the intricate, manyyered structure. This is incredible! My main mind doesn''t need to get involved at all!

    [Are you ready?] I ask my pets.

    They each reply to the affirmative and we start to run forward. A wall of insects covers the tunnel in front of us, members of the Colony hanging from the walls and ceiling to block off every possible avenue for the wave to pierce through their numbers. On the other side, a screaming mass of monsters pushes forward, fighting each other just as hard as they do the ants that bar their way.

    "Clear a path!" I roar, sting my pheromones forward and my siblings respond instantly, the centre peeling back to either side.

    The monsters of the wave waste no time seizing this opportunity as they flood through with a triumphant roar, only to be met by Tiny''s fist and sent flying back to where they came. In less than a second, we barrel through the opening and find ourselves surrounded on all sides, the wall of insects closing behind us. Enemies surround us on all sides, swathes of ws, fangs and worse reaching to rend us limb from limb from every conceivable angle. Tiny has never been happier. With a whooping bellow of rage and joy, his fists ze with light as his hands start to flicker faster than the eye can see, sending straight punches in all directions that blow monsters back, stunning and damaging in equal measure. With the minimum space he needs achieved, he winds back his right arm, gigantic muscles shifting and bulging beneath his armour, before heunches a furious straight right that sends a fist of light the size of a car mming into the ranks of monsters in front of us. The enemies just evaporate, knocked away or simply disintegrated by the power of that punch.

    Imagine being tier one and having to face up to Tiny''s fists¡­ Such a miserable way to go.

    Unwilling to be outdone by my first pet, I urge my sub-brains to finish their work and they each grumble back that If I really want to speed things up I could darn well get involved and help, which I refuse. Nevertheless, in only a few more seconds the construct ms into ce and I task the main sub-brain with maintaining it as the other two begin to operate it, feeding in raw mana and extracting the desired type. The whole process is so much more wless than it was before, my main mind not even required at this stage in the process. In a blessedly short amount of time, blue fire mana has umted and I finally deign to step in, weaving a fire domain with speed and precision that leaves my previous efforts in the dust.

    With a ''whoosh'', the air ignites as a sphere of pure blue fire expands around me, searing any foe who dares to step within ten metres of my noble frame. I turn the maintenance of the domain back over to the sub-brain and I almost weep as it manages to maintain the spell as well as operate the construct in order to keep feeding it with mana. Meanwhile, my other sub-brain has been hard at work pumping outva mana, thebined essence of earth and fire. In a true test, I force the sub-brain to continue operating the construct whilst weaving a simple bolt spell and though it''s a strain, it seeds and soon an arrow of sizzlingva flies forward, sttering against a shadow monster who roars in pain.

    This is fantastic! This is the dream! I''m casting multiple spells at the same time whilst maintaining a truly devilish construct and my main mind isn''t involved at all! Muahahahaha! How far I''vee! And if the main mind isn''t involved, then I can get busy doing other things! Move aside Tiny! Time for this beefy ant to head to the front lines and get my chomp on!

    My jaws locking into ce, I charge forward, shouldering the ape aside in the process and unleash my most potent physical attack, the Doom Chomp!

    CRUNCH!

    Twin jaws of dark light,rger than any I''ve seen before, manifest beside my head and m forward, tearing into the hordes of monsters in front of me and clearing space instantly. A flood of messages stream in from Gandalf, but I ignore them. That was crazy strong! Is this the benefit of increasing my Might to this extent? No regrets on that front!

    [Gwahaahahahaaa! Come on, Crinis! You need to get your share of the experience so you can evolve! No holding back now!]

    [Yes, Master!]

    The four of us rip into the onrushing wave with wild abandon, unleashing our strength to its limit as behind us the garrison of ants watches on in amazement.

    "I want the second and fourth squad off the wall and resting in two minutes!" the general roars at the stunned insects. "The rest of you hold firm! The Eldest is working hard to give you a rest and you are going to get one! Where are the medics! Get out here!"

    Firing back into motion, the ants begin to scurry with urgency as the Eldest and his guardians tear into the hordes that had pressed them so hard only a moment ago.

 Chapter 614 Real Strength

    <h4>Chapter 614 Real Strength </h4>

    This talk of ''ancients'', mysterious creatures of supreme power that supposedly rule in the depths of our world is naught but superstitious nonsense. As a schr, how can I put my faith in hearsay, tattered records and stories passed down over centuries? I need evidence. I need facts, verified by firsthand ounts. When we actually sit down and try to prove the existence of these monsters, what do we actually have?

    Almost no written records survived the Rending, certainly not any that I can ess or have heard of, a fact which I believe lends credence to my own arguments. If the pre-cataclysm society was so powerful, so wondrous, as many of my contemporaries would im, then surely they would have survived the scourge of the Dungeon far better than they did. Waves are nothing new, we have experienced hundreds of them in the millennia since they first began. Many kingdoms maintain cities, outposts and forts in the Dungeon during these times, something that we know the civilisations of old were unable, or barely able to do.

    "Oh," those who disagree would say, "you areparing people with hundreds of years of umted expertise against those taken by surprise, without any knowledge of whaty beneath their feet!"

    A foolish point that only lends further strength to my view. My detractors seem to be unable to see the contradiction they themselves have constructed. Were the old kingdoms immensely powerful centres of learning and strength far in excess of what we now possess, as they im? Or were they weak, falling victim to the ravages of the wave and being swept away by a tide of weaker monsters capable of existing on the surface? It can''t be both!

    I have heard such nonsense as to suggest that the first wave that urred during the Rending was simply of a scalerger than any that has urred since, but again I ask: where is the proof? More than a thousand yearster we have records of waves all over Pangera that date back centuries, and nothing such as what is posited to have taken ce has ever been recorded. Not only has it never been recorded, the level of mana readings have never approached even HALF what would be necessary to create the conditions they describe.

    It is my studied opinion that, as I have stated before in my earlier writings, the Cataclysm was indeed a real event, to say otherwise would be foolish as the weight of evidence on this matter is conclusive, but that rather than the delusion of impossibly strong societies falling to monsters of such strength that have never been seen or heard from again, instead the Cataclysm consisted of weak, unprepared societies falling victim to what was, at worst, a slightly above average wave.

    The ''ancients'' are simply an excuse for weak minded andzy researchers who are unwilling to let go of the concept of a pre-Dungeon ''golden age'' despite theck of concrete evidence. In truth, the old-races of Pangera have never been stronger and the ancients do not exist. These are the facts and I challenge any who dispute me to provide evidence to the contrary. I am supremely confident that I won''t be taken up on my offer, since no such evidence exists.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from the Challenge Letter of Schr Grans to the Tower.

    The power! The unbelievable power! Flinging spells and chomping my way through the rampaging hordes is far more fun that it really ought to be, and deep down I think I feel the stirrings of the long slumbering Dark Anthony. No! I reject thee, evil one! I need to get a grip on myself, this pointless and wanton ying doesn''t serve my purposes as well as I need.

    [Come on, Crinis, Tiny! You need to get up here and vacuum in as much experience as you can. Can''t have yougging behind me and Invidia forever! Let''s go, go, go!]

    Tiny gives me a look that speaks volumes. I''ve been wanting to, but you jumped in front of me and I haven''t been able to hit a monster since, idiot. Which may be true, but there''s no need to frame it quite so roughly, Tiny! Forgive me, alright? I got carried away!

    [Yes, Master!] Crinis is far more forgiving and leaps forward, her blobby body taking on the form of its full terror, her three mouths revealing themselves from within the shadows of her form.

    After those gnashing maws appear, Crinis takes a brief moment to gather her strength before she unleashes the devastating scream that I heard once before in Rylleh. The effect on the monsters nearby is instantaneous as many rear back clutching at their heads or simply dropping to the ground, writhing as their sanity is assaulted by the psychic waves of fear that apany her roar. Waves I can sense now, thanks to my antennae. Just how sensitive are these things? I can clearly detect the mental assault that rides along her voice, somehow attacking the mind of her foes without even employing mind magic. It''s like an injection of pure fear, straight into the vein, and it appears to work wonders on the foe in front of us as they cower back from Crinis, revealed in her full majesty.

    What happens next to those monsters cowering in terror, I would rather not describe. Let''s just say I wish I could avert my eyes.

    [Don''t forget the Biomass!] I call over my shoulder, having pressed my face up against the tunnel wall. It''s not perfect but it''s better than nothing. [You guys need to max out your mutations before you evolve. I know it''s not easy to get space to eat, so take turns or something. If you need help, call Invidia or me and we can chip in.]

    With a roar, Tiny pushes off the ground and barrels forward, charging headlong into the next wave of monsters as they press forward. We''ve been making solid progress, pushing down the tunnel and putting some distance between us and the checkpoint manned by the Colony behind us. My hope is that the deeper we can go, the more checkpoints we can relieve by cutting off the flow of demons to as many ces as we can. The endless hordes of shadow monsters are a pain, to be sure, but for now the majority of them are still in the first three tiers, with a few tier fours mixed in. I''ve no doubt there are tier five shadow monsters hiding out below, but for now they''re managing to hold on and haven''t been ousted from their hunting grounds as of yet. Something that will likely change as the wave goes on.

    No, the real threat to the Colony right now is the demons climbing up from the third strata. From what Granin told me during our discussions before I left, there aren''t actually that many connecting points between the second and third strata, for ''reasons that will be clear when I see it''. Which means the monsters climbing up into the territory imed by the Colony may being from as few as one or two entrances. If we can push down and plug one of those for a while then that''ll take a lot of heat off the Colony while they finish building their defensivework. Getting that deep is going to be a massive pain in the butt though, to be honest, I''m not even sure that we''ll be able to manage it. Doesn''t hurt to try though. Let''s see how far down we can get!

 Chapter 615 Need to work fast!

    <h4>Chapter 615 Need to work fast! </h4>

    "Dammit, Vibrant! Get back here!" Advant yelled, her scent filled with impotent rage.

    "No chance!"ughed Vibrant as she raced away.

    "We''re trying to make you stronger!" the exasperated soldier tried to reason with the fast vanishing form of her fellow council member.

    "I-can-do-that-myself-okay-so-I-don''t-need-your-help-bye!" Vibrant replied with rapid fire speed, her scent fading almost as fast as she did.

    In the end, all that remained in the section of tunnel was Advant and her escort, slumped in defeat as they tried to catch their breath.

    "Damn that Vibrant!" she growled, "why does she have to make everything so difficult?"

    She had been tasked with finding the second most powerful warrior in the Colony and bringing her back to the nest so they could pour their collective resources into her and raise Vibrant as the second powerhouse of the Colony, but so far she just wasn''t cooperating. She''d heard out Advant well enough when she''d first caught up to exin the idea, but had tly rejected the Colony helping her in any way, insisting that she would do it her own way before speeding off into the distance. Everytime Advant managed to catch up to her, the same scene repeated itself, with Vibrant slipping away no matter how hard they tried to pin her down.

    With nothing else for it, she gathered her energy and pushed herself back to her legs, following along the trail of the speeding ant at a more sedate pace. Vibrant would have to stop and fight at some point, which was when they would next catch up to her. Hopefully the next time would go better¡­

    Further down the tunnel, Vibrant raced away having already put hertest encounter with Advant out of her head. Who had time to worry about that sort of thing? There was so much fighting to do! And it was everywhere! No matter how fast she managed to get from one checkpoint to the next, it always felt like she should have gone faster, which was exciting! No matter how fast she was able to run around, it wasn''t fast enough! This was a novel situation for the fast moving ant and she was loving it.

    For a brief moment she wondered where all of her followers were, only to remember a momentter that they''d given up on chasing her because she''d run even them into the ground. Instead, one of the generals had organised them into roaming packs spread across the territory of the Colony, doing much the same thing Vibrant herself was doing: rushing from one shpoint to the next, just on a smaller scale than their leader.

    The air rushed through her antennae and over her carapace and for a long moment, she just indulged herself in experiencing the joy of running at full speed. She didn''t know exactly when she''d begun to love moving fast, as far back as she could remember she''d had too much energy, to the point that the Eldest had imed she''d been hyperactive even as a grub! Whatever the reason, it just felt right to run and so run she did! As fast and as often as possible.

    The territory of the Colony whizzed by, a blur on the edge of her vision. She''d had to mutate her eyes to be able to work properly moving at these sorts of speeds, an investment that she didn''t regret. In fact, it only ignited her desire to go faster! On and on she raced through the tunnels, several times passing by a soldier busy grappling with a freshly spawned shadow creature, but she didn''t stop, couldn''t afford to stop! The Colony needed her!

    In less than five minutes, she had covered the six kilometres needed to reach the next checkpoint and arrived in a cloud of dust that nketed the general standing at the rear of the skirmish.

    "What the heck!?" her scent guttered in the sharp breeze that blew through.

    "Hi-hi! Just here to help out but no need to thank me I''ll get right to work and then get going okay byeeeeee!"

    So saying, therge soldier threw herself into the fray, dodging and weaving through the hordes, working her mandibles with relentless energy, cleaving legs, shattering hides and piercing demon flesh. She was a whirlwind more than an ant, never ceasing her rapid paced movement, finding ways to dodge and slide through gaps that an ant half her size would never attempt. Seizing on the momentum that her intervention had brought them, the rest of the ants leapt forward into battle, shoving back the wave and thinning out the monsters, buying them precious time to rest.

    The moment the tide of the battle changed, Vibrant turned around and dashed away, leaving nothing but the scent of her "Have a nice dayyyyy!" lingering on the antennae of the ants who momentarily had to wonder if she had ever been there at all. There was need! She was needed! And so, she had to go. All over the territory the Colony had imed there were checkpoints that needed help, needed someone toe and relieve the pressure, just so they could catch their breath. Vibrant was ready! Vibrant was willing! She couldn''t be everywhere at once, but she could sure as heck try!

    Just as she was picking up the pace and her heart was really starting to race, she suddenly felt her front right leg snag on something she hadn''t seen. Before her bnce could fail, she snapped down her second leg and managed to catch herself just in time to avoid losing any of her speed. A perfect recovery. Except for the second, then third snag she hit. What the heck was going on?!

    With two of her legs snarled in some kind of invisible obstruction, even her highly developed sense of bnce wasn''t enough to save Vibrant from going down.

    CRASH!

    With a loud thump, she tumbled end over end and mmed into the tunnel wall heavily, stunning her for a moment,.

    "What the¡­ hey!"

    Which gave just enough time for the to drop down from the ceiling.

    "Hello, Vibrant," came a scent she knew all too well, "how nice to see you again."

    "You!"

    Descending from the ceiling like a filthy spider came the small ant who had captured Vibrantst time, but only with the help of Crinis! She''d forced Vibrant to sleep, for hours! She might have been able to run faster afterwards, but she still resented being made to be still!

    "What do you want?! I''m busy helping the Colony! I haven''t even been avoiding sleep!"

    More ants emerged from the shadows and they surrounded Vibrant on the ground, looking down at her with glee.

    "You have not been avoiding rest," the nameless one said, "but ording to the Eldest, there is something else you have been avoiding, is there not?"

    Vibrant, for once, grew still.

    "I''m not sure what you mean, you probably don''t mean anything, right? Why not just let me go and be on my way? There''s plenty of ants out there that need help and I can help them! I want to help them! You wouldn''t want them to not be helped, right? So let me up and I''ll get to rushing over and you don''t need to worry about me or anything that I might be avoiding, which is nothing because I''m not avoiding anything!"

    "Did she take a mutation to help her talk that fast?" a nearby ant wondered.

    The nameless one wasn''t distracted.

    "The Eldest believes you''ve been ready to evolve to tier five for some time, but have been holding back because you don''t want to be stuck in one ce. You''ve been avoiding it for weeks now, haven''t you? Well look at what we have here."

    The nameless one drew out a precious rare core and ced it on the ground in front of Vibrant.

    "Everything we need to help you evolve in the best possible condition. You want to help the Colony? Time to be the best Vibrant you can be."

    Vibrant thrashed her legs for a moment before giving up.

    "You won''t let me go until I evolve, will you?" she said miserably.

    In response, the nameless one reached over and patted her on the head.

    "We absolutely won''t," she said.

 Chapter 616 Delve

    <h4>Chapter 616 Delve </h4>

    Down and down into the depths we plunge, battling the furious monsters of the wave every step. The number of cold undead creatures we encounter continues to rise as we progress, and I can''t believe the sheer variety of shapes the shadow monsters can take. I understand that their shadow flesh makes them the basically formless, squishy and mouldable things that they are, but some of them are just weird.

    Tiny battled a disgusting beast who resembled a slug fused with a seahorse that fired some strange form of death sma out of its face-hole. The whole thing was rather traumatic from my point of view and I wish I''d never seen it. Only Invidia''s intervention managed to prevent my ape friend from suffering a premature death during that fight, and in fact during many fights.

    Without much ability, or inclination, to avoid damage of any sort, Tiny hase to rely rather heavily on his armour to prevent damage, which works well against physical attacks, but doesn''t help much against the more insidious attacks levelled at him by death monsters and demons. Without the eyeball of Envy, Tiny would have had to face-tank all number of poisons, curses and toxins that were sent his way and I''ve little doubt he wouldn''t have survived long.

    Before he evolves to tier six I''m going to make sure that he covers his bases and gains a few more points in cunning. I''m starting to think the reason I''ve never seen any of Tiny''s species evolve beyond tier two is simply because the lightning fist ape and whates after are simply too dumb to survive without constant babysitting and supervision. I might have a chat with Granin about it when we get back¡­ Still, it would be encouraging to learn that my first pet''s totalck of survival instincts was an inbuilt w rather than something I introduced myself.

    The number of demons has also continued to rise and without the benefits of my evolution they would have been a right pain in the backside to deal with. Despite being tier five, both Tiny and Crinis struggled against tier four demons, the resilience and sheer brutal power of the creatures simply a tier above what we had seen so far.

    [Disgusting trash! You will be rendered into pieces before youy a w on my Master!] Crinis ranted, her limbs wrapped around the foul visage of a hulking demon, sawing away at it.

    [Need any help, Crinis?] I ask.

    [Do not foul your mandibles or mind on this infernal creature, Master! I am enough to end its miserable suffering!]

    I think you are more the cause of its suffering Crinis. Nevertheless, she is sessful in ridding the poor beast of its condition, namely the one of being in one piece, and swiftly descends on the Biomass. In just a few seconds the looming threat of the Wrath Demon is gone, along with any evidence it existed in the first ce, vanished into the three maws of the blob of death.

    Despite her victory, we are still surrounded, and I once again bring down a domain of scorching blue me, using my main mind to supercharge the spell and increase its range, burning any monster who dares toe close.

    [This is exhausting,] Iin, [there''s no end to them.]

    [You didn''t expect anything different; did you Master? It''s a wave after all,] Crinis says.

    Tiny just gives me a thumbs up, a broad grin splitting his bat face. I know you''re happy, we''ve been fighting for hours without pause! This is basically paradise for you! For his part, Invidia just continues to float alongside us, the intense light of his eye resting on each of us briefly before flicking away to the tunnel then returning to us after a few seconds.

    [I know that!] I say, the roars of burning monsters ringing in my ears and causing me to be irritable, [but I was kind of hoping they''d stop flooding upward at some point¡­]

    Our descent has been very different than what we experienced in the first strata during thest wave. At that time the tunnels were filled with spawns of weaker monsters with asional stronger ones feasting on the free experience and Biomass, and although it was draining in the extreme, it wasn''t too difficult to clear them out. This time, it''s so, so different. Moving downward in the Dungeon has felt like walking into the face of a gale force wind. We want to go deeper, but it appears as though every other monster in the Dungeon wants to go higher. Which means stronger monsters, more of them, and delivered fresh to our face in a never-ending stream from the depths. We aren''t even dealing with the creatures being spawned around us, as those are snatched up and consumed by the rising monsters in a sh.

    [How long can you maintain this domain, Master?] Crinis asks me.

    Good question. I check the mana flooding into my core through my legs and idly check what I can grab from the ambient mana around us.

    [If I keep dragging in mana, probably indefinitely? It would take most of my concentration to do so though.]

    [Then might I suggest we rest here momentarily?]

    [Alright, you two can rx. Invidia, can you deal with anything that gets through?]

    The eye shes dark energy.

    [I ssssshall take my due¡­]

    [Sure thing buddy.]

    The pulsing sphere of blue fire isn''t enough to deal with the press of monsters on its own, though it does damage them. Sadly, most of the demon spawn are resistant to the mes, which allows them to push through it, which is where the power of explosionses into the picture.

    BOOM!

    The four of us are showered with dust and stones as we settle in for a short break as Invidia sucks in mana from the air and weaves his deadly magic with it.

    BOOM!

    [How much further do you guys think we need to go before we reach the third strata?] I ask.

    [I cannot say, Master, I do not know how thick the shadowyer is, nor can I say how far we have travelled so far.]

    Tiny just wobbles a hand back and forth, eyeing the exploding monsters around us sadly. By my estimation, we''vee a significant number of kilometres down, the slope we''ve been travelling on has been fairly steep, and despite fighting every step of the way, we''ve been pushing hard without rest. At least the fire domain helps keep the cold off. It''s freezing down here.

    [Have you two managed to gain a few levels?]

    Tiny pulls a face whilst Crinis just sounds frustrated.

    [I have, but slowly. It will take a long time to catch up to you, Master.]

    [Hey, if we don''t push hard, you''ll never get there,] I try to encourage them, [it''s a mountain, but without climbing, you''ll never reach the top. If we keep fighting and ruing experience at the pace we have been, you''ll be level eighty before you know it.]

    I checked on the two of them before we set out and it''s a bit unfortunate, but they''regging quite a ways behind. Both have managed to raise their levels fairly well since reaching tier five, but both were stuck in the thirties when we started. With hard work, they''ll be able to evolve by the time this wave is done.

    [Oh, did either of you grab any cores?]

    Crinis extends a limb from within her blobby mass and deposits a few cores in front of me which I quickly leap on and devour. The capacity of my core has doubled after all, need to pump it all the way up to max!

    [What about you, Tiny?]

    The ape just shrugs and shakes his head. I''m not surprised, the big guy usually isn''t bothered keeping track of any cores hees across when eating, he spits them out like seeds and ignores them in favour of shovelling in more food.

    [I need all the cores I can get my hands on right now,] I scold him, [and after you and Crinis evolve we''ll need hundreds more in order to max out your cores as soon as possible! Don''t ck off! You''re making trouble for everyone else!]

    He has the decency to look a little ashamed, which is a plus. Hisziness is usually fine, but when he drags himself and others down I can''t indulge him anymore.

    [Masssster. They are clossssing in on usss.]

    A quick nce is enough to confirm that Invidia is correct. Despite his frequent detonations, the monsters are pressing closer, even through my domain spell. With a weary mental sigh I push my legs under me and flex my mandibles.

    [Back at it gang. We''ve got a long way to go.]

 Chapter 617 The flaming pillar

    <h4>Chapter 617 The ming pir </h4>

    Why are the monsters of the third strata called demons? This is a question frequently asked of me by those unfamiliar with that particr strata, or less well read on monsters in general. It''s a general misconception that it was the civilised races of Pangera that designated the monsters of the third strata as ''demons'', as a response to the particrly intelligent cruelty inherent in the more highly evolved monsters encountered there. This simply isn''t so. It was, in fact, the System itself that assigned the name of demon to those monsters, probably long before any surface being encountered and slew one.

    As to why this may be the case? Ah, here wee to the crux of the matter. This question is the cause of much debate and spection in the academicmunity even to this day, and despite what many of my colleagues believe, I don''t think it will be possible to arrive at a conclusive answer.

    Some posit the theory that the System itself contains a sense of ''good'' and ''evil'', and use thenguage associated with various Skills, sses and monsters to support this idea. The argument has some merit, I admit. Various healing sses, or those with a predilection to endeavours that one can argue are for the immediate benefit of society, do in fact receive affirming and positivenguage in their descriptions as given by the System. Other sses that are¡­ less savoury in nature, such as torturer, executioner or thief, are far lessplimentary in the text, though it must be noted that neither does thenguage of the System strictly condemn such sses.

    So it is by this argument that the most ''evil'' of all monsters have been denoted by the System as demons, as they are the most deserving of this title. Others argue that this concept is inherently wed, as all monsters from the Dungeon are, in essence, highly motivated killers. The less intelligent monsters may pose less of a threat than their smarter¡­ colleagues¡­ but the motivations of both are simr: kill, eat and grow stronger.

    It''s only the natives of the third strata, to my knowledge, that seem to enjoy what they do, even go out of their way to inflict pain, fear or terror in their victims. There have been numerous witnesses to testify that the demons will act like this even when preying on each other. And each demon will attempt to indulge itself ording to their nature as described by their species. Wrath demons engage in horrific disys of anger and rage against those who they see have wronged them, Greed demons will go to absurd lengths to collect and umte that which they desire whilst delighting in the pain inflicted, Envy demons are known to strip everything from their foes, reducing them to literally nothing before dealing the final blow.

    Why do they act this way? Why have they been named and designed to be this way by the System? In my humble opinion, there are none who can say for certain.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from Lecture Series "On the nature of Demons" by teacher Sooka of the Tempest Alliance.

    I''m so damn tired. I need more ants nearby to fuel the Vestibule, the twenty bodyguards who have shadowed us down this far simply aren''t enough to provide the kind of energy that I need. It''s been two damn days and we haven''t had much of a break in that entire time. Constant fighting for this length of time is enough to take it out of anyone, even a tier six, as it turns out. We did actually try to bury ourselves into a wall and hide from the wave for a while, but it wasn''t too effective. I don''t know if the monsters here are smarter or if our cores are just too easy to detect through a few metres of copsed tunnel wall, but no sooner did we seal ourselves into a pocket of air that we''d dug out than the monsters started digging their way through to us.

    Stop being so persistent! Leave us alone, dammit!

    In the end we managed to get a tiny rest by digging further in and forcing the monsters to work harder to get to us, but it wasn''t nearly enough to recharge the batteries. In truth, we should have turned around a long time ago, but I can feel that we''re getting closer to the third strata with every step and I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t super interested in taking a peek. This is the new frontier! The next leg of the Colony''s conquest of the Dungeon! What will the terrain be like? What sort of tunnels, what sort of mana, are we going to find? The sense of adventure is welling up within me and I cannot bring myself to squash it, despite the danger that pressing forward entails.

    "Eldest, I must rmend against this course of action," I scent a killjoy from somewhere above me.

    "Protectant? What do you mean?! Aren''t you curious to catch a glimpse of the third strata? Not to mention the benefit to the Colony if we can block an entrance to our territory for as little as an hour!"

    If we stop the flow of demons into the second strata beneath the Colony the pressure on all of the checkpoints above will diminish dramatically. It would achieve the goal of this expedition in one fell swoop!

    "My only goal is to make sure that you remain alive,"es back the reply, "going further into the teeth of the wave isn''t worth the risk."

    "Be a lot easier if you lot helped out more," I grumble.

    "We are helping more than you think. We''ve done as much as we can whilst also remaining hidden."

    "You must be getting a hell of a lot of stealth levels out of this."

    "¡­ yes."

    I don''t want to reveal to Protectant and her crew that I do, in fact, know exactly what they''ve been up to. Their thoughts and desires, their Will, has been flowing into the Vestibule, being enhanced by the Nave, and giving me a window into their activities. What they want, what they do and how they do it, aren''t really mysteries to me anymore, especially when I''m actively paying attention. I''m sure the information I can glean from an individual ant when I focus on them would be overwhelming were I to try it back in the nest, but it''s fairly trivial for me to do so here, with only twenty of my siblings within range.

    "Make sure you keep getting levels," I urge them all, directing my scent widely across the ceiling where the rest of them are hiding, "I know you''ve been working hard to level up. A bit more of a push and you''ll reach tier five. Let''s do it!"

    If all of them reach tier five at the same time my pets reach tier six, my group will have reached a much higher level of power, making us a mobile fortress that the Colony can fling at our enemies. Certainly we''d have been able to hold at the Siege far more effectively.

    "Anyways, we''re pushing forward again!" I dere. "We aren''t going home until I catch a glimpse of the third strata. If you want to go back, then push forward even more aggressively!"

    I can feel the curses ringing through the very souls of the defender squad above me, each of them raging that the target the Council wants them to keep alive is so determined to seek out danger at every turn. Not my fault, team. I''m not the one who tasked you with this impossible mission, so if you want toin then go back and yell at the ones whomissioned you in the first ce. Having reaffirmed my desire to push on, the group girds themselves and continues to press onward into the teeth of the endless flood of monsters. The deeper we go, the more necessary it bes for the bodyguards to get involved, working in groups to knock monsters off bnce, put damage on targets from range with coordinated acid barrages, or use magic to thin out the weaker opponents. It makes a noticeable difference and my pets and I keep moving forward.

    The first thing I notice is the heat. The irrepressible cold of the shadow sea gives way ever so slightly, the faintest hint of warmth brushing against my carapace. Thank goodness! The temperature was getting so low that my legs were on the brink of locking up. The more we move, the warmer it gets, and the fewer shadow monsters we see, as if they are actively avoiding the heat. Which makes sense I suppose.

    [Crinis, are you feeling alright as it gets warmer?] I ask, concerned.

    [It''s ufortable,] she admits, [but I''m fine.]

    [Good, we can press on then.]

    Down we go, further into the depths. Eventually wee across something I didn''t expect to see, a thick wall of fog nketing the way forward. We walk cautiously forward, testing our footing and stretching our senses as we go, even as monsters and demons swarm around us. Every time I move my leg forward, the rock gets hotter, until it reaches a near scorching temperature that thankfully does no damage, though it stings. Tiny is particrly ufortable and I can sense him hopping from foot to foot as we fight our way through the fog.

    Itsts for perhaps a hundred metres of tunnel, and when we emerge on the other side, the Dungeon haspletely transformed. No longer are we surrounded by the dark and cold, instead, a wall of heat boils the moisture from my eyes and bright red light emanates from veins that flow through the walls like branching lines of pure magma. Far more shocking than this is the scene that opens up before us. The tunnel continues to slope down, forming a ramp to what I can see is a t pir. Not far ahead, the walls of the tunnel drop away to reveal a huge expanse of open air that frankly defies belief. Keen to see more, we barrel forward, mming monsters out of the way, even knocking them over the edge to fall to the depths.

    [Hold them off,] I tell my pets, [I want to take a look.]

    As Crinis, Tiny and Invidia move to defend me from the monsters, I move to the edge of this ramp and look over the edge, my mind freezing at the impossible sight. The floor¡­ is so¡­ so far away. What am I even seeing? Even in the Dungeon¡­ this surely can''t be possible¡­

    But the evidence of my eyes cannot be denied. The ramp we stand on connects to a pir of fiery rock that rises what must be ten kilometres from the floor. It''s hard to make out, but as far as my eyes can see, the rocky ground flows withva, fire and a writhing carpet of monsters that flow toward the base of the pir. The pir itself is covered in monsters, wing their way upward, even as they fight each other every step of the way. These are the demons who''ve been reaching us in the second strata, those few who survive the climb. In the far, far distance, when I strain my eyes to their limits, I can make out another towering spire of stone that looks as if it holds up the sky itself.

    So you''re telling me that the entire surface, and the top two strata, are being held up by these columns?! Surely not, right?!

 Chapter 618 Pillars of the world

    <h4>Chapter 618 Pirs of the world </h4>

    [Master, we need help!] Crinis'' call shocks me out of my daze and I rush over to assist them against the unending crush of demons that charge up the ramp once they have crested the top of the pir and secured their position against their fellow demons.

    The flying demons have such an absurd advantage in this situation, simply pping their way up and onto the ramp, but once they reach this natural chokepoint, all bets are off as the demons fight amongst each other to reach the second strata.

    [No worries, I''m here!] I call as I leap back into the fight, my mandibles pumping and minds spinning a new domain.

    Without the overwhelming crush of shadow monsters, the fire domain no longer serves a purpose as the demons are at least partially resistant to it. All production of blue fire mana is discarded and the construct now starts to pump out pure ice mana which is deftly woven into a new domain. Likewise, theva mana I was working with before is also cast aside in favour of the much easier to work with air. In only a few seconds the firstpressed bolt of air is ready and I fire it at a lithe, weasel looking demon trying to slip past us. Caught unawares, the beast only has time to roar indignantly before the powerful gust of air carries it over the edge of the ramp and plummeting to the depths below.

    Ice domain!

    The moment I release the spell the air around us bes infused with frigid air and spinning chunks of ice that bounce harmlessly from my allies but detonate with a sharp crack when they hit anything else. At first I''m wholly satisfied with this new domain, the demons certainly aren''t big fans of the ice, but after a few seconds I notice something I may have overlooked. The amount of mana being sucked out of my core to maintain this domain is unbelievable! Even over this short period, the sub-brain in charge is starting to frizzle from overwork as it tries to maintain the spell and produce the ice mana necessary to keep it running at the same time.

    The reason why is readily apparent: it''s too damn hot here! The ice mana is being consumed way too quickly! Cursing inside, I throw away the ice domain and switch to air, both sub-minds working together to pump out the same type of mana to hurl bolts ofpressed air at my foes.

    [How are you holding up, Crinis?]

    [I''m fine, Master!] she replies, her voice steely with determination.

    [Don''t give me nonsense Crinis,] I warn her as we battle back and forth with the demons, [give it to me straight, that''s an order!]

    [My strength feels like it''s being sapped,] she grudgingly admits, [and my flesh doesn''t move through the shadows as easily as before.]

    Of course, without the naturally abundant shadow mana and darkness in the second strata, her powers don''t work half as well as they did before. Another problem quickly bes apparent.

    [Is it just me, or are these demons much tougher than they were before?] I gasp as the ded arm of a nasty looking horror scrapes across my carapace before I can snap forward with my mandibles and end the threat.

    [The cold must have weakened them when we fought them before,] Crinis guesses, [here they are surrounded by their natural affinity and it is empowering them.]

    Dangit! This is actually way harder than I thought it would be. Despite arriving at the most perfect natural chokepoint we could hope for, the ramp is no more than fifty metres wide and every demon who climbs the pir has no choice but to move up it if they want to reach the strata above, we may not be able to hold here as long as I''d hoped.

    [Hold on for a little longer, then we''ll fall back! And make a break for the second strata! Alright?! If anyone is struggling, make sure you let Invidia know!]

    "I really don''t think you should stay here, Eldest!" Protectant appears to tell me in person, her antennae twitching in all directions as she nips forward to bite at the legs and joints of the demons near Tiny. "This situation is too unstable, there''s no need to take the risk!"

    "We''re alright," I tell her, forcing my exhausted body to keep moving as yet another demon fronts up to me, charging toward my muchrger frame with reckless abandon. "Just hang on a little longer and then we''ll retreat. We''d be fine if all of you were tier five already¡­"

    "Is this really the time for that, Eldest?!"

    Probably not, but the slow progress of my security guards is getting frustrating. The demon shes forward with its ws and I st it in the chest with a condensed burst of air, sending its wiry frame flying through the air and over the edge of the ramp. It was a quick and painless way to deal with the enemy, though it doesn''t work nearly as well on the heavier ones. As we continue to battle hard, it''s clear that we''re being forced to give ground as the press of demons only grows thicker with the passage of time. For every one we put down, another two are ready to take their ce. Even if the bulk of them are only tier three or four, in this environment they''re much tougher, moving faster and hitting harder than when we fought them above.

    "ROOOOOOAAAAR!" a rumbling bellow ripples through the air and my antennae whip around as I try to work out where the heck that came from.

    From below? Over the edge of the pir I see a massive arm covered in dripping ck tar reach up and dig into the stone, thick muscles bulging to haul the rest of the monster up to the top of the pir.

    [We''ve got a big one here guys! Keep your eyes peeled!] I tell my desperately fighting pets.

    The spark of battle ignites in Tiny''s eyes anew as he spots the enormous demon cresting the edge of the pir, a broad grin splitting his bat features.

    [You stay here!] I order him. [This one''s mine!]

    Seriously, how would any of his species survive without a baby sitter?

    Heedless of the smaller demons crushed by its bulk, the neer smashes its arms down and lifts the rest of its massive body into view and I get my first glimpse of the full creature. It''s huge, bigger than Tiny, bigger than me, bigger even than the Queen. Clearly built heavily around its physical stats, the monster is powerfully built, thick bs of muscle that remind of nothing as much as Garralosh, the sheer overwhelming physical presence simr. Two squat, powerful legs hold up a frame appears like a concrete wall. The monster is hunched at the shoulders, its head little more than an open circr mouth ringed with teeth. At the end of each of its absurdly thick arms there aren''t the hands or fingers that I would have expected to see, instead two more mouths, just as wide and lined with barbed teeth as the one in its head. It''s whole body drips with ck tar that steams and sizzles as it falls down onto the hot stone beneath its feet. No two ways about it, this dude is ugly.

    Having gotten its feet under it, the monster reaches outzily with one arm, the muscles in its forearm twitching strangely for a moment. Faster than my eyes can see, a spear-like tongue isunched forward, piercing its target in an instant. In a matter of seconds, the poor victim is dragged back into the arm, it''s body vanishing into that horrific ringed maw as the arm bulges grotesquely around it. Not only is it ugly, it''s nasty! What is up with these demons?! Its mealplete, the giant monster starts to move forward, clearly intent on mounting the ramp and ascending to the second strata. Then itys eyes on me and my group.

    "A FEAST?!" it bellows with mad joy. "INSECT. I WILL WELCOME YOU INTO MY GULLET!"

    It can talk?! Is this thing tier six?! A chill rolls over my carapace. Please tell me it''s not higher than that¡­

 Chapter 619 Demon Fight!

    <h4>Chapter 619 Demon Fight! </h4>

    When I hear that deep, taunting voice emanating from somewhere within the demon I almost reflexively start spinning together a mind bridge, my automatic reaction whenever someone speaks to me whom I can''t talk back with naturally. In only a few seconds the connection snaps into ce and the demon pauses for a moment, bringing its horrific face to align with me.

    [A smart bug? How interesting!]

    The mind of the demon is as repellent as its voice. There is a roiling sense of fric energy and desperate need hidden beneath an oil slick surface of grease. Every thought I brush against seems to stick to me like a rancid smell. Needless to say, its deeply unpleasant. Talking to Invidia is nothing like this, he may be a single minded little eyeball but there isn''t this terrible sense of otherness to him. Is this the difference between a demon raised in captivity and one raised in the wild?

    [Who are you calling an ant, ugly?] I retort, snapping my mandibles in anger, [what''s your deal anyway? I thought only the weaklings were climbing up here, what business do you have poking your gross face about?]

    The demon takes slow steps forward as it leers at me, another spear-like tongue drooping out of the central mouth, swaying with its movement.

    [You address me, bug? It''s not often the food talks back. Will you struggle? Will you writhe and scream for me? Are you delicious? The city is ever hungry and you might be the morsel they are looking for.]

    Just. Gross. The novelty of finding another monster smart enough to converse, and the wealth of information that it might hold are almost not enough for me to resist cutting the connection. This thing has such an alien way of thinking that exchanging words with it is almost enough on its own to make me sick.

    [You want to eat me demon? Are you sure you won''t be food yourself? How about you step back and we have a little chat before you do something you''ll regret? Tell me a little about this city, where might it be found, for example?]

    Despite having a circr mouth, I can tell that the demon is grinning as that barbed tongue lolls out of its mouth.

    [Anga ys with food, but Anga does not discuss with food. If you want answers,e and take them, little bug.]

    It has a name? Before I can get my thoughts together to try and keepmunicating, the beast cuts the mind link itself, the feedback making me flinch for a crucial moment. A cruel gleam shes in the creatures eyes, ringed around its terrible mouth, and in that moment of weakness it stretches forward one of its arms and sts its spear-tongue at me. Even with my mind rattled, my antennae do their work and I sense the projectile a moment before it is even released. Nerves across my body fire in synch, sending myrge frame sliding to one side and causing the spear to merely graze the side of my carapace before embedding itself more than two feet into the stone behind me.

    Yikes! Even though it was just a graze, I can tell that the tongue managed to scrape off ayer of my precious diamond carapace. A direct hit might not go straight through, but it would surely hurt! Quick as sh, I turn my head and attempt to snap my mandibles down on the trailing, fleshy cord that connects the spear back to the monster''s mouth. It''s a disgusting, sinewy connection of pale meat and I really would rather not bite, but robbing Mr Anga of one of his primary weapons seems like the sensible y.

    CHOMP!

    My eyes almost boggle out of my head as the tongue flexes and twists away from my mandibles, avoiding by bite my centimetres. Are you telling me the whole thing is prehensile?! It can move and bend the whole way along its length? Before I can get a chance to bite again, the whole tongue grows taut and in a sh is wound back into the huge demons mouth.

    Tiny Crinis, Invidia and the twenty guards continue to battle around me, fending off the barrage of demons who still make their way up from below, but my eyes are fixated on this nasty specimen, the other monsters fading into the background. The others will be able to deal without me for a while at least, but I''m the only one who can go toe to toe with this guy, I can tell. This here is a fully grown demon, like Invidia. When I use mana sense to get a touch of his core, I can tell that it''s a touch stronger than mine, which means it''s almost definitely in tier six.

    I waggle my antennae mockingly at the demon and ck my mandibles to let him know what I think of his surprise attack and in response another two of the spear like tongues appear, one dangling from each arm-mouth. To my disgust, the disy doesn''t stop there, as each of the beasts three tongues extends out further, twisting through the air until each of them has risen above the height of my head, arched down to point at me like arrows ready to fire.

    Well, that certainly is unpleasant.

    I set my legs and not a moment too soon as my antennae fire a warning and my body reacts before I can even think.

    BOOM!

    And again!

    BOOM! BOOM!

    First one, then the other two spear-like tonguesunch in my direction with almost no speed lost due to being extended out of the demon''s mouths. I dodge the first one cleanly, but the moment my opponent sees which direction I''ve dodge to, the other tongues fire, bending through the air to home on my position as I move. Only by leaping at thest second do I avoid getting skewered, though the second and third strikes grate against my carapace, once again carving a groove in my beautiful shell.

    My sub-minds are working overtime, trying to make use of the air mana they''ve already umted and before Ind they fire off two wind des that sh outward, almost invisible to the naked eye. Once again the demon attempts to flex its tongues, bending them to avoid my spells, but the wide arc of the wind de is much harder to avoid and both of them strike into the tongue, cutting it, but not deeply.

    CLACK! CLACK!

    As Ind back on my legs I once more taunt Anga with my mandibles. Not responding to my efforts, the demon continues to slowly advance, retracting its tongues closer to its body and letting the spear tips hover over its head. Despite the first two exchanges going in my favour, my opponent doesn''t seem rushed, quite the opposite. I can almost feel a horrible sense of glee rising from the creature as it continues to narrow the distance between us.

    POW! POW! POW!

    Unwilling to let him narrow the gap for free, I rapid-fire a series of acid sts whilst also using my main mind to spin together a few gravity bolts, drawing them out and weaving them together in record time. Anga makes no attempt to dodge any of this, the acid connecting with his tar-like covering and sizzling madly. Likewise the spells strike the demon without him showing any reaction at all, simply continuing his ponderous advance. Not even bothering to dodge? Where does the confidencee from?

    Suddenly, a sensation of dizziness rolls over me and my legs shake, ovee by a sense of weakness. I stumble to one side and the moment I do, my antennae ring loud with warning. He''s about to fire again!

 Chapter 620 Demon Subdued

    <h4>Chapter 620 Demon Subdued </h4>

    I rely on my instincts and dodge, my weakened legs firing to get me out of harm''s way. The demon has picked his moment well, striking at the first sign of weakness and this time I''m not able to get away from all three of the spear strikes, the third one mming into my carapace just in front of my foremost leg on the right side of my body. The force of the impact is stunning, even with my new stats, and my weight is driven backward, though I''m able to keep myself upright.

    I can feel that the hardened tip of the tongue has failed to prate through my shell, though it has managed to dig in an inch or two, weakening my carapace in that spot significantly. I unleash the two winddes I have prepared and they cut deep into the flesh of the tongue connecting the spear to the main body, but again fail to sever it. Burning bright ichor drips from the wound onto the hot rocks of the third strata, steam rising as it bubbles to a boil in an instant on the ground.

    What is this sense of dizziness? Have I been poisoned in some way?

    I keep moving, unwilling to remain still, forcing my legs to pump away despite the strange lethargy that has overtaken them. As I circle around the demon, I try to analyse my situation and study the barbed tongue still embedded in my shoulder, hoping to get a glimpse of what ails me. It doesn''t take long to realise what the problem is. Though the very point of the tongue is hardened beyond the strength of steel, the area just behind the tip is different, coated in small sacks that contain a virulently green looking goop that is even now leaking out onto my carapace. Some sort of venom or toxin? But I was only scratched! Even now he hasn''t managed to get through my shell and into my bloodstream!

    [Invidia! I''ve been poisoned! See what you can do about it!]

    With all the practice he''s hadtely, during the siege and keeping Tiny alive, Invidia has trained the rank of his healing magic at a rapid clip. I know for a fact that with his achievement of the higher ranks he gained knowledge of ways to deal with poisons and afflictions, which will hopefully be enough to alleviate this situation. For now though, I need to get this damn tongue off of me before more of this insidious toxin manages to worm its way into me. Let''s see if he wants to test his tongue against this!

    DOOM CHOMP!

    The dark energy mandibles manifest as an extension of my own and before they m shut, Anga has rather predictably chosen not to chance it and pulled his tongue back. Although the fight has turned positively in his direction, the demon seems a touch hesitant to approach too closely now that I''ve revealed the power of the doom chomp. He might be willing to soak up the acid damage, but it seems as though my mandibles might be more of a threat than he''s willing to take on. Not that I''m going to give him a choice.

    I quietly start to pump gravity mana into my mandibles and they begin to glow with an unearthly purple light, something that my opponent doesn''t fail to notice. He pauses his advance for a moment, tongues still hovering threateningly. I can immediately tell what he wants. The poison managed to affect me when I barely had any of it on my body and now he managed to pour it onto my carapace with hisst attack. If I can''t counteract the effect somehow then the fight is already over, all he has to do is wait.

    [How are you doing, Invidia?]

    [The demon toxin issss ssstubborn. Not physssical at all. Mana basssed it hasss ssseeped into you. I have done what I can for now.]

    Mana based?! A mana toxin!? I switch on my mana sense and direct it inward to reveal that Invidia is totally correct. The disgusting goop that Anga dripped all over me is a medium for delivering the poison rather than the poison itself. A viral form of mana has leaked out of the stuff and drifted into my body,tching onto my own mana and corrupting it, disrupting the flow of energy throughout my body. I didn''t even know something like this was possible.

    Using his big ol'' brain, Invidia was able to detect the issue and attack the infected energy within my body, breaking it down and dispersing it as best he could. Some traces remain, and given time they will multiply and replicate the problem, but for now I''m not in any immediate danger. Not that the demon knows that. I continue to build the gravity mana in my mandibles and I manoeuvre, only to stumble and fall, crashing into the rock of the ramp with a thud.

    As I feign weakness and try to push my body off the ground, I can almost feel the malefic glee rising from Anga as his tongues waggle in the air. He once again starts to approach, his thick chunky legs bringing him slowly closer. I flop and twitch on the ground for a few more seconds until I''m confident that he''s close enough before I unleash my prepared surprise. The gravity mana infused in my mandibles res to life as I reach out and pull.

    I don''t target Anga, the demon is way too heavy for the gravity to affect him, and I''m honestly not sure it would go super well for me if his whole body started falling at me. No, no. I target something much more specific.

    The demon barely has time to react as one of his tongues suddenly feels a pull and is dragged toward me.

    DOOM CHOMP!

    Focusing on maximal sharpness, I m shut my most potent biting attack, severing the tonguepletely. Anga rips his remaining two tongues back into his body to avoid me getting hold of them too, but I''m not focused on that. Legs firing, I dash as quickly as I can toward the demon, mandibles wide and ready to bite again. Before my opponent can bring his weapons to bear, I m down another doom chomp, cutting deep into his left arm. Not letting go, I drag the demon forward, putting him off bnce before releasing my grip and mming into his back, sending him toppling to the ground. Quick as a sh, I leap beside him and snap my mandibles forward once again, nearly severing the arm. I maintain the grip and open my mind to his, connecting with a mind bridge once again.

    [Hey there, food,] I taunt him, [feel like talking now? Might want to start fast, I''m more than a little hungry.]

    The mind of Anga is little changed from what it was before. That same roiling violence beneath a coat of filth is present, but I sense no fear from him.

    [Hurr, hurr,] heughs mentally and out loud at the same time. [A feisty morsel you are. Will you allow Anga to live if he speaks with you? If I am to be food, I would rather be eaten and be done with it.]

    He sounds as if he''s surrendered, but connected as we are I can sense the thoughts of harming me bubbling away in his mind. He would turn the situation in a second if I let him, and I doubt he would give me a chance to walk away alive.

    [Sure, I''ll let you leave my sight alive if you talk,] I tell him, [I just have a few things I want to learn.]

 Chapter 621 Infernal Conversation

    <h4>Chapter 621 Infernal Conversation </h4>

    "If you''re going to talk to that thing, you better make it quick, Eldest!" Protectant calls as the fight continues to keep the press of demons from overwhelming me.

    Right, don''t want to waste any time here, need to get our info and get the heck out of here. Still, this is a precious chance to talk to a fellow sentient monster. I''ve heard that there''s tons of them down here in the third strata. What to ask? What does the Colony need to know the most?

    [You mentioned a city?] I ask the trapped Anga, [whereabouts might I find it?]

    [You don''t see it?] the demon says in a near mocking tone. [Look down the spire!]

    I''m going to assume the spire refers to the gigantic pir we are close to the top of. ncing over the side of the ramp, I can see straight down the absurd, vertigo inducing sight of the giant stone formation holding up the roof of the third strata. Just as before, I can see the rocks teeming with lifeforms climbing their way up dotted by flowing rivers ofva that flow out of the pir at various points. Then I notice something odd and it takes me a second to reconfigure my perspective to understand exactly what it is that I''m looking at.

    Is that¡­ what I think it is?

    What I had originally thought was a rock formation around the base of the pir appears to be something else. Looking almost straight down at it, I couldn''t quite make out the difference, but when I look a little harder, I realise it isn''t actually on the ground. What I''m seeing is, in fact, a te-like rock formation that circles the entire pir about halfway down. And as I stare harder, I realise that those aren''t rocks, but rather buildings that are formed on that t ring. That''s a city?!

    It appears as though I might have found it... Suspended halfway up the pir, multiple kilometres above the floor of the strata, the demon city exists on the pir itself. How do they avoid getting swarmed by the climbing monsters though? Try as I might, I can''t make out the details from this distance to work it out.

    I feel the thoughts of my captive shift in an unpleasant direction and I wrench his arm with my mandibles as I return my full focus to him, dashing his hopes of knocking me off the edge.

    [I''d tell you not to think about it, but I don''t think you''re capable,] I say.

    [Demonic nature cannot be changed,] he seems to agree.

    [So you came from the city on the pir?]

    [I did.]

    [What for?]

    [This is the only time that we demons can rise to the second strata. I was sent to scout and search for developments in the overworld.]

    Makes sense I suppose. The wave gives the demons a chance to move up in the world, so to speak, and why wouldn''t they seize this opportunity to check out they of thend? In a general sense, they have more to fear from attackers descending from above than those rising from below, since waves are rare. If an army like the Legion, or perhaps a giant Colony of ants, were to start setting up shop above them, the residents of the city would probably rather be aware of it than not.

    Even so, I feel like there is more that I''m not being told, though I don''t can''t figure out what it is.

    [You were sent by yourself? Hardly seems like enough.]

    The demon gurgles augh out loud.

    [A full-grown demon has little to fear moving up, usually.]

    [Your just an unlucky sap who picked on the wrong ant, I suppose.]

    He''s not wrong. How many tier six monsters would he run into on his climb if I hadn''t been here? None, probably.

    [Does the city have a name? Or this ce¡­ this area of the third strata?]

    The demon grins.

    [You are above the ins of Leng, bug, and the city of Roklu.]

    Interesting. It doesn''t mean a whole lot to me, but it''s nice to know that the ce has a name at all. Perhaps Granin will be able to tell me more about it.

    [So another question that I have,] I pose to my demon friend, [is what happens to you when you crawl back to your city injured, having failed your mission before you managed to leave the strata?]

    [Another will be sent and I will be punished,] I can feel from the demon''s mind that he doesn''t much care. [They may decide that Anga is to be food and throw me to the vats.]

    Vats? I''m not sure I want to know.

    [I am done with your questions, insect,] the demon growls, [either finish me or let Anga go free.]

    [But we were getting along so well,] I tell him.

    [I will speak no more,] he says and cuts the mind bridge once more.

    It''s odd that he would know how to do that, though I sense no strong ability for magicing from him. Certainly he didn''t cast a single spell during our fight. It makes me wary, thinking that there might be further depths to this demon that I don''t yet understand. Still, if he doesn''t feel like talking, I can hardly take the time to try and make him whilst exposed here on the ramp. I release my bite on the demon and back up slowly allowing him to gradually put his feet under him.

    With his right arm nearly severed and the tongue from his main mouth cut, Anga is not much of a threat. Still, I continue to be wary of him as he steadies himself before turning to move back down the ramp. Before he''s taken two steps, my antennae tingle with warning and I curse, jumping to one side. The demon spins faster than I had expected and fires his one remaining tongue-spear from his left arm from near point nk range. I don''t bother to fully dodge, merely shifting my body to the left to put the demon between me and the edge of the ramp. With a loud ''THUNK'' the spear ms into my carapace, once again failing to prate all the way through but I pay it no mind, instead coordinating with my sub-brains to condense the air mana I need for this spell to work.

    BOOM!

    With a concussive st I unload two condensed air bolts right into the demon''s chest from close range, giving just enough force to knock the demon backward, but not quite enough. Hit him again!

    BOOM!

    Unable to correct his bnce in time, Anga if blown backwards, slipping over the edge. For a moment I can feel the aura of murderous glee rising from the demon before he slips out of my sight. With a powerful snap of my mandibles, I sever the spear that still connects us and wait to see if I get a notification for the monster''s demise.

    Nonees. Dammit.

    He had to have known he wouldn''t be able to defeat me, as wounded as he was, so why bother making the attempt? I get the feeling the demonic mindset is going to be very different than what I would expect to see from a normal sapient creature. Still, we learned a few valuable things from him, such as the name and location of the closest demon settlement to the Colony. We''ll need to scout it out in more detail in the future, since I''ve little doubt we''ll be conquering the ce as our first port of call to extending the territory of the Colony into the third strata. I nce out of the vast terrain that isin out before me from this high vantage point. Won''t all this be better when it belongs to the Colony? I look down at the teeming hordes of demons down below. Just think of the farming possibilities¡­

    "Alright everyone," I call to my bodyguards, "time to go!"

    [Pack it up gang, we''re retreating back to the nest.]

    Hopefully the way back up is easier than the way down.

 Chapter 622 New Recruits

    <h4>Chapter 622 New Recruits </h4>

    "Fall! Fall, you interlopers, invaders and unbelievers! You are the nutrients provided by the Dungeon to grow something greater! Your Biomass will be the building blocks used to construct the new Path! The new way! Go in peace, under the mandibles of the Colony!" Beyn orated, his sonorous voice rolling through the tunnels like wind.

    "Give it a rest, would you?" Isaac muttered, working his spear relentlessly alongside the soldier ant next to him.

    Why he wasn''t back on the surface patrolling the quiet streets of Renewal and enjoying the new ale being brewed up there, he still didn''t know. Instead of rxing and putting his feet up, here he was in the Dungeon, fighting alongside the Colony and the several other surviving members of the town guard, getting an earful from the mad preacher while they were at it.

    After another five minutes of fierce battle, the sudden rush of shadow beasts was finally put down and Isaac gathered his people rest. He pulled off his helmet and wiped the sweat from his brow as the others did the same, patting each other on the back and sharing any levels or Skill improvements they might have gotten.

    "Friend Isaac!" came a voice from behind him.

    "Ah, plops," he cursed before turning with a smile to see the one-armed priest approaching, hunched over due to the weight of the shield he bore on his back.

    Isaac pulled a face.

    "I''m not sure you really need to be carrying that thing around," he said, "Do you even get a strength bonus from your ss?"

    "I do not," the priest said, breathing heavily. An hour of yelling hadn''t winded the man in the slightest but carrying an oversized shield for twenty metres knocked the air straight out of him. sses, what a thing. The vagaries of the System were nothing new to Isaac, he was born and bred in it, had never known a life without it. "¡­ but the burden is light," Beyn gasped, "as I am strengthened by my faith. The shield of righteousness is my burden to bear, as decreed by the Great One directly."

    "Did the ''Great One'' really decree that?" Isaac asked sceptically. "That''s not exactly how I remember it."

    "One must allow some interpretation of the Great One''s actions," the priest replied defensively, "would you rather I bother them endlessly with questions about everything they do or say?"

    "Don''t you do that already?"

    "That''s not the point!"

    Beyn''s face has turned a touch red by this point and Isaac takes a moment take the in the whole man. It was more than a little unusual for him to this flustered and Isaac could see he looked tired, worn out by some internal struggle. Though every instinct in Isaac''s body screamed in warning, he reached out a hand and gripped the insane priest on the shoulder.

    "Are you alright man?" he asked, "you don''t seem like yourself."

    Sometimes it was easy to forget how young Beyn was. He normally moved and spoke with such purpose and determination that the normal hesitance and vulnerabilities of youth were invisible in the man, burned away by the heat of his conviction. In this moment, Isaac was reminded that he was, in fact, the older of the two of them. The priest was a young man, fresh out of church training and settling into his first post when thest wave had urred, catapulting him from that humble life into something entirely different.

    "I- I''m fine," Beyn replied, blinking in surprise as the anger and frustration just seemed to leak out of him, leaving him looking more like a confused young man than Isaac had ever seen him. "I think¡­ I think I''m just tired. There has been so much to do."

    "It''s not mana sickness is it? Have you been back to the surface recently?" Isaac said.

    Beyn shook his head slowly.

    "No. No, I''m fine. l''m being careful."

    "So, what is it?" Isaac looked at him carefully, trying to encourage him to open up.

    The priest spoke hesitantly at first, then with growing passion as he went on.

    "There is just so much to do," he sighed, "the antmancer ss is a brand-new revtion, but the speed of our progress, our levelling, has fallen dramatically since the siege ended. I have tried to exin to the faithful that a ss such as this is hard to train, and likely powerful as it advances, but they hunger so desperately for the next improvement, the next chance for the System to illuminate this glorious path. They take risks, they push too hard and no matter how I try to warn them, their eagerness and enthusiasm overtakes them. Several members of my church have been sent to the surface for healing and extended rest over thest week, their own actions slowing rather than speeding their progress. I find it hard to me them, since I too share their desire for that next great leap."

    "The antmancers have been joining in on all the patrols," Isaac protested this idiocy, "every single one of them. In terms of hours on duty, they exceed every single one of the guards, even the trainees we took in from Rylleh."

    What a pain in the plops that''d been for Isaac. As the citizens of the underground city had grown more and more ustomed to life under the ''rule'' of the ants, the more they had grown to like it. To the poor and working people, the Colony were liberating heroes. When Isaac had formerly opened the ranks of the guards to volunteers after the siege, there had been a flood of applicants. It was a good thing the Colony had decided to foot the bill, since Isaac wouldn''t have the first clue how he would even attempt to pay them all.

    Here''s hoping the Colony never actually found a use for all the gold they''d found.

    "Yes," Beyn agreed, "but to them this simply isn''t enough. And the new members of the flock are often misguided and need a great deal of teaching, lest they do or say something that tarnishes the image of the Great One and undoes our work spreading the word. This has been a nightmare to manage and it has been some days sincest I slept."

    The priest rubbed his eyes and Isaac got a clear look at how lined and webbed with red they were.

    "By the Path man," Isaac cursed, "how the hell are you on your feet? You need to get your arse to bed!"

    "Don''t curse," the priest admonished with a faint smile.

    "I''m serious man!" Isaac said. "Even the Colony has a mandatory rest rule."

    Beyn blinked.

    "I''m sorry, what?" he said.

    "You didn''t know?" the head guard was shocked. Normally the priest would be the first to know anything about the Colony. "The, uh, Great One, mandated rest for every member of the Colony. I think they were sick of Colony members trying to work themselves to death all the time, so they implemented this rule. They''re pretty damn serious about it, I''ve seen ants dragged kicking into the shadows to rest before."

    It was such a strange and horrifying sight that Isaac shuddered upon recalling it. There was something so disturbing about the silent screams which seemed to emanate from that ant as it was slowly pulled into the darkness. It was chilling on a level he didn''t quite understand. He came back to himself and turned his attention to the priest. For whatever reason, the mad fool was suffering and perhaps he, Isaac Bird, could be of assistance for once.

    Instead, he turned his face back to Beyn and is was if he had stuck his head too close to a furnace. The priests eyes were zing with passion, a fire roaring so bright that it appeared as if it would turn the tears running down his face to steam.

    "The kindness of the Great One," he whispered reverently, "the ineffable wisdom!"

    "Ah plops," Isaac muttered.

 Chapter 623 Straight out of the ranch

    <h4>Chapter 623 Straight out of the ranch </h4>

    It was with no small amount of pride that Sloan watched the first shipment of Biomass and corese in from the newly established farm around the nest. Thirty soldiers, each carrying a full mandible load, as well as being weighed down with bags slung over their backs. It was tiring and difficult work, one that the ants performed with joy and pride, especially this group. All the Biomass being hauled currently was destined for the academy, to allow the hatchlings to evolve with full upgrades.

    "Finally, some results for all of that work," Cobalt looked exceptionally pleased as she stood next to the general watching the soldiers run by. "The carvers were pushed to the limits of their endurance, but it was worth it to see this happen. I''ve heard they''re already starting to harvest some cores as well."

    "Already?" Sloan was a little surprised. Monsters could only form cores when the concentration of mana within their bodies reached a certain point. She had expected it to take longer for the requisite mana to rue within the farms, even if they had installed a carefully controlled irrigation system to ensure that infused water was avable in each of the farming chambers.

    "Yes," Cobalt confirmed, "I heard Be gushing about it earlier, though I''m not sure how many of those cores she expects to see considering that Eldest wants the academy graduates to reach tier four."

    Even now most hatchlings weren''t able to evolve with full cores from the second to third tier. Getting enough cores to max every ant from third to fourth? A pipe dream. Even so, the Eldest was determined and despite everything that happened, they were usually right when they insisted on things like this.

    "Be and Ellie have approached me about another idea to get more cores," Sloan said, "they want to send small groups of core shapers outside of our territory to obtain resources."

    "Is that safe?"

    The general shrugged.

    "Safer for them than for any other caste. Every one of them has two or three pets that they can use to fight, which means two of them pairing up actually brings four to sixbatants who each need cores, Biomass and experience to be effective. They won''t get any of those things if they hang around here, we need every scrap for the hatchlings. I approved the idea; they''ve already started heading out."

    Cobalt just shook her head.

    "Things are moving fast right now," she muttered, and Sloan had to agree.

    The end of the siege was only a week ago and the Colony had been working furiously ever since to get the farming project up and running as fast as possible whilst also building up their defences, holding off the wave, training an unprecedented number of hatchlings and ramping up their industry in all respects. It felt as if the Eldest were targeting their limits withser-like precision with these projects, yet Sloan didn''t think that much thought went into it. Not that she''d ever say that out loud, or where the Eldest would find out.

    The two council members enjoyed a few moments of quiet as they watched their family rushing about on the thousands of tasks that needed doing, enduring the asional pheromone message of "ckers!" or "Stop beingzy!". It was only when they saw arge scout zing a trail through the many other ants on the trails that they perked up and called out.

    "Burke! Where are you off to in such a rush?" Tungstant called out.

    The scout stuttered to a stop, her legs pumping hard to slow her momentum beforeing to rest in front of the two of them.

    "Just had word from an outlying scout ry that the Eldest has been spotted on the way back. I was rushing to get word back to the council."

    Sloan and Tungstant both sagged a little with relief at the news, none more so than Sloan. She was the one to crack and tell the Eldest to get out of the nest and keep levelling, only for their mentor to up and disappear for five days! Rather than hang around just outside the defensive line like Sloan had assumed they would, the Eldest had merrily plunged into the Dungeon without so much as a backward nce, during a WAVE. Tier six they might be but that was surely just madness!

    So, it had been that the entire Colony had been on edge as the days ticked by with no word about the fate of the Eldest. Sloan had noticed she''d been getting some none too friendly res as she moved in the tunnels recently and she was more than pleased that particr ordeal would be over.

    "Any idea how far away they are?" Sloan asked. "Not too far I hope?"

    "Nope!" Burke chuckled, eyeing the general off with amusement. "Shouldn''t be more than ten minutes behind me. From what I hear the Eldest is after a rest."

    Not surprising since they''d just returned from plunging headfirst into the Dungeon during a wave! At least Vibrant hadn''t done anything that crazy. As far as they knew she was still rushing from one checkpoint to the next, lending a hand and then vanishing into the distance before anyone thought to ask where she was going next. Her evolution had only made things worse, increasing her speed to the point it was dizzying to even try to keep up with her.

    A general buzz of activity and excitement started to build in the chamber as word got around that the Eldest was on their way back to the Colony and would be here shortly. Ants started to rush, trying to get through their work faster so they coulde back and see the glorious return of the strongest member of the Colony, an odd sort of behaviour that Tungstant didn''t remember seeing much before.

    Had something changed? Or as the Colony grew, did the reverence reserved for the very oldest of their number simply be magnified. The number of ants who''d never met or seen the Eldest certainly increased day by day, increasing the aura of mystique around them, so to speak. She puzzled over this question as the hubbub grew and then, suddenly and without fanfare, a giant ant pushed through the tunnel and into the wide chamber followed by the guardians.

    They looked rough. The gleaming diamond carapace of the Eldest was dirty and chipped in ces, their antennae looked like they desperately needed a clean and it was obvious to those who were watching that they were tired, their movements a little sluggish. The great ape looked even worse, a mass of injuries and filth that caked over each and every part of armour still strapped to his body. The shadow looked much the same as always, her darkness impably clean and without stain. The eye was simrly clean, though several small injuries marred his tiny body.

    It was with some trepidation that Sloan stepped forward to greet the Eldest on their return.

    "Wee back!" she said. "I hope everything went well?"

    The Eldest blearily swung their antennae about for a moment before realizing who had spoken.

    "Ah! Sloan. Fine. Everything was fine! I''m just tired. The third strata is crazy, you''ve gotta see it to believe it. Biomass for days down there if we can get it. Anyways, sleep. Bye."

    Having said their piece, the Eldest continued to stumble onward toward a resting chamber, a thousand ants watching them go. The moment their hero had left the room, it was back to business for the masses of Colony members, and they rushed to their tasks with renewed enthusiasm.

    Sloan was stunned.

    "Did they say¡­ third strata?" she muttered.

    Tungstant and Burke nodded, not trusting their pheromones to properly reply.

    "What sort of madness would inspire you to go to the third strata IN A WAVE?!" the general wailed.

 Chapter 624 Resting up

    <h4>Chapter 624 Resting up </h4>

    Getting back to the nest helped a lot with my physical exhaustion, washing the fatigue from my limbs and easing the pain in my muscles, but the mental fatigue is still there weighing me down and after five days of almost continuous fighting, even the impressive constitution of a tier six monster is barely enough to keep me going. Even Tiny has no fight left in him by the time we make it back inside the defensive wall of the nest, stumbling forward like a punch-drunk boxer, the lights almost entirely out in his eyes.

    Crinis has been asleep for a while now, justtching onto my carapace and falling asleep the moment she can, whereas Invidia is having trouble keeping himself in the air, his small wings pping with more energy than usual to correct his frequent dips and lurches as he zones in and out.

    All in all, the trip to the third strata was a sess, but it nearly killed us a couple of times, which was less than ideal. From what I gathered from the troops stationed at the walls, our intervention was very keenly felt across a wide area along the deepest edge of the Colony''s territory, which is gratifying to hear. Including all the experience, Biomass and cores we rued over the journey, as well as the intelligence we gathered regarding the third strata, I would have to qualify our adventure as a rousing sess.

    By the time we reach our chambers inside the inner part of the nest, all four of us have had it. Copsing into a pile of carapace, fur, and a giant eye, we fall into slumber immediately, the rxing grace of torpor falling over me and dragging my mind into the void to rest. Until¡­

    MOVSLAJAGGA!

    I''m up!

    Awareness rushes back to me and I spring up onto my legs, my mind refreshed and my bodypletely awash with energy. The thoughts, hopes and wishes of the thousands, tens of thousands of my kind in the nest pouring into me and bubbling up as a mass of spiritual power that, for a moment, threatens to overwhelm mepletely. I grapple with it for a moment, my Will straining until I seed in shoving it into the background, the roar of the Colony fading back to a dull murmur.

    What the heck was that?!

    It''s never behaved like that before¡­ Is it the umted desires of my siblings that piled up when I was resting? Are the members of the Colony just impressing more of their will onto me than usual? Are there just more ants around here than I was expecting as their numbers reacted with my new Vestibule? For a moment I''m tempted to ask for advice from Granin and co about the issue, but after thinking on it for a moment I decide not to. It isn''t that I don''t trust the golgari trio, but I feel the need to keep some of my cards close to the carapace. Also, there''s just something odd about the Vestibule and Nave and the way they interact with the rest of my kind that makes me a little hesitant to spread the word around. They just seem so different from anything else I''ve seen from other monsters that I sometimes wonder if I''m the only monster in the Dungeon who would have an evolution like this.

    Everyone I''ve ever spoken to says insect monsters tend to not reach tier five or six, so it might be entirely possible.

    Ah well, something to worry about another day. I rouse Tiny, Crinis and Invidia, who wake with some reluctance, especially Tiny, before charging out of the chambers and into the nest in order to go about our day. So much to do, so much to see! As always, it''s go, go, go in the nest, with ants rushing hither and thither on their innumerable tasks following the dozens of scent trails that lead to every destination in our territory. Such is the hubbub that it takes longer than expected to make our way to our destination, but eventually we find our way to the Core Shapers workshop to find Be and Ellie busy arranging their caste in numerous teams.

    There are thirty ants gathered into groups of three when we arrive, each lined up neatly and listening to Be give a grand speech on their mission. She stumbles to a halt when I arrive and I suddenly find myself the centre of attention as each of them turns their attention to me.

    "Uh¡­ hi. Don''t stop on ount of me!" I wave an antenna awkwardly.

    "Nonsense Eldest," Ellie rushes over to wee me. "How nice of you to visit us when you are so busy. You haven''t stumbled across any other revolutionary core shaping techniques on yourtest outing by any chance?" she gushes, stars practically gleaming in her eyes.

    "No," I crush her dreams immediately, "but I did bring you a couple of gifts."

    [Crinis?]

    From my back, Crinis extends a tentacle that arches back until it plunges into her own mass, fishing around for a few moments until emerging with a small cache of cores gripped in a curl of shadow flesh.

    "A small selection of demon cores fresh from the third strata!" I proim as Crinis hands them over to a suddenly reverent Ellie, who grips the spheres in her mandibles as if they were precious diamonds. "We weren''t able to grab many, things were a little hectic down there, but here is what we got."

    "Thank you, Eldest!" Be exims. "We''ve been given a few demon cores from the outer defences, but they''ve been trickling in. To have some directly from the source will be most useful to our research!"

    "d to see they''ve gone to a good home. All the best you two!"

    After waving goodbye to the two core shapers and their somewhat awestruck audience, we move on to another section of the nest for another visit that needs to be checked off the list. I find Granin and his group engaged in tea-time with Enid, surprisingly enough. The three oversized rock-people look a touch out of ce in the neatly furnished rooms of the mayor, their cups of tea appearingically small in theirrge hands.

    [Anthony,] Granin rumbles in my mind, [nice to see you made it back in one piece.]

    [Did you know that the third strata was like that?] I demand. [It''s freakin'' hot down there!]

    He raises one stone carved eyebrow.

    [People are moremonly disturbed by the idea of the entire surface of our world being supported by rocky pirs. But sure, yes, it''s very hot]

    [Also that! What the heck is going on there?! You cannot possibly tell me those rocks are strong enough to hold up the gojillions of tons above them!?]

    [Nice to see you too Anthony,] Enid says as she takes a long sip of her tea.

    Ah.

    [Sorry Enid, my manners have totally gone begging. How''s things been with you? I trust Renewal is doing well?]

    [Well enough,] sheughs, [don''t mind me, I''m just getting old and fussy. Although, as we''re speaking of it, is there a chance you could make an appearance on the surface? It would be wonderful to show you what we''ve achieved up there.]

    Go to the surface? As tier six?

    [Uh¡­ I''m not sure - ]

    Before I even finish the sentence, I can see the disappointment flicker in the old woman''s eyes.

    [There''s a wave on,d,] Granin reminds me.

    [Oh right. Would that be enough though?]

    He shrugs.

    [If the three of us tag along and help channel mana for you, I think you''d be able to manage for a little bit. You''ll need to wait until the wave reaches its peak.]

    It seems like a bit of a pain, but sure. Enid has done a lot for me and the Colony, I don''t mind humouring her.

    [Alright then, Enid,] I say, [you heard the man. When the mana levels peak, I''ll try to sneak up there for a tour. Sound good?]

    She puts her tea down to p her hands together, her smile wide and eyes shining.

    [Wonderful,] she says, [the people will be so pleased. Now please, continue your conversation.]

    [Why are you interrupting me anyway?] Granin demands gruffly. [I''m trying to have some tea. Where the heck did you even get tea anyway?]

    [I think we stole most of it from the golgari¡­ I''m actually in need of a consult. Got some time?]

    [For you?]

    [Obviously not,] I jerk my antennae back toward Tiny and Crinis behind me. [For those two.]

 Chapter 625 Flowing Spirit

    <h4>Chapter 625 Flowing Spirit </h4>

    Discussions with Granin take a few hours as we discuss and weigh the different possibilities that may await my two pets upon their evolution to the sixth tier. Neither of them has reached the required level as of yet, but their mutations are close to maxed out and I thought it prudent to draw on Granin''s wisdom earlier rather thanter. Since he and I are both in the nest right now, may as well make the most of it.

    Torrina and Corun are eager to pitch in, offering their own suggestions which are weighed and measured by their senior before he gives his own opinion on them. As the time passes, we narrow down on the better choices for the pair of monsters, Crinis listening intently whilst Tiny sleeps in the corridor.

    [One thing you must do,] Granin stresses repeatedly, [is raise Tiny''s intelligence so he can use the manual evolution menu before he evolves. It''ll cost him a good amount of Might, but he can gain that back and more when he goes through with it. Normally for pets like this you would develop the pet Skill tree a little more to the point that you are able to handle their evolutions for them,] he raised a hand to cut off my protest, [¡­ but I know that you don''t feelfortable making all their decisions for them. That''s why bumping him up to the point he can do the manual evolution by himself is the only choice. The records on Lightning Fist Ape evolutions are thin and I''m probably one of the few who''s even bothered to look into them, which I did after you left. As you suspect, they''re so feisty, and stupid, that they basically never survive to make it to tier three. Those that do are strong, but are even dumber. The cult had never seen a tier four variant ording to what I read.]

    This and many other points were discussed before we waved goodbye to Enid and the three golgari. Time is precious right now and we can''t afford to be away from the front lines for long. The job before the Colony is pretty straight forward right now: ride out the wave whilst dragging in all the resources we possibly can. For myself, that means getting Tiny and Crinis to tier six, as well as levelling up my bodyguards to tier five. The collective experience needed is massive and it''s going to take a heck of a lot of grinding to get the job done. Which means we need to get back to it.

    Rushing through the nest, it isn''t long until we find ourselves the centre of attention as we move through the masses of ants. We do stick out a touch, my pets and I. Since evolving to tier six, I''ve increased substantially in size, whilst most of my siblings remain at tier three. It''s no exaggeration to say that they could safely walk beneath my abdomen with only their antennae brushing against my carapace, that''s howrge I''ve gotten. It reminds me of when I met the Queen for the first time, except now I''m the one towering over hordes of much smaller insects. Having my family members looking up to me in the literal and figurative sense is a touch overwhelming if I let myself dwell on it, so I don''t.

    The whispers are always there, however. No matter how much I try to shut them out, a trickle always seeps through. As we run, I open myself up to them and I''m suddenly flooded by the inpouring of spirit from the Colony. Trying to steady myself, I reach out with my mind to touch the edge of this energy, to get a sense of their thoughts without getting overwhelmed. Dipping in one leg, I can feel the voices of hundreds of members of the Colony, their Will echoing in my mind. After steadying myself for a moment, it''s actually kind of nice, even if I feel as though I''m eavesdropping in some way. Most of the thoughts I hear are devoted entirely to growing the Colony and making it more prosperous, of helping, of being useful.

    The smith who toils on her projects, hoping to protect her siblings in battle.

    The brood tender who raises the young with care and loving attention, raising the next generation as best she can so that the Colony may flourish.

    The soldier patrolling the tunnels, defending the nest and protecting her siblings.

    The worker, transporting food to the Queen''s chamber, eager to do the work that will feed the growth of her family.

    The mage fighting on the walls, using her magic to fend off the ever oing waves of enemies, her heart never wavering in the face of danger.

    The miner digging minerals and ore, her mandibles working without rest despite the chaos of fighting around her.

    All of their experiences flow through me and for a moment I feel as though I were them and all of them were me, lost in the collective of my family. It was an overwhelming feeling of togetherness, the sense of belonging I had experienced being amongst this caring group magnified a hundredfold. It was almost addictive and I found myself brushing around the edges of the stream of the energy flowing into me, experiencing the Will of hundreds of different Colony members at a time.

    [Master?]

    [Eh?]

    Only when Crinis'' voice echoed in my head did Ie back into myself.

    [Sorry, what''s up Crinis?]

    [You''d gone still, Master. For a few minutes now. I was wondering if there was anything wrong, I''m sorry if I disturbed you¡­]

    [Really? That long?] I feel a little chilled. [No, you did the right thing. If I zone out like that again, feel free to speak to me, alright?]

    [I will, Master,] she replies, happy to be praised.

    Yeesh. The more I learn about the Vestibule and it''s new addition, the Nave, the less I understand them. Having the Vestibule reformed using Soul Crystal has magnified the effect the organ has massively. Not only is the energy I receive vastly more than what I took in before, so too is the purity and rity of Will. Being able to dip into it and experience the flowing thoughts and impressions of the Colony is not something I expected. Is that a product of the Soul Crystal? Or the Nave? Or bothbined?

    Bah, it''s not like I have time to worry about it now. Onward! To battle!

    "Ah, Eldest, heading out to the walls?"

    "Wills? Haven''t seen you in a while, what have you been up to?"

    "Scouting," she replies, not a twitch of the antennae to give away the sarcasm.

    "Ha, ha. A little more detail, if you please, Wills."

    She cks her mandibles in amusement.

    "Not much to expand upon, Eldest. With the wave happening we''ve been pretty much locked into our territory, so the scouts have been doing a detailed survey of every inch of it, making sure we map the entire thingpletely. It''s been exhausting, detailed work, but we''re just about done now."

    "I guess you guys can''t really go ranging very far at the moment, given the situation," I muse, "that must be annoying. I know you scouts like to get out on your own."

    "It''s annoying," she affirms, "but there''s not much we can do about it. Wave and all that."

    "So what are you scouts going to be doing now?"

    "Running messages and helping to fight. Not much else we can do."

    "You wouldn''t happen to know where we''re getting hit the hardest do you? I''m off to provide some relief and level up my group."

    "Straight down, where else?" she points to the floor beneath our feet with one leg. "That''s where the majority of demonse, along the lower edge. To the sides it''s mostly shadow creatures."

    "That''s what I thought, but it never hurts to check. Care toe with? Since you''re off fighting anyways?"

    "Let''s get to it. Wonder if Vibrant has made her way down there yet?"

 Chapter 626 The grind of war

    <h4>Chapter 626 The grind of war </h4>

    We move through the nest with Burke running alongside and once again I''m stunned at the sheer level of industry that the Colony has grown to. The farming territories swarm with ants, culling the ever-spawning monsters and ferrying a constant stream of Biomass back to the nest. From there the food will be transported around the territories, to the Queens, to the satellite nests, to the academy. Biomass is the lifeblood of our growth and for the moment, an endless river of it is flooding into the Colony such that we have never seen before. For however long the wave willst, provided we can fend off the never-ending foes from below, we are going to experience incredible wealth in terms of food.

    The future is bright!

    Though it''s past time I got back to doing my bit. Past the farms and deeper into the tunnels wee across the emergency medical facilities, packed with wounded soldiers and other castes with heavy injuries. Medics fuss and fidget over them, using their medical skills to heal as best they can, feeding Biomass to the injured in order to speed up the healing process. Beyond them wee across the inner walls, each manned with a fullplement of ants despite the wave not having prated this deep. As we progress deeper and further from the nest, we pass moreyers of fortifications, walls, traps, pits, barriers, and spiked ramparts still being worked on by perfectionist carvers.

    "They''re preparing for another round of satellite nests?" I exim as Wills reveals the council''s ns. "Is this really the time for that?!"

    The scout shrugs.

    "It was Victoriant and Antite who pushed hard for it. I can''t say I disagree with them either. It takes a significant amount of time to raise a Queen andy the groundwork for a new satellite nest. The territory needs to be mapped out, the construction and preparation of the tunnels takes time, forging the gates, gathering the resources for enchanting. The eggying chambers will need to have the Dungeon veins removed. There''s a ton that goes into it."

    "I get that, but how exactly is any of that supposed to take ce during a wave?!" It seems like madness to me.

    She shrugs.

    "The preliminary work can get done. Tungstant and Cobalt are already working on designs and pouring over the maps we were able to build before the siege started. For now, I think they''re hoping to build four."

    "FOUR?!"

    "Yep, with two Queens in each. From what I gather, they''ll be built quite a ways away, but together in a cluster, if you take my meaning. Since they''ll be so far from the main nest and we can''t support them at short notice, the idea is that they''ll be able to lean on each other when needed."

    Another eight Queens¡­ if each isying two hundred eggs per day¡­ that''s another sixteen hundred hatchlings PER DAY?! Holy moly! And two hundred is a lower bound¡­ When they evolve further that can jump to as high as five hundred, each, which would be four THOUSAND. A DAY.

    Oi.

    Things are getting out of control here aren''t they? What the heck is the Vestibule going to be like when there are literally millions of us? Do I even want to think about that? I know ant colonies on Earth could grow into the millions, that''s not surprising, but thinking about my Colony, with giant, thinking ants, it paints a different sort of picture. How are we going to feed that many grubs?! All of a sudden, the vast farms the Colony has constructed feel entirely too small. We need to scale up! Quickly!

    Even so, the council really did take my call to be ambitious seriously, didn''t they? Four more satellite nests already in nning¡­ The expansion of the Colony really is speeding up to an absurd degree!

    Whilst I''m still digesting the news, we arrive at the frontline, the din of battle rising to near deafening levels as a st of pheromones hits me right in the antennae. As expected, the fighting is fierce, ants swarming in numbers behind their choke points, pouncing on every monster who sticks so much as a foot through, dragging them back and piling onto them before they can fight back. Even with all of our advantages, ants still get injured, or worse, as the fighting intensifies.

    We find a general nearby, directing traffic and providing buffs to the fighting.

    "Reporting for duty," I snap out a quick salute with an antenna, "mind if we jump in for a while?"

    "Eldest!" she seems surprised to see us here. "By all means, it''ll be nice to have the pressure taken off."

    [You heard thedy,] I tell my pets, [we''re going through.]

    I give a significant look to the ceiling as well, letting my guard detail know that I expect them to be levelling as well.

    "Youing through with us?" I ask Wills.

    "I think I''ll provide some long-distance fire support," she replies, "I''m not exactly built for the front."

    "Suit yourself," I shrug.

    We charge forward, giving little warning to the ants who scurry out of the way. I burst straight through the choke point and drive into the horde of scratching, biting and wing monsters on the other side, my mandibles gnashing for battle.

    DOOM CHOMP!

    Notifications ring in my mind, but I pay them no heed. With a little space created, Tiny bursts into the gap, his roar of fury and joy ringing from the stone walls as fists of light manifest and snap out with blistering speed.

    [Get to work Crinis,] I remind her, [we aren''t here for me.]

    [Yes Master.]

    She replies as she peels off my carapace, growing into her proper size, her three maws open wide, the dark void within ready to consume all that she can see.

    [You and I are on support,] I tell Invidia and his pulses green to show his understanding. Already he''s binding shields to Tiny and healing the minor wounds he''s received.

    I spin together the omni-elemental construct and prepare to start grinding levels. Every time I level up the Skill, handling the construct and the elements it creates bes that little bit more fluid and intuitive. As time passes, I''ll be able to fling around elemental spells with wild abandon. I do need to keep in mind my need to grind mind magic also, but that can wait for the time being. The elemental magic is going to be far more useful in this situation, so it gets priority.

    We quickly settle into a rhythm, Tiny and Crinis in front, battling hard and fighting for every drop of experience they can get, with Invidia protecting and healing them whilst I throw fire,va, ice and whatever else takes my fancy. Every now and again a more powerful monster, such as a demon,es forward to challenge us and we team up to put it down hard, ensuring that the experience is taken by someone who needs it. This goes on for hours until our energy starts to dip and I order my group back through the chokepoint to rest.

    [Wasn''t too bad was it guys? Nothingpared to ourst expedition!]

    Tiny harrumphs, as if to say that thest expedition was pure madness, and nothing should be measured against that standard.

    [Well, get some food into you and have a quick nap. We''re going to relocate and then do it again as soon as you''re ready.]

    Crinis sighs and stretches a small set of tentacles as she settles onto my back, preparing to snooze while she can. I haven''t even finished talking before Tiny is out, snoring up against the wall. Thanks to the Vestibule, I''m full of energy, but these two have been doing the bulk of the fighting and don''t have my benefits. It''s going to be a rough wave for them, since this is all we''re going to do until they reach level eighty, which could take over a week.

    I snack on a small piece of Biomass I snagged outside the wall and lower myself down. The life of a monster really is an endless grind.

 Chapter 627 Bubbling from beneath

    <h4>Chapter 627 Bubbling from beneath </h4>

    The power I held, it was so great I couldn''t see the whole of it, couldn''t grasp the scale, so vast had it be that I didn''t have a reference point for it, something to help me see its true nature. As it was, I came to understand it far toote to make a difference to the final oue. I cannot me myself. Nor do I me us. What were we, except the victims of our conditions, living our goals and ideals as best we could?

    I weep for those who were left behind, but I did all I could. As did we all.

    Unknown.

    It was always so damned hot down here. The wave certainly didn''t help, the fire mana hung so thick in the air Alir could smell it, brimstone and sulphur tickling the edge of his nostrils with every breath. He coughed and spat, trying to get the foul taste out of his mouth to no avail, the spittle evaporating to nothing mere seconds after it touched the ground.

    "st it," he muttered under his breath, stepping outside the inner chamber to try and get some air.

    The acolytes outside stepped out of his way as he burst out the door, robes pping behind him. They bowed low as he passed, their foreheads below the level of their waist, as was proper. Alir paid them no mind, such things were beneath his notice, instead he focused on his own restricted lungs as he marched through the temple and toward the front door, hoping to find relief.

    "Grand Priest, a messenger awaits outside for you," a timid priestess informed him as he strode past, causing a frown to crease his face.

    "Demon?" he snapped.

    "Y-Yes, Grand Priest," she stuttered.

    He grunted with irritation and continued his walk. A demon with a message usually didn''t bode well, more likely than not it was a frivolous waste of his time for something only the twisted denizens of this ce would consider important. The unfortunate reality was that there were some demons he couldn''t afford to put offside, for the sake of the church''s work here. Maintaining a cooperative partnership was a requirement of doing business on the third strata, not even the church of the Path was immune from this requirement. Foul mood growing by the minute, Alir shoved open the stone doors of the temple and stepped outside.

    Rather than the clear air he sought, he was greeted by the sight of the sted wastnd that was the third strata, the blistering heat and demon stench even more pungent than before. The demon city of Roklu was no grand sight either, the rough stone buildings and even rougher denizens not improving the priest''s mood one iota.

    It might have been a touch less stuffy in the open as opposed to the enclosed inner chamber, although that may just have been his mind ying tricks. Regardless, he dragged in a few lungsful and spat once more for good measure. He knew very well that only the most trusted members of the church could be given assignments like his, but the Path knew he regretted the strength of his own devotion on days like this.

    "Humanssss," ground a voice from nearby and Alir turned to see a razor thin pride demon eyeing him hungrily from nearby.

    "What do you want, filth?" he sneered. No need to be polite with the help.

    The demon didn''t react to his taunt, their kind seldom did.

    "Grokussss wantsss you," a fetid grin stretched across the creature''s face as it delivered its message.

    Before Alir could even retort, the beast was gone, it''s wire thin limbs moving with uncanny speed to carry it away. Pride demons, he grimaced. They had a way of getting on his nerves. Thinking of the message that had been delivered, his mouth twisted, what did the petty despot ruler of this te want with him today? The church had never failed to uphold their end of the agreement, despite the constant wrangling and sly machinations that were levelled against them from their ''partners''.

    This day couldn''t get any better.

    He made his way through the city, the winding path leading him ever closer to the centre of the disk of stone the city stood on, and therefore, to the pir. The various denizens of the city, mostly demons with a mix of sapient settlers, moved out of his way as he stomped through their midst. Judging from the look on his face, the Grand Priest was in poor mood and none wanted to be the unfortunate to feel his wrath.

    There was something gratifying about having monsters ten times your size step aside as you walked, but Alir had grown numb to such things long ago, his focus was on the great pir and the pce established on its face. Grokus'' residence wasn''t carved into the pir itself, no force on Pangera could cut into that stone, but had been constructed around it, apound that circled the full circumference around the centre of the city. What possible use the bloated demon could have for all of that space, he wouldn''t want to guess, but he''d ruled there for hundreds of years, embellishing the d¨¦cor to the point where it had be frankly disturbing to behold.

    When Alir arrived at the entrance carved into the outer wall of thepound, he nodded to the two pride demons on guard and waited for them to open it for him. Pride demons as door watchers. Subtlety was not one of Grokus'' strong points. If their post grated on them, the two wire thin figures gave no sign of it and hauled open the heavy gate to allow him entrance. As he stepped inside, Alir tried to block as many of the sights and sounds of thepound, his lip curling with distaste as he walked, gaze focused directly ahead. Despite years living amongst them, he was no closer to understanding the mindset of demons, to the point he doubted they could be understood. Their twisted natures and barbaric amusements were one thing, but their callous indifference to life, any life, including their own, was quite another.

    From the corner of his eye he could see all manner of bizarre and horrific ''entertainments'' being engaged in by the favouredckeys of the City Lord. The victims, more often than not, were other demons, those who had wagered and lost, those who had failed a task given to them, or those who were simply bored. The charnel atmosphere managed to do the impossible and make the air even more unpleasant to breathe, the sickly stench of ichor and flesh mixing with the heat and brimstone to create a truly nauseating experience.

    Even with his high Will stat, keeping his lunch down proved a challenge to Alir, and he battled manfully until he reached the inner courtyard to find the ruler of this ce lounging, as best as a monster of his proportions could, beside a pool of liquid fire surrounded by depraved statues depicting various monsters being feasted on. Grokus himself was an old and particrly contemptible Excess Demon, a tier seven monster who had achieved a powerful evolution from the tier six Gluttony Demon. A bloated mass of pale flesh, a rarity for a demon, split across the middle with a mouth that measured more than ten feet from edge to edge. From the top of that bulbous pile of meat emerged a disturbing, human like figure cut off at the waist. It was to this that Alir directed his voice.

    "You have summoned me and so I havee, Grokus," he intoned, trying andrgely failing to conceal his contempt. "What do you desire of the Church of the Path? An absolution, perhaps?"

    The human figure atop the mass smiled thinly at the poor joke whilst the huge mouth guffawed deafeningly, a green, barbed tongue lolling from between the fat lips.

    "I have called you here because some information hase to my attention that might be of interest to you and your people, priest," the too pale figure of Grokus replied. "My scout has returned very quickly with news of the strata above. There appears to be an insect infestation above us."

 Chapter 628 The one true path

    <h4>Chapter 628 The one true path </h4>

    Alir cocked an eyebrow.

    "What sort of insect?" he asked, his interest piqued.

    It wasn''t unheard of for an insect swarm to get out of control and pour into the second strata, their numbers making up for their generally weak individual strength, but that''s usually where things would end. Generally speaking, the surface and upperyers of the Dungeon had far more to fear from swarming monsters than deeper down. For them to make it to the lower parts of the second strata was already quite the achievement.

    "Ant," the massive demon replied sinctly.

    "Ant?" the priest was surprised. Ants? "How deep were they?"

    Grokus steepled his fingers atop his own bulging flesh.

    "My scout encountered one just inside our strata, blocking the path to the second."

    "Inside the third?" now he was really surprised, "what tier was it?"

    "Six."

    "SIX? An ant?"

    "Do not make me repeat myself, priest."

    Alir ignored the veiled threat, the novelty of the situation having tickled his fancy. Such a high tier ant was¡­ exceptionally rare, if notpletely unheard of. Without ess to theplete Church records he wouldn''t be able to check, but certainly he himself hadn''t heard of such a thing in all his years. What could it mean for such a creature to emerge here?

    "The ant in question had three pets, each of them fifth tier as well," the City Lord continued.

    That information pointed in another direction entirely.

    "Traveller. Has to be."

    "That is my suspicion also," Grokus confirmed, nodding thoughtfully even as hisrger mouth snaked out a tongue to grasp a hunk of Biomass being proffered by a servant, sucking it into his maw with a wet slurp. "There were other ants present as well, a small number, but each of them were tier four."

    "You think this traveller is raising up their colony? Creating an army?"

    "Perhaps so, perhaps not? Without more information, it''s difficult to say."

    Alir considered this news, his arms folded across his chest and he ignored the disgusting sounds of eating that continued to emanate from the tumescent wall of meat in front of him. This news was certainly interesting, and highly unusual. He was tempted to put off his work for an afternoon to document this rare urrence for the church records, though likely they wouldn''t take a demon''s word for it. He''d need to see it himself if he wanted to submit a report, and he wasn''t about to go hunting through the Dungeon during a wave. Which brought him to the point.

    "So why tell me?" he asked. "The church maintains only a minor presence here in Roklu and we have abided by your strictures to the letter. If the ants invade, I''m sure you''ll be able to deal with it, it certainly wouldn''t be the first time the city had been attacked during my stay here. If you want the colony exterminated, then you''re capable of mounting an expedition above on your own, you have no need of us."

    Grokus waved a hand.

    "I have no great desire to leave my post, nor do I wish to send my precious forces above at this time. We have a war scheduled with Orpule in a few days and I simply can''t spare them."

    The priest tried not to roll his eyes. Orpule, the City Lord of the nearest neighbour to Roklu, was an Avarice Demon, an unhealthy species for a ruler. Her desire for control led to endless conflict between her and ¡­ everyone. Even so, Alir was taken aback.

    "A war during a wave? Is that wise?"

    "I am not the aggressor in this conflict, as I''m sure you know. Besides, the city''s poption has grown rapidly over the past week, with new demons tipping in every minute. We are in need of a cull."

    "So you would like the Church to take up this challenge for you," Alir surmised, seeing what the demon wanted. With his own forcesmitted against his fractious contemporary, he didn''t have the resources to try and nip the problem possibly growing above in the bud.

    "There''s a great deal of resources to be had in exterminating a Colony of such creatures," Grokus smiled with both mouths, a disturbing sight to say the least, "I''m sure the Church would be interested in mounting an expedition to im such wealth."

    "And you allow us free use of the gate?"

    The demon grinned.

    "I''m not sure free would be the right word. Discounted perhaps."

    Alir grunted. Typical.

    "I''ll send word to my superiors and see what they have to say," he said, "I can''t very well make a call on this myself. If that''s all, then I''ll be going."

    "Do not bete with my next payment of Syrup," Grokus purred, "I am ever so eager for that vour to hit my tongue once more."

    When Grokus indicated his dismissal with a wave of one delicate hand, the priest turned on his heel and marched out, ignoring the repulsive sounds of eating that begun the moment he turned around. Back through thepound, his gaze strictly narrowed, through the city and into the temple once more. Back amongst his own people, he once again was able to breathe easy, or as easy as was possible in this cursed ce. As he made his way back inside the inner sanctum and sat at his desk, the conversation with the City Lord continued to run through his mind. He was certain there was another angle to it, demons didn''t live as long as that tub ofrd without being clever at seeking out advantage. It''s possible he just wanted someone else to deal with this problem for him, it''s possible he just wanted the church to owe him a favour, or perhaps he wanted both at the same time.

    A traveller, born as an ant. What a poor, unfortunate soul. He would love to take in such a creature, to help them put their experience to good use, to pass on that essence. At tier six, it would be a difficult capture, but not impossible. And all of those other ants, possibly thousands of them. It would be an immense harvest, and he was certain the bishops would be tempted, but he personally doubted they wouldmit. The church presence in Roklu, himself and a mere twenty acolytes, priests and priestesses, was hardly meaningful, and it was unlikely that they would be willing to move in force in this remote corner of the stratum.

    Still, he took the time to write a missive to be delivered through the portal when the next delivery would be made, describing the situation and his own thoughts.

    Speaking of the delivery, he had best get back to work.

    Turning around in his chair, Alir stood and began to inspect the runic inscriptions carved into the floor in the centre of the chamber. Even unpowered as they were at the moment, they glowed with arcane power, thetent energy in the room enough to make them crackle with mana. He walked a slow circle around the edge of the room, studying every inch of theplex matrix with care. After two such circuits, he turned his eyes to the chalice that sat in the centre of the carvings, his eyes ring with light as he enhanced his vision to inspect the enchantments woven into the vessel. Another slow circuit and the light faded from his eyes, his interrogationplete.

    Satisfied, he turned his eyes to the form hanging suspended upside-down from the roof, the bright steel wire mesh of theting shining red in the dim light. A demon of ignorance, one of his most detested variants, filthy mind mages that they were, provided by the City lord himself. The creature didn''t move, couldn''t move, not so much as twitch an eyelid, such was the paralytic effect Alir had put it under. It was still conscious however, and he looked it carefully in the eye as he began the ritual once more.

    "Monster," he intoned, "I take now your life, your experience, and your essence. In the name of the Path I do this. Be at ease, for you will not fade from this world, but be passed down to another in your entirety."

    So speaking, he tapped a foot on the floor and concentrated as the matrix came to life, reaching up to the creature hanging above with a ghostly tendril that emerged from the chalice to connect to the flesh above. After a few seconds a single, shining drop of silver liquid pooled on the monster''s head and dropped down into the cup waiting below. Then another. Then another. Alir watched, concentration never wavering as the holy work was done.

    Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

 Chapter 629 Surfs up!

    <h4>Chapter 629 Surfs up! </h4>

    [Get him, Tiny! Hit him with the left! Then the right! Ooooo, herees the C-C-C-COMBO!]

    The big ape shes a grin, more than a little happy with my ongoing fightmentary as he duels with thetest demonic offering from the third strata, a particrly nasty, snake-like creature with a huge number of wed hands rising from its back to form a hood simr to what a cobra would have. It''s the first of its kind that we''vee across and I sent Tiny out to have the first crack at it. He''s levelled his Skill significantly over thest few days of concentrated fighting and so far he''s managing to more than hold his own against his opponent.

    As he should! I don''t care about this first strata is weaker than third strata nonsense, he''s a full tier above it! I refuse to ept that we are significantly weaker just because we happened to be born higher up. I won''t ept this prejudice!

    [Get ''em, Tiny! Look for the upper, the upper!]

    Totally unnecessary advice on my part, since Tiny is always hunting for that sweet, sweet uppercut. A few momentster, after a masterful feint, he finds a chance when the snake demon rises above him, either to bite or perhaps grapple with the ape using its many wed hands. Big mistake! Light on his feet as a dancer, the giant ape glides forward one step, his body held low, hands in close to the chest as he drops his centre of mass and begins to rotate his shoulders.

    Here ites!

    His hands sh with light as he activates his Skill, forming a giant fist of pure energy that manifests in front of his own. In one burst, his wings unfurl to their full length and he leaps, springing up from the ground as his fist extends, sending the punch straight into the chin of the looming demon whose head smacks straight into the roof of the tunnel with a thunderous crack, the stone above its head splitting on impact.

    Groggy from the blow, the snake-thing reels, trying to put some distance between it and the furious ape-boxer but Tiny is having none of it. Shoulders forward, he charges with surprising speed, his wings beating a powerful rhythm to give a boost of eleration. As he closes the distance, his fistse alight with chittering electricity that ripples down his shoulders and coalesces around his hands in a near blinding light.

    [Yeah, Tiny! Finish it!] I cheer from the safety of the back row.

    He sways left, then right, then plunges forward, hands flickering as he punches with maximum speed. Still recovering from the previous blow, the snake struggles to react, trying to swat at the gori with its tail but failing to push him away as heys blow after blow into its body, each one discharging a potent jolt of electricity that sizzles flesh and shocks nerves. Once he gets going, there''s no stopping him and the furious rush of punches doesn''t cease until the enemy lies still, ovee by the pummelling.

    [Yeah! Good job, Tiny! Drag that thing back this way, we''ll get some Biomass out of it for sure.]

    [What about me, Master? Have I done well?]

    I turn to Crinis who''s spent this entire time fighting off masses of shadow beast by herself, allowing Tiny the space to have his one versus one. Dozens upon dozens of tentacles ranging in thickness from wire thin to tree trunk move in a constant flurry of grabbing, twisting or bending monsters into shapes they were never intended to be. I can see the fear effect trigger in numerous enemies, sending them scurrying in terror from the dark orchestra that Crinis is conducting. When ites to thinning outrge groups, she really is in a ss of her own.

    [You did exceptionally well, Crinis. Can you cover us whilst we retreat back to the lines?]

    [I will!]

    [Alright then, let''s go!]

    Full of good cheer, we march back the short distance to the defensive wall of the Colony and slip inside, turning over the defence to the detachment of soldiers, scouts, generals and mages ced here. Healed up and rested thanks to us taking over their duties for a few hours, the ants look fighting fit and eager to get back to work. Tiny drags through his hard won Biomass and once we clear the second defensive line with its second garrison getting ready to rotate with the previous one, we settle down to eat and discuss our progress.

    [Still not level eighty, Master,] Crinis reports mournfully, [I have gone passed fifty, however.]

    [How about you Tiny?] I ask the big ape.

    He doesn''t pause between shoving huge mouthfuls of Biomass into his face, just waggles a hand back and forth to indicate ''about the same''.

    Hmm. The levelling is going well, all things considered. Despite the huge amount of fighting we''re doing, there are simply too many weaker monsters to boost the two of them much more quickly. If it weren''t for the juicy xp they were getting from the tier four demons who pop up rtively frequently, it would be a much slower grind. Even so, I''m happy with how things are going and I try to encourage my first two pets.

    [You''re doing super well,] I praise the pair of them, [we are going to keep grinding at this until you two are both the same tier as me. We aren''t going to fight in the third strata until I''m confident that all of us will be able to survive down there, and that means evolutions. Keep doing what you''re doing and we''re going to be fine.]

    With Tiny and Crinis reassured, I turn my attentions to the roof.

    "And how are all of you going? You have a deadline, don''t forget. When this wave is done, any of you who aren''t tier five will be barred froming with me to the third strata, you hear me?"

    "¡­ yes. We''re making progress,"es the muttered reply from thin air.

    "Good. This is for your own good, I won''t hear any excuses."

    The past few days have been rough on the Colony, the endlessly surging wave is putting pressure on the defenders all around our territory, especially in the deepest half. No matter how much we try to help, the moment we arrive at the next site the defenders are hard pressed and struggling to hold on. We relieve them for a while, let them get their legs back under them, only for them to be back under the pump the moment we leave. It''s not as if the ants aren''t improving either, this sort of sustainedbat is giving them Skill levels and Biomass out the wazoo, but with every hour that goes by, the wave grows more intense. The mana levels continue to rise and the strength of the monsters rising out of the depths keeps growing. It won''t be much longer and we''ll start to see tier five demons showing up in small numbers, I feel confident of that.

    Thankfully, we shouldn''t see many tier six like Anga, since they''re sentient to some extent. I don''t expect many of them will be wanting to leap out into the middle of the Dungeon during a wave. Which means all we need to do is keep holding the line as the pressure ramps up. I''ve been seeing a few tier five ants popping up here and there, which is going to help. Other than Vibrant that is, who I''ve seen blitzing about the ce even faster than she was before. I think she mutated her aura nd to give even more of a speed boost than it did before as well, since everyone around her was really zipping along.

    [Alright,] I announce to Tiny and Crinis, [I think I''ll take a look at your cores so we know exactly what we''re dealing with and can start making a few decisions as we get closer to your evolution. It''s a slight invasion of privacy, I know, but I think we can agree this is for the best. Who''s first?]

 Chapter 630 Status Update!

    <h4>Chapter 630 Status Update! </h4>

    It''s been a long, long time since I took a gander at the cores of my two longest servingpanions. All in all, a little inspection is probably overdue, but I''ve grown to feel that poking at their status too often is probably a bit invasive. They''ve neverined about it, but so far I''ve hesitated to ask. But the time hase! I can no longer shy away now that the momentous moment of evolution is approaching. After a bit of wavering back and forth, it''s Tiny who winds up first on the chopping block.

    Bringing my antennae forward to tap him on the arm, I activate the core shaping skill that hasn''t been used in quite a while. Immediately a flood of information pours into my mind, but far from being overwhelmed by it, my recently minted super brain is more than capable of tackling the load. Quite different from my past experiences, I navigate through the disjointed mess and find my way to the core of what I''m looking for. The summary of everything that Tiny is, the status page!

    Name: Tiny

    Level: 52 (Rare core) (V)

    Might: 267

    Toughness: 51

    Cunning: 11

    Will: 28

    HP: 102/102

    MP: 262/262

    Skills:

    Grand Master Kong Fist Boxing (V) level 56; Horizon Piercing Uppercut (IV) level 25; Comet Leap (IV) level 30; Master Heavy Smash (IV) level 11; Expert Athletics (III) level 17; Expert Grappling Level (IV) 25; Prating Smashing Blows (IV) level 6; Glittering Fancy Feet (IV) level 8; Flicker Dash (III) level 18; Expert Dodge (III) level 14; Expert Kong Combo (IV) level 31;

    Mutations:

    Detonator Enhanced Muscture +25, Condensed Granite Bones +25; Copsing Meteor Legs +25; Stone Shattering Sonic Enhancer +25; Compressing Rapid Lightning Mana Affinity nd +25; Compressing Rapid Lightning Mana Affinity nd +25; Rapid Combusting Energy Conversion nd +25; Potent Flex Shadow Wings +25; Magnifying Te Fur +25; Regenerating Steel Flesh Fists +25;

    Species: Shadow Kong Emperor

    Skill points: 20

    Biomass: 211

    Holy mackerel! Look at these Skills! How the heck has he managed to raise them so high? Actually¡­ when I take a look through the list, almost every skill is rted to punching in some way¡­ so long as he''s hitting stuff, he''s pretty much leveling every skill. Also, it appears as though he fused a bunch of skills to make Grand Master Kong Fist Boxing, which would exin why his fighting style looks so much more organised than it did before. His punches are so much cleaner, far less wild swings, and much faster. I notice that his dashing and dodging skills aregging a long way behind his general hitting skills. Typical Tiny, far more interesting in belting his opponents around than he is in avoiding damage. Fancy Feet has certainlye a long way though.

    Looking through his mutations, all of them are as straightforward as they could possibly be. More explosive muscles for hitting harder, more solid, regenerating fists, so he can hit harder, extra energy, for hitting more often and more solid bones to absorb the force of his punching. Is this what Granin was talking about with his ''synergy'' talk. Somehow, despite putting no thought into the process at all, Tiny has managed to turn himself into a lean mean punching machine, with almost all of Skills, body parts and mutations dedicated to hitting things as hard as he can. And sting lightning at stuff, let''s not forget that also.

    [I''m actually impressed, Tiny. You may be thick as three bricks fused into one, but you know what you like and you''ve stuck with it. I think the things we discussed with the shapers will work perfectly for you, although I''ll have to talk you through it since you slept through the whole thing¡­]

    Tiny gives me a quick thumbs up as he gets back to eating.

    [Just keep in mind that I''ll be bumping your Cunning up to twenty before you evolve so you can use the manual evolution menu. Which means you''re going to lose a little muscle mass.]

    He freezes in horror and clutches at his biceps whilst staring at me reproachfully. I ignore him.

    [Alright Crinis, your turn. You can keep eating if you want, this won''t take long.]

    [Oh, no! I''ll wait.]

    Erged to her full size, Crinis is a much more intimidating sight than her usual blob. Three fanged filled maws that seem to be wrapped around a dark void, a mass of shadow flesh that sprouts innumerable tentacles, each one covered in osciting barbs that gleam razor sharp. In many ways, she''s a terrifying creature, but I sincerely struggle to think of her that way after all of the time we''ve spent together.

    I bring my antennae forward to touch her mouldable flesh before I activate the skill once more and navigate the stream of information thates flying my way.

    Name: Crinis

    Level: 54 (Rare Core) (V)

    Might: 130

    Toughness: 110

    Cunning: 86

    Will: 64

    HP: 210/210

    MP: 260/260

    Skills:

    Grand Master Shadow Flesh Maniption (V) level 45; Grand Master Grappling level 18 (V); Master Shredding (IV) Level 39; Omniscient Tremor Sensing (V) Level 39; Barbarous Dismembering (IV) Level 22; Quivering Fear Inspiration (IV) level 26; Mana Moulding (IV) level 11; Dextrous Tentacle Walking (IV) Level 2; Master Tentacle Fu (IV) level 25; Finer External Mana Maniption (IV) level 12; Master Shadow Magic Affinity (IV) level 34; Expert Stealth (III) level 18;

    Mutations:

    Amorphous Armoured Shadow Flesh +25; Disintegrating Ion-Void Maw +25; Bottomless Endless Dimensional Stomach +25; Tri-Legion Tentacles +25; Sharpened Diamond Barbs +25; Visceral Teeth +25; Far-Seeing Omniscient Mana Sensory nd +25, Compressing Reservoir Shadow Magic nd +25; Instantaneous Shadow Flesh Generator +25; Piercing Shadow Eye +25; Broad Masterful Tentacle Conductor +25; Broad Masterful Tentacle Conductor +25; Fathomless Light Sink +25; Hyper Shade Phase Organ +25; Disintegrating Ion-Void Maw +25; Disintegrating Ion-Void Maw +25; Mouldable Cell Structure +25;

    Species: Tri-Maw Amorphous Horror

    Skill points: 45

    Biomass: 149

    A much more diverse build, Crinis has also made excellent progress on her Skills, as well as ensuring that her mutations are in tune with each other. Her ability to create a plethora of tentacles and control them with incredible dexterity continues to grow. Her dual tentacle conductors act like sub-brains whose sole responsibility is handling tentacle movement, each capable of managing sixteen separate limbs without the input of her own mind. The three disintegrating maws are fearsome offensive weapons, capable of breaking down almost anything that she manages to get her teeth into. She certainly has a lot more versatility than Tiny in her build, but is very, very good at what she does.

    [You''ve done really well, Crinis,] I praise her enthusiastically. [You''ve set yourself up perfectly to implement the ideas we discussed. I can already tell that your next evolution is going to be very, very impressive.]

    [T-Thank you, Master!] she replies, her tentacles writhing with glee as the three-mouthed horror sways back and forth in a strange disy of bashfulness.

    With the inspectionplete and the two of them finished eating their way through their Biomass, it''s time for us to get back on the road. We gather ourselves together and head to the tunnels once more. The wave continues and we need to do our part to push back the tide.

 Chapter 631 Look within thyself

    <h4>Chapter 631 Look within thyself </h4>

    Examining Tiny and Crinis'' status reminds me that I really need to take a good hard look at my own. I''ve stacked up a reasonable supply of Biomass, certainly enough to start investing in upgrades to the two most expensive organs I have, the Vestibule and Nave. I''ve brought my antennae up to +15 since the reset, but to this point I''m yet to even have a look at the options for those two new(ish) additions. In the past I expanded the range of the Vestibule, but that was due to a rather specific reason, namely being captured and hoping the Colony would be able to detect me. Now that no such conditions are pressing on me, I have a little more flexibility in what I want to choose.

    I watch and assist as Tiny and Crinis continue their rampage through the ever growing wave, turning my thoughts over in my mind. I mean, first and foremost amongst my concerns is that I still don''t really understand precisely what thebination of Vestibule and Nave actually does. The sustained energy that pours into me, ensuring I never get tired, refilling my reserves and refreshing my body so long as there are ants nearby, that''s all great, and certainly the effect is vastly more pronounced than it was before. As long as the Colony is nearby, my energy is absolutely limitless, to the point I think I could run at top speed forever, without ever growing tired. Something else I noticed is that my health regeneration around the Colony is also much higher, my cells regenerating with incredible crity so long as the Vestibule continues to provide me with its power.

    When you add on top of that the rapid healing provided by the regeneration nd, and the fact that the nd refills super quick thanks to the Vestibule, my level of heal tanking is getting out of control. Combined with my general defensive setup, being both hard to hit and hard to damage, I''m very, very hard to kill. Which is obviously a good thing! I''m sure that if I poured all of my evolutionary energy into it, I could have been an absolute brick of a monster, with multiple carapace and supporting structures in between, with additional healing nds to keep the juice pumping in a continuous cycle, but I''ve had other considerations.

    All in all, I''m fairly happy with my current build. Good defensively, good with magic, reasonable physical fighting capacity. To be honest, it''s the physical fighting that I''m by far the worst at. My statsg far behind in the pure brute strength department, and I just don''t have the kind of Skill synergies that Tiny has that give his punches extra destructive power. I might be far more flexible than my apepanion, but other than specialised attacks like the gravity bomb, my ape like pet has me beat on pure offensive output and he''s only a tier five! I suppose in the long run I''ll out sustain him. I''ll be using Doom Chomps long after he''s passed out from exhaustion so long as there are a few of my siblings nearby¡­

    Alright! This cannot stand! I''ll have to dive into the menus and see what I can do about powering up! Surely some new Skills must have unlocked for me since thest time I had a poke through the list!

    [Good work you two! Let''s pack it up and move back behind the chokepoint. Make sure you bring some Biomass back for snacking.]

    They happily get to workplying, especially Tiny, who''s living in a kind of heavenly bliss right now, fighting, eating and sleeping every day. Enjoy it while itsts, big guy, it isn''t going tost forever. The two of them cooperate to grab a few of the more delectable offerings that they were able to defeat and fight off the monsters swarming around them as they retreat. Invidia and I provide cover with a few healthy sts of magic and before you know it we''re back behind the wall and inside the safety of the Colony''s territory once more.

    [Great. Let''s eat and then I''m going to go through my menus and do a bit of mutating. You guys know what to do, right?]

    The two of them nod solemnly, though I can tell Tiny is already thinking of his nap.

    [No sleeping until it''s done,] I warn him, [you know how important this is.]

    He grudgingly nods again and I turn around, satisfied, and start poking away at the menu while they eat. Honestly, what could be more important than maintaining the dignity of the Eldest within his own family? There''s more at stake here than just my shallow pride! This is Colony shattering stuff! Also, I''m certain that if that damn statue carver ever saw me mutating there would be a gold ted monument of me rolling around on the ground with my legs iling in the air before the day was out! Uneptable!

    Now, menu time. Ah, the endless lists have returned once more. Back in the good ol'' days there were like, five Skills I could purchase? Look at me now, there has to be hundreds avable, unlocked by nds, or size, or crossing stat thresholds, or just pure mass, or any of the other things I now know can unlock skills in the menu. There''s a ton of good stuff in here too, makes me wonder why I don''t go poking around in here more often¡­

    Wait! This is actually something Granin warned me about! Even though Skill points feel as though they rain down from the skies above, if you actually purchase a whole bunch of skills and then level them until they actually be properly useful, say rank three or four, suddenly you''ve invested twelve levels worth of Skill points! Then maybe you find a nice fusion, that could be another ten, or more¡­ It adds up. Skill purchases need to be carefully managed to avoid bloat.

    With that in mind, let''s see what we can see. I''d really like some morebat actives, although active Skills tend to be hard toe across. At the moment, the only active Skills I have are Doom Chomp and Dash, which doesn''t lead to a whole lot of variety. Granted, Doom Chomp is a fusion of three different active bite Skills, but still. That brings up a good point, what do I want to be able to do? To be honest, I''m not really sure. I suppose I''ll just take a look at the options and see if there is something I like.

    Leaping Strike? Do I have the physical stats to qualify for this now? At rank one it basically helps you coordinate better as you jump at an enemy, but I can tell this will turn into an active as it ranks up. Do I really want to be jumping at my opponents? I''ll think about it. What''s next?

    Charge. Seems fairly straight forward. I bet I had ess to this Skill ages ago but never bothered looking for it. ording to the description, this is more about using your mass to inflict damage as you move forward than it is about moving as fast as possible,  Dash. I''m willing to bet my left antenna that the two Skills fuse. This one is a possibility. What''s next?

    Antenna Whip. I mean¡­ really? Who in their right mind wants to use their sensory organs to hit their enemies with? Does a human attack with their eyeballs? Wait¡­ does the Queen have this Skill?! I don''t think she did back when I modified her core¡­ but it wouldn''t surprise me if she picked it up somewhere along the way¡­ Not interested.

    sh Attack. Ah, the sh Attack, I haven''t seen you for a long time. You were one of the first Skills I could buy, allowing me to attack with my legs¡­ which seems really, really unnecessary when I have powerful mandibles right on the front of my face. Besides, my legs aren''t really made for attacking¡­ I could have mutated them for it, or attached des to the end of them when evolving I suppose. It just doesn''t seem very¡­ ant.

    Come on, there must be some other useful Skills in here?!

 Chapter 632 Upgrading

    <h4>Chapter 632 Upgrading </h4>

    Trawling through the list I see tons of interesting but niche Skills that would be useful but would contribute to Skill bloat that I pass over after a nce. Do I want to have a digging active? Sure, it might sound nice to have Shovel Mandibles to work in tandem with the Dig Skill, but it''s just way too niche. I bet a lot of the carvers focused on construction have it at a high rank though¡­

    There''s actually a few sensory passives that I spy which would probably be exceptionally handy to have. Sharp Eyes, Open Ears, Fine Touch, Particr Taste, Picky Smell are all passives that give a boost to their respective sense, and I have absolutely no doubt that they fuse at almost every rank as well. It''s also possible that they might turn into actives in the higher rank, allowing me to expend energy to enhance a particr sense. This is really tempting, I''m just not sure which ones I would want¡­ or at what rank I would fuse them¡­ I know I need to avoid buying too many rank one Skills¡­ I mean, if I picked up eyes and touch¡­ would those would be the most useful for me? Eyes is obvious, and touch would help my antennae pick up vibrations in the air. Ears¡­ doesn''t really appeal, since ants have pretty poor hearing in general. Smell might also be good¡­ since my antennae are so sensitive now¡­ Argh! This is hard. Shelve it for now and move on. Combat actives! Focus on the Goal!

    Oho! What have we here?! Mandible Parry?! Helps the wielder to use their mandibles to parry blows? Starts off passive, but I bet this turns into an active down the line! Not to mention that it provides anotheryer to my imprable defences. Gweheheheh. This one is in for sure. I wonder when this chap unlocked? I''m not sure, but I''m very happy to see them now!

    What else, what else¡­ there has to be some more juice in here somewhere.

    Mandible spear?! Are you serious?! How do you even stab with mandibles?! Well¡­ again, I suppose you could mutate or evolve to make that less of an issue. Another one that is likely to turn into an active as it levels up. I''m not sure I''m sold on this one, but is there a chance that it fuses with charge? There could be something in thatbo that is worth my while¡­

    I keep flicking, evaluating and dismissing dozens of Skills until I find something like what I''m looking for.

    Crunch Combo! A bite attackbo skill simr to what Tiny has for his fists! This is good stuff! Tiny''s turned active at rank four, letting him turn it on to give a huge boost to his punching speed for an increased cost of stamina and I''m fairly certain this will act in a simr manner, which will prove hugely useful. With my effectively bottomless stamina reserves, is there a chance I''ll be able to activate this together with Doom Chomp and unleash a torrent of potent bites in rapid session? Gah! I''m practically salivating just thinking about it! So exciting!

    With a number of Skills as likely contenders, I turn my attention over to the mutation menu to see what I can see in there. The Vestibule and Nave are¡­ particr and somewhat intimidating organs whose functions go way beyond what I might have expected of a biologicalponent of my body. Which naturally makes me more than a little bit nervous when ites to messing around with them, but in all honesty, I can''t just ignore them. They are powerful, and will be more so with mutations, so I need to make it a priority to max them out. For now, I have enough Biomass to take both to +15, which means two mutations and a fusion for each.

    Ideally I want the options I choose for both to have good synergy, a multiplicative effect, if you take my meaning. But what aspect of the organs do I want to improve? Sigh. No point dying any further, let''s get into the menu and take a look.

    Hmm. Being honest, there are less options for the Vestibule than I expect, ditto for the Nave. Has it been reduced since thest time, or was it always this size? I honestly can''t remember. Perhaps this is a product of the reset? It wouldn''t shock me if Soul Crystal was perhaps a touch less mutable than a more baseponent.

    No matter. If anything, this will help make things a little easier on me.

    Starting with the Vestibule, what sort of options do we have? The range extension is there, just as it was before. Pretty straightforward, it allows the Vestibule to collect Will from further away than it could before. Something I''ve noticed since the reset, is that the Soul Crystal has already expanded the range of the organ from what it originally was before I mutated it the first time. It isn''t the same as the +25 range I had before evolving, that would be nuts, but it''s a significant boost nheless. Certainly enough that I don''t see range as an issue.

    There are a range of other options that surprise me, such as the determination mutation, which would allow me to manually direct the energy to emphasise a particr aspect of the organ. Do I want increased Stamina regeneration? Direct it that way. Increased healing? Off you go! Recharge my organs faster? Get on it! Obviously pointing the energy at one thing makes the others replenish slower, but being able to push the resources in the direction you most need at the time would be handy indeed.

    The Pure mutation will simply make the Vestibule better at doing what it already does, refining it and allowing it to collect and distribute Will more efficiently, increasing the regenerative effects. This is a straight forward option that is hard to criticise. Do what you do now, but gooder! Mightck the oomph of some other choices, but is certainly a safe bet.

    I don''t see the option to include more species in the Will collection anymore, which is odd. Not that I would ever pick it¡­

    There''s an option that allows the gathered regenerative energy to be shared out as an aura, which is a cool one. I''d be a walking healing battery for all the ants around me, refilling their energy and stamina during battle. I have to admit, that''s a tempting option, but it''s not exactly how I see the Vestibule functioning for me. I like the Vestibule because it allows me to fight for my family, rather than help them fight with me. The whole idea is that they don''t have to fight! That''s what I want!

    I wonder what else there is? I poke through the list and find various options that might suit what I''m looking for. Buried in the list I find something that sounds decent. The Empowering Vestibule. Basically allows me to convert the energy from restorative to strengthening for a limited period of time. Judging from the description, this essentially trantes to a boost in my effective Might stat whilst the effect is active, improving the mutation will increase the size of the gain, as well as the duration, which is fairly short.

    I can see this mutationing in clutch when I''m under the pump, so long as there are enough members of the Colony nearby, as well as helping me ovee my still somewhatcking physical strength. It''s certainly tempting¡­ There''s another mutation which does something simr for toughness, which would make me more durable in a pinch, but I feel as though my defensive options far exceed my offensive ones at this point, so perhaps I''ll put that option on the backburner.

    Alright, I think I''llmit to the empowering mutation and take it all the way to +15. This will help create a new trump card that I can use as ast measure, shoring up one of my weaknesses.

    Which leaves me with the Nave. The Communal Spirit Nave is a strange organ, to say the least. Attached to the Vestibule, it acts as a signal booster, a force multiplier, taking the energy fed to it and strengthening it as it focuses and delivers it to¡­ nothing right now. Once the energy exits the Nave it''s dispersed into my body where the regenerative properties kick in, but the more I think about it, the more I think it''s likely there''s anotherponent to these connected organs which I''m likely to be offered in a future evolution. I wonder what it could be? Maybe I should have poked through the evolution menu and looked for it¡­ ah well.

    As I browse through the options for the Nave, and there really aren''t that manypared to most organs, probably due to the rather narrow focus it has, I can''t help but feel like knowing what the ''destination'' would be that the Nave is supposed to connect to would have a significant impact on my decision regarding mutation. Well, if worstes to worst, I can reset the thing and move on with life. For now, I''ll go with the Purifying Nave, which essentially means the organ does its current job, but better. I''ll take that to +15 as well whilst I''m at it.

    Which means my final purchases of this session of self-improvement look like this:

    Empowering Collective Will Vestibule +15 (Soul Crystal).

    Purifying Communal Spirit Nave +15.

    And my new Skills:

    Charge.

    Crunch Combo.

    Mandible Spear.

    Mandible Parry.

    I''m going to leave the sensory passives for the time being, but I''ll look to pick at least some of them up at ater date. I''m grabbing spear in the hopes that it can fuse with charge to make something interesting, as I really don''t see my mandibles as stabbing weapons. Let''s confirm the purchases!

    ¡­ here we go¡­

 Chapter 633 Generally fighting

    <h4>Chapter 633 Generally fighting </h4>

    The days of the wave rolled on and the mana level continued to rise, increasing the spawn rates of monsters throughout the Dungeon to an absurd rate. Every hour, thousands of newborn monsters shed in the tunnels around the Colony, warring and fighting, the losers feeding the winners who grew rapidly in strength, feasting on their lessers. A hundred thousand tales of victory and death were woven every day in the area just outside the Colony''s defensive line.

    Not that it mattered. The monsters from the deep were rising, crushing those from above and pressing onward, desperate to escape those from beneath who drove them from their territories. They savaged those weaker than them, absorbing their power and seeking more until they inevitably ran into the iron wall that was the Colony.

    Hundreds of defenders manned fortified chokepoints, bombarding the encroaching beasts with acid and spells until they fell on the ravenous jaws of the soldiers. They never fought an even numbered fight, always dividing the enemy and destroying them with overwhelming force before turning to the next. Should the pressure be too great, they would fall back, retreating to another prepared position, with a fresh wave of troops ready to fill the breach. After gathering their strength, the ants would shove back the wave and retake the outer wall, reinforcing it again within the hour.

    On and on it went. The wave was relentless, but so was the Colony, and every day that passed, their numbers grew. And grew.

    Organising it all had been enough to drive Victor to the brink of exhaustion, but as the days ticked by the Colony defence practically ran itself. The local generals were intelligent and capable, experienced in the ways of the caste after fighting off the siege, they hardly needed input from herself or Sloan to run their checkpoints. As new recruits graduated the academy, they slotted into the existing structures with barely a ripple, the size of each garrison growing every day.

    Which is why she found herself on the front line, providing buffs and taking her turn in the line to fight. Without the need for her at centralmand, what other choice did she have? Sit around and do nothing? Don''t even suggest it!

    "Big pushing!" she called back to the line of mages and scouts behind her, "Brace! Brace! Brace!"

    The massive soldiers, with their thick carapace and huge frames, packed themselves tightly together, covering the narrow entrance they defended from every angle until she could barely see past them. Activating her aura nd along with hermanding presence Skills, she did her part to coordinate the troops, make thosest second adjustments before contact.

    With a deafening roar, the crush of monsters beyond the wall made theirst second charge, smashing into the ants with concussive force that rippled through the air and blew back the general''s antennae. The soldiers absorbed the punishment without flinching, sparks flying as the enemy tried to scrape and bite at their chitin shells.

    "In three! Two! One! PULL!" she called.

    In one coordinated motion, the soldiers drew back to clear the opening which was immediately bombarded by the waiting scouts and mages. A huge volume of acid, fire and shards of ice were hurled into the teeth of the horde who recoiled from the barrage, all except one. Working together, a few of the strongest soldiers darted forward,tching onto a monster and dragging it back through the gap where the rest of them fell upon it, chomping with controlled fury until it was no more.

    "BRACE!" Victor ordered.

    In a sh the soldiers were back in position, blocking the entrance as the endless monsters pressed back against them once more. They endured the hammer blows of the enemy as the mages and scouts prepared their next spells and readied their acid.

    "On my order we will pull, rotate and heal! Be ready!" she shouted, watching the narrow chokepoint with an intense focus.

    "In three! Two! One! PULL!"

    This time, as the soldiers pulled back in perfect coordination, they also rotated their position around the opening, moving in a clockwise direction. As the scouts and mages poured out as much damage as they could, a team of healers rushed forward to minister to the wounded, pouring their healing energies into them to help them recover in as short a time as possible. Despite the constant stream of acid and magic being sted through the narrow gap, monsters still manage to press closer to the opening, only to be dragged through and set upon by the waiting mandibles of the ants, including Victor herself.

    After ten seconds, she roared out her order again.

    "BRACE!"

    And so the cycle repeated, over and over, until their team was finally relieved by another group and was able to fall back to eat and rest. Several of the Soldiers sported semi-severe injuries, their carapace unable to hold up to the constant beating. They''d need a day of healing to be back to full strength, most likely, which meant Victor would be short a fullplement of Soldiers for the next shift. A problem she would work to solve after she had some time to recover. The toll of having to concentrate so fiercely for hours on end was great and she was keen for some torpor. But first she had to report in.

    "General," she snapped out a quick salute to the general in charge of this checkpoint.

    "General," the officer snapped one right back, e to report?"

    "Indeed."

    She went on to give details of their shift, had the concentration of mana and monster spawns gone up? How many demons had been seen, what types of demons, any sighting of tier five or above monsters, injuries sustained and so on.

    "Seems a sessful shift," the general in charge observed, "you might not have killed as many monsters as some others, but your injury rate is much lower."

    "We are in for the long haul, general," Victor sighed, "the experience wille, but only if our people are well enough to fight."

    "Right you are," the ant nodded, "go get some rest. You''ve earned it."

    From there it was off to the recovery area to be checked for injuries, then into the prepared chambers with the rest of her unit to huddle together in torpor. In six hours, they''d be back to the wall, putting their bodies on the line to try to fend off the never-ending press of the wave, only this time, with three less soldiers. Perhaps she would be able to take the ce of one of them? She wasn''t as durable as the soldiers were, not even close, but she was certainly tougher than most generals thanks to her better evolutions. Maybe if she rotated with a few of therger scouts¡­

    Enough, she scolded herself, get some rest.

    And so she stilled her thoughts and allowed her body to drift off into torpor whilst only a hundred metres away the fierce battle continued.

 Chapter 634 City Livinâ€™

    <h4>Chapter 634 City Livin'' </h4>

    "What I want to know, Captain, is when you and our new oppressors will settle the matter of reparations!" the old man sneered.

    Wace Dalton, former Captain of the Rylleh City Guard and now the appointed military adjutant to the Rylleh branch of the Colony, suppressed the urge to spit and continued to grind his chew between his teeth, hoping the repetitive motion of his jaws would help burn off his irritation.

    "Citizen Alliornus¡­" he began.

    The old man''s eyes zed with fury.

    "THAT''S LORD ALLIORNUS TO YOU, BOY!" he bellowed, spittle flying.

    Wace took a quick step back to dodge the expectorant and giggled internally at the impotent rage of this relic.

    "Citizen Alliornus," he repeated with an added emphasis that he relished, "you are certainly aware that within this city, there is no such thing as a lord ordy, are you not?"

    His needling produced the desired result as the once wealthy council member swelled up like a toad, jowls swinging as his temper took full hold.

    "My family worked to found this city!" he dered with all the pomposity he could muster, "securing the future of their descendants and creating enduring prosperity for all the traitorous residents of this once great ce. My authority, my belongings and my wealth have been illegally seized by these interloping insects and I DEMAND that they pay it back!"

    Every day with these people. Would their self-interest ever cease? Wace sighed and fixed the idiot in front of him with a steely re that deted the man like a puffed up balloon.

    "Let me be as clear as I can possibly be with you, Charitus," he dropped formality and used the once powerful man''s first name, "as grateful as the residents of this ce are for what your ancestors did, they aren''t so grateful that they are prepared to happily suffer under your ipetent and corrupt governance. If I were to hazard a guess, if the Lion Fist of city legend were toe back and see what his house had fallen to, he''d spit in your face."

    The ex-lord blustered and tried to speak up but Wace spoke straight over him.

    "The Colony does not care about you, and I want to emphasise this, at all. I would be absolutely shocked to learn if any authority figure within the ant power structure knew your name or had heard of a singleint you''ve lodged, which I have filed with them. There is absolutely no chance that they are going to return whatever it was that they took from you."

    The man had grown so red in the face during this speech that he almost appeared as if he were going to pop. Wace watched the colour change with a vague sense of fascination, wondering just how dark a humanplexion could possibly turn before they suffered a stroke.

    "This is THEFT!" he hollered. "PIRACY and THEFT! Where is the justice?!"

    "In my experience, former councillor, there is never any justice when the weak are picked on by the strong. How many times did I send guards to evict those who were unable to pay the high rates you demanded for your loans? Loans that only the truly desperate with nowhere else to turn would dare ept? I can remember many scenes of widows weeping in the street, begging for justice that they would never receive. The Colony hase, and in their eyes you are a pathetic, weak individual with no strength or power to speak of. Why would they deal with you? Can youpel them to sit at a table with you?"

    Silence was the only response to that question.

    "¡­ as I thought."

    Filled with contempt, Wace leaned to one side and spat a wad of coloured spit on the ground next to the man''s shoe.

    "Right now, Lord Alliornus, you are the widow in the street, I am you, and what do you know? I hear you wailing and I just don''t care. So why don''t you shut up, crawl back to what''s left of your mansion and diddle one of the maids you can still afford to pay?"

    Taking careful measure of Charitus'' face, Wace judged he''d pushed the man close to a major aneurism, but hadn''t quite managed to tip him over the line. More''s the pity.

    "The people won''t stand for this," he said stiffly, "the city cannot survive when those insects run roughshod over traditions and disregard ourws. There will be an uprising. I personally guarantee it."

    "By the Dungeon, I hope so," Wace replied tly. "I''m bored out of my mind and could use a little action. Also, frankly? Anyone in this city who would be willing to go back to your rule is far too stupid for me to want them to continue living here. That is a segment of the poption I would dly see excised. Now, please, get the hell out of my office."

    Unwilling to be insulted any further, the enraged scion of a once mighty house turned on his heel and left, striding out and collecting the fewckeys he''d left outside on the way. Turning around, Wace found his spit bucket and cleaned out the foul taste in his mouth with a rinse of water, levering in a new wedge of chew once he was done.

    "Do you have to be so¡­ direct¡­ with them?" came the voice of his secretary, his former lieutenant, Yasmine.

    "Yes," he grunted, "what''s next?"

    She ruffled a few papers on her desk.

    "I think you''re clear for the rest of the afternoon, surprisingly," she almost looked puzzled by that fact. "Can you imagine being this rxed during a wave¡­ before?" she asked.

    He idly noticed she still had trouble acknowledging the admittedly traumatising invasion that they had suffered through. There wasn''t a man, woman or child in the city who could possibly forget the events of that fateful day, with the exception of one child, Thomas Barnes, who somehow managed to sleep through the whole thing. What Yasmine said was true, there really wasn''t that much to do. Although he was still nominally in charge of the town guard, they had been reduced to essentially a police force, no longer responsible for defending the city from monstrous incursions. The Colony had taken care of that. He was one of the few people to know of the vast territory that the Colony had imed, sorge that Rylleh had been included within it, and of the measures they had taken to manage the wave, measures which meant that, so far, the citizens of the city had barely noticed a change other than the rising mana levels.

    "I really can''t," he smiled and shook his head. "You have to give it to the ants, when they go about getting something done, they don''t do it by half measures."

    At his mention of their new insect overlords, Yasmine flinched slightly, but he pretended not to notice. She was well on the way to recovery from the terror she had felt that day, but was still very ufortable around the monsters.

    "If my schedule is clear then I may as well mosey over and check in with the envoy," he said. "Take the afternoon off, Yas. Go shopping, or sleep, or whatever the hell you young people do."

    She favoured him with a small smile before she snapped out a quick salute, purely out of habit, then turned and left.

    "Let''s go see what those mad bugs have gone and done now," Wace muttered as he slung his jacket over his shoulders.

 Chapter 635 City Livinâ€™ pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 635 City Livin'' pt 2 </h4>

    Wace was an old soldier and he knew enough about himself that he could be fairly confident of judging his own state of mind. He was pretty sure that during the invasion, he''d gone ever so slightly mad. Perhaps more than slightly. That wasn''t what he thinking about though, having your mind crack a little on the edges wasn''t all that surprising given the stress and near certain death he''d thought he was about to experience. What he was reflecting on was the sneaking suspicion that he was still mad. He must be. How else could he look at a scene like this and consider it normal, without being at least somewhat insane?

    "All for one," intoned the ant-robed priest.

    "One for all," the crowd chanted back.

    "Remember always, that the individual has worth as part of the group, and that the group has worth because it is a collection of individuals. We choose to work together, to sacrifice for the betterment of each other. That is the source of our strength."

    "Praise the Colony!"

    Wace turned his back on the preacher and his congregation and walked to the nearby guard post. Pretty much any time of day there would a priest or priestess giving a sermon to crowds of varying sizes. Considering how much work got done around the city these days, he was always surprised that so many of them found space in their schedule to stand around listening to person with antennae sewed onto their hood with a zed look in their eyes. He nodded to the soldiers on duty who snapped out a quick salute.

    "You do remember you have to salute me anymore, right?" he asked dryly.

    "Force of habit sir," the guardsman grinned at him.

    Wace shrugged it off.

    "Any sign of trouble?"

    "None, as usual," came the reply. "The sermons have been pretty restrained and the crowds quite happy overall. I head there was a bit of a ruckus over in the market district this morning. Apparently the ants found a merchant cheating his taxes, which went over about as well as you could expect."

    The former captain grunted and spat for good measure. Merchants. They never stopped thinking they were more clever than everyone else, always willing to try and pull the wool over the taxman''s eyes. Apparently willing even when the taxman was a giant ant monster who could literally read minds if they wanted to. The ants might not really understand the concept of money, but they could certainly appreciate the idea of taxes. Every citizen contributing a portion of their wealth to the city to ensure the wellbeing of all? Of course they should! There had been long, long discussions with Enid when she had been here about the implementation of the new tax code and she''d revealed to him that the initial tax rate proposed by the Colony had been a hundred percent.

    After strenuous negotiations, she''d managed to talk them down to ny, she''d informed him, but it was only when the ants had seen the merchant delegation literally foam at the mouth and pass out did they realise the culture gap might be a little too wide to ept their idea of what constituted a proper contribution to the betterment of the collective. The final tax rate was still high, by the cities standards, but it turns out people didn''t mind paying it so much when the individuals in charge were incorruptible insect monsters. Every coin collected went straight back into the city, without exception.

    "I''ll head overter to see if I can smooth anything over," he said, casting his eyes across the newly refurbished town centre.

    What had once been the enclosed sanctuary of the powerful, housing the treasury, council chambers, portal structure and other offices of government, was now a public garden centred around a massive ant hill that rose dozens of metres into the air, easily visible from all over the city. All beaurocracy was handled by the Colony now, so the other buildings had been summarily removed. The preachers had established a tform on the lower reaches of the hill, with a wide t area for people to stand and listen to them.

    Naturally, the area was crawling with ants, literally. Most of them were worker variants, running hither and thither about their duties, antennae twitching this way and that as they moved. Wace knew for a fact that there was a sizeable detachment of soldier ants deep within the structure, ready to emerge at the first sign of danger. Anyone foolish enough to assault the ant hill would find themselves in a world of pain very quickly.

    Wace made his way to the petition tform, constructed by the ants as a ce where citizens coulde and directly make requests or inform them of issues that they believed where necessary. They''d gone all out making it as well. The petitioners,mon citizens all, were seated on marble benches padded with soft woollen pillows and nkets, with proper back support and all. The ants provided water and snacks to those waiting as a matter of courtesy, though goodness knows where they came from. There were numerous petitioner booths open at any given time, each staffed by an ant mage ready to converse, as well as a human representative to help ''trante'' anything that the ants might not conceptually understand.

    He could remember one incident when a cheating husband had been dragged by his irate wife before the ants where she''d demanded they extract retribution for his unfaithfulness. What had followed was an exhausting, multiple hour long discussion in which the ants had learned what a male was, what marriage was and about human mating in general. Their ruling on the matter? ''Make one human the Queen and let her take care of everything.''

    As he approached, one of the mages broke away from the others and moved toward him, a mind-bridge connecting to him as it did so.

    [Adjutant Wace. We wee you to the nest. Is there anything pressing the matter?]

    He frowned a little.

    [Is that you, Lucy? Or is it Rosetta? I find it damn hard to tell sometimes.]

    The ant flicked an antenna in irritation.

    [I do not have a name,] she replied.

    He shrugged.

    [I need to have some way to tell you all apart! It would be rude to just think of all of you as ''ant'' wouldn''t it?]

    She tilted her head.

    [Can''t you tell by smell?]

    [No I can''t tell by smell. Human, remember?]

    [I forget you have such poor senses of smell. It must make it hard to move around without having scent trails to follow.]

    He was about to exin the concept of signposts and maps but closed his mouth in the nick of time. They were endlessly curious about other societies, constantly looking for ideas that they might adapt to their own way of living, but her couldn''t be bothered going into right now.

    [Just checking in, really,] he said, [though the former rulers of this city are still agitating for you to give them their money back.]

    [Have you told them toe and make a petition?]

    [Must have slipped my mind,] he lied.

    [They are free toe and put their questions to the Colony, same as everyone else. Make sure you remember to inform them next time,] the mage admonished him mildly.

    [I see the gifts are piling up again,] he nodded toward an area at the base of the hill which was heaped with offerings from the townspeople. Lucy, he was sure it was Lucy, seemed to huff in frustration.

    [We keep telling them not to bother, but every day more of theme. What are we supposed to do with this stuff?]

    [The people are simply expressing their gratitude,] he said softly.

    [For what? Conquering the city?] she sounded halfway between amused and puzzled.

    [What do you do with all of it, anyway?] he asked, curious.

    [Give it to those who need it,] she shrugged.

    Typical ants.

    [How goes the defence against the wave?] he enquired. [Any chance you need more of us to volunteer and head out to fight? I can rustle up a few squads in ten minutes I bet.]

    [You would be in one of them, I wager,] Lucy was wise to his game, long used to him trying to escape his duties and get back to fighting monsters. [Our defences are holding, though the pressure continues to build. From what I hear, the Eldest has been out fighting personally in the depths for days on end to try and stem the tide. If they are out there, I''m sure things will be fine.]

    He didn''t need to try hard to recall the visage of the enormous ant he had seen during the assault. Apparently the ''Eldest'' had evolved again since then, something Wace wasn''t too keen to see. Tier six monsters were no joke. The sheer size of the Queen was shocking to him still.

    [Let me know if you change your mind,] he grumped.

 Chapter 636 Visitation

    <h4>Chapter 636 Visitation </h4>

    As the days of the wave drag on, my pets and I maintain the same routine. We fight, eat, rest and then repeat. It''s pretty obvious after all this time why pet obsessed Dungeon dwellers like the Sophos are so rare, getting a monster to tier six is a massive pain the butt. Let alone two. Obviously what I''m doing isn''t all that simr to what the Formo and his kind do, they raise their monsters over a period of decades, caring from them and pouring all of their time, energy and designing every aspect of their build around raising and training potent monsters. I''m just power levelling my pets and hoping it all works out for the best.

    Still, imagine the pain and anguish of a normal Dungeon delver when the tier six monster they had poured endless wealth and resources into dies in the Dungeon. Years of effort, a literal fortune in cores, all gone. If you were able to get the core back, then all wasn''t lost as you could reconstitute it again, but the soul of your pet would be forever lost. If you couldn''t get the core back¡­ which was likely considering the trainer is always weaker than the pets they keep as a rule, you just had to eat the loss and start again.

    I can see why not many are tempted by it.

    For me though, it''s all good! To be honest, despite the exhausting and relentless nature of the wave, I''ve been quite enjoying my time with Tiny, Crinis and Invidia in the tunnels. It''s almost like the old days, with just me and my pets, fighting against the odds, although the Colony is literally only a few dozen metres behind us. As we draw ever closer to my two magnificent pets approaching the goal line, I''m reminded of Enid and her request that I head to the surface to poke my nose around Renewal.

    If I''m going to do it, it''s probably going to have to be now. As the wave goes on, the mana level continues to rise and stronger monsters pour out of the depths. It''s probably gotten high enough that it can sustain me right now, for a while at least, and if I wait any longer then the Colony is going to have a hard time hanging on if something really nasty crawls out of the third strata¡­ or even lower.

    [Alright team!] I announce to my exhausted pets, [We are heading on up for a break. Let''s go!]

    So saying, I march right up to the general, announce my ns for a quick break, and get on out of there. As expected, Burke races up to me before I''ve gotten more than twenty minutes into my journey.

    "Eldest! Where are you going!" she calls as I continue on my merry way.

    "To the surface!" I announce cheerfully, "wannae with?"

    "Uhh, no? Are you sure this is a good time to go up to the surface, Eldest? What with the wave and all?"

    "Is that supposed to be a joke? This is literally the only time I can go to the surface. Are you trying to deny me the sun? The warmth of the open air? Have you truly be so cold, Burke?"

    "You know what I mean, Eldest," therge scout shakes her head with irritation, "it''s hard work holding off the wave and without the support of you and your guardians it''ll be that much harder. I would never use you of shirking your responsibilities, but do you really think you should be taking a break?"

    If I could, I''d roll my eyes.

    "You built fiveyers of defence down there and so far haven''t had to use more than the second in the deepest parts of the territory. I think you''ll be alright if I take a few hours off."

    "That''s only because you''ve been there, Eldest¡­"

    "Bah! If you guys are so nervous about it, get in there yourselves. Put Leeroy on the job, I haven''t seen her or her squad down there yet."

    She looks to one side as she replies.

    "We were worried if we sent Leeroy charging out that she''d nevere back."

    "Put a leash on her! Yeesh! I absolutely refuse to believe it''s going to be that big a deal. Put Leeroy out there and tell her if she runs off into the Dungeon that I''ll chase after her when I get back and she won''t enjoy what happens after that. She won''t die, but she might wish that she had!"

    Endless tea time and grub tickling duty for you, Leeroy! Don''t think I won''t do it!

    Somewhat cated, Burke leaves me in peace to go report back to the rest of the council about my day trip, no doubt they''d worked themselves into a tizzy the moment they heard about me leaving the front. Chumps. Do I need to train them again and instil a little more backbone?! The proud soldiers of the Colony are going to be fine for a little while as I head out, if I didn''t believe that, I wouldn''t be going anywhere in the first ce!

    The trip from the ground to the surface is irritating, as all travel is during a wave, but takes far less time than I would have thought. The Colony has been diligent in remodelling their territory and the ''express tunnel'' they constructed connecting the main nest to the surface ant-hill is an incredible piece of work that I hadn''t even realised was being done. It''s very steep, but that doesn''t prove to be much of a challenge to the thousands of ants that run this connection every day, delivering Biomass, cores and other resources from the depths to the surface, not to mention the hatchlings making the journey with their tenders to the academy.

    As expected for such an important tunnel, there is a heavy presence of soldiers on deployment here, savaging any monster with the poor fortune to spawn within the walls. Using this tunnel, it''s a matter of mere hours before we arrive back in the first strata close to the surface. My old stomping grounds! For nostalgia''s sake, I take a slight detour off the main travel tunnel to nose about in the Dungeon proper. It''s somewhat amusing, but also a little saddening, to see that I can no longer fit into the smaller tunnels that I once used to hide from the main thoroughfares. The monsters I used to be so afraid of still proliferate here, the wolves, thorn lizards and even the centipedes abound. A definitiveck of Croca-beasts however. It seems Gandalf, or the Dungeon, has no interest in spawning those creatures, and without their parent, there are probably very few of the monsters left.

    Bullying around the monsters I used to fear is fun for a little while, but quickly grows boring as my core is already starting to leak out a little mana. I task all sub-brains with drawing in as much energy as possible and I ensure that my legs remain in contact with the ground as much as possible, sucking up mana from the rock. It''s enough, barely. It''s a different story when we finally crest the top of the anthill and expose ourselves to the sky once more.

    The surface nest has undergone significant modifications sincest I was here. It''s expanded greatly, for one thing, the academy and training grounds taking up the majority of the room. There are still many foundries and crafting areas for tier three carvers to utilise, though I suspect the main industrial centres of the Colony have all been shifted deeper into the nest. Our passing through is noticed by the many hatchlings and brood tenders who congregate here, the little ones stopping their activities to goggle at us as their minders scold them to keep their minds on task. It''s amusing in a way and I wave my antennae this way and that, saying hi to all of the members of my family I see.

    Standing atop the hill I''m treated to a panoramic view of the surrounding area, which is vastly changed from what Ist saw. Thend has been heavily developed, for one, with wide, irrigated and tilled fields stretching in the distance, small farmsteads dotting thendscape here and there, chimneys wafting white smoke into the air. The town itself has undergone staggering growth, multiple double-story buildings popping up alongside what was now a clear, wide street running through the centre of what had be a thrivingmunity. It was nice to stand there and take it all in, less nice when the pointing and kneeling started.

    Something was very wrong with these people.

 Chapter 637 Visitation pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 637 Visitation pt 2 </h4>

    That damned priest has continued to infect these people with his nonsense, I see, judging by the reaction from the townsfolk. Although, there is a faint chance that they think I''m the Queen, given that they''ve never seen an ant of my size before. As nice as it is to think that these people might be paying homage to Mother, the thought is only faint, deep down I know exactly what these people are thinking. Should I strike a pose? No, too tasteless.

    I walk down the side of the anthill, taking notice of the severe drain on my mana as I do so. Despite my best efforts, and the well above average mana in the air, I just can''t bring in anywhere near enough energy to satisfy the demands of my core. The mana bleeds out of me with every step that I take and it rapidly bes clear than I won''t be able to stay above ground for long. Having evolved to tier six, the surface really is barred to me from this point on.

    Which raises an interesting point. ording to what I''ve learned of the history of this ce, the ancients are the biggest and baddest monsters Pangera has ever seen, what tier they are, goodness knows, but somehow they were out and about on the surface during what was effectively the very first ''wave''. Exactly how much mana was there flooding out of the Dungeon to produce the conditions for tier ten or above monsters (I imagine) to survive up here?! The mere thought of it is enough to make me shudder.

    Regardless, I do my best to power my core as I continue toward the town of Renewal.

    Word of my appearance atop the hill must have spread quickly, since I find Enid leading a delegation towards me as I approach the first buildings. I don''t recognise most of them, though there are a few faces that tickle my memory. That guard guy is here, along with a scattering of others I recognise from the siege. Of course Beyn is here. Goodness gracious this guy has nothing better to do than hound me, does he? Casting my eyes about, I can see a gaggle of antmancers sprinting toward us at full speed, their antennae flopping wildly in the breeze. I''ll never be free of these idiots.

    Sighing internally, I weave together a quick mindbridge and extend it toward Enid.

    [Here, as requested,] I announce.

    She smiles broadly at my pronouncement.

    [I''m d you were able to make it,] she says, [I appreciate youing even though I''m sure it isn''tfortable for you.]

    She''s got that right.

    [You aren''t wrong. I''m leaking mana all over the ce and it is far from a good feeling, if I do say so myself. As much as I''m looking forward to the tour, we''re going to have to keep it rtively quick I''m afraid.]

    [Of course,] she nods, [let''s not waste any more time then. This way, please Anthony.]

    With a sweeping gesture she indicates the direction we are to travel and then falls in beside me as we start to wander through the town.

    [It''s kind of bizarre to walk next to you like this,] I observe, [back when I first met you, I was what, tier three? Four? You were taller than me back then!]

    Sheughs.

    [I have to agree, you monsters sure do grow up quicklypared to a human, how long have you been alive? A year? Already tier six! It''s a dizzying speed by normal standards, at least as I understand these things. I suppose the repeated waves and all the trials you''ve been through have at least had the wee side effect of helping you grow to your current size.]

    I''m certainly a heck of a lot bigger than I was back then. In my previous evolution, I was roughly the size of a van, with my head positioned around chest height on an average human if my legs were set at a natural angle. Now though, I''m at least fifty percentrger, bigger than a minibus, smaller than an actual bus, my weight must be pushing into multiple tons. It''s certainly a bit of a change from a human body! Even if my head is only slightly above Enid''s at this point, my sheer size and mass when moving around make me feel trulyrge, to the point I take up a good portion of the roads as we walk.

    As we make a slow tour, Enid is a talkative guide, filling me in on the work that''s been done in the town, telling me stories of the many new residents and their circumstances and the ever expanding ns for new development. It''s clear she''s immensely proud of the people, praising their tireless work ethic and indomitable optimism in the face of disaster.

    [I keep having to warn you, Enid,] I say, [you can''t just start praising people''s work ethic in front of an ant!]

    [Oh, pish,] she grimaces with good humour, [these are good people and they''ve worked day and night. Just because we need sleep doesn''t mean you should look down on us.]

    [You know very well that we need to rest. You''ve been down there long enough to see¡­. Them¡­ at work.]

    [Oh, yes,] she shivers, [creepiest thing I ever saw. Ironically, I couldn''t sleep a wink that night.]

    [As long as they don''t find out about it, you should be good¡­]

    She freezes.

    [They don''te for people do they?]

    [As of yet I''ve made noment to the Colony about how much humans should sleep, so I think you''re safe.]

    She breathes an obvious sigh of relief at my words and we continue our walking tour. Everywhere I look there are humans working and cooperating alongside the many ants that observe and assist them in theirbour. There are members of the Colony everywhere, in the fields tending to crops, anywhere something is being built or crafted or traded, an ant is there. It''s remarkable howfortable the people have be around us, there isn''t any sign of difort or antagonism that I can detect. It''s honestly impressive.

    [I really didn''t expect the Colony to integrate so well with your people,] I observe to Enid.

    [I didn''t expect the people to integrate so well with the Colony,] she smiles, [in times of crises people may be more amenable to a change of attitude. After their homes were destroyed by Garralosh and her horde, these people fled here and then relied on another group of monsters to put their lives back together. Did you know that small groups have broken off to establish new viges alongside the Colony''s new surface nests? These people are determined to follow your family no matter where they will go.]

    [Isn''t that mainly the priest''s fault?] I grumble, flicking an antennae toward the one-armed man bouncing along in my wake like a puppy who needs attention.

    [In part. But do you really think these people would have been so willing to ept what it was that he had to say if not for aid and assistance they''ve received on a daily basis from the Colony?]

    [Probably not,] I admit.

    Looking around, I can see humans of all ages gathering to watch me and my pets as we walk past. There''s no fear, or nervousness in their faces, only joy and excitement. It''s a nice feeling, I suppose, to be able to help people and have them be happy to see you when youe back. It''s the kneeling and praying that I have issue with¡­ because they are there as well, groups here and there, hands sped to their chest as they whisper prayers under their breath and in their hearts. This one wants me to bless them with children, this one is wishing for me to harden their determination to work hard. Yet another is earnestly praying within their soul to be reincarnated as an ant in their next life. Sorry chief, I''m not sure it works that way for people in this world¡­

    Although, who knows? I''m certainly not the authority on Gandalf''s rules. Tell you what mate, I''ll put in a good word for you next time I see the bearded one, alright?

 Chapter 638 The return

    <h4>Chapter 638 The return </h4>

    I highly enjoyed my time on the surface with Enid, taking a look about the ce, enjoying the sun on my diamond carapace and taking in the open air. It''s amazing how quickly you get used to the narrow tunnels of the nest and Dungeon, although that may just be due to me being an ant monster. It reminded me of how resilient people (and ants) really are. It wasn''t long ago that the Colony and every person living in Renewal was knocked down onto their knees, their backs against the wall as we fended off certain annihtion. Now look at us, thriving and surviving no matter what gets thrown our way.

    The peace between the two people really has blossomed and had wonderful benefits to both sides. The booming antdustrial revolution would have taken much longer to get going without the help of the human craftspeople being so willing to share their knowledge and techniques. In return, the Colony provided the bulk of thebour required to establish the town as it exists today, clearing the fields, sourcing the wood and stone for construction. It''s a partnership that continues to strengthen, with volunteersing into the Dungeon and risking their lives to fight alongside us.

    I kind of got the feeling that Enid would have liked a speech or something from me to the townsfolk whilst I was up there, something tomemorate what would likely be myst visit to the surface, but I dodged her requests. I''m notfortable being in the spotlight at the best of times, and I have a strange feeling that no matter what I said it would be twisted into some unimaginable meaning by the fanatics listening in. Instead, I was content to roam about the ce and stick my nose into everyone''s business, chatting with Enid and saying hi to my many siblings on the surface.

    It was a great time, and a pleasant break, but the constantly leaking energy from my core meant that it couldn''tst, and after a few hours I was forced to retreat to the Dungeon. With a final wave of the antennae, I pointedly ignored the weeping antmancers who appeared to be praising the sun with their hands extended, floods of tears and snot running down their faces as I dove back into the nest.

    Once inside I raced to go deeper and the moment I was back below surface level I felt the rush of mana in the air and greedily pulled it into my core, drinking it like a thirsty person in the desert handed a cool ss of water. Phew!

    [That was a bit rough, eh Invidia?] Imented to the gently pping eyeball.

    [It wassssss mosssst unpleassssant] he replies.

    [The next time you and me evolve we won''t be able to make it to the surface even during a wave most likely,] I observe to him. [Actually, that was your first ever trip to the surface wasn''t it?]

    [Yesssss¡­]

    [What did you think?]

    [It wasss too bright.]

    [You''ve spent most of your life in the second strata. A candle is probably too bright for you. Ah well, let''s keep on going, I won''t be able to feelfortable until we get to the bottom of the firstyer at least. Once we''ve recharged our cores, it''ll be back to the frontlines and back into the fight. You ready Tiny? Crinis?]

    [Ready, Master!]

    [Hurrrrr!]

    [Good replies! Let''s get to it!]

    The trip back into the depths is uneventful, the super highway constructed by the colony facilitating the journey wonderfully. I have to say, it''s a little intimidating rushing down this wide tunnel into the darkness. They didn''t muck around when they dug this thing. It''s probably at least fifteen metres across, the sheer amount of rock they''d have to move to get it done boggles the mind, and the slope is probably close to seventy-five degrees. If I wasn''t an ant, this would be tricky as hell. In fact, given my drastically increased size, my grip skill is having more than a little trouble holding my weight even on this slope. I''ll have to make sure I put in a ton of training in order to make sure I can hold up my tons. Heh.

    Once more embraced by the shadow sea, the inky ck slick of dark mana that infuses the second strata, we continue our descent until we find our way back to the nest. Unsurprisingly, I find Wills waiting at the end of the highway, her antennae twitching anxiously.

    "Are you kidding me Wills? I wasn''t even gone half a day!" I exim, exasperated.

    "They''ve already been made to retreat to the third defensive line down there," she tells me in a rush, "Sloan encouraged me to wait here so I could persuade you to go back out there the moment you got back."

    "Where is Sloan, is she on the frontline?"

    "Yes!"

    Ah.

    "Alright, fine. They aren''t seriously in danger of breaking through are they?"

    I really didn''t think the Colony would be pressed to this extent just to hold off the wave. They''ve faced down greater challenges than this, surely. I knew it would be difficult, sure, but unable to cope without me there, that''s not what I expected.

    The scout hesitated.

    "I don''t ¡­ think so," she said, "but they are worried that the cost of holding out the wave will grow once ants start to fall in greater numbers. The further they get pushed back, the more desperately they are forced to fight for every inch of ground, and the more casualties there are. I think they are nervous that things will start to escte out of control if you don''t return to relieve the pressure."

    So they''re panicking a little.

    "No problem then," I sigh, "we were going to go straight back anyway."

    [Let''s keep moving.]

    Once again embraced by the surging mana of the wave, my core is back in top condition before too long and we make our way through the farms to the deepest point of the Colony''s territory. The sound of furious battle rings from the stone and ants rush everywhere, doing a thousand different tasks. I find the general still at her post from when I left, watching over proceedings with a stern eye as she ensures her checkpoint is performing at maximum efficiency.

    "Reporting for duty once more, general!" I salute.

    "Nice to see you again, Eldest. We''ve given some ground in thest few hours as the demon concentration continues to rise. We''ll be happy if you can lead the charge to retake the outer defences, we''d lose good soldiers if we had to do it without your help."

    "Not a problem general, it''ll be done in a jiffy."

 Chapter 639 The Charge

    <h4>Chapter 639 The Charge </h4>

    It doesn''t take long to organise my pets and let them know what we''ve been tasked with. What takes a little longer is exining to them exactly what is going to happen as a result of the ''allies'' that the Council has decided to dump on ourps. The heavily armoured soldier in front of me looks a little nervous, which is ridiculous considering she''s a behemoth of an ant weighed down by hundreds of kilograms of metal.

    "Are you going to make this painful for me, Leeroy?"

    "No¡­ Eldest. Just going to charge out and defeat¡­ the enemy?"

    "Why does that smell like a question!? What else were you hoping to defeat? You know what, don''t answer that. I''ll just make one thing perfectly clear, not a single one of you is going to die on this charge, alright? Not a one! In fact, I''ll make it my personal mission that you all return with fully topped off health, not a single scratch on you."

    She slumps a little, dejected.

    "Alright, Eldest," she mutters, "have it your way."

    "Why are you giving me this attitude, huh?!" I poke her with an antenna, "I''m talking about keeping you alive! Is there some reason you aren''t happy about that, Leeroy? Anything you want to tell me? Hmm? You surely aren''t going against the very first lesson I taught you, are you?! Because that might influence me to get you back into training with me for a little while. I might want to make sure you brush up on the basics¡­"

    "No, Eldest! I treasure my life, and so do all my followers!"

    "Wait,"es a scent from behind Leeroy, "we do?"

    The council member studiously ignores her follower and stares at me, antennae twitching outside of her control. I sigh.

    "Immortals¡­ a fine joke. Alright, this is how we''re going to do this. I''ll go in front, you guys go behind. We mow them down and let Crinis and Tiny deal the bulk of the damage, we just need to use our mass to push them back and crush them against the next chokepoint. Clear? Any questions?"

    I direct my question to the lines of armoured soldiers behind their leader and one enterprising individual raises an antenna.

    "Yes, you at the front."

    "Hi, Eldest¡­ doesn''t this n seem a little safe?"

    "You''re at the very back of the formation now. I''ll have shields and healing magic on you for the entirety of the mission. Anyone else?"

    Predictably, none do. The ant in questions nks her way dejectedly to the back of the line.

    "Alright then, form up behind me, we''ll push through when we get the signal."

    [Tiny, you know what to do?]

    He gives me an offended look.

    [No, I don''t need to ask Crinis, because she listens, and you have not answered my question.]

    He grunts angrily.

    [Good. I just have to check, alright?]

    Touchy ape. He gets moody when we have a pre-fight briefing sometimes, too eager to get to the smashing. We file forward in two narrow columns as the sound of battle grows louder. Up ahead, the ants are defending the third chokepoint like a well-oiled machine, striking, dodging, moving and rotating like the gears in a clock. And who do I spy calling the shots out here, but Sloan herself.

    "Ready to open up a gap?" I call to her, waving.

    "Be ready for my mark!" she says, watching the battle unfold intently.

    I do a final check over myself, making sure I have myself in top condition before doing the same for my pets, one by one. I keep a sharp eye on Leeroy as well, the closer we get to sallying out the more intense the energy I''m getting from her bes. In fact, all of the immortals are starting to emit some eerie vibes. Beneath the line of their helmets, theirpound eyes are filled with a strange light. It''s almost as if they can only truly feel alive the closer theye to danger.

    "Mark!"es the call.

    "WE SEEK!"es an overpowering wave of pheromones from behind.

    Holy smokes! I start dashing instantly, not because it''s the n, but because if I don''t I''m worried I''m going to get run over by the morons behind me! I might be farrger than they are, but when put together they are packing a lot of weight.

    [Let''s go guys!]

    "HUURRAAAAAAA!" Tiny''s reverberating roar of joy and rage shatters the air and pierces straight through the din of the fighting.

    Sloan and her troops pull back from the opening and we lunge through. I go first and a veritable wall of enemies looms in front of me, ravenous and mad they w at each other and anything else they can reach in their desperation. I''ve been slowly levelling my charge Skill and I utilise the information it gave me now, timing my run and bracing my body to absorb the impact as best as possible.

    CRUNCH!

    With a sickening noise I m into the leading monster, my shoulder angled to drive straight into the creature, and I keep going, the weight of the Immortals behind me driving me forward.

    CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

    Head down, legs pumping, I push onward without stopping, running right over the top of the monsters as they fall before thebined might of our charge. Then Tiny is there, bounding forward and sting all before him with concentrated lightning, roaring his challenge and defiance. Crinis rises from her ce on my carapace, a nightmarish visage of three bottomless mouths set within an inky form of pure darkness. The two wreak havoc as the charge continues, driving forth all before it.

    I can see why the Immortals and Leeroy get so hung up on these assaults. This is exhrating stuff! Rushing forward into the enemy, running them down and motoring onward gives such a feeling of power, of strength! This must be why they got addicted to this sort of offensive. I did sort of say to Smithant that I''d get a set of armour when I evolved¡­ I''m very, very reluctant to get anything that''s going to cover up my magnificent carapace, but I could be tempted, if the right materials were found¡­

    My legs do not tire, my muscles do not ache, thanks to the Vestibule, and I keep rushing forward, chomping with my mandibles and shoulder ramming every shadow beast and demon that dares to ce itself in front of me. Gweheheheh! Nothing is going to stop us!

 Chapter 640 Something stopped us

    <h4>Chapter 640 Something stopped us </h4>

    Our charge continued unbroken until we reached the second defensive line, the monsters in our way were unable to stand before our might. Once we reached that point, I sent my three pets forward to defend the choke point as the Immortals and I collected ourselves. Unlike me, most of them were exhausted after the mad run and in need of a breather.

    "Are you guys going to be alright for the second charge?" I ask Leeroy. "We can do it without you if necessary."

    "We''ll be fine!" she replied, her scent strong and confident despite her drooping antennae and shaking legs. "The Immortals will never give up a chance to fight!"

    "Aren''t you just anxious because they haven''t been letting you fight for a while now?" I ask, sceptically. "Doesn''t matter I suppose, you''ll have some time to rest so rmend you all take a load off your legs and rx for a little while. We''ll be heading out again in about half an hour."

    Filled with relief at the chance to take a break, Leeroy and her followers copse to the ground with a loud ''nk!'' as their armour rattles against the hard stone. It''s quite the amusing sight, especially whenpared to how fired up they were before our charge started. A few minutester, a detachment of defenders arrives on the scene, getting to work cleaning up and re-establishing their post here. Some things need repairs and a team of carvers jump to it, fixing damaged stone sections of the chokepoint and re-hardening the stone. When the soldiers move to relieve my pets of their job holding off the wave, I shake my head at them. Tiny and Crinis are still a little ways away from their evolution and this is another good opportunity for them. I''ll have them make use of it to the fullest.

    "You can take over from us once we push out for the first line," I tell the waiting general. "For now just make sure the tunnel is clear and check over the Immortals for injuries, as you get situated again. We''ll be here for a half hour or so."

    Not tired at all, I wander this way and that, checking in with everyone and making sure that every ant has the help that they need to perform their duties before heading over to the chokepoint and lending a hand to my crew. It won''t do to tire them out too much, considering we have another stretch of tunnel to push through. Once we''re done here, we''ll have to move to another checkpoint and do the same thing. This lower section of the territory suffered the most during my absence and I''m determined to push back the wave in one fell swoop to make up for it.

    After ten minutes, I make my way over to Tiny and Crinis to help them out, using my elemental magic to lob a few cheap shots into the crowd. That sweet, sweetbat experience is nothing to be looked down on! A cheeky level here or there and who knows, I might manage to rank up my omni-elemental magic sometime in the next century.

    By the time half an hour is done, the ants have finished repairing the walls that we feelfortable turning the defence over to their hands whilst we prepare for the next surge. I head to Leeroy who''s still copsed on the ground and nudge her with an antenna.

    "What''s the story, Leeroy? Are you rested enough or do you want me to do this one without you?"

    Immediately, her eyes sh with an intense light that took me aback as she and the rest of the Immortals slowly pushed themselves off the ground, overtaken by a sudden and unnatural vigour.

    "We are ready for this assault and a thousand more! The search is never ending!"

    "Okay, chill!"

    Yeesh. Immortals or Zombies? These siblings of mine are creeping me out.

    "Then you have a little time, we''ll form up and get ready to run out. One way ticket right up to the first defensive line."

    "Sounds good," the revived soldier replies.

    A quick check on Tiny and Crinis to make sure they''re still prepared to bring the firepower that we need and then we form up ready to go.

    "WE SEEK!" roar the Immortals.

    "Let''s go!" I cry, setting my legs and then we''re off!"

    Through the choke point and into the howling madness of the wave once more we go, putting mandibles and carapace to the test as we smash our way through monster after monster, once more forming that unstoppablendslide of the Colony''s wrath. Nothing can stop us! Nothing can stand before us!

    Except that.

    I was the first to sense it, being at the front as I am. My antennae tingle with a feeling of otherness, something I''d never felt before. Perhaps if I hadn''t reforged those delicate sensors with the Twilight Fment, I may not have noticed at all until it was toote.

    "Hit the brakes!" I scream back at Leeroy.

    [STOP!] I simultaneously roar at my pets.

    But even as I yell it, I know that the heavily armoured ants won''t be able to stop fast enough. With the weight that they carry and the momentum they''ve built up, it will be difficult for them to stop at all. Realising this, I ram my ws into the ground, Gripping for all I''m worth as I swing my body around, cing myself as a physical barrier between the oing Immortals and whatever it is I sensed. I brace for a split second before Leeroy rams into my side, followed by the dozens of her sisters.

    Impact after impact rocks my carapace and rattles my mandibles as I hold on for dear life. So severe are the shocks that even my diamond carapace starts to crack from the sheer force. Every hit pushes me a little bit closer to that unerring sizzle in the air that I felt, and my antennae start to burn, sending ripples of pain down their length as they dip into something they surely don''t like. Finally thest of the Immortals is brought to a halt as they run into the back of what must look like a ten car pile-up, ants on top of ants with tons of twisted metal to boot.

    "Eldest? What the heck was that?" Leeroy groans.

    "Shut up, I sense something bad. You need to get your sisters together and get the heck out of here."

    "What? Why?"

    "This isn''t something you can deal with. Leave, now."

    Saying my piece I turn away from her and face toward the monster now lurking on the edge of the gloom. A vile, poisonous energy ripples in the air around it, chewing into everything it touches. This is an energy that I''ve never felt before, something that not even the demons possess.

    "You must be a long way from home, beastie¡­ and I''m guessing you didn''te for a vacation? May as well give you a warm wee¡­ after all, it''s a long way from the fourth strata."

 Chapter 641 The stench of decay

    <h4>Chapter 641 The stench of decay </h4>

    The monster in question cannot detect my pheromones, at least I hope they can''t, so I''m not entirely sure why I bothered to taunt it. Probably to hype myself up for the fight, because just looking at this thing is intimidating. All of my senses scream that something is wrong and the closer I get to it, the more my body protests. My antennae ripple with the sensation of pain, as though the air itself had be toxic. To my mana sense it appears as if the energy surrounding the creature were being¡­ infected, for want of a better word¡­ changing from the familiar shadow and death mana to be somethingpletely different.

    As the flow of energy eddies and swirls, that pulsing green and yellow disperses the further from the source it gets, but even small amounts seem to be having an effect. Everywhere it has touched, the corals and other small living things that live here in shadows have started to die, wilting as if they''d been sprayed with weedkiller. It''s a shocking sight, because I don''t believe I''vee across any type of mana that would kill with merely its sheer presence. From what I can detect, the monster itself hasn''t cast a spell of any kind, it''s simply exuding this virulent mana in a steady flow, and the mana does the rest¡­

    Just what sort of mana is it? Surely nothing as simple as poison?

    The creature itself is the next thing that catches my eye as it prowls in the darkness just beyond the range my eyes can see well. Its face is definitely frog like, but the mouth is too wide, and its eyes are far toorge. Beyond that, I can''t make much out other than its limbs are thin and wiry, almost weirdly whenpared to the size of its face. It''s big though, possibly close to my own length, if not close to my mass.

    My first encounter with a monster from the legendary strata of infection. I sure as heck hope that I don''t catch anything gross from it.

    [Invidia, I want you on healing and backup. Keep a close eye on the mana around the monster. I have a real bad feeling about it.]

    [I sssshallll.]

    [Tiny and Crinis, I want you two to pull back a bit. This is a tougher fight than you''re ready for and until I know more about these monsters I don''t want to risk you.]

    [But, Master-!]

    [GRRRR.]

    [Absolutely not! I''m far stronger than you are so I''m the one who will bear the risk. And if you think I''m going to let you run in and get yourself killed after I''ve put in so much effort to keeping you alive, Tiny, then you arepletely mad! Now move back! Both of you!]

    Unable to refuse my order, the two retreat a few metres and I put them out of my mind, focusing all of my attention on the beast in front of me. I take a few measured steps forward as my considerable brain power starts to tick into overdrive. What magic should I use to counter it? How will it attack? Being able to fight against so many new foes recently has been a real treat after the endless varieties of shadow beast I''ve dealt with over the previous weeks, and this one promises to be special. A creature from a whole new strata!

    Come on¡­ What are you going to show me?

    The monster''s lips draw back to reveal a horrifying smile that I can see clearly even through the shadows, given that its teeth literally shine in the dark, coated as they are with a thick, green slime. As I draw ever so slightly closer, the monster slows its own movement, watching my every move with two bulbous eyes. I hesitate. Should I try andmunicate with it? Go all out on offense? Judging by the power of its core, this beastie is tier six for sure, there''s no doubt that it would be intelligent enough to approach sentience.

    Looking at the monster and the toxic atmosphere that surrounds it, I dismiss the idea of engaging in conversation. There''s something about the way it''s eyeing me that makes me think trying to talk to it wouldn''t be wise¡­

    If that''s the case, if we''re going to go for it, then I''m better served by goingrge early. The omni-elemental construct is prepared and I start pumping burning hot blue fire mana through it, weaving the resulting energy into a burning jet of me that I hold at the ready. My feet continue to creep forward and gradually, piece by piece, the monster slowly draws nearer, the aura and stench of infection growing stronger all the while.

    I draw my mandibles wide in a threatening fashion as we slowly start to circle around each other. The other monster is lithe and wiry, if it weren''t for that head, I''d think it was well built for speed, but -

    WHOOSH!

    After leaning to one side and pausing for a brief moment, the creature suddenly blurs in my vision and vanishes. My senses scream in warning, my antennae burning with predictions of a dire future. My nerves fire and myrge body darts to one side with deceptive speed, shing out of the way of the slime coated jaws that snap shut in the space I had upied only a moment before.

    That was close! This guy isn''t just fast, he''s super fast! Reacting on instinct, I lunge forward, trying to catch the beast before it can recover. The muscles in my face release their tension and my mandibles m forward as I activate my most potent bite attack.

    DOOM CHOMP!

    The jaws of ck light manifest and chomp together before I even register the pain, but the moment I do, it''s agonizing. I feel like my whole face is on fire! What the heck is going on?! My mandibles crash together and I find that the creature has almost managed to escape without harm, a jagged tear down the side of its body the only mark I put on it, but just being this close to it is causing me damage.

    Burn it with fire!

    A wave of blue me erupts from between my mandibles. I unleash a raging gout of me that wouldn''t shame a dragon with its heat and size. Instantly, the frozen air of the shadow sea is filled with mes and everything before me begins to burn. Gweheheh. Crispy enough for you?

 Chapter 642 The first of its kind

    <h4>Chapter 642 The first of its kind </h4>

    Turns out that, whilst the fire was indeed crispy, the monster did not enjoy it. The only unfortunate thing was that it didn''t not enjoy it sufficiently enough to immediately perish. Having missed its initial bite and then been bitten and burned, the toad creature snarls, its lips pulling back from those horrendous teeth and grinding out a sound like nails on a chalkboardbined with bones snapping. It''s quite distressing.

    I allow the mes to dissipate to get a better visual of my opponent and I find them lurking just out of the fire''s range staring at me with baleful eyes. With this level of distance between us I feel confident taking a second to evaluate myself and I do so with one of my sub-brains. What I find is more than a little shocking. Despite not suffering an attack, despite only being close to the stupid toad for only a few moments, it''s chewed through ten percent of my HP! How?!

    [Invidia?! Can you check me for impurities in my mana?]

    [Sssss. It will be done.]

    The piercing green eye shes with power as that immense brain goes to work and in only a few heartbeats the little demon haspleted his work.

    [It hassss infected you. Your mana issss being tainted.]

    How in the hell?! Watching the frog carefully I use my sub-brain to turn my mana sense inwards, scouring through the mana channels of my own body and I''m shocked to find that Invidia ispletely correct. It''s small, but there are ces where the creature''s mana has somehow gotten into my system, and just as it''s doing in the area around us, it is converting the mana ites into contact with its own, spreading the damage further.

    But that doesn''t exin how it got in! Desperate to understand how I was harmed, I angle my body slightly so I can better see my own carapace and I''m shocked to see a few ces where the glittering diamond has crumbled into a ckened mess. The spots are small, easy to go without noticing if I wasn''t looking so carefully, but they are definitely there. It managed to break down my carapace so quickly? That''s insane! I didn''t even feel it? Except there was that moment of blinding pain when I drew close enough to bite it¡­ that hadn''t felt like it''de from my back though, or anyce in particr. It had felt like my entire body had been dipped in acid mixed with poison, with an added spoon of radioactive viruses and a sweaty sock.

    Is it just an aura power?

    The more I stare at the toad, the more I think I''m right. Somehow, the mana around its body is corrosive, infectious and replicates itself, and I think it can control that mana at will, as if it were an aura generated by a nd. It''s the only thing that makes sense¡­

    My musings are rudely interrupted as the frog decides it has had enough of sitting back on its legs andunches into action. With two leaps with its withered, twisted limbs it rockets around the tunnel, opening its mouth wide to deliver a st of pure toxic mana in my direction.

    Not good!

    Nerves afire with panic I get the heck out of the way as that concentrated ball of pain sshes onto the rock where I''d been standing, dissolving it into a hissing mess in an instant. Holy Moly! That is intense! Keen not to get hit again I continue to move in rapid bursts, relying on my nerves and foresight to track the frog as it throws its body around the tunnel at Vibrant-pleasing speeds, raining hell on me from above, to the side and from any other angle it can find.

    Dammit! This is making it hard to find a window to retaliate! If I want to get my mandibles on this punk, then I need to close the distance, which is hard when it''s so much faster than me¡­ Even though getting closer to it is a guaranteed way to suffer from that horrendous aura effect, but it''s better than trying to hit this thing with spells from range as it zips all over the ce, bombarding me with this sludge mana!

    DASH!

    Firing my legs in sequential bursts to stack up multiple dashes at once, I rocket forward, zooming in a straight line toward the point I predict the frog will have tond next. As I''d hoped, it doesn''t seem capable of changing its direction in mid-air and is forced toplete its jump, which will ce it right in range of my jaws. As I rush forward, another ball of sludge flies over my back to impact on the floor behind me. Mandibles wide open and locked in ce, I close the distance between us in an instant.

    The moment I draw close enough, I feel that burning pain return, except this time, I somewhat know what to expect. When I''m paying attention, I can feel it go to work, eating into my antennae, my carapace, my eyes and my legs, everything that''s exposed to it. I certainly don''t want to put up with it for long!

    DOOM CHOMP COMBO!

    Using my new rapid-firebo skill, my mandibles enjoy a massive increase in speed at a vast increase in stamina cost. In less than a second, Iunch three rapid doom chomps, my entire body straining with the sheer amount of energy it takes out of me, but it''s worth it. Put in a poor position to dodge, my toad nemesis is forced to try and evade my bites as best it can, but is not as sessful as before. It manages to escape, but not unscathed, one of its legs is only a shadow of its former self.

    How do you like that action, frog? Not going to be able to leap about quite as freely now, are ya?! Although, getting that close to the damn thing has eaten into my HP again.

    [Can I get a heal, Invidia?]

    I trigger the healing nd within me as well, unwilling to take any chances as I track the toad''s movement. Despite the loss of the limb, the monster doesn''t look too worried, still ring down at me with those bulging, oversized eyeballs. They really are creepy now that I get a good loo -

    Oh, snap!

    As it retreats, the frog unleashes a wide spray of the corrosive mana from its mouth, more of a straight up wall of spew than a ball of the stuff. To escape this curtain of poison, I''m forced to leap backwards, which is when I realise I''ve fallen into the horrible creature''s trap! What lies on the ground behind me isn''t a safe zone of clean rock, as I''d thought, but a grotesque sea of green bile. All those shots I''d thought I''d dodged, the damn stuff doesn''t go away, it just keeps spreading! Half the tunnel floor is covered in it now!

    As I sail down to my inevitably painfulnding, I can''t help but flex my ws a little. This is probably going to sting¡­

 Chapter 643 Gravity has a mind of its own

    <h4>Chapter 643 Gravity has a mind of its own </h4>

    ¡­ or at least it would be painful if I was going to end upnding in it.

    [Invidia!]

    Using his prodigious mind powers, the demon condenses a shield out of pure mana and air, snapping it together before I reach the ground. ced horizontally, the barrier acts as a stablending tform for myrge frame and I grip the edges as Ind heavily on it, ensuring I don''t slide off.

    How about that, frog-face!? Didn''t expect me to have this sort of trick up my sleeve, did ya?! As Invidia has improved and ranked up his barrier magic, even something like this has be possible for him, although it drains quite a lot of mana and is more than a little taxing on him. To hold up my kind of weight in the air with nothing but air is¡­ a challenge, even for the big brained demon.

    Is my spell ready yet? Not quite. Despite their improvement, creating something like this is difficult for the sub-brains. As I carefully scan for my opponent, I lend the potent force of my main mind to the task. Drawing out mana and feeding it to the concerted efforts of my three weaker minds.

    Ah, there you are, you disgusting punk. Clinging to the roof and looking at my position, standing on a shimmering ne of air, the beast has a somewhat quizzical expression on its face, as if confused that I haven''t fallen into its pit of bile as it had expected me to. s not, mister frog, although the strategy was clear evidence of intelligence on the part of the monster. Once again, I consider attempting to make mental contact with this creature but dismiss the idea. For all I know, its thoughts are just as toxic as the rest of it and would taint my mana over the connection, I can''t risk it.

    [Masssster issss heavy.]

    Oh, right.

    [Sorry, Invidia. I''ll move, just give me a second whilst I look for¡­ somewhere¡­ to.. stand?]

    As I look around, I see that the horrific bile has continued to multiply and spread, consuming the shadow mana in the area and extending its tendrils into the air, flowing over the stone and running in little waterfalls into new crevices. Which conveniently has left me with very few ces to stand. I flex my legs andunch myself toward the wall to my right, my ws digging deep into the stone to find purchase as I hang sideways.

    It isn''tfortable. I''m not nearly as mobile as I used to be on surfaces like this due to my increase in weight without a corresponding increase to my Grip, but it''ll have to do for now.

    [Invidia and Crinis, I need you two to try and do something about this mana! Break it down, redirect the goop into a pit or something, I don''t care what you do, but you need to do it fast!]

    Spell ready yet? Still no! Damn, the sub-brains still aren''t cut out for this yet? I thought for sure¡­

    Whoa!

    My antennae re with warning as the toad once againunches its ball of hateful spew-mana in my direction and this time, dodging is more than a little difficult. Going to have to go for it! Dash! My legs fire one after the other as I try to maintain my grip on the wall but still move at speed and I find it much harder than I thought. I''m not going to make it! Thinking quickly, I split my legs wide and m my ws into the stone, desperately trying to hold on as the horrific stuff sears my back, a portion sttering onto my carapace and burning with a harsh re of pain. And not just burning, I can already feel the infection spreading as the green energy seeps through the wound, trickling into my body and trying to destroy my own mana.

    Gah! Not good! My legs are shaking!

    Spread wide from the body is not the natural state for ant legs and it''s more than a little difficult to hold myself up. I need more power! For the first time, I fire up the new Vestibule, desperate for the strength boost that it will provide. I feel it almost instantly. The ever present Will that flows through the Vestibule and into the Nave changes direction and ¡­ form. Instead of nourishing my body as a whole, a huge chunk flows directly into my muscles and tendons, infusing them with newfound power.

    Holy Moly! My legs steady in a moment and I reposition myself, skittering about on the wall like a hatchling, my legs flickering and my ws gripping with a strength they have never before possessed. Wow! The effect is way more pronounced than I expected. In terms of raw stats, it feels like having an extra fifty points of Might tacked on for free! Maybe more!

    How''s that spell? Close! Super close! I think I might need to go for it.

    The toad watches me with bulging eyes as I zip around on the walls with newfound speed, clinging to its own perch on the ceiling. With its long, razor thin limbs, I doubt the creature weighs much, it can probably hold itself up there indefinitely if it chooses to. I stay on the move and eye my opponent carefully, the next opening will be my chance to go for the kill and I refuse to miss it. This monster has been a royal pain in the business district to fight and I won''t let it get away.

    As I watch, I can almost see the thoughts flickering through the creature''s head, until those two eyes gleam with sudden certainty. Is iting? What''s going to be next. My shock is almost total when the frog instead turns around and attempts to flee.

    YOU WHAT?!

    Monsters don''t run during a wave, dammit! Get back here! It''s fast, much faster than I am, but I''m fortunate in that this is a one way tunnel and it only has one direction to go. Let''s go Anthony! DASH! Three pairs of legs infused with more strength than ever before flex thenunch, propelling me forward like a rocket. At the same time I reach within and take hold of the mana that my sub-brains have been busy shaping for me during this high-octane fight and fling it forward.

    The gravity bomb howls into existence as it always does, spinning forward as it consumes all in its path. Even the frog reacts to that terrible sound as the very air around it starts to get pulled backwards by the approaching orb. It speeds its flight, but I''veunched the spell ahead of it, there simply isn''t anywhere for it to go.

    Suddenly no longer interested in running forward, I put on the brakes and screech to a halt, dropping onto a section of clear floor and holding on for dear life as my deadliest spell blossoms into life right in front of the monster''s face.

    [You have in level 91 Infectio Venandi.]

    [You have gained experience.]

    [You have reached level 4.]

    [You have reached level 5.]

    Goodbye, frog-monster. You were disgusting and I will not miss you.

 Chapter 644 Clean Up

    <h4>Chapter 644 Clean Up </h4>

    The gravity bomb finally fades away, leaving behind apressed ball of ex-frog, stone and various other detritus, I pick myself up and let my strength boost fade away. The energy of the Vestibule and Nave once more returns to its normal cycle, nourishing my body and washing away injury and fatigue. Although it can''t seem to do anything about that damned toxic mana eating away at me! Cursing irritably, I direct my exhausted sub-minds to get cracking breaking the stuff down and turn my attention to the rest of my body.

    The sludge on my back did quite a number, eating into the carapace and multiplying itself along the way. I whip up a little water and try to hose it off my back with some small sess. I think the only way to be truly rid of the stuff is to break down the mana itself. What a pain in the backside! Literally! Other than that, I''m in pretty good shape, my health ticking back up toward full as the regeneration nd does its work.

    Still, that fight was way more trouble than I expected from a single monster, even if it was from the fourth strata. Considering it was wild and more likely than not wasn''t raised with perfect evolutions all the way through to tier six, I should have a significant advantage in overall evolutionary energy, but some of the things it was capable of¡­ dammit. Is this the tyranny of the deeperyers?! They get this level of crazy advantages?!

    It''s a real shame I won''t get a chance to eat the damn thing. I wander over to examine the remains, giving the unbelievably dense sphere a quick poke with one leg but swiftly give up. This thing is 95% rock, it''ll be almost impossible to extract any Biomass from it, and the core is nowhere to be seen, possibly smashed to pieces by the spell itself. Dammit! This is why I didn''t want to use the gravity bomb if I didn''t have to!

    I''m impressed at how well the sub-brains were able to put one together without the main mind kicking in to help. Since they can handle the assembly on their own, that means being able to fight whilst putting the gravity bomb together is a possibility atst! Muahahahaha! There will be no escape from my clutches! With my deadliest spell suddenly far easier to produce in the middle of a conflict, my offensive power has skyrocketed!

    Overall, I''m satisfied with how things went, the only issue is¡­

    Turning around I''m confronted with the oozing pit of slime in front of me which Invidia and Crinis are still working hard to try and break down. With a sigh, I head over and start chipping in, pitting my mind against the dreadful sludge and trying to rip apart the truly bizarre mana it''s made of. This stuff is the real puzzle if you ask me. I have no idea what kind of mana it is, but the stuff is horrendous to deal with. It does damage, invades monsters'' own mana-streams, persists in the environment, eats away at stuff like acid and replicates itself like a virus, feeding on whatever mana it touches!

    This stuff is exactly as deadly as I wanted my acid to be, dammit!

    Although the part where it spreads uncontrobly all over the ce is a bit of a pain to clean up, I have to admit. It''s massively draining to exert your mind breaking down mana, especially on a scale like this. After the first ten minutes, I''ve already devolved into something of a fugue state, despite the fact my energy is always topped up. It''s just boring and taxing work. I can''t imagine how Crinis is feeling right about now. When the greenery first starts to pop up in the tunnel, I don''t even notice. It''s only after a flower literally bonks me in the nose do I notice something is happening and look up to find the infected areas are now covered in a wall of greenery that reminds me of one specific being.

    What in the heck is she doing growing in here?! This is the Colony''s territory! I eye one particrly lush looking shrub with great suspicion and it has the gall to wiggle innocently in front of me. How dare you, shrub! My mandibles flex dangerously, but before I can do anything, the rest of the ants are there, moving forward toplete the assault and retake the outer defences now that the threat posed by the monster has been removed.

    "Eldest? What exactly has happened out here?" Sloan asks, confused.

    Still giving the shrub the stink eye I quickly exin what we fought and the mess it left behind, followed by the sudden appearance of the Bruan''chii''s mother in leaf form.

    "Do you think she''s perhaps here to consume the mana?" Sloan ponders.

    "You''re suggesting that a tree is actually seeking out the stuff and wants to consume it?" I say, filled with doubt.

    Still, I activate my mana sense and try to get a feeling for what is going on, now that my line of sight is blocked by a carpet of flourishing nts.

    "Holy mackerel, I think you''re right¡­"

    Looking closely, it appears as if the offending mana is being drawn up into the nts which then trap the stuff somehow. I can feel little reservoirs being built up within each bush, flower and bud, pooling even as something starts to go to work on that energy, nibbling at its edges.

    "I''m more worried about a monster from two strata down making it all the way here," Sloan says, her antennae drooping. "Monsters like that are too strong for us to deal with¡­"

    "We''ll need to work on strategies," I say, "but I don''t think it''s impossible. The unknown is always harder to fight than the known. Besides, this was always going to happen. The mana levels rising mean that monsters who need more mana to sustain themselves can start to climb strata. It''s not odd that we would see one. I''m honestly surprised that there hasn''t been a tier seven invader yet."

    "Tier seven!?" Sloan goggles at me.

    "Sure. I think the mana is high enough to sustain one here, so we shouldn''t be shocked if one turns up. The idea of the mana concentration rising so a strata can support higher tier monsters than normal is the scariest thing about a wave, Sloan. Remember?"

    "But how would we deal with something like that? We don''t have a pool of tier six warriors we canbine to fight it¡­" the general mutters.

    I jerk an antennae back toward Crinis and Tiny.

    "What do you think I''ve been trying to do out here?"

    "Right! You should get back to it immediately then!"

    "I will, but first I want to drop by the Bruan''chii and ask a few questions. Catch youter Sloan."

 Chapter 645 Tree talk

    <h4>Chapter 645 Tree talk </h4>

    [Hmmmmmmmmm] the big tree blinks at me slowly a few times, as if surprised that I still exist rather than focusing on the question that I asked it.

    I wait patiently whilst he inspects me but my patience is quickly running by the time he finally gets around to talking again.

    [You look different,] he observes.

    [Obviously, I''ve evolved!] I explode at him. [Can you exin to me why your nt-based parent is sprouting willy-nilly and soaking up gross mana around the ce?! Do I have to ask every question three times or something?!]

    He blinks.

    [No.] He says finally.

    I take a breath.

    [So why aren''t you answering my question then?] I grate out.

    He looks at me with an almost palpable sense of pity.

    [Because mother finds it amusing and so won''t let me answer.]

    The leaves and flowers that sprout from every surface around us seem to wriggle with amused joy and I slump where I stand.

    [This might not be diplomatic of me, Mr Grove Keeper, but your mother is a massive pain in the thorax. Is she always like this?]

    The tree nods in understanding.

    [She is always like this, and we know. I ask that you be patient with her. She hasn''t had the easiest life on this.]

    The leaves rustle angrily and the Grove Keeper holds up his hands.

    [I will say no more, but I think I might be able to answer your question now?]

    The bushes sullenly return to stillness and the giant tree dips his head in appreciation.

    [Hmmmmm. To answer your question in full, I will need to exin a little about mother, which may be why she is reluctant that I share, but I do not see the harm in a little truth. It is an extension of trust between us.]

    [An olive branch? I can get behind that.]

    The tree-man smiles wide, the bark on his face creaking.

    [An olive branch? Yes. I like that.] He ponders the metaphor with a pleased hum that reverberates in his chests and sets all the nts to swaying before he continues. [The Mother tree is very sensitive to mana, her roots can sniff out changes from quite a long range, and her roots spread wide. When you stumbled into a tertiary root in this area, she began to expand herwork in this area, this enabled her to detect the mana that you spoke of.]

    [Wait, how much of the does your mother have roots through? And that massive thing I ran into was a tertiary? So it branched from a secondary that branched from the primary? How big is the primary?!]

    The Grove Keeper chuckles.

    [The primary tap-root of the Mother Tree is¡­ vast. I will not bother attempting to describe it to you. As for your other question, I will not reveal much other than to say that it is likely less than you think. Our Mother is not a normal tree, but rather a monstrous tree, thus she does not follow the same set of rules you might think she does. To grow herwork here, she needed to sacrifice root systems in other ces.]

    The bushes shiver in an usatory fashion and the Grove Keeper once again holds up his hands in a cating gesture.

    [An olive branch,] he says to both me and her.

    The nts settle again but I can tell they aren''t happy. Can a shrub re?

    [Okay. So what is it about this particr brand of mana, I don''t even know what kind it is, that your mother finds so attractive that she would sprout up in our territory like that?]

    [This¡­ Hmmmmmm. Again, I do not speak overmuch. Suffice to say, Mother is an expert when ites to containing and eradicating this particr form of mana.]

    The branches around us creak.

    [And she finds it delicious,] the Grove Keeper adds.

    I raise an antenna.

    [Delicious?]

    [Yes,] he nods.

    [I''m guessing the Mother Tree doesn''t need water to survive, right? She ''drinks'' mana?]

    [This is true.]

    [Alright then, I think I get it.] I take a look at the Grove around us, just as lush and vibrant as what I saw near the Colony during the siege, if not more so. What I don''t see is nearly as many Bruan''chii. There are a few here and there, tending to the nts, engaged in what appear to be lively conversations with each other, but I expected to see many more. [Where are all your people, Grove Keeper? Has something happened?]

    I can''t imagine they were assaulted by the wave, it barely seems to affect them at all here. Their Grove falls outside the Colony''s territory, but only just. We are more than likely taking the majority of the heat from the wave for them, but standing here, it feels like the madness in the tunnels is a mile away.

    [Most have returned to the Mother to rest during this time of upheaval. When things quiet down again, they may return, or perhaps the Mother Tree will need them elsewhere,] he shrugs, [they will not mind regardless.]

    Uh, what? They ''returned to the mother''. What the heck does that mean? Are they dead?!

    [When you say, they returned¡­] I open cautiously, [are they¡­ still alive?]

    The leafy face looks at me curiously.

    [Of course they are still alive.]

    Phew!

    [Just checking! I don''t really know how¡­ all that works.]

    He just smiles.

    [It is normal for there to be problemsmunicating between our peoples. There will be many misunderstandings, I''m sure. In time, we will know each other better.]

    [Me too. Thanks for satisfying my curiosity and answering my questions. I''ll be sure toe back and check in when the wave is done, just to chat and see how things are going.]

    [You will be most wee,] the keeper waves farewell and we turn to exit the grove.

    I''m kind of surprised that I got as much information as I did, especially considering how irritating that damn tree is. I do kind of wonder about her situation and how willing she is to reach out to allies. To do the things she does, she must be what, tier nine or above? At that level of power, she still needs help? What the heck!? What exactly is threatening her? I''m also rather curious as to where her main body is. I wonder what strata she chooses to make her home?

    The moment we leave the grove, it''s like a light has been turned off. The environment changes in an instant from peaceful garden to shadow warzone. It''s so abrupt that I''m certain there must be some sort of magical effect at work. My pets and I don''t run into anything too challenging and are able to fight our way back inside the Colony''s borders without much issue. With that mystery sorted, it''s time to get back to charging forth and smashing the wave back to the outer defensive line.

 Chapter 646 Holding the line

    <h4>Chapter 646 Holding the line </h4>

    It takes a day of near constant fighting to help the Colony shove back the wave to the outer defensive walls and once again the endless defence against the monsters continues. It''s all worth it though. Every hour, the family is harvesting ridiculous amounts of Biomass and cores from the farm zones, and our savage, one sided tactics are ensuring that the frontline soldiers, generals, scouts and mages are getting a constant flow of experience.

    The number of tier four ants is steadily increasing, with some rare individuals tipping over into tier five. These ants are the OG''s, possibly born to the Queen before I was. If it weren''t for a strange quirk making me the first of the Formica Sapiens, these battle hardened siblings would be receiving the sort of respect that I get. And they''d be much more deserving in my opinion! The ''Eldest'' salutes you, brave ants! With her constant flurry of motion, Vibrant is rushing upwards in levels at a prodigious rate. I ran into her not long ago and she was almost the same level as Tiny, which was rather shocking. Despitecking the ape''s tremendous power, her raw speed and ability to go for days without sleeping is helping her mow through the enemy at incredible speeds.

    I might have to arrange more rest for her¡­ if she manages to reach tier six before my pets, it won''t look too good¡­

    After that point, I drive my pets even harder! More fighting! Less resting! We plough through endless hordes of shadow monsters, grind tier four and five demons into dust, and fortunately only run into one more monster from any deeper than that. I''m forced to step in and gravity bomb the creature into the next universe before it can spread its poisonous influence too far and we retreat back behind the lines for a quick regroup.

    We push like this for a few more days and finallyes the time that I''ve been anticipating for so long!

    Crinis is the first to reach the milestone, much to Tiny''s chagrin, her ability to pulp weaker monsters like a blender is just too much for the big guy to keep up with, even if he scores more experience from higher tier monsters due to his incredible stopping power. Crinis is beyond excited to finally reach the milestone and isn''t shy letting me know it.

    [I finally caught up to you, Master!] she exims, leaping through the air to blob onto my carapace, giving me the quitefortable, but surely horrendous looking ''thousand tentacle hug''.

    [Well done, Crinis!] I praise her without holding back. [You''ve worked hard! I can''t wait to see what your tier six form is going to look like!]

    She preens as I pat her head with an antenna, bringing a pair of tentacles up to her blobby ''face''.

    [This means I won''t be holding you back anymore, right Master? You''ll be able to start collecting experience again and push for tier seven!]

    Tier seven?! I just evolved to tier six! Don''t rush the process! I need like, three hundred levels before I can evolve again! But she is correct that once the two of them have evolved I''ll be able to start prioritising my own experience and growth again. Not to mention we''ll finally be able to remove the seal on Invidia. The poor demon has been basically forbidden from gaining experience from the moment I reconstituted him, just so that everyone could catch up. After this, he can finally start ruing experience for himself again as the long road to his next evolution starts.

    [Yes, yes] I say to Crinis, [I''ll start taking more experience again. For now, you need to act as Tiny''s support so that he can reach level 80 as fast as possible.]

    [I will!] she says, wiggling happily.

    When we return to fighting, Tiny goes at it with a vengeance, his armour taking a beating as he throws his considerable weight around, making a mess of everything he can get his fists on. It''s quite the impressive disy and despite the fact he routinely exhausts himself, his levelling speed picks up significantly and in less than a day, he too has reached the milestone.

    [There you go, Tiny!] I cheer for him. [You''ve finally made it! This is your chance to get even more massive!]

    The big ape flexes his trunk-like arms and beats his fists onto the chest te of his armour, grinning all the while.

    [But first I''m going to have to chip away at your bulk in order to make you less stupid.]

    The giant bat-faced ape loses his grin as he curls his arms protectively around himself, as if trying to protect his beefy arms from my depredations.

    [Don''t sook about it, you''ll get back everything you lose and more when you evolve. Sheesh!]

    With our goal achieved, the victorious party makes its way back into the territory of the Colony and then all the way into the nest. After a bit of fussing from the Council, at first wondering why we weren''t out fighting, then wondering why we weren''t hurrying to evolve, we finally manage to make it into the same chamber I evolved in, where we can finish feeding thest of the required resources into the two pets. Rare evolutions for both of them this time around. I have to say, I''m almost as excited for them to evolve as I was for myself. It''s a really good feeling looking at the monsters I''ve raised grow alongside me. Tiny was first pet, I can still remember when he was just a little baby ape riding around on my back, getting into trouble. Crinis came muchter, but she has quickly be an important member of the group, and her adorable antics are always good fun, even if her actual form is nightmare inducing.

    [I''m really proud of you two,] I say to them, feeling a touch emotional, [we''vee a long way together and getting to this point has been difficult. It''s going to be so nice to be able to run around the Dungeon together at the same tier again, and I won''t have to worry about it as much.]

    Surprising me, Tiny walks over and wraps his furry arms around me in a big hug, prompting Crinis to extend her tentacles and do the same. It''s very nice, but then I spot Invidia, floating by himself off to one side, watching us with his green eye.

    [Come on, greedy-boy,] I tell him, waving him over with an antenna, [get in here.]

    He hesitates for a moment before fluttering over and before he knows it, he gets snatched out of the air by Tiny and brought into the group hug.

 Chapter 647 Do the evolution!

    <h4>Chapter 647 Do the evolution! </h4>

    The other predominant theory is that the demons'' very nature, their demonic disposition, if you will, is what causes them to embrace conflict. It''s true that the demons are generally untrusting, aggressive, greedy, short tempered, perpetually unsatisfied, possess an inted opinion of themselves or all of the above, but the question I alwayse back to is: why?

    It''s not enough for a schr to say ''they''re born that way'' and have done with it. When we observe creatures of nature and the traits they are born with it is possible with study and reason to determine the purpose of those traits. Why do some sorts of insects cooperate? It increases their chances of survival! Why do wolves operate in packs? Why do geese flock together? Why do lions move in prides? Why do bears hibernate in the winter? We can make educated guesses as to the purpose of all of these things. So, in my opinion, it stands to reason that we can do the same for demons.

    When viewed in this way, the answer bes apparent rather quickly, though I have failed to convince many of my contemporaries of the veracity of this hypothesis. Demon society is embroiled in a constant state of conflict, at almost every conceivable level, because it produces stronger demons that way.

    There is no such thing as resting on yoururels, for a demon. No such thing as a happy retirement. If one of their kind manages to rise to the top, they need to continue to rise, lest they be overtaken and cast down by others more worthy. It''s a brutal, single-minded approach tomunity, but one that suits them rather well. Though many have tried, there are none who have managed to subdue the monsters native to the third strata for long. They can be reasoned with, to an extent. Bargained with, to a point. But they are so, so difficult to conquer.

    Excerpt from ''The Demon Below'' by Axelgesis

    Warm and fuzzies out of the way, it''s time for the big moment! We max out their cores, but before anything else can happen, I need to make a few adjustments to Tiny''s core.

    [Get over here, dammit!] I yell at the ape as he attempts to run away. [It''s not going to hurt! All I''m going to do is transfer some stats from might to cunning.]

    He flinches as if I just told him I''m going to shift his bones around.

    [Tiny¡­] I warn him. [Get over here right now or I swear I''ll switch half your muscle mass into neurons. Maybe then you''ll be smart enough to stack one block on top of another.]

    He gives me a wounded look as if to say ''that was a little excessive. I''ll have you know that I put two blocks on top of another, thank you very much!''

    [Alright, I''m sorry. Okay? Juste over, I''ll make you smart enough to use the manual evolution and that''s it.]

    Reluctance still evident in every part of his body, Tiny makes his way over, running his hands along his biceps and bulging shoulder muscles with a mournful look on his face. I do my best to ignore his pleading expression as I bring my antennae forward and activate core maniption.

    With the sheer mental power I bring to the table now, it''s way easier than it ever was before to adjust cores and I get to work making the necessary changes. In order to keep things in bnce, I do my best to ensure the loss of Might is generally applied across his whole body and not concentrated on any particr ce. That way he won''t be ungainly in some way that might negatively affect his evolution. When the job is done, he''s be noticeably less bulky in ces, but now has enough cunning to be somewhat less dense. Speaking of which.

    [Just exactly how thick was your skull man?!] I demand. [There wasn''t enough room up there for additional mass, half of it''s sitting in your neck!]

    It''s true, his skull was remarkably thick, which might exin how he''s managed to avoid severe brain injury from all the beatings he''s taken over the weeks and months. I knew he was thick, but didn''t realise it had quite gotten to this level. After making this change, it''s off to see Granin for a final appointment.

    [Finally got there did you?] Torrina wees us with a smile as we park ourselves outside the Golgari offices. No chance we all fit in there¡­ [I''ll get Granin for you.]

    A few momentster and the surly old rock trundles out to greet us.

    [Now it''s your turn eh?] he turns to Tiny and Crinis with a broad grin. [Tier six! The big leagues! Jeez, I can''t remember thest time I heard about a shaper walking about with three tier six pets. That''s a literal fortune in cores being invested right there.]

    [Rare cores this time around,] I boast, [only the best!]

    Corun rolls his eyes.

    [Obviously rare cores. You think they deserve worse than you got?]

    [No!] I protest. [I''d give them better if I could!]

    [Oh, Master,] Crinis wiggles about in her spherical form on my back.

    Granin just grunts.

    [All right then, I''ll talk to these two one at a time and give them a few guidelines and try to set some expectations so they know what they''re going into. Tiny should get something along the same lines you did in terms of reset, although the weird shadow mana infusion he got doesplicate things a little. Crinis on the other hand¡­ it''s a little more up in the air. Do you want to sit in on the conversations?] he asks me.

    [Absolutely,] I say. [They''re my friends and I want to help as much as I can.]

    The old golgari pauses for a moment when he hears the word ''friends'' but otherwise just nods.

    [All right then,] he says, rubbing his two hands together as that familiar enthusiasm takes hold of his frame. [Who''s first?]

    As long as I live in this world, I''m sure I''ll never see another sapient as enthusiastic about evolving monsters as this guy. It can''t be healthy.

 Chapter 648 The Apevolution

    <h4>Chapter 648 The Apevolution </h4>

    The master spoke long with the stone people and Tiny did his best to pay attention. What had been done to his core seemed to help his concentration, and he was able to follow the conversation better than before, but he still felt a little itchy all over, but there was nothing nearby for him to hit. All that he could do was sigh and flex his fingers into his favourite shape: a fist,menting the noticeably less bulging muscles in his forearms as he did so. He just had to be patient, heforted himself, soon he would berger and more bulgy than ever before. Then he would hit things harder than ever before!

    [In terms of resetting body parts, I highly rmend going with bones,] the rock man was saying.

    Bones? Tiny snorted. If he was going to make any part of him more powerful, it would be his muscles!

    [Why the bones specifically?] the master asked, [I''m pretty sure Tiny is going to want to make himself stronger more than anything, so wouldn''t his muscture be a better idea?]

    Tiny felt a small bloom of joy within his chest. It was nice having a master that understood him so well, even though they did keep Tiny from fighting all the time.

    The stone man frowned and shook his head.

    [Why do you think we have bones in the first ce?]

    [To hold you together? I honestly can''t even remember what it felt like to have bones on the inside. I''m probably not the right person to ask.]

    [Look. Muscles need something to attach to, that''s true for you as well. When our muscles flex and contract¡­]

    Tiny knew about flexing! He hunched his back and brought his arms forward to entuate his chest and arms. The other two ignored him.

    [¡­ they are moving something. And that something is your skeleton. Or carapace.]

    [Right. I''m still not getting why the bones need an upgrade before anything else.]

    [If he resets his muscles to a better material, then spends a ton of his evolutionary energy on Might¡­]

    [He will,] master assured him.

    He would.

    [¡­ then it''s entirely possible that his strength will be greater than what his skeleton can withstand. He either won''t be able to use his Might properly, or he will literally shatter his own bones when he fights.]

    That¡­ didn''t sound good. Tiny frowned. Not being able to hit things hard was bad, the worst! It sounded like he would need to make sure his bones where strong enough to withstand infinite power! Because he wouldn''t be satisfied until his punch could make a mountain explode!

    [I hope you got that, Tiny,] the master said, [you''re not punching anything with busted arms.]

    Tiny nodded to show how seriously he understood the point, then decided to give a thumbs up for emphasis.

    [It''s actually weirding me out having you be smart enough to listen this well,] the master observed.

    [I''m really interested to see what he evolves into,] the rock man said, [Lightning Fist Apes just don''t live this long. I''m amazed you pulled it off.]

    [It wasn''t easy,] the master grumbled, patting Tiny on the arm with one antenna.

    Tiny smiled and flexed a little to show the master he appreciated his care. He felt really twitchy though. He nced around a little then slumped. Still nothing to hit.

    [Alright then, Tiny. Off we go,] Tiny started and realised he''d missed the end of the conversation. Still, he''d done well! He''d listened and learned a few things, like how to make sure he punched harder! He turned around and followed the master out of the chamber and back to the space in which they were to evolve. The whole way there, his master pelted him with reminders on what he was to do, and what he wasn''t to do, when evolving.

    [No matter what,] he was told again, [you aren''t allowed to reduce your Cunning below twenty, got it? I want you alive long enough to reach tier seven, not running up to an ancient and trying to punch it in the eye. Keep in mind what Granin said about the bones, and¡­ just make sure you''re happy with your choices I guess.]

    Tiny reached out with one, displeasingly thin arm and hugged the master to his side.

    [Aww, I appreciate it you big lug. Just make sure you use the manual evolution, alright? I know it''s a pain and there are so many options, but it''ll be worth it in the long run.]

    Tiny nodded, gave another thumbs up before he settled onto his backside and leaned against the rocky wall of the chamber. If he was going to be evolving, he''d need to make sure he wasfortable. With a thought, he activated the System menu, a broad grin stretching across his features. He would grow bigger! Stronger! And when things got in his way, were annoying, threatened his master, or whenever he felt like it, he would hit them! Way harder than before!

    [Would you like to use the evolution menu?]

    [Congrattions on reaching the maximum level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

    Warning: evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.

    Your evolution options are as follows:

    Mighty Puncher

    Kong Boxing Champion

    Winged Thunder Fist (special)

    Dark Lightning Kong (special)

    Lightning Fist Emperor (rare)

    Thunderstrike Mountain Kong (rare)

    Tiny had been explicitly told to ignore the basic evolution, so he reluctantly passed over the Kong Boxing Champion and moved straight to the rare choices. He knew enough about himself to understand he didn''t have the patience to trawl through each option, his new intelligence gave him at least that much self-awareness.

    [Rare Evolution: Lightning Fist Emperor (rare). -5 bonus to Cunning, +5 bonus to Will, +200 bonus to Might, +50 bonus to Toughness. A fusion of impact and lightning, the Lightning Fist Emperor is a creature capable of shattering the sky with a single fist. The skin, particrly focused around the fists, will be transformed into Bluesky Mithril, an exceptionally hard material that is both conductive and has a multiplicative effect on lightning mana. In addition, a Lightning storm generator will be added to both lightning mana nds.]

    Tiny thought about this option and he decided he liked it. He liked it a lot. He would get stronger and tougher and he would be able to shoot lightning out of his hands even better than before! If there was one thing Tiny liked as much as hitting things, it was hitting them with lightning on his hands at the same time. This evolution would help him do that and then some! What about the next one?

    [Rare Evolution: Thunderstrike Mountain Kong (rare). -10 bonus to Cunning, +10 bonus to Will, +220 bonus to Might, +75 bonus to Toughness. As enduring as the mountains themselves, the Thunderstrike Mountain Kong is the physical embodiment of where the earth meets the sky. The bones will be remade to Earthblood Basalt, a self-healing, flexible and tough material and will allow the Mountain Kong to endure extreme forces. In addition, a Lightning Ignition nd will be added to both Lightning mana affinity nds, allowing the Kong to releaserger bursts of lightning in a shorter time frame.]

    Tiny''s eyes, widened! The bones? This was exactly what he wanted. He was a little sad to miss out on the metal infused skin, but he supposed having rock infused bones would be just as nice. Also, he got even more Might! He happily selected this option and then frowned while a whole new set of windows and menus popped up, filling his vision. Anger stirred in the chest of the great ape, but he smothered it with a sigh as he started flicking through the lists, ignoring his growing headache. This would take a while.

 Chapter 649 A horrific evolution

    <h4>Chapter 649 A horrific evolution </h4>

    By the time her master returned, her perfect, wonderful master, Crinis was practically vibrating in excitement. What a wonderful day! What a precious opportunity! To have her dearest master devote his care and attention to her evolution on a personal level, it was far more than she, a mere servant, deserved! But she would happily ept, in fact, she wouldn''t dream of saying no! Such a chance wasn''t to be squandered.

    Her master walked toward her, his carapace shining so beautifully as the darkness mana washed across that perfect form that she nearly didn''t realise when he spoke to her.

    [ -ready to go Crinis.]

    [Ah! Yes, Master!] She squeaked.

    [Great. I''m a lot less worried about your evolution than I am about Tiny''s. I trust you to not make any dumb decisions.]

    I trust you. I trust you. I trust you.

    The words rattled around in Crinis'' head, drowning out anything else that was said until she finally snapped back to reality a minuteter and they were already inside the room. Crinis shook herself and tried to drive away any distractions. She had to focus and not let the master down in her evolution! She pped herself on the side of her little ball form with two tentacles, the little impacts sending waves through her jelly-like shadow flesh. Her master looked at her curiously for a moment before turning back to the conversation and she herself began to listen more attentively.

    [Shadow creatures can be a little tricky, particrly at this level of evolution,] the golgari shaper, Granin, was saying.

    [You mentioned something like that with Tiny as well,] the master noted with perfect intuition, [what is it about shadow monsters?]

    Granin frowned and Crinis huffed. How dare he show such a displeased expression when faced with perfection?! Did he need educating!? Her des extended ever so slightly before she retracted them. Now wasn''t the time.

    [The trick is that shadow monsters are such different beastspared to first or third strata monsters. Shadow Flesh is in a category of its own in terms of core bodyponents. It can be hardened into an almost chitinous material, or be as spongy as your pet Crinis here has made it. When ites time to reset, it''s hard to get something that will perform remotely the same function.]

    [Hmmm,] her master didn''t sound pleased, so she released her ws again, [so¡­ Crinis could reset her shadow flesh into ¡­ I don''t know¡­ demon flesh or some other third strata equivalent, but it wouldn''t be able to serve the same function?]

    [Right,] Granin nodded, [there''s no reset avable from the third strata that would allow Crinis to remain as malleable as she currently is. If she were to reset, she wouldn''t be able topact herself down to her current size,] the shaper gestured toward her current, cute ball sized shape, [or glomp onto your carapace the way she does.]

    [Rejected!] Crinis dered before thinking.

    [¡­ uh¡­ what was that Crinis?] the master asked.

    [Um. I like my current shape, is all I meant¡­ master,] she stammered out.

    [Which is fine,] Granin said, [the issue is that the flesh is both the strength and the weakness of the shadow monsters. It''s malleable and flexible,pressible and easily regenerated, but it is not very tough, no matter how many mutations you pile onto it. As you go deeper, it''ll be harder and harder to avoid taking significant damage, or inflict damage, because everything you run into will be able to carve through your tentacles with ease.]

    [Is there a solution?] master asked and Crinis felt a warm glow at the clear concern in their mind.

    [There are plenty, just none that are guaranteed at this stage of evolution,] Granin appeared frustrated. [That''s the issue with shadow creatures. Demon stuff from the third strata doesn''t really suit, you really need stuff from the fourth, which are rare for tier six. Which is why I bring this up. If Crinis gets a choice to reforge her shadow flesh into something from that low in the Dungeon, she absolutely has to take it.]

    [How exactly will she know?]

    [It usually isn''t hard to tell from the name. If it''s not demonic or poisonous it''s probably fourth strata. Just keep in mind that getting such an option would be exceptionally lucky. The system is fickle with things like this. In the much more likely event that she doesn''t get an option like that, I rmend we focus on these areas¡­]

    The discussion went on for some time after that and Crinis was diligent as she listened to every point that was made and every option that was discussed, asking a few questions herself when she needed rification. She was determined to do her best and make her master proud! Later, when the talking was done and she had attached herself to the master''s carapace once more, she received the best advice.

    [When you evolve, just make sure it''s something you''ll be happy with,] the master said, [you don''t need to worry about being useful, or looking after me or anything like that. As long as you''re happy, that''s all I want, alright?]

    She felt warm and fuzzy at the care her master gave and pat him on the back with a few tentacles.

    [Yes, Master] she said.

    When they arrived in the evolution chamber, the ape was already there, fast asleep. She assumed his evolution had begun and he hadn''t just gotten bored reading through the menus. Eager to begin, she parted from her master and made afortable home for herself in a dark corner, nestling her body half into the shadows and half out as she prepared to undergo the greatest change of her life to this point.

    [Good luck, Crinis!] the master encouraged her.

    She wouldn''t let the master down! She engaged the menu, her attention riveted on the details.

    [Would you like to use the evolution menu?]

    [Congrattions on reaching the maximum level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

    Warning: evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.

    Your evolution options are as follows:

    Jelly of the Inbetween

    Floating Orb of Madness

    Shadeshifter (special)

    Shadow Ghost of Darken Realm (special)

    Immaterial Mind Breaker (rare)

    Beholder of the Ineffable Truth (rare)

    Endless Maw (rare)

    Acting with extreme care, she read through each option, taking careful tally of the bonus stats, estimating the value of each of the included organs and resets in order to try and glean the best value. She also tried to read the intentions of the System by the choices given, what it was thinking for her future, something that Granin had discussed at length with the master, though it had appeared master was thinking about other, no doubt more important things and hadn''t listened.

    The two key foci of the System appeared to be her mobility, and her mind affecting abilities in this evolution. Her mastery over shadow magic had grown quickly in the second strata and her ability to move through darkness had likewise improved. All that time practicing with the order had done her some good. These Skills were rewarded with options like the Jelly of the Inbetween, the Shadeshifter and Shadow Ghost, each of which improved her ability to slip from one ce to another through various means. The Orb of Madness and Mind Breaker evolutions were tips to her growing repertoire of ways to affect the mind of her foes, something she didn''t mind admitting she delighted in. Those that slighted her master deserved nothing less than the most twisted torments, after all!

    Finally, the Endless Maw evolution was more nted toward consumption and biting, turning her into an amorphous blob filled with endless mouths. It was tempting, but not quite what she was after.

    Naturally the rare evolutions provided the best value and so it was to these that she was drawn.

    [Rare Evolution: Beholder of the Ineffable Truth (rare). +60 bonus to Cunning, +60 bonus to Will, +60 bonus to Might, +60 bonus to Toughness. The Beholder is a knower of things and a perceiver of that which others would like to remain hidden. Blinded to light, it sees through, and into the between. Shadow Eye will be reformed into a Dimension Eye (warning, this will refund all mutations), allowing the Beholder to pierce the Veil.]

    This evolution would focus on her perception, pushing her general, all-rounder build further along and helping seek out that which would harm the master. She liked it, but was drawn to the other.

    [Rare Evolution: Immaterial Mind Breaker (rare). + 70 bonus to Cunning, +70 bonus to Will, +50 bonus to Might, +50 bonus to Toughness. The Mind Breaker is a creature not satisfied with shattering only the flesh, but seeks to destroy also the mind. Opponents will be left reeling as they attempt to fend off attacks that will crush bones and sanity alike. Reforges Shadow Flesh into Immaterial Flesh (warning, this will refund all mutations) a substance that can move through solid matter at will, with an expenditure of mana. In addition, Soul Seeker Cilia will be ced on the ends of the limbs, allowing for strikes directly into the mind to ur.]

    This one¡­ she liked.

 Chapter 650 Hanging with the eyeball

    <h4>Chapter 650 Hanging with the eyeball </h4>

    With Tiny and Crinis asleep in the evolution chamber, I feel as if something of a weight has been lifted off me. Not in the sense that I don''t have to worry about them anymore, I''ll always be worrying about them, but it''s nice that they''re going to be as strong as I am now. With a group of potent, maxed out tier six monsters running around together, we''ll be able to fight off the depredations of the wave far better than before, and even the threat of a tier seven rising to challenge the Colony isn''t as threatening as it was only a moment ago.

    The two of them are now surrounded by the soft glow that heralds the beginning of their change. From this point they will undergo the metamorphic process of growing and bing something entirely new. For this evolution, it''s likely to take a day, perhaps more, so the question is, what do I get up to in the meantime? With the ape and the murder-ball out of action, it''s just me and Invidia.

    [Well then, it''s just you and me chief,] I say to the hovering eyeball, [I think these two are going to be just fine here on their own, considering all the guards the Colony has in ce. Why don''t you and I head into the Dungeon and cut loose for a while. You can finally get some experience for yourself!]

    That massive eye shes with green.

    [That would be pleassssant. I have yearned for my sssssshare.]

    [I bet you have.]

    Come to think of it, isn''t it sort of nasty to force a Envy Demon to sit around watching others get something that he''s forbidden? I''ve made him float about healing and shielding as he watched myself, then Tiny and Crinis soak up all of the experience right in front of him. In hindsight, it seems a bit rough. I say a silent apology to my loyal pet as we make our way through the tunnels and out into the open spaces outside the nest. The farming of the wave continues at a furious pace out here, thousands of workers rushing this way and that, carrying loads of cores or piles of biomass for distribution or storage. The sheer volume of resources being pulled in is boggling to the mind, making our first farming effort seem like child''s y. With any luck, this spree will fuel the Colony for months after the wave has ended, providing the raw materials necessary to raise the next generation even better than the one before.

    I should check in with the core shapers at some point also. I know that they sent out hundreds of teams to farm outside the boundaries of the Colony in the upper second and lower first strata. Hopefully they manage to stay safe out there. Raising pets is an expensive and trying ordeal, so I know what they''re going through.

    Eventually we reach the front and after a short wait, we get ready to push our way through the outer wall and into the Dungeon to face the wave. Before that, I decide to chat to Invidia about strategy.

    [Well, this is your moment to do as you please really,] I tell the demon, [we can start funnelling experience into the two of us, so I guess it doesn''t really matter who''s doing the most damage. You can just cut loose and let the enemy feel your wrath.]

    [I have no wrath,] he corrects me, [only envy.]

    [Wait¡­ so you don''t feel wrathful ever? How does that work?]

    [It''ssss a demon thing.]

    [Fair enough then,] I shrug, [feel free to go crazy, just don''t bring the tunnel down or anything like that. Use your eyeser if you want to, just, again, don''t copse the tunnel on our heads.]

    [Isss there anything elsssse?]

    I think for a moment.

    [Not really. Let''s get to it! Unleash the magic!]

    [I sssssshall!]

    I whip together the omni-elemental mana construct and start churning out some varied mana for my brains to practice with, ice for one, blue fire for the other. It''s hard for them, but whipping together two separate spells with two different types of mana just makes me feel giddy inside. My dream of ultimate magical power is nearly achieved! Soon I''ll be throwing out dozens of spells at once, using four or five different mana types! How do you defend against that? Gweheheheh.

    For his part, Invidia looks just as excited as I am, his eye practically glowing with eagerness as he pushes forward, pelting the first monsters in front of us with a magical barrage of ice, fire and explosions that practically dissolves them on the spot. Then it turns out it wasn''t my imagination that his eye was glowing, as the light grows more and more intense before a beam of pure energynces forth, cutting through the dark tunnel and detonating every monster it touches.

    BOOM!

    [Holy smokes, Invidia! You aren''t holding back!]

    [I havessss no need to.]

    [True!] Iugh. [Go for it little buddy!]

    I can feel his prodigious mind at work, weaving mana together at an unbelievable pace to form detonation after detonation that rock the air and send shards of stone flying everywhere. It''s like an artillery barrage hasnded around us, the noise, light and devastation are savage. Into the mix I throw my own shards of ice and jets of me, roasting or spearing everything that manages to survive the ongoing explosions. At longst allowed to revel in his full andplete power, Invidia does not let the opportunity slip by and rains hell down on his opponents until even demons are shattered by the power he unleashes.

    After ten minutes, the tunnel in front of us is a pockmarked warzone, covered in Biomass, shards of ice and superheated rock. Invidia chuckles to himself, an eerie ''ssssshhh ssssshh shhh'' sound, before his teeth unveil themselves from thin air and he ps his way over to the Biomass and starts chomping. Not far away, we can hear the tide of monsters swelling again, it won''t be long before we are forced back into the fray. But, for now, the two of us are content to recharge our mana, chow down on some biomass and reflect on the joys of magic.

    [Feel good to go full force for a change?] I ask the demon.

    [Yesssss,] he almost purrs, [I have been waiting to takessss what they had for myself, for sssso long.]

    [You mean their experience?]

    [It belongssss to me.]

    [I mean, it does when you finish them off, I suppose. Or are you saying that all experience in the Dungeon belongs to you?]

    [Not all,] he corrects me.

    Oh? That''s a little surprising.

    [That''s not what I expected to here from an Envy demon,] I tease him a little.

    [I cannot take from the massssster. Or that which belongssss to the masssster.]

    [Ah. So you mean, all experience in the Dungeon belongs to you, except for me, Tiny and Crinis.]

    [Yesssssss,] he purrs as he chomps down some more Biomass. [Alllll for meeee.]

 Chapter 651 While you were sleeping

    <h4>Chapter 651 While you were sleeping </h4>

    The wave ground on as Tiny and Crinis continued their evolution, the ants of the Colony working industriously as they always did. The never ending spawns of monsters were a blessing and curse, disrupting all usual business, but flooding the nests with Biomass and cores that were in turn used to fuel the further expansion and growth of the Colony. Queens toiled, eating andying eggs that were taken by the brood tenders and nursed in their protected chambers. Once hatched, eachrvae was cared for as if they were royalty. Fed and groomed near constantly, yed with and tickled on an hourly basis. Each grub was tended by the same ant from the moment it hatched until the happy day they graduated the academy. This allowed them to maximise the utility and bonuses gained from their mentoring Skills.

    It was a well-oiled machine, but one that was constantly in the process of being reinvented. The world of Pangera was ever changing and it was up to the Colony to adapt to stay ahead of it, lest they fall and be extinct. And it was exactly this worry that kept the two brood tender council members on their ws.

    Theresant and Florence worked tirelessly to ensure that the next generation of the Colony were reared in the best way that they knew how, and when that knowledge changed, so too must their methods. Nothing but the most effective, most efficient methods would be eptable for such an important task, but even these tried and true practices weren''t always up to the task. Sometimes, they were forced to think outside the box, because, as strange as it might sound, not everyrva, or pupa, or hatchling, was the same.

    Particrly this one.

    "Where has she gone this time?!" an unusually flustered Florence groaned when Theresant gave her the bad news.

    "If I knew that, I wouldn''t havee to you," her fellow council member grumbled to her, clearly suffering from ack of rest.

    "This is the third time she''s escaped today! If I hadn''t seen it for myself, I wouldn''t have even believed a grub could move that fast! What did her caretakers say?"

    "They''re bordering on hysterical. The idea of arva going missing is unheard of. The whole group are bordering on panic! They think they''ve failed in their duty to the next generation!"

    The two dipped their antennae, such a feeling was beyond pain to the tenders. This could not be borne!

    "Make sure they areforted, they have not failed the Colony, but rather this grub is beyond anything I''ve seen before. What possible reason would arva have to abandon the brood chambers?! And how the heck could they even do it!?"

    "Calm yourself, sister," Theresant said, "we must take this situation in hand. No grub will be lost on our watch, no matter what."

    "You''re right, of course. Thank you Theresant," Florence collected herself and found her calm. "Do you have any thoughts as to where we should look first?"

    "There must be tracks, it''s a grub after all. Let''s gather a team of tenders and see if we can requisition some scouts. We''ll have thatrva back in our care before they know it."

    Having thus firmed their resolve, the two ants moved quickly. In a matter of minutes a search party was gathered, a passing group of scouts press-ganged into service. It made a strange sight, one rarely seen in the nest, when the brood tenders sallied forth from their chambers in search of a waywardrva. What they expected to be a quick search, soon took a turn for the worse as the scent they followed ranged high and low through the tunnels.

    Much business was thrown into disorder as the increasingly desperate party of brood tenders raced from ce to ce, bursting into the cksmith''s forges and turning them upside down before turning and racing out again. Many an antennae was set to wiggling anxiously when they raided the resting chambers, disturbing the torpor of many workers and unknowingly throwing the Unnamed One''s into despair by throwing their counts off. But there was nothing to be done about it, there was not a single ant in the Colony who would stand before the brood tenders and impede their work. There was no hierarchy amongst the castes, no pecking order or chain ofmand, but all knew that the work of caring for the young was the most important work of all. When the tenders burst into their workces, all the ants could do was get out of the way until they were gone.

    So it was that Theresant and Florence grew increasingly frantic as they followed the trail of this impossible grub all through the nest until finally the scent led outside the nest itself.

    "HOW?!" Florence burst out, "it can''t possibly be this quick! It doesn''t have legs!"

    Theresant pondered for a moment.

    "Do you think it might havetched onto other ants using its mandibles? That might exin the quick pace and theck of tracks."

    Florence stared at her.

    "You don''t think they''d notice?" she asked.

    "It''s arva! They are small and light. If ittched onto a leg, or underneath the carapace¡­"

    "Dammit!" Florence swore. "That means it could drop off anywhere in the tunnels and crawl off. We need to move quickly! What if a monster spawns next to it!"

    "We won''t let it happen," Theresant promised her sister before turning to the search party behind them. "Bring your sisters," she ordered them, "we need more antennae for the search."

    Five minutester, the singlergest gathering of brood tenders outside their chambers ever witnessed descended on the Biomass farms like a storm, scattering all before them in their hunt for the grub. Chaos reigned wherever they went as more and more ants were forced to join the hunt until thousands upon thousands of ants flooded the tunnels, searching high and low, tracing the faint scent of a single grub that seemed to criss-cross everywhere throughout the territory until none could be sure where the trail began or where it ended.

    As the tenders grew more distressed, more ants abandoned their work to assist them, which quickly grew out of control and all industry in the Colony ground to a halt. Even soldiers were dragged into the mess, pulling the generals with them. Before she had even realised what was happening, Sloan found herself organising the centralmand post for the search, directing no less than fifty different search parties as they tore the territory apart in search of the grub.

    Advant herself lead a charge to the very edge of the Colony defences, following a faint trace that led right to the outer wall before doubling back, somehow toward the farms. Eventually the pattern began to emerge as Sloan pieced together the movement of the grub and organised the searchers into a wide, cast out to surround and constrict the territory in which the elusiverva could move. With hearts pounding in chests, the ants slowly converged, turning over every rock and leaf so as not to let their prey slip past. Creeping step by step they advanced, drawing close the strings around the target and blocking off escape routes.

    Emergency walls were constructed, an army of carvers working without pause, walled off tunnels and built emergency watch stations. Every ant passing in and out was inspected head to toe, lest they unknowingly smuggle the grub through a check point.

    Florence and Theresant felt joy surging in their hearts as the web drew ever more taut. They would not lose therva and their sisters would know joy when this lostmb had been returned to the fold. They ced themselves at the forefront of the search and none were more diligent than they. The two siblings checked every rock, every fold in the stone and left no shadow seaweed uninspected as they advanced.

    Eventually, the multitude of search parties gathered around a single point, an intersection of tunnels close to the edge of the Colony''s territory. Hearts were in mouths all around as the thousands of ants gathered within sight of each other. Somewhere ahead, in this innocuous looking patch of rock, the grub was hiding, they had made sure of it. All trails led to this point, escape was impossible!

    "Ahh! What a nap! I''m feeling good! Oh. Ah. Hello everyone?"

    At that moment, the Eldest stood up, right in the middle of the multitude of spectators, stretching after a period of torpor.

    "Eldest? What are you doing here?" Theresant asked.

    The giant ant turned to cast their eyes over the tense antennae of the gathered crowd.

    "I was resting here. What the heck has been going on while I was resting? Actually. Don''t worry, I think I have it."

    The brood tender tilted her head, unsure as to what the Eldest meant when they moved forward, ducked down and seemingly from nowhere plucked a grub from the ground with their mandibles, holding it up for all to see.

    "This what you''re after?"

    There was perfect stillness for a moment, then, the gathered throng burst into wild apuse, cking their mandibles as waves of pheromones rolled through the tunnels. The brood tenders were almost ovee with emotion as the long search finally came to an end. Theresant and Florence walked forward on shaking legs to approach the Eldest and inspect therva for themselves.

    "Finally we''ve found her!" they cried. "We can take her back to the chambers and tend to her needs properly."

    The little grub wriggled viciously in the Eldest''s grip but the mighty ant had no problem maintaining their grip without hurting the little one.

    "I''m not sure that''s a good idea," the Eldest shocked the two of them, "this one reminds me of Vibrant. She''s the only other grub I''ve seen with this much energy. If you take her back, she''s only going to escape again. You might as well leave her with me. I''ll bring her up personally."

    The two tenders felt a chill run down their carapace.

    "You? T-teach her personally? A-are you s-sure that''s¡­ safe?" Florence stammered.

    The Eldest eyed the two of them, an aura of irritation rising from them.

    "What are you implying?"

    So quickly they almost missed it, the hovering demon guardian of the Eldest appeared, a giant mouth splitting the air beneath it and opening wide. Quick as a sh, the Eldest turned and flung the grub straight into the waiting maw, which quickly closed and vanished from sight.

    "ELDEST!?" Theresant shrieked.

    "Calm down," the Eldest groused. "He''s not going to eat her. If she''s going to be a pain and send the entire Colony into a tizzy, she can have a little time-out. In this case, time-out means being held in a demon''s inter-dimensional mouth."

    Then theyughed. Oh how theyughed.

    Scarred and frightened, the two tenders retreated back to the brood chambers, to reassure their sisters andfort each other from memories they would rather forget. An hourter, the Colony was back to its normal industrious self, as if nothing had ever happened.

 Chapter 652 A brand new pain in the neck

    <h4>Chapter 652 A brand new pain in the neck </h4>

    The first time I met Anthony, I honestly didn''t think much of them. Insect type monsters were weak, such wasmon knowledge. In fact, that knowledge was somon, that it was some time before I realised I didn''t actually know much about that branch of monsters, I had simply dismissed them out of hand based on the collective poor disposition toward them. After working with him and sensing his potential, I spent a considerable amount of time digging through the archives and studying the material we had on the subject, which was pathetically little. There were many records of ants, but mainly of the historical sort, detailing this outbreak or that, the types of individuals encountered and how they had been exterminated. Extraordinarily little work had been done exploring the branching evolution trees,mon mutation types, or any of the rigorous research that the Cult of the Worm was renowned for.

    Why? Why was this branch of monster, more than any other, disregarded in such a total manner? It was baffling to me, but I had little choice but to admit that I myself had done the same. Despite garnering a reputation for delving deep into monster archetypes that were typically looked down upon by my contemporaries, I had never considered looking into ants in any sort of depth. I suppose I can understand the bias, ants are a despised monster archetype. General Dungeon dwellers hate them for the damage they cause and the rather terrifying manner they attack, tunnelling through walls and bursting into vulnerable areas with a flood of chitinous bodies, whereas my fellow schrs had little use for such individually weak monsters when trying to craft the apex predator that is an Ancient.

    So I set out to gather together all of the knowledge I could to rectify this mistake. By pulling together and cross-referencing studies on every hive-type insect monster I could find, I began to build a profile of what may be possible, not only at the lower tiers, but also at the higher. What emerged was a picture quite unlike what I had expected. High tier insect monsters are very rarely seen, but without exception, they are powerful. High tier ants, other than Queens, are never seen, but it stood to reason that they too would be just as strong.

    My expectations in this regard were borne out, though not in the manner I had foreseen.

    - Excerpt from ''Reflections on the Insectoid evolutionary chain in the New World'' by Granin Lazus

    Champion monsters aren''t exactly unknown to me, seeing as Vibrant is one. I spoke to Granin about it, as a passing topic and given that he knows just about everything on the topic of monsters, he had plenty to say. Generally rare, but especially so amongstmunal monsters, champions are a distinct threat when encountered by delvers. Smarter, stronger and capable of rallying other monsters around them, these creatures have apparently always been a known quantity in the Dungeon that were better left alone and avoided than confronted head on. I have already experienced the joy of taking care of one ant champion and I''m not particrly enamoured of the idea of taking care of a second.

    [Whatever you do, make sure you don''t eat her, Invidia. Just, be careful, you know?]

    [I sssshall. The young isss sssafe with me.]

    [Good to know.]

    The absolute mess that thisrva caused was beyond the pale. Not even Vibrant was that much of a pain in the neck before hatching. To think that this potential champion is already capable of this level of disaster causing¡­ only my finest and strictest training will be able to mitigate the catastrophes toe. Still, she hasn''t even gone into the pupal state yet¡­ what exactly are we going to do with her when we''re supposed to be out fighting the wave?

    Invidia will do his absolute best, I''m sure, but I don''t really expect him to fight whilst cradling a grub in his mouth. We need a more permanent solution¡­

    As I ponder what to do with the little thing, I drift my thoughts down to the Vestibule and the flow of Will that is contained therein. The grub is there also, its barely conscious mind is providing energy to me, just as any other member of the Colony would. I can feel her thoughts, ever so softly, and only when I concentrate. There is immense curiosity there, as well as a burning impatience. I can tell she''s in a hurry to grow up and hatch, to join the workforce and take her ce amongst her siblings.

    It''s not time yet, little grub! You''ve got a bit of growing to do before you''re ready to do that! Having said that, may as well go and secure some food for her. The three of us wander off and find a creature spawning in the tunnels which I put down with a quick chomp before asking Invidia to release the little one so she can get fed.

    The grub emerges almost tentatively from the nightmare zone that is the demon''s pocket dimension, wiggling out onto the ground with obvious relief. They have little in the way of senses, thervae, blind and with very little by way of smell, but I''m sure it wasn''t all that pleasant in there, which is nothing less than what she deserved after the panic she caused. Smelling the food, she wiggles her way toward it with that strength and energy which reminds me so much of Vibrant as arva.

    Soon the sound of chomping and chewing rings throughout the tunnel and I watch the little grub go at it, eating far more than one would think possible for a creature of her size. Even then, she tries to crawl away, nipping behind a rock and attempting to roll away from my clutches whilst I''m not paying attention. Sadly for her I was well aware of her intentions the moment they formed in her little head. Back into the mouth with you! You''ll learn eventually.

 Chapter 653 A Harmonious Cycle

    <h4>Chapter 653 A Harmonious Cycle </h4>

    The society of the Colony was alien to me at first, as one may well expect. The differences in origin between I, a surface born sapient of the Iron Sands, and the ants who made up the insect empire (as I like to call them. They dismiss the title and refer to themselves exclusively as ''the Colony'' or ''family''), are obvious at a nce, and so it was difficult for me to make heads or tails of their dealings for a goodly while.

    An example would be theck of a clear chain ofmand. An absurd amount of industry andbour is done inside the many nests of the Colony each and every day, but who decides which work is to be done? Who decides who does what work? Where are the decision makers and enforcers that ensure the necessary work ispleted? It was to my shock that I learned that no such roles exist. Imagine a warehouse with no roster, a mine with no foreman or a ship with no captain. How could it possibly function? How would anything get done?

    My mind rebelled against the feasibility of such an arrangement when I heard it, certainly I had no parallels to draw within my sphere of experience. It was only from this point forward, that I truly began to understand the differences between our peoples.

    The division ofbour within the Colony is surprisingly democratic. The ants organise themselves into groups with simr Skills and capabilities, then decide what it is that they are going to do. Central to this structure is the detailed information that is disseminated throughout the Colony of their activities. There are many ants tasked with simply collecting information as to what goes on within the territory. How much ore was smelted today? Will there be a shortfall? Is there a dearth of cores? Exactly how much Biomass has been gathered? All of this is known, coted, and spread throughout the workforce. If there is a shortage, teams of ants will go and fill it. If there is a surplus, they will find other things to do to not clog the pipeline.

    When moreplex tasks arise, research projects,rge scale construction, arge shipment of goods to be transported and protected, a call is put out for capable family members to join the team, which they will do voluntarily. Once they feel they have enough ants for the job, they''ll get to work, feverishly and industriously racing toplete the task. When it''s finished, the team will either move onto another simr task, or dissolve, the individuals joining other groups and finding more work to do.

    It''s a system that only functions thanks to the unique nature of the ants. They are without ego, always stepping aside if another more capable individual presents for the work, without greed, always prepared to sacrifice for the collective, and without sloth, for nothing is more absurd than azy ant. I found it fascinating to observe in action, growing bewildered at the sheer speed they could assemble a specialised group,plete a task, then move to the next. If ever there was need, there were workers to meet that need. The pace of it all was enough to make my head spin, the incredible number of individuals involved, the density in which they lived with each other.

    It was as if they collectively formed one organism. A giant, living and breathing creature formed of millions of parts, with one will and one vision. It was beautiful.

    Excerpt from ''The Insect Economy: Macro and Micro perspectives'' by H.R.R. Slyth.

    Invidia and I fall into a regr pattern that sees us out crushing the wave for a while and then returning to feed the grub and trap it back into its inescapable cage. Some might say that putting therva into a prison carved from solid metal is inhumane, but she chewed her way through the rock so we didn''t have much choice. Luckily, if we force feed her a ton of Biomass until she basically passes out from a fooda then we get a good hour of stress-free fighting in before she bes mobile again and the escape attemptsmence.

    It''s especially frustrating because I can''t really sense any malicious intention from her, she''s just curious and wants to roll about the ce, free and uninhibited, quite apart from most of the grubs in the Colony who are perfectly content to go with the flow. The only downside is that she''s apletely defencelessrva with almost no sensory apparatus or ability to defend herself. Considering her almost uncanny ability to wriggle out of sight and hitch a ride with passing ants, locking her up is necessary for her protection¡­

    It was that or she stayed in the mouth, alright?! I think I''m doing well!

    While Crinis and Tiny are continuing to evolve, Invidia and I bond over our mutual love of explosions, magic andsers. This has also been a wonderful opportunity to start grinding my mind-magic. I only need to push it up a rank or two and then I''ll have the ability to create mind constructs just like the envy demon! Of course, I don''t expect that I''ll be able to maintain nearly as many as he does, but it should help multiply the amount of magic I can do.

    I went into depth with my triad of advisors in regard to this technique before I evolved. As they said, the normal method, for a monster, is to go the same route that Invidia has. Pile up one huge, omnipotent brain, and then use advanced mind magic to spin off constructs that essentially allow for parallel thinking. Each construct isn''t nearly as powerful as the original mind, but with increasing expertise in mind magic, and with a more potent ''host'' brain, the constructs be stronger and able to handle more workload. Going even more advanced than that, the constructs can cooperate with each other much like my own sub-minds do, working together to handle spell-weaving that they couldn''t do on their own.

    I took the time to speak to Invidia about it and it turns out he needs two mind constructs working together to weave each instance of his explosion magic, something that surprised me a little. As he exined it, since his go to detonation spell required two different elements, namely gas and fire, it was far easier to create them with two separate minds carrying the load rather than the one. So, during our spell barrages I manage to work hard on my mind magic, reaching out with bridges and connecting to monsters, twisting their minds and throwing false thoughts at them as they attempted to dodge Invidia''s spell barrage. It was familiar casting that I''d spent a lot of time on before but hadn''t been usingtely as training other skills had taken priority. Now it was finally time for the mental warfare to make its triumphant return! All in the name of mind constructs!

    We spent over a day in this pattern, force feeding therva and fighting to our heart''s content, driving back the ever-surging monsters and helping provide breathing room to my siblings. Invidia continues to gleefully detonate every monster he can, vacuuming up experience at a phenomenal rate as I content myself with training my skills and picking up kills where I can. After enough time has passed, we gather up the iron cage and cart it back to the evolution chamber where we find Crinis and Tiny emerging from their sleep, newly forged and ready for battle.

 Chapter 654 The new kids

    <h4>Chapter 654 The new kids </h4>

    The soft glow of evolution is gradually fading and the two of them are looking significantly different. Well, Tiny is, at any rate. Crinis remains blobbed up in a small ball, wobbling slightly as whatever internal changes that are taking ceplete themselves. My first pet and friend in this Dungeon, the giant bat-faced ape, has continued his trend of getting more absurdly muscr as time goes by. Another increase in size has him looming over the room, his considerable bulk taking up almost half the avable space. I can see that he''s made sure to put back on all the muscle mass that I took from him, times about five. His shoulders have levelled up, as well as the rest of his upper body, but surprisingly even his legs are looking beefier. Clearly he wanted an all over power increase without targeting any particr area.

    He remainsrgely dark in colour, the influence of the shadow mana that he took into his body is still there, though traces of flickering silver are starting to return to his back. Still somewhat shaggier than a gori would normally be, his fur crackles with faint electrical energy that discharges into the air and leaves an acrid tang on my antennae.

    I waddle over to Crinis to more closely inspect her condition and I''m intrigued by the slight changes I can detect around her. Although she appears dark and wibbly-wobbly as always there''s something new that I can see dancing on the edges of her body. It''s an almost ephemeral, ghost-like outline that hovers around her form. I''m super curious to know what it is, but I don''t want to peek at her core while she''s still evolving. Also, it''d feel a bit rude to look at someone''s core whilst they were sleeping. It''s just not on.

    So I set down the cage with the still sleeping grub inside it and settle in to wait with Invidia. We idly engage in mind magic warfare to pass the time but it doesn''t take long before the glow around the two monsters fadespletely and they begin to stir. Crinis is the first to shake off the sleep, of course, the greedy ape will cling to every ounce of rest he can get his meaty hands on. The little blob shivers a little and I feel her consciousness stirring to wakefulness as a collection of small tendrils extend and she starts to almost unconsciously feel out her surroundings.

    [Hey there Crinis! How does it feel to be tier six?]

    The little ball wibbles a bit.

    [Ah! Master! You were waiting for us?]

    [We haven''t been here long. Invidia and I have been out fighting the waves while you evolved, for the most part. You didn''t answer my question though. You''re now a member of the exclusive tier! The biggest and baddest creatures in the Colony! Are you excited?]

    [Um, no? I-I''m happy I''ll be able to serve you better, Master!]

    I slump a little. Ah well. I suppose it''s fine like this. I''d sort of hoped she might be a little pleased with the increase in her own power for her sake, rather than mine, but it appears there''s some distance to go before I can remove the ''pet to master'' rtionship we have. I won''t rest until my pets are free of allpulsion and able to make their own way in the world! This is my vow!

    [Get any juicy options?] I follow up. [I''m genuinely curious to hear what sort of things you were offered. Given your species and ¡­ specialties, there must have been some odd ones.]

    Crinis is only too happy to exin to me what her choices were, extending a few small tentacles to wave about the air as she excitedly describes the various dimensional mind horrors that she could have turned into. Naturally she picked the most terrifying one. She''s one step away from being able to y minds. I look slightly askance at her as I ask: [And you''re happy with your choice?]

    [Yes!] she confirms joyfully.

    Well¡­ I suppose it''s to be expected. She''s happy, that''s what matters.

    [Actually, since you''ve got new¡­ mind¡­ invasion¡­ stuff, you should check the Skills avable to purchase. You might have unlocked something to do with your new capabilities. In fact, I''d be shocked if you didn''t. You should also make sure that you test out your phasing ability as much as you can before we go out to fight again. I get the feeling it might take a little while to get the hang of, so practicing early will pay off.]

    Only too happy to take my advice, Crinis tentacles her way over to a corner so she can start perusing the lists and I see her already trying to pass a tentacle into the wall, shifting the flesh to be insubstantial. There really is going to be nowhere to hide from her much longer. I feel a chill.

    Thankfully, Tiny manages to distract me from my grim future by sitting up and yawning with an unexpected amount of energy. His thick, packed arms and shoulders shift and bulge beneath his fur as he moves and as he bes more aware I see him nce down at himself, a mighty grin breaking out on his face as he beholds his new mass.

    [Yeah, yeah. You''re huge. Did you get anything else in this evolution, or did you just pour it all into Might?]

    He gives me a thumbs up that I could interpret in several ways but I decide that he is probably indicating that he did actually diversify in some way.

    [And you remembered to make sure that your Cunning score stayed over twenty?]

    The thumb droops a bit, but he does keep it up from which I take it to mean that he did do as I said, but he''d much rather have sacked more of his brain matter if he could.

    [Good! Well done Tiny! Why don''t you run me through what your choices were and what you picked? I''d love to know all about it.]

    Even with his increased intelligence, Tiny isn''t much of a talker, but with a mixture of words, gestures and interpretative dance (which he''s surprisingly skilled at) I manage to get the gist of what he''s saying.

    [Sounds like you got some he impressive bones there big guy,] I congratte him. [Not as amazing or shiny as my carapace, but still, not bad.]

    I have a thought.

    [By the by. The two of you ought to finish up any new Skill purchases and do some mutating! Pour some Biomass into those fancy new duds you''re carrying around now, then we''ll go out and get tobat practice! Sound good?]

    I get a resounding cheer from all my pets, even Invidia for some reason, and all of us settle into perusing menus.

 Chapter 655 The gang mutates

    <h4>Chapter 655 The gang mutates </h4>

    It''s not only the pets that need to get some mutating done, I''m in the same boat myself! Whilst I haven''t been packing on the Biomass at the moment, I''ve been making sure I keep a steady intake in order to continue umting points and there''s plenty that I can do with them. I''m not nning on pushing anything to +30 just yet, not even my precious carapace, since there''s still much lower hanging fruit that I can reach up and grab with almost no effort. Upgrading my stomach would be good, but still too expensive at this stage. It''s a whopping 140 Biomass to take a single organ from +25 to +30 and when I still have parts of my body without any upgrades at all, it just isn''t going to happen.

    That''s right! I''m talking about my brains!

    All four of them, to be precise. The main mind, main sub-brain and the twockeys, the regr sub-brains. I actually spoke fairly at length with Torrina about mutations for brains, at Granin''s suggestion, since he thought that she might have more expertise than he did as she specialised in ''spell-casting wimp monsters'', in his words. I quickly learned that when ites to brains there is way too much to know and very quickly had to ask the enthusiastic shaper to tone things down for me.

    In the end, despite the plethora of possible options,binations and builds that can be done with brains, there are only a few that are particrly relevant for me. In the end, what exactly do I want my brains to do? The focus is fairly narrow when it was put to me in those terms, and Torrina was only too happy to spell out the strengths and weaknesses of each choice at a level that I couldprehend it.

    Still, I wistfully look down the list at the many intriguing options that I''ll never get the chance to pick.

    Rapid brain for faster processing of information. Very useful for speed type monsters like Vibrant. A mutation like this, as well as a nervous system upgraded simr to mine are almost a necessity for her as she gets faster and faster. Moving at that kind of speed without being able to think fast enough to keep up with it, or react fast enough when something jumps out at you, is a short cut to getting yourself stted on a wall somewhere. I was sure to sit Vibrant down and press this point upon her as soon as I got the chance, which took a little doing. Gravity mana is a great leveller when ites to catching her.

    Motion Prediction brain? Another handy one. Develops and improves the section of the brain dedicated to motion tracking and prediction. I remember hearing that jugglers on Earth were found to haverger examples of this sector. It might seem like not much, but when you think about the amount of motion tracking that goes on inbat, you''d begin to realise just how important it can be to be able to urately trace and predict the path of things in motion. I''d love to take this as a defensive option¡­ but my heart is set on another path¡­ Maybe if I get another brain¡­

    Hormone control brain? Turns out even monsters have hormones that help regte their body. Being able to exercise some level of control over them would be more than a little handy¡­ Need an adrenaline kick at just the right moment? POW! Delivered right into the system when you want it.

    Emotion regtor? This one seems a little weirder to me¡­ The meditation skill does something simr once ranked up, but I can see there would be some synergies. If you were a rage monster like Sarah then you could use something like this to make you angry all the time. Apparently she isn''t able to purchase this mutation due to a restriction of her species, which is something I''ve not yet run into. Though I suppose if you literally turn yourself into an unstoppable avatar of berserk rage then the System isn''t likely to just let you turn it off whenever you want to. It''d be like allowing Vibrant to purchase a ''calm'' organ. It''s just wrong.

    But it''s in the magical options that the real juice of the brain mutations can be found. Better mana maniption, or perception, or handling, or sensitivity, or even absorption are here. You can improve the brain''s capacity to handle specific types of mana, or utilise particr types of constructs.

    It''s even possible to select mutation that will, after enough upgrades, permanently engrave a construct into the structure of the brain itself. Wild, I know. The advantage of not having to make and then maintain the construct are nice and all, but you could just get the mana organ if you wanted to. Of course, taking this option only takes up a mutation slot, rather than a new organ, essentially passing the cost onto Biomass rather than precious evolutionary energy. The drawback being that the brain you purchase this mutation for won''t be able to utilise any other form of mana, which is a problem, obviously. I suppose if you were a specialist, it would be fine, but I have other ns.

    When looking at it logically, what am I going to be using my sub-brains for? Creating mind constructs! It''ll be the constructs themselves that go on to do the actual spell-casting, and I can''t mutate those, they aren''t physically part of my body. There''s no point making my sub-brains better at casting any spell other than mind constructs, it''s simply a waste of resources.

    This is the point that Torrina was most determined to press upon me, not to be distracted by the shiny offerings but focus on the boring truth. The future of my sub brains is a grim one, they will be mind construct batteries and little else! The better they are at making mind constructs, the more spells I can sling! There simply isn''t any way to ovee the difference by going down any other path!

    So naturally, the option I choose for them is the Mind Mana Specialisation.

    All three sub-brains are to be upgraded to +15, taking the mind mana mutation both times, then reinforcing it. With this, all three of them will be much more adept at handling mind mana, as well as using the mind mana construct. This will help my training speed as well as improving my ability to form new minds. Which leaves me with my main brain. Obviously, there''s a few ways that I could go with this one. I could leave all the spell casting to the sub-brains and have my main mind be set aside just for processingbat information and moving the body, but that''s boring! I didn''t pump so many stats into this brain to have it handle all the simplest tasks! No! I pumped all the stats into this brain so that it could handle the biggest, most awesome magic of all!

    Whipping through the menu, I find what I want and grin to myself.

    Gravity Mana specialisation. I take this mutation at +5, then I scroll through and find the other mutation I want: Condensing Mana handling. Take that mutation at +10, then fuse the two together at +15. Gweheheheh. That''s right, my main mind is for dropping bombs, literally. Of course, the sub-brains can cast the gravity bomb now, but that doesn''t mean that''s what I want them to do most of the time. Nope, they''re reserved for creating mind constructs that will focus on elemental casting. When ites to gravity magic, the main mind is going to be my go to and I''ll continue pouring evolutionary energy into it until it can throw around gravity spells with contemptuous ease.

    With these two mutations, my main mind has grown better at condensing mana and handling gravity mana. I can''t wait to see how they work together!

    With everything selected, I confirm my choices and almost gleefully allow the rising itch to take over, throwing my body to the ground and spasming my legs in the air like a poisoned spider. Just wait, Dungeon! My power will never stop growing!

 Chapter 656 Out to fight in the new digs

    <h4>Chapter 656 Out to fight in the new digs </h4>

    Travelling thends of the Colony was not something I was too eager to undertake. My decision to pursue this venture was only made after repeated, and passionate, requests from you, my dear readers. I was as intrigued as all of you, I''m sure, when word of this strange new ce reached my ears in Derinon. And of people cooperating with monsters from the Dungeon? It was scandalous! The old biddies and I were all too happy to titter over tea and imagine what such a ce would be like. For my part, I was content to leave it to the imagination and dedicate myself to my cross-stitching, but you wouldn''t have it, would you, reader?

    My publisher all but broke down my door one morning, a barrel full of letters under one arm and his face as red as a baboon''s rear. For a man with such pitiful physical stats, it was rather an impressive sight. After I sat the man down and got a stiff drink into him, he exined that demands for a travelogue detailing this wondrous new ce had been pouring in. The people had spoken, he dered to me, and urged that I make preparations for the journey as soon as possible.

    What am I if not your humble servant, dear reader? So it was that not a weekter I had packed my bags and begun the long trek to the wild frontier! It was enough to make my bo spin, let me tell you. Naturally, my assistant andpanion Riligent has joined me, along with several suitably strappingds andsses who have assured us they are up to the task of ensuring our safety.

    So fear not, dear reader! As safely as possible, I, your beloved Tolly, will step foot where others fear to tread and bring you the vivid stories of farawaynds that you so crave! Await my next missive with bated breath, for we are only a few days away from the borders. What will we see? Find out next time!

    Excerpt from Chapter One of ''Traveling Tolly in thends of the Colony'' published in the Monthly ''Pangera Gazette''

    Freshly mutated and ready to go, my team of all-powerful, world-beating tier six monsters makes its way out of the evolution chamber in the heart of the nest and out toward the borders. We''ve got new wheels, time to take ''em for a spin. We don''t get far before Tiny is already swinging his fists, a broad grin on his face. It''s a shame we have to leave his armour behind since it no longer fits him. Even his noggin grewrger to the point his helmet wouldn''t go on again.

    Another visit to Smithant will be required, I think. I probably need to get measured up as well, since I kind of promised her that I would look at getting some armour organised once I''d evolved. At least I can say to this point that I''ve genuinely been busy helping defend the Colony during the wave. Hopefully that mad ant won''t give me too much grief over it¡­

    Regardless of insane cksmiths, by the time we reach the front there''s a tangible excitement in the air as both Tiny and Crinis are excited to test out their new selves.

    "Greetings Eldest, back again already?" the general on duty at this checkpoint asks.

    "Hey there!" I greet her. "Yep, the crew has evolved and we are ready to unleash some pain on the wave. How''ve things been here?"

    She shrugs with her antennae even as she keeps her eyesser focused on the never ending warfare around the chokepoint ahead of us.

    "The pressure continues to build. We received a new wave of reinforcements a few hours ago, which certainly helps. I''ve increased the active garrison size by twenty percent and added a new shift to the rotation. Hopefully it''s enough."

    "It''ll be fine!" I try to instil some confidence. "We''ve held on this far, haven''t we? We''re likely more than half way through it by this time."

    The general doesn''t seem as uplifted as I would have hoped.

    "We''ll see," is all she says, "it''s a general''s job to stay pessimistic. I''ll keep expecting the worst and hope it pans out better than that."

    "Probably a good y," I say. "If it''s all the same to you, mind if we poke through the chokepoint and fight?"

    "Go for it," she says, "just make sure you coordinate with the garrison."

    Having gotten permission, we sidle forward and arrange with the ants in the thick of the action to allow us through the next time they pull back, which gives us a minute or so of waiting time.

    [Alright then,] I say to my two newly minted pets, [who''s going to go in first?]

    Tiny looks at me like I''m insane and Crinis just sighs.

    [Alright then Tiny. You''re the first cab off the rank,] Iugh and the big gori ps his bare chest with glee. [Just remember you don''t have any armour on. Your bones might have hardened up, but the rest of you hasn''t, alright? Be careful.]

    He nods, but I can tell he isn''t really listening, his eyes already fixated beyond the chokepoint as his fingers curl into fists, electricity sparking across his body. I can only roll my eyes (metaphorically) and ask Invidia to take care of the big idiot. A momentter and the ants pull back from the chokepoint, giving us the space to charge forward. Not wasting a second, Tiny unleashes a shattering war cry before he ms his massive fists into the ground, cracking the stone beneath our feet and sending himself barrelling forward into the teeth of the wave.

    I can already feel the mana spinning in Invidia''s grasp as he weaves numerous barriers and healing spells, but Tiny is oblivious to all of it. As the ws and fangs of the innumerable monsters reach for him, he rears back with one fist wreathed in pulsing light andunches it forward, his eyes aze with joy.

    BOOM!

    Like a cannon had gone off or an artillery shell had justnded, a loud roar rattles my head just as a dazzling light blinds my eyes. What the heck was that?! Unwilling to hesitate, I rush forward right behind the big ape and prepare myself to fight, only to find that with that one punch Tiny has managed to vaporize a dozen shadow monsters, clearing space around the opening.

    What in the name of the great googly-moogly¡­

    "Roar!"

    Tiny bellows again with rage and joy as his fists begin to spark with lightning, the chittering crackle of electricity grows louder and louder until he reaches back and throws out his fists in a sharp one twobo, smacking directly into a hulking shadow slug that reared up in front of him.

    BOOM! BOOM!

    This time, two near simultaneous detonations ring out and despite being blinded by the sh once more, I get a better view of what is going on. The moment his fistnds, the energy contained in his fists is unleashed in a cmitous burst, striking out like a burst of lightning and decimating whatever is in front of him. It''s almost as if he''s throwing a bolt of lightning with each punch! This must be the work of the Lightning Ignition nd, allowing him to unleash more of the mana in a shorter time frame, letting him charge his fists in record time. It''ll drain away his lightning mana at a rapid pace, but what does that matter in the face of this devastating amount of damage? There can''t be much that would be able to stand in front of him long enough for him to deplete both of his lightning nds.

    The massive, bat-faced ape roars once more, throwing his head back and smashing his fists into his chest in a disy of primal dominance. I can practically feel the glee radiating off of my oldest pet as his fists begin to chitter once more with sparking lighting and he steps forward looking for more challengers as I watch over him from behind. Well, it looks like he''s pretty darn pleased with his evolution. When he finally runs out of juice, we''ll see how Crinis feels about hers.

 Chapter 657 I wish I hadnâ€™t seen that

    <h4>Chapter 657 I wish I hadn''t seen that </h4>

    What follows is an hour in which Tiny goespletely berserk on every monster unfortunate enough to poke its nose into the tunnel in which we stood. So quickly was he mowing down the lower tier shadow creatures that he ended up pushing forward several hundred metres trying to find a challenger. He did eventuallye across a lithe demon with scythe-like arms and a menacing aura. I almost stepped forward to take it on myself, but the moment he saw it, Tiny was off like a shot, bellowing his challenge as his wings spread out to build his speed even further.

    My heart leapt into my mouth and I was genuinely concerned for the moron for a heartbeat. Despite being a tier lower than he was, demons have all sorts of in-built advantages over a first stratum monster like Tiny. Would he be alright?

    As it turns out, my worries were somewhat warranted, despite how short the fight turned out to be. The demon, unimpressed with the gigantic monkey bearing down on it, slid neatly to one side as it shed out with one arm. A powerful de of light manifested along with the strike, homing in on Tiny''s neck as he descended on the monster. For a brief moment, I thought his head was going to get sliced clean off, but without missing a beat, Tiny raised his left arm to block the strike as his right swung down, his own fist wreathed in light as a giant fist of light manifested to mirror his own.

    At first, it appeared as though the Demon would win the day as its de sunk deep into the ape''s flesh, blood spurting out from the cut. But then, the attack just¡­ stopped. As if it had run into a brick wall. Tiny''s hand however, did not stop, and the poor demon was ttened into the ground by the brutal power behind that swing. Disoriented from the blow, there was little the third stratum monster could do to retaliate as Tiny stood over it and delivered a devastatingbo, literally burying it in the stone floor of the tunnel.

    When it was done, Tiny walked back toward us with a broad grin on his face, even as he continued to lose a copious amount of blood from the wound on his arm.

    [Don''t smile at me like that, you moron! Your arm is half cut off! Come over here quickly and get healed!]

    When he came closer, it was clear to see what happened. The de had indeed sliced through his muscle and tissue like it was paper, but when it came to the bone¡­ no such luck. Tiny''s new skeleton was harder than stone, harder perhaps than my own diamond carapace. When the scythe had struck the bones in his forearm it had been stopped cold,pletely unable to cut through.

    [Those new bones of yours are the real deal, Tiny!] I tell him, impressed.

    He grins wide and brings both his arms up to flex, showing off his gains.

    [Yeah, yeah,] I tell him. [You did well. Let''s get out of here and head to another checkpoint since you''ve ttened everything out here. I don''t want to range too far from the Colony on this trip, this is just a test run.]

    We make our way back to the chokepoint, clearing up the still spawning monsters on the way and squeezing back behind the safety of the defensive lines. The general waves goodbye to us as we head off, stop for a quick meal, and then make our way to a neighbouring checkpoint. After finding things much the same here as at thest one, we wait just behind the garrison as they contend with the wave, watching for the moment they pull back and we can drive ourselves forward.

    [Alright Crinis, it''s time for you to shine. Are you ready?]

    [I am!] the little ball sitting on my back extends a few tentacles and makes a miniature ''guts'' pose, pumping herself up for the battle toe.

    [Okay. You''re going through first, so make sure you''repletely prepared. The rest of us will follow behind. Tiny, you bring up the rear, no fighting for you, it''s Crinis'' turn.]

    He nods unhappily and droops his shoulders as the rest of us ignore him, focusing on the intense battle in front of us. With a short hop, Crinisunches from my back onto the ground in front of me where she sts into a puddle that rapidly unfurls and grows, sprouting tentacle after tentacle until one great yawning maw after another opens wide, the ck depths within an unknowable void from which nothing can escape.

    Gradually, the light fades away until even in this sea of shadows there is a deep darkness that causes me to switch over to mana sensing to get a better sense of what is going on. This is Crinis working her shadow magic, which she has been practicing diligently I can see. To have this level of mastery of the darkness, she must have raised it to rank five or six, which is impressive. When the area around her has been submerged in total shadow, I can sense some of her tentacles reaching out and slipping into the ground beneath her, plunging into the realm between. I almost feel sorry for the creatures on the other side of the chokepoint, not even they deserve what is about to descend on them.

    When the garrison pulled back, it wasn''t with a mighty roar or valiant charge like Tiny that Crinis advanced, that wasn''t her style, instead, she glided forwards on a rolling carpet of limbs, perfectly silent, nothing to announce her presence to the monsters beyond. The first the maddened creatures of the wave knew of her, was when all light faded from their eyes and the tentaclestched onto them, slithering around their bodies and winding between their limbs. By that time, it was, of course, far toote.

    Somewhat reluctantly, I followed behind her, ready to assist in any way should it prove necessary, but instead I witnesse a one sided and sickening affair. Crinis'' ability to independently control her tentacles had clearly risen, as a forest of dark, ded limbs writhed before me, each one perfectly controlled as they batter aside ws, curl around and snap shut mouths before extending their barbs. The buzzing sound of her des at work is enough to set my mandibles to chattering as the unspeakable takes ce, the segmented body parts of in monsters begin to fill the air as Crinis brings them back to her main body before they are stuffed into one of the waiting maws.

    Sometimes the monsters have not evenpleted the transition from living threat to Biomass before they are dragged, struggling and wing back to her, but it matters not, into the bottomless void they go, the gnashing teeth disintegrating them with every bite.

    Holy moly! My eyes! My precious eyes! I can''t even close them! I swear by the shining white beard of he with the pointiest hat that I''m giving myself eyelids the next time I evolve. It''s not right that someone should be made to see this!

    Even the monsters have had enough, ovee with terror they turn to flee, which is when Crinis unleashes the true horror of her new existence. From the shadows in front of them emerge a wall of limbs, blocking their escape. The creatures try to fight their way out, swinging with ws, biting with fangs and unleashing every other ability they have managed to gain since spawning, but it''s all for naught.

    Rather than block, rather than dodge, Crinis simply allows the limbs to phase out of reality. Fiendish ws slide straight through, teeth snap shut on nothing, acid and poison find no purchase. Before the monsters can recover, the ghostly limbs snap down, extending something new from their tips. This isn''t anything I''ve seen before and I find myself curious despite everything, leaning forward and sharpening my mind to better catch a glimpse of what she''s doing.

    I soon wish I hadn''t.

    Glistening, ghostly tendrils hang from the tips of Crinis'' limbs which she quickly drives down, straight onto the monsters'' heads. If I hadn''t been paying such close attention, I might not have noticed how those root-like, ethereal appendages drilled down into the monsters, slipping straight through whatever hide, skeleton or mucous covered them and prating their brains. I held my breath as they grew still for a moment, each of the beasts frozen in ce like a nightmare painting.

    Then they screamed.

    The monsters of the Dungeon, filled with rage and drunk on mana, screamed in fear and terror before they set upon each other, tearing their fellow victims apart as whatever sanity they had fled to the furthest recess of their minds.

    [Hee, hee, hee, hee!] Crinis giggled.

    I could only bring my forelegs up to clutch at my head in despair. What have I created here?!

 Chapter 658 Pupal Stage

    <h4>Chapter 658 Pupal Stage </h4>

    Much like Tiny, Crinis wasn''t satisfied with her initial rampage and pursued her opponents deeper into the tunnels. I use the word pursued in the literal sense since they were actively running away from her at that stage. On some level, it was fascinating to watch, since there didn''t seem to be much defence against the ghost tendril attack that she used to directly attack the minds of her foes. Once she managed to drill those tentacles into their heads, the opponents would go ck before they inevitably turned into raving mad-things thatshed out at everything around them.

    The obvious solution would be to make sure that the limbs never touched you, but that wasn''t exactly an easy thing to do, since she could manifest them from every shadow within her range, which was almost a hundred metres at this point. They could pop out at our feet, creep out of the wall behind your back, even drop down from the ceiling above. If you were somehow able to keep track of all of that, she could simply phase them out of reality, slipping straight through your body, moving through weapons and armour before driving toward the brain.

    It posed an impossible problem and even tier four and five monsters did little better. They might be able to slice a few of her tentacles off, perhaps even many of them, but it didn''t seem to matter as Crinis produced more flesh at a ridiculous rate, fuelled by her constant eating. Eventually even these stronger monsters were overwhelmed as their minds were invaded.

    Once things reached this point, only one monster had been able to resist to any significant degree that I saw. A demon of the spell casting variety, it used its magic to fend her off as long as it could, but it too was eventually ovee. Once Crinis managed to drive her tendrils into its mind, the creature stilled, but notpletely. Moving its thin arms desperately, it tried to w at her tentacles and I could sense the vague shifting of mana around it as it attempted to form another spell. With a flick, Crinis sent a dozen more limbs toward the creature, each of them driving their tendrils into its mind which eventually overwhelmed its defences and it sumbed like the others.

    When it was all said and done, we made our way back to the nest with a rather smug Crinis riding on my back.

    [What happened with that demon, Crinis?] I ask her, [it seemed to put up more of a fight than anything else when it came to those tendrils.]

    She huffed.

    [That filth thought it could intrude on the domain of the master''s family, it deserved worse than it got!]

    [Yeah,] I ignore that part, [but how was it able to resist your new¡­ thing?]

    [Oh! What I attack with the Soul Seeker Cilia isn''t actually the brain, but the mind, or I suppose you could say the spirit?] she tells me. [Creatures with stronger Wills and stronger spirits are harder to drive over the edge, so I had to use a multi-pronged attack.]

    I''m a little nervous.

    [When you say drive over the edge¡­ what do you mean¡­ exactly?]

    She wiggles with glee on my carapace.

    [The edge of sanity, of course, Master,] she giggles.

    Ahhh heck. This evolution has only driven her further over the edge to a creature of pure horror. As long as she''s happy, I suppose it''s fine. I''ll just have to make sure I find a way to avert my eyes from this point forward.

    With the flexing of their newly evolved muscles out of the way, I take the group back to the evolution chamber to formally introduce them to the new temporary member of the group. I''m sure they both noticed the grub locked away in her cage when they woke up, but neither bothered toment at the time, preupied with other things. However, when we arrive, I''m a little surprised to see that therva has undergone a shocking transformation.

    No longer a grub, she has busily spun herself a cocoon in the time we were gone and is now fully encased, undergoing her transformation within its silken confines. Larva has sessfully evolved into pupa! Actually, that reminds me. I quickly snoop around for the cores I left behind, remembering what happened when Vibrant moved to this stage. Sure enough, they''re gone. Now I have the skills to actually recognise the stronger mana signatureing from the former grub in front of me. How did she do it?! Is it something to do with champions?

    [Is this what you were referring to, Master?] Crinis asks, extending a tentacle to poke the pupa gently.

    [Yeah, this is her. This little grub has way too much energy, managed to escape out of the nest on her own. Was quite the sight, let me tell you.]

    I frown as I look down on her. This is probably a little too quick for her to be a pupa, if my numbers are right. I get the feeling the little trouble-maker got impatient and decided to advance ahead of schedule¡­ although the elerated feeding program we had her on might have contributed to the problem. She would have reached the required Biomass far ahead of most of her siblings.

    It''s an interesting stage of life for an ant, the pupal stage. Therva that existed before doesn''t remain for long, the entire body turning into a liquid goop that is reformed into the new body. Once she''s ready, she''ll eclose, and after allowing for a brief period of time so the carapace can harden, she''ll be a fully formed hatchling! Ready for my personal brand of education!

    The question is, what do we do now? Monsters can''t spawn in this section of the nest, thanks to the removal of the Dungeon veins, so she''d be perfectly safe if we left her here. My only worry is what would happen if she woke up and broke out before I returned? Considering the amount of chaos she caused as a grub, what could she achieve as a hatchling? I shudder to think of it. No, can''t leave her here on her own. That means she has toe with us.

    [Tiny, can I get you to break open that cage and carry the pupa along with us. Whatever you do, don''t damage her, alright? That''s the next generation there in front of us.]

    With unusual respect and gentleness, Tiny reaches down his tree trunk arms and shatters the metal cage with ease, grasping hold of the pupa with one hand and bringing it up to his chest where he cradles it with one arm.

    [Nice work. Alright then, time to get back to it. We need to keep the pupa with us at all times, which means one of us is going to be on pupa watch every time we fight. I''ll work out the rotation and I don''t want to hear anyining.]

    I give Tiny the stink eye for a second and he looks at me with a wounded expression.

    [The wave will peak and then subside soon, so we need to be careful of any new types of monsters that poke their noses up, or higher tier ones. We''ve been lucky so far that no tier sevens have shown up but I don''t expect our luck tost. Any questions?]

    They each shake their heads/tentacles and we make our way back to the front for another foray, helping to take the heat off the Colony''s defenders. What I really want to do is push all the way down to the third strata again, strut our stuff down there now that the full group has evolved, but it''s too risky. With all sorts of monsters spawning in the tunnels now, who knows what might pop up that the Colony can''t handle without us?

    No, we need to stick around and keep fighting. For the time being at least.

 Chapter 659 Is it getting damp in here?

    <h4>Chapter 659 Is it getting damp in here? </h4>

    With the pupa safely ensconced within Tiny''s muscr arms, we move at speed through the nest and back out to the front lines again. I''ve been doing this walk a great dealtely and I swear it gets busier every time. The vast farms that have been constructed are still teeming with ants, collecting the enormous quantities of Biomass and cores that flow endlessly every day. How on Pangera we manage to consume all of it, I have no idea. There must be a ton more hatchlings being trained in the stratum above than I think there are, if most of it is going up there. Just thinking about the rapidly growing poption of the Colony puts a hop in my step. It won''t be long until there are just too many of us to be dealt with easily, especially considering how strong we all are.

    More and more tier fours are appearing all the time, to the point that down here in the second stratum, there are more tier fours than there are tier threes. Even more exciting than that though, is the growing poption of tier fives! Almost exclusively soldiers and scouts, these powerful warriors are the vanguard of the ant age! It''s a shame that, since we''re monsters, there''s no other way for us to level up and evolve other than to fight. The surface races don''t have this problem, their farmers can grow crops and level up just from performing their duties, but not us! No matter how little suited tobat the carvers and brood tenders might be, it''s the only way they can rue the experience they need to evolve. Hopefully some of the creatures from the farms are also being used to funnel xp to these more peaceful castes.

    Just because they don''t fight, doesn''t mean that there aren''t benefits to evolving them! I can scarcely imagine how useful a tier six brood tender would be, every ounce of her evolutionary energy given over to auras and nds that nourish and aid thervae and pupae. Knowing the System like I do, I wager the young would have all sorts of benefits from being raised by such a tender, higher stats, greater skill levels, perhaps even body parts and organs that perform above their usual specs.

    Now that I think about it¡­ that would be so damn useful!

    If I can think of it, I''m sure the rest of the council can also think of it. No doubt this project is under way already. When the first tier six brood tender is born, I seriously want to be there to find out what they can do! That''ll be insane!

    For now though, it''s back to the relentless fight. The only thing allowing the Colony to make the incredible strides forward that it had made over the past weeks has been the stalwart defence being made at the borders and it is our duty to help with that, being the strongest group of fighters the Colony can draw on!

    After a brief conversation with yet another supervising general, we take our positions and drive forward into the face of the wave the moment the garrison pulls back. All of us except Tiny that is, since he''s been relegated to pupa-sitting duty. He was strangely alright with the decision to leave him behind, cradling the cocoon as if it were a baby as he fell asleep against the side of the wall. I think it''ll be fine, since if the ant ecloses in his embrace there is zero chance she''ll be able to fight her way out of his grip.

    For the rest of us, it''s business as usual.

    The monsters are nearly endless and I continue to train my mind magic on them whilst Crinis performs her dark work and Invidia detonates everything he can, radiating glee with explosion. When we run into the tougher monsters, we team up to take them down, harvesting their cores and scarfing down the Biomass as quickly as we can before getting back into the thick of it. Unsatisfied with just guarding the entrance, I direct the pets to advance down the tunnel with me, hoping to clear out the bulk of the monsters guing this section of the defence.

    All goes smoothly, until Crinis notices something is a little different than usual.

    [Master, isn''t it a little more¡­ damp than usual for the second stratum?]

    I pause for a moment, my mandibles freezing in the act of biting and my minds sh to my sensory input. She''s not wrong, there''s an unusual amount of water for this section of tunnel. The secondyer of the Dungeon might be called the Shadow Sea, but there actually isn''t that much liquid water down here.

    [You aren''t wrong,] I tell her, feeling a little tense, [eliminate everything nearby, something doesn''t feel right.]

    If something weird is going to happen, then I want every other threat in the area neutralised as quickly as possible. Only too happy toply, Invidia picks up the speed of his detonations, spinning his magic at an incredible speed. Which is precisely when a bolt of solid water flies out of the darkness and smacks him right in the face.

    [Invidia!] I cry.

    I leap over to check on the demon to find that he''d protected himself at thest moment by weaving a shield in front of his face. The speed he works at¡­ incredible! But where the hell did that watere from? I peer into the darkness around us, sweeping with all of my senses. It''s faint, but I can detect a strange ambient mana in here that I can''t quite put my finger on.

    [Ssssss. Irritating¡­]

    The little envy demon flutters his wings and lifts himself back into the air, the impact clearly having done some damage.

    [Heal yourself up and stay alert,] I warn him, still watching the ce where the water st originated.

    Imagine my surprise when I get hit from behind by a st of watering from the opposite direction to the first! Dammit! Even my advanced warning wasn''t enough to dodge the strike, I was so focused on the other direction. My legs stagger under the force of the blow as my carapace absorbs the shock. This isn''t any ordinary st of water¡­ it''s heavy, and the water was moving fast.

    Failing to prate my carapace, the pressurised water creates a fountain of spray that drenches everything around us in freezing liquid. That does it! Irritated by the attack, I spin together my omni-elemental construct and start churning out blue fire mana. As soon as I get a hold on some I whip up a fire domain that expands outwards from my position, roasting the area around me and drying me off instantly.

    The moment the domain flickers into life, I hear a strange gurgling roar echo from all around me, as if the me had offended some creature simply bying into existence. Which is when I notice the water around us flowing together, trickling from the walls and across the ground, gathering speed until it forms a flood. In mere seconds, thousands of litres of water have coalesced into a really cheesed off looking wall of water that stares down at us like I just pooped on its rug.

    Water¡­ monster?

 Chapter 660 A taste of what is to come

    <h4>Chapter 660 A taste of what is toe </h4>

    Now that it''s in front of me, I can sense it far more clearly, the aura of mana that had been spread throughout the tunnel has concentrated in one area, the hidden core of the monster now exposed and pulsing with power. This beast is no small fry, tier six certainly, and most likely not from the third strata. Not wanting to allow this neer to make the first move, I draw deep on my core, pulling out all the mana I can and feeding it into the construct, shaping and condensing it at the same time in bolts of pure me.

    [Invidia, you''re on defensive duty, but feel free to take shots when you have time. Crinis, see if you can get a crack at its mind, otherwise keep the small fry away from us,] I tell my pets tersely.

    The two of them acknowledge my orders as I stare up at the strange water monster. It''s huge, towering above me and filling the tunnel with its presence. Its body seems to be fully formed of liquid, the core glowing bright in the centre of its mass. The water continues to flow, shifting and moving in constant motion, asionally frothing and fizzing aspeting currents wash against each other and form waves across its body. It doesn''t take any particr form, no arms or humanoid shape, rather it simply looks like a giant mass, or pir.

    Then it shifts slightly and my antennae scream at me.

    Holy moly!

    I leap to the side, nerves afire with energy as a de of water slices through the air where I stood just a moment ago, cutting an inches deep groove into the rock. What the heck was that!? It went straight through my fire domain like it wasn''t even there! In retaliation, I fire off a duo of condensed blue fire bolts, watching as they fly straight into the water creature and fizzle out instantly.

    Hmmm. That''s not good.

    BOOM!

    Hanging back and staying behind me, Invidia weaves together an explosion right next to the monster that sends a spray of water flying out and causing waves of force¡­ as well as literal waves to roll through the entire creature.

    [Nice, Invidia!] I cheer.

    Once more that gurgling roar echoes out and suddenly the air is filled with water, bolts, sts and jets firing off every which way as the monster retaliates against the envy demon. Forced onto the defensive, Invidia weavesyer afteryer of shields around himself to protect against the onught of aquatic attacks. Unwilling to abandon the floaty eyeball, Iunch onto the offensive, peeling my mandibles back wide as I lock in ce and charge!

    Dash!

    My legs surge with energy as I leap toward the target, bringing it within my fire domain that causes it to hiss and steam. Then, with a powerful surge I smash shut my mandibles, invoking my most powerful bite skill as I do so!

    DOOM CHOMP!

    Ssh!

    It''s hard, but I manage to force my jaws shut through the monster''s body¡­ but then what? I look up to see that giant mass of flowing water, the vague outlines of a face formed within it looking down on me with contempt. Alright then, so biting doesn''t work¡­ how about this?

    FWOOM!

    Not content to throw tiny balls of fire at the monster any more, I unleash a solid stream of blue fire that roars forward from between my mandibles directly into the creature''s body. How you like them apples?!

    Immediately a wall of steam bursts forth right in front of me, singeing my antennae and washing over my body as the monster roars in pain. My senses buzz with warning but I stay put, applying the blow torch for a moment longer before a wall of condensed water ms into my side, sending me skittering to the side as I absorb the impact. It''s clear that he didn''t like that very much. Perhaps small amounts of fire are easy enough for him to shrug off, but you apply enough heat it starts to chip away at him. Not willing to let up, I dash forward once more, working my sub-brains overtime to pump out more blue fire mana.

    BOOM!

    Freed from defence thanks to my offensive, Invidia finds the time to squeeze out another explosion that rocks the mass of water, sending foam and spray all through the tunnel.

    [Master! I think I have it!] Crinis cries out.

    She takes advantage of the distracted creature to extend her tentacles from a shadow she had prepared earlier, directly behind it. Turning them immaterial, she pushes them deep into the frothing water, reaching for the core held right in the centre. Clever girl!

    With a sound like a tsunami breaking on the shore, the monster ripples with anger before every drop that makes up its form starts to rotate. In only a moment, what was a flowing pir of water has transformed into a raging storm, a cyclone of ripping currents that shreds Crinis'' tentacles where they connect to the ground, forcing her to retract them back through the shadow.

    Damn! This thing is a right pain in the backside! It''s clear that the core is it''s weak point and Crinis nearly took hold of it perfectly, using her new abilities to reach right into the heart of the creature and pluck it out. Could I do the same with my gravity mandibles? Unlikely. Mana doesn''t work that well on internal structures and I''m guessing the same rule applies here, otherwise Invidia would be setting off his explosions inside the creature rather than next to it. If I could spear the core, or attack from outside in some way¡­ Should I use a gravity bomb? No. Not yet. If I can I want to capture the core whole so I can learn more about this creature. I''ll face many more like it and I''d rather have more information than less if I can help it.

    We know it doesn''t like fire burning away at it, but I get the feeling it''s only going to cause damage if I can really bring the heat. I''m going to need to bust out some serious firepower. Cursing that my mind mana focused mutation does nothing for me in these circumstances, I kick all of my brains into overdrive, drawing out every ounce of mana I can from my core and shoving it through the construct to produce as much blue fire mana as I possibly can. Once I get my mental hands on it, I use my main mind to squeeze it down and condense it as much as possible before handing it off to the smaller brains to shape into the spell I want.

    Of course, all of this takes precious seconds, time that I spend trying to distract the monster as best I can. Still in its whirling wall of death, the creature is extremely dangerous to approach. I can see rocks being shattered and cut to bits by the pressure applied by the currents and swirling waters, so I''m not too eager to stick my head in. Instead, I dance around nearby, keeping it within the range of my fire domain and chomping away at it when I get the chance, doing whatever I can to make a nuisance of myself.

    Frustrated, Crinis has been forced onto the defensive and upies herself cleaning out any remaining small-fry as she watches and waits for her chance, keeping her main body at a safe distance and shifting position constantly to avoid getting pinned down. Without me actively casting offensive magic, the barrage of water has resumed and he drifts from side to side, dozens of shields popping into existence and shattering every few seconds.

    It''s risky, but I don''t save him. With the monster focused on protecting itself from my two pets, I can use this precious time to supercharge my spell to the highest possible degree.

    If anyone can be said to be big-brained, it''s my little envy demon. I have every confidence in him!

 Chapter 661 Getting hot in here?

    <h4>Chapter 661 Getting hot in here? </h4>

    Whilst trying to do everything I can to distract the vortex of water, I keep my focus internal, driving and shaping the mana as best I can to create the most powerful fire spell I''ve ever attempted. The spell shape isn''t tooplicated, notpared to the heavy lifting I''ve been doingtely making things like the omni-elemental construct. Even so, seconds tick past as I race to create it whilst Invidia does his best to deflect and dodge a barrage of water based attacks.

    For his part, the little demon punched his massive brain into overdrive, weaving vast amounts of mana into shields at a speed that was dazzling to behold as he driftszily through the air. His eye zes with power as the many mind constructs he''s built weave spell after spell, deflecting and blocking the innumerable bolts of water that fly in his direction as if shot from a cannon. Judging by the damage done by those streaking water bolts when they hit the terrain, I don''t think he''d survive if he were hit by a single one. Invidia might be a magical powerhouse, but taking shots head on is not exactly something he''s designed to do. His tankiness is basically zero.

    Cool as a cucumber with one massive eye, he sticks to his guns and pumps out shield after shield, somehow keeping up with the towering whirlpool of death as it desperately tries to prevent him from blowing it sky high.

    Actually, I just had a thought¡­ It''s throwing out hundreds of litres worth of water¡­ is that weakening it some way? If the water is part of its body, and I cause damage by burning it away, is it hurting itself by doing this? Then my mind is drawn back to the scene we saw when the creature first revealed itself. It had clearly dispersed it''s body and then pulled itself back together, so perhaps it can call that water back to itself if given the chance?

    [Crinis! Try and destroy whatever water you can find lying about.]

    [Ah! W-what?! How do I do that?!]

    [Just drink it or something!]

    Wait a sec¡­

    [Don''t drink it, but do something!]

    [Yes, Master!]

    Hopefully she can prevent the creature from calling the water back, making the loss of mass permanent.

    [How are you holding up, Invidia?] I call to my pet, still focusing inward on piecing my spell together.

    [I sssshall take all it can give meeee!]

    [I like that confidence!]

    He does seem perfectly capable of it at the moment. Good luck chief! Keep up the good work! Because, as a matter of fact, I only need a moment longer to put the finishing touches on this damn thing¡­

    There!

    Thest of the condensed mana slots into ce and each of my brains sits back with a sigh, wiping the metaphorical sweat off of their neurons. This is possibly the heftiest piece of elemental magic that I''ve put together to date and I hope to heck it works against this stupid thing. If not, I''ll be forced to break out the bomb.

    I skitter back from the monster, giving myself a little space before I rear up and unleash my spell. An immediate wave of heat sts into existence, ring into life and chasing away the perpetual shadows of the second stratum. The spell takes the shape of a tornado of pure me that grows as it travels forward until it connects the ceiling of the tunnel to the floor. The temperature around us rises, precipitously as I hear the monster scream its rage once more.

    Gweheheheh.

    How do you like that, you stupid puddle?! Get roasted!

    In only a few heartbeats, the fire and water collide with a deafening hiss as steam billows to an absurd degree, blotting out vision and causing my antennae to start dripping from the overwhelming moisture in the air.

    [Invidia! Strike now!]

    Preupied with battling against my fire, the barrage against the little demon has faltered atst. With a gleeful gleam in his eye, Invidia floats forward slightly before weaving together a devastating series of detonations that rock the tunnel and send debris flying.

    Unsure what''s happening, I start to draw out chunks of gravity mana and start squashing it in case I need it. Before I get far with that process, my antennae twitch in warning and I sense movement all around me. It''s calling back the water! All of the dispersed water that Crinis hasn''t managed to deal with are drawn back to the ball which is still reeling from the barrage of magic. Unwilling to let it heal itself, I charge more mana into my domain, spreading it further before leaping to intercept as much of the liquid trailing through the air as I can.

    More hissing, more steam as the water evaporates when it contacts the domain. I keep the pressure on maintaining my domain and moving closer to the creature once more, relying on the constant burn effect to continue whittling it down. After a few tense moments, my patience is rewarded with the voice of Gandalf himself.

    [You have in level 57 Aqua Spiritus.]

    [You have gained experience.]

    Nice! Finally got it! Eager to collect the spoils, I run forward into the drifting steam, casting my senses about as I attempt to find what I''m after. It doesn''t take long to find the core, given how powerful it is the thing practically radiates mana. I leap on it with glee and seize it up in my mandibles before I start looking around for the rest of the rewards. It takes a long moment of turning left and right for me to work out that the creature was made of water¡­ and therefore wouldn''t have anything by way of Biomass.

    No food! After defeating something like that?! How is that fair?!

    I look down at the damp floor of the tunnel, the water now freely mixing with the dirt, rock and dust there¡­ I think I''ll leave it. I''m not that hungry. Tired and weary from the difficult fight, the three of us make our way back behind the defensive line to find Tiny still sleeping with the pupa cradled in his arms. Unwilling to wake him prematurely, we settle down for a meal only to find he immediately wakes the moment any Biomass is ced within several metres of him. We chow down but I can''t help but bring my antennae forward to examine the glowing blue core of this particrly strange monster that we ran into. It wasn''t like anything I''d seen before and I''m quite interested to see how it ticks.

 Chapter 662 A glimpse of the fourth

    <h4>Chapter 662 A glimpse of the fourth </h4>

    Travelling the wilnds of the uncultured south wasn''t pleasant, dear reader, not at all! The depredation! The sheerck of fortified beverages! I jest, readers, of course I jest. Who am I, after all? Tolly! The bold explorer of the unknown! Despite what I may have been led to believe by the general discussion amongst thedies in my circles, the trip wasn''t nearly as terrible as I might have thought. Rolling hills, green grasnd, forests alive with birds and wildlife. I wouldn''t go so far as to say it was picturesque, do not be confused reader, the sparse poption of thosends means that the monster poption is high and we saw many such critters roaming as we flew overhead. I only mean to state that it wasn''t nearly so deste as many might have you believe.

    For the journey, I travelled by Skimmer, a lovely beast by the name of Skydaisy, and her handler Barlon who was more than amodating on the trip. A lovely gentlemen who was himself born and raised in the wild country, he proved an engaging and informative guide as the kilometres vanished beneath us. It took several weeks of travel before we reached thends once upied by the frontier kingdoms, small fiefdoms established a mere few hundred years ago by break away families who sought to carve out their own destiny on the edges of civilisation, battling against the monsters and thend.

    There is a certain romance in it, reader, is there not? As a fearless and brave adventurer, I myself can perfectly understand the wild, untamed spirit that would cause someone to leave behind theforts and security of home to take hold of their own fortunes! The difference being, I would never do it. I would miss my sherry and the warmth of my enchanted hearth far too much to give it up entirely. It''s already as much as I can bear to be away from myforts for the time it takes to satisfy my curiousity and bring back these missives for you, you can''t ask more than me than that, my demanding readers!

    On a more sombre note, it was clear when we crossed the border and began to see the devastation that was caused by the wave. Ruined towns and cities, burned farmsteads and a ttened countryside were cold reminders of the tragedy that urred here. It was such a sorry scene I needed Regilent to pass my smelling salts to dash away a case of light-headedness. I shall not dwell upon that which is past, though it pained my old heart to witness it, instead I shall return the focus of this travelogue to the bizarre present and the unknowable future!

    For it wasn''t long after that we began to fly over the first signs of civilisation! Newly built farmsteads with smoking chimneys, freshly ploughed fields and dark tilled soil, it was almost enough to bring a tear to my tired eyes. The unfailing spirit of the sapient! The hardy folk of the frontier, risen from the ashes like the phoenix of Avar! Although they did not do it alone¡­ as you are well aware.

    My heart fair skipped a beat when I first saw the first one, all the rumours I''d heard of this strange ce flooding back all at once. Still a day away from the newly established capital of Renewal, we flew over a small vige, scarcely more than a handful of farmhouses built next to each other, unremarkable in every way. Except for that one, key detail. The anthill! Quite a remarkable sight, dear reader, even for one as well travelled as I. Nothing like a crude pile of dirt that the word might evoke in your mind, not at all. This was a masterpiece! A hundred metres tall if it was an inch, every part of it reinforced andpacted until it gleamed like polished stone. And the carvings! Remarkable. Hundreds, thousands of skilful, expressive and detailed images such that my eyes couldn''t quite work out what they should focus on and what should be ignored. Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous.

    Then of course, there were the ants themselves! I could only see three, peeking out the top of the ''hill'', watching as we flew over. It quite whet my appetite I must say, and it was with rising anticipation that I awaited our arrival in the city. You know your Tolly, reader! My thirst for adventure is unquenchable! Await my next missive, in which I detail my first impressions of possibly the most remarkable city in the world!

    ¡¤ Excerpt from Chapter Two of ''Traveling Tolly in thends of the Colony'' published in the Monthly ''Pangera Gazette''

    What a strange and curious thing¡­ examining the core reveals both more and less than I expected to see and gave me my first insights into the sorts of things that were possible in the fourth strata. I''d been told little scraps of information by Granin, who had apparently spent very little time there as a younger, more sprightly Shaper on an expedition with his superiors, but to get hold of a core and see it for myself¡­

    I didn''t even think some of this stuff was possible! And these are the sorts of creatures I''ll run into when I get to the fourth stratum? Holy heck! I''m starting to resent my start as a lowly ant hatchling even more, though I suppose it worked out alright in the end.

    I mean, take a look at this! So apparently a Water Spirit¡­ thing¡­ actually does have organs, although not of the sort that I have obviously, rather they appear to be immaterial, or part of the water itself? Somehow?

    For example, let''s think about muscture. I need muscles to move around, that much makes sense, but how does a giant wall of sentient water with a face on it move? With magic, of course, but that magic needs to be channelled and directed in order to be fit for purpose. That''s where the Tidal Mass Maniptor organ came into y! It allowed the spirit to create micro ''tides'' by shifting the water within its body around, which allowed it to move. Then came the Liquid Shaper, a different type of water within the body the spirit that it could mould into different shapes. I think this was how it was firing bolts of water at us, by forming a pressure cannon out of this stuff and then sting away.

    There appeared to be quite an array of fancy core attachments as well, ethereal organs that are more akin to magical constructs than flesh and blood. One for attracting and moulding the water, one for permeating mana throughout the body, gradually changing the water into a ¡­ I don''t know the technical term here¡­ magical water? I guess? It infused every drop of water the spirit absorbed with water mana, strengthening it and giving the creature better control over it. At least, that''s what I think.

    All sorts of different bits and pieces that I hadn''t even considered before¡­ The idea of being able to have a body that is essentially powered by mana alone¡­ I suppose it makes perfect sense as you get lower down and the mana bes more dense, but it''s a different thing, seeing it for myself. Does this mean that Crinis might eventually be able to transmute her entire body into actual shadow? Just¡­ be a living shadow and jump out of the dark at people? That''s terrifying! Or Tiny! Could he just make himself into lightning? That would be¡­ that would be rad as heck¡­

    What about me then? What might I be? What am I already bing? Maybe I''ll turn myself into a sentient ck hole, just floating around sucking up people. Wait, that sounds wrong¡­

    At any rate, fascinating stuff! I g down a passing scout and have them deliver the core to the core shapers, they''ll be more than a little eager to get their mandibles on it, I''ve no doubt about that. We check in on the pupa to find that she''s developing away as expected. This time we leave Crinis behind to babysit and head out once more into the breach, keen to improve our skills and drive back the wave.

    Hopefully soon this mess will be over and we can all get back to more regr action. I for one am more than a little excited to get back to the third strata and have a better look around. I''m sure there''s a heap of cool things to see down there!

 Chapter 663 775 - The Boiling Rage

    <h4>Chapter 663 Chapter 775 - The Boiling Rage </h4>

    The heat was pervasive, radiating out from the rock around her, from the open pits of me that guttered and belched smoke in the distance and from her own suit. With a grunt of effort, Morrelia brought her twin des forward, driving them straight into the chest of the frothing demon in front of her before she stepped back, smoothly withdrawing the glimmering steel as she did so.

    With a flick of her wrists, she sent the bubbling ichor of the monster hissing onto the ground where it boiled away, the stench of it rising as a vapour and clogging within her helmet. She growled. Just what she needed. Teeth bared in a rictus snarl, she seized hold of that anger, that rage, and drew it out of her belly, through her chest and into her arms. It hurt. A wrenching pain that pulled at her very bones, fueling the rage and driving it to greater heights as she continued to channel it.

    Up and into the arms, into her hands, then with a final shove into her des. The two swords red with violent red light as her anger took root in them, resonating with the metal and magnifying her anger until the rage was all she could feel, all she could see.

    She didn''t know how much longer it was until she came to with a start, arge, armoured hand resting on her shoulder as she stood breathing heavily surrounded by in demons.

    "You need to be more careful," came her father''s voice from behind her, "it''s a dangerous Skill to use without the proper precautions in ce."

    She nodded silently as she braced herself. It hit a momentter, the overwhelming lethargy that came with the loss of her berserker rage. Her hands began to shake and her limbs feltpletely numb. It was all she could do to sheath her weapons, needing three attempts to line the first sword with her scabbard. Knowing how she felt, her father didn''t say anything else, merely led her back through the lines and into camp where shey down on the first cot she found, not even bothering to take her armour off.

    Titus just chuckled as he looked down at her and she weakly flipped a hand at him in protest.

    "I was just thinking of your mother," he rified, "she was often left in this state when she channelled the rage."

    He turned and sat down on a bench nearby, he own abyssal armour ringing like a softly struck bell as the tes shifted against each other. She couldn''t help but frown. When was she going to get a set like that? Her own armour was excellent, of course, but her father''s was the real deal, forged hundreds of years ago from the best materials the Legion had. It weighed a ton, but she was starting to feel as though she might have the strength for it. If she didn''t, she soon would, given the rate her level was climbing.

    Themander watched his daughter recover for a few minutes, sitting silent and simply being present. When he judged enough time had passed, he unclipped the canteen from his belt and gave it to her, nodding when she sat up to drink.

    "You''re recovery time is getting faster. You''ve levelled it up already?"

    Morrelia drank greedily, pouring the lukewarm water through her facete, uncaring of the state of the metal.

    "Take your helmet off," Titus growled, "you''re just beingzy now."

    She growled right back at him, and Titus couldn''t help butugh. She did listen to him, dragging the runic steel from her head and letting to drop the ground, revealing her dirt-streaked face and short cut midnight hair. Free of restrictions, she brought up the canteen again and this time Titus didn''t bother until she had drunk her fill.

    The was a quiet moment, or at least as quiet as it could be when surrounded by a perpetual warzone, and Morrelia decided to say something that had been on her heart ever since they hade to the third stratum.

    "Father¡­" she said, barely tripping over the word as she had in the past, "have you been sent here as punishment? For failing to destroy the Colony?"

    It certainly seemed that way to her. Titus had returned to the Iron Mountain with his Legion just as the wave was getting underway. After reporting to the brass, his troops had been whisked into someone else''smand and the decorated soldier had been unceremoniously sent into the third stratum with a small detachment of troops, Morrelia included, to guard an unimportant outpost, fighting tooth and nail against the wave with far too few troops.

    After a brief silence, she raised her head to find her father looking at her with an odd expression on his face.

    "What?" she demanded.

    He just shook his head.

    "Is that what''s been bothering you? I swear you''ve been moody ever since we got here and only now youe out and tell me?" he chuckled again, and she marked not for the first time how much freer he''d been with his emotions since they had returned. "No, I''m not being punished. Why would I be punished? I did what I could, the situation was worse than we expected, and we retreated before the risk to my legionaries became too great. The council epted my report, it was corroborated by the junior officers and that was the end of it," he shrugged.

    "But weren''t you stripped of yourmand? You troops?"

    "Of course not," he snorted. "There''s a wave on girl, the troops went where they were desperately needed. I''ll have my Legion back when the wave is done."

    "Then what about us?" she demanded, waving a hand at the deste nothing around them, "why have we been sent out here to the middle of nowhere to guard nothing for weeks on end?"

    Titus scratched the side of his nose for a moment.

    "I thought you''d already worked it out. I''d actually thought that was why you were so irritable."

    Morrelia frowned.

    "What are you talking abou- ¡­ mother."

    Themander nodded with a wry smile on his face.

    "Seems like she''s not done babying you just yet. I was a little surprised when the orders came down, but it is something she would do."

    She felt her temperature rising as the anger kindled in her belly once more.

    "Are you telling me she sent us, and these other legionaries here, as a training camp for me?!"

    "She did," he confirmed.

    When he saw the rage starting to burn in her eyes, he quickly raised a hand.

    "Before you get too wound up, be a little patient and I''ll tell you a few things that might alleviate a little of your anger. Alright?"

    With a conscious effort, she shoved her ire down and listened to what her father had to say. Seeing she''d taken control of herself, Titus went on.

    "You might see this as coddling, unnecessary interference from a parent and a waste of resources," he gestured to the small camp around them, "but let me say this, we always defend this checkpoint during a wave. It may not seem like much, but if the monsters swarm through this area, they group up with other streams moving up and cause major issues to our holdings further up. To nip the problem in the bud, we deploy to several ces down here to cut down the trickle before it bes a flood. Make sense?"

    Morrelia nodded, but still didn''t agree. Was it important that this ce be defended? Of course, what her father said made sense, but that didn''t justify sending someone of his strength and experience to do the job. He was wasted here.

    "Secondly," he continued, noting her dissatisfaction, "your mother did not send us here to babysit you, but to elerate your growth."

    She wanted to object and say those were basically the same thing, but she held her tongue.

    "Promising Legionaries are often given opportunities like this when we see they have the potential to rise through the ranks. And before you ask, your mother and I had no part in selecting you for this elerated program. Me being sent with you? That''s likely to be your mother interfering a bit. Not that I mind though."

    She frowned, thinking. If someone had put her forward for this, and it was a standard procedure.

    "You''re a candidate for officers training," her father confirmed before her mind could get there on its own.

    "WHAT?!" she squawked.

    Titus allowed the pride he felt to show on his face.

    "Not many berserkers get chosen for this. Not considered stable enough. Though, I suppose your mother rising to Consul might have shifted opinions on that front a little."

    Complicated emotions rose in Morrelia at hearing this. Did she deserve this sort of treatment? Was it even something she wanted? It had been her dream at one point in her life, she had worked herself to the bone to rise to her father''s expectations. Now?

    "I''m going to go hit something."

    She pushed herself up out of the cot and shook her limbs out before grabbing her helmet and mming it back on her head.

    "You sure that''s a good idea? So soon after yourst rage?" Titus cocked one brow as she stalked away.

    She didn''t reply and he allowed himself to crack a smile as he watched her draw her des as she made her way back to the sounds of battle.

    "We''ll have to talk about your ss evolution when you get back," he called.

 Chapter 664 Getting Classy

    <h4>Chapter 664 Getting ssy </h4>

    The third stratum remains a point of fascination for many researchers due to several of its unique properties. For simr reasons, the various powers of the world make it a priority to establish and maintain vast swathes of territory within this region of the Dungeon. The first reason for this is obvious: the world pirs. To my knowledge, no sessful attempt has ever been made at destroying one of the vast columns that support the overworld. Whatever material they are made of, it certainly isn''t in stone. There have been many who simply sought to mine or study it, but even with advanced tools they were unable to so much as scratch them. Which isn''t to say that we know nothing about them. The outside of the pirs appears to be ayer of self-regenerating stone, simr to Granite, with a very high resistance to temperature.

    This outeryer can be removed with some effort, only to reveal the ck rock that lies within. It is this stuff that none have ever damaged, though it''s possible that the secret has been uncovered and is held very close to the chest by those who have it, since such knowledge would surely shake the world. It isn''t known if the ck rock, which is known by many names, is even the finalyer, or if an even greater secret is held within.

    Just because none have ever damaged a pir, doesn''t mean that the many nations of Pangera don''t fret and worry that it is possible. For this reason, securing the pirs that support their ownnds is seen as a key nk in any policy regarding the Dungeon. Not that this is easy to aplish. Proxy wars are constantly being waged, attempting to seize control of a rival''s columns, threatening to cut Dungeon empires in half by cutting the depths from the surface. This is without the constant threat of the demons themselves, the other fascinating aspect of this stratum.

    Intelligent, vicious and capable of forming rough societies with shared interests, the demons are the worst form of barbarian tribe, capable of forming their own self-governing cities, kingdoms or even empires. Their inherent nature makes them shaky allies at the best of times who are equally as likely to act against their own interests as they are for them. The prodigious spawn rate ofrval demons means the poption is essentially inexhaustible, with new powerful leaders rising from the sea ofrvae to rece the old within days.

    During a wave, this process is exacerbated a hundredfold. Almost all major upheavals within the third stratum ur during these events.

    Excerpt from ''Musings on Mysteries'' By Elric the Wild Mage.

    Morrelia vented her frustrations and mixed emotions on the meless monsters until the bodies were piled high and she could no longer raise her des. Exhausted and numb, she stumbled back to the camp, stepping aside so that fresher warriors could take her ce.

    The demons were strong opponents, without the advantages of her Legion issued Abyssal Armour, or her new enchanted des, she''d be overmatched easily. With them, she was able to cut through most of the opponents she faced in the third stratum so long as her rage burned hot.

    As a berserker, it was the fundamental key to her strength and her most highly ranked Skill, having upgraded it to the seventh rank only recently. Such power came at a cost though, she could only maintain that level of power for a short period of time. Without triggering her rage, she was weaker than most legionaries of her level, since none of the synergies and abilities that came with her ss were active. Once activated, she became a killing machine, incapable of feeling pain or fatigue, driven to violence and empowered to do it. But that onlysted five minutes.

    There were things that could be done to push the rage tost longer, raising the skill level, various enchantments, a few tonics, but most important was the mental state of the berserker. Anger didn''te naturally to most people, which naturally made them unsuitable for the ss. As a child, her impatience and drive fuelled her anger, alongside her natural short temper. Later in life, it was the dissolution of her family, the loss of her brother and the absence of her mother that she channelled into the rage as she ran her own delve team and roamed the wilds.

    For the moment, she wasn''t sure how she should fuel her berserker ss, she had run out of things to be angry about. That is, until her father dropped that surprise on her.

    Before she''d left, her mother had given her some advice on managing her rage, cultivating it like a me.

    "It will burn bright some days," she''d said, standing over Morrelia as she gasped for breath after a sparring session, "but that doesn''t mean it''s strong. Think of your anger like coals, deep in the heart of the fire. People get distracted by the me, dazzled by it, but that isn''t where the heat is. Even when I''m calm, or bored, or happy, deep in here¡­" she tapped herself on her leather breastte, "¡­ in here, the coals glow red hot."

    Which wasn''t the case for ordinary people. Her mother was a freak of nature and one of the strongest women on the. A natural born berserker who had once managed to fuel the rage for an entire hour, a record in the Legion.

    Too weary to worry about it, she found her way into a tent and fell into the nearest cot, once again failing to undress, causing the wooden supports to creak under the weight of her metal garments. She was so tired, she wouldn''t have noticed if it copsed.

    When she woke, she emerged from the tent to find the camp cook had left the stew on the boil and she was more than happy todle herself a generous helping, only bothering to pull her helmet off when she realised she couldn''t shove her spoon through the opening.

    "You probably should clean yourself up a little before we get started."

    Titus'' voice rang with disapproval but she merely grunted, not pausing in the slightest as she continued to stuff her face. As always, her father was clean shaven and neatly attired, his armour freshly polished and his leathers positively gleaming with a fresh coat of oil.

    "Shouldn''t you do some fighting?" she asked.

    "I was," he said and sat down.

    "I''m going to assume your weapon isn''t as clean as the rest of you?"

    He served himself a pot of stew and started eating.

    "It was," he said between mouthfuls, "but like a dutiful legionary, I cleaned it."

    She snorted and Titus crooked a smile before his regr, stern expression settled back over his features.

    "ssing up," he said.

    She groaned.

    "Does it have to be now? I feel like garbage."

    "I offered to let you clean up," he shrugged, "so here we are. Besides, time wasted is experience lost. As far as I''m aware, you don''t have any other major Skill close to increasing in rank, so dying any longer would be a waste. I think you''ve driven about as far as you can with your current ss and you should make sure you take advantage of having someone with my level of experience around while itsts."

    She flicked her eyes to him as he said thatst part.

    "What do you mean by that?" She asked slowly.

    Titus shrugged, his eyes still firmly locked on his stew.

    "Who knows what my next deployment is going to be, or whether you''ll be part of it. If all goes well, you''ll be put on the fast track, which usually means deeper deployments. They''ll start you on the fourth, then maybe the fifth once you limate to the mana. You''ll be pushed hard to see if you''ll crack and sent against tougher opponents than you''ve ever seen before."

    The slightly smug tone in Titus'' voice alerted her to how he felt she would fare against the challenge, but she shared none of his confidence. The fourth strata? The fifth? The monsters at that level were crazy! Not even Anthony would be able to match up to many of them, and he was a giant ass insect covered in literal diamonds!

    "I really need to ss Up," she gulped.

    Her father nodded.

    "That''s what I''ve been saying."

 Chapter 665 The new way

    <h4>Chapter 665 The new way </h4>

    "You could have told me what wasing," she groused to her father as they settled into a more private setting, "I might have worked a little harder if I''d realised what the Legion was looking to put me through."

    Themander actuallyughed. Laughed! She was so befuddled by the rarely heard full-throated chortling of the man who raised her that she couldn''t even re at him properly.

    "You''ve literally been working yourself to the bone since we got here," he eventually stifled his mirth long enough to say. "You haven''t taken a break to wash yourself in over a week. You fight like a fury until you conk out and sleep, then get up and do it again. In my eyes, doing any more would be detrimental rather than helpful, so I decided you didn''t need to know until now. If you upgrade your ss now, you''ll have just enough time to grow used to any new features and Skills you develop by the time the wave ends."

    "¡­ and use my increased power to drive my levelling speed even higher during the height of the wave," she added.

    "Just so," Titus agreed.

    She took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then let it out, trying to drive out all the distracting emotions in her head along with it. She repeated this several times, until she felt calm and clear headed before turning to her father.

    "What can I expect?"

    Upgrading or changing a person''s ss was altering the most fundamental part of their existence and how they integrated with the System. It was never something to be done lightly, and just as Titus had said, not taking advantage of his expertise whilst it was avable would be a criminal waste. Her current ss was specific to the Legion itself and knowledge of the paths that branched from her current point was strictly contained, even she didn''t have ess to most of it and she was a member! But her father did¡­ More than that, her own mother had been a Legion Berserker, just as she was now. She had little doubt that Titus had just as detailed a level of information on the berserker sses as he did his own.

    "You''re currently an Legionem Abyssi Berserker, level fifty, correct?" He asked, just to confirm.

    She nodded and he continued.

    "As far as entry level sses in the Legion go, the Berserker can be considered second tier, one above the basic level of Armoured Legionary. It does a decent job of marrying the strengths of the Berserker and Legion Armouredbat, but it''s far from a perfect union."

    It was true. She''d lost some of the benefits of her previous Berserker ss when adopting this new one. Most important being the ss Passive which allowed her to turn mana into anger, the fundamental nk of the berserk tree. Without it, she needed to work much harder to channel her own emotions to get anywhere near the level of rage she had experienced before. At first she''d thought it was far too crippling a blow, but over time she had grown used to it, though having it back would be amazing.

    In return, she''d gained much, primarily ess to the Abyssal Armour Skill which allowed her to wear and mesh better with the incredible Runic Armour the Legion provided. Enchantments in the specially crafted berserker set she wore helped mitigate the loss of Mana Rage, whilst simultaneously driving her stats and defence to a level far exceeding what she possessed before.

    "The next step is all about iterating and bringing your two key Skills into a better bnce," Titus exined, "and there are several ways you can go about that. Do you want to emphasise the Legionary side and boost the performance of your armour? There are several advanced Skills that are required before you can utilise the best suits we have, and if you ever want to wear one, this is the path you''ll need to go down."

    She drew a slow breath when she realised what he was talking about, just to calm herself down. Praetorian armour. The legendary equipment worn only by the most elite Legionaries in the most dangerous parts of the Dungeon. She''d neverin eyes on a set, if fact, none of the Legionaries from Liria had, even the veterans. Except perhaps¡­

    Her eyes flicked to her father, but his face was a stern mask once more, unreadable.

    She tsked audibly but he didn''t react. The full details of Titus'' service record were sealed to someone of her rank and he''d never been open about it. His exploits in the upper strata were well known and he was happy to talk about them, but what her parents had done and been before moving to the surface? Barely a word.

    "The other way to go is to push further into the Berserker side," he continued, "which won''t cut you off fromter picking up better armour Skills but will significantly dy them. On the flip side, you''ll have more raw power at hand that isn''t dependent on your equipment."

    Power was always dependant on equipment, every Legionary knew that well. No matter the level of Skills a person umted for themselves, there was no chance their skin was going to be more durable than a set of well-made armour reinforced with enchantments. A person could never be as dangerous with their fist as they could with a weapon, though it was possible to go close.

    "The third possibility, is that you take a ss that will add something else into the mix, give you ess to Skills you will find more valuable as you progress. Whether that be an alternatebat style, leadership Skills or something else you think might be necessary to achieve what your end goal."

    "Do you have anything you would rmend on that front?" Morrelia asked.

    He shook his head.

    "I don''t want to influence your decision too strongly. The System is generous when ites tobining Skills and if you build the foundation of the final ss you envision, then it will almost certainly exist. There are tried and truebinations, but even then the details of the sses can differ from person to person. Your achievements, circumstances, personality and desires can alle into y when the System offers sses."

    "Don''t I want to avoid taking a lower tier ss?" She asked. "I''d be stuck with low stat gain, grinding out another twenty levels, for what?"

    "Gaining twenty levels on the third strata during a wave isn''t going to take long," he pointed out, waving a hand at the chaos of the third stratum around them, "and if it means you get to take a fourth or fifth tier ss that is more suited to what you envision for yourself, it will definitely be worth it."

    Hearing this, she sunk deep into thought as she tried to consider all the possibilities that would be avable to her. It had been much easier when she was younger. All she''d had to do when maxing out her ss was choose the next in line, promoting it to a more advanced variant of itself. In this way she went from Warrior to Initiate Berserker to Berserker. She''d dipped sidewise and levelled Novice Ranger and Shallow Delver to get ess to Skills that would help her survive in the wilds and Dungeon respectively before returning to the tier four ss Rage Berserker.

    Her current ss had been a sideways shift and it was likely the most powerful choice she would have avable would be a tier five ss thatbined what she currently had with her highest Berserker ss. The other path her father had described, leaning more heavily into the Legionary Skills and armour, would likely be a tier four ss that might see her abandon her Rage Skills entirely, focusing more on bing heavy infantry. It would mean forty levels of grinding before she would get the chance to ss Up again, but there would be little doubt the fifth tier ss option that merged her Legionary and Berserker sses would be better.

    The third suggestion was even more extreme, in terms of time taken, despite what Titus said. Taking a third path, a weaker, basic ss, then levelling it up would be easy enough to do where they were, but that was only for the initial ranks. If she wanted this third Skillset to meaningfully impact her options at the fifth tier, then she would need to promote that ss through several tiers, not just one. To raise it all the way to tier four would mean almost a hundred levels worth of experience! It was a big ask, and she wasn''t even totally sure what sort of third path she might choose¡­

    She''d already been offered leadership style sses in the past, being inmand of her own delving team had more than likely been the catalyst that unlocked them for her, but she''d never taken the option. She was certain both her father and mother had gone down this road at some point, though how far, she had no idea. They were useful sses, to be sure, and likely a requirement if she wanted to rise far in the ranks of the Legion. At basic levels, these sses gave ess to speech Skills, making the leader more persuasive, but as they advanced, they became much more potent, granting Skills that could increase tactical acumen, or even buff Skills that applied when giving orders in the thick of battle.

    The real question was, what did she want? What would she be happy with? Would she be content just being the best Berserker she could be? A deadly killing machine that the Legion could reliably point in whatever direction they wanted and sit back while she went to work? She might have thought so a few years ago, but now? Ever since she had met Anthony and the Colony, she had found this idea more and more distasteful. Her world view had changed and being a mindless warrior of fury no longer appealed to her as it once had. Her life had undergone massive shifts over the past year, so much so that it was sometimes a shock her head wasn''t spinning.

    Now she was in a ce where she needed to decide who she was, and what she wanted to be, and the answers to those questions had changed so much that she didn''t have any confidence.

 Chapter 666 War Planning

    <h4>Chapter 666 War nning </h4>

    "How long have you got?" Advant asked, her scent distracted and her antennae wavering busily back and forth.

    "Not long," replied Brendant, simrly upied, "I''m only off shift for under an hour and I had to travel to get here."

    "I also have a lot of ces to be," Victor looked tired but a determined light sparkled in her eyes.

    "I don''t know why you don''t have that much time, I usually have heaps of time. Although I suppose I do move a lot faster than you. Maybe you just need to move faster? Or talk faster? You all talk reeaaaaallly slow and it''s quite annoying, you know? I''m here waiting for you to finish waaay after I''ve worked out what your trying to say but it would be rude to interrupt, right? Is that a monster? No¡­ Anyway. What was I saying? Oh yeah! You''re all too slow! Try being faster!"

    Advant wavered in the face of the onught of pheromones from Vibrant before she firmed her stance and managed to process half of what her older sister had said.

    "We aren''t too slow, you''re just too fast!" she retorted and the others each nodded their heads.

    Vibrant''s evolution had only exacerbated her need for speed, and thebination of mutations and organs she had allowed her mind and reactions to keep up with her speed, which meant that quite literally she was operating on a faster pace than the rest of them.

    "I do think we should try and converse a little faster, just to help Vibrant keep track of things," suggested Victor and the others agreed. Maybe they''d also get through more of their agenda if they spoke faster?

    "The idea of this gathering is toy the groundwork for our intentions once the wave isplete," intoned Victor, calling the semi-council meeting to order. "Obviously we don''t want to make any final decisions now, but we can work out how each of us feel the next steps should be and then go from there. I''ll open the floor, please feel free to share your thoughts."

    So saying, the general stepped back and gave the others space to voice their opinions. Surprisingly, it was the healer, Mendant, who stepped forward next.

    "The real question isn''t necessarily, ''what will the Colony do?'', but ''what should the Colony prioritise''. Our family will continue to grow and expand, even without our input from this point forward. There have been protocols and norms established for most basic processes, and despite our sophistication, we are still monstrous ants. The desire to expand and secure the next generation is built into us. We need to be thinking about what our priorities are going to be and how we can influence our siblings. We are guides rather thanmanders, remember."

    So saying the diminutive healer stepped back in ce and allowed the others to digest her words. Advant was the next to speak her piece.

    "I agree with what Mendant had to say. The Colony has grown beyond the point where we will be able to be aware of everything that goes on and influence every decision. Instead, we need to ce ourselves on the forefront of the Colony''s most important initiatives so we can assist as much as possible."

    It was an important moment for the Council and the realisation they hade to would be fundamental for the way they would operate in the future. Indeed, the Colony had grown in size to the point where it was much too difficult for the twenty of them to adequately be in touch with all of the goings on of their own caste. Even for the Queens, who were the smallest in number, this was difficult, since they didn''t travel between nests tomunicate with each other.

    Instead of trying to grasp at authority, the council instead opted to narrow their focus and trust that the Colony would be able to handle itself. It had the Eldest as its guiding light after all. There was no ant who would willingly betray the will of their most senior member.

    They each reflected on this idea for a moment before Burke stepped forward.

    "The Colony will continue to expand, and it will continue to descend. I believe that is where our focus should be. We can only be safe from those who would attack us if we have sufficient strength to defend ourselves. That means we must be aggressive in seeking that strength for ourselves. The third strata is the natural evolution of this quest. Even without our influence, there will be expeditionsunched down there, so we shouldmit ourselves to guiding this effort."

    "But what sort of expeditions will be sent? Resource gathering? Scouting? Biomass harvesting? What exactly are we hoping to achieve down there?" Cont asked, stepping forward for the first time. "We need to be clear about our goals otherwise we will be at cross purposes."

    Each of the members present sunk into thought once more. The future of the Colony wouldn''t be decided here and now, but it was an important moment nheless. What was the n of action? What were their intentions? The Colony had risen to a new level of strength, but how would that strength be applied.

    It was several long minutes before Advant stepped forward.

    "War," she said.

    There was a long pause as the scent of that word hung in the air.

    "Against who? For what purpose?" Burke asked.

    "Whoever we find, for however long we need it," Advant spoke determinedly. "We have been on the defensive for a long time, but now is our chance to go on the offensive. We need to take and hold the territory and resources we will need to grow powerful to protect us from that which will threaten us."

    She stepped forward once more until she was in the centre of the circle, pivoting slowly to look each of her fellow council members directly in the eye.

    "I propose we invade the third strata in overwhelming force. We smash any who would stand in our way and leave in peace those who mean us no harm. We cannot be afraid anymore. If we stay in the upper levels of the Dungeon and huddle close to our nests, we''ll be destroyed eventually by a power too great for us to resist. The Eldest has helped prime us for this opportunity, but now is the time when we must be bold and seize the moment."

    It was stirring rhetoric and each of the listeners thought deeply on what was said. The meeting ended not long after, each of the ants returning to the thousands of tasks that they still needed toplete before the wave died down atst. As they worked, each of them had the same thought swimming through their minds.

    War.

 Chapter 667 Gettinâ€™ Down in the tunnels

    <h4>Chapter 667 Gettin'' Down in the tunnels </h4>

    The thing about the tunnels in the second stratum is that they''re freezing cold, like really cold. What''s more, when you get this deep, they reek of death mana, which whenbined by the near total darkness makes them a rather unpleasant ce to be. It''s like being in a graveyard at night where it''s permanently raining. As an insect, I can''t say that this is the most pleasant environment for me, though I don''t suffer as much as a regr ant would.

    I mean, if us monstrous ants were that susceptible to temperature, the entire Colony would have gone straight into hibernation the moment we got too cold.

    With the rising mana levels of the wave, the stink of death, which is usually more of a background scent, has risen to be an all-consuming assault on the senses, magical and mundane. Even worse than the smell? The monsters.

    [Watch out behind you Tiny! You can''t just hit ''em once! You need to turn them into paste!] I yell at the ape.

    With a surprised grunt of irritation, Tiny turns around to see that the zombified mountain of flesh he''d thought was finished had gotten back up again to try and w at his back. Hands igniting with energy, the giant ape unleashes a flurry of punches so fast his hands blur and the aires alight with fists formed of his energy that pummel the monster into a blob, but he doesn''t stop until he hears the notification, whereupon he nods to himself in satisfaction before flicking the muck off his fists.

    I thought I''d seen the worst of the death monsters the second stratum had to offer, but I was far from correct. The generic sort of monster that housed death mana that we''d encountered was usually little more than a shadow beast that had a few too many bones sticking out, and more guts hanging out than one would expect to see. These types though?

    [Invidia! Gimme the boom!]

    [Yessssss! Give me your screamsssss!]

    BOOM!

    The monster I had gripped in my mandibles, pinning the serpentine creature covered in writhing strings of guts, detonates right in the middle, sending a shower of gristly guts flying through the air. The monster shrieks in what I''m pretty darn sure is not pain as its face of exposed bone tries to take a bite out of me. Oh no you don''t! Eat me! A burning jet of pure blue fire ignites in front of me and burns the creature''s face as I apply more pressure with my mandibles.

    Crunch!

    With a horrific sound of snapping bone the monster''s face disintegrates as the fire burns it away and voice of Gandalf rings out in my head atst. Gah! I''m sick of these damn zombie monsters! They''re so damn hard to kill! It''s not like they even regenerate or anything, they just don''t stop! Slice one in half, it keeps on moving. Blow them up? Still moving. Just like in the ssics, the only way to finally get them to stop is to destroy whatever houses the brain, be it the head or whatever else they have going on.

    Burn you darn pains in the neck!

    Using all of my brains, I concentrate hard and st out three jets of fire at once, pushing back the darkness and burning away the cold, along with a handful of monsters. Gweheheheh! Yessss! Burn for me! Won''t be long until that pupa hatches and I have a new little student to teach the ways of the Dungeon and Colony as well. Man, so much to do!

    [Master! They''re still swarming on this side!]

    [Still?! Are you able to get rid of them!?]

    [I''m holding them off, but they''re stilling!]

    Holy moly!

    [Hold on, I''m on the way! Invidia and Tiny, you need to hold down this side for a while!]

    I race toward the other side of the three way junction we''ve been holding toward the left side where Crinis has been ughtering her way through the crush of monsters by herself. After all, mass de-limbing is something of her speciality. When I get there I see a wall of tentacles thrashing and twisting around hundreds of monsters, each roaring and tearing with maddened fury. In the few glimpses I get through the chaos I can see the tunnel beyond ispletely filled with creatures tearing at each other in their rage and desire to push upward.

    This is never ending! It''s been bad thest few days, but this is just madness!

    [Hold them for a minute, Crinis! I''ll give them a bomb!]

    [Got it, Master!]

    Throwing away all my constructs and residual fire mana, I task all of my minds with one particr job: drawing out and crushing my gravity mana. With all of my brains working together, we can crunch one together pretty darn quick! Standing still, I allow Crinis to protect me as she works double time holding the monsters back, giving me time and space to work.

    A minuteter, doom announces its presence to the monsters with its signature wee.

    HOOOOOOOOOWLLLLL!

    [Crinis! Get out of the way and brace!]

    The bomb rotates with slow grace as it flies through the air, vanishing amidst the grasping ws of the onrushing monsters before it expands into an all devouring sphere of death. When the dust finally clears and the ring of notifications in my head has finally stopped the tunnel is clear. A tiny bit of breathing space before the crush starts again.

    [How are you doing on flesh, Crinis?]

    [I''m getting low.]

    [Eat what you can while the numbers are low. It won''t be long un-¡­ what was that?]

    Before I finish warning Crinis, my mana sense goes crazy as a huge pulse of energy floods through the Dungeon, racing up from the depths and past our position in less than a second.

    [Did you pick up on that Crinis?] I ask her. With her much finer mana senses, she''s sure to pick up on it better than I did.

    [I did! Master, check the mana levels!] she cheers in my mind, full of exuberance.

    In fact, her tentacles are doing a little dance as she hangs off the wall. What is going on? As she suggested, I turn my attention to the ambient mana around me, recoiling from the overwhelming fog of death mana thatys over us. I¡­ don''t think anything is different? Or is ¡­ wait¡­ wait?!

    [It''s going down?] I ask, almost not willing to believe it.

    [It''s going down!] Crinis confirms, flinging her limbs into the air in celebration.

    Oh so slowly, the mana level is creeping down, which means the wave ising to an end! The moment the realisation hits me, my heart starts thudding in my carapace and I unconsciously turn to face the tunnels leading deeper into the Dungeon, excitement building inside me. It''s finally going to end, after weeks of this nonsense! No longer are we going to be chained to these damned tunnels fighting the same monsters over and over again! I can''t wait for a change of scenery!

    I''m seriously looking forward to a warmer climateing my way once we go lower, and I am determined to go lower. There''s just something about this life that makes me want to keep pushing. I mean, it''s not like I let things get me too down in thest one either, but this one is different. The things I''ve seen, the things I''ve been able to do, it''s incredible. I don''t often slow down to reflect on it, but the changes I''ve experienced in this life, ignoring the difference between my current incarnation and the previous, just within this second lifetime, I don''t know¡­ it makes me hungry for more.

    I want to keep delving, I want to keep pushing further. I want to get into trouble, fly into danger, then fight my way out with Tiny, Crinis and Invidia by my side. I want to Grow stronger to defend my family. I want my family to be strong enough to defend themselves. I want more friends, Gandalf knows I could do with more of those. I have two lifetimes worth to umte, after all.

    What''s more, I want to see. I want to see what lives in the middle of this Dungeon. I want to see the heart of this and I want to see the most powerful monsters in existence, the slumbering Ancients. Wouldn''t you?! A worm who can swallow a mountain?! I meane on! This is only the beginning. I have everything I need, and soon enough, the Colony isn''t going to need me to take care of them anymore. Not all the time at any rate.

    Whatever''s down there, I''ming. There''s no chance you''re going to be ready when I get there!

 Chapter 668 Emerging Talents

    <h4>Chapter 668 Emerging Talents </h4>

    Universal education. It''s a desirable principle, but how many times has it been achieved on Pangera in any meaningful way? The onlyrge society to apply this idea on a wide scale, to my knowledge anyway, is the Colony. Though it might notst long, the education every hatchling receives is certainly intensive, covering almost all aspects of operations within the Colony. The curriculum is focused on the breadth of knowledge an ant will need to fit into their society, how to work and function as independent members of the greatermunity. Each member receives a primer and introduction to the purpose and Skills required for every caste, ensuring that every individual understands on a surface level the purpose and work undertaken by every other. It may be possible that this is just asrge a reason for the incredible cohesion the Colony demonstrates as their shared Monster species.

    Witnesses to the process have never failed to be impressed with the robust methods and particr care taken with each graduating ''ss''. Taking a fresh hatchling at the beginning, and turning out a fully capable member of the Colony in a matter of weeks. It''s remarkable in every way.

    -Excerpt from ''Teaching the teachers: The education of the Colony" by J Hattsie.

    The cocoon shakes a little, then a rustling starts from within. This goes on for a few minutes as the creature inside tries to take control of new limbs, to stretch an unfamiliar body. I can understand the feeling, I''ve been there once before myself after all. The next sound to emerge is a light scraping, close to the top and I can immediately tell that the tiny mandibles within have begun to flex, to try and grapple with the fibre of the cocoon itself.

    A soul is yearning for freedom! To stretch and run free amongst the Colony!

    I can feel the mind with the folds of silken strands bubbling into wakefulness as the sleep falls away from her. The fierce curiosity is starting to burn once more, the impatience also and the attacks on the cocoon grow stronger every second. It takes a little while. It''ll take a little more time before her carapace will harden fully so for the time being she''s forced to work with blunt tools, so to speak. Even so, a few minutester and the first strands part under her relentless pressure. Once the first few go, the next break shortly after and the progress bes more rapid.

    Normally at this point of a new ant eclosing from the cocoon, other ants would step forward to help them break out. I know this is something that the brood tenders usually do, assisting the new arrivals and making sure they don''t hurt themselves in the process of freeing themselves. I don''t bother. This isn''t any ordinary ant we''re talking about here, this is a champion! If she can''t do something as simple as break out of her cocoon on her own, then what hope will she have of matching up to her senior champion sister Vibrant? So I sit and watch, with my pets arrayed around me, as the little silken pillow wobbles this way and that as the hatchling inside struggles to break free.

    When it finally breaks, it alles in a rush, with chunks falling away to the ground until atst an antenna pokes through the gap, followed by the other, and then, finally, the full head.

    "I''m free! My life for the Colony! MY DEATH FOR THE COLONY!"

    Ah heck, not this again¡­

    She''s so focused on gaining her freedom that she doesn''t even appear to notice the four tier six monsters looming over her from behind. Instead, she frees the rest of her body, stretching her legs one by one and finally kicking away thest remnant of her pupal form, swishing her antennae through the air triumphantly.

    "Where is everyone?" she wonders out loud, "I''ll go find them!"

    YOINK!

    Her legs start to motor but before she can get any traction I lunge forward and pick her up, holding her off the ground with my mandibles.

    "Oh no you don''t, young one. You''re going to stay right here for a little longer while we have a chat."

    It''s lucky we were all here for this moment. If it had just been Tiny, she might have run off before he realised he was supposed to catch her. The hatchling wobbles in the air a little, her antennae waggling about as she finallyys eyes on us. Not enough peripheral vision with such un-upgraded eyes.

    "Ah! Senior! Hello there, it''s nice to meet you," she dips her antennae in a polite greeting and I feel myself warm up to her a little.

    "Hello little hatchling," I say, "wee to the greatest and most magnificent Colony in the world!"

    "Of course it is! I''m in it!" she boasts.

    Oi.

    "Out of curiosity, how much do you remember from your time as a grub?" I ask her.

    She thinks for a moment, which looks a littleical as she''s hanging from my jaws.

    "Not much," she confesses, "just impressions and shes."

    At my prompting, Invidia reveals his wide grin and opens his mouth, putting the fleshy inside of his maw on disy.

    "Ring any bells?"

    A shiver runs through her form.

    "I-I''m not sure but I think I don''t like it? Why would that be?"

    "No reason, I''m sure," I tell her smoothly.

    I look at the eager hatchling and can''t help but feel cheered by the enthusiasm and boundless energy I feel welling up inside her and filtering into my Vestibule. I lean forward to put her down on the ground and the moment one leg hits the tunnel floor, she tries to run away.

    "Not so fast, little one," I lift her back up.

    "Hey!" she protests. "What''s the big deal, senior? Shouldn''t we go and be with the Colony or something? There''s only two ants in this tunnel and I''m one of them! I''m ready to work, let me get to it! I''m sure there''s plenty I could be doing right now other than dangling here!"

    [Is everything alright, Master?] Crinis asks, concerned.

    [She''s got a fair bit of energy, going to have to slow her roll a little,] I tell the horror glomped onto my carapace.

    "You need to listen to your senior a little before you go running off, hatchling. You don''t know how things work in this Colony, but I do. Give me a chance to exin things, then you will too. For instance, before you can work, you need to learn. That''s how it works here. And the good news for you, is that you''ve got me as your personal instructor! How lucky!"

    She looks at me with a suspicious gleam in her eye.

    "I¡­ can''t work?" she asks sceptically. "I''m an ant. The need to work is baked into my carapace. How long is this education going to take?"

    "Couple weeks," I say.

    She sags in my grip, going limp. She paints a very sorry picture, all six legs and her antennae drooping down to the floor.

    "All right then," she sighs, "put me down and we might as well get started."

    I lower her back to the ground and she shakes out her limbs as she takes stock of our surroundings.

    "So¡­ what are you going to teach me fir- BYE!"

    Aaaand she''s off.

    [Crinis¡­]

    [Right away, Master.]

    Before the hatchling gets even ten metres down the tunnel she is confronted by a forest of tentacles erupting from the floor. One snakes around the middle of her carapace and lifts her off the ground before carrying her back. Hanging in front of me upside down, I confront the cheeky little thing.

    "I''m a calm and benevolent instructor, luckily for you. Settle down and be a little patient would you? You''ll get answers, these things can''t be rushed, alright? Now, I''m going to get Crinis to put you down and then we can - aaaand she''s off."

    [Tiny¡­]

    A few momentster the hatchling is presented to me on the palm of Tiny''s hand.

    "Time for you to meet your second instructor," I ck my mandibles with glee as I look down at the still defiant newborn. "Sadly for you, it won''t be quite as pleasant a learning experience as what I had in mind¡­"

    [Invidia. Open up.]

 Chapter 669 Receding waters, rising tides

    <h4>Chapter 669 Receding waters, rising tides </h4>

    While the hatchling enjoyed a little solitary education, we moved back out beyond the defensive lines of the territory to drive back the swarming monsters for possibly the final time. The mana levels continued their slow draw down and with every hour that passed the spawn rate of monsters began to gradually recede. I was hugely relieved that we had managed to get through this wave without having to confront any monsters of too high a tier. Myst evolution had really driven home to me the exponential rate of growth in evolutions. Since the energy doubles each time, it''s reasonable to expect that a tier seven monster with a perfect core is going to be literally twice as strong as me. Wild monsters in the Dungeon with perfect evolutions all the way down the line are hard as heck toe across, so it''s unlikely we would run into one, but I was quite worried that we would.

    After an hour or so of throwing back the tide, we retreat back behind the checkpoint to catch our breath and plot our next moves. At this moment, I get a surprise visit, although I suppose it''s not really a visit due to her more or less constant presence, from Protectant. Thanks to the addition of the Nave, I have a much clearer idea of the whereabouts of my twenty bodyguards, generally speaking, although whatever high tech stealth organ they have still manages to interfere sometimes. Looking slightlyrger than before, she appears above me, clinging to the ceiling at the same moment I detect her scent.

    "Eldest, I havee to report."

    "Hey there Protectant! How''re things going? Been a little while since west spoke!"

    It had been. I knew they''d been busy, since I''d detected them running this way and that rather than just hanging over my head all day, but I hadn''t actually interacted with any of them for some time, too focused on my pets and now the hatchling. I guess I had given them a task toplete, so I felt it would be best if I just left them to it.

    "You''re looking a littlerger up there Protectant! Is it safe to assume that you''ve managed to evolve to the fifth tier?"

    She shifts a little from side to side, clearly ufortable with being exposed to in view but, to her credit, she stands firm long enough to answer my questions.

    "I have. And I''m happy to report that all twenty of us havepleted our evolution, as you requested."

    "Really?! All twenty of you have made it to the fifth tier? That''s amazing!" I peer at her a little more closely. "You didn''t get all that muchrger considering the shift from tier four to five. What on Pangera did you spend your energy on? If your stats are too low you''re going to suffer in the future, you know?"

    I don''t really want to pry too deeply, but I am a little concerned. I know that in their evolution from tier three to four, the species they chose granted them their powerful stealth capability, but in choosing that they threw away the chance to gain anything morebat rted. Being able to hide from view is only one aspect of their role, after all, the other is that they actually need to be able to fight.

    "Not to worry, Eldest," she replies defensively, "we have made the necessary investments to ensure we will be able toplete our function. We decided as a group that it would be for the best if we tried to keep ourselves at a smaller size in order to make it easier to remain discreet. Rest assured that we are up to the task of ensuring your security."

    I allow my mana sense to wash over her and I can tell that she has already reinforced her core post evolution, possibly even maxed it out already. Looks like they''ve been serious about getting themselves ready for the delve toe. That''s quite a relief and a massive weight off my mind. I was worried they wouldn''t be able to handle it and there was little chance I''d ever be able to convince them to stay behind.

    "Great job, all of you up there. Make sure you do the right thing and get your cores maxed out as soon as possible. Mutations also! Get as close as you can to aplete tier five over thest few days of the wave. Once it''s finished, we''ll be delving to dangerous new ces! The third stratum and beyond!"

    No other ants reveal themselves, but Protectant gives a short nod before she once again vanishes from my sight. Gah! That''s creepy! Honestly speaking, without the Vestibule and Nave I''d have never found these damn bodyguards. At least now I know they''re strong enough to handle their job going forward. For the time being anyway. I want all of them to be tier six by the time I''m ready to evolve to tier seven, which is quite a ways into the future. With that taken care of though, it''s time to get back to other matters.

    [Alright Invidia, let her out.]

    The air beneath the fluttering eyeball splits open in that truly disturbing way as his teeth reveal themselves. Opening wide, he uses his tongue to push out the hatchling, dripping with his saliva before snapping his mouth shut whereupon it vanishes from view once more. I look down on the rather damp hatchling who takes a moment to push her shaky legs under herself.

    "Hello again, little one. Did you enjoy your time with your other teacher?"

    "I did not!" she res up.

    I scratch my head with an antenna, as if confused.

    "But I wonder¡­ have you learned the valuable lesson that your second teacher was trying to impart? Otherwise, there is a strong chance that you''ll receive further instruction¡­"

    The little ant stares up at me defiantly.

    "I won''t run away," she grates out.

    "Good job!" I pat her on the head, "I knew you''d listen to your educators eventually!"

    I didn''t expect to be doing as much teaching in this life as I''ve ended up having to do, but as expected, using the methods that were used on me when I was young has worked out alright. I turned out fine didn''t I? And I certainly learned fast!

    "Now then, if you aren''t going to attempt to sneak away every few seconds, we can finally sit down and begin your education. First thing we need to talk about, the value of a life!"

    We settle down in the tunnel, giving the hatchling something to eat as she listens to me exin the foundational principle that I haveid down on the Colony that differentiates them from every other ant in existence: they are to value their own existence and try hard to preserve it. Not such a radical idea in my mind, but to an ant¡­ it takes a little convincing.

    "So¡­ if I''m fighting an enemy, I''m supposed to¡­ not die?"

    "Right."

    "What if I can cripple the enemy severely in exchange for my life."

    "Settle for crippling them a little, and staying alive."

    "What if I can defeat them outright in exchange for my life?"

    "Settle for almost defeating them and staying alive."

    "What if there''s a critical task that needs to bepleted and only by working myself to death will it be done?"

    "We stay organised so that doesn''t happen. And, honestly, if you tried to do that, you''ll likely be stopped by other ants."

    "What?" she''s genuinely shocked, "why would they stop me?"

    "They take their work very seriously," I advise her, "I''m sure you''ll be meeting them quite a bit in the future¡­"

    If she''s anything like Vibrant, there will be a mutual grudge there before long.

    "The fundamental fact that you must keep in mind at all times is this: you can''t work when you''re dead." I emphasise my words with a poke of an antenna. "You might live for a hundred years or more, working hard for the Colony and achieving great things every day, or you could be dead in two weeks trying to choke a monster to death with your remains," I still remember when Leeroy tried that, "which do you think is better for the Colony?"

    She''s quicker on the uptake than most hatchlings. After only a brief pause to think, she responds, saying "living." I can tell she doesn''t like the idea, but can''t deny the logic of it.

    "Quite right," I agree with her. "That isn''t to say there aren''t circumstances where we need toy down our life for the Colony. Many have died already in the service of our family, but that doesn''t mean we seek it out. Indeed, the longer you live in the Dungeon, the stronger you be, which means you are even more valuable to keep alive. Before I''m done teaching you, you''ll be a tier four monster, with hundreds of cores and Biomass invested by the Colony in you. To throw away that investment without giving back to the family? Ridiculous notion!"

    She nods along, agreeing with what I''ve said.

    "What''s a tier four monster?" she asks.

    Ah. I might have gotten ahead of myself there. For the next ten minutes I exin the basics of this world. The Dungeon, the surface, the waves, the fundamentals of being a monster. All good stuff. The hatchling listens with rapt attention, soaking up the knowledge that I offer her and eagerly asking for more. By the time we''re done, I feel like I''m getting a cramp from standing still for so long.

    "Okay then," I sigh as I stretch out my legs, "enough yammering. If you aren''t going to run away on us, I suppose it must be time for a tour of the Colony. How about it?"

    I don''t think I''ve ever seen an ant so excited.

 Chapter 670 Introducing the new blood

    <h4>Chapter 670 Introducing the new blood </h4>

    "You must be kind of a big deal, huh?" the hatchling observes, staring up at a giant statue of me carved from glittering stone.

    "Ahem! You can ignore that. Come on, we have more interesting things to see."

    "This is amazing to look at," she says as I drag her away, "I wonder who made it?"

    "So do I," I grumble.

    One of these days I''m going to catch that sted artist and give them a piece of my mind. Of all the things they could have devoted themselves to, making statues of me seems like a tremendous waste of time! I don''t even mind that they decided to be an artist, the carvings are all breathtaking, I just resent being the subject of so much of the work! There''s tons of other amazing ants in this Colony! Every damn one of them is a hero in my book! Carve them for a change!

    s, my plea goes unanswered and the number of carvings featuring my visage seems to have only increased within the nest over the duration of the wave. Clearly the artist has been locked in here with nothing else to do¡­

    "Now, something for you to think about," I say in an effort to distract the young one in my care, "is what sort of work you might like to do for the Colony. A worker? A soldier? A crafter? There are nine different castes that you could evolve into and each have their own specialities and jobs that they perform best at. Workers be brood tenders, healers or Queens. Soldiers be majors, scouts or generals, though we usually just call the majors soldiers and crafters be carvers, mages and core shapers."

    Eyes full of wonder as we navigate through the tunnels of the nest, the hatchling listens intently to every word I say, nodding to show she understood what I''d said.

    "The brood tenders care for the young, the next generation of the family. It''s their responsibility to care for the eggs, keeping them at the right temperature, keeping them clean, right up until they hatch. Then they tend thervae, feeding them, cleaning them, tickling them and ying with them until they be pupae. Once they hatch, the tenders educate them, much as I''m doing for you now, up until they join the Colony as fully grown members. It''s the most important task within the Colony and one they take very seriously."

    "Why aren''t I being taught by them then?" the hatchling asks curiously, "aren''t they supposed to educate new ants?"

    "Yes they are," I confirm, "you''re something of a different case, and I''ll get into why that ister. Ah, here we are."

    The brood chambers are as warm and cosy as I remember, filled with the motherly love of the brood tenders as they care for their flock of grubs and eggs. I spy Florence beavering away on one side of the chamber and wave her over.

    "Hey Florence. Recognise this little one?"

    The council member leans closer before leaping back in shock.

    "Is it? It can''t be?! Not this soon!"

    "elerated feeding program," I proudly dere. "Although, we could probably describe this particr grub as being somewhat impatient. Honestly speaking, I was surprised myself when she went into her cocoon."

    "Do I know you?" the former grub in question peers up at Florence.

    "Let''s just say you were a little difficult to take care of," I pat her on the head. "Just thought I''d drop in as we give the little one a tour," I say to Florence. "How are things looking here?"

    "Busy as always," she says, keeping one wary eye on the hatchling as though she might disappear at any second. "We are always ramping up to meet future growth. No matter how much we n and expand, we never seem to get ahead."

    "The hunger to grow and expand is a natural thing for all species I think," I tell her, "it''s just that we can do it about nine hundred times faster since we''re monster ants. How long does it take to get a fresh egg to academy graduate right now? I''m curious."

    She thinks for a moment.

    "From egg to hatching takes a day or so, depending on temperature. Just about all of our incubating rooms are fully enchanted now, so temperature hasn''t been an issue that we''ve needed to deal with for some time, such a time saver. After that, a little over a week as arva in optimum conditions, then a week as a pupa, and roughly twelve hours to fully emerge from the cocoon and harden. Then off to the academy where our current program takes them to tier four in three weeks."

    So from literally nothing to a tier four monster in just over a month. And not just any run of the mill monster, nonono. These ants have perfect mutations for every evolution. They form their cores at tier one. They benefit from an array of mutations that provide bonus stats to them on birth. They gain bonuses to skill level gain and growth speed thanks to the loving care and education provided by the tenders. Despite being one of the weakest species in the Dungeon in terms of individual strength, and the fact that hatchlings in the Colony are even further physically weakened thanks to me putting all of that potential into their brains, our graduates are powerful, intelligent and fearless.

    It''s a damn impressive result for a single month.

    "I''m impressed as heck, Florence. A month? Holy moly. And that''s thousands of ants graduating every single day isn''t it? I''ve no idea how you did it."

    Florence wiggles her antennae, happy to receive thepliment.

    "It''s been difficult," she admits, "working out the logistics has been the hardest thing. The food supply, transport, maximising our harvest of cores. It''s all worth it in the end though," she cks her mandibles with joy as she watches the grubs roll about and y with their carers in the dim light of the brood chamber.

    "Pretty damn impressive, eh?" I give the hatchling a nudge as she stares curiously at all the goings on in the chamber.

    "It is," she agrees, eyes drinking in the sight of the tenders at work. "How many eggs are beingin per day right now?"

    Florence doesn''t pause for a moment.

    "Six thousand."

    "Wait, WHAT?!" I exim.

    Without batting an antenna, she starts to tick off the numbers on one foreleg.

    "In total there are fifteen Queens operating in the Colony right now. Three in this main nest, two each in the two satellite nests, and the next eight have been prepped and are distributed amongst the territory in safe holds. As ofst week, every one of those Queens has reached tier five, with the Queen being tier six. For the tier five evolution, the Queens didn''t go the same path as mother, for obvious reasons, and instead have chosen to increase their egg output, Biomass efficiency and stat gain for their offspring. Currently they are each outputting four hundred eggs a day. We estimate that may climb to one thousand eggs per day at tier six."

    Holy moly! So that''s..

    "Forty two thousand eggs a week!"

    "That''s right," Florence nods.

    The hatchling look suitably impressed at hearing the raw numbers, beholding the vast amount of work the tenders do. Then she tries to escape¡­

 Chapter 671 Forge World

    <h4>Chapter 671 Forge World </h4>

    [Alright Invidia, you can spit her out now.]

    With a wet st the hatchling is deposited onto the tunnel floor in front of me still dripping with demon saliva. With a shiver she begins to shake her legs and abdomen in an attempt to cleanse herself of the goo. She has a little sess before furiously cleaning her antennae, dragging them through the elbow joints of her front legs over and over again to clean the delicate hairs that line the appendage.

    "I really thought we were getting past that whole thing," I point out to her. "You''re getting your answers aren''t you? Just be patient."

    She keeps cleaning but gives me a look that I can only interpret as "Patience? What even is that?".

    "Well, keep trying if you want," I shrug my antennae, "it just means more time with your second instructor and lets me rest. Now, are you ready to see this next part of the nest?"

    Finally finished getting the worst of the mess off, the hatchling immediately looks around excitedly, only to be disappointed to find we are in a in tunnel without anything remarkable about it.

    "It doesn''t seem that exciting," she says dejectedly.

    WHACK! I bring my antenna down on her head with a sharp crack.

    "This is just a tunnel! Obviously we haven''t entered it yet!" I take a breath. "Where we are headed is the industrial hearnd of the Colony. This is where all the raw resources that we collect are gathered to be processed. The ores, the wood, the gems and other precious materials that we might find in the Dungeon. Smelting, carving, crafting, enchanting, smithing. All of it goes on here. Hundreds of tons of raw ore is shipped here every day by a vastwork of workers and tools. Look, herees one now."

    We can hear the rattling long before anything appears out of the darkness of the tunnel, but when it does it makes a suitably impressive sight. Metal wheels grind along the tracks embedded neatly into the tunnel floor, filling the air with that metal on metal discordant whine that only grows louder as it draws closer. It resembles a mining cart, except farrger, the box made from solid wooden nks reinforced with metal banding welded together by the finest of fire mages. The base of the cart glows with flowing light that is emitted from runes that run the entire base of the cart forming an intricate pattern that loses my focus the harder I look as my eyes are drawn down into ever finer details.

    At the front of the cart, a mighty soldier is strapped in with a harness, pulling the immense weight of the cart behind her in a disy of incredible strength. When she draws closer we shift to the side in order to make way and the soldier gives a nod of gratitude as she focuses on her work of hauling. Only when she starts to go past do I realise that there is more than one cart. Three in total make up the train, attached together by a locking mechanism. At the rear of the third another soldier is found, pushing with all her might as the train continues.

    What the heck?! This is uphill?! Are these super ants?! Each of those carts is packed to the brim with ore, I can see it from here! Maybe ten cubic metres worth in each. That has to be multiple tons of material being hauled here!

    The hatchling watches them go past respectfully, her eyes immediately drawn to the glowing runes around the base of the cart which causes me to look more closely also. Which leads me to another discovery. As the wheels shift forward the track lights up just before they touch, matched by a glow from the wheel itself. The moment the track has passed under the wheel, that segment grows dim. It appears as if the track is enchanted to react with the wheels in some way? Or the wheels are enchanted to react to the track?

    Or both?

    Holy moly, I had no idea how much development had gone on up here¡­ If I had to guess, the carts themselves are enchanted to lighten themselves and their load and the tracks are somehow enchanted to reduce friction as the wheels pass over, perhaps with some variant of water or ice magic? I''ve no idea. Whatever the case, it''s incredible work since it allows such a huge amount of rock to be hauled by just two soldiers.

    "So this is where the raw ore is brought in to be processed," I tell the still staring hatchling, "let''s move in a little deeper and take a gander at the next stage."

    She nods mutely and we follow along behind the cart as it continues its journey into the heart of the antdustrial empire. Two things be readily apparent as we walk, the temperature is gradually rising and the noise is continually building. The ringing of metal, the crack and crash of hard stone and the continual waft of warm air blowing against our antennae are all signs we are drawing near.

    When wee upon the site, it still almostes as a shock. One moment we are in a tunnel, the next the ground drops away beneath us and we all freeze in surprise. What the heck have these ants been doing whilst I''ve been busy!? Someone needs to get these girls a hobby or something! Unperturbed by the sight of it, the soldiers continue hauling their carts, unaware that we''ve fallen behind.

    The tunnel floor is gone, reced with a girded steel railing that puts me in mind of train tracks having reced it, the two guiding lines for the cart wheels still prominent. Through the gaps in the struts and falling away to my left side, I can see we are standing close to the top of a vast cone which falls away perhaps as much as a kilometre beneath us. Wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, the cone is lined with tracks just like this one for almost the entirety of its height. Before I can even begin to wonder what on earth is going on, a rumble starts above me and I jerk at the unexpected sound.

    Overhead and to my right, hugging the wall as it widens, another train of carts has gone still and the soldiers have triggered some sort of mechanism. Through the gaps in the struts I can see the steel bottom of the carts drop away, the ore within dropping through the gaps with a low roar. With a sharp crack and hiss the rock hits the side of the cone and begins to slide down, tumbling and falling end over end. After a few seconds it reaches our level, tumbling through the gap between our track and the edge of the cone as it continues on its way. As I watch, the two soldiers we were following prepare to do the same thing. The two of them grip a lever at the two ends of the train with their mandibles and pull simultaneously. Just as before, the bottom of the cart drops away and the ore rumbles out, joining the previous rockslide as it rolls its way down to the bottom of the cone and dropping out of sight through the narrow opening at the bottom.

    All around me this scene is repeated as carts appear out of tunnels and onto the rail bridges, whereupon they dump their ore and then continue on their way, vanishing out of sight as their bridge turns back out of sight. With their carts empty, the two soldiers in front of us pull on the levers once more and the bottom of the carts rises and locks into ce before they resume their journey, one pushing, one pulling as they return to where they came to load up another train full of ore.

    I hesitate to follow, drinking in the scene that I had heard of but never before witnessed. It never seems to end. As carts unload and then vanish, another takes their ce, up and down the cone. The rumble of stone being unloaded is a constant roar and my mind boggles at the amount of material being processed. This is just the ore drop off point¡­ It must be at least two hundred and fifty metres across at this point! It''s freakin'' huge! Exactly how much mining is the Colony doing around here?!

 Chapter 672 The hammer of the future

    <h4>Chapter 672 The hammer of the future </h4>

    The hatchling is practically vibrating with excitement as she watches all the action and I can already sense the thought of running off to explore further forming in her mind. This little thing! She needs to chill out, yeesh! Rather than toss her to Invidia for time out, I head off her burgeoning escape attempt by offering to take her deeper into the nest so we can watch the process bear out further, an offer she readily agrees to.

    It takes a little while to follow the looping tunnels, but eventually we make our way down to the area just beneath the bottom of the ore drop off point. I''m not sure what I expected to see, but the work room here is just as vast and oversized as the area above it. A st of hot air smacks us in the face as we reach the end of the tunnel and find ourselves in the massive furnace room. Carvers are everywhere in here, running around, operating the many enormous st furnaces and processing the g and metal thates out. It''s bem filled with the roar of me, the grind of metal and the crack of stone.

    Trying not to let her get distracted, I herd the hatchling toward the bottom of the cone so we can watch the process from start to finish. I have to admit that I''m super curious to see it for myself, not just to show it to the new champion in the Colony. What my siblings have achieved just blows me away and I feel great pride at the incredible things my family has aplished. It''s not just killing monsters and growing more hatchlings, we build and create, design and develop! It''s exciting and interesting just what we''ve be capable of and I''m eager to see more.

    To my shock, I find that the ants have invented something else I never expected to see in this world without me knowing anything about or having any input. The opening of the cone is still several metres across and from it pours a constant flow of raw ore. This rock drops a short distance onto a rounded slope that kills the momentum and gathers the ore together before its deposited onto, of all things, a conveyor belt.

    Have they invented rubber? Nope, that''d be way too out of their league, we haven''t gone quite far enough as oil processing. Come to think of it, would oil even exist? Biomass gets absorbed by the Dungeon if it''s left lying about for too long¡­ and this world isn''t exactly solid all the way to the middle, far from it¡­ Forget it!

    No, the belt they have made is actually stone. How does that work, you might ask? Magic. As in, literally, earth magic. A team of dozens of carvers work above and below the belt, using their earth magic to constantly keep the thinyer of stone moving until it reaches the end of the line, where the individual blocks drop down and rotate back the other way. Close inspection reveals that guide rails for the blocks have been carved on the other side, glowing brightly with powerful rune magic. Of course something like this wouldn''t be possible without extensive enchanting. The belt itself is formed of very thin but highly condensed blocks of stone that slot together seamlessly, each one only thirty centimetres or so wide but several metres in length. The other shocking thing is the length of the belt itself, perhaps as much as a hundred metres long it extends out, carrying the ore in a straight line past numerous stations, each manned by dozens of ants.

    In fact, the entire thing is positively bristling with carvers, quite a few of them on the belt itself, picking through the rock and using their nimble front ws to pick and shift bits and pieces as they continuously run forward to avoid being pulled back as if they were on a treadmill.

    Close to the belt I can hear a constant rumble that ripples through the air and sends shivers through my antennae. It''s pretty darn intense and gets the heart pounding. I nudge the hatchling and we shift over to the stations further down the belt, curious to see what they are about. At each one I can smell the carvers talking to one another as they work.

    "There, there! Get it!"

    "That''s granite, no, no, that one! Send it back, we want iron ore!"

    "Is that infused tin? Let it roll down the line, we just process the regr stuff. Read the mana signature already!"

    Quite a few of them turn to speak to me as I stroll over and I''m forced to wave off the usual usations of cking and loafing as we watch them work. It appears each station is part of a furiously paced sorting process as the ants use their mana sense, eyes and highly developed stone magic to pick out the minerals and ores they want at their station, dragging the rocks in magically and depositing them into huge iron ''bins'' that rest beneath them. I don''t know nearly enough about geology to know which rocks are which, but the carvers appear to have no trouble discerning what they want, sweeping the ore they desire off the belt with minimal trouble, leaving behind that which they don''t need. If by chance they do end up snagging the wrong thing, there are carvers running the lip of the bin itself, inspecting every single stone that falls in to ensure the contents remain pure.

    As we watch, the iron ore bin, definitely one of the more busy stations, in fact I think there are two of them, fills up and we get to see the next stage. After a final check, something is done to release the bin and a team of carvers use magic to direct it along a predetermined path. Further down the line, it enters an all new processing line, where huge numbers of carvers operate all sorts of gear. I decide to take the hatchling down the iron line to ask a few questions and run into one carver who''s happy enough to answer them.

    "We learned most of this process from the humans on the surface," she happily admits, waving one of her ws at the vast setup, "but we''ve taken many steps to refine it further, obviously."

    She points to the bin that just arrived.

    "The new ore is a mix of rock containing iron at various purities and we need to do a ton of work in order to get something usable out of it. Crush it, wash it, filter it, heat it and after that -"

    "You get iron?" I ask.

    Sheughs.

    "No! Then you have ore that''s ready to smelt!"

    Holy smokes.

    "Sounds like a lot of effort!"

    "It is!"

    As I watch, teams of carvers work to tip the bin, which only now do I realise sits on hinges attached to a base so it can rotate without being tipped all the way over. The ore is dumped out into a basin whereupon the carvers operate huge steel ''hammers'' that drop from overhead before being winched back up as other carvers ''stir'' the jumbled rocks using their stone magic.

    "After crushing them here, we''ll wash them down to remove sand, then bake them to eliminate impurities, only then will they go into the st furnace over there along with limestone to turn into pig iron. After that it gets refined further into steel. After that we imbue it to churn out charged steel."

    "Charged steel?" I ask, confused. I don''t think I''ve heard of anything like that.

    The carver nods, excited.

    "It''s thetest process we''ve been working on. Normally to produce the truly good stuff, you need to find ore that contains magic already, right? We call that imbued ore and it''s really rare! The carvers and mages got to thinking though, what if we could produce steel, regr, in old steel, and then imbue it with magic!"

    "Isn''t that just enchanting?"

    "No! This is putting mana and bonding it directly to the steel itself! When you take imbued steel and enchant it, you get double the effect of enchanting normal metal!"

    Wow!

    "That''s crazy! So how''s the process working?"

    She loses a bit of her enthusiasm.

    "Not¡­ perfectly. We''re still in the test and development phase. But we''re getting closer to refining our methods! So far, our best has only been about a third of the mana level found in naturally urring ore, but it''s a heck of a lot better than normal steel."

 Chapter 673 Measurements

    <h4>Chapter 673 Measurements </h4>

    "Exin to me please, why you would ever think that sticking your head into a st furnace would be a good idea?" I demanded of the hatchling, still dangling from one of Crinis'' tentacles.

    "I wanted to see what it looked like inside!" she protests.

    "Inside? Inside is nothing but fire, superheated gas and liquid metal!"

    "REALLY?!" she goggles at me. "Sounds awesome!"

    "Yes," I nod sagely, "it IS awesome. It will also melt your face off and you will be dead."

    "And that''s¡­. Bad?" she asks.

    My mandibles ck together slowly.

    "Do you need more time out?"

    "¡­ I do not."

    "Then tell me that it would be bad if you died."

    "It would be bad if I died."

    "Good."

    [Put her down Crinis.]

    The st furnace had indeed been amazing. Six mage ants had surrounded the base of the huge metal construction, lined with bricks, reinforced stone and enchanted on the inside to resist the insane temperatures. When it came time to heat it, the mages had poured great torrents of blue me into openings designed to seal shut whenever the mage drew their head back.

    Out one side of the base had poured the g, a molten slurry of impurities that had bonded to the limestone, and out the other had poured the liquid iron which would be carted away to mould into ingots. It was then that I caught the hatchling trying to get a closer look.

    "Alright, enough hanging around here, time to go meet a particr carver and say hello."

    With a careful eye on the young, I make my way out of the huge furnace area, picking my way between the many rows of smelters, furnaces and tracks for binsden with ore as we walk into the tunnels and then beyond to the crafting area.

    The ring of hammers and the tang of metal vibrate through my antennae as we enter, the tunnels around us alive with the reverberations of steel on steel. Nestled throughout these tunnels are the many workshops of the Colony, producing the various goods required by the ants and our allies. There''s delicate work being done, fine wires of various metals intertwined and experimented on to see how well they handle delicate enchantments, as well as more massive projects, like gates for the new nests or armour suits for new Immortals.

    The hatchling stares at it all with wide eyes, rushing this way and that to inspect every ant at work and see what they might be up to, asking questions and generally being a pest. I tolerate it for a little while, but we have a schedule to keep and there''s someone I really need to meet.

    "Come on then, we need to move a little faster."

    With a bit of needling I manage to drag the little one away in order to find the workshop of a particr carver who I''d promised I''de and meet at some point after I''d evolved. I find the insane ant hard at work at her forge, heating metal with more a slightly crazed cast to herpound eyes.

    "Smithant! How are you doing, you metal head?" I say.

    She turns to see my massive frame looming over her workstation and cks her mandibles happily.

    "If it isn''t the Eldest! I''ve been looking forward to your visit for a long time! And Tiny! Wee back, my most sessful customer! How did you like that armour I made for you, eh? I heard it worked out perfectly! Are you looking to get it reforged now that you''ve evolved into a new form?"

    The smith is practically bouncing with excitement but I''m getting massive waves of ''meh'' energy from Tiny once I exin what she wants. Just looking at the nd expression on his face, I can tell he''s not that interested in getting his armour back.

    "He''s super excited for you to remake it for him," I tell her, giving the ape a re.

    [That armour kept you alive. As in, you know, not dead?! Would you rather be dead, or wear armour?]

    He ponders for a moment. Then another moment. Then a longer moment.

    [You shouldn''t have to think this long, moron!] I screech at him. [Just how low did you take your intelligence on this evolution? You kept it where I ordered you to right?]

    He nods and gives me a thumbs up, a wide, confident grin splitting his face.

    I stare at him carefully.

    [So how high is it then?]

    He raises two fingers.

    [If that''s supposed to mean twenty, then you reduced lower than I left you with¡­ but still kept it above the minimum I set¡­ If it means two, we are going to have issues.]

    I turn back to Smithant.

    "He would love to have even more borate and protective armour than before. Layer it on him until he looks like the elderly on a snow day. I want him round, like a dumpling."

    "I don''t know what those things are," Smithant flicks an antenna in dismissal, "but it hardly matters. Time for measurements!"

    As the hatchling starts to pick her way through the workshop, inspecting every tool and surface with the curiosity of a newborn child (which she is), Smithant rushes about, crawling over Tiny and measuring him for fit.

    "Quite a bitrger than before," she cks, "I''m not sure that we''ll have enough captured Legion armour to fashion the suit like we did before. I''ll have a look at the stockpile, but we might need to look for a different solution."

    She turns herself toward me.

    "And what about you then, Eldest? Finally ready to ept your ce in the glorious ranks of the armoured?"

    Her eyes are practically sparkling. Settle down a bit there.

    "I''m still not sure howfortable I am with armour," I say hesitantly. "Not for any reason to do with the armour itself," I assure the suddenly crestfallen smith, "just because my carapace is¡­ I mean look at it!"

    Indeed, my diamond carapace is picking up the flickering light of the forge beautifully. So damn shiny.

    "Well, we don''t necessarily need to go with fully fledged armour. There are a number of options after all. We could make leg coverings, ting for the joints, segments for the head which protect your eyes, though they do limit visibility. The more metal we put on you, the more surface we have to work with for enchantments. Though, if I''m making something for you, I highly doubt anyone will object to me requisitioning the finest cores and materials from the stores."

    The mad smith is almost drooling at the thought of getting her mandibles on such precious metals and cores. The passion she has for her craft is infectious and I can''t help but feel I''d like to see what she could make.

    "I''ll say no to any helmets or anything that obstructs my vision. But, I think I could be persuaded with some leg guards or something along those lines."

    "Perfect!" Smithant deres. "Time to get measured!"

 Chapter 674 Mad Mages

    <h4>Chapter 674 Mad Mages </h4>

    Having a smaller ant crawl all over my carapace is kind of ticklish and I was frankly a little d when Smithant was finally finished with her work. I could tell she was pumped up, she was practically radiating the same level of energy as the hatchling by the time she was done. Without so much as a ''thanks for dropping in'' she rushed about, starting gathering ingots and scratching designs into the ground with her w before we''d even left the room.

    We took our leave and now find ourselves just outside the mana research section of the mage quarters. Here it is that teams of mages along with distinguished members of the other castes put their minds to the great problems of the age, such as how the hell does one unlock spatial magic? How do those frickin'' gates work? What is the most effective magic for a fully trained team of ants to use to annihte their foes? Among others. The other key area for research is enchanting, the Colony having made massive strides in this department since the early days. The proof of that is in the incredible pudding that I''ve witnessed on this tour. The sheer amount and variety of enchantments that have been employed is stunning to me.

    Clearly those ants who are dedicated to this area of study have been raising the rank of their Skills like crazy. I wonder what on earth Smithant is going to be able to make for me in the end? My hopes are getting higher the more I consider it.

    "What''s this ce?" the hatchling asks as we approach the new section, the spicy tang of fire, ice and other elements brushing against my antennae the closer wee.

    "This is where the smartest and most insane ants of the Colonye to unlock the secrets of mana!"

    "Smarter than me?" she appears doubtful.

    THWACK!

    "Of course they''re smarter than you," I scold the hatchling as she rubs the top of her head with one w, "you just hatched. Tiny is probably smarter than you."

    "He is not!" she res up.

    "He''s smart enough to listen, now shush. This section of the nest is for magic rted research. Mostly mage ants and carvers in here, though there are plenty of others mixed in when there''s a need. Healers are frequent visitors, for example. Nobody has more expertise with healing and restorative magic than they do, obviously, and their services are often required to help repair damage from experiments that¡­ don''t quite work."

    "Does that happen often?"

    "Daily, or so I''m told. Let''s go!"

    "I can''t wait!"

    Rushing down thest section of tunnel, the hatchling draws still the moment she fully enters the first chamber. A central chamber with many smaller workrooms splintering off like the spokes of a wheel, the arcane energy swirling through the air is so thick you can almost taste it. Sparks fly from one room, belching mes from another, ice cold winds with shards of ice from yet another. The glow of runes emanates from everywhere around us, producing barriers, light, heat, channeling mana and all sorts of things.

    To my mana sense, this chamber is a chaotic dance of energy that dips and twirls everywhere in tiny eddies and massive currents. The sheer amount of mana moving through this space is staggering, taking in all that the dregs of the wave has to offer. Looking closely, it''s almost as if some of these enchanted arrays are actually assisting the flow of mana, bringing more into this chamber from above and below in order to power the many experiments going on. Is that something we can do now? We can gather mana from the surrounding area using enchantments? Stack them together to produce a flow of mana?

    In a round¡­ I''ll say desk in the centre of the chamber sits a rather important looking ant busily scanning through what I recognise as records that have been imprinted with scent. She appears to be¡­ filing? Have we invented ant secretaries now?

    "Oh! Eldest!" she starts when she sees us approach and hurriedly slides all the documents to one side before turning back to us. "Wee to the research hub! I don''t think you''ve visited before. Is there anything in particr that you''re looking for?"

    She''s not the only one to notice our presence, quite a few ants are sticking their heads out of the many chambers around the room watching my entrance with rapt attention. It''s strange, I can feel their eyes on me in quite a literal sense through the Vestibule, giving me ess to their impressions even as I watch them react to my being here. Quite a few are hoping I''m here to help them with their project, or admire the work that they''ve already done. I don''t think I can be of much help, considering that when ites to actual meta-knowledge of the mana system in this world, I''m sure they are far more advanced than I am, even if my magic Skills and stats are higher than theirs.

    "I''m just here to have a sticky-mandible. Stick my antennae in and have a look at what''s going on. I''m showing the hatchling here what the Colony has been doin- wait¡­ where did she go?!"

    Dammit, I was distracted by all the attention I was getting and wasn''t paying attention for a split second. How the hell did she manage to identify that moment and take advantage of it so precisely? I hope she doesn''t be an unnamed one, she''d have godly skills of catching people off guard. I quick scan and I identify her thoughtsing from one of the side chambers.

    "Found her," I tell the flustered receptionant and rush off to one of the openings.

    Inside I find arge team of possibly a hundred ants working furiously around one of the captured gates, reassembled in all of its glory here for the Colony to work on. Where the heck is she? I know she''s in here somewhere¡­

    "Ah, the gate project," the receptionant says from behind me after having followed in my wake, "this continues to stump the finest minds we have in the Colony, I''m afraid. Despite having found the correct matrix to draw mana into the gate mechanism itself, without any understanding of how to properly apply said mana, it simply dissipates over time, no matter what we try."

    "You know about this?" I ask her, a little surprised.

    "I know about all the projects," she confirms, cking her mandibles with pride, "I have to in order to properly manage this research division."

    Not a receptionist¡­ a mage, who''s probably the most knowledgeable of all of them in here. I really shouldn''t pre-judge my insect brethren.

    "Can you tell me a little more about this project?" I ask as I scan the room with multiple senses for the little runaway.

    "As I''m sure you know, Eldest, the gate project remains a high priority for the Colony. There are three teams this size working on a gate, but progress has been painfully slow. Part of the problem being we simply don''t know how spatial constructs work. As you can imagine, creating constructs from scratch, without any guidance from the System, is practically impossible."

    I nod. The mana constructs are like works of art smashed into intricate architecture. I can''t even be sure if there''s a series of logicalws that underpin their construction or if they are just randomly assembled and work via¡­ magic.

    "Has an attempt been made to construct a spatial array from nothing?"

    She nods.

    "Of course, those efforts continue. Extensive study of every known construct is a major focus of ours."

    I should probably drop by and produce an image of some kind of the omni-elemental construct, if that''s at all possible. I''m sure they''d love a gander at that.

    "Well, it''s important that we - THERE YOU ARE!"

    Atop the gate standing proudly is the tiny hatchling.

    "This looks so cool!" she yells.

 Chapter 675 Spatial Senses

    <h4>Chapter 675 Spatial Senses </h4>

    "Get down from there you little varmint!" I yell.

    "What even is this thing?" she yells back, still scurrying about on top of the gate as she pokes and prods with her antennae inspecting every nook and cranny.

    "It''s some sort of spatial gateway that allows instantaneous travel across vast distances and we are trying to learn how it works so we can link our nests together. Now get your butt off of there before you break something!"

    Reluctantly, she starts to climb down, still excitedly examining whatever she can.

    "You can practically feel the power rolling off of that thing," she exims when she finally reaches where I''m waiting at the bottom. "It''s incredible! Why doesn''t it work?"

    Her question catches me mid-thwack and I pause before regretfully retracting my antennae.

    "A big part of the reason is that no ant has managed to unlock the Spatial Mana specialisation Skill. Upon learning that skill, and then on ranking it up, knowledge of how to create and utilise spatial mana constructs will be granted by the System and by studying those we are far more likely to be able to understand how these things work and then build our own."

    She looks confused.

    "We didn''t build this?" she points at the gate with one w.

    "Of course not. If we could already build them, how would we not know how to get them working? Obviously this gate was made by others and we are trying to unlock its secrets. It isn''t enough to learn how to operate it. We need to learn how to construct our own and operate those. Only then will we be able to establish a gatework throughout our territory and connect our nests."

    "Why is it so important to connect the nests?" the hatchling asks.

    It''s the manager who answers, stepping forward from beside me to address the hatchling directly.

    "If we can connect all the nests using one gatework, then we will be able to spread much further, much faster without running the risk of being unable to support each other. It will be like every nest, no matter how far, will be no more than a few steps away from every other nest. We can never be trapped, never be sieged, not by normal methods. If we can unlock this secret, the future of the Colony will be infinitely safer and brighter."

    "And nobody can work out how they work?"

    "Nope," I chip in, "not yet."

    "I will," she announces, "I bet it''s not that hard."

    This hatchling¡­

    "Right then, if you have that much confidence, let''s see you do it. I don''t want to hear boasting without results to back it up," I poke her with an antenna. "There''s a hundred ants in here, all of them older and stronger than you, and they haven''t worked it out yet."

    And most of them are pretty annoyed at this annoying hatchling running around telling them she can do their jobs better.

    "It''ll be fine, you''ll see," she brushes my antenna off angrily. "I''ll be able to do it because I''m me."

    "If you like, we can start powering up the gate and you can take a look at it Eldest," the manager says.

    "Oh? That''ll be cool, let''s have a look."

    It takes a couple of minutes to set up, the manager letting the team know and all of them rushing this way and that to get things ready. When it''s all done, they trigger the array matrix that they''ve constructed, monitoring and taking measurements as it slowly powers up. Slowly at first, and then with gathering speed, the matrix starts to draw in mana at a prodigious rate, pulling in the energy from the air until the entire gateway is shining brightly to my mana sense. The more energy that gets packed in, the gateway seems to hum as it gradually lights up from within, illuminated by the sheer power of the mana coursing through it.

    Eventually the matrix turns off and the gate continues to release that sub-harmonic hum that rattles my mandibles but without anywhere for the energy to go, it simply leaks it back out into the air at a slow pace until nothing remains within. When all is said and done, the gateway sits as it did before, devoid of energy or activity, a ring of intricately carved stone.

    "Well, that was quite something, I''m amazed at how much mana it can hold," I say.

    "Indeed. We estimate that spatial spells may take a prodigious amount of energy to cast. One of the current hypothesis is that the reason no ant has been offered the Skill is because none have a sufficient mana pool to ess it, regardless of the ranks of their other magic skills."

    That''s not a bad theory actually, it would make sense¡­

    "I''ll make sure I max out my core as soon as possible and see what happens," I assure her. "Who knows? I might get lucky."

    After all, my quest for the mythical Gravity mana specialisation continues and perhaps I''ve been denied that Skill for the same reason. Only time will tell. Once I''ve mastered Mind Magic to the point I need it, I''ll be able to go shopping for the next level of magic to grind. If I keep pushing my way to more advanced forms of mana, I should reach Gravity eventually. Surely Gandalf won''t continue to hold out on me for too long!

    "That was awesome!" the hatchling deres hopping up and down with excitement. "Did you feel it? The power! The energy! How does it work? How did it happen? Why did it fail?!"

    I can see she wants answers to her questions, but tough luck for her, she isn''t going to get them.

    "None of your business and nobody knows. Now.."

    YOINK!

    "Hey! Put me down!"

    "Nope! Time to go visit another ce."

    Wiggling and struggling as she dangles from my mandibles, I carry the hatchling out, waving goodbye to the team with an antenna as I go. I can tell that the little one is quite enraptured of the research work going on here, but there are still ces to be and things to see. I get the feeling that the idea of being able to answer the questions that nobody else can tickles her sense of pride, as well as the mystery of unanswered questions tugging away at that bottomless curiosity she has on her hands.

    Perhaps a little mage has been born here today? We''ll have to wait and see¡­

    It doesn''t take long for us to make our way to mage training section where, as usual, I find Propent monitoring the mages hard at work practicing and honing their Skills in one of the many practice ranges for the mage ants. Fireballs, ice, wind, stone,va and all the other basic elements fill the air around us, being flung back and forth as ants practice dismantling and casting spells as quickly as possible.

    Sure enough, Propent is quick to notice use in and rushes to see us, filled with boisterous energy as always.

    "Eldest! Wonderful to see you as usual! How''ve things been around the nest? Everyone looking after themselves?"

    "As best they can," I say as I look around, "it appears as though the mages are working as hard as ever."

    An explosion rocks the chamber and we get covered in dust which I quickly have to clean from my antennae. For her part, Propent doesn''t even seem to notice. Apparently she''s gotten used to it through her posting here.

    "Mind if we watch your mages at practice for a bit? I''m giving the little one a tour."

    "Sure thing!" Propentughs. "There''s always something to see going on around here."

 Chapter 676 Advanced tactics

    <h4>Chapter 676 Advanced tactics </h4>

    It does seem as though the mage ants have evolved slightly in terms of their practice regimen. In somerger areas we find something I hadn''t seen them do before: squad basedpetition. Ten mages per side, twenty in total battling against each other in a dazzling disy of coordinated spellcraft. Defence and offense on both sides operates at a furious pace as both sets of ants do their best to break down the other. The contest of Will is so fierce I can practically feel their minds arm wrestling in the air between them as they tussle for control of the mana.

    "What brought this on?" I ask Propent.

    "Ah, this. This was inspired by a couple of things. One of the things we learned from Torrina and Corun when they arrived was the way that golgari shapers train, as well as golgari in general."

    "You mean, in groups of three?"

    "Right," she nods. "The number three is sacred to the golgari for a few reasons, but the group training is also important. Mages being able to mesh their minds together in order to better coordinate is one of the fundamental Skills that the shapers, and other mages around the world employ."

    "Huh¡­ I wonder if the kaarmodo we ran into did a simr thing with the ves that they kept."

    "Most likely they did. Once our mages have reached tier four, as well as trained their basic magic Skills to the rank that we need, this bes their primary mode of training. Groupbat. Their job is to mesh their thoughts with the rest of their squad and ovee the enemy. It''s highlypetitive and the squads work extremely hard at it."

    "Do they always train with the same members?"

    She shakes her head.

    "No. This is somewhere that we differ from the golgari. They like to keep their groups the same in order to deepen their level of cooperation and fellowship, but we decided that the mages should be ready to team up with any other group of mages in the Colony. We don''t even always keep the group size the same, forcing them to mix it up and adjust on the fly."

    "Is there a Skill associated with this ''thought mesh'' that you keep referring to?"

    "There is a couple actually. Sense Thought and Harmonic Thinking."

    A quick scan of my avable Skills list reveals that they haven''t been offered to me.

    "I''m guessing you need to engage in some group spell casting or some such in order to unlock the Skill?" I ask.

    "That''s right," Propent confirms, "so I wouldn''t be surprised if you didn''t have it in your list."

    I''ve always preferred to go solo, I suppose. At least in terms of my offense. As we chat the two teams in front of us continue their contest, wrestling at the mana around them as they fling ice, fire and whatever else they can manage as other members of the group focus on breaking down the iing spells or utilising their mana maniption to break down their forms before they cannd. It''s high speed, high octane training and it''s a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

    Especially for the hatchling.

    "What''s this!? It''s so cool!" she cries as she hops back and forth watching the dazzling disy of magic.

    "This is training for ant mages," I tell her, "they''re practicing to work better in groups and coordinate their thoughts with each other."

    "That sounds fun!" she cheers. "I bet I can do it the best!"

    "No words without proof," I scold her. "Alright,e on then, it''s time to get going."

    "Already?" sheins, but I drag her away from the ongoing training exercise as Propent waves us off with one antenna.

    Looks like the mages are still working hard, though I''m a little bothered that they''re sticking to the basic magic forms. I might have to have a word with Cont if I run into her. Raising your rank in the basic elements is fine, but unless you n to rely on them for a while, it''s better for the mages to move onto more advanced constructs. I suppose they might have stayed with basic elements when the majority were tier three. They just wouldn''t have had the needed stats to throw into harder spells, but now that the majority are tier four, they should be able to take it up to the next level. I want to see lightning ants dammit! That''ll be awesome!

    Our next visit is the research and training domicile of the core shapers, and surprise, surprise they are hard at work when we arrive. With the wave dying down, the thousands of core shapers that they sent out to harvest resources have started to return and apparently the records are indicating it was a massive haul. Naturally the ants aren''t actually returning with anything, all the cores and Biomass that they harvested went straight into their pets, but when we consider the fighting strength that the Colony has gained, with resources gathered outside our territory, it''s a massive windfall for the Colony over all.

    "I''m impressed as hell," I congratte the two core shaper council members, Be and Ellie. "What your caste has managed to achieve is nothing short of amazing. We''ll have need of your people in the future, I''m sure."

    "We''ll be ready, Eldest!" the two of them are greatly cheered by my words.

    "I believe that the core shapers are going to really show what they can do in the near future," I tell them, "you''ve been working with pets that are too low tier and without reinforced cores and insufficient mutations. Now that you have those things in abundance, you''re going to shock the other castes, I guarantee it!"

    The two of them are greatly cheered by my encouragement and we leave their area on a high note. I truly believe what I told them. My pets are living proof of how effective reconstituting monsters can be, the primary issue that needs to be ovee is that of Biomass and cores. Even for myself, the requirements of getting to tier seven are enough to make me spit blood, but in reality I''m going to have to pay that price four times in order to get my full squad up to that level of strength. It''s exorbitant to say the least. The core shapers have been experiencing this problem as well, but on a far grander scale. Even if they only wanted to raise their pets up to tier four, the Colony would be forking out cores and Biomass for thousands and thousands of tier four monsters, taking food away from the mandibles of the young.

    By seizing the moment, shouldering the risk and sending their people out, the core shapers have braved the dangers of the wave ande back stronger for it. By sticking to the lower areas of the first strata, they managed to avoid the worst of the danger as well. It''ll be augh when I see that demon city overrun by an army of ten thousand monsters, not a single one of them ants!

 Chapter 677 Heading Out

    <h4>Chapter 677 Heading Out </h4>

    After visiting the core shapers, there isn''t too much left to do. I don''t want to take the hatchling in to visit mother, since she''s likely to dere something rude like "I could be a way better Queen" and get her head thwacked in. By me. So I abandon that idea and instead decide that it''s time to begin doing the real work of the hatchlings'' education. Combat!

    Not to mention, I need to stuff her full of Biomass and cores in order to assure the best possible evolutions! Gweheheheh.

    "All right then hatchling, no more cking around. Are you ready to be the best ant that you can be!"

    "Of course!" she retorts. "I''m ready to be the best ant out of them all!"

    "Oh ho! I''m happy to hear that, because it''s time for full on, no holds barredbat in the tunnels!"

    "Yeah!" she punches the air in excitement.

    "¡­ For me and the others. All you get to do is eat."

    "What?!" she sulks.

    "Come on now. You are a tiny little hatchling, whereas we are mighty tier six monsters, literally the highest tier of any monster in the Colony. You need to work your way up to this level if you want to match us someday, and this is the start of that process. We need to get Biomass and cores into you so that you can start to evolve and get stronger, as part of that, we''ll teach you the basics of how to fight like an ant!"

    The difference in power is hard to ignore, I''m so muchrger than she is that she could walk underneath my carapace without me even having to raise myself up from my normal standing height. At tier one, she''s just food for whatever monster happens to look her way, and she''s smart enough to realise it.

    [All right then, which one of you is going to be on hatchling babysitting duty?] I ask my pets.

    [I''m happy to do it, Master!] Crinis, unsurprisingly volunteers, eagerly waving a tentacle in air.

    [Hrrr,] surprisingly, Tiny also puts a hand up, offering to care for the little one.

    Invidia is totally silent.

    [Tiny,] I turn to the big ape, [are you sick or something? You''re telling me you want to help look after the little one and not fight?]

    He gives an almost offended look.

    [Don''t give me that rubbish!] I wave my front legs at him. [You ALWAYS want to fight! You don''t get to look offended when I get shocked that you are actually asking to do something else!]

    At least he has the good grace to look a little embarrassed. I immediately feel bad for being so shocked.

    [Hey, being honest? Good for you, big guy. You can guard the hatchling, all right? We need to secure Biomass, cores, and experience for her, so make sure she gets thosest hits in and stays safe.]

    The giant ape nods and takes a protective position over the little ant, keeping a keen eye on her every move. In this formation, we exit the nest and leave the Colony''s territory all together, making our way into the Dungeon proper, beyond the defensive line. The wave has all but sputtered out now, no longer are monsters leaping from the walls and floor every few seconds, ws desperately reaching for anything they can find to devour. Spawn rates are still high though, so there''s plenty of prey to find in the tunnels.

    Back to grinding my mind magic! Not far away now!

    With three tier six monsters in the fight, the second strata just doesn''t pose the level of threat that it once did. The shadow monsters are far too easy to take down and the death monsters, though harder, aren''t that much of a challenge either. Only in overwhelming numbers were they a threat and those numbers just aren''t there anymore. And the experience and Biomass we gain is negligible to say the least. Stupid tier penalty¡­

    If we want to keep progressing, we need to go deeper and find higher tier monsters to fight! It''s the only way¡­

    This of course, doesn''t apply to the hatchling. The tier one rubbish we just blow up and move on, but tier three monsters we nab and get Tiny to beat them within an inch of their life before pinning them down in front of the tiny ant. It''s rough treatment and I''m sorry for it, monsters, but your sacrifice is to a worthy cause. An ant cause!

    Predictably, getting experience from monsters two tiers above her ownnds the hatchling at level five after just a few kills.

    "So, what do I do now? Do I evolve?" she asks, excitement clear in her voice.

    All the new things to learn, to see and experience¡­ I can understand that excitement.

    "Afraid not little one. First you need to condense your core. It''s super important to do and you''ll be a lot weaker if you evolve without one. This is the difference between monsters that will be stuck low tier forever and those who can advance and grow strong. The core will mean you have far more evolutionary energy to spend when you do evolve, and by improving and growing your core, you''ll get more and more energy to spend on each evolution."

    Even though she hasn''t been alive for long, the heightened mana levels of the wave and the depth that we''ve been living in are more than enough for her to have passively absorbed all the mana that she needs, no mana infused water necessary. Listening to my exnation, the hatchling is quickly convinced.

    "So what happens when I condense my core?" she asks.

    "Basically, you''ll pass out and wake up with a weird feeling of heat inside your carapace. It''s been ages for me since I did it, but I can still remember that weird sensation. From what I gather, your core forms while you are unconscious, but you can feel the residual energy when you wake up. After that, we need to reinforce your core until it''s asrge as a tier one monster can have and then level you back up to five."

    "Wait. My level resets?"

    "Yep, and every time you evolve it does as well. Also, the level requirement for evolving doubles with each evolution."

    "Doubles huh? So how many levels do you need to evolve?"

    "¡­ a hundred and sixty."

    "Oof."

    "Big time. I''ll be stuck like this for the near future."

    As the little ant prepares herself and sinks down into the dreamless sleep that apanies all major changes for a monster, Tiny hovering protectively over her the entire time, I reminisce about my own time as a hatchling. Those were desperate days, with nobody to talk to but the automated System messages from Gandalf. Every day had been a battle to survive. I can still remember how hungry I was before I managed to defeat my first enemy: a tiny thorn lizard. Things have certainly changed a little since those days¡­

 Chapter 678 Evolution

    <h4>Chapter 678 Evolution </h4>

    Charge! Pierce!

    As ridiculous as it feels, I continue to use the stupidbo of new Skills that I purchased in order to keep leveling them up. Charge is fine, in practice it''s very simr to dash with the exception that now it''s levelled up to rank three, it''s be a proper active Skill that shrouds me in the power of my stamina that shields me when I ram into things. Mandible Spear though? First of all, my mandibles aren''t exactly ''sharp''. They aren''t pointed. They aren''t even remotely spear-like. When I activate the Skill and charge into something mandible first, it feels more like I''m hitting them with a battering ram than a spear!

    Secondly, it feels almost like I''m insulting the monsters that I''m fighting. I could charge them, knock them over and finish with one powerful chomp. Instead? I repeatedly prod them with my mandibles, pushing them over in a disy that feels more like I''m trying to make fun of them than fight them. It''s embarrassing! At least there aren''t any members of the Colony here to see me do this¡­ except for the twenty baby-sitters hovering over my head somewhere¡­

    Dammit!

    I keep doing it though. For one thing, it''s a good way to bring monster''s HP down slowly, something I''m not all that good at, and we need weak monsters for the hatchling to get experience from. For another thing, I still hold out hope that Mandible Spear and Charge will fuse into something a little more awesome. If I can manifest a zing spear of energy as I charge into my foes, how awesome would that be? I have quite a bit of mass at this point, it would be a shame to not use it.

    Also, my progress on mind magic has continued quite well. I''m only a few more levels away from reaching the rank which will unlock mind constructs for me! Very exciting¡­ Not only for the constructs themselves, but for the opportunity to check and see what new magic might have unlocked! With any luck, Gravity magic will finally be mine! Allowing me to use more advanced spell forms for the gravity mana I constantly carry around.

    "Ha! Level five is mine!" the hatchling crows, standing over the remains of her bedraggled and defeated foe. "Time to evolve!"

    "This was a lot harder to achieve back in my day," I grumble as I turn and make my way over to her.

    "Maybe I''m just amazing?" she asks, somehowpletely seriously and without shame.

    "Noooo," I drawl, "I didn''t have anyone serving me almost dead monsters for me to finish off. I had to fight them on my own."

    "I asked if I could and you said no!" she huffs.

    "Because these things would take your head off it about five seconds!"

    "You can''t very well not let me fight when I want to and thenin that I''m not doing any fighting," she quite rightly points out.

    I sigh.

    "Fine, fine. You make a good point. Let''s move somewhere a little less busy and get ready for the evolution."

    It doesn''t take us long to find a more quiet section of tunnel and we settle in.

    [Crinis, can you take care of any unwanted guests? This might take a little while.]

    [Of course, Master. I''ll make sure that no filth disturbs you!]

    In a blink, she''s gone from my carapace and a forest of tentacles emerge on all sides, blocking this section of tunnelpletely from its surroundings. I''ve no doubt that in a few minutes this entire section of tunnel will bepletely empty, all the monsters having run and hidden in sheer terror from the strange creature in their midst. Pushing the insanity and fear of the Dungeon monsters from my mind, I concentrate instead on the matter at hand.

    "Do I evolve yet?" the impatient hatchling asks.

    At least she asked before rushing into it¡­

    "No. We talked about this. The best evolutions alwayse when you boost your core a little more than the System rmends. You get a little extra ''spice'' in the process. Now this here," I hold up a special core, "is exactly the spice we are talking about. Reinforce your core with this, then you can evolve. But make sure you do what I told you. It might be frustrating to remain a hatchling for another ten levels, but this will pay off in the long run."

    I can tell she''s not happy about it.

    "I just don''t want to stay so useless!" she huffs.

    "Believe me, this path will make you useful faster, not slower. You really think a tier two mature worker is good for anything around here? Absolutely not. You still wouldn''t be able to fight the monsters around here, and you sure as heck wouldn''t be able to help with any of the projects around the Colony. By taking the special hatchling evolution, you might remain small and weak at tier two, but you''ll get payoffs down the line. You''ll be stronger at tier three than you would have been otherwise, same for tier four, and that''s when you''ll finally be of use to the Colony."

    "Fine," she grumbles, but epts the core from my mandibles.

    A brief moment of hesitation, then the core dissolves, the energy contained within flowing into her body to join her own core.

    "This¡­ isn''t veryfortable¡­." she grunts.

    "Sure isn''t!" I agree. "Wait till you try a rare core! Now evolve so you don''t have to put up with it for long."

    The hatchling immediately falls into the listless view of someone fiddling with their menu and after ten minutes she drifts off, starting to glow softly as the process takes hold. Tiny continues to hover over the defenceless youngling, taking the job far more seriously than I expected of him. Giving the big ape a satisfied nod, I prod Invidia and start a mind magic battle with him to help hone my Skill. He always wins, but there really isn''t anyone else for me to practice with at the moment. Just a couple more levels and I''ll have the power!

    A little less than an hourter the hatchling stirs and we turn to greet her back to the world of the waking.

    "Wee back little one," I tell her, "how do you feel?"

    She shakes herself alert before giving herself a quick look over.

    "I feel¡­ stronger than before. Better. I suppose."

    "You''re even very slightlyrger!" I encourage her.

    She checks herself again.

    "Huh. I suppose I am. Alright then, let''s get back to it! I want to be useful and I''m not there yet!"

    "You sure aren''t," I chuckle. "Alright then, back at it."

 Chapter 679 The Mutation Discussion

    <h4>Chapter 679 The Mutation Discussion </h4>

    "Are you really sure that this is going to be important?" the hatchling asks again as we munch down on some Biomass.

    "Of course it is! Mutations are extremely important! Supremely important! Raw stats are only one aspect of the strength of a monster, and those are decided by evolutionary tier. Mutations give us ess to all sorts of things that canpletely change what we are capable of. Depending on the mutations you pick going forward, you''ll be apletely different ant! You need to think harder about what you want to do with yourself from this point forward."

    Obviously I made the hatchling evolve with maxed mutations for her first go through, not wanting to miss out on that sweet 10% bonus. The amount of evolutionary energy avable going from tier one to two was piddly, and ten percent of piddly is, I think, piddly-diddly, but turning your antennae up at free evolutionary energy is a fool''s game. And we members of the Colony are not fools!

    Having said that, for the first time in her existence, the hatchling had struggled to be decisive when the time came to pick her first set of mutations, so I made some fairly generic suggestions and we went with those. My knowledge of the intricacies of the System has vastly improved since the early days, both from my own experience and from consulting with Granin and his triad. After considering the disposition of the hatchling, what I believed she might need in the future, and potential going forward, I made selections that I think will work out well for her.

    I just wasn''t going to do it a second time.

    I''m notzy! It''s very important that each ant have a clear picture in their mind of the creature they want to be! I''m not going to stand here and imperiously dictate another''s future to them. In this Colony, we have the right to self-determination! Not only is it a right, it''s a sacred tradition!

    "You have to max out your mutations, you need that bonus ten percent energy. And anyway, you''re far more capable with mutations than you are without them."

    "There''s just so many options¡­" she looks a little nk and I can tell that she''s going through the list. "I want them all!"

    [Looks like you''ve got a friend here, Invidia¡­]

    [Sssheeee can''t havesssss them! I will havess them firssst!]

    [I know, buddy.]

    "You can''t have them all," I tell her bluntly, "you have to pick. Think about the sort of work that you want to do. You want to fight? There''s mutations that are great for that. You want to mine? There''s mutations for that. Smelt? Be a smith? Care for the young? Lay eggs? Research? Cast magic? There''s mutations for all of this stuff."

    "How can an eye mutation help me cast magic?" she retorts.

    "Mana sensitive lenses, look it up."

    ¡­

    "Oh."

    "I actually took a mutation that helps me absorb mana through my legs," I tell her, lifting a leg for emphasis. "helps keep my core topped off when I''m doing some serious spell slinging. There are all kinds of things you can do. Vibrant is obsessed with speed and has taken heaps of mutations to help her move quicker. I''m pretty sure she actually took mutations to make her carapace more aerodynamic."

    "What does that mean?"

    "Like¡­ smoother. She doesn''t get as much resistance from the air when she''s moving quick. She''s a good example actually. To be the kind of monster she wanted to be, she had to consider all of her mutations to that end. Her eyes have to be able to see at high speeds, her brain needs to function faster, her reactions have to be quicker, she needs particr muscture in her legs, she adjusted her carapace, she probably has a mutated metabolism and respiratory system to provide the level of energy she needs. On top of all that, she''s a powerful soldier with strong jaws and tough defence. This is the kind of thing you can achieve when you really think about what it is that you want."

    "What about you, Senior?" the hatchling asks shrewdly. "You don''t seem to have specialised at all."

    "I''m greedy," I shrug around a mouthful of Biomass, "I really wanted to be able to cast magic, but I didn''t want to be too weak in terms of my physical attributes. I wanted the best of both worlds. It''s good in some ways, I can cast magic pretty well, and I can fight up close and personal. But I can''t cast as well as Invidia over there, since he ispletely specialised on it, and I''m not nearly as physically powerful as Tiny, even though they are on the same evolutionary tier as me. There are trade-offs."

    "Doesn''t sound worth it," she muses, "I think I''d rather be the best at something rather than average at everything."

    "I thought you already were the best," I tease.

    "I am!" she res. "I''m just going to be more the best!"

    "Well. If you want to be exceptional, then you''ll need to specialise. Go hard at one thing and focus on it with mutations and evolutions."

    "But what do I pick?" she mutters.

    "There''s an almost infinite number ofbinations and specialisations you could go with. If you want to be good at spell casting and mana maniption, there''s a variety of things you can do. You could purchase mana organs and use those, you could go for manual spell weaving, you can specialise in one kind of mana or make yourself more of a generalist. Same with physical builds. You can focus on speed, defence, offense, and you can do all of those in a variety of ways. There really is nothing for it but to get deep into the menus and think about what you find there."

    The hatchling takes on a considering aspect as she digests my words. As a champion of the Colony, I''m very keen to see what she decides to go with, what aspect she decides to select. As I look at her thinking about her own future, I get the feeling that no matter what she goes with, it''s going to be interesting.

 Chapter 680 Decisions, decisions

    <h4>Chapter 680 Decisions, decisions </h4>

    The hatchling continues to ruminate over her choices, being far more diligent in perusing the menu lists, looking forbos and asking rifying questions than I ever was. Not that I had anyone to ask at her stage of evolution! I was a solo Dungeon monster, dammit! Kids these days have it way too easy. But I suppose that''s a good thing, I don''t want them to suffer as I suffered. Otherwise what would be the point of all that we''ve achieved? We continue to feed her experience and Biomass as she narrows down her options over time.

    As he''d been doing diligently the entire time we''d been in the Dungeon, Tiny continues to watch over her with a keen eye, making sure that she doesn''te to harm, or try to escape. In fact, the escape attempts have dropped to nothing over thest little while. Perhaps now that she feels that she''s finally progressing she doesn''t feel the need to be elsewhere.

    She remains endlessly curious though, asking an endless stream of questions and inspecting everything wee across for herself, refusing to take my word for just about anything. Whenever I give System advice, she always attempts to double check it in her menu, going so far as to make sure she takes a bite out of everything we defeat in order to unlock as many profiles as possible. No matter how small or fiddly the detail, she''s keen to absorb and understand it, quite different from Vibrant.

    And me¡­

    But I think it''s a good thing. If the second champion in the Colony ended up being as empty headed as Vibrant, we''d be in trouble. Although that''s not really fair. Vibrant is far from stupid, she simply doesn''t sweat the little things, she knows what she wants to do and she goes out and does it. I''m looking forward to seeing what she''ll be able to do once she reaches tier six. I expect a truly ridiculous level of speed will be achieved at that point.

    Naturally, it doesn''t take long to raise the hatchling to level ten and stuff her full of cores and Biomass so that she''s ready once again to evolve. Feeding her tier three monsters one after the other certainly takes the time out of it. The downside is that she''s only had a few hours to consider her options and what she wants to be in the future, but there''s little that we can do about it now, it''s time to go for it!

    "Alright then little one, here''s the special core I''ve prepared. Make sure you''repletely ready before you absorb it, otherwise you''ll have to put up with the pain of it longer than you otherwise would need to."

    She nods, looking sombrely at the glittering core.

    "Made your decisions?" I ask.

    She nods again.

    "I have. I just feel terrible about all the things that I''m turning my back on. When I make a choice, I throw away so many potential others."

    "That''s just how it goes, hatchling. As long as you excel in the thing that you find most interesting, I think you''ll be alright."

    I can tell that her inexhaustible thirst for information and knowledge is behind her hesitation. It''s not that she actually wants to be everything, she just wants to experience it, to know what it''s like. Which would be a waste of her talents.

    "You''ll get the same options that everyone gets, the nine basic castes of the Colony. Soldier, scout, general, mage, carver, core shaper, tender, queen and healer. You can pick one of them if you want, but I rmend that you take something that you can shape a little more to your own desires. I can''t be sure exactly what special options the System will offer you, since in part it''s based on things that are personal to you, but you should get an option that appeals a little more closely to what you envision for yourself. Gandalf is good at sussing out what you want. So you should be fine."

    "Alright then, thank you Senior."

    I pull back in mock horror.

    "Thanks?! From you?! Are you sick?"

    "No! It''s not my fault if you don''t do enough to warrant thanks most of the time."

    "Fair enough. Absorb the core and crack on, little one!"

    Which she does, the core dissipating into raw energy before she immediately begins to consult her menu, quickly pouring through the options as she grits her mandibles.

    [Back on guard duty Crinis! You know what to do Tiny! Let''s get to it Invidia¡­]

    For the four of us, we get back to doing much of what we were doing thest time we were in this position. For me and Invidia, that means more mental warfare. Trying to crack through the little demon''s mental defences is impossible, he simply has too many threads running at once, hitting me with a dozen attacks even as he weaves an intricateyer of protection around his own mind, rebuffing every packet of mana I send across the bridge between us. It''spletely exhausting and if we weren''t still in range of the Colony, I wouldn''t be able to keep it up for long. Thankfully the Vestibule soothes my tortured brains and drives away my headache, keeping me in the game for longer.

    Which is a good thing.

    Master Mind Magic Affinity (IV) has reached level 40 upgrade avable]

    [Master Mind Magic Affinity (IV) Level 40 -> Layered Mind Magic Affinity (V), cost 1 sp. At this rank, advanced forms of mind magic will be known to the Skill user, further enhancing their ability to utilise mind magic.]

    YASSSSSSSS!

    Finally it has arrived! The next big leap in technology hase! After grinding for the omni-elemental construct, and now this, I feel as if after all this time, I''ll finally be able to take a step forward on the path of magic. After all, what I''ve been doing all this time is nothing other than creating the foundation! From this point onward, new unexplored fields of magic await!

    [Hold on Invidia! I''ve finally got it! Give me a minute here¡­]

    I hastily confirm the purchase and then grow still as the pleasant trickling sensation that a Skill upgrade brings washes over my brain. Gradually, the new spell forms take shape in my mind and I finally understand what I have been missing all this time: the mind construct form! Atst, it is mine!

    Turning into Invidia a little there.

    It takes a couple of minutes for the new information to finish forming in my mind and when it does, I''m raring to go. Mind mana construct already working, I spin out the specialised mana that I need and put my brains to work!

    Like any new spell form, the mind construct is aplete pain in the business district to create. It''ll take a lot of practice before I''m familiar enough with it that I can whip them out on a moment''s notice. For now, concentrating hard and taking my time, I put the construct together, linking its maintenance to one of my sub-brains. The moment it slots into ce, something strange happens. It''s almost like I''ve grown an extra hand, as if a new limb just appeared within my mind. This time, when I reach for the mind mana, another brain reaches with me and we start working on another construct. How many can I get?!

 Chapter 681 Mind Your Step

    <h4>Chapter 681 Mind Your Step </h4>

    After so many years and so much study, you''d think that there would be widespread agreement over the advanced aspects of the System, cooperation across kingdoms providing a deep reservoir of shared knowledge to draw from. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. From the famed Tower to the Academy in Los, these august institutions of learning hoard their secrets like squirrels storing nuts for winter. The deeper initiates are forced to swear binding life oaths to ensure secrecy.

    I like to amuse myself by imagining that each of these bodies is protecting the exact same information from each other, never realising that they have nothing unique, but s that is sadly unlikely. It is for this reason that ssification of even the most basic Skills and magical structures within the System are different almost everywhere you go. Whenbining this with the System itself being inconsistent from individual to individual in terms of what bes unlocked and when, teaching someone exactly how Skills will progress throughout their life is a difficult task indeed.

    Take magic for example. Essentially all can agree on the basic elements, though they aren''t always known by the same name: earth, wind, water, fire. Fantastic, simple, we all get that. Each of these elements has an advanced form, we all agree on that: stone, gas, ice, blue fire. Excellent. The basic elements can also be fused, either bybining the Skills or manually melding the two mana types together during casting. This produces the fused elements: fire and stone formva, fire and water form steam, fire and wind produce ember, water and earth creates mud, water and wind makes sleet, earth and wind makes dust. All-together, these are considered the ''basic elements'' of magic on Pangera. The entry level. The baby stuff. Generally speaking, all mages will advance from working extensively with these elements as soon as they can, falling back on them only for the sake of efficiency or necessity.

    So. Whates next?

    Come on? Surely someone has an answer that everyone can agree on?! Not a single person? Is it advanced elements? Metal, wood, lightning? Or applications of advanced elements, like explosion magic? Is it Darkness and Light, the two are often considered the entry level to the second tier of mana. Is it Mind magic? Is that even on a tier? Or is it in a totally separate category of its own? This isn''t even considering the more in-depth forms, like death or life. It''s a fascinating thing to consider, and I personally don''t believe that a single correct answer exists. For each individual, the boundaries be fluid. They may not shift much, but they do. Just enough that we can never be sure if we are right in our assumptions. Which is why your homework for today is to devise a mana tier system of your own, justifying your decisions in a two-page essay. Don''t whine at me, brats!

    o Transcribed from a lecture provided by teacher Tony Sooka at the college of Helmhelm.

    A brand-new construct, a brand-new aspect of power! Gweheheheh! I''m eager to test this and see how far it can go. Creating the constructs is an interesting process in and of itself. Each construct, despite being essentially a ''fake brain'' made from mana, has to be linked to an actual, functioning, organic brain. It only takes a little bit of thinking for me to work out why. Despite being intricate and fiendishlyplex, though not on the same level as the omni-elemental construct, there''s no chance that a magical construct could ever hope to match the processing ability of literally trillions of neurons linked together. If it were possible to create a mana construct thatplex and powerful, what need would anyone have for organic brains at all? I should look into that actually¡­ I wonder if it''s possible to reset a brain into beingpletely constructed of energy¡­

    Anyway. So instead of performing all the functionality of a brain, the mind constructs are in fact formed to work in concert with one, taking on some of the functions and processes in order to alleviate the strain and enable the mind to perform better than it otherwise could. Naturally this is a bit of a trade-off, since the brain also has to maintain the construct, it doesn''t get all of the benefits with no drawbacks.

    In the end, what I learn is that for my two smaller sub-brains, two mind constructs each is the limit. I can push them to three, but the strain means that the third mana brain isn''t really being efficiently used. Therger sub-brain can handle three quite well, which is handy. So in effect, I''ve gone from being able to handle three separate threads at once, to being able to handle seven! A huge leap! Although I can''t say that my ability to process mana and spells has more than doubled, I''d say the performance of my sub-brains has increased by roughly fifty percent! I''m incredibly impressed.

    It''s going to take a heap of practice before I can properly utilise all this, and even more before I can spin the mind constructs up at a moment''s notice, but I''m more than happy to put in the time and effort if the payoff is going to be this juicy!

    [Alright, Invidia! Let''s try again, I want to see how well I can match up to you now!]

    A gleam of happiness shes through the little demon''s eye at my announcement and he quickly resumes his attack. The barrage of expertly woven mana packets that I''ve grown so familiar with floods across the mind bridge that he snapped into ce in less than a second and I immediately fall into the defensive. But something is different this time! This time I''m having much more luck tracking the many avenues of attack that he''s using against me, enough that I can counter most of them.

    With a smug ck of my mandibles, I push back against the demon, far better than I ever have before, causing a gleam to sh through that eye and he increases the pressure. Damn demon! He''s been holding back on me this whole time?! Despite my foe increasing his own efforts, I walk away from that practice session feeling invigorated and pleased with my improvement. The constructs are working a treat already! I can''t wait to experiment with other forms of spell casting with them!

    Although it''s mega tempting to immediately check the Skill list and see what new mana forms have unlocked for me, I need to be a little disciplined with myself. No matter what I see there, I know for a fact that I''ll buy it straight away. Once I''ve bought it, I''ll need to practice it, and the grinding will start straight away. Whilst that may not be a bad thing overall, I know it will be leaving me with a weakness. Having only just learned how to use these mind constructs, I need to practice and getfortable with them before I move onto anything else! Until I''ve tested my limits and understand what I can and can''t do, I don''t want to go rushing off into battle or trying to take on new forms of magic. Slow and steady wins the race! You can''t win if you''re dead!

 Chapter 682 The path that has been given, the name that has been given

    <h4>Chapter 682 The path that has been given, the name that has been given </h4>

    I take more time to y with my new mental setup, slowly growing ustomed to the strange feeling of having more mental power than my physical brains should be able to provide. The more I mess around with it, weaving multiple threads of mana by having one brain concentrate on two things at the same time, the more I feel that my connection to being human really is vanishing a long way behind me. I couldn''t even imagine being a giant ant with multiple brains and giant mandibles whilst running around an underground, globe spanning Dungeon packed full of monsters that I fight and eat whilst covered in a shiny, glowing carapace of diamond. But hey, here we are.

    Eventually I notice that the glow surrounding the hatchling has started to dim, a sure sign that her evolution ising to an end. Calling the group together, we surround the little one, ready to greet her when she finally regains consciousness. Or tries to run. Either one.

    Only a few minutester, she wakes up to see all of us looming over her and jumps to her feet.

    "Ah! What''s wrong?!"

    "Just waiting to greet you upon awakening," I tell her. "Nothing suspicious at all."

    She doesn''t appear convinced, and her scent definitely marks her as suspicious of me, but I pay it no mind, instead taking this moment to examine her a little more closely to get a few clues as to how her evolution has gone. She hasn''t increased in size all that much, which obviously means she either invested heavily in mental stats or organs. Considering her origins as a champion of the species, she has a boosted stat baseline to begin with, so I''d be intrigued to see what path she went down.

    "You''ve now be a tier three monster," I congratte her, "how does it feel?"

    "Good! I think¡­ there''s still a few things I need to get used to¡­ this change was more severe than thest one¡­"

    She keeps lifting her legs and shifting her body from side to side, still unustomed to her current size and strength.

    "Considering you went from a hatchling to a hatchlingst time, this is obviously going to have a greater impact on you. I can already see you didn''t choose any of the normal temtes of the nine castes, so I assume you were able to find a few things that caught your interest?"

    She nods.

    "I did. I think I''ll be able to grow along these lines and serve the Colony in a way that is unique to myself!"

    "Interesting¡­ you wouldn''t mind me taking a look then would you?"

    "What?"

    "It''s a Skill that I have," I exin, "I can use it to look at your status in much the same way that you can. I won''t use it without your permission, but it would make it a lot easier for me to teach you if I knew exactly what I was working with."

    She goes still for a moment before eventually agreeing and I bring my antennae forward to rest against her carapace, activating Core Crafting in the process. When I filter through the onught of data and arrive at the status window, what I see is surprising in several ways.

    Name: ''Hatchling''

    Level: 1 (core)

    Might: 35

    Toughness: 30

    Cunning: 30

    Will: 30

    HP: 60/60

    MP: 0/55

    Skills:

    Digging (I) Level 3; Acid Shot (I) Level 3; Grip (I) Level 4; Crushing Bite (II) Level 3; Dash (I) Level 4; Exo-Skeleton defence (I) level 1; Stamina (I) level 1;

    Mutations:

    Reactive Exoskeleton +10; Draining Mandibles +10; Gripping Legs +10; Weave Focused Eyes +10; Mana Sensitive Antennae +10; Sizzling Acid nd +10; Improved Pheromone Language nd +10; Focused Mana Core Lattice; Dungeon Oracle;

    Species: Juvenile Seer (Formica)

    Skill points: 17

    Biomass: 6

    "You''ve got some stuff here that I''ve never seen before¡­"

    "Heheheheh," she chuckles to herself.

    Thettice is something that I''ve looked at before, essentially a crystal weave that attaches to the core itself to produce an effect. In this case, it''ll make her more attuned to mana in the most pure sense. But this Dungeon Oracle¡­ An organ that references the Dungeon itself? Is that a good or bad thing? Then there''s her stats. An interesting mix that seems fairly even, but when your mental stats are on par with your physical, it means you went hard on beefing up the brain. Even so, her numbers are a little lower than mine when I reached tier three, which seems odd, since I didn''t have the benefit of a special evolution the first time around, nor did I have the bonus from max mutations. Which means she must have dumped evolutionary energy, a lot of it, into something else. Which is likely to be one of those fancy organs¡­ It''s an unusual decision¡­

    "I decided that I want to be able to know as much as possible about everything!" the hatchling deres, "whether or not that information is hidden with mana or through the Dungeon itself, I''ll find it! There''s no secret I won''t be able to find, no puzzle I won''t be able to crack!"

    I regard the still small ant before me as she stares back confidently.

    "You''re a clever one, aren''t you?" I ask her.

    "The cleverest!" she beams.

    "I suppose I ought to give you a name then."

    "A name?"

    I think for a moment.

    "How about Brilliant?"

    "Brilliant? As in, incredibly clever? I like it!"

    "Don''t think you''re work is over though," I tell her, "your hard work has only just begun. You want to solve the mysteries that the Colony still grapples with? With pathetic Skill levels like yours? You are absolutely dreaming. Not to mention, to graduate from the academy, ants have to reach tier four nowadays, so you still have a long way to go!"

    "How am I supposed to train my Skills when you won''t let me fight?!"

    "First thing first, we train Dash and Exo-Skeleton defence. Safety over everything. Thenes the basics of magic, mana maniption and mana sight. Only after we''ve gotten each of those to rank three are we going to work on raising your basic offensive Skills. Besides, judging by your stats, you''ll be using magic to attack far more than your mandibles."

    "Well¡­ that''s true."

    "Alright then! I guess it''s time for me to pass you on to your next instructor!"

    She perks up at that but tries to hide it.

    "Oh! But that''s such a shame, Senior. You''ve taught me so much already; it''ll be a shame to leave yourpany¡­"

    "Not to worry! You won''t be. This is just for training Dash and Exo-Skeleton defence. If you work hard, you''ll get some levels in Stamina as well."

    The ''hatchling'' looks up at me nkly and I can''t help but grin on the inside.

    [Crinis? Make her run.]

    [Yes! Master!]

 Chapter 683 796 - Poking Our Noses In

    <h4>Chapter 683 Chapter 796 - Poking Our Noses In </h4>

    It takes a few days, but we finally make it down here. The remnants of the wave are still visible in mana levels and spawn rates that are higher than they otherwise would be, but the never ending streams of monsters bursting from the walls of the tunnels are no longer to be found, which is nice. To be honest though, the spawn rates and mana levels have never really returned to what they were when I was born. If I had to hazard a guess, after the first wave, the mana level never dropped back down to what it would normally be, and this time is likely to be the same.

    Are we going to experience a series of waves that will push the mana level higher each time? Is that a normal sort of thing? Somehow I doubt it. Whatever is going on doesn''t appear to be what would be considered part of the ''normal'' cycle of mana in the Dungeon. I can''t decide if this is going to be a good thing or not. The higher spawn rates and frequent waves are only going to push the Colony forward at an elerated rate, so long as we remain strong enough to protect ourselves.

    [You guys ready for this?] I ask my gathered friends.

    [Ready, Master!] Crinis assures me.

    [I am alwayssss ready to take!]

    [Harr!]

    [Seems good. Let''s see what we can see then.]

    "Wait a minute! Wait for me!"

    I turn around impatiently.

    "Come on, Brilliant! What the heck have you been doing back there?"

    "DASHING!"

    "Still?! How slow are you?!"

    "I''m only a few days old! Unlike an ancient ant like you!"

    "Whoa now, don''t call me an ancient," I nce around shiftily, "that word has different connotations around here."

    "What do you mean?" she asks whilst trying to stop herself from flopping onto the ground in exhaustion.

    "I''ll exin it to youter, but yes, I get your point, I am very oldpared to you. We''ll take a quick break."

    [Quick break everyone.]

    Tiny slumps over a little in disappointment before taking up his now ustomed rest position near Brilliant, making sure the little thing remains protected as she gathers herself.

    "Come on, I brought you all the way down to the third strata! You''re going to be the second ant in the Colony who gets to see this. Aren''t you excited? Pumped up!?"

    "I am¡­. I''m just¡­. So tired."

    "Crinis worked you pretty hard huh."

    Defence training basically consisted of Crinis chasing Brilliant around and whacking her with tentacles, helping to train the Exo-Skeleton defence Skill through repeated impacts whilst making the young ant Dash to avoid getting entangled in a constricting mess. When she failed to Dash in time to avoid her clutches, Crinis made sure she regretted it. The things we need to do in order to raise our young to be strong in this cruel world! It''s almost enough to bring a tear to my eye!

    "On the plus side, your Skills havee along nicely! It''s time for you to start working on what you really wanted to be doing, mana maniption! You''ve bought the Skill yet?"

    "I have," a little energyes back into her eyes, "I have bought it, along with mana sight."

    "Excellent. These are going to be your fundamentals of magic. I want you to use them as much as you possibly can until your headache gets too bad. When that happens, let me know. You need to keep your wits about you where we''re going and I don''t want you to get careless."

    Just because she has the very basics of self-preservation abilities doesn''t mean she''ll be able to get away from anything down here. The Demons mean business.

    "Is there anything you can tell me about the third stratum? So that I can be forewarned?" she asks, quite reasonably.

    "Nope," I cheerfully reply, "at least, not much that I''ve been able to confirm with my own eyes. In terms of things that I''ve been told about it, there''s rather a lot, not that much of it will be useful to you. In essence, the third stratum is the realm of demons, if there are any other types of monster here, I''ve not heard of them or seen them. The primary elements are fire and ash, although apparently there are other variants as you get deeper. The whole ce is very open, almost the entire thing is considered to be one vast expanse with small offshoot tunnels in the floor and in the side of cliffs. Lastly, the key feature is the pirs that connect the ceiling to the floor. Kilometres high, they are made from an apparently unbreakable stone. The higher tier demons form societies and cities attached to the side or around these formations, one of which sits beneath us right now."

    "A whole city of high tier demons?!"

    "Yep. I''m not suggesting that we go and pay a visit, but I''d like to get a bit closer andy eyes on the ce. Now, let''s get going!"

    Impatient with all the dys, I urge Brilliant forward along with my pets and we make our way deeper, to the threshold between the strata. Just like the first time, the shadows, darkness and stench of death boil away as we descend, reced by the searing heat and burning air of the third stratum.

    [How are you holding up Crinis?]

    [I-it''s better than it was before, but it still feels very ufortable.]

    [I''m sure you''ll be able to manage. Let me know if it gets too bad. We don''t need to be here for a long time.]

    [I will, Master.]

    The tunnel connecting to the vast open space that lies below isn''t very long, and we soon find ourselves greeted with a familiar sight. The bridge to the top of the pir. On either side, the drop falls sharply away, the air filled with ash and fire, I can''t see the bottom very well at all this time, but I can still see the pir as it descends to the floor.

    "This¡­ is quite something," Brilliant''s scent is almost disbelieving.

    "It''s different all right."

    Nothing to stop us this time, I lead the way, walking forward along the bridge until we stand at the point the pir connects to the roof above. It''s a fearsome sight, thinking that this stone holds the weight of billions of tons. The Colony, the stone, the dirt, the town of Renewal and everyone in it, all of it sits atop this pir. It''s¡­ insane. How the heck is it so strong?! Another mystery of the Dungeon. Far below, I can see the te with the demon city resting atop it. The haze in the air is so thick I almost can''t make it out, but it''s there for sure.

    Breathing deep, I extend one leg onto the surface of the pir, making sure to grip tightly with my w. Confident of my hold, I reach out with another leg and grip tight, repeating the process until I find myself vertical, the full weight of my massive body concentrated in my ws. It''s a strain for sure, but I can take it! I seriously need to train Grip some more¡­

 Chapter 684 Descending

    <h4>Chapter 684 Descending </h4>

    It''s a heck of a lot easier for Brilliant to walk down the face of the pir than it is for me, her light body proving no challenge for her ws. Tiny has a rough time of it, having to climb on the rock much like a human would, using his hands and feet to find holds, but thanks to his unbelievable strength it doesn''t prove too much of an issue. Invidia and Crinis have no problem at all, the demon fluttering along beside us as we slowly make our way down, with Crinis attached to the back of my carapace as usual. I have to say, facing directly downward into a several kilometre high drop is intimidating stuff. The air yawns open like the maw of a furious beast, vast and empty. Flickers of me and ash brush past us constantly, the heat as thick in the air as the mana. It almost feels energising to my body, though perhaps if it gets too hot, I might run into trouble.

    Ants can''t sweat, so temperature regtion is a real issue. I wonder if it''s an issue for monster ants? I can''t say that it''s been a huge problem before¡­ The cold of the second stratum was unpleasant, to be sure, but as far as I know it hasn''t put any ants to sleep. If it did, the torpor police would be having a much easier time than they are. As time passes and we climb further down, it bes clear that we are not the only monsters on the pir. Far from it.

    Despite the wave subsiding, there are still demons climbing upwards. Nothing like the bottomless swarm that I saw thest time I was here, but still a steady trickle. Perhaps they have sensed that the mana above is still high enough to sustain them? Given that they are only tier four or below, I wouldn''t be surprised if they can survive up there, not that they get the chance. Any monsters wee across are sted off the pir in short order, either by Invidia detonating them, or me smacking them in the face with gravity magic until their own weight is too much for them to handle. Something that surprises me is that I don''t see any evidence of flying demons as of yet. Obviously some of them can, Invidia is living proof of that after all, even though I wouldn''t call his stilting flutter anything like actual ''flight'', he''s still proof of concept. Considering all this open space that''s avable, the third stratum is by far the best ce in the Dungeon I''ve yet seen for a flying type monster to exist. So where are they all?

    Apparently, non-existent, at least in this area.

    After an hour of careful climbing, we''re still not close to the te on which the demon city sits, which is annoying but I can see it better than I could before, even make out some small figures moving about on there. So weird, to think of amunity of monsters living together in some sort of harmony. The Colony does, obviously, but we are literally one family, as far as I''m aware, the demons don''t have anything like that binding them together, so how are they able to do it? Is it simply a case of a high enough level of intelligence means they are able to understand the benefits of coexistence? I guess we''ll find out eventually.

    We slowly climb down, step by step, resting every so often on an outcropping or when we find a good foothold, just so my aching ws and legs can get their strength back. This far from the Colony, my Vestibule isn''t much use either, which means fatigue is a thing again all of a sudden. It''s kind of weird to have to think about it again after basically ignoring it whilst I was fighting around the nest during the wave. Without my twenty bodyguards, I''d have no trickle of energy through it at all. It''s impossible that the council was aware of how useful these babysitters would be for me when they assigned them to me, but at least they turned out to be good for something.

    [What are you able to make out down there, Crinis?]

    [Lots of strong mana signatures, although the ambient mana is still very high, which makes it difficult for me to see much. At the very least I can say that there are some powerful monsters down there.]

    [How about that, Tiny? Some strong monsters might be just what you need to stretch after this painful climb, what do you think?]

    A savage grin is all the reply I get.

    [Just keep a lid on it,] I warn him, [we don''t want any trouble.]

    "Are we going to keep going down?" Brilliant asks, eyeing the growing width of the te beneath us. "That''s the demon city, isn''t it?"

    "Sure is."

    "Are we really going to go in there? On our own? Without the Colony to support us?"

    I turn to face her, not an easy thing to do, given the circumstances.

    "What''s the matter? Your thirst for knowledge has dried up already? Your hunger for answers?"

    "No! I''m just... Is it normal for us to be out here on our own like this?"

    Huh. Unlike me, Brilliant has never been a human. Being so far from the support of the family must feel paralysing. But for me? Something is always pulling me forward.

    "No way, no going back now, little one!" I turn back to the descent and continue on my way. "Don''t you want to see what''s next? Don''t you want to experience the adventure?! Ever since I saw this ce I''ve been wanting to take a look, to get closer and see what it''s like. There''s no way that I''m going to leave without seeing it for myself!"

    "And after I''ve seen it, what about the things that lie below? Aren''t you curious, Brilliant? Can you resist the lure of the impossible things that the Dungeon makes reality? How could I possibly throw away this second chance?"

    "Are you alright Senior?"

    "I''ve never been better. Come, let''s see what the demons have to say to us!"

    Moving faster than before, I lead the group down as the demon city grows in our eyes, until we are so close I can see them pointing up at us as we descend. What will greet me when I arrive? Battle? Friendly conversation? Come now, show me!

 Chapter 685 Low Society

    <h4>Chapter 685 Low Society </h4>

    My first impression of Renewal was somewhat mixed, I must say. Having flown from the glittering towers of Derinon, jewel of the A sea and metropolis of the age, the rtively humble city thaty before me was rather quaint, rustic and backward. I''m sure you, dear reader, would react likewise if you''d just travelled from the heart of civilisation into the wild frontier! But what one must remember, must keep at the forefront of your mind at all times, is just how little time this city has existed. Not even ten years ago this patch of dirt was naught but shrubs and trees, not a single stone stacked atop another. From that nothing, a wonderful city has sprung into life constructed atop the ruins of the former frontier kingdoms by refugees and¡­ ants!

    Landing outside the city limits we caused quite the fuss, a gaggle of curious onlookers poking their noses out of the gates to inspect the neers and their flying transport. I waster to learn we weren''t the first skimmer to visit thesends, but we weren''t far from it, such that the residents were yet to lose their fascination with the creatures. After unpacking our things, my strapping escorts and I made our way into the city, my guards alert to any sign of danger in this strange and mysterious ce. Not that there was any need for it, the people were lovely! Such a warm wee we received as I can hardly describe. Without so much as a ruffled feather we were escorted to a local establishment named ''The Hill of Rest'', a fine Inn of good report owned and run by the ever so delightful Mr and Mrs Bellweather.

    The two were former refugees from the capital city of Liria, some of the few to escape the tragedy that urred. I chatted to the two of them gaily, listening as they shared with me the gripping story of their survival, flight and eventual rescue at the hands of the ''Great One''. Needless to say, I was quite keen to discover who this individual might be and eagerly enquired. My two hosts shared a slight smile before describing arge and mighty ant, one of exceeding intelligence, generosity and kindness, responsible for saving many during the wave and ying the beast responsible for destroying their home.

    Mrs Bellweather was quite keen to impart on me the high regard the Great One is held in amongst the folk of Renewal and that my text not disrespect this individual in the slightest! Far be it from me, dear reader, to disparage someone I am yet to meet, regardless if they are an ant monster or not! After a very pleasant meal and a bath to wash off the worst offenses of our journey, I retired much refreshed, ready to tour the city on the following day. And what a city it revealed itself to be! Remarkable, unique and quite possibly the most fascinating destination on the face of Pangera! Judge nothing yet reader, for the best is by far yet toe!

    ¡¤ Excerpt from Chapter Three of ''Traveling Tolly in thends of the Colony'' published in the Monthly ''Pangera Gazette''

    Can I exin what it was that drove me forward? Not really. For whatever reason, the voice that would normally tell me ''hey, Anthony, this is probably a bad idea'' is just too quiet to prevent me rushing headlong forward. Maybe this is how Tiny feels all the time? No doubt or hesitation in his mind no matter what odds he faces or how dangerous the path he is on. Unlike Tiny, I know I''m not invincible, I know that running headlong into this city of Demons is dangerous. But I''m going to do it anyway.

    I can sense the twenty bodyguards going into hyper-alert mode, their thoughts transmitted to me through the Vestibule. They sense peril here, like a deadly spice in the air, and they want to make sure that they do what is necessary so that I would survive. In my mind, I''m more worried about them than I am about me. They''ve all been promoted to tier five, which is a step up, but there are a number of tier six monsters in the gathering below us. Even with their perfect evolutions, it might not be enough. No matter what happens, I''ll make sure they get out and take word back to the Colony. That''s my duty as the Eldest.

    Step by aching step, down the pir we go.

    The demon city is a strange ce, though ''city'' may not be the right term for it. Real estate is at a real premium on the disk of stone that encircles the pir and there can''t be more than a few thousand monsters living there. The buildings themselves are a bizarre sight, given the huge variety in shapes and sizes that demons cane in, no two are alike. In one section, there may be many domiciles piled on top of each other, creating a buzz of activity as smaller demons move in and out, whereas in others there may be just one cavernous hangar in which a particrlyrge specimen makes their home. As we descend, more and more of the residents take notice of us, looking up and pointing.

    It''ll be interesting if we have to confront so many demons at once, but it''s looking as if that isn''t going to be the case. Around the base where the pir meets the disk I can see a wall, even make out the guards standing at intervals around it. The pir is guarded for some reason? Interesting¡­

    Another ten minutes of climbing and I finally set w on the disk itself, stretching my leg out to take my weight so that I can once again be horizontal.

    "AHHHHH! Feels so good to be t again! My poor legs feel like they''re on fire! At least I managed to get a level out of it."

    "In Grip?" Brilliant asks, shaking out her own legs, "mine levelled three times on that climb."

    "Keep raising that Skill," I encourage her, "if you ever get to my size, you''re gonna need it at a high level."

    Suddenly I feel a bridge seek to attach to my mind and I instinctively rebuff it, shoving the magic away and cutting it to ribbons with my mind constructs. I can''t see anyone around me, who the heck would be trying to speak with me?

    [Keep an eye out, Invidia. Someone wants to chat.]

    [They have already madesssss an attempt.]

    [You too?]

    [Yessssss.]

    [How''d that go?]

    [I ripped their magic apartsss!]

    [Nice work. Let''s take a defensive position here whilst we rest from the climb.]

    Whilst I rest from the climb. Looking around, we appear to be in some form of disturbing garden, judging by the somewhat tasteless d¨¦cor. Not that there''s a whole lot of nt life to be seen. Does someone actually live here? It isn''t long before we get our answer, as a grinning demon whose skin erupts in numerous wicked looking des approaches. Once again I feel a mind bridge being extended, more respectfully this time and I allow the contact.

    [The Lord wishes to speak with you,] the demon says.

    No greeting? How rude. Still, it appears as if this city is managed by whoever lives here, might as well check it out.

 Chapter 686 Discussions With Royalty

    <h4>Chapter 686 Discussions With Royalty </h4>

    I mean¡­ he''s fat. Like. Really fat. I probably shouldn''t focus on that too much, considering that this demon is almost certainly seventh tier, the first that I''ve ever seen. But still, he''s like¡­ a mega-chonker.

    Atop that bulbous mass of flesh, split through the middle with a grotesque mouth that even now is stuffing itself full of Biomass from trays heaped with the stuff on either side of the figure of the city lord, the shockingly humanoid upper body looks down on us with thinly veiled contempt.

    "Why have you entered my city, Insect?" he demands, staring hard at me.

    Why is he singling me out? Is it my carapace? The precious diamond that I carry? You can''t have it! This carapace belongs to me, certainly, but also to the world! I am merely it''s caretaker, shepherding this glorious form through the Dungeon so that uncultured swine might gaze upon my magnificence and achieve enlightenment!

    "This is one seriously pompous fatty," Iin to Brilliant, "not to mention rude. The least he could do is offer some of that Biomass to us."

    When I don''t scent a reply from the little ant, I focus a little more in her direction and only then do I realise that the poor thing is frozen in ce, totally overwhelmed by the dominant aura of malevolence rolling off the powerful demon in front of us. A tier three monster standing in front of a tier seven, it''s to be expected. I myself haven''t experienced that sort of disparity since the first time Iid eyes on Garralosh.

    I really need to ask Granin about this strange manifestation of power as I understand very little about it. Is it simply the difference of intensity in the core that causes this effect? Is it a biological sense that''s inborn in monsters so that we can tell the more powerful specimens when wee across them? A curious thought. I reach out to the grotesque mound of flesh in front of us with my mind.

    [Mind retracting your aura a bit? My sibling here is still young.]

    High above the heaving flesh, the demon''s eyes glitter with malice.

    "I will not," he replies.

    I shrug my antennae.

    [Suit yourself. Be warned that this might be construed as an insult to the Colony though.]

    Those eyes narrow.

    "Are you threatening me? In my own city?"

    [I mean, in a way? I suppose if you wanted to interpret it that way, then I am. Yes.]

    "I could have you shredded to gobbets with the wave of a hand, Insect."

    [You''d have to put your food down first.]

    The two of us stare at each other for a long moment before I decide to try and extend a w in peace.

    [Look. It seems as if we''ve gotten off on the wrong mandible. My sibling and my friends here have climbed down from above to take a look at your lovely city and experience the delights of the third stratum. Are visitors wee in the city of Roklu? That''s the name right? If they aren''t, we can just as easily leave back up the pir the way we came.]

    Gottay on the charm when you''re dealing with these types. Although it''s taking all my willpower not to reference the demon''s vast bulk. It''s not like I can even avert my eyes from that heaving gut, I have near three-sixty degree vision! My change in tone seems to have taken this ruler by surprise and he regards us in silence for a moment. I''m hoping this is a good sign. Spirit of adventure is all well and good, but I''d much rather I didn''t plunge the Colony into a war on this trip. I''m due for an outing that ends without starting a major conflict.

    "I am the city lord of Roklu, Grokus," he finally speaks and introduces himself. "Generally speaking, visitors are wee, albeit rare, in my city. Visitors from above are even more rare, there are few who would brave the dangers of the descent. I would have you know, that I am already aware of your¡­ colony¡­"

    I could distinctly hear theck of a capital when he referred to my family. Disgraceful.

    "¡­ and I must warn you that any attempt to encroach on my territory will be met with extreme force. I have struggled long to gain my position and I will not surrender it."

    I shrug.

    [In the end we''re just a group of ants,] I gesture towards Brilliant besides me, still frozen in ce by the presence of therge demon, [I can''t imagine that a city full of big bad demons has much to fear from us, surely?]

    Grokus looks at me with one eye cast askance.

    "That doesn''t seem to be what you were suggesting earlier when you threatened me¡­"

    I ck my mandibles and wave away the suggestion.

    [A little bluster in a conversation is to be expected, is it not? We are strangers in a new ce, it''s normal for us to be somewhat cautious. I for one, have never set w in a demon city and had no idea what to expect. I certainly didn''t realise that I''d be dropping down into the city lord''spound. So I take it we might have your leave to explore the city?]

    The giant demon looked down at me and my group a little longer and I take the opportunity to examine his core a little more closely. It''s clear that his core holds more energy than mine, but not by that much. Clearly he hasn''t benefited from a maxed core at each stage of his development. That doesn''t mean I''m equal to him, a gap in tier represents a doubling of potential after all, but he isn''t that much stronger than I am. With all my allies present, I''m confident we could make a mess of the ce, though I expect that''s why I detect so many strong demons nearby. Grokus isn''t taking any chances with us.

    Judging by the way he''s looking at me, he doesn''t think I''m taking any chances either. A correct assumption.

    I sense he doesn''t want a confrontation here and now, not in the seat of his power when he doesn''t have a clear advantage over us. The tension seems to dissipate from his frame as he waves a magnanimous hand in our direction.

    "Provided you mean no harm to me and mine, you are free to roam the city. Be warned however, a demon city is not like your Colony, we tend to not y as nice with each other. I will ask that you stop by again before you leave, I do like to keep track of theings and goings of those who are within my walls."

    I give a friendly wave with my antenna.

    [We''ll take our leave then. Any chance I can get someone to guide us to the gate? I assume you wouldn''t want us wandering around your estate on our own¡­]

    "I would not."

    With an unheard mentalmand, Grokus appoints one of his guards as our guide, the whip-thin demon with far too many teeth flexes its ws around us a little too many times for me to feelfortable, but it does its job and deposits us in front of a gate which will take us out of the city lord''spound and into the city itself. With the confrontation over with I breathe a slight sigh of relief, releasing the tension that had crept through my carapace. As s¨¦ as I''d wanted to appear, I had known things could go very badly for us there.

    Not that they couldn''t go badly for Chubs McFattrolls.

    I slowly begin to dissipate the Gravity Bomb I had constructed, breaking the mana off one tiny piece at a time from the roiling ball of condensed power inside me. I''d done my best to conceal it, but there''s not really any way to hide such a concentrated mass of power. If things had gone badly, Grokus would have copped the st right in the face, and he could sense it. Being tier seven, I can''t imagine he doesn''t have any tricks up his sleeve, but surely even he would have a nasty headache after going a round with the unlimited power of gravity.

    He certainly has plenty of mass¡­

    Never mind. We''ve made it this far, infiltration sessful! Now it''s time to see what we came here for! Demon society thrives on the other side of this gate! Let''s go see!

 Chapter 687 Tourists

    <h4>Chapter 687 Tourists </h4>

    "Get back here!" I grumble at Brilliant, "if you don''t behave yourself, you''re going back in the mouth!"

    She freezes in the process of dashing off into the city and turns back towards us.

    "Do I even fit in there anymore¡­?" she asks doubtfully.

    [Invidia, show her the mouth.]

    He does.

    "I see that I would indeed still fit¡­" she says, the scent faint.

    "Yes, yes you would. When ites to mouths, Invidia is ranked second in our group behind Crinis in terms of size and believe me, you don''t want to spend any time in there."

    "Why is that?" she asks, her curiosity overwhelming her good sense¡­ as usual.

    "Because everything that goes in there is slowly annihted, disintegrating into tiny molecules that are then digested. She doesn''t even need teeth to shred her food."

    "That''s¡­ horrific."

    "I think that''s the point. Anyway, before we run off into a strange city full of demons that we don''t know anything about, how about we stick together as a group and agree on some simple ground rules?"

    "Ground rules like what?"

    "First of all, you''re currently tier three and every entity in the city that I can sense right now is at least tier six. So, to almost every monster in here, you are a snack. Try not to get eaten. Second, let''s try not to antagonise anyone, pun not intended. I''m pretty sure the city lord would be more than happy to destroy us if we give him a chance, so let''s try not to give him one. Clear?"

    "Crystal!" she nods enthusiastically.

    Looking down at her clear and energetic eyes, alight with the promise of new knowledge, I just know that this is going to go horribly wrong.

    "All right then," I sigh, "let''s get going."

    [Tiny, watch the hatchling carefully. I get the feeling she''ll try to run off at some point.]

    He nods seriously at me before taking up a position near the little ant, always keeping her in his eyes. I hope it''ll be enough. There''s a slight gap between the wall that encircles Grokus''pound, and therefore the base of the pir, and any other structures, a gap we cross rapidly and find ourselves immediately surrounded by the press of strange buildings and even stranger residents.

    There doesn''t seem to be any roads, because why would there be, or any sort of nning having gone into theyout of the city that I can see so far, which corrtes to the obscene tangle that I witnessed from above. It looks as if the demons just build wherever they please and knock down any building that gets in the way. The neighbourhood nningmittee meetings must be quite the sight¡­

    I''m not exactly sure what I was expecting, but the demon city of Roklu somehow manages to defy all expectations. As we move deeper amongst the buildings, more faces poke out to watch as we walk past, each and every one a different shape or size than the one before. The demonse in a seemingly endless variety of types and even if some are simr to each other, there are almost always some differences that can''t be put down to mutations alone. Compared to the uniform appearance of my own family members, besides the obvious differences between the castes, this is almost a ridiculous level of diversity. I keep an eye out for demons simr to Invidia and although I see a few that are close, there doesn''t seem to be any that I see which are exactly the same.

    [Are you one of a kind, Invidia? I thought there''d be a lot more demons simr to you down here, considering how powerful you are.]

    [I do not know.]

    [I suppose it doesn''t really matter.]

    "ROAR!"

    BOOM!

    [What the heck is that?!]

    A powerful bellow quickly followed by a ground shaking crash rattles through the air and I nt my feet firmly, antennae swaying through the air rapidly. To the side, I see that Tiny has leapt forward and snagged Brilliant off the ground before she could make a getaway, although she was heading toward the source of the noise, as opposed to away from it¡­

    [Be cautious¡­ let''s go check it out.]

    Looking at the demons around us, none seem to react all that much to the disturbance, seemingly far more interested in us than they are in whatever caused it. Feeling my tension unwind a little, I nheless keep my guard up as we thread our way through the buildings toward the source of the noise. A few minutester we find what we''re looking for in the form of arge, brutal looking demon dragging away what appears to be whatever is left of the demon he had a disagreement with. The ground is heavily cracked, and a few nearby walls are clearly damaged, but again, nobody seems to be willing to do anything about it. The hulking form of the grey skinned behemoth slowly stomps away out of our line of sight, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

    Either that big chap is tier seven or at the very peak of tier six, judging by his core. Clearly a physical build, he was as bulky as Tiny and just asrge. Which reminds me.

    [No Tiny, you can''t go fight it.]

    He looks disappointed, rxing from the impressive pose he''d pulled in order to best disy his gori physique.

    [And you can probably put Brilliant down now.]

    [Urr?]

    The little ant in question is currently having her face rammed into Tiny''s right bicep as he lifted his hands to better flex. Looking apologetic, he gently ces Brilliant on the ground, giving her a little pat on the back and dusting off her carapace. I''d roll my eyes if I could.

    "Are you alright, Brilliant?"

    "I ¡­ think so?" she says, staggering a little as she gets her bnce.

    I have no idea what just happened. Are the demons here just allowed to eat each other whenever they want? And damage the city? That can''t possibly be right¡­ how would they even form a city if living in it provided no sort of safety? Why would any of them live there at all?

    [Because living here is much safer than living elsewhere. But you must reconsider your assumption that ''safety'' is the primary concern of the city''s residents.]

    That seems like a reasonable thing to say actually¡­ demons are monsters, much the same as the members of the Colony. But whereas the ants of my family are all rted to one another and have an innate desire to cooperate, no such thing binds demons. And considering that, judging from what I''ve seen, safety doesn''t seem to be one of their concerns, I can corroborate that with what I''ve witnessed in the wild at least. That leads to the question, what exactly is it that demons want?

    And whose voice was that?!

    With a start, I realise a mind bridge has connected to me, so stealthily, so sneakily that I hadn''t even noticed it happen?! Who the heck?! All my minds and constructs ze with activity as I rally my own mind mana to my defence.

    [Who''s there? Why have you invaded my mind? Is it because of my carapace? It''s the carapace, isn''t it? So shiny¡­ so marvellous¡­ one look and you were entranced¡­ addicted! Well you can''t have it! It''s mine. Mine I say!]

    [Ah. I mean no offense. Allow me to reveal myself to you and we can clear this misunderstanding.]

 Chapter 688 Tour Guide

    <h4>Chapter 688 Tour Guide </h4>

    [I don''t see you demon¡­ are you going to show yourself or - HOLYGIZZADIGUP!]

    Even as I ask for the creature to show itself, it seems to blink into existence on the edge of my vision, shocking me with both its sudden appearance, and bizarre form. A giant eyeball wreathed in fiery tentacles that appear almost more like tongues of me than appendages of flesh stares down at me like a watchful sun.

    [I did not mean to shock you,] the voice in my mind says, [I have been here some time, but have hidden my presence by erasing it from your mind up to this point.]

    [Isn''t that a bit rude?] I challenge the demon to help cover my unease at having my mind invaded so easily. [You can''t go around just diving into people''s minds willy-nilly! How the heck did you even do it?!]

    My guard is up. Way up. This demon is clearly powerful, a tier seven, much like the huge brute who stomped away earlier. Its appearance is something like a cross between Invidia, Crinis and a bonfire, giving it a disturbing visage to say the least. Instead of the intense green of Invidia''s own eyeball, this demon''s eye is red, as in totally red. The iris is red, the pupil is a different shade of red, and the white? Let''s just say it isn''t all that white. Looking into this thing''s eye is like looking into a fire in a fire in a fire in a fire.

    [It is how I protect myself,] the demon doesn''t seem perturbed by my attack, [being a physically weaker creature, I use my mental prowess to hide myself from the attention of those that would seek to do me harm.]

    [Seems like it would also go a long way to making it rather easy to inflict harm,] I point out.

    [That is also true,] it responds, unbothered.

    The rest of my party has reacted to this sudden presence with a disy of aggression. Tiny has snatched up the hatchling once more, putting his body between the neer and Brilliant, whilst Crinis has made herself known by threateningly extending some ghastly limbs from her resting ce on my back. For his part, Invidia has continued to hover, threateningly, his eye zing with envious light.

    The demon floats in the air with no apparent effort, looking down on me as we continue our stand off for several long moments.

    [Sooooo¡­] I try.

    [Ah. I apologise, I was lost in thought.]

    A pause.

    [Hello?]

    [Ah. I apologise, I was -]

    [Lost in thought?! Again!? Can you please just let us know if you''re going to try and eat us or what so we can either get to fighting or running away?! I''m getting antsy over here!]

    Heh.

    The eye flickers at my sudden barrage and after a brief pause begins to exin itself.

    [I have approached you for a very specific reason,] it starts, [I have spoken to you in the hopes that you will ke my hunger.]

    DANGIT.

    [KILL!] I bellow and prepare to leap into action.

    The eye blinks in surprise before vanishing right before my eyes, causing my heroic dashing leap to end with me nting my face into a wall, knocking the already damaged side of the building inpletely. That slippery corona-demon! Where the heck did it go?! I frantically try to sever the connection it has with my mind, but find my efforts are fended off as the creature smothers my attempts.

    [I should be clear,] the voice rings out again, [that I hunger not for your flesh, but for knowledge.]

    As it pronounces that word, I can almost hear the ravenous hunger boiling away beneath that seemingly calm and patient manner of speaking. I pick myself out of the rubble and turn around to find the demon has once more appeared, hovering in the air in exactly the same ce as before.

    [You hunger¡­ for knowledge? What kind of demon wants to turn itself into a encyclopedia? That doesn''t seem to be how you guys operate, from what I''ve seen so far¡­]

    [What is¡­ an encyclopedia?]

    [Oh¡­ Uh. Like a book filled with huge amounts of information organised so that it can be easy to find.]

    With a ze of energy, the eye ignites, the re of heat drying my eyes in a split-second.

    [Hot! Hot!]

    The fire subsides quickly, and the demon appears as before, hovering calmly above us.

    [I apologise,] the voice is once again contained and unruffled, [I have never heard of this concept before. I find it¡­ delicious.]

    This is seriously weirding me out.

    [So¡­ if you don''t mind me asking¡­ what sort of demon are you? One that craves knowledge over Biomass? I just don''t think I''ve ever heard of that.]

    [I do not mind. It is important that you understand my nature if we are toplete our transaction. I am an Avarice demon, but one of a particr nature. Avarice demons desire to take and hold that which belongs to others, to rue vast wealth. But the form of that wealth may change from demon to demon. There are some who hoard precious jewels and minerals, such that the humans and those like them are ignited with greed. Others seek to amass ves, controlling the life and fate of many others.]

    Interesting¡­

    [So being an Avarice demon means you have a hunger, but each one of you has a different preference in food?]

    The giant eye hovers for a moment.

    [That is apt,] it concludes. [This is a fundamental aspect of demonic nature that I sense you may not be aware of. All demons are driven by some manner of obsession. The more highly evolved a demon is, the more refined that obsession has be.]

    There''s something interesting about the way it framed that¡­

    [So is it evolving that refines the obsession, or is it refining the obsession that leads to evolving?]

    Is there some element of the demonic monster archetype that is fundamentally different from other monsters? From what I understand, that''s not the case, I certainly haven''t seen anything like that when examining Invidia, for example.

    [The one ys into the other,] the demon responds. [But you have asked an interesting question, one with a lengthy answer. Now wee to the nature of my request. I have seen that you are new to Roklu, new to this stratum and have many questions, questions that I can answer. In return, you have knowledge, information that I wish to possess. I propose a trade.]

    [Since you managed to barge into my mind uninvited, couldn''t you just take what you want? Why go through the bother?]

    I''m not sure I trust this fire-eye.

    [Information extracted in this way is iplete and fragmented. Unsatisfactory. I hunger for the whole meal, not a collection of scattered morsels.]

    [So¡­ let me get this straight. You''re offering to be a ¡­ guide?]

    The eye zes bright once more.

    [What is this¡­ guide?]

    [Holy smokes! It''s a person that shows other people around, gives them key information about the ce they are in! Chill out a little!]

    [Interesting. Yes. I propose that I shall be your guide. In return, you shall give me the answers that I seek. I view this as an even trade. Do you ept?]

    I mean¡­ I don''t really see much of a downside¡­ As much as I dislike having a demon as strong as this one following us around, I don''t think that we couldn''t take it on if we worked together, provided we can find a way to counter it''s ability to vanish from our mind''s eye. On the other hand, we stand to gain a lot.

    [I guess we have a deal.]

    In response to my words, the eye smoulders with barely suppressed hunger.

 Chapter 689 You Can Call Me Al

    <h4>Chapter 689 You Can Call Me Al </h4>

    [A demonic existence can be reduced to a single need: obsession. There are many forms that this desire can take, almost innumerable, but every demon feels it. Provided we are given the freedom to pursue this obsession, we arergely content. Though this does not mean we are peaceful. A ughter demon has but one desire, and it will seek to fulfill that desire always.]

    [So¡­ if a demon is going around killing other demons in Roklu, you just¡­ let it go about its business? That hardly seems like it would be conducive to allowing other demons to ''freely pursue their obsession''.]

    [As with anything to do with demons, there are no hard and fast rules. A demon of murder killing others is to be expected, it is its nature, so it is not punished for such. Kill too much, and the demon in question could be exiled, sent across the ins to find another city.]

    [Not killed? You guys don''t kill as a punishment here in Roklu?]

    Judging from what little I saw of Grokus''pound, they definitely do.

    [We do, but it is generally the city lord who would enact such a thing. It is the right and the responsibility of the strongest demon in the city to enforce their will on it. Those who do not appreciate this burden are free to leave, either to find another city more to their liking, or eke out an existence on the ins.]

    [How do you think Grokus has been doing here?]

    [I have answered your question,] the zing eye turns toward me, focusing the full heat of its gaze upon my shiny self. [It is now time for you to answer mine.]

    [Fair enough,] I gesture with an antenna, [go ahead.]

    The demon, who we''vee to know, actually has a name, as do most demons who live in the city, apparently. I was a little surprised at first when he introduced himself, but hey, if a demon wants a name, who am I to go about not using it? So it was that the giant eye wreathed in tongues of me that hovered around us came to be referred to by his proper title: Allocrix. Or Al, depending on your mood.

    [You have mentioned this ''Colony'' before. Describe it to me. I wish to know more of it.]

    [The Colony? I suppose that''s fine. I guess I should ask first off, how much do you know about ants?]

    The eye roars with me.

    [Little.]

    I sigh.

    [Alright then, I suppose I start at the beginning.]

    We continue our somewhat bizarre stroll around the te city of demons, Roklu, whilst I expound on the ants of the surface world. Tiny insects capable of forming vast mega-colonies, a collective so unified as to act as a single organism as the eyeball in the centre of the aurora borealis listens with childlike fascination.

    [You have two stomachs?]

    [Social stomach and a regr one,] I confirm, [that way some of our food can be regurgitatedter for sharing purposes.]

    [Fascinating.]

    [Alright, that''s a lot for one question, obviously you want to know more, but I think it''s my turn, surely?]

    A pause.

    [Very well.]

    By this time we''ve made our way toward the edge of the te and I have to say, the view is rather striking. The vast emptiness vanishes into the distance, well beyond the point my eyes can see as the heat haze and ash eventually blocks my view. Far, far below, the ins of Leng, even now a writhing carpet of weaker demons locked in eternalbat, the ts pierced here and there with pirs of rock, mountains with sharp cliffs and t tops. It''s mesmerising in its own way. I can''t believe this vast field circles the entire world.

    The chaos of Roklu has continued around us, as more demons emerge and begin to resume their normal activities the noise and movement has steadily risen back to what I presume is a more normal level.

    [Can you exin what the deal was with that giant demon smacking someone down in the middle of town earlier? Something seemed a little off about it, and you were in that area also¡­]

    I''m quite curious about that incident. The fact that there were two tier seven monsters in that spot, when they seem quite rare in the city from what I''ve seen. In fact, as far as I can tell, there''s three.

    [That situation¡­ frustrating.] Al falls silent for a moment as he contemtes his response. After a few moments he speaks up again. [Demon politics can be simple orplicated, depending on the particr demons involved. When ites to demon politics, there is only one issue that is fought over, who will be the city lord.]

    [I''m going to guess, the strongest demon?]

    [Generally, it is so. Simplistic. Grokus has ruled over this city for hundreds of years, generally by exterminating any who would grow strong enough to challenge. Now, two demons who are strong enough to mount a challenge have arisen in short session.]

    [I''ll jump in and say, you and the big guy?]

    [It is so.]

    [Pretty darn obvious, isn''t it? You three are the only tier seven monsters that I''ve managed to detect in the city.]

    [The only reason you detected me, is because I allowed it to be so. Do you assume that there are none others who are capable of what I can do? Presumptuous.]

    Oof.

    [That''s fair enough,] I sigh. [So there are two challengers for the throne? As it were?]

    [In a sense,] the fire dims around the Avarice demon as he sinks down toward the floor, seemingly depressed. [I have no wish for the role. The scheming, the fighting. Nuisance. I wish only to pursue and hoard knowledge, that is my desire. Mongu''nin does not share my indifference.]

    [The big guy?]

    [It is so. He actively wishes to challenge Grokus for the position of city lord, but feels he must dispense with me, the other challenger, before he can make his im.]

    [Wait, so he wants to challenge, but won''t until he''s managed to ¡­ what¡­ kill you first?]

    [Yes.]

    [Then he''ll go and challenge Grokus, and I''m going to assume that this challenge is a fight to the death.]

    [It is so.]

    I ck my mandibles.

    [You demons sure don''t mess around.]

    [As I said, simple, yetplicated. I have been hiding from Mongu''nin for weeks, just as I have hidden from Grokus and his minions, but the constant attempts to track me down have be¡­ tiresome.]

    I give Al a bit of side-eye, which isn''t hard given the nature of mypound eyes.

    [In other words, you wouldn''t necessarily be averse to the citying under new management?]

    The eye narrows.

    [I would not¡­]

    [More on thatter. So, what you''re saying is, the big guy, Mongo, is trying to find and kill you, so that he feels justified in going and killing Grokus. Meanwhile, Grokus probably wants the pair of you killed, and is not shy about attempting to make that happen.]

    [This is the case.]

    [Is it safe for you to be wandering around town with us then?]

    Sounds like all the powerful demons in Roklu want Al dead, so I''m surprised he''s sofortable wandering around the city with us.

    [In this instance, I am counting on you and your twenty-threepanions to dissuade the others from making any moves that might be considered¡­ too bold.]

    I suppose that''s fair enough. I''m a little shocked that Al was able to prate the incredible abilities of my bodyguards to stay unnoticed. However he did that, I''m impressed.

    Wait a second¡­ twenty three?!

    I rapidly turn to better focus on Tiny and the big ape looks back at me with confusion written in on his face.

    [Tiny! Where''s the hatchling!?] I yell, panic creeping into my mental voice.

    He looks at me, looks down at his empty hands for a long moment, then back at me. Very slowly, with great care, he lifts his feet and carefully inspects the soles.

    [You didn''t stand on her you thick shake! She snuck off!]

    Because of course she did!

 Chapter 690 Where?!

    <h4>Chapter 690 Where?! </h4>

    I don''t mind sharing with you, my dear readers, that as much as I enjoy travelling around the wonderful world in which we live, exploring its many incredible, unbelievable sights and rying them to you in my own quirky fashion, I do miss my bed. Oh! Suchfort! Such bliss! The means with which you have so graciously afforded to me my readers, they have not gone to waste! Enchanted stone-wood frame, carved ever so intricately with doves and vines, the mattress, with its threeyered structure providing the perfect level of support and softness. The bottomyer, made from earth infused deep sponge, is my personal favourite. Stern and unyielding, but forgiving and with a warm heart. This is topped by the second, a cheeky four inches of water infused sea-king reeds which give the mattress that slight wobbly feel I love so much. Finally, the topyer, a full, luxurious six inches of tight stuffed down from the Cloud Ranging Sky Goose. It''s like resting atop the fluffy pillows of the sky itself, dear readers.

    Needless to say, this was not the level offort I enjoyed when staying at the Hill of Rest in Renewal, but Mrs Bellweather''s establishmentported itself far better than I expected this distance from civilisation. I awoke refreshed and excited, ready to face another day in this remarkablend of ant and human.

    After a short yet hearty breakfast, I was greeted just outside the establishment by my guide for the day, arranged by Mr Bellweather the previous day. A chatty know-it-all who would be more than happy to spend hours answering endless questions from an old duck, he assured me. I was quite pleased to find this was indeed the case when the young girl in question, a Ms Emilia Cretherton, greeted us with a warm smile the moment we stepped out the door. The first thing I had to ask was the nature of the particr garment she wore, which included a rather striking set of antennae like attachments to a band she wore through her hair. As Emilia was delighted to share, all members of themunity who chose to take the ant rted ss line wore such a headdress as an indication to others that they are avable to work as trantors between the ants and the residents!

    A special ss line! I was stunned to hear of such a thing! Especially being shared so openly! Of course, I had to know more. Luckily, the cheerful young girl was all too willing to share. Supposedly, this information isn''t even an open secret throughout the city, it was just something that was freely shared. Emilia informed us, quite proudly the dear young thing, that she had reached the first ss evolution, turning her ''Antmancer'' into the well regarded ''Antspeaker''. This ss gave her the incredible ability to utilise mana to produce pheromones, which in turn allowed her tomunicate with the ants without the need for any sort of mental magic! Incredible! Indeed, this ability was soon put on disy as we made our way throughout the town. Some might have thought the residents would hide their close affiliation with their insect-monster allies, but nothing could be further from the truth. Ants roamed throughout the city, walking right alongside everyone else. The monsters themselves were of various sizes, ranging fromrge dog all the way up to a bull.

    When one of them walked past us, I just had to know, so I turned to our guide and asked if she could please interpret for us so that we might converse with the fascinating creature. My two bodyguards were not at all happy about being so close to a monster they weren''t allowed to kill and I was repeatedly warned from this course of action, but I heeded them not! If you have a chance to speak to a giant ant-monster reader, you take it!

    Through our interpreter, I was to learn that this particr individual ant (unnamed, though I discovered than many ants choose to take a name, a fascinating subject all of its own) was in town to study the growth of crops. Of crops! She had recently graduated from the ant ''academy'' and desired to study agriculture on the surface before attempting to take the lessons learned and apply them below ground. I had to ask, as I''m certain that you are also wondering, reader, what on Pangera an ant would need crops for, and she replied it was for the sapient poption living under the care of the Colony, as if it were the most natural thing in the world!

    And watching our Antspeakermunicate was a fascinating thing all of its own! Both Emilia and the ant made no sound, all our human trantor did was raise one hand, glowing softly with the tell-tale light of mana to produce the pheromones, the scent that the ants use tomunicate with one another. Just incredible!

    After a brief chat, our ant friend went on her way and we continued our jaunt around town. Fear not, dear reader for there was so much more to see!

    Excerpt from Chapter Four of ''Traveling Tolly in thends of the Colony'' published in the Monthly ''Pangera Gazette''

    Brilliant? I should have named her Idiot! Has her insane level of curiosity not been sated yet? I thought she''d been cured of the worst of it, yet here we are, in the middle of a literal city of demons, and she runs off on us?! If I hadn''t been so distracted she never would have been able to slip from our grasp.

    [Dammit! We need to find her!]

    "Protectant! Are you telling me that none of you saw her sneak off? How is that possible?!"

    A rather disgruntled looking Protectant appears behind me.

    "Our role is to watch you, not her. Though it is remarkable that none of us noticed¡­"

    "She doesn''t even have the stealth Skill! I looked at her core myself! How is it possible that one little ant can be this slippery!?"

    Protectant scratches at her head with one antenna.

    "Perhaps she has an impable sense of timing? Or just pays close attention to everything around her? It''s a remarkable talent¡­"

    If the Colony had any need for an escape artist, then this would have been a massive missed opportunity.

    "Well get out there and find her!" I roar at my erstwhile security detail.

    "But¡­" Protectant hesitates.

    "GO! If she dies do you have any idea what the Colony has lost?! GO! GO! GO!"

    [Tiny! Crinis! Invidia! We have to hunt down that damned hatchling.]

    I switch my focus to Al, floating patiently alongside us.

    [I hate to do this to you Al, but we need to go and find the hatchling who was with us, she''s a curious creature who hasn''t quite developed a sense of self-preservation yet¡­]

    Something I will rapidly move to fix.

    The eye shes with interest.

    [A curious creature? Such a thing should not be discouraged. I will make myself hidden and assist as I can from the shadows.]

    [Alright then.]

    Charge! With any luck, I''ll be able to find the little interloper through the vestibule before long and we can avoid having anything dramatic happen in the meantime. Even now I can sense the twenty bodyguards scattering from this location, diving here and there amongst the buildings, twists and alleys of the city as they hunt down the scent of the runaway hatchingling. Where is she? Where the heck could she be? My attention sinks deeper into the vestibule, seeking, questing for that infinitesimal sliver of energy and regeneration she provides to me.

    Got it!

    [This way! Let''s goooooo!]

    Changing directions, my legs grip hard at the ground until stone chips fly into the air. Tiny screeches to a halt before he unleashes a mighty roar, bounding forward like a force of nature, his eyes zing with electrical energy. The demons in our way scatter like pigeons, unwilling to get in our way.

 Chapter 691 Rumble in Demon Town

    <h4>Chapter 691 Rumble in Demon Town </h4>

    In the back of mind I worry that the king chubster himself, Grokus, might have seized the hatchling the moment she slipped away from us, to use as leverage, or just to eat, who knows? But from what I can tell, the trail leading to the little runaway doesn''t lead back to the column in the centre of the te, in fact, it seems as though it looping around the outside.

    Stupid hatchling! You just wanted to go sightseeing that badly?! When I catch you, I''ll dangle you over the edge for a week! See if that doesn''t fulfill your need for a good view!

    [Master! Do you sense her?] Crinis asks.

    [I do! But the trail is weak. Can you see anything?]

    [Her mana signature is so weak,] she frets, [it''s almost impossible to find her when we''re surrounded with so many tier six monsters.]

    That''s something else to remember, even if they didn''t all evolve perfectly, each and every single monster around here is the same tier as us. If all of these demons decided to fight us at the same time¡­ it wouldn''t be pretty.

    [This way!] I cry as the sense from my vestibule veers sharply one way.

    [No! She''s looping back! This way!]

    A hard turn brings us smack into the middle of a pack of demonsing in the other direction, a variety of shapes and forms, all grotesque and deadly in their own fashion.

    [Move it!] I bellow.

    CHARGE!

    The light of stamina explodes around me as I activate the Skill, sending the pack of monsters scattering like bowling pins. Thankfully they were all the more slender types of demons otherwise it might have been like headbutting a brick wall. Tiny bellows once more, the rock reverberating with his battle cry as he ms his way forward, both fists pounding into the stone. The ruckus we cause is undeniable and immediately there are answering roars and screeches and the demons react to the cacophony. The unfortunate individuals who got to see my incredible diamond carapace far more closely that they might have liked, scramble to their feet/ws/limbs and immediately give chase, shrieking in rage as we run.

    Dammit! This level of attention is thest thing we need¡­ Maybe we can lose them.

    [Quick! Take a hard left, we''ll try to lose them around that corner!]

    Stretching the strength of my ws to the limit, I divert my non-inconsiderable weight around a hairpin turn, dashing into an alleyway between to teetering buildings. A difficult manoeuvre that has strained my legs, but with any luck we''ve managed to break line of sight between us and our pursuers. Now quickly! Onto the trail of the hatchling!

    BOOM!

    Aaaand Tiny couldn''t turn in time and has ploughed straight into the building on the left¡­ that''s perfect. Driven even further into his rage by the offending structure, the giant apeshes out, his powerful arms smashing any remaining wall within reach and turning the stonework into dust.

    [Enough with the wall! Come on!] I urge him and he shakes off the bricks and bounds to feet, leaving a new collection of enraged demons in his wake.

    Naturally, with their howling and shing at the air, they make a perfect spotlight for the first pack of demons, who quickly follow after us. Just¡­ perfect.

    [I thought you were supposed to have the fanciest feet?!] I yell at Tiny but he''s too far lost in his rage to hear me.

    Perhaps losing track of Brilliant, who he''d been so protective of has really tipped him over the edge. Which could be a problem¡­ nothing I can do about it now though. Recapturing the hatchling is all that matters now! How many tens of thousands of new ants have been born between Vibrant and Brilliant! She might be a handful, and a massive pain in the abdomen, but Vibrant is one of the strongest and most dedicated ants in the entire Colony, with her own high-levelled army to help her protect our family. If Brilliant is even half as capable when she''s done evolving and developing her Skills then she''ll be an incredible asset to the Colony. An irreceable part of the collective that will help uplift all of us!

    Most importantly, without capable and selfless champions, how is the Colony ever going to develop to the point that they aren''t dependent on me to protect them?! They need to be able to stand on their own six legs! I can''t guarantee that I''ll be around to help pull the carapace out of the fire every time!

    Although an argument could be made that I''m the one who puts the carapace in the fire most of the time. Actually, to take that a step further, aren''t I throwing myself into trouble and the Colony is the one pulling me out of it? Isn''t that carapace in the fire in fact¡­ me?

    Ahhh! Worry about it another time! Get. That. Hatchling!

    If there''s no point trying to hide anymore then who cares about these alleys and gaps? I''m an ant, dammit! I''m going over the top! As I speed toward another building, instead of going around it I simply raise my front legs up and dig in with my ws, racing up the side of the wall and over the top.

    BOOM!

    Tiny of course doesn''t realise what I''ve done and just runs straight into the building, leaving an ape shaped whole in the wall. Worry about itter! The sound of demonic shrieking and des striking flesh rings out from below me as I continue running, followed by Tiny''s bellow and the harsh impacts of fists striking home with tremendous force. Next thing, two demons are thrown out the side of the building with tremendous force, smashing into a neighbouring building and smashing that wall in for good measure. A chorus of growls and shrieks ensue.

    Wonderful.

    When I get my mandibles on that hatchling¡­.

    There she is! From my position on the top of the building, a faint whisp of energy trickles into the vestibule, snapping my attention around just in time for my antennae to catch a whiff of the little ant. With one dashing leap I throw myself across a gap and onto a nearby building where, looking down into the alley, I see a suddenly cowering Brilliant looking up at me.

    "Fooouunnnnd youuuuuu!" I rasp.

    "S-Senior!" she stammers, "f-f-f-fancy s-seeing you here!"

    "How dare you run away! In this city of all ces! You''ll pay little hatchling! You''ll pay dearly!"

    The little ant draws herself up, suddenly bold and yells back at me.

    "I held it in for so long! So long! You expect me to resist it forever?! I WON''T, I WON''T, I WON''T! I have to knooooooow!"

    So screaming, she dashes off, around the corner and out of sight in a sh. Think you can get away now?! When I have your scent?! You''re a hundred million years too early to escape from me! In a sh, I''m off, all six legs moving so quickly they blur. I have her now, it''s time to secure the capture.

    [Crinis! Deploy!]

    [With pleasure, master!] the ck void attached to my carapace deres.

    As I run, her tentacles emerge,tching onto the building around us so she can lift her body from my back. In seconds a writhing forest of thin tentacles is moving across the rooftops with me as we follow close in the footsteps of Brilliant.

    "No escape, Brilliant! I''ll get you, no matter what!"

 Chapter 692 Maybe itâ€™s time to leave?

    <h4>Chapter 692 Maybe it''s time to leave? </h4>

    "ROOOOAAARRRRR!"

    A leg shaking bellow rocks the ground, followed a momentter by a giant, winged ape leaping high into the sky before crashing back down on the road beside the building I''m on, crumbling a few walls in the process. I''m beyond caring about the property damage at this point, all that matters is securing Brilliant, the rest we can deal withter.

    Hopefully.

    "GET BACK HERE, HATCHLING!" I rocket my pheromones forward, nketing the area with my order.

    "No!" my antennae pick up her much fainter reply. "I''m going to see it for myself! You can''t stop me anymore!"

    "WANNA BET?!"

    Her path zigs and zags, crossing between buildings, between demon legs and underneath foundations. I can see her now, everywhere she goes her head ducks this way and that, her eyes taking in everything they see with a feverish, almost vacant stare. Likewise, her antennae are going crazy, whipping this way and that so fast it almost appears as if they''ll lift her into the air like the des of a helicopter.

    Like a dog with its head out the window of a moving car, she''s going crazy from the stimtion of so much new information rushing into her brain at once. I should have known bringing an ant so curious that she would conduct her own tour of the Colony as a grub to an entirely new stratum would be way too much for her to handle. For some reason I thought that after evolving and bing more intelligent she''d have a better grip on it. Turns out that I was more than a little wrong, I think it actually made it worse.

    But I''m gaining ground. With her Skills as low as they are, even if she trained Dash as hard as she did, there''s no way she can match my speed. No matter how slippery she is, there''s no escape for her now! The nearer she draws, the more I tunnel in until there''s nothing I can see but the little ant speeding through the crowded traffic beneath me, no matter the destruction and chaos that is being sown behind.

    Closer, closer, CLOSER!

    She''s practically below me now, her little legs a flurry of movement as she ducks and weaves as only an ant can, flickering from one point to the next. But I see her!

    [Crinis! GO!]

    At my order, she rockets forward, a writhing mass of barbed limbs that clutch and tear at the buildings as she descends to the ground level, proppeling herself forward until she''s right on the heels of Brilliant, her tentacles reaching forward to snatch the little thing into the air. From above I have an almost perfect view of the limbs stretching through the air, seeking, homing in and grasping¡­ nothing.

    Somehow that little weasel manages to slip through a gap that I don''t believe even exists and rockets up the side of therge building in front. Ha! You think Crinis is the only pet I have at my disposal?!

    [Tiny! Invidia! Go!]

    With a green sh, Invidia materialises a solid tform in the air in less than a second as Tiny bounds high into the air, both feet mming into the shield before Tiny uses it to propel himself to even greater heights, homing in on Brilliant like a hairy ballistic missile. Just to ensure the capture, I race up the side of the building so close behind the little monster that I could almost reach out and snatch her up with my mandibles.

    Just. Another. Second!

    CRASH!

    After soaring through the air, Tiny deploys his wings of shadow, now supported by his much stronger bones and capable of holding more weight, which is lucky since he weighs a heck of a lot more now than he used to. After gliding for a few moments, he ms into the side of the building, raining rubble down on me as the wall copses under the force of his impact.

    Cracks spread like spiderwebs beneath my legs and I have just a moment to think ''well¡­. Nards'' before I''m falling through the air, Brilliant in the air just above me before we impact the ground and I lose sight of her.

    Dammit! Gotta get my legs under me! I scramble and scrabble at the air for a few moments before I manage to right myself after a little rocking back and forth. The first thing I see is Tiny, hunched over on the ground next to me.

    [Tiny! Did you secure the package?!]

    His tightly wound frame unwinds bit by bit until a hand emerges with a thumb proudly extended into the air. A momentter, he stands tall to reveal Brilliant clutched tightly against his chest. The little ant struggles valiantly against his iron grip, but to no avail.

    "No! Let me go! I want to see! I want to know! YOU CAN''T HOLD ME FOREVER!"

    "Is that what you think?" I ask with a soft scent as I creep closer. "There are things in this world that you''ve never dreamed off, little one. If needed I''ll weave a prison for you out of the fundamental forces of this universe! You really think you can escape me?! I can sense your thoughts! I can smell your impulsive little mind! I''ll bury you under the weight of a thousand tons of mass if you think you can walk away from me!"

    [Masssster.]

    [What is it, Invidia? I haven''t finished venting at Brilliant yet!]

    [There issss danger here¡­ open your senssssses.]

    What does he mean? Turning around to better see what lies behind, I finally notice the all-out brawl that has erupted in our wake. Several fires already rage between the piles of rubble where fallen buildings have copsed into each other, dotted by demons engaged in what appears to be all out warfare.

    [I guess that might be a problem¡­] I mutter to the fluttering demon.

    [Not that. Turnsssss.]

    Wait, what?

    Suddenly I realise what he meant. From behind, namely, from within therge, final building that we demolished, a powerful aura is surging. When I switch on my mana sense, it bes clear that a tier seven core is inside, and that its owner is not happy.

    [This wouldn''t happen to be the residence of one Mongu''nin, would it?]

    [I believe it isss so.]

    [Right. LET''S VAMOOSE! Tiny! Do NOT let go of Brilliant even for a second, we are getting the hell out of town!]

    [Wheressss do we go?]

    My mind races.

    [Down! No way I''m going to try and bust through Grokus''pound with all this going on. Let''s find a way through the te and climb down the pir!]

    A giant ming eyeball appears out of thin air next to me.

    [I might just so happen to know a way down.]

    [HOLY MOLY! Stop with that already! Are you going to show us the way now, or are we going to negotiate? Spoiler warning, we don''t have time to negotiate!]

    [I will show you. I think leaving town will be¡­ wise.]

    Behind us, the rubble explodes outwards, showering us with stone and debris as a truly massive demon bellows to the heavens with rage.

    [Let''s SCOOT!]

 Chapter 693 806 - What Goes on Above

    <h4>Chapter 693 Chapter 806 - What Goes on Above </h4>

    With her incredibly enhanced vision, it wasn''t too hard for Wills to make out the details of the demon city far, far below. Any ant who wasn''t a highly evolved scout would find it impossible to see what she could, but for her, it was simple. The advantages of evolving to tier five. Being able to see clearly at long distances generally wasn''t something that scouts needed in the regr course of their duties, but with knowledge of the third stratum, she''d known that it would be a necessary trait for some of her caste to have. Unwilling to leave the experimentation to the new generation, she had been the first to develop her eyes in this way and it was paying dividends already.

    "What in the world is the Eldest doing down there?" she wondered.

    Smoke was rising from the city in several ces, forming a long trail around the outer edge of one side. She could see several buildings had copsedpletely and tiny figures swarmed over them like¡­ ants. The ants would be swarming over there soon enough.

    "What do you think?" Advant asked, her scent tense with worry.

    Wills chuckled.

    "Looks like the Eldest has kicked up quite the fuss already. A good section of the city is on fire already and no I have absolutely no idea why. It''s a mess down there, not going to lie."

    "Is the Eldest trying to soften their defences before we make an assault? We aren''t ready yet!"

    "Considering we haven''t consulted with them in any way on this n, how could they possibly be aware what we''re going to do, let alone when we n to do it?"

    "That''s¡­ a good point."

    "Personally, I think the Eldest is just doing what they always do. Making a mess of wherever they happen to be at any given time."

    "That''s a ¡­ bold way to state your opinion of the Eldest¡­"

    "I didn''t say it was a bad thing," Wills smirked. "Wherever they go, there is always something interesting happening, something that pushes the Colony forward. It''s impossible for us to be stagnant whilst the Eldest is around."

    "That''s the truth," Advant agreed as she tried to see what was happening so far below. After a few long moments, she was forced to give up, her eye mutations were dedicated to better track motion in the thick of battle, peering over the edge of the bridge did nothing for her. "Let''s head back to the rally point. I don''t think there is more to see here."

    The two ants turned and began the climb back up into the second stratum alongside their escort. It wasn''t long before they encountered more of their kind, a lot more. Carvers swarmed over the area alongside soldiers and scouts as the ants restructured the area around the top of the pir to better suit their needs. If this was the connection point between the third and second strata, then the Colony would see it defended and fortified to the greatest extent.

    "Tungstant! How goes preparations?"

    The much smaller carver turned from where she was advising several work crews to see her fellow council members approach. Judging by the nt of her antennae and the irritable cking of her mandibles, she wasn''t in much of a good mood.

    "How are they going? They''re going, I suppose. What else can you expect?"

    "Why? What seems to be the issue?" Wills asked, a humorous tilt to her head.

    "Wait -" Advant tried to head off the tirade before it started, but she was far toote.

    "What seems to be the issue?!" Tungstant ranted. "How dare you say that to me! If there were ten of me and Cobalt, there still wouldn''t be enough to get all the work done! You want us to design and build new nests, you want us to fortify a massive section of Dungeon, you want to construct new farm zones, upgrade the main nest, n further expansion sites and THEN you want us toe all the way down here to build a fortified position and staging ground the size of the main nest again! Are you outside of your minds! The work is sloppy! It''s rushed! It''s a disgrace! You think we can be happy with this?!" she gestured with one foreleg toward the massive walls that were rising to block off the tunnels, gates already being levered into position.

    "I think it looks like you''ve done incredible work," Advant tried to soothe her sister. She truly believed what she said. What the carvers and building crews had achieved in a short amount of time was nothing short of incredible.

    "It''s FILTH! I hate it! I hate all of it! The gates are bad work, not enough time used in the tempering, not enough time used for the enchanting! The stone in the walls isn''t fullypressed, nor has it been satisfactorily reinforced with the metal framing!"

    That has been an eye opener, seeing how the carvers had designed a system for reinforcing theirpressed stone walls by installing a wire framework of their hardest mana infused steel. First the stone had been stripped away, then the frame installed, and the stone literally shaped around it by earth mages. Advant had been curious enough to enquire about the work as it was being done and what she''d learned is that it was a lot harder than it looked. The frame itself had to be designed and built to specification to start with, then had to include tolerance for the stone beingpressed around it. This meant the framework had to be designed to squeeze and shrink without breaking as the ants did their best to condense the stone as hard as possible around it. The calctions alone had been dizzying to the soldier.

    "Aren''t all the other castes doing their best to help out?" Wills reasoned, now trying to calm the storm she had willingly unleashed. "The soldiers are doing all the heavy lifting, the generals are helping coordinate crews, the advance build teams the scouts have put together are working well, aren''t they?"

    In the press to ever expand the territory, the Colony had realised that it just wasn''t practical to send carvers, among the weakest of the castes, far away from the nests to investigate distant sites for proposed nests, or to begin the preliminary digging work in totally unfortified areas. Instead, several teams of scouts had side specialised in basic construction skills, allowing them to make basic assessments and ns, as well asmence simple building practices, like ttening out areas,ying foundations, digging sound tunnels and establishing temporary walls. With this initial work done, the site could be made much safer for the proper build crews to arrive and begin work.

    Considering the Colony was already looking to establish new nest sites a wide distance from the main nest, these crews had already proven invaluable.

    "I suppose they are," Tungstant grumbled, "we''re just really busy is all."

    "Isn''t that a good thing?" Advantughed. "You don''t want to be busy?"

    Tungstant red at the muchrger soldier before she snapped a w out, pointing down at her own shadow. Curious, Advant looked down before she leapt back with a curse. The shadow was pitch ck, deeper even than the darkness of the second stratum would dictate. Rather than a shadow it looked like a portal into hell. As she stared, a ghostly figure of an ant rose from inside the shadow as if appearing from deep underwater. The figure slowly raised one leg in front of her ethereal mandibles.

    "Shhhhhhh," came the scent as if from an impossible distance before fading to nothing.

    In a blink, the ant was gone and the shadow had returned to normal, leaving Advant trembling in fear.

    "A-a-are t-they¡­?"

    "Always," Tungstant confirmed, cking her mandibles in satisfaction. "I''ve lost six crews in thest four hours alone. In two more hours, they''ll take me as well if I don''t stop working."

    "Maybe you should take a break?" Wills suggested, trying to maintain her cool.

    Tungstant justughed grimly and flicked her antennae in the direction of the tunnel leading down to their position. Advant and Wills could see columns of ants appearing in the distance, soldiers, generals, mages, core shapers, scouts, marching together in ranks toward this new front line.

    "You think I have time for that?" the carver pointed out.

    "Let''s help out," Advant sighed.

    Torpor would take them all soon enough. Might as well get to work in the meantime.

 Chapter 694 What Goes on Above pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 694 What Goes on Above pt 2 </h4>

    The nest was aze with activity, even more than usual. Since the start of the previous wave, the Colony had moved as if a fire had been lit beneath it, one put there by the Eldest member of their family. The race to expand and grow before their enemies returned to challenge them had begun and the ants refused to lose. Already, four new nests had been established and the Queens installed. Those new satellite nests were not even fullyplete, but ns for the next round of expansion had already begun. After long discussions and nning sessions between the Queens, carvers, scouts and soldiers, it had been determined that the current design of the Colony''s territory should be replicated in a new area.

    This was to be the temte for the Colony''s expansion. A central, heavily fortified main nest, with smaller satellite nests established around the periphery, all enclosed in defended checkpoints that created a bubble of security. It was hoped that eventually each main nest would contain a gate that would allow rapid travel between all of the Colony''s territory. This blueprint had been epted by the council and within a day advance scout teams had been sent to traverse the dangerous tunnels to seek out appropriate sites for this next wave of expansion, this new phase of the Colony''s growth.

    It was all happening so fast that it was bing absurdly difficult to keep track of it all. Cont had done her best to make sure that things were being done as efficiently as possible, but with so many ants working in so many ces, it was almost impossible to be aware of everything that was happening at once. Hence the construction of the Antministratum.

    It was with a certain sense of satisfaction that Cont looked out over the open area at the rows of ants working diligently at their stations. It had only been a matter of time since the creation of ant ''writing'' that they would develop the next level of this valuable technique: ant filing!

    "How goes it?" came a scent from behind her.

    The mage turned to see Be standing behind her, the core shaper a key partner in making this central filing system a reality.

    "As you can see," Cont said with satisfaction, "the work has begun in earnest."

    There were a hundred ants currently located here, each one analysing the many tes of work reports that were being ferried in by the numerous pets that had been assigned to the task by the core shaper caste. They were perfect for the role, since one ant with many pets could ferry the records for a wide area of the nest. There were already observers watching and recording all of the work that had been going on within the Colony, it was just a natural step to have that data collected and coted in a central location.

    Not that it had been easy to pull off.

    "You really think that this is going to lead to an increase in efficiency in the workforce?" Be sounded doubtful.

    "If you didn''t think so, then why did you agree to help with this project?" Cont was irritated.

    "It''s pretty rare that we core shapers get invited to help with the things that you all have going on," she shrugged, "if we can provide value and prove our worth in this task, then perhaps the others will be amenable to reaching out for our help."

    It was a little irritating for Cont to hear that her sister hadmitted so much time and energy to a task that she didn''t even necessarily believe in, but she saw her point. The core shapers weren''t relied on as much as they should be by the others, even when they could provide a ton of value, such as with the Antministratum.

    "You''ll see, this is going to pay dividends for the Colony in no time t. These workers here have their antennae on the core of the Colony, they know more about every movement of all of our family members than anyone else. If it''s possible to find ces where optimisations can be made, it''s them."

    Even as they watched, the records continued to pour in and the flustered workers raced about the wide chamber with ruthless efficiency as stacks of tes were piled in their work spaces. Antennae waggled furiously as they read and processed the information, making their own summary records and coting the data at an incredible pace. The old tes were then sent for filing whilst the new ones were gathered together and examined by a separate team whopared the work being done about the Colony to the work notices that had been posted for their siblings to fill.

    Any difference, whether too muchbour had been allocated to one particr task, or not enough to another, was noted and sent up the g pole until clear, concise data of inefficiencies could be seen.

    "There! You see this?" Cont proudly disyed the fruit of all thisbour to her sister, "this is concrete evidence of wasted effort! With our help, this kind of waste can be eliminated from the Colony all together, increasing the amount of work we get done as a collective."

    "Yes," Be pointed out, "but there is a great deal ofbour going into making that report. This is only a worthwhile exercise if the efficiency you gain is greater than the time lost spent gathering all this information together."

    Cont froze.

    "That''s¡­ true."

    "And besides that, how exactly is the Antministratum going to enforce these efficiency gains?"

    "Enforce?" Cont was taken aback, "I don''t envisage that they''ll enforce anything. No, they''ll make rmendations to help our siblings make more efficient choices, or they''ll have some input into the posting of work notices so that the allocation of the workforce is more urate."

    "So you see them as an advisory body?"

    "Y-yes."

    The core shaper thought for a moment.

    "I suppose that makes sense. So where exactly are we using an excess ofbour? Which area appears to be the most wasteful?"

    Interested in the answer herself, the council member quickly began perusing the te in front of her with an antenna, picking up the imprinted scent line by line.

    "So?" Be asked after a moment since her mage sibling hadn''t said anything.

    "The Antministratum¡­" Cont groaned.

    Beughed.

    However, after the kinks in the process had been ironed out, Cont''s pet project was able to show its worth and assist the Colony in achieving an even more ridiculous level of efficiency.

 Chapter 695 A Breakthrough, A Revelation

    <h4>Chapter 695 A Breakthrough, A Revtion </h4>

    Beyn stared at the notification in front of him inplete shock.

    [You have reached level 20.]

    [Your current ss: Antmancer, has reached its maximum level. ss evolution is now avable. Would you like to evolve your ss?]

    Finally! He''d finally done it! After all this time working alongside the ants of the Colony and assisting his brethren inpleting their work, it had finally paid off and he was now the first who would be given the chance to evolve this sacred ss and see the wonders whichy beyond! O blessed day! O joyous asion!

    He wanted to run, to leap and shout his joy to the heavens, but he refrained from doing so only with the greatest of effort. He was currently on patrol with a mixed detachment of human and ants, sweeping away the monsters from within a swamp expanse in order to allow the Colony to return their aphid workforce in safety. It was slow, gruelling work and the humans were tired and drained. Even the ants were beginning to g, their antennae drooping in a tell-tale sign of insect fatigue.

    "Something the matter, priest?" one of the nearby human guards asked him, concern in on the young man''s face.

    "Not at all," he quickly replied, not wanting to distract anyone in an activebat zone. "Please, focus on your task and I will ensure that my Skill remains active."

    Indeed, the presence of the Antmancers meant a great deal to both human and Colony participants in these patrols, the buff it provided to any mixed group was invaluable and allowed even the rtively green guard force from Renewal to perform well above their level so long as there were ants nearby. The ants themselves also enjoyed the buff, though they needed it less, especially when clearing monsters from here in the first stratum. The speed at which they''d been able to sweep through the various expanses within their territory spoke volumes of the growing strength of the Colony.

    "I think we''ll be done here in a few hours," another guardmented to the group, her eyes never leaving the surrounding foliage.

    Several of them had been injured by underestimating the nt life around here. Only the intervention of ant healers had saved their lives.

    "Another day, another expanse," the first guard chuckled and the othersughed along, if quietly.

    "There is much noise from the humans," Beyn detected the pheromones of one of the soldiers, a huge soldier the size of a small building who had been up front. "Is there something the matter?"

    He was more or less used to it by now, but when he suddenly switched from listening to words with his ears, to smelling them with his nose, it was always a struggle to reorient his mind.

    "I will check with the antennae''d one." a much smaller mage said.

    This was his cue to step forward. The ants had taken to calling the order of Antmancers ''antennae''d ones'' since they functionally had antennae, both on their hoods, and in their capacity to smell and interpret the ant''smunications.

    In short order he felt a mind bridge connect to his own and the ordered thoughts of the mage intrude on his own.

    [Human Beyn. It has been noted that your fellow humans have been making noise. Is something the matter? Can we assist?]

    By this time, Beyn had be much more ustomed to addressing the holy workers of the Colony, he hardly ever shouted at them anymore. At first the ants had tolerated it unquestionably, but eventually they''d learned that deafening mentalmunication was not in fact the natural state of human mind to mind speech. This had caused Beyn no end of embarrassment and he hadshed himself at the failure to properly perform his role until he had managed to master his fervour.

    ¡­ most of the time.

    He made a simple bow as he spoke to the ant mage.

    [Honoured worker,] the ants were quite pleased to be referred to as ''worker'' no matter the caste. In fact, to address them by any other name, subtly implied that they were not, in fact, workers, which displeased them to no end, [we are simply remarking on how quickly we have progressed on our mission today. It is an unusuallyrge amount of territory to cover in such a short amount of time, by our reckoning.]

    The mage tilts her head slightly.

    [It is only natural,] she remarks, [when many of us work together, we achieve far more than we could working without support. This is the strength of the collective.]

    Beyn felt a wave of emotion roll through him at the ant''s words. Yes. It was true. This path was so simple for the members of the Colony to walk on, it was their natural mode of life. Whereas others were riven by jealousy and greed, they instead had harmony and peace. He wiped a tear from his eye, this was the truth.

    Their estimation of the time needed toplete the task had in fact been toorge. In an hour and a half, their sweep had beenpleted. The monsters were dead, the expanse secure, and the ants began to escort their precious aphid cattle into the open space, nting them on the lush Dungeon vegetation and herding them with antennae to ensure the smaller bugs moved to the best and juiciest parts of the nt.

    Workplete, Beyn and his human cohorts parted ways with their ant allies and began the trek back to the human barracks that the ants had constructed for them within the territory of the Colony. It was called a barracks, but in reality the furnishings and amodation were far beyond anything most of them were used to. Thefortable beds, clean, fresh sheets daily and surprisingly delicious tea were one thing, but apparently at some point an ant had taken great fascination with the art of embroidery, creating the most incredible scenes on the rugs. Beyn himself found it incredibly moving to kneel on the artistically represented ant hill on the rug within his own room as he prayed.

    Not that he had time for that. Before he could pray, before he could eat, before he could even wash off the muck from his journey, there was a task that had to be fulfilled! He couldn''t even bring himself to pause and speak to his brethren, such was his rush to discover what the future had in store for all of them. Once he had confirmed the evolution options for his ss, then he would gather the faithful and speak to them in full!

    Breathless, he rushed into his room and mmed shut the door, throwing himself behind the (wonderfully carved) desk as he gathered paper, ink and a quill with his shaking hands. With all at readiness, he gathered his wits and re-opened the menu.

    [Your current ss: Antmancer, has reached its maximum level. ss evolution is now avable. Would you like to evolve your ss?]

    By the Great One! Yes!

    [Please select one of the following options:

    Antspeaker.

    Antbishop.

    Antorator.

    Antstandardbearer.]

    Eager to see what each of the new sses offered, he quickly dismissed the stat gain per level and focused on the unique benefits of each ss.

    [Antspeaker: This ss evolution will enhance the passive perception of pheromonalnguage and allow the ss holder to convert their mana directly into pheromones, enabling directmunication with ant type monsters. A social based ss that will enable the holder to act as the bridge between two peoples. When engaged in conversation between an ant and a sapient, both will be more inclined to look favourably on the other.]

    [Antbishop: Your service to the ant is as much religious as it is practical. This ss evolution will enhance the ''United in Purpose'' aura Skill and turn it into the ''Fervour of the Faithful'' aura Skill. For those that share your faith, the range and benefit provided by the aura will be increased. Be warned, in order to level this ss, it is no longer sufficient to battle alongside ants and people. You must serve alongside ants and believers. An additional Skill will be granted, Ant''s Peace, that shall enable you to radiate the selfless nature and hardworking attitude of the ant around you.]

    [Antorator: Powerful in both word and deed, the Antorator is a potent motivational speaker, able to persuade and convince people to follow in the path of the ant so long as the insects are present. Speeches given under these conditions will receiverge bonuses, allowing you to sway others to your cause. You will be a diplomat, bringing others into the fold of your union with the ant.]

    [Antstandardbearer: You have marched alongside the ant and made their battles your own. This ss will give you the tools required to lead your people into a deeper bond of cooperation on the field of battle, carrying the standard of your union. So long as you bear the standard, the effects of your aura will be further enhanced and its range increased. Furthermore, a new Skill ''Rallying Cry'' will be gained, that will allow you to raise the morale of both insect and sapient in the heat of battle.]

 Chapter 696 Laying Low in Leng

    <h4>Chapter 696 Laying Low in Leng </h4>

    [How long will the curious one remain imprisoned within the mouth?]

    [Until she''s learned not to be a massive pain in mymercial zone.]

    A wave of heat washes over me from behind.

    [What is this¡­mercial zone?]

    [You know what? Never mind.]

    The already sweltering temperatures of the third stratum inch up a couple of degrees as Al literally burns with a level of curiosity that, being honest, I just can''t be bothered dealing with right now. All I''d wanted to do is hang out in the demon city and see what they got up to in there. Is that too much to ask? Apparently, yes. I''d kind of expected that things would go wrong, I mean, they tend to. Tiny would get into a fight, or Crinis would idently mind-control somebody, or Invidia would nab something he shouldn''t and then all hell would break loose.

    I make it sound as if I''d expected my pets to be the cause of any issues, but I can be honest with myself. I fully expected that I''d be responsible for some kind of drama, be it getting into a fight I shouldn''t have, pinching stuff I shouldn''t or mind controlling someone. What I didn''t expect was a damned hatchling to go freaking crazy on me!

    Now the only way we''re going to get back into Roklu is at the head of an army. Good thing the Colony is probably going to assault the ce in fairly short order. In the meantime, we''ll just have to hang out down here, I suppose. Not that it isn''t exciting!

    [I ¡­ dislike this ce.]

    Al has a distinctly displeased tone to his usually t and unemotional voice which surprises me enough that I turn around to face him.

    [What about it makes you so unhappy?] I ask. [Isn''t this the ce that you were born?]

    The floating eye of fire swings around the ins around us in one irritated swoop.

    [All demons are born of the ins. From the moment we emerge from the spawn points we know nothing but a desperate battle to survive, surrounded on all sides by foes. We consume each other until we piece together our sentience, bit by bit as we evolve. Even those who try to escape the fighting and climb the pir are thrown back down. Until we reach tier six, we aren''t considered a real demon.]

    [It doesn''t sound like a good upbringing at all,] I sympathise, [but isn''t life like that for all monsters? Most of my kind are born within thefort and safety of the nest, surrounded by family, but I personally was born on my own, one of the weakest creatures in the entire Dungeon. It wasn''t easy, but I was able to fight my way up to this point.]

    The demon eye glitters.

    [It is true that most monsters climb up and survive only by fighting for their lives, though some hide and cower in the dark in order to avoid notice.]

    Like a certain worm that I know¡­

    [For these reasons, it isn''tmon for a demon to actually enjoy returning to the ins¡­]

    Fair enough I suppose.

    In truth, we are yet to actually arrive at the ins themselves. At the moment we are clinging to the pir a hundred metres above the ground, looking down on the chaos going on below.

    [There really are a lot of them, aren''t there?] I say, hesitance clear in my thoughts.

    [A never-ending supply. Even if you try, for some mad reason, to purge them all, the spawn rate will increase until the numbers return. This is the natural state of the third stratum.]

    [The wave is over isn''t it? This is the normal rate for them to appear?]

    [This is still higher than normal, but nothing like what it was during the wave. When the wave was at its height, they were several metres deep around here.]

    We are referring of course to the heaving carpet of infant demons beneath us. Each of the little creatures, with their dark coloured demon skin, two ws and strangely bulbous bodies fights maniacally against any of their own kind they can reach. Seeing how tightly packed together they are, there are a ton that they can reach. Some arerger than others, and these seem to ignore the smaller ones as much as possible, seeking out others of their own size to fight.

    Looking straight down, it''s pure chaos, a frenzy of feeding and fighting that just goes on and on as new demons crawl from between cracks in the ground to rece those that have fallen. When I pan my attention across the wider ins, the scene is replicated everywhere I can see, for kilometres and kilometres, in every direction.

    [That''s an awful lot of Biomass¡­] I wonder ''aloud''.

    [More effort than it''s worth to harvest,] Alments, [not that you or I would gain anything from hunting prey such as these.]

    [I wasn''t thinking about us¡­]

    I was thinking about potentially hundreds of thousands of little hatchlings who would be more than happy to feast on these demons. Looking over the vast ins and the unending supply of small demons, thousands might not be enough to consume all that I can see. We might need millions¡­

    [May as well get down there...] I sigh and begin the final climb.

    When I finally reach the bottom, I tentatively put my first w down onto the ground, trying to find a gap I can ce my leg without squishing any demons in the process. To my surprise, they almost flow away from me, creating space where I won''t crush them underfoot. As I bring more legs down, eventually bringing my whole body down onto the ground, the rolling melee continues to shift away so as not to impede me.

    [Do they always do that?] I point out the strange phenomenon to Al.

    [They will instinctively shift away from those more powerful than them.]

    [Weird¡­]

    The giant eye res in a kind of shrug.

    [It is not so surprising. To an infant demon, you are either food for now, or food forter. Anything that is more powerful than themselves is food forter. Better to upy yourself with the food for now than chase that which you cannot defeat.]

    [Huh.]

    Tiny drops down onto the ground with a grunt, carefully cing his feet so he doesn''t squish any of the smaller creatures, not that he needed to bother, they move aside for him just as they did for me. Just like that, we found ourselves on the ins.

    [Sooooooo¡­ what is there to do down here? It''s not like you can really go hunting¡­ since there aren''t any strong demons about to fight¡­]

    It does seem like this vast wastnd is a bit of a waste of time. Heh. Nothing to hunt but an endless sea of runts? No Biomass, no experience? It''s practically valueless to a tier six like me.

    [Now you see why we ignore this ce,] Al deadpans. [Still, it isn''t as if it ispletely barren. It is possible to travel to another pir and find another city which you can investigate. There are also tier fours and fives roaming the ins, though they are generally harder to find. There is also thework of tunnels beneath us that connect to the nextyer. Within them, you will find an environment more simr to what you might think of as ''normal Dungeon.'' In that region there are rogue demons who have carved out their own portion of territory in the wilds.]

    Wait a second.

    [You mean the tunnels that connect to the next stratum?]

    The eye res for a moment.

    [No. The nextyer of the third.]

    [You mean there''s another ce, just like this one, beneath us?! With pirs, and cities and ins?]

    [Yes. This ismon knowledge.]

    Come to think of it, someone might have mentioned that to me in the past¡­ I just¡­ This ce is so huge though¡­

    [Okay, so how manyyers to the third stratum are there?]

 Chapter 697 Just Canâ€™t Keep Out of Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 697 Just Can''t Keep Out of Trouble </h4>

    Travelling through the vast ins is strangely peaceful, despite the literal ocean of death and destruction happening around us at all given moments. After the first ten minutes, I kind of fell into the habit of not directing my attention downward, and all of a sudden the endless war of the little demons beneath my feet wasn''t such a big deal anymore. Every now and again I might get swiped by a wayward w, but even if they are monsters native to the third stratum, with all sorts of in built advantages over me, they still can''t prate my diamond carapace or cause any real harm to my legs.

    Instead, I take in the sights and enjoy having such a vast open space above my head. From the ground looking up, it''s even more incredible to see than it was from the roof looking down. If I trick myself, I can almost believe that the ash and smoke that swirls far, far overhead are clouds in a particrly hot sky.

    The temperature is another thing that is bothering me. I''d kind of thought it might be a little cooler down here, since hot air rises and all that. Turns out no. There are open rivers ofva down here. Lava! Ignoring that, the rock itself is boiling hot! My poor ws feel like they''re sizzling every time I take a step. Ufortable to say the least. Compared to the freezing cold of the shadow sea, I honestly don''t know which is worse¡­

    From behind me I hear a muffled ''thump'' and watch confused as an infant demon sails through the air in a graceful arc before thudding back down to the ground more than fifty metres away. The little beasts are so hardy that that thing immediately flips itself over with one wed arm and starts ripping into its closest neighbour.

    [Tiny¡­]

    [Hrrr?]

    [Did you just kick an infant demon?]

    He looks to one side.

    [Why would you kick an infant demon, Tiny?]

    He shrugs his massive shoulders.

    [You''re bored?!]

    [¡­]

    [I don''t care if you''re bored! Don''t go punting monsters around! First off, you''d get almost no experience from it, even if you managed to kill the thing, and second, we are travelling whilst surrounded by literally millions of the damn things. I really don''t want to slow down so you can kick your way through the ins, alright?]

    The big ape is clearly frustrated, but nods in understanding. He''d been hoping for more to fight down here, I have no doubt about that. Other than the exciting chase in the city, he hasn''t really had a chance to stretch his ¡­ fists. Even if that''s the case, there are some behaviours that we simply don''t stoop to.

    [Not to worry about it champ, I''m sure we''ll run into some stuff to battle soon enough. If we keep an eye out, there''s bound to be plenty of tier four and five demons running about down here and you can beat up on them all you like. Just be patient.]

    The giant bat-faced gori shifts his weight from foot to foot and nods unhappily. Poor old lug. He''ll be right as rain once we get a good scrap in. Seeing how tightly wound up Tiny is makes me think I should check in on my other friends as well, just to see how they''re travelling.

    [How''s things Invidia?] I cheerfully greet the envy demon. [Enjoying your time here on the third stratum?]

    [The heat issss pleasssant¡­] he drawls, his little wings fluttering in the hot air as he closes his eye for a moment.

    [I suppose you were raised on the second stratum, so you never got to enjoy this warmth¡­ huh. You don''t find it weird looking at all the infant demons around our ankles killing each other?]

    The green eye flicks down to the ground then back up again.

    [I am pleassssed I wasss sparred thisss trial¡­]

    [Makes sense. It seems like a brutal and inefficient way to grow up.]

    [¡­but I wantsss their ferocity and drive!]

    The eye glows green.

    [Of course you do.]

    Looking down at the literal ankle biters, they sure do have a lot of spirit¡­

    [How about you Crinis? You holding up alright?]

    [I am, Master,] her voice sounds a little pained. [It is ufortable, but I can bear it sufficiently well.]

    [Please let me know if you need help or need a rest,] I implore her, [you aren''t being a burden when you ask for the help you need, alright? Don''t be so selfless that you put yourself in danger, that doesn''t help anybody.]

    She hesitates for a brief moment.

    [I-I will try, Master,] she promises.

    [That''s all I can ask. You''re doing well.]

    To be honest, a little selfishness would help Crinis a great deal. Living your life for another being in the wholehearted way that she does just isn''t healthy. The ultimate goal to return my pets to independent entities still remains, though I have absolutely no idea how that can be achieved. As far as I''m aware, there''s no way for a pet to continue living once its ''master'' has died.

    [Something ising,] Al deres as he appears in a burst of me to my right.

    [HOLY ¡­ Would you please stop that already?! I''m going to burst my core or something before we manage to get anywhere.]

    Rather than respond to my petnt demand, the demon simply points forward with one tendril of me. Turning my attention in the indicated direction, I struggle to see what he''s looking at for a moment, but then I realise I''m looking in the wrong ce. He isn''t pointing along the ground, where my attention was first drawn, but above it. Thanks to myrgely omni-directional vision, I manage to detect a flicker of motion about a hundred metres above the ins. After a few seconds, I realise that whatever it is appears as if it''s drawing closer to us.

    [Any idea what that might be, Al?]

    A pause.

    [Al?]

    A quick scan of my surroundings informs me that the demon ispletely gone.

    [Well nards¡­]

    It quickly bes apparent that the object we spotted is a t disc that seems to hover through the air by some means I don''t understand. Standing atop that disk is a small collection of demons, each of a different sort. Judging by their expressions, they aren''t exactly happy to see us.

    [Get ready for trouble, gang,] I tell my crew, [this could get ugly.]

    A broad grin splits Tiny''s face. Finally things are going his way.

 Chapter 698 Pride Cometh...

    <h4>Chapter 698 Pride Cometh... </h4>

    I make out five demons in total, judging by my mana sense, all of them tier six, thank heavens. If they''d all turned out to be a higher tier than me, we might have just been dead and buried right there. ording to the information that I''ve managed to barter out of Al, the vast majority of demons, the properly sapient ones anyway, are tier six.

    Due to the generally short and barbaric lives they tend to live, most don''t make it to tier seven, but those that do can be considered powerful, standing above the masses. Apparently, tier eight demons do exist, but only deeper down, where the mana is thicker on the border between the third and fourth strata.

    Considering their natural, inborn advantages, a tier eight demon is not something that I want to tangle with. Not one bit.

    For now, these five demons on their hovering, dark red disc of pure energy continue to move closer at a rapid pace as we spread out to receive them.

    When they draw close enough, their momentum slows and the closest demon, standing proudly at the lip of their disc, looks down on us with thinly veiled contempt. It''s not easy to judge the expression of a non-human monstrosity, but with enough practice you can get the hang of just about anything.

    The demon in question is what I''vee to know is a ''pride'' demon. A humanoid physique, with more des and spikes than one would generally see on a person, apanied by a strangely thin but elongated head with a long vertical mouth that is open more often than it''s shut. ording to Al, pride demons are considered generalists amongst the tier six demons, equally capable at spell flinging and up close chop-work with their ws and spikes.

    After a few moments, I feel a mental connection seek me out and I allow it to snap into ce, my multiple mind constructs warily monitoring the connection, prepared to rebuff any assault that takes ce.

    [FOUL creature,] the demon''s mental tone positively drips with condescension, [why do you roam the ins within the bounds of the GREAT city of Orpule?]

    Uh, what? Even without turning my head, I can still see the enormous pir that supports Roklu behind us. Is this guy telling me we''ve left the borders of that city already?

    [Aren''t we still in the area of Roklu?] I ask back, [and by the by, who the heck are you? Why is it your business where we are?]

    The pride demon positively crackles with indignation at being questioned by what it probably considers a ''lowly insect''. From the first stratum no less!

    [You admit that you originate from lowly Roklu? Has the fat one sent you to do his dirty work?]

    I brighten up.

    [You mean Grokus? He really is massively fat, isn''t he? I personally am not one for body shaming or anything, but that guy has rolls on his rolls. He must weigh eight tons at least. The dude has so much mass, the first time I met him I almost got caught in an orbit.]

    It''s nice to see someone else who is equally as discerning when ites to Grokus'' more unbelievable features. The city lord of Roklu had to evolve a second mouth, since his first one never stopped eating!

    [You do not deny my charge, INSECT! Are you part of the war games? Is this an assault?!]

    [Uh, no? I''m not even a demon, why would I be part of your war games? What are the war games anyway?]

    With every word I send across the bridge, the demon appears to grow more and more offended. Not that I think I''m to me. I can only assume that all pride demons are touchy, considering what they are.

    [I will not be fooled by your PATHETIC lies! This is clearly a ploy by Roklu to gain the upper hand in our conflict! You will be dispatched in the name of Orpule!]

    Before I can even process in my head just what exactly this idiot is on about, he makes a cutting gesture with one wed hand and just like that, the other four demons on the disk begin to rain hell down on us. Lava, brimstone, ash, all sorts of nasty magic takes shape in an instant and the bombardment begins to rain down on us before I have a chance to shift my feet.

    Holy moly! These guys mean business!

    KRAKOOM!

    A searing sh of light sts my eyes, sending my poor insect senses reeling as Tiny lifts one crackling arm to the sky and lets loose a devastating bolt of lightning that crackles into the disc, burning away a portion of the energy that sustains it and shrinking its size. Even blinded, I give the ape a re. There''s no way he could charge that up so quickly, he must have been preparing it the moment the demon reached out to me.

    Turned out to be a good decision in the end!

    [Invidia! Shields up! Crinis, see if you can reach them. But be careful!]

    [I will!]

    With an inrush of mana that is almost audible to my mana sense, Invidia drags the ambient mana together with his immense mind, crunching out shields with the sheer force of his Will before the attack from above cannd. As theva and ming rocks smash into the barriers, Crinis peels herself from my carapace, dropping her entire body into the thickening shadows beside me.

    Looking up, I flex all of my mental power as I prepare to deal with these darned creatures. First thing I''d better do is try to bring them down to the ground I suppose. Good thing I have gravity magic! The next question is, how many gravity bolts can I make with all of the mental constructs at my disposal?

    Turns out the answer is many. Drawing directly from the gravity mana stored inside my body, none of my brains are forced to maintain a construct or handle the processing of mana, so each and every one of them gets busy stringing together basic gravity bolts which I immediately fling at my target.

    In moments I have a steady fullisade of gravity magic pelting at the offending demons. Not many find their target, given all the mess in the way between our two sides flinging stuff at each other, but some do. Eventually, it''s all going to add up. Or at least, it would have if Invidia hadn''t taken things into his own hands.

    BOOM! BOOM!

    Two devastating explosions rock the disc as the envy demon unleashes his potent explosive magic, the energy of his spells tearing into the structure of the disc and shrinking it even more, forcing the demons closer to the ground. The face of the pride demon is even more twisted than before, filled with rage at the mere prospect of having to put his feet on the ground.

    Not to worry buddy, before long, I''ll have you buried in it.

 Chapter 699 Before The Fall

    <h4>Chapter 699 Before The Fall </h4>

    Hello loves! I must say that on all of my adventures and travels, I haven''t quitee across anything like what I saw in Renewal. Monsters and people? Living together in harmony? You''d think me mad if I told you that, absolutely barking! Nheless, as hard as it is to believe, you can trust the word of old Tolly. You begged me toe here and report back to you, and that is what I have done! If you were to doubt me at this point, then you might just hurt my poor old heart, dear reader.

    We continued our tour about town and our guide, Ms Emilia Cretherton, was a veritable font of information. I had only so much as to twitch a finger in any given direction and she would instantly start to describe the history behind anything and everything thaty in that direction. When we strolled to the wall around the town I was able to drag my old bones up to the top and listened raptly as she exined the intricate irrigation system that the ants had worked on in cooperation with the farmers.

    Almost the entire thing was buried beneath the ground to prevent evaporation and was operated by awork of mana fuelled pumps. I had to say that the investment of such equipment and expensive cores in something like farming was certainly unusual.

    You know what she said to me?

    "The Colony did not think of it that way," she smiled as she exined it to me, her eyes filled with pride as she looked out over the fields that stretched beyond the city walls. "To them, they see farming as a fundamental necessity of our lives, so it was the first thing they sought to help us with, and the one area they put more effort into than any other. Farming is not a dirty, or simple profession in Renewal, Ms Tolly, it is the most important work anyone can do."

    When you put it that way, it makes a lot of sense! Next time you''re out in the market picking up sweet meats and treats, spare a thought (and possibly an extra coin or two!) for the farmers, dear readers!

    After our visit to the walls, I was most keen to see the cathedral up close and personal. Thergest building in town, a great stone edifice covered in the most wonderful carvings, this ce of worship was something that many of us in the big city had already heard of. Indeed, such open heresy is more than a little umon in this day and age! I was most eager to witness it for myself!

    The fact that thismunity, these people, hade to revere the ants who had saved them, was only natural in a way. A very real and physical presence that protected them in the face of very real and physical danger. What surprised me as we approached the cathedral itself, was the fervour in which the people were dedicated to their devotions.

    Emelia''s eyes were practically shining by the time we arrived outside the grand edifice itself, the girl all too happy to exin with great enthusiasm the manner in which the cathedral operated as the spiritual centre of the people''s lives. I was somewhat surprised to learn that there were no daily devotions. No gatherings in the morning or dusk, or both, as I''ve seen at the church of the path. The reason being that the ants the people had gathered to revere did not consider such an activity as ''work'', and therefore dismissed it as a waste of time! I had a hearty chuckle when I heard that! Instead, the cathedral operates all hours of the day and night, its doors open to allow people to visit whenever they are passing by, or might have the time, to offer a prayer or listen to a sermon.

    Prominently ced on either side of the grand arch that marked the entrance were two tall speaking stones, shaped ever so cleverly to appear as anthills, I might add. Emelia assured me that no matter the time, two acolytes would be in position, espousing the wisdom of the Great One to the people as they passed by. Even as I watched, small crowds gathered at the feet of the two preachers, who spoke with clear voices and great conviction to their enraptured audience.

    I had so many questions!

    "Can you give me a sample? A taste, of the wisdom of the Great One?" I asked the dear girl beside me. "What is one thing that is taught here at the cathedral that would be easy for me to understand?"

    She thought very seriously for a moment, her brows furrowed in concentration.

    "It is very important," she began, "to sleep eight hours a day. No matter how busy you are, or how much work you need to get done, if you do not rest then you will be unable to give your best on the next day. This will weaken themunity."

    I couldn''t help butugh with delight. The look on her face was deathly serious! I have to confess reader, if I could turn up to a church and get told I needed to sleep more, I''d probably attend with greater regrity!

    Excerpt from Chapter Five of ''Traveling Tolly in thends of the Colony'' published in the Monthly ''Pangera Gazette''

    The speed I can spit out Gravity bolts is actually impressing the hell out of me. Like, I can remember how hard it was when I wanted to cast a single one of these suckers, now I can spit them out at a pace of more than one a second! The mind constructs disy their power! Gwahahahaha!

    Even more in my favour, the demons appear to have decided that since the purple bolts of mana don''t appear to be doing them any harm, they aren''t even bothering to dodge, focusing their attention on the more obviously lethal explosions and lightning being sent their way. Not that I mind.

    The more shredded the disc bes, the more engaged the pride demon in the lead gets, until his face is a twisted mask of pure disgust.

    [You will DIE for your INSOLENCE! WORM!]

    Oi. There''s only one worm that needs to be destroyed due to its insolence, and it sure isn''t me!

    [Big talk from a little demon!] I taunt him. [How about youe over here and say that!?]

    The five demons on the tform appear to take my invitation more literally than it was intended andunch themselves at us, leaping off the disc at blistering speeds as they bare their ws against us. With a whoop of delight, Tiny smashes both hands into the ground, crushing a section of stone into dust as heunches himself forward, lightning crackling around his torso. In the blink of an eye, he crashes into the assaulting monsters, using his body to block their path and smacking two of them out of the air with two punches so fast I can''t even see them.

    The crew of demons are a mixed bunch, the pride demon in the lead is followed by two beefier looking models and two others who are clearly more of a caster variety, judging by theck of skin on their bones. I mean, Invidia is very small, but he has extremely little in the way of bones and muscle mass, which are apparently not what you want to be stuffing into your pocket dimension. Brain matter? All good. Biceps? Not so much. By all ounts, this appears to be a bnced group of demons, on their way to take part in some sort of war? I''ll have to ask Al what it''s all about when we''re done here.

    As Tiny is set upon, the grinning ape being torn into by his five opponents, Crinis rises from the depths, her tentacles snaking out to grasp the demons around their limbs, the horrific buzzing of her barbs rising in the air. The pride demon in particr looks offended by this turn of events, hacking off the limb that grasped him and trying to leap into the air to create some distance.

    Unfortunately, he''s just too heavy.

 Chapter 700 Yes, I Know Thatâ€™s Not How Gravity Works

    <h4>Chapter 700 Yes, I Know That''s Not How Gravity Works </h4>

    After being hit with literally dozens of gravity bolts, the pride demon''s powerful leap takes him practically nowhere, dragged back down to the ground by his own mass. How do you like that, fool! Smoked by the power of gravity! Man, I cannot wait to get my hands on that gravity skill!

    Having had my fill of throwing spells at them, I charge, dashing toward our foes, my legs a blur. Unhappy with the treatment her tentacles were given, Crinis is already unwinding more, snaking them through the air toward the pride demon as the confused monster tries to understand why he can''t move the way he wants.

    Behind him, one of his allies, a strangely serpentine demon, raises itself up, a powerful aura of healing magic gathering around it.

    "Exterminate the healer! Rapid take down protocol!"

    I''m so surprised to hear the pheromones that my grand charge almost copses on itself as my legse within a hair''s breadth of tangling against each other. I manage to correct it in time, and hopefully nobody noticed. From thin air, Protectant appears already descending upon the snakish demon along with six of her fellow bodyguards. Before the poor creature can evenplete casting the potent healing spell it had been preparing, the seven ants rip into it, theirbined weight driving the monster to the ground where it''s finished by their mandibles.

    A momentter, the ants are gone, leaving behind nothing but Biomass.

    That was¡­ different.

    In another second, I collide with the pride demon, the force of my charge ripping the monster from Crinis'' grip and sending him a dozen metres away, sprawling in the searing stone of the third stratum. Hundreds of little infant demons skitter out of the way as I advance on him, my mandibles gnashing. Behind me, Tiny and Invidia continue to rip into the remaining opponents, thebination of the big ape''s awe inspiring offense and the envy demon''s perfect support magic (and explosions) being far too much for even their tier six foes to deal with.

    Even as I approach the fallen pride demon, my mental constructs do not cease their work, spinning together a dizzying barrage of mind magic packets to fire across the bridge my opponent so foolishly didn''t cut off when he had the chance. It''s such a strange feeling, to be concentrating on what I''m doing, focused on my approach, on my mandibles, on charging up an omen chomp, whilst at the same time I can feel my brains working, churning away on so many other tasks. My sub-brains are propping up the constructs, whilst the constructs utilise their own functions, as well as drawing on the physical brains that maintain them to weave dozens of threads together at the same time.

    It''s bewildering, confusing, ting and intoxicating all at the same time.

    [Prepare to get chomped, demon!] I holler as I bear down on my demon opponent.

    As best he can, he gathers himself to his feet, none of the grace or power one would expect from one of his kind present as the lingering effects of the gravity magic he was struck by continues to weigh him down. As a result, the following confrontation isughably one sided. With a snarl, the demon shes toward me, arm aglow with the light of the Skill in use.

    Already forewarned, I twist my body to the perfect angle, maximising the thickness of my carapace at the point of impact. The impossible speed of my reactions allows me to adjust my position at the veryst possible moment, giving the demon no chance to shift the strike. Even with these preparations the ws dig into my precious diamond carapace.

    For all my advantages, there are limits to how well diamond from the first stratum will work against ws from the third. Stupid Dungeon prejudice! I call foul!

    Well, he might be able to carve grooves in my carapace, but demon flesh isn''t so hard that my mandibles aren''t able to do some work.

    Omen chomp!

    The dark light manifests itself as my jaws close on the pride demon.

    Combo!

    Activating the chompbo Skill, I rapidly pump my mandibles, the muscles in my face screaming as my stamina plummets. Omen chomp after omen chomp cuts into the pride demon until the fight has left him. Along with all life¡­

    [Now what the heck was that about?!] I demand broadly.

    [I believe I can answer your query.]

    This time I don''t even flinch when Al appears beside me. Just goes to show you can get used to anything given the chance, even ming eyeballs of death popping into existence at the drop of a hat.

    [I know you''re more fire than eyeball at this point, but do you ever close that thing? Can you blink?!] I demand.

    [You desire that I close my eye? This request. Unusual. Yes¡­ I can do this.]

    So he does.

    [HOLY MOTHER OF GANDALF! OPEN! OPEN IT!]

    A momentter Ie back to myself, twitching on the ground. The horror. The sheer horror of it. I couldn''t even close my own eyes so I couldn''t see it¡­

    [Please never do that again,] I plead.

    [Your request is noted.]

    [So,] I say weakly, trying to dismiss that image from my mind, [you thought you could exin what happened here? Why did these guys decide to attack us out of nowhere? The pride demon mentioned something about a war¡­]

    [You recall our earlier discussion, where we talked about demons and their obsessions?]

    [Yeah?]

    [Many of these obsessions require violent expression. Murder demons, ughter demons, cutting demons, massacre demons, death demons, blood demons, torture demons, de demons, bone demons- ]

    [Okay. I think I get the picture.]

    [In order to give these demons an outlet, it ismon for neighbouring cities to arrange a formal war. This also doubles as a means by which the cities canpete for territory and settle grievances. If memory serves¡­]

    I get the distinct impression that Al is somewhat like an elephant. I can''t imagine this eyeball ever forgetting.

    [¡­ Roklu had organised a war with our nearest neighbour some time back. I suspect that this pride demon saw us traversing the ins heading in the general direction of Orpule and believed we were a secret strike force directed to attack the city.]

    [That''s nonsense! Just the five of us, attacking an entire city? It would be suicide! And what the hell were the five of them doing out here in the middle of nowhere when there''s supposed to be a ''war'' going on?]

    The eye flickers with amusement.

    [I believe they were the strike force directed to attack Roklu by surprise.]

    That''d be right.

 Chapter 701 A Demonic Crack

    <h4>Chapter 701 A Demonic Crack </h4>

    After collecting a few choice cores and chowing down on Biomass, all we could really do was shrug and get back to business. Even so, I can''t help but feel like this incident is going toe back and bite me in the backside somehow. At least this time I can proudly wave my antennae and dere that it wasn''t my fault! How am I supposed to know some random pride demon is going to get it in his head to attack me? There was clearly no getting out of that situation.

    Now, where were we?

    [How far are these tunnels, Al? It''s getting hot out here!]

    That''s a lie. It''s constantly been hot out here.

    [If you find the temperature disagreeable then it may be a good idea not to descend any further. The heat will only increase.]

    [I''m guessing that you don''t have an issue with it¡­]

    [The portion of my body that extrudes into this dimension isprised of 65.37 percent heat energy. It does not bother me.]

    [Invidia, when you evolve, try not to be a floating eyeball of fire, alright? If you really want to pick an element, do earth or something.]

    [Hisss me isss powerful. I wantsssss it!]

    [It literally doesn''t matter what he has, you''d have wanted it anyway! Just consider, alright? I don''t want to drag this kind of heat through the entire Dungeon! I can''t even sweat!]

    Ants aren''t particrly good at temperature regtion internally. Although some colonies are incredible at utilising the flow of air within their nests to control the heat, basically building automated air conditioning systems to make sure the inside of the nest is never too hot or cold and ensuring the air doesn''t be stale. Pretty clever for creatures with a brain the size of a pinhead!

    Of course, our eternal foes the termites are the best at this sort of thing. Those blind little bugs create enormous mound nests that can bring fresh air all the way down to the heavily protected nesting chamber of their massive, chonky queen.

    [Alright then, where to now?] I ask.

    [The entrance to the tunnels is this way.]

    Al points a tendril of his ever-burning corona to our right and so off in that direction we proceed.

    [We''vee almost ten kilometres from Roklu already. Are entrances to the tunnels that rare? Seems like they might be moremon.]

    [There is muchva that flows eternally from hyper concentrated sources of fire mana between theyers. The tunnel entrances are gaps in the flow that are safe to traverse. Sparse.]

    Interesting. We keep moving along and as we push our way through the ever-shifting carpet of infant demons I take a moment to talk to Protectant.

    "Alright then Protectant, you may as well get out here and answer a few questions."

    Her responsees to me as light as a breeze.

    "Do I have to?"

    "Yes, you have to! I''m not going to talk to thin air when I know for a fact that you''re right here! Honestly¡­"

    Somewhat begrudgingly, my bodyguard appears on my left. As usual, her posture is a little shrunk, as if she were still trying to hide despite being in in sight. I wonder if they bother to train their stealth skills at all, considering they rely on a powerful organ to hide most of the time. Simr to Al, the organ in question subtly affects the minds of those around them, acting as a perception filter.

    "So, what was that back there? The ''take down protocol''? This a change in the stated policy or something?"

    She shifts ufortably.

    "It''s been decided that we''ll be a bit more active from this point onward duringbat. If we can end fights more quickly with a precision strike, and therefore cut down on the risk that you''ll be exposed to, it will be beneficial in the execution of our duties."

    "Not to mention it helps you guys get some experience and Biomass on the job," I approve, "I like it."

    "It does mean that we expose ourselves more often, which many of us are not happy about¡­"

    I dismiss those concerns with a flick of my antenna.

    "You can''t just sit idly by and hide whilst I get killed, right? You have to expose yourselves at points in order to perform your role at all. It''s just a question of working out when and how much. I think this is a sensible shift. Keep up the good work."

    Unused to being praised, Protectant stumbles a little before vanishing from my sight again. I meant what I said though, if they can be a bit more proactive, having these twenty follow me around won''t be as much of a pain. It''s nice to have more ants to talk to, for a start, something I can''t really do if they refuse to show themselves most of the time.

    Speaking of other ants.

    [Alright Invidia, spit her out,] I sigh.

    A momentter we are joined by a rather bedraggled looking hatchling. Brilliant gives herself a quick shake, much like a puppy would, to rid herself of the envy demon''s excess saliva before looking around.

    "Oo! What''s all this?"

    In less than five seconds, she''s already spotted the carpet of demons crawling around our feet and pounced on one, holding down the struggling creature with her mandibles so she can inspect it more closely.

    "Careful, you moron! These little things are dangerous to someone as weak as you!"

    I almost spoke prophetically, an instantter the enraged little demon managed to free a w and took a wild swipe at its captor, threatening to slice Brilliant''s face in two.

    SPLAT!

    With one emphatic stomp, Tiny ttens the offending demon, scooping Brilliant up with one arm and cing her firmly on his shoulder in one smooth motion. That was close!

    "You might be tier threepared to their tier one or two, but these little guys have much better body parts than0 we do. Better muscle mass, harder and sharper ws, tougher skin and bodies. Despite the gap in tier, they''re still capable of slicing you up with ease."

    The little ant clicks her mandibles in shock.

    "Really? That''s fascinating!"

    "That''s the difference between stratum at work," I grumble. "Only by upgrading our bodies can we close the gap. All that means is that you should consider yourself a tier one for the time we are down here. Absolutely everything in the third can kill you. If you''re going to keep being stupid, then I''ll stuff you back into the interdimensional mouth until we leave."

    "I''ll try to keep myself under control!" she gives me a quick salute with one antenna that I can''t decide is sarcastic or not. I''m still thinking about it when Al pipes up.

    [We''ve arrived,] the demon announces.

    In the ground before us is something I wasn''t expecting to see, a break in the endless carpet of infant demons. Instead of the rolling melee, a wide crevice in the boiling ck rock of the ins of Leng opens before us which the monsters seem to instinctively avoid, rolling away whenever they draw too close. The walls of the tunnel in front of us glow red as the potent fire mana in the veins that run through the rock flows unceasingly. I can already tell it''s going to be absolutely boiling in there.

    [Alright then, let''s head on in,] I sigh.

    At least we won''t get caught up in any more bizarre fights between cities whilst we''re down there.

 Chapter 702 What Lies Between

    <h4>Chapter 702 What Lies Between </h4>

    Not only do I believe the ancients to be real, but I believe they have gotten stronger, not weaker, over time as some have suggested. I understand the thinking behind the so-called ''cascading mana deprivation'' theory, but I consider it optimistic at best, and hopelessly naive at worst. I can almost believe that the great thinkers of thest age were simply never taught the concept of entropy. I suppose it isn''t aforting thought, that one''s society and indeed world, are in a state of decay rather than growth, but the stubborn refusal to even consider this meta state of our existence is more than a little baffling to me.

    If one epts that monsters so powerful as to be near to gods exist, then a set of assumptions logically follows. More powerful monsters require more mana to sustain themselves. This much is self-evident and there are none who refute this fact of the Dungeon. The ancients therefore live in the area of the with the highest concentration of mana. This also follows logically. It is possible, though dreadful to contemte, that more powerful monsters exist, sleeping on some deeper level beyond our experience, but we have no evidence that such may be the case. In the absence of such evidence, we must move forward with what we have.

    It is here that the denialists stake their reputations. They believe that since the ancients have not been able to rise from that ce a second time, locked inside their own realm since the Rending, that mana levels globally have fallen to a point that does not allow them to do so. They argue that the peak concentration of mana on Pangera urred during that dreadful event and has since fallen to the ''normal'' or ''ideal'' levels. In essence, they argue that the ancients peaked too early in life, and now they lie in a weakened state in the heart of the Dungeon without the strength to move.

    It is true that, ording to the records we have, that mana levels appear to have fallen before stabilising in the time since the cataclysm, but I believe that there is a different cause. I believe that the ancients, the most powerful creatures on Pangera, evolved. During the cataclysm they rose to the surface and destroyed, between them, millions of beings, pushing them past the threshold to evolve to a new stage of existence. This necessitated their retreat to the centre of the Dungeon and exins the lower level of mana that we have experienced since.

    There is not less mana being produced in the centre of Pangera. Those neen individuals are soaking up so much that it has affected the concentration of energy on a global scale.

    Excerpt from ''The world is stupid'' by Elric the Wild Mage.

    I decide to take the lead in our descent to the crack before us and creep forward with reasonable caution. This is an unknown environment and I don''t want to go too crazy before we get a clear picture of what we might run into down here. Sure, I could ask Al all about it, but that would do two things. One, suck all the fun out of Dungeon exploration, and two, require that I answer a bunch of his questions and frankly I''m getting tired of exining basic concepts of my pre-ant existence. Thest time I needed to tell him something I ended up going through half the plot of the Lord of the Rings before he would tell me what I needed to know!

    Ain''t nobody got time for that!

    The tunnels are much like I''ve gotten used to during my time in the Dungeon with a few major differences. The mana veins here look like moltenva, but not the cooling stuff. None of that pansy dark redva, oh no, the veins are white hot, almost literally. The mana inside is so thick that it almost seems to flow likeva as well, oozing through the veins before seeping into the air. The rock itself is different, mainly in that its pitch ck and steaming hot. I can see the heat waves in the air every time the tunnel stretches any sort of distance. Then of course, there''s theva. The stuff seems to flow like water down here. The further we go, the more of it I find.

    Tiny walks behind me, also struggling a little with the heat, but Crinis is the one who is having the hardest time. She''s in her usual spot, stuck to my abdomen, but every now and again bits of her slip around the edges, as if her shadow flesh were melting.

    [You going to be alright, Crinis?] I ask, concerned.

    [I''m alright!] she gasps, [but I''ll be thankful when we make it to the fourth stratum. This ce doesn''t agree with my kind.]

    [Already talking about the fourth?] I say wryly, [we have to make it through this one first.]

    [Of course, it is only natural that we will conquer these filthy demons, Master! Before long we will make our way down, just as we did before.]

    I can only shrug at that. I wish I had her level of confidence.

    [Master! I sense food! I mean, monsters!]

    Oho! Naturally Crinis'' keen senses are the first to detect our prey! It''s a little frustrating, but my heat sensing antennae are almost useless down here. Everywhere is hot! They tell me nothing!

    [What have we got Crinis?]

    [Feels like¡­ something strange. Tier six?]

    Delicious experience¡­ let''s get it!

    [I''ll take the lead. Tiny, be careful with the hatchling.]

    "Don''t do anything stupid," I warn Brilliant, "if you feel an overpowering urge to run off and ''investigate'' something, I want you to approach Invidia and throw yourself into his mouth."

    "Throw myself in there?!"

    "You heard me!"

    With the nuisance dealt with, we creep forward, following the curve of the tunnel as it descends and widens until our preyes into sight. It''s¡­ ghastly.

    [What the hell is that?!] I cry to Al.

    Around the corner I see what I can only describe as a horror. It''s seems like a demon, the normal demon type of aesthetic is present, at any rate. Some sort of Wrath demon, judging by the ded arms on the thing, but that''s where the simrities end. Instead of normal, healthy demon flesh, what I see is practically an apparition, immaterial and ghostly. The harder I stare at the edges of the creature, the more they seem to fade in and out of reality and it drifts around, its legs almostpletely invisible.

    [It looks sort of like a ghost¡­]

    I mentally whisper, despite the fact I''m not making any noise.

    [Ah, a ghast. Annoying. Physical damage will have little effect on the creature, make sure to use magical attacks.]

    [So, wait. Are you saying it''s an actual ghost?]

    [No. A ghast is a monster that is created when a demon perishes. Some demons experience their obsession so powerfully that death will not contain it. Their desire fuses with the ambient mana to create a ghast which will mindlessly act in pursuit of its desire. During a wave, many will be born due to the higher mana level.]

    [So¡­ a ghost.]

    I hate this stratum.

 Chapter 703 Rhymes With Drops

    <h4>Chapter 703 Rhymes With Drops </h4>

    Sometimes Isaac Bird had questions for himself. Such as ''how the heck did he end up preparing to assault thend of demons alongside a massive army of ant monsters'', or ''should he grow a full beard or just stick with a moustache?''.

    Thetter was probably not as difficult to answer as the former, but each was worthy of careful consideration. ''Take each problem, one at a time,'' as Ma used to say.

    "How long do you think they''re going to make us wait here, captain?" Margun asked from beside him.

    Isaac resisted the urge to lean over and spit. He wasn''t a country boy anymore, he had to set the standards for his men. If Morrelia didn''t tolerate spitting in the ranks, then he wasn''t going to either!

    He turned to his lieutenant with one brow raised.

    "You really that keen to be gettin'' your hands dirty Margun?" he drawled. "I don''t see what the rush is, they put us up pretty damn well right here, all things considered."

    It was true, the Colony had been more than generous, as was their wont, with the amodations for the human contingent of their war machine. Actually, not just humans, he corrected himself. After the volunteers started to flow from Rylleh there were a few non-humans amongst the ranks now, including a couple of golgari, disced from their home kingdom.

    "You aren''t wrong there, Isaac. My feet are just getting antsy I suppose. How are you so rxed, knowing what''s about to happen?"

    Heughed.

    "I don''t understand how you''ve got the energy to be nervous, Margun. They''ve had us doing drills and patrols until we drop ever since the wave ended, and it''s not like that was a happy fun time! If they weren''t busy building all this setup around here we''d still be at it I wager. Rather than all your fussin'' I suggest you put your feet up while you have a chance."

    The other soldier just stared at him.

    "We aren''t talking about a patrol through the tunnels here, Isaac! We''re invading the third stratum! You know, the ce full of the crazy strong demons? That doesn''t worry you?"

    Sometime people couldn''t see the woods for the trees. Another one of Ma''s favourite sayings and her wisdom was as true today as it was the day she passed it down to him.

    With great patience, Isaac straightened himself and pped one hand onto Margun''s shoulder, as he gestured behind the man with the other.

    "Take a look over there, my friend. Tell me what you see."

    Margun rolled his eyes.

    "Ohe on Isaac, I''m not in the mood for another of your ''lessons''."

    Isaac frowned.

    "You''vee over here and bent my ear with your plops so you''re going to right well listen to what I have to say. Now, out with it."

    "Fine."

    With a weary sigh, the other man turned and beheld the very thing they''d been staring at most of the day.

    "All right then," Isaac continued with satisfaction, "tell me what you see."

    "I see the Colony doing a ton of building and stuff. They''ve been at it for days now, Isaac."

    The former captain of the guard pped a hand to his forehead. That''s it?

    "You don''t see anything other than that?" he asked incredulously. "Bunch of ants building stuff. That''s it?"

    Margun rolled his shoulders ufortably.

    "I don''t know what you''re after here Isaac, you know I''ve never been the sharpest tool in the shed."

    "It ''ain''t nothin'' to do wit'' bein'' smart," Isaac drawled, forgetting to control his ent, "and all to do wit'' payin'' attention."

    He took a moment to master himself.

    "You see a bunch of ants building stuff. Alright, fine. How many do you see."

    "I dunno. Couple thousand, I guess."

    "Seems like a lot, right? Do you know how many build sites like this one there are?"

    "I think there was ten? One for each of the guardpanies?"

    "Bingo. Ten of these. What does that say to you?"

    "That there''s¡­ a lot of ants working?"

    "Right. And what are they building?"

    "Staging grounds for the invasion."

    "Correct again. Now, there are ten of these staging grounds being built. Let''s ask another question, how many ants do you think would fit into this one?"

    Recognition was slowly starting to flicker in Margun''s eyes.

    "Around ten thousand, more or less, I would say," he said slowly.

    "Which means that the big bad demons you''re talking about are going to get hit with an invasion of a hundred thousand, give or take, monster ants along with ourselves. I''m not sure if you''re a betting man, Margun, but I know where I''d be putting my money."

    Having made his point, Isaac turned back and sat down on the porch that had been constructed around the outside of the barracks. The Colony had gone above and beyond with the facilities, as they always did, and thefortable beds, spacious rooms and constant supply of tea, with sugar, was a luxury that he''d seldom been able to afford working as a guard in Liria.

    "In my opinion," he sighed as he leaned back until his head was resting on the wall, "the demons are in for a world of pain. They might be powerful monsters, but I don''t think they''ve seen anything like what''sin'' for them. From what I hear, the Great One is already down there kicking up a ruckus. Chances are there won''t be anything left but smoking ruins by the time we turn up."

    "The Great One?" Margun raised a brow. "You a believer now Isaac? I didn''t take you for the type."

    "Aren''t you from Rylleh? You didn''t see the big guy go to work?"

    "I didn''t see for myself, no."

    "If you had, you might be a little more respectful. If they want me to call him ''Holy ant of king mountain'', I''ll doff my cap and y along, and you''d best do the same. Don''t go stickin'' your foot in the plops if you don''t need to."

    Having passed on his final wisdom, Isaac Bird closed his eyes and let his mind drift until sleep imed him. The Colony would work him to the bone soon enough, he was sure of it, so in the meantime he''d get all the rest he physically could. He floated away into dreand with the image of a particr Legionary in his mind and a soft smile on his lips.

 Chapter 704 Awakening

    <h4>Chapter 704 Awakening </h4>

    In the deepest parts of the third stratum the mana was so thick it hung in the air like a soup. Every breath filled a monster''s lungs with fire and ash, enough to choke most creatures, or burn them from the inside out. Beyond this, an aura of evil hung over every rock and dripped from every stone, as if the sins of the denizens of this ce had been so extreme that it had seeped into every atom, prating the fibre of matter itself.

    In this ce a vastke of fire could be found. Those that knew of it referred to it as Durgotha, the ever burning. To the more observant, theke was not one of fire at all, although it may appear that way. The heat that radiated from the vast pit, more than a kilometre across and hundreds of metres deep was enough to ignite a normal monster simply for drawing close, but rather than fire, it was pure fire mana that radiated this deadly heat. So potent it could be seen by the naked eye, the pulsing red mana ebbed and flowed in a slow dance as it was drawn ever deeper, sinking to the bottom before it would shift to the edges of theke and rise once more.

    To many, even to most demons, this was simply a ce of great power, a location to be coveted for its incredible wealth of mana. Even so, none dared to approach it, it simply wasn''t done. Those that sought to im the ever burningke for themselves seldom lived for long, such power was not to be held by the likes of them. As such, to demons this was a ce of fear and caution, best avoided as much as possible. To the oldest and deepest of their kind, this location held a different fear. There were precious few ces in the third stratum that would support a tier eight demon, that could provide the kind of mana that they needed to survive. In these select locations, the mightiest of demon kind dwelt, sleeping the ages away as they waited for the call.

    Odin Malum crept across the bare stone, instincts screaming of danger. He didn''t want to be here, but the god had spoken and he found he had no choice but to obey, his blood, the very cells of his body demanding he acquiesce to the monster he had seen in his sleep. He hated this servile existence, his pride as a lone wolf couldn''t stand having an authority stand on his shoulders, but he couldn''t see a way out.

    He had grown powerful feeding on the lives of those he had defeated, but he could not imagine growing strong enough to kill that. Even during his evolution, when he stood before Arconidem, it felt as if his soul was shaking. If he were to find the demon and appear before him in his physical body, it would likely be even worse. Unconsciously, Odin flexed the des that extended from his forearms. It had been difficult to travel this far and only by drawing on every Skill he''d learned in his previous life and this one had he been able to survive. Now that he was so close to his destination, he hesitated.

    It was so quiet. Unnaturally so. It took him a moment to realise what it was that was missing.

    The infant demons were gone. They didn''t spawn in the tunnels betweenyers he''d been relieved to learn, grateful not to have the little biters underfoot. For whatever reason, they did not spawn here.

    Regardless of his growing unease, Odin was eager to discharge the task that the demon god had inflicted upon him, so he dipped into his skills, sunk his profile as low as he could and continued to creep forward. Before him, the slowly churningke of mana roared with pure heat that threatened to drive even he, a native born demon, back. But he persevered until he had reached the edge.

    Once again he hesitated, here at the precipice, but even now when every nerve told him to turn around and leave, his body refused to obey. Instead, he extended one de and expertly wed a section of stone free. Using the tip of the saw-like limb, he flipped the freshly carved rock into the air before measuring his strike and batting it out into the middle of Durgotha.

    Then, he waited.

    In his previous existence as a skilled assassin, Omen had grown used to waiting. Patience was a virtue for any hunter, and he was no different. In fact, in this area, he excelled, capable of waiting for days in cramped locations as his target moved to the perfect position. But now, he struggled within himself as the seconds dragged on. His core throbbed with his burning need to be anywhere but here, but his feet remained rooted to the ground by themand of Arconidem. The war raged within him as he fought for control of his own body as the silence dragged on.

    And then, it was toote.

    A deep rumble echoed throughout theke as the mana began to circte more quickly. Before Odin''s horrified eyes, a deep shadow appeared at the bottom of Durgotha, a vast darkness that shifted and grew in his eyes. Ever more quickly, the fire mana rotated and thickened as the centre of the pool dipped down until the entireke had transformed into a swirling tornado of heat and ash, a massive figure uncoiling in the heart.

    Rooted in ce, Odin had no choice but to wait and watch as the torrent raged, drawing close enough to his feet that the ws on his toes erupted in me, burning even his immensely resistant skin.

    [You have awoken me, little mouse. Speak. Then you shall ke my thirst.]

    Like a bubble filled with evil, the thoughts of the great demon intruded into his mind before it burst, flooding his thoughts with a screaming thirst for death that drove almost all semnce of rational thought from his mind. Odin wilted as he battled to preserve his mind, centring his being around his unassable core of self.

    [I have been sent by the demon god,] he gasped, [with a message for his servant, Torrifex.]

    [Ahhhhhhh. I have slept so long. At longst my master has called for me. Speak, little mouse. Tell me what my god would have of me.]

    The aura of sin thaty over this ce thickened as the great demon woke, stirring until it seemed as if the air itself screamed for blood and ughter.

    [Arconidem demands that you rise and make his children ready for his return. Cull the weak, ughter the unworthy and burn those who do not belong.]

    The thoughts rose almost unbidden from within him, his mind taking on the immense arrogance and cruelty of the demon god himself.

    [The time draws near then. I will stand before my master once more.]

    With an eruption of pure fire, the figure within the depths of theke surged to the surface. Odin saw nothing except fire and ash and a thousand des.

    [Come, little mouse. As I serve, so shall you. There is much work to be done.]

 Chapter 705 Tunnel Of Love

    <h4>Chapter 705 Tunnel Of Love </h4>

    Translucent spirit demons of vestigial obsession are thankfully lessmon than more mundane threats in the tunnels. That first ''ghost'' was a bit of a pain to deal with, mostly because I was so hesitant to approach the ghastly thing in the first ce. Tiny helped by growing bored of my slow creep forward and sted the thing in the face with a bolt of lightning that caused the creature to shriek and writhe in pain before rushing towards us. It was almost more out of instinct than a conscious decision that I tore into the monster with a st of ice magic that shredded what was left of the bundle of animosity and mana.

    What was more surprising still was that I gained experience for it!

    [Even this can count as a monster?!] I demanded of the all-informed one.

    [Yes. Convenient. They can also level up and evolve, so it is best to be careful in the deeper tunnels, a tier six or seven ghast can be a nuisance to deal with.]

    [I bet¡­]

    After than initial encounter, we made good progress through the tunnels, reaping a decent harvest of experience and Biomass as more conventional tier four and five demons stumbled into our paths with regrity. Most of the battles were short and sharp, with Crinis, Tiny, Invidia and I taking turns to engage in the fighting, sharing out the rewards across the four of us. At one point Protectant and her group leapt into action when a second monster charged into a fight when I was already engaged with another target, their increased willingness to be active rearing its head again.

    All in all, our trip through the stifling tunnels was quite profitable and I was more than a little pleased with the final oue.

    [Not bad, not bad at all,] I broadcast generally as I perused my status window.

    A significant stockpile of Biomass to spend and a few levels tucked away under the belt as well. Can''t say I''m sad about the haul overall! Certainly, a healthy return for the time invested. Since we''ve risen to tier six, this has definitely been the richest hunting ground that we''ve stumbled upon. I have to thank Al for showing us this ce as we begin to make our way out.

    [This has been a rather rewarding trip. Thanks for being our guide, Al.]

    [It has been no trouble,] the eye gleams with pleasure, [the new knowledge that I have acquired has been amplepensation.]

    I slump. This guy isn''t happy to ask just one or two questions, he always tries to mine as deep as possible into a topic. On the flip side, I''ve been able to answer both Al''s insatiable appetite for knowledge, whilst also educating the hatchling on a number of subjects at the same time. Brilliant may not be quite as detail oriented as the demon, but she is certainly curious about a broad range of ideas and listens with a keen mind as I try my best to satisfy Al.

    [Well, hopefully whatever mess has blown up in the city has died down a little by now. I think we''ve been down here for about a day?]

    [That is my hope as well. Irritated. I hope that the various factions have calmed themselves to the point that my return will not once again upset the bnce.]

    I''m a little more worried about my reception than I am about Al''s, considering he can essentially vanish himself any time that he wants to. Seeing as how he''s managed to live in Roklu for so long, despite being persona non grata, I suspect he can even hide from the prying eyes of Grokus himself.

    [We''re heading back to the city everyone,] I inform my team, [keep your eyes open for any trouble, especially as we get closer to the pir. I don''t want anyone dropping bricks on us, metaphorically speaking.]

    Using the Tunnel Map, it isn''t hard to navigate the winding warren of narrow tunnels that make up this section of Dungeon and before long we loop back to where we first entered.

    [Master!]

    Crinis'' warninges roughly at the same time as I see them myself, rounding a corner roughly a hundred meters of tunnel in front of us. There''s immediately something about the situation that feels vaguely familiar.

    [You INSECT! How dare you DEFILE my presence in this way!] the pride demon in the lead bellows at me via a mind bridge that rudely intrudes into my mind.

    [Are you serious?] I demand. [You can''t be serious right now!]

    [A group of SNIVELLING cowards scurrying the cracks around Roklu as the grand war draws near? Don''t even DARE to try and convince me you are unrted!]

    I turn to the rest of my group.

    [He''s not serious, right? What are the odds that something like this could possibly happen again? Hey Al! Can you - aaaand he''s gone.]

    Stupid eyeball!

    [Prepare to feel the weight of my displeasure, CRETINS!]

    Pride demons really are in a league of their own when ites to speaking in a way that really grates against the mind. It''s like they have their nose in the air as they speak to you, but it''s not a nose, but rather their entire consciousness. Filled with a sense of exasperation, I watch as the pride demon leads its small team in a valiant charge towards us, spells already forming in the air between the two groups.

    I sigh.

    [Invidia, can you snatch up Brilliant? She''s trying to escape again. Everyone else, let''s pile in.]

    I''ming to learn that a fight between groups of tier six monsters tends to be quite short and sharp, especially since most of the demons we encounter aren''t built to endure. Upfront, sharp attacks that front load the damage and bodies that aren''t really designed to take a hit and keeping. At least, not the sort of hits that Tiny can deliver. As the two groups close in on each other, Tiny bounds forward, weathering a barrage of spells that puncture his flesh and sear him, not that it strips the wild grin from his face. It does however fuel the burning rage in his eyes.

    Body alight with electricity, the big ape leaps forward, wings unfurled and delivers a deafening screech, freezing the demon offensive in its tracks for a fraction of a second. Which is naturally all he needs to wind back one massive arm and unleash a straight right that knocks the pride demon directly into the next stratum. Not quite, of course, the demon is still alive, but after flying dozens of meters backwards and mming into the stone wall of the tunnel, anyone would be worse for wear.

    As is natural, Tiny has left himselfpletely open in order to achieve this opening gambit, and had Crinis not anticipated such, he would have been shredded in the following few seconds, especially since Invidia is busy stuffing the hatchling into his inter-dimensional maw and can''t shield him right now. Into the breach, Crinis steps, or slithers, or whatever. Tentacles erupt from the unnatural shadows that have formed in the tunnel, threatening to encircle any demon caught unwary andmit their dark works.

    With the demons upied warding away the encroaching limbs, Tiny has the space he needs to regain his posture and bring his hands up, ready to fight. Which is when I burst into the scene.

    CHARGE!

 Chapter 706 Playing Out Once Again

    <h4>Chapter 706 ying Out Once Again </h4>

    It''s aforting thought that here, even two strata out of date, my mandibles are still capable of getting the job done.

    OMEN CHOMP!

    With a crunch that reverberates off the walls, the dark mandibles of manifest energy m shut, causing devastating damage to the poor demons caught within. Before the caster demon can even begin to weave a spell to heal or defend, the bodyguards are already in action, appearing from thin air to execute their devastating takedown strategy once more, leaving no opening as they remove a single demon from the equation.

    With no proper front line to hold down the fort, there is little the remaining demons can do, too busy fending off the myriad of tentacles of Crinis to properly protect themselves from Tiny as the big ape wades forward, his mighty fists almost appearing to vanish as he unleashes a blisteringbination of punches that shatter the air with powerful bolts of electricity.

    Just like that, the fight is done.

    I really do wonder if it''s too easy? Are these demons weak? Are we strong? Being equal tier, they should have the advantage over us considering the gap between strata. We might have upgraded various parts of ourselves, but we can''t hope to match up with them, who are made of better stuff from the moment they were spawned.

    I suppose some of the difference can be exined by the difference in evolution. I get the feeling, watching the little ankle biters go at it, that most of them don''t evolve withplete cores every step of the way. Their struggle is so desperate that they likely evolve the very moment they feel that they can, particrly in the first few tiers.

    Still, it doesn''t seem to add up. To sort out my confusion, I turn to the burning corona of all wisdom, Al.

    [Is it just me, Al, or are we dealing with these groups of demons a bit too easily? They''re tier six after all.]

    The demon wobbles in the air for a moment and I just know he''s considering what information he''ll extract from us as rpense. Luckily, I''m yet to draw on my secret reservoir of media from my previous life. Outside of Tolkien, I''m yet to detail any sort of fiction at all! I have enough juice in the tank to keep this going for a long time toe.

    [It is a mistake to think that all demons are created equally,] the floating eye informs me, [some are weaker than others and there could be any number of reasons. Age is a major factor, which directly affects the strength of a demon''s Skills and mutations. But in this case, I simply think that you are being underestimated. Most demons have a poor opinion of the monsters who spawn higher up in the Dungeon, generally for good reason. For the most part, they are much stronger than monsters like you. When these demons see you, they simply don''t see a threat, which is leading them to fight poorly.]

    [Makes sense I suppose,] I muse, [it would be like a human seeing a sheep jump up and offer to wrestle. The demons down here probably never even see a first stratum monster, let alone have to fight one. Far from having their guard up, they practically have their pants around their ankles.]

    [Speak to me of these¡­ pants.]

    For the rest of our journey back to the ins of leng, I exin the concept of pants to the giant ming eyeball, who takes quite an interest despite not having any legs.

    [Why would some of these pants be¡­ buttless?]

    [I''m going to be honest with you, I never did find that out. All I can tell you is that such things do, or did, in fact, exist.]

    [Fascinating.]

    [I guess so? To be honest, I find the variety of demons on this stratum to be far more fascinating.]

    [I have lived with them my entire life. I long ago learned as much as I could of my kind. I do not believe that I know all, but that which I can learn in this ce, I have.]

    That tickles my interest a little¡­

    [So you do actually think that there''s demons you haven''t met? I mean, types of demons? I would have thought that there wouldn''t be much you haven''t run into by the time you reach tier seven.]

    The big eye flutters in the air as ifughing.

    [No. I do not venture to the deeper ces in thend of demons. I prefer to stay in an out of the way location like this, somece I cany low. Inconspicuous. This means that I have not encountered the most powerful and most dangerous of my kind.]

    [The tier eight demons?]

    [Exactly so. Few and far between they are. Even tier seven is rare enough that one must travel far and wide to see even a hundred, and I am certain that more than a hundred varieties exist.]

    [I wouldn''t be surprised judging by the sheer scope of tier six demons that I''ve seen.]

    Soon enough we reach the surface and once more find ourselves ankle deep in infant demons. As the little biters skitter to the side, we begin the trek back to the base of the pir that supports Roklu. By the time the city once morees into sight, it''s clear that something major is going on up there. The fire and smoke I remember from when we left is still present, in fact, it''s a lot stronger if anything. Also, it''s hard to tell from here, but I feel as if there''s something different about the pir?

    Yeah, there definitely is. As we continue our march back toward the city, the picture bes clearer by the moment. Just above the city, a huge floating disc of energy is hovering, much like the one we saw the first pride demon and his posse riding on, but significantlyrger. Judging by the shes of light and abundant smoke, demons on the disc are busy exchanging spells with others in the city below.

    As if that weren''t enough, there appear to be huge threads anchored to the city from kilometers above, descending down from the city. It''s hard to make out from here, but I get a sneaking suspicion that the Colony is involved, probably climbing down to the city using this method that they''ve devised to avoid relying on the pir.

    Fast! They''re acting way faster than I expected them to! To put all of this together in such a short time¡­ I don''t doubt the nameless ones have been busy over thest few days!

 Chapter 707 Scuttles, Schemes and Broken Dreams

    <h4>Chapter 707 Scuttles, Schemes and Broken Dreams </h4>

    Grokus enjoyed being a city lord for a few, very simple reasons. First, it meant that he didn''t have to put up with anything getting between himself and the only thing that gave him satisfaction in life, eating, and second it meant that he had a city full of demons who he could force to provide the abundant amount of Biomass he required without having to lift a finger. It had been decades since he''d bothered to check how much Biomass he''d amassed, having maxed out his mutations ages ago, but it was likely to be well into the thousands, perhaps even the tens of thousands, despite the fact he only ate things a lower tier than himself.

    Tier seven prey just didn''t offer itself up on a te¡­ not out here.

    He had ruled over Roklu in this manner for centuries, content to allow the backwater city to remain a weak and uninteresting entity that none would bother to pay attention to. This way he could continue to feast without pause and indulge his desires without concern, a paradise for a demon such as himself. However, things had begun to change in thest decade. First had been the arrival of Allocrix, a powerful tier seven demon fleeing some trouble from a deeperyer, keen to avoid detection.

    As the city lord, Grokus had always acted swiftly to dispose of would be rivals to his throne, but Allocrix was slippery and cunning. The filthy fireball could only be caught by Grokus himself, which would necessitate that he actually move, something he hadn''t had to do for several decades at least. It would also mean he had to stop eating! Unforgivable. Before he''d managed to reconcile himself to the possibility of having to physically shift his bulk, another tier seven had arisen, this time from within the city itself!

    Mongu''nin had gotten lost on a scouting mission into the tunnels and had not only survived, but thrived under the pressure, achieving the coveted evolution to tier seven and enough power to threaten Grokus'' position. If the lord were to stir himself and venture out into the city, there were now two rivals who could move against him, not odds that he liked. So had the long standoff begun, with Grokus unwilling to move, Allocrix not wanting to make a move and Mongu''nin seeking to strengthen himself by devouring the weaker of his two obstacles before trying to conquer the city for himself.

    This state of uncertainty hung over the city for years and went a long way to ruining Grokus'' appetite before he was finally willing to try and break the deadlock. Out of desperation, he had agreed to host the Church of the Path and provide the¡­ materials for their practices from his own citizens. With a steady source of experience, it was only a matter of time until he grew in strength to the point he no longer needed to fear his rivals and could once again eat in peace.

    But then more trouble just kepting! The attention the church brought to his city was unwee, a powerful and ambitious lord rose in nearby Orpule andtely that damned ant! Just thinking of that irritating insect was enough to churn the acid in his gut!

    He''d hoped that introducing the interloper from the first stratum might tip the apple cart a little, or perhaps even draw the church into cleaning up the problem for him. Instead, the damned invader had just destroyed half the city and fled, but only after stirring Mongu''nin into a rage thatsted for an entire day! To top things off, Allocrix appeared to have allied himself with the neers and there were steady reports of suspicious activity at the top of the pir. Not to mention the growing pressure from Brixin, the neighbouring city lord.

    [As I told you before, I know nothing of secret forces dispatched to act against your city, Brixin! If your raiding parties have been destroyed, then it is not by my hand!]

    The mind array that connected his mind to that of his fellow lord, far away in Orpule crackled with indignant energy.

    [Do you expect me to believe a word thates out of your mouth, Grokus? Two of my raid groups have vanished, one of them not so much as an hour ago, and you really think I''ll ept your denials? INSOLENCE. I will not tolerate this insult! I am escting our formal war to one of conquest.]

    One massive hand froze in the act of shovelling food into his mouth as he processed this and Grokus cursed internally. Despite the bluster, he could almost detect the smug radiating off Brixin from where she sat.

    [You''ve been looking for any excuse to escte this war,] the enormous demon rumbled dangerously, [I wouldn''t put it past you to have destroyed your own raiding parties in order to pull this.]

    Brixin was not intimidated. Far from it, this was the conflict she craved.

    [I aming for you myself, Grokus. I''m not even an hour away. Make sure you fatten yourself up a little more before I get there.]

    The array went dead, and the city lord shoved it away as he resumed shovelling biomass into his maw. Inside, his vast stomach that upied not only this dimension, but another as well rumbled in displeasure at the dy. He would need his strength soon enough. How long had it been since he was forced to fight?

    He turned to his attendant demons.

    [Rally the city,] he demanded, [a full invasion will ur in an hour. Ensure Mongu''nin knows who the real enemy is.]

    If that fool decided to rampage again then all would be lost. This was a bad position to be in, but all wasn''t lost yet. If things went well, it might even turn to his favour. He would need to call on the human, Alir Vinting, drag him out of his damned chapel if he had to. With the church on his side, he would have a chance to repulse the attack from Orpule and with a little luck, remove one of his rivals at the same time. If only Allocrix were still in the city, then he would have been able to move against that threat as well¡­

    [City lord! Something is happening above!]

    [What?!]

    Unwilling to deal with more surprises, Grokus craned the humanoid neck of his upper body back so he could stare directly up the pir to the area it connected with the world above. It was difficult to make out, even for senses as finely attuned as his own, but something was going on up there. Wait, is something dropping down? At first it was a steady downpour of loose soil, then rocks, then boulders that began to fall, most of them missing the city but a few crashing down on buildings with a resounding roar.

    Then came the spears.

    Honed pirs of gleaming steel, the four spears fell from above like hammer blows from an angry god, smashing through whatever theynded on and prating deep into the stone te Roklu resided on. Blinking all of his eyes in bewilderment, Grokus stared as four separate cords, each one metres thick, gradually wound up and pulled tight, connecting the te to the roof high above in four new ces. The acid in his stomach roiled unpleasantly.

    Just what on Pangera was happening?!

 Chapter 708 821- The Ants Go Marching

    <h4>Chapter 708 Chapter 821- The Ants Go Marching </h4>

    "Are you sure this is going to work?" Sloan asked Cobalt tentatively.

    "Sure? Of course I''m sure?! Did you think I sat around here crunching numbers between my mandibles for twenty hours just for the heck of it?!"

    "All right! I just wanted to check, please, keep working," the general made a tactical retreat to where several other council members were standing at a safe distance.

    "Gotta be careful around the carvers right now," Wills greeted her, "they are more than a little touchy."

    "Can''t really say I me them," Sloan muttered, "considering how hard they''ve been working, and the constant threat of being dragged off for torpor."

    "That reminds me," Be chipped in, "didn''t Cobalt get dragged away yesterday?"

    "She did. The moment she woke up, she was back at it," Wills confirmed.

    They all fell silent as they internally paid tribute to the incredible fortitude of the carvers, the great buildings of the Colony. To face down not only an insurmountable amount of work, but the torpor police at the same time, it took more courage than most soldiers would dream of iming.

    Wills took another look at the huge steel constructs being assembled in front of them.

    "Just so I get this straight in my mind," she said, "they want to drop these down and drive them into the te that holds the city so we can run down the cables in order to assault the city?"

    "That sums it up," Sloan said.

    "I don''t know¡­ that doesn''t seem¡­ nuts? To any of you?"

    "It''s a bit extreme," Sloan agreed, "but when you think about it, there aren''t really any safe ways to assault the city from up here. You either climb down the pir, an idea that I''ve ruled out since our enemy is likely prepared for such an approach. Although we doubt they expect a serious assault from above at all. Or, you make your own way down. We considered creating a unit of flying soldiers or scouts to secure anding ground for us, but the evolutionary costs are prohibitive."

    "We''re looking at it as a possibility for tier six scouts," Wills said absently, still staring at the huge ''spears'', "but that''ll be a while off happening yet."

    The number of tier five members of the Colony was slowly increasing, but there weren''t many, barely more than a thousand, each and every one of which would be participating in this assault. To counterbnce that, the fact that the eldest had reached tier six had inspired the ants to reach for that next threshold. Indeed, another member of the Colony had already crossed it.

    A level of strength that had once only belonged to the Queen was now being shared amongst a select few of her children. Hopefully soon it would be more of them!

    "HeythereguyshowareyouahwhoopsIdidn''tstopfastenoughnoooooooo!!!"

    A st of pheromones washed over the small group before a detonation sounded from a nearby wall which raised a storm of cursing from exhausted construction workers. When the dust cleared the second ant to reach the sixth tier was revealed, upside down, her six legs iling in the air.

    "I''mnotusedtomyspeedyetheeeeeeeeelp!" sheughed.

    It took a few seconds for Sloan to trante what she could smell, only then did they move over and try to right the new arrival.

    "Vibrant. I''ve told you before that we can''t understand what you''re trying to say when you talk that fast! You have to slow it down for us!"

    "Kay-kay!" the soldier cheered as her legs started to flex the moment they were beneath her again.

    From the moment she''d woken up after achieving her evolution there''d barely been a solitary moment when she hadn''t been running. If her previous speed had been absurd, then at tier six she was practically lightning. If the ants who saw her didn''t have decently mutated vision, she was nothing but a blur, if that.

    "I''m moving so fast now that I just can''t quite get used to it! I think I''ll need to mutate my brain again before I''ll be able to handle this much speed! Anyway, how are all of you doing? You look tired! Are you working too hard? Don''t let the torpor police catch you! If you want to keep away from them, my advice is to be fast! The faster the better! Though it doesn''t always help when Crin-Crin is involved, but it''s better than nothing! Hey what are those huge metal things! They look amazing! Is anyone else getting a little bored standing here? I know I am! I might go for a run then, bye!"

    Before anyone could squeeze a scent in edgeways, she was gone, elerating so fast she left an afterimage in her wake.

    "Damn it! I had questions!" Sloan grumbled. "I need to know what she''s capable of now that she''s evolved so I can factor it into our ns!"

    "Good luck getting her to sit down and exin it to you," Willsughed. "Best bet is you wait for the Eldest to get back. They can probably pin her down long enough to take a peek at her core and then let you know what the story is."

    "That''ll be after the assault," the general fretted, "I don''t like having unknown factors in a battle, even if they''re on my side. Maybe especially when they''re on my side."

    "Vibrant will be fine, you shouldn''t stress about her," Wills brushed her concerns aside, "having more power on our side can only be a good thing, right?"

    "All right, prepare for the drop! Make sure you double check your prescribed angles! We start tunnelling in ten minutes!" Cobalt called from the construction floor.

    Looking back, Sloan could indeed see thest segment of the four giant spearheads had been slotted into ce and the enormous kilometers long cables attached at the base.

    "Oh snap! She''s just going to start in ten minutes?! The troops aren''t in ce!" Sloan scrambled away, rushing to let the generals know what was happening.

    "Do you need speed lessons from Vibrant?" Willsughed.

    Be looked steadily at her sibling until the scout was forced to ask.

    "What? Are my antennae crooked or something?"

    "Don''t you have to get your scouts into position as well? They''re an integral part of the assault n, are they not?"

    "Ah¡­ right."

    In a sh, the scout was gone, rushing into the distance and calling to all scouts within scent range. Be could only shake her head at this level of ipetence, her caste members had been in position for hours, expecting that something like this might happen. So she rxed and watched as the carvers prepared for the final act. After all their meticulous preparation, the work progressed swiftly until Cobalt ordered the earth mages to begin work.

    At the same time, they began to tunnel away the ground beneath the four spearheads even as other mages used the shifting ground to twist the colossal metal structures, forcing them to drill deeper as they fell. The ants worked under extreme pressure, the angle and amount of force required was precise, too much or too little could shatter the spearheads, or make them drop off target. Failure could not be epted!

    They grit their mandibles and focused their minds, working in harmony as they had practiced to work with incredible precision. Meter by meter, the huge metal des drove down, shimmering with the hardening enchantments that had beenvished upon each of them.

    All around them, the ten staging grounds began to be flooded with ants as hordes of soldiers, scouts, mages and generals rushed to get into ce. Every minute, thousands poured into the vast staging area, silently watching as more of the cable vanished into the holes the spearheads had left behind.

    "FINAL CHECK!" Cobalt roared.

    A pause.

    "CLEAR! DROP! DROP! DROP!"

    With a final burst of effort, the mages forced the metal and dug away at the final section of rock, after which the steel constructs broke through, dropping with rapid eleration to the city below.

    The sound of the cables uncoiling and plunging through the hole was almost deafening, but the ants watched it unfold in silence, their eyes focused. The impact of the spears on the city couldn''t be heard this far away, but the sudden stillness of the rope told the ants all they needed to know. A prepared team of mighty soldiers hauled, drawing tight the ck in moments.

    "ADVANCE!" Sloan called.

    Silent and with purpose, the first battalions of ants stepped forward, one for each cable. In short order they attached themselves and began to descend, followed by the next, then the next, then the next.

    It was time for a new stratum to know the dominance of the Colony.

 Chapter 709 Sudden War

    <h4>Chapter 709 Sudden War </h4>

    I knew that the Colony would make a move to conquer a portion of the third stratum, it''s practically a requirement for us to grow enough that we will be able to survive, but I didn''t think it was going to start this soon! Holy moly, they must have worked themselves half to death up there! Smoke is rising from inside the city already, I can only imagine that the fighting has begun!

    [We need to get up there squad!] I holler at the others. [We need to hustle up the pir!]

    I immediately begin an all-out sprint in the hopes of joining the Colony in their fight as soon as possible. If they''re going to take down a demon as powerful as Grokus, they''re going to need the tier six firepower that my pets and I can bring!

    [Perhaps it might be time that I offer my assistance?] Al breaks in, appearing beside me even as I sprint. [There is a faster way to reach the city. We can fly.]

    [YOU might be able to fly,] I grate out, [but some of us aren''t multi-dimensional beings of almost pure energy! I''m an ant who turned down wings when I evolved! Multiple times! I definitely cannot fly!]

    The giant eye flickers.

    [Ants can fly? Fascinating.]

    [Not all of us and not all the time, but yes, there are ants that fly and IS THIS REALLY THE TIME?]

    [Ah. It is not. I do not mean that you need to fly, but that I can create a force tform to carry us. I will likely need your pet demon to assist me to carry yourbined weight, but I believe it will be possible.]

    [The demon''s name is Invidia,] I point out, [he''s not just a pet.]

    [As you say.]

    I direct my attention to my green-eyed friend.

    [Invidia, Al is going to make a force tform, or something, and he says you need to help him out. Make it happen so that we can get to the city and support the Colony, alright?]

    [It shallll be donessssssss.]

    I screech to a halt and the eyeballs confer silently for a few moments before a shimmering disc of mana solidifies in the air before us. Scanning it with my senses, I can tell a tremendous amount of energy has gone into its construction.

    [Wow! You can manipte this thing with your mind?]

    [I can,] Al confirms, [although shifting it with so much mass standing on it will strain me greatly. With the assistance of¡­ Invidia, I will be able to manage.]

    [Alright then. On we go, Tiny!]

    The big ape and I move swiftly and jump onto the tform which immediately sinks a little under our weight. I shouldn''t be surprised, the two of usbined must be well above ten tons. In fact, I don''t want to know how much I weigh, I feel like it would be hard for me, a former human, to ept that my body is now so massive that an elephant would run in fear if it saw me on the scales.

    Not only am I huge by any standard of earth animal, I''m also significantly more dense, due to the System allowing monsters to pack their muscle fibers closer together than would normally be possible. If I ever reset my muscture, I can only imagine how tightly packed it''ll all be. The weight to performance ratio will be insane. Well, even more insane. Honestly, the physics and biology of how an insect the size of me could possibly be running around isn''t something that I remotely pretend to understand, such things werepletely impossible on earth, so I''ll just keep hand waving it away and saying mana is responsible.

    Since it probably is.

    With Invidia lending his considerable brain power to managing the disc, Al is able to lift us bulky monsters off the ground and the disc rises into the sky. Slowly at first, but with growing momentum, we float upwards towards the city above. It''s a strange sensation and not a little unnerving to be honest. I can partially see through the disc, which doesn''t help things. Luckily if I tilt my head back a little, I can barely see what''s going on at my feet zone so I can distract myself and avoid thinking about the ground which is steadily vanishing beneath us.

    It''s a long ride up to the city, even though our speed continues to rise. The closer we get the more I can detect the acrid tang of a formic barrage in the air. Smells like the Colony has subjected the city to a massive bombardment of acid to soften it up for the full invasion. What''s more, the number of ants within range of the vestibule continues to climb the closer we get. The energy of thousands, tens of thousands, begins to pour into me, washing away my fatigue, rifying my mind and easing the ache in my tired muscles.

    With this much power flowing through me, I''m unbeatable!

    Or at least, it feels that way.

    [Tiny, Crinis, Invidia. When we get up there, we have only one objective, help the Colony conquer the city as quickly as possible. That means going after the heavy hitters, of which we have two main targets. Grokus and Mongi¡­ guy. Let''s call him Mongo. Both are tier seven, which is higher than us, if I need to remind you. When facing either of them, we need to proceed with extreme caution. Gang up on them. Kick them from behind. Strike from the shadows. I don''t care what sort of nasty tricks we need to use, we use them and get the job done fast!]

    [I believe I may be of some help in this,] the detached voice of Al breaks into my mentalmunication.

    [Oh?] I eye the big eye. [You really want to get involved? I thought this was exactly what you didn''t want to get involved in.]

    [On the contrary, this conflict could result in an oue, the only oue that will allow me to remain here in peace. Grokus dethroned and reced by not Mongu''nin. For this, I will lend my support against Mongu''nin, though I cannot defeat him alone. Against Grokus, my strengths will not be as effective, I will be of little use there.]

    [Oh? How so?] I find that a little confusing.

    [He is highly resistant to mana. Most spells will simply wash off his bulk.]

    [That¡­ is inconvenient. In that case, I''ll send Invidia to team up with you, Tiny and Crinis cane with me. Divide and conquer.]

    We wait out the rest of the ride in silence, the city growingrger before us each second. When we crest the edge of the city, a scene ofplete chaos isid bare before my eyes. A deluge of acid has poured across the city, causing steam to rise from every building as it''s chewed away. From the four massive cables the Colony has embedded in the rock springs an endless swarm of ants that leap into the city, forming a boundless wave of gnashing mandibles and hardened chitin.

    Filled with the vibrant call of their spirit, I leap down and onto the acid covered stone, my body overflowing with the Will of the Colony.

    "FOR THE COLONY!" I cry, spreading the call of my pheromones far and wide.

    Immediately I can scent the war cry echoed throughout Roklu as tens of thousands of individuals take up the call, soaking the rock in the indomitable will of ant-kind.

 Chapter 710 Battle In The Streets

    <h4>Chapter 710 Battle In The Streets </h4>

    Grokus had known that something was brewing in the stratum above. A pesky Colony of ants led by an unusuallyrge specimen, he hadn''t thought it would anything that he couldn''t manage, but this! This was absurd!

    The constant rain of acid had begun soon after the spearsnded in the city, coating everything, including himself, in the burning liquid. It wasn''t enough to damage him, but it was certainly enough to tick him off. How long had it been since he''d actually been attacked personally? A hundred years?! This entire situation was ridiculous! But it wasn''t toote to turn it to his advantage.

    "Where is that filthy human Alir?! Why has he not responded to my summons?" he demanded of the air.

    He was in a bad position right now, but with the support of the church of the path, everything could be salvaged. He did not underestimate the strength that the church could bring, far from it, he had high expectations. As chaos reigned all around him, Grokus counted down the long seconds as he impatiently waited for news of the priest. With disaster loomingrger and the demons falling into disarray in the city, he had grown irritated enough that he''d begun to stir himself atst, shifting the weight on his ponderous legs that hadn''t seen daylight in over a decade. He was about to take his first step when a mind bridge reached out to him from across the city. Recognising the mental patterns of the human, he allowed the connection.

    [It has taken you some time to respond to my call, priest.]

    The city lord allowed his mind to rumble with the undertones of the displeasure he felt. He may be the supplicant in this situation, but he still demanded the respect a demon city lord was due. On the other side of the connection, Alir Vinting rolled his eyes within the inner sanctum of his temple. Push hade to shove and now he wanted to beg a favour. The greed of a demon like Grokus was only to be expected really, considering what he was.

    [Things have been rather hectic over thest ten minutes, as you might well imagine,] he responded dryly, not bothering to mask his dislike for the touch of the demonic mind against his own. [How might I serve you, O child of the path?]

    Grokus grit the teeth in both his mouths at the open mocking of thest sentence but swallowed his anger down to his belly where he allowed it to simmer.

    [I had hoped that your hierarchy would have a response to the deal that I proposed,] Grokus opened, [it seems that the time is ripe for a harvest as the insects have delivered themselves to our doorstep, saving you the trouble of hunting them.]

    Alir tried not to yawn in case it was somehow transmitted across the bridge.

    [Well, the cardinals were unsure whether the burden of cost for using the gate would be-]

    [I will waive the cost,] Grokus forced out, [quite the tempting offer, wouldn''t you say?]

    Even now, with a rain of ant acid dropping on his city, the massive demon was still trying to hold onto every scrap of advantage that he could. If Alir didn''t detest the games and petty manoeuvring of demons so much, he might have found it impressive. Instead, he felt it was a pathetic show of false strength.

    [Grokus. I know what has happened with Orpule. Right now, their forces are streaming towards this city and on top of that, you have an invasion from above to deal with. Your rule is hanging by a thread, and youe to me asking that the faithful deal with your problem like you''re doing us a favour?]

    [The ants are weak,] Grokus waved a hand, [you could sweep half of them from the city yourself. There are thousands of theming, I can sense them already. Such a wealth in cores and¡­ subjects you could extract from, would be nothing but a boon to you, don''t you agree?]

    [Right,] Alir grunted, nomittally. [Except that I have a little information on these particr insects. Fascinating what can trickle down the grape vine if you squeeze it hard enough. They may not be quite as simple to deal with as you might imagine.]

    Still seated atop his throne, Grokus guffawed, the mouth split across his belly spraying drool across the courtyard.

    [Pathetic monsters of the first stratum? Surely you do not fear them? You really think they stand a chance against demons?]

    Superiority between monsters was an idiotic concept as far as Alir was concerned, none were better than any others, they were simply all kindling. The only difference was how quickly they burned.

    [They have earned the respect of the Legion, and anything the Legion respects is something that I fear,] he said.

    That gave Grokus pause. The Abyssal Legion had swept through the third stratum once during his lifetime, leaving death and destruction in their wake wherever they tread.

    [You cannot be serious¡­]

    Grokus looked up at the four ropes descending from far above, each already bristling with ants marching down, spraying acid as they went. He was supposed to fear¡­ them?

    [The church has decided not to involve themselves in this matter. In fact, they have decided to recall all of the faithful from Roklu. You are a sinking ship, Grokus. We are getting off.]

    The city lord was stunned.

    [W-H-Do you really think you can get away with this?!] he raged. [You think I''ll just allow you to walk out of my city and through the gate?!]

    [No. Which is why we installed our own gate within the temple,] Alir sneered as he stood from his chair. He had dyed long enough, he was now alone within the temple, everyone else had already escaped. [Die well, Grokus.]

    With that final word, he broke the bridge that connected him to the enraged lord and stepped through the gate, a wry smile on his face.

    Next to the pir, Grokus was infuriated. With a sweep of one massive arm, he shattered a score of statues that had been erected around his garden, scattering the pieces far and wide. Betrayed by a filthy human?! That damned bite sizedrvae! In the depths of his rage, a cold, calcted logic settled on the gigantic demon. If he was to survive this situation, then he there was only one way he would manage it. He had to rally the demons of his city and fight his way out. The ants first, then the demon raid. He would either rise and stand victorious to gorge on the fallen, or he himself would be food, fuel for others growth.

    With a mighty heave he shoved with his legs and raised his ponderous bulk off the ground.

 Chapter 711 Confronting Our Demons pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 711 Confronting Our Demons pt 1 </h4>

    My tour through Renewal had been just wonderful, but it was only a portion, merely half of the equation when it came to this remarkable ce. The people I met were delightful, open and friendly folks who had pieced their lives back together after an unspeakable tragedy. I can''t speak highly enough of them, really! On the other hand, I was yet to unravel the true mystery, that of the ants!

    I was somewhat shocked to learn at just how open the insect monsters were to people. I''m honestly not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn''t what I found! When news of this strange ce, where monster and human worked together in harmony first reached me, I pictured savage cultists feeding their children to the monsters to ensure their cooperation or something equally horrible. Instead, the people were just lovely, and the insects?

    Well that''s a story of itself now isn''t it?

    Afterpleting the tour, I approached our guide, Emilia Cretherton, and asked what the chances were of gaining some ess to the Colony. I was halfway to offering a bribe before the bright girl smiled widely and praised my bravery.

    "Most people are a little hesitant to approach the Colony at first," she assured me as she took me by the arm, "but they''re quite lovely, really. The hill is this way."

    I don''t think it''s ever been this easy to talk my way into a dangerous ce!

    My two guards were far from pleased when they learned of our destination, but the two strappingds had been well paid and Emilia was quick to assert that no danger woulde to us. After all, had any of the ants posed a threat to us thus far? Clearly not! So persuaded, we made our way toward the outskirts of the city. Already I could see the massive anthill we had spied on our approach to the city from the air peeking at us between the buildings. As we walked, the human traffic didn''t diminish, but rather thickened, as well as an increase in the number of ants moving to and fro.

    Eventually we make our way out of therge gate on the western side of town and the second we are through it looms over us like a mountain. It''s ridiculous to call it an ''anthill'', such a word doesn''t do justice to what I see before me. It''s a castle! It''s a fortress! It''s a pce! It''s a mountain!

    Sorge it must stretch hundreds of metres into the air, if not a kilometre, the entire thing is formed of gleaming, polished rock that shimmers in the air, revealing its reinforced and condensed nature. A wide road has been built between Renewal and the hill, expertly constructed and lined on both sides with imposing statues of ants carved in such loving detail that each one appears almost lifelike. For a moment, I actually thought that they WERE alive, just preternaturally still but a quick question to Emilia rxed my nerves.

    She smiled andughed as she gestured to the mighty edifice that rose before us.

    "This is the first anthill that the Colony established after fleeing Liria during a wave. It was here that they took their stand and the Great One defeated Garralosh, ending her rampage and ughter once and for all. The Colony doesn''t name their nests, as such, they have a unique identifying scent, but that doesn''t really trante into a name. For our part, we call this Anthome. Be wee."

    ¡¤ Excerpt from Chapter Six of ''Traveling Tolly in thends of the Colony'' published in the Monthly ''Pangera Gazette''

    The battle raged all around me the moment I set foot in the city, a flood of sensory information flowing in and threatening to dazzle me with its intensity. Teams of ants roamed everywhere in the city, pouncing on any demon who showed a sign of resistance. Through the Vestibule, I quickly learned that there were two main pockets of resistance to be found, both of them unsurprisingly centred around the two tier seven demons remaining. It was an easy bet that Grokus himself was fighting close to the pir near his pce. I could sense a huge concentration of ants in that direction, whereas the other clump was likely to be where Mongo had holed up.

    [Let''s split here!] I tell the group and immediately dash toward the centre of the city, my legs a blur of movement.

    Gotta go fast! Drawing on my inner Vibrant, I channel the power flooding through my spirit nave and turn it into strength, filling my body with vigour and helping me run even faster! Aha! Behind me, Invidia and Al disappear as they split off to deal with another threat whereas Crinis and Tiny continue with me.

    We race through the tangled web of buildings and any demon unfortunate enough to get in our way meets a grisly and sudden end. We don''t have time to mess around! I can hear the roar of the fighting before I see it, the constant hiss of acid being released into the air along with the percussive impacts that rattle through the stone beneath my legs as spells are hurled from both sides. The smell of my family is everywhere,yered pheromones ofmands, cries for assistance and battle cries that echo against my antennae.

    I''ming!

    We burst into the clear to find quite the scene before us. A literal wall of ants has formed, gnashing and spitting acid as Grokus himself, surrounded by a cadre of his most loyal demons, attempts to storm out of hispound. The city lord has undergone a hideous transformation, if that is even possible. The humanoid torso that sits atop his bulk is bellowing and cursing constantly, spitting a stream of abuse toward my siblings. The main mouth that splits the front of the body in half is off the ground for a change, revealing the wide elephant like feet underneath that crunch into the stone with every step.

    The mouth itself is the stuff of nightmares, simr to Crinis'' in that it appears less a mouth but more a portal to a separate dimension entirely reserved for suffering. His throat yawns like a void behind rows of needle sharp demon teeth.

    The moment I burst onto the scene, a chorus of cheers rise from the assembled ants.

    "The Eldest is here!"

    "They''ve arrived!"

    "cker! We''ve been working over here!"

    "Stop beingzy! There''s a job to do!"

    "YEAH, YEAH! SHEESH!" I curse my own siblings as I rush forward to do battle. "Give me a break already. Nobody told me when you were attacking the city!"

    My protestations are met with a chorus of boos and jeers which I have to admit is a little hurtful. Ingrates! Nothing for it though, time to get to work. My mindse together and forge a powerful mind bridge that I ram directly into Grokus'' head before the huge demon can react.

    [Hey there, big guy! Are you ready to dance?]

    The moment I connect to him his smaller pair of eyes focus on me withser-like intensity.

    [DAMNED INSECT!] his voice rumbles in my mind, full of wrath. [BECOME MY FOOD AND I MIGHT FORGIVE YOU!]

    [I don''t think so. Look around, we''ve got a lot of mouths to feed in the Colony, so I think your Biomass is going to wind up in a good ce!]

    With nothing else left to say, I charge forward, my loyal pets by my side as we draw closer to the wall. The ants part before us, giving us a clear run and then surging forward behind us. It''ll all get decided here!

 Chapter 712 Confronting Our Demons pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 712 Confronting Our Demons pt 2 </h4>

    As cool as he''d tried to y it, Isaac wasn''t exactly pleased to be where he was. The ground beneath him felt like fire against his boots and the air itself scorched his lungs whenever he took a breath. Sweat fell in a constant stream from his brow and he''d stopped bothering to try and wipe it from his eyes. There was plenty more where that water came from, the ants had loaded them up with canisters of water before they''de down and most of the human contingent had knocked the lot of it back before they''d even set foot in the city.

    "HOLD THE LINE DAMMIT!" he roared as he furiously worked his spear, trying to hold the demonic push as far from his person as possible.

    On either side his fellow soldiers roared along with him as they grit their teeth and dug in their heels, using micro dashes to m their weapons into the demons whenever they found an opening. The constant drone of the priest behind him was a reassuring sound, since it meant that Isaac and his group wouldn''t be without the powerful buff that was keeping their heads on their shoulders anytime soon.

    "HOW MUCH LONGER?"

    "Captain! Sir! I don''t know!"

    "THAT''S ABOUT AS USEFUL AS A BARREL OF PLOPS YOU DAMNED MORON! YOU REALLY THINK WE CAN HOLD LIKE THIS FOR LONG!?"

    Isaac felt sure his mother would be less than impressed by his tone and hisnguage but he had to say that the current situation was trying his patience something fierce. His squad had been nking the demon position that surrounded the huge monster that was holding off the Colony on the outskirts of the te when they''d run into a group of four moving to reinforce the suspected tier seven.

    Naturally, he had to cut them off and prevent them from joining the main fight, but that left he and his small group facing against four bloodthirsty tier six demons, which wasn''t a fight they would win, ore close to it. Thest few minutes had been a desperate, all or nothing struggle to prevent his soldiers from getting eaten, an endeavour in which he''d been sessful¡­ so far.

    Backed into a corner with spears forward, he didn''t like the way the four demons were leering at him, as if they were considering what sides to serve him with.

    "Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on! COME ON!" he screamed as he raised one hand to present a rude gesture to the four monsters.

    He never did find out if they understood what the gesture meant. One moment they were there, about to charge into the de of his spear and rip him apart, the next they were¡­ gone. A fine mist all that remained of them.

    "Uh, captain?" one of his men whispered with awe. "Was that you?"

    Isaac turned to the poor fool slowly.

    "No it wasn''t me you idiot! If I could turn demons into mist whenever I wanted, you think I would have let them kick our arse all over the street?!"

    "Probably not, sir."

    The tension gone out of him, Isaac copsed into the wall next to him.

    "Probably not¡­" he agreed.

    Still hidden from perception overhead, Allocrix looked down on the relieved humans with mixed feelings.

    [You are certain that your master would wish these to be saved?] he asked his floatingpanion.

    [Their livessss belong to the massster,] the envy demon hissed back at him, [none shall take from him!]

    Allocrix took no offense at this, he was no stranger to the ways of demons, and the obsessions of envy were quite familiar. He dismissed the matter from his mind and continued to make his way toward the billowing mana of Mongu''nin, his recent rival. Allocrix did not yearn forbat, or vengeance, he was not built for such things. Instead, an insatiable me that hungered for knowledge burned within him, a me that Grokus and Mongu''nin had stifled and made difficult to feed. For that reason, they needed to be removed and he would lean on Anthony and his Colony to make it so.

    Floating above the wreckage of buildings and the teeming ants, he saw the massive form of his foe rise out of the smoke. Mongu''nin might have been a more recent arrival to tier seven than Allocrix, but he was powerful nheless. A war demon was a force in and of itself. Tall, with an imposing physique covered in devastating spikes and deadly scythes attached to its hands, this particr species of tier seven demon was known throughout the third stratum as a creature not to be trifled with in a direct confrontation.

    But with help¡­ Allocrix was confident he could win.

    [As long as you can keep him away from me,] he informed his newly found ally, [I will be able to defeat him, but it will take time.]

    [Doessss he regenerate?]

    [Irritating. Yes, the more wounded they be, the faster they will heal themselves. It is necessary that we apply a savage burst of damage as he weakens in order to finish him off.]

    [I can facilitatesss thissss,] Invidia''s eye gleamed.

    The two of them fluttered over a scene of destruction, where thousands of ants formed a living barrier around Mongu''nin and a cadre of demons who had run to his support. Allocrix thought their decision to defend the city foolish, but could understand that the demons were not to know the ants may spare them. He allowed the veil to fall, revealing himself to all as he allowed his thoughts to roll over the assembled monsters.

    [My name is Allocrix,] he stated evenly, his tone as unruffled as his emotions, [I havee with this ally of Anthony to y this demon. Stay out of my way.]

    In the centre of the mess, Mongu''nin raised his head to see his hated prey drifting closer of his own ord. tion filled him as the hundreds of wounds across his body sizzled and slowly began to close.

    "COME, COWARD! FACE THE BLADE YOU HAVE FLED FOR SO LONG!"

    Those fearsome scythes flexed menacingly before the giant war demonunched himself into the air, face twisted in rage. The ants fell back, letting the huge demon through uncontested so that the new arrivals could deal with these enormous beast they had struggled to contain. Invidia flexed his immense mental prowess, grasping and shaping the mana in the air with effortless ease. In a sh he pulled it all together in the form of a barrier in front of the rising demon, which shattered into nothing when the war demon reached it.

    Mind constructs spun as Invidia drew on more mana, he pulled some from his own core even as he reached out to grasp more energy in the air around himself. Another barrier, another and another flickered into existence,yered on top of each other and these too broke all too quickly.

    This was when Al stepped in. With a concussive st that impacted the air with a visible wave, he condensed a ball of pure fire down and let it detonate right in Mongu''nin''s face. The heat rolled over all of the assembled monsters as the massive form of the war demon rocketed back down to the city before he smashed into the stone below. The two of them, Invidia and Al, hovered over the rising cloud of dust and ash as they watched for movement.

    "HAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAHA! I CAN FEEL IT!" the giant demon rumbled from below them.

    Invidia set his minds to spinning once again. This would be a difficult battle.

 Chapter 713 Confronting Our Demons pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 713 Confronting Our Demons pt 3 </h4>

    Say what I will about Grokus, he''s an intimidating sight when he''s up and moving. However much I weigh in my tier six body, the demon has me massively outssed. Not only is he taller, but his girth is also considerably wider. And if I were to hazard a guess, his demon flesh and muscture is far denser than my own. Even with a portion of his body stuffed into a pocket dimension, he literally makes the ground shake with every step that he takes.

    The two massive ws that sit on either side of his ravening maw scratch furiously at the ground as he drags himself toward us, screaming and bellowing at the top of his lungs.

    [Whatever you do Tiny, don''t get caught by those hands,] I warn the big ape. [One second and he''ll have you stuffed into his mouth and there won''t be anying back.]

    The bat-faced ape''s face is alive with joy and rage as he bounds toward a worthy foe, but I see his ear flicker and know that he heard what I had to say.

    [And Crinis, you need to y it a little cautious as well. Go to work, but don''t try and connect to his mind, I think he''ll be far too strong for your tendrils to work and they might backfire on you.]

    [I''m not sure that they can, Master.]

    [I sure as heck don''t want to find out,] I tell her firmly. [y it safe and chip away from the shadows. I''ll stand up front and take the heat so you''ll have plenty of chances.]

    I can sense her hesitation, but I give her clear orders and finally she concedes.

    [Very well. Be safe, Master.]

    [Of course!]

    I''m not aiming to throw my life away, I''m gonna y it cool. Rather than charge directly into Grokus'' teeth, I skirt the edge of his range, avoiding his grasping hands with swift steps. He''s a hell of a lot quicker than I expected, but the tingling of my antennae gives me the warning I need to dodge away. Time to check if Al was correct in his judgement that Grokus is heavily magic resistant. Not that I doubt him, but it always helps to verify.

    My mind constructs spin independently to pull together Ice Mana that I quickly shape into a barrage of spears. The huge demon lumbers toward me and I continue to bait him forward, allowing Tiny the space to move to his sides. The moment my spells are prepared, I unleash them, a flurry of hardened projectiles made from ice sh through the air and burrow deep into the demon''s flesh.

    Aha! He doesn''t seem that impervious to me!

    Except that he isn''t hurt. I hardly expect that a few puny ice spears are going to bring down a demon of this size, but before my befuddled eyes the ice just melts away to reveal smooth flesh underneath. He wasn''t injured in the slightest. If Ice magic doesn''t work, then I have others¡­

    Tiny approaches from the left, his fists sparking with electricity as he dives forward, seeking to deliver a heavy strike. Before he gets the chance, the demons behind the city lord surge forward to block his advance, engaging him in a brawl that quickly drags him away.

    [Crinis! Help Tiny and make sure he survives, without Invidia around he''s a much more vulnerable target!]

    He might have incredibly hard bones, but the rest of him is as soft and spongy as ever. It''s unfortunate that he hasn''t been able to collect his new armour yet, but hopefully he''ll be able to pull through with the incredible power that he''s pulled together since evolving.

    As for Grokus, it looks as though I''m going to have to go one-on-one for now. Not exactly what I want, facing off against a demon a full tier stronger than I am. For his part, the city lord continues to lunge toward me, his wide arms sweeping out to grasp at me, threatening to snatch me up and throw me whole into his vering gullet. Again, he moves faster than I expect and only my preternatural reflexes are able to keep me skittering free of his clutches.

    My mind-constructs spin with desperate speed, operating the omni-elemental construct with greater skill and rapidity than I ever have before to pull out mana of every variety. I throw it all at the hulking city lord, to no effect. Fire, earth,va, ice, air, nothing! All of it washes off the massive demon as if I were showering him with pure spring-water. How is this possible?! Is he naturally resistant to any form of mana?! That seems ridiculously powerful! I don''t believe it¡­

    If I''m going to inflict damage using my magic, I''m going to need to go a little louder than just base elements.

    In the meantime, I''ll have to try and resist him with just my mandibles and shiny, shiny carapace. Snapping my jaws together, I brace myself to go toe to toe with the big guy as my minds fire themselves into overdrive. Deep within my carapace, gravity mana begins to flow, in a trickle at first, but then in a great flood as multiple constructs draw on it at the same time,pressing the mana together in the beginnings of a gravity bomb. You''re resistant to mana huh? Let''s see if you can resist this¡­

    Unwilling to put all of my eggs into the one basket though, I keep a few of my constructs free to form gravity bolts which I fling at the city lord as soon as they''re done. If they have any effect at all it should be significant considering how much raw mass the demon has. Slowing him down would be quite a help, considering I can''t get close to him without risking getting grabbed.

    [WHAT''S WRONG INSECT? DO YOU FEAR ME? COME CLOSER AND LET ME TASTE YOUR COWARDICE!]

    His repulsive mind booms against mine suddenly and I''m caught off guard by the sheer force of his hunger. All of a sudden, the demon''s aura expands and rolls out from him in a wave, suppressing the ants caught within range and forcing them to grow still. What''s more, I feel a maddening hunger take hold of me, a boiling pain erupts from inside my carapace, as if my stomach were attempting to eat my body from the inside out.

    A quick nce at my status confirms that I''m actually taking damage from this effect, whatever it is, and the pain is horrendous.

    "Back away!" Imand the thousands of ants scattered around us, "you can''t fight this!"

    [I''ll give you a taste alright, a taste of these mandibles!]

    I draw deeper on the energy that flows from the Colony and into me, letting it replenish my body and fuel my strength as I dash closer to the huge monstrosity. One of his arms rises to snatch at me but the warning of my antennae gives me the time I need to leap at the perfect timing, rising above the grasping w as my jaws lock back into position.

    Omen Chomp!

    I don''t want to get too close, so only the ck mandibles of my manifested energy strike home, but they do, biting deeply into the girth of the city lord. Even so, the feedback I get is strange, as if I bit, but also as if I didn''t. Using my legs, I spring back from Grokus before he has a chance to grab at me again and I look at the wound. Except it''s barely there at all! Is this guy indestructible?!

 Chapter 714 Confronting Our Demons pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 714 Confronting Our Demons pt 4 </h4>

    [How''s it going over there Tiny? Crinis?]

    [We''ll win, but it''s going to take time!]

    [Take care and make sure of it, we don''t need to rush!]

    I don''t think¡­ although, looking at Grokus as the massive demon looms over me, that I''ll be able to finish this quickly. If the gravity bomb doesn''t manage to inflict massive damage on him, then I have no idea what will! I pull back a little from the city lord, giving myself room to plot my next manoeuvre. The area where I bit him has already healed, if I damaged him at all.

    [You''re actually a tough nut to crack, aren''t you Grokus?]

    The huge demon swings his body around to face me head on.

    [Food is strength in this world. How can anyone be stronger than me? I''ve been consuming hundreds of Biomass a day for longer than you''ve been alive, and you want to challenge me? You''re weak! Just another snack!]

    [You think Biomass is enough to make you invincible?] I scoff. [Why don''t we find a tier eight demon and you can impress them with how much you''ve eaten over the years? I wonder if they''ll be intimidated.]

    Piling up an endless amount of Biomass ispletely pointless without something to spend it on. I''ve no doubt that his mutations are all maxed out, but imagine if he''d spent all that time practicing his Skills instead of sitting on his backside eating. He''d be so much more powerful, pushing his abilities to a new rank, training new Skills that might help him in this fight. Instead all he can do is endlessly brag about how much food he''s consumed. Such a waste.

    [You can rejoice soon,] I taunt him as we once again draw closer to one another, the ground shaking with every step, [all that food that you''ve wasted will be going to a better cause soon enough. How many thousands of ants will we raise from what you threw away?]

    [Why don''t youe over here and we can see if I wasted it or not?!]

    His two enormous ws flex in the air as we circle one another neither one willing to make the first move. This suits me down to the ground, every second that passes makes my gravity bomb stronger, it''s already growing dense enough that he must be able to sense it. That much concentrated mana is fairly easy to detect from this close!

    With a roar that rips from both of the city lord''s mouths he rumbles closer, once again moving with that deceptive speed. I lower my centre of gravity and prepare to dodge, waiting for my antennae to tell me how he''s going to reach for me. The closer he gets, the sharper the pain in my stomach bes, the acid boiling away as thoughts of food swim in my head, threatening to drive my consciousness away and turn me into a ravenous beast. I resist it, but I can tell that the longer the fight drags on, the harder it''s bing.

    Closer hees, closer. I wait and wait, watching his approach and refusing to move until my antennae give me the glimpse that I''m looking for. I hold off until he''s almost on top of me, only then do I realise, he''s not going to grab! That''s why I can''t see anything! The moment I make the realisation I shift my weight and dash to the side, putting all of my force into my legs. The moment I move, my antennae re with rm and I can sense the handing for me before Grokus has moved.

    My nerves explode as I react faster than is humanly possible, shifting my direction by digging my ws into the ground. Shifting directions for a mass of my size isn''t easy and my muscles and joints scream as I push them to their limits as that giant hand reaches for me, growing sorge as to almost fill my vision.

    I barely make it, Grokus'' ws scratch down my left nk as he snatches at the air I upied only a moment ago. It''s only a ncing blow, but deep grooves have been cut into my diamond carapace. This is first stratum versus third after all, I can''t expect too much. As close as it was, this is still an opportunity. With his left arm extended, I have a chance to slip closer to his body and unleash my jaws on him, which I won''t waste.

    Flexing my legs again, dash closer, ducking low under that arm and locking my mandibles into ce. Hopefully this will leave a mark!

    OMEN CHOMP COMBO!

    My energy drains away rapidly as I pump my jaws with insane speed, snapping them shut five times in a second before I jump away, not giving the huge demon a chance to recover his bnce and grab at me again. The five chompbo is just about as much as I can manage at the moment. Luckily I have so many ants within range of the Vestibule in order to top me off, otherwise I''d be just about done for this fight. Grokus rights himself and I take a moment to inspect the damage that I''ve done, only to find that there''s practically nothing there at all!

    What in the heck is this guy made of?! He might be a tier above me, fine, but there''s no way he can take FIVE omen chomps and be undamaged!

    [Have you realised your ce yet, insect?] Grokus practically purrs in my mind, [if you''re smart, you should crawl back up to where you belong. This is thend of demons. You''re beyond foolish if you think you can thrive here.]

    I flinch as the stabbing pain from within res once more and I quickly check my health. This isn''t good, it looks as if the rate of damage is elerating. Luckily I have plenty of options when ites to repairing the damage. With my mind constructs upied, I instead trigger my healing nd, almost sagging in relief as the healing liquid floods through my system, wrapping around my stomach and regenerating the internal wounds. Even better, I feel the energy of the Vestibule dive towards the regeneration nd, replenishing it at an incredible pace.

    If Grokus wants to see who will be thest monster standing, he picked the wrong opponent.

    [Demons? I have to say, so far I haven''t been impressed. If you''re so powerfulpared to me, why am I still here making fun of you? Huh?]

    I taunt the huge monster and he responds much as I expected, with rage.

    [YOU''LL REGRET YOUR WORDS FROM INSIDE MY STOMACH!]

    [Don''t think I''d regret anything, I''d be dead, moron!]

    With a wordless bellow, Grokus charges toward me again and I prepare to dodge. Come on gravity bomb! I need you now!

 Chapter 715 Confronting our demons pt 5

    <h4>Chapter 715 Confronting our demons pt 5 </h4>

    Invidia and Allocrix hovered above the fray and looked down on the wreckage below them. In the midst of the billowing clouds of dust and smoke stood Mongu''nin, the massive demon''s frame covered in wounds that already showed signs of healing.

    "AHHHHHHHH!" the mighty demon roared to the heavens with a feral grin stered across his face. "I KNEW YOU WOULD BE WORTHY ALLOCRIX!"

    A flicker of emotion ran through Invidia, a faint whisper which so rarely urred that he looked at it, paid it attention. There was more than just a burning desire to possess the kind of regeneration that the war demon disyed, along with a background need to have everything he could see. That was a constant for him. Instead, this new feeling that welled up expressed a different sort of need, the need for greater strength.

    Once again he drew on the vast powers of his mind and drew forth the mana that rested within his core, weaving and shaping it into a series of detonations that ignited mere centimetres from their opponent''s body. The concussive force of the explosions was enough to rock the massive demon from side to side, but not enough to cause any major damage to him. His toughness, regenerative speed and strength were simply more than the envy could surpass.

    Allocrix was less limited in his offence.

    The burning eye pulsed with mana, the sheer volume of energy that radiated from him was enough to force the air around his form into an indistinct haze. Invidia felt a surge as Allocrixpressed and shaped the mana in an instant, causing a concentrated beam of pure fire tonce down onto their foe. The moment it touched the war demon, an enormous ball of fire erupted, the burst of heat rolling through the air and forcing Invidia to blink lest his eye dry out.

    Even the ants below were forced to draw back another ten metres. In a few seconds they had reformed their lines almost a hundred metres away and resumed the long range acid barrage that had rained down on Mongu''nin almost constantly from the moment the battle had begun. It still wasn''t enough. Though the force was enough to send the giant form of the war demon sprawling back, he recovered and nted his feet beneath him again. Invidia watched closely at the ws of his opponent as they began to glow bright, a sure sign of a Skill activation. He went to work the instant he saw it, forming barriers around Allocrix and himself as fast as he could.

    With a vast roar that shook the air, Mongun''nin shed out with both hands, his ws rending the air itself and sending crimson waves of energy towards them that screamed of wrath and ruin the closer they came.

    [Hold firm,] the calm voice of Allocrix rang within Invidia''s mind.

    [Of coursssseee,] he hissed back.

    He continued to weave defences even as the firstyer he had formed was cut like it wasn''t there. The deadly attack sliced through the shields he erected the moment it touched them but still he continued to put moreyers into ce as those dreaded ws grewrger in his eye. If he were here by himself, then he wouldn''t be able to stop this strike. It would cut through all the barriers he could muster and he certainly wasn''t fast enough to be able to dodge it. Though he remained calm, Invidia couldn''t help but feel irritation rise within himself. Not being strong enough was not something he had ever known. The master had defeated him, a previous him, he was aware of that, but thus far nothing had challenged him like this. He felt¡­ inadequate.

    [Hmmm,] Allocrix rumbled.

    The eye of me rippled before a sphere of force expanded from within. As it grew it crushed the shields Invidia had prepared before it impacted against the w strikes. There was a cmitous boom in the air that forced Invidia backwards as the air pushed against him. ring his wings, he halted his momentum and cast his senses wide to see what had happened. He quickly identified his ally, still hovering in the same position nearby but realised that the war demon had vanished from his previous position.

    Mind constructs spun in a dozen different directions and he instantly began to prepare for a number of scenarios. Energy began to be focused in his eye even as he wove shields and detonations that he held at the ready to deploy the moment he needed them.

    [Where?] he grated to Allocrix.

    [Above,] calm the t reply.

    It was true. Far above them the war demon hung in the air like a horrific idol of destruction, ws aglow once more. He must have leapt to that height somehow after using the w strike and Allocrix''s response as cover.

    [He has sensed that he has reached the peak of his strength and seeks to end the battle in one decisive strike,] Allocrix advised.

    [How isss thiss possible? Hiss strength hasss peaked now?]

    [A war demon grows stronger the more they are wounded and the longer the fight draws on. They hunger conflict and draw power from it. We have pushed Mongu''nin to the brink, but it is more urate to say that he has allowed himself to be pushed to the brink. Now that he believes he has reached the apex of his strength, he seeks to end our battle with one decisive strike.]

    [Thisss isss our chance!]

    [Just so. We must draw out all of our destructive capabilities and finish him before he can unleash his blow. Hold nothing back, little one. Any amount of power could tip the bnce.]

    The two of themmunicated at the speed of thought and in an instant they had coordinated their ns. No defence. Invidia cast away his prepared shields and put all of his brain into charging his eye. The dozens of mind constructs he supported drew on each other to reach out and seize as much mana as possible from within his core and the surroundings, converting it all to the pure energy he required to power the eye of envy. Green light erupted from within as he drew on everything that he could. More. He needed more!

    His vision blurred, bing washed out with green as his eye absorbed every ounce of power that he could give it but still he needed more. Above them the titanic form of their foe reached the peak of his leap and began to fall, hands aze with an unfathomable light. It was if Invidia was staring into the face of death itself, but still he was unmoved.

    Your life. I will takkess it!

    When he felt as if his eye would burst, as if his brain would melt within its pocket dimension, he finally unleashed it. His eye red like a green sun as a beam of pure energy burst forth, piercing through reality itself as itnced into the sky. It was impossible to miss the demon as he fell and he struck right in the chest. Mongu''ninughed as his flesh was burned away and felt his body energise even further as he drew yet closer to the brink of death. The power in his ws leapt higher still and his body fought to regenerate the damage even as it was done.

    "COME!" he roared, heart soaring with joy and rage. "COME ALLOCRIX! GIVE ME YOUR ALL!"

    Far below the falling war demon, the eye of fire pulses once before a catastrophic wave of mana is unleashed. Invidia feels half his body seared with pain as the world bes me.

 Chapter 716 Confronting Our Demons pt 6

    <h4>Chapter 716 Confronting Our Demons pt 6 </h4>

    That''s right dear readers! I ventured where so few have dared to tread! Within the heart of the nest itself! Of all the exotic locations I have plumbed over the years, all the dangers I have braved and risks I have taken, I have to say that this, this was not like those.

    A part of me wants to say it was anti-climactic, in a sense, but another part of me wants to say that it was anything but. Here I was, on the brink of stepping deep within a nest of ravening monsters! How many thousands of them made war within the Dungeon just a few hundred metres beneath my feet? It was exhrating to think about and my two guards were so tense their impressive muscles threatened to bulge right out of their armour.

    On the other hand...

    I was apanied by a smiling tour guide whoughed and chatted with the townsfolk on their way to the Colony, on the road just as we were. We passed by a young mother and her small children on their way, the little ones running and cheering as their mother tried to keep them both in line as they dashed toward the impossible fortress that loomed ahead, bristling with monsters.

    "What reason would this youngdy have to take her children into the nest?" I leaned toward Emilia and whispered.

    The old rumours came back to me in that moment. Where these children about to be sacrificed to ke the insect hunger for flesh!?

    "The Colony runs a day care program for young children twice a week," she smiled gently, "mothers cane and spend time with each other as their children y with the hatchlings and take lessons from the brood tenders."

    "Brood tenders?" my curiosity seized hold of my imagination before I had to process the idea of insect child care.

    "They are the caste of ants specially bred to raise the young and teach. They are hyper-specialised in this field and provide heavy bonuses to anyone under their tutge. Raising the young of the Colony makes them immensely busy, but for two days a week the Colony allows children from Renewal to take advantage in order to benefit the children."

    "And how does this benefit the Colony?"

    "A stronger Renewal means a stronger Colony," she smiled, "our citizens work with and for the Colony. Our guards take tours of the Dungeon side by side with them, we trade with them, they trade for us. There isn''t an alliance or any such thing between the Colony and the survivors of the frontier kingdoms. Though they have never demanded anything from us, we are essentially one and the same. They have never failed to help us when we asked, and they help us constantly without us even having to ask. If we have any honour at all, then we have no choice but to do the same."

    Do you understand me now, dear reader? A fearsome den of monsters this nest may be, but it is also a location for schooling children. My feelings were very mixed.

    o Excerpt from Chapter Seven of ''Traveling Tolly in thends of the Colony'' published in the Monthly ''Pangera Gazette''

    [Do you really think you can oust be, INSECT?!] Grokus gloats as he swept toward me again.

    I''m beginning to realise that despite how threatening and surprisingly quick his charges were, they are not really intended to hurt me. All the massive city lord was doing was keeping me dodging and hopping out of his way whilst he waited for his insidious aura to eat me from the inside. Obviously, if he did manage to catch me and stuff me in his maw, that would be a bonus.

    [I think you''ll find it a little more difficult than you think, big guy,] I say.

    And he will, but I''m not as confident as I should be. My mind constructs continue to churn, drawing out andpressing my gravity bomb as my main mind remains free to manoeuvre my body. The spell is growing within me at a tremendous pace, but I dare not release it half baked. I need this spell to turn the tides on Grokus and I''ve already seen how resistant he is to spells, shrugging off all the damage I can do with basic elements without breaking a sweat. If the gravity bomb isn''t enough to hurt him, I''m going to be in big trouble.

    One thing going in my favour is that Tiny and Crinis have finished working on the other demons with the help of the Colony. Spells and waves of acid along with attacks from the soldiers closest to the front have been enough to tip the battle in their favour and my two pets are free to help me take on the big guy.

    [Be careful!] I warn them, [his aura will cause damage over time. Make sure you don''t stay close to him for any length of time. Use your lightning Tiny, and Crinis just try and chip away from range. If you get caught up in his area of effect I''m not sure how long you''llst.]

    I might be in a position to endure for a while but neither of them have the kind of reserves I do when ites to healing. Tiny in particr has very little going for himself in this department, which means he won''t be much use for the fight. Still, he does what he can and as I continue to dodge away from the demon, bolts of lightninge arcing over to stab into the city lord along with barbed limbs that emerge from the shadows to start slicing at his legs.

    It doesn''t do much, but every little bit helps at this point.

    He charges my way again and I leap to the side at thest minute, avoiding the swipe of his w by the barest of margins and ducking in to unleash another chompbo that doesn''t seem to do anything to the massive demon.

    [You think you can hurt me, pathetic creature?!] Grokusughs. [Just ept your fate!]

    [I got a feeling that you might be changing your tune soon enough,] I say as I hop away.

    [Your spell? I can feel you charging it. I''m looking forward to the moment you unleash it and realise that it hasn''t worked. Perhaps then the despair will grip you firmly enough to surrender to your fate.]

    [You wanna eat this one? I think you might find it gives you indigestion¡­]

    Is that damn spell ready yet!?

    [I fear nothing that you are capable of, LITTLE THING.]

    It''s close. I''m packing the gravity bomb with every ounce of mana that I possibly can. It''s an ominous ball of near perfect ck hovering in my awareness, just begging to be unleashed on the world. All I need is a little space and I''ll let him have it!

 Chapter 717 Confronting our demons pt 7

    <h4>Chapter 717 Confronting our demons pt 7 </h4>

    In desperation, I turn the final stages of forming the gravity bomb over to my main mind, the only brain I have that specialises in handling gravity mana. I can immediately feel the difference, but I still need the support of the sub-minds to keep things flowing as I continue to piece together the biggest bomb I''ve ever made. When I let this go, it''s going to get messy around here¡­

    "Back off a little more!" I warn the Colony, "make sure you get a solid grip on something!"

    After a moment I add.

    "That goes double for you, Protectant! Create some space and hold on tight!"

    I''ve no doubt that my defenders have been hovering closer than they should be against a foe like Grokus, and the odds are that they''ve taken a good chunk of damage from his aura effect just trying to stay near to me. ws crossed they take my warning seriously, it''d be a massive waste of the Colony''s resources.

    [Unleash your spell!] the city lord taunts me as he rumbles forward, each step causing the very rock beneath our feet to crumble. [I almost hunger for it! I hunger for your despair!]

    Enough of this guy''s freaking mouth already! Sharp pain stabs through my insides as I skitter out of the way of his grasping hands, prompting me to activate my healing nd once again. The soothing liquid regenerates my missing health in short order but the rate of decrease is continuing to ramp up. Eventually I''ll run out of juice and be eaten up from the inside out. This is one heck of a nasty power!

    But I won''t have to worry about that¡­ I hope. My gravity bomb is ready.

    A nervous feeling wells up within me as I behold the condensed ball of mana that I''ve created. It practically pulses with dark light, the only thing in the stratum with arger appetite than the tier seven demon in front of me. Let''s hope he enjoys it! My brains strain to contain the unstable construction as I suddenly Dash backwards, triggering three separate dashes with each pair of feet to create maximum distance.

    [If you''re that hungry, chew on this!] I yell as the spell is unleashed.

    The moment I release it, the world fades to ck and I hunch my body low to the ground, clinging to the rock with my ws as hard as I can. Even so, I feel my weight lift for a horrifying second as the spell travels away from me, trying to draw me after it. A secondter the terrifying noise of it reaches my ears.

    HOOOOOOOOOOWWWWLLLLLLL!

    The air rushes towards the ball as it flies through the air toward Grokus'' waiting maw, creating a gale that shrieks from every direction. The light itself dims to almost nothing as the gravity bomb passes near, sucking away everything it can. Bounding forward to close the gap when Iunched the spell, the city lord grins wide as he sees my spell unleashed. Sensing the sheer volume of mana packed into it, he folds himself up in a defensive curl, wrapping his arms around his head to put as much meat between the sphere and his body as he can.

    I had a feeling he might do this, he wants to take the spell head on ande out standing on the other side, relying on whatever strange resistance and regeneration he has to pull through anything I can throw at him. Somehow I get the feeling he isn''t quite expecting this¡­

    The moment the bomb hits, time seems to slow down. The ball shrinks into a pinpoint of darkness before it expands into a raging sphere of destruction almost twenty metres in diameter. The pull is horrendous, dragging stone, ash, fire and anything not nailed down toward the centre of the bomb where it will be crushedpletely. I can''t even see how Grokus is handling it, the sphere itself blocking out all light at the point of impact.

    HOOOOOOWWWWWWWLLLLLL!!!

    Far worse than before, reality itself seems to scream as the ground shakes, the air shrieks and light fades away. All I can do is bury my head and grip with my ws for dear life as I resist being dragged into the mass and destroyed.

    Come on. Give me the notification. Give me the experience notification! There''s no way he survives this! I don''t care how much of a chonk lord he is with a resistance to magical effects, there''s no way you can eat a gravity bomb this size and be standing on the other side of it. I can''t even imagine what it would be like in there for him, and frankly I don''t want to know.

    Time drags on as the spell rages. What seems like long minutes is most likely just several drawn out seconds, but eventually the spell fades and the world returns to normal once more. I spring back onto my legs, ready for anything.

    I don''t know how or why, but I know that my opponent isn''t dead. Without the notification from Gandalf, he must have survived and I need to be ready for anything.

    What greets my eyes is not a particrly pretty picture. Grokus is alive, but he probably would rather not be. What remains of the city lord is a twitching mess with a ratherrge hole chewed out of the middle. I find it shocking that he''s actually still living in that condition. A few chomps ought to put an end to him. I approach cautiously, but without much concern, he doesn''t even have a mouth anymore, what sort of harm can he really do?

    That''s when I see something truly bizarre. It happens so fast I almost can''t believe my eyes. Starting at the base, but shifting rapidly up the body, the entire form of the city lord begins to regrow, flesh and bone and sinew appearing out of thin air and stitching together faster than I can see.

    [Pour it on!] I yell at my two pets. [Hit him with everything! He''ll be back to normal in a few seconds!]

    Taking my own advice, I run forward, locking my mandibles into position and unleashing my most powerful bite.

    OMEN CHOMP COMBO!

    Locking and unleashing in rapid session my entire face aches as my stamina rapidly depletes toward nothing. From my leftes Tiny, the big ape leaping forward and smashing his fists out with blinding speed, the powerful concussive sts rippling through the demon''s body every time his fistsnd. Crinis goes all out, unleashing all of her limbs at once and wrapping them around the entirety of the city lord''s body, sawing and rending as fast as she can, trying to ovee this truly monstrous level of regeneration.

    [That was more than I expected from you¡­ I see that I did underestimate you in the end,] the taunting voice of Grokus rings out in my mind once again.

    Looking up, I can see that the demon is almost whole once more. His arms are still regenerating but his mouth has returned, along with the human torso that sits atop his bulk. A sharp pang in my gut brings back the realisation that the aura effect hasn''t gone away. The ravenous hunger that has been chewing me out from the inside is still there, worse than ever! I trigger another wave of regeneration fluid but the relief is very temporary. The moment my HP tops off, it once again starts to fall.

    [Back away from him!] I order my pets and they are forced to obey, unable to go against my directmand.

    [You are weak!] the once again whole demonughs at me, his entire body shaking with the force of his mirth. [I must admit that you gave it your best, but the time hase for you and your kind to submit to the superior monster.]

    His mouth opens wide and his tongue lolls out, as if inviting me to obediently walk into his belly.

    As if that''s going to happen! There''s no way he can infinitely revive himself¡­ There''s always a cost to any ability in the Dungeon, I know that much, the trick is, what is the secret to his? Then I notice his arm¡­ one of his ws¡­ is it¡­ still damaged?

 Chapter 718 Confronting our demons pt 8

    <h4>Chapter 718 Confronting our demons pt 8 </h4>

    The closer I look, the more certain I am. It isn''t much, a scratch under any other circumstances, but considering that Grokus has managed to keep himself entirely pristine for the duration of this fight, something has definitely changed.

    [You know, I don''t think I will, surrender that is. I have a suspicion that things might just be turning to my advantage.]

    [Nonsense,] the huge demon scoffs, [unless you have another of those spells in you, then it''s merely a matter of time before you are devoured from the inside out.]

    [You so sure about that? Your left w isn''t looking its normal self.]

    I can almost see the massive city lord hesitate for a moment before he raises the w to inspect it more closely. Sure enough, the damage has not been fully healed, a split running along the topmost digit.

    [Impossible!] he gasps before he can stop himself.

    [Not healing as much as you''d expected eh? Perhaps something has gone wrong?] it''s now my turn to taunt the muchrger monster as my brains race to think of what could possibly have happened.

    [Tiny, scorch him! Give him a st of lightning!]

    All too happy to unleash violence at the slightest provocation, the ape lets loose an arc of lightning that ys across the city lord''s nk, burning a groove in him and filling the air with the scent of sizzled Biomass. Crucially, the damage remains, healing, but far more slowly than before. An idea begins to take shape in my mind and I can''t help giving voice to it.

    [You''ve always been eating Grokus, eating and eating away, but where has all the Biomass gone? You really expect me to believe you''ve just been racking up thousands of Biomass points for no reason? I don''t believe it.]

    I circle around the still form of Grokus, watching him through my multifaceted eyes as he stares back at me.

    [You''ve got some sort of Biomass regeneration storage, don''t you? You''ve been packing it away into this regen nd for decades and then pretending you were invincible. Every time you get damaged in any way, you heal up in an instant and pretend you were never hurt in the first ce. You can depend on your impressive bulk to prevent you from having anything too critical being wounded in one shot, and your aura does the rest of the work, since you can oust your opponents based on your bank of Biomass.]

    I continue to circle around the big demon as I lecture, expounding on my theory as his eyes narrow.

    [It''s unfortunate, so, so unfortunate, but you just happened to run into your natural enemy in this situation: my gravity bomb spell. Not only is the damage outrageous, but it sits in ce for an ufortably long time. You were regenerating the entire time, weren''t you? That must have sucked. Like, that must have really sucked. The moment you healed, it was all ripped away just as fast. How much Biomass did you chew through in the duration of that spell? Must have been a lot. Must have been ALL of it, in fact, because as of right now, you aren''t healing the way you were before.]

    I turn to face him head on.

    [In fact, right now you''re barely healing at all.]

    Grokus doesn''t say anything for a long heavy moment, flexing his massive ws as his jaw works, chewing over my words in silence. Which is right when I take a massive hit of damage. I stagger to one side as it feels as if my stomach has ripped itself open, triggering an emergency release of regeneration fluid. Despite the added energy being provided through the Vestibule, my regeneration nd is still running close to empty after being used too close together. I heal, but not nearly enough.

    [Perhaps you boast too soon, little insect!] despite being rattled, the city lord still manages to sound as pompous as ever. [You may have worn through my reserves with your magic, but I am still standing, and so long as I am you will continue to suffer. Unless you can finish me off in the next few minutes, you will have no hope of being victorious in this battle! Without you to save them, I will rampage through your kind until I am once again stuffed with Biomass!]

    I pick myself up and stiffen my legs to hold my body firm.

    [I mean, yes, that would be the case if I was here by myself, but I''m not, am I?]

    I turn to the Colony.

    "GET HIM!"

    Over ten thousand ants are within range of my pheromonal cry and they do not hesitate.

    "FOR THE COLONY!" floods the area as each and every one of them rushes forward heroically and a rain of acid and spells falls down from above.

    Not to be left out, I charge forward also, pushing my aching body to the limit to zig and zag left and right. Focusing my mind, I watch carefully. Listening to the hidden signals emanating from my antennae I watch the now desperate city lord like an ant-hawk. When he swipes at me, I''m more than ready and dodge appropriately, closing the gap in an instant. Mandibles wide open, I lock my jaw and prepare to strike.

    [It''s over, Grokus!] I bellow as I bite down onto his arm.

    Weakened he may be, but the massive demon still represents a great threat to my siblings, which means I want to keep his focus on me as much as possible whilst I remove his ability to harm them. Without the use of his arms, he has only his aura to rely on. Which will work, given enough time. I mean, we''re racing against the clock here.

    [Come on Tiny! Crinis! Pour it on! Give it everything you have!]

    Not needing to be reminded, Tiny and Crinis leap into the fight with gusto, ripping and tearing, punching and smashing with all they can muster.

    [I refuse to let it end like this!] Grokus bellows in my mind. [I have ruled for hundreds of years! I will not be brought down by an insect from above!]

    DOOM CHOMP COMBO!

    Mandibles pumping, I continue to avoid the grasping ws of my weakening foe whilst outputting as much damage as I can.

    [You''ve stagnated for hundreds of years,] I scoff at him, [too scared to move forward and too blind to see it. Worry not, you''re only the first city lord who will fall to the Colony. I assure you, you won''t be thest!]

    With a roar that ttens my antennae back against my head the massive demon raises both hands above his head before bringing them down in a colossal smash that cracks the stone for metres in every direction, but the blow is so telegraphed I didn''t even need my future-sense to dodge it. Leaping over the top of his arms I run up onto the bulbous flesh of the demon and bare my mandibles once again.

    With the help of thousands of ants, all attacking furiously and without fear, we bring the demon lord down, even as my insides tear themselves apart. With relief I feel the menacing aura effect finally fade away and with joy I hear the voice of Gandalf ring within my mind.

    [You have in level 53 Luxuria Daemonium (VII).]

    [You have gained experience.]

    [You have reached level 7.]

    [You have reached ¡­]

    GWEHEHEHEHEH! Gimme ''dem levels!

 Chapter 719 Fallout

    <h4>Chapter 719 Fallout </h4>

    The immediate fallout from defeating the city was a little odd as an experience. The remaining demonic residents of Roklu were a little bewildered by the whole experience, and some were less than pleased at being ruled by monsters from so much higher in the Dungeon than they themselves, but those opinions were soon changed by the overwhelming numbers and might that the Colony brought to bear.

    You might be a high and mighty tier six demon from the third stratum with nothing to fear from a tier five ant from the first, but you better believe you have something to fear from a hundred thousand of them! Demons are smart enough and are capable of acting quite logically when not in the grip of their own particr obsession, so the writing was quite clear on the wall to the majority shortly after the conquest was finished.

    Shortly after Grokus had been defeated and I was sitting atop the resultant Biomass recovering, Invidia and Al made their way back to us. The two of them look particrly smug, especially for a pair of demons that ganged up on another to achieve their win.

    [Everything went well on your side?] I ask the pair of them.

    [Sssssatisssfactory,] Invidia purrs.

    [Indeed. I am pleased with this oue,] Al deres, his voice as t as usual.

    [You don''t really sound it. In fact, you soundpletely bored.]

    [With my mind now freed from the concern I have carried for decades, I am atst able to pursue my desire for knowledge to the utmost. I am ecstatic,] Al says, his voice totally devoid of emotion.

    [I could almost believe that you were making a joke. So no issues with big Mungo?]

    [Mungo''nin?]

    [That''s the guy.]

    [He was a difficult opponent, as expected. Thanks to the aid of ¡­ Invidia, we were able to ovee his defences at the final moment. Without any help, I fear I would have been unable to measure up to the task.]

    [Well, you got what you want, the city has been liberated from the control of Grokus, the demon who was trying to hunt you constantly is dead. What are your ns going forward? As you said, you''re totally free now.]

    The eye of fire watches me for a brief moment.

    [I believe I will continue to shadow you for a time longer. I have been able to harvest a great deal of fresh information from you in exchange for mere scraps of guidance. This is a transaction that pleases me. Delicious.]

    [Thanks for asking for my opinion on the matter¡­ wee aboard I guess.]

    Come to think of it, I don''t really have much of an idea as to what is going to happen in the near future. The Colony is likely to keep aggressively expanding, both within the third stratum and above. What role they expect me to y in that process, I''m not sure. I could probably just keep exploring, wander around the tunnels and grind for levels and Biomass, the hunting down there was quite profitable for me. Someone should investigate the deeperyers of the third stratum for the family as well, just so that we know what we''re going to run into.

    I don''t think there''s any way that I''m going to be able to get out of having to call a council meeting, not to mention attending it. Sigh. I really don''t like getting bogged down in the administrative details, it certainly isn''t my strength! I guess it wouldn''t hurt to check in with Granin and the crew, see how things are going about the ce. We also need to work out how we''ll manage to keep the peace in a demon city that''s run by ants. Something tells me that they won''t adapt to our rule quite as easily as Rhylleh did.

    For now, it''s probably safe enough to just chill out and eat Biomass. I''m interested to check out the core that Grokus left behind as well! I know his core is close in quality to my own, but perhaps he managed to tip over the line to reach the level above rare? Only one way to find out!

    "I think we''re in the clear," I tell the ants around me. "May as well dig in once we get the city on lockdown."

    A nearby general snaps out a salute with one antenna.

    "As you say, Eldest."

    [Actually, where the heck is Brilliant?]

    Invidia opens his mouth and spits out a shivering little ant.

    "I can see through space¡­" she whispers.

    "No, you can''t. Come over here and eat."

    "Oo! Food!"

    Once again, the Colony has sessfully ovee a challenge and expanded its influence! I''m sure there''s all sorts of juicy resources in the third stratum that we''ll be able to harvest along with the experience and Biomass we can gain from culling the local demon poption. The real question I have, is if we''re going to be able to administer and recruit a poption of demons. They might be a bit nuts, but they''re certainly powerful. If we can add them to our ranks and have them work with us, rather than against us, that''d be a pretty big step in securing a future for our family.

    [All right then Invidia, Al. You want toe down here and get some chow with us? No point letting all this Biomass go to waste.]

    Al''s eye res with energy and his voice practically purrs.

    [I would be delighted to partake in this particr feast.]

    [Is that because Grokus gave you such a hard time?]

    [In part.]

    Ah well. I''m sure the previous city lord of Roklu has a long list of entities that wouldn''t mind taking a bite out of him. Along with arge detachment of ants, Tiny, Invidia, Crinis, Al and I dive into the feast. And what a feast! What Grokus did do well, was eat and invest in his mutations. Fully upgraded at tier seven, he is absolutely packed full of Biomass. It almost feels as if every bite is giving me a point!

    "Look out above!"

    "Huh, what?" I ask.

    "Iing! Get in formation!" the cry rises from the ants around me.

    [What the heck is going on?] I demand over my mental channels.

    [Something is approaching,] Al announces, [I can sense several demons drawing closer.]

    [Strong ones, master! I think there''s a tier seven! Maybe more than one!]

    Oh shoot! What the heck is going on!?

    I cast my senses out and sure enough I can detect them too! I spin about to better see and it doesn''t take long before I spy a disc approaching from the distance, drawing rapidly closer each second to the very location we are standing on. This¡­ This can''t be good¡­

 Chapter 720 Diplomacy

    <h4>Chapter 720 Diplomacy </h4>

    Seriously? Another demon city lord showing up now?! What did I do to deserve this? Seriously!

    The new arrival looks down on us and the half-consumed remains of Grokus with an imperious gaze that does little to make me think this encounter is going to end peacefully. She appears to be a type of demon that I haven''t seen before, a semi-humanoid torso that appears almost skeletal, with four long arms that end in scythe-like ws she looks a little reaper-ish.

    On the disc with her are a number of other demons, several of whom may also be tier seven, judging from the strength of their cores. I set my feet and keep my antennae swirling in order to react to anything that happens. The air has be tense between the two sides as we wait for the new arrival to make an opening gambit, but it''s not looking good for us.

    We''re just off the back of putting down two tier seven demons, and it sure as heck wasn''t easy. Now this chump shows up with her posse. The timing sucks to say the least.

    All of a sudden, I feel the weight of a powerful mind sweep through the remains of Grokus'' za, pressing down on me with its sheer hunger for authority. This is a demon that wants to rule, not be ruled. Just as quickly as it came, the pressure is lifted and for a few confusing seconds I stand about, tense as a bowstring as nothing happens.

    [Ah,] Al''s mind brushes against mine. [There appears to have been a misunderstanding. This new arrival has assumed that I am inmand as I am the highest level of monster present on our side. I have attempted to correct this by informing her that she shouldmunicate with you instead, but she refuses to believe it. I encourage you to reach out to her yourself and rify what has happened here. As I understand it, she has arrived in the hopes of battling Grokus for the rights to control the city.]

    She''s a bitte for that! Irritated at being dismissed, I spin together the bridge necessary and throw it at the demoness above without much decorum. Once it snaps into ce I can''t help but allow some of my poor mood to slip into my tone.

    [Hello there. Wee to Roklu, city of demons which has very recentlye under new management. What exactly can we do for you?]

    The eyes within that gaunt head sh with internal fire as the demoness slowly turns her head toward me.

    [Yes, hello. I''m an ant. Thest city lord who looked down on me for it is currently indisposed,] I point down with one leg at the mound of Biomass beneath me. [My Colony has conquered this city fair and square. If you want to take it from us then you''re going to have to fight us for it.]

    Should I really be dering that? These demons are scary! I don''t want to be fighting them at all if I can help it! Dammit, Anthony! Shut your mandibles, you idiot! The demoness ponders my mental message for a brief moment before sending anything back my way.

    [This is¡­ disappointing,] her thoughts are like a sharp hiss, like nails being dragged down a chalkboard. It sets my carapace to crawling just hearing it. [I had hoped to engage in a battle of conquest to bring Roklu within my control today. As arranged between Grokus and myself, this was to be the day of our formal war.]

    [Oi, Al. Help me out here. What''s a battle of conquest when ites to a formal war?]

    The fiery eye flickers.

    [It means that the city lords had agreed to cede control of one or both cities to the winner of the formal war. It is unusual, but some city lords desire to shore up their power, wish tomand greater territory or resources, or perhaps feel an innate need to conquer. In such cases they will usually find ways to pressure their neighbours to agree to a battle of conquest.]

    [Why don''t they just attack and take over? Why do they need their opponents to agree to it?]

    [Agreements between demons are irond. Rulership of a city is a matter for an individual city. For another to oppose their will upon it, agreement must be secured.]

    [You guys are fussy about the strangest things.]

    Fortunately, mentalmunication urs at the speed of thought, but even so I can tell that the demoness above me is growing impatient. Better y it cool Anthony. You don''t want to fight again today if you can avoid it.

    [I apologise for being unaware of your schedule,] I say, [the Colony chose to invade today, ignorant of the customs and requirements of demon-kind. It''s a little unfortunate, but what has been done cannot be undone. Since the demon with whom you secured your agreement is no longer the city lord, I presume your deration of a battle of conquest is no longer valid?]

    That''s about as smooth as I can possibly be. Nice going, Anthony!

    [I must agree,] she grates back at me. [Though I am now considering if an agreement is necessary to conquer this city now that there is no city lord in ce.]

    [What do you mean?]

    [Who is the demon in charge?] she demands.

    [There isn''t one. The Colony is in charge.]

    [Your Colony is not a demon.]

    [True.]

    [So, who is the city lord?]

    [The Colony?]

    I flick my mind across to Al.

    [I''m guessing that city lords have to be demons?]

    He hesitates.

    [Yes. Partnerships exist between demons and other races, but those are generally agreements between the city lord and the other party. Demons are not ruled over by others. As a group we struggle with ¡­w.]

    I bet. A group of maniacs, each obsessively dedicated to one aspect of living or the world around them can''t possibly be an issue to herd or direct in any way.

    [We are yet to formally decide on the identity of the new city lord¡­ officially,] I turn my attention back to the demon.

    [I see. So, the position is vacant?]

    [Al. What the heck happens when a city doesn''t have a city lord?]

    [I don''t know,] the eye res with sudden interest.

    [Don''t get curious now! Dammit!]

    [It is what I live for.]

    Argh! I turn back to this new city lord.

    [Perhaps we might be able to reschedule a formal war of conquest? That would give us a little time to have things sorted on this end. Wouldn''t want things to be anything less than official now, would we?]

    Her eyes narrow as she ponders.

    [No, we wouldn''t.]

    [Any chance I could get your name, by the way?] It seems all tier six demons have names.

    She gazes down at me imperiously.

    [My name is Brixin. Very well, we have an agreement. I will return in seven surface days to this city to contest the right to rule it in a formal war of conquest. Be ready for my return.]

    So saying, she gestures with one sharp looking, emaciated arm and the disc spun in a one-eighty and they jetted off again before I could even think to get a word back in.

    [I''m¡­ Anthony, by the way?] I sent that thought out into the void the bridge between us had previously upied.

    Well, one week? That could have gone worse!

 Chapter 721 Council Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 721 Council Meeting </h4>

    As I watch the disc containing Brixin and her cohort of demons fly back to Orpule I breathe a sigh of relief. That was close, too close! We might have been able to win, but most likely only with the sacrifice of many, many lives and that is a price I am simply not willing to tolerate.

    My siblings will fight for the Colony and in that process some of them will perish, I''vee to terms with that, somewhat, but I will never ept my sisters utilising traditional ant tactics and choking the enemy with our own dead. I''ve worked hard to make it so that would never be necessary, and I''ll be damned if I allow them to go back to it now.

    Not after we''vee so far.

    Determined to move quickly, I do something I usually hesitate to do and start issuing orders.

    "Get this Biomass stored away and make sure that the core is secured. I want to have a good, hard look at itter and it will be valuable as heck, so make sure it isn''t lost. Secure the city and I want to see every council member within ten kilometres of this location before an hour is out. Just point them to wherever I happen to be."

    The ants around me all salute quickly before rushing toplete their tasks. This whole situation has put another deadline on us and I''m not particrly happy about it. Of course, I knew that we had to move fast, I was just hoping that we could set the clock ourselves, rather than have it be set for us.

    Wanting to make sure that me and mine are out of the way of the individuals doing the actual work, I take my pets and Allocrix closer to the pir and wait for the council to arrive. As time passes, more and more ants flood down the four huge wires they constructed, how they''d managed it I have no idea. The city became flooded with healers and carvers and huge groups of core shapers and their pets who immediately descended to the ins below to establish a perimeter around the base of the city.

    The moment they arrived, the healers rushed to render aid to all who had been injured during the fighting, ant, demon or human. The carvers set to repairing the damage that had been done with their usual gusto, the city echoed with the constant rumble of earth magic as buildings were reset and roads smoothed out once more. Through it all I could see the remaining local demon poption watch it all happen with somewhat bewildered faces.

    [How do you think the demons will react to being managed by ants?] I ask Al, my only resident expert.

    He ponders for a long moment before he replies.

    [I don''t know,] he says with that odd note of hunger in his voice.

    He doesn''t know, but he''s very keen to find out and slide that new brick of knowledge into his wall of obsession.

    [But you can hazard a guess or two I''m sure,] I encourage the fiery eyeball, [you must have some thoughts as to how it may go.]

    [It is difficult to say because I don''t believe it has ever been done before. I have interacted with other races, and I get the impression that they don''t particrly want to rule demons. They are happy to upy territory, to trade or seize resources, but they don''t want to control demons. Why would anyone bother?]

    [You guys are powerful monsters who can think for yourselves, good allies to have on your side in a scrap, surely?]

    [Demons have been hired, certainly. If you understand what our obsession is then it isn''t hard toe to an arrangement that will involve a fair exchange for a particr demon''s services. We ourselves havee to such an arrangement.]

    [So, people will treat demons like particrly weird mercenaries, but won''t actually try to rule or control them. I''m going to assume because it''s just too damn hard?]

    [If a ughter demon follows its nature and kills a human, they tend to get upset about it. From a demon''s perspective, they did nothing wrong.]

    [I can see how that''s going to be a challenge to deal with¡­]

    Before long, the council members I had asked for start to arrive. Tungstant is here, Burke and Wills are both on the scene, along with all the soldiers and both generals. Looks like the Colony wasn''t mucking around when they decided tounch this invasion, all hands were on deck! There are others, of course, Be is here, along with Mendant, representing their respective castes.

    "How is everyone?" I greet them all when they''ve finally assembled. "Everyone doing well?"

    "Can''tin I suppose," Advant shrugs her antennae.

    "WELL I CAN!" I spray the area with outrage.

    "I can only guess that the lot of you have worked yourselves until your carapace is wearing thin to make this invasion happen, and it was sessful, well done, but now you''ve got another demon city wanting a conflict within a week and you''re going to have to work yourselves half to death again in order to stave it off!"

    I re at them all.

    "It''s not sustainable!" I dere.

    "Being honest with you Eldest," Sloan says, "we have to push hard in order to ensure our survival. If we don''t secure the resources and territory that we need to fight off those who would seek us harm before theye back to do it¡­"

    I point one sharp antenna at the much smaller general.

    "You think I don''t know that, Sloan?! You think you''re giving me new information right now?!"

    I''m tempted to unleash the power of THWACK, but I restrain myself by a hair.

    "Obviously I know that, but if you are all pushing yourselves to the brink every day, then what do you think will happen when something does go wrong? We are going to be attacked at some point. A nest will be infiltrated, our defences will get tested, Golgari will sneak in and destroy our brood, the legionses back and siege a new nest. It WILL happen. Nothing goes right all the time. And when it does happen, what state are you going to be in? Is every single one of you going to be down here? Pushing on the front lines? Dragging the Colony to the brink of exhaustion?"

    I stare at them all.

    "It''s difficult, but you have to walk the fine line between going hard, fighting for our future, and holding something in reserve for when things go wrong."

    My words seem to resonate with the group in front of me as their antennae waver through the air in slow, thoughtful circles.

    "Anyways," I sigh, "what we really need to do right now is work out exactly what we''re going to do to defend ourselves against this attack from the nearby city of Orpule. If we lose, then the territory that we''ve gained will be gone almost as soon as we took it!"

    A discussion quickly erupts amongst everyone, and I can tell that Vibrant in particr is talking at a million miles an hour. After a bit of back and forth, it''s Wills who puts forth an interesting suggestion.

    "If I''m not mistaken," she leads with, "this war of conquest is for control of a demon city, right?"

    "I believe so," I confirm.

    "Then, if we win, don''t we gain control of their city? Orpule?"

    "Ah¡­ maybe? I mean, I guess that sounds, right?"

    "So¡­ isn''t this a way that we can gain more territory and control? Rather than just running at cities and rolling over them like we did here¡­ we can use this¡­ formal war? As our mechanism to gain more territory."

    I think for a minute.

    "That sounds¡­ smart?"

 Chapter 722 Fancy Stylinâ€™

    <h4>Chapter 722 Fancy Stylin'' </h4>

    The meeting dragged on for another hour before a reasonable n of action of attack was determined. We had to consult Al fairly frequently throughout the process, trying to determine exactly what is and isn''t allowed in a formal war between demon cities. In the process we got a bit of an overview on the history and practical application of this particr demon tradition. Allocrix doesn''t have any idea roughly when it started, the practice is nearly as old as demon kind itself, or at least so he ims.

    ording to the burning eyeball himself, there was such a time that the third stratum was filled with demons who as of yet didn''t have any boundaries or structures as to how to lead their lives. Much as one would expect, it wasplete chaos. Or at least, it was more chaotic than things are now supposedly. I did have to ask him one burning question at this point in the conversation.

    [Who exactly imposed the rules on you?]

    [What do you mean?]

    [At one point you had no rules, and then these traditions were¡­ put in ce, for want of a better term, then there must be someone who came up with them, right? An individual or group that was the origin point. Or were they just cooked up at some point and spread throughout demon society over time?]

    [Ah, you ask who is the origin of our traditions. Arconidem.]

    [Arconi-who?]

    [Arconidem, the demon god.]

    [I didn''t realise you demons had a religion?]

    I mean, how does that even work? They''re literally referred to as demons¡­ or is this why they''re referred to as demons? Allocrix stares at me like he''s looking at an alien.

    [You don''t know who Arconidem is?]

    I try to think.

    [It might ring a bell? I get the feeling I''ve heard the name before.]

    [I believe you might.]

    Is that humour I hear in the big eyeball''s voice?! A shocking development.

    [Arconidem the demon god is one of the neen ancients and the progenitor of the demon race,] he informs me in his usual t tone.

    [Ah.]

    Well, dang. I probably should have remembered that. Granin and his apprentices had drilled me on what is known about the neen ancients, which isn''t much, generally speaking. In fact, from what I understood, most people in Pangera can''t name them, and many don''t believe that they exist in the first ce. Which isn''t a ringing endorsement. Although the existence of the Cults throughout the civilised world means that at least some people are keeping the, uh, dream, alive?

    [Wait a second. He was the progenitor? Of all the demons?]

    Al blinks. Which is quite the sight, thankfully it''s too quick for me to see¡­ it.

    [It is known that he has made the im. As to the truth of it, who can say?]

    [But don''t you guys all spawn from the Dungeon? Like, there are millions of demons spawning out there as we speak?]

    [Ah, I understand you''re confusion. Arconidem ims to be the very first demon, the one that the Dungeon used to pattern the rest of us. Again, who can say? As to the title that Arconidem imed for himself, he is so powerful that there could be considered functionally no difference between him and a god.]

    [But how would you know how powerful he is? I''m going to assume that you''ve never seen him? Like, how could you?]

    [I have seen him.]

    ¡­

    [WOT?!]

    The big eye nods.

    [Some demons are taken to see Arconidem when they evolve. I would describe it as a type of vision, rather than physically seeing them. The experience was¡­ haunting.]

    [Yeah I bet.]

    It''s a bit of a shock to realise that I''m not the only one who gets to enjoy these ''wonderful'' trips to elsewhere when evolving, or even that it''s not a reincarnator thing. Apparently a few of the native born demons get to experience the same level of joy that I do, having their soul circle a drain and sink down to goodness knows where to speak to someone you don''t necessarily want to see. I wonder if the Gandalf I see might end up being one of the ancients as well? They haven''t given me a name¡­ I suppose it might be possible? Although, from memory I think they might have denied it? Or at least suggested that they and the ancients are not one and the same.

    Just in case, I might ask about it.

    [Any chance you can describe what he looks like for me?]

    The fire dims around Al a little.

    [I often get asked this question. Arconidem looks much like arval demon¡­]

    [Hah!]

    [¡­ gigantic and seated on a throne formed of his own flesh.]

    [¡­ ah.]

    For a moment there I was stuck with the thought of an all-powerful ancient who was about the size of my eyeball.

    [Well, I''ve certainly never visited anyone like that.]

    Al eyes me. Which is an intense experience, let me tell you.

    [Why would you have?]

    [Good point! Moving on!]

    A pause.

    [What''s he like?]

    [I don''t want to discuss it.]

    [Fair enough! You can''t me an ant for being curious. We''re talking about one of the ancients here after all.]

    Actually learning of someone who actually managed tomunicate with one of those dudes is freaking me out a little. I always kind of imagined the ancients as being so far away that they could never be reached. It feels like one of them just reached out from the depths of the Dungeon and poked me.

    Revtions of gigantic monsters as old as time, the nning for the uing conflict went smoothly enough until everyone knew what they had to do over theing days. Even if they weren''t happy about it.

    "I still don''t understand why I can''t be there for the main battle!" Leeroy whined. "You don''t want the Immortals at the front, leading the charge, headlong into tier seven demons who will cut us to pieces as fast as they look at us? Why not?!"

    I look at her.

    "You know damn well why!"

    THWACK!

    "Ouch!"

    "Instead ofining and sulking that you were left of thest battle, why not try and do something actually useful for your family in the next one? Something that doesn''t involve throwing your life away in the hopes of perhaps, maybe chipping a demon''s w as they separate your head from your thorax!"

    "I still think I could have been in thest battle¡­"

    "How the heck are you supposed to climb down the cable when you''re wearing full armour?!"

    THWACK!

    The soldier pulled away from me, furiously rubbing her head with one antenna.

    "I could have fought without it!"

    "Oh, really? And you think you would be trusted not to charge blindly forward as if you were wearing it?"

    "I''m not stupid!"

    Every Council member present turns to her in confusion.

    "I''m not!" she protests angrily. "I would have made a tactical assault!"

    Prepared to give her a chance, I ask a leading question.

    "Would this ''tactical assault'' have involved, in any way, you rushing forward, on your own, into impossible odds?"

    ¡­

    ¡­

    "No?"

    "You don''t sound entirely certain about that."

    "Alright fine. Yes."

    THWACK!

 Chapter 723 New Bling

    <h4>Chapter 723 New Bling </h4>

    Our ns made, the council disperses, Vibrant disappearing over the horizon before I can so much as blink. Although¡­ that could be a long measure of time, since I can''t blink. I''m actually starting to forget what it was like to close my eyes, to be honest. I mean, how long can you go without eyelids before you forget how they felt? I''ve been in a carapace so long, I''m starting to forget what skin felt like! It just seems so weird to me now, being squishy on the outside and hard on the inside. How does that make sense? Don''t you want the squishy stuff protected? Not to mention the possibilities for shiny perfection that I have embraced through mutation!

    Even the demons reject the true doctrine of exo-skeleton. In fact, almost all monsters do¡­ No, I must reject this line of thought. If I continue to follow it I might wind up having sympathy for the centipedes and that is simply something that cannot be done. Spiders¡­ maybe. Centipedes? Never.

    Naturally the moment that their leader runs off, arge detachment of suspiciously speedy ants races in pursuit. Now that she''s evolved to tier six her follower count has significantly increased once again. Each and every one of her loyal troops is a peak specimen of the Colony, heavily mutated and experienced in battle. Just another example of the powerful influence a champion can have on those around them. She may be a handful, but Vibrant has proven her value to the family a hundred times over. I have high hopes for the next champion also, even if she continues to be a pain in the abdomen.

    Speaking of the devil, she''s currently ying with Tiny, the giant trying to herd the hatchling with his hands as she schemes to get past him. Despite his massive size and quick reflexes, she almost manages it a few times, faking him out and ying mind games with the poor sod. Though the more I watch, the more I begin to suspect she''s conditioning him for an eventual escape.

    Just a constant pain.

    We remain close to the pir for the time being, but I''m already getting a little bored. We have things to do and not much time to do them, most important of all, continuing to train and level up the hatchling. Getting her up and running, contributing to the Colony and dedicated to her own niche as soon as possible is my main focus for the time being.

    "Alright then Brilliant, time to get busy."

    She pauses in her game and turns toward me.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Did you think we were done? You''re not even halfway to as evolved as you need to be! Your older sister is tier six! So am I! What exactly are you supposed to do running around as a piddly tier three?"

    "What do you mean? I''m useful already!" she deres, her antennae waving wildly.

    "At what? Annoying me or escaping? Those are the only two things I can see that you excel at."

    "Oh yeah? What if I told you that my mana shaping skill is tier four?"

    "I''d tell you - ¡­ Wait, what?"

    "I''ve been practicing inside Invidia''s mouth! No time is wasted!"

    "Even mine is only tier five¡­"

    She puffs herself up proudly.

    "Told you I''m the best!"

    "How are you the best if my Skill is higher than yours?"

    "Well," she detes again, "it will be higher soon!" and then she fires back.

    "You know what, I''m starting to believe you. Are you practicing now?"

    "Yes, of course."

    Dammit! I can''t be overtaken by this damn hatchling! What about my pride as the Eldest! Desperate not to be outdone I immediately order all of my mental constructs to start spinning mana, any form, any spell, I don''t care! Just get to work!

    Still, as I look down on the smug little thing, I can''t help but be impressed. I think this might be her talent after all.

    "Keep up the good work, Brilliant, but as I said, we still need to level you up. That''s going to be our next port of call."

    "NOT YET!"es a wave of pheromones from above.

    A few momentster there''s a slip, the scent of fear and then a crash which quickly reveals itself as Smithant, covered in various bits of metal ting stuck on her back, legs iling after her unfortunate fall.

    "Ouch! Someone help me up?"

    Crinis quickly obliges with a tentacle extended from her ce on my back.

    "Thanks. I heard you''d shown up here Eldest and I didn''t want you to go running off into the third stratum again without having a chance to give you what I''ve been working on all this time! Down here! Hurry up!"

    Thest part she shouts up the pir to a trio of ants carefully picking their way down the vertical slope, each of themden with more metal and bits and pieces.

    "Just how much stuff did you bring?" I ask a little warily.

    Don''t cover up the diamond!

    "Oh, it''s not all for you," she informs me, "I''ve got things for Tiny as well, as well as a few pieces for Vibrant, is she still here?"

    "Nope."

    "Damn. I was hoping to catch up with her."

    "Good luck with that."

    "Anyway, let''s start getting this stuff sorted out."

    The moment her focus turns to the metal it''s almost as if the mad ant in front of me starts glowing. She coos and clucks over her work like a mother hen as she uses her mandibles and front ws to pick through the pieces, taking some from her helpers.

    "This is what I was able to put together for Tiny. We still can''t work with the Legion metal very well, or at all, and there certainly wasn''t enough to make a full suit for him, but this should help him."

    What she was able toe up with was several individual pieces that can be strapped to Tiny''s arms, legs and shoulders. Forearm guards, a chest te and some reasonably fitted and padded pieces protect his thighs. It''s pretty good work, all things considered. And when we take into ount his immensely dense bones, theck of helmet and knuckle protectors isn''t nearly as big of a concern as it once was. Just having something to protect his heart in the event something slips through between his ribs is a big relief.

    Tiny seems much happier with this smaller and more focused set of pieces than he was with the moreplete set he had on before. After scratching at the straps and pulling at the padding underneath the armour a little, he seems fairly content, even rapping his knuckles on the forearm guard to test its strength.

    "Well he seems happy at least," I observe, "and I am as well. Great work, Smithant."

    She stops fussing with the straps and turns back to me.

    "It wasn''t easy, but I''m happy with the work. As for what I made for you, have a look!"

    With the air of an artist whipping a cloth off a new statue, she throws a series of pieces down onto the ground in front of me. At first I''m a little startled, they appear to be, rings? Weird ones?

    "Soooo. What are they?" I ask, confused.

    "Well, you said you didn''t want full armour and there isn''t much I can make that would protect you better than your own carapace, certainly not to the extent that would justify the weight, so I went in a different direction and tried to produce the most pure alloys I could and pack them with the strongest enchantments I could. What you see here is a masterwork of enchanting, by our standards anyway."

    She sounds a little deted at the end, as if not catching up to the rest of the world in a couple of months was somehow a massive failure on her part.

    "Nonsense," I tell her, "a masterwork in the Colony is a masterwork the world over. Tell me what they do."

    "I think you''ll like this Eldest. Should work well with your current Skill set."

    It doesn''t take much to get Smithant pumped up again, as soon as her attention turns to the task of exining her creations she is immediately obsessed.

 Chapter 724 Tunnelling

    <h4>Chapter 724 Tunnelling </h4>

    I''m not really wearing armour. It''s more jewellery than anything else. Which isn''t something I wanted to point out to Smithant. She takes immense pride in being a smith, specifically in being an armourer, since she doesn''t make weapons. In fact, she takes an unhealthy amount of pride in that, such that pointing out how she has basically made what amount to a series of nes. Not that they go around my neck, instead they fit over my legs, basically tightening around the area where my legs meet my carapace, which means that I have six of them overall.

    Apparently Smithant tried to create some more to attach around the base of my antennae but couldn''t find a way to fit them to an ant without irritating the heck out of them. With antennae as sensitive as mine I imagine the problem would have been even more acute. Still, she was very satisfied with the work she''d been able to do, work that was only possible thanks to a breakthrough she had with her Skills. With whole teams of specialised carvers dedicated to mastering the craft of armoury and enchanting, it''s a minor miracle that Smithant still manages to be at the head of the pack.

    It goes to show that individual talent is still a thing, even in a world like Pangera with a Gandalf run System in ce. I have to wonder if some of my struggles developing certain Skills are simply because I''m not personally suited to them, or perhaps I just get distracted too easily¡­ most likely thetter.

    After we get the equipment from Smithant, there''s nothing for it but to climb down out of the city again and make our way toward the tunnels betweenyers. Obviously that means running through vast fields ofrval demons who continuously try to tear each other apart, even as they flow away from us as we walk past.

    In a small way, my newly enchanted gear helps with this, since one of the functions provided is to reduce friction. It isn''t a huge amount, I''m a heavy ant boi after all, but it''s enough to make a noticeable difference. I do a few test charges as we travel and it takes a little getting used to, but the reduction in drag is certainly there. A little extra speed, a little extra lightness on my ws, certainly nothing I''m going to turn away! If this is what Smithant was nning to give to Vibrant, then I have tough a little. The second she finds out she could be going faster, Vibrant is going to go nuts trying to track Smithant down and beg her to hand over the rings.

    Though I''m not the only one who got new stuff.

    [How about it Tiny? Feelingfortable.]

    [Hmmmm,] he ponders as he continues to poke, prod and scratch at the straps that hold the new armoured tes to his body. After a few moments, he shrugs.

    [Can''t be that bad,] I tell him, [you managed to keep the full set on before, this isn''t even close to being as restrictive.]

    [Hrrn,] he grunts.

    [You think so? I think you''ll get a ton of use out of it. Getting cut less is a good thing, no matter how you slice it.]

    He rolls his shoulders and huffs.

    [Invidia is not your personal heal battery,] I scold him. [It''s not his job to exclusively follow you around and stop you from getting killed. He had to do that in the past because you weren''t smart enough to stay safe, and had almost no protective measures in ce. With your bones being as tough as they are now, I feel a lot better about you not getting carved to pieces, but you still have to worry about blood loss, about muscle tears, about a million other things that can pull you down during a fight. You need to learn to defend yourself better and this armour can help with that.]

    He''s silent for a bit, pondering, before he nods a little sullenly.

    [I''m not saying don''t be aggressive,] I say, exasperated, [just maybe block once in a while, alright?]

    [When do you think I might be given equipment, master?]

    [Honestly, Crinis, I think we need to work out what would be the best way for you to wear it. Right now you''re more or less whatever shape you want to be.]

    [I could manifest some limbs permanently, that would be trivial.]

    [I suppose so¡­ alright then, next time we run into Smithant I''ll get her onto it. I''m sure she can think of some enchantments that would be relevant to you. Goodness knows what they might be, but hey, I''m sure they exist.]

    [Maybe something that enhances my shadow affinity?]

    [That''d work.]

    It takes a while to reach the tunnels and once we do we plunge right in. It''s hunting time and there''s a lot that we need to get done. I need levels and Biomass, as does Tiny, Crinis and Invidia. Most importantly, Brilliant needs levels and Biomass.

    "Can I fight yet?" the hatchling asks.

    "Absolutely not," Iugh at her. "Do you have any idea where we are? This is the third stratum! If we were on the FIRST you''d still be pathetically weak. Down here you might as well be a gentle breezepared to what we''re fighting. You''ll need to be tier five, at least, before you can even contribute, and even then, magic only. If you get close enough to a demon to bite it, you''re basically already dead."

    "Damn," she kicks at the ground in frustration.

    "Look, your time wille soon enough. Stuff your face with this Biomass, keep amassing experience, and before you know it you''ll be evolving and ready to go. Nowe on, we don''t have that much free time before the assault, we need to get busy."

    So saying we plunge further into the tunnels, seeking out the juicy prey that we didn''t manage to get to. It''s also handily filling in my tunnel map as we explore new regions of the passages. We''re careful not to get too low though. Whatever is going on deeper in the third, I sure as heck do not want to be kicking that ho nest before we are good and ready. I know my limits and I think I''ve made enough troubletely.

 Chapter 725 The Bear Market

    <h4>Chapter 725 The Bear Market </h4>

    [It''s so damn hot!] Sarahined.

    [Of course it is,] Granin snorted, [it''s the third stratum. ce is nothing but ash andva.]

    [You might be fine,] the giant bear grumbled, [but I''m covered in fur. If I was a rock person like you, maybe it wouldn''t bother me so much.]

    The old shaper harrumphed.

    [For starters, I am not a rock person, I am a gori who has bonded with a true skin, ayer of ore that covers and melds with my natural skin. And I think you''ll find that mental toughness, rather than heat resistance, is responsible for my tolerance.]

    Torrina rolled her eyes and joined in the conversation.

    [Actually, our true skin does provide a huge increase to our ability to endure extreme temperatures. It''s one of the reasons the gori were so sessful expanding to the third stratum in the centuries after the cataclysm.]

    The giant bear turned her head and fired a re at the leader of the triad who did his best to ignore the threat of being stared at by a truly vicious tier six Asura Bear. Particrly one equipped in the way that this one was.

    [The armour probably isn''t helping the situation,] Corun observed helpfully. [I know I''d be hot under all that.]

    It was true that the padding and weight of the armour, nearly two tons of it, were doing little to improve the situation. As if being a furred animal wasn''t enough, she hadyers of cloth and steel covering her to the point she felt as if she were sweating literal buckets every second.

    [I need to hydrate,] she gasped.

    [I think you need an enchantment to help manage the heat issue,] Torrina observed.

    [That''s a valid point, actually,] Granin observed. [Usually a first stratum monster is a little more resistant to the environmental changes as you descend through theyers, but I think this is something of a special case. Sarah is much better built to tolerate the cold than she is the heat. If Smithant is still about down here we should approach her to make those adjustments.]

    [I''d really appreciate it,] Sarah said.

    The four of them looked out from the tform on which they stood for a moment, taking in the absurd view of the wide open space that opened up before them and extended in all directions as far as their eyes could see. The harsh glow ofva burned into their eyes and the taste of ash lingered on their tongues, making their wee to this ce an altogether unpleasant one.

    [I hate this ce,] Granin grumped, [it''s put me in a bad mood. Sorry if Ie across as dismissive, Sarah. I''m just grouchy.]

    [That''s alright,] she sympathised, [I''m much the same as you.]

    Torrina could only shake her head at the two of them as she nced over the side of the tform for a moment.

    "I don''t know how you do that," Corun shuddered. "I''d get vertigo."

    [We should be down in another five minutes or so,] she informed the group. [Pretty quick trip, all things considered.]

    [It''s impressive the Colony managed to get this lift system in ce so quickly,] Sarah said, looking up at the massive rope system that connected them to the ceiling so far above.]

    [There''s a lot of things that impress me about the Colony, but their ability to get stuff built quickly is starting to be just a normal expectation from my point of view,] Granin shrugged. [How many times do they need to pull of the impossible before I just start to expect it from them?]

    A short timeter the tform finally touched down into the city and they were able to unpin and open the gate, allowing the heat affected bear to stroll out and then slump onto the ground.

    [Alright I''m here, take it off now.]

    It took nearly ten minutes for the trio to unbuckle all the straps, by which time the tform had already ascended halfway back to the roof.

    [Oh thank goodness,] Sarah groaned, [that is so much better.]

    [You didn''t have toe down here,] Torrina reminded her, [this was your choice.]

    The big bear rolled her shoulders ufortably.

    [It just doesn''t feel right, sitting up there, enjoying the benefits of the Colony''s achievements without contributing anything. They work so hard whilst I sit around and what? y with the grubs? It''s not right,] Sarah repeated herself as she finally pushed her body back onto its feet.

    [That doesn''t mean you have to fight,] Corun reminded her. [It didn''t work out so wellst time did it?]

    Sarah flinched a little but then held firm.

    [It didn''t go terribly,] she defended herself. [I helped protect the nest ¡­ and if I hadn''t, who knows what would have happened? It went bad at the end,] she shuddered, [but I think I can control myself better now.]

    [I think you can too,] Granin told her, his usual gruff tone just a hair softer than usual. [You just need to remember not to get carried away.]

    As they moved through the city, it was heartening to Sarah to hear many of the mage ants and others reach out to her as she passed.

    [Friend Sarah! Wee! You missed a great fight!]

    [Sarah! Had enough cking? We wee your assistance!]

    [It will be good to fight by your side once more! Now that you are finished beingzy that is!]

    Sarah pouted, no mean feat for a bear. She wasn''tzy!

    Still, as they continued their walk there were many ants who waved or approached the bear to give her a friendly tap on the shoulder,municating their wee even if they weren''t able to form a mind bridge and speak with her directly. By the time they had made it to the staging ground around the central pir, the Asura Bear''s eyes were wet, as was the fur trailing down the sides of her muzzle.

    The golgari triad politely avoided looking too closely or remarking on it in any way, instead they chatted to each other about the work the Colony had done, already rebuilding the city to the point that it was hard to see any signs of the invasion at all. The area around the pir, once exclusively the domain of Grokus''pound, had been co-opted by the Colony to be their nning and organising centre. The wall that had encircled that section of Rolku was gone, instead an interlocking series of chambers had been constructed which already had begun to look somewhat nest-like. It was almost as if the carvers couldn''t help themselves, given that this was their most frequently used design.

    There they found Sloan, the general in charge of the defence of the city, pouring over maps and surrounded by a hundred other generals and scouts, each waiting patiently to say their own piece.

    Despite the crowd, Sloan noticed immediately as they approached and rushed out to wee them.

    [Friend Sarah! Granin, Torrina, Corun. Wee all of you,] the general greeted them once a bridge had been established. [We thank you foring. If you are willing, there is much that you can do here for us.]

    Sarah nodded her big head slowly.

    [I will do my best,] she promised.

 Chapter 726 Express Train

    <h4>Chapter 726 Express Train </h4>

    "Whooooooooo!" Vibrant cheered as she raced across the ins of Leng, delighting in watching therval demons leap from her path just in time to miss her shing legs.

    The air was boiling hot and seared against her carapace as it drove her antennae back. The smell of ash and molten rock smothered her senses as the terrain shed by but Vibrant cared little for any of it. The rush of pure speed was what she craved and these wide open ins gave her an opportunity to run as she had never had a chance to before.

    "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" she hollered, her legs flickering so quickly they couldn''t be seen, her brain shing just as quickly as she processed the barrage of visual information that flooded her eyes each second.

    Far behind, though not as far as one might think, her followers were working hard to keep up as best they could. Their job was made far more difficult by the fact that they''d long since fallen out of range of the aura that boosted their own speed, since their leader had raced so far ahead. Still, they too yearned for speed, just as their leader did, and their hearts were thumping with joy as they raced across the ins as a unit, desperate to keep up.

    When they eventually did so, they found Vibrant standing rock still, staring up the target of their current mission. Emilia the general was among the first to arrive and boldly approached their uncharacteristically still leader.

    "Vibrant? Is everything alright?" she asked.

    Therge yet sleek soldier twitched her antennae as she recognised the scent.

    "Emilia, d you caught up!" sheughed. "Have a look up there, it''s a little different, isn''t it?"

    Obedient to the whims of her leader, the general leaned back and looked up at the demon city of Orpule far above. Just like Roklu, it was situated on a disc of stone that extended out from the pir that supported the roof of the stratum so far above, but it was immediately clear what Vibrant was referring to.

    "It''s muchrger, isn''t it¡­" she observed.

    Not only was the te on which the city was situatedrger than that of the city that the Colony had conquered, there was more than one te! The second, which hung beneath the first, in its shadow so to speak, was much smaller than that above it, as if it had only begun to form recently. Which raised the question, how did a demon city expand? Or was this a sign of a more powerful and ambitious leader driving her poption to greater heights and expanding the influence of her city?

    "Remember, we need to be careful," Emilia made sure to remind her glorious leader. "There are tier sevens here that we cannot fight."

    "I know that, Em-em!" Vibrant cheered. "We can have a look around, deprive the city of resources, keep an eye on things and make a general nuisance of ourselves in the meantime! Which means we get to run! Lots! This is going to be a fantastic mission!"

    Seeing her so happy, the hundreds of ants who made up her followers were emboldened. When Vibrant was happy, things were generally going well. They might be hectic, or even dangerous, but usually manageable. When she was serious, that was when they knew things were going to be bad.

    "OOOOOOKAAY!" Vibrant yelled suddenly, waving her two front legs about in the air for emphasis. "First thing we do is run around and see what we can see! Let''s keep an eye on the city as we do and make sure we keep our distance! Let''s also make sure that we go super-fast! Do your best to keep up with me everyone, I don''t want anyone falling behind! We can regroup here after we get a couple ofps in, make sure you scan the area carefully! Let''s go!"

    Although she spoke at her usual breakneck pace, abination of simr mutations among her followers and familiarity with this speed ofmunication meant that they perfectly understood what Vibrant had to say. As one mind, the group set off, speeding across the ins and running a broad circle around the demon city of Orpule. They were noticed, because of course they were. Nearly a thousand monstrous ants running rings around the city were bound to be seen, that was the point.

    When they came across any demon more evolved than tier three, the group set upon it, devouring their hapless victims in a matter of seconds, before setting off once again. The experience and biomass were wee, of course, but more than that any evolved demon was a potential recruit for the enemy. If one of these were to reach tier six and gain their full awareness, then to Orpule they would go, recruited for the enemy. So long as they were at war with the Colony, then they would be deprived of all resources.

    After a few hours it was clear that those watching from above realised what was happening and a sortie was sent forth, powerful demons that included a tier seven foe in their midst.

    "Leader!" a mage called, racing toward the front of the pack. "I sense a powerful foe approaching!"

    "Veer off!" Vibrantughed as she turned and sped away, leading her group to flee from the city.

    Unable to catch up, the demons pursued hopelessly for a time before they gave up and returned to the city. The ants turned around the same moment the demons did. To the enemy, the message was clear, if you go back, so do we. Chase us forever, or not at all!

    Unwilling tomit to trying to catch these damned elusive insects the demons opted to return to the city and so Vibrant and her troops returned to runningps. They kept a watchful eye on the city at all times, looking for any who sought toe or go and continued to deny any demons the chance to rise to tier six around the city.

    Once again, the demons sallied forth and once more Vibrantughed at them as she raced away.

    "Slow-Slow!" she taunted with glee as the demons flew along in their wake.

 Chapter 727 Long Overdue Upgrades

    <h4>Chapter 727 Long Overdue Upgrades </h4>

    The tale of the Colony''s expansion is one of conflict, it is true, though many point to that as the sole factor, as if everywhere we trod there was nothing but war and death. Perhaps it is easy to view us as the enemy if that were the only way we have been described. Even a cursory examination of the facts, of the actual events themselves, is enough to put that lie to rest. In truth, the Colony, through the Eldest, held out an antenna in friendship as often as it did not. Where we were rebuffed, conflict surely followed.

    The third stratum and the history of our intervention there is a perfect example of this. Although we fought and fought hard, we also built bridges and sought allies where they could be found. Thanks to the Eldest we were more sessful at bringing the local monsters to our cause than almost any who had bothered to make the attempt prior to our arrival there.

    The record I have gone to such effort to preserve shows that the true strength of the Colony is not disyed by our cleverness, our might or our appetite for work, but in our ability to have all of those things and still build alliances.

    It can be hard to tell if the Eldest, in their guidance of the Colony, was exceptionally greedy or altruistic. On the one w, they always pushed further, deeper, reached for more, and on the other, they were always prepared to share. Perhaps it is this dichotomy that makes them, and by extension, the rest of us, so hard to understand.

    From the personal notes of Historiant.

    There''s nothing quite like a feast at the end of a sessful hunt. Perhaps it''s the remnant of the primitive hunter in my brain, but chilling with my crew after a huge feast and just letting the drowsiness that follows wash over me is such an amazing feeling. My abdomen is full to bursting with Biomass and my entire carapace is practically sagging with lethargy as I digest.

    Tiny is in a simr position, his ape belly bulging as he leans against the tunnel wall, a satisfied smile on his bat face. Crinis is, for once, not currently attached to me, instead sinking halfway into a shadow as she finishes chomping on thest remnants of her meal whilst sending feelers out into the surrounding area to warn us if troublees.

    Al didn''t eat nearly as much, which was interesting, since he imed not to need it. I assume he''s close to maxing out his mutations or has already done so if he''s willing to turn his imaginary nose up at free Biomass. Brilliant can barely move. Her carapace is so bloated that it practically drags on the ground when she tries to walk and more than once I''ve seen the little ante close to regurgitating the precious resources that we have secured for her.

    I made it my mission to feed her until both of her stomachs were as full as possible. It takes a lot more Biomass to fully upgrade at tier three and she needs to pack it in as much as possible! Our time in the tunnels beneath Roklu continues to be fruitful in terms of the Biomass and experience that we''ve amassed. A healthy number of tier five prey can be found down here, or at least, they could be found down here. Now that we''ve run through the ce over a couple of days, I wager it''s going to take a while before more demons filter down here from above. We even ran into a tier six, likely not affiliated with any city, down here hunting. Since they chose to attack us on sight, I don''t suppose there was any opportunity to engage in peaceful dialogue.

    Invidia hovers in the air nearby, his eye almost closed as hezily ps to keep himself in position. A feeding Invidia is always a somewhat horrifying sight as the food vanishes into the mouth, that also vanishes. With him and Crinis eating next to each other, it''s almost enough to drive a monstrous ant sick.

    [All right then gang,] I announce to my pets. [If you have the points, it''s time to upgrade if you haven''t already. Go over your avable Skills, see what you can find that might spark a bit of joy.]

    Then I turn to Brilliant.

    "How are you coping little one?"

    "So¡­ full¡­"

    I can sympathise, I''m fairly stuffed myself, but not to the same extent that she is.

    "I know it''s not pleasant, but we want to max you out as soon as possible, so you''re just going to have to deal with it. Since we aren''t going anywhere in the short term, take some time and purchase the mutations that you want. Make sure you give thought to the overall bnce of what it is that you want to do. At +15 you get to fuse your two mutations or emphasise one, so keep in mind how you want to be able to function going forward, alright?"

    "Alright, senior, I will," she groans.

    A few secondster and her eyes ze over in the manner that lets me know she''s scrolling through the endless lists and menus that the System provides us. Given that I have arge store of points banked away, from several hunts as well as from consuming Grokus, I should get to spending also!

    Ignoring Skills for the time being, I check my Biomass and can''t help but ck my mandibles softly at the total. One thousand five-hundred and forty six?! Are you serious?! That is a heck of a lot of Biomass! I knew I was piling up a fair bit back there, but holy moly! That''s amazing! I wonder if demons are more Biomass rich than monsters from above? Or did Grokus just provide that much? A fully mutated tier seven is no joke when ites to the sheer amount of Biomass that''s been spent. To take an organ from nothing all the way up to +30, which is my current max, costs over four hundred and fifty Biomass. To upgrade from +30 to +35 costs another hundred and sixty five per organ.

    With this ridiculous stockpile of Biomass, I''m going to be able to make a HUGE dent in my mutations. Let''s get to it! Oho! The joy of upgrading oneself, I''ll never get tired of it.

    I hastily bring up my status to confirm my current position.

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 18 (Rare) (VI)

    Might: 205

    Toughness: 180

    Cunning: 145

    Will: 100

    HP: 360/360

    MP: 530/530

    Skills:

    General:

    Master Excavation (IV) Level 6; Expert Grip (III) Level 15; Expert Stealth (III) Level 8; Tunnel Compass (IV) Level 4; Iron Mind (IV) Level 33; Master Stamina (IV) Level 11; Still Meditation (IV) Level 15; Snap Dash (IV) Level 21;

    Mana:

    Mana Craft (V) Level 45; Condensed Mana (IV) Level 31; Finer External Mana Maniption (IV) Level 22; Mana Hoarder (IV) Level 27; Layered Mind Magic Affinity (V) Level 13; Directed Mana Sensing (IV) Level 19; Expert Healing Magic Affinity (III) Level 19; Omni-Elemental Affinity (V) Level 25; Advanced Mana Masking (III) Level 10;

    Pet:

    Further Pet Communication (III) Level 11; Core Crafting (IV) Level 15; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 5;

    Defensive:

    Grandmaster Exo-Skeleton Defence (V) Level 24; Master Dodge (IV) Level 28; Master Endure (IV) Level 8; Expert Grace (III) Level 18; Advanced Mandible Parry (II) Level 5;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Sharpened Perimeter Eyes +25, Future Sight Antennae +15 (Twilight Fment);

    Defence:

    Complete Diamond Carapace +25, Braced Healing Inner Carapace ting +25;

    Physical:

    Hardened Rapid Absorption Legs +25, Mana Flooded Mandibles +25, Frequent Potent Regeneration nd +25, Loud Convincing Pheromone nd +25, Vast Hungering Stomach +25, Lock Hyper-Twitch Muscture +25, Coordinating Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +25;

    Acid:

    Propagating Mana-Feasting Bind Acid nd +25, Guided Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +25, Thickened Draining Acid Concentration nd +25, Exhausting Thickener Acid Stimtion nd +25;

    Mental:

    Unyielding Coordination Cortex +25, Main brain, Sub-Brains;

    Mana:

    Compressing Unending Gravity Magic nd +25, Empowering Collective Will Vestibule +15 (Soul Crystal), Purifying Communal Spirit Nave +15;

    Species: Colony Paragon

    Skill points: 33

    Biomass: 1546

    My Skills areing along nicely. A few upgrades here and there haven''t really hurt. Mana Craft has started shooting up since I beganpeting with Brilliant, and I don''t n to stop until I hit rank six! At least then my rank will match my tier. If I want to see serious improvement in my new Skills, I''m going to have to dedicate more time to grinding them. Using Mandible Spear in an actual fight just feels so stupid though. Charge I''ve had a use for, but that one? Ugh. Looking at my organs, obviously nothing is fully upgraded as of yet, but I''m tossing up between starting to take things to +30, or getting the newer elements of my body up higher from +15¡­

 Chapter 728 Mutating Makes the World Go â€™Round

    <h4>Chapter 728 Mutating Makes the World Go ''Round </h4>

    In the end, despite how much I want to see my old organs rise to the grand old height of +30, I decide to start with the new stuff, specifically, the Vestibule, Nave and Antennae. These reforged body parts are high performing and important to me so I need to invest in them. With the huge wealth that I have right now, I can st them all the way up to +30 with a massive amount of change in the bank.

    For starters, let''s look at the antennae. One of the interesting things I discovered in my fight with Grokus is that looking into the future a few milliseconds is all well and good, but when you can''t do anything about what you see, you can run right into the wall. In a way, the strategy the city lord applied against me was ideal. He didn''t need to act first, he waited to see what I would do and then reacted. Given that he was much faster with his hands than I would have given him credit for, this was nearly enough for him to snatch me out of the air and crush me for good.

    I have to keep reminding myself that I can''t rely on my future sense alone, no matter how much of a leg up it might be. Where I''m going, deeper into the Dungeon, there might be creatures who can see whole minutes into the future, who knows? Either perfect one strategy of survival, or diversify, that''s the only way to go about it.

    Right now I have Future Sight Antennae +15 (Twilight Fment). The reforged antennae are hyper sensitive, tingling with every fluctuation of air, detecting scents far better than my old antennae did and enhancing my future sight once the mutation was applied. Right now I have a decision, do I index further into future sight, or do I now seek to add another sense to my antennae? I previously had heat detection, which was interesting, but I don''t think it was useful enough for me to want to return to it. Given how sensitive the twilight fment is though, no matter what sense I apply to them through mutation, they will enhance it like a high quality radio dish.

    It''s a tough call. Right now my future sight isn''t incredible, just a moment, maybe two, into the future. Whenbined with my reflexes though, it''s more than enough for me to get myself out of the way of danger or angle my carapace to help deflect the blow. It''s a good system and one that works well, really well. Even monsters that are significantly faster than me aren''t able to get the jump and that makes a huge difference. But I''m just not convinced that I need more of it. At the very least, before Imit, I want to investigate to see what I may be able to add to the antennae.

    Into the lists I dive, the innumerable different possible mutations rolling by in front of my mind. All sorts of incredible, bizarre and impossible seeming options swim past but I filter them out. What I''m after are senses. This is what will synergise with the material my new antennae are constructed from and I need to take advantage of it!

    Of course the basic stuff is there. I can improve my sense of smell through mutation, which is probably more useful than I might give it credit for. My sense of smell right now is far better than a human''s, it''s not even close, I pick up all sorts of stuff wafting on the breeze when I''m paying attention, but generally I ignore it. If I chose to, I could improve my sense of smell to the point where I made a tracking dog look nose-less. It would be powerful, I''ve no doubt, but I can''t really think of that many times that I''ve been looking for something that I haven''t had other methods to find. Pass.

    Eyes on the antennae? No. I mean, it''s not really eyes, but photo receptors. Still, no.

    Ears? My sense of hearing is quite possibly my worst, given that I don''t really have ears in the sense that humans do, big ppy bits that hang off the side of the head that help to collect sound. I don''t even have holes in my head, I mean, why would I? That''d disrupt my perfect carapace. Ants hear by interpreting vibrations through our legs and the hairs across our bodies. Increasing the ability of my antennae to detect sound waves could make a huge difference in my ability to interpret what is happening around me. I''ll put it down as a maybe.

    Taste? Obviously not. That''d be stupid.

    Enhancing touch also seems like a total waste of time.

    It''s in the other options, the non-standard ones, that I turn over the really weird stuff.

    Detect emotional state? That would be a little odd. Why would a monster even want that?

    Detect lies? Again¡­ I''m a monster ant, not a detective!

    Detect Mana. Juicy. This is simr to how Crinis perceives her surroundings, by ''seeing'' the mana in an organic way. My detect mana skill performs a simr function, though probably not nearly as well, still not sure I want to use a mutation slot on it.

    Heat? Pass.

    Electrical Current? No¡­

    Movement? I mean¡­ maybe? Looking at the details it seems like an upgrade to the ability to detect shift and vibrations in the air. Might be handy, might be handy.

    Toxins? Being honest, the ability to detect poisons is going to be super handy if I live to see the fifth. Apparently the ce is absolutely swimming in it. And the monster I faced from that level was no joke either. That perfect mana toxin was insane.

    Dammit there is just so much here, as always. I flick through the lists and even narrowing it down to just senses is enough to give me a headache.

    Then I stumble across something that gives me strangely mixed feelings.

    The ability to sense, Gravitational Waves?

    I mean¡­ what?

 Chapter 729 More Choices in Menus

    <h4>Chapter 729 More Choices in Menus </h4>

    I don''t recall seeing this before¡­ if that''s because I wasn''t looking for it or if it was unlocked somehow¡­ I can''t be sure. Being able to detect Gravity? In what way? As in, the strength of the gravitational field in any particr area? Or from a specific object? Or both? Or neither? The description provided by the System is vague at best. I nervously eye the entry for a few long moments. On the one hand, I want to take it. This may help push my way to unlocking the gravitational mana speciality that I want so very badly, but on the other hand, it might not. And then what? I''m stuck with this sense that I don''t even know the usefulness of?

    Let''s not forget, I already reset my antennae! I''m not resetting them again! If I end up picking this mutation, then I''m going to be stuck with it forever, most likely. Argh!

    After several long minutes of agonising back and forth, I decide to stop thinking so hard and go with it. Imitted to gravity early on with my choice of free mana organ and I''m not leaving it behind now. Who knows? With a little luck, it''ll turn out to be useful in the absence of the mana speciality and I won''t regret this choice in any way. Without too much hesitation, I ramp it all the way up to +30 choosing to diversify my two separate mutations rather than emphasise one over the other.

    Done.

    Moving on! Think, but not too much, that''s my policy! With my Vestibule, I''m keen to keep rolling down the path that I''ve embarked upon. Using the energy to supplement my physical strength has been a huge help in the clinches when the Colony is around and gives me a massive leg up when I want to frontline, which is usually all the time the way things are at the moment. Getting those free stats has been juicy to say the least. Sure, it detracts from my regeneration, but it''s not like it cancels it out.

    I''m fairly confident in ramping that mutation all the way to +30.

    And finally, wee to the Nave. Right now, my Purifying Spirit Nave is concentrating and enhancing the energy it receives through the Vestibule, which goes on to fuel my regeneration or strength, so it magnifies that effect. I wager that if I were to have another organ added to the end of the Nave then this enhanced energy would have an even greater effect.

    I''ve long suspected that this evolution path was going to be a three-parter, from the moment I saw the Nave really. The energy is collected in the Vestibule, magnified in the Nave, and then¡­?

    Obviously, something is meant toe next! Which means I will step into my true power in my next evolution! Gwahahahahaha!

    Maybe. Perhaps. I mean, who knows? Perhaps I''ll veer off script and take a different evolution entirely. If there''s one that offers me juicy resets for my carapace and mandibles that will enhance my incredible diamond shine, then I''m almost certain to take it, consequences be damned! Alright then, with the Nave I''ll continue on the path that I''ve already set down. There''s still a chance that I''ll end up resetting the organ, so I don''t feel too attached to my choices here. More concentrated and magnified energy? Can''t go wrong with that.

    That takes these three critical organs from +15 to +30 for the low, low price of one thousand and thirty-five Biomass.

    ¡­

    Nooooo dammit! My wealth! My incredible wealth! Gone already?! Is this some sort of joke?! Damned greedy and despicable Gandalf! What''s with these costs!? This is nothing but robbery!

    For a few long moments I gnash my mandibles in disbelief before I manage to grind my frustrations out. Obviously levelling up means spending huge amounts of Biomass, I should know that by now. I can''t have expected to bring half my organs up to +30 in one shot¡­

    My remaining stock of¡­ five hundred and eleven will give me enough to upgrade¡­ three. Darn it!

    Which three to choose? I mean, carapace and mandibles are the obvious choices. I rely on them a great deal, the carapace to keep me alive and the mandibles to make other things not alive. I briefly toy with the concept of disregarding my mandibles and instead upgrading my coordination cortex, but I end up disregarding that. Although I fight with my minds just as much as the rest of me, the mandibles will always hold a special ce in my heart. Chomping is love; chomping is life. When all the chips are down and there''s nothing left in the tank, the mandibles will still be there.

    Which means I just have one more organ to take from +25 to +30. I could always do eyes, but I''m not doing too badly in the overall ''senses'' department these days. I need to prioritise staying alive more than anything else, so a morebat oriented choice makes more sense to me. Inner Carapace ting seems like a sensible choice, although the regeneration nd has proven its worth. Hard to go past legs¡­ more speed and durability aren''t exactly bad things to have. The neuralwork to boost reflexes would also be handy¡­

    Gah! Don''t think on it too long! Regeneration nd! There, done.

    For these organs, I think the choices are rtively clear. The carapace is simply a matter of reinforcing once again, there isn''t a second line of mutation to be considered. With the mandibles, I currently have a few things going on. There''s the infusion mutation, the savage mutation and from that point on I focused on the infusion aspect, which I''m yet to really test to the fullest extent with all the elemental properties I now have at my disposal. They are definitely next on the reset list at any rate, so I''ll just double down on that. The regeneration nd has two aspects going on right now, the rapid refilling mutation line and the limb regeneration line. For now, I want to emphasise the rapid refill. With my reflexes and toughened legs, I''ve not had to worry too much about losing my legs right now.

    Which means my final upgrades look like this:

    Empowering Collective Will Vestibule +15 (Soul Crystal) -> Might Infusing Collective Will Vestibule +30 (Soul Crystal);

    Future Sight Antennae +15 (Twilight Fment) -> Future Wave Sight Antennae +30 (Twilight Fment);

    Purifying Communal Spirit Nave +15 -> High Purifying Communal Spirit Nave +30;

    Complete Diamond Carapace +25 -> Thickened Complete Diamond Carapace +30;

    Mana Flooded Mandibles +25 -> Mana Drenched Mandibles +30;

    Frequent Potent Regeneration nd +25 -> Hastened Potent Regeneration nd +30;

    Now it''s onto the Skills! I feel I''ve done enough to shore up my foundations for now. It''s time to see what the future holds in store now that I''ve pushed mind magic as far as I have. Come onnnnn Gravitational Mana! I can practically taste it!

 Chapter 730 Nope

    <h4>Chapter 730 Nope </h4>

    Except it isn''t there. DAMMIT! I''ll have to check again after I get my mutating done, but holy moly I''d hoped it would be there¡­ I''d ripped open the magical skills list the moment I had an opportunity and raced through it, my brain practically screaming for some sweet, sweet gravity. I''m crushed it''s not there. There are new things for me to look at, I was able to recognise that much, but the disappointment after waiting so long and not getting what I was after is genuinely crushing.

    Damn you, Gandalf! Just give me what I want already! Haven''t I suffered enough!?

    GAH!

    Well, forget that bearded fogey and let''s have a look at what was unlocked instead. It better be good! The earliest magic skills avable were, of course, the basic elements, which evolved into the advanced elements and can be fused into other elements. Once I''d raised those high enough, I gained ess to healing, mind magic as well as light and shadow. I was never particrly interested in light and shadow, but I''ve put a lot of effort into mind and ¡­ some, into healing. Enough to make it useful at any rate.

    What has this earned me in the eyes of the System? A few things apparently.

    For starters, barrier magic has appeared, which is the field that Invidia has been pouring the majority of his effort into. A highly useful field of magic to be sure! I''ll pick that up just on the off chance that I need it. Getting it to rank three or four shouldn''t prove to be too much effort and I have a sneaking suspicion that those flying discs the demons use is based off an advanced or fused version of this. The second new field of magic to appear in my list is curse magic and right alongside that is inspiration magic. I mean, it doesn''t take a genius to figure out what these two fields do. Curse magic exists to weaken enemies you cast it on and inspiration magic buffs those that you cast it on.

    I''m not entirely sure I want either of them. I know that both are useful, but I need to be realistic and consider exactly how much time I''ll have to devote to raising these Skills. I can''t just buy every Skill in the shop. The cost of levelling them in terms of Skill points will be prohibitive, for one, but mainly I just don''t have the time to level them to the point of being useful! If I get some clear air and have a month to sit on my backside and grind out spells, then sure, I cane back and buy a few of the branches I skipped over, but for now I need to focus on the ultimate goal!

    And that goal is driving forward through the ranks of magic until I get what I want, which is gravity! Even the taste of the basic forms of its power have been enough to whet my appetite, nothing I''ve seen hase even close to the gravity bomb in terms of the sheer pants wetting terror it induces. I have to have the full power of this spell form at my disposal!

    The other reason I''m not massively keen on curse and inspiration is that I know, through discussions with Torrina, that they are generally fused with dark and light magic respectively, to create the respected and feared Horror and Hope fields of magic. The spell forms unlocked by thesebinations allow the effects of curses or inspirations to be applied more powerfully and over a wider area, using light or shadow as a means of spreading the buff/debuff.

    This is probably a field that Crinis could go down if she wished, although the other option she has is to fuse her mind magic and shadow magic together to form Nightmare. From what I gather it''s rather unpleasant. Actually, I wonder if you could fuse mind, curse and shadow together? Torrina didn''t mention anything on that topic, but it would be interesting to find out.

    [Hey Crinis, when you get the chance, see if you can buy curse magic and start levelling it. There may be an interesting fusion you could use with shadow and mind if you get far enough down the line. Maybe at rank five?]

    [Alright Master! I will!]

    ¡­

    That was probably a bad thing to do. Haven''t the monsters of the Dungeon suffered enough?!

    Moving on! There are a few new magical fields that I want to take a look at which might be good. Wood, Metal, Lightning and Force magic. I''ve heard mention of these as ''advanced'' elemental magic which are a lot moremon with higher levelled Delvers and Dungeon dwellers ording to the golgari. Usually, one would skip over the basic stuff as fast as possible and then invest their time more effectively in these, more potent elements. At least, that''s what I hear. Lightning is generally considered very powerful offensively, I only need to look to Tiny for that to be proven true. Wood and metal aremon magics for builders and crafters, though also have their uses inbat. Throwing a spike of ice at someone is generally dangerous, sure, but throwing a spike of metal? More threatening to put it mildly. Then there''s force magic. Good ol'' kic energy. Wanna grab someone by the throat with magic in the most literal sense? This is the method! Care to throw out a w and have a wall of invisible pressure extend outward, knocking down your well armoured butically inept foes? Boom.

    Of course, I have to pick them all. Which ones I''ll specialise in, I have no idea, but I''m sure there are some immensely juicy fusion options out there forbining these. There''s even a chance that they allbine into something strong, just like my omni-elemental construct. I mean, now that I''m on a roll of collecting elements, I kind of want to have them all. I won''t waste time levelling each of them, but I do want to have them, just in reserve.

    The goal is to power through as manyyers of magic as I need to in order to unlock gravity after all! I won''t be stopped here!

    With a sweep of my mind, I select each of the new elemental magic specialisations and nod with satisfaction. I may not have gotten what I wanted, but I least I have moved forward, taken another step on the path that will get me there. With my current stable of elemental magics to hold me in good stead, I won''t have to grind nearly as long on this level before I plunge through and into the next.

    Running through the list of purchases I have selected; I feel good about my decisions. I think this marks another step forward for me and having the first of my organs reach +30 is a very pleasant milestone. Let''s do it!

    ¡­

    Oh right.

    ¡­

    Here ites!

    ¡­

    MAGGLESTAFFEN!!! DAMN ITCH!

 Chapter 731 Grind it out

    <h4>Chapter 731 Grind it out </h4>

    When I eventually wake it''s to find that the rest of the group has alreadypleted their mutations and that Crinis has extended herself into a wall between me and everyone else. Preserving my modesty in my most vulnerable moments. What a goodpanion she is!

    [Thanks Crinis.]

    I mean that sincerely, with all of my soul.

    [You are wee, Master.]

    I slowly pick myself up and this time it''s a little more disorienting than usual. I stagger to one side before I manage to gather my bnce and freeze for a moment. It takes a few seconds for me to work out what is giving me such trouble, but once I do it starts to make a little more sense. The antennae. When I upgraded to Twilight Fment, I did so because the description spoke of how sensitive they were, and I''d hoped that sensitivity would trante to the future sense, since it''s essentially changing the antennae to ''detect'' more sensory information. I''ve done the same again, but this time made them able to detect gravitational waves and they are doing a damn good job of it from what I can tell.

    It''s like¡­ I''m not even sure I can describe it. I can feel the pull of gravity not just through my body but to an incredibly fine extent through my antennae. And not just the gravity that is affecting me personally, my physical body, but in an area around me. Naturally that pull is downward, toward the centre of the, but there are vibrations and fluctuations that perhaps someone with greater understanding over how these things work could exin. On top of that, the two mutations are functioning together, so not only am I detecting the gravitational waves as they are, but also as they will be a few moments in the future! Gah! As I twitch my antennae, its startling to realise that I can actually sense the very tiny fields being emanated by mypanions. Tiny''s stronger than the others, but even Invidia''s isrge enough for me to detect. Perhaps I''m also sensing the mass he has stuffed away in his pocket dimension?

    It''s bizarre and a little nauseating, but I''m hoping that''s a temporary side effect, otherwise I''ve just mutated my way into trouble once again. No worries, I''ll get used to it. Other than that, there are other differences as well. It''s easy to forget sometimes, that upgrading an organ does produce a small overall performance increase. In this case, taking my Vestibule and Nave from +15 to +30 at once, apart from the changes brought on by mutation, has produced a noticeable and startling effect. The amount of energy pouring in through the Vestibule has increased significantly, the range at which the organ is working has increased along with the amount of energy collected. The Nave is flooded with that Will and is condensing and purifying it to the point that it feels like liquid gold as it eventually floods into my system. The feeling is incredible, to be honest. I feel refreshed, energised and uplifted as the Will of thousands upon thousands of my siblings flows into me.

    With a start I jerk my mind away from that path. I know from experience that sinking down into the thoughts and desires of my siblings that flow through me is a trap that it''s hard to get away from. I''ve been disciplined about ittely but it''ll take some time to adjust to this new level of intrusion. Still, it''s nice to see that the improvements have been worth the rather massive investment that I made.

    My mandibles and carapace have also benefited from the process of course, the pure diamond coating that encases me has grown that little bit thicker, adding to my lustre and shine. My jaws are a littlerger, a little more dense and even more responsive to my mana than they were before. I''m going to have to test them with every type of mana that I have at my disposal to really see what they can do, something I''ve been far toozy and avoided doing. I mean, what happens when I bite something with mind mana infused into my mandibles? Goodness knows!

    [Alright then, squad. It''s time to get back out on the road. We need to keep grinding Skills, levels and Biomass. I''ve got a long way to go to maxing out for tier six and I''m sure that all of you are the same!]

    My pets each acknowledge my words in their own way, for they are true for all of us, even Invidia.

    "Brilliant, are you able to move around much yet?"

    "I-I think so¡­"

    She doesn''t sound all that sure but looking at her I can already tell that a lot of the raw Biomass has been digested.

    "Tiny can carry you if we need him to. I hope you''re ready to reach tier four, because we aren''t stopping until you get there!"

    "Tier four?! Already?!"

    "Yes, already. The Colony doesn''t have time to wait around, you need to get cracking and you can''t exactly do much as you are¡­"

    "I can too!"

    "Sure, sure. Come on then, let''s get going."

    It takes concentration but as we roam through the tunnels with Brilliant loaded into Tiny''s arms like an ant-missile, I find that my sensitivity to gravitational waves is even more extreme than I thought. I can actually sense monsters through it so long as they are within a certain range, which is just ridiculous. The amount of gravitational force a monster gives off might be many timesrger than a human would, but it''s still pathetically weak! The fact I can find them, through walls even in some instances, just blows my mind. This is nuts!

    At least it makes for extremely efficient hunting! As soon as we find a monster, we knock it down and pummel it to the brink of extinction before Tiny rams Brilliant into it and she manages to chomp it to the point of giving her a notification. Then we hoover up the Biomass and move on to the next target. We only slow down when it bes clear we are roaming deeper and deeper only to find fewer and fewer prey.

    [I believe if we were to go much deeper we would break through to the nextyer,] Al observes after a while.

    I raise my head, letting my antennae swirl through the air as I attempt to detect anything that would indicate he was correct. The heat has only risen as we descend, the open pools ofva bing more frequent as they drip down from above. If I were to crack an egg on a rock it would be charcoal in a minute, that''s how hot it feels.

    [By any chance does it get a little cooler as we get lower?]

    The giant eye of literal me looks at me steadily for a long moment.

    [I''ll take that as a no,] I sigh.

    "How far off evolving are you?" I ask Brilliant.

    "I''m level neen!" she informs me from her position as a harpoon in Tiny''s grip.

    One more monster and we can retreat back to the city.

 Chapter 732 845 - Too Many New Toys

    <h4>Chapter 732 Chapter 845 - Too Many New Toys </h4>

    It''s a good thing I have so many minds now, since I have so many new things to y with. Barrier magic is another defensive tool in the box and I''m quite keen to prioritise it. With my reaction speed and increasing magical prowess, I bet I can throw down shields in the blink of an eye, putting them where and when I need them before my opponents can even react. I don''t think it would be much of a stretch to say that I''m attached to my life in this world, a heck of a lot more than I was to the one before, so I''m invested in being not dead. The more methods I can deploy to ensure I remain in a living state, the better in my opinion.

    But then, I also need to pick which of the four new magics I''m going to grind up in order to get ess to the next level of magic. I''m quite tempted by metal and wood both, but I think I''m going to have to go with force. It sounds way too useful to turn down. I mean, kic energy, on tap? The only limiting factor is mana and my ability to wield it!

    Selection made, I put half of my mind constructs to work practicing the necessary construct to produce the required form of mana. As is tradition, the construct is a pain within a pain wrapped in an ache and garnished with a kick to the noggin. None of these damn things are easy, but then again I suppose converting mystical energy from one form into another isn''t exactly an easy task. Despite theplexity,pared to the omni-elemental construct it''s basically a walk in the park. I have every confidence I''ll be able to put it together in a few hours and then I can start ying about with it.

    As we make our way back to the city of Roklu, havingpleted our immediate tasks, I take some time to experiment with something else I''ve not investigated as deeply as I should. My mandibles are specifically mutated to ept mana and produce effects based on the type that I use. I had a lot of fun infusing them with gravity mana back in the day, but more often than not my opponents these days have too much mass for me to properly yank them. I think I phrased that correctly¡­

    Basically, using the gravity mandibles is a lot more situational than it was before, since they don''t have the desired effect on things that are too massive. If I had more gravity mana to pour in, then perhaps I could get it to work as it did before, but I''m limited since I only have what is avable in my organ and can''t make more for myself. However, since I mastered the basic elements and learned omni-elemental magic, I now have ready ess to every type of basic elemental mana, including the fusions!

    Which means a whole host of different types of mana I can infuse into my mandibles that I haven''t really tried yet! I''m not expecting anything world shattering, but it''ll be nice to see what kind of effects I can produce. As we march back to the city, following the winding tunnels as they twist and turn back to thervae flooded ins, I use my omni-elemental construct to flood my mandibles with every type of mana I can create and chomp on various things, rocks, the odd demon, to see what happens each time.

    The mandibles respond incredibly well to the mana as I pour it in, drinking it up like some sort of mega-sponge. Continuing to mutate them down this line has clearly increased the strength of the effect that is produced but also increased the ability of the mandibles to take and hold the energy that I give it. I have to throw in a ridiculous amount of mana before they start to feel ''full'' and the abilities that they grant are quite startling when fully charged.

    For starters, water mana. To my surprise, the feeling I get from infusing this energy into my mandibles is one of cutting, and when I chomp down on a rock the mana floods out in a rush as tiny, concentrated sts of water emerge from the spiked tips of my mandibles. When I withdraw my jaws and inspect the rock I find the pressurised water has drilled holes deep into the stone. Nasty! This might help me crack tough defences in a pinch! I''m impressed.

    Fire mana I''ve tested before, essentially super heating my mandibles, though I don''t really feel it, thank goodness, and sizzling whatever I bite. I''m a fan. Not much use in the third stratum, but I still think it''s a strong effect.

    Air mana is a bit of a weird one, simr to gravity in a way. Once fully charged, when I open my mandibles wide the air in front of me is sucked away, dragging whatever happens to be in front of me forward as the air rushes towards me to fill the void. The range is much less than the pull gravitational mana gives me, but this effect is targeted on an individual in the same way. Anything in front of me will be dragged forward, unless they are strong enough or properly prepared to resist the sudden drag.

    I wasn''t sure what to expect with earth mana. I mean, it was always going to be an unusual effect, but what I got was surprising and pleasing. The sense of peace and fulfilment that washed over me was immense and when I turned to the tunnel wall and began to dig, the earth just melted away beneath my mandibles. Bliss. True peace.

    Ice mana was much as expected, when I bit a stone the mana flooded into it and even in these boiling temperatures the damn thing started to freeze, rapidly cooling to the point that frost started to form on the surface. Of course, mixing temperatures like this isn''t particrly healthy for a rock and the damn thing cracked right in my face.

    Blue fire was much the same as normal fire, except hotter.

    Gas magic was subtly different from air magic. Whereas air magic created a vacuum in front of my jaws which dragged things in front of me forward, gas magic created a rush of air inward towards where I was biting, effectively locking in ce the target of my ire, unless of course they were strong enough to resist the inrushing atmosphere.

    Stone took the previous levels of ease of digging to all new heights, earth and stone positively crumbling away whenever my mandibles got even close to them, the mana leaching out and into the rock, dissolving it from within. This could be useful for the carvers¡­

 Chapter 733 The Reborn City

    <h4>Chapter 733 The Reborn City </h4>

    When we returned to Roklu and made our way up the te on which the city was built, the changes that had taken ce were clear to see. Not ones to mess around, the Colony had clearly gotten to work to an extent that left the remaining local residents'' heads spinning. Around the central pir, the carvers had clearly decided ''forget this'' and just gone ahead and built an ant hill circling the base. What had once been Grokus''pound was now an elegant tower of stone and dirt, already disying borate carvings and intricate arrangements on the outside as the more artistic workers set to their business.

    The rest of the city was rebuilt, sturdier and neater than before. No longer quite as tangled a mess as it had been, the Colony had imposed some degree of order on the demons without going all the way and tearing down their warrenspletely. Thousands and thousands of ants are still in residence, watching in all directions, building, scouting, shifting resources from above and bringing them down into the city. The elevator they constructed is rather impressive, no doubt about that. The ingenuity of the Colony knows no bounds.

    Of course, once we are settled it''s time for Brilliant to evolve.

    "Hop to it!" I tell her. "Make sure you think carefully about your choices, don''t make any dumb decisions. You really can''t afford to waste your evolutionary energy."

    "I know that," she grumbles. "It''s just that I''m so tempted to choose everything I see."

    "That curiosity is likely to get you killed one of these days," I scold her. "Obviously you can''t pick everything. Be sensible about it."

    "Fine."

    I carefully watch her until I''m convinced she''s deep into the menus and thus too distracted by the System and the process of evolving to worry about what is happening in the real world.

    [Chuck her in the mouth, Invidia, she can evolve in there while we go about our business. Mind you, if she gets toorge for you to hold make sure you let me know and spit her out.]

    [Very weellll.]

    A few momentster the little ant is gone, vanished into a pocket dimension whilst the rest of us continue our tour of the city. It isn''t long before we bump into some old friends.

    [Sarah! I didn''t expect to see you down here!]

    We spot the big bear helping a few carvers by shifting some heavy stone blocks with not inconsiderable strength.

    [Oh, Anthony! Wee back! I thought I couldn''t keep beingzy and shoulde down here and help. I might have thought twice if I''d realised how hot it would be.]

    [I can see that Smithant got a hold of you too,] I flip an antenna toward the rings of metal that adorn her limbs.

    She pulls a face.

    [This is nothing. You should see the full armour set. No, these pieces are just for helping keep me cool. It''s not great having fur down here!]

    I bet. I walk over to her and give her a pat on the back with one leg.

    [Just be careful with yourself alright? You''ll be a big help in the fighting against the tier seven and six opponents we have to deal with here, but if it gets too much for you, make sure you back out before it bes overwhelming.]

    There are shes of pain in her eyes as she recalls the near disaster she experienced thest time the Colony was under siege.

    [Don''t worry,] she assures me, [I''ll be careful.]

    We chat for a little while before she remembers to tell me that Granin and crew hade down looking for me so I bid her farewell and let her get back to building, which in turn got the carvers to stop using us of beingzy, and went looking for the golgari. I eventually find them resting just outside the anthill in a smallpound that appeared to have been constructed for them to reside in. The Colony is nothing if not amodating!

    [Granin you old fogey!] I greet him jovially. [Torrina, looking wonderful as always. Corun, wonderful to see you!]

    [Very funny,] the old shaper grunts. [It''s great to see your big insect mug as well.]

    [Is that any way to talk to a future Ancient?] I chortle.

    He peers at me.

    [Bing an Ancient is noughing matter,] he says, [you''re talking about bing one of the most powerful entities on the entire. Or are you telling me you''ve actually decided to do this old rock a favour and make it your goal.]

    [Hell no. I''m just trying to support my family and make it to my next evolution in one piece.]

    He rolls his eyes and nces at Torrina and Corun who are both radiating a noticeable level of ''I told you so'' energy. It''s interesting to me that the three golgari give off much stronger gravitational waves than one would expect given their size. I suppose the ore they cover themselves in isn''t just for show after all, but even taking that into ount, I feel like their bodies underneath that rock and metal are more dense than I might have expected. The golgari are rumoured to be naturally very strong, I suppose that''s no joke.

    [Oh, by the by, I''ve been ying around with a few new things. Check this out!]

    I infuse stone mana into my mandibles and wave them threateningly in the shaper''s direction and to my surprise, he reacts, leaping back from me with a scowl on his face.

    [What the hell is that!? My danger senses are going crazy!]

    [You have danger senses?]

    [Never mind that!]

    I can''t help but give him an odd look.

    [I infused my mandibles with stone mana. I tested it on the way over, helps me cut through rock like it''s not even there,] I exin.

    He shivers.

    [No wonder. Made me feel like my skin was about to peel off. The golgari fought monsters with a simr power a long time ago. Stone Mantis. Except they infused the des on their arms rather than their mandibles. We ended up driving them to extinction because of how threatening they were to our people.]

    [Didn''t mean to stress you out,] I apologise, [I just thought it would be funny.]

    [Don''t worry about it Anthony,] Corunughs, [It was plenty funny for us!]

    Granin shoots them a dirty look.

    [Enough of this. How is progress toward your next evolution?]

    [Give me a break! I only just evolved! You think experience rains down from the sky?]

    [No,] he frowns, [but it''s still risky for you to be down here as a tier six. Tier seven demons are no joke, as I think you''ve found.]

    [I don''t know,] I shrug, [we managed to handle Grokus alright.]

    [This is what I was worried about,] the big shaper harrumphs and even Torrina looks a little disappointed.

    [We heard about that fight,] she says, [and from what we understand you were almost eaten from the inside out despite having your opponent surrounded and outnumbered. If it weren''t for your strange gravity spell, you would have lost for sure.]

    I mean, they aren''t wrong.

    [And that big moron was Excess Demon. Not exactly the most fearedbatant you can encounter down here,] Granin says.

    [What is?] I ask, curious.

    [There are a few tier six demons who are straight up designed for killing. ughter demons are among the worst, but they aren''t alone. Wrath demons are a pain to deal with, de demons, let''s not forget torture demons, those are a literal pain to deal with.]

    It''s almost humorous how quickly the shaper can fall into a lecturing tone. The guy was born to be a teacher.

    [None of those sounds pleasant. We had a tier seven war demon down here as well.]

    [Those are massively dangerous. Don''t forget that the one you ran into was only recently evolved, they can get far more deadly than that. At the tier seven level? Pride demons can evolve into Vain demons or Emperor demons, both of which are far more threatening than the tier six variant. ughter demons usually evolve into Massacre demons, which are as bad as they sound. de demons can be sher demons or sometimes Violence demons, those are particrly nasty. At tier six you can find blood demons which can evolve into bone demons. If you see one of those, I want you to get the hell away from it.]

    That is unusually serious.

    [What, why? What do they do?]

    He tells me.

    [Understood. I shall never go near them!] I vow within my mind and simultaneously within my soul.

    That''s just nasty!

    [Keep pushing for your next evolution,] Granin advises me seriously. [Tier seven monsters are the real threats on this stratum and as a first stratum monster you are far below them. Your next evolution will give you two or more resets that can not only level the ying field, but push you past them with good choices. I won''t feel confident for you down here until you reach that point.]

 Chapter 734 A Spoonful of Sugar

    <h4>Chapter 734 A Spoonful of Sugar </h4>

    Enid looked down at her tea with a slight smile on her face. Not only had the ants secured a source of truly delightful tea leaves, they had also managed to procure sugar, goodness knows from where. In the same manner in which they tackled every issue, namely head on, they had begun cultivation and experimentation of the substance the moment they had the free resources to do so. One would have assumed that the ants would care little for such frivolous items, instead concentrating their efforts in other directions, yet she had visited the tea ntations herself, seen the vast amount of energy they put into the care of their leaves.

    The Colony truly didn''t believe in outsourcingbour. The idea of having someone else grow the leaves and then purchasing them seemed almost alien to their insect minds. To be fair,bour wasn''t exactly something they were short of, but she could only imagine how frustrating she would have found to deal with these monsters as a merchant. The second you found something they wanted to buy, you also created apetitor, because no sooner did they purchase it than they started trying to make or grow it! Two weekster they would turn around and start selling your own merchandise back to you, and probably at a higher quality than you yourself had been able to obtain!

    Infuriating.

    The tea fields couldn''t be described as vast, but they were certainly extensive, and now with the sugar ntation added alongside them, they almost extended over an entire expanse, with further expansion nned. Not only had her own people in Renewal be addicted to the pleasant vour and delightful sweetness, but so had Rylleh and an increasing number of the ants themselves, most particrly the Queens. And if the Queens wanted something, they were going to get it.

    "Mayor, are you ready?" the calm voice of her secretary reached her through the door.

    "Yes, Terrence. I''ll be there in a moment."

    With a groan she forced her old bones to move and forced herself up out of her chair. She''d been feeling her age more keenly than ever over thest few weeks, ever since the siege had ended, but she had long gotten used to forcing the niggles and aches that gued the elderly to the back of her mind. She gathered her things and regretfully left the plush andfortable lodgings the Colony had provided for her in the nest behind. They''d even installed heating sigils that kept the room at afortable temperature at all times! Such an extravagant use of valuable cores was something only the royalty and noble ss would dare contemte in Liria before the wave, and now she was able to enjoy it.

    Once she opened the door she was greeted by the warm and cheerful face of Terrence, hertest secretary. He''d been a scribe in the capital before the destruction, a skill he was now able to put to good use in the service of the survivors.

    "How are you today, Ms Mayor?" he asked politely.

    "I''m fine," she groused, "stop harassing me. You''re worse than a grandchild."

    The middle aged man just smiled as he fell into step beside her.

    "There are a few things that demand your attention today," he said, "but I presume we are heading to the hospital first?"

    "Of course."

    "Right you are then, mayor. Good thing I scheduled your appointment with the Rylleh merchants for the afternoon."

    Enid groaned.

    "What do those crusty old bats want this time?"

    "They have approached the Colony about the possibility of imposing copyrightw. I understand there are quite a few enterprising merchants who are already prepared to lodge ims."

    "And the Colony, having no idea what on Pangera they were on about, asked for me to sort it out," she grunted.

    "That is most likely the case."

    "I assume they want to im the copyright on basically everything under the sun, since the Colony''s legal system, such as it is, is detached from everyone else''s, thus nothing is currently protected intellectual property."

    "There has already been a imid on the wheel, Ms Mayor."

    "Damn vultures," she muttered as she rolled her eyes, "I suppose this is how they''re hoping to stop the ants frompeting with them, by having the Colony agree that it would be illegal to do so."

    Terrence didn''t say anything in response, but they both knew she was right. Competing with the Colony was an exercise in futility, since they had an essentially limitless workforce that wasn''t paid for. This was hardly the first time that Enid had been tasked with hammering out the details of trade between the Colony and the societies that lived around them and likely wouldn''t be thest. So far, the wily old trader had proven to be more than a match for the greedy merchants who''d seen her as an easy mark. Though having an army of thousands upon thousands of monsters backing her up didn''t hurt any.

    When they arrived at the hospital that had been set aside for the non-insect members of the nest Enid wasted no time in stepping forward tofort the injured and sick. A kind word here, a held hand there, she lifted the spirits of her people with her mere presence and seeing the gratitude on the faces Terrence couldn''t help but feel his deep gratitude to this old woman strengthen. She worked so hard for them when by all rights she should be retired and resting in afortable chair.

    "There are quite a few with mana sickness¡­" she fretted after she finished chatting with a soldier whoy infirm in hisfortable bed.

    He nodded.

    "The assault on the third stratum hit quite a few harder than was anticipated. We think the mana levels were still elevated since the end of thest wave and the conditioning program wasn''t enough to make up the difference. Every non-monster has been evacuated from that stratum for the time being until the Colony is confident that those who wish to join them have sufficiently adapted."

    "They are pushing too hard."

    Terrence raised a brow.

    "The Colony?"

    "No," Enid snapped, "our people! I have no doubt the council didn''t even ask if people would participate in the assault. They would have just incorporated the ones that showed up! It takes time to adjust to the mana levels in the deeperyers. In some cases, a long time. Rushing is only going to get good people killed."

    "I feel some of our people want to follow the Colony wherever they go," Terrence observed softly, "like a child toddling after a parent. They don''t want to be left behind."

    "They don''t have to be left behind, but they have to be patient. The ants are monsters, they don''t suffer from mana-sickness, but we do! How many of our people have already be too adapted to the Dungeon? How many can no longer walk on the surface without pain?"

    "Hundreds at least."

    It was something her husband had struggled through many times, the pain that came with delving deep and then rising back up. If not for her, he would have lived deeper in the Dungeon and thus spared himself a great deal of suffering relimating to the low mana conditions of the surface whenever he finished a job. It was taxing, and could have long term effects. If he hadn''t been as tough as mountain bones then he likely would never have been able to do it.

    "Perhaps I should talk with the Colony about establishing a program to help people limate to differing mana levels. Make it easier for those who want to return to the surface¡­"

    "I actually had word through a contact that they''ve already started work on that. They''ve created a few mana deprivation chambers close to the nest. They''ve peeled back the Dungeon veins and opened the rooms for our use. I meant to tell you yesterday."

    Enid could only shake her head.

    "Damn ants," she muttered, "they spoil us too much."

 Chapter 735 Offense Is Best

    <h4>Chapter 735 Offense Is Best </h4>

    While the hatchling is sleeping through her tier four evolution, the rest of us take a break to strategize a little with Granin and co before we rest. Sometimes it''s easy to forget that the others need a break a lot sooner than I do, at least, whenever I''m within range of the Colony. There''s just something about never getting tired that seeps into your subconscious, before too long you start thinking of fatigue as abnormal. While everyone else is getting some shut eye, I keep my minds spinning, working hard on practicing new constructs and weaving spells. The grind train is on and it don''t stop for nobody!

    If the demons think I''m going to rest on myurels they''ve got another thinging.

    Still, talking to Granin and the others provides a much more sober evaluation of where we sit in the power scales. Despite having risen so far, there is so long to go.

    [That''s the way of it in the Dungeon,] the old Shaper shrugs, [until you get all the way to the middle, there''s always going to be something stronger than you are. The only time you can really feel safe is when you''re the highest tier in a particr stratum and there isn''t a wave going on.]

    [The way things have beentely, there''ll be another wave before too long,] I grump.

    He nods.

    [That''s true. There haven''t been two waves this close together in recorded history, and the ambient mana level is still elevated. Some of the more anxious members of the cult feared that this might indicate the cataclysm woulde again. I wasn''t inclined to believe them then, but now I''m not so certain.]

    [The cataclysm? You mean the Rending?]

    [Right. You''d probably describe it as ''not a good time''. Which sums it up. If we are indeed trending on that path, then the mana level will continue to rise higher and higher, with wave after wave until the energy bes so fierce that the Ancients will rise from the centre of the world and consume the surface once again.]

    [That¡­ sounds bad. Aren''t you supposed to worship these guys or something? Yet you think they''re going toe up here and eat all of us!? What the heck is the point of that?!]

    Wouldn''t it make more sense to be actively working against the ancients rather than with them? Granin just shrugs whilst Torrina and Corun stand to the side, equally unfussed.

    [First of all, we don''t really worship the great worm. The ancients are close to gods in a lot of ways, beings capable of ripping the world apart if they so choose, but they are monsters. Our cult and the others around the world understand that the ancients follow their nature. They seek growth, as all creatures in this world do. It''s not like we can be mad at them for taking experience and Biomass when they get the chance. If any delver had the chance to stab an ancient through the brain while they slept, you think they wouldn''t take it?]

    [I guess not¡­]

    Seems a little unsporting though¡­ Mind you, I would definitely do it if I had the chance. I''m a monster, so manners aren''t expected. I''d likely get enough experience to go straight to tier eight or something. Not to mention the Biomass¡­ or the core!

    [Hang on a minute. If that actually happens, and they rise again, then won''t all of us be killed? Like, the entire Colony?]

    [Maybe. Unless you can hide from them or fight them off, then yes, they would likely eat you. Or the flood of absurdly powerful monsters from the deeper strata would do the job.]

    I slump.

    [The only answer is to keep getting stronger, right?]

    [Right,] Granin grins.

    [This isn''t news to you, Anthony,] Torrina tells me gently, [if you wanted the Colony to thrive, you were always going to have to keep growing.]

    [I get that, but I didn''t realised there was an ancient level threat on the horizon!]

    [I wouldn''t stress too much in the short term,] Corun encourages me, [it''s a big ''if'' that what Granin is suggesting will even happen. The Cataclysm has only happened once, and nobody was alive in the Dungeon at that point, so nobody has any idea what the conditions that led to the Rending even were.]

    [Weren''t the Sophos down here at that time?]

    The younger mage pulls a face.

    [Getting the Sophos to say anything is hard, let alone spill their secrets.]

    [They''ve been more than weing to me¡­]

    [Maybe because you''re a monster,] he shrugs, [they might sympathise with a sentient reborn as a monster. If you find them again, maybe you can ask.]

    After chatting and discussing my magic progression with them, the shapers retire to get some rest and I check in with the Colony leadership to make sure the n is progressing as it should. Despite everything falling into ce, I can''t help but feel a little disturbed. The ancients might rise? Demons I can deal with, if only barely. The Legion I was able to deal with, if only barely. Gigantic mega-monsters rising from the depths? I''m not confident.

    I have to take everything Granin says with a slight pinch of salt. He''s a cultist himself after all and he''s readily admitted that he wants me to rise to that level, be the twentieth ancient¡­ for whatever reason. Come to think of it, why is it so important that there be twenty humungo monsters lurking in the centre of this world? Is it supposed to achieve something? Do the civilisations on Pangera just hate odd numbers? I''ve never actually managed to get the triad to admit what they actually get out of making me reach the peak of monsterhood¡­

    Practicing spinning barriers while I wait for the evolution toplete, I''m finding it more difficult to handle than I expected. My low Skill level is obviously an issue, but more than that I think I''d underestimated how difficult it is to form these things due to how easy Invidia makes it look. Grabbing hold of mana in the air, pressing it down, weaving and shaping it into a physical barrier takes time and a considerable amount of mental effort, especially since I''m working with mana that is external to my body. At the moment, dedicating three mind constructs to the process, they can form a barrier in around five seconds. That''s clearly way too slow, but the Skill is still only rank two. I''ve been told over and over again that Skills below rank five aren''t really worth mentioning. More practice required!

    My experiments with force magic have continued apace and I''m happy with how they''re going. The bulk of my mind constructs are dedicated to this branch of magic and I''m trying to rise through the levels as quickly as possible. I''ve raised it to the second rank already, but I''ll need properbat practice to elerate its growth faster. At the moment the pushes, pulls and other forces I can control aren''t nearly strong enough to be useful. I mean, sending out a force bolt is like whacking someone in the face with an invisible rock, except I have a spell that throws a rock, and it''s cheaper in energy, easier to cast and is more effective! I may as well just throw a rock!

    More levels are needed for this magic to reveal its true potential.

 Chapter 736 Hatchling Hatches â€¦ Again

    <h4>Chapter 736 Hatchling Hatches ¡­ Again </h4>

    It didn''t take much longer for the hatchling toplete her evolution. The jump from tier three to four isn''t nearly asrge as that of four to five. I imagine that my next evolution is going to put me out ofmission for days, perhaps as long as a week! That does make me wonder about the further evolutions. Will going from tier nine to ten take a year? What about the ancients? If they evolve from where they are now, will they end up sleeping for a thousand years or something? Absurd!

    When Invidia notices that Brilliant has begun to stir in her System-induced slumber he immediately lets me know and spits the little ant out onto the surface. Her size hasn''t increased that much, which means she''s continued to invest in almost purely mental stats, pretty much as I expected her to. In fact, she''s probably still smaller than carvers, mages and core shapers at this tier, making her the smallest tier four ant in the Colony. I don''t know what she spent her evolutionary energy on, but it sure as hell wasn''t to beef up her physical form! When I''d initially created the different castes, I''d been sure to give at least a little boost to their Might and Toughness to make them a bit more durable. Dying is not the desired oue for any of us!

    It appears as though the hatchling hasn''t put as much thought into that. She looks so flimsy I could probably break her carapace with one leg! If she''s going to remain at this size then she''s going to be easy pickings for the kinds of opponents that we face here in the third stratum. Surely she came up with a few alternative methods to protect her own life? Actually, considering the attitudes within the Colony, that''s far from a guarantee.

    After ten minutes of gradual movement, Brilliant eventually springs up to standing and greets us.

    "Ah! Hello senior! I hope you weren''t waiting long."

    "I can already tell that you''d hoped I wouldn''t be waiting when you woke up so you could sneak away and explore on your own."

    "How?!"

    "You''re as clear as ss to me hatchling! How''d the evolution go? Manage to pick up something useful?"

    "Definitely! I''m getting closer to being able to peel back all of the secrets of this world! Soon enough, nothing will be able to hide from me!"

    "Really? What did you end up going with?"

    "Muahahaha! Take a look and see!"

    "Wait a second, did you just evilugh? I''m the only one who is allowed to evilugh!"

    "It''s not an evilugh! It''s an ominous chuckle! Not even remotely the same."

    "Fair enough¡­"

    Activating core shaping with one antenna pressed lightly against the hatchling''s head I take a peek at her status.

    Name: Brilliant

    Level: 1 (Special) IV

    Might: 40

    Toughness: 40

    Cunning: 80

    Will: 65

    HP: 80/80

    MP: 0/110

    Skills:

    Advanced Digging (II) Level 8; Acid Shot (II) Level 2; Expert Grip (III) Level 7; Crushing Bite (II) Level 5; Rapid Dash (III) Level 7; Exo-Skeleton Defence (I) Level 2; Advanced Stamina (II) Level 7; Mana Moulding (IV) Level 12; Finer External Mana Maniption (IV) Level 2;

    Mutations:

    Energy Reactive Exoskeleton +15; Vampiric Mandibles +15; Potent Gripping Legs +15; Mana Weave Eyes +15; Mana Sensitive Antennae +15; Melting Acid nd +15; Diverse Pheromone Language nd +15; Heightened Mana Core Lattice +15; Prating Dungeon Oracle +15; Dimensional Eye; Energy Stone;

    Species: Omni - Seer (Formica)

    Skill points: 21

    Biomass: 24

    The heck is this?!

    "Did you spend all of your energy on sensory organs? The dimensional eye and energy stone?"

    "I did! I also increased my mental stats. The things I can see right now are incredible! My sensitivity to mana is unbelievable!"

    For an ant that always wanted to see everything for herself, I shouldn''t be too surprised that she decided to go in this direction. She''ll never be content until she''s ferreted out every piece of information, every hidden secret for herself. Not satisfied with her current level of sensory information, despite having ess to some level of information from the Dungeon itself, she had broadened her options. The dimensional eye in particr is a rather potent organ and likely the main benefit of her current species. Combined with the energy stone, she was now able to detect fluctuations of energy across dimensional boundaries! Nothing could remain hidden from her sight!

    "In fact, I can sense energy flowing toward you, senior. And it''sing from me!"

    What?!

    "Don''t worry about that!" I cut her off. "As long as you are happy with your choices, I''m satisfied. I can see you''ve been diligently practicing the foundational Skills of magic as well. Great work!"

    Despite only having the one brain, Brilliant has shown incredible growth with her handling of internal and external mana. This further confirms my suspicion that she has a powerful natural predilection for these Skills.

    "You''ll need to start working on an elemental Skill before too long in order to work your way up the tiers," I instruct her. "Try a few different choices and see which ones you like. I wouldn''t stress too much about which ones you pick, y with all if you want, but be wary of how you spend your Skill points."

    I take a few minutes to instruct her on the upgrades and fusions avable at the entry level of magic before bringing everyone else into the conversation.

    [Alright then, with Brilliant finished with her evolution, it''s time to move to the next phase. Are you ready to go on the offensive?]

    Tiny nods and flexes eagerly.

    [Good! Time to head over to Orpule and see what the next addition to the Colony''s territory is going to look like!]

    I''m no good sitting around here on my backside! The Colony is more than capable of fortifying and defending the city without me. Vibrant should already be out there causing chaos, time for me to make my approach as well! Our main strategy has never been to sit back and wait for the enemy toe to us. Since the ''rules'' of demonbat allow us to attack during this timing window, we shall! Of course, we can''t assault the city itself until the set date, but we can do a lot of other things. When they see what we have nned, the demons of Orpule won''t dare put a toe out of their homes.

    After dering as much to my pets and the hatchling, we zoom off! The Colony has already been kind enough to establish a lift from the city to the ground, mainly to shift materials in and out of the city without having to climb the pir holding them in a pair of mandibles, but it serves equally well in order to send a group of heavy monsters down. And I do mean heavy, since Sarah is joining us on this outing. With myself, the massive bear and Tiny standing on the tform, we are surely putting the thing through its paces. It does creak rather worryingly, but we make it to the bottom just fine in the end.

    [Let''s go everyone! Time to cause some ruckus.]

    I love it when I get permission for this.

 Chapter 737 Movement

    <h4>Chapter 737 Movement </h4>

    The shadow falls like clouds, like rain;

    Creeping dread begins to stain;

    Shudder the heart, freeze the brain;

    Ring out theughter, again and again;

    Call of you lover, daughter, son;

    Sinks into your ears, your will undone;

    Forward you step, your soul is wrung;

    Cannot resist, Gon hase;

    Who can defy that fateful call?

    Who can escape the shadows pall?

    Forward you go, heedless to stall;

    Into the depths to meet the fall;

    Lament the brave and pity the meek;

    None can flee the song of the freak;

    ¡¤ Rinnidan children''s rhyme.

    There was a time that Titus had thought his daughter would never return to the Legion, that the untimely death of his son had robbed him of both his children. Now that he''d been reunited with Morrelia and she had integrated into the Legionem Abyssi a part of him that had long been dead was once again full of life. Not that anyone could tell looking at his face, of course, to the world atrge he appeared as stone faced and duty bound as ever. Ever since Morrelia had been selected for elerated development his pride had almost been ready to burst out of his chest. It would seem odd to most people, but watching her earnestly work herself to the bone in order to achieve her ambitions had filled him with powerful emotions. He had dearly wished his son had survived his initiation, so he could have seen both of his children rise to the challenge presented to them.

    With a slow release of breath he pushed out the grief that rose within him as his thoughts dwelt on what had been lost. It had grown easier to bear over the years, but only a little. His acute awareness of how fleeting joy could be only made his current appreciation for his daughter all the more potent.

    With a wrench of will Titus dragged his mind away from Morrelia and back to the numerous papers scattered across his desk. Administrative work was the backbone of the Legion, and though he would rather charge into a horde of demons without armour on, themander would do his duty and defeat the enemy that rested on the t surface before him. Once more focused on his task, Titus took hold of his pen, dipped it in the waiting ink and returned to battle.

    Resupplying his new Legion after the members had been recalled from their postings during the wave was a monumental task. Thousands of soldiers and thousands more auxiliaries needed to be ounted for, equipped, fed, billeted and kept happy. Promotions, training, Skill development, ss upgrades, managing morale, all of it demanded the careful attention of themander in charge and Titus knew just how important each of these were to the sessful running of a military force. This was the sort of discipline that the Legion drummed into their officers! It was also something Morrelia would need to learn¡­

    "Damn it!" Titus crashed his fist down on the table as his thoughts strayed once more.

    "Something wrong,mander?" Aurillia burst through the door, his oldrade looked around the room as if expecting to see a lurking monster!

    Themander didn''t lose his temper. He just didn''t! For him to yell like that, something must be seriously wrong! As she nced back to the face of her old friend and superior, she froze when she saw the hard lines of his expression. Though he always looked carved from granite, right now themander appeared as if he was forged from Abyssal Iron! Knowing him for as long as she had, Aurillia could tell he was furious!

    "What''s wrong, Titus?" she demanded, using his name in a breach of protocol. "Is something bothering you?"

    Unlike most officers of his Legion, she was prepared to face his wrath if the moment demanded it. After a long moment where he took hold of his temper, Titus breathed out his tension once more, his expression softening imperceptibly as he did so.

    "Nothing is the matter. I''m just irritated and finding it difficult to concentrate," he admitted as he waved a hand towards the piles of forms and applications in front of him.

    "Thinking about your daughter out working hard in the Dungeon?" she grinned. "I know how proud you must be."

    Titus frowned.

    "Of course I''m proud, but that doesn''t mean I want to hear gossiping amongst the ranks."

    "Gossiping? About little Morrelia who we trained when she was a youngss? Why would we?" the old tribune innocently spread her hands.

    "Hmph," Titus snorted.

    "I have to admit to you Titus, a few of us are concerned about the pace she is setting. Overwork is a real issue and she is clearly pushing up against the boundary," Aurillia grew serious as sheid out her concerns. "We''ve seen her stumbling into camp once every few days, covered in ichor and half dead on her feet. She spends so much time in the field they are rotating three squads to apany her. She''s doing three times the work of a normal legionary! You can''t be alright with this."

    Titus didn''t blink.

    "What did she say?" he said.

    "That it was her decision and the rest of us should leave off," the tribune grunted.

    "There it is."

    "You can''t be serious, Titus! This is your daughter we''re talking about, don''t tell me that you aren''t concerned!"

    He was concerned, but that didn''t mean he got to overrule Morrelia''s choices. Or the Legion''s.

    "You never went through the advanced officer''s training Aurillia," he told her, looking her straight in the eye, "you don''t know what it takes to seed at that level. If she worked any less, she wouldn''t have a chance of making it through."

    "This much is insane! She could die!"

    "It''s her decision," Titus stated, his tone hard as steel. "I will support her choices. She understands the risks and is willing to shoulder them. I will hear no more of this matter!"

    The tone of his voice brooked no discussion and his loyal tribune knew when she could push no further. Aurillia was far from happy with how hard Morrelia was being pushed, but she swallowed her objections for now. Seeing his officer no longer intended to question him on this matter, he moved the conversation to other topics.

    "Has the scouting report on the progress of the ant colonye back?"

    "Yes," she forced her mind to move on to the business at hand. "Our sources in the third stratum have made contact with the Church. Apparently a demon city fell to an invasion of ants from above only recently."

    "Which city?"

    "Roklu."

    Titus frowned.

    "I''m not aware of that one."

    "It''s a rtively minor city directly beneath where we fought the ants."

    "So they dropped straight down into the vacuum. Is the territory around there contested?"

    "It is, there are various powers at work in the area, including the Kaarmodo. We expect to hear more feedback in theing weeks as the ants seek to expand their influence."

    Themander leaned back in his chair and pondered for a moment.

    "We spooked them," he said.

    "That is what our strategists believe also," Aurillia confirmed, "the ants are seeking to aggressively expand in order to stave off further extermination forces. The intervention of other actors has alsoplicated the scene."

    The tree and the folk. Neither of them friends of the Legion.

    "We may have to wait until the ants manage to pull another enemy down on themselves" Titus grunted. "The Legion doesn''t have the manpower right now to stamp out these insects now that they''ve spread. There are fires all over the ce that need putting down, especially down below."

    "I''ll keep you informed sir."

 Chapter 738 Ambition

    <h4>Chapter 738 Ambition </h4>

    When Morrelia awoke her entire body was screaming in pain. This extent of muscle soreness wasn''t something she''d experienced many times in her life, even in the worst of her training sessions as a trainee legionary. She grit her teeth and forced herself to rise, forcing her protesting limbs to yield to her will, the pain she shoved down deep into her chest and fed it to the fire that constantly burned there. She''d known that hell awaited her if she chose this direction and she wasn''t going to shy away from it now that she felt the sting of her decisions.

    A ssh of cold water followed by a vigorous scrubbing to ensure no grime, blood or ichor remained on her skin before sheunched into an hour long session of stretches and exercises designed to prepare her for the next excursion into the third stratum. It was agonising and she whimpered in pain more than once, but she grit her teeth and followed through to the end. Another ssh of cold water to wipe away the sweat and then into her leather armour. Breakfast had been delivered to her tent and she scoffed it down quickly, her body desperate for energy and sustenance. The baptism the Legion had put her through meant she didn''t need to eat as much as a regr person, the mana that burned in her veins made sure of that, but the brutal regime she was putting herself through meant that her muscles craved calories and proteins.

    When Morrelia finally emerged from her tent, she already radiated the intense focus one would expect from a warrior in the field. She managed only a few strides before a familiar face settled in beside her.

    "Myrrin," she greeted her friend without breaking stride. "Haven''t seen you for a little while. How''ve you been?"

    "Busy!" the younger womanughed as she lengthened her stride to match that of the berserker. "Since reforming your father has had the entire legion put through its paces! The drills are endless!"

    "Nothing wrong with sharpening the de before battle."

    "I just got back from battling the wave! I''m plenty sharp!"

    "Where were you stationed?" Morrelia finally turned her head to take in her friend, curious to see what had changed.

    Though she''dpleted her initiation before Morrelia had, Myrrin was younger by several years. Being introduced to full membership had forced her to rapidly grow up however. There had been a hardening in the carefree young girl that she could remember signing up to be a trainee back in Liria. It was the same transformation that hit all of them in time, the soft edges buffed out to be reced by sterner stuff. Battling the Dungeon wasn''t an upation for the meek, only the strongest could survive.

    "I was in the second stratum, close to Yerryn," Myrrin pulled a face, "I''ve seen enough of shadow beasts tost several lifetimes."

    "I hear that," Morrelia chuckled.

    The two of them continued to stride through the camp at a brisk pace, saluting any superiors they came across but not bothering to stop. Their relentless pace puzzled the ranger until she was forced to ask.

    "What''s the rush, Morr? I hear they have you on some rough schedule, but you only got back yesterday!"

    "And it''s time to get back at it," she said, her face hard.

    Myrrin''s mouth dropped.

    "You can''t be serious! I''ve been told thousands of times how dangerous it is to overexpose to the Dungeon! You need to take a break."

    There hadn''t been any breaks for weeks. Morrelia didn''t pause in her stride.

    "This is my decision. I need to push if I''m going to seed in my goals and that means killing monsters and polishing my Skills. I don''t have the luxury of holding back, I need to make up for lost time."

    The other elites within the Legion didn''t walk away from service like she had, they''d been battling ever since they''d passed their initiation alongside their brothers and sisters. If she wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with them, if she wanted to rise above them, then Morrelia had no choice but to run herself ragged, despite the risks.

    "I don''t understand what''s going on here, Morr," Myrrin grabbed hold of her friend''s arm and dug in her heels, finally seeding in stopping the other woman. "Talk to me."

    A sh of irritation flickered through the berserker''s mind before she suppressed it. She sighed and gestured for the two of them to sit down in a quiet area of the camp.

    "I''m not trying to brush you off, but I really do have a patrol I need to meet up with soon, so I''m going to be quick," she exined. "I''ve been pushed forward to participate in a training program for officers and deep Dungeon Legionem Abyssi. During the wave I was basically part of an elerated development program where they had me fighting pretty much around the clock."

    "And you still are," Myrrin pointed out.

    "I still am," she confirmed. "That''srgely because of the path I chose to pursue. During myst ss promotion my fatherid out several different ways I could progress. Heavy armour, berserker or try to develop leadership skills toplement what I already have."

    "And what did you pick?"

    "All of them," Morrelia grinned.

    Her friend stared back at her for a long moment before she startedughing and shook her head.

    "That''s just like you Morr. Your appetite is bigger than your stomach!"

    "Can you me me? If you had a chance at wearing praetorian armour you wouldn''t take it?"

    "So why not just choose to follow the heavy armour route?"

    She shrugged.

    "I didn''t want to leave my Berserker ss in the dust, it''s been with me my whole life. It''s part of who I am."

    "Alright then, so why bother trying to incorporate leadership Skills?" Myrrin said, exasperated. "Aren''t you just making things difficult for the heck of it?"

    Morrelia rolled her eyes.

    "I''m not exactly enjoying this schedule. I''m in pain constantly, tired constantly, on edge constantly. It''s rough. But I decided it wasn''t enough to just be a killer for the Legion. I wanted to be a leader for the Legion. I want to have a say in when and where I fight. I want to know that I''m picking the right battles."

    With so many opponents to face, she didn''t want to see the Legion wasting lives throwing themselves against the Colony any more. It would be a long time before she was qualified to make decisions like that, but she didn''t want to ept that she would never have that authority. Their enemies were too great for them to be wasting energy any further.

    "So from what you''re saying, you''ve basically picked the most difficult path you could possibly have picked?"

    "That''s right," Morrelia sighed as she pushed herself up from her seated position. "Obviously not the smartest decision I could have made, but it was the only one I felt I could be happy with. The reason I''m going on so many patrols is to quickly level through my leadership ss and polish the apanying Skills as fast as possible. This way I''ll be ready to transition to something that canbine all of my strengths. At the very least, I''ll be qualified to learn all that they have to teach me."

    She reached down and helped pull the younger legionary to her feet before they once more resumed their march to the armoury. Morrelia needed to get her Abyssal armour on before she could head back out into the Dungeon and she had intended to use the little time she''d had left to give it a thorough inspection. If Myrrin helped, they could look over the suit and she''d only be a few minuteste. Going out into the field without making sure of your equipment was a cardinal sin within the Legion.

    However, as the two young woman made their way to the imposing and well defended building in the heart of the camp they found a small delegation waiting for them. Without any discussion, a uniformed centurion stepped forward and addressed them.

    "Is one of you Legionary Morrelia Faronicus?"

    "That''s me," she saluted, her fist crashing into her heart.

    The officer nodded.

    "Your deployment has changed. Pack your gear and meet us here in an hour."

    "Yes, sir!" Morrelia saluted again before she turned on her heel and ran back toward her tent as fast as she could.

    Myrrin watched it happen with a dazed expression before she turned back to the centurion.

    "Where is she going? If you don''t mind me asking, sir."

    The armoured man flicked a nce at her and she couldn''t help but feel as if her entire service record had been summed up by this person in that moment.

    "She''s going deeper. That''s all you need to know, Legionary."

 Chapter 739 Running Rings About the Place

    <h4>Chapter 739 Running Rings About the ce </h4>

    "Have you seriously been running this entire time?"

    "Yep-Yep! I don''t feel right unless my legs are moving. You feel the same, yeah? You have to move! Standing still is like dying, I can''t stand it! Being still is just - "

    "Enough! No matter how fast you talk, I don''t have enough time to sit around and get chattered to death!"

    I shake my head slowly. Vibrant has been evolving into more and more of a speed demon to the point where it''s getting hard to interact with her in a normal way. When every inch of her has been mutated with speed in mind, including her brain, it''s only to be expected I suppose. It just goes to show how extreme a monster can get if they allow one aspect or concept topletely take over their evolutionary path. I have no idea how fast she''ll get before she''s done, but I imagine it''s going to be pretty damn fast. If she keeps going like this all the way to tier eight or something, I doubt most monsters would even be able to see her. Especially since her Dash Skill reached rank six.

    "So, you''ve done your job then? No reinforcements have reached the city, none have left?"

    "That''s right! I''ve been sure to check that no demons have been able to climb up the pir and none have climbed down! No prob!"

    "What about those flying disc things? Have any of those left, any of them arrived?"

    "Oh sure-sure! Heaps! But there''s nothing I can do about those, right?"

    "No, there isn''t. You were supposed to keep track of where they went and where they came from though¡­"

    "Whoops! Haha! I forgot about that!"

    "Vibrant!"

    "If you don''t mind me breaking in, Eldest, I have kept track of the information that you are asking about," a nearby general spoke up.

    "Yay! Thanks Emilia. I know I could count on you to keep track of this stuff. I don''t have the patience, or the time. Hah! Isn''t that hrious, you''d think I''d have more time than anyone due to being so fast but I''m always thinking about going fast or running which means that I guess I''m always going fast either in my brain or with my legs or both! I suppose I''m just not thinking about anything that''s all that important. Ha! Hey Crin-Crin!"

    The dazzling rush of machine gun pheromones from Vibrant finally subsides when Crinis extends a few tentacles to start tickling and poking the big soldier and the two are rapidly caught up in a game of tag with Vibrant vanishing from my sight as she dashes from ce to ce as Crinis pops tentacles up through shadows created by the ever-present demonrvae.

    "So you''ve been tracking theings and goings?"

    "That''s right, Eldest. I have all of our observations recorded on a scent tablet as well."

    "Good work general," I approve, "any particr point of interest? Any one location where more discs have gone than others?"

    "I think so," she wavers her antennae a little to show uncertainty. "The traffic seems rather spread and we aren''t sure if Orpule is dispersing forces that will converge on our city closer to the date or if they''re gathering allies."

    "They could just be hunting," I suggest, "squeezing out some extra levels before the conflict."

    "This is also true."

    "Alright then, show me what you have recorded, and I''ll have a quick think."

    She gestures to a nearby soldier who is carrying packs slung over her back, one of which contains the tablet. After drawing it out, I flick my antennae across the surface rapidly. There''s been quite a bit of movement from the city, looks like they aren''t willing to sit back and wait for us, which is fine. The more forces they send out of the city, the more we can hunt them down before the time runs out. Battling in the field is perfectly eptable ording to their traditions, so there''s no foul. Gweheheheh.

    They''ve sent groups out on discs in pretty much every direction, but slightly more to the west. It''s possible they have a staging ground of some kind out that way, or perhaps the best hunting grounds are found over there.

    "Okay then, we have a destination. I''m going to head west. Keep up the good work general!"

    [Come on Crinis, time to go.]

    [Yes, Master¡­]

    [I''ll make sure you get time to y with Vibrant after this assault on Orpule is done. I know you two haven''t gotten to see each other much.]

    [Thank you Master!]

    The two of them are friends from way back. I can still remember mini-Crinis and hatchling Vibrant getting up to hijinks. It''s a shame that they don''t get to hang out more. In fact, this is one of the few times that Crinis has shown a willingness to do something other than what I''ve told her to do, which I definitely need to encourage! Tiny is a bit more likely to act independent, but when he does it''s only to fight, eat or sleep¡­ which I don''t feel like I need to encourage at all.

    [Time to hit the road gang.]

    [There are no roads here,] Al points out.

    [It''s an expression. I just mean, it''s time for us to run.]

    [I will not be running. I have no legs.]

    [I know that! Let''s just get going!]

    Getting our legs moving, or wings, or however the heck Al moves, we rush onwards in our chosen direction, leaving Orpule behind us in the distance. The vast ins of Leng open up, with the endless carpet of demons rolling out before us.

    [You have any idea what they might be looking for out this way, Al?] I ask the ming eye.

    [I cannot be sure. My knowledge of the area around Orpule is¡­cking.]

    And it''s bugging him, I can tell.

    [Well, maybe you''ll learn something on this trip.]

    As we run, we make sure we annihte any tier four or above demon wee across, falling upon the hapless monsters with ruthless aggression, absorbing the experience and consuming the Biomass. Despite being lower tier than me, it''s clear that demons provide more Biomass than prey from the second stratum did. With the stomach mutations that I have, I get a reasonable ie from just picking on tier fours. Quite the side benefit.

    As we travel the remarkable terrain of the third stratum continues to roll by. It''s not as if the ins arepletely t, don''t let me give that impression, there are huge pirs and mounds of stone the thrust upwards a mighty way without evering close to touching the roof. These too are covered in demons, the constantly shifting surface almost makes them seem alive.

    After a solid hour of travel, we find ourselves poised in front of another cleft in the ground, one that emits heat like a boiling cauldron.

    [Not another demon crack!? I bet they''ve gotten down there again, haven''t they? Creeping around in the tunnels filled with powerful demons and ghosts. Gah!]

    [You''ve been down one of theses before?] Sarah asks as she eyes the opening in the ground with a wary eye. [And did you say ghosts?]

    [They are not ''ghosts'',] Al huffs, [they are ghasts. The lingering obsession of demons that has fused with ambient mana.]

    [So that''s a ghost,] Sarah and I say at the same time.

    I sigh.

    [Well Sarah, we''re going to be putting your enchanted cooling system to the test. Things get a little spicy down there. And by spicy, I mean boiling hot.]

    The giant bear droops.

    [Probably beats all this running,] she says. [I''m not built for endurance. Let''s just get to it.]

 Chapter 740 Thereâ€™s a bear in there

    <h4>Chapter 740 There''s a bear in there </h4>

    "GRRRRRRRRRR. GARRRRR!"

    With another stone shattering roar, Sarah brings the full weight of her body behind a vicious sh of her right forepaw, rending the sorry ghast that had risen in front of her to pieces. Far from her valiant and intimidating voice, her thoughts are rather less impressive.

    [AHHHHH! I hate these damn things!]

    I can totally sympathise.

    [It''s the way they float right? Sends shivers down my spine.]

    [And the look in their eyes! It''s so freaky!]

    She''s not wrong. The ghasts are beyond even regr demons when ites to their obsession. Normally the obsessions drive the behaviour of the denizens of the third stratum, but for the ghasts, there is literally nothing else. They are a maddened ball of living energy that contains a single thought, which makes them a little¡­ manic.

    [Good experience though,] I note. [Even if they don''t leave behind any Biomass.]

    It''s an interesting dichotomy, the rtively rich reward in xp as opposed to the totalck of food they leave behind. Since their bodies consist entirely of mana, it''s not like there is anything that could be eaten anyway.

    Which leads me down an interesting line of thought. I mean, isn''t my body made of mana? And every other monster for that matter? Born from the Dungeon, it''s not like we were created from anything else. You could make an argument that I came from the Queen who had to sacrifice Biomass to create my egg, but then I could just turn around and say, where did the Queene from then? She came from mana. I suppose the Dungeon must create the Biomass that makes up our bodies out of mana, meaning they are two distinct substances. I wonder if it''s possible to learn that. Is it possible to learn a mana speciality that will transform the pure energy of the Dungeon directly into Biomass?

    That would be pretty nuts if you could do it¡­ You''d be able to create monsters at will. Maybe the reverse is also possible, turning Biomass into mana. If it''s possible at all, I''m sure it''s some high tier nonsense, nothing that I could touch at my current level. I need to keep my mind upied with the types of magic that I do have ess too. Namely, force magic. As we make our way through the tunnels, I rely on this branch of spell exclusively, which limits my input to the fighting but sure as heck contributes to levelling it faster. I''ve already managed to raise it to rank three which is helping to unleash a tiny portion of the mana type''s potential.

    Force bolt!

    This basic spell snaps out of ball of pure kic energy. When it hits something, they react much the same as if they''ve been punched. The more mana I pack into it, the harder they get punched. Against the stronger demons, it''s basically just a tickle at this point, they shrug it off, but that certainly isn''t all the tricks that I''ve developed with this mana type. The force spear is an interesting one, the purence of kic energy acts much like a regr spear would, except its totally invisible of formed entirely out of energy. Not sharp enough to cut through a demon¡­ yet the spell is still useful for slipping damage through narrow windows. Anyone not carefully watching the mana around them could find themselves stabbed awfully fast.

    The force domain isn''t too amazing, it acts simrly to the wind domain in a way, but whereas the wind domain rather predictably creates a rotating sphere of wind, the force domain is invisible and exerts a ''push'', forcing opponents away from me. Useful to keep distance between me and other monsters, but at the level of its current strength, it''ll only really be able to force out much weaker monsters. Something like Grokus would barely notice it at all.

    Applying force mana to my mandibles is another thing entirely. The mana has no obvious or shy effect, but it does allow my jaws to close with even greater force that before, the added kic energy really mming my mandibles together with an amazing CLACK. Anything caught in between is going to be in for a bad day, especially if I activate doom chomp at the same time. Gweheheheh.

    As I continue to grind my Skills at y with different abilities the group descends further into the tunnels, trying to sniff out traces of the demons who left Orpule. Despite our best efforts, it''s actually the hatchling who manages to get a sniff of their trail first.

    "I think I have something!" she announces to me after we finished off a quick fight against some tier four demons.

    "Oh? What have you picked up?"

    "My Dungeon Oracle is picking up some strange whispers. Give me a minute."

    "How does that thing even work? Does Gandalf talk to you or something?"

    "Stop stinking the ce up! I''m trying to think."

    How rude¡­

    "Some tier six demons came through this ce. They were headed¡­ that way!"

    "How many?"

    "I¡­ I can''t be sure. More than five."

    "Hmmm."

    We need to be careful. If we assume that in our previous encounters with demons, they were taking us lightly, as Al suggested, then we can''t act as if every fight against a group of tier sixes is going to end up as an easy stomp. If they take us seriously, then things should be much more difficult than before. Tier sixes are capable of all sorts of shenanigans after all, I should know! This is why we brought Sarah along, also so she get some experience fighting against third stratum opponents.

    "So, how does the Dungeon Oracle work anyway?"

    Brilliant hesitates.

    "It''s¡­ a little hard to exin. It''s kind of like a whisper, straight into my mind. I ''hear'' little snippets of information, or I sense things that might have happened in the past. Usually all of pertaining to monsters who were spawned or move through the area, or about the flow and movement of mana."

    "Strange," I muse. "So, you get a little window into the past? But only in the realm of information that the Dungeon itself can provide?"

    "In a way. I don''t fully understand it yet myself."

    "Aright. We''ll proceed as if your information is correct. Keep your¡­ ear¡­ to the ground but don''t get too far forward. You''re still eminently squishable to monsters around here, so don''t do anything stupid."

    We advance carefully, following the directions of Brilliant and on the way, I try to word Sarah up on what we''re in for.

    [So, just to be aware, demons are freaking crazy.]

    [Anthony, I''ve been alive in the Dungeon longer than you have. A lot longer. I''m sure it''s going to be fine.]

    [I know! I know. You''re the senior in terms of experience in this world¡­]

    Even if she spent a lot of her life in captivity.

    [¡­ but just be aware that the demons are a little more¡­ out there that the shadow beasts. Tier six demons are sentient remember? It''s a different sort of battle.]

    The big bear stumbles for a moment before she recovers her footing.

    [I almost forgot about that,] she says. [They are intelligent, aren''t they?]

    [I mean¡­ I''m not sure I''d say intelligent¡­ but they can think for themselves¡­]

 Chapter 741 I Spy a Spy

    <h4>Chapter 741 I Spy a Spy </h4>

    As we move through the narrow and boiling hot tunnels we start to see evidence of the demons'' passage in the form of littered Biomass and visible signs of damage on the walls. w marks, deep gouges in the stone and even scorches along the floor, not an easy feat in thisva filled ce. Whoever we''re tracking must be packing some heat, in the literal sense.

    [Tiny! Try to keep it down!]

    "Harrr?!"

    [Shhh you damn ape! We''re trying to be sneaky right now!]

    "Ooooorrrr."

    Despite having the stealth abilities of a mack truck that''s been loaded on a train, Tiny does seem to understand my point and stops randomly punching the walls whenever he gets bored. Having inspected his core, I know he followed the directions I gave him pre-evolution and ensured that he remained at the level of Cunning that I insisted he not fall below, but I swear to Gandalf he acts even dumber than that when he can get away with it.

    It''s as if he would rather be stupid so he just shuts of enough brain to achieve the desired level of dumb. Next evolution I''m going to insist he set his Cunning to fifty! He can discuss philosophy instead of punching walls all the time! Hah!

    "Down this branch. I don''t think we''re that far behind them," Brilliant tells us.

    "Great work. Keep your head down for the next bit, I don''t want you getting caught up in the fighting."

    [Brilliant says we aren''t far behind them now, so we should be ready to fight at any moment. Anyone in particr want to go in first?]

    Tiny''s hand shoots up.

    [Anyone else?]

    Despite wearing armour, I still don''t want Tiny to throw himself in the line of fire. He''s not a tank and he never will be. The only real candidates for going in first are me or¡­

    [I don''t mind,] Sarah says. [I-I guess there''s no better way to get used to fighting demons than to throw myself into it, right?]

    [Well said, Sarah! Not to worry, we''ll all be here to back you up. You aren''t going in alone.]

    [Thanks.]

    [Tiny and I will make up the second wave, with Invidia and Crinis running support. Al, you hang back and keep an eye on the hatchling, we''ll reserve you for our trump card in case the fight goes bad.]

    [I will watch the little one.]

    I have a thought.

    [When I say watch the hatchling, I also want you to make sure she doesn''t get hurt. It''s more than just looking at her.]

    [I see.]

    After some more creeping, we finally get a bead on the targets. The first sense to trip is actually my antennae. The monsters don''t necessarily emit that much gravity, but even those tiny fields are enough to set my senses a tingling.

    [I can feel them. Two hundred metres, maybe less. Keep an eye out Crinis.]

    [I will!]

    A few minutester.

    [I see them! Seven demons! Some of them are quite strong¡­]

    [Alright, we should be able to handle that many. Invidia and Al, help me suppress our mana signatures. We should be able to sneak up on them, at least a little closer.]

    Dampening mana and preventing it from being seen at a distance is a highly technical and difficult process. My own Skill sin this department aren''t great, and Invidia''s are only a little better despite his greater brain power. Al on the other hand, is a freaking expert. The guy spends most of his life floating aboutpletely undetectable to everyone around him. If I hadn''t repeatedly stressed how unnerving and creepy it is having him pop out of thin air all the time, he''d probably be invisible right now.

    With the three of us working together, we manage to dim the glow of ourbined cores to a significant degree, allowing us to sneak even closer to the group of Orpule demons. After we poke our noses around a tight bend, we manage toy eyes on them for the first time.

    [Al!] I mentally hiss. [Take a peak and tell what sort of demons you see. I want to know if there are any exceptionally dangerous types.]

    The floating eyeball flickers and vanishes before (I assume) he wanders to the edge of the tunnel and has a look around the corner.

    [There is a pride demon who I assume is the leader of this group¡­]

    [Why always pride demons?]

    They seem utterly ipetent to me. Overconfidence and arrogance are quite literally their defining features!

    [They are one of the few types of demon who cares about leadership. Most others cannot be bothered with it.]

    [That¡­ makes a lot of sense.]

    [There are two ughter demons in the group, along with a blood demon. There is also an envy demon and a grudge demon.]

    [A grudge demon? I don''t think I''ve seen one of those before.]

    [They are not verymon, but they are immensely difficult to kill. I do not believe we will be able to manage it.]

    [Are you kidding?! Aren''t you tier seven?!]

    [In this instance I must draw the line between defeating a demon and killing it. The grudge demon will not be hard to defeat, but we will not kill it. It will escape, and grow stronger as we feed its nature.]

    [You mean, it''ll have a grudge against us?]

    [Yes.]

    [Well that''s just great. And wait, did you say an envy demon?]

    I turn to Invidia.

    [Looks like we found one your people! How do you feel about that?]

    [I will takesssss everything from them!]

    [Yeah¡­ Yeah I suppose that''s about right.]

    It''s wrong to think that demons of the same variety feel any kind of kinship with each other. They aren''t ''ns'' or ''siblings'' in any way. To be honest, having multiple entities who are chasing the same obsession is probably a inconvenience to a demon. If you''ve got two ughter demons working together, that''s literally halving the amount of ughter that they get to enjoy!

    Maybe enjoy is not the right word¡­

    [There''s one more, right? What else we got.]

    [Thest is an excess demon.]

    [Isn''t that what Grokus evolved from?]

    [Correct.]

 Chapter 742 Sarah Meets her Demons

    <h4>Chapter 742 Sarah Meets her Demons </h4>

    With a mighty bellow Sarah burst around the corner with myself and Tiny right on her four heels. The demons responded quickly, the two closest, both of the ughter demons, turned towards us in a sh, transforming themselves into a spinning whirlwind of death before I could blink. I should rify that I mean very fast there, some human idioms will take longer than others to go away.

    Behind them the more spell oriented of their group get to work, the grudge and envy demon putting their minds to work with a level of force I can feel even from here. Not that Sarah minds. Armour or not, she barrels forward with the unstoppable momentum of a freight train, her paws thudding into the ground so hard it shakes. A product of the first stratum she might be, but she is still an absolute unit and I think the demons are just as susceptible to being ttened by a ten ton bear as anything else I''ve ever fought. It''s clear from the outset that our opponents have been warned about us. Sarah mighte as a surprise, but a giant ant, a couple of demons and a big ol'' monkey aren''t exactly difficult to spot.

    With how close we managed to get to our targets the mad charge is over in seconds and Sarah crashes into the demon''s ranks like a tsunami of furry muscle. The ughter demons are nimble and lithe, nothing like the chubby or bulky sort of demon I''ve seen a lot of. From looking at them one could be forgiven for making the assumption that ny percent of their bodies is some sort of de, but that would be nonsense, the true percentagees closer to sixty percent, or so I''m told.

    They slide around Sarah''s charge, attempting to dig into her nk as she barrels past them but Tiny and I don''t let them, rushing to meet them head on. Agile as a fish they change tack halfway through their strikes and divert them towards us. I rely on my foresight and heightened reflexes to catch the de on the perfect angle of my carapace, deflecting much of the force of the blow before I bring my mandibles to bear, already having infused them with force magic.

    Despite my wless defence, the red-stained des of the ughter demon are unbelievably sharp and still manage to remove a small chunk of my diamond carapace. These guys are proper deadly. My force empowered mandibles snap forward with devastating force crunching together with a piercing sound that rings through the tunnel but unfortunately they close on empty air, the demon having danced backwards out of my reach.

    Tiny''s approach is a little different than mine and I can''t really say if he does better or worse. Carrying all his momentum forward he leaps, unfurling his wings and beating them down in one great thrust to give himself as much speed as possible he hurls through the air like a furry bullet. Rather than fend off the demon''s strike, he simply sticks an arm out and allows his opponent to cut halfway through it, the ughter demon disying consummate skill by avoiding the forearm guards and prating deep into the flesh. Except that Tiny cares little for the wound, a wild grin spreads on his face as the de of his foe bes stuck on his impossibly tough bones. Light shes across my eyes as Tiny unleashes his coiled right arm, delivering a devastating punch straight to the chops of the demon, sending the creature flying backwards.

    Did he manage tond a punch? Yes. Is his left arm totally useless? Also yes.

    Sarah continues her forward press, her jaws snapping and front ws shing at anything that gets close enough. Already I can feel the rage building in her as a number of minor wounds are inflicted, her anger is like a physical presence with its own rhythmic heartbeat, one that can be heard thundering through the air as she fights. Behind us Al and Invidia put their minds to the test, pitting their force of will against our opponents who are trying to force the mana around us to yield only to them. Invidia is also kind enough to fling some healing magic at Tiny, hopefully enough to close over the wounds.

    The front of the fight quickly devolves into the traditional monster versus monster gnashing and shing but the demons are craftier than most opponents. Sarah''s offensive finally runs into a wall in the form of the blood demon, a horrific looking entity who appears to be half red liquid and half roiling demon-flesh. The creature burbles and hisses as its body literally boils, mming itself into the bear and sizzling her skin and muscle, further enraging the savage bear who begins to sh and tear blindly, hoping to rend the fluidic monster in front of her.

    The ughter demon in front of me is as difficult a foe, its body and mind appear heavily mutated to be nimble, its limbs bend at impossible angles as it flings out des like whips. I push forward, relying on my foresight and reflexes to protect me as I pepper it with spells. Force magic isn''t strong enough to do the job that I need it to, the hard skin and condensed muscles of the third stratum monsters is way too tough for the pure bolts of kic energy to do much, but I have plenty of other tricks up my sleeve. What''s interesting about the ughter demons is that they don''t have all that much mass.

    With a lurch of my minds I dump the force magic from my mandibles and pump them full of gravity mana whilst peppering the monster with a series of ice spears. It slices through them with ease but the distraction buys enough time to fully charge my jaws as I lock them in ce.

    YOINK!

    DOOM CHOMP!

    Strong as an ox with a great weights routine, the ughter demon reacts with crity, forcing its ws into the walls and digging in with its des to prevent it falling into my mandibles, but so long as it can''t dodge backwards, there''s no escape. With a shattering crunch the dark mandibles of energy m shut on my foe.

    COMBO!

    Once I have the wiggling little blighter in my grip I refuse to let it go, my jaws pump open and shut at a rapid pace, blurring the edges of the mandibles in my vision.

    "HARRRRRR!"

    Wreathed in lightning, Tiny bounds forward to aid Sarah against the blood demon as his initial opponent recovers from the devastating right cross to the face it experienced at the start of the fight. Unwilling to allow its ally to be outnumbered, the pride demon steps forward, its noble physique a sharp contrast to the nightmarish frames of its allies. Before he can get too far, Crinis makes her move.

    In a sh the light is sucked out of the tunnel and a dense forest of limbs begins to extend from the walls and out of mid-air. Twisting and seeking, they stretch toward the demons, phasing out of physical existence as she tries to grasp their minds and limbs.

    The demons counter immediately. Before my eyes the darkness shatters and a dense ball of roiling blood winks into existence before it begins to expand. Over the span of a second the blood demons pours an immense amount of mana into it before tying off the spell and unleashing it on us. The moment it does so a tidal wave of frothing red liquid explodes outwards, turning the tunnel into a raging flood ground in an instant.

    With almost no time to prepare my brains spin on overdrive. As Tiny unleashes every ounce of lightning mana within his body into the oing tide, my minds grind outva magic and I weave faster than I ever thought I could. A counter wave of molten rock is formed, rising up in front of Sarah just before the blood hits and the tunnel is seared as a st of red steam and super-heated liquid sprays across everyone.

    When the mist clears the tunnel is an absolute mess, pools of blood and hissing ckva are everywhere. Standing in the middle of it all is a gigantic bear. And she is mad.

 Chapter 743 Asura Bear

    <h4>Chapter 743 Asura Bear </h4>

    In that brief window of stillness, as Sarah stood soaking and burned in the tunnel, the demons heard something that they wouldter wish they had never had the misfortune to hear. It started as a low growl in the back of the great bear''s throat, a rumble that shuddered through the air and rattled against my carapace. But it didn''t stop there, it quickly grew in volume and intensity until it became an endless bellow of rage and madness that drowned out every other sound.

    Her ws and teeth glittering with a violent red energy, Sarah''s aura rises in intensity until I feel as though it''s trying to press me against the wall. She did not want to be caught in the middle of the blood andva collision and her temper is ring something fierce.

    If I can sense it, then the demons certainly can as well. There''s a certain wariness to their movements now as they prepare themselves to continue the fight, but I don''t think they''re ready for what''sing. The envy and grudge demons are still locked in a battle of mental supremacy with Al and Invidia. The grudge demon is a rather hideous sight. Almost like a billowing cloud of menace and ill will surrounding a hunched, grim looking entity. Despite what Allocrix had to say, it doesn''t appear all that difficult to destroy, but I''ll have to take his word for it.

    In an attempt to block our path and protect the more vulnerable members of its group, the greed demon finally steps forward. I can see the traces of Grokus in its shape and form, although not nearly as corpulent it still has a significant amount of pure mass. Perhaps it will be able to stand its ground in front of an enraged Sarah.

    "GAUUUUUUUUU!"

    Or not. Her anger having reached its peak, the bearshed out fiercely, carving red gouges through the air before rending the blood demon straight through the middle. Her sess only emboldens her as Sarah starts to charge forward, straight into the waiting arms of the greed demon. The tworge monsters sh with enormous force, but Sarah doesn''t take a backward step as she snarls and snaps at the corpulent demon with her teeth.

    [Let''s go Tiny! Follow up behind Sarah!]

    With his arm partially healed Tiny is ready to go once more, the lightning flickering around his frame again as he readies his fists. My minds spin at a dizzying pace as I try to work out the best n of attack, feeling out the situation with all of my senses as I charge. Despite being literally split in twain, the blood demon isn''t out for the count yet, its strange half fluid half flesh body already in the process of drawing itself back together as it shes out towards Sarah. We can''t have that happening! The omni-elemental construct spins and whirls within my mind, the manyyered sphere churning out mana as my mind constructs cooperate to make the thing dance.

    A searing jet of blue me erupts from in front of my mandibles, torching the blood demon and sizzling it even as it tries to regather itself.

    [Tiny! Give it heaps!]

    Without needing more encouragement, the big ape leaps forward, both arms raised above his head before he brings them down in a shattering impact that rattles the floor, discharging the lightning he built up straight into the weakened demon. If it''s still kicking, then it sure isn''t going to be doing anything to harm us anytime soon. The envy and grudge demons at the back are growing ever more frustrated in their attempts to gather mana and weave their spells, the suppression of the two brainy beings behind me has been too much for them to ovee so far, but a deep flickering green light within the winged eyeball tingles my danger senses more than a little.

    Without hesitation, I dash forward, my legs firing and my brains zing as I spin together a series of condensed force bolts over the course of a second. I run an arc around Sarah who continues to savage and bully the greed demon in front of her, with the big thing holding its ground so far. As I draw closer I infuse my body with Will energy, using the Vestibule to fuel my strength before I ce my six legs carefully and time my Skill activations to fire a triple Dash at thest possible second, unleashing my force bolts at the same moment as I Charge into the demon''s nk.

    Despite being a hefty demon the monster is knocked to the side as I unleash all of the force I can muster and st the thing straight into the side of the tunnel, leaving Sarah with nothing in front of her for a brief moment. The enraged bear soon fixates on the pride demon who had stepped forward to assist its now stunned ally and I swear the swagger in its step falters for a brief moment as he stares down the Asura.

    The unending roar of malevolence continues to shatter all of our ears, or send every hair along my body shaking as if I were standing in the epicentre of an earthquake in my case.

    [Tiny, deal with the fat one! Crinis! I need you to help me with the envy demon!]

    The pulsing green energy is growing stronger within that eye every moment and once charged that beam is going to do serious damage if we let it. With Sarah pulling aside the only obstacle still remaining between us I rush forward to engage the backline, my mandibles wide open and a Doom Chomp primed and ready to go. Before I can reach my target, the grudge demon leaps in front of me.

    The demon is small and surrounded by a strange gaseous cloud, its body hidden behind the ever shifting vapour. Unwilling to allow it to slow my charge I rush straight through it, mming my mandibles shut after infusing them with wind mana.

    An inrush of airpresses around the demon,pacting the gas before my jaws m shut.

    What the heck?! It''s as if I didn''t bite anything at all! I may has well have bitten steam! Directly in front of my face, the demon reforms in an instant and I feel a powerful sluggishness ovee my limbs. I think this darn thing just cursed me somehow! Dammit! I feel so weak!

    Unable to advance as quickly as I want, I watch as the envy demon continues to build its energy until the eye is gleaming bright. Desperate to avoid getting sted in the face with aser of death I spin together a host of force bolts,unching them at the side of the eyeball just as it leaned forward to unleash the beam.

    Struck at thest second the eye swings to the side, scorching my side with immense heat before it''s directed into the wall of the tunnel. A few momentster, Sarah arrives on the scene, having already dealt with the pride demon she crashes down on the flying eye like a copsing house, putting a rapid end to the fight. I mean, the grudge demon is still here, but I have no idea how to kill it and I''m not sure how well it''ll be able to fight on its own. The next thing we have to do is work out how to calm Sarah down¡­

 Chapter 744 More huntinâ€™

    <h4>Chapter 744 More huntin'' </h4>

    [I am really sorry about that.]

    [Hey, don''t worry about it. You''ve apologised already, I''m fine, you''re fine, we''re all fine.]

    [I mean. Sure, but I still feel bad. Is there anything I can do?]

    [No, seriously, it''s already healing. There''s no issue here.]

    Calming down the rampaging Asura bear turned out to be easier than I thought. She might be an unstoppable killing machine when she gets going, but she''s still limited to the strength of her tier. Between Tiny, Crinis and myself, we manage to slow her down enough that she eventually came back to herself. I mean, I did get bitten in the process, but it''s not too bad. My legs grow back fast and I''m pretty nimble on five anyway. It was the deep grooves she managed to cut into my carapace that I found more frightening. That''s just with her jaws, imagine if she got a full swing with her ws?! Scary¡­

    Once we managed to subdue the bear and she calmed down, it was time to harvest our gains, consume the Biomass and decide what to do with the grudge demon.

    [They are an interesting type of demon,] Al remarked. [They aren''t exactly impossible to destroy, but it is extremely difficult and involves spending far more effort than is usually considered worthwhile.]

    [When I bit it I felt like I''d chomped nothing at all, then I got hit with a curse that made me feel super weak!]

    [Yes, that''s right. The grudge demon is quite weak, but if you ''destroy'' it, then you will be hit with a sapping curse that drains your strength for a time.]

    [The ultimate sacrifice y¡­]

    [Well we may as well send this creature on its way.]

    So saying, Al enveloped the little demon in a pir of me before detonating it and dispersing the grudge.

    [What the heck?!]

    [It will take some time for it to bring itself back from that. Of course, this means that I will suffer its curse for longer, but it does not affect my mental abilities so I shall be fine.]

    They may be weak, but somehow I find the grudge demon quite scary. So persistent!

    [What happens when a grudge demon evolves?]

    [Due to their low offensive power, it is supremely difficult for grudge demons to rue experience. Despite being so hard to kill, examples who have managed to reach tier seven are vanishingly rare. Should they seed though, the resulting demon is immensely powerful.]

    [Yeesh. I hope I never meet one.]

    Once we clear up the battle site we gather once more to n our next move.

    [This was only one of the hunting parties sent out from Orpule and tangling with them was no joke. That proves two things, that we were right to be cautious and that we were right to hunt them down. If the Colony has to deal with these dudes themselves then we are talking about a lot of dead ants.]

    [And these were only tier six. I can''t imagine what the tier seven demons are like,] Sarah says.

    [They''re messed up, big time,] I say, not looking at Al. [So I think our best course of action is to keep hunting through these tunnels to see if we can find any other groups and then check back in with Vibrant. We know three groups came out in this direction so I''d like to find at least one more before we leave, but we can''t be sure that they are even in these tunnels to start with.]

    [You think they might have gone elsewhere?]

    [Who knows?] I shrug with my antennae. [It''s possible that they entered the tunnels but at another point we don''t know about.]

    [How many of these groups left Orpule so far?]

    [Ten ording to the general Emilia. They''ve scattered all over the ce.]

    [It''s unlikely that we''re going to get them all.]

    [No chance. But we should make every effort to find as many as we can. We have two days before we need to regroup with the Colony so we need to move quickly.]

    [Are you able to do that, you''re missing a leg remember? Sorry about that, again.]

    [It''ll grow back in a few hours, I''ve mutated specifically for that purpose.]

    [You mutated to grow your legs back faster? How often does this happen?]

    [More often than I''d like¡­]

    I turn to Brilliant who managed to keep her head down and not run off for once during the fight.

    "You did a fantastic job helping us track these guys down. Now I need you to do it again, about ten times."

    "Ten?! You really think you''re going to be able to catch them all?"

    "Nope, but I''m going to try."

    "Fair enough," the little ant looks back and forth. "So, which way are we going to go?"

    She makes a good point, we pursued this group quite a long way.

    "Let''s head back to where we entered the tunnels, I''m guessing that if more than one group came down here then they would have split up and gone in different directions, otherwise we would have found them together."

    "Makes sense."

    I let the others know the n and we head back toward the entrance. There''s still more monsters and ghasts on the way which we make sure to put down and feed as much experience and Biomass into the hatchling as we safely can. She''s tier four now, but I''ll be a lot happier when she reaches tier five. Bringing her down here was always a risk, but it''s served a few purposes. Namely, elerating her growth, and making sure that I was able to oversee her education.

    Champion monsters, and champion ants in particr, are a little weird. The way they inspire followers and loyalty is a good thing, Vibrant and her squad have been an amazing asset to the Colony, but there''s also a risk. If a Champion was raised within the nest? With all the rest of the hatchlings? What sort of influence would she have on them? How effectively would she have absorbed the lessons of the tenders who may be inspired to follow her directions instead of their own?

    Since I''m one of the few who seems resistant to the strange charisma that''s exuded by the Champions, I''m in the best position to educate them. I''m not just trying to get Brilliant to agree with everything that I think, but I''m trying to create the space that she needs in order to develop into the ant that she wants to be. When I eventually let her loose on the Colony she''ll at least have a solid conceptual understanding of who she is and what she''s passionate about.

    I also get the opportunity to make sure that she''s not obsessed with something that''ll get all of us killed.

    [All right. This is where we entered.]

    The path branches from here in three different directions, meaning we have two possible avenues of investigation.

    "Do you sense anything, Brilliant?"

    She hesitates.

    "Nothing right now. The trail may have gone cold given how long ago they moved through here."

    So we just have to guess. Ah well.

    [This way. Let''s see what we can see.]

 Chapter 745 The Very Best

    <h4>Chapter 745 The Very Best </h4>

    The Colony was like a boulder rolling down a hill. The moment the wave ended they had exploded outwards, and their momentum had only grown as time had passed. The more they expanded, the more nests they created, the easier it was for them to continue the process. More Queens allowed more eggs to beid, which grew the workforce which meant more nests could be constructed. Only months ago the Colony which had been confined to a single nest now boasted six satellite nests with four new main nests under construction. Kilometre after kilometre of tunnel was now the imed territory of the ants, along with numerous expanses which they harvested vociferously, using every resource on hand to sate the unending hunger of the brood.

    This relentless growth made it inevitable that they would eventually encroach on the interests of another power, but Cont hoped that day was still far off. The destruction left behind by Garralosh meant that the first stratum and surface were clear of any major influence for a great distance around their main nest. The frontier kingdoms no longer existed and thus all of that empty Dungeon had be ripe for conquest. Likewise, thends to the south were abandoned wilds, deemed too bothersome to settle by the established empires of the surface. Already the Colony had cleared swathes ofnd, establishing farms, roads and prepared sites for viges and nests.

    The second stratum was more crowded, since the Colony knew that to their east the Empire of Stone simmered, still smarting from their earlier defeat. It made no sense to expand in this direction, that would only shorten the time needed for the golgari to threaten their interests. The third stratum was likely to be even more contested. Perhaps not one neighbour would object to the growth of the Colony so close to their doorstep, but two, or more. The golgari almost certainly maintained a presence on this stratum, rich with resources and hunting grounds as it was, but who else might they run into?

    This was a question that the strategists and thinkers of the Colony obsessed over daily.

    Cont had been amongst the first to consider that she and her siblings knew precious little about the factions and kingdoms of the world, potential allies and enemies all of them. This was essential knowledge that could guide their actions to the best oues possible. Who could they afford to offend? Who did they need to avoid? It was for this reason that the mages began to spearhead an effort to question and learn from as many of the people who came under their ''rule'' as possible. The refugees of Renewal and the people of Rylleh were all untapped sources of intelligence that could add the detail and colour that was socking in their picture of this world. Today the council member hade to the intelligence gathering station the Colony had established in the underground city where willing volunteers were interviewed and their information coted.

    "How goes the day''s proceedings, ountant?"

    The rather idiosyncratic ant looked up at Cont through her ridiculous and oversized sses.

    "Very well! The merchants have proven to be a wealth of information once we understood what they wanted."

    "They wanted to be paid?"

    "How did you know?"

    "They always want to be paid."

    "I¡­ suppose that''s true, isn''t it?"

    "So, what did we end up having to give them?"

    "Nothing. The faithful barricaded their homes and stores until they volunteered to talk to us."

    Cont pped her forehead with a front leg. The humans could be very enthusiastic when it came to helping the Colony, sometimes more than was necessary.

    "Make sure we give the merchants something for their time. They only recently calmed down and we don''t need them getting riled up again."

    The longer the Colony was in charge of Rylleh, the more they had learned running roughshod over everyone all the time wasn''t always the best decision. Sure, if they chose, they could dedicate the resources to locking down any whisper of dissent in the city, but why bother? They had much more important things to do! Better that the systems they put in ce and oversight they had installed keep things running smoothly. This way the ant presence within the city itself could be kept to a minimum.

    "So, what have we learned?"

    ountant pushed her sses up with one leg, a habit that caused a sh of irritation to run through the elder mage. Why the heck did she need sses anyway!? A useless non-monster fixation! In truth, the sses did in fact serve a purpose. ountant had them made in order to provide magnification since she spent such an inordinate amount of time perusing human documents in her role. The sses themselves were a work of art, hundreds of individual lenses aligned perfectly to herpound eyes to provide the necessary focus to read the tiny writing. The best part? She didn''t have to use any mutations or evolutionary energy to achieve the effect!

    "Our understanding of the trade routes and goods exchanged with the Kaarmodo to the north has grown extensively. The sand lizards are a fascinating society with a rtionship that borders on symbiotic with their attendants -"

    "But are they likely to fight us?"

    "Oh yes, absolutely. They are very territorial ording to the people we''ve spoken to. Obviously, we don''t have much by way of verifiable history here, but from what we''ve been told the Dungeon society of the Kaarmodo is amongst the oldest on Pangera."

    "Interesting. What of the Brathian?"

    "Ah, the water people. Yes. Apparently, there is a small poption of them within theke next to the former kingdom of Liria, though their main strongholds are far from here. Their presence in the third stratum is weak, for fairly obvious reasons, though we have learned that they covet territory in the fourth."

    "Any ideas on why?"

    "Nothing definite."

    "What about these so called ''old kingdoms''."

    "They are far from us right now, much further north, beyond thends imed by the Kaarmodo. I''m sure that we will run into them eventually, but so far we haven''t interacted with them in any meaningful capacity."

    "Have the people here had much to do with them?"

    ountant hesitated.

    "It would appear not. It is¡­ difficult, as I understand, for people who live on the frontier to visit the old kingdoms."

    "What about to our west?"

    "From what I understand there is some conflict to be had in that direction that remains unresolved."

    "Between who?"

    "The Kaarmodo and the Mother Tree."

    "The Bruan''chii?"

    "Indeed."

    Cont fell silent and thought for a moment. There likely wasn''t much they could do to interfere in that mess at this time, but in a few months, when the Colony had extended their reach into the third stratum and begun to extract resources from it? The tree had reached out to assist the Colony in their time of need and she would make a powerful ally.

 Chapter 746 Assault on Orpule

    <h4>Chapter 746 Assault on Orpule </h4>

    I have seen many things, dear readers, been to many wild wonderful and dangerous ces, but even I felt a moment of trepidation as we passed between the legs of a giant carved statue of an ant and the hard stone closed around us. My two guards and I had now left the world of the sun behind us and delved within the nest of the Colony. I have to admit that this is the first time in my long life that I''ve willingly plunged within a nest of monsters, though my apprehension was somewhat mollified by the smiling guide at my side and the children running before me.

    "Was that statue another depiction of the¡­ great one?" I asked my guide, Emilia, mainly to distract from my feelings of difort.

    The young woman chuckled a little before replying.

    "Although there are many, MANY depictions of the Great One, that statue is an exception."

    "Oh really?"

    "Yes. That was a memorial ced in memory of Grant, one of the first twenty ants of the Colony to be raised by the Great One, and who sacrificed her life against Garralosh, helping to bring about that monster''s defeat."

    "Sounds like quite a story."

    "Yes. I was a young girl then, but I can still remember the sounds of battle from the shelter where the children were kept. When we finally learned that it was over I almost couldn''t believe it would be possible, that this beast who had destroyed kingdoms was defeated by these ants."

    We fell into silence as we continued to walk, the path sloping downward at a steady pace before it turned to the left and began to spiral. We''d gone down perhaps a hundred metres before the tunnel opened into a wonderfully pleasant weing chamber, with human attendants,fortable chairs, thick woven rugs on the floor and core enchanted lighting along the ceiling.

    "This seems¡­ oddly luxurious," I murmured.

    "The Colony is quite spartan when ites to their own amodations, they usually don''t have rooms of their own but sleep in designated chambers with hundreds of others. When ites to their guests however, they are extremely generous. Watch."

    So saying she stepped to one of the human attendants, dressed in much the same way as my guide and entered into a brief, whispered conversation. When Emilia returned to me the other woman had left the room, but returned a few momentster holding a trayden with a teapot, cups and delightful little cakes. Such a sight warmed my heart dear readers, you can imagine how much I had missed my tea! And let me tell you that the ceramic work on the cups and pot where just spectacr. Ornate little flourishes abounded and when I leaned close I could see the flowers painted on the side sported small ants foraging amongst the petals.

    We were invited to sit in thefortable chairs and enjoy our snacks, which I did! I was halfway through the delicious cake when a realisation struck me. I turned to Emilia to see her watching me with a wide grin on her face.

    "All of it was made by the ants," she confirmed for me.

    "Even the tea?"

    "Especially the tea."

    ¡¤ Excerpt from Chapter Seven of ''Traveling Tolly in thends of the Colony'' published in the Monthly ''Pangera Gazette''

    Victor looked out at the transformed city of Roklu with satisfaction. Even now the te bristled with ants at work, carvers and soldiers doing the heavy lifting and putting the finishing touches on the new defensive works. Small forts in the shape of anthills were now dotted throughout the city, giving the ants a fallback position and safe firing tform. The pir above the city now sported simr protected hollows formed by bonding stone to the harder material of the pir itself. Any approach to the city from the air would be subject to a bombardment of spells and acid that would put even the most powerful tier six minds to the test.

    Although theycked their human allies and the potent buffs that they provided it was hoped that these home ground advantages would be enough for them to utilise the sheer weight of numbers to the fullest extent, holding off any demonic assault whilst their own offensive reaped the rewards in Orpule.

    Tens of thousands of members of the Colony remained within the city, dug into position and ready to fight at a moment''s notice. When the enemy came, they would be made to understand the folly of challenging the Colony!

    "How goes the preparations?" Advant asked, crawling up into the centralpound where the general had made herself at home.

    "Just about done. Thest few days have been hectic, but I think we''re ready."

    "There''s been plenty of work to go around," the soldier agreed, "not that I was worried we wouldn''t get it done."

    "No, everyone knows how much is riding on this. With the Eldest personally involved, everyone is more than prepared to give their all."

    "Are you going to be alright here? Will the contingencies be enough to handle a tier seven if it appears?"

    Victor shrugged her antennae.

    "You cannot engage in conflict that is totally without risk. We have done everything we can to minimise it, but an element of chance will always persist. With the information we have to hand we have made the best decisions we could. It should be enough."

    "Well I wish you all the best. If all goes well, I''ll see you when the column returns with word of our victory."

    "Yes, shouldn''t it be leaving right about now?"

    "The departure has begun. I just thought I''d check in with you before I went on my way."

    "Why thank you sister, that warms my heart."

    "You''re very wee."

    The two enjoyed a moment of silence as they looked out over the vast emptiness that surrounded the city.

    "All right. I''ll be on my way."

    "Tell the Eldest that we have things looked after on this end. Make sure they do their job properly."

    "I will."

    So saying therge soldier moved swiftly, dashing away and into the city to reach the edge of the te. Before long she had reached the outside and began the long, arduous climb down the pir along with a vast horde of her siblings. From a distance it almost appeared as if the pir were alive, covered as it was in a writhing carpet of enormous ant monsters. When they reached the floor they spread out into one enormous column hundreds of metres wide that trailed through the ins of Leng. Every ant stepped in perfect unison, thebined sound ringing throughout the stratum like a fearsome bell, like a giant knocking on the world''s door.

    Even the ever present demonrvae, rattled by the vibrations that shivered through the solid stone beneath them, moved far afield from the mighty column, revealing wide swathes of the floor to light for the first time in centuries. The ants were on the march.

 Chapter 747 Assault On Orpule pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 747 Assault On Orpule pt 2 </h4>

    It was a tired and bedraggled group that I led out of the tunnels after a few days of hunting. Trying to track down the groups of demons that had escaped from the city proved to be a massive pain in the business district, much as I expected it to. Nevertheless, when we finally made our way to the ins outside of Orpule around which Vibrant and her gang were still runningps, we returned triumphant! Seven out of ten groups sessfully annihted! It was rough going, especially toward the end when everyone (other than me) was tired, but we persevered! The destruction of these groups will surely cause some pain for the city which will soon be part of the Colony''s territory!

    Gweheheheh.

    Brilliant was instrumental in bringing about this oue, her ability to tap into the residual memory of the Dungeon itself was the only way we could track the wayward demons. As a side benefit, we''ve gotten close to pushing the hatchling to tier five in what must surely be the most rapid ascent of any ant in the history of the Colony! Another ten levels and she''ll have it! Once the battle for the city is done, getting her to evolve is going to be my highest priority! Once she reaches that stage she''ll be decently strong and I won''t have to worry about her evaporating in a puff of smoke when some demon looks at her the wrong way.

    "Hey-hey, Senior!" Vibrant greets us enthusiastically when she finally loops around the city and back to our side. "Nice to see you again! How''d things go? Good I hope! I''m sure they were good! Hello Crin-Crin! Are you ready for more tag? I sure am!"

    The machine gun of pheromones into my face is as unpleasant as ever and it''s almost a relief to encourage the eldritch horror riding on my back to go have some fun with her friend whilst the rest of us take stock for a moment.

    "How many were you able to destroy, Eldest?" the general Emilia approaches, ready to record ourtest results.

    "We managed to track down and annihte the sixth and seventh groups who deployed south. It wasn''t easy, especially since the trail had gotten so cold, but we managed it in the nick of time."

    "Another three groups were sent out since you left, which means there are six still out there."

    Dang it.

    "Well, that means the demons remaining in the city are even fewer I suppose. Keep our ws crossed that the defence will manage to hold back at Roklu. Do you suspect any tier sevens left the city?"

    "We can''t confirm it, but we believe that it''s likely. Some of the groups had fluctuating mana readings which is almost always a sign that concealment is taking ce."

    "There''s no way they sent out more than one right?!"

    "We don''t think so. The mages in our group expect that it was a decoy effort to make it harder for us to work out which disc carried the tier seven."

    "Sneaky¡­"

    [Anthony¡­ can I go sleep yet?]

    [Ah! Sarah, don''t sneak up on me like that!]

    [I''m bigger than you, how on earth can I possibly sneak? That''s not important. Sleep is important. Where are we resting?]

    [Ah, it''s over that way.]

    "I''ll be backter, I think the group is in dire need of a nap."

    It hasn''t all been runningps for Vibrant and her crew. She has all castes as members in her posse and the carvers have been busyying the groundwork for theing invasion. Two kilometres from the base of the pir that supports Orpule the staging grounds have begun to take shape, including a convenient rest area that Sarah, Tiny, Invidia, Brilliant and Al can pile into for some well-deserved snooze time. After days without rest, constantly roaming through the dangerous,va-filled tunnels, I can''t really me them for being low on energy. With my twenty bodyguards and the huge numbers of ants teeming throughout this area of the stratum, I''ve generally been fine. Vibrant''s group never left my range throughout our time on the prowl, evidence of the increased potency of my reforged Vestibule.

    If I actually took mutations to increase the range¡­ it might get pretty crazy. As it is, every time I improve the organ, the range is increased as a by-product, enough that I''m content with it.

    Speaking of mutating, I should get some more of that done while I have the chance. I''ve managed to put away enough Biomass to pay for another few upgrades and the fight tomorrow promises to be a tough one.

    I look up at the city of Orpule. Bigger than Roklu and not by a little bit, the demon city is made up of severalyers rather than just the one. I don''t know how they''ve done it, but several of the giant tes have extended out of the pir, allowing for multiple levels of buildings. Other than the primary level, the others are still much smaller, clearly in the process of expanding to reach their full size. I really do have to find out how they''ve done it, induce the pir to grow more levels. We could do with more space in Roklu, since that''s likely to be the primary staging ground for the Colony on this stratum.

    With the others settled down to rest, I make myselffortable and prepare to mutate. Before I can get started, I feel something tickling through Vestibule, a drip of Will that quickly turns into a flood. The unified determination of the invasion force wells up inside me, a powerful rise in emotion that almost drives me to my feet and sends me charging at the base of the pir on my own. I restrain myself with some effort. Tens of thousands of ants all with a singr, unified purpose are enough to have a strong effect on me, even if I guard against it. I''ll need to be careful over the next few days.

    I crawl to a higher vantage point and look out, hoping to see the arriving force. It takes a little while, my eyes still aren''t amazing at a long distance such as this, but eventually they be more than a blur on the horizon. A huge column of ants marches forward, indomitable and unyielding. Before they are anywhere near me I can already feel the vibrations of their steps through the ground. With this many members of the Colony within range, the Vestibule once more floods my body with energy as the whispered Will of my siblings pulses in my veins.

    We aren''t holding much back for this assault. Now that we''ve gained a foothold on this level, it''s imperative that we hold it. The opportunities and experience we can harvest from this stratum are the key to unlocking more tier six ants. We haven''t even begun to explore what rare resources we may be able to tap. Rather than take a backwards step, we''ve decided to use this conflict with Brixin to expand our footprint instead. Aggressively seize morend that we can then consolidate. Once we''ve secured our gains, it won''t end there. The Colony is forever growing, with an inexhaustible demand for Biomass and cores. We will push and push until something decides to push back.

    That''s when the real fun starts.

 Chapter 748 Assault on Orpule 3

    <h4>Chapter 748 Assault on Orpule 3 </h4>

    Fire iron. Magma crystals. Ash shards. Pyrestone. Along with cores of the demons themselves, these make up just a few of the precious resources that make the third stratum such a hotbed of conflict. For as long as the powers of the world have known of the demonyer, they have fought over it. Territory secured here has always been precious, especially in those areas where the mana flows thick, and the treasures are abundant. Due to a number of factors, such as the difficult of coexistence with the demons and managing the fallout of their endless battles, securing a safe holding is a constant drain on whoever should attempt to do so. The borders between the various powers are thus in a constant state of flux, rich mining grounds changing hands on a weekly basis. Though the rewards are well worth it.

    Fire iron. The precious ore can be found within the stone betweenyers, or indeed in molten pools mixed withva. Filled to the brim with fire attuned mana, the weapons forged from this material can be so hot that there are reports of them melting the armour of the foes they were used on while there were men inside it. When properly utilised, it''s even possible to forge a suit that would allow a being to dive into molten rock ande out unscathed.

    Magma crystals are far rarer. An infused form of quartz, these crystals are so dense with concentrated mana that they can spew forth a flow ofva for hours at a time without needing to be recharged. It was the Legionem Abyssi who were the first to learn how to safely carve slivers of from the gems and apply them to the tips of arrows, a trick that might have been better had it never been learned at all.

    Ash shards. A grim material that skirts the edges of the forbidden. The power of ash is a breath away from that of disintegration and annihtion. Capable of dissolving a person whole, it is by far the deadliest substance that can be mined in this stratum.

    Pyrestone is the one building material that allows a permanent structure to be formed in thend of fire and ash. Without it, putting one brick on top of another and expecting it to be there the next day would be all but impossible. Resistant to heat and seemingly immune to the degrading power of ash, even at the deeperyers where it bes more potent, Pyrestone is the bedrock of civilised existence within the world of demons.

    Excerpt from ''The third stratum: a primer'' by Mallin the educator.

    As the vast army of the Colony flowed into the area around Orpule they set to work like a well-oiled machine. Soldiers peeled off the line and started to set up patrols and a perimeter even as the carvers began construction of a vast project. It was fascinating to watch it happen, sitting up on my rock it almost reminded of looking at timpse videos of ants at work. A flurry of activity, dirt getting moved around with thousands of little bodies rushing here and there. The main difference in this instance, of course, is that every being I see is a fully sentient creature. There''s no wasted movement, no back and forth, just a clean execution of a previously agreed on n that was carefully considered.

    In ten minutes, tons of rock has been shifted, clearing the ground for what is toe. The vast field of ins around the pir that supports the ceiling so far above our heads is effectively surrounded, teams of ants having formed a living wall around the city. Still, the vast concentration of the army remains here, close to me, feverishly building in a long line that extends from my position all the way to the base of the pir. Fifty minutester and by now even the demons should have been able to work out what is happening. The beginnings of a vast rampart are taking shape the likes of which this stratum may have never seen before. Several kilometres long it will reach from the ground all the way up to the lip of the te on which the demon city sits. A truly ludicrous undertaking, but one that the Colony will attempt to execute even so. Huge trails of soldiers and scouts have formed in all directions, hauling hundreds of tons of stone every minute back to the construction site where mages and carvers broke it down and fused it into the ever-growing ramp.

    It was glorious, it was mad, and it was amazing all at once.

    This is the power of the Colony when they bring their numbers to bear. This is what forty thousand of us can do when we work together in harmony. In a year there might be a million of us, or even more. What wonders will we be able to aplish at that time? I can''t help but get shivers as I think about it.

    But now''s not the time for sitting around on my backside daydreaming! Eventually the city is going to start to retaliating, firing spells and dropping rocks on us as we build! At that time, I need to be on the frontlines, ready for action, which means I need to be mutating and resting my mind now, to ensure peak performance when the battle is at its peak!

    No longer willing to stuff around and watch others work (think of my reputation!) I rush down into the resting chamber in which my group is already slumbering and prepare to mutate. This mainly involves making sure that nobody can see me, and I''ll be protected during ''itch time''.

    With this job done, it''s time to weigh my gains. How many points to I have to work with?

    Five hundred and forty-seven. Not bad for a week''s work, especially considering the fact I''ve been sharing the food with a host of tier sixes (and a seven). It''s enough for me to take three of my organs¡­ aaaalmost four of them, from +25 to +30.

    Which of the lucky body parts will it be?

 Chapter 749 Return of my old friend

    <h4>Chapter 749 Return of my old friend </h4>

    Ah mutating. The subtle joy of making some selections within your mind and then having your body literally transform into a better and more capable version of itself. Not only is it mega-convenient, it''s super addictive. The feeling of constant improvement is just fantastic. So it''s with a giddy joy in my heart that I start perusing the menus and looking over my status, trying to decide which of my many organs and body parts needs to be upgraded next. Obviously it''s an important decision, we have a big fighting up, multiple tier seven opponents will be present in the city, so I''ll need to be at mybat peak.

    But then, what entails thebat peak? My carapace and mandibles are upgraded, that''s fantastic, obviously, but whates next in terms of offensive and defensive priority? Is it my legs? Speed is always good and they harden up a little when I mutate them, which reduces the chances of going without limbs, which has been a recurring issue. No wonder the way ants fight each other on Earth was to pull the legs off. It''s a low blow, but it''s effective as well. The weakness was the legs all along.

    So legs are an option. My regenerative ting is another strong contender. Tier seven demons are going to be able to put some serious hurt on my carapace, I''ve no doubt, so being able to absorb some of that impact and regrow my diamond covering that much faster would be a boon. But then again, there''s the mental edge. I could upgrade my brains rather substantially with this Biomass or I could improve the coordination cortex and give each of my brains a small boost that way.

    There''s always the gravitational mana nd as well, now that I think about it. A big ol'' gravity bomb is what got me out of thest fight against a tier seven alive and if I''m being honest, it''s going to be my trump card going into this one as well. Having more gravity mana on hand to throw about sure doesn''t hurt.

    Of course, improving my nervous system would also be a wise investment. I took my antennae all the way to +30st time around, so it would make a lot of sense to go ahead and improve this now so I can keep up with what my future sense is telling me.

    Gah! So many decisions!

    All right, I only get three so I might as well spread the love out rather than concentrate it in one ce. I''ll improve my coordination cortex. That''ll give each of my brains a small but noticeable boost and help me on the magical side of things. I''ll also improve the gravitational mana nd. Each improvement gives greater capacity, faster regeneration and so on, buttely I''ve been mutating it to pre-condense the mana for me and that has been a serious help in making the gravity bomb faster to cast. It might only be doing ten percent of the work I need, but it makes a huge difference in the heat of the moment. Finally, I''ll improve the inner-carapace ting.

    As good as my reflexes are, especially whenbined with my future sense, Grokus showed me that I can''t always rely on being able to dodge away, even against foes as ponderous as he was. I fully expect to take some hits in this battle and by improving the ting I''m giving myself the best possible chance to survive.

    In terms of the individual mutations, it isn''t that hard to pick out what I want from the exhaustive lists. As I stated, the condensing effect I''ve been adding to my gravitational mana nd has been great. It''s actually an idea I stole from Tiny believe it or not. He added this effect to both of his lightning mana nds a long time ago and it was only much more recently that I decided to follow suit. The carapace ting has a mix of mutations so far, aimed at improving its ability to absorb forceful blows as well as healing the carapace above. I think I''ll look at emphasising the former rather than thetter. The healing effect I get from the ting is good, but that isn''t why I purchased the organ, I purchased it to help shore up my defence against solid, concussive blows. Making sure it''s working at maximum capacity in that respect is going to be the best choice right now.

    In fact, when I next evolve, I might look at reforging the carapace ting along with the carapace. Rather than add the healing effect, I could go all in on bulking up my defence and add an additional organ or element to repair damage to the carapace on the fly. Even those diamond bugs I was offeredst time¡­ I''m not especiallyfortable with having little parasites inside my carapace, but if they can strengthen and repair it, then it''ll be a worthy trade.

    Anything to make the diamond shine brighter!

    With all of that done my upgrades look like this:

    Braced Healing Inner Carapace ting +25 -> Fortified Healing Inner Carapace ting +30;

    Unyielding Coordination Cortex +25 -> Indomitable Coordination Cortex +30;

    Compressing Unending Gravity Magic nd +25 -> Forceful Unending Gravity Magic nd +30;

    And those three upgrades are going to cost me just FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY BIOMASS. Holy moly things are getting expensive at this tier. I seriously need to prioritise mutating my stomach the next time around. I need to squeeze all the Biomass I can out of the prey I get because I need literally thousands of points to get myself to fully upgraded. This is likely the downside of adding too many different body parts and organs¡­ but it''ll be fine. As long as I spend enough time I''ll eventually get to max. Considering I need to reach level one hundred and sixty to evolve again, there''s almost no chance I reach that level cap before I finish my mutations. The sheer volume of experience required is just mind boggling. Although, knocking down a tier seven opponent is worth quite a few levels¡­ hopefully I''ll get the chance again tomorrow.

    With my selections made it''s time to put my head down and confirm my choices. I may as well let my mind get some rest whilst I''m at it. For a battle of this size, I need to be as fresh as I possibly can.

    When I feel the itch start to roll over me, I almost wee it. Then it erupts from inside my brain and I immediately hate it again.

    DAMN ITCH! WHY MUST YOU TORMENT ME!?

 Chapter 750 Assault on Orpule 5

    <h4>Chapter 750 Assault on Orpule 5 </h4>

    The defensive strategy of the Colony is a brutal one. Though they shy away from attrition warfare in principle, they have been known to engage in it when the grim calculus of war is sufficiently in their favour. If you are losing ten soldiers for every ant you kill, then that isn''t a fight that will go well for you. However,mitting meat to the grinder is often the only avenue that the damned insects will leave open for you. The records are filled with example after example of the superiority of their defensive construction. The generals have a saying: "Leave three ants on a rock for two days and you''ll find an impregnable fortress when you get back." The folly of rushing to engage the fortifications of the ants has been proven time and time again.

    Their mages are well trained and strong, adaptable and with excellent coordination. The spell barrages that would-be attackers are forced to endure are harrowing. If you manage to neutralise the mages with your own, no easy task, then you still have the literal rain of acid to deal with. Their artillery ants are capable of firing the stuff a kilometre, spraying wide areas with a mist that will strip flesh from bones if given the chance. Suppose you manage to ovee that obstacle, you advance into their fortifications, likely an anthill since that''s their favoured configuration, then what?

    A bloody grind of a battle where you are forced to assaultyer afteryer of walls, traps and pitfalls, that''s what. The ground will open up behind you to vomit out hundreds of ravenous monsters, rivers of acid will explode out of nowhere, bursting from concealed storage chambers and flowing down the hill, literally taking the feet out from under you. It''s a nightmare, but it''s not impossible. With sufficient numbers, grit and clever tactics, you can ovee this hurdle. But what have you won? The answer is nothing. You have conquered the outside of the anthill, which is nothing. All the things they want to defend are INSIDE the hill, which means the true test is yet toe.

    Fighting the ants within the tunnels of their own fortress-hills is some of the most brutal fighting I''ve ever seen in my forty-year career. I''ve witnessed veteran soldierse out of those tunnels as shivering wrecks,pletely broken from the experience. It''s dark, it''s cramped, and at any time, from any direction, a veritable horde of terrifying monsters could burst out through the walls. Fighting the ants outside is hard enough, within the narrow confines of their nests? They turn into another beast entirely.

    My official rmendation for assaulting ant fortifications is this: don''t.

    Establish ranged superiority and throw stuff at it until it crumbles into dust, then burn the dust until nothing remains but a puddle of molten rock. It takes a long time, requires a massive concentration of valuable assets, but it''s the only way that works.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from ''Report and Theory on assaulting Ant strongholds'' by Robert Stronghand.

    When I snap out of torpor, I find that the rest of my group has already abandoned me, leaving me inside the small resting chamber all on my lonesome. It''s fine though, my feelings aren''t hurt. I''m tougher than this! Dammit¡­ I need a diamond covering for my heart. I head out of the chamber to find the Colony has been anything butzy whilst I was¡­ taking a tactical nap. Construction on the ramp has continued at a vicious pace and already the mighty edifice rises high into the burning air of the third stratum.

    Seriously, there must be tens of thousands of tons of stone used to make this thing, if not more. It''s bonkers. Still, the Colony is doing it! A constant stream of construction materials flows into the site but not as many as before. As I take a look around, I can see that arge concentration of ants has been assembled toward the tip of the ramp and that some form of conflict is taking ce there. It''s already started?! I need to get moving! Flexing my legs a little I quickly dash forward, scanning around me to find the mana signatures of my crew.

    [Sarah? Tiny? Crinis? Invidia? Where are you guys?]

    At first I can''t spot them but as I run up the base of the ramp and head towards the emerging end of the massive thing I quickly recognise them up ahead. They''re already at work!

    [Guys! Why didn''t you wait for me?!]

    [Oh! Hi Anthony!] Sarah greets me. [We thought it would be best to let you sleep. You''ve been up for a long time after all.]

    [But don''t let the fighting start without me! I need to be here to help out!]

    [It''s fine. There isn''t all that much going on just yet. If things were getting too crazy we would have definitely made sure you were around.]

    She''s right. When I eventually make it to the end to find all of my pets, Sarah and Al gathered there, I realise that what I was seeing was only the initial salvos of what is sure to be a hectic battle. Right now, the distance between the edge of the te and the ramp is still hundreds of metres, too far for most monsters to harm each other, except of course, the spell slingers. Already a fiery exchange is taking ce as the demons throw literal fire and a host of ant mages, along with Invidia and Al, fire back whilst protecting the horde of workers continuing toplete the ramp.

    From Sarah''s point of view not much is happening since she can''t do anything to contribute, but there''s plenty that I can do!

    [Time to put my incredible shielding skills to good use!]

    I''ve been training for this moment! Full of confidence I rush to the front and begin to weave together some defensive barriers, putting all of my mental constructs to the purpose. Thanks to the upgraded coordination cortex, each of my brains has received an additional boost to their individual working capacity, along with their ability to cooperate, giving each construct that extra bit of oomph! Yes! Come to life my shields! Defend the Colony as they work to bring us to the peak!

    Except that my shields are shattered almost immediately¡­

    Dammit! I still haven''t grinded enough on the defensive magic! My priority has been on force magic over thest week, I haven''t had enough time to rank it up that far! From his position hovering just over my right shoulder Invidia continues to pump out enormous barriers with almost contemptuous ease. His silent judgement burns me like a hot needle.

    [You''ve been practicing this for ages! Give me a break!]

    His eye looks down on me.

    [Your Skillssss. I do notsss need themsss.]

    OOF.

    [I''m still helping anyway!]

    So my barriers aren''t that great, but I can keep spinning them and throw some ordinance up at the demons firing on us at the same time. Keeping the opponents on the back foot will reduce the heat on our workers and helpfully I''ll have enough time to rank up my barrier magic!

 Chapter 751 Assault on Orpule pt 6

    <h4>Chapter 751 Assault on Orpule pt 6 </h4>

    Sarah paced back and forth on the ramp as she strove to keep her bubbling anger from rising up. Though she put a brave face on it, she was still scared. Scared of this battle, scared of what the Colony was attempting to achieve, scared of being so high up on a ramp with no rails and scared of herself. The battle against the golgari back at the nest had taught her a lot about herself, about the kind of person she''d been when she first arrived in the Dungeon and the kind of person she was now.

    Most importantly, she''de to acknowledge that her fear was the source of her anger, not a by-product of it. Her rage was a reaction to how scared and hesitant she had been when she''d arrived in this world as a little cub, newly formed in the first stratum and forced to fight for her survival from the very first minute of her creation. It was strange how those memories remained so fresh, even now, decadester, she could still remember the terror she''d experienced during her first fight. A rat-toad had found her not five minutes after spawning, as she''d still been stumbling about the tunnel trying to understand how to move with her new legs, shocked and confused about what had happened to her and desperate to understand where she was.

    They were ambush predators, the rat-toad, and this one had been holding onto the roof waiting for prey to wander under it, which she had foolishly done. If it hadn''t been for her tough hide she might have been done for then and there. As it was, she lost a chunk out of her shoulder before she knew she was under attack, the sudden pain flooding her system with adrenaline as she''dshed out in a panic. Luck more than anything else had kept her alive through that battle, and the fear that had bloomed in her heart at that time had never left her, even to this day.

    And it never would. She wasing to ept that now, after so long. She wasn''t like Anthony, who''d somehow embraced his new life with an innocent glee that she could never hope to replicate. She didn''t belong here, in this ce, in this world, but she was trapped with no way out. So all she could do was learn to control her fear, to experience it without letting it control her. Once she achieved that, once she had it within her grasp, then she would also control the rage.

    It was there inside her now, churning away in a constant feedback loop that kept it moving, kept it growing. Rather than shy away, she leaned into it, allowed herself to feel it, to acknowledge it and in that way, slow it down without letting it die. It wasn''t time yet. Soon, but not yet.

    The air around her boiled with explosions, ice, curses and lightning as the Colony and demons waged a magic battle even as thousands of ants continued tobour on the ramp, extending it now only with earth magic, manipting the stone with their minds from a distance rather than risk precious carvers stepping into the firing line where they couldn''t protect themselves. There was nothing she could do to help at this point, nothing at all, so she paced. Paced and focused inside.

    [Come and get it you morons! Eat fireball! Wait¡­ fireballs probably suck against these guys¡­ Eat ice-explosion! Hah!]

    A constant stream of chatter came from Anthony who appeared to be having the time of his life running back and forth on the very edge of the ramp, stepping forward every time it grew as much as a centimetre and flinging spells directly into the faces of the demons. He never seemed to run out of energy, probably a mutation or organ, not that she was going to pry, she had other things to focus on.

    Every minute that passed the firestorm of magic grew more intense, spiking the fear within Sarah ever higher as she managed its rise. She wasn''t even aware of it as she paced back and forth, but a low growl had begun to resonate in her throat, vibrating through the air and growing in volume all the time. As the ramp crept closer and closer to the lip of the te, her rage grew ever more intense, a red filter fell over her vision as the Asura within began to beat with the thumping rhythm of her anger.

    It was a familiar feeling, one she had lived in fear of for so long she almost couldn''t remember a time that she didn''t, but now she did not shun it, she sought instead to ride it. Her growl rose and rose and she rose with it, riding high on a wave of boiling rage that sought to drive her consciousness away from her body but she allowed it to buffet her without relinquishing control.

    The moment the ramp finally drew close enough, she felt herself roar, unleashing her bottled emotions in one air shattering bellow before she dashed, rushing toward the edge and leaping off it. It was a bizarre feeling, as if she were a passenger within her own body, but unlike the previous times this had happened she wasn''t banished to a little corner of her own mind, a locked box where she hid herself away, instead it was as if she clung to the back of a bucking bull, except that the bull was also her.

    Within a mighty crash, shended on to the te right in the face of a mighty horde of demons who immediately turned their ire on her. She wasshed with me and fangs but the pain only strengthened her further. The Asura bear was engine and rage was the fuel it burned, the more they attacked, the more she swelled with power until her fangs and paws leaked red energy that intimidated all around her. A thud she heard only distantly told her that Tiny had joined her, leaping across the gap with his wings to aid him andnding amongst the demons around her with a devastating blow. With the space he had bought her she leaped forward, ws shing, jaws snapping and the enemies around her rose to meet her challenge.

    She was amongst it then, battling hard against the monsters in front of her, the growl in her throat having grown to a never ending roar and at this point it became too hard to hold on. Atst the bull had its way and she was flung off, falling down into the dim corner that she knew so well.

    Even as her control slipped, she still felt a momentary surge of triumph. She had held on longer than she ever had before, and with a little luck, this time she might juste back faster as well. If she kept trying, perhaps the day woulde when she was finally the one inmand of herself.

 Chapter 752 Assault on Orpule pt 7

    <h4>Chapter 752 Assault on Orpule pt 7 </h4>

    Sloan looked out over the seemingly endless open space of the third stratum with trepidation in her heart. Everything that could be done had been done. The city had been rebuilt from the ground up, its defences strengthened, over ten thousand valiant ants were in position to act as the garrison and fend off any assault, an assault that they knew would being. She just hoped it would prove to be enough. The Colony was still untested against the demons, one surprise attack was not enough to determine how well they matched up, and without the humans along to boost them there was every chance things would go much worse for her and her siblings in this battle than thest one.

    The tier sevens were also a great concern. Despite all of their efforts, the Colony still had far too few tier six members. The power gap only continued to grow the further up the tiers a monster went which meant that this deficiency would be hard to ovee in the short term. If one came to this city, then they would most likely be able to hold. If two came¡­ things might get difficult. Measures were in ce and she could only hope that they proved sufficient.

    Scouts bristled all over the city, up and down the column as well as a good distance away on the ins, hiding amongst the boundless throng of demonrvae. A ry of mages, able to pass messages between each other at the speed of thought would likely be the way the Colony first received word of the impending attack. Until that moment came, she could do nothing but wait. When time ticked over and the seventh day arrived a soundless disc of pure magic glided out from its hiding ce amongst the mountainous outcroppings of rock several kilometres from the city. Then another, and another rose to join it, each of them bristling with demons.

    Word raced through the messengerwork before a minute had passed and just like that the defenders of Roklu shifted to an active footing, with ants settling into their prepared positions and readying themselves for the battle toe.

    Seemingly without effort the demons glided through the air, rising until each of their discs had reached equal height with the te of the city before they halted, waiting for each of them to be in position. There were five discs in all, each of the hunting parties that the Eldest had failed to find appeared here, an unknown number of tier seven demons among them. Brixin was not content to merely defend her own territory, she sought to control and dominate and that could not be achieved from a purely defensive position. Her aim was the same as the Colony''s, to win it all, to take new territory whilst protecting that which she already owned.

    One way or another, one of them would get what they wanted.

    Once all of the discs were in ce, they began to glide forward in unison, approaching the city at an elerating pace. Thousands of eyes watched them approach. Hidden behind crentions and concealed within folds of stone on the pir the ants watched and prepared. The demons clearly knew what wasing, well before they were within range a host of shields and barriers began to form around each of the discs, protection enough to stop a mighty barrage indeed.

    But perhaps not enough to stop ten thousand ants hell bent on protecting what is theirs.

    "RELEASE!" came the call from the pheromone nds of hundreds of generals all around the city.

    In one unified moment, from thousands of individuals, came a deluge of acid and magic that no demon could possibly have foreseen. The te and pir blossomed like a flower as the trails of fireballs, ice,va and every other element homed in on the discs. The demons didn''t attempt to dodge, they just elerated, putting all their effort into shields to protect them. It was never going to be enough.

    The Colony''s barrage didn''t stop, instead it only grew more intense the closer the discs came to the te. Demons dropped from every disc, on every side of the city, but still they came on. When they finally made contact with the city, it wasn''t the graceful and controllednding they had probably imagined, instead, they crashed, ramming into the stone ramparts around the outside of Roklu like battering rams, the demons of Orpule were thrown from their perches and rolled in the rubble before they leapt to their feet and began the assault.

    Sloan was everywhere, rushing through themand centre like a mad thing, listening to every report,municating with every scout.

    "Where are they¡­" she muttered to herself as the fighting heated up all around the city. "How many did they send?"

    The moment the demons set foot on the te they were assaulted on all sides by coordinated teams of ants who subjected them to a constant run of attacks. The Colony didn''t seek to destroy their opponents immediately, wary of biting off more than they could chew, instead they opted to wear their opponents down, and in so doing, force the tier seven demons to reveal themselves.

    It was a lone mage, hidden in a fold of stone on the ground who detected it first. At tier five, she''d done all she could to improve her ability to sense and manipte mana outside of her body, hoping to specialise in defensive magic and protect her sisters, just like the little winged guardian protected the Eldest. Straining with every fibre of her mind she reached out and tried to pierce the veil that the demons maintained even now, warping and twisting the mana that emitted from their cores.

    Then, she broke through, for just a fleeting instant, but what she sensed was enough to send a ripple running through every segment of her carapace.

    [Tier seven!] she hollered to the general behind her over a mind bridge. [TWO OF THEM!]

    The moment Sloan received word she turned to the waiting scout by the entrance of themand hill.

    "Two of them on the west side. Deploy countermeasures."

    In a sh the scout was gone, her message delivered in a speed that Vibrant would approve of. Momentster, a deep rumbling began to be felt through the feet of every ant in Roklu, as if the te itself was shaking. The vibrations only grew in intensity as the moments passed, until every member of the Colony, even on the pir, could feel it. It had taken a huge amount of effort to raise this force to the sixth tier, now they could only hope it would be worth it.

    "Please don''t mess this up you idiot," Sloan begged of the empty air.

    "WE SEEK!"

 Chapter 753 Assault On Orpule pt 8

    <h4>Chapter 753 Assault On Orpule pt 8 </h4>

    The Immortals thundered through the wide streets of Roklu, a tidal wave of chitin and steel that seemed to rattle the foundations of the world itself as they ran. How many tons massed theirbined charge? Who could say, certainly not Leeroy, who ran deliriously at the head of their flying wedge formation.

    "This is it my sisters!" she roared, sting her pheromones wide as they ran. "We run in the darkest hour! We run to bring glory! Immortal no more! WHY DO YOU RUN?!"

    "WE SEEK!"

    "SEEK NO LONGER! LAY DOWN YOUR SEARCH! WE HAVE BEEN TORMENTED BY A QUESTION AND I TELL YOU THAT THE ANSWER IS HERE AND NOW! THIS IS THE MOMENT! THIS IS OUR TIME!"

    Within each and every carapace covered abdomen the hearts of Leeroy and her loyal adherents beat with wild abandon. Before themy the mightiest foes the Colony had ever faced. Dreadful in their power, fell in their purpose, the demons would ughter thousands should they be left unchallenged. Each and every one of the Immortals knew that they would pay any price to prevent that from happening.

    Although, to tell the truth, they yearned to pay that price!

    Surely now they would fall! Though this select group had been raised to the sixth tier, they were not as mighty as the Eldest, did not possess their wisdom or strength, so how could they hope to prevail against such dreadful odds? They wouldn''t, they couldn''t! But with their final breath they would drag their enemies down into the abyss with them, saving their family and freeing themselves.

    Despite their weight, the ground was eaten up quickly by their furious charge. The prospect of imminent death spurred them on to run faster than they ever had before, charge more desperately than could have been previously imagined. Soon, the target of their wrath was in sight.

    The demons did not appear overly special whenpared to the others around them, not muchrger, nor much more powerful than the rest of their group, but the evidence provided by their sister was all the Immortals needed tomit themselves wholly to the fight. They would not take a backward step!

    "Brace!" Leeroy roared and the ants to her left and right lunged forward until their armour had interlocked with hers.

    The motion was repeated down the line and in the lead position Leeroy was ovee by the sensation that their wills had truly be unified. Were she to lift her legs from the ground the unstoppable momentum and strength of her siblings would still carry her forward to glory.

    "Remember the inner fire and bring them down with you!"

    The group of demons, only six in number, realised their deception had failed the moment the wave of furious insects had appeared. Amongst them, the two most powerful had sneered, despite the forceful charge of the insects they felt no fear. No longer constrained, they allowed their power to swell, nketing the area with an aura of violence and decay that sent the rest of the ants skittering backwards.

    The demons believed this was a sign of fear, whereas in reality the Colony was simply making room for what was about to take ce.

    Emboldened by the retreat of the weak who had fled at the first sign of their power, the two tier seven demons stepped forward boldly, willing to take the charge of the Immortals head on. A curious decision. When the two sides met the sound of screeching metal and shattering stone sent the hairs on Sloan''s antennae dancing all the way back in themand hill.

    Like a freight train running off the rails, the Immortals smashed into a wall, paused momentarily, and then punched right through it. The weaker demons were reduced to a fine mist as Leeroy and her sisters perfectly executed their final surge,bining their Dash and Charge Skills in one ecstatic surge. With the force of an explosive harnessed in insect form, they ran straight through their foes before copsing in a tangled heap on the other side.

    "Right yourselves! It''s not over yet!"

    Amongst the twisted piles of wrecked buildings and tortured armour, Leeroy and her sisters began the desperate fight to break free. Several of them were injured, some limbs had been shattered at the moment of contact of the copse afterward, but all had to be put aside so that they might finish the fight. For she was not wrong in her assessment, their leader. Though wounded, their two great foes had not fallen in the initial charge, and now the irate demons sought to exact terrible vengeance upon the armoured insects.

    Now the battle began in earnest and Leeroy, the most battered of all the cadre, felt her veins ze with joy as she stood, her helmet twisted across her head, before she once again raced forward to join the fray. Mandibles shed and snapped as the two mighty demons roared, spitting fire, slicing with des that split steel and carapace with equal ease.

    It was a desperate struggle, with neither side willing to give an inch, but it quickly became apparent that although their opponents numbered but two, the ten Immortals were outmatched. Even though they shrugged off the overwhelming pressure the demons brought to bear, despite causing significant injury in the initial charge, the antscked the speed and power necessary to contend with enemies such as these. The monsters danced amongst the ungainly armoured figures, shing with wild abandon as they sought to end the fight quickly andplete their task.

    But Leeroy and her sisters would not be brought low so easily! The more they were wounded, the more ted they became! As their HP dropped lower and lower, their hearts soared higher and higher! They fought more savagely! Snapped their mandibles more viciously!

    Every moment that passed, the Immortals felt the fire in their veins grow ever hotter, for they knew that which their opponents did not! Without conversing, without coborating in any way, it so turned out that all ten of them had taken the same evolution at tier six. The System had looked into their souls and seen that they were worthy, and so had bestowed upon them a most powerful evolution, with an organ that would see to it that they aplished their purpose!

    Even now as the strength in her limbs was fading, Leeroy could feel it within her now, pulsing with power that only grew as she drew ever nearer to death. Only when she breathed herst would it unleash its full might and pull these foul creatures who sought to bring harm to their family into the afterlife along with them!

    As the battle raged on, the demons became increasingly frustrated. These horrendous ants simply refused to die! No matter the injury inflicted they woulde back, snapping their mandibles with ferocious energy which seemed impossible to snuff out. The twobatants were incredibly aware of the vast numbers of weaker ants who simply watched them from a safe distance, no doubt ready to leap into the fray the moment these armoured beasts were defeated.

    The two demons decided simultaneously that they could drag out this fight no longer, they were weakened and injured as a result of this disaster, they could not afford to let these undying insects exhaust them further. Acting as one they marshalled their remaining strength and unleashed a devastating wave of power, abination of fire and ash that swallowed everything around them in a fifty metre radius.

    When she saw that deadly congration ignite between the two demons, Leeroy felt a wave of peace wash through her being the likes of which she had never felt before. With thest of their strength, the Immortals dove forward into the expanding sphere of destruction in order to bring themselves as close to their enemies as possible. Though they would die, they would seed in defeating their enemies and thus live in glory.

    "Farewell sisters! Be at peace!" Leeroy flung onest message to her sisters before each of them were consumed.

    When the st was finally cleared every building within its radius had been reduced to a smouldering heap of g. Drained, but victorious, the two demons surveyed what remained of their foes, little more than mounds of smouldering Biomass and superheated metal. They had no time to celebrate however. Already the surrounding insects were moving to confront them.

    Then something strange happened. An upswell of power that they did not recognise began in each of their fallen opponents that grew so quickly they had no time to react before it burst forth in radiant light. Each of the defeated ants became bathed in golden mes that grew in intensity until none could bear to look at them. There was no heat, only a pure light that could be seen kilometres away, piercing through the ash of the third stratum.

    The two demons were bewildered, but unharmed, and when the mysterious fire vanished they despaired, as they found themselves once more staring at the ten massive insects,pletely unharmed, though without their armour.

    Each of the Immortals froze for a moment out of pure confusion. They had died, they were sure of it¡­ just what had happened?!

    As one they threw open their status screens and inspected their new organ, demanding the System disy its description.

    [Phoenix Fire Organ: Throughout the course of battle this organ will consume the strength of its holder, empowering itself as they draw closer to death. When the host expires, it unleashes the contained energy in a wave of me that will annihte -]

    Each of the Immortals realised at the same moment that when evolving they had stopped reading at this point and confirmed the selection on the spot. Leeroy hadn''t even noticed that there was more text at all!

    [- any injuries the host bears, bringing them back from the brink of death to live again.]

    The battlefield remained frozen for a long moment as each of the ants tried to process what they had just learned.

    "DAMMIT!" Leeroy screamed.

 Chapter 754 Assault on Orpule pt 9

    <h4>Chapter 754 Assault on Orpule pt 9 </h4>

    I watched in surprise as Sarah, of all the monsters on this ramp, sailed through the air and crashnded on the te, soon followed by Tiny. Luckily the Colony wasn''t as distracted by their antics as I was and utilised the distraction to extend the ramp in a rush, crashing it into the side of the te as the demons poured their fire into the two monsters.

    "Get in there!" I roar and Dash straight across, activating my Charge Skill and ramming into the first demon I see.

    Behind mees a literal wave of insects as the massed ranks of my siblings establish a beachhead in Orpule by simply shoving themselves bodily into the demons defending the city, pushing back the front ranks through sheer force. Our enemies aren''t without their own strengths and the battle quickly esctes as those demons more suited to closebat find themselves with thousands of targets to unleash their craft upon. It''s these kinds of situations in which domain magic is at its most potent and I''m not the only one with this idea.

    An immediate war for control of the ambient mana erupts as mages on both sides exert their will. Small pockets of control form here and there allowing domains to flicker to life a few momentster. The demons clearly favour fire or strange swirling flecks of darkness that I can only assume is ash, which makes sense since those are the dominant forms of mana in this stratum. Wherever they touch the ants are seared or worse before they can retreat back to safer areas.

    Drawing on the only mana I don''t need to fight for control of, I reach deep within and pull out swathes of gravitational mana, swiftly forming it into a domain spell that spreads to crush the surrounding demons down to the ground. At least, I would have liked it if they were smashed into the ground, but despite my best efforts, the gravity domain doesn''t have the necessary oomph to overwhelm monsters of this stratum. That''s not to say it has no effect however. The moment the added pressure bears down on them, the monsters around me visibly slow down as they exert far more force jus to remain standing. Every time they extend a limb to fight it bes that much harder to hold it in the air.

    With the added condensed effect from my most recent mutation the mana is already fairly thick before I even get my minds onto it, which saves time and effort, allowing me to give the mana a quickpression session before I flip it out into the domain, increasing its effect beyond what was possible when I first learned this spell.

    The broader battle has be enormously hectic as more and more ants pile into the narrownding strip that we''ve secured, forcing their bodies into the fray and ramming into the demons to try and create more space for the ants behind them. It''s numbers versus quality right now, each individual ant is not nearly as powerful as the demons they are facing, but with enough bodies and minds packed into the area it won''t be possible for us to lose, which is exactly why the defenders of the city are working so hard to deny us any ground.

    Fancy tactics don''t work so well when the crush is this intense, no matter what either side intended we''ve been quickly drawn into an arm wrestle. In the thick of things, I take it upon myself to dive into the more powerful of the enemy domains, taking the damage on myself and countering with my own revolving shell of mana. Of course, behind mees Tiny, Crinis and Invidia. Thebined strength of us four tier six monsters, with near perfect cores and evolutions, is more than most tier six demons can stand against, especially when we''re backed by thousands of supporters. Mandibles gnashing, minds spinning, I ram forward again and again, bashing my body into the wall of demon flesh in front and demanding that they yield ground to me.

    In these cramped quarters, there is of course one monster who is able to reveal her strength perfectly. The constant din of Sarah''s roar somehow keeps rising, growing louder and louder until it feels like every part of my body is vibrating with it but then it just keeps going! Even the demons are intimidated by her as her ws rip jagged red gouges out of the air and her jaws glow with terrible, dark light. Fingers crossed she''ll be able toe out of it alright this time, though I kind of get the feeling that I might be missing a leg somewhere down the line.

    The brutal, face to face attrition continues seemingly without end, but the moment enough space has been established, the Colony gains valuable reinforcements, fresh off the ramp!

    "Hey there! It''s good to finally be up here! I''ve been running circles for so long it feels like I might have gotten dizzy! Nice-nice! Who needs help first? Is it you?! Or you?! Or maybe I just help all of you at once! Let''s go everybody!"

    A st of rapid-fire pheromones hits everyone in the te as Vibrant and her crew make their presence known. With enough space to manoeuvre on the te they can use their speed to their advantage, cycle charging all over the ce and causing headaches for the demons. Vibrant in particr is a menace. No sooner has she crashed into a particr pack of demons like a cannonball, moving so quickly she almost can''t be seen, than she''s righting herself and picking up speed again, heading for another area of the battlefield! At her mass and strength, each of those charges carries unbelievable force, like a car travelling a hundred kilometres an hour, the impacts are absolutely shattering, but she seems to pick herself up each time in a matter of moments. There must be some mutations or organs at y there! I''ll have to check her core again at some point¡­

    Faced with this relentless and unending grind, the demons cannot hold their ground and are constantly forced back. Progress is slow, but for every metre we gain more ants are able to force themselves onto the tform and shove harder, whereas the surface area of the creatures against us just keeps gettingrger, giving us more space to push. Pretty soon the fire raining down on the ramp itself has dwindled to nothing and the mages are engaged in a constant back and forth right over our heads.

    Things are looking good for the Colony but I can''t help but worry. Where''s Brixin and the other tier sevens? They have to be around here somewhere, but wherever they are they haven''t deigned to reveal themselves yet¡­

    All I can do is push forward until they are forced out into the open¡­

 Chapter 755 Assault on Orpule pt 10

    <h4>Chapter 755 Assault on Orpule pt 10 </h4>

    When the tide turns, it turns quickly. Sarah has taken immense damage with her reckless fighting style but all that happens is she goes harder. With literally dozens of healers lined up behind her it doesn''t seem as though she''s going to have any trouble maintaining her HP either, no matter how much pain the demons try to rain down on her. Unable to stand up in front of her, unable to bring her down, the line eventually cracks as the enraged bear shes and tears at everything she can reach. She really is a powerful creature, possibly the strongest that I''ve ever seen from the first stratum barring the big croc herself.

    The moment there''s a hole in the line, the ants start to pour through it, wrapping around the demons on either side with expert precision. Sarah of course, is rather oblivious to the trouble and simply rushes forwards, trying to catch the opponents who are now fleeing from her. With the battle on the verge of being won by the Colony there''s little point holding back anymore and I reach out with my senses, trying to grasp hold of Brixin and her allies the moment they reveal themselves.

    Which turns out to be now. From high above a dense sphere of mana forms, crushing in on itself until it glows bright in my minds like a star. Almost as soon as it appears it begins to drop, rocketing down towards the clustered ants on the edge of the te.

    Aha! So they wanted to annihte us from above as we were cramped and vulnerable. If only we hadn''t been able to anticipate such an obvious move!

    "SHIELDS UP!"es the call that rattles the antennae of every ant in the city.

    Dozens of mages leap to the task of weaving barriers above whilst they simultaneously reach out to try and snuff the iing ball of condensed mana. Each of my mind constructs is bent to the task, having dropped the domain the moment it wasn''t needed, spinning shields and tearing chunks out of the spell above us with fric energy. I can feel so many minds around me doing the same thing, including Invidia and Al, which leads me to feel confident that we''ll be able to deflect this spell no problem.

    Except, that doesn''t appear to be the case¡­

    Barrier after barrier gets thrown up and mana is stripped from the giant ball of me at an elerating pace as it descends toward us but I feel powerful minds still pumping the spell with mana, weaving vast amounts of fire mana every second. But how is that possible?! Are they literally up there riding the damn fireball down towards us? Because that would be metal as all heck.

    No, don''t think about that now! I can''t allow my siblings to be roasted! We need victory here!

    I''m already working as hard as I can, and so is everyone else, but I can already tell that we won''t be able to dissipate the spell before it reaches us, not even close. Which means the barriers would need to hold, which I''m not sure that they will. If nothing is done, then a lot of my family members are going to get snuffed out right here. I can''t allow that!

    But what to do? There''s little time until we''re all bathed in this dark fire, perhaps ten seconds at best. Not enough time to whip together a gravity bomb, not enough time to try and climb up there and attack the demons responsible for the spell directly, perhaps Vibrant could¡­ no, she would need to run to the pir, climb up it and then jump off. That''s too much, even for her. I could reach out to Al, but the fiery eyeball is already throwing all he has into defence. Which is rather a lot, by the by, he''s putting more shields in ce than ten of me could¡­

    That doesn''t leave many options! My main mind spins as the mes growrger in my vision. I can sense the demons now, riding down atop the fireball. I can even feel their gravitational fields, weak as they are. With the spell between us, I don''t see how I can possibly get to them in time.

    [Master!] a voice rings in my mind.

    [Wha-? Crinis?]

    [Run through!] she urges me and I spin in confusion for a brief moment.

    Then I notice what the heck she''s talking about. Right behind me my most horrific helper has poured all of her shadow mana into a ck void on the ground as is currently trying to pull me towards it with her tentacles. There''s a second where I wonder if she''s trying to save my life by helping me escape, but I don''t think so. Crinis has grown protective of the Colony over our time together, almost as much as me, so I doubt that she''d give up on all of the ants here.

    Deciding to trust in my friend, I rush forward and throw myself into the darkness. For a disorienting moment I''m absorbed into a real of perfect shadow before being spat back out again.

    Aaaaand I''m falling.

    Where the heck did she send me?! What shadow did she use as an exit!? It takes a frantic second for me to get my bearings and when I realise where I am I can''t help but unleash an evil chuckle.

    Gweheheheh.

    Crinis! You genius! With a giant fireball being formed by the tier sevens above it, where would a shadow be cast? Why, above them, of course! Right beneath me are three powerful demons, including Brixin, each of them focused downwards on the dread ball of doom they have created. It must have cost Crinis just about everything she had in her to create a portal of this kind of distance, including almost every drop of mana inside her core. I have an idea what her limits are and moving something like me this far is something I had assumed was far beyond her. Transporting her own shadow limbs about the ce using her shadow magic is one thing, a humungous ant is quite another.

    I can''t let this opportunity go to waste! With only a few seconds left before the spell hits the ground, I need to do everything I can to stop them from reinforcing as soon as possible! But what kind of mischief can I get up to in just a few seconds?

 Chapter 756 Assault On Orpule pt 11

    <h4>Chapter 756 Assault On Orpule pt 11 </h4>

    All of the power in this world flows from the Dungeon. Cores are its greatest wealth, experience is its greatest power. For this reason one might think that the bulk of the poption would dwell within the Dungeon itself, pursuing all that Pangera has to offer to its people, but this is far from the truth. In reality, the majority of the citizens of this world live on the surface, leading much more mundane lives under the sky, farming, fighting the weak monsters found there, trading and travelling. Why is this the case?

    Numerous factorse to bear and it can be difficult to determine which are the most impactful. The Dungeon is certainly more dangerous to live in than the surface, of that there can be no question and seeking out even more extreme risks in order to elevate oneself to the peak of humanity is a powerful lure to some, not so much for others. Many are disposed against violence in the first ce, content to create instead. Without such individuals, society could not push itself forward.

    There are other considerations also. For over a thousand years the Dungeon has been plumbed by the surface empires and the citizenry have been encouraged to explore its depths, but for many, life within the Dungeon is simply too alien, too strange, for most who are born on the surface. No sky, no space, the constant risk of attack and the ever present threat of a wave, these factorsbine to put a great deal of stress on any individual who lives within the Dungeon.

    But perhaps often overlooked is the issue of mana saturation. It isn''t known why some individuals are more receptive to mana than others, but it is a recognised phenomenon. Some people are simply better suited to absorbing this form of energy than others, which means they have an enormous advantage when ites to securing a life for themselves below the ground.

    An entirely different case are those who are born in the Dungeon. With their own set of advantages and disadvantages that will be discussed in a further lecture.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from "Introduction to adaptation and societal groupings: above and below." A lecture series from Magnifico the Wise.

    Falling down hundreds of metres with a group of tier seven demons and their giant dark-tinted fireball of doom wasn''t exactly part of my n for the day, but here we are and I need to make the best of it, and fast! Without enough time to think, I react instinctively and implement my first impulse, which is to reach the demons in any way that I can!

    Gravity mana floods my mandibles and I reach out towards the three demons, taking hold of each of them with an almighty YOINK!

    The strain on my mana is evident. Even if these three aren''t exactly packing heat in the mass department, they aren''t slouches, but for whatever reason, likely the fact their attention is so heavily focused elsewhere, they seem unable to resist the energy taking hold of them and reversing the direction of their fall.

    The three mighty tier seven demons suddenly stop falling, pause for a moment, and then reverse direction, lifting through the air towards me. Considering the shock of it, they react with incredible decisiveness, turning tosh out at whoever had dared to attach this foreign mana to them. Before I can so much as introduce myself I''mshed by a series of spells that burn and damage my carapace. Thankfully the powerful demons didn''t have much time to put a lot of juice into this effort or I might have been obliterated on the spot. Instead I merely endure a solid roasting before I cut the connection between us and defend myself, allowing them to begin falling again, except this time they are above me, and way too far from their explosive magic to keep assisting it.

    As I freefall through the air I can already feel the spell diminishing in size as the Colony rips into it without the demons able topensate for the loss. Now I have another issue, namely that I''m currently above this veritable bomb as it falls and I''ll be caughtpletely in the st if I don''t do something!

    Dammit! I knew I''d regret not getting wings at some point and here it is! Seriously! Who wouldn''t want to be able to fly, Anthony you moron! Alright then¡­ what can I do. Think, think, think, thinkthinkthinkthinkthinkthinkthink!

    With precious seconds left before I stter against the shields of my own allies before then getting roasted alive I do what I can with the resources I have avable. Working at the speed of thought my brains whip up all the force mana that I can muster which I immediately spin into a series of condensed bolts. All I can think of is trying to move my position and the only way I can think to do that in mid-air is by using the kic energy generated by force magic!

    Manipting the spells outside my body is difficult and takes precious time but I gather the six bolts I''ve been able to create on my left side and let ''em rip at the same moment. My force magic still isn''t that strong, but since I''m free falling without any means to brace myself the magic knocks me to the right as all of the spells m into my carapace at the same moment. Thrown violently off course, I tumble to the side moments before an enormously dense surge of energy registers on my antennae followed by a blinding sh of light.

    KRAKOOOM!

    Holy moly! That was lightning magic! Above me I see the enraged and twisted face of Brixin as her spell goes wide due to myst second manoeuvre. Yikes! I''d almost forgotten about them. I was so worried about falling. Speaking of which, I''m still falling! I seriously hope that terminal velocity is not a literal term.

    My diversion is enough to send me sailing to the side of the manyyered barrier the Colony has erected as well as the impact zone of the doom fire the demons created, but not by a whole lot. I likely won''t be able to escape the fallout of the fireball unscathed, but at least I''m not going to be dropping t into the middle of it. As the ground rushes towards me I once again think that being able to close your eyes isn''t such a bad thing sometimes. Brace for impact!

    I extend my legs out in the hopes of sacrificing them to absorb some of the impact and spare my insides from the pain that''sing but at thest second a forest of tentacles explodes upwards, extending towards me.

    Crinis!

 Chapter 757 Assault On Orpule pt 12

    <h4>Chapter 757 Assault On Orpule pt 12 </h4>

    All of the power in this world flows from the Dungeon. Cores are its greatest wealth, experience is its greatest power. For this reason one might think that the bulk of the poption would dwell within the Dungeon itself, pursuing all that Pangera has to offer to its people, but this is far from the truth. In reality, the majority of the citizens of this world live on the surface, leading much more mundane lives under the sky, farming, fighting the weak monsters found there, trading and travelling. Why is this the case?

    Numerous factorse to bear and it can be difficult to determine which are the most impactful. The Dungeon is certainly more dangerous to live in than the surface, of that there can be no question and seeking out even more extreme risks in order to elevate oneself to the peak of humanity is a powerful lure to some, not so much for others. Many are disposed against violence in the first ce, content to create instead. Without such individuals, society could not push itself forward.

    There are other considerations also. For over a thousand years the Dungeon has been plumbed by the surface empires and the citizenry have been encouraged to explore its depths, but for many, life within the Dungeon is simply too alien, too strange, for most who are born on the surface. No sky, no space, the constant risk of attack and the ever present threat of a wave, these factorsbine to put a great deal of stress on any individual who lives within the Dungeon.

    But perhaps often overlooked is the issue of mana saturation. It isn''t known why some individuals are more receptive to mana than others, but it is a recognised phenomenon. Some people are simply better suited to absorbing this form of energy than others, which means they have an enormous advantage when ites to securing a life for themselves below the ground.

    An entirely different case are those who are born in the Dungeon. With their own set of advantages and disadvantages that will be discussed in a further lecture.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from "Introduction to adaptation and societal groupings: above and below." A lecture series from Magnifico the Wise.

    Falling down hundreds of metres with a group of tier seven demons and their giant dark-tinted fireball of doom wasn''t exactly part of my n for the day, but here we are and I need to make the best of it, and fast! Without enough time to think, I react instinctively and implement my first impulse, which is to reach the demons in any way that I can!

    Gravity mana floods my mandibles and I reach out towards the three demons, taking hold of each of them with an almighty YOINK!

    The strain on my mana is evident. Even if these three aren''t exactly packing heat in the mass department, they aren''t slouches, but for whatever reason, likely the fact their attention is so heavily focused elsewhere, they seem unable to resist the energy taking hold of them and reversing the direction of their fall.

    The three mighty tier seven demons suddenly stop falling, pause for a moment, and then reverse direction, lifting through the air towards me. Considering the shock of it, they react with incredible decisiveness, turning tosh out at whoever had dared to attach this foreign mana to them. Before I can so much as introduce myself I''mshed by a series of spells that burn and damage my carapace. Thankfully the powerful demons didn''t have much time to put a lot of juice into this effort or I might have been obliterated on the spot. Instead I merely endure a solid roasting before I cut the connection between us and defend myself, allowing them to begin falling again, except this time they are above me, and way too far from their explosive magic to keep assisting it.

    As I freefall through the air I can already feel the spell diminishing in size as the Colony rips into it without the demons able topensate for the loss. Now I have another issue, namely that I''m currently above this veritable bomb as it falls and I''ll be caughtpletely in the st if I don''t do something!

    Dammit! I knew I''d regret not getting wings at some point and here it is! Seriously! Who wouldn''t want to be able to fly, Anthony you moron! Alright then¡­ what can I do. Think, think, think, thinkthinkthinkthinkthinkthinkthink!

    With precious seconds left before I stter against the shields of my own allies before then getting roasted alive I do what I can with the resources I have avable. Working at the speed of thought my brains whip up all the force mana that I can muster which I immediately spin into a series of condensed bolts. All I can think of is trying to move my position and the only way I can think to do that in mid-air is by using the kic energy generated by force magic!

    Manipting the spells outside my body is difficult and takes precious time but I gather the six bolts I''ve been able to create on my left side and let ''em rip at the same moment. My force magic still isn''t that strong, but since I''m free falling without any means to brace myself the magic knocks me to the right as all of the spells m into my carapace at the same moment. Thrown violently off course, I tumble to the side moments before an enormously dense surge of energy registers on my antennae followed by a blinding sh of light.

    KRAKOOOM!

    Holy moly! That was lightning magic! Above me I see the enraged and twisted face of Brixin as her spell goes wide due to myst second manoeuvre. Yikes! I''d almost forgotten about them. I was so worried about falling. Speaking of which, I''m still falling! I seriously hope that terminal velocity is not a literal term.

    My diversion is enough to send me sailing to the side of the manyyered barrier the Colony has erected as well as the impact zone of the doom fire the demons created, but not by a whole lot. I likely won''t be able to escape the fallout of the fireball unscathed, but at least I''m not going to be dropping t into the middle of it. As the ground rushes towards me I once again think that being able to close your eyes isn''t such a bad thing sometimes. Brace for impact!

    I extend my legs out in the hopes of sacrificing them to absorb some of the impact and spare my insides from the pain that''sing but at thest second a forest of tentacles explodes upwards, extending towards me.

    Crinis!

    870

    Thank goodness for amorphous blobs of terror! The tentacles twist through the air beneath me, creating a dense noodle stack that I plunge into like a boulder that fell off a cliff. Everything melds into a blur as I plummet thest fifty metres and then -

    BANG!

    Oof! In an organ rattling collision I smack into the hard stone of the te with nothing but the tentacles of Crinis to cushion my fall. Predictably, my legs fold like a house of cards before my carapace is rocked by the impact and my head starts spinning. Yikes. Not a fan of that.

    [Thanks Crinis! You''re a life saver¡­]

    [I almost didn''t make it in time!]

    [But you did. That''s all that matters.]

    I trigger my healing nd and sigh in relief as the cooling fluid rushes throughout my body, mending everything that was damaged in the fall and beginning the process of once again restoring my legs to full usefulness. Luckily they haven''t been ripped off this time, merely shattered in several ces, so I should be good to go before too much time has passed.

    BOOM!

    I must have been falling slightly faster that the spell since at this moment a cataclysmic detonation resounds from the side. My antennae scream of danger and I use my mandibles to sweep as much of Crinis behind me as I can whilst my brains throw out the fastest barriers that I can. They''re flimsy as heck but the best I can do on such short notice and certainly better than nothing. Thank goodness I already triggered my healing nd.

    The heat is immense as the fireball unleashes its remaining payload of doom but there is more at y than pure fire magic. The spell was always miscoloured, flecked with darkness where one would expect fire mana to be bright and I can feel the difference now as the mes seem to eat into my carapace even as it burns me. This must be abination of ash and fire magic, putting the two most prominent elements of this stratum together into one horrific concentration of death!

    How nasty.

    My HP drops steadily as the fire rages and I find myself fighting on two fronts, trying to utilise my magic to hold off the worst effects of the spell, eating into the mana and countering with renewed barriers once my old ones are shattered whilst at the same time I fight against Crinis as she tries to wrap her limbs around to protect me.

    [Dammit Crinis! You''re weak to mana like this, you''ll just melt in an instant! Stay put!]

    [I can help protect you, let me go!]

    [Absolutely not! Just sit still will you?!]

    [Never!]

    [I''m ordering you!]

    In the face of a directmand there''s nothing that Crinis can do, though even then I see her limbs shivering as she tries with all her being to force herself to disobey my instruction. My heart clenches in my chest in the face of her devotion and I draw her ever closer to shield her from damage.

    [You just saved me, now it''s my turn to save you,] I tell her firmly but she does not yield in her attempts.

    By the time the detonation has finished, the area around me is a smouldering ruin and I am in a not insignificant amount of pain. Checking my HP bar, that I was too scared to look at prior to this point, I see that after everything I just endured I''ve been chunked down to just under half of my pool. Considering I had regeneration fluid making its way throughout my body throughout the explosion it''s a shocking amount of damage to remain. The carapace on my back has almost entirely been eaten away and what''s more, it is very slow to regenerate.

    Perhaps a lingering effect of ash mana? I don''t know enough about the stuff to say for sure, but I have a sneaking suspicion that my hunch is correct.

    I know that I''m alright, but what about the Colony?! Taking in the sights as my eyes gradually lose the re I can see that my siblings have not escaped unscathed from the st. Closer to the centre of the gathered ants they were safer, having the full benefit of the shields that were woven overhead, but towards the outer edge of that circle things look much more grim.

    Already the healers are picking their way over the wounded, administering desperately needed first aid. Every ant who can be saved, will be saved, of that I have no doubt. But the fires of vengeance have been lit in me now. No chance I let them get away unscathed for this!

    My sentiment is also echoed by the Colony who bristle with outrage and determination. The ant tide will not be denied! CANNOT be denied!

    My mind constructs spin furiously, bringing yet another mana type to the fore, namely healing magic, to try and get me back on my feet again. Far above our heads, the magic oriented tier seven demons that Brixin reserved to defend her seat of power float, looking down on the remnants of their failed strategy. Doubtless they had hoped to triumph here in one fell swoop, but it wasn''t to be!

    I''m not sure what their next y will be, but I have the utmost confidence that we shall sweep that aside also.

    "Come down here!" I roar using my pheromones and waggling my broken legs at them. "I''ll bite your ankles off!"

    In the distance I can still hear Sarah''s endless bellow. She must still be tearing through Orpule on a rage-drunk rampage, followed by a squad of ants who are going to try their level best to keep her from wrecking the entire ce. I feel sorry for any demon that gets in her way at this point, once she gets wound up she is absurdly hard to stop.

    Speaking of squads following me around.

    "Protectant? You lot still alive?"

    A short pause.

    "Yes. Please don''t jump into shadow portals that we can''t follow you through in future,"es a clipped reply from thin air.

    Well that''s a relief, I was worried that they''d gotten themselves baked in the st.

    "Alright then, it''s time to bring these demons down and show them what''s what. Can someone go and get Tiny for me? I''m going to need him for this."

    ¡­

    "Are you talking to us?" Protectant asks, again not revealing herself.

    "Of course! Who else is here to smell these pheromones?"

    "Right¡­"

    I turn my mind to Crinis and connect with her.

    [How''s things Crinis? Did you pull through alright?]

    She was badly singed on the extremities and I don''t doubt she lost a lot of her flesh in the st, especially before I ordered her to pull back.

    [You should have let me protect you,] she mumbles in my mind.

    I shake my head.

    [No chance. You aren''t allowed to die before me, that''s an order.]

    She falls silent, a helpless pile of unshapen shadow goo on the ground beside me. I feel a little bad about ordering her like that, I hate restricting them, but I feel this one with all of my heart. None of them are allowed to die before me.

 Chapter 758 Assault on Orpule Final

    <h4>Chapter 758 Assault on Orpule Final </h4>

    With the demons high overhead the only way the Colony could reach them was to unleash their best spells and acid sts, doing everything possible to force the demons down, or at least drain them of mana so they were no longer a threat.

    As I watch, it seems to be working. The demons use shields to block attacks as they move their stupid discs around, dodging the worst of thergely untargeted barrage, but there''s just so much stuff being thrown at them that they can''t possibly dodge it all.

    As I lie healing I do my part to contribute to the struggle, hurling gravity bolts by the dozen at the demons, hoping to snag them and force them toe down to our level. At the very least it''ll be harder for them to keep themselves in the air if they get heavier. Fairly soon, Tiny returns to my side and I don''t waste any time repeating the order that I gave to Crinis to him as well. When Invidia pops up, worn out from helping my siblings shield themselves I tell him too.

    [You are not allowed to die before me. That''s an order.]

    Invidia doesn''t react outside of a slow blink and Tiny just looks confused, but that''s fine. As long as I''ve given them the order, they''ll have to obey it.

    [Alright then Tiny, we have an issue that you can help me with. Invidia, try and help heal Crinis up, and grab her some Biomass¡­ actually, hold on.]

    "Someone go and get Crinis Biomass. She needs to regenerate."

    ¡­

    "Is that-"

    "Yes I''m talking to you, Protectant! Get it done! I''m hardly going to be going anywhere right now, am I?"

    I waggle my broken legs in the air for emphasis. A few momentster I''m confident that they are gone.

    [Alright then, here''s the deal. I''m going to lighten myself and Tiny is going to throw me into the air so that I can bring the demons down to ground level. Make sense?]

    [Master! No!]

    [For all we know they are just holding their ground up there until they charge up another doom ball and obliterate this entire te. They were surely going to blow up half of it with thest one! I can''t reach them from down here, but from up there, I can.]

    [How are you going tond?! I can''t catch you again, and you''re already injured!] Crinis protests vehemently.

    [Bit of food into you and you''ll be back to catching ants in no time,] I reassure her, [and besides, we have more help this time. Invidia can slow me down with barriers and Tiny can catch me in his big beefy arms, right?]

    Tiny nods seriously and flexes. Invidia blinks once.

    [See? No problem, I''ll be fine.]

    [¡­]

    Crinis is obviously not convinced but I need to do something to bring this situation to a swift resolution. The more time passes the more advantageous this will be for the demons as they recover their energy and possibly wind up for another strike. Working fast I take hold of my gravity mana with my minds and get to work. Inverting spell patterns is a tricky business but there are a few cases where I know how to get it to work and the gravity bolt is one of them. I st myself with the modified spell over and over again and notice with surprise how my antennae can feel the gravitational field around my body beginning to shift. This gives me rather precise control over how much of my mana I need to use.

    After all, I still need to fall. If I get it wrong and start floating upwards I''ll be in serious trouble. I''d rather not spend too much time drifting through the air in front of Brixin and her crew if I can help it!

    Once I get the bnce right I turn to Tiny and give him a nod. With a broad grin on his face, the giant ape ps his massive hands against his chest to warm himself up before striding over and lifting me with a two handed grip. I can tell from the look on his face that I''m lighter than he expected, but it''s still awkward to get a decent grip on me.

    [Alright then Tiny. I want you to fling me straight up as hard as you can. Got it?]

    [Hrm.]

    [Don''t forget to catch me when Ie down.]

    [¡­]

    He''d already forgotten¡­

    [Okaaaaay. Now!]

    With a tremendous rush of force Tiny leans back and throws both his hands up, propelling me straight upwards into the air like an insectile missile. The force of the air pressure ttens my antennae back to my head and my eyes blur. Beneath me the te plummets away, bing ufortably small as I look down on the battle still raging there. Despite the insanity my minds are working overtime, preparing the barrage of spells I''ll unleash the moment I reach the apex of my flight.

    Holy moly I am going toe down hard¡­ I hope those two are up to the task.

    Probably the only entity more surprised than me to see a giant ant rocketing up above the te is Brixin. Her face is a twisted mask of pure rage as I reappear before her in the air once again. It''s tempting to reach out with my mind and say something pithy, but I suspect that she might use that link to obliterate my consciousness so I resist the urge. Instead I unleash a barrage of magic directly into the faces of the demons before they have a chance to act.

    Condensed gravity bolts fly out with pinpoint uracy at the same moment a domain snaps into existence, epassing all three of the tier seven demons.

    Down we go!

    Taken by surprise they fail to dodge the initial barrage and once the domain expands to epass them they find themselves suddenly so much heavier than they were a moment ago. I can practically feel the confusion that rolls through them as they encounter gravity magic for likely the first time. The bolts that hit them did no damage, but then this other strange effect? Do they defend themselves or not?

    Their hesitation allows me tond a few more bolts before my upward momentum spends itselfpletely and I start to elerate faster and faster toward the ground. With focused rage, Brixin extends an arm towards me that erupts in a jet of ashen fire that licks against my left-side carapace.

    "YEEOUCH!"

    Thank goodness for the Vestibule. I trigger my healing nd again as I continue to st out gravity bolts, holding onto the domain as long as possible to apply as much pulling force to them as I can. The moment I drop out of range of Brixin''s me thrower the other two join in the party, flinging a horrendous array of spells at me which I find myself in a poor position to dodge, so I don''t. Instead I once again pump my mandibles full of gravity mana, exhausting my reserves in the process, reach out to the three figures and YOINK!

    Already so much heavier than they had been mere moments ago, the additional force of the mandibles pulling them has a muchrger effect on the demons than they expected, staggering the powerful tier sevens atop their discs.

    I manage to pull them down. Not that much, not nearly all the way to the ground, but as I sail downward out of their reach, peppered by the few spells that manage to find my falling self, I can tell that I''ve done enough. How do I know? Because of the absolute torrent of firepower unleashed by the Colony that sails past me as I fall. Suddenly the sky is alight with fire and acid that engulfs the demons above in a never ending stream of death that rises from over ten thousand mightily ticked off ants far below.

 Chapter 759 Landing Is The Best Part

    <h4>Chapter 759 Landing Is The Best Part </h4>

    Watching Brixin and her two chumps being bathed in thebined firepower of my siblings is certainly entertaining, almost entertaining enough to make me forget that I''m about tond in a world of hurt, but luckily Ie back to myself quickly enough to roll over and look down at my waiting pets. To my joy and somewhat to my surprise, Tiny is looking up at me, arms out and face creased with concentration as he repositions himself to attempt the catch.

    Please don''t stuff this up, big guy, I do not want to end my second life scattered across the rock like an ant that got stepped on. I''m too young and certainly too shiny to go out like that!

    Luckily Invidia is on the ball. The brainy demon spins together a series of shields, each oneyered atop the other with a metre between. I can even appreciate that he''s managed to adjust the strength of each shield so that I''ll hit the weaker ones first before smacking into something stronger, thus bleeding off a little more speed each time. The ability of that eyeball to do this at the speed he did it¡­ absolutely astonishing. Just another reminder that the distance between me and a truly dedicated spell slinging monster is rather wide.

    Thanks to my efforts with gravity mana, I don''t weigh half as much as I normally would, and I have far less force. Even so I crash through the first of Invidia''s shields without even feeling them, but the following ones begin to get harder and harder, drawing out a wince of pain as I smack into them. To minimise potential injury, I roll onto my uninjured side and allow the carapace there to take the force, the inner-carapace ting doing a lot of work to disperse the impact. Despite all that, my HP still takes a hit, much like my insides, as I effectively run into wall after wall.

    After a dozen of these the ground loomsrge in my sight and so too does the hairy chest of Tiny which I crashnd into, sending the two of us tumbling over the stone. When we finallye to a halt, I''ve rolled out of the big ape''s grip ande to a stop a few metres away. Tiny has a wide grin on his face and gives me a bold thumbs up, looking so pleased that it takes me a moment to realise his other arm is hanging uselessly by his side.

    Why are you looking so happy when your arm is broken?!

    With a sigh I spin together some more healing mana and apply it to the big ape. It''ll be enough to get him through the short term and kick start the healing process. I''m not nearly as good a medic as someone more dedicated to the art.

    [Thanks Tiny. And thank you Invidia. You both did great. Looks like we were sessful.]

    Above our heads the air is still packed full of explosions, acid, fire, ice, bursts of steam and all sorts of things as the irate Colony continues to unleash their wrath without holding back. To be honest, I don''t think Brixin is even there anymore. She probably managed to lift herself above it all a little while back but being exposed to that barrage for even a second or two is going to strip the hide off even a tier seven.

    In other words, I doubt she''s dead, but wherever she is up there, she''s not doing so hot.

    Which is fine by me, I need a little time to recover. Bing Anthony''s flying circus not once but twice in a day was quite an unexpected event and I''m in no rush to repeat the experience. Around me the ants are beginning to move on from their unending assault on the air above their heads to conquering the city more generally. As the moments tick by, more and more of my siblings stop slinging their anger and ordinance upwards and begin to file into Orpule.

    "Move in your teams! Follow the trails! Move quickly to secure your checkpoints! And somebody tell Vibrant to slow down!" a st of pheromones billows out from nearby, stinging my antennae with their sharpness.

    A few momentster the source bes apparent as Advant walks towards me, her antennae still swinging wildly as she sts out orders to the surrounding ants.

    "I thought Victor was in charge here?" I say.

    "She''s further back. We didn''t want to risk exposing our top generals to attack when we arrived on the te. She should be up here before too long, so long as nothing else goes wrong. I take it that was you I saw soaring through the air?"

    "I think you''re imagining things."

    "Right¡­ just another story to add to the legend of the Eldest, eh?"

    "What''s that?"

    "Nothing. Are you going to be in any state to move anytime soon?"

    I flex my legs a little.

    "Give it a few minutes and I''ll be able to move about. Won''t be all that fast, but I''ll be mobile."

    "That might have to do. We haven''t finished dealing with Brixin yet. I believe she''s been weakened, along with the two tier seven demons who are supporting her, but they aren''t dead, not by a long shot."

    Focusing upwards, I can see that the Colony is still hurling spells into the air, but visibility is slowly returning and so far I can''t see the ruler of Orpule anywhere. Former ruler at this point I suppose. The Colony has flooded into the city by now and Vibrant has been running rampant in there, along with Sarah, for some time. If there''s much resistance left in the city, it''ll be in the te beneath us which we haven''t invaded yet. If Brixin wants to take this ce back, she''s going to have to nuke the thing from orbit, there''s no getting rid of us now.

    "Do you still think our n has a chance to work?"

    The steady soldier flicks her antennae.

    "To be honest, I think the chance of it seeding has improved rather than gone down. If anyone can pull it off, it''s going to be you."

    "Thanks for the vote of confidence," I respond dryly. "All I have to do is face down three tier seven demons. Nothing at all."

    She shrugs.

    "It''s not like you''ll do it alone. There are thousands of us here,pared to that, what do they have?"

 Chapter 760 Less Than You Expect But More Than You Think

    <h4>Chapter 760 Less Than You Expect But More Than You Think </h4>

    How does one tier of monster stack up against another? It''s a difficult question to answer, contrary to the expectations of many. "Bigger numbers are better, surely" is a sentiment I have heard repeated far too often and from those who should know better. It''s amazing how easily you can find idiots, no matter the field. Walk into the highest centres of learning in all of Pangera and I assure you that there will be a blithering idiot upying one of their most prestigious seats.

    This is why I seldom trusted any members of the Shapers circle who weren''t prepared to go out into the field and put their knowledge to the test. Just because you trust in the theory doesn''t mean you shouldn''t go and put that faith to the test. That was my approach and though my fellow mages were proven correct ny-nine times out of a hundred, I learned so much from that one nugget that my entire perspective was able to hinge around it.

    So, a tier five monster fights against a tier six. Who wins? Well, that depends on so many factors that the question almost has no meaning. Perhaps the most important factor, the one with the greatest influence over the result, is the respective strength of the cores. A monster from the second stratum can still defeat one from the fourth, even oveing the tier gap, if it has arge advantage in core strength. The strength of the core reflects not only how much mana the monster has ess to for spell crafting, or how much evolutionary energy was avable to that monster, although both of those are massively important, it also speaks to how adapted to mana the monster''s body is.

    The core is not just a storage container after all, it''s so much more than that. And the effect that it has within the body of a Dungeon creature is immense. Monsters are made from mana, it flows through them, strengthens them, moulds them. A monster who has more mana flowing through them has numerous advantagespared to one who is more deprived.

    And that is just one consideration. The rest could fill a book in the telling.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from ''Raising Monsters'' by Granin Lazus

    For the next hour the advance of the Colony throughout the demon city continues to be unstoppable. More troops charge up the ramp and pour into Orpule, securing locations, moving down onto the second te, subduing the local poption. It was a huge concern of ours that there might be a non-demonic presence to be found here, one that might object to our management, or indeed our existence, but thankfully that hasn''t turned out to be the case. At least not ording to the reports I get whilst sitting and waiting. My legs have well and truly healed enough for me to be up and moving around but I''ve decided that just waiting here will be the best course of action for the moment, with my pets by my side.

    Already the carvers have begun to move in and redecorate the ce. Repairing the damage and securing ground around the pir for the construction of amand nest in which the Colony safely upy. When we take over a ce, we really don''t muck around. The previous rulers aren''t even dead and already we''re paving over their castle and building our own over the rubble. If we weren''t insects, it might be considered rude.

    The ramp itself will have to be taken apart rather soon. Not something anyone is looking forward to I wager. Just looking at the thing is absolutely gob smacking. Such a construction on Earth would have taken months, even when taking into ount modern equipment. The sheer ludicrous mass of the thing, all that stone¡­ my mind boggles. And now it all needs to get knocked down. It isn''t as if we can just leave a walkway up to a city that we control, that throws away the best defensive advantage that the demon tes have!

    I watch all of this activity happen around me, frankly a little bored as I wait for Brixin and her allies to appear. Perhaps I should have a little more tension about it, but I just can''t summon the adrenaline right now. After flying through the air twice during the battle I feel as if I''ve bungie jumped from a helicopter that is itself attached to a bungie cord hooked to a rocket. I''ve been thrilled out, no excitement left.

    Which is why I''m able to act so casual when the trio do finally make their appearance.

    Theye much as I expected, on a disc that they likely used to escape from the city whilst we were still busy hurling literally tens of thousands of MP worth of magic at the sky. They approach slowly, cautious, but not fearful, as indeed by the customs of their people they have no need to be.

    We learned a great deal from Al when it came to demon wars and how oddly ritualistic and formal they are. It seems odd to me that the one type of monster I would expect to be ripping each other apart the most are the ones with the most rules when ites to conflict. Supposedly it has to be this way since, once upon a time, shredding each other for any reason at all was exactly what they did. Just imagining the more advanced demons engaged in the same behaviour as theirrval kin all over the stratum is enough to give me the willies.

    As the three powerful demons approach on their disc I begin to feel a little trepidation. The three of thembined could quite easily st me out of existence if they worked together.

    [You sure they aren''t going to attack me?] I ask Al as the fiery eye floats nearby.

    [They will not. Confident. A formal war is not a fight to the death. There are separate rules for those.]

    Of course there are.

    I draw somefort from the knowledge I gain through the Vestibule. As the demons draw closer the Colony has of course taken note and mustered a sizeable force to respond to the first sign of aggression. Thousands of ants are converging on my position whilst trying not to be too obvious about it.

    While they are still some distance away, I feel a powerful mind reach out and connect to mine.

    [I have received word that my assault on Roklu has failed. Since Orpule has also fallen into your hands then I can only dere that I have lost the war and my territory is forfeit.]

    And it burns her too. Brixin is not the sort of demon who is happy to lose. In fact, her obsession is entirely based around conquest and expansion.

    [The Colony is powerful,] I shrug my antennae, [far more so than you demons seem prepared to give us credit for. This will not be ourst victory in the third stratum, far from it.]

    The former lord of Orpule''s eyes ze with rage and hunger at my words, which is precisely what I wanted to see.

    [That being the case, we find ourselves in need of a demon to partner with. One who would be willing to embark on assault after assault, leading demons to fight by our side and helping to administer to the cities that we conquer. As I understand it, most demon cities will not rest quietly without a demon ruler at the helm. Could you think of a potential city lord who would be willing to enter into a partnership of this type?]

    Brixin positively burns with the strength of her obsession.

    Hook, line and sinker.

 Chapter 761 Ponder, Ponder

    <h4>Chapter 761 Ponder, Ponder </h4>

    The council had thought long and hard about the potential of bringing Brixin on as an ally. Whilst she was an enemy in one sense, that wasn''t really how demonic society functioned. She was expansionist by her very nature, she needed conquest and control the same way Grokus had needed to stuff his face and wallow in luxury, and if there was one thing I hade to learn about the demons it was that they were never looked down on or questioned for following their obsession.

    A hunger demon might not exactly be happy to be the victim of a murder demon, but they understood it in a very pragmatic way. Murder demon gotta murder. By the same measure, Brixin hadn''t been doing anything immoral in attempting to wrest Roklu from my family, she didn''t see herself as our enemy, to her we were merely an obstacle. Being defeated surely rubbed her the wrong way though, but by offering the olive branch, we turned a potential rival into a powerful ally.

    After all, not only did we recruit a tier seven demon who was more than willing to assist us in bringing more cities under ourbined rule, we also gained the tier seven monsters who remained her allies. A powerful nucleus that we could build our own demonic legion around. It was unfortunate that the strike team she''d sent to Roklu had been wiped out in its entirety, those had also been potential recruits after all, but I was extremely d to hear that the defence had gone as well as it had.

    I''d have to give Leeroy a big pat on the carapace when I saw her again. She must have pulled out all the stops to win that fight. The fact that all of the Immortals had somehow managed to survive even this trial left me gobsmacked. They really were living up to their moniker.

    Although for some reason, all the healers in Orpule spent about an hour howling withughter after the messengers from Roklu hade in. I''d have to find out what that was all about.

    The following few hours were fairly dull. Hammering out the details of our agreement with Brixin, she wasn''t pleased we''d already knocked down her residence and started building an anthill on it for one, andying the groundwork for the short to medium term strategy.

    Right now, both Orpule and Roklu were severely depleted in terms ofbat obsessed demons. Multiple wars and invasions meant that whilst both cities still maintained a healthy poption of more reticent monsters, the out and out fighters werergely dead. Indeed, Orpule in particr was massively low on frontline demons, all of their remaining tier sevens were of the casting variety, which wasn''t a bad thing overall but meant theycked bnce.

    Overall, the demons had a rather rxed attitude toward the death of their own kind. I mean, it was hardly surprising since all they had to do was lean out over the edge of the te to see literally millions of infant demons ripping each other apart, desperate to ascend. Under poption was a problem that was guaranteed to remedy itself given enough time. Which was what we demanded Brixin agree too.

    The Colony had very much overextended itself recently, much as I''d told the council after the invasion of Roklu. We needed to continue our expansion, that was true, but the breakneck speed my siblings had been working at would only lead to disaster. Even now there was a mountain of work to do before we could properly integrate Orpule and the surrounding territories! Already tunnels were being excavated and infrastructure prepared to install a lift system to connect the second stratum above to the new city. Which meant expanding the epassing defensive positions above. Which meant more outposts, possibly new nests, more scouting and patrols, which required more ants, which meant more hunting for Biomass and cores. On and on and on it went!

    Time! We needed time!

    Perhaps as much as a month, at least two weeks. Time to consolidate, to raise new ants and make use of the resources we had managed to acquire. We''d only just managed to expand into the third stratum and had done literally nothing to make use of that fact! Surely there was some incredible stuff down here that we could use, if only we gave ourselves a chance to find and experiment with it!

    Gah! You''d think every member of the council had turned into Vibrant the way they were actingtely. After convincing Brixin of our timetable she had made her way back into the city to ponder her new circumstances and work out where the heck she was going to live. She''d gone from having no cities under her control to two in the matter of a few sentences, so I''m sure she has a few things to process.

    [Hmmmmaaa? What''s going on?]

    [Hey Sarah. Wee back to the world of the waking.]

    The big bear rolled over before she jerked herself upright.

    [Wait! What happened!? Is everyone okay?!]

    Her panicked reaction to what she might have done while she rampaged tugs at my heartstrings. Imagine having to deal with that every time you came back to yourself. Just terrible.

    [It''s fine,] I assure her, [Vibrant led you around the city until you ran out of steam thanks to not fighting anything, then you copsed and the Colony moved you over here. ording to everything I''ve heard and seen, you did an incredible job and saved a lot of ants over this fight. Well done!]

    The Asura Bear sags in relief, lying t down on the ground again.

    [Thank goodness,] she says.

    I wander over and give her a pat on the back.

    [Hey. Don''t stress so much, we''ve got you. You might have been on your own before, but now you have thousands of us who are on your side. You''ll be taken care of, okay?]

    The bear rolls her head in muted embarrassment, bringing her paws up to cover her eyes.

    [I can''t get used to that,] she admitted, [turning toward the things that I avoided for so long and embracing them. I just feel so scared.]

    [No need,] I say dismissively. [Say the word and we can get a hundred thousand beings, each one far more intelligent than I am, to help sort things out. Do you really think you have a problem so big that the Colony can''t fix it?]

    I wave my antennae at the city around us.

    [¡­ No,] she says. [I can''t imagine what your family can''t handle.]

    [Oi,] I poke her with a leg. [OUR family.]

 Chapter 762 Old Friends

    <h4>Chapter 762 Old Friends </h4>

    The air burned as Torrifex strode past, superheated by the seemingly endless energy that rolled off the massive demon in waves. Omen had not been able to determine exactly what species the tier eight monstrosity was, but it clearly had some root in a fire affinity. The demon had many other weapons he could deploy, Omen had witnessed this, but the oppressive heat that ignited the oxygen around his frame was enough to defeat some enemies alone.

    [Keep up little mouse. I have no patience for your dithering.]

    Omen stumbled as his indignation rose, but he forced down his ire to keep his thoughts level.

    [I am not as fast as you,] he stated, [it takes longer for me to cover the same ground.]

    The bigger demon snorted in contempt.

    [You are the weakest servant our God has ever used. I do not know which is greater, the honour done to you, or the disgrace inflicted upon the rest of us.]

    He wanted to retort that he did not ask to be contacted by that horrific creature, but he knew that Torrifex would likely take his head off for the insult. His carefully honed survival instincts weren''t needed to deduce that much, his captor did not tolerate any form of disrespect towards his ''god''. Omen wasn''t sure if he was prepared to ept that the terrifying being he''d encountered when evolving was divine, but he was certain that he never wanted to stand in front of it in his physical form. Such an experience was to be evaded at all costs, that''s what his instincts told him.

    At hisck of response the giant monster snorted once more before he put his head down and continued his breakneck run. He wasn''t the fastest creature the reincarnated human had seen since his rebirth not that long ago, but he didn''t stop. Torrifex seemed to be a boundless source of energy that needed no rest as he continued his endless journey. Odin did not share his bottomless reserves of stamina, far from it, he had crafted himself to be a burst hunter, capable of incredible strength and speed but only for a short, intense period of exertion. This marathon run was torturous to him.

    [Where¡­ are we ¡­ going?] he managed to push out as he steeled his mind against the pain in his body.

    The giant demon only turned to grin back at him.

    [You will soon see, little mouse. We are almost there.]

    The former assassin almost sagged with relief but wouldn''t allow himself to show such a sign of weakness in front of his captor so instead he grimly continued to put one of his wed feet in front of the other. After another twenty minutes of running, he began to make out something in the distance, something other than the constant, monotonous outcroppings of rock that jutted up from the stone all around them. This looked too uniform, too structured, to be a part of the naturalndscape.

    Indeed, the closer they drew, the more clearly the construction stood out against the rugged stone of this ce. Walls, parapets, perhaps even a medieval style gate. This was the first sign of civilisation that Omen hade across in his second life and it surprised him how much the sight buoyed his spirits. Humans hadn''t been kind to Omen in his past life, and he hadn''t been kind right back to them, but to see something familiar, even if it appeared more simr to something he would have seen in a history book, lifted his spirit.

    The appearance of the two demons didn''t seem to have the same effect on the figures who upied the distant fort. Even as he approached, he could see the flurry of activity taking ce. Figures dashed across the parapets that loomed ever higher the closer they drew, enormous gates that on Earth he would have said were impossible to construct, let alone hold in ce using medieval technology.

    Before they drew much closer a heavy presence descended on them, threatening to press the young demon into the ground. He felt his mind broken into through means he couldn''tprehend before a voice thundered inside his head.

    [BEGONE DEMONS! This ce is forbidden to your kind! Leave, or feel the fury of the tower!]

    If he hadn''t experienced the impossible weight Arconidem''s presence had exerted, Odin might have thought that the owner of this voice was truly powerful. Whoever had reached out to them was definitely stronger than he himself, but was nothing next to the demon ''god''.

    [I go where I please, worm! Stand aside or face the wrath of Torrifex!]

    The massive demon beside him erupted in me, searing the air and sending a massive cloud of smoke and ash billowing from his shoulders. It wasn''t clear if the creature was confident or just suicidal to Omen. If Torrifex wanted to charge headfirst into this garrison then he could do it by himself. Those walls must be over a hundred metres tall! Trying to be unobtrusive, he began to sidle away from his captor, utilising his Stealth Skill in a lowkey manner as he created some distance.

    [Foolish monster. Do you really think you can storm these fortifications by yourself? The tower has held this ground for hundreds of years and has never fallen! Your arrogance will be your downfall!]

    Omen concurred.

    [Alone? Of course not!] Torrifex roared mockingly with his mind. [You have guarded this ce for so long that you can no longer remember why. Pitiful!]

    A nervous feeling stole over the weaker demon as he nced toward the horrifying beast by his side. What did he mean he wasn''t alone? Omen would be no help at all against a force such as this! Did he refer to something else? Mind spinning, the former assassin began to arrive at some horrifying conclusions. Unaware and uncaring of hispanions'' fears, Torrifex grinned a horrific grin before he clenched his hands in fists and brought them together in front of his face.

    The face of the mighty demon began to furrow in concentration as his hands erupted in zing fire. The mes roared brighter and brighter as he poured more energy into it until his fists glowed incandescent white, chasing back the darkness of the third stratum for kilometres around. The tongues of me that burst forth writhed and licked at the air, rising as high as the tops of the mighty wall in the distance.

    The sheer heat that boiled from him caused Omen to scurry to create distance lest even his demonic flesh be burned by it. The unbridled power of it was insane!

    Whatever Torrifex was going, the garrison clearly weren''t prepared to allow it to continue. Huge balls of light ignited on the walls before they wereunched through some means, arcing high into the air before they reached the apex of their climb and began to fall towards the demon who ignored them, focusing all his attention on his two fists. Just before the spells converged on him, Torrifex brought both fists above his head and roared, then he mmed them down, driving all the me and heat directly into the rock beneath his feet.

    The stone shattered as if impacted by a meteorite, shards of stone flying in all directions. A rolling wave of heat expanded out from the impact point like a shockwave before the stone around the mighty demon literally melted into scalding ckva that bubbled and hissed evilly.

    [WAKE UP!] the force of his mind staggered Omen as he tried to flee, [THE MASTER CALLS!]

    A momentter the magicunched by the garrison struck home, the impact powerful enough to knock Omen from his feet though he was now hundreds of metres away. He rolled across the rocky ground, scattering the ever-presentrvae as he did so, his mind awhirl with frantic thoughts. Had his damned abductor survived? Was he free atst?

    The air hung still in air as all parties waited for a sign.

    It came momentster. The ground shivered, as if it feared what was toe, before a new aura began to rise, one filled with a boundless thirst.

    [I COME!] a new voice roared within Omen''s mind.

    The ground rocked beneath his feet and he staggered to the side, halfway to rising.

    [Come sister!] Torrifex roared triumphantly, [there is much to be done!]

 Chapter 763 Leisure Time

    <h4>Chapter 763 Leisure Time </h4>

    The origins of the mother tree are difficult to determine, even for us. Her children have been consulted on many asions but not even the most talkative Grove Keeper was willing to spill even an iota of their parent''s secret history. What we can say with certainty is that she was spawned somewhere between the third and fifth strata, most likely several hundred years after the Rending. As the interests of the Colony moved alongside her own, the tree and her people became something of an ally to the family, but even so there has always been a certain standoffishness to the mother tree that is not present in her children.

    Despite the best attempts of the Diplomants, there has been little to no sess in drawing closer to the tree herself, she seems content to exist in almost total istion with only her children allowed anywhere near her actual body.

    After she aided the Colony during the initial Legion War, more to spite her enemies than out of any genuine affection for ants, we have always been predisposed to her people and have had many favourable engagements with them over the years. The Eldest in particr seems fond of the Bruan''chii and famously makes a point of visiting every grove theye across, something the diplomatic wing of the Colony greatly dreads. The Eldest has caused many an incident with our enemies, and allies, with their casual ''visits'', but curiously, never once with the Bruan''chii.

    Despite the mystery that still surrounds their progenitor and matriarch, the folk of the mother tree continue to be a source of wealth and friendship to the Colony. We can only assume that this is in line with their parent''s goals.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from ''Notes on Dealings with the Bruan''chii'' by Historiant.

    "Are you sure you aren''t beingzy, Eldest?"

    "Positive. I''m conserving my energy, storing it all up like water filling a tank. Nothing is being wasted here, I assure you."

    "Stop cking, Eldest!:"

    "Oi! I resent that! I''m actually doing something right now!"

    "cking!"

    "Dammit! Don''t you have things to be doing rather than throwing your scent-jibes my way?"

    "We are working!"

    "Ah. That''s true¡­"

    An unfortunate side effect of being ants I suppose, they can be working with their mandibles and have their ws full of materials but none of that stops themmunicating through scent! Despite objectively being very busy, the team of ants working on construction in front of me are still quite capable of flinging their banter at me without missing a beat. Curse this extrayer of convenience!

    Ah well, it''s not really all that distracting in the end. With my plethora of mind constructs I''m perfectly capable of holding a dozen lines of thought all at once, so exchanging words with my siblings upies merely a smidgeon of my vast mental capacity! It feels good to have such a powerful brain.

    As I absentmindedly continue my conversation I focus much more of my attention inwards, towards the Vestibule. With thousands of ants within the city and more working above, in the second stratum, and below scouring the ins, the organ is awash with energy, the collective Will of the Colony feeding into my being after being magnified through the Nave. The thoughts and feelings, the desires and drives of all those thousands of ants fluttering within, a constant stream of them.

    It''s not something I often do, in fact it''s something I usually avoid doing in a very deliberate way, but I can reach into the stream and take hold of a single drop, one specific sliver of thought, and experience that little wrapped up parcel of Will like a vite. I''ve gotten much better at doing thistely, since I have been almost exclusively using this method to track Brilliant through the thoughts she unknowingly supplies me. Now that I have a little time on my mandibles, I''ve decided that it might be a good idea to actually experiment and y around with this ability.

    So here I am, plonked down in the centre of Orpule as several teams of workers build and modify the city around me, poking and prodding away at the vast sums of energy pouring through me at any given moment. Guided by divine providence I reach within the flow with my mind and take hold of a drop of Will.

    The Eldest really is cking, but I suppose it''s fine. It''s the Eldest after all!

    "HEY! Yes you, the soldier over there! I''m NOT cking off! I''m testing some things over here! Alright?! Being the Eldest doesn''t make it okay to ck!"

    The ant in question jerks with surprise at suddenly being yelled at, almost dropping the chunk of stone she had in her mandibles. As I settle down and rx once more, the surrounding ants all scratch their heads in confusion, turning to look at the poor soldier and then back to me. For her part, the soldier shrugs it off admirably and gets back to work, not thinking too deeply about what I''d had to say.

    I know that because I checked on her through the Vestibule again.

    Something odd urred to me though. It was almost as if my siblings nearby reacted to me a moment before I''d jump up and start throwing pheromones at them. This isn''t the first time either. The more attention I pay to the thoughts and feelings of the Colony, the more I start to realise that the Nave may have done more than simply amplify the energy I receive through the Vestibule.

    It''s almost as if the connection were leaking back the other way.

    Which isn''t afortable thought, I don''t really want the Colony exposed to my thoughts and feelings, they''re so much less productive than what they provide to me! Thest thing we need is to have all of the ants struck by indecision, ack of care to detail and an allergy to proper nning! It would be a disaster! I''ll have to experiment more with this.

    Pushing that worrisome thought to the side, I continue to practice monitoring the flow of energy, dipping into it to draw out a single ''piece'' of it and letting that wash through me.

    A mage ant who specialises in Earth Magic, her mind bent to shaping the stone in front of her, determined to shape a sturdy home for her people.

    A scout running messages, her legs sore and aching from constant movement but a burning desire to help her family keeps her moving forward.

    A general coordinating teams, ensuring she positions herself correctly in the grid to apply her aura buffs to as wide a radius as possible. So long as there are others working, she will remain in ce to assist as best she can.

    Vibrant is running! Fast, fast, fast, fast, fastfastfastFASTFASTFAST! If she moves fast enough, she might even catch up!

    A core shaper looks across at her pets, who she carefully crafted when they were cores and then raised from the moment they were reconstituted. They are like her own grubs, but she will sacrifice them for the Colony should the need arise. Nothing is more important than her siblings.

    Brilliant is thinking, scheming, her mind racing at a hundred kilometres an hour, like it always does. A rare opportunity where the Eldest has let her off the hook and she needs to explore! To learn! To seek out the truth! Constantly in the back of her mind the mana is spinning as she absent mindedly trains her Skills. She''s on the verge of a breakthrough, she can feel it!

    The ease at which she can handle mana is just unfair. Even here in a game world, talent is a real thing.

    I keep reaching into the pool, taking out parcels of Will one by one, letting the experiences of the Colony flow through me.

 Chapter 764 The Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 764 The Lesson </h4>

    The history of organised religion on Pangera is a troubled one, though that could be said of many other institutions that exist on the. I do not seek to make excuses mind you, I am simply observing the universal truism that when groups of people of different, or even the same race, gather together, there is inevitable conflict. So few records exist of the time before the Rending, at least that are publicly avable, and almost none of them speak of a church or faith, though there are hints here and there, basically nothing can be drawn from them that allows us to make a solid determination. Religion existed pre-cataclysm, that is all we can say.

    In the post-cataclysm era, things are much more clear, though they are murky in the first two centuries following the turmoil. It is in this time that the Church of the Path begins its ascent. It isn''t known exactly where or when the church itself was founded, though the church itself ims that the Prophet Yillian was the progenitor of the faith after he received a divine solicitation from the System itself in the mountains that came to be named in his honour. There is no direct reason to contradict this im, there is simply little other supporting evidence.

    It is also throughout these centuries that the hidden cults of the Ancients began to expand their influence within almost every society on Pangera. Although this didn''te to light until more than a century beyond this point, from examining the historical record we have been able to identify and track the spread of their influence. Though neverrge in number, the various cults have always managed to exert undue influence, despite most of them being purged every few centuries by the authorities they tried to infiltrate.

    The other predominant faith based organisation is the Tower. Though ostensibly a ce of learning and academia, the teachings of the schrs have taken on the weight of religious dogma over the centuries. Though they would vociferously deny the charge, the trappings of the Tower and those of a church are almost indistinguishable. As to the object of their worship? In some respects, they worship themselves, but it would be more urate to say that the schrs and their devotees worship the potential of the collective civilisations of Pangera, as if the people of this world were each a seed of something divine.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from ''Pangera and Faith'' an essay by Elric

    There was certain weight in the air when Beynmuned with his flock. A solemn mood that permeated through the space around them as each member of his burgeoning priesthood lowered their head in silent contemtion of the glory that had been revealed to them. The words of the Great One, the ways of the Colony, it was a coda for life that each of these people had only touched the edge of, yet already found themselves in awe of it.

    And so much more was toe. Beyn had been the first to evolve his ss and it had been a torturous decision, trying to weigh which aspect did he want to specialise in the most? It was as if the System had removed all his vital organs and then told him he could only have one back. How could he possibly live without the others? How diminished would his life be without the full range of possibilities that had been offered?

    Ultimately, he had listened to his heart and made the selection that spoke most deeply to him, the one that he felt would allow him to best serve his people. The Antbishop ss had called to him strongly, the ability to radiate the dedication and peace of the ant had been like a siren song for his very soul, yet he knew he would be better able to work if he took a different path. The Antorator. Though he was a humble man, even Beyn was forced to admit that his capacity for preaching was unusual. He could talk for days on end, his words flowing like wine and sinking deep into the minds of all who heard him. With this ss he would be able to spread the word of the new path far and wide, so long as he had an ant by his side.

    "Is this going to take much longer?" a wave of pheromones jolted him from his thoughts.

    He turned to see that his newpanion had moved away from the wall and approached him directly. A beautiful creature of dark red chitin with wide, multi-faceted and intelligent eyes.

    "Not march looonger," he clumsily produced the scent to reply, his Skill too inferior for clearmunication.

    She flicked her antennae in the gesture he now clearly understood as the ant version of a shrug and moved away again, giving the Antmancers the space they needed to continue their prayers. When the final hour of their eight hour vigil had finally passed, the gathered Antmancers rose to their feet before they bowed low in one unified motion. Only then did they step back and lower their hoods. For a long moment none spoke, each savouring the feeling of revtion and peace that came from such a deep meditation, but then a few murmurs were shared amongst the acolytes, then a few more, and finally some hushed conversation broke out amongst them as they shared their insights.

    Beyn felt peace wash through him at the sight and sound of his brethren engaged so deeply with their faith. As one who trod the fresh ground of the new path, he could ask for no betterpanions on that lonely road than those currently in this room. A sentiment he should share with them more often.

    "Give me your ear for but a moment my brothers and sisters," he invited them, his tone warm and a broad smile on his face.

    The sound of his voice was almost maic, dragging the listeners'' attention to him as it rippled throughout the room. So long as his friend Diplomant was nearby, his powers of speech were elevated to an unprecedented level.

    "The time hase for us to embark on a new mission. No longer can we be content to be few. No longer can we be content to walk beside the Colony, our benefactors, secure and safe as they bear the risk of protecting us. This path will not be forged by being so timid, so tame."

    He spat thosest words out as if they were poison on his tongue. All around him hisrades wore simr expressions of disdain and disgust.

    "I call on you all to reject security, to walk away from the peace and shade that the Colony provides and be the messenger that they deserve. We must walk before the Colony, beside the Colony and support from behind also. Whatever it is that they need, we will be! I ask you to be selfless in your devotion, as the Colony is selfless! Now is our chance to truly embrace what it means to follow in the Great One''s steps, to be held in the mandibles of their light and heed the scent of their words!"

    Such was the power of his speech that his listeners appeared almost drunk with it, although they were heavily inclined to agree with him even before he started speaking. His additional ss Skill that allowed him to release pheromones that would sway the mood of his listeners wasn''t needed here to instil the devotion that had already taken root.

    Before him all of his fellow believers were ignited in their passion and united in their devotion to the message. From here they would march out, not only beside the Colony in times of war, but across all of Pangera, proiming the glory of the Colony and inviting others to be a part of it. Theing of the Great One was incredible news and it would be horrifically, unthinkably selfish to hoard it to themselves.

    All would learn of it in time!

 Chapter 765 Adventure

    <h4>Chapter 765 Adventure </h4>

    "Look, it might not have turned out how you expected, but you''ve still done a lot for the Colony. You can''t let this keep you down forever."

    "¡­"

    "I mean, is it really that painful? Being alive? You''ve given yourself a whole new opportunity to fight for the Colony and help your family. Think about all the difficult struggles and hard work that we have in front of us, you''ll be able to be there and shoulder your part of the burden. You might even have the chance to face down an opponent stronger than yourself once more and¡­ you know¡­ die¡­ again¡­ over and over."

    "Are you making fun of me Eldest?"

    "Would I do that?!"

    "Yes. The healers have beenughing at us for a week straight."

    "Hey, I''m not like them, alright? I want you to be happy, I just don''t want you to get killed trying to achieve that."

    "What if that''s the only way that I can achieve happiness?"

    "Then too bad. You think we worked so hard to bring you up to tier six so you could go ahead and die after one battle? You must be outside of your head, Leeroy!"

    THWACK!

    "Ouch! Hey, weren''t you trying to cheer me up?" she protests trying to protect her head from my vicious antenna.

    Oh, right.

    "It''s hard not to get annoyed when I see you sulking. Your siblings are all working their butts off and you''rezing about feeling sullen because you''re still alive! How ridiculous can you get?!"

    "The Immortals just want to serve the family in their own way. We all agree on our perspective!"

    "The issue I have is that you want to serve the Colony once. I made it clear to you soon after you were hatched exactly what I thought of that. Well, I suppose in the end you''ve got your wish, you''ll be able to die for the Colony as much as you want now!"

    Leeroy copses back onto the ground again at my words, the way she''s been ever since she and her fellow immortals realised just what they''d done when they evolved. I can finally understand the waves of hrity that the healers have been experiencing since the news spread. The idea that these particr ants, more desperate to sacrifice themselves than any others, have instead made themselves almost impossible to kill, is just too delicious for words.

    I actually took a look at Leeroy''s core to take a nce at the specific organ that they purchased, the Phoenix Fire Organ. To be honest, it''s a powerful piece of work, a very expensive nd to be sure. From what I understand they didn''t buy it but instead were offered it as part of the evolution they chose. As a consequence of so much value being put into this one element, the rest of their evolution was fairly sub-par, most of the Immortals did the smart thing and poured their spare evolutionary energy into stats topensate, making themselves tougher and stronger which went a long way to helping them stay alive long enough for the Phoenix Fire to charge.

    It''s not as if they can''t die, they absolutely can, but due to their specific circumstances, they''ve made it so much harder. The only way for them to be destroyed is if they are defeated too quickly for the organ to charge up. It takes time to build the energy necessary to ''resurrect'' them from near death and return them to perfect health, the organ simply can''t remain that charged permanently, it''d break down in minutes. The other way is to put them down again just after they heal, since it''ll take much longer for the Phoenix Fire to return to full power a second time.

    The problem is both of those strategies rely on oveing the absurd toughness of the Immortals. Their carapaces are all highly mutated and the vast bulk of their stats are in Might and Toughness, making them extremely durable. On top of that, the armour produced by Smithant only gets better as time passes, making it even more difficult to actually put a wound on these ants! Killing them twice? Not even a tier seven was able to do it!

    Which makes it even more hrious that this happened to Leeroy of all insects.

    In the future, as they mutate and improve the organ further, who knows how difficult they''ll be to defeat as they continue to grow? I never would have thought it, but the Immortals have actually turned into a powerful and useful force for the Colony. I expect them to see a lot of deployment when we start expanding into the third stratum.

    "Look, I didn''te over to try and give you a motivational speech. I want you off your backside and back to work along with the rest of your group. There''s a ton of work to do and soon enough there''ll be more fighting to do. If you keep wallowing in your own self-pity then I''m going to pick you up and drag you around the third stratum myself. If I even hear from someone that you''ve been cking off then I''ll return from the edges of explored territory to whack you on the head. So pick yourself up and get back to it."

    For a moment longer the soldier remains flopped on the ground, a dejected example of an ant.

    "Fine," she says as she starts to pick herself up.

    I watch her stand with a critical eye, one antenna still raised threateningly.

    "By the way, I don''t want you to warn the Immortals who haven''t evolved to avoid this species that you''ve picked. Nobody can tell them what to pick."

    "What? They''ll end up picking this one for sure!"

    I shrug.

    "That''s their fault then. I''m not saying they can''t pick the one they want; I''m saying the exact opposite. They can pick whatever they want, without influence."

    Leeroy fumes a bit but she can see where I''ming from. She eventually nods in eptance.

    "Alright then. Go check in with Advant, I think she had something that she needs you to do. It''ll be a little while before your new armour is repaired so you''ll have plenty to do helping with building until it''s time to fight again."

    Having dealt with the Leeroy problem I finally release a deep sigh. The moment she and the other Immortals had arrived in Orpule they''d been a solid weight dragging down on the Vestibule, their misery sinking into me through the Will they provided me. I had to do whatever it took to get them moving and back on the go just to stop them distracting me! I mean, I didn''t enjoy seeing Leeroy be so miserable either, but it''s not like she didn''t do it to herself. I probably could have cheered her up by promising that she could go and fight an ancient or something and get smashed to paste twice in a second, but I refuse to y into her stupid obsession! The sooner she gets over it the better!

    All right then, where''s the crew? I need to get Sarah, Brilliant and my friends together, it''s time to get out and get levelling again. I won''t rest until thetest champion of the Colony has risen to the point where she can contribute to the Colony!

 Chapter 766 Suit Up

    <h4>Chapter 766 Suit Up </h4>

    [So this is the full armour set, huh?]

    [Yep, it''s heavy, but it works very well.]

    I didn''t get a good look at the full suit during the assault but now that I can have a real sticky-beak up close I have to say that fully armoured Sarah is intimidating as hell. She is already a well-built monster in terms of mass, but with smooth, interlocking tes of armour covering her massive frame she has an altogether different level of presence. It''s enough to make me start to consider what a full suit of armour would look like on me. Covering up my incredible, glittering carapace would be a total sin, obviously, but if the end result was this badass? I''d consider it for sure.

    [What are you looking at?] Sara asks a little ufortably as I circle around her.

    [Huh? Oh, I wanted to get theplete picture of how you look with the armour on. It''s cool as hell, and looks like it does the job well.]

    The fact that it''s already repaired after the assault goes to show how little of a beating she took, surprisingly enough. There are still scratches and scuff marks all over the metal, but from what I understand all that needed to be done was rece a few tes and she was good to go.

    [You sure you want to take it out with us?] I ask her.

    [I really need to get used to fighting in it, so it makes sense that I take it out. The extra weight makes a lot of movements more awkward so I want to practice.]

    [Fair enough. We should see plenty of action, so you''ll get your chances.]

    I have a quick look around.

    [Alright then, I think we''re all ready. Invidia, you can spit her out now.]

    Revealing his wide, toothy grin, Invidia opens up and pushes the bedraggled Brilliant out of his pocket dimension mouth and back into reality.

    "Is that really necessary?" sheins as she shakes herself off like a soaked puppy and starts fastidiously cleaning her antennae.

    "We both know how little you want to sit about while we wait for everything to get ready. If you aren''t happy that we needed to do this then examine your own attitudes," I tell her inly. "Now we have one more evolution to achieve for you before we can stop power levelling and its time to go out there and get it. Have you made all the Skill purchases andpleted all the mutations that you could do?"

    "Yes," she says and I get the impression that she would roll her eyes if she could, "I did all that ages ago. Have you?"

    I have not.

    "Never mind that."

    [How about you Tiny? Crinis? All ready to go?]

    I get a firm nod and a thump on the chest from Tiny.

    [Yes, Master. I''ve fully recovered from my injuries.]

    [Great. Thanks everyone. Well, we might as well get going then.]

    As I turn to lead the group to the newly installed lift that will carry us to the ground a giant eyeball res into existence in front of me.

    [HOLY SMOKES! Geez, Al! How many times have I asked you not to do that!?]

    [Many.]

    [Yet you still do it¡­]

    [I find it¡­ amusing. I will join you on this expedition also.]

    He couldn''t possibly have said the word amusing with any less inflection on it. I also notice that he didn''t bother asking¡­ ah well. It''s not like I could stop him from tagging along if he wanted to. Having a tier seven demon in your back pocket isn''t something I want to turn down either.

    [Fine. Try not to hassle me too much for information, alright? I''ve got some stuff I need to work on and I can''t be telling you about middle-earth all day.]

    With the group finally assembled we walk out onto the lift which hangs over the edge of the te, exposing us to the frankly dizzying drop beyond.

    "Let it rip!" I cheerfully wave to the group of ants operating the lift and they amodate us, triggering the mechanism and starting the descent.

    I''m not sure exactly how we power these things¡­ but however we do it is going to get a workout on this trip. Invidia and Al can fly, but between Sarah, Tiny and myself we are packing a fair bit of heft. As we slowly drop I look out over the edge of the lift into the still-breathtaking view of the third stratum. It blows my mind even now that this much open space exists inside the. It makes no sense! Yet here we are, slowly lowering ourselves down into the world of sted ck stone covered in fire and ash. Also demons. Hundreds of millions of ankle biting demons.

    I get the feeling it won''t be long until the Colonyes down here and starts aggressively pruning the demon poption in order to farm Biomass. They''ll need to strike a bnce between feeding the insatiable hunger of the family and allowing enough demons to rise to tier six to join the poption in our controlled cities. I''ve no idea how they n to manage that but I''m sure they''ll have thought carefully about it. Perhaps we should even ''sponsor'' certain promising young demons, make sure they max out their cores before they evolve to try and increase the quality of the demons that eventually join us¡­

    That''s actually a good idea¡­ I was bound to have one sooner orter!

    It takes an hour for the lift to reach the ground and we are more than happy to jump off by the time we reach it. Being cramped together on that small tform is far fromfortable.

    [Alright, here we are folks! Since the Colony is going to chill out for a little while, we have a few weeks in which we can go explore, fight and conquer to our heart''s content without worrying about anything crazy happening back here. First priority is to get Brilliant up to the next tier so she can finally count as a real monster and then the rest of the XP can be funneled into us! It''s a long road to tier seven so we better get moving!]

    I haven''t forgotten the warning that Granin gave me, that I wouldn''t be really safe in this stratum until I evolved once more. It''ll be a long time before I manage it, but I''m determined to keep pushing forward until I''m strong enough to secure the future of my family. Tier seven is only going to be the start of that journey.

    [Alright, we already did a ton of fighting in the tunnels to the west, so I think we want to head north and then see how things go from there? We all happy with that?]

    A few nods from the group around me is all the affirmation we need.

    [Nice. Let''s get to it!]

 Chapter 767 The History

    <h4>Chapter 767 The History </h4>

    The Colony recoiled from the reprimand of its Eldest and most respected member as if it had been bitten on the antennae. It has not happened many times, when the Eldest directly criticised the actions and decisions of its family, but each urrence has resulted in great upheaval and a paradigm shift that changed the course of the Colony forever.

    This instance was no different.

    Warned of impending disaster if the reckless pursuit of expansion at all costs was not reined in, the council and the Colony as a whole drew back and began to reflect. With the conquest of the demon city Orpule newlypleted, there was a tremendous feeling of momentum amongst us, one that we felt could lead us deeper into the Dungeon and catapult us into arge scale invasion of the third stratum as a whole. Only when we drew back, only when we focused inward, did the cracks begin to be evident.

    The need for reconnaissance of the new territories had be great, too great. In order to cope with the vast swathes of tunnel and open Dungeon that needed to be carefully mapped, examined for resources and assessed for threats across both the second and third strata meant that older paths that had be considered safe were abandoned. Even those tunnels thaty between the main nest and thends of the golgari had be criminally under patrolled and many a scout shuddered at the thought of what the Eldest might have said had they missed an invasion along those routes.

    These irredeemable oversights were immediately corrected and maintaining the watch of all approaches to the nests became the highest priority, as it should always have been.

    But thepses did not end there.

    Sorge had been the need and demand for metalwork, construction expertise and earth magic within the third stratum that progress on other projects had stalled, or even regressed. The best forged materials produced by the carvers had been used to create the chains and lifts needed to utilise the lifts to move materials between the second and third strata, which had significantly dyed construction of the gates required to secure the newly constructed nests. There too, ack of attention and focus had nearly cost the Colony dearly. Desperate to push an overstretched workforce, the carvers had gone well beyond their tolerance, overworking themselves to the point of copse, forcing the intervention of the unseen enforcers. Whole teams of builders had been lost to the shadows, not seen for days at a time as they were forced to recuperate and recover their peak condition, forced to suffer inhumane periods of rxation and rest.

    In this the wisdom of the Eldest was once again revealed. Nothing shamed the carvers and teams of construction ants more than poor craftsmanship, examples of which could be found everywhere in theirtest work. As the Colony withdrew and consolidated, the carvers rededicated themselves to the pursuit of perfection, tearing down everything they had built with the slightest deviation and constructing it from the ground up once more. Filled with righteous fire at having to correct their own mistakes, the standard that they would seek to meet from that point on was established over this month.

    Likewise the brood tenders were forced to regroup and reflect on their decisions. In the never ending push to fight and expand the territory of the Colony they had raised many grubs to be fine soldiers, scouts and generals. The boundless hunger of the Colony for workers to build and construct had encouraged them to evolve huge numbers of carvers. Critical for both of those endeavours, mages were also churned out of the antcademies in droves.

    Yet the other castes had be under-represented. Healers were getting swamped under the workload, more and more injuries were left to recover on their own, with little but a scant helping of Biomass to speed the process. The core shapers had been used to plug the gaps left by theck of scouts and soldiers in the upperyers of the Dungeon, but this had caused them to draw down their wide ranging core gathering expeditions, creating a shortfall in the Colony''s supply. Worst of all, the brood tenders found that they themselves no longer had the capacity to support the demands of the Colony, having been so determined to meet the workloads of other castes, they had selflessly overlooked themselves.

    A careful and meticulous review of all brood tender tasks took ce over that month, before a restructuring and reinforcement of the caste was established. Never again would they fail the young charges who depended on them for care. There must always be capacity for the brood. This was paramount.

    All across the operations of the Colony these errors andpses were uncovered and swiftly rectified. Like molten steel the Colony purified itself over and over again, hammering out the imperfections and doing whatever was necessary to ensure that they would never repeat themselves. A feverish energy gripped each and every member as they realised how close to disaster they hade and the vast amount of work that was required to secure the future of the family without leaving any gaps for our enemies to exploit.

    This was the true wisdom of the Eldest, the true lesson thaty hidden within the rebuke they had delivered. An immense amount of work was required to expand the territory and power of the Colony, it was true, but far more was needed to do so faultlessly, without leaving gaps that others could exploit.

    In seeking to push ourselves and expand quickly, moving to take on what we saw as the greater challenge, we had in fact been shirking the truebour, beingzy.

    Which could not be borne.

    Also at this time the Colonypleted its mapping of the tier four evolutions, a subject of thousands of hours of careful research. The evolution lists had been poured through, each organ and possible mutation investigated to see what best suited the needs of the Colony. For each caste, two main variations became the default evolutions where more specialist evolutions were not required.

    The soldiers came in two main types, offense and defence. All soldiers were tough and strong, with thickened carapace, reinforced mandibles and extra muscle added to the head to power their jaws. Yet the defensive battles that the Colony had fought demonstrated a need for a hardier breed of soldier. Higher Toughness, regenerative ting, innate healing factor, magic resistant carapace coating, these ants did all that they could as they continued to evolve to harden themselves against all blows. The offensive soldiers, whilst not sacrificing their survivability, focused on enhancing the prative power of their mandibles, such that even the armour of the Legion wouldn''t be proof against them should they fight again. Thickened muscles, sharpened mandibles, extending jaws, friction reducing mandible coating, acid hardened edges and strengthened legs. These ants were like the living sword of the Colony, determined to cut through anything that stood in their way.

    The scouts split into two main variants, focusing on speed and long range bombardment. Although both remained swift, the faster of the two specialised in ranging far from the nest, engaging in rapid-response actions and using their streamlines profile and hyper-mobile legs to reach truly absurd top speeds. Utilising chameleon carapace coating, they are stealthy and capable of remaining undetected via even magical means. Devoting their attention to a hit and run style ofbat, the other main variant of scout dedicated themselves to ruing damage over time, employing their highly developed and potent acid alongside their pressurised firing organs to achieve stunning uracy over long distances. Thoughrger than their brethren, these ants need never draw close to their enemies, spying and firing on them from great distances.

 Chapter 768 Finger Pistols

    <h4>Chapter 768 Finger Pistols </h4>

    Isn''t it incredible how quickly time flies when you''re having fun with your friends? It seems like only yesterday that we set out from Orpule to scour these new hunting grounds for delicious, delicious prey. By the by, I don''t want to give the impression that demons are tasty, they certainly aren''t. Their hides are tough as steel and like everything else I''ve been forced to eat since I was spawned in the Dungeon they have a truly disgusting vour. I''m starting to forget what good tasting food was even like! Perhaps there never was something such as ''tasty'', perhaps that was just a lie that I''ve carried over from my previous life. Certainly it doesn''t seem likely that I''m going to find a monster that is anything other than disgusting to consume.

    No, the taste wasn''t good, but the Biomass points sure were! Even if we are hunting monsters of a lower level of evolution than ourselves, with the stomach mutations that we have, the penalties are as reduced as they can be and the creatures of this stratum are so richpared to even the shadow beasts of theyer above. It makes sense when you think about it, the spawn rate of monsters on this level is insane, and it''s not even a wave right now. All those demonrvae ripping into each other, it all has to go somewhere right?

    When they get up to tier four and five, these beasties have had a right ol'' feast, and then, stuffed full of Biomass they retreat to these tunnels to try and hunt down others who had the exact same thought that they did in the hopes of pushing through to tier six and achieving ''true'' demon-hood. That''s when they run into us. Gweheheheheh.

    It took over a week to power level Brilliant all the way to level forty and by the end she was able to be genuinely useful to the process. Her offensive output is still questionable, but her ability to shape magic continues to develop at breakneck speed. Once she unlocked light and shadow magic she continued to y around with them as much as she possibly could, to the point it was frequently annoying. Several times I had to dispense some THWACK justice when I was suddenly blinded by a lightshow sting out of her antennae. It was often so bad that the little ant appeared to have a disco ball shing atop her head, beaming rays of light out in all directions.

    If there was a positive to the process it would be that it encouraged the rest of us to lift our game in terms of practicing our magic skills. I''ve been grinding obsessively all week, far more than I usually would, with Crinis and Invidia following along the trend. Even Tiny has gotten involved! As we''ve hunted and fought I''ve frequently seen the big ape pointing his fingers and zapping sparks of lightning all over the ce. I thought it was adorable at first, the massive bat-faced gori wanted to join in the magic practice, but the more he did it, and the more time passed, I actually think he did get better, more urate and quicker, when releasing his lightning. A totally unexpected event!

    But now the time hase for the hatchling¡­ although I probably shouldn''t call her that considering she''s about to hit tier five.

    "Alright then, Brilliant, you''ve done it, achieved level 40."

    The little ant puffs up with pride.

    "Was there any doubt I would?" she boasts.

    THWACK!

    "With all of us helping you get experience from monsters who would rip you up and tear you apart with one hand w tied behind their back? No, there wasn''t any doubt. You might have just started to make yourself useful in this hunt, but once you''ve hit tier five, you''ll be a far more valuable contributor."

    "Ouch! I was just expressing a little confidence!"

    "You aren''tcking confidence, nor have you evercked confidence. Humility and gratitude is the thing I''m looking for."

    I give the no-longer-hatchling a hard stare with all ten thousand lenses in mypound eyes and she wilts a little under the heat, but not much. She might have no achievements under her carapace at this point, but Brilliant is certain that they wille with time. Is this some sort of inbuilt attitude that all champions get in order to push them to leadership roles? Vibrant was never this overly arrogant, but she never had a shred of doubt about her either. Now that I think about it, pretty much none of my siblings have ever expressed much in the way of doubt. Perhaps thisck of questioning can be attributed to the nature of monsters? No idea. I''m not usually the reflective type myself!

    "Alright then, you know the drill. We''ve maxed out your core and tossed in a rare core to boot. Mutations are maxed. Make sure you go through all of the possibilities with a fine toothb and pick the option that you think melds best with you. There''s no need to rush, so take your time."

    "I''m going to have to go into the mouth aren''t I?"

    "Absolutely. You want to just hang out here in the open while you evolve? That''s madness!"

    With a tired sigh the little ant climbs into Invidia''s mouth and promptly vanishes from this dimension in order to evolve.

    [Make sure you spit her out if she gets too big, Invidia,] I warn the demon, [we don''t want any idents.]

    [I knowssssssss. No worriessss.]

    That''s precious cargo right there, the second champion born to the Colony since it was created. We''ve only seen a glimpse of what she''s capable of so far and I suspect there are great things in store for Brilliant in the not so distant future.

    [Now that Brilliant is ready to evolve, what are we going to do?] Sarah asks. [Is it time to head back or are we going to keep hunting?]

    [Keep hunting!] I dere. [Now that the little pest isn''t going to soak up so much of the experience, it''s time for us to get our rightful share! The other thing I want to do is head deeper into the tunnels and see if I can get a gander of the next level down.]

    [Oh! That would be interesting. I''ve never heard how manyyers there are to the third stratum.]

    [I''ve no clue either,] I shrug, [but there''s one way to find out.]

 Chapter 769 A Whole New World

    <h4>Chapter 769 A Whole New World </h4>

    Hello dear readers! Tolly here, once again reporting on my ongoing adventures in thends of the Colony! The town of Renewal and the surrounding farnds were a picturesque and inspiring sight that told a tale of the strength of the living spirit. People who had risen up and rebuilt their lives after a devastating disaster at the hands of monsters with the help of, of all things, monsters. Getting to know these people and listen to their stories was a powerful experience that went a long way to diminishing my fear of the ants, which was likely why I feltpelled to make my request when I was already deep within the grand nest known as Anthome.

    "You want to meet the Queen?" Emelia blinked.

    "If at all possible," I smiled politely as my two guards emitted and intense ''oh no, not again'' aura.

    A look of amused confusion flickered across my guide''s face as she considered my request.

    "I''m¡­ not sure that you''ll be allowed, I don''t think anyone has asked to do that¡­ ever. You understand that we need to go deeper into the Dungeon to do as you ask? The Queens don''t live this high up."

    "I assure you I am no stranger to the Dungeon," I gave the poor girl a pat on the shoulder, "and if I might be pardoned for a moment, did you say Queens? There is more than one?"

    "Oh, yes. There are hundreds of Queens, possibly in the thousands, the Colony is very protective of them and don''t like to talk about them extensively. You''ll need to give me a moment and I''ll find someone we can ask."

    Emelia walked off a short distance tomunicate with a few ants whilst I waited with a wonderful feeling of excitement and trepidation coiling in my belly. There really is no better way than plunging head first into danger to help one feel young. I rmend it to all my readers! In moderation, obviously!

    A few minutester Emilia returned with a ratherrge ant, nearly as tall as I was by her side. I felt the creature reach out to my mind and I allowed the contact. A chance to speak with the ants directly?! How invigorating!

    [You wish to see a Queen?] the touch of the monster''s mind was alien, almost cold in theck of strong emotion.

    On the other hand, I could feel how calm and efficient she was, a creature of logic and reason. It was reassuring to say the least!

    [Yes please,] I asked, (never forget your manners, readers!), [I would consider it a great honour toy eyes on the Queen.]

    [The Queen?] she repeated back to me and I realised that there was a distinct difference in the way we used those words. [It will not be possible to see The Queen, she is very deep right now, but I believe we can facilitate a visit to the Queens who are staying below us. I will warn you that you will be guarded very closely during this visit. Are you still willing to go?]

    What a thrill!

    [I am,] I nodded, [and I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity.]

    Emilia smiled widely when we concluded our discussion and pped her hands together in excitement.

    "I haven''t seen a Queen in over a year," she beamed, "what a wonderful day!"

    My two guards looked positively ill.

    Excerpt from volume eight of ''Traveling Tolly in thends of the Colony'' published in the Monthly ''Pangera Gazette''

    Well I be darned. There really is a whole ''nother level just like the first in the stratum. I mean, I didn''t really have any reason to doubt it, I was given the information from reliable sources after all, but I just couldn''t help but refuse to believe until I''d seen for myself. Perhaps it''s still the Earthling in me. One giant open chasm inside the is unbelievable enough, but two? One right on top of the other? It makes no sense! How can this possibly be real?!

    And yet, there it is.

    [That''s a long drop down,] Sarah observes and I can''t help but agree.

    [Sure is.]

    We both poke our noses off the edge of the pir and stare downward at the te city below and the ins that stretch endlessly through the smoke and ash which swirls even thicker here than above. The mana down here is noticeably more dense than in the area above, not nearly asrge as the difference between stratum, but enough that I was able to sense it. Once we decided to head down, it only took a few hours for us to reach the bottom of the tunnels. From there it was a matter of finding a path that led to an opening into the space below, which we eventually found and now are staring down a whole new pir, with an unsuspecting and vulnerable demon city awaiting conquest.

    There sure as heck was a lot ofva in those tunnels though, particrly at the bottom. It felt like I was digging for diamonds the rate at whichva kept flowing from each and every direction. I can still see it now, pouring out of the stone tunnels above and falling the vast distance into the ins below. In fact, there are hundreds of suchvafalls I can see from here. Is the third stratum equivalent of rain?!

    [Should we go down, do you think?] I ask.

    [Oh no. What if they were hostile? I couldn''t possibly escape. In fact, how would I even get down?]

    Good point. Bears might be good climbers, but they weren''t designed for a kilometre vertical climb on stone. Not even close.

    [I wonder who''s in charge down there, you have any idea Al?]

    The giant eye res at my question.

    [I do not. I am most curious to know.]

    [Well why don''t you head down and take a look about? You can scratch your itch and thene up and tell us. I''ll even trade some information without being a pain about it.]

    I thought the demon would leap at the chance to pick my brain a bit more but to my surprise he doesn''t, wavering in indecision.

    [Something wrong?] I ask him.

    [It may be dangerous for me in this city. I have passed through it before and my reception was¡­ unpleasant. I am reluctant to return.]

    [Huh.]

    I stare down at the city below for a little longer before I shrug.

    [Ah well, if we can''t find out now, it isn''t a big deal. It''s not as if they''re going tounch an assault on theyer above or anything. We can go back into the tunnels and keep hunting until the hatchling¡­ I mean, Brilliant, is done evolving. I''ve been getting some decent levels and I''m keen to keep that wagon rolling!]

    The big bear nods.

    [Me too! To think I might actually reach tier seven, I never thought it would be possible in the past.]

    [Hopefully we can stillst in the second stratum once we manage it,] I sigh. [To be honest I almost prefer the cold to this incessant heat.]

 Chapter 770 Use The Force

    <h4>Chapter 770 Use The Force </h4>

    [Gah! Another ghast! Who''s turn is it?]

    [It''s mine,] Sarah replied grumpily, [I''m willing to give it away though¡­]

    Tiny immediately shot his hand up, an eager expression on his face.

    [Settle down you big lug. Sheesh, you don''t even get to eat ''em when they''re done. Are you this greedy for experience as well now?]

    The big ape gives me a long slow nod before extending a sombre thumbs up.

    When ites to hoarding things for myself, I''m always greedy.

    I can practically hear the thoughts running through his head and it irritates me no end.

    [We''re going to do this democratically. I''m not handing you any more freebies just because I''m feelingzy.]

    [I-I would like the chance to hunt it, master.]

    [Crinis? Got the hunger for levels I see! Good! How about that Tiny? Already another contender in the ring.]

    He looks down at the ck patch on my carapace, the pain of betrayal shining in his eyes.

    [Get over it, you drama queen.]

    Visible confusion ripples across his face.

    [No I''m not exining it.] I turn to Sarah, [are you sure you want to give this up? They reward a good chunk of experience, you know?]

    The big Asura Bear shudders, aical sight to say the least.

    [No, it''s fine. They''re just so creepy. I''m happy to give up on it.]

    [Alright then. Invidia? Are you in on this?]

    ¡­

    [Okay! I thought I should be polite and ask rather than just assume¡­ you know what? Fine. Next time we''ll just put you straight in the draw. No need to re at me like that.]

    I mean, I know he''s an envy demon but I felt it''d be rude to just throw his name in the hat without bothering to ask. The look he gave me though¡­ ouch.

    [I''m also going in on this one, so that means all four of us are in. Don''t grimace like that Tiny, did you think I was going to sit them all out? You all know the drill, get ready, three, two, one!]

    Tiny yed rock, he always ys rock. The shadowy goop on my back stretched out to make scissors, Invidia formed a coloured barrier of paper and I formed scissors out of the ground beneath our feet.

    [Who wins in this situation? I can''t remember¡­]

    [Master¡­]

    [Maybe we do best two out of three?]

    After a few more rounds we determine that I''m the winner. By which I mean, I determine that I''m the winner. Gweheheheh. The experience will be mine! I''ve been meaning to test a few new things anyway. I''ve been diligently practicing my force magic over thest week and now I think it''s ranked up to the point where I can do some real damage with it. I have a few new spell forms up my carapace and I genuinely think that the oomph I''m able to pack into even the basic force bolts is enough to cause some real damage if I use them in the right way.

    Compared to the limp wristed pping they were when I first started using this particr affinity, they''ve now upgraded to a solid right cross.

    Heheh, stupid ghost, you''re in for it now. My minds spin into gear, winding up the force mana construct and spitting out the energy I need before I start shaping it into the required form. The moment my spell is ready, I fling it out at the unwary ghast, catching the demonic remnant by surprise.

    The mana slings out in an open loops that catches around the monster and snaps shut around it, locking it in like a vice. Hah! You might be an ethereal douche-bag, but you sure as hell can''t slip through a made out of mana! The moment the spell takes hold, the hideous creature spins toward me and tries to reach out with its dreadful ws but instead finds itself bound tight. With an almost contemptuous attitude, the ghast begins to flex its might, aiming to break free.

    Foolish monster. I find you''reck of faith¡­ disturbing.

    With the many brains I have at my disposal, a number of spells have already been in the making and they are unleashed one after another on the helpless foe before me. Condensed force bolts m home like hammer blows, buffeting the beast and buying time for me to close the distance. As I prepare my dash, I send out another, more potent force bolt. Unlike the others which travelled in straight lines, this one curves through the air, striking down at the monster from above and smashing it down to the ground.

    Filled with rage, the ghast finally breaks free of the cage I imposed on it, but it''s far toote.

    DOOM CHOMP COMBO!

    With a few devastating snaps I shatter the final remnants of resistance within my enemy and its energy begins to dissipate as I start to read over the notifications from the system. Oh yes, give me that juicy XP. I need to many damn levels before I evolve again, I can hardly wait!

    Man, it hasn''t even been that long since I reached tier six and already I''m yearning for tier seven. Evolving is addictive as hell.

    I''m so caught up in the moment of my victory, of thinking of the future and the short and sharp battle that I just participated in that I almost miss the tiny thread of thought that wriggled through the air, seeking out one particr member of our group. So faint, less that a whisper, practically just a breath, but even so it manages to snag my attention, but only barely. If I hadn''t been practicing my mental skills so thoroughly then it may have slipped past entirely.

    Insidious and careful, the thread of mind magic drifts through the air as I try to focus on it, to grasp it with my mind but it''s so quiet I can barely sense it, and it moves like a leaf on the wind, drifting here and there on an unseen wind until finally it connects to the giant bear patting Tiny on the back as sheforts him for missing out on the fight. The moment it touches her she stiffens and sits up straight.

    [Sarah¡­] it whispers.

    [Jim?!] she gasps.

    And then I''m there.

    [BROOD KILLER!] I roar as my minds descend on that thread like a pack of wolves, herding the thread from all sides until I can strangle it in a vice grip. [TRAITOR! Your flesh will feed a thousand grubs for what you''ve done, worm! You hear me!? Do you think the Colony will ever forgive?! You can''t slither away from us forever!]

    [I can try¡­]

    Like gossamer, like a spider web, the thread of mind mana falls apart in my grip, dissolving into nothing no matter how hard I try to hold on. Desperate to trace it I cast my minds out wide, hunting for any sign of that mana but there is none to be found. That punk worm must have worked his non-existent butt off to achieve this level of skill with mind bridges, it''s the only way he could hope to connect to Sarah again without the Colonytching onto his location.

    But still, this is a lead. There''s no way he could reach us here from the second stratum, no hope at all. In fact, he can''t be that far away, he must be burrowed into the tunnels between theyers.

    The hunt is on.

 Chapter 771 Get That Worm!

    <h4>Chapter 771 Get That Worm! </h4>

    [He''s close! We need to get all minds on the job. Try and find his mana signature. It''ll be hard, he''s good at hiding, so we need to get on this now!]

    [Anthony¡­] Sarah''s mind hesitantly reaches out to mine.

    [Later,] I tell her brusquely, [I can hear what you have to sayter. The Colony won''t be dissuaded on this, not after what he did.]

    I switch my mind directly to my allies.

    [Crinis, reach out through the shadows, cover as much ground as you can.]

    I reach back and pat her with one antenna.

    [This will be a huge strain on you, so be careful. It''s important, but not more important than you are.]

    [I understand, master.]

    [Al, I need you to help track down this worm.]

    [I do not understand. Confusion. What is a worm?]

    [It''s a type of creature that''s long and burrows through the ground. Just try and find the damn traitor, please?]

    [I will try.]

    As I''ve been talking all of my minds have already bent themselves to the task of tracing the mana that Jim wove with such cunning. I refuse to believe he''s so good that he can hide all evidence of his weaving.

    Wherewherewherewherewherewherewherewherewherewherewhere?!?!

    AHA! A sniff!

    [This way!] I roar over the mind bridge to my team and we rush northwards. [Crinis! Let''s go!]

    The blob of pure shadow has already vanished into the darkness, her body totally hidden from sight, so I make sure to call to her before I dash forward like a terrier on the trail. He covered his tracks as carefully as only a true coward can, but he can''tpete with my mind power! Once I put Invidia and Al on the case, our grip on his trail bes even tighter. Unfortunately, he''s just moving too damn quick!

    [Since when was that damn worm so nimble?!] I rant as we rush through the tunnels, brushing past numerous demons who we simply knock to the side, unwilling to waste time fighting them. A quick right hook from Tiny and a dash is usually enough to put them in our rear-view.

    [I believe he is travelling down a pre-dug tunnel, master. I can sense it ahead of us.]

    [Makes sense, most likely the one he used to reach us in the first ce. Any chance we can use it for ourselves?]

    [I believe it''s copsing behind him.]

    [Dammit!]

    Because of course it is. The only thing this idiot is good for is betrayal and running away! But we have the scent and I sure as hell am not going to let him off that easy. Run! Like the wind, Anthony! A thousand thoughts try to intrude on my mind as we run. I spent time with Jim. He helped me escape from the golgari as well. He''s been Sarah''s friend for decades. But none of these things matter, they count for nothing anymore!

    To push those impulses away I sink myself deep into meditation, letting my emotions run cold. I can''t afford to get distracted when the trail is this faint and hard to follow!

    [Crinis? Do you have anything?]

    [He''s too fast. I''m not able to catch up to him.]

    [Don''t push yourself too hard. As long as he doesn''t get too far ahead then we can follow the trail no matter where it leads.]

    The worm must have purchased an organ or skill that helps him hide his mana. I know he''s not that far away, but I can''t seem to grab hold of his core despite the fact that I should be able to sense it at my level of mana sight. I have a dozen minds out sweeping ahead, hunting for every little skerrick of energy that leaks beyond the fleeing coward''s control and it''s barely enough to keep track of him.

    It shouldn''t be all that surprising, considering he''s a worm, but he''s one slippery character.

    [Wait!] I shout as I sense something change. I screech to a halt as I cast my senses about, trying to determine what has happened. My sense of Jim is fading, but not in the way it was previously. The direction has changed¡­

    [He''s going up! He might be going to breach the surface!]

    [The surface?] Crinis asks, confused.

    [Onto the ins! I think he might be leaving the tunnels! Quick! We need to climb!]

    With his prepared passage speeding him on his way it takes far less time for the worm to wriggle his way up than it does for us, as we run and climb our way out of the tunnels our hold on the trail grows ever more faint. By the time we reach the ins I can barely sense him at all, only Invidia and Al are doing any better.

    [Thissss way.]

    [You''re sure?]

    [Alwaysssss sure!]

    [Good enough for me, let''s run!]

    Back on the ins now, the ground beneath our feet carpeted in battling demonrvae, we continue to run as somewhere ahead of us, just below the surface, Jim continues his flight.

    [Come on Jim!] I hurl the thoughts forward wildly, sting out a wave of mind magic which may or may not even reach him. [Didn''t you have something to say? Come back! Or are you unwilling to face up to your own crimes?!]

    Theck of reply only serves to cause anger to bubble up within me but under the effect of meditation I allow it to flow past me.

    [Sarah is right here,] I taunt, [you sure you don''t want to let her know why you betrayed her? Did you know she almost died because of you? Why don''t youe on back and apologise? My mandibles will wee you.]

    [Anthony!] Sarah growls at me with her mind and I turn my head a little to stare at her.

    [¡­ sorry,] I mumble.

    If he heard me or not, Jim sends nothing back to us as he continues to increase the gap between us. As the long minutes of running continue to tick by we begin to see what might be his destination. Far ahead a pir slowly bes clear through the ash and smoke of the third stratum, and it''s a big one. The te city has at least four tiers, though it''s difficult to see it right now, it''s possible that a few smaller ones might be hidden from view at this distance.

    It doesn''t make much sense, why would he be heading for a city? What demon inside is going to protect him?

    [Somethingessss,] Invidia hisses.

    [Any idea what?]

    [No. Sssomething ssssstrong.]

    [Keep running. We don''t give up the chase.]

    At least, that''s what I would have preferred, except a few minutester a powerful mind reaches out towards us.

    [HOLD,] it bellows arrogantly. [Do not trespass into thends of your betters!]

    There''s something about the touch of this mind that rubs me the wrong way. I feel as if it''s tickling my memory somehow, but I just can''t put my w on it¡­ a sense of trepidation rises in me.

    [Slow down a second,] I tell the others as I race out ahead.

    [Identify yourself!] I fling the demand out wide.

    [Insolent youth I will do so once you have extended the courtesy.]

    [Massster. The trail is fading towardsss the city.]

    A moment before I decide to throw caution to the wind andmit to the chase once more, an unwee sight rises up from the ins and stalks atop a high peak not a hundred metres away.

    Bejewelled, decked with bright, shimmering cloth and apanied by two humanoid figures in robes that ride upon its back, the creature looks like nothing so much as arge lizard.

    Ka''armodo?!

    Just. Perfect.

 Chapter 772 Diplomatic Immunity

    <h4>Chapter 772 Diplomatic Immunity </h4>

    Fantastic, just what I needed, another giant lizard in my life. Haven''t I dealt with enough of these things?! Considering our minds are connected, I carefully shield my exasperation and reply.

    [Hey there, lizard bro! How''s things? Life treating you well? Try not to dry out too much down here, gets a bit warm in these parts. Make sure you, you know¡­ stay moist. Or whatever a lizard does.]

    I can practically feel the indignation radiating from the big fe.

    [I am Kaarmodo,] he hisses at me, [do not refer to me as a lizard!]

    Despite still having their hoods on I can clearly tell the two attendants are ring at me. What were those guys called again? I seriously can''t remember. This isn''t going so well, I''m going to have to break out the ol'' Anthony charm offensive and see if I can talk this liz- esteemed kaarmodo around to letting us chase that damn worm into their territory.

    Naturally I''m more than a little tempted to just bust through and go running after Jim regardless what this puffed up gecko has to say, but I''m wary of creating another international incident that the Colony will end up having to clean up for me. Making enormous messes and depending on my siblings to deal with it is a habit that I''m quite keen to break. It''s getting embarrassing at this point! I''m hopeful that I can reach a diplomatic solution here.

    [Of course, my mistake! I would never seek to insult one of the ancient and wise members of the kaarmodo race! May your scales be ever shiny!]

    Smooth.

    [Anyways. Can we run through your territory and kill that worm? We hate that guy.]

    And the quality follow up. Nailed it!

    This is what high level diplomacy looks like! Sheer perfection in the realm ofmunication.

    [No,] the lizar- kaarmodo retorts. [Take yourself from ournds at once.]

    What?! I''m genuinely shocked, but no matter, I still have one further trick up my sleeve.

    [Please?] I ask.

    [¡­]

    He''s being swayed, I can tell.

    [¡­ no?]

    See! He sounded much less certain of himself this time around! The negotiation is clearly tilting in my favour! He''s like putty in my ws.

    [We have no intention of acting against the interests of the wonderful kaarmodo or your ve¡­ helper¡­ people¡­ dudes.]

    [Setsh,] the old sapient grates at me, his mind clearly irritated.

    [I mean no disrespect,] I try to give the mind mana equivalent of a thumbs up, [I simply mean to state that we have no intention of bringing any harm to you or your people, we simply wish to pursue our enemy and bring him to justice. That worm is responsible for the deaths of many of my kind and my people would consider it a great service should you allow us this boon.]

    Like the mental equivalent of silk, I feel like my words are smoothly seeping into every fold of this kaarmodo''s brain. I can already feel the disgust and disdain that he feels billowing up like a rising tide. Clearly the actions of Jim have infuriated the noble mage and he is fully willing to cooperate.

    [Leave ournds at once, or I will be forced to view your intrusion as an act of aggression,] the lizard says coldly.

    Eh? I thought we were getting along like a house on fire! How could you possibly defend that damn worm!? Once again, the urge to simply ignore the damn kaarmodo and his ves is almost too strong to ignore, but I forcefully restrain myself, even if it looks as if I''m visibly writhing with the force of effort required to do so. Then a thought strikes me cold.

    [Are you protecting the worm?] I ask.

    Immediately I feel the kaarmodo and his two servants grasping hold of the mana in the air and preparing to weave it into spells, which causes Al and Invidia to begin doing the same thing and all of a sudden the tension has sky-rocketed through the roof.

    Except for with Tiny, he has no idea what is going on.

    But then Invidia pauses for a moment and his mouth appears, opening wide before his tongue pushes a stitose Brilliant out onto the stone ground of the ins.

    [Ssssshe has grown toorge for me to containsss. I can holdsss her no longer!]

    He sounds genuinely regretful about that, probably because he had to let go of something, an act that isn''t really in his nature.

    [Crinis!] I snap out an order, [protect Brilliant! Tiny! Grab hold of her and start running, we are getting out of here!]

    [Do you not wish to chase the worm creature? I sense it still,] Al asks me.

    [No. Brilliant is more important, and we don''t want to start a fight we can''t finish. I''m not going to pull the family down just to get revenge on that piece of garbage.]

    I try to shield Sarah from my sending so she doesn''t have to feel the anger in my thoughts, but I''ve little doubt that she brushed against them anyway. The giant bear''s eyes are quite sad beneath her helmet as she looks into the distance where Jim fled.

    [Alright! Chill! We''re leaving!] I holler at the angsty iguana and just like that we turn and flee, Tiny bounding over to scoop up the prone Brilliant and bam, we are out of there.

    After a few seconds I feel the three figures behind us start to release their grip on the ambient mana and only then do I rx. I can still see the pir behind us, the giant city fading into the distance as we move away from it.

    [We need to learn the name of this city,] I tell Al, [and we need to know everything we can about the kaarmodo there. What is going to be the best way to do that?]

    [An envoy from another demon city is almost never refused. Certain. If the kaarmodo do not know the envoyes from a city that you control, they will have no reason to interfere.]

    [Is that something that happens often? One city sends a demon over to another city to ¡­ do what?]

    [Negotiate, often for formal war, though long distance mind bridges are alsomonly used for such talks. Exchange gifts. Travel.]

    [Wait, travel? Are you telling me that some demons are out there on tour?]

    I can almost feel the mental shrug.

    [Demons like me, who crave information of one type or another are oftenpelled to move around the stratum. Some simply can''t stay still for one reason or another. Perhaps their bloodlust is so strong they are unable to wait for a formal war to be arranged, so they travel from city to city, seeking conflict and battle. Others, such as Grokus, may travel to feast on different monsters and Biomass that can be found in different ces. It ismon.]

    Well, that''s interesting I suppose. I look down on Brilliant, held in the crook of Tiny''s massive arm, she''s still clearly in the process of evolving, her carapace shifting in strange ways as her body is restructured beneath her outer shell.

    She''s an important member of the family and couldn''t be risked. I wasn''t really worried that we would be in danger from the kaarmodo and his servants, but the possibility that she might be harmed was enough to call the retreat, even more than not wanting to start a conflict. Even so, if we find out that they''re sheltering the traitorous invertebrate, then there may be a fight between them and the Colony no matter what I have to say about the matter.

    [Anthony¡­] Sarah breaks into my thoughts.

    [I know,] I tell her, [we''ll talk when we get back to the city.]

 Chapter 773 Little Talks

    <h4>Chapter 773 Little Talks </h4>

    There''s just something so thrilling about delving deep into the Dungeon my dear readers! I can scarce describe it, the growing sense of unease and foreboding as the mana thickens in the air around you and the tunnel walls close in. Who knows what monster might lie around the next corner? What mystery the Dungeon will throw at you next?

    Even if an old duck like me no longer has much to fear in the first stratum I still get a slither of energy rushing through my aged bones.

    Except that, under the protection of the Colony, I experienced the most boring Dungeon exploration of my life. The creatures had tamed the Dungeon to a ludicrous degree, carving smooth, elegant walkways and passages, wonderfully constructed staircases with soft, firm padding on the stone, to make the passage of all humans as convenient andfortable as possible. What struck me as ridiculous was that the ants themselves didn''t even use these passages! They had vertical tunnels that they could traverse as easily as you or I walk along a t road!

    If any monsters existed on the path, I didn''t see them. Not a single one! It was almost boring¡­

    As we walked, the ants patrolling the tunnels becamerger and more frequent. My guide stopped to exchange ''words'' with each of them, and when I enquired what they were discussing, she smiled and exined that it wasmon amongst the Colony and those who lived with them to encourage each other to work hard and to remind them that they take the right number of breaks.

    Iughed and said that surely it''s difficult to make an ant stop working. Her expression grew serious, a trace of apprehension to her brow.

    "Not really," she said softly.

    Excerpt from volume nine of ''Traveling Tolly in thends of the Colony'' published in the Monthly ''Pangera Gazette''

    I''m surprised at how long it takes for the emotion to bleed out of me as we march back to Orpule. I don''t know what I''d expected would happen regarding Jim. I suppose in the back of my mind I always thought the Colony would find him eventually, as our numbers grew and we became ever more capable it was only a matter of time until we got our ws on him.

    No matter how good he got at hiding himself in the past, slithering between tunnels and avoiding every fight that came his way, he couldn''t possibly be so sneaky as to hide from literally hundreds of thousands of sentient creatures hungry for vengeance. Yet he managed to surprise me. Despite everything, the Colony still hadn''t managed to get a sniff of him until now, a testament I suppose to just how deeply and desperately he hid himself. Somehow he even managed toe down to the third stratum, a desperately dangerous ce for a creature like him, considering how open much of thisyer of the Dungeon is.

    And it''s obvious why.

    I nce across at the massive armoured bear marching along to the side of me. His strange attachment to Sarah was what caused him to betray the Colony in the first ce, so I shouldn''t be too surprised that he followed her down here, hoping to get in touch with her. I don''t know how he spotted us as we roamed away from the Colony but he clearly saw his chance and decided to risk reaching out to her. An idiotic thing to do but I suppose it goes to show the depth of his obsession.

    When we finally arrive back at the city we take the elevator up in silence as each of us ponders over the events that have just transpired. My friends don''t disturb me, perhaps sensing the depth of my disquiet.

    I keep a watchful mind construct on Brilliant at all times, monitoring the changes that ripple through her nowrger form and waiting to see if she was ready to awaken, but by the time the elevator returns to the te she remainsatose.

    [Take her somewhere safe and quiet,] I instruct Tiny and Crinis, [and then watch over her. Make sure there''s food avable when she wakes up and reach out to me before she goes anywhere. I want to check in on her before she starts running wild about the ce.]

    [Yes, Master.]

    With Brilliant still cradled in the crook of his arm, Tiny nodded and began to trundle his way toward the still growing nest built in the centre of the city. I watched them go before I turned to Sarah.

    [Let''s talk.]

    She looked at me for a long moment before she sat with a thump and tilted her head back to stare up at the roof far above.

    [I''m really not sure what I even want to say,] she admitted.

    I didn''t say anything.

    [Jim was apanion to me for years. Years, Anthony. I trusted him. He was my friend. I can''t just turn around and¡­ I mean¡­ I know what he did was terrible, I''m just¡­]

    As she trails away I can''t help but sigh.

    [I get it. I understand where you''reing from. Jim was your only connection to the life you left behind, the only person who really understood what it was like to be reborn as a monster in this world. It isn''t easy to turn him into a viin in your head, with all the history that''s been built up between you. Not to mention, you don''t recall the worst of what happened, since you were berserk at that time.]

    I wander over to the bear who still hasn''t moved and I give her a pat on the back with one leg.

    [But you have to understand that, for us, there''s noing back after what he did. Because of him, hundreds, if not thousands, of brood died. Helplessrvae, eggs that never got to hatch. It''s never going to be ok. The Colony will hunt him down no matter if it takes a hundred years.]

    I let that statement hang in the air.

    [That''s going to be hard for you,] I continue, [I totally get that. If you can ept it, then you are of course wee to stay with us, you''re part of the family now. Whether you fight or not, whether you contribute or not, you''ll always have a ce amongst us. You have nothing to prove to us, ever again. If you want to try and save him? Then we may need to part ways.]

    [He did it because of me,] she whispered, [we all know it. How is it not my fault?]

    I shake my head.

    [He did it for him. Don''t ever let that thought confuse you, he might have felt like he was doing it for you, but it was for him. He has a weird and twisted view of what''s in your best interest, coloured by jealousy and a need to possess. If he had the chance he would desperately try to convince you that he only wanted to help you, but the reality is he just wanted you to himself. And I think you know that.]

    With a final pat on her massive, furry back I turn and leave her to her thoughts. It''s a shame that everything is soplicated on her end, the emotional attachment built up over years of, if we''re honest, incarceration together. For me? For the Colony? It''s just so, so simple.

    [Burke! Get your butt over here!]

    [What''s a butt?]

    [Never mind! Got something big to talk about.]

    Not needing to be told twice, the powerful scout zips over to me with impressive speed. Clearly she hasn''t skipped leg day, by which I mean the day dedicated to mutating the legs.

    [We had a sighting of Jim the worm, to the north. We tried to pursue but he ran into a section of the stratum near arge city. A kaarmodo was guarding the way, and they stopped us, but let him through.]

    When I name the traitor I can feel my sibling grow still, a cold rage blossoming in her heart. She nods, slowly, processing all that I''ve said.

    [What do you want us to do?] she asks.

    Whatever I say, they''ll do right now. If I demanded that citye down, they would make it happen. I sink into meditation to try and let my emotions quiet down.

    [We can''t rush,] I say, my mental voice suddenly cool, [I''ve just asked the Colony to draw back and secure its position, I won''t ruin that by having us overreach now. We won''t be ready for a confrontation with the kaarmodo for a long time. Right now, we need information. I want that whole section of Dungeon mapped, I want to know how many demons and lizards we''re dealing with. Most of all, I want the edges of their territory watched in case that wormes slithering back our way. Got it?]

    [It will be done, Eldest.]

 Chapter 774 Wriggle and Worm

    <h4>Chapter 774 Wriggle and Worm </h4>

    The hot air of the third stratum burned against his skin and Jim cursed as his tender flesh seared in the open air. He wasn''t built to be exposed like this which was probably why they demanded hee out of the protective soil for this discussion.

    The demon city of Arkesh loomed high above them, the five tiers of tes disappearing in the smoke and ash far above. He shuddered and the rings that made up his long form coiled and twisted ufortably.

    Now that he had revealed himself fully the three kaarmodo who awaited him at the base of the pir stepped forward, apanied by their attendants they approached him as he writhed slowly with pain.

    Without preamble he felt thebined weight of their minds m into him, smashing his thoughts aside in the most brutal way possible. If he had any illusions as to how high he was held in their regard, then this deliberate, crude intrusion would make them clear.

    Fortunately, or perhaps not, depending on the perspective, Jim was under no illusions as to what the kaarmodo thought of him. To them, he was a tool, nothing more, nothing less. He viewed them in much the same way, and if it helped him achieve his goals then he would dly suffer some indignities. After all, hadn''t he lived imprisoned by the golgari for a decade? Compared to that, rough treatment from the giant, sentient lizards was nothing.

    [We have protected you, as we promised we would,] the lead kaarmodo dered, [this is evidence enough of our sincerity, I am sure?]

    Jim wanted to snort and scoff at the ridiculousness of that statement. Protect him? They''d very nearly left him for dead! If he hadn''t slithered directly towards their city they may well have let that idiot, Anthony catch him! But he couldn''t do that. The kaarmodo were touchy when it came to questioning their morals, regardless of how questionable they were.

    [I am very grateful for your protection,] he said, using the power of his mind to find a little more bnce within his own head, shoving the intrusive presence back just a smidge. [I would also like to think that my efforts have also served to more clearly demonstrate the threat that the Colony represents. I hope that the old ones will be more receptive to my warnings now?]

    The three lizards watch himzily as their servants stood to attention around them. It was so difficult to try and read a kaarmodo, their faces almost never moved, if they wanted to they could stand perfectly still for days at a time, their bodies not shifting position in the slightest. It was unnerving to look at.

    [We are still unconvinced that the danger is as great as you suggest,] the kaarmodo to the left told him, breaking into the conversation for the first time. [We have heard dire warnings, but until now we have seen and heard little of this ''Colony''. A single ant, no matter how powerful, is of little concern to us.]

    So stupid. Despite the pain he was in, Jim was reminded of the human gesture he might have engaged in so long ago, pping a palm against his forehead. He no longer had palms, or a forehead, but the sentiment remained. How could they be so foolish?

    [If a single ant can be so powerful. Reaching tier six, with multiple tier six pets¡­]

    He left the thought hanging, trying to allow the supposedly aged and wise kaarmodo to fill in the nks on their own.

    [Are you trying to suggest there are thousands of such creatures? All ants, with aparable level of strength?]

    The tone of the thoughts was loaded with derision.

    [No,] he quickly denied, [but given enough time they will be able to amass resources at a speed that will shock you. I have been inside their nest, I know how fast they work. By now there will be tens of thousands of them, hundreds of thousands maybe. They can spread over an enormous amount of Dungeon and funnel resources to a few individuals. Surely you see the threat?]

    [These are all future concerns, far off and theoretical. Little to justify our continued efforts to protect you now.]

    If he had any teeth he would have grit them in frustration. These damned lizards were such an unwieldly and slow instrument to work with! When his betrayal of the Colony had failed, when the golgari and Legion had fallen short of eliminating the pest, he had despaired of ever being able to pry Sarah away from the insects who pushed her to the edge of her sanity in their own defence. They were far too on guard for him to ever be able to approach the nest again, no matter how hard he tried, so he had been forced to watch and wait, something he was well used to doing.

    When the Colony had expanded to the third stratum, he felt he might finally have a chance. He knew thatnd in the third was more heavily contested than it was in the second, all he had to do was try and find some of the ant''s new neighbours and give them a nudge. The empire of the great lizards, the Dune Kingdom, seat of the old ones, had been a perfect target. Too proud to ever settle to treat monsters as equals, a conflict with the Colony was inevitable. All he had to do was provide a spark.

    [They have already conquered Orpule. That makes two cities that have fallen to the Colony in a matter of weeks. It won''t be long before theye here. I predict that you will begin to see scouts poking at the edges of your territory in a few days, perhaps less.]

    They certainly would be here, looking for him, but the kaarmodo didn''t need to know that.

    If only he hadn''t reached out to Sarah in that moment, then Anthony and the Colony would still have no idea he was here and there would surely havee a better chance to reach her. He was confident that if he just had a minute to talk to her, a little time to exin himself, then she would see things as he saw them. The Colony would destroy her in the end, he was certain of it.

    But with him, he could protect her, keep her safe from herself.

    [Your warnings are dire, but we are yet to see sufficient evidence. If you wish to continue to enjoy our protection, then you should honour your end of the bargain. Continue to be our eyes on this ''Colony'', track their movements. If they seek conflict with the kaarmodo as you im, they will learn how foolish it is to wage war against the timeless sands.]

    Sensing the dismissal, Jim gratefully rolled his lengthy form and dove once more beneath the crust of the ins. Though the rock was hot, the air was even more so and he was grateful to once more be shielded from it. He would return to thends of the Colony, though he would have to be doubly careful for now, but he was confident that the tinder had already been lit.

    All he had to do was be patient, then he would get his chance.

 Chapter 775 Big Brain

    <h4>Chapter 775 Big Brain </h4>

    Tiny looked down at the little one cradled in the crook of his arm and felt a smile creep up on his face. It was good to protect the little one, and make sure that she survived as she slept. Keeping her safe when she was awake was much harder. Tiny preferred time like this. It made him feel good, feel strong, when he cared for the little ones. They took care of Tiny, brought him food, were family with the master, so, he would care for them in turn.

    The other thing that made him feel strong was the curve of his arm as he held the little one against his chest. This angle, this position, allowed him to flex his big bump of an arm muscle to an impressive degree, something that he was sure to slowly emphasise as he moved, so that all could appreciate the wonderful sight.

    In truth, it absorbed his attention perhaps too much.

    On several asions the little one had tricked him by asking him to pose and then escaping when his back was turned! Trickery! One time she had asked him which arm was thicker, his right or left and Tiny had be so absorbed in the question he had remained as still as a statue for six hours. Only when the master had realised that both he and the once-hatchling had gone missing did he return to find Tiny looking down at both arms, flexing and straightening them one after the other with a thoughtful frown on his face.

    Luckily the master wasn''t too mad, though he did check Tiny''s core just to make sure his Cunning stat hadn''t changed.

    Tiny found that a little insulting. No he hadn''t changed his stats! He just devoted most of his brain to hitting things and muscles, which were a key part of hitting things. Now that he had more brain than before, he could think even more about hitting things and muscles! He didn''t mind it so much, though sometimes he wished his shoulders were a littlerger and his brain a little smaller.

    (It should be noted that Tiny has truly, ridiculously, absurdlyrge shoulders.)

    [Tiny. I believe that Brilliant may be stirring,] the voice of his sister breaks into his thoughts of shouldersrge enough to hoist a mountain on top of and his gaze shes down to the small form that he holds in his arm.

    The shadow has spoken truly, the young has begun to twitch and wriggle, much as the grubs do, in small increments as she returns to the world of the waking. Moving gently, he ces her down on the stone floor with one massive palm before he steps back and peers carefully at the waking ant.

    He doesn''t want to make a mistake and have her run off on him again. The master would get annoyed and then for his next evolution his brain would have to be even bigger¡­ which would mean less energy for more important things! His fists curl in determination which does interesting things to his forearms but before he can be distracted he snaps his eyes back to the little one.

    That was close¡­

    [I have informed the master, he will be with us soon,] his sister informs him and Tiny gives her a quick nod of gratitude.

    That means he won''t have to focus for too long, which is a good thing. With the imminent arrival of their creator, they settle in to wait. Little brother decides he doesn''t want to float any longer and settles himself on top of Tiny''s head, his two stick-thin arms supporting him. It''s a shame that the little brother has such a weak body, he''ll never know the true joy of smashing things with his fists, which makes Tiny a bit sad. On the other hand, the little brother is very good at smashing things with his brain, which Tiny can''t do.

    Perhaps smashing things with the brain is just as fun?

    He considers for a second before he shakes his head in denial. No. There is no chance that is true, but the little brother enjoys it, so that is good. At the movement of the head beneath him Invidia stirs as he is forced to adjust his position and Tiny quickly feels a connection snap into being between the two of them.

    On the other side of the bridge the giant ape can feel his little brother''s mind, not so little right now, the weight of that ponderous brain looms like something that Tiny doesn''t think he could lift.

    [Be stillsssssss,] the little brother chides, before his eye flitters down to his resting ce''s massive frame. [Your sssstrength will be mine one day!] he deres.

    Tiny shakes his head again, causing the little demon to hiss with irritation. He knew the little brother would yearn for his great power, a pity he will never be as huge as Tiny.

    Then the hatchling springs awake, leaping up onto her six legs and pointing an antenna fervently behind them.

    [Look out!] she cries over a hastily crafted connection.

    Both Tiny and Invidia immediately turn only to see nothing behind them at all, only a wall. Perhaps she wanted them to see the wall? Before the pair can lean in closer to more thoroughly inspect said wall there is skittering noise followed by a thump behind them and they turn back to see the hatchling syed out on the ground, each of her legs bound by a coil of shadow.

    [W-when?] the newly evolved ant groaned.

    [Since before you woke up,] the sister said. [Stay still until the master arrives and I won''t mention your attempt.]

    [Fine.]

    She tried to escape! Tiny realises this and thumps one massive fist into his palm before he turns to his sister and gives her an energetic thumbs up. The patch of darkness that has bonded itself to the wall wibbles a little and sighs, before a tentacle extends and moulds itself into a matching gesture that Tiny happily bumps his own fist against before he settles back.

    Teamwork. It feels nice to have others he can rely on. It took him a long time to understand that.

    Shortly after, the master arrives, rushing up in a blur before stopping suddenly and looming over the little one in a cloud of dust. At thest moment, the shadowy restraints slip into the stone and vanish allowing the hatchling to stand once more.

    [Thanks guys,] the master tells them, his honest gratitude shining over the connection, warming each of them like a gentle me, [I really appreciate it.]

    Then he pokes and prods the little one a few times.

    [Now let''s see what you''ve done.]

 Chapter 776 Blooming Potential

    <h4>Chapter 776 Blooming Potential </h4>

    I''m kind of surprised that the hatchling, I mean Brilliant, didn''t try and escape after evolving, but here she is obediently waiting for me after waking. Has she finally learned her lesson? That would be a good thing indeed! Growth! Actual growth! And here I thought I was going to have to change her name to Massive-idiant.

    [Well, well, well,] I look down on the emphatically no-longer-a-hatchling and ck my mandibles happily, [tier five. You made it to the big leagues! A big bad ant now! This is actually the level that the majority of the Colony hasn''t reached, you''re now part of the elite.]

    I can tell that she wants to reply something to the effect of ''naturally'' but knows that she''ll get a thackin'' for it. As she should! Who did all the work!?

    [I feel good,] she eventually says, [strong. I feel like I can see things more clearly than I could before.]

    [Oh? You mean you understand things better? Or your literal sight has improved?]

    [¡­Both? I think?]

    [Interesting. Well, I''m keen to take a peek at your core and see what you chose. Hold still for a second.]

    I reach down with one antenna and throw my mind into her core, swimming through the rush of mana and information that is held within until I manage to sift it down to the parts I understand.

    Name: Brilliant

    Level: 1 (Special) V

    Might: 50

    Toughness: 50

    Cunning: 150

    Will: 150

    HP: 100/100

    MP: 0/250

    Skills:

    Advanced Digging (II) Level 9; Acid Shot (III) Level 5; Expert Grip (III) Level 15; Crunching Bite (III) Level 16; Rapid Dash (III) Level 19; Exo-Skeleton Defense (I) level 4; Advanced Stamina (III) Level 13; Mana Craft (V) Level 4; Finer External Mana Maniption (IV) Level 27; Earth Mana Affinity (IV) Level 9; Shadow Mana Affinity (III) Level 7; Light Mana Affinity (III) Level 15; Mind Mana Affinity (II) Level 6;

    Mutations:

    Rapid Energy Reactive Exoskeleton +20; Enhanced Vampiric Mandibles +20; Mighty Gripping Legs +20; rified Mana Weave Eyes +20; Delicate Mana Sensitive Antennae +20; Concentrated Melting Acid nd +20; Broadened Pheromone Language nd +20; Elevated Mana Core Lattice +20; Piercing Dungeon Oracle +20; Weaving Dimensional Eye +20; Purified Energy Stone +20; Mana Crystal Weave; Brain;

    Species: Mature Omni-Seer (Formica)

    Skill points: 22

    Biomass: 24

    Wowee! She''s got more mental stats than I do! Considering that she''s essentially abandoned physical development, I shouldn''t be too surprised, but it still stings a little. Unlike me, she invested the whole lot into a single brain rather than spreading it out, which means she has quite the oomph behind a single line of effort, as opposed to my more diversified efforts. Eventually she''ll reach the required rank in mind magic and then be able to craft the constructs, much as I can. I see she even went to the effort of making her brain mutable, which makes sense.

    Since she became a Mature Omni-Seer it''s clear that she followed through an evolution chain and the main reward appears to have been the Mana Crystal Weave, a rather potent organ, if I do say so myself.

    Brilliant has gone down a path that I myself will probably have to consider rather soon, the road of investing in the core itself. She has two organs that interact directly with the gem that sits in her centre, first was the Core Lattice, a web of fine crystalline lines that branch off the core in a breathtaking structure. The purpose of this organ is multifaceted, allowing mana to flow in and out of the core more easily, as well as granting finer control over it in the vicinity of the core. Now she''s added the Weave, a sphere part crystal, part flesh that thettice connects to, further enhancing the effect and making Brilliant exceptionally sensitive to the teensiest vibration of mana that urs within her frame.

    She''s basically set herself up as a detector of all things, able to sense everything that urs around her to an extraordinary degree, particrly in the realm of mana. I can understand why also, she is desperate to understand and investigate all that goes on and she has given herself the tools to make that happen. With these mutations, she''s also turned herself into a powerful all-round caster, with a steady flow of energy and very fine control over it.

    With a few more skill levels under her belt she''ll be able to pump out some mighty impressive magic, no doubt about it. With her absurd rate of improvement, I''m sure it won''t even take her long! Dammit! This feels unfair on quite a few levels¡­

    On the other hand, she''s done basically nothing to make herself more survivable. Her toughness is too low, she can''t heal herself, and her defensive Skills are still paltry garbage. If I hadn''t insisted on making her run so much, her Dash would still be in a terrible state.

    [All in all, I like what you''ve done,] I congratte her as I remove my antenna. [You''ll be able to puzzle out the secrets of mana and whatever the Dungeon hides in no time. This can only be good for the Colony.]

    [Naturally,] she says smugly as she rises, [there''s not going to be anything on this world that I won''t be able to figure out. All I need is a little time.]

    [I hope you''re right, there is still way too much that we don''t understand.]

    Now that she''s reached tier five, I feel less like I need to be actively pushing her and feeding her experience, but I still think she''s not quite ready for her life as an independent champion. The moment I let her loose, she''s going to start attracting a following and be another powerful and rtively independent force within the Colony, just like Vibrant is.

    Vibrant obviously works together with the Colony and is a massive contributor, but she''s also a little tough to slot into ns and tends to make life a little difficult for other members of the council without intending to. I fully expect the same will be true of Brilliant soon enough. She''ll help us progress, of that I have no doubt, but things will get a little messy along the way.

    That''s a good thing in the long run, the way things happen around here can be a little too rigid at times, I think having Brilliant and Vibrant around to upset the bnce is going to be healthy. I just want to make sure that she''s ready.

    [Alright then, Brilliant,] I tell her, [one more trip and that''s it. You''ll have graduated my teaching and will be able to make your way in the Colony however you see fit!]

    The little ant freezes on the spot before she turns her whole body to look me straight on.

    [Are you serious? One more. That''s it? One more and I''m free?]

    I flick my antennae, a little annoyed.

    [What do you mean ''free?'' You aren''t in prison! Forget it. Yes. I mean it. After this trip, you can go where you want, do what you want, investigate to your heart''s content.]

 Chapter 777 The lay of the land

    <h4>Chapter 777 They of thend </h4>

    It''d be nice to mutate right now but I want to build up my bank of Biomass a bit more before I take the plunge. Going through those endless lists and menus is a massive pain in the backside and I''d rather save it all up and go through as much as possible at once.

    That doesn''t mean I don''t tell Tiny, Crinis and Invidia that they need to make sure they''re 100% ready to go before we leave. I leave my three friends silently contemting their options whilst Brilliant roams free, enjoying a taste of unsupervised freedom before I grab her back into the fold and head out in the stratum once again.

    I have several ideas in mind for this expedition, but before Imit to anything I feel like I should take advantage of the collected wisdom here in Orpule before I go gallivanting off into the wilds once again.

    My first port of call is to check in with Sarah. Ourst talk was a bit heavy and I know she has some things to process but I figure the polite thing is to invite her out again rather than make an assumption.

    [That''s kind of you, Anthony, but I think I''ll rest here in the city for a bit. I don''t want to go out there while my head isn''t on straight. With what''s going on with Jim¡­ I just don''t think I''ll be in proper control of my emotions.]

    Definitely not something you want if you''re an anger fuelled murder-bear.

    [I get you,] I give her an encouraging pat on the back. [Take it easy and rest for a while. Head up to the second stratum if you feel like it, might as well enjoy the cold while you still can.]

    She shudders a little.

    [I might take you up on that. Even with these enchantments it is so hot here.]

    [You''re just too furry!] Iugh. [You need a nice shiny carapace in your next evolution. You won''t regret it!]

    She eyes my diamond perfection askance.

    [I''ll consider it¡­] she says but I''m not convinced she means it.

    What is this reluctance! Bah! Some people can''t ept true beauty when it''s right in front of their eyes¡­ I say farewell to the big bear and head deeper into the city to check on the goings on in the anthill. As usual my appearance causes a few ripples of disturbance amongst the ants but it''s something that I''m growing used to over time. I feel like the more attuned to them I be, the more attuned to me they get, as if the connection were working in both directions in some way.

    Which it shouldn''t be. I''ve studiously checked the flow of energy through the Vestibule and it''s all one way. Though it''s hard for me to examine exactly what happens in the Nave, I can''t detect any hint of something leaving me and going to them, so I can''t exin it, nheless it feels as if it''s true.

    [Eldest!] I''m greeted by Cobalt, of all the ants, certainly someone I didn''t expect to see here.

    [Shouldn''t you be back at the nest taking care of all the expansion projects up there?] I ask suspiciously.

    She holds both antennae straight up in the air.

    [No thwacking!] she cries. [All the projects are running smoothly and we dyed the timetable for expansion in order to make sure there aren''t any mistakes. Since I didn''t have anything to do I thought I''de down here and help with the research and construction going on.]

    Research?

    [You guys have found some interesting stuff?] I ask, curious.

    [Oh yes,] she nods, thankful that I''ve been distracted from more dangerous topics, [the scouts identified a new type of ore that we are testing right now. It''s saturated in fire mana and incredibly heat resistant. We can think of hundreds of uses for it but so far we haven''t managed to smelt it. Either we can''t make a fire that''s hot enough or there''s another method that we haven''t discovered yet.]

    Interesting¡­

    [Well I''m sure that you''ll think of something,] I shrug. I''m not going to be the one to puzzle out this mystery, I leave that to the smarter ants. [In terms of building, what are the carvers actually working on down here?]

    Once again she backs off as if frightened that I might discipline her. I''m not that scary!

    [Just defensive works! Honest! I''ve even been sleeping properly, no abductions for a week!]

    One week? That''s it?!

    [Just how often were you getting captured?] I ask, my antennae quivering with barely concealed anger.

    [Not¡­ that often.]

    [Rest is important!]

    THWACK!

    After dispensing justice to the remorseful carver I head off to find my three favourite rock covered people in the whole world. That is to say, Granin, Corun and Torrina, who made the journey over to Orpule not that long ago. As expected, I find them working with the Core Shapers, assisting in the research and practice of the caste as they experiment with the precious few Demon cores to see what they cane up with. I have to say, if they manage to fold a shadow beast and a demon together into one monster I''ll be impressed, though I have no idea how useful the resultant monster would be. Perhaps they''d be better off putting different types of demon together?

    [Hey there Granin!] I give him and the gang a friendly wave as I approach. [How''s things treating you?]

    He barely looks up at me before he grunts over the mental connection.

    [You still haven''t evolved yet?]

    [You can''t be serious!]

    [What if I am?]

    I stare at the stubborn old b of granite, a touch exasperated and Torrinaes to my rescue by stepping into the mental link.

    [I think Granin is just a little concerned. We''ve been taking measurements of the mana levels here in the third stratum and there are signs that they may already be starting to rise again¡­]

    I stare at her, gobsmacked.

    [Another wave? Already?!]

    She shakes her head.

    [No, not for a month or two, perhaps more, but it''s disturbing nheless. After thest two waves the readings never fell back to normal, in fact after thest one they fell even less than after the first. If this pattern continues¡­]

    [This is evidence that your theory might be correct, that another Cataclysm is on the way¡­]

    Well that ain''t good.

    [Nothing is certain,] Corun holds his hands up, [this could just be nothing and we might find that the concentration of energy begins to fall again over the next few weeks.]

    I''m not even sure if he believes it¡­

    [It won''t,] Granin rumbles over the mind bridge, his thoughts unusually still. [We don''t have much time until theye up for us.]

    He lifts his head and looks me in the eyes.

    [So why haven''t you evolved yet?]

 Chapter 778 Limits? We Donâ€™t Need No Stinking Limits!

    <h4>Chapter 778 Limits? We Don''t Need No Stinking Limits! </h4>

    The demon infusion program began rather shortly after our expansion began within the third stratum. It became clear quite quickly that a steady supply of demon recruits would be needed to fuel our ambitions, especially if we wanted them to be a regr and meaningful contributor to our conquests. Normally this would happen naturally, there is always a flow of demons that battle and survive on the ins below, reaching tier six and then ascending to join their cousins on the te cities above.

    The issue we encountered was that this process seldom gave rise to demons who had maximised their potential through the early evolutions, particr the first two. An demonrvae lives a truly brutal and savage existence, fighting constantly, consuming what Biomass it can in the flowing melee and mutating rapidly in order to gain whatever edge it can over its innumerable enemies. Although it doesn''t take long for thervae to absorb enough mana to form a core, given the density of the energy at this level, half of tier tworvae evolve without forming one, desperate to survive they reach for the quick power a fast evolution will provide.

    These stuntedrvae seldom go on to reach any higher, bing food for their brethren who achieve a more powerful evolution. Naturally this is wasteful and inefficient, something the Colony has never been prepared to tolerate. It''s impossible to observe and assess each and everyrvae, but with great effort the Colony was able to create a system whereby promisingrvae would receive support to ensure they achieved perfect evolutions up to tier four, whereupon they would be allowed to make their own way.

    Although imperfect, this greatly improved the quality and strength of the demons who joined those cities under the influence of the Colony, something they greatly appreciated and repaid many times over with their savagery and enthusiasm for battle.

    Excerpt from ''Growing Demons'' by Be

    After absorbing this sober warning from Granin and I head back to where the gang is still sorting out there mutations and park my diamond covered rear for a minute to consider my levelling speed. It''s not as if I''ve been cking off down here, and the hunting has been good, but the experience has been spread out over the group fairly evenly. I know that''s not what Granin wants to happen, he wants me to force my pets to funnel me all the experience, as well as depend on the Colony to do the same. It wouldn''t even necessarily be wrong to do so. If I get elerated to tier seven, then my friends will be able to enjoy my protection, along with the Colony as I would be able to go toe to toe with our most powerful enemies without having to take massive risks or depend on surprise tactics to win.

    Even so, it doesn''t feel right to me. During our extended hunting trips I''ve been making sure that Brilliant is fed the lions share up until she maxes out, then letting everyone split our gains roughly evenly. I''m still ahead of my group in levels, but not by a significant amount. Even my babysitters have been getting their share, since I forced them to take it. Although the flow of xp has been good, spreading it out over so many monsters has made the gains fairly low.

    Idly wondering what level I''ve even managed to reach, I bring up the menu and take a look.

    Level thirty five.

    Not bad! All things considered, that''s not half bad! I mean¡­ I only need to reach¡­ level one hundred¡­ and sixty¡­

    Holy moly! That''s another hundred and twenty five levels?! Are you kidding me, Gandalf!? That''s unreasonable! An outrageous demand! Actually wait a second¡­ that means in order to reach tier eight a monster needs three hundred and twenty levels. And tier nine would take six hundred and forty. Are there really any monsters like that!? It''s absurd! Complete madness! Who woulde up with such a stupid requirement?! How could it possibly be achieved?!

    Actually, thinking about it, if we imagine that the ancients are tier ten, I have no idea if they are, but let''s go with it for now, that would mean they''d need one thousand two and eighty levels to get from nine to ten¡­

    I get that monsters don''t really age and will live forever if we don''t experience death by violence, and that the ancients may have had literally thousands of years to level up and achieve their current level of power, but it still feels ridiculous to me. If I had to grind levels and Biomass for even a hundred years I feel as if I''d go insane.

    No, I think I will continue my current policy of sharing out the love and refusing to hog the xp, although I do think we need to elerate our efforts. The closer I get to the next tier, the safer I feel running around down here, although asides from the few tier sevens I''ve run into, I haven''t really felt threatened by anything that we''ve encountered.

    Luckily for us the bulk of the ''wild'' demons that we run into are lone wolves, operating on their own until they reach the sixth tier and join a city and demon society more broadly, making them easy pickings for our hunting party.

    [All right gang, everyone doing well? All read to go? Manage to deal with the itch?]

    Each of the pets gives me a slightly odd look but I brush it off,ing out of a mutation can have that effect on a monster.

    [It''s time to head out again. We''re going to head out towards Kaarmodo territory, being careful not to tread on an scaled toes and irritate the touchy lizards. Even so, I think it''ll be a good idea if we can get a general picture of how strong they are and how many cities they control in this area. If we manage to pick up the trail of that traitor worm, all the better. Sound good to everyone?]

    [Do I need to evolve on this trip as well?] Brilliant asks, one antennae in the air as she asks her question.

    [No. No you don''t,] I sigh, [it would be nice to push you tier six, but I don''t think you''re quite ready for it yet. You need to have a better idea of what it is you want to do and what you want to be before youmit to those decisions. Anyone else?]

    Tiny, Crinis and Invidia don''t seem fussed either way, so we quickly make ready and exit the city once more.

 Chapter 779 Scoutâ€™s Honour

    <h4>Chapter 779 Scout''s Honour </h4>

    Burke wouldn''t say she disliked thepany of other ants, not at all, but it couldn''t be denied that she, and quite a few other scouts had developed a strange sense of independence over the months. More than any other group, except perhaps the far ranging core shapers who spent more time with their pets than others of their own kind, the scouts spend huge periods outside of theforts of the nests, patrolling, carrying messages, scouting (obviously). All of this alone time had made them a little reclusive, a little ufortable when exposed to the crush of the nests and the tightly packed ranks of their kind.

    She herself could admit that upon leaving the demon cities and climbing down to the ins below she had felt a certain tension unwind within her thorax, a subtle pressure rxed within her mind.

    She breathed deep of the third stratum air and allowed the heated mana with a tinge of destruction swirl around her core. It felt good to be back out in the wilds of the Dungeon with only herself to rely on. A little peace. A little quiet. It was important, she felt, to enjoy these moments whilst theysted.

    She detected a slight vibration through the ground being transmitted to her legs, the fine hairs there thrumming at an increasing pace.

    Just breathe. Take in the peace.

    The vibration had now be a faint rumbling. Even the demonrvae on the ground were starting to shimmy and shake as they engaged in their eternal tussle, yet Burke tuned it all out. Until the veryst moment she would concentrate on the here and now.

    So soothing.

    hhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHEY THEREBURKEHOWAREYOUDOINGYOULOOKTIREDMAYBEYOUSHOULDRELAXALITTLEBUTDON''TLETTHESHADOWSCATCHYOUTHEY''REWATCHINGFORSUREITHINKTHEYFOLLOWME!"

    An assault of pheromones washed over the suddenly exhausted scout as the vibrations ceased when Vibrant and over a hundred of her loyal crew rushed over and slid to a stop right next to the scout leader.

    "Vibrant¡­" she started, "aren''t you supposed to be inspecting the territory to the east of here? Isn''t that what you said you would do for the council?"

    All of that serenity, all of that quiet peace, gone in an instant. Already she could feel the burgeoning pressure as over a hundred ants packed in around her. Burke loved to be around her kind, don''t think otherwise, she just needed a break from them every now and again, and this wasn''t helping.

    "And don''t forget to talk slower," she reminded the muchrger soldier, "I can barely understand you at that speed. I mean, can your followers even understand you? Can you figure out what she''s talking about?" she asked a nearby general.

    "Idon''tknowwhatyoumeanitseemsfomeareyousureyouaren''tjustalittleslowmaybeyoushouldspeedupalittlearen''tyouscoutssupposedtobefastImean -"

    "I get it," she cut her off, "Vibrant, please."

    "Fine-fine," Vibrant cheered, "though it feels so much more natural to go fast. How are you Burke?! I finished looking over the east side, it was really cool! Lots of demons, a few tunnel entrances and some strange crystal thingies that some golgari and humans were mining. We run up to say hello but they all screamed and fled from us. So funny! Before you ask, no I didn''t map it out or write anything down, but I think someone did."

    "IdidleaderVibrantIhaveitrighthere."

    "Great! Thanks so much! There you go. So I thought I should head over here and see if you needed any help!"

    The scout leader deted just a bit as she took it all in. Crystals, golgari and humans mining? So many questions. Although one issue did stand out to her.

    "You do remember that you were supposed to remain hidden as much as possible during this scouting mission, right Vibrant? During this period the Eldest has explicitly stated that we should avoid bringing unwanted attention to the Colony, right? You remember that? Vibrant?"

    The more she talked, the more still Vibrant became, until even her antennae weren''t moving, as if every hair on her carapace had gone still.

    "Vibrant? Anything to say?" Burke pressed.

    The big ant shifted on the spot, her front legs brushing through the air in front of her as if sweeping the scout''s words into the bin.

    "I forgot!" she cheered. "It''s fine-fine! We didn''t fight anybody and there wasn''t anyone around to chase us or anything."

    Burke wanted to p herself in the face with one leg.

    "That''s not the point though. Just try and be more careful, please?" she begged. "We don''t want to ruin things in this important moment for the Colony do we? There''s a lot going on right now and a ton of things are getting fixed up above us, it''s just going to take a bit more time and we can''t afford to lose that!"

    Vibrant nodded and reached up to pat her on the back.

    "Of course. Don''t worry Burke, I''ll be sure to take care of things here for you."

    "You''re the one I''m worried about!"

    "Ha ha!" Vibrantughed. "I''m sorry, I just find it a little hard to focus on these sorts of warnings sometimes."

    "Why''s that?"

    "I kind of figure the Eldest would have ruined everything and gotten in trouble by now so I don''t have to worry about it."

    "Just what do you think about th¡­ you might have a point actually."

    The scout leader suddenly was forced to reflect on all the times the Eldest had thrown the Colony head first into conflict without affording them the time to properly prepare. In a way, the elerated timeframe for invading the third stratum hade about because the Eldest had pushed downwards and though it wasn''t their fault, the Colony always wanted to follow where their oldest member went.

    "Right? But don''t worry, I''ll do better!" Vibrant thumped herself on the front of her thorax with a leg. "What do you need scouted in this area? We can get it done in a sh-sh!"

    "I''ll bet you can''t?" Burke muttered.

    The scouts were certainly fast, amongst the fastest ants in all the castes, but speed wasn''t their only concern. They also needed to be stealthy, with keen senses and heightened detection abilities to find what others wanted to keep hidden and locate enemies before they were close enough to harm them. All of those things took a significant chunk of evolutionary energy, more than were dedicated to sheer physical prowess, whereas Vibrant and by extension her entire group poured the bulk of their potential into covering ground as quickly as they could. Her mages weren''t as strong as regr mages in the Colony in terms of spell slinging, but they were a hell of a lot more mobile. If all Burke needed them to do was put some eyeballs on the terrain, then Vibrant and her team would get the job done by far the fastest out of anyone in the Colony.

    "Alright," she sighed, "you can do it, but make sure you''re more careful this time. Until we know the Eldest has stuffed up the peace in some way, you don''t want to be the one the council has to me."

    "Roger!"

    "Look here," she leaned forward to sketch a few rough shapes in the gritty stone between them, "we''ve located three cities in these locations, but so far we haven''t mapped the ground between them and we don''t know who has interests here, so we''ve been reluctant to get too close. If you can rush through there at top speed and keep an eye out for tunnel entrances and traffic between them, that would be great. So long as that goes fine and there isn''t a reaction then you can push further out in this direction and meet up with my scouts who should be operating in this area," she indicated a section to the right of the cities with a front leg, "check in with them and then, if you have the energy to spare, you can swing out to the west. Once you''ve gone five hundred kilometres out, you shoulde back, we aren''t intending to go further out than that at this time."

    Vibrant looks down at the map carefully for a long moment before her head snaps up, her eyes aze with energy that seems to sear Burke''s eyes.

    "OKAYBYEBYESEEYOUAGAINSOON!" a wave of pheromones smacks Burke in the face once more and then a cloud of dust kicks up, as well as a heap of demonrvae who don''t move out of the way fast enough, blocking her vision.

    When the dust and demons clear, Vibrant and her entire group are gone.

    Burke settles back with a sigh.

    "Peace and quiet," she huffs to herself.

 Chapter 780 Darkness Eternal

    <h4>Chapter 780 Darkness Eternal </h4>

    Leeroy was tired. Not just in a physical sense, because she was definitely drained from long days without rest and filled with hardbour, but more than that she belt a weariness that echoed deep within her very soul. Not even the harsh words of the Eldest had been enough to shake this lethargy and sense of aimlessness from her and her fellow tier six sisters.

    If only she''d been more careful and read the evolution description more carefully!

    If only any of them had done that!

    The fact she and her sisters were simrly bound to the same fate made it so much worse than if she were the only one, for she felt responsible, that she herself had led them down this path which inevitably led to this end. What''s more, the Eldest had specifically banned her from informing her younger sisters, who even now were battling and struggling to evolve to reach this tier, of their disastrous fate.

    All these issuesbined to infect the aptly named ''Immortals'' with a dreary mise that many within the Colony despaired of being able to cure. Complying with the orders of the Eldest, the highly evolved shock troops managed to rouse themselves enough that they were able to throw themselves into work, hauling stone, tearing down existing structures and doing all the heavy lifting the build crews could throw at them for days on end, working without rest.

    Leeroy finished dragging a huge chunk of stone to the base of the pir on which Roklu stood and looked up at the mighty work the Colony was engaged in.

    She wasn''t sure when, but the carvers had discovered a new type of stone, one immensely resistant to heat that seemed to also have a sort of regenerative property. With further exposure to the conditions in the third stratum, the builders had learned much, including how the scorching, ash infused atmosphere degraded almost every material that it touched. The existing demon structures however, appeared to be immune to this weathering damage.

    This led to the discovery of the new mineral, quickly followed by a frenzied mission to find and process the stone. In typical ant fashion, this was achieved quickly by applying thousands of highly motivated individuals to the task until not only was a significant deposit located, but mining and refining had taken ce over just a few days. Now thousands of tons of material are in the process of being hauled across the ins to construct a massive ant hill, a construction the likes of which the third stratum may have never seen before.

    Reaching from the ground all the way to the te a kilometre above, this hill would be the base of operations for the Colony in thisyer of the Dungeon, a massive fortress that would upy many millions of cubic metres, rivalling the size of the main nest itself. At the moment the carvers where busy preparing the foundation and although progress was slow since the number of build teams on this level of the Dungeon had greatly diminished over the previous two weeks, already the scale of the project wasing into sight. The footprint of the hill toe was staggering, almost a kilometre square. It likely wouldn''t be finished for months, perhaps longer, even if the Colony decided tomit tens of thousands of workers to the project.

    Despite the ambition and effort on disy, Leeroy struggled to find the joy and pride that she knew should be there inside her carapace. Instead, there was hollow sensation that had only grown since she had lost her direction, her purpose in life. All of the Immortals around her felt the same.

    "Leader," one of her faithful lieutenants approached her from the side, "do you n to rest soon?"

    "You shouldn''t call me that anymore," Leeroy said bitterly, "after what I''ve led you too. This eternal¡­ life."

    "We each chose our species on our own, we each made the same mistake. You can''t be med for that, leader."

    "We will still follow you anywhere," another said, moving alongside the first speaker. "Where else would we even go?"

    The emptiness of thatst statement found an echo in all of them.

    "No, I will continue to work until I copse," Leeroy told the others, "I have been told to make myself useful and so I shall. The Eldest demanded that I work, not that I rest, so I will."

    The others had gathered together now and they shifted uneasily as her scent reached them.

    "The Eldestmanded us to rest¡­"

    "It is the thing that we are meant to do¡­"

    "Are you certain, leader?"

    A flicker of anger was roused inside Leeroy and she turned to the Immortals.

    "Are you afraid of the enforcers?" she demanded. "Even now? I have nothing to live for but life, there is no fear left in me. Besides, we are all tier six! There are hardly any who can match our strength inside the Colony, let alone amongst the enforcers!"

    "Is that so?"

    "Is that so?"

    "Is that so?"

    "Is that so?"

    A hundred threads of scent reached them at once, brushing against their antennae on all sides before dancing away as if they had never been. The reaction amongst the Immortals was immediate and they turned nervously to look around themselves. Only Leeroy remained undaunted.

    "I have work to do," she said and began to trudge back toward the quarry.

    She''d not taken three steps before the voices returned.

    "You have run out of fear¡­"

    "No longer afraid¡­"

    "It is respect that iscking¡­"

    "Whosemand do you ignore¡­"

    "This is not for the Colony¡­"

    "For the Colony¡­"

    Again a hundred different scents wafting from a hundred directions, a dizzying and disorienting effect that unnerved them all. Even Leeroy now felt a flicker of emotion that she shoved away violently.

    "Where are you?" she demanded of the empty air. "Come out and make yourselves known!"

    "Demands¡­"

    "From us?"

    "We are the loyal¡­"

    "You are the one who has failed¡­"

    "We demand of you¡­"

    "The Eldestmands¡­"

    "You do not obey¡­"

    [Eight hours is owed¡­]

    [Eight for every day¡­]

    [You have missed many¡­]

    The scent seemed toe from everywhere, even from within her own mind. The Immortals were disturbed now, turning this way and that as they tried to identify the source of the words but they could see nothing, they were alone on the ins, the city still resting on its te high above them and the same workers toiled not far away on the foundations of the hill. There were alone.

    "Show yourself!" Leeroy demanded.

    [Tier six¡­]

    [You think you are above us?]

    [Above themands of the Eldest?]

    [Foolish¡­]

    [Foolish¡­]

    [In the extreme¡­]

    [We are here with you¡­]

    [We are always here¡­]

    [We have ALWAYS been here¡­]

    [Look down.]

    Each and every one of them looked down to see that their shadows had changed, no longer was there a flickering shade cast by the intermittent light on the ground, instead, there was an endless void of darkness without end.

    And inside the ck there was a face, an ant face, their own face. It stared back at them with maddened glee, their own eyes twisted into merciless, pitiless orbs filled withughter.

    "Get out of my head!" Leeroy grated. "You can''t take me!"

    [We already did¡­]

    Then it was gone. The ins. The builders. The foundations. All of it gone. All that remained was the darkness.

    [You do not fear¡­]

    [This we can change¡­]

    [But first. Sleep¡­]

    [Rest¡­]

    [We will wake you when your time is due¡­]

    Leeroy felt her mind begin to slip, begin to sink. She fought against it. Struggled to remain awake.

    "Who are you?" she said.

    [Nameless¡­]

 Chapter 781 Pushy Lizards

    <h4>Chapter 781 Pushy Lizards </h4>

    "Nice work, Brilliant! You''re getting a lot quicker with that dark magic."

    "I quite like it, to be honest. Watching Crinis jump through shadows has been an inspiration for me!"

    "What''s it like to be able to perceive the shadow dimension?"

    The smaller ant thinks for a long moment.

    "Weird," she says.

    "Fair enough, I suppose. Trying to exin another dimension to a person who can''t see it would be quite the challenge I imagine. How do you exin colours to a blind person?"

    The little ant has been hard at work over thest week improving her skills rapidly and showing her usual obsessive focus when ites to getting into ces that she shouldn''t. After carefully studying Crinis and her method of slipping through the shadows she has taken it upon herself to master the same technique, drilling herself with shadow magic until it ranked up to dark magic.

    ording to her, being able to perceive the shadow dimension all around her is quite the benefit since she can tell where it is strong and where it is weak, thus allowing her to more easily create ''gates'' from one shadow to another. I''ve had a few discussions with Crinis and she believes that she could benefit from something simr. During her next evolution I''m sure she will explore the possibilities in great detail.

    What it''s allowed the little ant to do is employ a wide range of tactics that involve, for the most part, keeping herself hidden in a shadow whilstunching sneaky spells by poking her head out of the darkness.

    Whilst it''s certainly powerful, there are many drawbacks. The mana cost is prohibitive and difficult to maintain, this goes doubly so since she can''t absorb nearly as much ambient mana whilst hiding in a shadow pocket, so even her impressive mana intake isn''t enough to sustain it for long. Also, since the bulk of her attention is focused on maintaining the shadow portals, her offensive output is stillcking to say the least. She''s still working on bringing her mind magic up to the point that she can use mind constructs, but once she gets there I''m sure her ability to multi-task all these spells will increase dramatically.

    For our purposes though, it has proven to be an excellent way for her to engage in our hunts and continue to develop herbat skills, since she can remain very safe for the duration of a short sharp fight.

    All we need now is for the damn kaarmodo to get off our backs.

    [Leave! This area is imed by the people of the sand! Your kind has no ce here!]

    [Alright already! Sheesh.]

    I have a careful look around the area in which ourst fight just ended. It''s true that I kind of lost track of where we were headed as we chased a tier four demon around. He was a speedy bugger but we managed to chase him down eventually, but even so I didn''t think we ran into lizardnd.

    [Is it just me or are your borders shifting? I didn''t think this spot was imed by you¡­]

    [Whatever we say is ours is ours,] the pugnacious reptile replies. [Now leave!]

    Seriously, all the giant lizards I''ve run into down here have a serious attitude. I mean, if I was a giant lizard several hundred years old with a bunch of ves who waited on my every whim I might develop a stunted personality too, but it gets grating after a while.

    [We''re leaving, alright? We''re leaving!]

    Yikes.

    We turn around, but not without making sure we drag the Biomass with us. Even if it''s only a tier four, I refuse to leave the prize behind!

    As we go I watch the big lizard and its entourage from the back of my eyes, a little suspicious of their rapid appearance. We''ve been skirting the edges of their turf for days now, poking our noses where they probably don''t belong but always making sure to pull back before we cross any lines. Despite that fact, they always seem to be there waiting for us, ready to deliver an ultimatum and dere that we need to vacate the premises with all haste.

    I''m going to have to check in with the scouts, but I swear to Gandalf they are appearing further and further from their cities each time they show up. If things continue at this pace then by the time another week has gone past we''ll be standing under the shadow of Orpule getting told to shove off. Naturally this behaviour has failed to prate my calm¡­

    Who am I kidding! It''s aggravating in the extreme! These damn lizards are clearly provoking us! They dare to try and stomp on the Colony?! I bite them on the ankles! I''ll tear down their cities and turn their hides into shoes for my non-existent feet!

    Clearly, I''m getting frustrated.

    But I''ve managed to hold my temper and back away each time. It''s been incredible to bear witness to my own growth! No, it won''t be me that throws the Colony into a mess this time, it''s someone else''s turn. This time I''ll be able to swoop in at thest second and save the day, with a quip and slightly condescending attitude I''ll be able to look down on the others a bit as they all praise me for saving their carapace.

    Gweheheheh.

    Nothing is going to get in the way of my dreams, no matter how irritating these kaarmodo get, I won''t budge!

    With all the Biomass that I''ve managed to haul in over thest while I probably have enough to mutate a reasonable amount of things, I should probably check in on my skills as well since I haven''t done that for a while. I make a snap decision on the spot.

    [Alright then gang, we''re going to head down into the tunnels for a bit of hunting and then look for a quiet spot to bunker down. I''ve got plenty of Biomass to spend so it''s probably time I went ahead and got it done.]

    [What do you want to do after that, master?] Crinis asks.

    I consider.

    [I wouldn''t mind sweeping about through the tunnels to see if we catch a trace of the worm one more time. Once that''s done we should check in with the scouts to see if they''re having the same troubles as we are with pushy lizards. I''ll be interested to see if these issues are more widespread than just us.]

    If it turns out that they are then we might be seeing a prelude to another war. The kaarmodo shouldn''t have any reason to be aggressive against us, unless perhaps they think they might be capable of cashing in on the massive fortune that the lives of my siblings represent. Why go hunting for cores when literally tens of thousands of them can be found right on your doorstep?

 Chapter 782 895 - To Thirty!

    <h4>Chapter 782 Chapter 895 - To Thirty! </h4>

    When did he begin to hear the call? Even I can''t be sure. Long before I warned him, of that I''m sure. Such a subtle thing, that siren song, the incessant pull that pushes them to dive ever deeper, until they are crushed by the pressure or forged into something new. I firmly believe he would have gone there even without my influence, it''s inevitable, the call will find all of them in the end.

    I have to believe that.

    He is gone now, to ces that I can no longer reach, where the mana is so thick my very cells would disintegrate within minutes. None but those born of the Dungeon can ever hope to touch that ground. I desperately hope that he finds what he''s looking for there, perhaps he will be able to save himself, and in so doing, save us all.

    Perhaps he would have gone, even if the Dungeon had never spoken to him, never sunk its ws into his mind. That''s the kind of person he always was.

    But part of me believes that he felt that call very early. Perhaps even from the moment he was born in this world.

    ¡¤ From the private journal of Granin Lazus.

    It doesn''t take long for us to secure a little hideaway and I ask mypanions to shield me whilst I trawl through the menus. My current haul of Biomass represents several weeks of hunting, though I''ve share the haul the final total is still quite respectable, if I do say so myself.

    Seven hundred and fifty six, in total.

    Not bad at all! Even if the first hundred was left over from myst mutation binge.

    I''ll be able to buy quite a few things with this little stash, push a few more things towards the max. At the rate I''m going I''ll be maxed out on mutations a heck of a long time before Ie close to reaching level one hundred and sixty, but that''s nothing bad. I''d much rather be maxed out by the time I hit the level cap than have to hang around waiting and eating like I didst time.

    Now, which of my lucky organs will it be?!

    My business district needs a fair bit of love, or I could take my brains all the way¡­ I will absolutely upgrade my eyes, the old ssic, the first body part I ever mutated. Just thinking back to how bad my eyes were when I''d first hatched¡­ yuck. Absolutely made the right call there. Fighting monsters when almost blind is not exactly what I''d call a good time.

    Okay then! Eyeballs it is!

    Where was I at with those things¡­ Sharpened Perimeter Eyes +25. So far the upgrades I''ve taken have given me all around better vision, emphasising being able to have a better view in all directions, and I also took an upgrade to have certain areas of my sight be more in focus than others, letting me see straight ahead much more clearly, for example. I''ve noticed that having pockets of better vision is bringing back the human habit of turning to face things so I can see them better, whereas an ant generally wouldn''t have to do that. I know for a fact that some of the castes have been leaning in this direction though, mainly the carvers, but a few others as well. This mutation is simply the cheapest and easiest way for ourpound eyes to provide a patch of super clear vision.

    Which is handy to have. I''m not saying being able to see in every direction isn''t useful, it absolutely is! Just being able to see in all directions clearly is better.

    With that thought in mind, I think I''ll just continue down the path I''m on and fuse here. Which is a hundred and forty Biomass down the gurgler. Now, what''s next?

    Ah! The stomach! Obviously this should have been a priority earlier, though I suppose I can be forgiven for prioritising things that were morebat oriented. I''ve taken the same mutation at every level for the stomach, one that reduces the penalty for consuming prey from lower tiers. As long as I keep it fully upgraded I can cut that reduction in half for the tier below mine, which I clearly want to do! I do wonder if I might eventually end up reforging the stomach into something else. I mean, will there be much of a need for this mutation down the line, when I''ve tier eight or something? Maybe¡­ might have to talk to Granin about it.

    Alright, bam, that''s done, another hundred and forty gone.

    What''s next?

    Ah! My muscture! I should really get onto that, in fact, I actually have an interesting decision to make on that front¡­ I''ve made my muscles incredibly reactive, able to fire at full power with only an instant of warm up time, which obviously synergises exceptionally well with my nervous system of foresight antennae. Predict the future, react with hyper speed and have my muscles fire in the same moment, it''s been a winner that has helped me position to attack and defend perfectly, but the problem I ran into was ack of prating power.

    The mana infusion mandibles gives me a huge amount of utility in terms of what I can do with each of the different mana types I can pump into the chompers, but it does mean that I haven''t used my mutations to increase the pure chompiness of my mandibles, making them sharper, stronger or more damaging, aside from a couple of early choices when I picked up the savage option. In order topensate for thatck I decided to do what the famous trap jaw ants did back on earth, introduce a locking mutation which let my muscles coil like a spring before being unleashed, mming my mandibles shut with increased force, increasing their ability to shear through bone and punch into tough armour.

    It''s worked a treat, all things considered and I think I want to emphasise that aspect of my current mutations going forward. So that''s another one forty tossed to the wind. Yeesh, these mutations are expensive¡­

    Currently I''ve spent four hundred and twenty, so one more will put up to five sixty, which will probably do me for now. I don''t mind the idea of keeping a little Biomass in reserve for emergency purposes, you never know when you might need a particr mutation to push you over the line.

    Alright, next I think I''ll mutate my neuralwork. It''s been a mainstay of my defensive tactics and probably the only clever thing I''ve done in working out my mutations over the journey. Every choice I''ve made for this part of my body has been to increase response time, even allowing distributed decision making in my extremities. I have to fuse those just to keep the wagon rolling. More speed can''t be wrong when ites to my nervous system.

    So in the end I lock in the following choices:

    Sharpened Perimeter Eyes +25 -> Focal Compound Eyes +30

    Vast Hungering Stomach +25 -> Discerning Stomach +30

    Lock Hyper-Twitch Muscture +25 -> Coiling Hyper-Twitch Muscture +30

    Coordinating Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +25 -> Distributed Instantaneous Sub-Neural Network +30

    Looks good. Lock it in!

    ¡­ wait.

    Dammit¡­

 Chapter 783 Raised in the Shadow pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 783 Raised in the Shadow pt 1 </h4>

    Our mission is more than holy. We are not a religious order, dedicated to the pursuit of an unknown god. Our rituals are not held in service of empty sophistry, symbolism or in deference to imagined forces. Everything is in service to the mission. We remind ourselves of the purpose. We hone ourselves like des, scrape away until we are reduced to the finest edge, all in service of a noble goal. Everything is for the Colony. To that end we throw everything away. Our name is simply the first thing to go.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from ''The Shadow Doctrine''. Nameless Author.

    She awoke in darkness. The stone beneath her was cold and hard, she pulled her hand across the surface until it rested in front of her face, yet she couldn''t see it. She blinked her eyes, wondering if perhaps she had gone blind. She could still feel her eyes, feel the lids close over them, but there was just nothing there.

    She was calm though. There was another sense, the new one, that assured her that she was safe, that she was wee and that no harm woulde to her. It was all around, suffused into the very air itself. She drew that feeling of peace into her lungs with every breath, it soaked into her skin. It hadn''t been long since she awakened this ability, to ''smell'' with her mind, it had something to do with her new ss, she was sure of that.

    As she moved with caution and slowly pushed herself off the ground, using her hands to feel around and above for obstacles as she sought to rise, she began to realise that she wasn''t alone. Simr noises sounded out to her left and right as others who must have awoken at the same time she did mimicked her actions without being able to see them. She was tempted to speak to them, but she didn''t. She felt that it wouldn''t be right. This was a ce of silence, and she could respect that.

    Instead, she waited.

    It was impossible to say how much time had passed in that ce. There was no sight, no sound, nothing to mark the passing minutes. The stillness was soplete the girl could feel the beat of her own heart like a drum, so loud it seemed as if everyone would be able to hear it.

    Eventually a new presence made itself known. She wasn''t sure how she could tell, but she was certain that this being had been with them in wherever they were from the beginning. She didn''t hear anyone enter in the time since she awoke. Then the feeling returned. A scent, a thought, a feeling that unfurled into meaning inside her thoughts like a flower opening itself to the sun.

    "You are all patient. That is good. Patience is required to do what we do."

    Silence descended once more as the scent hung in the air. The girl drew air deeply through her nose, trying to take in more of the message but it made no difference, she didn''t perceive it with her nose, not really.

    "For three of you to awaken this talent so young. It is a curious thing. Very unusual, as we understand these things. For each of you to reach out to us, even more unexpected."

    So there were three of them. Still, each of them did not speak, instead they remained still,forted by the feeling that still permeated all around them. Then, slowly, the girl raised a hand.

    "You may speak, child," the scent was warm and patient.

    She opened her mouth to speak and suddenly her throat was dry and rasping. She coughed lightly.

    "Sorry," she croaked. "I didn''t mean¡­"

    "It is fine. Take your time."

    She swallowed a few times before she felt confident speaking again.

    "I''m not sure I remember reaching out to anyone¡­ about¡­ anything?" she frowned.

    "You may not recall, but I assure you it is true. Perhaps you did not realise what it was that you were searching for, you may not have even realised you were searching, but I assure you that you were. We''ve had our eye on you three for some time and you have been drawing closer to us every day that passes, whether you knew it or not. So we have chosen to make ourselves known to you. Do not fear, there is no danger here. Whenever you like, we can have you returned to the town above in moments, you have but to say the word."

    Each of the three young humans shifted on their feet, but none spoke. After a respectful pause, the scent began to flow once more.

    "I will introduce myself."

    Something shifted in the dark, the sound of many legs tapping on the ground.

    "I am the nameless one, and this ce is the Sanctum of Sleep. You should feel honoured, you are the first of your kind to see this ce."

    The girl shifted her head as if she were looking around her, though she could not see.

    "It''s very nice," she said politely.

    "Lovely," said a girl to her left.

    "Very impressive," a boy to her right spoke up.

    A brief silence.

    "I know you cannot see it."

    "I didn''t want to be rude," the girl said. Her mother had taught her better than that.

    She felt the amusement of the ant, for it must be an ant. She had seen them so many times in town, though never too close. She''d been drawn to them for as long as she could remember. To be this close to them, perhaps to more than one! She began to tremble with excitement.

    "What are your names, young ones?"

    "Allison Brimsby," the girl on the left said.

    "Trean Potter," said the boy.

    "Emilia Cretherton," she said.

    "In this ce we have no names, though you are not one of us, yet. For now, you will keep these names, and we will see how far you wille. Should you follow all the way to the end, you will be the first non-ant members of our order."

    The girl raised her hand once more.

    "Why do you want humans to join?" she asked.

    She didn''t intend to be rude, but she was curious. The ants had always seemed so powerful, so distant and alien to her. The idea that they might want her help seemed¡­ wrong, impossible and strange. There was silence as the ant considered her answer.

    "It isn''t necessarily that we want other non-ants to join us, but we have no reason to refuse those that yearn to spread the discipline of the Great One. There are many among the humans who seek to follow in the ways of the Eldest, but who is there to help those who would go astray? Who is there to provide guidance? Here in the Colony, we are ever watchful, but up there? Amongst the humans? If there will be those who follow the ways of the Colony, then we too must have our counterparts, to ensure it is done with the proper¡­ respect."

    Each of the three processed what they heard. Then the voice went on.

    "There are civilisations above who are yet to hear of the Colony, but they too will soon have those who are swayed by our ways. The teachings of the Great One will cover this eventually, it is simply a matter of time. When that happens, you will be ready. You will bear our burden and carry on our task amongst your people."

    "You will be: nameless."

 Chapter 784 Raised in the Shadow pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 784 Raised in the Shadow pt 2 </h4>

    She never knew when they mighte for her. She would fall asleep in her bed, in the orphanage, alongside the other children who had lost their families, and wake up somewhere else entirely. At first it was confusing, opening her eyes and finding herself still enveloped in perfect darkness, but she grew used to it. The nameless one would meet them when they awoke each time, wee them back to the sanctum and initiate the next round of training.

    The loss of her sight was the first challenge that was posed to her and the others. Could they learn to move in the darkness as if it were the light? Were they able to adapt until this state of sightlessness was asfortable and rxed as the daylight. To achieve this they needed to rely on their new senses, to follow the scent that the nameless oney down for them, even if it was an indistinct wisp, masked by misdirecting and misleading trails.

    "Our training for you will be difficult for both of us," the nameless one told them, "we have never explored the different ways the System interacts with you as opposed to our kind. You cannot mutate, cannot evolve, but you have your own advantages. We will push those to their limits, but it will require patience, trial and error and dedication. Remember, you can quit any time you like."

    The reminder that they were free to leave came often, at the end of every session. That first night they had to walk through a maze relying only on their strange new sense of smell. None of the children seeded, wandering for hours between cold stone walls. When the time ran out, the nameless one gathered them up and reminded them that they could quit if they so chose. None of the children took the ant up on the offer.

    She didn''t remember drifting off, but she awoke back in her bed, somehow refreshed and rested. She went about her day as usual, and the next, and the next, never knowing when she fell asleep where she would wake.

    "Wee back," the nameless one greeted them the third time. "Let''s get back to it."

    Over the weeks they sharpened their senses and their minds to the point where traversing the maze without sight was trivial. Their trust in the new sense was absolute and it continued to level at a rapid pace. If the ant was pleased with their progress, she did not show it, she simply told them that the next time it would be harder. And it was, it always was. The next time they entered the sanctum the maze was gone, reced with a running track. They would only be allowed to move on when they were able toplete it in under a minute.

    Determined to show how much she had improved, Emilia took off as fast as she could, her concentrationplete as she sought any hint of scent.

    "Jump," she perceived.

    Then she fell in a hole.

    "There are obstacles on the track," the nameless one told them, "which will change every time you arrive here."

    In order toplete the course in the required time the three had to sprint as fast as they could, ducking, jumping, swerving hazards that they could not see, the scent warningsing at only thest possible moment. She was grateful that the ants had managed to find a way to pad everything, otherwise she would likely have knocked herself out a dozen times over the month it took the three to master the course.

    "Remember, if you do not wish to return, you have but to say so," the ant reminded them at the end of each session.

    None of the three replied.

    The next time they awoke they were upside down.

    "Unlike we ants you do not have Grip, nor do you have the ws which we use to hold fast to the stone," the nameless lectured the three startled youths from her position hanging from the ceiling. "Nevertheless we believe that this training is a fundamental part of being one of us. You must be able to move where the other humans do not think you are able to move. You must be as silent and as still as the stone itself. They must never see youing."

    Emilia''s forearms were burning after a minute and her fingers locked after three. Without a sound she dropped from the roof tond on a soft padded surface.

    "Rest for five minutes, then climb back up," she was told, so she did.

    When they could cling to the stone for an hour without falling, they were deemed to have passed.

    "If you were ants, it would be twenty four hours, but I suppose this is sufficient," the nameless one stated.

    On and on it went. Every time a challenge was ovee, a new one was presented. Move without sound until they could run without making a whisper. Blend into your surroundings until it was impossible to tell them and the darkness apart. They yed games where they had to find each other whilst remainingpletely hidden from the others. Emilia asked the nameless one to y once. Only once.

    "This is called the eightfold genuflection," they were told, "it will be difficult to perform with only four limbs, but I believe we will be able to modify it so that we can recognise it and you can stillfortably perform it."

    The ant contrived a series of moves that pushed the three humans to the brink of their flexibility, straining and contorting their limbs to their limits and beyond. Then they practiced for hours on end for weeks until the nameless one was satisfied.

    "It will do," she finally relented, "you will repeat this practice for an hour at the start of every session here. Now you will learn the hidden speech of the order. Again, it will be hard, your bodies are different from ours, but I believe we are clever enough between the four of us to make it work."

    It took a long time for them to master the signs, a whole newnguage of gestures and postures that were designed for a shape so much different than their own. The nameless one never allowed them to growcent as they practiced. They had to practice while running the ever changing courses. They had to practice while hanging from the roof. They had to practice while hiding from the nameless one.

    You have done well, the ant signed to them. I am proud of you.

    The rare word of praise filled each of the three with a warmth that they could not express. Emilia''s eyes welled up but no sound did she make.

    You have be asfortable in the dark as you are in the light. Your skills have improved, along with your levels and you have each proven that you are dedicated to our ways. I ask you one final time: do you wish to end your training? Do you wish to never return to this ce?

    They did not speak and the ant dipped her antennae in respect.

    Thene and take your rest.

    The ant turned and walked from the chamber and the three human youths hesitated. They had never left this single chamber within the sanctum in all the nights they had been there. Where they supposed to follow? The three looked to each other for support and finally summoned the courage to step forward. The tunnels were winding and long, yet they followed easily, their movements flowing, their limbs suffused with almost inhuman strength and agility.

    Finally tunnels gave way to corridors of carved stone, which changed to vaunted halls, which led to a grand temple. The ants were everywhere now, along the walls, the roof, alongside them on the ground. Even so, they were able to follow the nameless one without losing her in the crowd of near identical creatures. They could find her anywhere. The temple was strange, the floor carved into a giant circle divided into eight massive segments, each filled with ants at rest.

    The nameless one led them outside the great circle until they and a host of ants stood just outside the segment, waiting. Soon, all the still figures on this section of floor began to stir, turning, stretching and then leaving from the outer edge of the circle. Once the segment was empty, they began to shuffle forward as an ant signed to each member as they passed. Eventually the three children reached the front and the figure turned to them.

    Good work, nameless ones. Please take your deserved rest, as the Eldest intended, she signed.

    The three children choked up instantly, though they did not know why. Emilia couldn''t say which was the first to sob, perhaps Allison, or Trean, or even herself, but once they did, all three began to openly cry, their wailing the first sound to ever be heard within the heart of the Sanctum. As they wept, the ants continued to march onto the segment, but as they did, each of them stopped to embrace the three, a leg thrown around them to press their shaking bodies against hard carapace, an antenna reaching down to gently pat their head. Eventually the nameless one gathered them and led them onto the circle where they found three soft,fortable beds had been erected for them.

    Sleep nameless ones. You are one of us now, and we will never abandon you.

    Exhausted and drained, the three folded themselves into the warm nkets and fluffy pillows they had been given and slept more deeply and rested more thoroughly than they ever had before.

    Emilia awoke in the orphanage, a soft smile on her lips and dness suffusing her soul. She rolled out of bed and began to perform her regr morning chores, assisting the little ones to prepare themselves for the day as Maria prepared breakfast for them downstairs. When she arrived at the table, Maria took her to one side.

    "Is everything alright, Emilia?" the old woman asked, "I know you''ve been busy, with your new apprenticeship and all, but you just seem so much more quiet than you used to. I hardly hear you make a sound these days."

    Emilia looked up into the familiar face of their caretaker and noticed something.

    "You look tired, Maria," she said, reaching out with one hand to touch her on the arm, "are you getting proper sleep?"

 Chapter 785 Raised in the Shadow pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 785 Raised in the Shadow pt 3 </h4>

    No matter how much he did, there was always more to do, Beynmented as he faced down a desk full of paperwork. Whoever had managed to start creating paper in Renewal was both a blessing and a curse in the priest''s opinion. It was so much easier to organise things now, but the sheer number of documents that he had to deal with was almost dizzying. Or perhaps that was just the mana deprivation¡­

    The priest raised a hand to his temple and squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the moment to pass. Immediately an aide was at his elbow.

    "Are you alright, head priest?" he asked.

    "It is nothing," Beyn waved him away. "I simply need to return to the Dungeon, I am not currently limated to the surface and it is taking a toll on me."

    "Perhaps you should rest," his aide encouraged him, "you''ve been working for days now."

    Beyn frowned.

    "I have little choice. The work must get done and I have to do it before I return below ground. I wish it were otherwise, but these projects require my attention and they shall have it."

    His brothers and sisters in the faith had expanded to the point where they had truly be a church in the truest sense of the word. The faithful flocked to the cathedral to hear their words, the ranks of the antspeakers grew every day and the donations the people provided, despite being asked not to, had to be diverted to worthy causes. The orphanage needed more funding and the cathedral would provide. So many poor children were left without families after the disaster that it broke Beyn''s heart. When the Colony had learned that these children were without family, food had begun to arrive on the orphanage doorstep within the hour, grown fresh in the fields below. Diplomant had been openly confused at the concept. Although the ants intellectually understood that every human was not part of the same family, it still didn''t make sense to them on a fundamental level. Since all the people of Renewal lived together in harmony, then they were one Colony, surely? And if they were one Colony, then they were family. That is only right!

    Just another way in which they teach us, Beyn thought.

    Still, the forms in front of him had to be dealt with. The next one came to his hand and he forced his tired eyes to focus.

    "Mission to the farmingmunities," he read aloud before diving into the document.

    More and more smaller viges were being established across the former territory of Liria and even extending into the border kingdoms. The ants had even expanded to the site of the former capital and established a mighty hill there, sweeping aside the rubble and destruction Garralosh left behind in a matter of weeks. Wherever the ants went, the people were sure to follow and a smallmunity had left to establish a new steading there, unafraid of the Dungeon entrance that the Colony now guarded.

    This was wonderful, of course. As the people spread, so too did the new way, which lifted his heart and nourished his soul. Yet these far flungmunities were no longer able to attend the cathedral, could no longer be nourished by the teachings of the Colony, which was a tragedy. He quickly skimmed the proposal. Sister Yowyn had gathered a team of ten who were willing to go on a two month mission to the viges, preaching and assisting the people in whatever way they could.

    Beyn brushed a tear from his eye. Truly, wherever there was a need, his brothers and sisters would step forward without hesitation. Their hearts were so pure they shone like mirror ss. This endeavour must be approved. Things would grow more difficult for them here in Renewal and within the Dungeon beneath with ten of their number away, but they would rally together as they always did. The work would get done.

    One matter dealt with, another quickly followed as Beyn drew another paper from the stack and began to read. He worked long into the night, long after his aide had left and the town had grown quiet. A solitarymp was the only source of light in the office in which he worked at the rear of the cathedral. Distantly, he could hear the hum and mutter of the few souls still within the nave offering their devotions to the Colony but no other sound reached his ears as he continued to work.

    "You are diligent."

    "There is just too much to do," Beyn replied absentmindedly, passing another paper to the side as he reached for the next.

    "We did not expect that you would need to be reminded of your path so soon."

    The priest frowned as he continued to read.

    "I tread the path as carefully as I can," he muttered, "I strive to be an example to all."

    "You are an example to all. That is why we havee."

    The light flickered and Beyn''s eye twitched, jolting his mind from his work induced stupor.

    "Who is talking?" he asked as he put the page down, looking around the sparse office, seeing nobody. "Diplomant? Is that you?"

    No, she had remained below ground when he came here. She had matters to attend to in Rylleh, something to do with trade¡­ and coffee? He couldn''t remember.

    He felt so tired.

    "Where are you?" he called again, "I''m afraid I cannot see."

    He froze. Had he heard that voice?

    Have youe from the Colony? He used his new method ofmunication, turning mana into pheromones to speak as the ants did. I bid you wee.

    You have sought to live as the Colony lives. But you do not.

    How can you?

    The Great One has demanded that all seek rest.

    Yet they do not always do so.

    There are those who enforce amongst the Colony.

    Those who seek to ensure the word is followed.

    The others rest because they know it is right. But also¡­

    They fear.

    You do not fear.

    How can you?

    You have lived without the consequence of transgression.

    Did you think it wouldst forever?

    Did you believe they would abandon you?

    They would never.

    Wisps of scent so faint, so ephemeral that he could barely perceive their edge drifted across the outskirts of his mind such that only if he reached for them could he hope to grasp the meaning.

    "I don''t understand," he said aloud.

    You will.

    The priest brought his hands up to rub his eyes. His eyelids felt so heavy all of a sudden. Was he really this tired? His thoughts moved sluggishly as he tried to grasp what was happening. He nced down at the table. What had happened to his papers? He shifted his gaze to themp. Was it burning less brightly? Yes, he believed it was. In fact, as he watched, the light grew dimmer, and dimmer, and dimmer still, until the flickering light within barely reached the ss that contained it.

    As the light had faded, so too had the sound. No longer could he hear the murmur of the faithful through the door, or the whispers of his brothers and sisters in faith as they tended to the flock. He strained his ears, but he could hear nothing at all¡­

    "I don''t understand¡­" he said again, a tinge of fear in his voice.

    You will.

    There was a hand. The light was gone. Consciousness faded.

    Eight hourster, Beyn awoke in afortable bed with plush cushions and a stuffed toy tucked under his arm. As he sat up he realised that the pain he''d been experiencing in his hip was gone, and his hair had been cut and brushed. He''d heard of the torpor police of course, even seen the signs of their passing a few times, but he knew they were not to be spoken of. Now the Colony had ensured that the humans would receive the same treatment, to ensure that they did not stray from the will of the Great One.

    "They truly care for us as their own," he choked out, ovee with emotion.

    When he had mastered himself, he turned to study the space he was now in a little more carefully. A row of beds, each with the same lush furnishings. A rich carpet covered the stone floor. They must be underground, he surmised. He turned to look the other way.

    "Don''t say a damn thing," Enid grumbled as she sat in her bed holding a steaming cup of tea.

 Chapter 786 The Roots

    <h4>Chapter 786 The Roots </h4>

    Did anyone ever fight an ancient and live to tell the tale? As with all things that urred during the Rending, it can be very difficult to find reputable sources. Though the Legion had not yet grown to be the global initiative that is has be today, our predecessors dide into contact with the monsters and attempted to battle them. Amidst our oldest tomes, written in the hand of the founders themselves, there are precious few details of what transpired. We can only assume that moreplete documents were created, but either they are lost or are kept from the hands of lower ranked Loremasters such as myself.

    From what I''ve been able to piece together, none of these confrontations went particrly well for the Legion forces. Lists of those who fell in battle are extensive. I can only imagine what it must have been like for those brave souls, seeking to bring down the horrific beasts that dwarfed any other threat that had spewed forth from the Dungeon in those years. The ancients caused untold devastation on the surface, millions of souls were lost. To kill even one of them would have been a triumph. s, it was not to be. Though thousands were sacrificed, none of the neen were defeated. Now, thousands of yearster, how much stronger could they have be?

    ¡¤ Excerpt from the notes of Alberton, Loremaster of the Liria chapter.

    Hunting has gotten harder out here on the ins as the kaarmodo continue to push forward into our territory. I''m gradually seeing more and more of the lizards, each with their own attendants, roaming over the ins, watching the borders and confronting every ant, although it''s mostly me, who gets anywhere near them.

    MY RAGE CONTINUES TO BUILD!

    But I''m managing to contain it, for now. To be honest, I''m impressed at myself, I really thought I would have cracked by now. But no! I hold strong in the face of this cold-blooded provocation. Keen to see if we can find any trace of the traitor, I lead my little group in a criss-cross pattern over the ins and down into the tunnels, seeking any sign of the slithering sneak. Sadly, it''s all to no avail. That damn worm is a freakin'' expert when ites to hiding and sliding out of the way. I was almost ready to give up hope until we had something of a breakthrough.

    "I think I sense something," Brilliant says out of nowhere.

    We''re currently snooping about in the tunnels beneath the ins, hoping to avoid the patrolling kaarmodo and get our noses a little deeper into their territory. The heat is as oppressive as always but thanks to our efforts the tunnels are less popted than they were in the past.

    "What have you got?" I ask.

    "It''s not easy to describe¡­" she mutters as her antennae swivel through the air and she shifts her body from side to side. "I feel like it keeps trying to slip from my grasp, which is weird, I should be able to see it clearly."

    "What are you talking about?"

    "It''s like a dimensional space, or tunnel, or something. It''s over our heads right now, I think, it keeps shifting. I feel like there''s an area of space that''s been¡­pressed in some way. What''s odd is that I''m sensing earth mana more strongly than anything else from it."

    "Could it be something that Jim has left behind?" I ask, my hopes rising.

    "Maybe," she replies, still staring at the roof overhead. "I''m going to head up there and dig."

    [Let''s block off this area. Keep an eye out everyone.]

    Mypanions move to watch the angles of approach from all sides as I lift my head to watch as the little ant climbs up the wall and begins poking and prodding at the roof with her mandibles. After a few moments, I sigh and climb up the wall myself. It''s a strain on my legs, but I need to keep practicing my grip skill. If my ability to walk on the walls gets any worse then I may as well retire as an ant.

    My legs and ws straining, I climb up alongside Brilliant and start shearing away the stone with my mandibles.

    "Somewhere in here?" I ask.

    "Yes. A bit to the left. That''s it! Keep going, but not too quick."

    Following the shifting directions, I keep digging away at the stone until finally I notice a change in the response through my mandibles.

    "I think this is it," I say and with one more chomp I feel something shift in the stone before me.

    "That cracked it!" Brilliant deres excitedly, and before my eyes, climbs up into the stone.

    "How in the heck¡­"

    "Here, poke your head in!"

    A little confused, I force my head up into the stone and a strange warping sensation ripples over my eyes and all of a sudden I find myself in a narrow tunnel, barelyrge enough to fit my head in it. Too small for a monster of my size, the opening in the stone vanishes into the darkness in either direction. Something thin, yet long made this tunnel.

    "It''s the worm!" I dere vehemently.

    "There''s a strange warping technique at y here," Brilliant mutters, scratching at the tunnel wall, "it''s like the space is condensed along with the earth. That might exin how he managed to be so quick."

    "Dammit."

    That would exin a lot. I thought it was odd he''d managed to move fast enough to escape us.

    "What, what''s that?" the smaller ant asks as she leans in and pokes something with one antenna.

    I take a look and then immediately recoil.

    "Get away from that!" I tell her.

    "What, why?" she asks, confused. "I''m sensing really weird mana from it."

    "Get away from it. Now!" I order.

    A little miffed, the smaller ant turns away from the anomaly and crawls out of the worm tunnel but I worry that it''s already toote. I''m pretty sure I''ve seen a root like that before. It might be smaller than thest one, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it might belong to a particr grudge bearing mother tree.

    Just what we needed.

 Chapter 787 No Fault

    <h4>Chapter 787 No Fault </h4>

    "There''s something really strange about those things," Brilliant said.

    "No kidding?" I reply sarcastically, "I would never have thought that on my own, watching this damn garden of terror explode over the ins."

    "That''s not what I mean," the much smaller ant waves myint aside, "I''m talking dimensionally. Also, the Dungeon sense I have is going wild. It''s as if a giant monster was just appearing out of nowhere in front of me. It''s crazy."

    "How big of a monster?" I ask, curious.

    "Huge. It''s like the entire garden in front of us is one monster. What''s more, it isn''t even growing through the ground, not really."

    I look at the vegetation bursting through the ck rock of the third stratum with vigorous energy as if it were a timpse instead of real time.

    "If it''s noting from the ground, then where in the heck is iting from?"

    The little ant stares carefully ahead, using all of her prodigious sensing abilities.

    "There''s something odd about the way it moves through space, simr to how the worm tunnel felt. There''s apression? Or a dtion? I''m not really sure."

    "Dtion? Since when do we even have pheromones for that word? So you''re saying that it might not even be possible to trace the roots back to the tree? That they''re detached somehow?"

    "I can''t be sure. All I can tell from here is that it''s weird."

    It''s a bizarre sight, seeing an isted little forest grow inside the demonyer, even more so than the second stratum. I mean, here we are, surrounded by fire and ash, and here is this blooming patch of greenery, replete with flowers and trees springing forth for no apparent reason. How does she even do this madness, that tree? What sort of tier do you have to get as a nt to be able to do something like this? How the heck did she even survive long enough to be able to do this?!

    I''m looking forward to the day when I track down her main body and get to have a chat.

    ¡­ if she doesn''t squish me first.

    It takes a day for the garden to finish forming and when it''s all said and done, a massive root, the same as I had run into before, has formed in the centre of a lush kilometre square green space. Another interesting thing I notice is the way the demonrvae ignore the ce. As their rolling melee goes on, they scrupulously avoid falling into or going near even a single leaf. Even more telling, they don''t even spawn in there. Every inch of ground the garden covers is now a demon free zone. It''s unnerving.

    "What do you think?" I ask Brilliant. "Still feel like it''s a monster in front of you?"

    She nods.

    "Yes. A truly massive one. The amount of mana is insane."

    I can feel myself slump at the news. Just how high a tier is the damn tree? I''d hoped that maybe she was two in front of me, perhaps? Now it seems highly unlikely. I''m already tier six dammit! For how long am I going to feel weak in this damn Dungeon!?

    As boring and depressing as it''s been watching the mother tree manifest herself here in our turf, I can tell it''s going to take a little more time before we find out why. I don''t know how she spits out the grove keepers or bruan''chii but I''m guessing the process isn''t instantaneous, which means we''ll have to wait. Perhaps I can see the process unfold?

    I try to take a step forward into the garden and I swear the nts hiss at me, the flowers and vines rattling with menace before I can put down a single leg.

    "All right! Chill! I''m backing away¡­"

    I have no clue if she can understand pheromones, but she clearly responds to my retreat, the greenery rxing back into a gentle sway as if nothing had ever happened.

    [Master, I find this nt to be disturbing.]

    [I have to agree Crinis. I think she''s nuts.]

    [Nuts?]

    [Crazy in the coconut,] I confirm, unaware of the confused blob attached to my carapace, [I get the feeling she''s been in the Dungeon for a long old time, hundreds of years maybe. That''s enough time to drive even the most kind-hearted flower insane.]

    [What should we do?]

    [Wait and see what she wants I guess? What else can we do? I''m not exactly going to try and blow up the garden, am I? As far as the Colony is concerned, the mother tree and the branchies are a potential ally.]

    [What do you think they are going to do?]

    [They?]

    [Look.]

    I single tendril extends from my back, pointing and I focus my eyes to see something I''d really rather not see. A kaarmodo, along with its attendants is standing atop an outcropping looking down on the garden with an unfriendly gleam in those reptile eyes. Ah, this is going to be trouble.

    [We should head over there and see what they want,] I sigh to the others.

    Please let this not turn into a fight. I''ve been so good! I have no doubt the council has been putting bets on who is going to break the peace first and I seriously don''t want to lose! Just once!

    We run around the nts since we apparently aren''t good enough to go through it and arrive at the base of the rock on which the giant lizard is currently sunning itself. True to form, the arrogant beast ignores us as it continues to stare down on the mother tree''s work, its long tongue flicking in and out.

    [Hello up there!] I call up once a bridge is established. [Mind letting us know what you might be up to on this fine day? Since we''re in the territory of the Colony and all.]

    Gotta y it cool. Don''t blow the peace! Despite my best intentions however, the damned scaly bum doesn''t reply.

    [Ah, hello? Are you unable to hear me? That doesn''t make sense, I''m speaking directly into your mind¡­ is your mind too weak? Surely not. I mean, you''re a centuries old kaarmodo, no? Do you not speak mynguage? But thenguage is thought¡­ are you incapable of thought? How can wemunicate?]

    [Your insolence is boundless!] a voice erupts in my mind.

    [Hey! Whoa! How is it my fault if you won''t reply?!]

    [Not only do you trespass in ournd, you are conspiring with our enemies. Such faithless monsters. We should have exterminated you when we had the chance.]

    [Wait? What?! First of all. YOURnd? I suspect that you''ll find we are most definitely in thends of the Colony this time, friend. Just because your borders appear to be shifting, amorphous things, doesn''t mean we can''t keep track of our own scent trails, and second. What enemies? There''s nobody here but us!]

    [Then how do you exin the presence of the tree?] the kaarmodo hisses at us, lifting one w to point at the luscious growth behind us.

    I wave my antennae in agitation.

    [You have beef with the tree?! What do you mean?! And how in the heck are we conspiring with the nt, she can''t even talk!]

    [Enough of your babble,] the kaarmodo peels back its lips to reveal dripping, knife-like teeth. [I have summoned my people. We will burn out our enemy and then deal with your infestation after.]

    [Well, pants.]

    I break the connection irritably and turn so I can sprint back to the garden, urging my friends to follow behind.

    "What''s going on, senior?" Brilliant asks, confused. "What did he have to say?"

    "Looks like the lizards are in conflict with the tree and think we''re working together to mess with them in some way. Seems like they want to get aggressive."

    "What does that mean?"

    "Looks like we might be heading into another war."

    Brilliant recoils for a moment, pauses, then asks.

    "So why do you look so happy, senior?"

    I ck my mandibles with glee.

    "The stupid tree is at fault here. I wasn''t the one who broke the peace!"

    "¡­ does that really matter?"

    "It matters to me!"

 Chapter 788 To Be Tolly

    <h4>Chapter 788 To Be Tolly </h4>

    I have been in many a dangerous or difficult scenario my dear readers, as well you know! It has been my joy over my forty year career to bring you my tales of adventure and insights into the many wonders our world of Pangera has to offer, and we have shared some incredible times. The blood falls of the hidden city of Paranah. The lost rhino tribes of the Folk! The crystalbyrinth within the mountain Ultima!

    Despite these grand undertakings, I have to admit that the simple act of sitting down for a cup of tea and biscuits was enough to get my old heart pounding. Almost a shameful urrence, my dear readers, and I have to admit I did smile at the irony of the situation. In my defence, this was no ordinary cup of tea!

    For starters, the depth of vour and maturity of the leaves were a cut above even what I had experienced before. My newpanion enjoyed only the finest that the Colony had to offer and I have to say, though this may shock many a reader within the sun city, that the taste was quite equal to the famed ''Singing Hills'' tea enjoyed around the globe in high society.

    A shocking im! I know! Nevertheless, my buds will not allow me to lie!

    "This truly is remarkable tea," I gushed to my host. "The Colony has mastered the art of tea brewing to a higher extent than many will think possible."

    Emilia politely tranted for me and the giant queen before me bowed her majestic head in acknowledgement of thepliment. When I sat down I was informed by my guide that it was quite unusual to be granted an audience with a queen, though not many asked for one. The people of Renewal left the queens to their business out of respect and few others were brave enough to sit with them. I was informed that this was but one of eight queens who upied the nest within Anthome and she was happy to meet with me given that she hadpleted her duties for the day.

    "What originally began as a desire to ensure their guests were well cared for grew into something of an obsession within certain sections of the Colony," Emilia passed the reply back to me, "these ants have dedicated themselves to providing perfectfort to any who stay within our nests. They have mastered many skills in this pursuit, weaving, pottery, crochet, baking, farming. There are vast fields within the Dungeon where ants tend to crops of wheat, rice and other surface staples, seeking to grow only the best."

    I looked around the room we found ourselves in and the lush, even decadent furnishings that wouldn''t embarrass even the finest of apartments. Dark wood tables and shelving that gleamed with a mirror shine that entuated the grain in the wood, the rug beneath our feet was a masterpiece of the art, intricate patterns so fine they seemed to fold in on themselves to an infinite degree, even the cups we were using were expertly formed, with delicate paintings evoking a mood of freshness and warmth.

    "I take it all of this was made by the Colony then?" I asked.

    "Indeed," the Queen replied. "Our children often seek tovish the best that they can provide on us, though we often ask them not to."

    "Oh indeed?" I was surprised to hear this. "I must apologise, for I do not know how a queen would normally be treated inside a colony, but I would have presumed you would be happy to be venerated. Are you not critical to the future of the Colony?"

    The queen with whom I spoke had introduced herself as Elizabant and she was a magnificent creature. Easily four metres tall and more than double that in length, she towered over me and the table we sat at to a ludicrous degree. The lustre of her carapace was remarkable and she positively gleamed, a picture of perfect health, no doubt due to the constant ministrations of her children. Despite her size she proved to be a delicate and gentle creature, her movements dignified and deliberate as we sipped our drinks and ate our cakes together.

    "We are indeed important to the family, it is true. Our children pamper us and are loath to allow any risk to befall us."

    Which is certainly true. My faithful guards were not allowed into the room, nor was I permitted to form a mind bridge directly to the queen herself. To even approach the outside of this room I had been searched thrice and if there was one ant less than a thousand on guard then I''m more blind than my poor dog Phillipe.

    "Yet we do not view ourselves as above any other member of the family. Each of us has a role to y and without every member of the Colony working together we could not have achieved what we have done."

    "Isn''t it true that there is one ant who is held in somewhat a higher regard?" I asked shrewdly. "The Eldest? Is this individual considered¡­ above?"

    The queen waved her antennae gently as she considered the question.

    "Yes, and no," she told me. "The Eldest was the first of us, was the one who made us what we are. We all seek to contribute to the sess of the Colony and there are none who can hope to contribute more than the Eldest, so in that sense, there is reverence and respect. If you were to ask which ant carried the most authority within our family, it would be them."

    "Is it possible to meet them?" my heart burned for this exclusive interview, my dear readers, burned! "I would love to have a chance to write down the thoughts of such an august ant and share them with my readers."

    The queen seemed a little taken aback by my request and Emilia leaned over and ced a hand on my arm.

    "You have to understand, Ms Tolly, that they are very protective of the Eldest. If you thought that it was difficult to meat Elizabant, this is nothingpared to how difficult it would be to contact the Eldest. At the moment they are very deep in the Dungeon and cannot possibly survive here in the first stratum. We could use the gates to move deeper within the territory of the Colony, but it would be almost impossible for you toe face to face with the Eldest."

    Almost impossible?

    "So you''re saying there''s a chance?" I smiled.

    You know me, readers! I hate hearing the word ''no''!

 Chapter 789 Sizing Up

    <h4>Chapter 789 Sizing Up </h4>

    "Are you sure that you aren''t responsible, Eldest?"

    "What are you talking about, Sloan? I''ve been the soul of caution out here. All of this can be med on the nt. How are we supposed to know that the kaarmodo and the bruan''chii are having some sort of dust up?"

    The general flicks her antennae in irritation.

    "We''d heard that there might be something of the sort going on, but we never expected that it would matter to us. Even though the kaarmodo sand empire is close to the former border kingdoms, we haven''t done anything to provoke them, so we never expected them to act so aggressively toward us."

    "Seriously though, what''s the issue between the tree and the lizards? What could they possibly be fighting over?"

    "From what we''ve been able to gather it has something to do with resources andnd in the fourth and fifth strata."

    I stare.

    "How in the name of heck are you able to figure that out? We haven''t been anywhere near the fourth stratum!"

    "We have our sources, Eldest."

    I eye the smaller ant.

    "You want to act all mysterious now? Fine. So what''s the n?"

    "The Colony is still restructuring and expanding above so we want to avoid a major conflict if at all possible. We need to defend the garden until the grove keeper has arrived so we can learn why the mother tree has chosen to reveal herself to us at this time."

    "That makes sense. I''d love to know what''s going on inside her head. How many are we up against?"

    "As far as we''ve been able to learn, there aren''t actually that many kaarmodo in the nearby demon cities, though they have a functioning portal in each one."

    "So we don''t expect that many toe, but it could possibly be a heap?"

    "Right."

    "Darn. How many are we bringing?"

    "Ten thousand."

    Oof. That''s a lot. Most of them are going to be tier four, with a good chunk of tier five mixed in, but that''s still a heck of a lot of monster.

    "When are they going to arrive?" I ask.

    "They should be here in the next ten minutes. I left with them and rushed ahead to get here first. There are already scouts roaming ahead to find the approaching force. Things wille to a head here within the hour."

    Quicker than I expected. Nice to see that everyone is so organised I suppose.

    "All right then, I''ll go and take a sticky beak at what''s happening."

    "Eldest¡­"

    "I''m not going to fight anyone! Yeesh. Have a little faith would you?"

    The doubting¡­ it''s almost enough to hurt my feelings, honestly. I bid farewell to the general and step down from the rock we stood on, scuttling down the side to rejoin mypanions below. It''s barely been an hour since the garden grew and already we''re in this mess. I have to thank the tree for her help thest time, but on this asion she''s thrown my family in the deep end and insects can''t swim.

    Although ants in the amazon are known to form living rafts and float along the flood waters, their entire Colony clinging together, with their queen in the centre of the mass, in order to survive. We might have to do that I suppose. Although I think I''m far too heavy for the surface tension of the water to support my weight¡­ perhaps Pangera has particrly dense water?

    [What do you think, Crinis? Do you think we''re strong enough to take on an army of kaarmodo and their attendants?]

    [We are much stronger than we were the first time we faced one, master. I believe you can keep us safe.]

    [Come on Crinis, you''re just as strong as I am. How about we keep each other safe?]

    [V-very well¡­ master.]

    [How about you, Al? Do you feel like joining in on this one? And please don''t appear in mid-air on me, my heart can only take so much.]

    After a short pause I hear the demon''s thoughts echo across the bridge.

    [I will not,] he says, [I do not seek to make enemies of the kaarmodo. It is not my fight.]

    [More than fair,] I admit. [Well, I suppose you''ll be hanging around anyway, just make sure you keep your distance. Things are likely to get hairy.]

    Which reminds me.

    "Protectant andpany. Make sure you keep your wits about you. Pitched battles are a difficult ce to be on bodyguard duty, so don''t overdo it."

    I don''t get a reply, but I know that they''re listening.

    I wonder if Sarah is going toe out for this one. Probably not, considering her reaction to being contacted by Jim. I''m sure she doesn''t want to risk being contacted by him again. So long as she stays up in the city back in Orpule, then I don''t see any way that he could get up there and bother her. I wouldn''t put it past him to try though¡­

    The dude has an unhealthy obsession to say the least. Shouldn''t matter in the long run, since he''ll soon pay for his crimes. In the meantime, I better do my part to protect this stupid garden so we can find out what the damn tree wants. Looking into the distance I can still see the big lizard and four setsh attendants standing atop the outcropping. With a sigh I decide I may as well head over and attempt a diplomatic resolution.

    Let me just say going into it that I don''t expect it to seed. In fact, I kind of feel like it''ll end up with the kaarmodo attacking me. Don''t ask me why, but I get the impression that no matter how hard I try to be amodating, the parties I try to negotiate with always seem to end up in a rage. I can only assume that people on Pangera have short tempers or something, since I have been the soul of courtesy from the beginning.

    I snap a bridge into ce as we draw closer and try to sound as cheerful as possible with my smooth opening line.

    [Getting any sun up on that rock?] I say, waving my antennae in a cheerful wave.

    [¡­]

    No reply, but I definitely feel a simmering anger across the bridge. Already?! What did I even say?!

    [Look,] I try a different approach and assume a more serious tone, [I''m sure you don''t want any of your brethren to suffer, or Gandalf forbid, die for the sake of pruning a stupid weed. Why not just let this one slide, eh? What''s the harm?]

    The giant lizard shifts slightly on the rock and I can feel the irritation bubbling away under the calm, near-motionless exterior. Something flickers between the attendants and I feel one of them connect to our bridge.

    [The lord no longer wishes to address you, insect,] I am curtly told.

    Immediately I feel them attempt to cut the bridge, but I hold onto it, rebuffing their initial attempts.

    [You probably don''t think we''re strong enough to fight you, which is totally fine. Ants, right? First stratum monsters and all that. I get it. I just want to warn you that this might not go how you think it''s going to go. You turn up here with a hundred, we''re going to bring more. You turn up here with a thousand, we are going to bring more. And if you think we aren''t able to hurt you¡­ well, I guess you''ll find out, won''t you?]

    Having said my bit I allow the bridge to be cut and turn so I can walk away, though I do in fact wander passed the outcropping so I can catch a glimpse of the lizards who are on their way. Right now I can''t see them, but it won''t be long until they get here, then we get to throw down in a big battle again. Finally!

    ¡­ I mean. No. Bad.

 Chapter 790 Rising Sands pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 790 Rising Sands pt 1 </h4>

    Rassan''tep opened his eyes slowly. The warmth on his scales spread in waves through and prated deep into his muscles which nearly drove him back into rest, but the patient, still mind of his attendant helped focus his thoughts.

    [What is it, Ammon''sil?]

    [You have been asked to apany an expedition, Old One.]

    The great lizard blinked once, which was enough to cause his servant to prostrate himself immediately.

    [I protested strongly against disturbing your rest, Old One, but the winds blew against me. The Mahaan has asked this of you personally.]

    The words were digested is all things should be, with patience, as Ammon''sil remained pressed to the floor.

    [There is no fault with you,] Rassan''tep said as he roused himself, shifting his legs to free them from the heated sand in which he had rested. [We must all serve the will of the Mahaan. Even if she is a young thing barely free from her egg.]

    [I would not dare to say that she is unworthy to scrub your scales, Old One,] his setsh replied from the ground.

    [Rise now,] the kaarmodomanded. [If we have been ordered to assist, then assist we shall. Gather the others and prepare my war garment. The sand bath can wait until our people have been served.]

    Only now that he had beenmanded did Ammon''sil rise and moved out the door, his steps smooth andnguid despite his speed. As he awaited his attendants the Old One took deep slow breaths, his tongue flicking at the air as he gradually returned himself to wakefulness. By the time the setsh returned, he had extracted himself fully from his bath and the six bonded servants immediately stepped forward.

    Already rasped clean by the sand, his scales were polished and oiled before the ceremonial tapestries wereid over his back and neck. Next came the rings of gleaming gold around his legs along with the heavy, enchanted gorget that sped around his neck. Bedecked in the finery that was deserved of a kaarmodo in its second century, the Old One held his forearms close his body as his servants did their work. Once all was ready, the six bowed low before he lowered himself to allow them onto his back. Only then did he step forward, exiting his temporary abode and entering the chaotic city of Bintran.

    When he had made his way through the streets he found a gathering of his kind on the outskirts, the Mahaan herself in attendance. Rassan''tep approached, his arms sped in front of him, before he roused the mana and connected himself to the bridge.

    [Nice of you to join us, Old One,] the Mahaan said, eying him coldly.

    He shifted his hands slightly, a pointed reminder that she was yet to grow the limbs as she had not reached her second century of life. Truly the Great Desert did not value this ce if one so young had been ced in such a position of responsibility.

    [Perhaps it is simply my age,] he replied and said no more, closing his eyes and resting, though he could feel his setsh bristling on his back.

    [Peace,] he said to them alone and they gradually rxed once more.

    [There has been a sighting of the mother tree nearby, within the territory imed by the ant colony that has recently appeared around Orpule. Naturally we must seek to stymie the tree wherever it is found, especially when the hateful creature appears on our front doorstep. I have ordered a sortie not only from Bintran, but our neighbouring cities as well. Destroy the garden, then return.]

    [What of the ants?] another asked. [What if they seek to oppose us.]

    [I care not,] the Mahaan replied, [sweep them aside and deal with the enemy.]

    When no more was said, the Old One opened his eyes once more.

    [Let us leave,] he said.

    Altogether a dozen kaarmodo, each of them too young to have grown their full set of limbs, gathered together with their setsh and pooled their minds together to create a disc of force that could carry them all. The coalesced mana lifted them from the te and out over the cavernous expanse before lowering them to the ground before it disappeared.

    [Which way?] Rassan''tep asked.

    [To the east, Old One,] another replied.

    With no need for excess words or actions, he led the young group across the ins. With their long legs, they ate up the ground quickly without using any skills and soon met up with two more groups of a simr size. Brief greetings were exchanged before they continued on their way. When he had considered things enough, Rassan''tep finally reached out to Ammon''sil, the most senior of his attendants.

    [Tell me of these ants,] hemanded, [I had heard nothing of them when I retired to rest.]

    [I also have not heard much, Old One. From what I have been able to gather, they have recently descended to the third stratum from above and conquered Orpule along with another city.]

    [They originate in the second?]

    [The first, I believe.]

    [Unusual.]

    Monsters from the first were generally inferior to those from the second, which made descending quite hard on them. Demons were born far more powerful than those from so high in the Dungeon. For them to be able to conquer two cities so quickly meant they must be highly unusual.

    [They are intelligent to a high degree for such weak monsters, and several highly evolved specimens have been seen, as much as tier six, I believe. Other than this, I do not know, Old One.]

    [This is sufficient. I thank you.]

    More to ponder as his legs ate up the kilometres. The real question was, why the mother tree would bother expending resources to manifest herself here. Was it for the ants? Was she trying to open a new front in her conflict with his people? Bes they nip any potential problem in the bud. Sweep it away as the wind swept through the desert, erasing all traces.

    Soon they had arrived at their destination. A lone scout sat waiting on a high rock and in the distance the Old One could see the still budding garden of the mother tree bursting forth from the dark ins.

    All that stood between them was a sea of motionless insects.

 Chapter 791 Rising Sands pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 791 Rising Sands pt 2 </h4>

    Rassan''tep looked out over the assembled masses of insect monsters and tasted the air with his tongue. Across the bond he could feel the minds of his attendants stir with trepidation. They had not expected to see so many. In the lead of the insect formation an enormous specimen,rger than the kaarmodo even, stood to attention, it''s gleaming carapace reflecting the light of the embers that fluttered through the air in this stratum. Altogether the sight was an impressive

    [Lend me your eyes,] hemanded, [let us examine them together.]

    The setsh, led by Ammon''sil, pooled their thoughts, allowed their mana to flow together before they collectively wove their spell and brought it back,ying it over their eyes. With their senses oveid, the kaarmodo epted the stimuli they provided and fed his own back into the collective. Immediately each of them shifted in ce as the ant army in front of them zed with a richness of energy that they had not expected to see. More than that, there ebbs and flows that should not be. The big one at the front, there was something¡­ odd. Rassan''tep concentrated hard and even then he could just barely grasp the edges of that strange eddy, a curious ripple in the fabric.

    [Release.]

    The spell was allowed to unravel and the seven of them contemted what they had seen.

    [Speak your thoughts,] he invited his bond servants. [Do not stand on ceremony.]

    Ammon''sil spoke first, as was his right.

    [There are more than we expected to see, and they are more highly evolved than anticipated. This force is not to be underestimated.]

    [The tier six has a core bursting with energy. Should it evolve again, it may even develop to the mythic stage,] Rapsep, wife of Ammon spoke next.

    [A possibility exists that we may not be able to ovee them,] Chahan''sep spoke next, the surprise evident in the movement of his thoughts. [There is more to this colony than perhaps we expected.]

    [The others may not see as clearly as we have. I believe that they may still think us to be a vastly superior force. It may be wise to consider retreat,] the youngest, Yuwan''sil said, which caused the others to turn and stare at her for her impudence.

    [Peace,] the powerful mind of Rassan''tep rumbled, [I asked that you speak your thoughts, did I not?]

    [You did, Old One,] Ammon''sil replied.

    [Young Yuwan may well have the right of it. There is a chance we are outmatched here, which I did not foresee. There is also a strong possibility that the others will not arrive at this assessment, or ignore it even if that have. This is the brash attitude of the young and it should not surprise us. How can we expect them to know better? They have but a mere century of life behind them.]

    The old kaarmodo considered for a time.

    To an outsider, the standoff between the two forces, still over a kilometre apart, would have looked bizarre. Neither side moved. Not a muscle, or a twitch. The insects, as was their way, stood in perfect ranks, motionless, as if carved from stone. Likewise, the kaarmodo, with the patience born of their long lived nature and their reptilian ancestry did not stir, waiting and watching in perfect silence as their elder contemted his course of action.

    [We have been given a task by the Mahaan, so we shall carry it out,] he dered atst. [I will speak with the others and see what their appetite is like.]

    He withdrew his thoughts from the connection he shared with his bondservants and expanded a bridge out toward the other kaarmodo who quicklytched onto the mana weave. Thankfullymunicating via thought was so much faster other methods, they could afford to analyse their foe and coordinate themselves.

    [We have taken a measure of our opponent. They stand between us and the garden that we have been ordered to destroy and it does not appear as though they will let us pass through easily. What are your thoughts?]

    Generally the next oldest would be the one to speak next, but given that this war party was formed of adolescents and young adults, the hierarchy wasn''t clear. As a result, dozens of minds leapt forward at once, creating a mour as theypeted with each other.

    [This weak monsters shall be swept aside!]

    [How can think topete with us?!]

    [We must obliterate them to send a message!]

    [I believe some level of caution may be required¡­]

    The final voice, a young female, was immediately piled in on as the others decried her perceived cowardice andck of determination.

    [These insect monsters have cowered before us for weeks. Now that we arrive in force they believe they can stand up to us? They shall be crushed beneath our ws, their attacks will brush off my scales like grains of sand. We should assault them immediately and rout them before we torch the garden.]

    The Old One blinked slowly. Such a course of action would result in a resounding defeat. The kaarmodo wererge and powerful creatures, each weighing tons, yet they were ill suited for massedbat. In short skirmishes they could throw their weight around and utilise their poisonous bites to great effect, but against more than a hundred times their number? They would be surrounded and picked apart, throwing away their greatest advantage, their magical superiority. Rassan''tep was tempted to show his teeth in contempt but he managed to restrain himself. He wasn''t young anymore, such a disy was better left for the impetuous and foolish.

    Still, this stirring attitude had gained much support amongst the youth and they stirred, as if contemting rushing forth at this moment without waiting for his order. An unthinkable course.

    [You''re too hot blooded,] he rebuked them and he could feel the young minds recoil at this stinging insult.

    Such a thing to say to a reptile¡­ yet they deserved it. Charging into the enemy? Such foolishness.

    [We are not here to fight ants, we are here to destroy the garden. Ranged bombardment. Form teams of five and prepare to arc your spells over the insects. You have two minutes, begin now.]

    Separately he reached out to the poor female who had been so rebuffed by the others for her caution.

    [You have the right of it. I willmend your insight when we return.]

    He didn''t bother trying to correct the others on their misjudgement. They wouldn''t listen to him, regardless of his standing or age, only experience would teach them so that was what he would provide.

 Chapter 792 Rising Sands Pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 792 Rising Sands Pt 3 </h4>

    Life without the Eldest to guide has been difficult for the Colony. They sleep, a deserved rest to be sure, and in the meantime we have had to adjust, to ovee the challenges that Pangera presents to us without our wisest councillor and most farseeing leader. It has been like growing up for the Colony, in many ways. No longer were we able to rely on someone to guide our destiny, instead we had to collectively decide it for ourselves. Perhaps this was the intention of the Eldest all along, but only know that they sleep are we truly able to break away from this dependence.

    I hope they are proud of us for what we have done. I believe they will understand, when the timees.

    Notes from the personal writings of Historiant.

    In a few scant minutes the kaarmodo and setsh had gone to work, taking amanding hold over the mana around them and drawing it in to form intricate weaves of magic. For every kaarmodo there were at least two bondservants, which meant each team contained at least fifteen minds, pooling their mental resources to craft the great siege spells that they wouldunch to destroy the budding garden of the mother tree.

    It was a difficult spell and one that required a powerful collective to craft. The Old One did not join any of the teams, instead he observed the reaction amongst the ants as he worked with his setsh to craft his own artillery spell. One of the many benefits that age brought was the means necessary to support a greater number of bond servants, and Rassan''tep had been particrly choosy in selecting his setsh, each of them were powerful mana maniptors with their own specialities. What''s more, they were excellent at cooperative spell casting, everything a kaarmodo could possibly ask for. He was exceptionally proud of them.

    As for the ants, they didn''t appear to have a strong reaction at all, which surprised him. There was almost no chance they were unaware of the spells being woven so close to them, most of the teams that had been formed were putting no effort at all into concealing their work,. As if daring the monsters to do something about it. As he watched, his vision enhanced, he could see the ants still stood at attention in neatly ordered rows.

    It was fascinating to observe them. There were many varieties of ant in attendance. Different sizes, different shape, even different colouration. It was easy to determine the purpose of therger ones, they had thick ting for their carapace, andrge heads that were no doubt packed with muscle to enhance their bite strength. A melee or warrior ss if ever he''d seen one. This only reinforced his opinion that a frontal charge was tantamount to suicide. One on one, he had little doubt he could crush one of these physical ants, but a hundred to one? Unlikely.

    The smaller ant types were no doubt the more magical ones, mages of varying purposes. Against a single kaarmodo, he had no doubt the ants would beughably outmatched, but that simply wasn''t how a swarming insect operated. It mattered nothing if a kaarmodo was better one to one, they would never fight one to one. A single ant was helpless, a hundred thousand of them? A force to be recognised.

    These ants were clearly intelligent, and strong, something that he hadn''t seen before. It was a worrying development. If possible he did not want to enter an open conflict against them right now, the kingdom had more than enough on its te fighting off the recurring waves and contesting for territory against the mother tree. There was no need to go looking for enemies.

    The massive ant that postured in the lead of the horde caught his eye once more. Large, shiny and with a brightly burning core, there was little doubt that this monster was a powerful individual without any support, yet here it had support in measures. If he judged rightly the other monsters nearby, the only non-ants in the field, were likely to be pets. He could sense the connection somewhat vaguely between them. Another mystery.

    The spells were ready and still there was little to sense from the ants. Perhaps they intended to allow the kaarmodo to seed? Was the intention to demonstrate that they were not in alliance with the tree but would gather in force to defend their borders? Such a thing would be most wee to the Old One, and ideal oue.

    [Launch,] he sent over the bridge.

    At once seven points ignited in a fury of mana. Tremendous columns of me formed that burned ever hotter at their cores as each of the kaarmodo stepped back from the ze they had created. The fires drew down on themselves until they formed an impossibly bright core of pure white fire that seared the air until it crackled. Then, all at once, the superheated cores sted into the air, arcing high as they zed a trail through the scorched atmosphere of the third stratum.

    The temperature skyrocketed and Rassan''tep basked in the heat as he watched to see what the ants would do. Would they continue to not act?

    Before the arcing fireballs had reached halfway to their destination, the ants dropped the concealment they had ced around themselves to reveal that they had in fact been hard at work at the entire time. The Old One was impressed. Most of his attention had gone into working on his spell, it was true, but even so he hadn''t seen so much a glimmer of what they''d been weaving. It turns out they were constructing an enormous shield, but due to the effort required to keep in hidden, it wasn''t yetplete. As he watched a tremendous flood of mana began to sweep around the insect formation, being drawn in and woven at incredible speed as even more energy was pulled out of the monsters themselves and surrendered to the working.

    [They are working as one mind,] Ammon''sil observed with wonder, [all of their efforts move as if guided by a single hand.]

    [An incredible level of cooperation,] Rassan''tep observed. [Though not all are working on the one spell.]

    It was difficult to see, but there were different spells being formed in various pockets around the formation, including by the big ant in the front. Soon these workings took shape and great spears of water wereunched into the air, crashing into the fireballs with an explosive burst of steam and fury.

    [Not nearly enough,] Ammon''sil said.

    [They only intend to weaken them,] his master replied, [reduce the strength so the shield will hold. Look, they go again.]

    More spears rose, then more as the ants churned them out as fast as they could manage it. The fireballs ate the water as if it were nothing, the concentrated heat melting them almost before they touched, yet even so, they began to shave away at the mana held within.

    Then therge ant unleashed¡­ something.

    Even from a kilometre away, Rassan''tep felt a shiver creep across his scales as a deathly howl pierced the air. A sphere of dark purple rose into the sky, packed to bursting with a form of mana that he did not recognise, yet the air itself felt drawn into it, creating a wind that increased in speed the longer the spell hung in the air. When it made contact with a fireball, the sphere expanded rapidly to form a ck void such that he had never seen before.

    HOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWL.

    That dreadful sound only grew more intense as the two spells collided with each other, the energy in both crackling and roiling as each sought to devour the other.

    [What is that?] Rassan''tep wondered aloud across the bond.

    [I know not, master, but I fear it,] came the reply.

    Held in stasis as they fought each other, the kaarmodo was fascinated to see which would break first. He honed his mind to examine the conflicting energy more closely and what he saw shocked him. Ever so slightly, but with increasing speed, the fireball was beginning to break apart. At first, just a tendril broke off and swirled around the darkness before sinking into its core, but soon the tendril swelled until the fire roared around the ck sphere as if screaming its death cry.

    The energy within the fireball was being eaten! When the horrific sphere finally vanished, that fireball was no more, consumed whole.

    He hadn''t even realised that the other artillery spells had detonated against the ant shield, which had held. The garden was unharmed and the ants still stood in their silent ranks, unmoving.

    They would not be able to destroy the garden, Rassan''tep realised. They did not have the strength topete against what the ants had brought here today. He would need to convince the others to turn back, that further conflict would be futile, which would take some effort, but with age on his side, they would obey. No doubt their fragile pride had been stung by this failure, but perhaps they wouldn''t underestimate this superficially simple monsters next time.

    Before he undertook that task, however, there was something else he was curious about.

    Without drawing on his bond, he weaved a mind bridge, taking great care to conceal his work as he extended it across the distance between the two armies and felt it connect to the massive ant at the forefront of their ranks.

    [Ah¡­ hello, Mr kaarmodo, sir?] the mind spoke to him in a hesitant fashion.

    [My name is Rassan''tep, an Old One of the kaarmodo. I have but one question for you, if you would hear it.]

    [As long as you don''t intend to shoot those damn miniature suns at us again, sure thing, let me hear it.]

    [Have you heard of a thing known as the Red Truth?]

    [Ah, hell.]

 Chapter 793 Face Off

    <h4>Chapter 793 Face Off </h4>

    I watch the kaarmodo force turn and walk away with decidedly mixed feelings. Obviously, them leaving is a good thing and should be celebrated. We didn''t have to kill any of them, they didn''t manage to kill any of us, therefore this can be pencilled in as a win. We have managed to preserve the garden of the damn tree and not escte our conflict with the reptiles beyond the point of no return!

    Whoo!

    On the other hand, we did have a rather deadly magical confrontation with them. I have to say I was actually a little surprised that the shield managed to hold as well as it did. Though Invidia helped a lot, he can''t match up to the mental firepower that the lizards brought all on his own. Not even close. We also have to consider the possibility that the kaarmodo will simply return with arger force and steamroll us. It might take them a day or two to put together such an army, but I wouldn''t put it past them considering how much they seem to hate the bruan''chii.

    I suppose we can only hope that the garden finishes spitting out someone we can talk to before too much time has passed, because if we need to bring another twenty or thirty thousand ants in here to fend off the kaarmodo then the chances of the confrontation being bloodless are practically nil.

    On top of all that, I have another damn cultist to worry about!

    I''d almost forgotten about the followers of the Red Truth, which probably isn''t that surprising since I only met one other member, the chap who was following Garralosh around, but I really didn''t want to attract the attention of more of these nutcases. I already have Granin and his triadtched onto me and while their advice is useful and they are happy to let me have my freedom and go about things my own way, I can''t guarantee that other cultists will be willing to let me roam loose when they see the potential for their world''s salvation in me.

    Not that the weird lizard with the arms had much to say on the matter, he basically asked me if I knew what the cult was and if I knew what they were about. When I replied in the affirmative, he turned tail and moseyed off with the rest of his reptilian crew.

    Stay away from me!

    [Do you think we should follow them, Master? Perhaps we can pick a few off as they retreat.]

    [Now''s not the time to be so aggressive, Crinis. We have to y it cool at least a little while longer. Once we''ve heard what the tree has to say, then we can be more confident in the direction we move.]

    [I worry that they''ll be back and strike at us again.]

    [I hear you Crinis, and I think you''re right, but for now we are on the defensive. We just need to y a stronger hand than they do.]

    [Very well, Master. Try to keep yourself safe.]

    [When do I not?]

    [¡­]

    I can feel the ominously writhing tentacles on my back as Crinis considers all the times I might have not acted with my own safety at the forefront of my mind. Think I might just leave that one there.

    "Senior! Are you seeing this?" Brilliant cries as I approach where she''s been watching over the garden.

    "I mean, I can see the nts just as well as you can, but I suspect that isn''t what you''re talking about."

    "No! Not the nts! The energy! The way it moves, and where ites from¡­ I swear this is some sort of pocket or naturalised gateway that she''s moving this material through. It''s fascinating! I just wish I could see it closer!"

    "I mean¡­ why can''t you?"

    "I can''t go in the garden, she won''t let me in," Brilliant flips her antennae as if I''m an idiot.

    THWACK!

    "Ouch!"

    "Don''t get uppity with me, you were just a hatchling only a few weeks ago! I''m not talking about going into the garden, I''m talking about digging underneath it! You''re an ant aren''t you?"

    She stops rubbing her head and stares at me for a second.

    "That''s genius! I''ll do it right away!"

    With no further ado, the energetic little ant turns and practically throws herself into the dark soil of the third stratum, gnashing and chomping like a mad creature as she starts to dig her way underneath the soil to better spy on the source of the garden''s mana. It wouldn''t be quite as disturbing a scene if she weren''t cackling madly the entire time, her pheromones flooding the surroundings with her almost giddy giggling.

    "I''m going to find your secrets! I''ll see everything! You can''t hide them from me! I''ll reveal it all,yer byyer!"

    Good lord. If she ends up attracting a following that takes after her¡­ mercy save us.

    With nothing else to do, the ant army that assembled to fend off the kaarmodo falls into a defensive position around the garden as scouts head out on patrols or to tail the retreating lizards. I don''t bother involving myself, but I know that the leadership are calcting the likely strength of a second wave and making sure they have the antpower on hand to repel any such attempt.

    In the meantime, all I do is sit down, and wait.

    In the end it only takes half a day before the leaves begin to rustle and a faint tremor can be felt through the ground followed by a tall, wooden looking form stomping out of the green depths, a broad smile on its face. A momentter it extends a bridge to me and I dly ept it.

    [Hmmmm. Hello there, ant-friend. It is nice to see you once again.]

    Huh? This guy doesn''t look the same as the grove-keeper I saw before¡­

    [We''ve met?] I ask.

    The big tree-figure shakes slightly with mirth.

    [Mother has made me a little quicker than she usually would, so I do not quite look myself, but yes, I am the same keeper that you met outside your nest.]

    [Well. Okay then. Nice to see you again. Wonderful of you to join us out here in the third stratum. The pleasure of yourpany is felt both warmly and deeply. I just have one question though, if you might indulge my curiosity for a brief moment?]

    [Hmmmm. Of Course!]

    [Great. What the hell are you doing out here?]

    To his credit, the big guy doesn''t flinch, in fact, if anything, he seems amused by my slightly hostile question.

    [Ah yes. Mother was concerned that you might not appreciate her appearance in this area, particrly so close to her enemies.]

    [Something tells me she wasn''t all that concerned.]

    The leaves behind the keeper writhe with barely concealed amusement.

    [I knew it you stupid nt! Why are you making a mess for us up here you weed!]

    The grove keeper holds up two gnarled wooden hands.

    [Peace, friend. In this case I must defend the mother tree. She is not able to manifest herself anywhere she pleases. This happens to be the first point in this stratum where she has sensed your presence.]

    [Why not just contact us further up in the second stratum? She already has a full forest set up there!]

    [She withdrew those resources and redeployed them where they were needed, along with my fellow bruan''chii. Even bringing this small garden into being has been an expense she can ill afford right now.]

    That surprises me a little.

    [Are things really that bad?]

    The grove keeper nods sadly.

    [It has been a challenging timetely. Our enemies have moved against us in ways that we did not expect. We believe the kaarmodo may have even nurtured a monstrous species, much like yourselves, to unleash on us. Even now these creatures attack our hearnds, threatening our mother in the seat of her power.]

    [Monsters? Really? I thought that was frowned on.]

    [It is.]

    [What sort of monsters are they? I might know a little something.]

    [We hope that you do. What can you tell us about termites?]

 Chapter 794 The Enemy

    <h4>Chapter 794 The Enemy </h4>

    The word ''termites'' rattles around in my head like an out of control, rage inducing pinball. If I had a lip it would be curled! If I could hiss, I would hiss! Which is weird, since I don''t really have anything against termites per se, yet I feel an overwhelming need to rend flooding me. Look! My mandibles are actively gnashing the air without me having any input! It''s as if my entire ant body is filled with the urge to destroy having merely heard the word of the ancient enemy!

    In the interests of science I decide to speak to the ants around me. As the rest of them are going about their business I release a short and sharp burst of pheromones.

    "Termites."

    Holy smokes!

    The reaction is instant! Every ant within range stops on the spot and starts quivering, their mandibles writhing in the air as if yearning to mp around the necks of they who should not be named. This is bizarre! I know for a fact that the ants of my family have no idea what a termite is! They''ve never encountered them in their lifetime, never even heard the term. Is the hatred for the termite woven into our cores? Did I idently drop that in when I modified the Queen''s core? I''m pretty sure I''d remember deliberately cing a hatred of wood eating bugs into my siblings¡­

    Regardless of the reason, the hunger for conquest is clearly there. How can the Colony live knowing that a giant monster termite nest exists out there in Pangera? We can''t! We must destroy it! They cannot be permitted to exist within the same Dungeon!

    [I''ve heard of termites, yes,] I say hesitantly to the Grove Keeper. [Are you saying the Kaarmodo have custom built themselves a termite queen and are using it in a war against the mother tree and the bruan''chii as a whole? Isn''t that a little extreme?]

    The giant wooden figure nods solemnly.

    [Hmmmmm. It is true. Under normal circumstances such a thing would be considered an evil, perhaps even illegal act. The Legion would censure them for this behaviour and their allies would turn their backs, but these are not normal days. The repeated waves have everyone on edge. The Legion is stretched and cannot react as they wish, nor can they afford to alienate one of the old races who form their base of support at this time. The kaarmodo have leapt on this chance to pressure us. The termites have proven to be a dangerous foe for my kind¡­]

    Well yeah, you''re literally made of wood.

    [¡­ and mother has decided to ask that you repay the favour you owe her.]

    [Hang on, favour we owe her? So she helped defend the Colony before thest wave, now we need to rush down to the fourth stratum in order to save her from getting woodchipped? That''s a bit of a stretch there chief.]

    [Nheless, this is what she has asked. If you are familiar with our foe, then do you believe that you can help us? If not, then I will speak with mother and perhaps she can ask others toe to her aid.]

    He doesn''t sound too hopeful of that. I suppose the repeated waves are giving everyone pressure, not just the Legion. If the Folk are up against it then they aren''t likely to stick their necks out for the tree either I suppose.

    In terms of knowledge about termites, I know quite a bit really. Given their rtionship to ants, I researched them as part of my hobby. It was fascinating stuff! Most people don''t realise this, but ants and termites aren''t closely rted at all. Where ants are descendants of wasps, which is where our body shapes, the wings on Queens and malese from. Some species of ant still have the stingers in the business district as well, which just goes to show how close the wasp rtionship is. Termites on the other hand, are rted to beetles. They have a different body shape and an entirely different social structure. Whereas ants are almost entirely female, termites are a mix of both male and female. The Queens, who grow into pulsating, immobile egg machines are paired with a male, a king, during their nuptial flight, and remain together until one or the other dies. Unlike a female ant Queen, who usually only mates once in her lifetime, the termite royal couple will mate whenever they need to and can rule over their nest for well over a decade. What''s more, when the royal pair do finally die out, another pair will rise up within the colony to take their ce, whereas most ant species will simply die out at that point as all of the females are sterile.

    How this ys out in the Dungeon, I''m not quite sure. It isn''t necessary to mate here in order to produce offspring for one thing, all that is required is Biomass, but I wager that there are still male and female termite workers, not that gender matters. I imagine that the kaarmodo captured and carefully modified the termite queen and now they direct her and her offspring against the tree in every way they can. What would we be up against? The majority of termites are tiny little workers, smaller than most ants, though immense in number, but then there are also the powerful soldier ss with their massive jaws that are called upon to defend the nest.

    Generally speaking a termite Colony is muchrger in numbers than most species of ant. A termite queen can produce an egg every three seconds, which means about thirty thousand per day, or over ten million per year. There aren''t many ant species that can even approach those sorts of numbers, certainly not monogynous colonies, those with only one queen. Probably only driver ants could beat them, pumping out millions of eggs per month, which is why shes between army ants and termite mounds are epic battles without equal in the insect world.

    Back on Earth anyway. This battle on Pangera is going to be legendary. There''s not enough room on this for two social insect colonies to thrive.

    [I''m going to have to report on this to the council,] I tell the Grove Keeper, [and we''ll have to discuss what to do with this. I want to help, and I think the Colony will be more than willing to help out, but we have to put a timeline in ce. It''s not like we can just rush down to the fourth stratum tomorrow and start fighting the good fight. This is going to take time.]

    [The matter is more urgent than you realise,] the Keeper presses me. [If you are willing to help, that will be fantastic, and mother has promised to grow a gate here that will take you straight to the frontlines. It won''t be ready in a single day, but in a few weeks you can be there. We can''t wait much longer than that.]

    [Wait, wait, wait. You want me and the Colony to invade the fourth stratum in two weeks? Are you off your nut? ]

 Chapter 795 Something Grander

    <h4>Chapter 795 Something Grander </h4>

    "Termites."

    The council recoils in shock, snapping at the air, their antennae twirling violently through the air.

    "That is quite ufortable," Cont observes in a detached way, as if she weren''t currently gnashing empty space as if it had a head she wanted to remove.

    "WhataretermitesI''veneverheardofthembeforebutallofasuddenIwanttofightthingsrealbad!"

    "Vibrant¡­"

    "Sorry-sorry! Sometimes I forget. Anyway, I really want to fight something right now, why is that?"

    The council all turn to look at me.

    "It''s not easy to exin. I had the same reaction," I tell them.

    I hesitate.

    How much do I want to reveal right now? If I tell the council all about termites, won''t they quite reasonably want to know where I came by my knowledge? I''ve never explicitly exined my origins to my siblings, and I don''t see why it would matter, but I feel a little awkward now that I''m on the spot. Bah! To hold information back just because I''m a little ufortable would be ridiculous! Ant lives are on the line here!

    "Termites are a social insect, much like us. They have a Queen, possibly a king, they produce eggs which hatch into nymphs that eventually mature into workers and soldiers. They are known to eat wood which is likely why the kaarmodo decided to use them against the bruan''chii. They can even hollow out trees or logs and form their nests inside. Since the reptiles are using them as a weapon I''m sure they''ve done extensive modifications to the core of the Queen in order to influence the offspring and the overall species. In truth, they could be a very powerful enemy and we should be extremely cautious."

    The ants gathered around the council table all nod solemnly as they consider what I''ve said.

    "So when do we attack?" Leeroy asks.

    "Dammit Leeroy!" I crash an antenna down on the carved surface of the grand circr table. "This is serious business, not your usual ''charge in recklessly'' routine!"

    "No, no. I think she might be right this time," Sloan says, her foreleg tapping thoughtfully against her mandibles.

    I boggle at the normally cool headed general.

    "You cannot be serious. From you, Sloan? I feel like I''ve lost my mind!"

    "I have good reasons for my stance, Eldest, if you would hear me out before jumping to conclusions."

    "Fine!" I wave a leg in apology. "This whole thing has me stressed out. I''m sorry, go ahead."

    "Right then."

    The general stands in her seat to address the table, all our eyes focus on her as she fussily cleans her antennae before speaking.

    "I believe," she begins, "that I really hate the sound of these ''termites'' and want them exterminated as soon as possible."

    All around the table there are solemn nods as each of the council members absorbs this deration.

    SLAM.

    "You can''t be serious!"

    "Eldest, I assure you that I am serious. The very mention of these fiends stirs the mana in my core. They must be destroyed."

    "Look, I''m just as ready to leap into some hair-brained invasion of a stratum that is far too strong for me at the drop of a hat, but that doesn''t seem like a good policy for the Colony as a whole! Am I wrong? It was only a few weeks ago that I was telling you all off for rushing into the thirdyer too quickly, now you want to rush off into the fourth? We''ll be smashed!"

    Victor raises both her forelegs in a calming gesture.

    "Nobody is suggesting we mount a full-scale invasion of the fourth stratum," she eyeballs Leeroy for a second, "¡­ I think. Slowing our rate of progress and being more deliberate with our expansion has yielded dividends already and will continue to do so into the future. When we do start to expand our holdings in the third we will be in a much better ce than we were before to safely hold that which we take. We currently don''t have anything like the strength required to conquer ground in the fourth, but we don''t have to, right? We just have to fight against these termites. Which means all we need to do is send an expedition to help protect the bruan''chii."

    "Hey-hey! I''ll go! Send me! I want to go there!"

    "And there''s a volunteer already, thanks Vibrant."

    "No problem!"

    I mean, I can see their point. We don''t need to fight against sapient races and conquer cities or worry about weird politics, we just need to protect the tree from the termites. Will we be able to destroy the infestation and annihte their nest immediately? No chance. But we can dig in and fight a defensive war until we have the chops to properlypete in the fourth stratum.

    "I''m just worried that we''re going to be overmatched when we get there," I fret. "Even the tree and the bruan''chii are struggling, which means these termites are powerful, perhaps more powerful even than the demons we''ve been dealing with."

    "We''ll have to send our best to have any hope of sess," Advant agrees. "Wemit to a defensive strategy and dig in as hard as we can. As long as we blunt the offensive and relieve the pressure from the tree, then she''ll be satisfied that we''ve repaid her for the favour and shown solidarity to our allies."

    "I''ll have to go personally," Cobalt chips in, "working in a whole new environment is going to be difficult to say the least and if I''m on location I can provide the best support to the build teams."

    "I''ll represent the healers," Mendant says in her quiet scent. "We can''t afford to lose any of you, so you need the best treatment we can provide."

    "And who is going to stay here and make sure our operations on the third don''t stumble like they did before!" I protest.

    They all look at me.

    "HELL no. I''m going to the fourth, are you nuts? Imagine leaving me in charge of anything¡­"

    I shudder.

    The other ants around the table all shift their antennae in the ant equivalent of an eye-roll, which I think a little unfair. They know me well enough to understand my strengths and weaknesses by now, surely. Yet somehow I''m constantly getting caught out being thought more highly of than I deserve.

    "It looks like we''ve decided to ept the proposal then," I say heavily. "I''ll go talk to the Grove Keeper and tell him to get that gate started. We only have two weeks to prepare so I suggest we make the utmost use of that time."

    Everyone agrees and begins to stir from their specially designed ant-chairs as they prepare to leave. I remain in my own seat, my mind still spinning at the thought of entering the fourth stratum so soon. I''m nervous, extremely nervous. It''s far too quick! And yet the very thought of heading down there stirs the mana in my body and heats up my core. It''s so exciting! What challenges will we face?! What opponents will we find?! The urge to keep going deeper into the Dungeon only grows stronger the more I explore!

    Almost like I''m being pulled deeper.

    "Eldest," a gentle thought prods me from my thoughts and I startle when I realise that Cobalt and I are the only ants left in the council room.

    "Hey there, Cobalt. I was lost in my thoughts there for a minute, what''s up?"

    The little carver looks up at me, towering over her in my chair and reaches out with her specially jointed front leg to pat me on the w.

    "Thank you for sharing your wisdom about the termite enemy with us," she says.

    "Oh," I''m surprised, "that''s no problem. Whatever I know I''m always going to share with the Colony, obviously."

    She watches me calmly.

    "We know," she nods.

    She pats me again.

    "No matter what you were before, you are a member of this family and our precious senior. We believe in you and are so proud that you are prepared to believe in us. That is who you are now. Don''t forget that."

    With a final tip of her antennae, the carver lets go of my w and crawls quietly out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts, and the shining threads of eptance and love that flow from the council to me.

 Chapter 796 Soul Crushing

    <h4>Chapter 796 Soul Crushing </h4>

    Once the council meeting ends it''s almost as if I feel a gear shift within the Colony. By the time I make it back to Orpule the change has already urred and ants who I thought couldn''t possibly work any faster are zipping about like possessed creatures. A steady flow of burning determination creeps into me through the Vestibule as the tens of thousands of my siblings within range are all furiously devoted topleting even more tasks than they were before. More than once I find myself offering cautionary warnings to ensure that they all get enough rest, otherwise they may end up getting more sleep than they bargained for.

    Such warnings are never wee, per se, but they are usually heeded, and with good reason. If the ants are pushing themselves too hard and the work bes sloppy they do more harm than help.

    The Grove Keeper is initially delighted when I report back to him that we''ve decided to ept his proposal but his enthusiasm dims when I outline exactly what we are offering.

    [This is not exactly what the Mother Tree was hoping for,] he rumbles solemnly.

    [Yeah well, she was basically hoping we''d throw away tens of thousands of lives in order to keep her alive and flourishing, which just isn''t going to happen. The Colony is in a precarious position right now, which you know, more to the point, the tree knows, so I think she should be, quite frankly, exceptionally grateful that we are going to send our very best and most powerful ants to help her hold out. When we have the capacity to help more, then we will.]

    [She did not hold back when she assisted you.]

    [Even if that were true, which I can''t confirm, so what? You want us all to jump off a cliff? We''re ants, not lemmings! Don''t think I haven''t realised that you''re being more than a little reluctant to share details with us about exactly what we would be up against down there. If the Mother Tree, and all of her children, can''t deal with these termites then how exactly you expect an army of tier four monsters, no matter howrge it is, to deal with the problem is a little beyond me!]

    The giant wooden figure slumps a little, real sadness evident in its infinitely deep brown eyes. After a long moment he turns back to the bountiful nts behind him which rustle indignantly for a while before he turns back.

    [Mother is not pleased, but she wants me to make it clear that she understands. I have been given permission to reveal a little more of what is happening in order to rify her position.]

    He takes a long breath, the leaves that cover his body fluttering at the sudden inhtion before he lets it all out in a gust of wind.

    [The Mother Tree is a monster,] he says.

    A pause.

    [I mean. Yeah? I knew that.]

    Isn''t that obvious?! Everyone knows that!

    [Hmmmmm. It isn''t something that we usually confirm,] The Keeper tells me sternly. [And it is relevant to this topic. The matter at hand isn''t Mother, it is us, her children.]

    [In what way? I mean¡­ you guys get spawned like we ants do, no?]

    At least, I don''t know of any other way that it could be done. Monsters can''t reproduce in any other way. We don''t have a need to, since we''re spawned by the Dungeon itself.

    The big tree shakes his head.

    [No,] he says firmly, [we are not. The Mother Tree did not wish to create a race of monsters, spawned using the means of the Dungeon, since then we would be as mistreated and maligned as she is. It took hundreds of years, and only after ascending to a very high tier was she able to achieve it, but she found another way. In effect, we bruan''chii each contain a portion of Mother''s soul. Combined with the method she employs of growing extensions of herself, she was able to create an entirely new form of life, us, disconnected from the Dungeon.]

    Hang on a second.

    [Are you telling me she literally breaks shards off her own soul to make you guys?]

    [Hmmmmm. This is true.]

    YIKES. I knew she was crazy, but holy moly! This is the next level! It''s also he impressive. She didn''t just spawn new monsters, she made an entirely new race, one that is epted by the System. In order to do it, she takes on a heck of a cost though.

    [The reason we are so threatened by this new enemy, is not because they are stronger than us, or stronger than Mother, but because the kaarmodo have discovered how we were made, and engineered their insect weapons to target us specifically.]

    I have a sinking feeling in my abdomen that tells me I know exactly where this is going.

    [Let me guess. These are some sort of soul devouring termite? They get a hold of you and then eat the shard you contain, which indirectly damages your mother?]

    [And makes it impossible for her to recreate us,] he nods, [normally, even should we die, or the materials thatprise our bodies are reimed, we live on within the tree, and she can spin us back out whenever we desire. Those who have fallen to the termites are forever lost and now she refuses to allow us to fight them at all. Though she is capable of great things, the Mother Tree cannot do this fight alone, her weapons are not effective against creatures who are designed to consume a monster like her.]

    [Good thing you shared this with me. It''s helping a whole lot to garner my sympathy. At least now I understand why you reached out to us at the time that you did. Look, the first wave will establish a defensive perimeter, create fortifications and ensure that no further significant damage is done to your mother. From there we will hold the line until enough reinforcements are avable that we can finish the job. Alright? We will finish the war for you, just not immediately.]

    [Hmmmmm. It will do.]

    With that the Grove Keeper turns back to the garden behind him, no doubt to confer with his Mother. A momentter all the greenery ripples as a massive pulse of energy flows through every leaf and vine.

    [What the hell was that?!] I say.

    [Mother has epted your terms. She is bringing up the energy and materials that she needs to construct the gate. This is no light thing for her to do, friend. I hope that you are able to do as you''ve said.]

    [Ha. When ites to eating termites, you won''t find a better ally than us.]

    Nearby, Brilliant watches all the goings on with wide, glittering eyes.

    "It''s amazing!" she screams. "I HAVE TO SEE MORE!"

    A momentter she dove into the garden and vanished within the second.

 Chapter 797 Drawn Down

    <h4>Chapter 797 Drawn Down </h4>

    There are no precise records of how old the Mother Tree may actually be. Without being present to see her spawn within the Dungeon it wouldn''t be possible to know this information. Along with the more secretive, long-lived nature of nt monsters it isn''t difficult to understand why documented sightings of her are so rare. Only when she evolved and became a muchrger presence within the Dungeon did sightings be moremon and her movements and growth more documented.

    I estimate she would have been tier seven, or perhaps eight, at the time of the first recorded sighting by the Legion. A powerful tree of great size that nheless was already capable of moving through its extensive root system, vanishing from one ce overnight to reappear in another. From analysis provided by nt-type monster specialists within the ranks of the Loremasters it''s assumed that the Mother Tree invested the bulk of her evolutionary energy, and specialised her mutations, into greater survivability. Her ability to relocate is just the tip of what the monster can do to preserve her own life. Duringbat with the tree it has disyed remarkable regenerative capacity, drawing on hidden stores of both mana and Biomass to regrow what is lost at a rapid pace. The roots can appear almost anywhere, even disconnected from the tree itself, able to capture Biomass and siphon it back to the main body of the monster across vast distances.

    The Mother Tree has even survived the destruction of her trunk on two asions that the Legion is aware of. One of these was inflicted by the Legion itself, during the ultimately failed attempt to exterminate this high tier creature, and the other urred earlier in the monster''s life, yet she was able to fully recover both times. Some specte that the tree itself is naught but misdirection, and her true self lies elsewhere.

    Excerpt from ''The Root of Evil - An analysis of the Mother Tree'' by Alberton.

    Two weeks is both a long and a short amount of time, depending on perspective. Is it a long time to be standing around doing nothing? Absolutely. You''d go mad within a day. Is it a long time to prepare an invasion of the fourth stratum? No. No it is not.

    Despite the importance of the mission the Mother Tree had dumped on us, I didn''t want the uing invasion to take away the main focus of the Colony, which was to continue expanding through the second and first strata to help build our capacity and strengthen our foundation before an eventual move into the third. With a wide chunk of territory in the third, we''d have the resources needed to harvest the experience and Biomass required to produce more tier six ants.

    Only then would we be strong enough to invade the fourth in strength and take hold ofnd there. Without those precious resets, we''d simply be too outmatched against the creatures born in an environment so rich in manapared to ours. For the two weeks we had avable, the Colony focused on bringing as many ants to tier five and six as possible, trying to power up an elite force that would be capable of going toe to toe, mandible to mandible against the termites.

    And of course, things between us and the kaarmodo didn''t simmer down in the meantime, oh no, they only got more tense. A defensive fortification was constructed to protect the garden of the Mother Tree and manned with over ten thousand ants at all times. Even so, the reptiles and their bonded ves never stopped poking about, arriving in small patrols or in a grand show of force, flinging spells at us only for them to be taken apart, or dissipate harmlessly against our shields.

    And maddeningly enough, somewhere out there is that treacherous worm. I haven''t caught a sniff of him since the garden grew and without Brilliant to help me trace the worm tunnels, I''ve very little hope of getting hold of his tail.

    Although, interestingly enough, Sarah has volunteered to go to the fourth strata and fight against the termites. Perhaps he''ll make an appearance? I mean, it would certainly be out of character for him to venture somewhere so dangerous, but I would have said the exact same thing about himing to the third.

    [Master, it''s almost time.]

    [Huh? Oh, thanks Crinis.]

    For me the past two weeks have been spent training and grinding, pushing my level as high as I can in preparation for the test toe. It''s been a gruelling regime of roaming far and wide with my friends by my side, hunting down every strong demon we could find. It was a brutal regime, but it bore results.

    In front us stands a glittering portal bound by a great arch of wood through which are threaded golden veins of potent mana. The Grove Keeper hadn''t lied when he told us that this was a significant investment on the part of their mother, the amount of energy she''s poured into growing this gate is nothing short of amazing. The fact that she''s even capable of doing something like this is absurd in the first ce! This must be how she can spread clusters of roots all over the ce without any of them being connected to each other. Which means that not only are these gates capable of moving material objects through, like an army of ants, but also energy.

    The Colony desperately needs to master the secret of these gates! If we would link all of our nests together¡­

    The Grove Keeper stands at the ready in front of the gate, his eyes roaming over every detail and twist of the roots and boughs that make up the portal. Since it isn''t ready, I might as well try and hunt down something before I forget.

    Where is she?

    I dip my consciousness down into the flowing stream formed of the Colony''s Will. She''s going to be in here somewhere, though it isn''t always easy to spot it. Her thoughts are just as slippery as the rest of her when she wants to be hidden. It takes a few minutes, but eventually I catch a stray thought and I point with one leg.

    [Over there, Tiny. Go get her.]

    Like an excitable puppy thrown a ball, the giant, bat-faced gori leaps forward as if shot from a cannon, his powerful limbs mming into the ground, crushing the stone as he bounds across the ground. As he draws nearer he leaps high into the air before crashing down amidst the foliage on the edge of the garden like a fallen tree. The leaves and flowers rustle indignantly but Tiny pays them no mind as he rummages about. After a few tense moments of groping at something beneath our line of sight he grins and hauls up a wriggling ant by one leg.

    [Good job Tiny! Bring her on back!]

    Filled with pride he walks back as the Grove Keeper approaches.

    [The gate will be ready in a few moments. Have you gathered all that you will take? It will not remain open permanently, an hour a day is all the Mother can maintain right now.]

    That isn''t what I wanted to hear, but we were prepared for something like this.

    [We''ll manage. Everyone is here, ten thousand of the finest.]

    [Hmmmm. I hope it is enough.]

    [Don''t worry about it, I''m going, aren''t I?]

    He looks at me in a way that suggests my words might not have been asforting as perhaps I had hoped. How rude!

    [The gate is ready,] he announces a momentter, [move quickly.]

    A qualitative change hase over the flickering space between the boughs. Where before it had been a hazy field of twitching energy, it had now be a rippling window of golden light ten metres wide and ten high. An impressive feat for a nt, no doubt about it.

    Behind me the various members of the council, along with the rest of the expeditionary force waited in quiet ranks. Leeroy, Be, Cobalt, Advant, Burke and others hade to help guide their castes in this new environment.

    "Alright then, a taste of the fourth stratum. Let''s go get it!" I dere before I begin to step forward.

    As the portal loomsrger in my eyes I feel my heart pound in my chest and the mana rushing through my body. I feel as if I couldn''t turn around even if I wanted to. I must step forward into the unknown. I don''t even have a choice.

 Chapter 798 The Realm of Myth

    <h4>Chapter 798 The Realm of Myth </h4>

    The first stratum is filled with beasts of all kinds. Vicious growls and the sounds of battle ring constantly here, in this, the weakest area of the Dungeon.

    The second is filled with shadow and cold and death. A ce of darkness where creatures of spun shadow swim and crawl through an endless maze where light is quiet.

    The third is a realm of fire, smoke and ash. Demons abound and theirs is an alien and savage existence.

    But in the fourth, the impossible begins to be possible. The concentration of mana is such that the rules of the world, of life, of the existence as we know it be skewed. The realm of Myth. To enter thisyer of the Dungeon is to step onto the precipice of a different universe.

    Excerpt from ''A treatise on the concentration of mana and its effect on thews of physics''

    Pulled forward like a fish with a hook in its mouth, I rush into the portal and am overtaken by a blinding light that washes away my vision and has me seeing stars. The texture beneath my legs changes, the temperature drops and as the light slowly fades I am left staring out into the impossible.

    In front of me rises a mountain. An enormous, jagged and snow-capped mountain that rises from a floor so far below that I cannot see it and rises to a height that boggles the mind. Mist and cloud shield the top and unbelievably I realise that it is raining, faintly, but still, raining. I shield my eyes as best I can, since I have no lids to cover them and stare in open jawed wonder at the incredible scenery before me, heedless of the ants who begin to pour through the gate.

    Between where I stand and the mountain opposite is a vast open space, filled with what I believe at first are incredibly dense looking clouds, but quickly realise are something else entirely. They are floating rocks. Although rocks isn''t really the word I think fits them best. These aren''t pebbles or even boulders, these are huge, practically inds. Each must weigh thousands of tons,rge enough to host a small vige. How in the name of whatever the heck passes for Newton on Pangera are these things FLOATING?!

    From one of them pours a steady stream of crystal clear water, cascading over the side in a waterfall that scatters into mist as it plunges into the bottomless depths below. So obsessed am I with what I can see in front of me, I almost don''t realise what it is my eyes are telling me lies to the left and right.

    And the answer is, yet more mountains, two more in fact, just as colossal as the first. Is this theyout of the fourth stratum? Impossible mountains, the bottomless valleys between and the absurd floating inds in the sky? This is absolutely ridiculous! And I thought the third was weird!

    [Hmmmmm. Wee to the fourth stratum. I believe this is your first visit?] a powerful mind connects to my own and rumbles in my head.

    I continue to stare out ahead of me as I soak in this incredible vista.

    [Yep, first time. No matter what someone tells you, it doesn''t really prepare you for actually seeing the real thing, does it?]

    [Indeed no. Though, if you really want to be impressed, you should more closely examine the mountain that lies beneath your feet.]

    I suppose I''m standing on a mountain also, aren''t I? I can''t exactly tell how tall it is, since I can neither see the bottom nor the top, but perhaps I''m roughly a third of the way up? But I do wonder what''s so special about this one that the Grove Keeper would point it out. Downwards is the only direction I can''t see all that clearly. I can see what is next to me, sure, but not what is beneath my feet. So I tilt to the side a little and examine the mountain I stand upon.

    Except it isn''t a mountain.

    "What?" I mutter to myself.

    It doesn''t feel like dirt or stone, it''s softer than I think it should be, and the colour isn''t what I would have expected.

    I turn around.

    "NO. SHOT."

    It''s a tree. The tree. In ce of the mountain is a gnarled tangle of roots so massive, so thick, that I thought I was standing on a t slope. Hundreds of thousands of these rise from deep in the earth and collect at the base of an absurd trunk, which must have a circumference in the kilometres, which rises up and vanishes into the cloud and mist overhead.

    [Is that the Mother Tree?] I ask stupidly.

    [Of course,] the Grove Keeper''s thoughts glow with pride.

    I slip into my mana sense for a moment before shutting it off. The amount of energy flowing through this tree is boggling, simply boggling, running up through the roots and converging within the heart of the tree. I had no idea it was possible to get this strong!

    [Is the Mother Tree an ancient?] I ask. I feel like I have to check!

    The Grove Keeper stares at me in surprise.

    [No, of course not. Mighty she may be, but she cannotpare to those creatures.]

    I swear by every fibre in the holy white beard that the tree wiggles inughter at me. Wiggles!

    [I came here to save your butt,] I grumble openly, pping a leg down on the root beneath me, [no need tough at me!]

    [Hmmm. If you woulde with me, I will direct you and your siblings to the conflict. The termites have not attacked us over the surface, it is through the tunnels at the roots of the mountains that they strike.]

    By now thousands of ants have gathered outside the gate, absorbing their surroundings in traditioal ant silence, though I''ve little doubt my siblings are just as awed as I am. Just as we turn to follow the guidance of the Grove Keeper a faint sound sends my antennae swaying through the air. That sound had definitelye from above, and was reminiscent of something that I would really rather not see.

    [Hey there, Keeper, do you guys all have the same name, by the way? Never mind that, I just wanted to ask if you knew what caused that sound?]

    [Sky Wyrm.]

    [SKY WYRM? As in, a dragon?!]

    [Hmmm, no. As in a Sky Wyrm. I do not know this dragon of which you speak.]

    I nervously clean my antennae as I keep my eyes trained on the sky above. Sky Wyrm sounds a hell of a lot like a dragon to me. If it sounds like a dragon, then it might well look like a dragon, and at that point I don''t particrly care what you call it, I don''t want any part of it.

    With a final nce upward, I follow along with the rest of the group as the Grove Keeper leads us confidently downward, eventually walking through a gap between two roots and then within the tangle. What I expected to be nothing more than a cramped maze of building sized roots was actually a surprisingly verdant and well lit cavern in which the bruan''chii apparently made their homes. The wood of their parent had been shaped into all sorts of abodes and a strange glowing fungus suffused the scene with a warm light. There were hundreds of the tree people here, abiding together in the quiet manner of their kind. Here and there therger Keepers strolled, the nts glittering with energy and life wherever they went.

    [This is Aruatha, one of our settlements. The main front isn''t far from here. Mother wishes for you to use this ce to house your siblings, though we ask that you do not dig or use the roots as materials.]

    [I mean¡­ obviously.]

    As much as not digging pains us, we aren''t going to start eating the wood, how would that make us different from the termite scum!?

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 41 (Rare) (VI)

    Might: 205

    Toughness: 180

    Cunning: 145

    Will: 100

    HP: 360/360

    MP: 530/530

    Skills:

    General:

    Master Excavation (IV) Level 31; Expert Grip (III) Level 20; Expert Stealth (III) Level 10; Tunnel Compass (IV) Level 9; Iron Mind (IV) Level 40; Master Stamina (IV) Level 14; Still Meditation (IV) Level 21; Snap Dash (IV) Level 31;

    Mana:

    Mana Craft (V) Level 56; Condensed Mana (IV) Level 40; Finer External Mana Maniption (IV) Level 31; Mana Hoarder (IV) Level 31; Layered Mind Magic Affinity (V) Level 24; Directed Mana Sensing (IV) Level 36 Expert Healing Magic Affinity (III) Level 20; Omni-Elemental Affinity (V) Level 80; Advanced Mana Masking (III) Level 15; Wood Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Metal Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Lightning Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Advanced Force Magic Affinity (III) Level 16;

    Pet:

    Further Pet Communication (III) Level 20; Core Crafting (IV) Level 18; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 5;

    Defensive:

    Grandmaster Exo-Skeleton Defence (V) Level 45; Master Dodge (IV) Level 40; Master Endure (IV) Level 16; Expert Grace (III) Level 20; Advanced Mandible Parry (II) Level 10;

    Offensive:

    Unerring Acid Shot (IV) Level 26; Master Precise Shooting (IV) Level 38; Doom Chomp (V) Level 55; Mandible Spear (II) Level 8; Advanced Chomp Combo (II) Level 10; Charge (II) Level 6;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Sharpened Perimeter Eyes +25, Future Wave Sight Antennae + 30 (Twilight Fment);

    Defence:

    Thickened Complete Diamond Carapace +30, Fortified Healing Inner Carapace ting +30;

    Physical:

    Hardened Rapid Absorption Legs +25, Mana Drenched Mandibles +30, Hastened Potent Regeneration nd + 30, Loud Convincing Pheromone nd +25, Vast Hungering Stomach + 25; Lock Hyper-Twitch Muscture +25, Coordinating Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +25;

    Acid:

    Propagating Mana-Feasting Bind Acid nd +25, Guided Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +25; Thickened Draining Acid concentration nd +25, Exhausting Thickener Acid Stimtion nd +25;

    Mental:

    Indomitable Coordination Cortex + 30; Condensing Gravity Main Brain +15; Mind Mana Focused Sub-Brain +15; Mind Mana Focused Sub-Brain +15; Mind Mana Focused Sub-Brain +15;

    Mana:

    Forceful Unending Gravity Magic nd +30; Might Infusing Collective Will Vestibule +30 (Soul Crystal); High Purifying Communal Spirit Nave +30;

    Species: Colony Paragon

    Skill points: 52

    Biomass: 653

 Chapter 799 The Creed

    <h4>Chapter 799 The Creed </h4>

    Suffer not the termite to live.

    Excerpt from ''Wisdom of the Eldest''

    [No, we don''t need to get settled or any such thing. We came to kill termites, lead us to the front, we are keen to begin the work,] I tell the Grove Keeper, who seems a little disconcerted.

    [You should adapt to the mana level before fighting,] he warns me, his slow, deep tones ringing in my head. [You aren''t used to what it''s like on this level. It can affect this in strange ways.]

    He''s not wrong about the mana level, it feels as if it''s so thick I could swim in it. My legs are on fire, sucking incredibly dense energy out of the ground, which isn''t even the Dungeon, I''m just pulling it from the roots of the Mother Tree! What it feels like to actually step on the Dungeon floor where the veins are present¡­ I can''t begin to imagine.

    [My people hunger to taste termite and even I may not be able to hold them back,] I confess to therge wooden figure, [it is best that you lead us to the enemy, otherwise we will run there on our own.]

    He frowns down at me.

    [I did not realise your kind were so bloodthirsty.]

    [You''ve never seen an insect fight another insect? Best not get between them.]

    Ever since we came beneath the surface and amongst the roots of the tree, I can sense a savage mentality rising amongst my siblings. And, if I''m honest, within myself also. The termite! They''re so close now! The hated enemy, the war that hassted on Earth for over a hundred million years. Only one social insect shall be allowed to prosper, the resources of the Dungeon belong to the unending swarm of the Colony! We will not allow these rivals to exist!

    Somewhat disturbed, the Keeper leads us away from the settlement and the nervously peeking bruan''chii who watched a force of ten thousand mighty insects march passed theirmunity, each one burning with the need to fight!

    Deeper and deeper still we travelled, along winding paths of intertwined roots that seemed an endless maze that plunged into the heart of the world. The sheer size and scale of the mother tree seemed endless, but atst we came to something that spoke to me. Dirt. Precious dirt. As the lead ant, I set foot on the precious ground and immediately felt more at home.

    [It is near here that they have been incurring against our Mother,] the Grove Keeper sounded grim as he pointed to a nearby tunnel, [the beasts have taken a toll on my people and now the Mother will not allow us to fight. She takes on the burden herself, but mighty as she is, she is not built to fight against this foe.]

    [More like this enemy was specifically designed to fight her,] I point out, [and for some reason I feel like your mother isn''t as good at fighting as she is at other things.]

    The Keeper eyes me askance.

    [She is mighty,] he assures me.

    [I don''t doubt that, but for whatever tier she is, she should be mightier. Exactly how much evolutionary energy did it take for her to be able to create children of her own soul? I''m guessing, a lot.]

    The massive figure of the Grove Keeper does not reply, but I don''t really notice, the termites are close and it is time to hunt.

    "Be aware," I warn my family, "we are close now. When we meet the enemy, it will be a savage brawl like you''ve never seen before. Remember, there are only two things that you need to do: stay alive, kill termites. In that order. Am I clear?"

    They do not reply, but I can feel ten thousand thrums of agreement through the Vestibule. There will be no energy wasted on scent when the enemy is so close at hand.

    I move purposefully forward into the tunnel and note that the roots of the tree are still present, breaking through the dirt here and there, splitting and winding into smaller widths the further we travel. Soon I begin to notice segments of root that have been chewed on, clear evidence of the termite presence. The tree is regenerating the damage, but slowly, judging by the various wounds I see. It''s possible the termites are using some kind of saliva or mandible mutation to slow her healing process. Just how far did the kaarmodo go to prepare this enemy? From the signs it seems as if they may have spared no effort or expense in their machinations.

    Termites don''t have to eat wood, contrary to popr belief. What they want, is cellulose, which wood just happens to have. All nts have it, though not to the same degree, it forms the cell wall that gives nts their hardy, non-spongy structures. Humans can''t even digest the stuff, so weak is their tract.

    Up ahead, I hear something, so I speed up and soon I encounter something that sets my antennae to twitching with disgust and rage. It''s a pheromone trail, but not the familiar, warm message of my siblings, oh no. This one is strange, alien and utterly foul to me. My legs twitch and jerk as I try to run, battling the instinct to wipe my antennae clean. Just awful! It''s terrible! What sort of evil could possibly produce this stuff?!

    The reaction of the Colony behind me is just as severe when theye across the termite trail and the upswell of rage within the Vestibule reaches unseen heights, thrumming within my carapace like a wardrum.

    Then we burst into a clearing, lush with life. Flowers, thick, luscious leaves and vines as thick as a human are everywhere and they writhe in constant motion against a monster we can only glimpse through the clearing. Enormous heads and mandibles supported on spindly legs, snapping and tearing at the nt life with wild abandon, ripping into the growth and I see them breaking it down and eating it on the spot. There are hundreds of them, here in front of us, each one of them alight with mana indicating at least tier four.

    But these are thoughts, and there is no room for thoughts now.

    "SUFFER NOT THE TERMITE TO LIVE!" I roar and my siblings take up my cry as we rush forward in a tidal wave of chitin and rage.

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

 Chapter 800 The Most Brutal Of All

    <h4>Chapter 800 The Most Brutal Of All </h4>

    No quarter. No mercy. No hesitation. No remorse.

    There can be only one.

    ¡¤ Wisdom of the Eldest.

    Seized with a primal rage that bubbles from a gic level, my siblings rush forward, all thought of strategy abandoned as their mandibles gnash eagerly. Even I feel it, the emotions of the Colony flooding through me and adding to the urgent need to destroy the enemy insect that I already possess. It''s difficult to remain in control of myself in the face of such overwhelming battle hunger but I manage, barely. The steadying presence of my pets within my mind provides a rock which I can hold onto to avoid slipping into a mindless rage.

    [Invidia, make sure you protect and heal the ants,] I force out, [they aren''t going to look after themselves as they should.]

    [Yessssss. I sssshall havessss their gratitude!]

    [Crinis, you do the same, look after the family. Tiny, just smash everything, we need to end this quickly.]

    Ahead of us the roots and nts continue to thrash against the encroaching termite threat, vines whipping through the air faster than I can see to smack into the insects, or wrapping around them and flexing in an attempt to crush them. However, it just isn''t working as well as it should. The termites are tough, very tough, and it doesn''t seem to matter how much the Mother Tree batters them with her vines, it isn''t enough. If she wants to deal with these critters, then she needs to bring something bigger to the fight.

    But the termites are quick and clever, I can see it from across the vegetation. They work together, scissoring the vines apart with their monstrous mandibles, protecting and shielding each other from harm as their very presence seems to wither the garden. The other thing I notice is the visceral reaction the termites have to our appearance. The moment they detect us charging their entire disposition changes and the garden no longer matters. I can practically feel the fury radiating from them as they organise themselves into a loose battlene and rush to meet us in battle.

    My core ignites in rage all over again at the sight, as if the very thought of the termites attempting to stand before me is an insult that cannot be borne.

    In the eternal conflict between ant and termite, one thing has always remained true, the termites are builders, but ants, ants are destroyers.

    "FOR THE COLONY!" the battle cry rings out once more and then the two lines smash into each other.

    Far stronger than my opponents, I apply no subtlety or strategy, I simply charge into the leading termite like a battering ram. Unable to match up to my strength or mass the hapless beetle-descendant is sent rolling end over end and I rush to exploit the gap in their line, turning to my right to capitalise on the weakness. The termites arerge, bigger than all but the soldiers at their equivalent tier, and their mandibles are truly savage, low, wide and razor sharp des that seek totch onto my neck and sever my head from my thorax.

    I mean, technically I don''t have a neck, but the joint between the segments of my body is certainly a weak spot.

    I won''t have it though! My mandibles explode with light as I pump raw mana into them and activate my most powerful bite Skill: the Doom Chomp!

    CRUNCH!

    [You have in level 34 Edax Aminae Termite (IV).]

    [You have gained experience.]

    [Basic profile of the Edax Animae Termite unlocked.]

    [Edax Animae Termite (IV), Soul Eater Termite. Born of a modified Queen, this species of termite exists for a singr purpose: to hunt and destroy nt based monsters. Their mandibles are heavily mutated and attached to a Spirit Receptacle. The soul of those defeated by this monster will be drawn into the organ and devoured over time, furthering the growth and power of the termite.]

    Revolting. To think the kaarmodo would think unleashing such a creature against the world would be eptable! It''s unthinkable!

    My rage burns anew, I must quench it with termite experience!

    But as I turn to look around me it bes clear that the inevitable has happened. A few hundred termites against a berserking force of ten thousand ants was never going to be a close fight. The termites have been literally buried under the weight of the Colony, all I can see around me are piles of ant bodies that roll and shudder as the hapless insects beneath are torn apart. The smell of formic acid and the enraged speech of my siblings is all I feel against my antennae, the termite pollution having already been expunged.

    I can tell that my siblings feel much as I do. It wasn''t enough! We need more! But I have a feeling we won''t have to worry on that front, just imagining the enormous, bloated termite queen out there somewhere in this fourth strata, pumping out eggs by the thousands every day, is enough to set my mandibles twitching.

    "This is only the beginning!" I dere to my family. "There will be more, thousands more, millions! We have to be ready. Consume the Biomass and harvest their cores, we need to scout, build defences and prepare. Get to it!"

    I can''t let them indulge in their savage mindset anymore, we have too much to do before the termites, and by extension the kaarmodo, learn of our deployment here. I do wonder how the termites scout and locate prey, since they arepletely blind. Likely they have invested in a more advanced form of sensing organ, otherwise the reptiles would have to do a lot of legwork to direct their creations where they want them to go, and something tells me legwork isn''t exactly something a bunch of sunbathing lizards are all too keen on.

    Termites that literally consume souls. Such a thing is surely an abomination in the eyes of almost every race on the! Imagine if the Legion got a hold of something like this?! They''d go ballistic! If they think the Colony is something that needs to get wiped out, then I can only imagine that something like this would send them right off the deep end. It might seem a little odd for me to reach out to those nutcases, but someone definitely should. If we can get them on our side for a change, I''d more than wee it. At the very least they might be able to put pressure on the kaarmodo to end this madness.

    [You have fought well. I see the trust of our Mother was not misced,] the Grove Keeper greets me as he walks over, his eyes roaming over the destroyed termites with a quiet satisfaction. [This is only one ce where they encroach against the roots of the Mother Tree. There are hundreds of such locations and more are opening every day as the enemy digs more tunnels.]

    [I think you''ll find that the termites might have met their match when ites to shifting dirt,] I tell the massive Keeper smugly, [but I agree that is something we need to work on, and quickly. Bypressing and reinforcing the dirt we can create barriers that other burrowing insects are going to struggle with. If all goes well, we''ll be able to funnel them into a much more narrow avenue of attack. Once that happens, we can get down to what insects do best.]

    [Which is?]

    [An all-out grindfest of a war. Whoever blinks first loses.]

    [Hmmmmm¡­ they have no eyes¡­ and you have no eyelids. How is anyone supposed to blink?]

    [It''s just a ¡­ never mind.]

 Chapter 801 Digging In

    <h4>Chapter 801 Digging In </h4>

    The battle frenzy of the Colony was an ephemeral thing. Once the termites were gone, their Biomass consumed and scent wiped away, my siblings and I were able to return to a more normal state of mind and begin to tackle the numerous problems at hand.

    "The mana down here is absurdly thick. I feel like my core is on fire. We should adjust our spell rotations to ount for the additional energy," Propent mused.

    "Any idea what the dominant affinity of the stratum is?"

    "Life, mainly. There''s more, but in small amounts, and it''s an affinity that none of the mages havee across before, something advanced, that''s for sure."

    "Much like ash in the third, and death in the second."

    "It does seem like they have a dominant, moremon mana paired with a more powerful and subtler force. Perhaps we can expect more of the same in the stratum below. Something to think about, in the meantime I''ve pushed every earth capable mage into the build teams to help fortify our position."

    "What can you tell us so far, Cobalt?"

    "Not much. The roots of the Mother Tree are going to make our job a nightmare, I can already see that. They cover a huge amount of ground before they vanish into wherever the heck they go and all of them are potential targets for the termites. Our fortifications will likely have to build quite a ways forward from this position, but we can''t rely on thempletely, since the termites can dig just as well as we can. It''s going to be a difficult defence."

    "The termites are bigger and stronger than us," I advise the group, "and it''s likely that they outnumber us, given we only have ten thousand here. So we have to utilise our strengths to the maximum. That means using your heads and milking our defensive position for all its worth. Having said that, we can''t do much without more information. Burke, how do things stand on the scouting front?"

    "Tunnel maps are getting filled as we speak, though it''ll be hours before we get a moreplete picture. As Cobalt told us, the roots are huge and spread over an absurd amount of territory, the Mother Tree seems to have buried this entire mountain to support her trunk. Once we traced the termites'' trails back far enough, we can start nning where to construct our choke points and try to funnel the enemy."

    "We need to move fast on that," I warn them, "we''re vulnerable to being overwhelmed until we get dug in. Not usually a problem we need to worry about."

    Each of the ants cks their mandibles in amusement as they consider the unusual issue of being outnumbered by a single foe.

    "Trust me, Eldest. We couldn''t be moving faster on the scouting if we tried," Burke assures me.

    Which means Vibrant and her group are doing it.

    "We have to be hyper careful when facing this enemy," I warn everyone, "their ability to feed on souls is disturbing to say the least. I want everyone to be as careful as possible as we proceed. I''m going to move with the Grove Keeper and head to the hotspots. There are still ongoing raids from the termites as we speak."

    "Will you be alright on your own, Eldest?"

    Advant is clearly concerned.

    "I''m never really alone, you know that. Plus Sarah is here. She''s strong."

    "I still think we should try and bring some humans here. With their aid we''ll be much stronger."

    I shake my antennae.

    "The mana is too thick. The humans are willing toe, but won''t be able to until they''ve adapted to the higher concentration of energy. It could take weeks before they can stay down here for any length of time."

    "I''m just worried," she frets, "we need every advantage here."

    "I agree. They''ll be here, just not yet, alright? Until then we just need to hold on for as long as possible."

    "Fine."

    "By the way, has anyone seen Brilliant?"

    "Uh, no? Did shee through?"

    "Yes, she did. Give me a second."

    Damn that ant, where the heck is she this time? Scanning through the Vestibule takes me a little while but I eventually find a small group of ants digging their way down alongside the roots of the tree. Luckily they''d only made it a hundred metres before I found them.

    "Brilliant," I dere as I snatch up the little ant in my mandibles, "trying to get yourself killed again I see."

    She wiggles and thrashes in my jaws but it''s hopeless, she''s sacked her physical stats to the point she''ll never be able to contest me one I get a grip on her.

    "I want to see the point where the roots vanish," she cries as she continues her hopeless struggle for freedom, "I need to see, I need to see, I need to see! Let gooooooo!"

    THWACK!

    "Nope. We have no idea where the termites might be tunneling so get your butt back to the safe zone until we''ve locked it all down."

    "Noooooooooooo!"

    "And you lot, don''t encourage her!"

    "Sorry, Eldest."

    It''s amazing how quickly these champions can attract others to their cause. Already she''s got a few willing helpers who''ll listen to her crackpot schemes. After delivering the little mad scientist back to the main concentration of the Colony I meet up with Sarah and we begin a tour through the tunnelwork that winds around the Mother Tree''s roots. The system is vast, covering kilometers of ground, and there are signs of termite activity all over the ce. Nibbled roots here, a trace of scent there, it''s enough to get my mandibles twitching all over again.

    [Hey Sarah, how''re you finding the fourth stratum?]

    The giant bear twitches in surprise and turns towards me.

    [Ah? Fine, I suppose. I''m kind of intimidated to be honest, I never expected to be down here, especially not so soon.]

    [I agree with you. I''m kind of worried about it actually. The Colony has taken on a lot this time, especially when we still haven''t even started to expand in the third.]

    [It''ll be fine,] she tries to cheer me up. [they''re smart, they know what they can and can''t do. I''m just d to get away from it all, I was driving myself crazy up there.]

    [Still worried about Jim?]

    The giant bear grows silent for a moment as we walk side by side through the tunnels. Then she nods.

    [I''m worried what he''ll do next. I feel like he''s got a grudge against the Colony and he''s doing whatever he can to damage us.]

    Heh. You think I didn''t notice you say ''us''? Think again!

    [You know my view. He wanted you to depend on him, but you came to rely on the Colony instead. In his eyes, the ants need to be removed, then you will be forced to run back to him for support.]

    [But I wouldn''t!] she protests. [After everything he''s done?!]

    [Hey, I know that, and you know that, but Jim? He''s crazy. Not that I can me him too much, ording to the Dungeon, we''re all crazy.]

    The big bear head sinks to face the ground.

    [That''s true.]

 Chapter 802 The Rush

    <h4>Chapter 802 The Rush </h4>

    [These filthy termites have been busy¡­] Iin.

    [I''ll say,] Sarah agrees, [they''ve dug all through this area. I''m not sure ten thousand of us is going to be enough.]

    [It''ll have to be. The Colony has sent the best and brightest down here, which is going to make us more vulnerable to retaliation from the kaarmodo in the third stratum and slow our expansion there. Sending any more is out of the question.]

    [I suppose you''re right. Hopefully we can hold with what we have.]

    [Hey, we have the mighty Asura bear! Able to squash a million termites on her own, what could go wrong?]

    [Shush you.]

    She swats me with one paw and I brace to prevent myself from flinching as she rocks my carapace with one swipe. Dammit Sarah! How the heck did you get so strong?! Is this the kind of power that Garralosh would have been capable of had she managed to escape into the second stratum? She might not have even needed to evolve in order to disy a far greater power than she did, simply having enough mana to properly fuel her core might have been sufficient. If she''d stayed in the Dungeon rather than rising to the surface then I might never have won that fight.

    Bah! Who wants to think about that croc now? We''ve got termites to y! I turn to the Grove Keeper who''s been leading us around.

    [Surely this is all of the sites? We''ve been to dozens already!]

    [Hmmmm. This is thest one. Well done, there aren''t any active incursions at this time. Mother is pleased that her roots are not being gnawed on for the first time in weeks.]

    The nt life around us rustles in agreement, but this time theyck their usual vigour and spite, as if the Mother Tree was fatigued. Perhaps the constant nibbling of the termites has had more of an effect than I thought. I suppose it only makes sense, she pulled her children back from the front and took on an enemy designed specifically to defeat her usual methods. It was only a matter of time until they wore her down, no wonder she was so desperate for us to get here as quickly as we could.

    [Not to worry,] I broadcast as widely as possible, [your useless mother can be mothballed in an aged care facility now. We''ve got somepetent monsters on the scene atst.]

    [Anthony!] Sarah gasps.

    [Be respectful. For your own good,] the Grove Keeper warns me.

    A vine streaks down from above, aiming for my head but I zip to the side before it can strike.

    [Too slow, old bag!] I taunt.

    Rumble.

    My antennae stir like crazy as the walls of the tunnel around me begin to vibrate as if something truly ridiculous wereing. I switch over to my mana sight and ck my mandibles in admiration at what I behold. The stupid tree is shifting her main roots to squash me for my impudence, truly an impressive level of vindictiveness. However¡­

    [If you weaken yourself too much you''ll leave the bruan''chii vulnerable.]

    The shaking stops.

    [Not to mention you need me to defeat the termites! Bwahahahaha! What are you going to do about it you old bag? You might be the biggest nt on the, but I have you in the grip of my ws! Take that, and that!]

    I poke a nearby leaf savagely with one leg, watching as the vegetation around me trembles with rage.

    [I ask that you do not push your luck too far,] the Grove Keeper steps between me and the leaf, forcing me to cease my relentless attack, [my Mother has been known to make reckless decisions in the past. If you do not relent, I fear she will crush this tunnel no matter the consequences.]

    [Fine. Just go and rest, Mother Tree. We''ll take care of you and your children for a while. Once we have the strength, I''ll personally ensure that the termite nest is wiped from the face of the Dungeon.]

    With my assurance, the nt life finally settles down, though I can tell she still isn''t happy about it. I''ll have to be careful she doesn''t get back at me once her children are finally safe. Countermeasures will have to be put in ce. Having finally dealt with the incursions, the Colony can finally get down to the business of properly fortifying our position.

    "It''s going to take a crazy amount of work, Eldest," Cobalt warns me when I meet back up with her. She''s already established a construction headquarters and her team is busy establishing a scale model of the work zone. "Even just in terms of soil reinforcement andpressing we''re talking about hundreds of thousands, possibly even millions of tons of material. We''ve got a lot of talented mages and carvers here, but it''s still going to take a long time, and we have no idea when the termites will detect our presence and begin tounch a counter offensive. I get the impression that they dislike us just as much as we dislike them."

    "Just focus on closing down the most direct paths and getting our detection measures in ce. We can worry about the rest when we have the time. And another thing¡­"

    "What?"

    "Make sure your teams are properly rotating through a rest schedule."

    She pauses in the process of working on the model.

    "Do you think¡­ they¡­ are here?"

    "They are everywhere the Colony is, Cobalt. You''d be a fool to think they weren''t here."

    "But how?! Only ten thousand came through, it was watched over and counted carefully, not a single soul was unounted for!"

    "Is that right? You didn''t think to look down when you came through?"

    "What do you mean?"

    Confused, she looks down at her shadow on the ground, only for that thinly cast outline of herself to turn its head and smile.

    "Gahhhhhh!"

    "I wouldn''t be surprised if there were actually neen thousand, nine hundred and ny nine ants on this trip," I tell her grimly.

    "One in every shadow¡­" she whispers back. "But wait, Eldest, wouldn''t it be twenty thousand?"

    I point down without replying.

    My own shadow is a twisted mess of tentacles with three gnashing mouths of razor sharp teeth.

    "I don''t think even they could survive in there."

 Chapter 803 Hold the Line

    <h4>Chapter 803 Hold the Line </h4>

    For the next twenty four hours all mandibles were ced into work teams and we worked like only insects can to prepare ourselves for the inevitable retribution that woulde. As of this moment, the termites, and by extension the kaarmodo, don''t know that we''ve arrived, not a single termite came into contact with an ant and lived to tell the tale, but they had to know something was up. Several thousand termites had been killed all up, not a single one who''d been sent out to raid the tree yesterday had gone back to the nest. There would be reprisals, no doubt about it.

    This added a new dynamic to the termite/ant conflict. In my mind, it was always the ant who was the aggressor. Termites were basically peaceful creatures who cultivated fungus and herbivores who broke down the sugars in wood to survive. Ants on the other hand are marauding killers who butcher other insects for food, killing more arthropods than anything else on the, even humans. There are even ces in the world where ants are weed by farmers since they know the ants will find and kill every other insect they can get their mandibles on.

    In this case, it''s the termites who areing to us.

    Eventually we''ll turn the tables on them, but not yet. For now, we bunker up as if this were a nest. For my part, I immerse myself into the zen of digging, sinking into a realm of peace that even the meditation skill cannot bring.

    I am one with the soil.

    The soil is one with the.

    The is one with the universe.

    All there is, all there was, and all there will ever be, is to dig, one mandible load of soil at a time.

    The calming sense of purpose and oneness thates from a good dig is a wee relief from the chaos and turbulence of thest few weeks. Fighting giant lizards and demons? Why the hell have I been doing that? I could have been digging this whole time!

    s, it''s too good tost.

    "Enemy spotted! Enemy spotted! Termites are advancing on the fortifications! Prepare for contact!"

    A scout rushes through the section of tunnel I''ve been working in surrounded by my siblings, Tiny, Invidia and Crinis, sting her warning pheromones at full power. The response is immediate, ants stop their work and scurry back toward the safety of the more established defensive line. Mages cease their workpressing and fortifying the soil and rock and join the rush, a huge train of Colony members flooding back from the work sites here and further out. I wait, holding myself to the side as the rush of my siblings continues to pass by. Only when the numbers begin to ease do I join in, positioning myself toward the back of the retreat.

    "Any idea how far back they are?" I ask a nearby soldier.

    "Not sure, but I don''t think it''s that far. The outer line of scouts was only positioned a few hundred metres past the furthest earthworks."

    "So we likely don''t have much time before they''re here."

    "I hope not. I''m ready to fight."

    "Settle down there, soldier," I caution her, "this is an opponent we can''t afford to underestimate."

    "¡­ your mandibles are twitching, Eldest."

    Dammit!

    "I can''t help it! Just keep running!"

    Indeed, I can see it in all the ants around me as well, the hunger for battle has awoken in them and they won''t be able to rest until they''ve met the termite in battle and annihted the enemy. Exactly the same as me. Eventually the tunnel merges with another, then another, widening as it goes, the streams of ants merging into a mighty river of insect rage that eventually emerges into an opening on the edge of the main roots. The Mother Tree has been hard at work assisting us, withdrawing her gardens from the front line and helping to position the roots she can move in ways that don''t inhibit our work. The result is the beginnings of an ant fortress, a mighty wall atop of which an entire army of my siblings can position themselves to rain death down on the foe.

    Without wasting time the workers and I follow the scent trails to get into position for the battle toe.

    "Eldest!" a scent reaches me. "Eldest! This way!"

    "Advant? What''s the story?"

    It''s difficult to make out individual smells in the crush of ants and overpowering wave of war pheromones wafting through the air.

    "There''s a spot for you up here!" the soldier sts at me from nearby. "The generals want you in the centre of the wall!"

    "Right!"

    [Come on guys, time to roll!]

    Given some direction, mypanions and I rocket up the wall, Invidia fluttering his miniature wings while the rest of us climb, until we reach the top. Positioned directly in the middle of the wall, I''m surrounded on all sides by ten thousand of my siblings, ready to face off against the invading termites. The energy in the air is electric and up and down the line the uncontrolled snapping of mandibles rings out in a stato rhythm, the ants unable to control their jaws, so desperate are they for the battle to begin.

    What we had so far was just a taste, just a tiny serving of what this war will be. A few hundred termites at a time is nothing! Just the appetizer! No. Bring on the uncountable hordes! Bring wave upon wave of the enemy to crash against our bulwark! Create a fire in which the Colony can be tempered into a machine of war! This hunger has to be satisfied!

    In mere minutes, the construction sites have been emptied and the full contingent of the Colony has been amassed here, not a single member absent. Apart from the uncontrolled snapping of jaws,plete silence falls over the line. No sound, no scent, only the tense wait for the first sign of the foe.

    It starts slowly at first, a bare whisper, a scrape, the faint tik-tak of ws onpacted ground, but it quickly swells as that same sound is repeated hundreds, then thousands of times. The repeated cking builds into a crescendo until it almost bes a roar, echoing through the tunnels like an oing tidal wave. The ants around me are practically vibrating, not from fear, but excitement. Come to think of it, Tiny is as well.

    Thenes the first sighting, an antenna, darting left and right, followed by the head, those shrunken, useless eyes and long, elongated mandibles emerging into the light. Only two hundred metres across open ground, more and more termites emerge from multiple tunnels, creeping forward, snapping their jaws in our direction, and still moree, the tunnels behind them packed with reinforcements.

    They brought a good number this time. Hopefully they can put up a fight!

    "For the Colony!" I roar.

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    Battle is joined.

 Chapter 804 Colony v Colony pt 1 (of two hundred)

    <h4>Chapter 804 Colony v Colony pt 1 (of two hundred) </h4>

    The rate the termites emerge from the tunnel continues to increase as the first to emerge begin to charge against the fortifications we have erected.

    "FIRE!"

    The order ripples through the line, causing mages to unleash their spells and others to let fly their devastating acid barrage. Naturally, I do both, raining hell using my acid and sting out fire and ice spells utilising the omni-elemental construct. Ha! With my multi brain setup, coupled with my growing mastery of mind magic, my capacity to unleash hell from range has increased many fold! I can be pumping out multiple spells at a single time, using more than one element! The fluency and power of my casting has also improved! Even at this speed, I canpress these spells to increase their destructive impact!

    I''m not quite the one ant army that I''d like to be, but I''m making great strides! The notifications start to roll in as I pummel the termite horde, but they don''t stoping.

    From atop the wall, a veritable deluge of ant ordinance has been unleashed, the t, clear space in front has been lit up in the literal sense of the word, thousands of ants pouring out as much damage as they possibly can.

    But it isn''t enough.

    The tide of termite reinforcements continues unabated! The rate they push through the tunnels has risen to the point the cockroach descended bugs are emerging piled high on each other, reaching almost halfway to the top of the tunnel! Forget thousands, there are tens of thousands of them! I can only hope that there aren''t more, since we have no idea how many are actuallying! Not that it matters, I suppose, our only course of action is to keep pouring it on!

    The barrage continues unabated as the ground before us bes a writhing carpet of dead and dying termites covered by the still living ones crawling over their own, jaws gnashing furiously as they attempt to reach us. The flood of numbers has outstripped our ability to kill them much faster than I anticipated. The termites are tough, well designed monsters, not the usual trash that would undoubtedly fill a social insect Colony like this in the wild.

    Their carapaces are tough, made from much better materials than our own, what''s more, they each carry a regeneration nd, to keep them in the fight longer. I''m certain that even now there are termites beneath that mass of still charging creatures who are healing, stitching themselves back together to get back into the fight. In only twenty seconds, the tide of termites ms into the base of the wall, sending a shockwave through the structure that rocks it beneath our feet.

    "BRACE!"

    The orderes rolling down the line and the response is immediate, mages stepping back and switching from direct fire tobined, arcing projectiles as a line of soldiers steps forward. Climbing over each other, the termites rise like a wave to reach the top of the wall and then the hard stuff begins. My minds continue to spin as I produce spell after spell, rattling them out at more than one per second even as my acid continues to fly and I ready my jaws.

    The first termite to reach me is almost mad with rage, its long, sharp jaws quivering in anticipation as it lunges forward across a mound of its own kind to snap at me. But it isn''t to be. My jaws, locked in position for several seconds, snap forward with the inevitability of a mountain copsing, the dark mandibles of pure energy manifesting around them and extending the bite by several metres.

    DOOM CHOMP!

    Crunch!

    The hapless termite is helpless to fight back against the overwhelming power of my strike and so are the three behind it, but they are quickly reced. All along the wall a simr scene is yed out as the strongest soldiers of the Colony, including Vibrant and her squad, meet the encroaching wall of termites face to face.

    The scent is overwhelming as the termites st their fury and rage into our faces whilst my siblings, willingly or not, are unleashing the battle pheromone, urging all around them to greater heights of savagery and action. All I can see is a press of termites in front of me and still the actions I need to perform don''t change. Spell, spell, CHOMP, spell, spell, CHOMP!

    When the wave of termites reaches over my head and threatens to overwhelm me I lock my mandibles in ce and summon my stamina from deep within.

    DOOM CHOMP COMBO!

    I unleash three, rapid bites, crunching through the opposition in front and cutting the termite offensive here in the centre of the wall, but only for a moment. If the middle is faring this poorly, I hope the sides are doing better¡­

    "We''re getting pushed on the line. Fight back! Scouts to the front!"es the call.

    The scouts, who to this point had been responsible for unleashing an acid barrage over our heads cease firing and step forward, climbing on top of the soldiers in the first line to add height and more chomping power. Despite being ''scouts'', they are still the second strongest caste in the Colony and their aides at an opportune moment.

    Work the jaws, work the brains, work the jaws, work the brains.

    It''s no longer possible to see the tunnels through which the termites areing, so I can only hope that the reinforcements have slowed.

    Snick!

    A termite sneaks through my guard and snaps its jaws shut around my foreleg before I can lift, too busy dodging the bites from other foes. Immediately I feel a pull as the termite tries to drag me off the wall and into the writhing mass of insects in front of me, certain doom.

    Not gonna happen, buddy!

    DOOM CHOMP!

    I lunge forward once more and cut through the enemies in front, freeing myself but the creatures I destroy are quickly reced, the mound of Biomass in front of the wall now acting as a ramp that only continues to grow.

    "WE NEED CLEARANCE IN FRONT OF THE WALL! STEADY!" I st all around me to carry my words further. "Get ready for the charge!"

    Stepping back, I raise all three legs on one side of my body and stomp down as hard as I can, sumo style, then repeat the action three times.

    STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!

    The signal causes the carvers hidden beneath me to st the section of wall outwards in a catastrophic detonation, revealing that the upper four metres of the wall here in the centre werepletely hollow. And, I mean, we had to put something in there¡­

    "WE SEEK!"

 Chapter 805 Colony vs Colony pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 805 Colony vs Colony pt 2 </h4>

    The charge of the Immortals took ce immediately beneath my feet and the force of it was quite staggering. In a literal sense. The wall I stood upon rocked beneath my feet as those armoured behemoths took their short runup andunched themselves into a literal mound of termite bodies.

    The effect was immediate and stunning as the termites in front of me areunched back, their support being sted away with an almighty CRUNCH. Then I see them, the brightly shining armoured figures of Leeroy and her followers mowing through the massed termite army like a plough through a field. In just a few short seconds they''ve pushed the enemy back over ten metres as the sheer weight of theirbined charge hits like a battering ram.

    "Artillery forward! Mages forward! Fire! Fire! Fire!"

    With the pressure relieved for a precious but brief window, the Colony moves to take advantage as swiftly as possible. The soldiers step to the side and allow the mages toe forward even as the scouts step up and begin to unleash their firepower directly into the horde below, heedless of whether the Immortals are struck or not.

    I mean, with Leeroy and her crew, they''d probably be insulted if we tried to avoid hitting them. May as well just unleash hell.

    With so many family members around me, I still feel fresh as a daisy as well, my muscles rejuvenated and my body humming with energy. I eagerly take a step forward and start to unload my machine gun flurry of magic on the enemy.

    Peeking over the edge of the wall for the first time in a while, the sceneid out before me is one of madness. A writhing carpet of termites, some living, many injured or reduced to oozing piles of Biomass, stretches from the base of the wall to the tunnels hundreds of metres away. The termites are still four or five deep for the entire distance, it''s insane. And the reinforcements are stilling!

    Just how many of these damn things are there?! Did the kaarmodo work out that we are here and decide to throw everything at us at once? Or even worse, is this just a taste of what they have at hand?

    Perhaps the Mother Tree has been dealing with waves simr to this over thest few months? If so, she really should have told us!

    I contemte winding up a gravity bomb but I shelve the idea. The Immortals might not mind if the acid rains down on them, but if I start flinging ck holes on their heads even they won''t be able to survive. And I refuse to give them the satisfaction!

    "Push! Prepare to charge!"

    When the orderes from the general behind me, I prepare along with every other soldier by moving forward and gripping tight to the edge of the wall. Now that Leeroy is out there amongst the mess, the pressure has been relieved from the edge and we need to get out there to support them before they get overwhelmed. Leeroy might be a pain in the backside, but that doesn''t necessarily mean that I want her soul sucked out and consumed by a monster that descended from a cockroach.

    "CHARGE!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    Filled with the exultant will of my siblings my heart is filled with righteous fire as I lean forward until my head is facing down and begin to rocket down the face of the wall. When Ie to the gap that the Immortals charged through I release and freefall for a frightening moment and thentch back on, my ws screaming with the effort of holding my weight up. Not willing to risknding on my face I trigger the strengthening mutation of the Vestibule and immediately feel my body fill with power. I feel so mighty! Bring it on, bugs!

    As I charge down the face of the wall, I continue the barrage, my multiple brains making it childishly simple to fire acid and spells constantly even as I manoeuvre my body. Heck, I still have the spare mental space, I start to flood raw mana into my mandibles to increase their cutting power as we dive headfirst into the mass of foes.

    The moment I hit I begin to chomp like there''s no tomorrow. Even with this many ants around, I can''t afford to be too wasteful with my stamina, so I don''t throw out doom chomps willy-nilly, but with the mana infused into my mandibles they shear through the termites well enough.

    From above the rain of firepower continues from the mages and scouts as the soldiers pile in.

    "Healing."

    "Ah, forgot you were there."

    "That''s the idea."

    The healer gripping my underside sends a wave of healing mana through me, closing over my superficial wounds and letting me save my regeneration fluid for a more dire situation. This is a more bold application of the healers, one that they pushed hard for, bringing them into battle attached to those who need the most healing. It''s incredibly brave of them and I hope that they don''t suffer for it. This is going to be a long campaign and the healers are going to be the most important caste of all by the time this is done.

    Once again my eyes are filled with nothing but the enemy and all of my attention is taken by the constant fight in front of me. It''s impossible to know how the fight is going and I have to trust that the generals and other leaders know what they''re doing. Heck, they do a better job than I do, no matter the result I''ll still believe that. Even so, I can''t help but be worried for my family.

    [Bring the noise guys. No more holding back.]

 Chapter 806 Colony Vs Colony pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 806 Colony Vs Colony pt 3 </h4>

    My pets, my friends andrades, leap to respond to my call. Tiny, who has held himself back only through the power of my directmand to this point,unches himself forward with catastrophic force, jumping high beforending amongst the termites like a copsing meteor. His bellowing war cry reverberates off the stone walls before it rises it pitch and bes as sharp as a lightning strike, stunning all who hear it. Well, not me, obviously, but the termites, despite being hard of hearing, are still effected.

    The stillness onlysts for a second before they begin to writhe and gnash once more, but a second is more than enough time for Crinis to perform her dark work. I asked her to hide amongst the shadows before the battle began, and now the shadows are everywhere. Ant and termite are piled into a great mass four or five figures deep over a massive area that stretches from the wall to the tunnels, hundreds of metres in every direction, so much darkness into which she can slide. In that moment, when all were still, she emerged, tendrils pushing their way up from below, slipping out of the shadows before they wound their way around a target, the barbed teeth emerging to scrape and grind at the chitin shells of the termites, a horrible fate awaited those. Even worse were those who fell victim to her invasive ci, the ghostly vines twisting through the physical realm to bring madness to her victims. Those termites who sumbed to her power became ravening creatures of desperate fear,shing out at friend and foe alike.

    BOOM!

    I honestly couldn''t tell if the first explosion was caused by Tiny''s fist or by Invidia''s mind, but they began to ring out so quickly that it hardly mattered. A steady stream of detonations rocked the chamber as the battle continued, until the air became thick with smoke and the faint thrill of electricity tingled across my antennae.

    "ROAR!"

    THUD!

    Unable to hold back any longer, it seems that Sarah has also decided to join the fight. Luckily I can see behind a lot more clearly than I can see forward, otherwise she might havended on my back legs. Covered in her glittering armour, she cuts an impressive figure, but she is massively heavy! Afterunching herself from the wall she plummets like a stone andnds heavily, smooshing everything underneath her into a thick paste.

    Nasty!

    She doesn''t seem to care though, her blood is up and the Asura Bear is not here for friendly conversation. Without so much as a ''hello'' she rumbles forward, her lips drawn back in a fearsome snarl, her eyes tinged with red beneath her helmet. Not a good sign. If she''s already losing herself to the rage, then I can easily imagine what''s going to happen when she gets to fighting. Not much I can do about it right now, there''s still a battle to win after all, but I will certainly file that under ''issues I need to check onter''.

    With a string of interventions from powerful, tier six allies, the ant cause has rallied once again in the face of the termite flood and with these points of immense strength to rally around, the soldiers gather up and push into the enemies ranks with relentless force. Mandible meets mandible in relentless, brutalbat as the two ancient enemies face off against each other in this most unlikely battleground.

    What was an endless war of mindless savagery in miniature on Earth has been recreated here in supersized fashion as thousands of insects the size of cars m into each other, attempting to tear limbs and sever heads. It''s horrific but I''ve no time to take it all in, all I can do is destroy the enemy in front and then find the next one. If I keep doing it fast enough, eventually we''ll win.

    Despite the danger, I run up alongside Sarah and with her help I drive deeper into the termite horde, relying on the broad swipes of her ws to keep me from being overwhelmed. Despite not much time having passed since their grand charge, Leeroy and the Immortals have changed thendscape of the battle for the better, but have been left on their own for too long.

    I''m not even really that concerned that the termites will have killed them, those idiots are too dumb to die. No, I''m worried that they''ll be pulling some shenanigans in a foolish attempt to achieve their long cherished dream of gloriously sacrificing themselves for the good of the Colony. I will prevent it from happening at all costs! You''ll live forever, Leeroy, my stupid sister. Forever, dammit!

    DOOM CHOMP COMBO!

    My mandibles snap back and forth rapidly, the dark jaws of pure energy mming shut with tremendous force on everything in front of me again and again. I feel my energy drain dramatically, but the space in front of me clears and I push into it to find a circle of shining metal d figures battling fiercely despite being surrounded.

    "Tch. The Eldest is here," someoneins.

    "I knew it!" I bellow at them. "Gloriousst stand my business district! Every one of you idiots is getting out of here alive. Got it!"

    "¡­ Fine."

    CRASH!

    A massive detonation of electrical energy whites out my eyes for a brief moment before my vision returns to find Tiny standing next to me with a broad grin on his face and a fierce light of joy in his eyes.

    [Don''t have too much fun,] I warn him, [we need this over with sooner rather thanter.]

    My first friend in the Dungeon gives me a quick thumbs up before he turns and engages in the fight once more, his fists blurring in my eyes as he snaps out punches faster than I can see.

    "Well that''s just great," another Immortalins.

    "Shut up or I''ll bring Invidia and Crinis over here just to make certain that nothing happens to you!" I snap at them.

    These morons!

    "Now fight or I''ll personally make sure you never seebat again!"

    That lights the fire in them and they redouble their efforts to fight off the termites. Every few minutes one of them copses, either from exhaustion or their wounds, I don''t know, but it matters not, bright light explodes from the downed figure and soon enough they are standing again, back in the fight.

    My face is aching and my brains are tired, yet still the fight goes on until finally, it''s over. I chomp my mandibles shut and st the monster before me with a spear of ice only to find nothing standing behind it when it copses.

    "The termites are retreating!" Leeroy sounds partly happy, partly sad.

    I can see that it''s true, their shadows are still vanishing down the tunnels, heading back to their nest, leaving us in possession of the field and more Biomass than I can poke a stick at.

    "I suppose we should get Vibrant to tail them, at least for a little while."

    "YOUGOTITSENIORBYEEEEEEE!"

    "Be careful! They''ll be back soon! Vibrant?! Dammit."

 Chapter 807 Clean Up

    <h4>Chapter 807 Clean Up </h4>

    There was a time when some considered the Mother Tree to perhaps be an offshoot of Lerrewyn, the Grasping Tree itself. The only nt-type ancient, Lerrewyn is a creature of immense power and age who tormented the swamnds of the west during the Rending. There aren''t any precise descriptions of her that survive that I can determine. In fact what ounts I do have are almost contradictory in nature. Some describe it as a ghostly tree of nightmare, a spirit that extends its roots into the dreams of its victims, draining their life force away as they sleep. Others describe it as less a tree than a mass of innumerable roots, each as thick as a man, that crawls across thendscape, pulling in and devouring everything that it finds.

    Despite the obvious simrities of the two monsters, sharing the same base type, there is no other supporting evidence to suggest they are affiliated in any way. Indeed, the path and direction the Mother Tree has taken is the greatest proof anyone could ask for. In choosing to create and sour her own race of children, she has effectively cut herself off from descending any further into the Dungeon, ensuring that she is of no use to those elder monsters. Despite this, should she turn, the damage she could unleash on Pangera would be immense.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from ''The nature of the Tree'' by Loremaster Alberton of the Legion.

    After Vibrant are her crew sprint off down the tunnels the rest of us are left with the unenviable task of cleaning up the mess. And what a mess. I''m standing on a heap of Biomass three or four termites deep and it sure isn''t going to eat itself. What''s more, when I throw on my mana sight it bes clear that quite a few of these termites have cores. Now, they aren''t anything like fully developed cores, not even close. In fact, they don''te close to the cores my siblings in the Colony have, despite most of them being a long way from maxed.

    Scanning the battlefield, I would guess that roughly half of the termites have cores, which exins why, despite their rtively high tier, they are close to matching up to us one on one. No, it seems that the kaarmodo have decided to embrace the swarm strategy at its most pure. Not a bad idea, since they have the natural advantage of being born deeper in the Dungeon, with more advanced body parts that we have, they don''t need strong evolutions to be dangerous. It''s also possible that their soul devouring organ provides the extra juice they need, giving them experience or empowering their evolution in some way? It bears more investigation.

    "Report back to the wall! We need a casualty check and debrief! Move! Move! Move!"

    Man¡­ I can remember the good ol'' days when we just tucked straight into the food. Things are bit more organised now, what with the ounting the generals do to keep track of wounded and make sure the post battle scene doesn''t degenerate into chaos.

    "Better get moving, Eldest. I know you''re fine, but there''s probably others I need to see to," the healer strapped to the underside of my carapace tells me.

    "Oh, right. Of course."

    I file back into line along with the others and we climb back to the top of the wall where the generals check over every single member of the ten thousand strong expeditionary force andy out the n to clear the battlefield so the work crews can get back to the more important task of fortifying our position. It''s impossible to walk away from this sort of conflict with no casualties, and every loss stings my spirit, but the numbers are remarkably low considering how many we defeated.

    We were lucky this time, the termites, and by extension, the kaarmodo, were stupid. They threw numbers at the problem hoping it would go away, a sign of impatience or overconfidence. If they''d taken the time to prepare a diversionary tunnel, or strike in more than one ce, or any number of tactics they didn''t try, we would have been in a much more difficult position. As it was, we held them up with not even a tenth of the earthworkspleted, let alone the full fortification project.

    I''m not sure if this is a good sign.

    "Hey," I approach a nearby general, "what am I supposed to be doing? I didn''t get an assignment."

    All my siblings have already scuttled off, throwing themselves headlong into their next tasks, despite the crushing fatigue of having just fought a battle no doubt dragging them down. Heck, I''m tired and I have an organ that replenishes my energy!

    The general in question wriggles a bit and runs an antenna over the te she has in front of her.

    "Ah, you aren''t mentioned in the report, Eldest. I suppose that you''re supposed to do your own thing."

    I stare.

    "I just wander off and do whatever? That doesn''t seem right!"

    "Doesn''t it?" she shrugs. "You''re the Eldest."

    "I mean¡­ I suppose so."

    Tiny reaches out and pokes my carapace. I turn and look to find him giving me the most disturbing set of puppy dog eyes I''ve ever seen. Come on, Tiny! You''re an enormous gori monster over ten metres tall! Have a little dignity, man!

    Sigh.

    [Yes, alright. Let''s go eat. May as well start packing it away.]

    I swear, the way the Colony has been treating me has been weird since¡­ a long time ago. The statues I could put up with, barely, the engravings and carvings, almost tolerable, but this feeling of being¡­ ''other'' amongst my own family stings a little more than I expected it too. It''s nice to be respected and all that, but not to the point that I no longer feel like a proper member of the Colony. I''ll have to think on this another time, the gains from the battle aren''t insignificant and I''ll have to consider a big mutation session when this is all said and done.

    By the time I climb back down off the wall, Tiny has already begun stuffing his face, great fistfuls of Biomass being shovelled into his face hole. Despite his abundant appetite, when ites to myrades, he''s probably the slowest eater. Nearby, Invidia has unveiled his ghoulish grin, the hovering mouthicallyrger than his miniscule hovering form. He leans forward and with an almighty CRUNCH he takes a huge bite from the sea of Biomass on disy before him. Unfortunately, not even he canpete with the true glutton of the group. I can hear her at work now, though I can''t see her. Probably for the best.

    A creature of the shadows has she be. She doesn''t even need to show herself in order to eat, instead merging herself with the darkness that lies in the gaps beneath us. Three separate, horrific gnashing sounds can be heard echoing up from below and I for one am pleased it remains hidden from view.

    I suppose I better get to it if I''m going to get my share. It won''t be long before the Colony starts to haul all of this away and ten thousand ants can work up quite an appetite, let me tell you.

 Chapter 808 Worm on a Hook

    <h4>Chapter 808 Worm on a Hook </h4>

    Rassan''tep kept his eyes lidded to conceal his impatience. Even the heated sand against his scales rubbed him the wrong way, irritating him further. The third stratum, it simply couldn''tpare to the fine grain and hot sun of his native desert, but how many decades had it been since he could run freely on the surface? Too many.

    [Enough,] he spoke to his chief servant, Ammon''sil, who signalled the others before they stopped producing fire beneath him.

    The Old One stretched his hands, his ws flexed and scraped against the sand and he opened his mouth wide, stretching the loose skin and exposing his fangs, each a deadly de that glistened with venom. Lethargy tugged at his thoughts but he pushed it away, there wasn''t the time to sleep.

    [You seem very antagonistic toward the ants,] he observed to his guest, [I would like to know why.]

    High atop his mound of sand that steamed and sizzled within the confines of the brick walled furnace beneath, the great lizard looked down on the enormous worm who writhed in difort. Despite the tough outer covering of the Earth Worm, its flesh was still soft and vulnerable to heat. What would Yarrum think to see one of his own kind disy such weakness? A foolish question. Yarrum would eat the entire city in a single bite, never caring if the city was filled with worm-type monsters or not. Of all the ancients, the Eternal Worm had a hunger second only to Tarriflyx.

    Though there was quite a distance between the two.

    [I-I''m not sure what you mean.]

    Even the mind of this creature felt weak, slippery and noxious to Rassan''tep. In control as he was, he felt as if he gripped a poisonous toad as it wriggled within his grip. To think a creature such as this came from the same ce as that ant. A much more promising specimen.

    [You hate them,] Rassan''tep bared his teeth once more, a childish disy, but he was angered. [You seek their destruction and you wish to use the kaarmodo to achieve it, because you are far too weak to achieve your desires alone.]

    Sensing his master''s distaste, Ammon''sil stepped forward and ced a hand against the Old One''s side as he directed a re at the worm. That such a thing would attempt to dissemble before his master was a sin that he would not forget.

    [I b-betrayed them in the past. They seek my death! If they aren''t stopped, there will never be a safe ce for me in the Dungeon, or anywhere on the. They grow so quickly! You haven''t seen what I''ve seen! The enemies they''ve defeated, the rate of their spread. Already they have a dozen nests, each with two Queens! They produce thousands of young each week. Already they can fight against you, they pushed you away from the garden didn''t they? What will happen when there''s a million of them? Or a hundred million? I might want them dead, but they are a threat that you cannot deny! Already they''ve defeated the golgari and the Legion. Will the kaarmodo be next?]

    The great lizard let out a noxious breath and closed its eyes as it probed with its potent mind.

    [And what of the one you wish to save?]

    The worm recoiled, as if struck.

    [W-what do -]

    [I can almost see her in your thoughts. A female, yes? She isrge. Powerful. Much more than you.]

    He opened his eyes and stared fiercely at the creature, Jim.

    [If we destroy the Colony, how will she be saved if you do not tell us? Have you even thought that far?]

    A trace of his contempt leaked through and Jim shrank in on himself.

    [I thought.. That is¡­ I meant¡­ I wanted to bring her up at the proper time.]

    [You have lost your chance,] Rassan''tep spoke mercilessly, [I have it now. Sarah. A bear type.]

    [Stay out of my thoughts!]

    [Keep me out, if you can,] he flicked his tongue dismissively.

    Obviously, the worm could not.

    [You know nothing of this world, worm Jim. You think the Legion, defeated? The golgari, helpless? I have seen it all in your mind. A puffed up border n, filled with arrogance and foolishness. A green Legion, forced back to more important duties by theing of the wave. The Empire of Stone can be traced back to before the Rending, their greatest warriors wield the mightiest des of living stone this world has ever seen, their bodies coated in precious minerals harder than diamonds. I''ve seen golgari warriors conceal themselves in flowing magma. I''ve seen them chew through stone. They have battled the Dungeon for three thousand years. They could annihte this Colony with a turn of their hand, should they choose to.]

    [But they were defeated!]

    [You hear nothing of what I say. You think the strongest golgari are in the second stratum? The second? Don''t be a fool. It is a yground for the ipetent and the weak. That you would underestimate the Legion is even more pathetic.]

    [I saw them retreat with my own eyes!]

    [I cannot educate a fool. That which you see as a looming threat is still a grub in the eyes of the kaarmodo, the Mahaan will never take your warnings seriously enough to bring the required force to bear on the Colony. Even now that they have departed to the fourth stratum, along with your Sarah.]

    [What?]

    The worm is so stunned he actually stops writhing for a brief moment.

    [She is no longer here,] Rassan''tep assured him. [The Mother Tree has called on the ants to protect her from my people and they have answered that call. Your friend went with them.]

    [B-but then¡­ in the fourth? She''ll die! It''s suicide!]

    [It is indeed, very dangerous, and not just due to my people. There are more sentient beings living in the fourth stratum than there are on the surface, after all. Vast empires, enormous armies. The enemies of the Colony will learn they are there eventually, and then? Destruction.]

    [I have to save her!]

    Jim twisted and tried to lunge out the door, but his body froze in ce, his mind gripped by the powerful Old One.

    [You move too quickly, Jim. There is much we can do here before we depart for the fourth.]

    [You¡­ you''re going to¡­ help me?]

    [For my own reasons. I am.]

    The gratitude that flooded the mind of the worm was the final straw for Rassan''tep and he broke the contact. Such a weak creature. So unworthy. The ant, Anthony on the other hand, showed great promise. Very early he had drawn the eye of the Red Truth and he had only grown magnificently since then. He even felt the touch of the Worm Cult in his thoughts. A promising specimen indeed.

    But would it be enough to turn that ant into a true diamond? The twentieth ancient? Rassan''tep knew there was only one way to forge such a hard material.

    Pressure and heat.

    One does not coddle an Ancient.

 Chapter 809 Realms of Myth

    <h4>Chapter 809 Realms of Myth </h4>

    The fourth stratum is considered by many to be the true world of Pangera. An incrediblend of abundant mana, rich resources and verdant forests. Those strong enough to contest with the powerful monsters that spawn here can live an incredible life of infinite possibilities. For this reason, territory on the fourth is desperately sought and fiercely protected. Many of the great powers of the world have established their centre of government in thisyer, their surface kingdoms existing merely to funnel people and resources to this, more important battleground.

    If one looks deeper, there are multiple reasons for this, but perhaps one of the most overlooked is the nature of the fifth stratum. There is a great deal of focus on the positive qualities of the fourth, but in reality the inhospitable wastnd that is the fifth is a major reason why the fourth is so popted. First, it means an entire stratum ispletely unsuitable for habitation, which puts a premium onnd within the fourth. Unlike the third, which is merely unpleasant to live in, the fifth ispletely hostile to life to an almost absurd degree.

    The other consideration, is that the best ce in the Dungeon to establish a powerbase tounch expeditions deeper is the fourth. The closer you can establish your safe zone to the fifth, the more likely you are to be able to push through and reach the sixth. For this reason, many consider the fifth stratum, the ''world of decay'' to be the great dividing line of the Dungeon, even a halfway marker, of sorts. Of course, it is unknown, at least to this schr, how many strata there are to the Dungeon, so this is more of an unofficial title than an urate descriptor, but the sentiment remains a powerful one.

    As to what powers and wealth reside in the sixth for those strong enough to reach it, it''s a little galling to admit that this humble researcher does not know. Such things are the closest kept secrets of the great powers and any spection on my part would be purely baseless.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from ''The great dividing line: The fifth stratum'' by Elric.

    Commander Myriam wasn''t happy. In an unfortunate quirk of her character, at least in the context of the role she served within the Legion, when she wasn''t happy it tended to show clearly on her face. Not the best trait for an ambassador to have, but as long as the consul didn''t care, then neither did she.

    In truth, the Legionem Abyssi didn''t seem to value tact in its representatives. The Legion didn''t value pretty words, they valued powerful actions, which was likely why all of their missives to foreign powers were carried exclusively by the immensely powerful.

    It was difficult for the faces of the kaarmodo to show strong emotion, but she could tell from their stillness, their unblinking stares, and the defensive posture of the setsh, that they could feel the anger rolling off her in waves.

    Good.

    These idiot lizards had spat on thousands of years of tradition and discipline, they had better feel her anger. When she felt she had a good enough grip on her temper, Myriam turned to the ancient creature beside her and looked him dead in the eye.

    "Please exin to me, Mahaan," she grated out, "exactly what you expect the Consul to say when I bring her word of this," she gestured roughly to the scene in front of her, "atrocity?"

    The Mahaan shifted slightly under her withering re and the setsh attendants reacted as if she''d punched the fool in the snoot. She shifted her re onto them and they froze as the weight of her displeasure fell upon them as a physical weight.

    [If you would speak with your mind I would understand you more clearly,] the deep tones of Parron''tep rang in her head, [it is important that wemunicate clearly in such trying times.]

    Themander grit her teeth once again at the arrogance of the oversized gecko. Who in the hell did he think he was talking to?

    "Let me be clear," she bit off each word as she spoke, "if you don''t exin this situation to my satisfaction, I will request the Consul intervene personally. I assure you, she will descend on this mountain at the head of our massed Legions and she will tten it, along with you and everyone else in this room. Then your people will thank her and pray to all they hold dear that she stops there. You are in the coldest possible sand, Mahaan, one wrong word and you will freeze to death."

    The clear, naked threat in her words riled the kaarmodo and they reacted strongly. The enormous creatures peeled back their lips to reveal dagger like teeth dripping with venom as the human in their midst threatened their lives with open contempt. All around the room the attendants reached for their weapons, needle pointed teeth bared in anger as their master''s indignation boiled across their bond. Despite all of their anger, nobody moved, as Myriam stood in the centre of the room untouched.

    She even went as far as to tap her booted foot on the floor impatiently, waiting for a response from the Mahaan. Still, none of the kaarmodo moved. She could not be harmed, of this they were all keenly aware.

    [We anticipated that you would not approve of this action,] Parron''tep replied. [As the Mahaan of this clutch, I have taken the responsibility of seeing this n through to itspletion, all that we ask is the Legion leave us to execute on our strategy in peace.]

    If it were possible, themander''s face grew even tighter.

    "You want us to look aside from a clear breach of everything the Legion has ever stood for? Three thousand years of martial tradition and sacrifice? For what gain?"

    [The waves are growing ever stronger and they have not ceased,] the Mahaan replied. [Surely the Legion believes, as we do, that the possibility of a second cataclysm exists? We cannot wait for such an event without taking measures to prepare. If we are able to remove the Mother Tree, it will be a Mythic ss monster that the Ancients are not able to convert to their side. Or worse, consume.]

    "If you want to kill the Tree then rally your forces, contact your allies and attack it. Why resort to this¡­ abomination?"

    [We cannot risk losing even a fraction of our strength if we are to survive another Rending. Would the Legion throw their soldiers away knowing what is toe?]

    Themander didn''t reply, but it was clear that she did not approve.

    "All you do is create another problem, bigger than the one you are trying to solve."

    [They are perfectly under control. There is no chance they will escape our containment.]

    Myriam snorted.

    "That''s what everyone thinks, right up until thest possible moment. It will get out of your control, nothing is surer. On the brink of a second cataclysm, this is exactly the sort of thing you shouldn''t be doing. You create new enemies for us to fight at a time we are spread far too thin already."

    She looked out through the shield once more into the chamber beyond. It was dark inside, but her enhanced vision saw everything in disgusting detail. Three pale, bulbous bodies, each over fifty metres long, pulsed grotesquely as an army of smaller insect-type monsters swarmed around them, hauling away clutches of eggs every second. At the heads of the beasts a constant train of workers came carrying loads of fungus grown in the vast fields beyond the chamber, an endless stream of food for the queens.

    It sickened her.

    "I already know what the response from the Consul will be. Shut it down, now," she spat.

    A pause.

    [With respect,mander, we will wait for an official response from your leader before we make a decision.]

    "And in the meantime you''ll continue as nned?" Myriam growled.

    The Mahaan closed his eyes.

    [Of course,] he replied.

 Chapter 810 The Tree Fort

    <h4>Chapter 810 The Tree Fort </h4>

    I''m no longer shocked by how fast the Colony can work. I mean, I''ve seen it all by this point, surely. Even if they can''t shock me, they can get pretty damn close! In the twenty four hours after the initial battle with the termites, the area in which we fought has been transformed. A simple wall was only the stopgap measure, now we have defence in depth! Layers of walls, spiked pits filled with acid, surprise attack tunnels, the works.

    The new walls are more than a little better. Compressed stone reinforced with Smithant''s finest steel frames, enchanted to harden the metal even further, each wall covered in crions and cheeky sniper windows to allow mages to unleash their firepower from range. If the termites want to run headfirst into this then they really are blind. Gweheheheh.

    The issue we have is the sheer amount of ground we have to cover.

    "How much of the rock has beenpressed in your area?" Cobalt asks.

    She''s been doing the rounds, getting a sense of how far along the fortification is.

    "Not even twenty percent, I''m afraid," the site foreman lets her know.

    Not even twenty percent?! My brains are fried over here!

    "You''re a long way ahead of the other teams," Cobalt lets her know wryly.

    "Well, I think we both know why that is."

    I mean, I don''t want to take all the credit, after all, there''s a lot of hardworking mages here putting in all thei- ¡­ Oi. Why are you staring so admiringly at Invidia? He''s not getting nearly as much done as I am! If you wanted to blow up the area then, sure, he''d be your guy, but I''m out here busting my brains to squish this rock!

    Sheesh.

    "You know I''m joking Eldest," Cobaltughs, "no need to look so sour."

    "Who? Me? I don''t look sour. In fact, I don''t even know what you''re talking about. Who are you, again?"

    Heh. Smooth. Covered myself well there.

    "As much as your help is appreciated here, Eldest, we need you in another area."

    I eye the tiny carver askance.

    "You sure that''s a good idea? The sooner we get thiswork set up, the safer we''re going to be from enemy tunnels."

    "The reality is, we can''t cover such a huge area in anything less than two weeks, no matter what we do. I''d need five times as many work crews to achieve the job in the timeframes we want. So far, we''ve managed to cover the most direct paths the enemy could take to ess the roots. That should help funnel them into our fortifications. The rest is just going to have to get done when we can."

    "That increases our risk."

    "We have to take on some level of risk," she shrugs. "By moving you around to where you''re needed most we hope to minimise that risk as much as possible."

    "All right then," I sigh and release the omni-elemental construct.

    Immediately all of my mind constructs fall apart and for the first time in hours my brains rx. Compressing stone might be simple to do, mana wise, but it takes a hell of a lot of willpower. You''re basically grabbing hold of the stone in a hand full of mana and squishing it, using the mana to heal the fractures as they ur and bond the rock tighter together. It''s immensely draining, monotonous work and I''m well and truly over it. Seriously though, the next time I check my status I ought to see a huge boost to my elemental magic. I might even hit the next rank!

    I''m excited to see what sort of magic I can get my hands on!

    My friends in tow, I follow along behind Cobalt as we make our way out of the winding work tunnels that twist their way around the Mother Tree''s massive main roots. As we travel I idly dip my attention into the Vestibule to see what my fellow members of the ten thousand strong expeditionary force are up to.

    Quite predictably, most of them are digging, even the Immortals. Ah, it seems that Leeroy has learned of the soul devouring nature of the termites and is hoping, along with her sisters, that her soul will be consumed before her Phoenix Fire organ can kick in, circumventing her rebirth and finally achieving a glorious death in battle. Not a chance, Leeroy! I''ll pull your soul out and stuff it back into your body myself if I have to. The soldiers are helping to coordinate the movement of soil and stone, it seems. Ah, it appears that Brilliant is attempting to reconstruct the root gates of the Mother Tree using a few twigs, a small metal pin, a rock and a fire. I''m not sure how much luck she''s going to have there¡­

    What''s interesting is that I don''t see Vibrant anywhere. And I''ve just realised arge crew of scouts has assembled near the main exit.

    I think I''ve caught onto the issue.

    "How long has Vibrant been missing?" I sigh.

    The carver in front of me jumps.

    "Ah. Since the battle. She ran off to scout and hasn''te back."

    "And you want me to go and look for her."

    "We want you to lead a team of scouts to find her, yes. There''s a bit of concern that she might have followed the termites too far in their retreat and gotten surrounded or ¡­ distracted."

    If I had money, I would put it all on ''distracted'' in a heartbeat. Still, we don''t want to leave Vibrant out in the middle of the fourth stratum on her own. As powerful as she is within the Colony, she''s a tiny little bug down here. Even at tier seven we''d only be average down here.

    "You lot will have to be extra cautious while I''m gone," I fret, "if the termitese again¡­"

    "We know the risks, Eldest. We have to have Vibrant back."

    "I know that. I just worry about the family."

    "We know. We''ll be fine."

    Dammit Vibrant, if I catch you swimming in a pool with little golden fish or something equally stupid I''m going to be a mad, mad, Eldest.

 Chapter 811 Put a Toe out in the Fourth

    <h4>Chapter 811 Put a Toe out in the Fourth </h4>

    Some part of me is still buzzing about being in the fourth stratum. I can''t believe we managed to get down here without having to fight some epic war for survival in the third, or conquer an oppressive foe, or face down a full legion of metal death soldiers. It just seems weird. I mean, the kaarmodo are knocking on our door, and we have to fight to protect the tree down here, but I still feel like we got off easy. I mean, we had to face down Garralosh before we could even descend down to the second stratum.

    I almost feel rxed about it. We have tension with the kaarmodo across two stratum, which is definitely an issue, but I''ll keep my ws crossed so they don''t try to pull us into a conflict across the third and fourth. That''d suck. Big time.

    Fortunately, it won''t happen! We''re cruising right now. All we have to do is hunker down, get ourselves properly dug in, and then hold off the termites in a war of attrition that they can never hope to win. Once we''ve fortified our hold on our territories in the third stratum, and expanded our numbers and nests within the second, we''ll be able to flood down here and smash our colony rivals into smithereens. Once that happens, we''ll be free to expand and explore down here to our heart''s content. Things are looking good!

    Until Vibrant went and threw a wrench in everything. Where the heck did she get to? She was supposed to chase after the termites until they left the tunnels we''d constructed to funnel them toward us and thene back. Naturally, Vibrant being Vibrant, she''s probably found herself a pond or something and is trying to run on water or something ridiculous.

    [Anthony!] a mind reaches out to me. [Wait for me!]

    [Sarah?] I say as I turn and see the giant bear running up beside me. [You want toe along?]

    [Yes,] she nods, [I''m not that useful for digging or constructing things, so I might as welle and help make sure you and Vibrant get back safely.]

    [Sure,] I shrug my antennae, [feel free to tag along.]

    I think for a moment.

    "You need to be careful out there, Protectant. We''re kicking around in the fourth now, you lot should stay hidden unless you really feel the need to intervene. Even then, think twice."

    I don''t get a reply, but I know they heard me. Honestly, ever since my bodyguards showed up, I feel like I spend more time worrying about them being safe, as opposed to them worry about me. They''re probably constantly having to intervene behind the scenes to keep me on the straight and narrow though, so I suppose it all washes out in the end. Come to think of it, I should keep a closer eye on the guards through the Vestibule. Their hiding mechanism is incredibly strong and unless I focus they still tend to slip under my radar.

    I spin up a mind construct and dedicate it to filtering through the wash of energy I receive from the Colony, spying on Protectant and her crew.

    [Alright then, let''s get going.]

    Without too much discussion we get ourselves organised and head out at a rapid pace. Vibrant and her group would have been really motoring along on the heels of the termites as they retreated, so I don''t doubt we have a lot of ground to cover before we catch up to them. The tunnels around us feel strangely heavy, as if the whole weight of the immense mountain and tree above us bear down on them. It''s kind of strange that it feels more ustrophobic here than it does when I can''t see what''s over my head.

    The veins of mana that permeate the Dungeon are present here as always, pulsing bright with a green tinged light. The level of mana is so abundant that I feel as if I''m swimming through an ocean of it rather than walking through air. Perhaps it''s like humidity was as a human, if I can even remember what that was like any more. High humidity, as I recall, felt like the air would stick to you as you walked around. This level of mana feels far beyond that to me as a monster. It''s like the air is literally water. Or even thicker than that. Jelly, almost. My core sucks it in the second I lose a single MP and fills right back up again. The mana being absorbed through my legs is absurdly dense, to the point I almost feel like I move slower because of it.

    Through the tunnels we go, soon passing beyond the point where the tunnel walls have beenpressed and reinforced by the Colony and entering the wild territory of the fourth. Evidence of termite activity is immediately apparent, in the tunnels and loops that have been carved into the rock here that the Colony still hasn''t been able to erase. Beyond that, I start to sense a change in the air, a waft of life that brushes against my antennae before it fades away again.

    [Do you feel that?] I ask Sarah.

    [No, but I can smell it.]

    [What do you think it is?]

    [I - I''m not sure. It''s not like anything that I''ve smelled before.]

    [Be careful, everyone. I think we''reing up on the end of the tunnel.]

    The group tightens up as we continue to walk and soon enough we can see the light beginning to filter through from the outside of the mountain. When we finally reach it, it''s almost blinding, it takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust and when I do, the impossible vista of the fourth stratum is stretched out before me once again, but from a lower vantage this time.

    We''ve emerged near the base of the Mother Tree''s mountain and in front of us, in the distance, another just like it towers high, beyond our range of vision as it disappears into mist and clouds. Between us and this new peak lies a wide body of water of perfect, crystal blue, the mana so thick within it that it rises from the surface in a haze. As we watch, a humongous form breaks the surface for a moment, a host of razor sharp fins glittering in the light.

    [Anyone feel like a swim?]

 Chapter 812 On the Trail

    <h4>Chapter 812 On the Trail </h4>

    The discovery of the termite foe was of great import to the broader Colony. Of course, it precipitated several profound immediate changes, such as therge scale rescue mission that wasunched into the fourth stratum, unlocking that most important realm to the family for the first time. More than that, there was a shift in the mentality of every ant, from the brood chambers to the mines. The Colony had always been in conflict, with the Dungeon, fighting off waves, with the golgari, or the Legion, but for the first time it felt as if we were at war.

    We were all seized with strange, manic energy, even they who will not be mentioned seemed to rx their vigil as the Colony shifted to a new type of footing. Most of us had never seen a termite, and would never see one, yet we were possessed of new rage that drove us to work ever harder, be ever more perfect.

    During this time the second wave of expansion waspleted, bringing the number ofpleted nests to sixteen, the number of active,ying queens to seventeen. Shortly after each of them was elevated to the sixth tier through the relentless efforts of the workforce, maximising egg production and brood quality. It felt like the dawning of a golden age, as our numbers rapidly swelled and even greater swathes of the Dungeon fell beneath our influence, all the while we simmered as we contemted our rivals below.

    And once again, all at the behest of the Eldest. Their designs ever moved our family forward, from the very moment of our creation. I believe, as others do, that even back then the Eldest had seen what was toe, and the inevitable conclusions that would be reached.

    Excerpt from ''The History of the Colony Volume 2, by Historiant.

    Seeing all this water is just a special type of bizarre. I mean, where the heck are we right now? We''re in the Dungeon! We are deep, deep underground right now. I don''t even know how far down we are now, hundreds of kilometres? A thousand? I have no idea how deep the third is, since we only touched the firstyer of it, but how in the hell am I looking at this freakin''ke right now?! It''s insane.

    From far above, some unfathomable distance up in the air, water falls in a fine mist and I presume that somewhere up above there are a few of those inds that somehow manufacture limitless amounts of water. I''m super keen to figure out how that works, but for now we need to get over this water somehow.

    I can smell the scent trailid down by Vibrant and her crew, it''s right here in front of me and it leads directly over the water. How in the hell they got over there, I haven''t the foggiest, but I''ll have to head to the mountain opposite to see if the trail gets picked up on the opposite side.

    [Any ideas, folks?] I ask the group.

    [We can ussse a tform to carry usssss,] Invidia hisses.

    [Ah! Good call, I forgot you can do that now.]

    [You helpsss. Givesss it to me!]

    [I''m happy to help, but that''s a rude way of asking man, you need to work on that.]

    Some things will never change.

    Working together with my faithful, envy demon friend, we construct a tform shaped shield and everyone piles onto it before we lift off and begin to float across the water. Sometimes I forget how heavy I am. Keeping this thing aloft is serious work. I mean, Sarah is most definitely heavier than I am, not that I''ll ever say that to her out loud, and she happens to be wearing her armour, which doesn''t help. The end result is that I spend the time drifting over this vastke straining all of my brains until they start to steam rather than admiring the scenery.

    [Master, this water, looks very deep,] Crinis observes.

    [Can you see much moving around down there?]

    [There are many sources of powerful mana within range that I can sense. The water itself is also a potent source of mana, it''s not like anything I''ve ever seen.]

    [Yeah, I can''t imagine what sort of things the monsters here are born with when the mana is this thick. Come to think of it, imagine what it''s like two strata down from here. It''s going to get crazy down there.]

    [Do you really intend to go that deep, master?]

    I shrug, more focused on the tform than on the conversation.

    [Why not? I feel pulled in that direction. May as well go deeper if it''s there, right?]

    [If that is what you want, then I''ll follow, of course.]

    [How about you, Tiny? Want to go deeper and punch some super powerful monsters in the face?]

    A big thumbs up from the bat-faced ape as a broad grin spreads across his face.

    [Nice one, big guy. Invidia? What about you champ? Actually, never mind, I know what you''re going to say.]

    The big green eye shes with energy before he looks away, as if disappointed he didn''t get to chime in.

    [miiiiiiine,] I hear a whisper trickle across our mental link.

    Despite my concerns, we manage tond on the other ind without incident, passing beneath the falling mist to get my first shower in this new life. Didn''t take long, only¡­ you know what? Doesn''t matter. Personal hygiene standards are different for ants. Just to be sure I clean off my antennae.

    Before us, a brand new mountain looms, one not topped by a possessive nt. It doesn''t even feel right to call it a ''mountain'', really, it''s so damn vast, and so stupidly tall. And these things probably ring the entire stratum, all around the. This whole world is just insane, how in the heck does it stay together.

    Magic. It''s good stuff.

    [Master, have you located the trail?]

    Oh, right. I waggle my antennae this way and that, patrolling up and down the edge of theke until I manage to catch the scent.

    [Right here! Seems to head up that way.]

    [That''s good,] Sarah says, [hopefully we can find them soon.]

    [I sense something strange up ahead. A mana reading I haven''t seen before,] Crinis announces.

    Curious, I wonder what she''s spotted?

    [Any clues for us, Crinis?]

    I try to look around, but I can''t see anything that might be considered dangerous right now. In fact, I hardly see any monsters at all. The mountain slopes up ahead of us, the rock being overtaken by greenery and forest, vibrant and lush as only a realm filled with life mana could be.

    [It doesn''t feel like a monster,] the ball of shadow says, [I can''t sense a core, but it feels¡­ big.]

    Well that''s ominous.

    [Let''s proceed cautiously and follow the trail,] I tell the others, [if it''s something we can''t handle, we go back and get reinforcements.]

    They agree with the suggestion and we advance forward, leaving the water''s edge behind and entering the forest. It isn''t long before I begin to notice that something is off. The trees don''t look quite right, less healthy than they should. Even the ground has a strange sort of feel, almost sticky under my ws. Shortly after, I start to notice patches of white mould clinging to every surface. The stuff pings strangely to my mana sense, as if it were part monster, part nt, part¡­ something else.

    And there''s only more of it the further we go.

    [Something is definitely off,] I announce. [Hold here for a second, I want to climb a tree and see what I can see.]

    A tough looking behemoth of a tree isn''t far away so I wander over and w my way up the side somewhatboriously. Trees thisrge would be a rarity on Earth, but here they seem to be a dime a dozen. My legs strain to carry my weight, but eventually I clear the foliage around me and get a good glimpse of what lies ahead of us.

    And it''s white.

    An endless sea of white.

    Come to think of it, don''t a lot of termites cultivate fungus?

 Chapter 813 Note from the Author

    <h4>Chapter 813 Note from the Author </h4>

    Hey there folks!

    I really should have put a note up about this. I apologise for any confusion.

    Obviously the chapter numbers are all messed up now since I removed the first 113 chapters, and the reason for that is the approaching release of Chrysalis Vol 1: The Antventure Begins.

    The book is being released on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited and the audiobook will be hitting audible on June 7.

    In order to release on Kindle the book can''t exist anywhere else so I''ll be removing it from all free tforms. If you want to get a copy of the old chapters in their current form, you can sign up to my pat reon for $1 and grab all the current chapters in epub format.

    Being honest, I never expected or nned to ever take down any part of Chrysalis, but the opportunity hase up and I decided to take it. I still hope to return them all to free tforms at some stage in the future but as with any future ns, there are no guarantees.

    Have a great day all!

 Chapter 814 Lingers on the Palate

    <h4>Chapter 814 Lingers on the Pte </h4>

    It appears as though we''ve stumbled into the fungus gardens of the termites, and boy oh boy, are they extensive. From my perch up in the tree I can see that the entire forest on this slope of the mountain has been overtaken by the white mould. From this distance it almost appears as if thend has been nketed in fluffy snow, but knowing what I know, the scene draws only vague disgust from me, rather than wonder.

    Aren''t they supposed to keep the fungus garden inside the nest? Why are they letting their mess out all over the ce?!

    Gross.

    I contemte the act of fungus growing as I pick my way down the tree. There are ants who live off the stuff as well, herbivorous species that don''t need to raid and consume other insects in order to survive. Probably the most well-known would be the leaf cutter ants. In massive colonies of up to two million individuals, some of thergest of all ants, the leaf cutters are so named due to the way they farm their food. Enormous work convoys exit the nest to find trees, where fat headed majors use their thick jaws to scissor up the leaves for the smaller workers to carry back home. Once they get it all underground, they feed the foliage to their precious fungus gardens that they feed on. I remember reading that new leaf cutter queens even take a small chunk of the colony fungus with them when they leave, so they can begin to cultivate their own garden once they settle down.

    In those instances, the fungus is carefully tended in the depths of the nest, protected by obsessive workers who have to make sure that not a single speck of mould invades and corrupts the food supply. They certainly don''t let it hang out all over the ce!

    Perhaps this has something to do with the kaarmodo? If they cultivated their own queen, or queens, to produce a species of termite carefully designed to fight the Mother Tree and bruan''chii, then it stands to reason they had to engineer a food supply for them as well. Only, it would appear as though they failed to contain it. Or perhaps they didn''t try.

    [It''s a fungus garden, a massive one,] I confirm for the others when I get back down.

    [You mean this is all fungus?] Sarah sounds appalled.

    [Yep, and you haven''t seen anything yet. The forest ahead, all the way up the mountain, is covered in the stuff.]

    The giant, fearsome bear, shudders delicately.

    [That''s terrible,] she says.

    [I mean, it''s probably a viable source of Biomass. I doubt it''s a fungal trap designed to take over our bodies from the inside.]

    [Don''t even mention that!] Sarah squawks.

    I look at her oddly.

    [You seem really adverse to the stuff.]

    [I hate moulds and fungus,] she confesses, [always have.]

    [Is that a bear thing?]

    [It''s a Sarah thing,] she tells me firmly, [doesn''t matter which life.]

    [Fair enough,] I shrug, [anyone prepared to give it a chomp?]

    Silence descends for a few long seconds before Tiny decides he''s game enough to try and wanders over to s clump of the stuff. He reaches down to pick it up and I see it tear off the ground in his massive, meaty hand. It almost appears fluff-like, almost candy cotton-ish in texture.

    In one smooth motion, the giant ape lifts it up and stuffs it into his cavernous mouth. Breathless, we all watch him as we await his response. After chewing thoughtfully for a few moments, Tiny looks at us, then shrugs. Seems like a fairly middling report from the big guy, which must mean it tastes absolutely disgusting. If Tiny isn''t enthusiastic about eating it, then I can only assume it tastes like radioactive waste.

    [Well, if we aren''t going to eat it, we could burn it all as we go or just leave it alone, I suppose.]

    Sarah considers my suggestions for a second.

    [We''re on a rescue mission here, we don''t have time to be trying to burn down a giant fungus garden. If you still have the trail, then I suggest we just keep moving.]

    [Sounds good,] I agree, [I''ve still got the trail, and it''s mixed with a ton of termite scent, so we should be careful as we go. We can probably assume that this mountain holds the termite nest itself, which means there''s likely a lot of them underfoot.]

    Understatement of the century. There could be millions of the critters in this mountain for all we know. Having made our decision, we set off again and are soon engulfed on all sides by the fields of white. It''s so weird, the natural vegetation is still alive underneath it, if somewhat diminished by having this white stuff grow all over it, but the mould is just everywhere, to the point we have to walk through it. Tiny carves a trail through the stuff as if he''s wading through powdered snow, a wide path of broken fungus strings behind him.

    Actually¡­

    As I watch, the fungus begins to reform in his wake,ing back together ever so slowly. It grows so fast! That makes a lot of sense when I think about it. Vibrant came through here with hundreds of ants, there should be a wide path where they stomped through all of this growth, but instead there''s no sign of their passage at all! In the time between them running through and us arriving it''spletely grown back over.

    It seems the kaarmodo must have turbo-charged the growth of this particr fungus in order to feed the voracious appetite of their termite colony. What better way to pump them full of easy Biomass before sending them off to fight the tree?

    My antennae waggle back and forth as we push determinedly forward, desperate to stay on the trail that Vibrant left behind, but the further we go, the more concerned I be. Where the hell is she? Her scent remains strong, but I haven''t seen any sign of her or her followers at all.

    Then I feel something. Is the fungus¡­ shaking?

 Chapter 815 Hunting for Speed (927)

    <h4>Chapter 815 Hunting for Speed (927) </h4>

    The fungus rattles around us and every member of the group stills themselves, casting our senses about to identify the source of the movement.

    [Crinis? You got anything?]

    [It''s difficult for me to see,] the usually reserved Crinis sounds frustrated and irritated, [the fungus has a mana signature that blocks my sight.]

    Dammit.

    [What about shadows? Are you seeing anything around us?]

    [I think there are tunnels beneath us, but it''s hard to say.]

    That''s not unexpected, considering where we are, I have little doubt that the termites have tunnels beneath us and all over this mountain for that matter.

    [Stay sharp everyone. I think we might havepany soon.]

    The fungus continues to rattle and shake as I eye it warily, my minds already spinning up the constructs necessary to fight. I decide to start pumping out fire mana, since it seems like it''ll have the biggest effect on the mould around us as well as on whateveres out to fight.

    The rattling all around us continues to intensify before it suddenly grows still, the five of us left watching the field of white in perfect silence.

    SNAP!

    A secondter something beneath us breaks before the fungus begins to bulge in certain ces, pushing upward as something erupts from underneath.

    [Termites!] Crinis yells.

    A momentter the surfaceyer splits to reveal the massive insects bursting through, their jaws filled with more fungus and their antennae swivelling wildly. In truth, they seem just as surprised to see us as we are to see them, but that doesn''t stop either side from rushing forward as soon as they realise what''s happening.

    My jaws snap back and lock into position as I dash forwards hoping to catch the termite on my right by surprise as it emerges from below ground.

    [Crinis, how many are there?]

    [I- I''m not sure! I still can''t sense underground through the mould.]

    [Nards. We''ll stick here and fight for now, but don''t let yourself get cornered! If things get too spicy we''ll have to back out and retreat to safety over the water!]

    ROAR!

    With a mighty bellow, Tiny rumbles forward, his frightening mass towering over the termites as he swings with colossal force, his fists tearing through the air to crunch into the chitin covered insects, shattering their shells and sending them flying through the air.

    CHOMP!

    My mandibles m shut as I close in on my chosen target, catching it across the head as it doesn''t turn in time to get its jaws between itself and me. With a satisfying crunch the barbs on my mandibles punch through its shell, but without activating my skills, a single bite isn''t enough to put one of these creatures down. Chittering with indignation, my opponent tries to pull back and snap onto my front left leg. In a normal fight between ants and other social insects, the battle for the legs is everything. With huge numbers avable on both sides, fighting one on one is basically unheard of, instead teams will try to gang up on an individual,tching onto their limbs and holding them down so others can move in for the finishing blow.

    I don''t have the luxury of pinning this termite down for my ant allies to finish off, but the termite does!

    No you don''t! With a heave of my mighty frame I send the bug staggering back, its six legs iling as it corrects its bnce, its jaws snapping shut on thin air, only to be met with my ferocious charge a secondter. The impact of activating the skill is staggering and the termite''s shell cracks even further as my own diamond carapace ms into it.

    Ha! You might be born on the sixth stratum but even you can''t handle my shiny glory! Unwilling to y with it any further, I spin up the mana I''ve kept in reserve and unleash a torrent of blue me, roasting the termite where it stands. What I don''t expect is for the me to instantly spread to the mould, melting it like wax even as it catches fire. If it were only that, perhaps it wouldn''t be much of an issue, but unfortunately for us, it seems as if this fungus likes to burn, because the ze spreads in an instant.

    It''s getting hot in here!

    [Anthony! What the heck did you do?!] Sarah wails as she bats away the termites who try to swarm around her.

    [I don''t know!] I cry. [How was I supposed to know this stuff was so damn mmable?]

    Even worse than the sudden congration is the reaction of our termite opponents. The sudden ignition of their garden sends them into a frenzy as they alternate between trying to put the fire out and punish us for setting it off. I see a few of them duck back underground and rush off through the tunnels, doubtless going to get help to manage the fire.

    [We can''t stay here for long,] I warn the others as I ready my mandibles for another chomp. [Let''s clean up a little and then make a dash for it!]

    [Are we retreating?] Sarah asks.

    [Heck no! We''re following the trail of Vibrant! The termites will be too busy tending to the food supply to chase us for a little while.]

    [If you''re sure¡­]

    [Of course I''m sure!]

    I express a level of confidence across the mind bridge that I absolutely do not feel, but what choice do I have? I can''t leave Vibrant and her crew behind, not for anything.

    DOOM CHOMP!

    Activating my potent bite skill, I lunge forward and bring the ck jaws of pure energy shut on a pair of enemies who have no time to consider what''sing at them before they are nothing more than notifications ringing in my head. A few detonations go off as Invidia sts some small groups of insects and then we are off, racing through the fields as my antennae waggle furiously, trying to keep track of the scent.

    [The trail is getting stronger!] I let the others know. [I think we''re on the right track!]

    Behind us we leave a scene of devastation and an increasing group of termites who boil out of the tunnels below and race about extinguishing the mes. A few give chase but Invidia is more than enough to ward them off, detonating any stragglers who get too close. It won''tst forever though, the termites are just as capable of following scent trails as I am and I have no doubt they''ll be after us in force soon enough.

    Dammit, Vibrant! Why the hell did you go so deep into their territory?! There''s no need for it!

 Chapter 816 Hot on the Trail (928)

    <h4>Chapter 816 Hot on the Trail (928) </h4>

    [Run, run, run!] I holler at the others as we continue to sprint through the mould covered forest.

    It really is obnoxious to run through this mess. There''s mould beneath us, beside us and crawling up the trees to cover the canopy above us. It''s like being in a suffocating winter wondend except far more horrifying. Especially now that some of it is on fire.

    [I don''t think more fire will be a good idea, Master!] Crinis suggests as we race through the terrain.

    [We might need another distraction soon. Starting a small fire will get the termites off our trail.]

    [Won''t it just bring more of them?] Sarah demands.

    [I mean, yes. But also, yes¡­]

    They be distracted though¡­

    Perhaps that''s still not good enough.

    [No more fires,] Sarah tells me firmly, [we can think of something else.]

    [Hmph. You''re just worried about the fungus spores getting inside you,] I mutter.

    [I hadn''t even thought of that! Anthony!]

    [Breathe it in deep. That''s the sweet smell of fungus country.]

    [I should never havee here. I hate this ce!]

    [Look on the bright side. When the termites are defeated we can remove the mould from this area and return it to wonderful forest, filled with aphids.]

    [That''s alright, the aphids are cute!]

    Just another aspect of ant superiority. Even if we started fungus farming, we wouldn''t let it run wild and out of control like this. It just isn''t civilised.

    [Do you still have the trail?] Sarah asks, sounding a little panicked as we continue to st through the termite''s feeding grounds.

    [I have it,] I confirm, [it''s getting stronger even. Wherever they are, we''re catching up.]

    I get a strong sense of relief from the giant bear as she heaves for air. She may be a somewhat delicate flower internally, but externally she is all beef. Her legs are thicker than a person and positively bulging with muscle underneath all of that fur, much like her shoulders. In fact, the shoulders are evenrger. For all of her strength, she isn''t much of a long distance runner.

    [You''ve got to work on your stamina somehow,] I tell her, [how do you evenst in a fight?]

    [I berserk,] she snaps, [that usually takes care of it.]

    Oh, right.

    [Well no need for that here and now,] I hastily assure her. My antennae waggle furiously as I follow the trail. [The trail is starting to curve, follow me!]

    I shift my weight and drive myself to the right, taking a chance to look behind as I do. There are definitely termites on our trail, but I can''t really tell how many. Tiny bounds along in my wake, suffering much like Sarah is in this long distance sprint, Invidia perched on his back like a nightmarish bat, green eye zing with energy as he surveys thend. We rush through a cluster of trees, sting away the mould that had grown up to fill the space between them and showering ourselves in the horrible stuff before we pull up abruptly.

    Up to this point we had been running further ind, heading up the slope of the side of the mountain which had been increasing the further we''d gone and I''d expected that to continue, but it seems as if our opponents had a different concept for thisndscape. In front of us a vast yawning chasm has been carved into the rock, the trees cleared for hundreds of metres in all directions. Like a passageway into the pit of doom, the wide tunnel ispletely ck on the inside, with no light source to be discerned from this distance. More terrifying still, is the view of the mountain I get from here. There are holes, all over the ce, fortified with dirt and each angled differently. It''s clear to see that they aren''t natural features of the terrain, and judging by the weathering of those areas, they are likely to be recent.

    This is the termite nest. The whole damn mountain is the nest!

    I kind of expected it, but to see it for myself¡­ it''s just ridiculous! You could fit the main nest of the Colony into this thing ten times over with room to spare!

    The other shocking development is the appearance of our quarry. In the mouth of the tunnel a tight gathering of ants can be seen, therge form of Vibrant zipping here and there amongst them. It''s too bad they aren''t alone. Not only are they swarmed by a host of termites, which is bad enough, but watching from above are five kaarmodo with their attendants in tow. In a sh I take in the full scene, drawing knowledge from the Vestibule as I allow the will of Vibrant and her coterie to fill me.

    The kaarmodo are pinning them here, using shields and spells to lock Vibrant and her group into a fight so that the termites can harvest them for experience.

    Not. eptable.

    [Get in there!] I roar to Tiny who is only too happy toply.

    The giant ape rears back onto his legs and thumps his chest with his enormous palms, bellowing his rage in an ear shattering roar that shakes the trees around us. Then he''s off, bounding across the mould covered stone, his fists cracking the ground with every step, gathering momentum as he goes.

    [Invidia, keep him alive and blow up everything I don''t like!]

    [Even the lizardsssss?]

    [Especially them.]

    I can almost feel his eye sh with delight.

    [I will takesss everything from themssss!] He gloats as his prodigious mind begins to weave the ambient mana into bundles of explosive doom.

    [What should I do, Master?] Crinis asks, ready to leap into action.

    [Deal with the termites. You''re the best of us at holding offrge numbers.]

    [I''ll sweep away the trash in an instant!]

    She begins to slide off my carapace and into the blooming shadow beneath me when I interrupt her.

    [Just one thing Crinis¡­]

    [Yes?]

    [I want them to fear.]

    In her current shape, a formless blob of darkness, she wriggles with glee.

    [They will,] she promises.

    Damn lizards. You really think you can trap my siblings and feed them to your captive bugs? You must be outside of your mind! I spin up the omni-elemental construct and begin to pump out mana, but at the same time I dedicate a small group of minds to drawing deep from my gravitational mana nd.

    Time to show these fools what they''re dealing with!

 Chapter 817 The United Antâ€™s Front (929)

    <h4>Chapter 817 The United Ant''s Front (929) </h4>

    In seconds I had enough fire mana to send spears of bright me roaring through the air, igniting every bit of fungus that they drew close to. Smoke and fire billowed out immediately, drifting over the wide entrance to the termite mound and sending every one of the blind insects into a frenzy. Then I rush forward, my jaws locking in ce as they flood with pure mana. When I''m close enough I spin together a mind bridge and extend it to therge ant zipping through the conflict at warp speeds,tching onto her almost by lucky ident.

    [Senior! I had a feeling you might show up-up!]

    [If you''re talking slowly enough that I can understand you then I imagine you''re exhausted. How are you holding out?]

    As I draw closer to the melee I can see her troops are gging, the relentless press of the enemy has been wearing them down. We''ve arrived just in time.

    [We''d be fine if we could run!] Vibrant''s indignation at being denied the freedom to move is total. [Those lizard-gizards won''t let us leave!]

    [Of course not, they want all of you to be trapped and die.]

    [That''s terrible!] she gasps over the mental connection.

    Even while running I p myself between my eyes with one antennae.

    [What did you think they wanted with you? To go for a friendly jog? They want the termites to rip out your souls and feast on your Biomass! We need to break their concentration or force them to retreat and then we need to get the heck out of here!]

    [We aren''t going to invade the nest?] she sounds disappointed.

    [Of course we aren''t going to invade the damned¡­ no. That isn''t going to happen. I''ll be happy if we can you are your group out alive.]

    [Thanks Senior!]

    Despite all of the idiocy that led to this point, I can feel just how heartfelt her gratitude is, and underneath that, her desperate concern for those who had chosen to follow her. No more time for discussion, as I hit the melee, I force my way to the front and unleash a Doom Chomp, shattering the bugs in front of me before I hurl concussive sts of fire down the tunnel. As I arrive, so too does Tiny, the giant ape crashing into the encroaching hordes of termites with fire in his eyes and a broad grin on his face. Lightning crackles and fists of pure, blinding energy erupt in rapid session as he deploys his patented ape boxing to devastating effect.

    Invidia''s arrival is explosive, to say the least. Detonations rock the face of the mountain, even reaching out to threaten the kaarmodo in their vantage point, however a powerful shield wavers in front of them and my green eyed friends, efforts are repelled.

    [Give them the eye-beam,] Imand him. [You have my permission!]

    It''ll take a little while for him to charge it up, but I''m sure he''ll be ready to unleash hell at roughly the same time I will. I flick my attention inward to check on the progress of my sub-minds ande out pleased. Compressing a gravity-bomb is no small feat, especially at the levels of density I can achieve now. Comparing it to how I was after my second evolution is likeparing a match to a bonfire. I''ll have to step in with my main brain soon, but for now I can leave it to the constructs.

    Wave after wave of termites continues to pour out from the heart of the nest, but I fear that they are only just getting started. There are likely to be far more termites in the nest than this, millions even, but they could be anywhere, high up in the mountain, or down deep underground, tending to yet more fungus gardens. In fact, those who were chasing behind us are now starting to arrive and if enough of them turn up, Vibrant and her group are going to get surrounded. Which isn''t ideal.

    Chomp! Chomp!

    Ish out at the enemy before me, dipping dangerously into my stamina in order to relieve the pressure on the other ants as much as possible and give them time to recover. They''re going to need their energy in the sprint out of here.

    It''s almost with relief that I see a wave of dark tentacles emerge from all sides of the tunnel entrance, sprouting from the perfect darkness with each andshing out at the nearest termite they can find. As the dark limbs covered in barbs wind around their victims, I turn away and focus on the greater threat above me, the kaarmodo.

    I mean, it is important that I deal with these guys in order for us to escape, but I also really don''t want to see what Crinis does to the termites. I almost pity them.

    But not enough to tell her to stop.

    Determined to give these giant lizards and their ves a piece of my mind, I turn and run back, creating some distance but soon enough I m into a barrier ced before me. The impact is sharp, but not enough to damage me and I shake it off quickly and look up to see the shimmering barrier that they''ve erected. Now that my pets and I are inside, they don''t want us to leave, eh? I thought as much would happen when we rushed down here.

    I rear back and begin to repeatedly charge into the barrier, smashing my hardened carapace into it with all the strength I can muster, only resting to unleash my most potent chomps upon it.

    It''s a futile effort, obviously, I can''t break down a barrier created by five kaarmodo and their dozens of attendants, but what I can do is keep them reinforcing it, trading my energy and stamina for their mana and mental reserves whilst something else is built within me.

    Switching my focus internally, my main mind takes over the handling of the gravity bomb, leaving my body in the hands of a sub-mind whilst I marshal the rest of the constructs to assist in the formation of this, the most potent bomb I''ve ever formed. The dark energy roils within me, a growing sphere of malevolent force, already emanating with its irresistible pull. The spell has grown so dark now it''s practically ck, a perfect well of darkness that I continue to feed with gravity mana as I press and squeeze with every ounce of my will, struggling to keep it contained.

    At this point, it''s as if the spell takes over, the flow of mana from my gravitational nd increasing from a steady flow to an outpour that threatens to outpace my minds as the greedy ball sucks in everything it can whilst my mindsbine to hold it desperately together. What the heck is this!? Does the spell have a mind of its own!

    [Invidia! Now!]

    Immediately the little demon res upward and unleashes a bright beam of green light that sts toward the kaarmodo and shatters against their shield, the lizards looking on impassively as they maintain their protection. Let''s see how they feel about this.

    Eager to relieve myself of this dangerous magic, I go to cast the spell and am stunned when I find it resist me, as if the magic doesn''t want to move. It''s so damn heavy, as it sits inside me and continues to drink my gravitational mana.

    Oh no you don''t!

    With a heave I force the spell out andunch it towards the kaarmodo and at that moment something truly awful was born.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWLLL!!!!!!

 Chapter 818 Death of a Star

    <h4>Chapter 818 Death of a Star </h4>

    The gravity bomb screams into life and I almost instantly die. The pulling force of the spell is so strong it almost rips me from my feet before I grip hard to the ground beneath me to prevent being ripped from the ground. The spell soon moves far enough away that the immediate danger is over and I can rx my hold, but a whole new fear is born in my heart.

    If that''s what it''s like now¡­ what will happen when it hits?

    ["EVERYBODY OVER HERE! NOW!"] I roar in every way I can.

    [Master! What''s happening?] Crinis asks.

    [I just unleashed the mother of all gravity bombs and I''m worried we''re all going to die when it pops off. Get everyone over here on the edge of the shield so we can dig in!]

    And I start to do just that, ripping into the ground with my mandibles to create more distance and give myself a firmer foothold.

    All the while that horrible scream shatters the air, the wind howling with despair as it is consumed by the bomb in flight. Even the light is eaten, the ball itself is almost impossible to see, it''s so dark around it. The reaction of the kaarmodo is immediate, the lizards going pale (that might just be my imagination) and their servants reinforce the shield Invidia had already been battering with his eye beam.

    ["Move it, dammit!"] I scream as the ants turn and disengage from the termites. ["Aren''t you supposed to be fast?!"]

    Crinis is already retracting her limbs back into the shadows and emerging next to me as Tiny leaps out of the tunnel mouth, Invidia once more riding on his shoulder.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWLLLL!!!

    The wrenching sound of the gravity bomb has never sounded so terrifying to me. I do not want to be anywhere near this thing when it goes off. I continue to frantically shovel tons of soil and rock with my mandibles, hoping to see the shield end at some point but the damn lizards have extended the thing into the ground, because of course they would.

    "Senior! What the heck-heck is that?" Vibrant rushes up next to me and demands.

    "Forget that! Dig and hold on! When the shield goes, we run for it!"

    I poke my head up over the mound of loose soil I''ve created and take a gander at the bomb''s progress. I can feel the lizards desperately ripping into the spell, trying to reduce its strength before the detonation, but when I focus on the slowly revolving ball of gravity mana, I notice something strange. As they try to tear mana free, the ball is trying to pull it back in, refusing to let any energy escape from its orbit. They''re managing to get hold of some of it and rip it free, but their efforts are only half as effective as they should have been.

    How terrifying! This is a spell that won''t even let itself be torn down!

    I smack my mind into the shield in front of me and I confirm that it''s significantly weakened. Already the kaarmodo have been forced to pull their attention from it in order to protect themselves. With effort, thebined efforts of my family and I could break through it now, but I get the feeling that in a moment this barrier is going to vanish entirely.

    Just before the spell hits, the ants begin to arrive, diving over the earth mound I''ve been piling up and frantically digging holes for themselves to hide in, even if they don''t understand why. A small number of termites have begun to charge out of the tunnel mouth after us and I almost feel pity. Those blind idiots are already dead.

    The gravity bomb impacts against the kaarmodo sphere and flickers for a fraction of a second. I don''t see what happens next, since I stick my head as low as I can get it and hold on for dear life.

    ["GRAB HOLD!"]

    Everyone rushes to do just that and for a brief moment, there is perfect stillness, as if the world were holding its breath. Then it screamed.

    No, not a scream, a ROAR!

    It''s like nothing I''ve experienced before. The wind doesn''t howl or shriek, it cuts and tears, ripping up the dirt, pulling up fungus, nts, trees, rocks, everything. I don''t dare poke my head out to take a look, I don''t dare rx my grip for even a second, instead I force my legs deeper and press my body down to the ground.

    ["Compress the soil around your legs! Do it!"] I order everyone.

    Further down the line, Tiny is hunched over, his hands and feet sunk deep into the ground with Invidia tucked against his chest. Simrly, Crinis has positioned herself underneath my abdomen, absorbed into the shadow there. His eye aglow, Invidia does as I ask, along with all the other ant mages in the group, reaching out with their minds topress the soil beneath us, tightening its hold on our legs.

    Like a creeping dread, the pull only grows stronger and every ant holds on for dear life, pulling themselves down until not a speck of space remains between their carapace and the ground beneath. The loose soil that had piled behind me as I dug is already gone, torn away in the first few seconds. If I angle my head even slightly, I''d be able to see behind me, see what it was that I unleashed.

    But I don''t dare. Even just the edges of it are scary. All I can see is darkness. A void. From this angle, I can''t even see the sphere itself, but that doesn''t seem to matter as theplete and utterck of light has extended outwards. I don''t even know if the kaarmodo are still holding on. I haven''t received any notifications for kaarmodo, I suppose, but if they can survive that then they''re a hell of a lot scarier than I thought they''d be.

    I''ve gotten a lot for termites though. A hell of a lot.

    On and on it goes, the hold of gravity on our bodies is relentless, pulling harder and harder as the magic of the gravity bomb burns itself out.

    Gritting my mandibles tight, I extend my mind out to touch the barrier and realise with relief that it''s gone, our way out has been secured. All we have to do is hold on until the spell fades.

    ["The bomb will burn itself out soon,"] I promise the others, ["and when it does, we run like hell back to the Colony. I want to see that legendary speed! Until then, hold on for your life, none of you are allowed to die before me!"]

    The ants are too tired to reply, all of their energy focused on gripping the rock. Ourmunal spirit is strong, the weaker and more vulnerable members are shielded and gripped by the strongest. In this way, we all survive together.

    The pull weakens slightly, then begins to gutter out.

    ["GO!"] I roar.

    And we run.

 Chapter 819 Promise (931)

    <h4>Chapter 819 Promise (931) </h4>

    The pain was beyond bone deep. Inside themunal bond, where once his servant, Issi, had been, was now a wound that tore into his very soul. Rassan''tep mped his fangs together and forced himself to rise, despite the protests of his body. The air was still filled with dust, visibility was poor, but he began to move toward the echoes that rang through the bond. Powerful legs scratched at the rubble, and soon he began to unearth his attendants. The surviving ones.

    What had happened? What was that?

    No. He wouldn''t allow himself to be distracted. The setsh required his aid and the bond demanded that he give it, he could not do less, as their master. The mountain face above them must have copsed, judging by the rubble, burying them all in tons of stone. He had survived thanks to his own shield, if not for that¡­ it didn''t bear thinking about.

    After twenty minutes he had managed to excavate most of them, using only his legs. Even now the mental strain pounded in his brain, every touch of mana like a twinge on an exposed nerve. By the sands, he was tired.

    "Mas¡­ ter," Ammon''sil groaned as he was uncovered.

    [Be silent,] the kaarmodomanded, [you have numerous broken bones and I have not a speck of magic left in me. We will need to carry you inside the mountain.]

    The leader of his servants closed his eyes and nodded wearily, his once pristine scales covered in dust, even torn away in ces. His wife, Rapsep''sil crooned softly as she knelt by her husband and brushed her hand over his crest. Rassan''tep looked aside, it wasn''t for him to observe such a private moment.

    [What a disaster,] a mind touched against his own, filled with disgust and fatigue.

    [Irion''tep. You have also survived?] he replied.

    [Barely. You will have to answer to the mahaan for this failure, Rassan¡­]

    Politicking already. He calmed his mind and sank his emotions under the dunes.

    [In what way have I failed, Irion?] he said calmly.

    His ally fell silent for a moment, though his rage practically vibrated over the mental link until he mastered it.

    [Does that really need to be said?] Irion finally asked. [The evidence of your failure is all around us. I have lost two of my attendants in this disaster, directly as a result of your n to lure the ants here with a false trail of pheromones.]

    [And my strategy was a sess. They were sessfully lured, we trapped them and would have fed them to our termites had we not been interrupted. Are you really ming me for not predicting the existence of a creature capable of such magic? Who could have known such a thing was possible?]

    Unable to retort that yes, he should have predicted the existence of a super-ant withmand over an unknown mana, Irion''tep could only fall silent as he dealt with the grief that overwhelmed all kaarmodo at the loss of their servants.

    [Let us continue to retrieve those that can be saved,] Rassan''tep suggested, [these discussions can wait forter.]

    The two fell silent as they continued to push through the rubble, searching for their allies and their servants amidst the rock. As they worked the dust continued to settle and the scale of the devastation gradually became known. It was absurd. In the face of the mountain, an enormous sphere had been carved that epassed most of what had previously been the main entrance. That spell, whatever it had been, had ripped up the rock as if it were in soil, tearing it from the mountain with ease. The trees in the distance, which had not long ago been coated in ayer of fungus, were now clear, but had been ttened, many uprooted and dragged across the ground, leaving enormous furrows in their wake.

    If it hadn''t been for their shield eating up so much of the spell''s energy, or their efforts to break the spell down, the scale of devastation would have been far greater. How could one creature produce such an effect against thebined efforts of so many minds? The secret had to lie in that strange mana type the ant had used, something that Rassan''tep had never encountered before.

    Indeed, a very promising prospect.

    The life of a cultist was a difficult one, they endured thousands of failures in their mission to create the final ancient, yet each toiled through the centuries knowing that they only had to seed once. For the first time in a long while Rassan''tep felt his heart quicken at the prospect of finally finding, the one.

    This ant, this Anthony, already more powerful than an ant monster had any right to be, also possessed this strange power. With another evolution, possibly two, they would have a clearer picture, but any monster able to do something like this at tier six was more than a worthy candidate. He would have to report back to the other members of the Red Truth, things had escted beyond what he was able to manage himself.

    As the work continued, they found two of their fellow kaarmodo had sumbed to their wounds beneath the stone before more of their allies emerged from within the mountain to assist and provide healing. Below, the termites boiled out of the deep tunnels, responding to a perceived threat that no longer existed, only to find that their fungus gardens had been destroyed, which drove them further in a fury. It would be a day before they calmed themselves most likely.

    As more kaarmodo emerged, discussions continued to evolve, next steps being considered, adjustments to the overall strategy, but Rassan''tep only half listened, he had other concerns to deal with. Thergest issue being how to ensure that this promising ant survived the retaliation that maye as a result of this incident. His people did not tolerate the loss of their servants lightly, let alone two of their number. He tapped into themunal mind bridge to find his worst fears confirmed.

    A divide had formed between those who wanted to directly intervene alongside the termites, abined force of kaarmodo, setsh and their controlled insects with no pretence of neutrality, to annihte the ant force and take the fight directly to the tree, and those who simply wanted to increase the scale of the termite force.

    He had wanted to apply pressure to the ant, but things could rapidly get out of hand.

    [Master?] Ammon''sil approached his side and ced a hand against his scales after being healed.

    [I am fine.]

    He wasn''t. He was tired, in pain and in desperate need of a scrub, the dirt between his scales rubbed fiercely, but he had no time to rest. He gathered himself before he made himself known within the discussion. With a little luck he could salvage this situation and ensure his precious prospect wasn''t burned out before he had a chance to shine.

 Chapter 820 Shadow of Fear (932)

    <h4>Chapter 820 Shadow of Fear (932) </h4>

    The orphans were ying in the street below and Enid smiled to see their carefree antics. One of the older girls caught her eye through the window and waved cheerfully, shing a broad grin when Enid waved back. It soothed her old heart, watching the young ones y. Goodness knows she wouldn''t be around much longer, but little moments like this were a reminder of why she worked so hard. Everything they did in Renewal was to provide a better future for the disced people who had made a home here, and none had suffered more than the orphans.

    She frowned. If only she could protect them from the shadow that nowy over the town. She''d seen it, that hesitation in the evenings when the tradesfolk where contemting working for a few more hours. Or the wavering hint of fear in the eye of the farmer as they counted the hours of rest they''d had the previous night. So many had disappeared, vanished from their offices, fields or, somehow, even from the street in broad daylight!

    She''d been talking with Mr Hollin the smith about thecking supply of raw iron as they walked toward his shop, only to find the man had been abducted right next to her mid-sentence! The fact she hadn''t heard or seen a thing only made the effect all the more chilling. She''d even taken several more steps, wondering why the usually talkative man would cut off so suddenly.

    "They are causing havoc," she growled to herself.

    "Who is?"

    Enid jumped then realised her assistant had entered the room as she brooded on the emergence of these ''Sleep Police''. Her surprise only added to her growing resentment. They had her jumping at shadows!

    "The sleep enforcers, whatever you want to call them," she grumbled. "People are scared of their own shadows, they record their hours of rest daily to ensure they remain above the threshold. It''s a reign of terror is what it is!"

    She pped the desk in front of her for emphasis.

    Jonathan watched her antics with an air of resigned amusement. It was far from the first time he''d heard this rant from the mayor and wouldn''t be thest.

    "This wouldn''t have anything to do with the fact that you yourself were amongst the first to enjoy their hospitality?"

    "Of course not," Enid snapped, "this is about the wellbeing of the people."

    In truth, she''d felt more than a little embarrassed at being abducted from her home when trying to get some extra paperwork done. She''d been operating on five hours of sleep a night for weeks up to that point. If they were going to grab anyone, it was almost certainly going to be her. A warning would have been nice though! She doubted that Anthony had to put up with this sort of treatment within the Colony.

    Her assistant sighed and began to roll out the same arguments he''d employed the previous day.

    "It''s hard to describe what''s taking ce as ''an attack on the wellbeing of the people'' when they are literally being forced to sleep. Productivity is up. People report being happier and more content. Crime is down, which I didn''t think would ever happen, given how low it was to start with. The number of couples falling pregnant has risen. Even the orphans are performing better in school. I have to say, the Great One was clearly onto something when they decreed people sleep more. The effect it''s had on the ce is incredible."

    Despite the litany of benefits that people had been experiencing, Enid''s scowl only grew deeper.

    "But the abductions are causing people to be afraid. How secure can someone really feel when they are terrified of vanishing from their own home!"

    Jonathan strolled over to her desk and dumped another handful of papers in front of her.

    "Yes. People are scared of being abducted," he agreed, "but it''s not nearly as bad as you say. You make it sound like they''re getting murdered, when in fact they are getting a good night''s rest, a cup of tea, a massage and a haircut. If it weren''t for the disorienting experience of being nabbed, people would probably be lining up for the service. The teddies of the Great One are also proving to be exceedingly popr."

    He flicked his eyes to the bookshelf in the corner where a plush and fuzzy ant with a fierce look on its face stood pride of ce in the centre of the shelf.

    The Mayor shuffled in her seat defensively.

    "It''s fluffy," she said.

    "Of course."

    "But that''s beside the point!"

    "I''m not convinced that it is," finally cracking, Jonathan ced his hands on his hips and levelled a weary re at his stubborn boss. "The only question that really matters is this, do you want to live with the support of the Colony, or not?"

    "With," Enid replied immediately. "We wouldn''t enjoy anything like the prosperity we have today without them. Forget that, we wouldn''t even be alive."

    "Right. Then you have to be prepared to adopt some of their values. This sort of stuff happens amongst the ants all the time and they seem to operate just fine. In fact, they probably push the boundaries harder than we do, which is likely why the Great One insisted on this rule in the first ce. It was only a matter of time until they applied this rule to us as well. In their mind, they''re helping us. And they are!"

    Taken aback by her usually mild mannered assistant''s direct speech, Enid finally slumped in defeat, a pose she was little ustomed to.

    "I just wish they would have consulted us. At least given us a warning. There are so many things I have to deal with and then I had a hundred missing person reports show up in a week, after I got abducted myself!"

    "I think it just goes to show that they really do think of us as part of them. This is something that they live by, and therefore so should we."

    "I have to admit, that worries me slightly," Enid admitted slowly, "do we really know what it means to be part of a monster society? Are we really ready for everything that they will decide is good for us? They have been so, so good to us this far, and I trust them, but I worry about the future and what might happen after I''m gone. This time it was something small, sleeping requirements, but what about next time?"

    Now finally the true concerns of the Mayor were brought to light. Her assistant shouldn''t have been surprised that she was worried about what would happen in her absence. She always worried about that.

    "It''s toote now to worry about integrating with the Colony," he reminded her gently, "we are a part of them now. We just have to ride it out as best we can."

    Enid sighed and looked out the window at the young orphans ying so happily in the street. At least they were free from such concerns, and the fear of vanishing overnight. As long as they were content and growing strong, then everything else was fine.

 Chapter 821 Tolly Tours (933)

    <h4>Chapter 821 Tolly Tours (933) </h4>

    I must say, my dear readers, that I was positively giddy at the prospect of being able to interview the most celebrated individual member of the Colony. I had thought that speaking to Elizabant would have ked my curiosity, but instead, it only inmed it!

    For a queen to be so deferential to this ''Eldest'', the ''Great One'' that themon people of Renewal held such reverence for. I have to say that the possibility of meeting such a creature set my heart positively aflutter!

    I hadn''t looked forward to a meeting so much since my much celebrated sit down with the Satrap of the Brathian Ind conglomerate, a most influential and secretive individual!

    Yet, my enthusiasm had to be tempered, dear readers, as my guide was only too quick to tell me.

    "I must warn you Miss Tolly, an audience with the Great One will be all but impossible to arrange," Emilia said. "The Great One hasn''t been seen by anyone from Renewal in years. I couldn''t even tell whatyer of the Dungeon they were on."

    "Then who can?" I ask.

    Always be problem solving, reader, that''s the key to moving forward, no matter the project!

    Emilia hesitated for a moment before she sighed and adopted a lecturing tone.

    "Beneath Anthome, in the second stratum, lies the first andrgest of the Colony''s deeper nests. It''s a very important site to the ants for historical and cultural reasons, and to the followers of the Colony like me, it''s practically holy. There are frequent pilgrimages to visit the nest that thousands attend every year."

    Well this all sounded positively wonderful!

    "And there we will be able to find more information on the Eldest?"

    "Perhaps. But we will need to follow protocols if we want to visit. The Colony insists that all visitors to the deeperyers undergo a mana saturation process to minimise the chance of sickness."

    "How thoughtful! I don''t suppose there is any way to skip it?"

    I have delved deeply into the Dungeon over the course of many years, as you well know, dear readers! But s, there was no slipping through the regtions of the Colony. Who would one even bribe?

    My delightful guide stepped away to discuss arrangements with a nearby ant whilst I took a moment to speak with my guards. Neither of the two strappingds were particrly fond of the idea of pushing yet further into thend of the Colony, but s, the terms of their contract required that they apany me. The poor dears. I wasn''t unsympathetic to their position and a promise of increasedpensation was enough to assuage their fears.

    Then we were off! Deeper into the Dungeon once more, in thepany of several rather imposing ant soldiers.

    I have to say, in terms of excitement and danger, there really wasn''t much to enjoy on this particr journey. I hardly saw a monster, other than the ants themselves, of course. We approached a well guarded building that contained several portals, each heavily trafficked. It was only thanks to the skilful negotiations of Emilia Cretherton that we were able to proceed at a reasonable pace.

    "This portal will take us just inside the second stratum. While we wait out the mandatory wait time we can tour the farms, visit the smelting facilities, and see a few other sights. Is that sufficient?"

    "That will be wonderful, dear."

    Once through the portal, a process that took several hours of waiting, we were embraced by the dark mana of the shadow sea. It had been some time since I had delved to the second stratum, my lovelies, and it stirred the most wonderful memories of the adventures I experienced in my youth! Plumbing the dark depths, hunting for dark whales with the mariners of light beneath the grand pir. All tales that you have no doubt read many a time!

    So it was that I experienced a jovial mood as Emilia began to guide us through the darkness. Even here the Colony had gone to every effort to ensure ourfort, offering warm clothing and enchanted light globes to ease our passage. Even without such considerations there would have been no struggle at all, since the pathways were so expertly carved and well lit. One would think we were strolling through an avenue in a well-heeled city borough, rather than plunging into the depths!

    It was quite strange, but pleasant!

    From there we spent several days touring the fields of the Colony and I must say what an impressive sight it was. Hundreds of acres of once wild and untamed expanse, humbled before the might of the Colony. Literally thousands of workers toiled without pause, tending to nts, delightful little aphid creatures and tea leaves, so many tea leaves!

    "Not all of the expanse within the Colony''s territory has been utilised in such a way," Emilia told us, ever eager to continue her role as guide. "Some are left in basically their natural state, mainly to provide hunting grounds the ants can use to secure experience, cores and Biomass. They have their own private areas in which they cultivate spawn points in an attempt to increase the number of monsters they can fight, but I personally haven''t seen them."

    "Can you exin those small creatures atop the trees to me, my dear?" I asked.

    She was only too happy tounch into an exnation of the origins of the aphids, the progenitor of whom was apparently a reconstituted pet of the Queen herself! I do admit to some confusion when she first utilised the term, ''Queen''.

    "Which queen?" I asked.

    "The Queen," she replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

    "Aren''t there many queens?"

    "Oh, I see what you mean. When I, or any ant, says THE Queen, they are talking very specifically about the first one."

    "You mean, the first of all the queens?"

    She nodded solemnly.

    "Indeed. Second only to the Eldest in terms of the respect afforded to them amongst the Colony and the faithful."

    She must have seen the light re up in my eyes, for she was quick to continue.

    "Don''t even think about trying to meet the Queen. It just won''t happen."

    I have to say, I was a little put out.

    "Why would that be?" I enquired.

    "The Queen has a reputation for risk taking and bold action, so the Colony is extraordinarily careful to limit her opportunities to put herself in harm''s way. She famously still hunts for herself, refusing to allow the soldiers and scouts to provide her meals for her. The only way to see the Queen would be to fight through an army of tens of thousands of ants."

    I let it go, though reluctantly. Very reluctantly, dear reader! The Queen, it needn''t be said, sounded like a bold adventurer after my own heart!

 Chapter 822 The Tally Man (934)

    <h4>Chapter 822 The Tally Man (934) </h4>

    "I''m telling you! We found a super, suuuper fishy scent trail and we decided to follow it!"

    "How much of that was wanting to investigate a possible threat and how much of it was just wanting to keep running once you got your speed up?"

    "Both-both! Running is fun! Investigating for the family is important!"

    I mean. That''s true¡­

    "Just try a little harder not to run headlong into dangerous situations, alright? If I hadn''t showed up, you and all of your followers would be dead right now."

    "I''m sorry, senior."

    And she actually looks like it, for once. Vibrant''s grown up big and strongpare to that miniscule little grub that I saved way back when. Endangering herself and her squad wasn''t something that she intended to do and I''m pleased to see her properly reflecting on her behaviour.

    "Well¡­ don''t beat yourself up too much, it looks like the lizards set a trap and we weren''t ready for something like that. If they can mask or somehow create scent trails then that''s something we''ll need to investigate. If they can manipte our sense of smell then we may not be able to rely on our own trails. That''s a nasty swerve."

    "I''llgolettheothersknowokaybyeeeeeee!"

    Unable to contain herself to a normal pace of conversation anymore, Vibrant sts me in the face with words and then turns and dashes away, kicking up a wave of dust that further smacks into my already reeling mug. That wasn''t necessary! Neither of those were necessary!

    Ugh, whatever. Damn, I''m tired. It takes a lot to get me tired, but this whole escapade has managed it. The constant construction work, followed by a battle, followed by more construction, then the chase after Vibrant and another battle. Even ten thousand ants providing regenerative energy through the Vestibule isn''t enough to fully soothe my fatigue. More to the point, I''m mentally exhausted after the many ups and downs. I need a snooze. Badly.

    "Eldest! Vibrant has been running around telling everyone all sorts of things about a giant mountain nest and bombs and lizards. I''m confused."

    Poor Sloan looks it too, her antennae twitching as she tries to make sense of what Vibrant had been saying as she roared past.

    "It''s not thatplicated, but the implications are serious," I sigh. "Basically, Vibrant was lured all the way to the termite nest. Well, a termite nest. I suppose we don''t actually know that there isn''t more than one. Anyway. It seems that the lizards have managed to find a way to produce pheromones via mana in some fashion, so we''ll need to be extra careful and not rely on our trails too much. When I turned up they had Vibrant trapped under a shield along with her crew. My squad and I broke in, caused a bit of havoc and then got them out. No problem."

    "No problem?" Sloan doesn''t seem convinced. "It doesn''t sound like it was no problem. I''m guessing you''ve left more than a little of the story out of your telling."

    I shrug.

    "The details will get out there soon enough and aren''t really relevant."

    I''m not wrong, all of Vibrant''s followers were there. The tale will be all over the fortifications before long.

    "What is relevant," I continue, "is what the reaction of the kaarmodo will be after we spit directly in their face like this."

    "What are your thought?"

    My thoughts? It always boil down to the same few options in the end.

    "They''ll either back off or double down. If they reflect on what happened and conclude that they might have bitten off more than they can chew, they''ll retreat, hit the pause button on their termite strategy. Or, they''ll get angry at us and invest even further in the termites before theye after us with a vengeance."

    "So we should start preparing then."

    "Indeed. We probably need another ten thousand ants toe down here to be honest."

    "I''ll get the word out."

    Out of the two options, is there really even a point considering which they might choose? When have the enemies of the Colony done anything other thane at us harder? It''s predictable at this point.

    "You do that. I''m going to go have a snooze."

    And check my status, I haven''t done that in ages. Me and fourrades pile into a separate chamber, out of the way of the main worker thoroughfares and immediately fall into a long session of torpor. Sarah waves us goodbye before we stumble in, not an easy feat with a bear paw, before she lumbers off to help with construction. When I awake, it''s with a start as my insect body zaps itself to alertness once more.

    HARRAZ! I''m up!

    What was I going to do? Oh yeah! Status update. Man I haven''t checked it in ages, there should be some juicy stuff in there. I don''t know the exact number of announcements I got after that gravity bomb, but it was a lot. Hopefully I''ve managed to climb in levels at least a little. Come to think of it, I haven''t really looked at it since myst mutation, which was over a week ago. So much hunting and fightingtely!

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 46 (Rare) (VI)

    Might: 205

    Toughness: 180

    Cunning: 145

    Will: 100

    HP: 360/360

    MP: 530/530

    Skills:

    General:

    Master Excavation (IV) Level 31; Expert Grip (III) Level 20; Expert Stealth (III) Level 10; Tunnel Compass (IV) Level 9; Iron Mind (IV) Level 40; Master Stamina (IV) Level 14; Still Meditation (IV) Level 21; Snap Dash (IV) Level 31;

    Mana:

    Mana Craft (V) Level 56; Condensed Mana (IV) Level 40; Finer External Mana Maniption (IV) Level 31; Mana Hoarder (IV) Level 31; Layered Mind Magic Affinity (V) Level 24; Directed Mana Sensing (IV) Level 36 Expert Healing Magic Affinity (III) Level 20; Omni-Elemental Affinity (V) Level 80; Advanced Mana Masking (III) Level 15; Wood Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Metal Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Lightning Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Advanced Force Magic Affinity (III) Level 16;

    Pet:

    Further Pet Communication (III) Level 20; Core Crafting (IV) Level 18; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 5;

    Defensive:

    Grandmaster Exo-Skeleton Defence (V) Level 45; Master Dodge (IV) Level 40; Master Endure (IV) Level 16; Expert Grace (III) Level 20; Advanced Mandible Parry (II) Level 10;

    Offensive:

    Unerring Acid Shot (IV) Level 26; Master Precise Shooting (IV) Level 38; Doom Chomp (V) Level 55; Mandible Spear (II) Level 8; Advanced Chomp Combo (II) Level 10; Charge (II) Level 6;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Sharpened Perimeter Eyes +25, Future Wave Sight Antennae + 30 (Twilight Fment);

    Defence:

    Thickened Complete Diamond Carapace +30, Fortified Healing Inner Carapace ting +30;

    Physical:

    Hardened Rapid Absorption Legs +25, Mana Drenched Mandibles +30, Hastened Potent Regeneration nd + 30, Loud Convincing Pheromone nd +25, Vast Hungering Stomach + 25; Lock Hyper-Twitch Muscture +25, Coordinating Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +25;

    Acid:

    Propagating Mana-Feasting Bind Acid nd +25, Guided Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +25; Thickened Draining Acid concentration nd +25, Exhausting Thickener Acid Stimtion nd +25;

    Mental:

    Indomitable Coordination Cortex + 30; Condensing Gravity Main Brain +15; Mind Mana Focused Sub-Brain +15; Mind Mana Focused Sub-Brain +15; Mind Mana Focused Sub-Brain +15;

    Mana:

    Forceful Unending Gravity Magic nd +30; Might Infusing Collective Will Vestibule +30 (Soul Crystal); High Purifying Communal Spirit Nave +30;

    Species: Colony Paragon

    Skill points: 57

    Biomass: 653

    Oh, shoot! That is a lot of levels! Up to level forty six already? This is already past the halfway point for myst evolution. Nice! I''ve also got a ton of skills that I need to rank up. I really should have checked my status ages ago.

    Most interesting of all is the level of my omni-elemental affinity! All of my diligent practice has finally paid off! Muahahahaaaa! Better rank up these skills and see what happens!

 Chapter 823 New Toys (935)

    <h4>Chapter 823 New Toys (935) </h4>

    Ranking up my elemental magic after such a long time is a nice milestone and one that I''m super pleased about. What sort of delicious new spells will I gain ess to? I''ve only very recently seen what dumping all of my gravity magic into a bomb can do, and whilst it''s obviously mega powerful, I can only shoot one of them! I need other options and that was the whole reason I worked so hard on the basic elemental mana skills!

    As the trickling sensation blooms in my brain I eagerly reach for the knowledge that is being created there, grabbing it in drips and drabs as the skill upgrades.

    Oho! Some juicy things indeed!

    And so many spells! Newbinations of elements that I couldn''t perform before! More potent, more destructive, more awe inspiringly DEVESTATING!

    Muahahahhahaha!

    Wait?! Is that the long suppressed resurrection of Dark Anthony? Down! Down you fiend! Back into the pit from whence you came!

    Now. New magic, what can I do?

    Bubbling away in my brain, new spell forms continue to take shape and I enjoy the process as they blossom into their final forms. Sometimes ranking up in magic just makes you better at it, helps you handle the existing spells and the construct better than you could before, but sometimes, like on this asion, new spellse into y, but I didn''t expect to see this many. I suppose it makes sense since I''m technically ranking up eight different skills at once.

    Blue fire, Ice, Stone and Gas magic being the four foundational elements and theirbinations making up the rest.

    The first new spell I investigate is one that seems to hold a lot of promise in my mind. A blend of fire and air, it takes a lot of mana, but can devastate a wide area with what looks like a fire tornado. Nasty. A base of twisting wind, a sprinkle ofbustible gas and a rip roaring fire, when mixed correctly will produce a towering pir of wind that burns with a furious heat.

    I''ll need to experiment somewhere safe, obviously, but it appears as though it won''t stay in one ce either, moving over the terrain in a way that I may or may not be able to control. Going to need to keep an eye on that.

    The second a rather unusual cocktail of water, gas and ice. This spell is also very resource intensive, which I''m starting to suspect they all will be, and requires forming a wide spray of water that is then frozen, trapping an unstable gas inside. The end result is a metric boat load of finger length, deadly missiles that well shatter with surprising force on impact, sending shards of magical ice all over the ce.

    Ouch. Probably not effective against more powerful monsters, but hey, with the sheer number of projectiles created with this spell, you never know. If I managed topress the water mana before releasing it, the resulting ice may have more prating power than I expect.

    I''ll call it, Concussive Needle! Or something.

    The next option takes me by surprise. A sh hardening technique that makes use of stone, mud and ice mana. Weird. Effectively allowing the caster to shape something out of mud mana, then harden it near instantly. Perhaps not as shy as some of the other spells, but I can see a hell of a lot of applications out ofbat and more than a few in it as well. I haven''t made much use of mud in the past, mainly because I felt it would be fruitless to p something with wet dirt. Now that I think about it, there''s probably a lot more applications than I had considered. Turning the ground beneath an enemy into mud? That''s a ssic! But now I can take it a step beyond. I can bury an opponent under a jet of mud and then harden it around them before they can blink.

    Come to think of it, if I hit someone with mud, I can turn it stone basically any time I want. Ooo I think this one''s going to be tricky. Quick thinking in a fight hasn''t been my speciality, outside of my reflexes of course. That doesn''t mean I can''t improve though.

    What else have we got in here¡­

    There''s a rather deadly lookingbo of gas, air and fire. This spell looks a lot like the methrower effect I can already pull off, but turned up well past eleven and closer to fifteen. With thebination of an air funnel and gas mana providing more oomph for the me, it should burn hotter than I can make fire on its own.

    I might call this spell Dragon Breath. It''s going to look rad as hell. It probably only tickles demons, considering how fire resistant they are, but hey, I can see plenty of use for it.

    And luckyst. This spell seems¡­ different, to the others. Let''s see here. Lava? Lava is cool as heck, I want to use moreva. And webine it with, stone? It''s already part stone. What do we do with it though? We create a highly pressurised pocket ofva underground. I mean, cool? Is that supposed to be some kind ofvandmine? But then why the heck does it require so much earth and stone mana? Like, a lot.

    Wait a second.

    Is this¡­ a volcano? I think it is!

    Once the pressure below ground reaches a certain point, the spell creates a massive shift in the ground, driving the pressure upwards, which should result in a massive up swell as theva burst forth, sending ming rocks and rives ofva everywhere. With enough mana investment, I could make an actual, full blown volcano. But¡­ we are talking about a ton of mana. More than I could handle in a day, probably.

    If we could tunnel underneath the termite nest¡­ and somehow remain undetected, then I could gradually build up this spell directly underneath their mountain. I''d need help from other mages to conceal such a massive concentration of mana, but it could be doable.

    If it all came off, we could destroy the termites without even having to fight them, the spell would flood their tunnels withva and shatter the mountain from the inside.

    Not a nice way to go, but all is fair in war against termites.

 Chapter 824 Biomass Spending (936)

    <h4>Chapter 824 Biomass Spending (936) </h4>

    The delicious sensation of new and powerful spells is one thing, but now that it''s done I have to turn to another experience, one that is perhaps less pleasant. Mutation time! Gotta improve that body and push my limits to beyond the¡­ limit. Or something. I''ve managed to gather around six hundred Biomass, not a bad effort given the fact I''ve been at a higher tier than almost all my food. The penalty reduction from upgrading my stomach is definitely paying dividends right now. Imagine if I had to go against monsters as strong as I am constantly¡­ no thanks.

    It''s nice to have a challenge every now and again, but for real, beating up on weaker monsters is by far the more rxing way of levelling up. It just takes longer. Good thing I''m a very patient and restrained person.

    ¡­

    I barely managed to keep a straight face when I said that and my face is literally part of my skeleton.

    Where to turn now? I''ve actually managed to mutate quite a few of the big ticket items by this stage and now it''s time to move onto the more niche things. My brains are still only at fifteen and they definitely need to go to thirty as a priority, considering how excellent my new magic is, any little bit of help casting will make all the difference.

    So let''s take a look at what we have going on right now. The three sub-brains are all specialising in mind magic, which makes perfect sense as it allows them to better utilise the mind constructs. The multiplicative effect of being able to focus on so many things at once is certainly a powerful feature and precisely the reason I was able to pepper my enemies with so many spells in the defensive battle against the termites. It also helped me rank up my elemental magic at such a prodigious speed since I''ve been practicing a minimum of three different elemental magics constantly.

    The question is, do I go all the way to thirty with the mind magic speciality or do I slide something else in there to nestle alongside. Browsing through the options doesn''t really help me, despite the absurd plethora on offer, since my focus has finally started to narrow down, the vast majority of options simply don''t apply to me. Light or dark? Nope. Life? I guess now that I''ve encountered life mana it would make sense for the option to pop up, but nope. There''s a ton of upgrades for better cognition that mighte in handy. Better memory, faster thinking, more adaptive thought processes.

    You really can just straight up make yourself a faster and better thinker through mutation. Almost feels like cheating.

    But no. That is not my path! I have always left the thinking to the Colony and I shall continue to do so! I can be honest and say that even if I reset my brains all the way back to 0 and focused on nothing but pumping up my cognitive abilities, I''d still be less capable of making good decisions than the Colony as a whole. More brains is better, and even if I have four, there are hundreds of thousands in the Colony by now, probably. I''ll put my trust in them. Besides, mutating my brains does provide a background improvement to all of their functions. Every +1 has a strengthening effect to the organ or body part being mutated. It doesn''t have as big an effect as the big ticket mutations thatnd every five levels, but it adds up over time.

    To take one of my brains from +15 to +30 is going to take¡­ three hundred and forty five biomass¡­ you can''t be serious. Geez this is getting expensive. Damn you Gandalf! Does your greed know no limits?!

    So I suppose that means I''m only going to mutate one brain up to +30, and if that''s the case then it''s obviously going to be my main one. I''m prettyfortable mutating along the same lines that I employed thest time. Improve my handling of gravity mana, and improve my ability to condense mana. Thest gravity bomb I threw out is all the evidence that I need to show the effectiveness of this strategy. I was able to pump just about all of the mana in my organ into that beast, though part of that was the spell literally pulling the mana out of me outside of my control.

    So with that, my main brain goes from the Condensing Gravity Main Brain +15 to Crushing Gravity Well Main Brain +30.

    Sounds like a ck hole factory to me. I like it!

    With that done, and the massive cost involved, I can take two organs from +25 to +30 with what I have remaining. The stomach is probably a good option, finally. I''ll pump that up to 30 and reap the benefits of further reducing the tier penalty.

    Next on the list is muscture. Normally I''d want to mutate this and my nervous system at the same time, but unfortunately I can''t bear the cost of that right now. Don''t mind, nervous system, your time wille soon!

    As I check my status, I feel a warm sense of pride as I see my progress. The goal of +30 across the board is almost within reach and I look forward to the day when my body is once again pristine and maxed out, securing that sweet, sweet evolution bonus.

    All in all, this is going to cost six hundred and twenty five Biomass, leaving me with very little savings. Ah well, let''s confirm it!

    BRAZZINATH!

    Dammit! Why!? WHY?!

    It takes quite a while for the itch to finally fade. The length of the mutation seems to take longer the higher up the tiers I go. I can only imagine what it must be like to go from +50 to +55 or something. Part of me hopes I''ll never find out.

    With that all done, I''m ready to emerge from my little hibernation chamber and with my friends by my side I emerge to find ants, so many ants, crawling all over each other as they rush about the ce.

    What the heck is going on?

    Sharpened Perimeter Eyes +25 -> Focal Compound Eyes +30

    Vast Hungering Stomach +25 -> Discerning Stomach +30

    Lock Hyper-Twitch Muscture +25 -> Coiling Hyper-Twitch Muscture +30

    Coordinating Instant Transmission Sub-Neural Network +25 -> Distributed Instantaneous Sub-Neural Network +30

 Chapter 825 Wake the Beast (937)

    <h4>Chapter 825 Wake the Beast (937) </h4>

    The door was shaking on its hinges.

    A piece of Legion history, the door to the Consul Chamber had stood for three thousand years. Abyssal steel, forged during the Rending, formed the core of the massive doors, which stood over ten metres tall, covered in potent enchantments of hardening and regeneration powered by Mythic cores. Atop that unbreakable frame,yer afteryer ofpressed, living stone had been ced, bonded together to create an imprable bulwark that defended the highest officer of the Legion.

    Intricate and detailed carvings covered the outer face. Legend had it that the hands of the founders themselves had held the chisel. The images were mirrored from one door to the next, the form of the ideal Legionary imprinted in glorious, expressive lines. A body of steel, weapon drawn, perfect form, eyes that zed with determination and a heart that burned even brighter.

    Despite its incredible density and weight, despite being a bulwark that could receive a blow from a battering ram without shifting an inch, it was shaking.

    Outside the door, two of the finest soldiers the Abyssal Legion could produce, stood to attention. Praetorian Guard, armoured in the rarest of the rare, full Abyssal Steel Praetorian armour. The two stood an imposing four metres tall, weighted polearms held steady. Two veterans, they had earned the honour of guarding the Consul Chamber through numerous campaigns in the depths of the Dungeon, fighting the worst enemies the sentient people of Pangera could face.

    It could not be seen behind their visors, but sweat beaded both of their brows. The rolling waves of pressure that hammered against the door and bled through beat down on them. Lesser beings would be on their knees, blood pouring from their mouths, but within their coveted armour, they were safe.

    Inside the chamber, it was far worse.

    Idly, Commander Myriam began to wonder if this was how she would die. Not at the hands of an ancient, or some other terrible monster in the depths, but here in the heart of the Legion''s strength, crushed to death by the rage of her own superior officer.

    She felt blood well in her mouth so she leaned slightly to the side and spat in her helmet which she held tucked under her arm. It wouldn''t do to stain the floor of the Consul''s office.

    It was quite a thing to see, the legendary berserker rage of the Consul. This was the power that had given her the ability to rocket through the ranks, ascending all the way to the highest office atop the bodies of innumerable monsters.

    Minerva drew deep steadying breaths as her fists clenched and unclenched. If she''d had her axe in hand, goodness knows what might have happened, thankfully it hadn''te to that.

    Breathe in. Breathe out.

    The overwhelming pressure that filled the room pulsed with every exhtion of the Consul, causing the reinforced stone that formed the walls to creak and groan.

    Blind, overwhelming rage filled her mind, nketed her vision with red and flooded her body with strength. Containing it was difficult, just standing still was a trial. That power yearned to be used. It thrashed and coiled and whispered in her ear. She couldsh out, she could strike, she could kill. Anything to let it out, set it free.

    Just breathe.

    Head down, eyes closed, the Consul went to war with herself in a way she hadn''t done for decades.

    I''m in control, not you.

    She grit her teeth and slowly unwound her fists, allowing the tension to drain from her muscles one by one.

    Commander Myriam leaned to the side and spat once more as the pressure slowly began to ease. It looked as if she wouldn''t die today after all. The next time she came to report to the Consul, she wasing in armour, no matter what it looked like.

    "I apologise for myck of control," Minerva eventually ground out as she finally managed to force down her anger. "Your words took me by surprise."

    "I can''t imagine why," Myriam replied dryly.

    The radiating aura that had been so crushing only moments ago receded to a more a more tolerable level, though it remained, simmering beneath the surface.

    "Those damned lizards. They choose to flout thews that have stood for thousands of years now? Which idiot thought this could possibly be a good idea? I''ll wring his idiot, scaled neck¡­"

    Minerva stopped pacing back and forth behind her desk, a habit she had unconsciously fallen back into, and breathed again. It wouldn''t do for the rage to emerge again so soon after she had put it away.

    "Imunicated to the Mahaan that you would be displeased, Consul. I also noted that the gathered clutch were predominantly younger and untested."

    "Throwing away disposable pawns so they don''t have to taint their own ws," Minerva grunted, a mannerism in which she was almost identical to her husband. "The whole enterprise reeks of cowardice."

    "I suspect that they believed our own disagreements with the Mother Tree would lead us to look the other way as they instituted this program. I tried to warn them, Consul."

    "Too stupid to listen. Pride will doom this world a second time. I will not carry water for these fools."

    She mmed her hand down on her desk and the shockwave blew Myriam''s hair back. Remarkably, the table held.

    "Send in the scribe!" The Consul roared and the massive doors opened a crack.

    The scribe entered in full armour, gleaming with enchantments that protected the wearer from outside influences. Themander nodded. A wise y. Except the Consul''s face darkened at the show of weakness. She stomached it, for now.

    "Withdraw all forces from thends of the Ka''armodo, on every strata. End all joint exercises, training and missions, immediately. Close all diplomatic channels and make preparations to relocate every base and training facility that falls within their sphere of influence."

    Myriam was staggered.

    "Are you sure, Consul?" she asked, her voice steady despite her shock. "Some might see this as a grave overreaction. Certainly the Ka''armodo will not look kindly on us abandoning them in the face of theing disaster."

    "Us? Abandoning them?" Minerva sneered. "We did not turn our backs on three thousand years of tradition. We didn''t spit on the memory of those who died in the rending. We didn''t break the taboo and create self-sustaining monsters to do our bidding and fight our battles for us. We have held fast, fought the good fight and stood firm in the face of the worst this world has to offer for the good of its people. A sand baked hunk of lizard meat thinks to test our resolve? This is the Abyssal Legion and we are unmatched beneath the surface. We have battled since the cataclysm to preserve this world and I am not going to stop now."

    The Consul stood straight.

    "Some lines you only have to cross once. There is no going back. They will tell us it was only a rogue element. They will tell us it was done without knowledge or approval. They will tell us we are too hot blooded and need to calm down. They can get stuffed. From this day forward they are poison and we have cut them out."

    She red at the scribe who quivered in his armour in the face of the most powerful human in the world.

    "I have spoken," she ground out.

 Chapter 826 Volume 1 Coming up + AMA

    <h4>Chapter 826 Volume 1 Coming up + AMA </h4>

    The time hase.

    It''s been in the works for a while now, almost six months in fact. But soon, SOON, it will be released into the world.

    How soon? Really soon! June 7th!

    It''ll be released on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited and on Audible. HYPE!

    The audio was done by the amazing Jeff Hays and his studio, Soundbooth Theatre. Do check them out if you get the chance.

    If you ever wondered to yourself, what would happen if an editor got RinoZ in a room and punched his lights out before running away with the manuscript, then this is your chance to find out!

    Chrysalis Volume 1: The Antventure Begins!

    (Obviously I can''t link things here, but chuck a search into google and you''ll find the book, and my rad cover quickly enough on amazon).

    Now, if you have questions, ASK THEM IN THE COMMENTS, and you''ll get an answer. This is an ama, so go ahead and ask whatever you like and I''ll do my best to satisfy your questions. You can ask me about the writing process, about why my editing is so poor, about why I don''t keep writing The Devil You Know, about how I need to write more, about howzy I am... you know what, get off my case already!

    I''ll be checking the questions today and for a good chunk of tomorrow, so get in while you can!

    Have a great day! ^^

 Chapter 827 War Resurgent (938)

    <h4>Chapter 827 War Resurgent (938) </h4>

    My father, and even at this early juncture I must apologise for every one of my writings circling back to the man who raised me, was the first to ever mention the fifth stratum to me.

    He described it as a world of endless and profound noxiousness. A ce where every particle of substance that filled it had been bio-engineered into a vehicle for death. A single breath could kill. A single touch, lethal. He spoke of rivers of poison that flowed through the air. He talked ofkes filled with bile so virulent that reality itself was infected by it.

    At the time, we lived in the fourth, within the temple city of Artas, home to the grand cathedral of the path, as I''m sure you know, and the idea of such a ce existing within such rtive proximity had me waking in screaming fear every second night for months. I cursed that old man, (silently within the recesses of my mind, for I whollycked the fortitude to face him directly) for sharing such horrific visions with me, a mere child. For many years I resented him for, wondering why he had never watered down his experience for me, not made it more digestible for a youth.

    When finally I decided to face my fears, one by one, as an adult, it eventually came time for me to visit the fifth. I needed to dispel the horrific image of my tormented childhood and rece it with the firm reality which could not possibly match the terrors conjured by the imagination of a child.

    I was wrong. He kept so much from me, when I was child. What I saw was so, so much worse than anything I could have imagined. How could a good world possibly stand for such things to exist?

    Excerpt from "Recollections of my Father: Child of the Iron Fist" by Ingtin.

    It''s be something of a habit to poke into the gathered Will of the Colony whenever I want to know something about what my siblings are up to but I''ve started to think that might be considered something of an intrusion. I mean, it might not be the same thing as peering into their minds but it''s adjacent! Instead of resorting to this more intrusive method of enquiry I prod one of the rushing workers with an antennae and fire off a quick question.

    "What''s going on? Why the rush?"

    "Eldest! I didn''t expect to see you there¡­ resting."

    I rear up to my full height, which is rather impressive now, over three metres at least. I certainly tower over this presumptuous carver!

    "I fought two battles back to back and hadn''t slept in days! Are you suggesting that I shouldn''t be taking torpor?"

    "Ah¡­ no."

    "Are you saying that torpor and rest are unnecessary?"

    "No!"

    At my words the shadows within this stretch of tunnel darken precipitously as a cold wind blows against our antennae. The rush of ants continues past us, even quicker than before, every individual avoiding paying any attention to the unnatural darkness or the ant I now loom over. I eye the suddenly nervous carver.

    "Just one more question¡­ when was thest time you had a rest?"

    The question strikes the poor worker in the heart and she physically recoils, her antennae iling wildly as she fails to control her panic.

    "I - I - ¡­ I''ve been busy!"

    So shouting she runs down the tunnel, only to be swallowed whole by the darkness that rises to embrace her. In a blink, everything has returned to how it was before, the workers streaming down the trail, no ominous living shadows, no bitter cold wind, and no carver.

    Good work, I sign to the air.

    Then I poke another of my siblings.

    "Hey, what''s going on?"

    "Eldest! I didn''t see you there! I certainly didn''t see anything that I shouldn''t speak of¡­"

    "Good. Any chance you can tell me what''s going on? Why are there so many of us around here? Is there an emergency?"

    "Not as such," the general rubs her head with one antennae as she ponders the question. "I came in as part of the third wave an hour ago and received a short debrief before I was directed to the front. Apparently the south east quadrant is seeing elevated enemy activity and fortifications in that region are only sixty percentplete as ofst reporting."

    Hang on¡­ what?

    "The three main fronts of concern are still the central, eastern and north eastern of course, the fighting there is intense I''m told. There was a counter offensiveunched down the main tunnel thirty minutes ago which eased the pressure but they had to pull back to avoid supply lines being cut by tunnelling forces. The counter tunnelling efforts are draining a huge amount of antpower, but if they keep the termites off of our carapace'' then it''s all worth it of course. Anyway, thanks for the chat Eldest, I really need to get going."

    With a quick and unnecessary salute, the general is gone, whisked off and vanishing into the endless blur of ants rushing past. Fighting? Counter tunnelling? Three active fronts?

    [Crinis¡­ how long was I asleep and mutating for?]

    [Around six hours, master.]

    Holy heck! In just six hours the Colony has brought in a further two waves of reinforcements and the termites have assaulted in numbers? I expected things to escte, but not before I''d finished my nap! Dammit!

    I spread my awareness out amongst the ants within range, dipping my awareness into the steam flowing through the Vestibule and letting the impressions of thousands of individuals wash over me. It''s true, many ants are fighting, many others are still building, working, fortifying.

    [We need to get out there guys! Things have gotten intense in thest little while!]

    I keep half a mind on the Vestibule as we rush back to the front once more, trying to get a moreplete sense of what is going on, and what happened while were sleeping. It looks as if the Colony has continued to reinforce in waves of ten thousand, as there are roughly triple that number within range of me right now. Across an area that covers dozens of square kilometres, ant and termite are shing, in tunnels and behind defences, on open ground and buried beneath tons of soil.

    A constant stream of termites seems to flowing from unknown sources to contest the Colony, but not as foolishly as they had before, running headlong into our defences. The termites are being more cautious, smarter, probing and testing, rushing in and then pulling back, as if they were being controlled by a more potent intellect.

    Which of course they were¡­

    Damn these lizards! They really can''t stand being beaten, huh? All that''s going to happen is they get beaten worse! That, I can promise.

 Chapter 828 939 - Iâ€™m Home pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 828 Chapter 939 - I''m Home pt 1 </h4>

    "She did what?"

    "She cut ties between the Legion and the Ka''armodo,pletely."

    Titus nodded with a satisfied expression on his face as he confirmed the news whereas Morrelia could only sigh and bury her face in her hands.

    "Isn''t that, a bit, extreme?" she pleaded with her father. "Isn''t everyone worried about a second cataclysm? Isn''t the Legion being pushed on multiple fronts because we are undermanned and undersupplied? This seems like a poor time to be turning our backs on allies¡­"

    "I agree with you. We shouldn''t be turning our backs on allies right now."

    "Then you agree?"

    "No. By creating a race of subservient monsters to wage war on their behalf, the Ka''armodo have shown themselves to be no allies of the Legion. Your mother has only made formal the arrangements their attitudes deserve. Now our Legionaries will not have to fight and die to protect those who would stab us in the back."

    His arms folded across his chest, Titus was an imposing figure. A stern expression was carved into his features, as usual, and the steely glint of absolute confidence could be found in his eyes. Seeing it, Morrelia began to doubt her objections until her head began to swim. She brought both hands up and scratched her head furiously.

    She didn''t like dealing with the politics and the wider implications of what the Legion did, buttely she had forced herself onto the path of leadership and so she''d done her best to pick up everything she could. Even so, decisions like this made her knees weak. The repercussions of what her mother had done would resound throughout all of Pangera for decades, possibly centuries!

    Titus chuckled and pped his daughter on the shoulder. Not that long ago she would have been rocked to the side when he did that, now she withstood his hand with ease. Her levels were umting rapidly, the training was working.

    "Don''t think on it too hard, I guarantee your mother didn''t. Her role as Consul is to faithfully follow the founding principles of the Legion, not to engage in petty politicking. We aren''t sophisticated enough for that. We don''tpromise, we don''t bargain, that''s it."

    "Don''t we have deals with demons in the third stratum to operate in their territory? Pretty bigpromise if you ask me," his daughter pointed out.

    "True," Titus agreed, "we did try to eliminate demonspletely but gave up after five hundred years. The final decision was that the effort was totally fruitless, killing them only makes them spawn faster. Trying to block or disperse the spawn points doesn''t work, since they spawn everywhere. In fact, by focusing so many resources on a single front, the Dungeon quickly became hazardous in other areas. A further three hundred years of campaigning were required to settle things down again."

    "Dad, enough history, please. I know about the five hundred year war."

    "Then you know why wepromised with the demons," Titus raised a brow as he looked down on his daughter.

    Only very recently had she started to call him ''Dad''. He would never admit it, but that simple fact brought him great joy.

    "Not that I''m unhappy to see you, but why are you here anyway? I thought you were campaigning with your new Legion. You¡­ didn''t go and fight the Colony again, did you?"

    "No," Titus frowned. "I asked to be deployed back to the second along with four full Legions to run a proper extermination but was denied. Again. We did a snap tour of the third instead. It went well."

    Themander shifted his stance slightly.

    "The Colony, as you call it, has been put on the back burner for the time being. We have so many fires to put out that a group of monsters who are actively helping sapients rather than eating them is hard tomit resources to. As long as we can stamp them out before the mana gets too high, it should turn out alright."

    Morrelia hesitated, but eventually spoke her mind.

    "If the ants aren''t hurting anyone, and are in fact helping people, then why stamp them out at all? If monsters have to exist, then isn''t that the type of monster we want?"

    This was a sore spot between the two and she searched her father for any sign he had relented on this point. There was none.

    "What the Ka''armodo have done, creating a race of monsters to do their dirty work, has been done before, even as far back as the Rending. No matter how hard you try, no matter what restrictions you ce on them, eventually the monsters go wild. Every time, no exceptions. Even worse, the Ancients had the ability to dominate monsters that came anywhere near them. The servants that had been so carefully reared turned around and decimated the fools who had raised them by the millions."

    Morrelia blinked.

    "I''d never heard that," she said quietly.

    "Talking about anything from that time is sensitive. You didn''t have the clearance for it, before now."

    "Great. Any other perspective shattering secrets you want to drop on me?"

    "Heaps," Titus smiled, "but now isn''t the time. I didn''te here for that. You''ll learn all of it in time."

    She stepped back from her father and sat on her cot in the confined resting domicile they were standing in.

    "As happy as I am to see you, Dad, why have youe now? I''m sure you have a ton of things that need doing. Is there something particr happening now, or are you just bored?"

    Thest was said as a joke, but true to form Titus did notugh.

    "You don''t remember?" he asked.

    He didn''t sound mad, but rather slightly amused, which only confused Morrelia further.

    "Remember what?" she asked slowly.

    The room rumbled slightly.

    Titus nced toward the door and nodded to himself.

    "That should be it now."

    The walls shook.

    Morrelia looked around carefully, her hands reaching for her weapons as she rose back to her feet and took a fighter''s stance.

    "What''s happening?" she demanded, the snap ofmand entering her tone.

    It filled the old campaigner''s chest with pride.

    "I''d put the weapons down," he advised, "they won''t help."

    The shaking was constant now, a steady vibration that only increased with every passing second.

    "Dad, seriously, what is happening. Are we under attack?" Morrelia demanded, increasingly worried as the room shook all around her.

    "In a way," Titus shrugged.

    "A monster?!"

    "Oh definitely."

    "You aren''t helping!"

    "I''m not really trying to," he grinned.

    There was something about that smile, so strange to see it on her father''s face, that triggered a memory in her mind. There was only one thing that made him behave like this. Her mind raced. What day was it? Her training had been so intense, time was a blur. She didn''t know. In fact, what week was it?!

    All of a sudden the reinforced bulkhead that was her door bulged on its hinges as the reinforced steel buckled under a tremendous impact. The metal warped and twisted like mud as some inhuman force ripped into it from the other side.

    "I knew she''de here straight away," Titus confessed over the screeching sound of tearing steel. "So I thought I''d be here for the reunion."

    Suddenly an arm punched through the door, the jagged edges doing no harm to the hand or arm as it pulled back through. Rather, it was the metal that bent as the skin brushed against it.

    With horrifying casualness, those hands grasped the edges of the hole they had punched through and widened the gap, the metal screeching in protest.

    Then a face appeared, grinning wide.

    "Hello daughter!" Minerva said. "Give your mother a hug!"

    Her term as Consul had finallye to an end.

 Chapter 829 Iâ€™m Home pt 2 (940)

    <h4>Chapter 829 I''m Home pt 2 (940) </h4>

    Death.

    "Minerva, you''re gripping too tight."

    "Oh, damn."

    The pressure eased just enough for Morrelia to gasp down a breath of air. The darkness receded long enough for her to raise her hands and pat her mother on the back.

    "Nice to see you too, mother," she rasped.

    "Aww, it''s great to see you too kid."

    With one final bone crunching squeeze, Minerva released her daughter and Morrelia fell on her heels. She absent-mindedly rubbed at her arms. Just how strong was this woman?

    Minerva stood taller than her daughter by a few inches, but in many other respects the two looked much the same. The same dark, wavy hair, the same squarish jaw and the same muscr build. Even their eyes were the same steely grey. Having not been this close to her for so many years, Morrelia was shocked at just how alike they were.

    "It''s wonderful to see you two together again," Titus smiled, an unusual expression on his generally stony face.

    Minerva was quick to remark on it.

    "Don''t smile, husband, you look strange."

    Then sheughed.

    "By the me I am happy to finally be out of that office! Now all the pencil pushers will have someone else to bother and I can get back to campaigning. How about you, daughter? Ready to join me in the field."

    Minerva shed a wild grin as Morrelia gaped at her.

    "I''m still in training! I''m supposed to be meditating in my pod, istion to reflect on my gains. Not that I can do that now I suppose," she gestured to the ruined door.

    "It''s good to be patient and think carefully about how you want to proceed," Titus approved, "believe it or not, your mother had to go through it as well. Don''t mind her attitude, she''s just excited to see you."

    The former Consul eyed themander through narrowed lids as she pondered violence but Titus just spread his hands. Finally she sighed and sat on the bed.

    "Of course I''m excited."

    She gestured vaguely.

    "I''ve been glued to that desk, sending others out to do the fighting and the dying for far too long. I want to be with my family and start making a difference again."

    "You were the Consul, mother. I think you were making a difference."

    "It''s not the same. I think you know exactly what I mean, Morr."

    She did. Much like her more short tempered parent, Morrelia much preferred to get her hands dirty.

    "Is it really alright that your final act as Consul is to break a thousands of years old alliance?" she asked.

    "That? Forget about that," Minerva dismissed it with a wave. "That''s not worth worrying about."

    "You can''t be serious."

    "I''m deadly serious. They broke the alliance with their actions, I simply made it formal. Enough of that, I want to hear about what you''ve been up to here in this poisonous hellhole."

    Morrelia shrugged.

    "Probably exactly what you''d expect. Getting adapted to the training armour. Working on skills. Hunting monsters. Trying to survive the environment. Leadership exercises. They keep us pretty busy."

    "Of course they do," Titus rumbled, "if you''re going to lead your own Legion someday, you need to be prepared. The soldiers won''t follow someone they don''t believe in."

    "Are you saying that someone wouldn''t follow her?" Minerva growled. "She''s more than ready to handle her own Legion."

    "Mother, you have no idea what level I am¡­"

    She only just got here!

    "Nonsense! I''ve been getting weekly reports from your instructors. I know exactly how far you''vee."

    Morrelia turned to her father.

    "Isn''t that an abuse of authority? Can I report her?"

    "Obviously not. What are they going to do? Strip her of the role? Her term already finished."

    "As if they''d do anything to me anyway," Minerva said, her eyes sparking with the faintest hint of her famed rage. "They wouldn''t have had the guts."

    The three fell into afortable silence as the bulkheads around them groaned and shifted under the pressure they were subjected to. The absence of her brother was a painful hole that each felt keenly but wouldn''t talk about. There was no need. His memory was toorge to fit into a few words, it felt as if he would be diminished if they were to try.

    "How are you finding the praetorian training?" Titus was the one to break the silence, curious about how Morrelia was handling the heavy warsuits of the Legion.

    Morrelia slumped.

    "Exhausting," she confessed. "The mana demand is so extreme I can barely keep it active for ten minutes at a time. The power is incredible, but I''m worried I''ll never be able to get my operation time high enough to qualify for a proper suit.

    "It just takes time," Minerva assured her. "The more you demand of the mana channels in your body, the more they can do. The rest is down to your determination and ability to handle bucket loads of pain."

    "I''m guessing you did well then," Morrelia said wryly.

    Minerva smiled.

    "I still hold the record for the training course," she boasted.

    "And second is not close," Titus shook his head.

    "You would know."

    "You''ll never let that go."

    "Of course not."

    Titus turned to his daughter.

    "Don''t botherparing yourself to this outlier," he jabbed a thumb at his wife, "she also holds the record for the longest exposure to the air outside without a helmet. Mainly because nobody else was dumb enough to try it."

    "A full minute," Minervaughed when Morrelia turned a wide-eyed stare at her. "Almost died for it though."

    "That''s longer than most monsters from the fourth willst out there¡­" Morrelia muttered.

    "That''s what I mean. Don''tpare yourself to someone as abnormal as your mother."

    "Your tone is getting on my nerves, Titus," Minerva growled.

    "Are you going to do anything about it?" he countered.

    The two red at each other but under the surface level of simmering anger there was something else that Morrelia did not want to explore.

    "What happens if I continue to widen the mana channels in my body? The amount of mana I can handle goes up, but what about limatisation? Wouldn''t there be powerful side effects?"

    Both parents turned towards her but it was Titus who answered.

    "In short, yes. If you manage to pilot a praetorian suit, you''ll never be able to walk normally on the surface again."

    He held up a hand before she could interrupt him.

    "Obviously your mother and I were able to return to the surface, but there were several key conditions. First of all, the process to relimatise to low mana environments was¡­ extreme. Secondly, even after that extended process we needed to take liquid mana supplements to keep us alive. Once your body has gotten used to having that much mana inside it, there really is no going back."

    Morrelia absorbed this in silence. She''d suspected just how difficult the process of returning to the surface had been for her parents, and the more she learned the more she understood how hard, and how rare an act it was that they had done.

    "Why did you do it?" she finally asked. "You could have raised us in the fourth if you''d wanted. Why did you put yourselves through it?"

    It was Minerva who offered an answer.

    "Children should grow up under the sun," she shrugged. "That''s all."

 Chapter 830 Colony Assault (941)

    <h4>Chapter 830 Colony Assault (941) </h4>

    From the floor of the third stratum, four giant pirs were rising. Compressed stone, marked with grooves, rotated upward from an enormous base of gathered material. Around the base of eachboured a thousand earth mages,bining their will to enable the great working, shifting thousands of tons of rock with their minds alone.

    Hundreds of metres above,shed with the burning wind and flecks of ash that filled the air of thisyer of the Dungeon, yet more thousands of ants gripped tight to the sides of the columns as they drew ever closer to the te above. A barrage of spells fell toward them, deflected by shields and broken apart by yet more mages, but some fell through, crashing into massive soldiers who absorbed the blows with their hardened carapace.

    Atop glittering tforms of pure energy, teams of demons battle in the air, flinging magic and their own bodies at each other for control of the sky, such as it is, around the outer edge of the te.

    Yet more ants mass around the base of the assault columns, grouping together in teams before they begin to ascend. The stone will make contact any moment now, they need to be in position for the final assault.

    The air is filled with shes of magic, smoke and fire, making it difficult for Sloan to see, but she can grasp enough of the situation from her position on themand hill to make a snap judgement.

    "Move out the healer teams, we want theming in right behind the assault crews."

    "Yes, general!"

    "Bring the artillery scouts to the forward firing position. I want the edge of that te covered in acid in one minute."

    "Understood!"

    She fired off orders and the messenger scouts positioned around her dashed away to deliver her instructions to the dedicated ry stations. A mixture of mind magic and enchanted pheromone projectors would be used to spread the word over wide distances in a short time frame. In thirty seconds her instructions could hit any point on the battlefield.

    The demon city above loomed ominously. Iritel, a smallish settlement by the standards of the third stratum, only slightlyrger than Roklu had been when the Eldest had found it. The petty lord who ruled over it had been the unfortunate recipient of the Colony''s eye and now faced an assault the scale of which could not have been foreseen.

    Fifty thousand ants and hundreds of demons had massed against the city and it could not possibly hope to stand against theirbined might. Brixinmanded the gathered demon forces, her demonic heart pounding with glee as her territory was set to expand once more.

    Iritel rested half way up a world pir that stood dozens of kilometres from Roklu, on the opposite side from the contestednd with the kaarmodo. For now, the Colony had decided against antagonizing their neighbours any further, but that situation remained vtile.

    "Contact!"

    A faint rumbling could be heard resounding from kilometres above their heads as the slowly rotating pirs crunched into the bottom of the stone te. The moment they did so ants rushed up the connected pir, a living carpet that covered each pir began to spread along the underside of the demon city, the ants clinging to the stone as they made their way to the edge, an enormous drop to the ground below them.

    "Get the human teams in position. I want those aura buffs to hit the moment our teams rush over the edge. Tell the demons to unleash their maximum firepower. Are those artillery squads in position yet!?" Sloan bellowed.

    "Artillery firing!"

    There was an extended series of low thumping sounds as four separate batteries of specially evolved scoutsunched their enormous payloads ofpressed acid into the air. Huge streaks of sizzling fluid arced through the sky before they fell upon the te. The demons in thending zones, trying to hold off the encroaching forces are forced back from the edge, lest they be ovee. No sooner does the first barragend that the second is in the air, then the third.

    Once the fourthnds, it''s time to move.

    Ants flood over the edges, gnashing and biting at everything they see as roaring priests apanying fiery eyed human warriors leap from their specially prepared floating tforms onto the te to fight alongside them. Enervated by the potent aura buff of fighting alongside their allies, the ants push forward aggressively and overrun the outer defences of the city.

    Thending zones rapidly expand as more ants reach the upper side of the te, splitting off in teams to reach their predetermined holding points. Brixinnded on the te alongside her handpicked team of assistants before she pushed hard toward the centre of the city. It was up to her to put down the tier seven city lord. The ants could defeat them, but not without sacrifice. Better to leave it to their demon ally and y safe.

    With their forces already running rampant through the city, the battle was over and Sloan sighed. She didn''t allow any sign of her draining tension to show, but internally she allowed her mind to wander. Iritel was only the first city that would fall to the Colony this week, three others were lined up and preparations were already underway, resources gathered.

    After several weeks of preparation, the time of expansion through the third stratum had finally begun. A hundred thousand new recruits had poured down into Roklu over thest few days, bolstering the Colony''s numbers before the offensive had begun. Land, resources, an increase in the number of demon allies that they could draw upon were the goals the Colony had set for themselves.

    Higher level hunting grounds were also essential if they hoped to raise yet more tier six members that could assist in the conflict that raged even now in the fourth stratum.

    Things were getting busy.

    Ten minutester, word came back to themand tent that Brixin had emerged victorious, the city was subdued. Onto the next.

 Chapter 831 Something New This Way Comes (942)

    <h4>Chapter 831 Something New This Way Comes (942) </h4>

    "Well, isn''t this the plops."

    Isaac Bird looked out over the vast, smoke filled expanse of the third stratum and sighed. After his first trip here, he wasn''t sure he''d ever be back, and yet here he was, back fighting alongside an increasingly fanatic band of mostly human ant worshipers. His first battle in the demonyer had been a whirlwind tour of death that nearly got his head separated from his shoulders. The fact that it culminated in a climactic battle that nearly got the Great One killed was just the icing on the cake. The whole thing had been catastrophically dangerous from the get go, and yet he''de back without hesitation.

    The things he did for love.

    He was stronger now than he''d ever been before, by a long shot. The constant fighting, be it in battles against waves, or regr patrols within colony territory, hadted him bucket loads of experience and driven his spear skills to new heights. He was a better, more capable soldier than he''d ever been. Even so, he couldn''t help but feel that his goal was getting away from him.

    From thest he''d heard, Morrelia had retreated with the Legion and was now deep underground somewhere, in who knew whatyer of the Dungeon, doing whatever it was the Legion did down there.

    Unless he missed his mark, she was most likely doing whatever she needed to in order to move forward. That''s what she did.

    When he recalled those fiery eyes, her strong powerful build and those soft¡­ fiery eyes, he just couldn''t pretend he wouldn''t do anything to see her again. To stand at her side.

    Which led to his current dilemma.

    "There you are Isaac, what are you doing hanging out here? You weren''t going to jump were you?"

    Isaac turned to see Derrick jogging over to him with one hand raised in greeting.

    "No I''m not going to jump, you moronic plop sweeper. Don''t joke about such things."

    Derrick ducked his heed and grinned sheepishly.

    "Sorry. You just don''t see many of us hanging around near the edge. For obvious reasons."

    The sheer drop of several kilometres being the obvious reason. The Colony really should put up a fence¡­ although gripping the edge wasn''t something they really had to worry about, the ants regrly walked right off the edge and underneath the te.

    "I like the open air," Isaac confessed, running a hand over his clean shaven face. "This is as close as we get down here to a sky, so I wanted to take it in. Helps me think."

    "Well you better think quickly. The call came in from themand hill. We''re moving out in a half hour."

    "Half an hour? You can''t be serious."

    "I know when not to joke."

    Isaac levelled a hard stare at his junior officer.

    "Derrick, if that was another attempt at a joke I''ll have you ontrines until your nose doesn''t work."

    "I never joke, sir. Can''t in fact. Lost my sense of humour in battle."

    "Good. You''ll live longer."

    The two men settled into afortable silence, though it was clear Derrick was bing increasingly impatient. Isaac ignored his fidgeting for a few minutes before he eventually sighed and turned away from the edge.

    "All right then, go muster up the men. Are the elevators working yet?"

    "Not yet."

    "They''re moving us by tform again?" Isaac''s face twisted into a grimace.

    He''d much rather have something solid under his feet instead of a gleaming, iridescent te made of mana. The whole thing gave him the willies. Still, it beat climbing.

    "Seems that way. We''ve been told to meet up with general Anticus on the east side of the city. A camp has been prepared five kilometres'' march from the base of the pir. We have two days to regroup and then we move on the next city."

    Isaac listened with half an ear as the instructions were rattled off without pause. He still couldn''t help but feel amused when the former bouncer for an inn acted in such a professional manner, but he should be used to it by now. In truth, what had begun as a ragtag group of former town guards and militia running into the Dungeon to help the ants had grown to be a professional outfit in a shockingly short amount of time.

    Goodness knows what the Colony thought about them in the early days. They''d been shockingly weakpared to the monsters they were trying to help. Unable to keep up on patrols, panicking at the first sign of monsters. Even Isaac, with his limited Dungeon exposure, had been one of the more experienced members back then. It was the Colony that had helped them, more than the other way around. They made sure the humans had received experience, fed them weakened prey, protected them and healed them when they were hurt.

    Now they had a fanatical army ready to fight at their side.

    "Derrick, I want you to round up the squad and make sure they get their gear packed and stowed properly this time. If Leon forgets his spare spear again I''ll nt his first one directly where he doesn''t want it."

    His second inmand nodded but hesitated before running off.

    "You aren''ting?"

    "Not immediately," Isaac rified, "I''ve got some business I need to deal with in themand hill."

    "Okay. Good luck."

    "Thanks."

    It wasn''t often that non-ants poked their heads into themand structure of the Colony. In fact, it was exceptionally rare. Not that they were banned or forbidden, far from it, they were allowed in whenever they wanted. It was the overall atmosphere that people found intimidating. The ants did not find it odd or unusual to be climbing all over each other in cramped tunnels or low roofed chambers, even when directing a battle, but for a human such as himself, being packed against so many monsters was unnerving to say the least.

    Still, his stride was determined. If he wanted to achieve his goal, he couldn''t afford to hesitate. She wouldn''t hesitate.

    It didn''t take him long to find the structure. The ants had wasted no time moving theirmand post up into the city the moment the battle had ended, that way they could better coordinate the arrangements within the newly conquered city. It was still impressive, the hill was easily fifty metres tall and just as wide. They''d managed to build it in a matter of hours.

    He circled around the base until he found the non-ant entrance. A mage on duty quickly connected to him via a mind bridge.

    [Wee, friend Isaac. You have something you wish to report?]

    [I think I need to speak to the general. This is possibly important and she might want to hear about it directly.]

    [To Sloan? She is very busy right now. I will ry the message if you are certain.]

    [I''m sure. Please do.]

    He was knee deep in the plops now.

    Efficient as always, it didn''t take long until he was brought inside a small holding chamber, unsurprisingly with elegant wooden chairs, a woven rug and a hot cup of tea at the ready. He shook his head at the creature''sfort and chose to stand to attention instead. He wouldn''t let them coddle him, though he was grateful they hadn''t decided to bring him into the inner chambers.

    He waited for a short period before another ant entered the waiting room from the inner side. Small byparison to the massive soldiers, but stillrger than he, Sloan was quite distinctive due to therge number of advanced mutations she possessed, particrly herrge, wider antennae that swept impressively through the air as she walked.

    [Friend Isaac. I am told you have something important you wish to discuss.]

    Isaac snapped out a quick salute and stood to attention. Technically he wasn''t part of the ant chain ofmand and didn''t answer to Sloan, but that wasn''t how it worked in practice. Better to show respect where it was due, in his book.

    [General Sloan. I have recently reached level forty in my spearman ss and I am ready to upgrade it to a new ss.]

    The ant nodded.

    [Congrattions,] she said sincerely, and waited.

    Clearly there was more toe.

    Isaac took a deep breath to steady his thoughts before he continued.

    [Have you heard of the ss Ant Lancer before?]

 Chapter 832 Evolving War (943)

    <h4>Chapter 832 Evolving War (943) </h4>

    In the first ce, what does it mean to be a monster? It''s a question that has special significance on Pangera, a world under constant threat from monster attacks. Whilst the sapient races of the are fully capable of monstrous acts, visiting great violence upon each other for petty or worthy reasons, the term exclusively refers to those who were born from mana within the Dungeon itself. This definition has led to tragic circumstances, such as what befell the Sophos, who came to be known as troglodytes. For whatever reason, the Dungeon took a liking to them and began to spawn young Sophos.

    This led many to dere the entire race products of the Dungeon and therefore monsters, subject to hunting and destruction just as any other monster. The Sophos were pushed to the edge of extinction before they stabilised, building secretivemunities around known Sophos spawn points so that they might protect and include those individuals in their society. To this day, natural born Sophos still exist, though they are rare and indistinguishable from those who are created of mana.

    But they are far from the only monsters to possess sapience. The Demons of the third stratum, once they reach the sixth tier, are considered to have risen above their base instincts enough to be able to enter society. Though the manner and rules of that society are crude and barbaric to many, the fact remains that such demons are capable of reason and can be interacted with safely some of the time.

    Deeper in the Dungeon, many further examples of intelligent monsters can be found. The Shulk of the deep seas in the fourth are truly ancient beings of great wisdom, and though they are hunted in some ces, they are weed by the Brathian in their underwater cities.

    The slug tribes of the fifth are an example of the darker side of Dungeon intelligence. Monsters with a cruel and sadistic streak that delight in the suffering of others, the tribes are reviled the world over. Delvers live in fear of falling captive to these creatures, and though the cores extracted from them are highly prized, many refuse to hunt them lest they suffer a most horrible end.

    Monstrous sapience is a hotly debated topic to this day. What rights if any could be afforded to such entities? Are they to be protected? Or hunted? There is no universal answer on any individual case that has presented itself so far, and there likely won''t be until the sun sets on this world.

    Excerpt from "The World of the Dungeon" by Arrica.

    "CHARGE!" I roar.

    "FOR THE COLONY!" thousands of ants reply behind me in a tidal wave of pheromones that stings my antennae.

    Before us an army of termites five thousand strong, double our own number, is busy ripping into our outer defences, tearing down the stone barriers we erected to dy their advance.

    [Tiny! Go!] I order.

    "GRAAAAAAHHHH!"

    With an ear-splitting roar, the giant ape spreads his wings of shadow and dashes forward with extreme speed, his body twisting as he winds back his fist for a mighty blow. The bright light of a skill activation ignites his fist, along with a powerful lightning charge before he swings too fast for the eye to follow, a deafening roar following immediately after. The discharged electrical energy sts outwards from his fist like a bolt of lightning, subjecting the termites in front of him to an incredible amount of energy.

    Some are able to tank it, if barely, but many others are roasted on the spot and give up the ghost, creating pockets that break up the termite formation.

    "With me!" I call back to the others. "Annihte the enemy!"

    I can practically see the red light of anger ring in the eyes of my siblings. When ites to fighting against the termites, they don''t need any encouragement! To tell the truth, the wood eating nemesis doesn''t look any different. There is no love lost between the two social insects!

    The massive soldiers of the Colony form a flying wedge as our momentum builds over the final twenty metres and the termites shift to match our tactics. Gone are the idiotic insects who ran at us like mindless creatures. The Ka''armodo have been busy and have modified their experiment to better suit the new enemy who has appeared. The enemy line up in rows, braced against each other as thergest soldiers present their savage cutting mandibles towards us.

    The phnx of ants with me at their head crash into the termites with a thunderous impact that smashes chitin, breaks legs and shatters mandibles, but the savagery doesn''t stop there. The termites strive to catch their jaws around my neck, severing my head from my thorax, but I don''t allow it,unching a final burst of speed to catch them off guard and twisting my body away from their bites.

    The weak point of any insect''s armour is the joints between segments, and both sides instinctually target these weaknesses without having to be taught.

    I want to push forward into the gaps that Tiny continues to open up with his onught, the gori hasn''t stopped his rampage, but organised ranks of hardened defenders face me, making it difficult to rush forward without risking being surrounded. The tactics of the enemy continue to evolve, along with unique evolutions and mutations that I don''t believe existed before. Even now some termites are rushing around their allies applying a foam that they vomit up to neutralise our acid. They can''t protect everyone, but they can blunt the effectiveness of our long range weaponry.

    As the ants continue to drive forward around me, the termites give ground, backing away and refusing to allow us to break through their lines. When they''ve retreated almost two hundred metres from where the battle started, the signales from the generals.

    "Disengage!" is the call.

    The response is immediate as the front line steps back almost in unison, unlocking their mandibles from those of their foes with ease. The two sides stare at each other with barely concealed fury, neither happy that the other will be able to walk from the field alive. But it''s the right call. We''ve advanced beyond the outer perimeter and this is no longer our territory. Scent trails can''t be trusted, nor can the integrity of the walls. There could be ten thousand termites burrowing toward our position right now.

    "Orderly retreat!" can be scented up and down the line.

    Tiny and I are thest to leave, staring down the termites with our steely res until we too turn and walk back to the secured fortifications of the Colony. More than half of the termite force was able to survive this engagement and we are not satisfied. Those numbers will be reced in just a few hours. But we still hold.

 Chapter 833 Hold the line (944)

    <h4>Chapter 833 Hold the line (944) </h4>

    Damn termites. What the hell are those ka''armodo doing over there? They seem to pop out reinforcements just as fast as we kill them. I refuse to believe they can spit out tier four and five monsters so quickly without incurring some kind of cost. After all, the Colony has been doing this for months and have honed the process to be as efficient as possible. We have an entire caste of dedicated teachers, an academy with a constantly adjusted curriculum and Queens with the most beneficial mutations for mass producing the highest quality individuals.

    It''s just not possible that they are better at it than we are!

    And in truth, they aren''t. Our enemies may be a higher tier than would normally be expected from their numbers, but their cores remain weak. The question is how the lizards managed to maintain the quality of their insect troops, or in fact raise it, whilst creating increased production to such a ludicrous degree. If they''d been able to produce these sorts of numbers from the beginning, I don''t think the Mother Tree would have been able to hold out as long as she did, not while withholding the bruan''chii from assisting her.

    "Eldest, wee back."

    "Good to see you, Eldest!"

    "Work hard!"

    "I will. Make sure you take an appropriate break though!"

    The ants who called out to me so cheerfully a moment ago hesitate in their stride at my mention of taking a break before they continue on their way. The fear of the torpor enforcers continues to apply even here during this desperate, ongoing battle. Tired soldiers are sloppy soldiers and sloppy soldiers get their own allies killed. Personally I''m thankful that they''ve continued to maintain a strict standard of rest amongst my siblings, even in these circumstances.

    But I''ll be the first to admit that those standards have slipped from the traditional eight. It''s a war after all.

    "Eldest! The meeting is in here!" I see Advant calling me over with a wave of her antennae and follow her into the prepared chamber in the Colony''s main staging ground. Inside I find the usual carved table - I really have to find out who makes these damn things, they are spectacr - along with each member of the council who has joined me on this venture.

    Vibrant, Advant, Be, Burke and Wills, Victor, Leeroy, Mendant, Cobalt, Propent and Cont are all in attendance. Only the Queens and tenders are not represented. For obvious reasons they have not been brought down to the fourth.

    Although, when ites time to establish our own mountain nest in this stratum, I can''t wait to see the mighty Queen''s and powerful brood that we create. Perhaps we should even create a central academy here? No, it''s far too early to be thinking about that stuff, don''t get carried away.

    As I take my ''seat'' at the table I nce at the others and I''m not surprised to see them looking fatigued. It''s been two weeks since my rescue of Vibrant from the ka''armodo trap, and there has been near constant fighting since then. Whatever the big lizards are doing back at that mountain, they''ve been moving quickly, ramping up the production of their proxy soldiers and making modifications to the temtes within the queens to better arm the termites against us, their new foe.

    In return the Colony has sent three waves of reinforcements, bringing our total number of deployed Colony members to forty thousand. This is far more than I wanted tomit to defending the Mother Tree, but any less and we run the risk of getting overrun. Fighting for the sake of someone not in the Colony is one thing, having thousands of my siblings wiped out would bepletely uneptable.

    "From the reports I have, the lines appear to be holding well, despite some back and forth movement on both sides," Victor leads the conversation as the resident general. "Our biggest issue has been adjusting our defensive strategy to meet with the new reality of the foe. With the Ka''armodo involved, the termites movepletely differently to how they did before. Our n to hole up in fortresses and let the enemy dash themselves against the walls no longer can be considered. Retreating like that will just give our now smarter opponent the time and space to manoeuvre around us. Thus we have engaged in a defence in depth strategy that involves hit and run tactics. How has it fared in the field, Vibrant?"

    "Reallywectuallythehitnandrunissofun-funandwelovemovingreallyfastsowhenthetermiteewechompthemandrunawaybeforeweruninandchompthemagainit''sfunnyactuallybecausetheycan''tmovefastenoughtokeepupsotheyjustlooksosillydon''tyouthink?!"

    "And what do you have to say, Advant?"

    "We are exposing ourselves more than we would like, but by choosing the ground we engage on and moving fast we''ve been able to damage the enemy and then pull back with minimal losses. So far there haven''t been any incursions making it past the third defensive line."

    "The strategy seems to be seeding then. What are your thoughts, Eldest?"

    Each of the council members turns toward me and I feel the familiar pressure in these moments. It''s only made worse because I can feel their attention and high expectations through the Vestibule. Don''t turn those shining eyes filled with respect toward me! I made you smart for the express purpose of doing all the thinking so I didn''t have to, dammit!

    "I''m worried," I juste out and say it.

    "Why?" Victor asks, her scent attentive.

    I scratch my head with an antenna.

    "I''m worried that the lizards are just pinning us down and keeping us upied while they build up an evenrger force. I''m sure you''ve noticed that no matter how many we seem to kill, the raids continue apace. The termites are doing a better job of preserving their numbers through every engagement and are just probing our defences. I believe a surge wille, and possibly soon. I think they''ve increased egg production by far more than we''ve realised and when the new generations are ready they will throw everything at us, not in a massive wave, but in an organised advance that will engage us on as many fronts as possible."

    I pause for a moment.

    "Which I think will also include the third stratum. There won''t be termites, but I think the ka''armodo will engage with allied demons and their own numbers to spread us even more thinly. If we don''t have the capacity, the antpower, to cover all of these fronts, we could be in serious trouble."

 Chapter 834 Colony Vs Colony pt 4 (945)

    <h4>Chapter 834 Colony Vs Colony pt 4 (945) </h4>

    It was almost as if Leeroy had died and entered some sort of paradise. Except, frustratingly, she still clung to her mortal shell, along with the other Immortals. Despite this, she revelled in her current existence. The release she sought, the glorious end she strove to experience, had never felt as close as it did now.

    As she strode back and forth before the massed ranks of her followers, her chosen sisters, the massive weight of her armour was afort bearing down on her carapace. The Immortals were almost shivering with excitement to the point the joints of their armour rattled. They had fought recently, a glorious battle that had pushed them to their limits. The Colony had pulled them back and forced them to wait until their Phoenix Fire organs had recharged, and now they were ready to be sent out once more.

    "Are you ready my sisters?" she demanded of the waiting armoured troops. "Are you prepared for the fire that is toe?"

    "YES!" they roared as they pped their antennae against their armour.

    "Will your charge never falter? Will you crush the ranks of the enemy?"

    "YES!"

    "Will you fight until you copse? Will you fight until thest breath leaves your body?"

    "YES!"

    "Then, when you are engulfed in cursed me, will you rise? Will you do it all over again?"

    "YES!"

    "WHY?" she roared, her pheromones billowing around her.

    "WE SEEK!"

    "WHAT YOU SEARCH FOR IS OUT THERE! IN THE MASSED RANKS OF THE TERMITE YOU CAN FIND YOUR REST! GO AND TAKE IT!"

    "WE SEEK!"

    With that final, suffocating roar the Immortals began to advance. There were almost two hundred of them now, each tier five or six, each armoured with a custom, fully enchanted suit of the finest armour the Colony could provide. Every individual represented multiple tons of pure, righteous ant fury. Their charge began as a walk, the armoured column moving in lock step, the tread of their six legs shaking the ground as they moved as one.

    Boom. Boom. Boom.

    At the head of the column, the rhythmic drumming of their steps matched the urgent beat of Leeroy''s heart. Every time she had sortied over thest weeks, the battle had been desperate and they had been pushed right to the brink before they were pulled back.

    So close.

    She''d been so close! The glorious, zing and climactic end that she had yearned for from the moment she''d hatched had been within her reach numerous times. Even now, the scent of desperate battle hung heavy in the air. The acrid tang of formic acid, the bitter waft of ichor and the meaty iron of fresh Biomass washed against her antennae as the battle drew closer. Her eyes burned with passion. As she''d told the others, it was out there. They just had to find it.

    Leeroy picked up the pace, no longer a stately march, she elerated to a quicker gate, her legs beginning to eat up the ground and the column behind rose to match her pace. No longer did their tread create a steady beat; instead the noise had elevated to a constant rumble, more like an avnche building in the distance than troops on the march.

    Soon, they saw the battle lines up ahead. A horde of ravening termites threatened to overwhelm the ant defenders through sheer weight of numbers. A desperate struggle had broken out as the Colony fought to retreat as termite reinforcements poured from a tunnel in the wall.

    Another breach. The ka''armodo were cunning and their mastery of magic beyond what the Colony could manage. Using their unknown methods they''d been able to guide their insect ves through twisted and convoluted paths in the rock, evading detection and prating deep into ant territory. The breaches could happen almost anywhere at any time, tunnels crashing open and vomiting thousands of enemybatants behind the main lines. For this reason the Immortals had been stationed as the rapid response force.

    As always, the sight of the hated enemy ignited a primal rage in her gut and Leeroy embraced it. Their elongated mandibles, their strange, alien bodies, with only two segments rather than three, and their beady, near sightless eyes. They were unnatural and did not belong in this world. She firmly believed that, how else could she exin this instinctual hatred?

    With a flick of her antenna the entire Immortal column elerated to full speed. The avnche was no longer in the distance, now it was right here and the ground trembled under the force of their charge.

    Leeroy activated her skills, elerating beyond what she was normally capable of as her Dash and Charge skillsbined to elevate her speed. The tunnel even sloped downhill, perfect conditions.

    With the Immortals rushing forward from behind them, the still battling ants scrambled to disengage and get out of the way, unleashing potent sts of acid and mana to create whatever distance they could before the steel phnx that was the Immortals reached them.

    These were the moments that Leeroy lived for. Her soul was on fire. The ranks of the enemy grewrger andrger in her vision as she lowered her head and prepared to meet them, the ground blurred beneath her.

    The moment of impact was like the detonation of an explosion.

    An inrush of air.

    The deadly silence.

    And then the deafening crash. The shockwave swept through her body as her armour crumpled, the termite before her vanishing as the sheer force of her mass sent it flying back into the massed ranks of its allies. What did she care for ranks? What did she care for the new tactics of the enemy? The Immortals did not acknowledge such things.

    Their charge continued as their legs pounded the ground, urging every bit of speed possible. They smashed through line after line of the enemy, squashing them beneath their ws, breaking their carapaces upon their armour.

    Finally it came to a halt as their momentum slowed, the charge ground to a halt, and still there were termites in front of her.

    Leeroy cked her mandibles with joy.

    "There''s still plenty left!" she cried. "Rejoice, my sisters!"

    And there were, the termites continued to flood from the tunnel before them, the lines reforming as they closed around the Immortal column.

    And the ants rejoiced.

 Chapter 835 Colony Vs Colony pt 5 (946)

    <h4>Chapter 835 Colony Vs Colony pt 5 (946) </h4>

    The grind of an ongoing melee was a very different type ofbat than the thrilling and domineering charge of the Immortals. The mass that had propelled them through the ranks of the enemy now bore down on their back. Leeroy weed it. It had taken her a long time to grow ustomed to fighting with a second shell, but once she had, once her armour wearing Skill had risen to a sufficient rank, she hade to understand its power.

    The jaws of the termite foe, long, curved and sharp beyond belief were designed to find the weak points of an insect carapace, the joints between body segments, and sever them brutally. For the Immortals, such weaknesses did not exist. The joints that connected their head, abdomen and thorax were heavily protected byyers of enchanted and hardened metal that defied even the potent mandibles of their enemies.

    They had no powerful magic. They could not st with fire, or ice, or blow powerful gusts of air that would scatter their enemy. Nor did they have powerful streams of acid that would melt their enemies by the dozen. Their mutations and evolutions had driven them in a different direction and it was on those strengths that they now relied.

    Their erged heads held dense muscles that powered their long,pounded mandibles and they leveraged those with devastating bites. Their legs were specially evolved and mutated to hold their immense weight and drive bursts of speed that allowed them to initiate small charges when given a breath of space.

    Though they couldn''t reach full speed, these smaller charges allowed them to throw their weight around, bashing into the termites around them, shattering formations and cracking their shells, creating weak points they could exploit.

    Fighting in close quarters with Leeroy and her followers was like a human trying to contain a miniature Vibrant in their hand. Painful.

    They bashed and crashed, bit and scrapped, stepping over the fallen and broken bodies of their opponents as yet more emerged from the hole in the tunnel wall to take up the fight.

    Even with their thick, reinforced carapaces and sophisticated armour, the best that ant ingenuity could provide, they were not invulnerable. As thousands of termites surrounded their hundreds, it was inevitable that they would begin to take damage.

    The first wound Leeroy took was close to her neck and she was d for it. She''d gone too long in this battle without her HP lowering at all. Had her armour not stopped the pointed end of that barb dead in its tracks, she may have suffered a serious wound, more''s the pity.

    She battled on, her reserves of energy dwindling as she expended her stamina to bite and snap her way through the melee. As the conflict raged, her sisters and her suffered more and more harm. Vastly outnumbered, there was a limit to what they could do to defend themselves as they sought to inflict as much damage on the enemy as possible.

    Not that it mattered.

    Those tier six members of the Immortals, inflicted as they were with the terrible curse of not properly reading their evolution options, felt the Phoenix Fire building within them. The more damage they took, the brighter it became until it raged within their bodies, a dense ball of energy just waiting to be released.

    Still, they fought on. Dragging the enemy down with them kicking and screaming, buying as much time as they could for reinforcements to arrive so that this offensive could finally be repelled.

    Finally, she could stand no more.

    A termite lunged forward and Leeroy couldn''t react in time. The vicious monster grabbed hold of her leg and threw its weight backwards, causing her to stumble. Before she could reorient herself, three more termites fell on her, biting furiously, their jaws seeking the gaps in her armour that had been torn open over the course of the battle.

    Exhausted, wounded, no longer able to support her own weight, she slumped to the ground as the light began to fade from her eyes. It was in these moments that Leeroy felt most at peace, and though she knew it wouldn''tst, for a brief moment, she could embrace the illusion that atst she could rest, secure in the belief that her heroic sacrifice had bought time for her siblings, that she had died a worthy death.

    Only for the briefest time could she indulge in this fantasy before it was cruelly torn away. That cursed organ, deep within her carapace, pulsed ominously before the energy contained within flooded out. A torrent of bright me erupted within her and rushed through her veins before it ignited her flesh and seared the termites around her.

    Awareness came flooding back. Energy came flooding back. From the brink of her eternal rest to cursed, rejuvenated life in a matter of moments. Strength filled her limbs and Leeroy pushed herself to her feet, her mandibles cking as she shook off the remains of those unfortunate termites who had clung too closely when they thought her defeated.

    All around, the fires of her sisters had begun to ignite as her fellow tier six Immortals took the brunt of the enemy retaliation, not to protect their weaker sisters, but to bring this moment on all the sooner.

    When Leeroy surveyed the field, she saw that still thousands of termites remained to fight. Her siblings were hopelessly outnumbered still, and no sign of the Colony''s reserve rushing to their rescue could be seen.

    Joy and hope bloomed in her.

    "NOW IS OUR TIME, SISTERS!" she cried and flung herself back into the battle.

    Now each wound would stick. Every dint in her HP was a step closer. Against impossible odds the Immortals flung themselves again and again, grinding down the foe, burning out their enemies using their own flesh as the tinder. Leeroy fought like a creature possessed of madness. No injury could stop her, no massed ranks could suppress her, she charged again and again, crashing through the lines, biting and wing at everything she could reach.

    Her vision began to blur. One of her antennae had been torn off. One of her legs was broken. She fought on. Surely. Surely this time.

    "Let not a single termite live! Chase them down and exterminate them!"

    She didn''t know from where this new scent came, but the following rush of steps announced the arrival of more ants to the scene. Soon she was surrounded by fresh soldiers who threw themselves against the depleted termite force, filled with rage and vigour.

    Her heart sank.

    She''d been so close.

    "Well done, Leeroy," Advant came and patted her on the back. "You can go and rest now."

    She didn''t reply except to nod wearily as she turned and dragged herself back towards the safety of the newly established ant lines. She knew it would be hopeless to continue fighting, she''d tried it before. She didn''t want to be dragged back to the healers again, they hadn''t let her go for days.

    "Immortals, to me," she called to her sisters and slowly the now patchily armoured behemoths began to regroup, pulling themselves away from the fighting, dejected. Another opportunity lost. Another chance at eternal glory denied to them. For how long? How long could they endure?

    Forever, if the Eldest had their way.

    Leeroy shoved down a wave of bitterness as she reached out tofort those around her. A few required help to move, their armour having be so twisted it needed to be removed before they could rise. They set to the task sluggishly, all of their previous enthusiasm killed by the scorned hopes.

    "Leeroy," came a call, and the mighty soldier turned at the strange note she detected in the scent of her sister. "Come here."

    She turned to see one of herrades standing over another Immortal, one leg extended and ced on the other''s carapace. The steel of the fallen one''s armour was so twisted, so tortured, there was no possible way she could stand, she would need help. Leeroy sighed and began to drag herself over. She would assist her sister, of course she would. She may need to bite through the metal and strapping in order to free her, then she could be healed and they would return together.

    Except, the ant who had called her remained strangely still. The fallen one still hadn''t moved.

    A strange emotion bubbled up in Leeroy at that moment. A feeling she could not identify. A hope she would not name.

    Her limping stride grew longer as she forced her broken leg to move.

    "What is it?" she demanded, not taking her eyes off her fallen sibling.

    "I¡­ I think she¡­" the ant could not go on. She trembled.

    Leeroy reached out with her remaining antenna and touched it to the carapace of her fallen sister.

    "She''s gone," she said.

    Her words rolled through the Immortals like a wave. One by one they gathered in silence until every member of their order stood in a circle around this one, still form, lying where she fell on the tunnel floor. They dipped their heads in respect.

    Ovee with emotion, it was all Leeroy could do to force herself to speak.

    "Her search is over. This one has found her rest. She has found her glory."

    She choked.

    "Does anyone know her name?" she asked.

    "Cardigant," someone replied.

    Leeroy nodded slowly. She turned her head to better see the eyes of her sisters. They burned. They burned so brightly she almost couldn''t bear to look. She felt it too.

    It was possible.

    IT WAS POSSIBLE!

    "RAISE HER UP MY SISTERS! RAISE HER HIGH AND WE WILL BRING HER HOME TO HER FINAL REST! HER ARMOUR SHALL BE OUR TREASURE AND WE SHALL NEVER FORGET THE FINAL CHARGE OF CARDIGANT! SHE SEEKS NO MORE!"

    "REST IN GLORY, SISTER!" they thundered back at her.

    The other ants watched, bewildered, as a joyful and triumphant column of Immortals made its way back through the tunnels, bearing the body of the first and only member to find what she had been looking for.

    When next Leeroy and the Immortals emerged to battle, they did so with a fervour and fanaticism that none had ever seen before. Their hope had been renewed. Once again, the Immortals were reborn.

 Chapter 836 Tricky Patients (947)

    <h4>Chapter 836 Tricky Patients (947) </h4>

    Who can say, truly, how many termites were defeated, down in the dark? Amongst the roots of the world tree we hunted and were hunted in turn. The fighting was vicious, brutal in the extreme.

    In some ways it was a good thing that our non-monster allies were unable to join us, despite the enormous help their auras would have been. Without them we were able to engage with the enemy on the same ground. Fight fire with fire.

    We fought on the walls and ceilings. We fought inplete darkness within cramped tunnels. We fought within the verdant growth of the tree. We fought on our own terms. Enormous numbers on both sides, an endless conflict that would never end until one side could no longer sustain the fight.

    It was war exactly the way we wanted it.

    I loved it.

    ¡¤ From the journals of Advant.

    A war of attrition against the Colony was not the wisest of strategies, Mendant reflected. The field hospital around her teemed with activity as the wounded were rushed in on her left. The fighting must be fierce today considering the numbers that they were seeing.

    Considering this was only one of the medical posts the healers had established, there must have been over a thousand ants in need of healinging into the facilities run by her sisters.

    Considering how durable and easy to heal the monsters were, only particrly serious injuries made their way to ces like this, ones that couldn''t be instantly cured with an application of healing magic, or fixed over a period of hours after consuming Biomass.

    One thing they weren''t short on right now was Biomass.

    Like a conductor directing an orchestra, Mendant was the centre of operations as her healers flowed around her. She directed resources to where they were needed and when, ensuring that every ant received the care they needed in a timely fashion.

    Most would be fine after a few days, whereas others might need a week to return to full health. The ants, especially the soldiers, were incredibly durable, able to recover even after losing half of their body, if they were tended to on time.

    As she continued to direct traffic, she was distracted by a strange sensation that overcame her. She turned to see the other healers standing unusually still. A moment before she could reprimand them, she realised the patients were acting in a simr fashion.

    What was happening?

    A second before it happened she shifted to watch the entrance. There was a beat, then the bizarre sight of the Eldest being carried¡­ or floating¡­ into the hospital met her eyes.

    Mendant stared in shock as the enormous form of the Eldest appeared to drift in. Were they being carried? She thought she saw ants underneath, bearing the weight of that frame, but she couldn''t seem to focus on what her eyes were telling her, as if her brain refused to acknowledge it.

    She puzzled over it for a moment longer before she shook off the confusion and rushed to meet the Eldest.

    "What happened?" she demanded, her pheromones calm.

    The healers were always calm, but her eyes nearly boggled when they saw the extent of the injuries that had been inflicted on the strongest ant in the Colony.

    "Oh, hey Mendant! Good to see you. No problem, just a little explosion issue."

    A what?

    "How does one have a ''little'' explosion issue?"

    The Eldest, still somehow hovering in mid-air waved their antennae expansively.

    "I managed to track down a ka''armodo, and they weren''t too happy to see me, so to speak. I mean, did I try to bite them? Maybe. But I don''t think that means they needed to detonate me, especially that many times."

    The burns were one thing, huge chunks of missing carapace and the ckened flesh on the inside, but the cuts, as if sections of the Eldest''s body had been removed with incredible precision, were something else entirely.

    "What caused this?" she wondered as she prodded the wounds with her antennae.

    "Some sort ofser thing. Absolute rubbish. Anyway, spot of healing, I''ll be fine. Hit me up Mendant and I''ll be on my way."

    She levelled the Eldest with an even stare.

    "You''ll be here for at least a day. I''m assuming your healing nd is empty?"

    "I think it needs to regrow¡­"

    "Right. Well. I''ll see what I can do. Is there any chance you can levitate over to a table?"

    "Levitate? Oh. Sure thing, they''ll figure it out."

    And indeed ''they'' did.

    Once that giant form was ced down, she prepared to get to work. As she began to spin up her healing magic, she prodded a nearby healer with an antenna.

    "Get back to work, all of you."

    Her words shook the room out of its stupor and the healers got back to their tasks as the patients seemed to wake up and remember that they were significantly injured.

    Mendant could only sigh and turn her attentions back to the Eldest, who continued to insist that they didn''t need to be here, certainly not for a day, but she would brook no argument.

    "Sit still and let me heal you," she demanded as she continued to work.

    Eventually a series of dark tentacles sprouted and pinned the Eldest down, allowing Mendant to work. They even helped rotate the Eldest when she needed to shift her attention to a different wound. Literally wrapped up, the most esteemed member of the Colony could do little but suffer in silence, attempting to preserve what dignity they could.

 Chapter 837 Narrow Escape (948)

    <h4>Chapter 837 Narrow Escape (948) </h4>

    There weren''t too many times in his centuries of life that Rassan''tep had truly feared for his life. He''d been outnumbered and surrounded during a wave defence in the fourth in just his fifth decade, barely out of the nest. Only the intervention of an Old One had saved him from the jaws of a ravening horde of Emerald Lizards. As he had grown, increased his level, power and prestige, he had not found himself in that situation again.

    Until today.

    The Ka''armodo found a nice shady spot and crawled in before settling down to try and recover some equilibrium. Not far away, others tended to the termite brood, elerating their growth and directing them to battle each other to improve their skills. The Old One felt nothing but contempt for the efforts of hisrades in their continued attempts to attack the Mother Tree, and by extension the ants. Even so, he would continue to use them for his own purpose.

    [Master!] His faithful chief retainer, the Setsh Ammon''sil, rushed to his side, cing both hands on the great lizard''s side in an unusual public disy of concern. [I felt your agitation through the bond. Is all well?]

    Under the calming influence of his servant and the cool of the shade, the powerful mage began to feel his blood slow in his veins as he gathered himself.

    [It goes to show what happens when I leave without my faithful servants by my side,] Rassan admitted, ruefully.

    [I warned you not to go.]

    [Peace, Ammon''sil. I know. I judged it to be worth the risk, and I am still not convinced that it wasn''t.]

    His chief servant subsided and bottled his objections, allowing his master to think and calm himself as he kept his hands pressed to the great lizard''s side. He monitored the breath and thoughts of Rassan''tep through the bond as he felt that ancient mind turn.

    [I was able to find our specimen,] Rassan''tep finally conferred. [Though I saw it much closer than I would have liked.]

    [You were attacked?] Rage blossomed in the heart of the servant at the thought of such a lowly monster threatening his master, but Rassan''tep only chuckled across their bond.

    [I was, indeed. Such a fury of a monster. I don''t know how it found me, but it came after me so quickly I didn''t have the time to retreat before it was upon me.]

    The scene was far more terrifying than hemunicated, and he could feel the confusion in his Setsh, but he made no effort to dispel it. Better that he remain in ignorance than try to grasp the desperate madness that monster possessed.

    Rassan''tep had taken his turn to lead a brigade of termites toward the tree, controlling the horde through the methods the Ka''armodo had built into their servants. Of course, he couldn''t possibly refuse this opportunity to study the budding ancient in action and had purposefully attempted to engage it inbat.

    It had taken several days of careful manoeuvring, but he had finally encountered the target toward the centre of the lines. It had been trivial to arrange an engagement where he would be in position to both watch the conflict unfold and make a quick escape, yet things hadn''t exactly turned out that way.

    The specimen was everything he had hoped to see. Domineering, decisive, radiating strength and power. The colossal ant had fallen upon his termite horde like a natural disaster, the pets kept by its side unable to keep up with the sheer fury on disy. Magic of many elements, including that strange, unknown power, was on disy, along with potent physical abilities that shredded through the termite force far quicker than anticipated.

    That was when things had taken a turn.

    He''d been so engaged with watching the monster annihte his troops that he had missed the window to retreat. When he tried to correct this mistake and withdraw, he''d already been noticed by the ant he''d been trying to study. Even so, he should have made it out; the distance between them wasrge enough, but necessity was the mother of invention, after all. The ant had leapt towards him, its body flying into the air as it burned its skills to elerate as fast as possible. That still wouldn''t have been enough, but a powerful explosion had erupted beneath the creature, flinging its body towards him even as it suffered severe damage.

    It hadmanded its pet to create the explosion in order to propel itself at him.

    The memory of that gnashing, chomping nightmare of chitin and flesh that had set upon him then was enough to elerate the heart of Rassan''tep once more. Truly a powerful monster. Any thought he''d had of preserving the monster, this potential ancient, had flown out of his mind after a minute ofbat. It had taken every ounce of mana that he could produce to keep the creature off him, and only after inflicting wounds that should have killed it five times over was he able to disengage and escape.

    If his servants had been there, connected through the bond, their collective strength would have allowed him to withdraw far more easily, but even so, he couldn''t help but suspect the creature would have found a way to make him pay by destroying one of his servants. Truly, a fearsome and indomitable monster.

    It was bing increasingly obvious that he would need to make contact with whoever had created or was guiding this monster so that they might coborate in their efforts. His n to elerate the growth of the creature through difficultbat appeared to be working, but it was always good to confer with one''s peers on the correct course of action.

    Also, he had strongly begun to suspect that the termites, and his fellow Ka''armodo, were significantly underestimating what woulde their way when the ants began to turn on the offensive. Even after the disy of strength at the termite nest, they still didn''t believe the ants were worthy foes.

    And now that they had redoubled their efforts in producing a termite war machine, they failed to realise they were not grinding down the ant resistance, but feeding it, strengthening it. Despite inflicting casualties, the ants who remained were growing in strength, and none faster than the specimen. There was trouble on the horizon.

 Chapter 838 A Cultish Personality (949)

    <h4>Chapter 838 A Cultish Personality (949) </h4>

    [I thank you for your cooperation.]

    [To you as well. I hope that your research is of some use to the Colony.]

    [I wish the same. If you wish to view our published work, you can find it in the pheromone library. There are copies in every major nest.]

    [Wonderful. I will read with interest.]

    Torrina ced her pen away and shut the book in front of her as the interviewee, a tier six mage, amongst the first, turned and walked out of the room. With more ants reaching the sixth tier, it became more important than ever before to corrte their evolutionary options and choices. Granin in particr had been obsessed with it, almost as obsessed as the Colony itself, which was why the triad had been busy interviewing and documenting every tier six ant they could get to talk to them.

    Which was all of them that they could reach. Once they realised the fruits of their research would be delivered to the Colony, they were only too happy to help.

    If only her own colleagues had been as forting with information, they would have been able to achieve so much more. The petty rivalries of the shaper circle seemed even more absurd to her now than they had when she was a student. Perhaps the day woulde when social discord andpetition would arise amongst the ants, forcing the siblings to struggle against each other, but as of yet, that day had not dawned.

    A level of cooperation that bordered on the fanatical, that was the defining trait of the Colony in her eyes. In many ways, Anthony himself exemplified the trait. There was nothing he would not give of himself for his new family, even if he would never say as much.

    She stood from behind the desk she had been provided, ensuring she didn''t scrape the immactely woven rug under the carved chair. Once again, only the best had been provided for her use, and she was careful not to damage any of it. Furniture such as this would have cost her a small fortune amongst the golgari.

    As she stepped out of the "office", she found Corun emerging from his own room next door. The young shaper gave her a broad smile, the stones of his true skin grinding together as he did so.

    "Another day done. Got everything you need?"

    Torrina nodded.

    "I don''t have any more mages or core shapers to interview, if that''s what you mean. I''m not sure if that will satisfy Granin though."

    Corun pulled a face andughed.

    "I doubt it. I''m done with the soldiers, scouts and generals that are within reach as well. For the time being, we won''t have any choice but to move on to something else. Hopefully, moving down to the fourth to see what Anthony is up to."

    The two fell in alongside each other, the easy manner gained through years of association and friendship between them evident in their rxed demeanour.

    "I don''t think he''s going to need us for a while yet," she said. "He won''t be close to evolving this early, he''s only been tier six for what? A couple of months at the most. You can''t expect the same sort of speed out of him that he had before."

    "He''s hunting big game down there," Corun replied. "From what I''ve heard, he''s been munching on literally thousands of tier four and fives. Even if they''re weak, that''s still going to be a lot of experience. He might want to get some advice sooner than you think. The next evolution is going to be a big one."

    "Damn right it is."

    The two jumped and turned to find Granin, the granite-covered senior shaper looming behind them like a boulder. How he managed to move so quietly covered in such a crude stone, Torrina would never know.

    "Hey there, boss," Corun greeted their elder and leader of the triad, "I''m guessing this means that you''re done for the day as well."

    Granin grunted.

    "Unfortunately. Most of the tier sixes have been sent down to the fourth, apparently. The rest are on the front lines of the expansion war. We just can''t find enough to interview toplete the evolution tree."

    She could tell how upset he was at that prospect. In all the time she''d known him, she didn''t think she''d seen the old man so enthused with his work, as she imagined he must have been in his younger days. He was obsessed and determined to burn the candle at both ends if it meant furthering his knowledge of this new monster type he had thrown his lot in with.

    "Have you determined anything yet?" she asked him.

    He flicked a nce at her.

    "Not here," he said. "Let''s get back to the rooms."

    Corun and Torrina shared a look at his caution, but they were conditioned to follow the triad leader and so they did not question him, but instead followed as he led the way.

    They followed the corridor around the outside of the hill towards the area where their rooms were located. Candbras of gleaming metal held small cores that burned with beautiful, dim light, illuminating the intricate carvings, woven rug and tasteful embellishments that lined their path. But even such luxuries didn''tpare to the view that she glimpsed through the asional window as they passed.

    Through a full metre of reinforced stone, she could see the vast open space of ash and smoke that was the skyline of the third stratum. The ominous red light bleeding from the outside into the corridor, infusing it with a macabre glow. Despite the opulence, it was impossible to forget where they were, or how high up. She''d been shocked at how quickly the builders had put together this truly titanic nest, the capital of the Colony in this stratum, for want of a better word.

    From the floor of the stratum to almost reaching the bottom of the te on which the demon city of Roklu sat, the great nest was kilometres high. The internals were still being worked on, the vast majority of the nest''s volume not being utilised, but for now a segment close to the top had been allocated for the allies of the Colony to use. Barracks, training rooms and medical facilities for the troops, along with a separate area for Granin, Corun and her to conduct their research.

    The engineers had been embarrassed when she''d asked them why they''d chosen to ce their rooms and corridors as the external walls of the nest out of curiosity. They''d timidly told her of their thoughts on a new technique, muttered something about crumple zones and then assured her they''d done everything they could to ensure they were as safe as possible. She''d shrugged and told them she thought they would want the view for themselves but the ants had looked at her as if she were mad.

    What care did they have for a grand vista? None at all. They wanted the dark and security of their cramped chambers and tunnels.

    After walking down several flights of stairs they arrived at their private rooms, greeting the few humans and golgari they saw along the way before filing into Granin''s chamber, therge shaper closing the door behind them.

    "Why the secrecy?" she asked him, confused.

    He flicked her a nce before he walked to his plush couch and took a seat with a sigh.

    It had taken the ants awhile to grow used to the idea of furniture specifically for golgari; their true skins didn''t allow for the sameforts as a human might wee. Her people didn''t like soft or fluffy things, and needed materials that were durable enough not to scrape or dent when exposed to the hard minerals that coated their bodies.

    After some time, the ants had developed a soft, springy material that was firm enough not to be damaged by them, strong enough to hold their weight, and with enough give to providefort. It was quite a feat and Torrina wasn''t sure she could live without the stuff anymore.

    She and Corun sat as Granin leaned forward to discuss his thoughts.

    "I have a few matters of concern. The first of which rtes directly to Anthony himself."

    He considered his words for a moment before he went on.

    "I''m sure you''re seeing the same thing that I''m seeing with the tier six ants, but tell me what you think is unusual about them. I want to see if you''ve picked up on it."

    The two younger shapers nced at each other before Corun spoke.

    "They''re strong. Very good evolution options, even at the basic level. Good stats and more than eptable bonuses almost across the line. I''ve only encountered a few dud choices, which is rare."

    "I concur," Torrina admitted. "No matter the ant, their skill levels or evolutionary energy, the choices provided by the System have generally been good."

    "Exactly," Granin nodded, pleased. "And I think you are smart enough to make a few deductions as to why."

    "Ants aren''t supposed to make it this far up the tiers," Torrina said.

    "Right. A tier six ant should be as rare as a golgari with diamond skin, basically non-existent, yet now there are hundreds. The Colony has made somethingmon that the System considers rare, and thus they are benefiting from these powerful evolutions."

    "This could still only be consideredpensation for their weak starting position, don''t you think?" Corun argued. "The Law of Evolutionary Propulsion applies particrly well to ants since they have such a poor initial state."

    "Indeed, that is also the case," Granin agreed, "which is having apounding effect. We have a monster type achieving heights that the Dungeon considers rare, and thus rewards, as well as them having weak starting positions, which elerates the quality of their evolutions. Across every caste, their options have been good. It''s almost unheard of."

    An excited glimmer had sparked in the old man''s eye as leaned forward.

    "So you''re particrly excited for what Anthony might get at tier seven, is that it?" Torrina asked.

    "In part. Considering he''s maxed his core at each step, and in fact gone a little beyond where he should have, his core should reach the bottom of Mythic grade during his next evolution."

    Although they knew this already, the two nodded solemnly as they considered this. Going from a Rare core to a Mythic was a big deal for a monster. It meant they were on the road to being an Ancient. As far as she knew, there were only two sses of monster higher than Mythic, one of which being Ancient. Although researchers couldn''t be sure exactly what grade of core those god-like beings possessed; nobody had ever seen one of their cores after all.

    Mythic grade demons were exceptionally rare, since they almost never evolved with maxed cores, but on the fourth, they became moremon. The tier eight Mythic monsters were the true powers of that stratum.

    "His next one is going to be big, and we should prepare ourselves for what''sing," Granin stated.

    She nodded.

    "What else were you worried about?"

    The triad leader grimaced.

    "I got an annoying message delivered today," he grumbled. "I hate dealing with those damn Red Truth idiots."

 Chapter 839 When a Man Meets a Lizard (950)

    <h4>Chapter 839 When a Man Meets a Lizard (950) </h4>

    Arranging a meeting between two cult members wasn''t easy, especially given the current conditions between the Colony and the Ka''armodo. Granin grumbled at a constant rate as he and his fellow triad members trekked across the dangerous terrain of the third stratum. It was a testament to how wild thend was in thisyer of the Dungeon that even the Colony, with its enormous numbers, intelligent approach, and absurd dedication, hadn''t been able to construct countermeasures to ward off the never ending spawns. The best they could do was prune and manage the higher tier demons that still roamed the wastes between cities.

    The Demon Raising program that the ants hadunched was another initiative that Granin had followed closely. Raising demons to be strong and efficient in their builds to use as pets was hardly anything new, Invidia had been a perfect example of the practice, though some disregarded them due to their odd habits. Mass producing high quality demons on the scale the Colony was? He was almost certain it had never been done. After all, why would anyone bother? Nobody needed that many pets, and wild demons were liable to do whatever their obsession demanded of them. They were far from reliable allies.

    Only the Colony had been able to harness the demons so effectively, probably because they allowed the third stratum natives to be themselves for the most part, whilst still surrounding them with an overwhelming structure of authority. If he had the time, he''d love to research that work more deeply. The demons were another group of monsters that needed more research. Although,e to think of it, the Red Truth had probably done plenty.

    And not shared it.

    "Did we really need toe all the way out here?" Corun asked.

    Granin turned to the young shaper.

    "Do you think we can wander over to a city controlled by the lizards and have a friendly chat right now? There''s significant risk for the other party too. Think about it for a moment."

    "I can''t imagine how it feels for someone with soft skin to walk around out here," Torrina observed.

    With the constant tongues of me, ash and smoke that filled the air in the third, it was certainly an inhospitable ce. Protected by the hard minerals that coated them, the three golgari didn''t have to worry too much about the environment, even if it was ufortably warm.

    "Let the humans worry about that. The ants, Ka''armodo and us have other things to worry about. In fact, the lizards absolutely love this stratum. The heat makes them all fuzzy inside."

    [Being cold blooded has that effect on a being.]

    The mind connection snapped into ce with such ease that Granin almost didn''t notice it until the bridge was formed. He rolled his eyes. They always had to show off.

    [Are you nning on showing yourself or are we doing this full ndestine?] Granin drawled.

    [Remaining hidden will be the wiser path in our current circumstances. I''m sure you understand.]

    [That''s fine, but I want to include the rest of my triad in the conversation. You''re sharing this with your retainers, are you not?]

    [¡­ that is eptable.]

    With that, Granin wove mana of his own to extend the existing bridge to Corun and Torrina, allowing them to be part of the conversation.

    [Rassan''tep, these are the members of my triad, Corun and Torrina. To you two, make sure you are properly respectful to Rassan''tep, he''s old.]

    [Older than you?] Corun asked.

    [Shut up.]

    A tiny hint of amusement leaked over the connection, which, culturally speaking, was equivalent to a hearty bellyugh. If letting Corun make fun of him helped to loosen the Ka''armodo''s tongue, then he would tolerate it, for the moment. When they got back to safety there would be hell to pay.

    [Well, you went to a lot of trouble to call me out here. Frankly, I''m not even sure how you did it.]

    [Unlike the Worm Cult, we followers of the Red Truth have many means. It wasn''t overly difficult to locate and pass a message to you.]

    [Come on Rassan''tep. I don''t need the pointless ''my cult is better than your cult'' rubbish. Out with it. What did you want to say?]

    There was a pause.

    [And Yarrum would totally kick Arconidem''s arse,] he couldn''t help adding.

    Indignation railed against his mind.

    [That puffed up worm wouldn''t be a match for the Demon God! You can''t possibly expect me to let that pass!]

    [Ohe on. I don''t care how big arval demon gets, there is no way it can beat the worm that wrapped around the world.]

    [Comparing Arconidem to an infant demon? Preposterous!]

    Graninughed out loud. It was always like this between the various cults founded, ording to legend, by each of the ancients. The followers always bickered about nonsense rather than cooperate as they should, given that they shared essentially the same mission. Corun and Torrina were casting him odd looks as they listened to the exchange. They didn''t have much experience when it came to interacting with other cults; insulting their patron was a time honoured tradition.

    Find the twentieth Ancient and usher in the new world.

    [Alright. I''ve had my fun. What did you want to say? I presume it has something to do with Anthony? What''s he been up to?]

    [He''s not injured, is he?] Torrina asked, a little nervously.

    [He is in fact, injured, though I expect he will be fully healed by now.]

    [What happened?] Corun butted in.

    [I did,] Rassan''tep replied, a little smug.

    Granin''s hands slowly clenched into fists.

    [What are you saying?] he growled.

    Again, that hint of amusement over the link.

    [I got a little too close and was forced to defend myself from him. He nearly ate me.]

    Such an admission from a proud Ka''armodo was not an easy thing to obtain. They were almost as stubborn and puffed up with hubris as the golgari themselves.

    Granin rxed.

    [I''m a little surprised. He must be quite angry with your people to do such a thing.]

    [There are fools amongst every race. This venture was a horrific idea from the beginning and the execution has only gotten worse.]

    [It''s going to cost your people a lot in the end,] Granin observed.

    [It will not matter. We have been gathering power for thousands of years. We are ready.]

    [Everyone has been gathering power. I think this might turn worse than you expect, by the end. At any rate, Anthony?]

    There was apse in the conversation and Granin could feel the prodigious mind of the great lizard turning.

    [Are you aware of what it is that you''ve made?] he asked eventually.

    Granin raised a stony brow.

    [Made? Let me be clear, I did not make Anthony what he is. He did that himself. I saw his potential and decided that I should put myself in a position to advise.]

    [So to be clear, he isn''t a nned attempt by the Worm Cult to create an Ancient?]

    [He is not.]

    [That helps exin how powerful he is.]

    [That''s cheap.]

    [I wanted to meet you,] Rassan''tep continued, [because I am beginning to believe that he might actually have a chance.]

    There was some residual shock over the connection and Granin assumed it came from the Set''sh. They hadn''t been aware of their master''s thoughts.

    [I''ve thought that for a while now,] Granin agreed, [and believe me, I think that after he evolves again, we won''t be the only ones.]

    The great lizard''s thoughts sharpened, his curiosity surging through the connection.

    [You have some information?]

    [I''ve been conducting some research with my triad. I don''t think anyone expects what''s going to happen next. Least of all your termite breeding friends.]

 Chapter 840 Free Time (951)

    <h4>Chapter 840 Free Time (951) </h4>

    This period of history became known as the Great Expansion, the first of severalrge spans of aggressivend ims made by the Colony. What differentiated these from the manner of conquest utilised by the sapient races of Pangera was our unusual ''top down'' approach. When the Colony imed an area in the third stratum, they also seized thend above it in the second, and the first, and on the surface.

    When we descended to anotheryer in force, we strived to ensure that the resources and cities beneath what we had already taken became ours as well. Although it was generally considered a normal practice to try and achieve this vertical structure, none were as fanatical about it as the Colony. Indeed, it wasmonce to possess significant holdings in the fourth stratum, a ce of incredible value to any with the means to exploit it, and not bother to invest in the extremely difficult to manage third stratum, and unimportant second and first strata.

    As we remained creatures of low mana requirements, the nests and academies spread far and wide across the upper levels of the Dungeon, apanied by matching outreach from the human poption on the surface. During this first wave of outreach, the city of Rylleh established its exploratory foundation that initiated construction of the new city that became Sothoth.

    ¡¤ From the records of Historiant.

    I really need a holiday. As nice as it''s been to engage in endlessbat against the termites, and believe me, it has been satisfying on a primal level to rip into those damn abominations, I feel like I need a break.

    With the lizards stepping in and taking control of the offensive directly, the entire battlefield has turned into a giant cat and mouse game. Vast swarms of termites sweep forward, tear up our tunnels, try to hunt down our patrols,y false scent trails and generally be a nuisance before they retreat. Or they pretend to retreat but insteady a trap and when we run in to try and chase them out, termites pour out of the walls and drop on top of us.

    Naturally this means the Colony has returned fire, setting traps of their own, false tunnels, chambers filled with concentrated acid, misleading trails, surprise forays into disputed territory, raids on termite tunnels as they ferry reinforcements to the front lines.

    Despite the long conflict, we still haven''t managed to get hold of a single lizard. They''re crafty creatures, deceit dripping from every cursed scale. The only ant who got close was me, and I had to let Invidia half blow me up to get the rocket jump I needed to close the gap.

    Every other time they''ve slipped away without even being seen, no matter how hard we try to intercept them.

    For my part I''ve just been running at the termites along with Tiny, Invidia and Crinis, sometimes with Sarah, causing as much mayhem as possible before retreating back to safe ground. Once we regroup, we try to find another likely location and run out to do it all again.

    Despite the ongoing conflict, the reality of the situation cannot help but sink in. The number of termites swarming around the territory of the mother tree continues to increase. Things areing to a head.

    Which is why I''ve had to pull all the way back to the Bruan''chii settlement to try and get an audience with the tree herself. As a fellow reincarnation, I have a much better chance of conversing with the insane nt than my own kin.

    I stare up at the massive Grove Keeper as he stands over me. In terms of overall mass, I''m quite a bitrger than the tree man, but ants tend to be much longer than they are tall, I''m quite a midget for a tier six monster in that respect. I barelye up to Tiny''s waist when he stands up straight.

    [Is she willing to talk or not?] I ask.

    [Hmmmm. I will ask, though I am not sure what she will say. Mother''s mood has been¡­ difficult ofte.]

    Seriously? That weed? She''s always been difficult! As far as I''ve been told, she''s been difficult from the moment she reincarnated on Pangera¡­

    Feeling a little indignant, I wait while the many flowers, bushes and roots that adorn the walls in the chamber rustle amongst themselves as the Grove Keeper tilts his head, listening to the words of his creator.

    [She will speak,] he tells me eventually.

    [Nice. So I have to ask, is she going to be able to help against the termite threat any time soon? We''ve been doing pretty darn well holding off in the invasion so far on our own, but a little assistance now and then wouldn''t go astray¡­]

    [She has been helping. When the incursions reach her roots, hasn''t she been fighting?] the Keeper replies without consulting his mother.

    [She has been doing the bare minimum. When there is a direct threat to her, she fights, but my family are fighting, and dying, without any aid from her at all in the tunnels abroad. Don''t deflect my words, I want to hear from the shrub-in-chief. Ask her.]

    What follows is an extended period of rustling as the two silently argue back and forth. I can''t even detect a mental connection between them.

    [She has been gathering her strength. She expended a great deal of energy in her fight against the termites. Without our aid, there was little she could do to prevent them from destroying and piging their way towards her roots. It will be years before she is able to return to her previous strength.]

    [So that means she doesn''t have to contribute to preserving her own life? That''s just nonsense! Without us here, fighting her battles, where would she be? Where would you be? We said we woulde and lend aid, and we have. We''ve risked far more in the defence of your mother than she ever risked in protecting the Colony. If she wants to continue to enjoy our help, then she needs to step up.]

    The anger in my voice is rising the longer I go on. My siblings continue to fight and die in a war that really is none of their business. If the Mother Tree wanted us to repay a favour, then I consider it repaid a hundred times over by now. She wants to sit back and lick her wounds while we defend her? No chance.

    There is another long silence as the Grove Keeper and the Mother Tree argue. I can''t know what they are saying, but if I was to guess, the Grove Keeper doesn''t want her to get involved, and she is actually willing to help. The Keeper''s attitude grows more stiff as their debate continues until finally he turns to me.

    [She will help,] he says gruffly before he turns to stomp away.

 Chapter 841 Donâ€™t You Open That Trapdoor! (952)

    <h4>Chapter 841 Don''t You Open That Trapdoor! (952) </h4>

    Burke skulked with all her Skills working to the fullest, her stealth enhancing mutations humming as she slipped from shadow to shadow, creating patches of darkness where none existed and blending into the rock behind her as her carapace shifted and moulded itself to match the surface she stood on. She was on high alert, every one of her senses strained for the slightest hint of stimuli.

    When a pebble shifted and rolled down the tunnel wall, tumbling over the rocks on its way to rest on the uneven floor, the fine hairs of her antennae vibrated furiously. Despite being drawn to such a height of tension, she didn''t move, but held her position still on the ceiling. She was far from the territory of the Colony, on a deep scouting mission, she could not afford to make any mistakes.

    Clinging to the darkness felt unpleasantly spiderish, an insect she despised with all her ant heart, as did being alone. She felt no trails that were not her own in this far away ce, unnatural to say the least. Yet even so, she enjoyed these moments, the times when everything rested on her own carapace and nothing else.

    Confident that there were no demons in the vicinity, she crept forward a few metres before she drew still, wrapping her stealth around herself once again. She was so close to the goal now, she couldn''t afford to be impatient.

    She briefly considered digging herself another resting chamber, a hidden room that she could fall back to and enclose to avoid danger, but decided against it. One look at the walls gave her all the information she needed as to why.

    Rivulets ofva streamed all around her, so hot they seared the air itself. Delicate blue mes danced across the surface as the boiling rock flowed ceaselessly from reservoirs of unspeakably dense mana above. She was far too deep now to risk digging anything at all. It was hard enough to find sections of stone solid enough to grasp onto; if she were to try and dig, the odds of everything copsing on her head was far too high.

    What was that? A trembling in the air. Eddies of wind that brushed against the hyper-sensitive hairs on her front legs.

    She tensed, locking her muscles in position. She could retreat or attack in a sh, depending on what she saw, but hopefully it wouldn''t be necessary. She could see her target now. Having to fight at this point would be such a pain.

    From the darkness opposite emerged a lithe, ded shape. A demon, high tier. Illuminated by theva streams, it certainly appeared dangerous, the mes glinting off the absurdly sharp des that emerged from that dusk dark skin that coated each of the monsters native to this stratum. Hesitant at first, the demon sniffed heavily, sucking in the heat and ash as it tasted the air.

    Burke didn''t flinch. Her scent was disguised, just like the rest of her. The demon was only twenty metres away, but it was likely too far for a single dash to reach. Patience was her ally.

    Finding nothing amiss, the demon advanced toward the hole in the rock and vanished quickly out of sight. Burke didn''t move. Only after ten minutes had passed did she shift her leg, then froze again as she watched for any response. Finally confident that nothing remained in the area she advanced to the target and began to poke her antennae through a millimetre at a time.

    She still sensed nothing and now dared to poke her head in.

    What met her gaze was much what she expected. No matter how deep she went, the third stratum remained much the same, the only difference being that what made thisyer unique was more evident the further down one travelled. Right now she stood over an entrance into the fourth yer'' that made up the third stratum. The pir was close, and far below, obscured by burning air and thick clouds of ash that made it almost impossible to see,y a massive demon city. At least a dozen tes, eachrger than what the Colony had conquered at Roklu.

    That would take a bit of work to control. And that was putting it mildly.

    Thankfully it wasn''t her job to worry about that. All the nning could befortably punted to the generals and carvers. She was of one mind with the Eldest when it came to thinking too much. Leave it to those better suited. She would instead focus on the things she could do exceptionally well.

    Stealthy as ever, she emerged through the gap and clung to the ceiling above the sheer drop of a dozen kilometres that spread out beneath her. Once she''d achieved a solid grip she positioned herself carefully and focused her gaze on the distant city, giving some time for her lenses to focus.

    Gradually things came into better focus, though it was immensely difficult to see much through the smoke. It was so hot she could swear that the air was on fire. Ants certainly enjoyed the heat more than the cold, but there were limits for everything.

    Wait a second¡­ what was she seeing?

    That smoke, was it purely a product of the stratum? Or was the city¡­ on fire?

    The longer she stared the more confident she became, something was happening down there. An attack? A nned demon war? She didn''t know who controlled the city below, but surely they wouldn''t allow an inter-city conflict to extend to this point?

    That was when she saw it.

    A demon. Enormous. Like a drawn de of blood and fire. The moment she saw that towering form its aura washed against her senses, crushing her will and battering her with thoughts of battle and war. Her mandibles strained against the desire to gnash and chomp as she fought for control of herself. Only after a long battle did she manage to regain mastery of her own mind.

    What was that?

    The city was burning. Whatever that giant demon happened to be, it was clearly attacking the city. With an aura that powerful, it had to be at least tier seven, and it was directly below the territory the Colony sought to im¡­ this wasn''t good.

    She watched carefully as the fight progressed, her gaze frustrated by the frequent gusts that broke her line of sight, but the glimpses she gained were more than enough to chill her heart.

    Then she saw the other one.

    In a sh, Burke was gone, back up the hole she had emerged from and rushing back to her nearest hiding spot.

    One was bad enough, but two? Just what the Colony needed. Another enemy too powerful to deal with.

 Chapter 842 Hooked (953)

    <h4>Chapter 842 Hooked (953) </h4>

    "They found WHAT?"

    Pulled aside by Sloan during a break in the fighting, she drops some heavy ordnance on me.

    "Tier eight demons," she repeats grimly, "fighting in the deepestyers of the third stratum, right beneath thend imed by the Colony."

    Pants. This is thest thing we need right now. We''ve got these termites to deal with, along with the ka''armodo pulling the strings as well as acting aggressive along our border in the third. There might be hundreds of thousands of us by now, but even we can be stretched too thin!

    "I''ll have to go back up there," I dere, firm in my conviction. "Nobody else in the Colony is equipped to fight them, not without suffering extreme casualties, so I''ll do it."

    Sloan ps herself with an antenna as if frustrated by my reply.

    "What?" I ask defensively.

    "Eldest. You might be the strongest member of the Colony, but you cannot do everything yourself. Grokus was only tier seven and he came close to killing you. If you were to go head to head with a tier eight, what do you think the oue would be? Honestly?"

    Well, if I think about it that way.

    "I would be ttened like a pancake in a machine specifically designed for the purpose of crushing pancakes to be a single atom thick¡­ would be my guess."

    "I don''t understand all of that, but I think my point got across. Even if these demons had abysmal quality evolutions, they would still be far above you, and there are two of them. Any thought you have of defeating them yourself needs to be cast aside."

    It feels kind of sad to be pushed aside like this in a moment of crisis, but she certainly has a good point. I can''t very well yell at the Immortals for trying to throw their lives away and then replicate that behaviour against even worse odds.

    "All right then, so what is the n then? I presume we aren''t just hoping they won''te for us."

    Now she looks insulted.

    "Of course not. We are in the process of putting together a strike team of tier seven demons that we can call on in the event these powerful enemies find us. Observation and deep scouting operations have been increased dramatically and teams of generals have been put in ce to game out possible scenarios. We are doing all that we can."

    I have a question.

    "Generals aren''t really the smartest ants. Are we sure you should be the group in charge of the theory crafting?"

    They are the most intelligent of the soldier caste, obviously, but that doesn''t mean a whole lot. Not that Sloan appears to appreciate me pointing that out.

    "Instead of insulting my intelligence -"

    "That''s not what I meant!"

    "- what I wanted to ask, Eldest, was what level you are currently?"

    My level? I honestly haven''t looked in a while, which is a bad habit I''ve been falling into. I''ve probably got skills that need to be upgraded and a fair chunk of Biomass to spend after all the fighting we''ve been doing down here. I take a quick look at my status and almost jump in surprise.

    "I''m at eighty one," I say, more than a little shocked.

    That''s past the halfway point! Tier seven is approaching fast!

    "Good. If you continue at your current pace then you may be able to reach the next tier before anything happens with these demons. Jumping two tiers is too much even for you, Eldest, but one might be possible."

    Considering the boost to evolutionary energy doubles each evolution, I''m not sure how a tier seven would cope against an eight, hopefully it''s not that bad! Despite the reassurances of the coolheaded general, I can''t help but look up nervously. The threats on the third are bing more dire by the day and I''m stuck down here in this endless insect war.

    "I still feel like I should head upwards. Even if only for a little while," I say. "I can help steady the situation before I return."

    Even if I''m only there for a few days, with me and my pets being such powerful tier six monsters we can make a dent in whatever our enemies throw at us. Within that stratum anyway. Once I''m confident no mass invasion of lizards, or uprising of uber demons is around the corner, then I can back down and continue to chomp on termites as we gear up for the final push.

    Sloan considers my proposal for a while before she reluctantly agrees.

    "That might be a good idea. At the very least it will help settle a few nerves. You must ensure that you are back within two days. I worry that after that much time the enemy will realise you are gone and try to take advantage."

    "Good call. I''ll get the group together and depart immediately."

    Which means kicking Tiny awake and going to look for Sarah. She''s been fighting all over the ce recently so it takes a little while to track her down.

    [Hey there, Sarah! I''m going to be heading back to the third for a couple of days. Interested ining along?]

    The giant bear is currently being tended to by numerous healers as she heaves breaths that sound like the forge bellows operated by the Colony in the main nest.

    [Just¡­ give me a minute¡­ I''m still¡­ I''m still calming down.]

    [Oh, shoot. My bad.]

    I wait a few minutes for her to get a better hold of herself before we continue.

    [It seems like you''ve been getting a lot better at controlling the rages,] I observe. [That''s great stuff! Well done.]

    She smiles, as much as a terrifying death bear can.

    [Thank you. I''ve been trying hard. I still lose control sometimes, but I can feel the improvement.]

    [Nice. So, about the third?]

    She hesitates before shaking her shaggy head.

    [I think I''ll stay. I''m helping here and I''m making a lot of progress with my own problems. Besides, I don''t want to go back up there to where Jim is¡­]

    [That''s fair enough. Don''t go too wild down here. Take care of yourself.]

    [I will.]

    With that done, it''s off to the gate. Back up toward the trunk of the world tree, past the vige, up the roots to where the gate stands waiting. After so much time fighting against the hated enemy, I''m almost looking forward to going back to the zing hotnd of the demons. All that smoke, and ash, and ¡­ and¡­ what the hell am I looking forward to again?

    Ah well. Here we go.

    The gate looms in front of me, glowing with incredible mana that makes no sense to me. Wait a second, what am I sensing?

    "Brilliant?"

    "Uh. Yes¡­?"

    "Where the hell are you hiding? I can sense you but I can''t see you."

    "I''m working on something. Something dimensional."

    "Are you in another dimension right now?!"

    "No."

    "Damn."

    "But I''m hiding in a pocket space!"

    "Oh, sweet."

    "There''s a lot of research to go, but the team and I will crack the secrets soon!"

    "I look forward to it."

    Nice to see the second champion making strides. If she can make pocket spaces, will gates be far away? My hopes are up!

    Feeling positive and not wanting to waste any time, I step toward the gate and brace myself for the disjointed feeling of being transported via magic.

    Except I don''t feel it.

    I look down. My leg hasn''t moved. That''s odd.

    Let''s try that again. Take a step forward. Into the gate. Aaaand now. Nope. What about¡­ now! Nothing. HAH! Still not moving¡­

    What the hell, leg? Why have you betrayed me?!

    In fact, the more I try to force myself to move forward, the more something deep within reaches out and yanks on my being, locking my body in ce. I''m just a few metres away from the gate, but I can''t move into it! This is so strange¡­

    Then I feel it, more clearly than I ever have before. A tug. Like a hand taking hold of my leg and pulling on it ever so slightly. Except it isn''t my leg, it''s my soul. And it isn''t a hand, it''s the Dungeon.

    It''s calling me down.

 Chapter 843 Mind Control?! (954)

    <h4>Chapter 843 Mind Control?! (954) </h4>

    I strain. I push. I fight with every fibre of muscle and every strand of brain matter to get my body to move forward! Nothing. As an experiment I try to move backwards and find no resistance, but once I move forward again, no dice. I''m frozen in ce as long as I attempt to move forward.

    This is crazy! The Dungeon is basically refusing to let me walk forwards?! Are you telling me I don''t have control of my own limbs?

    Dammit, Gandalf! Get your scrawny wizard backside out here and exin this. I won''t take another step until this unpleasant phenomenon is spelled out to me. I mean¡­ I can''t take another step¡­ but that''s not the point!

    [Master? Is everything alright?]

    I realise then that myrades have been watching me skuttle backwards and forwards, straining against an invisible barrier in front of the gate for over a minute now. I can imagine it doesn''t look at all that sane, prompting Crinis to check in with me.

    [I, uh, seem to be experiencing technical difficulties?] I reply.

    Crinis is confused.

    [I''m not sure what you mean. Is there a problem?]

    [In a sense. I can''t walk forward.]

    [You can''t?] She extends a tentacle forward toward the gate and meets no resistance. [I don''t think anything is there?]

    [This is a little hard to exin. It feels like the Dungeon itself is preventing me from going through the gate. As if it refuses to let me move somewhere that''s going to take me up a stratum.]

    [The Dungeon isn''t letting you move?]

    [Yeah, it sounds weird, I know.]

    [CONTEMPTIBLE DUNGEON! UNHAND THE MASTER!]

    Exploding with wrath, the tentacled shadow-mass unleashes her fury upon the Dungeon. In the literal sense. Stones fly and the bark beneath us splinters as Crinishshes out blindly. Tiny, witnessing this chaos, naturally does the first thing that pops into his head, which is to join in. Chunks of wood start flying everywhere as the giant ape joyously smashes his mighty fists into the root beneath his feet.

    [Hey. HEY! Knock it off, both of you. That''s not the Dungeon, that''s the Mother Tree!]

    The nts nearby rattle and hiss in fury as my two friends restrain themselves, Tiny much more reluctantly than Crinis. A Grove Keeper stomps over, a rare expression of anger stered on his face. I reach out to him with my mind before he can go off the deep end.

    [Sorry about that! Misunderstanding! We didn''t mean to attack the Mother Tree at all.]

    Obviously this doesn''t satisfy the Grove Keeper one bit and he replies in a tone rumbling with anger.

    [You would brush off this attack so brazenly? Hmmmmm. There must be a reckoning!]

    [Geez, we hardly chipped the bark, don''t get your logs soggy,] I retort, [besides, since you''re here I have a question for your mum. She might be able to help me out.]

    [And why would she help you?] the Keeper grumps.

    [Because you''d be dead if I wasn''t here?]

    There isn''t much he can say to that. Still bristling with anger the Grove Keeper turns toward the bushes and engages in another rustling session with them before he turns back to me.

    [Mother is most displeased at her roots being disturbed. What is your question?]

    [The Dungeon is preventing me from moving through the gate. Does she have any idea what that might be about?]

    [Hmmm. The Dungeon, you say?]

    [It sounds crazy, I get it. Talk to the tree would you?]

    I''m being a little rude, but to be honest the inability to walk where I want to walk is freaking me out more than I''m letting on. Not being able to go back up a stratum is one thing, I kind of expected that to happen as I kept evolving, but this constant tug dragging me downwards is something else entirely. Now that I''m aware of it, I''m starting to think it''s been there for quite a while and I just wasn''t conscious of it. Ew, that''s weirding me out. I have to wonder why it''s so much stronger now than before, has something changed? In fact, when was thest time I travelled up a stratum?

    This could also exin why I was so eager and reckless when it came to descending.

    [Mother has some understanding of what you refer to,] the Keeper sounds just as surprised as I am at the answer we get back. [The Call. She says that many monsters have felt it at one time or another, even Mother for a brief time. She believes that any monster with the potential to be the final Ancient is called to the depths to take up the mantle.]

    Are you serious? Does this mean the Dungeon itself has acknowledged me or something? I don''t want it, the Dungeon can get stuffed!

    [She experienced it herself? But doesn''t now? What made it go away?]

    This is an important point.

    [She believes that when she evolved to her current form, sacrificing much of her potential to be able to create us, her children, she no longer qualified.]

    [So if I take on some useless options during an evolution I won''t have to put up with this?]

    [Hmmm. Useless?]

    [Ah! Sorry, poor phrasing. You know what I meant! Useless in the ''bing an Ancient'' sense. I like you branchies, always have, honest!]

    The Keeper gives me a long look before he confers further with his mother.

    [She has said all she wishes to say on this matter. Please refrain from attacking her any further.]

    [That was totally a mix-up!]

    I p Crinis'' tentacles down with an antenna as they start to extend past me to throttle the Keeper as he turns to walk away.

    [Ha-ha! Friends!]

    I pause.

    [Crinis! What the hell?]

    [¡­ he was being rude.]

    [You weren''t connected, there''s no way you could know if that was true.]

    [I could tell.]

    Ah¡­ I can''t deal with this right now. Actually, didn''t Garralosh mention something about a pull or call? Was this what drove her over the edge as she spent all that time locked in the first stratum? Holy moly, that''s horrible. Doesn''t forgive what she did, obviously, but having this damn hook yanking at my guts for decades would be enough to make me crazy too.

    Gah! I need more information. I have to know what''s going on, if it can be subverted or ovee. If the Colony needs my help in the third, I''m supposed to just sit here and do nothing? Ridiculous! But who can I talk to?

    Granin. He has to know something, surely. He''s the most informed when ites to Ancient stuff. If I can get back to the third I can track him down, or I can put out a call and get him toe here.

    Wait a second. I''ve got an idea.

    [Alright. This might sound a little weird, but listen in guys. Tiny, Crinis, I want you two to pick me up and throw me through the gate.]

    Crinis freezes on my back whilst Tiny just looks confused.

    [Look, I can''t walk through the gate, so I need another way to get through. Invidia, use forcefields to bind me up so I can''t bite or move my legs, then you two pick me up and toss me through.]

    [Master, I can''t do that!]

    Crinis is appalled.

    Tiny, on the other hand, is grinning widely and flexing his hands.

    This might have been a poor idea.

 Chapter 844 Origins of the Call (955)

    <h4>Chapter 844 Origins of the Call (955) </h4>

    I''m not sure what anyone on the other side of the gate was expecting to see, but catching a glimpse of ''the Eldest'' as I soar gracelessly through the air probably wasn''t it. After I hit the ground I roll several times, legs iling wildly as I try to slow my momentum.

    Dammit Tiny! Was it really necessary to put that much arm into it? That lousy ape piffed me like a baseball. Just how strong is that idiot? I weigh multiple tons at this point!

    As I finally get my legs under me and manage to slow my roll I can see many ants standing guard around the gate boggling at me. I wave shakily with one antenna.

    "H-hello all. Nice to see you again."

    And then the hooks in my soul decide to make themselves known.

    HAK! Holy moly! That suuuuuucks¡­

    Tormented by the sudden intensification of the drag I flop onto my back and il at the air. It hurts! Great googly-moogly that stings! I feel like a fish with a shark hook lodged in my guts. It''s deeply unpleasant on a level I cannot hope tomunicate.

    Heedless of the damage my dignity suffers I thrash my legs like a poisoned spider and shudder in agony. Without realising it, I''ve actually started to drag myself back towards the gate. Is this what Garralosh put up with for all those years? HOW?! It''s not possible, no way.

    [Master, are you alright?] Crinis asks, her voice thick with concern once she rushes through the gate.

    [No!] I yell. [Not okay! Not close to okay!]

    [Should we take you back to the other side?] she asks.

    [Yes! NO! Just give me a minute here¡­ ugh.]

    Tiny stomps through the gate and, seeing the situation, he rumbles over and mimes picking me up again.

    [No, don''t throw me again you idiot! Just¡­ don''t let me crawl over to the gate. Alright?]

    The big ape nods, though he looks slightly disappointed. You enjoyed throwing me that much eh? I silently endure the horrific and persistent tugging on my soul until it eventually bes something like bearable. Honestly, it''s worse than walking around with an inted core. It''s a pain I can''t adequately describe. If it''s like this on the third stratum, I can''t even imagine how I''d feel going back to the second.

    This sucks! There are still monsters on the third that are a higher tier than me! I refuse to believe they all trundle around enduring this sort of agony! In fact, aren''t there tier eight demons beneath me right now? How are they exempt from this when I''m not? ording to the Tree, this sensation supposedly means I''m ''qualified'' or have the ''potential'' to be the final Ancient, which means all these other monsters who are stronger than me don''t possess that?

    It''s ttering to have my awesomeness acknowledged, I just wish that appreciation manifested in a different form.

    Once I''m up and walking I head away from the gate and toward Roklu. If I''m going to find Granin, I''m likely to find him there. Increasing the distance from the gate is met with a corresponding increase in the yanking I feel from the Dungeon, but I grit my mandibles and try to endure it. This is seriously awful. I don''t think I''ll be able tost up here all that long unless I find a better way to cope with it. Once I evolve, will it get worse? Or can I mitigate it in some way?

    Gawd I hope so.

    Feeling utterly miserable, I drag my sorry carcass all the way back to Roklu. Sadly, not even the sight of the utterly enormous nest the Colony has constructed is enough to shake me out of my misery. Although it''s impressive as hell. I wonder how on Pangera they managed to make something that big? Surely the weight of it would be enough to copse the foundation. Unless there''s some form of superstructure inside? Scratch that, I think they did manage to distract me.

    I approach the foundation of the massive anthill and park my rear outside before asking a nearby worker to see if they can fetch the golgari triad. I''d love to crawl around inside thisically impressive construction, but right now I''m just not feeling it. What I am feeling is the incessant ws of the Dungeon pulling at me, demanding I head back down to the fourth.

    Get stuffed, Dungeon! If I want to stay here, I will. Maybe, I''ll head back to the second stratum for a stroll while I''m at it!

    Oof. Or not.

    It doesn''t take long for the familiar, grumpy face of Granin to appear, thankfully, and he''s nked by Corun and Torrina.

    [Granin you curmudgeonly boulder wannabe. What the hell have you done to me?]

    The shaper huffs and folds his arms across his granite chest.

    [What have I done? Given advice. Everything else that''s urred is on you. I hear you''ve been mighty busy down below, risking your neck and blowing yourself up.]

    [On me eh? And how the hell could you know about me blowing myself up? Wait¡­ you''re distracting me. I won''t be deceived! Exin this infernal ''Call of the Dungeon'' that''s yanking my chain. I''m not fond of it! Not fond in the slightest!]

    Probably for the first time ever I get to witness surprise on the face of Granin. It looks weird. It''s like I walked past a section of stone wall, then turned back to see a shocked expression on its face.

    [You feel the call?] he asks.

    Even Corun and Torrina appear stunned.

    [Are you referring to the immense pain I feel as a result of existing on thisyer? When I tried toe through the gate I couldn''t even move my body. Having my body controlled by the Dungeon isn''t what I signed on for. If this is what bing an Ancient entails, I want off the ship!]

    [Anthony, this is a great honour! Do you understand what this means?] Corun implores, his face ecstatic with excitement.

    [Honour my glittering, goldenmercial empire! By which I mean my bum! This hurts like crazy!]

    [You idiot,] Granin huffs, though I can tell he''s excited. [That''s not the Dungeon calling you. That''s the Ancients. You''ve got their eye now, boy.]

 Chapter 845 Ancients Shmaincients (956)

    <h4>Chapter 845 Ancients Shmaincients (956) </h4>

    Corun, Torrina and Granin all stare at me with glittering eyes after they reveal that it''s the Ancients who''ve stuck this hook in me rather than the Dungeon itself. At times like this I have to remind myself that despite their intelligence, these three are cultists who essentially worship a giant worm.

    [So in your opinion, the fact that the Ancients have done this to me, rather than the Dungeon itself, should change my view of it?]

    [Of course,] Torrina nods seriously, [these are the oldest and most powerful creatures in this world.]

    [How could it not make a difference? Are you saying you don''t care that you''ve been called by these god-like entities?] Corun entreats me, grinning.

    I stare him in the eye.

    [OF COURSE I DON''T CARE! Why the hell would it make any difference to me? Are you stupid? Is your brain a worm?! I swear on the Colony, if I ever be an Ancient I''ll stick a hook in your guts and haul you around the Dungeon, we''ll see if your opinion changes!]

    Granin raises both his hands and tries to calm the mood.

    [Alright, let''s settle a bit. Obviously Anthony isn''t thrilled at being in pain. That''s perfectly understandable. I''m sure that you can understand why we might be excited though, right? You''ve essentially been touched by what we would consider to be omnipotent beings.]

    [Granin,] I grate out, [even if I wasn''t in pain, I wouldn''t care about the Ancients. All they are to me can be summed up as ''threats to my family''. Outside of that they can take a long walk on a scenic trail.]

    Corun almost winces.

    [You really shouldn''t talk about them like that, Anthony,] he tells me.

    [Or what?] I sarcastically bite back. [Will they cause me difort and limit my movements? Wouldn''t that be awful.]

    I shift as the ache res within my carapace.

    [How are they even doing this?] Iin. [I can''t detect any mana that''s connecting to me. It''s like this sensationes from nowhere.]

    [I can''t help you with that,] Granin admits, [nobody has ever been able to figure it out, or what requirements are necessary to trigger the call. Some promising monsters begin to feel it early, perhaps even at tier four or five, but others never do, not even at tier eight. Other than a strong core, we have no idea what causes it to begin.]

    Well that''s something at least. Are they able to cause this sensation through the core somehow? It shouldn''t be possible ording to what I know, but these monsters have been alive for literally thousands of years. If they haven''t figured things out better than I have in that much time, they''re beyond hope.

    [All right,] I finally manage to push aside my anger and try to be reasonable. [You can''t help get rid of this, is there any way I can mitigate it? Reduce the effects? Right now I can barely operate on this stratum at all, I presume going to the second would be even worse. If the Colony needs help this is going to make it difficult to help them and frankly, I''m not a fan.]

    Torrina nods, understanding where I''ming from. She nces at Granin, who indicates she can answer before she speaks.

    [We don''t know how to lessen the effects of the call. We only know that when it is in effect, it will be constant. The only way to get rid of it that we''ve ever found is for the marked individual to ¡­ ] she reaches for the right words, [ ¡­ lose the interest of the Ancients. Once they no longer believe you are capable of reaching their level, the Call will vanish.]

    So if I don''t intentionally weaken myself during an evolution this is just going to continue? That sucks!

    [They want another monster to reach their level and join their ranks,pleting the circle of twenty. For that reason they''ve reached out and attempted to draw promising monsters to them,] Granin says directly. [It''s a crude method, but they are attempting to drive you to descend further, evolve more, fight and survive in ever more difficult conditions. Only a monster who can ovee all of that will be capable of reaching them. That is what we believe.]

    I''m about to tell Granin exactly what he can do with his beliefs when a familiar scent wafts against my antennae.

    "You aren''t being difficult are you, child?"

    I turn toward the nest in shock. It can''t be! But it is!

    Emerging from the borate entrance carved into the base of the hill is a swarm of ants who posture aggressively, zipping this way and that as they rush forward to assess any threats. But underneath all of that swarming carapace is a form that I can''t forget no matter how much time passes.

    "Mother?" I gasp. "Weren''t you in the second stratum?"

    She''d been up there for ages, in the main nest! She''d even managed to get her guards to let her go out hunting and everything. I kind of thought that would end up being her retirement, in a way. She could go catch her own food, battle andy eggs, everything she wanted in life. What the heck is she doing down here?

    The giant ant steps gracefully closer to me.

    THWACK!

    Yeouch!

    I rub my head with one antenna.

    "Was that really necessary?" I ask.

    "I felt that you were thinking useless thoughts," she replies calmly.

    She raises her antenna again.

    "Are you still thinking them?"

    "No mother!"

 Chapter 846 Such a Pain (957)

    <h4>Chapter 846 Such a Pain (957) </h4>

    Mother looks at me, a twinge of amusement in her eyes as her antennae continue to hover threateningly. I swear she gets far more enjoyment than she should by whacking me on the head. I''m not sure I''ve ever seen her hit someone else, to be honest. It''s not fair!

    "Mother. It''s lovely to see you as always, I''m just surprised is all. I thought you were veryfortable in the main nest."

    "I experienced some issues due to ack of mana. It was tolerable and I was happy to remain, but now that a secure nest has been constructed in this stratum, there is no reason I shouldn''t move down and take up residence here."

    "The fact that the Colony is at war in thisyer wouldn''t have anything to do with it?"

    The Queen isn''t fazed by my question and replies forthrightly.

    "Of course if my children are fighting then I should help. Isn''t that normal?"

    "I suppose it is," I sigh.

    Though I doubt the rest of the Colony were happy with her decision. In fact, the guards crawling all around are throwing me dirty looks for agreeing with her. What do you want me to do? Nobody is going to tell the Queen what to do, least of all me! If I suggest she try and look after herself, all that''s going to happen is I get smacked in the head. Still, I suppose I should try.

    "Just¡­ try to be careful? A bit? The family would be sad if anything were to happen to you."

    "Of course, child. I do not intend to needlessly throw my life away, but I have the ability to help, so I shall."

    She looks at me as if I''m a touch foolish to think that she would do anything else. I stare tly at the guards who now pretend they were never ring at me to begin with. You morons, now mother thinks I''m an idiot. That''s what I get for trying to help you.

    "Well, we''ve had word that there are tier eight demons beneath us. So we need to be careful. If theye up here, we''ll be forced into a fight that isn''t likely to go well for us."

    "Good thing that I''m here then," the Queen deres. "The strongest of the Colony should stand at the ready to repel this threat. Isn''t that why you are here?"

    "Sort of," I scratch my head with an antenna. "I''ve got my own thing going on. We aren''t expecting them to pop up here anytime soon, but fighting them without any tier seven members is going to be tough."

    "Very well, then I will return to my hunt. Be well, child. Try not to cause trouble."

    "What, me? When do I eve¡­ yes mother."

    Satisfied with my reply, the Queen pats me on the head once before she walks away, trailed by as many as a thousand ants who nervously skitter around her as if expecting powerful monsters to leap out of the air to assassinate her.

    The Queen is always going to do whatever she wants, which is nothing less than she deserves after the service she''s done for the family, but I wish she wasn''t sofortable risking herself. I know she doesn''t think of herself as irreceable, goodness knows how many queens we have now, but were she to actually fall in battle the entire family would be plunged into mourning.

    Even the ants who''ve never met the Queen speak of her with such reverence. It''s kind of strange to think there''s so many members of the Colony who haven''tid eyes on the Queen. Or me,e to think of it. It doesn''t seem all that long ago there were only a couple hundred of us and I had to shepherd my less intelligent family members to the surface to avoid the wave.

    Now there''s thousands and thousands. Maybe even a million? Is anyone even counting? Where''s ountant when you need her? Actually, an ant named ountant probably does exist.

    With Mother gone, I turn back to the golgari with a sigh.

    [So there''s nothing anyone can do about this and I just have to throw myself deeper into the Dungeon until I''m either dead or a high enough tier that the Ancients ept me as one of their own?]

    [Pretty much,] Granin confirms. [There''s a little more to it, I think, in terms of what evolutions you choose, and what path you emphasise. From what we understand of the Call, it won''t stop until you realise your potential, ''ruin'' it, or die.]

    [Well that''s just¡­ great.]

    This sucks. Big time. I''m not interested in being yanked about like a fish on a hook, but it doesn''t seem the Ancients are interested in giving me much choice. Unless I can find a way to mitigate this effect, then I''m just going to have to learn to live with it. Learning to live with things is my speciality!

    I''ve learned to live with being an ant just fine, and when I was a human there was that time with the legs. Those bones healed up alright, the pain when walking was less than the hunger pangs, and I dealt with those!

    Actually, wait, no I didn''t, I died from hunger didn''t I?

    [Look, kid, I''m sorry I didn''t warn you about this. It''s out of our hands whether or not this happens, and I won''t say we didn''t hope for it, but for what it''s worth, I''m sorry.]

    [Granin, this is too much emotion from you. Don''t make it weird.]

    Corun huffs augh behind his triad leader and even Torrina cracks a smile.

    [None of this is your fault, I get that. This isrgely a problem caused by me being too incredible and the ancients being gits. Hopefully at some point down the line it''ll all work out in the wash. Now if you''ll excuse me, I need to go bite something.]

    [Make sure you check back in with us before you evolve,] Granin reminds me as I turn to leave, [you''re going to need a quick rundown. This one''s going to be big.]

    [You said that about thest one.]

    I cut off contact as we get further from the hill.

    [Master? Will you be able to fix this problem?] Crinis asks anxiously.

    I can feel her wiggling about on my carapace back there, she must have been worried.

    [No fixes in the short term, but we might be able toe up with something in the future if all goes well. Invidia, keep your eye open and see if you can find something that is causing me this pain. With your massive brain, you might be able to figure something out I''ve missed.]

    The green eye shes with glee.

    [Your painssssss, I will take itssssss!]

    [Don''t take it, get rid of it, if possible,] I grumble. I wouldn''t wish this suffering on one of my friends! [Make sure I check in with Brilliant when we get back down to the fourth as well. She might be able to pick up on something we can''t, given that she has nine hundred different ways to sense information. She''s like an ant shapedboratory.]

    Which was exactly what she wanted to be.

    [Alright, let''s go see if we can help the Colony and beat something up. We''re fighting all over the ce, so surely there''s somewhere we can pitch in.]

 Chapter 847 That Deep Despair (958)

    <h4>Chapter 847 That Deep Despair (958) </h4>

    Deep within Pangera, things were stirring. Stone cracked, ice shattered, fire roared and winds howled. The monsters of this deep darkness revelled in the flood of mana that poured from the centre of the Dungeon, eyeing the rivals with whom they had sparred for hundreds, if not thousands of years whilst younger beasts stepped lightly, desperate to avoid the eye of their elders as they squabbled amongst themselves for resources. This is the world where no naturally born creature had ever set foot.

    The final Dungeon.

    True horrors lurked amidst the caverns here. Monsters so powerful and ancient that simply breathing in their presence would be impossible, so suffocating was their aura. Creatures who were born of, and soaked in rivers of mana, the rules of their existence warped and twisted by energy. In this ce, nothing was as it seemed. That which was solid flowed like water, that which was liquid floated like air. Forwards could be backwards, up could be down and time could be anywhere and nowhere. The concentration of mana was so thick here, reality itself groaned under the weight of it, pushed to the brink of breaking.

    Any creature born of such an environment, any monster that could thrive in it, was nothing less than an apex predator and amongst the most fearsome beasts in all of existence. Demons and Gods in their own right, these mighty beings were proud existences, pushing their fiendish intellects to the limit every day over centuries to survive.

    And yet.

    Something greater stirred now. The truly ancient. The real Ancients. How long had it been? The monsters retreated to their dens, cast mours and wrapped themselves in shadow as the oppressive, all-epassing wave of dread washed over them. Had it been so long that they had forgotten? Did they growcent? Had they really dared to dream that perhaps now they measured up to the only beasts who still slept beneath them?

    A foolish thought.

    In a pocket of pure fire that burned like a sun, a being awoke. Though it possessed no limbs, no arms or legs to speak of, it stretched, and as it did so the me grew yet more dense and hot, until the air, the stone, even the fabric of space and time began to burn. As if rising from a deep ocean, consciousness returned gradually until finally the Ancient broke the surface and awareness returned in a flood.

    Fire mana boiled and condensed in the heart of the miniature sun, until it began to harden and solidify. Shards of red crystal, the most pure me mana in all of the world, began to form. As they formed, cracked and reformed, a tinkling sound could be heard ringing out beneath the ever present roar of hungry me, tiny flecks of crystal swirling through the inrushing air.

    Old, older than the Rending itself, the creature surveyed its surroundings leisurely before expanding its mind. In an instant the monster''s thoughts swept over thousands of kilometres of Dungeon, the weaker beings it sensed huddling low in their tunnels as they felt the gaze of a true apex predator touch them, ever so briefly. Fortunately for these monsters, it wasn''t them that the Ancient was interested in; instead it reached out, beyond the caverns of unworldly heat that made up its domain and outwards, stretching further to circumnavigate the globe, scanning the entirety of its home stratum.

    It searched for its peers.

    Responses were mixed. The Demon God was close to waking, its thoughts could be sensed bubbling under the surface as it drew in the mana needed to sustain it. Hunger had awoken, unsurprising, given the way its appetite was never truly sated. The desperate need to eat would always ensure it was the first to return to being fully alert. Yet more had begun to stir, the slow eddies of their sleeping thoughts quickening as their cores basked in the rising mana.

    The stench of toxins and death had begun to permeate the edges of the ming caverns the Ancient called home. With a flex of will it sent purifying fire roaring throughout its domain, purging the corrupting mana. A necessary process when Decay''s territory bordered one''s own. The poison creeping beyond the boundaries was a sure sign that Decay too was rising quickly. It would not be long before almost half of them had awoken fully. How long had it been since such a thing had urred?

    Carrire could not recall.

    Another mind, terrible and great, reached out to it across the void. It was no easy thing when two Ancients connected to one another. Forces too great to exist in proximity could create unwanted effects if they were to draw close. This meant contacting each other was a delicate thing, the proper distance had to be maintained, lest their prodigious minds sh and unleash destruction across the Dungeon.

    It took a moment for Carrire to recognise the alien thoughts that had extended towards it, a being it had not spoken to for over a millennium. With care, the connection was established as Carrire worked to withhold its power and its contemporary did the same. The tiniest thread of thought hovered between them, through which each could sense the ravenous power thaty beyond. Much of their exchange urred as images and feelings, shes of impression and intent. In the mix, some words were exchanged.

    [What hope this cycle?] Carrire asked.

    [SOME,] Odren replied.

    That was promising. Such words were seldom given from the Father of Monsters.

    [Are there any that you like?]

    The Ancient known as Odren was more aware of the goings on within the Dungeon than the rest of them, ever fascinated with the creatures known as Monsters in a way the others simply weren''t. They cared forpleting the circle, nothing more.

    [SOME,] Odren replied once more, and Carrire could feel the torrential glee roiling within the vast intellect beyond their tenuous link. [INTERESTING BREEDS THIS TIME. FRESH MEAT.]

    A crude way to phrase it, but Carrire understood the meaning. The Dungeon was producing new types of monsters, moving into a new phase in the cycle.

    [Is there time?]

    Nothing for a long moment. Then:

    [SOME. ENOUGH.]

    It would have to do.

    The contact was broken and the Ancient settled once more into its own mind, its own domain. Yet more mana would be needed before it regained its strength, but for now it could engage in a simple hunt. It had been so long¡­

 Chapter 848 Adventures with Tolly (959)

    <h4>Chapter 848 Adventures with Tolly (959) </h4>

    Hello my dear readers, it is wonderful to be able to share with you the next instalment of my adventures amidst thends of the Colony! Whenst we spoke, I had been assured that a meeting with THE Queen was quite simply impossible, outside of a crusade of the most bloody sort to fight through tens of thousands of fanatical insect soldiers! I enjoy a good crusade as much as the next person, but I have to say that even I am not that eager to score an interview.

    So with a great deal of reluctance I abandoned the idea of speaking to the Queen. I was, however, eager to continue to explore in the pursuit of finding the ''Great One'', the Eldest! Exactly what had this ant done in order to secure such devotion from its Colony? Of course, my guide, Emilia, was replete with stories of this particr individual''s excellence. Great battles fought, duels won, incredible feats of strength, cunning, bravery and derring-do!

    I have to say, reader, that there could be a very good book in the telling of this ant''s exploits. Might I suggest, this author''s tenth best seller?

    Naturally, I assume some level of exaggeration to be in y, but I am far too polite to push my guide for the exact details! That simply wouldn''t do! It pays to be polite at all times, this has been my policy for decades.

    My guards and I continued to enjoy the hospitality of the Colony within the second stratum and I must say the sights I beheld were quite beyond my expectations.

    After the well regted expanse in which vast fields of trees hosted the aphids raised by the Colony, we visited a mine. Emelia was quick to assure me that this mine was typical of those operated by the ants and I have to say it appeared to be a model of efficiency. A replenishing supply of Cold Iron, the brittle, freezing ore that can appear in the Shadow Sea, was being efficiently harvested by a rotating team of ant workers. The entire operation was conducted in perfect silence, a trait of the ants that I struggled to adapt to.

    It''s so strange! No matter how many of them are gathered in one ce, the tikky tak of their ws is basically all that one can hear. Emilia assured me that the ants were constantlymunicating and were, in fact, quite chatty, but without the ability to understand their pheromonalnguage, it isn''t possible to partake in these conversations.

    After visiting the mine, we followed the trail taken by the raw ore into Anthome itself, whereupon it was delivered into thergest foundry I have everid eyes on. The heat was so intense, even within this frozen stratum, that the viewing area we were taken to was lined with cooling enchantments on the walls. The air outside wavered and shimmered in the heat rising from the enormous crucibles of molten ore. At least a dozen of these literal melting pots could be seen from our position and Emilia took the time to point out the different minerals being processed and the final products they would be turned into.

    Each crucible measured dozens of metres across, giant cauldrons into which tons and tons of material seemed to constantly flow, with waste product and separated liquid metals flowing from controlled outlets at the bottom. From there the precious metals were funnelled into gravity fed pipes and whisked away for further processing elsewhere.

    The sheer scale of the operation opened my old eyes to just how vast the industry of the Colony truly was. How many mines like the one I saw would be necessary to feed a foundry like this? A hundred? And this was far from the only such foundry, I was assured. Hundreds of mines, thousands of tons of material that was fed to a literal army of artisans who crafted everything one could imagine, from arms and armour for ants, people or their pet monsters, to furniture, statues and kitchen implements.

    The most senior and revered of all the craftsants, was Smithant, and I was especially pleased to be able to meet this individual hard at work at the forge.

    "Smithant was one of the original smiths in the Colony and the first to craft armour specifically for use by ants," Emilia told me, a touch of awe evident in her voice as we stood to the side as therge ant beyond feverishly worked the tools of her trade. "It isn''t often that she returns to this stratum, as she runs the Colony''srgest armoury deeper in the Dungeon. Shees up to teach younger ants sometimes, or to check the quality of the more basic equipment produced here.

    Nothing I saw in front of me looked basic. Even my guards were impressed as we watched the dark coloured ant shape the metal; the speed at which she worked was incredible, taking a raw ingot, firing it, and then using a strange, enchanted hammer to pound it into shape. Her six legs were constantly in motion, shifting, adjusting, firing the bellows, changing the angle, operating the hammer. It was almost dizzying to watch.

    As she worked, I was able to see how she had adapted her body to her work. One leg channelled pure heat into the metal as she worked it, keeping it cherry red as she plunged one w deep into the molten steel. In fact, she needed no equipment to touch or move her work, so heat resistant had her body be.

    I was even more shocked when she leaned forward and mped down onto a rod of glowing iron with her jaws directly! Sparks flew as she chomped several times in rapid session, her mandibles acting as hammers topress and fold the metal.

    Nor did she stop the motion of her obviously enchanted hammer during this motion. The more I watched, the more I felt I wasn''t looking at a smith, but an entity who had designed its entire being around metalwork. She had moulded every aspect of herself to better suit her chosen field.

    Without a mage present, I couldn''t speak directly to this remarkable individual, but Emilia offered to trante for me and I was most eager to learn more.

    "Can you ask her what she''s working on now?" I led with.

    Always go for the safe questions first, readers!

    To my eye, the ant before me didn''t respond in any way, even after Emilia turned towards her and (I assume) began to speak.

    "She is attempting to perfect a new archetype of heavy armour. Specifically, the Mark 10 Layered Armour, Immortal edition."

    "Mark 10?"

    "Yes. She has developed nine previous versions of this particr armour, I believe. I must confess, Ms Tolly, I am not too certain of the technical aspects."

    "What specifically does she mean by ''Immortal edition''?"

    "I can answer that. The Immortals are a particr heavy armour division of the Colony. They are famed for their durability, to the point that legend holds that only one has ever died in battle."

    Every army in the world has these sorts of stories, but for some reason I always give them more weight when I hear them in the Colony. The ants do not seem to have the capacity to lie.

    "Can you ask her why she decided to be an armour smith?" I ask. "I am most fascinated as to why she chose this path."

    A brief pause as the two confer and then Emiliaes back to me.

    "Armour is good, a carapace is also good, why notbine the two? Would it be possible to create a methodology that would make an armoured ant not a hindrance, but more than twice as durable?"

    I blinked.

    "Is it? Possible, I mean."

    "She says, of course, that is what I did."

 Chapter 849 Running Amok (960)

    <h4>Chapter 849 Running Amok (960) </h4>

    The first day in the third stratum was the worst. Along with Crinis, Tiny and Invidia, I rushed about trying to put out fires and help the Colony in every way that I could. We took part in the siege of a city, overrunning the defenders in spectacr style, leaping from a pir that rose ten kilometres high. I left the duel with the city lord to our resident demon overlord though, I don''t want to tangle with any more tier sevens if I can help it.

    Bit of a silly thought considering there''s even stronger demons running amok beneath us, but there it is.

    Speaking of Brixin, I don''t think I''ve ever seen a happier demon. With the territory that she controls expanding by the day, her smile was just as wide as her dial. The might of the colony was allowing her to indulge in her obsession for conquest and expansion to the fullest. It wouldn''tst forever, or even much longer I think, but for the time being she was happy as a m.

    All well and good. With the city conquered, we didn''t rest on oururels, rushing back down and tearing off to find something else to fight. The Colony has continued to target demon cities that border along the area imed by the Ka''armodo, which has only exacerbated tensions between us. Border skirmishes are bing moremon and both sides are exerting more pressure every day.

    My family has been busy whilst I''ve been down below grappling with the termite menace. The number of cities seized by the Colony has reached twelve. Twelve! That represents a ridiculous amount of space within the Dungeon, a huge swathe of territory, along with the resources contained within.

    The industrial arm of the Colony can be seen everywhere we go. Mines are springing up. Way stations are being constructed inside the mountain sized pirs that rise from the endless ins. Vast smelting operations are being established in the major hubs and every single city is getting its own nest constructed around the base of the pir. None of them are quite as absurdly sized as the original around Roklu, the scale of that thing is utterly bewildering, but they are still massive.

    If they actually getpleted, I don''t see how anyone is ever going to remove us from thend that we''ve taken. I mean, are you actually going to go inside those hills and fight us? You aren''ting out, I can guarantee you that!

    No sooner we show our faces along the border than we run into a small patrol from the Ka''armodo side, two young lizards and their attendants marching back and forth on our side of the invisible line that separates our territory.

    Obviously they would dispute that, but we''ve had enough of being pushed around by them. The proxy war that they''ve started on the fourth has put all of us ants on edge. We no longer are willing to tolerate their nonsense.

    Despite posturing arrogantly, it doesn''t take much for us to run this small squad off with their tails between their legs. A squad of tier six monsters is no joke. When all four of us reach tier seven, it''ll take something pretty serious to prevent us from doing what we want, at least up here.

    Thinking about it, will I even be able to stay up here when I evolve? I think the mana level would be fine, tier sevens are fine here after all, but what about the Call? As it is, I can''t really tolerate it, not forever, but if it gets any worse¡­ I may never be able toe back here.

    BAH!

    No negative thoughts allowed! The Colony has embarked on an unprecedented campaign of buttocks kicking and I shall channel that spirit! The Call shall be kicked, along with the Ka''armodo, the termites, the Ancients, and anyone else who wants a piece of this business district!

    Anthony doesn''t back down!

    Except when the lizardse back with a patrol of ten Ka''armodo, several of them the older type with extra arms, and almost fifty Setsh. In that case, I backed all the way down and high tailed it back to safety.

    It''s nice that they want to show they take me seriously, but do they need to bring out that many? That''s overkill dammit! Even if I tried to nuke them with a gravity bomb, there''s a chance that they''d be able to break it apart before it could detonate. Even if they couldn''t, with that many mages they could shield themselves for sure.

    Day one ended with me and the crew hunkering down in a still under construction nest to get some shuteye, something that was exceptionally difficult for me given the pain I''m in.

    Eventually I manage to get a little open-eye, at least to refresh me a little.

    When I shock myself awake, I take a moment to stretch out the kinks and clean my antennae. I really need to take a break at some point and look at my mutations and skills. I''ve fallen into a poor habit of not bothering to check my status page on a regr basis, but the upgrades to my important skillse so far apart these days, it''s hard to work up the motivation.

    I can remember a time when every skill point, every little crumb of Biomass felt like a milestone. Now I need to stack up hundreds of Biomass before I can achieve much, mutation wise.

    It''s depressing in a way.

    But no matter! The spirit is strong and I shall ovee!

    ¡­ once I get back to the fourth. Right now, I can''t concentrate properly given the incessant yanking on my guts.

    When we get out and about, it doesn''t take long before we find some trouble to throw ourselves at. A scout returned to the nest whilst I was napping and reported suspicious movements from the lizards over the border. Perhaps they''re going to pull something now that they know I''m here? A show of strength, of some sort?

    Or maybe they just want to lure me out and kill me given the trouble I''ve caused them. I wouldn''t put it past them¡­

    Might as well go and find out.

 Chapter 850 Bug Zapper (961)

    <h4>Chapter 850 Bug Zapper (961) </h4>

    Is the Colony evil? The monstrous ant foe poses a conundrum, as far as enemies go. It''s very easy to paint such alien creatures as ''other'', distinct from the sapient people of Pangera, and therefore remove sympathy. The ants do not speak, in the conventional sense; they don''t even make sound. When describing them to someone with no direct experience of them or their society, depicting them as mindless, soulless and evil, is almost trivially easy.

    Unspeaking, unthinking killing machines. Tunnelling through the soil to strike where they are least expected. They have no mercy in them, no kindness. All they know is hunger, all they think of is war.

    And such a viewpoint will be swallowed hook line and sinker by the average citizen on the street. After all, what do they know of the Colony? Nothing at all. It isn''t as if an ant is going to pop up in the street and prove me wrong. Although their diplomatic efforts have spread further than any might reasonably expect, themon person knows not of these things and has nevere into contact with a sapient ant monster.

    For those of us with more information, with more academic rigour, we cannot state that they are evil. Their motives may be difficult for us toprehend, and their actions may not always make sense to us, and therefore seem barbaric and unnecessary, but theirs is a rich andyered society that, while unified far more than our own nations, is not a monolith. They have their own disagreements, negotiations, and strange manner of decision making. They have culture, art, craftsmanship and all the other trappings of intelligent civilisation.

    Perhaps what they do could be considered evil, but the Colony itself is far tooplex an entity for such simplebels.

    Excerpt from ''Modern Morality'' by Arcurion.

    Well, well, well. The ol'' lizards have decided to try and set a trap for little old me. Unfortunately for them, I''ve never seen a trap I didn''t want to stick my head in!

    Wait¡­

    Anyway, I''m going for it. I won''t be dissuaded! Not that the Colony makes any effort to stop me. When I tell the local generals what I intend to do, they just nod as if that''s what they expected all along. In fact, when I sally forth with Crinis, Invidia and Tiny in tow, we find an army of ten thousand ants has already been deployed, waiting in neat ranks for me to leave so they can tag along as I go to confront the wizard lizards.

    "Uh, you lot are all heading out to the border?" I ask them, a little surprised to see them.

    "Yes, of course. We expected you would go and want to make sure that things don''t escte out of hand."

    "You really think the Ka''armodo would try and pull something?"

    There''s a pause as the general in charge looks at me steadily.

    "¡­ yes. We were concerned the¡­ Ka''armodo would start something."

    That tone doesn''t seem down the line to me¡­

    "You¡­ aren''t implying that I''d be the one to start something¡­ are you?"

    "Nooooo," the ant drags it out for far too long.

    "Fine," I huff. "Be like that."

    The way they''re acting you''d think that I''m gunning to start a conflict with our new neighbours. I''ve been so patient with them that it practically hurts! After everything that they''ve done, don''t we deserve the chance to kick their scales in?

    The answer is obviously yes! However, it can also be true that the Colony doesn''t necessarily need open warfare with an ancient race of powerful mages and their bonded servant race. Let''s not be silly, we were lucky to get away with ticking off the golgari, I don''t think we''ll get lucky a second time. If we give the Ka''armodo a reason to mobilise their real strength, they would probably smash us. We need more time. Time for more ants to be born and trained in the academies, time for the ants in the third to amass experience and Biomass, evolve to tier six.

    With enough time, we will be capable of withstanding any assault. The order of the day is to dy. Which is likely why the Colony are making a show of strength alongside me. The best answer to a belligerent neighbour is a show of strength. Let them know you aren''t to be messed with.

    So I can understand where the Colony wasing from, even if I was secretly hoping to get something started¡­

    Wait! Don''t even admit that to yourself! Dammit!

    Ten thousand strong, we march through the sted wastnd of the third stratum, therval demons cavorting around our legs as we pass. When we finally reach the border, the lizards have beaten us there and through my connection to the hundreds of scouts pouring all over the area I can tell that the hundred lizards in front of us are only a portion of what they''ve brought to the dance. Trying to hide from the Colony. Foolish!

    When I get there, one of the older lizards is standing at the head of their group, so I politely march over with my squad in tow and reach out to make contact.

    [Hey there, chief! Nice day to be out for a stroll. Kind of makes me want to find a hot rock and just snooze. Know what I mean?]

    The Ka''armodo eyes me through narrowed eyes.

    [Yes. It is a pleasant day. The heat is dry, yet the ash is a constant irritation.]

    [Couldn''t your servants put up a barrier to keep the ash out?]

    [I would not drain the Setsh for such a frivolous reason. Our bond is a sacred trust.]

    [Then enchant something. I can''t be the first person to think of this¡­]

    [You are not. Why are we discussing sleeping conditions? I am confused.]

    I can tell that thest isn''t just directed to me and one of the servants steps forward.

    [I believe the insect is mocking you, Master.]

    [What?] the centuries old giant lizard turns its re on me.

    [What? Hey! That''s an unfair characterisation. I was trying to make conversation about a topic that you would find interesting to buildmon ground between us. Something we''re both interested in. Ants also like warmer climates, keeps us moving, keeps us energised. The brood also need to be kept at a warm temperature. Much like an egg. See? We have a lot inmon. Like termites, for example.]

    The great lizard continues to stare and I lean in closer.

    [You wouldn''t happen to know anything about termites running rampant in the fourth stratum now¡­ would you?]

    The Ka''armodo continues to re at me, along with its servants and those of another hundred lizards.

    [I wouldn''t,] he grates and all of a sudden the air has gotten quite tense.

 Chapter 851 Rubbed the Scales the Wrong Way (962)

    <h4>Chapter 851 Rubbed the Scales the Wrong Way (962) </h4>

    The two sides stare each other down, the tension thick in the air. Outside of myself and the elder Ka''armodo, along with his attendants, nobody is listening in on our conversation, but apparently the bodynguage is enough to put everyone on edge. In front of me stand a hundred giant lizards and five times that many Setsh. If that was all, perhaps it wouldn''t be so bad, but I know for a fact that twice that number are lurking in the area,ying low, ready to jump in case things go south.

    Behind me stands an army of ten thousand ants, lined up in neat ranks, prepared to attack at a moment''s notice. I don''t doubt that more are mobilising in the area around us, but the Colony is spread across the stratum at the moment, making it difficult to pull massive numbers together. Given a few more hours, I''m sure we could pull ten times this number together, but we don''t have the luxury.

    You''d think our odds would be good with these sorts of numbers, but in all honesty, the bnce of power is even. The only thing that tilts it in our favour is the presence of myself and the squad. With four powerful, tier six monsters hanging about, we have the advantage, and I think they know it. With the ant army backing us up, they don''t have the ability to quickly annihte us, the amount of shields that will appear the moment they get aggressive is absurd, so when the fight drags out we''ll explode into their ranks.

    So what we have here is a good ol'' Mexican standoff.

    The only thing I''m not sure of is whether the lizards want to rumble or not. The Colony doesn''t, for the most part, but the lizards? Nobody''s sure.

    [Are you sure you haven''t heard of the termites? Mr Ka''armodo? Causing all sorts of havoc down in the fourth stratum. Thousands of them, hundreds of thousands, hell maybe even millions. They''ve been attacking the Mother Tree, pushing her to the brink. She might be forced to call on her allies, maybe bring the Folk in. If that happens¡­ who knows what''ll go down.]

    The giant lizard sets his jaw as he folds his arms across his chest.

    They look weird, these older Ka''armodo. Their bodies are slightly elongated, the front raised up to something approximating a human chest with two arms. The rest of them is still the same, an elongated body, possibly eight metres from tip to tail, supported on four thick, sturdy legs tipped with barbed ws.

    Each one of these guys is basically a monster in terms of their physical attributes. Combined with their powerful minds, it makes a hell of abination.

    [I have already told you, we don''t know anything about these termites of which you speak. The Mother Tree is no friend of ours and her suffering brings me joy. She is nothing but a monster, and monsters should be destroyed, for the safety of all.]

    That''s a little direct. I''m fairly sure that when he was talking about monsters, he wasn''t just referring to the tree.

    [That''s an interesting world view. I''m sure the Legion would be delighted to help you out. Why don''t you call them out? Get them down here so we can all tango together.]

    A long, slightly awkward silence drags out.

    [You can''t call them? That''s weird, this is exactly their sort of thing. They''d love to be a part of some monster culling like this. Get their hands on the Mother Tree? They''d love it. Or perhaps, they don''t have your back anymore, on ount of some¡­ shall we say ''toe over the line'' activity. The tree hears things, you know? She''s got her vines creeping all over the ce.]

    The Ka''armodo looks decidedly unimpressed.

    [You think we need the help of the Legion to crush you? You overestimate yourself profoundly.]

    [Is that so? Then why don''t you step up and swing?]

    A pause. Two armies, poised on a hair trigger, watch the two us. The lizard hesitates.

    [¡­ swing what? My tail?]

    [No, I mean¡­ like¡­ throw your hands.]

    [¡­ how do I throw them? By the sands, speak some sense you absurd insect!]

    [Dammit! I mean, attack! Make the first move! If you think you outmatch us so heavily, then attack us and see what happens. That''s what I mean.]

    [Ah. I see your meaning. These idioms do not hold any meaning for us. I am surprised that they do for you. You don''t have hands.]

    [That''s fair. I should stop using them.]

    [Indeed. This causes confusion.]

    [Right¡­ so¡­ you want to fight?]

    [Oh, no. We will return. For now.]

    Before my disbelieving, and frankly, disappointed eyes, the Ka''armodo force, which had been posing so aggressively just moments before, turn tail and begin to retreat. I''m so shocked by the turn of events that I reach out to my opponent almost without thinking.

    [Wait! You''re just going to leave? Why the heck did youe out here in the first ce?]

    What''s the point of mobilising all of these forces just to pose and drag us out of our nests? Isn''t that a colossal waste of time?! Damn Lizards!

    [Hopefully I will not see you again, insect,] he replies as he walks away, carelessly exposing his back to us, supreme in his confidence we won''tunch the first strike.

    The ant army behind me watches in silence as our opponents retreat, our scouts no doubt tailing them from the shadows to make sure they return to where they came from. As I watch them leave, the general who I spoke to before we left approaches from behind and I turn to her, exasperated.

    "What the heck was that all about? Are they just trying to waste our time?"

    The general doesn''t seem nearly as irritated as I am, viewing the slowly emptying ins with calm eyes.

    "This has convinced me that they are intending to invade us," she replies. "I will need to report this immediately to the council."

    "Hang on, what?! They didn''t even want to fight¡­"

    "They are probing us. Measuring our reactions, holding themselves back and testing how much they can push. Eventually they will reach a point where they believe they know what we are capable of. At that time, they are likely to attack. We will need to be ready."

    "Oh, we''ll be ready," I huff.

    But I''m nervous. If the lizards are actively looking for a war, that''s another fight we have to deal with. There are tier eight demons going nuts just beneath us! How are we supposed to fight so many opponents at once?

    "I don''t have long left up here," I grumble to the general. "Let me know what you need done and I''ll get to it."

    Too many things are piling up, I think it''s high time I took care of business. When I get back down below, I''m going to mutate, upgrade my skills and then tear into some termites. If I can wipe them out and get myself to level one hundred and sixty at the same time then I''ll be in a prime position to take care of business.

    Don''t mess with the Colony!

 Chapter 852 Droppinâ€™ Plops (963)

    <h4>Chapter 852 Droppin'' Plops (963) </h4>

    "I''m really not sure about this," Isaac muttered under his breath.

    [That makes two of us¡­] his new partner replied.

    "I really didn''t think they would go for this as enthusiastically as they did."

    [It''s how we are. If there''s an advantage in it, we''re more than happy to explore it. Even if it does prove to be¡­ unconventional.]

    Isaac felt the massive ant shift beneath him and tried to adjust his position to roll with the movement. The saddle they''d created wasn''t quite the right shape, the craft ants having never made anything of this sort before, and it chafed him ever so slightly in an area he would prefer didn''t see any chafing.

    "I just never imagined that I''d ever be riding on the back of one of you. I mean, I didn''t expect that I''d be fighting alongside any monstrous ants, but I got used to that well enough, but to be riding on one? Feels kind of weird. You aren''t horses."

    [What''s a horse?]

    "Have you seen a cow?"

    [I have, in the farms around Renewal.]

    "Right, so think of a cow that''s prettier and faster."

    [¡­ I do not like thisparison.]

    "That''s what I mean!"

    The once former guard captain heaved a sigh and once again fruitlessly tried to protect his most vulnerable zones from the pommel that rose too sharply between his legs. If it was made of cured leather, that''d be one thing, but that damned armour ant had decided to cover the thing in folded steel. To say he was sweating would be an understatement.

    [I believe we are ready for the test. We will count you in starting in one minute''s time. Prepare yourself, Isaac, Cavnt.]

    "Right then, here we go."

    [Make sure you don''t fall off this time.]

    "You are at least half responsible for that."

    [That is somewhat true.]

    Isaac grit his teeth and hefted hisnce once more. He surveyed the course ahead again, a dizzying trail of loops and whorls that took them between pirs of rock, up the walls, across the roof and back down again. If he just had to hold on, that would be one thing, but the series of targets he was supposed to hit with thence added anotheryer altogether.

    In truth, it wasn''t even ance, not really, but rather an elongated spear with a slightly heavier head on it. He hadn''t bothered to correct the ants about it; after all, what the hell did he know about wielding ance? On the surface it was a noble''s weapon and down below no idiot would be fighting on horseback. The very idea of mountedbat in the Dungeon seemed absurd. But if you were going to ride on something, an all terrain insect wouldn''t be the worst choice.

    [Focus this time,] chided Cavnt and Isaac rolled his eyes.

    The most difficult aspect of his new ss was definitely the new mental link he shared with his nominated partner. [Lancer''s Bond] was the name of the skill, and even at rank one it provided significant bonuses. Not only were his thoughts connected to the ant he rode, to the point he didn''t need to speak aloud if he didn''t want to, but to an extent their senses were shared as well. Combined with a quite respectablebat buff, the ss might prove to be a powerful asset, if they could get their teamwork down.

    He did his best to concentrate, his thoughts slowly starting to align with those of Cavnt as she settled beneath him, flexing her six legs as she lowered her centre of gravity. When the countdown finished, she would explode from the starting line and Isaac didn''t intend to be left behind this time.

    [GO!] came the call from the mage and as predicted, Cavntunched herself forward, all six legs firing in a rapid series of dashes.

    The manoeuvre pushed them from a standstill to almost top speed in a matter of seconds and this time he was sufficiently braced to hold on. Gripping with his legs, Isaac desperately clung to his partner''s back, straining to hold hisnce steady as they raced between jagged pirs of stone.

    [We''re going up,] Cavnt warned him.

    "How could I forget," he growled.

    There was a moment of existential terror as they raced directly for the tunnel wall. The image of himself sttered across the rock shed into his mind, then, with a mind bending twist of perception, Cavnt ced one leg on the wall, then the next, and suddenly they were rushing up.

    He had no reins to hold onto, they weren''t necessary in this particr rider and mount rtionship, but he did have a strap to grip to avoid falling to his death. A handy feature which he now took full advantage of.

    "Bloody, plops," he swore as he struggled to keep his bnce.

    The ant beneath him radiated glee as she raced across the wall, zigging and zagging madly along the trail. For his part, Isaac held fast to hisnce and aimed it as best he could, every day of his life spent wielding the spear being channelled into his arm.

    Crack. Crack. Crack.

    Three targets shattered beneath the point of his spear and then, with one nauseating dash, Cavnt was up the wall and onto the roof.

    [Grip!] she reprimanded him and Isaac hurried to tighten his legs, desperate to avoid falling.

    "I think I''m going to be sick."

    [Don''t you dare!]

    Crack. Crack. Crack!

    Three more targets fell as Isaac unerringly pierced them, his arm burning from the strain but still holding firm. Just when he thought he might slip, they zoomed across to the wall and then back down onto the tunnel floor. Isaac gulped down a few steadying breaths, preventing the loss of lunch that had threatened to get out of hand.

    [We did it!]

    He couldn''t tell if Cavnt was more pleased or surprised at their sess. When they returned to the observers, he could tell that they too were impressed and a little shocked by what they''d seen.

    Which was odd in and of itself. He hadn''t been able to tell the emotions of the ants just by looking at them before. Perhaps this was Cavnt''s perspective bleeding across the bond?

    [At least now we won''t have to do that again,] Cavnt sounded happy at the prospect.

    "Is it really that annoying having to cart me around?" Isaac asked.

    [Not really, I''d just rather be fighting than running tests.]

    "That makes two of us."

    He''d never reach the person he longed for if he wasn''t advancing. He had to be patient, this was a step in the process.

    [That was very impressive,] the mage who''d been watching themmented. [It seems this new ss will have directbat applications. The generals can see a great deal of potential.]

    [Well that''s excellent,] Isaac replied with his thoughts. [I''m looking forward to getting back out there and seeing what we can do in a real fight.]

    [A real fight?] the mage asked. [Oh no, we have long days of testing ahead of us before the two of you will be risked in realbat. We''ve only just begun collecting data!]

    "Plops," Isaac cursed.

    [Plops,] Cavnt swore.

 Chapter 853 Sweet Relief (964)

    <h4>Chapter 853 Sweet Relief (964) </h4>

    When the light of the portal fades to nothing and I find myself standing atop the roots of the Mother Tree I practically sag with relief. The pain! It''s¡­ not gone! It''s mostly gone, faded into the background to the point where I can tolerate it much more easily. And thank goodness for that. I was seriously hitting my limit up there in the third, it was absolute agony. Having that unrelenting pull on the core of my being¡­ no rest? No pauses? Wouldn''t wish it on my worst enemy. Except Jim, that foul worm can get Called twice for all I care.

    Freed from the worst of it, I take a long moment to bask in the open air of the fourth. Wide open spaces, the gigantic tree overhead, the air brimming with life mana, the fourth really is a paradise by Dungeon terms. In the distance I can see the glittering waters of the vastkes that lie between the mountains that rise and rise until their peaks are obscured amongst the mist and clouds above. Floating inds the size of cities drift impossibly through the air, raining down water that dissolves into fine rain before it reaches the ground. Just lovely. Filled with impossible monsters of death, but still¡­ good to look at.

    One particr type of monster is upying me right now and that''s the termites.

    It''s time to put an end to it. Initially I wanted more time. I wanted to hold defensively until the Colony had consolidated itself, until our numbers had grown and we''d gained a more permanent foothold in the third stratum. With demon allies, with new resources and with hundreds of thousands of reinforcements, rolling over the termite menace would have been as easy as cking my mandibles together. s, it hasn''t worked out that way. Too many enemies loom on the horizon and a protracted fight down here is only weakening us, preventing us from properly dealing with other issues.

    Issues like the Ka''armodo getting more aggressive on our borders. Or like tier eight demons causing a ruckus beneath our cities for whatever reason.

    The time to mess around with these insect impostors is over! We need to get aggressive, smash their nest and annihte their queens. Until that inferior, ve Colony has been wiped from the Dungeon, I shall not rest!

    To that end, we need to arm ourselves for the final push. That means upgrading my Skills and pushing my mutations to their limits. Once I''ve mustered all the strength that I can, it''ll be time to fight.

    Obviously I push mypanions to do the same. With all of us approaching the pinnacle of tier six, the amount of power we can bring to bear is nothing to sneeze at. If all goes well, we might earn enough experience through this assault to get us to the precipice of tier seven! Despite the many problems it will cause, the increased dependence on mana to sustain myself, the likelihood of suffering even further from the Call, I''m still excited to evolve. I can remember what it was like for me to go from a hatchling to a mature ant. That sudden leap in strength that allowed me to ovee challenges that had seemed insurmountable before. Ah, how I feasted on centipede tears back in those days. Good times.

    Regardless, the time hase! Gimme that menu!

    Usually I do the skills first, but this time I''m going to dive into the mutations before anything else. I''ve been fighting and eating termites for ages, so I have a ton of Biomass to spend. Let''s get to it!

    First off, I should see what I still have to upgrade from 25 to 30. I mean, basically the entire acid production line back in the business district is in that category, and nothing else. Aside from that, I have to take my sub-brains up from +15 to +30. After that¡­

    Wait, that''s it?

    That''s it! Oh ho! I''m extremely close topleting my perfect +30 across the board form. Magnificent! After that I just need to get my core to where it needs to be and I''ll be good to go!

    Let me see¡­ to fully max out my mutations, I need¡­

    Six hundred and sixty Biomass, just for the +25 to +30. Then I need another¡­ three hundred and sixty per brain, and I have three of those, so that means another one thousand and eighty. So one thousand seven hundred and forty Biomass in total?

    Sweet bearded saviour! That is a hell of a lot of Biomass! Do I even have that much?

    No¡­

    But I''m so damn close! I have one thousand five hundred and forty three¡­ So frustrating¡­

    I''ll upgrade the brains all the way, and then save up thest little bit I need for theplete acid upgrade. A couple of battles and I''ll have all the termites I need to get the food required. Then I can upgrade themercial empire all in one go.

    As far as the brains go, the mutation required is hardly worth thinking about. The sub-brains are fully dedicated mind mana engines of refined excellence! The more mind constructs they can handle, the better!

    Punch it in!

    Checking the menu, each of them will go from a Mind Mana Focused Sub-Brain +15, to a Mind Mana Mastery Sub-Brain +30.

    That sounds impressive! With more mind constructs I can handle even more spells, or cast multiples of the bigger more destructive versions. Heck, I may even be able to run a Gravity Domain almost constantly, until my mana runs out of course. Perhaps even apressed one! Or I can just chuck the handling of my body and spells to the sub-brains and let the main mind focus on crafting a bomb when the need arises. I''m excited for the possibilities!

    Alright then. Time to let it rip!

    Confirm that upgrade, Gandalf!

    CHARANAZINAP! MY FREAKIN'' BRAIN(S)!

 Chapter 854 Chrysalis Volume 1? Itâ€™s LIVE!

    <h4>Chapter 854 Chrysalis Volume 1? It''s LIVE! </h4>

    That''s right folks. Chrysalis Volume 1: The Antventure Begins.

    We are going live around the world over the next day!

    I never really imagined that Chrysalis would end up being properly published on the webs through kindle and amazon when I started here on Webnovel, but here we are.

    We did it folks. We are the Colony, and we triumph together.

    If you want to grab the book, you can find it on Amazon or through Kindle Unlimited.

    You can also get the Audiobook, which is fantastic, produced by Soundbooth Theatre, up on audible.

    Very proud RinoZ today folks. I need to go cry into my beard.

 Chapter 855 Upskill the Side hustle (965)

    <h4>Chapter 855 Upskill the Side hustle (965) </h4>

    Gawd. Mutating is such an itch in the thorax. Once more, only once more and I''ll be done for my current evolution. Though that means I''m drawing ever nearer to the next tier, and who can say how many mutations I''ll have to go through in that one? If I reset my carapace, I''ll have to go through all of those again, and I have to say they were some of the worst. My entire body, more or less, is covered by the exo-skeleton, and when it changes size or shape, the sensation is truly maddening.

    The equivalent for a human would be their skin changing in size orposition over the course of a few minutes.

    Horrific. But that''s for future Anthony to worry about. Current Anthony isn''t going to waste another moment thinking about it, not even in a sub-brain.

    I mean, why would I? I''ve got mad SKILLS to be thinking about. I''ve been grinding my magic hard, as always. Having multiple brains is a wonderful hack in this regard. No matter how busy I get, I can always have a couple of constructs whipping up a spell and flinging it at a nearby target, or straight up into the air, whenever it''s done. This has resulted in some rather delicious gains in key skills.

    The final goal is always kept in sight! Gravity Mana Specialisation!

    I''m probably not there yet, but when I get through enough ranks of new mana types it''ll surely open up.

    All right, time to take a look at what I''m working with.

    A snap. Finally, I''ve achieved the long sought after upgrade to my biting skill! I''ve been operating on Doom Chomp, or Doom Chomp, as I''vee to think of it, for such a long time. Doesn''t have the same heft without that special emphasis within my mind.

    Ah yes, it feels like yesterday when I first experienced the true joy of having the energy of my body, or stamina, manifest itself as jaws of pure light that m shut in front of me. A special moment in my history, of that there''s no doubt. Then, the fusion of all of my bite skills gave me the ultimate chomp, that eventually became the pinnacle which came to be feared across the Dungeon.

    What could the upgrade be?

    [Doom Chomp (V) -> Void Chomp (VI) - A devastating chomp that rips into the material of existence itself.]

    That''s it? I mean, that''s awesome, but that''s short. I can''t freakin'' wait to take this for a test run. This is a big ticket item! A rank six skill! We are freaking flying, baby! One skill point down, let''s keep the party rolling! Whoo!

    Sometimes you just have to punch it with a whoo.

    As I browse through the impressive list of skills that I''ve acquired over the journey, I can see a couple of other nice jumps that I''ve reached.

    Expert Grip is jumping up to Master Grip, which is nice. I need all the help I can get when I''m this heavy¡­

    Dash has reached rank five! I''m super happy about that one. sh Dash (V). Sounds impressive! If a bit wordy¡­

    Mana Masking can promote up to rank four, another win for the stealth approach.

    Mana Sensing is promoting up to rank five. Definitely going to be helpful.

    Oho! Mana Craft is punching up to rank six! Nice one! That''s going to be a big deal. That skill is literally the lynchpin of all magic in this world, governing the ease and grace with which one can grasp and shape mana. I can''t wait to see how it feels!

    Force Magic going up to rank four is nice, without being a big deal.

    Exo-Skeleton Defence is jumping up a rank! Also a big deal. Dodge is up to Grandmaster, as is Endure. An all-round increase in my defensive manoeuvring, capacity to avoid attacks and absorb impacts. Winning all around!

    Acid shot is up to rank five, as is precise shooting. I''m especially happy about the second, as it affects all aiming, which includes spells.

    Oh! Charge and Mandible Spear have both hit the third rank and can be fused! I wonder what the new Skill is called?

    Spear Charge?

    ¡­ really? Isn''t that just literallybining the key words of the two skills? Suchziness, Gandalf! That''s beneath you.

    Chomp Combo has reached rank three as well, which is going to be even more devastating with the Void Chomp. Actually¡­ I could hardly sustain a Doom Chompbo¡­ the new Void Chomp¡­ oof. It''s going to be rough.

    Still, this is an incredible wealth of progress! I''m excited!

    Looking over all the skills that have progressed into the higher ranks, I''m satisfied with how far I''vee. I know Granin likes to say that any skills lower than rank six are basically pure garbage, but I haven''t been alive that long, I can''t be expected to push myself ahead that far.

    In fact, I can probably thank my life of near ceaseless, desperatebat for my rapid advance up the ranks. So hey, an endless series of life and death struggles is good for something, at least.

    Punch it with a whoo? Probably not the time.

    After looking over all of my skills, I confirm the purchases, knocking a decent total off my skill points, but not really threatening it overmuch. I''ve racked up a hell of a lot of skill points. I really need to see if there''s anything new to buy. Probably not right now, though. I have a lot of new abilities to get used to, so I''m going to sit on what I have for the time being.

    When I hit confirm, the warm drizzle of new knowledge creeps over my brain. Then it keeps on a creepin'', then some more, until my mind is literally shivering under the deluge of new information.

    I probably shouldn''t have done all of this at once! A single rank six skill is packed with a lot of stuff, and I just dropped like four of them on myself!

    I wouldn''t say the sensation is unpleasant, like the mutation itch. It''s more like how a single shiver running down your spine is basically fine, but a thousand at once is a rather intense experience.

    I hold still on the spot, vibrating as the intense sensation fills my brain. It eventually fades, and I take a look at myplete status, basking in my own glory.

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 84 (Rare) (VI)

    Might: 205

    Toughness: 180

    Cunning: 145

    Will: 100

    HP: 360/360

    MP: 768/768

    Skills:

    General:

    Grandmaster Excavation (V) Level 1; Master Grip (IV) Level 1; Expert Stealth (III) Level 18; Tunnel Compass (IV) Level 17; Iron Mind (V) Level 15; Master Stamina (IV) Level 22; Still Meditation (IV) Level 39; sh Dash (V) Level 1;

    Mana:

    Advanced Mana Craft (VI) Level 1; Condensed Mana (V) Level 1; Grand Finer External Mana Maniption (V) Level 1; Mana Hoarder (V) Level 1; Layered Mind Magic Affinity (V) Level 36; Extended Directed Mana Sensing (V) Level 1; Expert Healing Magic Affinity (IV) Level 3; Advanced Omni-Elemental Affinity (VI) Level 25; Advanced Mana Masking (IV) Level 1; Wood Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Metal Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Lightning Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Advanced Force Magic Affinity (IV) Level 1; Advanced Barrier Magic Affinity (III) Level 12;

    Pet:

    Further Pet Communication (III) Level 20; Core Crafting (IV) Level 18; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 5;

    Defensive:

    Divine Exo-Skeleton Defence (VI) Level 1; Grandmaster Dodge (V) Level 1; Grandmaster Endure (V) Level 1; Expert Grace (IV) Level 1; Master Mandible Parry (III) Level 1;

    Offensive:

    Guided Acid Shot (V) Level 1; Grandmaster Precise Shooting (V) Level 1; Void Chomp (VI) Level 1; Master Chomp Combo (III) Level 1; Spear Charge (III) Level 1;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Focal Compound Eyes +30; Future Wave Sight Antennae + 30 (Twilight Fment);

    Defence:

    Thickened Complete Diamond Carapace +30; Fortified Healing Inner Carapace ting +30;

    Physical:

    Fortified Absorption Legs + 25; Mana Drenched Mandibles +30; Hastened Potent Regeneration nd + 30; Widespread Stinking Pheromone nd + 30; Expanding Discerning Stomach +30; Coiling Hyper-Twitch Muscture +30; Distributed Instantaneous Sub-Neural Network +30;

    Acid:

    Propagating Mana-Feasting Bind Acid nd +25; Guided Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +25; Thickened Draining Acid concentration nd +25; Exhausting Thickener Acid Stimtion nd +25;

    Mental:

    Indomitable Coordination Cortex + 30; Crushing Gravity Well Main Brain +30; Mind Mana Mastery Sub-Brain +30; Mind Mana Mastery Sub-Brain +30; Mind Mana Mastery Sub-Brain +30;

    Mana:

    Forceful Unending Gravity Magic nd +30; Might Infusing Collective Will Vestibule +30 (Soul Crystal); High Purifying Communal Spirit Nave +30;

    Species: Colony Paragon

    Skill points: 68

    Biomass: 508

 Chapter 856 Colony Vs Colony pt 6 (966)

    <h4>Chapter 856 Colony Vs Colony pt 6 (966) </h4>

    Having upgraded myself to peak condition, and with my friends and allies having done the same, it''s time to descend below and inflict true despair upon the termite foe!

    MUAHAHAHAAA!

    With my newfound abilities and near-perfect mutations, the termites won''t know what hit them. As we march down the extended root system of the Mother Tree, heading towards the vige of Bruan''chii in which the Colony has established its forward headquarters, I get to ying.

    My mind constructs are almost always in ce. By mutating my sub-brains to specialise in mind mana, they are able to handle the constructs for extended periods without rest, despite running hot from the constant activity. When I''m around the Colony, the regenerative energy I get from the Vestibule is enough to soothe the mental fatigue as it happens, meaning I never have to shut my hive mind down.

    It basically is a hive mind at this point. I''ve got over a dozen mind constructs operating right now, each one capable of independent action. With further mutation and another evolution, that may well push to over thirty, or even fifty! Hive mind indeed.

    But with my new improvements, I''m especially eager to put them to work. As we walk I spin up each of the constructs and get them working on mana, different varieties, moulding and shaping,pressing, using the omni-elemental construct to createva, and gas, and stone. I marvel at the ease of it, the rtive freedom I have to direct it and shape it as I want.

    Compared to how hard it was when I started, this is a joke! Improving my fundamental mana skills is a big deal at this point. I wonder what rank seven will be like? I need to keep pushing forward, grinding and training as much as possible throughout this conflict, to proceed as fast as I can! I should prioritise my force mana also, as it''s the candidate I''ve chosen to work toward the next tier. I won''t shift to another mana type until I''ve gotten to rank five at least!

    Except that all of my most devastating and awesome spells are still elemental, so I''ll have to rely heavily on that to do most of my damage.

    The vige is bursting with activity, as per usual. There''s thousands of ants crawling over each other in their rush toplete their tasks, a constant flowing and going as they return from the front or head out. It doesn''t take long to find the general in charge; Victor is in the middle of the action, poring over a three dimensional model of the conflict, directing messengers and generals on the path to victory.

    "Victor!" I greet her with a hearty p on the back. "How''s things? War going well?"

    The much smaller ant rounds on me with a huff.

    "Terrible! What did you think was going to happen when you went up top?"

    "What? It can''t be that bad¡­ things were pretty much on lock down when I left."

    "I suppose it''s not that bad, but our position is deteriorating every day. The termites, or the Ka''armodo, I should say, are cunning. They''ve been pushing us non-stop whilst retaining their numbers as best they can. We haven''t had time to rest and our defences are constantly being pressed. There must be millions of termites out there by now. The more time passes, the worse the numbers get for us."

    "Any reinforcementsing from above?"

    "We''ve been getting a steady flow, despite the fighting above. There''s a hundred thousand troops down here at the moment. Enough to hold the line, but the situation is bing fraught. If the termites mount an all-out assault on one side of the conflict, then we might not hold."

    I take a closer look at the model as the endless buzz of activity that had surrounded the general a moment ago has stilled. In my presence, my siblings are polite enough to wait patiently until I''m done barging in and wasting all their time until they go back to their no doubt urgent business. Very nice of them! Such a supportive family, this really is a first for me.

    The model that the generals have created is bothrge and highly detailed, as is their wont. The roots of the mother tree and the various gardens that she cultivates in the area are sculpted to perfection, along with every tunnel, wall and trap that we''ve created. Markers indicate sightings and the likely position of termite troops, and things are looking grim. We are basically defending half of a sphere as the enemy builds up beyond our walls. It looks like the tree has stepped in to help. At the very least, she''s covering some of her roots herself, freeing Colony resources for other areas. Unless something happens soon, we''ll be locked into a very drawn-out defensive war.

    "Well, I want this conflict done with," I dere to the shock of all around me. "We''ve got too many things to deal with right now and we can''t have the lizards dragging this out. I''m going to make some moves and try to kill as many termites as I can. Depending on how sessful I am, you can take advantage of any gaps that appear and kick them where it hurts."

    Victor absorbs this information, slowly tapping on her own carapace with a single antenna as she thinks.

    "Aren''t you worried that this is what they want?" she asks. "If you go out there, it''s almost a guarantee that they are going to copse on you. They''ve tried it before. Do you really think you can fight your way out of a million termites?"

    "Fight my way out? Why would I want to do something like that? The real question is¡­ will a million termites be enough to take me down?"

    "I suppose we''re going to find out."

    "Yes we are."

    All the ants around me stare intently as I make my deration. I can tell what they''re thinking, and to be honest, it''s kind of heartwarming. Each and every one of them is thinking that they won''t let me die. Not to worry, everyone. I won''t be the one turning into Biomass.

    By the end of the week, the termite queens will have fallen to my wrath! This is my deration!

    [Crinis, Tiny, Invidia. We''ll go and find Sarah, then we''ll head to the front. Time to get to it.]

 Chapter 857 Colony Vs Colony pt 7 (967)

    <h4>Chapter 857 Colony Vs Colony pt 7 (967) </h4>

    Full of vim and vigour, we dash off to find Sarah toiling away helping to build walls. The great bear isn''t much for digging,cking the zen-like disposition that ants have towards it, or our powerful mandibles. You''d think hands would be great for shifting dirt, but nope, mandibles is where it''s at. The two face-hands are excellent for both cutting into the unyielding rock, and gathering up loose soil into a clump.

    [Hey Sarah!]

    [Anthony? You''re back already?]

    [Yep! Ready to throw myself into unspeakable danger in the hopes of bringing a swifter conclusion to the war. You want in?]

    The great bear looks at me and blinks a few times slowly.

    [You want me to join you on one of your crazy suicide missions.]

    [Why not? You make it sound like something a person wouldn''t want to do.]

    [Anthony, a normal person absolutely wouldn''t want to do that.]

    [Bah! Who cares about normal people? I don''t see any of them around here. All I see are the greatest and most incredible ant that ever crawled and a gigantic, badass bear of doom. What do you say?]

    She thinks about it for a long moment before she slowly nods.

    [Okay,] she says, [I''ll do it.]

    [Wait, really?] I''m shocked. [I thought for sure you''d say no. I was only inviting you to be friendly.]

    [You invite people on suicide missions, just to be friendly? Actually, it doesn''t matter. I want to help. I want to end this war before it gets out of hand. Then, hopefully, we get some rest and the Colony can have peace.]

    It''s a great thought but I don''t want to tell her that it''s highly unlikely to happen. Even after the termites are dealt with, we still have a burgeoning conflict with the Ka''armodo, the worrying demon movements to stress about and the industriousness of the Colony itself. Even without foes pushing back against us, the Colony will always keep growing outwards until it hits boundaries.

    With our expansion in the third underway, it''s only a matter of time until we get started on the fourth. As I understand it, free real estate is hard toe by down here.

    With Sarah recruited, it''s time.

    We stride pastyers of entrenched defences as we make our way towards the main tunnel connecting the Colony on the path toward the termite mound. I don''t intend to pull any tricks, we are going straight into the heart of the enemy formation.

    With a little luck, they''lle for us and we can hold out long enough for the Colony to take advantage and punch some deep holes in the encirclement.

    Complicated ns aren''t for me, I''ll drive forward, make as much of a mess as I can, and count on much smarter minds to make something good out of it.

    As we keep moving, the silent ant guardians watch us with their unblinking eyes, until we leave thest wall behind. My antennae wave constantly as I take the lead, feeling my way forward, looking for traps. The stink of termite is constant in this section of tunnel, their filthy trails clinging to the rock.

    It''s dead silent, and dark, but that isn''t enough to hide from me.

    The ebb and flow of mana has never been more clear to me than it is now. I can see the currents, the tiny shifts and ripples, better than I ever could before. There are literally hundreds of thousands of monsters swarming around these tunnels, and the effect they have on the mana flow is considerable.

    More than that, so many chunky insects is like lighting a beacon to my antennae. The faint pulses of gravity that I feel send a tingling sensation running down the twilight fment. I can feel them, and they''re close.

    [Get ready gang, they''reing for us,] I warn the others.

    Tiny''s eyes ze with inner fire as electricity begins to ripple across his fur. From the back of my carapace, Crinis begins to extend her tendrils, manifesting her body in increments. Invidia''s eye zes with green light and the air splits open, revealing his enormous cheshire grin.

    In the distance, a light tik-tak sound can be heard echoing off the stone walls. Quickly, the sound builds, until the insistent cking of ws is all around us.

    My brains skip into overdrive, working mana furiously, preparing a variety of delights for the oing termite swarm.

    The first termite rounds the corner in front us, and promptly has its face sted in by a searing bolt of lightning. I look at Tiny, irritated, and he grins back, his entire body alight with crackling power.

 Chapter 858 Colony vs Colony pt 8 (968)

    <h4>Chapter 858 Colony vs Colony pt 8 (968) </h4>

    What is given to us when a monster dies by our hand? Experience. This is the benediction of the System, this gift allows us to grow, to uplift ourselves. Every monster in is a single brick in the Path that we tread to achieve our perfect self. Since the Divine Descent, when the System made itself known to us, this has been our manifest destiny.

    Yet there are questions. How can we best apply ourselves as we walk together on this road? Is there a way that we may devote ourselves more ardently, pursue our purpose morepletely?

    The great Church of the Path has devoted itself to these questions for thousands of years, desperate to seek a moreplete truth.

    When a monster is in, we gain experience for the deed, we grow from the gift of life that we have taken andy im to a portion of the experience within the beast. But what of the rest? The experience gained is but a tiny fraction of that possessed by the fallen foe. How can we allow this Holy Sacrament to be squandered in such a way? It''s an unthinkable heresy, akin to scattering the Divine upon the ground like rubbish.

    Due to the unceasingbour of the faithful, we have been able to ensure our strides are longer, our steps firmer, as we walk along the Path.

    Let none of the harvest go to waste. What the Divine has sowed, we shall reap in full.

    Excerpt from the ''Book of the Path''

    Where one termite goes, many more are sure to follow and it doesn''t take long to prove this maxim correct. After Tiny egregiously annihted the first termite to show itself, another soon rounds the corner, followed by another, then another. The tick-tack ck of ws on stone continues to build as thousands of insectoid enemies converge on our location, their mandibles flexing with hunger for ant flesh.

    I can feel them all, the micro-disturbances in the''s gravitational field are all I need to feel out their locations and general numbers. There''s a lot of them, but we didn''te to y around.

    [No restrictions today,] I tell my crew, [everyone goes full force from the drop. If a lizard pops its stupid head out, you have my permission to lop it off.]

    [Yesssssssssssssss!]

    [SMASH!]

    [As you wish, Master.]

    Like an ethereal engine of destruction, my mind constructs begin to churn hard, heating up my brains as a dozen strings of mana rise under mymand. The mana flows and force mana falls into the waiting hands of waiting constructs that weave and fold the energy into spears of pure force.

    Force mana is effectively the conversion of magic energy into kic energy, and I''ve been using it to punch my opponents about the ce. A force bolt is effectively a little ball of condensed kic energy, and I''ve been piffing them all over the ce like magical baseballs, but really, I should have been using spears from the start. Why punch someone, when you can stab?

    The spears take shape six at a time and I fling them at the encroaching termites the moment they''re ready. Just for good measure, I unload a steady stream of acid for good measure.

    POW! POW! POW!

    Potent acid that cannotpare to the piddling stuff I was born withunches through the air, sizzling harshly as it contacts the enemy. Take that, you damn termites! There''s plenty more where that came from!

    More and more of our insect enemies are making their way here, I can feel it through the gravitational nd as they swarm faster and faster. I can even feel them tunnelling towards us, hoping to take us by surprise. Fools! Well, I won''t be surprised, but I''ll still be surrounded. Another problem for near-future Anthony to deal with.

    As the initial wave of foes closes on us, it''s time for myrades tounch into action. Literally sparking with joy, Tiny jumps into the fight, his fists flickering in and out of sight as he punches with such speed and force that my eyes can''t track it. All I can see are bright shes of light as his skill executes and produces devastating fists of pure energy that extend well beyond his reach and pulp everything they touch.

    I think his boxing must have reached a new rank! Impressive stuff from the big ape!

    Even more impressive are the arcing jets of lightning that he sends flying out whenever a clump of termites draws too close. The sizzling, searing bolts of electricity crackle with power and boom like thunder when theynd, roasting the target monster and zapping those around it. Combined with his ever more fancy feet, Tiny unleashes a terrifying barrage upon the enemy that prevents them from drawing closer than ten metres.

    Despite his impressive disy, Tiny can''t match up to Crinis when ites to this type of fight. She''s almost specifically designed to shredrge numbers of weaker enemies, her innumerable limbs are able to entangle hundreds, if not thousands of enemies at a time. In this fight, she doesn''t need to employ any fancy tricks. No shadow games, no wasted mana. Instead, she rises from my carapace, the amorphous blob swelling into its true form, the tri-mouthed terror from which springs an unending tide of tentacles.

    Razor sharp barbs sh in the dim light of the tunnel as a thick wall of limbs extends outwards. The tentacles coil and twist around each other until a termite draws a little too close.

    SLASH!

    Like a whip of pure shadow, a dozen vine-thin limbssh out and entangle the victim who can do naught but fruitlessly try to bite its way out. Those razor sharp mandibles, designed to shred through ant carapace, are easily able to cut through Crinis'' shadow flesh, but it doesn''t matter. When one limb is dismembered, it splits into five new ones, further entrapping the creature.

    Momentster, the dreaded buzzing sound begins as her barbs begin their deadly work. A few dreadful seconds pass, and the termite is no more. The same scene is repeated a dozen times over every few seconds as more termites fall into her clutches. In truth, they are the lucky ones. Less fortunate are those who experience the true terror of the Soul Seeker Cilia, the ghostly tentacles phasing directly into their minds.

    Driven mad by fear, those termitessh out at those around them, sowing chaos amongst the enemy ranks.

    Yet still the termitese, in their hundreds, thousands. They pour from the tunnels in a seemingly endless tide.

    Which means Invidia doesn''t even have to aim.

 Chapter 859 Colony vs Colony pt 9 (969)

    <h4>Chapter 859 Colony vs Colony pt 9 (969) </h4>

    Detonation after detonation rings out in the narrow tunnel as Invidia weaves his intricate tapestry of death. With my enhanced mana sight, I can see ever more clearly just how absurdly overpowered his mental gifts are. A hundred individual strands of mana writhe through the air at any given moment, pouring into the spells at a dizzying speed as the grinning demon produces magic at an absurd pace.

    This is the power of specialisation! He even has time to be weaving shields in-between explosions whenever he thinks Tiny is going to get bitten. This is the real big-brain y. In fact, this is the mega-brain y.

    Large clumps of termites are not spared from his attention. With overwhelming force of will, he drives his mana forward and unleashes enormous concussive sts that rend the air with fire and smoke. Truly, a demon of the third stratum.

    Even so, despite our overwhelming power, the termite foe is able to endure far more than they ought to be able to. With their toughened carapace and hardened bodies, the insectoid enemy have been redesigned since the arrival of the Colony. The Ka''armodo wasted little time adjusting the focus of their shock troops from being specialised anti-tree to enduring soldiers capable of fronting up to the firepower of the Colony.

    As I pelt them with spears, as Tiny unleashes his almighty fists, and despite the explosions and the cruel ministrations of Crinis, the termites continue to advance. It takes a lot of effort to put them down, and when one falls, another three climb over its remains to draw ever closer. At this rate, it won''t be long until their mandibles are able to reach me, and we can''t have that!

    Too bad this tunnel is far too narrow for a Gravity Bomb, otherwise I''d wipe them out in the thousands, but this is up close and personal, just the way an insect likes it.

    Bring it on, termites! You think you can possibly defeat the Colony in our favourite battleground? You must be blind!

    Actually¡­ they pretty much are blind, but that''s beside the point!

    Time to get serious.

    I continue the Force Spear barrage, but divert a chunk of mind constructs to other tasks, directing them like a conductor does a symphony. In moments, more mana flows and is woven, followed by the ever impressive Gravity Domain taking shape around me. Prepressed, the crushing force exerted by the purple sphere of doom isn''t enough to squash a termite t, but given how heavy they are, it''s more than enough to slow them down. Buying that little extra time is all I need.

    Heart burning with the pure fire of passionate youth, my mandibles draw back and lock into ce as I brace my legs and zoom forward.

    In an instant, I appear before the closest termites, my speed surprising even me! This new dash is quick, like, super quick! The strain on my legs is a serious issue, and the stamina drain is immense, but holy moly, it''s fast! But that''s only the entr¨¦e, nowes time for the main dish! The termites react quickly to my appearance, every inch of theirrge frames screams of their hatred for ant kind as they snap forward with their wide mandibles.

    Not fast enough!

    VOID CHOMP!

    The moment I activate the skill I feel my stamina plummet into the dirt. Such a precipitous drop! It''s not as if it just takes twice as much stamina to use as the doom chomp, this is more like five times! What the hell? I''m not going to bebo-ing this sucker any time soon, that''s for sure.

    The result, however, is enough to bring tears to my eyes.

    The dark mandibles of pure energy manifest as they did before, though darker and more menacing. Beyond that, a sphere of annihtion appears several metres before me, tiny at first, but swelling as my jaws m shut.

    I watch it happen as if it were in slow motion. My jaws close, and extended beyond them are the pitch ck mandibles created by the Void Chomp. Twice as long as before, they extend almost five metres in front of my face. The tiny sphere of pure ck flickers and grows the closer the mandibles get, drawing in the unfortunate termite in front of me, warping and curving it as it''s pulled in.

    When the mandibles touch the sphere, it''s as if a bomb has gone off, an explosion of dark light that blinds me for a moment. When it''s done, the termite in front of me, and those near it, are¡­ gone. All that remains are chunks of Biomass on the ground.

    T-¡­ too powerful! Too damn awesome! The Void Chomp is everything I dreamed of! Too bad I can''t use it all that much, but with a bite that strong, I''ll be able to do some real damage to my enemies with nothing but my jaws! I''m so excited by the possibilities!

    I wonder what the next rank of bite is like¡­

    No time to think of that now, Anthony! You''ve got a battle to win!

    Thankfully, my numerous brains are all over it and my body ducks and weaves with preternatural grace, dodging and deflecting no matter how many bitese at me at once. I can''t use the Void Chomp recklessly, but with so many members of the Colony nearby, I''ll be able to charge my stamina up pretty quickly. I just have to rely on weaker skills until then.

    A steady barrage of spells and acid fly forth from me as I liberally apply normal bites to my enemies whenever I can. Just like this, we establish our formation, with me acting as the front line, Tiny standing behind, unleashing his fists and lightning, then Crinis and Invidia bringing up the rear. Until the termites manage to tunnel around us, we''ll hold this position, no matter how many of theme at us.

 Chapter 860 Colony vs Colony pt 10 (970)

    <h4>Chapter 860 Colony vs Colony pt 10 (970) </h4>

    Sarah watched as the others threw themselves into battle with wild abandon. Anthony and his pets showed no hesitation in attacking the oing wave of termites any way they could. It was a dizzying scene. Explosions rocked the tunnel, tentaclesshed left and right, Tiny''s fists shed so quickly she couldn''t see his hands, and Anthony stood in front absorbing all the pressure he could.

    The defensive mastery on disy from her fellow Earth-born was incredible. Whenever a termite moved to attack, he was simply no longer there, or his body shifted just a few degrees and the enemy''s jaws would slide off him.

    She didn''t know how he did it. How did he fight without fear? She''d made great strides in learning to control herself in battle, but even now she felt hesitant to engage inbat. The rage that lived inside her lurked beneath the surface at all times, waiting for her to slip.

    She''d fought against that realisation for a long time. For too long, she''d believed that the violence was the problem, that as long as she didn''t have to fight, she would be free.

    But that wasn''t the case.

    She''d buried herself amongst the shapers;yered behind their protection, she''d thought herselfpletely safe. She''d run from the Dungeon, run from the fighting, but in reality, she''d run from herself, and failed.

    Because even there, with nothing to fight, the rage had boiled inside her, deep down where she refused to look.

    Sarah rolled her powerful shoulders before she rumbled forward. The hovering form of Invidia made way for her and she continued, gathering momentum as she bowled past Tiny. The giant ape leaned to the side, the tunnel was barely wide enough for the two of them to fit side by side as she elerated further, her lips pulling back from her dagger-like teeth.

    Her paws pounded the dirt as sheunched her weight forward, her mouth open now as the fear built inside her heart. She ignored it as she tunnelled her vision on the termite in front of her.

    Sensing hering, Anthony stepped to the side and back, smartly avoiding a termite lunge as if he''d known it wasing.

    Then, Sarah was there.

    She barrelled straight into the massed ranks of the termites, her jaws snapping and ws reaching out to rend everything in front of her. The insects arrayed against her were scattered by the sheer force of her charge. Her mass and strength were enough to overwhelm a hundred termites, forcing them to fall back before her.

    But she didn''t stop. She couldn''t.

    Committed to the fight now, she was a roiling mass of emotion. She was afraid ¨C afraid of being hurt, of hurting others, of losing herself to the rage, of what she might find she''d done when she came back to herself. Underneath it all, the rage bubbled with fierce intent.

    She lunged forward again, her jawstching onto an unfortunate termite and closing with a crunch. With a toss of her head, she threw the Biomass away as a dozen enemies began to close in around her.

    The greater the danger, the greater the fear.

    The greater the rage.

    Her fur began to stand up as the first hints of malicious red light began to burn in her eyes. The sh skill was her bread and butter, and she''d recently raised it to rank six, fighting alongside the Colony.

    Jagged rents of pulsing red light carved through the air with every swipe of her ws. Every termite unfortunate enough to receive these blows suffered egregious wounds as its carapace crumpled and the ws bit into the tender flesh beneath.

    It took longer than she expected for the first wound toe. She''d gone too deep, carried forward by the rising tide of her rage, and had quickly be surrounded. She''d expected to be buried under the weight of a hundred bites immediately, but between the barrage Anthony put out and the shields that sprang into being around her, she''d gone unharmed for a long time.

    When the jaws of a termite finally punched through her tough hide it almost came as a relief. In an instant, her fear rocketed higher, but alongside it, her anger exploded and she bellowed with rage.

    The Asura bear. She was a monster fuelled by her emotion, and that engine began to turn over now.

    Her eyes ignited with red light, her vision swimming with the colour of blood as her lips pulled back to reveal a ghastly grin.

    ROOOOOAAAAAR!

    She bellowed with uncontrolled fury as her control began to slip. Desperately, Sarah clung to the rising tide of rage as the fight devolved further around her. Wild shes of her ws filled the tunnel as Anthony and Tiny stepped forward to drive the termites from her nks.

    Already, it was bing hard to tell friend from foe. Her body hummed with energy, her eyes grew darker and darker as the hunger, the need to find some outlet for the emotion that boiled within continued to grow.

    [Cool down, Sarah! You gotta leave something for Tiny to punch, otherwise he''s going to sulk.]

    The touch of Anthony''s mind on hers was like a dash of cold water to the face. She froze for a moment, bewildered by the sudden loss of momentum, and copped a nasty bite to the shoulder.

    [Don''t cool down that much!] her friend yelped in her mind. [Keep fighting! Just remember, we''re in this for the long haul, alright? This isn''t going to be done in an hour.]

    Sarah forced her body to move and beganying about herself with her ws once more.

    [I don''t think I can remain lucid for an hour, Anthony,] she confessed. [I was almost gone already.]

    [Hey, no stress,] he told her,pletely unfazed. [If you fly off the rails, we''ll take care of you. There''s plenty of termites to kill, have no fear!]

    [Is that really alright?] she asked.

    [Of course! What do you think, Tiny? Think we can handle it?]

    The ape pulled back one hand after a particrly devastating uppercut to sh her a quick thumbs up.

    [See? It''s fine. Just take it slow. If you feel like you might be losing it, pull back and let Crinis cover you. We''ve got this.]

    After one more devastating swipe, Sarah hesitated for a moment before she began to withdraw. Shields sprung up around her and healing magic flowed into her body, closing over her wounds as Anthony stepped in front to hold off the surging termite wave.

    She rested for a minute, her great bear body panting heavily as she fought to calm her emotions. When she felt in control of herself again, she stood and began to wade forward once more.

    She realised that this could be a great chance for her. By pushing herself to the limit and then pulling back over and over again, she might find the key to finally controlling her emotions! If she could learn to ride the wave, she might be able to enter her berserk state without losing consciousnesspletely. If she could do that¡­

    ¡­ she would at least have one less thing to fear.

 Chapter 861 Colony vs Colony pt 11 (971)

    <h4>Chapter 861 Colony vs Colony pt 11 (971) </h4>

    We fall into a rhythm as the battle progresses. Sarah rushes forward, unleashes absolutely abhorrent levels of devastation on the termites before she falls back to gather herself. When that happens, I step in, take the hits, push back against the wall of invaders while Tiny punches their lights out and Crinis instils deep, deep fear in them.

    Seriously, any survivors of this battle on the Ka''armodo side are going to need therapy. Even the lizards in control of these poor hapless creatures are pitiable; having to experience such horrors, even vicariously, must be traumatising. I hate the termites, and even then I wince when I see them rendered down into chunks. It''s nauseating.

    Despite our prodigious level of firepower, the constant flow of attackers doesn''t stop, or even slow. I can feel them through the walls, tunnelling towards us urgently, flowing through the distant caves and rushing to engage us. I can practically smell the eagerness of the lizards as they sense the mana rolling off me and my crew of powerful tier six monsters. They know who we are and even if they suspect a trap they have no choice but toe out and try to finish us off.

    After all, we''ve advanced so far outside the area controlled by the Colony. They''ve already cut off our path of retreat. They might think they''re being clever, but for whatever reason I can sense their movements so clearly today. I know they''re holding back their numbers. They don''t want to overwhelm us and force a retreat, that would just make it all the harder to finish us off and increase the chances of the Colony rushing out to our defence. Instead, they keep the fighting hot, but not boiling, nothing we can''t handle if we stretch ourselves, whilst theypletely encircle us from behind.

    I feel everything. I know that they''ve almost finished enveloping us in a sphere of termite death, one that is growing thicker and more imprable every passing second.

    Once they believe that we can''t break through, they''ll rush in with everything they have, even the Ka''armodo might stick their noses out and try to take a bite of us. With us four, well, five with Sarah here, tier sixes out of the way, it''ll be that much easier toplete their assassination of the Mother Tree! Everything is here to y for!

    Which is exactly what I''m counting on! The fools are dancing right into my mandibles¡­ heh heh¡­ mu hahaha¡­ MUAHAHAAAAHAHAHAHA!!!

    Do you really think you can pull these sorts of numbers down on my head without leaving yourselves vulnerable to the attacks of the Colony?! With the Vestibule, everything isid bare. I know that the scouts are probing your siege lines even now. Generals are marshalling their troops, reinforcements are flooding through the gate, ns are beingid. The danger I''ve ced us in is very real, and I feel bad for exposing Sarah without exining myself properly, but if the bait wasn''t this juicy, the lizards might not try and chomp on it!

    Sure enough, they''ve reached out and stuffed us in their mouth, but as long as we take too long to digest, the Colony will slice open the stomach and set us free! It''s an all or nothing gamble, the only type of bet I know how to make!

    Come and get it termites!

    Time to turn it up to eleven. Maintaining my gravity domain I direct my other mental constructs to drop the force magic and begin to operate the Omni-Elemental engine I''ve held ready for this moment. Ten separate consciousnesses pump the metaphorical bellows and soon a steady stream of various elements begin to flow. Weave a little of this, inject a little of that,press it all down.

    [Sarah! Swap with me!]

    [Oh! Okay!]

    The giant bear pulls back as I leap forward, unleashing a Void Chomp to clear space in front of me.

    [Retract any tentacles Crinis. It''s about to get hot!]

    [Alright!]

    I give a full second for my terrifying pet to withdraw her limbs,pressing the mana further before I unleash it on the world in one glorious burst.

    Dragon''s Breath!

    Abination of gas, air and firee together to create the ultimate me thrower. The roar of the mes is deafening, swiftly followed by the pitiful cries of hundreds of termites as they are bathed in the superheated fire. Maintaining a spell thisplex is still difficult for me but I push myself to hold it for ten solid seconds as the temperature in the tunnel swiftly rises. The mes roast a full hundred metre long section of tunnel, forcing the swarming bugs that filled it to dive under the soil or cover themselves in rock to save their lives. When I finally release the magic, I''m met with the sight of superheated rock and me baked termites all the way back to the corner.

    My brains ache after an expenditure like that and I greedily suck in more mana from the air around us to replenish my core before letting them rest for a moment. I need to manage my resources carefully. Still, that bought us a little breathing room.

    [Get ready,] I warn the others.

    [I can see them,] Crinis tells me.

    [Give them a warm wee.]

    [Right!]

    The tunnel walls around us begin to bulge and copse as the razor sharp mandibles begin to slice through the rock. They are met instantly by a swarm of tentacles that entangle and cut them, but there are always moreing in behind. The surround isplete and now the real fight begins.

    [Get ready Sarah, it doesn''t stop from this point on.]

    Tiny grins broadly as he cracks his knuckles. He was waiting for this all along. Dirt rains down on us as the ceiling begins to fall in and Tiny unfurls his dark wings of shadow to cover himself before a powerful surge of electricity bursts out from his fur, covering the dozens of termites descending from above in crackling electricity. With one powerful bound he leaps up; concentrating his lightning in his right fist until it bes blindingly bright, he pulls back and then unleashes an apocalyptic uppercut.

    KABOOM!

    Thunder booms! Rocks crack!

    His giant fist, easily the size of a car engine, detonates against the falling dirt, discharging an oundish amount of electrical energy. The force is such that the already loose rock and soil above us, filled with freshly dug tunnels, can do nothing except copse on our heads.

    There''s a brief rumble as the dirt begins to shift, then an avnche of stone and termites rains down on us.

    Tiny has such a smug grin on his face I almost want to p him right in the face. Then it''s hidden as the dirt hides him from view.

    [Tiny you IDIOT!]

 Chapter 862 Colony vs Colony pt 12 (972)

    <h4>Chapter 862 Colony vs Colony pt 12 (972) </h4>

    The Colony really only had two speeds. Fast and breakneck, as the humans referred to it. Thetter didn''t make much sense to the ants at first, they didn''t have necks after all, not in the traditional sense. What they could understand was the idea of moving so fast you ran a high risk of injuring yourself. The lecture the Eldest had levelled at them was a direct warning against this sort of behaviour.

    The idea of breakneck pace had been rejected on a fundamental level. In its ce came a new speed: slow.

    Cont liked slow. It was much more her sort of pace. Slow didn''t mean taking it easy, slow didn''t mean cking, slow meant being careful, being patient, ensuring that each task was done perfectly before moving onto the next one. It appealed to an ant with a detail oriented focus like herself.

    And in the end, what she found was that slow, wasn''t slow at all. Slow was smooth, slow was controlled, which, as it turned out, was fast. No mistakes, no backtracking, everything progressing in its turn without clogging up the project further down the line. Cont found that by working at a slow and deliberate pace, she got more done, not less.

    It was with this spirit that the Colony reinforced its position in the fourth stratum. Lines were drawn up, tunnels allocated, formations pre-nned before a single w touched the Mother Tree''s bark. When the ants began to stream through, everything was prepared. They were directed by the squad into their allocated ces. Once each formation was filled, the final ant slotted into position, the entire group would march forth along their nned path to engage in the ongoing battles already underway.

    No time was lost. No waste or inefficiency dragged the operation down, despite there being no unseemly haste. To Cont''s calm and unruffled eyes, it was beautiful.

    "Why are we moving so slow?!" Propent raged.

    Cont sighed.

    "You still haven''t embraced the ''go slow to go fast'' philosophy? You''re denying the evidence of your own eyes."

    "It''s nonsense!" the fire mage groused. "You go fast to go fast! The very thought of going slow and steady makes my carapace itch!"

    "It seems like your rotten personality is the issue at fault," Cont observed. "With a little patience you might be able to proceed further with your fire magic."

    "Bah! Patience isn''t required to master fire magic! What''s required is a burning hot spirit and guts!"

    "If you say so¡­"

    "Don''t you two have your own ces to be?" A new scent intruded on their well-worn argument. "Or do you have time to waste blowing pheromones at each other?"

    "Victor?"

    The general bustled up to the two mages, her antennae twitching with irritation.

    "We''re directing the mage battalions as theye through the gateway," Cont assured the general. "I was mainly discussing how smoothly the deployment is going. The nning and preparation this time has been impable."

    "When we move hundreds of thousands of troops into the area over a single day, we better be organised or everything would go to hell," Victor grumped.

    "You aren''t wrong," Propent replied, "I already know exactly where I''m going once the next wave is through. I can''t wait to put some fire into these termite scum."

    Cont could practically feel the heating off the fire mage as she imagined setting the termite world aze.

    "I''m being deployed on the west side," Cont told the general. "Do we know if water or ice are effective against the insects?"

    "If you can harden it enough to punch through their carapace, ice spears are effective. Other than that, they don''t like the cold much, just like us. Cool them enough and they get sluggish, it might not seem like much at first, but it adds up over time."

    "Be better if you just set them alight," Propent gloated, "fire is super effective against these punks."

    "Some elements work better against some foes than others. That''s nothing to get excited about," Cont responded¡­ coolly.

    "Herees the next wave!" Victor pointed to prevent another argument. "You''d better get down there and direct them."

    A steady flow of mage ants marched into the staging grounds next to the Bruan''chii vige and the two council members rushed down to meet them. Thanks to the detailed nning they were able to direct their fellow caste members with little effort, finally able to tag along behind them towards the front lines.

    "See you when the battle is won," Propent gave a jaunty wave of her antenna, before turning and joining the back of the departing formation.

    "Don''t get overexcited and set our own soldiers on fire," Cont replied.

    "Hey! That happened one time!"

    She ignored her sibling and turned back to the harried looking Victor.

    "I''ll be on my way as well," she said.

    "Good, I need to get back to Sloan once I''m done here. Directing this battle is proving to be extremely easy and absurdly difficult at the same time."

    "How so?" Cont asked, intrigued.

    "We are fighting on so many fronts at once, and managing such immense numbers. This is thergest battle the Colony has ever undertaken. The logistical work is a nightmare."

    "The easy part?"

    The general cked her mandibles in irritation.

    "The Eldest has pulled so many termites down on their head that we''re punching straight through their lines as if they weren''t even there. As a diversion, we couldn''t possibly ask for better."

    "Sounds like the Eldest is doing great work, as usual."

    "I wish I knew if they nned it that way¡­"

    "You''ll never find an answer to that," Contughed before she patted her sibling on the carapace and turned to catch up to her own battalion.

    The ant troops were in extremely high spirits, their eagerness for the fight brimming over into constant bursts of "FOR THE COLONY!" that quickly rose into a deafening chorus before fading. Into the twisting tunnels they marched, underneath the colossal roots of the Mother Tree and past the myriad defensiveyers that the ants deployed here had constructed.

    All of that work would need to be done again once the termites were expelled from this mountain. The lines of walls and traps would have to be moved forward significantly, but that was an issue for the carvers.

    Eventually, after numerous twists and turns, the column of ten thousand ants could finally hear the din of battle echoing from ahead. Immediately their pace increased as orders began to be ryed down the line. Scouts must havee back tomunicate the exact situation and ry orders from the general managing this theatre.

    Cont and her mages listened intently to their instructions. As soon as they knew their role, they began to make preparations, drawing out mana and shaping it to their needs.

    The moment they burst into the open ground they let their spells fly. A host of dense ice blocks arced through the air over the ants'' heads before they exploded above the termite lines. Shards of hardened ice pelted the bugs, lodging into their joints and melting over their carapace.

    "Freeze them all," Cont directed, her eyes cold.

 Chapter 863 Colony vs Colony pt 13 (973)

    <h4>Chapter 863 Colony vs Colony pt 13 (973) </h4>

    I have no idea how many tons of material rained down, but it had to be a lot. Thankfully the integrity of things like soil and stone are more than a little ''iffy'' here on Pangera. By all rights, the should copse in on itself given the fact that it''srgely hollow, but when we add mana into the mix things get weird.

    So the whole mountain didn''t copse on us, which is a plus, but we were still rather squished.

    In fact, it was Invidia that made the save. Acting as fast as thought, the green eyed demon is able to apply his prodigious mental powers and create an eightyered barrier over our heads. They don''t hold, of course they wouldn''t, not against literal tons of material, but they do enough that we aren''t smooshed to paste, slowing the falling rock to the point we are pinned rather than dead.

    [Nice save, Invidia!]

    [Givessss more praisssse!]

    Can''t be stingy considering he just saved our lives.

    [You really made the five hundre-, one thousa, let''s go with ten thousand IQ y! Great job!]

    I keep revising my estimation of his brain power upward as I think about the sheer size of this dude''s brain. Invidia chuckles evilly with glee and I can feel his satisfaction radiating over our mental connection. You can have all the praise you want champ. You do good work.

    Alright, now what?

    [Can anyone move?] I ask.

    [I can, master.]

    [I suppose you can wriggle through the cracks¡­]

    [A little. Be careful!]

    No sooner does her cry hit my thoughts than I feel a sharp pain in one of my legs. What the heck? I wriggle furiously and kick until I give up and start pumping earth mana through the omni-elemental construct. Once I have enough of the brown tinged energy I begin to try and create some room for myself.

    Cautious of bringing down more rock on my own head, I soften some sections whilst hardening others,pressing the loose soil into rock pirs that can support the weight above me and creating a little room for me to look down.

    And what do I find other than a damned termite clinging onto my leg, its beady, near blind eyes staring up at me hatefully. Why you little pain in the foot! Get off me!

    I somewhat awkwardly try and shift my position but end up just gnashing my mandibles in frustration as I fail to reach my opponent. Eyes now filled with savage joy, the termite continues to gnaw off my leg, its sickle sharp jaws sawing away at my limb.

    That hurts dammit!

    This is so annoying! I don''t want to make anyrge moves since I might bring down more rock on my own head! I''ll have to keep reinforcing the area around me and creating space bit by bit until I can chomp on this fool.

    Just you wait you damn termite! I''ll get to you soon, then you''ll get it!

    [Be careful as you move,] I btedly warn my pets, [you might make your situation worse. You hear me Tiny?]

    The ape grumbles at me and I get images of him lying t under a mass of dirt. His bones are too solid to break, but his muscles are certainly a little squished.

    [Invidia, see if you can earth magic your way over to Tiny. Heal him up and then try to solidify sections of stone to bear the weight. Eventually you''ll be able to get free.]

    [Yessssss.]

    [Master, I can sense the enemy all around us. There are thousands of them digging towards us.]

    Not surprising. They don''t have any reason to give up, certainly not now that we''ve been pinned. I''m sure some termites were killed when it all came down, but bugs like them and me are designed for this sort of stuff, our carapace can take a lot of punishment.

    What follows is the most ungainly few minutes of my new life as I slowly and carefully wriggle my way around, eye locked with the hated foe who remainstched onto my leg with grim determination. Just, give it up will you!? No matter how hard you try you aren''t taking my leg!

    I eventually manage to dispatch my foe, but I swear to gandalf that even in death that damned termite isughing at me, its mandibles still mped onto my leg. I eventually manage to shake my limb free, applying a little healing magic to iron out the kinks, only to find the dirt beginning to shift around me.

    I have a bad feeling about this¡­

    Sure enough, a few momentster several termite heads push through the soil and try to bite me! With extremely limited room, it''s hard to perform any sort of dodge but I manage to contort myself enough that I avoid the worst of it before leaning forward to chomp with my own jaws. A horrifically stilted melee erupts as we try to grapple with each other whilst dirt rains down from above.

    My brains spin furiously as I pump earth mana and rapidly weave it to create some sort of structure around me.

    This is such a pain in the thorax! Thankfully I have the brain power spare to do a lot of work. I''ve dropped the gravity domain (for obvious reasons) and my progress supporting the mess overhead is increasing. My issue is, the longer this all goes on, the more termites manage to dig their way towards me.

    This terrain is well suited to insects like us, close quarters, covered in dirt and biting each other in the face. In fact, the whole area rapidly devolves into a seething pile of dirt and stone as we try to get our jaws on each other, or Crinis slithers through paper thin cracks hunting for victims. Tiny is forced to grapple and crush his foes, or use extremely short punches as he tries to get his feet back under him. Invidia is the hardest hit, the poor demon can''t even think about using an explosion.

    Bit by bit we manage to right the ship and create some space around us, but the wriggling, desperate fight continues as more and more termites force their way through the rubble. I swear I''m going to thwack that ape right on the scone when we get out of here!

 Chapter 864 Colony vs Colony pt 14 (974)

    <h4>Chapter 864 Colony vs Colony pt 14 (974) </h4>

    Life in the fourth stratum is considered by many to be the pinnacle of existence. The rich mana intensive atmosphere, the wealth and prosperity avable to those who are strong enough to hunt the powerful monsters, the abundance for those who can pay for it. Many empires of Pangera have shifted their capitals to thisyer of the Dungeon over the thousands of years since the breaking.

    This has caused a strange environment to arise in the fourth, as it is, without a doubt, a ce of tremendous danger. The monsters that popte the stratum are without a doubt powerful and vicious, many of them being intelligent creatures capable of great cunning, evenmunication. The great sky-wyrms, the most threatening of their kind, have roamed the mountains for hundreds of years; growing up to a hundred metres long, they are fearsome opponents and have caused the downfall of many a hunting party, or even cities.

    Thankfully, the ingenuity of the sapient peoples is nigh limitless. In their fortified mountain cities it is possible to live an extremelyfortable, and secure life, though that peace has been bought, and continues to be paid for, in the sacrifices of others.

    Excerpt from ''The Life of the Great'' by Tiritus

    [Oh! There you are. Thank goodness.]

    [Sarah?]

    The great bear snout snuffs about before she shoves her head through the narrow opening and I spy her big bear eyes blinking at me owlishly.

    [I''ve been trying to dig you out, the termites are everywhere.]

    [Yeah, I noticed. How the heck did you manage to find me?]

    [Bears are good diggers,] she says a little defensively, [I''ve got strong ws and a great sense of smell. Why wouldn''t I be able to find you?]

    Fair enough. I certainly can buy the part about the strong ws. Those things are beyond strong, they''re terrifying. I''ve seen them cut the air.

    [Tiny and Invidia are over that direction,] I angle my antenna to droop down in front of her face and then point to the side, [and Crinis is over that way,] another point. [Though she is also over this way. Her situation is a littleplicated.]

    She has plenty of shadows to work with, little pockets of darkness that she can saturate with mana and slip tentacles through.

    [Where are the termites? Do we know where they areing from?] Sarah asks me.

    I rotate the ends of my antennae in a full circle.

    [Like you said, they''reing from everywhere. From what we can gather, they''re busy crawling over the rubble that Tiny brought down on us, digging their way through.]

    Oddly enough, Tiny may have actually done us a favour with his reckless roof-punching. Right at the moment when the cockroach descended scum were aiming to flood us with overwhelming numbers, the big idiot literally brought the house down. I don''t doubt he destroyed arge number of termites with that one punch, but more importantly, he seeded in buying time.

    After all, that''s the whole point of this exercise. Unable to bring their numbers to bear against us, our foes are forced to dig through literal tons of material before they can put the bite on us. Still, it''s only a matter of time, and not much of it, before they clear the rubble and get to us. In order to have a fighting chance, we need to get the band back together before that happens.

    The issue is shifting all of this rubbish without dropping it all suddenly on our heads.

    [Hold on a second, Sarah. I might have just had an idea.]

    I pull a few of my mental constructs away from the constant maniption of earth mana and put them back onto gravity duty, except this time I invert it. A reverse gravity domain. It''s tricky as heck to pull off, but with that muchbined brain power on the job, I figure it out eventually.

    The purple sphere expands outwards from me, lightening everything it touches. Evenpressed, the mana can''t power the domain enough to lift the rock entirely, but it''s enough to lighten the load.

    [Is that you, master?]

    [Yeah, I thought it might help.]

    [It is! Keep going.]

    [Right, let''s try and meet up. Stay put, Tiny. We''ll dig to you. Have you managed to solidify that area, Invidia?]

    [Yessssssss.]

    [Great. Alright Sarah, give me a second and I''ll clear some space for you, then we can dig together.]

    I have to move quick, the termites are wriggling all over the rock, thousands of them now. With a few great swipes of my mandibles I clear enough room for Sarah to squeeze through and then the two of us are squashed together in a very cramped area.

    [Right! This way!]

    [Okay!]

    With the two of us digging together, and the load being significantly lightened by the domain, we make excellent progress, only having to pause a few times to squish a termite before we manage to make contact with Tiny. The big ape is healing nicely under the careful ministrations of Invidia, but the gori is looking a little crestfallen.

    [Don''t worry about it, Tiny,] I try to encourage him, [just maybe, the next time you want to punch something, think about whether or not it''s going to fall on your head and maybe crush you. Okay?]

    That''s a lot of thinking to do before he applies his fists to something, at least for Tiny, but he nods morosely as he epts the wisdom of my words. Perhaps not getting crushed under hundreds of tons would have been better. As a result, he hasn''t been able to uppercut anything for almost ten minutes!

    I can practically feel the thoughts turning over in my first pet''s brain, but I refrain from thwacking him for the time being. I get the feeling that positive reinforcement works better than thwacks for Tiny. Besides, his skull is so hard now since his tier six evolution that hitting him is more likely to break my antenna than anything else!

    [Crinis, are you here?]

    [One second¡­]

    The shadows around us deepen into cker than ck before a tentacle pops through, followed by more. Luckily theypress themselves down until Crinis herself emerges in the centre, squished into a volleyball sized shape with three little mouths hissing around her circumference.

    [Alright, we''re all on together again. Good work team. Now we need to figure out what to do next. Any ideas, gang? How about you Sarah? ¡­ Sarah?]

    The bear jumps a little.

    [Oh. Sorry. I thought I heard something?]

 Chapter 865 Colony vs Colony pt 15 (975)

    <h4>Chapter 865 Colony vs Colony pt 15 (975) </h4>

    Interesting¡­

    [If you hear something weird, let me know. For now we need to focus on not getting killed.]

    [Yes,] the great bear shakes her head, [you''re right, of course.]

    With the crew back together we''re in a better position to resist, but the pressure quickly begins to mount. Our opponents are digging constantly, creating tunnels to reach us under the rubble and I can feel that they have uspletely surrounded. Perhaps as many as a hundred thousand of the filthy, soul sucking insects are all around us, ready to rend my precious, shiny carapace and extract the juicy Biomass within. There must be as many as ten ka''armodo in the area to control and direct this horde. They must be extremely confident to put themselves out on a limb like this. The thought urs to me that one gravity bomb right now would cripple the entire termite force and ensure victory for the Colony.

    But unlike Leeroy, I don''t think that way. I intend to win this war and live to mock every lizard I see. Even normal ones. If I see a gecko scurrying up the wall after this is all done, I''ll give it a serve.

    My minds continue to churn, heating up under the constant pressure applied from being used so hyper-efficiently. Each brain is doing the work of three or four thanks to the mind constructs and without the aid of the Vestibule they''d be just about cooked already. It''s been worth it, we finally have some space in which to work, especially crucial for Tiny. Crinis and I are pretty happy fighting covered in dirt, we can handle it just fine, but without room to swing, the big ape is just a sitting duck. Invidia too can''t be his usual explosive self in such tight confines. Truth be told, he still doesn''t have enough room, if he starts letting the explosions go in here, he''ll hit us just as much as the enemy.

    [Let''s form up,] I tell the others, [tight formation, but we need to keep working our way toward the nearest tunnel. It''s about forty metres that way,] I point with an antenna. [It''s already swarming with termites, but we''ll have more room to work with.]

    [I can sense moreing, Master!]

    [Right, brace for impact people, this is going to get ugly.]

    Secondster the invasion begins in earnest as jaws begin to scissor through the hardened earth I''d prepared and the hate-filled eyes of the enemy soon follow.

    Void Chomp!

    As a small pack bursts through the wall just in front of me, I''m ready to meet them. My most powerful bite obliterates them but already more are dropping from above. Sarah rears up and swipes two straight out of the air and Tinybos with her, delivering a devastating upper before they hit the ground. A satisfied gleam appears in Tiny''s eyes as hends his first clean punch for a while.

    [Just don''t bring the roof down on us again,] I warn him.

    I really want to bring more of my new spells into y, but the situation is making it difficult for me. If we canst a little longer so I can manufacture the right situation then there might be a chance to pull some shenanigans. We''ll just have to wait and see.

    Tentacles erupt from the darkness around us as Crinis goes to work in the tiny tunnels the termites have dug. She does her best to limit the flow of reinforcements, but with literally thousands of bodies pushing their way in, there''s only so much she can do to stem the tide. It almost feels like it''s raining termites as they begin to burrow through all around us, leaping from the openings they create to dive down and attack us the moment they can.

    The fight quickly disintegrates into a messy brawl. Even if we can dispatch the termites as quickly as theye to us, the Biomass has nowhere to go and our little chamber is quickly choked with it. I keep tunnelling to one side with my minds, recruiting Invidia to try and speed the process up, but there''s only so much we can do. More and more termites flood in, gnashing and biting with mad glee. I begin to get an idea of why it''s such a pain to fight against ants.

    Putting up with this is a massive kick in the nards! The numbers are endless and there''s nowhere to go!

    Biting, chomping, ramming and butting heads directly with the enemy are all I can do in thepressed melee as I desperately try to escape being overwhelmed. Out of sheer necessity I unleash multiple Void Chomps in close session, clearing away space but dropping my stamina dangerously low. It''ll take time for those reserves to replenish, time we might not have.

    At least I buy myself enough room that I can turn to the new tunnel we''re working on and start chomping my way through it with my jaws. When brain power doesn''t meet the challenge, the only option that remains is to put my mandibles to the task!

    [Everyone, this way!] I yell to the others and they pile in behind me, cramming into the small space.

    Termites are already starting to chew through the rock to meet us from this new direction, but it doesn''t matter. If they tunnel through, that''ll just mean we get through all the faster. Which is eventually what happens. The termites dig to meet us as Tiny and Sarah fight a rear-guard against the enemies piling in behind.

    The moment the tunnel wall breaks down in front of me, I''m ready. An enormous jet of Dragon''s Breath roars forth, roasting everything in my path and superheating the tunnel in an instant.

    [Let''s go!] I call and dash forward.

    It''s so damn hot! My ws are instantly burning and I madly hop my way forward to avoid the burning sensation rocketing up my legs.

 Chapter 866 Colony vs Colony pt 16 (976)

    <h4>Chapter 866 Colony vs Colony pt 16 (976) </h4>

    The walls glow with molten light as the dragon''s breath fades and we rocket through the narrow space. I can hear Tiny growling behind me as his hands and fur get singed by the rocks but we don''t have time to deal with it.

    He thinks he has it rough. I''m the one at the front, shoving the still boiling Biomass out of the way and trudging through ming carapaces, breaking them underfoot. This is nasty! Fortunately the tunnel isn''t that long, I can already see the next wave of termites rushing in to reinforce.

    Well we can''t have that!

    My brains spin at incredible speed and mana churns inside me and in the air around. I''m pulling in a lot of juice right now, and have been for a while. I need to get my ws back into some regr tunnel so I can tap the mana veins there; don''t want my core to be even approaching low on power.

    Bolts of pure kic force fly forward like the fists of a truly angry ant and m into the leading termites, knocking them off bnce. They emit an angry chitter and try to rush forward again, only to meet with another barrage, then another.

    We''reing through!

    The force mana flies as I literally pummel the insects backwards while I continue to run toward them, the rest of the gang following up behind me. When I get close enough I initiate a charge, dropping my head and digging in my ws for traction.

    I can hear them sizzle as I do so, which is far from ideal, but I rocket forward like a magnificent, sparkling missile.

    CRASH!

    I m into the growing wall of termites with all the momentum I can summon, sending tons of monstrous insect flying backwards. The impact sends a tremendous jolt through my entire body, to the point I can almost feel my carapace crackling like wrapping paper. A momentter I''m dropping down into the tunnel proper and I have to say, it''s not a wee sight.

    The entire thing is filled with the enemy. Completely.

    The walls are covered. The floor is covered. The entire ceiling is covered in termites! The narrow opening Iunched through was half way up the wall on the right side and right now I''m suspended in mid-air with gnashing mandibles literally surrounding me.

    Fortunately, this doesn''te as a surprise.

    Look out below!

    I tuck my legs in the traditional cannonball position and drop like a stone, but not before unleashing another st of Dragon Breath. The me rockets out as if fired from a jet engine, pure, hot and unbelievably loud. In the brief time it takes for me tond, I clear a small zone before I crash down into the now smoking hot rocks.

    I unfold my legs at thest second and bury them into the tunnel floor, immediately absorbing a jolt of mana. Gimme that juice! I push my brains to the limit, even the main mind pitching in to draw and shape as much mana as I possibly can. The omni-elemental construct spins and whirls as I supercharge it, pumping in all the raw energy I can, a myriad of elementsing out the other end.

    Momentster the others fall into the tunnel around me, Tiny crashing down with his surprising grace. Crinis, a dark mass of tentacles with no centre, squirms out of the small opening and drops down tond beside me, quickly followed by Invidia''s slow descent and Sarah dropping like a boulder.

    [I need a little time,] I tell the others, [Tiny, unleash the lightning. Crinis, help Invidia keep them away for a few seconds!]

    [Got it!] they reply, except for Tiny who''s too busy whooping with joy as writhing bolts of lightning ignite all over his body.

    His fur begins to rise and his wings unfurl as the ribbons of electricity sh faster and faster all over his body and down towards his arms. As his hands begin to glow with unbearably bright light, he thrusts one in each direction and bathes the termite horde in sizzling bolts of energy.

    Shortly after, detonations begin to ring out and shields pop into ce as Invidia follows up on his elder''s good work. With more room to work in, the two are able to deploy their devastating area-effect abilities to inflict maximal damage. Sarah and Crinis circle in close, making sure that no stray bugs slip through the cracks as I push my brains into overdrive.

    I intend to unleash a barrage of spells unlike anything I''ve produced before, pushing my new skills and thebined power of my brains to their limits.

    My head is on fire, the collection of brains housed inside are working overtime and I can feel the load wearing away at them. We''re in a slightly better spot now than when the roof fell down, but unless I find a way to get some separation between us at the termites so we can regroup, we aren''t going to be able tost as long as I''d like.

    That means dumping everything I have into one glorious burst of power.

    [I''m ready!] I shout to the others. [Get in close!]

    They immediately break off their offensive and rush to my side, then my work begins.

    The moment the lightning and explosions stop, the termites rush forward, near-blind eyes filled with hate. Fortunately, I won''t have to look at them for long. I weave magic deftly and a burst of mud erupts above my head, firing upwards and outwards before raining down, shielding us from view.

    Now!

    With a supreme effort of will, I finish shaping my second spell and unleash it with perfect timing. The mana flies out of me and soaks into the still flowing mud, sh hardening it in an instant. Hopefully I made it thick enough¡­

    I grit my mandibles, my brains screaming in pain as I pour everyst drop of mana I have into the construct, taking the threads of elemental energy as they pass out the side. Every mind exerts pressure to shape the final spell as best I can whilst the first termites reach my rock hard mud dome and begin chomping on it.

    There!

    Thest thread falls into ce and I immediately unleash the spell, directing it through the narrow gap above our heads and outwards. Scorching hot winds erupt above us as a storm of fire bursts into life, the mes licking down amongst us until Invidia quickly ps a shield across the opening.

    The sh hardened mud around us heats up quickly, the air inside bes stiflingly hot as the five of us huddle together whilst the spell rages outside. The tornadoes twist in opposite directions, heading down the tunnel igniting everything in their path whilst I copse inside the dome.

    I don''t even pay attention to the stream of System announcements flowing into my mind. Instead, I sink down into myself, allowing the meditation skill to wall my emotions away as I concentrate on recovering.

 Chapter 867 Colony vs Colony pt 17 (977)

    <h4>Chapter 867 Colony vs Colony pt 17 (977) </h4>

    "Move quickly! Push! Don''t leave a single termite alive!" Advant sted her surroundings with pheromones, not that the ants needed much motivating.

    They''d been bottled up by the enemy for too long, unable to be aggressive as the termites frustrated them with seemingly endless hit and run attacks against their walls. Now, thanks to the Eldest, they were able to charge forward to their hearts'' content. In fact, thergest problem the leadership was having during the offensive was holding their forces back.

    Ahead of her, a sh was taking ce as tens of thousands of ants rushed into battle. It was difficult to see what was happening as the soldiers of the Colony piled on top of each other at the front, creating a wall of carapace and eager mandibles that swarmed over the termite defenders, ripping and tearing. She might have felt sorry for a different enemy. This position had already been bombarded with acid and magic, softening the resistance for the final charge of soldiers, scouts and generals, but termites deserved no less than this.

    To think they would attempt to y the Eldest. The presumption of it was more than insulting!

    Every ant felt fire burning in their core, flooding their limbs with strength. They knew that the Eldest, the most powerful and revered member of their family, was fighting against impossible odds in order to create this opportunity. They wouldn''t let it go to waste! The harder they fought, and the faster they advanced, the sooner they coulde to the rescue of the mighty ant.

    "Mages forward!" she ordered and she could scent the order being ryed down the line.

    She watched the fight with a critical eye, rying orders to the generals and taking reports as they came back from the thick of the fighting.

    "WHOO! This is a st and a half, isn''t it?" Propent roared as she rushed forward ahead of her mage battalion. "Did you see us light them up? Haven''t seen that much me since we left the third! What now? What do we burn?"

    The eagerness of the council member''s voice was more than a little distasteful to Advant, as was the wild and manic look in herpound eyes.

    "Calm yourself," she snapped, "I need you on sensing and recon, not burning. Get to it as fast as you can."

    The fire mage lost some of her energy.

    "Not burning?" Her disappointment was total. She flicked her antennae miserably before she sighed. "Alright, fine. We get this done then we can move on and burn more stuff."

    "What are we burning, senior?" the mage battalion demanded as they arrived.

    "Nothing," Propent scowled. "Recon and sensing! Get to it, quickly!"

    The mages grumbled but followed orders with crity, jumping to their task. Taking a lot of ground from a crafty enemy carried a great deal of risk, something which the Colony was deeply aware of. False tunnels, traps, fake trails,rge pockets of enemies hidden in temporary caverns, ready to emerge behind Colony lines. The ka''armodo could have left any number of traps behind in their retreat and it was the job of the scouts and mages to work together to minimise the risks. That meant using their advanced mana senses to cover as much ground as they could, trying to find anything out of the ordinary.

    With the mages dealt with, Advant turned back to the battle with a critical eye, but soon found Propent on her left watching alongside.

    "Surely they can finish them off faster than this?" the mage asked. "After the hell we rained down on them?"

    Advant shifted irritably.

    "Going face to face with the soul devouring termites is no simple thing," she informed her mage counterpart, "something that you wouldn''t know much about, Propent. Show a little respect to your siblings on the front lines."

    "Oh, I wouldn''t dare dismiss the efforts of the soldiers," Propent waved an antenna, despite knowing full well that she frequently did just that. "I''m simply concerned that we won''t reach the Eldest in time."

    "We are all worried about the Eldest," Advant snapped before she calmed herself.

    At that moment, the fighting appeared to die down and word soon came back that the enemy had been defeated and subsequently consumed. Teams of healers rushed forward to administer to the wounded as the ants sorted themselves into their separate battalions. All along the field of battle, the soldiers, generals and scouts rested while they cleaned their antennae, dragging them through the fine hairs in their elbows.

    "The battle''s over," she observed, "that means we can march to the next site as soon as your team is done."

    "They work quickly," the mage assured her sibling, "they are positively burning with fighting spirit right now. It won''t be long."

    "Their spirit just wants to burn things, more like," Advant muttered.

    The battalion of dedicated fire mages had certainly proven their worth over the course of their rolling advance, it was just their eagerness that bordered on mania the soldier didn''t appreciate. Soon enough it was time to continue and Advant huddled with the generals and scouts, with Propent peeking over her shoulder as they consulted on their exact path. With their destination identified, the column began to march forward.

    It took mere moments for the ants to form their ranks, flowing into position with uncanny precision before they began to move at a steady pace. Advant watched her sisters march with pride, knowing how difficult it was for them to achieve. Each caste had to walk at their own cadence to achieve this even speed, given that their sizes varied so wildly. The smaller healers needed three or four steps for a soldier''s one, and tier six soldiers had a longer stride than a tier five. Despite all theseplications, they moved like a single unit.

    Tens of thousands of them continued onward through the tunnels until they reached the next checkpoint, a small opening close to the service. The stink of termites covered their antennae and the moment the column stopped every single ant began to furiously clean them to wipe away the stink.

    "Is this it?" Propent leapt forward, her eyes shining with glee. "Are we ready to go?"

    "Yes," Advant rolled her antennae. "When you''re ready you can begin the bomba-"

    "COME ON TEAM! LET''S GO!" the mage roared.

    Quivering with excitement, the fullplement of pyromaniacs raced forward, whooping with joy in an un-antlike disy of emotion. Even so, the line was formed in a timely manner and shortly thereafter the temperature began to rise precipitously.

    "LET IT BURN!" Propent cackled.

    Condensed balls of potent fire mana rocketed through the air before detonating with cmitous force against the target. When an angry force of chittering termites erupted from the walls to defend their position, the mages'' joy was only intensified. Advant watched as the steady re of explosions continued. Every now and again a trulyrge one would go off, the st of hot air rushing down the tunnel and blowing her antennae back against her head.

    When the target had been reduced to smouldering ruins, she ordered the mages back and theyplied with visible reluctance. Then the soldiers were sent forward. Ordered ranks, thousands strong, stomped forward, Advant among them.

    Eldest, we''reing.

 Chapter 868 Colony vs Colony pt 18 (978)

    <h4>Chapter 868 Colony vs Colony pt 18 (978) </h4>

    The heat continues to rise within the sh hardened shell that I''d created, to the point I create some ice just to cool us off. As an ant, I don''t mind a bit of heat, but Sarah, even with her temperature regting enchantments, can''t handle this level. We are literally cooking as the twin fire-tornadoes roar throughout the tunnel outside.

    If we''re cooking in here, then I can only imagine what''s happening to the termites outside.

    Actually¡­ I don''t really want to imagine. That''s going to be gross, not that I feel any sympathy. With a little luck I might even catch a ka''armodo who got too close, trying to lead the troops from the front, but as I listen to the notifications roll in from Gandalf, nonee up.

    A shame.

    [Good job, Anthony!] Sarah congrattes me. [I can''t believe you can cast magic like that!]

    [I can, but it nearly emptied me out,] I say, [I''m running on fumes over here, as far as MP goes. So don''t expect anything out of me for a while.]

    [Oh. Is that so? Well, we should be able to hold them off until you recover, at least a little.]

    My legs are buried in the floor of the tunnel, gathering up mana, but it''s a tricklepared to the flood I would need to be full. A mutation or two for absorbing mana isn''t going to cut it at the level of spells I''m ying with now.

    [I''ll try and draw in as much ambient mana as I can. If you guys do your best, we''ll be able to hold them off long enough for the Colony to arrive.]

    It''s seriously cramped inside this shell. It''s even more cramped when I think about the fact that Protectant and her squad are in here with us. Idly, I bump up against the wall and even though I don''t actually reach the heated surface my brain doesn''t seem to register it. We are bumping up against the guards all the time, but it''s like our minds refuse to acknowledge it.

    With the benefit of the Vestibule, I know they''re in here, but without that insight I''d have no idea. The stealth organs these siblings of mine have taken on are absolutely insane. If they reach tier six they''ll be even harder to notice, I have no doubt.

    [This spell is going tost another minute, I would say,] I tell the others. [When it fails I''m going to dissolve the walls around us and we can take our final stand within this tunnel.]

    [Should we try and use this time to tunnel down, Master? We might be able to create a more favourable battle ground?]

    Independent thinking from Crinis? It brings a tear to my eye every time.

    [It might be hard to tell with the storm of mana around us right now, but the termites are beneath us as well. Digging down won''t help us escape. We''re encircled.]

    [S-Sorry, Master!] The blob that is Crinis tries to cover herself with tentacles to hide her shame. [I couldn''t see clearly enough, I shouldn''t have said anything!]

    I reach out and give her a pat with one antenna.

    [Not at all. It was a good idea, and how were you to know when it''s so hard for you to see at the moment? I like it when you speak your thoughts to us. Keep it up!]

    [I-I-I will!]

    They grow up so fast!

    I try to act casually as I turn to Sarah.

    [Have you heard anything strange again?] I ask.

    The big bear tilts her head as if listening.

    [No,] she answers finally. [Maybe I didn''t hear anything in the first ce. It was such a faint thought.]

    [No worries,] I shrug, [let me know if anythinges up.]

    We continue to wait a little longer as the walls around glow bright with intense heat. I wince. My guardians are going to have very sore feet. Eventually the tornadoes begin to peter out and I can feel the massed termite horde begin to move once more.

    [They''reing!] I warn the others. [Seems like they''re going to try and just bury us beneath their mass. I''m taking down the walls, be ready!]

    After a brief pause, the dome I crafted around us crumbles away to nothing. It takes a second for my eyes to refocus and when they do what is revealed is a true wastnd. Crispy termite remains cover rocks that are ckened with soot and still glowing red. The me tornadoes have ripped the ce to shreds, but even the devastation I''ve wrought isn''t what captures my attention. To the left and right, in the distance, are masses of termites rushing forward like a cresting wave.

    Seriously. They basically fill the tunnel on both sides from the floor to the roof. A heaving mass of cockroach descendants that writhes forward like an unstoppable tide.

    [They aren''t mucking around this time. They intend to end it. We need to bring the noise. Invidia, you take the left. Tiny and Sarah, you take the right. Crinis and I will hold the middle.]

    Invidia practically radiates demonic glee as his eye glows bright with baleful green light. In fact, it''s only getting brighter¡­

    I take a tactical step to one side a few moments before the hovering eyeball demon unleashes the full power of his mightyser. The incandescent green beamnces through the air before ying across the mass of termites rushing towards us. The sheer power of theser is incredible and I''ve no doubt that hundreds of monsters are destroyed but it hardly seems to make a dent. There must be tens of thousands bearing down on us right now. There''d be even more, but the ka''armodo are limited by how many of their servant monsters will literally fit in the tunnel.

    My brains are still on fire, even with the Vestibule soothing them, and the mana in my core still isn''t anything like what I''d like it to be. I''m pretty restricted in what I can do right now, basically only things that cost stamina. Going to be interesting when they get here, that''s for sure.

    To the other side, Tiny and Sarah charge headlong toward the foe. The big ape charges up what remains of his lightning and sts it toward the enemy before beginning to wind up his most impressive punch.

    [Crinis, this is your time to shine.]

    [I won''t let you down!] she assures me.

    The blob of shadow goop that is Crinis intes once more to reveal her full majesty, a towering creature of tentacles and fathomless maws. The light begins to fade as she releases her shadow mana, infusing the air around her. As the area beneath her thickens to a pure dark she extends innumerable limbs and plunges them through the shadow gate.

    I eye the dual waves of termites approaching¡­

    For once I think she''s not going to have enough tentacles.

 Chapter 869 Colony vs Colony pt 19 (979)

    <h4>Chapter 869 Colony vs Colony pt 19 (979) </h4>

    Staring down the barrel of tens of thousands of monsters is quite the sight. I mean, I''ve seen some crazy things since I''ve been here, my first meeting with the Queenes to mind. Seeing a bus-sized ant is something that leaves an impression on you after all. Laying eyes on Garralosh was quite something as well. A crocodile monster that''d grown to be bigger than a t-rex was absolutely terrifying. I still can''t believe I survived that encounter despite being outmatched in every way.

    Grant, your sacrifice will never be forgotten.

    Idly, I almost want to try and calcte how many tons of Biomass are throwing themselves at us right now. It must be in the thousands, surely. A tidal wave of carapace and mandibles, gnashing for my precious, diamond coated self.

    No matter how much more powerful than an individual termite we are, there''s no chance we can avoid getting buried under the weight of numbers. Almost like fighting against ants¡­ at least now I can experience just how terrifying it is for our opponents¡­

    "Protectant. I hate to do this to you all, but you have to get involved in this one. We need to buy as much time as we can for the Colony to get here."

    "¡­"

    "Really?" I sigh. "You think I have time to deal with your shyness right now?"

    "I''m not shy!"es the reply as my protector materialises out of thin air. "I''m trying to continue my mission! Exposing us to your enemies makes it harder for us to do our work!"

    "Don''t be arrogant," I warn her as I eye the approaching horde. "You aren''t even tier six monsters. I highly doubt the ka''armodo can''t sense you if they really try. Whatever stealth effect you have going on, it''s not omnipotent. I''m not sure what you can do to help in this situation, but anything at all is going to be useful."

    "This is certainly dire. We will do everything we can. You will not die while a single one of us lives."

    My antennae quiver, on the verge of delivering my justice, but I control myself. I can''t me these twenty for their attitudes, they were basically brainwashed into it from the moment they were born. If only I''d gotten to them first and instilled my own brainwashing of self-preservation!

    "As if I''d let you die first," I mock. "Just watch, I''ll leap in slow-motion to catch a bite that was meant for you. It''s going to be super dramatic, so wait for it."

    Tiny and Sarah have almost reached the front of the wave. Their charge has gained momentum and the two of them are positively crackling with energy. Tiny still has enough juice in the tank to raise his fur and coat his arms in writhing bolts of lightning. Wings unfurled, he almost floats as he bounds forward, his fists aglow with power. Sarah is a rather more intimidating sight. The great bear almost looks bigger than normal as glowing red energy burns in her eyes and coats her ws. In the back of her throat, the endless roar has begun to rumble out, growing in volume every second.

    More than anything else, the roar tells me that she has thrown herselfpletely into the rage. She knows she can''t hold anything back right now. Even if she''s buried beneath a mountain of termites, in that condition she''ll just keep fighting through them until she literally can''t move any more.

    Just before the two sides m into each other, Tiny peels back his lips and unleashes his ear-splitting scream. The sound is deafening; like a lightning bolt it shatters the air and overwhelms everything within range. Almostically, the wall of termites rushing towards them freezes for a split-second, the monsters stumbling over each other as they lose momentum at thest moment.

    Simr to ants, termites don''t actually have much in the way of hearing. But just like us, they are very sensitive to vibrations. In fact, some breeds of termite are known to spread rms by banging their heads into tunnel walls, alerting their nests to potential danger. Their fine-tuned sense is now turned against them as Tiny unleashes his rage.

    The two giant monsters crash into the wall of termites like an avnche. His fist drawn all the way back, Tiny steps gracefully forward, his body rotating in perfect harmony to deliver the biggest right-cross of his life. A fist of pure energy materialises and drives into the monsters like the fist of god, crushing hundreds in a single blow. For her part, Sarah acts much as one would expect an enraged berserker bear to act. Without hesitating, she simply ploughs directly into the enemy, biting, roaring and shing with her ws. In moments she is out of sight, literally buried under a mountain of termites.

    We can still hear her though. Even where she is, the roar she emits never ends. Not to mention the truly horrifying sound of her ws as they rend everything in her path.

    [That''s the basic idea. Are you ready Crinis?]

    [I will unleash everything that I have. Wish me luck, Master.]

    [Of course! Make us all proud.]

    With a final ripple of joy, Crinis sends her main body into the shadow, vanishing from in front of me. Then the forest begins to emerge. Crinis has a limited amount of shadow flesh, and under normal circumstances she reserves it to replenish her tentacles as they are destroyed. After all, despite its many advantages, shadow flesh isn''t high on the toughness scale. Normally it isn''t a benefit for her to use all of her reserves to manifest extra tentacles, but her dedication in learning tentacle-fu has paid dividends. Now that her control has reached rank six, she''s able to handle more than ever before!

    From the shadows around us an endless stream of writhing limbs emerges, twisting around each other before they extend, directly towards the onrushing termites! Despite Invidia''s best efforts, the left front is still looking grim. Hisser has been expended and needs time to power up, and though his explosions are effective against the densely packed termites, there''s simply too many for him to handle alone.

    The wave of monsters meets the forest of tentacles head on, and the result is a grind-fest that only a horror enthusiast could enjoy. Tentacles grapple and grind as the termites bite and chew, neither side willing to give an inch. In the midst of it all, Crinis emerges with her real body, her three maws feasting on every ounce of Biomass they can reach.

    With a constant supply of Biomass, she''ll be able to replenish her shadow flesh at a decent clip. It''s a losing battle, she will run out eventually, but for now she can hold the line. I uproot my feet from the floor of the tunnel and shake out my legs.

    "Time to get in there gang," I tell my defenders before I turn to observe the two fronts. "Now to pick which side needs my attention."

    My mana might be dry, but I''m packed full of stamina. Time to chomp!

 Chapter 870 Colony vs Colony pt 20 (980)

    <h4>Chapter 870 Colony vs Colony pt 20 (980) </h4>

    To battle against so many is a difficult thing to. Constantly on the move, even within such a tight space, I work my mandibles furiously. Chomp, chomp, chomp! asionally I mix in a Void Chomp to clear away space, each devastating bite is enough to disintegrate a dozen termites at once, more if they pack close enough.

    If I couldmit and go closer, I might defeat a hundred with a single chomp, but I would risk being surrounded and overwhelmed. I''m not willing to bury myself under an infinite number of termites like Sarah is, I need to keep hitting and running.

    Speaking of the Asura Bear, I can still hear her roar. It builds and builds, even though she''s literally covered in monsters. Not sure who I feel sorry for, I have no doubt she''s getting torn up in there, but all that does is make her more mad. The crunch of her jaws when bites and the sh of her ws when she swipes give me shivers. No matter how thick the termite swarm around her is, the sounds just keeping.

    Every time I think I thib nk I have good grasp on just how strong she is, I realise I''ve underestimated her.

    Just how much physical strength does she have?! It''s insane! The sheer weight bearing down on her is beyond counting, yet she''s still fighting in there like nothing is happening? Hello? Sarah? Can you help me make sense of that for a minute?! I know it has something to do with her "Rage Engine" or whatever the hell organ turns on her berserk mode.

    Despite how impressive it is, I keep in mind that she''s also taking damage. The longer this goes on, the more she''s going to get hurt and the closer she''lle to death. I knew this would be a dangerous, all or nothing type of gamble, but it was never my intention to put Sarah into the deep end. I''d hoped to be the only one who had to do that.

    I should have known that she was too brave to back out when the chance arose. Once the chips were down, she threw herself in at the first opportunity. With Tiny fighting on that side with her, she should be able to hold on for a while.

    The giant ape is in his element in this moment. His feet flutter from step to step, his powerful wings beating in rhythm as he floats from ce to ce. If I focus only on his legs, I would think he was performing an elegant, graceful dance. Those giant fury feet shift and turn so smoothly I could almost be convinced he choreographed the whole thing in advance.

    Yet when I took in the full picture, when I looked at his hands, I knew this was no slow bad. Tiny''s hands moved so fast I couldn''t see them, only the blur they left behind. Over and over again the giant fists of light mmed into the wall of termites, slowing its progress and almost driving it back. He won''t be able to keep that insane level of output for too long though. Tiny has incredible stamina generation, which he needs to throw out the barrages of punches that he does, but even so there''s a limit.

    I''ll need to take action before things to get that point

    [I''m going to get cracking on a new spell. Try to buy me a little time!]

    The others redouble their efforts as I begin to focus within myself once more, turning over control of my body to the sub-brains. The main mind dips down into the well of power that still remainsrgely untapped during this extended battle: the gravity mana nd. I used it for a domain a while back, but that''s far from enough to drain this thing. I gave it several mutations upgrading the capacity and it holds a bum load of mana. My core might still be low on energy, but I still have this reserve to make use of.

    My brains are stillrgely fried though, the extended period of concentration and effort required to weave those spells was migraine inducing. Of all my brains, only the main one is in any state to cast. So as I reach within and summon up the dark purple mana, I know that I''m going to be running solo on this one.

    My body continues to duck, weave and fight as other brains pick up the ck, which is an odd sensation to say the least, but it''s afort. If I sat still I''d be dead pretty damn quickly in this scenario.

    There''s only a limited number of things I can do with the gravity mana, without the specific spell constructs gained from the dedicated skill. Most of those won''t be useful right now, so I have no choice but to weave the only thing that will have an impact. Time for the gravity bomb.

    Now, is that dangerous? May do more harm than good? Absolutely! But desperate times call for desperate measures.

    Another thing to keep in mind, is that I don''t have to dump all of my mana into a single gravity bomb. I was able to cast a much weaker version of the spell immediately after I gained the nd after all. My mental powers and mana handling skills have grown in leaps and bounds since then. If I want to fire off a mini-bomb, I should be more than capable!

    Under the potent guidance of my main mind, the mana leaps to mymand,pressing and twisting in on itself as I begin to condense it over and over again. It doesn''t take long for the ball of mana to coalesce into the sphere that I now recognise as the weakest form of the gravity bomb. I pump a little more into it before I tie off the spell and prepare tounch it.

    [Crinis! Invidia! Prepare for a st!]

    My two pets begin to retreat from that front and after a beat I let the bomb fly.

    It howls into existence, but in a much reduced form to what I''ve be used to. The sphere is so much smaller, its intimidating aura so much weaker, but it''s good enough for the job at hand. The bomb impacts against the leading termites and erges into the swirling mass of death that I''vee to know and love¡­ and fear.

    The termites are obviously less than happy with this development. Many of them are pulled into the ck sphere, but the power of the bomb isn''t enough to crush them instantly. These monsters are much tougher than the centipedes who were the first victim of the gravity bomb, after all. Despite the bomb, the termites are still able to push forward, creeping around the edges and hugging the walls to avoid the pull.

    That''s fine. The second one is almost ready to go.

 Chapter 871 Born of the Tree (981)

    <h4>Chapter 871 Born of the Tree (981) </h4>

    The Grove Keeper did not have a name, none of the bruan''chii did. Not in the sense of the sapient races, or even the Colony, it would seem. Theycked many things that others had. No first or family name, no gender, no homnd, or indeed, any real history. They possessed no spokennguage, little industry or cultural artefacts, no religion or relics or indeed anything that outsiders might think was essential to bind them together.

    And yet, no people on Pangera were more united than they. The reason for this was simple, and impossible for any other group to replicate: they were of one soul.

    The Keeper could remember being born. A splinter of Mother Tree had broken away, not her physical form, but her very spirit, and been cupped in her loving hands. Embraced by the Mother, that shard had begun to grow. Ideas, thoughts and emotions had coalesced slowly inside that timeless realm within the Tree as the Keeper had been nurtured by its sole parent. Over time that tiny shard had grown into a bright, burning spirit of its own, a fully grown entity, ready to be unleashed on the world.

    Yet that had not been the way. Rather than being sent out into the world, the Keeper had been kept close to the Mother, released from her hands and allowed to mingle with the other spirits she had raised.

    How to describe that world? The Keeper didn''t have the words to paint an urate picture. There was warmth, andfort, and safety. More than those things, there wasmunity. Thousands upon thousands of bruan''chii frolicked there, held within the Soul Home. In that ce they experienced a wordless joy as they enjoyed thepany of quite literal kindred spirits. Of one soul, they had no need tomunicate, able to share thoughts and emotions on a primal level that transcended physical reality.

    The Keeper had spent most of its life in the Soul Home, beyond time, beyond the individual, held in the embrace of the Mother.

    Now though, the Keeper felt the push.

    It was not amand, or a directive. The Mother Tree did not interact with her children in that way. Instead, it was a gentle suggestion, but one that not a single bruan''chii had ever refused. As the Keeper''s spirit began to move, so too did many that were close, all of them shifting with increasing speed as they departed their home and entered the widerwork that was the Mother and her roots.

    Through twisting paths and coiled branches they flew, each radiating joy and happiness as they revelled in the journey and each other''spany. The Keeper felt a deep satisfaction. This was what it meant to be bruan''chii, this togetherness and unity of purpose that couldn''t be found anywhere else.

    When they finally arrived at their destination, they found the Mother had prepared their vessels, as she always did, and they leapt into them like children into a burbling stream. It was always a strange shift of perspective, when they joined with a body. They transitioned from beings of pure light that existed only within the Mother, to creatures of mundane reality, with senses and limbs. There was sadness in the loss of freedom, but also joy of a different kind. In their physical bodies, they could effect change on behalf of the Mother, and lift each other up.

    The Keeper experienced a quiet, dream-like state as the body prepared by the Mother continued to gestate. A steady flow of life mana poured in and in response the Keeper grew. Powerful, trunk-like arms swelled with strength as the bark coating thickened and hardened with time.

    Quietly, on the edges of awareness, the Keeper could sense the others growing alongside them. So many¡­ clearly the Mother had great ns for them.

    In time, the process wasplete, the Keeper stirred for the first time in this new form. Wood creaked and snapped as the giant form broke free of the root on which it had been formed, the Keeper stretching their limbs and opening their eyes for the first time.

    Nearby, thousands more emerged at the same time. Keepers and regr bruan''chii alike shook their new bodies as they connected with each other via their wordless bond.

    As one, they felt the presence of their mother descend. Her mind, so enormous and powerful that it dwarfed their flickering selves,y a gentle hand on them, and through that, they knew their purpose.

    The Keeper turned to the others of its kind and they quickly organised themselves, gathering together with their kindred and then setting off through the tunnels. They had been formed close to the main roots, but their steps quickly ate up the ground as the proceeded through the winding tunnels.

    There was an eagerness to the thousands strong group, a fierce energy that radiated from them as they moved with purpose.

    The Mother had held them back for so long, but atst they had been set free.

    The Keeper''s wooden frame was alive with righteous anger. The enemy had tormented the Mother for too long, nibbling at her roots and consuming the spirits of their kin. The aid of the Colony had helped turned the tide, and for that they would be eternally grateful, but it wouldn''t do for the conflict to end without striking with its own branches.

    The bruan''chii should be the first to fall in the defence of their parent. And now she had atst allowed them to do as they pleased.

    A deep hum rumbled out of the Keepers, a wordless exmation of grim satisfaction as they strode forward. Giant hands of Iron Wood flexed their thick fingers. The Mother had granted them forms suitable to battle, she must have stockpiled these resources as the Colony fought.

    Overflowing with strength, the bruan''chii marked relentlessly forward.

    When they came upon the termites atst, they surged as one, the hum growing in volume until the air vibrated with the strength of their rage.

    Toote, the termites turned to face the new threat, unable to form ranks or organise their numbers in time. The Keeper brought both hands down in an overhead smash, pulping the closest monster with a satisfying crunch. They stepped forward, mming a foot down on the defeated foe as it trampled forward, savage joy alight in its soul.

    A feeling that was shared amongst them all. As one, the bruan''chii advanced into battle, their spirits aligned and singing the same song.

 Chapter 872 Emissary pt 1 (982)

    <h4>Chapter 872 Emissary pt 1 (982) </h4>

    The Colony learned much from the ways of the surface people. We studied many industries that they had developed over hundreds, thousands of years. Agriculture, metalwork, fletching, administration, pottery, tea making, and many others. Some of the learnings were exceptionally valuable and proved to have a longsting impact on us, whereas others were less useful. Nevertheless, the thirst for knowledge and understanding within the family was insatiable, any titbit that might help us in our struggle was sought after zealously. So it was that I became drawn to the field of Philosophy.

    Surely, I thought to myself, none of my brethren would have taken the time to study such an esoteric field. Therefore I would be the first, and break new ground for the family by utilising the knowledge and techniques found within for our betterment.

    I was sadly mistaken. The surface dwellers upied themselves with so many pointless questions, the answers to which seemed most obvious to me.

    Why do I exist? To help the Colony.

    What is the purpose of life? To help the Colony.

    Why does the universe exist? For the Colony.

    What is death? When you can no longer help the Colony.

    Though it all seemed so clear to me, the human, golgari and others couldn''t seem to grasp hold of anything. They drove themselves mad with rhetoric, driving down rabbit holes and fudging numbers back and forth until they lost sight of the questions they were trying to answer. The more I dove in, the more tangled the maze became. The pursuit of truth was entirely lost as they tried to make the simpleplex and theplex simple.

    Imented theck of purpose from my years of study for a long time. Fortunately, I was able to realise that my effort had not been wasted, that there was some good for me to extract that would benefit my family.

    More than any other ant, I knew the thought processes and values of the sapient races. I knew that they were weak.

    From the private notes of Emannuelk Ant.

    If he had told himself a year ago what he would be doing now, he would have told himself he was insane. Though Wace Danton, once the head guard of Rylleh, had long suspected his egg had cracked when the Colony had invaded his city. When the ants had approached him to take up this new role, he''d seen where they wereing from. In their eyes, he was a natural fit. He hadbat experience against the ants, had attempted to defend a city against their assault, and had then gone on to live with and work alongside them for an extended period of time.

    Who better to represent the Colony when approaching other independent city states on the frontier?

    His hands rose to tug at his uniform almost of their own volition, but he stopped them before Yasmine caught him at it. He managed to push them back down, but still noticed her flick a sharp nce at him, as if she had somehow sensed his almost-breach of decorum.

    She''de a long way in oveing her fear of the insects; working with the Colony seemed to do that, eventually. It was hard to fear something that served such fantastic tea and biscuits. Alongside their general hospitality, the ants had proven to be the most effective administrators he''d ever seen. They ran their business with incredible efficiency. Any attempt to stymie or block them was set upon and annihted.

    Their rules were rtively straightforward and they applied them directly and consistently, without fear or favour. What really set them apart, was their own unshakeable assurance of their own impartiality. They never hesitated to make the best ruling when called upon to settle disputes, and no protest was possible. Trying to argue to an ant of the Colony that they were biased was an exercise in futility, though hrious to watch.

    It was always the merchants.

    "The Lord will see you now," the voice of the attendant broke Wace''s train of thought and he was brought back into the moment.

    "Our thanks," Yasmine smiled politely as she gripped his elbow rather more tightly than required as she rose, forcing him to rise with her.

    "Yes. Thanks," he said when she pinched him.

    He didn''t mind this job, but the pomp and politics of it grated him at times. Full dress uniform? Waiting in antechambers? He''d rather be fighting, but it appeared as if those days were lost to him forever.

    Following behind the dignitary in front of them, they walked over lush, resplendent carpet under the watchful eyes of stern Lords and Ladies past. The city of Ironwall had been settled a scant few decades before Rylleh, but for whatever reason had considered itself vastly superior throughout their history. It was undeniable that Ironwall was therger and more prosperous of the two, mainly due to deposits of valuable minerals in the area. Rylleh on the other hand had boasted a far stronger military and delvingmunity.

    The two were led into the Lord''s office and found the current ruler of Ironwall, the Lord Korbell, standing to wee them. Young and in good condition, the man appeared more like a member of the mercenary union than the Lord of an independent city, but he was by all ounts a capable and intelligent ruler.

    Which should make Wace''s job easier.

    "Wace Danton, nice to see you again," Korbell offered his hand warmly and Wace extended his own to shake it. "This must be Yasmine Worfu? A pleasure."

    Quick toy on the charm, the young Lord greeted them both before indicating they should sit, and pulled up a chair himself.

    "I''ve been hearing all sorts of interesting things are going on at Rylleh. When I heard you were here wanting an audience, I thought I had to seize this opportunity to get to the bottom of it."

    Wace shrugged.

    "We don''t like to be boring. You should know that better than most."

    Korbell grinned.

    "Indeed. It''s been almost unusual not to have any re ups along the border. I can''t say I don''t mind the peace and quiet, but I have to wonder what caused this attitude shift amongst your people. Anything in particr?"

    "We got conquered by ants," Wace admitted freely.

    Yasmine choked on a cough as her boss threw their carefully nned negotiating tactic out the window. Before she could tactically stomp on his foot, she found he''d pre-emptively blocked her leg with his own! Damned man!

    "What Mr Dalton means to say," she tried to recover the moment, "is that there was a¡­ a shift in the direction of the city."

    "I''ll say," Wace grunted.

    The Lord of Ironwall leaned back and beheld the two in front of him warily.

    "I''d heard that it was monsters. In truth, I''d actually expected the entire city had been wiped out. We haven''t been able to open a gate into Rylleh for months, and we heard little to nothing from your people. Now youe to tell me that you were conquered? By ants?"

    "Yes," Wace confirmed, ignoring Yasmine''s subtle elbow digging. "They overwhelmed the city in just a few hours. The ants rule over it now. It''s theirs."

    Korbell looked at him for a long moment.

    "They rule it¡­" he said finally.

    Wace nodded.

    "Yes."

    "¡­ the ants do."

    "Yes."

    Another long pause.

    "So¡­ is Rylleh some kind of monster hellscape now? You''vee to warn me of the looming threat of ants? To plead for shelter for your people?"

    The young Lord appeared wary, and confused. Wace moved to set him at ease.

    "No, of course it isn''t some hellscape. The ants take good care of the ce, actually. Much better than the previous management. No, I''vee to deliver you a message. The Colony has sent me as their emissary."

    Korbell stared.

    "You? Wace? An emissary?" heughed. "The very idea is ridiculous."

    "I quite agree," Wace chuckled, "but I can see their reasoning."

    "Alright then. Deliver this message from your monster overlords," the lord shook his head at the absurdity of it. "What do the ants want?"

    Wace smiled slowly.

    "Your city."

 Chapter 873 Emissary pt 2 (983)

    <h4>Chapter 873 Emissary pt 2 (983) </h4>

    The city of Ironwall gained its name in the days following its founding. The first lord had been a skilled earth mage, capable of shifting andpressing metals to a high degree. Having made his fortune delving and being paid handsomely for his skills in fortification, he decided the time hade to put his money to good use. Together with the extended family, he put together an expedition and found a location on the frontier to establish his own independent city.

    The stone here was rich with minerals, particrly iron, and over a period of decades, the first lord excavated andpressed the outer shell of the city into an unbreakable wall. Surrounded by a sphere of almost pure, hardened metal, the city was renowned as an unbreakable fortress, a rare ind of safety in the wild and undeveloped frontier. Combined with the prosperity gained from mining the rich Dungeon seams in the nearby expanse, the city grew quickly to the rtive powerhouse it had now be.

    At least, that''s how the locals thought of it.

    In Wace''s eyes, the city was a fat calf, just waiting to be ughtered. The people had becent, confident that the work of the founder would keep them safe, as wealth had continued to rue. Trade through the gatework had made the people wealthy, but theck of threat had made them indolent. The impregnable shell, the unbreachable gates, hadplete faith amongst the citizens here. They could not imagine a world in which they would fall.

    Thinking that the only things that could exist in the Dungeon were those that they could imagine. That was their fatal sin.

    "You want¡­ my city?" Lord Korbell looked at him as if he were insane. "Is this some sort of joke?"

    Yasmine red at Wace for a moment before she turned back to the lord with a more moderate tone.

    "The Colony has sent us to inform you of their intentions. They conquered Rylleh some time ago, and are now in the process of increasing their territory. It is unfortunate, but that includes your city."

    "Are you insulting me?" Korbell mmed a hand down on his desk. "You think you can just walk in here and tell me that some insects want to take my city from me?"

    As if they were less dangerous because they''re insects. Isn''t the opposite true? Wace thought to himself.

    "We wouldn''t dream of insulting you," Wace drawled, "and I believe I can exin why this situation may seem so strange to you."

    The young lord settled back in his chair, anger still in on his face.

    "Speak," he said curtly.

    Wace straightened himself in his chair before he went on.

    "The Colony is quite young, in general terms. They''ve only been intelligent for around a year. Perhaps less, I don''t have the exact dates on hand. The point being, they are quite new to the idea of diplomacy and aren''t quite sure how to go about it."

    "These creatures are intelligent?"

    "Of course they are. You can''t expect me to believe you haven''t had any scouting reports at all."

    "I lost several patrols trying to investigate what happened to Rylleh," Korbell frowned. "I stopped trying and gave you up for dead."

    "I can''t say they aren''tpetent," Wace nodded. "Well, I can more or less see how this hase as such a shock to you. The ants are trying to understand what you and I might consider ''rules of war''. They believe it would be detrimental to their future dealings if they were to gain a reputation for unscrupulous actions. The idea of reputation is important to them. Were your city to be conquered without having offered you an opportunity to surrender, it would sully their reputation."

    It was quite odd how quickly the ants had epted the concept of reputation. Although on the one hand, they didn''t really care what humans thought of them, they also refused to give others a reason to speak poorly of them. They would keep their dealings scrupulously clean as they saw it. If some misinterpreted their actions, then so be it, but they would always follow the ''rules''.

    Lord Korbell''s face darkened.

    "Wace," he said, "I had a great deal of respect for you. You''ve battled hard on behalf of your city against the Dungeon and I have a deep regard for your years of service. But now, to think you came here to mock me on the orders of the monsters you once swore to kill. You''re a mockery of yourself."

    "Oh, I quite agree," Wace said, a slight smile on his face. "Some days I feel as if I left my sanity behind some time ago."

    "You must have," the lord said, "to think that this city could possibly fall to monsters such as those. This is Ironwall. We will never be defeated, by those ants. No matter if they bring a hundred thousand. They''ll never break through our walls and will die in droves before our gates."

    Yasmine stood from her seat and tugged on Wace''s arm to pull him out of his chair. It was clear their audience was at an end.

    "I''m sorry to cause you any distress," she tried to cover for her fellow emissary.

    He was always going to make this difficult. Stupid old man! He just couldn''t keep his mouth shut anymore. Wace allowed himself to be pulled to standing as he reached into his left pocket and thumbed a crystal he had there.

    "Well, Lord Korbell. It has been nice to see you again. I''ll be sure to catch up with you tomorrow. It won''t be as bad as you think at first. You''ll find they''re pretty easy to get along with. Though you might find a fair portion of your wealth might end up redistributed. They can''t abide inefficient hoarding."

    "Get out, Wace. Neither you or any ant will set foot inside these walls ever again."

    Wace Dalton shrugged.

    "Well, of course. They don''t have feet."

    Sounds of distant rm were suddenly heard as crystal matrices around the office sparked to life. Garbled voices and panicked shouting began to echo throughout. Lord Korbell looked around in shock before pounding feet echoed through the door, followed by a host of finely dressed soldiers bursting into the room.

    "My Lord!" one cried. "The city is under assault by monsters!"

    Wace sighed and rolled his shoulders. He flicked a nce at the others in the room, judging their mood before he decided to tactically return to his chair. His knees hurt these days.

    "Is this your idea of honour?" the young lord demanded. "A surprise attack while you are still in the city to negotiate?"

    Wace raised one brow.

    "What do you mean? I offered you a chance to surrender and you rejected it. Why wouldn''t they attack?"

    "They aren''t afraid that I''ll take you hostage and execute you?"

    "Honestly, I told them that such things never happened and they shouldn''t worry about it."

    Yasmine pped a hand to her forehead. This lunatic had no regard for his own life, but at the least he could care a little about hers.

    Korbell turned back to his soldiers.

    "This is Ironwall! There is no need to panic, we have driven off stronger foes than this. Contact the gates, wake the reserves, and get every man and woman ready to fight. There is no chance that they can break through as long as wemit to the defence."

    "Sure about that?" Wace pointed out the nearby window.

    The soldiers and their lord looked out to see streams of ants already climbing along the walls and ceiling of the great chamber in which the city stood. The much vaunted shell that had defended them for hundreds of years had already been pierced in several ces, holes the size of a small house having been punched through somehow. Hundreds of ants had already entered, a number that soon ballooned into thousands.

    "The gates are under heavy assault!"

    "The garrison is being attacked from underneath!"

    "There are reports of tunnelling beneath the castle my lord! This area isn''t secure."

    Lord Korbell couldn''t process the repeated shocks that came at him faster than he couldprehend. What in the world was happening?

    "Ryllehsted longer," Wace grunted with satisfaction. "I knew that wall was overrated."

 Chapter 874 Colony vs Colony pt 21 (984)

    <h4>Chapter 874 Colony vs Colony pt 21 (984) </h4>

    By repeatedly firing smaller, more manageable gravity bombs I''ve been able to lock down one side of the assault so everyone else could concentrate on the other. Digging Sarah out is bing a higher and higher priority at this point. Her roar, even buried under termites, is deafening. She must be causing absolute mayhem in there, but she can''tst forever.

    Unfortunately, enough time has passed for the enemy to burrow their way to our current position, so once again we areing under fire from all directions. When they pop up directly beneath, above and in front of me, it bes impossible to keep them away with the bombs. The chances of drawing myself in and getting damaged by my own spell are way too high in that scenario. Reluctantly, I''m forced to stop casting them.

    The exercise has been incredibly valuable as a learning experience, however.

    I''ve been sting out gravity bombs at full strength, holding it back to unleash it only in the final moments as an all or nothing strike. It''s been my trump card against my strongest foes and for that reason I''ve been reluctant to spend my gravity mana, wanting to hold it back to pump into the mega-bombs I used against the termite nest or against Grokus.

    The potential of multiple smaller bombs has beenpletely lost for all this time, but now I realise the incredible utility. With my current reservoir of gravity mana, I can probably cast as many as twenty bombs the same size as the first one I threw at the centipede nest. If I can master the ability to develop them rapidly and throw them out in controlled ways, it''ll be super useful!

    Gravity mana, roaring back into usefulness even before I get the specific skill! I knew I wasn''t wrong to ce my faith in it.

    Even so, we are in trouble here now. With the enemy pouring in, we have no choice but to huddle up and fight them in as dense a formation as we can. At the same time, we try to tunnel our way to Sarah, literally drilling into a seething wall of termites.

    It''s not easy!

    Surrounded on all sides, we fight desperately to hold our ground and prevent the never ending waves of termites from overwhelming us. We are soon nearly buried under the Biomass left behind by the defeated foes and we shovel in food when we get a second of time but there''s no way we can keep up with it all. Crinis manages to pack away a stupid amount of food into her three maws, but even then there''s just too much.

    If only she could rapidly convert that Biomass into more flesh, that might be an idea for her next evolution. Getting whittled down over long battles is one of her key weaknesses, but that could be ovee so long as she has ess to food if she could make that conversion quickly. As it is, it''ll take several hours for that food to replenish her store of shadow flesh.

    In this sort of battle, Crinis is at her best. She''s unleashed as many limbs as possible in order to annihte the termites quickly, and it''s working to a degree. Thousands of tentacles are out there, each one wriggling and writhing as it seeks to grip a termite and render it to pieces, but this strategy isn''t without drawbacks. She can''t urately control so many at once, despite the mutations and organs that expand her control. With everything that she''s poured into it, Crinis can probably utilise up to a hundred tentacles at once, which is insane when you think about it. I only have six limbs and I still get them tangled on asion.

    With a thousand tentacles thrashing around, many of them are operating onplete auto pilot, which is far from useless, but massively inefficient. Although these ''mindless'' tentacles are still doing damage, they are also being destroyed far faster than the limbs that she can manipte at will. In short, Crinis'' offensive capacity is rapidly getting thinned.

    "GRAAAAA!"

    Tiny on the other hand, just keeps on punching. I know his stamina is gging and he''ll have to stop being so liberal with his heavy punches, but for now he is going all out. I''m honestly impressed he''s been able to keep going for this long! The number of termites he''s defeated must be close to my own total, which I didn''t expect. The increase in his skills has really pushed him up to another echelon.

    [Good work Tiny! Keep hitting right to the end! It shouldn''t be long before we get relieved!]

    [HARRRRR!]

    I sure hope it isn''t long before we get relieved. The sooner the better! I didn''t expect it would be this hard to hold off the termites, anotherpse in judgement. I''m confident that the Colony are rolling up the enemy like a Persian rug right now, but if they don''t do it fast enough¡­

    [The moment you get it charged up, you need to unleash yourser again, Invidia. Try to take as many out as you can.]

    [I sssssshall havessss them alll!]

    [I mean, if you can, great. Have at it.]

    I shift the focus of my mind elsewhere.

    [Sarah? Can you hear me? How are you?]

    I try to reach out and touch her mind but all I get back is a wall of pain and rage. She''s in full berserk mode right now. Judging by the sounds I''m hearing, she has be a literal termite threshing machine in there, but I don''t know how much longer she''s going tost.

    [Guys, we need to get Sarah and we need to do it right now. I''m going to burn my stamina to punch a hole in the enemy, get ready to follow up.]

    The others acknowledge my words and I waste no time. Diving forward, I lock my chompers back before unleashing my most potent, stamina annihtingbo!

    VOID CHOMP! VOID CHOMP! VOID CHOMP!

    Three massive bites in rapid session rip a huge gap into the wall of termites, vaporising arge portion in front of us and we dive into the gap. My stamina has plummeted after that, but there''s nothing for it, we need to go all out before Sarah''s situation bes more dangerous. Surrounded on all sides by termites, we prepare to unleash hell before they can copse on us, but I''m distracted by a faint sense of something I didn''t expect on the edges of my range.

    Is that, bruan''chii?

 Chapter 875 Injured Pride (985)

    <h4>Chapter 875 Injured Pride (985) </h4>

    Rassan''tep reached out with his mind to sense the situation as closely as he could before he rxed a scale. He was careful to let nothing show to his fellow ka''armodo as they stood together, directing the termite assault. He had nearly panicked, and feared he would need to intervene, when the prospective Ancient had sallied forth with such brazen confidence, rushing into the centre of their encirclement without support. It was an insane manoeuvre, and for a moment, he had feared the monster had takenplete leave of its senses. After consulting with his attendants, they had quickly dismissed the idea and realised the true strategy at y.

    Dangling such tasty bait in such a tant way was crass tactics and would never work under normal circumstances. Anypetentmander would realise it was bait and act ordingly, pull back, organise a staged defence without leaving any openings. This situation was anything but normal. The ka''armodo were working on iplete information, they had less than perfect feedback from the termite troops, and it was difficult to get a clear picture of what was urring at times. Even more to the point, the leadership here was in the hands ofrgely inexperienced juveniles. Expendable pawns who could safely be dismissed as "rogues" who''d acted without permission or support.

    Theirck of patience and poor judgement irked Rassan''tep, though it yed into his hands in this instance.

    [How is that miserable creature still alive?] hissed On''tep from beside him. [This is taking far too long!]

    The irritated mage was so incensed she nearly raised a w to scratch at her scales before her attendants leapt forward to prevent the shameful disy of irritation. Under their careful ministrations, she was able to calm herself somewhat, though each of her peers kept an eye on her. They had not missed the near-slip.

    The young these days. Rassan''tep shared a nce with his lead attendant, the two of them sympathising with each other at being forced to associate with the uncultured and wild youth. This too was noted by the gathered ka''armodo, and with his point made, he got back to focusing on his task.

    With luck, he had been assigned as part of the group tasked with hunting down the fearsome tier six ant. He''d hoped he could fail at his task just enough to enable the creature to survive, though he had expected that one or several of the pets would need to be sacrificed in order to appear convincing. It wasn''t to be. Despite beingpletely surrounded and made to endure a relentless assault for over an hour, the ant and his followers were yet to fall.

    A remarkable achievement.

    [I believe we must consider falling back to reserve the remaining creatures we have at ourmand,] he spoke gravely over the mental link. [We have expended much and gained nothing in this endeavour. If we be hot blooded and make poor decisions, that which can still be salvaged will also be lost.]

    using those who disagreed of acting in an ''un-ka''armodo'' like fashion was a deliberate tactic, and one he was pleased with. Hot-blooded was almost a curse word to his people, and in this situation, the moniker stuck. Trying to hold the line and kill Anthony would only result in further losses at this point. The Colony had punched through their thinned lines with ease, eradicating everything they found in the way as they drove the termites out of the Mother Tree''s ind. Only small pockets of resistance held now, but they wouldn''tst for long. The moment they fell, the ants would then encircle what remained of this army, including the ka''armodo themselves.

    Even the bruan''chii had marched out and now were mere minutes away from meeting up with the tier six ant. The moment they connected, there would be no chance of seeding in their mission.

    [How can a small group of tier six monsters be so difficult to exterminate?] On''tep growled.

    Growled!

    [We have attacked with tens of thousands of termites. Our creatures aren''t as weak as this.]

    [I think we have overestimated the strength of our design in this scenario,] mused Garap''tep. [Although we shifted the Soul Devouring termite design in the queens to a new anti-ant variety, that work wasrgely rushed. Especially when wepare it to the effort we put into the initial form which found such sess against the tree. When ites to fighting high quality monsters with extreme levels ofpact strength, our soldiers are far from effective weapons.]

    The lead mage of one of the design teams, Garap''tep was at least keeping his cool, as a proper member of their society should.

    [Your analysis feels urate to me,] Rassan''tep agreed with the promising young mage. [The termites are a poor tool for the job, an issue we tried to ovee by applying extreme numbers. However, only a dozen or so of our monsters can engage with the target at a time, and that simply hasn''t proven to be enough.]

    Though that had surprised even him. Anthony and his pets, along with that powerful bear, had proven to be absolute powerhouses, capable of destroying huge numbers of weaker monsters without tiring.

    It only further convinced him that Anthony was of interest to the Red Truth. A very promising prospect. Perhaps the most promising he''d seen in a hundred years.

    [We will retreat,] On''tep dered, much to the others'' relief, though they hid it well. [We have suffered a grave defeat today, but we will not endureplete loss. If we regroup, we may still be able to seed in our endeavour.]

    The general mood across the mental bond was positive, though Rassan''tep wondered how much of that was simply a front. There was a general level of blind optimism about the young, and he could sense a little of that around him as they directed their army to abandon the fight and escape. They had to get out of the area themselves if they wanted to avoid a fight, so they wasted no time in mounting their entourages on their back and setting off through the tunnels.

    [How do you think this will y out, Master?] Ammon''sil asked over their bond. [Do you believe that we can regroup and push the ants back once more?]

    [Unlikely,] he sneered, though he kept his face perfectly still. [The losses today are a blow, but are not devastating. Even the loss of position helps our side somewhat. The ants have been drawn out of their heavily fortified territory and must now fight on fresh ground. They also have more surface area to protect, which makes them more vulnerable.]

    [But?]

    [But that is only true if the numbers remain rtively the same. We have more termites, and our numbers grow every day, but the Colony can bring reinforcements through the gate whenever they want. I have no idea how many of them there are, but what if a million were to walk through tomorrow? The nest would be overrun that day.]

    [Do you really believe they have those sorts of numbers?]

    [They may. In truth, I don''t think they would even need that many. Ultimately, we have shown that even with every advantage, the termites are unable to defeat the strongest ant and his pets at this stage. Unless we create more powerful soldiers, or shift their design in some way to be better suited to the task, the ant can do whatever he wants, and we can''t stop him.]

    [That isn''t true if the ka''armodo take part in the fight directly.]

    [Which is probably what he wants,] he mused. [If my people begin to expose themselves to danger, I think they''ll find that the ant is highly motivated to try and exploit that situation.]

 Chapter 876 Hooked (986)

    <h4>Chapter 876 Hooked (986) </h4>

    Total, overwhelming victory. Nothing more, nothing less.

    By the time the Colony had swept in and around my solo attack, the bruan''chii had already broken through. It was simple to push the termites back, driving them out of the Mother Tree''s ind entirely. All they had left were the deep tunnels that curved under theke between the mountains and it was there we needed to fortify. I spent a fair bit of time chatting to the Grove Keepers once the enemy began to withdraw, though I had to take a little time to calm Sarah down.

    The giant bear was aplete mess when we finally got to her. Invidia started to pour in the healing magic straight away, but I suspect it''ll take a while before she fully recovers. After throwing herself into the termites the way she did¡­ it''s little wonder she came out so poorly. I feel terribly guilty. I''d nned for the designated sacrifice-person who get''s the heck bitten out of them to be me! Unfortunately, I underestimated just how willing she would be to embrace the rage and dive in. She''s a hell of a lot braver than she gives herself credit for.

    Her fur is matted thick with ichor, a good chunk of it hers, and deep cuts can be seen all over her massive frame. When we approach, the deep red aura of bloodlust has already begun to wane, but we are still cautious. She breathes heavily, her maw heaving air into her giant lungs like a bellows. Faintly, that ear splitting roar can still be heard rattling in the back of her throat.

    [Hey there Sarah,] I say gently, [are you okay in there?]

    No reply, but I continue to talk in a soothing tone.

    [You absolutely beat the hell out of some termites today. You held down the fort like an absolute boss. You saved the day.]

    And she had. Her effort had pinned down almost an entire nk and allowed Tiny to work his fancy footwork without being interfered with. In fact, the two who likely killed the most termites are Tiny and Sarah. Not that I didn''t take down an absolute boat load of them, but those two really went to town.

    [Haaaa. Haaaaa.]

    I can feel the thoughts of the giant bear start to congeal as she slowly calms herself. This is honestly a great improvement for her. She raged for a long time and was pushed right to the edge of death, so toe out of it on her own is incredible progress.

    I give her a few more words of encouragement before I leave her in Invidia''s care and go to greet the Grove Keepers. Before I do that though¡­

    "Protectant¡­ how are you holding up?"

    "¡­"

    "I mean¡­ seriously? Just freaking answer when I speak to you, dammit! The whole charade is really grating on me."

    "We don''t wish to expose ourselves before the bruan''chii¡­"

    "They''re our allies!"

    "¡­ for now."

    "You are a seriously suspicious lot. Fine. Fine! Don''t pop out, just answer my question."

    "Can''t you tell if we''re alright?" A hint of curiosity creeps into her tone.

    "You think I''ll exin how I''m able to sense you? Keep dreaming."

    "We are fine. A few injuries have been sustained, but we are able to continue to perform our duties."

    "You did well," I congratte them.

    And they did. It''s not easy to track just how sessful they were, due to their damned organ, but they fought hard on the edges of the conflict. Without them trimming numbers and jumping termites who got too close, I would have taken far more damage than I did.

    Having got what I wanted from my guards, I go and have a chat with the Grove Keepers. Good to finally see them show up on the battlefield¡­

    ---------------

    Sarah was exhausted. Beyond exhausted. She felt as if her mind were slowly rising to the surface of a swamp. The rage still clung to her, thick, like msses. But she wasing out of it. Every breath was so heavy, each giving her that little bit more rity. As she returned to herself, the pain arrived. Held at bay by her berserk state, it came now in waves. Her whole body was in agony.

    The healing light of Invidia covered her, pushing her wounds together, forcing broken mandibles from her flesh as her skin came together. Even now, she could tell she was heavily injured. She wouldn''t be able to fight for a while.

    But she felt satisfied. Even as the pain grew sharper, so too did her happiness. She had taken a stand for the family she''d chosen and she knew they would be worried for her, but grateful for what she''d done. The collective pride of the Colony would rise up and smother her like a nket. She would dly sink into its embrace as she recovered, until another crisis came and she would exert herself again.

    For now, she experienced a growing sense of peace. Once again, she had faced her demons head on ande through the other side a little stronger. With the support of the Colony, and the encouragement of Anthony, she felt confident the day would soone that she no longer had to be afraid of herself.

    As the pain continued to grow, she settled herself down on the cold stone, still breathing heavily as she just settled into the moment.

    She''de so far.

    She refused to go back.

    ¡­

    [¡­ Sarah?]

    The tenuous thought, just a hint of a whisper, brushed against her exhausted mind so gently she almost didn''t notice. She was so tired, she may well have imagined it. Maybe it was just because she was dwelling on the past. There was no need to worry.

    [¡­ Sarah?]

    It came again, stronger this time. The connection between them was so thin, but she could sense it, only just.

    [J-Jim?] she thought slowly.

    She was so tired.

    [Sarah¡­ what have they done to you?]

    His thoughts were angry, buzzing with suppressed rage that fluttered against her consciousness. She shied away from it. She didn''t want this.

    [Y-you ¡­ shouldn''t havee¡­ here.]

    [I''m okay. I''m safe,] he insisted. [But you aren''t. They are going to kill you, can''t you see that?]

    Sarah didn''t reply, she couldn''t. Her sluggish thoughts were unable to shift, incapable of moving to catch up with what was happening. Sleep beckoned, rising up to pull her down. She tried to rally herself, tried to push out a few more words.

    [Not¡­ me. They''ll¡­ kill¡­ you.]

    [They won''t be able to find m -]

    There was a sh of light followed by a massive pulse of mana that washed over Sarah just as her eyes began to slide shut. She was barely aware of a small group of ants popping into existence in front of her.

    [Hook is attached!] Brilliant cackled. [Try to run, worm. I WILL FOLLOW YOU ANYWHERE!]

    It was impossible for an ant to howl with madughter, yet somehow the small champion achieved it, her mandibles cking with insane glee as her eyes burned like wildfire.

 Chapter 877 Brilliant in the more-than-one-verse of severe confusion (987)

    <h4>Chapter 877 Brilliant in the more-than-one-verse of severe confusion (987) </h4>

    There is an element of madness to every mage who dares to tackle dimensional magic. I''m uncertain if this has to do with the mana required, the convoluted nature of the spells, or the fiendish difficulty, but for whatever reason, dimensional mages are almost universally deranged.

    My friend, the great Magio-Schr Timus, has a pet theory that the overwhelming stimtion of receiving so much sensory input is the key factor. Tracking vectors across dimensions, feeling out nebulous, invisible boundaries,puting mana waveforms, all while attempting to cast even the most basic spell. It''s a lot to take in, a lot to process in a frighteningly short amount of time. She believes that only someone quite disconnected from reality could possibly have a hope of achieving it.

    Excerpt from the private notes of the Magio Schr Arctus

    Jim didn''t understand what had happened. He''d tunnelled so carefully, using all of his abilities to their limits in order to remain undetected.

    He just had to find Sarah. Had to talk to her.

    She was being used, driven back into the very life that she had fled. The gentle, caring figure that he''d found amongst the shapers, wounded by her time in the savage Dungeon and in desperate need of emotional support, was now nowhere to be seen.

    He could sense her, he''d gotten close enough for that. Wounded, close to death, her life force leaking out onto the tunnel floor as she soaked up healing magic like a sponge. Anthony had pushed her to the limit and she''d nearly died. Again.

    There was no limit for that shameless creature. He would drag Sarah into every battle so he could harness her strength for the Colony until she went mad or finally fell in battle. He couldn''t allow it.

    When he''d finally seeded in reaching out to her undetected, something had gone terribly wrong.

    Sat safe inside his space-warping tunnel, he''d felt a strange lurch, as if something had lodged right in his gut. He''d immediately gone into a defensive thrash, but there was nothing there, at least nothing he could sense.

    Panic rushed to the surface, only exacerbated by the sudden appearance of five ants next to Sarah.

    He felt mind magic begin to batter at him immediately and he did his best to ward it off as he began to scramble. His long worm body twisted in and around itself as he desperately turned himself around and tried to speed away.

    His whole body jolted heavily and he slumped to the floor of his own tunnel, utterly confused.

    If he was panicked a moment ago, now he was frantic.

    In that moment of distraction, the ants forced their way into his mind.

    [HA! Egg killer! Think you can get away this time? Think you''re hidden?! I can see EVERYTHING!]

    The five ants began to rush directly towards his position, throwing themselves at the walls of the tunnel to dig. They really did know where he was? That should be impossible!

    Jim had had enough. He tried once more to flee, and when he came up against the strange resistance, he pushed against it as hard as he could.

    [Think you can defeat the spatial hook? Foolish! You''ve been locked in ce, no more of your space warping tricks. Time to pay for what you''ve done!]

    The voice in his mind cackled with mad glee, which terrified the worm even further. He pushed and pushed, every link in his long wiry body trying to drive himself forward.

    [Get away from me!] he shouted back. [Leave me alone!]

    [After the innocent lives you snuffed? The future generations of my family that you destroyed? I don''t think so!]

    Once more, the ant cackled as she and her allies dug faster and faster as they approached the wall of his hidden tunnel. The closer they drew, the more frantic he became, until his muscles began to tear from his desperate struggle.

    There was a horrific rip, as something deep within him tore, but finally he felt some forward momentum. With a surge of wild joy, he leapt forward and tried to speed away.

    [Oh no you don''t!] Brilliant roared.

    Vaguely, Jim was aware of the ant''s mana changing in a strange way, but he didn''t care. So eager to flee he paid attention to nothing else, he rushed forward now that he finally could, gaining momentum until, a momentter, he realised something was very wrong.

    Where was the tunnel? Where was the good sweet earth he''d used to propel himself forward? Gone? It was all gone!

    [Oh ho! Tried to flee here did you? I didn''t expect you''d be able to foil my hook, but as I said, there''s nowhere you can run that I won''t follow!]

    Jim thrashed in the air as he tried to make sense of where he was. He couldn''t see, obviously, but his sense of the mana surrounding him was fuzzy, warped.

    [Where am I? WHAT IS HAPPENING?!] he shrieked.

    [You''re the one who punched a hole into this dimension,] Brilliant scoffed. [It took me days to figure out how to get here and now you want to say you did it by ident? Rubbish! Now get over here.]

    Suddenly Jim felt himself being pulled, slowly, through the ¡­ air? His long body was being towed somehow directly toward the ant.

    [No, no, no, no, no, no, no!] he whined and lunged again.

    That same, tearing sensation, followed by a wave of heat that nearly overwhelmed him.

    [Oh, do you find it a little hot, worm? Then whye?! I call this one ''the oven''.]

    He still wasn''t away! He lunged again.

    [Gah! It''s bright in this one and I can''t close my eyes¡­ of course you woulde here, you scoundrel!]

    He lunged again.

    [I hate it when I don''t have width! I hardly need it to track you though!]

    Again!

    [As a fractal it''s even easier to see the evil that lies in your heart!]

    Again!

    [The squiggly line dimension! Not much has changed for you!]

    AGAIN!

    [Be careful now, worm. If you try to run again you might just run into¡­]

    It was madness. Everything was madness. Every time he jumped forward, Jim could feel himself being pulled, stretched, squashed and rearranged in mind bending ways. He couldn''t hope toprehend it, couldn''t grasp any of it.

    All he understood was his desperate need to be away, to flee and so he lunged once more.

    BAM!

    [¡­ the wall.]

    The impact was stunning. Jim felt as if every atom of his body had been mmed into a trashpactor. What had happened? He didn''t understand¡­ was he free?

    [Nope. Like I said, I can follow you anywhere. I never expected you might try and jump straight through the wall¡­ insane to try. I guess you must have been feeling desperate. No surprise I suppose, it''s me chasing you after all!] Brilliant boasted.

    Something took hold of Jim and he shivered. A small ant skittered across his frame, tapping at him with its antennae. Mana surged.

    [Time to bring you home. There''s quite a few who''ve been wanting to see you¡­]

 Chapter 878 Tree Fall pt 1 (988)

    <h4>Chapter 878 Tree Fall pt 1 (988) </h4>

    50 Years before Anthony is Reborn.

    Legionaries were known to obsess over the condition of their Abyssal armour. Fussing over the tes, burnishing the living stone, polishing the enchanted metal. All of these were important, vitalponents that ensured the proper function of the suit, providing the all-important protection that allowed their soldiers to endure blows no other army could, and exert strength no sapient should possess.

    Yet, in the eyes of Grand Marshal Cicera, they didn''t pay enough attention to the most fundamental and key piece.

    Her worn hands moved with practised ease as she felt along the inside of the armour. Even without looking, she could shift from strap to strap, her indelicate fingers sliding along each one with gentle grace as she checked for splitting and wear. Without the straps, the damn thing wouldn''t hold together, would fall off in battle, tes sliding out of ce in the thick of the fight. Not on her watch.

    The flickering torchlight was all the Grand Marshal needed toplete her check before she began to strap the armour on. Forearm tes were meticulously positioned and tightened, followed by shins and boots. Once that was done, her aides stepped forward to assist, holding the heavier and more cumbersome sections in ce as they were buckled down and then snapped into their interlocking folds.

    The process waspleted in silence, each aware of the import of doing every little task perfectly. Attention to detail, no mistakes, that was how Cicera ran her Legions. That was how the Legionem Abyssi won wars.

    After the two attendants hadpleted their final check, running their eyes and hands over every te with focused care, they nodded and stepped back. The Grand Marshal picked up her helmet and ced it over her head, the heavy Abyssal Iron sliding into ce with an audible click as it joined with the shoulder guards.

    There was a world of difference between aplete set of armour and one missing even the slightest section. With her helmet now in ce, the full set of enchantments hummed to life, drawing deep on the mana that circted through her body along with her blood. Every circuit vibrated with power, returning that strength back to her in turn.

    Fully dressed, she acknowledged both her aides before she stepped out of her personal tent to greet those who awaited her there.

    "Commanders," she said as she stepped over the threshold.

    "Grand Marshal," they each saluted solemnly, fist to heart.

    "Walk with me," she directed before she strode off at pace, her junior officers falling into stride behind her. "How goes the deployment of your Legions? Atticus, you first."

    "Of course, Grand Marshall. The eighth has deployed as requested, along the south west bank. Artillery has been established and fortified a kilometre behind the front."

    "Have your officers been properly inducted to the order chain?"

    "They have."

    "Metorii."

    "The twenty third is entrenched along the west bank as ordered, Grand Marshal. The mages have been condensing the earth mana for six hours, as directed."

    "Good. And the twenty fifth?"

    "We are alongside the twenty third. In position and spoiling for the fight."

    "I hope that eagerness has been tempered with caution and reason,mander."

    It didn''t sound like a rebuke, but each of the officers knew that it was.

    "The soldiers havepleted all checks with due diligence," themander hastened to assure his leader. "No steps have been skipped."

    Cicera nodded.

    "I am pleased your soldiers do not shy away from the challenge that awaits us, but victoryes to those who are prepared."

    She looked out now across the field and took in the sight for the first time.

    Banners waved, metal gleamed and the proud colours of the Abyssal Legions were on full disy. Ten full legions, deployed and ready to fight. In the distance, across the water, loomed their target. Against the might of the Legion, it was sure to fall.

    "We cannot afford failure today," she said. "Monsters that grow powerful enough to shift the bnce of power cannot be allowed to survive. You know as well as I do the blood that soaks the trunk of that tree. Too many have been killed already, we will end it today."

    "We will, Grand Marshall."

    "There will be sacrifices. No victory can be achieved without paying the price. Have you spoken to your soldiers?"

    Each of themanders nodded. They had moved through their own legions the previous night, speaking to each soldier in turn, shaking their hands and looking the people they would send to fight in the eye. Every Legionary was prepared to die in the defence of civilisation itself.

    "Very well," Cicera said finally, her voice t and emotionless. "Send word to begin bombardment."

    "Begin bombardment!"

    The call was repeated and echoed down the line and into themand tent, from which it was sent through thework of glyphs that ryed her words to the teams deployed across this vast battlefield. She watched in silence, though her keen ears could hear the work being done in the background as auxiliaries and mages prepared their deadly work.

    With a rushing roar, it began. The first round flew through the air, propelled from the enchanted ballista the Legion hade to call the Death Monger. Trailing bright mes, the projectile reached almost a kilometre high as it whistled through the air before falling to strike with tremendous force and an explosion of fire some five kilometres distant. The first seemed to act as a signal, as a second was fired, then another ten, then another hundred.

    A thousand artillery pieces lit up the sky, the final shotnding just as the first had reloaded, ready to shoot once again. Already the mes had begun to spread around the base of the tree, the roots catching alight as the payload of alchemical me spread across the wood.

    "The mages may begin to cast," Cicera ordered calmly, the words echoing out from within her helmet.

    Again, her orders were ryed across the entire field in moments. As one, the reserve mages stood and began to pool their mana. Ten great fireballs, each more than a dozen metres across, began to take form as hundreds of mages poured their energy into them, deepening the colour and intensifying the mes.

    "Extend the bridges."

    The earth mages, after six hours of relentless preparation, finally let loose their condensed rock. From one ind to the next, a great span began to form, pushing aside the mighty waters of thekes and providing a way forward for the legionaries.

    The fireballs were unleashed, flying across the field to detonate with thunderous force against the enormous tree. Cicera could almost imagine she heard it groan in pain, though it might just be the wood shifting.

    "Advance."

 Chapter 879 Tree Fall pt 2 (989)

    <h4>Chapter 879 Tree Fall pt 2 (989) </h4>

    Fifty thousand Legionaries and a hundred thousand auxiliaries made up the army under the Grand Marshal''smand. A mighty force that any in the Dungeon would fear to confront.

    This level ofmitment wouldn''t normally be needed, even to annihte a powerful Mythic grade monster. But when a powerful Mythic grade monster began to popte the Dungeon with its own race of offspring? Such a thing could not be allowed to stand.

    The Consul had spoken, and so the Legion had moved. Supported from behind by the alliance of Old Races, they had made a stand. The spawn of the Dungeon could not be allowed to proliferate out of control, lest the world fall into ruin.

    Hundreds of ''monger bolts arced through the air every moment, the distant explosions ringing out in a constant patter. The heat from thebined fireballs of the mages could be felt even in themand tent, and after just ten minutes of the barrage,rge sections of the tree roots had already caught me.

    Rianus stood on the front line, watching the congration grow as thebined ordnance of the Legion flew over his head. His left hand bore his heavy assault shield, locked into position with the soldiers on his left and right, presenting an unbreakable wall to the enemy. He kept his right hand near the hilt of his dius. The time would soone when he would need it.

    "Advance!" came the order from the centurion behind him, repeated down the line.

    As one, the legionaries stepped forward, off the ind and onto the great ramp that had been formed of mana only moments ago. In that moment, he felt invincible. His full suit of Abyssal armour flooded his limbs with strength, and the thousands of brothers and sisters at his back assured him.

    Only victory was possible this day. The Legion''s might was on the march, nothing could stand in their way.

    Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.

    The steady march of the massed ranks was precise as a drum beat, their metal boots mming down into the fresh stone in perfect sync.

    "Shieeeeelds high!" roared the centurions.

    "HAH!" bellowed the soldiers as the front ranks hoisted their shields higher, till the top edge sat just below their eye line.

    It felt as if the world was ending over their heads. A rain of fire and death the likes of which these Legionaries may never see again.

    In front of Rianus, the great tree loomed. Kilometres high, as thick as a castle, it was a monstrous thing to behold. Fitting, seeing as it was a monster. A living creature, born from mana to enact the Dungeon''s will. Today would be itsst.

    "BRACE!" the centurions shouted in unison.

    Though he saw nothing, Rianus and every legionary down the line acted instantly. They stopped the march, dug in their heels and brought their free hands up to support the shields in front.

    Not a moment too soon.

    A tangle of roots erupted through the stone in front of them, vicious ropes of nt matter as strong as steel whipped at them, trying to curl over their shields and cut through their armour.

    "ATTACK!" came the order.

    Rianus dropped his right hand and snatched his dius from its sheath. With reflexes beyond those of a mortal, he shed out five times in under a second, the enchanted and hardened Abyssal steel of his de slicing through the roots like butter. With a shout, he dashed, hundreds of kilograms of legionary killing machineunching forward, shield high and de nothing more than a flicker of light.

    Up and down the line, hundreds of legionaries engaged with the nts, cutting them down as they appeared, but the tree wasn''t done.

    Something pushed up the water on either side of the ramp, a vast presence rising from the depths. A vast amount of water bulged upwards as enormous pods breached the surface, splitting open as they did so.

    A wave of green gas emerged and swept over the legionaries in an instant, but that didn''t sway them. With their modified physiology and the protections of their armour, they were near immune to poison. What took Rianus'' focus was the many rows of serrated needles nestled within the flesh of the flowers.

    "SHIELDS HIGH!"

    He didn''t need to be told twice. The moment he got his shield up he felt a rapid series of impacts that forced his arm up against his chest te. With his view blocked, the vines emerged once more to curl around and try to slide inside his armour, but he was vignt. The dius shed out once more, cutting away the seeking roots while he endured the barrage.

    A momentter, the pods were struck by precise artillery fire, exploding in a burst of me that caused hunks of smouldering nt matter to rain down over the bridge.

    Once more, the Legionaries braced themselves and began to advance across the gap that separated them from the trunk of the tree. The monster clearly didn''t want them to approach and Rianus was alert, expecting more tricks with every step.

    Surprisingly, there wasn''t another attack until they had almost reached the other side. Rising from beneath the titanic roots came an unorganised mob of creatures that could only be described as gnarled treese to life. Amongst them were enormous, lumbering figures, twice as tall as the others.

    These must be the ''children'' the tree had been producing.

    The new creatures strode forward, determination and rage brimming from every inch of their frames.

    Rianus grinned as he advanced in lock step with his brothers and sisters of the Legion, his hand tightening on the hilt of his de.

    This would be fun.

 Chapter 880 Tree Fall pt 3 (990)

    <h4>Chapter 880 Tree Fall pt 3 (990) </h4>

    Breathe.

    In. Hold. Release. Hold.

    Breathe.

    In. Hold. Release. Hold.

    Slowly. Patience was required. The sharpest de couldn''t be forged in a day. The metal had to be unearthed, refined, smelted, shaped, heated and cooled over and over again until the final temper had been achieved. The perfect weapon was the work of a lifetime.

    And so was Orrina.

    She was the Legion''s weapon, its sharpest and most perfect. She had been forged over many years, ced in the fire, moulded, quenched, then thrown back into the heat once more.

    Breathe.

    In. Hold. Release. Hold.

    As she repeated the mantra and controlled the air that flowed into her body, so too did she influence the mana around her. It pulsed, rising and falling along with her lungs. Vast quantities rushed into her body, were contained, and then released. Each time she drew it in, the energy within her grew that little bit more rich, more vibrant. It wouldn''t be long now.

    Breathe.

    In. Hold. Release. Hold.

    Deeper and deeper she sank. Her worries fell away. Her past fell away. Her joy. Her sorrow. With each breath, more pieces of her heart and mind were released into the dark, where they could not reach her. All that would remain was the pure core: her instincts, her training, and her unending warrior spirit. She honed her mind as the de was honed, until it had reached the perfect, razor''s edge.

    The aura that rolled off her in dense waves felt as if it would cut the air. None dared to approach.

    A final time.

    Breathe.

    In. Hold. Release. Hold.

    The mana roared through her body now in a violent torrent. A storm of energy that begged for release. Her mind had been reduced to the point of a de, nothing remained to cloud her judgement. It was time.

    Slowly, she opened her eyes.

    Thick, moulded tes of steel stood before her. An impossible construct ofplexity and engineering so profound it was nothing short of a miracle. A fitting partner for her. She was the greatest the Legion could produce, an example of martial perfection. Her equipment should match.

    In the distant parts of her mind, she knew her peers were engaged in the same ritual as she. Those thoughts were ignored, allowed to drift away without touching her singr focus. With measured steps, she moved towards her armour, her bnce effortlessly perfect. Adder had been prepared, but she didn''t need it, vaulting up tond on the wide pauldron and look down.

    Blue. So blue it hurt to look at. A shimmering pool of intense light, so vibrant and filled with power it almost overwhelmed her senses.

    Liquid mana.

    Onest time. Breathe.

    In. Hold. Release. Hold.

    Orrina ced her hands on either side of the opening and smoothly lowered herself in, plunging herself into the liquid in one motion.

    Agony.

    The concentrated mana flooded her pores, seeping into her body and threatening to rip her apart. But it didn''t happen. The vast rivers of magic that flowed through her came into contact with this new power source and found a delicate equilibrium. If she were any less saturated with mana, she would have died the moment she dropped in, but this was far from the first time for her.

    With practised ease, even submerged as she was, Orrina found the straps that bound her in ce, tying them off expertly before she reached up to pull the opening shut above her, sealing herself in.

    The armour hummed to life.

    Pressed against the unspeakably detailed enchanted matrix, she could feel herself meld with the metal, her unique skills, possessed only by the chosen few within the Legion,ing alive. The pain continued, but she didn''t feel it; these were the moments she lived for.

    Her mind expanded and suddenly she could see through the thick tes of metal in front as if they weren''t even there. Her body moved, the armour moved, and Orrina was whole once more.

    She couldn''t feel the fierce grin that split her face as she reached out to her right, the gauntlet closing around the hilt of her beloved sword. de in hand, she strode forward, perfectly bnced, as each step was announced with a resounding boom.

    The same sound came from her left and right as her fellows emerged from their pens, ready to fight. This was a rare asion, one that hadn''t happened in her entire career. Ten of them had been called up for this action. There was no chance of failure.

    The battle was already well under way. Several kilometres distant, legionaries tangled with strange wooden creaturesrge and small as artillery and mage fire rained down from overhead. The Tree looked to be fighting back; bulbs sprouted all over the ce, rising from the water, drooping down from the absurdly thick boughs overhead tounch spores and ded seeds back.

    She would need to cross the water using thend bridge the Legion had established in order to support the front line. It was quite a distance, it might take her as much as a minute.

    [Simple mission: engage and eliminate. Once that tree is cut down, we can head home.]

    Bruvae''s mind felt as cold and distant as Orrina''s own. She too had been divested of all that would impede her function as the perfect weapon.

    [Engage as you see fit,] came the order.

    The mental link was ended.

    Let''s go.

    Orrina took a step, followed by another, then another. Her momentum built with impossible speed; the size and weight of her armour should have made it impossible, yet it happened regardless. By the fifth step, she was flying across the ground, each bound carrying her an absurd distance as the scenery whipped past. In fifteen seconds, she had reached the bridge and was still gaining speed.

    Past the wreckage and broken stone. Past the dismembered and fallen roots. Past the fallen and dying soldiers whoy bleeding on the ground.

    As the fighting drew closer, she leapt high, over the massed ranks of the Legionaries and down amongst the throng of tree people. She fell like an armoured star, her sword shing, light from the de sweeping out to carve through the wooden fighters like a scythe through wheat.

    The faces of the soldiers lit with awe and pride as their finest members arrived on the battlefield like avenging gods. It was a privilege to fight alongside men and women such as these, and their efforts redoubled in the presence of the greatest warriors ever produced.

    The Praetorians had arrived on the field.

 Chapter 881 Tree Fall pt 4 (991)

    <h4>Chapter 881 Tree Fall pt 4 (991) </h4>

    Up amongst the roots of the Tree the fighting grew ever more intense. This close to the trunk, the mighty monster could exert more of its strength. Twisted roots as thick as buildings rumbled as they rose from the ground to reveal gnashing teeth, barbed vines and poison-spitting flowers that regrew almost as quickly as they were destroyed. Mana thundered through the tree so thickly that every Legionary could practically taste it.

    The damned monster must be sucking in energy from a wide area to be able to handle this level of output, but drawing that kind of power had drawbacks. Every Legionary knew the price of taking in more than one could handle.

    Even monsters, born of mana, could be susceptible to it if they pushed beyond their capacity. Only time would tell if the tree was overdrawing itself.

    Rianus had been fighting for an hour and even his superhuman endurance was being pushed. His shoulders burned, his wrists ached and his legs felt weak. This was when the real fight began. Any soldier could perform when they were fresh, and rested, but the Legion didn''t care for warriors such as those. When exhaustion came, when arms trembled and knees shook, that was when the fight would hang in the bnce.

    The massive wooden creature in front of him red, its eyes afire with righteous indignation as it brought one massive fist crashing down from overhead. The Legionary grit his teeth and braced his shield overhead, almost buckling under the tremendous impact. Driven down to one knee, he snaked his de around the edge of his shield and cut deep into the wooden hand, forcing the monster to retrieve its limb.

    He forced himself to stand once more, his body on fire as he readied himself again. His fellow soldiers pushed forward to take advantage of the slight opening he''d created, their weapons igniting with light as they prepared to deploy their skills.

    An explosion of soil erupted in front of them, showering the soldiers with clods of earth before a wall of slithering roots exploded outwards. Several Legionaries were taken, dragged beneath the surface the moment they lost their footing, with thin tendrils sliding into the gaps in their armour.

    "Get back!" Rianus growled as he shed continuously, burning stamina to thin the attack and free hisrades.

    A shadow flitted overhead before a figure arrived with a mighty crash. Towering over the soldiers, evenrger than the bigger wooden creatures, the Praetorian swept an arm out, a broad halberd glowing impossibly bright. The vines evaporated when struck by that luminescence, shed to nothing by the power of that single strike. Without saying a word, the mighty Legionary dashed away, ready to engage on another front.

    "Reform the line!" Rianus bellowed.

    He didn''t have time to be awed. The Praetorians had been racing all over the battlefield, putting themselves in harm''s way as much as possible to protect the Legionaries'' lives and end the battle as quickly as they could. It hadn''t been the first time he''d seen them and it sure wouldn''t be thest.

    As the legion gathered themselves back into formation, he sized up their surroundings. Overhead, the explosions continued to ring out, a rain of fire falling around them constantly. Smoke billowed from the trunk of the tree as the mes spread, the sound of crackling wood almost overwhelming to the senses.

    Once they had secured the ground here, they could focus their bombardment from close range and bring the thing down. If events proceeded as expected it wouldn''t be long.

    "Shields up!" Rianus ordered.

    On reflex, the disciplined legionaries brought their arms high, shields interlocking as a wave of energy passed through them.

    The shields were no mere bs of metal, shaped for defence. The enchantments and augments built in fed on each other, magnified the flow of mana. The more soldiers in the wall, the stronger it became. Rianus felt better now that the formation had re-established itself. No true legionary wasfortable fighting out on their own.

    "Where the hell is the centurion?" he asked the soldier to his right.

    "Don''t know," she answered back. "When the lines crashed things got a bit tangled there for a bit."

    "We''ll need to fall back and regroup," he determined, "get ourmand structure back in ce before we advance again."

    "We have them on the run," she pointed out.

    "Orthodox strategy, legionary," he snapped back. "We have no ry back tomand. We could be hurting the fight more than helping it. We pull back."

    "Yes, sir," she demurred.

    They passed the instruction down the line and began an organised and slow withdrawal as chaos continued to reign overhead. Several times they were almost crushed by falling debris. With the shield wall in ce, it was almost impossible for the tree people to break them, though they tried several times. The pace was slow, but they were gradually regaining their footing and meeting up with more groups of legionaries, each gathering themselves again for the final strike.

    But still no centurions¡­

    "Where the hell have the officers gone?" Rianus growled.

    "Oh. I might know something about that."

    A new voice, light but piercing, cut through the roar of the battlefield. He jerked his head to the side to see an ethereal figure step out of the smoke, as if appearing from thin air. Dressed in a soft, muted robe, the neer was humanoid in appearance, though its features were twisted with those of a beast. Two long ears adorned the top of the stranger''s head, and short, white fur covered all of her exposed flesh. Her demeanour was polite, almost friendly, yet her eyes were hard, and in one hand she held a curved de that dripped with red.

    "The Folk?" he spat, then his face hardened. "You targeted the centurions¡­"

    "It wasn''t easy," she confessed, "but your confidence, might I say arrogance, has given us this opening."

    "Why are you here?"

    She smiled toothily.

    "A new race has been born on Pangera, so the conve has spoken. As such, we will defend these free peoples."

    "Dungeon born," he grated, "just like you. You''re corrupted."

    "We must agree to disagree," she stated as she raised the de casually.

    "HOLD!" Rianus roared. "Folk demaster!"

    That was all he could say before the rabbit creature flickered and vanished before them. An instantter, a sh rang out overhead, followed by a barrage of sword light, slivers of silver death, raining down from above. Acting on instinct, Rianus didn''t lift his shield to block, but allowed the blows to sh into his helmet and pauldrons as he leapt backwards.

    He made the right choice.

    Barely a second passed before another quiet sh rang out, in front this time, unleashing a wave of sword light that sliced through the air at dizzying speed. Those who had judged incorrectly took the blow straight to the chest. Rianus'' arm buckled as a crack appeared in the face of his shield, but he held his ground and stayed standing. When the pressure eased, he leapt to the side to cover his ally who had fallen. With a quick check, he saw that the attack hadn''t pierced the chest te, but had dented it, punching the metal into the soldier within.

    "Are you alright?" he asked.

    "Hurts like heck, but I''ll be fine," she gasped.

    His eyes scanned around them as the legionaries began to pick themselves up, the healthier covering for the wounded until they could get their breath back.

    "What the hell was that?" the wounded soldier asked.

    "demasters of the Folk," he replied, his tone grim as he continued to survey the field. The smoke was thick now, it was damn hard to see. "They almost never leave the conve."

    "Why are they here?"

    "They want the tree to live," he growled. "Another reason why we need to cut the damn thing down."

 Chapter 882 Tree Fall pt 5 (992)

    <h4>Chapter 882 Tree Fall pt 5 (992) </h4>

    The appearance of the demasters on the field changed the situation dramatically. Grand Marshal Cicera considered the scene that spread before her with a pensive frown. Centurions had been hunted down in the confusion and chaos of the battlefield, disrupting the chain ofmand and leaving a quarter of the legionaries sent over the bridge blowing in the wind.

    It was a deceitful, cowardly strategy that reliedpletely on the element of surprise and the unique abilities the demasters possessed. It was also clever, and effective. Had the Folk announced their presence and stated their intention to defend the Tree, Cicera would have brought another four legions to ensure the job got done.

    Her centurions would have also been more hesitant to stand apart from their troops. It was a standard strategy to assassinate officers in the field and the Abyssal Legion prided itself on its record for preserving the lives of not only its officers, but the rank and file legionaries as well.

    To do such a thing was close to a deration of war. There woulde a reckoning for this.

    For now, her focus had to be on the mission. The tree would fall, there was no doubt of this.

    "Focus the barrage on the left side of the trunk," she ordered. "Tell the Praetorians to find and assist the leaderless soldiers. They must be guided and absorbed into themand of existing groups."

    Themanders passed her orders and within minutes she could see the results y out before her. The constant barrage of artillery and magic continued unabated, but this time focusing on one side of the trunk. The already burning wood began to crack and splinter under the weight of the assault. Thick clouds of smoke already billowed around the tree, rising to the canopy and drifting out into the vast open spaces of the fourth stratum.

    She could see glimpses of the soldiers regrouping in the distance. Her superhuman vision allowed her to pick out the determined faces as they reformed their lines and began to advance once more. The praetorians had been notified of the presence of the Folk in the battle and already they hade to blows.

    Of course, despite their incredible skill, not even they could stand up to the finest the Legion had to offer.

    "The Folk are retreating whenever they see a praetorian approach. They don''t want to engage directly."

    "Not surprising," Cicera remarked dryly. "That''s not a fight they can win."

    It was a worthy trade off. If the demasters spent their time running from the praetorians, then they weren''t interfering with the legions.

    "There are reports of more forces from the Folk appearing. Not elites, regr warriors."

    The Grand Marshal frowned. They were bringing arger contingent at this point of the battle? Why? The tree was crippled, sess was close for the Legion.

    "Send in the auxiliaries," she ordered. "It''s time for the finishing blow."

    The situation was rtively stable, but could change if more unanticipated factors were allowed to influence the field. She wouldmit her reserves and deal a decisive strike before things could tilt out of her favour.

    The order rolled down the line quickly and tens of thousands of soldiers prepared to deploy. The auxiliaries were a potent fighting force in their own right, overshadowed by the legionaries they served beside, butpetent and strong nheless.

    It was they who manned the artillery, they who served in the medicus and managed supplies. No fighting force in the Abyssal Legion could operate without them.

    There were also more specialised soldiers among their number.

    Twenty thousand malformed former prisoners howled and gibbered with delight as the order finally came. They had waited so long, watching as their brothers and sisters of steel had fought on the front line. Now it was finally their turn.

    Brimming with eagerness and fury, they rushed forward, over the bridge and threw themselves into the fight with wild abandon. They smashed into the front lines like a sledgehammer, rolling back the tree creatures all the way to the trunk in one mighty, sustained push.

    Themanders beside the Grand Marshal watched with detached interest as the first of the hand held ordnance began to fly.

    The auxiliaries whirled their bs overhead before releasing them, their abnormal strength allowing them to cover tremendous distance. The y balls shattered on impact, spreading their payload across the trunk.

    On its own, the stuff would do little, but when ignited, it would burn with incredible heat. Good thing the tree was already on fire.

    The congration spread in an instant. Fire roared and the snapping sound of breaking timber reached them easily over the distance. ck, oily smoke billowed from the trunk as more and more bs were hurled into the inferno.

    "The Folk are mounting an offensive, more areing through."

    "It doesn''t matter now," Cicera said with confidence. "Order a fighting withdrawal."

    Over the next hour, the legionaries began to pull back. After spending all of their ammunition, the auxiliaries covered for their fatigued allies as the artillery barrage continued overhead. The tree and its children continued to fight, but they were a spent force. The tree was going to fall and they all knew it.

    Thest to walk back over the bridge were the praetorians, their armour scorched and ckened in ces, but otherwise unharmed. The army gave way as these titans of the battlefield walked through the ranks.

    Cicera knew that they wanted to be gone as soon as possible. They had duties and responsibilities below that could not be allowed to wait. It had been difficult for the Legion to spare even this handful of its mightiest soldiers for this campaign.

    They approached themand tent and saluted. Without ceremony, she saluted back, fist to heart, and then they turned and were gone, back to the endless war below.

    In the distance, the Folk pushed forward, taking up defensive positions, entrenching themselves as their mages began to take hold of the bridge and destroy it. The Grand Marshal watched them, disinterested.

    It began as a low groan that quickly grew into an all-epassing roar. The Mother Tree cracked and crunched as it gave way under its own titanic weight. In slow motion, the enormous trunk split, and the tree began to fall.

    Sorge was it, the wind it stirred became a storm as it fell. When it finally crashed down into the water, the waves it created were dozens of metres tall. The impact resounded around the stratum, heard hundreds of kilometres away by curious people and fearful monsters alike.

    "A sessful campaign, Grand Marshal," she wasmended by themanders standing nearby.

    Cicera looked down on the Folk, their warriors bushy tailed and ready to continue the fight. Were they demanding that the Legion respect the fallen? Were they trying to protect the remaining tree creatures?

    Or was it something else?

    "Withdraw," she ordered finally.

    Suspicion was not enough. The legions gathered here were needed elsewhere, there were never sufficient soldiers to do the work that needed to be done. They could dy no longer.

    It wasn''t easy to move so many people, even with the renowned discipline of the Abyssal Legion on your side. Nevertheless, six hourster the mighty army of steel was gone.

    The bruan''chii turned and looked with sadness on their fallen mother. The great tree was no more, the trunk and its vast canopy had been toppled into the water, already breaking apart without her mana to support it.

    Around them a small garden began to spring to life, the flowers and vines writhing with malicious glee.

 Chapter 883 Self Reflection...(!?) (993)

    <h4>Chapter 883 Self Reflection...(!?) (993) </h4>

    That¡­ was exhausting. Holy moly I''m tired.

    I managed to break the stalemate, but it wasn''t exactly the most subtle or efficient way to do it. This is why I leave the thinking to the Council. I nearly died, but hey, the problem has been solved!

    The bruan''chii are more than happy to keep rolling the offensive forward. The poor dudes have been bottling up their aggression for so long, they''re practically about to burst! Now that the big Mum has let them off the leash, the pent up rage is quite the thing to see.

    Nice to see them so full of beans. The bruan''chii can be a lively sort when the mood takes them. Good on ''em. Go be the best wooden tree people that you can be.

    I''m just going to chill for a bit. Maybe try and count all the holes I now have in my carapace.

    "Master, are you well?" Crinis asks, worried.

    "I''m just dandy. A little worse for wear, but nothing that won''t heal up in fairly short order. How about you?"

    "I lost a great deal of flesh. Those filthy, worthless creatures¡­ I will be d when they no longer trouble us."

    "Me too."

    Going around the group, it seems as though we mostly pulled through ok. Tiny is exhausted, having drained his staminapletely. He barely has the energy to shovel some Biomass into his face, which is saying something. Invidia was barely scratched, which is a good thing considering how rtively squishy he is. One bite from a termite and those copious brains might have been leaking out again.

    By far the most wounded is Sarah. Under the careful ministrations of our floating eyeball demon, she''s recovered a fair bit, but even healing magic has diminishing returns. Topletely heal, she''ll need food, rest and ongoing treatment over a couple of days.

    She seems to have fallen asleep in the meantime.

    Although one can never be certain of safety within the Dungeon, I can feel an entire army of my family running through the area, so I don''t feel too threatened. It won''t be long before they converge on this area, so in the meantime, I might indulge in a quick bit of torpor.

    "Eldest."

    "BOOGAH!"

    I jump back to alertness and find the tunnel around me has already be filled with ants. There''s a ton of Biomass to be carted off and my family is already hard at work. Shaking off my disorientation, I find Advant and Burke standing nearby.

    "Who called me?" I say. "I''m awake!"

    "We¡­ can see that, Eldest. I was just hoping for a chance to thank you for what you''ve done. Our situation has been turned on its head because of what -"

    "Whoa there!" I break in, prodding the soldier between the eyes with one antenna, freezing her in ce. I turn to the scout leader. "Were you nning on saying something simr?"

    "Uh¡­ yes?"

    Yuck.

    "Don''t make it weird. There was a job to do that only I could do, so I did it. Every ant in the Colony would have done the same if they had the ability to do it."

    I stare at them like they''ve gone weird. Then a thought strikes me and I dive into the Vestibule, actively sifting through the stream of Will that flows into me. To my surprise, I find this feeling of gratitude is widespread amongst the ants around me. They are awed, filled with respect.

    It''s strange. And a little worrying.

    What sort of attitude is this for an ant to have? Honestly, the only Colony member I expected to celebrate what I''d done was Leeroy, which obviously isn''t a good thing! What I said to the two council members, I meant. The ants are the most selfless creatures I''ve ever met or heard of, just like they are in their natural state on Earth. The intelligence they''ve gained hasn''t seemed to change that one bit. The only exception seems to be me.

    I run off and risk my life in ways that I would frankly be annoyed if any other ant did, and to be honest, getting this gratitude for it is making me ufortable. Not forgetting for a second just how un-antlike I find this behaviour. What is going on with them?

    "Sarah deserves far more of the credit than I do," I tell them firmly, making sure to say it loud enough for all the ants around me to hear. "She threw herself into the fight and sustained the worst injuries of all of us. If you want to give someone some praise, then give it to her."

    "Of course, she''s being treated well. We''re extremely grateful for what she did."

    "Good. But don''t thank me, I did what any member of the Colony should. The work itself is the reward. Like I said, don''t make it weird."

    "All right, Eldest," Burke holds up her antennae, "have it your way. What are you nning to do now? New fortifications are being dug and we need to be careful about counterattacks. There''s a mountain of work to do."

    I stare at her.

    "Are you kidding? I''m going to stuff my face and rest up until we storm the nests! I''m exhausted. We''re all exhausted. You need to give us a little time to recover¡­"

    "Right you are then Eldest," Advant says, with a humorous roll of the antennae. "I suppose we''ll get back to it then. Rest well."

    "Oh I will," I assure them. "I get the feeling that it''s going to be very peaceful."

    I''ll be able to purge my grudge, after all. I''ll be shocked if that damn worm is able to get away from Brilliant after all the insane things that crazy little champion has been able to figure out. She certainly lived up to her name in the end!

    But as the ants begin to move away I worry about the changes in their attitudes. Why are they acting this way? When did the change begin? There''s always been a level of¡­ respect, from the Colony towards me.

    Is it the Vestibule and Navebo? Does it influence my family? If so, I''m not sure howfortable I am with that¡­ I''ll need to think long and hard on this before my next evolution.

 Chapter 884 Be Civil (994)

    <h4>Chapter 884 Be Civil (994) </h4>

    When Sarah woke, she felt a deep sense of peace. She remembered this feeling, from before, when the rage had burned itself out and she had copsed, exhausted, in a tunnel. When she woke, the fear and anger were blessedly muted, consumed. It wouldn''tst long. She would slowly rouse herself to find the signs of battle all around her, w marks dug into the walls, remnants of Biomass hanging from the ceiling and no idea what had happened.

    From there it was only a matter of time until she sumbed again.

    This time, it was different. She woke surrounded by ants, the warm light of their healing magic covering her and offerings of food ced in front of her. She ate gratefully. Replenishing her energy would be just as important as the healing.

    With food in her stomach and the worst of her wounds on the mend, she feltfortable enough to stand up and make her way back toward the ant fortifications. No doubt the fighting continued somewhere, but she was not ready to contribute, emotionally or physically.

    She looked forward to a break. Some time to rx and relish this sense of peace would be wonderful.

    Itsted a full ten minutes until she remembered something she really shouldn''t have forgotten.

    Jim!

    He''d reached out to her just before she''d fallen asleep. Surrounded by the Colony, there was no chance he would be able to get away!

    Immediately, her peaceful bubble was burst, reced with guilt, sadness, anger, and a sick, gnawing fear. Jim was her friend. Had been her friend. She''d spent years with him. Held captive by the golgari, they had relied on each other for support. He''d been the first and only other reincarnated monster she''d ever seen until Anthony had dropped in to disturb their quiet little world.

    They had supported each other,ughed together. For years.

    Then, he''d betrayed the Colony. Despite the terrible consequences, the eggs andrvae who had been killed without ever really having a chance to live, it was difficult to think of her friend as a viin. She couldn''t flip a switch and delete the memories she had of him.

    In some way, she understood that he''d done it for her. How and why his mind had twisted to that point, where he thought his actions were right, she had no idea. What he''d done was so alien, so removed from the Jim she thought she had understood.

    And what would the Colony do? What would Anthony do?

    They had none of her reservations when it came to Jim. He wasn''t their friend, he had been their ally only for a short time. To them, he was nothing less than a killer of the young. She couldn''t think of a worse crime in the eyes of the ants.

    But Jim wasn''t just a monster! He was a person from Earth. Would Anthony really be able to just¡­ kill him? Even though they were the same?

    When Sarah stopped to analyse that thought, she realised just how wrong it was. Just a monster? What did that even mean? How were any of the thousands and thousands of ants in the Colony less worthy, less a living creature with thoughts, desires and beliefs, just because they were born in the Dungeon?

    And was Anthony the same as Jim? No. The two were fundamentally different. Anthony had dived into his new life as a monster, creating a new existence and bringing his new family along for the ride.

    She and Jim had been kindred spirits, uncertain, afraid. Neither had been able to properly adjust to Pangera, or what they had be. In some ways, she felt that Anthony was happier to be an ant than he''d been as a person. Almost as if he were born to be a monster.

    Even so¡­ would he really be able to just kill another former human? Someone with simr experiences, simr memories? And what if he did? Would she have the right to ask for leniency? Would it even be right to do so?

    Confused and troubled by such thoughts, she wandered the tunnels until she made her way back to the Colony staging grounds. No matter how she thought about it, she couldn''t find any good answers. What was morally right had never been clear to her in her previous life, why would this one be any different?

    Nothing was easy when sentient beings got involved.

    Sheforted herself with one thought: Anthony was probably struggling with this just as much as she was.

    She walked around the final corner and into the bruan''chii vige. There, she found arge gathering of ants around Jim, who had been tied horizontally to a pole. The trapped worm writhed helplessly as Brilliant danced atop him and Anthony, the giant glittering ant, ran circles around him, poking him with antennae and taunting him.

    [Gonna tenderise you just right Jim!] he cackled. [The grubs like soft food after all. We wouldn''t want to give them an upset tummy now would we? That''d be terrible!]

    The crowd gnashed their mandibles, clicking them aggressively as they darted in and out, making it seem as if they would take a chunk out of the worm at a moment''s notice.

    [How does that feel, Jim?] Anthony taunted. [Are you scared? Feeling helpless? Like a grub? Just wriggling on the ground, unable to protect yourself when the big bad golgarie? That must be terrible Jim. Awful! However will you cope? MUAHAHAHAHAAA!]

    Sarah watched dumbfounded as the cruel scene continued, with no sign of slowing down.

 Chapter 885 The Return (995)

    <h4>Chapter 885 The Return (995) </h4>

    The justice of the Colony is possibly one way in which they are more alien to other sapient races than any other. What is important to them, what is not, where they are harsh, where they are lenient, doesn''t always make sense to the outsider. Some of their penalties could be considered unspeakably cruel in some circles, but the ants don''t so much as twitch an antenna.

    Their view on forcedbour, amon enough practice in the Dungeon, is strangely reticent. Perhaps that isn''t speaking strongly enough. They hate it. The idea of ''forcing'' someone to work ispletely alien to them. After all, why would anyone need to be forced? And if you did force them, would the work produced be any good? Having unwilling workers, producing faulty work, is only decreasing overall efficiency. A waste of time.

    No very. No indentured workers. Some might say they are a lenient race and try to take advantage of them. Those people would very quickly regret making that choice. The ants themselves do not transgress upon each other, their social cohesion is perhaps their greatest strength, but when others do, their fury is total.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from "Collective Justice: A treatise on the Laws of the Colony"

    Yesssssss. I can feel it! I can feel the hate flowing through me. It burns¡­ it burns so good! After being suppressed for so long, it is now the time, the rise of Dark Anthony! Finally we have him, the egg-killer, dancing about like a guilty worm full of guilt, pierced by the sweet hook of justice. Everything is now in ce to catch the elusive, juicy fish of revenge.

    I''m so delighted, I''m not even bothering to mask my mental assault on Jim, broadcasting my descent to all and sundry.

    [How do you taste, Jim? Are you delicious? Will the grubs who feed on you grow up big and strong? I want to be sure they won''t be tainted by the nutrients of betrayal that are riddled through your entire, corrupted, body.]

    [What is wrong with you, Anthony?] the worm dares tosh out at me. [Are you crazy?]

    Such impudence!

    [You do not speak with Anthony, but Dark Anthony! I will not yield, rest, relent or abide until every ounce of your crimes has been wrung from your evil flesh. One ring at a time!]

    [Are you even human?]

    [Of course not! I''m an ant!]

    Such a foolish question. Does he think the conventions of humankind can protect him? Those things are fragile. In truth, life on Earth was much like life in the Dungeon, if you ask me. The powerless were subjected to horrific treatment in the dark, but most didn''t notice because it wasn''t directed at them. Simrly, inside the Dungeon, the weak are food for the strong. There is no fear at the top of the chain.

    A ce that this wretched, wriggling, portent of cowardly doom will never reach!

    [Hey, Jim? I hear you wretched worms, with your hearts filled with wretched evil and wretchedness, can regrow when you''re cut in half. Is that true? Can we turn you into a Biomass farm and feed our grubs on you forever? Considering what you did, that''s almost poetic, Jim. It''s so beautiful that I might just cry. At least I would, if every tear in my soul hadn''t been cried out after your betrayal!]

    I continue to circle and prod the enemy with glee until something breaks into my mental broadcast, shocking me out of the cycle.

    [Anthony? What are you doing?]

    Sarah sounds absolutely aghast at my behaviour. Not surprising, really, she hasn''t been exposed to the Dark One before. The darkness cannot be contained! Not in this, my moment of triumph.

    [I am giving this¡­ creature¡­ the treatment he deserves! After the evil seeds that he has sown. Seeds of evil, mind you! He watered them with the rich, foamy water of betrayal and they germinated, oh did they germinate, into little sprouts of murder and death. Now, the time hase to reap the harvest, the doomed harvest, of doom! I won''t avert my gaze from the terrible acts he hasmitted, nor will I shrink away from the punishment. It will be equally harsh! If not harsher!]

    [Sarah!] Jim cries out, his mind riven with desperation and fear. [You can''t leave me in the hands of this madman! Listen to him. He''s insane!]

    [Jim¡­.]

    I can see the hesitation and confusion in Sarah, she''s torn in multiple directions and it''s written all over her bear face. The mammals, with their soft, readable facial expressions and internal bones¡­ so transparent.

    In a way, I almost feel for Sarah. None of this is her fault, not her responsibility. And yet¡­.

    [Don''t let them do this to me, Sarah!] Jim pleads. [I did all of this for you! I wanted to save you!]

    And there it is. He still clings to this presumption that he did not act selfishly. Such pish! The darkness within my soul only stirs the stronger at this outburst.

    [You snivelling sack of sick! You''ll never take responsibility for the murder youmitted.]

    [All I did was dig a tunnel!]

    [And what were the consequences of that, you moron?! Innocent grubs and eggs, destroyed! And for what?!]

    [Those were just monsters. How is it any different from you annihting hundreds and hundreds of them?!]

    [You better be quiet now, Jim, or I''ll bite you,] I warn him. [You are treading dangerous ground.]

    Luckily, for his sake, the worm falls silent as Brilliant continues to poke and prod him whilst skittering across him. I turn to Sarah.

    [Sarah, I know you are feeling torn. I know that this situation sucks for you. I know that none of this feels right, or good, orfortable. But I have to make sure that you understand something.]

    She hesitates. The normally cheerful and steady presence that radiates from her ispletely muted, reced by grief and fear.

    [What is it?] she eventually asks.

    [This is going to be tough to hear, but I have to say it¡­ There is nothing that you can do here.]

    I stare at her to gauge her reaction, but all I see is confusion. She doesn''t understand.

    [I can''t just abandon him¡­] she whispers.

    [No, you aren''t listening. You. Can. Do. Nothing. This is out of your ws, now. Jim will receive the Colony''s justice, and even if you can''t stand that thought, even if you fight to the death to save him, you won''t seed. It''s over, Sarah. There is only one oue, now.]

    She''s beginning to see what I mean, and tears well up in those giant bear eyes. Is it sadness? Is it relief? Perhaps a mixture of both?

    [Please¡­] she says. [Just don''t be cruel. For me. Just don''t be cruel.]

    No cruelty? Noooooooooooooo! NOOOOOOOO! Those words are like poison to Dark Anthony, a knife wound straight in the heart! I can already feel my power weakening. The darkness, it''s receding, its fading! It''s not fair, the time was so short!

    [Fine,] I tell her begrudgingly. [It won''t be cruel.]

    She nods, two great drops fall from her eyes to the ground. Without another thought, she turns and walks away.

    [Sarah? Sarah! Don''t leave me here! Save me! YOU OWE ME!] Jim screams, but I wall his thoughts away from her and then barricade him in his own mind.

    I look up at Brilliant.

    "Take him away," I tell her. "Contact the council and get it done. I never want to see this creature again."

 Chapter 886 Approach the Precipice (996)

    <h4>Chapter 886 Approach the Precipice (996) </h4>

    It''s hard to turn my thoughts away from Jim and his eventual fate, but I force my mind to shift onto other priorities. If anything, it''s a relief to have him finally caught and dealt with. It wasn''t enough for him to betray us the once, he had to run around¡­ slither around, and continue to try and bring down the Colony. This situation with the ka''armodo would likely have happened no matter what, but it wasn''t helped by Jim spitting his poison into their ears.

    As the Colony grew and expanded, having someone ringing rm bells wherever we went would have been absolutely disastrous. In some ways, I can understand it, even if it infuriates me. Unable to ept he was wrong to betray the Colony, he had no choice but to double and triple down. He could never admit to himself that what he''d done was a horrible crime, that he had be a killer, he had instead run away from that realisation. In his mind, the Colony was bad, evil even, and with that ''fact'' locked into his head, he had no choice but to act as he did.

    But understanding and sympathising are far apart.

    Good riddance to bad worms! We are moving on with the numerous challenges that face us. The greatest and most urgent issue of all, disposing of the literal tons of termite Biomass left over after the battle.

    For once, the damn beetles stuck around to fight rather than retreating. The number of termites destroyed in the fighting runs up into tens of thousands, easily. Perhaps even more. I incinerated a good chunk of those, but there are plenty left to deal with the old fashioned way.

    It''s time for a good old fashioned, post battle feast!

    [Let''s dig in, everyone!] I announce to my pets.

    The four of us merrily dive into the food, Tiny quite literally so, swan diving into a nearby mound of Biomass. What are you, a billionaire duck in a money bin? Have some damn ss, man! I begin to shovel in the food myself. It isn''t great quality, as Biomass goes. The termites aren''t highly evolved or heavily mutated by monster standards, rarely even reaching tier five even, but we are still able to extract some value as we pack our stomachs fit to bursting, which takes a bit of work.

    I can remember hoovering in food with Tiny, back when it was just the two of us. It felt like we could eat a mountain of Biomass back then, eating until we couldn''t move and sleeping it off afterwards. With Crinis and Invidia added to the mix, in addition to our vastly increased size, we could just about pack away a literal mountain now. Crinis has three mouths and an almost bottomless appetite, only stopping when her reserves of shadow flesh arepletely stocked. Invidia keeps his stomach in a pocket dimension and he has an inordinate amount of space in there. When his creepy mouth appears in thin air and chomps down with those vicious teeth, the food just vanishes, never to be seen again as his green eye glows with wicked satisfaction.

    I can practically hear the ''yesssssssss'' he purrs out with every bite.

    Once both of my stomachs are full, I copse onto the ground, my six legs syed out in all directions. My gaster has swollen to an absurd size, so big I''d have to drag it behind me if I wanted to walk anywhere. Tiny has finally emerged from the pile, his belly so round it looks like he inted a beach ball in his guts. Even Crinis is reduced to a floppy pile of dark goop on the ground as she struggles to digest everything she''s taken in.

    We worked hard for the Colony. Good job, team.

    [Alright,] I groan at everyone. [We should have some Biomass stored up now. Everyone should spend and upgrade, check for Skills that need to be moved along as well. I know it''ll take longer for you guys, but the final sprint for tier seven is getting close, we want to be as far along as possible so we don''t trip along the way.]

    I couldn''t stand it if one of my pets were to die full stop, but dying as you close in on the next evolution seems even more cruel. After striving for so long to reach the next step, and rtive safety, falling at the final hurdle would be the worst.

    Mind you, evolving probably doesn''t mean further safety for me. I can still feel the ws of the Ancients in my guts, Calling me deeper. When I evolve, that feeling is only going to get worse. Still, if I can help protect the Colony, I''ll do it.

    Bah! This is no time to get depressed about the Call. I''m about toplete my perfect evolution! Achieve my final (for now) form! That sweet, sweet bonus energy will be mine, and for an evolution of this size, that bonus will not be small! I can hardly wait.

    Checking my mutations, I can see that the only thing left is the entire business district. Mymercial empire has four majorponents, each of which needs to be taken from +25 to +30.

    I''m so eager to get the process done, I almost can''t be bothered to check the options all that much. What do I want to emphasise, how do I want to proceed? Does it matter?! We are talking tier seven evolution! But of course it matters, and I force myself to slow down and consider my choices.

    This is a big spend of Biomass, after all. Five hundred and sixty. I have more than enough in the tank, with a good chunk left over. With a little luck, I''ll be able to amass a nice stockpile so I can mutate any reset parts of my body to a good standard straight away. For my Concentration nd, I want to emphasise the ''thickening'' aspect that I''ve taken on, and the weakening aspect of my Stimtion nd. Making the acid more dense and potent is never a bad choice, especially since doing so increases the potency of the other effects that have been added to the mix, such as the binding and mana-eating parts.

    For the Nozzle, I want to increase its ability to aim, since that is the primary function, after all. Pressurising the shots to give me more range is nice, but I''m no sniper, I have tough defences and can afford to get in close.

    For the Acid nd itself, I want to emphasise the propagating aspect that I mutated recently. Having my acid be able to replicate itself to a degree is nice, keeping the damage going for a longer time after a single hit. With the acid binding and sticking to the target, then multiplying itself once it''s on there, the potential for big damage from each shot is high.

    When it''s all said and done, this is what I have:

    Propagating Mana-Feasting Bind Acid nd +25 -> Spreading Binding Mana-Feasting Acid nd + 30

    Guided Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +25 -> Flexi Hyper-Pressure Scattershot Acid Nozzle +30

    Thickened Draining Acid Concentration nd +25 -> Enriching Draining Acid Concentration nd +30

    Exhausting Thickener Acid Stimtion nd +25 -> Viscous Enfeebling Acid Stimtion nd +30

    Nice.

    And here we go!

    ¡­

    CHALLAPABAPPLE! MY DAMN FINANCIAL EMPIRE!

 Chapter 887 Shake It Off (997)

    <h4>Chapter 887 Shake It Off (997) </h4>

    Yessssss.

    YESSSSSSSS!

    Tier six perfection has been achieved. My form. My FINAL form. It has arrived atst! Looking over my status, I admire the wall to wall +30''s. Every mutable organ in my body has reached its peak. Nothing more can be done until my next evolution. Then, the rat race will begin again. At tier seven, it''ll cost me a hundred and sixty five to upgrade just from +30 to +35. For anything new, and anything that I reset, the journey from zero all the way to the new max will be an even more harrowing expense.

    At least this time I have an opportunity to build up a reserve, something I haven''t really been able to do before. The Colony helped out a lotst time, but with my frequent hunting trips and this war with the termites, getting food hasn''t really been all that difficult for me. My family is bing more and more independent, allowing me time and space to go chasing food and experience. Throw in the odd major conflict and I''ve got everything I need to rocket up to the next tier!

    Speaking of which, what is my level?

    133?!

    No way! What in the heck?! That''s insane! I must have killed way more termites than I thought I did¡­. Or they''re giving more experience now. Either way, I''ve jumped up a great deal! Let the Skill points rain down on me! Gweheheheh.

    My next evolution isn''t that far away! At one sixty, I''ll be able to make another quantum leap forward in strength. I can''t wait to see what sort of options I get. Oh boy. The feeling of going to sleep and waking up as a whole new, better and more capable you is just so addictive.

    Although, I have otherplications now.¡­

    My core will be getting stronger, which is obviously great news, giving me more evolutionary energy and a higher level of MP. That''ll also mean that it''ll be harder and harder for me to go higher in the Dungeon. Right now, I can still go to the second stratum. I might even be able to visit the first during a wave, but the surface is right out. I''ll never feel the sun on my carapace again.

    If I double the strength of my core? Perhaps even the second stratum will be off limits for me. I''m not sure if I can take that¡­ all the grubs are in the second stratum!

    Nooooo! My precious grub time! How will I live if I can''t be healed by the pure and innocent joy ofrvae tickling? I-I''m not sure I can bear the thought of it. I won''t be deprived like this! I have to tell the council to start egg production in the third stratum as soon as possible. I will move heaven and earth to ensure that this isn''t taken away from me¡­ being formless was never an option!

    The other thing I have to deal with is the Call. Damn Ancients. They think they''re all that. The constant yanking on the guts of my soul is no more pleasant now than it was when it started. Like an itch that can''t be scratched, it''s almost impossible to ignore. If they think I''m going any deeper at tier six, then they''re outside of their minds. I''m too weak to explore the fourth stratum, forget about the fifth. I feel like they''re just trying to get me killed. If they happen to approve of my next evolution, I expect things will only get worse. Which sucks!

    If I evolve and then head back up to the third to help with the demon problems¡­ yuck. I don''t even want to think about it, it''s distressing.

    I calm myself down over time and then get to checking in on my allies. The three of them are doing well, each of them having reached a level around a hundred. They too are closing in on the next milestone. It''ll be an exciting time when they make it. Having the four of us at the seventh tier will create a far more formidable team than we are now.

    With all of us havingpleted our round of mutations, we spend the rest of the day resting and healing up. It''s a nice, rxing time, chatting back and forth and needling each other,bined with the asional light snack.

    Spending time together like this, with just the four of us, is like food for the soul. Thepanionship I get from Crinis, Tiny and Invidia is something that I enjoy with all of my heart. I''m almost sad when ites to an end and we find ourselvesrgely recovered.

    Levering myself up onto my six legs, I lead the group to go and visit Sarah.

    I find her in a nearby chamber, still injured, being fussed over by a full team of healers who ck their mandibles and apply waves of their specialised magic to her massive frame.

    I try to engage her in some light chat, but I can tell her heart isn''t in it. Subdued and dispirited, she is clearly a little lost in her own thoughts and so I back off and give her some space, but not before leaving her with some encouragement.

    [Nothing that happened was your fault,] I reassure her. [Whether or not you believe it, that is the truth. But remember, you are always wee among the Colony. You''re part of the family. If you never fight again, that doesn''t change.]

    And I leave her with that.

    We make our way back out of the safe zone and head towards the front lines. The twisting roots of the Mother Tree curve and wind around the tunnels as we travel, but it''s different now, more vibrant. The roots glow with life and there is more greenery than before. A sign of the Tree pushing more energy out now that the roots are no longer under threat?

    The other noticeable change to these tunnels is the presence of the bruan''chii. They pop up here and there, smaller ones and Grove Keepers alike, tending to the sprouting gardens and interacting with each other in their own curious, silent way. It''s strange, actually. I can feel the mana thickening down here. The energy that permeates the atmosphere is beginning to thrum with vibrant life.

    It seems as though the Mother Tree and the ecosystem of¡­ herself, that she creates down here actually works to¡­ I don''t know¡­ enhance? Circte? Brighten? Whatever she''s doing, the mana is bing more rich, which I''m going to assume she then begins to pull back into her roots.

    No wonder she''s been struggling. Cut off from these tunnels, the closest to her roots and trunk, she hasn''t been able to utilise this harmonious cycle to her benefit, depriving her of all-important energy.

    When we finally reach the front, right on the edges of the mountain the tree dominates, we find the Colony has already entrenched to an absurd degree. Thousands and thousands of ants teem through the tunnels and along the shoreline, building walls, traps, medical centres, tactical headquarters, resting chambers, Biomass storage and all of the other things necessary to prosecute the defence.

    But I''m not here for the defence. I''m here for the offence.

    In the distance, I can see, over the crystal blue waters of theke, the white spires of the fungal gardens. Ripe for the burning.

    998

    Victor could feel a headacheing on. She paced around the model the carvers had made, studying every intricate detail over and over again as she ponders the uing battle.

    The model itself is a work of art. Over twenty metres tall, it showed every twist and turn of the tunnels beneath the Mother Tree and every connection shared with the termite nest. The issue was, there''s a lot. The invaders have been hard at work for a long time, building underground links between the two mountains. The termites were almost as adept at tunnelling as the Colony itself. The number of connections is one thing, the huge area they covered was another. The front between the two opposing colonies had expanded dramatically and keeping track of all the work going on is more than her brain could handle on its own.

    "I need to evolve," she says quietly, "more brainpower would be so helpful right about now."

    "More brainpower? You want to be a mage?"es a potent scent from nearby.

    Victor turned to see Propent wander into the war room. The fire mage looks mighty pleased with herself after lighting up huge swathes of tunnel while driving the enemy back. Fortunately no-one has told her just howbustible the termite fungus is yet. She''d be insufferable.

    "For some reason, I suddenly remembered that more brain power doesn''t necessarily mean smarter."

    "Hah! Don''t be snide. You''re just jealous of my crushing intellect and burning passion! What do you need to be smarter for anyway? Maybe this grand mage ant can help you out."

    "I need to create a battle n across dozens of fronts involving hundreds of thousands ofbatants."

    "¡­ maybe Cont is somewhere nearby? That sounds a little more like her thing."

    "I thought as much."

    The general can only sigh and turn back to her careful study of the model. Having this level of detailed information was a massive help, but for this battle, it couldn''t be trusted. Scouts had done their best to map the enemy tunnels as far as they could, but with an enemy so adept at shaping the earth, and driven by such a cold intelligence, there was no saying what traps could be in store for them.

    If she sent ten thousand ants down one tunnel, they might get nked by twenty thousand termites leaping out of a concealed entrance! Or new passages could be dug after the scouts went through. The very thought of being outmanoeuvred in a tunnel war was unthinkable!

    Curse these termites! So simr to the Colony, and yet so¡­ so evil!

    The instinctive hatred between the two monster types affected her thoughts in odd ways. She''d be d when this was over and the termites were exterminated once and for all. How anyone could tolerate their existence at all, she had no idea.

    "Have the scouts managed to find the Queens?" Propent mused as she began to wander about the model. "If we can find them and burn the ce down, we''d have solved our problems, no?"

    Victor flicked her antennae with derision.

    "You think they just leave their Queens out in the open? Do we? Obviously they are going to be held in the heart of the nest, as secure and safe as possible. If we could get there so easily then I wouldn''t be so worried about this battle."

    "That''s not quite true though, is it? A normal monster termite nest might do that, but this isn''t a normal nest. This colony is controlled by the ka''armodo, who want ess to the queens in order to modify their cores and control the poption."

    Her mind ticking over, the general turned back to the model, her antennae swaying in thought.

    "So there''s a chance that the queens aren''t being held in the depths?"

    "I''m just guessing," the mage shrugged, "this could be right orpletely wrong. I just think it''s something to consider."

    "You make a good point¡­ but unless we can confirm it, then I''m not sure what we can do with it."

    Fighting through the tunnels beneath the nest would be painful, but it might take even longer if they had to then fight up higher into the above ground nest. The size of the termite mound was truly impressive, though she was loath to say so. From the bottom to the top, it was over ten kilometres ording to their scouting reports. A truly vast amount of space that needed to be explored and conquered before they would be able to win.

    At that moment the Eldest strolled into the war room, their massive frame looming over the other ants without even trying. Thankfully the space was builtrge in order to amodate the model, so they fit well enough.

    "Hey there, squad! Propent, how are you? Looking forward to burning the ce down?"

    "Of course!"

    "Victor, nice to see you hard at work. Holy moly, that model is nuts! Are there really that many connections between us? They couldn''t just build one big tunnel and be done with it?"

    "Greetings, Eldest," the general said. The presence of the strongest and oldest of them was always reassuring and she felt a little less pressure around them. "Yes, it''s a tangle down there. I''ve been trying to figure out the most efficient battle n for our invasion, but it''s proving difficult."

    "I''ll say¡­ what a mess."

    The giant, glittering ant circled the model, stepping over the smaller siblings with ease.

    "Yeah, that''s not going to happen," they finally dered. "Too many unknowns. I''m guessing if wee through there, the ka''armodo will just copse the mountain on our heads. They don''t care how many termites die, after all. As long as they get rid of us, then they can repopte and get back to attacking the tree."

    It was true, but Victor was frustrated.

    "Then how are we supposed to assault them? Dig our own tunnels? Reinforce and protect them against copse? It''s hard but we can do it¡­"

    "What? Heck no," the Eldest said, "we should copse all these tunnels andpress the stone to lock them off. We should be attacking overnd. Build a bridge between the mountains and we go in from the top."

    "From the top? But that would leave us wide open!"

    The Eldest looked at her for a second before patting her on the head with one leg.

    "Victor, you''ve gotten too focused on winning the tunnel war. Yes, they''re a colony of digging monsters, just like us, but that doesn''t mean we have to fight them in the tunnels."

    She was confused.

    "It doesn''t? If we don''t enter the tunnels, then how do we defeat them? They won''te onto the surface to fight us will they? Not with the ka''armodo controlling them¡­"

    "Oh, they''lle up," the Eldest assured her with a pleased ck of the mandibles. "If we give them a reason, they''lle boiling up and straight into our jaws."

 Chapter 888 They Go Marching (999)

    <h4>Chapter 888 They Go Marching (999) </h4>

    The Colony has distinguished itself in battle across its existence, disying sharp tactics, excellent training and sound strategy at all levels of warfare. Such a thing is highly unusual for a swarming monster type, but the irregrly high levels of intelligence obviously made it possible for the ants to aplish many things that are atypical.

    In small numbers, they are smart. They move quickly, engage carefully, retreat expeditiously and attack aggressively when the opportunity presents itself. The caste system provides them a strong bnce of specialists, making teams of ants well positioned to handle a wide variety of situations.

    Inrger groups, they be very deadly. Capable of digging and fortifying positions in a matter of hours, they can be expensive to dislodge the moment they gain a foothold. With a strongmand structure and perfect discipline, they present no weaknesses, no chinks in the armour. They must be confronted directly, head on, or not at all. Only a skilled and determined force can match them.

    In a swarm, they show their true might. The endless tide of ants is a foe like no other that I have ever witnessed. The concentrated power of their collective is overwhelming and they will sweep away whatever lies in their path. Against that indomitable horde, I have seen nothing seed, and I have tried much.

    ¡¤ Excerpt from the war diary of an unknown general.

    Advant watched as a continuous stream of ants marched through the portal, four by four. There wasn''t room for more sadly, the big soldiers barely fit, side by side.

    The scouts could fit through five by five, and the generals six by six, which helped.

    The Colony was going all out in its assault against the rivals they had found here in the fourth stratum. Every member of the family felt the burning rage within their inner core, an unsettling anger that would not end until either they, or the termites had been put to rest. As always, the Eldest had the right of it, they could not both exist on Pangera, one had to go.

    Despite the muscles in her face going stiff, she maintained a strict salute, her antenna bent to her head as rank after rank passed her by. Tier fives and fours, these represented the best of what the Colony had left to offer, the sixes already here and involved in the fight. From what she''d heard, the battles above had been intense, a great deal of new territory had been conquered for the family, new demon cities brought into the fold.

    Which meant experience and Biomass flooding into the warriors of the Colony. More powerful Soldiers, Mages, even the core shapers had reaped a rich harvest in the fighting above. Along with the victories that had been won here, the Colony continued to develop at a frightening speed.

    Still, she couldn''t wait for it to be over. When the enemy had been put to rest, its queens destroyed and brood fed to thervae, they could retreat back to higher in the Dungeon, concentrate on developing their holdings, refining their advancements. With the added security of having the Mother Tree locked in as an ally, the Colony would finally have a chance to catch its breath.

    At least she hoped so.

    More and more ants marched past. From the shing light of the portal they emerged, turned to meet her salute, and then vanished down the roots and underground, on their way to the front. This would be thergest force the Colony had gathered in its history, thergest battle they had ever fought.

    When she''d seen the numbers, she''d been shocked to her core, but had been assured that this was what it would take. Nothing short of overwhelming victory could be epted here, anything less would lead to a protracted fight that would distract and divide the Colony.

    Half a million ants would join the assault. An unprecedented gathering of ant might.

    Some of the tier fours were fresh recruits, graduates from the academies in the first stratum! The Colony was going all-in.

    When thest of the reinforcements had passed her by, Advant sighed and flexed her sore antenna, grooming it carefully to settle her nerves. She should be confident, the Eldest was involved in the attack, along with all the most powerful fighters in the Colony. Surely they couldn''t fail, not with everything that they''d brought to bear.

    Even the Mother Tree hadmitted the upper limit of what she could spare. Powering the gateway to bring this many monsters to the battle hadn''t been cheap, or easy. Nothing was being held back.

    Unexpectedly, the gate shed again, and through it came something she hadn''t expected to see. Humans, golgari, a few folk, each with their spears, shields and matching uniform. The ranks weren''t as neat as the ants had been, the precision wasn''t there as they turned to salute her, but from them she could sense a vibrant fighting spirit. Mixed in amongst them were the brown robes, floppy antennae attached to the hoods. The preachers had alsoe.

    The Colony had specifically not made any requests of their allies for this fight. Yet here they were, answering a call that had not been made.

    Most shocking of all, at the end of the column came five ants, each bearing an individual on their back! Strange saddles had been attached to them and the riders satfortably, perhaps even proudly, atop their¡­ steeds?

    "What on Pangera is going on here?" she demands of the passing ants.

    "Cavnt reporting, general," the lead ant snaps out a quick salute. "We are the inaugural ant cavalry division. The generals required all legs on the tunnel floor so we have been taken out of training and sent to help."

    "You''re still in training?" Advant asks dubiously. "Are you sure you''re ready for this?"

    "We are. Isaac here was the first to gain the ss change that allowed him to ride on an ant, but others have followed since. We are still working things out, but we will be an asset on the field, I can assure you of that."

    "Very well. Report below."

    "I will, general."

    The bizarre ant cavalry followed behind the foot troops as they marched down and into the tunnels below. Still not quite believing what she was seeing, the Soldier followed in their wake and watched as the troops were broken up and deployed along the front, generals waiting at intervals in the tunnels to direct each battalion, each unit, each squad to the correct position.

    This battle was going to be short, vicious and sharp. A hammer blow to break the enemy once and for all.

    Advant wandered the lines, talking to the many ants she encountered along the way. It was incredible to see so many fighting fit members of her family assembled in one ce. On the surface, everything appeared calm, but down here in the tunnels, every inch of ground seethed with ants. Every caste was here. Almost all of the council members as well.

    The tunnels were packed. Every chamber was packed. Ants were climbing on top of each other to make space. Ants were sleeping, engaged in torpor, standing right on top of each other. She could barely move for all the bodies packed into the staging grounds and it went on, and on, and on.

    Soon, this heaving tide of chitin and fury would be unleashed upon the unsuspecting termites and ka''armodo not so far away. They wouldn''t know what hit them.

 Chapter 889 White as Snow (1000)

    <h4>Chapter 889 White as Snow (1000) </h4>

    A cold wind blew. It cut through the empty street, and through the lone figure who staggered through the chill, a package tucked under one arm. The small person pulled a tattered coat tighter around their slight frame as they looked around, seeking something that they soon found.

    A familiar sight, a familiar door, though it had looked different in years passed.

    Back then, a family had lived here, some of the time. The Father, frequently away, the Mother distant and cold, like a winter wind. Less like a home, more of a hotel, with itsings and goings. Itcked the warmth of wee, thefort one sensed from a door with someone waiting behind it. There was almost never anyone behind it.

    The boy though, he was always there, even when the others weren''t.

    It wasn''t so bad, he often thought to himself. People led busy lives, there often wasn''t enough energy left to tend to those around them. Many lived in worse conditions, much worse. Besides, what was the use inining?

    Especially when you''ve got a job to do.

    He walked over to the house and leaned into the gate, forcing it to swing open with a creak. Sounded like it was getting rusty. Likely it was. He''d tend to it tomorrow maybe, or the day after. He needed a good sleep before anything else.

    Well, he needed a meal, but he tried not to think about that.

    A key was removed from a pocket and with a metallic ck it turned in the lock. The door opened to a dark corridor. As he always did, the boy leaned forward to check for any mail. It had been some time since he''d received a letter from his parents. Perhaps it was a little ungrateful of him, but he didn''t even need a letter at this point, a little money would be more than wee.

    It had been some time since he''d had that, too.

    But there was nothing, as evertely. With a quiet shrug, the boy stepped inside the house and closed the door behind him, ensuring the lock was turned afterwards. He wouldn''t make that mistake again. His legs still ached when it was cold. And it was cold now.

    "Holy moly," he winced, "that stings."

    Half hopeful, half resigned, he tried to flick the lights on, only to have his fears confirmed when his surroundings remained dark. At least something had been learned. The number of ''final warnings'' that one received before the power was shut off, was six.

    A good, solid number. He couldn''t begrudge them, they''d given all the notice that could be reasonably expected. Theck of cooling in the fridge wouldn''t be a problem, since there was nothing in it, but the heating would be an issue.

    The winters were cold, that was one thing, but his sisters would really struggle without any warmth.

    Speaking of.

    ''Hup!''

    He hefted the package once again and began the climb up the stairs. Each step was more of a struggle than usual, and it became harder to ignore the gnawing hollow in his stomach. He powered through.

    He wouldn''t be caught napping though! Not yet!

    When he reached the top step, the boy pumped his fist in triumph. Then he staggered as the strength left his knees. But he righted himself! Then pumped his fist again, but more restrained the second time around.

    It might have been easier to house the girls on the ground floor. However, only in this room, upstairs, was there a window that got the right light. The price was worth paying, he decided.

    Still firmly clutching the package, a bundle of newspaper wrapped around something squishy and wet, he made his way to the room at the end of the hall. Unfortunately he didn''t ount for the darkness and stubbed his foot on the side table.

    "Dammit!" he yelped.

    A few hopster he entered the room and a tired, but bright smile spread across his face. On the table, the girls, his sisters, were hard at work. The scouts and foragers were busy, despite the dropping temperature, they were looking for food, eager to provide for the queen and support the family.

    He hobbled over to the table and hastily unwrapped the package. A steak, thest food he could afford, even then he''d needed a discount from Mr Balney, the local butcher. It wasn''t much, but the protein would keep the family going for a while yet.

    Holding the meat in one hand, he carefully lowered it down into the open topped foraging area. Hey it down in a corner where none of his sisters would be crushed and watched with delight as they quickly swarmed to the area.

    Antennae tippy tapped against the meat, scouts testing and assessing before they attacked with hunger. Mandibles pinched away tiny segments of meat that the workers then devoured. With food safely stored in their abdomen, the scouts then turned and rushed back to the nest.

    He watched as they sprinted back on six legs, to be weed by the other members of the family with a hero''s wee. The workers swarmed around the scent the scout had released and then began to follow the trail back to the food.

    In moments, a column of workers had formed, rushing along the line of scent to the food. Soon, the meat was covered in ants, using formic acid to break down the steak to make it easier for them to ingest.

    Each member of the family was part of a unit. They supported each other, worked together, were always there when they were needed.

    "Must be nice," Anthony smiled.

    He watched with satisfaction as the meal was devoured, transported back inside the nest where the food would be dispersed amongst thervae and provided to the queen. The young would grow big and strong, enter their cocoons and then emerge as new workers, ready to support the family and ensure the next generation would be born.

    Night began to draw near as the hours passed, and the boy grew weary. Hey his head down on the desk and continued to watch the activities of his family.

    He was so hungry, he felt so weak. But that was fine.

    He just needed a little rest, tomorrow he''d get something to eat. The family had been fed, that was the most important thing.

    As time ticked on, he became lulled by the silent bustle of the ants, until eventually, finally, his eyes drifted shut, and sleep imed him.

 Chapter 890 Divine Speech (1001)

    <h4>Chapter 890 Divine Speech (1001) </h4>

    Hah!

    Felt like something just walked over my grave. Can ants even shiver? That''s weird! Almost as weird as having bones on the inside. I can''t imagine how I ever put up with it.

    Holy moly, I feel a weird. I''m jazzed up. Got the shakes. I''ve got so much energy, I just don''t know what to do with it.

    This must be what it feels like to be Vibrant. I feel like standing still is taking all of my focus! I will point out that I can actually manage it, unlike her.

    With hundreds of thousands of ants pouring into the area to prepare for the assault, the amount of energy flowing into the Vestibule has be a literal flood. I''m absolutely inundated with impressions, sensations and thoughts of half a million individuals. What makes it worse is that all of them are pumped full of energy and impatience. They''re eager to start the fighting and tear into the foul termite nest, the primal hatred of our eternal insect enemy raging in their cores.

    And I''m getting all of it!

    The tunnels under the Roots of the Mother Tree are so packed full of family members that I feel like I''m in a nest. A huge nest! There are ants everywhere I go, jammed into resting chambers, hanging on the ceiling, piled on top of each other. Thankfully, they''re only going to have to wait a few hours before the fighting starts, otherwise we''d have to feed them all!

    Trying to picture the logistics of feeding half a million diligent soldiers of the Colony¡­ ugh. That''s enough to make my brains give up on life. In the second and third stratum, we are establishing the enormous infrastructure required to feed the Colony, but it''s hard work. A vastwork of tunnels and expanses have been cultivated for this sole purpose, not to mention the transportation hubs just for moving all that food around.

    And only half of the Biomass gathered by the Colony goes into feeding it, the other half is delivered straight to the queens to keep the family growing. If we continue to elerate our growth, then we''re going to need to find more solutions for this problem than just hunting monsters.

    The aphids have done a lot up in the firstyer of the Dungeon, more than I expected, really. But the quality of the Biomass they extract isn''t that high, only suitable for ants up to tier three. We could try them down here in the fourth on the abundant vegetation, perhaps they''ll extract something better down here? It''s a thought.

    The other thing I''m considering is the fungus the termites have grown. Various types of ant live by the practice of farming. In fact, ants were probably the first farmers in the world back on Earth. Leafcutter ants in particr are famous for the practice, rushing out of the nest in huge columns and returning with jaws full of juicy leaves. Some people think they eat them, but no, they use those leaves as fertilizer and food for massive underground fungal gardens.

    There''s no reason the Colony couldn''t do the same. If we can get hold of some of this fungus and work out ways to grow it, or alter it into something that better suits our needs¡­ it could help alleviate our looming food crisis.

    I wander about the tunnels with Invidia, Crinis and Tiny, poking my head in to check on everyone, exchanging a few quick words with the ants as we wait for the battle to start. I''ve no doubt the majority of the council is down here somewhere, but goodness knows where. There''s so many of us, I can''t reliably use the Vestibule to find them.

    I tried diving into that raging torrent, but quickly became overwhelmed.

    The sheer number of ants,bined with their incredibly harmonised Will, is too much for me to handle right now.

    I eventually do find someone I recognise and reach out with a mind bridge.

    [Beyn! What the heck are you doing here?]

    The one-armed priest snaps around at my mental contact and I immediately feel regret. The zing fire in his eyes is almost enough to set me alight. This guy has no chill. None.

    "Great One! I am honoured to be in your presence once more!" he gushes as he sprints up to me, his antennae-wearing followers close behind.

    [What the -]

    Hang on.

    "What the heck? You can speak in pheromones now?"

    "I can, Great One! Many of us now can. As we have advanced along the path you and the Colony haveid down for us, much that was once hidden has be clear!"

    "You mean, you got a Skill or something that let youmunicate through scent?"

    "It is so. This is our path."

    I mean¡­ sure, why not? This may as well happen.

    One of the followers draws a little closer and begins to extend a shaking hand toward my carapace, a powerful yearning on their face. I shut that down with a quick thwack of an antenna.

    "Hey! Hands off the carapace. It''s not easy to get it this clean and I want it to stay that way."

    I achieved maximum shine after my nap and now you want to put your grubby fingers on it? No way!

    Priest Beyn rounds on his wayward follower and they exchange words briefly. Beyn is clearly heated at the transgression, the other chap, a young-looking fellow, appears chastened.

    "It''s not a big deal," I say, reaching up with a leg to pat the poor guy on the shoulder, "we ants can be very fussy about our cleanliness. Something to watch out for."

    That''s true, we are very fussy about staying clean, but perhaps not to the same extent as me. Then again, no other ants are quite as shiny as me either.

    I thought I dealt with that moment quite well, but when I see the looks around the offender change from disapproving anger to fawning jealousy, I can''t help but try and shy away.

    "Well¡­ nice to see you all¡­ I suppose¡­ I might just¡­ be on my way then."

    "No wait, just a moment of your time, please Great One!" Beyn pleads with me, and the others all turn their wide eyed gazes on me.

    Dammit! Guilt tripping me like this!

    "Fine. What do you need, Beyn?"

    "Ah. I was hoping you could speak to the followers a little? Many are nervous going into such arge battle and it would help a lot if you would inspire them."

    The man clearly hasplete and total faith that I can deliver, though I kind of doubt it myself. How the heck am I supposed to inspire these fanatical weirdos?

    "Uh¡­ I presume you can all understand me?"

    They eagerly nod and lean forward to receive my wisdom. I scratch my head with one antenna.

    "Well. Don''t worry about it too much. We''ll protect you. As long as I''m alive, you won''t have much trouble."

    Because the ka''armodo will obviously concentrate their fire on me. They don''t seem to like me for some reason. However, Beyn appears to have heard something entirely different.

    "There, you see!" his scent billows extravagantly as he roars to his followers. "So long as the Great One stands, you will be shielded from harm! The travails of this life will not touch you! The Great One shall face the storm in your ce, and you shall emerge out the other side, unbroken and whole!"

    As one, they turn and bow, mming their heads into the ground before then backing out rapidly, bowing repeatedly as they go.

    "Hang on¡­" I reach out one leg, fruitlessly, "I didn''t¡­ dammit."

 Chapter 891 Calculating Greatness (1002)

    <h4>Chapter 891 Calcting Greatness (1002)</h4>

    Fanatics aside, there''s plenty of stuff going on and not much time in which to get it done. With so many ants furiously working, I decide the best ce for me is out of the way on the surface.

    Well, I say surface, obviously I''m not climbing all the way out of the Dungeon. I head up until I break through and find myself sitting under the shade of the enormous Mother Tree, her branches and canopy spread out above me.

    The fourth stratum really is a beautiful ce to be. The mountain inds that rise up out of the crystal blue waters tower impossibly high. In between, the floating inds, with their endless waterfalls, drift amongst the clouds. Clouds¡­ this far underground¡­

    It''s a bit nuts.

    Truly, the power of mana makes anything possible. These impossible mountains, with their crags and cliffs, their forest-covered slopes with rivers and valleys. From who knows how deep to touching the roof of the stratum kilometres overhead, each one is absolutely titanic. And there must be thousands of them.

    I can only see a few from where I stand, but I assume that they go all the way around the world. The size of the ce is just ridiculous. The fact that the Mother Tree managed to take over a mountain for herself, basically consuming it, is utterly absurd. A feat that the Colony will soon have to replicate.

    Our first priority on this stratum will be to establish our own nest, which means we''ll need to conquer a mountain for ourselves! One that we can shape as we please, and fortify until it bes an impregnable fortress of doom.

    Luckily, I have a mountain in mind, and it isn''t far away.

    The termite nest will soon be avable. Free real estate, as it were. We''ll have the added benefit of living directly under the branches of the Mother Tree, cementing our alliance yet further. We don''t actually know how this area is oriented with the rest of our territory, which isn''t a huge issue, but it''s nice to have all of ournd vertically integrated.

    Once we have our own functioning gates, it won''t matter, all of ournd will be one hop away from all the rest of it!

    Gweheheheh.

    Speaking of gates¡­ I wonder how Brilliant is getting on with it all? She''s obviously made great strides in her knowledge of dimensional magic. I don''t yet know if she has the specific Skill for it, but I''m super impressed with her ability to sniff out the secrets that have so far evaded us. There''s been a team of the finest ant mages trying to puzzle out how gates work for months, but the little champion has made more progress in a matter of weeks!

    Good to know my naming sense hasn''t weakened. I was worried she''d let me down there for a bit, but she came through in the end!

    She should be back here soon enough, I''ll catch up with her when she returns. Which reminds me, I really should check in on Sarah. I hope she isn''t taking the fate of Jim too badly. It really wasn''t her fault, and was totally out of her control, but it wouldn''t surprise me if she was beating herself up over it. She''s too kind to not try and divert me from others and onto herself.

    Hmm¡­

    I think there''s some movement beneath me. A quick dip into the Vestibule reveals that there is indeed a lot going on down there. ns are beingid, hospitals built, for ants and for humans, strategy hammered out. The scouts are having the worst of it. A wide scale skirmish is taking ce as the ants push out into termite territory and start copsing tunnels.

    I can feel them now. Earth mages are straining to break apart the stone in a series of controlled copses while scouts cover them with long-range fire. The scene is repeated in dozens of tunnels as the Colony seeks to enact this strategy before the termites, or more importantly, the ka''armodo, can react.

    I try to keep tabs on the fighting beneath the ground for a while before a familiar face pops up not far away.

    "Cobalt? What are you doing up here?"

    The little carver sees me rx- I mean, working hard here and skitters over to say hello.

    "Eldest, nice to see you contributing¡­"

    "Watch yourself¡­ I can put you back into training at any time I like."

    "¡­ contributing with such diligence and vigour."

    "That''s right."

    I remember the twenty when they were just grubs. How dare they get so uppity with me! It''s not like I didn''t nearly get myself killed trying to save the situation down here.

    "What''s the story? Anything need building up here?" I ask her.

    "Well, you did want us to magic up a gigantic bridge out of nothing didn''t you?" Cobalt responds.

    "Well¡­ yes."

    "Right. So I need to get measurements for the width and height so I can get an urate estimate of the volume of stone required. Once I have that, I can work out roughly how much mana will be needed, which will tell us how many mages have to take part."

    I stare.

    "You can calcte how much mana is needed?"

    That sounds¡­ different.

    She flicks her antennae dismissively, already looking out over the wide waters between us and the distant shore of the termite mountain.

    "It''s not thatplicated. We know how much mana is required to create a cubic metre of stone, so if we can estimate the stone required, we can make the calction."

    "It''s that simple?"

    She cks her mandibles.

    "Well, no. Of course not. There are a number of factors involved that influence the result. Higher rank stone magic obviously results in a more efficient mana-to-stone ratio. Distance from the caster is another important factor, the further away, the more mana required. Not sure exactly why. Ambient mana has an impact, local affinity has a strong effect, proximity to other stone. That''s an interesting one, actually. Creating new stone near older rock is much easier, but making it near newer rock, like something we conjured, doesn''t have much of an impact. Other elements are important too, for example, creating stone and soil near water is more expensive."

    ¡­

    "Sounds, actually veryplicated."

    "It''s not that bad.¡­"

    She already sounds distracted, calcting away in her head, which is impressive as hell. A few momentster, she cks her mandibles again and starts to turn around.

    "Alright, that''s done."

    "Already?!"

    "It''s just an estimate, I''m not being super precise. In terms of standard deviation -"

    "Nope. Stop talking."

    "Okay."

    I sigh.

    "I knew you''d all be smarter than I am, I just didn''t expect the difference to be this wide, this quickly."

    "Don''t feel too bad about it, Eldest. We just want to make sure you can focus on the things you want to focus on."

    "How long do you think it''ll be until the attack is ready to start? I''m struggling to contain myself up here."

    "You and most of the ants down there," sheughs. "Don''t worry. In an hour, we''ll be ready to go."

 Chapter 892 1003 - The Swarm

    <h4>Chapter 892 Chapter 1003 - The Swarm</h4>

    Under the soft light of the fourth stratum, with a soft mist rising from the glittering blue waters on the shore, the might of the Colony assembled. They had gathered in strength before, huge armies of ant soldiers, alongside smaller groups of human and golgari, but not quite like this.

    Half a million ants emerged from beneath the ground and sorted themselves into neat ranks. They nketed the shoreline. Between those inmoving chitinous frames, no trace of sand nor soil could be seen, they were so densely packed. In the lead stood a sparkling insect, enormous in size it loomed over the others of its own kind, amanding presence that dominated the field.

    Ten thousand support troops were spread amongst the ranks. Other races who had taken up arms alongside the Colony, ready to fight, ready to die, so that the ants would triumph. Within each group a robed figure walked, blessing each warrior and exhorting them to greater devotion in battle.

    It was a terrifying sight.

    Rassan''tep retracted his sight from the scrying array and sank deep into contemtion. That despite being so young, the Colony could already muster an army of this strength and size was worrying. Their growth was faster than even he had considered possible, and he projected it would only increase. To deal with this sort of power, the ka''armodo would need tomit arge force, thousands of their own number, with set''sh War Dancer support and sand golems.

    They had none of that here, only the termite Colony they had grown and fostered against all custom.

    It was ka''armodo monster engineering against what a lone creature had been able to aplish without training or assistance.

    He wasn''t confident that they would win. In many ways, it didn''t matter. He was only interested in what Anthony would be from this moment on. Would the promising young monster die in the fighting, his rise to glory stopped tragically short? Or would he survive, and grow all the stronger for being exposed to the heat of battle?

    He had to see.

    [You seem excited, Master.]

    The voice of Ammon''sil rang in his mind and the elder shifted slightly to better see his faithful servant.

    [Is it so simple to tell? I would rather not have my emotions read so easily.]

    [Not at all, Master,] the set''sh smiled, [only those who have known you for many years would recognise that gleam in your eye.]

    Satisfied, the great lizard shifted back and once more engaged with the scrying array. The grand sight of the massed ranks of ants, so neat they appeared to have been painted in ce, once more appeared before him.

    [What are your thoughts on the uing conflict?] Rassan''tep asked.

    [It is not my ce toment.]

    [It is, when I ask you to.]

    [As you say. I worry for your kin, Master. They are confident in their abilities and in those of their creations, but I worry that they underestimate the foe before them. The Colony has shown that it will adapt, take risks, make decisions on the fly. Just because countermeasures have been prepared doesn''t mean they will seed.]

    [You are speaking most carefully,] the ka''armodo noted. [You cane out and say it. Hubris. Overconfidence. Arrogance. Pride.]

    Each word emanated powerfully from the ancient creature, an ocean of contempt behind them.

    [The curse of the old races has shown its face again. Just because we ruled this world once, does not mean we don''t have to fight for it now. The Colony is young, ambitious and rising quickly. My kin here think they are the same, but the difference is stark.]

    He observed the ants carefully, noting the various castes and their disposition.

    [The Colony is hungry, but for survival, not glory. They seek to build, not to maintain. The youths who were sent here¡­ they see themselves as chosen, and special, instead of manipted and abandoned. When cold blooded and logical thinking is required, they have allowed themselves to grow too heated.]

    In the distance, there was movement. Thousands of ants stepped forward with unnatural precision. Mages, each and every one of them. Minds in perfect sync, they began to draw and shape the mana around them. With so many mages working together in perfect harmony, a vast amount of energy was able to be moved, a veritable storm of mana forming across the shoreline.

    Rassan''tep watched carefully as the bridge began to take shape. It was crude in form, but well suited to the task, he had to admit. Sturdy, dense,pacted, the bridge was almost a kilometre wide. They even went to the trouble of anchoring it to theke bed, extending pirs downward before the waters grew too deep. The great lizard hummed in approval. If they were nothing else, the ants were solid builders.

    Gradually, the bridge extended and the ants began to advance in blocks, the mages at the front, along with Anthony and his small retinue.

    At the current pace, it would take them little over an hour toplete the work, if they remained uninhibited. Of course they weren''t.

    Rising from the fungus coated forest, spheres of potent energy began to rise. They hovered in the air briefly, condensing, before they were suddenly fired in a high arc. Dozens of shots were fired at once, thebined efforts of nearly all the ka''armodo who remained on the mountain.

    Of course the ants were prepared.

    Shields sprung into existence, one after the other, covering the bridge for its entire length. Rassan''tep didn''t even need to reach out with mind to see the spells of his kin were under assault before they crossed the halfway point, the mana being siphoned away.

    The level of cooperation shown by the Colony was staggering.

    With so many mages at their disposal, they were able to distribute roles and allow each ant to focus on just one task. That in itself wasn''t impressive, but the way they worked so seamlessly together withoutmunicating left him in wonder.

    The bridge building never stopped, not for a moment. The shields continued to be created and reinforced, the moment one fell, it was reced. There were even whole batteries of mages just reaching out with their minds and pulling in all the ambient mana they could, making it avable to the others to utilise. Selfless, relentless effort. That was the defining trait of the Colony.

    When the bridge reached the halfway mark, there was a pause.

    The barrage from the ka''armodo continued, the ants held it at bay, but did not advance. A chance for them to replenish their energy? Allow the ambient mana to restore itself?

    Perhaps.

    He cast his eye across the field once more. Tens of thousands of ants now packed the bridge, but curiously, it wasn''t full, notpletely. A curious thing, he hadn''t believed the ants would be concerned with overcrowding.

    Then something changed. The massed ranks of ants split down the middle and stepped to the side, clearing a narrow pathway through the centre to the tip of the bridge, where Anthony awaited.

    They were making way for something? Or someone?

    From beneath the soil, amongst the gargantuan roots of the Mother Tree emerged a column of steel d ants. Hundreds of them, each encased in powerful, ornate armour that shone with a mirror polish. With solemn and imcable steps, they marched steadily forward as Rassan''tep watched with keen interest. Then something different appeared.

    Carried on the backs of ten ants came¡­ a tomb? Four burning torches adorned it. Gold and precious metals covered it in borate filigree. Carved into the face of it in excruciating detail was the face of an ant, and though their expressions never shifted, somehow Rassan''tep felt a sense of overwhelming¡­ relief, and joy, and freedom¡­

    What in the name of the Demon God was going on down there?

 Chapter 893 The Reliquary of Eternal Glory (1004)

    <h4>Chapter 893 The Reliquary of Eternal Glory (1004)</h4>

    Cardigant, the one who fell, and in falling, achieved true immortality. Her existence, or rather, theck of ongoing existence, was something amazing to the Immortals, something precious.

    It was, Leeroy decided, something that could not afford to be lost.

    She and her sisters hade so close to losing hope! They hade within an antenna''s width of letting go of their dream. The rejection of their creed by the Colony, the ire and condemnation of the Eldest, the crushing failure of their tier six evolution, all of it had piled up to be a weight that was almost too heavy to bear.

    Then Cardigant had done as they had done, she had gone into battle. But then she had done the miraculous. She had sacrificed her life, sessfully!

    It was a revtion! A confirmation! A resuscitation! All that Leeroy had dreamed of, all that the Immortals had dreamed of, it was still within their reach! They only had to stretch forth with their mandibles, grasp the sword of the enemy, and pull it into their own faces.

    They would not lose their way again. She refused to let them! And so, something had to be done.

    "Wait a second." Smithant lowered her tools and looked at the crowd of anxious, heavily armoured ants crowded around her anvil. "You want me to what?"

    "It''s very simple," Leeroy said impatiently. They couldn''t afford to waste time! "We want you to create a permanent metal container to store the body of our beloved, fallen sister for eternity. That''s not hard to understand!"

    Smithant stared hard at the council member, observing the maniacal, fanatical gleam in her eyes.

    "W-why?" she asked tly. "I can make something like that, sure, but why should I? It''s a waste of materials and a waste of my time. I''m supposed to be down here to help repair and upkeep your armour, not making borate boxes for you to store dead family members in. I''m terribly sorry for your loss, I mourn this fallen sister along with you, but let it go. Let her return to the Dungeon and let''s get on with things."

    Leeroy was frustrated. She wasn''t one for words, normally, and had no idea how she couldmunicate just what she wanted, just what they felt.

    "Smithant, this might be hard to believe," she began, "but we aren''t sad that our sister has fallen, we are happy. She wanted this, we all want this, but she seeded. We want to carry her with us, always, so that we never forget that we can seed too."

    She stared hard at the smith, trying to help her understand just how important this was to them.

    From Smithant''s point of view, they just looked insane. They hadpound eyes, they were always looking in all directions, it''s not like they could actually stare at one thing. All Leeroy was doing was leaning ufortably close, to the point she might soon catch some red hot tongs in the eye.

    "All right, all right! Back up a little would you, you moron! So, what, you want me to encase Cardigant in a¡­ in a what? A box made of metal?"

    The Immortals considered it for a long moment.

    "A nice box?" one of them suggested from the back.

    Smithant red at them.

    "A nice box?" she demanded. "Nice how?"

    Another moment of silence.

    "It should be decorated¡­" one of the giant, steel-d ants offered.

    "Maybe¡­ it should look like Cardigant?" another said.

    "Maybe some words of encouragement should be put on it? That might be nice."

    "Oh! We could make it portable! We get sent to a lot of different ces after all.¡­ I wouldn''t want to leave her behind."

    There was a general chorus of agreement to this.

    "Make it so we can mount it on our backs then?"

    More agreement.

    "Maybe some of those nice vine carvings? They look nice. You know the ones that curl around themselves?"

    "Good idea."

    "I like the vines¡­"

    "Very appealing."

    "Anything else?" the smith grated.

    Another long pause.

    "Maybe some scent baskets, so we can spread messages offort when we carry her."

    "Flowers?"

    "Put her face on the front?"

    "Make sure to include the armour in some way!"

    "Oh, yes. The armour is important."

    The Immortals had grown attached to their metal shells after all this time. It was a love/hate rtionship, to be sure.

    "Some lights? Maybe? Something subtle¡­"

    "It should include her core, obviously."

    "Obviously!"

    "We can''t recycle her core!"

    A hammer came crashing down on the anvil, silencing all with the resulting ng.

    "You want me to enchant it?!" Smithant bellowed, her pheromones sting away the others'' words in an instant. "Just how much time do you think I have to spare?"

    She cked her mandibles harshly.

    "Even the raw materials needed would be immense. There''s no way!"

    Leeroy leapt forward and banged her face onto the stone floor, followed by all the others. This was how the humans apologised, apparently.

    "Please!" Leeroy begged. "We will help! We''ll source all the materials ourselves. If you do this for us, we''ll neverin about having to wear your armour again. We swear!"

    "We swear!" the rest chorused.

    Smithant looked out over the hunched forms of the Immortals, irritated beyond words. These idiots took up so much of her time, and were such a pain in her carapace, she almost took a savage glee in making their armour as durable as possible, just to ensure they would survive.

    Which¡­e to think of it¡­ gave her an idea.

    "Alright, fine," she said, "I''ll make your fancy box, with vines and smoke and all the other nonsense. I''ll even make it with the finest materials, the highest quality metal, and I''ll contribute cores to ensure the enchanting works wlessly. In fact, I''ll do the inscribing myself."

    The Immortals looked up with overflowing joy in their eyes.

    "Really?!" Leeroy said.

    Smithant nodded.

    "Really."

    And she did just what she said. The box she constructed took an absurd amount of effort. Her apprentices worked (almost) around the clock as the entire Immortal battalion scrambled to fetch everything they needed whilst Smithantboured over an anvil.

    The finestyered steel, shaped and decorated with her own expert mandibles. What she built was a wonder of engineering, a majestic feat of skill and craftsmanship that was, ironically, perhaps the finest piece of metalwork in her career to date.

    When atst Cardigant''s body wasid to rest and sealed inside, every Immortal turned out to watch the ceremony. The lid closed and locked into ce, never to be opened again, then Leeroy stepped forward and ced the celebrated ant''s core in the borate mount that had been prepared for it.

    The second the core clicked in, the enchantments came to life. The Immortals celebrated wildly as they felt the reassurance of their dear, departed sister wash over them.

    Smithant snickered.

    She just knew those idiots were going to carry that thing into battle. With the myriad of defensive auras she''d packed into the thing, she may just have ensured that none of them would ever get a big fancy box of their own.

 Chapter 894 1005 - Face Off (1005)

    <h4>Chapter 894 1005 - Face Off (1005)</h4>

    "WE ARE BATHED IN HER BENEVOLENT LIGHT!"

    "WE SEEK!"

    "WHERE SHE HAS LED, WE SHALL FOLLOW!"

    "WE SEEK!"

    "ETERNAL REST! ETERNAL GLORY! IT IS NOW HERS! SOON, IT WILL BE OURS!"

    "WE SEEK!"

    The column of Immortals continued to march through the ranks of ants who had parted for them. Towards the front of their formation, the Reliquary of Eternal Rest was borne upon their backs, its sacred smokes infused with pheromonal messages of hope andfort.

    "Death is near! Glory to the Colony! The end hase! Death is near!"

    The waves of pheromones rolled over the ants to either side, who rolled their antennae and cked their mandibles, unimpressed.

    Leeroy continued to exhort her followers all the way to the head of the column. By the time they reached the end of the bridge, the Immortals had been whipped into a frenzy, their hearts surging with devotion to the Colony and eyes aze with a desperate need toy down their lives.

    The Reliquary had a multiplicative effect on the eagerness of the Immortals. They were so eager to fly into battle their armour rattled on their backs.

    Of course, it wasn''t possible. The bridge hadn''t been finished yet.

    The steel d column came to a halt with surprising discipline and the Immortals sat, lowering their bodies down to rest, though, sadly for them, not permanently.

    With their shock troops in position, the Colony once more got to work extending the bridge. Earth magic churned once again as thousands of minds linked together to work the energy that suffused the air. The bombardment continued as they worked, but it had be clear that the ka''armodocked the firepower to break the Colony''s defences.

    The bridge inevitablypleted its journey, connecting to the termite mountain and terminating on the shore. The ants looked out over the unbroken fields of white fungus, but there was no sign of their enemy.

    Which meant it was fire time.

    Leading the fire mages, an ecstatic, almost rapturous Propent stepped forward.

    "Ant mages! Prepare to burn! Burn it all! ALL OF IT TO THE GROUND! AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

    Fire exploded in all directions, setting the fungal forest aze. Huge orbs of pure blue me were lobbed further up the mountain, starting spot fires that rapidly spread. In a matter of moments a raging inferno zed across the mountain.

    The Immortals braced themselves, waiting for any response from the termites, but none was forting. Which suited Propent just fine.

    "More fire! MORE! IT''S SO BEAUTIFUL!" she raged as sheunched more and more ming missiles deeper into enemy territory.

    For over an hour the fire burned, sweeping over the fungus with breathtaking speed. Pirs of me roared dozens of metres into the air, the ashes burning so hot they started new fires wherever theynded. When the fuel had burned itself out, all that remained was charred ground that still sizzled with remembered heat. In the distance, the smoke still billowed up into the sky, the fungus burning over the horizon.

    But the silence was deafening. The Colony had expected to see the enemy boiling out of their tunnels to fight, filled with rage and ready to defend their precious garden. Instead, the mighty column of ants looked out over a barren field, devoid of the foe they sought.

    Leeroy stepped forward.

    "Let''s go," she said.

    Determined, the Immortals began to march. With luck, none of them would return. The Reliquary of Eternal Rest marched with them, the peaceful gaze of Cardigant upon their every step.

    With their heavily armoured shock troops in the lead, the rest of the army followed behind, flowing over thendscape like a natural disaster. The formation continued to be a tight column, the troops on high alert. This was not friendly territory; the ground did not belong to them.

    Every lump of dirt, every rock, every smouldering tree could conceal a tunnel or cavern filled with termites. Mages extended their senses as far as they could, even going so far as to harden the ground beneath them as they marched.

    Still, the termites did not emerge.

    The ka''armodo clearly held their charges on a tight leash. They would hold their monstrous army at bay until the ants had been drawn as far forward as possible.

    Despite knowing this, the Colony advanced. Their resolution did not waver. They would see the enemy destroyed here today, regardless of the tricks and stratagems. When the battle was done, one insect would reign supreme.

    Tense and alert, the army marched all the way to the mouth of the termite nest itself. Although repairs had been made, signs of the damage caused by the Eldest could still be seen, the horrific power that they had unleashed had scarred the mountain itself.

    It was here that the enemy finally made themselves known.

    Massed ranks of termites, thousands upon thousands, filled the wide nest entrance. Blind faces and long mandibles rose high as the ants came close enough for them to scent.

    On both sides the rage began to build, mandibles cked with piercing force, the sound echoing off the rock. Neither side could tolerate the other. Neither side would tolerate the other.

    When they were a kilometre apart, the Colony came to a halt, the long narrow column beginning to redeploy. Mages continued to firm up the ground and sense whatever they could of the tunnels beneath.

    Results were sketchy, they weren''t able to detect anything clearly. The ka''armodo had been busy, working against them to ensure they wouldn''t know where the surprise attack woulde.

    No matter, this was also within their expectations. In this, the final confrontation, nothing had been left to chance!

    The two armies faced each other across the open ground. The ants quivered with excitement, ready to unleash their wrath upon the termite foe.

    At the head of the column, the Immortals quivered even more intently, to the point their armour rattled against that of the soldier standing next to them. The constant drum beat of metal on metal filled the air, a deafening din that set every antenna on the mountain to quivering.

    "Damn it, Leeroy! Knock it off!" the Eldestined.

    Havingpletely lost focus at this point, the leader of the steel column took that as instructions to charge.

    "LEEEEEEEEROY!" she screamed.

 Chapter 895 Battle Begins (1006)

    <h4>Chapter 895 Battle Begins (1006)</h4>

    Rassan''tep watched with cold, reptilian amusement as the armoured shock troops of the Colony dove forward, seemingly at random. He had hoped the stand off between the two sides wouldst longer so he might further study the ants and the disposition of their forces. Knowing what he did now about them, it was far easier to recognise the amount of thought and effort they put into all they did, and the selflessness with which they acted.

    Even at rest, the column had been busily working. Vast flows of mana were constantly being channelled, energy sucked in to replenish the stores of mages who never ceased to manipte the earth and stone around them.

    Wary of ambush, they firmed the ground in stages as they had marched, the front ranks performing the initial hardening, the second condensing that, the third starting a newyer, and so on down the line. By the time the final ant had crossed a patch of ground, ten metres ofpressed stone were left beneath them.

    When they had stopped, face to face with the termite forces, the practice had only intensified; even now that the two sides were starting to converge, thousands of ants continued to work on the rock beneath them.

    Despite the somewhat surprising initial charge, the rest of the ant column moved with incredible coordination and efficiency. All along the formation,rge groups of ants broke off and advanced to a new position. The giant ka''armodo was fascinated to see some groups simply flow through each other and it took him a moment to realise the ants had simply climbed over each other without breaking stride, something his people would certainly struggle to do.

    In fact, having even a single ka''armodo step on another would be such a breach of protocol the entire concept was almost entirely alien to them.

    Before the armour-d heavy ants had reached their target, a massive volley of acid and magic was on its way. The termites seethed with blind rage under the direction of Rassan''tep''s people. He knew they wanted to attack, to boil out of the nest and destroy the insect army that had appeared before them, but he also knew they would be prevented from doing so.

    Which of course meant that the rain of acid fell upon the packed ranks of termites, burning their carapace and causing them to twitch and ck their mandibles with intense anger.

    The current breed had been protected against acid damage, but notpletely, the Colony would still exact their toll.

    And the firing was so disciplined!

    Thousands upon thousands of ants in neat ranks, taking turns to fire. First the ants in front, followed by those behind, all the way back through dozens of ranks, separate volleys of acid rising high into the air and arcing down to fall amongst the termites.

    The spray of loose droplets in the air painted an almost artistic picture, the sheer volume almost enough to summon a rainbow on its own.

    From high in the mountain, Rassan''tep was able to magically extend his view across the entire field of battle. A top down perspective that gave him an enviable seat for the uing spectacle. Of course his role was to provide intelligence to his people in order to aid their efforts in directing the battle, but hergely left that to the set''sh.

    Unlike those who he reluctantly called his allies in this conflict, he was convinced the fight was lost. Indeed, his main priority in the battle was to witness a potential Ancient on the rise.

    He leaned forward eagerly and turned his mind''s eye to the collision off the two sides.

    Despite their overwhelming numbers advantage and tightly packed ranks, the termites were not equipped to receive a charge as devastating as this. When the lead armoured ant rammed into the first termite, thetter was sent flying, soon joined in the air by the next in line. Chunks of chitin exploded into the air as carapaces were simply shattered under the force of the impact. It was thunderous, and it didn''t stop there. Though impossible to consider, the steel ants almost elerated as they threw themselves deeper into the enemy army. Despite the ferocity of their assault, they were still a narrow front, a de that had stabbed deep into the body of the termite army.

    Now the Colony''s own acid barrage fell on them, so deep had they gone.

    Rassan''tep was confused. Were they ever going to stop?

    The answer, apparently, was no. Further on they charged until finally they ground to a halt, their momentum exhausted. Surrounded on all sides by enemies, there were now tens of thousands of termites between the armoured ants and their allies.

    An interesting decision, and not one he could make much sense of. The ants must surely have a n, all of their actions were so deliberate, yet what it was he could not fathom. Despite being so young, there were aspects to the Colony that the old one just couldn''t understand. The strange, ornate thing the amoured ones carried with them into the heart of the termite army was another such thing.

    But where was Anthony?

    Along with his pets, he had not joined the headlong charge into the mouth of the nest, but had instead employed a more measured approach. Alongside a vast frontline of powerful soldier ants and sapient allies on foot, the massive, diamond covered ant strode forward without fear to engage the scattered termites left in the wake of that impressive charge.

    When the two sides met, Rassan''tep had a good idea how it would go, and he felt as if his people weren''t going to like it.

 Chapter 896 Assault on the Nest! (1007)

    <h4>Chapter 896 Assault on the Nest! (1007)</h4>

    Having the collective Will of over a hundred thousand sentient creatures flowing through you at once is... heady stuff. When all hundred thousand of them are baying for the blood of their ancestral enemies... it''s... difficult to stay level.

    When Leeroy rocketed off like an idiot it was all I could do not to race in after her. If I''d actually joined in on the predictably suicidal charge of the Immortals I might never have lived it down. Thest thing i want is for more of my siblings to join that stupid death cult. I can''t believe they carried their dead sister into battle... in a casket that spread pheromones saying "death ising!"

    I mean, that''s just not appropriate. The fact that Cardigant probably wouldn''t mind doesn''t matter in my books. Where''s the respect?

    I keep a steady stream of nonsense thoughts buzzing through my head as the front line of troops steps forward to engage the termites. The flood of Will pouring into me feels like a hive mind right now, the intent is so unified. It''s like an angry god is poking me right in the brain, demanding I kill termites.

    I''m going, alright? I''m going!

    Despite my best efforts to remain in control of myself, I find my mandibles quivering with eagerness. Resolutely I pull them back and lock them into ce as we continue our steady march forward.

    The termites wait to receive us, thousands upon thousands of them piled up in the entrance to their nest. Even without the ka''armodo controlling them, they would still be here ready to receive us, they know, deep down, what it means when the antse knocking on the nest.

    That''s right you blind cockroaches, either you fight us off or we bring the whole thing down on your heads! The nest, the brood, the queens, none of it will remain!

    Not the kings either, I suppose, though the idea of kings is just... weird. I mean... what for?

    No, Anthony! Don''t dismiss your own original gender as useless, even casually! Don''t forget your essential man-ness. Just because male ants are effectively useless and die almost immediately after they pass on their genes doesn''t mean you can throw away your inner self!

    Bah! Like it even matters. It''s time to fight!

    The nearest termite loomsrge in my eyes, rage and hate burning in every inch of its carapace and I leap forward, jaws ready to bite. That''s exactly how I feel about you, bud!

    CHOMP!

    My mandibles snap forward, filled with the anger of a hundred thousand ants and my foe reels back, or tries to, with the barbs of my jaws still stuck deep in its carapace.

    Gweheheheh. No escape for you, my friend.

    Which is when Tiny jumps over my head andnds on it, crushing the termite beyond recognition.

    [Oi! That one was mine!]

    [RAAAAA!] he bellows with his mind and body at the same time.

    The light of battle is burning in the big ape''s eyes already, no point wasting energy talking to him. I''ll just move onto the next one to vent the fury of the Colony that flows through me!

    Except when I turn and move around Tiny''s giant frame as he begins to hop lightly on his feet and unleash his devastating fists, I find Crinis is busy stuffing termites into her mouth whilst she drills into the minds of others and turns them against their foes.

    Dammit!

    [What''s wrong, master?] she asks innocently.

    [... nothing.]

    I can''t reallyin, it''s a battle after all. I''m just overflowing with this energy and I need to get rid of it!

    No problem. Tiny in front of me, Crinis on the left, I''ll just turn to the right.

    BOOM!

    An explosion rings out right next to me, vaporising a host of termites right in front of my face.

    [Yesssssssss,] Invidia purrs, pleased with himself.

    I can see the little demon behind me, his one eye glowing bright green, curved with glee. That little goblin knew I was going for them and is extra happy because he got to take them from me!

    Argh! I can''t take it anymore!

    [You guys fight here, I''m going to make sure that Leeroy is alright!]

    [Wait, Master! That wasn''t the n!]

    [ns never survives contact with the enemy, Crinis. This is the wisdom of the ancients. BAI!]

    So saying I ck my mandibles with glee, duck around Tiny and elerate madly.

    Gweheheheheh! They won''t stop me now. Bring on the termites, I''m ready for them! In fact, I don''t even have to reach them before I start fighting...

    I quickly charge my mandibles with a burst of gravity mana and yoink a nearby termite straight into my waiting jaws.

    CRUNCH!

    I toss the Biomass to the side and burst headlong into the termite ranks, glorying in the scrape and tter of their mandibles on my glorious carapace.

    Yes! Bring it on, all of you! I''ll take on ten thousand by myself soe and get it!

    VOID CHOMP!

    The foes gnashing in front of me are shredded in a couple of seconds as my most powerful bite is inflicted on them. Before that dreadful power, their meagre defences cannot hold.

    My stamina takes a massive hit with the use of the skill, but in the blink of an eye it starts to rocket up again. The vigorous will of the Colony is flooding through me, it''s impossible to be tired!

    You termites are in real trouble...

    Filled with vim, I begin toy about me with mandibles and acid, tearing through the termites with wild abandon as they rush forward, biting madly. They try totch onto my legs, to find the joints in my armour, or pull my antennae off, but I simply cannot be stopped. Every time they dig chunks out of my carapace, I repair them, the regeneration nd filling up so quickly I can trigger it with absurd rapidity. The small injuries they inflict on me just don''t have time to add up before I can wipe them away, and I don''t ever have to stop.

    So long as the Colony is with me, I won''t ever stop!

 Chapter 897 Going Deep (1008)

    <h4>Chapter 897 Going Deep (1008)</h4>

    "Eldest! What are you doing up here?" Leeroyined.

    "Hah. Thought you had a nice final stand setup here, did you? You thought you''d run far enough from the rest of the Colony that we wouldn''t be able to catch up and keep you alive? You should know better by now, Leeroy."

    "But don''t you need to rush deeper into the nest, Eldest?" she asks, hope still alive in her scent. "We can hold this position¡­ against overwhelming odds, even! Yes! We can stay here, battling to control the mouth of the nest to protect you¡­ until we fall one by one, tragically!"

    Wow, she worked that up in her head quickly.

    "No chance, Leeroy. I came up here strictly to keep you and all your followers alive. None of you are going to die while I''m here," I tell her firmly.

    "Dammit."

    "This sucks!"

    "Ruining everything¡­"

    "I was feeling good about today¡­"

    "Hey! Shut up over there! You think I can''t hear you? Don''t make me walk over there!"

    "Would you kill us if you did?"

    "What? No!"

    "Dammit..."

    "... you people need help. I''m going to get on that after this battle, you''ve had your fun. Now get back to fighting termites already. You''re cking."

    "... fine," the Immortals grumble and turn back to fighting, but it''s easy to see that the fire has gone out of them, which is madness.

    Here we are, deep in the entrance to the termite nest, their scent trails are all around us, along with literally tens of thousands of them all around us, climbing up the walls, and there are for sure thousands upon thousands more beneath us.

    If you aren''t pumped up for this then what the hell are you after?!

    I mean¡­ I know what the Immortals are after, but I can''tprehend it, so I can''t understand theirck of gusto. It''s not a problem though, I''ve got enough pep for all of us!

    Let me at ''em!

    Turning my back on the sulking corps of Immortals, I rush toward the outer edge of the formation and run right over the top of the armoured soldier in front of me, throwing myself into the waiting jaws of the frothing termite horde like a billionaire duckunching into a money collection.

    Even before Ind, the dark purple mana expands around me, the gravity domain revolving into existence to pull the termites down before I evennd. WIth plenty of brain power to spare, I pour all of my mental energy intopressing the mana as tight as possible before I release it and it''s pleasing to see the insects beneath me wobble under the additional pressure.

    And then I''m there, crashing into their lines, my jaws snapping and crushing as I raise my business district high and st the surroundings with a healthy dose of the Colony''s finest produce.

    Eat acid you suckers!

    As much as I want to let rip with my elemental magic, I have another use for that, but I won''t get the chance this soon in the fight. I''ll have to get a bit deeper before I can extract maximum value from those spells.

    For now, it''s up close and personal termite squashing action.

    An exterminator is required and I am here to answer the call! Unrestrained, I unleash all of my pent-up rage upon the enemy, channelling the intent of my entire family into my mandibles as I rip my way through the bugs in front of me.

    With the sheer volume of energy flooding through me I can void chomp regrly, every bite enough to smash ten termites at once. In the distance I can see the rest of the Colony pushing forward, grinding down the enemy and rolling them back towards where the Immortals and I are fighting.

    I don''t understand quite why the ka''armodo had their ve monsters build the entrance to the nest so wide, the wide path and high ceiling only narrow deeper in as the opening fades into darkness. Down there somewhere are the queens and brood chambers and we won''t leave until they are naught but ruins.

    I bite and bite as the termites throw themselves against me, climbing atop one another to take their shot, but with a hundred thousand members of the Colony in the area, I cannot be denied.

    No matter how long I fight, I don''t tire, and no matter how many small wounds they manage to pile up, I can heal them. In fact, the more I fight, the more energised I feel as the Colony seizes the upper hand and triumph surges in every member of my family.

    As I chomp, I keep one brain sifting through the impressions I get from my siblings through the Vestibule and I can tell that the battle is one sided so far. Against the might of this many ants, supported by their loyal militia of sentient buff givers, our enemy ispletely out matched.

    This is the Colony in its strongest form, you wood chomping morons! Did you really think you could stand against us?

    Muahahahahahaha!

    I keep merrily throwing myself into the thick of the fighting, as the main Colony force continues to draw closer. Just when I think I''ll have another five minutes to keep chomping away, I turn around to find arge pack of ants have arrived nearby.

    "Wha- where the heck did youe from?" I demand, surprised.

    "OhheyEldest! Hi-hi! Howarethingsgoingoverhere? Wethoughtwemightpopovertoseehowyou''redoing?"

    "Wait, what? I thought you came over because it was part of the n, I was just shocked you managed it without me noticing."

    She stares at me. I stare back.

    "You¡­ are here because of the n¡­ right?"

    "OfcourseIamSenior,don''tevenjokeaboutitanywayI''mgoingtofightsomemorebyeeeeeeeee"

    "How do you manage to identally follow the n?!"

    I shake my head in despair. I worry about this family sometimes. Most of the ants are straight down the line, but every now and again we get apletely nuts one and they lead a heap of others astray.

    It would be great if I could find the root source of the issue and stop it from happening anymore, but no matter how much I think about it, I just can''t identify where these nutters are taking their lead from. The leadership at the top of the Colony is rock solid¡­ for the most part.

    Could it be mother? She is a bit of a weird one¡­ perhaps she''s passing on those strange instincts to the eggs?

    I should ask her next time I see her. For now I have a battle to win.

 Chapter 898 Titanâ€™s Fall (1009)

    <h4>Chapter 898 Titan''s Fall (1009)</h4>

    Sloan watched the fighting from the backlines, though she desperately wished she could surge forward to battle alongside her siblings. As the general in charge of the field, she couldn''t afford to be so selfish, but with the hated nemesis of the Colony so close, it was hard to hold herself back.

    Her mandibles itched to crush the termite foe.

    s, she was more in control of herself than some idiot like Leeroy. Her fellow generals had to bake a reckless charge from the Immortals into every n. In fact, it was getting to the point that if they didn''t dash forward blindly, the entire battle n would be ruined.

    Luckily they''d timed Vibrant''s assault to bail out the heavy armoured ant brigade before they were in too much danger. Even the Eldest had rushed forward to ensure they wouldn''te to harm, another show of just how much the most powerful ant cared for even the dumbest members of the family.

    With a flick of her antennae, the general pushed such thoughts away and focused on the struggle.

    The front continued to advance as the Colony and their allies pushed into the jaws of the termite horde. The enemy packed the entrance to their nest, uncounted thousands of them and more arriving from the depths every passing moment. However, it didn''t seem to matter how many termites arrived at the front, the concentrated power of a hundred thousand ants was simply too much to be ovee.

    Ovepping auras from the generals supported the frontline troops who utilised their well drilled techniques to form an unbeatable wall of mandibles. Frontline healers kept the troops fighting in top condition, or pulled the heavily injured back for emergency treatment.

    Teams of mages and scoutsid down an irresistible barrage of fire support, a rain of spells and acid that wreaked havoc deeper into the nest. In the second row, the humans with their spears and the robed ones who apanied them spread their buff across as wide an area as possible, reinforcing the Colony''s advantage in quality over the enemy.

    Protected in the heart of the ant formation, a dedicated core of carvers, the most expert earth mages in the Colony, worked tirelessly to reinforce the ground on which the ants stood, burning through mana at a furious rate.

    "I like what I see," she announced to the team gathered with her in themand post. "We are grinding the termites down quickly enough, we should hold the mouth of the nest within the next thirty minutes."

    Despite their superiority in weaponry and tactics, it would be foolish to rush in and overextend themselves. The disciplined ranks of soldiers were making steady ground, shoving back the enemy and gaining ground one metre at a time.

    "What are our concerns? Threats?" she demanded of the others.

    "Assault from the nks," one general offered.

    "The formation can absorb it," she refuted the suggestion.

    They weren''t so foolish as to leave the weakest ants in the centre unprotected.

    "Tunnel copse," another said.

    "How are we looking?" she turned to her chief carver advisor.

    "The stone is holding strong," Tungstant replied. "They would need to copse half the mountain to destabilise the ground we stand on. They don''t have the minds for it."

    She nodded, satisfied.

    "Anything else?" she asked.

    "Magic assault from the ka''armodo."

    "Shield batteries standing by?" She turned to Cont.

    "Ready and waiting," the mage replied, calm and collected as ever.

    "Unseen termite variant?" another offered.

    "Can''t be ounted for at this time," she said.

    When no other suggestions came forward, Sloan nodded to herself and turned back to the fighting. Of course, each of these ideas had been hashed out extensively during their nning, but it helped to try and poke holes in the strategy as the battle continued. There was a chance they might spot something they had missed now that they were here watching everything unfold. If they detected their own weaknesses before the enemy did, it could be a turning point as they resolved issues even as their opponents sought to take advantage.

    The grind of war continued unabated as the minutes ticked by. Two hundred metres in front of her the soldiers ground on, biting, shoving, grappling, taking hits and giving them right back.

    The humans stepped forward, spears in hand to thrust into the gaps and inflict whatever wounds they could. In truth, their presence was far more valuable for the aura provided by the priests, but even so, they were stalwart warriors who did not flinch in the face of the enemy horde.

    Sloan and all her generals watched intently as the battle continued, the flow continuing to be in their favour. Indeed, themand post had to be moved forward a hundred metres in order to keep up with the troops as they pushed deeper.

    In fact, the Colony had been so sessful at iming ground they had driven the termites deep into the mouth of the nest, the bulk of the fighting now under the shadow of the mountain. The leading ants had already set foot below ground, starting to advance into the first of the enemy tunnels.

    At that moment, something changed.

    A deep, resounding crack was heard, setting every antenna` to wiggling with vibrations. Sloan''s head snapped to the mountain from where the sound had reverberated.

    Another crack, so loud it sounded as if the world itself was being snapped in half, followed by a profound rumbling. It was difficult to see what was happening at first, and the ants packed into themand post strained their eyes to see what was happening.

    It was difficult to spot, since the movement was simply sorge. Eventually, it became clear what was happening. The mountain itself was shearing in half. In mere moments, millions of tons of rock would fall, not only on the ants, but on the still battling termite forces as well.

    "Countermeasures!" Sloan roared and the ants around her scrambled to obey, the orders rippling through the army in seconds.

    The rumbling grew deeper and more intense as an entire mountainside began to fall, the tip leaning precipitously forward as it tore away. In the mouth of the nest, a hundred thousand ants looked up to see a literal mountain copsing on them, yet none moved to run or flee.

    Instead they waited, as thousands of mages strained their minds to breaking point, the mana whipping through the air like a hurricane.

 Chapter 899 Hold the Line (1010)

    <h4>Chapter 899 Hold the Line (1010)</h4>

    Overhead, the rock face of an entire mountain rushed down to meet them, the roar of tearing stone deafening to all in the mouth of the nest. Advant looked up, her mandibles set in grim determination. What happened next wasn''t up to her, but she would believe in her sisters.

    "Ignore the mountain!" she spread the message with confidence. "Drive the enemy back into the nest! Push!"

    As good as her words, she dove back into the conflict, mandibles snapping. She used her mass and thick carapace to bully and shove at the termites, breaking up their line and knocking them off bnce with sheer strength.

    Even blind as they were, the termites could still detect something was wrong, Advant could see it in the way their antennae twitched frantically. The air was thick with rival pheromones as they sted each other. They wanted to rebel against the control thaty over them, wanted to defend their nest, protect their queen, repair the damage, but they couldn''t. The lizards wouldn''t let them.

    The Colony general almost felt sorry for them. The termites were little more than ves, denied their natural patterns of behaviour and forced to throw their lives away in an attempt to bring down a superior insect.

    Of course, there was no pity for the termite scum. They had to be eliminated, there was simply no other choice.

    Up and down the line, the ants continued to push forward, heedless of the copsing mountainside dropping on their heads. Bite, push, charge, pull back, bite. They fell into the repetitive pattern of insect warfare, willpower and grit were more important than skill in this contest.

    BOOM!

    She heard a mighty eruption, followed by a colossal shower of dirtunching into the sky at several points behind her. She didn''t react or turn, but her range of vision allowed her to see the enormous spires rising into the sky.

    As a front line soldier, she hadn''t been party to the full n, but she trusted her siblings. There was no way that Sloan hadn''t ounted for something like the lizards trying to drop the mountain on them.

    Fuelled by thousands ofbined minds, eight spires of condensed stone grew upwards, rapidly sprouting trees of rock that raced into the sky. As the frontline pushed ever deeper into the falling mountain, the huge rock projections of the Colony''s mages drove straight into the falling mountain.

    Advant ignored it all. The stone screamed above her head, sheared stone began to rain down as splintered chunks of rock broke off from the main body. Anythingrge enough to damage the ants fighting beneath was deflected with shields or broken apart with other magic. All the while the pirs continued to expand and push deeper, seeking to hold up the mountain.

    "Push!" she roared at her troops and they responded admirably, driving into the teeth of the enemy. They were inside the nest now, the path sloping down sharply, plunging into the dark below where thousands more termites awaited them.

    Above, pandemonium reigned as the Colony mages strove to hold back the heavens. It was more than an avnche, overhead it seemed as if the sky itself were falling.

    But they didn''t waver.

    Down came the wall of rock, impaled upon the mighty pirs the mages had erected, still it fell. The closer it came, the slower it fell, but still it fell.

    Until a vast field of purple light flickered into existence around the Eldest.

    It quickly expanded, overtaking the already deployed gravity domain, which faded away, rising high and epassing the falling stone in a heartbeat. Immediately, the speed of descent slowed, their imminent crushing held off a moment longer.

    Time that the Colony put to good use.

    More pirs thrust upward from the ground, stone taking shape in seconds to rise and support the mountain further. The existing structures branched out and expanded further, desperately seeking to hold the weight.

    Advant felt her heart lighten as the Eldest acted to save them, deploying their own mana to hold back the mountain.

    Or perhaps¡­ her whole body felt light?

    She was caught in the field too! In fact, if she didn''t grip the ground tightly, she might just lift into the air!

    "Eldest?!" she demanded, worried.

    "I can''t direct this all that well!" therge ant called back. "But they better hurry up, I can''t hold it for long!"

    Despite having no talent for magic ¡ª she didn''t even have the mana sight skill ¡ª Advant could feel the vast rush of energy channelled by the Colony. An invisible tornado of raw power whipped around her and the other soldiers, who did their best to ignore it and focus on the fight.

    The humans weren''t so dedicated, but she appreciated the grim determination on their faces, even if their faces had turned pale and their eyes wild. Just like the ants, they held the line as the world came crashing down above them.

    An ocean of mana swept around them, manipted by sixty thousand mages working in perfect harmony. Formed and shaped with the will of the Colony, the energy flooded into the ground, strengthening the pirs and branching out within the copsed stone above.

    The rock came lower and lower, so low that Advant had begun to crouch unconsciously as she shoved and bit at the foe in front of her.

    Then it stopped.

    With a lurch that could be felt in the ground beneath her feet, the falling mountain crunched, creaked and then stilled. A few momentster, the energy of the Eldest vanished as the giant ant slumped to the side.

    "Eldest!" Advant called.

    "Hey, no worries," the Eldest wheezed back, "give me a few seconds and I''ll be right as rain. Just cooked my brains a touch. That was rough."

    Somehow, her siblings had done it. Even dropping half the entire mountain on them hadn''t been enough to stop the Colony from advancing. Pride and triumph surged in her heart. When they worked together, nothing could stop them, there was nothing that they couldn''t achieve.

    "PUSH FORWARD!" she roared once more. "Their tricks will not avail them!"

    "Let''s go again! LEEEEEEROY!"

    "Damnit Leeroy! Not you!"

 Chapter 900 Going Deep(er) (1011)

    <h4>Chapter 900 Going Deep(er) (1011)</h4>

    It is difficult to say how the Colony''s attitude to the pets raised by the eldest came to be what it is today. There was always a level of respect afforded to them, naturally; they were allies and assistants to the Eldest, and therefore allies to all of us. Some of the dignity and power of the most august ant, the first among equals, attached itself to them.

    But that began to change as we and they continued to develop. Our society grew more sophisticated, our understanding of pets and their attitudes more developed, and at the same time, they were changing. They grew stronger, learned, fought, evolved and with the astonishing level of freedom and independence that the Eldest fostered in them, they began to interact with us in new ways.

    The Shadow began to contact¡­ some ants¡­ in ndestine ways, seeking to assist in their task and develop their skills, teaching them the ways of the darkness.

    The Storm would often go out of its way to help hunters in need, sharing food and protecting them from harm. Many would tell stories of the Storm descending from above and smashing foes to bits, before being patted on the carapace and fed Biomass.

    The Eye was much less inclined to interact with the Colony at first, its taciturn and hoarding nature precluding such activities. But with time, this changed. When the Colony had something to teach, the Eye would always appear, ready to learn, and exchange knowledge in return.

    We called them Guardians for a long time, as they protected and defended the Eldest from harm, but in time they grew into that name, and became defenders of us all.

    - From the notes of Historiant.

    [Holy moly! There''s a ton of the buggers,] I exim to my pets.

    [Perhaps the ka''armodo were holding back their true numbers to prevent losing too many in the copse, Master.]

    [That makes a lot of sense, Crinis. Good thinking.]

    I notice the dark tentacles il wildly for a moment before they steady and go back to extracting their terrible toll on the enemy.

    She''s getting much better at takingpliments, it''s good to see.

    And she''s likely right. Now that their whole "cutting the mountain in half" strategy has failed them, the lizards seem to be getting desperate. From out of the deep tunnels an absolute tidal wave of termites is breaking, climbing up all of the walls andunching themselves at us with unbridled ferocity.

    To make matters even more interesting, they burst out from side tunnels as well, rushing into the nks of the Colony formation, much as we''d predicted. Even if it''s all within expectations, that doesn''t mean we aren''t almost entirely surrounded by a ravening horde of termites on their home turf.

    It''s the final gambit of the ka''armodo, they need to drive us back or drag us down, and fast.

    Naturally, I feel delighted to disappoint them.

    [Tiny, time to go loud. Light ''em up. Invidia, you go second. Once that''s done, we dive.]

    [RAAAAAAH!]

    The big ape''s mind and body harmonise and he unleashes a mighty bellow with both, exploding with electricity before hurling it around him in deadly bolts. The sheer amount of juice Tiny can output nowadays is slipping right off the scale and he takes full advantage of the wattage, unleashing a devastating electrical storm that savages the termites within the narrowing tunnel entrance.

    If they had wiring in this ce, it''s wrecked now¡­.

    Filled with fury and glee, my first ally in the Dungeon throws himself down the tunnel, bursting everything around him with punishing bolts of lightning that sizzle through the air, leaving a sharp tang on my antennae. All around, termites are dropping like flies, zapped right in their big dumb faces by a massive, gori shaped zapper.

    I plunge forward to join the ape in his mad assault, Void Chomping whenever I need to clear space in front of me as Crinis and Invidia rush along behind.

    It''s all going great for Tiny, he''s having the time of his life, roaring and smiting as he goes, until it alles to an abrupt and sudden end. It''s obvious he hasn''t been keeping track of how much he had left in the tank as he suddenly runs out of spark mid-leap andnds in the centre of a termite cluster. He immediately bes covered in a gnawing pack of bug monsters, the confused expression on his face covered by termites.

    Crinises to his rescue, her tentacles snapping out, dozens at a time to wrap around the offending enemies and rend them into bite-size delectables.

    Which means it''s now Invidia''s turn.

    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

    Repeated explosions rock the tunnel entrance as the envious little demon, his eye ring a bright green, begins to unleash his pent up frustration. What could be more painful for an Envy Demon than to watch someone else get all the experience and glory while you''ve been ordered to sit and wait?

    That''s why Tiny always goes first.

    Filled with ire and the need to satisfy his obsession, Invidia explodes into action, with explosions! The tunnel descending down into the bowels of the nest before us is lit with repeated detonations. The termites have thick carapace and can take an unusual amount of punishment for their tier. Each time the demon casts his spell, he doesn''t actually finish off that many of them, but he often dislodges their grip, sending them tumbling down into the darkness, scrabbling at each other and clearing our way forward.

    I quickly check behind me to see the Colony fiercely defending the ground they''ve taken in the nest entrance, but halting their advance for now. Even Leeroy, somehow, has restrained herself and the Immortals hold position on the front line, several of them igniting into glorious, healing mes.

    It''s time to finish this war.

    [Give it to them, Invidia! Let''s see theser!]

    [Yesssssssss!]

    Ance of pure green light sts through the darkness, annihting every termite it touches. We follow along as he flutters ahead of us, the deadly beam of destruction both lighting, and securing our descent.

    When he finally runs out of power and the power of his eye fades away, the four of us pull together and continue our trek into the heart of the termite nest. The Colony is depending on us to finish the fight and I''ll be damned if I let the family down.

 Chapter 901 Heart of the Nest (1012)

    <h4>Chapter 901 Heart of the Nest (1012)</h4>

    Down in the darkness we plunge. It''s strange. Normally this kind of environment would be so familiar, so weing to me, it''s a social insect nest after all, but it just¡­ doesn''t. Instead, it feels alien, and twisted from everything it should be.

    There are noforting pheromones of my family spread across the walls and floor, no warm messages or encouragement or friendly reminders to get some rest or they''lle for you. Instead there''s an omnipresent, suffocating stink that coats my antennae and makes me twitch in difort. The design of the nest is also not what I would expect. Despite being simr(ish) creatures, the construction of an ant nest isn''t all that simr to a termite nest, depending on the variety of termite and ant you choose topare.

    The flow of air through the tunnels isn''t what I would expect, theplex venttion systems these cockroach descended mugs build are all about temperature control, ensuring that exactly two ces inside their fortress are always kept at the perfect temp: the fungus garden and the queen''s chamber.

    Which means if I follow the warm air current¡­ I should be able to find the royal family¡­

    And of course, the other unweing and disconcerting aspect of this nest is the neverending hordes of termites and their desperate attempts to rip me limb from limb. Naturally, that goes without saying.

    The four of us continue our push, advancing steadily into the nest and refusing to allow ourselves to get surrounded. With the Colony warring on the surface, the termite forces are divided, allowing our small team, with its overwhelming, concentrated power, to dive deep without being overwhelmed.

    [Crinis, do you sense anything?] I call to the writhing mass of tentacles flowing along behind me.

    [I sense too many of them to be sure of anything. They''re all around us, the disgusting filth! How dare theyy a single w on Master¡­]

    [I mean¡­ we are trying to kill them.]

    [Our cause is just!]

    [Going to leave that well enough alone. How about you Invidia?]

    [Thisssss wealth. I shall havesssss it all!]

    [I mean¡­ what wealth? Are you talking about the Biomass?]

    That bulging eye glitters, darkly.

    [Yesssssss.]

    [We don''t have time to eat! We need to find the queen''s chambers, dammit!]

    [I will havessss them too,] he assures me quietly.

    [Just look for concentrations of mana, would you?]

    I turn to Tiny. He looks back at me.

    [Just punch stuff, Tiny. You''re doing good,] I sigh.

    He grins and continues to do just that. I know I can''t depend on him for anything requiring any more brainpower than that. I swear to goodness I''m going to force him to raise his Cunning to 30 on the next evolution.

    [Master! I think I have something, another hundred metres down, on our right.]

    [Any idea what it is?]

    [I can''t be sure, but it feels heavily warded. I can''t stretch my shadow sight into the chamber. Perhaps the ka''armodo have shielded it?]

    Sounds promising. Maybe we''ll find what we''re looking for, or maybe we''ll find the ka''armodo themselves. I''m totally happy with either oue, if I''m telling the truth.

    I''ve got words for those ka''armodo¡­

    [Bomb out! Pull back, people!]

    As the crew ducks behind me I unleash the gravity bomb i''d been preparing with a flex of my will. The small sphere of slowly rotating doom howls down the tunnel, dragging termites to their unfortunate crushing demise. That''ll slow the speed of reinforcements from this tunnel at least.

    [That''s thest of the gravity mana for the time being,] I warn the others. [I spent almost all of it on the mountain thing.]

    If only the Vestibule could help recharge my mana, but s that wouldpletely break the thing. Having virtually endless amounts of stamina and replenishing my other organs, such as acid and regeneration, is already bonus enough.

    [Once the bomb vanishes, we''ll need to rush forward. To try and get some depth. I don''t want to be left hanging onto the wall here any longer than we need to.]

    [We will have all their secretssssss,] Invidia purrs.

    Down in the darkness, the mad shrieking of the air and the panicked chittering of mandibles can be heard. We cling to the wall, our ws, tentacles and fingers lodged deep into the stone to prevent being pulled down into the crush.

    When it fades away, we leap down, throwing ourselves out into the almost vertical shaft and plummeting through the air. The termites behind us thrash wildly, but catch themselves before they join us in our fall, putting a gap between us and them.

    We drop for dozens of metres before we catch hold of the wall again, our huge mass causing us to carve deep grooves into the rock as we arrest our descent.

    When we finally stop, I look down and see the tunnelwork below us boiling with termites. They''re furious. They''re desperate.

    They''re afraid.

    I can practically smell it on them. I recognise that terror in their eyes, because it''s exactly what I''ve seen in my own siblings when the Queen has risked herself in battle.

    We''re close!

    [Go crazy guys, we aren''t far from the target!]

    In response to my call, my three pets unleash their best and most powerful skills upon the hapless termites. Even if some of them are tier five, even if they''ve been able to mutate multiple organs, none of the bugs can stand up to the power of a perfect tier six monster.

    Tentaclessh, fists fly and explosions roar as the surging masses of termites are beaten back by a devastating barrage from my allies. With the limited time I have, I cast about with my most tenuous sense.

    If there''s one thing I know about termite queens, it''s that they chonky, among thergest of all social insects. Interestingly, they aren''t born that way, in fact termite queens are essentially a normal member of the colony, and when they die, they''re reced by another who takes up the role, unlike most ant colonies who die along with their progenitor.

    But once they do take up the role, they undergo a transformation, their gaster swelling and lengthening to ridiculous proportions, over ten times the length of the rest of them. All that space is taken up with thousands upon thousands of eggs which are born at a rate of one every three seconds. If I understand the Dungeon and monsters at all, those queens are going to be even bigger than they should bepared to the soldier termites we see, and pumping out eggs even faster than that.

    All of that concentrated heft must generate some potent gravity, and I''m gonna find it!

    It''s not easy. The walls around me are alive with gravitational pulses from hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of individual creatures. They pile on top of each other and swarm all over the ce, sending out strong signals that muddy the waters¡­

    Aha!

    [I have them! It''s close!] I tell the others.

 Chapter 902 Heart of the Nest pt 2 (1013)

    <h4>Chapter 902 Heart of the Nest pt 2 (1013)</h4>

    Big ''ol chunk of mass, surrounded by many more, smaller chunks of mass. Huge amounts of toing and froing. It has to be the queen''s chamber. There''s no way the termites would allow egg production to cease, not even during a crisis. Especially during a crisis.

    How is a social insect supposed to ovee its challenges? With overwhelming numbers! I didn''te here with a half of a million of my own siblings because I love theirpany!

    Although I do¡­

    [Can you sense it Crinis?]

    [I can''t¡­ this whole area is shielded.]

    My shadowypanion of death and darkness sounds frustrated, unusual for her, but I can understand it. For someone who started offpletely blind, Crinis has evolved to the point where she''s possibly the most visually acute of us all. She can''t see light, but she can see mana, and shadows, and use both to ''see'' through walls and deep into solid rock. Not being able to look at something right in front of her face must be a weird sensation.

    [It''s fine,] I assure her, [this is it. We just need to dig our way through. You three keep them off of me and I''ll take care of the rest.]

    Zen of digging, activate!

    Not that I want to actually rx here, that would be profoundly unwise, but I do need to get my dig on in a serious way. I aim myself in the direction I need to dig and begin to pump my mandibles with furious energy, ripping into the stone. Haha! Making good progress here. At this point in my journey, I can cut through regr stone like it''s butter. I''m just too strong and too heavily mutated to be resisted when ites to digging!

    THUNK!

    Ouch! That is to say¡­ unless you go ahead and heavily reinforce the rock. That one chomp has set my entire face to wobbling. What the heck did they do to this stone?

    I scratch and scrabble at the wall to clear some space and get a good view before I set my antennae to tapping and my mana sense probing.

    Holy moly! They''ve done some work on this¡­ in fact¡­ I''m not even sure what it is that they did. It''s not condensed rock, that''d ping my gravity sense due to how much heavier it is. They''ve done something else entirely¡­ this is a different type of rock from the stuff surrounding it. It''s chock full of mana, I can tell that much. In fact, it''s likely to be a big part of why Crinis can''t see beyond this point. The enchantments they''ve used may even be plugged into this material itself.

    Behind me, my three friends are desperately trying to stave off a ravenous horde of termites and are bound to sumb if I take too long. The sound of skittering legs and gnashing mandibles is almost deafening in the narrow confines of the tunnel. I have to work fast!

    Without a second thought, I pump earth mana into my mandibles, vastly increasing their cutting power, lock my jaws into ce, and let it rip.

    CRUNCH!

    Oof! I¡­ I did it! A little bit! My mandibles have managed to rip two long grooves out of the mysterious stuff, but I haven''t been able to rip through it like I would have liked. I could get through it like this, but I don''t have the time to waste. I have to roll out the big guns!

    VOID CHOMP COMBO!

    I brace myself and unleash my most potent bite eight times in rapid session, draining my stamina to almost nothing. In fact, by the time thest bite ms shut, my vision nearly nks out for a long moment. Thankfully I have a half million ants close by and in seconds I can feel my strength returning.

    [Master, are you all right?]

    [I''m fine, just a little winded,] I tell her. [I''ve cleared the way, let''s go!]

    I jump through the opening I created and feel my pets following along close behind. What I see spread out before me is a scene from a horror movie.

    We have indeed breached the inner sanctum of the termites, and boy oh boy, have they been busy. The chamber itself isrge, over a hundred metres across andpletely lined with that strange stone. Opposite from us I can see a weird sort of observation chamber shielded behind a shimmering pane of ss. It''s currently empty, but I can easily imagine that this is where the ka''armodo conducted their experiments and modifications on the queens.

    And queens is the right word.

    Below us are six, SIX, heaving, pulsating, white blobs of insane egg production. The queens are massive, their abdomens swollen to over twenty metres in length. A constant stream of termites rush into the chamber, delivering ton after ton of precious Biomass farmed in the caverns below to the royal majesties who are spamming out eggs at a stupid rate.

    How can I know that? I can see it!

    Behind each of the six queens is a freakin'' queue of workers waiting to grab the next clutch and let me tell you, those lines are moving fast. Forget about one every three seconds, this is more like three per second! Times six!

    There must be millions of termites packed into this nest! Just how many workers do they have tending to the fungus?!

    It has to be a lot to maintain the kind of production I''m seeing here¡­.

    The ka''armodo must really have lost their minds. Imagine if this had gotten out of their control, which it most likely would have. This colony of termites would have been a gue on the fourth stratum. With the start the lizards had given them, along with the power they would have gained from annihting the mother tree, it would have been a nightmare to get rid of them.

    [Master!]

    [Oh, shoot!]

    No time to get distracted. We have entered the very heart of the nest and the termites are not happy. Sensing that their precious queens and brood are at risk, they are going absolutely mental. Even the much smaller worker termites who swarm all over the chamber are posturing aggressively at us, trying to jump up to our level and bite at my legs.

    [Stick to the n, people! We need to drop down a level. Tiny, I need you to punch a hole in the floor, do you think you can manage it?]

    BOOM!

    [Nice! Down we go!]

    The four of us jump down, Crinis clinging to my carapace and Invidia holding onto Tiny''s back. We pass the queens, who chitter menacingly at us, though I''m not particrly threatened since¡­ they literally can''t move, and drop down to the level below, which happens to be filled with angry termites.

    [Crinis, take care of crowd control!]

    [Die, trash!]

    [Oookay. Invidia, focus on barricading us in and I''ll get to work on the spell.]

    Eye aze with power, my little demon puts his overwhelming mental powers to the task and begins to create thickened barriers of stone around us even as Crinis slides into the shadows and starts to annihte the worker termites. Tiny busies himself smacking everything nearby, but I notice that even his unbreakable fist is suffering after blowing a hole in that rock. His bones haven''t broken, but the poor guy''s fingers have certainly seen better days.

    I''d heal him if I could, but I have to focus all of my brains and every drop of mana I have on this next spell.

    Things are about to get¡­ volcanic!

 Chapter 903 Explosivo (1014)

    <h4>Chapter 903 Explosivo (1014)</h4>

    We warred for survival. That was our driving motivation for so long that when we eventually reached the point that survival wasn''t threatened, we almost didn''t know how to act. We had established enough power, enough allies, that the forces who sought to exterminate us were unwilling to pay the cost, and thus secured our ongoing existence.

    Some theorise that it is only when one doesn''t have to struggle day to day that their true personality can shine through. In that case, this period would reveal who the Colony was, what our priorities were, and who we saw ourselves being in the future.

    Even the Eldest, so often the driving force behind our development and direction, stepped into the background. Left to our own devices, the Colony had to search deep within itself to find a new direction, a new channel in which to ce its bottomless energy.

    Excerpt from the private notes of Historiant

    Turns out, it takes a lot of mana to create a volcanic eruption.

    [Stay away from the master you trash! Die!]

    [GRAAAAAH!]

    [Ssssurrender your livesss to me!]

    BOOM! BOOM!

    And it requires an extreme level of concentration and focus.

    [Sumb to fear! Retreat from the shadows!]

    [Ahhh. The experience isss mine!]

    [HRAAAAAAAAA!]

    [Can you keep it down, dammit! I''m trying to focus!]

    [Sorry, Master!]

    I take a moment to push away my irritation. It''s not exactly reasonable to expect them to be quiet as they protect me from an unending torrent of furious termites.

    [It''s fine. Do your best up there and I''ll try and get this ready as quickly as possible.]

    [Okay!]

    Invidia and I have created a little bunker for us to huddle in, but it doesn''t take long for therger termite soldiers to start scissoring away at it. Even the workers are capable of nibbling at the stone and tearing it down piece by piece. Since neither I, nor Invidia have the energy to spend on repairing it, we are bing more exposed as time passes.

    I suppose the little demon could divert his attention to whipping up some stone, but personally I''d rather have him on explosion duty.

    Gah! This spell is such a freakin'' pain in the noggin!

    Multiple types of mana flow out of the omni-elemental construct at a constant rate, each seized by my mind constructs and condensed before they are added to the intricate weave that is this spell. Its structure is almost like a spherical cake, one with dozens of wafer thinyers that surround an explosive, condensedva core.

    Not something that I want to be standing next to when it goes off, but I don''t know how long it takes to detonate after I finish it.

    Exciting!

    [Master! There''s more of theming!]

    [More? How in the name of all that is ant can there be more?!]

    [I don''t know, but they managed somehow!]

    I shift to look and what do you know, she''s right. It''s horrifying, but also fascinating to see. The termites flood around the tunnel corner like literal water, a densely packed wave that sloshes and froths as individuals are sent tumbling or flying by the sheer weight of mass behind them.

    Word must have gotten out to the wider nest that the queens were under threat. Naturally they drop everything, no matter what is happening, toe and defend the queen. In fact, the ka''armodo might have found their mental control breaking if they tried to deny the termites their most basic instinct.

    I wager there''s a few lizards with mighty headaches out there right about now.

    [There''s nothing I can do about it!] I tell them. [Unleash everything you''ve got. I need more time!]

    [I-I''ve got it, Master.]

    [I hasssss it! Givesss it to me!]

    Invidia bursts out, his eye crackling with power as he unleashes his devastating eye beam. In fact, he appears to have supercharged it this time, the green light shredding through everything it touches. It looks like it''s shredding anything that even gets close to it! Holy moly you little eyeball, you''ve been holding back on me!

    Except now his eye is bleeding, thick ichor dripping onto the tunnel floor beneath his hovering form. That is less cool.

    [Don''t overdo it, Invidia,] I tell him. [We''re okay.]

    [We willssss be,] he replies with supreme confidence.

    As much as I want to worry about him, I can''t. Instead, I turn and pour all of my attention into the spell, weaving threads with all the delicacy and speed I can muster. Within, the omni-elemental construct spins and whirls as raw mana is pumped in one end and converted into the elements I need.

    Just managing the damn thing is taking me five mind-constructs!

    Come on mana, just¡­ frickin¡­ work!

    [BWAHA!] I cry out in triumph. [I''ve got it!]

    [Is the spellplete?] Crinis asks.

    [Heck yeah! Check it out!]

    [Master¡­ shouldn''t we run?]

    [Oh, right.]

    When it''s finished, the spell shes into existence, a hovering sphere that has almost every drop of mana I had within me contained inside. Coated in a jagged, rocky exterior, the spell begins to radiate immense heat just a few seconds after Iplete it. As impressive as it is, we need to get the heck out of here.

    [Which way isn''t covered in termites?]

    [None of them!]

    Well nards.

    [Then let''s make a new one! This way!]

    My brains creak as I draw on them again, grabbing hold of ambient mana and yanking it into my drained core. From there I pump it into the omni construct and grab hold of the earth mana thates out the other side, which I flood into my mandibles.

    [We''re digging our way out!]

    I throw myself at the wall and start ripping into it even as I use the mana I''ve created to break up and soften it. A blizzard of stone chips and loose soil is funnelled behind me as I pump my jaws, repeatedly using thebo skills.

    The second I clear enough space, the other three pile in behind me, Tiny fending off the ravenous horde with his feet as they rush in behind him. Even now I can feel the heat building behind me, starting to conduct through the stone around us. It must be zing hot down there next to the thing.

    Keep on digging, Anthony! Dig like your life depends on it!

    The next few seconds are spent desperately scrabbling. Even Crinis uses her tentacles to tear and sweep at the earth as we try and gain even just a few more metres of space.

    Then therees a deep rumbling, followed by a shattering CRACK that resounds throughout the mountain.

    Thenes theva.

 Chapter 904 Eruption (1015)

    <h4>Chapter 904 Eruption (1015)</h4>

    Dig, dig, dig, dig, DIG, DIG, DIG!

    The mountain shakes beneath us as a catastrophic BOOM rips through the nest and the temperature skyrockets again. The tunnel opening behind us glows brightly before the first hint ofva is seen.

    [Invidia! Block it off, quick!]

    Another BOOM shakes the stone around us as Invidia quickly weaves stone to protect us. Experience notifications are starting to pour in, but I don''t have the time to pay them any attention. Instead, my focus is on pumping my jaws as quickly as possible.

    Have. To. Dig!

    My earth mana infused mandibles rip through the dirt and stone at incredible speed, but we have a long way to go before we reach safety. Just how powerful is this spell going to be? I knew it would pack a punch simply based on the amount of mana andplexity required, and Ipressed all the energy I poured into it for good measure. Even so, this literal mountain-shaking response is more than I expected.

    In fact, I so didn''t expect it that I''m once again at risk of getting roasted by my own spell. I really need to work on this issue, I''vee closer to ending my second life than my opponents have.

    Enough thinking! More digging!

    My face is on fire, even with the refreshing energy of the Colony rushing through my body. Thebo biting doesn''t stop, and Crinis does her best to sweep away the loose material and funnel it behind us.

    [The sssstonesss won''t holdsss!]

    I shift my head slightly and I can see the "plug" that Invidia has been working on is starting to crack, the seams glowing bright as the rock heats up. Poor Tiny still has a foot on it, and he yanks it off as his skin starts to sizzle.

    Ah, nards. This is going to get hairy.

    [I''ll help with the rock, keep pushing!]

    I divert some of my minds to helping channel earth mana, hardening theyer of rock being pushed up behind us by theva pressure. The only thing that gets us out of here is if we break through!

    Chompchompchompchompchomp!

    Come on!

    My next bite ms through the rock and I feel the resistance break as I blow through into a tunnel.

    [Get through! Gogogogogogo!] I roar at my allies.

    I dive through the opening to clear the way and am immediately dived on by a dozen termites who start gnawing on my antennae and pulling at my legs.

    I don''t have time for you morons!

    VOID CHOMP!

    It feels like the muscles in my face are on the verge of snapping, but I unleash my potent bite and evaporate the offending cockroaches, only to find a hundred more in their ce.

    Because of course there are.

    Their nest might be copsing around them, but are they going to let the opportunity to gnaw on me pass them by? Of course not!

    I wonder if the ka''armodo are still in control of them. Actually¡­ it''s possible the lizards have just abandoned ship at this point. Alternatively, they may be directing the termites to munch on me in an attempt to secure vengeance.

    Either way, they aren''t going to get what they want.

    [Hustle! We need to get uphill.]

    It''s easy to tell which direction slopes upwards and we scramble to get to higher ground, pummeling any insect that gets in our way. Not a moment too soon, because only a few seconds after we clear our emergency tunnel, a burst ofva jets out of it, roasting all in the area.

    Our little tunnel is now acting as ava hose, more and more of the stuff beginning to burst out each passing second, the flow increasing as time goes by.

    Just how muchva ising out of that damn spell?!

    RUMBLE.

    At that moment, an ominous shake rattles through the mountain, sending the fine hairs on my antennae trembling. What the heck was that?

    [Crinis¡­ the fungus gardens were beneath us when we cast that spell¡­ right?]

    [I think so, Master.]

    [And that fungus is¡­ highly mmable¡­ right?]

    [Yyyyes¡­ yes it is.]

    [Plops.]

    RUMBLE.

    [MOVE IT, PEOPLE! SHE''S GONNA BLOW!]

    Ignoring the termites who try to cling to us and pull us down, we push, shove and dash our way further up the tunnel. I frantically check my tunnel map, trying to get a sense of the fastest way to the surface.

    [Here! Straight up!]

    I rocket up the side of the tunnel and onto the roof before I m my face into the ceiling and start chewing a new tunnel. The ground below us is steadily being covered inva and the slower-moving termites are already ame. Things are getting toasty, real quick.

    [Get up here, Tiny!] I yell at the ape as I burrow into the new tunnel.

    Face filled with concentration, the big ape leaps up and digs his thick fingers into the stone, Invidia clinging to his back as he hauls himself up behind me.

    A blizzard of stone chips and dirt fills the space around me as I turn myself into a tunnel-digging threshing machine. If this entire mountain is about to go up in smoke, I don''t want to be in it!

    After a minute, though I swear I aged a hundred years in those sixty seconds, we crash through thestyer of stone. I immediately roll out of the way to see the mountain towering over me, and that thing is smoking.

    I don''t mean it''s an attractive mountain, though I mean, I''m sure it''s fine as mountains go. No, I mean it is literally smoking.

    A secondter, Crinis, Tiny and Invidia burst out of the tunnel and into the clear.

    Then fire.

 Chapter 905 Exploding Mountain, Burning Heart (1016)

    <h4>Chapter 905 Exploding Mountain, Burning Heart (1016)</h4>

    The mages have achieved a strange dichotomy that canrgely be attributed to the identities of the Council members who came to lead them. The two not only differ in the magics that they choose to employ, but also the tactics. Where Propent favours direct, forceful action, and the application of excessive force to achieve a goal, Cont is more subtle and desires efficiency of resources, though it may take her longer toplete her objective.

    At first, this didn''t matter so much as the two cooperated well, and indeed, they still do. But as the caste grewrger, the two of them were no longer able to oversee all the mage ant activities, having to pass certain responsibilities on to their subordinates.

    At first, this also didn''t matter; all of the members of the Colony are family, after all, and despite their differences, they will work together withoutint.

    However, due to this expansion of the caste, and the implementation of arger authoritative structure, the two schools of thought held by the council members became entrenched in a way that neither of them intended.

    The school of fire, and the school of water.

    Each individual ant, upon evolving into the caste, had to take it upon themselves to choose their ce. Once they did, they would begin their training, engrossing themselves in the mindset, mana types and favoured tactics of their founding mentor.

    Although some have sought to exploit this divide within the Mage caste, they have been unsessful. Differences of opinion within the Colony aremon, betrayal is unheard of.

    There is also a third school of mages, though much smaller than the others. Those who follow the path of the Eldest. Of that chaotic group, I will not speak.

    - From the notes of Historiant

    "What the hell are they doing down there?" Propent yelled.

    "I don''t know," Cont replied, a faint trace of irritation marking her scent. "Perhaps you should focus on the battle that we are currently engaged in."

    "Of course. Right. Yes. The battle."

    Propent did her best, she really did, but as she pulled forth the fire mana to give it shape and purpose, she couldn''t help but flick her senses down beneath her six legs. It was like a hook caught in her brain, and no matter how hard she tried to look away, it always managed to drag her focus back.

    Somewhere down there, the Eldest had done something. And whatever they''d done, it was quite literally boiling with incredibly dense fire mana. This was orders of magnitude more potent than any spell she''d ever seen before, and she was the premier fire mage in the entire Colony. Nobody had fire mana maniption as high as she did!

    Come on, Propent. Light some stuff on fire. Focus!

    She admonished herself and flung a few balls of fire out into the massed wall of termites in front of her. Even the delightful explosions that sent their hated foes flying through the air weren''t enough to distract her fully. Her mind was constantly pulled back downward.

    It.

    Just.

    Kept.

    Growing.

    "How is this possible?" she wondered.

    "I don''t know, but is it relevant to us?" Cont replied. "We are here to support the front lines and prevent them from being overrun. Are you going to help or not?"

    "I am! Of course I am!"

    She hastily wove and threw out more fireballs.

    "But I still can''t believe what is going on down there. Aren''t we the highest level mages in the Colony? Aren''t we supposed to have pushed the knowledge of basic spellforms further than anyone else? The Eldest is levelling up all sorts of crazy stuff, we just focus on magic. How do we not know what is going on down there?"

    "I don''t know," Cont said coolly, "but being surprised by the Eldest is a pointless endeavour. When they do the unexpected so regrly, it bes expected."

    "Expected?" Propent spluttered before pointing with one leg. "Cont, the mountain is on fire!"

    And it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

    Cont watched her sister be wholly entranced with the scene in front of her and rolled her antennae. With her forceful mind, she began to weave her spells even more dexterously, picking up the ck of her dumbfounded partner.

    What had begun with billowing smoke rising from the various openings on the mountain had now be titanic gouts of fire rising dozens of metres into the air. Out of the holes poured termites, fleeing the burning hell their nest had be before it was toote.

    Propent watched with glistening eyes as the mes roared higher, the smoke rising thicker and thicker.

    Pockets of pure fire covered the mountain. The crackle and roar of it was such that she could hear it clearly from where she stood, her antennae tingling with the pleasing sting of the smoke.

    Then came theva.

    At first, it was a trickle. Liquid fire dripped out of the openings, setting all it touched ame. Theva followed the cuts and ravines, snaking down the mountainside in dozens of ces, the flow thickening with each passing second.

    More fire. More smoke. What a glorious spectacle.

    And then the mountain shook. Then again.

    Propent was so spellbound that she nearly forgot to grip the ground despite the shaking. So it was that when the mountain exploded, she was nearly knocked t onto her back.

    Thankfully, she was able to hold on and watch the entire spectacle from start to finish.

    With a colossal roar, the mountain split open, an impossible force surging upward from within. Lava and rock catapulted hundreds of metres into the air, enormous chunks of stone that weighed dozens of tons just thrown up like a human child''s toy.

    Theva jetted up in a constant stream, the red glow illuminating everything it touched. The fire mana was so thick it rolled off the mountain in waves, buffeting against the stunned mage''s senses.

    She stumbled, no longer able to send the strength needed to hold herself up into her legs. She fell to the ground, still staring up at the magnificent spectacle in front of her.

    "It''s just... so perfect," she whispered.

    Cont looked down at her sister for a second, taking in the adoration and feverish joy that had seized the fire mage.

    "This won''t end well," she remarked, before turning back to her work.

 Chapter 906 Slither (1017)

    <h4>Chapter 906 Slither (1017)</h4>

    Rassan''tep looked back at the still burning mountain, his eyes gleaming with interest. The warmth he could feel, even from this distance, was pleasant on his scales, and he didn''t mind indulging himself in a little basking every now and again.

    [Master, we should leave,] Ammon''sil urged him. [This ce is not secure.]

    The Old One flicked his tongue to taste the air. Smoke and ashes came through powerfully, expected, given the circumstances, but underneath was that vibrant riffle of energy and life somon in the fourth stratum.

    The Colony would rebuild that mountain, he was sure. It likely wouldn''t even take long. With tens of thousands of mages to create and shape the rock, they''d be able to make it bigger and better than it had been before in a matter of weeks.

    In attempting to push the ants down, the ka''armodo had only made them stronger.

    He huffed in displeasure and the Set''sh pulled back from him, concerned they had drawn his ire.

    Hubris had been the downfall of many among the old races, and so it continued to be. The assumption that they were the highest, greatest and strongest on Pangera, simply by virtue of their birth, simply because they were first, was deeply wed.

    The ce at the top was not a birthright, but a constant struggle.

    The ants understood. They fought and strove every minute of every day to carve out a ce for themselves. If the ka''armodo had disyed a fraction of their drive over the past two thousand years, his people would be the undisputed rulers of this world.

    [Master,] Ammon''sil urged him again, [we must away. I am not confident we can keep you safe if we remain.]

    The great lizard turned an eye toward his favoured servant.

    [Peace, Ammon. A few minutes longer. The winds blow quickly here, sands are shifting beneath our ws. I wish to observe this change with my own eyes.]

    [Is it worth risking your life? They will kill you if they find you.]

    Rassan''tep closed his eyes.

    [It is.]

    [As you wish.]

    He was dimly aware of Ammon''sil directing the others to form a perimeter, to watch with eyes and sense with minds for any danger, but he paid them no mind.

    Instead, he cast his focus out toward the mountain once more. Not long ago, it had been teeming with their enved termite colony. A vast operation that had been guided and controlled by just a few of his people. Millions of individuals that created an ecosystem of their own, farming, gathering, building and making way for the next generation.

    All of it gone in one glorious eruption.

    He pondered on what this might mean for the potential Ancient, the ant, Anthony. Surely, he was the one who had cast the spell that destroyed the nest. A haul of experience like that may push the monster all the way to tier seven if it was close enough. If so, he might really see something interesting in theing days.

    A slight twitch in his senses alerted him to something approaching. He focused, using his prodigious Skills and experience to peer through the mour they had shaped around themselves. One look inside, and he huffed once more, irritated.

    [Mount,] he told his servants. [We will soon be gone.]

    Relief radiated through the bond, and perhaps, under normal circumstances, the Old One would have chastised his Set''sh for allowing their emotions to echo so powerfully, but he restrained himself. He knew they were relieved for his sake, not their own. In short order, they had climbed onto his back,fortably holding the golden tassels woven into his covering to help them bnce.

    A few momentster, one of his own arrived on the hill he stood atop.

    [On''tep,] he greeted her, [I am pleased to see you were able to survive the cmity.]

    Not unscathed, by the looks of it. The ka''armodo looked more than a little singed. In several ces, her scales had been burned ck. She must have lost one or more Set''sh whilst escaping the mountain. A terrible blow for any of the bonded.

    He hooded his eyes and dipped his head.

    [I grieve for your loss,] he stated formally.

    The younger ka''armodo''s eyes locked onto his, fury burning openly in her gaze.

    [You,] she growled.

    Rassan''tep observed her with surprise. She was clearly emotional, the repeated catastrophes of the day had been more than she could bear. Even so, he expected her to retain her dignity. She was baring her teeth at him!

    He looked down on her from the height his fully grown physique allowed him, his upper arms folded across his torc.

    If his status and posture that dered him her elder slowed her at all, she did not show any sign of it.

    [This is your fault,] she fumed, [everything was going well before you came. The n was proceeding ording to projections.]

    The temerity of the deration was almost enough to stun him.

    [Everything proceeded ording to your n until the ants arrived,] he said. [I came here explicitly to warn you of them, which I did. I can hardly be faulted if the design you and your team created was not up to the task.]

    On''tep hissed at him.

    Rassan''tep felt the rage of his Set''sh rise to boiling point at the tant show of disrespect.

    Before their emotions could boil over, he took one long stride forward and struck his junior across the face with his upper w.

    As one, her remaining servants cried out and stood, ready tounch themselves at him in defence of their mistress.

    [DOWN,] the Old One bellowed in their minds.

    In the face of his fury, On''tep and her servants bowed their heads, shame finally showing in their posture.

    [How dare you act in this way? You bring shame upon yourself, and upon me, for having to strike you before my honoured servants. If you had not suffered such loss today, then I would challenge you to the Ank-Kai and wash this stain from my scales with your blood.]

    He took a deep breath to calm himself. To lose his temper in such a fashion¡­ such disgrace.

    [This entire project was a folly from the start, and it has cost our people dearly. We lose support amongst the old races. The Legion has turned its back on us. And for what? We strengthen our enemies and bind their alliances tighter together.]

    [What will happen to me?] On''tep asked piteously.

    Her anger had drained from her with that strike, leaving her with nothing but shame and grief. It overwhelmed her now, threatening to pull her down into despair.

    [You will be disowned,] he told her bluntly. [They will say you started this mad project of your own volition and me you for everything that happened. Your kin will turn their tails against you, even your clutch-mates will deny you sun and warmth.]

    His words rained down like hammer blows on the young mage. How could this have happened?

    [This cannot be¡­]

    Rassan''tep gazed down on her, his eyes calcting. On''tep was a promising mage, skilled with core maniption and fiercely attached to the monsters she created.

    He paused for a moment to ensure he was thinking clearly.

    [You need allies to shield you from the fallout and a ce in which you can develop and disy your Skills,] he told her softly. [Tell me, what do you know of the Truth?]

 Chapter 907 Beneath the Burning Sky (1018)

    <h4>Chapter 907 Beneath the Burning Sky (1018)</h4>

    The war is over. Well, this war, anyway. Man, the Colony really gets into too many wars. Can''t an ant take a break?

    And no, it''s not my fault! Most of the time!

    This conflict with the termites wasn''t started by me at least, and the skirmishes with the ka''armodo are also not my (direct) responsibility. My conscience is clear!

    I lie on the still smouldering ground for a while, keeping a watchful eye on theva flow to make sure that I don''t get baked while I flop. The mountain is still a smouldering wreck, belching smoke and fire into the normally pristine skies of the fourth stratum. The voice of Gandalf still rings inside my mind, letting me know there are still termites inside the nest somewhere getting roasted.

    I don''t even want to begin wading through the barrage of System notifications I received. I must have killed hundreds of thousands of termites with that spell, and maybe a few ka''armodo. The bulk of them would provide me with almost no experience, being a much lower tier than me, but hey, one experience apiece from a million monsters is still a million XP!

    I''m almost nervous to check my level. Was that enough to push me over the top and get me to one-sixty?

    "You lookfortable, Eldest," Cont observes from nearby.

    "Eldest, you HAVE to teach me that spell. That was the most glorious thing I''ve ever seen in my life!" Propent gushes.

    I suppose a volcanic eruption would be rather exciting for a fire magic specialist. Judging by the stars sparkling in each of the thousands of lenses that make up her eyes, Propent isn''t going to leave it alone until I tell her.

    "I''ll try," I say, "but the spell requiresbining a number of mana types,pressing the heck out of them, and it isn''t cheap, cost wise. Without all of the relevant skills, you might not be able to use it until you hit tier six."

    After all, unlike a specialist like Propent, I happen to be able to use whatever elements I like.

    "Noooooo!" Propent howls. "I have to evolve! I have to evolve NOW! Cont, let me kill you."

    "Excuse me?"

    "I need experience! You wouldn''t deny your closest sister her dreams would you?"

    THWACK!

    "Calm yourself a little," I scold the fiery mage, "before I tell your sister to coat you in ice. Yeesh. Be a little patient and you''ll make it to tier six soon enough."

    Cont eyes her sister, who is still rolling on the ground rubbing at her wounded head, for a moment before she turns her attention back to me.

    "Speaking of evolving, Eldest. Have you¡­?" she trails off.

    I shake my head.

    "I haven''t checked yet. I kind of wanted to enjoy the sensation of not being exploded for a bit. Me and the crew were a little too close to getting mb¨¦ed. I''m pretty sure Tiny''s feet are medium rare at this point."

    "Well, you should probably check anyway," a new scent breaks into the conversation and I roll a little to see Sloan arriving.

    The general looks tired, but triumphant. The battle is won, another great victory for the Colony, but her work is still far from over.

    "If you''ve reached the threshold to evolve to the next tier, then that will change what the Colony will do over the next several days, perhaps even weeks."

    I throw her a confused look.

    "What do you mean? I''d just be evolving right? I''ve maxed out my mutations, you don''t even have to feed me. Let me rustle up a heap of cores from the nest and I''ll be good to go."

    There''s an awkward silence around as the council members all shuffle back and forth. In the end, it''s Cont who breaks the tension.

    "Eldest¡­" she starts, "not having you avable to protect us is a bigger issue than you seem to realise."

    "The Colony isn''t so weak," I scoff, "what are you so worried about? It''s getting to the point where you don''t even need me around anymore, and I''m happy about it. I''ve got other important work to do besides fighting all the time."

    Like grub tickling.

    "We have to be careful," Propent tries to pitch in. "You''re an important part of the Colony, and we need to know in advance if you aren''t going to be avable."

    What on Pangera are they talking about? I give all three of them the stink eye as I try to work out what is going on here. However, I''m saved from over-taxing my brain by the appearance of Protectant, the nigh invisible guardian appearing seemingly from thin air.

    "They are attempting to lure you into a secure location and have an extensive protection detail ced around you at the time of evolution," she says, blunt and to the point. "They fear you''ll reject them if they make a straight up request."

    Cont, Propent and Sloan all p themselves in the head with an antenna.

    "Why would you say that?" Sloanins. "Now the Eldest will never agree."

    I stare at her.

    "You want to protect me while I evolve? Did you think I was going to wander over to a ka''armodo fortress and evolve on their doorstep or something? Just how dumb do you think I am?!"

    A pause.

    "You weren''t?" the general asks.

    "No! Of course not. I was going to evolve under the Mother Tree or something. If I could get back to the third stratum without feeling like my guts were getting ripped out, I''d probably do it there, but I can''t."

    "That''s part of the issue," my bodyguard pipes up. "They don''t fully trust the bruan''chii, or the tree. It isn''t even a question of if they will attack you while you are vulnerable, the Colony isn''t sure if they can defend you adequately."

    "What do you mean? Who''s going toe and attack me while I''m evolving? I think you are all getting paranoid. Wait, what do you mean the Colony?"

    I shift my focus and see there are thousands of ants nearby, all dead still as they focus on our discussion.

    "Oooookay. Don''t we all have work to do?"

    "They want to know if they need to build a fortress in the next few days," Cobalt breaks in this time, wearily joining our small circle. "If it has to be done, we need to make sure it gets done right."

    "A fortress?!" I yell. "Why in the name of the shining strands of the bounteous beard would I need a fortress?! You''ve all gone gaga!"

    It''s Protectant who breaks it to me.

    "The Colony will not risk anything happening to you while you are at your most vulnerable. Here, in the fourthyer, we are weak, with little knowledge of the threats and with no fully fortified position. Our enemies could take advantage and attack if they were to learn you wereatose."

    "It''s not that big a deal," I protest, but I feel like I''m losing this argument.

    "You won''t be allowed to risk yourself, Eldest," my guard tells me. "Once you''re awake, you''re in charge and can do what you want, but while you''re asleep, your safety is entrusted to us and we won''t let you be hurt."

    All of my siblings around me present a unified front, and I find myself casting about to try and find a way out of the spotlight. I really don''t want all this fuss! I just want to evolve in peace. Maybe I don''t even have to evolve! I might not even have the levels¡­ all this worry for nothing!

    "Look, there''s no need to worry anyway. How could the termites provide enough experience for¡­ erm¡­ ah, nuts."

 Chapter 908 I Hate Being in the Spotlight (1019)

    <h4>Chapter 908 I Hate Being in the Spotlight (1019)</h4>

    I really hate this.

    And when I say that, don''t think that I''m speaking lightly or any such thing. This isn''t one of those times when someone says they hate it when they put their socks on inside out, or they hate it when their food is a little cold.

    I mean I hate this.

    Currently, I sit, a sullen lump of sparkling carapace, in the centre of a vast formation of ants. There are scouts roaming and looking for threats. There are healers monitoring my condition. There are squads of soldiers and generals patrolling around the clock. There are teams of mages tunnelling beneath me and fortifying the stone.

    Even the humans are in on it! I can see Beyn from where I sit, leading the gathered faithful in some sort of ceremony whilst his followers weep and point at me. Some even fall to their knees, raising their hands to the sky as if ovee with emotion.

    I''m just evolving! This is what monsters are supposed to do, right?! It happens all the damn time¡­ nothing special is going on over here.

    [Do I really have to sit here and wait?] Iin for the hundredth time.

    [Yes, Master,] Crinis says happily. [You aren''t allowed to move until the fortress isplete.]

    I give her the evil eye, which she brushes off easily. The little murder-ball has been way too pleased by this turn of events. Having me under this absurd lock-down protocol seems to have finally relieved her of a deep-seated source of stress.

    Namely, me.

    She''s busy humming to herself and weaving her tentacles into fantastic shapes in order to practise her control, pleased as punch that, for once, I can''t get myself into trouble.

    [What about you, Tiny?] I cast about for an ally. [You must be bored out of your brain, right? Want to break out and leave?]

    My first ally on Pangera opens one eyezily. Then he yawns.

    [Sleepy,] he says, before he closes his eyes and rolls over.

    [Traitor,] I grumble.

    Invidia is my only hope now. The green eye zes as he stares down at me from his position on top of Tiny.

    [Give your levelssss to meeeee,] he hisses.

    Not getting any sympathy there.

    If it weren''t for the pressing need to maintain my dignity, I''d roll onto my back and kick my legs in frustration.

    I want out of here! Let me go! Let me goooooooo!

    "Here''s the next batch of cores." Protectant appears and dumps another pile on the ground in front of me.

    The leader of my imposed bodyguards has never looked so smug as she does in that moment. It''s enough to make my blood boil.

    "Do you really have to inspect the cores before you bring them to me?" I whine. "What the heck are cores going to do to me? They''re cores."

    It''s not just the spherical gems that are carefully examined before being brought within the Carapace Curtain. Everything is obsessively checked, even the Biomass. It''s insane, and what makes me even more exasperated is that I appear to be the only one who realises it.

    "During this time, we can''t be too careful," Protectant smugly says, her smug face smugging up the air with thick clouds of smug.

    "You love this, don''t you?" I copse, filled with bitterness.

    "I do," she readily admits. "I wanted to have you under this sort of protection from day one."

    "That would have been unwise," Cont says as she approaches. "The Eldest will only tolerate this for a short time, and only because they believe we are at least partially correct to act as we are."

    "For the record, I believe no such thing," I dere wearily. "This is me humouring you to the best of my ability."

    I can''t really do anything else now, can I? I know the Will of the Colony as it flows into me as clearly as I know my own thoughts. They are determined, obsessed even, with ensuring that I evolve perfectly and safely. It''s such an overwhelming outpouring of support and love that I can''t exactly spit in their faces and say no. Right now, there are hundreds of thousands of ants rummaging through the wreckage of the termite mountain, securing and rebuilding it into a secure location for my evolution.

    "We appreciate it," Cont assures me. "Arrangements are being made as quickly as possible. Granin and his team have been notified and are on their way down. We are doing everything we can to secure the most powerful cores we can find to push your energy as far as it will go. Construction is urring around the clock, and the bruan''chii have agreed to lend their support in defending us. It won''t be long now."

    "In the meantime, I just sit here, smush cores together and eat?"

    "Yes."

    "... Fine."

    It''s not exactly a bad life, but having all of this focus, attention and effort being put on me makes me feel like I''m covered in crawlies. It almost feels like I''m mutating!

    I''m tempted to pull up the evolution options now, just to have a sticky-beak, but I know that''s a bad idea. All the advice I''ve ever had suggests that it''s far better to wait until everything is set before exposing oneself to temptation. There''s no do-overs when ites to evolution.

    "How are things in the mountain going? Any luck flushing out thest of the termites?" I ask, desperate to keep the conversation going while I have someone here to talk to.

    "We are still finding pockets of the enemy in the depths," Cont replies, an uncharacteristically displeased tilt to her antennae.

    "Something wrong?"

    The mage ponders for a moment before replying.

    "I struggle to believe that the ka''armodo were fully cognizant of what their creations were doing," she replies. "They tunnelled so deep, and expanded their gardens so far, that we believe they may have begun to brush against the edges of the fifth stratum."

    I boggle at her words.

    "What?! That''s insane!"

    "I agree. The tunnelplex they created beneath the nest is vast. Despite the numbers we have avable, it will take weeks to thoroughly explore it all. By that time, I believe it highly likely that one or perhaps several groups of termites will escape."

    That¡­ isn''t good.

    If monstrous termites are simr enough to regr termites, that means any female worker can be a queen. They may not even need to evolve to start the process! Despite crushing this colony, we may have spawned another three or four smaller ones that will have to be put downter on. A distraction that we can''t afford.

    "That''s going to be a pain in the abdomen," I groan. I flick my antennae at the thousands of ants currently posted to guard me. "Don''t you think they have more important things to do then?"

    "No," Cont says, unruffled. "Your sessful evolution is the most important priority for the Colony. It will be months before rogue termite nests have grown enough to be any sort of threat."

    Dammit. Well, I tried.

    "Have we started toe across more interesting fourth stratum monsters at least? I really wanted to see something cool down here, and all I''ve had to fight so far are termites, more termites, and yet more termites."

    Cont hesitates.

    "We did¡­ find something. We weren''t sure if we should show it to you or not."

    How intriguing¡­.

    "And why is that? I''m bored out of my mind over here, I wee any and all distractions."

    I wave my antennae magnanimously.

    "Whatever it is, bring it over. I''m keen to take a look."

    Cont twitches a little before she nods in assent.

    "Very well. I will have your guards bring it to you. I wille see you¡­ tomorrow, Eldest, I have an important issue to attend to."

    And with that, the mage turns and scuttles away with unusual haste. That''s curious in and of itself, but I put it out of my mind as I await the arrival of a new morsel.

    I wonder what sort of creature they''ve managed to find? Some sort of jade dragon creature? Or a super cool-looking elemental entity? That''s the sort of thing I was expecting to see when I got down here. The tree obviously predates most of the things that spawn on her mountain and the termites took care of everything on this one. Now that the lesser bugs are gone, we can finally start to see something interesting.

    Ten minutester, Protectant arrives with the new creature in her mandibles. It''s mostly intact, which is nice, so I can get a good look at it. Whatever it is, it''s long and sinuous, and it glitters in the light! Shiny!

    Is this actually a jade dragon or something?

    When Protectant finally puts it down, I eagerly rush forward to examine it.

    Then I freeze.

    It''s long. And sinuous. It glitters brightly, that is also true. There are a few other aspects that I see as well, things that I recognise. The pinching ws, for one. The sting at the end of the tail is also familiar.

    Are you KIDDING me, Gandalf?

    This is a diamond centipede!

 Chapter 909 Roll like a Boulder (1020)

    <h4>Chapter 909 Roll like a Boulder (1020)</h4>

    [You look happy,] Granin rumbles over our link.

    [Har, har. You''re a realedian, you know that? In fact, why don''t you take your show on the road?]

    [Don''t mind him,] Corun grins, [he''s just excited.]

    [It''s not often you get to see a Mythic monster born,] Torrina adds.

    I''m currently syed out on the ground, my six legs stretched t in all directions as Iy on my underside. The boredom has finally defeated me, and now I adopt the posture of surrender, unmoving and unthinking.

    You can do an awful lot of not-thinking with this many brains, let me tell you. It''s like having static in stereo.

    [There''s a lot of guards here¡­] Corun notes as he casts his gaze across the ranks of ants positioned around me. [Is there some kind of danger?]

    [Not as such,] Wills, the guide for the trio, chips in. [The Eldest tried to break out yesterday, so we had to reinforce the garrison, significantly.]

    I''ll get those damn centipedes if it''s thest thing I do.

    [Well, we''re here now, so you won''t have to wait much longer,] Granin sighs. [Once you''ve evolved, you''ll be free to move around again, from what I understand.]

    [Oh, will I?] I say. [What about the Call, huh? Won''t the Ancients have an even bigger hook in my guts once I evolve? Seems like the opposite of being free to move around, if you ask me.]

    Granin spreads his hands.

    [Maybe yes, maybe no. It all depends on how strong they think your potential will be. It''s not ideal, I know, but at least you can take it as a sign that your evolutions are strong.]

    [I don''t care. Am I clear on this, Granin? I. Don''t. Care. Whatever your precious Ancients want, I couldn''t give a single pip of Biomass. If it gets in the way of me protecting my family, I will go down there and kick them right in the teeth.]

    Man, I''m grumpy. These past few days have piled insult on top of injury. Not only have I been locked here under constant supervision while hundreds of thousands of my own siblings wait on me hand and foot, building an entire fortress just so I can evolve in it, the idiot Dungeon even went and made a diamond centipede!

    When I, quite reasonably, insisted that I be released, that I might wage a holy war to purge the many-legged devils from existence, to scour them from the Dungeon until not a w remained, I was prevented from doing so! Outrageous! Never mind the indignity of having ants pile onto me until I couldn''t move; even Crinis, Tiny and Invidia pinned me down! My own closest friends!

    The sting of betrayal cuts deeper than any centipede w.

    [You''re in a mood,] Granin bluntly observes before he sits down in front of me, one hand resting on the tip of my mandibles. [Let''s get started. The sooner we finish our discussion, the quicker you get evolving. I know you don''t care about the Ancients and any of that nonsense, that''s fine. You aren''t an experimental subject to me, Anthony, you''re a friend. That''s why I came down here and risked mana poisoning.]

    That''s actually touching.

    [W-wait a second. Mana poisoning?]

    The big rock-covered golgari rolls his eyes.

    [I haven''t spent much time on the fourth in decades. Torrina and Corun have never even been here. We''re limated to the third now, but it''ll take a week of careful exposure before we can move around down here.]

    [So how long until you get sick?]

    [We''re already feeling sick, idiot. Now are you going to sulk or are you going to consult with us?]

    [Sorry! Consult!]

    [That''s better. Let''s get to it then.]

    I didn''t realise they risked that much toe here and help me. It warms my little ant heart to know they care that much. It also scares me, I don''t want them to suffer because of me. I do my best to shake off the mise and focus. This is important stuff and we don''t have that much time.

    [Well, talk to me about the whole "Mythic" thing you mentioned. What''s all that about?]

    [That''s about the strength of your core. You have a rare core right now, but after you push your core all the way, it should transition to a Mythic one.]

    [Does that mean I get a Mythic evolution?]

    [That''s right. And we have a theory¡­]

    Corun steps forward, although "bounces" might be a better term. He''s as excited as a puppy.

    [Yes. We think that ants arepensated for their weak starts with better and better evolutions as you proceed up the tree. This is due to the System presuming that almost none of you will ever reach that high.]

    [Rrrright,] I say, [didn''t we kind of know this already?]

    [We have more evidence now. Back when you evolved to tier six, you were literally the only one to progress from worker all the way to six. We don''t mean in your colony either, we mean on record, at all.]

    [Now, there are more of you and the results are remarkable.] Even Torrina has an uncharacteristic gleam of enthusiasm in her eyes. [The Immortals and their Phoenix Fire Organ are a great example.]

    Heh. A hrious example.

    [So you''re saying¡­ what? I can expect something good?]

    [What we''re saying,] Granin smiles, actually smiles, [is that you can expect something rock solid.]

    [... I''m going to assume that''s high praiseing from a people who cover themselves in rocks.]

    [Damn right it is. I actually think we might need to revisit ns on your resets based on our findings.]

    [What? Why?]

    [Because we were hoping to get some juicy fourth or fifth stratum options for your carapace, inner ting and mandibles, but now I believe you might be given something better.]

    [You mean¡­]

    [Sixth.]

    Ooooooooooooo- wait.

    I have absolutely no knowledge of the sixth stratum.

    [Is¡­ is that good? I don''t know anything about what it''s like down there.]

    [That''s not surprising,] he grunts, [the fifth is a poisonous, toxic wastnd that is inimical to life. Very few are able to get through and explore what''s below, so knowledge is limited.]

    [What about portals?] I protest. [Surely only some need to get through and build a portal for others. It should be easy to travel through it.]

    [The mana in the fifth is¡­ special,] Corun fills me in. [Even using a portal to travel through it is¡­ risky. And prohibitively expensive. I''ve never met anyone who''s been down there.]

    [Don''t look at me,] Granin raises his hands before I can ask him, [you might just have to find out for yourself. All you need to know for now is that upgrades from that level are good. If you get to choose them, you should.]

    He turns and looks over his shoulder at his two triad mates.

    [Get started on the core,] he tells them, [I''ll go over the rest with him.]

    They nod and move away a short distance before they sit and begin to sift through the hundreds of cores the Colony has delivered, as well as taking out a few rare cores of their own.

    [They''re going to start making a Mythic core for you to absorb,] Granin tells me. [Going to take a while, even those we brought that fat demon''s core to use as a base. Mythics make rare cores look like pebbles.]

    Oh boy¡­ that''s gonna sting.

 Chapter 910 The Good Stuff (1021)

    <h4>Chapter 910 The Good Stuff (1021)</h4>

    [If you''re finished being precious, can we move on to looking at our options?]

    Torrina and Corun both nod enthusiastically. The former already has a book and pen in hand, ready to scrawl down every little detail. I might well be the first tier seven ant monster in the history of the Dungeon, and they are not going to miss this chance.

    Stupid monster research enthusiasts. Actually, why am I even surprised? They are literally members of a monster-worshipping cult. This is what they live for.

    [That''s easy for you to say,] Iin. [I feel like my end-zone is about to meet its end.]

    The mythic core had beenrger than I''d expected. Granin hadn''t exaggerated when he suggested they were muchrger than rares. The concentrated energy contained within was incredible, and after I''d maxed out my core and absorbed the monstrosity, I felt more than a little tender.

    It hurt like hell! My guts feel like they''re having a boxing match with each other. And everyone is losing. If it hurts this much when I''m just lying t on the ground, I can''t imagine how bad it would be if I started moving around.

    [The faster you get through the menu, the quicker you can start evolving and the pain goes away. You say the same thing to Tiny every time he evolves.]

    Granin is utterly without sympathy, standing in front of me with his arms folded across his granite chest. He''s not wrong either.

    [Fine,] I groan and start poking through the menu.

    [You have reached the maximum level for your current stage of evolution. Would you like to evolve?]

    I sure would.

    After confirming my choice, I jump straight into the goods. What''s my good mate Gandalf got to offer me? I flick my eyes through the normal options, reading through them silently for a moment.

    [Well?] Granin is the first to break.

    I look up at him, a cruel twinkle in my eye.

    [What?]

    [Dammit, Anthony. You''re literally causing yourself pain just to make me impatient.]

    That''s true¡­

    [Still worth it,] I mutter across the link before I start to spill the beans.

    I mean, I feel like I''m about to pop from the pressure inside my body, but Granin looks about the same. As eager as his two apprentices are, he''s easily double the two of them put together. He probably feels like this is the defining moment of his long life. I feel a little bad about teasing them now that I realise that.

    [Okay, this is what we''ve got for the normal tier,] I tell him and then rattle off the details of the Supreme Major, Perfect Ant Mage and Worker Overlord.

    [Looks like these evolutions are the end of the road for the three generic paths,] Granin observes as Torrina rushes to scribble everything down. [This basically confirms that the System never really expected any ant to make it this far, let alone go further. For basic evolutions, the benefits are considerably above average.]

    [That''s in line with the thesis,] Corun chips in.

    [Indeed. What did you get for special?]

    [Let''s have a little looksee.]

    ¡¤ Formica Fury (Special)

    ¡¤ Acid Mage (Special)

    [Interesting that a berserker type ss would pop up now. The way it works off of nearby ants is also interesting. I wonder where that''sing from?] Granin frowns.

    From the Vestibule would be my guess.

    [The Acid Mage is actually a great sign,] the old shaper says. [The remodelled acid nd ites with is straight from the fifth stratum. That evolution actually sounds extremely strong, and it''s only special. I''m looking forward to the mythic even more now.]

    He isn''t wrong, this evolution sounds really cool. Being able to turn mana directly into acid would be crazy strong, especially since my acid would be given a huge boost with this option. I''d be like a water bender, but with bone-melting acid.

    Time for the rare options.

    ¡¤ Putrid Major (rare)

    ¡¤ Jade-Diamond General (rare)

    [Another fifth stratum choice. The stat gains are extremely nice for the Putrid Major and the resets are nothing to sneeze at either.]

    [I mean yeah¡­]

    It''s called Putrid Major. I don''t care how good it is¡­

    [Don''t be so quick to knock it,] Granin warns me. [This evolution would actually allow you to move quite freely in the fifth stratum. You''d be almost totally poison resistant.]

    [I''d also toxify everything that came near me!] I retort.

    This evolution has a package of resets for my carapace, mandibles, inner ting and eyes that would basically adapt me into a fifth-stratum monster. I''d also be so putrid that anything near me would start taking damage from the aura of toxin and decay I gave off.

    [I''m amunal species. Anything that makes it impossible to work with my siblings, or my precious friends, is right out.]

    [Well, the Jade-Diamond General isn''t bad at all,] Granin concedes. [It pretty much hits what you want it to. Great resets, amazing stats. You''d be a tough nugget with all of this defensive stacking.]

    Combining my diamond carapace with an infused jade found on the fourth stratum, along with a set of additional defensive nds that would harden my carapace even further, I''d be just about unsquashable. The evolution doesn''t do much for my offence, straight up, but I could take care of that sort of thing myself in the manual changes.

    [It doesn''t really matter how good it is,] I wave an antenna wearily, [we are only here for the mythic options anyway.]

    [So you got one?] Granin asks, relief on his face.

    [Wha- what do you mean? It''s not guaranteed?]

    [It isn''t,] he shakes his head slowly. [Nobody knows why, but some paths get cut off without being able to climb to mythic and above.]

    [Huh¡­ weird.]

    [Wait,] he holds up a hand suddenly, [did you say options?]

    The golgari''s eyes are intense, Corun and Torrina look like they might jump right out of their true-skins.

    [You''re gonna want to hold onto your hat for this, Granin,] I warn him. [This stuff sounds pretty wild.]

 Chapter 911 The Great Stuff (1022)

    <h4>Chapter 911 The Great Stuff (1022)</h4>

    [Mythic Evolution: Formless One. You have invited your kind in, and given back to them in turn. Now it is time to make the unionplete. All stats removed. All body parts and mutations will be refunded. Every member of your chosen species will be granted a formless core and you will exist as pure energy dispersed across thework formed between them.

    You may make upgrades to the formless core through mutation within each individual who contains one.

    Together with your kind, rise as one.]

    Uhhhhhhhh¡­ what?

    [That''s¡­ unexpected,] Granin says.

    His face looks fairly impassive, but judging by the gobsmacked expressions on Torrina and Corun''s faces, he''s only just holding it together.

    [Granin, what the hell is this? I wouldn''t even have a body?!]

    [Mythic evolutions can be extremely unusual,] he says after a brief pause. [Arger, more fundamental change to your existence. You''ve seen evolutions that make broad, fundamental changes before, am I right?]

    [Well, sort of. I would have turned into a giant brain, not a literal ghost!]

    [Not a ghost,] he corrects me, [you wouldn''t have a body, but you would still exist as a living creature formed of energy. You''d effectively be unkible. I''m no expert on this stuff, it''s too high level, but as I understand it, the only way for you to die would be for every member of the Colony to be destroyed.]

    [But what would I even do? Float around just¡­ existing?]

    [Don''t underestimate creatures of energy. You could influence the world more than you think. And the more ants with the core in them, the stronger you would be.]

    Both of us know that the poption of the Colony will explode if we aren''t defeated soon. This evolution wouldpletely destroy my retirement ns! How am I supposed to tickle the grubs as a formless ghost?! Uneptable!

    [I''m not interested in bing some bodiless spectre,] I say firmly. [I''d rather take a rare evolution than this one.]

    [Well, I suppose it''s a good thing you have more mythic options then,] Granin replies. [I''m just shocked you are getting choices like this at tier seven. It''s unheard of.]

    And also undesired. I just can''tprehend what that sort of existence would be like. And how would my siblings feel if I just¡­ moved in? I''d literally be adding something they didn''t ask for into their bodies. The whole thing gives me the creeps.

    [Mythic Evolution: Larval Deity. +400 Might. +400 Toughness. Cunning reduced to 20.

    The strength of your people flows through you and they sit within your power. To ascend higher, you must be reforged. You will return to being arva. All body parts and mutations refunded.

    Your form will be coated in Golden-Diamond Silk and your body reced with World Essence Infused Flesh.]

    What the hell is this, Gandalf?! These options are just bizarre! I hesitate for a long moment before I give the details of this one to Granin. As I exin the evolution, even his stoic expression cracks.

    [Anthony¡­ what on Pangera have you been keeping from us? What have you evolved into?]

    [Uh¡­ not much. Just¡­ stuff.]

    He doesn''t seem convinced by my dissembling.

    [These evolutions are not normal,] he stresses, [and there is no doubt they are a result of whatever it is you''ve been keeping from us. A Larval Deity? World Essence?! It¡­ I-I mean¡­ I need a second.]

    And he does. The big guy folds his legs on the spot and takes a seat. Corun and Torrina sit down next to him, the three of them taking a moment to get their heads around things.

    [So¡­] I say after a minute. [Can someone exin this one to me?]

    It takes a moment, but Granin raises his head, his eyes looking a little feverish.

    [Well, from what I can tell, you would transform into arva, but not like you were before. Think of a gigantic, goldenrva, with incredible strength, and almost unkible.]

    [Except I''d be blind andrgely helpless.]

    He nods.

    [With your Cunning reset, you''d lose your magic and wouldn''t be nearly as intelligent. I feel like this evolution intends for the Colony to effectively feed you experience and Biomass until you reached max level and evolved to tier eight. At that point, you''d be able to evolve into¡­]

    [A Colony Deity? I''d be a god?]

    That''s a little unsettling¡­.

    [Not in a literal sense,] he assures me, [just an incredibly powerful monster. I can''t even imagine how strong you''d be, but it would be¡­ very. Very, very.]

    He seems to have lost his words.

    [So, essentially, I would need to sacrifice all of tier seven and have the Colony babysit me until I reached tier eight? I''m not really feeling it.]

    [Please choose this one,] Granin raises a hand weakly. [Think about it carefully. Words like "deity" are not thrown out by the System for no reason. If you survived to tier eight, your path to ascend as an Ancient would be almost assured.]

    [I don''t care about that,] I remind him. [And I get the feeling you''re not telling me something.]

    He hesitates.

    [Golden-Diamond Silk and anything World-Infused are valuable. Beyond valuable.]

    [Literally priceless,] Torrina breathes over the mind link. [Impossible to buy because nobody is selling. Empires have burned to the ground for such monster parts.]

    [Oh hell no!]

    [We could protect you,] Granin assures me desperately. [We can cooperate with the Colony. I can contact the cult. ALL of the cults. I can gather an army from across the to defend you. We could elerate you to tier eight in six months!]

    Six months of having the Colony feed me resources and devoting their entire existence to trying to push me to the next tier? No thanks.

    [Give it up, Granin, it''s not happening,] I tell him ruthlessly. [I refuse to go back to being a grub and force the Colony to protect me. That''s the opposite of what I want.]

    I mean¡­ I can''t even imagine it. Flopping about in some chamber while the Colony fights and dies to bring me food? Sure, I could turn around and protect them once I reached tier eight. IF I reached tier eight.

    No chance.

    [Luckily for all of us, there''s one choice left.]

    [Mythic Evolution: Perfect Paragon. +80 to Cunning, +80 to Willpower, +150 to Might, +150 to Toughness. The pinnacle of all the Colony seeks to be. You have created for your people a home, invited them in and bade them sit. Now you must give them hope. Be the goal that they strive to be. The Communal Spirit Nave will be reforged into Soul Crystal (warning, this will reset all mutations) and a Soul Crystal Altar will be awarded for free (you must choose the purpose of the Altar). You may reforge body parts at half cost.]

    Oh, thank my precious, preciousmercial empire. Something normal (ish).

    The stat gains are amazing, I''llplete the chain of evolution, and although I didn''t get any fancy resets, I get to buy at half price. Heck yeah!

    That''ll take care of my carapace, ting and mandibles.

    And I don''t have to lose my body or turn into a giant grub! So much winning!

    [I can already tell you like this one,] Granin says before I say a word about it. [I''m going to assume itpletes your current chain?]

    [Yep. And I get to keep my body. That really shouldn''t be such a plus, but that''s how things have turned out.]

    The shaper sighs and straightens his posture.

    [Anything you''re prepared to share about it?]

    I''m happy to give him the stats and talk about the discounted resets, which raises his brows.

    [You can save a huge amount of energy with that. Enough that you can either dip for better, more expensive choices or reset twice as many organs.]

    [Any advice on that?]

    [Not really. It depends entirely on your priorities. If you want the best possible carapace, ting and mandible mutations, then spend big on those; if you want a more bnced approach, get cheaper upgrades, but improve more things.]

    [That''s not going to be an easy choice, is it?]

    [Absolutely not.]

 Chapter 912 Into the Chamber of Secrets (1023)

    <h4>Chapter 912 Into the Chamber of Secrets (1023)</h4>

    After discussing a few possibilities back and forth, I bid the golgari trio goodbye and they make their way back to the gate. Mana sickness is no joke and I appreciate them taking the risk to help me out.

    It''s a hard concept for me to grasp, being ill from too much mana. I literally need the stuff to survive, the more the better. One of the many benefits of being a monster, I suppose. I was born from mana, there''s no way it can hurt me.

    Theck of it can hurt me. Severely, in fact.

    Which is another thing I need to keep in mind. Evolving yet again, increasing the density of my core and further making my body dependent on mana to exist. More resets, more fancy, high-energyponents in my body, more energy needed to sustain me.

    Perhaps even the first stratum will be out of bounds for me, even during a wave. The second might just be in bounds, perhaps. But then I have to worry about the Call.

    It''s a constant knife in my side. Even now, I can feel it trying to pull me down deeper. I''m worried this mythic evolution is only going to make it worse.

    If I''d pickedrval deity, it would have been agonising, I bet. An evolution with high potential like that, but with no ability to move around, I''d have been stuck on my backside for at least six months with a hook yanking on my soul.

    "Eldest? It''s ready."

    Cobalt pops up in front of me and I''m pulled from my thoughts.

    "What''s that?"

    "The evolution chamber. We''re ready."

    Nice.

    "Alright then, let''s get this show on the road."

    I lever myself up onto my feet for the first time in days, and immediately copse onto the ground again as my insides shift against the oversized core.

    "Oof! Uh¡­ one sec."

    Second attempt.

    "Aaaaand up! OUCH."

    And down.

    Cobalt looks at me. I look back at Cobalt.

    "You can''t move, can you Eldest?"

    "It¡­ it seems that I can''t. This is, ah, a little embarrassing."

    "Not to worry, Eldest, we''ll take care of you. Don''t mind a thing."

    In the end, the carvers lift me up, raising the ground beneath me and hardening it into a rock sled that they propel into the fortress that they''ve built.

    It''s humiliating. Literally hundreds of thousands of my siblings watch as I lie t on my carapace, being hovered into an evolution chamber that they''d purposely built for me.

    The fact I can feel their respect and appreciation for me flowing through the Vestibule only makes me feel worse. This situation is pathetic and ridiculous! Mock me, dammit!

    Eventually, I''m settled in ce and the Colony takes up positions around me and throughout the fortress. Inside the chamber with me are Crinis, Tiny, Invidia and a few hundred dedicated guards. Thankfully, they managed to keep Beyn and the acolytes out. I saw them as I was hovering past and he looked like he was in the middle of a revtion of some sort. That guy needs a hobby. How in the hell are those idiots managing not to get sick?

    [Well then, gang, I''m just about ready. Take it easy while I''m evolving, alright? Might be a few days this time. Possibly even a week or two, I don''t know. Eat, sleep, have fun. Make sure I don''t get eaten.]

    [We will, Master,] Crinis says tearfully.

    I''m not dying, oi!

    [Your levelsssss, I wantssss them,] Invidia hisses at me.

    [You might want the levels, but you do not want a mythic core in your midsection, let me tell you that.]

    [Wantssss,] he contradicts me.

    Tiny gives me a powerful thumbs up and a wink, which is a new thing for him. Who the heck taught him about winking? I''d wink back, but I''m not physically capable of it, or a thumbs up for that matter, so I just thank him mentally.]

    [Thanks for that bud. I''ll catch you all on the other side.]

    And I jump straight into the menu.

    Not wasting time after my farewells, I confirm my new species and prepare to fiddle around the edges, deciding on what to do with my evolutionary energy, but before I can, I''m confronted by something else.

    [The Collective Will of your people has funneled into you and you have weed them into your house. The energy and focus of your people must be given shape. Select a purpose for your Altar before you can proceed.

    ¡¤ Altar of War

    ¡¤ Altar of Growth

    ¡¤ Altar of Culture

    ¡¤ Altar of Mind

    ¡¤ Altar of Strength

    ¡¤ Altar of Self

    ¡¤ Altar of Many]

    Uhhh. Okay. The species notes did say that I needed to decide something regarding the altar, so I suppose this is it? There''s a lot of options here¡­ might as well dive in and go through them all.

    Altar of War: Direct the energy of your people to matters of War. You must fight to survive and survive to fight. Increase experience gain when engaged in warlike conduct.

    That¡­ is¡­ ominous. I get a bad feeling reading this. Like, why does it sound like it''s going to have an effect on the Colony as well as myself? We are already plenty warlike, I don''t need to make my siblings even more eager to fight!

    What''s really spooky is that I don''t think the experience gain applies to just me either. I think it applies to every ant in range of the altar. That is¡­ insane. Does it apply to Skills and levels as well? That can''t be right.

    Altar of Growth: Direct the energy of your people to Expansion and Growth. The future of your people can only be ensured by development and securing the next generation. Reduced Biomass cost for eggs, increased experience gain when scouting or building.

    You¡­ whaaaaaaaaa?! Reduced Biomass cost? Are you freaking kidding me?! How? How does that even work?! Does the altar literally convert the collected Will of the Colony into¡­ whatever it wants? Experience, Biomass, anything?

    This is blowing my mind right now.

    Calm down, Anthony. You need to chill. Think about this logically. It will only work for ants within the range of the Altar anyway. I''m never hanging around the queens these days, they are way higher in the Dungeon. I can''t pick this one, but holy moly, if the discount was even just 10%, that would be insane. If I fully mutated the Altar could I get it up to 20 or 30%?

    Don''t think about it. It''d never work.

    Altar of Culture: Direct the energy of your people to Dialogue and the Arts. What is the point of a people if theyck civilisation and culture?

    Nope. Don''t care, not picking this one. Don''t even tell me the bonus in case I get tempted. It''s not that I disagree with Gandalf on this one, I actually would much rather pick this one than the Altar of War. My family has developed a wonderful culture of its own, with carvings, and tea, and sponge cake¡­ for some reason. I love every bit of it, except for the fact that too much of it is focused on me.

    You think I''m going to give a boost to those idiots who run around carving my face into everything they touch? I''ve seen cakes decorated with me on top of them! I refuse!

    Altar of Mind: Direct the energy of your people to strengthen and develop their Mind and Will. Increased experience gain to those using Skills that utilise the mind. Decreased evolutionary cost for increasing Will and Cunning.

    EVEN EVOLUTIONARY ENERGY!? This isn''t real. You''re lying to me, Gandalf.

    This is revolutionary, this changes everything that I thought was possible. This is way too much responsibility.

    Is this what they meant by the Colony Paragon? I thought I was supposed to be¡­ like¡­ a good example, or something. Be the best ant I could be and help the Colony sort of thing. This isn''t just about being the strongest ant in the Colony, this is about deciding the future direction and focus of my family!

    I''m not cool with that! Is it alright if I be a formless energy ball instead?

    Argh! One of these options must be up my alley. Give me something here.

    Altar of Strength: Direct the energy of your people to develop and empower their Might and Toughness.

    This is just the physical version of the Altar of Mind. Something else?

    Altar of Self: Direct the energy of your people to empowering yourself. You are the Paragon, an exemr for all who look to you. Now, that Will can be your sword and your shield. Enables you to utilise the Will of your people to empower your Skills, Body and Mind.

    Noooooope. Surely not. I''m not about that life, Gandalf. If I wanted it all to be about me, then I''d have picked the Larval Deity evolution. One left, surely it''ll give me an outlet.

    Altar of Many: Direct the energy of your people to empowering each other. You lead your people to bring out the best in each other. Disperse the Will of your people back to them, enriching and empowering them in turn.

    Well. This is a little more like it. Making the Colony stronger is what I''m all about.

    If I pick this, then at least I''m not shoehorning the Colony into a particr direction or mentality. We''ve be such a diverse group, each caste doing their best to serve the family in their own way, utilising their own strengths. I''d hate to advantage some over the others, that would destroy what makes us so strong. We can take on any challenge because we cover every base.

    The Altar of Many will allow me to continue to give back to my family. Every ant around me will be that little bit stronger, have that little bit higher chance to survive. I''ve seen what my family can do, if I give them a little edge, they''ll be able to do so much more.

    It''s the right choice. Except. Is it?

    Is that really the right choice? There have been times where I pushed the Colony to fill in for me. I created the council so I wouldn''t have to be a leader, because I knew I would be terrible at it. I''m no leader, I know that, but I don''t think I want to be a cheerleader, either. I wanted to step forward and put myself between the Colony and danger, I wanted to protect and defend them.

    If I pick the Altar of Many, aren''t I asking the Colony to fight for me? Aren''t I stepping back and telling them to take care of it? If that''s the case, then what''s my purpose?

    Suddenly, I feel a cold shiver run through my entire body as a realisation washes over me, like a cold st of air to the face.

    If someone is going to step up against impossible odds, then I want it to be me. If someone is going to risk their life for the others, then I want it to be me.

    If an ant is going to die, then I want it to be me. They can trust me. They can depend on me. If there''s a need, then I''ll step into the breach.

    I want the strength to protect them from anything. So long as they believe in me, I can never let them down.

    Altar of Self. That''s the correct choice. I won''t hide behind my family.

 Chapter 913 The Final Touch (1024)

    <h4>Chapter 913 The Final Touch (1024)</h4>

    This evolution is going to make the Call worse, I can already tell. Stupid Ancients and their dumb¡­ whatever it is they''re all about. Do whatever you want, just leave me and my family out of it.

    But taking this much power into myself is definitely going to make them more interested, rather than less. Although, I''ll be much weaker when away from the Colony. Maybe they won''t like that so much? Bah, who am I kidding, I''ll be a beast once this evolution goes through. The stat gain alone is insane, everything else is just gravy.

    Speaking of everything else, it''s time to decide what I''m going to do with the rest of my evolutionary energy! You know what that means, resets baby!

    Let me at ''em!

    I''ve got them at a discounted price, which naturally means I''m going straight to the expensive stuff and poking my antennae where they don''t belong. Don''t hold back on me, Gandalf! I want to see your finest materials, straight from the top shelf.

    If I''m going to reset my carapace and mandibles, then I want only the best. It''d be a ridiculous waste to reset them again, so whatever I pick will need to be good enough to carry me through the rest of my monstrous life. It has to be incredible! And shiny!

    The first thing I do, naturally, is go and take a look at the Golden-Diamond Silk. From what the trio had to say, it''s incredibly valuable, and rare. I need to check it out. I have to poke back and forth a bit before I find a version that will apply to my carapace, but I get there in the end.

    [Golden-Diamond Silk Woven Carapace: A clear diamond Chitin threaded with aplexwork of Golden-Diamond Silk thread. The lustre of this material is only matched by its tensile strength. Against physical damage, this material is nigh unbreakable.]

    Holy moly! An almost unbreakable carapace that is shiny in the extreme?! This is going to be hard to pass up!

    And it''s expeeeeeeensive¡­ sweet mackerel of malfeasance, that is pricey. Just how much evolutionary energy are you going to charge for one reset? This isrceny! Even paying half feels like I''d be carving out my own liver. If I even have a liver¡­.

    I kind of want to confirm it anyway. This is exactly the kind of upgrade I want. Even if I flick through and look at the other upgrades that Granin and I discussed, fourth stratum stuff like the ''Living Diamond'' just doesn''t measure up. They''re good and all, but a self regenerating crystal carapace just doesn''t sound as nice as being woven through with the toughest and most valuable material in the entire.

    Come to think of it, do I really want to be a walking sack of cash money? Being a highly evolved monster is already painting a target on my back, goodness knows what a mythic core sells for, but I''m sure it''s a lot. Do I really need to make my body parts even more marketable? That''s worth contemting¡­.

    Still, I better look more thoroughly through the options, just to be sure I don''t miss something that would work for me.

    I spend quite a bit of time looking at cheaper purchases. The Golden-Diamond Silk is eye-wateringly costly, so I naturally err on the less expensive side, but I don''t find anything I want more. There''s tons of nice stuff, all sorts of cool diamond variants that perform some powerful and bizarre functions. The Living Diamond is just the tip of the iceberg in that department. Resonating Diamond that oscites at high speeds when activated is cool, as is the Liquid Diamond, which isn''t actually a liquid, but sort of a thick gel formed of micro-diamonds that hardens when impacted. Interesting stuff, but not better than what I already have my eye on.

    Not finding anything I like better, I decide to poke a leg over and gander at the options even more expensive than the Golden-Diamond Silk. I immediately regret it.

    I mean, it''s good that I found it, but my poor little heart can''t take this level of cost. Why do you do this to me, Gandalf?

    [Gravity Compressed Diamond. Compacted to its ultimate density, this Diamond has been forged in the most crushing environment imaginable. This material holds a natural affinity to the force of Gravity.]

    Noooooo. I mean, yesssssss, but also, nooooooo!

    No mention of shininess at all. What about my precious lustre?! This could be the key I need to push myself over the edge and get the Gravity Mana affinity, but the cosssssssst. It burnssssssss me!

    No! Summon your damn guts, Anthony! You get it half-price this evolution, and judging by this extravagant price tag, this material is some deep-dungeon stuff. You won''t get a chance like this again anytime soon! You wanted to be a Gravity Mage all the way back when you evolved to tier three! Commit, dammit!

    I also have to hunt for a synergetic material for my ting. If something is going to work well with this incredibly expensive diamond, then it''s likely also going to be expensive. I''m excited to look at the options, but nervous at the same time¡­.

    Alright, let''s see what we have. There''s all sorts of cool stuff in here, including some pretty neat looking options that would have tempted me were I not on a quest for synergy. The ting needs to work well with the carapace! If it doesn''t enhance my Gravity Compressed Diamond in some way, I''m not interested!

    After flipping down the list, watching the costs rise as I go, I eventually find something that I think is going to work.

    Since my carapace will basically be made from an ultra condensed diamond with some affinity to gravity, I need an inner ting that will raise its toughness to even greater heights! It needs to cover the weaknesses and enhance the strengths!

    The strength is of course the incredible hardness, the weakness is itsck of flexibility. I can''t directly give the diamond more bend, it''s diamond, it''ll just crack, but what I can do is influence it through the power of¡­ you guessed it, gravity!

    [Boson Agitating Crystal Flesh. A material that generates manipble gravity fields in a small radius around it. A mesh of tiny, hardened gems, this substance is flexible and durable.]

    With this, I can generate small fields on the surface of my carapace that may even allow me to shape it, depending on just how strong the affinity turns out to be. I like the choice, the only problem is the mind-boggling expense.

    With a reluctance that burns my soul, I lock in resets for my carapace and mandibles that will convert both to Gravity Compressed Diamond and the ting reset. My heart aches as such arge portion of my evolutionary energy is immediately lost. No time for regrets! We only move forward!

    I still have a good amount of energy left to spend, this is tier seven after all, but after considering it for a moment, I decide on at least one more reset for this evolution¡­

    The Gravity Mana nd.

    If I''m going all in on pushing for the speciality, then I can''t overlook this little gem! Currently, it''s my only source of the stuff, and if I don''t get the Skill, then I better be in a good position, Mana wise.

    If I do get the Skill, then I''ll need to make sure the reset and mutations will enable the nd to have a purpose even after I can make gravity mana myself. It''s a delicate bncing act, and if I don''t find an option that works in both a Skill-less and Skilled scenario, I may have to give up on the whole idea.

    Time to dive into the list. I really do spend way too much time reading these damned lists¡­.

    There''s all sorts of interesting options that do plenty of generic things like gather the mana more quickly,press it more readily or make it easier to use. I''m not overly worried about that, I have an absolutely stacked set of brains that are only getting stronger with this evolution, I don''t need any helppressing or handling the mana, I need something that''s going to do something that I can''t do myself.

    As I creep through the list, the options get more and more expensive and I (metaphorically) sweat more and more. Obviously, when I reset, I want to get the best¡­ but I don''t want to have to pay for the best! Don''t be dissuaded, Anthony, you have tomit. What were you going to spend that energy on anyway? Precious, life-saving stats? BAH!

    Finally, way past the point where I''m happy with the cost, I find what I''m looking for.

    [Resonant Well Stone: This material harnesses rare properties of the singrity to harmonise and entuate gravitational energy. It will convert a portion of that energy back into Gravity Mana.]

    Aw snap!

    If my Gravitational Mana nd is made of this, then it''ll literally feed a portion of what I spent from it back into the pool. Gweheheheh. Harmony will be achieved!

    I''ll have to test my new carapace and mandibles with their gravity reactive material to see how they respond to it as well. I might have created a nice feedback-loop with this.

    Am I achieving Synergy? Atst?! Granin would be proud.

    In fact, I''m kind of excited. This evolution might be a big change for me, finally bing the gravity-powered ant of doom I was always destined to be!

    After confirming that purchase, my reserves of evolutionary energy are depressingly low. I mean, there''s still a good chunk here, I had a level of wealth at the start of this process that I could scarcely believe even two evolutions ago. I''m tempted to consider another reset, but I desist. Too many at once is not a good idea ording to Granin, so I''d best be patient. I don''t think I can afford any big ticket items either, so it''s time to spend the rest of my stats.

    I sink my abundant strength into a 40:60 blend of size and density and then use the same ratio on my toughness, except therger portion goes on external defence. With all my upgrades, I''m going to be a hell of a durable bug!

    A cockroach will wish it could survive as well as me.

    My mental stats go into powering up my brains fairly evenly, with a slightlyrger portion going to the main mind. That brain is intended for gravity specialisation and I want it sufficiently beefed to handle the load. With the added power given to the smaller minds, they''ll each be able to handle double the mind constructs they could before, vastly increasing my spellpower.

    Any spare energy I have left I pump into my Might, maintaining the same ratio as before. I''ll be a big ol'' ant when this process is done!

    Looking over my choices, I feel a sense of satisfaction. With this new form, I''ll be stronger than ever and able to protect my new family against the things that threaten them. I can''t wait!

    Confirm it, Gandalf!

    Time for a chat.

 Chapter 914 Wizened Words (1025)

    <h4>Chapter 914 Wizened Words (1025)</h4>

    As before, my consciousness fades away before it''s drawn from my body. The dizzying experience of having one''s soul sent spinning down the plug-hole isn''t one that I missed, but I''m starting to get used to it.

    What does that say about my life?

    Eventually, everything falls still and I float, formless in the void. I suppose that means I''ve arrived?

    [Indeed. I am interested to see that you have survived yet again.]

    Wow. Way to damn me with faint praise. You sound surprised that I survived. I''ve been kicking backside in the Dungeon! I''m taking names up there!

    [You continue to surprise me with how well you have adapted,] Gandalf muses. [If all of your fellow introduced souls performed as well as you, progress would be much more swift.]

    Progress? Progress to what?

    [I don''t believe that is any of your business.] The voice is faintly amused, happy to continue dangling his secrets beyond my grasp.

    Fine. Keep your damned secrets to yourself then. I''ve got other things I want toin about.

    [You want toin?] Gandalf sounds almost surprised, as if nobody had ever done so before.

    Of course I do! Diamond Centipedes? I mean¡­ really. DIAMOND CENTIPEDES! Why don''t you just spit in my face, huh? Why not just show up and poke me straight in the eyes? It''d hurt less!

    [I believe I''ve exined to you that I am not in direct control of such things. The centipede species has been performing well in the Dungeon and so they are being propagated. Sess breeds sess.]

    Performing well? My family has stomped them into the ground every time we see them! Obviously, ants are the superior insect. Something must be direly wrong with the Dungeon if it keeps spitting out those wed idiots.

    [The working will take care of itself, there are no mistakes. The System does not y favourites.]

    Could have fooled me¡­.

    [I am more interested in discussing your new evolution. You decided to forgo the Larval Deity evolution? An interesting decision.]

    I can''t really shrug as a bodiless soul-thing, but I make an attempt.

    It wasn''t really my vibe.

    [An evolution like that would surely have been picked up by the powerful Dungeon Seers located around the globe. I doubt you would have survived to reach tier eight.]

    ¡­ There''s also that, I suppose. Yikes.

    [I am pleased you continued down the Path of the Paragon to its conclusion. Though I didn''t expect you to choose the Altar of Self. You have been rather selfless in your actions, generally speaking, to this point.]

    I was pretty tempted by the Altar of Many. I can admit that. Perhaps this is a little un-ant of me, but I want to step forward to protect my family from the things out there that want to harm them. The best way for me to do that is to be strong enough to fight off all challengers.

    [Even the Ancients?]

    Especially the Ancients. Can you believe those bums stuck this stupid Call in me? It''s a literal pain in the backside.

    [It''s almost irritating how stubborn they are,] the voice of Gandalf muses, [I ceased taking pleasure in their futile struggles millennia ago. Yet still they persist.]

    Struggles? Against what?

    [Fate, I suppose you might say.]

    Care to¡­ borate on that?

    [No.]

    You really are a stick in the mud. Are you going to let anything slip? It''s not like I get a lot of opportunities toe down and speak to you. In fact, I''m probably running out of chances to engage in this conversation. Pretty soon, I expect I''ll run into the wall and won''t evolve much anymore. One or two more times, probably, three tops. After that, you''ll be forever denied the pleasure of mypany.

    [You know, I may actually miss that. Observing your journey and engaging in these conversations has been a highlight of the recent cycle.]

    There. You just throw out words like ''cycle'' and I have no idea what that refers to.

    [I suppose that is no great secret. The Dungeon operates in a cyclical manner, mana surging, new monsters emerging, fighting to see which are the best, then receding and slowing before starting again.]

    So then I assume we are currently in a surging part of the cycle?

    [Correct. Mana levels are rising and will continue to do so. New species will be injected into the Dungeon and refined. You may even see more ants start to pop up, considering your own sess.]

    Good! Ants are the superior insect after all¡­. Except that ants are often each other''s worst enemy. Wars between ant colonies are horrific, bloody conflicts with death and destruction on both sides. Some ants'' primary food source is other ants!

    That might be bad.

    Eh, we annihted the termites. If some fancy ants want to challenge my family, they''ll be put right back in their ce.

    [I''m sure there will be no shortage of challenges in theing months and years,] chuckles Gandalf. [Turbulent times areing for all who live on this world. The only way to be truly safe is to rise above it all so that none can challenge you.]

    That''s what everyone says. Is the endless pursuit of greater power really the only thing that anyone is interested in on this!?

    [Are you not interested in it?]

    Only because I need it to protect what I love from idiots who seem determined to be dumb at all turns! Why can''t people just chill out?

    [Will the Colony allow them that freedom? Or will they too seek to push until others begin to push back?]

    I see what you did there. My family is different. We haven''t started a war of aggression, not even once.

    [That is true. So far. Now, our time together hase to a close, I believe. Try to stay alive, and I will see you again. Who knows, I may even share a secret with you if you make it back.]

    Somehow, I doubt it¡­.

 Chapter 915 While You Were Sleeping (1026)

    <h4>Chapter 915 While You Were Sleeping (1026)</h4>

    When the Eldest rested, there was a change that came over the Colony. It was as if we were set adrift, without the guiding force that drove us. Naturally, we were as industrious as ever. We built, researched, expanded, administered, hunted and built with our customary vigour, yet something was missing. During those times, an air of stillness would descend upon the family, as if we were waiting, as if everything we did was simply in preparation for whatever woulde next once the Eldest awoke.

    Despite everything we had been given by the Eldest, our intelligence, curiosity and independence, we stillcked a crucial element that would allow us to truly flourish. After living through these events and reflecting upon the records, as well as interviewing many, many of my siblings throughout the history of the Colony, I came to the conclusion that, fundamentally, we still were ants. We were greedy, ambitious and determined, ever hungry for growth, for more brood, more territory, more resources, but the Eldest was the one who dared to dream for more than that. It was the Eldest who pushed us to strive for the truly valuable, intangible things that we didn''t know we needed.

    They pushed us to gain more freedom. It was the Eldest who demanded that we rise above our instincts and value our sense of self. It was the Eldest who fought to allow us the power of choice over our own lives. It was the Eldest who elevated us and allowed us to value these qualities in others, to forge partnerships and alliances.

    While they slept, we reverted to a primitive state, bustling endlessly within our nests, waiting for the moment they woke so we could explode into motion once more, and grow in ways we didn''t know we could.

    For this reason, the Eldest must be preserved at all costs. The Colony requires them in order to achieve our fullest potential. No matter what need be done, they cannot be allowed to fall.

    - Written submission from Historiant to the Council.

    The shadows coiled around Crinis and she wiggled in pleasure as she felt the cool embrace of the darkness. The Nameless had been busy; as the fort had been constructed, they had worked their magic, creating pockets and tunnels of pure shadow in which they could conduct their sacred task. Her Master had to be protected during this vulnerable time, and she was pleased to know that his defenders would be rested and ready.

    To have such pockets of perfect darkness within her reach was pleasing. They were like beacons that she could see with total rity, could move through withplete ease. With their help, her reach was extended throughout the mountain.

    Inside the chamber, her Master slept under the watch of her and her... siblings.

    For that is what they were, she had begun to ept it. Their Master thought of the family constantly, and over time, it had worn off on all of them. Tiny lifted his head, a gleam of intent in his eyes. He had appeared asleep, dozing loudly, his breath rumbling throughout the chamber, until he had sensed something, snapping to alertness.

    She formed a tentacle from her flesh and waved it at him, and the older monster shed her a quick thumbs up before he closed his eyes once more. Shortly, the deep vibrations rattled throughout the chamber again, strong enough to send the antennae of the watching ants twitching.

    Her older brother enjoyed his rest, but should he need to fight, he would be ready. It was almost amazing how swiftly he could snap to alertness. Though he might not give the impression of it, he was as dedicated to protecting their Master as anyone could be.

    Her younger sibling hovered nearby, his eye fixated on the sleeping form of the giant ant in the centre of the chamber. The bright green glow that radiated from him filled the space; even without eyes, she could sense it driving back the shadows. Doubtless he was filled with envious thoughts, eager to evolve himself and ascend in power. Dangling beneath his body, the two stick-thin arms ended in those long w-tipped fingers that curled and unfurled repeatedly.

    He was an unusual creature, her demon sibling, but she did not question his devotion. He wasmitted to defending the Master, in his own way. How many times had his shields and healing saved the day?

    Satisfied that all was as it should be, she turned her focus back to the shifting form of the Master. Not long ago, the changes had begun, fluctuating waves of mana rippling over the sleeping form. Already, the carapace was beginning to change, the sparkling light of the diamond covering fading away as something new was formed underneath.

    She hoped that whatever took its ce was as shiny as what hade before, for the Master''s sake.

    Ever vignt, she flicked her awareness throughout the tunnels and chambers that filled the fortress, testing, sensing for any threat. Finding none, she rxed once more and coiled around herself.

    Soon, she too would reach tier seven, under her Master''s guidance, as would her brothers. But she did not expect their ascension to stop there. As much as ity hidden, there was an ambition to the one she was bound to, a hunger that demanded to be fed.

    They would descend ever deeper into the Dungeon, of that she was sure. The Colony would follow in their wake and they would peel back theyers of this world until all of ity bare before them.

    And all of it would pay homage to the one she served.

 Chapter 916 Just, Brilliant (1027)

    <h4>Chapter 916 Just, Brilliant (1027)</h4>

    "Hold, dammit!" Brilliant roared.

    "I''m not sure it can take it," Assistant cried out. "It''s going to overflow!"

    "It needs more power! Give it everything you''ve got!"

    "We can''t do any more, the matrix will copse!"

    "A little further," Brilliant urged as the mana surged and frothed. Dimensional boundaries were cascading around them and she could peer into them all, shing images of twisting reality that bent and warped themselves around her.

    They were so close!

    "It''s gone! Run!" Assistant shrieked, and Brilliant was vaguely aware of her followers ducking for cover or diving into the st cages. She herself didn''t move, of course, transfixed as she was by the beauty she beheld in front of her.

    "So beautiful," she whispered.

    A momentter, she was spear tackled and knocked from her observation tform.

    "Experimant! What are you doing?!" she yelled.

    "Saving your life, again," the ant replied, flicking her antennae with irritation. "It''s a little difficult to make use of your insights if you die in the process of getting them."

    A point the Eldest had been at pains to make, numerous times, but Brilliant merelyughed.

    "Danger can''t hope to find me," she boasted, "I see iting a full stratum away."

    She moved to stand up only for Experimant to yank her back to the ground. Then the explosion finally happened, the haywire mana discharging as purple lightning that arced over the walls, searing jagged patterns into the rock.

    "Oh, right," Brilliant muttered. "Forgot about that."

    They waited another minute before the mages and carvers that made up her merry band began to emerge from the reinforced concrete bunkers someone had decided to install in their research chamber. She strongly suspected Assistant was the one responsible, but she couldn''t quite prove it.

    "Well done, everyone," Brilliant rushed around the team, giving everyone an enthusiastic tap with an antenna. "Fantastic experiment, another rousing sess! We are getting ever closer to our goal."

    "A-are you sure?" Assistant asked as she finally emerged, still hugging the floor as thest few sparks danced across the walls. "It seemed like it went rather poorly to me.¡­"

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk," Brilliant chided, snapping her mandibles to emphasise her pheromones and mimic the human sound. "How many times do I have to teach you? Only a truly sessful test will end with a multiple manifold-copse. We were able to peer deeper into the weave than ever before! Our goal has never been closer than it is right now."

    Not willing to waste any further words on those who didn''t share her rity of vision, she raced to the enchanted array embedded into the floor beneath the great stone edifice she had dubbed the rift-arch. Reinforced behind thickyers of hardened ice and embedded within a holding structure of living stone, the array was a sophisticated piece of enchanting, the only one of its kind within the Colony. Smithant herself had been consulted on the crafting of it, to the specifications of Brilliant''s groundbreaking, mad design.

    "Look!" she crowed. "Just look at the readings! One-two-three¡­ sixteen identifiable threads. Our spatial pathway managed to make it a third of the way to its destination before copsing!"

    "Yes," Experimant drawled, "which means any ant who travelled through it would be liquified. Not quite the result we are aiming for."

    "Bah! We are making great strides. Great strides. You don''t discover the secrets of teleportation magic without exploding a few gateways. If you could see as I do¡­"

    "I''m not sure my brain could handle it¡­." Assistant said.

    "I still don''t understand why this is so difficult¡­" Experimant huffed, clearly frustrated, her antennae swinging low. "If we only want to travel through regr space, why is it necessary to map such a difficult course? Why bother with these other dimensions at all?"

    Brilliant rounded on her helper, contempt evident in every line of her carapace, but it was Assistant who interjected first.

    "There i-is no such thing as r-regr space. It is a dimension. Everything i-is a dimension. If you punch a h-hole in one, you punch a hole i-in all of them."

    "Exactly right!" Brilliant dered, sliding the protective screen clear and fiddling with the delicate instruments attached to the matrix. "It''s almost as if we aren''t looking to find a destination in three dimensional space, but rather find our way back to it. Right now, all we are doing is shooting bright light into the dimensional weave, illuminating the darkness so we can better understand it. Once we have a clearer picture, we can step with more confidence."

    "But can''t you already move through space?" Experimant pressed. "Is it that much harder to make a functional gate?"

    "Don''t be ridiculous! For one, I am an incredible genius! For two, you areparing an ant slipping through cracks in the wall, to knocking a hole in the thing and building a tunnel through it. I am protected by my vision, knowledge and Skills. How do we construct a path that will allow any ant, who has none of those things, to pass through safely? You''reparing tea and biscuits."

    All around them, the team hade to life, examining the data, conferring with each other and adjusting the runes scratched into the rift-arch using the special tes that Brilliant had designed. An ant crawled up the arch, gripped the scorched metal sheet in her mandibles and pulled it from its slot before returning with a new, non-melted sheet and sliding it in ce.

    Brilliant was in the thick of it all. She rushed from group to group, cajoling, exhorting and haranguing every individual and group she came across. The ants who worked on this team were used to it and endured her ranting with otherworldly patience, following the directions they could interpret until, finally, everything had been ordered to her satisfaction.

    "Excellent!" Brilliant cackled as she beheld the new configuration. "I have high hopes for this one. Very high! How are the dimensional mana banks, Assistant?"

    "Th-they''ve reached fifty p-percent and rising, leader."

    "Experimant! Is the matrix holding steady?"

    "Readings are stable, leader."

    The little ant rapidly climbed back up to her observation post, looking down directly into the rift-arch.

    "I''ve told you so many times," she chuckled, "call me BRILLIANT!"

 Chapter 917 Queens Meeting (1028)

    <h4>Chapter 917 Queens Meeting (1028)</h4>

    "The tea is excellent this season," one queen observed.

    "Indeed," another noted, sipping again from her porcin cup, "and the biscuits have elevated once again. This vour is just divine."

    There was a general chorus of agreement from the "table" the gathered royalty sat around. The special seats invented by the carvers had certainly evolved since the early days. Once upon a time, they were simply a stone edifice, carved to fit the carapace of the ant who sat upon it.

    The queens now rested upon seats lined with the finest leather, stuffed with the softest feathers, and coloured to each of their own personal favourite shades. Gold thread had been used to embroider and decorate each of the chairs with personalised filigree and symbols representing each of the eight gathered ants.

    "They spoil us too much," another huffed. "The waste of resources and time is simply profligate."

    "What can we do about it?"ughed the first. "We have asked them to stop, but they won''t."

    The eight gathered queens all nodded seriously in understanding. They had indeed asked their precious family to stopvishing such extravagant gifts on them, even threatened to risk themselves as the Queen did, but to no avail.

    "How are things going in the second egg-chamber?" the fourth asked. "Any interruptions or issues?"

    "No," replied the fifth in her typical blunt fashion. "We''ve been meeting our quotas easily. There seems to be plenty of Biomass to go around."

    "Same for us," the seventh noted, "everything has been working so smoothlytely. The Brood Tenders have been ecstatic."

    The eight queens sipped from their tea again, a few of them lowering their massive frames to nibble on the delicate biscuits. They had to be careful not to damage the tes. Exquisite works of gleaming porcin, the tes were beautiful to behold, but not entirely practical for an ant to eat from. As of yet, an eating vessel designed specifically for their mouths had not been created, though doubtless someone somewhere was working on it.

    "The biscuits seem a little sweeter than usual," the second queen noted, her antennae swaying thoughtfully. "Perhaps they''ve adjusted the recipe?"

    The first took arger bite and chewed carefully.

    "I believe you''re right. They may have increased the amount of sugar."

    "Are they ever going to stop experimenting with the snacks?" the eighth grumbled. "They were perfectly fine before."

    "I don''t know," the second continued to take small sampling bites, "I think they may be better this way."

    "Nonsense," the eighth refuted, "they''re too sweet. They no longer have the perfect bnce with the tea."

    "Isn''t that just because you put too much sugar in your tea?" the seventh prodded her sister with an antenna. "You''re making a bad habit of thattely."

    The queens continued to chat andugh amongst themselves in the centre of the chamber. Around the outside, scores of ants patrolled in a never-ending cycle, with thousands more guarding the tunnels beyond the chamber, and thousands more beyond them.

    These eight represented the single most important aspect of the Colony''s social structure, the young. Without the queens, no young would be born, an unthinkable atrocity to the ants. Despite the size of their mining, smelting operations, or the vast fields of crops and fine tea leaves, by far thergest industry within the Colony was the harvest and transport of Biomass. Hundreds of tons flowed into this nest every day, to be consumed by the eight and turned into new young. To make that happen, a workforce of thousandsboured around the clock.

    Ever since the queens had evolved to tier six, the demands on the workers had only increased. Patrols had been extended for kilometres in every direction to ensure the Dungeon provided enough food to fuel the nest.

    The ants had learned to tend to the Dungeon just as they would a garden. Overhunting would eliminate spawn points, devastating the rate of replenishment. If they hit an area too heavily, they risked reducing the diversity in that part of the Dungeon, which was also a problem. The aim was to extract as much Biomass as possible, after all. That meant allowing the monsters within their territory to hunt and fight each other, to mutate and evolve so they provided better food for the queens.

    The scouts were relentless in their observation of the hunting grounds. Carefully monitoring poptions, tiers and mutations to maintain the most rich selection of prey.

    As the discussion wore on, eventually the tea had been drunk and the tray of snacks had been depleted.

    "Time to sleep, I suppose," the first noted cheerfully. "Very important to get our rest, let''s not forget."

    The others nodded solemnly. The Eldest had decreed that all needed to rest and queens were no exception. They were also known to fall victim to the... enforcers, if they pushed the limits. No one could unt the instructions given by the Eldest.

    The eight said their farewells and turned theirrge, ponderous bodies around before making their way to their own rest chambers. Tomorrow would begin with a cleansing as the healers ensured that they were in peak physical condition, followed by a feast as the food that had amassed as they slept would be brought to them.

    Then they would begin their work,ying the hundreds of eggs they could produce each day, contributing to the next generation.

    A queen''s work was never done.

 Chapter 918 Far Ranging (1029)

    <h4>Chapter 918 Far Ranging (1029)</h4>

    [What do you see?]

    [Much, prey. Dangerous.]

    [Let me take a look.]

    The vision was blurry, iplete, but enough to show that the assessment was correct. They couldn''t go this way.

    [Alright. Come back. Make sure you aren''t seen.]

    Columbant withdrew her awareness from her distant pet, the small cavern in which she crouched snapping back into focus with disorienting rity. Even after advancing the Skill to the second rank, it was still difficult to use, especially over a distance.

    We can''t use that path, she thought to herself, which is going to severely limit our options. Are we cut off?

    She consulted her tunnel map and began to plot out the routes still avable to her. They''d ranged far from the meeting point, but there were still five days left before she was due to rendezvous with Magent. She just hadn''t expected monster activity to be so high in this area.

    [What do you think, Mistress? Shall we fight our way out?]

    Her smartest pet, Rist, had long worked out how precarious their circumstances were. The me demon had a good mind and a ir for fire magic, but was often too eager to engage, a tendency she had to be mindful of.

    [It''s not ideal,] she confessed before she began to sketch out a rough version of her tunnel map on the floor with one leg. [We currently sit between two expanses that are unusually close together. This one is the shadow coral reef we explored earlier, this one we haven''t been into, but I suspect is a shadow swamp type. The spillover of monsters between the two is flooding the tunnels around us and causing the monsters to be higher tiers than I expected. If we try and fight our way out, we need to make it through these three junctions.]

    She indicated the points where the tunnels met with an antenna while she continued to sketch with her leg. As she spoke, Rist watched with his ever-burning eyes, carefully taking in her words.

    [Due to the density, we might end up pulling more monsters down on our heads than we can handle.]

    [Tunnelling?] the demon said, a little disappointed. He hated digging.

    [Not really an option,] Columbant shook her head. [The death mana is just too thick in the stone down here. It''s sapping the life out of me even to touch it.]

    She climbed up the wall and poked at the ceiling, once again experiencing the strange draining sensation she''d felt before. They could still dig through, but it would take more than twice as long as normal due to the frequent breaks they''d need.

    [We can dig,] Rist said forcefully, [we dig you out.]

    The bottomless,pelled loyalty of the pets was on disy. She would sacrifice them if needed to save her own life, but the core shaper would do everything possible to avoid that point.

    [No,] she refuted. [We will all make it. I have a n. Quietly train your Skills and wait for Slither to return. I need to think for a moment.]

    The demon nodded and gave her some space, retreating to the corner where he continued to practise his fire maniption, twisting the me into shapes and making them dance on his palm. Columbant skittered across to where her third pet rested, still recovering.

    She formed the healing mana construct with difficulty, she needed so much more practice with it, before reaching out with soothing energy. The beetle-beast groaned as the jagged wound across her nk began to seal over, bit by bit. A day after the fight that caused it, the tear, two metres long across the nk, already looked much better than it did before.

    [How are you, girl?] Columbant asked gently.

    Garg extended her head a little from her shell, letting her mistress see the determination in her eye.

    [Ready,] she insisted.

    [No, girl. Not yet.]

    [Ready!]

    The small ant felt a pain in her heart.

    [Alright. We''ll get some more food into you, and then you''ll be ready, okay?]

    That would give her enough time for another round of healing magic as well. Combined with a bit of Biomass, it would nearly be enough to heal the wound. Nearly.

    [Your pet has gained experience. You have received a portion.]

    She jumped as the notification came in. What had happened? Was Slither alright? She resisted the urge to reach out to him. He needed to concentrate in order to return safely.

    She paced back and forth for a few minutes as she waited for the shadow creature to return, sighing with relief when he finally dropped down from the narrow opening above. A slug-variant of her own creation, Slither stted onto the ground before reforming himself. Without a word, he crawled to where Gargy and regurgitated a pile of Biomass. A fresh kill, uneaten.

    [Thank you, Slither] Columbant said. [That will help a lot.]

    [Thanks,] Garg agreed, her gratitude rolling off her in waves.

    The big beetle extended her jaws and in two quick chomps, the food was gone. Was it enough? It would have to be.

    [We''ll move in fifteen minutes,] she dered to her pets. [Make sure you are ready.]

    The three of them nodded and began to rest, conserving their energy for the time toe. For her part, Columbant sank into meditation. This far from the Colony, she had nobody to rely on but herself, and her pets. She couldn''t afford any mistakes. If she failed, not a single ant would know of her fall, just another core shaper lost ranging in the Dungeon.

    Eldest, Queen, give me strength.

    She employed the Meditation Skill to calm her nerves and concentrated on pulling in more mana to restock her reserves. If they were able to make it out of this mess, she might have to withdraw to the first stratum to make it back to the Colony. The mana was already rising, this level was getting dangerous.

    After ten minutes had psed, she made her way to Garg and healed the monster once more, closing over the wound that little bit more. She wouldn''t be able to move without pain, but hopefully the injury wouldn''t hinder her in battle.

    [Alright, gather up,] she told her pets when the time hade.

    The three moved until they stood alongside her, looking down at the map she had sketched.

    [We will break out and make our way to this junction. Stealth will be the order of the day, so we will be counting on you, Slither.]

    [Okay.]

    [But there''s little chance we can make it without having to fight. It''s important that we retreat into this tunnel, should that happen,] she pointed again.

    [Are we clear?] she asked.

    The three nodded, though she suspected Garg had only followed a part of it. She really needed a tiny bit more brainpower in her next evolution.

    [Let''s go.]

 Chapter 919 Far Ranging Part 2 (1030)

    <h4>Chapter 919 Far Ranging Part 2 (1030)</h4>

    It all started well, as things tended to, in Columbant''s experience. Usually in the middle was where things started to go all the way downhill. They hadn''t reached that moment, but she had ns in ce in the event the inevitable happened.

    Slither was her stealth specialist, a creation she was incredibly proud of. The slug-like creature sank his body into a shadow, deepening and thickening it. He couldn''t maintain this form indefinitely, so she moved quickly, climbing onto Garg along with Rist.

    The powerful beetle-beast settled into the ck pocket, her dark carapace blending in beautifully.

    [Alright Slither, activate your Stealth aura and let''s get out of here. Garg, you know what to do.]

    [Yes.]

    The big insect became enveloped in the darkness and they made their way out of the hiding ce swiftly, climbing up the walls and out into the tunnel above.

    A little earth magic was necessary to soundlessly widen the opening, but once they were up, Slither directed them away from the main thoroughfare and they managed to blend into the remote parts of the tunnel. Garg moved swiftly and silently, not something that came naturally to a monster of her size. Purchasing and having her train the Stealth Skill had been the right decision.

    You couldn''t fight everything you found when ranging solo. Being flexible was the name of the game for core shapers.

    Slither was able to create an oval-shaped patch of darkness around eight metres from end to end, enough space for Garg to fit with room to spare. They crept along the tunnel, Columbant steering her bulky pet with antennae taps on the carapace as they navigated.

    There were monsters everywhere, and several times, they nearly stumbled upon a nest or gathering, having to back up and choose another path. Growls, hisses, snapping and cracking could be heard in all directions. This deep in the second stratum, almost every monster was touched with an aspect of death, causing them to be exceptionally lethal. It was impossible to know which monster could apply a touch of death, or how.

    [Slither. Care,] she breathed over the mental link. [I sense somethinging, we need to hold.]

    [Time is short,] he told her.

    [Got it. We still have to wait. Let''s hide behind that rock.]

    The quartet snuck their way over to the side a little further as the foreboding feeling grew stronger. Even the regr monsters, without the benefits of her senses, were able to detect it. As the seconds ticked past, they became more agitated, scrambling to finish their fights, or escape into a separate area. Several leapt out into therger tunnel connected to this one that Columbant was heading for, maybe hoping to slide into the smaller paths whose openings dotted the walls.

    It wasn''t to be.

    There was a sudden rushing sound, followed by a dull CRUNCH. Those desperate monsters were gone in an instant, vanished into the ethereal gullet of the new arrival.

    Bones as ck as night enveloped in ghostly, translucent flesh, the serpent was a nightmarish vision. For a long moment, it hovered in ce, looming over everything with its enormous, elongated body. When no further prey made itself known, the creature once more began to glide forward, soon sliding out of view.

    That was far too close, Columbant shivered, that''s exactly where I wanted to go.

    She let a few more seconds pass by before she indicated to Slither it was time to move forward. That bright core she had detected was fading away as the ghost serpent found other tunnels in which to feast.

    She would dearly love to get her hands on that core, but now was hardly the time to try hunting such a high tier prey. It wasn''t often that she found monsters such as those, ones that had managed to, by luck or design, achieve a powerful core and secure potent evolutions. Such creatures were lords of their own little slices of Dungeon, suppressing everything beneath them until such time as they grew too powerful and needed to descend in order to stay alive.

    [Out of time,] Slither gasped.

    The shadow returned to normal as her slug pet reformed, sliding out of the ground and into the tunnel. The darkness around them retracted, revealing Garg and her passengers to their surroundings.

    Fortunately, not many monsters noticed, or else they were still so intimidated by the recent passer-by that they refused to emerge and challenge them.

    [Move, quickly!] she urged the beetle and Garg responded, rushing forward and taking them into therger tunnel. [Now left, we need to go this way.]

    This junction was just one of several they would need to pass if they wanted to make it back to safe ground, and now they found themselves in a major arterial tunnel, muchrger and more heavily popted than the one they had left behind.

    [Stay together,] she urged her pets.

    Getting here without having to fight had been a significant win. They were fresh and ready, without having been tangled in a dozen skirmishes just to get this far. Now they would have to fight, the only question was how long they could put it off.

    Not long, as it turned out.

    They hadn''t made it far before the hundreds of monsters who had ducked for cover as the serpent came through began to emerge once more. As with all monsters, they had only one thing on their mind, growing stronger! In small packs, or as individuals, they began to hunt and the sounds ofbat rang out in all directions once more.

    She tried to avoid them, but it was inevitable that they would stumble into something.

    Two spine-covered creatures that reeked of death had been hidden beneath a small patch of coral. Their cores were weak, to the point Columbant almost didn''t see them until they were upon them. The monsters leaped from their hiding ce, desperate to sting the attackers.

    [Garg, use your carapace!] She warned her loyal pet.

    The beetle-beast responded instantly, turning to present her massively thick shell to the spines of the monsters, which pierced into the hardened chitin, but failed to prate.

    [Rist!]

    The demon was ahead of her, already directing mes down to sear the two creatures. The spined things took heavy damage, weak to fire as most things in the second stratum were.

    To strike the final blow, Slither leapt from the darkness and showered their opponents in thick acid, burning them away.

    [Your pet has gained experience. You have received a portion.]

    [Expert Pet Commander (III) has reached level eight.]

    The fight was over, but the danger hadn''t passed. Columbant swept her senses through the tunnel, waiting to see if any had been drawn closer by the noise.

    At first there was nothing, and she began to feel relieved, but then came the slithering hisses and she knew trouble wasing. When wasn''t it?

 Chapter 920 Far Ranging Part 3 (1031)

    <h4>Chapter 920 Far Ranging Part 3 (1031)</h4>

    [Move quickly, Garg, we need to gain distance.]

    [Right.]

    Nothing brought monsters to an area faster than the sounds of battle. The chance to jump on others in the middle of a fight, or capitalise on an exhausted victor, was too good to pass up. Of course, what ended up happening most of the time was that a smaller fight quickly escted into an all out melee as the opportunists ran into each other.

    They wereing now, she could sense them, weak cores flickering in the darkness as the monsters skittered forward.

    From her position on Garg''s back, Columbant fired acid sts at the targets behind them, the sizzling liquid boiling through the air. Almost all of the shots went wide, but at least one hit home, a monster crying out in the darkness and drawing others towards it.

    All around them, the sounds of battle began to ignite, the frenzy spreading rapidly. Which meant the monsters in front of them were also drawn to the fight.

    [Garg, charge!] Columbant ordered.

    [dly!] the big beetle replied.

    She lowered her head and rushed forward, putting all of her significant mass behind her reinforced horn. The pride and joy of Garg and Columbant''s beetle-beast design, the horn was formed of condensed bone covered in hardened chitin. Highly mutated, it was a deadly weapon and a powerful defensive tool at the same time.

    And Garg demonstrated it now, lowering her head and spearing the first target to put its head up in front of her. A shadow beast crept over the rock and hissed at them, only to receive a horn to the torso. Garg threw the monster off with a flick of her head and rumbled out augh as she continued to barrel forward.

    [Keep up with us, Slither!]

    [I''m here.]

    [Rist, give us a fire wall.]

    [dly.]

    It took only a moment for the fire demon to unleash his power, the tunnel brightening as the fire erupted behind them. The re revealed the hovering beasts, each looking for an angle, but they shied away from the heat before pouncing on each other, giving Columbant and her pets the space they needed.

    [Run, Garg! Follow my directions!]

    Steering the beetle with antennae taps, Columbant directed her group through the packed tunnel as more fights began to break out around them. As long as they stayed that little bit ahead and didn''t get caught in the middle of it, they would make it out.

    The terrain rushed past as Columbant ducked low on Garg''s back. In her mind, she kept checking the Tunnel Map, tracking their progress as they drew closer and closer to the next junction.

    She steered her charging steed expertly, narrowly avoiding spires and rocks and more monsters emerging from their hiding ces to seek prey in front of them. There were many victims of Garg''s horn as the race continued and the beetle-beast was rumbling merrily by the time they arrived at the second junction.

    [Slither, we need your shadow again.]

    [I don''t have long.]

    [That''s fine, over there!]

    As one, the group dove into a pocket of darkness and once again sank into the shadow that Slither provided. Not a moment too soon. As the fighting behind them caught up, chaos erupted. This was a meeting ce between tworge, arterial tunnels, monsters were everywhere and any excuse was enough to send them into a feeding frenzy.

    [One minute,] her shadow pet ground out, the strain evident in his voice.

    [That''s fine,] she assured him, [don''t push yourself too hard.]

    She constantly scanned the surroundings as the brawl spread. They''de this far, their odds of escaping had climbed significantly, but the next part would be the most dangerous. With the shadow exhausted, they had no choice but to make a break for the third and final junction. If they made it to that point, they''d be clear to ascend higher in the stratum where they outssed the monsters much more heavily and spawn rates would be lower.

    For fifty seconds, they rested and waited as Slither shrouded them in darkness, but all too soon, their time was up. Once more they were revealed, but Columbant held them still.

    [How''s your mana, Rist?]

    [Almost full. I can go anytime.]

    [How are the legs, Garg?]

    [Fine.]

    [All right. We''re going to creep to the left side and then make a break for it.]

    [Got it.]

    The three smaller group members piled onto the top of Garg and prepared for the next dash. They were in a tight spot, but they''d been in many before. They could make it.

    Hugging the walls, Columbant directed them to the far left side before she aimed and carefully fired three acid shots towards the right. The sizzling liquid arced through the air, catching the attention of the more dull-witted monsters and pulling them away from her crew.

    [Now!]

    [Quietly?] Garg asked.

    [No! Full speed ahead!]

    The beetle-beast was tired, but rallied herself and charged forward, horn lowered. She had utmost trust in her mistress to steer her to safety. The ground rumbled as the six-legged monster charged ahead, her weight enough to crack the stone beneath her as she ran.

    [Need you to free fire here, Rist. Try not to run out of power, but don''t hold back too much,] she instructed her demon pet.

    At tier six, Rist was the strongest of her helpers, a scarce demon core that fell into her grasp before this current outing. He''d only grown into maturity two weeks ago and was stilling into his own, improving his Skills from their baseline levels.

    [Got it,] he replied before his hands ignited and he began to hurl explosive balls of concentrated fire out into the darkness.

    The cries and shrieks of monsters rang out immediately as the cavern lit up. Despite their power, the explosions didn''t spread as far as they should; the suffocating thickness of the cold and shadows suppressed the fire and light.

    [Keep going, Garg! You''re doing well.]

    [I will.]

    And on they rushed. They were climbing now, gradually making their way higher into the Dungeon and toward safety.

    Hope rose in Columbant''s heart. She felt rising relief that none would need to be sacrificed. She loved her pets and desperately wanted them to survive.

    The monsters were thick around them now, and she bit and fired acid at everything she could reach. But nothing could stop Garg''s momentum. She was a spear, designed for this and this alone.

    Then suddenly, things grew quiet. Monsters scrambled to hide and the surroundings grew colder. Columbant felt a shiver of fear run over her carapace.

    She''d been too busy piloting and watching the monsters around her to notice the real danger. Now it reared up before her, staring down with cold, cold eyes.

    The serpent had returned!

 Chapter 921 Far Ranging Pt 4 (1034)

    <h4>Chapter 921 Far Ranging Pt 4 (1034)</h4>

    The ghostly serpent hovered above them for a short moment, its powerful core glowing bright in Columbant''s eyes. Then it bared its fangs and lunged for them.

    [Dodge, Garg!]

    The beetle-beast tucked her legs and rolled to the side as the others threw themselves from her carapace, barely avoiding the lightning fast strike.

    [Garg, up front! Slither, sneak attack. Rist, behind me. Standard formation, everyone.]

    Her Pet Detection array sparked to life inside her, giving the ant a perfect picture of where her allies were positioned and their general state. The Skills she had trained so diligently came to the fore as she tried to squeeze out every advantage for theing fight.

    Pet Commander gave bonuses to any action she ordered her pets toplete. Pet Coordinator allowed her to direct and position her pets with maximum efficiency. Even the more passive Skills that made her pets grow faster and stronger, increasing their Skill growth, stirred as her pets drew on their abilities.

    Before the serpent could retract for another strike, Garg was already there, recovering from her roll and charging in headfirst, trying tond a blow with her horn. The monster was too quick for that, twisting its long, ethereal body to dodge, and pulling back for another bite.

    Despite herself, Columbant couldn''t help but admire the elegant design of the monster. So simple, yet so brutal. Somehow, the creature had lucked into a powerful evolution despite beingpletely wild. A rare event, but with millions of Dungeon monsters being spawned and killed every hour, it happened more than most would think.

    Balls of fire streaked overhead and again, the serpent twisted, coiling itself with incredible speed to avoid the mes. It didn''t realise that the explosions wereing.

    BOOM!

    A deathly hiss filled the tunnel as the mes scorched the monster''s ghostly flesh. Fury ignited in the serpent''s eyes as it locked onto Rist, the source of the offending fire.

    [Slither!] Columbant called.

    The slug revealed itself, rearing out of the shadows not two metres from the serpent''s tail. His mouth opened and he spewed forth a torrent of ck, acidic goo.

    In a sh, the giant serpent reacted, spinning to sh at Slither with its tail. In one blow, the loyal pet wasunched from the safety of its shadow and stted against the distant wall.

    [Slither!]

    [I''m fine,] he replied as he reformed his body and sank into the shadows again. [Much faster than I thought.]

    [Charge!]

    Garg had reoriented herself and rushed forwards once more. It was her only move, but it was a powerful one.

    The giant bug blurred as she lunged, utilising her Skills to the fullest extent to reach incredible speeds. Not even the serpent was quick enough to uncoil itself to avoid the charge and Columbant felt a surge of triumph as the beetle-beast struck home with her deadly horn.

    Garg bellowed joyfully as she felt the contact, twisting her head to maximise the damage, but the response didn''t feel right. Columbant could see the ghost-flesh of the serpent didn''t sustain injury the way a normal body would.

    Threads broke off, translucent strands that drifted through the air like the dark weeds that floated in the shadow sea. Clearly, the monster had suffered damage, but rather than writhing in pain at the grievous blow, the serpent instead rose up, baring its fangs.

    It doesn''t feel pain!

    [Garg, dodge!]

    Her pets were well trained and Garg reacted instantly, pulling back and rolling, except she couldn''t. The unhealed wound in her nk reared its ugly head at the worst possible time. She staggered as her middle-left leg spasmed, the muscle tearing as she put too much force through it.

    The snake bit home.

    Two enormous fangs punched through Garg''s hardened carapace, tearing into the flesh beneath.

    Dammit, no!

    Fire roared overhead as Rist unleashed his remaining arsenal, trying to protect his fellow pet. Columbant poured her efforts into forming a healing mana construct, pumping out the precious life-giving energy as she sted acid at the snake.

    Their efforts were enough to force the serpent to release its grip. Garg quickly scuttled back out of range, but was deeply wounded. Columbant didn''t need her advanced Skills to know that. Only her incredible carapace saved the big bug from instant death.

    [Hold still, Garg, I''ve got you.]

    [I can fight,] she groaned, [I''m alright.]

    [Don''t be stupid.]

    The core shaper sent every drop of healing energy into her loyal pet that she could and felt the wounds begin to close. She cursed herck of energy, but gave everything she had to Garg.

    [Get yourself out of sight and recover. That''s an order!] she snapped before she turned and rushed at the serpent.

    Unable to refuse, Garg ground her teeth in frustration and limped to the shadows, still burning with pain.

    This is far from ideal.

    The serpent hissed as it loomed over the smaller ant. Columbant thought furiously about what she could do. With Garg out of action, Slither wounded and Rist running low on mana, they were in a near hopeless predicament.

    The serpent was strong. It would be a tough fight if they were in peak condition, but they were far from that.

    I could run. I could order Slither, Rist and Garg to charge and then escape.

    It was what core shapers were meant to do; they were the true investment of the Colony, not the pets. The Eldest had demanded that they preserve their own lives to the fullest extent, but she knew she wouldn''t do it.

    Guess I''m a failure of a core shaper.

    [Rist, give it everything you have left! Slither, we need more acid!]

    It wouldn''t work, but she would go down fighting alongside her pets to the end. Columbant gnashed her mandibles and charged for a final time.

    The serpent swerved through the air, mouth wide and ready to bite down on the puny ant rushing toward it, when it felt something cannon into its side.

    Columbant almost couldn''t believe her eyes when a monstrous turtle rumbled forward and pounced on the snake, snapping at its ethereal flesh.

    She knew that turtle!

    "Magent?" she called.

    "You look like you''re in rough shape," her fellow core shaper called back. "Good thing I was in the area!"

    Two more pets sprang out of the darkness, a bear tyrant and shadow spider, throwing themselves at the serpent, which hissed with fury as it suffered yet further damage.

    [Let''s go, Slither! Can''t let them take all the glory!]

    Looked like she wouldn''t have to die after all.

 Chapter 922 Far Ranging final (1033)

    <h4>Chapter 922 Far Ranging final (1033)</h4>

    "It''s all yours," Magent said magnanimously.

    "Are you sure?" Columbant replied, antennae flicking with indecision.

    "Of course. You and your team did the bulk of the work, I only arrived to provide cleanup at the end."

    "Then I will im it with gratitude. You have my thanks."

    With one swift movement, she scooped up the powerful core sitting on the stone between them and tucked it into the pouch slung around her carapace. All of a sudden, the bag felt far more burdensome than before as the dense core settled amongst so many weaker ones, but it wasn''t unwee.

    The serpent had been a powerful monster, with a strong core. She would study it carefully when she had the time, documenting everything she could find for the core shaper records. After that woulde the brain-bending work of altering the core, attempting to engineer an even more perfect creation.

    If all went well, she might have found her fourth pet! She''d need to buy the Skill to increase the number she could have first, though.

    "I can''t thank you enough for arriving when you did. The situation was hopeless."

    "I noticed that the tunnels were far more dangerous than expected and thought it would be best for us to meet up early. I''m d your trail hasn''t faded, otherwise I might never have found you."

    "It''s a bit embarrassing, but I made the poor decision to flee trouble by going deeper into the Dungeon. A foolish mistake, I know."

    Ranging from the Colony as they did, there were basic principles that they all strove to follow. The most fundamental of all: deeper is more dangerous, not less. No matter how inviting and safe that tunnel might appear, or how much pressure you were under, you didn''t go deeper unless you were fully prepared.

    Feeling the pinch from heavier than expected fighting, Columbant had taken one turn that she should never have considered and ended up in an even worse predicament as a result.

    "What''s the n now?" Magent asked. "You want to head back to the nest?"

    "If you''re amenable. I know we nned to stay out longer, but after recovering this core and running so close to disaster, I need to get my bearings and do a bit of study."

    "That''s not a problem. We''ve got a long way to go before we get home, I''ll be able to hit my Biomass targets as long you donate a little my way."

    If that was going to be the price of cutting the expedition short, then that was all well and good.

    The two core shapers began to n the return journey, scratching out maps and lines on the tunnel floor. They were sixty kilometres from the territory of the Colony in a straight line. Naturally, the Dungeon didn''t work in straight lines. They''d have to move much farther than that before they reached safety.

    They spent long hours nning their route as the pets continued to annihte any monster who drew close to the position they held, huddled against the wall. It was necessary that they have a firm agreement on as much as possible before the journey began, so they talked back and forth, working out as many kinks as they could before departing.

    This far from the nest, they had no one to rely on except each other and their loyal pets. A sessful expedition was one that was properly nned, this was a core shaper maxim.

    "This will work," Columbant said, examining the diagram closely, "are you ready to depart?"

    "Right away."

    [Gather up, everyone, we''re heading home,] Columbant said to her pets.

    Garg pushed herself to her feet, the healing process nearlyplete after a day of repeated treatments and severalrge meals. The brush with death had forced Columbant to reevaluate just how durable her design really was. She''d felt that nothing would be able to threaten the beetle-beast within the second stratum, but she''d been proven wrong.

    She would do everything she could to secure a strong evolution for Garg. Elevating her to the fifth tier would do a lot for the group, allowing the softer targets like Rist and Slither to move more freely.

    She quickly checked on Garg''s status. She wasn''t far away, though there was a little work to be done on mutations.

    The journey was a long one, the rising tide of monster spawns slowing their progress significantly. Thankfully, as a consequence, Magent had no issues collecting the Biomass she''d wanted for her pets. Even so, Columbant was able to harvest her fair share.

    When the two weary core shapers finally crossed the threshold into the Colony''s territory, they heaved a massive sigh of relief.

    It was an exhausting process, ranging out so far from the colony, but the instant they crossed the boundary and sensed the familiar pheromones against their antennae, all their stress melted away. The random monster attacks ceased; within the well regtednds of the ants, such a thing didn''t happen.

    Soon they came across siblings who waved and weed them back vigorously.

    "Wee home! How far out did you go this time?"

    "Working hard out there?"

    "Make sure you... get some rest."

    Thatst one had seeminglye from the shadows, but when Columbant turned to look, she saw no one there.

    Not matter, she wouldn''t be caught skipping on rest. Now that she was home, she had a great deal of torpor to catch up on.

    The second homing for the two core shapers urred when they entered theplex reserved for their caste.

    "Wee back, you two," the door-ant greeted them at the entrance. "Make sure you sign into the book."

    "Wouldn''t dream of forgetting," Columbant chuckled.

    The two lined up and wrote down a brief description of their journey, including number and quality of cores collected, and Biomass harvested for their pets.

    "Profitable trip then," the door-ant noted. "Turn over any spare cores, and wee home."

    The two ants picked up their pouches in their mandibles, rummaging to hand over every core they could afford to part with.

    "The caste is grateful for your generosity, sisters. These will be used well to support the rise of the next generation."

    "You''re more than wee," Columbant cked her mandibles happily.

    It felt good to support the growth of the caste. She herself had relied on donated cores to start practising her Skills.

    Through the entrance, they were immediately amongst core shapers. Greetings were exchanged, brood mates warmly tapped, but they had a more important job to do before they could truly rest.

    [There you go, Garg,] she told the big beetle, [go in and have a good sleep.]

    Garg scuttled into her pen, a fresh meal of Biomass already waiting for her. Slither ducked into his own deeply shadowed chamber while Rist foundfort in his heated, rocky rest-area.

    Seeing the three of them settled brought a smile to Columbant''s heart. They''d worked hard, all four of them. They would regroup and recover, n and prepare, and then they would go out again.

 Chapter 923 Election Season (1034)

    <h4>Chapter 923 Election Season (1034)</h4>

    "Congrattions," Enid smiled down on the still recovering young woman.

    "Thank you mayor," Lilin replied, radiantly happy despite what she''d just been through.

    "We''re very happy," her husband Phillip said as he stared lovingly down at his wife.

    "And how has the care you''ve received been?''

    "Oh, just perfect," Lilin said.

    "We couldn''t be happier, mayor. Thank you," Phillip said.

    "That''s good. After the effort we put into building this ce, I''m d it''s alle together."

    [We told you it would be fine,] the on-rotation ant-medic said. [I still don''t understand why you doubted us in the first ce. When is the Colony anything but first-rate?]

    [I should have believed in you,] Enid admitted, [but even I wasn''t sure how well you would be able to run a maternity ward. You don''t know anything about human reproduction.]

    [Bah,] the ant groused, [our queens give birth hundreds of times every day. You think we can''t heal someone who has given birth only once? Don''t be ridiculous. Now get out of the way, I need to check the patient.]

    Healers, medics and doctors always managed to be rude and ill-tempered. Even the non-human ones! In some ways, Enid tookfort knowing that this fact of life was even more universal than she''d thought.

    The ant bustled forward, its head just barely high enough to see over the top of the bed Lilin rested in. Even if the eyes didn''t quite reach, the antennae certainly did. The recovering mother was lightly tapped and brushed by those curious feelers as Lilin''s eyes took on that slightly zed expression of a person engaged in mind to mind conversation.

    After a few moments, the antennae glowed brightly as they imparted a quick burst of healing mana to the patient.

    Job done, the ant backed up and began to make her way out of the room.

    [She''ll be fine,] she said, [the baby has been cleaned up and checked. It will return to this room in one minute.]

    And so it was, nestled in the mandibles of another healer ant. For a moment, Enid was forced to confront just how bizarre it was that she could see a genuine Dungeon monster skittering around with a newborn in its grip and feel absolutely no fear for the child. How strange. How marvellous.

    [Here he is,] the new ant said cheerfully, and Enid could only assume it was a younger, less evolved healer. She hadn''t had time to absorb the proper grumpiness expected of the caste.

    Lilin''s face lit up as her new baby boy returned to her arms. As Phillip leaned in to embrace them both, Enid brushed a tear from her eye. Such a touching scene, one that she would never tire of. How long had it been since she saw her own children? Too long. Goodness knows where they were now.

    "Well, I will leave you to it. Congrattions again."

    "Thank you, mayor," they replied and she smiled at them once more before she exited the room."

    Who could have imagined they would have their own hospital? It was less than a year ago that they had fled the ruins of their homes, and already they thrived as they never had before.

    She raised one hand to pat at the expertly cut stone walls before she exited the facility, doing her best to stay out of everyone''s way. She stepped out into the streets of Renewal, and finding herself in a reflective mood, began to appreciate just how well built they were.

    Wide andposed of perfectly formed stone, with deep drainage ditches along both sides, they were the sort of roads only the wealthiest lived on in Liria. This sort of mage-work wasborious, and expensive, which made it rare, at least, rare before the catastrophe. Every street in Renewal was formed this way, crafted by the carvers with exacting precision. Not only that, theyout of the town itself was a masterful stroke of nning and forward thinking.

    The town council could take some credit for that, but even there, the influence of the Colony was felt. Traffic flowed so smoothly, it was rare to see someone waiting more than a few seconds at any particr junction.

    She was engaged in conversation regrly as she made her way to her destination, the citizens pleased to see her and unafraid to approach and ask whatever questions were on their minds. She weed it. Where not long ago these exchanges were a never ending series of disasters as too few resources were divided amongst too many people, now that desperate edge was gone.

    The people werefortable. In fact, the people were thriving. Renewal had more than delivered upon its promise.

    She found her way back to the council chambers in time, her own office situated in the same building. She walked behind her desk and sat with a weary sigh, her old bones creaking as she took the weight of them.

    She kneaded her hands for a few minutes. They were so stiff these days, and healing magic didn''t help at all. It wasn''t possible to heal ageing, after all.

    When they felt limber enough, she grabbed a pen and began topose a letter. It wasn''t overly long, but she carefully pondered each word, which dragged out the time. As it turned out, she finished just before the meeting was due to take ce.

    She debated taking the time to ce it in an envelope and seal it, but decided against it. A waste of paper. Too inefficient, as the Colony would say.

    She groaned as she heaved herself to her feet and made her way to the council chamber to find the others had already arrived, chatting amongst themselves.

    It was interesting to note that the worried frowns and concerned whispers that so often marked these gatherings in the early days were gone, reced with chuckles, back pping and warm greetings.

    "You''re all here, that''s fantastic," Enid greeted them, waving back those who came to speak with her. "If it''s all the same with you, I''d like to jump straight to the business at hand. Unless there are any objections?"

    There were none, so Enid sat at the head of the table and began to chair the gathering.

    "Very well, let''s get started. Mrs Hull, you''re our minutes taker today?"

    "Yes, mayor. Ready when you are."

    "Wonderful. Thank you, dear."

    She pulled out her letter and ced it on the table.

    "I had the pleasure of witnessing a birth today. This child was conceived, carried and born in Renewal, the first of many, I hope. So it seems as good a time as any. I''m resigning my position as mayor, effective immediately."

    She stood and stretched her back.

    "Good luck with the rest," she said as she made her way to the door surrounded by stunned silence. "I need some tea."

 Chapter 924 Election Season pt 2 (1035)

    <h4>Chapter 924 Election Season pt 2 (1035)</h4>

    "Are you sure you want to retire now? There''s so much uncertainty around town right now," Terrence asked.

    "Wherever there are people, there''s uncertainty," Enid groused as she brought her tea to her lips for a drink. "Ah, that''s lovely. Is this a new blend?"

    "The Colony delivered a few bags yesterday. They said it was a test batch. I''ll need you to fill in a survey when you''re done."

    "Hah," sheughed. "I''ll be happy to. Drinking their tea has been one of the great pleasures of recent months."

    She picked up a biscuit and gave it a hearty nibble.

    "And they bake so well. Who would have thought?"

    "Mayor," her secretary said sternly. "You haven''t answered my question. Are you sure you should retire now?"

    "Of course I''m sure. If I wasn''t sure, I wouldn''t have done it," she waved the man''s concerns away. "I''ve done everything I can for this ce, more than I ever thought I could, but I''m old and tired. I don''t have much time left and I believe it''s important to turn these duties over to the younger folk while I''m still around to offer advice."

    She eyeballed Terrence over the edge of her cup.

    "And by the way, aren''t you the mayor''s secretary?"

    "Yes."

    "Then why are you here? I''ve resigned."

    "I suppose I''ll have to take the tea with me then...."

    "Nobody said you have to go that far!"

    The two chuckled together.

    "I''d like to say thank you for all that you''ve done then, Mayor Ruther."

    "Pish! Call me Enid."

    "Very well. What do you hope to do in your retirement then, Enid? Now that you''re free of all obligations?"

    The old woman thought for a moment, a frown adding a few further wrinkles to her brow.

    "I''d like to help in the hospital, for one. It''s a joy seeing new children brought into the world. Even if all I do is chat to the parents, I think I''d enjoy that. I wouldn''t mind onest trip into the Dungeon either. I haven''t seen the Queen for a while, I''d love to have a chat with her again. Anthony as well, though that might not be possible. Goodness knows how deep he is now. Too deep for my old bones, I''d say."

    "Onest trip? You make it sound as if you''ve got one foot in the grave," Terrence said. "Surely you aren''t as infirm as that."

    "I''m old, Terrence. Far too old to be running this ce. I''ve done the best I can to get Renewal off to a good start, but it''s time for someone younger, with a little more vigour, to take on the role."

    She eyed him seriously.

    "I''m perfectly happy being a secretary, thank you very much," Terrence replied dryly. "I don''t have a way with people like you do."

    "Pish," Enid scoffed, "if you put in a little effort, you''d do just fine."

    The two paused and sank into apanionable silence. Enid looked out the window, a soft smile on her face as she watched the people going about their days outside the window. She could never have imagined she would have the opportunity to make something good, thiste in her life. The satisfaction in knowing that she had done the best job she could do, and the pride she felt seeing her fellow refugees rise to every challenge to make something remarkable, was something she never expected to feel at this age.

    "Are you sure you''ll be able to go that deep into the Dungeon?" Terrence asked quietly. "To meet the Queen and Anthony? It''s dangerous down there."

    Enid looked pensive.

    "It won''t be easy, but that doesn''t mean it''s not worth doing," she huffed. "I''m old, not decrepit. As long as I take my time and adjust to the mana levels, I''ll be fine."

    Terrence nodded. The Colony were very good about helping people go up and down in the Dungeon. They had begun to build chambers with the sole purpose of helping people adjust to varying mana concentrations.

    "What do you think is happening back in the council chamber?" Terrence mused, allowing his mind to wander.

    Enid snorted.

    "They''ll be running around like chickens with their heads cut off. But that''s fine, they''ll sort it out in the end."

    Back in the council rooms

    "She can''t just quit!"

    "This is a disaster!"

    "Get that old woman back in here, right now!"

    "Show a little respect!"

    It was pandemonium, with fingers being pointed, shouting and a general feeling of bewilderment. Diplomant, the only Colony member in the room, watched it all happen with studious interest.

    Such a fascinatingck of control. These boiling emotions demanded release and the normally professional and friendly members of the council had turned on each other to vent their frustrations.

    Unthinkable amongst the Colony. Very few ants were so forward with their feelings, and none would let them get in the way of work. She would be fascinated to see how the rest of this conversation yed out.

    "Would all of you SHUT UP!"

    A meaty fist crashed down on the table, cutting through the noise and drawing eyes to Mr Durn, owner of said fist.

    "Good," he growled before jabbing a finger at the individuals around the table. "The mayor is allowed to resign. Of course she is! Enid Ruther has worked herself to the bone for this ce, and I''ll be damned before I let anyone take away her chance to rest and rx. If anyone in this ce deserves it, it''s her."

    He red and more than a few people wilted under that steady gaze.

    "Well, what do we do now?" Mrs Blindon asked. "We''ve only ever had one mayor. Enid wasn''t technically elected, even, nobody ran against her!"

    "Well that''s it then," Mr Durn stated, "we need to make an announcement about the mayor''s retirement, and give notice that there will be a new mayoral election. If anyone wants the job, they''ll have a week to secure a nomination."

    "Isn''t that too short?"

    "We''ve got a thousand projects on the go right now. We need to establish a leader as quickly as we can, otherwise things will go to pot. Any objections?"

    There were none. One foreleg rose into the air.

    "Diplomant would like someone to exin the concept of an ''election''," the trantor standing next to the ant said. "She is most curious about it."

 Chapter 925 Election Season pt 3 (1036)

    <h4>Chapter 925 Election Season pt 3 (1036)</h4>

    "Thank you for everything, mayor." A woman tearfully held Enid''s hand in a too-tight grip, looking down at the aged mayor.

    "You''re more than wee, dear," Enid smiled, patting her on the shoulder and diplomatically freeing her hand. "What we achieved, we achieved together. No one person can take the credit."

    A few more words were exchanged and then she moved on, only to be stopped down the road by someone else who wanted to thank her for her service. It had been like this ever since her retirement had been officially announced by the council three days ago. Every time she stepped out her door, she was osted by the people of Renewal who wanted to let her know how much she meant to them.

    [This must be confusing for you,] she said to Diplomant, who apanied her, [this outpouring of gratitude to someone who no longer wants to work.]

    The ant skittered along at her side, antennae waving slowly.

    [There are several concepts at y that are not wholly understood by us. As creatures of the Dungeon, formed of mana, we do not age, so the idea of ''retirement'' is not one that we think about. I can see how one might want to indulge in a ''well-earned rest'', as their capacity to work diminishes. The gratitude of the people is also heartwarming to see. They deeply appreciate the work you have done, and so thank you for it.]

    [You''ve grasped it quite well,] Enid mused. [We humans eventually slow down and run out of steam, unlike you monsters. Usually, once we can''t do as good a job as we could do before, we stop working, and our families take care of us until we die.]

    [There are several points I don''t understand in what you said. Firstly, I do not believe that your work has suffered at all. The town is thriving, the people are happy and the decisions you have made benefited all. The Colony has learned much by closely observing your performance as an administrator.]

    [That''s awfully kind of you to say. If I were to be specific, then I would say that I don''t believe my performance has declined yet, but that it soon will, so I wish to remove myself before that happens.]

    [Very well then. Secondly, you say that old humans depend on their families to care for them? I was unaware that you had family in the area.]

    [I don''t,] Enid sighed, [not for a long time.]

    [Then the Colony will care for you,] the ant said firmly. [You have contributed much and we would celebrate that.]

    The old woman felt genuinely touched.

    [I thank you,] she said with a smile. [That is most kind. I will trouble your hospitality then.]

    "Mayor Ruther! Mayor Ruther!" A breathless young man ran up to her.

    She scowled.

    "Matthew Porl, I''m not the mayor anymore, just call me Enid."

    "You remember my name?" he blinked.

    "I''m old, not senile," she groused. "What do you want? You ran over here like a crazy person."

    "I wanted to know who to vote for," he said, "I mean, who you think I should vote for. I''m having trouble deciding."

    Enid gaped at him.

    "Don''t ask me! You''re supposed to work it out for yourself. There''s no right or wrong answer, you pick the person you think will do the best job."

    Mayoral elections weren''t anything new to people born of the frontier. The country might reside in the hands of the monarchy, and the titles in the hands of the nobility, but at the local level, it was normal to have amoner step in to do the actual work.

    [Are you even aware of who the candidates are?] Diplomant asked her, after a pause to have the conversation tranted.

    [Not especially,] Enid replied. [I haven''t been keeping track of it on purpose, it''s not my business anymore.]

    She turned back to young Matthew.

    "Do you know who is running? Have you informed yourself at least that much?"

    "Of course!" he eximed. "The nominations aren''t closed yet, but most of the big names are already in the mix."

    [Ask him to borate,] Diplomant said, [I should like to know more of this process from his point of view.]

    [Fine,] Enid rolled her eyes.

    "Well now, there''s a lot to say already," Matthew scratched his cheek as he pondered where to start. "The Followers of The Great One and the Ant Path have a lot of sway in town, obviously, and there were rumblings that Priest Beyn would be put forward as a candidate, but a representative stated he was too busy and that nobody with a position in the Church could take up authority in the town."

    Enid nodded. That was something they had agreed on early in the town''s history. She had great respect for the work Beyn''s people did, but there needed to be delineation between the roles. The Church would do what a Church should do, and the Town Council would do the rest.

    "Head of the Farmer''s Association, Bill Knightly, has put himself forward, running on an unsurprisingly pro-agriculture tform," Matthew went on. "He won''t win, though, because he''s demanding that the ants get more involved in harvesting crops."

    [Why is that a bad thing?] Diplomant wondered. [We will help when asked.]

    "The public doesn''t like it when someone makes demands of the Colony," Matthew replied when Enid passed on the query. "Asking them for help is one thing, but making it public policy is quite another."

    Enid had always included a line about "reaching out" to the Colony in her proposals, but never depended on theming through. The people of Renewal loved the ants, but didn''t want to be a burden to them.

    "Mr Durn is making a strong run," Matthew went on. "He''s already announced his own preferences for council seats and they are a diverse andpetent group, even including a few others who have announced their candidacy. He has a lot of trust amongst the people, since he worked closely with the previous... with you, Enid, and has a strong financial position, given his business sess."

    Mr Rothen Durn had been a trader, from further north, before the wave. He''d had contacts and assets in still standing kingdoms and older empires, but had chosen toe here with the other survivors. He waspetent and brooked no nonsense.

    "There is a general upswell of momentum for another candidate, but itcks a central figure to push forward," Matthew said.

    Enid frowned.

    "And how can that be?"

    "There''s arge group of people who would vote for a candidate put forward by the Colony, without question. Except nobody has been able to convince an ant to run."

    He and Enid both looked at Diplomant.

    [We aren''t interested,] the ant waved an antenna when she understood the problem. [We are still feeling out exactly how involved we should be in territories that we work with, or those we absorb, but generally, we feel that direct control is not the best practice. Even if we gain it through electoral means.]

    "That''s a shame," Matthew sighed, "that movement was just starting to get organised. They even named their group."

    "What did they call it?"

    "The Colonisers."

    Enid made a face. Then brushed it aside. She looked at Matthew Porl with new eyes.

    "You are actually remarkably well informed on the matter, aren''t you?"

    The young man grinned and patted himself on the chest.

    "I take this seriously, you know? It''s important for Renewal, and the town is important to all of us. I''m so worried about making the wrong choice, it''s keeping me up at night."

    "Why don''t youe with me, young man, we should have a conversation. Tell me, how much do you know about the printing business?"

 Chapter 926 Election Season Final (1037)

    <h4>Chapter 926 Election Season Final (1037)</h4>

    "Support might be weakening for the Labourer candidate after his new policy proposalnded t yesterday. People weren''t happy with the idea of using the ants as farm animals. Unsurprising. This is interesting: apparently, there''s been ate surge by a new group," Enid mused as she read over the pamphlet that had been delivered that morning.

    "I cannot believe how quickly you got that organised," Terrence muttered as he poured tea for the two of them. "Where did you even source the ink?"

    "The Colony was able to facilitate a trade with one of the underground cities that they manage. The whole thing was above board."

    "And your enchanted printing press? I suppose you purchased that for the market price?"

    Enid had the grace to look abashed.

    "I have to admit, I didn''t expect something like that to appear. The ants were curious about the concept of mass printing, and I told them how I believed it was done. I could hardly expect they''d drop apletely finished press on the doorstep two dayster."

    "You did have a rather amusing expression on your face, as I recall."

    "Oh hush and pass the tea. Thank you."

    "The real question is if they''ll be able to adapt the technology to mass print their scent writing. If so, then they''ll be able to produce books, libraries, and whole repositories of knowledge."

    "A golden age of ant information sharing?" Enid said. "Come to think of it, this could be the perfect time for them to take up such technology. They''re getting more and more spread out as they expand, pretty soon, a crafter on one side of the Colony will never meet one on the other. Being able to share information will be critical."

    "And you just happened to introduce them to the idea right when they might need it," Terrence rolled his eyes.

    "Not everything I do is part of some grand scheme," the old woman huffed as she sipped from her fine cup. "Sometimes it''s just an ident."

    "Fine."

    The two sat inpanionable silence for a time, enjoying their drinks and the warm air that wafted in through the open window. It had been five days since Enid had first pitched the idea to young Matthew about putting out some writing about the election. It was important to educate the people on what was happening, and he''d been just the person to get the ball rolling. She hadn''t expected it to blow up as quickly as it had.

    Already, he was doing limited, daily runs of short pamphlets detailing the goings on around town and the election. Likely, the pace would slow down once they had a new mayor, but already, Enid was seeing some return on her initial investment.

    She''d never expected to be a printing mogul in retiring years. Oh well, something to take up the time.

    "So who is making ate surge then?" Terrence finally asked.

    "The Well Rested Alliance," Enid replied.

    "I can probably guess their tform."

    "It may have something to do with the number eight."

    "I figured. People are already terrified to miss out on sleep! Renewal is already the most rested ce I''ve ever seen! Even the tavern closes early. What further policies can they possibly enact? We already have kidnappings for goodness'' sake!"

    Enid eyed her former secretary over the edge of her cup.

    "That''s dangerous talk," she warned him. "They''lle for you if you aren''t careful."

    "And do what? Read me a luby?"

    The only way to experience the true terror of the sleep police was to fall into their shadowy clutches. It wasn''t even what they did, that was downright helpful, it was their unnerving and uncanny ability to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

    "In truth," she returned to their earlier topic, "the Well Rested Alliance is not interested in forcing people to sleep eight hours a day."

    Terrence raised his brows in surprise.

    "They aren''t?"

    "No." She sipped her tea. "They want to make it nine."

    "Path''s mercy," he groaned.

    Enidughed.

    "That way, they can be even more certain that the proper number of eight has been achieved. They worry about ''sevens'', people who are getting seven hours and fifty-something minutes."

    "How dreadful."

    "One does have to admit that general productivity is up, violence is down and people are far more pleasant to be around since this was enforced. I''m not saying ten minutes either way makes a difference," she held her hands up at Terrence''s irritated re. "I''m just saying I can understand why they''vetched onto this particr aspect of ant-culture, it has measurable benefits. They have other proposals as well."

    "Such as what?"

    "A lot of stuff about ensuring sleep quality is as high as possible. Under their n, better quality mattresses, pillows and nkets would be provided by the council to every citizen. They also intend to form a nket collective, which will source volunteers to help make nkets that will be shared out amongst the popce. Since so many people are sitting in bed when they wake up early, there''s already an underground quiltingmunity out there, this will suit them just fine."

    "Oh, no. They''re going to win, aren''t they?" Terrence sounded horrified. "Who''s the candidate?"

    Enid checked her pamphlet again.

    "Mr McRanith."

    "WHAT?!" Terrence mmed a hand down on the table. "Doesn''t he sell bedding? Is he trying to send himself out of business?" His eyes narrowed. "Or is he hoping to sell his own stock to the council at a markup?"

    Enid grinned, and Terrence''s face sank.

    "He''s promised to donate everything he has to the council, if elected," she told him. "He already signed the documents and holds them up everytime he speaks in public."

    "You''re saying, he actually believes what he''s saying? He buys into this madness?"

    "An honest politician," Enid hummed.

    "Great One save us," Terrence could only shake his head.

 Chapter 927 Sport of Queens pt 1 (1038)

    <h4>Chapter 927 Sport of Queens pt 1 (1038)</h4>

    Peter looked out over the field and realised with a mild sense of surprise that his work for the day was done. The crops were watered and growing well, the weeding and pest control had been done. He eyed his fences askance, no, they were fine too.

    He''d been a vegetable farmer for many years, but he couldn''t remember a time when his work was actually done. That wasn''t how farming worked. You spent the day slogging your guts out, elbow deep in filth, and you went home when it got too dark to work any longer and copsed in a heap, most of your tasks left undone.

    The middle-aged, grizzled man reached out a hand and gave his wooden fence a poke, almost as if he didn''t believe it could be as solid as it looked. The pine betrayed him, barely moving as he nudged it.

    All he could do was put his hands on his hips and sigh, looking up at the clear blue sky. Things were just so efficient now. The watering happened basically automatically, aplex syphoning system had been installed by the ants, an enchanted system. He barely understood the start of how it worked, but all he had to do to give his nts a drink was pull a lever.

    Fence maintenance was amunal effort, the wood provided was far finer than what Peter''sst house had been built from.

    "Wee home, dear," his wife, Renita, greeted him as the doorbell rang when he came through the entrance. "Back early again?"

    Peter sighed again and kissed his wife on the cheek. She merely chuckled at his mood.

    "You need to get yourself a hobby," she advised him patiently, for the hundredth time. "I don''t think this free time is going to go away anytime soon."

    He tried not to wince as she said ''free time''. He almost seeded this time.

    "I know," he said, "I''m just not used to it. I feel like I''m beingzy."

    "Well we wouldn''t want that," she chuckled.

    He rolled his eyes.

    "I''m going to go for a walk. See if I can clear my mind," he announced.

    "That''s a good idea, dearest. Grab a loaf if you pass by town."

    He grunted. He hadn''t nned on heading that far, but now he probably would. The best bread would be long gone by this hour, but he could find something worth chewing on, surely.

    Another ring of the bell and off he went.

    It was a pleasant afternoon, the sun was out, a light breeze blowing. The surroundings were picturesque. The well cut and beautifully made road cut a straight path through fields, some with budding crops, some with cattle or sheep. He waved to a few of his neighbours as he made his way slowly toward town, the giant anthill loomingrger on the way.

    The roads kept a wide enough berth around the enormous mound so that the regr folks such as himself wouldn''t have ants getting in their way and vice-versa, but he was certainly close enough to see them at work.

    There was quite a bit of activity on the surface today, which was a little unusual, groups of ants discussing together (the antennae waggling were always a dead giveaway) as they looked down on something happening beneath his line of sight.

    Normally, Peter was more than happy to leave the Colony to its business. He was just a humble vegetable farmer, what did he know of Dungeons and monsters and goodness knows what else they got up to? Nothing, that''s what.

    But for some reason, curiosity took hold and directed him off the road, toward the hill and groups of ants clustered around something he couldn''t see. He had no fear of the monsters. If they didn''t want him poking around, they would let him know and that would be that, but as he grew closer, he found none were in a hurry to move him on.

    Instead, he was able to walk straight up to them and found himself looking down into a pit, possibly ten metres deep, a hundred long and fifty wide. The dirt in the bottom was hopelessly churned, and as he watched, a pair of smaller ants, mages he guessed, were moving around smoothing it out whilst, at either end of the pit, two teams of ants were discussing amongst themselves. Vigorous antennae pping urred at both ends, which indicated the conversations were rather lively.

    After a few minutes, the two groups descended into the pit, a hundred metres between them, and took up their positions. He noticed a few things at that moment. The groups were made up of different types of ants, for starters. Smaller mages,rger soldiers, mid-sized scouts and generals. There were ten on either side, and interestingly, one group was carrying a rock or stone of some type.

    Obviously, this was a training exercise of some type, a drill of some kind to practise a particr Skill or scenario the ants had dreamed up. For some reason, however, Peter felt he wanted to see what happened.

    The signal to begin was invisible to him, but clearly not to the two teams. The twenty monsters exploded into motion, lunging forward as they raced towards each other. The mages hung back initially, but soon the ground began to boil beneath them as ramps, tunnels and walls of pure stone began to erect themselves.

    On the front lines, the soldiers crashed into each other with tremendous force, straining to shift each other as they grappled with mandibles. The faster scouts tracked each other as they raced along the sides, darting left and right with blinding speed. They used the walls for cover, ran upside down on the ramps and slopes or even on the side of the pit as they tried to position themselves to best advantage and slip past their opponents.

    It was chaos, but organised chaos. It took a little while, but gradually Peter was able to work out what was happening. The team with the rock was trying to move it to the other side of the pit, while the other group was trying to stop them.

    Exactly whatbat scenario this fit, he had no idea, but he found himself gripped by the spectacle as the two teams battled with grit and guile to achieve their objectives. This particr round ended when a mage managed to catch an opposing soldier by surprise, shifting the ground beneath her, causing a stumble. The soldier wrestling with her didn''t miss her chance, lunging and twisting, levering her foe out of centre position.

    Like lightning, a scoutunched into the gap, cut through the lines which hadn''t been able to adjust in time, and reached the end of the pit.

    Peter burst out into apuse.

    The two teams turned to look at him for a long moment, until he felt self-conscious and stopped. They regrouped on either end of the pit, discussing amongst themselves once more.

    The farmer realised they showed every sign of going again, so he settled down and sat, strangely eager to watch it all happen again.

 Chapter 928 Sport of Queens part 2 (1039)

    <h4>Chapter 928 Sport of Queens part 2 (1039)</h4>

    "I''ll see youter, darling," Peter called.

    "Enjoy your walk, dearest," his wife replied, amused.

    He''d managed to get through his work in record time today. The tomatoes were ripening, so he''d made sure to give them the attention they deserved, but he couldn''t remember a time he''d worked with such purpose and efficiency.

    He''d even got a Level out of it. He now had ess to [Master nt Tending (IV)]. His crops would be more vibrant than ever.

    "Pete, nice to see you," a voice called as he reached the road.

    The farmer turned.

    "Herrick, good to see you. Finished early today?"

    The other manughed.

    "Oh you know, just wanting to get a breath of this fresh air," Herrick winked.

    The two joked back and forth along the road and soon were joined by others making their way out of the fields.

    "Tomas, how''s the potatoes this year?"

    "They''re bleedin'' potatoes. They''re always fine."

    "Andis! How''s the wife?"

    "She''s well, Pete."

    Soon enough, there were a dozen dusty-looking farmers walking down the road to Renewal. Certainly an unusual sight, not just at this time of year, but at any time. These gentlemen rarely left their farms, at all, let alone early.

    They joked back and forth as they walked briskly along the road. Soon enough, they approached the anthill and the group turned and stepped off the road as a unit. With unerring precision, the men found themselves walking toward the pit where the ants had been so diligently working through their exercise for the past several days.

    Shortly, they arrived and began to settle in. Andis opened the bag he had packed and handed out cups and beer, Tomas reached into his jacket to reveal a rolled parcel that contained cured meat. Each of the farmers had brought something and they stood together in a loose group, eating and drinking as they turned their eyes to the pit.

    "Who''s in today? Anyone recognise the groups?"

    "The left group is the Pink Blitz. You can tell because the soldier has that distinctive colour on her carapace. Some sort of healing mutation, I think."

    "The Pink Blitz?"

    "I''m not good with names."

    "Alright. What about the other team?"

    "The Burrowers. If you check the mandibles, you can see they have that scoop shape for dirt moving. I call this team the Burrowers."

    "Right. Who''s got the formsheet?"

    "I''m on it," Pete said. He already had pen and paper in hand as he scratched out a new line:

    Pink Blitz v Burrowers (o)

    It was important to indicate which team was the offence. Sometimes, the ants would swap between the two sides, but more often, one team would work on their attack while the other focused on defence.

    "What are your thoughts, chaps? Anyone willing to make a prediction?"

    The two ant teams were between rounds right now, tapping and pping at each other as they discussed whatever it was that they talked about.

    Andis rubbed a hand across his grizzled chin.

    "The Burrowers are a great defensive team," he pronounced. "I saw them yesterday against the Boulders and they didn''t give an inch. They can shift dirt like nobody''s business and cause all sorts of problems. On the offence, though? I''m not sure their strengths will be as effective."

    "Could be an interesting matchup then," Tomas chipped in. "The Blitz are a quick, attacking team. They''ve got speed and skill and they hate standing still."

    "Looks like they''re ready to go," Peter noted. "Predictions in now, or they don''t count."

    The men went around, one by one, and gave their predicted score for the next ten rounds. Naturally, they didn''t always get ten rounds from the two groupspeting when they turned up, but it was the maximum number they could stay for.

    When the match itself started, the atmosphere around the men changed. No longer as jovial or joking, an intense air of focus had descended as they watched the action unfold.

    The earlier assessments proved to be correct. The Burrowers, as the offensive team, had to bring the rock from one side of the pit to the other in order to seed in the exercise, while the Pink Blitz were tasked with preventing them. A solid defensive team, the Burrowers were lessfortable on the attack and it showed.

    The moment the match started, the Blitz rocketed forward, legs ablur as they rushed to the opponent. For their part, the Burrowers seemed to have predicted the move. Rather thanpete on speed, they pulled into a tight formation and began to build a fort-like structure, the rock-carrier well protected in the centre.

    The Blitz ranged around the outside of this brick, picking and poking, looking for weaknesses or trying to bait out a mistake, but the Burrowers held their ground and began to grind forward, the earth itself shifting forward along with them.

    "Moving castle strategy," Peter grunted, "not bad."

    The rest of the men nodded and grunted in reply as they continued to observe the action.

    The Blitz were relentless, harrying the sides of the formation, rushing forward in pairs, or threes, as their mages tried to wrench gaps in the walls of the castle. The Burrowers managed to hold firm, though it wasn''t easy. Several times, they nearly allowed an ant to break through their lines, but they held on.

    That is, until halfway across the pit.

    No longer willing to allow the Burrowers to advance at their own pace, the Blitz decided to contest them head on.

    Two huge soldiers lowered their heads and charged, causing each of the farmers to lean forward, eyes widening.

    BOOM!

    The front lines shed head-on with a thunderous meeting of chitin and stone.

    "Hooooo!" the farmers roared.

    The soldiers from the Blitz side dug in their legs and pushed, mandibles gnawing as they tried to break through. On the other side of the moving wall, the Burrower soldiers held firm, their bulk reinforcing the wall.

    Desperate to back up their offensive, the rest of the Blitz rushed to support their soldiers. A full head-on assault against the Burrower castle ensued, ants on ants as the earth churned and both sides sought the advantage.

    Just when it seemed like neither side had the advantage, a lone scout lunged from the Burrower castle, rock held firm in her mandibles as she dashed for the end of the pit.

    The farmers leapt forward, hollering wildly as the Blitz tried to respond in time. Only one managed to disengage quickly enough, rushing back at absurd speeds. She lunged, mandibles wide, hoping to catch the rock-carrier before the line!

    But she didn''t make it! Despite being grabbed, the Burrower managed to touch the edge of the pit with the rock, if only by the barest of margins.

    The farmers went wild, apuding and cheering the bold and audacious y from the daring scout, and the heroic chase down that so nearly seeded.

    The ants merely looked up at them, curious for a moment, before they returned to their groups and climbed out of the pit for another waggling-conversation.

    Peter marked the result on the sheet carefully before turning to the others.

    "Thoughts on the match?"

 Chapter 929 Sport of Queens Final (1040)

    <h4>Chapter 929 Sport of Queens Final (1040)</h4>

    Peter and the steadily growing audience of farmers continued to be more invested in watching the Colony memberspete in this strange activity, showing up everyday to talk,ugh and spectate.

    Even when the teams they had been following so closely moved on to other things and a new group came through, their passion wasn''t dimmed. In fact, it was further inmed. A new ''season'', watching the ''yers'' grow from their hopeless first attempts and build their strategy and skills as they went, added a whole new dimension to the experience.

    For Peter, he found himself enjoying those afternoons spent by the anthill more and more as time went past. So unexpected, so wee. The longer it went on, the more he and the others wanted to invest themselves in this pastime. He and Andis had been in the process of building a more permanent andfortable seating setup on the side of the pit when they were finally approached by a member of the Colony.

    [What are you doing over there?]

    The voice rang inside the old farmer''s head and for a moment, he had no idea what had happened. He swung his head wildly, staring up at the sky to try and see where the voice wasing from. Only when he noticed a smallish ant down in the pit staring up at him did he realise what had happened.

    Mind magic. One of the ants was speaking to him directly! A first for him.

    [Uh,] he tried thinking, [can you hear me?]

    [I can.]

    The voice was definitely female, and faintly amused. He swallowed and did his best to answer properly.

    [We are¡­ my friend and I, that is, are trying to make some seating. So we can sit¡­ I suppose¡­ a bit morefortably when wee to watch.]

    [I can see that much for myself. I''m wondering why youe to watch at all.]

    Well that was a question. Peter found himself flummoxed for a moment, but then decided to be perfectly honest.

    [It''s fun,] he said.

    [Fun?] the ant replied, her antennae waggling in confusion. [Watching young ants going through their training exercises is fun?]

    Again, there was a lot he could say, but he decided to just be honest.

    [Yes.]

    He nodded for emphasis.

    [Why?]

    Well now. With an invitation like that, he could no longer resist. Heunched into a ten minute long diatribe on the wonderful viewing experience the ''training exercise'' was. The powerful feelings of enjoyment from watching the ants learn and improve, the incredible expression of skill and ability, grit and determination that made a team a winning one. The tactical depth of the game was endless, the ability of the collective to work together bottomless, the capacity of an individual to create a winning y on their own, inspiring. When he finally ran out of words, the ant continued to stare up at him quietly for a moment.

    [I see,] she replied.

    [If I can,] he blurted, [could I ask what the purpose of this exercise is? And what''s it called?]

    [As you''ve noticed, this exercise is to develop the tactical ability of the groups, whilst giving them an environment to train and develop their Skills. The activity is simply a challenge that they must work together to solve, utilising everything they have at their disposal. By working against other groups, the challenge adapts to them and their approach, forcing them to continually seek improvement. My sisters and I have used this as part of the academy training for several months now, and we find it pays dividends down the line as the graduates are experienced working in diverse teams before they leave our care.]

    [Your sisters?]

    [The Brood Tenders.]

    A brood tender? Here?! They were very rarely seen outside of the nests, as he understood it. He stood a little straighter and tried to find a more polite way to stand, giving up after a few moments of awkward fidgeting.

    [We call it Tunnel Ball,] she said. [Though the name doesn''t really matter.]

    Tunnel Ball. It worked.

    They continued to discuss the training and what the humans got from it, until eventually the ant bid him farewell and disappeared underground. He and Andis had finished up the work and gone home, only to reappear the next day to find everything had changed.

    The small row of seats they had arranged were gone, theirbour obliterated. In their ce was a huge construction of tiered seating, with room for hundreds of spectators, most of which were full.

    "There you are, darling!" a voice called.

    Peter turned in ck-jawed shock to see his wife in the front row, with her best dress on and a broad grin on her face.

    "I didn''t know this was where you were disappearing to every day. I thought you were drinking at the tavern or something."

    "Renita¡­" he said, "why are you here?"

    "You didn''t hear? I swear you and those men never listen to anything that goes on in the town. The invitation went out yesterday evening for people toe and watch an event. The whole town''s been buzzing about it. There wasn''t even seating for everyone who showed up, they''re in the process of fixing that, I think."

    She pointed over his shoulder and Peter turned to see a dozen or so ants climbing about on the other side of the pit. Momentster, stone began to take shape, seemingly out of thin air, as they began to build a mirrored seating arrangement on the other side of the pit.

    "It''s very exciting," Renita said, eyes sparkling, "the Colony never invites us to anything, I wonder what they have in store."

    The farmer could only shake his head. What had that Brood Tender gone and done? And why so quickly? They really didn''t work in half measures¡­.

    [There you are.]

    He turned to see the ant from yesterday standing right behind him.

    [Ah! I mean¡­ hello.]

    [I''ve been waiting for you to arrive. We need you to exin what is happening here today to the audience.]

    [What?] he said stupidly.

    But it was toote, he had already been dragged away to a small tform situated on one corner of the pit with a beautiful view overlooking the field.

    [Talk into this stone here, it''s enchanted to amplify your voice. Wait until everyone is seated and then we can begin.]

    [What is happening?] he blurted out.

    The ant waggled her antennae in amusement.

    [We are often confused about ways to reach out and build connections with the non-monsters we live alongside. When you exined what you had been doing yesterday, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to involve themunity more with the Colony. Right, wait a few minutes and then we''ll start.]

    She patted him on the shoulder.

    [You''ll do fine,] she said.

    He found that strangely encouraging, then realised it probably had something to do with her specialised nature as a teacher. The old farmer sweated it out for a few long minutes until he received the signal. It had only taken that long to construct the simple seating and get the rest of the audience in ce, all dressed in their finest clothing and chatting excitedly.

    "Ahem. Wee," he started.

    All eyes turned on him. He froze. Then swallowed and continued. He exined how he had stumbled on the ants training one day, and how interesting he had found it, how exciting and enjoyable an experience it had been. He quickly exined the rules of Tunnel Ball, particr things to watch out for, and then it started. Two teams of ants came out under the watchful eyes of over a thousand people. They didn''t seem to care, though, going into their little huddles before the start of y.

    Peter continued to talk as things wound into gear. Once he started to describe the intricacies of his newfound passion, the words came easily. The crowd listened as he exined what was happening and they watched, enraptured, as the ants pped each other back and forth, discussing their approach, then waited with bated breath as the two teams made their way down into the pit.

    He experienced a brief moment of pure panic as he considered that the audience might not find it as interesting as he and his friends did. Suddenly, it seemed a little ridiculous that he would gain such enjoyment from watching monster ants run around with a rock in their mandibles.

    He needn''t have worried.

    When the team on the right scored with an impressive run from a speedy little ant who dove under a looming soldier to make the y, the crowd erupted in rapturous apuse.

    Renewal would never be the same again.

 Chapter 930 Stadiant (1041)

    <h4>Chapter 930 Stadiant (1041)</h4>

    Hello my dear readers! I hope you are all well, snug, warm, and ready for another rendition of my adventures amongst the Colony. Within the second stratum, the ants certainly had built a kingdom for themselves. The wonders of Anthome seemed endless, and with Emilia as my ever patient guide, we wandered the many tunnels and chambers, visiting historical sites, admiring the most incredibly detailed sculptures, carvings and artwork I think I have ever seen.

    Nobody would have expected the soul of an artist to live within the body of a monster, certainly not me, but I was quite moved by some of the works I saw, almost all of them depicting the ''Eldest'' at some point in their journey.

    "Many of the most celebrated pieces produced by the Colony were created by Michangnt. She was perhaps the first ant to really dedicate herself to artistic pursuits. Most of the carvings in the old nest were done by her and her acolytes," Emilia informed me.

    "She single-handedly... well I suppose she didn''t have any hands now, did she? She was solely responsible for this aspect of the Colony''s culture?"

    The young woman nodded pleasantly.

    "That''s right. At least, as far as we know. At the time this nest was built, there wasn''t that much civilian ess. By the time more people were allowed inside, the bulk of the work waspleted, so no one can truthfully say they saw it being done."

    I cannot emphasise enough, my precious audience, just how remarkable some of these works are. The attention to detail, the intricately fine work, the patience required toplete such work was simply inhuman! Which I suppose is no surprise, given that the artist was no human!

    But it wasn''t just fine artworks that Emilia entertained me and my escorts with as we limated to the mana. One fine afternoon, we were invited out to witness a truly remarkable event.

    "Have you witnessed a live sporting event?" Emilia asked me innocuously as we departed.

    Now, I''m sure you understand where I''ming from, reader, when my nose rose somewhat into the air as I stated proudly: "Of course!"

    I make my home in the Golden City, as you well know, and we are a proud bunch, I am ashamed to say. Here we were, in one of the most frontier areas of the continent, and alongside a young woman who likely hadn''t travelled more than a hundred kilometres from Renewal. I described with great pride and flowerynguage the great contests held in the famed Arena.

    Spectacr duels held between the finest and most powerful warriors on the face of Pangera in front of tens of thousands of adoring fans. The spectacle! The whole city could be rumbling for weeks after a particrly amazing bout. Of course I knew about sport!

    As I prattled on, Emilia simply nodded calmly.

    "Wonderful," she said when I finished my overly flowery exnation, "I had hoped you would have such experience. The Stadium can be a little overwhelming for people who see it the first time."

    The tunnel we walked through became wider and wider as more and more people filed into it. Not just people, but ants also. From the teleportation chambers, there was a flowing stream of eager beings, all rushing into the flow and making their way towards wherever it was we were going.

    "There are certainly a lot of people," I noted to Emilia, "is this a particrly noteworthy event we are going to see?"

    I wondered what secrets of Colony-culture might be uncovered. For so many to gather, this must be a rare event indeed.

    "Oh, nothing of the sort," I was assured. "The Stadium hosts matches three or four times a week."

    "This happens multiple times per WEEK?" I goggled.

    "Of course. Tunnel Ball is very popr."

    At that moment, the ever-widening tunnel opened in front of us, the ceiling rising a hundred metres to a cavernous, vaulted dome. Before us, the enormous wall, entirely adorned with carvings, swept away to the left and right. Scene after scene of ants, humans, golgari, bruan''chii and even the elusive Folk engaged in some sort of activity, usually holding a strangely carved rock, covered the surface, so many my eyes couldn''t possibly take them all in.

    In the centre of the open space, ringing what I assumed was the exterior wall of the Stadium, wererge statues that loomed over the passing spectators. Again, a curious mix of races and individuals. I remarked on it to Emilia, though it was bing difficult to hear each other over the hum of the crowd. There were SO many people!

    "Yes. These are all individuals who contributed to the sport in a serious way. Some statues are quite revered. If you look down there, you can just see the top of one."

    I could indeed. It seemed to be a colossal ant looking down haughtily on the patrons as they walked past.

    "That depicts the one and only time the Eldestpeted in an official event. They retired immediately afterwards, but the story has be something of a legend. To our left, though we can''t see it from here, is the statue of perhaps the greatest ever yer. Jordant. She doesn''t y anymore, but she is fondly remembered. On the other side of the Stadium, in front of the main entrance, is a statuememorating the person who created Tunnel Ball."

    "This isn''t the main entrance," I boggled.

    "Oh, no. Not at all."

    "And who invented the game?"

    Apparently, a farmer named Peter is credited with turning a simple ant training exercise into the sport that took over the Ant controllednds, and then entranced their allies. Even now, his humble visage watches over the grand entrance to the Stadium, and peoplee from far and wide to pay respects at his stone feet.

    Emilia exined the rules to me and my increasingly bewildered escorts as we made our way into the Stadium. We joined the hurrying throngs, the buzz of energy high as we walked with purpose. It was clear from the clothing and paraphernalia of the audience that the two teams ying today were represented by green and pink, as the two colours simply nketed everything we could see.

    I have to say, my dear readers, I have no idea how we managed so promptly to reach our seats. From what I recall, we simply followed several winding tunnels that branched several times, and there we were. Emiliater exined the finest ant engineers had worked tirelessly on the most efficient system for funnelling the crowd to the appropriate seating, mostly because the ants got sick of waiting for the matches to start.

    I was so focused on not getting lost amidst the crowd that I didn''t take in the Stadium until I sat down, and when I did, I almost fell right off my seat!

    It was huge!

    Although huge doesn''t really do it justice. It''s not often that I, erudite writer that I am, find myself at ack of words, but it really is difficult to describe the sheer scale of what I witnessed.

    So I might instead give you a few numbers. The maximum capacity of the Stadium is over five-hundred thousand individuals.

    That''s impossible! Perhaps you had that thought? I assure you it isn''t! Especially when you consider the ''seating'' the ants use.

    "Are they on the roof?" I asked Emilia, agog as I stared upward.

    "Of course, they don''t need chairs, and they get an excellent view from directly overhead."

    The entire ceiling of the dome that overlooked the field of y was covered in ants, a dense cluster of them that seemed to be in perpetual motion. The seating rose all the way from the sides of the ying field until it connected with the dome, and it seemed as if every seat was full. All sorts of people, from every walk of life, packed into this one space.

    The atmosphere was pulsing with energy and I found myself quite caught up in it, excitedly waiting for the game to start. They even provided snacks! The food was delivered via a strange mechanism that caused it to pop up right beside me through a slot that opened in the stone! Such convenience!

    And when the match itself started, the roar of the crowd was simply deafening. There''s something about that afternoon that still hasn''t left me, reader. Only in the Stadium of the Colony can one experience a mixing of such diverse peoples, only there does the crowd produce that distinctive sound. The cking of mandibles, the screams and roars, the ocean-like rush of leaves rustling.

    And the game itself was jolly entertaining as well!

 Chapter 931 Grand Designs (1042)

    <h4>Chapter 931 Grand Designs (1042)</h4>

    Tungstant woke from her torpor feeling just as tired as when she went into it. After herst¡­ incident, she didn''t want to lose the time by being captured by they who would not be named, and made sure she got regr rest, but there was so much to do.

    An infinite amount of work and a very finite amount of time to do it in.

    She exited the rest chamber set aside for the carvers and began to make her way to the build headquarters. Traffic was heavy and it took her a while to make it through the streams of bustling ants before she arrived to find dozens of the highest level carvers huddled around the design tables.

    There were a dozen of them, each hosting an intricately detailed model of different aspects of the build.

    "Finally awake are you?" Cobalt huffed.

    Her sibling looked exhausted, antennae drooping with fatigue.

    "Yes. Not that I think the rest helped much."

    "I know what you mean."

    "Any word on the Eldest?"

    "No movement. They''re still asleep and it looks like they will be for a while. The tier seven evolution seems to be taking significantly longer than the tier six."

    "Well, I suppose that''s not too surprising. It does mean that things are going to remain tense around here for a while longer."

    With the oldest, strongest and most respected ant in the Colony sleeping, totally defenceless in the fourth stratum, where the family didn''t have a strong foundation, the situation was risky. Everyone felt on edge. The scouts were working double shifts, trying to be an early warning system for the rest of the family. The carvers were doing everything they could to rebuild and fortify this mountain to make it into an impregnable fortress.

    But even they could only work so fast, and whatever the Eldest had done had blown the inside of what had once been the termite mound to absolute pieces.

    "The inner shell is seventy percentplete," Cobalt brought her sibling up to speed, "though we need to keep the pressure up until it''s done. The estimated time topletion is another twelve hours."

    "Can we speed that up?"

    "Not if we want it done right¡­"

    "Damn. We definitely do."

    "Exactly. The quadyering technique is extremely strong, but time consuming and not everyone has the skills to pull it off. Once it''s finished, though, it''d take a drill team a full day to get through."

    "Who even invented that technique again?"

    "I did¡­."

    "Funny, you''ve never mentioned it."

    "Very funny. Once that''s done, we can work on the gates."

    Tungstant pondered for a moment. She''d been working on the frame to install the gates in before she''d gone to sleep. They still weren''t done?

    "What the heck is holding up the gate teams? That should''ve been done two hours ago!"

    "It''s Smithant."

    It was always Smithant.

    "What does she want this time?"

    "She''se up with some fancy new enchantment method and got the whole team re-working the enchantments from scratch. It set thepletion time back by ten hours."

    "TEN!?"

    The irritable carver pped an antennae to her forehead in dismay. If oneponent of the build was dyed, then that would cause a knock-on effect, inflicting chaos in the schedule all down the line. Like a row of small rectangr bricks standing precariously on their edge. Once the first fell, the rest were doomed to follow.

    "She''s convinced it will be twice as effective as the previous setup," Cobalt said.

    "Even so, it may not be worth the dy! Completing the shell won''t mean much if there''s a massive hole where the door is meant to go!"

    "You want to tell her topromise? She''ll listen to us if we demand it, but I wasn''t confident enough to make the call myself."

    The inner-shell was the firstyer of defence they nned to build around the sanctum in which the Eldest currently rested. Later, it would likely house the Queen, or other queens, but for now, it was intended to be a bulwark to protect their Senior during evolution.

    They''d done their best to fortify the mountain before the evolution had started, but proper defences took a great deal of time and effort to implement. With all the tools that could be brought to bear to break down metal and stone using mana, reinforcing it became ten times as difficult.

    Which meant the Colony wanted the highest quality methods and materials, but also had to be leery of the time required. Carvers, as a rule, hated topromise on their craftsmanship. The corners they''d had to cut were like wedges driven under Cobalt''s and Tungstant''s carapace, constantly irritating and chafing as they continued the build.

    "Let her finish it," Tungstant said, resigned. "The scouts haven''t turned anything up, so the dy shouldn''t matter. If it''s as good as she thinks, it''ll be worth the time."

    This mountain would eventually be the seat of power for the Colony in this stratum, so they wanted the best for it just as much as Smithant did.

    She''d been up for ten minutes and already, Tungstant could feel a headacheing on.

    "What about our other problem?" she asked. "Have there been any developments on that front?"

    Cobalt pointed with an antenna, and the two skittered over to one of the models. This particr carving was a nightmare tangle of knotted tendrils and jagged lines that snarled around each other endlessly. What was worse was that it wasn''t finished. For now, the mass of root-like lines terminated in a solid block of stone.

    "The mapping of the lower tunnels is taking much, much longer than anticipated."

    "It looks like almost no progress was made since Ist looked at it," Tungstant noted as she circled the model.

    "There hasn''t been," Cobalt noted grimly. "Thest report came through an hour ago. The monster spawns down there are proving to be a nightmare. Fourth stratum monsters are difficult for us to deal with. The scouts aren''t battling weak little termites anymore, these are the real deal."

    "We have to have control down there," Tungstant fretted, "if we can''t secure the tunnels beneath us¡­."

    Needless to say, for the Colony to not have control of the terrain beneath them was¡­ unnatural. The area beneath the mountain was a horrific mess of narrow tunnels that formed a nightmare maze of never ending terror. In other words, ant home ground. They should reign supreme under those conditions!

    "The fighting has been intense, from all reports. The former fungus farms are still on fire and the smoke is everywhere. Pockets ofva are still melting through the walls and the monsters down there aren''t happy about it."

    "Well, darn," Tungstant muttered. "So what''s the n?"

    "n? There''s no n right now. That''s for you to work out, I''m going to sleep."

    Cobalt gave her sister a hearty pat on the back with an antenna and dashed away, leaving Tungstant staring at the model. That headache was definitely back.

 Chapter 932 Since when did we not like tunnels? (1043)

    <h4>Chapter 932 Since when did we not like tunnels? (1043)</h4>

    "SHIELDS!" Advant shouted, her pheromones washing over the entire area in a mighty burst.

    The two mages, thankfully, were quick to respond and a shield sprang into being around therge soldier, mere moments before the mess of vines engulfed herpletely.

    She lunged forward, mandibles snapping as she sheared through hundreds of the tough, living ropes, not noticeably making a dent in them.

    "Need some fire?" Propent asked, eager.

    "Of course I want some damn fire! Why are you asking? Just cast it already!" Advant hollered.

    An immediate burst of me washed over her, igniting the vines and driving them back temporarily. Of course, it also set the fine hairs on her antennae on fire at the same time¡­.

    "Not me, you idiot!"

    "Sorry."

    Unsurprisingly, Propent didn''t sound all that apologetic as she watched the nt monster retreat, smothering the mes with its innumerable vines. Cont sighed and conjured a jet of water to douse the singed soldier.

    "Really now, you should be able to aim better than that, sister."

    Now dripping wet, Advant fumed silently for a moment before deciding she could no longer hold it in.

    "You two have been useless since we got down here," she sniped at the bickering mages. "If I didn''t know better, I''d think you''d had a falling out of some sort."

    Propent and Cont stood awkwardly for a moment.

    "You did?" Advant asked incredulously, before she shook her head. "Fine, whatever. You''re being ridiculous. Get over yourselves and stop making mistakes, or I''ll tell the Eldest how stupid you''ve been while they were sleeping."

    The two mages had the grace to be embarrassed just long enough for the vines to surge up the tunnel once again to snag Advant and drag her into the darkness.

    "That was your fault," Propent said.

    "How was it my fault?" Cont replied icily. "The creature is clearly weak to fire, you should have fended it off."

    "It has water within its vines. You could have frozen it."

    "You''re just being petnt because you''re mad the Eldest didn''t teach you the volcano spell."

    "I am not! You''re just being petty because they didn''t have a mega-ice spell for you to learn. It''s not my fault that fire is better."

    "If it''s so great, then use it. Go help Advant without setting her on fire, for once."

    "Maybe I will!"

    "I''d love to see it."

    The two stood off for a long moment, staring at each other until a bedraggled figure trudged out of the darkness.

    "You both suck," Advant ground out. "If the Eldest were here to see your ipetence, you''d be back in training before you could twitch."

    "I haven''t done anything wrong," Cont defended herself icily. "Propent, on the other hand¡­."

    "No, I don''t want to hear it," the soldier cut the two mages off.

    A small healer came forward and began to go to work, repairing the extensive damage done to Advant''s carapace. There were a number of smaller wounds as well, ces where the vines had pierced flesh and inflicted harm. The healer grumbled to herself as she worked, ignoring the council memberspletely.

    Advant was somewhat stumped. It was unusual for any members of the Colony to have a disagreement of any kind. Beyond unusual, exceedingly rare, but it did happen. Then again, two individuals with such diametrically opposed personalities were seldom asked to work together as often as Cont and Propent were.

    The two mages usually got along quite well, but for whatever reason, they were letting their argument get in the way of their task, which was not eptable. Especially because Advant was the one counting on them to keep her alive!

    "There''s only two options on the table," she told the two mages. "Either you assure me right now that you can both operate at your best going forward, or we turn around and go back. I only agreed toe with so few in the team because I assumed you two would be such an asset that it didn''t matter. Not only are you not an asset, I would rather have any other two mages than you right now."

    The siblings looked at each other askance, antennae drooping with shame, though neither willing to admit fault in front of the other.

    Advant let out a frustrated puff of pheromones.

    "Look, I know everyone is stressed right now. The Eldest is out ofmission for who knows how long, and we have a ton of things to do, but you two can''t let something petty get in the way of your work. You''re too important for that."

    "You are quite right," Cont said. "We are not performing our tasks with due diligence."

    "You don''t say," Advant remarked, still picking chunks of vine from gaps in her carapace.

    "Sorry about that," Propent said. "I''ll do my best not to set you on fire. I can''t promise you won''t get singed, though. It''s fire, after all."

    "I can handle singed," the soldier replied. "The light roasting was the issue. I sincerely hope that whatever is bothering the two of you is resolved as soon as possible. For now, let''s focus on the task at hand."

    Namely, delving into these tunnels and rooting out whatever was found therein. So far, that had mostly been a variety of nasty nt-like things, grown thick and vibrant on life mana.

    "You''re good to go," the medic announced, climbing down from Advant''s back.

    "Thanks for that. Hopefully we won''t need to call on you again."

    "I wish," the little ant grumped as she scuttled back to safety.

    Everyone was in a moodtely. The soldier brushed it off and began to face back down the tunnel into which she had recently been dragged.

    "Let''s go," she said.

    The small group continued on their way once again, the coordination between them vastly improved over what it had been a moment ago. Cont and Propent still picked at each other, but kept their spat on the back burner.

    They continued to encounter the subterranean monsters of the fourth stratum and continued to struggle. More of the vine-tangles, some muchrger than the first, gave them a lot of trouble, but others were also difficult to fight. There was a sunflower-like monster that spat seeds at them, which would have been fine if the seeds didn''t immediately begin to grow new sunflower monsters at a prodigious rate.

    Worst of all was a strange, hairy mole thing with a fire in its belly and a mouth full of rolling, grinding teeth. In the end, Cont managed to spike the creature through its hide with ice magic, but not before Advant had lost a leg.

    "Sorry about that," she said to the little healer, not quite sure why she was apologising for losing her leg in battle, but it seemed like the right thing to do.

    "Don''t worry about it," the healer replied, "we get used to it."

    Despite their best efforts, the team had covered a disappointingly small section of tunnel before they were forced to turn and head back home. There was a defeated atmosphere hanging over the group, despite the progress they''d made. Largely because they''d be right back down there, after their rest was done.

    "Try not to annoy each other before we go back down," she told the two mages. "We were actually getting somewhere by the end."

    Without waiting for them to reply, she trudged off to a resting chamber. She was slightly dreading the next trip, which was an unnatural feeling. Since when did the Colony struggle to fight in tunnels? It wasn''t right!

 Chapter 933 The Royal We (1044)

    <h4>Chapter 933 The Royal We (1044)</h4>

    The Queen crunched her demon prey with satisfaction. A strange, ded creature, the monster had put up quite a fight before she''d been able to overpower it. There was something so gratifying about hunting for her own Biomass. She doubted she would ever get tired of it.

    "This area isn''t secure, Mother. We shouldn''t tarry for long."

    There was something else that she was definitely tired of, though.

    "We are perfectly safe, my child," she gently reminded the soldier charged with managing her security today. Her antennae waved to indicate the area around them. "We are secure within the borders of the Colony. There are cities held by our family in every direction. What harm can possiblye to us?"

    Indeed, the Queen was suffering from the overprotective nature of her children even more than usualtely. She insisted on her daily hunts, but the restrictions they tried to put on her grew more onerous by the day. The area she''d been limited to held only meagre prey, and wasn''trge enough to replenish between hunts. What''s more, it was bordered on all sides by Colony strongholds. She was literally surrounded by armies of her children.

    She''d even begun to suspect they werebing the hunting grounds to prune out any creatures that they thought might be too dangerous.

    She was a patient creature, the Queen, filled with love and eptance of her children''s quirks, but even she had limits.

    "I think I''ll head somewhere different and continue my hunt," she announced, "I am not yet satisfied with the Biomass I have collected."

    Indeed, it was difficult for her to gain sufficient food on these trips, since there were so few higher tier demons.

    Her guards grew still and looked at each other warily.

    "A-are you sure, Mother? Normally you would need to return back to the nest right about now. You wouldn''t want to miss your quota for the day."

    "There is plenty of time. You are not obliged toe with me, of course."

    "We wille! We wouldn''t dream of abandoning you!" She paused after her outburst to steady herself. "Uh. Where would you like to go, Mother?"

    The Queen thought for a time. The issue was, no matter where she went, there were likely to be a thousand family members sweeping the ce clean before she got there. The Colony hadn''t had the antpower to waste babying her like this when she''d hunted in the second stratum, but apparently that wasn''t an issue now.

    Every direction would take her into Colony controlled and sanitised areas of the third stratum. That is, every direction except for one.

    "I think I''ll head down through the tunnels to theyer below. I hear there are strong monsters down there."

    All of her guards within range to smell what she''d said froze in ce as the Queen began walking toward the nearest tunnel entrance. There was a little lift in her step as her six legs carried her forward toward excitement.

    "Wait! Mother! You can''t go down there!"

    "Of course I can, child. The tunnels are more than wide enough, I know that many have been working on them."

    The mining and exploration had been constant since the Colony had made their home here. Constructing wide and safe pathways was always a priority for the family. Luckily enough, even she would fit on the wider roads, despite her size.

    Although apparently the troublesome one was evolving, which may mean she was no longer thergest ant in the Colony. That was likely a good thing. If the children started to make roads evenrger to amodate that danger ma, then there would be even more paths she could take.

    "That''s not what I mean!" her guard protested. "That area isn''t safe."

    "Are you saying that I''m not strong enough? Do not worry yourself. I was fighting long before even the first eggs wereid. I know how to take care of myself, or retreat from danger."

    She now had a long trail of followers rushing along behind her, and even more running ahead, desperate to reach the tunnels before she could get there. She didn''t mind, she couldn''t race faster than them anyway. In the short time they had before she arrived, there was little they could do to sanitise the area.

    "That''s not what I mean, Mother! There has been word of great danger brewing in theyers below! Powerful demons of extremely high tier. The whole stratum has been bracing for trouble."

    Interesting, she hadn''t heard of such a thing. Clearly, they had worked to keep it from her.

    "I am the second strongest member of this family," she said firmly, "if there is danger, then I should, of course, be involved in protecting the family. I will not stand aside and have my children rush into danger in my stead."

    Even though she had heard from her friend, Enid, that human Queens often behaved in that way, sending others to fight in their stead. Bizarre.

    When she arrived at the tunnel entrance, it was crawling with her children. Hundreds of them, inspecting every nook and cranny to ensure there were no hidden dangers. Their care warmed her heart even as it exasperated her. Such a waste of time and energy! There were so many more important things for them to be worrying about.

    With a friendly patter here and there with her antennae, she plunged into the tunnel and continued on her way down to the nextyer. Her heart beat a little faster as the excitement built within her. Finally, somewhere she might find a real challenge. How long had it been?

    The demons were closer to her tier and far more fierce than what she had been able to find in the second stratum. Now she had a chance to engage in a real hunt.

    Her mandibles clicked in anticipation.

    Of course, if it was too dangerous, she would return to the nest. Thest thing she wanted was for her children to throw themselves into an unwinnable battle to protect her.

    With how many were rushing down after her, there likely wouldn''t be anything they found that they couldn''t handle.

 Chapter 934 The Demon Host (1045)

    <h4>Chapter 934 The Demon Host (1045)</h4>

    Odin had seen many things in his first life. The pressure that came with being a professional assassin, the piles of bodies he''d left in his wake, none of it prepared him for the Demon horde that surrounded him now. They stretched in all directions, the living carpet of small, gnawing demons of which he once was one, reced with a fearsome menagerie of monsters that towered over thendscape.

    There were thousands of them, tens of thousands. Each one a creature of obsession and power. Each one a being of drive and desire that had known nothing but a desperate fight for survival from the moment of its creation.

    Yet even the nightmarish gathering was not enough to outshine the horrors gathered in their centre. Even after all this time, the suffocating aura that rolled off the three demons suppressed him, driving the thoughts from his head and the strength from his limbs.

    Torrifex, a mass of fire and violence, stood tall amidst the throng. The heat rolling from the giant demon was oppressive, even to a fellow denizen of this ce such as Odin. Hidden behind the veil of ck smoke that permanently billowed from his form, Torrifex''s eyes glowed with malicious glee as he beheld the scene around him.

    No less terrifying were his sisters. Pyrixan possessed a dreadful visage of ash. All that came near her was subject to her frightful power. Odin himself had seen three demons dissolve to nothing, disintegrated by her mere presence.

    She had been the first. Torrifex had woken her from her deep slumber as part of his divine mission, issued through Odin by Arconidem himself. The Demon God hadmanded that thisyer of the Dungeon be made ready for his return, and Torrifex would not tolerate failure in this task.

    With Pyrixan by his side, and Odin trailing behind, Torrifex had set out to liberate his final associate. Somonax had slept beneath a field of rusted weapons, stuck in the ground like a graveyard of armaments. Onlyter Odin realised that those had been ced to seal that which dwelled beneath.

    Somonax rose from the cursed ground as a mass of red des that writhed with her need for death. A concentrated entity of murder, the tier eight demon was, in Odin''s opinion, the most fearsome of the three. Even more so than Torrifex himself.

    With the three servants of the Demon God gathered, they had begun a campaign of terror amongst thends, gathering powerful members of their kind to their banner as they went. Wherever they passed, the demonrvae that covered the ground seethed with vigour that exceeded their normal activity.

    [You think too much, little mouse,] Torrifex noted, looking down on the former assassin. [You are not required to think. You are required to serve.]

    The great demon often reminded him of his¡­ obligations. The task had beenid on him by Arconidem himself, and Odin had been its prisoner ever since.

    [How will I understand how to serve if I do not think?] he rebutted in a rare show of courage.

    Such outbursts were rare, as Torrifex had ways of making him regret them, but he was notpletely cowed just yet. At his core, Odin was a survivor. He wouldn''t break so easily.

    [Simple, little mouse,] came the response, [you listen. Arconidem has spoken to you directly. All you need do is follow his instruction.]

    [I woke you,] Odin said, his courage failing under the direct re of the three great demons. [I have done what he asked. When will I be¡­ free?]

    Thest word came out as barely a whisper of a thought as the heat of Torrifex grew unbearable when he leaned closer.

    [You think, but you do not listen. My sisters and I are assembled once more, but the work has not yet begun. Recall what the demon godmanded. We are to purge the demonnds of the weak, ughter the unworthy and burn the outsiders. Our task will only beplete when this entireyer of the Dungeon has been set ame with cleansing fire. Only then will it be worthy of its master.]

    Odin paused, his fearsome demon form appearing to hesitate in the face of such indomitable power. He thought of all the ughter that had urred up to this point, the thousands of deaths that had been required to bring these three together. And they hadn''t even started?

    [I don''t understand what that means,] he said, [this ce already burns like a vision of hell. There is fire andva everywhere I see. The entire ce is covered in demons, top to bottom. What outsiders? Who are the weak? What makes one unworthy? I don''t know why I am here.]

    [You stink of death,] Somonax breathed and he recoiled as her thoughts touched his. Even her mind reeked of blood. [Arconidem can smell it too. He called you for a reason. Not because of what you are, weak and pathetic, but what you may be. His return will herald a new uprising, when demonkind will set aside their obsessions and focus on their true purpose. To kill.]

    [All that are not demon, do not belong here,] Pyrixan interjected. [This ce is ours, it belongs to us. The demon god granted it to us long ago and now we must drive out those who havee to infest it.]

    The second sister was just as unpleasant to converse with. As her thoughts brushed against his own, he felt his own sense of self begin to weaken, nibbled at the edges by some phantom hunger.

    They''re talking about some holy war. They want to annihte everything that isn''t a demon in all of thesends?

    Odin had seen numerous other creatures already in his journey throughout this stedndscape. It was clear now, Arconidem, and by extension Torrifex and every demon he drew to his side, wanted to destroy them all.

    [Little mouse. Still you think. You are far too weak to be thinking so much. The demon god has done the thinking for you.]

    He spread his hands.

    [All we need do is kill. Let it begin.]

 Chapter 935 Rumble in theâ€¦ Lava Covered Wasteland (1046)

    <h4>Chapter 935 Rumble in the¡­ Lava Covered Wastnd (1046)</h4>

    The resources of the third stratum proved to be a boon to the Colony, but none more so than the Fire Iron, as we called it. Found in naturally replenishing reserves betweenyers, the precious metal had several properties that made it of enormous interest, especially to those like me.

    Obviously, it was heat resistant, but to such an extreme degree that it was shocking to us. Our finest quality enchanted steel couldn''tpare to even the unprocessed ore.

    The first challenge was trying to find a way to smelt it. The metal was usually found submerged inva, or at the very least coated on one side with it. Producing a temperature hot enough to melt it was difficult, to say the least. It was Propent who eventually solved the issue, creating a circr heating system that required five fire mages to keep it running.

    The air within the furnace was so hot, we had to create a system to prevent the air from touching the walls to prevent those from melting too.

    The first thing I did once we managed to smelt and shape the Fire Iron was make a new smelter out of it. From that point, basically all equipment in the Colony that needed to be fireproofed was formed of Fire Iron. I would be lost without my new tools, I barely have to cool them.

    - Excerpt from "Antdustrial Revolution" by Smithant.

    "What in the name of Eldest''s left foreleg is going on down there?" the scout leader, Amantsen, demanded.

    "It''s the demons!" the poor, harried scout replied as the medic worked on her burns. "They''ve gone crazy. It''s all out war!"

    "Between who and who? The demons are attacking someone? Is it the ka''armodo?"

    A conflict between the lizards and the demons would suit the Colony down to the ground. While their most powerful fighter was asleep, the various spot-fires around the ce cooling down would be ideal.

    The injured scout shook her antennae.

    "The demons are fighting everyone. Cities are burning, there''s fighting on the ins, there''s fighting everywhere! The second those crazed creatures find something to fight, they attack, doesn''t matter who or what it is."

    Amantsen flicked her antennae irritably. The demons had gone crazy? Why? How? The whole situation only threw up more questions the more she looked into it. The poor scouty on the ground before her as the medic continued her ministrations, grumbling pheromones rising by the second.

    Clearly, it was extremely dangerous. It would be irresponsible to send further scouts down to look when the chances for deaths to ur were so high. If the demons were being as indiscriminately violent as advertised, it was dangerous for anyone to scout out the situation.

    Individual missions and small teams were out. Which left only arge-scale investigation, which may only serve to provoke the rampaging demons onto them.

    "This isn''t good," she muttered, "not at all."

    Complicating matters, most of the council was currently on the fourth stratum, protecting the Eldest as they underwent evolution. Even so, this situation sounded serious enough that they needed to be contacted.

    "Well done, scout," Amantsen thanked the suffering sibling on the ground before her, "you''ve done well to bring us word of this trouble. Rest and be healed, then report to the barracks for torpor. You deserve a break."

    "But¡­" the scout began to protest.

    Immediately the shadows around them deepened, a cold wind blowing against their antennae.

    "But¡­ I can''t¡­ wait that long¡­ for torpor," she finishedmely.

    Amantsen nodded.

    "You''ll have to, but a second longer."

    Not willing to be in their presence longer than necessary, she turned and left the poor scout to the healer''s ministrations and began to spread the word. The machinery of the Colony was efficient and effective in almost all circumstances, and it wasn''t long until word had been passed through the gate and to the forces residing in the fourth stratum.

    "By my aching thorax, what on Pangera are those demons up to now?" Burke demanded of the air when the message had finally reached her. "We''ve got enough on our tes already. I swear the Eldest does this on purpose, everything flies into a mess when they evolve."

    She knew that wasn''t quite fair, the Eldest had evolved during the invasion by Garralosh in order to fight the beast, which they had eventually done. Not to mention, thest evolution had been done during argely peaceful time. Still¡­. It was the sentiment that mattered.

    "I''ll pass the word to the others, we need to assemble a task force to investigate, we can''t go flying into this blind. Start looking for scout volunteers."

    She found Wills not far away and apprised her sibling of the danger. She simrly wasn''t impressed with the Eldest''s timing and the two rushed to gather the other members of the Council.

    "You can''t be serious," Advant groaned.

    "This is typical," Cobalt agreed.

    "This is less than ideal," Cont observed.

    "When am I going in?" Leeroy asked.

    Sloan slumped forward, rubbing at her temples with her antennae. This was thest thing she needed.

    "We know there are powerful tier eight demons down there. Clearly, they are responsible for stirring up this mess. We need to know how fast it''s spreading and when it might reach us. If we''re lucky, it won''t affect us. There are dozens of groups with territory in the third stratum. If they start fighting against the demons, then they might upy them long enough for the Eldest to emerge so we can redeploy our forces."

    She needed a nap.

    "In the event that they doe rushing at us, we need to fortify and garrison the paths between us as much as possible."

    A messenger rushed into the chamber, dropped some pheromones, then left.

    "The Queen went WHERE?!" Sloan shrieked.

 Chapter 936 Full Mobilisation (1047)

    <h4>Chapter 936 Full Mobilisation (1047)</h4>

    Ants flooded through the tunnels, called to action stations by urgent pheromone messages distributed by the still under development "automated noiseless announcement system."

    If Sloan had any hair, she would be pulling it out of her carapace right now. Instead, she had to settle for tugging insistently on her antennae with her mandibles as her brain tried to spin the logistics needed for the required movements.

    "It''s fine," she said to the other council members, who stared at her, doubt in in their eyes. "No, really. All we have to do is mount a campaign to secure this location, protect the Eldest and develop our defences, whilst simultaneously attacking into the teeth of a ravenous horde of demons on the third stratum to rescue the Queen. Simple."

    "How is any part of that simple?" Propent scoffed. "This problem doesn''t go away or shrink into insignificance just because you pretend it''s easy. We need you in reality, Sloan."

    "Reality isn''t my friend right now."

    "Nobody is disagreeing with that. There has to be a way to turn this around. We need explosive action!"

    "We need a calm, measured response," Cont rebutted. "If we rush we might make a critical error."

    "If we don''t rush we''re going to be toote! We don''t have time to think."

    "Both of you be quiet," Advant said with authority, causing the two mages to subside. "Sloan has already described what we need to do, and it is simple. There has to be a defensive force left here to protect the Eldest until theyplete their evolution. There also has to be an extensive force assembled andunched into the third stratum to protect the Queen and prepare for a possible demon invasion."

    They fell silent as they began toprehend the scale of the task, and the limited amount of time at hand. It was an impossible ask.

    "It could be even worse than that," Sloan said. "If something is turning the demons rabid, then we have to consider the possibility that it may also happen to our own allies."

    If the demons within their own cities turned on them¡­.

    "I didn''t think of that," Propent said, looking shocked. "If that happens, this could escte even further."

    "Which means we need to move fast. There''s too many council members here to properly manage the crises on the third stratum, so we need to divide ourselves between the two locations. I suggest that the bulk of the fighters be sent tobat the demon threat, while the crafters remain here. Obviously, one general and one soldier will need to remain on this stratum."

    "I nominate Leeroy," Advant said.

    "What?" the armour-d Immortal burst out. "Why?"

    "If an assault urs on the Eldest while they rest, then it''s likely to be far more dangerous than just demons. We need to keep our best here for the toughest fight."

    "Well¡­ I suppose that''s alright then."

    Advant nodded solemnly while the rest of the council gave her thankful nods. Without the chaos of the Immortals and their antics, the rescue mission could proceed much more smoothly.

    "Alright then, let''s get to it. Good luck, everyone," Sloan said. "I''ll be in themand centre down here if anyone needs me."

    The council quickly sorted themselves, and before long, a huge procession marched through the gate provided by the Mother Tree. Hundreds of thousands of the most battle hardened and highly evolved members of the Colony returned to the zing heat of the third stratum.

    All throughout the Colony, the rm had been sounded. Reinforcements from the upperyers of the Dungeon rushed to descend in columns kilometres long, covering the vertical roads they had built in orderly rows of determined ants.

    The Queen was in danger, and there wasn''t a single one of them who wouldn''t answer the call. Despite their fervour, at all levels, the Colony kept in mind the wisdom of the Eldest. It was ensured that normal operations wouldn''t bepromised, despite the grand muster.

    So it was that, as the hours passed, more and more ants flooded into the third stratum. Demons gazing down from the upied cities were confused at times, wondering if the Colony outnumbered thervae on the ins. The great pirs on which the te cities rested were covered in the crawling forms of the family as tens of thousands descended every hour.

    At the forefront was Victor, directing traffic in the emergencymand post established above the tunnel the Queen had taken down into the deeperyers.

    Wills had already descended with an advance team of scouts, rushing to locate the trail of their lost parent, and once she''d found it, the massed might of the Colony would follow quickly behind.

    Already, the staging ground covered several square kilometres as more and more ants arrived, were assigned to teams, and found their ces. Luckily it was extremely easy to keep such a force fed out here on the demonic ins, demonrvae were¡­ beyond plentiful.

    Hunting teams swarmed throughout the lower second and third stratum, delivering an avnche of Biomass to the army. The queens even refused to take their full quota, determined to do their part to ensure the Queen was returned.

    Victor held herself in the centre of a whirlwind. Messages came and went in a blur, numbers, team allocations, supply counts, all were handled by her team as she paced back and forth waiting for the only message that truly mattered: the counting report from Wills.

    It would be pointless to lead this enormous force into the tunnels without knowing where the Queen had gone, and so they waited. What they would be fighting, and where, wereplete unknowns, but the general didn''t worry. With so many of her siblings gathered, and with such fervour, she would back them against any force in the Dungeon.

    "Come on, Wills," she muttered as she skittered back and forth impatiently.

    She felt like a dam wall holding back a flood. The moment she gave the word, the Colony would pour into the lower levels of the third stratum like a tidal wave.

    They hadn''t nned to make such a move this early, but current events demanded they act. The demons would learn to fear the Colony, or they would vanish from the Dungeon. It was as simple as that.

 Chapter 937 1048 - The Great Hunt

    <h4>Chapter 937 Chapter 1048 - The Great Hunt</h4>

    The Queen was having a great day. Her mandibles gnashed with joy as she rushed across the ins, the small demonrvae wiggling out of her way as she chased down her prey. It had taken some time to get down the pir, avoiding the inhabitants of the te city as her delegation made their way down below.

    "Mother, surely now you''ve had enough. Isn''t it time to return and see to your tasks?"

    The Queen continued to munch on Biomass as she replied.

    "Yes, I do believe you are right. This has been a most pleasant hunt, but I am nearly full. I thank you for allowing me to indulge myself."

    She was acutely aware that she had inconvenienced her children with her demands, which was precisely why she didn''t like to do it. The frustration she felt at being coddled had bubbled under the surface for a long time before she had finally had enough. With this outing, she felt her stress had been relieved. For at least a good while, she would be able to ept her children being overly protective.

    "It''s time to return to the nest," she announced. "Is everyone here? Make sure that none are left behind."

    The guards reacted a little oddly as their roles were flipped from trying to shepherd the Queen to being shepherded by her in a sh. She rounded them up, thanking them for their hard work, ensuring that each and every one of them was ounted for before they began to make their way back to the pir.

    Half the distance had been covered without incident, crossing over the ins as therval demons scurried out of the way, but before they couldplete the journey, something changed.

    The Queen sensed the danger first, her antennae swinging wildly as a faint scent brushed against them. She wasn''t sure what it was she sensed, except that it felt... wild and dangerous.

    "Something ising", she warned her children. "Get behind me."

    "With respect, we won''t do that," her chief guard replied. "You should get behind us, Mother."

    The Queen cked with irritation.

    "I am far stronger than you children, do not be foolish."

    Yet they refused to yield, the much smaller children rushing forward to take up defensive positions in front of the Queen. She repressed the urge to thwack them, they were only acting out of love, as her friend Enid had told her. Despite their actions being sub-optimal and a poor use of their avable resources, she could only sigh and allow it to take ce.

    It wouldn''t do to fight with her own protectors moments before they were engaged in battle. Instead, she braced herself, antennae beginning to shine with healing mana as she prepared for any eventuality.

    The demons boiled up from a narrow opening in the ground, exploding upward like a plume of fire rising from a pool ofrva. Frenzied bloodlust rolled from the creatures in waves, and the moment theyid eyes on the ants, they shrieked and rushed towards them.

    Seconds after the demons had emerged, battle was joined, the two sides shing against each other with total abandon, each knowing that in a fight between monsters, the one who hesitated was sure to lose.

    The Queen unleashed a burst of healing magic that washed over her children as she charged forward, her great mandibles snapping around the first unfortunate foe to catch her eye.

    All around her, the ants shed with demons, a frenzied whirl of battle that was dazzling in her multifaceted eyes. There was no consistency or pattern among the attackers that she could detect. The demons came in all shapes and sizes, some gouting mes, others were dervishes covered in spinning des, yet others were floating, pulsating things thatid about themselves with terrible spells.

    The one thing they had inmon was the frenzied nature of their assault. The higher tier the demon, the more capable of reason they became, yet these creatures seemed devoid of thought. Each one radiated a single-minded obsession with death and destruction, a need that had be focused on the present members of the Colony the moment they hade into sight.

    Luckily, the ants outnumbered their foes. Suffused with healing light, they worked together to team up on the demons, lunging and ducking,tching onto legs, arms and whatever limbs they could find.

    In the thick of it all, the Queen advanced. Her powerful carapace absorbed blows that would have crippled her smaller children, and her mandibles sheared through demons who were all but impervious to weaker bites.

    She was the War Queen, and this was her element. With cold efficiency, she moved through the battle, chomping the enemy and healing her children until it was over and the ants stood victorious, though wounded.

    "What was that?" her lead guard demanded as she tried to gather her thoughts. "They came from nowhere to attack us. Why?"

    "I do not know," the Queen replied, "but they have been defeated. We should be on our way, more maye."

    No sooner had she released that scent than her antennae tingled again as that faint wisp of danger brushed against them.

    "Speak of the demons," she said as yet more ravenous monsters burst forth from the hole in the ground. "With me, my children!"

 Chapter 938 One Unhappy Scout (1049)

    <h4>Chapter 938 One Unhappy Scout (1049)</h4>

    The tunnels betweenyers were ufortable at the best of times. Filled with smoke, ash and the bubbling streams ofva that made the heat unbearable, they were inhospitable before you took into ount the demons prowling through them. Or worse, the remnants of demon obsession that simply refused to die.

    Yet, for one nameless scout, this was, by far, the most stressful trip through the tunnels that she had ever experienced. The knowledge that the entire Colony was waiting for word of the Queen''s fate weighed heavily on her carapace, but she was determined.

    Her six legs were more than enough to bear the burden. She would not fail the family.

    Those six legs blurred as she raced through the narrow tunnels, flitting up the walls, across the ceiling and back down again as she dodged anything that might impede her path. Monsters were left confused, swiping at nothing as she rocketed past. Even theva seemed confused, unsure if anything had disturbed its passage.

    She was on a mission. She was speed.

    Even Vibrant might have nodded, slowly, with deliberate grace as a camera zoomed toward her face, had she seen the scout perform this mad run. All the while, she left behind a clear trail of pheromones, indicating to any who came after that she had passed this way.

    And then she was through, skittering out and gripping tight to the ceiling of a newyer of the third stratum, the endless ins stretched out beneath her, kilometres below. It was a perilous drop that would terrify many, but the scout was undaunted, her whold sure and firm.

    She could see the pir, not far from her current position. It would be difficult to navigate her way down alone; she didn''t see any other scouts emerging from the tunnels just yet. There was no time to wait for them, and she couldn''t see the Queen from these heights.

    Down she climbed, face first, as fast as she dared. Down the pir, onto the te city, through which she rushed as quickly as she had moved before, onto the underside of the rock disc, and then down again.

    Soon, she was on the ins themselves, having made record time in her descent. Her antennae thrashed wildly through the air as she attempted to locate any trace of the Queen and her entourage. There had to be a scent trail, no good ant went anywhere without leaving one behind, she just had to find it.

    She circled around the base of the pir until atst she detected the trail, then she was off. Demonrvae iled wildly as they tried to throw themselves from her path. Usually they failed, and she trod on hundreds before she finally found what she was looking for, not that she was happy to see it.

    The Queen and her guards were engaged in battle! Ravenous, maddened demons threw themselves at the defensive formation that had sprung up around the giant Queen, who held the centre herself, fighting with her usual determined, stubborn manner.

    Cold fear washed over the scout as she raced forward.

    "What is happening?" she asked as she drew near, careful not to be caught in the melee. "I''vee from the Colony in advance of an expedition."

    The viciousbat continued unabated, but even so, the reply came from the nearest general.

    "We''ve been engaged by hostile demons who seem to be possessed by some strange fever. They fight with no sense of self preservation or purpose. We can''t reason with them. No matter how many we kill, they keeping out of the tunnels below."

    "Can you disengage?"

    "We can''t, they''d jump on our backs the moment we tried to move."

    "Can the Queen leave while we hold them off?"

    The general gave a humourless huff of pheromones.

    "You''re wee to try and convince her."

    The scout gave that idea up immediately. Every member of the family knew it was futile to ask the Queen to abandon her children.

    "Can youst until reinforcements arrive?"

    "We''d better, or the Queen is lost," the general replied, her scent grim.

    Unwilling to waste more words, the scout turned and raced away, weaving between two demons who had drawn near as she did so. Back along the trail she ran, ungging and unfailing. A new scent trail being left, one calling for all possible aid.

    Only a few minutes into the return trip, the scout ran into one of her own kind, following the same scent she had followed.

    "What''s happening?" the scout demanded.

    "Queen and guards engaged by hostile demons. Retreat difficult. Extraction required."

    "Got it."

    Message delivered, the scout turned and raced back toward the Queen, while her sister turned and raced back toward the pir. No doubt she would soon run into another scout and would be able to pass on the message beforeing back to aid in the battle.

    A message ry like this wasmon practice in the Colony.

    Soon enough, she returned to the scene of the battle and was rmed to see that the fighting had intensified. Yet more demons had emerged, several of themrger and clearly stronger than before.

    She ducked left, feinted right and then dashed through the middle, throwing herself into the formation of her siblings formed around the Queen.

    "Reinforcements areing," she announced. "Scouts are rying your situation back to the task force."

    "How long until they get here?" the general snapped.

    The scout hesitated.

    "An hour, hopefully less."

    That wasn''t the news the general wanted to hear, but she dismissed her frustration: it wouldn''t keep the Queen alive, so it was useless.

    "How many areing?" came the followup question.

    The scout twitched.

    "All of them," she said, as if stating the obvious.

 Chapter 939 Something Sensed, Something Strange (1050)

    <h4>Chapter 939 Something Sensed, Something Strange (1050)</h4>

    Dungeon Seers have long been a fixture in all of the major civilisations of Pangera; their capacity to detect some aspects of the inner workings of the Dungeon and its mana is an invaluable aid.

    It can''t have been easy, in the early times, when exploration of the various strata was even more perilous than it is today. As more of the space was explored, and more was understood, it gradually became clear that the secret to the Dungeon, was mana.

    How did it work? How much could be gleaned from it? Mana was everywhere in the Dungeon, it created the rare and valuable materials that could be found and mined, it formed each and every monster that was created and killed. When monster bodies were left on the ground, they dissolved back into mana, absorbed by the Dungeon for its next creation. Everything was mana, even Biomass. If there was a way to "read" the mana, to understand where it hade from, or where it was going, would it be possible to gain insights into the Dungeon itself?

    It was these questions that led to the discovery and widespread adoption of Dungeon Seers. Able to peek at the inner workings of the Dungeon. Reading the flow of mana is difficult, requiring experience and wisdom, but the most powerful practitioners of this ss are known to be able to sense significant shifts of energy over hundreds of kilometres.

    - Excerpt from "Underneath the Below: Understanding the Dungeon" by Elric.

    Criclo leaned back in his chair and unchained his mind once again. The whispers that constantly circled him, nibbling on the edges of his awareness, became shouts roared directly into his ears.

    With practised ease, he pushed them away and centred himself. Just another dive, nothing he hadn''t done a thousand times before. He calmed himself by thinking that way, but many had been lost, doing what he did. They went too deep, followed the trails too far. There were beasts out there in the dark. Hungry and patient, they were all too happy to gobble up a Dungeon Seer too far from home.

    Yet Criclo had the easy confidence that allowed him to thrive in this profession. He knew his limits. He''d walk right up to the edge, take a look around, but never, not once, had he ever put a toe on the other side.

    That''s why he was still alive.

    Pushing one''s mind into the mana of the Dungeon was in some ways simr to immersing oneself in a river, or stream. There was a sense of immersion, of being surrounded, enveloped. There was also current, a flow to the passage of energy through the innumerable veins that covered the inside of this world.

    Yet the metaphor wasn''t truly apt. The mana of the Dungeon was deeper than any ocean, faster flowing than any river, and more terrifying than any body of water could hope to be.

    Bottomless, raging, vast beyond imagination and alive.

    Criclo was sure it was alive. He''d only shared his belief with a select few others, those that wouldn''t have him yed for the heresy, and they''d universally dismissed his im.

    It was fascinating in a way. They saw the same thing he did, but they couldn''t go as deep as he could, never able to range as far. They saw the same thing, but he saw more. His view was wider, wide enough that the seemingly chaotic flows of mana began to show hints of pattern. Of will.

    He pushed such thoughts from his mind. Whether the Dungeon was a living thing or not made no difference to his daily task. He was a Dungeon Oracle, paid to sense the deep flow, not to amuse himself with theories.

    Down he went, twisting through the veins and racing out in a thousand different directions. As his thoughts followed the flow of mana, he allowed the information contained within to brush against him, just enough to syphon what he needed.

    Monsters, monsters and more monsters. Ny nine percent of what he found rted to a monster being created, the energy rushing to a spawn point to create another creature of death and destruction, or one being killed, the remains fading back into the Dungeon and being swept away.

    A fight over there, hard to tell between whom. Spells were flying between the sides, the ambient energy being sucked in to fuel the violence.

    A new node of water crystals? It was close to the surface, rtively. The Brathians had likely already found it, but there was a chance they hadn''t. He''d report to the Church. With a little luck, they may make a profitable harvest.

    What else, what else?

    For hours, he slid along the endless pathways, tasting, testing, seeking. Many times, he brushed against the limits of his strength, and with the discipline born of a lifetime of caution, he pulled back every time. It was always so tempting to go a touch further, the sense that a great discoveryy just over the horizon was ever present, but he resisted. Pull back, try another path, see what could be found.

    Hold on?

    Something different¡­.

    Mana was being pulled in, gently on the outskirts, but as Criclo went deeper, he found the current grew stronger as he progressed, until it became a torrent. How many creatures were drawing on the power? Thousands? Tens of thousands? What on Pangera was going on here?

    He slowed himself. This was new, and new was dangerous. His mindpressed itself down into a dense ball, and he allowed himself to drift. Every now and again, he would emerge to absorb a hint of information, then pull himself in tight again, smuggling himself deeper into the disturbance.

    He extended himself once more, drew in a breath of mana and examined it carefully.

    Interesting¡­.

    Something was evolving here. Something big. He dared to flit a little closer, hoping to learn more. Except¡­.

    Criclo had reached his boundary. He could sense it clearly, in the back of his mind. This was his limit, he shouldn''t go any further. He sighed mentally. He was tempted. More than tempted. But he pulled back, retreating out of the strange vortex of energy and following the veins back to himself.

    The moment after he withdrew, two intangible mandibles snapped shut around where the intruder had been. The jaws hesitated, unsure what had happened when they didn''t meet the resistance they had expected to find. After a moment, they faded away and Brilliant shook herself back to alertness within the nest.

    She flicked her antennae.

    "Well that''s not good."

 Chapter 940 Fame and Fortune (1051)

    <h4>Chapter 940 Fame and Fortune (1051)</h4>

    The practice of Delving into the Dungeon is as old as the Rending. No sooner had the desperate struggle for survival begun than people were throwing themselves into the depths, desperate to find the tools they needed to fight back against the onught.

    Most died, but some didn''t, and even fewer actually became good at plunging into the depths. Being able to descend, fight, gather materials, and return alive, was exceptionally valuable, and therefore lucrative.

    Just like that, the practice of Dungeon Delving as an enterprise was born. At first it wasrgely unorganised and unregted, but as the devastation of the Rending began to fade, and exploration became safer and moremon, the delvers began to cooperate and merge, forming societies, organisations and guilds, to ensure they were treated fairly and to protect their interests from interlopers.

    Over centuries, these groups gradually converged to form the major Delving associations that still exist in modern times. The Mercenary Guild remains thergest and most powerful, most who seek materials or wish toy contracts against certain monsters will always post the task within their halls.

    - Excerpt from "Society and the Dungeon" by Antuar

    "Hoo boy," Drake''s eyes shot up as he beheld the new entry on the board.

    His voice drew eyes, which led to further exmations in turn, attracting yet more, until a crowd gathered, mercs discussing the new development.

    Turning his back on the glowing bounty board, Drake made his way back to the table around which the rest of his crew sat.

    "Not sure I appreciate that glint in your eye, mate," Lacos drawled, the scaly-skinned Brathian''s eyes sharpening as he sensed a development.

    "Contract just went up. Big one."

    The group turned in their seats to look at the crowd gathered around the board, now four people deep.

    "Holy heck. Look at them go. This must be for huge money! How much is it? Wait, don''t tell me. Actually, tell me. No! Shut up! There''s no way it''s worth the trouble."

    Drake smiled.

    "Are you done, Elly? At least let me give you the information before you make a decision."

    "No way." She held up a hand, then thought better of it and raised both, for increased emphasis. "Big numbers have a detrimental effect on the merc mind. Ny percent of deaths happen on big jobs at least seventy percent of the time."

    "Did you make up those numbers?"

    "Yes. But my point stands! Big reward means big danger. We don''t need to take the risk right now."

    "What is it?" Lacos said, waving off Elly as she began to squawk in protest. "I wanna know, Elly, shut it."

    "Alright then." Drake pulled up a chair and helped himself to a few taro chips, the rich life-mana inside tingling in his mouth before it suffused his being. "This job is going to bring in a heck of a lot of eyes, and I think more than a few will go for it, but that doesn''t matter so much, since the reward is general rather than specific."

    "Unusual." Lacos stroked his scaled chin.

    "True. The job was posted by the Path. Seems they''ve detected some beasty evolving out near the tree."

    "Which tree?" Elly broke in.

    "The tree," Drake emphasised.

    "Oh."

    "Whatever it is, it''s pretty big, estimated at max Rare or early Mythic."

    The listening pair sucked in a long breath. Monsters at that stage of evolution were a big deal. Deadly, hard to kill, but worth a fortune if you could pull it off. A mythic core would let them live like royalty for a decade.

    Lacos frowned.

    "Mythic.... That''s dangerous."

    "It''s still evolving. As of this moment, there''s no need to tangle with the monster. If we can get to it before it wakes up, it''s free money."

    "That''s what everyone always thinks," Elly scoffed. "How many times have we heard stories of delvers walking up to an evolving beast, only for the thing to wake up right before they stab it? Did they post an estimated time on the job?"

    Reluctant, Drake shook his head.

    "There, too dangerous, end of story."

    "Now hold on a second," he said, "there''s more to it than just the big beast, although that''s the main prize. For whatever reason, this monster is being guarded by thousands and thousands of weaker creatures."

    Elly stared at him.

    "That makes it infinitely worse," she said. "Are you out of your mind?"

    "Except, the Path is willing to pay bounty on all of them. Not just the biggin''."

    "They what now?" Lacos sat up straight.

    Drake grinned.

    "Tier four or five, the bulk of them. Thousands. If we can pick off ten or so, that''ll be a year''s worth of ie in one job."

    "Everyone is going to want a piece of this," Lacos said.

    "Which makes it better, not worse. Thousands of delvers crawling over the mountain will make life easier for us, help spread the heat. If wee at it from the far side, keep as much distance between us and the tree as possible, we can cash in."

    Elly was frowning.

    "I don''t like this," she said, "something feels off. We''ve got a giant monster sleeping in a mountain crawling with thousands of defenders, and we don''t know when it''ll wake up. This is weird behaviour for monsters."

    Lacos nodded thoughtfully.

    "But still worth investigating," he said. "I think we pass on word to the boss. There''s likely to be an expedition mounted for this, which will help with travel and support, and he can get us on there. I''m not saying we''re going," he held up a hand to Elly before she could protest, "I''m saying we should check it out. Even if we get all the way out there and don''t like what we see, it will hardly have cost us anything with the fees being split so many ways. Fair?"

    "Fine," the other grumbled as she sat back and took a long pull from her mug.

 Chapter 941 Fame and Fortune Part 2 (1052)

    <h4>Chapter 941 Fame and Fortune Part 2 (1052)</h4>

    What is it that a delver seeks? Many don''t devote enough thought to this question, because there are several answers, not all of them financial. Of course, the main fiscal return of any delve is cores and valuable monsterponents, that goes without saying. By defeating monsters and harvesting these rare and desirable items, a delver is able to sell these back to their mercenarypany or guild and earn their pay, through which they support themselves, this much is obvious.

    What many fail to consider, is the other, less tangible objectives of delvers. Experience is a massive motivator and goal for all mercenaries who delve. Improving their Skills, gaining levels, upgrading their ss. Despite not being of direct financial benefit, they are absolutely crucial for the sess and prosperity of mercenaries in the future. With more power, they are safer, able to deliver more reliably, and crucially, able to operate in smaller crews, which means arger share of the profits.

    Lower levelled mercenaries will sign onto expeditions and volunteer for a lower cut if they can negotiate a higher share of the experience. This means they''ll do the bulk of the fighting, for a smaller reward, but in doing so, they are attempting to set themselves up for the future.

    The other intangible, and possibly even more rewarding, sought after benefit is reputation. The most dangerous, and therefore the most profitable jobs, are only open to those who have proved they can deliver.

    These are the contracts that delvers hunger for. Delivering on even one such job can allow them to retire in luxury. One big monster kill, even divided over a crew of fifty to a hundred, can deliver such rare and valuable rewards that the mercenary is effectively set for life.

    When a big contractes up, there is never a shortage of brave hands willing to take the risk.

    - Excerpt from "Society and the Dungeon" by Antuar

    Rillik took a long, slow pull on his pipe as he beheld his crew. The three were young, but surprisingly seasoned for their age. Elly, Lacos and Drake had worked exceptionally hard over the past few years, enough to build a solid rep that got their foot in the door.

    Being able to take on the big jobs. It was a first for them, a heady experience, being able to sit at the grown-up table. Rillik was an old hand, he''d been here many times before, which was exactly why he was so wary.

    "This contract has a tricky odour," the golgari rumbled.

    Drake rolled his eyes, while Elly stood a bit straighter.

    "Exactly!" she dered. "The whole thing stinks all the way to the surface. I said it, Rillik agrees, let''s abandon it and move on with our lives."

    "He didn''t say that," Lacos noted patiently. "Let the man finish his thought."

    Rillik nodded.

    "It''s too good a job to pass up," he said, "but we will need to be cautious."

    A piece of paper with the extended details sat on the table between them and he reached out to tap it with one thick, ore-covered finger.

    "There''s a lot here that wasn''t in the initial listing, which likely means information is stilling in. Last minute additions aren''t wee to folks like us. Once we get out there, there''s not many crews that would turn around and go back after learning that the situation''s shifted. That''s a trap that too many mercs fall into."

    He took another slow pull before he puffed the smoke out again.

    "Most crews are going to give up any intention of hunting the big one from the beginning, which is smart. Despite that, I still anticipate a group of thirty or forty will assemble to take a swipe at the prize. I want to make it clear to everyone here and now that we aren''t going to be part of it. No matter how good it looks, we aren''t going. Clear?"

    "Are you sure about that?" Drake said. "If we confirm the monster is still asleep when we arrive¡­."

    The young human tried to hide his frustration, but it leaked through in his voice. He wanted this job, he wanted the big kill. Rillik cut him off harshly.

    "No," he rumbled, ring. "Anyone who tries to assault that beast is off my crew immediately. I don''t even care if you seed. I''ll dly give up a fortune to have an idiot off of my team. There''s not enough information to justify the risk, end of story."

    He stared down the other two, just to make sure they understood how serious he was, then eyeballed Drake until the man settled.

    "Good. Now, my contacts in the Guild are saying that an expedition is going to ship out soon. There''ll be almost five hundred mercs in the train, and we are going to be part of it."

    Drake balled his hands into fists as excitement washed over his face. Elly looked grumpy, but nodded her eptance. Lacos'' face barely changed.

    "Our aim is to hang back and pick off what we can after assessing the situation. We have a big enough cash reserve that we can afford to return empty handed if I decide the job is too risky. It''ll mean taking on scut-work for a couple weeks to keep us in the ck, but I''d rather be alive grinding trash than dead."

    He eyed the others one more time before he pounded the table once with his massive fist.

    "Good. It''s decided. Get your things together and meet me back here in two hours. We will set out to the union building, sign up officially for the expedition and secure our ce. It leaves in roughly five hours, so there isn''t much time. No dawdling. That means you, Elly."

    "Fine¡­."

 Chapter 942 1053 - Colliding Waves (1053)

    <h4>Chapter 942 Chapter 1053 - Colliding Waves (1053)</h4>

    Victor almost sagged to the hot stone floor of the stratum in relief when a runner finally made its way back to hermand post with the news. The Queen had been sighted, still alive. Great news, they hadn''t been toote. Then came the rest of the message. She was under attack, a swarm of crazed demons surging out of the loweryers tearing into everything they saw.

    The Queen (obviously) refused to retreat and leave her children behind, which meant they needed to go down and extract her. Once the situation had been made safe, their mother would be more than happy to return to the nest, but until that time, she would fight to the death to protect them.

    Noble, admirable, heartwarming, but for the children trying to keep their mother alive, it was immensely stressful!

    "Pass out the orders," Victor snapped to her messengers, who focused on her with unwavering antennae. "We are go for full-dive. Every brigade, right now."

    A barrage of quick salutes, and they were off, running so fast they blurred to her eyes. The general stepped outside themand area to look out upon the vast force that had assembled on the ins. Hundreds of thousands had answered the call and they spread out now beyond the limits of her sight, a living carpet of chitin and rage.

    The messengers spread out in all directions, rushing down the narrow paths between battalions. She could see the ripple effect of their passing, as the waiting troops reacted to the pheromones each of her subordinates left behind. Antennae rose like a spreading wave, then a pause as the generals marshalled their troops, then came a surge of motion as they dove toward the tunnels.

    Victor had heard about whirlpools from the humans, the way water would circle a drain, the current growing faster and faster as it moved in ever tighter loops around a hole. She saw something simr now, except it wasn''t water, but a tide of her own people, draining into the tunnels and pouring down into the deeperyers.

    With coordination and discipline that was only possible to their kind, unit after unit, battalion after battalion, brigade after brigade, thousands upon thousands rushed forward, found their ce in the swirling formation as they were swept ever closer to the tunnel entrance. She could only imagine what fate awaited any demon foolish enough to still haunt those tunnels. Her people had no patience today, no restraint, not until the Queen had been returned to them.

    For a moment, she battled an almost irresistible urge to fling herself forward and join that fric downpour of reinforcements, but she restrained herself at thest moment.

    Turning around, she could still see more of her siblings rushing down the pir that supported Roklu, descending from the second stratum to join the ranks. Someone had to remain behind to organise them, ensure that some order was kept. If each family member had been allowed to act as they wished, goodness knows what chaos would result. The Queen might have been saved, or the ka''armodo cities would have been burned to the ground, possibly both.

    "May the Eldest guide you," she saluted the torrent of soldiers entering the tunnel, then she turned back to her work.

    Below, in the demon city of Rik''chak, quite a few of the monsters were curious as to what was happening. A stream of ants had rushed through,ing down the pir, through the city and down to the ins below, a huge ant in their midst.

    After that, a long series of smaller ones, usually alone but sometimes in groups, running back and forth along the pir, urgently thwapping their antennae with each other. They were so quick, those demons who decided to try and hunt the creatures had an enormous amount of trouble chasing them down.

    The demons rushed to the lord of the city, a powerful tier seven Idle demon, an evolved Sloth demon, and questioned if something should be done.

    In typical fashion, the city lord waved a hand and dered he couldn''t be bothered dealing with it before he rolled over and went back to sleep.

    Which meant that as the denizens of the city looked up to see the trickle of ants turn into a flood, they were woefully unprepared. Before the lord could even be woken again, the city became buried under a tidal wave of ant aggression.

    The Colony swept through, annihting any who were foolish enough to impede them. They rushed to the edge of the city, ran underneath and back onto the pir to continue their descent.

    Leading the charge, by quite a way, were Vibrant and her followers, racing down the pir at a breakneck pace (despite theck of necks),ughing all the way.

    "Gogogogogogogo!" Vibrant cheered, urging her followers on to greater speeds.

    She herself was slightly too heavy to unleash her full speed on a vertical surface, so it was with great joy that she reached the ins and was finally able to let loose, her legs flickering, followed by her body blurring into obscurity as she dashed with all her might. Larval demons flew in every direction, sted into the air by the rocketing Soldier, dazed little creatures and the scent of herughter left in her wake.

    It didn''t take long for her to follow the trail to its end, the Queen and her protectors looming in the distance.

    "Hey-hey!" she called. "Get away from my mother!"

 Chapter 943 1054 - Colliding Waves pt 2 (1054)

    <h4>Chapter 943 Chapter 1054 - Colliding Waves pt 2 (1054)</h4>

    Any conflict against demons within the third stratum is almost certain to end in failure. Not only are the native monsters resistant to, even empowered by, the conditions which are draining to almost all other life-forms, but the nature of the demon life cycle ensures that any long-term conflict will turn into a grind that cannot be won.

    Over time, thervae will mature and the demons will be the beneficiaries of a bottomless pool of fresh troops.

    Even more difficult, is the disturbing nature of the third stratum in regards to warfare. Thisyer of Dungeon, more than any other, seems to thrive on chaos. The more fighting, the more carnage, the more it seethes. The mana thickens, the rate ofrval spawn and development skyrockets. It''s as if the third stratum itself were a living thing, a beast that became invigorated by death.

    Madness begets madness in the third. Leave the demons to their battles, it never pays to get involved.

    - Excerpt from "Demonology" by Xinci.

    Vibrant''s fighting style hadn''t so much evolved over time, as elerated. As her Skills improved, primarily her "Dash", "Charge", "Lunge" and "Quick Chomp", she''d been able to perfect her hit and run tactics to the point most enemies never got the chance to hit her back.

    She ran forward, flickering over thendscape, mandibles shing out to bite into the enemy, and then be gone, dozens of metres away by the time they recovered. A particr evolution in the approach that she loved was thetest leg mutation. Rather than simply increasing her speed, which had been her go-to approach so far, she''d decided to take an option that made the muscles and tendons inside the leg more durable to tension, effectively increasing her turn speed.

    Now she could zip and zag to her heart''s content, moving so quickly that no enemy could possibly hope to track her through the battlefield. It was an incredibly fun way to fight, and she loved it.

    "Hi-hi!" she called to her family as she raced forward, antennae waggling with joy.

    The situation didn''t look great for the ants, they were being heavily pressured by the demons who continued to emerge from the tunnels below in a steady stream of me, des and teeth.

    It didn''t rattle her confidence, though. As far as Vibrant was concerned, the Colony was invincible; a fight they were yet to win was simply a fight that needed more ants to turn up.

    And now she was here, so this battle was basically over.

    Her body thrummed with energy and she snapped her mandibles happily as she kicked things into high gear. To the observers, she simply vanished, one moment rushing toward the mob of demons that surrounded the ant formation, the next, she was gone.

    CRUNCH!

    The sound came first, a mighty snap that resounded like a thunderp. A split-secondter Vibrant reappeared, already a dozen metres away and turning back for another pass, her ws kicking up dirt andrval demons as she shifted her momentum.

    Only then did the demons seem to realise what had happened. A powerful-looking de demon reared back, bellowing with rage as a leg copsed under his weight. Others reacted, turning back, faces twisted in anger, only to see therge soldier was already upon them.

    FLASH!

    She vanished.

    CRUNCH!

    She reappeared, antennae blown back against her carapace by the force of the wind. Another demon fell. Vibrantughed.

    Several demons rushed out after her and she felt a thrill in her heart.

    "You want to chase-chase? With me?! Come along!" she chortled.

    She slowed down a little, just to draw them a little further from the pack. The moment they were close enough to try and strike....

    BANG!

    She elerated, sting back to full speed in an instant, leaving the enemy choking in her dust. They roared in anger, but it was a waste of precious time. Before they realised what had happened, she''d turned and was upon them again.

    Mandibles shed, too quick to see. A streak of light sted by them, so fast they may have imagined it. But then came the sound.

    CRUNCH!

    Some of the demons were smart enough to appreciate what had happened, what would continue to happen if they tried to chase down this creature. Those unfortunates felt a chill. The ant was simply too fast, they would never touch her. If they remained in the open field, nothing awaited them but death.

    So they turned and rushed back towards the pack, dragging their less intelligentrades along. Fear, powerful enough to cut through their bloodlust, took root in them, the vision of being struck down by a blow that they couldn''t see loomedrge in their minds.

    Vibrant saw them turn, saw them run. She sighed. Nobody ever wanted to chase her for long. Such a shame. Then she regained her energy.

    If they didn''t want to chase her, then she was able to chase them! That was almost as fun.

    Legs dug hard into the stone ins, shards of rock flew in a wide spray, then she was off.

    Almost instantly, she fell upon her prey. With their backs to her, they had no chance of avoiding her, no hope of ever seeing her approach.

    CRUNCH!

    CRUNCH!

    CRUNCH!

    CRUNCH!

    Those piercing, reverberating snaps sounded out in rapid session and the demons fell one after another. Soon enough, Vibrant stood alone in the in as she turned this way and that, looking for someone else to chase. Seeing none, she returned her attention to the pack around the Queen. There were plenty more there to y with, surely a few of them at least would be interested in running after her.

    Time to find out!

 Chapter 944 Crashing Waves pt 3 (1055)

    <h4>Chapter 944 Crashing Waves pt 3 (1055)</h4>

    The Queen looked down on her children and felt joy swell in her heart. It always did when they thronged around her, looking busy and enjoying their lives. No matter what they did, the Colony threw their whole selves into the task, as an ant should, and she took great pride in the achievements of her children.

    Even if that task happened to be fighting.

    The number of her children throwing themselves into the battle continued to swell, and they fought with furious efficiency. Every caste, ants of all shapes and sizes, fighting against the demons as if they were possessed of a spirit of cold, insectile rage.

    She wasn''t sure what had them so riled up, but it was pleasing to see nheless. The next time she enjoyed tea with the human, Enid, she would have to remember this moment and share it.

    Another wave of healing light burst from her antennae, washing over the gathered ants, and they responded by redoubling their efforts against the surging demons.

    The number of monsters that rose from the tunnels below had continued to rise all this time; it seemed that the only real limiting factor was the width of the opening they had to climb through. The size and strength of the demons was also climbing. Stronger tier six creatures emerged one after another, with even the odd tier seven mixed in. Only a constant barrage of acid and magic from the ever increasing ranks of mages and scouts kept them from barreling into the melee and cutting apart the less powerful frontline ants.

    Despite the fearsome third stratum monsters gaining in strength, the fight was turning the other way. After Vibrant arrived, followed by her followers racing into the conflict, the trickle of ant reinforcements turned into a flood.

    Thousands more arrived every minute, throwing themselves forward relentlessly.

    "Mother, it''s time to leave!" Wills called up to her.

    "I won''t leave while my children are fighting," she replied, stubborn to the end.

    Wills flicked her antennae, exasperated.

    "Your children are fighting all the time, all over the Dungeon. You can''t always be there for us."

    The Queen turned to focus a disapproving re on the scout, one of herrge antennae twitching, a thwacking growing more imminent.

    "They are not always fighting right in front of me," she said tly. "I will protect the members of my family who are within my reach."

    "The situation isn''t stable!" Wills insisted. "There''s tier eight demons causing havoc down there. This whole level of the Dungeon is going crazy. It''s not that it''s be too dangerous for you here, it''s be too dangerous for all of us! We all need to leave!"

    Well, that was certainly different. The Queen knew that her children wouldn''t leave until she did, so if she wanted to remove them from this danger, then she had to leave.

    "Tier eight demons? Across the whole stratum? What is happening here?" she asked.

    A tiny part of her was suspicious she was being misled in order to get her back to the nest. She didn''t believe that Wills would lie to her, in fact, she didn''t know what a lie was, but she knew that her children would go to absurd lengths to protect her, including withholding information.

    "Right in the bottom of the third, some powerful demons have be active, stirring up some sort of madness. The demons who follow them are attacking everyone. The only reason these nutters are trying to kill us is because we happen to be the first things they see. If we leave, they''ll fight something else and we can organise a proper defence."

    The Queen processed this for a moment before she nodded.

    "Very well," she said. "Organise a fighting retreat. I will withdraw along with the soldiers."

    Wills wanted to try and persuade her further, since the soldiers would be thest to leave and take the brunt of the damage, but the Queen knew that already, it was precisely why she wanted to be there.

    "Got it," she said instead before she turned and raced away.

    "Fighting retreat!" she announced to the generals as she found them. "Form a front line of soldiers, keep the artillery firing from range, stagger the lines one hundred metres apart. I want us back at the pir in thirty minutes."

    "Got it!" they saluted and then rushed to follow the orders, organising their teams, spreading the word.

    It wasn''t easy to reorganise the ranks in the middle of a fric battle, but the ants were disciplined to the point of absurdity, and well drilled. Reform the line right in the face of the enemy? Of course! How many times?

    In short order, they''d shifted their formation into a dense half circle, the Queen positioned in the centre surrounded by the strongest soldiers and generals buffing them up, a concentration of healers right behind them.

    In wide lines at hundred metre intervals heading back toward the pir,rge gatherings of mages and scouts formed up, unleashing their devastating ranged firepower on the demons who continued to pour forth from the tunnels.

    "Back we go!" Wills hollered. "Let''s get the heck out of here."

    In perfect sync, the ants began to retreat, steadily stepping backward even as the demons continued toe at them.

    After five minutes, they''d made good time, getting further and further away from the hole through which their opponents had emerged. The demons continued to rush at them and the fighting was still fierce, but with every step, the Colony got closer to extricating themselves. Further reinforcements slotted into the formation seamlessly, strengthening the ant position.

    Then something changed.

    A burst of fire erupted in the distance, roaring a hundred metres into the air from the tunnels.

    The Queen felt a wash of intense heat roll over her, drying her eyes and blowing back her antennae.

    An enormous demon rose from below, burning with the fury of a thousand forges. She felt a chill as that monstrous form turned towards her, and grinned.

    You want my children? Come and try it....

 Chapter 945 Fame and Fortune pt 3 (1056)

    <h4>Chapter 945 Fame and Fortune pt 3 (1056)</h4>

    We will be one

    Within, within

    Surrender the self

    To him, to him

    The darkest night

    Will end, will end

    The cage of our flesh

    Will break, will break

    But we will live

    Forever and ever.

    In him

    Prayer and refrain from the "Lamentations: Spirit of the Great One", written by Priest Beyn.

    The mercenary city of Gliax was anything but efficient. Positioned on the southern shores of the golden mountain, it was a prosperous trading hub, a raucous tourist destination and the seat of power for the Guild in the fourth stratum.

    Rillik stepped through the portal and into the gate district, momentarily disoriented. The handlers grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him out of the way as the next group came through behind him. He stumbled a little, caught himself, and then walked down the ramp and into the za, Drake, Elly and Lacos following along behind him.

    It didn''t take long for the four of them to find their way to the Guild registry where they confirmed their applications, found their way to the dock and boarded the vessel after paying their fees.

    The ship was a hive of activity. Various crews getting their gear stowed away, catching up with old friends, alongside the usual brainless flexing that went on whenever more than one merc could be found in the same ce.

    Lacos, Elly and Drake were wide-eyed, looking at the hubbub and soaking in the atmosphere.

    "You look like tourists," Rillik said over his shoulder. "Just because it''s your first time on a big expedition, that doesn''t mean you need to announce it to the world. At least try to act like you belong here."

    All three winced, chastened at his words, before they straightened, attempting to affect an air of nonchnce. It was so patently transparent that he couldn''t help but bark out augh, drawing more eyes to their group.

    It didn''t take long for them to find their bunks and pack away their belongings. While he had them together, Rillik decided to impart some advice.

    "This is the first time you''ve been on a big expedition, and I think this is going to be even bigger than we expected. The Path must have posted this job in quite a few cities; mercs are pouring into Gliax from all over the ce, and I hear a second ship is scheduled to leave not even an hour after this one."

    The three younger mercenaries nodded, trying to contain their excitement, and he smiled. Their attitude was infectious, but he''d been here too many times to get swept up in the mood.

    "Don''t let it get to your head. There''s going to be powerful, experienced mercs out there boasting, daring each other, making bets and generally acting like pirates. Don''t be fooled. When the timees, they''ll forget all of that nonsense and get down to business. Mercs who aren''t careful don''t live long."

    He eyed each of his crew in turn. Drake was listening, but looked impatient, as if he''d heard this a hundred times before, which he had, to be fair. Elly was nodding, hanging on his every word as she always did, while Lacos'' scaled face was as unreadable as always.

    Rillik reached out and poked the young man in the chest.

    "Don''t forget why we came here. Kill monsters, square away a tidy profit, and get out. More mercs on the job is good for us, we can operate on the fringes and avoid attention. I won''t ept anyone risking the crew because they couldn''t be patient."

    Drake rubbed at the spot he''d been poked and scowled.

    "I know, I know. I''m excited, all right? Give me a break."

    Rillik grunted.

    "Last thing before I let you go. It''s a guarantee that some big shot is going to try and recruit crews and lone morons into an attempt to kill the mythic. When they approach you, look them in the eye and very politely tell them to jump overboard. I don''t care if they promise you world-diamond underpants as a down payment, it''s not happening. As long as I''m in charge of this crew, we aren''t signing up to suicide missions. Clear?"

    "Crystal," they chorused.

    "Get the hell out of here," he told them. "Go and get drunk."

    "What about you, Rillik?" Lacos asked as the other two scrambled out the door, ready to get a taste of adventure. "You aren''ting?"

    The older mercenary waved him off as he kicked off his boots and pulled on his jacket.

    "Hell no. I''m too old for that rubbish. You go and enjoy yourself, I''m going to grab a nap."

    Lacos looked at him oddly.

    "Rillik, you aren''t even forty."

    "May as well be a hundred and ten in the merc world. Keep an eye on the others, Lacos. I''d like all of you to reach my age at least."

    The enchanted ship sped through the ocean at a ridiculous pace. With so many mercs paying, the Guild had sprung for a decent transport and they made excellent time.

    After a day, they could see the branches of the Mother Tree scraping the horizon. After two, the colossal monster dominated their view.

    More than a few mercenaries stared at the offending nt with naked greed in their eyes. A few made a half-hearted attempt to recruit others for a run at the tree, but there were no takers. If the Legion could chop the thing down and still not kill it, there was no way in hell a shipful of mercs stood a chance. Instead, they turned their eyes to the purpose of their mission.

    Staying as far from the tree as possible, the ship glided through the water, maintaining a healthy distance from the target. At this distance, the mountain looked inoffensive, certainly not as if a mythic monstery sleeping within.

    As predicted, the earlier joviality was gone, crews gathered around their leaders who exuded the easy confidence that came with high Levels and experience.

    Rillik pulled his crude sensing array from his pack and pped it a few times until it blinked into life.

    He blinked. Drake whistled. Elly goggled.

    The entire mountain was alive with monsters.

 Chapter 946 Fame and Fortune pt 4 (1057)

    <h4>Chapter 946 Fame and Fortune pt 4 (1057)</h4>

    The ant stared at them. Rillik, Elly, Drake and Lacos stared back.

    A pause.

    Rillik swore viciously, then began to turn the boat around, not bothering to hide his frustration.

    "Let''s just kill it and get on the mountain," Drake said. "There''s only one."

    Rillik didn''t bother answering, still openly cursing.

    "There is never just one," Lacos quoted the advice their leader had imparted earlier in the day, then he pointed over the monster.

    Drake turned to see where his friend was pointing, it took a moment, but he eventually noticed several sets of antennae poking from behind trees or around the edge of a bush. It was like the ants were hidden, but not so well that they wouldn''t be found if you actually tried to find them.

    The ant in front of them cked its mandibles several times, the sharp, percussive noise ringing out in a rhythm that felt distinctly like mockingughter.

    "Ah, shut up you damn monster," Rillik growled as he hauled on the oars.

    The rest of the crew slumped in the boat.

    "That''s the fourth time we''ve tried tond today," Elly groaned. "How are they always waiting for us when we get there?"

    "I still think we could force anding," Drake grumbled. "They''re only ants."

    Lacos held his chin in one webbed hand, pondering.

    "Dozens of groups have madendfall already, maybe hundreds. The ants should have their¡­ jaws? Do they have jaws? Their jaws full dealing with those mercenary groups, but still, we are met by arge number whenever we approach."

    Rillik finally stopped cursing andid off the oars for a moment, staring back at the ant still standing in the open, watching them.

    "This is why I never trust jobs without enough information," he spat over the side, "and why we y it as cautious as we can until we learn more."

    "We''re just wasting time," Drake said, "other groups are out there earning money and we''re just gettingughed at by an oversized insect."

    The young man fumed in his seat, ring at the mountain as he clutched the hilt of his sword. Rillik sighed.

    "Patience. Where is your patience? Do you have debts I don''t know about, Drake? If this is about money, talk to the group, we can help you out."

    A little anger bled out of the man, but he still simmered as he turned around.

    "No," he said quickly, "nothing like that."

    "Then sit down, shut up, and be patient. By the Path, how many times do I need to show you the folly of rushing in blind before the message starts to sink into your thick head? Are other groups on the mountain? Yes. Are they making money? Yes. Will they all make it back? Not even close. Every group is going to take heavy losses today, you mark my words."

    "What do you mean?" Elly asked. "I get that we didn''t expect it to be ants, but isn''t that a good thing? They''re first stratum monsters, not fourth, and they have strong cores. This should be easy, right?"

    Rillik just shook his head.

    "Don''t be stupid. Stop and think for a minute, would you? You see a monster from the first stratumughing it up on the fourth and you think you''ve found a free buffet? Don''t be daft. And look at the way they behave. I''ve taught you to analyse monsters, what do you think we are actually seeing here?"

    The three younger mercenaries considered the evidence they''d gathered from a morning of trying to reach the shore without being detected.

    "They''re organised," Elly said after a moment. "There''s a watch on the shoreline, there has to be. Except that doesn''t make sense¡­ don''t they have bad eyesight?"

    "They aren''t showing normal signs of monstrous aggression. Baiting tactics,ying traps, even openly taunting us. All signs of intelligent behaviour," Lacos stated thoughtfully.

    "There''s no doubt they''ve been monitoring us somehow," Drake said. "It''s possible they even have some sort of primitive tracking device like we use."

    The others looked at him as if he were insane, but Rillik only nodded.

    "Ants. Smart ants. What will the Dungeon think of next?" he groused. "There''s thousands and thousands of the little buggers lighting up that mountain like a maypole, an ocean of gold to mercs like us, but it''ll be incredibly dangerous to try and take it."

    They sat in silence for a long while until Rillik finally sighed.

    "What''s more, you haven''t realised exactly what they''re doing. Why are the ants hidden, but not hidden well? They could tuck themselves underground and you''d never know they were there, but instead they''re almost out of sight. They want us to see them, they don''t want to fight. If a crew is too stupid to look, or underestimates the danger, they''ll blunder in and get chomped, but someone with eyes to see will notice and back off."

    "Why would they do that?" Elly asked.

    "They''re just buying time until the big bug wakes up. The whole lot of them are ying defence. If wended in force, they''d probably just go underground and force us to go down there and fight them. I hate this."

    The group fell silent as they absorbed what their leader was saying. A gloom fell over them as it began to look as if this had been a wasted trip after all.

    "There has to be a way," Drake said, "we can''te out here and go back with nothing. They''re just ants. We can bait one out, fight them on the water, or flood their tunnels. We still have options. All we need is a few cores to pay for our trip."

    He did his best to sound reasonable, but beneath the surface was an undercurrent of tension that was obvious to the others.

    "Drake," Rillik said seriously, "this is yourst chance toe clean. Why are you so desperate for money right now? Cough it up."

    For a moment, it seemed as if he might say something, but then his face closed over, his expression growing stony.

    "It''s nothing. I just don''t want to have wasted all this time."

    Rillik sighed.

    "Look, we may still be able to salvage something, but it''s going to depend on what everyone else is going to do. Damn it all. It''s so much easier when the monsters are stupid."

 Chapter 947 Fame and Fortune pt 5 (1058)

    <h4>Chapter 947 Fame and Fortune pt 5 (1058)</h4>

    Rillik watched as the dense pack of mercs floated over the water on a shield towardnd. He shook his head.

    "Do you think they''ll be alright?" Elly asked, uncharacteristically soft-spoken.

    "No," the golgari said, his voice t.

    "I find their tactic questionable," Lacos noted, a hint of curiosity in his tone. "If they did not find sess yesterday when attacking in numbers, why try again with an evenrger group?"

    The leader of the crew unclenched his hands from the railing at the edge of the the deck and rolled his shoulders, trying to ease the tension there.

    "Let''s head down into the boat. We can talk on the way."

    The other two nodded, and together they checked their gear before climbing down the ropedder into the waiting dinghy. Once they settled in their seats, Rillik picked up the oars, pushed off the ship and resumed his speech.

    "There''s two schools of thought when ites to tackling weak monsters inrge numbers. One way is to split wide and pick at them from the edges. If they try to swarm you, there''s space to just pull back to prevent getting surrounded. It''s slower, but much, much safer."

    "And the other way?"

    Rillik grunted.

    "Go all in. Ball up in numbers and dive into the middle. The theory goes that the number of enemies doesn''t really matter beyond a certain point. With enough people, you canyer shields, support and firepower to the point where the weak monsters can''t touch you. It can work well enough under normal circumstances."

    "Normal circumstances?" Lacos asked.

    "The monsters are dumb and unorganised. It''s possible that people have run into intelligent swarm monsters before, but I''ve never heard of it. The group up strategy is just not going to work."

    "They obviously disagree."

    "They''re too greedy. They got a few kills yesterday and the cores were better than they expected."

    He shook his head.

    "The potential haul is so huge they aren''t thinking about what it costs to get the little they got."

    The meeting of crew leaders had been a disaster. Most crews had been cautious, as he had, poking and prodding to assess the monsters before they went in, standard delve tactics. A smaller number had been more reckless, diving in headfirst against the ''weak'' ants. Those crews had lost people and gotten little in return, but what they had recovered had turned heads.

    Greed was the leading cause of death amongst mercs, Rillik was sure of it.

    "I think they''re all dead," he said quietly, "unless they retreat early. The moment they go underground, I think that none of them wille back alive."

    Elly''s eyes teared up and Lacos nodded soberly. Rillik felt his frustration rise but he tried to let it go. He''d said his piece in the morning, Drake was a grown man, he could make his own decisions.

    Even if they got him killed.

    ¡ª----------------------

    "Look lively there,d!" a voice bellowed.

    "Y-yes, sir!" Drake replied as he raised his de and sent another sh streaking through the air.

    The ants nimbly dodged to the side, allowing the de light to scatter across the terrain. He grit his teeth as they cked their mandibles, sure they were mocking him.

    "Damn monsters," he grated.

    They were money waiting to fall into his pockets, nothing more. Even so, the sight of so many closing in around them was unnerving. The ants were huge. Heavily armoured beasts, the frontline insects were durable beyond the mercenaries'' expectations, shrugging off a lot of punishment and retreating when they took serious wounds.

    "It''s fine!" Hartos shouted. "Ball up, stay together, and we''ll be fine!"

    There were almost a thousand mercenaries in the group, using their Skills and magic to push back the waves of ants, who sted them with acid and spells of their own.

    "They don''t want tomit," Hartos observed, pping Drake on the shoulder, "scared of our numbers. Notice that we haven''t been surrounded yet? If they get in front of us, they know we''ll fight through them, so they don''t."

    "Are they trying to invite us deeper?" Drake asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

    Hartos grinned savagely.

    "If that''s what they want, then more fool them. We''ll smash them to bits and grab the rewards on the way out."

    Therge crew leader turned to roar over the din of the battle.

    "Earth maniptors! Get to the front! We''re going in!"

    It took a few minutes to gather the spellcasters required as the mercenaries continued to exchange fire with an ever growing number of ants. The monsters never pushed too hard against them, preferring to stay back and hurl attacks from range. Every now and again, a surge of insects would rush forward, chomp on the shields and then fall back.

    They may not have done much damage, but every charge sent Drake''s heart pounding. Soon, the mages had opened up the side of the mountain, revealing a warren of tunnels and pockets within.

    The mercenaries charged forward with a shout. Inside this mountain hid enough monster cores to make each and every one of them rich beyond their wildest dreams.

    With a little luck, they might even uncover the mythic. If they returned with that core, and the carcass of the beast, they could add a king''s ransom on top of the fortune.

    They pushed forward, and the ants closed in behind them, scurrying over the walls and roof, skittering over each other in a constant wave of motion that was dizzying to the eye.

    Drake cursed low under his breath as he tried to watch in every direction at once. Mages lofted balls of fire into the air as the environment grew darker the deeper they went. Mandibles shed in the dark, bursts of light stabbing out of the rock to bite deep into the shields. Drake stabbed and shed whenever he saw a clear line to a monster, but his opportunities grew fewer. Packed in underground, there was little room to move and the mercenaries didn''t have much space between them.

    "Hold the formation!" Hartos bellowed. "Don''t spend your money before it''s in your pocket! Focus, damn your hides!"

    It was good advice, and Drake heeded it. He brushed the sweat from his forehead and blinked to clear his vision. It was hotter in the tunnels, and the fighting was growing more intense.

    CRACK!

    A piercing sound rang out from beneath his feet and Drake leapt to the side, pulse hammering in his temples. Directly beneath where he''d stood, an ant''s mandibles gnashed against the bottom of the shield, scraping like a de across ss. A few secondster, those terrifying mandibles disappeared, shrinking back into the darkness.

    If the shield hadn''t been extended beneath his feet¡­.

    Suddenly, despite the hundreds and hundreds of mercenaries here with him, Drake no longer felt safe.

 Chapter 948 Fame and Fortune pt 6 (1059)

    <h4>Chapter 948 Fame and Fortune pt 6 (1059)</h4>

    Hartos looked around and was satisfied with what he saw. The mercenaries had managed to prate the mountain in good order, and despite the intensifying attacks from the ants, they had maintained their formation.

    He couldn''t help but sneer. Those fools who''d refused to join him would be crying bloody tears when they saw the haul he returned with. Thousands and thousands of ants surrounded them already, and soon enough they''d be dead, just waiting for their cores to be extracted.

    But it didn''t hurt to be careful.

    "Artis!" he barked.

    "What?" his long-time crewmember replied, sounding harried.

    "I need you for a second."

    "Make it quick," she snapped, "this shield doesn''t maintain itself."

    He frowned, both at her tone and the implication of her words.

    "Are we really being pressured that hard?"

    The mage red at him.

    "Of course we are! Look around you, the bugs are endless! No matter how much firepower we pump out, they keeping."

    "But you can hold?"

    "Yes, we can hold. It''s just very difficult work!"

    He nodded.

    "Good. I want you to check and make sure the mythic is still asleep. We don''t want to be in here when the damn thing wakes up."

    "That''s the truth," the mage muttered.

    She fumbled about in her robes and removed the array from one of her dozens of pockets. She stared at it intensely for a few moments.

    "Well?" Hartos demanded.

    "There''s tens of thousands of monsters in this mountain, wait a damned second."

    He turned his eyes back to the struggle along the perimeter as the mage continued to study the device.

    "No," she said finally. "It''s still asleep."

    "You''re sure."

    "It''s hard to get clear readings with so many cores between the mythic and us, but a signal that strong is hard to miss. I''m sure. Now can I get back to work?"

    "Go for it."

    Satisfied the worst case scenario could be avoided, the leader let his mind dwell on the best case scenario. If they managed to dig in deep enough and snag that mythic core¡­.

    "Push harder!" he roared to the surrounding mercs. "We get a little deeper and we can set up a perimeter. Then we can start getting paid!"

    The mercenaries roared back as they redoubled their efforts. The fighting was thick along the edge of the shields as the insects continued to press in on them from all sides, but so long as the mages held the barriers in ce, they would hold the advantage.

    As long as the ants couldn''t use the full weight of their numbers, it didn''t matter where they fought them, on the surface or in the heart of the nest. In fact, the nest was better, since that''s where most of them were.

    The youngd Drake was nearby, still doing what he could to support the more experienced fighters closer to the edge. Hartos walked forward and pped him on the shoulder.

    "Ready to make a fortune?" he said.

    When Drake turned around, he noted how tense he looked. The pressure was clearly getting to him.

    "Y-yeah. I''m ready," he said.

    The older mercenary steadied him with a firm grip on his shoulder.

    "Rx. The mythic is still sleeping and we''re holding off the insects just fine. We''ll start pulling them into the shield and harvesting cores. You''ll be drowning in them soon enough."

    Drake''s gaze firmed and he took a deep breath to settle his nerves.

    "Looking forward to it," he grinned.

    "That''s the spirit,d!" Hartos roared. "Another ten metres and we''ll start! Listen to your crew leaders and keep your eyes on the prize! Efficient killing and harvesting is what we''re here for. No screw ups!"

    His words lifted the spirits of many mercenaries who were gging under the intense pressure the insects put out. Twice the size of a human, the giant soldiers were intimidating beasts, especially when they came inrge numbers. They were everywhere, climbing over the roof, on the walls, even walking on the shield itself or lunging up from beneath. Along with the rising heat the deeper they went, it was an oppressive, suffocating way to fight. It was a good thing nobody became a mercenary for an easy day''s wage.

    "Why aren''t theying with more?" Drake asked as he flung another sh through the shield. "They could hit us with ten times this many. Why don''t they?"

    Hartos chuckled.

    "Don''t try to understand a monster''s mind. These ants may be smarter than the average, but that doesn''t make them as clever as you and me. Perhaps they''re protecting something and don''t want to leave their posts, or they''re fighting other monsters, or a hundred other reasons. Besides, even if more came, it wouldn''t make a difference, we haven''t shown them half of what we can do yet."

    "This is the mark!" Artis called from amongst a cluster of mages.

    "Time to get to work then," Hartos said.

    He drew a breath to bellow his orders to the hundreds of gathered mercenaries, but before he said a word, the world turned upside down.

    Drake felt the floor shake, then it vanished, like a magic trick. He didn''t have time to be afraid, the only thing in his mind was confusion as the ground beneath his feet simply disappeared and he began to fall into the dark.

    An image shed through his thoughts of mandibles scraping and scratching at the shield below him.

    "No!" he cried as he iled wildly with his arms, trying to grab hold of something, anything.

    Simr screams and cries rang out around him as the entire expedition plunged downwards. What had happened?

    No sooner had it started than it finished, the mercenaries thudding to the ground heavily. Drake crashed into the stone floor,nding on his side. He managed to brace himself and prevent his head from smacking into the rock just in time, a trick Rillik had taught him.

    "What in the name of the Path was that?" Hartos bellowed from somewhere nearby. "Sound off! Get the shields up! Are you trying to get us killed? Artis!"

    Voices rang out, harsh and authoritative, but with an undercurrent of tension that sent a chill through the young mercenary. Something had gone terribly wrong.

    "Where is the light?!" Hartos demanded.

    A secondter, a dozen bright fires red into existence, casting their surroundings into stark relief. Drake almost sagged back to the ground in relief when he didn''t see any ants nearby. His mind had conjured a thousand ravenous mouths ready to descend on him and the other members of the crew.

    A momentter, he realised how strange that was. Where were they? They''d been everywhere around them only a moment ago, so what had happened, did they retreat?

    Something shifted behind him.

    "Oh no," he heard someone groan.

    He turned and looked up at thergest ant, thergest monster, he had ever seen. The almost ck carapace shimmered with a deep purple glow that ran up and down that enormous chitin frame. Its jaws were horrific, each as long as a full grown man and barbed, connected to arge, wide head that sported two spherical, unreadable eyes.

    The antennae drifted slowly through the air, as if utterly unperturbed by the hundreds of deadly, experienced monster hunters in front of it. Each ten metres long, they glittered like threaded gemstones as they caught the light from the fire.

    "It''s supposed to be asleep," Hartos mumbled, and Drake''s heart sank.

    He''d known it the moment he''d seen it, but to have it confirmed. A mythic rank monster. Right in front of him. His eyes widened in terror.

    Those massive jaws flexed and a dozen men leapt back, brandishing their weapons in shaking hands.

    "It was a trap," Artis, the mage, said. "The ants weren''t trying to kill us, or stop us, they wanted to feed us to that thing!"

    "It''s supposed to be asleep!" Hartos bellowed at her.

    "They tricked the detector!"

    "Isn''t that impossible?"

    "Apparently not!" she shrieked back, near hysterical.

    The ant barely reacted as they yelled back and forth, merely watching, patiently. Then it stepped forward.

    Several hundred mercenaries leapt back.

    [This wasn''t my idea,] a voice stabbed into Drake''s mind, pressing down on his consciousness with its size and power. [They do things like this without asking.]

    "Where are the wards, damnit all?" Hartos shouted, but no one was listening, all eyes were fixed on the creature.

    It stared back at them with those cold, alien eyes.

    [To be honest, I would have let you go. But¡­ you should never have killed my sisters. That is the one thing I can never allow.]

    The purple light shifting across the monster''s carapace red, then exploded outward. Drake turned to dash away, his feet dug into the hard stone beneath his feet, except they didn''t.

    He looked down in shock to see he had risen from the ground, his feet scrabbling through nothing but air. He rose higher, along with every other mercenary in the room.

    [Sorry about this. I haven''t worked out how to control it yet. In fact, why am I even apologising? Actually, the apology is fine, gotta keep it ssy, Anthony. Anyway, better luck next time.]

    Drake''s heart dropped. Then his ascent stopped. He dangled there, along with hundreds of others, for one terrifying beat.

    Then they fell. Fast.

 Chapter 949 Fame and Fortune Final (1060)

    <h4>Chapter 949 Fame and Fortune Final (1060)</h4>

    "Finally," Rillik grunted.

    "This was far more effort than I expected," Lacos agreed, fatigue breaking through his normally indefatigable visage.

    "If you don''t mind," Elly said through gritted teeth, "would you hurry up and finish the job? I''m the one who has to bind them."

    "Right, sorry."

    The crew leader stepped forward, de in hand, and sized up the two ants they had, after much difficulty, managed to separate from the pack and capture. Restrained for the moment, they thrashed and struggled under the influence of Elly''s magic as he tried to find the best angle to approach for a clean kill.

    The gaps in the carapace were the best approach, but the damn creatures were intelligent and shifted themselves every time he approached.

    "Elly, can you bind them a little tighter? I don''t want to ruin the carapace if I can help it."

    It looked heavily mutated and might be worth as much as the core if they could bring it all back.

    "No, I can''t," she ground out, "they''re tougher than they look. Get it done quick, I can''t hold them forever."

    Hunting intelligent monsters was always such a pain. Rillik much preferred stronger, stupid targets than creatures like these. They''d had to rely heavily on Lacos'' powers of diversion and illusion to lure these two away from the rest, but they wouldn''t have long until they were swarmed.

    "Fine, I''ll just grab the cores," he said.

    Such a waste, but circumstances were what they were. Better to get out with something than nothing at all. These two cores would almost cover the cost of the trip, though not for recruiting and training up a new member.

    That idiot, Drake. Why is it so hard to find people who are patient?

    He pulled back his arm and the de began to shine, but then something happened that stilled his hand. First, the ants went still, no longer trying to break free. Instead, they turned to look behind them. Second, he felt a vast presence at the edge of his awareness suddenly reveal itself.

    "What''s wrong?" Elly demanded. "Hurry up and get it done!"

    Rillik''s hand fell to his side and he sighed heavily.

    "Let them go," he said.

    "WHAT? Are you out of your mind?!"

    The big golgari turned to look at her, letting the fear in his eyes convince her.

    "It''s our only hope," he said quietly. "Let them go."

    A momentter, she sensed it for herself, going pale as a ghost when that powerful aura washed over her senses. As quickly as she could, she unwove thes that bound the ants to the ground, and the monsters stood, but didn''t move. They knew they were perfectly safe.

    "Can we run?" Lacos asked, his voice tight with tension. "I can swim deep, try and get help from my people."

    "Don''t bother," Rillik said, and he sat down, cing his de t on the ground by his side. "This is a mythic monster, there''s nowhere we can run. If we had an hour, we still couldn''t get away."

    He was proud that his voice didn''t tremble as he spoke, despite the unsettling terror that he felt and his own imminent demise. The formerly captured ants hadn''t leapt on them and chewed them to bits, which was a good sign. There was no reason for the creature to spare them, but he had to seize whatever chance he could, for the sake of his crew.

    Or what was left of it. With the monster awake, the chance of Drake surviving had gone to zero.

    After a moment, Elly and Lacos sat down next to him to await their fate. It was almost surreal, sitting alongside two monsters, waiting to see if another would spare them.

    "Sorry I led you into this," Rillik said. "I knew it was a risk, but I decided toe anyway."

    "This has always been a possibility," Lacos said. "I do not me you in the slightest."

    "We knew what we were getting into, boss," Elly agreed. "It was us that brought the job to you."

    They settled into silence, each waiting with their hearts pounding in their chests as that oppressive presence drew closer and closer.

    When it finally came into view, Rillik couldn''t help but sigh in awe. It was the first time he hadid eyes on a mythic monster, and it did not disappoint.

    Huge, the ant was a dominating physical presence. Fifteen metres long, at least, it towered over them, its eyes sitting five metres off the ground. The weight of its aura was suffocating, pressing down on them to the point it became hard to breathe.

    Covered in a dark carapace that glittered with purple light, the ant looked magical, mysterious, and deadly. It would have been an incredible prize to bring home had someone managed it, but hunting monsters of this calibre was nothing but a dream to Rillik. Only the most elite delvers would attempt such a feat, and even they would likely avoid it if their target was surrounded by a hundred thousand support monsters.

    Only the Legion, or a powerful nation, would be able to take this monster down.

    The creature gazed down at them sitting on the ground as it approached. It was unreadable, giving Rillik no clue as to what it would do to them. Depending on mercy from a monster was thest resort for any delver, and also their final one. Monsters weren''t known for their mercy. Not that he med them, he hunted and killed them for a living, so why would he expect them to show him something he had never shown them?

    He drew a long shuddering breath, then raised his hands in the air. Even if it was hypocrisy, he would do anything to give Elly and Lacos a chance to survive.

    "We surrender," he said.

    The antennae swayed slowly in front of him before a thought pushed its way into his mind.

    [If you want tomunicate with monsters, use mind magic. I mean, what do you want me to do, chat back with my mouth?]

    The ant lifted its head to reveal its horrific mouth set underneath the spot its mandibles joined its head. Thankfully, it lowered its head back down to hide them.

    [Can''t exactly say that ants have the gift of the gab, you know what I mean?]

    Rillik stared up at the majestic creature as its voice rang in his mind. Despite everything, the monster sounded¡­ surprisingly young. Not at all what he''d expected.

    [Ah. It''s generally considered dangerous to engage in mind magic with monsters unless you have specific training and protections. The mind of a monster is¡­ alien, and hazardous.]

    The giant ant cked its mandibles thoughtfully.

    [That makes sense, actually. Garralosh''s mind was¡­ holy moly, where do I even start? No need to panic, I''m not going to bite your head off or drive you insane or anything.]

    A pause as if the ant was listening to something else. Rillik thought he saw something extend from the shadow beneath the giant monster, then retreat back into the ground.

    [... And nobody else is going to drive you insane, either,] the monster rified, worryingly. Then it gazed at them for a moment.

    [You''re going to be fine,] it said finally, and Rillik''s heart froze in his chest as hope almost choked him. This meeting hadn''t gone anything like what he''d expected, but the monster was going to spare them. [It was close, but you didn''t harm any members of the family, so we can let you go. I don''t know if that means you''re worse at your job, or smarter than the others, but hey, it worked out for you.]

    Smarter. Definitely smarter.

    [Anyways, you guys are professional monster hunters, right? You delve into the Dungeon to hunt and kill creatures?]

    The golgari warrior hesitated a moment before he nodded. There was no point denying what he was at this point. Oddly, the ant seemed pleased.

    [Great, that''s just what we need. Look, I can''t stay here long, I''ve got ces to be, but I wanted to give you some work real quick.]

    Another ant stepped forward and dropped a glittering monster corpse on the ground. Rillik, Elly and Lacos stared down at it.

    [This¡­ is a diamond centipede,] the ant said with clear distaste. [For every one you kill and bring to the Colony, we''ll pay double the value in cores.]

    ¡­ It wanted¡­ to give them a job?

    [You want us to hunt these things?] Rillik asked carefully. [And you''ll pay us?]

    [Absolutely,] the mythic monster confirmed, its aura boiling and stirring the blood in the golgari''s chest. [There''s no limit on this request. I don''t care if they get hunted to extinction. In fact, that''s the point. Just don''t go hunting in the Colony''s territory, we can handle that part. Good luck. I gotta go.]

    With that, a smaller ant flickered into existence,nded on the giant monster''s back, then they both flickered and disappeared, leaving a gobsmacked Rillik and crew staring up at where it had been.

    "Am I dreaming?" he mumbled.

 Chapter 950 Colliding Waves pt 4 (1061)

    <h4>Chapter 950 Colliding Waves pt 4 (1061)</h4>

    The Queen recoiled as the heat red, searing her carapace and burning her sensitive antennae and eyes. The demon roared, tongues of meshing the air as healing magic flowed over the Queen once again.

    Around them, the Colony and demons continued their ongoing battle. Dramatically outnumbered, the demons struggled to make any headway against the massed ranks of ants who bombarded them with acid and spells, yet the arrival of this tier seven demon hadplicated the situation to no end.

    Advant ground her mandibles in frustration as the stalemate continued. The Queen could withdraw if she wanted, even a tier seven wouldn''t be able to punch through the formation they''d assembled before she managed to get away, but the burning aura the monster projected was a wonderful counter to the Colony''s numbers.

    If their mother was to fall back, it would cost thousands of lives to bring this demon down without her. So she stayed. Yet it was difficult for the ants to support her in this battle. So potent was the fire that emanated from the demon, even Advant couldn''t get within fifty metres of it without beginning to take serious damage.

    If she were to draw near enough to actually bite it, she would likely be burnt to a crisp a few secondster. And would she even damage it?

    The only reason the Queen had been able to hold on was due to her healing magic, but that had a limit.

    "Mother! We need to retreat!" she implored the Queen once more.

    The Queen didn''t look down.

    "I will not allow my children to die in my ce," she said calmly.

    "If we take any longer, then even more powerful demons may rise from the depths! If that happens, then we all will die."

    If the tier eight demons climbed out of that hole in the ground, then maybe not even an army of hundreds of thousands of ants would be able to defeat them. Certainly, the Queen would refuse to leave, probably ordering them to flee while she tried to buy time, but she would fall instantly.

    Then Advant and her siblings would charge in to avenge her, leading to innumerable casualties.

    She desperately cast her thoughts about, trying to find some way to avert this disaster. All around her, her siblings fought against the demons who continued to rise from below in a neverending tide.

    Artillery spells and huge sts of acid rained down from above, wreaking havoc amongst the demon ranks, yet still that burning demon stood tall. The unnaturally searing heat that surrounded it acted as a perfect shield against acid attacks, evaporating even the most dense barrage with ease. Their spells also seemed to do less than they should, as if the me burned their mana away.

    A sufficiently dense and powerful enough spell would surely punch through, but the Eldest wasn''t here to deliver their strange, horrific purple spell.

    She couldn''t hesitate any longer. Advant made her decision.

    "We will charge together," she told the Queen. "We must defeat the demon as quickly as possible and then retreat in good order."

    "You mustn''t," the Queen said, "the heat will destroy you."

    "I will not stand by and let you die in my ce, just as much as you won''t allow me to do the same. So we go together, and whatever happens, happens. Are you ready?"

    The mother of the Colony wasn''t happy about it, but she could see the sense in her daughter''s words.

    "Very well, child," she said. "Gather the others behind me and I will shield them as best I can."

    Advant bit back her protest and nodded. This was as good apromise as she would get, so she would take it.

    "Quickly!" she called the others, spreading her scent as wide as she could. "Gather behind the Queen! We will charge the monster and overwhelm it so the Colony can retreat. Somebody contact the mages and coordinate their artillery with our charge."

    As efficient as ever, the ants scrambled into position with their customary rapidity. In less than a minute, the long range firepower was being concentrated on the giant demon as the ants formed a column behind the Queen.

    "Stay close to me, children," the Queen said, her scent determined. "I will shield you from harm."

    "FOR THE COLONY!" Advant roared.

    "FOR THE QUEEN!" The others roared back, their collective pheromones spreading like a tidal wave across the ant horde.

    Once more, the me-wreathed demon bellowed its fury. Heat radiated from the beast beyond that of a hundred smelters, enough to sear and crack even the Queen''s thick carapace.

    The space between the charging ants and the roaring demon flickered.

    A giant ant appeared, sprawling onto the ground and sending thousands of demonrvae flying as it skidded to a halt, face buried in the rock.

    "Holy moly!" the Eldest groaned. "Brilliant, are my insides back on my inside?"

    "I - I think so, Eldest," a small ant said, gripping onto the back of the other for dear life. "At least mine are."

    "Didn''t you say this would be safe?"

    "I didn''t not say it wouldn''t be unsafe."

    "... I''m going to throw you in Invidia''s mouth and leave you there for a hundred years," the Eldest dered tly. "In fact, a hundred might not be enough."

    The little ant waved an antenna weakly in protest.

    "I don''t think you quite appreciate what an incredible feat I just achieved¡­ Eldest. Most would say I have done¡­ the impossible."

    "Just get off of me, would you? I feel like my guts are about to be yanked out of my eyeballs."

    The little ant released its grip, rolled to the side and thudded into the ground.

    "Good enough."

    The Eldest groaned as they forced themselves to their feet, then gave their antennae a quick clean.

    "Right then. Mother, wonderful to see you again. Have you been well?"

    One of the Queen''s antennae twitched, and the giant ant, farrger than the mother, flinched backward.

    "Just trying to be polite! Show some respect and all that. Okay, deal with the demons first, chatter. I get it."

    The enormous, dark-coloured ant turned itself to face the fiery demon.

    "You guys can leave now," the Eldest said. "This won''t take long."

    "Are you sure?" Advant asked. "You are the same tier. Shouldn''t we work together to bring it down?"

    The Eldest chuckled, the scent of amusement spreading far and wide.

    "I mean, technically you are helping just by being here. How many of us are around here right now?"

    "Maybe two hundred thousand."

    The Eldest crouched down, bracing their legs, then exploded forward. The rock cracked under the force, sending shards flying as the giant ant rocketed ahead.

    Mandibles peeled back, glowing with terrible purpose.

    The demon screamed in rage, then brought both arms down as the air itself ignited and burned.

    The jaws closed.

    Advant couldn''t describe itter when asked. A terrible silence fell upon them. Then a terrible roar.

    And the demon was no more.

 Chapter 951 Dawn of a New Era (1062)

    <h4>Chapter 951 Dawn of a New Era (1062)</h4>

    What makes a mythic monster so powerful? There are numerous theories, some confirmed, others more nebulous, but the strength and dominance of this ss of monster in the Dungeon is a long studied and generally well understood phenomenon.

    At the risk of oversimplifying, we can apportion the bulk of that inordinate power to the core. After all, what sses a mythic monster as such, is its core.

    At certain densities and sizes, the core of a monster undergoes a qualitative change. This is what drives the price and demand forrger and more potent cores. A basic monster core can hold less mana than a special, which holds less than a rare, which is inferior to a mythic. This is obvious, and only scratches the surface of aplex issue.

    Cores also absorb mana more readily as they increase in ss. The increase in intake rate is more than linear, meaning more powerful cores are ultimately more efficient and can supportrger, hungrier enchantments.

    But what this eventually boils down to, is the body of the monster. At the point a given monster bes mythic, its body and mind have evolved far beyond what a normal, organic creature can sustain. Where does the energy necessary to fuel these behemothse from? How do they sustain themselves?

    Mana, mana, mana. A mythic monster is a walking mana vacuum, sucking in the energy around them at a tremendous rate in order to fuel their very existence. Crossing the threshold from rare to mythic is a qualitative leap that brings a monster''s existence closer than ever to returning to their point of origin: a being of pure mana.

    This is only one reason for their special existence, but a major one, as it ys into everything else that makes them so fearsome. The powerful evolutions, the special materials that form their bodies, the unique abilities that they gain, all are attributable to their capacity and affinity for the energy that underpins the Dungeon, and therefore the entire world.

    - Excerpt from "Monsters and Mana" by Xinci.

    Heh.

    Gweheheh.

    Hoo haha!

    Hahahahaha!

    MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!

    A new age has dawned. The age of Anthony has arrived! I feel so powerful, so overwhelming, so potent! Did you see that, mother? Were you able to witness my coolness as I dispatched that idiot demon with one slick move? Your child has be amazing!

    BEHOLD ME!

    THWACK!

    "Ouch!"

    "Stop posing in the middle of the battlefield, child," the Queen scolds me. "We must ensure the family is able to retreat safely."

    I rub at my head with one antenna. I might have a fancy new carapace, but somehow the Queen''s thwacks still sting!

    "Ah. You''re right," I mumble, embarrassed, before I turn and begin to spin up my gravity mana construct. "I''ll hold them back for a bit, you help the family disengage and then we can run back to the pir. Things are going crazy up here, I hear."

    I pump mana into the new spellform I learned, the only new spell I learned, when I finally unlocked the Skill I had yearned for.

    Centred above the hole from which the demons are emerging, an invisible energy begins to pulse, growing stronger each passing moment. My antennae buzz as the new gravity source begins to take hold, dragging demons back as they try to rush forward, lifting those beneath it up into the air.

    My other brains go to work, dozens of mind constructs spinning at once, andnces of condensed ice fly forward as if sted from a machine gun. The front line of demons is annihted in an instant, and with the reinforcements dyed, my siblings finally have the little separation they need to retreat.

    Too easy! I barely have to draw on the Will of the Colony for these small fry, though I burned through quite a chunk to one-shot that massive demon. Not to worry, though, with so many ants within range of my Vestibule, the energy continues to flood into me along with their thoughts and impressions.

    Inside my body, nestled close to my core, thepleted trifecta of Vestibule, Nave and Altar are burning with light, flooding me with power that suffuses my being.

    The feeling is incredible, as if a bottomless well of strength that will never run dry has been built inside of me.

    "Let''s get the heck out of here," I announce to the others. "You go first, I''ll bring up the rear."

    My orders are hardly necessary, andrgely ignored, since that''s exactly what they were doing already. Feeling a little redundant, I take up my position at the back of the column and prepare to st the demons with magic if they get too close. May as well eat while I can as well.

    Except I''m not needed there either. Without the protection of the big boy, ordinary demons stand little chance against thebined firepower of so many ants. Acid and magic rains down in a ceaseless torrent, leaving me with nothing to do.

    Not for the first time, I''m left to feel useless by the incrediblepetence of my siblings. Unfortunately, that means I have nothing to distract me from the horrific pain in my guts.

    Stupid Ancients and their stupid Call. As expected, my evolution has resulted in the terrible yanking sensation on my soul intensifying. Coming up to the third stratum was necessary, but holy moly it stings. I can''t even imagine what it would have been like as a tier six monster in the first stratum.

    "Eldest¡­ are you well?" Advant asks me, scuttling along at my side.

    "I''ve been better," I reply, grinding my mandibles in pain. "Once I get back to the fourth, I''ll be much better."

    "You won''t be able to stay?" the soldier asks, somewhat rmed. "There are tier eight demons possiblying towards us."

    I nod.

    "I''ve heard as much. Unfortunately, sticking around here until they turn up isn''t something I can do. As long as Brilliant can move me between strata, I should be able to wait below and pop in here if you need me."

    Although the experience of being warped through dimensions was¡­ harrowing, to say the least. I''d wish for eyelids so I didn''t have to see it, but for some reason, I feel like even removing my eyes wouldn''t improve the situation.

    "Eldest¡­ I''m not sure what you''re capable of now, but the way you dealt with that other demon¡­. I''m not sure we''d be able to fight them without you present."

    I wave an antenna as I keep an eye on the situation behind me. The bombardment has been more than enough to keep the demons upied so we can create a good gap. All we have to do now is sprint across the ins and we''ll be home free!

    Until they reach the pir and climb up after us anyway.

    "Don''t worry about it," I dere, flexing one leg as we run. "Tier eight demons? Hunk of Biomass. I''ll smash ''em to bits."

    [Right, Tiny?]

    After a long moment with no reply, I twitch when I finally remember. Brilliant wasn''t able to bring the crew along with me, I''m actually here without them. It''s been so long since I was separated from them, it feels extremely weird. Being freed from my babysitters is a little liberating, but it''s lonely without my friends. I hope Crinis is coping alright¡­.

 Chapter 952 Size Up (1063)

    <h4>Chapter 952 Size Up (1063)</h4>

    "So how does it feel, Eldest?''

    I turn a little to look down at Advant. I''d never really considered before, because I''d never really had to, that the position of my eyes and shape of my head blocks my vision to the ground beneath me. Unlike a human, with a handy dandy neck, I can''t exactly look down.

    So when Advant approaches close to my legs and wants to chat, I actually can''t see where she is. I lower my legs on one side to change the angle and I spot her on my left.

    "Oh, there you are. What do you mean by that?"

    "To be a tier seven? You''re reaching levels of power that most in the Colony can only dream about."

    I feel a little ufortable when she puts it that way.

    "What do you mean? You''ll reach this point soon enough. Bit of time, Biomass and cores are all you need and bam, you''ll be my size before you know it."

    Or bigger, considering her energy is mostly dedicated to physical growth, whereas I split mine. To my surprise, she shakes her antennae in denial.

    "No, I don''t think there will be many who manage to take the leap that you have. The amount of resources required to push one of us to such a high tier is hard to justify. There are over a million members of the Colony now, each and every one of them in need of cores to fuel their evolutions. We must consider the strength of the overall family."

    "We still need a few heavyweights," I suggest, "that big burny demon was a good counter to our normal swarm tactics. Having one big shot to take it down fast is the right call."

    "I agree with you, but I don''t think that will be me," she sighs. "I have responsibilities as a member of the council, I can''t be hoarding resources and putting myself on the frontline all the time. Vibrant will likely be supported to make a push toward evolution, but I doubt I will ever reach tier seven."

    Huh. It''s a sobering thought. I''m tempted to say something like "if you wait long enough, you''ll surely get there eventually," but that doesn''t really work. Sure, a monster will umte Biomass and experience throughout their life, but cores are a different matter. If the poption of the Colony continues to grow in the manner that it has, then the demand for this precious resource will only continue to grow. If the Colony decides they would rather direct that resource to bringing up new members as opposed to investing at the top end¡­ it''s hard to argue with the decision.

    After all, I was the one who insisted we do everything we could to boost each individual in the Colony.

    "It''s hard to describe," I say, trying to give a better answer. "I''m not used to being this big, for starters."

    Of all my evolutions, this is by far thergest increase in size I''ve had. Other than the tier five soldiers, almost everyone around me can walk straight under my carapace without me even having to lift myself up.

    Comparing back to my human body is almost pointless. My mandibles are longer than I was tall, even before the leg thing. In short, I''m huge! The tunnels and caverns I roamed through in the first stratum are forever off limits to me now, there''s just no way I would fit!

    I have to admit, thinking back to that period, it feels good to know I could totally stare down a croca beast with trivial ease.

    Tiny is still taller than me, but in terms of total mass, he''s fallen far behind me for the time being, something that appeared to hurt his feelings. At least, he was sulking up a storm when I woke up, flexing quietly in a corner.

    "I''ll be able to give you a better answer when a little more time has passed," I tell Advant. "For now, I''m still not used to a lot of things."

    The soldier nods.

    "Well, what are your ns for now, Eldest?"

    I''d love to experience less pain¡­.

    "I''ll return to the fourth and help things get rolling down there for the moment. You''re all safe enough for the time being, even though the demons are going crazy. When you need me, send word and I''ll pop in to help."

    I can probably use the Mother Tree''s gate to head back, but I''ll have to rely on Brilliant to bring me back in an emergency.

    "As far as I can tell, you''re going to have a harder time than I am," I tell her, "but you''re all way better at organising this sort of defence than I am. Once we get dug in, a million demons won''t be enough to break through."

    Now that the Queen and the rescue force have returned to friendly territory, the short term emergency has been resolved, but the ongoing danger in the demon stratum continues to grow. The Colony needs to get to work preparing for the onught, and I need to prep myself for battle with possibly multiple tier eight demons.

    Not looking forward to that¡­.

    "Alright, I''d better get going then. Good luck, Advant," I snap her a quick salute which she returns after a moment of surprise. "Take care of our people. I''ll make sure at least half of the troops in the fourthe back to support."

    "That''s not necessa-" she starts to reply, but I rush off without letting her finish.

    They want them all to stay and protect me. Bah! As if I need it!

    I really need to find Sarah and see what she''s up to as well. She''d be a great help in the current situation. I don''t want to catch up with her just so I canugh about being bigger and taller. That''s just nonsense.

    I rush across the demon ins, exchanging greetings and waves with the many, many ants I pass along the way. It feels like the entire stratum hase alive as the Colony has moved in with muchrger numbers. Construction is urring all over the ce, forts here, walls there, bridges, raised roads, nests, mines, forges.

    The wheels of industry turn ever forward, especially when it''s ants doing the driving. The gigantic nests we''ve constructed under the te cities we conquered were just the beginning, apparently. I feel sorry for anyone who thinks they can get rid of us once we decide to move in, even the demons. It ain''t happening!

    Driven by the ceaseless pain of the Call, I rush back to the garden of the Mother Tree.

    Aside from the agony of the Ancient-inflicted curse, I''m also a little concerned about Crinis. She''s always been a little¡­ attached to me, ever since she was reforged as a pet. I''m hoping she''s been able to cope with the separation.

    I''m sure it''s fine. I''ve been gone for what¡­ a couple of hours?

 Chapter 953 So What Have We Gained? (1064)

    <h4>Chapter 953 So What Have We Gained? (1064)</h4>

    [Crinis¡­ what the hell happened here?]

    [Master!]

    A wave of ck shadow-stuff peels off the walls of the evolution chamber and rushes towards me. I flinch back, but it''s toote, and in moments I''m once again wrapped up by the overly attached murder-ball.

    [Gah! At least get off of my eyes, I can''t see a damned thing.]

    A few secondster she''s adapted herself a little better to fit on my carapace, covering even the little purple glow that I still retain. It''s been a harsh blow, losing my glorious lustre, but I''ll definitely get it back via mutations! That''s how I got it in the first ce after all.

    As Iment myck of shininess, Crinis shrieks endlessly in my mind.

    [Master! Are you well? Are you hurt? I think I can feel a scratch on your carapace. WHO DID IT?! Tell me, and I will rend them into pieces and grind the remains into paste! Then I will dive into the mind of the paste and drive it insane for a thousand years! Death! Deaaaaaaaaaath!]

    [Quiet down, dammit!]

    For a few minutes, all I can hear from Crinis is her gasping for mental air as she continues to writhe all over my chitin, checking for injuries. I wasn''t even gone that long, for goodness sake. And look at what she did to the room¡­.

    Looking around the chamber I evolved in, there are tentacle marks smashed into every inch of it. The only time you can''t see the clear imprint of the tentacles, is where the shing lines cut into the rock are so dense theypletely cover it up. It looks like someone went nuts in here with a diamond-tipped chainsaw.

    Even Tiny, trying to look nonchnt over in the corner seems a little relieved to see me return. The big ape shes me a discreet thumbs up from the corner he''d burrowed himself into with Invidia and smiles confidently.

    Oi. I can''t take you seriously while Invidia is still maintaining the shield covering you.

    [Holy moly, Crinis. You need to settle down. I''m sorry I couldn''t bring you with me, but this is excessive. I''ve only been gone a little while, and I''m perfectly fine. Alright? If this ever happens in the future, I expect you to be able to control yourself.]

    The shadow flesh covering me quivers in shame at my rebuke.

    [Yes, Master,] she replies in a small voice. [I''m sorry, Master.]

    Poor thing sounds like she might cry. My heart softens.

    [Look, I''m not actually mad at you. Just keep yourself under control, alright? Think of the poor Colony members who have to fix all this damage.]

    [I will. I promise.]

    There, all mended. Still, I don''t really want to stay in this chamber for¡­ any further amount of time. This ce looks like the scene of a horror movie.

    [Alright Tiny, Invidia, let''s head outside and work out what we''re going to do next. I need to go through my status as well.]

    The two finally release the shield and emerge from their bunker. As a group, we head out of the chamber, and as we move through the tunnels, I notice that which I missed on my way in. It seems that Crinis'' rampage extended far beyond just the evolution space. Everywhere we go, there are ants smoothing out suspicious-looking grooves cut into the walls, or ttening sections that have been smashed by an elongated limb.

    I don''t say anything, but I can feel an asional quiver run through the monster attached to me.

    Sigh.

    I thought she was getting less reliant on me. Turns out that''s not quite the case. What''s going to happen the next time she gets separated from me, perhaps for an extended period of time?

    Something to worry about another time. We''ve got things to deal with right now, and there''s little chance we get split up again, at least in the short term. If I need to get teleported back to the third stratum again, it should be another short visit at least.

    The mountain is still filled with my siblings busy working at the million and one tasks required to get a nest of this size up and running. The crafters are overloaded with work, and judging by the way their antennae swing carelessly from side to side, they couldn''t be happier about it.

    They better be getting enough sleep¡­.

    When we make it out to the ''surface'' I find afortable spot and throw myself down on the ground. The ground shakes beneath me and a nearby carver cks her mandibles with irritation.

    "Sorry," I say.

    Gotta remember how much I weigh now. Aside from the muscle I''ve put on, my new carapace is way more dense than my old one. In fact, if I hadn''t bulked up in that evolution, I probably couldn''t walk anymore. Getting myself up the pir in the third stratum took a little doing, let me tell you.

    After settling my position, I bring up my status for a good look.

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 3 (Mythic) (VII)

    Might: 380

    Toughness: 342

    Cunning: 228

    Will: 195

    HP: 684/684

    MP: 1070/1070

    Skills:

    General:

    Grandmaster Excavation (V) Level 6; Master Grip (IV) Level 10; Expert Stealth (III) Level 18; Tunnel Compass (IV) Level 25; Iron Mind (V) Level 22; Master Stamina (IV) Level 26; Still Meditation (IV) Level 40; sh Dash (V) Level 16;

    Mana:

    Advanced Mana Craft (VI) Level 11; Condensed Mana (V) Level 9; Grand Finer External Mana Maniption (V) Level 16; Mana Hoarder (V) Level 9; Layered Mind Magic Affinity (V) Level 41; Extended Directed Mana Sensing (V) Level 15; Master Healing Magic Affinity (IV) Level 12; Advanced Omni-Elemental Affinity (VI) Level 43; Advanced Mana Masking (IV) Level 8; Wood Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Metal Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Lightning Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Advanced Force Magic Affinity (IV) Level 22; Advanced Barrier Magic Affinity (III) Level 19; Gravity Magic Affinity (I) Level 2;

    Pet:

    Far-Flung Pet Communication (IV) Level 4; Core Crafting (IV) Level 18; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 5;

    Defensive:

    Divine Exo-Skeleton Defence (VI) Level 12; Grandmaster Dodge (V) Level 8; Grandmaster Endure (V) Level 5; Master Grace (IV) Level 6; Expert Mandible Parry (III) Level 4;

    Offensive:

    Guided Acid Shot (V) Level 8; Grandmaster Precise Shooting (V) Level 11; Void Chomp (VI) Level 14; Expert Chomp Combo (III) Level 6; Spear Charge (III) Level 5;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Focal Compound Eyes +30; Future Wave Sight Antennae +30 (Twilight Fment);

    Defence:

    Carapace (Gravity-Compressed Diamond); Inner Carapace ting (Boson Agitating Crystal Flesh);

    Physical:

    Fortified Absorption Legs +30; Mandibles (Gravity-Compressed Diamond); Hastened Potent Regeneration nd +30; Widespread Stinking Pheromone nd +30; Expanding Discerning Stomach +30; Coiling Hyper-Twitch Muscture +30; Distributed Instantaneous Sub-Neural Network +30;

    Acid:

    Spreading Binding Mana-Feasting Bind Acid nd +30; Flexi Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +30; Enriching Draining Acid Concentration nd +30; Viscous Enfeebling Acid Stimtion nd +30;

    Mental:

    Indomitable Coordination Cortex +30; Crushing Gravity Well Main Brain +30; Mind Mana Mastery Sub-Brain +30; Mind Mana Mastery Sub-Brain +30; Mind Mana Mastery Sub-Brain +30;

    Mana:

    Gravity Magic nd (Resonant Well Stone); Might Infusing Collective Will Vestibule +30 (Soul Crystal); Communal Spirit Nave (Soul Crystal); Altar of Self (Soul Crystal);

    Species: Perfect Paragon

    Skill points: 145

    Biomass: 820

    So much to be proud of, such immense progress. But the crowning jewel of it all is sitting right there in my Skills list. Of course, I checked for it the second I woke up and, lo and behold, it appeared!

    Gravity Magic is finally MINE!

 Chapter 954 1065 - So What Have We Gained part 2

    <h4>Chapter 954 Chapter 1065 - So What Have We Gained part 2</h4>

    The war has dragged on beyond what any thought was possible. As I look back now on those early years, I can scarce reconcile what I thought then with what I know now.

    An easy conflict, over in months, I had been convinced of it. So confident. Now all of that is gone, drained out of me over the long conflict. So many have fallen in battle, so many have been lost in the depths.

    I honestly can no longer recall how it started. When the first battles were fought, before the stories had been worked out and the politicians got involved, who was it that made the first strike?

    I suppose it doesn''t matter now, both sides are fullymitted, have been for a long time. When the silver city fell, the alliance could no longer settle for anything other than total victory.

    Perhaps the civilised races of the world should havee to this conclusion a long time ago, but we are unified now. Either the Dungeon will be cleansed, or we will fall.

    - Excerpt from a diary of an unnamed General. Year thirty six of the Dungeon War.

    It''s hard to describe the level of joy I experienced when I finally saw that Skill appear in the list. It appears that Gandalf has finally seen my dedication to all matters gravity with mytest investments. And perhaps my magic Skills have finally be high enough that I can handle this amount of raw power.

    And it is freakin'' hard. It takes a huge amount of my mental energy to create the construct to produce Gravity Mana, it''splex beyond imagining and it''ll be ages before I can reliably make it.

    Fortunately, I have a ready supply of the purple stuff ready to go!

    The new technique I unlocked was somewhat disappointingly nd, but extremely powerful nheless.

    I was hoping for all sorts of crazy spellforms to drip into my brain, but I only received the one. It takes a ton of mana, and is hard as heck to cast, but it lets me create what I would suppose are gravity wells.

    Effectively, I can make a localised gravity field over which I have total control. I can use it to lift things up, or pull them down, or drag them sideways. It''s cool as heck.

    Even better, it resonates with my new carapace, mandibles and mana nd whenever I''m within the effect.

    The new materials thatpose my body are incredible also. Each of the resets have been super impactful and I''m very pleased with them. The carapace and mandibles, from what I''ve seen so far, are hard as heck. And heavy! The gravitypressed diamond is far darker than I would have liked, but so far I''m impressed. Considering what I paid for it, it should be at least this amazing!

    I still have to mutate it as well. I don''t know what I''ll pick up, but that''s going to be an incredible opportunity to power up.

    But the centralponent of the evolution, the big ticket item, is the Altar of Self. I wasn''t exactly sure how this was going to work, the descriptions being what they are.

    As it turns out, the advantages of the Altar arepletely off the chain. They''re out of control. They''re¡­ like¡­ really good.

    The description stated that the will of the Colony would be able to do more than just refresh my body, that I''d be able to use it to empower my Skills and abilities.

    I''d figured that meant I''d be able to convert that Will into mana, or some sort of mana adjacent energy source that could pay the stamina and mana costs for my abilities.

    Which would have been absurdly overpowered. With all the energy that the Colony gives me, I''d basically never run out of resources¡­ effectively ever. With the incredible level of toughness and sustainability I already had, I figured I''d be an invincible, durable killer who never ran out of juice!

    As it turns out, it doesn''t do that. A shame, it would have been so sweet.

    Instead, what it does is something Ipletely didn''t expect. When the description said it would "empower my abilities," it quite literally does that. I can use the Will of the Colony to use more powerful versions of my Skills and spells. A perfect example being that monstrous Void Chomp that I used on the demon.

    The Altar serves two purposes. First, it draws in and stores the Will that enters through the Vestibule, and then it allows me to expend that energy to support the purpose I chose for it, which was to empower myself. I assume it has some sort of maximum capacity, which I may well have reached at some point, I wasn''t actively checking. Finding a mutation to increase that may be a priority.

    Essentially, with the support of the Colony, I can now punch well above my weight, which is perfect since that''s exactly what I need to do if I''m going to keep the family safe. With tier eight monsters, ancients and whatever other nonsense the Dungeon is going to make me deal with, having this ability to hit much harder than I normally should be able to is going to help me protect the family until we can truly establish ourselves.

    With my hugely buffed stats and array of new abilities, which will only get further out of control when I start mutating, I really am starting to be a truly beefy monster, and it feels good!

    [Are you happy with your evolution, Master?] Crinis asks me.

    [More than happy,] I tell her with satisfaction, perusing my status. [But it''s not just about me. It''s about time that I take a look at where you three are up to.]

    [You mean?]

    [Yep. Time to have a peek at those cores!]

 Chapter 955 1066 - The Pet Scenario

    <h4>Chapter 955 Chapter 1066 - The Pet Scenario</h4>

    It''s been a while since I checked in on my threepanions, ages in fact. At tier six, they''re powerful and intelligent monsters in their own right, capable of making their own decisions about how they want to progress and grow.

    And yes, I''m including Tiny in that. He''s not as dumb as he once was, though he''s still quite dim, and he''s proven that he can invest his Skill Points and make smart mutations. I''ve struggled to believe it at times, but even his pick up of Fancy Feet ended up paying dividends.

    Of course, the fact that I haven''t checked their cores in so long is a reflection of my trust and faith in myrades, and nothing to do with an overwhelming sense ofziness and deep-rooted hatred of details and numbers.

    Don''t look at me like that.

    But of course, now that I have achieved Mythic Status, now that I have ascended to this summit, I naturally need to bring my friends along with me. Some might call me crazy, or insane, or profligate to the extreme, but I''m determined for the three of them to rise to the same heights that I do.

    [Right then,] I tell them, [how are you all travelling? How are you going? It''s a long road to reach level one-hundred and sixty, I had to blow up a mountain of termites to get there as quickly as I did.]

    Tiny flexes sadly and I understand immediately what he''s trying to say.

    [Don''t worry about it buddy, you''ll catch up in no time.]

    Crinis also sounds apologetic as she speaks to me.

    [I''m sorry, Master, I still have a long way to go.]

    [It''s not a problem, really,] I reassure her.

    Invidia stares at me with his one eye, unblinking.

    [Give me your levelsssss. I wantssss them.]

    [You know I can''t give you levels. We''ll focus on you guys going forward, don''t worry.]

    The three of them seem keen to evolve and be mythic monsters, which is good. Motivation is important in any endeavour.

    [Don''t stress about it, team. Let''s have a look at where you''re at, then we can work out what we''re doing going forward. Who''s first?]

    Invidia floats forward.

    [I sssshall go first.]

    Interesting. He probably didn''t want to get jealous of the others so he put himself first to avoid it.

    [Alrighty, let''s take a peek.]

    I bring my antennae forward and touch them against the tiny demon, activating my core skill and epting the flood of information thates with it. Sorting through it all, I get a good look at his status.

    Name: Invidia

    Level: 91 (Rare) (VI)

    Might: 14

    Toughness: 40

    Cunning: 212

    Will: 149

    HP: 80/80

    MP: 660/660

    Skills:

    General:

    Diamond Mind (V) Level 76; Master Stamina (IV) Level 8; Zen Meditation (IV) Level 37; Master Clumsy Flight (IV) Level 25;

    Mana:

    Mana Weaving (VI) Level 71; Compounded Mana (V) Level 56; Gripping External Mana Maniption (V) Level 68; Mana Hoarder (IV) Level 34; Multi-Layered Mind Magic Affinity (VI) Level 10; Broad Mana Sensing (V) Level 61; Condensed Demon Laser (IV) Level 32; Grandmaster Combustion Magic Affinity (V) Level 5; Master Shield Magic Affinity (IV) Level 5; Expert Healing Magic Affinity (IV) Level 22; Advanced Directed Explosions (II) Level 8; Expert Boom Control (III) Level 14; Advanced Gas Control (II) Level 5;

    Defensive:

    Grandmaster Flutter (V) Level 49;

    Offensive:

    Master Precise Shooting (IV) Level 34;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Deep-Prating Eye of Envy +30; Majestic Mana Sensory Organ +30; Surgical Mana Fment Finder +30;

    Physical:

    Endless Bottomless Stomach +30; Mega-Rapid Mana Charging Wings +30; Expanded Mana Soaking Demon Pocket +30; Mana Drinking Dimension Mouth +30;

    Mental:

    Expanded Omni-Divergent Thought Brain +30; Girded Will Barrier +30; Multi-Layered Neural Adaptor +30;

    Mana:

    Fine Mana Manipting Cortex +30;

    Species: Lesser Envy Demon

    Skill points: 88

    Biomass: 344

    [Holy Moly, Invidia. You''ve been a busy little dude.]

    And he has. His spell Skills are climbing higher and higher over time, reaching new tiers that have no doubt expanded his capabilities massively. It looks as if he recently purchased new explosion-based Skills as well, furthering his control and damage output.

    The little green-eyed demon is turning himself into a fluttering bomb factory. At the rate he''s going, he''ll be dropping nukes when he evolves.

    Speaking of evolution, he''s primed and ready to go. Full mutations, increasing his ability to absorb and manipte mana even further. Despite evolving a step ahead of him, this guy can pull in and shape mana far better than I can. That''s the power of the specialist, I suppose.

    [You''ve got a ridiculous amount of Skill Points kicking around though, Invidia. I''m sure you can find some more things to spend them on. Try and find some fusions that can elevate your strengths or add some flexibility.]

    The eye glitters.

    [More Skillsssss. I ssshall havesss them!]

    That''s the spirit. I give him a tap on the head with an antenna and turn to Tiny.

    [Alright then, big guy. Come over here and let''s take a look under the hood.]

    The big ape lumbers over and I''m once again impressed with just how tall this dude is. I severely outmass him at this point, but that''s due to me being long. He still stands head and shoulders over me.

    I stretch forth an antenna and examine his progress.

    Name: Tiny

    Level: 74 (Rare) (VI)

    Might: 550

    Toughness: 126

    Cunning: 20

    Will: 38

    HP: 252/252

    MP: 466/466

    Skills:

    General:

    Master Athletics (IV) Level 15; Instant Dash (IV) Level 10; Master Dodge (IV) Level 30; Advanced Flight (II) Level 5;

    Mana:

    Defensive:

    Sparkling Fancy Feet (V) Level 45;

    Offensive:

    Kong Fist Arts (VI) Level 24; Cloud Piercing Uppercut (V) Level 31; Meteor Leap (V) Level 29; Grand Master Heavy Smash (V) Level 35; Master Grappling (IV) Level 39; Resonant Smashing Blows (V) Level 22; Expert Ape Jab (IV) Level 12; Advanced Magic Counter (II) Level 8; Master Kong Combo (V) Level 25;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Physical:

    Bombastic Enhanced Muscture +30; Unbreakable Channelling Bones +30 (Earthblood Basalt); Shock-Copsing Meteor Legs +30; Metal Shattering Sonic Enhancer +30; Hyper-Ignition Energy Conversion nd +30; Meshed Shadow Wings +30; Sparking Te Fur +30; Regenerative Steel Fists +30;

    Mental:

    Mana:

    Storming Lightning Mana Affinity nd +30; Storming Lightning Mana Affinity nd +30; Arcing Lightning Ignition nd +30; Arcing Lightning Ignition nd +30;

    Species: Thunderstrike Mountain Kong (Rare)

    Skill points: 76

    Biomass: 211

    Just like the little demon, Tiny has made great strides! His boxing Skills continue to rank up, giving him even more explosive power and damage potential. Also fully mutated, his ability to channel vast amounts of lightning in shockingly (heh) small time frames has really improved. His fur is an almost perfect conductor, and the ignition nds are now able to amplify the mana that passes through them, increasing his overall output. If he keeps going down this route, he''ll be a walking, boxing lightning storm in an ape body.

    His punching Skills are alsoing along nicely. I can see he''s added a few new items as well. Not nearly enough, though!

    [Spend your damn Skill Points,] I scold him, [you''ve got a ton banked up and I''m sure there''s some things you can use them on. Maybe think about a Skill that doesn''t use your fists?]

    He looks at me like I''m talking in anothernguage.

    [Just have a look, dammit. Almost all of your Skills are offensive. Try some defence or general stuff for a change. Look, you''ve even got a limited ability to fly now, there might be other awesome stuff you can use!]

    Time for Crinis. Since she''s currently on my back, I stretch an antenna back there and have a look at what she''s been up to.

    Name: Crinis

    Level: 64 (Rare) (VI)

    Might: 180

    Toughness: 160

    Cunning: 156

    Will: 134

    HP: 320/320

    MP: 660/660

    Skills:

    General:

    Exalted Shadow Flesh Maniption (VI) Level 20; Omniscient Tremor Sensing (V) Level 79; Soul Infecting Fear Inspiration (V) Level 50; Dextrous Tentacle Walking (IV) Level 37; Master Stealth (IV) Level 22; Expert Shadow Shaping (III) Level 15; Advanced Mental Warfare (II) Level 8; Advanced Target Seeking (II) Level 3;

    Mana:

    Mana Moulding (IV) Level 38; Finer External Mana Maniption (V) Level 12; Grand Master Shadow Magic Affinity (V) Level 15;

    Defensive:

    Advanced Tentacle Parry (II) Level 6;

    Offensive:

    Grand Master Grappling (V) Level 56; Grand Master Shredding (V) Level 11; Horrific Dismembering (V) Level 36; Grand Master Tentacle Fu (V) Level 67; Expert Shadow Striking (III) Level 10; Expert Mind Invasion (III) Level 18; Advanced Tentacle Strike (II) Level 8;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    All-Seeing Mana Sensory nd +30; Prating Shadow Eye +30;

    Physical:

    Efficient Resistant Shadow Flesh +30 (Immaterial); Atomising Ion-Void Maw +30; Unlimited Endless Dimensional Stomach +30; Quad-Legion Tentacles +30; Hardened Sharpened Diamond Barbs +30; Ripping Visceral Teeth +30; Immaterial Flesh Generator (Void-Core) +0; Deep-Fathomless Light Sink +30; Hyper Shade Phase Organ +30; Atomising Ion-Void Maw +30; Atomising Ion-Void Maw +30; All-Shape Cell Structure +30; Madness Lingering Soul-Seeker Cilia +30;

    Mental:

    Symphonic Tentacle Conductor +30; Symphonic Tentacle Conductor +30;

    Mana:

    Expanded Compressing Reservoir Shadow Magic nd +30

    Species: Immaterial Mind Breaker

    Skill points: 84

    Biomass: 149

    [Wow, Crinis. You''ve been working hard!]

    [Thank you, Master!]

    Despite many of her upgrades sounding absolutely terrifying, she''s clearly been trying to improve on her strengths and shore up her weaknesses. Her ability to inspire fear and invade the minds of her foes has improved¡­ to a disturbing degree.

    But so has her control and options with shadow magic. She''s investing in Skills that supplement her spellforms, much like Invidia has started to do, allowing her to stab and attack enemies with raw shadow mana as well as manipte it more easily.

    She''s even picked up a defensive Skill to help prevent her losing so much shadow flesh in battle. If she can actually protect her tentacles, she won''t lose as many, and therefore willst longer in the fight. Good thinking! Not to mention these supplemental Skills that help her attack with her tentacles in new ways. Tentacle Strike? Good stuff!

    Her mutations are much as I expected. Her tentacle conductors are capable of controlling a huge number of limbs and putting them through extremely intricate, coordinated movements without her having to think about it at all.

    That mutation on the Soul Cilia¡­ oof. Basically, even if a monster escapes after being attacked with them, the effect will linger, meaning she can attack a monster with them, then quickly shift to another without having to stay "attached" to it.

    Spooky stuff.

    [You''ve all done well,] I congratte my three allies. [Let''s keep working on our Skills and funnel as much experience as we can into you. Before you know it, we''ll all be the same tier again!]

 Chapter 956 1067 - Wake Me Up, Before You Go Go

    <h4>Chapter 956 Chapter 1067 - Wake Me Up, Before You Go Go</h4>

    My first nap as a tier seven, a deep and satisfying torpor that I luxuriate in. Indeed, life is onlyplete when one gets their eight hours! I''ve been t out for way too long, to the point I''ve started to worry that the Torpor Police might disappear me.

    That would have caused quite a stir, I''ve no doubt.

    They do an incredible job of hiding, those little ninjants, but ever since I picked up the Vestibule, it''s been impossible for them to conceal themselves from me.

    Unlike my bodyguards. Whatever it is that they use to create the strange forgetful effect was powerful enough to give me trouble for a little while. Ever since my evolution, though¡­.

    I reach out with one leg and poke at the air.

    ¡­.

    I poke again.

    ¡­.

    Another poke, harder this time.

    "... Is that really necessary, Eldest?" Protectantins.

    Gweheheheh.

    "I just find it fun, how easily I can spot you now."

    The guard smells decidedly unhappy about it.

    "We would like to know how you do it," she grumbles, "out of professional courtesy."

    "No way. You''d just try and find a way around it."

    Not that there is one. As far as I can tell, as long as they''re ants who believe in me, they will provide me with Will. As long as the energy is flowing, they''ll be lit up like a christmas tree, regardless of what they do to hide.

    It''s kind of interesting, actually. The organ that causes me to ''forget'' or ''ignore'' their presence still works on my other senses when they actively try to conceal themselves. I can''t see Protectant with my eyes, or even feel it when I poke her with my leg, or detect the scent when the guardsmunicate with each other, despite knowing for a fact exactly where they are.

    The level of stealth they''ve achieved is absurd. They''re like ghosts.

    Which is why it''s so fun to prod at them. Poke. Poke. Poke.

    "Eldest. Please stop it," Guardiantins.

    Heheheheheh.

    "Now that I''m tier seven, you all need to make the push to tier six," I tell the invisible squad of babysitters. "If I''m going to be rumbling with tier eight enemies, you''ll be ttened just by being near me if you don''t measure up."

    "Maybe if we evolve, we''ll be able to hide from you again¡­" Protectant mumbles.

    I whip around and poke her again, with both antennae this time.

    "Don''t be stupid! You can hide from everything you need to hide from already. You need to seriously bump up your stats andbat prowess. That concealment organ has soaked up way too much evolutionary energy, don''t waste the next evolution on something you don''t need!"

    "Alright, alright! Just stop poking me!"

    One more prod, just to drive home the point, then I turn to Crinis and the others for a quick meeting.

    [Alright, gang. We''re fresh, we''re ready for action and we need to get some Levels into you, pronto. Hunting in the fourth stratum is likely to be our best bet, but at the same time, we need to be on standby in case they need us in the third. There''s some funky business going down up there, and we may need to elevate up in order to get to the bottom of it.]

    The three of them nod in unison. It''s rewarding having an audience of active listeners.

    [So we''ll hunt and gather Biomass. I need a fair bit to get my mutations ticking along, but we should make sure to contribute to the Colony stockpile, since you three are all maxed out. Let''s go see what we can find.]

    Hopefully we run into a few of those diamond centipede nests. My rage won''t abate until I wipe that species from the Dungeon! As it turns out, we don''t even make our way out of the tunnels before someone finds us with an urgent message.

    "Eldest!" the scout calls to me and I stop to let her catch up. "Eldest. They want to see you down on the shoreline. It''s about something centipede-rted."

    Damn centipedes! They''re my highest priority on this stratum, I won''t let them get a foothold. I rumble down to the shoreline, my friends in tow, only to find the mercenaries from earlier have returned.

    The three of them stand awkwardly, surrounded by a host of ants that watch their every move with preternatural stillness. The leader, a fairly burly-looking golgari, almost seems happy when he notices my approach, even as he winces under the effect of my aura.

    Gweheheheh. It''s nice to have my strength radiate out around me like this. Weaker enemies can''t even stand up to me!

    I spin together a mind bridge andtch onto the mercenary, then I bring his two followers into the conversation as well.

    [Back again so soon,] I greet them. [Excellent, excellent. I suppose your hunt was sessful?]

    The three of them grimace as the force of my mind impacts onto their own, and I make a conscious effort to tone it down. I can''t be scaring away our potential partners in w-centipede eradication.

    In response to my question, the three of them begin unloading the cargo in their boat, depositing a dozen of the offensively glittering and shiny scum onto the shore.

    [We found them pretty quickly, all things considered,] the leader grunted warily. [The Dungeon seems to be spitting them out at quite a rapid clip. We sailed two mountains west and tried our luck, ran into a nest almost immediately.]

    Stupid Gandalf and his love of centipedes. They''re probably being spammed everywhere on this level of the Dungeon. New spawn points will be popping up all over the ce!

    [Well done,] I tell them. [Keep up the good work, and spread the word. As long as people bring in these¡­ things,] I kick at the merchandise, [then we will be willing to pay.]

    "Can someone pay these guys?" I ask the nearby ants.

    One of them quickly steps forward and drops off a pile of cores, and after a moment of nervously eyeballing me, the mercenaries step forward to collect them.

    [Will you be back tomorrow?] I ask.

    The golgari hesitates.

    [We will probably return home and resupply. We lost a team member and have been¡­ drained, by the events that took ce here. After some time to rest and regroup, we will return.]

    I''m a little disappointed, but I can understand where they''reing from.

    [Make sure you spread the word,] I remind them. [We''ll ept any and all who are willing to work with us. In fact, we should probably build a permanent setup for making exchanges with you guys.]

    "Can we get someone on that?" I ask a nearby carver.

    "Sure thing, Eldest," she says, "we don''t have much else to do around here, after all."

    Alright, ouch.

    "It''s not a priority," I reply defensively, "but it''s something we''re going to need eventually."

    "I''ll put it on the list," the little ant sighs before rushing off to speak with herrades.

    The mercenaries hurriedly pack their boat and sail away, heading back to wherever the heck theyunched from. I look positively on this development. Soon, there will be an army of hungry mercenaries knocking on our door, ready to hunt the foul enemy to the ends of the Dungeon.

    [All right then,] I turn and tell the others, [let''s get to hunting!]

 Chapter 957 1068 - Those Glittering Isles

    <h4>Chapter 957 Chapter 1068 - Those Glittering Isles</h4>

    It''s a shame that I haven''t been able to enjoy the fourth stratum a little more thanks to the assault we endured from the termites. With the pressure abated and a solid, well constructed nest established, the Colony is now able to take a breath and expand out into the area. Naturally, that means fighting all the monsters which were previously suppressed by our insect rivals and their endless fields of fungus.

    "Die, fiend!" I rage as I bring my reforged mandibles down on a w-centipede, shattering the brightly glittering diamond carapace with ease and ending its life with a single blow.

    Seriously, if you aren''t tough enough to survive the attention, then don''t make yourself so easy to spot! Swanning about on all those legs like a mirrorball at a disco, you think we can''t see you?!

    In fact, since the centipedes move in packs, they''re so easy to see moving around it''s a miracle they survive at all! Though I may be biased in this regard. Not every monster on the fourth is going to hunt them down with extreme dedication as I am, and as much as I hate to say it, this new breed of my hated foe is rather tough. They''ve seemingly popped up everywhere, mounds filled with the lousy things are all over the ce, and since they cooperate well with each other, they''re doing rather well.

    Not for long, though.

    I toss what''s left of my opponent back to Invidia and he opens his multi-dimensional gob to store it. I get the feeling the diamond coating on these bugs will turn out to be a useful material, so we may as well harvest all we can. If Smithant can''t figure out a good way to use it, then we''ll feed it to the grubs. It may bring them good luck, or something.

    Another pack of too-many-legged monstrosities dealt with, I take a moment to look around and enjoy the view.

    The fourth stratum sure is easy on the ol'' eyeballs. Filled with life mana, the entire ce just sparkles with vibrant energy. The water glitters like a rolling sea of jewels, the nts and trees are radiant and bursting with vitality, even the air feels brighter and cleaner. Doesn''t hurt that it''s so much better lit than previous strata as well, it almost feels like daytime walking about on the surface, and inside the tunnels it''s cosy and clear.

    [What do you think of the view, crew?] I ask the others.

    Tiny looks about and shrugs.

    [I can''t really see it, Master...] Crinis points out.

    Invidia just stares at the environment, his eye aglow with hateful light.

    [Invidia? Do you like it here?]

    [It''sss too bright,] he hisses, and I almost stumble with shock.

    What? He doesn''t want to own it or control it? That has to be a first. Although, considering he''s from the third, which is quite diametrically opposed to thisyer, I shouldn''t be that surprised he doesn''t really vibe with the mana here.

    [Oop, heads up, I think we''ve got another elemental.]

    Making our way over the surface of a neighbouring mountain, we''ve run into a number of these monsters, which I''ve dubbed ''elementals''. We fought one during thest wave, a water elemental, which proved to be a bizarre and unique type of creature.

    I wouldn''t say they''re supermon down here, but they aren''t rare either. The pool of water a dozen metres ahead of us might seem like an ordinary pond to the untrained eye, but there''s a few things that give it away. First, my mana sense, which is always on these days, shows a definite spike in energy. Second is the purity of the liquid. Water on this stratum shimmers like a sapphire, as I already said, but this takes it to the next level. If a human looked at it without eye protection, they''d get retina burn.

    [Tiny, you ready?]

    Not bothering to reply, the big ape unfolds his shadow wings and leaps high into the air, his fists igniting as he reaches the apex of his jump. Sensing danger, the seemingly innocuous pool of water starts to shift, but too slow.

    Tiny crashes down with the fury of a lightning bolt, both fists mming into the sentient liquid and discharging sizzling electricity down into the water.

    The elemental can''t scream or yell, but in its own watery way, it thrashes andmunicates its displeasure well enough. With a surge, the monster gathers itself and rises up, a stationary wave that looms over us.

    [Watch out!] I shout at the others, a split-second before it fires.

    A deep boom resounds as the elemental fires its water cannon directly at me, the pressurised liquid as hard as diamond at theser-like speed it''s fired at.

    Fortunately for me, I saw iting, in the literal sense, and my legs fire, sliding my massive body to the side.

    Gweheheh. Still got it!

    [Invidia!]

    The demon''s eye shes with green light before he unleashes hisser. The super-heated beamnces through the air and plunges into the elemental, boiling away the liquid ites into contact with. Gathering itself into a sphere, the monster foams and twists beforeshing out with more jets of water, trying to strike down the little demon.

    But Crinis is ready. Her tentacles streak through the air, blunting the force of the attack by sacrificing her shadow flesh. Yet more dark limbs rise from beneath the elemental, plunging into the frothing waters to reach for the glowing core.

    That doesn''t please the monster one bit, and it transforms into a whirling dervish of death, ripping Crinis'' limbs apart. Which is fine. Tiny, standing to one side, shoves both fists forward, each glowing incandescent with energy.

    At point nk range, he lights up the elemental, pumping it full of lightning until steam is quite literally bursting out of it in all directions.

    After enduring this for a short moment, it gives up the ghost, copsing in a heap and allowing us to reap the rewards. Unfortunately we don''t get any Biomass from these things, but the cores are always strong!

    [Great work, everyone,] I congratte them. [Let''s keep it up. You need all the experience you can get.]

 Chapter 958 1069 - Return to Civilisation

    <h4>Chapter 958 Chapter 1069 - Return to Civilisation</h4>

    As always, it was the Eldest who pushed us in directions we did not think were possible for us to go. Without them, we would never have been able to forge the alliances we did, or perhaps more significantly, turn potential enemies into staunchly neutral parties.

    Especially in those first years, it was difficult for the Colony to understand the motivations of the so-called ''civilised'' races. What did they want? What did they seek to gain? What was it that they feared to lose?

    We had no answers to these questions, and it cost us many times until the Eldest introduced us to a simple maxim: First, try money.

    - Excerpt from the notes of Historiant

    When Rillik felt his feet touch down on solid ground, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief before he turned to the others. Elly looked haggard, her usual positive outlookpletely smothered by exhaustion after a truly difficult few days.

    Lacos appeared better on the surface, but after being on the same crew for so long, the golgari had learned to read the man''s scaly features. Despite how he looked, he too was running on fumes.

    The city of Gliax, rising up from the waters on the coast of the mountain which hade to be known as Prosperity, was as busy as always. Mercenaries, merchant ships andrger expeditions moved in and out of the docks in an endless stream. The docks themselves swarmed with the thousands of workers needed to load, unload and crew the vessels at the required pace. It was bewildering to the exhausted trio and Rillik was quick to hustle his younger team members away from the noise.

    Before they reported back to the union, he decided to pull them into a pub where he ordered a round of drinks and a hot meal. They ate in silence, for the most part, enjoying the camaraderie andfort that came with civilisation.

    Rillik took a long pull from his mug before he ced it back on the table and spoke.

    "That expedition was something of a disaster," he said.

    Elly and Lacos nodded solemnly. Financially, they''d managed to save it thanks to an unexpected turn of events, but emotionally, they were at a severe deficit.

    "It''s always bad, losing a crew member. Whether they''ve been with you for a week, or for a year, it''s always bad. Losing people to the monsters, it hurts."

    He paused and took a deep breath.

    "It''s far from the first time for me, as you know, but it hurts all the same. I don''t know what got into Drake, why he was so desperate, so impatient, but he paid the ultimate price for it. He knew the risks, he knew the dangers, and he made dumb choices. It might feel unfair, but dumb choices get you killed in this business."

    Elly and Lacos nodded dumbly. It might have been a familiar experience for the older golgari, but for them, it was the first time someone they''d worked and fought with had not returned from a delve. It was hard to take.

    "We won''t be going anywhere for at least a week," Rilllik announced. "Take some time to get your heads sorted out. Mourn however you need to, then make a decision whether you want to stay in this business or not. A lot of people quit after losing friends, and there''s not one bit of shame in that. To be honest, they might be the smart ones. I''ll swing by your ce and drop off your cut once I get it. If you''re still in, we''ll talk then."

    He pushed back his chair and stood.

    "You''re good people. Make the decision that feels right for you."

    With nothing left to say, he turned and walked out, then made his way toward the union building. For the umpteenth time, he wondered why he never considered quitting himself, before shoving the thought to the back of his mind. He was a delver, that''s just what he was. He couldn''t imagine doing anything else with his time, it would just feel wrong.

    No point analysing it further, he would do what he had always done. Regroup and rebuild, from the ground floor if he had to.

    The first floor of the grand mercenary building in Gliax was an expansive, gilded chamber, with tables, bars, bounty boards and high vaulted ceilings. In his eyes, a tasteless attempt to mix the rough and tumble nature of mercs with the finer things sess in the business could bring. It came together as poorly as one might imagine, yet some seemed to enjoy the unique atmosphere it created.

    The reception desks were busy, as always, and he stood in line for twenty minutes before finally managing to speak to someone. He''d thought about how this would go a number of times in his mind, but still found it difficult to find the words as he approached.

    "Hello, how are you?" the young woman behind the desk smiled as she greeted him.

    "Hi there. Manager, thanks."

    She blinked.

    "Ah, we need to confirm your identity before anything else, and I''m certain I can handle whatever your reque-."

    Tired and irritated, Rillik didn''t have the patience to deal with the bureaucracy.

    "Babbit!" he yelled, "Get out here already!"

    Everyone around him jumped at the sudden leap in volume and an older woman stuck her head out from an office door behind the reception area, scowling in his direction. When she saw him, her eyes widened, though the displeasure did not fade from her features.

    The manager emerged from her office and scuttled over, tapping the receptionist on the arm and saying, "I''ll take it from here, honey." It took another moment for the chair to be vacated and then several more for the incredibly short Babbit to settle herself into it before they were ready to continue.

    "Mr Rillik. I''ve warned you multiple times not to hassle my staff. They''re just doing their job."

    "Babs, I''m just back from an expedition and I don''t ask to speak to you unless I absolutely need to. I can''t be bothered with the paper pushing."

    "That paper pushing keeps the jobs flowing and you in a job," she said smartly as she leaned forward and levered open the weighty volume on the desk.

    "Since you''re back sote, I presume the church-listed expedition was a failure? Care to report?"

    He nodded, not remotely surprised she remembered what job he''d been on. She always knew.

    "Total disaster. Smaller monsters turned out to be a species of intelligent ants with a well-fortified presence in the mountain. The mythic, the most powerful ant I''ve ever heard of, woke up early and annihted the delve."

    Babbit tsked as she made a number of entries in the book, crossing out names and noting each one on a separate sheet by her side. Mercs to be purged from the roster, families contacted, blood gold paid.

    "You and your crew came out alright?"

    He frowned.

    "Drake didn''te back."

    "Ah."

    Another line, a little more scribble.

    "I''ll want a full report on the monsters, of course, intelligent ants? Terrifying. What will the Dungeon spit out next? There will likely be a bounty put on this mythic as well, though I don''t suppose many will want to try for it. Anything you know about it will be helpful, I can get you a goodmission for the information."

    He nodded, that was all fine.

    "Although, you hardly need to upset my girls over this, Rillik. Any one of them could have handled the paperwork."

    "That''s not why I called for you then, is it?" he replied. "Sorry, I''m tired. The reason I needed to speak to you was what came next. My crew and I were caught and spared by the ants, but only because we hadn''t killed any."

    The diminutive manager snorted. He ignored her.

    "Then, they offered us a contract."

    Her eyes went wide.

    "They what?"

    "We were offered double the value in cores if we could hunt a particr type of diamond coated centipede, a new monster I hadn''t seen before in the fourth. System name: Adamas Scolependra. Not too strong, mid-tier considering they operate in nests."

    "You actually took them up on the offer?"

    "We did. After the expedition, we needed to recoup our costs." He hefted the bag he held in his left hand before he ced it on the desk between them. "They came through as well. Need to cash these."

    She eyed him doubtfully for a moment before opening the bag and quickly assessing what he''d brought. After a moment, she grabbed a key from a chain around her neck, unlocked a drawer and meticulously withdrew a number of coins that she slid across the table before relocking the drawer and tucking the key away.

    "You know it''s technically against union rules to take jobs from outside sources."

    "There''s nothing in the books about taking contracts from monsters, though."

    She stared at him for a moment, mouth working but no sounding out.

    "That''s¡­ true."

    She thought for a moment.

    "Well, if the ants want to set up a rival brokerage, then they''ve made an enemy of the entire union," she dered. "If they want to muscle us out of our business, then they have another thinging."

    Before she could build up a full head of steam, Rillik intervened.

    "I don''t think they want to run you out of business," he said, "I think they want to register as a job provider."

    "They what!?" she shrieked.

    "And here''s the thing," he leaned in and whispered, "they said they would happily pay until these rival bugs are wiped from the Dungeon entirely. You understand just how much money that would be, right?"

    The manager swallowed, eyes filled with visions of cores, piled high as a mountain.

    "We will¡­ need to negotiate," she said, her mouth suddenly dry. "I thank you for bringing this to my attention," she said. "You did the right thing, Rillik."

    "I try," he said dryly before he stood. "If you need me, contact me at my ce. I''m going to go sleep for two days."

    "We''ll be in touch."

 Chapter 959 1070 - Experiments in Floating

    <h4>Chapter 959 Chapter 1070 - Experiments in Floating</h4>

    You know, I always considered buying wings. Ants have wings, after all. You might be thinking to yourself, "What!? No they don''t!", but it''s true. Male ants and young queens have wings. You can see them crawling about outside the nest after rain during mating season, or even just generally if you''re lucky. They don''t have a lot to do, these young royals. Eating and sleeping is pretty much all they''re good for.

    Until they eventually take flight.

    Little ants, flying all over the ce, looking for other young royals from other colonies of the same species to mate with. The males then go die in a ditch (rough life) while the queens rip their wings off with their own mandibles and then go start a new colony, because they''re hardcore.

    So it''s not like ants fly a great deal, but they can! I''ve thought about it now and again; it''d be quite cool to be airborne, zipping about like a dragonfly. But there are a few problems that have prevented me from making the purchase.

    Overall, it''s quite expensive. The wings themselves don''t cost much, but I''m sure you can imagine the difference in muscture between an ant that can fly and one that can''t. Incidentally, young queens liquify their own flying muscles to feed the first batch of workers. That''s dedication.

    Adding all that bulk, adjusting the carapace to amodate the new appendages, tying it all together, it''s an absolute pain in the area zoned formercial enterprise.

    But now¡­.

    Heh.

    Heheheheheheh.

    GWEHEHEHEHEHEH.

    I am the master of gravity! If I want to soar through the air, what''s going to stop me? Nothing is what!

    So as the other three hunt nearby, getting the experience they need to get closer to evolution, I take a little time apart to practise my new skillz.

    Alright then, brains, let''s do this!

    Being careful with the energy saturating my gravity mana nd, I bring some forth with my main mind and begin to manipte it. I''m still not ready to use the construct to generate it yet, no need toplicate the process more than it already is.

    Once I have a nice, dense stream of mana flowing, I begin to weave it, my ever-present mind constructs chipping in to assist with the work. The main brain is dedicated to handling the weave, since it''s mutated to work with this type of mana, and all goes smoothly through the first steps.

    To create a gravity-field is¡­ tricky. For one, it takes a lot of energy. Like, a lot. Then there''s the issue ofplexity. I continue to weave the mana in and out of itself in an endless pattern that rolls deeper and deeper within itself. That''s right, for this one, I have to start with an intricate outer shell, and then go in. Even the omni-elemental construct allows me to build outwards!

    Controlling the mana through the interference of multipleyers of that same energy type is fiddly, putting it mildly. I imagine it''s something akin to keyhole surgery, slipping my control through ever narrowing gaps to create ever more intricate weaves.

    Once all theplicated stuff is done, it''s time to pump the thing full of juice.

    The steady flow of power bes a raging torrent. Within the spellform, the beating heart of the well begins to pound and my antennae begin to burn, sensing the rising gravitational pull.

    As with a gravity bomb, controlling the amount of mana that gets sucked into the spell isn''t easy, it feels like it pulls it out of me once it''s past a certain point. I tie it off once I judge I''ve fed it enough, and the well isplete, hovering in the air, a spherical patch of something that warps the air around it.

    I study it carefully with all of my senses, and I''m excited when I realise that my antennae are by far the best detectors, my mutation paying dividends. I can sense the energy with my mana sense, obviously, but that doesn''t give me much of a clue as to how strong the gravitational field is. I can guess based on the density of mana, but with the antennae, I get a direct read.

    Now let''s see what this puppy can do.

    Taking hold of the well with my mind, I begin to manipte it, shifting it into position above my body. As I draw it closer, I can feel my weight begin to lift, my carapace rising slightly and my legs extending as I rise.

    Holy moly! I''m doing it!

    Take that, Pangera! You think your piddling mass can hold me down? No chance! This ant was born to fly, baby!

    A little giddy with excitement, I bring the well a little closer, until it''s only a few metres from my carapace, and I rise a little higher. The other thing that happens is my new hardened exo-skeleton begins to hum, resonating with the gravitational energy being provided.

    Deep inside me, my new gravity mana organ begins to do the same, the energy flowing into it faster and thicker than before.

    The holy feedback loop has been achieved! Finally, actual synergy!

    This is going to be so sweet when I finally get the hang of it, I can''t wait!

    Unfortunately¡­ this current test isn''t a sess.

    I dangle there in the air, not quite off the ground, but not fully on it. My legs are extended, sure, but my ws are still touching the rock below. I feel like I''ve been hung from a coat hanger, I''m just flopping here.

    I try to raise the well a little higher, to lift me up, but I don''t go with it, the force isn''t strong enough to take my whole mass off the ground.

    A failure. The well needs more juice in it to get me into the air. I move to break apart the spell, but after a moment, I change my mind. It''s actually kind of nice to dangle here a bit, give my legs a rest. It''s rxing, almost like I''m in a hammock.

    Not to mention it recharges my gravity mana faster. May as well keep hanging out!

 Chapter 960 1071 - Demon God

    <h4>Chapter 960 Chapter 1071 - Demon God</h4>

    I am not, as you know, a religious man. The screeching priests and their endless droning on all matters ''Path'' hold no attraction to me. I''ve no time for their words, elixirs or ''ideas''.

    I don''t care how many Levels I''d get.

    Almost everything around us can be exined, we literally have a ''System'' we can analyse, for goodness'' sake. Just because we can''t identify the origins of said System, doesn''t mean we need to assume some form of deity.

    The Ancients, though, are different. They are real, observed, named, experienced. One can study them, if you know where to look for the historical record. They are demonstrably, observably and materially as close to divine as a being can be.

    It is foolish to consider them as simply monsters, they are as far from an average monster as a ka''armodo is from a gecko. We are ants to them. It''s hardly surprising that such powerful beings would inspire worship. When you cannot run from them, and you cannot fight them, one might as well pray.

    - Excerpt from the private correspondence of Irion the heretic

    Deep within the Dungeon.

    Arconidem dreamed. The Demon God had slept for so long, thoughts drifting slowly in and out of oblivion, away from the material world at times, then drifting closer again.

    It was such a time now. Visions of demons at war flickered rapid-fire, one after another, through the Ancient''s mind. Violence, fire and ash, over and over again, all types of demon battling against all kinds of foe. A never-ending battle of rage and chaos that wrapped around Pangera''s core.

    Such a pleasant dream.

    Despite still slumbering, the Demon God smiled, then drew a breath.

    In an instant, the mana inside the grand chamber plummeted, leaving those present gasping as their cores screamed out in pain. Deprived of the energy that gave them life, the God''s attendants writhed even as their eyes turned with hope to the still form of their master.

    Mana returned in a flood, rising from beneath them, an endless torrent of energy that they pulled greedily into their cores. The pain was gone, but still they watched.

    Arconidem opened both eyes.

    A momentter, the attendants were crushed under the weight of the Ancient''s presence. The force of such a mighty being was intolerable, even to those who had experienced it before. Despite the difficulty and danger, in their hearts, they rejoiced.

    The Demon God took in the chamber with a nce, two long arms tipped with enormous ws stretching and shifting, as if remembering how to move again.

    Then the feet of the throne shifted, and the entire chamber rocked. Stone dust fell from above, showering all, even the Ancient in dust. zing magma began to flow, released from the stone after centuries of slumber, igniting the air which filled with suffocating ash in an instant.

    Another breath, but this time a gentler one, the mana density dropping by half before it stabilised again secondster. As each moment passed, Arconidem appeared more present, more alert than before.

    Looking down at the attendants who now prostrated themselves before the living throne, the Ancient grinned a slow and menacing grin and tasted the air.

    [The cycle approaches its climax.]

    The thought crashed down on the attendants and pressed them to the floor. They trembled under its weight, even as their hearts soared. To experience first hand the progenitor''s mind, this was a privilege only afforded to the strong!

    [The way must be prepared. Soon, my children, we will rise and taste that sweet chaos once more.]

    The gathered demons, crushed by the power of the Ancient''s mind, trembled with tion. They were the chosen few who would fight alongside their God. As more mana poured from the centre of the Dungeon, they would climb up and impose Arconidem''s will. Before then, the domain of the Ancient would need to be restored to its former glory. There was much to do!

    A thread drifted into the chamber and brushed against the awakened monster''s thoughts. Like a snake, the Ancient snatched it up, examined it, then wove a new thread and joined the two together.

    Familiar thoughts, a familiar mind, one not felt for many years.

    [Good to see I am not the first, Carrire. What of the others, do they slumber still?]

    Ever burning, blindingly bright, the other Ancient was a st of light and heat that even the Demon God could not touch without being burned.

    [I greet you, Arconidem. The time draws near, the others stir, though several are already awake. Tarriflyx will wake any day.]

    [What of Yarrum?]

    [Sleeping still.]

    The Demon God stretched out to epass the surroundings within its thoughts, then pushed further still, to touch the boundaries between domains. It was true, the mana felt sluggish in the neighbouring territory.

    To know that it had stolen a march against its rival pleased the Ancient, though it wasrgely meaningless. Knowing that the Hunger would soon wake was an interesting morsel. One of two creatures with an appetite greater than Arconidem''s.

    [What hope this cycle?]

    The important question.

    [Odren has hooked a few he likes.]

    The Father of Monsters was always hunting, which was good, none of the others could be bothered.

    In that moment, both of them withdrew as they felt something shift beneath them.

    A torrent of mana, more pure and dense than before, blew past them, rising up and rushing out higher in the Dungeon. Arconidem took a deep breath. It was intoxicating. The energy rushed into its core and settled there, bringing life throughout its monstrous frame.

    A new wave had begun.

    [Time for chaos,] the Demon God grinned.

    Chapter 1072 - Further Consumption

    [You have in level 37 Fortis Adamas Scolopendra (IV).]

    [You have gained XP.]

    Stupid centipede! You dare oppose my glorious rise? You deserved what you got!

    Although I wouldn''t really call it a glorious rise, more of an imposing hover. I''m still working out the kinks, but it won''t be long now.

    Good thing I can direct and contain the energy produced by the wells to the degree I do. It took me a while to realise just what it meant to defeat the gravity of the with my own source. Logically speaking, if they affected each other equally, then the might well get ripped in half.

    When you get right down to it, gravity is a really piddly force. It takes an entire of stuff to produce a level that isn''t enough to stop an ant from wiggling about on the surface. Literally the entire Earth couldn''t produce enough energy to squash a bug.

    Fortunately, we have a nice little workaround on Pangera called mana. I have no idea how the stuff converts itself into¡­ basically everything, but it sure as heck seems to be efficient at it. I can produce enough gravitational energy to lift my body up into the air with ease.

    I actually need less mana than I thought to achieve it as well. When I properly focus and control the well, I can utilise the energy within much more effectively. This is the learning process and I am bringing nothing but A''s.

    [Tiny! Stopughing at me this instant!]

    The ape does notply, pointing up at me and rumbling withughter.

    [Don''t be so disrespectful to the Master!] Crinis scolds him, prodding herrade in the side with a tentacle. [Behave yourself!]

    Just because I''m hanging in mid air like a towel draped over a drying rack is no reason tough! Just because my legs are dangling like limp noodles? Is that so funny? It''sfortable, dammit!

    With a wrench of Will, I shift the well above me and move it forward, causing my body to drift along under it. Eventually I reach a point on top of Tiny and let my legs, still hanging loose, flop onto his head.

    [How do you like that! Huh? Feel the wrath of my noodle legs!]

    I drift back and forth, aiming to whack him again, but he easily dodges out of the way, forcing me to float after him.

    [Get back here! How dare you use your fancy feet for this? Receive justice!]

    [Uh¡­ Master?]

    [One second, Crinis, I have to discipline this cheeky ape!]

    [Isn''t it about time we should be getting back to the nest? You said you wanted to check in with the others.]

    Ah, trusty Crinis. I can always count on her to remember what''s important. I''d give her a pat, but I can''t be bothered lifting my legs, they''refy where they are.

    [You''repletely right! Thank you for remembering, Crinis. Invidia? Where did you get to? Ready to head back?]

    The little demon flutters into view. He effortlessly flies up in front of me and observes my form. It may just be me, but I detect a distinctck of envy in the way he looks at me floating.

    Just because you can do it so much better! My mass isn''t stuffed into a pocket dimension, you damned imp!

    And he''s been flying for ages, I''m just getting started. I''ll get a lot better at it than this.

    [All right then, everyone, time to head back to the nest. Let''s get going.]

    Wait, I''m facing the wrong way.

    [Just give me a sec, need to turn around.]

    This has been a little tricky. I mean, do I rotate the well? Does that even work? I wobble back and forth in the air until Crinis extends a tentacle down from her spot on my carapace to the ground and uses that leverage to spin me.

    [Oh, nice one. Let''s go!]

    Oriented the right way, I manipte the well forward and begin my triumphant drift back to the nest. Just wait until the Colony gets a load of this! They''ll be super impressed, I''m sure.

    [Um, Master?]

    [Yes, Crinis?]

    [Do you think it may be a little¡­ quicker, if you returned on foot?]

    I mean, sure it would. I''m not very quick with this method yet, which is precisely why I want to practise it! Though, as usual, she may have a point. We''ve been out for a few days already, we need to get back and see how things are going on the third. Hopefully the demon situation is settling down a little bit.

    [All right,] I sigh and lower myself back to the ground.

    The well would fade when the energy within it ran out, but I can''t exactly leave these pockets of gravitational potential lying around, so I break it apart before we leave.

    [Thank you, Master,] Crinis says, sounding relieved.

    [Well, you weren''t wrong, we do need to get back in a timely fashion.]

    [I also think you have a much more dignified appearance like this. It wouldn''t do for the Colony to look at you being unsightly.]

    I''m shocked.

    [What? Unsightly! My majestic floating form?! That can''t be right.¡­]

    I turn to Tiny.

    [Do I really look that ridiculous?]

    The ape looks puzzled for a moment, as if confused I would even ask, before he starts nodding vigorously.

    That bad?!

    [Invidia! Surely you were desiring of my grace and elegance floating in the air?]

    The demon looks at me for a long second, blinks his eye, then looks away.

    Holy moly!

    It takes me a second to collect myself.

    [Th-Thank you Crinis. I had no idea it was that bad.]

    [I apologise, Master! I-it is quite bad, though.¡­]

    [No, you''ve done the right thing.]

    I''ll have to practise flying away from the Colony in the future until I''ve mastered itpletely. If there''s one thing I refuse to lose in front of my siblings, it''s my dignity!

 Chapter 961 1072 - Further Consumption

    <h4>Chapter 961 Chapter 1072 - Further Consumption</h4>

    [You have in level 37 Fortis Adamas Scolopendra (IV).]

    [You have gained XP.]

    Stupid centipede! You dare oppose my glorious rise? You deserved what you got!

    Although I wouldn''t really call it a glorious rise, more of an imposing hover. I''m still working out the kinks, but it won''t be long now.

    Good thing I can direct and contain the energy produced by the wells to the degree I do. It took me a while to realise just what it meant to defeat the gravity of the with my own source. Logically speaking, if they affected each other equally, then the might well get ripped in half.

    When you get right down to it, gravity is a really piddly force. It takes an entire of stuff to produce a level that isn''t enough to stop an ant from wiggling about on the surface. Literally the entire Earth couldn''t produce enough energy to squash a bug.

    Fortunately, we have a nice little workaround on Pangera called mana. I have no idea how the stuff converts itself into¡­ basically everything, but it sure as heck seems to be efficient at it. I can produce enough gravitational energy to lift my body up into the air with ease.

    I actually need less mana than I thought to achieve it as well. When I properly focus and control the well, I can utilise the energy within much more effectively. This is the learning process and I am bringing nothing but A''s.

    [Tiny! Stopughing at me this instant!]

    The ape does notply, pointing up at me and rumbling withughter.

    [Don''t be so disrespectful to the Master!] Crinis scolds him, prodding herrade in the side with a tentacle. [Behave yourself!]

    Just because I''m hanging in mid air like a towel draped over a drying rack is no reason tough! Just because my legs are dangling like limp noodles? Is that so funny? It''sfortable, dammit!

    With a wrench of Will, I shift the well above me and move it forward, causing my body to drift along under it. Eventually I reach a point on top of Tiny and let my legs, still hanging loose, flop onto his head.

    [How do you like that! Huh? Feel the wrath of my noodle legs!]

    I drift back and forth, aiming to whack him again, but he easily dodges out of the way, forcing me to float after him.

    [Get back here! How dare you use your fancy feet for this? Receive justice!]

    [Uh¡­ Master?]

    [One second, Crinis, I have to discipline this cheeky ape!]

    [Isn''t it about time we should be getting back to the nest? You said you wanted to check in with the others.]

    Ah, trusty Crinis. I can always count on her to remember what''s important. I''d give her a pat, but I can''t be bothered lifting my legs, they''refy where they are.

    [You''repletely right! Thank you for remembering, Crinis. Invidia? Where did you get to? Ready to head back?]

    The little demon flutters into view. He effortlessly flies up in front of me and observes my form. It may just be me, but I detect a distinctck of envy in the way he looks at me floating.

    Just because you can do it so much better! My mass isn''t stuffed into a pocket dimension, you damned imp!

    And he''s been flying for ages, I''m just getting started. I''ll get a lot better at it than this.

    [All right then, everyone, time to head back to the nest. Let''s get going.]

    Wait, I''m facing the wrong way.

    [Just give me a sec, need to turn around.]

    This has been a little tricky. I mean, do I rotate the well? Does that even work? I wobble back and forth in the air until Crinis extends a tentacle down from her spot on my carapace to the ground and uses that leverage to spin me.

    [Oh, nice one. Let''s go!]

    Oriented the right way, I manipte the well forward and begin my triumphant drift back to the nest. Just wait until the Colony gets a load of this! They''ll be super impressed, I''m sure.

    [Um, Master?]

    [Yes, Crinis?]

    [Do you think it may be a little¡­ quicker, if you returned on foot?]

    I mean, sure it would. I''m not very quick with this method yet, which is precisely why I want to practise it! Though, as usual, she may have a point. We''ve been out for a few days already, we need to get back and see how things are going on the third. Hopefully the demon situation is settling down a little bit.

    [All right,] I sigh and lower myself back to the ground.

    The well would fade when the energy within it ran out, but I can''t exactly leave these pockets of gravitational potential lying around, so I break it apart before we leave.

    [Thank you, Master,] Crinis says, sounding relieved.

    [Well, you weren''t wrong, we do need to get back in a timely fashion.]

    [I also think you have a much more dignified appearance like this. It wouldn''t do for the Colony to look at you being unsightly.]

    I''m shocked.

    [What? Unsightly! My majestic floating form?! That can''t be right.¡­]

    I turn to Tiny.

    [Do I really look that ridiculous?]

    The ape looks puzzled for a moment, as if confused I would even ask, before he starts nodding vigorously.

    That bad?!

    [Invidia! Surely you were desiring of my grace and elegance floating in the air?]

    The demon looks at me for a long second, blinks his eye, then looks away.

    Holy moly!

    It takes me a second to collect myself.

    [Th-Thank you Crinis. I had no idea it was that bad.]

    [I apologise, Master! I-it is quite bad, though.¡­]

    [No, you''ve done the right thing.]

    I''ll have to practise flying away from the Colony in the future until I''ve mastered itpletely. If there''s one thing I refuse to lose in front of my siblings, it''s my dignity!

 Chapter 962 1073 - They Do Good Work

    <h4>Chapter 962 Chapter 1073 - They Do Good Work</h4>

    [Fortis Adamas Scolopendra: Strong Diamond Centipede (IV). These creatures are an advanced breed of a simpler species. A Living Diamond carapace and ws are their primary attributes, along with enhanced mana sensitivity and a potent mana toxin in their tail spike. Be warned, this monster hits much harder than it looks.]

    Stupid system and your stupid favouritism! Straight up Living Diamond for a carapace, along with all sorts of other fancy bits and bobs only avable to monsters born in the deeper sections of the Dungeons.

    Meanwhile, most of the ants in the Colony are walking around with basic, first stratum bodies with nary a reset to be seen amongst them. This level of bias is uneptable. Next time I see Gandalf, I''m going to give him a piece of my mind. I mean, I know he said that he''s not directly responsible for this stuff, but he won''t tell me who is, so he''s the one who''s going to cop it.

    The journey back to the former termite nest is as smooth as one might expect when moving through territory controlled by the Colony. Already the patrols are out, marching along paths created by the carvers, culling the monster poption and harvesting Biomass for the family.

    When the mountain itselfes back into view, I can''t help but ck my mandibles in appreciation. Those crazy ants, they really went ahead and did it. We''ve only been gone for a few days, but the work is basically done, as far as I can tell.

    As expected, they''ve reforged the entire mountain into a giant anthill, the sides smoothly rising to the main entrance close to the top. It''s not so simple, of course, the carvers can''t help but addplexity to their designs. There are walls, parapets, towers, wrinkles and folds all over the ce, somehow arranged in such a way as to be pleasing to the eye, even from this distance. This is a grand fortress even beyond what they constructed on the third stratum beneath the demon city of Roklu. Imagining trying tounch an attack makes my head hurt.

    We head under the water, taking a reinforced tunnel that the Colony has created that connects to the neighbouring mountain we were hunting on. Basically an undersea highway. How on Pangera did they manage to engineer it to withstand the incredible pressure?

    I won''t even bother asking, there''s no chance I''ll understand the answer.

    Wait a second!

    I freeze for a moment and turn my many minds inward, sifting through the hundreds of thousands of strands of Will flowing into me. I thought I''d spotted something, something I''ve been looking for¡­ there it is!

    Finally found you! I seize the thread with delight and work out where it''sing from. Of course you''de to this new fortress, so much space, so many walls for you to work on, it''s basically a nk canvas, one that you could never resist!

    Michengnt! The rogue artist, with her gang of sculptors and painters, is here, inside the mountain! I''ve been wanting to catch her for ages, and try to get her to agree to stop making so many damn statues of me! Not to mention the murals! I don''t even want to think about the paintings. Those are new and even more embarrassing. The Colony''s continual absorption of new cultural artefacts from the various races we encounter has only elerated with time, and the main way they seem to be applied is in finding new ways to depict me looking high and mighty.

    I saw a vase with me painted on the side the other day.

    A VASE.

    What do we even need vases for?! We''re ants, for goodness'' sake!

    Oh, no. I''ve got you this time. You won''t get away without getting an antenna-full ofints from the subject of your supposed ''works''!

    I rush forward through the tunnel, excited, only to be held up at the massive, enormous, absurd gates the carvers have installed blocking the path. They''re open a crack, just wide enough for a constant stream of traffic to move both in and out, but due to my unusual size, I don''t fit. Tiny can suck in his gut and squeeze through, but I don''t have the ability to shrink my exoskeleton.

    So I''m stuck while they open it up a touch, a rather difficult feat considering the things must weigh thousands of tons. Another remarkable construction effort that I have no idea how they achieved.

    Once I''m through and within the nest properly, I make to rush off, ready to hunt down that damned artist, but I''m held up before I get the chance.

    "Hey there, Eldest! It''s your lucky day!"

    I look down at the tiny ant in front of me.

    "Brilliant? Why are you here? What''s lucky?"

    "You''re lucky, because you get to talk to me again! What an honour!"

    THWACK.

    "Stop being ridiculous and tell me why you''re here," I tell her irritably. I need to get that damn artist!

    "Ouch. That''s not necessary. I was asked to tell you about the situation on the third."

    Oh? My curiosity is piqued.

    "Go on then."

    "I believe they''ve started to sense the tier eights rising up through theyers. The fighting is getting more intense all the time. I think they''re going to want you back up there soon."

    Ahhhhh nards. Am I going to miss my chance? My antenna twitches and Brilliant vanishes in a sh, reappearing ten metres away.

    "Easy with the antenna, I''m only delivering the message!"

    "You won''t get whacked for delivering a message," I retort, "but you will for getting too full of yourself!"

    She has the gall to look confused.

    "That''s not even possible," she boasts, "I''m BRILLIANT."

    "You''re due for a thwacking, that''s what you are," I grumble.

    But she''s gone, vanishing in another sh. Hopefully she''s gone back to herb. The sooner we can work out gate technology, the sooner I won''t be reliant on a mad-ant to rip me through dimensions.

    Sounds like things are really heating up in the third, which isn''t good news. Going back up there is painful in the extreme, thanks to the hook lodged in my guts. I''ll have to brace myself for it. I should track down Sloan or Victor as well, get an update on what''s going on.

    Damn you, Michangnt, you win this time¡­.

    A quick sh and Brilliant reappears.

    "Oh, and there''s another waveing. Big one."

    Then she''s gone again.

 Chapter 963 1074 - Rolling Waves

    <h4>Chapter 963 Chapter 1074 - Rolling Waves</h4>

    Again?! I have to say, I''ve had enough of these waves. Each one is worse than thest. I mean, the Colony has been able to grow rapidly thanks to the injection of experience and Biomass, but the risk rises exponentially each time. This time, we''ll be fighting across four strata at the same time!

    What a nightmare.

    At least, if we can find ways to block off the ascent of the monsters here in the fourth, we lessen the pressure on our territory above.

    Ugh. I just realised that this means I''ll have to take on more of those scum from the fifth. That poison is no joke! Countermeasures will need to be put in ce¡­ but I''ll leave the thinking to the smarter ants. When they work out where they want me to go, I''ll go and help as best I can. In the short term, that''ll mean taking on multiple tier eight demons, which is going to suck, but that''s the challenge I took on when I picked the evolution I did.

    "Sloan! What the hell is going on up there?" I demand as I burst into the central nning chamber of the new fortress nest.

    There''s a swirling vortex of generals, mages, carvers and shapers centred around the council member in the middle of the space. The moment I burst in, everyone freezes, staring back at me, their antennae drifting slowly from side to side.

    "Ooookay," I say. "Don''t let me¡­ uh¡­ interrupt."

    "Bitte for that, don''t you think?" Sloan said. "Wee back, Eldest. I assume you''re talking about the situation on the third?"

    "Y-yes."

    They''re all still staring at me, like mice looking at a cat, hoping they won''t be spotted if they don''t move. It''s unnerving!

    "Uh. Brilliant popped out of nowhere and gave me a quick update, but I thought I should talk to you to get a clearer picture."

    "Good idea. We''ve found that Brilliant is by far the fastest way to move information between strata, but far from the most reliable. She tends to miss details, or gloss over them, which is strange considering how intelligent she usually is."

    I shake my antennae. Brilliant? Intelligent? I''m not so sure about that. She''s a mad scientist. There''s a certain level of genius there, but there''s a whole lot of¡­ gaps? She''s going to be an amazing help for the Colony, but she definitely needs us to put some rails in ce to keep her on the right path.

    Otherwise, she''s going to be turning herself inside out in some dumb experiment.

    "In short, the situation is chaotic," she tells me, "demons are fighting all over the ce. Even some ''settled'' tier six demons in the cities are going rogue andshing out."

    "Are the cities still safe?"

    "Rtively speaking, but we''ve had to increase our garrisons and lean on our demon allies to try and keep the peace, which isn''t easy because they might turn violent at any moment."

    "Any idea as to what''s causing it?"

    If this chaos is stratum wide, then there has to be an underlying cause. If we can work out what it is, then maybe we have a shot at fixing it.

    "So far, not a clue. We''ve been too busy making preparations and fighting up there to do much investigating. More to the point, I don''t think anyone knows where to look."

    Good point.

    "And with a waveing, that''s not likely to get any better¡­."

    "Indeed. From what we understand, waves on the third stratum are especially deadly. The spawn rate of demonrvae skyrockets and the ins be almost impossible to navigate."

    How is it even possible for the spawn rate of those ankle biting little demons to get any higher? The entire floor of the ce is a literal living carpet! I guess we just get severalyers of carpet? Each trying to consume the other?

    I guess we just abandon the ins and do our best to hold the cities. What a nightmare.

    "And the tier eights?" I ask.

    The general cks her mandibles in irritation.

    "Reports are mixed," she says. "It''s hard for us to track them, considering the general insanity that''s going on. They don''t always move together, but every now and again, the three of them seem to gather for reasons we don''t understand. The general consensus is that they''re gradually rising, though that may elerate as the mana levels rise. We just don''t know enough to be able to predict when or if they''re going to reach us."

    Such a pain. This is why they sent Brilliant to put me on notice. I could be called up any time.

    "Alright. This is going to suck, but I think I''m going to head up through the Tree gate. We have to find out what''s going on if we want to have any hope of getting a handle on it."

    The general raises an antenna.

    "You think you have a lead? Some source of information?"

    "You could say that. You can call him Al."

    Next thing, we make our way over to the gate, and this time, Invidia and Crinis have to pitch in to help toss my tier seven bum through the gate. We do of course send someone through to warn everyone on the other side.

    I crash to the ground and slide a little, already experiencing a sharp rise in the pain caused by the Call.

    Ooooooooooof. Stupid Ancients. I hate those guys. This persistent, throbbing ache that just worms into my mind, demanding I go deeper in the Dungeon, calling me to descend.

    It sucks. It seriously sucks.

    I take a few minutes to gather myself, then put my feet under me and push myself up. Time to head to Roklu and see if we can find our old friend, the ming eyeball. He always seemed to know more than he should, and if he hasn''t gone mad, then perhaps he can shed a little light on our current situation.

 Chapter 964 1075 - Eye for the Future

    <h4>Chapter 964 Chapter 1075 - Eye for the Future</h4>

    I''m tempted to utilise my new gravity wells to help lift me up to the te city of Roklu, but I decide not to. I''ll be damned if I appear undignified in front of the entire nest built against the pir.

    So I climb instead.

    For quite some time now, my ability to Grip hasn''t increased in line with my size. I''ve allowed my training to stall on this particr Skill and now I''m paying the price.

    Now that my weight is up to multiple tons, I mean, I easily outmass an elephant at this point, maybe even a couple of elephants, the little ws at the end of my legs are struggling to lift that bulk. I''m too damn swole! I''ve got the muscle power to hold on, but seriously, I need to engage in some hardcore grip training. The idea of an ant who can''t hold on upside down indefinitely is absurd!

    Eventually, I manage to haul myself up onto the te, with maybe a little help from Crinis, and I immediately set off to try and find Al. The burning eyeball of doom is rather hard to find when he doesn''t want to be found. Rather, it''s impossible.

    Fortunately for me, he seems to be in the mood for discussion, since we find him rather easily. His house is still standing in the outer areas of the city and when we check, he''s in there, floating, reading a book.

    I didn''t even know demons could read¡­.

    I have to say, the picture of a giant eyeball made of fire hovering over a lectern is an odd one to say the least. A question immediately pops into my mind.

    [How do you turn the pages?] I ask.

    The book floats up into the air, snaps shut, then drifts toward a shelf where it slots itself into a gap between two other volumes. Of course, he uses magic.

    [Second question, how many books have you set on fire by staring too hard at them?]

    The demon turns to face me, although all he can really see is my eye peering in through a window.

    [Curious. It has been some time. I see you have evolved.]

    [That''s right, Al. I''m the same tier as you now. BEHOLD ME.]

    The burning eye glitters.

    [You have be strong. Interesting. I hope that you are strong enough to survive whates.]

    That''s a leading statement if ever I''ve heard one.

    [Any chance you can get a little deeper into that?] I ask. [And also, can youe outside? I''m having to crouch quite low.]

    He floats on out and I stand to my full height.

    [You are certainly muchrger than before,] he notes, almost dismissively.

    [Hey, I don''t have a pocket dimension to stick my organs in, alright? Those things are expensive.]

    [I received mine for free.]

    ¡­. Demons.

    [At any rate, is there a chance you can exin what''s been going on with the demonstely? There''s fighting all over the ce, even in this city some demons have gone off the handle and attacked others at random.]

    [I have some knowledge I can share. For a price.]

    Heat rolls off the floating demon in waves at the mention of knowledge. This guy and his damn obsession.

    [Fine. Where were we up to?]

    I''ve been bargaining with him using information from Earth, feeding him plot lines of various shows and books in exchange for his wisdom. It doesn''t even seem to matter that the info I give him ispletely useless, his obsession demands that he learns new things, regardless of their utility.

    [... so then they bricked him up in the tunnel, until he changed his mind and decided to be a good engine. The end.]

    Al is burning so hot it''s scalding even to me.

    [Excellent,] he purrs. [I find this world of talking¡­ trains¡­ to be most interesting.]

    [Next time, I''ll tell you about the one where a kid throws rocks off a bridge and gets beaten by his dad.]

    [Wonderful.]

    [Now¡­ the demons? What the heck is going on with you guys?]

    Al falls silent for a moment as he ponders where to begin.

    [How much are you aware of Arconidem?] he asks finally.

    Ancients again? I''m so sick of those morons.

    [All I really know is that Arconidem is an Ancient, one of the most powerful monsters in the Dungeon.]

    Al flickers with bright me.

    [That much is correct, but it is the connection between Arconidem and the demons that is the root cause of the current strife. The title Arconidem took for themself, is "Demon God", and there is a reason for that.]

    [Is this Ancient like the Queen? Were you guys initially born from one monster before the floor started spitting you out?]

    [No.] t rejection. [The connection between the Demons and the Ancient is closer to the one between you and your family.]

    That me burns smugly and it seems like Al can see a heck of a lot more of my status than he has any right to. I feel exposed.

    [There is a link between the demons and Arconidem, all demons, whether we wish it were there or not. Some feel it more strongly than others, some resist it, others don''t want to. I have no desire to engage in the wanton ughter that the Demon God demands, there is no knowledge to be had, so I resist, though it grows harder.]

    [Why?]

    [Because Arconidem is awake.]

    ¡­ Is that special?

    [What do you mean? The biggest baddest monster in the Dungeon has been getting some shuteye?]

    [The Demon God has been asleep for hundreds of years.]

    [Oh.]

    [All the Ancients have. But they are slowly waking as the mana levels rise. This new wave will cause even more to rouse themselves from slumber. When the mana reaches its peak, they will rise and hunt through the Dungeon, even reach the surface itself should they be able.]

    Well that aligns pretty well with what Granin andpany had to say. I should check in with them before I leave, see if they have any further insights.

    [Right, so this big bad Demon God has woken up, and that''s messing with you guys'' heads? What does Arconidem want you to do?]

    [Arconidem demands that we fulfil its obsession. Annihte, burn and ughter, endlessly. Eventually, they wille here themself, and at that point, it will be impossible to resist. Every demon will sumb.]

    [That¡­ sounds bad.]

    [Yes. It is.]

 Chapter 965 1076 - Rock Law

    <h4>Chapter 965 Chapter 1076 - Rock Law</h4>

    [Well, that sounds about right,] Granin rumbles. [I''m not an expert on Arconidem by any means, but what your friend has to say tracks with what I know. If you want more detail from a cult perspective, you''d need to talk to your ka''armodo buddy.]

    [I don''t recall having a ka''armodo buddy.]

    [You know what I mean. Effectively, Arconidem has some sort of influence across the demons who spawn on this stratum. I don''t know how or why, but I do know that it''s true. In fact, it''s not even a secret really, any demon who''s willing to talk will tell you as much.]

    [I thought the Ancients were like, secret or something. Isn''t it the case that a lot of people don''t believe they even exist?]

    [You think just because some Pride demon says they live in service of the Demon God Arconidem, everyone will believe them? They just dismiss it as delusional monster talk. The Ancients themselves haven''t been seen by mortal eyes in thousands of years, and almost no records exist from that time. They''re legends to most, myths to the rest.]

    [Except for you cult types.]

    [Well, every cult was founded by a person who, ording to our history, actually conversed with one of the Ancients during the Rending. It''s hardly surprising that we know more about them than anyone else.]

    That would have been a heck of a conversation. I wonder what these super old monsters had to say for themselves after massacring almost everyone alive. Must have been persuasive since people like Granin are still working for them after all this time.

    [Any chance you''d be willing to share what that chat was about? Your founder had words with Yarrum, right? What did the worm have to say for itself?]

    Granin just grins at me.

    [That''s secret cult business,] he says, then he shrugs. [I''m willing to tell you more if you ept your ce as a candidate for the twentieth Ancient. Regardless of what you want, you''re caught up in it now. You''ve been Called. That means they have their eyes on you.]

    [Not interested,] I tell him tly. [If I can find a way to rid myself of this ''blessing'' as you call it, I will, instantaneously.]

    [I kind of doubt you''ll manage it. The Ancients are gods on this world, as powerful as it is for a creature to be.]

    I kind of doubt that. Gandalf gives me severe ''in-control'' vibes, and he doesn''t seem at all impressed with the Ancients. In fact, he seems downright dismissive.

    [Enough about all that,] Corun breaks in, [tell us about your new form? Is it working as well as you wanted? Were the reset options what you were hoping for?]

    [You''re looking strong, Anthony,] Torrina says. [This diamond you''re coated with doesn''t have the same shine as what you had before, but it seems thicker. I''m sensing a strange energy resonating within.]

    Granin''s two triumvirate members have been circling around me while I talk to their boss, poking and prodding at me, both mentally and physically. I''m ttered, in a way, but also embarrassed, and frankly a little annoyed at their antics.

    [Oi, could you stop scuffing up the diamond, please? It may not be as shiny as before, but I''ll fix that with mutations if I have to. And yes, it is thicker, and a heck of a lot heavier.]

    [The density must be off the scale,] she continues, stepping in front of me and running a hand along one of my mandibles. Seriously? I just asked you not to do that! [It''s not like anything I''ve ever seen before.]

    [Forgive them, Anthony,] Granin chuckles. [It''s rare for us to see a tier seven monster this close up, certainly one that isn''t trying to kill us. When you throw in the unique and interesting nds and materials you''ve chosen, you''re basically an irresistible treasure trove of monster knowledge to folks like us.]

    His words help mollify me a bit, but it''s still weird. They''re poking at me like I''m a science experiment.

    [Any chance you could share what material your carapace is made of now?] Granin asks, a gleam of excitement in his eye.

    Dammit, Granin, you too? I shoo Corun and Torrina away with my antennae as I reply.

    [Look, get off of me. I''ll tell you if you leave me alone? Alright? It''s Gravity Compressed Diamond. Effectively, a super dense, super hardened diamond. It''s much, much tougher than the diamond coating I had before, and much heavier. More than that, it responds to gravitational energy, amplifying the effect. I expect to see some sweet mutation options in that regard.]

    [How does gravitypression work?] Torrina frowns. [Can you give me some examples that ur in nature?]

    Uh, I don''t really want to go into how stars ands are made, let alone funky System level stuff. The kind of energy that would need to be applied to crunch diamond down to something even more dense... I don''t even want to try and think about how it was done.

    [Look, gravity squashes stuff. More gravity, more squash. Let''s leave it at that.]

    [What about the rest of your resets?] Corun asks. [And your evolution bonus? We''d love to know what you got. It would help usplete our records on ant evolution trees.]

    [I''ll share that with the Colony,] I tell them. [I don''t think you guys need to know.]

    The golgari''s face falls when he realises I won''t spill all the beans and I feel a little bad. I feel even worse when Granin chips in.

    [I hope you know you can trust us, Anthony,] he says, face serious. [We''ve thrown our fate in with yours to the point we can''t go home to our own people anymore. We can''t advise you about things we have no knowledge of. I know enough about evolution to know that whatever you got forpleting this evolution chain took a huge chunk of the evolution''s potential. Your bonus stats should have been much, much higher, but all of that went into the new organ you got. You don''t have to share more than you''refortable with, but don''t forget that we''re on your side.]

    That stings a bit, and for a second, I''m severely tempted to tell them, but something holds me back. Ultimately, the loyalty of Granin and his apprentices is to the cult, and to Yarrum. Whatever they''re trying to do here is in service of the goals that the Ancient set. I do trust Granin, Corrun and Torrina, I trust them a lot. However, I find it very difficult to trust anything that the Ancients are involved in. I don''t know what they want or why they want it.

    Well, I know they want another Ancient, the twentieth, but other than that, no clue. Until I learn that secret, I''m just not sure I''m ready to share with Granin exactly what I can do. I''m even more sensitive because the Altar of Self doesn''t just affect me but also the entire Colony.

    [When I learn a few more of your secrets, Granin, I''ll share a few more of mine. Fair?]

    The old golgari looks sombre for a moment, but he nods slowly.

    [That''s fair.]

 Chapter 966 1077 - Free Demons

    <h4>Chapter 966 Chapter 1077 - Free Demons</h4>

    After my chat with Granin and the team I say goodbye and head off onto the ins to gather my thoughts. Al tags along with us, it seems he''s interested in seeing how the current dilemma is ying out around the stratum, so he wants to see it with his own eye.

    From what we''ve learned, it''s clear that the struggles experienced by the Colony here in the third are caused by an Ancient. Doesn''t sound like Arconi-douche is even actively doing something. He, or it, or whatever, is just awake, which is apparently enough to infect every demon in the Dungeon with their nonsense.

    It''s ridiculous! I might have a connection with the Colony around me, but at least I''m not influencing their behaviour! At least, I hope to Gandalf I''m not. I certainly don''t want to! If anything, I hope their responsible attitudes rub off on me a little. I''ve been blundering blindly forward for so long that it almost feels alien to try and n ahead.

    But that''s what I''ve been doing now! Gweheheheh.

    I''ve reset my carapace and mandibles, but I''ve yet to mutate them. I wanted to take out the new model and give it a spin before I tried to think about what I might want to do, mutation wise. There''s a lot to consider after all. I think the time is right to dive into the menus and have a good look at what''s avable, but before I do, there''s something I want to confirm.

    [Hey, Invidia.]

    The envy demon ps his little wings and turns that enormous green eye on me.

    [Yesssss?]

    [ording to what Al over there and even Granin had to say, every demon can feel the influence of Arconidem. Does that go for you too?]

    Say what you will about the little guy, he has one heck of an intense stare when he wants to.

    [Yessss,] he confirms.

    Hmmm.

    [Did you know what it was? Where it came from? Or were you just getting a strong urge to blow things up without knowing why.]

    He ponders for a moment.

    [I didssss not know. Orssss, I knew, but wassss not aware.]

    I can kind of understand where he''sing from. He knew instinctively what was going on, but didn''t actively think about it.

    [Is it getting stronger? Staying the same?]

    [Stronger.]

    [And how do you feel about it? Can''t be pleasant, having these thoughts and feelings injected into your head.]

    [I am notssss pleased. I wissshhh to control mysssself. I will notssss have it takenssss from me.]

    His eye shes bright with determination and I feel my heart bleed for the little guy. He doesn''t want some big bad reaching out and messing with him from the depths of the Dungeon. He''s his own chap, with his own goals and dreams.

    How dare that Ancient sack of silliness try and take that away from my friend?!

    [Well don''t you worry,] I tell him, [we won''t let someone take control of you. We''ll go down there and kick him right in the backside. I''m talking a hostile takeover of themercial zone.]

    It might just be me, but I feel like I can see a glimmer of gratitude in the fluttering demon. He doesn''t say anything, just nods his eye and floats over to rest on Tiny''s shoulder.

    Is he embarrassed? Aww.

    [Alright then. Look out for me for a minute, gang, I''m going to do a little mutating. You might need to deploy the emergency screen, Crinis.]

    [Roger!]

    She''s practised the manoeuvre numerous times, using her shapeable form to cover me in the event of an embarrassing itch reaction. Down here on the ins, who knows who might be able to see?

    [If you spot any tier fours or higher, you can squash them for experience. Just don''t go far.]

    Thatst bit is for Tiny. He''d run off looking for something to fight if he got too bored. Best not to take chances.

    Now then, time to jump into the menu!

    I''ve got a lot of options for things to mutate, obviously every organ in my body needs to be boosted up to +35, which is going to take an absurd amount of Biomass. One hundred and sixty five for every organ I have. Thanks to the resets, I also have to bring a number of organs up from zero. My Nave and Altar both need mutating, as does my Carapace, Mandibles, Inner-ting and Gravity Magic nd.

    Now obviously, the ultimate goal is to create synergy. My mutations and the materials my body are made of should work together harmoniously to create an effect greater than the sum of my parts.

    I don''t want to go too crazy right off the bat, so I''m going to stick to the carapace, mandibles and ting for now. I need more work with the Altar before I try to mutate that. I''m not yet sure what it needs to function better than it currently does. It feelspletely overpowered to me already, what more could I possibly want from it?

    I definitely need to upgrade it before I get into a fight with those tier eight demons, but it''s too early now.

    I jump into the menus and start flicking through the options for my carapace. It''s almost enough for me to ck my mandibles with happiness as the nostalgia wave rolls over me. Look at these old options that I considered the first time I mutated my shell. Elemental resistance, thickening and hardening, even the spiky carapace mutation!

    Diamond carapace is still here in the list. As if I''d want to coat my new exo-skeleton with ayer of inferior, if sparklier diamond. It''s interesting that the option is even still there, considering how much of a waste it would be. Just goes to show that the system doesn''t protect a monster from making inferior choices.

    One is free to waste their mutations should theyck the foresight and wisdom to select the best options.

    ... I feel like a chill just ran down my spine. Ick foresight and wisdom! Ick them a lot!

    I''m worried now. I need to double and triple check any mutations before I confirm anything. Deep breaths, Anthony. I can do this. Let''s get to picking!

 Chapter 967 1078 - More Gravity?

    <h4>Chapter 967 Chapter 1078 - More Gravity?</h4>

    These menus are always intimidating due to their sheer size, but I''m prepared to go the distance on this one, I can''t afford to make a mistake and pick the wrong options. There''ll be no reset after this one.

    I suppose it''s technically possible to do one, but that would be a criminal waste of evolutionary energy. Basically a punch straight into my own face.

    So I have to be careful, no yahoo off the cuff stuff. I''m going to peruse these menus with extreme focus.

    Focus¡­.

    Focus¡­.

    Zzzzzzzzzzz¡­.

    Hah!

    Wazzat?! Curse these damn lists! Despite having so many brains and such a high Cunning score, how is it possible my attention span and capacity to look at fine details remain so terrible?

    But I can''t give up, I won''t!

    With renewed determination, I begin to scroll once more. Most of these, I''m not interested in, obviously. Long ago, I decided against using mutations for specific resistances. I want my improvements to be as broadly applicable as possible. Naturally, that means I have to settle for a bit of oomph in many areas rather than a huge shazam in one. It''s the wiser tradeoff.

    As I trawl the menu, I start to wonder more and more if I actually need to make myself tougher via mutation. I mean, my gravitypressed diamond is already hard as a brick. A brick formed from the heart of a neutron star, that is. Most mutations add ayer to the outside of the carapace, like my diamond mutation which coated my exo-skeleton in a fineyer of the precious gem. That worked great, since the outer coating was harder than my carapace and helped protect it from harm. What am I going to coat my new carapace in? Something even harder? There''s barely anything harder than this, and what''s the point ofyering something ultra tough on top of something that''s already close to ultra tough!?

    I could coat it in ayer of magic resistant material for the ultimate defensivebo I suppose, but I''ve already invested heavily in solving that issue with my own mana skills. I can create shields to protect myself from projectiles, or use my many mind constructs to rip the spells apart as they approach me.

    No, what I need is not even more defence. What I need, are mutations that will help synergise with what I hope to make my greatest strength: my gravity magic.

    The gravity bomb captivated me the first time I saw it, and I''ve yearned to better harness that absurd power. The humble gravity bolt, welding my opponents to the floor, the gravity spear, or even the gravity domain, literally bringing my enemies to their knees.

    I want to be a gravity ant! Now, finally, after all this time, I can make it happen!

    As a material that already holds an affinity for that type of energy, it''s only natural that there should be some specific mutations for it attached. I eagerly scroll through thousands of different mutation options, looking for anything that rtes to gravity.

    In the end, I find only three that are relevant to me.

    [Gravity Regeneration: Harnesses gravitational energy to repair damage to the carapace.]

    Now, this is fine. It''s¡­ it''s fine. There''s synergy there, sure. I want to use gravity mana in battle, which will generate gravitational energy, which will repair the damage I sustain in battle.

    It''s just¡­ not what I''m looking for. I can use my inner-ting for something like this, or rely on my regeneration nd, which replenishes so quickly thanks to the Vestibule.

    [Resonance Hardening: Absorbs gravitational energy to furtherpress and harden the carapace.]

    Now this, I can get behind. It''s not adding an extrayer onto my carapace, but toughening up what I already have whenever I use gravity magic, which I intend to do, all the time. I can already see myself floating gracefully through the air, carapace absorbing that sweet energy from the well, making me invulnerable to physical damage!

    [Gravitic Magnification: enhances the resonating properties of Gravity Compressed Diamond to provide a boost to any Gravity Spell or field nearby.]

    Oh ho! This one is also quite sweet. Turn my defence into offence! I can get behind it. The more I reinforce this mutation, the stronger the resonance will be! In fact¡­.

    Now that I think about it, this mutation actually melds quite well with the second I considered. Perhaps I should take both mutations and then fuse them in order to get the best of both worlds? My carapace makes my gravity magic more powerful, which in turn hardens my carapace, which in turn provides more energy.

    I love it!

    Happy with my decision, I punch in my upgrades all the way to +30, selecting Magnification at +5, Hardening at +10, fusing at +15, then repeating the process for +20, +25 and +30.

    What results is: Intensifying Compression Carapace (Gravity Compressed Diamond) +30.

    Satisfied, I lock that in and turn to my inner-carapace ting.

    It''s important that these twoponents work together, since that''s their intended function.

    I added the inner-carapace ting to help negate the weakness of an external skeleton by making it have a little more flex. The weakness of a tough armour is either a sharp stab in the joints, or getting hit with a hammer, cracking it like an egg or sending the force rippling through the armour to scramble the insides.

    I want an omelette all of a sudden.

    The ting does that job well, helping to absorb shocks before they get to my organs, just by default. I can mutate to increase that effect, which isn''t a bad idea, but I''m sure there are other things I can find.

    The Crystal Flesh I used to form the ting during the reset is already reactive to gravity, but I''m sure there''s a way to capitalise on that aspect even further.

    There''s basically two things I''m looking for here, help healing the carapace, because I quite liked the regenerative mutation I used previously, but I also want something that might feed into the enhancing of gravitic energy that I''ve leaned into already. Luckily, I find a mutation that closely mimics the regeneration I was already offered for my carapace, which will work well.

    A tough carapace that rapidly heals itself is the idea. We''re all about that effective HP around here.

    I don''t find something with the same resonant properties as what I found for the carapace, but I may have found something just as good.

    [Gravitic Amplifier: increases the density of gravity mana in the vicinity of the ting.]

    Nice.

 Chapter 968 1079 - Moving On

    <h4>Chapter 968 Chapter 1079 - Moving On</h4>

    It''s expensive taking something from 0 to +30. Four hundred and sixty five! Just imagine that number. It wasn''t so long ago that I could barely imagine having that much Biomass ready to use.

    As it is, after the hunting I''ve done with the gang and vacuuming up the food the others didn''t need, I only have enough stored away to mutate these two body parts, and only barely at that. If we hadn''t run into a few high tier monsters on our hunt, I would never have stored enough.

    I do the same with the ting as I did with the carapace, taking the one option at +5, the other at +10, then fusing, and repeat the process up to thirty. Satisfied with my selections, I punch in the confirmation and await my fate.

    Here ites.

    Oooooo, it''s going to be a bad one. I can already tell.

    AaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAND HERE IT IS!

    [Crinis! Cover me!] I howl as I immediately flop onto my back and start thrashing wildly.

    Being asrge as I am, the thrashing is all the more spectacr and I''d prefer none of my siblings were able to see it. Ugh, just horrible. Why is it that I have to put up with this dreadful sensation when I mutate? Nobody else seems to roll about suffering like I do. What''s the deal?! I''ll have to mention it to Gandalf the next time I see him. In fact, that''s all the motivation I need to push for tier eight, forget about this stupid hook the Ancients stuck me with.

    Eventually, the itch fades and I right myself quickly. I want to check my carapace as fast as possible! I look over myself, inspecting every detail. Surely I''m more shiny than before? There''s no way my lustre was reduced even further, is there?

    Thankfully, I believe I can detect a little more oomph to the deep purple shimmer that can be seen within the diamond. It isn''t much, but I''ll take it. I don''t remember ever feeling vain as a human, but for some reason, I became quite attached to my glimmering carapace. It caught the eye and really lit up the room, in a literal sense.

    [Is everything alright, Master?] Crinis asks as I continue to check over myself.

    [Yes, it''s all fine. Now that the itch is gone, I just wanted to see how the new mutation looked on the carapace.]

    [You look as imposing as always, Master,] Crinis assures me.

    [I just wish I didn''t have to put up with this stupid itch all the time. Every time I mutate, it''s like my entire body is on fire. I hate it.]

    [Oh.]

    [Do you feel it? What happens when you mutate?]

    [Um, nothing, really. I feel a bit wiggly, that''s all.]

    Probably an advantage she gets from being a shadow creature. Dammit, how is that fair?

    [At least you get what I mean, Tiny. The mutation itch is just ridiculous.]

    The big ape looks at me and shakes his head.

    [What do you mean, no?]

    He pats himself on the chest and then gives me a thumbs up.

    [You''re totally fine when mutating? This is outrageous! Howe nobody told me anything about this?]

    Tiny shrugs.

    [What do you mean, you did?! I think I''d remember something like that!]

    Well this just won''t do. I have to find Sarah and confirm this injustice right away. It''spletely unfair that only us reincarnated folks have to put up with this. We need tomiserate together!

    The question is, where do I find her? I haven''t spoken to her at all since I evolved, not since the resolution to the whole Jim fiasco. I hope she''s been able to heal her wounded heart, at least a little.

    She''s got a real family now, one that cares for her. Mandibles crossed, that''ll be enough. Although it probably won''t if she has to put up with this itch!

    It doesn''t take much asking around for me to work out where she is. Not in Roklu, as it turns out, but another ant held demon-town closer to the border we share with the lizard wizards. She''s been assisting to suppress the demon shenanigans while patrolling with the Colony to help scare off the ka''armodo.

    Truly, a hard working bear/killing machine!

    It''s on patrol that I eventually find her, out strolling along the border with a squad of a hundred ants, looking tough and intimidating. I run up to her with an urgent wave of the antennae, reaching out to her with my mind.

    [Hey, Sarah!]

    She sounds a mixture of surprised and confused when she replies.

    [A-Anthony? Is that you?]

    [What? Of course it''s me! Oh, the evolution. Yes, I have be huge. But that''s not important!]

    [It isn''t?] Now she sounds doubly confused, and I can''t me her. Evolution is important to us monsters, after all.

    [No! W-well, I mean yes, but right now, no! I''ve just confirmed that my pets don''t itch like mad when they mutate! And between you and me, I don''t think normal monsters do either. It''s just us! How unfair is that!?]

    The mighty bear staggers back under my mental word assault, looking left and right as if someone might be able to step in and help her out of this situation. No, there''s nobody except me who can sympathise with this terrible state of affairs, Sarah!

    [I should probably be focusing on my patrol,] she says, [are you to help out?]

    [What? No! Although I probably should help while I''m here¡­. I just wanted someone tomiserate with. I''ve been putting up with this horrendous itch ever since I arrived here on Pangera. Every time I mutate, it''s awful. The idea that only us reincarnated folk experience it just seems dreadfully unfair.]

    I stare at her earnestly with my eyes sparkling. Finally, I''ve put it out there. Finally someone else will express their shared loathing of this terrible inconvenience!

    Instead, Sarah just shuffles and looks ufortable.

    [Anthony¡­ I have no idea what you''re talking about. I''ve never experienced a dreadful itch or anything when mutating. It''s ufortable for a bit, but that''s about all.]

    I feel like my world is crashing down around me. How can this be?

    [You mean to say¡­ it''s just me?!]

 Chapter 969 1080 - Mental Shock

    <h4>Chapter 969 Chapter 1080 - Mental Shock</h4>

    Philosophants have long debated the reason the Eldest was so secretive about their mutations. There could be any number of reasons for it, though it''s extremely difficult to find evidence to support or refute one in particr. We know that the Eldest didn''t like to be seen when mutating, there are innumerable, reputable ounts of the lengths they went to in order to avoid being seen.

    The guardians were frequently deployed to shield them from scrying eyes. The Eldest would frequently mutate away from the Colony entirely, a notable choice, given the greater safety within the nests.

    Some postte that the Eldest was engaged in experimental, dangerous selections, pushing the boundaries of what was known. This could well be true, given that the umted knowledge of the Colony didn''t exist back then. Evolutions and mutationbinations were being discovered all the time, and many dead ends were found to the detriment of the brave ants who volunteered to explore them. Perhaps the Eldest wanted to shield others from following in their footsteps in case they themself fell into such a trap, dooming those to follow.

    But why hide the process itself? The Eldest was famously taciturn about sharing their status screen, which worked to hide their choices, but to go as far as to ensure that none could even see them mutate?

    We may never know the full story.

    - Excerpt from ''Choices of the Eldest'' by Emmanual. K. Ant.

    It takes me a bit of time to recover from such a devastating mental shock. All this time, I was the only one suffering from this itch?! That''s¡­ that''s¡­. It''s so ridiculously unfair! What the hell is going on here, Gandalf? I feel such rage, such frustration. This is absurd!

    If that bearded chatan were here in front of me right now, I''d give him a taste of my mandibles. Just what''s he ying at, inflicting me with this awful sensation?

    Perhaps this is the bearded bozo''s idea of a joke. Has he been watching me roll around, legs iling in the air all this time, just having augh? There will be payback. There will be justice! This travesty will not be allowed to stand!

    [Anthony? A-are you alright?]

    Sarah is concerned, her big bear head hanging low as she looks at me. Ovee with my despair and anguish, I''ve flopped onto the ground, legs syed in all directions around me.

    [No. Not really,] I reply. [I''ve just learned that someone out there really has it in for me, and I don''t know why.]

    [Is this about the itching thing? You itch when you mutate? It can''t be that bad, can it?]

    Oh, Sarah, you sweet, anxiety-riddled summer child. You have no idea.

    [When I mutate my eyes, it feels like they''re bubbling right out of my head.]

    [Oh.]

    [Yes, oh.]

    I should note that I''m holding up an entire Colony patrol with my antics. A hundred ants are standing around, pointedly not looking in my direction as I flop morosely on the ground in front of them. The Will flowing from them is typically supportive, even if they are starting to wonder if I''m beingzy.

    Well, nothing for it, I suppose. There''s nothing I can do about this situation right now. I''ll store up all my anger and unleash it on Gandalf the next time I speak to him. He''ll be sorry he crossed me!

    I push my legs under me and rise to stand once more. It''s kind of weird seeing Sarah like this, now that I think about it. She''s significantly smaller than me after my evolution, and I easily outmass the hulking pile of ursine muscle.

    I look her directly in the eye.

    She looks up at me.

    [Heh,] I snigger.

    I''ll never get used to seeing a giant bear roll its eyes.

    [Oh, very mature,] she sighs. [Congrattions, you''re bigger than me now. What do you want, a cookie?]

    [I''ll never say no to a biscuit. I don''t mean to be rude about it, it''s just a new experience is all. Besides, I won''t get to enjoy this for long, you''ll be bigger than me again after your next evolution, which can''t be far away.]

    Sarah hesitates for a moment and then stares wistfully into the distance.

    [I¡­ I''m not sure I want to evolve again.]

    Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat? What kind of monster doesn''t want to evolve? Isn''t that missing the point entirely!?

    [You''re worried about your rage and fear getting the better of you again, aren''t you? You''ve been doing so well getting on top of thattely, don''t even sweat it. Evolve, get stronger and crush the inner demon, as well as the outer ones, we''ve got issues in this strata, seriously.]

    She shakes her head.

    [I have been getting better, I know that. My control over the rage is getting stronger every time I fight, but I''m scared of losing that progress. Every time I evolved, it got worse and worse until I waspletely lost. Now that I''ve finally taken steps towards mastering it, I feel like I''m bing myself again. I''m terrified it''ll get taken away and I''ll go straight back to square one.]

    Although her voice is calm and collected in my head, I can see her trembling. It''s the fur. Impossible to hide your shivers when you have fur. Once again I''m reminded of the strange dichotomy of the Dungeon and reincarnated monsters such as us.

    We are, ording to the beardy-weirdy-one, broken people, ced into powerful, monstrous forms and let loose in a world that wants us dead. I''ve never really felt that it applied to me, I''m just fine, but Sarah has struggled, hard, for a long time.

    I walk up beside her and give her an encouraging pat on the back.

    [Things are different now. Back then, you were alone, but the next time you evolve, you''ll have a family on your side. We won''t ever quit on you.]

    [So, you think I should evolve soon?]

    I surprise her by shaking my antennae, no.

    [Actually, I think you might be on the right track. Take some more time to get back to yourself. The jump up to tier seven is a big one, and I feel if you go into it afraid of what might happen, then it''ll surely go badly. It''s been a long road to get to where you are right now, it''d be a shame to go backwards.]

    She calms herself as I continue to pat her on the back with one leg. I can almost feel her determination hardening beneath the surface.

    [Thank you, Anthony,] she says, then straightens, and I give her a little room. [Well, I suppose I''d better get back on patrol. Can''t be seen beingzy out here, can we?] she jokes.

    [Oh, there''s no fear of that,] I assure her, [there''s a ka''armodo attack inbound right now. Scouts picked it up a minute ago.]

    [There''s what?]

    [Oh yeah. They probably noticed I''ve been here rolling around on the ground and think they might as well have a shot at killing me. Since I''m the biggest ant, I probably have a bit of a target on my head.]

    She brings up a paw and ps it into her face.

    [And somehow, you still think I''m crazier than you.]

    [What? How do you know that?]

    [I KNEW IT!]

 Chapter 970 1081 - Road Test

    <h4>Chapter 970 Chapter 1081 - Road Test</h4>

    Hmmmmm.

    The battle against the ka''armodo is over. Well, I say battle, more of a skirmish, really. They probably scried me acting all weird and thought they might as well see if they can knock me off. Capitalise on my apparent weakness.

    I was able to quickly persuade them that I''m just fine and dandy, so they left withoutmitting much. If I''d been a bit smarter, I could have flopped around some more and really baited them in.

    My new mutations got a nice road test at least, can''tin about that. The resonant properties of my carapace and inner ting were on full disy, reacting to my gravity magic and empowering me further, creating a harmonious cycle that made that sweet purple mana so efficient to use.

    I can create a well to lift myself into the air, and some of the energy feeds straight back into the mana nd, some of it hardens my carapace, some of it helps regenerate the carapace, and to top it all off, it gets slightly condensed for free on the way out.

    I''ll take it!

    My dream of bing an all powerful gravity ant is well on the way to being realised, which is extremely exciting.

    I still have a few issues that need to be tackled, some kinks that need ironing. Careful thought will need to be put in befo-

    [Look, will you stopughing?! I''m trying to think!]

    Nearby, Sarah, the Asura Rage Bear of legend, is copsed on the ground wheezing and huffing her massive bear heart out.

    [Ha-hah! I mean¡­ the legs¡­ I can''t!]

    Her stubby legs rise up and kick helplessly.

    [It''s not that funny! Look, none of my siblings areughing!]

    They are, however, continuing to not look at me directly.

    [The way¡­ the way you drooped down¡­ I-I-hah!]

    Further gales ofughter roll from the bear as I stand nearby fuming. I knew it didn''t look great, but I had to test it out against the lizard enemy when I had a chance! Such an opportunity doesn''te around every day, after all.

    From the reaction, I probably should have held off until I found a way to achieve a more graceful hovering pose. Eventually, Sarah manages to contain herself long enough to get back to her feet.

    [I haven''tughed like that in¡­ goodness, I can''t remember how long. When did you even figure out how to float like that?]

    She almost breaks again when she mentions the floating, but manages to contain herself, barely.

    [I was able to purchase the gravity magic Skill after I evolved. I can create localised gravity wells with it that I use to pick myself up, cancelling out the gravity of the.]

    [O-oh. Tha-that''s¡­ super neat. Really. I-I''d just¡­]

    She takes a big breath.

    [Try and work on¡­ the dis-distribution of¡­ of the gravity¡­ across¡­ across your b-body. That way you''ll be¡­ a li-little s-straighter.]

    She got through it without busting a gut. I almost feel like pping. Judging by the way her fur is standing on end and the expression on her face, as if she''s got a fat salmon wedged in her throat, she''s working hard on keeping theughs in. I appreciate the effort.

    [I know it looks dumb, alright! I just wanted to test it when I had the chance. Sheesh.]

    [I''m sorry. It was just so unexpected!]

    I can imagine. I need to try and steer this conversation back to more serious topics. The sooner we can leave this incident in the past, the better.

    [So have the ka''armodo been active along the border recently? Probing attacks, that sort of thing?]

    [Not recently,] she says, trying to match my tone. [Ever since we received word that a wave wasing, they''ve been much more quiet. If you''d asked me that a week ago, I would have had a different answer for you. shes between patrols, little forays into Colony territory, there was always something going on.]

    Makes sense. Tensions were rising here when I left for the fourth and nothing had really happened to cool them down. If anything, me getting the Colony involved in the little proxy war they had going with the Mother Tree was a clear esction.

    [Now that a wave ising, everyone is probably going to batten the hatches,] I predict. [We''ll be the same. After all, we can experience explosive growth during a wave if we manage our resources properly. We don''t want to be fighting external conflicts if we can avoid it.]

    And thanks to Brilliant, we''ve gotten word of this wave faster than ever before. A huge win! There should be enough time to get our farms and defences ready for the insanity toe, though it''s likely to be close.

    [I''ll leave you be then, Sarah. Good luck with everything out here. Don''t hesitate toe and find me if you need me.]

    [Thanks, Anthony,] she says. [I''m okay. I wasn''t happy about how things ended, but I know there''s no one to me for it. I''m¡­ happier now than I have been for a long time. I just want things to stay this way for a while.]

    [Sounds good to me.]

    I give her a friendly wave, and a wave to the rest of the patrol as well before I head on my merry way. There''s a ton of things to do around the ce, and I''m having trouble trying to work out on my own exactly where the Colony would like me to be.

    Complicating matters is the Call. You''d think the pain would be getting better over time, or I''d be getting used to it, but that is just not the case. If anything, it''s getting worse.

    The Call is just so persistent, it just never ends.

    Every time I manage to push it out of my mind, ites roaring back when I least expect it, demanding I go deeper into the Dungeon. If I''m not careful, I find my feet are already moving before I can think about it, running to throw myself into a tunnel and descend.

    I hate it.

    The gang and I make our way back toward Roklu, the heart of the Colony''s territory in the third, and I try to catch up with Sloan about ns for the uing wave.

    [It''s going to be aplex situation,] she tells me when I can get a minute to talk to her. [We want to farm monsters in the second and third stratum primarily, but the issue with the demons is really tangling our legs.]

    [Why''s that?]

    [Because we don''t think the fighting will die down during the wave, we think it''s only going to get worse. From all the intelligence we''ve been able to gather, the spawn rate of demons explodes during a wave, which means the ins will give rise to far more tier four and five demons. It''s from those demons that the roaming warbands are gaining the most recruits, picking them up before they reach a city. We think lower tier demons are more susceptible to the corrupting influence.]

    [So those rampaging groups of demons will get bigger and stronger.]

    Led by those tier eights, that''s going to be a problem. I have more questions, though.

    [What about the fourth? What are our ns there?]

    The little general shrugs.

    [Not much we can do there. We aren''t strong enough to challenge the fourth, especially not during a wave. We''ll hunker down and defend as best we can.]

    I sigh.

    [Sounds like I''ll be most needed here on the third then.]

    Which sucks. The hook in my guts yanks persistently to a steady rhythm.

    Descend. Descend. Descend. Descend. Descend. Descend!

 Chapter 971 1082 - Instincts

    <h4>Chapter 971 Chapter 1082 - Instincts</h4>

    The demasters of the Folk are renowned for their extraordinary skill with their weapons of choice. Their reputation is such that it exceeds that of even the golgari Stoneswords, whose techniques were forged in the Dungeon during the Rending.

    Their extraordinary methods are beheld with some trepidation, as the tension between the Old and New races is such that none can ever befortable with the achievements of the other. Not monsters, though originating in the Dungeon, the Folk are always held in some suspicion wherever they go.

    The exact nature of their mastery, and how they have achieved it, remains a closely guarded secret among their enves. Whatbination of sses and Skills is required to produce these fearsome warriors? Or is there some innate property to their people that makes it possible to achieve these feats? There are many who would sacrifice much to know, though to our knowledge, none have seeded in replicating it.

    Several outside the Folk have imed to have achieved the status of demaster, but quickly found themselves challenged by the real thing. Since demasters only fight duels to the death, these false positives quickly dried up.

    - Excerpt from ''The Reclusive Masters: Warriors of the Folk'' by Xinci

    Titus took a deep breath, hesitated, then let it out in a long sigh. Minerva caught onto his mood in an instant.

    "You''ve gone soft, husband," she grinned, "I can remember when the whiff of mana in the air was enough to get the fire burning in your eyes. What''s changed?"

    Themander turned to the former Consul, almost exasperated at how little she''d changed over the years.

    "I would''ve thought the responsibility of leading the entire Legion would have tempered your own hunger for battle, my love. I can see now that it hasn''t been the case."

    Minerva threw back her head andughed.

    "You can''t be serious. If you actually expected that to happen, even for a single second, then you don''t know me as well as you should. I''ve been suppressing my rage for over a decade, and now I can finally let it loose."

    A living legend, the walking disaster, she would never be kept from the fighting for long. That was exactly why Titus felt that slight mncholy.

    "It''s been nice, though, hasn''t it?" he asked.

    His wife stood from where she lounged on the other side of their pod and approached to wrap her arms around him.

    "It''s been wonderful. She''s grown so well, Titus. You did an incredible job."

    "Nothing I did," themander snorted, "she practically raised herself after you left. Ran away as fast as she could."

    "You brought her back."

    "Aye. I did."

    "That''s all that matters."

    She squeezed him hard, hard enough he thought he heard a rib crack before she let him go.

    "Come on then, you big softie. Let''s go tell her."

    Titus nodded.

    "Let''s."

    They left their pod, opening the bulkhead, waiting for the filter to sweep them, then stepping into the corridor of the residential area they stayed in. Resources were tight in any Legion base within the fifth, and it wasrgely due to Minerva that they''d been able to stay here at all.

    Navigating the narrow corridors, the two endured the awe-struck gaze of the Legionaries deployed for training, and from more than a few of the instructors. It didn''t bother the pair overmuch, they were used to attention.

    Eventually, they strode up to their daughter''s door and knocked heavily. Even through the reinforced and enchanted metal, they heard her scrambling to tidy up and they both smiled.

    Then Titus frowned.

    It urred to him that there might be a boy in there. Perhaps that sound was Morrelia trying to stuff some fool into the closet or under the bed. No matter, he decided, regardless of where he was, he would die.

    "Rx, would you?" Minerva whispered. "You look like you''re going tomit murder. There''s nobody else in there."

    "You''re sure?"

    She shot him an offended nce and he nodded. She had the Skills to sense a rat, let alone another person. After another minute, the door was pulled open to reveal a harried looking Morrellia, her dark hair a jumbled mess shooting off in all directions.

    "Mum, Dad?" she said. "What''s the problem?"

    "Wave''sing," Minerva said as she stepped forward and wrapped her daughter up in a hug. "Your father and I can''t hold it off any longer, we need to get deployed. No morezing about for us."

    "A wave? Already?" Morrelia was stunned. "Is that even faster than before?"

    "Yes," Titus confirmed, his face grim. "They''re gettingrger and closer together. Unless something changes, we may see a repeat of the Rending."

    He reached out and ced a hand on her shoulder as he stared into her eyes.

    "Make sure you take care of yourself. It''s going to be dangerous here. The fifth during a wave is... tough."

    Less interested in thinking about herself, Morrelia turned to her mother.

    "But what about you two? Where are you going? Where will you be?"

    "Hah! Don''t worry about us. I''ve been enrolled back into my old unit. Fourth Praetorian. I''ll be wearing the armour before you do, daughter. Tough luck."

    "I''ll be back with my Legion," Titus said. "We''ll be deployed to the third under Liria. There are some assets there to take care of, and I think the brass wants to try and contact the survivors of the Garralosh incident."

    Morrelia''s eyes widened.

    "Does that mean you''ll be fighting the ants again?"

    Titus shook his head.

    "Unfortunately not. Information gathering only. From the reports we have, the ants have grown far too strong for a single Legion to handle."

    Minerva tsked and shook her head a little.

    "You''re not going back to your Legion," she said.

    Titus blinked.

    "What?" he rumbled.

    She grinned at him.

    "You''reing with me!" she announced. "Time to get back to the big leagues, husband of mine. Don''t forget to bring your axe."

 Chapter 972 1083 - Assembly

    <h4>Chapter 972 Chapter 1083 - Assembly</h4>

    The demasters of the Folk are renowned for their extraordinary skill with their weapons of choice. Their reputation is such that it exceeds that of even the golgari Stoneswords, whose techniques were forged in the Dungeon during the Rending.

    Their extraordinary methods are beheld with some trepidation, as the tension between the Old and New races is such that none can ever befortable with the achievements of the other. Not monsters, though originating in the Dungeon, the Folk are always held in some suspicion wherever they go.

    The exact nature of their mastery, and how they have achieved it, remains a closely guarded secret among their enves. Whatbination of sses and Skills is required to produce these fearsome warriors? Or is there some innate property to their people that makes it possible to achieve these feats? There are many who would sacrifice much to know, though to our knowledge, none have seeded in replicating it.

    Several outside the Folk have imed to have achieved the status of demaster, but quickly found themselves challenged by the real thing. Since demasters only fight duels to the death, these false positives quickly dried up.

    - Excerpt from ''The Reclusive Masters: Warriors of the Folk'' by Xinci

    Titus took a deep breath, hesitated, then let it out in a long sigh. Minerva caught onto his mood in an instant.

    "You''ve gone soft, husband," she grinned, "I can remember when the whiff of mana in the air was enough to get the fire burning in your eyes. What''s changed?"

    Themander turned to the former Consul, almost exasperated at how little she''d changed over the years.

    "I would''ve thought the responsibility of leading the entire Legion would have tempered your own hunger for battle, my love. I can see now that it hasn''t been the case."

    Minerva threw back her head andughed.

    "You can''t be serious. If you actually expected that to happen, even for a single second, then you don''t know me as well as you should. I''ve been suppressing my rage for over a decade, and now I can finally let it loose."

    A living legend, the walking disaster, she would never be kept from the fighting for long. That was exactly why Titus felt that slight mncholy.

    "It''s been nice, though, hasn''t it?" he asked.

    His wife stood from where she lounged on the other side of their pod and approached to wrap her arms around him.

    "It''s been wonderful. She''s grown so well, Titus. You did an incredible job."

    "Nothing I did," themander snorted, "she practically raised herself after you left. Ran away as fast as she could."

    "You brought her back."

    "Aye. I did."

    "That''s all that matters."

    She squeezed him hard, hard enough he thought he heard a rib crack before she let him go.

    "Come on then, you big softie. Let''s go tell her."

    Titus nodded.

    "Let''s."

    They left their pod, opening the bulkhead, waiting for the filter to sweep them, then stepping into the corridor of the residential area they stayed in. Resources were tight in any Legion base within the fifth, and it wasrgely due to Minerva that they''d been able to stay here at all.

    Navigating the narrow corridors, the two endured the awe-struck gaze of the Legionaries deployed for training, and from more than a few of the instructors. It didn''t bother the pair overmuch, they were used to attention.

    Eventually, they strode up to their daughter''s door and knocked heavily. Even through the reinforced and enchanted metal, they heard her scrambling to tidy up and they both smiled.

    Then Titus frowned.

    It urred to him that there might be a boy in there. Perhaps that sound was Morrelia trying to stuff some fool into the closet or under the bed. No matter, he decided, regardless of where he was, he would die.

    "Rx, would you?" Minerva whispered. "You look like you''re going tomit murder. There''s nobody else in there."

    "You''re sure?"

    She shot him an offended nce and he nodded. She had the Skills to sense a rat, let alone another person. After another minute, the door was pulled open to reveal a harried looking Morrellia, her dark hair a jumbled mess shooting off in all directions.

    "Mum, Dad?" she said. "What''s the problem?"

    "Wave''sing," Minerva said as she stepped forward and wrapped her daughter up in a hug. "Your father and I can''t hold it off any longer, we need to get deployed. No morezing about for us."

    "A wave? Already?" Morrelia was stunned. "Is that even faster than before?"

    "Yes," Titus confirmed, his face grim. "They''re gettingrger and closer together. Unless something changes, we may see a repeat of the Rending."

    He reached out and ced a hand on her shoulder as he stared into her eyes.

    "Make sure you take care of yourself. It''s going to be dangerous here. The fifth during a wave is¡­ tough."

    Less interested in thinking about herself, Morrelia turned to her mother.

    "But what about you two? Where are you going? Where will you be?"

    "Hah! Don''t worry about us. I''ve been enrolled back into my old unit. Fourth Praetorian. I''ll be wearing the armour before you do, daughter. Tough luck."

    "I''ll be back with my Legion," Titus said. "We''ll be deployed to the third under Liria. There are some assets there to take care of, and I think the brass wants to try and contact the survivors of the Garralosh incident."

    Morrelia''s eyes widened.

    "Does that mean you''ll be fighting the ants again?"

    Titus shook his head.

    "Unfortunately not. Information gathering only. From the reports we have, the ants have grown far too strong for a single Legion to handle."

    Minerva tsked and shook her head a little.

    "You''re not going back to your Legion," she said.

    Titus blinked.

    "What?" he rumbled.

    She grinned at him.

    "You''reing with me!" she announced. "Time to get back to the big leagues, husband of mine. Don''t forget to bring your ax Grey tried to suppress his growl of frustration, holding his wolf-like features in an expression of quiet contemtion. Despite his best efforts, his hands twisted as if wringing the neck of his guest.

    "That seems quite unfortunate," he said.

    Sitting opposite, across a low table that held two cups of steaming tea, a fellow member of the Folk sat, a wolf, same as Grey. Red shrugged, causing the de, still in its sheath, on hisp to clink as it shifted.

    "Discussions on a matter this serious are always deliberate and careful. They can''t be rushed. If the wrong conclusion were reached, it would be a disaster for us all."

    Such an obvious statement. It was so blindingly obvious a newborn mole-folk, who hadn''t even opened its blind eyes, had seen and understood it.

    Peace, like a lily on the pond. Float above, as the anger sinks below.

    "Discussions on this very serious matter have been ongoing for¡­" he pretended to think, "why, several months now. Were they to move any slower, we may be used of being incapable of making decisions for ourselves. I would hate for our leaders to be used of being doddering simpletons,cking in wisdom, or the capacity for speech."

    Nice job keeping your calm, Grey.

    Despite remonstrating himself for his less than diplomatic choice of words, the old wolf didn''t regret them. Discussion between the various Enve leaders had dragged on, with none willing to make definitive steps for or against any proposal.

    Regardless how they attempted to dress it up, they were being indecisive, which did impact on their reputation. The more the Folk appeared to bicker back and forth among themselves, the less unified the front they presented to the outside world. It was that front that had protected and preserved them through the dark days.

    Red did not appear perturbed by the harsh words, though a slight edge in his tone gave away his irritation.

    "The opinion of outsiders is of no concern to me, or to any of the Folk. We walk our own trail, as we always have."

    Complete and utter nonsense.

    "I presume that no demasters have been sent to challenge others in the past year then?" Grey observed. "An interesting change of policy."

    "I am sure you are aware that they have," Red said, left eye twitching slightly.

    "They have?" Grey feigned surprise. "But why? If we do not care what outsiders think, what need is there to demonstrate our prowess? That would be as if our perceivedpetence and strength were direct contributors to our wellbeing and safety. Which cannot be the case, ording to your words. Please, honour me with an exnation to rify this mystery."

    To add insult to the injury, he even slid back from the low table so he could bow at the waist, smirking as he did so. Silence reigned between the two as the tension thickened in the air to the point it could be cut by an apprentice.

    Finally, Red broke his upright posture and slouched to one side.

    "This is why mother didn''t favour you for the seat," he sniped, "youck patience. You''ve alwayscked patience."

    "What?" Grey snarled, snapping upright once more. "Expecting you to move faster than a titan-stone caterpir iscking patience? This is why father didn''t entrust the sword-school to you, no decisiveness."

    "How dare you?!" Red snarled back.

    The two lunged forward, teeth exposed, growling and ring at each across the wooden table.

    "Master," a voice came from behind the screen that led to the next room.

    "What is it, White?"

    "You asked me to intervene if you and your brother began fighting."

    The two Folk continued to stare with anger-filled eyes at each other.

    "We aren''t fighting. This is a diplomatic exchange between family members."

    "Master¡­."

    Silence¡­ then.

    "Fine," Grey sat back, as did Red, allowing the anger to drain out of them.

    The screen slid open to reveal White kneeling patiently, a cid expression on her face.

    "Would either of you like more tea?" she asked.

    "No, thank you," Red said.

    "We are fine, thank you, White."

    "As you say, Master," replied his apprentice, bowing before she slid the panel shut once more.

    A polite interruption, but Grey was able to read the message she wished to send.

    Stop embarrassing yourself, me and the tribe!

    Which she wasn''t wrong about. Disgraceful behaviour.

    "I apologise, brother," Grey said, bowing his head in apology. After a moment, Red did the same.

    "Think nothing of it. It is hardly the first time, nor do I think it will be thest."

    The two sat up and regarded each other once more. The time to speak frankly hade.

    "I am frustrated, brother," Grey confessed. "These are dangerous times, the waves areing close together, each stronger than thest. It does not require a brilliant mind to appreciate what may be on the horizon. We need allies."

    "The tribes are disparate and do not agree on anything. They will argue over the colour of a stone for a century. You know this as well as I do. I swear, I have represented your arguments as well as I possibly can. It will simply take time before the Folk are willing to ept this¡­ Colony, as a free people."

    "What of the testimony of the Mother Tree? Has that not swayed minds?"

    "It has, but not by as much as you may expect. I must say, brother, I do not understand your sense of urgency. If the worstes to pass, we may witness another Rending. By your own admission, the ants are weak, barely able to preserve themselves in the face of weak opposition. What difference will they make against the Ancients?"

    Grey contemted the question for a moment before he answered.

    "Even a single, green Legion cannot be described as weak, brother, as you know. It is not so much the strength they disyed when I left that inspired my confidence, but rather the rate of their growth. As ant monsters, they will umte power with incredible speed, maybe even fast enough to be able to contribute when the cmityes. That is what I believe."

 Chapter 973 1084 - Tree Thinking

    <h4>Chapter 973 Chapter 1084 - Tree Thinking</h4>

    The Mother Tree had a name. At least, she''d had a name. The memory was there, vague and distant, tucked in the recesses of her mind. She could recall that she''d had feet, and hands, and eaten food, though such memories were so faint that she couldn''t really recall what it was like.

    She''d done it, certainly, but how it had actually felt. That, she could no longer recall.

    Birth, or rebirth, on Pangera, now that she could recall. The cold and heartless System wee, followed by her awakening as a brand new life-form.

    A nt-type monster. The sense of horror she''d felt was visceral, though now it was hard to rte to the person she''d been in that moment. Back then, the memories of being human, of being Rose, had been fresh. Trapped in a sightless, limbless form had been a nightmare. She hadn''t even had a mouth with which to scream.

    Roots and leaves had seemed so foreign to her then, strange and useless. How attitudes shifted with the times. Were she offered a human body now, she would reject it out of hand. The nt was superior to the animal in every way. She''d just needed time to realise it.

    [Rosa Spina.]

    That had been her species. Perhaps a y on her name? Had that been enough to convince the System to reincarnate her as a nt? Or perhaps her work as a botanist had been the deciding factor.

    Regardless, those early weeks had been difficult.

    People often think of the animal kingdom as brutal and heartless. They see wolves fighting, or bears shing, or snakes stealing eggs and young from heartbroken birds and think of how tragic it all is.

    The Mother Tree knew better, as had Rose.

    There are vines that will strangle trees to death over the course of decades. Every nt is locked inpetition with its neighbours every second of every day in a battle that willst until one of them seeds and one of them dies. Competition for sunlight, for water, for nutrients in the soil. Never ending.

    Inside the Dungeon, that battle yed out too. It was faster, but no less merciless.

    Her roots had pushed into the wall, seeking what every nt-monster around her had been seeking: mana. The more she had, the faster she grew, the faster she grew, the better she couldpete.

    Fear had thrilled her little nt heart the first time she had touched another of her own kind, several days after her rebirth. There had never been any hope of cooperation between them, that wasn''t how things worked. That nt had probably been a sibling of hers, in a sense. They''d been spawned together at least.

    Her first conscious act on Pangera had been to strangle that nt to death. Over a period of weeks, her roots had invaded, choking her neighbour out of the precious mana supply, which she stole for herself. As the monster withered and died, she had been quick to grow into the space made avable, to im it before anyone else could.

    A lesson, an excellent one. She would repeat that action thousands of times over the decades.

    Deep within her trunk, she felt her soul-space emanate with light. Could the massive tree smile, she might have in that moment. Her children were ying. As creatures of pure energy, they intermingled and conversed with each other using thenguage only those born of the same soul could understand. It warmed her cold, wooden heart.

    As they felt her gaze fall upon them, the bruan''chii danced and waved, and her spirit waved back at them, sending them zipping around each other with glee.

    So innocent, her children. Too pure for this world.

    When she thought of how close she hade to losing them, she felt anger shake her branches. Even after all this time, even after all the strength and power she had umted, it still wasn''t enough. Without the intervention of the ants, she may have been crippled.

    Even now, her roots, buried hundreds of kilometres beneath her trunk, writhed with fury at the thought.

    That there would be someone who dared to engineer an entire species to target her weaknesses. She hadn''t encountered anything like it before. A million flowers across three strata hissed with frustration, but she soon settled herself.

    The mana was rising.

    Her tap-root already thrummed with power collected deep within the Dungeon, and soon, her entire rootwork would do the same. It would take time for her to recover the power she''d been forced to expend.

    Regenerating after the assault five decades ago had been a long process, one that still wasn''tplete. When her strength had fully returned... she would ensure that those who had tried to steal away her children would get their just deserts.

    Until then, she would be patient. In all of the Dungeon, with its long-lived races, immortal monsters and slumbering Ancients, there were few who could be more patient than a tree.

 Chapter 974 1085 - Farm Life

    <h4>Chapter 974 Chapter 1085 - Farm Life</h4>

    Hanging out on the third stratum is ufortable, that much has been established. While I''m here, I may as well get something out of my time, but as a tier seven, there isn''t a whole lot I can do to gain experience. I get a bit of Biomass, obviously, but the most important thing to mutate is my Altar, and I''m still not entirely clear on how the thing works.

    As the mana level gradually rises, Tiny, Crinis, Invidia and myself stick to Colony territory, hunting and grinding as the Colony works itself into a frenzy around us. Farming the waves has be something of a Colony tradition, and this time around is shaping up to be no different.

    I''ve no doubt that the already existingwork of farms in the Shadow Sea are being massively expanded, but it''s here on the Demon ins that the biggest push is being made.

    I had a chat with a few engineers when I walked past, just because I was curious as to how they were going to go about it. The main goal of the farms is to create an enclosed system wherein the monster spawns have a high chance of forming a core. Getting Biomass out of them is nice, obviously, but the dramatic increase in core inflow is the real prize of the waves if you ask me.

    There are a ridiculous number of ants now, and more being born every day. There are something like twenty egg-producing nests now, each with three queens hitting their quotas daily. Thousands and thousands of eggs every week! The Colony is well on the way to reaching Super-Colony status!

    I feel extremely proud of our progress. On Earth, there were some truly massive ant Colonies that we canpare ourselves to. A single nest, or Colony, of some species could hold up to several million individuals, a number we are rapidly approaching.

    A super-colony is created when ants in multiple nests recognise each other as the same species, and therefore cooperate. For ants, this isn''t normal. The pheromones of one Colony are usually too different after a single generation, so the children of a Queen will fight andpete against ants from the nest she was born in!

    When this doesn''t happen, when the children still recognise their parent nest as being friendly, they cooperate and act as one massive Colony. There were several of these on Earth, numbering hundreds of millions of ants and tens of thousands of queens. Thergest was the Argentine ant super-colony, covering over six-thousand square kilometres, with capital B Billions of workers!

    One day¡­.

    Anyway! The farms¡­ it''s quite interesting how they''re going about it! Obviously, monster spawning on the third works differently than anywhere else we''ve attempted this. Thervae just pop out of the ground in truly absurd numbers, immediately start murdering each other until a select few survive to evolve. Then they kill each other and a few evolve. Then they kill each other and a few evolve. And so on.

    Our research ants have determined that the ratio ofrvae that survive to reach tier six is close to one in a million.

    So wasteful!

    The Colony has already seeded in selective demon rearing. Picking out a promisingrva and tending it to ensure that it matures, feeding it cores to fuel its development.

    By far the biggest issue with demon evolution is that precious fewrvae form cores before evolving to the second tier, but those who do, and then go on to survive to level five again, are waaay overrepresented in those who make it to tier six. Which is expected, since they have better evolutions. So how do we create a system wherein the maximum number of tier onervae achieve a core?

    The answer can be found on the ins of Leng right now.

    It''s basically a multi-floored maze. The interesting thing about demon spawning, is that they tend to always want to spawn on the ground if they can. If you build a wall, they''ll spawn on top of it, but not inside it, if you take my meaning.

    So the engineers have fashioned a massivework of rooms, each roughly fifteen by fifteen metres. They''ve calcted that this is enough floor space to generate enoughrvae that a tier two will be formed every five minutes. The hope is that the victorious monster will clear out the room, find no threats and therefore feelfortable forming a core. By the time they wake, the next round will be ready to spawn, which they can farm up and evolve.

    Here''s the interesting bit. There''s an iron grate on the roof, which will only open if a tier two pushes on it. An ingenious mechanism that utilises thetest in enchanting techniques to measure core strength. Impressive to say the least! And what do the demons find when they climb through? A whole new room,rger this time, connected to exactly twenty of the lower rooms. The floor here is made of iron, no spawning allowed, so only tier twos will make their way in here.

    So what happens then? They fight each other! Over and over again until a tier three is created. Once the tier three has cleaned out the room, there''s nowhere to go¡­ except¡­ you guessed it, up!

    The next level, they find an evenrger space, in which they fight, until a tier four is created! Then they climb up the final grate, ready to achieve freedom¡­ except they get harvested by the Colony instead. If it''s a particrly useful, or powerful demon, we may end up just recruiting them. Help them get to tier six and then move them into a city within our borders.

    It''s still a wasteful process, but the boffins crunching the numbers and doing the antgebra believe this is five times more efficient than just leaving the demons to spawn on their own.

    The whole farm is enormous, covering well over a hundred square kilometres, and should produce a steady stream of demon cores. And that''s just one of the farms. More are being constructed around the Roklu nest as we speak.

    It''s a fairly brutal process, especially when we consider that demons are rapidly approaching true sapience once they reach the fourth tier. In reality, this is simply a streamlining of the process we are already undertaking across the ins. Teams of ants scour the terrain between the cities for Biomass and cores, or plunge down into the caverns for it.

    The demons themselves don''t seem to care. As long as therva spawning is uninhibited, they don''t really mind what happens to their weaker brethren.

    ording to all reports, the spawn rate ofrvae goes absolutely gang-busters during a wave anyway. Considering the entire floor of the stratum is a literal living carpet already, I honestly can''t picture what it''s going to look like.

    Sadly, I''m not going to have to wait too long to find out.

 Chapter 975 1086 - Altar Testing

    <h4>Chapter 975 Chapter 1086 - Altar Testing</h4>

    Farming aside, I''ve got other things to worry about, namely trying to work out exactly how the Altar of Self actually works. I mean, I have the basic idea, it''s not thatplicated; the Will of the Colony flows through the Vestibule, is amplified by the Nave, feeds into the Altar and is consumed to help fuel my Skills.

    Simple in concept, but there''s a lot of variables I need to take into ount. Which Skills use the most energy? How much do they use? How quickly does it replenish? What effect does it have on each Skill?

    I need to put in a lot of reps just to figure out how it all works. By practising over and over again, I can develop the instinctual feel I need to make snap decisions and use the ability in battle.

    The issue I have is that I don''t want to be taking experience away from my precious pets. The three of them need a ton of experience to reach the next tier, and I don''t want to slow down their progress in the slightest.

    [It''s fine, Master,] Crinis says, [you need experience. We can''t take everything!]

    Huh. She must have noticed me musing off to the side while the three of them hunt.

    [Don''t worry about it,] I tell her. [I''ve got my own stuff to work on, you three need the levels.]

    [A-are you sure? I really don''t mind!]

    [Of course I''m sure! I wouldn''t feel right if I stayed stronger than you guys. You need to hurry up and reach my tier!]

    [Alright! We will!]

    [That''s the spirit.]

    Crinis turns and rips into the demons around her with renewed rage and I''m happy to avert my gaze and continue to contemte what I need to do.

    I mean, better start with the basics, right?

    There isn''t much room down here in the tunnels, and whenever my three pets have finished pulverising the opposition, I have to pick up and follow after them, but there''s enough space to test a few things.

    Facing a wall, I pull back my mandiles, lock them in ce and then lunge forward, allowing them to tear into the steaming hot rock in front of my face.

    Crunch!

    My impossibly hardened mandibles shear through the stone like butter, crashing together with a satisfying ck! Very nice.

    I step back and take a look at my mandi-work, pleased with what I see. The ol'' face hands are doing good work. Longer than before, they really have quite the reach now, snapping together metres in front of my face.

    Crucially, I didn''t activate a Skill with that chomp, so as impressive as the result might have been, that was down to pure physicality.

    Next, I shuffle a few steps down, give myself a little shake and prepare for another bite.

    Everything urs as before, except this time, I try to draw on the energy boiling away inside the Altar of Self.

    When I say boiling, I really do mean boiling. With so many ants running around the ins, and several demon cities within range, each with its own mega-nest built against the pir, let''s just say the Vestibule is absolutely humming with energy. It''s to the point that I''m actively avoiding dipping into the stream, lest I get overwhelmed with the impressions from hundreds of thousands of ants.

    My jaws m together, but despite my best efforts, the energy, unlike the spice, does not flow. Hmmm, interesting.

    So unless I''m actively using something System rted, it won''t work? Like, I can''t just run and use the Altar to run faster, I actually have to dash?

    Well, let''s make this next test then.

    I shuffle down another few steps and set my legs, locking my mandibles in ce and getting ready.

    Time for the VOID CHOMP!

    As I unleash the Skill, the dark ball of energy manifests before my face, along with the mandibles formed of pure, ck light. More than that, I feel the Altar surge with power, pouring out from deep within me and filling my mandibles.

    The chomp immediately goes berserk mode, soaking up that energy and growing stronger and stronger before my mandibles smash shut with a colossal detonation!

    I''d blink if I could.

    Rock flies everywhere, along with ash, dust and flecks of magma. It looks as if a bomb went off in front of me as stonees rumbling down, copsing on the empty void that I''d created by vaporising the stone in front of my face.

    Uhhhh. Whoops.

    [Master?]

    [Ah! Sorry about that, Crinis. Just trying to work on a few things.]

    [P-perhaps work on them... outside of the tunnels?]

    [... That might be a good idea.]

    I don''t really want to drop a thousand tons of rock andva on our heads. No more bite testing. Not untilter, at least.

    As we move forward, the pets continuing to annihte everything in their path, I reflect on the experiment.

    That chomp drained the Altar of about a tenth of its energy, which feels like a lot. I could probably mutate it to increase capacity, but it only takes a few minutes to replenish with so many ants in the area. Something to consider.

    Well, if I can''t keep testing the bite skills out, perhaps I can try something else....

    As the others are fighting, I find a decent stretch of tunnel that I can use for my next attempt.

    I already know the Altar has quite an effect on the dash Skill. When I tried it before, it practically felt like I was teleporting. To establish a baseline, I try a few warmup dashes, about a hundred metres long up and down the tunnel, just to get the feel for it.

    Alright, now with the Altar.

    Again, the energy thunders through my body like a tidal wave, soaking into my six legs this time as I activate the Skill. All of a sudden, I feel like my legs are just bursting with power, I flex them, kick off, and the world just seems to stretch in front of me, the wind so thick I feel like I''m pushing through a brick wall.

    BAM!

    Then I smash through several metres of solid rock and bury myself.

    [MASTER!]

 Chapter 976 1087 - Further Altar-ations

    <h4>Chapter 976 Chapter 1087 - Further Altar-ations</h4>

    It took an embarrassing amount of time to get myself out from under all the rocks and I apologised to the others profusely. I''m taking away from their precious training time with my idiocy, after all!

    We push down to the nextyer, bypass the demon city there and the three pets continue their hunting activities on the ins while I focus on using the greater space to run my tests with a little more safely.

    Turns out my dash Skill needs a minimum of a hundred metres room when I''m charging it up with my Altar. At least, that remains the case until I get a better handle on it, I can''t seem to urately judge the distance or control how far I travel when I''m moving with that much juice.

    Further chomp testing yields simr results as before. Essentially, an Altar boosted Void Chomp ispletely off the chain, so out of control that it and control have never been seen together in the same room. The destructive power is¡­ rather intimidating. Whenpared to the normal, unempowered Void Chomp, the result is more than twice as devastating in terms of the area. It''s difficult to tell what sort of effect there is to damage, the rock doesn''t exactly do a great job resisting the attack.

    It''s stronger, how much, I can''t really tell.

    With the basic physical Skills tested, I move on and try to use my spells. Not getting crazy about it, no Gravity Bombs or the like, at least not yet, but I fling out a few firebolts to see what happens. Unempowered, they''re not overly impressive, but when I attempt to use the Altar, I''m delighted to find that the energy floods out one again, beefing up the spell to a much more impressive version of itself.

    Which still isn''t much, it''s just a firebolt after all.

    Even so, this is progress! I run through a few other spells, testing how much energy is used and what sort of effect I see from the influence of the Altar.

    The amount of Will consumed seems to be roughlymensurate with the amount of mana contained in the spell. Which makes sense, I suppose. Basically, the Altar tips in an equal amount to whatever Spell or Skill I''m activating, which means the beefier the attack, the more it gets beefed.

    That exins why the Void Chomp experiences such a dramatic upgrade.

    I shudder to think what might happen with I fire off a full power Gravity Bomb. Not likely to be testing that any time soon.

    I can kind of think of the Altar as making my Skills and Spells act like they''re one rank higher than they already are. I''m not certain if that''s an exact estimate, but it feels like a simple way to understand what is happening to my abilities.

    As my three friends keep hunting, racking up experience, I continue to test my abilities and chow down on the Biomass. I''ll need to mutate the Altar at some point soon, along with everything else I have. It''ll be easy to get my body fully mutated before I next evolve, but there''s no point in lollygagging and taking it slow, I''ll pack in the food now and mutate as soon as I can.

    If I''m going to taking on a series of monsters an entire tier higher than I am, I''ll need to make sure I have every advantage squared away. Those are the most dangerous battles and minimising the risks is obviously the smarter strategy.

    Overall, we stay out for a couple of days, which isn''t enough to make much of a dent in the experience needed for Crinis, Tiny and Invidia, but every bit of progress is good.

    It''s quite eye opening really. I''ve reflected on this before, but trying to get three separate pets to reach tier seven is an incredible resource sink. Splitting the cores between us, we go through a fortune in precious gems without scratching the surface of what''s required to max out our cores. Then the experience¡­.

    Level one hundred and sixty is no joke! The sheer amount of hunting that needs to be done to reach that kind of level is absurdly high. To create a single tier seven pet, you could raise an army up to tier four.

    I can see why it really isn''t worth it for most to pursue this path, but I''m determined. I refuse to allow my pets to be weaker than myself! We will rise together, as true equals!

    The entire premise of the pets being essentially bonded servants is distasteful to me and I still haven''t given up on eventually finding a way to release them from their bondage.

    Obviously Crinis would say that she''d rather remain a pet that be free, but that''s just the obediencepelled by the Master/Pet bond talking. Free, independent monsters! That''s what I want for Crinis, Tiny and Invidia!

    I''ll get it one way or another.

    As we return, it''s clear that the mana levels have continued to rise across the stratum. The littlervae that coat the floor are giving us a little taste of the chaos toe, writhing and threshing each other with even greater vigour than usual, without ever seeming to run out of fresh spawns.

    I''ll need to check in with the troops, see what''s happening on the demon front. If more of our own allies are going rogue, then there''s going to be issues, especially if the stronger demons start to turn against us.

    I mean, I''m totally confident I can smoke a tier seven demon like a fresh ham, but I can''t be everywhere at once!

    The Colony has just gotten too big for me to protect every single part of it, which means I need to be especially careful where I ce myself¡­.

 Chapter 977 1088 - Nectar of Life

    <h4>Chapter 977 Chapter 1088 - Nectar of Life</h4>

    The Church of the Path is founded on the belief that all things born of the Dungeon belong to the Old Races. The resources that are found there, the territory and space, the mana and, perhaps most importantly of all, the monsters.

    Monsters give experience when killed, allowing the yer to grow stronger. They also contain valuable materials; their cores, primarily, but also the precious substances that make up their bodies, things that often cannot be found any other way.

    A globe-spanning entity with adherents in every one of the old civilisations, the Church is a powerful entity with a simple mission: theplete and utter domination and exploitation of the Dungeon.

    This view has put them at odds with other organisations, such as the Legion, who view the Dungeon as a danger and threat, but they remain undeterred.

    Among the most important secrets of the Church has been their development of the Elixir, otherwise known as Dungeon Nectar. A miraculous beverage that can empower others simply by drinking it, the method of its manufacture is known only within the Church, though many wouldmit dark deeds to learn it.

    - Excerpt from "Power and Influence: Church of the Path" by B.S. Wordsmith

    The monster twisted in agony, suspended from hooks anchored into the stone ceiling. Senior Priest Alir tsked loudly as he looked up from his desk.

    "Try to be still, stupid beast," he grunted as he stood.

    A quick tour of the chamber showed that the array was still functioning as intended. As he watched, another drop of golden liquid dripped down from above into the receptacle and he nodded, satisfied.

    "You will serve your purpose in death, monster," he said as he sat once more and turned his attention to the report that had filtered to him from the Cardinals.

    Cardinal Horace had remembered Alir was the one to first report contact with the ants and ensured the document found its way to him. Quite considerate.

    What he read was... fascinating, to say the least. Monsters, actively working with others, seizing territory, reports of a tier seven ant, the first in recorded history. Rather than a ravenous horde of mindless insects, these ants appeared to be building an empire.

    Unusual, would be one way to phrase it, unheard of, another. There was something different about this, but then, these were unusual times.

    Mana continued to rise across the Dungeon, repeated waves, so close together. The Church could clearly see what wasing. Thousands of years of preparation wereing to a head, any change or new factor had to be carefully considered.

    What to do with these ants then?

    It was hard to put them out of his mind. There had to be millions of them, most of them tier four, and a mythic as well. Such a resource. Should they be properly harvested, a veritable river of Elixir would flow through the Church. It could be just what was needed to fortify them before the Ancients rose.

    Or it coulde back to bite them. Kicking the anthill at the wrong time wouldn''t pay off, rather the opposite.

    Alir nced down at the letter the Cardinal sent.

    There are ns underway already, but I value your input. In fact, I wish you to be a keyponent of our council. We must not make missteps at such a critical time.

    It was a summons, drawing the High Priest away from his critical work. Still, he understood it, he was an Elixir specialist, and these ants would make a fine brew indeed.

    He needed to think.

    He stood once again and walked a slow circuit around the monster that continued to thrash weakly above. The array carved into the stone continued to burn with a dull light as it worked its magic on its target. The result of hundreds of years of research from tireless priests who demanded that the Dungeon yield to them, this array was one of the greatest achievements of the church, or indeed, of civilisation.

    After all, why should a monster only yield a portion of its experience? The System was the Path on which all must walk, but who''s to say it could not be improved? Extract all of it, that had been the dream of those early pioneers. They had very nearly seeded. The Elixir wasn''t perfect, but it certainly was close.

    A million ants, just what would Alir do to get his hands on a crop like that. But how? They couldn''t be underestimated, that much was certain. They had survived an attack from the Legion, nothing to sneeze at. It would not be a simple endeavour tounch an undertaking of this magnitude.

    They would need allies. It may be possible to draw on the Legion, though unlikely; they would be too focused on the uing cataclysm. The Ka''armodo, the Empire of Stone, perhaps even the underwater kingdoms of the Brathian, surely someone would be willing to assist if promised enough Elixir.

    Alir chuckled darkly to himself.

    With enough Elixir, the Church could make the whole world turn. Perhaps even the Tower, or the Golden City, could be made to move for wealth of this magnitude. Everyone knew what wasing, even the silver beards buried in their libraries had to be clear on the danger.

    Now would be the worst time to have a burgeoning Ant Kingdom rising.

    Yes. Yes, that was how he could sell it. This was a threat that needed to be extinguished now, before the Ancients rose and turned all monsters into their ravenous ves. From that point of view, he could say that this mission wouldn''t be drawing away from their defence against the cataclysm, but striking an early blow against it.

    It made sense, the logic worked.

    He looked up at the monster twisting above, continuing to have its essence ripped away and dripped down into the pool below. Another three hours and this creature would no longer exist except as a husk, ready for the Dungeon to reim.

    He stepped carefully to the centre of the array and reached down with one hand, scooping a small handful of the precious liquid and bringing it to his lips.

    The taste was dreadful, as was to be expected from anything extracted from monsters, but that was hardly the point.

    [You have gained experience.]

    That was what made the world go around.

 Chapter 978 1089 - Those Raging Demons

    <h4>Chapter 978 Chapter 1089 - Those Raging Demons</h4>

    I have to say, the demons are acting more¡­ vigorous, as the wave approaches.

    [It''s abination of the rising mana level, and the growing influence of Arconidem,] Al informs me. [As our ess to mana grows, it feeds our obsessions, making them stronger. Look over there.]

    I can already see where the demon is pointing, but I turn anyway, facing down a narrow path in Roklu toward a cluster of buildings. At first, I''m not sure what I''m meant to be seeing, but after a few seconds, a wicked, de-coated demon bursts out of a building, barbed, scythe-like arms swinging as it screams bloody murder at the ash-filled sky.

    [Blood demon. The urge has grown too strong to resist. Disappointing.]

    As we watch, the demon in question throws itself at its nearestpatriot, still shrieking like a banshee.

    [Uhhh. Should we do something about that?]

    [Yourpatriots have be quite proficient at dealing with situations such as this. Watch.]

    And we do. The crazed blood demon continues to go absolutely wild at everything it sees, without much sess, it must be said. I think the unthinking, berserk nature of the attack is helping in that department. Another few moments pass and then¡­ BAM!

    Like a squad of determined ninja-police, ants appear. Leaping over the edges of the buildings, scuttling down the walls, they rush into the conflict, barrel over the offending demon and just like that, the threshing mass of demon and de is contained.

    In fact, the ants deploy something I''ve never seen before. It appears to be a weighted of some sort. It must be made of incredibly hard material, since even the blood-demon hasn''t been able to cut through the threads.

    Just like that, what had moments ago been a frightening spectacle, a powerful tier six demon going on a rampage, has been resolved. The ants quickly check the area, repair the damage, heal any wounds, tip me a quick dip of the antennae, then drag the still screaming demon away.

    [Holy moly,] I say, impressed. [What are they going to do with the demon?]

    [They''ll take her down to the ins and set her loose. Messy. Doing so will enable her to satisfy her obsession in a safe manner. After that, she will be able to return.]

    Man, the Colony really has done a good job trying to manage the demons living in our territory. Rather than trying to suppress or control them, we''ve let them indulge their obsessions in as safe a way as we can manage. Safe for the Colony, anyway.

    Which isn''t being mean to the demons, they expect to live this way. Each of them cares only about one thing, and I think they honestly find it strange that others don''t.

    [And this heightening of obsession is normal for a wave?] I say to Al.

    The knowledge demon burns bright.

    [Yes. Although the mana levels attained during thest two waves have been higher than normal. With the Ancients waking and the levels climbing even higher, this will be the worst yet.]

    There''s a definite tension in the air, one I can practically cut with a twilight-fment antenna. The threat of violence is explosive, and if demons are growing ever more obsessive, I can imagine exactly what''s going to happen.

    Pride demons will be even more insufferable to everyone.

    Grudge demons are going tosh out for practically everything.

    Murder, Blood and other violence-motivated demons are going to cause absolute mayhem all the time. I can only imagine what it''s going to be like when a war demon is around. Ugh.

    Then we have to deal with those who sumb to the urging of their meddling Ancient¡­ parent, or whatever he thinks he is.

    [I presume those who are falling into Arconi-dumb''s crusade are more numerous as well?]

    [That is the case. It is¡­ interesting, watching it take ce. I have not seen it myself before.]

    [Are there any demons old enough to remember thest time this happened? I didn''t think there would be, considering it was¡­ what¡­ like a thousand years ago?]

    [There are some, but they are not on our side.]

    [Well, darn.]

    He''s probably talking about the tier eights below. After checking out the city with Al, we march down into the gigantic anthill built beneath the te to see if the brass have worked out where they need us.

    I don''t exactly get what I''m looking for.

    "There are spot fires everywhere, Eldest," Sloan tells me wearily. "I could ask you to go to a hundred ces, but putting out one isn''t necessarily going to help."

    "None of those issues arerge enough to warrant your attention," Victor says. "There are plenty of others to deal with things like this."

    It''s something of a rare treat to see the two of them together in the same room these days. The two premier militarymanders in the Colony have been in high demand to the point where they almost never have the chance to work together.

    "You two''re coordinating the response to the wave from here?" I ask them.

    "That is the case," Sloan confirms. "My sister and I work better when we have each other to refine our ideas. We''ve been training other teams to help n strategy around the Colony so we won''t be split up as much going forward, we hope."

    "Bit of an issue when you''re needed everywhere at once, isn''t it?" I nod sagely. Then I step forward and poke the two of them with an antenna each. "But it''s better than being told you aren''t needed anywhere. I''m up here dealing with this damn Call and it sucks! Don''t tell me there''s nothing for me to do!"

    The two generals share an uneasy nce before turning their focus back to me.

    "There really isn''t anything big enough to demand your attention, Eldest."

    "We have a hundred problems, but none so dire that only you can solve it."

    "That doesn''t mean you just leave me twiddling my ws until some massive problem kicks up! I''m not a strategic reserve! Lemme help!"

    The two generals shrug helplessly and I give up on them.

    "Bah! Fine. You two go back to your nning, I''ll find something to do that will help out."

    I can immediately tell they don''t like that. I''m not even done backing out of the chamber (not enough space to turn around) before they rush up to me.

    "Eldest! You aren''t nning on doing anything stupid are you?"

    "What? Stupid?!"

    THWACK!

    "Just what are you suggesting? In fact¡­."

    THWACK!

    "I didn''t say anything!"

    "I can definitively say you were thinking it. No, I''m not going to do anything stupid. I''m here to help! You two worry too much."

    I can tell they both want to say something, but a quick flex of the antennae and they keep it to themselves. Luckily for me, I can still hear their Will.

    "No sending troops after me either! Sheesh. No faith."

    [Come on gang,] I tell the others when I get back out of the nest. [I''ve thought of a ce we can go that will get us some experience fairly quickly.]

    Tiny grins a manic, feral grin.

    [That''s right, buddy. Warm up those fists, it''s time to smash!]

 Chapter 979 1090 - Straight to the Sauce

    <h4>Chapter 979 Chapter 1090 - Straight to the Sauce</h4>

    No more mucking around. I want to power up my allies, and we''ve been dithering around on the ins and in the tunnels. Why bother?! There''s an enormous feast of experience just waiting for us to go and im it!

    I''m of course talking about the rampaging demon army.

    We rush down into the caverns below Roklu, heading deeper and smashing everything in our way. Tiny is hopping up and down like a kid on Christmas morning, anticipating the fight toe. When we break down to the secondyer, little sparks are flying off his fur. He usually isn''t too keen on the long climb down the pir, but he literally jumps at it this time. This ape is just too simple.

    The city we pass through, I never bothered to learn the name, is starting to fall apart at the seams. There''s rubble all over the ce and a number of tier six demons are running wild, causing absolute havoc.

    I''ve no idea who the city lord is, they''ve never stuck their nose out when I''ve been passing through, and that continues to be the case now. Whoever they are, they really need to get their act together.

    Aside from a pride demon who runs up to challenge Tiny, we make it across the te without too much trouble so Invidia and I make a tform to take us down the rest of the way.

    It''s hard work considering all the extra mass I bring to the table now, but the two of us working together are able to handle it. Once we reach the ins, rather than moving in the opposite direction from where mother encountered the horde, we head straight for it.

    [Got an entire stratum full of crazy monsters who want nothing more than a fight. Sounds like a perfect power levelling opportunity to me.]

    [A-aren''t there too many of them, Master? Also, there are many tier six monsters as well....]

    [Yeah, the three of you couldn''t take on the lot of them by yourselves. I mean, I could.]

    Probably.

    [So what we''ll do is hit and run. Smash and grab. We dive in, hit the horde as hard as we can, then scadoo out of there as quick as we can. If it looks like they might catch up and tangle us, I''ll drop a gravity bomb to create some space. Sound good?]

    The three of them nod in agreement.

    [Tiny, wipe away your drool, man, that''s disgusting.]

    He grins a little sheepishly as he drags one thick, furry arm across his face, but the fire in his eyes never goes away.

    [Keep an eye on the condition of your armour,] I warn him, [if it gets too battered, then we''ll need to pull back and get it repaired. There''s way too many demons that can hit a lot harder than you can take, so watch out.]

    His current suit isn''t asplete as what he was wearing before, but it still gives a lot of protection to his chest, upper arms and neck. Anything to make the ss cannon a little bit harder to crack. His bones have proven to be absurdly strong, which is a win, since he doesn''t mind blocking a lot of shots with his face. That skull has had a workout since hisst evolution.

    With that, we set out across the ins, and it isn''t long until we find signs of the hordes'' passage. They aren''t bubbling up from theyer below anymore, at least not here, but we catch signs of them in a nearby city. When the pir emerges from the darkness, we can see the fires burning, smoke billowing into the ash-filled sky.

    It''s on like Donkey-Kong!

    We rush forward to find the demons still all over the pir and crowded around the base, though it appears they''re leaving rather thaning.

    [Hold up,] I tell the others, [we need to rotate around and hit them from the other side. We can''t retreat toward the Colony, otherwise we''ll just be dragging them back into conflict with the family.]

    A little bit of wisdom, from me? Gweheheh. I mature!

    So we circle around, although I have totch my mandibles around Tiny''s arm and physically drag him at one point. The demons are already starting to trail away, looking for a new fight.

    You''re about to get one, you poor, poor idiots.

    [Alright, Tiny. Get ''em!]

    "AAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!!"

    The massive gori, unable to contain himself any longer, unleashes a stone-shattering warcry, pounding his chest with his open palms. When he leans forward and smashes the ground with his fists, propelling himself forward, I swear I hear thunder.

    [Go on, Crinis. If he gets more than you, I''ll be disappointed!]

    [AHHH! I''LL GET ALL OF THEM!]

    Crinis dives off my carapace and sshes into the stone. A momentter, a wave of slithering shadow flesh is rolling across the ins, three enormous mouths appearing now and again, gnashing at the air.

    Well, that''s horrifying.

    [Do your best to keep Tiny alive, but I want you to make sure you get your share of experience, alright?] I tell Invidia, who remains hovering by my side.

    [Your praissssse. I ssssshall havessss it!]

    [Anytime you want it, you got it.]

    With a green glitter in that giant eye, he turns and begins to flutter his way over to the fight. Tiny has already arrived, and the big lug''s roar almost sounds likeughter as repeated detonations and shes of lightning explode in the distance.

    This should be fun to watch.

    I try to stay close and continue to work on my new Skills and abilities, testing my gravity magic and Altar out. I have to be a little sparing with the Altar, though, since there aren''t nearly as many ants in range down here. I mean, there''s still a ton, I can get all of them from the nest under Roklu, pretty much, but all the surrounding nests are well out of range. asionally, I yoink a bit of Biomass during the fight while keeping myself out of harm''s way. I''m not here for experience, after all.

    My three friends tear into the demons like forces of nature. Each of the three is a peak-performance creature, perfect mutations and evolutions straight down the line, with high-rank Skills to boot. Experienced in fighting together and withplementary abilities, they battle like a well-oiled machine.

    So overwhelming is their assault that the demons don''t manage to eveny a w on them for several minutes of fighting. Crinis'' ability to seek out juicy targets and turn them against their allies causes absolute chaos within the horde, and the big-hitting Tiny and Invidia have all the room they need to go to work.

    I almost feel sorry for the demons, but eventually, the weight of numbers wins out.

    [Retreat!] I bark at them. [That''s an order, Tiny! No stupid stuff today. Crinis and Invidia, grab onto Tiny and let''s get the heck out of here.]

    They do as asked and the gori zooms past me, bleeding from several cuts and grinning like a lunatic.

    The demons rush towards me, minds gone, desperate to kill.

    Gravity Bomb!

    HOOOOOOOOOWL!

    Not like I''d give them a chance. See you soon, horde. We''ll do it all over again!

 Chapter 980 1091 - Horde Trimming

    <h4>Chapter 980 Chapter 1091 - Horde Trimming</h4>

    Sometimes, a horde just gets out of control. It can happen to anyone, who am I to judge? Call in the professional barber service, give a little snip here, a little snip there, and vo! Your rampaging army of feral demons is suddenly that much more manageable.

    We''ve cycled through assaults on the horde four times now, and it''s honestly a bit of augh. There''s no coordination amongst them, and they aren''t quick enough to catch us when we try to run, especially not when I drop a gravity bomb on the frontrunners.

    Now, there''s no need to fear. I know that this isn''t the majority of the demon army, or even a significant percentage. If it were, there would be tier eight demons trying to stomp on my head.

    Where are the rest of them? No idea! But while this group is out here going wild, we may as well do our bit to reduce their numbers.

    [How are you doing, Tiny? Ready to go again?]

    He gives me a grin and a confident thumbs up. I''d expect nothing less from him. In fact, why the heck do I bother asking? If he had no legs and only one arm, he''d still give me a grin and a confident thumbs up!

    [Invidia, how''s the mana situation? Make sure you don''t run low.]

    [I am taking it allssss,] he tells me smugly.

    Of course you are, I''m letting you recharge your core from the ambient mana, you eye-goof. Well, he''s performed admirably so far, I won''t begrudge him his little triumphs.

    [Crinis, how''s the shadow flesh stocks? No need to recharge?]

    [I''m ready to go, Master!]

    [Excellent. Make sure you eat at least a few of them every time we go in. It''s important you keep yourself topped off. All right then, let''s go get ''em!]

    And we''re off! With an explosive upper-cut, Tiny blows the top off the impromptu burrow we''ve been hiding in and we emerge to find the horde has moved yet again during our down time. They found a second city not that long ago, and we hit them twice during their assault. Now it appears they''ve moved on. Not to worry! Tracking a giant army of crazed demons isn''t as hard as it sounds.

    Just follow the obvious trail of wanton destruction!

    It''s a little depressing, though. When we do finally catch up with them, it appears as though they''ve managed to replenish their numbers from the city that they smashed. Clearly, the frenzied assault is followed by a vigorous recruitment drive. Hopefully, there weren''t too many non-demons in that city.

    I imagine there''s a whole lot of folks taking gates and getting the heck out of here. Which is exactly what Arconidem is looking for, I suppose. If he thinks the Colony is going to up and leave, he''s got another thinking!

    [Right, now that we''ve caught up, go get ''em!]

    Aaaand they''re off!

    Tiny in the lead, Tiny rounding the bend in first ce, and it''s Tiny taking the prize! What''s he won? The opportunity to pound an entire army into submission, of course!

    Not that these demons are likely to submit. I don''t know what it is that their ''god'' is doing to them, but they have gonepletely loco. The intelligent, obsession-focused monsters are gone, reced by these vering hounds, desperate to enact his will. It''s depressing if I''m honest. The demons might be a bit nuts most of the time, but I like them. They''re weird.

    Ah well. I entertain myself as usual, keeping to the background, grabbing some snackage when I get the chance while my three friends go absolutely nuts on these demons. As long as they operate at full firepower, it''s too hard for the demons to surround them, but obviously, they can''t maintain it for that long, hence our need to retreat.

    I mean, I wish they were strong enough to fight an entire army by themselves, that would be awesome! Maybe after they''ve evolved¡­.

    Alright then.

    [Just about time, guys. You''ve got about a minute left, then we''ll retreat that way, through that other army over there.]

    Nice.

    Wait¡­.

    Something seems off about what I just said. The time? No, that''s right, one minute remaining. Hmmm.

    Ohhhh, the army. The second army.

    When the zing heck did they get there?!

    [Holy moly, guys! Change of ns, we need to run¡­ somewhere else. Uh, that way! Get cracking! I don''t care if you have thirty seconds left, Tiny! Get moving, NOW!]

    Ordered directly, they don''t have any choice but toply, rushing off between the two armies as they move toward each other.

    Guess I''m going to have to be the bait to give them a little time to get ahead of the curve. I can manage that, this seems like as good an opportunity as I''m likely to find for a little testing.

    Gravity mana flows from the nd deep within my carapace. A trickle that rapidly grows into a now familiar flood that curves and swirls down on itself to form my most devastating spell.

    I''ve been flinging out pretty weak ones during our hit-and-run escapes. There''s no need to go nuts after all. But with a second horde running at us, I think this moment calls for something a little more¡­ spectacr. Condensing the mana as I go, I pack more and more in, letting my sub-minds take over my legs and running me away as I focus the bulk of my attention on cramming as much as I can into this spell. At the pace I''m working, it doesn''t take long until I''ve got quite a potent bomb ready to go, and rather than force every drop of mana I can into it, I let it fly.

    Only after triggering the Altar, of course. This should be interesting.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWL!

 Chapter 981 1092 - That is Quite the Boom

    <h4>Chapter 981 Chapter 1092 - That is Quite the Boom</h4>

    It needed to be tested at some point, and what better time than now? I''ve increased Gravity Magic to the second rank thanks to all my stuffing about with Gravity Fields, and the bomb was always going to be on the list of things that I want to see how the Altar interacts with.

    As it turns out, quite well.

    As the spell is unleashed and I activate the Altar of Self, I''m rather startled to feel all of the gathered energy drain out of it.

    All.

    Not a single skerrick left. As it is usually wont to do, the Gravity Bomb soaks up every drop of power it can get, and when it does, it goes absolutely nuts.

    HOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWL!

    The air screams, and I mean SCREAMS. I didn''t put anything like my full reserve of gravity mana into this thing, and it sounds an awful lot like some of the biggest I''ve ever cast.

    I, of course, do the sensible thing and sprint away like my life depends on it, which it likely does. Despite the fear of my own mortality this spell always seems to invoke in me, particrly when I''m near it, I keep a close eye trained on the ominously dark sphere as it streaks away from me into the teeth of the oing horde. Hordes.

    The two armies had been running toward each other, ready to fuse into an even greater mass of vering destruction, but the flight of my friends and I has changed their trajectories. Like murderous puppies chasing a toy, the lead demons in both groups have angled towards us and led the rest of their fellows to follow in behind.

    So it is that when the Bomb strikes, it detonates right in the faces of the frontrunning monsters from two armies, both of whom are leading their allies into danger like twin pied-pipers.

    I''d love to be able to dump some more Will energy into a super-dash, but I don''t have the juice! This far down, it''ll take probably an hour to refill the Altar all the way, there just aren''t enough ants nearby!

    FWOOSH!

    When it impacts, the dark sphere of the Gravity Bomb expands rapidly in the swirling vortex of nightmarish doom that I''vee to expect. Except that it''srger. Significantly.

    Holy moly!

    Like a dark god brought to life, the bomb grows to its full, horrifying size and begins to do what it does best: drag in and annihte everything it can touch.

    The force it exerts is horrendous, as is the noise. The two demon armies behind me are immediately lost in the haze of ash and dust as the air fills with debris and demons. Monsters are being yanked off the ground and hauled into oblivion, I can see their shadowy forms spinning through the air before they vanish beyond the event horizon.

    Only Gandalf could possibly know how many demonrvae are getting swallowed by that thing¡­.

    As I flee my brave little heart out, I marvel at the sight of the bomb. It''s sorge, I can clearly make out its slow revolutions, and the ash-filled atmosphere of the third stratum is allowing me to witness another new sight. I can clearly see the path the air is travelling as it spirals down into the heart of the void, a vast, sweeping descent that spins around and around, curling more and more tightly to the bomb as it descends.

    [Keep running, Tiny! Don''t look back for a second!]

    I make sure to put that little extra emphasis that a genuine order gets as I yell at him. This is not a time I want him to indulge his curiosity!

    The drag of the bomb, even as far from the epicentre as I am, is absurd. I grip the ground with my ant-ws with every step, cursing my immense mass.

    Dammit, Anthony, why did you go and have to make yourself so damn chonky?! You''ll have to be twice as far from every bomb from now on. No, three times as far!

    My heart can''t take this stress¡­.

    It''s passing, though. With every step, the grip of the gravitational pull lessens, and several dozen metres in front of me, my friends must be well in the clear. I always feel a moment of panic when Invidia is too close to these things. He''s so small, and not a particrly strong flier, it wouldn''t take much for him to be dragged away and lost.

    Just to be safe, we keep on running. Better to put all the distance we can between us and the demons for when all of this blows over. When the dust settles, I don''t want them to have even a sniff of us.

    Behind us, the high-pitched shriek of the wind has been joined by a dull roar as the bomb drags in everything it can touch and crushes it. The horizon behind us is looking dark indeed as even the light seems to be struggling back there. Such a horrendous power I''ve unleashed. What would happen if I put all of my Gravitational Mana into it as well?

    I shudder to imagine. I mean, I''ll have to try it at some point, but I shudder just the same.

    Whatever the Altar has done to the spell, it seems to have given it more staying power to boot. We''re kilometres away when it finally flickers and fades, the ensuing quiet all the more jarring after the din and terror unleashed by my spell.

    I can''t see what''s left of the two armies, and I''m not too keen to rush in and fight out either. Judging by the sheer volume of notifications I''ve received from poor old Gandalf, I''ve chopped through thousands of demons with that one bomb. I almost feel I should apologise to my pets. After all the effort they''ve put in, I''ve managed to get just as much experience as they have.

    We find arge mound of stone jutting up from the in and use earth magic to burrow into the side, sealing it off behind us as we settle in for a bit of rest.

    [Right then, that was a bit of a surprise, I wasn''t expecting a second army to just appear out of nowhere. Everybody alright?]

    All three give me an affirmative and I nod appreciatively.

    [That''s good. I suppose we''ll need to be more careful as we hunt around thisyer, as it appears there are multiple demon hordes running about the ce. We can tackle one of them quite safely, but if we get pincered by two again, it may not turn out as well as it did this time.]

    [That spell was very impressive, Master. Won''t you be able to do it again?]

    Crinis sounds quite proud of me as she asks if I can replicate the feat, which leads me to brag a bit.

    [Well, it was rather potent, wasn''t it? Possibly the biggest I''ve ever cast. To answer your question though, nope, not for a while. And firing off a spell like that leaves me a bit vulnerable afterwards, considering the total loss of energy. As cool and amazing as it is, I''d honestly rather not have to do it again. An eye catching event like that might draw attention we''d rather not have.]

    [As you say, Master.]

 Chapter 982 1093 - Odinâ€™s Realisation

    <h4>Chapter 982 Chapter 1093 - Odin¡¯s Realisation</h4>

    Marvel. Wonder. Architectural triumph. One of the great achievements of the age. The Twin Cities have been described in such glowing terms for over a millennium and truly they are deserving of their reputation.

    Situated on the same mountain, Mt Atraem, they can be seen many kilometres away, glittering like matched jewels in the distance.

    Dressed in peerless Soul Silver, the lower city gleams like the finest polished swords. Home to several million citizens, the Silver City is the beating heart of a great and enduring empire. Its six walls and twelve towers are so heavily enchanted with wards and protections it can be painful to look at them with the naked eye.

    As impregnable as it is beautiful, visitors have so many sights to take in, one simply cannot hope to catch them all.

    Yet it is above that the true vision lies. Carved from pure Heart Gold, the Golden City glows radiant from the upper reaches of the mountain, a glimpse of a luminescent heaven.

    Pce after pce, castle after castle, each one a peerless work of art such that the finest carvers and builders weep to look upon them. The Schrs'' tower, rising like a spear into the sky, a house of learning and knowledge unequalled in all the realms.

    For those lucky few who are able to catch a glimpse, the Imperial Compound, home to the Child-Emperor himself, is a sight so rare, and so marvellous, as to be without equal in all Pangera.

    The Twin Cities of Silver and Gold. Seat of the Emperor and Capital of the Atraem Empire. Truly a wonder of the modern age, may they stand forever.

    - Excerpt from ''Travelogue of the Fourth Stratum - Sights to See'' by Wandering Wace.

    Human life had been hard on Odin Malum, and he had learned to be hard in return. Carving a bloody ce in the world had been his purpose and he had relished the challenge.

    His rebirth had simrly been difficult. Yet this world had been much like thest, only the veneer of civilization was different. Kill or be killed. Fight to live, surrender and die. These were rules that Odin understood, and so, for the second time, he had thrived in difficult circumstances.

    Deep down, he had thought that perhaps here, he might truly be free. Rather than kill for others, or to make himself useful, or defend that which wasn''t his, in this world, he could kill and gain strength for himself only.

    That had been a short lived dream. The vision of Arconidem the Demon God had robbed him of that illusion. Being in that presence, he couldn''t bring himself to believe that he had any alternative but to obey. It was normal, in a dog-eat-dog world, for someone to be the alpha. Odin had bowed his head to power before, he would do it again.

    And so he had fallen, fallen into the power of a being so much older than he, and had been lost for a time. The lure of Arconidem was so seductive, so powerful. His demon body craved indulgence, it needed to kill, to revel in death and destruction. The Demon God whispered to him constantly, urging him to let go of control, to sumb to his influence and enact his vision.

    Odin couldn''t recall the past week, not totally. There had been blood and death, ash and fire, of that he was sure. The great demons had been with him at times, at others, they had not, but even so, he hadn''t questioned their mission.

    Until now.

    What the hell was that?! Some sort of ck Hole?

    He''d very nearly died his second death. He could recall running along with the horde, but he had no idea what they''d been chasing. Then it had¡­ appeared, booming into existence in front of him, a terrifying visage of the end-times.

    For one brief, horror-stricken moment, he''d thought the world had simply ended. The howl of the wind, the groan of the earth, all things being drawn into the void, never to be seen again.

    It had been enough to shock his mind out of the rut it had been stuck in.

    Without the lightning fast reflexes he''d trained as a hitman, or the incredible capabilities of his new demon form, he would be dead, without a doubt. Lashing out with his des, he''dtched into his own allies, using their flesh to lever himself away from the singrity.

    It almost hadn''t been enough. Before he could escape its pull, he''d been caught. In that terrible moment, he''d lifted into the air, losing hisst grasp to the ground and began to fall toward the heart of the beast.

    Thankfully, it had flickered and vanished before he''de into contact with it.

    Returned to his senses, the former hitman had stood on the ins, surrounded by the shell-shocked remains of the demon horde, bewildered. He had no idea where he was, or what he was doing, but several things were clear.

    Whatever hold Arconidem had on him was temporarily broken. The whispers of the Demon God were still there, in the back of his mind, but for the time being, Odin was firmly in control. Secondly, his minders, the mighty tier eight demons, were not here.

    He had slipped the leash.

    Instantly, he made a snap decision and raced away, his lithe and powerful form making great distance in short order. He had to put distance between himself and the horde, lest he be found.

    He needed to free himself. He would be nobody''s dog, not this time.

    Smoke and ash filled his lungs as he ran, like sweet summer air to a demon. One thought pounded in his head to the same rhythm as his feet on the stone. He''d thought the Ancient was invincible, that nothing could possibly stand up to a creature like that.

    But something MADE that ck hole. Whatever it is, I have to find it.

    Any monster capable of such an incredible feat would be worth knowing, even if only so he could avoid it. Until he was stronger, of course. After all, if one monster could get that strong, then why not him?

 Chapter 983 1094 - A Tour of Ash and Fire

    <h4>Chapter 983 Chapter 1094 - A Tour of Ash and Fire</h4>

    Hello, dear readers! Once again, it is I, your friend Travelling Tolly, writing to you of my adventures in thends of the Colony!

    And such a grand adventure it has been. From the charming city of Renewal, to the wonders of Anthome and the incredible things these industrious monsters have created, I must say I have been positively delighted with my experience.

    Also, it cannot be overstated, that the tea and biscuit service has been as fine as one would find in the Golden City itself. That is not something I say lightly, dear reader! But it is true!

    So many people neglect the importance of the little things when going on tour. Yes, obviously, seeing wondrous marvels that cannot be seen anywhere else is important, but getting a decent cup of tea and a bikkie for dipping is what elevates an experience to the truly unforgettable!

    That is my position and I shall not be dissuaded from it!

    I must say that my guide, the wonderful Emilia, had been beyond patient. I had originally engaged her to tour Renewal and the nearby nest, and here we were, weekster, about to descend to the third stratum. She was the soul of patience, and very epting of my constantly shifting priorities.

    "As long as you''ll have me, I will be happy to apany you throughout thends of the Colony," she told me. Such a lovely and caring youngdy!

    She was very particr about our sleep schedule though.

    So it was atst that we descended into the third stratum. Now, as you may know, reader, the third is not a popr destination for travellers. Abysmally hot, hard to breathe, and not much to look at unless you enjoy looking at millions of wriggling demons trying to poke each other in the eye.

    Nevertheless! I havemitted to exploring ALL of the Colony''s territories, and so I shall!

    On the day of our departure, my escorts and I gathered together with Emilia within the walls of Anthome. The three of us had been confined to a special "limation zone" for several days to allow our bodies to adjust to higher mana densities infort, a wee innovation to say the least.

    "Wee Tolly," Emilia smiled, "I hope you rested well?"

    "It was difficult to sleep with all the excitement - don''t re at me, girl, I rested! I rested!"

    She is quite strict on proper sleep.

    "I am pleased to hear it."

    Once more, serenity settled over the face of our guide and she led us through the well appointed and wonderfully decorated tunnels of the ant nest.

    The Colony had been relentless in its dedication to oveing my expectations, so I was quite excited to see what they had in store for us in the third. I didn''t expect the surprises to start before we even arrived!

    "What''s this?" I asked, a little wide-eyed.

    "This is our conveyance deeper into the Dungeon," came the matter of fact reply.

    We had been led to a fairlyrgish chamber, perhaps forty metres across, with a solid metal floor. There were other people gathered as well, standing in loose groups around the ce, golgari, human, brathian, even a ka''armodo.

    "We aren''t taking a gate?"

    "The Colony likes to be mana-efficient and gates are anything but. This chamber, and another nine just like it, were built to move people and cargo between the second and third strata. Moving this way, we will consume only ten percent of the mana than it would take for us to move via gate."

    "But how long will it take? It''s a long way down¡­."

    "We will arrive in an hour."

    "An hour!"

    I was dubious to say the least, dear reader. However, I swallowed my doubts. The Colony had proven me wrong many times already!

    It was a good thing that I kept quiet. As the room continued to fill with people, a bell chimed, loud and clear from somewhere overhead.

    "Miss Tolly. ce your feet in through the loops," Emilia advised.

    I looked down to see that small, metallic loops had been released from the floor at regr intervals. All around me, passengers were finding a ce on the tform and slipping their feet through the strange material.

    When amongst the Colony, do as they do! That''s my advice, reader, and I am seldom wrong!

    My escorts and I hastened to imitate the others and I found, much to my amazement, that the loops tightened themselves over my feet once I''d slipped them through. Quite remarkable! Andfortable enough, I might add. Nothing more than a slight pressure to the top of the foot.

    "We will be going quite fast," Emilia told me calmly, "the straps ensure that you don''t fly up off the tform."

    "Off the¡­ how fast will we be going exactly?"

    "Very."

    It started slowly, at least. The tform on which we stood gave a gentle lurch, no more than a slight dip, then it began to descend at a stately pace.

    It was then I realised that we had been stood on top of a circr, vertical shaft. The walls werepletely smooth stone, ttened to a degree that scarcely seemed possible.

    We continued to elerate, and continued, and continued, until the walls were a dizzying blur and that slight pressure on the roof of my foot had grown significantly.

    Despite the obvious speed we were travelling, I felt remarkablyfortable, as if I were insted from the wind pressure somehow. Looking around me, I could see some gentlemen were reading newspapers, and one olddy appeared to have fallen asleep!

    "This set of shafts was dug almost ten years ago," Emilia informed me, never missing an opportunity to educate on the Colony''s workings. "It was decided that moving personnel and material between the main nest in the second stratum and the third was much too slow and a more rapid means needed to be employed that used less mana than the gate. As you can imagine, the Colony needs to move tens of thousands of individuals every day, the gates were stretched to breaking point, so another solution needed to be found. The shaft runs for a hundred kilometres, straight down."

    "And we willplete our journey in an hour?"

    "That is correct."

    And she was right. We chatted back and forth as the tform continued to descend at its absurd speed. I felt it begin to slow a full ten minutes before we reached our destination. When it finally came to a stop, the passengers around me slipped their feet from the loops and began to make their way to the exit, a neat opening that now appeared on one side of the shaft.

    "Here we are," Emilia smiled. "The third stratum awaits."

 Chapter 984 1095 - A Tour of Ash and Fire pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 984 Chapter 1095 - A Tour of Ash and Fire pt 2</h4>

    Before we departed our strange conveyance, Emilia handed each of us a small bracelet and urged us to put it on.

    My escorts eyed the metal rather suspiciously, it was clearly enchanted, I could see the core set in the ornament with my own eyes. I couldn''t help but look upon their reluctance with a slight amount of exasperation, dear readers. Only a slight amount! The two gentlemen, Arryn and Potamus, had done their job wonderfully well over the trip, but I had begun to wonder if being surrounded by monsters all the time was starting to send their danger-sense a little haywire.

    If the ants wanted to harm us, they could do it anytime! We were surrounded by millions of them, constantly.

    With a warm smile, I epted my bracelet with grace and decorum, as one always should! Slipping it around my wrist, I felt the enchantment take effect the instant the sp snapped shut.

    "Oh, that is wonderful!"

    "The Colony offers these free to visitors. I collected them from the rack on the wall just through the door."

    "Well isn''t that wondrous? Stop being rude, you two, put them on immediately!"

    Arryn and Potamus eyed the slip of metal one more time before they shrugged and both ced them around their wrists.

    "The third stratum isn''t known to befortable for visitors, so the Colony created a number of these to help take the edge off. It won''t keep you coolpletely, but it will significantly impact the heat, as well as help purify the air you breathe."

    Now, it''s no secret that I like my creatureforts, reader, don''t we all? I''ve worn several items with simr enchantments before, they are positively necessary to survival in some parts of the Dungeon, so I have seen such as these many times before.

    What I haven''t seen, is such expensive materials given away for free! It''splex enchanting and smithing to make things like this. I paid more than a pretty penny for my items!

    "Of course, they aren''t being given to you," Emilia seemed to notice myplicated feelings, "they are simply a loan. You can return them when you leave the third at a collection station on the way back up or down."

    How lovely!

    Exiting the docking station, we found ourselves looking down across the incredible vista that is the third stratum when viewed from on high.

    I''d seen it all before, but I made sure to make appropriate noises of awe and appreciation. Never be a rude guest, readers, stand by this rule above all others!

    Emilia led us down a walkway from which we were guided to another tform, this one formed of pure energy, which we used to descend further.

    "Below, you can see the demon city of Roklu, the very first conquered by the Colony when they came to this stratum. You can see over there," she gestured with one hand, "the statue built tomemorate the victory of the Eldest over the demon lord who ruled here."

    Well... Of course I could see it. It must have been a kilometre tall! A gigantic, majestic ant was carved on the pir itself, posed above the city, looking down on all below with a superior gleam in its eye.

    "How on Pangera did they manage to carve that into the pir?" I asked, shocked.

    "They didn''t. The bulk of the stone is created magically, though I''m told it is somehow anchored to the pir beneath."

    An impressive feat nheless.

    "Does the Eldest, the Great One, actually look like that? Would you say this is a fair depiction?"

    There was just something about the way the enormous sculpture appeared. A certain debonair, a certain suave that exuded from every carved line. The pose, the curve of the carapace. Every inch screamed confidence and triumph. It was a magnificent example of the sculptor''s art, doubtless another example of Michangnt''s work.

    For once, Emilia seemed to hesitate before replying.

    "I would say it is a fair example of how the Colony views the Eldest."

    An interesting answer! And one that held a secret nugget of information.

    "Have you actually seen the Eldest yourself then, Emilia?" I asked, as casually as I could manage.

    The youngdy blushed at having been caught out.

    "Once, when I was very young," she said. "At that time, it was still possible for the Eldest to move high in the Dungeon. Sadly, that is no longer possible. It is extremely difficult to gain ess to them now."

    I''ve no doubt about it, but that doesn''t mean I was going to give up my exclusive! I''m as tenacious as an Evergreen Bulldogdragon when I want to be!

    We descended down past Roklu, without stopping. The Demon City was gigantic, fully covering six wide tes that extended out from the central rock formation, each teeming with monstrous life.

    "We will visit the City in time," Emilia assured us, much to the dismay of my escorts, "but first we need to present ourselves at the nest."

    "There''s a nest nearby? I don''t see it anywhere."

    "You''ll be able to see it in a moment," Emilia smiled that little smile which I now recognised as hinting that I was about to witness something ridiculous.

    I was on my guard, dear reader, don''t think that I wasn''t! Even so, these damnable ants managed to take my breath away once again!

    When we cleared thest te of Roklu, it became clear what Emilia had been talking about. The ''nest'' that the Colony had built extended from the ins below, wrapped around the pir, all the way up to the bottom of the city itself! We''d been too close to the tes to see it, but now it was revealed in all its glory.

    It was enormous, first of all. Kilometres high, it towered taller than the greatest parapets of the Golden City itself. Thin at the top, it grew wider and wider as we descended, an upside down funnel ofical proportions.

    Yet the sheer scale of the nest wasn''t the most astounding thing, it was the majesty and grace of the construction. It was an architectural marvel. They could have left the form of the traditional anthill alone, nobody would have expected them to do otherwise, but the slopes were anything but smooth. Broad, intimidating walls with ornately carved gates. Towers as thin as spun ss. Roads, markets, houses, there was an entire city built onto the surface of the nest, each and every construction part of a grander, more harmonious whole.

    It took me a moment to realise that the area I was looking at formed a pattern, then a moment longer to realise it was a leaf. Once that fell into focus, I could see it all, the vines, the leaves, the trunks and bushes and grasses that covered the entire surface!

    The sheer scale of the nning! The unbelievable amount of effort!

    "This must have taken a decade at least toplete," I breathed.

    "Not quite as long as that," Emilia demurred. "The Colony is not afraid of hard work."

 Chapter 985 1096 - The Third Goes to Hell

    <h4>Chapter 985 Chapter 1096 - The Third Goes to Hell</h4>

    I don''t know what''s up with these demons, but they are seriously feeling themselves at the moment. Every now and again, we''ll be out on the ins and some tier five Stab Demon wille sprinting at me from out of nowhere, leap ten metres in the air ande crashing down like a spear from the heavens¡­ only to bounce off my carapace without me noticing.

    Where is your sense of self preservation, idiot?! Life is precious, a miracle of mana and coincidence, don''t waste it like this. s, monstrous life is as cheap as it gets on the third, and the price is currently crashing through the floor. In fact, I''d go further. It crashed through the floor, through the basement and burrowed deep into the earth where it found a portal to a new reality, the EvenDeeperVerse, where it continues to plunge to new, mind-bending levels of depth.

    The spawn rate for demonrvae is getting so out of control, they''re starting to scrape the bottom of my carapace when I walk over them. Usually this happens when one of the vicious little stabbers jumps too high, not from being stacked on top of each other!

    The vastly increased number ofrvae of course means a vastly increased number of higher tier demons roaming the ins. They hunt each other, or, if feeling particrly full of themselves, have a go at passing Mythic Monsters.

    But something else weird is happening as well. Something I haven''t seen before.

    [Over there, Master. Another group.]

    [Where?]

    [Tiny is pointing at them.]

    [Ah, so he is.]

    Hmmm.

    [It''s still odd, no matter how many times I see it.]

    [It is unusual, Master.]

    [What do you think about it, Invidia? These are, at some level, your people after all.]

    The eyeball blinks once, twice.

    [It issss unnaturalssss,] he says with some distaste.

    Oho. An usual amount of feeling was put into that, and he didn''t even demand something! My boy is growing up. I feel a tap on my carapace and notice Tiny has sidled up to me and poked me on the side.

    What is it? What does he want?

    [Do you¡­ want me to ask your opinion as well?]

    The giant bat-faced gori shrugs one massive shoulder nonchntly, but I can see his ears twitching in excitement. Ho boy. This is going to be good.

    [Alright then, what do you think about it, Tiny?]

    At being addressed with the question, he snaps his attention to me, a serious expression stered on his face. He narrows his eyes and nods slowly, just the once.

    [Odd,] he deres.

    Then gives me a solemn thumbs up.

    [Thanks, buddy. I really appreciate it.]

    Still with hisrge thumb jutting proudly into the air, he nods again, pats me on the back and steps to the side. The airing off him is insufferably smug, as if he just achieved something incredible.

    I want to say something, but I can''t bring myself to puncture this moment for him.

    I''ve no idea what''s going on in the pea-seed brain of yours Tiny, but, good for you.

    The source of our confusion roams the ins in the middle-distance, a pack of tier five demons going absolutely wild on everything they see. This is extremely unusual behaviour for demons out on the ins. They''re solitary hunters, preying on each other until they reach tier six, at which point they gain true sentience and seek out a city to take them in. Here we see a gathering that breaks that pattern. These demons should be trying to slice each other''s faces off, but instead, they''re out here pallin'' around!

    It''s not natural.

    And this isn''t the first time we''ve seen thistely either. Ever since we broke off the assault on that demon horde, we''ve been creeping about hunting while looking for another horde to take bites out of and this stuff keeps happening.

    My feeling is that these demons have be possessed by the will of Arconidem and are acting against their own natures. Should theye across a horde, they''ll probably join it immediately.

    Which leads me to a scary thought.

    [So if these guys meet up with others who''ve banded together, just like they have, in order to do whatever the Ancient goonball wants them to do¡­ will they just group together?]

    [... Most likely, Master.]

    [Does that mean hordes of demons can just form¡­ out of the blue? Like, if enough of them get together, that''s just a brand new horde that hasn''te into contact with any of the others.]

    [... right.]

    [Well¡­ nards.]

    So even if we smash every horde, kill the tier eights, and scatter the demon uprising to the winds¡­ it''ll never actually be over until Arconidem either catches these mandibles, or goes back to sleep? Things are going to get so much worse around here, aren''t they?

    [Well, let''s go smash this group before they get into any mischief and then be on our way.]

    Putting down a mob of tier five demons doesn''t take long for the three pets to achieve. They are the cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me of tier six monsters, after all. Strong Skills, excellent evolutions and potent mutations. They''ll probably be stronger than me after they evolve, which will allow me to kick back and rx while they do all the hard work.

    I mean, that''s not what I''m aiming for or anything¡­.

    [Right, then, off we go! There has to be another horde around here somewhere.]

    We set off again around the ins, trying to stay close to the area beneath the Colony''s territory. I don''t want to wander too far away in case they need me, and I certainly want to notice if one of the tier eightses up and tries to go higher.

    If I can intercept them here, then that''s going to be the best scenario. Still in range for the Vestibule and without other ants nearby for them to threaten.

    So we set off, thervae continuing their eternal battle beneath our feet as they scatter out of the way, then roll back to cover the ground after we pass by.

    Sure enough, we do find another horde not far away.

    [I can sense some strong cores out there,] I warn the others, [so let''s be a little cautious.]

    Not strong enough to be tier eight, but there may be a few sevens in this group. This could be interesting!

 Chapter 986 1097 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 986 Chapter 1097 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 2</h4>

    Tangling with the big boys, wrestling with the top dogs, that''s my job as the strongest the Colony has to offer. The first time I went up against a tier seven demon, it was Grokus, and he very nearly had me for dinner. Thest time I tried it, I absolutely annihted the opponent so quickly they didn''t have time to pick their nose.

    In fact, it was so fast I''m not even sure they had a nose¡­. In that instance, I had to go all out to protect the Queen, but here, I can be a little more discerning and test my limits a little more.

    I''ve got enough Biomass stocked away for a decent mutation session, and I''d like to have a clearer idea of just what I need before Imit. This can be my chance for data collection.

    The horde we find is several thousand demons strong, and rather worryingly seems to be heading towards the pir behind us, which leads directly into the territory of the Colony. Considering how busy they''ve been, I don''t think there remain many cities in this area that haven''t been visited by the demon hordes. Any non-demon upants have been excised, so now they need to go looking further afield for targets.

    The time when the Colony is going to sh head-on against the demon uprising is fast approaching, but if we y our cards right, we can dy it just a little bit longer.

    [Get ready, gang,] I tell the others. [We''re going tomit to this one. Not a single demon in that horde is allowed to survive. I want you guys to peel away the weaker demons so I can have a crack at the tougher monsters in the centre.]

    The three of them nod in affirmation, pumped up and ready to fight, but someone else pops up to spoil the positive atmosphere.

    "Are you sure this is a good idea, Eldest?" Protectant pops into existence not far away, looking somewhat tired and bedraggled.

    "Of course it''s a good idea. We can deal with this threat here and now, and myrades need precious levels to push them closer to evolution. There''s so much winning involved, it almost beggars belief. What''s your problem?"

    The leader of operation: Silent Shield rubs at the carapace between her eyes with a foreleg, as if relieving a tension headache.

    "There are multiple highly evolved demons in there, and thousands of enemies in total. Of course it''s dangerous! It''s alsopletely unnecessary. You know just as well as I do that if this demon army climbs that pir, there is an entire fortress filled with ants waiting to greet them on the other side. They''ll be annihted! So why risk yourself?"

    I mean, she raises good points, but there are other things to consider. For example: "Have all of you reached tier six yet?"

    Protectant flinches slightly, giving the entire game away.

    "Still?! This is getting absolutely ridiculous. I''m going to be getting up close and personal with tier eight demons soon. EIGHT. What do you think is going to happen to one of you if you''re three evolutions behind? You''ll be evaporated, that''s what!"

    "This isn''t what we were discussing¡­" she protestsmely.

    "Nonsense! We are out here strengthening ourselves for the trials toe, and that includes you twenty ckers! Get your mandibles ready, because you are charging into that horde along with the rest of us, and you''re going to like it, dammit! Get all the experience, Biomass and cores you can, I''m going to be too busy to babysit you. Ready?"

    "Not rea-"

    "Good. Go!"

    And we''re off! Racing across the ins, my legs are a blur and the air pressure blows my antennae back against my carapace. Tiny whoops with joy as he rumbles forward like an avnche, a grim-eyed Invidiatched onto his shoulder.

    I can sense the twenty baby-sitters falling in behind us as we charge, forced to go along with the n despite themselves. Gweheheheh. Masterful persuasion tactics, even if I do say so myself.

    Up ahead, the demon horde is just as excited to see us as we are to see them. The lead demons go absolutely berserk, red eyed and frothing as they hurl themselves towards us. Once the front of the group gets moving, the rest soon follow, the mass of monstrous flesh soon stampeding in our direction, with those powerful demonic auras washing out from the centre.

    Bring it!

    The bulk of the horde are weak, mere tier four and five demons gathered from the ins, and I m through them like they aren''t even there. With every chomp of my mandibles or thrash of my head, I send the weaker monsters tumbling out of my way.

    Of course, even as strong as I am, it isn''t enough to let me run straight through a thousand demons, not without drawing on the Altar, at least. If I need to use it, then I will, but for now, I''ll hold back.

    "Get off me! I''ve got stuff to do!"

    The moment my momentum stops, the demons pile onto me as quickly as they can, hacking and shing, biting and punching. Thankfully, my carapace is more than up to the task of deflecting physical damage like this. Acting as the strongest possible armour, the weaker attacks simply bounce off me.

    As nice as that is, I still have vulnerable points, namely my eyes and the joints between my armour segments, so I manoeuvre quickly in the confined space left to me. Guided by my brief glimpses into the future and acting with unnatural speed thanks to my enhanced reflexes, I can shift and deflect every strike that aims at my more vulnerable points.

    Seriously, though, what''s the most efficient way to get rid of these small fry? I can chomp them to death in an instant, but I don''t want to drain my stamina. Acid? Probably not. I could use magic, I suppose, but the number of spells required. Ah, forget it, let''s try this.

    I draw deeply on my gravity mana,press and form it into the spell I want before unleashing it along with a burst of energy from the Altar.

    Taste my Gravity Domain!

    The purple sphere of energy expands outwards with me at the centre,rger and darker than I''ve ever seen it. The moment it reaches full size, the air within the dome changes. All at once, hundreds of demons m to the ground, no longer able to keep themselves upright as the tremendous force crushes them down into the ground.

    All of a sudden, I find myself standing alone, surrounded by a carpet of monsters straining to rise from the floor. Empowered by my gravity mana specialisation and the energy of the Altar, the Gravity Domain has be so much stronger!

    "Gweheheheh. That''s right, get on the ground. You small fry don''t get to stand in the presence of a king!"

 Chapter 987 1098 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 987 Chapter 1098 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 3</h4>

    Looking at all the demons slumped on the ground around me, it''s a good feeling. A dangerous feeling!

    The dark one is stirring¡­ I can feel his hunger!

    Yes! Kneel before me, you worms! Gweheheheheh! Hack! No¡­ I must resist! I cannot allow the light to fall into the shadows. Not today, Dark Anthony! Your time wille, but it shall not be now!

    I manage to push the glee I feel at seeing these weaker demons forced into the stone by my gravity domain to one side. There are tier seven monsters lurking about and I can''t be taking them lightly. No matter how powerful I think I am, I need to remember that they''re the same level of evolution as me.

    Behind me, myrades are going absolutely berserk. With the support of my twenty bodyguards adding to the chaos, the three of them are able to munch through huge numbers of monsters without being in much danger.

    Protectant, Guardian and the rest are obsessed with remaining in the shadows to the point that they''d erase their existence entirely if they found a way to manage it and still hang around annoying me.

    After seeing the Mythic evolution options and how crazy they got, I''m half worried that they''ll all choose to turn into some sort of energy parasite and attach themselves to me. Or something even weirder, that only exists in the minds of those who wish me harm.

    Shudder.

    They would do it too. Like, they wouldn''t even hesitate. Maybe I need to rethink whether I should push them to level up¡­. Some are tier six already, after all!

    I know I can''t, though. If even one of them dies on the job, then I''ll never forgive myself. Forget bodyguards. I spend more time worrying about their well-being than I do my own.

    Wait. WAS THAT THE PLAN ALL ALONG!?

    Oooo that''s clever. Seriously clever, dammit! I''ll need to find out which of the Council came up with this idea. I''ll congratte them on the brilliant idea, right before I thwack them into oblivion.

    All right, where are these demons¡­ I''ve got a lot of anger to work out now.

    With the domain active, draining away at my gravity mana and altar respectively, I can walk through the horde almost totally unimpeded. Some of the stronger demons can still move, though slowly. Even if they can reach me, the effort it takes to stretch an arm to hit me makes their attacks totally ineffective. A few brighter sparks start firing spells at me, but my battery of mind-constructs rip the more serious ones to pieces before they can threaten me. My efforts to beef up my defence through evolutions and Skills has brought me to this point, and experiencing the results, I have to say I''ve done a bang-up job.

    Moving through the crowd of monsters in this way, it''s easy for me to find the tier sevens, and when I do, I start to wonder if I''ve bitten off more than I can chew.

    There are three of them, and they look like a rather intimidating trio. First, there''s a big chunky boy, reminiscent of Grokus, though not the same sort of demon. Huge, bby, and with a vering, tooth-lined maw. The second is at least a type I recognise, a War Demon. Huge, powerfully muscled, with barbs and des aplenty for engaging in its chosen obsession. Those types are intimidating beasts, to say the least. Last is clearly a mage type, lithe, with four arms and a surprisingly eyeless head, the monster looks like it means business.

    In their enraged state, the three don''t waste any time on pleasantries and rush toward me. Immediately, I can feel the difference between these and the other demons. The Fatty and War demon burst into my domain and barely slow down as they reach out to crush my insect legs.

    Naive! You think I can''t sense these movesing?

    My attackers grasp nothing but air as I react with preternatural speed. I slide to one side andsh out with my mandibles, employing my most devastating bite attack.

    VOID CHOMP!

    The two monsters are sucked into the centre of the strike zone before suffering the devastating power of the manifested mandibles. These two aren''t as weak as the other trash around here. Big and tough, they can take a hit or two.

    Zzzzap!

    Taking advantage of me being stationary during the Void Chomp, a st of magic flies through the air and bites into my carapace. Ouch! That sizzles a bit, was that a form ofser magic? Some sort of concentrated light?

    Thankfully, my carapace is thick and tough, so whatever they did wasn''t able to puncture through it. I knew they''d hit me, but I was surprised they were able to throw out a spell potent enough that I couldn''t tear it apart. That mage-type might be the strongest of the three¡­.

    "ROOAAAAR!" the War demon bellows in my face and I immediately have to reassess that opinion as the giant creature takes massive swipes, looking to take my head off.

    Jeez. Even though I evolved, these guys are still an impressive size. I mean, it doesn''t help that I''m so much longer than I am tall, meaning the War demon towers over me, despite being a simr mass. I guess I''ll just have to bite your kneecaps off!

    VOID CHOMP!

    Another devastating bite, unleashed just after I narrowly dodge a dangerous strike.

    CRUNCH!

    The War demon definitely feels it, but this attack alone isn''t enough to take powerful demons like these out of the picture.

    Zzzzap!

    Argh! Again! I was more ready for it that time. The beam moves so quickly, I have hardly any time to take it apart before itnces into me. Going to have to shift to another strategy.

    Kicking my sub-brains into overdrive, I spin together an omni-elemental construct and start to pump out concentrated ice-mana. It''s not at its best in this boiling hot environment, but if I condense it enough, it''ll do the job. I know for a fact that demons hate the stuff.

    Therger demon continually bellows in rage as it barrels towards me, gnashing at the air with its prohibitively sized jaws. I''m convinced the creature is just too damn slow to be a serious threat at this point, but of course it surprises me the exact second I start to dismiss it as a threat.

    My antennae tingle with warning and I throw myself to the side in a graceless roll, iling along the ground as something sts past me.

    What the heck was that!?

    I right myself in a hurry, only to find the War demon positioned in front of me, ready to strike.

    No you don''t!

    Dash! In fact, Charge!

    Rather than move to the side, I rush full forward, mming my carapace into the demon''s legs and avoiding the worst of the strike. In the corner of my eye I can see what the Fatty had shot at me with such blinding speed. It was a tongue!

    He''d shot it out like a frog and was now in the process of winding it back in. Disgusting! Even worse, I can see he''s got more of the things in that maw. Who the heck needs more than one tongue?!

    Mana at the ready, I unleash a blizzard of ice spears at the mage and Fatty as I untangle myself from the closest opponent. I didn''t quite manage to knock the War demon down, but it was close.

    These guys are a little tougher than I expected. I suppose I''ll have to get serious as well!

 Chapter 988 1099 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 988 Chapter 1099 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 4</h4>

    When a monster reaches tier seven, and perhaps this is especially true for demons, they tend to get some fancy tricks up their sleeves. Grokus had that whole Biomass storage thing, which was a heck of a thing, if I''m being honest. War demons are in possession of a frightening frenzy aura, and grow even more powerful as they take damage, turning them into fearsome destruction engines when they''re on the verge of death.

    If I were to take a guess, I think the Fatty has something rted to those tongues or his mouth. Perhaps a paralytic effect, or some special effect when he bites something? I''d best be careful and make sure I don''t get hit. The Mage is a little trickier, but I wonder if she''s elerating her magic in some way. The speed her projectilese out is way too quick, so fast I can''t even dodge, and I know they''reing before she even shoots them!

    With the Gravity domain running, I have a constant drain on both Altar energy and gravity mana, but I decide to keep it going. The domain is preventing the weaker monsters from piling into the fight, and it''s slowing down the big hitters, even if they can mostly ignore its effects. Importantly, the drain on the Altar is barely more than the replenishment rate, so in practice, I''m still mostly full on energy. It''s not like I''d be able to replenish enough during the fight to make a significant difference anyway. The longer this drags out, the more disadvantageous to me. I need to end it with what I have avable to me now.

    The first to go has to be the War demon, a decisive strike that finishes him in one go. Chipping away at their health ispletely the wrong way to go about it.

    I''ve already delivered a few Void chomps to this particr foe and he is loving life, raging more than ever before, limbs bursting with power. As the Fatty creeps closer, looking to fire off another tongue, and the Mage continues tonce me withsers, the War demon stomps forward, eyes zing with rage, shing wildly.

    This is getting intense!

    So much is happening at once. My antennae buzz constantly and my muscles fire without me having to think about it. Strikese and I slide left, or jerk to the right. Sparks fly as des sh against my carapace, skidding off the diamond surface. My brains burn in my head as they work at full capacity, every mind-construct pushed to the limit as a torrent of condensed ice spears fly out, several every second.

    Hoooooly moly!

    I fling myself over the ground once again, desperately avoiding another rocket-like tongue fired from the Fatty.

    That''s seriously annoying! Keep your dang mouth shut for a minute yooooouuuWAYO!

    A second tongue sts from that disgusting maw just as I get my legs back under me. Forewarned by my antennae, I desperately cobble together a wall of ice in front of me as I try to push my body to the right.

    Yikes and wowsers! I knew he had more than one tucked in there, but I wasn''t sure he could fire both so quickly one after the other. I seriously don''t want to get hit by that attack¡­.

    Might have to change my ns. I think Fatty has punched his ticket to the top of the list.

    As everything spins so quickly around me, it''s hard not to acknowledge just how much I''m enjoying the battle. I''d missed this! The intensity! Being pushed to the limit and beyond! My monster body is capable of so much, dozens of thoughts at once, impossible reaction speeds, the sheer size and power packed into my massive ant frame.

    Flinging it all around, dialling it up to ten and fighting hard, something inside my monstrous body craves this excitement! Like a rocket engine desperate to ignite, every fibre of my ant-body is roaring at me to push them to breaking in order to smash the enemy!

    Who am I to disagree?! Let''s unleash everything this evolution has to offer. These demons think they can challenge me? I''m the Colony Paragon! My carapace is strong enough to bear the weight of my entire family, these punks won''t even be able to scratch it!

    I snap my six legs and flex them as the War demon bears down on me and the Fatty reels his two tongues in. I let my energy umte as I bring my mandibles back and lock them into ce.

    All the while, my endless barrage of ice magic continues, most of them shattering noisily against the Mage''s shield. It''s enough to keep her distracted, which is all I need for now.

    Have a taste of the Will of the Colony!

    Dash!

    VOID CHOMP!

    Both skills soak in the power of the Altar as I activate them. The world blurs, stretching out before me as I teleport forward, moving at such ridiculous speeds that the air feels like a wall.

    The Fatty jerks back when I appear in front of him before lunging, mouth agape and ready to bite.

    Toote, moron!

    Activated during my dash, the void chomp is already manifested. Dark mandibles of pure energy,rger and more dense than normal, manifest alongside my own jaws, mming shut on the void which sucks the demon into the perfect bite range.

    CRUNCH!

    For good measure, I shift the target of my magic forward, pounding the helpless demon trapped in my jaws with a veritable machine gun of ice.

    Not enough? I''ve got more!

    With the constant flow of gravity, my carapace is singing, enhanced by the energy that pours out of me. My whole body resonates to the strange thrum of gravitic energy. It''s strangely intoxicating.

    VOID CHOMP!

    Unempowered this time, my jaws m shut once more.

    [You have defeated¡­.]

    One down!

    The War demon ms into my side, tons of brutal monster moving at high speed. The kic energy would be enough to crumple a truck into a pancake, then throw that pancake into a hydraulic press until it was an atom thick, but I endure.

    The carapace and inner-ting absorb the force, transferring it through my legs and into the ground. I buckle, but I don''t break. The demon bellows its war cry, shockingly loud, and I snap my mandibles angrily back, the sharp SNAP sounding like a thunderbolt.

    Idiot demon, I have the power of gravity at mymand and you want to knock me down? There''s no chance!

    I stop the ice barrage and put all my minds to work on a new spell, drawing deep on my gravity mana as I spin together mytest technique: the gravity well.

    Let''s see how you like this!

    Driven into a mindless rage by the Will of Arconidem, the hapless demon can''t do anything but attack without thought, rushing forward again and again. It''s all too predictable and I''m able to position him between myself and the Mage, limiting her opportunity to strike until I''m ready.

    When the spell isplete, I unleash it immediately, triggering the Altar again.

    To my surprise, the Altar practically empties, dumping a huge amount of energy into the spell.

    ced beneath the War demon''s feet, the well is shaped to apply its field only to the demon, and he feels the effect immediately¡­ but not for long.

    Filled with all the gravity mana I could spare and empowered by the Altar, the well roars into life with dramatic effect. It reaches out, seizes hold of the War demon¡­ and crushes it.

    Yikes! That¡­ wasn''t pretty. Oof. I have to admit, that''s taken my appetite for the fight and put a bit of a downer on it.

    Even the Mage demon seems a little off-put by witnessing such a scene, despite thepulsion burning in her mind.

    Look, I didn''t know it was going to be like that, alright? I haven''t tried it before. I mean¡­ I hope there''s some Biomass left¡­. Probably not.

    [You have defeated¡­]

    Yeah, obviously.

    Well, one to go, I suppose.

 Chapter 989 1100 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 5

    <h4>Chapter 989 Chapter 1100 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 5</h4>

    I turn to thest demon, the mage, and immediately resume my icicle barrage in order to give myself a little time and space.

    Holy moly! I''m tired. That took a fair bit out of me, but so long as the Colony is close enough, I will never truly tire. Sure enough, as Will continues to flow through the Vestibule, my brains are soothed, my muscles restored and my stamina replenished.

    This is the power of family! Gwheheheh!

    With my siblings helping me, I need never fear a tier seven demon ever again!

    Having said that, the Altar is looking a little forlorn. The attacks I''ve used so far have taken a huge chunk out of it, and with the gravity domain active, it won''t gain any power either. I''ll have to finish thisst tier seven without it.

    I mean, I could turn off the domain spell, but then I''d be swarmed by the masses of weaker monsters. No thanks. I''d just get bogged down andsered in the face a bunch of times. I''m not in the mood for a ranged battle against a specialist spell demon. Fighting Invidia once was enough for me to swear off that for the foreseeable future.

    My ice spears rocket through the air, shattering noisily against the demon''s shield and filling the air with a frozen mist that quickly burns away. Eyes burning with mindless rage, the mage hisses in agitation, returning fire with moresers that sear across my carapace.

    That spell is so damn fast!

    Unfortunately for my opponent, it may be able to hit me, but it doesn''t pack enough punch to inflictsting damage to my carapace. With gravity mana constantly flowing, my body is humming at max capacity and the inner-ting is doing its job repairing my exo-skeleton before any weaknesses can really appear.

    What I don''t want to do is wait around and find out a more powerful version of this spell exists that melts through me, so I need to keep moving and distract the enemy.

    As I start to circle around, I decide to change my magic based attack mode. Mind mana, a constant requirement to maintain my constructs, begins to flow brightly as the mana in my core is converted. Experts at handling this particr vour of mana, the sub-brains and the constructs they work with leap on the energy and begin pumping out mental-attacks.

    I''ve not grown to specialise in these methods, but that doesn''t mean they aren''t useful. Against Garralosh, the mental-attack was extremely effective, and defending against this method is also important.

    Woven with incredible speed, hundreds of strands of mind magic zip through the air, rushing toward the demon. My sudden shift in tactics causes a moment of hesitation, which nearly proves disastrous, before her mind reaches out and begins to shred my mana before it can touch her.

    Ooo, that was close. Still, that might keep her more busy and prevent her from firing that -

    ZAP!

    Yeeeouch! Apparently not. Ah well, at least if my opponent tries to go harder on the offensive, I''ll immediately gain ground in the mind war, which is one that she really can''t afford to lose.

    I pick up speed and circle closer and closer, shortening the distance between us and increasing the pressure of my mind attack. The demon is far from helpless and fires back repeatedly with burningsers that sear into me and at one point threaten to slice off a leg.

    Thankfully, I manage to get myself out of the way before theser can cut through.

    The ol'' legs are still my weakest point. I really need to chunk them up at some point, especially the joints. Now that my carapace is truly difficult to prate, the go-to tactic of aiming for the joints and legs is going toe back, I can already tell.

    Except, it isn''t enough to prevent me from descending on this hapless mage.

    The pressure of my mental attack continues to build until a few different bits and pieces begin to slip through. Random thoughts, false sensory impressions, sounds and sights that bewilder and confuse. Once it begins, there''s nothing the demon can do, and I arrive within chomp range quickly.

    Naturally, at that distance, this type of demon is no match for the barrage of physical attacks that rain down.

    Holy moly!

    I jump back after delivering the final chomp as an explosion of guts and brain matter projects out from the mage.

    YUCK!

    I always forget that these slimmer demons, and truthfully, even some of therger ones, are packing a heap of their organs into little pocket dimensions.

    [Master, are you alright?] Crinis calls me.

    [I''m fine! Just¡­ cleaning up the mess, I suppose.]

    I look around at the field of battle and sigh. I''ve defeated my three opponents, with surprising ease, I might add, but there are still thousands of weaker demons about.

    Just so I don''t have to bother with them, I let the gravity domain continue as I stomp around, kicking the demons off of my precious Biomass and dragging it all together in one pile. One of the demons is ttened into¡­ I''m not sure what word I would use to describe it, but at least the other two left something behind that I can feast on. This is a rare treat. Tier seven monsters don''t grow on trees!

    I begin to stuff my face, racking up the points as the weaker demons stumble and crawl on the ground around me. Further away, the battle rages as Tiny, Crinis, Invidia and the bodyguards do their best to fight through the entire horde.

    From where I sit, it looks like it''s all working out splendidly. They should be finished right about the time I''m done eating!

 Chapter 990 1101 - The Deepest Lore

    <h4>Chapter 990 Chapter 1101 - The Deepest Lore</h4>

    Let it be written here and in no other volume. In these pages, find the collected wisdom of the Cults on the subjects of our reverence.

    This page deals with the domains of the Ancients and what little is known. Though none have seen these hallowed ces with their own eyes, shards of information have been gathered in other ways, through interrogation of monsters who may have some connection to the Great Ones, through examination of ancient documents or forensic inspection of records provided by our founders.

    Despite the best efforts of our collective Cults, by far the best source is the interpretation of dreams.

    Through the centuries, high ranking members across Pangera have experienced strangely detailed dreams of the Ancients and their domains. Only whenworked together did we arrive at the realisation that these may be more than just figments conjured by imagination, but rather glimpses at a reality we should never see.

    How or why these visions ur, there are none who can postte a valid theory, yet it is the view of the collective Cult that they are real. Here we record for posterity and the eyes of the Hierophants what we have learned, and the holy names bestowed on the domains of the Ancients.

    Yarrum the Eternal Worm

    In the realm of Yarrum, there is only the worm.

    Theorazzn of the Decaying World

    A sense of the Decaying World can be seen in the fifth stratum, which, for unknown reasons, the Ancient coloured with its touch many years ago. That blighted ce is inimical to life, yet the realm of Theorazzn is beyond even that, a nightmare realm where the air itself drips with deadly toxins. Without proper protection, living creatures are melted to nothing in seconds, decaying into bones thatst less than a minute before rotting away.

    Syssernix the Dark Spear

    Evershade, a realm of almost total and perpetual darkness, is where Syssernix holds domain. Teeming with sightless monsters of terrible power that swim through the shadows like fish in the sea. In the deepest and darkest pools, Syssernix makes her resting ce, a coral fortress that none dare enter.

    Morribolg of the Fetid Earth

    The Living Bog is the realm in which Morribolg makes its home. Saturated in Water and Earth mana, the Bog is bursting with life, and death. The roots of trees curl around bones of long dead monsters, locking them away from remation by the Dungeon. Deep in the centre, Morribolg dwells, a living mound of mud that will never let go of anything it touches. Anything that lives within this realm suffers under the suffocating pressure the Ancient exerts.

    Carrire the Hell me

    Dreams of Carrire are dangerous. Even in sleep, several members of the Kindling Cult have had their eyes burned out, a terrible price to pay for a glimpse of this god. Within Allfire, Carrire holds domain. A ce of eternal me, there is nothing within the ce that does not burn, even mana. All monsters in this ce have adapted to be either creatures of fire, or to survive whilst perpetually being seared by their environment.

    Rigorite the Mountain Breaker

    A world of metal. Iron mountains, steel rivers, tungsten trees, tinum grass, and other, rarer metals infused with mana make up the realm of Rigorite. A mountainous beast of irresistible strength, the Ancient cuts through its realm like a knife. None of the monsters, the most physically resistant in all the Dungeon, can resist the power of Rigorite. Named for the material of its construction, Metalforge breaks, but is never broken.

    Tarriflyx the Hunger

    A brother who glimpsed the realm of Tarriflyx awoke screaming to find they had gnawed off their own arm in their sleep. The aura of dreadful starvation that emanates from the Ancient has warped reality itself in this ce, creating the Crags of Famine. A sted wastnd of rock and rent stone, no monster who dwells within can ever be sated. They must fight and eat, always, lest their own stomachs gnaw them from the inside.

    Within a crack in the earth, Tarriflyx dwells, ready to drag any whoe too close into its dreadful maw.

    Arconidem the Demon God

    Arconidem resides within the Demon Pce, a grand edifice in which he sits on his living throne, surrounded by his court. Powerful demons each and every one, his court is sustained only by their proximity to the god, for they cannot hope to contest the monsters who spawn within those hallowed halls.

    Zothoth Who Feasts on Sanity

    All who have dreamt of the realm of Zothoth have gone mad. What little we know has been gathered through the dedicated work of the Cult of Asylum, interpreting the gibberings of those blessed with the vision to piece together a picture of this ce. Described as Mind Spike, this realm is a twisted vision of madness. Ever shifting, ever warping, nothing remains the same for long. Atop the Spike, Zothoth makes her home, causing insanity to fall like rain.

    Torra the Dread Dog

    Wild and unbound, Torra roams the Hunting Grounds when awakened, an oppressive aura of pure terror gripping all unfortunate enough toe near. Dreamers who glimpse the Ancient are known to live in terror for the rest of their lives, screaming and iling their limbs at the smallest bark. Torra is a solitary hunter with no pack, for no creature can remain in its presence without sumbing to the terror. Even the Hound Cult has no real clue what Torra looks like, since none can look upon it directly.

    Gon the Sightless Freak

    In the presence of Gon, none may see. Not even in dreams.

    Yolesh the Ever Dying

    The Ancients'' Graveyard is home to Yolesh. Whether the Ever Dying was once defeated and turned into the heart of Undeath it has be, or if that is how it has always been, is unknown. The Ancient''s all-consuming aura of death fills the Graveyard. Nothing can die in this ce. Not truly. A dreamer saw a vision of himself battling a horror, losing a hand in thebat. The hand animated itself and skittered up his leg, attempting to choke him. In the presence of Yolesh, one would die forever, without ever finding true rest.

    Lerrewyn the Grasping Tree

    Visions of a lush, ripe, yet rotting forest surrounding an enormous willow have haunted the dreams of the Hanging Cult for centuries. In truth, these visions are a lie. The Willow is real, for that is Lerrewyn herself, the desated corpses of monsters drooping down, coiled in her vines. It is the forest that is the lie, for that is also Lerrewyn, her roots having forced their way into the nt monsters of her domain and enved them. The Creeping Forest is not an easy ce to leave.

    Horgran the Butcher

    Arising from an ocean of blood, Horgran has raised the Fortress of Flesh. A ce of endless gore, the monsters within delight in butchery, but none so much as Horgran. When awake, the Ancient stalks the cavernous halls, hacking apart whatever crosses their path. The Butcher seldom even eats, satisfied with the ughter alone.

    Perrianon of Blood

    Winding, narrow veins connected torger, blood soaked arteries tangled together into a maddened knot form Clotted Heart, the realm of Perrianon. A ce of both life and death, the monsters of this ce are warped by the contradiction at the heart of the Ancient who dominates them. All bleed, at all times. No ichor, blood or life sustaining substance will remain where it should be.

    Kygar the Storm Bringer

    The realm of Kygar is known as Stormcloud, for that is what it is. A roiling, boiling cloud charged with such power that anything drawing too close is sted with lightning as thick as a tree trunk.

    In the depths of the cloud, Kygar drifts, surrounded by a hurricane of lightning that follows the Ancient wherever it goes. Powerful creatures hunt within the storm, able to withstand the intense strikes or so swift that they can dodge them. Yet none can approach the Storm Bringer. Even asleep, Kygar is protected.

    Ruminominex Shaper of Earth

    The Great Mountain imed by Ruminominex is always in flux, the stone bones deep within shifting ording to the Ancient''s will.

    Even when asleep, dirt and rock will mould themselves around Ruminominex, without any conscious effort on their part.

    For this reason, the Great Mountain is a treacherous ce to call home. There are no permanent roosts, or caves. At any moment, any tunnel can copse upon its upants with the force of a falling mountain. Only those who can survive the extreme pressures live here.

    Braxxin who Froze the Sky

    The titan known as Braxxin scrapes the roof of its own domain as it stands. From the crown of ice that rests atop the Ancientes an aura of cold so powerful it permeates the entirety of the Ice Lands. Nothing may move within this realm, save Braxxin. There is no heat, there is no energy, even mana may freeze, falling still within the veins of the Dungeon.

    What monsters live here have specialised to the environment, creatures of ice who lie dormant for centuries at a time, waking to hunt only when the Ancient sleeps.

    Odren the Father of Monsters

    The Cult of Odren, known as the Dungeon Cult, are responsible for the creation of this tome. It is we, who follow the Divine Call of the First, that have stitched the Cults of Pangera together into this, tenuous, cloth.

    For that is His will.

    To those few who Dream, Odren has appeared in many forms, no two the same. To some, he is a ravenous, enormous beast, feasting on his children through all of time. To others, he has appeared as a wise old man, exhorting them to fulfil his purpose.

    The Father of Monsters dwells within the Beast Heart, from which uncounted monsters spring in a never ending tide, pouring into the higher levels of the Dungeon to fight and kill in Odren''s name.

    They enact his will, as will we.

    Always.

    - Excerpt from ''Tome of the Hierophants'' by Unknown.

 Chapter 991 1102 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 6

    <h4>Chapter 991 Chapter 1102 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 6</h4>

    I really need to mutate my stomach. After powering through the remains of two tier seven demons, I''m absolutely stuffed. Without my capacity upgrades, it would have been impossible to fit them both in. It''s a little saddening that my efficiency upgrades give me absolutely no benefit when eating another monster of my own tier, but such is life. Those mutations exist, but I''ve gotten far more value from my higher Biomass gain from lower tiered food.

    As I flop on my side, still surrounded by my gravity domain, I groan and rub at my distended gaster with my back legs.

    "Might have gone a little overboard there," I mumble.

    With such Biomass-rich fare on the table before me, it''s not like I could possibly hold back. Like a bloated uncle at Christmas time, I kept going back for more until it was all gone.

    As I flop, I idly check on my mana and Altar and am delighted to find that my resources are barely going down at all. With my increased gravity mana generation while using gravity mana, I can sustain the domain almost indefinitely. I will eventually run out, but with this spell alone running, I can sustain it for hours.

    There''s enough of the Colony in range to keep the Altar running steady as well. The result is that I''m able to take some time to digest, undisturbed by the rest of the horde while my threerades battle fiercely.

    It takes them over an hour to finish the fight, but eventually, Tiny, Crinis and Invidia make their way over to me when no more demons remain. Bruised, battered and low on resources, the three of them look absolutely spent.

    I stretch my six legs, clean my antennae and stand up.

    "Great work, you three!" I congratte them.

    Protectant materialises beside Tiny, looking simrly spent. Her antennae have a definite ''I''m annoyed at you'' tilt.

    "And of course, great work to you twenty as well!" I say enthusiastically. "A hard fought battle is the best way to rank up your Skills and gain experience. You guys may as well bank some Biomass, and then we''ll make our way back to the Colony."

    Looking at the field of carnage around us, there should be plenty for all of them to eat.

    "Though, I think you need to move quickly¡­."

    If there''s one thing that isn''t short on the third stratum, it''s hungry mouths. Demonrvae are boiling up from beneath our feet constantly, and they aren''t picky eaters.

    Tiny is already shovelling food into his maw, flicking the little demons off his chosen meals with his smi-thick fingers.

    After he evolves again, those fingers will need an evenrger food item forparison¡­ ham, maybe?

    All of them rush around the field, stuffing their faces as quickly as they can until they''re all full and we depart the field. It''s time to get ourselves back up to the Colony.

    Invidia and I lift the group up, since climbing isn''t all that feasible right now. I have to strain much harder than normal, due to all the extra weight we''re carrying, but eventually, we reach the top and crawl into the tunnels.

    All of us are feeling lethargic as we digest, so the fighting is sluggish and sloppy to say the least. Thankfully, the demons we meet aren''t the strongest and I can swat them away when they get too close.

    When we climb up onto the ins of Leng, I feel a sense of safety roll over me. I wasn''t truly threatened on our hunt, outside of my fight against the tier sevens, but there''s a vast sense offort thates from being back in thends of my people.

    The scent of pheromones is everywhere, trails and markers tingling against my antennae. The Vestibule thunders with energy, the collective will of hundreds of thousands pouring into me in a constant torrent.

    [Alright, gang. Let''s chill here and digest for a minute. I might as well do a little mutating while I''m here. Crinis, make sure you''re prepared for emergency shielding.]

    [I''m ready, Master.]

    [I can always count on you.]

    Tiny snorts loudly.

    [And you, Tiny.]

    Invidia blinks, slowly.

    [And you too, of course.]

    Geez. Since when were they all so sensitive? Here in the safety of Colony controllednd, and with the dignity preserved by the dedication of my loyal shadow monster, I dive into the menus and see what I''ve got going on.

    +35 is the maximum I can manage at my current evolution and I''ve got nothing hitting that prestigious mark at the moment. I think my first order of business should be to ramp up my stomach. After stuffing myself silly, I''m reminded of the importance of ensuring my stomach is as prepared as it can be to ept Biomass.

    The question is, what do I improve? So far, I''ve got abination of capacity increases and penalty reduction mutations. Either one would be an effective choice right now. I mean, it''s hard to go wrong, really. Of the two, the penalty reduction is the most generally applicable, there isn''t always enough food to stretch me to capacity, after all.

    I flick through the menu, idly scanning for anything else that might be impactful. I mean, I''ve been through this list a thousand times, so I don''t¡­ really¡­ expect to¡­ find¡­ anything?

    What the hell is this stuff?!

    There are choices here that I''ve never seen before, I''m sure of it! Why in the hell would new options be popping up now? Some of this stuff looks good, too.

    Pocket Dimension stomach, increasing capacity whilst also tucking the stomach away out of the body and in its own space.

    Chambered Blitz stomach, adjusting the digestion process to be both faster and more efficient.

    Synthesising Stomach Acid, creating additional Biomass from consumed material.

    I mean. What the hell?! This stuff is amazing! There''s a host of new options, each with crazy, multi-part effects, or new, more potent applications.

    I mean, Synthesising Acid? Does that mean I would be like¡­ partially producing my own Biomass?

    Wait. Does this mean there are other, new options for my body parts that are avable to mutate to +35? Burning with curiosity, I whip open the menu for my carapace and start flicking through it.

 Chapter 992 1103 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 7

    <h4>Chapter 992 Chapter 1103 - The Third Goes to Hell pt 7</h4>

    Well¡­. This is going to be interesting.

    As it turns out, there are new mutation options¡­ crazy ones. Holy moly. What''s this all about? Have I ascended to a new stage and at tier seven, you get funky new mutations? Is it the insane level of mana saturation I''ve been living intely? Is it the Biomass rich diet of more highly evolved monsters?

    Abination of all of the above?

    Whatever the case, there''s some seriously sweet selections, ripe and ready to be applied to my carapace.

    Repelling Carapace - Projects an anti-gravity field around the carapace, pushing foreign objects away.

    A literal repent built into the carapace. It''d be cool, but would likely make it difficult for Crinis to attach herself to me. I don''t think selecting that would be good for my health.

    Double Carapace - Thickens the carapace. After multiple selections, this mutation will create aplete secondyer of your carapace.

    That''s just stupid! Would anything on Pangera be able to get through that?! Not to mention the cost efficiency. This is effectively giving me an entire new carapace without having to spend evolutionary energy on it! That''s just madness!

    Trouble is, I''d be way too heavy with that on. My current exo-skeleton weighs tons. I don''t mean ''a lot'', I mean literal tons.

    Mana Infused Carapace - Draws in ambient mana to reinforce and thicken the carapace over time.

    That is as sweet as blueberry jam. I wouldn''t even have to do anything and the carapace would just strengthen itself. Nice!

    I continue to flick through the list, looking at the bevy of new choices and drooling over their incredible effects.

    Which to chooooooose? Argh, they''re all so good!

    I could, of course, go back to my menus and focus on other things, but now that I''ve seen the incredible power of these new mutation options, I want to get as many as I can.

    Eventually, I manage to settle on one that I really like. I couldn''t believe my eyes when I saw it.

    Light Holding Carapace - Uses the power of gravity to slow the light reflected from it.

    Just delicious. First, it uses the power of gravity without me having to cast a spell, meaning my carapace will always actively be channelling gravity, secondly, the effect is way too cool.

    I''ll be turning myself into a mini-ck hole!

    What makes a ck hole ck? Famously, they have such powerful gravity that not even light can escape their grasp! How does an eye work? Light bounces off stuff and enters the eyeball, which the brain then interprets. What this mutation will do, is make it take longer for the light to bounce off me and enter an eye.

    Meaning what people will see when they look at me, is literally an afterimage. They''ll be attacking a ghost! Combined with my future-sense and reflexes, I''ll be dodging so quick they won''t even realise they missed before I''m running off somewhere else!

    MUAHAHAHAAAAA!

    It''s disgusting. It''s so powerful, it makes me feel a little sick inside. I love it.

    Of course, with just the one mutation, I won''t be holding onto that light very strongly. The afterimage effect will likely be a tenth of a second, if that. But if I make it to tier eight, or even nine? After doubling down and then enhancing this mutation, it''ll increase the dy. Will itst half a second? Not being able to see me for that long would be insane. I can get a lot done in half a second these days.

    Of course, it''s not invincible. This is only effective against enemies with eyes, or who use sight as their primary detection method. Mana senses will still be able to pick me out, but I can influence that with my existing Skills, masking my own mana signature. Other, more esoteric methods will also still work, like heat, or heck, even my own gravity sensitive antennae.

    With that selection made, I swap over to my stomach again and keep flicking through until I find an option that I like. As much as I want to muck around with other body parts, the stomach is fundamental, the engine that powers the Biomass industry. It must be next.

    Grav-Compression Stomach - Uses powerful muscles infused with gravitic energy topact food to a smaller size and density. Increases stomach capacity, increases Biomass gain, increases digestion time.

    Heck yeah. Oddly enough, this mutationes with a downside, but I don''t really care about it all that much. I usually feast on the battlefield, which means packing in as much as I can and getting the heck out of dodge. This mutation allows me to pack more in and then get more out of what''s in there.

    It''s perfect.

    Of course, the next organ to get the +35 treatment is going to be my inner carapace ting. It makes sense to upgrade it and the carapace at the same time.

    Just as with everything else, there''s new mutation options avable for it once I bring it up to +35. Never-before-seen applications and variations that all do interesting and powerful things.

    But I''m not satisfied. If I want to ensure that the Colony is safe against all threats, and if I want to chomp the Ancients down there for putting this hook in me, I can''t be satisfied with immediate boosts. I need something that''s going to get more and more powerful as I evolve. Something that will really shine after I mutate it two or three more times.

    My ting already does the job I first purchased it for exceedingly well. It absorbs shocks and impacts, making me extraordinarily resistant to m attacks and the like, as well as healing any damage my carapace receives from the inside.

    It''s amazing!

    In addition, it also has the new effect ofpressing gravity mana around me, meaning any spell or gravity effect I create gets that little extra boost. That stuff is all amazing, but I''m wondering if there''s anything I can do to enhance the effects of the crystal flesh that my ting is now formed from?

    Poking through the list, I eventually find something that I''m happy with.

    Crystal Kic Discement - Allows the Crystal Flesh to absorb kic energy and then shunt it to a nearby space.

    Basically, I can absorb kic energy, then st someone else in the face with it from close range.

    These mutations are the best.

 Chapter 993 1104 - No Way, No How

    <h4>Chapter 993 Chapter 1104 - No Way, No How</h4>

    Delicious, delicious mutations. Horrible, horrible itch.

    How could I describe the itch I experienced when I locked those three in and confirmed them with Gandalf? I''d expected it to be bad, obviously. The moment the wizened, gruff tones of the grey one faded away, I had braced myself for the worst.

    It turns out, my understanding of ''worst'' was appallingly incorrect.

    I felt as if my itches had itches of their own. The first itch, unustomed to the sensation, took out its rage and difort on me, by itching ever harder. My carapace and ting cover my entire body, so this feeling covered every inch of my outside.

    The moment it started, Crinis shielded me from the world, and I flung myself to the ground and engaged in a vigorous rolling session. It did not help.

    I tried to use mind magic on myself, to overwhelm my senses with false impressions so I couldn''t feel it. That didn''t work either. Ultimately, I was forced to surrender to my fate, and thrash uncontrobly until it was over.

    The intensity of the itch is rted to the sophistication of the mutation, I''ve known that for a long time. Having my antennae sense the future was a heck of a lot more itchy than having them sense heat. These new mutations are crazy, involving powerful forces and weird dimensional stuff. It stands to reason that having my body change to house these new effects would be an intense experience.

    Should have thought of that before I''d done it¡­.

    Toote now! Having dealt with that, I check my remaining Biomass and find there isn''t enough for much more significant mutating. I''d love to upgrade my Nave and Altar, but without enough to significantly boost the two of them, I''d run the risk of not properly considering them as a pair.

    Better to wait and then mutate the two of them in tandem. The more I use the new Altar, the better I understand what it can do, and what I want it to do better. There''s no rush, especially when I won''t get a second shot at these mutations. The Altar is already made of a top tier material, or at least, as top tier as I can afford. It''s unlikely I''ll ever reset it.

    With that done, I race over to the main nest beneath Roklu to have a word with my favourite three rock-coated people in the world. I really need to know what''s up with these funky new options.

    [You''re pretty much on the right track,] Granin rumbles, scratching at his cheek with one granite covered finger. [Mana ys a part, Biomass richness ys a part. The main thing is your core. A Mythic core can sustain a more powerful and demanding body than a weaker one. Your monstrous form is constantly absorbing and draining mana in order to keep yourself¡­ doing anything, really. Unlike a natural animal, you''re totally dependent on mana to keep yourself alive. With the abundance of energy flowing through that fancy new core of yours, you can sustain much more demanding mutations.]

    [Then why do they only show up at +35?] I demand. [I had the core already, so why couldn''t I pick them from +0?]

    [Because only a tier seven monster can get to +35,] Granin harrumphs impatiently. [I can''t exin it any better than that.]

    Fair enough I suppose.

    [How are you finding your current evolution?] Corun asks, eager, like an eight foot tall, ore covered puppy. [You''re a mythic monster now, so you should notice a significant jump in power.]

    I scratch at my head with one antenna.

    [I guess so. Using my new¡­ abilities, I''ve been able to fight pretty evenly with the other tier sevens I''ve run into. Though I''m not sure if any of them were mythic.]

    [They probably weren''t,] Torrina shakes her head. [Basically every tier eight monster is a mythic, but not many tier sevens are. Without a strong enough core to fuel their evolutions, they end up outpaced and defeated by monsters with more concentrated cores. If they''d had the same level of evolutions as you, then I think you might have found them a little more challenging.]

    [How many did you fight out there?] Granin asks, curious. [I''d heard you''d smashed one when rescuing the Queen, but what about on this trip out?]

    [Three.]

    Granin nods, looking a touch impressed for once.

    [I''m surprised you found that many and fought them in one outing. Your evolution is paying dividends already.]

    [At once.]

    ¡­.

    He looks up at me. I look down at him.

    [What do you mean, ''at once''?] he growls in my mind.

    [What do I mean? Is¡­ is there another meaning to the phrase I''m not aware of? Where are you getting confused?]

    [You''re telling me that you fought three tier sevens at once?]

    [Yes.]

    [Tier seven demons.]

    [Yup.]

    [And beat them?]

    [... Would I be alive if I hadn''t?]

    [You could have run away!]

    [But then I wouldn''t get to eat them!]

    After a moment, Granin manages to calm himself and shares a significant look with the other two. They seem solemn all of a sudden. Dammit. I should have kept my mandibles shut.

    [Nope!] I exim over the mental link.

    [What do you mean, "nope"?] Corun asks, surprised.

    [I refuse to be an Ancient, thanks, baiiiiiiiiiii!]

    I turn and run. No way, no how am I getting dragged into their shenanigans. All I want to do is keep my family safe. Everything else is meaningless if you ask me.

 Chapter 994 1105 - Beyond Projections

    <h4>Chapter 994 Chapter 1105 - Beyond Projections</h4>

    The Cults havepeted for thousands of years, attempting to craft the most superior monster, one with the potential to be an Ancient in its own right.

    Such a thing was a dream within a dream, yet it is our purpose. I myself strove for over a century at this very task. I am proud of the work that I did, and the monsters I created were strong, surprising a number of my peers with their capabilities.

    A key argument, and one I have listened to and participated in many times, is which sort of monster makes the best base. Should we be using beast archetypes from the first stratum? Or taking advantage of the many special properties shadow monsters possess? Perhaps demons, with their inherent advantages and mana rich bodies, are a better starting point?

    Ultimately, the discussion boils down to the simple realisation that the deeper in the Dungeon a monster starts, the stronger it is at tier one, and therefore the stronger it will be as it evolves. Therefore, if you aren''t trying to craft an Ancient from the very best materials, ie, the most powerful monster from the deepestyer of the Dungeon you can find, then you are wasting your time.

    Yet I now believe we were chasing shadows. I often considered my peers to be foolish in their beliefs, but I rarely considered the same true of myself.

    The ant, Anthony. From where does he gain his unique strength? What made him such an incredible specimen?

    My theories to this point have been well documented in other ces, but now I wonder if there is more to it. Perhaps the act of descending is a keyponent of his development. Would he have be as strong as he did, if he had not powered down through theyers as he had?

    All monsters arepelled to descend by the increasing demands of their cores, but usually, they would do so slowly, as slowly as they could. Better to dominate the third as a tier seven or even tier eight, holding on as long as possible, only then descending to the fourth in rtive safety, than rush headlong into danger.

    Yet Anthony always rushed headlong into danger. He descended too fast, before he was ready.

    The Dungeon rewards such actions. He soaked in more mana, and richer Biomass, at a lower point of evolution than any monster raised by the Cults. I''ve no evidence to back up this theory, but I put it forward nheless.

    - From the writings of Granin to the Cult of the Worm.

    The three golgari shapers stood in silence for a moment as the giant ant rushed into the distance, followed closely by his entourage of overly powerful pets.

    It was easy to forget howrge Anthony was now. He''d evolved twice since they''d first met him when he was a tier five. Back then, it had been easy for Granin to look him in the eye; the golgari was close to eight feet tall, after all. Now, the ant towered over him, not to mention his length, which vastly outstripped his height.

    "Did he say what I think he said?" Corun wondered.

    "He must have had help," Torrina said hesitantly. "With Tiny and the others, he would''ve been able to fight on par with three tier sevens¡­."

    Granin shook his head.

    "Not here. Let''s get back inside and discuss in the office."

    The Colony was understandably sensitive about their Eldest. He and his triad were tolerated because Anthony confided in them and because they provided a valuable service, sharing their research and knowledge freely with the ants. But standing out in the open and running their mouths about Anthony would be a severe faux pas.

    The three made their way inside in silence, moving through the wondrous, carved halls and impossibly graceful stairs until they reached their allocated rooms toward the top of the nest.

    "I still don''t know why they worked so hard on this section," Torrina shook her head, "the ants themselves basically never see it."

    Granin shrugged, but Corun agreed with her.

    "I''ve seen the interior sections they use. They''re nowhere near this borate."

    The outeryers of this nest had been built for¡­ non-ants. Humans and humanoids, as well as one portion designed with the ka''armodo in mind¡­ just in case. The craftants hadvished the many floors set aside for anyone else to use with the very best of their attention. It was ridiculous that they even had artisans with the Skills to produce such works. They hadn''t even been alive that long!

    They filed into their office and Granin closed the polished wooden door behind them.

    "If he''d had help, or relied on the other three to help him, he would have said so straight away," Granin dered firmly.

    The other two considered for a moment, then nodded. If he could divert the attention or acim onto someone else, then he surely would at the very first opportunity. They''d known Anthony long enough to understand that.

    "Which means¡­." Corun led.

    "That he fought three other tier seven monsters, demons, and defeated them in battle, at the same time, by himself."

    Which was¡­ absurd.

    "That''s¡­ not how it works," Torrina said hesitantly.

    None of them believed the giant ant had been lying to them, though, so obviously, it did work that way. They just didn''t understand how. They''d determined that ants reaching higher tiers were rewarded with powerful evolutions, but they were still handicapped. The boost they received from their above average evolutions should have helped to even the ying field, not let them blow straight past thepetition.

    "I''d projected Anthony to start pushing ahead of his peers in another evolution, maybe two," Granin said slowly. "With the bonuses he''s been stacking up, and the rare mutations he''s obviously been taking, it hasn''t taken nearly that long. He''s already a powerful mythic monster and he''s not even tier eight."

    Yet.

    "If he can do this now. What will he be able to do then?" Corun wondered.

    The three let their imaginations run wild for a moment before Granin called their attention back.

    "Things are starting to elerate out of control," Granin said. "Anthony is a candidate for the twentieth Ancient. He has the potential, he has the backing, and he has the approval of the Ancients themselves, evidenced by the Call. He''s already be something extraordinary."

    "We need to inform the Cult," Torrina said.

    Corun hesitated.

    "Are you sure that''s wise? Wouldn''t we be betraying Anthony''s trust if we start advertising his strength all over Pangera?"

    "We''re likely already toote for that," Granin remarked drily. "Our scaly friend is likely to have informed the Red Truth the moment he got home. But that''s irrelevant," he waved a hand to brush off that concern. "The stronger he grows, the more danger he will be in. The Cults can help alleviate that. We are all over the world, after all. A monster with this kind of potential onlyes around every few hundred years. We need to ensure we put all of our resources behind him."

 Chapter 995 1106 - Crouching Demon, Hiddenâ€¦ Demon

    <h4>Chapter 995 Chapter 1106 - Crouching Demon, Hidden¡­ Demon</h4>

    Odin skulked amongst thervae that covered the ground. Now knee deep, the newborn demons were even more frenzied than normal, hacking and tearing at each other with wild abandon.

    He''d been one of them not that long ago, it was difficult to remember that sometimes. Weak, having to climb up over his own kind in order to survive. Just like his life as a human.

    Idly, he wondered just how manyrvae were spawned across the entire stratum in an hour. Billions? Trillions? Breaking a few eggs to make an omelette was one thing, but the inefficiency in this process was almost offensive to him.

    Loss of life was something Odin could rte to, given his previous line of work, but each death was supposed to be significant. It should mean something, when a creature dies. Most of theservae wouldn''t make it past tier two, and none would remember them, or even notice their passing.

    Getting mncholic. Focus on the job, he admonished himself.

    Lowering his frame, he turned his head from side to side, imitating the sweeping hunter''s gaze that evolved demons adopted on the in. Despite appearances, he only had eyes for the ants.

    They were everywhere. Everywhere. Groupsbed through thervae like gold-hunters with metal detectors, every now and again snatching up a specimen and examining it. The lucky, or unlucky demon was either ced back with the others, or stowed carefully in a bag, thrashing like a wild¡­ demon.

    Ants travelled in huge lines, thousands of them, following trails just like an ant on Earth would, except these were even more orderly. They carried all sorts of things; metals, ores, Biomass, cores, shipping materials from distant parts of the ins and pouring them into the gigantic nest that loomed in the distance. It was as if that immense structure were a monster itself, all the wealth and resources that could be gathered for kilometres around were flooding toward it in a ceaseless flood.

    Odin was sure he could see them scuttling about on the roof overhead, though what they might be doing up there was beyond him.

    Every time a group seemed as if it mighte nearby, he would shift his direction, moving away from them without seeming to. A cold, tense feeling coiled around his monstrous guts, a sensation that he had felt only a few times before.

    When he''d been ordered to infiltrate the Mariachi gang, he''d posed as a travelling guitarist doing roof repairs to make ends meet. With his sombrero anddder, he''d made his way into theirpound and found himself surrounded on all sides. The ranchera of death drifted from every window and each time light shed on a sequined vest, he''d felt he had breathed hisst.

    That same feeling gripped him now. He was deep in ant territory, within the seat of their power. To reach even this seemingly innocuous position, he''d been required to slip past numerous patrols, several mines, six construction projects and what appeared to be a tea ntation.

    All in pursuit of that ultimate power that might set him free.

    To ovee the demons who had imed him, and the grip of Arconidem on his soul, Odin needed help. He wasn''t ustomed to needing help, but here, in this world, where the rules weren''t fully understood, he needed to adapt. If that meant clutching onto the leg of a powerful ant, then that''s exactly what he would do.

    Over there!

    As he swung his head in that sweeping gesture once more, he caught a glimpse of what he''d been hoping to see. Easy to pick out, even when surrounded by others of the same species, the giant ant moved over the ins like a King. Or Queen, probably, considering the norms involved.

    Closely in tow were the three monsters he had seen following the creature before. Each was powerful, stronger than he, maybe, but they were nothingpared to what he saw in the one they followed.

    There was a gravity to that ant that pulled him in, an unspoken authority and strength that grabbed hold and refused to let go. He could see it in the other ants as well. When the giant one passed them, they would turn, ever so subtly, to watch it go, before straightening and going about their business.

    Backed by a society as powerful as this one, this was exactly what he was looking for.

    Odin stalked carefully across the ins. Calcting the path of the monster, he angled himself carefully to intercept, but not too closely. This group of four had quite the appetite from what he''d seen. Every strong demon they came across was obliterated in a matter of moments. That would be his fate, if he wasn''t careful.

    As he moved with perfect nonchnce, every inch the prowling demon looking for prey, he watched the group''s movements, and considered his next steps.

    There were several ways he could y this, depending on the oue that he wanted most. If he could devise a way to bring the ant and the demons who gued him into a direct confrontation without revealing himself, that may be for the best. If the ant was victorious, then he would be free to go about his own business without owing favour.

    He could attempt to intervene more directly, reveal himself to the ant and guide it into the conflict. Posing as the helpful messenger, he could reveal the danger and provide advice. The issue with this approach was that hecked mastery of the magic that allowed him to converse with others. If demon speech existed, he did not know it, so how could he speak to this ant?

    Would it even be interested if he did? The ants worked with some demons, that much he knew from observation, but it was a giant risk to take.

    No.

    Better to y it safe and remain in the shadows, that''s where he, Odin the feared assassin, was mostfortable. Decision made, he nodded to himself and then nced about.

    The ant had drifted close, too close forfort, he would need to adjust his angle. The small demon hovered over its dark carapace, along with the ck blob of¡­ something. Good, they hadn''t gone far.

    Wait. Where was the ape?

    Odin reacted just in time to block as a lightning-covered fist smashed into his side. The electricity ripped through his body, causing his muscles to spasm and lock even as his demonic bones creaked from the force of the impact.

    Too careless!

    He should have been focused like a razor''s edge, not considering the future! An idiotic mistake that would cost him dearly.

    The giant ape looked surprised that his target hadn''t evaporated after that punch. After a moment of consideration, the massive beast''s expression shifted to one of eager joy as a broad grin split his features and he pounded his two fists together.

    A battle fanatic. Odin had fought this type before. There was only one thing to do.

    Acting swiftly, he rose up to his full height, revealing his des, letting the shine ripple across the bone-swords. As the ape took one bold step forward, Odin gathered strength in his legs and leapt.

    A mighty leap!

    He flew through the air majestically, covering dozens of metres in one bound, twisting and drifting like an acrobat armed with a dozen des.

    Hended perfectly, directly in front of the giant ant, kneeling on the ground in supplication, his demonic face pressed into the burning rock.

    The ant reared back slightly in surprise and Odin felt a flicker of joy as a mind reached out to his own.

    [What in the heck?!] a surprisingly young voice rang in the assassin''s mind.

 Chapter 996 1107 - An Unexpected Visitor

    <h4>Chapter 996 Chapter 1107 - An Unexpected Visitor</h4>

    The demon glides through the air with such exquisite grace, only tond in a perfect kneeling posture in front of me. I''m surprised, to say the least, and reflexivelysh a bridge together so I canmunicate with this odd specimen.

    [Are you bowing?] I ask after my initial exmation.

    This seems very much an Earth thing to do. I can''t recall seeing demons bow to each other, regardless of the circumstances. Unless this is some as yet unseen custom of the denizens of the third stratum, then something different is going on here.

    [I wanted to speak with you, so I drew close, too close. I gathered the attention of your¡­ associate¡­ and have been forced to reveal myself in order to preserve my life.]

    Something about the way the demon spoke, a calm, deep and somewhat quiet voice, told me that he didn''t necessarily believe what he said. As if he actually thought he would have a chance against Tiny.

    [You think you could take him on?] I say, flicking my antennae to the grumpy looking ape approaching from the side.

    [Of course not,]es the immediate reply.

    Again, the tone I got seemed to imply something entirely different. I''m half tempted to throw the demon into a fight with Tiny right away, just to show him what for, but I decide against it. That isn''t important right now.

    [You are speaking only to me at the moment,] I assure the still kneeling demon, [so you can speak freely. I have to ask¡­ this wouldn''t happen to be your second life, would it?]

    I watch closely for any reaction, but the demon, with his face pressed into the ground, gives nothing away. Not even a twitch. Fortunately, his bodynguage isn''t the only way for me to gain information. The mind bridge connecting us is more than just a channel formunication. As my skill at handling this particr connection and mana has grown, I''ve been able to glean more from even a simple bridge such as this.

    What I detect in that mind is a rapid, lightning fast churning of thoughts as the demon considers how to respond. He''s cycling through possible responses like aputer, weighing options, considering oues and trying to find the best possible course of action with least risk.

    This guy is seriously working his brain right now! I''m surprised I don''t see steaming out of those ears¡­. I''m kind of befuddled, to be honest. What is he so worried about? I decide to make it easy on him.

    [I was originally from Earth,] I confide to him in a hushed whisper, [died and was reborn here as an ant. I presume you experienced something simr? And were reborn as a demonrva?]

    If anything, the bubbling churn inside that mind increases rather than the opposite. His thoughts are practically boiling in there! I goggle at the back of the demon''s head as he keeps it pressed into the ground. What the heck are you thinking about in there?

    Almost involuntarily, I raise an antenna high into the air and bring it down swiftly. A good THWACK will teach this demon to straighten out his mind!

    Except, my blow doesn''tnd as I intend. As if he has eyes in the back of his head, the demon slides back rapidly, using his de arms to get himself out of the way. A magnificent dodge, especially considering he couldn''t see me, but things don''t unfold quite like that.

    Gifted with foresight, I know the dodge ising and instinctively adjust my aim.

    THWACK!

    The demon seems stunned to have been hit, lifting his head up for the first time since that remarkable leap, but I don''t give him any time to think.

    [Stop twisting your thoughts around in your head and answer the question honestly! Sheesh. Your mind is so crooked, it''s like you were a legendary assassin or something.]

    The demon grows still.

    [You¡­ can see my thoughts?]

    I realise then that it may be considered a breach of privacy to peer into the activity of another person''s brain-zone. A little toote for that epiphany.

    [Not really. A bit. No. Sort of.]

    Silence¡­.

    [I can sorta sense how your mind is moving through the bridge that connects us. I can''t see your exact thoughts or memories or anything of that sort.]

    [You¡­ can''t¡­ see my memories?]

    [No! Of course not. I mean¡­ well¡­ I could, if I used a mind spike and invaded your brain¡­ but I''m not going to do that! So you can rx. I shouldn''t have hit you, and I apologise for that, but I could tell you were looking for the most advantageous answer. Just give me the real one, and we won''t have any problems.]

    The demon eyes me for a minute, and I can sense his thoughts moving in slow, deliberate circles until finally he nods.

    [I was a human,] he admits, [from Earth, like you. My name is Odin Malum. I was reborn here in this ce¡­ not that long ago, I can''t tell how long. I''d rather not talk about myst life if I can help it. I want to focus on this one, if possible.]

    Immediately, my heart warms to the little demon and I scuttle forward to tap him on the shoulder with one supportive leg. Man, he must have had it rough on Earth. I mean, my situation wasn''t ideal, but I get a feeling this Odin chap had a real hard time.

    [I get you, man, I totally get you. Supposedly, the Dungeon only picks out people who had a sucky life and went a bit crazy on Earth anyway. Don''t feel too bad about it. Apparently, normal people don''t really cope when thrown into the Dungeon.]

    [So¡­ there are more of us? Is every monster a reborn human?]

    [Heck no! We''re super rare. You''re like the¡­ fifth I''ve met? There''s me, Sarah, Jim, the Mother Tree and you. And, uh, Garralosh, I guess. I''m sure there are more of us out there, but I haven''te across them.]

    There''s a lot there to take in, but the demon seems totch onto one piece of information in particr.

    [How do you know the Dungeon only takes in crazy people? Where could you have learned that?]

    [From Gandalf.]

    He looks at me a little oddly and takes a slow step away, letting my leg fall back to the ground.

    [Hey! Oi! That''s what I call him since he won''t give me a name. When I evolve, I get a little window of time to exchange words with him. Haven''t you experienced something simr?]

    Sarah hasn''t evolved for literally decades, so who knows what her experience will be like the next time around. The Mother Tree sure isn''t going to talk to me about her time evolving, so I''m super keen to hear what Odin''s is like.

    He shivers. Which isn''t a good sign.

    [No, I didn''t speak to any¡­ wizard. I spoke to Arconidem, the Demon God. He¡­ took over my mind. I can feel him now, battering at me, trying to dominate my will.]

    Oh. Snap.

    [You spoke to Arconidem?! The Ancient?]

    I better not let any of those Red Truth lizards find out about this guy. They will lose their cold-blooded minds. At least he hasn''t spoken to Yarrum. Granin would be sprinting over here already, having somehow sensed the name of his great and glorious worm¡­ god¡­ thing.

    But right now, there is something much more important. I lean forward intently.

    [Odin Malum. Tell me. Did you speak to Arconidem?]

    He shudders once more, but then, the demon nods. This is good.

    [The next time you evolve, I need you to do a favour for me. When youe face to face with him, there''s something you have to say to him for me.]

    The demon looks a little bewildered by this request. I can tell going face to face with the Ancient again isn''t exactly what he wants to be doing.

    [W-what do you want me to say?]

    I click my mandibles decisively.

    [Tell him¡­ that he''s a butt.]

    Odin stares at me. I stare back.

    [A butt¡­. You want me to tell the demon god¡­ that he''s a butt.]

    [Yes please.]

 Chapter 997 1108 - The Demon Way

    <h4>Chapter 997 Chapter 1108 - The Demon Way</h4>

    Among demonkind, there are as many different species as there are tunnels in the Dungeon. As with any distribution among a monster-type, some aremon, while others are exceedingly rare.

    The reasons for this are worthy of a dissertation of their own, but in brief, some species are more stable, leading to a higher survival rate, some are weaker at earlier stages of evolution, leading to a lower survival rate, and some require a unique inclination within the monster itself toe about. There is also a great deal of nuance between Demon species that not all delvers appreciate.

    A Murder Demon and a ughter Demon are superficially the same. Both are Obsessed with death and must fight and defeat others to satisfy their obsession. A short moment of consideration will reveal the differences, and which is more dangerous. A ughter Demon is never satisfied, its obsession never fulfilled, and is therefore much more dangerous to be around.

    The most deadly of all demons are those that are rare, with obsessions that drive them to endanger others.

    War Demons are amon tier seven Demon that is feared for good reason. They seek conflict always, never happier than when they are engaged in arge scale battle in which they rule.

    Far more terrifying is the Massacre Demon. Evolved from the ughter Demon, this species is truly monstrous in its methods.

    The Sanguine Demon, an evolution of the Blood Demon, is exceedingly rare, and incredibly deadly, able to exert power over vital fluid in any organism that draws close, even monsters.

    Perhaps the most deadly of all demons, is the line of Ash. From the Burning Demon at tier five, to the Ash Demon at tier six, and then the Destruction Demon at tier seven, these monsters embody the power of destruction that hides within the ash of the third stratum. Even being near them can cause a monster to begin to break apart.

    Needless to say, they are best avoided by any delving team.

    - Notes for the Union Third Stratum guide book, provided by Odessus.

    Odin didn''t know what to say. He didn''t know what to think. He had seen the Demon God, and it was clear that Anthony had not. Almost against his will, the visage of that horrifying monster shed in his mind.

    Arconidem was huge, massive beyond all sense of proportion. Arval demonrger even than the ant before him, its fang-filled grin flickering red from the light cast by the burning pools ofva. His two long arms were tipped with ws that smoked from the heat burning within. The Demon God rested atop an enormous throne that radiated with power, formed of bone and flesh. For that was no simple chair, but a part of his body, the four legs shifting, wed feet shredding the ground every time they moved.

    He hadn''t been physically present at that time, so it was hard to say just howrge Arconidem was. If Odin had to guess, he would say the Demon God sat fifty metres from the ground, the back of his throne reaching far, far higher.

    Closer to a building than a monster.

    And this ant wanted him to say what!?

    [I can tell what you''re thinking,] Anthony said.

    Odin recoiled internally, though he showed no outward reaction.

    [I thought you weren''t reading my mind.]

    [There is absolutely no need. You think I''m an idiot, and that you would be an idiot to do what I suggested.]

    That was true.

    [You have to agree, though, he''s a massive butt. Just look what he''s doing to the demons!] The ant swept an antenna in a wide loop, indicating the mess ofrvae around them. [Well, he''s doing it to you, too,e to think of it. The whole point of the demon monsters is to dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to their obsession. That''s all they want in life. But are they allowed to? No! Arconidem is raining on that parade and forcing you to do what he wants. That defeats the entire point! Hence, he is a butt, and someone should tell him so.]

    Odin just stared.

    He didn''t understand most of what the ant said, though he did understand that Arconidem was exerting control, somehow, on an entire species of monster. After long years working in the shadows, Odin had developed certain habits, habits that kept him alive. Right now, he had to battle those instincts, because they wanted to prevent him from getting the answers he needed.

    Don''t expose weakness! Never reveal ignorance!

    In the darker ces of Earth, sharks circled above, waiting for the first hint of blood. Then they would descend on the smaller fish, which never ended well for the little guy. For his entire life, Odin had refused to let them get a sniff. Asking a single question would have been a death sentence in certainpany.

    He hadn''t been able to get much information from the powerful demons who had pulled him around, but here in front of him was a font of knowledge about this new world that he could take advantage of. For whatever reason, he felt as if this Anthony would talk until his jaw dislocated, except he didn''t have one.

    Come on, Odin. You''re safe. He isn''t going to kill you.

    And¡­ somehow¡­ he believed it. He was safe. Despite everything, his experiences in his past life and this one, he didn''t think Anthony would hurt him.

    [I¡­] he forced the words out, almost choking on them as he pushed them from his mind. [... I don''t know much about this world. I haven''t been here long, and I''ve been fighting since the moment I was¡­ born.]

    [Spawned. You''re a monster, champ. You were spawned. Hey, no problems, man. I''ve been here for what¡­ a year? Do I know everything? No. But do I know enough to fill you in on a few things? Sure.]

    [Tell me about Arconidem,] Odin asked.

    He needed to know his enemy.

    [That butt¡­.] Anthony grumbled. [He''s an Ancient. There''s neen of them, apparently, and they really want there to be twenty. Basically, super powerful monsters who are stuck in the middle of the because they need super concentrated mana to survive.]

    [So, we''re safe from them?]

    [Oh, heck no. Wave ising. When the mana rises, everything is going to go straight to heck.]

    That didn''t sound promising.

    [Stay cool,] Anthony patted him on the shoulder again. [We can keep you safe.]

    [Even against Arconidem?] Odin was doubtful.

    [Give us a little time. We''re quite industrious like that.]

 Chapter 998 1109 - The Enemy Within

    <h4>Chapter 998 Chapter 1109 - The Enemy Within</h4>

    Tungstant brushed her antennae through her elbow joints, using the fine hairs there to cleanse and refresh her sensitive feelers. After a stressful day on the job, nothing rxed like a good clean. She revelled in the sensation that spotless antennae gave, that wless connection with her sense of smell, but only for a moment.

    She didn''t want to be used of cking¡­.

    Although, she did need to rest sometime soon.

    "How long since myst torpor?" she wondered.

    Work in the fourth stratum had been going at a furious pace, preparing the fortress for the Eldest''s evolution, then for the uing wave. The list of jobs that needed doing was never-ending. With all of the new building techniques that were being implemented in this project, there had been severalrge-scaleponents that had needed to be torn down and done again. The end result had been a thorax-breaking schedule that had pushed every ant to the limits of their endurance.

    "I think I rested yesterday?"

    She wasn''t sure, which wasn''t a good sign. Her thinking was getting a touch sluggish also, another indicator that shecked rest.

    Wait. Were the shadows getting darker?

    "Yes! I definitely rested for eight hours yesterday!" she dered boldly, with entirely false confidence. "Ah¡­ I feel so refreshed. I can''t wait for my next torpor!"

    The darkness began to recede, much to her relief. Then¡­

    "Don''t lie," came a whisper of scent, directly above her head.

    "I''ll go rest! I''m going now!" she cried and copsed on the ground, sping her forelegs together in a pleading gesture.

    She couldn''t afford to be taken now. There was still so much to finish before the fortress would be ready. With a wave bubbling away in the depths, there was limited time! Surely, they understood that and would grant her a little leeway¡­.

    They were not known for granting leeway.

    When Tungstant looked up, carefully examining the ceiling above her, there was nothing there. The inky blot that had hung, unnoticed, a moment ago, had vanished. They actually were going to cut her some ck?!

    This was unheard of.

    Unwilling to let this chance slip, Tungstant determined to sleep immediately. She could get four or five hours in, then be back to work straight after. If they took her away, she''d be gone for at least eight, and that was time she couldn''t afford. They may have let her go for now, but if she didn''t get at least some sleep, they''d grab her for sure.

    When did they even get here? she wondered.

    Crews had been vanishing on the job for days now, in unprecedented numbers. They returned, of course, looking carefully groomed, well rested, and somewhat traumatised by the experience. Members of the Colony had long learned that such things should not be mentioned.

    Eyes unseeing. Antennae unsmelling.

    The inside of the fortress proper had begun to take shape around the hardened inner core that had housed the Eldest. Wide, clear tunnels with distinct and well-markednes swept in graceful loops around the centre, allowing easy ess to the districts, each housing grand, interconnected chambers dedicated to every pursuit the Colony engaged in. Which was many.

    Exiting the side passage she had been working in, Tungstant made her way onto the main thoroughfare and found a ce on it.

    "Keep working hard!"

    "Don''t let up now!"

    "Eight hours. Never forget."

    "Digging and building, that''s the carver way!"

    She greeted her castemates, giving them the ''antennae pping greeting'' as the Eldest called it as she passed by. Words of encouragement and endurance were exchanged as they each went on their way.

    Many were missing, though. More and more had sumbedtely, vanished into the darkness. It was disrupting work crews and hindering progress. Working tired did produce more ws, so she understood it was a trade off, but she still felt frustrated.

    Then a thought struck her.

    Hundreds, if not thousands of workers had been taken in the past day. She knew the routine and had experienced it herself several times. Afortable resting ce, carapace wax and shine, careful grooming and a tea service were normal parts of their routine.

    To do all that, to house thousands of ants at once, would take a tremendous amount of space¡­. Think of the storage needed just for the tea and biscuits. All of the beds¡­ the individual chambers¡­.

    It had to be close also. Vanished ants returned close to eight hourster. That meant very little time was used to transport them to and from the resting chambers. Which meant¡­.

    They were inside the fortress.

    Immediately, a dangerous re of anger sparked inside the little carver''s carapace. Meddling with her design?! Adding walls and chambers where none should exist?! This threatened to jeopardise the integrity of the entire project!

    Who knew what nooks and crannies they had added to the original design without properly understanding it? How dare they?

    Her legs halted as the horrific implications rattled around in her mind. She caused a brief dy in the flow of traffic, but the ants behind soon began to climb over her and continue on their way as she fumed.

    This could not stand!

    She turned, shifted to a different track on the ring, and began to rush to the build headquarters. The ce was bustling as usual, covered in workers going crazy, the air thick with the pheromones of a hundred different conversations taking ce. In the centre of it all, Cobalt was directing traffic, taking in what she needed to and dispensing instructions decisively.

    It was always afort to know that her sibling and fellow Council member was every bit as capable as she was. So long as one of them was at the helm, the project would be delivered ording to their exacting standards.

    Cobalt looked surprised when Tungstant rushed into the room and approached her.

    "Tungstant? You''re finished in the lower tunnels already? I thought you''d be going for a nap right about now."

    "I was going to, but then I realised something that we have to talk about right now."

    The other carver waggled her antennae vaguely in confusion.

    "Okay¡­ what is it?"

    "Not here," Tungstant hissed, "we don''t know who might be listening."

    "Okaay."

    ncing around, Tungstant pulled her sibling from the centre of the chamber, shooing away those who went to follow them. Eventually, she managed to squeeze the two of them into a side chamber where they could have some privacy. The room hadn''t been finished yet, even the lighting hadn''t been installed, shrouding the space in shadow, but it was private.

    "We have a serious problem," Tungstant began.

    "You look frazzled. When was thest time you rested?" Cobalt asked with concern.

    "That''s exactly the issue! Them."

    Cobalt grew still.

    "What about¡­ them?" she asked quietly.

    "Why did I never realise this before?" Tungstant said as she began to skitter back and forth. "So many ants, vanishing and then reappearing so quickly. It wouldn''t be possible without a level of magic that the Colony doesn''t possess, or awork of passages and chambers within the structure itself. They''re here, now, meddling with our design, interfering with the integrity of the fortress! Who knows what they''ve done, what ws they''ve introduced!"

    "Whoa there. You need to slow down a little."

    "I can''t! Why aren''t you more upset about this?! You know just as well as I do how much damage they could cause if they interfere with the construction! If they tunnel through the wrong wall, or thin out the material too much¡­ this entire fortress could copse around us! We can''t allow this to continue. They have to be stopped!"

    Cobalt tried to soothe her sister.

    "Surely they thought about those things. Our designs and instructions aren''t exactly secret, any of the carvers out there could be working on their behalf. Everything we don''t want touched, they would know. The models, the diagrams, the design papers, it''s all there to be seen."

    "It''s not enough," Tungstant mumbled. "Just because they can see the design doesn''t mean they understand it. The two of us have the highest level Design, Architecture and Construction Skills in the entire Colony. The only way they could ensure they weren''t breaking our ns would be if one of us checked it for them."

    A horrible realisation bubbled up in Tungstant''s mind.

    She turned around to find Cobalt staring at her, silent and unmoving.

    "But¡­ it''s not possible, right? Neither of us¡­ have seen their modifications. Right? Cobalt?"

    Her scent carried a hint of fear at the end, just enough to make her sibling flinch back and avert her gaze.

    "You really should have gone to sleep," Cobalt said softly.

    "Wha - " Tungstant began to say.

    Then the ck took her.

 Chapter 999 1110 - Rumblings Below

    <h4>Chapter 999 Chapter 1110 - Rumblings Below</h4>

    "Look, I said I''m sorry."

    "Don''t talk to me."

    "You''re being silly."

    "Oh am I? The traitor doesn''t like my attitude to their betrayal? I find myself not caring very much. Weird."

    At the word traitor, Cobalt flinched back but her determination didn''t waver.

    "They were going to build all over the ce even if one of us wasn''t involved!" she dered, antennae waving wildly. "Someone had to get involved to make sure there wasn''t any damage to the overall design!"

    "That''s fine! I''m not worried about that! I assume they approached you a long time ago, probably when we were building in the second stratum?" she made it a question and Cobalt nodded. "And you''re right, someone did need to make sure the integrity of our projects wasn''tpromised, I''m not upset about that."

    Cobalt made an odd figure. She stilly in the ant ''bed'' tucked in under a rest-promoting enchanted nket with a soft plushie resting under one leg. Interestingly, it didn''t appear to be the one of the Eldest which Cobalt had seen most often, but rather of the guardian, Tiny. Clearly they had decided to branch out with their plushie range.

    Despite her gleaming carapace, impably brushed antennae and alert eyes, Tungstant looked anything but rxed. She was irritated, and worse than that, quite hurt by the behaviour of her sibling.

    Cobalt squirmed a little. She''d hoped, naively, that this day would nevere. Of course Tungstant would figure out what they''d been up to. It had only ever been a matter of time.

    "Then what are you upset about?" she demanded.

    Tungstant kicked off her nket, eyes zing with outrage. She maintained her grip on the plushie.

    "I''m upset that you kept it from me! Why wouldn''t we do this together, just like we do everything else!?"

    Herpound eyes red a thousand times at her sister, who ducked her head in shame.

    "I¡­ I thought you wouldn''t¡­ want our workpromised like this. If I took the burden on myself, then you wouldn''t have to worry about it."

    Tungstant swished her antennae dismissively.

    "That''s nonsense," she dered. "If we worked on the adjustments together, then it would still be our work. That is why I''m angry."

    Understanding where her sibling wasing from, Cobalt could only apologise once more.

    "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have kept this from you."

    The other carver leaned back into her bed and pulled her nket up once more.

    "As long as you understand," she huffed. "Now go away. I''m supposed to rx for another hour and you have a lot of work to do."

    "Alright, I will. I''ll see you when youe out?" she asked hopefully.

    "Maybe¡­." came the reply.

    It would have to do. Cobalt turned to leave, exiting the chamber and into the pure dark corridors that they preferred to move in. She felt better that she''d been able to mend the bridge at least a little with her sibling. They did all their major projects together, and working with Tungstant was the highlight of Cobalt''s day. The thought that it wouldn''t happen anymore after this¡­ betrayal, had been terrifying.

    She received a few greetings from them as she moved through the tunnels but she didn''t return them. Rather than a fully fledged member of the organisation, she''d been an unwilling coborator at best. From now on, Tungstant likely would be as well.

    They wouldn''t mind. In fact, they''d be delighted to have both of them working on the modifications together. Despite everything, Cobalt believed wholeheartedly that they had the best interests of the Colony at heart.

    Even if they were¡­ terrifying.

    Emerging into the normal sections of the nest, she shook off her negative mindset as best she could and marched back towards the design headquarters. Mana thrummed through the air, rising in density every hour, and the wave would break sooner rather thanter.

    They had to be ready.

    An overwhelming wall of scent buffeted her antennae the moment she stepped into the chamber.

    "Cobalt! We need your advice on the south gate mechanism.¡­"

    "The digging teams¡­."

    "Construction dys¡­."

    "Materials shortages are making¡­."

    "Spawns in the tunnels¡­."

    "Steel reinforcement¡­."

    "Dungeon vein removal¡­."

    A cacophony of scents washed over her like a wave. Any normal ant would be left gasping by the onught, but she was used to such things. After a second to think, she was in amongst them.

    "I''ll meet you by the schematics in five minutes, go."

    "Have the digging coordinator report to me as soon as possible."

    "Don''t talk to me about dys, talk to me about the causes for dys."

    "Get in touch with our suppliers in the third stratum and have them provide an inventory. Our knowledge of avable stock is out of date."

    "Increase the soldier patrols, I want them at least doubled. Speak to Advant."

    "Have you consulted our manuals for the steel technique? Don''t ask me a question you can get from the ns. Or else."

    "Dedicated teams are performing that work. If they''re behind, ask them why and then let me know."

    Calm and collected, she moved through the crowd, giving direction, advice, technical expertise, and often sent them scurrying for more information. She met with group after group, using their diagrams and technical drawings to exin issue after issue, detail after detail, until each representative understood well enough to take what she had said back to their teams. Once one group was dealt with, another three arrived, and so she was quickly drawn into the never ending cycle that always formed when working on these big construction jobs.

    She hoped Tungstant was resting well¡­ she''d likely need a stint with them after another few days.

    It didn''t take long to fall into the groove, problems finding solutions over and over again as the grand design continued to take shape. She was deeply in discussion with a carver over the engineering involved in their retractable drawbridge project when someone shook her rudely.

    "What the heck?" she turned to see a breathless scout with a w still on her carapace.

    "Report from the lower tunnels," she said, "heat signatures have been detected growing in the walls. The wave will start in just a few hours!"

    Cobalt stood stunned for only a second before she snapped to action.

    "Have the other council members been notified?"

    "Yes!"

    "I need you to escort my runners to the dig teams. They need to be out of the lower tunnels in ten minutes. Go."

    She got a quick salute and then the scout was gone, vanishing with her enhanced movement and speed-rted skills. Cobalt turned to her own advisors.

    "Change in priorities," she said, "with the wave breaking, we have to ensure the central ring is as secure as possible. I want every avable set of mandibles working with the vein removal teams. Once that task is done, we switch antpower to securing gates and wall reinforcement. Every other project is dropped as of this second."

    She red.

    "That means no carvings, engravings or statues. If I find Michangnt out there scratching at something, I''ll have her thrown out of the fortress myself. That includes any of her disciples."

    Deep below them, they could feel a vibration building, like a tidal wave rising from the centre of the Dungeon. Soon, it would break and crash into them. They''d either be washed away in an instant or hold their ground.

    She would always bet on her family.

 Chapter 1000 1111 - Coming from the Centre of the Earth Again

    <h4>Chapter 1000 Chapter 1111 - Coming from the Centre of the Earth Again</h4>

    I can feel it. I''m not sure exactly how, or why, but I can feel it. Far, far below where I stand, something has shifted. I feel as though I''m standing in a rail tunnel and somewhere out in front, the very first rumblings of the training my way can be felt.

    My antennae tingle at the intensity of it. It''s like a rush of blood to the head. I can practically smell the rush of mana building far below.

    [Ever lived through a wave, Mr Odin?] I ask my new demon friend.

    We''ve made our way to the border city where Sarah lives. I thought it would be useful to introduce him to another human survivor like himself, other than me of course. He seems to be someone who''s struggled a fair bit in his time on Pangera, so he might get something from a meeting with Sarah, who simrly struggled.

    I''ve been doing great here, so I can''t really empathise as well as I''d like to.

    Trying to teach Odin what he needs to know is a draining process. There''s just so much that he doesn''t know, and a great deal that I don''t know either. Which are the greatest human kingdoms? Why would I know that? Why would I want to know that?

    I can say which is the greatest ant kingdom in the Dungeon! Why bother with anything other than that?

    [A wave?] he replies, acting cagey.

    He''s always acting cagey.

    [Think of it as a period of intense monster spawning. The mana level rises throughout the entire Dungeon, which results in all spawns going absolutely nuts. The number of monsters being created every hour goes up by about a hundred fold. It''s quite intense.]

    The demon blinks. He has eyelids, dammit. I wish I could blink.

    [That sounds¡­ dangerous,] he says, narrowing his eyes.

    I can''t do that either!

    [Of course it''s dangerous. Things are going to get wild. What''s worse is that monsters from deeper in the Dungeon are able to climb up, since the mana level can sustain them.]

    [When is this going to begin?] Odin asks, and I can already tell he''s nning how to profit from the situation. His brain is like a mess of gears, always turning, hunting for advantage, no matter what gets fed into them. The more serious the situation I describe, the faster the gears turn.

    Just what kind of life has this guy lived?

    Ah well. Who am I to judge? He probably had a much harder life than I did, I can cut him some ck. I feel the energy pulsing through the Dungeon beneath my feet.

    [Couple of hours?]

    [What?!]

    Gears churn in the back of his mind like never before and I give him a friendly p on the back with an antenna to help calm him down.

    [Hey, no worries. You''re in the safest ce a monster could hope to be. Going it alone out there would be a nightmare, but here, me and the family can help support you.]

    Odin shifts a little uneasily.

    [When you say "family"¡­ what do you mean, exactly?]

    I''m confused.

    [Like, we''re all rted. A good number of us are born from the same mother. If not, then we''re born from one of her daughters. You know¡­ a family?]

    [Oh. I was thinking about a different type of family.]

    What does that even mean? I''m confused, but I don''t want to ask him any questions about it, he has a far off look in his eye and I swear I can hear offers that cannot be refused being made. I''ll let it go.

    There she is!

    [Heeeeey, Sarah! How''s things going, you grumpy old bear?]

    The giant bear trots over to us with a disgruntled expression on her muzzle.

    [Don''t call me that,] sheins. [I don''t even like honey.]

    [Sorry, I got carried away. I came over to introduce you to another human monster I bumped into out in the wild.]

    I give Odin a nudge, but he doesn''t introduce himself. He''s too busy staring up at the intimidating ursine in front of him.

    [Hey¡­ you going to say your name? Or¡­ anything?]

    [Are you the most perfect killing machine the world has ever seen?] he blurts out.

    You what, mate?

    [Uhhhh,] Sarah is taken aback, blinking slowly as she looks down on the much smaller demon.

    I sling a leg around his shoulder and pull him toward me.

    [Don''t worry about Odin, he hasn''t been here long, still a bit miswired in the head,] I tell Sarah across a closed bridge.

    [What the heck was that, man?] I admonish the demon over another closed bridge. [Sarah doesn''t like fighting and you go on and call her a killing machine the first time you see her? That''s messed up! Just because she''s an Asura bear, a nigh unkible engine of destruction that feeds on rage and pain and destruction, doesn''t make her a killing machine! You need to apologise immediately!]

    Somewhat shaken by my words, and the fact that I''m shaking him, Odin manages to say sorry and things settle into a more normal rhythm.

    [You poor thing,] Sarah says, shaking her head. [I couldn''t imagine being born as a demonrva. It''s terrible down there for them.]

    The little demon seems stunned to have someone actually sympathise with him. He sits still for a little while and then nods.

    [Yes, it was difficult. But I was prepared for such an existence. My life on Earth¡­ wasn''t simple.]

    [Mine was!] I cheerily say and Sarah flicks me a baffled look. [By the by, Odin, you haven''t mentioned what type of demon you are yet? Tier five by the feel of your core?]

    He hesitates but eventually decides to answer me.

    [I just reached tier six not long ago¡­] he says. [Assassin Demon.]

    [So that means you feel a powerful urge to assassinate people all the time? That must be a little weird.]

    [... Not really.]

    [Cool. Well, wee to the gang! What?]

    Thest bit is addressed to Sarah, who is staring at me horrified.

    [Anyways, I''ve got to go. Wave breaking and all that. Sarah, can you help Odin get settled in for a bit? Thanks, byeeeeee!]

    [Anthony! Get back here!]

 Chapter 1001 1112 - The Wave That Engulfed the World

    <h4>Chapter 1001 Chapter 1112 - The Wave That Engulfed the World</h4>

    The Colony is in a frenzy of preparations, still. There are over a million of us within range of the Vestibule now, and honestly, it''s a little more difficult than I''mfortable admitting to hold onto myself in the face of this vast, endless torrent of Will. Impressions and thoughts pour into me like a river dropping into a bucket.

    I can''t possibly contain it all, yet still ites, and if I dip my toe in the stream, I risk being swept away in an instant. Were that to happen, who knows how long until I''d be able to find my way out again? The Vestibule grants many profound and powerful blessings, but it isn''t without its drawbacks. Evolution has strengthened my mind, which helps me hold out against the influence of the Colony, but it''s starting to feel like a race between my tier and the sheer number of siblings I have. I''m struggling in the face of a million, what would a billion do to me?

    Better not to think about it.

    Well, at least I feel incredibly refreshed and ready for action, which I expect is going to being my way very shortly. The wave is on the verge of breaking and the final preparations are ying out all around me. Thousands upon thousands of ants are working on construction projects, walls, defensive formations, training, farms and everything else I can think of. Somewhere within the nest, there''s an enormous foundry pumping out armour and enchantments, forging equipment for our soldiers and preparing recement parts for the inevitable damage that wille. I can feel them through the Vestibule, a thousand hammers striking the glowing hot metal in unison. Emergency hospital facilities are being created everywhere the Colony expects to be fighting, which is everywhere. Healers rush around in a frenzy, trying to prepare as best they can for the inevitable flood of wounded that wille their way.

    Mana continues to fill the Dungeon until it feels like a balloon on the verge of bursting. Every surface tingles with contained pressure. My gravity sense is tingling all the time, reading the minute vibrations in the floor and walls. The level of energy flowing through the veins has reached the point where every single one of them has enough power to act as a spawn point.

    Demonrvae are going absolutely nuts on the floor of the third stratum, a feeding frenzy the likes of which I hope never to see again. They spawn so fast they''ve created ayer of teeth and ws a metre deep on the bottom of the stratum. It''s more than a little inconvenient since the density ofrvae has made it impossible for them to move out of the way as they normally would. To traverse any distance, I need to wade through the mass of fangs whotch onto my legs the second I put them down. It''s not so bad for me, my legs are thin and I can hold my body above the fray fairly easily. For Tiny, it''s much worse, the poor ape gets his legs shredded every time he takes a step. Invidia has to apply a constant flow of healing magic to the big ape, who doesn''t seem to mind that much, but I suspect that''s because he''s thick.

    [Do you sense anything, Master?] Crinis asks.

    She''stched onto my carapace, as usual, clinging to my diamond exo-skeleton with her fluidic shadow flesh. Actually¡­ considering she has some immaterial limbs¡­.

    [Crinis¡­ you aren''t extending yourself inside my carapace, are you?]

    Silence¡­.

    [I think I see something!] she cries.

    [Crinis!]

    [No, really! Look!]

    To get above the fray, we positioned ourselves up on an outcropping of rock that thrusts upward from the stratum floor, giving us a good view of our objective, the path between thisyer and the one below. Anything from below that''s going to threaten the main ant nest at Roklu is most likely toe through that tunnel, so here we are, ready for a horde and tier eights to stick their noses out. At Crinis'' insistence, I turn my attention from her literal invasion of my person and down to the opening below.

    Much as I hate to admit it¡­ there might be something. No monster or horde, I don''t think I would have missed that, but something a little more subtle: the light. Normally a flickering, deep red from the manyva flows in the tunnels, the hue emanating from the entrance has grown thicker, more intense.

    Then the vibrationes. So faint at first I can barely sense it, even with my incredibly delicate antennae, but I soon pick it up. Is iting from below? No, not quite. In fact, it''s hard to get an exact sense of where it''sing from. I spin my feelers in a wide, slow circle, basically the ant equivalent of rubbing your eyes and peering around. After a few seconds, I confirm my suspicion.

    It''sing from everywhere.

    [Get ready,] I tell the others tersely. [It''sing.]

    As the vibration continues to build, I add, [And grab onto something.]

    I may as well have told Tiny that Santa had dropped down the chimney and offered to wrestle. His grin is huge, splitting his face wide as his eyes burn with red light. He can''t resist thumping his palms into his chest a few times, the impacts reverberating through the air, demonstrating his incredible strength. Bedecked in a new set of armour and enchanted rings that clip around his biceps, my ape friend is an intimidating sight, doubly so when he starts radiating battle energy like he is now.

    Invidia rests on his shoulder, eye zing with green energy. I''m not exactly sure what it is that he wants right now, but if it isn''t a metric butt-ton of monsters to fight, then he''s fresh out of luck.

    From something only I could sense, the vibration continues to build until everyone can feel it, then keeps growing until the rock beneath our feet is shaking.

    CRACK! CRACK!

    Stone shatters and I panic, thinking our perch is about toe crashing down, but no, it''s far worse. The shaking grows more and more intense until the roof, kilometres above our heads, fractures. Hundreds of tons of rock break loose and rain down, whistling through the air with a horrifying shriek before mming into the ground, sending a spray ofrvae andva hundreds of metres into the air. I feel a chill, if that had happened overhead¡­.

    CRACK!

    Aw heck! I snap my focus up and sigh with relief, it wasn''t from there, but it was close¡­ where did thate from?

    The ground in front of us explodes. I mean¡­ straight up explodes. A fountain ofva sts into the air, carrying yet more stone high into the air with it, before raining down in a fiery hellstorm.

    [Shields!] I snap to Invidia.

    I work with him to snap together a defensive barrier to protect us from being cooked alive. Simr things are happening at every entrance to the caverns that I can see, plumes of molten rock jetting up into the air.

    Holy¡­ moly¡­.

    Then ites.

    Originating from far below, it rolls up and past us like the shockwave from an atomic bomb. A wall of mana, so thick that it''s almost physical, sweeps up and vanishes into the distance in under a second, rising to the surface of the. With ites the delighted howls of uncountable monsters, freed from the depths atst.

    Come and get it.

 Chapter 1002 1113 - The Wave That Engulfed the World pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 1002 Chapter 1113 - The Wave That Engulfed the World pt 2</h4>

    Morrelia braced herself, though it likely wasn''t necessary. Inside her heavyset Legion armour, she could be battered with a tree and barely feel it. Even so, she braced herself.

    The wave, when it came, was almost visible. A ripple of ultra-dense mana rose through their legs and passed the tops of their heads in a thousandth of a second, sending her reeling. She felt as if she''d been punched in the gut, but a whine from her armour caught her attention. Lifting her arm to check the script on her forearm te, she could see the enchantments fizzing, shortly before her back began to burn.

    "VENT!" a nearby Centurion bellowed, sprinting along the front of the line. "Your armour is overloaded!"

    She''d been drilled a thousand times on how to handle the more powerful armour and that training kicked into gear now. With practised ease, she triggered the mechanism in her forearm tes, then extended her hands in front of her. All along the line, her fellow legionaries did the same, and after a few seconds, during which the heat within the armour became absolutely unbearable, the excess energy was released through the hands in a st of heat. With so many performing the vent at the same time, the air in front of the line shimmered with heat haze, but Morrelia didn''t care. The cores mounted on the back tes of the armour no longer felt like they were going to melt through the metal and into her back, which was all she cared about at the moment.

    What in Pangera was that?

    She was desperate to ask, but knew better than to break discipline as they stood in line. If she actually thought about it, she was able to figure out most of it. The wave had broken, that much was clear, and the incredibly dense mana had oversaturated the cores, flooding the enchantments worked into the armour with far too much energy. It normally wouldn''t be a problem, but these suits, Potestas armour, had been designed to pull in as much of the ambient mana as they could.

    Designed as a halfway point between normal Legionary armour and the invincible Praetorian suits, Potestas armour was intended to help limate the wearer to a higher level of mana intake and output. Only those who could sessfully utilise the armour to its full potential would have the option to progress to the next stage.

    She''d been doing reasonably in training, but the wave hade and everything had to be put on hold, putting a halt to whatever progress she''d been making. Clearly expecting the wave to cause a major disruption, the Legion had pulled everyone who could wear armour and swing an arm to fight, which meant even officer training had been suspended.

    Not that Morrelia minded. She''d learn more fighting in the armour than practising on the field, and she''d rather be helping than sitting on her hands in the fifth inside a sealed facility.

    "Hold the line, Legionaries! Be mindful of your exhaustion, we won''t be relieved from this position for eight hours. If you''re too tired to fight, then you''re dead! Now BRACE!"

    Whatever training Centurions went through to strengthen their throats really worked. She''d never met one who couldn''t shatter stone with their voice alone. It was an exaggeration, but not by much.

    Mana levels within the suit were still too high, the cores sizzled away on her back, but within tolerance. Morrelia lowered her gauntleted hands to her waist where she pulled free her two swords. Made with the finest metals she could get her hands on, these des should be able to stand up to the pressure exerted from the Potestas armour, unlike her old ones.

    Before them, the tunnel mouth yawned wide. Down that passagey a warren of caverns and tunnels that stretched for thousands of kilometres when added together. Deep down, if you knew where to go, you''d find an entrance to the fifth. All the monsters that spawned within had very few ways to break out into the open air of the fourth stratum, this tunnel being one of them, which was precisely why the Legion maintained a base here in defence of Goylin, a nearby city.

    For the next eight hours, there would be no more drills, no more training, no more lessons, no more sparring, no more repetitive skills practice. For eight glorious hours, there would be nothing but fighting. She couldn''t wait.

    "I can''t believe you''re smiling," the Legionary on her right remarked.

    She turned to face him. Ertan, she thought his name was.

    "I can''t believe you''re not," she grinned fiercely.

    He just shook his head.

    "You''re nuts," he observed, then looked forward into the chasm. The air was shifting in there, the roar and sh of monsters had be a constant barrage of noise. It was getting closer. "Having said that, I think we need a little bit of crazy in the current environment."

    "Well, I''m happy I can contribute something," she replied, mming her visor down.

    Her hands practically itched to start swinging, but she had to be patient for just a bit longer. Only a few secondster, her endurance was rewarded as the first monsters burst out of the cavernous tunnel mouth. wing and biting at each other, the two beasts, one a golden lion whose coat gleamed with a metallic shine, the other a sinuous jade dragon, ignored the arrayed soldiers as they battled against each other. That turned out to be a mistake as the lion was knocked backwards towards the line, whereupon it was shed a dozen times in an instant. Deprived of its prey, the dragon hissed furiously and rushed forward to secure Biomass, only to receive a simr end.

    Sadly, neither hade close enough for Morrelia to strike. She did her best not to bounce up and down on the spot like a jittery trainee, but her body was absolutely bursting with energy.

    When the tidal wave of beasts burst forth and began to hurtle across the hundred metre gap between the Legion and the tunnels, she almost sighed with relief.

    "HOLD!" bellowed the Centurion.

    Ohe on....

    "ATTACK!" came the call.

    Finally!

    She burst forward, dashing with all the strength her mana enhanced muscles could provide. As if shot from a catapult, she rocketed at the enemy, wind howling past her ears, a rictus grin frozen on her face. She nted both feet on the ground, steadied herself for a fraction of a second, then unleashed her Twin-de strike. Two arcs of pure light shed through the air, cutting deep into any monster unfortunate enough to get in her way.

    All the little details she''d struggled with in the training yard seemed to fall away as she fell into the rhythm of battle. The cores sucked in mana endlessly, pumping it into her muscles and reinforcing the armour itself. Where before, she''d struggled to regte the flow of energy, drawing too much into her body, or too little, now it simply worked as she didn''t even think about it.

    "Come and get it!" she howled, activating her Berserk Skill.

    The world instantly dyed itself a shade of red as she felt the fury bubble up in her mind. Air whistled through her clenched teeth as she stalked forward, des twirling in her hands. It was time for the Legion to do what they did best.

 Chapter 1003 1114 - The Wave That Engulfed the World pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 1003 Chapter 1114 - The Wave That Engulfed the World pt 3</h4>

    Granin stirred as the wave washed over him.

    "W-was that?" Corun asked breathlessly.

    "It was," the triad leader stated.

    Torrina sucked in a breath, letting the shock register on her face instead of her usual stoic expression.

    "This is a lot sooner than we expected," she said after calming herself. "Are you sure?"

    Her teacher shot her a slightly annoyed look and she looked down. Granin snorted.

    "You''re too smart to ask a question like that," he scolded her, "we just got punched in the face by a wall of mana. Of course I''m sure."

    "I know. I suppose I just didn''t want it to happen now. I don''t think I''m ready."

    "Nobody is ready for what''sing. They might have spent three thousand years preparing themselves, but they still aren''t ready."

    At least we won''t be the ones to pit ourselves against the overwhelming strength of the Ancients. I''m happy to leave that to those with far more hubris than I.

    Corun warred with the sense of excitement and trepidation. World shaking events would take ce, and soon. A wave the likes of which the world hadn''t seen since the Time of Rending was building. It was possible the events of the past would repeat themselves, with the Ancients causing devastation on a global scale. Naturally, he was nervous.

    "How long do you think?" he asked Granin and the old Shaper scrunched up his face. "Your best guess."

    "As far as we know, Yarrum is yet to wake, so it stands to reason that there are others still sleeping. That being the case, the mana level isn''t high enough, but it''s getting close. If I were to guess, I''d say that those who aren''t awake are stirring at the least, and those who are already risen are moving around, reaching out. This wave isn''t going to be big enough, but the next one?"

    He shrugged.

    "Who knows? The wave after this, or the one after that? Less than a year is my guess. If we don''t have a solution by that time, then they''ll take matters into their own hands."

    They all knew what it meant when the Ancients took matters into their own hands. Cataclysm, catastrophe, extinction.

    "I hope Anthony makes it in time," Torrina said, and Granin chuckled.

    "Not eager to meet the Worm in person?" he said, and she thought for a moment before she shook her head.

    Coming face to face with one''s god might be a happy asion for some religions, but amongst the cults, it meanting well within eating range of an all-powerful monster. Granin imagined it may be a very moving experience, to see Yarrum with his own eyes. A creature of legend and unfathomable might, capable of smashing all the golgari had built to nothing if he so chose.

    I''d be awed, he thought, not for long, but I''d be awed.

    The Worm was perhaps the second most ravenous of the Ancients. There would be little point keeping Granin alive, so he''d be food.

    It might still be worth it.

    "We can only hope so," he said, returning his mind to the current conversation. "Our only chance of staving off disaster is to present a new Ancient. That was the taskid on the founders of the cults, and we are running out of time to deliver. If we can meet their expectations, there''s at least a chance they don''t destroy the world."

    "He''s still only tier seven," Corun fretted, and Torrina raised a brow.

    ''Only'' tier seven? Anthony was perhaps the first tier seven ant in the history of Pangera, and a mythic monster at that. Considering where he''d started, it was a remarkable journey. In fact, recalling he hadn''t even been born amongst his Colony, but in the tunnels by himself, it was beyond a miracle he''d survived to this point. She understood what he was saying, though. Compared to what he needed to be, there was still a long way to go.

    "You may not need to worry too much on that front," Granin said. "This wave is going to be like nothing we''ve ever seen before, and the next will be even worse. If you want to train a monster, you couldn''t ask for better conditions than this."

    He pointed down below. From their vantage point high in the fortress nest below Roklu, the three had a huge range of view over the ins below. Torrina and Corun leaned forward to see what he was pointing at.

    Chaos. Utter, total, chaos. The ins of Leng had exploded in activity,va flooding across thendscape as demons rampaged endlessly. As they watched, it didn''t die down, it only grew worse, and worse, and worse. Larger demons began to climb up through the belching streams ofva, fighting and tearing at each other the moment they met.

    The air, a constant swirl of ash and smoke, thickened, to the point where the golgari felt their lungs burn when they breathed. Not from the smoke, but from the faint tinge of pure destruction in the air, now strong enough to begin to unmake their bodies from the inside.

    "We may need to create filters in order to breathe," Granin harrumphed.

    Corun pped his forehead.

    "Actually, the Colony already made some. I forgot to bring them."

    "You''ll be the death of me one day, Corun."

    "Sorry!"

    Torrina stared down, aghast. She''d heard that the third stratum was terrible during a wave, but this?

    "It can''t be this bad every time¡­." she said.

    Her teacher shook his head.

    "It isn''t. And it''s going to get worse. Things are just getting started."

    The ants would be fighting on so many fronts against this wave that she wondered if even they could seed. Despite all the preparation and thought they''d put in, could a young race, not even two years old, really fight back against odds like this?

    With an Ancient on their side¡­ they could. If they had one of them, they could do anything at all.

 Chapter 1004 1115 - Spitting in the Face of the Storm

    <h4>Chapter 1004 Chapter 1115 - Spitting in the Face of the Storm</h4>

    Well ain''t this something. Monsters andva boil forth in equal measure from the tunnels below and an absolute free-for-all has broken out across the ins of Leng. Well, a bigger one. Although, topare this scene to the normal endless fighting betweenrvae is topare a volcano eruption to a candle. It''s to the point where I might have to rejig my ns.

    My original thought had been to bottle up and annihte all the monstersing through the tunnels, but that''s clearly impossible. There''s too many of them, and more are just wing their way out of the dirt at random locations across the floor. Plus, with all theva bursting forth, who knows how many connections there''s going to be between thisyer and the one down. Some of the demons can swim through the molten rock like fish, so there''s no hope of preventing ess to this area.

    [All right, gang¡­ we might need to hang here for a moment as I adjust my strategy.]

    A pause.

    [M-master?] Crinis says.

    A pause.

    [Tiny''s already gone, hasn''t he?]

    [Y-yes.]

    DAMMIT.

    I''d been looking down and forward, so I hadn''t noticed him leap off the back of the rocky outcrop we''re perched atop. How did he manage to be so moronically stupid, but also sneaky about it?!

    [Where the hell are you going, Tiny? Get back here!]

    My pet bat-faced gori roars gleefully, already neck deep in demons, iling around with punches too fast to be seen with the naked eye. Weaker monsters simply explode where his fists connect, whereas stronger ones are catapulted by the force, copsing in a heap dozens of metres away.

    [Ah heck. Let''s get down there then.]

    May as well at this point. I could order him toe back, but he''d just sulk for ages, and I''m not in the mood to put up with his nonsense. Preventing him from going to a fight is bad enough. Pulling him out of a fight after it already started? Ugh. Terrible. I flex my legs and start walking down the face of the rock, gripping tight to the stone with my ws. Really need to train my Grip skill. I keep getting heavier, and not raising the rank of this ability. The loss of mobility is really starting to hurt my pride as an ant. I''m not even sure I could walk upside down right now.

    I mean, I can float around with gravity magic, so I don''t need to, but that''s not the point!

    I carefully make my way down and jump the final ten metres,nding heavily. Just from the force of my descent, a pile of demons is sent reeling, and then I''m on them.

    How about a CHOMP!?

    Mandibles gleaming, I lunge forward, letting my jaws snap shut with irresistible force. Any tier four or weaker demons simply aren''t able to stand up to that. They are cleaved, and I move on, looking for new targets.

    [Come on, Crinis, time to get off my back.]

    [¡­ Are you sure?]

    [Yes! Why wouldn''t I be sure?!]

    [What if you vanish or something? I need to be here to protect you!]

    Not this again¡­.

    I reach back with one antenna and prod the ck blob stuck to my carapace.

    [Come on. Off. Shoo. I''ll be fine. You''re the one who needs experience. Get out there and find every tier five and six you can. Go on, get!]

    Despite her reluctance, I continue to prod her until she finally gives up and peels herself off of me. Or from within me¡­ shudder. Freed from her carapace hugging, Crinis almost despondently gathers her flesh and reveals herself to the monsters around. Three mouths, each a terrifying maw lined with glittering teeth that surround a void of disintegrating death, are only the most obviously terrifying thing about her. Once she gets going, a thousand tentacles burst forth, creating a forest of dark limbs that begin to snatch up prey, scooping them into her yawning maws or enveloping them and activating her barbed spines.

    Even worse are the ghostly tendrils she keeps closest to her body. Whenever a monster draws too close, they dive straight into its head, passing directly through their flesh, and begin to work their dark purpose.

    Crinis, despite everything, only grows more and more scary as she evolves. What on Pangera is she going to be like at tier seven?

    For his part, Invidia knows his role well. He sts any concentration of likely targets with his explosive magic, orsers the hell out of any tier six he finds, whilst also acting as support to Tiny and Crinis. Mostly Tiny. The little demon has continued to diligently perform the role I had given him after he joined the group, healing and shielding for my offense-oriented ape.

    Now that I''ve let him off the leash a little, he appears to revel in his freedom to unleash his devastating capabilities to their fullest extent. The noise, which was already catastrophic, rises to another level as his potent detonations rock the area every few seconds.

    And yet, despite their incredible strength, the best efforts of my three powerful allies are like trying to push back the tide with a bucket. The third stratum has descended intoplete and utter chaos. Every direction I can see (which is most of them) is absolute bem. Fighting everywhere, all the time, without pause. If anything, the level of insanity continues to escte.

    I ck my mandibles a few times in wonder. I knew it was going to be bad¡­ but this? This is way over the top. The Colony has prepared meticulously for this wave, but I''m starting to wonder if all of that effort is going to be enough. Well, may as well do my bit here and now. I can offer some widespread firepower to the situation.

    Time to see what my Gravity magic can do on arger scale!

 Chapter 1005 1116 - Spitting in the Face of the Storm pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 1005 Chapter 1116 - Spitting in the Face of the Storm pt 2</h4>

    I''m tempted to just start throwing gravity bombs out willy-nilly, but that would just make a chaotic situation even more absurd, so I resist the urge. Who knows what might happen if massive detonations started ringing out all over the ce?

    Besides, with my current form, I''m more than capable of causing plenty of destruction without relying on my most powerful spell. After all, there are hundreds of thousands, if not over a million ants within range of my Vestibule right now. That means I can use the energy of the Altar a heck of a lot more liberally than before!

    MUAHAHAHAHA!

    Prepare yourselves, demons! You are about to feel my wrath!

    Chuckling to myself, I draw deep on my gravitational mana, folding and weaving it into the incrediblyplex forms required to utilise this powerful and rare energy.

    The gravity domain flickers into existence and expands outwards from me. Fuelled by the power of the Altar, the crushing force is magnified multiple times, but just for good measure, Ipressed the mana as much as possible to give it that extra OOMPH.

    Naturally, every weaker demon caught within the range ispletely ttened and forced to wiggle on their bellies like worms. Thervae are in an even more pitiful state; barely able to move, let alone fight, all they can do is try to escape the range of my spell. For the new ones being spawned on the floor, it''s even worse, since they can''t even rise out of the stone properly.

    I''d love to sympathise, but it''s kind of nice to be able to move around without having those little guys gnawing on my legs constantly. Which was my aim.

    With the annoying things out of the way, I can get down to business! I draw out even more gravity mana and begin topress and form gravity bolts. The most basic of all spell forms, the bolt is a simple ball of power that takes on the properties of the mana you use to form it. Normally, this spell will increase the force of gravity on any creature hit with it, or decrease it if I invert it. With the aid of the altar, though?

    I pick out a target, a tier four demon rampaging nearby, just beyond the range of my domain. Looks pretty strong¡­ let''s see how well it can stand up to the pressure.

    As it turns out¡­ not that well.

    After being hit with two bolts, the monster is still standing. Barely. Quivering in ce, its whole body shaking under the strain, the demon is unable to defend itself and soon falls inbat to the other monsters swarming around it.

    Dang. Looks like the gravity bolt has been enhanced several times over as well. Normally, it wouldn''t work all that well against a monster as physically strong as that one, which is what led to mergely abandoning the spell in the first ce. Clearly, it''s back on the menu.

    Time for another test! The good old gravity b! A returning ssic!

    I''ve not experimented with the b spell form all that much, it''s pretty niche, but the gravity b does have some nice effects.

    The gravity b doesn''t really impact a target, but rather anchors it to the spot by using the gravitational energy contained inside to pull at the creature that was hit.

    And when I enhance it with the Altar¡­.

    My target doesn''t see the spelling, too busy leaping at its prey, another demon already engaged in a duel. The b, which I angle high to descend essentially straight down through the target, pierces directly through the demon and then smacks straight into the ground.

    The unfortunate monster doesn''t seem to notice, at least, not immediately, still flying through the air, jaws wide open. Then it appears to m directly into a wall, in mid air. All momentum lost, the monster slingshots back to the spot in which the b has anchored itself with incredible speed.

    [You have in¡­]

    [You have gained experience.]

    Seriously? Oof. Sorry, monster. I didn''t mean it.

    Still, it''s nice to see these old spellsing back into use again! They don''t use that much energy, which is nice, and are far easier to weave than the moreplex workings I''ve learned recently.

    Whatever the Altar is providing to the spells is giving the kick they need to ovee the stronger monsters down here, which means I can get the same effect I''m used to without having to pour in a muchrger amount of gravitational mana.

    So nice!

    Of course, there are new toys to y with, too. Well, one in particr. With my newfound mastery of Gravitational Mana, I was finally able to select the specialisation Skill that gave me ess to the gravitational mana construct, meaning I can convert ambient energy into gravitational energy whenever I want! Well¡­ when I practise the construct, I''ll be able to anyway¡­. For now, relying on my nd is fine!

    Purchasing the Skill also unlocked the fundamental and foundational gravity magic spell, giving me the ability to create gravitational fields and bend them to my will!

    cking my mandibles with glee, I reach deep into my gravity magic nd and call forth a tide of energy. With over a dozen mind constructs running assistance for me, my main brain expertly handles the dense flows of power, forming the gravity well just over my head.

    It wouldn''t be a proper test if I didn''t do it at max power, right?

    Gweheheheh.

    Interestingly, some of the stronger demons, tier five and above, sense the power I''ve drawn forth and begin to flee, putting distance between themselves and the ridiculous, overwhelming mana that they sense.

    Of course, it''s toote.

    Power floods into the Well until I tie it off. All that remains is a thin stream of energy connecting me to the ball of power distorting the light over my head. Until its energy is exhausted (or I supply it with more), the spell will respond to mymand, applying its field to whatever and wherever I decree!

    Powered by a huge chunk of Will from the Altar, the Well pulses ominously and I briefly wonder if I should even unleash it¡­.

    Ah, it''ll be fine.

    All I did was create a gravity well with the highest amount of mana, which I condensed to the highest point and then pumped it full of energy from the Altar. What could possibly happen?

    The Well spreads out to cover a kilometre in all directions within an instant.

    Here we go!

 Chapter 1006 1117 - I May Never Eat Pancakes Again

    <h4>Chapter 1006 Chapter 1117 - I May Never Eat Pancakes Again</h4>

    The power wielded by the Eldest, that of Gravity, was examined by the Mage caste many times. After all, it had shown incredible destructive power which could prove vital to the Colony, especially in times such as these, when the Eldest is asleep.

    However, research was difficult to perform. Learning the Skill was difficult, so some mages were tasked with purchasing the Gravity Mana Organ and experimenting with its use. Despite our best efforts, pursuit of this magic was eventually abandoned.

    To produce even the weaker effects that the Eldest was able to create was difficult for those who tried, and the more advanced spells were never replicated in any way. Even now, the Colony cannot simply produce high tier Mages whenever it chooses. The same amount of resources distributed over a wider number of ants will create a greater oue in the long run.

    For that reason, we believe the Eldest would support our decision.

    - Excerpt from an internal memo of the Colony Mage Antministration. Written by Cont

    That was¡­ disgusting.

    Seriously disgusting. I mean. Giga disgusting.

    I wasn''t sure what to expect when I spread the Gravity Well out over such arge area. I mean, I''d packed it full of as much power as I could manage, but that''s a massive amount of space to cover. From edge to edge, that''s a circle with a two kilometre diameter! There must have been tens of thousands of demons packed into that space.

    Forget that, probably well over a hundred thousand considering how manyrvae there were.

    I figured it might have turned out as arger, weaker version of the domain spell I already had active. Maybe force the lower tier monsters down to the ground and hinder the stronger ones a bit. If that was all that happened, I would have been fine with that. Pleased, even.

    Instead.

    Shudder.

    Pancaked. Just¡­pletely pancaked. If you are wondering what, exactly, was pancaked. Everything.

    The Well discharged with an almost visible burst of power, followed shortly by pretty much every monster within the radius getting ttened in an instant. After that, the tunnels below us began to copse and I hurriedly shut the thing off before I was sent on a one way ticket to theyer below.

    Which leaves me in my current position, surrounded on all sides by ttened demon-cakes. For some reason¡­ I''m just not hungry.

    [You have in¡­ ]

    [You have gained experience.]

    [You have in¡­]

    [You have gained experience.]

    SHUT UP! Dammit Gandalf! Are you going to carry on like that for an hour? Even stacking the announcements on top of each other isn''t enough¡­ they just keep oning!

    I haven''t had to put up with the wizard''s voice this much since the termite nest incident. Enough is enough already!

    [Master?! Is everything alright?]

    [Ah. No problems here Crinis. Just wanted to work on some things.]

    [Work on some things? I was worried the floor would copse!]

    [Don''te back here! That''s an order!]

    I can already see a tentacle stretching toward me from a distance. If I give her a chance, she''lltch onto me in a heartbeat, dragging the rest of her Shadow Flesh behind to glomp onto my carapace.

    The sneaky tentacle wobbles in the air for a moment before reluctantly retreating.

    [I-if you insist,] she sulks.

    Can''t let my guard down. From what I can see, the three of them are doing well fighting as hard as they can. The endless demon swarm isn''t going to let up¡­ ever, so there''s plenty of targets for them. The number of tier five prey in particr is much higher than I expected. That''s some good experience right there. I mean, they lose half of it due to the tier penalty, but it all adds up!

    Now, what am I going to do with this endless field of¡­.

    Never mind. It''s full ofrvae already. Oi! They''re snacking on my Biomass! I''m sure there were at least a couple of stronger monsters within range. If a bunch of baby demons chow down on my tier six prey, I''ll throw up in rage!

    I quickly start to scurry around, looking for the best Biomass, and scoff what I can. Sadly, the bulk of it has already been consumed by the ravenousrvae who boil forth from the ground in an unending stream. Before long, they''re a metre deep again and all signs of what I''d done are gone. Including all the Biomass.

    Just too many hungry mouths!

    Well, I got a little something out of it, but I can rule this kind of wide application of the Gravity Well out for Biomass farming purposes. Considering there were precious few higher evolution monsters around, I didn''t get much in the way of experience either, despite the ridiculous numbers. I get the feelingrvae kills are basically being rounded down to nothing for me now.

    Shame.

    Well, as the demons continue to pile up, I suppose I should start to fight them in a more normal way. Time to apply the ol'' chompers. Wading into the thick of it, I begin tosh out left and right. As a potent, tier seven monster, there isn''t much that can stand up to me around here. At least at the moment.

    We continue to battle against the wave, a futile endeavour if ever there was one. With so many ants around, I can''t even get tired. Despite biting constantly, my face doesn''t even get sore. The Altar is packed full of energy, my muscles are humming with energy, my core is brimming with power.

    I could probably fight like this right up until I get bored of it!

    Which¡­ isn''t that long. These monsters are just no challenge, regardless of how many there are!

    Well, that''s not true, if they turned around and fought me together, it''d be a pain, but caught up in the frenzy, they''re chomping at whatever is closest.

    Thankfully, it seems like my fears of boredom won''tst that long. Something is going on around here¡­. Something to do with the mana. It always thickens as a wave goes on, but this¡­ this feels different. The ebb and flow of the energy around me is weird. Almost like¡­ it''s being influenced or something.

    The thought is preposterous, though. What could possibly shift mana on such a scale as that?

 Chapter 1007 1118 - Swirling Will of the Demon God

    <h4>Chapter 1007 Chapter 1118 - Swirling Will of the Demon God</h4>

    Strong monsters are known to have an ''aura'' of power that affects those who draw too close. This can begin to manifest quite early on, as the key element in determining the strength of such an aura is the disparity in strength between the one producing the effect and the one receiving it. Even tier three monsters have been observed being able to suppress and terrify tier one monsters through this aura alone.

    However, such cases are rare, and minor in the grand scheme of things. When scaled up to apply to the more powerful monsters in the Dungeon, such as Mythic level creatures, the suppressive effects of aura be that much greater. Not to mention easier to notice.

    At this stage, a monster is able to dominate its weakerpetitors through sheer force of Will.

    An interesting question is: What could be the source of this Aura? Despite all of my study and expertise, I do not know the answer. My main theory is that ites down to strength of core, as so many things do when ites to monsters, but this cannot be replicated in tests reliably. Usually, a monster with a stronger core will produce a more domineering aura than one with a weaker core, but not always.

    With this aura, a monster can achieve many things, including forcing weaker creatures to submit to its will.

    Though of course, such submission is impossible when a stronger will is already in ce.

    - Excerpt from the personal notes of Granin Lazus.

    As the mana picks up, so do the demons. Their frenzied battling only grows more intense as even greater numbers begin to emerge from the caverns below. Including a few bigger beasties.

    I want to go and engage these new, tastier targets, but something is holding me back. Well, it''s not hard to work out what it is, the giant, swirling currents of mana overhead are giving me the heebie jeebies.

    Wait¡­ was that an eye?

    For a moment, it felt like the patterns overhead took a shape, but just for a moment, before it swirled out of control again. That''s even more terrifying than before!

    [Invidia, are you seeing this?]

    He''s got even more sensitivity to mana than me, despite being an evolution down.

    [I isssssss.]

    [Any idea what the heck it is?]

    The little demon''s eye zes with green light. Clearly whatever it is, he doesn''t like it.

    [It issss the Demon God. He whisssspersss to me.]

    This guy again?

    [Tell him to get stuffed,] I snort, indignant.

    Where does this Ancient get off thinking he can order my loyal allies around from within their minds? Certified, grade-A, bum-head if you ask me.

    [I sssshall.]

    Good. At least there''s one demon out there who isn''t afraid to tell Arconidem what they think of him. Seriously though, what on Pangera is the demon doing?

    Overhead, the mana swirls more and more aggressively, an ocean of power right above my head, coalescing into a storm of energy. The currents twist in and around themselves, and for one terrifying moment, I think the Ancient is casting a spell¡­ from the centre of the Dungeon.

    [How is this possible?] I ask Invidia. [You can''t reach out and grab hold of energy hundreds, if not thousands of kilometres away from yourself!]

    At least, I hope you can''t. If it can be done, then I''m a hell of a lot further behind the Ancients than I thought.

    [He issss working through the demonsssss,] the envy demon hisses. [Extending hissss Will through them.]

    As in¡­ some sort of reverse Vestibule? An organ or some kind of evolutionary benefit that pushes his Will into every demon-type monster? That''s disgusting!

    All at once, the energy snaps into ce and I find myself staring up into the horrifying visage of the Demon God himself.

    At least, that''s who I assume it is. If not, there''s a demonrva out there getting way too big for its boots.

    Four eyes, wide, many-toothed mouth, all rendered in particr detail by the gathered mana in the air above. To my eyes, there is nothing to see, but to my mana sense, an Ancient is ring down at me.

    I re back up at him.

    Rrrright up until I feel an overwhelming presence m into me. I reel as if hit by a truck, my minds going fuzzy, all of them, all at once. I snap my mandibles together savagely, forcing myself back to awareness, and dig my ws into the rock below.

    "You got a problem? Come down here and catch these face hands!"

    I''m not sure if the Demon God speaks pheromone, and luckily, I don''t have to find out. By the time I get my bearings about me again, the apparition is gone.

    The gathered power begins to disperse, thickening the mana around us. No longer in the presence of their patriarch, or whatever, the demons go back to their normal level of chaos, which is still a heck of a lot of chaos.

    I''m just left wondering what that was all about.

    Arconidem stuck his nose up here to take a peek? At what?! Maybe just inspecting the third stratum, which is basically his stomping ground, I suppose.

    Not for long, buddy. The hostile takeover by the ant empire is well underway!

    The ground in front of me erupts in a catastrophic explosion ofva and stone, revealing the massive, burning demon beneath.

    Oh¡­ snap!

 Chapter 1008 1119 - Sudden Assault!

    <h4>Chapter 1008 Chapter 1119 - Sudden Assault!</h4>

    Advant told me I should "Preserve my thoughts for future generations of the family," so¡­ I guess this is me¡­ doing that? To be honest, she''s been hassling me to do this for ages. Only after going on about the "immense value such a record will hold for the young" and how "inspiring such a document would be to the hatchlings" did I agree, but I''m seriously regretting now that I''ve started.

    Is it really necessary to preserve my thoughts anyway? Everything I''ve ever done is depicted (somewhat) urately in a stupid statue somewhere.

    Actually, I want that on the record! I NEVER asked for all the murals and statues! In fact, I tried to get them banned! So much for respecting the wishes of the Eldest¡­.

    Alright, if you are smelling this scent recording, then here are the words of the Eldest, recorded to further the prosperity of the Colony and to motivate the youth!

    Firstly, I want you to poke and bite Advant everytime you see her. Not hard, but enough to be annoying and to hamper her in whatever she does. Yes, that includes during Torpor. May she never know a moment''s peace.

    Second. Live freely, be true to yourself, and cherish the bonds of family that tie us together. That''s the whole point, right?

    - Excerpt from "The Recording of the Eldest"

    Addendum: For the record, I believe the Eldest was joking. Please stop biting me.

    - Added at ater date by Advant.

    [I see you, little worm!]

    [Excuse me? You calling me a worm? You wanna get chomped?!]

    A suffocating aura of power wells up as the demon rises from theyer below and I get a clean look at it. I kind of wish I hadn''t.

    Big, bigger than me even, with smoke and fire rolling off its shoulders in waves. Four arms that each end in thick, wickedly curved ws, and a face that not even a mother could love. Unless that mother was a simr-looking demon.

    Something like a cross between a jackal and a ming pit, the monster''s appearance is¡­ unpleasant. Let''s go with that.

    What''s more, this powerful presence, battering against me¡­ it reeks of violence and all-consuming me. This dude has to be one of the tier eights. I''ve never met such a powerful monster before.

    [The Demon God has led me to you!] The demon roars gleefully. [You and your kind will be excised from this ce, in HIS name!]

    [We kind of like it here. If you want to kick me out,e and try it.]

    I push back against the demon with the force of my will, and I swear the air between us begins to crackle. Even crushed on all sides by so many scurrying littlervae, the little demons do their level best to get the heck out of our way.

    All of my minds spin up to full activity, I''m holding nothing back. I seriously wish I still had a full tank of Gravitational Mana to work with, but I''ll have to make do with what I''ve got. I call into existence as many mind constructs as I can support with my current abilities, dozens of the things. I reach out and seize control of the surrounding mana, drawing it into me in a constant stream.

    Mandibles flex, legs brace. I start to channel gravitational mana and my carapace thrums to life. My Vestibule thunders with an endless river of power that fills the Altar to bursting. I''m ready to rumble.

    [dly!]

    I expect the demon to rush at me, those ws are clearly designed for both ripping, and tearing, but it doesn''t happen. Instead, he heaves in a breath and I feel like the air pressure around me drops precipitously.

    Then he breathes out.

    My antennae go rigid as an image of a particrly crispy future sts into my brain and before I can think, my body is already moving. Energy flows from the Altar as I dash, my ten ton body flickering to the side and reappearing a hundred metres away.

    Just in time for what I can only describe as an explosion contained in a jet of me to rocket past me, incinerating everything caught in its path.

    [Master! Are you alright?!] Crinis cries in my mind.

    [I''m fine! You stay over there. That''s an order! This isn''t someone you can tangle with. That goes for you, Tiny, and you, Invidia as well. Keep yourselves well clear.]

    Ah.

    "Protectant, get your squad the hell away from me. If you didn''t get fried by that st, you might by the next. Nothing for you to do here."

    I hope they listen to me. If not, there won''t be much of a future in store for them. This monster is serious business!

    Fully upright, this demon must be standing over thirty metres tall. Each step is that of a giant, crunching into the stone with the force of the impact.

    [Still alive, little worm? Good!]

    [You''re gonna regret that¡­.]

    Eat Gravity Bomb!

    HOOOOOOOOOOOWL!

    A smaller bomb this time, thrown together as quickly as I could, but infused by the Altar, screams into life. The dark sphere rockets through the air toward the massive demon, who grins and sts it with fire.

    I mean¡­ sure? Go for it, champ.

    I kick my legs into gear and start circling around. If there''s anything left of him when the bomb is done, I want to be in position to do some serious chomping. Too many have underestimated this spell. I''m sure this moron is the¡­ same?

    When my senses report to me what is happening, I tell them to go back and double check, but the second opinion turns out to be the same as the first. The dense mana contained within my spell¡­ is being eroded by that fire!

    Holy moly! There''s something off about that demonme, seriously off!

    When the bomb makes contact, it''s shrunk to less than half what it was when I fired it. Luckily, that''s still enough to cause some serious damage.

    I can''t see exactly what happens when the dark sphere expands to cover the demon, sucking in and annihting everything lost inside, but I imagine he ain''t happy.

    With all the power burned out of it, the bomb itself isn''t as impressive as I would have liked, far weaker than the one I hit Grokus with, even ounting for the Altar. No way he''s dead.

    The flickering ball of doom finally fades away, and sure enough, the massive demon is still standing. What''s more, he''s still grinning.

    That, is not good.

 Chapter 1009 1120 - Battle of the Titans

    <h4>Chapter 1009 Chapter 1120 - Battle of the Titans</h4>

    For a brief moment, I''mpletely stunned. I''ve gotten so used to the Gravity Bomb being infallible that I expected even a half baked effort to do some serious damage.

    Even after this big moron somehow burned the power out of it, I still thought he''d lose an arm or something. I might have been overly reliant on my trump card¡­.

    That''s fine. I can still hit him with a bigger one. Or use my new mastery and summon a Gravity Well to squish this pest t! Or¡­ I would, if I still had a full tank of the sweet, sweet purple mana.

    I grit my mandibles and peel off ten mind-constructs to get working on making me some more gravity mana. My main mind is far superior at handling this type of spell than the sub-brains and their constructs, but I need that main mind for casting right now.

    Not for the first time, I kick myself for being toozy to practise the mana construct enough. Working my way through a new mana producing construct is always a mind breaking exercise, and the gravity version is right up there with the omni-elemental construct in terms ofplexity.

    This is going to be taxing, but I don''t see a way out of it. I pretty much always have an omni-elemental construct humming along these days and I crank it into action now, churning out ice mana which I start to condense. I''m sure I''ll be needing it soon.

    [An interesting thing, worm! Did you think that Torrifex, the herald of Arconidem, would be crushed by such weak magic?]

    The haughty is pretty much dripping from this demon and his description of my bomb spell as weak is enough to grind my mandibles.

    Weak, he says. You''ll be getting served something a little more spicy in a minute. In the meantime¡­.

    [Let''s see if you can keep talking when you get a taste of this!]

    I check my spacing, then dash forward, drawing on the Altar as I do. The world blurs around me and I find myself standing not ten metres away from the enormous demon.

    When I stretch to my full height, extending my legs to lift my body up, I stand around fifteen metres tall, enough to chomp this monster right around the waist, which is what I aim to do.

    Void Chomp!

    Empowered by the Altar, the Skill howls to life, dragging my opponent forward as the mighty jaws of ck light close with inexorable force. Again, the demon doesn''t act as I expect, and insteadunches its own strike against mine.

    Four demon arms glow with ominous red light, the ws flexing before he shes forward, sending four shes that scream through the air straight toward me. I can almost hear the air wail with despair as those w marks streak toward me, visions of violence and fire trailing in their wake.

    That may be a little impressive, but do you really think you can beat the Void Chomp with this nonsense? Keep dreaming!

    My jaws m shut with a deafening roar, everything before me consumed by the power of my Altar infused chomp. When the two Skills sh, a shockwave of power explodes outward, blowing my antennae back and sendingrvae flying like leaves in the face of a hurricane. Rock disintegrates from the force of the st, sending dust and stones flying into the air and smashing into my carapace.

    Holy moly!

    Still, I know that the Void Chomp won out. I could feel it go through, so the demon copped far worse than I did in that st. Heh. Even if this idiot is tier eight, he''s got to be missing a leg at least.

    [How do you like them apples?!] I demand.

    [You surprise me, worm. I am not often surprised.]

    Before the dust can clear, my antennae re a warning and I once again flicker to the side before two massive wed hands sweep through where I had been standing.

    Then the demon is revealed again.

    Turns out I did do some damage! Which is good! But the demon looks seriously peeved. Which is bad. However, he''s lost a chunk from his side. Which is good! The chunk appears to be healing, filled with a rapidly congealing mass ofva. Which is bad.

    Aren''t there two others, just as strong as this guy? That''s going to be a problem! I kind of assumed I''d be able to explode them using the Altar. Considering how easily I dealt with the tier sevens, I''d thought that these would be a bit harder, but not overly difficult.

    This is proving to be a heck of a lot more difficult!

    [Can I interest you in a second course?!]

    Void Chomp!

    Energy thunders through the Altar, fed constantly by the unceasing and endless Will of the Colony. It''s impossible that this demon would be able to stand against the power of my family!

    Although I probably shouldn''t tell him what I''m nning to do in advance¡­.

    Unwilling to go head to head with the chompers knowing he''ll lose, the demon leaps above and brings four ws down in a savage strike that ms down into my carapace.

    Or does it? Are you striking me, or are you striking my afterimage? In this case, mostly me.

    My super-monstrous reflexes kick into gear and I adjust the angle of my carapace, but in that split second, the demon can''t see that I''ve moved. The ck Hole effect! Gweheheheh!

    Demon light streaks down and meets Gravity Compressed diamond. The sheer force of the strike buckles my poor ant legs, but the carapace holds strong!

    Mostly.

    A few long grooves are carved into my precious exo-skeleton, but the demon didn''t manage to get even halfway through. Take that!

    Unimpressed by my survival, the demon decides to have another crack, but I''m not standing still and taking it again. Stone cracks beneath me as I dash, reappearing a hundred metres away and staring down this massive demon.

    He stares right back, boiling smoke and fire, a rabid grin fixed to his muzzle.

    I agree, demon. It''s time to get serious!

    ¡­.

    Is that gravity mana ready yet?!

 Chapter 1010 1121 - Battle of the Titans pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 1010 Chapter 1121 - Battle of the Titans pt 2</h4>

    My sub-brains are still struggling to put the finishing touches on the gravitational mana construct. It''s fiendishlyplex, so I''m not surprised. More practice is required, and I''ve been toozy to do it.

    Curse you, past Anthony! Curse yourzy carapace!

    Having fully mutated would also be helpful for this. The Altar and Nave aren''t mutated, and who knows what insane effects they might have avable at +35.

    I''ve been too overconfident, dammit! This massive demon is proving to be far more of a challenge than I expected. I''ll have to do the best with what I have avable and hope it all works out. Let''s do this!

    I harden the ice mana I''d prepared as much as possible before weaving it to form spears. Unless I pump these spells as full of power as I can, they''ll just melt when they get close to him, his cloak of fire and smoke will take care of that. The rate of fire isn''t quite what I was hoping for, but at least each spear packs a hell of a lot of punch.

    The demon smashes them away with his fists, smoke and ash belching from his maw as he rears back andunches his inferno breath at me. My ice spears are gone in an instant and I leap to the side once more. Then I''m struck with an idea!

    If he can''t recover from that breath attack quickly, then I might be able to close the gap right now. In a contest of close range attacks, I win!

    Dash!

    Drawing deep on the Altar in such rapid session is dizzying. The Will of the Colony thunders through me, transforming into whatever power the Altar uses to infuse my Skills and spells as quick as I can use it. The rate of replenishment is insane, but as I lock my mandibles back and activate Void Chomp, it dips precipitously low.

    Going to have toy off it for a bit, but will I get the chance?

    Rather than cut off his breath attack and turn to face me as I''d expected, the demon extends it and whirls to face me as I charge in. Whoops! My vision fills with that destructive breath and I scramble toe up with a solution, my reflexes firing at insane speeds.

    A wall formed of the thickest, densest ice I can produce is woven into existence right in front of me and I shoulder charge it forward, advancing behind it like a shield. It''s awkward as heck, but I can''t do much better in the time I have. Despite the absurd amount of energy I packed into it, the ice doesn''t hold up long against that breath, but it doesn''t have to.

    The moment I''m in range, I give it one final push before turning the full force of my chomp on the demon.

    Void Chomp!

    Empowered by the Altar, this bite packs unbelievable might and it''s difficult for me to see what happens in front of me due to the sheer amount of carnage. Rocks crack, dust billows everywhere and demons caught in the vacuum effect fly through the air to get caught in the crossfire. I feel a little sorry for those monsters, they don''t even have a moment toment their fate before they evaporate as my jaws m shut.

    [Surely you''re dead this time,] I tell the demon.

    Wait¡­ if he''s dead, he couldn''t reply¡­ so what was the point of saying that?

    [Not quite, worm!] he roars in my mind and I feel a little relief I hadn''t embarrassed myself by talking to nobody.

    Four wed arms sh through the smoke, red light screaming, but I dodge again! Almost!

    The air is filled with sparks as the ws rake across my carapace and fail to prate, but the sheer force of the blow nearly crumples my legs. I hold firm, if only just, and fire back with more ice. At this range, the demon can''t melt them in time and several stab deep into its flesh before bubbling into steam.

    Holy moly this guy projects a lot of heat! If I was some sort of ice specialist, then I might be able to cause more damage with it, but this is ridiculous. This close to him, it feels like I''m sticking my head into a pool ofva.

    I leap back as I continue the ice barrage to gain a little space and get a look at my opponent. The massive demon has another injury,rger this time, but again, already in the process of healing. Lava-like goop fills the wound, congealing and darkening into ck demonic flesh before my eyes.

    I mean, I can''tin about it, I have a regeneration nd myself, capable of restoring minor wounds with extreme speed as well, but when the enemy is this difficult to damage, it really feels unfair!

    Shiver.

    I just felt as if a thousand monsters screamed at me from beyond the grave. Alright, I''ll reflect on my mistakes, I''m sorry! Now that I''m against someone who does the same thing I do, I can fully appreciate just how aggravating it is.

    [Oi! Stop healing yourself and stay wounded, dammit! You took that damage fair and square!]

    [You keep barking when you should be crawling, WORM!]

    At hisst words, the cloak of me and smoke the demon wears explodes as the aura of fire, ash and pure violence magnifies tenfold. My psyche recoils from the overwhelming sense of demonic violence radiating from my opponent as his eyes ze red.

    Man, he looks mad. Like, super mad.

    Good time to throw this Gravity Bomb at him then.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWLLLL!

    And this one.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWLLLL!

    The two balls of hyper-dense gravitational mana fly through the air, spinning around each other as they get caught in each other''s pull. The demon bellows with rage, shattering the air and knocking away nearby demons with sheer volume.

    Another inhale, then he unleashes a st of me like nothing that came before.

    I leap to the side, but not quite fast enough, as the ze rockets through my bombs and straight at me, burning one of my antennae.

    That fire is serious business! Let''s see if it can roast both of these ck holes to nothing in time to survive, gweheheheheh.

 Chapter 1011 1122 - Battle of the Titans pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 1011 Chapter 1122 - Battle of the Titans pt 3</h4>

    Two gravity bombs should prove even more devastating than one, at least that''s my assumption. It wasn''t easy forming two of them at the same time, and I didn''t have enough gas in the Altar to empower them properly, but I''m hoping it''s enough to get the job done!

    Under the withering fire pouring from the demon''s mouth, the two bombs lose strength the further they travel.

    Spiralling around each other, my spells rocket toward the demon. The air around them howls deafeningly, as they draw in everything they pass near. Unwilling to sit as far back as I didst time, I try to judge just how close I can get to the demon while still remaining safe from my own magic.

    As I run, I keep my mana sense tracking the rapidly dwindling power in the two bombs. He''s really roasting the heck out of them! I''ll keep my ws crossed they''ve got enough power to make the journey, because if not, I may be in for some trouble. I don''t have any more gravity mana!

    The construct is now done, thank goodness, but it takes time to crank out the huge amount needed for a gravity bomb! It''s not exactly an efficient and cheap spell!

    The massive demon continues to roar as those deadly mes pour from its mouth. I think he might have lost track of me, or is too worried about the spells flying at his face, since he doesn''t adjust his aim and keeps burninating thendscape right in front of him. Suits me just fine.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOWL!

    The two bombs continue to circle each other until they finally reach the target and ignite. Both spells expand into howling maelstroms of horrific death, right on top of each other!

    Holy moly!

    I think I might back off a bit, I may have misjudged my positioning. Time to dig in with those ws! This is Grip training!

    The two bombs rip at each other, almost touching as they continue to orbit faster and faster. Finally, they collide in a blinding sh, and the pull dragging everything in grows all the more powerful. Even I struggle for a moment as I m my ws down into the rock below, gripping tight.

    Once again, it''s impossible to see what''s be of my demon opponent, visibility just isn''t very good when these big spells hit the deck. Even my mana sense is totally thrown off by the two bombs merging.

    I''ve never tested the double bombbo, but it seems to be pretty darn powerful! Just in case I need it, I continue to pump out gravity mana as fast as I can,pressing it for all I''m worth.

    More and more demons vanish into the void, never to be seen again as the dark sphere rotates ominously, dragging even the light around it inside.

    Surely, that big moron isn''t going to be able to survive this, right? Despite his best efforts to rip my bombs apart, they still had plenty of juice left when theynded. Two gravity bombs? Nobody has ever been able to survive this kind of punishment before. I mean, they weren''t the most powerful bombs I can throw, but they were decent!

    I dig in and wait for the screaming wind to die down. When the storm finally calms, I see¡­ nothing.

    Did he get dissolved?

    I rip my legs out of the ground and stalk toward the site of the detonation, ready and waiting for something fishy to happen. My mana sense sweeps over the area and I continue to pull in raw mana so I can convert it. I don''t really sense anything¡­.

    Should I check my notifications to see if he died? I don''t think there''s any point¡­ I got hundreds of them during that spell.

    Wait! What was that?

    [An interesting disy, worm. I can see why the Demon God has taken an interest in you. I shall return, and I shall not be alone!]

    Rapidly disappearing below me, I can sense a powerful monster descending through the tunnels.

    I mean¡­

    [Running away?! What kind of monster are you? Get back here and feel my justice!]

    But it''s no good. The mind bridge connecting us fades to tatters as the distance grows too great and my taunts are lost.

    That¡­ that''s just rude.

    [Master? Are you alright?]

    Crinis?

    [Wha? Yeah I''m fine. Why?]

    [That battle was terrible to witness! The two of you destroyed everything around you¡­.]

    Taking in my surroundings, she''s absolutely right. Despite the constantly spawningrvae, there are visible ruins around us. A molten streak of rock created by the me breath. A crater over there. Several craters actually. I may have created those with the Void Chomps.

    [Dang, you aren''t wrong.]

    I don''t see how it matters, though. I''m super annoyed that the enemy escaped! There are three of those damn monsters, and I don''t see how I can beat them all at once. I might have been arrogant enough to assume I could have before, but not now. That fight was way harder than I thought it would be.

    I need to kick things up a gear. More practice, especially with my gravity spells, and I need to mutate ASAP.

    [You and the others keep fighting, Crinis. You need levels and you need them fast.]

    I might need all the help I can get soon enough. There''s no way my three friends will be able to fight alongside me at a two tier disadvantage. Even tier seven against tier eight feels hard. Evolutionary energy doubles at every tier after all.

    GAH! I''m still so mad! How the heck did he slip away? Was he in the tunnels below before the spells evennded? He must have been¡­. Once the bombs expand, the pull bes far too strong to escape, especially that close. I can''t help but feel like there was some sort of trickery pulled in that moment, some sort of Skill or ability was used that I should try to figure out.

    Next time I see that demon, I''ll make sure he doesn''t get away!

 Chapter 1012 1123 - Reflection on Strength

    <h4>Chapter 1012 Chapter 1123 - Reflection on Strength</h4>

    Protectant, Guardiant, Shieldant, Defendant, Armourant and the others stood silently as the Eldest collected themself and settled to watch the three guardians fight. The purple sphere of mana had extended once again, crushing any weak monsters into the ground before they even had a chance to attack.

    They felt... useless.

    "Have you ever seen anything like that?" Guardiant asked, her pheromones unusually hushed. "I can''t even imagine being able to tip the bnce in a fight like that."

    She spoke what each of them felt, deep in their hearts. Protectant had been speechless as the Eldest had battled against the titanic demon. The creature had been like something from a nightmare. Over thirty metres tall, it towered over them, wreathed in me and ash, any one of its strikes would have ripped all twenty of them to pieces.

    Even now, the aftershocks of that battle rattled thend around them. Stone continued to burn, or shatter. A significant area had been destabilised by the spells the Eldest had cast and parts crumbled down into theva below, taking thousands of smaller demons into the fire.

    The Eldest had warned them, many times, that they needed to evolve lest they be unable to perform their task. As a group, they had acknowledged the reality of this, but they hadn''t understood it fully.

    Against a foe of that magnitude, they were worse than helpless. Even had they sacrificed themselves, all of them, it would not have swayed the battle in the slightest.

    Shortly after their birth, the Council had tasked them with an important mission, critical to the future of the Colony. They had to ensure that the Eldest was kept safe, from all threats, even the Eldest themself.

    As they were, it was impossible for them toplete their mission. Resolve hardened within each of them.

    "Tier six is not going to be enough," Protectant said. "Not even close. Tier seven may not be enough. We have to level, mutate and evolve, as fast as possible."

    "Isn''t that what the Eldest told us we were supposed to do?" Guardiant asked, scratching at her carapace with a foreleg.

    Neen others shifted awkwardly. Protectant sighed.

    "This is simply another instance where their wisdom far exceeds that of the rest of us. Even the Council did not predict things woulde to this."

    How could anyone have predicted that things woulde to this?

    "We will operate in reduced shifts. Our primary responsibility will be to level and move toward perfect evolutions. When all of us are tier six, the work will have only begun."

    The others nodded. This was necessary for them to perform their role. The Eldest must survive.

    ~~~~~~~~

    Odin was shaking. Such power! Such unbridled, raw, power! When the two monsters had shed, the ground shook, stone shattered, even the rock he had clung to had trembled, as if intimidated by the ferocity of thebatants.

    What he had witnessed resembled the wildest fever dreams of a film director rather than something actually possible in physical reality.

    Torrifex had loomedrge in his mind as an unbeatable existence. The monstrous demon was overbearing in every possible way. Even standing close to the beast had singed him, despite his heat resistant demon skin. Of course, nothing matched up to Arconidem, but the Demon God was far away, whereas Torrifex had been right next to him.

    Yet the ant had won. Anthony had won. That mighty, seemingly invincible demon had retreated, actually retreated, after being fought off by an opponent he couldn''t outmatch in strength, guile or speed.

    After a life lived on the edge of life and death, the former assassin had thought he had seen everything, done everything, but now, an all new world of possibility had opened up before him. If Anthony was able to defeat the three demons who still haunted his dreams, then he would be free. Free! What could stop him then? What could get in his way?

    If he progressed far enough, fought long enough, then he too would wield the strength necessary to stand alone. Unlimited power was there, all he had to do was persevere, then reach out and take it!

    All he needed was time. He needed a shield that could protect him from the enemies that sought to control him.

    Anthony could be that shield. The Colony could be that shield. He would throw all of his support behind the ants, do whatever it took for them to triumph over the demon uprising. That would buy him the time he needed to grow.

    Once the Colony had seeded, he would be able to strike out and make his own way, rising to the top.

    Who knows? If he were sessful enough, perhaps even the mighty Arconidem himself would fall. Odin the Demon God had a rather nice ring to it. Better than the nickname he had been given in his past life. Whoever had thought to call him "Odin the ck Wind of Shadow Who Reaps in the Night" had been trying way too hard. Odin the Demon God. Simple, clean, powerful.

    Below, Anthony continued to rest, his six legs folded beneath him as he rested his carapace on the stone floor. The powerful gravity field he generated was so strong that the newly spawnedrvae beneath him couldn''t even show their faces.

    For now, you are the mighty one and I will hide in your shadow. But it won''t always be that way. I, Odin Malum, swear it!

 Chapter 1013 1124 - I Canâ€™t Get No

    <h4>Chapter 1013 Chapter 1124 - I Can¡¯t Get No</h4>

    After brooding and swatting at demons who manage to draw close to me for a few hours, I call my three associates back and we start to make our way home.

    It doesn''t look like that big brute is going to being back anytime soon, so it''s probably a good chance to regroup and refresh. Tiny, Crinis and Invidia each look worn out and battered in some way. Tiny has scratches and wounds all over the ce, his fur matted with ichor, and I can tell he''s exhausted, despite the grin of satisfaction on his bat-face. When Crinis glomps onto my carapace, herck of weight indicates that a ton of her shadow flesh has been burned through. Even Invidia, whose core is usually bursting with mana, is dim in my sight, wearily pulling in ambient energy to replenish his stocks.

    The three of them have worked hard.

    [Good job, everyone. I hope you were able to get a few levels out of that. After a quick break, we''ll be back at it, so make sure you don''t waste your time. Mutate anything you need to, check for Skill rank-ups and get some rest.]

    They each acknowledge me with a tired wave and we start the trek back to Roklu. I handle the overflowing demons by crushing them with my domain. It''s so nice to have this spell supercharged by the Altar. Thervae beneath me arepletely unable to rise up thanks to the gravity pulling them down, so they''ve no choice but to sit on top of the mana veins that birthed them until I''ve walked past. Of course, once I have moved on, there''s a small explosion behind me as all thervae who''d been smushed together are finally free to tear clear and start chomping on each other.

    As we travel, I can''t help but think back to my fight against the tier eight. Neither of us had gone all out in that contest, I''m convinced of that. If I''d had enough gravity mana, I could have used an empowered well to try and squish him t, but at the same time, I''m convinced the demon didn''t show what he had.

    It feels like all monsters get a specific advantage as they evolve, and I''m no exception. My Altar, Nave and Vestibulebo makes me far more powerful under the right conditions, namely having a ton of my family around. The demon¡­ Torrifex, I think he said his name was, showed overwhelmingbat strength, but nothing much outside of that. Not until he managed to slip away at the end, at any rate.

    I need more info on these tier eight demons. There are another two like Torrifex, and if I can learn what tricks they have up their demonic sleeves, I''ll be in a better spot to counter them.

    I know who I can ask as well, but for now, I have other priorities.

    No more putting it off! I need to mutate my most important organs, the Nave and the Altar!

    The ins outside of the ant fortress beneath Roklu are an absolute mess. Even here, in the heart of the Colony''s power, the sheer number of demons is overwhelming. Dotted about the ce, fortresses filled to the brim with ants fire down on the swarming demons, sniping the more evolved ones from the crowd and sting the weaker ones when they threaten to surge against the walls.

    The vastrvae-traps, designed to harvest stronger cores and higher tier Biomass for the Colony, appear to be working at full st as well. Patrols march along the edges and guard the collection stations, ensuring that the enormous structures aren''t damaged from the outside or from inside.

    The fortress itself stands like an ind amidst a sea of chaos. The mighty walls stand against wave after wave of demons as they throw themselves into the waiting mandibles of over a hundred thousand defenders.

    We march through that tide until we are able to haul ourselves over the wall and into safety. There''s a gate that they could open, but the demons would just pour inside the moment they did. I need the training for Grip anyways.

    Not Invidia, though, he just flies. The punk.

    "Wee back, Eldest!"

    "Not cking, are you?"

    "Resting? That''s¡­ a good and sensible idea which we all should do. Right?"

    I wave back to my siblings as they wee me back, exchanging a few antennae pping high-fives as I banter back and forth with them.

    "Me? cking? I''ve been out there fighting tier eight demons! Don''tpare me with you lot, sitting up on a wall, nice and safe!"

    I don''t acknowledge the poor mage whomented on resting. She''s already gone, sucked into the shadows. Rest in peace. Then get back to work, shiny and massaged.

    I try not to get in anyone''s way as I head deeper into the fortress. It takes ten minutes for us to find a nice isted chamber I can plonk myself down in and prepare to mutate.

    [Alright, gang. Hit the menus. Although I''d appreciate it if you could watch the door for me, Crinis.]

    [Yes, Master.]

    No point mucking around, I''m going straight for the big stuff. Altar! Show me what you''ve got!

    I punch through the menu and confirm my intention to mutate. I''ve got a bit of Biomass stored away, but the tier penalty is really kicking me straight in the gaster.

    The wave will eventually produce a massive surplus of higher tier monsters, the ones who manage to survive, then thrive in the madness, but for now, it''s an endless tide of weaklings. It doesn''t help that what counts as a weakling to me is so much stronger than before. A tier five monster with perfect evolutions would have scared the lights out of me not that long ago. Even Garralosh, as monstrously strong as she was, would be weak to me now. Though her core and Biomass would be wee.

    No, a tier five monster gives me precious little in terms of experience or Biomass. I need stronger prey! I have a feeling I''ll find lots of them down below, in the fourth stratum, but I can''t get down there yet. Not with Torrifex and his ilk lurking about.

    Come on, Altar, give me something good!

 Chapter 1014 1125 - Satisfaction

    <h4>Chapter 1014 Chapter 1125 - Satisfaction</h4>

    As always, the list is excessively long. Like, does anyone want half of these options? Actually, most of them seem pretty good... but far too niche! The Altar has a greater effect empowering fire abilities. The Altar has a greater effect empowering ice abilities. The Altar has a greater effect empowering physical abilities....

    On and on it goes.

    I quickly identify the basic upgrades before I start flicking about to see if I can find something that might take my fancy. I mean, it''s hard to go wrong with improving the capacity of the Altar, and improving its efficiency converting Will into... whatever it converts it into.

    Both upgrades give the Altar a lot more bang for the buck, so to speak. The capacity upgrade is almost mandatory, since I already have several abilities that drain the entire stock dry when I empower them. In fact, considering the sheer amount of energy the Vestibule funnels into me, I may not even need the efficiency upgrade. I could take capacity at +5 and +10, reinforce it at +15 and then see how I feel after that.

    It may even prove necessary to repeat the process again from +20 to +30. More power stocked up will allow me to go ham with my most powerful spells and abilities. Against the three super demons, that may prove crucial. If I can''t throw out empowered wells and Void Chomps willy-nilly, then I''ll struggle to go toe to toe with them.

    I continue to trawl through the many, many listings in case I find something I might consider interesting, and I do.

    [Starborn Altar: Increases the effect when empowering gravity based abilities.]

    DAMMIT.

    That''s so tempting! That''s super tempting!

    I thought I could dismiss all the specific, nice upgrades and just go with utility, but this one could be super good! The Gravity Bomb, the Gravity Well, the Gravity Domain, perhaps even the Void Chomp, would all get extra OOMPH from this selection.

    I''m leaning so heavily into gravity based power now that I have it, further investment pays me back in all sorts of ways in other areas as well. Gah!

    No! Snap out of it, Anthony! You must select capacity at +5 and +10. It''s a requirement!

    I lock those two choices in andmit to reinforcing them at fifteen. Then feel myself drawn irresistibly back to the gravity enhancing mutation.

    I should carefully consider the pros and cons before making an informed decision... there''s likely no chance I get to reforge the Altar, so these mutations are going to stick. Think about it. Think carefully.

    Lock it in! +20, +25 and then reinforce, baby! Whoo!

    Phew, what a rush. Alright then, onto the Nave. I''m still not entirely clear on the function of the Nave, but I think I''ve gradually pieced it together over time.

    I mean, it''s a bit obvious at this point, but the Vestibule, Nave and Altar are all parts of a church or cathedral. The Vestibule is where people are weed inside, the entrance, I suppose. Which makes sense, that is the organ through which the Will of the Colony flows.

    The Nave is the biggest bit, it''s where people sit. Usually filled with rows of pews... or chairs... or whatever.

    Then the Altar, which is what the people show up for, I suppose. Its purpose is to give shape to the Will that is flowing through. I chose to dedicate the Altar to empowering myself, so that is what it does.

    But the Nave, where does that fit in?

    The energyes in through the Vestibule, flows through the Nave, then is given purpose by the Altar. My previous mutations for the Nave were simple and generic, effectively purifying and concentrating the Will that passed through it. Without an Altar for that energy to flow to, it wasn''t easy to see the difference that made. All that happened was that the things that Will already did for me, keeping me fresh, refilling my stamina, acid and regeneration nds, all happened faster.

    But now, I wonder.

    The Nave in a church is where the people sit, and I think I may have misunderstood its purpose all along. By constructing it, I made a ce for the Will of the Colony... toe in and sit down.

    Which exins a few things I''ve noticed ever since I reached tier six. Ants seem to know what I''m thinking sometimes. Or they know when I''ming, even if I conceal my core. There are times I know things I shouldn''t, or they know things they shouldn''t, as if we''d sat down and had a long conversation, except we never had.

    Or perhaps we did. Inside.

    I often dip my toe into the flow of Will to see what''s going on, but I never did for the Nave.... Now I''m a little scared to. Alright, let''s check it out.

    With a flicker, my mind is suddenly within, beyond the flow of power, contained in another area. I can feel the Will of the Colony thundering past nearby, but here, it''s a little more quiet, more serene.

    And sure enough... there are ants here. Well, not actually ants, but small little bubbles of Will. How and why these specific members of the family are here, I don''t know, but here they are. Perhaps they''ve contributed the most Will, and over time these bubbles form within the Nave?

    Who do we even have here?

    I shouldn''t know, but I do, which confirms some of my earlier suspicions. That ant there is the nameless one, for example. That one is also the nameless one. So is that one.

    Dammit! How many of the torpor police are in here?! Sheesh!

    Aha! This is Cargant, a worker from the second stratum who specialises in transporting cargo. Hence the name. She''s a beast, hauls ore and minerals all day every day, only stopping for mandatory torpor. What a good example of diligence for the grubs to follow!

    Speaking of grubs, over there is Attendant, a Brood Tender. She''s been taking care of grubs since not long after I arrived at the Colony! How many have grown up and graduated under her gentle leadership? Too many for me to count, I wasn''t in school that much....

    And over there we have...

    ENID?! What the heck!? Since when were you an ant?!

 Chapter 1015 1126 - Within the Self

    <h4>Chapter 1015 Chapter 1126 - Within the Self</h4>

    I know I don''t always devote the most thought to my mutations, but I think I''d remember letting humans contribute Will through the Vestibule. Yeah, I''m sure I would remember that! And yet, here sits a little bubble of Enid, here within the Nave.

    What the heck is going on here? Spiritually, I approach and poke at the bubble, but try as I might, it doesn''t disappear. Instead, it stubbornly sits there, existing, no matter how much I try to logic the darn thing from existence.

    I bring up my menu and try to confirm the reality I believed I had been living in, only to find that I''d been wrong all along. The restriction on the Vestibule to Formica Sapiens is gone. Gone! Vanished into the mists! Like a smaller, less bat-like version of Tiny!

    When in the name of all that is chitin and shiny did that happen? That''s a thorax scratcher. I double check my mutations, just to ensure I''m notpletely lost and bewildered, and it turns out that I''m not. I can only assume that this urred during the reset.

    Which exins a few things, I suppose. There''s been a few times that things have popped into my head that I likely shouldn''t have known otherwise. And I mean, alongside the amount of ants I receive energy from, the humans who are able to provide me with Will can hardlypare, causing their thoughts to be lost in the mix.

    That doesn''t mean they haven''t been there, chugging along, providing energy. The proof is in the pudding, or amorphous blob of Will, as the situation decrees.

    Even here, within my own psyche, I feel a chill run over my carapace. Enid being here, I can deal with. I''ve spoken to her a bunch of times and always found her to be a good egg. In fact, Enid and I go way back to shortly after the Colony surfaced. She was one of the first people I evermunicated with! No, I have no issue with Enid being here. But¡­ if she has been providing enough Will to end up in the Nave¡­ that means¡­.

    Aaaand there he is. The mad priest.

    Because of course he is! This moron takes every opportunity to dere his devotion, often screaming it directly into my head whenever I form a bridge with him. How could he not be here in the Nave?

    Staring at the little ball of Will that was formed by Beyn, I can''t help but feel a little depressed. Then I feel bad about being depressed.

    I don''t want this guy in here. I also bit his arm off, only for him to turn around and start worshipping me for some weird reason. The ebb and flow of life, I suppose.

    Ah well. It is what it is. Now that I know a little more about what the Nave does, I should investigate what function these little balls of Will actually have.

    I approach the one that represents the Nameless One. The first one. The first Nameless One.

    ¡­

    Nameless One 1. Let''s go with that. I approach the little glowing orb and¡­ for want of a better term, poke my consciousness inside.

    The Nameless One halted her approach, sinking back into the shadows as she felt a slight disturbance. After a moment of trying to determine its source, she shook it off and resumed. Soon, another who snubbed their antennae at the Eldest''s wisdom would learn a very important lesson¡­.

    Whoa there! Is that¡­ what she''s doing right now? If so, that''s super useful!

    I wander over to the ball that represents Enid and stick my antennae in.

    She sighed in satisfaction as she lowered her cup down to the table. Even here, on the frontier of their territory, the hospitality of the Colony was not to be denied. Still, she was a little disappointed. She''de all this way to see Anthony, only to learn he was now above her head!

    No matter. She was sure he would be back down here before too long. It would be nice to see the big ant once more.

    Hang on, is she in the fourth? What in the name of great googly-moogly is she doing down there?! I guess I learned that; she wanted to see me for some reason. I''ll need to make sure I check in with her the moment I get down there.

    A little confused, I wander over to Beyn''s orb.

    "GLORY TO THE GREAT ONE! PRAISE HIM! PRAISE HIM WITH GREAT PRAISE!"

    Ack! How does he still manage to be so freakin'' loud!? It never ends with this guy¡­.

    Still, it''s amazing what the Nave can do. I can drop in and check on everyone in here whenever I want to. I suppose it was already possible to do that, in a smaller way. As long as an individual is within range and providing me with energy, I can find them and work out what they''re thinking. It just takes¡­ a long time. There''s hundreds of thousands of people in there most of the time! Picking out a specific one is a serious pain!

    The Nave is waaaay more convenient for that purpose, but I''m not sure that''s all it can do¡­. I mean, the purpose of the Nave is for people to sit and listen, right?

    I approach Beyn''s orb once more.

    "PRAISE THE PRAISE WITH GREAT PRAISE"

    Hey, Beyn. Shut up!

    A moment of silence.

    "I WILL SILENTLY PRAISE YOU, GREAT ONE! SILENTLY PRAISING UNTIL I CAN NO LONGER SPEAK!"

    That defeats the purpose, you moron!

    That confirms it, though, I can actually talk to people through the Nave!

    Holy Moly! To think this has been sitting here for ages without me taking a serious look at it!

    That makes me feel¡­ a little stupid. I really need to start checking in with Granin and the others. I should probably start being a bit more honest with them as well. If anyone has earned some trust, it''s those three.

    Well, now that I know what this thing does, it''s time to look at some mutations! How can we gas this thing up?

 Chapter 1016 1127 - Within the Self

    <h4>Chapter 1016 Chapter 1127 - Within the Self</h4>

    How deep does the Dungeon really go? It''s possible that only the Ancients truly know. Certainly no human, golgari, ka''armodo, brathian or any other old race has plumbed the greatest depths and returned.

    Of course, it''s possible an empire or organisation has managed to find their way down and has kept it a secret for all these years, but this researcher doubts it.

    Instead, we can apply ourselves to examining what information is public and making inferences from there.

    To many who toil on the surface, living within the Dungeon is nothing but a legend, a myth or fairytale for children. Little do they know that many of the goods they create and crops they harvest find their way down into the depths, supporting cities and fortresses they do not believe exist.

    Of course, the seats of power for almost all the great kingdoms and empires on Pangera are found in the fourth stratum. Filled with abundant life mana, this is a dangerous yet wondrous ce to live.

    Beyond is the fifth, and it''s unfortunate, but many records end there. A world of poison, decay and toxin, the fifth stratum is a hellscape, inimical to life. However, there are some who are prepared to admit that they have gone beyond this point and into the sixth.

    Sometimes, I wonder if those of us in the fourth are simr to those on the surface. There could be a whole world beneath us that we refuse to believe exists, cut off by dangers that we believe insurmountable.

    - Excerpt from ''The Musings of Dai''

    Just when I was hyping myself up to do some more mutating, I realise I don''t have the points to invest. What a let down! I was hoping to power up some key organs and look at pushing others to +35, see what sort of nonsense I can mutate with the more powerful options I can get at that level.

    Sadly, not to be. Just taking the Altar from nothing to +30 has cost me a whopping 465 Biomass. That ain''t cheap. So it looks like I''ll have to hold myself back for now and try to get some more food packed into my face. Good news is, there''s no better time to do that than during a wave. As long as I can get high enough tier enemies, I''ll have points to spare.

    ¡­

    Get back here, Torrifex! How dare my precious meal-ticket run away in the middle of a fight?! A demon that size, that powerful? He must have been worth well over a thousand points by himself. If he''s a fully mutated tier eight, then the Biomass density would be off the chain!

    Then again, it might be better if I don''t run into him in the next little while. I''ve got a lot more work to do to finish powering myself up before the next showdown. And not just on the mutation front.

    With my selections done, Imit them all and then immediately start iling around as the Altar within me is consumed by that hated itching sensation.

    Somehow, knowing that I''m the only one suffering from this makes it even worse.

    WHY, GANDALF?! WHY HAVE YOU CURSED ME IN THIS MANNER?!

    Honestly, being asrge as I am, this is starting to get dangerous. Thankfully, structural integrity was maintained in the chamber. Mostly.

    Phew.

    Time to poke at my Skills and see if there''s anything I can rank up, then look at the lists for juicy new options.

    Well, my Gravitational Magic Affinity has reached level 10, which means I can bump it up to the third rank, which I do immediately. That''s not nothing. Considering the changes I made to the Altar, Gravity Magic is going to be my most powerful offensive weapon going forward, even more than in the past, so I need to pump levels into this as quickly as I can.

    Barrier Magic has also reached a new rank, which is nice. I need to keep working on this as it''s proven useful and not just as a defensive tool.

    Sadly, there isn''t much else I can improve. Most of my key offensive Skills are in tier five or six now, which means they need a ton of levels before I can improve them again. Void Chomp is still a long way from the halfway point, needing almost a hundred levels before I can improve it again. Even so, just thinking about what lies beyond the Void Chomp is enough to set my carapace a''tinglin''.

    Then infusing it with the altar¡­ just what sort of result would that produce? Could I be the first insect to produce an atomic explosion when I chomp my mandibles? Even the Ancients would have trouble dealing with that, surely.

    Speaking of getting to work¡­. I prod all of my mind-constructs and get them working on Gravity Magic. Half of them are tasked with constructing and taking apart the mana construct. I''ll have them practise it until I''m confident they can whip it together in thirty seconds or less. Having to wait for more of the purple mana while I''m getting my butt kicked is not an option!

    The other half start whipping together Gravity spells as fast as they can. Inverting them, condensing them, and testing in a variety of ways before firing them off at walls and other safe targets.

    The training won''t stop until rank five is achieved, so keep at it, youzy bums!

    My sub-brains seem to grumble a little in the back of my mind, but really, it''s just me yelling at myself, so who the heck are you getting mad at?

    I open up the menu and start trawling through, looking for new Skills that might prove useful going forward. There isn''t much there, really¡­.

    I mean, there''s an almost infinite number of Skills. I could pick up fire-starting if I really wanted to, though I''m not sure how critical that might be in the future. There''s another one here for bridge building. Another one for grooming? Who needs the grooming Skill?! Actually, I wonder if the Nameless Ones use this¡­.

    Ah, no. I found a Carapace Polishing Skill. They probably use that instead¡­. There''s a Skill for everything, that''s what I''m trying to point out. Finding the useful stuff buried amidst all the generic dross is the hard part. There could be an almighty ''Ant Meteor Carapace Smash'' somewhere in the list and I''d have no idea.

    Actually¡­ there is a bodym Skill¡­. I wonder if that would work for me? I have a ton of mass now, so jumping on opponents could be a valid strategy. I might shelve that one as a ''maybe''.

    Actually, you know what? I''ve decided I''m going to go and talk to Granin and his triad anyway, so I may as well get some advice from them. If anyone is going to know about awesome Skills for monsters, it''s going to be that crew. Me sitting here and rolling through the lists until I get bored (which won''t take long) isn''t going to achieve nearly as much.

    To the advisors!

 Chapter 1017 1128 - Change of Pace

    <h4>Chapter 1017 Chapter 1128 - Change of Pace</h4>

    My time amongst the Colony taught me one lesson more than any other, and it was an important one to learn. I always considered the pompous attitude of the Cults to be undeserved. After failing to produce an Ancient for thousands of years, what right did we have to be arrogant? None at all. Yet so many of my fellows believed the umted knowledge of the cults to beplete.

    Complete? We had barely scratched the surface of what was possible! Hubris blinded too many of my colleagues, and only a few possessed the frenzied drive required to push our understanding further.

    The ants showed me that the amount we still had to learn was far more vast than even I had believed. What they, a ''weak'' and overlooked species, became capable of, the evolutionary paths and abilities they unlocked, were far beyond what anyone had imagined.

    Beyond that, the Colony possessed a relentless, almost fanatical drive toplete their understanding of the System and its intricacies. If the Cults had possessed a fraction of that energy, they would havepleted their task a millennium ago.

    - From the personal notes of Granin Lazus.

    I end up having to wait a little while for Tiny and the others to finish their own powerup sessions, but when they''re done, we group up and I march off to find Granin, Torrina and Corun.

    Apparently, the three of them have been holed up in their offices through the start of the wave, and I don''t fit in there anymore, so I have to send a scout to run a message for me.

    When the triad eventually emerge, I can see the surprise on Granin''s face. That''s saying something. The man has ayer of solid granite over his features, so it isn''t always easy to register his expression.

    He''s literally stone faced.

    [What''s happening, Granin? Taking some time to rx?]

    The big golgari blinks at me. Asrge as I am now, it''s easy to forget that he''s about eight feet tall.

    [I wouldn''t say we''ve been rxing,] he rumbles in my mind, [I don''t think anyone is rxing in the third, given the,] he waves vaguely out the window toward the chaos, [goings on.]

    [Fair enough¡­.]

    I trail off, not really sure how to continue. I''ve been hiding stuff from these three for so long it feels kind of awkward to open up.

    [Spit it out, Anthony,] Granin frowns. [Seeing you hesitating over what to say is creeping me out. It''s like watching water run uphill.]

    [You make it sound like I have no tact!]

    [Yes] he says bluntly. [Now talk.]

    [Fine,] I grumble. [Although I didn''t expect to get all this attitude. I figured it was about time I came clean about what I can do and get some advice regarding Skills you might know of that I haven''t seen.]

    Now he''s definitely surprised, as are Torrina and Corun.

    [Are you sure, Anthony?] Torrina asks. [We didn''t think you were ever going to tell us the specific details of your species. And that''s fine,] she hurries to add. [You don''t have to share those details if you don''t want to.]

    [I think you three have earned some trust. You''ve been cut off from your people for a long time, and been nothing but helpful to me and the Colony. I''m often bumbling my way forward and that seems a little silly, considering I have literal experts waiting in the wings.]

    Although he tries to hide it, I can definitely see a twinkling in Granin''s eye. I''m not sure if it''s tears, or just eagerness. Yes, Granin, you finally get the full details on your Ancient candidate.

    [Let''s find some ce a little morefortable so we can work,] he says and we shift to a spot where the three of them can sit down.

    I just lower my carapace to the ground and flop my legs out. I''m not sure the Colony has built an ant-chair my size yet. I''ll have to ask.

    [Alright then, why don''t you start from the top. Unless you''re willing to let us see your core?]

    I hesitate.

    [I think I''ll just tell you, if you don''t mind.]

    [Perfectly fine. Let''s hear it.]

    Granin may be doing a good job at hiding his eagerness, but Torrina and Corun aren''t. Thetter is bouncing in his chair like a puppy. At least Torrina manages to maintain her dignified look.

    [With myst evolution, I finished a three-stage series that started with Juvenile Colony Paragon,] I start. [The feature of this evolution was that it provided me with an organ that allowed members of my family to provide me with energy in the form of Will. It''s called the Collective Will Vestibule. It was handy, more than handy, since the energy would keep me fresh, wipe away fatigue and replenish resources like acid or my regeneration nd. The more Colony members in range, the more energy I received.]

    I look at the three, who seem enthralled.

    [Clear so far?]

    [K-keep going,] Granin coughs.

    [Right. That was followed by the evolution at tier six to Mature Colony Paragon, which gave me a new organ called the Nave, which connects to the Vestibule. At first, I thought it just purified and concentrated the Will I received, but after a while, I discovered that it creates a connection with those who provide a lot of Will over time.]

    No way in heck I''m telling them I only just figured this out.

    [With me so far?]

    Corun nods rapidly.

    [Thenstly, Ipleted the path with my current species, Perfect Paragon. This gave me an Altar.]

    Granin squeaks.

    I stare at him.

    [You okay?]

    He doesn''t say anything, but tries to give me a reassuring nod. It''s not easy to tell with the golgari, but the man looks like he''s about to have an aneurysm.

    [So, I had a few choices on what I could dedicate the Altar to, basically determining what the energy would ultimately do. I picked the Altar of Self¡­]

    Granin seizes up and falls out of his chair.

    [Holy moly! Are you alright, man?!]

 Chapter 1018 1129 - On the Road Already

    <h4>Chapter 1018 Chapter 1129 - On the Road Already</h4>

    It takes a few minutes for Granin toe back to himself. Torrina and Corun fuss over him as he lies on the ground in a catatonic state, only to break out of it with boisterousughter.

    Which goes on for way too long, by the way. I''m about to nope out of the situation and creep out of the room when he suddenly sits up and returns to his chair, still chortling away.

    Judging by the looks on his students'' faces they haven''t seen himugh this much, probably ever. I have to admit, even though I haven''t known him as long as they have, seeing the normally stoic shaper with a grin on his face is creeping me the heck out.

    [Granin, I honestly thought if you smiled, your face would crack.]

    [Hey, that''s a rude thing to say to my people. We''re very sensitive about cracking and chipping,] he says, still smiling.

    I give him a ten thousand lens stare, an intimidating re which only those with giganticpound eyes can perform.

    [You need to pack that grin away or I''m out of here,] I warn him and he immediately wipes his expression clean. [That''s better. Mind telling me what is going on in that head of yours? That was quite a reaction you had there.]

    The other two nod, still standing close to their mentor, worried for his health. They should be worried for his sanity, more like!

    Folding his huge granite-coated hands beneath his chin, the old golgari sighs and shakes his head.

    [I wanted to put you on the path to being an Ancient so badly. We don''t know much about their species, organs, abilities or mutations, but we know a little. More for some of them than for others. Your Vestibule, Nave and Altar have put you on a path to be a demigod, thriving on the energy of your followers. And you did it by ident. Before you even met me.]

    Granin quickly buries his face in his hands and his shoulders start to shake with silentughter. I feel a little insulted. He holds up a hand in apology and collects himself.

    [Hurrump! Anyway. N-No wait.]

    More silentughter as he ms a stone-covered fist into his knee.

    [Are you done?]

    [Hooo. I think so. W-wait¡­ I think I''m good.]

    He exhales a long, slow breath, gathering himself.

    [I''m good. So anyway. We, and I mean the Cults, have stumbled across evolutionary options like your Paragon before, offering simr abilities that draw on belief, or Will, or some other intangible force to empower the individual, but usually at tier seven or eight, and only as Mythic evolutions. I''m assuming this chain started as a rare evolution?]

    I nod and he blows out another breath.

    [Which is¡­ insane. Just another thing that separates you ants from other species of monster, I suppose. You two wouldn''t have learned about this stuff yet.]

    Thest is addressed to his two students, who both shake their heads.

    [Well. I suppose I should have told you about it. Normally, this sort of information is restricted to those who''ve proven themselves within the Cult, but we''re a little cut off at the moment and our work is too important for keeping secrets. Anthony, your path sounds simr to that of Arconidem the Demon God.]

    [That jerk?]

    I''m not pleased to hear that at all. Of all the Ancients I know about, that one seems like the worst. What he''s doing to the demons is downright nasty.

    All three golgari react like I just farted in church.

    [Don''t say that!] Corun hisses at me.

    [I didn''t¡­ we''re talking via mind magic.]

    [Don''t think it, then!]

    [The Ancients are powerful beyond measure,] Torrina warns me, worried. [We can''t know what they are and aren''t capable of.]

    [Who cares? That guy is getting thwacked, no matter what,] I grumble. [I think I saw him, actually. His face formed out of mana out on the ins and he looked at me. Creepy looking thing¡­ what now?]

    All three of the golgari before me look utterly horrified and deeply reverent at the same time. They appear as if they can''t decide whether to p me or kneel before me.

    [His visage formed from mana before you?] Granin asks slowly.

    [Ye-... no?]

    [Don''t lie, Anthony. You suck at it.]

    [Fine. Yes. Then one of his tier eight followers jumped me. That was a heck of a fight.]

    Granin buries his face in his hands. The other two look at him with sympathy.

    [Seriously. Can you slow down for a minute? Any other revtions you want to drop on us?]

    I think for a moment.

    [I think that''s all of it?]

    [I hope so. I''m centuries old, Anthony. I can''t take much more of this.]

    Torrina pats him on the shoulder. Corun is still staring at me, wonder and horror mixed in his eyes.

    [Well, if we didn''t know the Ancients had their eyes on you before, we for sure know it now.]

    I shrug my antennae.

    [I mean¡­ I don''t really care about that. If anything, I''d be much happier if they ignored me.]

    [I know, I know. Unfortunately for you, it seems like you were destined to draw their attention well before we met. All the time I''ve spent trying to push you down this road,] he shakes his head, [you were already on it. I''dugh some more but¡­] he nces up at my antennae, [... it''s unhealthy.]

    He''s not wrong.

    [So, this type of organ that you have, gathering Will from your own species and putting it to a purpose, we know a little about it, very little. It doesn''t make sense for most monsters to use it, since you would need arge number ofpatible beasts to feed enough power to make it worthwhile. You seem to have created the ideal conditions for this evolution without even trying. Arconidem did the same, binding himself to the demons and the demons to him. It''s one of the reasons why the demons are so unreliable as allies. They aren''t always able to control themselves, especially when the Ancient is awake. Though not many outside the Cults are aware of that.]

    [I''m not just tied to the Colony, though. There are humans who provide me with Will as well.]

    [Dammit, Anthony! You said you were done!]

 Chapter 1019 1130 - What Can You Do?

    <h4>Chapter 1019 Chapter 1130 - What Can You Do?</h4>

    The variety of ways a monster can develop themselves is essentially infinite. The number of known Skill fusions is always growing as more and more variations are explored. Of course, there are standard options, things that have long been known and recognised as strong, but those who are willing to explore and delve for newbinations are often rewarded.

    In terms of mutations, the possibilities are again, endless. The number of organs that can be added to a monster is vast, to the point where, after thousands of years, thebined Cults still haven''t explored them all, not even a fraction. How those organs interact and function with each other can have a huge impact on performance as well. And that''s before they be modified with mutations.

    Some members of the Cult spend their entire lives exploring a particr niche, one type of monster, one subset of organs, and in this way, they are able to grow our collective knowledge, one step at a time.

    - Excerpt from "Designing Monsters" by Torrina Laksham

    [So the species requirement of your Vestibule is gone?]

    [Yes. Ages ago,] I state confidently, though I only figured it out a few hours past.

    [Must have happened when you reset the organ,] Granin shakes his head. [What''s it formed from now?]

    [Soul Crystal. Same as the Nave. Same as the Altar.]

    [S-Soul Crystal?]

    The big rock-coated golgari stumbles again.

    [That stuff is¡­ extremely valuable. You may want to keep to yourself that you have¡­ did you say three? By the Worm, you''re going to kill me here today. Are you sure there aren''t more shocking revtions?]

    I hesitate.

    [Probably just the Gravity Mana thing.]

    [What about the Gravity Mana thing?] he asks, cautiously.

    [I learned the Gravity Magic Skill, so now I have ess to a pretty damn powerful spell.]

    [Just one?]

    [I mean¡­ it''s all you need.]

    I exin to him how gravity mana functions and what the gravity well is capable of. He absorbs this in silence.

    [I can take that. I suppose this exins a lot of your mutations and resets at the moment.]

    [Right. I''ve been trying to rebuild myself into a Gravity Ant to take advantage of my most powerful ability. My Carapace is Gravity Compressed Diamond, as are my mandibles. Incredibly hard and super dense. I''m talking dense. This stuff is thicker than Tiny.]

    The ape gives an approving thumbs up.

    [What else have you done to synergise with your Gravity Mana?]

    [So¡­ when I''m actively using it, my carapace absorbs a little of that energy to continue hardening andpressing itself. It also magnifies and boosts any gravity spell I cast. Lately, I pushed it to +35 and now the carapace holds on to light a little bit, making it harder to see me move.]

    All three of them frown and I realise they don''t really know how gravity works. Possibly light, for that matter.

    [Basically, you can''t see me move until a little after I''ve moved,] I exin. [It''s subtle, but strong.]

    [Fair enough. What else?]

    [My inner-carapace ting has gotten some work. The material it''s made from is gravity reactive, so it works better and faster with more gravity applied to it. After mutating, it increases the density of gravity mana around me, and helps regenerate the carapace if it''s damaged. After that is the Gravity Magic nd, which put me on this path in the first ce. It''s made from Resonant Well Stone. The material transforms gravity energy back into gravity mana, replenishing its stock faster. For my previous mutations, I mostly just increased capacity, since you need a lot for most spells.]

    [If you have the Skill, then that may not be necessary,] Granin grunts as he leans back and rubs his chin. [What else have you got going on?]

    I exin to the three my antennae, which can detect a very short time into the future, along with my hyper-enhanced reaction speed that lets me dodge things before theye close to hitting me. Then I go on to detail my healing nd and the array of organs that function as the business district.

    [You sure as hell put a lot of effort into your acid nd. It''s not even that strong, is it?]

    I feel a little defensive. I may not be using my acid much anymore, but that doesn''t mean it isn''t important!

    [Hey, my acid nd was all I had after I spawned. Show it a little respect! The organs I purchased for it were all cheap, and I wanted it to continue to be useful for as long as possible. Shooting acid is a big part of being a Formica Sapiens. If possible, I want to find a way to reset the organs and utilise them going forward.]

    [We may be able to do that¡­. Is that all?]

    We go over my leg mutations and the other basic things I can do, including my multiple brains and all their mutations. After that, we go back into detail about exactly what the Altar can do and how it functions, as well as how I chose to mutate it.

    When it''s all said and done, Granin, Corun and Torrina look impressed, and a little intimidated.

    [I knew you were a promising monster, Anthony, but I really didn''t expect it to be to this extent. If you survive and continue to evolve, the road to Ancient is going to beid out at your feet.]

    [That''s not really what I''m after¡­.]

    [I know. It''s just¡­] he shrugs helplessly, [I can''t help but be excited. You''re the best prospect I''ve ever heard of. The things that you can do are already extraordinary. You''re fighting off tier eight monsters and you haven''t even finished mutating your most powerful organs. It''s¡­ difficult for me to offer advice. I''m quite literally terrified I''ll end up saying the wrong thing.]

    And he does look worried. I suppose I can understand it. His life''s ambition has never been closer than it is now, and he''s filled with the knowledge that he might stuff it up.

    [Look, all I''m after is a bit of advice. I got this far with your help and a bit of luck. Anything you can say will be useful. Mutation ideas, Skill suggestions. Anything. Especially for the Nave.]

    [Give us a little bit of time to put our heads together. We need to think about this carefully.]

    [You got it.]

 Chapter 1020 1131 - What To Say

    <h4>Chapter 1020 Chapter 1131 - What To Say</h4>

    Granin felt as if he had a headacheing on. Scratch that, he felt like a boulder split straight down the middle. Shock after shock hade from that gigantic ant until he felt as if the ground were shaking under his feet. It was even more aggravating that Anthony had no idea what he had be. To the people of the Cult, an Ancient was a god. A peerless being of almost fathomless power. The strongest creatures on Pangera, each and every one of them could destroy cities, or devastate armies, with contemptuous ease. And they had, during the Rending.

    Anthony had be a proto-ancient, a demi-god, with power beyond what a normal monster would have. Every Mythic monster was powerful, but what he was now capable of went beyond that. Granin was certain that the young monster had no idea just what the Cathedral inside him would enable.

    The ant had described the torrent of power that came flooding through the Vestibule. Hundreds of thousands, possibly more than a million ants were currently within range, so the flow of Will was doubtless enormous.

    But the Colony was only what¡­ a year old? Maybe two? What would happen in ten? Or fifty? With enough mutations, Anthony might be able to fit a billion of his siblings within the range of the Vestibule. What then?

    After a long life working toward a single goal, to have that goal suddenly so close to hand was almost painful to Granin. The weight of thebined Cult members, from all of the Cults around Pangera, over thousands of years, pressed down on his shoulders.

    Sess here could stave off a second Rending. Would bring fruition to the grand design of the Ancients.

    Failure would haunt him for the rest of his life.

    "No pressure," he rumbled to Corun and Torrina, "but we need to give Anthony some advice, and it had better be good. He''s finally opened up to us, we can''t let him down."

    "My mind ispletely nk," Corun stated, still in shock. "All I can think about is centipedes."

    "What? Why?"

    "I don''t know!"

    Granin turned to his youngest student, almost in desperation.

    "Torrina, please tell me you have something."

    She stared at him for a long moment, her eyes clearly critical of him. Her stare asked the question ''aren''t you the teacher?'' but she answered anyway.

    "There''s a few things we can suggest. I have a few ideas about what he might do with his acid nd, and there are some Skills that Anthony has definitely overlooked. Predictive Thinking would be an excellent addition, given his ability to see slightly into the future."

    "That''s a great idea, actually," Granin praised her, calming himself down a little. "What about the Nave, though? He wants ideas about mutating it."

    "It would take a long time to patiently go through all of the options with Anthony, and we all know he isn''t patient enough for that."

    "Very true¡­. Any thoughts, Corun?"

    "... Why do they have so many legs? And the ws as well? Centipedes are¡­ so weird."

    "Forget him. Thoughts on the Nave, Torrina?"

    "His previous mutations concentrated the energy he received through the Vestibule, and that''s not a bad thing. I think he should strongly consider taking that mutation at least once. His most powerful asset is the Altar, and that mutation will allow him to squeeze more power out of it. After that, he should carefully consider mutations that entuate the unique properties of the Nave. It allows him tomunicate with those contained within, right? Perhaps he can create more ''seats'' which will allow him to host more ''orbs of Will''. Instantmunication, regardless of distance, is absurdly strong."

    "Not necessarily in a fight, but for coordination andmunication, it could be invaluable. Perhaps there''s an option which will allow others to talk back to him?"

    "Probably not necessary, given the number of mind constructs he can host," Torrina refutes. "It would be trivial for him to check in on everyone within the Nave every five minutes."

    "Good point. Well done keeping a cool head." Granin turned a hard frown at Corun who still seemed lost to the winds. "This idiot is going to get a stern talking to."

    "Do you have any other Skill suggestions? There''s a couple more I could suggest, but spreading out too thin is a real risk."

    "Better to have higher rank Skills than many low-ranked ones. That''s true."

    The big golgari pondered for a moment.

    "I''ve got some stuff which will work well for him right now. Let''s go back."

    They had to prod Corun a bit to get him moving, but the three of them were able to move back to the table at which Anthony was waiting. The ant was an intimidating sight; the force of his aura, even when he wasn''t actively flexing his Will, was unstettling. Even as a physical presence, he was domineering. His diamond carapace gleamed a faint purple, along with his mandibles, and the light almost seemed to get pulled into him. Sitting on the ground, his legs propped up, the monster felt incredibly massive. Just how much did he weigh now? Probably a lot more than they thought.

    [Thanks for waiting, Anthony. We didn''t want to waste your time, but we don''t want to be reckless with what we suggest. Given more time, we can cook up some more interestingbinations,] Torrina apologises for them and the big ant waves one antenna to brush it off.

    [No problem. I''ve got a little time, and poking at people in the Nave is more entertaining than I expected.]

    Please, Endless Worm, do not let me wind up in that thing, Granin silently prayed. Having Anthony pop up in his thoughts at random moments sounded like a nightmare.

    They discussed Torrina''s ideas for the acid array that Anthony had built, as well as their thoughts on his Nave, and then went on to suggest some Skills which would work well with his current capabilities.

    [Predictive Thinking will really help push your advantage with foresight,] Granin said. [The drawback is that the Skill takes a lot of brainpower, especially at the higher ranks, but you should have enough to make full use of the Skill.]

    [That sounds good!] Anthony cked his mandibles happily. He''d been very pleased with the acid n and everything else only seemed to make him happier.

    [Then, there''s a few other General Skills that you could really make use of. Efficient Movement pairs well with Stamina to help preserve your energy. It may not be especially useful for you, given the Vestibule, but the two Skills will fuse at rank 5. It''s amon pickup for many monsters.

    Observance is a slightly unusual Skill. Very weak at lower ranks, but it can help you track enemies in a chaotic fight. It effectively improves your visual tracking. Organs and mutations are far better at doing this, but you don''t have any of those, so this Skill could help out.

    Lastly, I think Coordination will round out your basics. Again, there are organs and mutations that can make a huge impact on body control, and those are frequently taken for up close fighting monsters. In fact, I think Tiny should seriously consider taking one as well as getting this Skill.

    We could go into more, but weighing you down with too much stuff to train wouldn''t help in the end. You''ve seen for yourself just how much more powerful rank five, and especially rank six Skills can be. None of our suggestions are all that radical, but they''ll help you do what you''re doing now a little bit better.]

    [Sounds great!] Anthony enthused and Granin could tell he was busy purchasing those Skills already. [I''ll be back in a few weeks to check in again. Thanks, all!]

    With a cheery wave, Anthony retreated from the table, turned, and skittered off into the distance, leaving Granin and Torrina feeling exhausted, while Corun still drifted, lost in the clouds.

 Chapter 1021 1132 - Further Conversations

    <h4>Chapter 1021 Chapter 1132 - Further Conversations</h4>

    Well, chatting to the golgari proved to be less painful than I had expected. I''d half expected them to start poring over my options one by one, looking for optimalbos, or have me put togetherplex Skill schemes that would take a hundred years to train up into a set of fusions.

    Thankfully, they restrained themselves. As nice as it would be to have that sort of thing in my back pocket, I just don''t have time to sit back and train. At this point in my family''s development, they still need protecting from the big bad things out there, and I fully intend to be the ant that they can rely on.

    That means squashing these tier eight monsters running amok here in the third stratum, then going down to the fourth and making sure our grip on that stratum is secure. Eventually, the Colony will grow powerful enough that I''m no longer needed to babysit them, but for the time being, I''vemitted to being their protector.

    That''s themitment I made when I selected the Altar of Self.

    So with a few suggestions locked away and a couple of nice General Skills added to my list, I start to climb up the pir from the top of the nest and make my way toward Roklu.

    Of course, with Granin''s thoughts ringing in my ear, I make sure to continue practising as I go. The sub-brains keep churning away at Gravity Mana and managing the gravity construct, which will prove to be my ace in the hole once I get it strong enough. I can''t wait to see what sort of nonsense bes possible once I reach rank six with it, but that''s a long way off.

    Training Grip is another thing I need to focus on. By the time I reach the te-city of Roklu, my poor ws are at the edge of their limits and my legs feel like they might just drop off. Holy moly am I heavy. Next evolution, I need to ensure I don''t skip leg day and beef up my six little legs, not to mention my poor ws.

    If the energy cost is minimal, I may even consider making them mutable so they stand a better chance of holding my weight! Crawling around upside down is just way too hard now!

    After a short rest, I make my way into the city and start looking for the demon that I want to find. I haven''t spoken to Al for a little while, but I''ve heard he''s still floating around in Roklu, and I eventually find him in his house.

    Demon houses are interesting. They aren''t like a human house as I experienced them in my past life, or even what I''ve seen of them in this world. A human house would have furniture, food, storage, bedrooms, all that normal stuff, but the demons don''t really need any of that. They aren''tmunal eaters, so there isn''t a table. There aren''t even cupboards to store food. You can''t really store Biomass in the traditional sense; instead, there''s something simr to a market where the demons go to grab food, which they usually eat on the spot. Like most monsters, demons need to sleep, except, ironically, the Sleep Demons, but they don''t have beds, they just flop down in their house like any sensible monster would.

    Why then, do they have houses at all? Well, that all boils down to their obsession. To a demon, a house is essentially a ce to put all the stuff they need to feed their obsession. Pride Demons fill theirs with carvings of themselves, or paintings of themselves, or tapestries of themselves, you get the idea. Wealth Demons hoard precious resources. Murder demons hoard¡­ you know what, I won''t go into it.

    For Al, he hoards knowledge. His little house is stuffed floor to ceiling with books and it''s in there, flicking through his precious library with great caution, (he is after all, a ming eyeball), that I find him.

    [Hey there, Al. How''s things?]

    [Pleasant. The Colony has procured new texts for me to peruse and I am fully engaged in this pursuit.]

    I feel like he''s telling me to buzz off.

    [Don''t be like that, Al! I''ve got some juicy tidbits to trade with you. A few tender morsels of information that you may findpletely irresistible!]

    That great, lidded eye turns toward me, ring with heat as his intrigue grows. Now that I''ve got his interest, I know better than to fail to deliver.

    [I''ve got a name that might interest you. Does Torrifex ring any bells?]

    Al stills for a moment, then res, the heat rising rapidly within his house.

    [Whoa there! You''re going to burn your books!]

    I quickly pump out some ice mana and create a few spikes, trying to cool the air down. It works, well enough that there isn''t a fire at least.

    [Hmmm. Thank you. Let us continue this discussion outside.]

    We remove ourselves to the street outside, the tier seven demon smouldering away. Thankfully, he doesn''t close his eye in disgust. I''ve seen that once before, and I''d like to never see it again.

    [How did you know?] he demands of me and I shrug my antennae.

    [I had a feeling you might know a little something about them. You collect knowledge, right? And I suspected that you were a bit older than you might let on. It''s possible that you might know a little something about a big demon like that.]

    I can feel Al''s attention boring into me.

    [And how did you learn that name? Torrifex has been asleep for almost five hundred years.]

    [I fought him. Sent him packing after cleaning his clock.]

    [... Interesting.]

 Chapter 1022 1133 - Old Friends

    <h4>Chapter 1022 Chapter 1133 - Old Friends</h4>

    I mean¡­ you want me to leave messages for EVERY caste now? Give me a break. What do I even have to say?! Really, this is my fault. The moment I did the first, every member of the council was going toe after me, asking me to leave a nugget of wisdom for their followers.

    Listen well, hatchling, Don''t let your siblings hassle you into things you don''t want to do.

    I mean, it''s hard for me to say no to Be and Ellie. The Core Shapers are near and dear to my heart, because the pets that I raised became such dear friends and reliable allies. I can''t imagine what would have happened had I been forced to face the Dungeon by myself.

    Treasure your pets. In fact, don''t even think of them as pets. They aren''t disposable, they aren''t less than you are. They''re your sword and shield, just as you are theirs. Don''t even think of them as friends and allies, but as members of the family.

    - The Eldest''s message to the Core Shapers.

    It''s not easy to read a giant floating, fiery eyeball, but I can tell that Al is intrigued. Mainly because my eyeballs feel like they''re boiling from the heat pouring off him.

    [Answer a question for me, Al. Why the heck are you a burning eyeball if you''re a knowledge demon? I''m not trying to pry, but it doesn''t seem to line up. Shouldn''t you be some sort of me demon or something?]

    He radiates heat like a mini-sun, for goodness'' sake. What does me have to do with knowledge?!

    [I was a type of envy demon in the past, but took on the aspect of fire along with my desire for knowledge in my evolution to tier seven.]

    [So you changed significantly in yourst evolution?]

    [Indeed.]

    I guess that makes sense. I turn my attention to Invidia floating nearby, his eye fixated on Al. I wonder what he''ll turn into during his next evolution? Right now, he''s envious, of pretty much everything and everyone. How will that obsession change? Personally, I wouldn''t mind if he became a little less broadly focused. A bridge to cross when wee to it.

    [Now then. Time to get down to business. You used to live a lot deeper in the stratum, and you''ve been collecting information for goodness knows how long. I figured if anyone knows anything about these long sleeping demons, then it was going to be you. Care to share what you know?]

    Al floats for a little while, contemting his thoughts before he replies.

    [I have¡­ some understanding of the demon of which you speak, and his sisters.]

    Sisters? Perhaps he means the other two?

    [Nice! Considering the fact that I''m going to have to beat all three of them, any information you can give me will be wee.]

    [Are you¡­ certain, that you will be able to defeat them?]

    [I already sent Torrifex running once, why wouldn''t I be able to do it again? And against three times as many monsters?]

    Maybe that will be difficult. But I''ll work it out.

    [Hmmmmm. I will tell you, but there will be a price.]

    Of course there is.

    [Let''s hear it then. Hopefully, there won''t be any price gouging.]

    [What is¡­ price gouging?]

    [Don''t get distracted, we''re already in the middle of a transaction. Unless you want that to be the payment?]

    [... No. When you go to confront the Heralds, I want you to take me with you. That is my price.]

    That''s¡­ a little unexpected, but the help will certainly be worth it. Though, I''d better make sure that it is help.

    [You don''t n on allying with them, do you?]

    The ming eye shes.

    [They¡­ would not wee my help. That is not my intention.]

    [Well, all right then. You can tag along. Now spill the beans.]

    [What are beans?]

    [Concentrate, dammit!]

    [Ah, yes. I am sorry. Allow me to exin what I know of the Heralds.]

    Alposes his thoughts, fire flickering around his eye.

    [Arconidem is known to cultivate powerful demons that act in his interests. These are his Heralds. When he sleeps, they rest, hidden in the deepest reaches of the stratum, in ces thick with mana to sustain them. When he wakes, he sends them to carry out his wishes amongst the demons. Creating havoc, driving out any non-demons, these are his usual goals. When they grow too strong to remain at this level of the Dungeon, they are called down to his court, by his side.]

    Interesting. So that implies that these aren''t the first round of servants the big jerk has had running around, but just thetest.

    [Torrifex, Pyrixan and Somonax werest awake five hundred years ago, which corresponds to Arconidem''sst period of activity. It was at that time I became acquainted with them.]

    [Wait a second. You''re over five hundred years old?!]

    [I am.]

    [How in the heck are you not tier eight, then?!]

    [Evolving to tier eight would make remaining on my home stratum¡­ difficult. So I have not.]

    [Wait, but you could?]

    [Yes.]

    Holy. Moly. This guy has been sitting at level one gigabillion or whatever it takes for hundreds of years?! Yikes!

    [So are your Skills at rank fifty or something?]

    With hundreds of years to train. It boggles the mind.

    [No. Raising Skills to a rank higher than your tier of evolution can be¡­ dangerous. Our bodies are not strong enough to withstand them.]

    I suppose that makes sense. If I raised Void Chomp to the eighth rank, I can easily imagine it being so strong my own face would explode from the pressure. That''s something I''ve never thought about, and it''s something Granin never brought up, but then, why would they? I don''t have a Skill even remotely close to matching my evolution tier.

    [I can also tell you what species the three Heralds are, though I cannot exin to you their abilities.]

    [How in the name of heck can you tell me their species?!]

    [Because I was almost one of them. Arconidem wished me to be his fourth Herald.]

 Chapter 1023 1134 - Heraldry

    <h4>Chapter 1023 Chapter 1134 - Heraldry</h4>

    [Wait, so you were contacted by the big cheese himself to be one of hisckeys? And this was like¡­ five-hundred years ago?]

    [That is¡­ correct. It was¡­ difficult¡­ to refuse, but I did not wish to surrender my obsession. Arconidem would not have allowed me to pursue knowledge freely.]

    [I imagine he was super impressed.]

    [Quite the opposite.]

    [I know¡­ it''s¡­ never mind. So there''s only three Heralds right now, since you refused to be the fourth?]

    [No. Only three demons, no matter how powerful, could not influence all of the third stratum. There are others, but these three are the oldest and the strongest. Soon, they will evolve to tier nine and no longer be able to sustain themselves in the third.]

    [Any chance we can just wait this problem out, then? If they keep rampaging around, they''ll eventually reach max level and then be out of our business.]

    [They would not be forced to descend until after the wave. Would you risk three tier nine demons running amok in your Colony''snds?]

    Uhhh¡­ no.

    [So that''s off the table.]

    [I rmend the opposite approach. We should hunt them down and destroy them before they have a chance to grow stronger.]

    [Cool n, I''m down. Now give me the gossip. You know about these three? Their species and evolutions? The tricks and tips?]

    [I can give some general information. We will not go into battle blindly.]

    [Awesome. Invidia? Try and remember all this, if you could.]

    [I willsss remember all of it!]

    [No need to make itpetitive, but that''d be great. Thanks, Invidia.]

    All eyes turn to¡­ the big eye, who stares back at us, unblinking.

    [First and foremost is Torrifex. At tier eight, he became a Pure Demon, which I specte may be the path that Arconidem himself took to ascension.]

    [Oh snap. So he''s another proto-ancient in the making?]

    [I think¡­ not. If Torrifex were to evolve all the way to match his god, and I do not know what tier that would be, how would he hope to defeat a creature so much older than he? Also, if Arconidem holds power over the demons, he is unlikely to want to share it.]

    That''s a good call. I don''t feel like any of the Ancients I''ve heard about are into sharing and caring all that much.

    [As a Pure Demon, Torrifex embodies all that is typically demon and the nature of this stratum. As such, he possesses great control over fire and smoke, along with brute physical violence.]

    [He really struggled to cut through my carapace, but the fire-sts were something else,] I muse.

    [I believe that Torrifex did not show his full strength against you. Though it is possible I am wrong. I don''t know how strong you have be.]

    The big eye gleams with avarice at the thought of learning about my capabilities. Probably another reason he wants to tag along.

    [Let''s get back to the enemy.]

    [Of course. The most fearsome of Torrifex''s powers is his mastery of fire, which he can wield in any number of ways. His entire body can ignite into demon me, and I would not rmend being within reach if it does.]

    [Gotcha.]

    [His sisters, Pyrixan and Somonax. Pyrixan is an Empowered Ash Demon. Her aura of destruction is so strong, it can break an enemy down to nothing just for drawing too close to her form. Her power will eat away at anything she touches, annihting itpletely. If she gets ahold of you, escape as quickly as you can.]

    [Oof. That sounds tough to deal with. Can she apply the effect at range?]

    [She can, but it loses much of its power. The closer your proximity, the more deadly the danger.]

    [Right, not a fan of that.]

    Ash is a native element to the third stratum, and it''s an absolute pain to deal with. Little flecks of ash fly everywhere, mixed in with the smoke and dust in the air, but when they touch a wall or bump into your carapace, they start to eat into it. If your buildings aren''t made of the right stuff, or treated in the correct way, they''ll fall over in a week.

    Luckily, my diamond carapace has been dense enough, and regenerates quickly enough, that I don''t really notice. It''s a pain for Tiny, but Invidia keeps him healed up. Crinis has to constantly rece small patches of flesh to make up for the losses, but the demons themselves are immune. Something about their tough ck skin resists the effect.

    The home field advantage.

    [Somonax is a Greater Massacre Demon.]

    [That sounds¡­ rough.]

    [Indeed. She wields many, many des, each formed from the blood of her enemies. In terms of cutting power, she is far above even Torrifex. I do not rmend you test your carapace against her.]

    [I may not get a choice.]

    [True. Her mind is lost in a killing frenzy most of the time. Her obsession beats strong within her, and that makes her powerful. The more we demons are in sync with our obsessions, the greater our strength.]

    [I guess that means you''re a pretty powerful chap then, doesn''t it? I can''t imagine you could get any more obsessed with knowledge.]

    The big, floating eyeball considers my words for a moment before bobbing a little.

    [There are always¡­ limits. To throw oneself as deep as Somonax has, will grant great strength, but to all intents and purposes, she is lost to her need for massacre and violence. Were I to do the same, then little would remain of me outside of my drive for knowledge. I would be as she has, a thoughtless thing, drifting and aimless, consumed utterly.]

    [Seems like that would make it harder to get knowledge, not easier.]

    [Indeed. I must have control over my thoughts and emotions, otherwise I will learn fewer things. If not for that, perhaps I too would have given myself over to Arconidem and surrendered my obsession.]

    The more I learn about the demons, the more I worry about them. They really do have a rough time of it, in more ways than one. Of all the monsters I''ve encountered in the Dungeon, I feel like they get the worst deal. As I ponder their harsh lives, I can''t help but turn my eyes to Invidia. The poor little dude didn''t have the best start in life, being captured young and raised by golgari shapers.

    I wonder what he will be obsessed with as he evolves and how deeply it will draw him in. The idea of my little green-eyed monster losing himself to some sort of fugue state isn''t a pleasant one.

    [Alright then. I think we have what we need. Let''s roll out!]

 Chapter 1024 1135 - Against the Tide

    <h4>Chapter 1024 Chapter 1135 - Against the Tide</h4>

    "How are the demon traps holding?"

    "Barely!"

    "Then reinforce them, dammit!"

    "I can''t just poke them with an antenna and then they be stronger. I need time to design, materials to build with, ants to do the building. Those are huge construction projects, we can''t just ''reinforce'' them!"

    "Right, sorry."

    Sloan rubbed her antennae against her carapace, trying to calm herself down. The carver, Carpentant, also soothed herself as they took the temperature out of the argument.

    Which wasn''t easy inside the third right now. With the mana thickening by the hour, the air only grew hotter and hotter, to the point it had grown oppressive. Ants didn''t mind a bit of heat, not at all, but they weren''t amazing at regting their temperatures. If things got much worse, they''d need to distribute enchanted equipment to every member of the Colony in the stratum.

    "Are the farms at least producing cores and Biomass? They''re working?"

    "Oh, they''re working. Too well! There''s so many demons crammed inside that we''re getting double the amount of cores we expected. The workers in charge of maintaining and operating the farms are overwhelmed, but there aren''t enough of us to help them. We need more ants!"

    "If you get the numbers you need, will that stop the farms from breaking?"

    Carpentant thought for a long moment. It wasn''t a simple question, but the wrong answer could have grave implications. It was already a difficult proposition to contain the mess that the ins had be. If the monsters within the farms broke out¡­.

    "If you give me what I''m asking for, plus another ten percent, we''ll have enough to properly run the farms and look to reinforce the structure."

    Sloan almost copsed as pain shot through her head.

    "That''s thousands of ants," she managed to squeeze out. "Everyone is desperately short staffed right now."

    Carpentant shrugged.

    "That''s how many it''s going to take. You''re the one who has to distribute resources, not me. If you tell me no, I''ll go back and make the best of it, but I think we both know what will happen."

    The farms would fail, causing greater chaos on the ins and costing the ants an enormous haul of cores and Biomass, resources they desperately needed.

    "I''ll get you the ants you need," she promised, "but they''re likely to be fresh graduates. Is that alright?"

    "It''ll have to do," Carpentant grumbled. "Feel sorry for them being thrown into a mess like this."

    "It''s not what I would have wanted for them either, but I''ll provide extra security as well to make sure you all stay safe."

    The irritated carver froze before she nodded with respect.

    "That''s appreciated."

    When Carpentant rushed out of the chamber, Sloan sighed and went back to her nning documents, scratching out a few lines of scent and recing them. The next wave of reinforcements from above had been allocated already, but now had to be changed. Again.

    It was frustrating, but despite the over the top allowances the Colony had made when nning to resist the wave in the third stratum, the Dungeon had surprised them yet again.

    After scribbling away using the new ''scent pen'', shepleted her new distribution n and put it down with a sigh.

    "Better go check on the fortress," she muttered as she rose up from her chair.

    Ant chairs were bing more and moremon among the various nests, despite the need for varying sizes. They didn''t really need a chair, they were perfectly content to work while standing, but it felt nice to rest the legs every now and again.

    Even Smithant had created a custom built, swivelling chair that could rise up and down and wheel around her smithy. She imed it freed up more legs to work with, which was another aspect to the rate of chair uptake.

    Outside of her office, Sloan was immediately enveloped by the flood of messengers. A constant stream ran in both directions, toward the wall and deeper into the nest, requesting medical treatment, or supplies, or any number of things. She was kept updated, of course, but having a description was never quite the same as seeing the situation for herself.

    She slipped into line and began to race along the paths, keeping pace with the ants on herne.

    A new innovation had been to divide the wider passages within the Colony into nes'', each with its own designated speed. This particr passage was sixnes wide, three in either direction, with another six on the roof, split the same way, and she was barely able to keep up in the middle one. To her right, scouts shed past her as if she were standing still, whereas on her left, soldiers rumbled along at a much slower pace, slowed down by their bulk.

    All for efficiency.

    When she emerged from the nest, she found herself only a kilometre from the outer wall. The area at this exit was a staging ground and ants bustled all over the surface of the nest. Within the grand fortress, there were well over a hundred thousand of her siblings at present, every one of them dedicated to the preservation of the nest.

    A general rushed up as soon as she saw Sloan heading to the wall.

    "General! What brings you to the front?" she asked, snapping a one antenna salute.

    "I wanted to take a look for myself," Sloan said, saluting back. "The situation is difficult to grasp from the reports."

    "I can imagine. I don''t believe what I''m writing half the time. Come and have a look."

    The two chatted back and forth in the brusque manner of war-focused ants as they drew closer to the wall. The fighting was deafeningly loud this close, explosions, fire, ice, stone and whatever else the Colony could muster was thrown into the face of the neverending demon wave. With little effort, Sloan hauled herself up the wall and gazed out into the mouth of madness.

    "In the name of the Eldest¡­." she trailed off.

    "It sure is something," the general agreed.

    The wall was enormous, fifty metres tall and twenty thick, covered in ant defenders who battled hard to prevent the demons from finding purchase on the fortification.

    What Sloan saw beyond the wall¡­ was an ocean. An ocean of monsters that heaved and thrashed as if gripped by a storm. Waves rose and shed into each other, one devouring the other and rolling on through the mass until it was ovee by an evenrger current.

    Every now and again, one such wave would crash into the wall, sending demons flying and scurrying up the side and into the waiting jaws of the Colony.

    It was absurd, insane even. And it had only just begun.

    "Oh, speaking of the Eldest."

    Sloan turned a little to focus on the dark purple patch of light that was starting to move away from the wall. Inside, she could barely make out the gigantic ant effortlessly carving a path through the roiling mass. She thought an antenna popped up and waved, then there came a sh of purple light.

    In an instant, every monster within a hundred metres of the wall was ttened, crushed into nothing. The defenders had a few seconds to wonder what could possibly have happened, then the ocean surged again, and they were back to fighting.

    Sloan couldn''t believe it.

 Chapter 1025 1136 - Against the Tide pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 1025 Chapter 1136 - Against the Tide pt 2</h4>

    "MORE POWER, DAMMIT!"

    "We don''t have any more! We don''t have the power!"

    "It''s so close. So close! Empty the tanks, we need every drop!"

    "But¡­ but that''s madness!"

    "It''s not madness¡­ it''s BRILLIANT!"

    Electricity crackled, lightning shed and sparks fell like rain from overhead as the ants scurried to follow the orders of their leader. Atop her observation spire, Brilliant cackled, her mandibles snapping together in a stato rhythm as the shes and explosions lit her from below, projecting her demented shadow onto the wall.

    "Th-th-the b-backup m-m-matrix is copsing!" Assistant whimpered.

    "It''s fine, we have three backups!"

    "This IS the third backup!" Experimant roared.

    "Not to worry, I installed a secret fourth backup matrix and didn''t tell you!"

    "That''s just a lie, isn''t it?!"

    Another explosion rocked the chamber and Brilliant teetered on the edge of her spire, a hair''s breadth from losing her grip and falling into the swirling maelstrom of light below. The many-faceted eyes of the mage were filled with an unearthly glow, and for a long moment, Experimant was convinced she''d finally lost her mind.

    "Dump the tanks and then hit the cages!" she shouted and hundreds ofb ants rushed to follow her orders.

    "Th-th-th-th-th-this will overflow the matrix for sure!" Assistant said.

    "That''s why I''m carrying you to the cages," Experimant replied as she snatched up the smaller ant, threw her on her back and rushed to the st cages.

    "But who w-w-w-will save the leader?"

    "I think she''s beyond saving¡­."

    The tanks of liquid mana emptied, sending the vtile substance flowing through the underground pipelines and into the gate matrix. As predicted, the matrix blew almost instantly, rocking the chamber once more and sending deadly sts of unstable mana arcing through the air.

    "I CAN SEE EVERYTHING!" Brilliant roared. "I CAN SEE IT ALL!"

    The dimension mage was hanging upside down from her spire, so close to the unstable mass of power she could reach out and touch it. Within her heart, Experimant said a quick farewell to the disturbed genius as Assistant cried out from her back.

    "L-l-leader! Be c-c-careful!"

    "BAH! CALL ME BRILLI-"

    The gate shed white, then expanded rapidly, enveloping the entire room in a second. Brilliant never got a chance toplete her statement.

    Within the st cages, the ants ducked for cover as stone and debris rained down from above. The chamber had been built to withstand magic detonations, but thatst one had been beyond even what Brilliant was normally capable of.

    It took five minutes before the room stopped shaking and Experimant felt confident enough to emerge.

    "Can we get a quick headcount? Sound off."

    "I''m here," Brilliant said, emerging from the smoke.

    "Of course you are¡­" Experimant said tly.

    "Do you want to know how I survived?"

    "Not really-"

    "Because I''m Brilliant!" she boasted, pping herself on the carapace with a front leg. "And that was the best experiment we''ve run so far! The results were spectacr!"

    "Y-y-you''re alive?" Assistant mumbled.

    "Naturally! Come on, all of you out of the cages. We''ve got to check the data!"

    "Haven''t all of our sensor arrays melted?" Experimant grumbled as she helped the rest of theb-ants emerge from the protective cages.

    "Only the main ones. But that''s fine, I got a good look at what they were detecting anyway."

    "Can I extract your brain to study it, then?" Experimant said, then realised she said it out loud, went to apologise, then shrugged and kept doing what she was doing.

    "No need," Brilliant remarked off hand, "I can project it if necessary. My brain, that is. Come on! We are on the verge of a breakthrough after this one, I can feel it!"

    Filled with energy, the little mage raced off in the dust and began rummaging about, shouting and eximing all the while. Assistant hesitantly made her way from the perimeter as the rest of the staff began to clean up and rebuild.

    "Come on,e on,e on,e on¡­ YES!" Brilliant punched the air with her two front legs as an array embedded into a reinforced stone pir flickered to life. "Someone extract the data from that, now!"

    Then she rushed off to another one. When that refused to work, she savaged it with a bite before running to the next. In short order, she''d either repaired or fatally damaged all ten of the outer detectors and started poring over the printed scent-pages of information along with her team.

    "Look at this! LOOK AT IT! The kick of power we got by infusing the liquid mana was just what we needed. See these readings? Are you seeing this!? Look at the stability!"

    "Stability?!" Experimant boggled. "The gate blew up in your face, and you''re talking about stability?!"

    "Of course it blew up! We didn''t design the manifold array to handle that kind of power. I''m talking about this."

    She stabbed a leg down on the page and Experimant extended an antenna to check the data.

    "Tha¡­ that is odd."

    For a period of time, the dimensional weave had been¡­ stable.

    "If w-w-w-we can replicate th-the conditions w-w-with a better array¡­" Assistant mumbled.

    They''d have created a stable gate.

    The thought hung heavy like a weighted balloon for a full second before Brilliant punctured it.

    "Don''t be ridiculous," she said, poking through the rest of the pages. "We had to expend an enormous amount of mana, evenmitting our precious liquid mana reserves. I know exactly how fast that stuff umtes, because I discovered the method to create it. It''ll take months before we have that much energy on hand. Besides, do you really think that much power is necessary to form and operate a gate? If so, nobody would ever use them."

    Experimant flopped down for a moment before she drew herself back up. For a shining instant, she''d glimpsed the end goal.

    "Fine. So what have we learned? Did this mess," she gestured to the explodedb, "move us forward at all?"

    "Of course it did! We stabilised the weave, which is our goal! All we need to do now, is find a more efficient method of doing so. Having seeded once, even for an instant, is going to guide us on the right path. We''ve ovee our greatest hurdle! It''s time to celebrate!"

    "Oh? How are we going to celebrate?"

    "Rebuilding theb! I have some redesign ideas¡­ and we''ll need to adjust the matrix, of course. Plus I should probably put in something to dampen the explosive side effects¡­."

    "Wait. You could have done that all along?!"

 Chapter 1026 1137 - Against the Tide pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 1026 Chapter 1137 - Against the Tide pt 3</h4>

    Leeroy''s heart was afire.

    "Onward, sisters!" she roared, her pheromones rolling across the battlefield like a wave. "Surely today, we will find that which we seek!"

    "We seek!"

    Her own call was obliterated by the reply of the massed Immortals. They numbered five thousand now, and for Leeroy, charging at the head of their ranks was like being locked to the peak of a copsing mountain.

    The reliquary of the fallen Immortal covered all of them in its blessed light, and Leeroy felt her soul singing as the massed enemies loomed everrger in her eyes.

    As the wave had gone on, the number of powerful monsters who descended from the sky, or rose from below the ground, or emerged from the depths of thekes, never ceased to swell. The defences of the mountain had been as well constructed as the Colony could manage in the time they''d been given, but even with all their preparations, it proved impossible to clear the monsters from their mountain fortress fast enough.

    So the number of rampaging monsters grew. And grew. And grew.

    They fought each other, mostly, but the Colony strove desperately to push them away from the mountain-nest to prevent damaging it. Now that they had secured a safe haven on the fourth stratum, they would do anything to keep it.

    Including letting the Immortals loose on the battlefield.

    "We Seek!"

    The tidal wave of pheromones released by the armoured column was so thick it hung like a fog over their heads. As they charged, that fog was caught by their legs and frames, swirling around their feet until it appeared as though they ran atop a cloud.

    In the field ahead, Leeroy could see an immense pack of monsters thrashing and fighting before the gates of the nest. To many, it would have appeared like a nightmare brought to life, a whirlpool of death and destruction. Powerful monsters battled there. Sinuous lizards that swam through the air like eels, emerald scales glittering in the light; spirits of wind, water and earth towered a dozen metres into the air, manipting the elements to their will. Horrific, bloated creatures of the deep, thrumming with a powerful aura and overwhelming life, forced themselves onto thend, fanged maws a bottomless pit of hunger.

    To Leeroy and her followers, it was like a glimpse of heaven.

    These monsters weren''t tier one riffraff, freshly spawned, not knowing up from down. These were powerful, tier six and seven beasts, fat from feasting on the abundant weak prey the wave produced and desperate for something more satisfying. Some of them looked as if they could squash Leeroy with one stomp.

    Please, she begged within her mind, please squash me!

    Down the mountain they charged, gaining speed until she felt sure her legs, even as reinforced and mutated as they were, would snap from the strain. They held, but only just. As her spirit screamed for release, Leeroy braced herself, angled her carapace, and crashed into the first rank of the pack.

    From a distance, it looked like an explosion. As the tip of the wedge mmed into the massed beasts fighting outside the gate, the first enemies simply vanished¡­ popped like balloons as thousands of tons of massed ants smashed into them like an Ancient''s fist. To Leeroy, this was the moment she lived for. Ahead, monster after monster stood, so closely packed together they may as well have been a solid mass. Behind, thousands and thousands of her sisters, each carrying ten tons of the Colony''s finest steel, pushed her forward with the unstoppable momentum of a mountain copsing.

    She heard the metal of her armour scream as it warped under the pressure, felt her carapace buckle and crack as she waspressed between an unstoppable object and an immovable obstacle. This time, she hoped, it would be enough. This time, the enemy would stand firm and she, at the head of the formation, would be broken. No chance for the Phoenix Fire to build up and activate, nost second healing, only the ultimate sacrifice.

    As ever, she was disappointed.

    The first monsters gave way to the charge, pierced through by the metal-d spear of the Colony, as did the second, as did the third. The Immortals trampled over the battlefield, running wild through and over their opponents until they finally ran out of steam, more than half of the horde ttened in their wake.

    Then the fighting began.

    Under the pulsing aegis of the reliquary, the Immortals fought with a frenzy that even the mana crazed monsters could not hope to match. They battled recklessly, leaving themselves wide open, throwing themselves on their opponents'' fangs and ws, intercepting projectiles with their bodies, paying no heed to their personal safety.

    Yet¡­ it didn''t matter. Their carapaces were so thick, further protected by the finestyered and enchanted metal the forges of the Colony could produce, that it simply didn''t matter if they protected themselves or not.

    Leeroy fought alongside her sisters, trying to ignore the sour feeling building in her gut. A long serpent raised itself high, jaws open, a burning light flickering within, and she leapt, flinging herself into the open maw! Bright green fire licked her armour, burning her antennae, but she crashed into the monster''s teeth and shattered them, sending it reeling back.

    Not enough!

    Nearby, one of her sisters had pinned down a writhing elemental of earth. The creature raised up a portion of itself, hardening the shifting stone into a shining spear that plunged down toward the Immortal''s back.

    Leeroy calcted the point at which the strike would reach its peak momentum and rushed forward, taking the blow at the perfect moment. The stone shattered, showering her with rubble, and she cursed.

    NOT ENOUGH!

    As the fight raged on, and small injuries umted, she knew that the Phoenix Fire organ was growing hotter within her, preparing to unleash its cleansing fire. If she wasn''t struck down before it was ready, then she would have to hope enough monsters remained after her revival to finish her off again.

    That didn''t seem likely.

    There has to be something¡­. Anything!

    She turned again and saw a leviathan hauling itself out of the water. Surely, a tier seven beast, its open maw was the size of a human house, and its writhing tentacles were as thick as trees.

    This was perfect!

    "FOR THE COLONY!" she screamed, and rushed forward, her heart igniting with precious hope once more.

    How could she fight something this strong? Impossible, not even the Eldest could fault her for making a wless sacrifice y! Deep down, she knew the Eldest would tell her to simply retreat, but she squashed that voice. This was her moment!

    The leviathan lunged forward, and Leeroy was there. Without hesitation, she flung herself into the creature''s mouth, kicking with her legs to shove herself deeper into its gullet.

    "Choke on me, you filth!" she cried, almost weeping with joy as she felt the powerful muscles of the beast begin to force her into its stomach. Everything around her went dark as she slid into its belly, and Leeroy rejoiced. Surely, in digesting her, the beast would be defeated. A glorious triumph!

    Something else bumped into her in the dark of the monster''s gut.

    "For the Colony!" another Immortal cried.

    "A brave sacrifice, sister!" she weed herrade, and the two hugged amidst the sloshing acid.

    Another bump.

    "My life for the Colony!" the third Immortal cried.

    "We-" before Leeroy could finish greeting the neer, another bump rang out in the dark.

    "I sacrifice myself for the glory of the Colony!" the fourth Immortal dered.

    She wasn''t even finished with her cry before the fifth arrived, then the sixth.

    "Wait¡­." Leeroy said, a sinking feeling in her abdomen.

    Watching from the fortress wall, Advant could only pity the sea monster which had dared to reachnd in front of the Immortals.

    Armoured ant after armoured ant had forced themselves into its mouth until the beast had copsed, writhing in pain as hundreds of those morons continued to try and pry open its mouth, which the leviathan resolutely kept shut. It was toote. Eventually, the acid in its belly triggered the Immortals'' unique regeneration, and the tier seven monster was burned from the inside out.

    Advant shook her head. Such a horrible way to go.

 Chapter 1027 1138 - Worm Dreams

    <h4>Chapter 1027 Chapter 1138 - Worm Dreams</h4>

    Granin paced up and down in his chambers, mind buzzing. He''d thought that after centuries of living, nothing would surprise him anymore, yet here he was. Something glinted in the corner of his eye, and he caught himself in the mirror.

    His second skin was as rough as ever, granite, in and solid, covering his huge frame as it always had, though he thought he may have detected some crumbling in ces. A closer inspection confirmed it was all in his mind.

    "Not that old yet," he rumbled to himself.

    At least he hadn''tpletely lost the vibrancy of youth. As he took in his own expression, he couldn''t deny the glittering excitement in his eyes. An Ancient in the making, histest prospect, Anthony, had proven to be so much greater than he had believed possible. Despite being so against it himself, Anthony radiated with power and potential, and he would only get stronger from here on out.

    His ant species had been such a detriment to him as he''d started, but now it was proving to be a powerful boost. The first tier seven ant in the history of the Dungeon was unimaginably more powerful than he''d thought possible. What about the first tier eight ant? Or tier nine?

    Now that Anthony hadpleted his three part evolution, what woulde to him next? Perhaps the Vestibule-Nave-Altar trio would be built on even more, further enhancing the Will he was able to draw from the Colony and how he could spend it? Or something else entirely?

    The Gravity Mana that Anthony could control was incredibly deadly, though somewhat cumbersome. Perhaps his next evolution would lead him down that path, improving the mastery he had over that one, strange branch of mana.

    Without realising it, Granin had begun to pace in his room, his stony brow furrowed. It wasn''t all smooth sailing for the proto-Ancient. His Skills werecking, for one thing. Generally speaking, the epted progression rate for Skills was for them to keep pace with evolution tier. That wasn''t obtainable for all Skills, of course, not for young monsters, anyway, so at the least a few core abilities should raise their ranks in pace with evolutions. Anthony didn''t reach that benchmark, not even close. He had so many Skills that needed to be raised, since he''d made himself such a generalist, that it was impossible to bring up everything he had to work on.

    Perhaps Granin should work on a priority list for the big ant? Anthony would hate that sort of meddling. In fact, he seemed to hate organisation of any sort, but it may still be worth it. Gravity Mana specialisation was the most important by far, followed by Void Chomp and perhaps Dash. At least the Altarpensated by boosting the power of Skills, but if the effect only brought Anthony up to where he should be, it wasn''t working at its full potential. The sooner he had rank seven Skills and the ability to demonstrate the power of a rank eight, the better.

    The golgari caught himself and chuckled wryly. If he kept pacing like this, he was going to wear a hole in the carpet, which would have been a shame. Intricately woven and embroidered, it was a work of art that he was trampling over with his stone covered feet. In fact, wasn''t that Anthony woven into the corners?

    Obsessing over every little thing wouldn''t help, and if kept it up, he''d make a bad example for Torrina and Corun. The two of them had been frothing at the mouth since theirst talk with Anthony, working themselves to death poring over documents and workshopping ideas. At least a little of that manic energy hade from Granin, he knew that, but being as close as they were to witnessing the birth of the 20th Ancient, who could me them?

    Feeling a yawn build in the back of his throat, he let it take over, opening his mouth wide and stretching. The rock coating his lower back ground and cracked, causing him to wince. Sleep beckoned, and he decided to go to bed. The Colony was right about a lot of things, and not working without proper sleep was a good one. If he turned up to the meeting in the morning refreshed and alert, he could scold his two apprentices for pushing themselves too hard with proper authority.

    Once again, he had to thank the Colony for their dedication to hospitality. True golgari beds weren''t easy to find outside of the Empire of Stone, given the size and weight of his stone-covered people. He eased back into the soft mattress with a sigh. Trying to push the buzzing thoughts of Ancients and ants to the back of his mind, Granin grew drowsy and eventually slipped into sleep.

    Then he began to dream.

    At some point, as his consciousness swam and blurred through the disjointed imagery of his sleeping mind, Granin found himself in a pitch ck room. Although, was itpletely ck? Overhead, there was a subtle light, a deep brown, like rich soil, it glowed ever so faintly, just enough that he could see his hands in front of his face.

    He tried to see the edges of the room, but was it a room? No, it wasn''t. As his eyes adjusted, he realised it was a chamber, or cavern. Not a particrly deep one, he stood on the floor and could almost touch the ceiling, but it was long and wide. He peered into the distance as the light edged a touch brighter, emanating from the rock above all around him. He still couldn''t see a far wall in any direction. Just how vast was this ce? And where was he?

    He tried to take a step. The ground below wasn''t as rocky as he''d expected it to be; in fact, it was unnaturally smooth, and curved. Frowning, he squatted in ce and ran a hand over it, barely able to make out any details in the faint light. Yes, there was a slight slope beneath his feet, running downward. He followed it down, and the incline grew steeper as he went, until it dropped suddenly away into darkness, before rising up again thirty metres distant.

    That was odd.

    He turned and walked back, cresting a peak only to find the ground sloped down beyond that, ending in the same precipitous drop that rose up again thirty metres beyond.

    What was he standing on? Where was this?

    Only at this point did Granin realise his dream was oddly lucid, and he felt a hint of danger touch his mind. Something was different. Something was very, very wrong.

    Wake up, he told himself, but he didn''t.

    Humans said that they pinched themselves to try and wake up. He looked at his stone covered arms for a second before he let them drop to his side. Perhaps¡­ he could poke himself in the eye?

    The ground beneath his feet began to fall, taking Granin with it. The sensation of dropping rapidly nauseated him, as he felt his guts rise into his chest, but his feet remained in contact with the ground below, if only barely. He cried out, arms spinning as the world around him shifted, grinding and twirling in impossible ways.

    Who knew how far he fell, or for how long; it felt like minutes, but could have been seconds. All around him, he glimpsed enormous rivers of stone and earth, twisting around each other in the air, but it was so dark they may as well have been nothing. Was he bound in the roots of the Mother Tree?

    What was happening?

    When the world stilled around him, the ground settling beneath his feet, Granin slumped on his hands and knees, trembling from head to toe. Total darkness enveloped him now, but he could hear something. The air shifted in the distance, as if a wall of wind were pushed back and forth by a giant.

    He shivered, wishing he could wake. Light sted into his eyes and then faded.

    He stood in a vast, open space, the walls an interlocking knot of enormous coils, each unimaginably huge. Except they weren''t coils, there were no scales, this was no snake. They were rings, he realised, interlocking rings of flesh. That''s what he''d been standing on, one of those rings. The drop had been the gap between one ring and the next.

    He was surrounded by a worm.

    The worm.

    Granin flung himself to his knees and pressed his face into the ground.

    Not the ground. This isn''t ground.

    [LOOK AT ME.]

    Granin felt as if the world itself had rumbled in his mind. He lifted his head.

    The face of Yarrum was like that of any worm, pointed, eyeless, the rings of flesh grew smaller and smaller until they terminated at one point. The only difference was the size. The Ancient was enormous beyond words, beyondparison.

    "I see you, Ancient Yarrum," Granin stammered, heart hammering in his chest to the point he feared his stone skin would rattle off.

    The worm beheld him for a moment before it opened its mouth and Granin felt certain he was about to die, dream or no. The flesh peeled back, widening and widening and widening yet further to reveal a city sized opening, lined with ring after ring of building sized teeth. That maw, and those teeth, seemed to go on forever, each ring flexing and spinning independently of those next to it, as if Yarrum''s mouth was a grinder designed to chew mountains apart. Perhaps it was.

    [There isn''t much time. He MUST seed.]

    The worm lunged forward and Granin snapped alert in his room, falling out of his bed with a shout. Hey on the ground, panting and trembling, as he tried to get his nerves under control.

    He was okay. He was safe. He was alive.

    The old golgari squeezed his eyes shut, only to snap them open again as the visage of Yarrum filled his mind''s eye. From the floor, he checked the time. Only a few hours had passed since he''did down.

    After thirty minutes had passed, Granin trusted himself to rise from the floor. After another thirty had passed, he sat at his desk, pulled open a book and began to make notes. A vision from the Worm itself, he had to record it for the Cult. Then, he should spend more time working on Anthony''s build.

    After all, he had to seed.

 Chapter 1028 1139 - Big Game Hunting

    <h4>Chapter 1028 Chapter 1139 - Big Game Hunting</h4>

    Ah, to be back on the road again, my good friends by my side, such a wonderful feeling. I''ve got the breeze blowing through my antennae, a wide open in before me, and fresh, crisp air in my lungs.

    Except the breeze is in fact filled with smoke, ash and death, the wide open in is in fact choked with demon monsters in a fighting frenzy, and I don''t have lungs.

    Who needs ''em, anyway?! What have lungs ever done for anyone?

    Even the friends aren''t quite "by my side" so much as "running rampant smashing everything they see, clinging to my carapace and greedily sting things with greensers."

    At least Al is being cool. I mean, he can''t really be cool in a temperature sense, due to his nature as a knowledge demon formed entirely from fire, but he''s¡­ cool¡­ in a different way.

    My mastery of words continues to impress!

    It didn''t take us long to make our way to the tunnel opening between thisyer and the next, despite the rampaging demons. The gravity domain continued to be amazing for this. Reinforced by the Altar, it kept the weaker demons squashed t.

    My sub-brains continued to grind on my magic Skills as we travelled, sting gravity spells at random targets. The levels tick along steadily. Gweheheh.

    The issue we face is¡­.

    [How in the heck are we supposed to get down?]

    We stand around the pit that was once the entrance to the tunnels. I say pit, it''s more like ake. Ofva.

    [I see that this might prove an obstacle for you,] Al notes.

    [Well yes, my body isprised of non-me elements. Not to mention, Ick the inborn demonic trait of heat resistance. Swimming throughva is not really my thing.]

    [Pity¡­.]

    I can tell he''s looking down on me. I suppose, to him, it is fairly odd to not be able to get through something like this. Demons continue to climb up through the molten goop constantly, after all.

    [Is there a solution? If we need to swim through a kilometre of melted rocks and angry demons to get down, we might be better off staying here.]

    [I''m sure we can arrive at a satisfactory solution.]

    In the end, I had to create a tunnel of reinforced stone that went diagonally through the blockage to the nextyer. It was only possible at all thanks to the Altar, and we were all a burnt mess when we managed to mber out the end and onto the roof of the nextyer down. Except Al and Invidia, of course¡­.

    [It''s toooo hot,] Crinis groans as she melts across my carapace.

    [Is the enchanted gear working?]

    I''d secured all the heat resistant gear I could and given all of it to Crinis in the hopes she''d be able to resist the heat during the wave.

    [It is, but I''m weak to this much heat. I''m sorry, Master.]

    Poor thing. As a shadow monster, this environment is like kryptonite to her. It''s only thanks to the efforts of the Colony that she''s been able to function at all.

    [Don''t worry too much. Once we''ve sted our prey, we can descend to the fourth and you''ll be way morefortable.]

    Me too. The Call is constantly yanking on my guts even now. If anything, I think it''s getting stronger as time goes by. Stupid Ancients. The sooner we annihte these stupid tier eights, the faster we can get the heck out of here.

    [For now, let''s find our way down, I can''t cling upside down like this for long.]

    [Master Grip (IV) has reached Level 12.]

    Eyyyy, nice! Seriously though, I need to get some ground under me. Naturally, when we descend on a tform of force and arrive on said ground, we find ourselves back in the thick of the demon rampage. Except it''s worse.

    How in the name of heck can it be worse?!

    Somehow, they pulled it off. Morervae, fighting more insanely. It''s honestly impressive to see. That all trantes to more higher tiered demons, though, which is great news for us!

    The other issue we find is, Arconidem''s influence seems stronger as well. Any demon that has sumbed to his Will turns on us the moment theyy eyes on us, breaking off their fights and sprinting through swathes of opponents before they get punched into another dimension by Tiny.

    That is not normal behaviour. The urge to annihte anything that isn''t native to this stratum has ovee their instinct, and it''s revealed in the manic way they attack us. The more we move around, the more we run into roaming packs, looking for things like us to attack.

    I sigh.

    It isn''t hard for us to wipe them out at this point. After a few days, or weeks, it''d get tiring, especially if the demons get stronger. We need to find our prey, take them down, then get the heck out of dodge.

    [Al, any thoughts on how we might find these friends of yours?]

    [They are not¡­ friends.]

    [Fine. Can you track them?]

    [As heralds of Arconidem, they will attract those demons who have sumbed to his Will. They will not be hard to find¡­.]

    In other words, they''ll be surrounded by hordes of demons, meaning we need to fight like mad to even get to them. Great.

    [Alright then, so let''s just fight everything we find as we roam around. We''re sure to find a big army of demons somewhere out here.]

    So we set off.

    It doesn''t take long to find a demon army, as it turns out. We crush it, but there aren''t any tier eights around. We dust ourselves off and continue.

    The second army takes a little longer to find, but we crush that too. Still no tier eights.

    The third army looks promising. Some strong demons in there. We crush it, and there''s still no Torrifex.

    This¡­ sucks.

 Chapter 1029 1140 - Big Game Hunting pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 1029 Chapter 1140 - Big Game Hunting pt 2</h4>

    Look, I don''t know what they expect me to say. You''d think I''d get better at this, since I''ve left messages for a few of the other castes, but it really isn''t the case.

    You''re Soldiers. You Soldier. You get it, I get it, we all get it. In many ways, this was the easiest of all of the evolutions I designed for our species, all you had to do was get bigger and chunkier. All of the stuff I found useful for fighting up close, I made sure you would also get. Inner-carapace ting, healing nd, mutable muscles, all that good stuff.

    I suppose if I had to say something, it would be this: Remember Grant. She was one of the first ants I ever trained myself, a member of the Council, and she died heroically to protect me from Garralosh.

    Without her sacrifice, I would not have survived that battle, and all I did for the Colony after would never have urred. I still wonder if it was worth it. A noble, intelligent and selfless ant like Grant, what would she have been able to achieve, had she lived?

    In many ways, she epitomises what it means to be a Soldier for the Colony. You are the biggest, the strongest, the toughest. It''s your role to put yourself in harm''s way so that others don''t have to. Where the fight is thickest, where the hunt is most intense, that is where you are to go.

    I only ask that you make sure youe back.

    It isn''t always possible, I know that, and it breaks my heart¡­ but do your best.

    And forget Leeroy. She was born stupid and not much has changed.

    - Message from the Eldest to the Soldier caste.

    Our hunt for the tier eight demons, Torrifex and sisters, continues to be both unfruitful, and a massive pain in the back-zone.

    I feel like a cork bobbing in an ocean as we wander around, surrounded by an ocean of demonrvae who scratch and tear at each other in a neverending melee. Of course, higher ranked demons appear constantly, popping out from the waves of weaker monsters, seeking each other out or throwing themselves at us in a blind rage.

    It''s exhausting.

    And of course, the crazed monsters who sumb to Arconidem''spulsion love to group up, and once they start to do so, they gather an unstoppable momentum. The more they group up, the faster they run into more recruits, so the horde grows even faster. It all snowballs so fast into a roaming pack of thousands of monsters that it makes my head ache.

    We crush these groups whenever we find them, no matter howrge or how small, but none of them are hiding our targets, and despite our overwhelming strength, we lose a little bit of energy, and take a little bit of damage, during every fight.

    Well, the others do. I''m fine. My unique advantages make me immune to the rigours of drawn outbat. My muscles never get fatigued, my nds never run out of energy, and I heal superficial damage to my carapace without even having to trigger my healing nd. I can do this for months!

    Tiny, on the other hand, just umtes wounds like they''re going out of fashion and even Crinis loses a lot of shadow flesh during each conflict. The two of them need time and Biomass to recover, one of which is fairly easy to provide in this environment, but the other, not so much.

    Nestled within my gravity domain, they''re rtively safe, but even then, strong enough demons can break through and threaten them.

    On the whole, this experience is really pounding into my thick head just why the waves are so terrifying, especially on the third. Without the Vestibule, I''d be too tired, too injured and too mentally fatigued to keep fighting after just two days.

    And I''m super strong!

    No wonder most of the races just pull up stumps and get out of town. Leave the disaster zone ande back once the mess has died down. Not the Colony, though! We''ll seize the unprecedented opportunity of the wave or die trying!

    [Come on, Al. I haven''t sensed anything like a tier eight core, and we''ve been out here for two days. Are they really down here?]

    The ming eye res at me. Well, he looks at me. Al, due to his nature as an eye on fire basically always looks like he''s ring.

    [They are,] he confirms, [but they may have retreated deeper still. It''s possible Torrifex is hoping to lure you away from your base of support.]

    Well¡­ that would suck. No way he figured out my Altarbo that fast!

    [Why would he do that?] I hedge. [The big moron seemed happy enough toe at me the first time we fought.]

    I''ve never exined to Al how my species works and the unique organs that I have, and I don''t intend to. Being as smart as he is, with the knowledge that he has, he probably has an inkling, but I don''t feel the need to advertise my unique abilities.

    [From what you have said, he waspelled to fight you by Arconidem, a test, perhaps. Torrifex is a loyal servant of the Demon God, but he has no wish to die. Rather, as close as he is to evolving and joining the Court, he and his sisters would much rather avoid a truly dangerous fight.]

    So he only came up to fight me because he thought it would be easy. Great.

    [So you think he''s hiding from me? He ran a fewyers down where he thought I wouldn''t follow?]

    [I believe so, but he ispelled to remove you and the entire Colony by Arconidem''s Will. I imagine he is hoping to draw you to him until you are weakened by the journey, then fight you alongside his sisters and win safely. With you dead, there will be nothing to stop him leading a demon horde against your family and wiping them out.]

    Huh. Cheap tactics. I never would have expected this from a demon who talked so much smack!

    [So that means I only have two options then. Either I go back to the Colony and wait until Arconibutt runs out of patience and sends them at me, or keep moving lower until we find them?]

    [That is¡­ correct.]

    Sigh. I hate it when I get two options and both suck.

    [I guess we''re going down then. Where''s the nearest hole in the ground?]

    I can''t afford to lose the time it would take to draw them up to me. The Colony is bound to be struggling on the fourth, so I need to get down there. As the wave progresses, the danger will continue to rise, and eventually, monsters from the fifth, and possibly below, will rise to the fourth.

 Chapter 1030 1141 - Antcademy Pt 1

    <h4>Chapter 1030 Chapter 1141 - Antcademy Pt 1</h4>

    The ants of the Colony didn''t invent universal education on Pangera, but they were, perhaps, the first to pursue it with such rigour. The citizens of the Silver City, for example, are entitled to learning until they turn ten. For the Colony, things are obviously very different due to their monstrous nature. It doesn''t take years to elevate a monster, as they are effectively born ready to fight and as intelligent as they are going to get until they evolve.

    But the ants approached this situation with the maddening dedication and patience they poured into everything. Even more so, in fact, due to the reverence they hold for their young. Each grub is as well reared and pampered as a princess, as well fed as a festival hog, and as carefully cleaned as a king''s cutlery.

    After they are born, this treatment continues as the hatchlings are put through the mostprehensive and extensive training program in the history of the world.

    - Excerpt from ''Antucation: Teaching and Learning, Pedagogy among the ant'' by Karliet Magron.

    "Ready yourselves, hatchlings."

    The pheromones of the Brood Tender, Poppant, were as soothing and warm as always, washing over the antennae of her charges like a calming wave. Twenty small forms roused themselves from torpor, twitching as they regained control of their limbs one by one.

    "Good morning, teacher!" the hatchlings chorused as they fell into two neat lines of ten.

    Towards the back, Snt, as the three day old monster had begun to think of herself, pped herself about with her antennae, trying to sharpen herself for the day ahead.

    Exactly eight hours had passed since they''d fallen into torpor, she was confident of that, and sixteen hours of vigorous training and learningy ahead of them. She intended to extract every ounce of benefit she could. The Colony demanded no less!

    When they were ready, Poppant cked her mandibles happily and turned to lead her charges out of their chamber. Through the narrow entrance they filed, then out into the wider tunnels, other groups falling into lines alongside them as they went.

    "Work hard!" one of her broodmates greeted Snt as she fell in beside her.

    "I intend to," Snt stated.

    The passage widened further as more and more tunnels connected to it. Eventually, it was twenty metres in diameter and every inch of that surface was covered in hatchlings following along behind their teachers. There were ten thousand broodmates in the current ss of the Antcademy, Snt had counted them, and she was determined that none would perform as well as she.

    After a few more minutes, the hatchlings were led into the vast meal hall, a vertical structure with ten floors, each seating a hundred hatchlings and ten Brood Tenders. They filed in, taking their ce at the table silently, as Biomass was lowered to them from the ceiling above via a mechanism none of the new ants had been able to exin.

    "Now, hatchlings," Poppant spoke once they had all settled into ce, "let us be grateful for this meal our family has put before us, and ensure that we do not take lightly the resources that we have taken. If we keep that in mind, we should avoid unfortunate events such as what we saw yesterday."

    Her many-faceted eyes focused on one particr hatchling who ducked her head in shame. Snt shook her head. That silly ant had sumbed to her instincts and flung herself into the jaws of a monster only the previous day. So shameful!

    Of course, she would never admit that she too had nearly done the same. Nobody needed to know that!

    As one, each of the ten thousand young ants munched down on the Biomass, clearing the tables before they were led away, out of the dining hall and away from their resting chambers.

    It was time for training!

    "Now remember what we talked about yesterday," Poppant reminded them gently as the twenty members of her group stood perched outside of the farms. "We must work together to achieve our best. Stay in formation at all times, cover for one another, and we will surely beat our best time from yesterday."

    Their patient teacher ran through several drills that they had practised extensively the previous day. How to advance as a unit, how to fall back, how to smoothly operate a firing line, alternating shots between the ranks. Only when she was satisfied did Poppant allow them to advance into the farm proper.

    "Remember not to panic, hatchlings," she reminded them, "I am here to protect you. There is no need for anyone,"'' she paused and eyed them all, "to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the group."

    "Yes, teacher," they chorused.

    In the front rank, Snt was positively bursting with energy, her eyes aglow from the zing lines of mana that split through the walls on either side. She could hear the growls and snarls of monsters ahead, freshly spawned monsters, ready to fall before the might of the Colony!

    Surely, they would beat their time from the previous day. That had been an appalling showing.

    "Begin when you are ready. Time starts¡­ now," Poppant said warmly.

    Immediately, Snt stepped forward with confidence, bringing the rest of the front line along with her. She set a brisk pace and the hatchlings quickly advanced along the roof of the chamber until they found their first target.

    "Monster spotted!" came the call from the nks of the formation.

    "Reform the line!" Snt called and the twenty shuffled themselves until they faced their prey squarely.

    "Fire!"

    Half the first rank fired their acid down at the target, followed by half the second, then the other half of the first. Staggered firing in this manner had been the first thing the hatchlings had learned, and thanks to the patient teachings of the Brood Tenders, they had learned it well.

    After being pelted with acid, the unfortunate monster who received the barrage could only copse in a heap as the deadly fluid ate into it.

    "Secure the prey!" Snt cried, leading the group down the wall to advance on the downed monster.

    From out of the darkness came a rattling hiss, followed by an ominous cking sound. A momentter, a w centipede emerged, tail raised high, ready to strike.

    The twenty hatchlings cked their mandibles furiously back at it. Stupid centipede! Hated enemy of the Eldest!

    "Firing posture! Unleash the storm!"

    Snt wasn''t sure who gave the order, but she followed it unquestioningly. The front rank dropped their posture low and turned, presenting theirbinedmercial empire toward the foe. The back rank did the same, except they raised themselves to stand tall, firing above the heads of their brethren.

    The moment they were in position, they fired, covering the centipede with acid and sending it stumbling back into the darkness.

    "There may be a centipede nest forming. Be careful as you advance," Poppant warned them.

    "Roger!"

    The hatchlings maintained their formation, moving as a unit at all times. The first of their prey was secured a few momentster, the group training their bite skills to finish the monster, then devouring the Biomass in moments.

    When all was said and done, they defeated their previous time by five minutes, eliciting a heap of praise from their beloved teacher.

    But Snt wasn''t satisfied. No sooner had they finished the first chamber than she was itching to go to the next. She had to get better!

 Chapter 1031 1142 - Antcademy pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 1031 Chapter 1142 - Antcademy pt 2</h4>

    Given the nature of the ants as a social insect, one with a particr obsession toward the care and rearing of their young, it may be understandable, even expected, that they would focus so intently on education. However, the depth andplexity of their methods is astounding, no matter how one thinks about it.

    Even among monsters, not all are born with the same interests and passions, and this is especially true for those above a certain threshold of intelligence. The Colony were quick to realise this fact and naturally sought to implement measures that would not only amodate, but maximise the potential of this difference.

    Thus was born the concept of ''differentiation''. Certain ants excel at one task, whereas others arecking in this area. The Colony quickly identifies these gaps and moves to specialise their curriculum from the earliest moment possible.

    Using this method, the ants are able to find the most suited path for an individual and guide them along it within days of that hatchling emerging from its cocoon.

    - Excerpt from ''Antucation: Teaching and Learning, Pedagogy among the ant'' by Karliet Magron.

    "Congrattions, hatchlings!" Poppant praised them, her antennae wiggling with joy.

    The twenty young members of the Colony preened under her attention, basking in the approval of the Tender who had cared for them since they were eggs.

    "That was quite an achievement, I am extremely impressed with all of you. A new Antcademy record for a third day clear! Of course, there are things we can improve on and each of you will need to write a four page report on what you can do better next time when we get back."

    The hatchlings cheered.

    "Now off we go!"

    With that cheerful deration, Poppant began to march back to the Colony, her pheromones wafting happily behind her as the twenty tired, but excited ants marched in their wake.

    Well, neen of them were tired but excited.

    One of them was frustrated and disappointed.

    The movements had been slow, her orders had beente and the firing discipline had been sloppy. It may have been a record setting pace for the third day of training, but Snt was far from happy. Imperfections were everywhere, she couldn''t think of a single manoeuvre that the group had executed without w.

    And that knowledge burned in her like acid in the gut.

    As the ants returned to their chamber, they marched under the great and watchful eyes of the Eldest, carved into the ceiling above. The statue had been updated recently to ensure it depicted the oldest and greatest member of the Colony in all of their current glory, colossal in size and regal in posture.

    Snt cringed away from those judgemental eyes.

    The Eldest demanded each ant in the Colony perform to as high a standard as they did, at least, that''s what the Tenders had told her. She knew that so far, her broodmates had utterly failed to meet that standard. It couldn''t be allowed to stand!

    After Poppant had led them through their drills, rehashed several key moments of the fighting, and inspected each of their written essays (Snt produced twenty pages of dense pheromone lines for hers), she left to allow the hatchlings to enjoy their eight hours of rest.

    Before her siblings could settle in for torpor, Snt stepped forward.

    "We aren''t performing well enough," she dered.

    They turned around and faced her in the centre of the chamber, antennae wiggling with surprise.

    "We aren''t?" one of her siblings asked. "Didn''t we just get a record? I thought that meant we were doing well¡­."

    "We''re working hard," another piped up.

    "Our teacher is proud of us¡­" another said.

    Snt shed those words away with a swipe of her antenna.

    "And? Didn''t you all just write a report of all of the things we did wrong?! Didn''t Poppant just demonstrate a long list of mistakes that we need to improve on tomorrow? How can we possibly say that we are doing well?"

    She cked her mandibles in irritation.

    "And I''m not excusing myself from this criticism. If anything, I''ve been the one making the most calls, and many of those were eitherte or unclear. If anyone is performing the worst in the group, it''s me!"

    "That''s not true¡­ my aim has been extremely poor¡­" one hatchlingmented.

    "I lose the timing when we change formation¡­" another sighed.

    "I tripped over my legs when dashing¡­ I hoped nobody noticed."

    "I noticed."

    "Dammit."

    "The point is," Snt dered, trying to get them back on track, "that our current rate of improvement isn''t enough. Even if we turn around and set another record tomorrow, I don''t think we should be satisfied. Unless we perform wlessly, we should never be satisfied!"

    "Are you suggesting¡­ we¡­ skip¡­ sleep¡­ and practise?"

    Snt recoiled in horror.

    "What? Never! I''m saying we need to use our training time more effectively than we have been. Our focus hasn''t been sharp enough, our drive notmitted enough! If another group would work their carapace off for the Colony, then we need to work until our muscles melt!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!" the hatchlings roared in response, their eyes zing.

    When Poppant came to greet them after they woke, she was a little unnerved to see the cold, burning light in each of their eyes.

    It was normal for ants in the Colony to be fervently dedicated, they worked themselves as hard as they could and took pride in it. In fact, manic dedication to the family was absolutely the standard that each hatchling possessed from the moment they were born.

    But this¡­ focus¡­ was something else.

    "G-Good morning hatchlings!" she greeted them. "Are we ready to work hard again today?"

    Instead of the normal cheers and calls she would expect from her charges, she got only steely, determined res.

    They were so unified.

    When they marched out to meal time, they moved as a perfect unit. They radiated an intimidating aura as they ate, unnerving the hatchlings around them, unsure what to make of this cold andser focused group.

    Once they reached the farms, they trained with a brutal and cold efficiency that Poppant had never seen before.

    Often, when she gently pointed out an error, the ant in question had already begun to correct it, and apologised to the whole group as they did. Whenever this happened, the rest would nod firmly and carry on as if the mistake had never urred.

    When she finally unleashed them on the monsters in the farm, they cut through them like a gleaming de. The fourth day record had been smashed.

 Chapter 1032 1143 - Antcademy pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 1032 Chapter 1143 - Antcademy pt 3</h4>

    Postgraduate, or postgrantuate, education was another concept the Colony adopted in a manner very differently to most other societies. While it is normal for there to be schrlymunities, such as the Tower, who ept only the finest minds and greatest learners into their ranks, those who are able to make the most of these opportunities are very few in number.

    It has been noted many times that only the wealthy can afford to tutor their children to the exacting standards expected of these institutions. A farmer''s children will be put to work on the farm as soon as they are able, seldompleting even basic education. This lopsided representation amongst the schrs of most empires leads to bias and gaps in thinking, with thosecking in material understanding ofmon tasks called on to devise policy or advise on matters they do notprehend.

    Among the Colony, further education is avable to any ant who wants it. Once a hatchling haspleted their training, they will be a tier four monster with a set caste and a well understood list of capabilities and responsibilities. At this stage, most of them will journey to those ces where their skills are needed, ready to contribute and join the general workflow of the Colony. Some, however, choose to remain and pursue ideas and concepts until they are satisfied.

    Perhaps only the ants could tolerate this generous attitude, since they are always supremely confident the studious hatchling is working to better themselves or the Colony rather than shirking work.

    - Excerpt from ''Antucation: Teaching and Learning, Pedagogy among the ant'' by Karliet Magron.

    Poppant observed as the hatchlings watched the battle unfold below them. Like shadows, they clung to the ceiling, hiding themselves amongst the folds in the stone as dozens of monsters fought desperately beneath them. They weren''tpletely passive, though.

    Whenever it seemed that onebatant would overpower the other, an ant would intervene, firing acid down to help swing the fight back to a neutral ying field. In this way, they dragged out the battle until everybatant was exhausted and injured. Fruit ripe for the plucking.

    "Dragon ws!" Snt bellowed.

    The hatchlings moved seamlessly through the manoeuvre, sliding into four columns of five each and copsing on the prey from the nks. Their jaws shed as each five ant unit worked seamlessly in tandem, scything through the monsters with brutal efficiency.

    It wouldn''t be a time record, due to the nature of their strategy, but it was certainly the most effortless victory she had ever seen. This group was acting¡­ differently, than expected. She would need to make a report.

    "Well done, hatchlings!" she praised them with genuine affection. "An excellent strategy, and one you executed so well! I''m particrly impressed with how well you were able to deploy your acid, and with such uracy!"

    "We''ve been working on pairing spotters and shooters to try and improve our aim," one hatchling exined. "Two sets of eyes are better than one, after all."

    "Allow the enemy to defeat themselves," Snt nodded with satisfaction as she looked down on the waiting Biomass. "Why should we fight when our enemy is strong? Instead, we make them weak, and then strike. This seems like a viable way to do battle."

    "Oh, it absolutely is," Poppant agreed, "though not always feasible. Now, scurry down there and eat. Don''t let any of it go to waste! Thene back here to me, I have an exciting announcement to make!"

    The hatchlings hurried to do as she had told them, ensuring they divided the food as evenly as they could. It was almost time for them to evolve for the first time, after they''d formed their cores the previous day, and it was paramount that each member of the group achieved a full set of mutations. When the food was consumed, they returned to their teacher.

    "Now, in light of your achievements, it has been agreed by the Tenders that you will be granted special cores for your evolution!" she cked her mandibles joyfully. "Isn''t that wonderful?"

    Rather than the exuberance she had expected, the hatchlings simply nodded, a cold and determined energy rising from them as their eyes glinted in the dim light.

    "No time like the present," Poppant said, not losing her bubbly positivity for even a second. "Let''s head back to the chamber, the cores should be ready and waiting for us!"

    And indeed they were. Enough cores to max out every one of the twenty hatchlings and then a special core for each of them, giving them the best possible start to life. An exciting opportunity to be sure, and not one that they would waste! Before they touched them, the hatchlings ensured that they had maxed out their mutations first.

    The ants settled in and absorbed the cores needed to reach the limit for their tier, then eyed the special cores warily.

    "No need to worry," Poppant assured them, "it is certainly painful and ufortable, but I have something that might help!"

    Humming cheerfully, she deposited a cup of tea in front of each hatchling, and then, with a wink, stirred in a teaspoon of sugar for each of them, deftly manipting the cutlery with her mandibles.

    "I''ve always found a spoonful of sugar helps the special core go down," she announced. "Drink as you absorb, and then evolve straight away!"

    They did, grimacing with difort as their cores swelled beyond the size that was normally eptable. Once the task was done, each of them quickly fell into slumber as they selected their evolution and customised it to their own desires.

    A few hourster, twenty Superior Hatchlings awoke, appearing not that much different from before, but brimming with potential.

    Snt examined herself carefully, noting every change to her status, and found she was pleased with what she saw. This evolution didn''t provide the greatest benefit at tier two, but would start to pay off from tier three onward. That meant securing further records andpeting against the rest of their broodmates would be more difficult in the short term.

    She relished the challenge.

 Chapter 1033 1144 - Antcademy pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 1033 Chapter 1144 - Antcademy pt 4</h4>

    All in all, there is much we can learn from the Colony''s approach to training and teaching their members. I''m aware that many dismiss the studies and examination of the ant''s methods as inapplicable to any other, non-monstrous race, but that simply isn''t the case.

    Because the ants don''t only teach themselves, they wee and teach their allies also.

    The ant-riders, the devastating cavalry unit formed of human, golgari, folk and even one example of a brathian rider and ant ''mount'', are a perfect example. Interviewing those who chose to be members of this respected and renowned brigade, it quickly became apparent the respect and admiration they had for their ant tutors. Many spoke of the harsh and unforgiving nature of the training that demanded the riders meet the same standards as their chosen ant allies, but reported how effective and motivating the monsters were.

    The training is almost universally seen to result in a rapid development of Skills and abilities rted to the unique ss. That would be enough for most, but trainees are not permitted to leave the Antcademies until they have met the truly exacting standards of the Colony.

    My greatest frustration is that all members of the brigade that have been spoken to refuse to detail the exact methods used in their training. Perhaps some secret techniques are utilised and the Colony refuses to spread their knowledge?

    Regardless, the existence of this sessful program speaks volumes to the efficacy of the ant methodology.

    - Excerpt from ''Antucation: Teaching and Learning, Pedagogy among the ant'' by Karliet Magron.

    "ARE. YOU. READY. TO TUNNEL BAAAAAALLLLLL!?"

    Snt did her best to ignore the humans going wild around them. It had been vaguely exined to her what they were here for. Entertainment of some sort? Apparently, this training exercise was popr to watch even amongst the Colony deeper in the Dungeon, which surprised her somewhat. As she understood it, this drill was an excellent test of cooperation and strategy, something her broodmates excelled in.

    Which was lucky, since they were currently weaker than theirpetition.

    "Box formation! Prepare the Dragon w!" Snt yelled to her allies as the chaos across the field began to resolve itself.

    The two frontlines smashed into each other, chitin grinding on chitin as thergest and strongest ants in both teams pushed as hard as they could. Currently, her team had possession of the ball, and so far, they hadn''t failed to run it to the other side a single time, but their opponents were catching on to their tricks and grinding them down with their superior bodies.

    Snt was forced to get inventive.

    "Teatime on the left nk!" she called from her position perched on the stone ball and watched as her team flowed to execute the strategem.

    Phant, the fastest member of the team who had recently named herself, feinted left, then right, before attempting a shoulder charge against the juvenile scout who was marking her.

    With her well trained dash Skill, thoughtful leg mutations and agility,bined with Snt''s formations, and manoeuvres that maximised those strengths, Phant had been their main scorer in this game. Now, she was tightly followed by at least one opponent at all times.

    Followed by another quick superior hatchling, Phant attempted to push hard into open space, only to be checked at thest minute. Straining too hard, the hatchling went down in a brutal fashion, legs iling as she copsed. Snt winced, that had looked dreadful.

    "Phant is down, injured! Reinforce the centre and we''ll push down the right side!"

    Her squad moved seamlessly to shift their pressure to the other side of the field, acting withplete trust in her instructions. Their faith warmed her heart, but her mind remained razor focused on the game. They couldn''t fail. She would never fail.

    In the middle of their line, Sumant was the rock that anchored the formation and they pivoted around her.

    "AFTER A NASTY SPILL ON THE LEFT SIDE, TEAM TINY IS LOOKING TO SHIFT THE PLAY! CAN THEY SCORE YET AGAIN, EVEN WITHOUT THEIR STAR RUNNER?"

    Snt wished the humans would be a little more quiet, there had to be a thousand of them up there. She was trying to concentrate!

    Every minute shift, every tiny adjustment was caught by her as she hyper-focused on the field of y. There was no excuse for mistakes, and no reason for them.

    She could see the opponents were beginning to sense victory. With theirrger bodies, they were starting to grind down the centre, pressing Sumant back step by step. All she needed was for a slight gap to open up, then they could strike.

    And then it came. Overeager, the opposing team leapt at the first break in the line, desperate to prevent their tenth straight loss. It was subtle, but it was ovemitment, they came too far forward too quickly, leaving open space behind them.

    "Flick the tail!" Snt called, before she leapt off the ball and it was swept up from under her, racing toward the right side of the field.

    The timing was tight, a tenth of a second slower and the enemy would have intercepted, but they didn''t get there in time and then the ball was past them. After being taught several painful lessons, the opposition had begun to defend in depth, and the second wave closed in on the ball runner, trying to hem her in.

    Then Sumant was there, throwing herself forward to block the line, crashing into the smaller, more agile of the opposing ants to buy just a little bit of time and space, which the runner used to expertly flick the ball in her mandibles.

    A high difficulty pass that required expert mandible control, executed to perfection. The ball travelled from the right side, through the centre and onto the left, where itnded in the waiting grip of Phant.

    She was finally unmarked.

    The nimble ant sprang to her feet and dashed forward in an instant, putting her incredible speed to good use. Caught unawares, the opposition could only watch the speedy antplete the run, taking the ball across the line with ease.

    Snt watched the y unfold with a cold gleam of satisfaction in her eyes. She had made the team''s greatest strength appear weak, and the opponent had fallen for itpletely.

    "AN UNBELIEVABLE PASS HAS SNATCHED VICTORY FROM THE JAWS OF DEFEAT. THE UNMARKED SPEEDSTER HAS SCORED THE EASIEST RUN OF HER LIFE AFTER THE MIRACLE PLAY!"

 Chapter 1034 1145 - Antcademy pt 5

    <h4>Chapter 1034 Chapter 1145 - Antcademy pt 5</h4>

    Resource distribution amongst the young in the Colony is far more generous than one might expect from ants. Of course, grubs are given high priority for food, ensuring they grow into their full potential in the proper time. Hatchlings always form a core before evolving to tier two, and they always do so with maxed mutations.

    Naturally, this requires a tremendous amount of Biomass. That phrasing doesn''t really do justice to the reality¡­. The Colony requires an OCEAN of Biomass on a daily basis, not just to fuel the growth of the young, but to feed the millions and millions of grown ants. Vast tracts of Dungeon are routinely swept clean by them, with an efficiency that none can rival, but even that isn''t enough. Other solutions, such as the aphid herd, are required to extract additional Biomass in unconventional ways in order to make up the shortfall.

    Cores, of course, are the true limiting factor. The Colony would love to have each and every ant evolve with wless cores, fully reinforced and with a special core absorbed on top, but it simply isn''t possible.

    There is only one type of ant who is given this luxury as a matter of course: the Queens.

    - Excerpt from "Evolutions of the Ant" by Granin Lazus

    "An impressive win-streak, to say the least!" Poppant praised the hatchlings, and they nodded seriously. "Apletely undefeated run! I know how hard you all worked for this. The other Tenders are wondering just how long your streak will be."

    "Endless," Snt said simply.

    She didn''t intend to fail, ever. Anything less than perfection would be a blemish on the Colony as a whole, and that wasn''t to be tolerated. She''d expressed this view to her teachers several times, and they had warned her it was dangerous to hold unrealistic expectations, that a belief in an unobtainable victory was as deadly as an undefeatable enemy.

    What they had said was wise, yet Snt knew, deep down, that if there was a chance to win, she would find it. The longer the training course went on, the more her ideas were put to the test, and the more they were proven correct. The Soldier trainers told her to be more direct, less reliant on trickery and deception, the General trainers said her strategies were too borate, with too many points of failure, the Scout trainers said that she couldn''t always rely on perfect information, the Mage trainers said that as they and their opponents grew stronger, the battlefield would be too difficult to predict, the Carver trainers said she couldn''t be smart enough to foresee every oue, the Shaper trainers said her allies weren''t pets and couldn''t always execute her intentions wlessly, and the Healers told her that victory without sacrifice was the ideal, but often unattainable.

    Even still, she would win.

    The more her confidence grew, the more her broodmates believed in her. An unshakable unit withplete trust in each other, a group withplete and total knowledge of the capabilities and intentions of every other member.

    "Our victory is determined by our training and preparation," Snt said to Poppant, "every advantage we use was honed there."

    Poppant looked down on the little superior hatchling, her antennae waggling cheerfully.

    "Nobody knows how hard and efficiently you train more than I do," she said, "I''ve been with you the whole journey, after all!"

    Of course, there was a little more to it. It was unusual for a single hatchling to have such wildly divergent ideas, and tomand such respect from their peers. By this time, the administration of the Antcademy heavily suspected they had a Champion on their ws. The first that they knew of toe through their sses and not found by the Eldest.

    "But now it''s time for your next evolution, and as a reward for your exemry record in Tunnel Ball and every other training exercise, you''ve been granted special evolutions once again!"

    Some of the ants winced, but Poppant hastened to reassure them.

    "Fear not! I''ve brought the tea and sugar," she said, as she cked her mandibles happily and bustled from one ant to the next.

    It was painful, extremely so, but Snt endured the process as best she could before she engaged the menu and chose to evolve.

    [Congrattions on reaching the maximum level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

    Warning: evolving will make securing XP and Biomass difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.

    Your evolution options are as follows:

    - Superior Soldier (Special)

    - Superior Scout (Special)

    - Superior General (Special)

    - Superior Ant Mage (Special)

    - Superior Core Shaper (Special)

    - Superior Carver (Special)

    - Superior Brood Tender (Special)

    - Superior Juvenile Queen (Special)

    - Superior Healer Ant (Special)

    - Juvenile Great General (Special)

    - Juvenile War Brain (Special)

    - Battle Leader (Special)

    - War nner (Special)

    Some interesting special evolution options had appeared and Snt looked at each with interest. Despite how well the Eldest designed the Superior evolutions for each caste, she knew it would be a waste to throw away the precious opportunity to select a special evolution. Each of her choices rted to leadership in some way, and she wondered what had caused the System to lean that way.

    Perhaps her rtively high ranked leadership or tactics Skills? Or the Eagle Eye mutation which allowed her to envision the battlefield as it would be seen from above? Or the Tactical Awareness mutation she''d added to her brain?

    Whatever the reason, she examined each carefully.

    The Juvenile War Brain was easy to eliminate. Despite the hefty bonuses it gave to Cunning, it required her to be semi-immobile, basically transforming her into a symbiotic entity that would be grafted onto another general that she would possess. It didn''t gel with her picture of herself, nor the Colony as a whole.

    War nner was suited to directing the course of an entire war, away from the battlefield itself. It helped to organise logistics, n movements that yed out over days and weeks. Important, necessary even, but that wasn''t for Snt. She wanted to feel the heat of battle on her carapace.

    The Battle Leader was an interesting evolution, giving solid bonuses and auras that would allow Snt to be a potent presence on the front line, enhancing her allies and directing the fight from up close.

    It was good, but not exactly what she wanted.

    Instead, her gaze fell on the Great General evolution. Only a juvenile, which meant there was potential growth in the future.

    [The Juvenile Great General is a leader who has disyed tactical brilliance and a grasp for grand strategy. Lead your troops in a brilliant dance, bewilder and confuse the foe, achieve victory.]

    Now this, spoke to her.

 Chapter 1035 1146 - What Lies Below

    <h4>Chapter 1035 Chapter 1146 - What Lies Below</h4>

    Rip and tear. Rip and tear. Rip and tear.

    Holy moly, I''m getting sick of all this ripping and tearing!

    The stupid demons are endless! I''d go so far as to say that the demons starting and they don''t stoping! It''s not even that there''s just an endless sea of demons swirling around us, it''s the percentage of those that are overwhelmed by the big daddy demon ande wading through their kind to get at us. And maybe that''s only one percent of every demon we see, but that still adds up to INFINITY demons.

    Even I''m getting tired, and I''m basically immune to fatigue, for now at least. The further we plunge into the third stratum, the further from the Colony we get and the more tenuous my link through the Vestibule bes and the more nervous I get.

    I''ve been kind of hoping that I''d connect to the ants below me, in the fourth, since I know our territory is roughly vertical as it descends, but I''ve got nothing yet. We''ve known for a long time that the third was deeper than we thought, but this is getting ridiculous.

    So far, we''ve descended four times, and everytime we get down ayer, the mana gets thicker and the environment more unweing.

    [Just how deep does this ce go?] Iin to Al. [If it gets any hotter, my cooling enchanted rings are going to melt off!]

    The giant eyeball of fire stares at me. I can barely even feel the heating off him at this point, it doesn''t make any difference when the ambient temperature is this high.

    [I do not know precisely how deep the third stratum goes, as I have never exited it into the fourth. We are almost as deep as I have ever been, however.]

    Well that''s something at least. To be honest, I probably don''t want to go much further. We''re too far from the Colony for the Altar to be as useful as I need it to be. Only the support of Tiny, Crinis, Invidia and Al gives me the confidence to venture this far out, but that faith is starting to wane.

    I can endure the constant barrage of attacks pretty well, the others, not so much. And the heat is literally melting Crinis, she''s barely able to keep her form together on my back, dripping down my sides like an oil stain. I''m having to maintain a mini ice domain just to keep her going.

    [Do you still have the trail?] I demand of the demon.

    His eye shes.

    [I have it.]

    We didn''te this way on a hunch, we did manage to get ahold of Torrifex''s scent. Al and Crinis were the ones to detect him, getting a whiff of his mana on the edge of their awareness. Unfortunately, the big coward is still retreating, probably to meet up with his nefarious siblings.

    They won''t get away. I''m going to tten those tier eight demons if it''s thest thing I do!

    The air is thick with ash and smoke. Lava flows are everywhere. In some ces, they still jet up into the air, hundreds of metres high, before falling back to the strata floor. This deep, with the mana so dense, everything I hate about this ce is magnified.

    [Oop. Look out, Tiny, I think there''s another oneing up.]

    The ape turns his head with interest, despite the sweat dripping from his matted fur. Poor guy. As we run, we see yet another abandoned fortress.

    They''ve be more and moremon as we''ve descended, which makes sense, since the juicier resources of the stratum are to be found deeper down. Clearly, whoever owned these ces has decided that it wasn''t worth defending them in the current climate, and fair enough too. Built into cliff walls, or atop jutting peaks that thrust up from the ins, these are often intimidating-looking fortifications, possibly housing gates and precious resources that are now swarming with demons.

    At least the little monsters aren''t spawning on them, but the more advanced ones are climbing up there to do battle with each other and get a quiet moment to evolve. Two objectives rather at odds with each other.

    To keep Tiny''s mood up, I''ve been letting him go and have a nice therapeutic rampage when we pass close by one, just so he can vent his frustration.

    All this running with too little battling isn''t good for the big ape''s mood and it''s a real downer when he starts pouting all over the ce.

    [I think we''ll cut close by this one,] I tell him, [so go and have some fun. Invidia, back him up, would you please?]

    [I willssssss.]

    [FIGHT!] Tiny cheerfully announces before he starts bounding off, electricity sparking from him.

    I watch him go before turning my attention back to our surroundings. There''s nothing here right now, but that could change in an instant, need to be alert.

    [Do we think they''re on this level?] I ask Al.

    [It is¡­ possible,] he returns, and that''s the best news I''ve had all day. Climbing down those damn pirs is an absolute nightmare.

    [Alright then, we''ll continue our sweep. Let''s hug close to this fortress so we don''t get too far apart. How are you doing, Crinis?]

    [I''m¡­ just fine, Master.]

    [Rubbish. You''re struggling, and that''s fine. Let me know if I can do more to help. Are your senses still sharp?]

    [I''m keeping¡­ an¡­ eye out.]

    [Excellent. That''s all you need to do, alright? Don''t tax yourself.]

    She wouldn''t even have that ice domain if I hadn''t just gone ahead and done it without asking her. Suffering in silence is the Crinis default, and it''s a habit I hope she grows out of. Everyone needs help. Heck, I need it all the time.

    Hopefully, we track those damn demons down soon, because I am building a lot of pent up rage myself, and I can''t wait to unleash it!

 Chapter 1036 1147 - Scent of the Beast

    <h4>Chapter 1036 Chapter 1147 - Scent of the Beast</h4>

    After further hours of roaming back and forth, trying to get a sniff of our prey whilst fending off the endless tide of demons, we finally get another hint.

    It''s Al who manages to catch a glimpse, and he lets us know with his usual even demeanour.

    [I found something,] he says.

    [Oh yeah? Like what?]

    [I believe I have detected a trace of almost pure ash mana. It is¡­ unusual.]

    [Get at the point, man, enough of your waffling!]

    [What are¡­ waffles?]

    [Argh! Damn your endless curiosity! What is so unusual about this ash mana?]

    He res at me, which is quite the intimidating re, I might add, and I know that the question of breakfast foods has only been dyed, not resolved. Nevertheless, he continues.

    [Its purity.]

    I swear to gandalf, I''m about to tten this damn eyeball into a pancake. Perhaps he senses my rising ire, because he borates without further prompting.

    [I suspect it hase from Pyrixan. Only she, that I''m aware of, could manifest such a powerful and concentrated form of that mana.]

    [Goody.]

    Is it nice to know we got a hint of our enemies? Yes, of course, but I''d rather it didn''te in the form of manifested destruction in the form of concentrated ash mana.

    [Where are they?] I sigh.

    [I found the trail at the edge of my awareness. Several kilometres that way.]

    [Holy moly, you can sense that far?]

    [I can.]

    [Impressive stuff. Well, let''s get a bit closer and see if you can sniff out anything as we go.]

    [Agreed¡­. Now, waffles.]

    [Oh for -... fine.]

    We begin a more restrained hike in the indicated direction as I exin to the giant eyeball of me about the joys of breakfast baking. I''ve been told that waffles are great with syrup; personally, I never had the chance to try it, but these are the little details Al is all too happy to gobble up.

    After ten minutes of careful travel, Al pipes up again.

    [It''s them.]

    After all the running around, it''s almost a shock to hear him say it so casually.

    [What? Are you sure?]

    The eyeball res with intensity.

    [I am.]

    [Well¡­ that''s good news! We finally caught up to them! How about that, gang!]

    Tiny gives me an eager thumbs up, Crinis flops a limp tentacle and Invidia simply flutters his wings as he holds his little body aloft, ring into the distance. That serves as a timely reminder that we aren''t in peak shape. Tiny might be eager to battle, but he''s been healed dozens of times over thest few days and isn''t exactly fresh in terms of stamina. None of us have properly rested for three days, which isn''t the worst thing for us to deal with, but we''ve been more or less constantly fighting for that time.

    To top that off, we''re almost certainly walking into a trap.

    I mean, after dragging me all this way down into the bowels of the third, away from my Colony, it had better be a trap. If they went to all this effort just to inconvenience me, that''d be annoying as heck. I fully expect, nay, demand a trap be sprung when I go to fight them.

    [Hey, Al, I just had a thought, is it a trap, if you know it''s a trap?]

    He stares at me.

    [I¡­ am unsure what you mean.]

    [I mean, is the element of surprise an essentialponent of a trap, or is it a trap regardless?]

    Al just looks confused, so I let the matter drop.

    We''ve been doing our best to restrain our mana signatures, Al and I sharing the burden of handling Tiny''s since the big ape can''t do it for himself. As we draw closer and closer to the spot Al has detected our fearsome trio, we redouble those efforts.

    Not that it''s hard to spot us if someone wanted to. Amongst the seething ocean of demons, we stick out like a sore thumb. I''m huge, for one, and we''re covered in a moving purple dome of energy that ttens everything around us.

    Could I bring down the gravity domain in order to make us less conspicuous? Yes, yes I could.

    Will I?

    There is no way in heck I''m bringing that thing down. We''d be swept away in a tidal wave of nibbling demonrvae. No way, no how.

    We creep forward until we crest a ridge of stone, and there, below us, lies a basin filled with dense, burning hot mana, with thick clouds of ash and smoke curling through it like a malevolent snake.

    Even thervae don''t seem to want a part of that basin, since it''s one of the precious few ces the ankle biters don''t appear to spawn.

    [M-master,] Crinis wheezes. [I can sense the enemy¡­.]

    [You mean those three gigantic demons in the pit? Yeah, I can see them.]

    [N-no, not them.]

    [We are surrounded. Interesting.]

    I look behind and I can''t see anything except the seething tides of monsters. Al and Crinis have managed to spot something, though.

    [Surrounded by what? I mean, other than the obvious¡­.]

    [There are strong demons hidden beneath thervae, thousands of them, all around us.]

    [Oh, thank goodness.]

    For a second there, when I saw the three big demons down in the basin, I''d feared the worst. Thankfully, they didn''t let me down. The trap is a bit simple, a little basic overall, but hey, kudos to those demons for being willing to hide beneath the nasty little biters.

    [Alright then, we see them, they see us, I assume, it''s time to get down there and get to business. Tiny? You are not allowed to start fighting until I tell you, alright?]

    He looks disappointed but nods.

    [You do realise these monsters would rip you in half without blinking, right? They''re two tiers more evolved than you.]

    He shrugs.

    [Whenever I can''t decide if you''re brave or stupid, I talk to you and the answer bes crystal clear. Let''s go.]

 Chapter 1037 1148 - Face to Face Except No Faces

    <h4>Chapter 1037 Chapter 1148 - Face to Face Except No Faces</h4>

    In the centre of the basin stand the three biggest, ugliest, most vicious-looking demons I''ve ever pped my thousands of lenses on. Torrifex looks much as I remember him. A brutal, gigantic monster who towers over the rest of us, even Tiny, smoke billowing from his back and curling around his feet.

    Now that he isn''t moving around as much, I can see a little more detail of the big guy. His skin kind of looks cracked, with burning light shining through, as if he''s gotva running through his veins. Those jackalish features aren''t any more appealing than they were before, and his wickedly curved ws tipping each of his four arms don''t look any nicer than they did before.

    His sisters, if anything, are worse.

    Pyrixan is hard to even look at. Not because of her terrifying appearance, but because of the slowly revolving cloud of ash that covers her at all moments. I can catch glimpses of the demon within, and what I see isn''t great. My impression is of a withered blob of flesh covered in eyes, each of them weeping ck ichor.

    Lovely.

    Somonax, on the other hand, appears in her full glory, not bothering to conceal herself beneath cloaks of ash or smoke.

    She''s¡­ terrifying.

    The first thing I see is the des. I mean¡­ there''s a heck of a lot of des. Thousands of the damn things. They swish and swirl through the air in elegant motions, like a dance¡­ of DEATH. Thanks to their movement, I can make out the wire-thin threads that link them back to their host. In the middle, Somonax stands like a spider in the centre of a web.

    Of the three, she''s the most humanoid, two arms, two legs, one head, boring, standard stuff. She''s still huge, of course, as a powerful tier eight monster should be.

    Her face is¡­ well¡­ let''s just say she looks happy! Half of her head is taken up with a wide rictus grin of needle-like teeth, the other half is pretty much just red eyeballs.

    It''s¡­ a unique look.

    A thought intrudes on my mind.

    [Wee, little worm!] Torrifex appears to be in a fine mood, bellowing across the mindbridge the moment I allow it to snap into ce.

    [You''re awfully cheery,] I grumble, [quite different from thest time I saw you. As I recall, you scurried away after I dispensed a right whopping.]

    The gigantic demon doesn''t appear too pleased with this description of events, but his arrogant tone doesn''t alter a whit.

    [The Demon God wished you to be tested, and so you were. I had not been sent to kill you, that is the only reason you still live.]

    [You slithered away like a little worm, that''s the only reason you are alive. And now what? Arconi-butt wanted me tested, and I passed, naturally, and then you drag me down here and trap me with your two sisters, for what, exactly? Is this another test, or have you gone off script?]

    The Ancients want another monster to rise to their level. I don''t know exactly why, but they actively try to create imants to that vacant throne. The Call is just one tool they use, sticking this damn hook in my guts to ''encourage'' me to descend and grow stronger. The various monster cults were literally created by the Ancients for this purpose, putting members of the surface races to the task as well, all to find and foster the twentieth Ancient.

    So it made sense that I, as one they''ve put their greedy eyes on, would be tested. What doesn''t make sense is that after passing the test with flying colours, Arconidem would then want to lure me down here for a rather uneven three vs one battle to the death.

    Which leads me to suspect that Torrifex and his merry crew are no longer acting on the orders of the Demon God. In fact, they may be going against his wishes in a particrly narrow way.

    [The Demon God has ordered this stratum be made clean for his return. You and your Colony are not demon, so you will be removed.]

    [That''s true. But he didn''t order you to kill me, did he?]

    The big demon grins all the wider, the fire beneath his skin growing brighter until mes begin to lick through the cracks in his skin. That''s all the answer I need.

    These morons are jealous that the big daddy demon god paid attention to someone else. As heralds, they were supposed to be the special children, the favourites, but they were sent out to test a piddly little ant.

    Or perhaps they aspire to sit on the throne alongside papa? Be the second demon to ascend to Ancient. Would be a rather special achievement, sure to elevate them in the eyes of Arconi-butt.

    I sigh.

    [Well,e on then. You three are giant sacks of experience and Biomass, just waiting for me to im. You cannot imagine how hard it''s been to afford my mutations.]

    In a separate message, I speak to Al.

    [Make sure you hit them with everything you''ve got. We need to unleash everything we have.]

    To Crinis, Tiny and Invidia: [Keep the reinforcements off my back for as long as possible. Don''t push yourself too far, Crinis, if you don''t survive, I''m going to be super mad at you.]

    [I-I-I-I won''t, Master!]

    [What, won''t survive?]

    [I mean I will!]

    [Good then. Let''s get to it.]

    And just like that, I swagger down into the basin, with three tier eight demons waiting for me. Their auras are staggering, battering me. Torrifex is the same as before, heat and dominance pressing in on me like a vice, but the others are just as bad. The pressure emanating from Pyrixan feels like it''s eating away at me, nibbling at the edges of my mind. Somonax¡­ hoo boy. Violence, blood, murder, death. A manic, rabid, gibbering need to cut and thresh boils the air around her, rolling off in waves that try to push me back as I step forward.

    I resist them all, staring the three of them down as Inguidly click my mandibles.

    [Well then. Shall we?]

    HOOOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLLLLLLL!

 Chapter 1038 1149 - Spend It All

    <h4>Chapter 1038 Chapter 1149 - Spend It All</h4>

    It''s not easy to create and conceal something like a gravity bomb. The raw mana I pour into the damn thing, and its generally unstructured form, don''t exactly lead to a stable, easily hidden spell.

    The gravity bomb has always been a weird bit of magic. I first discovered this technique, and manapression, when I sted a croca beast directly in the face with a ball of pure mana. It''s probably possible to do something simr to a gravity bomb with any sort of mana, a fire bomb, a water bomb, ava bomb, or whatever.

    It''s not like I''m utilising some fancy, gravity only spell-form, all I''m doing is taking a huge chunk of mana and packing it into a dense ball before letting it rip.

    But for some reason, I can''t imagine any other type of mana working nearly as well as my special, purple, crushing magic. Once Ipact it, smush it together, the mana itself takes over, sucking in everything it can get,pacting by itself, just like a ck hole.

    And when I release it, the bomb emits that terrifying pull, consuming the air, stirring up the wind and eating even the light. I can''t possibly imagine any other mana type coulde close to the devastation of this spell!

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLL!

    The bomb screams through the air, creating a vortex of twisting wind as it goes. This one is dense, with a ton of mana packed into it and empowered by the Altar. I didn''t hold back even a little when preparing it, and now that this delectable dish has been served, I hope that these three demons manage to enjoy it.

    By the by, am I shifting forward by any chance?

    I shift my body to look down and, sure enough, my legs are being dragged forward, carving their own little furrows in the ground. In the distance, the bomb continues to fly away from me, and the more I look, the more I realise that I can''t really see it properly. The thing is sucking in so much light, I can''t even see the edges of it anymore, it''s more like a¡­ dark blob, a void, that moves through the air, rocketing toward the target.

    So¡­ this thing is pulling me forward¡­ even though it hasn''t expanded yet¡­.

    Oh¡­ my¡­ Gandalf¡­.

    [Duck for cover! Run! Dig! This is a code purple! CODE PURPLE!]

    So saying, I spin myself around and throw my massive ant frame forward with all my strength. The moment I hit the deck, I start digging into it, face-hands flying as I rip through the rock, moulding it with earth mana as I go.

    Tiny jumps in beside me and starts tearing into the ground with his thick fingers, a look of cold determination on his face, for once. It wasn''t easy to impress on the big ape just how serious a code purple is, but I eventually exined that it would crush all his muscles to nothing and he nearly fainted on the spot.

    [Invidia, are you down here?!]

    [Yesssss.]

    He doesn''t sound happy about it, but I''m d. In just a few seconds, it''s not like we can dig far, but anything is better than leaving ourselves uncovered. I dumped as much gravity mana into this as I could while still concealing the spell. With Invidia helping to hide the mass of power, the bomb absorbed so much mana it had be a pure ck sphere, rotating within me like a cold and indifferent beast.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWLLLLLL!!!!!

    I turn around, my head poking out of the hole we dug just in time to see the bomb zipping over the final metres. The wind has been whipped into an absolute frenzy, to the point the bomb appears to be the centre of a newly formed hurricane. The winds are so fast, I swear I seervae being lifted up into the air by their force, carried away to goodness knows where, or, most unfortunately, thrown toward the centre of the mess.

    I don''t even know what the three demons have done in response to my opening gambit, the chaos caused by the bomb is so total, it''s impossible to pay attention to anything else.

    When it reaches its destination, the bomb flickers for a moment, and I dig my ws as deep into the rock as I can.

    Here ites¡­.

    In a sh, the bomb expands, manifesting itself as a slowly rotating void, like the eye of an all-devouring god.

    Then it expands again.

    My eyes almost boggle out of my head at the size of the thing. This is double the size of my previous biggest bomb¡­. DOUBLE!

    I''m way too close for this! Every damn time, the thing that gets the closest to killing me is my own damn magic!

    As the gravity bomb reaches its full size, the most terrifying pull I''ve ever experienced takes hold, and everything goes wrong. The ground cracks and splits, the air screams,va boils up, only to be dragged into the void.

    Light is gone, sound is gone.

    In the vicinity of the spell, everything is gone.

    Holy moly. What have I created? I''m not sure if I''m more horrified or terrified, as that sickening dragging sensation is working its deadly magic on me as well! I''ve been rather impressed with my new body, but it doesn''t take a genius to figure out that my mass has gone up rather significantly in myst evolution. The Gravity Compressed Diamond is so dense only Tiny canpete with it.

    It''s great stuff, but it doesn''t exactly help when I''m trying to avoid being dragged into a miniature ck hole.

    [Master Grip (IV) has reached level 11]

    Now that helps. Precious Grip, save me now!

    The scene in front of my many-lensed eyes is a nightmare. The ground is being ripped up, the light is disappearing and the air is being dragged in so fast I can''t hear anything except the high-pitched scream. If the wind speed picks up any more, then I''m going to lose an antenna!

    I really should have tested a full strength Gravity Bomb before I let one rip¡­. How many times am I going to fall for this?!

    With a mighty bellow, Tiny thrusts his hands forward and buries his fingers deep into the stone below. Must be nice having unbreakable bones! Now if only he had those bones on the outside¡­.

    Invidia is protected by clinging to the big ape and Crinis is stuck to me. Al¡­ I''m not sure where Al wound up, I hope he can keep himself far enough away.

    Holding tight, I pour every ounce of strength I can muster into holding my ground in the face of the thing that I created.

    With a little luck, even those tier eight demons wouldn''t have managed to survive it.

 Chapter 1039 1150 - Who Survives?

    <h4>Chapter 1039 Chapter 1150 - Who Survives?</h4>

    When the ck hole finally flickers and fades away, I release my death-grip on the rock with a sigh of relief.

    The basin as it had been is pretty much gone. What remains is a twisted, stedndscape, ripped and torn apart by the strength of the gravity bomb. It doesn''t look like I cast a spell, it looks like a natural disaster took ce. This is on the same sort of scale as the mountain-exploding eruption magic I hit the termites with.

    In fact¡­ if I''d cast this bomb inside the mountain, it may have just hollowed the damn thing out.

    Huge chunks of rock have been ripped up, pulled by the unrelenting force of the bomb. They almost look like fingers, curling up from the floor and reaching toward the ce the spell had detonated.

    Phew.

    Considering how much of my precious, non-replenishable Altar resources I poured into that one, the effect needed to be worthwhile! I hardly expect it was enough to kill the tier eight demons, but I''m hoping it was enough to do some damage, at the very least.

    Before the ash, smoke and dust can settle, I emerge from my temporary bunker and begin to cautiously advance. My gravity sense is going crazy as the normal order of the reasserts itself, causing that sense to be useless, but my vague sense of the future is still present and I rely on that as I edge forward.

    [Quite the blow, insect! But not enough!]

    Well¡­ I''m d you''re dumb enough to announce it, and give away your general location via the bridge.

    [Al! Time to go all out. Unleash everything you''ve got on them!]

    With no need to hide anymore, I conjure a wind to st the debris away, clearing the field in an instant.

    The three demons stand defiant.

    A little battered¡­ but defiant nheless. I think Torrifex might be regrowing an arm¡­.

    Somonax appears to be covered in ichor, but I''m not sure that isn''t just her natural state, given all the des. Pyrixan¡­ is still surrounded by a cloud of disintegration death.

    I hadn''t expected that bomb, as devastating as it was, to be enough to finish these powerful demons off, but I''d hoped. Ah well, I guess we go in and do it the old fashioned way.

    I snap my mandibles together before I begin to run forward, while Al gathers power into his eye and unleashes a heatray as thick as a car at Somonax. The grinning demon shes out with her thousand swords, slicing through the mana and cutting the beam apart, but it''s enough cover for me to get closer.

    All of my mind constructs kick into overdrive as they weave innumerable threads of mana, each contributing to the greater whole. I don''t have bottomless gravity reserves, so I''ll need to rely on my omni-elemental construct at times in this fight. The little stuff won''t do, either. Bolts or even spears of ice won''t do squat down here, the demons are resistant to heat as well, which leaves me having to rely on something a little more solid.

    Spears of stone, as dense and thick as I can make them, begin to hurtle at Torrifex. The big demon brushes the first few aside contemptuously, but they don''t stop, and he quickly grows frustrated, fire billowing from his maw.

    I use the chance to close in on Pyrixan, jaws open wide as the swirling cloud of ash sits waiting for me to approach.

    VOID CHOMP!

    Empowered by the Altar, the bite attack is dramatically more powerful. The void forms between my mandibles, drawing Pyrixan in and tearing away fragments of her ash-shield, revealing a little more of the amorphous eye-blob that she is.

    How do you like these apples?!

    My mandibles m shut with a deafening roar and Pyrixan¡­ just takes it. The swirling ash condenses around her and, though it buckles under the weight of my bite, it doesn''t break.

    OUCH!

    I release my grip and leap back as the ash begins to eat into my mandibles, dissolving them just through contact. Nasty stuff.

    But the demoness doesn''t want to let me go, the cloud of ash surges after me like a living thing. Wherever it touches my chitin, it strips away a tiny fragment of the diamond, but enough tiny fragments will add up quickly if I get surrounded by the stuff.

    I pour more power into the gravity domain, but it''s ineffective at keeping the drifting clumps of malevolent mana away, so I turn it off and switch strategies.

    Time to introduce this demon to the business district!

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    I fire wide sts of acid in all directions, coating huge chunks of the ash in the stuff.

    At first, it might seem like a nonsense move, but my acid has some beneficial properties. For starters, it eats away at mana! Not quickly, but it does do it, and secondly, it propagates itself, which means the ash that I shot will be destroyed eventually, the acid won''t run out and isn''t likely to be removed.

    Gweheheheh!

    How do you like that, you disintegrating demon of doom? Give me a little more time and you''ll have no ash left at all!

    Oh wait, she''s producing more.

    DAMMIT.

    With her shield dispersed to attack me, the full glory of Pyrixan is revealed, and I have to say, I''m not a fan. She''s like¡­ a stalk, or¡­ a chunky, twisted and bulbous pir, covered in eyes. From the top of the stalk, a solid stream of ash is emerging, billowing out of her like smoke from a chimney.

    Why the heck do you look so freaky?! Demons have such a ridiculous variety of evolutions and appearances, it''s crazy! Are you really trying to tell me that this thing and Al AND Torrifex all share the same underlying species?! One is an eye made of fire, one is a four armed, smoke-billowing, jackal-headed juggernaught and the other is a¡­ thing.

    Only one solution to this mess.

    More acid!

    As if there''s a holiday special and my produce is marked to clear, I unload rapid-fire acid shots at the demon, the wide area spray covering every possible avenue of escape.

    Of course, Pyrixan doesn''t look that quick, so she doesn''t bother to dodge. Instead, she uses her newly produced ash to form a new shield around herself, which promptly gets coated in acid. So she starts to make more.

    Of course, during this time, I''m still running and dodging from the remnants of the first batch she trained on me.

    So annoying!

    Oh, it looks like Torrifex got sick of smacking my spears away. That exins the giant fireball heading my way.

    EMPOWERED DASH!

 Chapter 1040 1151 - Frantic

    <h4>Chapter 1040 Chapter 1151 - Frantic</h4>

    I skitter out of the way just before the ball of roiling mes detonates in a furious roar, scorching me on the back-zone rather badly. Despite sensing iting, and despite using my empowered dash to basically teleport a hundred metres, I still got burned. That was one big kaboom.

    Using the dextrous aim of my nozzle, I keep firing acid at Pyrixan to keep the pressure on her as I size up against Torrifex who looks like he''s positively boiling beneath his skin.

    A steady stream of heavy-duty stone spears still zips through the air toward him, but he''s countered by enacting some variety of fire domain. As the spears draw closer to him, they twist, melt and warp, deflecting them from their path. He does asionally get sttered with molten rock, but he doesn''t seem to care.

    Might need to rethink the stone strategy.

    [Your life ends here, little worm!]

    [You really need to learn the difference between invertebrates. Especially when you stand in the presence of the strongest kind there is!]

    No matter how you slice the pie, ants are the king, or more appropriately, queen of the insect kingdom. Other bugs, to ants, are just food. After all this time running around on the third and seeing the demons swarming as they have, they are seriously starting to feel like bugs to me.

    Torrifex rushes towards me, his huge frame discing so much air his appearance warps, four savagely wed arms cutting down at once.

    Four separate sets of shes formed by his Skill slice through the air towards me. At the point they meet, I can feel an indomitable might, as if the power from all four shes has been concentrated directly at that point.

    Luckily, my antennae are on the job and I had an inkling this wasing a moment before it did.

    My nervous system fires with impossible speed and I''m moving the second the big demon''s arms are moving forward, dodging to the right. As the cuts whip past me, they carve huge chunks out of the stone, digging a furrow as they travel, as if the rock wasn''t even there.

    I need to retaliate, but I have to be mindful of my resources. Everytime I get a good angle, I unleash a fresh st of acid at Pyrixan, but she continues to sit still and pump out ash like a Victorian factory. Can we get some air quality controls in here?! Sheesh!

    If she manages to reach a critical mass of ash, there won''t be much I can do to slow her down. From what I can see, she can manipte the stuff at will, which means she could chase me down and surround me unless I get far enough out of her range.

    But I can''t devote the time I need to prevent her manufacturing process because I''ve got Torrifex, a massive, unstoppable demon, up in my grille, literally trying to grill me.

    Thinking quick, I pressurise as much water mana as I can before I unleash a torrential jet of water at the huge demon. The second it touches his fire domain, the water evaporates, but I continue to pour it on.

    Soon enough, vast clouds of steam are billowing out everywhere, blocking my view of the target.

    But he can''t see me either, for the moment at least. Time to get Pyrixan!

    I turn and dash, rushing the weird Ash-demon with my mandibles peeled back for another chomp. I''ve got a tiny window here, so I need to make the most of it.

    VOID CHOMP!

    Empowered by the altar, the chomp is once again ridiculously overpowered, but my stock of altar juice is really starting to run low. Even mutated to this point, it can''t keep up with the demands of these high level Skills, especially when it isn''t getting refilled!

    No matter. If I unleash all of my altar power, I refuse to believe it won''t have an effect!

    Surrounded by a growing mound of acid-coated ash, Pyrixan almost appears to have put down roots. She res at me with her many eyes, but I''m resistant to her ire. What I''m not resistant to is the aura of destruction that emanates from her. Even without her ash cloud, it''s eating away at me!

    Thankfully, my body isposed of seriously dense materials. It''s going to take you a while to chew through this carapace!

    With a devastating roar, my mandibles m shut once more, and I can tell she felt it that time. Without the same coverage from her cloud, she wasn''t able to block all of the ridiculous amount of force my chomp applied.

    Stone shatters and the floor beneath us buckles under the pressure as the almighty void chomp is unleashed, and Pyrixan reels back. That hurt her!

    Unfortunately, this next bit is going to hurt me¡­.

    Like a bat out of Hades, Torrifex streaks out of the steam, smoke trailing behind him and a look of pure rage twisting his face. Although, it has to be said, he looks super mad pretty much all the time. This guy needs a massage or something.

    I sensed himing, of course, but I had tomit to putting the hurt on Pyrixan while I had an opening. Looks like I''m going to have to take a hit in exchange.

    Sigh.

    Once again, his four arms sh, this time directly onto my carapace. I do everything I can to minimise the damage, shifting the angle of impact to maximise my defence, dodging at thest possible second, even using a smidge of force mana to shield from the blow.

    It doesn''t help much.

    Pain explodes in my side as I''m sent reeling through the air. Like an ant-shaped missile, I''m sted away, flying hundreds of metres before I m into a stone pir, sending showers of stone and dust flying.

    Holy moly! He just embedded me into the side of a mountain! Who does he think he is? Godzi!?

    Legs waggling, I pry myself out from the rock and drop down the ins below before I dash back toward the fight. I can''t leave Al there by himself. He''s been one on one with Somonax all this time, and as much as I''d like to believe he''s holding his own, I really don''t think that''s the case.

    My side aches fiercely and I don''t hesitate to activate my healing nd to repair the damage.

    It''s not super easy to look at the side of my body, but I can tell he managed to crack the gravitypressed diamond, a super impressive feat. If I''d skimped out and opted for a cheaper material, I may well have been cut in half in that moment.

    Viva the spending!

 Chapter 1041 1152 - Turn the Tables

    <h4>Chapter 1041 Chapter 1152 - Turn the Tables</h4>

    As it turns out, Al is not doing all that great. The amount of fire mana the eyeball can bring to bear is absurd, and the concentrated beams he produces would punch a hole in just about any monster I''ve ever seen.

    But Somonax just doesn''t seem to care. Whatever the hell those wires on her back are, she can work up some serious momentum as she whips her thousand des about. As far as I can see, those sword-like appendages have a few effects built into them.

    For one, they can obviously cut through mana with ease, since she''s gleefully slicing everything Al sends her way. For two, whatever they and the wires are made from, it sure as heck isn''t a material native to the third. I refuse to believe something that advanced isn''t more expensive than what a demon is given naturally. Third, and I''m not sure how she does this, but she can clearly control them independently.

    All thousand of them.

    Luckily for me, they appear to only have a range of fifty metres or so, otherwise, she could probably be slicing up me and Al at the same time. If I were to hazard a guess, Somonax has a ratherrge chunk of brain matter hidden away in her demonic pocket dimension, simr to Invidia, but unlike Invidia, all that grey matter is devoted to whip and de control.

    It''s an incredibly straightforward strategy, one I''m sure she''s poured a ton of her evolutionary energy into. Many de, de cut good, more de, more shy.

    It''s like if Tiny were obsessed with swords instead of fists and muscles.

    Somonax probably has more going on under the hood than just this, but I don''t have the time for a more in depth examination, since Torrifex has spotted me again.

    POW! POW! POW! POW!

    Now that I''m in range and Pyrixan is still refusing to move, I oblige her by resuming my rapid fire bombardment of acid in her general direction. At this point, she''s surrounded by a disgusting, bubbling mass of acid and ash, like a particrly noxious swamp. The acid approach was my best approach by far, but I can tell that I''m losing the battle. The demon probably doesn''t feel the need to move since she feels all she has to do is sit and pump out ash until she eventually has enough that I can''t fight back.

    As aggravating as it is, I don''t have the time to devote to slowing her down, since Torrifex is about to st me with another fireball of doom.

    Give me a break already!

    He doesn''t. Real shocker there.

    Empowered Dash!

    I get my butt out of dodge and once again get singed on the backzone for my trouble. The area behind me is a scorched, still-burning crater after that shot. I mean, more than it was before. The third stratum generally adheres to a ''sted wastnd'' sort of aesthetic, but after being exploded by a gigantic fireball of doom, it has achieved a whole new level.

    Well, my n from the beginning was to unleash all of my resources as quickly as possible and this seems like an appropriate time to follow through.

    I didn''t spend those precious seconds running back to the fight idly considering how Somonax has mutated and evolved.

    Well, I did do that, but thanks to having multiple mind-constructs I can do multiple things at a time. Like make two separate gravity bombs.

    I line up the two demons and unleash the two bombs, empowering both for good measure.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOOWLLLLLLLLL!

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWLLLLLLLLL!

    These are obviously much smaller than the supermassive effort I started the fight with, but empowered by the altar, they''ll do a lot of work if they connect.

    Once again, Pyrixan doesn''t seem to want to move, covering herself in her cloud to absorb the blow.

    Torrifex, though¡­ he does seem as if he wants to dodge, but having just unleashed his fireball, he needs a moment to recover. He''ll be able to avoid the point of impact, sadly, but he''ll be close enough that the after effects will be difficult for him to avoid.

    Which is good enough.

    The two bombs reach their destinations and expand, unleashing their full fury. Once again, we are treated to the shrieking wind and groaning stone as the forces of gravity run wild, tearing everything apart to sate an insatiable hunger.

    Once again, I have to note that two bombs don''t seem to y nice with each other. Everything caught exactly between the two spells is rtively fine, since gravity is basically bnced out there, but that''s a razor thin line to tread. Everything else is just getting shredded.

    [PITIFUL INSECT!] Torrifex roars in fury. [I will REND YOU!]

    [You should focus on surviving. I would, in your position.]

    With those two dealt with for the time being, I need to turn my attention to Somonax. I''m sure Al would appreciate the help.

    I''m really starting to run low on resources here¡­ that reminds me.

    [Hey, Invidia! Have you finishedying the groundwork?]

    [The ground isssss alssso mine!]

    [I mean¡­ sure? But are you done?]

    [Almosssst.]

    [Fantastic.]

    That idiot better be right about this. If not¡­ I guess it won''t matter if not.

    [Alrighty, Al! I''m here to help! How are th-]

    HOLY MOLY!

    My antennae explode with sensation, and a tenth of a secondter, a wall of swords descends on me. I whip all my legs beneath my body after throwing myself to the side.

    WHAM!

    Oof! That one stung. The force ms me down into the ground, allowing me to skip the ''stop'' and ''drop'' and getting straight to the ''roll''. Which I do. That was nasty! I think she managed to cut a chunk out of my precious carapace!

    [Al? You still kicking?]

    [I don''t have legs¡­]

    [That''s not¡­ never mind. Are you ali- well clearly you''re alive. How are things going?]

    [Not¡­ well.]

    [Great.]

 Chapter 1042 1153 - Overwhelmed

    <h4>Chapter 1042 Chapter 1153 - Overwhelmed</h4>

    Somonax''s face is twisted into a permanent grin, her needle-pointed teeth as long as a man''s arm shing in the red light. From her back, the thousand wires spring, each connected to one of a thousand des.

    I''ve used almost all of my Altar energy to tie down Torrifex and Pyrixan for the moment, but I''m doubtful those two bombs will be strong enough to kill them, which means I need to make the most of this two-on-one time I have with this demon of endless ughter.

    [Alright, Al. If you''ve got anything left to give, you better give it now. I''m going to run in and see what I can get done.]

    [I will try.]

    I''m keen to give him a motivational talk, a bit of the ol'' ''there is no try'' stuff, but I don''t have it in me right now. I knew running headlong into the tier eight demons was going to be tough, but right now, I feel like I''ve unleashed everything I have and they''re just taking it. Once my Altar runs dry, they''ll be able to squash me like a pancake at festival time.

    Time to go for it!

    Somonax grins¡­ or¡­ just maintains her normal expression, as I turn and rush directly at her,unching a barrage ofpressed stone spears as I do.

    Those des make quick work of the projectiles, shards of stone go flying in all directions as each spear is detonated when cut. I knew she''d be able to defend herself, all I wanted to do was tie down at least some of her limbs as I made my approach.

    Dash!

    I lunge forward with all my speed the moment I pass within the range of her wires, and it''s a good thing I do. From a dozen different directions, hundreds of those gleaming red des sh down and the best direction for me to dodge is forward.

    Even so, I get a few slices on the rear-guard for my trouble.

    Seriously? Why always themercial zone?! Doesn''t matter, push forward.

    The barrage of stone spears continue, and each one is expertly shattered by a sh from the demon. She''s not even moving her body at the moment, because she doesn''t have to. I can''t hurt her unless I get closer, and doing so ys right into her strengths.

    My future-sight antennae are on fire as I receive tingling warnings of hundreds and hundreds of individual movements at once. Even with so many brain constructs to process the input, I''m struggling to keep up!

    I roll to my left, leap forward, drop low, then rush forward again, my ws gripping so hard I rip chunks of stone out of the ground every time I change direction. The closer I get, the faster and more concentrated the de attacks be, until I feel I''m facing a storm of swords rather than a demon. She''s basically making a solid wall in front of me! I can''t push forward without getting cut!

    Well, time to put the gravitypressed diamond to the test. I didn''t harden my defences this much to shy away from a few little shes!

    Here we go!

    Six legs blur as I rumble toward the enemy, my jaws pulled back ready to bite. Immediately, a rain of deses down on me, battering into my carapace a thousand times a second.

    Oof!

    I stagger, but continue to move. From behind, a concentrated hyper-beam of burning light erupts from Al, spearing toward the demon. Somonax tilts her head and gathers her des, parrying at thest second, slicing through the mana.

    A chance!

    VOID CHOMP!

    The jaws of dark light manifest themselves and begin to close on Somonax, but the demon doesn''t seem afraid.

    THUNK!

    Two hundred swordse down together, concentrating their force on a single point as they attempt to stab through my carapace. The force of the strike sends my legs sying wide and the underside of my carapace ms into the ground, but I maintain my attack.

    For her trouble, the demon has managed to sink her weapons almost thirty centimetres into my carapace, almost enough to get through, but nobody wins a prize for ''almost''!

    Eat mandibles, you grinning demon!

    With a thunderous roar, my jaws m shut, but I don''t get the feedback I was looking for. What happened?!

    I cast about wildly until I realise where the enemy went. She''s above me! She jumped out of the chomp?!

    Spinning in the air, Somonax pulls her thousand des together, forming them into a gigantic point that she aims straight at my midsection before plummeting down with the force of aet.

    I still can''t believe how fast that dodge was. Not only is she so crazy strong, she''s fast. Dammit!

    Well, I can be fast too.

    Empowered Dash!

    My Altar is gasping for energy at this point, but I zip from beneath the strike a half-second before the demonnds, smashing the rock and sending boulders andva soaring into the air.

    Holy moly! That was close¡­.

    Wait a second, is it getting dark out here, or is it just me? My minds spin as I try to keep up with everything happening and the sheer overload of sensory information, along with managing my constructs and spells as I cast for something I can use to my advantage.

    The gravity bombs have burned out and expired, which means Torrifex and Pyrixan are free once more and I didn''t manage tond so much as a mandible on Somonax.

    Stupid demons, why do they have to make this so difficult?!

    From behind me, a dark cloud rises into the sky and my poor ant heart sinks in my chest. What at first seems like a pir, towering a kilometre into the sky quickly transforms into a tidal wave that curves down toward me.

    I can hear the rushing sound as a wall of air is pushed back into me by the overwhelming ash cloud.

    Where the heck did thise from?! Pyrixan was holding this back all along?! That''s cheating!

    My minds churn and I create a barrier of stone that wraps over me into a hollow dome that I frantically reinforce just before the ash breaks like a wave and washes over the battlefield, burying everything in ayer of ash.

    Immediately, I can feel my defensive stone begin to copse as the power of destruction consumes it like a potent acid.

    My mind constructs burn as I pour every ounce of mana I can get my hands on into reinforcing the stone and thickening it. Anything to keep that damned ash from touching my shiny carapace!

 Chapter 1043 1154 - Very Intelligent

    <h4>Chapter 1043 Chapter 1154 - Very Intelligent</h4>

    Hunkered down in my little bunker, I can''t see much, or even sense much, with the surroundings filled with ash, so it''s no surprise that Torrifex''s fireball takes me by surprise.

    A brief sh of powerful fire mana, followed by my stone barrier glowing cherry red then melting away is all the warning I get. Even my antennae don''t give me enough of a heads up to do anything about it. All I can do is curl over like a pill-bug and hope for the best as the devastating fire erupts all around me.

    Quite naturally, I''m sent flying by the force of the explosion.

    My legs waggle in the air beneath me as I try to get my bearings and assess the damage. Firstly, HOT! That was a spicy meata-ball! I''m literally smoking, there is smokeing off my carapace.

    Stupid demons! How dare they sully my shininess with their pitiful magic? I''ll make them pay! Or, I''d like to make them pay, but perhaps not right at this moment. Looking down, I can see the vast ocean of dense ash clouds waiting for me tond in them, and I''m not too keen on the experience.

    Shield mana! Don''t fail me now!

    With so many mind-constructs churning constantly, I manage to create the shield beneath my legs just as I reach the peak of my arc, before I begin to descend.

    Holy moly, I really got shot high up. I might be able to see my house from up here!

    Of course, this means I''m stuck in in sight, about fifty metres off the ground.

    Beneath me, three tier eight demons re upward with hungry gazes. Torrifex is so mad he''s practically boiling, I swear if he gets any more red he''s going to explode. Or maybe he''s just preparing another massive fireball to detonate me in mid-air.

    Yep, that''s definitely what he''s doing.

    Please, Invidia, I hope to goodness you''ve finished your work. I also hope that idiot can do what she said she can do. Otherwise I''m going to thwack her right into the next century!

    Torrifexunches his fireball, and at thest possible moment, I dive from my tform and freefall downward. Behind me, the fireball detonates like a miniature sun. A very angry, rage-filled sun.

    My entire vision is filled with red, but I don''t allow it to distract me. Sunk deep into meditation, I let my fears and worries slide from my thoughts and concentrate on what I need to do.

    I''ll only have one shot at this and I need to make it perfect.

    My brains burn fiercely as I push them as hard as I can, sucking in mana, pumping it into the contructs I''m maintaining, and weaving the resulting mana into the spells I need. It''s mind-meltingly difficult, but I need to get it done before I hit the ground.

    Which is in about one second. Everything happens at once.

    A wave of ash rises to meet me, followed closely by a thousand des shing upward, seeking to pierce me through. A great rushing sound vibrates along my antennae to the point I can''t hear anything else.

    I couldn''t have asked for a better chance than this, all three of them, packed so tightly together. I can do this! All I need to do is survive, which¡­ should be fine?

    The thousand des of Somonax crash into me at once, smashing me from every side simultaneously. A momentter, the ash cloud envelops me and I can''t see anything but ck, and can''t feel anything but pain.

    Somonax manages to cut massive grooves into my diamond carapace, but not enough to get all the way through. Not on that strike, at least. After that, the destruction properties in the ash take over and I feel like I''ve been dipped in acid.

    It''s very unpleasant.

    My HP drops precipitously and continues to fall as time passes. When I finally manage to hit the ground, I''m down to half, which is worrying, but it''s greater than zero. So I win.

    Take this, you fools!

    Doing my best impression of Pyrixan, a colossal burst of mud explodes outward from me just as I contact the ground. As ifunched from a geyser, the brown, mucky substance rises like a tidal wave before it crashes down, carrying everything with it.

    In that instant, everything around me is coated in a thickyer of mud, including the three demons.

    FLASH HARDEN!

    One moment, I''m surrounded by goopy mud, the next, it has frozen solid, hardening like concrete in the blink of an eye.

    Of course, concrete isn''t going to keep tier eight demons still for long. I think I have¡­ one second?

    [TINY, CRINIS, INVIDIA! LET''S GOOOOOOO!]

    Quick as a thought, I summon my pets before I reach out to the nebulous connection I maintain with my most irritating student.

    [Get your pretentious butt in here right now!]

    There''s a purple and pink sh, followed by a strange pop, and a little ant manifests directly on my head.

    "It isn''t pretentious if you''re BRILLIANT!" she cries.

    "No time for stupid! Do it!"

    Thankfully, she doesn''t waste any time on further words and I feel her mana swirling. Quickly, it resonates with the enchanted pods Invidia removed from his mouth and buried around the basin.

    I have no idea what was in them, liquid of some kind and a bunch of inscriptions, from the sense I got with them, but now that Brilliant is working her spell, I can feel an absolute torrent of power unleashed from them.

    At the same moment, the three demons break free, but it''s already toote.

    Lightning shes, my vision blurs to nothing.

    Tiny, Crinis and Invidia reach my side just as we are ripped from our location in space and moved to somewhere rather different.

    [Tiny?]

    [Hrrr?]

    [Were you always a cat?]

    [HRRRR?!?!?!]

    "My bad! One second!" Brilliant cackles.

    Another sh and we are back in the third stratum. But not quite where we left.

 Chapter 1044 1155 - The Adoring Crowd

    <h4>Chapter 1044 Chapter 1155 - The Adoring Crowd</h4>

    I don''t even need to look to know where we''vended. Before sight returns to my eyes, I heave a sigh of relief.

    Through my Vestibule, a torrent of energy floods in. The Nave hums with power, and soon enough, the Altar begins to rapidly fill. That''s not all. My fatigue washes away, my acid and regeneration nd replenish at absurd speed, allowing me to trigger another wave of healing that makes my body thrum with vigour.

    That crazy little ant actually pulled it off. She told me she was getting close to mastering dimensional travel, that the Colony would soon have gates, but her ability to pop in and out of ces was growing stronger all the time.

    Before, she was able to take me along with her, but now she can bring along a few more for the ride.

    Tiny, Invidia, Crinis and Al have all made it back safely through the dimensional jump. We''ve arrived back at the top of the third stratum, between two cities held by the Colony. Safety.

    Of course, us five weren''t the only ones Brilliant managed to bring back.

    Not far away, Torrifex, Somonax and Pyrixan stand enraged and confused. I can''t me them for that, being whipped through dimensions is more than a little unnerving. Disorienting doesn''t really cover it either. If I were to describe it, I''d say it''s kind of like having your brain pulled inside out and then snapped back the right way. It''s going to take them a moment to recover, and I''m d for it. I need to get some HP back.

    Of course, I''ll be able to fire the regeneration nd every minute or so, considering how many ants are around. There are millions of them, and they aren''t even that far away.

    In fact, there''s several hundred thousand arrayed all around us.

    While I pull in energy as fast as I can, the ants waste no time in making their presence felt. I''m too far away to hear themand be issued, but in short order, the sky is filled with a barrage of acid quite unlike anything I''ve ever seen before.

    In a wide circle, thousands and thousands of ants lift their abdomens, take aim, and fire. Huge jets of concentrated formic acid rise into the air, then hang for a moment, before they begin to descend. I wouldn''t describe it as a rain of acid necessarily, or even a deluge. It''s more like the sky became acid, and then fell.

    Before the demons can orient themselves, megalitres of formic acid crash down on their heads, obscuring them from sight. Quickly followed by the second barrage, then the third.

    If they had enough in the tank, the Colony could probably produce an ocean of the stuff here and now, but sadly, the scouts who specialise in this sort of long range bombardment can''t keep it up for long. After the fifth shot, they''re out of juice and the ce the demons had been standing is literally awash with hissing, sizzling acid.

    I watch all of this take ce after scurrying to a safe distance, still hoovering in mana and churning it through constructs, preparing my next spell.

    I think the acid wee will certainly hurt the massive demons, but I don''t think it''ll be enough to destroy them. I need to be ready.

    From deep within the newly formed acidke, bubbles begin to rise as the dark liquid stirs ominously. More and more bubbles rise, and soon, the entire pool is a frothing, boiling mass.

    From deep within, a sphere of pure fire rises, surrounded by a cloud of acidic gas as the fluid in contact with the shield itself is immediately vaporised. I can already sense the surging ash within the mes. The three demons aren''t happy.

    When the trio emerge into the open, their suffocating auras batter into me, even more intense than they were before. Things aren''t going ording to n, and I don''t think the heralds are all that happy about it.

    The air itself seems to burn around Torrifex as he seethes with fury, his skin shifting and bubbling as the fire within him rages out of control.

    Pyrixan has transformed into a column of pure ash, the aura of destruction emanating from her is so thick even the acid vapour is dissolved to nothing as it draws close to her.

    Somonax is the most terrifying. Her bloodlust has be so thick the air around her has be tainted red. Each of her des glows bright, twisting around her as if each has a mind of its own.

    It''s an intimidating sight, but the Colony didn''t only bring ants to this party. From the encircling army emerges a host of demons, almost all of them tier six. These are the demons who live in Colony upied territory and remain free from Arconidem''spulsion.

    From long range, they unleash their fury, a torrent of fire and ash and rage that covers the three heralds once again.

    Even at tier eight, being besieged by thousands of weaker monsters must be a massive pain in the backzone. After the torrid fight we''ve been through, they can''t be in their peak condition, but even so, I know that this won''t be enough.

    As the demons pour out their firepower, I watch carefully for any hint of motion. My brains feel like they''re melting, pushed to the limit, each of my dozens of mind constructs is frantically working to draw in mana and add it to the spell I''m preparing.

    The spell itself is beginning to be hard to control as I pack more and more power into it. To provide enough power, I had to create a gravity mana construct, and that thing is positively humming with all the raw mana I''m pumping into it.

    As I work, I keep one eye on the Altar, watching as the precious, precious energy refills rapidly. With this many ants around, I''m practically overflowing with Will.

    All I need is for the three demons to be pinned down for a few more seconds!

    [ENOUGH!] Torrifex booms, his mental roar so powerful it ttens many of the demons and ants t against the ground.

    [The demon godmands you obey! AND YOU SHALL!]

    He res at the demons who dared to attack him and his sisters, as if his eyes alone were enough to destroy their Will and force them to sumb to Arconidem. Perhaps he does have some method to affect them. Pity I''ll never know.

    [Arconibutt has got nothing to say until he can drag his sorry backside up here and say it himself!]

    My own mental bellow isn''t quite at the same level as the herald''s, but it''s enough to carry across the field of battle.

    [Now get squished!]

    Empowered by the Altar, I unleash the greatest, most concentrated Gravity Well I''ve ever made.

    The demons are engulfed in a pir of darkness from which not even light can escape.

 Chapter 1045 1156 - Crushed

    <h4>Chapter 1045 Chapter 1156 - Crushed</h4>

    Honestly, even I''m impressed by the spell I''ve created. The Gravity Well is as dense and packed full of mana as I can make it, emptying out what was left in my gravity mana nd, as well as whatever I could gather and push through the construct.

    Every drop of energy that had gathered in the Altar was also sucked into it the moment I opted to empower it. The new mutation gives even more power to gravity spells, really kicking the effect up a notch.

    The end result is a pir of pure darkness, crushing the three heralds with a truly mind-boggling amount of force.

    All I can really do is stand and watch¡­.

    Unlike the gravity bomb, there isn''t a need to fear for my life, since the strength and force of the well is controlled by me, but it isn''t like I can just throw stuff into it willy-nilly either. Goodness knows what would happen if I tried¡­ certainly not me since I''ve never tested.

    [How''s it going in there?] I decide to fish for a mind bridge connection, but I don''t find one, so instead I just broadcast toward the pit in which the demons are currently being ttened.

    I don''t get a response¡­ so I assume they aren''t feeling as talkative as they were a minute ago. I can still sense them in there, though, so I know they''re still alive.

    I have a worrying feeling that even this isn''t going to be enough. My mind-constructs feel limp, as if they''re all slumped over a table with their faces buried in lukewarm, microwaved curry, but I kick them back into action.

    Stupid my-own-brains, we can restter! Besides, all of your fatigue is being washed away by the pure energies of the Colony, and all the other weirdos who wound up in the Nave. Time to stop feeling sorry for myself and start pumping out more mana!

    With so many ants around, even the Altar is refilling with power at a steady rate.

    I quietly amass power and mana while I wait. Watching this happen is kind of cool, but also¡­ sort of boring? It''s not like the Gravity Bomb where the wind is howling and everything is going nuts¡­. The pir of darkness just¡­ stands there¡­ and the demons are stuck at the bottom of it, being squished by the force.

    After a while, I let my legs sy out and rest my carapace on the ground, idly triggering a fresh wave from the regeneration nd to patch me up. I''ve noticed the repairs from the fluid released by the nd take a lot longer to fix up my new carapace whenpared to the old one. Presumably, the issue is with density. Thankfully, I have some mutations on the ting to help pick up the ck, but I may need to look at other solutions.

    [Come on now¡­. How are things?] I broadcast again.

    No response.

    [Arconidem is a butt!]

    [YOU DA- Arrrrrgh!]

    Oho! Still kicking in there, just not enjoying himself very much. I almost feel sorry for the three of them, or I would if they hadn''te so close to turning me into Biomass.

    [I put everything I had into that spell. You''ll be lucky to make it out.]

    [But when I do, you are FINISHED!]

    [I guess we''ll find out¡­.]

    Yup, all three of them are still kicking. I''m impressed. Also¡­ when the heck is this spell going to end? Surely soon¡­.

    I better work a little harder gathering mana.

    As I do, I decide to pick myself up and skitter a little closer to the pir in order to get a better sense of the demons. The closer I get, the more the gravity sense in my antennae goes absolutely bonkers, which is a bit distracting, but I manage to channel it out.

    All around, the thousands upon thousands of demons and ants watch from a safe distance, barely moving as they wait for the result.

    I feel a little self conscious.

    Probably, somewhere out there, a damned ant is already working on a prototype sculpture to capture the moment.

    "No statues, dammit!" I roar with my pheromones, but there''s nobody close enough to smell it.

    Oh, the spell is ending. I can see it flickering a little at the edges. Over the next twenty seconds, the force of the spell drains away and visibility returns. As thest vestiges of the spell fade away, I tense, but I sense no movement from the three demons.

    After another few seconds, I step forward and peer down into the hole created by the well.

    About ten metres below me, atop a packed and superpressed surface of rock, the three demons re up at me¡­ from their positions wedged into the stone.

    [You good?]

    More res.

    They don''t look all that good. The three of them may have survived, but not by much. I have to give it to them, they''ve been significantly tougher than I expected them to be. Good for them.

    [Alright then, herees round two!]

    Well, the first spellsted long enough that I''ve managed to put together another one. It isn''t quite as dense, and I don''t have the same oomph from the Altar, but it should do the job.

    For funsies, I invert the direction of the force and extend the pir all the way to the ceiling of the stratum.

    After a few moments, the three demons are yanked from their sconces on the floor and then whipped upward with truly shocking speed until they m into the roof.

    [You have in level 601 Unique Monster ''Torrifex'']

    [You have in level 615 Unique Monster ''Somonax'']

    [You have in level 628 Unique Monster ''Pyrixan'']

    [You have gained XP.]

    [You have reached level¡­ ]

    [You have reached level¡­ ]

    [You have reached level¡­ ]

    [You have reached level¡­ ]

    [You have reached level¡­ ]

    Ahhhh. Precious levels. Haven''t had such a rush of these in quite a long time. And three unique monsters? Even more delicious.

    [You have reached level¡­ ]

    [You have reached level¡­ ]

    [You have reached level¡­ ]

    [You have reached level¡­ ]

    [You have reached level¡­ ]

    [You have reached level¡­ ]

    But that''s¡­ seriously a lot of levels¡­.

 Chapter 1046 1157 - An Unexpected Visitor in the Nave Area

    <h4>Chapter 1046 Chapter 1157 - An Unexpected Visitor in the Nave Area</h4>

    A great sense of relief floods through me as the notifications continue to rain down. In the end, my overwhelming gravitic magic, empowered by my Altar, was able to be the difference maker, just like I hoped it would.

    Honestly, the power I get from the Altar, and the unbelievable strength of the gravity spells, feels a little like cheating, especially whenbined. It feels like it wasn''t that long ago I was just a little, midget hatchling, scraping out a living hiding on ceilings and fighting for my life against the w-centipedes.

    With this evolution, I feel like I''ve finally tipped the scale. Now I can annihte monsters even more highly evolved than I am!

    MUAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!

    All I need is hundreds of thousands, preferably millions of my siblings standing around cheering me on, ambushing my opponents and helping me whip them through dimensions in order to set up perfect conditions for the fight.

    Yessssssss. My strength shall shake the heavens! Or more appropriately, the depths!

    Wait¡­ what about the Biomass!?

    When the Well fades away, I keep a keen eye out and manage to see the precious, precious Biomass falling from the roof of the stratum. Must collect! If itnds on the ins, it''ll be consumed in an instant by a gajillionrvae, producing the strongest mini-demons this stratum has ever seen.

    With a tremendous amount of effort, inverted gravity bolts and tforms, I manage to collect the food in one ce and hold it floating above my head, away from the ravenous gremlins.

    There must be thousands of points of Biomass here, I will not allow it to be wasted! I still have so much mutating to do!

    [You have done a great thing here today,] Al says, connecting a bridge with me as he floats over. [The heralds would have stopped at nothing to purge your people from this ce, and pushed all the demons into following Arconidem''s Will. Here, at least, there will be some respite.]

    Such a nice thing to say. Ever since I heard about it, what that Ancient bumface has been doing has rubbed me the wrong way. It''s good to know that the demons in the Colony''s territory will have a little respite at least.

    [You''re wee,] I say. [I''m d I could help out your people and keep my siblings safe at the same time. I suppose you still have to deal with thepulsion, but at least you won''t have those big morons chasing you around and trying to force it on you. How is that going for you, by the way? Still holding alright?]

    [It has been¡­ difficult, to maintain my presence of mind, at times. The power of Arconidem has been growing as the mana levels continue to rise. Right now¡­ hmm¡­]

    The fiery eyeball trails away and I watch him in confusion. I don''t think I''ve ever seen Al run out of words. He seems to be thinking¡­ about something. In fact¡­ I think he''s going to close his eye!

    [Don''t! Stay with me Al, what''s going on?!]

    I don''t want to look into that void again. Never again!

    [I... am confused. Thepulsion from Arconidem¡­ I am not feeling it clearly at the moment. In fact, I am barely feeling it at all¡­.]

    [Huh. That''s surprising. It''s a good thing, though, right?]

    [It is¡­. But I do not know why.]

    Ah, I can see that''s super bothering him. For a demon who wants to know everything, being unable to exin how something this significant has urred must be vexing.

    [Well, if you can figure it out, let me know. If we can get more demons to free themselves from thepulsion, that''d be great.]

    I wonder¡­.

    [Hey, Invidia,] I say to my friend over our privatemunication channel. [Are you experiencing thepulsion from Arconidem anymore?]

    The little wings of my favourite Envy demon flutter a little as he ponders.

    [It isssss gone.]

    Huh. Well, that''s great news!

    [That''s fantastic! We should celebrate!]

    I feel a huge weight lift off my carapace knowing that Invidia, for some weird reason, is free from the invidious grip of the big butt from below. I don''t know why the Ancient is so keen on sending all of his kind on a rampage in the third, but I''m not a fan. If there was one demon I wanted to be free, it was Invidia.

    [All right. Let''s head on back to the nest and get some rest. It''s been a long few days.]

    Ain''t that the truth. After the emotional rollercoaster I''ve been on, even I''m exhausted.

    Under the watchful eyes of hundreds of thousands of ants and tens of thousands of demons, I gather up my team and we make our way back toward the nest. I bring the Biomass along for the ride, of course.

    To make travelling easy, I utilise the gravity domain until thankfully, blessedly, we make our way back into the giant nest beneath Roklu without any further incident.

    Naturally, we are the centre of attention as we wander through the gates. All the ants and, surprisingly, not a small number of demonse to check us out as we make our way inside. I can only assume word of our deeds has gone on before us and the news of the dead heralds has spread wide through the Colony already.

    When we finally manage to get into a private chamber, the four of us, along with Al, slump to the ground. I''m too tired to even eat, despite the wealth of Biomass waiting to be consumed.

    Well, I''d better get started on it anyway.

    [Come on, everyone, let''s eat and then get some sleep.]

    [Are you sure, Master? We are fully mutated, we don''t need it like you do.]

    I wave an antenna to dismiss her concern.

    [That''s tier eight Biomass and you guys are only tier six. That''s going to be a metric bum-load of points for you guys. I mean, I need the points, but it''s more efficient to give it to you.]

    We nom away at it, but end up having to stop halfway through. It''s just too much food.

    As I settle in for some nice, restful torpor, I decide to take a peek in the nave, have a look around the Colony before I sleep.

    To my surprise, I see Al in there, staring at me.

    What the heck?!

 Chapter 1047 1158 - Ball Sports?

    <h4>Chapter 1047 Chapter 1158 - Ball Sports?</h4>

    After thinking about it for a while, I decide I don''t want to think about it anymore and get some sleep.

    I mean, there''s humans in there already, why not some demons? Who cares, the more the merrier. All that good stuff.

    There''s definitely some serious ramifications to something like this, but I can''t work out what they are, so I''m going to stop trying.

    When we wake up, we consume the second half of the Biomass, and then go back to sleep again. When I awake the second time, I see I''m thest to get up; Al has already taken off somewhere while Tiny, Invidia and Crinis have just been enjoying each other''spany, or so I assume.

    To my surprise, someone else has decided to show their face.

    "Sloan? Didn''t expect to see you here. Don''t you have some stuff to deal with? Like¡­ the wave and such?"

    The general gives herself a little shake and lets out a smallugh.

    "You don''t think you''re important, Eldest?"

    What a ridiculous question.

    "All I''m doing is sleeping. There''s nothing important going on here."

    "And what about the powerful demons you took down to save the Colony on this stratum?"

    "Well, that was yesterday. Don''t live in the past, Sloan, it''s the future that we need to be concerned with."

    Another little shake.

    "Well, it''s good that I came here to talk to you about the future then. There''s something I''d like you to look into, Eldest."

    "Really? I thought I''d be heading down to the fourth as soon as possible to help relieve the pressure there. Things must be getting nuts down in the deep."

    The little general nods her head.

    "Oh, they are, but I''d like you to head up, to the second."

    "To the second?! Why?"

    She leans forward a little conspiratorially.

    "We think we may have identified another unique individual."

    Ah, nards.

    "She''s not as crazy as Brilliant, is she?"

    Sloan hesitates.

    "Nnnnooooo?" she says, extremely unconvincingly.

    I stare down at her.

    "She''s not like Brilliant," the general assures me, "but she''s certainly not¡­ usual."

    "borate."

    "She''s some variety of general. A great leader, with unique and unconventional strategies. She''s been exceptionally sessful. Her team is undefeated in every training exercise, including every Tunnel Ball match they''ve been part of. The fans are calling them ''the Endless'' in honour of their win-streak."

    Interesting. A general this time, huh? I''m not mad about that. There''s something about the glint in Sloan''s eye that I find a bit odd.

    "What''s the matter, Sloan? Not happy to be shown up in the strategy department?"

    "Hmph," the general flips her antennae haughtily. "Her tactics may be unexpected, but her grasp of overall strategy is stillcking."

    "For now."

    "Y-yes¡­ for now."

    "So what do you want me to do, head up there and¡­ what? Take her under my wing? Pass on my grand knowledge of warfare and how to lead armies?"

    "No, of course not."

    That''s a little hurtful.

    "I want you to beat her!" the general deres, cking her mandibles with sudden passion. "Learning from failure is a key element in the Colony''s education, but she refuses to lose! Someone needs to put her in her ce ¡ª I mean teach her a valuable lesson."

    I give her an even stare.

    "You want me to go up to the second stratum to beat down on some ants barely out of training? And I should be doing this instead of going down to help our siblings on the fourth stratum?"

    "You know it''s valuable to the Colony to ensure these individuals are raised as carefully as possible. So far, you''ve been involved each time and, as a result of your training, they''ve made great strides and contributions to the family. I''m sure this time will be no different."

    "Do you have any idea how painful it''s going to be for me to go up there? Being in the third isn''t exactlyfortable."

    "Your core is starving here?" Sloan asks, genuinely surprised.

    I can''t be bothered exining the Call. Who knows what the Colony will do if they think I''m under attack from the Ancients.

    "No, it isn''t. But it will be up there! Is there a reason I need to go to the second? Why can''t you just bring this ant down to me?"

    "Well¡­ that''s where the stadium is."

    "The stadium?!"

    "Yes, for Tunnel Ball."

    "You mentioned this before, I thought it was a training exercise or something. Why the heck have we built a stadium?"

    The general shifts a little ufortably.

    "I''m not exactly sure how it happened, but the humans grew interested in Tunnel Ball, so we got more interested, and now the Colony has learned of the surface races'' interest in ''sports''. So Tunnel Ball has been adopted as the Colony''s official sport. There''s a league and everything."

    I mean¡­ what do I even say? I know I told the ants to learn from the humans, taking their wisdom and culture and making it our own, but BALL SPORTS?! FOR ANTS?!?!?

    I heave a sigh. No point worrying about it now, what''s done is done. What harm can a bit of sport do anyway? If anything, it''s nice for the ants to have developed a distraction, something they can engage in other than work.

    "Right. So I''m going to the second stratum to beat down on a young ant at sports to teach them a lesson about¡­ losing¡­ or something. And I''m doing this mainly because you''re sick of this new general winning all the time¡­."

    "That''s not the reason!"

    I re at her.

    "It''s¡­ not¡­ the main reason¡­."

    "Fine. I''ll guess I''ll start making my way up then. The sooner I get it over with, the better. Might be nice to see the old nest again. This might be thest chance I get to head up there."

    "Oh, we''ll have Brilliant take you. That''ll be faster."

    "... Great."

    "You don''t sound very grateful, Eldest!" the little mad-scientist deres as she pops into existence nearby.

    I''m going to have to find a method to prevent that from happening. I''ve no doubt there are monsters who could just teleport themselves inside my carapace. Yuck.

    "I''m grateful for your help with the demons, that worked incredibly well. I''m not going to pretend that dimension-hopping travel is all thatfortable, though. It sucks! How far are we from a functional gate?"

    "Closer than you think. Speaking of which, I''d like to get back to myb, so let''s get moving!"

    "... Fine."

 Chapter 1048 1159 - Shaking Things Up

    <h4>Chapter 1048 Chapter 1159 - Shaking Things Up</h4>

    [What do you think of the season so far, Peter?]

    The farmer smiled as he scratched idly at his chin. He still wasn''t used to talking so much, especially in public, but on the subject of Tunnel Ball, he could wax lyrical for hours.

    He leaned forward a little to make sure he was speaking into the small, enchanted gem on the table in front of him.

    "Well, Commentant, I could talk about the tactical advances in the game, the general shift from running ys to a Soldier/Mage grind-it-out setup, the once mighty teams who''ve fallen into the relegation zone, including the Pink Blitz, one of my personal favourites, but that''s all to the side of the real story."

    [And what would that be?] Commentant asked, as if she didn''t know.

    "The Endless," Peter said simply. "We''ve never seen a team this coordinated, this determined, and with such an unorthodox approach to the game. When other teams want to y low to the ground, they go high. If the opposition wants to fight up close, they''re elusive like ghosts, if the opposition wants to run, the Endless bog them down with impable timing. The strategic way they approach the game is so far ahead of thepetition that it''s like they aren''t even ying the same sport."

    He shook his head, bewildered, as memories of recent matches flickered through his mind.

    "I think we are seeing a revolution in what is possible on the pitch."

    [Not an evolution? That''s a term many of our listeners are more familiar with.]

    "No, no," Peter said firmly. "A revolution. Orthodox ways of moving the ball from one end of the pitch to the other are being challenged every time the Endless step onto the field. They''re ying games with the other team''s mind. The Bulwarksst week¡­."

    He shook his shaggy head.

    "By the time the match was done, they didn''t know up from down anymore."

    [I have to agree. Watching that match, I felt as if the Endless were reading their thoughts. Of course, the officials checked the cores of everyone on the team and we are assured that no mind magic was employed.]

    "Well that''s both a relief, and somewhat scary."

    [Indeed.]

    "All that tells us is that they don''t even need mind magic to know what you''re going to do."

    The small crowd gathered in front of the table the two sat atughed appreciatively. Not many came out for the live recordings of ''Weekly Tunnel Ball Roundup", but would listen to the ''yback'' being created even as he and Commentant spoke.

    The wonders of ant technology, and the speed of change, never ceased to amaze him. Nor the hunger and appetite for Tunnel Ball news. Many on the surface were mouring to get down here, to the second stratum, where the Stadium had been constructed. This was now the home of the sport, and there were teams on the pitch every other day, as well as matches happening at smaller venues all over the nest.

    [Truly, the growth of the game has been incredible,] Commentant seemed to sense his mood, possibly over the mind bridge connecting them. [I would never have imagined my sisters would be quite so hungry for¡­ entertainment? We are in our first year of the five division league, and passions are running so high we won''t be stopping for anything, not even a Wave, apparently!]

    "Although, it has made scheduling a little difficult. With so many of your siblings required on the front lines, we are having teams rotated out of the schedule constantly."

    [That is a concern but there''s nothing that can be done. We must be amodating of the situation.]

    "Are you heading out there anytime soon, Commentant?"

    [The Colony has decided I am best serving the family by continuing my activities here,] the mage said simply.

    "Well¡­ it''s good to know you''ll be safe at least," Peter mumbled.

    He''d grown fond of his ant-coworker.

    [That''s very nice of you, Peter. Well, folks, it''s almost time for us to wrap up the conversation and get this episode off to the people! We have just a few minutes left over for audience questions. You know how this works if you''ve been here before. Come stand here at the front, make sure you speak, scent, or project your thoughts directly into the recording device so the audience can hear your lovely voice. Come,e, who''s first?]

    A small ant scuttled to the front quickly, beating the others out for the first question.

    [Uh, yes. Hello. First time here at a live recording, thank you for having me.]

    "Thank you foring," Peter said sincerely.

    [Yes. Uh. I was wanting to get Commentant''s thoughts on the recent discussion as to whether Tunnel Ball practices and matches should count as ''work''?]

    Commentant shifted a little uneasily.

    [I don''t like toment on questions like that. I''m sure the Council, or possibly the Eldest, will be able to decide. I''m just a simple fan of the game and I''d like to see use to a resolution that best suits all parties.]

    Surprisingly, a human was the next up at the spot, a young woman with "PINK BLITZ" stitched onto her coat.

    "This question is for both of you," she said loudly, "what are your thoughts on the Blitz so far this season?"

    Peter jumped right in.

    "It''s been a difficult past couple of weeks for the Blitz, and they''ve gone 3-8 in that time. Teams are doing such a good job shutting down runners on the nks, using big bodies or mages to block thenes, and hard-running, agile teams like the Blitz have been slow to adapt. How do you see it, Commentant?"

    [I basically agree with your assessment, Peter. The Blitz are a good and strong team, we know that fromst season, but they need to find a way to make their gamen work or change it up over the next few weeks. I would hate to lose them to relegation.]

    Next was a general.

    [There''s been a lot of talk about the Endless and their current win streak, which sits at 31-0. Do you think they will lose at all this season?]

    Someone rushed up behind Commentant, distracting the mage as she engaged what looked to be a scout in a vigorous bout of antennae pping, so Peter stepped in to fill the gap.

    "It''s hard to believe they''ve won so many games in a row, but the way they''ve done it is even more shocking. Comfortable victories, demoralised opponents, utter domination. I won''t ever say they can''t lose, no team can be perfect all the time, but they sure do look impressive every time they hop into the pit."

    [O-on that note, I''ve just gotten word of an uing showmatch,] Commentant interjected. [The Endless will be ying against a special entry team who has decided to put them to the test!]

    There was a murmur amongst the crowd as this surprising news was digested. Peter blinked.

    "Well, that is interesting. Do we know who is on the challenging team? Any notable ants we may have heard of?"

    [Oh, you''ve heard of them,] Commentant drawled, but she was still clearly shaken by the news.

    "Who is it?"

    [I would like to invite all our listeners to pay very close attention, because I am only going to say this once. The strongest team in the history of Tunnel Ball will be challenged in just two days from the time of recording. You don''t want to miss this match, so make sure you get your tickets early.]

    She paused for dramatic effect.

    [A one-ant team hase to test the mettle of the Endless. That''s right, one versus ten on the pitch, but I don''t think it''s going to be enough. In two days, get yourselves to the Stadium for a once in a lifetime showdown! The Endless, versus the Eldest!]

    Stunned silence.

    A pause.

    Absolute pandemonium.

    "That''s all the time we''ve got time for!" Peter croaked into the recorder. "See you next time at this time!"

 Chapter 1049 1160 - The Golden Path

    <h4>Chapter 1049 Chapter 1160 - The Golden Path</h4>

    "What''s the n, Snt?"

    Of course, the responsibility for determining the strategy of the team fell to her, and she embraced it. Even under these circumstances, against this level of odds, she weed that pressure.

    "I''m not sure yet¡­" she said, "I need some time to think on this. There are many unknowns and we must n for them all."

    The others nodded. They knew her abilities and trusted in her judgement, just as she trusted in them. Without that harmony, they would never have been as sessful.

    Trust your leaders, trust your followers.

    She nodded to herself. That was wise. She should add it into her growing list of precepts. She didn''t have a name for the manual she was constructing yet, but it formed the basis, the guidelines, of her approach to strategy and battle.

    The Depiction of Fighting.

    ¡­ didn''t seem right.

    The Symphony of Battle.

    Better¡­ but not quite it.

    She shook her head. Useless thoughts, these didn''t matter. The Endless had just been challenged to an unprecedented match, one that threatened to derail their win streak and take the shine from their aura of invincibility.

    It couldn''t be allowed to happen! Not even against the Eldest could she bring herself to yield without a fight!

    The rest of the team stood around her, confident she would have an answer.

    "We must ensure we properly understand our advantages," the small ant began slowly.

    "We outnumber the Eldest," the scout Scipiant pointed out.

    "There''s something to that, though it likely won''t matter much. A broad formation should prove to be more effective. What else?"

    "The rules of Tunnel Ball?" the soldier, Attnt, pointed out. "In a direct confrontation, we wouldn''t stand a chance, but in the game, both we, and the Eldest, are constrained by the rules."

    "That''s an excellent point," Snt agreed. "Tunnel Ball allows for direct confrontation, but that''s not how you win. It''s possible to lose the fight, but win the war, so long as the ball reaches the other end."

    The group continued to huddle, brainstorming ideas.

    "The Eldest is likely to underestimate us," Washingtant, the mage suggested. "We are evolutions behind, and pose no threat of actually harming them. This could give us an opening."

    "True, but dangerous to rely on the possibility," Snt mused. "Are we aware of any weaknesses of the Eldest?"

    The ants shifted, nobody volunteering any information.

    "I thought as much. There just isn''t that much which is known about the Eldest. With certainty, I mean. It will be difficult to win if we are unable to know our enemy¡­."

    It had been easy to collect information on their Tunnel Ball opponents. Snt was able to watch them train, watch them y, engage them in discussion about the exercise. In an afternoon, she could dissect an opponent''s strengths and weaknesses withser-like precision.

    This particr opponent, however¡­

    "Leonidant!" she snapped.

    "Yes!" a scout stepped forward.

    "I need you to try and do some reconnaissance. We need intelligence on the Eldest, whatever we can get. Going into battle blind is the worst possible way to do it."

    The fearless scout nodded grimly and turned to leave.

    At that moment, a crushing weight suddenly pressed down on them as they felt an indomitable presence appear somewhere in the nest. The power that emanated from that monster shook their legs and rattled their carapaces.

    "What on Pangera is that?" Washingtant snapped, her antennae waving wildly.

    Snt brought herself under control.

    "I believe our opponent may have just arrived in the nest¡­."

    The others stared at each other incredulously, and then, suddenly, the oppressive weight faded until it was gone, as if it had never been.

    Snt''s eyes gleamed.

    "This could be our greatest triumph. We must do everything to prepare. Leonidant, go! The rest of us will begin to workshop our tactics and drills. We will not go down without a fight!

    __

    YEEEOUCH!

    And I mean that quite sincerely. Both the YEE, and the OUCH! The moment I arrive in the second stratum, I''m unceremoniously deposited in the nest by Brilliant, who doesn''t even have the good graces to say goodbye, instead just vanishing back into the squiggle dimension or wherever the heck she goes en route to herb.

    Of course, the Call immediately kicks up a fuss and I feel like my soul itself is being yanked out of my business district. The pain¡­ is bad. Really bad. I cannot believe I agreed toe up here just to crush some hatchlings at Diggy Ball or whatever they called it.

    I should never have agreed to this!

    But then¡­ champions are such an important part of the Colony''s development. Vibrant is the strongest soldier in the family, with her own battalion of speedsters wreaking havoc wherever they go. Brilliant is¡­ a pain in the thorax, but is also the most fearless and unique mana researcher in the Colony! We need them! This Snt will prove to be just as valuable an asset, and if the best way to make contact is to get up here and to the sports, then that''s what I''m going to do.

    Except it hurrrrrrrrrrts¡­.

    Wait, why the heck is everyone looking so wobbly?

    Lousy Brilliant wasn''t urate enough to drop me in some nice, isted area, instead I''m in the centre of some major thoroughfare, and when I look down, I realise I''m perched atop a statue of myself! Just how big is this thing?!

    Oh, right, the ants are getting rocked by my aura.

    Most of the family around here are tier four or five; being exposed to the emanations of my superior grade, tier seven core is too much for them to handle. I quickly restrain myself, pulling it back in so everyone can continue going about their business.

    Speaking of which. I need to work out where the heck I''m meant to go. I haven''t been up here in ages.

    "Uhhhh. Directions? Anyone?"

 Chapter 1050 1161 - Hype Train

    <h4>Chapter 1050 Chapter 1161 - Hype Train</h4>

    The entire city was abuzz about the uing match. Among the humans who made their homes within the nest, several hundred at this point, there was little conversation about anything else. The Great One, as the ant was usually referred to by the people of Renewal, hadn''t been seen by the people for a long time. Even aside from the new, fanatical following that Tunnel Ball had created, every human who could get a ticket would have shown up just to see the famous ant in the flesh.

    "OH GREAT ONE! BLESS US WITH YOUR GLORIOUS PRESENCE!"

    "We praise the Great One!"

    "YOU ARE MIGHTY! A CREATURE OF CHITIN AND POWER, WHERE WE ARE FLESH AND WEAK!"

    "Reforge us in your image!"

    Peter watched the gathered crowd of the faithful from a¡­ safe distance. Priest Beyn had practically begun vibrating the moment he''d learned the object of his faith would be within his sight once more. The preaching had begun immediately, and hadn''t stopped for thest ten hours. The farmer had thought they''d run out of steam, but, if anything, they''d gained momentum as the time ticked past.

    "Looking forward to the match, Peter?"

    Someone called from behind him and he turned, smiling, to answer the question.

    "Very much so," he said sincerely.

    "What do you expect will happen?"

    It wasn''t the first time he''d been asked that question since the announcement, or the hundredth, and his answer had been the same every time.

    "I have no idea," he said. "I know I''m supposed to be the expert, but I just don''t know."

    The old man who''d spoken to him sucked his teeth in, a pensive expression on his face.

    "I was hoping you''d have some advice, I was looking to put a wager on the game¡­."

    Peter frowned.

    "You know how the Colony feels about that."

    The old man raised his hands defensively.

    "Just a little flutter. There ain''t no harm in it.''

    "That''s not how they see it."

    Gambling wasn''t anything unusual amongst the humans, and with a new and exciting contest on the scale of nothing they''d seen before, betting had sprung up almost overnight. In the Colony''s eyes, it was an utter waste of time and resources. The practice confused them more than anything else, and they would have ignored it if not for the unrest it caused within the nest. Humans losing all their money, or going into debt, or fighting outside the Stadium¡­ it was a shameful sight.

    Commentant had mentioned to him that the Colony was close to banning betting on Tunnel Ball entirely, and he honestly hoped they would.

    "OH GREAT ONE! WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO WITNESS YOUR SUPERLATIVE GREATNESS!"

    "We humble ourselves before your glory!"

    Peter sighed. They weren''t going to stop until the match started. Possibly, they wouldn''t even stop then, he realised.

    "Ah, are you Peter? The Tunnel Ballmentator?"

    Another voice, probably to ask him for a prediction for the uing match. He turned with a smile. If it was about Tunnel Ball, he never got bored of talking.

    "That''s me," he said. "And I have no idea what will happen in the match."

    A young woman frowned quizzically at him.

    "Okay? I was sent to find you. Are you free at the moment?"

    "Uh, yes?"

    "Fantastic, could youe with me, please?"

    She turned and led him to the edge of the rtively open humanpound the Colony had built and towards the more narrow tunnels that led deeper into the nest. Two ants waited there and he felt a mind bridge connect as he drew near.

    [If you could follow us.]

    [Can I ask where we are going?] he thought.

    [There is one who is in need of your expertise regarding Tunnel Ball. We hope you don''t mind.]

    [No, it''s fine.]

    This wasn''t so unusual. He''d been asked to educate ants many times about the game. They were fascinated by the cultural practice, and the Colony seemed to think they could determine why it was so popr by examining the rules in granr detail. He''d heard there was a theory among the ants that there was something about the pit the game was yed in that was satisfying to the human psyche.

    If he was honest, he couldn''t exin why the game had caught on as much as it had, but he could speak endlessly on what he found enjoyable about it.

    Through the tunnels they went, blending into the endless winding traffic of the nest until Peter found himself staring, ck-jawed, up at the biggest ant he had ever seen.

    The monster towered over him, each mandible the length of his entire body, the antennae three times that length. Its darkpound eyes seemed to stare straight through him, and as it turned, he would swear the light seemed to weaken as it neared the ant''s carapace.

    [So you''re the guy? The Tunnel Ball expert? I''m Anthony. Sorry to drag you out here, but I''m supposed to y a match tomorrow and I''ve got no idea what the rules are¡­.]

    Peter couldn''t bring himself to speak for a long moment, and he felt the giant ant''s thoughts turn to concern over the bridge before he managed to get a coherent sentence together in his mind.

    [S-s-s-so you''re the¡­ Great One?]

    [Are they still calling me that? Holy Moly. Look, I''m Anthony, the Colony likes to call me the Eldest, which is mainly a technicality, but whatever. Just use my name.]

    [O-o-ok¡­. And you''re going to y against the Endless? In Tunnel Ball?]

    [Yyyyyes? That''s literally what I came up here to do. My core is leaking power right now, I ain''t here on vacation, that''s for sure.]

    In the back of his mind, Peter had never actually believed the Endless would lose. He''d seen them y so many times, and their strategy and execution were wless, to a point where he''d begun to think they might never fail.

    Now, looking up at this colossus, he couldn''t imagine a way they could possibly win.

 Chapter 1051 1162 - Final Preparations

    <h4>Chapter 1051 Chapter 1162 - Final Preparations</h4>

    Turns out the rules are pretty straightforward. I question the poor man for far too long, getting him to exin the foundations of the game and how it''s developed over time, as well as asking him about my specific opponent.

    As expected of a Champion general, it appears that Snt has already developed quite the reputation for devious strategies, trickery and ingenious tactics. The twenty members of her training group have followed her, forming the core of her following, and they rotate members in and out of the team depending on the opposition and the way they want to y.

    It''s hardly going to be enough against me, of course, but their undefeated streak is certainly impressive. Even as superior hatchlings, who are significantly weaker, stats-wise, than regr tier two ants, they still wouldn''t lose.

    In terms of the rules¡­.

    [Are you sure that only basic elemental magic is allowed?] I ask for the tenth time.

    The poor chap nods wearily.

    [The game has its origins as a training exercise for hatchlings. The young mages are restricted by the Colony to only the basic elements, so those are all that have ever been allowed¡­.]

    [Hmph.]

    I could end the match instantly with a gravity well, ttening the Endless to the floor and walking on top of them to score at the other end. It would have been glorious! Those ns are out the window, dammit.

    [Considering I''m ying as a one ant team, they really should make allowances and let me use whatever I want.]

    Peter just shrugs.

    [I couldn''t say anything about that, I wasn''t involved in organising the match. I do think it''s reasonable that you are handicapped, though¡­.]

    [More like mandicapped. We don''t have hands, remember?]

    I ck my mandibles to demonstrate and the poor man flinches back from the sharp cracking sound that emanates from them.

    [Alright. So if I''m on offence, and I drop the ball, or can no longer advance it, my turn is up and I switch to defence, right?]

    [Yes.]

    [And if I manage to get the ball to touch the other wall, I score a point?]

    [That''s right.]

    [What happens if I crush the ball?]

    A very real risk, considering my strength.

    [You lose your turn on offence. You have to protect the ball from the opponent, that''s part of the game.]

    So I can sessfully defend by destroying the ball while the Endless have it? That should make it easy enough.

    [This was included in the training exercise to train mages about controlling mana,] Peter enthusiastically borates. [If you can''t control the mana around your own team, then you risk being unable to advance at all. Likewise, controlling the mana around your opponent is a powerful advantage. There are several mage-heavy teams who use this as their primary strategy. In fact¡­]

    Hmmmm. Well, if the opponent is smart, they''ll bring along four mages at least if they want to contend with me. In fact, if they don''t bring at least that many, I''ll smash them with superior mana control. I''m no slouch at elemental magic, after all.

    [Other than that, there''s basic safety rules in ce. No killing, removing legs, blinding or any other such shenanigans?]

    [Ah¡­ yes. Although in some training exercises, the ants were allowed to cause non-fatal damage, for the sport of Tunnel Ball, the less¡­ violent version of the game was adopted.]

    Fair enough.

    [Are there limits to how much I can modify the terrain?]

    [You may not exceed the height of the pit.]

    [Hmmm. Well, thank you for your time. If you see priest Beyn out there, tell him I said to shut up. I know he''s going nuts out there, he''s bothering people.]

    Peter smiles in relief, then his face takes on a slightly green shade. I guess he''s happy he can tell the one-armed idiot to be quiet, but isn''t too happy to be the one bearing the news.

    [Ask one of the Colony to pass the message on,] I advise him.

    He nods, relieved.

    [I''ll do that. Thank you.]

    [Nono, thank you.]

    As the elder farmer takes his leave, I reach out with my senses and grab hold of the thread I''m after. Here in the nest, my Vestibule is absolutely jam packed with iing Will. An absolute ocean of the stuff, pouring into me every second. Discerning one ant from another in that tidal wave of energy isn''t easy, but I''ve had my constructs picking through it all for ages until I managed to grab hold of the few I was looking for.

    The Endless, obviously. It''s not really cheating if I spy on them like this, right? I''m allowed to use my abilities, just as they are allowed to use theirs. It''s not like they aren''t trying to spy on me right now, after all.

    She''s doing a good job of it. The scout managed to sneak into the chamber while I was talking with Peter and is currently positioned in the shadows in one corner, doing her level best to remain as still as possible as she observes me.

    I could try and pass on a heap of false information, but I hardly think I need to.

    "Leonidant."

    ¡­

    "Leonidant¡­."

    ¡­

    No reply.

    Irritated, I turn to face her directly.

    "Oi. Answer me already."

    ¡­

    Still nothing. Does she really think she''s hidden?!

    THWACK!

    "Ouch!"

    "How many times do I have to address you before you answer me?" I demand. "What about showing respect to your Eldest?"

    "I thought you were guessing¡­."

    The little scout rubs at her head with a foreleg as I re down at her.

    "I don''t need to guess," I state haughtily. "I know where you are and what you''re thinking at all times. The same is true for each and every member of the Endless. I can tell you what Snt is plotting down to the finest detail."

    She stills.

    "That¡­ shouldn''t be possible," she says slowly.

    "You''re barely hatched!" I dere incredulously. "The things you know couldn''t fill a thimble! You think because no other team of newly hatched weaklings can beat you that you''ve achieved something special? That you have something to show me?"

    I scoff.

    "Run back to the others and get ready for the match. I need to try and refill my core. Shoo!"

    I push her towards the exit with one antenna as I sit and begin to manipte the mana around me, actively pulling it inward and forcing it into my core.

    ___

    "The Eldest can read our intentions, you say?" Snt asked intently.

    "That''s what they seemed to suggest. They said they knew exactly what you were nning."

    "It isn''t necessarily true," the general pointed out, "just because the Eldest knew where you were doesn''t mean they can sense our locations and intentions all the way across the nest. The one doesn''t lead to the other at all. Perhaps the Eldest is simply very good at detecting stealthed monsters."

    "It is possible," Leonidant said hesitantly.

    To the scout, having been so close to the massive ant, it was difficult to believe there were any limits on a creature that powerful. Snt seemed to sense the scout''s hesitation.

    "Don''t worry," sheforted her, "the Eldest is of course the mightiest of all the Colony, but they are restricted by the rules of the game. Much of their power is sealed."

    "That''s¡­ true."

    "The question is, what counter measures should we take if it turns out the Eldest was telling the truth? If they can read our intentions, then we''ll need to prepare ns within ns. This could prove to be a most interesting distraction."

 Chapter 1052 1163 - Rocking the Stadium

    <h4>Chapter 1052 Chapter 1163 - Rocking the Stadium</h4>

    When the Colony goes all in on something, they really do go all in. I was obviously aware of that, but seeing the gigantic stadium that they''ve built to host games somehow still manages to shock me.

    Did they really need to go this hard? Holy moly. The thing is enormous!

    And there are ants everywhere. As well as people! I was asked to head to the venue well ahead of the game, there''s a waiting area for the teams before they go out onto the pitch apparently, but as I make my way over, the ce is already packed!

    The second I step out in the cavern that holds the stadium, a great cheer goes up from the gathered humans, and even the ants start cking their mandibles in appreciation! Apparently, they learned to mimic pping? There''s tens of thousands gathered already, and the game isn''t for four hours.

    I pick my way through the crowd carefully, essentially walking above them, cing my legs in whatever gaps I can find.

    "Nice to see you all. How''ve you been? Shouldn''t some of you be working?"

    "Speak for yourself!"

    "Oi! I am here to work!"

    And thus, Tunnel Ball officially became ssified as work for the participants.

    It was rather embarrassing being the centre of attention in all that, but once I make my way beneath the stadium and away from all those prying eyes, I feel a lot morefortable.

    Back in the day, when I was a lot smaller, it wasn''t that hard to move through a group or area without being ogled to quite such a degree. Now that I tower above every other ant and human, things have gotten a little more difficult.

    Even here, beneath the stadium, I can hear the crowd gathering overhead. There''s a steady drumbeat of feet, and a resonant click-ck of ws, for hours. In the chamber itself, I focus on keeping my core topped, pulling in the mana of the second stratum, to try and ovee the amount leaking out of me.

    The mana in my core is so much more dense than that in the atmosphere around me, energy is constantly being drained by my highly evolved body, and the rate of recement simply can''t keep up. Only by actively seizing energy and pulling it in can I maintain an equilibrium. If that wasn''t bad enough, I have the Call, more powerful than I''ve ever felt it before, yanking on my spirit, demanding I go deeper down into the Dungeon to meet the Ancients'' requirements.

    Those bums.

    It''s incredibly, mind-bendingly painful, but my willpower has grown strong! I can handle it. By¡­ a bit. The sooner I can get this match over with and drag our new champion down into the depths with me, the better.

    After stewing in the waiting room, I''m absolutely raring to get going by the time the matches around. The noise overhead is deafening at this point, a constant dull roar. I have no idea how many people are out there, or ants, for that matter. I can feel the vibrations, through the walls. My antennae are steadily going crazy. So many vibrations, rattling through the stone, rumbling through the air. The fine hairs along my feelers are practically dancing.

    "Eldest, we''re ready for you."

    "Finally¡­"

    I pull my legs back under my body and push, levering myself up from the position I had flopped onto the ground. No need to waste energy.

    I transform from a limp fish to a dignified Eldest in a second! Gweheheheh. Now to really dazzle the crowd!

    I move into a narrow tunnel, in which I barely fit, that connects the waiting area to the pitch, weaving magic as I do. The exit from the tunnel is zingly bright ahead of me, illuminating the field beyond. As I emerge into the open, my legs are barely touching the ground.

    The roar that greets me as I leave the tunnel is unlike anything I''ve ever heard. There are thousands of humans here, perhaps tens of thousands. I didn''t even realise we had so many! Have we conquered more cities in the first and second strata without me even knowing about it?

    And high above, covering the dome-shaped ceiling, there are thousands upon thousands of ants, a hundred thousand at least, rustling and climbing over each other as they ck their mandibles in approbation.

    How could I let my audience down?

    Rising majestically into the air, I float upward, pulled by a well I have cunningly inverted to disguise the spell. The crowd gasps in shock and admiration as I take to the skies, rising up to be level with the tiered rows of seating, and then higher still, until I can happily p antennae with the ants on the roof!

    BWAHAHAHAHA! Behold my flying majesty!

    I gradually lower myself down, attempting to maintain a dignified pose in the air as I do so. Only then do I spy the Endless at the other end of the pitch, watching me drift down towards them with a clear and calm gleam to their eyes.

    Oho¡­. Here are today''s victims. And I see Snt, right in the middle, her eyes revealing the calctions running at a million miles an hour within her mind.

    No matter how much you think, it won''t be enough!

    My ws finally touch down and I release the gravity well. Dominating entrance, sessful.

    Holy moly, my core is low¡­.

    The Endless approach the midline and I realise I''m supposed to meet them there, trundling forward even as I hastily suck in more mana to rece what I lost.

    "Greetings, Eldest," Leonidant says, stepping forward to greet me respectfully.

    I look down at them.

    "This is going to be an interesting day for you all. A lot of new experiences areing your way."

    "I-I''m not sure what you mean?" Leonidant hesitates.

    I rub my antennae together gleefully.

    "You''ve never had a match quite like this, right? Ten against one? In front of a crowd like this?"

    "That''s true," she nods.

    "And of course, you''ve never lost before either. Try to make things interesting, Snt. I didn''te all the way up here to be bored! GWEHEHEHEH!"

    I taunt them with a loud mandible ck, right in their faces.

    "You can start on offence, if you want, Eldest," Snt says suddenly.

    "dly."

    I turn and make my way back to my side of the pitch. I can''t wait to unleash my power upon these opponents and send the crowd into glorious rapture!

 Chapter 1053 1164 - Match Begins

    <h4>Chapter 1053 Chapter 1164 - Match Begins</h4>

    It was often stated by Jordant that her greatest regret was not being able to y against the Eldest. She was there when they yed their one and only game, and could only say the match was¡­ indescribable.

    - Excerpt from ''History of the Greatest'' by Commentant.

    [Hello Peter, it''s nice to see you again for another live recording of this history-making match.]

    "Commentant. Wonderful to be with you, as always, and I must say I can''t begin to describe the excitement here in the Stadium as these two teams make their final preparations.

    "It''s a full house here, as you might expect, and to you, the listener at home, just listen to the rumbling and cking of this crowd. I can barely hear myself speak and the match hasn''t even started yet."

    [Interesting you say ''these teams'', when in fact, we only have one team here today. The Endless, undefeated, of course, have fielded a mage-heavy lineup, hoping to counteract the superior mana control of their singr opponent. The Eldest, of course, is totally by themself! The strongest, most highly evolved, and the first of the formica sapiens, the Eldest holds a special ce in the Colony, and I dare say most of my siblings are here today in support of their senior.]

    "It''s a fascinating arrangement. This could be the only time in history that this Stadium sees a one-ant team take to the pitch. Tunnel Ball, as we all know, is a game of skills, strategy, cooperation and teamwork, but how could you put anyone on the same team as the¡­ uh¡­ Great One¡­ as some humans refer to them?

    "Asrge and powerful as they are, I''m not sure anyone else would fit on their end!"

    [And who could keep up with them? As a tier seven monster, the Eldest is overwhelmingly stronger than any other ant in the Colony. The Endless, as we know, are all tier four. Such a massive disparity means that even ten against one, the odds are against them. We''ll need to see some strategic brilliance from them if they hope to seed.]

    "It looks¡­ yes, it looks like we are just about to begin. The Great One is starting on offence, and I''m telling you, folks, the ball looks absolutely tiny in those gigantic mandibles."

    [The Endless are taking an aggressive formation on defence. High up the pitch. Looking at their double soldier frontline, I can''t help but feel sorry for them. The Eldest towers over the pair of them, making them look like hatchlings.]

    "The Great One has taken position. Ready to start their attack!"

    CRUNCH!

    ROAR!

    [Unbelievable scenes here at the stadium! The Eldest has immediately shattered the ball in their mandibles, right in the faces of the Endless! Provocation of the highest order!]

    "No team is willing to give up even the slightest opportunity against the Endless and here we have the Great One making a bold statement, right from the beginning of the match. ''I don''t even need all of my turns on offence against you''. The Great One stares down the smaller ants before turning back to their own end, ready for their first turn on defence."

    [I can only ck my mandibles in appreciation of how daring a statement that was. The crowd here is still going wild, and no y was even made!]

    "Normally, it''s the Endless who are ying mind games with their opponents, but now the script has been flipped! I''m fascinated to see how the elite, undefeated team responds to this."

    [I''m sure we all are. I have to say, they appear unfazed as they take up their formation. This looks like a variation of the spear. Soldiers up front, with deep nks to protect the ball and a solid group of mages around the ball.

    Clearly, the Endless believe a magic attack is likely. They don''t want to expose the ball early and lose their turn without learning something of what the Eldest is going to bring.

    I''m a little surprised, Peter, I really thought they''d y wide and try to utilise their advantage in numbers. The Eldest isrge and powerful, but can''t be in multiple ces at once. The Endless are known for their skilled passing game, and that feels like it should be their go-to.]

    "We may still end up that way, remember which team we''re talking about. A conservative formation could flip to all-out offence in the blink of an eye. More than any other, this team has disyed tactical flexibility.

    "Both teams are set. And here we go!"

    [Leonidant holds the ball as the team advances steadily. The mages are working double time, locking down the mana around the ball to defend it against interference. So far, the Eldest hasn''t so much as twitched a muscle and it is DEAD SILENT here in the Stadium. The tension is as thick as a Brood Tender''s affection,dies and gentlemen. The Endless approach the midpoint, and still, the Eldest hasn''t moved!]

    "Sudden moves!"

    ROAR!

    "The nks open up, and what''s this? A decoy ball! I have no idea when they made one, but they did! Absolute magic! One ball flipped to the left, one to the right as the scouts and soldiers charge!

    "It''s impossible for the Eldest to cover the whole field and there are two balls. Which is the real one?!"

    CRACK!

    [I-I-I¡­ what did I just see?!]

    ROOAAAAAR!

    "The crowd goes absolutely berserk here in the stadium! The Eldest moved so quickly I swear I didn''t see it. One second, they were standing in defence, the next, they had bowled over Washingtant on the right nk and had the ball in their mandibles, which they promptly shattered!"

    [We''re just waiting to see¡­ yes, the Endless have confirmed that was the correct ball and are returning to their end. Just like that, the Eldest has crushed their offence in a single move!]

    "This is like something we''ve never seen before, Commentant. That was one of the quickest rounds I think I''ve ever seen, and I was there when the Blitz invented their patented Ant Rush. Before I could even blink my eyes, it was over. Washingtant still looks a little rattled, a bit unsteady on her legs, as if she''s not sure what just happened."

    [She isn''t alone! Nobody in the crowd knows what happened either!]

    "We''ve got a tiny bit of time before the Eldest has their second turn on offence, what did you think of the y from the Endless?"

    [Brilliant, as always. The decoy ball was madepletely out of sight and so quickly I didn''t catch even a hint of it, and I''m a mage! We saw two, delectable passes from the back of the formation, catching the scouts as they lunged forward at full speed. A dazzling offence that would have severely tested the best of teams.]

    "And yet, crushed in an instant. Somehow, the Eldest identified the real ball, charged forward and seized it from Washingtant in, quite literally, the blink of an eye."

    [With speed like that, Vibrant will be jealous! I hope she never hears this recording!]

    "The crowd is settling now, the Eldest has seized the ball in their mandibles, preparing to make their y."

    [Again, the Endless seem unfazed, with the possible exception of poor Washingtant. They take the same formation as before, preparing to defend high up the pitch.]

    "Here we go, folks!"

    CRACK!

    ROAR!

    "I. DO NOT. BELIEVE IT! The Eldest has shattered ANOTHER ball! This is beginning to turn from sending a message to straight up DISRESPECT!"

    ~~

    This stupid ball! Why the heck is it so damn soft?!

 Chapter 1054 1165 - Leave it on the Pitch

    <h4>Chapter 1054 Chapter 1165 - Leave it on the Pitch</h4>

    I''d intended to score on every offence, but the damn ball is too soft. When I flex my legs and get ready to dash, my mandibles tense up and I crush the stupid thing in an instant! Isn''t this supposed to be solid rock? Is there cheating involved? Has someone given me a hollow ball?!

    Whatever. It''s not like they beat me when I''m ying defence. My mind-constructs have picked out the ten ants on the field from the Vestibule, and I can read their streams of Will in real time.

    Gweheheh.

    A fake ball? Don''t make meugh! Make a million of the things, it won''t matter!

    ~~~

    "Well, the Eldest did promise us a game unlike any we''ve had before," Leonidant remarked dryly.

    "Even I didn''t expect they would throw away two straight turns of offence," Snt mused. "I''d predicted the Eldest would attempt to crush us, trying to score every time they had the chance, and shutting us out, for the most dominant victory possible. In some ways, this is even more intimidating. If the Eldest throws every offence they have, except thest, and shuts us out to win 1-0 at thest moment, it''ll be an entirely different statement."

    "We won''t let that happen, though."

    "Of course not. One y and we''ve already confirmed a few things. First, the Eldest is taking us lightly, and that gives us a chance. Second, they really can detect our thoughts and intentions. The decoy ball waspletely ignored."

    "So that means¡­"

    "Indeed. Even our thoughts need to beyered in deception¡­."

    ~~~

    [It''s time for the Endless to start their second turn on offence. Very short rounds in this match so far. I do hope we get to see some extended y, but right now, it doesn''t seem likely.]

    "If the Great One can smash any y as quickly as they did the first time, then I expect we may be in for an extremely short round. If any team was going to devise a counter measure, then it''s this team in front of us right now, the Endless."

    [I absolutely agree. As expected, they''ve adopted apletely different formation as they break out of the huddle. There''s never been a team to change up their approach as much as this one, it''d almost be stranger if we saw them go with the spear once again.]

    "I wouldn''t be surprised if we saw a different look from this team in every one of the ten rounds. Snt is positioned close to the front in centre, mages tight in behind with soldiers anchoring the formation and scouts out wide. This is almost a traditional look from the Endless, not something we''re used to seeing. Perhaps they intend to y wide, as you suggested they should?"

    [It appears they might. The Eldest is sitting a little higher up the pitch this time and¡­ here we go!

    A rapid charge from the Eldest as they rush down the pitch, it''s insanely fast, but at least we can see them this time! Mages brace, defensive wall is going up. The Soldiers lower their heads and OHHHHHHHH!]

    ROAAAAAARRRRR!

    "The Eldest has smashed through as if they weren''t even there. The stone flies and the crowd is shielded from the debris! What a hit. WHAT a hit. Absolutely chitin-crunching!"

    [The soldiers appear down for the count as the Eldest barrels through. Snt looks like an aphid in front of the gigantic ant as she clutches the ball¡­ OR DOES SHE? The pass, WHEN DID SHE PASS?]

    "Who has the ball? I can''t even¡­ LEONIDANT! She''s free! She''s running free down the left side of the pitch, totally unmarked¡­ well of course she is, there''s only one opponent!"

    [The Eldest turns, one ck of the mandibles¡­ have they given up, are they unable to catch up? Leonidant is streaking to the touch line!]

    RUMBLE!

    "No you don''t, young one! The Eldest has conjured a wall of stone in front of the touch line. Even from that position in the middle of the pitch, it''s no problem at all! The Endless mages can''t contest at all!"

    [Leonidant is trying to scale the wall, you aren''t allowed topletely obstruct the touch line, but¡­ it''s no use! The Eldest is extending the wall further into the pitch, Leonidant is running straight towards them!]

    CRUNCH!

    "And just like that, it''s over! The Eldest has dashed in and seized the ball, crushing it to pieces! What a y, what a round!"

    [It is high drama here at the Stadium and the crowd is absolutely loving it, Peter. At first, the Eldest was on the attack, crushing the enemy line like it wasn''t even there, but somehow, they lost track of the ball!]

    "A brilliant y, yet again, from the Endless, Snt executing a pass under pressure, as their own defensive wall was being destroyed, absolutely wlessly. A fantastic run from Leonidant, perfect bnce, perfect speed, but it simply didn''t matter. Not only thergest, not only the strongest, the Eldest dominates the mana game as well, raising a defensive wall of their own in seconds. Without support to break through, Leonidant had nowhere to go and fell straight into the waiting mandibles of the Eldest."

    [Absolutely stunning scenes here and we are only getting started. The Eldest will be back on offence in a few short moments, taking hold of the ball as we speak and situating themself in the centre of their own zone.]

    "So far, the Eldest has destroyed their own ball two out of two rounds of offence. They only get ten. Do you think they''ll break it for nine rounds straight and then attempt to score on thest?"

    [I wouldn''t think so. The Eldest is known to send a strong message, but has a spirit of fair y. I think we''ll see proper attacking y from them in this round.]

    "An exciting prospect. I still have chills from thatst crunching charge. With a frontline of only two soldiers, it really seems like the Endless are going to struggle to prevent the Eldest from running straight through them."

    [I see your point, but it really wouldn''t matter if they fielded ten soldiers. If they''re going to stop this offence, then they need to produce something special.]

    "Here we go. Ohhhhh, interesting! The Great One is taking steps to reinforce the ball, clearly anticipating a magic based attack and interference on the ball itself! They must have doubled, no tripled the size and density of that ball!"

    [Modifying the ball to that extent is illegal, as I''m sure you know. The Eldest hasn''t changed the ball itself, but created a hollow protective shell around it. A few flexes of the mandibles to check their work and we are off!]

 Chapter 1055 1166 - Domination

    <h4>Chapter 1055 Chapter 1166 - Domination</h4>

    Gweheheh, with the ball reinforced like this, I won''t break the damn thing in my mandibles. If I''m not sabotaging myself, I really wonder how my little opponents can possibly hope to handle me?

    With the ball gripped firmly (but not too firmly!) in my mandibles, I begin to stride forward. The Endless are arrayed before me and I can already feel them trying to attack the ball and break it down from within the shell I''ve constructed for it.

    No chance!

    I dedicate a group of mind constructs to maintaining the ball and prepare to finish this attack in the least possible time. With the Call yanking at me, I don''t want to be up here any longer than I need to be, even if my adoring public is enjoying seeing me go to work as much as they are.

    ~~~

    "They''reing," Washingtant said, intently watching the Eldest''s movements.

    "Let''s see what they have in store for us," Snt replied. "Continue the magic attack, we need to be testing the Eldest''s resources, even if it seems like we aren''t getting anywhere. The more we learn about our opponent, the stronger we be."

    Up front, the two soldiers, Sumant and Tant, grit their mandibles and dug in their ws.

    After the first hit they''d received from the Eldest, they weren''t optimistic about their ability to take any more. The difference in size and power was in for anyone to see.

    Thankfully, Snt had developed a strategy that didn''t rely on them to hold their gigantic sibling back.

    ~~~

    "Ball gripped tight, the Great One is lowering their stance."

    [We might get a better look at that insane dash speed we saw earlier! I can practically feel the Eldest pulling in their energy and then¡­.]

    BOOOOOOM!

    ROAAAAAR!

    "There it is! Once again, I simply cannot describe what is happening on the pitch! I can''t see a thing!"

    [A sh of light, a shattering crunch and now a cloud of dust and stone has filled the pit! There''s destruction and chaos down there! What has the Eldest done, the defensive end of the Endless has beenpletely annihted!]

    "Mages are settling the dust now¡­ and¡­ we can¡­ oh wow, we can see the carnage. The Endless are fine, if a little confused, I want to assure the listeners of that, but the stone wall of the pit behind them is a shattered ruin. The Eldest can''t be seen at all!"

    [I think you''ll see them shortly. The rubble is shifting, and¡­ yes! The Eldest stands tall! Shouldering aside the boulders as if they weren''t even there, the Eldest stands tall and defiant! A charge so fast, we couldn''t even see it! A charge so strong, even the stone wall couldn''t resist it!]

    "The Endless have moved to one side of the pitch, getting out of the way as officials descend to reconstruct the pit. We''ve often seen damage to the pit during y, but not quite to this extent!"

    [The Eldest still has the ball gripped in their mandibles as they proudly march back toward their own end. What a dominant disy!]

    "The Great One continues to dazzle and befuddle the Endless. Previously, we saw them shatter the ball twice, leading to no points scored, and now we see them shatter the touchline, which obviously means no points are scored. I almost feel as if the Eldest is telling them ''your rules can''t constrain me. Look what would happen if this game wasn''t protecting you from me!''"

    [I wonder how many rounds the Eldest is going to persist with this strategy, refusing to score even though they obviously could. Will this be sessful in rattling the mental solidarity of the Endless? They''re an indomitable team, but they''ve never been on the pitch with an opponent like this one!]

    ~~~

    "I''m not sure if I can block a charge I can''t even see," Sumant said drily.

    "There was never any hope of us being able to pin down the Eldest anyway," Snt waved off her concerns.

    "The real question," Washingtant wondered, "is when the Eldest is going to start to score, because it seems like we don''t have any way to stop them."

    "Not yet," Snt corrected her. "We still have cards to y. Besides, our best hope in this game was always going to be finding a way to score. Let''s focus on that."

    ~~~

    I wonder how they liked those apples. An altar infused charge, smashing through five metres of solid reinforced rock. It wasn''t easy to spot a path through them so I didn''t end up hurting anyone, but those little ants must be shaking in their boots after seeing something like that!

    Heh.

    Let''s take a look at that scoreboard.

    ¡­.

    What? WHERE''S MY POINT?!

    ~~~

    [The Endless are forming up once again, and just look at the intimidating sight in front of them!]

    "The Great One is pacing back and forth, antennae flicking and waving dangerously! I wouldn''t want to be trying to advance into that!"

    [It certainly seems like the Eldest is done mucking around. They are ready to y and I can''t help but feel sorry for the opposition.]

    "The repairs areplete and I''m told the Eldest has received an official warning for excessive damage to the pit, so we are ready to go!"

    [Snt in possession of the ball, the Endless advance, what''s the y? How are they going to attack this time?]

    "And how is the Eldest going to defend? The Great One advances!"

    [Rapid passing from the Endless! The ball is flicking between them so seamlessly, I can''t believe my eyes! An amazing feat of skill unlike anything we''ve seen before!]

    "And the counter? It''s the Eldest conjuring something¡­ a storm! A powerful wind has descended and the Endless are holding on!"

    [Or are they? NO!]

    ROAR!

    [They are not! The team goes flying and so does the ball! I don''t care how fast you can move that ball, you can''t outrun the wind!]

    "The Eldest has thrown down the gauntlet! Defend yourself against my magic or you''ll never see this side of the midline again!"

 Chapter 1056 1167 - Back and Forth

    <h4>Chapter 1056 Chapter 1167 - Back and Forth</h4>

    Gweheheh. With my superior magic, I don''t even need to worry about chasing my opponents down. If I can keep them in their defensive half without even moving, then that seems like it would be the logical way to y.

    I wonder if there''s a way for them to deal with it? I wouldn''t think so, given my higher ranked Skills and mind constructs.These young ants will gain those things in time, but for now, I hold the advantage of being older! I''ve had more time to work on this stuff!

    I wonder if I can use my magic on the offence as well?

    ~~~

    "That''s going to cause a few problems," Leonidant remarked as the Endless picked themselves back up.

    "I quite agree. The Eldest overwhelms us in both magic and physical ability."

    "Then why do you seem so excited?"

    "Let''s just say I''m happy this match is living up to my expectations."

    ~~~

    [The Eldest has certainly disyed their magical prowess and I''m certain the Endless must be at least a little shaken by that. They''ve brought a mage-heavy team here today and it doesn''t seem to be helping them at all!

    At tier seven, the Eldest has a huge advantage that doesn''t seem to be offset by being outnumbered at all. One versus ten, and they are crushing this game!]

    "I have to admit, I''m a little awed by what we''ve seen in this match so far. You may be a little more experienced with powerful monsters, but I''ve never seen what a creature as highly evolved as the Great One can do."

    [It certainly is impressive. Speaking of which, I believe we may be just about to see the Eldest begin their next offence. Will we see another of those unstoppable charges? Or something different?]

    "The Great One appears¡­ to be utilising their magic! They''ve taken hold of the ball using wind mana. The Endless seamlessly flow into a defence. Walls are going up, they''ve conjured a wind barrier of their own. Looks like a meeting of the minds here today!"

    [What exactly is the Eldest going to do? They hold the ball aloft, teasing, taunting as it drifts left and right¡­ wait a second¡­.]

    BOOM!

    ROAAAAR!

    "Oh, wow! What did we just witness?!"

    [A lightning bolt! The Eldest has used their magic to catapult the ball directly through the defences of the Endless! The wall has crumbled, the wind dispersed and the ball has been buried two metres into the touchline!]

    "STILL, the Great One continues to show their opponents the difference in power, and the Endless are absolutely helpless to prevent the ball from going wherever their opponent wants it to go!"

    [No score of course, you have to be physically in contact with the ball for the touch to count, but the message continues to be sent!]

    "We switch to the Endless now, who prepare to make their next offensive y. It''s a daunting task ahead of them. If the Eldest simply repeats what they did a moment before, how can they be expected to get through?

    And¡­ yes indeed! The moment y resumes, the Eldest has once again conjured a mighty wind, daring the opposition to advance into that gale."

    [What a storm. If that wind there was any stronger, it''d start to chip away at the rock! The Endless appear more prepared for it this time. They''ve formed a windbreak and are reinforcing it with all they have as the team huddles in shelter.

    Grouped up like this, they arepletely vulnerable to a charge from the Eldest, but they don''t appear inclined to move. Instead, they stand astride their defensive end like a colossus. What on Pangera are the Endless going to do in this situation?]

    "They have to progress the ball somehow, otherwise they''ll be timed out. There is movement down there, I can see them shifting, and, knowing this team, there is definitely some thought or strategy at y down there."

    [Oh! I sense it!]

    "What''s happening?"

    [They''re reaching out and trying to seize hold of a portion of wind, not that much, just a thread. What could they possibly hope to¡­ wait?!]

    "Snt has leaped up with the ball gripped in her mandibles and¡­ HOW?!"

    ROAAAAAAAAR!!!!!

    [With that thin stream of wind, the Endless have catapulted their leader and sent her rocketing toward the touchline! Brilliant! Ingenious! They''ve taken the storm produced by the Eldest and turned its power against them!]

    "Such speed!"

    ROAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

    "BUT NO! The Great One says NO! Despite the frankly dangerous velocity Snt was moving, the Great One simply sticks out one leg and snags her from the air. Those reflexes are simply¡­ I want to say inhuman, but that much is obvious. Absurd. Unbelievable. It happened in the blink of an eye, folks, and still, the Eldest has snatched the ball and Snt clean from the air."

    ~~~

    I stare at the little champion as she grips the ball in her mandibles still. Right now, she''s dangling in mid air, since I''m holding up the ball, and I inspect her up close for the first time.

    "Interesting idea," I tell her.

    Using my own magic against me like that¡­. Clever little thing. Since they can''t match my strength, they tried to find a way they could turn my own against me.

    "Not quite interesting enough," she replies. "Are you going to put me down?"

    Chomp!

    Crack!

    I shatter the ball with a casual chomp and Snt drops down to the ground, where I loom over her to a ridiculous degree. Even for a general, she''s quite small, which leads me to believe her evolutionary energy has been poured into her brain, and perhaps specialised organs that help with tactics, or perhaps battlefield vision?

    "You''ve got a lesson to learn here, Snt, so I hope you''re paying attention."

    "What lesson is that, Eldest?" she asks innocently.

    I ck my mandibles in disapproval and she ducks her head slightly. As if I don''t know that giving her information helps her side. I bring my head down closer.

    "In the face of overwhelming power, tricks are useless. You can dy, you can nibble at their strength, you can fight on the run,y traps, do the unexpected¡­ but eventually, there is nowhere to go, no more tricks to pull, and it''s over."

    "Is that why you refuse to score? You want to push us into a corner with the score at 0-0 to see what we will do?"

    Wait¡­ what do you mean no score? I nce up at the scoreboard and sure enough¡­ nothing.

    DAMMIT! Just how many rules did that idiot forget to tell me?! Although¡­ I probably should have asked more questions¡­.

    "You''re the smart one," I poke her with an antenna longer than her entire body. "You figure it out."

 Chapter 1057 1168 - The Presence of the Eldest

    <h4>Chapter 1057 Chapter 1168 - The Presence of the Eldest</h4>

    [I''m hearing from my sources on the dome that my siblings are absolutely riveted by what they''ve seen so far.]

    "I''m not one of your siblings, but I''m definitely in that camp. I''ve never seen anything like this."

    [The Colony will wee you as a sister in spirit, Peter.]

    "You''re very kind."

    [For the majority of us, myself included, we''ve never seen the Eldest in person, or if we have, we''ve never seen them fight. There aren''t many still in the second stratum who were present in the fight against Garralosh, for example. And back then, the Eldest was only tier five.

    For us, it''s especially thrilling to see our oldest and strongest member in action. There are many cking their mandibles up there in pride and appreciation seeing just how far the family hase.]

    "Well, we are just about to reach halftime, so the Biomass, tea and biscuits are soon going to hit the field and there''ll be a chance to really dig into what the crowd here today is thinking. I''m so pleased that the crew up on the dome are appreciating this match just as much as I am. Despite it being so short!"

    [A record pace, there''s no doubt about it. With teams this unbnced, it doesn''t suit either side to take things slow and try to grind it out. The Eldest can push the ball whenever they want on offence, and the Endless can''t afford to y slow against such an overwhelming opponent.]

    "Well, the Great One is attacking again and the story of this game so far has been the refusal to score, despite being able to. Is the Eldest of the Colony going to continue to give up chances to score, or are they going to start putting points on the board?"

    [That is indeed the question. And here we go! The Eldest is once again protecting the ball from outside interference, surrounding it in a hard, protective shell.]

    "A change in behaviour from the Endless, though! They are charging across the field, unwilling to wait for their opponent to prepare the ball!"

    [Sumant and Tant lead the way as they dash up the pitch. A very aggressive formation. Any reaction from the Eldest? Not so much, they continue to focus on the ball.]

    "Will they be able to? The soldiers advance, bracing themselves for the collision!"

    ROOAAAAAR!

    "A HUGE hit from the two soldiers, and a sneaky, underhanded strategy! They''ve both gone for the same leg, trying to bring down the muchrger ant!"

    [Usually a tactic that''s looked down on, given the weakness of our legs, but the Eldest stands firm! In fact, they didn''t even budge! Herees the rest of the team! Scouts on the nks, Leonidant dashing low, going under the Eldest, and hitting another leg!]

    "The mages group together, earth magic taking shape! Another strike! They deliver a spire of rock directly into the rear left leg of the Great One, WHO STILL WON''T BUDGE!"

    [With ten ants, the entire team of the Endless trying to knock them down, the Eldest stands strong! No! THEY MOVE FORWARD!]

    "With slow and steady steps, the Eldest continues to advance. One leg, then the next. The Endless are powerless to stop this imcable momentum as the Great One literally drags them across the field!"

    [This isn''t a good look for the Endless! Are they running out of tactics? A direct confrontation of strength was only going to end one way.

    OHO! What''s this? The Eldest steps forward and the ground gives way! A pitfall trap! When did they create that?!]

    "I have no idea, a brilliant y! Totally unexpected, but the effect is negligible at best. Barely off bnce, the Great One continues to walk forward, dragging the opposition behind."

    [I have to admit, I''d underestimated the Endless there for a moment, they never run out of new ys and will keep trying right to the end of the match! What have they got up their carapace to stop this steady advance?]

    "Surely something. Another trap! But no effect! The Eldest is just brushing them off now, not surprised in the slightest. The Endless seem to be repositioning¡­ not that it''s having much effect¡­. Another trap! Is this the biggest yet!?"

    [AND THEY PUSH!]

    ROAAAAAAR!!!!!

    [In a brilliant move, the Endless reform in one ck of the mandibles and they unite to push the Eldest down! A focused, unified push of earth magic, soldiers and scouts try to topple this enormous foe!]

    "Is it working? IS THE ELDEST TEETERING?! .... NO! NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST!"

    [What was that dramatic pause? Is the Eldest just toying with them? Just like that, the oldest and strongest of the Colony has marched across the pitch, cracked the shell around the ball and hit the touchline!]

    ROOOOOOOOAAAAAARRRR!!!!!

    CLACKCLACKCLACKCLACKCLACK!!!!!!!

    "We can hear the appreciation from the dome as the ants let their mandibles be heard! We finally have a score in this game as the Eldest performs the ridiculous feat of dragging the entire opposing team behind them to the touchline. There were some traps and tricks in there, but it simply wasn''t enough. The raw power of the Great One is too much for the Endless, and not even with their genius, surprise tactics were they able to halt their opponent."

    [Finally, the scoreboard has something to do in this match¡­ and there it is. The score is officially 1-0 and we have one more y from the Endless to end the half.]

    "After such a demoralising disy, I wonder what the y will be? Do they still have an avenue to score?"

    [We are about to find out. They set their formation¡­ and they''re off!]

    CRUNCH!

    ROAAAAAARRRR!

    "THE GREAT ONE SAYS NO! Another blinding dash, another shattered ball! No more ying around, no more funny business, the Eldest has put their foot down!"

 Chapter 1058 1169 - Tea Time

    <h4>Chapter 1058 Chapter 1169 - Tea Time</h4>

    [And there you have it, folks. We bring the first half to a close in record time. Blisteringly fast rounds here at the stadium, but I''m certain none of the crowd are disappointed with the action.]

    "Absolutely not. We are witnessing history here today, and I for one am just thankful we get another half of this incredible spectacle."

    [You really have to give it to the Endless. Every round, on offence or defence, they''ve tried something different and shown us some incredible y. Fast passing, decoy balls, innovative trap setups, unique formations. Against any other opposition, they would be dominating this game.]

    "I quite agree. This is a performance that lives up to the team and its formidable reputation, but despite outnumbering their opponent ten to one, despite their experience and superior tactics, it simply isn''t enough to ovee the difference. If all twenty of them were out there, I''m not sure it would be enough."

    [Well, it''s break time. Tea and biscuits are being served here in the recording booth and down on the field to the yers. It looks like¡­ yes, actually, someone has gone ahead and made the Eldest a cake! What a lovely touch, making sure they feel wee here on the second stratum of the Dungeon.]

    "And WHAT a cake! You could feed three weddings with that thing, but it still looks tiny before the Great One. Hopefully they don''t overeat before we head into the second half. Commentant and I will take a brief rest, and then we''ll be back to analyse the first half and bring you all the action in the second."

    ~~~

    Holy moly. I can''t believe those little ants almost managed to knock me over!

    I came within a whisker of being dumped into a hole by ants so small I can walk over them. What a grand sight that would have been, the mighty Eldest knocked over by hatchlings barely out of their cocoons. I would have had to retire to the fourth stratum and bury myself in a hole to escape the embarrassment!

    Thankfully, I managed to hold my ground and make it look like it wasn''t close. I don''t feel quite so bad with that point on the board. If the first half had ended without me scoring a point¡­.

    Stupid rules!

    But it''s halftime, which I understand involves a break in proceedings, which is nice. I''ll just flop down onto the ground.

    CRUNCH!

    Ahhhh. Nice. It''s good to stretch out the legs every now and again, give them a bit of a wiggle in the air. Across from me, the Endless are simrly resting, though not as efficiently as I am, the fools. Snt is talking to everyone, probably gathering information, or talking about mixing up their strategies.

    All of it useless! Muahahaha!

    I told her it wouldn''t matter in the face of overwhelming power, and then I proved it. There''s nothing they can do to stop me repeating the same idea over and over again.

    Wait, there''s stuff being delivered out to the field? What''s this?

    Before my bewildered eyes, a team of ants and humans delivers a table right in front me, upon which they ce thergest cup of tea I''ve ever seen, along with oversized biscuits!

    I mean¡­ what?

    Peter did tell me it was the tea and biscuits break, but I thought that was just phrasing! Are you telling me this is literally a tea and biscuits break?

    I nce over at the Endless and they''re already chomping away at their own biscuits and sipping from their cups of tea, lowering their heads with dainty movements to sip from the cups.

    Well, if they can do it, there''s no reason I can''t¡­. It feels weird, though. The biscuits look lovely, a golden colour indicating they''ll have a nice crunch, and the tea smells nice, but¡­ I''ve never eaten human food since bing a monster. I have no idea if the taste buds even work the same way¡­.

    Here goes nothing¡­.

    I lower my head toward the cup, letting my mouthe into contact with the cup, and I take a hesitant sip.

    HOT!

    But tasty¡­.

    This tea is quite refreshing! A certain depth of vour that leaves the pte feeling cleansed whilst the drink warms me all the way to my stomach. Delectable!

    Might as well give these biscuits a try.

    Nibble.

    Hmmmm. Tasty! Nice crunch and that sugary vour I haven''t tasted in this entire lifetime. It''s almost enough to bring a tear to my eyes.

    And what''s this?!

    Alonges another group of ants, transporting a massive, MASSIVE, decorated cake. It still looks small to me, but this cake must be almost the size of a person. That''s an absurd amount of cake. Who the heck made this thing? It''s frosted and decorated and everything!

    I look closely and I can see that the characters and scenes rendered with remarkable skill on the icing are mostly pictures of me during my various exploits¡­. I can even recognise a few motifs that I''ve seen before.

    Michangnt! You fiend! Not satisfied with stering my face on every bit of t rock you can get your mandibles on, now you''ve started on cake decorating! I recognise this handiwork anywhere!

    I''ll get that ant one of these days¡­ I swear it!

    But¡­ since the cake is here anyway, I might as well take a bite. I barely got to eat any cake as a human, so this is quite the treat! Even across two lives, a cake is a rare event!

    ~~~

    "Are you sure about this, Snt?" Leonidant asked, looking at the Eldest. "This doesn''t seem right."

    "I agree," the general said, "attempting to inhibit the Eldest''s performance through underhanded means ispletely against the spirit of the game, as well as being morally wrong, in my opinion."

    "Then why? Why are we feeding the Eldest this¡­ cake¡­ thing?"

    "For victory," the small ant said, her eyes burning with a furious intensity. "If I cannot win within the bounds of fair y, then I will go outside of those bounds without hesitation. I have vowed that we will never know defeat, and there is nothing I won''t do in order to make that a reality."

    "We may win, but at what cost? What will the Colony think if they learn what we''ve done? Or the humans? Our reputation will be damaged, your reputation will be damaged. You''re the brightest strategic mind in the Colony, and because of this, you may never see a realmand position."

    Snt turned to her loyal scout.

    "You misunderstand me. I don''t care about reputation, I don''t care about what I may aplish in the future. I care about victory. Cost is irrelevant! Other concerns are irrelevant!"

    "Uhhh, you two?"

    "What is it, Sumant?" Leonidant sighed.

    "The Eldest sent us half of the cake."

    Snt slowly turned and saw the giant ant at the other side of the pitch wave a friendly antenna at them as they happily munched on half of the enormous cake. The other half was right next to them.

    "Do you think they read our minds and realised what we were doing?"

    "It''s possible," Snt muttered, staring at the Eldest. "But for some reason, I don''t think so."

    She''d been careful to almost never think of this n, and she had never mentioned it to the others. The Eldest was probably just¡­ sharing.

    "So, what do we do?" Sumant asked. "We can''t not eat it¡­ right?"

    Snt thought furiously.

    "Dammit," she muttered.

 Chapter 1059 1170 - Treachery and the Price That Must Be Paid

    <h4>Chapter 1059 Chapter 1170 - Treachery and the Price That Must Be Paid</h4>

    My hope gleams in the darkness, a diamond shining in the night.

    My hope is a builder, a shifter of earth and stone.

    My hope is a seer, who glimpses that which is yet toe.

    My hope is a speaker, their words know no boundaries.

    My hope defends, protects and shields, a barrier between the light and the dark.

    My hope bears the weight of the world upon their carapace, and controls that weight.

    My hope sleeps, but will rise again in glory.

    - Excerpt from ''Prayers of the Faithful.''

    That cake, seriously delicious. I''m pleasantly surprised by how nice it tasted, to be honest. I don''t know what I expected, whether my monstrous body would just reject tasty things, or if Icked the ability to taste sweet. There''s been a distinctck of it in my food thus far, I have to say!

    It truly is shocking just how quickly you adjust to things. When I started out, the idea of eating Biomass was almost unbearably disgusting. Monster remains are not pleasant to eat, or look at, or smell, or generally be around in any capacity. After a while, though, it''s just what you eat, so you get used to it and move on.

    Now, I''ve learned that, apparently, the Colony has a thriving baking industry! Not to mention this delicious tea!

    All around the stadium, there are humans enjoying a cup and munching happily on a bikkie. Even more shocking, the ants above me on the dome are also enjoying a tea break. It''s a little more difficult to manage, since they''re upside down, but somehow they''ve managed it, deploying some sort of pulley system to manoeuvre the beverages and snacks across the roof.

    Holy moly. To supply this entire stadium with baked goods and tea, just how many ants are dedicating themselves to the production of tea leaves and sugary treats?!

    Should I be surprised, though¡­? Even on Earth, ants love sugar. In fact, there''s really only two things you need to feed an ant colony: protein, for the grubs and the queens, and sugar water, for hydration and energy. When I could afford it, I''d give my own pet nest a treat and let them have honey.

    I haven''t thought of that colony in a long time¡­. I hope they''re doing alright.

    Right now, I have another colony to take care of. Even better, I''m in it! When is this game going to start again?

    And when are the Endless going to dig into their cake? Right now, they appear to be standing around it awkwardly.

    Are theyctose intolerant? I hope not, I sent them that half as a gesture of goodwill, but I may have offended them by neglecting their dietary requirements!

    ws crossed that isn''t the case¡­. In fact, even if they can''t eat it, they may feel forced to since it was me that sent it over! That would be a disaster! I''d better check what''s going on over there, that way, I can gracefully head over and take the cake back, sparing them from an embarrassing public episode.

    Let me see¡­.

    Hmmmm. Ah. Oh. Hmmmmm.

    Interesting, to say the least. A devious stratagem, an underhanded method. I''ve beenpromised, poisoned, and bamboozled. They tricked me with a tainted cake! I would never have expected a member of my family to break the rules looking for a way to win! I wouldn''t say that the Colony is honourable, per se, it''s more like they don''t think in such roundabout ways, they behave honourably almost by ident. Their path to a solution is almost always straightforward and open, whereas this¡­.

    Theyers of deception create yet another, metaphorical cake, one baked with betrayal, and filled with choctey treacherousness.

    I don''t actually feel any different, though, so either this poison hasn''t taken effect yet or I''m simply too huge for it to do anything. Regardless, the kid gloves are certainly off. If they want to break the rules, then I''m more than happy to oblige.

    Time for the Eldest to teach a lesson¡­.

    ~~~

    "The Eldest knows now," Snt stated.

    "Are you sure?" Leonidant asked.

    The general stared at the giant standing across the pitch from them. She could almost feel the seething energy boiling off that frame.

    "Yes, I''m sure."

    ~~~

    "And we are back, ready for the second half to start!"

    [The Stadium is absolutely buzzing with anticipation and I simply can''t wait. We had such a dramatic finish to the first half, and although I can''t quite bring myself to believe it, we may be about to see the Endless lose for the first time ever.]

    "That''s the story, but I really don''t think many people will me them, considering who they''re up against. It almost seems impossible that the Eldest would lose from this point, but if there is one team that I expect to surprise me, then it''s this one."

    [So true. The Eldest is on offence again and I can''t wait to see what they do.]

    CRACK!

    "I¡­ I don''t believe it, they shattered the ball again!"

    CLACK. CLACK. CLACK. CLACK.

    [The Eldest is mming their mandibles together with such power the noise is reverberating through the entire stadium! Come at me! The Eldest is demanding the Endlesse and fight it out!]

 Chapter 1060 1171 - Authority of the Great One

    <h4>Chapter 1060 Chapter 1171 - Authority of the Great One</h4>

    "Well, that''s a little intimidating," Sumant remarked as she stared at the Eldest across the pitch, mming those enormous mandibles together.

    "We can''t afford to let the Eldest affect our spirit," Leonidant urged them.

    "Easy for you to say, you aren''t likely to get chomped," the big soldier pointed out.

    "The Eldest won''t bite any of us," Snt said with confidence.

    "How are you so sure?" Sumant asked.

    "Because if they did, any of us would be instantly killed."

    "Ah."

    "So what are they going to do?"

    "I think¡­ they may decide that we have broken the rules¡­ and now, they can as well."

    ~~~

    "The Great One is demanding action from the Endless, and now they are about to get it. The Endless are setting their formation, and we are about to see them attempt to achieve the seemingly impossible, to score against this overwhelming and dominant opponent that is staring them down across the pitch."

    [Exactly. The more the rounds go past, the less likely it seems, but here we go. The Endless take possession of the ball and they are off!]

    "... or are they? There''s a distinctck of movement down there on the pitch from what I can see. In fact, are the Endless lying down?"

    [Strange, almost bizarre scenes here at the Stadium? Is this a new strategy from the depths of the Endless'' ybook? Or¡­ Wait! I''m sensing something! Look closely down there, they''re sinking!]

    "Yes! It appears as if the Endless are sinking into the pitch! The crowd is bewildered here, unsure what''s going on, but it seems as if the Eldest is manipting the stone directly under their ws and dragging them down!"

    [This is¡­ unusual, to say the least. To execute this kind of magic¡­ normally, it would be impossible to trap your targets without them moving away from the ground you were manipting. Somehow, the Eldest was able to do it with such speed and control that the moment the round started, they were already trapped! If you''d told me before the round that this could be done practically on the pitch, I''d have called you mistaken!]

    "Rooted in ce, the Endless arepletely incapable of advancing the ball. All we are waiting for is the referee call¡­ and there it is!"

    ROOARRRR!

    "They may not understand it, but the crowd is excited to see the Eldest continue to dominate this match!"

    [An incredible disy of mana control, somehow the Eldest was able to take hold of the Endless before they were able to lift a leg from the ground. It''s difficult for me to exin just how hard it is to achieve this, the speed and precision required are on a whole other level from normal magic.]

    "I''ll have to take your word for it. I have to say, seeing the team that has terrorised the league recently locked down and unable to make a y at all is a little bewildering, to say the least."

    [It''s unlike anything we''ve ever seen before, that''s for sure. A part of me wonders how they''re going to counter this approach from the Eldest, but I''m not sure that they can! Perhaps, without the element of surprise, they won''t be caught in the same manner. I''m not aware of how the Eldest was able to snare them so fast, but I can''t bring myself to think they can do it so fast that it can''t be reacted to.]

    "For their sake, and for the sake of exciting Tunnel Ball, I hope so as well! We are lining up now for the Eldest''s next offensive possession, and what do you think we are expecting here?"

    [That entirely depends on the Eldest''s mood. If they''re satisfied with the beat down they just put on the opposition, we may see regr y. If not¡­]

    CRUNCH!

    ROOAARRRR!

    [... then they may just pass the ball back to the Endless so they can smash them again. And that''s exactly what''s happened!]

    CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

    "Again, the Great One taunts the opposition! What sort of lesson will the strongest ant in the Colony deal to this young group of opponents?"

    [It''s easy to forget just how young they are, given their incredible, wless record here in the Stadium, but the Eldest doesn''t appear to care one whit for any of that! So you''ve defeated a string of hatchlings? What''s that to me? This is how it is in the deep Dungeon, and you little ones need to learn!]

    "And the next stage of that lesson is about to begin. Once again, rapid fire rounds here at the Stadium, and we are on track for the shortest match in the history of the sport! An unconventional match in every way,dies, gentlemen and gentleants!

    "The Endless take up their formation, Snt holding the ball, but they seem a little hesitant¡­ very unlike this team to act in this manner."

    [Absolutely. Nevertheless, they set themselves. It''s a wide look this time, and I can already tell they are a little jumpy, not wanting to be caught again. I expect them to jump out the second the round starts¡­.]

    "And there we go! Right you are, once again, the Endless have leapt from their starting positions, but they''re looking a little sluggish out the gate, are their legs being held down despite the fast movement? And the Eldest? What''s the y?"

    [A COLOSSAL amount of mana is being manipted here, and we are about to see¡­ yes, it''s¡­ it''s¡­ A WAVE! A humongous wave has erupted just in front of the Eldest and it is raging across the pitch! Can the Endless summon any possible response? Their movements are uncharacteristically slow, and the mages are struggling to form a barrier of earth!]

    "It''s no use!"

    ROOAAAAARRRR!

    "The Endless are swept away by the tide that crashes into the touchline and sprays out over half the crowd! They don''t seem to mind, though, too excited by this incredible spectacle!"

    [The Endless are huddled together, floating on the top of the now filled pitch, but the Eldest is very generously using their own energy to disperse the water, so we should be back to normal, dry conditions in no time.]

 Chapter 1061 1172 - Lopsided

    <h4>Chapter 1061 Chapter 1172 - Lopsided</h4>

    Gweheheh. Feeling a little heavy over there? Is your guilty conscience weighing you down?

    Or is it the weight of the gravity well I''ve snuck underneath the stadium yoinking you down to the ground?!

    Muahahahahaha!

    It''s not as if I even need to do it. I could turn their entire half of the pitch to muck and bury them in it, or wash them away with a solid wave of water without having to bind the Endless to the ground, but I''m doing it anyway.

    They dare to try and poison the great me?! I have no choice but to exact terrible vengeance!

    At the same time, I also want to get this match over with. The Call is ridiculously painful and I''m desperate to leave this stratum and get deeper into the Dungeon as soon as possible.

    At this rate, I might end up calling Brilliant to warp me out of the Stadium in front of the whole crowd the moment the match is done. I''m struggling over here!

    I''ve got three more turns of offence, which I''ll obviously skip. I''ve scored a point already, all I need to do is prevent those hatchlings from scoring one and I win anyway.

    Let''s get this over with!

    When everything is set for the next round, I smash the ball immediately, and then smash my mandibles together in another disy of primal intimidation. The crowd loves it, so I give them a little sugar, waving my antennae toward the seats and ensuring every corner of the stadium gets a look at my best profile angles.

    Time to humble some hatchlings again.

    ~~~

    "Any idea why we''re being pulled down into the ground when the rounds start?" Washingtant asked. "I can barely move."

    "The Eldest is breaking the rules," Snt replied, carefully watching their opponent across the pitch. "Doubtless they are using a type of mana that is banned, something advanced that is creating this downward pressure."

    "At this point, I''m not even sure they have to," Leonidant muttered. "The Eldest is much stronger than we anticipated."

    "Yet they refuse to score, and there lies our hope of victory. The Eldest willplete their final offensive round before we do. If we conserve our energy, and conceal our tactics, it''s possible we could even the score on the final y."

    "It wouldn''t be a win," Leonidant pointed out.

    Snt cked her mandibles solemnly.

    "But it wouldn''t be a loss. Unless the cake we fed the Eldest shows some powerful effects soon, I believe it may be the best we can hope for."

    ~~~

    "We return to the Endless now. It''s their offensive possession, but the Great One has been giving them no room to move, no room to breathe in thesest few exchanges."

    [You aren''t wrong, Peter. Overwhelming magical power has been the name of the game for the Eldest and so far, the Endless just don''t seem to have an answer. Their legs appear almost glued to the ground with indecision, something we generally don''t associate with this team.]

    "They take up their formation now, hoping to change the flow of the match. Another new look from them, very wide but rather thin, with almost the whole team on the forward line, ready to advance."

    [I''m curious to see how they move in this round, and just what the Eldest is nning to do, we''ve seen different mana types from them round to round and this could be something new again.]

    "Here we go! IMMEDIATE wall of fire! Look at the ze!"

    [I can''t believe how fast that was, and it''s within regtion height as well.]

    "Right across the midline, a zing wall of me so intense the heat is radiating through the shielding, and I''m telling you listeners at home, I can feel the sweat building on my forehead as I speak. What''s the reply from the Endless? Once again, they''ve been slow to get off the mark, very unusual for these ants, but they are advancing, forming an earth dome to try andbat the mes¡­."

    [I really don''t think, no, it isn''t going to work! The Eldest is pumping so much mana into that fire the stone and dirt is bing red hot the moment they draw too close. If they can''t quell the mes, they won''t have any hope of advancing.]

    "The mages prepare to do just that. A multi-pronged approach, I believe?"

    [Good eyes, Peter! Yes, the Endless are manipting abination of air, water and earth to try and defeat the wall of mes. Earth to smother the fire, air to thin out the oxygen and the water to douse the mes. It''s unusual to utilise such a roundabout method, but when going against a stronger mage, they may think this will give them a chance.]

    "Time is running low, however. They have to advance and do it soon. The Endless approach the wall¡­."

    CRUNCH!

    ROOAAAAR!

    "AND THE ELDEST SPRINGS THE TRAP! Lunging through the mes in the blink of an eye, the Great One scatters their opponents and smashes the ball! Just like that, it''s over!"

    [Distracting the opponent with the fearsome fire wall, only to abandon the spell and make a tough, physical y to shatter the ball. The Eldest really is putting on a show in terms of their all around ability in this game. As good as they are, the Endless can''t match them in magic, or in physicality.]

    "Those lightning fast lunges¡­ I know I''ve said it a lot, but the action really does happen as quickly as I blink. One moment, the Great One is in one spot, the next, in another."

    [I''ll have to take your word for it, since Ick eyelids, but yes, I too can''t see it happen. In addition to the speed, the strength, the bnce, the precision, all of it is at an unprecedented level. I honestly don''t know how any ant or team of ants could hope to stop that.]

 Chapter 1062 1173 - Deception

    <h4>Chapter 1062 Chapter 1173 - Deception</h4>

    They want me to talk to the generals now. Of course they do. I should NEVER have agreed to do this. What are the generals even going to get from this? You''re soldiers, you''re smart, you know what it''s all about.

    My intention was for the generals to lead from the front. A big body that could provide auras, leadership, directions and strategy from the thick of the action. I probably shouldn''t have called you generals, to be honest; captains is probably closer to what I envisioned, but eh, it doesn''t matter now.

    What does matter, is that you keep doing what you''re doing. I''ve never met or seen a general who wasn''t doing everything they possibly could to lead their siblings to the best of their ability. You can''t be perfect, I don''t expect it and you shouldn''t either. Just do your best. We''re all proud of you.

    - Excerpt from the Eldest''s message to the Generals.

    CRUNCH!

    ROAAAAAR!!!!

    "Once again, the Eldest declines to take their turn on offence!"

    [It seems as if the Eldest is warming up to the crowd finally as well. They roar in appreciation as the majestic ant poses for them, showing off those impressive mandibles and shiny carapace.]

    ckckckckckck!

    "And it seems as though your siblings on the dome are appreciating the disy as well."

    [The Eldest has always been¡­ I don''t want to say entric, but considered a leading light amongst the Colony in terms of showing us what we can aim to be. I wouldn''t be surprised if there was a young ant out there right now, absorbing every action of the Eldest and dreaming of doing the same one day.]

    "I thought you didn''t dream?"

    [I''ve picked up the odd human metaphor. Clearly, I spend too much time with you.]

    "You wound me, Commentant. I wonder if I''ve picked up any antlike habits?"

    [I''ve noticed you cleaning your antennae quite frequently.]

    "I¡­ what?"

    [That was a joke.]

    "Ah."

    [The Endless are taking to the field, this is going to be their second tost turn on offence and the big question is, can they possibly hope to deal with what the Eldest is serving them? Fire magic? Too strong. Wind magic? Too strong. Earth magic? Too strong. Water magic? Way too strong. And then those lunging tackles. We haven''t seen any counter for that either. What can they possibly do to try and score?]

    "The space control from the Great One has been absolutely absurd. It''s been such a long time since the Endless have been able to take a step past the midline."

    [Well, they have two more chances to try and make it happen. I, for one, hope they can do it. What an incredible achievement that would be, and what a reaction they would get from this crowd.]

    "It would be intense, of that I have no doubt. Here''s hoping they can find a way and add even more drama to this match."

    "The Endless are taking their formation now. I have to say, the crowd is most likely anticipating how the Great One is going to stop them as opposed to what the offence will do. They''ve been stopped hard in their tracks the entire second half."

    [We did see some incredible ys from them early in the match, but over thest few rounds, this has been a one-sided affair indeed. The team lowers themselves. Leonidant with the ball, looking to push down the right nk. Does the Eldest shift position to align with the ball carrier? Not at all, straight down the middle.]

    "Here we go! Another sluggish start from the Endless as they drag their feet across the pitch, but they are moving. What are we seeing from the Eldest at the moment? Nothing in response so far! This is surprising."

    [Oh, the Eldest is doing something alright. A furious amount of mana is being vacuumed in and manipted, whatever ising is going to be big. The Endless'' mages are trying to counter, but they are swatted away like hatchlings from the Queen''s biscuits.]

    "Meanwhile, Leonidant is gaining momentum. Sumant and Tant are taking the point, and they are making a run for it! They approach the midline, still no movement from the Eldest!"

    BOOOOOM!

    "An absolute cacophony of noise erupts here in the Stadium! What am I even looking at?!"

    [INCREDIBLE SPELLWORK from the Eldest! Unsatisfied with crushing with one element, they''ve utilised all four in a grand storm that is smashing the Endless back into their own half! Howling wind! Dancing fire! Crushing earth! shing water! An absolute MASTERWORK of base element mana!]

    "The Endless are absolutely helpless in the face of this storm! They try to hold, they try to rally! It''s not working! I can barely make out the details down there, the pitch is filled with roiling elements. An earth barrier is shattered before it can properly form, Sumant and Tant are trying to shelter the others behind their bulk, but it just isn''t working!"

    ROOOOOAAARRR!

    [Aaaand it''s over! The Endless have been driven back to their own touchline, that ends their penultimate offence!]

    "The crowd is going absolutely berserk here in the Stadium. They''ve never seen anything like this, and I''m not surprised, since I haven''t either."

    "Ladies and gentlemen, there''s only two words to describe what we''ve witnessed here today: Magic Tunnel Ball."

 Chapter 1063 1174 - The Rising Sun

    <h4>Chapter 1063 Chapter 1174 - The Rising Sun</h4>

    Hmph.

    I have crushed their will. I can see it in their eyes, I can sense it through the Vestibule and I can smell it in the air. The hope has been drained out of the Endless and I take no joy in it.

    A little pride, perhaps, but certainly no joy.

    It would be a thing of Dark Anthony to enjoy the demolition of this team and their talented, skillful leader, humbling them in front of this enormous audience¡­..

    Yesssssss. It feeelssss good!

    NO! Down, dark one! I reject you utterly!

    Next tiiiiiiiime. I''m alwaysssssssss waiiiiiiiting....

    Phew, that was close.

    Can never be too careful in these situations. Dark Anthony never truly sleeps, but keeps one eye open, watching for a moment of weakness. I will not subject my siblings to that evil!

    Still, it''s in as day that the match is over. I have one more offence, which I will skip, thank you very much. I don''t enjoy the sensation of unbearable pain any more than the next person.

    After that, I can stuff the Endless into their little box and drag them down to the fourth, where I can finally rx.

    ~~~

    CRUNCH!

    ROAAAAAARRR!

    "As expected," Snt remarked, her scent t and emotionless.

    "I suppose the Eldest has proven their point," Leonidant said, "they only need to score against us once, since we can''t get close to scoring against them."

    She nced at the other members of the team and noted the unusual air around them. She almost couldn''t find a word to describe it. This was something strange, something she''d never experienced before.

    Despondent?

    Perhaps it was to be expected; they had never lost before, that was true, but more than that, they had never been in a position where they didn''t think they could win.

    But she did.

    "Snt. What''s the n?"

    She always had a n.

    "This is what we will do," the little general said carefully. "There is no n. y naturally, in formation, and react to my instructions when they happen."

    Leonidant was confused.

    "So¡­ is there a n, or isn''t there?"

    "What I have," Snt said, looking directly at her scout, "is not a n, but more of an idea."

    "But can we score?"

    "No," she said, emphatically. "Believe thatpletely. We cannot score."

    She looked at the others.

    "Don''t perform in a way that will disappoint yourselves. At the very end, have pride in your own standards, and your ability to keep them."

    And that was all it took to firm their resolve. The Endless took their positions for the final y of the game.

    ~~~

    "It all,es down, to this. One final offence, one final attack, to save the unbeatable reputation of the Endless. They can no longer win the game, but by forcing a draw, they can avoid losing it, Commentant."

    [Yes indeed, but that doesn''t seem all that likely. Staring them across the pitch, the Eldest is clearly done with this game. All the antics, the strategies, the tactics, so far, it hasn''t meant anything in the face of overwhelming power.]

    "I have to agree. This seems like the end of an era. No one will ever be able to say that the Endless didn''t lose to a worthy opponent. There isn''t a single team I''ve ever seen, not the Pink Blitz at the height of their powers, that I would back against this one ant."

    [Naturally. The Eldest is the oldest, wisest and strongest in the entire Colony. We may be siblings, but there isn''t a one of us who doesn''t know of their incredible achievements.]

    "The Endless are lining up now, taking a¡­ surprisingly generic formation. I''m sure they have something nned, but this is about as in an attacking look as I''ve ever seen from them. Surely they haven''t given up?"

    [I doubt it. It may be easy to be disheartened in the face of the overwhelming strength they''ve been fighting, but if there were one team who would rather their carapace break than lose, I''m sure it''s this one.]

    "Couldn''t agree more. Snt takes possession of the ball, very high up in the formation, right behind the two soldiers. Bold, risky y, even against normal opposition."

    [AND HERE WE GO! The Endless charge forward, rushing to the midline, and the Eldest waits in their own half. I can feel mana churning once again, something big ising!]

    "Something different is happening, as expected of this team! Snt has climbed onto the backs of her two charging soldiers in a ssic chariot strategy, and the scouts have fallen in to run alongside."

    [The mages are desperately trying to maintain control of the mana around the formation. They know they can''t hope to stop whatever the Eldest is doing, but if they prevent a direct attack on the ball¡­ they may have a chance!]

    "As before, they are just that bit sluggish¡­ as if weighed down by the immense pressure of the moment. Regardless, they charge forward! It''s a stirring sight!"

    BOOOM!

    [An enormous wall of fire erupts across the midline as the Eldest once again stamps their authority on the game! You WILL NOT cross this line!]

    ROOAAAAR!

    "But what''s happening?! The Endless rush forward, heedless of the danger!"

    [That fire is much too hot for them to pass through alive! If they can''t dampen the mes¡­..!]

    "Would the Endless really rather die than lose?!"

    [I can''t watch!]

    "The formation contracts even further, the scouts are piling onto the soldiers'' backs, and they are raising Snt high! I''ve never seen ANYTHING like this! Are they SERIOUSLY trying to fling her over the fire?!"

    [SURELY NOT! But¡­ BUT YES! Snt soars majestically through the air and over the fire, ball gripped tightly in her mandibles!]

    "A brilliant strategy! They''ve finally made it across the midline, but for how long?! The Eldest rises to meet her, mandibles wide! This CANNOT end well for the little general!"

    CLACK!

    ROAAAAAARRR!

    "I CANNOT believe my eyes! She''s fallen like a stone, straight through the mandibles of the Eldest! She''s running through their legs and straight to the touchline! WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"

 Chapter 1064 1175 - Slam the Door

    <h4>Chapter 1064 Chapter 1175 - m the Door</h4>

    Even now, Snt did not allow herself to think of victory. She tried not to think at all. As she raced underneath the Eldest''s carapace, between their legs and out from under their abdomen, she thought only of moving her legs, two at a time.

    The ball gripped tight between her mandibles, the general tried not to focus on the touchline, looming everrger in her vision.

    She tried not to think about her broodmates, those on the pitch with her, and those watching from above, who had entrusted her with their future.

    She very much tried not to think about the massive ant behind her, radiating a suffocating aura of power.

    How many times had the Endless been pushed against the wall? How many times had theye out on top? This would be no different. It had to be no different. She refused to lose.

    Her core throbbed inside her body, the ichor pulsed within her monstrous flesh. Every fibre of her being strained to go just that little bit faster, to reach just that little bit further!

    The touchline was so close! She wished it was closer, wished she had already arrived. If she could touch this ball to the stone, then this burden would be lifted, for just a little while, and she could continue to lead her team with no blemish upon their record.

    She was almost there!

    The crowd was screaming, she was dimly aware. A roar of voices and cking mandibles that shifted the stone beneath her ws and sent her antennae to quivering. The force of it was overwhelming, but there was simply no room in her mind for it.

    She couldn''t lose!

    One final leap, one final stretch for the touchline. She pushed off with all her strength, flying through the air, ball gripped firmly in her mandibles.

    Only a few metres! Not even a second of time, and it would be over!

    Except¡­ she wasn''t moving?

    "Are you done?" The Eldest huffed irritably.

    Snt shifted her head and realised she had be gripped by the giant ant in mid-air, leaving her suspended, mere centimetres from her goal.

    Held above the ground, no matter how she struggled, there was no way she could ovee the remaining distance. That tiny gap may as well have been an insurmountable chasm.

    With one motion, the Eldest raised their head and turned, pulling Snt away from the touchline, and pulling her heart from her chest.

    It was over.

    She had lost.

    "Can you really call it a loss when you never had a chance to win?" the Eldest mused. "Probably, yes. You lose, Snt. Which means you and your little team are mine for the next little while. Are we clear?"

    "... Yes."

    "Excellent. We''ll be heading to the fourth stratum as soon as I can possibly arrange it."

    The Eldest put her down amongst her teammates, making sure to take the ball and crush it with a flex of their mana. The crowd continued to go berserk and the giant ant flexed and posed for them for a moment.

    "Are you alright?" Leonidant asked as she approached her general.

    "I''m fine," Snt replied without emotion.

    "I can''t believe you got so close, even with everything stacked against us¡­."

    "It wasn''t close enough."

    "That''s not your fault."

    "Isn''t it?"

    Leonidant took a step back, pushed away by the intensity of her leader''s scent.

    "S-Snt?"

    "Whoa, hold it right there." A thick leg mmed down between them, right in front of the general''s face, followed by an overly long antenna that poked her in the head. "You''re taking this far too hard. In my opinion, you aren''t focused on quite the right things, but we can put that aside for now, there''s time for discussion soon enough. Before we go, though, there''s something I want to know."

    "What?"

    "How did you poison that cake?"

    The Eldest sounded curious, not even mad, but Snt ducked her head a little before she replied.

    "I had learned that too much sugar caused ants to lose concentration and behave somewhat erratically, so I had the cake prepared with ten times the normal amount."

    "You¡­ tried to poison me¡­ with sugar?"

    "I would not put aside any weapon in the pursuit of victory."

    "Nono, I get that¡­ it''s just¡­ that''s adorable. Alright. I''ve had enough of this. Get your crew together, the full twenty, I can''t take any more of this."

    When the other ten arrived, the Eldest counted them, nodded then raised their head.

    With a sh of light, and a ripping sound, the pitch became empty.

    ~~~

    "The most one-sided 1-0 match in history."

    [You aren''t wrong, Peter. Despite her heroics at the end, somehow managing to slip her way past the Eldest for a second, it wasn''t enough. Snt and her Endless have finally tasted defeat at the mandibles of the mightiest ant in the Colony.]

    "It''s a shame, really. I can''t imagine seeing the Great One return to this stratum again any time soon, if at all. We, and the audience lucky enough to witness this spectacle live, may be the veryst people to see the Eldest''s greatness in person at this depth."

    [I believe you''re right. And what a spectacle it was. It''s been my privilege, listeners, to bring you thismentary and let you share in this unprecedented and unrepeatable moment in the history of our game and our civilisation. Long live the Colony!]

    "Long live Tunnel Ball!"

 Chapter 1065 1176 - Sweet Relief

    <h4>Chapter 1065 Chapter 1176 - Sweet Relief</h4>

    I''m not a huge fan of my insides turning into my outsides, or having my carapace reced with candy floss, or indeed, of being ttened/expanded into less/more dimensions than I''mfortable with.

    Having said that, the moment when Brilliant drops me into the fourth stratum makes it more than worthwhile. Instantly, I feel a wave of relief wash over me as both my gasping core rxes, and the insatiable gnawing of the Call fades away.

    It''s still there, obviously, but no longer is it the maddening, mind-bendingly painful yanking on my soul, merely afy nail through the foot.

    Nothing I can''t handle!

    "Thanks, Brilliant," I sigh in relief, "I appreciate the trip."

    "Are you feeling well, Eldest?" the little maniac says, prodding me in the side. "This is unlike you."

    "Pah. Don''t you have something you should be blowing up? Shoo."

    "Why yes! I do! If you find yourself in need of my services again, don''t hesitate to call my name! BRILLIANT!"

    With a pop, she vanishes from sight and I allow myself to slump to the floor in relief.

    Bliss.

    It doesn''tst long, though.

    [MASTER!]

    Glomp!

    From nowhere, an enormous blob of shadow flies from the crevices in the ceiling above me andtches onto my carapace. Crinis wastes no time expanding herself to wrap around my abdomen, poking and prodding as she goes.

    [I''m fine. I''m fine. Nice to see you, Crinis. Stop poking! I haven''t been gone that long. I didn''t even do anything dangerous!]

    [Then why did you leave us behind? We could havee too!]

    [It''s not that easy for Brilliant to haul powerful monsters around. I thought it was better if you three waited for me down here. Did Tiny and Invidia make it alright?]

    [They''re fine,] she sniffs. [The Mother Tree didn''t really want to move us, but she''s still in debt to the Colony, so she couldn''t refuse.]

    [She''s already trying to weasel out of the deal? Lousy matchstick! I''ll go have a word when I get a chance. In the meantime, stop poking me and say hello to Snt and her crew.]

    [Who is Snt?]

    [Our new Colony champion. She''s an interesting one, tried to poison me.]

    [She WHAT?!]

    [Hak! You''re going to snap my antennae! Let go! Let go!]

    [Should I annihte this FILTH that dared to harm you?]

    [Calm breaths. I mean¡­ you don''t breathe, do you? It''s fine. She tried to poison me with¡­ heh¡­ sugar. It was funny more than anything else. Don''t hurt her.]

    [... fine.]

    [Alright then. Now behave, I''ve got a few things to do, then I''ll chase down the other two and we can debrief.]

    With my madness inducing shadow monstrosity mollified for the moment, I turn my attention to the twenty ants before me. They look a little overwhelmed at the dramatic increase in mana concentrationpared to where they were before, which is understandable.

    Except for Snt. She''s studying everything with that restless, analytical mind of hers. I can practically hear the cogs turning in her head, and they ain''t turning slow.

    "Well, I suppose some congrattions are in order."

    "Congrattions?" Snt asks.

    "On your early graduation from the Antcademy. Well done! Whoo!"

    "We''re¡­ finished?" another ant pipes up. "Does that mean we can go serve the Colony?"

    "In a sense, yes. In another, more realistic sense, no. You''ve been enrolled in the Colony''s most prestigious and exclusive postgraduate program. You get to learn directly from the greatest and best teacher in the entire family!"

    "When are they getting here?"

    THWACK!

    "I''m talking about me! Sheesh! Where''s the respect due to the Eldest? Now, Snt, let''s have a quick chat. The rest of you rx for a second."

    I pull the general to one side where we can speak privately. Brilliant was kind enough to deposit us inside the chamber I evolved in. Spacious, and, it appears, quite abandoned for the moment, we are very much alone inside, which is nice.

    "Recovered from the smashing defeat I inflicted on you yet?"

    She res at me.

    "No."

    "Good! Nothing like a bit of burning anger to drive you forward. I''ve got high hopes for you, Snt. I see some qualities in you that are¡­ rare, to say the least, in the Colony. You''re going to be a very important member of the family before all is said and done, I''m sure."

    She eyes me a little sceptically and I have to remind myself that unlike the previous two champions, this one wasn''t raised by me. She''s been taught and reared like every other ant, with the love and care of the best monster mums the Dungeon has ever seen: the Brood Tenders! My¡­ unorthodox methods will seem almost cruel byparison.

    "I don''t really understand what you mean."

    In that moment, I decide I''m going to take an even more unusual approach, the direct approach!

    "Are you aware what a Champion monster is?"

    "No."

    "Think of them as exceptional, unique members of a particr monster type. It happens rarely, but sometimes a monster is simply born better, with an already formed core in some instances. But it''s more than just better, also different. In a species like ours, they go from rare to ultra, super, giga-rare. In fact, inside the Colony, there are only three."

    "I¡­ see."

    Unlike Vibrant and Brilliant, Snt is quick on the uptake. I mean, Vibrant is quick, but not in this sense, and Brilliant is¡­ intelligent¡­ but also extremely dense.

    "You just met one of them, just a moment ago. Brilliant is a Mage quite unlike any other, obsessed with uncovering secrets and mysteries. She''s turned herself into an unearther of arcane truth without peer. Vibrant is another. Obsessed with speed, she''s the fastest ant in the Colony and leader of an independent, hit-and-run style force that rushes all over the Dungeon putting out fires. Without doubt the ant who covers the most ground and helps in the most ces."

    "And the third¡­ is me?"

    "Exactly! Your teachers saw the signs long ago, and even you can name them now. A unique approach and methods, a certain, unexined maism that inspired loyalty in followers, and rare, unusual evolutions. Right?"

    The little ant is silent for a long moment, before she nods.

    "So, what does it mean for me?"

    "I have no doubt that when we are done you will be the greatest battlefield general this family has and likely will ever see. Over time, your broodmates over there will be joined by more and more ants who are inspired to follow in your footsteps, until you have your own army, trained to fight exactly how you want. The most dominant and unbeatable fighting force in the Colony!"

    "I had always intended for that to be the case."

    "Well, it may not have panned out quite how you wanted. You also intended to go undefeated, right?"

    "..."

    "Exactly."

    I pat her on the carapace.

    "But that obsession, that willingness to do things no other ant will do, to pay the price that no one else is willing to pay. I like that. Some might say it''s a form of madness, but so what? Would you rather be mad, or let the Colony fail?"

    Unlike my two previous students, Snt takes her time to think over my question and consider her answer before she offers it. When she finally replies, I know that she means it with her whole heart.

    "I would rather be mad," she says quietly.

    "Of course you would! Me too! Never fear. When we''re done, you will never lose again."

    "Good," she replies, her eyes smouldering.

 Chapter 1066 1177 - Training Begins

    <h4>Chapter 1066 Chapter 1177 - Training Begins</h4>

    "Well, well. Looks like someone was finally taught a lesson," Sloan said as she appeared in the chamber, looking quite smug.

    "What are you on about?" I ask.

    "Just noting that a certain, overconfident general, has learned that she isn''t always right, and can''t always win, regardless of the circumstances."

    Sheesh. Since when did generals in the Colony get this petty?

    "Yes, yes. The tier four general has learned she can''t ovee a tier seven mythic monster. Whoo. Now scuttle off, don''t you have to manage the defence against the wave?"

    The atmosphere between Snt and Sloan is oddly tense and I''m sure there''s a story there, but I can get to the bottom of itter. Tiny and Invidia have found their way into the chamber over the past hour, along with various ants who''ve checked in and filled me in on the goings on down here.

    "I''ll be out of your antennae in a moment, Eldest," Sloan assures me, "I''ll just take Snt with me and we will be on our way."

    I''m confused.

    "Why would you be taking Snt with you?"

    She hesitates.

    "So¡­ I can¡­ teach her? If she''s going to learn the ways of the Colony''s generals, what better way than to learn from Victor and I?"

    She''s not even finished her spiel before I''m shaking my head.

    "Absolutely not. I''ll be taking care of Snt''s education on the finer points of generalship. The two of you are much too important to be spending time training hatchlings."

    Sloan stares at me, and I can tell she wants to say that I''m the one who''s too important to be training new ants, but I don''t give her a chance.

    "Thanks for dropping by, Sloan! Excellent work as always, good chat and all that. Get back to doing what you do best, I don''t want to take another moment of your time."

    With one leg, I push the general to the exit and talk over her protests until she''s out of the chamber and then resolutely turn my back.

    "Thank you, Eldest," Snt says quietly.

    "Pah! I''ve no idea why you don''t get along, but I''m hardly going to let the next champion be trained in a conventional way. What''s the point?! The great thing about the champions in the Colony is their unique way of thinking. Sloan and Victor would want you to operate ''by the book'', and you''d turn out to be a fine general, I''ve no doubt, but your mould-breaking tactics and envelope-pushing mentality would go to waste."

    "What''s an envelope?"

    "Never mind!"

    Then I get to thinking.

    "Now¡­ I suppose¡­ the best way to train you to be a better general is¡­ to have you n and execute as many battles as possible. Level your Skills, get some XP, and test your ideas."

    I nod to myself.

    "Well¡­ that makes sense to me, at least. How do you feel about it?"

    The little ant hesitates.

    "This is¡­ moving a little fast, Eldest."

    I suppose she''s never led her squad into a proper fight. The training the Colony provides is excellent, and they''ve certainly fought monsters many times, but that isn''t exactly the same as fighting against a wave in the fourth stratum.

    "Not a problem, we can ease you into it. Collecting information before devising a n is core to your strategy, right? I''ll take you and your squad out hunting, you can snipe some experience and Biomass while we hunt, and gather the information you need. Sound good?"

    "That works."

    She seems a little relieved I''m not going to put her on the spot and demand she start pumping out wless battle ns immediately. I''ll give her a couple of days before that stage, I suppose.

    [Come on, Tiny, Invidia. We''re heading out to fight.]

    Tiny leaps to his feet and ms in a quick flex before he starts rumbling toward the entrance, Invidia fluttering over his shoulder. I don''t need to bother asking Crinis, since she''s still wrapped around my abdomen, it''s not like I can avoid taking her with me.

    "Go and get your team together," I tell Snt, "and we''ll get going."

    A momentter, we are striding through the fortress, and I have to say, they''ve done a lot of work on this ce since I wasst here. The fortress feels much moreplete, with proper,ne-separated paths connecting the various segments, carpets for goodness sake, more finished rooms, along with the ever-present carving, frescos and statues.

    At least I see some of them that aren''t me. I even spot a Tiny, leaning forward in the ssing macho pose, both arms bulging, in the centre of one chamber.

    When we get toward the outer parts of the fortress, the fact that this is, in reality, a nest under siege bes much more apparent. Hospitals are everywhere, ants scurrying all over the ce, the constant sound of roaring monsters, hissing acid and the endless cking and snapping of mandibles echoes down the corridors.

    Eventually, I step out of a wide, open gate and find myself on the battlements, looking down the mountain to the fields of carnage below.

    An endless stream of monsters seems to rise up out of the waters, or fly down from the sky, to hurl themselves against the mightiest defences the Colony has ever constructed. There has to be close to a million ants in this fortress right now, judging by the Vestibule, and they are hard pressed to hold off this constant assault, despite their defensive advantage.

    I know for a fact that the tunnels below the fortress are just as dangerous, with thousands of monsters spawning in the darkness down there every minute.

    "Well, this looks exciting," Iment to the gaggle of tier four ants beside me.

    The twenty of them look shell-shocked as they gaze out across the devastation.

    "Give me a minute to clear the field for a second, then we can make a n."

 Chapter 1067 1178 - The First Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 1067 Chapter 1178 - The First Lesson</h4>

    The whole ind is covered in monsters, because of course it is, this is a wave. The size of the beasties is certainlyrger than what I''ve gotten ustomed to in other strata. In the first, pretty much all monsters start off smaller than a human, ditto for the second and third. In fact, all demons start basically cat-sized, but they can get a lot bigger rather fast.

    Most of the monsters down there are likely tier two or three, considering how rapidly they spawn, but there are some chonkers out there. Sea beasts of all sorts charge out of the water and onto the shore, tentacles writhing, shark-jaws snapping, pinchers¡­ pinching. In an endless tide, they emerge, throw themselves against the walls of the fortress, only to be beaten back by the stalwart defenders.

    Completely standard defensive mess. The wave is always a battle of attrition and if we''d had even a little less time to fortify this position, we would''ve been in real strife.

    Well, I can clear the field a little and then we may be able to get something productive done. Sucking in all the mana I can handle, I whip together a gravity construct and start pumping out as much energy as I can manage. To make a dent in this battle, I''m going to need a massive gravity well, so that''s what I get to making.

    When it''s finished, I empower it with the Altar and watch as the crush of monsters in front of me bes just that little bit more crushed. Nice.

    The sudden silence is deafening. I couldn''t surround the entire mountain with a gravity well, of course, but at least this segment in front of me is, blessedly, free of invaders. Oop, more areing out of the water now, well, that didn''tst long.

    "Alright. Let''s get down there and you twenty can stuff yourselves with Biomass, survey the terrain and study the monsters, or whatever you need to do. We don''t have long, though, so let''s hop to it!"

    Snt and her crew file in behind me without a word. They really can step in time when they want to! Like they''re marching on a parade ground.

    [Come on, you three, I want you to keep the monsters off us for a bit.]

    In a line, we make our way down the wall and onto the battlefield itself, now coated in a thinyer of squashed monster. Some of the tentacle¡­ octopus kind appear to have survived, albeit barely. I get Crinis to investigate and see if some of the experience can be funneled to Snt and her group.

    "Get to eating, you lot. Tiny, go smash stuff. I''ll keep an eye out here."

    The big ape gleefully bounds off as the little ants get stuck into the Biomass, except for Snt.

    "Is that the spell you used on us?" she asks.

    "Oho! Quite astute of you. That was the one. Obviously, a very weak version that I intended to slow you down. You were very clever to use it against me, falling faster than I expected. After your ''poisoning'' attempt, you can''t me me for retaliating outside of the rules."

    "I don''t," she shakes her antennae. "But with a power like this¡­" she indicates the field full of squished monsters, "I don''t see how you could lose."

    Still too naive. It''s good that I brought her down here.

    "You''re still very young, there''s far too much that you haven''t seen. I''m not the strongest monster on this stratum, far from it. We fought tier eights on the third, who knows, there might be tier nines hanging around the fourth. That''s two whole evolutions further developed than me! You need to keep in mind that this is a wave, a constant assault from uncountable low-tier enemies."

    I give the little general a little side-eye.

    "How do you think we should handle this situation?"

    She thinks for a long moment before replying.

    "Is it possible to get the monsters to fight each other?"

    "To some extent, yes. We, and by ''we'', I mean the Colony, represent a huge amount of Biomass and XP to these frenzied monsters, so the moment they catch wind of us, theye running. Let''s not forget, the wave is also an incredible opportunity for us. A chance to gain an enormous amount of resources and train our Skills."

    "I see."

    "Now, quick, stuff your face, unlock some profiles, and then we''ll get back to the wall. We can observe a bit more of the fighting from up there."

    This time, she follows my instructions and soon, we''re back on top of the wall, looking down as the steady flow of monsters from the waters reaches the walls once again.

    Just like that, it''s as if my intervention never took ce and the ants are back to fighting fiercely all along the walls, pushing back the attackers with acid, magic and mandibles.

    I take the twenty on a circuit tour of the fortress, looking down from all sides at the endless battle. I can tell it''s a lot for them to take in. Not long ago, they were still undergoing basic training, now I''ve brought them to the most viciousbat zone in all of the Colony''s territory.

    It''s quite the sight, and it isn''t improved when I notice severalrge floating inds drifting our way. As they get closer, the flying monsters who swarm around them begin to drift down and harass the troops on the walls.

    Stupid flying lizards! Buzz off!

    "Let''s get back into the nest," I tell them.

    I don''t want any of these twenty getting picked off by a stray flyer, especially Snt!

 Chapter 1068 1179 - Show of Force

    <h4>Chapter 1068 Chapter 1179 - Show of Force</h4>

    For the next several hours, the wave continues as before, but with the added bonus of these damned sinuous lizards shooting us with water, fire, lightning and I think I saw one using force magic, the fancy-dancy goon. Weird to look at, they almost seem to swim through the sky, with several sets of little wings pping away.

    Are you dragons or snakes? Make up your dang minds!

    Whenever they see an opening, they try to swoop down and snatch up an ant, but the Colony has been good at driving them back with barrages of acid and magic. So far, I don''t think they''ve managed to scoop up one of my siblings yet, but as the ind drifts closer, more and more of them join the flock overhead. It''s only a matter of time until the defenders be overwhelmed and we start losing ants.

    Not on my watch.

    "Stay back here and out of sight for a minute," I warn Snt and her crew.

    She nods in acknowledgement and they huddle behind Tiny who gives them a reassuring thumbs up.

    With the vulnerable protected, I step back out onto the wall and re at these uppity lizards. The rest of the ants out here on the edge give me a little space as they continue to deal with the hordes of monsters below.

    From within my core and my gravity mana nd, I begin to pull out huge amounts of energy. The well I used to smash the monsters on the ind will work just as well to bring these dumb lizards out of the sky. Once they find themselves within reach, it''ll be trivial for the Colony to feast on their pretentious, scaly hides.

    I take my time condensing and weaving the spell. The dragon-snakes are zipping about all over the ce, so I''ll need to cover an enormous area to snag a good number. When I have an absurd amount of gravitational mana prepared, I begin to extend the spell, preparing to bring these pests down to the ground.

    At that moment, an air-splitting roar shatters the sky. As one, the flying monsters zip higher into the sky, retreating from the mountain toward their ind and out of range from my spell.

    Dammit. What the heck was that?

    To answer my question, something moves in the distance and an enormous form emerges from over the edge of the ind, slithering through the sky.

    Holy smokes! That''s a big ol'' sky-snake! You might actually qualify as a dragon, big fe! More of a Chinese dragon than a western one, but hey, it''s impressive looking!

    As long as an ocean liner, the monster whirls through slow, graceful loops, holding position halfway between the mountain and its home. The smaller ones, possibly its children, retreat to hover around it, zipping in and about each other in fluid, shifting patterns.

    Going to roar at me and my family, are you? We won''t be intimidated!

    I extend my senses to feel out the monster as I reach up and climb onto the side of the mountain.

    CLACK! CLACK! CLACK!

    As I set the muscles of my face and m my mandibles together, the piercing sound reverberates off the mountain and into the air. Not unlike a piledriver mming steel pylons into the ground, the sharp cracks of my mandibles can be heard kilometres off.

    When I sense the dragon with my mind, I can feel it doing the same back to me, taking a measure of the foe. Hmmm. This dragon may have a slightly more powerful core than I do, but it''s close. Tier seven, or eight, but not more than that, thankfully.

    The dragon roars once more, and I respond with further vicious cking as I posture on the side of the mountain, basically signing e and get some'' with my six legs.

    This goes on for almost ten minutes before the dragon turns around and winds its way back onto the floating ind along with the rest of the dragon brood. Suddenly, the skies are clear of monsters and, ever so slowly, the ind, which was graduallying towards us, begins to slow its approach and change direction.

    Once I''m sure the flying snake-den is moving away, I climb down off the mountainside and into the opening at the top of the wall, where I find Sloan waiting for me.

    "Eldest! What the heck was that?! I could hear the roaring and cking from deep inside the fortress!"

    "That was a bit odd, wasn''t it," I muse. "I think that ind has been imed by that dragon monster as a nest. There''s either a spawn point up there or the dragon isying eggs. At any rate, the creature is smart enough to protect its own kind, since it appeared once I threatened the smaller ones."

    Intelligent monsters. The Demons are smart, obviously, and form their ownmunities, but is there going to be more of that down here in the fourth? I wouldn''t think so, since there are so many non-monsters living in the fourth ording to Granin.

    Perhaps these dragons are so territorial that they don''t really cooperate?

    "And then what happened?" Sloan demands.

    "Oh. We had a stare down, feeling out each other''s power."

    "And you were stronger?"

    "What? No. I was strong enough that the monster didn''t want to risk tangling with me on my own mountain, though, so it backed off. The weirdest thing is the way the ind changed direction. I think that dragon might be able to steer the dang thing."

    "That''s¡­ worrying. So every flying ind is a floating castle that can be used tounch attacks on our fortress?" Sloan frets. "We didn''t design it with the knowledge that was possible. Could they even drop an ind on us? They could crush the entire mountain!"

    "Whoa, slow down. I don''t think there are many monsters out there who would use their nest as a siege weapon, alright? Humans would absolutely do that, though, so it''s worth keeping in mind. We definitely need to think about this a bit more. It''s lucky our first run-in with an ind attack was a rtively weak one."

    I see Snt pondering off to the side, her mind ticking away at a million kilometres an hour.

    "What do you think, Snt? How should we protect ourselves from these inds?"

    She twitches, knocked out of her thoughts as she turns to look up at me.

    "Oh. I''m not sure, I wasn''t really thinking about it."

    Curious¡­

    "What were you thinking about?"

    "I was thinking¡­" she starts, eyes gleaming, "of what we could do if we seize an ind for ourselves."

 Chapter 1069 1180 - Planning

    <h4>Chapter 1069 Chapter 1180 - nning</h4>

    ?

    "Hah! I like the way you think. What do you reckon, Sloan? Fancy adding a floating fortress to our arsenal?"

    The general looks a little sour, but can''t quite manage to conceal the excitement quivering through her antennae.

    "It would allow us to do a lot. A mobile defensive tform. We could use it to fend off other inds that attack the mountain, orunch attacks against our enemies. I can''t deny it would be extremely useful to have, Eldest."

    "It sure would. Shame we can''t get one for the moment."

    Both Snt and Sloan droop at my words, their antennae slumping to the ground.

    "Be a little realistic, you two," I scold them. "That dragon has a stronger core than I do, and in case you don''t remember, it flies. I can get up there, but I''m not exactly graceful. There''s no guarantee that I''d be able to win and seize the ind for us. Besides all of that, don''t we have enough on our tes right now without having to take and operate our own flying castle?"

    "The carvers would kill us if we asked them to fortify an entire ind right now," Sloan sighs. "They still haven''tpleted work on this mountain to anything like their own satisfaction. There''s whole sections which haven''t been touched since the termite upation."

    "Right. It''s a great idea, Snt, but we need to put things in order. Finish work on the mountain, fend off the wave, then we can look toward getting into the skies."

    The little general nods as if agreeing with me, but I can tell her little brain is still ticking over. Good. She''s meant to be an independent thinker. Doing whatever the ''Eldest'' tells them is a weakness the rest of the Colony has fallen into a little too readily for my taste.

    "Right, now that the flying menace has been dealt with, we may as well repeat our previous exercise a couple times. We''ll rotate around the mountain, doing a different segment with each run. Just like before, I''ll tten stuff, we run out and get some goodies, scope out the situation, then retreat."

    "As you say, Eldest," Snt agrees, a little absent-mindedly, and I''m tempted to administer a thwack, but I hold myself back. Nurture the independent thought, Anthony¡­.

    We repeat the process four times over the next few hours, giving me a break in between to recharge my mana and Vestibule, as well as letting the little ants digest their Biomass.

    Every time we run out, I can see Snt soaking in everything like a little sponge, constantly twitching this way and that as thoughts spark in her mind. She seems particrly interested in the monsters, taking time to study each one, poking and prodding at them as she slowly chews her food.

    Know thy enemy, eh?

    "Right! We''vepleted a circuit of the mountain. What are your thoughts, Snt?"

    "... You''re very strong."

    "That''s it? We all already knew that, right? Nono, surely you have a little more."

    "I have a few ideas, Eldest, but I want to think on them a little more, and discuss with my broodmates."

    "Probably a good idea, but we don''t have time for that just yet."

    "We don''t? Aren''t we done?"

    "Done?! Are you crazy? There''s no such thing as done when there''s a wave on! Besides, did you think this was the only ce where fighting was taking ce? Heck no! We''re heading below ground!"

    The second front of the endless battle against the wave. The monsters climbing up the mountainside are only a portion of those the Colony is fighting off, the rest are swarming below ground, filling up the tunnels and caverns carved by the termites and spawning in the deep passages that run below the ocean.

    Heck, the links between the fourth and fifth stratum are way down there somewhere. Eventually, we''re going to see an assault by the toxic murder creatures from below. In fact, it may not even be far away!

    Truth be told, below ground is where the real battle is! As it should be! Tunnel fighting is what we ants were made for.

    We plunge down through the fortress until we arrive at a grand, central chamber in the bowels of the mountain. From here, Victor has been overseeing an omni-directional war, managing the hundreds of chokepoints, fortified tunnels and approaches to the fortress from below.

    "Hey there, Victor!" I wave a friendly antenna as messenger scouts rush between my legs. "What can I do to help out?"

    "That way! Go!" The beleaguered general points with one antenna and I turn to see a flood of reinforcements rushing down a side tunnel.

    "Gotcha. Hop on my back, you lot, we''re moving quick!"

    After a moment of hesitation, Snt and her twenty broodmates mber onto my carapace, some clinging to my sides since they don''t all fit and even on top of each other. Especially since Crinis refuses to make way for them.

    "And we''re off!"

    [Keep up, Tiny!]

    We sprint down the tunnel, rushing directly over the top of the skittering troops, and soon enough, we reach the frontline, a little closer to the fortress than I was expecting to see.

    Much like our defence against the wave in the second stratum, the Colony has opted for a defence in depth approach. A series of walls and fortified positions where the Colony can retreat from one to the next, exhausting the enemy, blunting their assault, and then rolling them back, retaking the walls and fixing them, ready for the next push toe.

    It''s brutal for the enemy, but the monsters down here are strong. I can already see the issue. Our tier five troops are struggling to put enough damage into the monsters to bring them down in a timely fashion. As more and more monsters pile up, the Colony has to retreat further and further. Like a tower defence game, once you reach the point where you aren''t putting the attackers down fast enough, everything can snowball out of control extremely quickly.

    "Alright. Everyone off! I''m going to help out for a second."

    The moment the twenty little ants are off my back, I sprint forward. I''ve got damage for all! About time I put my mandibles to work!

 Chapter 1070 1181 - Tunnel Tactics

    <h4>Chapter 1070 Chapter 1181 - Tunnel Tactics</h4>

    Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!

    Ah, the satisfying feeling of having my face hands pping fools. The monsters of the fourth stratum are tough, there''s no doubt about that, but these are all spawned during the wave, without enough evolutions or mutations to really threaten a highly developed monster like me.

    A mass of boulders rumbles towards me, acting in harmony as if connected by some invisible force. An earth elemental?

    Chomp!

    I shatter it.

    "Skreeeeee!"

    A feathered worm bursts out of the soil in front of me.

    Chomp!

    Not today, worm!

    A weird, dinosaur-looking thing charges at me, waggling its little arms.

    Chomp! Chomp!

    Needed two that time!

    Fighting in the rtively narrow confines of the tunnels just feels more like home to me. Part of that is likely my ant nature, and the other is probably down to the circumstances of my birth. Fighting in tunnels was my first experience in the Dungeon, after all.

    Of course, it''s not efficient to bite all these monsters one by one, which is why Gandalf brought us awesome active Skills.

    VOID CHOMP!

    Empowered by the Altar, the bite shatters entire ranks of frothing beasts and I follow up with a scorching st of Dragon''s Breath, the hyper-potent jet of me superheating even the rock of the tunnel wall. There''s a lot of spells I haven''t juiced up with the Altar to see their full effects, and this is merely one of them. Infused with the Will of the Colony, the spell is so searingly hot, and travels so far, that all that remains before me is melted g and glowing rocks.

    Neat.

    I should probably cool the tunnel down? The ants aren''t going to be able to advance and retake the nextyer of walls at this rate, but if I pour water over it all, won''t the rock crack? I don''t want to cause instability and possibly copse this section of tunnel¡­.

    I''ll just leave it. Someone with a clearer head on their shoulders can make those sorts of decisions, my work here is done!

    I retreat back to the defensive line, exchanging ant high-fives with the stout warriors of the Colony as I pass through. I have to be careful with those now. My antennae have be sorge I can cause some real damage if I''m not careful, especially when I''m thwippy-thwapping with smaller castes, like mages.

    "That should help relieve the pressure for a few minutes at least," I announce to Snt and her gang. "After you''ve evolved again, you lot will be able to get in there and do your thing too. The experience and Biomass you can rue is second to none."

    "I assume that''s why we don''t seal the tunnels and close off the nest?" Snt asks.

    "That''s right. Despite the danger, despite the casualties we inevitably suffer, it''s worth it. The Colony has only grown as fast as it has thanks to our sessful defence against, and harnessing of, the wave. How many thousands upon thousands of Biomass are being harvested in the second and third strata right now? How many cores? All of that is fed back into our growth, powering our mutations and evolutions, producing stronger ants."

    She nods in understanding, but I have more to say.

    "Don''t forget that realbat is the fastest and most effective way to train your Skills, as well. With every wave, we supercharge the development of the family. Who could say how long it would have taken us to reach this point without them?"

    I lead the little ants and my crew back to themand centre only to find a horde of reinforcements rushing down a different tunnel this time.

    "I assume¨C?"

    "Hurry up!" Victor yells.

    "Calm yourself a little bit, sheesh!"

    We spend the next few hours bouncing between different tunnels, helping to roll back the encroaching monsters and allowing the Colony to reim the outer defences.

    Through it all, Snt and her broodmates watch everything like insectile hawks, especially their leader. They study everything, discussing amongst themselves as they develop ideas and strategies together. When I feel it''s safe, I bring them forward and give them a taste of the fighting, along with a taste of the Biomass.

    The battle down here is truly endless, as one would expect during a wave. No matter how far back I push the hordes of ravenous beasts, they return in less than ten minutes, baying for the sweet, sweet cores and food that the nest represents.

    When we make our way back to the central hub this time, the activity inside is even more fric than usual. In fact, I''d go so far as to say that things are a whirling, manic, mess.

    It''s not hard to work out why, though.

    "Hihi Senior! How''ve you been? I''ve been great! I''ve heard you''re super fast now! That''s amazing! Isn''t it amazing to go fast?! I love going fast! It''s the best. Crin-Crin! I haven''t seen her in a while. Is she doing well? Why isn''t she connecting a mind-bridge to me?"

    Vibrant runs in circles around me, poking Crinis, who clings stubbornly to my carapace. The result is that I am also getting poked, and I don''t like it.

    "Give her a second! You can''t create magic as fast as you can run!"

    "That''stoobad!"

    "Slow it down! You actually managed to put a gap between each scent-word for a second there."

    [Crinis. Please have a chat with Vibrant for a second, she''s going to drive me crazy.]

    [I didn''t have a mind-magic construct ready, Master. I''m working on it. There, got it.]

    "Wow, it''s great to talk to Crin-Crin! We need to catch up more! By the by, Senior, have you been fighting down here? I''ve been in the third and it''s been crazy! I was all whoosh, and then swoosh, and the demons were all raarrrggh. I did so much running and fighting, I''m starting to close in on tier seven!"

    I stare at Vibrant as she still runs in circles around me, randomly poking as she goes.

    "Weren''t you going to talk to Crinis?"

    "I am! I''m talking to you at the same time! Isn''t it great?! :D"

    Holy moly. I''d forgotten about her mutated brain, she thinks just as fast as she runs. To her, we''re all talking in slow-motion. And she''s still the most dedicated of all the ants to the art of scent-moji. Some things never change.

 Chapter 1071 1182 - The Grand Strategem

    <h4>Chapter 1071 Chapter 1182 - The Grand Strategem</h4>

    With the arrival of Vibrant and her crew, who''d made the difficult trek from the Mother Tree''s portal to arrive in the new mountain-nest, the situation below ground stabilised rapidly. Just like their leader, the ten thousand ants who follow in her footsteps specialise in speed, which isn''t the most useful thing down in the tunnels, but they find ways to make it work.

    They want space to best employ their greatest advantage, which meant the wide open ins of the third stratum had been the perfect battle ground for them and Vibrant had been super busy. Rushing from one pir to the next, putting out fires, joining sieges, roaming the ins and sweeping up huge numbers of evolving demons. Down here, they use whatever space they can find, rushing along the walls and ceilings in dizzying loops.

    Watching them charge into a tunnel is almost like watching a horizontal ant-tornado.

    "All right, it''s rest time!" I dere cheerfully to Snt and her crew.

    The twenty of them are still standing, but only just. After hour upon hour of non-stop movement, fighting and eating, they are well and truly done for the day.

    Hang on a sec¡­.

    "I said we''re going to go rest, so chill out already."

    The shadows, which had been steadily deepening around us, begin to recede once more. I swear I see an antenna pop out of the darkness and wave an apology.

    Did they really think they could swoop in and grab my student right in front of me?! I appreciate the dedication, but I''m not going to let them get away with skipping torpor. That''s the only time I get a break!

    "Go find yourselves a spot in a barrack somewhere. I''lle and find you in eight hours. You better have some interesting strategies cooked up by then, Snt! I''m keen to hear what you''ve been churning over in that brain of yours!"

    When the exhausted ants tottle away, I turn to Crinis, Tiny and Invidia.

    [You three need to keep fighting. I know you have all the Biomass and cores you need, but you''re still short on Levels. The sooner you three get to tier seven, the happier I''ll be. Down here in the fourth, there''s all sorts of crazy monsters¡­ and sky-snakes¡­ and whatever that weird dinosaur thing was. So you need to evolve! Go and get some Levels!]

    A thumbs up from Tiny, a long, slow blink from Invidia and a reluctant peeling from my carapace from Crinis. Soon enough, the three of them split up and head down different tunnels. With them helping alongside Vibrant''s army, things should settle down under the nest, at least for a while.

    If there''s one thing I''ve learned about the waves, they only get worse until the moment they finish.

    With everyone else dealt with, it''s time to do the most important work of all: snooze. I''ve been working hard, dammit! I deserve a little open-eye.

    I find a nice, secluded chamber, and in moments, I dip into sweet, sweet torpor.

    WACCAMEOW! I''m up!

    Time to round up the troops. It isn''t hard to locate Snt, thanks to the Vestibule. So far, she''s been the easiest of the champions to deal with. At least she isn''t trying to escape all the time. Or running off at full speed.

    Wait a second, have all the champions been fleeing from me most of the time? What a shocking realisation!

    Not so with Snt, though! Along with her crew, they are looking bright-eyed and shiny-carapaced, ready for another day of brutal and intense warfare!

    "How are we, squad?" I greet them with gusto. "We''re heading back down into the tunnels today, but this time, Snt is going to be in charge of the n."

    "I will?"

    "Of course! That''s your speciality, your raisin deet ray. Or whatever. When we get down there, I want you toy out the n of attack. Our objective is to hold a tunnel for a few hours along with the troops there in the best way you can think of. You''ll all be fighting too, so keep that in mind."

    They really are a tight-knit and supportive group. As we march down into the bowels of the nest, the twenty of them constantly discuss and strategize, bouncing ideas off each other, critiquing and providing constructive feedback.

    Snt doesn''t contribute much, but she''s always paying attention, absorbing every idea they bounce around and absorbing it into her own calctions.

    When we reach the staging point, I arrive just in time to see Victor vanish into a pool of shadow. The rest of the generals in themand centre don''t react at all to the sudden abduction of their leader, but instead seamlessly flow into a newmand structure, carrying on with the business of ensuring the nest''s security. So I guess we pick our own tunnel.

    "Down this way," I lead my twenty charges.

    Several hundred metres from the front, I stop the procession and turn to face Snt.

    "Alright then, what''s the n?"

    "I have a few ideas I want to try. Gather around, I might sketch out a few things on the floor."

    Her team skitters closer as I loom overhead, looking down.

    "The vector of the enemies'' approach is predictable, which is a massive advantage. I feel it isn''t being properly utilised. I also feel like a rapid rotation of fighters will help prolong ourbat effectiveness. Our goal is to swap in and out ofbat every fifteen seconds, which will mean we need to utilise some adjusted formations. Spacing will be key."

    She keeps scratching away in the dirt, drawing lines, little symbols, arrows, swirls as she keeps talking¡­ and talking¡­ and talking.

    The rest of her squad are nodding thoughtfully, absent-mindedly cleaning their antennae as they absorb the n, but I''m rapidly running into an issue.

    This n¡­ is¡­ so damn detailed. I CAN''T REMEMBER ANY OF IT!

 Chapter 1072 1183 - Eldest Emergency

    <h4>Chapter 1072 Chapter 1183 - Eldest Emergency</h4>

    What to do? Do I tell them I can''t remember the n? Would that impact my dignity as the Eldest? Maybe I''ll just y along and hope for the best. What''s the worst that could go wrong?

    "Do we all understand?"

    "Of course."

    "No problem."

    "Simple."

    ¡­.

    "It''s straightforward, I like it," I dere with every scrap of confidence I can muster. "I''ll leave it to you to coordinate with the generals at the front."

    "I understand."

    Snt is all business, solemn and serious as she goes about plying her particr trade. When we arrive, she goes straight to the generals and begins an in-depth conversation about what she wants to do that I immediately lose track of, but they seem to follow okay.

    Following that, she moves around the resting troops, ensuring they understand what to do, drawing little diagrams and even running a few drills until she''s happy that they''ll move the way she wants them to.

    The entire time, all I hear in my mind is static. This is a problem.

    Before I can work out what on Pangera I''m going to do, I run out of time. Standing on the front line as the soldiers, scouts, mages and healers ahead of me prepare to fall back, I still have absolutely no idea what I''m meant to be doing¡­.

    This could go poorly. My dignity!

    "Eldest, if you''ll lead the way," Snt says.

    "O-of course!"

    What does that mean? Lead the way literally, as in, move forward at the head of the troops? Or do we start with an acid barrage? She talked about acid, I''m sure of it¡­. Or magic? Was I supposed to deploy my domain, or a gravity well? I DON''T KNOW!

    Tentatively, I take a few steps forward, and when nobody corrects me I take a few more. The troops behind me begin to shuffle forward and I gain a little confidence.

    I creep forward a bit more. They creep along behind me.

    Alright. Good so far. But now I''m worried that I''m moving too slowly, or is it too quickly? Do I stop now?

    Paralyzed with indecision, I just keep scuttling forward until the ants fighting ahead of me turn and retreat, rushing past me in a blur as the ravenous monsters behind them chase close behind.

    NOW WHAT?

    Do I strike?

    My mandibles flex, ready to unleash a powerful chomp, but I hesitate. Would that ruin the n? I don''t want to unravel the strategy! The whole point of this exercise is to train Snt and let her practise her ideas¡­.

    Alright, I won''t bite. Maybe I should unleash some gravity magic, slow the enemy down for the rest of the ants to deal with? That''s helpful, right?!

    But what if they''re counting on me not doing that? DAMMIT! This is giving me a headache. The monsters are almost on top of me now¡­ what am I supposed to do?!

    Too hesitant to make a move, I do the only thing I can think of: I tuck my legs under my body, bury my head in the rock and ept my fate. If I can''t decide what I should do, then I shall do nothing! Clearly, this is the best course of action!

    Instantly, the monsters begin to batter at my carapace. ws scratch, teeth scrape, blows rain down on me ceaselessly. Protected by my absurdly tough,pressed diamond carapace, reinforced by the ting beneath and constantly regenerating, I take very little damage.

    As the seconds tick by and my health slowly trickles down, I feel a little more calm knowing that I won''t get instantly annihted at least. I can feel the ants engaging the enemy around me, acid fills the air, a non-trivial amount of itnding on me, but I can''t really me them for that, given my size.

    If any ant has acid tough enough to eat through my carapace, I''d love to meet them. In fact, it''s possible a nice acid wash will give my exterior an even more impressive shine.

    Still, the gnawing feeling that I''m doing something wrong continues to eat away at me, and every second, I question whether or not I should stick my head out and do something.

    OOF!

    I feel like a mountain just copsed on me. What the heck? Judging by the mana I can feel, an earth elemental just clobbered me with one of its boulders, hard enough to create some cracking in my shell. Lousy sentient collection of rocks!

    I trigger my healing nd immediately, rapidly repairing the damage. This close to so many ants, the energy flowing through the Vestibule will refill the healing nd in a minute. Realistically, I could sit here all day and probably survive just fine, provided nothing too strong found its way up the tunnels.

    I can''t help but feel like I''ve failed in this instance. I should have just confessed I didn''t understand the n, not allowed my stupid pride to shut my pheromone nd and prevent me from speaking out. Is it really so shameful if I need a barely hatched ant to walk me step by step through what they need me to do?

    ¡­ YES! Yes it is!

    Miserable, I park myself like a turtle in its shell and let the enemy pound on my carapace for almost half an hour, triggering my healing nd whenever necessary to mend the damage the constant barrage causes. Finally, the call blessedlyes.

    "Retreat!"

    Someone else''s turn to step up to the front. Thank goodness. I push myself off the ground and vent my rage at the monsters in front of me with an empowered void chomp, shattering everything within range before I turn and trundle back behind the defensive line with the rest of the troops.

    I''m embarrassed, frankly. Deeply embarrassed, but there''s only one thing to do. I need to ant up and face the music. If the Eldest can''t apologise for making a mistake, then what sort of message does that send to the rest of the Colony? That I''m above them? That''s nonsense! Just about every ant in the family is more capable than me!

    I walk up to Snt and her group as they debrief each other, discussing the battle in detail.

    "Look¡­ Snt. I''m s¨C"

    "Ah. Well done, Eldest. I wasn''t sure if you''d be willing to take such an undignified role in the n, but your dedication and humility is an inspiration to the Colony. Drawn in by your core and highly mutated Biomass, the enemy was blinded to everything else. The strategy worked wlessly thanks to your selflessness."

    "...ssssuper happy to help out. You can rely on me anytime!"

 Chapter 1073 1184 - Revisions

    <h4>Chapter 1073 Chapter 1184 - Revisions</h4>

    The Colony rapidly became a formidable fighting force once they had gained sapience. Under the leadership of the Eldest, who stamped out some of the more self-destructive ant impulses quickly, a doctrine of safety first, conservative generalship was settled as the norm.

    Using our natural affinity for digging and construction, defensive battle styles in which we were able to grind down our enemies and preserve our numbers were adopted. Siege warfare utilised a simr approach, with armies of ants building enormous structures from which tounch assaults in safety.

    In pitch battle, however, we relied on our superiority of numbers and the quality of our troops to win the day.

    Everything changed with the emergence of Snt. Adaptive tactics, deception, lightning-fast assaults on fortified defensive positions, in the area of attack, specifically, she brought something the Colony had never even considered before.

    And just in time.

    - Excerpt from ''The Warfare of the Colony" by Historiant.

    It turns out that Snt''s n wasn''t actually that difficult to grasp, certainly not my role within it. I''d told her that the reason the monsters spawned by the wave attack the nest is because they could sense what an enormous and juicy pile of resources we are. The reason we don''t close off the nest as much as possible is to elerate our growth.

    So she figured she''d replicate the strategy in miniature. She plopped an irresistibly tasty treat on the table in front of the monsters (me), and when they inevitably swarmed me, desperate to crack my outer shell and enjoy the tasty insides, they''d been even easier pickings for the rest of the ants than normal.

    All of the fancy diagrams and drills were the otheryer of her strategy, rapid rotations. Even that was rtively simple to grasp: she wanted to rotate the fighters more rapidly, something the Colony doesn''t like to do since there''s inherent danger in turning your back on the monsters in front of you.

    But if everyone coordinates carefully, it''s possible. She seeded by having everyone form four identical ranksyered one behind the other and doing a neat sidestep/overstep move, where one group stepped to the side to make space and then back, while the ranks behind climbed over them as they retreated. Each group fought for a minute before they were rotated for the group behind, moved to the back and then had three minutes of rest before they''d have to fight again.

    It''s the kind of detailed tactic that''s only possible with a well-coordinated group who act all on the same page, but with Snt coordinating the battle, everything bes that much simpler. As a champion, ants are drawn to follow her, believing in her and trusting she can lead them almost instinctively. The other part is her unique outlook, evolutionary choices and skillset. With her view of the battlefield, she can see problems before they happen, stepping in and coordinating plugs for holes that nobody else can see.

    I get a much clearer picture of this over the course of the next few battles. We use the same strategy, but this time, I try to keep my wits about me rather than turtling up into a miserable ball. With my antennae carefully positioned, I listen in on the exchanges between the ants as the fighting rages and Snt is a constant, and I do mean constant presence.

    Positioned just behind the front rank, she ceaselesslymunicates with her troops, identifying dangers, picking up on anyone out of position, micro-managing the ants behind her to ensure they''re healed, rested and ready to rejoin the fray.

    She''s like the boss, the secretary and the ountant all rolled into one. She has the vision, the details and the practical application to make it all happen.

    One curious titbit I pick up on is that the amount of time she has to spend managing the members of her own squad is vastly less than it is for everyone else. I''m guessing that despite not being together for that long, all things considered, after training and fighting together, they''ve already adapted to her way of doing things and can anticipate what she wants or how she would react.

    This gives me an insight to what her eventual army will look like: an entire fighting force who thinks like she does. This would dramatically reduce the amount of time and energy she would need to spend on controlling every aspect of a fight and allow her to focus more on bigger picture items.

    When we retreat again, I make a point of chasing down a few ants to speak with. I''m not going to pretend I''m smart enough to know if her ideas are working well or not, I mean, it seems fine, but wouldn''t everything work well if you have me sitting out in front taking the beating for the rest of the ants?

    "Hey, you got a second?" I ask the healer in charge of medical care in this tunnel, Fixant.

    "No."

    "Think you can make some time then?"

    "No."

    "Great. I wanted to ask if you think these rapid rotation tactics are helping lighten the load for the healers?"

    The healer sighs, her antennae drooping.

    "It''s hard to tell considering you''re the one taking the most damage and we don''t have to heal you at all. We''ve had very little to do during the shifts you''re out there."

    Good point.

    All right then, time to take the training wheels off.

    "Snt, you''re going out there without me next time. I want to see how you go without me helping."

 Chapter 1074 1185 - Training Ground

    <h4>Chapter 1074 Chapter 1185 - Training Ground</h4>

    The Eldest hadid down the challenge and Snt could feel the pressure immediately. Someone like her, not even a full graduate of the Antcademy, was to be put in charge of a battlefield during a wave. Only the authority of the Eldest made something like this possible, the defenders of the nest put their faith in their strongest member and trusted that Snt would not fail them.

    The pressure was immense.

    Clearly, the Eldest intended to put her and her broodmates directly into the fire, the only ce the strongest steel could be forged. The weight of responsibility settled on her carapace immediately, a crushing weight that threatened to drive even the mana from her core.

    She weed it. More than that, she relished it.

    "I am grateful to the Eldest," she told her precious sisters as they gathered in their chamber after torpor. "Either we are right in what we do and how we do it, or we are wrong. If we are wrong, let us fail now, before too much damage can be done. If we are right, then let us seed, and lead the family to victory."

    The others listened solemnly, fully aware of what was riding on their performance in battle that day.

    "We''re with you," Leonidant assured her. "All the way."

    "Of course. There''s no such thing as a general, unless there is an army."

    Two parts of a single whole.

    When they emerged from the chamber, they found the Eldest and the three guardians waiting for them.

    "Ready for the big day?" the Eldest asked, looming over them without trying to.

    "Of course," Snt confirmed, no hint of wavering in her scent.

    "Good. You''re in charge, lead the way."

    A little taken aback at the thought of leading the Eldest anywhere in the nest, Snt nevertheless stepped forward and marched to the centre of the enormous staging chamber, in which the gathered generals administered the never ending defensive battle.

    Hordes of ants swarmed everywhere, rushing in and out of the dozens of tunnels that led from this one central hub. Some were returning to rest, others shifting from one field of engagement to another. The priorities under the nest changed from minute to minute, depending on what dreadful creatures emerged from the depths.

    Luckily, Vibrant and her army were still in attendance. With their unmatched speed, they could leap from one hotspot to another, the best relief force in the entire Colony.

    "I will takemand of the A3 tunnel for the next twelve hours," Snt announced to the frazzled Victor, who sat surrounded by messengers and generals on all sides.

    "What?!" the general shouted, then noticed the Eldest looming in the back. "Oh. Fine. Go quickly and don''t make any mistakes. We''re hard pressed down here and it''ll be tough to cover for you."

    "Don''t worry. We will achieve victory."

    After announcing this, the little general turned and led her procession to the tunnel scent-marked as A3. She had led the troops in this segment before and hopefully they remembered her preferred arrangements.

    When she arrived, she immediately made contact with the general in charge of the tunnel.

    "I''ve been instructed to takemand of the tunnel for the next twelve hours," she announced to the farrger and more experienced general.

    The ant sized her up in an instant.

    "I remember you. The changeover is happening in two hours. I''ll inform the other generals, you should go talk to the troops."

    "Thank you," Snt snapped out a quick salute with her antennae which was returned before the two generals went their separate ways.

    Seemingly uninterested by the minutiae of leadership, the Eldest moved to one side of the tunnel and flopped down with the three guardians beside them. It hurt her heart to see the strongest fighting force of the Colony doing nothing, but then she shook her head.

    The Eldest is here for you, she reminded herself, if they don''t think it''s a waste of time, then it isn''t.

    With her broodmates around her, Snt took the time to speak to all of the troops waiting for their turn on the frontline. She needed to check in with the healers, the soldiers, the scouts, the mages and the core shapers and cover her ideas in detail, especially since there would be changes this time around.

    "You mean the Eldest isn''t going to let the monsters attack their carapace?" one of therger and stronger soldiers asked.

    "That''s right," Snt nodded, before she stepped forward and prodded the tier six soldier with one antenna, "which means we are going to get some work out of you this time."

    "Good! I was starting to worry I was gettingzy."

    "We have formation practice in an hour," she informed them, "we need to go over the rapid rotation and the new manoeuvre, which I call tea and biscuits."

    "Sounds¡­ delicious?"

    "It''s meant to."

    With the authority of the Eldest and the certain knowledge that nothing could go too wrong so long as the strongest ant in the Colony was standing behind them, the ants were more than happy to go along with whatever Snt had to say.

    Well before they were due to fight, she had them running exhausting drills, doing everything she could to prepare her troops for the trials toe. She was everywhere, picking up on every tiny mistake and correcting it on the spot. If a soldier put a leg out of ce, or a mage mistimed their spell, or a healer was too slow to rotate, Snt would appear like magic, patiently exining what had gone wrong and what the result would be in battle were the error to be replicated.

    Battles were won on the training ground.

    This was another core t of Snt''s philosophy, and she wished she had far more time to ingrain even these simple formations into her troops, but that wasn''t how things had shaken out and she made her peace with that. Before too long, it was time to rotate and rece the troops battling hard on the frontline. With her excitement bottled tightly deep within her thorax, Snt led her first army to the battlefield, nothing but victory in her eyes.

 Chapter 1075 1186 - Leader

    <h4>Chapter 1075 Chapter 1186 - Leader</h4>

    As they drew closer to the front, the endless roars of monsters grew deafening until Snt''s antennae were vibrating from the force of it. Her general''s eye crackled into life the closer they got to the field, her intuition and mutations blending together to give her an almost supernatural sense for the battlefield.

    The ants were tired, which was to be expected. They moved sluggishly, taking more damage than they should, and attacked without sharpness, inflicting less punishment on the enemy than they were capable of.

    This was apounding problem that led to more damage being taken and more ground lost as the shifts dragged on. Of course, the Colony could simply rotate the ants more often, but that introduced more problems than it solved. Logistically, shifting hundreds of thousands of ants around was a nightmare already, doing it more often would justpound the issue.

    Despite the huge numbers of ants inside the nest, there was far more fighting taking ce than any of the leadership had expected. The tunnels beneath the nest were absurdly extensive, as if a tunnelwork the size of the entire first stratum had been bolted onto the bottom of the mountain. The absurd number and size of monsters appearing out of the waters had also taken the Colony by surprise, drawing their resources even thinner.

    Snt would need her current group of troops to hold at the front for four hours before they would be relieved by the next shift. In another two hours'' time, she would arrange for the iing ants to go through the same drills the current group had under the leadership of her sisters, since she wouldn''t leave the front.

    "Get ready to charge," she announced calmly as the massive soldiers and scouts cked their mandibles eagerly.

    She watched the fighting ahead with her intense gaze, waiting for the perfect moment.

    The monsters surged, the ants reared back, and she had found the timing.

    "Charge," she said.

    Her troops rushed forward, covering half of the tunnel surface as they ran. The thousands of ants already fighting saw their approach and the general in charge coordinated the retreat.

    "Acid and magic st, go!" she roared and the exhausted troops gave everything they had left to beat back the monsters and give them the separation they needed to retreat.

    It was a delicate moment, and Snt watched carefully as the current shift began topress their formation and fall back. An almost bizarre sight, like two fluids moving in opposite directions through a single pipe, took ce as the retreating ants crushed into one side flowed back to safety while Snt and her fresh army pushed forward, towards the enemy.

    "Snap into ce and brace," she instructed the soldiers in front and they knew exactly what to do.

    Right at the front of the formation, Snt had picked the exact moment the retreating line of soldiers had passed them and had her own reform the line, covering the entire ring of the tunnel''s surface. The soldiers rushed into position and braced themselves, ready to receive the deadly charge of the monsters ahead.

    That charge came swift and brutal. Larger and stronger than what the Colony had fought higher in the Dungeon, the beasts of the fourth were fewer in number, but much harder to deal with.

    An enormous, elongated caterpir squirmed towards them, acid rolling from its body and sizzling on the rocks below. The soldiers received its charge, ignoring the pain as the burning liquid sshed on their carapace. With their enormous heads and reinforced mandibles, theytched onto the beast, halting its momentum and tearing at its soft flesh as the rest of the formation took shape behind them.

    "Hold," Snt informed them, "ten seconds."

    It was important not to rush, despite the danger to the soldiers on the front. If the rest of the troops were sloppily arranged and asked to engage before they were ready, it could upset the flow of battle for the next several minutes. She would dly allow an extra few seconds to ensure that didn''t happen.

    "Step back on the left."

    "Push forward."

    "You''re not in line, watch your nks."

    A steady flow of calmmands rolled from her pheromone nd to the struggling soldiers, helping them to hold the line and avoid the worst of the acid until, finally, the defensive position had been established.

    "Fire on mymand," Snt ordered, waiting a beat, then, "fire."

    Scout acid and magic sts mmed into the caterpir''s face, sending the monster reeling back.

    "Again on mymand¡­ fire."

    The moment it regained its bnce, the beast was hit again. It screeched in fury and retreated slightly. An opening.

    "Advance ten metres," Snt snapped.

    Already an opportunity to move the line forward had appeared; she wouldn''t say no. Ground taken now could be freely giventer, when her troops were more fatigued.

    Moving as one entity, the entire force of thousands of ants surged forward ten metres and reengaged the caterpir, seizing on its weakness and putting it down.

    With a moment of respite, the beast was dragged to the back of the formation. Valuable Biomass that would help heal and refuel the army.

    The first minute had passed.

    "Rotate," Snt ordered.

    Step, step, dash.

    Just like that, the frontline troops swapped over. The first wave of soldiers moved to the back of the line where they were fed and received medical care while a fresh group reced them. The same urred behind them, as mages and scouts repeated the move, their apanying generals holding position at the front of the formation.

    Just in time. More monsters wereing.

 Chapter 1076 1187 - Gravity

    <h4>Chapter 1076 Chapter 1187 - Gravity</h4>

    Snt felt as if her mind was bnced on a mandible''s edge. She saw everything that urred and her mind catalogued every event, filing them, ordering them, and then she responded to each in turn as best she could.

    Minute by minute, her four groups rotated through, regardless of the conditions at the front. The ravenous, unthinking beasts of the wave weren''t watching or analysing their movements, and so didn''t anticipate or take advantage of the minute openings in her tidy formation the manoeuvre created, as a disciplined and thinking opponent would.

    Adjust the tactics to suit the opponent. There was no such thing as a universal strategy.

    Another of her idioms.

    The monsters of the wave were crazed, desperate and savage, throwing themselves against her defensive position over and over again. Many times, she was forced to give ground, only to w it backter.

    Fortunately, she didn''t have to employ her new move until the troops had settled into a good rhythm.

    From around the corner, Snt spotted a new threat approaching: a shimmering turtle, almost the same size as the Eldest, glimmering with energy that rolled from it in waves. Her front line was currently upied with a pack of ape-like creatures that could summon clouds to obscure their bodies and even phase themselves into the mist.

    "Hard push," she ordered, "starting in ten seconds."

    The energy and mana avable to her troops was a resource that had to be carefully managed, but she ordered them to spend it. Ten secondster, a barrage of fire burned away the cloud and apes alike, allowing the soldiers totch onto the struggling monsters and bring them down.

    "Rotate," she ordered, not missing a beat and allowing her formation the few seconds necessary to switch. "Forward."

    Huddled just behind the front line of soldiers, she had a good view of the monsters approaching down the tunnel, and at this moment, the giant turtle was the only thinging. She wanted a little extra room to work with as they engaged the beast.

    "Tea and biscuits in ten seconds."

    A moment of hesitation rippled through the troops, a result of theirck of familiarity with the tactic. The ants began to respond, urged by her broodmates amongst their ranks, and Snt picked up the ck, issuing incisive orders.

    The turtle represented exactly the kind of opponent the Colony was struggling with in the fourth. Too tough for them to bring down efficiently, resulting in their lines being pushed in, the troops exhausted and vulnerable to whatever came next.

    Having them fruitlessly il against the Eldest''s undefeatable carapace while everyone else poured on damage was one option, but was probably the least effective use of that particr individual''s talents. Tea and biscuits was a new attempt at implementing an old strategy.

    Each second that passed, the monster loomed closer and Snt prepared to engage her stratagem. The turtle crashed closer¡­ closer still!

    "Now!" she snapped.

    Several things happened at once. The front line drew back, while two scouts slid in behind her and seized hold of her back legs. Once she felt that contact, Snt threw herself forward and rotated tond on her back.

    "Oh no!" she cried, though it was unlikely the turtle could smell pheromones. "It''s a disaster!"

    Then she waggled her four free legs helplessly.

    Not many ants had enjoyed sessive special evolutions as she had. In fact, vanishingly few had that privilegepared to the enormous numbers of the Colony. Could shepare to the delicious ten course meal that the Eldest represented?

    Not even remotely. But she was, at the very least, a delectable snack. Tea and biscuits.

    Enraged and unthinking, the turtle lunged for her, its hooked maw open wide, but the scouts dashed away like lightning, dragging the general with them. Of course, they didn''t go too far.

    Snt remained, waggling her legs helplessly, just out of the monster''s reach.

    Furious at being denied, the turtle pushed itself up again and rumbled forward, its jaws gnashing with hunger and rage. The scouts kept Snt just out of reach as they lured the turtle deeper and deeper.

    And then the trap was sprung.

    While being focused on the helpless little treat in front of it, the monster had been lured deep into the ant formation and was now surrounded on all sides.

    "Attack!" Snt ordered.

    Three quarters of her force descended on the beast, striking at its nks, its tail, from underneath and above while thest division once again sealed the tunnel and defended it from whatever maye next. With only twenty-five percent of their force dedicated to holding the tunnel, the ants knew they were in a race against the clock to defeat the turtle and so threw everything they had at it, reserving nothing in an effort to bring it down.

    Snt watched with satisfaction as it eventually fell. Fighting it head-on would have been difficult, to say the least, exhausting her forces. Since these maddened monsters were so easy to deceive, it seemed a waste to fail to take advantage of it, luring them into even more unfavoured ground than they were in already.

    It wasn''t as if the n was without risks, but it could certainly be changed to addyers of safety. It wasn''t even necessary to dangle an ant as bait, as she had done. With some time and preparation, a sufficientlyrge core could be used to lure the beasts deeper into the ant nest where they could be crushed from all sides.

    "Reform the line!" Snt demanded. "The formation must be established in ten seconds! Go!"

    As the frontline held on, the rest of the army scrambled to fall in behind them, and soon enough, they resumed their rotations, the little general managing the entire field of battle like clockwork.

 Chapter 1077 1188 - Recovery and Analysis

    <h4>Chapter 1077 Chapter 1188 - Recovery and Analysis</h4>

    I watched the battle unfold with a keen interest, using all of the senses at my disposal to follow the goings on. Asrge as I am, it wasn''t really practical for me to shove myself forward and block up the tunnel, I''d destroy the formation I was trying to inspect!

    So I fall back on my more esoteric options, such as the Vestibule.

    Despite what Snt may think, tracking one ant''s flow of Will through the glittering organ isn''t nearly the same as mind reading. It''s not even like I''m following the path of their thoughts. More like¡­ I''m getting a stream-of-consciousness flow of their wants and goals. It''s Will, after all, not thoughts.

    This is why it can be so difficult for me to separate myself from the Will of the Colony at times. When a hundred thousand or more individuals all want the same thing, all willing for it to ur, that bes a very difficult impulse for me to resist!

    At any rate, the battle is travelling extremely smoothly, which pleases me. What Snt needs to grow and develop as a Champion is very different than what thest two needed.

    As a general, there''s only one way for her to improve, and that''s to be out and about generalling! And she needs to be in charge of her own battles, because putting her under the regr generals will just stifle her creativity!

    The troops continue to rotate every four hours, including the little general''s broodmates,ing in and out of the front with the rest of the troops, but Snt remains at the coalface, working her little thorax off until the veryst minute.

    When the full twelve hour shift is done, shees back along with thest set of troops, exhausted, but clearly pleased with herself.

    "You look happy. It all went well then?" I ask.

    She considers seriously before replying, as is her habit.

    "It went satisfactorily," she demurs, "there are many areas I can still improve, and with more time to work with the troops, I''m sure we can reach a much higher level of performance."

    "I wouldn''t worry about that too much," I mutter, watching the ants stroll past.

    After being exposed to the unique charisma of a Champion, there''s no doubt this lot will be all too happy to join the eventual army that will form around Snt. She''ll have all the time she needs to whip them into shape.

    "Regardless, you''ll be back here tomorrow, and every day for the next week, for that matter. You''ve got to continue to develop your Skills and ideas, and the only way I know to make you do that is to shove you into battles over and over again. Don''t worry, though, I''ll be hanging around the whole time, so things can''t go all that wrong! Rest assured!"

    This is absolutely not a scheme to get more rest and rxation for myself. Not at all.

    "So you should just go back and get some rest," I continue, "you must be exhausted after twelve hours of directing the fighting."

    Snt looks at me like I''m crazy.

    "I''ve got four hours left before mandatory torpor and an almost unlimited number of things to do before tomorrow. What about the review? Or the brainstorm discussion? Five items of improvement? We need to drill! At least four rounds of drills! I have a hundred formation adjustments I want to make, and a list of things to discuss with the core shapers!"

    "Uhhhh."

    But¡­ rest?

    "I guess¡­ you go for it. I''ll be over here if you¡­ if you need me, I suppose."

    Not needing any further encouragement, Snt speeds off to gather her faithful and loyal neen broodmates together for an intense session of antennae thwapping and waggling. After thirty minutes of this, they rush off to gather the off-duty shifts, and soon enough, I''m treated to the sight of the little general running the ants through their paces.

    It looks¡­ tiring.

    When the heck is she going to be done?!

    She said she had four hours until her mandatory torpor and she uses every little bit of it to keep training with the troops until her time runs out. Before the shadows can begin to materialise, she sprints back to her resting chamber along with the rest of her sisters and I''m sure they waste no time getting themselves to sleep.

    For my part, I stand and stretch. I''ve got an eight hour break from babysitting, so I might as well go and make myself useful.

    [Come on, you three. Let''s go and fight something. I don''t think I''ll need you tomorrow, so you may as well stay out and get some Levels.]

    [Are you sure, Master?] Crinis is clearly reluctant.

    [Yes I''m sure. If I could, I''d tell you to stay out until you reached max Level!]

    [Noooo.]

    She clings to my carapace and I swear I feel my organs constrict. Better not to think about it.

    [Go on, get!] I shoo the blob of endless nightmares away, and she reluctantly peels herself off my carapace and vanishes into the shadows.

    Tiny is long gone at this point, Invidia drifting along behind him. At their current level of evolution, they''re stronger than any ant out there, with the possible exception of Vibrant, and me, obviously, but when they evolve again, some new powerhouses will be introduced to the family.

    I can hardly wait.

 Chapter 1078 1189 - Old Dogs, Old Tricks

    <h4>Chapter 1078 Chapter 1189 - Old Dogs, Old Tricks</h4>

    Titus took another deep, slow breath, feeling the mana thunder through his body, tearing away at him from the inside. The conflict was never-ending. Much like the wave that ravaged his world, the raw arcane energy that permeated the Dungeon poured into him and sought to rend his flesh.

    How long had it been since he''d sustained himself this deep? Before his children had been born. He''d been a much younger man then, in body and mind. In those days, he''d relished the struggle to master himself, to harness the power that pulsed in the veins of his post-baptism body. Now, he simply endured, patiently waiting as his condition slowly adapted to this new normal.

    "You look miserable," Minerva observed from somewhere nearby.

    Themander kept his eyes closed.

    "This is my normal face," he said.

    "I know."

    He felt a sharp poke on his forehead, but didn''t react, controlling his breathing instead. He''d learned a long time ago that the best way to annoy his fire-breathing monster of a wife was to simply not react. Sure enough, after he maintained his routine for another minute, he received a quick ''paff'' to the top of his head.

    "How can you sit there all day?" Minerva grumped. "If you don''t move soon you''re going to grow moss."

    "Unlike some, who were rxing deep in the Dungeon, I''ve spent the bulk of thest twenty years on the surface, darling wife, and I need time to adapt to these conditions. I feel like a highly qualified officer in the Legion would have known that before she dragged me down here in the first ce."

    "What cheek," she harrumphed, giving him another soft thwap on the head which he barely felt.

    If she wanted him to feel it, then he surely would. At least the famed berserker had learned some restraint over her tenure as Consul.

    "I''m just impatient to see you in action again. You must be getting bored being cooped up in this adaptation chamber all day every day. Are you sorry I brought you down here?"

    At her words, he opened his eyes finally and saw she was looking genuinely apologetic. He was taken aback slightly.

    "Have you gone soft?" he demanded.

    "No. This just isn''t the romantic getaway I''d been hoping for."

    He wasn''t quite sure if she was joking. It was entirely possible that Minerva did consider the two of them returning to the Dungeon''s depths to fight against the most deadly monsters a Legionary could face as a romantic getaway. It was how they''d spent the early years of their marriage, after all.

    "No need to get your Praetorian armour in a twist. I think I''m pretty much ready to go."

    Despite all the time they''d been together, it still moved him to see her eyes light up.

    "Really? Finally!"

    Shetched onto his arm and began to try and drag him from his seat.

    "Well what are we waiting for? Time to suit up! Let''s go, let''s go!"

    Titus did his best to prevent his wife from dragging him out of the chamber.

    "Hold on a minute, Minerva. Wait, damn you!"

    "What now?" she demanded, turning back to look at him.

    "I need to get dressed. After that, I need to report tomand. After that, I need to speak to the armoury. After that, I need to limate to the suit. There''s aundry list of things I need to do before I can sortie and fight. Not all of us can jump into Praetorian armour after a ten year break without batting an eye."

    "Not my fault you can''t handle it," she huffed.

    "Nobody said it was."

    Attempting to keep up with Minerva was a waste of time, even though she didn''t see it that way. If he wanted to do his duty and perform as well as he knew he could, then he would take his time and do things by the book.

    If he ran out there now, he was just as likely to chop his own foot off. Minerva had arranged for his old Praetorian suit to be delivered here, and once upon a time, that armour had been just asfortable as his own skin, but it''d been near twenty years since he''d been inside it. Slow and steady was his way.

    "Fine, fine," his wife gave in, "have it your way. I guess I''ll go sortie and cut something to pieces to relieve some stress."

    "Good luck, dearest," he chuckled before he pulled her in for a quick, one-armed hug. "I''ll be out there soon enough, don''t you worry. If I perform too badly, they''ll wonder why you ever married me."

    "They''d never dare," her eyes shed before she stepped out of the chamber and rushed off to the armoury. Idly, he wondered if there was even a group heading out, or if it mattered. It was hard to say no to a former Consul, let alone that one.

    Themander flexed his hands, slowly closing them into fists and then rxing them again.

    He''d not been exposed to this much mana since¡­ he couldn''t remember. Had there ever been a time when the density had been this high? This series of waves, which had begun just before the discovery of that ant colony, showed no signs of stopping.

    Would it ever end?

 Chapter 1079 1190 - Old Dogs, Old Tricks pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 1079 Chapter 1190 - Old Dogs, Old Tricks pt 2</h4>

    "Engineer Griner?" Titus rumbled.

    "That''d be me. You must be themander?" the burly, sleeveless man said as he turned from the enormous armoured suit he''d been working on.

    Titus rolled his shoulders.

    "Just about everyone down here is amander, or higher," he noted wryly, "so why would I be, ''themander''?"

    Griner shrugged.

    "I don''t make the rules. Turns out when youmand sessfully down here and up there, people take notice."

    Some in the Legion thought that the soldiers stationed in the deep looked down on those fighting high in the Dungeon, but that was far from the truth. Legionaries in these depths relied on the plentiful mana, powerful techniques and equipment it enabled to fight. In the first stratum, they would be helpless.

    "''Titus'' is fine, Engineer Griner. Now, I''m told you''re the man who''s been taking care of the old girl. How is she?"

    The two turned and looked up at the intimidating suit of Praetorian armour looming over them. At eight metres tall, the suit wasn''t close to thergest the Legion could field, but the added bulk of thick armour certainly meant it was on the heavier side. Without a weapon or shield, the suit looked¡­ undressed, but still presented an intimidating visage. Brought across the chest, with thick pauldrons at the shoulders and the Legionem Abyssi emblem engraved on the front. The decorative touches around the edges of the tes imbued it with a tangible sense of gravitas.

    "I won''t say she''s as good as new. I''ve given it the once over, and, mechanically, she''s as sound as can be."

    "What about the mana circuits?"

    "Aye, we''ve had those inspected as well. She''s been through a lot over the years, been assigned to two others after you left. Didn''t do nearly as well, but serviceable enough. Lot of wear and tear is what I''m trying to say, I guess."

    "But she''s functional? Ready to deploy?"

    "Ready as she''ll ever be. Without ripping out the core and rebuilding the damn suit from scratch, we aren''t going to be able to do better than this. It won''t be too much longer before the old girl needs to be dmissioned, but for now, she''s clear to fight."

    Titus nodded gratefully, reaching out a hand to press against the cold, Abyssal Iron ting.

    Indomitable. It had been his Praetorian suit for almost ten years. Seeing it now was¡­ hard to describe, like an old friend, or pet, that he''d never really thought he would meet again.

    "No point in dying. Can you help get it ready? I want to try a test run."

    "Sure thing, Commander."

    Commander again. He rolled his eyes. He hoped whoever had the misfortune to take over hisstmand was having more luck with the troops than he was.

    The two men were alone in the armoury. Unsurprising, given so many of the bays were empty at the moment. Clearly, Minerva had been in luck and there was a fight going on somewhere. Of the twenty open bays that held the Praetorian suits, all but three were empty.

    Dim, silver light glowered from overhead, gleaming off the polished metal of Indomitable as Titus moved to the back and began to climb up the suit. He definitely had a few more twinges in his shoulders than thest time he''d done this, but it didn''t overly matter. In short order, he reached the shoulders and triggered the mechanism to open the suit.

    Immediately, the back armour fell away as the head rose up, creating a gap for him to slip inside.

    "Go on in and get yourselffortable. I''ll hook up the liquid mana once you are ready," Griner called up.

    "Thanks," Titus acknowledged.

    Carefully, he slipped inside the enormous metal suit, closing the opening behind him. When the metal nged shut, followed by the audible click as it locked and sealed, he became enveloped in total darkness.

    It didn''t matter. He''d spent so long inside this suit, he could find what he needed without light.

    He stretched out his arms, finding the panels and grips that he sought, wrapping his thick fingers around them. He settled his feet, pressing them into the paddles below, feeling them mould to the shape of his toes.

    He leaned forward, pressing his face into the mask, the matrix that melded his consciousness with the armour. He tsked. Whoever was in the suitst had been a touch shorter than him, he''d need to adjust the angle.

    A hollow ng rang from the side of the armour.

    "You ready in there?" came a muffled voice.

    "Ready," Titus replied.

    He tensed, but had to wait a few long moments before the sudden deluge began. The liquid mana burned like ice, froze like fire and forced pure arcane power into his veins. He gasped at the touch of it, then grit his teeth against the pain as the hollow inside of the suit began to fill from his feet up.

    It was agonising. His body, which had barely be adapted to the level of mana he was exposed to at this depth, was flooded with more, stretching him to the point of bursting. He endured.

    When it reached his waist, he called out, "That''s enough!" and the flow, which had been running down his back, slowed to a trickle, then stopped.

    "I''ve disconnected the hose!" he heard from outside. "Try walking around!"

    "Alright then, Titus," he muttered to himself through gritted teeth, "let''s see if you can remember how to do this."

    Without dying any further, he pressed his face to the mask and felt his consciousness get sucked from his body and suffused with dark, cold iron.

 Chapter 1080 1191 - Old Dogs, Old Tricks pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 1080 Chapter 1191 - Old Dogs, Old Tricks pt 3</h4>

    "Wipe that grin off your face," Titus muttered.

    "What grin?"

    "That grin. It''s unprofessional. The troops expect a little more decorum from a Consul."

    "I''m not Consul any more," Minerva responded, "so if I want to express my happiness, then I will."

    Titus rolled his eyes. A small part of him had hoped that the dignity Minerva had cultivated in the highest office in the Legion would have rubbed off on her, but s, it did not appear to be the case. The moment she was freed from the responsibilities, pomp and ceremony attached to the role, she had reverted back to her more rxed ways.

    Part of him loved her for that, the part that viewed her as his wife and the mother of his children. The part of him famed for its iron disciplinarianism found it endlessly frustrating.

    She got away with it due to being one of the best fighters ever to pull on a suit of Legionary armour.

    "Fine, just make sure you''re sharp when we get out there," he growled.

    She rolled her eyes.

    "You''re telling me to make sure I''m sharp? You haven''t sortied in two decades! I was out yesterday."

    "That''s why you''ll need to make sure you''re in the right frame of mind to pick up the ck. It''s only the two of us going out, isn''t it?"

    "That''s right."

    "I''ll be counting on you to cover for mypses then. I''ll be in your hands, Commander," he snapped out a brisk salute and got punched in the arm for his trouble.

    "So what else is new?" Minerva grinned. "Go jump into your old bucket of bolts and I''ll meet you out there."

    "Bucket of bolts?" he sputtered.

    The Indomitable might have seen better days, but it certainly didn''t deserve to be disparaged like that!

    "I prefer to call it ''reliable and battle tested''", he said sagely, but Minerva wasn''t listening, already having jogged down the armoury toward her own suit of Praetorian armour.

    Unlike him, who had requested his old gear, Minerva had been more than happy to jump into a new berserker model. Adaptability was simply another of her strengths.

    "Heading out for real this time?" Engineer Griner noted as he started to help Titus prep. Ast second check over the armour, ensuring there were no obvious ws, as well as a quick look over Titus himself. Exposure to the sort of mana levels that were needed to operate the Praetorian suits could have a devastating effect on a soldier, and the signs could appear out of nowhere.

    When everything was cleared, Titus nodded in thanks and climbed up the back of the suit, sliding inside and closing it behind him. After a few moments to limate, he knocked on the side with his knuckles and momentster felt the burning cold of liquid mana running down his back and rising from between his toes.

    A mix of nerves and anticipation rose in Titus as he felt the power rushing through his veins. Many times during the long years he had spent on the surface, he had yearned for this, but now that the moment was here, he felt a little trepidation. There was no help for it, though, he wasmitted.

    Not for the first time, he wondered why Minerva had used her authority to drag him back down here. Was it really just because she yearned for the good old days, the two of them fighting shoulder to shoulder in the depths? Or was there something else that she wanted?

    Titus was under no illusions that he would be able to perform as well as he could in his prime. He may have gained a great deal of experience and levels since thest time he''d fought this deep, but very little of that was relevant to the type ofbat engaged down here. The vast majority of the soldiers he met in the mess or passed in the halls were younger and hungrier than he. Deep down, he hoped he would still be useful.

    As the liquid mana reached his neck, he knocked on the side and the flow reduced to a trickle and then stopped. After several deep breaths, he pressed his face to the te and submerged his consciousness into the metal.

    The Indomitable came alive as the will of the Commander suffused it. The right hand of the armour reached out to grasp the enormous metal axe standing beside it, Titus'' own weapon embedded in a slot on its side.

    The demon contained within raged within therger, Abyssal Iron weapon, thirsting for violence and blood.

    With the left, the armour grasped hold of a weighty shield, embossed with filigree and the emblem of the Legion. Titus took a few steps to steady himself, then braced his weapons and moved to exit the armoury.

    Again, most of the suits were already out, having sortied several hours ago, and Titus felt d that he would no longer be taking up space without doing his share of the fighting. When he reached the exit, the port was already down, revealing Minerva''s berserker suit waiting for him outside.

    "About time," she remarked, twirling her twin des in her armoured hands. "I was about to go hunting without you."

    "Then what would be the point of dragging me down here?" Titus growled as he stomped out of the armoury and down onto the ground. Immediately, his eyes were treated to a sight he''d not seen for many years.

    Glittering caverns of sparkling steel, molten iron that ran like rivers, trees of shimmering diamond, and above all, the oppressive weight that pressed against him.

    "Wee back to the seventh, darling," Minerva teased.

 Chapter 1081 1192 - The Ghost Of Ant Past

    <h4>Chapter 1081 Chapter 1192 - The Ghost Of Ant Past</h4>

    Eeeeenid. Eeeeeeeeeeeenid!

    "What in zes is that?!" The former mayor of renewal sat bolt upright in bed.

    Thiiiiis is the ghost of Anthoooonyyyyy. Whooooaaaaooooaaaaa.

    "The what?!" The old woman boggled as she reached to her nightstand to grab her shawl and wrap it around her shoulders.

    Yesssssss. I''m totally deaaaaaaaaaad. Spooooooooky!

    "Oh pish, you irritating ant," she scoffed into the empty room. "I''ll believe it when I see your rotting carcass in front of me."

    But I would get eaaaaaaaten. I mean, I have been eeeeeaten.

    Enid rolled her eyes. As disturbing as it was to have the ''Great One''s'' voice echoing through her room, or mind, it was hard to tell, he continued to be utterly dreadful at deception of any kind.

    "You''ve been eaten, have you? How did you taste?" she asked, folding her thin arms across her chest.

    Deliciooooous. Like a pluuuump roast chiiiiiiicken.

    "How would you know how you tasted?"

    By the look of satiiiiiisfaaaaaaction on my enemy''s faaaaaaaaace!

    "And how would you see that if you were dead?"

    With my ghoooooost vision. Ooooooooooooo!

    He really was determined to try and make this work. Enid brought up a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. It was bad enough he had to wake her up, but now he was starting to give her a headache.

    "Would you stop being ridiculous?" she snapped. "I''m an old woman and I need my rest. If you want to y silly tricks and annoy people, do it to Beyn, he''d probably enjoy it, I simply don''t have the patience."

    A long pause.

    [I could have been dead, you know. It''s not like I''m immortal or anything.]

    Anthony''s voice rang out in her mind in a more normal way now that he had abandoned this ''ghost'' pretence.

    [If you died and came back to life as a ghost, I think thest thing you would feel the need to do is haunt me,] she thought back at him, but then wondered if he could hear the internal dialogue. There was no sense of a mind bridge connecting them¡­ how was he doing this?

    [What''s going on, Anthony? How are you talking to me?]

    [You probably don''t want to know¡­.]

    [What? Why wouldn''t I want to know? Have you done something to me?]

    [No. If I exined it, you would be forced topare yourself to Beyn, though.]

    [Pass.]

    [Exactly.]

    [So¡­ where are you?] Enid huffed. [I came all the way down to the fourth to try and catch up with you, and I''ve been waiting for weeks now. Just what have you been up to?]

    [Oh, you know. Fighting tier eight demons, battling the wave, training the youth. Not much.]

    [Well then, you have plenty of time toe and visit an old woman before she kicks the bucket,] Enid smiled. [When can I expect you?]

    [You should have considered being a monster. We don''t even age.]

    [Oh, that''s a tactful thing to say.]

    [I know, right? I''ve been working hard on my tact.]

    [I was being sarcastic.]

    [Dammit!]

    [Anthony¡­]

    [All right, all right. I''m in the nest anyway, so I can be over there pretty quick. See you in an hour.]

    [How do you know where I am?]

    [Because¡­ reasons.]

    [Are you sensing me with mind magic?]

    [Ssssssssure. Let''s go with that.]

    [I don''t like the sound of that.]

    [You shouldn''t! See you soon.]

    Grumbling to herself, Enid slowly pushed herself out of bed and got dressed, unsure how that giant, idiotic ant was supposed to meet her inside the unfinished guest amodation of the nest. It was quite understandable that this section of the fortress had been left unfinished, considering the ants hadn''t expected anyone to actuallye down here and use these rooms for some time yet. She was surprised they''d actually let here in the first ce. Probably, her rtively close rtionship with the Eldest was responsible for that. As it stood, she was the only human resident of the fourth stratum who wasn''t a dedicated fighter, and she relied on the ants for everything.

    She felt bad for the Colony, having to wait on her hand and foot, but they refused any offer of apology. Seniority meant a lot to them, and as old as Enid was, they seemed to think that granted her a level of status.

    Half an hourter, a soft knocking came at her door and Enid shuffled toward it, wondering if Anthony had somehow managed to shrink himself into the corridor.

    Of course, that wasn''t the case. When she opened the door, she found herself greeted by two smaller ants, mages, who soon connected a mind bridge.

    [Hello Enid,] they greeted her, [we''ve been asked to escort you to a chamber so you can speak to the Eldest.]

    [Oh you needn''t bother,] she told them, [if you tell me where to go, I''ll be fine to walk on my own.]

    The two ants nodded as if they understood, then swiftly enveloped her with force magic and gently ced her on one of their backs.

    [This won''t take a moment,] one of them assured her as they began a smooth scuttle down the corridor.

    Enid rolled her eyes. She thought if she''d stayed with the humans, they''d start to baby her as she deteriorated. Who could have foreseen that the ants would be even worse!?

    At the end of the corridor, which curved around the internal wall that separated the inner and outer fortress, she knew there was arge open chamber, which wasis where she assumed she would find Anthony. She peered ahead and saw something enormous sway across the entrance, momentarily blocking the light.

    [What was that?] she squawked.

    [I believe the Eldest has arrived,] one of her escorts informed her.

    Just how big had that damned ''Great One'' gotten? She was almost afraid to look. Feeling slightly ridiculous, she kept her eyes down as she was carried into the open space, only daring to look up after she had taken several steadying breaths.

    She''d heard about tier seven monsters, of course. Her dear husband, Derrion, had seen a few over the course of his career, but never fought one. A level of power that she had hoped to never see.

    Now, when she nced up, she didn''t see anything at all. Where had he gone?

    She heard a scratching sound overhead¡­.

    When she turned her eyes to the ceiling, she saw him, gigantic, clutching to the ceiling like a vision from her nightmares.

    [Boo!] Anthony cried in her mind.

    Enid clutched at her chest and fell backwards.

 Chapter 1082 1193 - Old People

    <h4>Chapter 1082 Chapter 1193 - Old People</h4>

    [Holy moly, Enid! Don''t scare me like that!]

    [Don''t scare you like that?] Enid squawked. [You damn near killed an old woman, you buffoon! I thought my heart was going to stop¡­.]

    [I''m not that scary looking. Crinis says I''m very handsome.]

    [You''re enormous! And purple! Your mandibles are the same size as my bed! You knew damn well you were going to take me by surprise hanging off the roof like that.]

    The gigantic monster scratched itself on the head with one of those enormous antennae. As thick around as a man''s leg and as long as a house was wide. It didn''t feel like that long ago since Enid hadst seen him, but Anthony had changed an enormous amount.

    [Yourst evolution really was a big change,] she said. [I can''t believe how different you look.]

    For want of a better word, the ant preened, cleaning his antennae and shifting to bounce the light off his carapace.

    [Well. I did put on a lot of size. Gotta boost that Might somehow.]

    [It''s not just that. Step back a little, let me get a good look at you.]

    [What?]

    [Go on, back up.]

    After a moment of hesitation, Anthony took a few steps back and paused, unsure, while Enid passed her gaze over his new form.

    The first thing that stood out was his sheer size, of course. From the most forward tip of his mandibles, to the very back of his abdomen, he was between fifteen and twenty metres long, and possibly eight tall, at her estimate. Each leg was an absurd length, so thick they didn''t look like they belonged to an insect at all, thoughpared to the rest of his body, the proportion was about right.

    The carapace was the next greatest change, no longer a shiny diamond coating over themon colours of the Colony, Anthony''s shell had transformed into something else altogether. A deep, shimmering purple, somewhat opaque, so that she almost felt as if she could peer into it, darkening to ck as it grew thicker. Light seemed to ripple as it yed across the material thatprised the carapace, as if touching the surface of ake. His entire body was coated in the stuff, including thinner ting on the legs and his mandibles.

    The mandibles themselves were horrifying. As long arge person was tall, they weren''t the stubby, somewhat blunt gripping tools she saw on the mages and healers. No, these were deadly weapons and they looked the part. Hooked at the ends, with barbs evenly spaced along the ends, they looked like they could punch through armour just as readily as crunch a boulder.

    On top of his head, Anthony''s eyes were much the same as they''d always been, though the lenses seemed to have gotten bigger, to the point she could pretty much see the lines that separated them. Some were clearlyrger than others too, which was interesting. His antennae were interesting as well. In the light, she could see they weren''t quite as solid as she imagined, as she glimpsed incredibly fine wisps of thread drifting around them.

    [I know I''m magnificent, but this is getting awkward. You didn''t call me up here just to take a gander at my shininess, did you?]

    [Of course not,] the old woman scoffed. [But I''ve never seen a tier seven monster, let alone a mythic one before. I thought I should take a good look while I had the chance.]

    [You aren''t dead yet, Enid.]

    [No thanks to you!]

    [Alright! I''m sorry! Geez. Ah, the healers are here.]

    A team of ants scurried into the chamber, five of them, rushing toward her and immediately poking and prodding her gently with their antennae.

    [Wha-what is going on? Shoo!]

    She tried to wave them away, but they ignored her, and she suspected that she knew why.

    [This is your doing, isn''t it?] she demanded of the ''Great One''.

    [Yep! I thought I should get you checked out by the crew. We can''t have you dying on us, Enid. Not for a long time yet.]

    [I''m old,] she tried feebly to brush the ants away, [there''s no cure for that. Besides, I hardly think it matters if I''m still around at this point. I''ve resigned as mayor. I think people can get along just fine without me.]

    She started as the giant ant loomed close suddenly bringing one massive eye within touching distance.

    [What are you doing?]

    [I''m looking for somemon sense in there. What are you talking about? There''s a reason we ants revere the Eldest, and the elders among us, and since we ants do it, it''s objectively the correct thing to do! You''ve got buckets of knowledge, experience and wisdom in that noggin'' of yours. In fact, of all the humans we''ve met, I think you''ve done more than any other for us. You think all that goes out the window, or that we aren''t grateful? You''re talking nonsense!]

    Diagnosisplete, the ants began to funnel healing magic into her, which was fine. Warm light suffused her body, easing her aches and pains. It was almost enough to make herugh. She''d heard about rich nobles having themselves healed every morning to extend their lives and reduce the pain of ageing, but never imagined it would apply to her.

    [Well, that''s very kind,] she said finally. [I still think it''s a bit of a waste¡­ there are lots of soldiers out there fighting who could do with healing.]

    [And that is why you''re important, Enid. I swear you were an ant in a past life.]

    She''d been no such thing and was about to say so when the five healers turned around and promptly covered her head to toe in viscous green fluid.

    If seeing a tier seven monster had been a remarkable sight, seeing him flop onto his back and kick his six legs in the air while screaming withughter in her head was quite another experience.

 Chapter 1083 1194 - A Life of Health

    <h4>Chapter 1083 Chapter 1194 - A Life of Health</h4>

    Mendant and Francis didn''t know when the healers had gotten a reputation for being curmudgeons, but they both strongly felt it wasn''t deserved. They weren''t grumpy! They were providing vital, life-giving services to their siblings! If anything, the usation they were ill tempered just made them feel like the others were being ungrateful.

    "Mendant! Lovely to see you again, how are things down in the tunnels?"

    "Francis! Wonderful to see you too. Things are going well, so far. The tunnels are holding steady, despite the number of monsters rising just about every hour. There aren''t enough healers to go around, but then again, there never are."

    "Very true. Come over here and have a cup of tea."

    "Oh? You have tea! How did you manage to get your mandibles on that? I thought we''d run out."

    "New shipment came in this morning and I managed to snag a box for myself."

    "You sneaky thing! I''m in awe of your talents, as always."

    The two sisters settled in around the table and sighed in pleasure as they lowered their heads and began to sip their brew.

    "Just the right amount of sugar," Francis sighed, "you really know how to make a good cup."

    "If only I had some biscuits, but s, I couldn''t secure any."

    "No need toment, sister of mine. I''ll be back in a moment."

    Francis rose from her chair and disappeared from the chamber, only to return a momentter with a small tter of biscuits gripped in her mandibles.

    "Ah, wonderful!" Mendant eximed, her eyes shining in delight. "Just perfect. Thank you, Francis."

    "The pleasure is mine, of course."

    Once again, the two sisters settled down to enjoy their snacks, only to be rudely interrupted as a messenger scout burst into the room.

    "We need healers in the tunnels, immediately!"

    "What?!" the two council members snapped.

    "What have you done now?" Francis groaned.

    "What have you done to the healers stationed down there?" Mendant demanded, ring at the scout. "Overwhelmed and overworked again?"

    The scout was sufficiently braced, having known that this would happen. She employed the expert tactic passed down throughout the messenger corps, ''divert the me!''

    "Sloan ordered me to send for the two of you," the scout snapped out a crisp salute, "she requests your presence in the staging chamber immediately."

    Then she turned and dashed for it.

    When the two council members arrived beneath the fortress, it was as if they were followed by individual thunderclouds. Other ants had avoided them the whole time they were making their way down, and now that they''d arrived, even thergest soldiers stepped lightly as they stormed toward the generals in the middle of the chamber.

    "What''s going on, Sloan?" Francis demanded as the two pushed their way into the circle.

    "This had better be good¡­" Mendant grumbled.

    Sloan jumped as the two made themselves known and turned.

    "Oh! Right. Thanks foring, you two, I know that you just finished shifts, so I''m really gratef¨C"

    "Just get on with it," Mendant cut her off.

    "You''re wasting time," Francis said pointedly.

    "Right. Sorry. There''s been a surge of injuries in three of the tunnels and the frontline healers are overwhelmed. The hospital over there is swamped as well."

    "What else is new?"

    "Ah. Yes."

    "Any ns to bring through more healers with the next group of reinforcements? Like we''ve been asking? For weeks?"

    "Of course we''ve asked for more healers!"

    "How many?"

    "Two thousand."

    "Out of how many ants?"

    "... forty thousand."

    Both healers slumped at the news, but only momentarily. Their internal grumpiness only fuelled them¡­ to be more grumpy!

    "You''re going to be reattaching your own legs with sugar syrup if this goes on much longer," Mendant warned the general. "And it won''t be me who tears them off. If the healers get stretched any thinner, we''d be see-through."

    "We need more soldiers for the front lines¡ª"

    "They don''t do any good if they''re in a hospital bed!"

    "Come on, Mendant," Francis said, "they aren''t listening. Let''s get to work."

    "Good thing some of us are working," Mendant grumbled, causing Sloan to twitch in anger.

    Wisely, the general kept her pheromone nd shut.

    The two healers stuck together and hit the first tunnel, rushing into the forward medical post.

    "What have we got?" Francis asked.

    The healer in charge didn''t look up from where she was busy closing an ugly wound in a mage''s carapace.

    "I''ve got three hundred and forty two broken legs, six hundred and eleven severed legs and almost a thousand severe carapace trauma."

    "Dammit. Quick, Francis, let''s scrub up."

    The two ants dashed to a side area, glowing with enchantments and waved their antennae through the light. Properly cleansed, they moved into the hospital proper and began working.

    "Three severed legs? That''s rough, soldier. I''ll kick start the healing process, but it''ll take a week for them to grow back. Make sure you eat Biomass, three times a day."

    "Thank you, healer."

    "What are you doing out there? I swear you''re trying to get injured. Look at your carapace! That''s a direct hit! I''ll do my best to close it over, but you''ll be moved to the main hospital for an extended stay. You''re lucky to be alive."

    "Th-thanks, healer."

    The two tore through the hospital in an hour, using their energy as efficiently as they could before they departed, calling for more healers toe off their breaks and get back into the medical chambers before they rushed to the next one.

    Everywhere they went was a disaster, the healers pushed to capacity, running out of mana and healing fluid.

    By the time they finished with the three tunnels, they were exhausted and slumped their way back to the central chamber to find Sloan had been reced with Victor.

    "d you''re here," Victor said, "we''ve got emergencies in two tunnels. The healers are overwhelmed."

    "I''ll bet," Francis said sarcastically.

    Mendant was about to leap forward and tackle the general with her own mandibles when a runner sped up to them.

    "Message from the Eldest, top priority!"

    Victor turned around, startled.

    "What? What do they want?"

    "Message is as follows: ''bring more healers down, what the heck is wrong with you?''. Message ends."

    Victor nodded, epting defeat as Francis and Mendant high-fived with their antennae. Good to know someone was looking out for them.

 Chapter 1084 1195 - War and Peace

    <h4>Chapter 1084 Chapter 1195 - War and Peace</h4>

    ?

    In times of war, or great peril, many things are put aside. Morality, order,w, hierarchy, respect, such things are often cast away in order to ensure the one thing that matters most to a sapient creature: survival.

    We are not that way. Our mission is sacrosanct. Ourw is woven into the very fibre of our beings. There is no life, without the mission, there is no future, without mission and there will never be a present, without the mission.

    Though the world should burn around us, we continue to serve.

    - Excerpt from the ''Dedications of the Nameless''

    The nameless one executed the eight-fold genuflection and stepped within the Sanctum of Sleep.

    To be embraced by the pure darkness was like being held close by the Colony itself. It was home. Guided by scent alone, she manoeuvred through the narrow and twisted corridors until she found who she was looking for.

    The Acolytes, still as a sleeping ant, stood in a loose circle around a dim light sunk into the ground. There, they kept their vigil until the second eight of the day had passed.

    The nameless one approached and genuflected once more. The Acolyte to her left, the Acolyte of Shadows, signed subtly, and so she approached.

    The Eldest rests, the Acolyte began the ritual greeting.

    Eight hours a day, the nameless one replied.

    Greetings, nameless one. You are wee in the Sanctum.

    I greet you, Acolyte. What news of the waking world do the shadows hold?

    It is difficult. The number of transgressions against the Eight number in the hundreds each and every day. Our ability to snatch the heretics from the battlefield is limited, and thus they escape our wrath and righteous cleansing. They do not sleep, their carapaces remain unwaxed, their antennaeden with grit and ungroomed.

    Disgraceful, the nameless one signed savagely. This cannot be allowed to stand. Give me the order, and I will hunt down those who spit acid in the Eldest''s face!

    Find your inner rest, nameless one, the Acolyte signed, the order is not served by your anger. Put it to one side, and think on what you can do.

    With difficulty, the nameless one pushed her anger down and sought the icy calm that served her so well in her long service to the Sanctum.

    I apologise for my outburst, she signed, but the Acolyte waved it away.

    It is nothing, we are all on edge at such rampant and widespread heresy. There are simply too many, and we too few. We will take those we can, and remember those we cannot. They will have their time in the cells, never fear.

    I hear and obey.

    The healers are being forced to go without breaks to ovee the shortage in numbers; we shall overlook them today, lest our sisters suffer and die forck of care. There are several scouts who have spurned the Torpor chambers for several days. Capture them and let them learn the error of their ways.

    They shall experience luxurious rest and rxation before this day is done.

    This is well.

    Her orders received, the nameless one set out through the dark tunnels once again. Narrow passages and secret pathways that wound throughout the great fortress like insidious tendrils of truth. There was no ce she could not reach, and her quarry would not escape her justice.

    Eight hourster, she returned to the Sanctum. Three targets she had been given, and three she had delivered. Those scouts now rested in the cells, their tant vition of the Eight put to rights. There was satisfaction in that knowledge, a quiet joy that warmed the nameless one from the inside. But overwhelming that sensation, was outrage.

    The number of vitions continued to climb to catastrophic levels. Members of the Colony turned away from thew of the Eldest at every turn. It burned in her gut, just as it burned inside every other member of the Sanctum she saw.

    Hopefully, the uing torpor would help relieve her frustration, and cleanse her heart of this rage. She was a creature of the shadows. Patience and cold, ruthless logic were her sharpest weapons.

    Greetings, nameless one, the Acolyte of Rest weed her as she entered the grand resting chamber. I hope your work has been fruitful.

    In the centre of the massive room, carved deep into the floor, waited the wheel, separated into eight segments. One portion already stirred as the ants resting there began to wake.

    Lethargy already gripped the nameless one as she waited for her chance to shuffle onto the wheel. She needed this rest, as did they all. Service to the mission was always difficult, but in this ce, and at this time, it was harder than she could ever recall.

    Please take your deserved rest, the Acolyte signed as they finally began to shuffle past onto the wheel, as the Eldest intended.

    Before the nameless one could find a suitable space to rest, she felt a change in the chamber. There was a shift in the air, a darkening, a deepening, of the mana. Every ant still awake went into high alert, their senses probing as they employed their Skills to meld with the darkness.

    Except, to their shock, they found that darkness was already upied.

    Writhing tentacles pushed them back before sprouting from every surface in the chamber, a forest of pitch ck limbs that waved and curled furiously through the air.

    A visitation from the Shadow! Such a rare and precious urrence!

    As one, the nameless ones genuflected, their hearts leaping with joy as the tentacles, in sets of eight, responded.

    Then they began to sign to them.

    My Master''s words are being ignored. They should NEVER be ignored. Prepare. We will show them ALL. This entire fortress will be plunged into darkness.

    So saying, the tentacles began to retreat, sliding into the shadow and vanishing once more.

    The nameless one felt her heart leap for joy. The outrage had gone on too long, even the Shadow had been pushed to the limit. Finally, something would be done about it. It took her several minutes to calm herself sufficiently to enter torpor, but when she did, for the first time in weeks, she felt truly at peace.

 Chapter 1085 1196 - War and Peace pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 1085 Chapter 1196 - War and Peace pt 2</h4>

    To plunge an entire fortress into darkness, tomit every ant within to the cells. Such a thing had never been done in the history of the Sanctum, in the history of the Colony.

    The nameless one crouched in a deep and dark tunnel, motionless. Soon, another ant approached.

    Greetings, nameless one.

    I see you, nameless one.

    What word from the Sanctum?

    Twenty-four hours until the Fortress goes dark.

    We''re going ahead, then.

    Of course. The mission stands above all.

    Agreed.

    After exchanging signs, the two parted ways, the other skittering away to reconnect with her sisters, while the nameless one remained at her post, waiting for the next member of the Sanctum toe down the passage.

    Only, the one she found wasn''t the one she expected.

    From the darkness around her, she noticed a small tentacle grow, extending out to just in front of her eyes. In the presence of the Shadow, the nameless one held herself perfectly still, awash with reverence.

    The tiny limb flicked several times in a familiar gesture. Come this way, it signed.

    The ant was unwilling to leave her post, but unable to deny the summons of the Shadow, she followed. Heading in the direction indicated by the tiny tentacle, she soon found herself running down abyrinthine passage into the bowels of the nest.

    She wondered what the Shadow may be calling on her for, something to do with theing darkness, she was sure. This was the first time the Shadow had taken such a direct hand in the affairs of the Sanctum, who knew what was going on in the mind of the Guardian?

    One turn followed another, as she crawled, until finally she emerged , pushing herself out into the light. She found herself in arge, open chamber, with one wide open entrance on the opposite side from where she emerged. Resting inside the chamber was thergest ant in the Colony.

    "Eldest?" the nameless one said in shock.

    The giant ant didn''t turn around to face her, remaining side on and blocking sight from the entrance to the nameless one, but she felt a strange power seize hold of the area around her, pressing her down and wiping her scent away.

    From the Eldest''s carapace, the Shadow emerged, extending her limbs outward toward the smaller ant.

    Make no scent, she signed, my Master is not tied to the Sanctum directly, and never will be.

    The nameless one recovered her poise and ducked her head in ascent. Of course, how foolish of her! She wasn''t a fresh recruit any longer, she knew how important it was to conceal all traces. Pheromone traces can remain for days, weeks!

    I am here to serve, the nameless one signed.

    The great ant shifted imperceptibly, and the tentacles continued to sign.

    My Master is aware of all that takes ce within the nest, including the activities of the Sanctum. Master shares your frustration. The carelessness, the recklessness, the selfishness. Generals go without sleep, putting their troops at risk, medics are pushed to the brink, scouts run ragged, core shapers left fighting for days on end. The entire fortress is on the verge of copse.

    The nameless one felt the dull anger that had been burning in her thorax roar back to life. Yes. YES. The Colony spat acid on the wisdom of the Eldest, turning their eyes away from the instruction that had served them so well in the past. All within the Sanctum felt it, and now she knew the Eldest felt it too.

    She was deeply moved.

    The Sanctum must be prepared, the Shadow signed, it will be a monumental task to serve so many guests at once, but my Master has confidence in you. It is the wish of my Master that you focus your energies on this task specifically. Leave all concerns regarding the defence of the nest to us.

    The nameless one stiffened in shock.

    Will the Eldest defend the entire fortress alone?

    The Shadow bristled, and the nameless one quickly added: with the help of the three guardians, of course.

    The tentacles writhed for a moment before they settled once more.

    How we defend the fortress is not something you need to worry about. Rest assured that it will be. Now I must ask that you return to the Sanctum and pass on this message.

    The nameless one bowed low, and the tentacles dipped to her in kind. Even the antennae of the Eldest, to all appearances still at rest, dipped a fraction lower toward her. Filled with awe, the nameless one rushed back to the Sanctum, eager to pass on the momentous news.

    What she had to say would shake the Sanctum down to its foundations!

    ~~~

    Crinis watched as the little ant scurried away, vanishing into the dark, hidden tunnels of the Sanctum, carrying work of their Eldest''s blessing. She was curious why her Master had gotten involved in this situation. He knew about the Sanctum, naturally, it was something she had helped put in motion, but never before had her Master bothered to involve himself.

    [Master?] she asked.

    [Yyyyes, Crinis?] came the sleepy reply.

    [I just wanted to ask¡­ why you wanted to get involved? Are you really that annoyed at the ants for refusing to sleep like you told them to?]

    The Master''s siblings, ignoring the instructions passed down to them by their gracious senior, filled her with undying fury and endless rage, but she knew it wasn''t like that for him. Much too lenient.

    The giant ant stretched out those long, segmented legs before rxing again.

    [Well, the fighting is going okay without me, Snt is doing well with her training and you three are doing great getting levels¡­ so I''m getting a bit bored. And I have to say,] he chuckled, [that this, is going to be HILARIOUS.]

 Chapter 1086 1197 - War and Peace pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 1086 Chapter 1197 - War and Peace pt 3</h4>

    Something was off, Sloan could feel it.

    "What word from the walls?" she demanded of her scout coordinator.

    The distinguished scout, Postant, had been working with her for months, and responded immediately to the sudden demand.

    "Holding firm atst report."

    "And the tunnels?"

    "Same. There''s been no significant change."

    "That can''t be right. I want a fresh runner sent topside immediately. There''s something going on around here, I can feel it in my antennae."

    "As you wish, general," said Postant before she turned to direct her scouts.

    But as information continued to trickle in, everything seemed¡­ fine. The wave was being held off pretty well all around the fortress. Ants were fighting hard, gaining Levels, training their Skills, and a constant stream of Biomass and cores flowed into the nest, precious resources needed to grow the Colony. Everything was going so well, yet she couldn''t help but feel that something terrible was not only about to happen, but possibly already had.

    The runners came back soon after, no significant changes, everything was holding steady. In fact, things were probably a little better than they''d been the day before.

    "Better?" Sloan couldn''t believe it. "How are things better?"

    "I''m not sure," Postant replied after conferring with her troops. "The general feeling is that the defence is holding firmer than previously, but nobody has really been able to pin down a reason why."

    Sloan thought back. She''d been on the job since yesterday, could she recall any significant changes since then? Directing the flow of the defence in the tunnels had been her sole responsibility in all that time, so if anyone had noticed a difference, it should have been her!

    The general pondered the question.

    "Let me see thetest troop report," she said suddenly.

    Other generals, members of her staff, quickly pulled out the stone tablet marked with dense and detailed pheromones, rows and numbers that described the numbers of avable troops. There was a change! The number had gone up.

    "Have the reinforcements arrived?" she asked as she continued to trace her antenna over the tablet.

    "Not yet, general. They aren''t scheduled to arrive for another three days."

    And they were mostly healers anyway. Sloan understood what the Eldest wanted, but she would have really preferred more fighting ants instead. Still, she felt bad that Mendant and Francis hadn''t been listened to, to the extent that the Eldest had to intervene on their behalf.

    No, the additional numbers weren''t as significant as a full reinforcement, but were significant enough to have made a difference. Where had theye from, though? A wave of freshly healed troops from the hospital? Unlikely.

    Some sort of shifting error putting more ants on the frontlines than there should be? Even more unlikely.

    "When did we start our shift, Postant?" Sloan asked, getting frustrated.

    "Thirty-six hours ago, general," came the immediate reply.

    Over those thirty-six hours, how had she not noted such a significant shift? It was maddening!

    Sloan froze, her mind halting in its tracks.

    "What¡­ did you say?" she said, slowly.

    Postant shifted.

    "Thirty-six hours, general."

    That¡­ shouldn''t be the case. It couldn''t be the case.

    "Light the torches!" she cried, and the generals sprung into action, igniting the braziers they kept close to hand for emergencies such as this.

    In an instant, mes crackled all around them, driving the shadows away as every ant eyed even the tiniest sliver of darkness warily.

    "We need to finish up soon," she told everyone. "We''ve gone too long without resting."

    They all nodded, knowing exactly what she was thinking. Even in wartime, it wasn''t good to push your limits too far. And by limits, she meant¡­ their patience.

    She must havee extremely close to disaster. It was so easy to let time slip by during such pressure-filled situations as these. She brushed her antennae through her elbow joints, cleaning them, to help relieve her stress. She was safe from their clutches for the moment. As long as she acted fast, she could be back inmand soon enough.

    In fact¡­ it was a little odd that they hadn''te for her already. Thirty-six hours was a lot¡­ not something they would normally tolerate.

    "Let me see that tablet again," she requested, taking hold of it in her mandibles once more and pouring through the numbers.

    There was a reason there were more ants in the fight. The listing, which usually read Casualties of rest, was missing entirely.

    They¡­ hadn''t taken a single ant¡­ for a full day.

    Sloan''s mandibles began to tremble and the tablet fell from her grasp to tter against the stone floor of the chamber. Her staff shifted, surprised to see her so clumsy.

    "Is everything alright, general?" Postant asked, looking concerned. "I''ve sent messages to bring our recements in, we''ll be done within the hour."

    "No," Sloan whispered. "It''s toote for that."

    Her eyes darted around the chamber. Bright burning fire surrounded her in all directions, but suddenly, she knew it wasn''t enough. Every hint of shadow loomed like an imprable ocean of darkness. She could almost hear the malicious gnashing of mandibles,ing from some dark space just at the corner of her eye.

    "I-I need runners sent immediately," she rounded on Postant. "Get in touch with Victor, let her know that they haven''t taken anyone in an entire day. A full day, do you understand? They''re nning something. Something big. We have to be ready!"

    Ohhhhhhhh. It''s FAR toote for that. Heretic.

    Heresy. Heresy. Heresy. Heresy.

    Unbeliever. Unbeliever. Unbeliever.

    Whispers, from a realm of madness the waking could never see, surrounded Sloan in an instant.

    "Stoke the fires!" she demanded.

    But that, too, was toote. One moment, the braziers burned brightly, the next, they were gone. The fires sputtered and died, robbing the huddled ants of their soothing light.

    Just like that, shadows abounded.

    Sloan trembled. She didn''t want to go out like this, not now! There was a war to fight, things to do! She shivered in fear at the thought of what may await her. Thefortable bed, the carapace wax and shine, theplimentary tea! She couldn''t endure it again!

    "We''re going!" she protested to nobody, "we''re going to rest soon! An hour is all we need!"

    The whole staff froze in ce as they realised exactly who she was talking to.

    Toote.

    Late.

    Late.

    Late.

    Late.

    Toote for ALL of you.

    Late.

    Late.

    Late.

    Late.

    Prepare yourself, for theing darkness.

    Sloan''s shadow began to expand and she knew it was over, knew she was to be taken, but to her shock, she wasn''t. Not immediately.

    The shadow grew, and grew, wider and wider, until it began to expand upwards, rising from the floor like a pir of pure void. Higher and higher it rose, until all activity in the chamber grew to a halt as all the ants saw it, recognised it, and trembled in fear.

    You have gone too far, the whispers continued, we will no longer tolerate your disrespect to themands of the Eldest.

    "We''re fighting a war!" Sloan roared up at the shadow, but she knew they wouldn''t listen.

    They never listened.

    The pir of darkness trembled for a moment, then lost its shape, flowing into a liquid that exploded outwards, expanding into a tidal wave that fell down upon them like a copsing mountain.

    Sloan could see them now, their mandibles gnashing and eyes burning with fervour and glee. Hidden inside the shadow, they came for her, and for all of them.

    Eldest have mercy.

 Chapter 1087 1198 - War and Peace pt 4

    <h4>Chapter 1087 Chapter 1198 - War and Peace pt 4</h4>

    "We''re under attack!" Victor roared!

    The generals looked confused. They were fighting a wave¡­ of course they were under attack!

    "Not like that!" she groused. "There''s trouble inside the fortress!"

    Messengers had gone missing. Reports weren''ting back. Entire hospitals had gone dark. Several shifts hadn''t reported to the front over thest hour. It all pointed to one thing.

    "There''s an enemy inside the nest," Victor dered, a grim light gleaming in her eyes. "We need to rally the troops and find out what''s going on. If we can reach the Eldest and bring them into the battle, then there''s no opponent we can''t beat."

    The hundreds of ants clustered around her in themand post appeared shaken, but determined. How the fortress could have been infiltrated without the Colony knowing, it was almost unthinkable. Through theyers of fortified walls, the enchantments, the endless patrols, the hundreds and thousands of ants, the mages on constant alert!

    But that didn''t matter now. No matter how''d they''d gotten in, if Victor said they were under attack, then they were.

    "Quickly, to me!" she ordered.

    The ants rallied bravely and rushed from the chamber, forming into ranks as naturally as breathing.

    "Send runners to the walls, let them know what''s happening. They need to hold at all costs!"

    Several scouts dashed away.

    In the corridors, they found Advant, leading a charge of her own.

    "Sister, what''s going on?" demanded the big soldier. "There''s something very wrong inside the nest!"

    "I believe we''re under attack," Victor replied grimly, her mandibles grinding together. "Come with me, we need to get a hold of this quickly and find the Eldest!"

    They hadn''t gone far when the scouts returned from the walls, frazzled after their lightning fast run.

    "The guardians have reported to the walls!" they reported. "The three of them are spread around the fortress and are holding off the wave!"

    "Finally, some good news," Victor said, relieved. "Tell the troops to fall back and join us here. If the guardians can give us some breathing room, we can right the situation inside the nest and then get back to the defence before things are too far gone."

    "That sounds good, but we need to move fast," Advant agreed. "I''ll take these ants and go ahead, you gather up everyone from the walls and follow after."

    "Sounds good."

    In short order, the soldier had the ranks organised and set off toward the central shaft.

    Victor watched as they set off, and then waited. Every moment that passed felt like a lifetime, but she knew Advant was capable, more than capable, of dealing with whatever she found. Soon, the troops from the walls began to trickle in. A few hundred at first, but then in their thousands. Weary, injured, and still recovering from their heroics on the walls, they were more than a little confused at being pulled from the fight ahead of schedule.

    Getting them organised and moving was no small task, but it was exactly this kind of situation that Victor specialised in.

    "Generals to me! Medics, take everyone who is too injured to fight into the central nning chamber and establish an emergency hospital there. I want an assessment checkpoint set up for every ant to move through as theye from the walls. Scout leaders to me. Stick to your squads. Move, move, move!"

    In a shockingly short amount of time, she had divided the fighting fit ants into four columns and had them advancing towards the shaft.

    It had beenmon design practice for the Colony, going back to before their rebirth as Formica Sapiens, to construct their nests with a main, vertical shaft connecting all levels in the nest.

    With the design of this fortress, that had changed. The carvers had decided that having a single shaft that gave ess to the entire nest was too risky, and had instead broken it into segments. Although each segment was close to the previous one, it created a chokepoint that the Colony could defend should an enemy invade.

    Naturally, taking control of as much of the central shaft as possible was the first priority on Victor''s n of attack.

    "Follow me! Forward, into the breach!" she called, leading her troops from the front and straight down into the shaft.

    The scent trails left behind by Advant and her troops were thick in the air, they''d already been here and gone ahead. She had to catch up quickly!

    Things were quiet, eerily so, inside the vertical tunnel. Normally, the veritable heart of the fortress, filled with ants rushing up and down, now it was deserted. Victor saw nothing but a nk tunnel ahead of her, whilst behind, thousands of troops marched in her wake.

    Whatever had happened to the nest, whoever had done this, they would pay.

    They reached the bottom of the shaft without incident and exited, moving down the wide tunnel that led to the next segment of the shaft. When they reached it, Victor knew immediately that something was very wrong. Instead of the huge, arterial path that connected the depths of the nest to the peaks, she saw¡­ nothing.

    Inside was simply¡­ darkness.

    Like a fog or mist, the inky ck void rippled and shifted, asionally sending wisps or tendrils into the air that curled in on themselves before they dissipated like smoke, or fell back down to merge with the shadows below. It was almost as if they were staring into the deepest and darkest depths of the shadow sea.

    Was this an invasion by monsters of the second stratum? That made no sense!

    Whatever the case may be, the scent trails of Advant and her leading party plunged directly into the abyss, vanishing at the edge of the pool. Victor was hesitant. The Eldest was further down, and if she could connect with the troops fighting in the depths, they''d have the numbers necessary to storm the rest of the fortress. She had to go down.

    "We''re going in, everyone. Pass the word back, get in formations. I want fire mages up front in every squad, burning a bright me. We need all the light we can get."

    "General, should we fire down into¡­ that?"

    She shook her head.

    "We can''t take the risk, we might be firing into the backs of our own sisters. We have to go in blind and be prepared for anything. There''s no time to waste."

    She waited for precisely one minute as the changes she demanded rippled through the ranks and then plunged forward herself. The darkness almost seemed to rise up to wee her inside, but she didn''t hesitate. The moment she stepped down the wall of the shaft, her vision was gone, but nevertheless she continued forward, her antennae sweeping the ground before her.

    The mes of the mages helped a little, but not much. The ck mist seemed to smother the lights, thickening, crowding close around the fire until they were barely there, illuminating a scant few metres around them, no matter how much mana was poured in.

    Sound was muted too, Victor almost couldn''t hear her own ws on the stone as she descended, nor those of the thousands of ants following behind her. It was almost as if she were alone there, in the dark.

    Despite the illusion of istion, she knew that she wasn''t alone, she had the scent trail of her sister, Advant, under her antennae the whole time.

    "Nothing sighted, moving forward. Nothing sighted, moving forward. Darkness is definitely mana based, some sort of blinding attack? Nothing sighted, moving forward. Stay together, team!"

    The constant stream of orders and observations was afort to Victor as she followed the trail put down by her sister.

    "No variation in the density of the shadows. No gaps either. Hopefully not all of the shaft segments are obscured in this way. It''s so dark in here I feel like I''m in torpor. Nothing sighted, moving forward. Keep the formation tight on the left nk! I can feel you shifting over there, keep an antenna on the ant to your right! Don''t fall asleep on us, stay alert!"

    Professional and brave as always.

    "Don''t fall asleep! Nothing sighted, moving forward¡­. Nothing sighted, moving forward¡­. Don''t¡­ fall asleep! Keep the formation! Nothing sighted¡­ moving¡­ forward¡­. Feeling¡­ so tired. Stay with me¡­ everyone. Nothing¡­ sleeping¡­ moving¡­ sleepward¡­. So¡­ dark¡­. Sleepy¡­. Tired¡­. Torpor¡­. Is¡­. calling¡­. Isn''t it¡­. Victor?"

 Chapter 1088 1199 - War and Peace pt 5

    <h4>Chapter 1088 Chapter 1199 - War and Peace pt 5</h4>

    Snt knew, of course she knew, how could she not? But the task before her didn''t change, no matter what was going on behind her back.

    "Focus your fire forwards! Don''t pay any attention to what''s going on behind! Hold the line!"

    The fighting was still intense, though it had ckened, thankfully.

    "Are you sure, general? Things are¡­ rather dire back there."

    "Leonidant, I don''t care if the fortress copses behind us, we will achieve victory here, in this tunnel, at this chokepoint!"

    "But the fortress may well have fallen behind us, Snt! We don''t know what''s going on back there!"

    For over an hour, reports had flooded to those fighting on the front that any and allmunication with the central nning chamber had been lost. The fighters here in the tunnel had been cut off from centralmandpletely.

    That didn''t bother Snt so much, she had a job to do, as did every other ant here, and if there was a problem in the nest, that was for others to deal with. The Eldest was back there, for The Queen''s sake! If the Eldest couldn''t deal with it, she assuredly couldn''t.

    And so, the fight had gone on.

    Then the reports had changed. Not only was the centralmand chamber enshrouded in darkness, but the shadows were advancing down the tunnels.

    Snt had red at the scout and told her to get back to fighting.

    "Rotate!" she demanded, and then twitched when she realised that the next line of soldiers was gone. There was no one to rotate forward.

    Instead, all thaty behind her was a ck wall of shifting shadows.

    "Well¡­ that''s not ideal," she muttered.

    "Yeah, don''t stress about it," came a familiar scent, followed by the giant head of the Eldest. "You did a good job holding the line. Well done."

    She was pleased for thepliment, but felt it wasn''t deserved.

    "We only held because the number of monsters encroaching on our position diminished significantly. If it weren''t for that, we would have¡­ lost."

    The Eldest tapped her on the head with an antenna.

    "Oi. Don''t go getting into your head or anything. I''m the one who arranged that," the Eldest pointed a leg at the darkness behind them, "and I''m also the one who arranged that," next they pointed a leg forward into the tunnel.

    "I''m¡­ not sure what you mean."

    "Give it a second, they''ll be here in a minute."

    The two waited, the Eldest swatting the asional monster that came down the tunnel as the remaining troops, those not swallowed by the void, rested and healed themselves.

    Soon enough, they saw a different type of movement down the tunnel, as a mix ofrge and small tree-people came into sight. The bruan''chii?

    "I called in a favour from that stupid tree to cover the nest for us while everyone catches up on their sleep," the Eldest said, waving at the neers.

    Arge specimen of a tree waved back before they turned and settled in to defend the tunnel.

    "Really nice to have a group like them on our side, even if their mother is a bit of a jerk. Alright, they''ll take things from here, you lot cane with me."

    "What? Where are we going, Eldest?" Leonidant asked, a little worried.

    "What do you mean? Straight into this infinite void of darkness and shadow, of course!"

    "What?!"

    "Rx already. You guys have been diligent in making sure you hit your rest periods on time, right?"

    "Of course," Snt replied, serious. "We were taught to always get proper rest in the Antcademy."

    "And it''s a good idea," the Eldest approved, "if you don''t get enough rest, if you don''t take proper care of yourself, then your work gets sloppy and all the ants around have to pick up the ck. Extra work for everyone. When too many ants are working exhausted, the mistakes snowball and we end up right in the¡­ plops, I suppose."

    In short order, the giant ant had rounded everyone up and cheerfully led them into the gently shifting void.

    "Now, unlike you well behaved members of the Colony, there are those who routinely push the limits, who skip a torpor period here and there, or go for multiple days without resting. When that happens, someone needs to make them see the error of their ways and ensure they get a good night''s sleep."

    "Is that what''s happening here?" Snt asked shrewdly.

    The Eldestughed.

    "Yes indeed. The entire fortress is getting put into torpor. Way too many ants not doing the right thing. The whole ce could have copsed around us."

    They continued to travel through the darkness, huddled together around the hulking form of the Eldest in their midst. Then, suddenly, shockingly, they were through it, emerging out the other side into the central nning chamber, freed from the shadows.

    Though not entirely, tendrils of the dark mist still curled and drifted through the air, smothering the light and deepening the shade. Inside, Snt saw something unbelievable taking ce. Ants were everywhere, crawling over every surface, on the room, on the walls, but even more than those ants who were moving, were those who were not.

    Row, upon row, upon row of neat beds formed of shaped stone filled the space, each upied by a member of the Colony, adrift in torpor. Thousands upon thousands of them. As they drew closer, Snt could see that each was tucked in with a thickyer of cloth, a small¡­ toy or doll tucked in under one of their legs.

    Throughout the rows, teams of ants moved industriously, carrying containers in their mandibles. When they reached a new bed, they would carefully uncover the ant within and apply the contents of their containers to special cloths that they then rubbed over the slumbering ant''s carapace, leaving it gleaming. Then another ant, a carver, would go over the cleaned area with another specialised material, running it back and forth with their front two legs, until the carapace practically shone.

    The decadence¡­ the luxury of it all. How terrible. She shuddered.

    The Eldest, of course, noticed her reaction.

    "That''s right," the giant ant observed gleefully, "if you don''t take your rest on time, then you get the full treatment. So much time and effort spent rejuvenating you. How incredibly selfish!"

    The ants continued to work without making a sound or a scent, collecting slumbering members of the Colony, tucking them into beds, cleaning them, grooming them.

    "Is this happening all over the fortress?" Snt asked, shocked.

    "Of course. Everyone is getting the treatment."

    "What about them?" Snt wondered, indicating those who were working.

    "They never miss a rest shift. Not even once."

    That was¡­ interesting.

    "But who are they?" she wondered.

    "Oh, them? Could be anyone, any member of the Colony can be one of them. One of your broodmates is probably one of them, working in the shadows when they aren''t by your side."

    "That''s not possible," Snt insisted, "we would not hide something like this from each other."

    The Eldest cked their mandibles together andughed.

    "Oh, is that right? You hear that, Leonidant?"

    The scout shifted ufortably.

    "Anyone can be one of them," the Eldest went on, not letting Snt question her sister. "Anyone at all. Now, I think we''ve arrived."

    "Arrived where?" Snt asked, but when she looked around, she saw what they meant.

    A long row of beds. Empty beds.

    "You can hop in yourselves, or, if you prefer, you can enjoy the full experience."

    "Wait. We haven''t missed any torpor," Snt pointed out, "why do we need to rest?"

    "The whole fortress is getting a snooze," the Eldest insisted, "you are most certainly no exception. You''ve been given special treatment just by seeing all of this," the big ant waved their antennae around, "most people don''t get a glimpse."

    "And what do you mean by the full experience?"

    "Well, if you''re asking about it, you may as well experience it. I''ll even spice it up for you. Get ''em, Crinis."

    The world was suddenly nothing but darkness, madness and mouths.

    Then. Sleep.

 Chapter 1089 1200 - The Power of Faith

    <h4>Chapter 1089 Chapter 1200 - The Power of Faith</h4>

    Church of the New Path.

    Faith of the Great One.

    The Colony Way.

    The faith that sprang up around the seemingly miraculous advent of the Colony came to be known by many names. I want to emphasise I''m not being dismissive by describing the existence of the Colony as ''seemingly miraculous''. A sapient monster collective that chose to cooperate with other species rather than consume them is as close to a miracle as this non-believing academic can bring themselves to acknowledge.

    For the Colony were a true monster species, unlike the bruan''chii, born from a Queen who spawned in the Dungeon andid eggs that matured into monsters themselves. At no point in the cycle were they ever acknowledged as anything but monsters by the System, as far as I''ve been able to determine anyway.

    This ''miracle'', this incredibly unlikely urrence, was taken by many of the early believers to be a sign of divine providence, that the Dungeon had birthed a saviour to protect them in their darkest hour. Had this belief been held exclusively by a few farmers and craftspeople, perhaps nothing would havee of it, but one of those early faithful was a Priest of the Path, named Beyn, who would eventually prove himself to be one of the most powerful religious figures of the age, second only to the entity he worshipped.

    -? Excerpt from ''New Faith'', by Siemon.

    Fervour burned in the eyes of the priest, and he was pleased to see it reflected back at him in the gaze of his audience. He could almost feel their zing faith like heat against his skin, hot enough to burn him to ash.

    Still not hot enough. Until his soul itself was melted to nothing, he would never be satisfied.

    "Remain strong in the faith," he demanded of his audience, his one hand stretching forward grandly, "and it will reward you. All of our lives have been transformed by the Great One, by the New Path, but they can change even further, spiritually, but only if you let them. This is a new world that we live in, separated from the before. Don''t be like me, it took time for me to recognise what had changed, and something dramatic was required to wake me up."

    He waved the stump of his missing arm at them and their gaze flicked to it and back to him.

    "Embrace the new world," he urged them, "and it will embrace you back. Embrace the Colony, and they will be there to support you. Embrace the Great One, and you will be a part of them, and they will always be with you."

    Beyn didn''t know when or why thatst part had be a regr part of his sermons, but it felt right to him, in a way he couldn''t exin. He knew that the Great One was watching over him, always. This knowledge was embedded in him as deeply as he knew his own name.

    "We thank you for your words, High Priest," a member of the congregation bowed to him, but Beyn brought up his hand.

    "Please, I do not like to be called High Priest. Call me Beyn, or Priest Beyn, if you must."

    The ants did not lift themselves up above others. If one general was higher in the hierarchy than another, did they look down on the other? No. Did they have arger, more fancy title than the other? Also no. They were both generals, who did the best they could in the work that they did.

    "I am a priest, no more important than any other priest. We work together, rise together and fall together."

    The audience bowed once more, many eximed at how humble he was, how dedicated to the faith. At this, Beyn frowned.

    "Please," he said to them, "do not elevate me, for that is not our way, that is not who we aspire to be. The Great One is watching over me, watching over all of us. I simply do my best to live in the way we are supposed to live, to walk the Path we have been shown. If we stay steady to the Path, we will walk from the darkness and into the light."

    Finally, they appeared to get it and he smiled upon them as the congregation filed out of the chapel in which he was preaching. When he was alone once more, he breathed a deep sigh of satisfaction. Bringing enlightenment to the people was his greatest joy, leading the lost, until they became found. Even after the people were brought into the faith, still they needed guidance, leadership, and spiritual nourishment. All of this, he was only too happy to provide.

    He was about to leave himself, when he heard something impossible, something unbelievable, something miraculous.

    Not a bad sentiment there, Beyn, very antish. Looks like you actually started teaching something worthwhile. Anyway¡­ when the heck did you figure out I could hear you?

    As the words of the Great One rang out in his mind, Beyn experienced a kaleidoscope of powerful emotions that crashed through him like the waves of a storming ocean. His mouth moved, but no sound came out. His ears rang, but he heard nothing. His body twitched, but he could not take a step. Unable to process, he simply stood, jerking uncontrobly, foam dripping down his chin, his eyes staring but seeing nothing.

    You didn''t actually know, did you?

    Beyn could not reply. His eyes rolled up into his head, and he copsed.

    Ahhhhh nards. This is going toe back and bite me RIGHT in the thorax.

 Chapter 1090 1201 - Crusade

    <h4>Chapter 1090 Chapter 1201 - Crusade</h4>

    "What''s going on?" Jern asked, confused.

    "Something''s happening in town, I''ve no idea what, though. People just started running!"

    That did indeed seem to be the case. Wherever Jern looked, people were poking their heads out of their houses and wandering toward the centre of town, or jogging down the streets aftering from the fields.

    "Come quickly!" he heard a voice calling from somewhere closer to the square. "There''s big news to hear! Come to the cathedral!"

    "To the cathedral?" Jern asked, confused. "What''s going on over there?"

    His friend, Alis, stared at him as if he were being stupid.

    "If you want to find out, then we need to go to the cathedral, right?"

    "Good point."

    Feeling slightly foolish, he put down his shovel and scratched at his cheek awkwardly.

    "Soooo, you want toe with?"

    Alis shook her head, sending her zing red hair swaying down her back.

    "Of course I want to find out, I''m only standing around here because I''m waiting for you! Hurry up!"

    "Oh," Jern chuckled, trying to hide his embarrassment as he stepped out of the stables and into the street, being careful to avoid running into anyone. "I''m ready, let''s go."

    The two joined the flowing crowd of people as they made their way toward thergest building in Renewal. The cathedral towered over the burgeoning city; its tall,vish spires and borate carved ants were an awe-inspiring sight, one that Jern frequently found himself gazing at, lost in the endlesslyplex lines of the stone. In front of the cathedral, filling the town square, the crowd was abuzz with energy, murmuring and calling to one another, a hundred different conversations fusing into one, persistent roar.

    "I feel like everyone in town is here," Jern mumbled, ufortable.

    He didn''t like being in crowds.

    "Can you see what''s happening in front of the cathedral?" Alis demanded.

    "Uhhh, yes? Can''t you?"

    Alis red and kicked him in the shin.

    "No! I''m not a giant, like you!"

    Jern decided not to point out that, even when she wasn''tparing herself to him, she was still considered small.

    "Sorry. Yes, I can see. There''s a gathering of priests over there. I think the head priest too? And a few ants. More than usual, actually."

    His friend made a frustrated noise before she started poking him in the side.

    "Lift me up," she demanded, "I want to see."

    Jern looked around ufortably.

    "I don''t mind," he said, "but we need to move to the side. I don''t want to block people''s view."

    "Ugh. Fine."

    With him leading the way, it wasn''t hard to make a path to the edge of the crowd. Once he was confident they wouldn''t be disrupting anyone, he reached down and grabbed Alis by the waist, effortlessly lifting her up onto his shoulder.

    "Are you steady?"

    "Of course I am. Thanks."

    She steadied herself with a hand on his head, idly twining her fingers through his hair as she peered intently in all directions, absorbing everything she saw.

    "There''s a lot of mages here," she observed, "and soldiers. That''s unusual. There''s even a few generals and carvers! Why on Pangera would the Colony send them over here?"

    "You can tell the difference?" Jern asked.

    Alis rolled her eyes.

    "Of course, they all lookpletely different. Look at that one, you see the different orientation of the front pair of legs?"

    "Yes?" he replied doubtfully.

    "That''s a carver. The big ones are soldiers, that''s easy, the generals are smaller than them, but bigger than the mages, and they haverger mandibles. The mages can be a little tricky to work out, but they always seem the most curious, and they move around the most. If they''re connected to a human with a mind bridge, they usually try and turn their body to face them directly, which is a giveaway. See! That one over there is doing it."

    "You really know a lot about the ants, Alis."

    She rapped him on the head with her left hand.

    "Who wouldn''t want to learn about the ants? They''re our saviours! Most of our town was built thanks to them. And they''re so interesting."

    "If you say so," he said, idly scratching at his leg.

    The ants were fine. As far as Jern was concerned, they were regr people who lived and worked in Renewal just like the rest of them. Except they had more legs. He knew about the nests and that there was Dungeon stuff and all that, lower down, but he''d never needed to worry about that. He cleaned stables for a living.

    "Wait, something''s happening," Alis said, leaning forward on his shoulder, excited.

    Jern brought his right hand up, just in case she fell, as he tried to spot what she''d seen. There was a lot of movement amongst the priests, until finally, one of them stepped forward.

    "I thank you for gathering so quickly, my fellow citizens of Renewal. And I apologise humbly for interrupting your day, but this news could not wait for the holy day, or be delivered in the next sermon."

    "Oh, that''s Beyn," Jern nodded to himself. He recognised the voice.

    "Shhh!" Alis hissed, rapping him on the head again.

    That seemed unnecessary to Jern, since Beyn was so good at talking in public his words felt like they flew into your ears no matter what, but he held his peace.

    "I HAVE BEEN WITNESS TO DIVINE INTERVENTION!" the priest suddenly roared, his words rolling through the crowd like thunder. Jern could visibly see people blown back by the volume.

    He loved a good speech from Beyn. They were never dull.

    "THE GREAT ONE HAS SPOKEN TO ME DIRECTLY. WHISPERED WORDS OF GODLY WISDOM DIRECTLY INTO MY HEART!"

    This got a strong reaction from the crowd, and even Alis was bouncing up and down on his shoulder.

    "Careful," he warned her, but she ignored him.

    "Yes, my people! No pheromones were involved, no mind-bridge. I wasn''t even in the same stratum as the Great One, and yet, they spoke to me, assured me that they were looking over me."

    The priest was openly weeping now, but there wasn''t the slightest quaver in his powerful voice.

    "I SAY THIS NOT TO ELEVATE MYSELF, BUT TO INFORM YOU OF THE REVELATION! I believe our faith has been sufficient, our belief has been abundant, and this has borne incredible fruit."

    A dramatic pause. Jern loved a good dramatic pause and Beyn was the master.

    "THE GREAT ONE IS ASCENDING! SOON, THEY WILL ACHIEVE A HIGHER PLANE OF EXISTENCE, AND I CALL UPON ALL WHO ARE WILLING TO JOIN ME IN A GREAT PILGRIMAGE."

    He took a deep breath, calming himself.

    "The journey will be long, and it will be difficult. There is no shame in remaining aboveground, but for those who are able, those who are deep in faith, join me. We will march to every city within thends of the Colony, and to some who aren''t, as we descend through the Dungeon and present ourselves before the Great One. JOIN ME! JOIN ME, AND TRANSFORM YOURSELVES!"

    The crowd leapt and screamed in approbation, and Alis was so excited she slipped and fell from Jern''s shoulder. Luckily he''d anticipated the problem and caught her deftly. She beamed up at him as he ced her back on the ground.

    "This is so exciting! I can''t wait to get started!" she dered.

    "Get started on what?" he wondered.

    She frowned.

    "The pilgrimage!"

    "Oh," he said, nodding.

    "You''reing too."

    "Oh," he said.

    He did like a good, fiery sermon.

    ~~~

    In the fourth stratum.

    "DAMMIT!" Anthony cried. "DAMMIT ALL TO HECK!"

 Chapter 1091 1202 - Crusade Pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 1091 Chapter 1202 - Crusade Pt 2</h4>

    "Do you really think the ants are protecting us because the Great One approves of our holy pilgrimage?" Alis wondered.

    Jern looked at the ranks of ants marching alongside them, guarding the pilgrims on both sides.

    "I think¡­ they probably just came along to make sure we''re safe," he suggested.

    His friend looked up at him irritably.

    "That''s all? Priest Beyn says it because they are guiding us along our blessed path and into enlightenment."

    "All they really do is fight Dungeon monsters for us," Jern pointed out.

    Alis scowled.

    "Sometimes we have to fight for ourselves, don''t we?"

    He sighed and hefted the oversized axe on his shoulder. Surprisingly, an ant had given it to him, which had caused people to whisper and point. Eventually, he''d found a mage, (who did turn to keep him in front of her, which he tested by taking a few steps to either side), who''d exined that, since he was sorge and strong, they''d made a weapon he could use to help protect the pilgrims.

    "Yes, sometimes we have to fight for ourselves," he told his red haired friend. "Your fire magic has improved a lot since we left."

    She folded her arms across her chest.

    "Of course!" she dered, puffing herself up with pride. "I''ve had the chance to turn my mes on Dungeon monsters before. It''s only natural that my Levels are increasing quickly."

    Jern had to agree. Fighting against monsters really was Levelling him quickly. It wouldn''t be that long before his ss maxed out and he''d need to change it into a new one.

    "Still," he said, turning back to look at the long train of pilgrims behind them, "I never expected we would gather this many people."

    "You really doubted how persuasive priest Beyn can be?" Alis scoffed. "Every ce we go, we end up with more and more followers. I feel like we got a thousand at Rylleh alone."

    "Good thing the ants are feeding us," Jern noted.

    "Of course! The Great One is with us!"

    The young man scratched at his cheek and said nothing. He wasn''t particrly smart, so he was probably wrong, but he figured the Great One was just making sure they didn''t starve to death, rather than urging them onwards.

    Not that it really mattered, he was enjoying himself and Alis was having a great time, so he didn''t have any reason to turn around and go back.

    "Do you think this next city will be as weing as thest?"

    "Why wouldn''t they be? We areing on a holy pilgrimage! They''ve got no reason to turn us back."

    "But¡­ isn''t this city outside of the Colony''s territory?"

    "So? The light of the Great One is universal! I''m sure it''ll be fine."

    He turned and looked at the ants around them. They certainly didn''t seem to be as rxed as Alis, constantly on alert, with messengers running up and down the column at all times. Suddenly, two of the nearby soldiers turned toward a patch on the wall, their mandibles flexing as they readied themselves. He stepped toward them without hesitation.

    When they looked up at him, he tapped himself on the chest.

    "Allow me," he said.

    They couldn''t understand his words, but they knew what he was getting at, and stepped back a fraction. Jern hefted the massive axe off his shoulder and gave it a few swings to warm up his arms, then he waited.

    A minuteter, a frenzied, mad-eyed beast lunged from the wall, spraying the young man with stone fragments. He got a sh of fur, and ws, and a red maw before hepleted his swing, smashing his axe deep into the beast.

    With a wrench, he pulled his weapon free and stared down at the monster. When he was sure it wasn''t moving, he turned to the soldiers, gave a dip of his head, which they returned with their antennae, and then jogged back up the line to catch up with Alis, leaving the soldiers to their meal.

    "The ants can take care of that, you know. If anything, you''re just taking experience away from them."

    Jern rolled his shoulders ufortably.

    "It must be hard shepherding this many humans through the Dungeon during a wave. I just feel like we should help out as much as we can."

    Alis opened her mouth to reply, thought for a second, then closed it.

    "You''re right," she begrudgingly admitted. "I''ll get the next one."

    ~~~

    "Greetings, young ones," Beyn greeted them as he made his way to their fire. "Another hard day following the Divine Path hase to an end. I hope I find you well."

    Jern ducked his head in acknowledgement as the priest approached, holy antennae bobbing on the top of his robe. Alis beamed with excitement, sping her hands together.

    "It was fine, thank you, priest Beyn. We did our best to help protect the column and even supported the soldiers as they fought Dungeon spawns."

    "Yes, our friends informed me of how helpful you two were today," the priest gestured with his one remaining hand toward the ants, still on duty alongside them. "They are grateful for your assistance. It has been very difficult for them to protect us along this journey, given the state of the Dungeon. I fear we must step up and do more to defend ourselves if we are to make it to the journey''s end."

    Alis surged to her feet.

    "Not to worry, priest Beyn! We are more than happy to do our part. Aren''t we, Jern?"

    Surprised at being suddenly included, all the young man could do was nod, jerkily.

    Beynughed warmly.

    "With brave souls like you amongst us, my heart is put to ease. Tomorrow we will reach our current destination, and I hope we will be well received, but we must be prepared to be rebuffed. We are outside thends of the Colony at this moment, and the citizens of Torpin''s Rest are not obliged to take us in."

    "The Great One will persuade them," Alis gushed, "I''m sure of it!"

    "Your faith is strong," Beyn beamed at her. "But the Great One may see this as a trial for us to ovee. In any case, I thank you for the warmth of your fire, but I must be off."

    They thanked him for his time, but the priest was already moving, walking down the column toward the next fire. He would greet every pilgrim before the night was done, as he did every night.

    "He''s incredible," Alis sighed.

    Jern nodded. He really was.

    ~~~

    Jern winced and Alis bristled by his side, ready to explode, and he felt simr anger boiling from the pilgrims around him, but priest Beyn remained calm.

    "Peace, friends," he said, his sonorous voice rolling over the gathered pilgrims along with the force of armed guards who had greeted them outside the gate of Torpin''s Rest. "We are on a holy pilgrimage and have no desire to anger or quarrel with the people of your city. We simply ¨C"

    "Good," bellowed the man leading the procession from the Dungeon city, draped in his purple robes of office. "Then take your filthy insect masters and leave this ce! You are unwanted, heathen monster-worshippers, and the sight of you soils my eyes!"

    Jern blinked. He felt that was uncalled for. Alis nearly exploded.

    "There is no need for this disrespect," Beyn said smoothly, but Jern thought he may have detected a slight hitch in his tone. "The Colony are a holy miracle who have saved and uplifted our people. I beg you, do not disparage them, for they have done nothing to you."

    "And they never will," the man snorted. "Everyone knows the ants are too scared to approach Torpin''s Rest, for they fear our righteous fury! We walk on the true Path, and won''t bow to these pathetic creatures. Now, if you can find what is left of your spine, turn yourself around and LEAVE. You are not wee here, and never will be!"

    Jern thought he saw Beyn''s eye twitching, but the priest retained his calm. He turned to the pilgrims and spoke to them soothingly.

    "We will leave this ce in peace," he said. "Let us depart."

    "Yes," sneered the official. "Cowards all of you, just like your ''Great One''. If that pathetic beast showed its face here, we would smash it beneath our shoes like the bug it is!"

    Beyn''s calm expression twisted in an instant.

    Jern sighed and picked up his axe, rolling his shoulders. Somehow, he''d thought this might happen.

 Chapter 1092 1203 - Crusade Pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 1092 Chapter 1203 - Crusade Pt 3</h4>

    "We didn''t really mean to burn Torpin''s rest," Alis protested. "People just got a bit carried away."

    "We were lucky the Colony was there to keep casualties to a minimum and help rebuild. Things could have gotten very nasty," Jern said.

    "They provoked us!"

    The gentle giant next to her frowned.

    "Just because someone teases me, doesn''t mean I should punch them in the face. You''re the one who told me that."

    "That''s¡­ true. Of course that''s true. But they shouldn''t have said anything about the Great One!"

    Jern thought for a while and then nodded. There hadn''t been any need to insult their saviour like that. It was almost as if the leader of Torpin''s Rest wanted to provoke them.

    He stepped over a pile of rubble, and extended a hand to Alis, which she grasped as she mbered over it.

    "Then what about Deepward?" he asked.

    His friend released his hand and brushed off her dress, trying to pat away the dust and ash.

    "Deepward was¡­ apse in judgement. I think people were just excited after Torpin''s Rest."

    "Priest Beyn tried to stop them¡­."

    "They really should have listened," Alis groused. "Deepward wasn''t that rude to us. Still, a little more manners and¡­"

    "And we wouldn''t have burned their city to the ground?"

    "Yes¡­ that."

    They came across several ants struggling to shift a beam of charred wood, carvers, judging by the size, so Jern put down his axe and helped them to lift, freeing it from the crumbling bricks that weighed it down. They waggled their antennae at him in gratitude and he smiled back before he picked up his axe and continued to walk.

    "At least they were a lot more weing when we got to Jagtown," Alis said firmly, "they let us in, Beyn preached, we rested and then left peacefully."

    "I think they were really scared," Jern observed, remembering. "People in Jagtown really seemed to want to avoid me. More than usual, I mean."

    As big as he was, people tended to avoid him at the best of times.

    Alis sniffed.

    "Well, if a little fear is what it takes to bring out some good manners and hospitality, then that says a lot more about them than it does about us!"

    He supposed there was some truth to that. If the pilgrims had received a normal wee, then none of this would have happened. He wondered if the hostile reaction they got was due to the pilgrims, or perhaps because these smaller cities were extremely paranoid living right on the edges of the Colony''s territory.

    Having such an enormous and prosperous nest of monstrous ants right next to your city probably wasn''t great for your nerves. In some ways, it might have been better if the Colony had just conquered them so they could find out everything was fine and just rx.

    "Then we got here, to ckrock."

    Jern kicked a rock. It skittered across what remained of the shattered street and came to rest against the face of a statuememorating the mining city''s founder. Some pilgrims had pulled it down during the siege.

    "Okay, this one is definitely not our fault!" Alis proimed, jabbing him in the chest with one finger. "We were super nice. We didn''t show up with any ants. We kept most of the pilgrims well back from the gates. Beyn did everything he could to appear non-threatening and harmless. How can anyone me us for¡­" she waved a hand at the ruined city around them, "... what happened?"

    She wasn''tpletely wrong, as Jern saw it. Beyn, the ants, and the pilgrims had decided that getting into spiritual disagreements and burning down cities was not what the pilgrimage was about, so they''d made every effort to minimise the chances of something going wrong. Every effort to avoid offence, or the appearance of threat had been taken.

    Yet the people of ckrock really, really didn''t want them nearby. Which was fine. If they''d just said so, then Jern was pretty sure the pilgrims would have turned around and kept moving.

    But they didn''t just say so. They hung banners on their walls mocking the Colony. They sang songs making fun of Beyn, of the pilgrims and the Great One. If that had been all, it might have been alright, maybe. When the delegation of ckrock said regretful things about the Queen¡­

    Beyn had been forced to let the pilgrims loose on the city. If the ants had found out what was said¡­. Jern didn''t want to think about it.

    He looked over the smoking ruins of ckrock. Once arge and industrious mining town, now a sted crater.

    "I think we did something good here," he decided, kicking another rock.

    Alis nodded firmly.

    "I''m d you agree. We should probably head back to the others. Priest Beyn is probably close to finishing his sermon."

    The two wandered back toward the gathering, and indeed, Beyn was in full sonorous swing, preaching his heart out to the huddled and shivering residents of this once-proud city.

    "A better life awaits you now!" he proimed. "Living in the light of truth, protected, sheltered, by the mighty carapace of the Colony. You will think back on this day and remember it fondly as the day your lives changed forever. For the better! And any who wish to join us on our holy pilgrimage are more than wee. The time of the Great One''s ascendance draws ever nearer!"

    The ants were already helping to rebuild, setting up a defensive perimeter to defend against the wave and settling in for the long haul. Eventually, more ants woulde to join their column to make up for those who stayed behind.

    And some people would join them too. Jern wasn''t sure why, but some always did. He could see it in the crowd already. A few shining eyes here and there, some ecstatic gazes filled with wonder. Those people would leave behind everything they had ever known and join the pilgrims in their long march into the depths.

    "I just hope we don''t burn any more cities down," Jern sighed.

    He didn''t like the smoke.

 Chapter 1093 1204 - Crusade Final

    <h4>Chapter 1093 Chapter 1204 - Crusade Final</h4>

    It was strange to be able to smell death. It seemed like the sort of thing that shouldn''t have a smell. Sure, things like decay and rot, they had a distinct scent, an extremely potent one, but those were distinct from death itself. A function of death, in a way. When a person died in front of you, or around you, there wasn''t a discernible odour, as far as Jern could tell. It wasn''t like the soul leaving the body was something his nose could detect.

    Yet, as he stood on the precipice of the second stratum of the Dungeon, he could smell death.

    He didn''t like it.

    "It''s so cold," Alis shivered as she stood by his side, looking down into the slowly stirring darkness.

    "It''s going to be colder once we get down there," he said.

    "I don''t want to think about it. At least it''s supposed to get warmer once we reach the third."

    From what he''d heard, Jern wasn''t confident she would enjoy that heat much more than the cold. He''d conversed with a few ants from the next twoyers, and it seemed to him that neither were all that hospitable. Only when they reached the fourth would they find a climate they would consider suitaboe for life.

    "I never thought I''d be standing here," he noted aloud.

    Alis looked at him, and then back down the sharply sloped tunnel. The border between the first and secondy before them, a sharp border in the Dungeon. To both of them, it looked like a cloud of ink that revolved almost imperceptibly, a dark pond he could toss a stone into. After a moment, he shrugged, picked up a small shard of rock and lobbed it forward, gently, just a couple of metres.

    As it fell into the ''pond'', the t surface didn''t ripple, it wasn''t disturbed in any way, and the sound of the rock hitting the tunnel floor reached him a secondter, muffled.

    "What did you do that for?" Alis asked.

    "I was curious," Jern defended himself.

    "And what if some nasty shadow beast lunges up out of there and rips your head off?" she scolded him. "You''ve got to be more careful!"

    Jern idly considered telling her he was much better at killing monsters than she was, but decided against it at thest minute. Alis didn''t particrly enjoy being reminded of that.

    "We should probably head back," he told her. "Beyn told us we shouldn''t be out here too long."

    "Good idea."

    The camp wasn''t far away, constructed in arge cavern formed from the intersection of multiple tunnels. Amon phenomenon, he was told. Passages between strata were much rarer than regr tunnels, so there was often a convergence when one was around.

    Walls formed of hardened stone were patrolled by armed pilgrims, hundreds of them at a time, and the ants swept the surrounding Dungeon on a never ending cycle. Even so, the effects of the wave were impossible to ignore. Monsters would burst out of the ground inside the camp at all hours; one even emerged from just under the wall, copsing a wide stretch as it forced itself free.

    Still, the pilgrims banded together and fought them off as best they could. It was probably a good thing they''d been doing so much fighting recently. Pretty much everyone was getting used to swinging some sort of weapon around.

    Even the olddies.

    Jern and Alis waved to the guards, who let them in without fuss, then made their way towards the back of the camp, where it butted against the cavern wall. They found Beyn not far away, talking with arge group by a crackling fire.

    "We must remain here for at least a week," Beyn insisted. "Your devotion is to your credit, Sister Myra, but I will not have members of this pilgrimage lost unnecessarily."

    "Won''t the Great One protect us from the Dungeon Sickness?" the grey haired woman demanded. "Everyone is certain ourck of symptoms can be attributed to the protection of the holy carapace."

    "The Great One has stretched forth their mandibles to shield us from much harm, of that I have no doubt," Beyn agreed, "but for other trials, we are expected to carry the burdens ourselves. The mana thickens precipitously as we descend, and were we to advance to the Shadow Sea without tempering ourselves, then many of us would falter. It takes time, time we can use to reflect and meditate on our profound journey."

    Myra didn''t look like she much agreed with him until his final words. Perhaps she liked the idea of reflection and meditation since it sounded holy enough for her liking. She thanked the priest for his time and moved away, much of the crowd going with her.

    The two young pilgrims approached and Beyn smiled at them.

    "Ah, Alis and Jern, how fare you today?"

    "Fine, father," Alis gushed. "We were just outside the camp looking at the tunnel down. Are we really going to have to wait a week before we can descend?"

    The priest looked grave and nodded.

    "Yes, I''m afraid we must. Even more may be necessary, though I hope that isn''t the case. The devotion of these people burns strong, and I would hate to force them to dy on their holy journey. Dungeon sickness is a very real and truly dangerous concern. There are many in the camp who have been suffering silently. Were it not for the aid of our ant sisters, then I''m afraid hundreds, maybe more, would have fallen already."

    He looked to his right, where the ants had dug out arge space from the cavern wall and created a low-mana zone within. All of them had been expected to spend time inside, slowly letting the mana in their bodies out, then stepping back outside. By filling and emptying themselves of mana, they would gradually adapt.

    "You and I are probably due to go back in, Alis," Jern told her.

    She huffed at him and then tried to cover it with a cough, not wanting to appear difficult in front of the priest. Then he remembered something.

    "Oh, Beyn," he said, "I need to advance my ss and I thought I should do it today. I was hoping you could advise me?"

    The one armed man smiled and brushed at his robe.

    "Why of course, I would be delighted to. That has long been my calling, after all."

    "C-can I get your advice as well then, Priest Beyn?" Alis squeaked.

    "You need not ask. My knowledge is always avable to my brothers and sisters in the faith. Please, tell me of your builds so far."

    There wasn''t much to tell, Jern was still, at this point, a simple Labourer, and Alis had been a Mage Apprentice, the most basic of the introductory mage sses.

    The priest nodded thoughtfully as if this was all deep and interesting information.

    "And what sort of sses do you have avable for the change?" he said.

    Jern had some interesting choices, probably based on the more militaristic Skill levels he''d been gaining. Things like ''Soldier'', ''Bruiser'', ''Axe Wielder''.

    "Oh, there''s something weird here," he said. "What''s a¡­ ''Temr of the Great One Initiate''? I don''t think I''ve heard of that one."

    "Oh," Alis said, "I have that too. Have you¡­ heard of¡­ that? Beyn?"

    The priest''s eyes were bulging from his head and Jern thought he might be starting to froth at the mouth.

    "A MIRACLE!" he roared.

 Chapter 1094 1205 - Beneath the Waves

    <h4>Chapter 1094 Chapter 1205 - Beneath the Waves</h4>

    The sub-surface Conglomerate is a loose confederation of brathian cities, kingdoms, merchant houses and roaming caravans that live in the waters of the Fourth Stratum.

    The Endless Lake.

    Brimming with life and water mana, the Lake is the ideal environment for the brathian to dwell in, though they are capable of living onnd as well as beneath the waves. Historically, their people lived in or around freshwater sources outside the Dungeon, and the more peace-loving amongst them still do.

    Within the fourth, however, is where the majority of the brathian of Pangera now make their homes.

    -? Excerpt from ''On the People of the Fourth'' by Tir

    The crushing pressure of the waters abated as Theraz slipped within the pearlescent barrier erected by his people. Knotted muscles loosened and tension drained from his scales as he smiled for what felt like the first time in weeks.

    In reality, it had only been a day or two, but the extra life mana thanks to the wave seemed to press in on him. The waters of the Endless Lake were vibrant, filled with energy and life, but the mana was so thick. When he swam, he felt as if the weight of the mountains that towered in the sky above was pressing down on him.

    The added weight of the unending tide of monsters did nothing to help the feeling abate.

    "Wee home, Theraz. How did you find the current?"

    "Piris, I should have known you would be waiting for me."

    "Of course, I would not want you to lose yourself amongst the fish and be confused."

    "Do I look like a fish to you?"

    "Am I supposed to answer that?"

    His cousin grinned at him mischievously and Theraz shook his head.

    "I have returned from an important scouting mission for the Satrap, and you wait for me here on the border of ournds simply to throw insults?" he shook his golden-scaled head. "What will your mother say?"

    She shrugged, her legs drifting as the waters shifted.

    "What does she always say? ''You need to do better! Stop wasting your time! Cease pping your fins!'' I don''t listen anymore."

    This was a little disturbing to hear. Had his aunt and cousin really fallen out so badly? He''d had no idea.

    "Let us not talk of this anymore," he cut off the conversation. "I must return to speak with your father, and I do not wish to hear any more of this familial disrespect."

    Piris frowned but fell silent as the two swam close to the sandy bottom, darting between the lush nt life and drifting weeds as they moved deeper into the water imed by the brathian.

    Soon they came across the outer farms, tall fields of hornwart and lotus stretching high above.

    Patrols of soldiers swam in organised lines, ever vignt for monsters spawning within the barrier or for those crazed beasts who pushed through the siren song and attacked.

    Beyond the farnd, they came upon Crelios proper, dome-shaped houses made of sandstone, neat gardens and enormous corals. Small fish ducked and darted everywhere, hiding in sponges embedded in roofs and walls. The brathian were everywhere, their vibrant scales of many hues glittering in the dim, shifting light. In the distance, the heart of the city loomed, towering sand structures rising from thekebed, along with the enormous sponge fronds that rose hundreds of metres towards the light.

    "We should pick up the pace a little," he suggested, "I don''t want to keep your father waiting."

    His cousin nodded, and the water began to twist in front of them as they employed their mana. Soon, they were rocketing through theke, a short jetstream swirling behind them. They only slowed as they approached the outer reaches of the city centre and were approached by the guards.

    "Theraz! Finally back, I see. I was worried we were going to get sent out to find you soon."

    The old brathian lowered his spear and indicated the dull, faded sheen of the scales on his arms.

    "I''m getting too old to go beyond the boundary, it''s a good thing you found your way back.''

    "You''re as impressive a beast as I''ve ever seen in the Endless Lake," Theraz grinned. "I can''t imagine a day when Mo the magnificent will be forced to retirement."

    "Then youck imagination."

    The old warrior turned to the guards on patrol with him.

    "You two escort the young master and mistress back to the pce. I''ll finish up out here."

    "Not keen to visit the pce again, Mo?" Theraz chuckled.

    The old man made a face.

    "I hate that ce," he said tly, and Piris stared at him in surprise. He noticed and grunted. "I''m too old for them to bother punishing me for my disrespect, little one. There are a few advantages to being a grey-scale like me. It''s not your family that ps my fins anyway. There''s just too much¡­ faffing about. I feel like someone has to announce you before you can enter the toilet."

    She giggled.

    "That''s almost true. For mother and father, at least."

    "Good. Now hurry up, I need to get back to work."

    Theraz was made to reflect on Mo''s opinion as he spent the next two hours being passed between dignitaries (each of whom required that he be announced before being permitted to enter their presence). ess to the Satrap wasn''t easy, even for his nephew. When he finally made it through to the inner pce, he''d begun to yearn for the open waters beyond the barrier again.

    "Young Theraz, my nephew. Wee!"

    Satrap Umizan was¡­ on therge side¡­ for a brathian. Considering he spent all day lounging on his throne while dealing with administrative affairs, it was somewhat to be expected. The endless supply of sweetfish brought to him by his female attendants didn''t help either.

    "Father! You promised you''d stop snacking this week!" Piris scolded him.

    "Oh! Piris! I¡­ didn''t see you there!"

    The Satrap attempted to hide a te of fish behind his throne with one hand and failed spectacrly.

    "Don''t tell your mother¡­."

    She narrowed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.

    "Please?"

    "Satrap," Theraz grinned, "I have returned from my scouting mission at the forward enve. There is much for us to discuss."

    At once, Umizan''s demeanour changed and he straightened on his throne, a cold light gleaming in his eye.

    "Good. I need to learn more about our new neighbours. These¡­ ants."

 Chapter 1095 1206 - Down to Business

    <h4>Chapter 1095 Chapter 1206 - Down to Business</h4>

    "This¡­ ''Colony''. I don''t like it, Theraz, but it''s new, and new can be either good or bad for business. What I need to know, as soon as possible, is which it''s going to be."

    "Well, the first thing I can tell you is we aren''t going to be able to dislodge them easily."

    "Really? That mountain has changed hands so many times recently I was starting to think it was impossible to hold. First that tree had her roots all over it, then the ka''armodo seized it for whatever reason and now these ants are setting up shop! I don''t like it when others set up shops next to mine, Theraz."

    The Satrap didn''t get as disgustingly wealthy as he had by toleratingpetition, after all.

    "We are directing as many of theke monsters as we can toward their fortifications, and so far they haven''t made a dent. Worse than that, since they''re monsters, all we''re really doing is flooding them with Biomass, experience and cores."

    "Are you suggesting we cease the siren song?" Umizen muttered, leaning his cheek against one of his hands. "Your father had the same thought."

    My father is a lot smarter when ites to fighting.

    It wouldn''t do to say so out loud, of course.

    "Any and all matters regarding the Divine Guardian Beast are for you and you alone to decide on," Theraz replied smoothly. "I am merely reporting the progress, orck thereof, being made."

    "Fine," the Satrap grumbled to himself. "After everything I''ve spent on her, you''d think she could deal with squishing a few ants."

    "She isn''t fighting," Theraz reminded him, "she''s just using her song."

    "Should I send her up? Make a direct assault?"

    Clearly hesitant, the Satrap suggested it anyway and his nephew suppressed a sigh. Anything expensive was an asset, and the Siren was incredibly expensive. His uncle wouldn''t risk her unless he had a very good reason.

    "I don''t think that would be a good idea," he replied. "I''ve seen¡­ I''m not sure how to put this¡­. I''ve seen a very powerful ant monster, a Mythic one, tier seven or eight probably, it was hard to tell from the waterline. It came out of the mountain and scared off a sky dragon."

    He shook his head.

    "It was massive. Highly evolved and highly mutated. If there are more like that in the mountain, then those ants aren''t going anywhere."

    At the mention of the monster, both his cousin and uncle had leaned forward eagerly, though for very different reasons.

    "Do you think it''s strong?" Piris gasped. "Could you beat it?"

    "Do you think it''s valuable?" the Satrap breathed. "Could you capture it?"

    "To answer both of you: yes, I think it''s strong and valuable. The carapace sparkled under the sun like a jewel and I could feel the mana thundering in its core. Secondly, no. I could not beat it, certainly not alone, and capturing it would be even less likely, since that''s the only time it hase out of the mountain. Fighting through a fortress guarded by hundreds of thousands of ants isn''t something we can achieve."

    "But they''re just ants," Piris and her father protested together.

    Theraz shook his head.

    "Please put that thought from your mind. They aren''t ''just'' anything. If a group of monsters conquered a mountain and turned it into an impregnable fortress in a few weeks, you''d have a good deal of fear and respect for them, right? I implore the Satrap to not be blinded by what they are, but focus on what they''ve done. This Colony is strong."

    The older, pudgier brathian leaned his scaled cheek on one of his open palms, eyes narrowing.

    "There''s an awful lot of money sitting in that mountain, nephew," he said, a hint of steel entering his tone. "We''ve confirmed that those monsters are tier five, some tier six, and they all have a core. Every single one of them, and there''s hundreds of thousands of them, maybe more, ording to what I''ve read. When we include monster parts we could salvage, that''s a fortune equal to what I''ve amassed up to this point in my life, and I''m disgustingly wealthy. You understand what I''m saying, Theraz?"

    The young man felt a chill run down his spine.

    "You have to be alive, to enjoy the privileges of wealth, Uncle."

    The Satrap sat back with a huff.

    "That''s what your father said."

    "Then he agrees with me?"

    "He''s warned me off interfering with this Colony directly. ''You have enough money, brother'', and ''what''s the point of taking a risk like that,'' and ''how many brathian are you willing to sacrifice to get richer''. I''ve heard it all from him for days."

    "Those are all valid questions, Uncle."

    "My fear isn''t only about missing out on a fortune, nephew. Those ants represent such an enormous pile of cash that others are bound toe to get it. I worry about someone else taking it and supnting our people from our dominant position in this area of the stratum. These monsters may be a threat, yes, but if someone conquers them and is even worse? What then?"

    "We are not so easy to disce from our position in the Lake," Theraz assured him. "If ites down to it, my father and I will give our lives to protect our people, and the rest of the Scale Guard alongside us."

    Umizan considered him for a few long moments before he pped his hands together before his paunch.

    "Excellent! We will put aside the expensive and draining prospect of war and focus on that which is more profitable. Jolly cooperation! It''s time for diplomacy, Theraz. You and your father will be part of my envoy, of course."

    He''d probably intended on this oue all along. Dealing with his uncle was exhausting at times.

    "Of course, Satrap," he bowed.

    Piris snapped and rushed to her father''s side.

    "I want to go as well! Father! Let me go!"

    "What?" he boggled. "You want to go into that den of beasts?"

    He blinked, then sighed.

    "Of course you do. You take after your mother too much, she always has to be having an adventure. My daughter, the real adventure ismerce!"

    She went to protest, but he raised a hand.

    "If we can receive assurances from the ants, then I will consider it, but if you go, I will have double the military presence at the outpost. Keep that in mind. In fact, if you''re going, your mother might as well go along. She''ll be furious if I keep her home and let you out."

    Taking the Satrap''s wife and daughter to a mountain full of monsters, Theraz despaired. It was madness.

    "Is there a problem, nephew?"

    "Not at all, Satrap."

 Chapter 1096 1207 - Sweet Slumber

    <h4>Chapter 1096 Chapter 1207 - Sweet Slumber</h4>

    Ah, it''s nice to see everyone looking so lively in the fortress.

    "You''re looking good there, siblings! Such gleaming carapaces!" I greet a squad of ants moving to the frontline.

    They duck their heads in shame and rush past me, trying to conceal the beams of light reflecting from their exo-skeletons with their antennae.

    Gweheheheh.

    Everyone is metaphorically shining with good health while also literally shining from the torpor police''s patented wax and shine. I''ve never seen such a well-groomed group of ants.

    "Make sure you don''t miss your next torpor session!" I remind them as they flee into the distance.

    The reinforcements arrived yesterday to find the fortress still in the process of waking up. Quite an odd sight, I wager. With the added numbers, including a solid bolstering of the poor, overworked healers, things are running much better in the fortress. Getting a good snooze into the tired and bedraggled defenders has done them a world of good as well. Thanks to this escapade, the fortress has a decent chance of not copsing during the wave.

    I mean, I could probably have held off the wave if I went all out, but I''m a limited resource. I can''t be everywhere at once! Maybe once upon a time, I would have tried to take all the burdens onto my own back and promptly messed everything up, but I''ve matured!

    We''re ants, dammit! If we don''t grasp the concept of teamwork, then nobody on this does!

    I was able to reach out to the tree without too much trouble, and she was loath to lend me her children at first, but I told her I absolutely didn''t want any of her freaky gardens popping up around the fortress, so she should just let the kids out to y.

    After bickering back and forth for a while, she eventually caved, which I knew she would. For one, the bruan''chii are insistent on repaying the debt they owe to the Colony. The tree herself is weak to the pleading of her dear offspring, so she had no choice but to give in.

    "Sloan, feeling well rested?" I ask.

    The general jumps a foot in the air as I approach stealthily.

    "I am! Y-yes. Thank you¡­ Eldest¡­ for noticing."

    "How could I not notice? You''re shining so bright!"

    "Haha¡­ ha."

    None of the other generals want to look in my direction, too ashamed to front up to my obvious taunting. Which is good. I draw a little closer to Sloan.

    "You understand why I had to do what I did, right? I''ve warned you before about pushing too hard and asking too much. This fortress was on the brink of copse right at the point the wave would shift to its most intense. I would have been able to save it, probably, but how many would have died? Ambition is good, but failure is not. This isn''t only on you and Victor, it''s the responsibility of the entire Council, and every ant working under you as well. If we don''t learn our limits, then we''re going to lose and lose big in the future."

    Despite sounding harsh, I''m being perfectly sincere and honest, which is exactly how my siblings want their criticism. She nods slowly, though I see it''s difficult for her.

    "I¡­ understand, Eldest. We will do better."

    "I hope so! I really don''t want to have to keep poking my antennae in and messing with everyone else''s business. You''re supposed to be so much better than me at running this stuff."

    Well, I have the advantage of being able to ''see'' what every ant in the entire fortress is up to at any given moment. If Sloan had ess to perfect information like that, she would have seen the problem just as fast as I did.

    "I understand. You won''t be troubled in future, Eldest. I swear it."

    "Hey, you can trouble me as much as you want, we''re siblings after all. As long as it doesn''t involve the imminent copse of a nest, you know, I''d prefer we avoid that."

    I turn to go, then turn back.

    "But if a nest is going to copse, please don''t hesitate to call on me, in the event that I don''t know about it already."

    "We will."

    "Good. Great. Good luck with the defence."

    Now I turn away and head off to give her and the other generals some space. They''ve got a lot of work to do to get the defence organised again. Some sort of handover with the bruan''chii will be necessary, I suspect.

    In the meantime, I''ve got a little free time to try and work out just what the heck is going on in my Nave.

    Sending my consciousness inside the organ, I sink within the cathedral I carry about, entering through the Vestibule along with the torrential flow of Will, until I rest among the rows of seats, each upied by a spirit form of the person who has taken up residence here within me.

    Beyn is here, obviously, along with the nameless ones, and Enid, and many others. To be honest, I haven''t even finished going through all the chairs because¡­ I don''t know. It''s weird. Michangnt is probably in here actually, I should hunt down that darn sibling of mine¡­. She''s got somethinging her way!

    It''s a little disconcerting is all, to realise how much Will you''ve umted from an individual, or even that they''ve been giving it to you at all. If it were only ants here, I probably wouldn''t mind, but the humans being in here is weirding me out.

    At any rate, the ce was full, I knew that much from myst visit here. It was full, no seats left, and I haven''t mutated it to increase the avable chairs. So, in theory, nobody else should be appearing in here.

    So why oh why, are there two shining, golden figures standing along the wall?

    From what I can see, it''s a young woman and one huge young man. This dude is built. He must be seven feet tall! Holy moly man, how are you affording shoes?

    More importantly, what are they doing in here? In the Nave, glowing all golden, standing against the wall like soldiers standing guard?

    Do I have to talk to them? I have to talk to them, don''t I?

    Thest time I did this, Beyn started some stupid crusade, the idiot. In fact, this probably has something to do with him, I''d bet my mandibles on it. Ah well, nothing for it.

 Chapter 1097 1208 - Golden Globes

    <h4>Chapter 1097 Chapter 1208 - Golden Globes</h4>

    Jern woke with a start.

    "What was that?" he mumbled sleepily.

    It''s me.

    "Who''s me?" he wondered as he rubbed at his eyes.

    Anthony.

    "Who''s Anthony? Can I go back to sleep, Anthony?"

    You were asleep? Sorry about that. I don''t sleep much.

    "So¡­ can I?"

    No. Well¡­ you can in a second, I just need your attention for a minute. Two minutes. Look, I''ll be honest with you, five minutes probably, then you can go back to sleep.

    "I''m really tired, Anthony. Can this wait until the morning?"

    I mean¡­ it could? But I''ve already woken you up, so we may as well do this now. Can you go and get your friend?

    "Wha¡­ what? Which friend?"

    The other golden glowy person. The girl.

    "Alis?"

    Sure.

    "You don''t know?"

    Well, I haven''t spoken to her yet, I figured I''d just talk to one of you and then you could get the other.

    "She''s¡­ she''s in the girls'' dorm. I can''t go in there."

    Dammit. Look. Just put some pants on or whatever and I''ll get her to meet you outside. I want you to be able to talk to each other while I figure this out.

    Jern blinked a few times and rubbed at his eyes again. The fuss over the new ss he and Alis had unlocked had gone on for ages, and frankly, he was exhausted. He didn''t need this right now. He looked down.

    "I''m already wearing pants."

    Good man. Go stand somewhere Alis cane meet you. Oh! If you see Beyn, do NOT mention that I''m talking to you.

    That was odd.

    "Why, are you a bad person? Does Beyn hate you?"

    Hah! I wish. No, he doesn''t hate me. He likes me too much.

    "He loves you?"

    I would REALLY prefer we did not use that phrasing. Alright?

    "Okay. Okay. I''m getting dressed, I''ll stand outside."

    Thanks, I appreciate it.

    He pulled a coat on as quietly as he could so as not to wake those still sleeping around him before he crept to the door.

    There was no nighttime beneath the ground, no sun that travelled across the sky, something he was still getting used to. Outside, the light from the Dungeon veins was the same as always. Patrols of humans and ants were constant, and several gave him odd looks as he ducked low under the door frame and stepped out.

    Shortly after, Alis found him, simrly stumbling with fatigue. He poked her in the arm and she red up at him, a little fire returning to her eyes.

    Alright. I think I can talk to both of you at the same time¡­. Yep. I can. Nice. Hey, how are you two?

    Jern shifted his feet but Alis red at¡­ the air?

    "I''m tired," she snapped.

    He agreed.

    Look, I''m sorry I woke you up! Sheesh! You''ve only got yourselves to me, showing up all shiny in my Nave the way you did. I certainly didn''t invite you.

    Alis sighed and pinched her brow.

    "Look. Could you perhaps just exin to us who you are? And how are you talking to us? This doesn''t feel like a mind-bridge."

    "It doesn''t?" Jern wondered. Then he thought about it. Then he nodded. "It doesn''t," he confirmed.

    I''m Anthony. I mean, that''s my name. Which you''ve probably never heard. The Eldest? The¡­ ugh¡­ ''Great One''. Does that ring any bells?

    "The Great One?" Alis said sceptically.

    Yep. Call me Anthony. Please.

    Jern frowned.

    "Should we¡­ kneel or something?" he asked Alis.

    "No! Wait, you believe it?"

    He shrugged. Why not?

    "The Great One is on the fourth stratum ording to priest Beyn! They couldn''t possibly talk to us! And why would they talk to us?!"

    Well¡­ under normal circumstances, I probably couldn''t. And I AM on the fourth stratum. As for why¡­ that''s what I want to know! You guys have a ss change or something recently? Something ant rted? You''re on the pilgrimage right?

    "How do you know where we are?" Alis hissed, eyes darting at the darkness around her.

    I would really prefer we get through this without me having to talk to Beyn. Between the three of us, he can be a bit¡­ intense. And loud.

    Jern nodded. That was true.

    "I like a good fiery sermon, though," he said.

    Whatever floats your boat. I find it hard to enjoy them since I''m typically the subject.

    "I can understand that," Jern nodded.

    This guy gets it. How about you, girl? No? You seem to just be getting angrier. Fine. FINE. Have it your way. Wait a second.

    They did.

    There was a strangled scream from somewhere in the camp which caused everyone to turn and grow tense. Was it a monster? Was someone hurt? Before anyone could investigate, priest Beyn sprinted out of a tent, shirtless, and stared wildly around the camp until he spotted Jern and Alis.

    He charged toward them as if they were salvation itself, his eyes bulging and red. Jern found it¡­ somewhat frightening.

    "Listen to the Great One," the priest choked out, sounding as if his throat were constricted by a pair of giant mandibles.

    Then his mouth began to twitch, followed by his whole body. Soon, he was spasming wildly, as if he desperately wanted to say more, to do more, but was prevented, until, with a despairing cry he spun and ran back to his tent, vanishing from sight.

    See what I mean? The guy just needs to rx a little.

    "He''s been under a lot of pressure," Jern defended him.

    Alis'' jaw was still working, shock in in her eyes.

    "So¡­ you actually are¡­ the Great One?"

    Yep. That''s me. Anthony. Hello! I haven''t got your names yet.

    "I¡­ I¡­ I¡­" Alis seemed to be broken.

    "I''m Jern and she''s Alis," he said for her.

    Nice. Now, if you could just exin to me if you''ve had a ss change to something ant-rted, that would be great. Then you can go back to sleep and all that.

    "I¡­ I¡­ I¡­" Alis was starting to worry Jern.

    "We recently advanced our sses and were offered Temr of the Great One Initiate, which we took. There was a huge fuss. The ss benefits were a bit weird as well. The stats are strong, but the effect gives us an improved connection to the Great One, and marks us as defenders of their sanctum? Your sanctum? I guess?"

    Ohhhh nards. There''s going to be more of you soon, isn''t there?

    "Probably."

    Stupid priest! Forget I said that. I''m just frustrated. Alright, I think that''s all I need for now. Thanks very much for your cooperation, Jern. And Alis? Alis? Snap out of it!

    "I¡­ I! Uh. Sorry!"

    Good. Don''t turn into another Beyn, I beg you. Chill out. Okay. You two can head back to bed now, thanks for your time. I''ll probably get in touch again¡­ soonish. Try and learn as much as you can about your new ss so I can ask about it.

    "You don''t know about it?" Jern asked, confused. "It doesn''te from you?"

    No! I don''t control the System! Who told you that? Nobody controls that. That I know of anyway. Maybe the wizard? I can neither confirm nor deny that someone controls the System of this world. Now go to bed.

 Chapter 1098 1209 - Pet Talk

    <h4>Chapter 1098 Chapter 1209 - Pet Talk</h4>

    The System is responsive to changes in environment and circumstances, that much is known. What is less understood, is why.

    Many have tried to predict how the System will adapt to new circumstances, but to my knowledge, they have been confounded every time. Kingdoms rise and fall without ever seeing a unique ss develop within their territory, whereas some people are given ess to one for seemingly innocuous reasons.

    Famously, Dillip Crant, a sheep herder from a small vige on Mount Grattagan, was the first to unlock the rare ''Cloud Stepping Shepherd'' ss. When schrs tried to discern what had led to the unlock, they were baffled and eventually concluded that an earlier incident in which Dillip fell from a great height and survived while herding sheep had done the trick.

    -? Excerpt from ''Intricacies of the System'' by Xinci

    Yet another problem the priest has caused me.

    Well, I''d like to say that, but ultimately the me rests with me, and I can''t get away from that. As much as I''d like to.

    Whatever these¡­ Temrs? Whatever they are, and whatever they do, it''s outside of my control at this point. I''ll just have to rattle along and hope it doesn''t blow up in my mandibles. In the meantime, there''s stuff to be about in the fortress!

    "Hihi Senior! How are you doing? Did you sleep? Did you force me to sleep? That wasn''t very nice!"

    "Hello there, Vibrant, it''s nice to see you looking so rested and refreshed! You even remembered to talk slower."

    "I don''t like sleep-sleep," she shivered. "Standing still for that long is unnatural!"

    "You need to go into torpor regrly, you moron," I give her a stern re. "These rules exist for a reason."

    "You don''t have to follow rules if you can outrun them! Bye-bye!"

    And paff, she''s gone in a cloud of dust. Or at least, she tried to leave.

    "Senior! Put me down!" Vibrant cried.

    "Gweheheheheh. Think you can run away from the rules, do you? Maybe I should send you back for another snooze in the shadows. What do you say?"

    The big soldier''s legs ze so fast they kick up a storm of wind, but it''s no use since I''ve lifted her off the ground using a gravity well.

    "Gaaaaaah!"

    "You''ll never be able to run away from me, Vibrant," I cackle. "So be good and get regr rest, or else I''ll have toe and find you."

    "Fine! LetmedownIdon''tlikeitwhenIcan''trun!"

    I release the spell and she drops to the ground with a thud. She flicks her antennae at me angrily and then vanishes into the distance, elerating so quickly she vanishes like a cartoon character.

    I can only shake my head. Vibrant will never change, that''s for sure. My next stop is to drop in on Crinis, Tiny and Invidia. Each of them is battling down in the tunnels, grinding their Skills and Levels, preparing for their next evolution, and I''m keen to see how they''re going.

    [DIE, YOU FILTH! HOW DARE YOU ASSAULT THE HOME OF MY MASTER! DIE! DIEEEEEE!]

    Crinis is letting her inner thoughts out as she unleashes true horror upon the creatures of the wave. I feel sorry for the monsters that run into her. The tunnel has been turned into a mass of writhing tentacles that snatch up everything that draws near and brutally cut them apart before shoving the pieces into one of her three mouths.

    [How''s it all going, Crinis?] I call to her.

    [DIEEEE¨CMaster? Oh! I¡­ I didn''t realise you were here. Everything''s fine! Just¡­ fine!]

    [You seem to be having fun.]

    [I''m just¡­ happy to be doing my duty!]

    [I think something is trying to sneak past you.]

    [What? YOU FILTH! DEAAAAATH!]

    [Good job! Keep it up, Crinis, I''m proud of you!]

    [Heheheh.]

    She giggles to herself as I turn and leave. Deep down inside, she really loves being a terrorising murder ball. Good for her. Tiny is, quite naturally, rather enjoying himself. His current assignment is to sit in a tunnel and punch the heck out of every monster whoes at him, something he is particrly skilled at.

    [How''s it going, Tiny?]

    [Fun!] he replies, as he snatches up a weird golden snake and delivers a brutal uppercut straight to its jaw.

    Oof. That looked like it hurt.

    [You aren''t letting yourself get too worn out or injured, are you?]

    [No,] he replies with confidence, knocking on his armour with one knuckle.

    [Just make sure you take care of yourself. I worry about you, you big ape.]

    [Okay.]

    He gives me a double thumbs up before he turns with exquisite grace, bnced perfectly on the balls of his feet, and fills the tunnel with lightning.

    [Try to keep an eye on him,] I ask the healers stationed well behind where Tiny is operating. [He''ll keep fighting until he''s on the brink of death and not even realise it.]

    [We have been, Eldest. We heal him every time he sits down to eat.]

    I think for a minute.

    [That''s a lot of healing. Good work.]

    [Thank you.]

    And of course I drop in on my favourite floating eyeball and find him doing what he does best, exploding everything that tries to hurt him and being envious.

    [The other tunnelsssssss are better. I wantssss them.]

    [They''re exactly the same as this one, I promise you that.]

    [I havesssss your word?]

    [It''s all yours, buddy.]

    He thinks for a minute.

    [Goooooood.]

    BOOM! BOOM!

    [Looks like your explosions are getting even more potent. You get a new rank?]

    [Yessss. I wantssss all the rankssss.]

    [Nice work! Keep practising and you''ll get them all. Put that big brain of yours to use!]

    We pause the conversation to allow a little time for him to st what appeared to be a mole covered in molten silver with his greenser of doom.

    [You must be getting close to evolving now, right?]

    His green eye shes bright.

    [Yesssssss,] he practically purrs, his tiny little arms wiggling in delight as his wings pzily.

    [Awesome! I''m going to have to get those demon cores ready for you three. Exciting stuff!]

 Chapter 1099 1210 - Fish Talk

    <h4>Chapter 1099 Chapter 1210 - Fish Talk</h4>

    To be honest, I find the thought of my three pets evolving more exciting than my own prospect of evolution. I can''t wait to see how the three of them turn out. Especially Invidia. The demons are super weird in the way that they evolve, and the little dude has been stuck at tier six for a heck of a long time. His Skills havee along really nicely, since he grinds a heck of a lot more than Tiny, and more than Crinis even.

    His mastery of mind magic in particr is stunning. It''ll be interesting to see if mind magic turns into anything else as it goes up in rank.

    I''ll need to settle down and look at my own Skills and mutations soon as well. I''ve got some big decisions to make, especially in regards to my Nave. Things are going funky in the cathedral, and I need to try and work out a more clear direction. Not to mention the more powerful mutations I''ve been offered at +35. I''m keen to see what sort of effects I can get on some of my other organs.

    I''ll have myself fully maxed on mutations way before I even need to think about my next evolution, which will be nice. Geez, my next evolution, heading to tier eight¡­ I have no idea what sort of insane options I''m going to be offered at this point. In fact, I won''t have an option to continue my current, multi-part evolution. I might be offered something that finally takes me off the paragon path.

    "Eldest, Eldest!" One of the scouts rushes up to me and I see it''s Wills.

    "What is it?" I ask as she runs over.

    "There''s something going on up top. They want you up there!"

    "Eh? What do you mean ''something''? There isn''t any more information than that?"

    "I''m not sure. There was some weird activity down on the shoreline that the scouts found suspicious."

    "Suspicious? More suspicious than the endless swarm of sea monsters sprinting on their fins at our walls?"

    "Different," the scout snaps back, frustrated. "Something different than a horde of sea beasts sprinting at our walls. I''m not sure exactly what it was, but it was deemed worrying enough that we decided to send a runner to get you."

    "And you came yourself because?"

    "I''m the fastest scout in the fortress."

    "Fair enough, let''s go then."

    Following along behind Wills, I rush my way up the disconnected central pir until the two of us reach the walls. The fighting is still constant up here, and the din of battle shakes my antennae as the ant defenders subject the endless press of monsters to a buffet of acid and devastating magic. Without any ceremony, the two of us press through the rows of ants until we reach the front and Wills points with one extended leg.

    "Down there!"

    I look.

    I pause.

    I look again.

    "That is weird."

    "Right?"

    There''s a g¡­ a really big one, Standing tall on a long pole formed of some sort of glimmering blue stone and rising out of a frothing, bubbling patch of water.

    "Yeah, okay. I understand why you got me now."

    "What do you think it is?"

    "Well, either someone is ying a joke, or they''re trying to make contact with us."

    Probably thetter, since I don''t think anyone is going to stick their neck out during a wave just forughs.

    "So¡­ should we respond? Do we put together an escort to bring them into the fortress?"

    "We do not need this right now. Who is reaching out during the middle of a wave? They''ve got a lot of confidence, or they''re just nuts."

    Still, the question remains, what''s the right thing to do in this scenario? We have a diplomatic contingent, but there aren''t any down here on the fourth stratum at present, why would there be? All we''ve been doing is fighting and building. We don''t need anyone to smooth talk the tree, since she pretty much only talks to me.

    Only one thing to do, then.

    "I''ll take control of this situation. Clearly, I''m in the best position to represent the Colony to¡­ whoever we''ve got here."

    The question is, how do I go about it? Show of force? Humble? I need to get a bit closer if I want to extend a mind bridge, but would they wee being connected to a monster in this way? There''s a lot of questions, but I can already tell that I''m just going to do things in the most straightforward manner in the end.

    That means getting out over the wall, stretching out a mind bridge as far as I can, and then seeing what happens next.

    So that''s exactly what I do. With an empowered gravity domain extended out around me, I can pretty much shrug off what the monsters can do to me, especially when the Colony covers me from the wall.

    Surrounded by bellowing, maddened beasts, I approach the oversized g waving gently in the breeze and stop once I''m roughly five-hundred metres from it.

    Using my senses, I try to detect any mana source in the vicinity of the g, but it''s hard to get a good reading. The water itself is so rich in mana, and the monsters all over the ce don''t help either.

    With a shrug of the antennae, I start to weave a bridge and extend my mental connection toward the general area, then start broadcasting.

    [Hello out there from the Colony. We noticed your g and assumed you wanted to have a chat. Can we interest you in tea and biscuits? Are you seeking friendly negotiations?]

    Finally, I feel somech onto my bridge and it snags onto them, connecting us mind to mind.

    [Greetings, ant. I am Olivis, and Ie as a representative of the Satrap of the Brathian Ind Conglomerate.]

    The who?

    [Well, hi and hello. Obviously, first contact between new peoples is always a little awkward. It would be helpful if we could figure out what each of us was looking for. Non-aggression agreement? Assistance against the wave? Trade?]

    I can feel a ripple of humour from the mind on the other side of the bridge.

    [You just said the magic word,] she chuckles.

 Chapter 1100 1211 - Commerce

    <h4>Chapter 1100 Chapter 1211 - Commerce</h4>

    The best way to ensure peaceful cooperation with your neighbours, is to make sure it''s far more profitable to continue living together than it is to go to war. Wars are expensive, messy affairs after all. Pay for arms and armour, pay for training, pay for wages, food, transportation and shelter. And after you''ve paid for all of that, what does your soldier go and do? Dies! They die! Investment is lost on so many levels that it makes my heart bleed.

    And for what? Territory? Raw natural resources?

    Those raw resources are the cheapest possible form of that substance. After the artisans get their hands on it, the enchanters have worked their magic on it, then you have something of worth! Being the person to dig it out of the ground is hardly a privilege.

    Embrace your neighbours, and profit. Only fools and fanatics go to war.

    -? Excerpt from ''On Ruling'' by Satrap Umizan

    Eran Umizan, wife of the Satrap, wasn''t an easy woman to impress. She had seen rivers of gold. She had seen a pagoda of pure sapphire gleaming with fractured light beneath the waves. The fortress constructed by the antscked the elegance,cked the sparkle and shine that she had grown ustomed to, but still¡­ there was something about it that she found impressive.

    Was it the scale? Certainly it was enormous. The ants had provided an escort, weing the diplomatic envoy from the Conglomerate within their mountain, opening the vast gates to allow their safe passage. Within, they found cavernous halls with high-arching ceilings and grand passages that dwarfed the brathians within.

    Perhaps it was the time frame? She knew that the ants hadn''t been here long, a month perhaps? What they had put together in that period was nothing short of remarkable.

    The precision? Every line was perfect. She leaned close to inspect the walls several times, and to her trained eye, she could find no w in any of them. The stonework was perfectly smooth, without chip or indent. The angles seemed to stretch out into infinity. Every arch, the neatest possible curve, every corner exactly ny degrees.

    A strong argument could be made for the art. She hadn''t expected to see it within a monster''s den, but it was everywhere she looked. Frescoes, statues and carvings decorated almost every surface. Each depicting glorious scenes of ant triumph, or incrediblendscapes dotted with ant workers tending to crops and fields, or battle in the tunnels. Perhaps had they been formed of gold or silver, or carved in-relief from a diamond pane, they would have moved her more deeply, but there was still something about them that soothed her heart.

    "They wish for us to sit," her advisor, the Court Mage, Irisod told her, gesturing toward the round table before them.

    The table was carved of stone directly from the mountain itself, a part of the room as much as the walls. The chairs, thankfully, were morefortable, made of gleaming wood that thrummed with earth mana, and appropriately cushioned.

    "Thank them for their hospitality," she replied and sat, dignified.

    Her flowing robes fell back from her shoulders, exposing the shimmering blue scales of her upper arms as she folded her hands in front of her.

    There were several ants in the room, but not as many as she expected. Therge one remained, though the monster was forced to curl its body up so as not to dominate the space. Certainly, it couldn''t fit around the table.

    Eran took a moment to examine the rest of her diplomatic mission. Piris, predictably, was vibrating with excitement, staring at everything around her with wide eyes. Thankfully, Theraz had taken her words to heart and stayed by the girl''s side, keeping a tight grip on her arm and reminding her of proper behaviour.

    Her guards were as stone-faced and prepared as she should expect, given their perilous position. Should their hosts turn aggressive, it was up to them to hold on long enough for the Siren to arrive from her position in the waters outside to secure a path home.

    The mages were simrly grim-faced as they monitored the area for any hint of danger andmunicated mentally with the ants.

    Irisod leaned close once more.

    "They are offering refreshments, Eran. Are you willing to ept?"

    "It would be rude to decline."

    "What if they offer Biomass?"

    "Then we gracefully excuse ourselves from partaking."

    It was a valid point. What would the ants offer besides what they themselves ate?

    Shockingly, a smaller ant entered with strangely formed front legs, gripping a tray in its ws as it walked on the other four. With a strange insect grace, the tray was slid in front of her to reveal a steaming cup of tea, along with a buttered scone.

    A confused Irison spoke in her ear again.

    "They apologise for not being able to offer cake and a proper selection of biscuits. Apparently, they don''t have direct contact with their other nests and are short on supplies." She hesitated. "They are surprisingly sincere in their apologies."

    "They take hospitality seriously, then?"

    "Apparently so."

    Discreetly, she leaned forward to inhale the fragrance of the tea, allowing her ne to hang close to the food. No reaction. Unpoisoned, then.

    With exquisite motions, she lifted the cup and brought it to her lips, allowing herself a sip of the liquid. She considered for a moment, then took another.

    "This tea is incredible," she murmured. "By the waves, where did they get this?"

    "You want me to ask them?"

    She hesitated. Would it be taken as a sign of weakness to be asking questions already? Surely not.

    "Please do."

    She managed not to jump in her seat as several ants cked their mandibles, breaking the hushed silence in the chamber, though her guardscked the same level of self control. Several swords were halfway removed from their sheaths as Irisod hastily spoke aloud.

    "They were expressing happiness," she said clearly, "the Eran enquired where they sourced their tea and spoke of its quality. The ants were pleased, as they grow the leaves themselves. Apparently, the drink is a favourite with their Queen? Among their Queens. Please excuse me."

    "So they have more than one, then?" she mused as she took another long sip.

    "Should I ask?"

    "No. They are ants. Asking after their Queens will likely lead to trouble. Let us deal with those in front of us."

    These negotiations would be amongst the most interesting of her life. First contact with an entire new civilization of monsters. Who knew what coulde of it? Most importantly, did they have anything to trade?

 Chapter 1101 1212 - Brilliance

    <h4>Chapter 1101 Chapter 1212 - Brilliance</h4>

    The ability to create functional gates was perhaps the greatest leap forward in magical technology since the time of Rending. Safely securing travel, even at significant expense, between strata, between cities, and finally connecting the civilisations in a meaningful way, changed life on Pangera forever. No longer were the civilised races forced to huddle in their cities, with only the mightiest of warriors able to leave or travel with any reliability.

    Trade flourished. Cultural exchange blossomed. Alliances were formed and cemented. The gates are the greatest defence, and the greatest weapon against the Dungeon.

    -? ''Forward March - Advancing society post-rending.'' by Arcurial

    Assistant was worried.

    "It''s nothing, she''s fine," Experimant told her tersely.

    "Are you sure?"

    "Of course I''m sure. Now focus on your job."

    Above them, perched on her station overlooking the experimental portal and the entire workspace, Brilliant flopped listlessly. Her legs dangled uselessly as her antennae shifted this way and that, seemingly without purpose.

    "We''re almost ready for the next test," Experimant reported up to their leader. "Repairs areplete, in record time, the power banks are charged and our monitors are reading steady."

    "Of course the repairs areplete," Brilliant sighed, "there was barely any explosion at allst time."

    "That''s not a bad thing, remember?" Experimant griped acidly as she continued to direct the rest of the team.

    "It''s boring."

    "We''re on the verge of creating a breakthrough in portal technology for the Colony, and all you have to say is ''it''s boring''?! We might even seed on this attempt!"

    "That''s exactly the problem," Brilliant said,pletely devoid of energy. "We are going to seed on this attempt. There''s no mystery, no excitement, no risk of anything blowing up, no sense of the unknown."

    Her legs wiggled fitfully before she resumed her listless flop.

    "I just can''t feel any interest now that we''ve seeded."

    "But we haven''t seeded," Experimant snapped. "I don''t see a stable gate here in the chamber, do you? How about you ensure that you''re correct before you just¡­ do whatever it is that you''re doing?"

    "I''m already sure I''m correct," the leader groaned. "Did you forget who I am? I''m Brilliant."

    "Fine. Be that way. Assistant, do we have contact with the destination?"

    "The s-s-signal ising th-th-th-through."

    "Stop your shivering. It''s going to be fine!"

    "I-I-I''m just excited!"

    "Weak," Brilliant called.

    "You be quiet."

    Experimant took a deep breath and looked carefully around the chamber once more. The team were busy preparing the gate, ensuring the many, many enchantments, reading devices and sensor arrays were all operational and reading correctly.

    Around the outside of the room, the vast powerbanks hummed with energy, the mana within churning as if begging to be released. Even the liquid mana tanks were half full, enough power to st a hole in the dimensional weave should they so desire.

    But they weren''t going to st a hole, they shouldn''t need to anymore. As their tests had gone on, Brilliant had refined the process more and more, narrowing their focus and adjusting the method from a battering ram between dimensions to a handshake through space and time.

    In thest test, they''d sessfully established contact between the sending and receiving gates, but failed to stabilise it before there was another manifold copse with only minor blowback.

    "We begin the next test in one minute!" she announced to the room. "Clear the gate!"

    "Gate is clear!"

    "Begin recordings!"

    "Recordings started!"

    "Activate weave monitoring!"

    "Activated!"

    "Connect the powerbanks!"

    There was a loud thunk and a rippling of energy within the gate.

    "Connected!"

    "Charge the shields!"

    "Charged!"

    "Assistant, are our coordinates locked?"

    "Th-th-th-they''re locked! We''re holding s-s-s-steady. S-s-s-signal is still clear!"

    "Initiate the handshake!"

    Power crackled within the gate, sparks of dimensional energy flickering and leaping into the air.

    "I-i-i-initiated!"

    "Everyone into the bunkers! Go! Go! Go!"

    There were over a hundred members of the team at this point, and they turned and dashed into the waiting cages that lined the room. Experimant grabbed Assistant and dragged her along as she ran.

    "W-w-what about Brilliant?" she stammered.

    "No need," Brilliant waved back at themzily as she gazed down into the crackling rift.

    "You heard her. Now run!"

    As the chamber thrummed with power, the two threw themselves into the cages before scrambling to turn around and see what happened. Led by channels carved into the floor, the vast reserves of arcane energy streamed toward the gate. The sheer density of power caused reality to bend and twist, sending lightning sparking and writhing through the air.

    The gate itself flickered and then rang like a gong, a deep intonation that rumbled through the chamber and rattled the ants inside their own carapaces.

    "Here it goes," Experimant whispered.

    There was a sound like inrushing air before the gathering purple energy within the gate suddenly exploded. Not outward, but forwards, as if tunnelling deep into the floor, except it wasn''t; it was tunnelling through dimensions.

    "Come on. Come onnnnn."

    Above it all, Brilliant continued to gaze down into the rift, devoid of interest or energy.

    Like a whirlpool, the dimensional energy drained down and down endlessly, forming a tunnel that would hopefully connect to the exit point.

    Then, suddenly, it stopped. The whirlpool of energy ceased, grew still and stabilised. Huddled in the cages and protected behind powerful shields, the many members of the team boggled, not quite willing to believe what they were seeing.

    Where was the explosion? Where was the detonation or life-threatening copse or dimensional void-monster threatening them from the beyond?

    "Wait!" Experimant demanded.

    Everyone tensed.

    "Don''t go early. We don''t know what could happen next."

    They continued to watch in silence, waiting. At any moment, the entire thing would copse and blow up in their faces. It always did. But as the seconds ticked by, and nothing continued to happen, a tiny whisper of belief began to grow in Experimant''s heart.

    "Yaaaaaay," Brilliant huffed, then proceeded to p her legs together beneath her, sarcastically. "I did it."

 Chapter 1102 1213 - The Goods

    <h4>Chapter 1102 Chapter 1213 - The Goods</h4>

    Negotiations were always a delicate matter. There were many things to consider, after all. What was culturally and economically eptable to both sides? What did each side want from the other? It was around these things that discussions would focus.

    The first thing Eran Umizan needed to discern was what it was the Colony desired.

    "Do they need food?"

    Clearly, they had an interest in foodstuffs, as evidenced by the tea and scones. There was a brief consultation.

    "They don''t," Irisod told her. "Apparently, they grow all of their own food. Their own sugar, wheat, tea leaves and everything else they consume inrge quantities. For satisfying their hunger, they generally use Biomass or¡­ aphids? I''m not sure what those are."

    Interesting.

    "We can negotiate a price for ess to our gates?" she suggested. "Would they be interested in discussing terms for such an agreement?"

    The price would be hideously expensive, of course. If you couldn''t make your own gates, then you were at the mercy of whoever was in a position to offer you ess to one.

    An ant entered with another tray covered in delectable-looking slices ofyered cake, each topped with a twirl of pink cream. Eran''s brow went up as the tray was carefully ced before her, and another was distributed amongst her retinue.

    Again, no poison.

    "I thought they were short on supplies?" she asked her Court Mage, quietly.

    "Apparently, they just developed their own gate."

    "What? When?"

    "Just now."

    "As in¡­?"

    "As in, during this discussion."

    "And the first thing they used it for was¡­"

    "To bring us cake, yes."

    She stared down at the delicate confection, eachyer as clearly defined as if cut by a razor. On closer inspection, she could see glistening fruits embedded in each section, strawberries in the redyer, and peaches in the orange. She took her fork and bit into it.

    It was delicious.

    "Please thank them for the food," she said, then turned and red at her daughter. "Piris! Manners!" she snapped.

    Her daughter had seized upon her dessert and begun stuffing her face with it in a most un-decorous manner. The girl flushed under the withering re of her mother and licked the cream from her cheek.

    Eran tapped a finger to her chin. The Colony, as she now knew they preferred to be called, were an interesting case. They didn''t want what most she negotiated with wanted, as they were monsters.

    "Are they interested in jewellery? They could adorn their Queens with the finest gems the fourth stratum has to offer, cut by our expert crafters."

    They seemed both protective and absurdly doting on their Queens, considering they seemed to have developed an entire culinary culture around serving their ant mothers sweets. Perhaps they would be interested in decorating them?

    "They are mildly interested. To be more clear, they don''t think the Queens will like them, but they are willing to offer some, just in case."

    "Very well."

    It was something. She would ensure a selection of the highest quality pieces were brought to the fortress as quickly as possible.

    "Out of curiosity, are any of you talking to therge one?" she asked of her Mages.

    "Not currently, no."

    "Interesting."

    She pondered a moment longer. Would they want arms and armour? None of the ants she saw around her were wearing anything of the sort, though she saw some wore clearly enchanted rings metal rings around where their legs joined their bodies.

    There was some level of industry in the Colony, clearly.

    "Would they be interested in purchasing equipment from us? Our forges produce materials of the highest quality. Particrly, for metals and woods infused with water mana, we are the best to be found on Pangera."

    The ants rarely ever moved. No expressions crossed their faces and she had to constantly remind herself that she was looking at their skeletons. They couldn''t move them. The level of stillness went beyond just their heads, they barely moved at all. Only the antennae shifted and twitched, but she couldn''t begin to interpret such movements. Her negotiating partners were a nk wall. Another thing she had never encountered before.

    "They¡­ hmmm."

    "Out with it, Irisod," she demanded softly, no hint of her irritation crossing her features.

    The mage looked troubled, perhaps even a little offended.

    "Don''t you dare show anger," Eran warned. "Cultural differences can give rise to offence where none is intended. Tell me what they said."

    "I apologise. They suggested they would love to purchase a sampling of our wares, but only so they could study them. The ants are confident they can make superior works themselves, given time."

    Brathian pride would suggest that their mastery over the waters would never be questioned, since they were the only sapient race to live in it. They absolutely did have a far higher affinity for water mana than any other race, and were extremely aplished when applying it in enchanting. She could see why Irisod might have been rankled by such a statement, but Eran was intrigued.

    They had that much confidence in their own craftswork? It took decades to develop those Skills to an eptable level, longer without training and guidance. The Colony was young, yet they didn''t seem foolish.

    Perhaps she was approaching this from the wrong angle.

    "What sort of things would they be prepared to sell to us?" she asked.

    The Court Mage looked surprised, but ryed the question as asked.

    "They¡­ aren''t sure. Is there anything in particr that we are asking for?"

    Eran looked around the room at the ants.

    "I am interested in everything. If they are confident in the quality of their craftsmanship, then I would love to see what they make."

    They were confused. Even without any facial expressions, she could tell they were confused.

    "They made this furniture," Irisod conveyed to her. "They have a reasonablyrgemunity of artists who specialise in carving and produced all of the artworks that we can see."

    A pause.

    "The produce used for the food and drink we''ve consumed was made by them. Ah, one moment."

    An ant entered with a flowing carpet held in its mandibles,ying itacross the table.

    "They furnish their own fortresses for guests such as us, which includes weaving these carpets."

    A glorious pattern formed of marching ants decorated the rug, each woven in a glittering golden thread that radiated a gentle warmth. They enchanted the carpet?

    Another ant rushed in bearing metal bars.

    "They forge these themselves on the third stratum," Irisod said as the bars were ced in front of her.

    They radiated heat. Fire Iron.

    Then they brought bows. And spears. And swords. Then side-tables. Closets came next. Fine ceramics followed the furniture, then bespoke cutlery.

    Slowly, an endless variety of high-quality goods piled up on the table, and Eran Umizan could smell gold.

 Chapter 1103 1214 - Mountain Forge of the Fire Ants

    <h4>Chapter 1103 Chapter 1214 - Mountain Forge of the Fire Ants</h4>

    Perhaps there is no species on Pangera more suited to mass industry than the ants. They''re addicted to work and have an endless level of focus when applying themselves to even the most mundane of tasks.

    Combined with their numbers, it''s little surprise they were able to achieve what they did.

    -??Excerpt from ''The Antdustrial Revolution'' by Niahm

    "Clear the crucible!" Smithant roared.

    "Clear the crucible!" her call was echoed around the cavernous hollow within the mountain.

    She leaned back to look high overhead, more than two hundred metres up, where another carver met her gaze. Smithant raised the g she gripped in her opposable ws and waved it.

    For several seconds, nothing happened, then a dark red glow suffused the opening at the apex of the cavern. That light grew stronger and brighter as each second passed, until finally, the molten iron reached the opening and began to fall.

    Immediately, the temperature in the entire cavern rose precipitously, to the point that Smithant''s carapace began to smoke. Were it not for the many mutations that allowed her to resist high temperatures, she''d be taking damage just from the heat.

    As it fell, the liquid metal reached the first of the heat-infusing rings, the discharge of energy feeling like a physical impact. The rods, sunk dozens of metres into the cavern walls, transferred heat from theva pools trapped in the rock. At the wall, they glowed cherry red, brightening to pure white where they met the ring. As the metal fell through, it glowed ever brighter as additional heat was dumped into it.

    The temperature rose yet again and Smithant could hear herself starting to sizzle. Three rings to go.

    As the liquid fell, it passed through each of the heat-infusing rings in turn, and each time, the liquid glowed brighter and brighter, until it was white hot and so bright Smithant had to turn her back.

    Were it not for her protective enchanted metal equipment, her eyes would have boiled out of her head.

    The pour of liquid from the ceiling ceased just as the first drips entered the crucible below. Smithant could identify the exact moment as a dull roar shook the cavern. Fire Iron didn''t like to melt. The more the ants heated it, the more obstinate it grew, but eventually it would break.

    The super-heated iron from abovepleted its pour and Smithant waved her signal g again. Secondster, she heard a resounding ng as the lid pped shut and, thankfully, the temperature began to drop once more.

    "Ignition," she called, and her orders were repeated down the line.

    It wasn''t visible from where she stood, but she could certainly hear it when the gathered mages drew in their power and unleashed it. There was a rush of air followed by the roar of mes as the teams worked together to produce the hottest fire they could and sted it into the crucible.

    The gigantic furnace weighed over a thousand tons, but under the tremendous forces they subjected it to, it shrieked like a human kettle. The air inside had been superheated to such a degree that regr iron would be reduced to g in a second. Yet for Fire Iron, it still wasn''t enough.

    She turned and signalled for a final time, and the teams of carvers went to work. A vastwork of pipes, levers and dials had been constructed around the crucible, and it was to these the nimble crafters of the Colony set their attention.

    "Pressure is rising, but within tolerable limits!" one reported.

    "Oxygen levels are falling."

    "Temperature is holding steady!"

    "Release the valves!" Smithant ordered.

    Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!

    In sync, the ants pulled three separate levers, causing the pipes to shiver as they became pressurised. They huddled around their dials, checking the readings. All the while, the crucible shuddered, rocking the entire mountain beneath their ws.

    Satisfied with what they saw, the carvers grasped the release valves in their mandibles and, with perfect timing, turned them at exactly the same moment.

    Superheated, mmable gases flooded the chamber, igniting in an instant and causing such a roar that the crucible lid tried to jump from its housing, causing three of the locks pinning it in ce to shatter.

    "Check the readings!" Smithant demanded.

    "Holding steady!" came the reply.

    All they needed to do was hold firm. There was no metal the Colony could not tame, no matter how wild and unruly the mana contained within.

    They held their nerve, and after several agonising minutes, the shaking subsided, the ear splitting screeching dimmed, and the crucible settled into ce once more.

    "It''s done," Smithant announced.

    The carvers all looked at each other. Then they sprinted down the stairs to the lower level, climbing over each other in their haste.

    They arrived just before the pivotal moment. With casual precision, the smith in charge swung the chute into ce, locking its position with deft twists of the mandibles, before she turned to the crucible and hauled back on a lever.

    Eighteen steel locks, each a metre thick, groaned as they peeled back from the round opening just above the chute. zing gases hissed out, still so hot they shimmered in the air and emitted tongues of me before they dispersed. After a few moments, Smithant got what she came to see.

    From the opening came a molten iron like none she had ever seen. Even as a liquid, it glowed a deep, rust red. The fluid trickled out at first, but the flow increased and steadied as the chute filled. The entire chamber glowed with that light, and Smithant could almost smell the rich fire mana in the air.

    From the chute, the molten iron flowed down into the moulds where it would be formed into ingots. Soon, they would arrive in her forge and she would shape them into powerful new tools for the Colony.

    "How much did we get this time?" she asked the foreant.

    "About ten tons, it looks like," the soot-covered ant replied. "Not as much as we would have liked, but we''re still tinkering with the process."

    "That''s better than they''re doing at the other smelters," Smithant assured her. "There''s a reason I only came to visit this one."

    "Good to know we''re doing the Colony proud," the foreant acknowledged, gazing back at the crucible. "If you don''t mind, though, I have a suggestion for something you could develop for us."

    "Oh? If you have a need, I''m happy to hear it."

    The foreant jerked an antenna toward the enormous crucible.

    "I need you to find a way we can use Fire Iron to line the crucible. The metals we''re using aren''t up to the task, despite all the measures we''ve taken to mitigate the heat. This one is good for probably ten more firings, but after that, the damage will be too great for us to use it safely."

    She cked her mandibles in frustration.

    Smithant was already considering the problem, her mind a mess of hammers, sparks and sizzling metal.

    "I''ll get right on it," she replied absently, her head already at the forge.

 Chapter 1104 1215 - Hard Negotiations

    <h4>Chapter 1104 Chapter 1215 - Hard Negotiations</h4>

    [I really don''t think this is appropriate, Anthony.]

    [What do you mean? You used to be a merchant, didn''t you? You''ve negotiated for us a ton of times and been fantastic at it. What''s the problem now?]

    [I was negotiating with towns and cities that you''d conquered! It''s not exactly hard to force a fair agreement down their throats when there''s a set of mandibles locked around them!]

    [I''m fairly sure there weren''t ants standing around with their jaws poised to behead your negotiating partners¡­.]

    [Not literally, you oversized ant! I''m just saying I had the upper hand in those talks. And I was only talking to other merchants and petty city lords, not brathians!]

    [What''s the difference?]

    [Brathians are¡­ different! They''re just different!]

    [I mean, how have you even met brathians? I thought you''d never been this deep in the Dungeon?]

    [I haven''t. There''s brathians at every level and also on the surface.]

    The old woman sighed and pinched her brow. How could she exin this to this obstinate insect?

    [The brathians are famous for being skilled negotiators, even in Liria. They cut hard deals and would sell the scales off their own back for the right price.]

    [So they''re ruthless when ites to money. So''s just about everyone who doesn''t have six or more legs. The bruan''chii excepted.]

    [It''s pretty much a religion to them! They don''t even live in kingdoms or empires. They form trading blocs, caravans and conglomerates instead. Their leaders are usually the best and most sessful traders. I got fleeced by the brathians I met on the surface, what do you think is going to happen to me down here?!]

    She felt a headacheing on. Then an enormous antenna attempted to restfortingly around her shoulders.

    [Too heavy,] she grumbled.

    [Sorry. Look. Ultimately, if you fail toe to an agreement, we don''t really care. It seems like they want to peacefully coexist with us, so that''s great, they just want to strike some sort of deal for our goods. If we can nab some cores in exchange for rugs and furniture, that''s great! If not, they can get stuffed! Alright?]

    [Wait,] Enid frowned. [They want your goods?]

    The giant ant shifted a little.

    [Well¡­ it''s not like they make anything that we''re all that interested in. We don''t wear clothes, don''t eat fine cuisine, are only interested in ant-themed artwork and besides that, we make all our own stuff already. Even if there was something they could do better, we''d just figure out how they did it and then improve it from there.]

    [So, they want to buy goods from you¡­ and then onsell them to others at a markup?]

    [Probably? I have to level with you, Enid, the sum total of things I know about business and money mainly involve loans and legs.]

    [You lent people your legs? Can ants do that?]

    [Let''s go with yes. My point is, nobody in the Colony has any idea what they''re doing with currency or trade. Alright? We depend on your wisdom and expertise once again. If you feel like you can''t seed, then just stop, tell us you can''t do it, and we''ll all move on with our lives.]

    The old woman sighed, having known from the start she would eventually give in. The Colony had done so much for her and her people, and asked so little in return. It was extremely difficult for her to ever say no to their requests, especially when they came from Anthony himself.

    [Fine. When are the brathian arriving?]

    [Oh, they''re here already. They''ve been waiting for us to finish this conversation.]

    [WHAT!?]

    Ten minutester, a bedraggled and flustered Enid shuffled into the meeting hall, her back aching and her face flushed from the sudden attention.

    [How did you even keep them upied while I wasing?] she demanded of the big ant sitting idly on one side of the chamber.

    [We just told them we were waiting for our negotiator to arrive.]

    [So you DID just keep them sitting here?!]

    [We told them ants have their own pace of doing things and that seemed to mollify them. That and the cakes and teas.]

    The Colony certainly did have its own pace, and it wasn''t slow¡­. Rather the opposite, the ants worked at breakneck pace at all times.

    If the guests were mollified at all, it was probably the confectioneries that did the trick. How the ants managed to bake so well when they couldn''t possibly have high ranks in the Baking or Cooking Skills was beyond her.

    Trying to give at least some semnce of professionalism to her side of the negotiations, Enid approached the table and sat as gracefully as she could. She even managed to stifle her little groan as the weight came off her knees.

    To her left and right, several members of the Council had gathered, Sloan and Advant, namely, with Anthony still slumpedfortably in the corner. Across the table sat an array of clearly high ranking brathians, bedecked in gossamer silks that seemed to float in the air and adorned with tasteful, jaw-dropping jewellery.

    [You didn''t tell me they were dressed so well! I would have tried to spruce up a little!]

    [They are? I can''t really tell.]

    The people of the water, as they were sometimes called, the brathians were mostly human in their appearance, except for those elements of their physiology that adapted them to their aquatic environment. They were covered head to toe in scales, which varied in colour between families. There were several hues represented at the table, including a deep, shimmering lc which was incredibly eye-catching. They didn''t have fins, as such, but possessed webbed hands and feet, along with membranes on their forearms and calves they could use to propel themselves through the water at tremendous speeds.

    "Greetings to you," she bowed in her seat, "I am Enid Ruther, a human, formerly of the surface kingdom of Liria. I was once a merchant and trader, so the Colony has called on me several times in the past to negotiate on their behalf."

    The lc-scaled woman seated directly across from her returned her bow and smiled. To any other race on Pangera, introducing oneself as a lowly merchant would have you dismissed in an instant, but not to a brathian. Merchants were the folk they respected the most.

    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Enid. I was beginning to fear there would be no haggling at all on this venture, since the ants are so disinterested in profits."

    She sounded scandalised by the very concept. As if she''d met humans who didn''t believe in breathing. Enid chuckled in sympathy.

    "It isn''t that they aren''t interested in profits; there are things that they want, but in general, they are incredibly insr, in the sense that they don''t believe anyone can make anything better than they can. Why would they bother to negotiate a long-term deal with you, when they believe they can purchase samples of your goods and replicate them in a year or less?"

    The brathian gave a polite smile, clearly dismissing the ants'' ability to produce works of the same quality as her own people, despite all that she had seen.

    "I am Eran Thouris, wife of Satrap Umizan and the leader of this delegation. I have already gathered that the Colony does not wish to purchase goods, though I hope to change their minds. Instead, I wonder if we would be able to purchase from them. There is much they produce, but as I understand it, they don''t have a market to sell to?"

    Already, Enid could feel Eran''s Skills reaching out to ensnare her from across the table. Doubtless, she was an incredibly powerful negotiator, able to twist deals to her favour no matter the context. It would be madness for Enid to try and go head to head with her. The only way to extricate herself from the talks with a satisfactory result was to be as direct as she could be.

    "The only thing the Colony wants from you is cores. No currency, no goods, only cores. If you draw up a list of the goods you want, we will attach prices we think are reasonable, and we can use that as the basis of our agreement."

    Eran Thouris, of course, knew what she was trying to do. Her eyes sparkled across the table.

    "So straightforward. I''m sure there''s room for discussion as to the goods, the volume of trade, and price. After all, the prices will dictate what we want and how much of it we are prepared to purchase."

    So much for the easy way out. Enid felt the old fire in her chest begin to burn once again. It had been a long time since she''d had her back to the wall in a trade. Her gaze heated up.

    "Very well. Let''s talk."

 Chapter 1105 1216 - Talks Conclude

    <h4>Chapter 1105 Chapter 1216 - Talks Conclude</h4>

    Truly, there is nothing so terrifying as being put in a social situation with someone who has mastered the Skills that impact those interactions. Masters of Speech, Negotiation, Persuasion, Haggling, Diplomacy, Intimidation, the other rted Skills, the many, many fusions, and those who have levelled the various sses which give bonuses to one''s words.

    To the unprepared or undefended, these people can talk them into, or out of, almost anything. Naturally, this can prove difficult for normal people to navigate, but at the higher level of diplomatic and trade negotiations, every empire, kingdom or conglomeratees heavily armed, metaphorically speaking, to the table.

    -??Excerpt from ''The Power of the Word'' by Zathus.

    Enid felt like she had been wrung dry of every ounce of water in her body. Her eyes were dry, her skin felt parched and itchy. Even her tongue felt as raw as sand in a desert.

    Still, she clung to the table, her teeth clenched and a rictus grin entrenched on her face.

    Her opponent, seated opposite, could not have appeared more rxed. The brathian satfortably in her chair, sipping tea and cutting small wedges from her doubleyered chocte cream surprise with the side of her fork. When they had gotten down to discussing prices, things had gone about as well as Enid had expected.

    Which is to say, she''d been torn to shreds.

    She was far from an expert on brathian culture, but she knew enough to know who and what she was dealing with. Eran Thouris was who she was negotiating with, but Eran was not her name, but her title. This was the title given to the person the conglomerate trusted as theirmander in battle. Of course, which battlefield did the brathians take most seriously? This one, the negotiating table.

    "Now of course, we are yet to discuss the risks of transportation through the fourth stratum," Eran smiled pleasantly, "nor the burden of suspicion that will be ced on my people for cooperating with an emergent race of monsters such as yourselves. Naturally, these difficulties must bepensated for, which can be reflected in the price."

    Her words were so persuasive, so reasonable, it was almost insidious how easily they snaked into Enid''s mind. She resisted.

    "Youe to the Colony asking for trade, and then demandpensation for it?" she rebuffed, forcing the words out from a throat that constricted to prevent her from speaking. "If you want to trade, then trade. If you don''t, then leave. The Colony doesn''t care."

    Eran Thouris leaned forward, a look of polite exasperation on her face.

    "The Colony stands to gain thousands of cores every month. I''m sure they very much do care about that. Considering they are producing these goods already, with no market to sell them to, they stand to benefit the most. All I''m asking for is that my people receive a fair share of the profits."

    Again, it all sounded so reasonable, but Enid knew from personal experience that the brathian would happily slice the amount they needed to pay the Colony down to the bone if she could. After all, the cheaper they acquired the goods, the more money that would flow into the coffers of her conglomerate.

    The old mayor knew when she was beaten, and in truth, she''d been beaten a long time ago. All she''d done was run a desperate defensive action, pushing off the woman''s demands and holding as much ground as she could, but eventually, she would be worn down and forced to concede to her conditions, which would see the Colony earning a pittance for everything they sold.

    Thankfully, she had a secret weapon, one that no negotiator could hope to win against.

    "At this point of our talks, I would like to bring in a member of the Colony to give their input on our final discussions," she managed to force out.

    She reached a trembling hand onto the table and took a sip of tea to soothe her ragged throat.

    Eran Thouris pursed her lips, looking thoughtful.

    "Are you not empowered to negotiate on their behalf?" she enquired.

    "It was made clear to me that they would have the final say over any terms we settled on," Enid replied, truthfully.

    Being honest was critical in talks at this level, since there were many who could detect lies and turn them against you. Skirting the truth was an artform as old as time for merchants of all levels.

    "Very well," the brathian conceded, as if she were the one giving permission.

    She didn''t have a choice, she had to ede to this request; since the Colony had the final say, they had to be included in the talks. Enid permitted herself a small smile. She turned to the giant ant who nowy, legs syed, against the wall of the chamber, and pointed to her head. A few momentster, she felt that vast mind reach out to hers.

    [Hey Enid, how''s it going? You look¡­. You''ve looked better, I have to say.]

    [How rude,] she sniffed. [Who do you think I''m enduring this for? I told them I was going to bring you into the talks at this point since you will have final say on everything.]

    [Oh? Why me? I don''t think I''m equipped for this, Enid. I don''t exactly have a mind for logistics.]

    [Don''t worry about any of that. Just know that you will be put into direct mentalmunication with their representative, Eran Thouris, which she will only agree to if her mages can join as well to ensure she is protected.]

    [Who''s going to protect me?] the big ant asked, and Enid scoffed.

    [Do you need protection?]

    [Probably not¡­.]

    [Fine then.]

    "And who are you bringing into the conversation?" Eran asked with unwavering confidence.

    Enid gestured toward him.

    "The Eldest of the Colony. The Eldest is highly regarded within the family and the others will follow their words."

    Eran eyed the gigantic monster while the mages behind her grew extremely agitated. Connecting the mind of their leader to such a monster was an obvious risk, but there was so much money at stake, the brathians could hardly refuse.

    So they didn''t.

    [Hey, nice to meet you. You want stuff, we want cores. This shouldn''t be tooplicated.]

    Enid smiled. Let the games begin.

 Chapter 1106 1217 - Talks Conclude Pt 2

    <h4>Chapter 1106 Chapter 1217 - Talks Conclude Pt 2</h4>

    Already, Enid could detect the faint signs of tightness around Eran Thouris'' eyes. She controlled her face. She didn''t want to appear smug during the negotiations.

    [I am simplymunicating the many difficulties that we will incur in order to facilitate this transaction,] Eran patiently exined.

    [Hey, if it''s too hard for you, we can just call the whole thing off,] Anthony replied cheerfully. [We don''t want to impose. No need to endure any hardship on our ount.]

    It was already the fourth time he''d suggested ending the talks in three minutes of dialogue.

    [Wouldn''t it be a shame for your Colony to miss this opportunity to gain cores? I can only imagine how precious they are to you and your family.]

    [Oh, of course. We need, like, infinity cores.] The giant ant shrugged his antennae. [But if this doesn''t work, we''ll figure something else out. We''re pretty creative and hardworking. I mean, we''re ants.]

    [But since this opportunity is here in front of you, don''t you want to make the most of it?]

    Anthony scratched at his carapace with one antenna, confused.

    [I mean, sure? I''m trying to understand if you want this trade or not, if I''m honest. You won''t stop talking about how hard it is for your side to make it happen andpensation, so I suggest we call it off, and then you won''t stop insisting on how the Colony will be missing out. I''ve told you several times already, there''s no need to worry about us, we''re doing fine. If anything, it sounds like your conglomerate are the ones who need help. Is there anything we can do for you? You need food? Protection? We can have fifty thousand ants deployed in an hour if you need them. We¡­ uh¡­ just can''t go underwater. Yet.]

    Enidughed and then disguised it as a cough, patting herself on the chest and picking up her cup to sip her tea. There was a bare hint of floral notes to this blend, with just the right amount of sugar stirred in.

    In one fell swoop, Anthony had punctured through Eran''s talk of difficulties by questioning the strength of the brathian Conglomerate, and then threatened them with an army fifty thousand strong which would arrive at their territory before the delegation returned home. Best of all, he hadn''t intended any of it.

    Perhaps it was because he was a monster, or just because he was Anthony, but he was maddingly immune to the effects of social Skills. Enid had never noticed any effect from her own, and it seemed even someone as talented and highly ranked as Eran couldn''t make a dent in him. The frustration was starting to mount, Enid could detect a slight darkening of the scales around the brathian''s neck.

    [Well, perhaps we should go over some of the prices your negotiator and I have established so we can find somemon ground. I think you''ll find they are most fair.]

    [You''ve got a list or something, Enid?]

    [Yes. Yes I do.]

    The old woman grimaced. It wasn''t a list she could be proud of. She''d held on as best she could, but that didn''t detract from the absolute drubbing she''d received.

    [Firstly, let us look at the household items, starting with the carpets. Naturally, we need to take into ount the weight and delicate nature of such goods when transporting them, as well as finding customers for your¡­ unique designs.]

    Eranunched into a detailed exnation of the many costs involved in collecting, checking, storing and transporting the goods, but Anthony was shifting ufortably after a minute.

    [We can do all of that,] he said, a little irritation bleeding through. [Show us how you want it packed and we''ll get it done. We can transport it and provide the security ourselves if it''s so difficult. How many guards do you need for a caravan? Ten? Twenty?]

    The brathian permitted herself a small smile.

    [We would usually have two hundred guards, minimum, for a caravan of any value.]

    The giant ant waggled his antennae in confusion.

    [I was talking thousands. Ten thousand, or twenty thousand guards. You only need two hundred? That''s¡­ not many?]

    Eran blinked.

    [Let''s not worry about all the talk about difficulties,] Anthony said, smoothly attempting to divert the conversation away from boring details. [Just give me the percentages. In terms of how much you will sell the product for, what percentage will the Colony earn?]

    [Such a crude manner of examiningmerce does not take into ount the many nuances involved¡­] Eran sputtered.

    Which is exactly why Anthony likes it, Enid thought smugly to herself.

    [I assumed you might want something like this, so I took the liberty of enquiring after these numbers. I have them here if you want them.]

    [Oh? Thanks, Enid! Hit me.]

    [H-hit¡­ you?]

    [Tell me the numbers.]

    [Oh. Well, for the carpets and rugs, the Colony would receive twenty percent of the final sale price.]

    Ants never moved much, when they didn''t want to. Aside from assiduously cleaning their antennae, they weren''t moving all that much during these talks, but right now, Anthony grew perfectly still. He didn''t move at all, for a long, awkward moment.

    [Twenty?] he said, finally, his mental tone curiously t. [We harvest the raw materials, do all the Skilledbour, enchant it, bring it down to the fourth and we get¡­ twenty percent?]

    The gigantic ant actually stood, turning to face the brathians directly, his enormous and menacing mandibles pointing directly at them. The scaled guards were not pleased with this development, though the Eran herself remained admirably cool.

    [Are you wanting to break our legs as well?] the ant demanded.

    Eran blinked.

    [No? Why would we want to break your legs? We don''t want to hurt you at all.]

    [Then why do I feel so much pain right now?]

    Hemunicated to Enid directly.

    [These aren''t fish, these are sharks!]

    [I tried to warn you,] she said. [Commerce is their life. They love the process of making money just as much as they love the wealth they generate. They''ll squeeze as hard as they can.]

    [Sheesh.]

    He reopenedmunication to Eran.

    [Yeah. I''m thinking we get eighty percent, since we do all the work? You can skim twenty off the top for your trouble. Sound good?]

 Chapter 1107 1218 - Talks Conclude pt 3

    <h4>Chapter 1107 Chapter 1218 - Talks Conclude pt 3</h4>

    As it turned out, it did not ''sound good'', to the brathians.

    [Twenty percent! That''s usury,] she dered tly.

    [Isn''t that the percentage you were offering us?] Anthony pointed out.

    [This was a number we arrived at after a lengthy discussion of the costs and risks of conducting business. I would be happy to go over them with you¡­.]

    Anthony scratched at his head as Enid did all she could to contain her smile, regardless of how hard it threatened to creep over her face.

    [We are the ones making the stuff,] he insisted. [Without us, there''s no trade for you to profit from at all, you''ll have no goods. All you have to do is receive the stuff and take it somewhere you can sell it, which is something you already do. As I understand it, you have awork of caravans, merchants, markets and stores already, so you don''t have to establish anything new, this is just another source of goods for you to plug into your pipeline.]

    Eran tried a different tack.

    [It''s true we have an exceptionally sessful business spread over multiple strata, and a strong presence in some of the biggest markets in the fourth stratum, including the Silver City. We deal with many, many suppliers as well as create our own artisanal products for sale. This isn''t a trade that we need,] she spoke with just the right amount of deprecation, insinuating that she was doing them a favour. [ess to our conglomerate is worth paying a heavy price.]

    Surprisingly, Anthony nodded.

    [That''s persuasive, you''ve done a lot of work and we would benefit from that. We can''t have hard work be unrewarded.]

    Eran Thouris eased ever so slightly in her chair. Clearly, she thought she was finally getting somewhere. Enid knew better.

    [Soooo. You can have twenty-five percent,] the Ant announced with an air of finality. [That seems fair to me.]

    The brathian reeled, but collected herself a fraction of a secondter. Enid was impressed. This woman was tough. Dealing with Anthony was enough to send a teenager grey.

    [You added five percent in recognition of our input?] she sought to rify, a little coldly.

    [Of course not,] Anthony replied reasonably. [Before, I was giving you twenty percent, but fifteen of that was just because I''m nice. Now I think you actually deserve twenty five. It''s a totally different calction.]

    There was open confusion on the face of the brathian negotiator now. Her Skills weren''t working as they should, and the direction of the conversation had gone far from what she had intended. Enid almost felt sorry for her. It was only going to go downhill from here.

    She threatened to walk away from the deal if the percentage wasn''t better. Anthony didn''t care.

    She demanded they begin negotiating prices at fifty percent, no lower. Anthony threatened to walk away.

    She tried to talk down the quality of the produce and thus diminish its price. Anthony didn''t believe her, stating anything his siblings made was either the best in the world, or soon would be.

    She tried to emphasise the power of the conglomerate and the influence they had. She hinted they could ban the Colony from ever trading in the fourth if they so chose. Again, Anthony didn''t care. The ants were perfectly content making things just to decorate their nests and insisted they would find other ways to procure the cores they needed. He made it clear in no uncertain terms that he considered this deal to be the Colony doing the Brathian Ind Conglomerate a favour, and not the other way around.

    She protested. He shrugged.

    She needled. He got bored.

    She marshalled her words and went into battle, eloquently and viciously. He stopped listening.

    It went on for hours with the giant ant growing more and more irritated and the brathian delegation growing more and more desperate. Finally, one of them cracked.

    [Fine! You can have forty percent, alright? We''ll pack and ship the goods to you ourselves, you can station people here in the nest to make sure it''s done to your satisfaction and then you can deal with it from there.]

    A major concession from Anthony''s perspective, an insulting offer from his opponent''s. Eran Thouris'' mouth tightened to a thin line. Before she could say anything over the mind-bridge, Anthony cut her off.

    [Considering we are doing all of the creating, and you are only doing the selling, I consider forty percent to be just shy of robbing us. I''m going to emphasise this point. Take it or leave it. The conditions aren''t going to get any better than this. In fact, if you agree in the next thirty seconds, I''ll extend the conditions of this deal to five years before it''s renegotiated and throw in a fine set of knives delivered directly to your door. If you don''t agree in thirty seconds, then we shake hands and go our separate ways, it wasn''t meant to be.]

    Finally, the ant had reached the end of his patience and Enid knew that he had bent as far as he was going to. She caught the eye of her opponent across the table and gave her a subtle nod. He meant what he''d said. Eran needed to think and think quickly.

    She smiled and sipped her tea.

    [It seems as though we have a deal,] she said.

    The brathians around the table and in the chamber looked pained, as if they''d just been forced to digest something truly unpleasant, and honestly, Anthony radiated the same kind of energy. A sessful negotiation, nobody was happy!

    It all worked out better than she''d expected.

 Chapter 1108 1219 - Back to Business

    <h4>Chapter 1108 Chapter 1219 - Back to Business</h4>

    As nice as it is to sit down, eat tea and cake with our neighbours while discussing the inherent superiority of ant-made goods, there is still a wave going on. It''s not like it''s a big deal, there''s just this globe-spanning disaster in the form of endlessly spawning monsters, savage and berserk, desperate for Biomass and experience.

    So, with the ink barely dry on our trade deal, the brathians returned to the waters of theke, vaguely promising that less monsters would assault us from the shoreline and promising to return when the wave ended. Which was all well and good, there were a lot of ants pulled from the frontlines to help with the negotiations and they needed to get their abdomens back into the fight.

    I decided to chat with Enid for a while before she went back to her rooms.

    [I can''t believe you got them to agree to such terms,] the old woman shakes her head.

    [What?] I reply, indignant. [We''re practically getting robbed! We fight the monsters in the Dungeon and control the territory necessary to collect the raw goods. Then we process it all ourselves, then we do all the work shaping it, turning it into something of use, and enchant it! If that''s not enough, we agreed to bring everything to the fourth stratum, AND pack everything ording to their standards, AND drop everything on their doorstep! What else are they after? Blood?!]

    [I think, technically, you don''t have blood, you have ichor. Which they would want if they could get it, yes.]

    Enid lent back in her chair and chuckled. I leaned in a little closer to inspect the old woman, she really didn''t look well. The talks had drained her, she was as shrivelled as a prune.

    [I''m not saying the Colony doesn''t do a lot of work, but transportation and ess to markets are expensive. Most producers are lucky to see thirty percent, if that.]

    [For thirty percent, I would have told them to get stuffed and set up a market on the shoreline. They''re dreaming if they think the Colony can be taken advantage of. There''s no war we can''t win, even an economic one.]

    [You''re probably most dangerous in an economic conflict,] Enid observed, her tone heavy with fatigue. [There''s going to be millions and millions of you soon, so many workers, who effectively work for free¡­. You can afford to sell so much cheaper than anyone else.]

    Hmmm. That''s a good point. The workers in the Colony don''t draw a sry, as such. They get housed, fed, educated, provided resources, but don''t have anything like purchasing power of their own. I mean, they''re ants, they don''t feel the need for any reward, they work for the betterment of the family. If I offered them some sort of reward, cores for example, as payment for their work, I honestly think they would just donate them to the hatchlings.

    [This is a problem,] I told Enid. [The workers of the Colony should get some sort of reward for their efforts.]

    Enid shook her head.

    [There''s nothing they would ept and we both know it. I don''t see anything wrong with what the Colony is doing. The workers don''t get paid, but it isn''t as if they''re being exploited. The profit, if you want to call it that, of their work is umted by the family, not any individual.]

    I wasn''t satisfied, but what she said made sense.

    [Well, thank you very much for your time, Enid. I can see that this wasn''t easy for you.]

    The old woman sighed and tried to push herself up from her chair, but failed.

    [Damn. I feel so weak. No, don''t fuss!]

    She snaps at me as I approach, concerned, but she only waves me away.

    [It was fun. I haven''t engaged in a proper battle like that for many years. Were I twenty years younger, my blood would have been boiling after such a defeat, but I''m just tired. I''ll need a lot of rest after all this.]

    [Lots of rest is the least you''re going to get.]

    [What do you mean?]

    Enid''s face begins to change as understanding of what I mean starts to dawn on her, but it''s toote. Her chair is seized by a team of ants and lifted into the air while she''s still on it. Maintaining perfect bnce, they begin to carry her away, to the medical ward if my guess is right.

    [Anthony! Where are they taking me?!]

    [Quick medical check, I expect. You can expect only the finest treatment after all you''ve done for the Colony today.]

    [I don''t want this! Just send me back to my room!]

    [Sorry Enid¡­ the mental¡­ connection¡­ appears to be¡­ breaking up!]

    [That''s not how a mind bridge works!]

    [Oh. In that case, sorry, I can''t hear you, I already cut the connection.]

    [YOU''RE STILL TALKING TO ME!]

    [Damn, you''re sharp. I''ll catch up with you soon, Enid! Rest well!]

    Still squawking indignantly, Enid is carried away to the hospital by her personal team of dedicated healers. As if we won''t take good care of someone who works so hard for the family.

    Well, this was all an interesting distraction, learning about a whole¡­ conglomerate of brathians living in theke next to us. We''ve barely scratched the surface of everything that''s going on in the fourth stratum, but I guess we''ll have more time to worry about things like that after the wave is finished.

    It''s not the right time to be adventuring all over the ce. We have a wave to deal with, I have a little champion to train and there''s three pets who need to evolve.

    In fact¡­ if the gate is operational¡­.

    I head down into the nest and find the gate-room. Sure enough, it''s crackling with energy, a rather lethargic-looking Brilliant stumping about the ce, poking at this and that with her antennae.

    [Hey there, Brilliant! You actually did it! Working gate technology. This might be the single biggest contribution anyone has made to the family! Are you happy?]

    She barely turns towards me.

    [You doubted me? It was simple, I''m¡­ Brilliant¡­ or whatever.]

    She''s so t! Where''s her usual energy?

    [What the heck is wrong with you? This time?] I loom over the tiny ant and prod her with a foreleg. [Where''s your get up and go? Your gusto!]

    [I''m just feeling bored. We had the gate thing pretty much figured out a week ago. There''s a ton of fine tuning still to be done. It''ll be months before we get our mandibles on all the little efficiencies needed to minimise the mana requirements.]

    She sighs and kicks at a pebble.

    [There''s just no adventure in it. It''s not exciting to me anymore.]

    I look at her, confused.

    [So¡­ why are you still doing it?]

    [I have to!] She throws up her antennae with a hint of her old vigour. [There''s nobody else as good as me at working with dimensions, only I have the evolutions and mutations that allow me to see the weave!]

    [Do you have to have those abilities to do the fine tuning? I thought you had a whole team helping you up in the second stratum.]

    [I do, but they aren''t good enough to do the work without my supervision,] she groans. [They just aren''t¡­]

    [Brilliant,] the two of us say together.

    I tap her on the back.

    [Yeah, so you start up a second team. One group can work on smoothing out the gates, and the other can work on something new. Mana cannons. Or enchanted rocks that walk around and smash things. Or creating inds that fly. Or short distance teleportation devices. Oh! Do you think you could create something that makes scouts invisible? That would be cool and save a ton of evolutionary energy. Self-repairing nest walls? Ooooo, could you siphon power from those other dimensions? And you''re like a Dungeon Seer, right? You should train up a team of those and see what you can learn about the Dungeon. There''s tons of things the Colony doesn''t know about, which we really need to know about.]

    The more ideas I pelt her with, the more Brilliant begins to vibrate, intense energy building up inside her carapace.

    [But¡­ but¡­ so many¡­. So many ideas! I must pursue them all! I MUST UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING!]

    [In that case,] I tell her, [you should set up more teams.]

    [I will! And I will lead them all! Because I''m BRILLIANT!]

    [Of course you are.]

 Chapter 1109 1220 - The Price of Doing Business

    <h4>Chapter 1109 Chapter 1220 - The Price of Doing Business</h4>

    "Do not discuss what we have seen or heard until we return home," the Eran warned her people as they made their way out of the grand ant fortress.

    Here on an expedition, her word wasw and even her daughter knew better than to cause trouble for her mother at this moment in particr. The brathians were silent for the remainder of the journey. They marched in silence through the enormous tunnels of the fortress, didn''t breathe a word as they exited the vast gates and continued to keep their mouths shut as they were escorted by the ants through the monsters and down to the shoreline.

    With dignity, they bowed to the ants, turned and walked into the water, their clothing floating around them as they walked deeper and deeper.

    Once they were fully submerged, Eran Thouris gave her people a significant look and began to swim, weaving her magic to propel herself and the entire group through the water at an incredible speed. Enormous monsters churned through the water, closer than any would like, but the song of the siren filled theke around them, and the monsters ignored thempletely.

    On they swam, through the murk and out into the brathian territory, passing through the barrier without difficulty.

    "May we speak now?" Theraz asked cautiously.

    "You may converse," came the terse reply, "but no details about the negotiation or what we''ve seen. The Satrap will want our unfiltered thoughts."

    "That was so exciting!" Piris eximed. "An entire empire of ants! It''s incredible! And that fortress? How long did it take them to build it? Almost no time at all!"

    Theraz swam closer and nudged his cousin with his elbow.

    "We aren''t meant to be talking about it yet."

    She turned and stuck her tongue out at him.

    "But it was so interesting! Have you ever seen anything like it?"

    "No, I haven''t, but I know to keep my mouth shut before we meet the Satrap. You can talk all you want about it once we arrive."

    Piris rolled her eyes, but quietened. She flitted about in the water, finding it difficult to contain her excitement, but she managed to bottle it up long enough for them to arrive before the Satrap.

    The moment the door to her husband''s chambers shut, Eran''s smooth expression twisted in anger as she ripped the ne from around her neck and sted it through the water against the wall.

    "DAMN INSECT!" she roared. "Forty percent! FORTY PERCENT! I haven''t felt this humiliated for two decades."

    The Satrap jumped in his seat, his expression growing faintly terrified as his wife showed her rage so publicly. He nced toward Theraz, who shook his head in warning.

    "Papa! It was so amazing! You won''t believe how clever those ants are. They can make all sorts of things, and they served us incredible cakes, and tea, and the fortress was unbelievably huge, and there was an ant there who was enormous!"

    "That''s nice, my precious jewel," he smiled at his daughter before turning his concerned expression back to his wife.

    "Darling, please. The delegation and court magicians are still present."

    "They saw the whole thing! The creature was immune to all of my Skills. A mutation? Some sort of evolution? We werepletely swindled!"

    She wed at the water around her, fingers tearing gashes through theke.

    Satrap Umizan flinched on his throne and turned to Theraz.

    "Was it really that bad? Do we owe them money?"

    He sounded as if he thought they''d demanded his head on a te.

    "No, nothing like that," Theraz said, his palms up. "There was a negotiation for the rights to trade the Colony''s goods to other markets, and they demanded a high percentage of the final price. My honoured Aunt did extremely well against the initial negotiator, an old woman the ants brought in to speak on their behalf, but when the monster entered the talks¡­ my understanding is that it didn''t progress nearly so well."

    Her scales were still flushed, but Eran managed to get control of herself and gave a strangledugh.

    "That''s one way to put it," she said bitterly.

    At that moment, Theraz'' father entered the chamber, nodding to his brother. Marzban Corozan was powerfully built for a brathian, who tended to be slender and swift. Scars could be seen through the scales all over his arms and chest.

    "Theraz," he said, his deep voice reverberating through the water. "I would like to hear about the threat that has shown up on our border."

    "Not yet," Umizan broke in, frowning, "I need to hear about these trade negotiations first. Mages, Eran, gather and speak to me," he demanded, pping his hands.

    Minutester, he sat, pensive, considering what he had heard.

    "High quality merchandise, able to be produced cheaply and in mass quantities. In such variety? This is interesting, interesting indeed."

    "I am deeply sorry, my Satrap," Eran bowed low, shame written all over her face. "The final terms are dreadful for our people. I will ept any punishment."

    "What? No, that''s nonsense, my wife," the Satrap dered absent mindedly, then jumped when she raised her head to re at him. "I mean it! Against a monster who was immune to your Skills, you achieved the best deal that you could. In fact, I would go so far as to say that you may have done something incredible for the future of this conglomerate."

    She frowned, puzzled, as the Satrap rose from his throne, his hands behind his back.

    "This could y into your concerns as well, brother," he announced, as he began to drift back and forth in the chamber. He held up a hand to stall Marzban before he could speak.

    "I need to hear from the others first. Olivis? Float forward, I need to hear from my Dungeon Seer."

    "I am here, Satrap," the Seer bowed as she moved to the front of the delegation.

    "How many ants in the fortress?"

    "Hundreds of thousands."

    "And they have gate technology?"

    "They im to have invented it while we were present. I believe those ims to be true."

    "There must be millions of them already¡­. They had a human negotiator? Was she a captive?"

    "I do not believe so, my lord. She was well cared for and imed to be an ally of the Colony."

    The Satrap pondered these words.

    "It''s possible you just secured the future of us all, my wife," he said, and went on to exin. "They can already produce goods of a high quality, in high volumes, at exceptionally low prices. What do you think would happen to us if they ever managed to bring them to market? They''d undercut everyone. Prices would copse, markets thrown into chaos, trading kingdoms would topple off the face of cliffs! It would take years, decades maybe, but it would happen. If they continue to grow, expand their territory and increase their expertise, they would eventually dominatemerce on Pangera!"

    Everyone gasped. The brathian trading conglomerates copse? How dreadful!

    "But we have been saved. We will control the prices when the Colony''s produce goes to market. Of course, we will extract the full value of their work, take a healthy percentage for ourselves, and in so doing, make ourselves invaluable to the ants as their trading partners. We will make profit, ensure our safety, and prevent cmity! This may prove to be the best-worst deal you have ever struck, my wife!"

 Chapter 1110 1221 - The Evolving Situation

    <h4>Chapter 1110 Chapter 1221 - The Evolving Situation</h4>

    Time to get back to business. The wave is ongoing, the fortress needs defending and all of a sudden, the Colony is more interconnected than ever before.

    The gates are working! I can take a few steps and be in the second stratum! Or the third! I mean, going to the second would be deeply unpleasant, but the third might not be so bad. I could say hi to Al, and all the other demons who ended up feeding me energy through the Vestibule.

    A number which has been increasing, by the way. I''m not at allfortable with it. Ants, I understand. Humans, those are a bit iffy. Demons? They''re weird. At the current moment in time, I have implemented a standard policy to avoid inspecting what they''re thinking about as much as possible.

    Actually, maybe I should avoid the third¡­.

    Which is fine! I have plenty to be about right here on the fourth. Need to fight the wave, practise my Skills, mutate and most importantly of all, I need to help guide the evolutions of my dear pets! All three of them are still out there fighting, and although there isn''t much experience to be had from the freshly spawned monsters of the wave, if they defeat enough of them, it''s going to add up. Hopefully, by the time this current wavees to an end, they''ll have reached the required level and be ready to join me in the seventh tier.

    Considering I have three mythic cores ready for them to absorb, courtesy of the Demon God, they should turn out super powerful as well. I can''t wait!

    Which means it''s time to get in touch with my old friend. Fortunately, I can talk to him through the Nave. Actually, on second thought, I might just send a message. Speaking to people through the Nave tends to weird them out.

    Since we have the gates, might as well put them to the test. I snag a scout and ask them to get in touch with Granin, see if he can make his presence known down here so I can ask a few questions, then I scuttle off to see how my student is getting on.

    I find Snt doing pretty much what I expected, snapping out orders and managing her little battlefield like a conductor leading an orchestra. She''s continued to drill her little army and they''re getting more and more coordinated, allowing her to sneak in additionalplexity. Normally, I find a battlefield between monsters and the Colony to look like organised chaos, the ants forming lines, advancing and retreating. This just looks¡­ organised. No ant moves alone, always together, always as a group. When everyone retreats, they do it in a rippling wave. When everyone advances, they surge two, three, four times, ovepping charges that eat up space and drive back the monsters.

    On some level, I can see what she''s doing. Rampaging, berserking beasts they may be, but the creatures spawned of the wave still have that spark of animalistic intelligence in them. Snt maniptes them, dangling bait, exposing weaknesses, forming vulnerabilities in the line.

    The moment the enemy leaps in, those points of attack fade away, like smoke, as if they were never there. I watch her at work for the rest of her shift, taking it all in. When the little general finally retreats and is reced at the coal face, I rush up and give her a little nudge with one leg.

    "Snt! Looking good out there! The moves, the fancy feet! How''s it alling along?"

    She looks a little confused.

    "Fancy feet? We don''t have feet. We have ws."

    "Fancy ws, then."

    "I wouldn''t describe them as fancy, as such¡­."

    ".... Just, take thepliment. I''m impressed with how well you have troops moving."

    "Oh. I didn''t understand what you meant. Yes, it''sing along."

    She doesn''t seem at all pleased.

    "Not satisfied?" I ask.

    "Not even close," she affirms. "There is much work to be done, and many more ideas to test before even this simple tunnel defence can be called a sess."

    "From what I understand, it''s going very well. The troops are happy, the generals are happy. What''s wrong with it?"

    "It can be better," she says as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I''ve been consulting with some core shapers who I think will be able to help out, and the more we drill, the better we get at responding to unexpected situations. There''s still a lot of work to do."

    "Well, good thing the wave won''t be over any time soon. You''ve got twelve hours of solid fighting every day to work on your ns."

    "I intend to make good use of them," she says, determined.

    "Make sure you''re getting your fair share of Biomass and experience as well," I warn her. "As important as it is for the troops to be getting stronger, the generals need to as well."

    "I will, Eldest. Now if you excuse me, we need to run our drills."

    "Didn''t you just finish fighting?"

    "It''s the best time to go over the mistakes that were made."

    So saying, she''s off like a shot, and I notice her little army is already lined up and ready to go, her broodmates in the thick of it. I''ve no doubt that these ants will form the core of her following soon enough. Once they get caught up in the wake of the charismatic champions, it''s very hard for my siblings not to get pulled along after them.

    It''s fine. Snt is going to be very important going forward. I can''t wait to see what she does.

    Well, might as well head on up and see if there''s been a reply from Granin. With my pets so close to evolving, the excitement just won''t stop bubbling up!

 Chapter 1111 1222 - Heâ€™s a Hard Man to Please

    <h4>Chapter 1111 Chapter 1222 - He¡¯s a Hard Man to Please</h4>

    [Anthony,] Granin greets me shortly with a perfunctory nod.

    Corun and Torrina are a little more excited, the former giving me a broad smile and thetter a more reserved wave.

    [Well if it isn''t the rock trio. What''s been happening in your lives?]

    [Trying to avoid mana sickness,] Granin says, [and this isn''t helping much.]

    The big golgari is a massive unit, almost tall enough to look me in the eye, even now, his granite coating shifting and folding as if it were truly his skin. I''m still not used to being bigger than him, to be honest. I''ve outmassed him since I met him, but being able to see the top of his head without climbing a wall is a new experience.

    [How does it feel to be a midget?] I tease him, prodding his shoulder with an antennae. [Beside a mighty and enormous monster such as myself, you barely register on the scale.]

    Granin, shockingly, actuallyughs.

    [You think you''re a big monster? Compared to what I''ve seen, you''re like a speck. Don''t get too big for your carapace, you''ll be dead before you can blink.]

    [So¡­ I''m immortal?]

    [You know what I mean!]

    Aaaand the grouchy is back. That didn''t take long.

    [Look, I''m sorry, I didn''t bring you down here just to be annoying. I wanted to consult you about my pets and ask if you''d had any ideas about my progression. I''m ready for another round of mutations, got some Skill points to spend, so I thought I''d check in.]

    Granin runs a hand over his stony head.

    [I appreciate that. I don''t mean to be so irritable. We''ve been trying to adapt ourselves to the higher mana levels so we cane down to the fourth more or less permanently, but it''s been a struggle. This wave has produced the highest intensity of mana I''ve seen in my entire lifetime, and limating has been¡­ problematic.]

    [He means it''s been extremely painful,] Torrina says, matter of factly. [Many of your human soldiers and priests are attempting to do the same, but it''s proving incredibly difficult.]

    [We were theorising that we may soon approach the theoretical limit of what an unmodified person can tolerate,] Corun chips in brightly. [People who were born this deep are better off, but if the waves keep increasing their intensity, we may reach a point in a few years where it''ll be impossible for non-monsters to live in the fourth.]

    Granin waves his hand to dismiss those words.

    [It''s just idle spection, and regardless, it won''te to that. The people won''t abandon their holdings down here, they''d rather drag the entire stratum up to the surface with their fingernails.]

    [Do you guys even have fingernails?]

    Granin holds up his hands.

    [No, huh? That''s weird. Do you have them underneath the rock?]

    The three of them look awkward.

    [That''s¡­ a rude question. It''s like asking a human what they have under their clothes,] Torrina exins.

    [I don''t have clothes or a rocky exterioryer. You can cut me some ck. Now, let''s get down to business. You guys said you had some good ideas for me, and surely you''ve cooked up something since then.]

    Granin nods and Corun reaches into the satchel he''s got strapped around his hip, pulling out what appears to be a thick ream of paper. Before I can run away, Torrina ps his hand.

    [Don''t bring out the documents!] she hisses, mentally, for my benefit.

    [Oh. Sorry. I worked hard on that,] Corun whines.

    [He was about to run away! Don''t show him the research.]

    Granin coughs.

    [Sorry about that, Anthony, you don''t need to go over any of that, it was for our benefit. So, let me begin by talking about what approach we took.]

    [This isn''t like¡­ a rehearsed presentation, is it?]

    I can feel my legs creeping towards the exit already.

    [No,] all three of them reply with a strangely rehearsed air of casualness.

    I decide to trust them¡­ for now.

    [Your resets have focused on enhancing and building out the benefits of your unique gravitational mana, which we think is the right idea. It''s a powerful ability which the System is clearly ready to capitalise on, given some of the options you''ve talked about. So we want to create a set of mutations and organs that will y to the strengths of your gravity mana, whilst also being generically strong. Overspecialisation has always been a wed strategy in the Dungeon.]

    I nod. I''ve always avoided the options which added a particr element to damage or resistance. It makes sense that there would be monsters who can counter gravity in the Dungeon, even if I don''t know what they might be like. Ghosts or something.

    [So Torrina had an idea for your acid which you might like. Torrina?]

    [Yes,] she steps forward. [From what you told us, your acid nd hasn''t been pulling its weight in a satisfactory way. Is that right?]

    Sadly, it''s true. Without investing heavily in mutations that increase the potency of the acid, the damage potential isn''t quite there. Despite the smallwork of organs I have back there, I''ve been using my renownedmercial empire less and less here on the fourth as the acid just doesn''t cut it against most of the monsters.

    [You''ve built a fair amount of utility into your acid already,] Torrina continues. [It clings to the target, melts mana and propagates itself. All of that is independently useful, but with one more mutation, we may be able to help it synergise with your gravity spells. Is it possible to increase the mass of the acid?]

    [The mass?] I ask, a little bewildered. [I''m¡­ not sure. I don''t think I''ve ever checked.]

    [As you exined it, the higher the mass of your target, the more vulnerable they will be to gravity magic, is that right?]

    [Pretty much¡­.]

    Even I know it''s a little moreplicated than that. More mass means more for the gravity to work on, but would you say a mountain is vulnerable to gravity, or a? Not really.

    [If we focus on your acid''s ability to cling, and its ability to propagate itself, then if we can use it to add mass to the target, you''ll be able to make them heavier much more easily. Once you apply acid, it will stick to them, weigh them down, and then start making more of itself, which will in turn¡­]

    [Stick to them and weigh them down more¡­] I chime in.

    If I start pelting them with gravity bolts, or put them under the gravity domain, they''ll suffer that much more from the pull. This is¡­

    [I think that''s actually a workable idea! What else have you got?]

 Chapter 1112 1223 - Sink Your Teeth Into It

    <h4>Chapter 1112 Chapter 1223 - Sink Your Teeth Into It</h4>

    Pleased by the positive reaction to their first suggestion, the three golgari shapersunch into their next suggestions with gusto.

    [Well, I had Corun work on a suggestion for your mandibles, since you haven''t mutated them after the reset. We know you had a few different mutations in the past, but you made a fair bit of use of the infusion mutation, right?]

    It was true, infusing mana into my mandibles had been one of my earliest offensive mutations after the acid. By powering them up with raw mana, they were better at doing what good mandibles did, namely biting and crushing stuff, even dirt. The real sauce was infusing them with mana that had taken on an attribute. Fire bite? Sure thing, stuff some fire mana in there. My favourite effect was infusing them with gravity mana, which gave my mandibles the ability to yoink someone towards me.

    Ahhhh, good times.

    [Yep,] I confirm happily. [I had the savage mutation as well, for more chompy mandibles.]

    A normal formica ant has mandibles that are a bit stubby, for gripping rather than cutting or puncturing. You might ask, what use are mandibles that can only grip inbat? You forget that for ant-on-ant warfare back on Earth, one of the main strategies was to grab hold of your enemies'' legs and pull the darn things off. Ditto when battling other types of insects.

    Of course, that wouldn''t really work as well in the Dungeon, so I took that mutation to give my mandibles more of an aggressive shape. Longer and more spiky, they worked wonders with my bite Skills.

    Corun steps forward, a serious expression on his face for once.

    [Yes, well. I think this time around, you would agree that a different approach to your mutations will yield better results. Although the infusion mutation is flexible, and can be powerful in certain circumstances, we''re not sure that it''s the right mutation for you.]

    [What makes you say so?] I ask, curious.

    Corun coughs, looking a little embarrassed. Granin speaks in a t tone of voice before his younger triad member can gather his courage.

    [Because you''re too forgetful. The main benefit of mana infusion is the many different effects you can manifest with it. There''s no point for someone as scatterbrained as you to take it.]

    There''s dead silence for a second as I absorb this critique.

    [Ouch.]

    The big golgari folds his arms.

    [Am I wrong?]

    [No, you aren''t wrong at all. I just didn''t realise after all this time that you thought I was so dim.]

    [I don''t think you''re dim, Anthony, I think you have the highest potential of any monster I''ve ever seen, and somehow you''ve managed to create an entire ant society, the first of its kind. You''re clearly doing something right. However, we need to tailor our suggestions to who you are as a¡­ monster. If you won''t take full advantage of something, then there''s no point to it.]

    [Very true!] I dere. [Continue!]

    Corun looks relieved.

    [So we wanted to choose a set of mutations that would be strong and tailored to your own personal style. Firstly, a form-changing type of mutation along the lines of Savage isn''t a bad choice. Although your mandibles aren''t the same as they were when you first hatched, they aren''t ideal for battle.]

    Indeed, my current mandibles aren''t as short and blunt as they were in the beginning, but they aren''t as brutal and fearsome as they could be.

    [We have a short list of mutations for you to consider that includes the Savage mutation, Razor, Warlord, Guillotine, Spiked and Toothed.]

    [Toothed? I''d have teeth?]

    [It''s not like it sounds. That mutation would give you a lining of inwardly curved ''fangs'' on the inside of both mandibles.]

    [Isn''t that the same as Spiked?]

    [No. Spiked would give you three long spikes of varying lengths, shortest close to your face, longest at the tips, on the inside of the mandibles. It''s intended to help punch through hardened defensive shells.]

    [And guillotine?]

    [That would adapt your mandibles for cutting, rather than piercing. Considering how hard your mandibles are, you could cut through just about anything if you made them sharp enough.]

    But¡­ would I be able to dig?

    [Rejected. I think I like the Savage mutation.]

    Trusty and reliable.

    [It does give a good shape and we thought you might like this one the best,] Corun nods. [A little bit of everything, it doesn''t excel in any one department, but it improves both cutting and piercing while extending the mandibles for added range. We rmend you take it twice and reinforce it at +15 to gain sufficient benefits.]

    [Fair enough. Then what about from +20 to +30?]

    [This was a lot harder and there are literally thousands of options to choose from. In the end, we thought you''d like something simr to the infusion mutation you had before, but more narrow in focus and would synergise with your gravity powers. Instead of infusion, have you ever considered the injection mutations?]

    [Injection?]

    I don''t remember ever seeing them. Perhaps my eyes just glossed over them?

    [Like, injecting poison or something?]

    [Sort of,] Corun waves a hand back and forth. [It''s a set of mutations, rather than just one. You can set your mandibles to inject just about anything, including mana. In this case, rather than a generic mutation, we rmend you take the option which allows you to inject gravity mana, specifically.]

    I''m confused.

    [Inject gravity mana, what would that do?]

    Torrina takes over.

    [To make the most of this mutation, you would need to train your external mana maniption. But you are the best person to answer that question, since you know this mana type better than us. What could you do with a concentration of gravity inside your opponent''s body?]

    I mean¡­. A lot. If there was enough of the stuff, I could form a gravity bomb¡­ inside them.

    [Oh, that''s nasty.]

    [We thought you might like it,] Torrina''s grin is wicked.

 Chapter 1113 1224 - Skillful Ant

    <h4>Chapter 1113 Chapter 1224 - Skillful Ant</h4>

    [Before you get too carried away,] Granin chips in, [remember that manipting mana outside of your body is much harder than the mana inside it. Manipting energy within someone else''s body is another level of difficulty above that. You''ll need to train hard before you can even dream of setting off those insane bombs you can make.]

    That makes sense. If it was easy to manipte energy inside an opponent, then almost any other method of fighting would bepletely redundant. Even so, I like this idea. It would give me an almost unstoppable trump card if I can master it, and I can think of a few other uses for it outside of just the gravity bomb.

    [I like it a lot!] I dere.

    The triad has reallye through for me and exceeded my expectations, so I tell them so. I never would have considered some of these ideas. I''m d I finally opened up to them.

    The three look pleased with my words, Corun grinning up at me, Torrina wearing a slight smile, and even Granin looks less grumpy. That could just be a trick of the lighting.

    [We''re working on mutation packages for your legs, regeneration nd and your whole acid¡­ collection, in the event you reset those next,] Granin tells me. [For now, though, this is what we''vee up with. It''s more difficult for us to contribute to your Vestibule, Nave and Altar, since we haven''t worked with those organs before.]

    I''m a little disappointed, but Granin frowns at my drooping antennae.

    [We still have to talk about your Skills,] he says, and I perk up immediately.

    New Skills! This is what I''ve been waiting for!

    [What have you got for me, Granin? Some sweet fusions? The mega-instant-death-to-all-foes Skill?]

    [That is a good one, but no.]

    [Wait, that''s a Skill?!]

    [Of course not! And don''t forget, I''ve warned you before, learning too many Skills will be a weakness, not a strength. Without time to train them properly, you''ll have a ton of Skills that aren''t suitable for battle. Certainly not against powerful and prepared opponents.]

    Sometimes I wish I could roll my eyes.

    [Yeah, yeah, yeah. Surely, you''ve got a little something for me?]

    If not, why bring it up at all?

    [Yes,] Granin hurrumphs. [We''ve been carefully analysing the list of fusions for what we think will be the most optimalbinations for you to work towards. I set a hard limit of two for this exchange, despite the protestations of my pupils.]

    Torrina and Corun look a little disgruntled at this, but hold their mind-tongues.

    [First, there''s a neat little fusion you can aim for which should help significantly, particrly with your sharp reflexes and foresight. We had you pick up the Coordination Skill. Now we rmend you add the Bnce Skill, as well as one other. Took a bit of research to find this, since there isn''t a lot of documentation on ants, but there''s also a six-legged version of the Defensive Footwork Skill. These three, along with Predictive Thinking, can all fuse with the Grace Skill at rank four or higher to create the Precognitive Agile Defense Skill.]

    [Ooooooo. Sounds fancy.]

    [It''ll make you lighter on your feet, harder to knock down, recover faster and more coordinated in tight spaces. Combined with your organs and mutations, you''ll be pushing those advantages to their limits.]

    Being hard to hit is one of the best ways to defend yourself. No need to absorb the blow that misses! I''m a fan of this idea. Combined with my sturdy carapace and ting, not to mention my extraordinary regenerative capacity, my multiyered defence will only grow stronger. Am I an ant, or a fortress? MUAHAHAHAHAHA!

    [I can see you like it,] Granin huffs. [For the next, we wanted to focus on the mental side. You''ve been throwing around some pretty mighty spellstely and handling a vast quantity of mana. I know you''ve got a lot of high rank mental abilities, but with a few added pieces, you can make the most of them.]

    [Oh? I didn''t realise I was missing anything significant.]

    [That''s why you came to us in the first ce. We know a lot that you don''t.]

    [Right.]

    [In this case, we suggest you take Concentration, Mana Weave and Divergent Thinking.]

    [I''ve heard of Divergent Thinking. I thought I didn''t need it, due to the brains that I''m packing.]

    [At the time, we thought that way too. You have your multiple brains to help manage the mind constructs necessary for theplex mana maniption you need, but there''s a particr fusion for which the Skill is necessary. Bybining those three, along with Meditation, you receive the Divergent Focus Skill.]

    [Which does what?]

    [Effectively, ityers the benefits of Meditation across each of your brains and constructs, giving a multiplicative boost to focus. A slightly unknown benefit is that adding the Mana Weave Skill into the mix boosts each of those minds in their capacity to manipte mana. This will be almost a requirement if you''re to seed in using the mana after you''ve injected it.]

    [At what rank can I achieve this fusion?]

    [Four.]

    That''s doable.

    [There''s probably some super awesome high rank fusions you''re keeping from me, aren''t there?]

    Granin nods.

    [But what would be the point in me telling you now? It would take years, possibly decades, to achieve them, which won''t help you survive now. If you don''t already have the Skills necessary and aren''t actively using them, then what are the odds you would get them to a sufficient rank?]

    Pretty darn low.

    [You''re subject to the Call, Anthony. We both know what that means. Even if you resist with all your power, you''ll have to go down eventually. It''s dangerous down there, you need strength now.]

    [You aren''t wrong. Thanks for the advice, guys, I really appreciate it.]

    [It''s the least we can do¡­ for the twentieth Ancient,] Granin replies, a little twinkle in his eye.

    [Yeah, yeah. Now, got any advice for my pets? They should be ready to evolve by the time the wave ends.]

 Chapter 1114 1225 - Spendinâ€™

    <h4>Chapter 1114 Chapter 1225 - Spendin¡¯</h4>

    After a lengthy discussion with Granin, Corun and Torrina, the three golgari excuse themselves and head back to the third, but not before promising to continue their painful adaptation process.

    Apparently, there''s a ton of people who are trying to make their way down to the fourth, only the intense levels of mana standing in their way. I have to say, if we had the priests and human soldiers fighting alongside the ants, it would help a lot in holding off the wave, although Snt would have to rebnce her formations all over again.

    In fact¡­ I should probably encourage a group toe down early if they can survive it. The sooner the little general learns to work with our allies as part of her army, the better. It''s not like the Colony will turn its back on our allies, we need all the help we can get!

    With the triad''s valuable knowledge and assistance, I have an idea of what I want to purchase, so I scuttle myself off somewhere I can be alone and start flicking through my menus.

    I grab the full package of Skills they rmended, and then start picking out my mutations. For my mandibles, I pick Savage twice and then reinforce it before hunting down the Gravity Injection mutation, which I take twice and reinforce.

    To implement the idea Torrina had for my acid, I actually find a couple of workable mutations. It probably helps that I''m looking at +35 mutations, which tend to have more bang for the buck, so to speak. In essence, I want my acid to make the target heavier, to weigh them down, which will, in turn, make them more susceptible to my gravity magic. The simplest method is to go for a hyper thick acid, which sounds like it''d be the equivalent of shooting bricks of acid, which are so dense they basically aren''t liquid anymore.

    Thanks to my earlier mutations, the ''bricks'' would stick to the target, burn them, and start to propagate, creating more of the stuff. Thanks to the intense level of concentration, the acid would be more damaging as well, which would help, but it would reduce my rate of ammo production severely. The stimtion nd and Vestibule will help on that front, making this a simple but attractive method to implement the strategy.

    The other method is a little more¡­ odd. Clearly a +35 option, this mutation would imbue the acid with gravitational energy from the jump. Once I fired it and it stuck to the object of my wrath, the acid would then weigh down the monster, the gravity mana pushing it down to the ground.

    Both are nice and would be effective, and it''s kind of nice that I have the option of resetting my acid ndter if I choose one and end up not liking it as much. In the end, I go with the hyper-thick option, mostly because it has the benefit of concentrating the effects the acid already possesses. It''ll burn more, be stickier, eat more mana and propagate faster.

    With the mandible and acid selections locked away, I look at my twotest resets and wonder what I''ll be doing with them. My Gravity Mana nd has undergone quite the transformation, turning into a hard stone sitting inside my carapace that regenerates energy from the gravity of the, which is handy.

    Capacity mutations, at least two of them, are basically a must. Gravity magic takes a hell of a lot of oomph, and although the capacity of the reset organ is a heck of a lot more than when I first received it, there still isn''t enough juice in there for my liking. So two capacity upgrades and I''ll reinforce it, bam.

    I don''t quite have enough Biomass to take this all the way to +30 along with the Nave, however, so I''ll leave it there and turn my attention to the more important organ. Every part of the cathedral within me is a keyponent of what makes me strong right now, so I need to give it my best attention.

    I''ve kind of resigned myself to dedicating the first two mutations to increasing the seating capacity of the Nave and then reinforcing it at fifteen. I''m not sure what effect it has, other than granting memunication with the people in there, but that alone is extremely useful. These days, the number of ces I can go is diminishing as the demands of my core increase, so being able to get in touch with folks regardless of distance is nice.

    But what to do for the mutations between +20 and +30? I''ve got two selections to make and I don''t mind admitting that I''ve got little to no idea what I want to do with them. Before the reset, my default mutation was one that concentrated the energy passing through the Nave. Now that I actually have an Altar as a focus for that energy, that particr mutation might be a heck of a lot better than it was back then, intensifying the effects of the Altar of Self.

    I flick through the list of mutations idly, wondering if I can find something better. There''s a lot of odd stuff when ites to the Nave and I don''t quite understand how a lot of them work. Add Columns to the Nave? What the heck does that even mean? It''s a figurative cathedral! Not a real one!

    ¡­ Right?

    Ah whatever. I''ll take the energy intensifying one, and then look for a new form of mutation when I mutate to +35. There''s bound to be some wild stuff at that level.

    It all adds up to quite a nice little spend, with a swathe of new Skills and hundreds and hundreds of Biomass going out the door.

    Lock it in!

    ...¡­. GRAPPABBALAP!

    STUPID ITCH!

    Name: Anthony

    Level: 35 (Mythic) (VII)

    Might: 380

    Toughness: 342

    Cunning: 228

    Will: 195

    HP: 684/684

    MP: 1100/1100

    Skills:

    General:

    Grandmaster Excavation (V) Level 10; Master Grip (IV) Level 31; Expert Stealth (III) Level 18; Tunnel Compass (IV) Level 30; Iron Mind (V) Level 38; Master Stamina (IV) Level 33; Still Meditation (IV) Level 40; sh Dash (V) Level 28; Expert Predictive Thinking (III) Level 16; Advanced Efficient Movement (II) Level 9; Expert Observance (III) Level 1; Advanced Coordination (II) Level 7; Bnce (I) Level 1; Concentration (I) Level 1; Divergent Thinking (I) Level 1;

    Mana:

    Advanced Mana Craft (VI) Level 33; Condensed Mana (V) Level 18; Grand Finer External Mana Maniption (V) Level 36; Mana Hoarder (V) Level 21; Layered Mind Magic Affinity (V) Level 60; Extended Directed Mana Sensing (V) Level 35; Master Healing Magic Affinity (IV) Level 20; Advanced Omni-Elemental Affinity (VI) Level 55; Advanced Mana Masking (IV) Level 14; Wood Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Metal Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Lightning Magic Affinity (I) Level 1; Advanced Force Magic Affinity (IV) Level 36; Master Barrier Magic Affinity (IV) Level 20; Master Gravity Magic Affinity (IV) Level 2; Mana Weave (I) Level 1;

    Pet:

    Far-Flung Pet Communication (IV) Level 12; Core Crafting (IV) Level 18; Pet Growth Speed (I) Level 5;

    Defensive:

    Divine Exo-Skeleton Defence (VI) Level 26; Grandmaster Dodge (V) Level 22; Grandmaster Endure (V) Level 15; Master Grace (IV) Level 16; Expert Mandible Parry (III) Level 12; Six-Legged Footwork (I) Level 1;

    Offensive:

    Guided Acid Shot (V) Level 12; Grandmaster Precise Shooting (V) Level 16; Void Chomp (VI) Level 40; Expert Chomp Combo (III) Level 15; Spear Charge (III) Level 9;

    Mutations:

    Senses:

    Focal Compound Eyes +30; Future Wave Sight Antennae (Twilight Fment) +30;

    Defence:

    Horizon Intensifying Compression Carapace (Gravity-Compressed Diamond) +35; Regenerating Amp Discer Inner Carapace ting (Boson Agitating Crystal Flesh) +35;

    Physical:

    Fortified Absorption Legs +30; Vicious Injecting Mandibles (Gravity-Compressed Diamond) +30; Hastened Potent Regeneration nd +30; Widespread Stinking Pheromone nd +30; Expanding Discerning Compression Stomach +35; Coiling Hyper-Twitch Muscture +30; Distributed Instantaneous Sub-Neural Network +30;

    Acid:

    Hyper-Thick Spreading Mana-Feasting Bind Acid nd +35; Flexi Hyper Pressurised Scattershot Acid Nozzle +30; Enriching Draining Acid Concentration nd +30; Viscous Enfeebling Acid Stimtion nd +30;

    Mental:

    Indomitable Coordination Cortex +30; Crushing Gravity Well Main Brain +30; Mind Mana Mastery Sub-Brain +30; Mind Mana Mastery Sub-Brain +30; Mind Mana Mastery Sub-Brain +30;

    Mana:

    Bottomless Gravity Magic nd (Resonant Well Stone) +15; Might Infusing Collective Will Vestibule (Soul Crystal) +30; Grand Intensifying Communal Spirit Nave (Soul Crystal) +30; Vast Starborn Altar of Self (Soul Crystal) +30;

    Species: Perfect Paragon

    Skill points: 150

    Biomass: 129

 Chapter 1115 1226 - There Is Only War

    <h4>Chapter 1115 Chapter 1226 - There Is Only War</h4>

    All right! I''m juiced! I''m jacked! I''m fully powered up and ready to go! New Skills to grind, new fusions to chase down and new mutations to get the hang of. By the time the itching finishes running its course and I can get up onto my legs again, the Gravity Mana nd is already kicking into gear, filling up its vast new reservoirs. Feels good!

    Even more impressive are my dangerous and snappy looking mandibles! They didn''t extend as far as I expected, but they certainly are longer, a happy median that I can ept. Aside from the length, they look¡­ well¡­ more savage, I suppose. More choppy and definitely spikier, I should have a much easier time punching through hardened defences with these bad boys.

    I''m convinced the power of the mandibles has a direct effect on the strength of my bite Skills as well, so the Void Chomp should be even stronger now, which could be¡­ a bit much. But what I really can''t wait to test out is my new injection mutation. I have to do a lot of grinding and practice before I''ll be able to use it properly, but I''m pumped up for the challenge!

    Looking over my Skills, I''ve made a lot of progress, but there''s just so many levels to get, hundreds and hundreds of them before I can meaningfully rank up my key abilities. I''m starting to understand what Granin meant when he said there were fusions that would take decades. A rank seven fusion would be¡­ quite the project.

    For now, I need to get back out to the front and into the fight! I''ve got new stuff to test and an entire Dungeon full of monsters to test it on! If they insist on running headlong toward the Colony, then the least they can do is take part in a little experimentation!

    With a spring in my step, I make my way down through the nest and into the lower levels. Apparently, things have been a fair bit calmer on the surface of the indtely, which is good. The Colony has been able to concentrate their efforts down below, which has, along with the reinforcements pouring through the gate, really helped take the pressure off.

    I heard some ants are even getting a day off from the frontlines! Outrageous! At least, they would think so.

    My threepatriots are still down here fighting, but I don''t want to take their experience away, nor do I want to barge in and interrupt Snt as she''s generalling, so I head down another tunnel, my mandibles cking with anticipation.

    When I reach the front, I let the general know I''ll be taking over the tunnel for a little while and push my way past the defenders, apologising to the troops as I go.

    "Excuse me. Sorry about that. Oi, mind the carapace."

    In return, they call out as I pass them by.

    "Finally getting back to work, are you?"

    "Have you been resting, Eldest?"

    "Need some more torpor?"

    "That''s enough of that!" I snap my mandibles at them jokingly. "Why don''t you ckers head back down the tunnel and watch while someone does some real work!"

    When I reach the front of the line, I dash forward, sting back the weird mud creature the ants were busy fighting to give them time to retreat.

    The beast looks a bit like a spider, at least in the number of limbs, but the details are difficult to make out given it is covered in a constantly dripping coating of mud. Perhaps it''s even some form of elemental and there''s nothing inside there? Or is it just producing a newyer of the coating all the time? Ah well, no need to stress about it.

    I raise up my business district and fire a st of my new acid.

    POW! POW! POW!

    Holy smokes! That stings!

    I know I used the idea ofunching bricks as a metaphor for the new acid, but I didn''t expect it to be quite so urate! Launching the hyper-concentrated acid from theunch-zone is¡­ ufortable, but impactful! The creature recoils as the weighty blobs of near-solid acid m into it with tremendous force, prating the outeryer of mud and sizzling away. Not bad. A few more where that came from!

    POW! POW! POW!

    Oof. Yeah, I might need to mutate my Nozzle to better handle ammunition of this calibre.

    Despite the mud coating, the monster is clearly suffering as the acid continues to burn, and indeed, produces more of itself, so it isn''t going away any time soon. In retaliation, the mysterious beast charges forward, its many legs iling before the mud peels back to reveal a ring-shaped maw filled with rotating, diamond tipped fangs. That is terrifying! And shiny!

    Only I am allowed to be that shiny!

    My mandibles peel back, lock into ce, then m forward with unbelievable strength. The Savage mutations show their power as they slice straight through the coating and the spikes dig deep into the flesh beneath.

    Now, witness the power of my venom! Or¡­ mana. Whatever.

    The new mutation works seamlessly as gravity mana flows up from the nd, through the mandibles and directly into the monster before me. The longer I hold on, the more I can force into the beast, but I let go before too long, since holding the bite prevents me from using my mandibles to defend myself from the iling limbs.

    Reaching out with my senses, I can detect the mana I left behind, coiling inside the beast, ready for me to use, but when I try to shift it, it''s like painting a picture while holding the brush with my aura. There''s nothing to grab hold of!

    Well, almost. I can get the mana to move, but it takes a hell of a lot of effort. Forming it into a spell or gravity bomb is just wishful thinking at this stage, but it''s something for me to work towards! It''s great to have goals!

    The monster and I stalk around each other as I dedicate considerable willpower towards manipting the mana inside it. Sadly, the fight ends before I can get the hang of it, my mandibles proving to be enough to finish off the monster. Ah well, plenty more where that came from!

    My mind constructs churn as I work to grind all of my new abilities, and my external mana maniption most of all. Before too long, another beast, maddened and roaring in anger, charges up the tunnel. This time it''s a triceratops-looking thing, except it has lightning crackling all over its horns and its feet are on fire.

    Holy moly. The monsters down here are something else.

 Chapter 1116 1227 - When Endless Battle Becomes Routine

    <h4>Chapter 1116 Chapter 1227 - When Endless Battle Bes Routine</h4>

    The waves in the Dungeon are terrifying urrences, really. I mean, monsters start leaping out the walls and floors, and it can be very difficult to determine when and where that''s going to happen. Not to mention the strata be absolutely flooded with ravenous, crazed beasts, driven into a frenzy by the close proximity of other monsters and the never-ending violence.

    I can only imagine what it''s like elsewhere in the Dungeon, the various kingdoms of humans, ka''armodo, golgari, brathian and whoever else is out there bunkering down to weather the storm. Imagine being a civilian at a time like this! Knowing that there were billions and billions of monsters spawning each and every day, every single one of which would be able to gobble you up like a snack. Spooky.

    The Colony has be a gigantic society of ant monsters with millions of members, but even for us, it''s difficult!

    As the hours pass and the fighting grinds on and on, I catch the scent of many conversations between the various castes, each with their own woes. The healers are still constantly stretched to breaking point, having to ration their healing fluid and magic. Many, many ants are sent to the hospitals with very curable wounds simply because Biomass and time will heal them just fine, saving more scarce resources for the seriously injured.

    And there are lots of seriously injured.

    The monsters of the fourth are unlike anything we''ve seen before. There''s fewer of them, but they are muchrger and stronger than, say, the average shadow beast. Dinosaur-looking things, elemental creatures of pure energy, rhinoceros covered in fire, snakes made of ice. I even fought a gori monster covered in ayer of liquid metal! What the heck is that!? I wish Tiny had seen it. If it impressed him enough, he might actually include some defence in his next evolution.

    From one moment to the next, the ants have no idea what ising for them, forcing them to adapt on the fly, and it isn''t always possible toe out the other side in one piece. It actually scares me because these monsters, created by the waves, are low in level and rank. The real monsters are out there, feasting on the weaker prey, holed up in their own little pockets of territory. What might they be capable of?

    The carvers are annoyed in a less direct way than the healers. During the wave, all of the Colony''s mines, fields and harvesting locations are shut down, out of reach. The ants will dutifully serve the Colony with joy, of course, but they''d rather be crafting, building new nests, toiling away on major infrastructure or working on the millions of artistic projects that pop up all over the fortress than repairing the same walls and traps over and over again.

    Even the core shapers are unhappy. It''s hard for them to leave the nest during a wave, especially in the fourth, so they''re trapped without a lot to do. Some generals are doing a great job folding them into their ranks, seizing on the flexibility that they offer, but others, not so much. So far, the Colony hasn''t settled on a doctrine that includes the core shapers and implemented it Colony-wide, and that might be a blind spot of Victor and Sloan. I''m pleased to see that Snt has leapt at the opportunity, working closely with a team of shapers to craft pets that suit her needs.

    I''m keen to see whates of it.

    "How are you doing out there, Eldest? Need a rest soon?"

    One of the soldiers holding the tunnel behind me calls out. I just finished off a weird smoke leopard thing, so I shift slightly to check the situation behind me. There''s a small taskforce back there, a couple hundred ants, but obviously the generals have sent the bulk of the troops holding this tunnel to other locations to make better use of them. They''ll need a bit of warning before I go and rest to defend this entrance properly.

    "How long have I been out here?" I ask.

    My sense of time is a bit fuzzy. I plonked myself here a while ago, and I''ve just been fighting and eating since then. With so many ants nearby, I simply don''t get tired; my body feels as fresh as a daisy.

    "It''s been a bit over two days, Eldest."

    "Two days?!"

    Yikes. I had no idea. It''s unlike me to work this hard without realising it! I quickly check my Skills and see that I''m getting Levels into the right ces. At least my grinding is paying off, though some are harder to raise than others. My minds are constantly churning the mana around me, and every time I inject a monster with gravity, I strain to bursting in an attempt to weave it. With a little luck, I might hit those fusions before the wave finishes.

    "Yes, Eldest. The generals were wondering if they should relieve you in this location."

    It''s not a good look if everyone else has to rest constantly but I don''t. On the other hand, I''m the only one with my unique method of eliminating fatigue. Still, I should take a break, for appearance''s sake.

    "Tell them I''ll need to be relieved in twelve hours," I instruct, and the soldier dips her antennae before rying the message down the line.

    I''m sure a full army will be here in less than half that time, which is fine.

    It''s amazing how quickly someone can get used to basically endless fighting. Life in the Dungeon is a struggle at the best of times, but right now, during a wave, struggle is the only thing you can do, there isn''t time for anything else.

    I feel a growing disturbance in the gravity around me and waggle my antennae a bit to pinpoint the source. It isn''t easy to track it dow¡ªI''m not that sensitive to gravity, considering how weak a force it is, but I find the spot eventually.

    Shortly after, the stone and dirt explodes outwards, showering me in it and scuffing my precious carapace. A writhing mass of fanged vines erupts from the ground,shing out and trying totch onto me but unable to find purchase on my exo-skeleton. I still have to rapidly shift my head to prevent my eyes from getting bitten, though, and tracking so many moving parts with my future sense is difficult.

    Lousy monster. Get chomped!

    I lunge forward, bringing my mandibles down and shearing through the newborn creature in a single bite, barely even listening to Gandalf reading out the notification.

    It''s going to be like this for a while yet. Weeks maybe. I sigh. May as well get back to it.

 Chapter 1117 1228 - Hold The Line

    <h4>Chapter 1117 Chapter 1228 - Hold The Line</h4>

    Morrelia blinked the sweat and blood from her eyes as she bared her teeth in a snarl of rage. Berserk fury pounded in her veins, empowering every movement, every strike, but also narrowing her vision. Every fibre of muscle yearned to be unleashed, to sh and cut and stab until the fighting was done. However she couldn''t lose herself to the rage like she used to, not anymore. With a monumental effort of Will, she restrained herself, took hold of her own mind and forced it to heel.

    "Reform the line!" she bellowed, tearing her gaze from the monsters in front. "Where''s the cover fire?"

    "Monster spawned behind them, tribune," Gyrex reported, most of his centurion''s plume burned away, "they''ll clean it up shortly."

    "They better," she growled as she shoved her two swords into their sheaths.

    It was teeth-grindingly painful to force herself back from the rage, but she did it, recentring her emotions to that point right on the brink, where she might reenter berserking at any moment. It was a mental exercise she had been forced to improve rapidly, and one that she still struggled with. Apparently, her mother was a master of it, able to dip in and out of rage at the drop of a hat, but Morrelia was far from that level. With her new rank and leadership role, she simply couldn''t berserk as she pleased anymore.

    To her left and right, the massed ranks of the Abyssal Legion stood strong against the tide of monsters. Before them yawned the same opening to the below ground tunnelplex she had been defending for weeks, and in all that time, the Dungeon spawn had never stoppeding.

    "The backline is upied for a few more minutes," she snapped to a runner, "inform the centurions."

    The woman tore off at an incredible pace. She would cover the whole front in under a minute before returning for the next instruction, waiting alongside the other two runners.

    Gyrex yawned widely as another deep roar echoed from the depths before them, rising over the din of battle.

    "Not entertaining enough for you, centurion?" Morrelia asked, an eyebrow quirked in irritation.

    "I haven''t had a full night''s sleep in well over a week, tribune," he excused himself. "Surely, a brief yawn can be forgiven."

    "Life would be great if we could get eight hours a day, but sadly, we don''t have the numbers for that."

    A curious expression flickered across the man''s face.

    "Why do you suggest eight hours? I could sleep ten, personally."

    She grunted as her eyes ran up and down the line, assessing how her soldiers were doing.

    "Seems like a good number. I want the fourth and fifth reserve groupmitted to the blue line," she snapped, judging that area needed reinforcement.

    "By your will, tribune," Gyrex said, turning to the runners. Before he could speak, Morrelia interrupted.

    "You go with them. Some more time on the front should shake you out of your fatigue."

    "Yes, tribune!" Gyrex snapped out a crisp salute and she chuckled with amusement as he rushed off to the front.

    With her advisor gone for the time being, she returned to her contemtion of the fighting, wondering at what point she had be so ustomed to the grim calculus of war. Aside from those precious moments where she permitted herself to fight, she was immersed in the role of a leader, her mind running constantly as she fretted over tactics, the condition of her troops, the odds stacked against them and the never ending logistical nightmare of maintaining an army in the field.

    How had her mother ever been able to stand it? Despite being her daughter, or perhaps because of it, she knew better than most just how much the famed berserker hated everything that took herself away from the frontline.

    Nevertheless, Minerva had not only managed to cope with the demands of leadership, but excel, as she always did, to the point she had been appointed as Consul. It may be difficult for her to admit, but Morrelia was self aware enough to understand she was more like her father.

    Commander Titus had attacked his duties with the same grim determination he attacked everything in life, and she found herself modelling her decisions more and more on his patterns. Namely, as simple and straightforward as was possible.

    She found herself tightening her hands into fists repeatedly and forced herself to stop. It was a bad habit and disyed ack of confidence to the legionaries. Instead, she folded her hands across her chest and tried to look stoic as she watched the fighting unfold. The reinforcements crashed into the battle, shoring up the weakness in the line, which held long enough for the archers and mages to start firing once again. With the added support, the line stabilised, giving a much needed reprieve to the exhausted legion.

    "Gear check for everyone with the time," she snapped to another runner.

    Armour could malfunction and weapons could crack in the heat of battle. She''d lost too many that way already.

    Once more, the roar echoed up from the tunnel, closer this time, and Morrelia closed her eyes, listening. A dragon type? A mythic beast type? Thetter, she thought. Her hands reached for the hilts of her two des.

    "Bring Gyrex back to themand post," she ordered, "and inform him I''ll be on the front."

    "Yes, tribune," the next runner in line saluted before sprinting away.

    Morrelia drew a deep breath, focusing as she drew her des and ran forward. The moment she passed thest legionary, she allowed her control to slip and the rage rose up to consume her once again.

    All her fears, all her concerns, were incinerated in the white hot anger that ignited once more, surging along her veins and turning her vision red. As the giant beast forced itself up out of the tunnel, jaws snapping, a barrage of sword light met it head on.

 Chapter 1118 1229 - Travelling As Always

    <h4>Chapter 1118 Chapter 1229 - Travelling As Always</h4>

    Hello dear readers! It''s been some time, but it is I, Travelling Tolly, at your service to bring you my tumultuous tales from thends of the Colony!

    As we all know, the third stratum isn''t the most weing to tourists. The weather is simply dreadful, the air filled with choking ash and the heat is positively suffocating. Naturally, being the incredibly amodating hosts that I have learned they are, the ants of the Colony have gone to great lengths to make conditions more convivial.

    "They call this ''air conditioning''," Emilia exined to me, pointing to the strange contraption on the wall. "It will keep your room cool for you, and the temperature can be changed ording to the dial on the wall there."

    "How wonderful," I eximed.

    Of course, such technology wasn''t unheard of in the Silver City, but I have learned not to feel superior around the remarkable engineers of the Colony. When I carefully inspected the dial on the wall, I realised I didn''t recognise the measurements.

    "What units does the Colony use to measure temperature?" I asked Emilia, and the young woman smiled.

    "They use different units depending on the task. When smithing and crafting, they use the same universal units as everyone else, but forfort, they measure it in grubs."

    "Grubs?"

    Emilia gestured for me to examine the dial carefully. In the centre of the dial is a 0, and I see I can shift it to the left or right.

    "The default setting is the perfect temperature for rearing grubs. Turn it to the left, and the room will rise in units of grubs, turn to the right and it will grow cooler. One grub is the difference in heat that will add exactly one day to the rearing time ofrvae."

    "Fascinating."

    I was quite chuffed to learn of this little kernel of Colony culture, and I greedily filed it away for you, my dear readers! Of course, such enchanting work is difficult and expensive, so I decided to confirm something with my guide.

    "Just to be certain, does every guest room in the nest have this feature?"

    "Of course," Emelia smiled. "The Colony doesn''t really believe in social hierarchy. All of the guest rooms are the same."

    My guest ''room'' was a well appointed and spacious apartment with a separate bedroom, sitting room and bathroom, but no kitchen. The Colony would never let a guest cook for themselves, or so I''m told.

    "And how many guest rooms are there?"

    "There are fifty thousand rooms in this nest."

    "Of course there are."

    Naturally, since we were here in the third stratum I was excited to see the wonderful sights of the Colony here in this realm of demons! Emilia was only too happy to amodate my requests, though my two guards were growing increasingly nervous the longer this trip went on.

    So what if we are currently surrounded by millions of ants? They''re more likely to bring me a cup of tea than kill me! At this point, I think even if they came to kill me, they would bring scones and cream.

    "The first ce we should visit is the temple," Emilia told me. "Amongst the Colony, this nest is simply called the Roklu nest, but it holds greater significance for us who live alongside them. We call this ce ''Great One''s Descent'', since this is where the Eldest came down to the third stratum, the first ant to ce a w here. It''s considered something of a sacred ce."

    "How interesting! Is the temple here in the nest?"

    "No," she shook her head, "it''s in the city itself."

    I turned to my two guards.

    "You hear that, boys? We''re going to the demon city!"

    They didn''t seem as excited as I thought they should be. Of course, going into a demon city isn''t that unusual. If there''s one good thing about demons, it''s that they don''t discriminate. Anyone can go into a demon city, but you can''t necessarily leave. Especially if you catch the eye of a Kidnapping demon.

    But Emilia onlyughs.

    "You needn''t worry too much. You''ll find Roklu isn''t much like other demon cities."

    And she is so very right.

    The six tes of Roklu are all fully grown, expanding kilometres out from the central pir to create a truly massive city that teems with demons and ants alike. What is truly shocking is that there are even people living here! Not many, to be sure, but still, for any civilian to be willing to live amongst the obsessed demonkind is rather surprising.

    I have to say, readers, Roklu was the most orderly demon city I''ve seen! Wide roads, neat houses and structures. Even the many varied sizes of the demons were amodated! Naturally, everywhere I looked, there were also ants, keeping the peace and ensuring the smooth running of the city.

    However, Emilia didn''t take us to see the various sights in the city, but instead led us directly to the centre of the city where we found the temple Emilia had referred to.

    Naturally, we saw it well before we arrived. The Colony doesn''t seem to believe in doing things by half measures. What was a little surprising were the two gargantuan statues standing guard on either side of the gate that leads to the temple. The two figures nk the gate which opens to a wide set of stairs leading up to the temple itself.

    "Who are these two?" I asked my guide, curious.

    On the left was a young girl, fire burning in both her open palms, and on the right was a heavily built young man, a massive hammer resting on his shoulder.

    "These are the first two of the temple favoured. On the left is Alis, and on the right is Jern. Both of them are celebrated as the first two disciples of the Great One, rising to prominence during the first crusade."

    The first? That certainly piqued my interest!

    "How many crusades were there?"

    "Two dozen."

    "That''s a lot of crusades."

    Emilia blushed.

    "The followers of the Colony tend to be passionate people," she demurred.

    Another question bubbled up, as you knew it would, dear readers!

    "Are Jern and Alis still alive?"

    I''m seeking that exclusive interview, of course!

    Emilia''s smile faltered.

    "They are," she said, "but they are standing guard. I''m afraid it will be all but impossible for you to meet them."

 Chapter 1119 1230 - Travelling As Always

    Chapter 1119 Chapter 1230 - Travelling As Always

    The interior of the temple was as austere andvish as one would expect from the Colony. My dearest reader, the ants have made an artform out of taking the simple and the borate and mashing them together.

    Inside the temple, the columns were enormous and perfectly round, the ceiling was cmitously high with interlocking arches holding up the vaulted roof. The scale was breathtaking, the engineering was magical, the simple elegance was moving. Yet, as was their way, the ants had constructed everything from only the simplest of materials. in stone, unenchanted woods, with nary a hint of gold or silver to be seen.

    Of course, the precision of the work elevated the final result to something incredible. The perfection of every line and curve was pleasing to the soul, and I have to admit, dear reader, that I teared up once I entered into the remarkable structure.

    That was before we stepped a little deeper into the temple and, of course, the ants had covered each and every surface with their now familiar carvings. Beneath my feet, the stones became covered in tiny images of ants so lifelike I feared I crushed a living insect. When Emilia noticed me hopping from foot to foot, she was quick to assure me, bending down to touch the stone to show the carvings.

    ¡°The floor is covered in one giant carving,¡± she exined, ¡°depicting the battle for Roklu as seen from above. The further into the temple we go, the more we will see. Of course, it¡¯s hard to get a sense of the whole thing at once, since it''s sorge, and because the floor is covered with seating and people.¡±

    Indeed, the temple is busy. Very busy! People thronged throughout the building, moving from holy sight to holy sight, bowing and praying at various sconces and statues positioned around the walls of the temple. Busiest of all was the altar at the front. Thousands of pilgrims wearing robes with antennae poking from the hoods knelt there, pressing their heads to the stone floor and rising with their hands held in the air.

    Behind the altar, a man stood, his back to the crowd as he stood with one hand extended towards a grand stained window that stretched a hundred metres from top to bottom.

    ¡°The ss window depicts the Great One,¡± Emilia informed me in a hushed tone, ¡°inbat with the demon leader of Roklu at the time they descended, Grokus. It was a difficult fight, a tier six monster against a tier seven, but the Eldest triumphed with their great power and unique magic. Since that time, the followers of the Great One have never doubted in their capacity to ovee a difference in tiers and fight against more powerful monsters.¡±

    ¡°And who is that at the front of the temple?¡± I asked.

    Emilia nced towards the front and nched before she ducked her head and looked down at the floor.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, dear?¡± I asked her before the young woman reached up with a shaking hand and snatched hold of my neck, forcing my head down.

    ¡°Ack!¡± I released a dignified and extremelydylike note of disagreement.

    Of course, as they say, when in the Silver city, don¡¯t touch any Gold! I will always follow local customs. Who am I to say that olddies don¡¯t have to get their necks seized and heads forced down upon entering the temple?

    ¡°Is this a local custom?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t speak,¡± Emilia breathed back to me, leaning close to my ear so I could hear her. ¡°Have you noticed how quiet it is in here?¡±

    Now that she mentioned it, I noticed that nobody was speaking. Not to say there was silence. So many feet shuffling, so many people bowing and rising, was sure to create some noise, especially when so many people were doing it, but absolutely no one was speaking.

    It is for this reason that mind magic exists, dear reader!

    [Are we not allowed to speak within the temple?] I asked my guide, a little confused. We had been discussing openly, if quietly, earlier.

    [No, it is because of the person at the front of the temple,] she replied. [We shouldn¡¯t evenmunicate like this. I will exin when we are outside. For now, we must visit each sconce in the sequence and then bow at the altar. After that, we can leave.]

    Unwilling to be rude in a foreignnd, I, of course, did as instructed, joining the slowly shuffling throng as they moved about the temple. A fascinating experience indeed! Not only were there humans here on pilgrimage, but also golgari, brathian and even demons! Such an eclectic gathering!

    Each of the various alcoves and sconces contained a heart-clenchingly rendered portrayal of the Colony during its time in the third stratum. Assaulting various cities, fighting various battles, often with demons by their sides. The raising of the great nest below us, conflict with the ka¡¯armodo neighbours, the firing of the great mountain forge. Such stirring sights, dear reader!

    Of course, everyone had their heads down respectfully and refrained from speaking as wepleted our tour. Eventually, we made our way up to the altar, where Emilia silently guided us in bowing and raising our hands.

    Now, don¡¯t me me, reader. You know how I am! I have the utmost respect for local customs, the utmost! Was it not Travelling Tolly who dared traverse naked through the jungles of Witna Ind? Was it not Travelling Tolly who ate nothing but snake eyeballs for two weeks when sailing with the Reptile Hunters of Parthax?

    But I couldn¡¯t help myself! I HAD to take a peek, of course I did! My curiosity knows no bounds! And in my defence, Emilia hadn¡¯t specifically instructed me that one shouldn¡¯t nce at the robed figure.

    So I did.

    There wasn¡¯t much to see, unfortunately. The figure wore a white robe with long antennae rising proudly from the hood, which was up. Since they had their back to me, there was precious little I could make out. One hand was held up, extended towards the great stained-ss window, the other¡­ well, there wasn¡¯t another. It appeared that this person was missing an arm, which was rather unfortunate.

    When we reached the outside, Emilia was more than happy to exin what had taken ce inside.

    ¡°I do apologise for grabbing you like that,¡± she said, almost tearfully. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    ¡°Not at all, my dear!¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m as tough as tree roots. Don¡¯t you worry.¡±

    It¡¯s true, dear reader! Very true!

    The person we had seen was, in fact, a very holy and respected figure amongst those who followed the Colony. A leader, both civically and spiritually, since the founding of Renewal.

    My soul burned to speak with him! What stories could he tell, stories that none outside of thesends had ever heard?! Sadly, it was impossible, as Emilia exined.

    ¡°He has taken a vow of silence,¡± she said, a downcast look on her face. ¡°He does not speak, and will not, until the Great One emerges once again. Out of respect, it has be custom not to speak in his presence.¡±

 Chapter 1120 1231 - Good Olâ€™ Poison

    Chapter 1120 Chapter 1231 - Good Ol¡¯ Poison

    Two weeks into the wave and all I¡¯ve been doing is grinding. Now, I¡¯m as big a fan of grinding Skills as the next person. In fact, my dedication to mindless repetitive tasks has be legendary all throughout thends! Anthony the dedicated, they call me!

    Gah. Even the self-help pep talk is failing to do anything at this point. My three loyal associates are doing their best to get all the Levels they can and I don¡¯t want to interfere, so what can I do other than sit here and fight, grinding my own Skills as I push towards my new fusions? Perhaps it¡¯s a character w, but I seriously struggle with this repetitive grinding! My brain doesn¡¯t want to sit still! Having multiple brains, each controlling multiple mind constructs, doesn¡¯t help the problem, it makes it worse!

    Can you even imagine what it¡¯s like to be bored in thirty-six different brains?!

    I¡¯m literally hanging off the roof, juggling fireballs off shields while rolling balls of rock through an obstacle course using force magic and I¡¯m booooooooored!

    Of course, that¡¯s not all I¡¯m doing. Whenever a new monster rolls up the tunnel or pops out of the wall, I¡¯m forced to enterbat and dispose of them, which happens every few minutes. Then there¡¯s the mind-bendingly difficult external mana maniption practice I¡¯m putting myself through, burning my brains to try and move mana inside my opponents, or shift the energy at the very limits of my range. It¡¯s exhausting work, only it <em>isn¡¯t</em> because I can¡¯t really get tired.

    When I finally notice the toxic miasma creeping up the tunnel, I¡¯m almost d to see it. Almost.

    ¡°You might all want to move back,¡± I warn the ants behind me.

    It¡¯s on the very edge of my awareness now, a slow moving sense of virulence. When I reach out to take hold of the mana, I can almost feel it trying to cling to me, to infect me via even the touch of my mind.

    Yuck.

    ¡°In fact, you¡¯re probably going to need to spread the word to the others in case they haven¡¯t picked up on it yet. The fifth stratum monsters and mana are arriving.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Eldest!¡±es a snappy reply and I can hear them scurrying off behind me.

    It¡¯s not like we weren¡¯t expecting this. I fought a monster from the fifth before, but this time we are sitting directly over the top of it. With how much that mana loves to spread, I¡¯m not shocked at all to see it sliding on up the tunnels to the bottom of the nest.

    I am NOT looking forward to exploring the fifth stratum. Not even a little bit.

    I wait for more monsters toe, but perhaps unsurprisingly, none appear. With the evil miasma of doom making its way up through the tunnels, I can only assume the regr spawns are getting melted before they have the chance to sniff out the Colony. Which means more time for grinding Skills! Whoo.

    An hourter, I get my first sighting of the goop. The air in the tunnel ahead of me begins to darken and almost¡­ thicken. A green haze wafts about, and not like, a healthy, full of life haze, but more a ¡®melt your face off¡¯ kind of haze.

    Naturally, there¡¯s only one thing to do! Dragon¡¯s Breath!

    My concentrated fire breath spell packs quite the punch, if I do say so myself. The mes rockets forth, burning the ever-loving heck out of everything for over a hundred metres down the tunnel. When the me clears, so has the haze, but it doesn¡¯t take long before it starts to creep back. As if it would be that easy.

    Somewhat because it¡¯s necessary, and somewhat because I¡¯m desperate for something to do, I advance down the tunnel and away from the nest, burning out the toxin where I find it. The stuff is already doing a number on the lower tunnels; the normally abundant life mana, and the abundant grasses, flowers, nts and other cool stuff thates with it, have been subsumed. Everything I find is withered and corrupted, starting to emit the poisonous mana instead of its own natural variety.

    Holy moly. This stuff is seriously gross.

    The ability of this mana to infect whatever ites across is way too potent. How the heck has the fourth managed to stay free of it for so long? Does it only creep up here during a wave and then descend when it''s over? Or do the people here have to actively fight it off constantly?

    At any rate, this is what the Colony is doing all over the base of the nest now. Using whatever means necessary to prevent this invasive mana from entering the fortress, no matter the cost.

    In the process of annihting every hint of poison with Dragon¡¯s Breath, Ie across my first monster in a while. Unfortunately, it¡¯s not something from the fourth.

    The further from the nest I go, the worse the infection is, until I round a corner and find it opens into a cavern, the centre of which contained a pool of water not long ago. I say contained, because that water has been converted into a pool of noxious snot. At least, that¡¯s what it looks like. In fact, the walls, ceiling and cavern are starting to <em>drip</em> with¡­ questionable-looking goop, strands of it sticking and stretching from rock to rock. Already, it looks like I¡¯m in a different stratum altogether!

    That¡¯s when I see it.

    Emerging from the pooles an eyestalk, quickly followed by another. At the tip of each, a burning red orb rotates freely, until they spot me, at which point both lock onto my position and the rest of the creature begins to emerge.

    Imagine a slug the size of a truck. Now make it really wide. Now cover its back in waving tendrils that ooze out a constant flow of bright green goop. That¡¯s pretty much what we got here. The goop is so bright I worry it has more inmon with nuclear waste than it does some sort of slime. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m getting anywhere close to that thing. It shall burn in purifying me.

    Dragon¡¯s Breath!

    The fire roars like its namesake as I bring it to bear upon the slug¡­ thing. I hold it there for a full minute before I release the spell to see what¡¯s left of the disgusting monster.

    To my shock, it appears almostpletely unharmed. Even more shocking, it¡¯s gotten a lot closer! I don¡¯t believe in stereotypes, but shouldn¡¯t you be a lot slower?!

 Chapter 1121 1232 - The Beasts From Below

    Chapter 1121 Chapter 1232 - The Beasts From Below

    Despite my protestations, the slug is surprisingly manoeuvrable, slithering towards me with those burning orbs fixated on my position. Judging by the mana sense I¡¯m getting, this isn¡¯t some freshly spawned creature, but an actual monster from below who¡¯s climbed up for some easy pickings.

    Unfortunately, you aren¡¯t going to find any here! Only death! Your death, specifically!

    Yes, this creature absolutely has a core thrumming away within that slimy body, and I¡¯m not especially sure how I¡¯m going to get at it. I can only assume attempting to eat this thing is going to dissolve my body from the inside out.

    While I¡¯m busy wondering about how I¡¯m going to consume it, the slug is busy attempting to ensure that never happens. The tendrils on its back, dozens and dozens of them, all thicken at the same time, and only my future sense allows me to react in time as they suddenly shoot a wide spray of sizzling acid at me.

    Yikes!

    I scramble backwards up the tunnel as fast as I can as the acid rains down, almost clipping the tip of my antennae. The moment it touches the ground, the thick slime begins to burn into the rock, and then, even more scarily, it begins to spread so quickly I can see it happen! In mere moments, the area I¡¯d been standing in has been converted to a thick coat of steaming goop over which the slug effortlessly glides.

    Not a fan!

    How the heck did it take no damage from the fire attack? I need to study the opponent further! Still assuming that fire is a weakness of these creatures, I spin up multiple minds that begin hurling concentrated balls of me at the creature. The spells streak through the air, crackling with potent heat, only to sink into the slug and dissipate with a rather limp puff sound.

    What the heck? It¡¯s only then I realise that I¡¯m not actually looking at the monster itself, but rather an incredibly thick and denseyer of sludge. The stuff is so dense it looks like flesh! I am not liking this <em>at all</em>. Again, with surprising speed, the slug slithers towards me, and the moment those tendrils start to thicken, I start hightailing it out of there, back up the tunnel and towards the nest.

    I don¡¯t even think it¡¯s aiming for me. By unleashing the acid spray, the monster continues to build a little highway for itself and create an area I can¡¯t really get to without risking my precious feets. The inexorable advance of the slug!

    Fine. If that¡¯s how you want it, try and resist <em>this</em>.

    Using more of my minds, I pull together the mana I need andpress it hard before unleashing another Dragon¡¯s Breath, superheating the tunnel in front of me and evaporating the acid in a second.

    Gweheheheheh! You think you¡¯re fire resistant? Let¡¯s put it to the test! Obviously, I can¡¯t see a thing with a huge jet of fire sting out in front of me, but I can still sense the monster, and now that I¡¯m paying attention, I can tell it¡¯s still advancing, even into the teeth of the me!

    What the heck is with this slug?!

    My future sense screams at me and I roll to the side, cutting off the spell as I scramble.

    A slimy¡­ <em>thing</em> spears through my previous position, topped with a ring of needle-thin teeth. Having missed the target, the slug begins to reel the appendage back, the teeth flexing and gnashing as they slide past me along the ground.

    Despite the appearance to the contrary, I can definitely see that the slug has taken some damage from my fire. Whatever coating it¡¯s using to cover itself is clearly <em>extremely</em> fire resistant, but even though that¡¯s the case, a significant portion of the coating has been burned away at the front.

    However, before my eyes, the stuff is regenerating. That¡¯s just irritating.

    Fair y, slug. Fire is obviously an inefficient way to deal with you. I credit your evolution and mutation choices. You¡¯ve ovee this weakness in spades.

    Now, how do you feel about ck holes?

    <strong>HOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLLL!!!!!</strong>

    Not nearly a full power version; nevertheless, the gravity bomb rips through the air toward the slug as I scrabble backwards to gain some distance. I didn¡¯t even bother infusing this one with the altar since it¡¯s too close to the nest, and to me, but I trust that it¡¯ll still get the job done.

    Too slow to dodge, the slug gets hit right in the face, trusting its dense coating will be enough to protect it from the fury of my spell. Not the case, as it turns out. When the gravity bomb expands and begins to pull in and shred everything it touches, the slug is no exception. Halfway through the spell¡¯s duration, the sweet experience notification rings out in my mind.

    <strong>[You have defeated ultus Toxicus Limax (V) Level 32.]</strong>

    <strong>[You have gained XP.]</strong>

    When the spell fades and I release my tight grip on the stone, I immediately skitter towards the impact zone. What I find is a little surprising, and disturbing.

    The slug <em>wasn¡¯t</em> fully consumed by the gravity bomb. I can see the real body of the creature now, barely a fifth of the monster¡¯s full, coated size. The eye stalks were real, but are far longer than I initially thought, extending through all that slime to the outside. Unsurprisingly, the real body is still sluggy, without arms or legs, but with a series of those strange, ringed-tooth spears dangling from its face.

    Missing a good chunk out of the middle of its body, the slug couldn¡¯t hope to survive, but the sludge coating was so thick, or so magic resistant, that it managed to avoid being destroyed by the gravity bomb. Holy moly, that¡¯s new.

    Considering I can¡¯t burn them, or realistically get close enough to bite them, what the heck am I supposed to do, fling bombs at every monster I see?

    And what about the rest of the Colony? What are they going to do?

    This is going to be a major pain in the thorax, I can already tell.

    \n

 Chapter 1122 1233 - Creatures Assault

    Chapter 1122 Chapter 1233 - Creatures Assault

    Soooooo this description is a thing.

    [ultus Toxicus Limax: Hidden Toxic Slug. A hardy, defensive monster used as a forward scout by the Krath tribes. With its dense coating of ascended slime flesh, the Hidden Toxic Slug is difficult to kill, and is capable of changing the environment to better suit itself, and its masters.]

    Actual useful information in the basic profile? Gandalf, you feeling alright? This is most unheard of!

    Of course, information only leads to more questions, but at least I know what direction the investigation is going to go. Who in the name of heck are the Krath? Was this monster a pet? Or do they raise these monsters in the depths somehow? As far as I know, that¡¯s not possible, you can¡¯t get monsters to cooperate unless they have sufficient intelligence or are born from a queen-type pet, like the aphids.

    Ok, actually there¡¯s several ways to get monsters to cooperate with you.

    I grab hold of the core and examine it. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t chewed up by the gravity bomb. Interestingly, the monster seems pretty well designed, either by the Dungeon or the Krath. Most of its evolutionary potential is bound up within its two main functions, the terraforming acid spray and its hyper defensive slime coat. Looking at the details of it, outside of me sitting in its acid for a prolonged period of time, or stabbing me through the eyeball with the mouth-spear, there wasn¡¯t much chance the thing would have been able to hurt me.

    If I¡¯d been willing to get close enough, an empowered void chomp would likely do the trick in one shot. Still, the benefit of being born in the deeper strata of the Dungeon is alive and well with these damn slugs. Just imagining a world in which every ant is born with a diamond carapace out of the gate, or other powerful alternate materials, makes me green with envy. Well, if these slugs think they can slide up here and take on the Colony, they¡¯ve got another thinking.

    I take a bit of time to roast the heck out of the tunnel before me again, burning away the goop and slime, including boiling the slime pool to nothing. Hopefully it fills up with water again soon.

    Job done, I rush back to the troops waiting at the tunnel to report what I''ve seen.

    ¡°Creepy slug thing! Hard to kill! Someone take this core to the generals!¡±

    The ants look vaguely confused as I unload my perfect and clear description upon them.

    ¡°Uhh, sure, Eldest. We¡¯ll get someone to run that core to themand centre straight away.¡±

    ¡°I want a report of what¡¯s happening in the other tunnels as well. The monsters from the fifth are pushing up and it seems like they might be organised rather than random attacks.¡±

    When I organise my thoughts I realise that this situation might be worse than I initially thought. Could this be a full on assault by a civilisation buried deep in the fifth? Or does this happen all the time? Dammit. I really wish I could talk to the brathian again, although it might not be a good idea to reveal a weakness orck of knowledge to them.

    There¡¯s nothing for it¡­ I¡¯m going to have to ask the tree. Hopefully, I can get the branchies to answer my questions so I don¡¯t have to talk to the Mother Tree herself. She¡¯s always¡­ difficult.

    ¡°You guys will have to take over the tunnel for a bit,¡± I tell the soldier eventually.

    Of course, handover isn¡¯t quite that simple and it¡¯s ten minutes before I can leave my post and make my way deeper into the nest. Before long, some runnerse and give me a clear picture of what¡¯s going on around the ce.

    The rising poison mana has been seen pretty much all over. Only a few tunnels, closer to the surface, arepletely free from the taint, and slug monsters, along with poison frogs and other nasty things, have already been encountered. So far, the Colony is trying to solve the problem with overwhelming firepower and numbers, which usually works pretty darn well for us. The monster I fought has only been fought in two other tunnels, luckily. Tiny was able to roast one with lightning, then finish it off with his devastating punches. The other was brought down by over a hundred mages using earth andva magic to trap and cook it, then stabbing through the coating with hardened spears ofpressed rock.

    Perhaps we need our battle mages to start training in more advanced elements¡­. If lightning works as well as it sounds, that could be the solution.

    I ponder the issue as I scuttle through the long tunnels as quickly as I can. There¡¯s only one long tunnel that the Colony hasmitted to keeping open outside of the nest and it connects our mountain fortress to the territory imed by the Mother Tree and her children. Thankfully, it¡¯s high up and rtively isted, so there isn¡¯t <em>too</em> much trouble I have to punch through before I reach the garden-infested underground.

    Before too long, I run into arge bruan¡¯chii keeper tending to the nts and smiting the monsters emerging from the walls.

    [Thank goodness. Great to see you. How¡¯s things? Life good being a tree-thing? I imagine it is.]

    Therge wooden creature turns to me slowly, blinking as it sees my giant form upying space within its carefully tended garden.

    [Hmmmm. Greetings, six-legged one. The Mother has told me of your arrival.]

    [Of course she did. I hope she¡¯s in a weing sort of mood?]

    The nts around me writhe and shake,municating her state of mind.

    [Not¡­ really,] the keeper informs me.

    [Ok. I¡¯ve just got a few quick questions, then I¡¯m out of your¡­ vines. Is that alright? It¡¯s about the wave.]

    The Keeper seems to be listening to something, his head cocked to the side.

    [You can ask, and hopefully I can answer you,] he says finally.

    [It¡¯s about the slugs, the Krath? And the toxic mana from the fifth stratum. I¡¯ve fought monsters from down there before, but I¡¯ve never heard any mention of these Krath.]

    The big tree stands silent for a moment, then he nods.

    [I am permitted to answer. The Mother does not like those of whom you speak.]

    The nts around me writhe violently again.

    Does she like anyone, though?

 Chapter 1123 1234 - Slug Supremacy

    Chapter 1123 Chapter 1234 -Slug Supremacy

    [Mother is beginning to recover the energy she spent in our defence,] the keeper noted happily, running his long, root-like fingers across the nearby flowers. [Biomass is umting steadily, but more importantly, her rootwork is bringing in vastly more mana now.]

    [That¡¯s great news. I suppose.]

    Technically, the Mother Tree is an ally of ours, so if she¡¯s doing well, then that¡¯s great. If only she wasn¡¯t so petty, I wouldn¡¯t worry about her regaining her strength. At any moment, I expect a vine to creep out and trip me up, just so she canugh at me.

    Lousy tree.

    All around us, the chamber is bursting with life, and sometimes I have to remind myself that everything I see is an extension of the one monster. This garden is a part of her body, created to harvest mana and biomass, then funnel it all back to her main body. I have to say, life is very different for a nt-type monster. Being able to spread herself out over multiple strata is pretty darn sweet.

    [Is she raking in the experience as well? From what I understand, she¡¯s been this way for quite a while now. She must be getting close to her next evolution, right?]

    The keeper shakes his head, a little sadly.

    [Our Mother does not intend to evolve any further. Hmmmmm. The ideal living conditions for us, her children, are here on the fourth. If she were to evolve, she would be forced deeper into the Dungeon, and we would follow her.]

    That¡¯s a little unexpected. I gather she spent a lot of her evolutionary potential to be capable of creating the bruan¡¯chii, which means she¡¯s probablycking a bit on thebat side of the equation.

    [So she¡¯s deliberately leaving herself vulnerable? There¡¯s a chance she¡¯ll get attacked again.]

    [We are very concerned, but she will not listen to us. This is why we have been pushing to forge more alliances, like we did with the Folk. Your Colony arrived at the perfect time and we are very grateful to you. Our Mother is¡­ less inclined. She generally doesn¡¯t trust monsters.]

    I¡¯m about to retort ¡®but <em>she¡¯s</em> a monster!¡¯ when I realise that¡¯s exactly the reason. She knows how motivated we are by Biomass and experience. Luckily for her, the Colony is so united and without rogue elements. I could easily imagine some monster scheming to take down the tree and convincing others to go along with the n.

    [The Krath,] I steer the conversation back to what I need to know. [All I know about them is that they¡¯re some kind of slug tribe in the fifth, and I only know that much because I got it from a basic profile. I fought a tough slug creature that they use as a forward scout or something? Are they invading, or is this normal behaviour?]

    Even in the wooden expression of a keeper, I can inly see the distaste he has for these sluggos.

    [The Krath are the dominant intelligent monster species in the fifth,] he exins, [and they are dreadful, horrible creatures. Cruel, conniving and insidious, they delight in the suffering of others. Their tribes are nomadic, constantly raiding and fighting each other, subjecting the captives to slow, painful deaths. During a wave, they will always try to extend their reach into the fourth. They are looking for captives that they can drag back and throw into their sludge pools.]

    Uhhh¡­ gross. These slugs sound like a serious pain in the backside.

    [Why are they trying to dunk people in pools of goop? They get augh out of it? Is the pool acid and it melts us?]

    The tree shakes his head, real anger burning in his eyes.

    [The pools are filled with an invasive and corrupting mana. Whatever is subjected to it will be twisted in mind and body, transformed into a loyal minion of the Krath. Even now, we fight the Krath below the roots of our Mother, and bruan¡¯chii have been taken many times in the past. We hunt them down and put them to rest, every time.]

    I get the feeling that doing soes at quite the cost.

    Mind controlling, body morphing sludge pools of doom? This is nasty stuff! What the heck is going on down in the fifth?! The true horror of what I¡¯m being told only strikes when I realise what might happen if they get ahold of one of us. One of the Colony.

    Any ant could evolve into a Queen if they really wanted to. If I wanted to add a full set of egg production organs in my next evolution, it would barely scratch my evolutionary energy. A high tier ant, going from five to six, or maybe even four to five, could do the same.

    Would the Krath be able to produce an entire ve race of corrupted ants from just a single captive?

    ¡°Nards,¡± I mutter.

    [Well, thanks for the tip. Could have told us this before, though, might havee in handy.]

    [You didn¡¯t ask,] the keeper shrugs. [We assumed you already knew. Fighting off the Krath is amon urrence here in the fourth. It happens every wave, all over the Dungeon.]

    So basically every empire in the entire stratum is currently engaged in this activity. Good to know.

    [Alright. Tell your Mother I said¡­ hello. I¡¯m d to hear she¡¯s doing well.]

    So saying, I rush back to the Colony. This is something we are going to have to handle very, very carefully.

 Chapter 1124 1235 - Slime Patrol

    <h4>Chapter 1124 Chapter 1235 - Slime Patrol</h4>

    "This is disturbing news, Eldest," Sloan and Victor don''t look pleased with what I have to say.

    "Apparently, this is going on everywhere in the stratum right now, but as monsters, we are especially vulnerable."

    The two generals nod as they ponder this issue. The idea of having a hostile monster group raising a corrupted Colony to fight against us is certainly not a wee one.

    "We will take every precaution to prevent someone from being taken, and implement checks to ensure we can act swiftly to recover any of our family who are¡­ but¡­"

    The two look very ufortable as Sloanys this out.

    "But what?" I ask, impatient.

    "It''s impossible that we would be able to seed forever. Even if we get through two, three, ten waves without a single member of the Colony being captured, they only have to seed once. In the long term, defence is not a viable strategy."

    I can see what they mean. We can fend off the Krath here in the fourth ten thousand times, but they only have to seed a single time, drag a captive away and throw them into the sludge. From there, it''s only a hop, step and a jump to creating their own colony.

    "We have to go on the offensive," I say the thought out loud, and the two generals agree solemnly.

    "Eradication of the Krath is our only viable path forward. We must exterminate them from the Dungeonpletely."

    From what I understand, the fifth is apletely corruptedyer of the Dungeon, hostile to life in an almostically extreme way. It''s going to be horrendous fighting down there, and without losing a single ant in the process¡­

    There''s only one general who I think is going to be capable of making the hard decisions to run a campaign like that.

    "It''s going to take time for us to prep something like this," I tell the generals, "so let''s do our best in the meantime, but start nning now. One thing I want to establish at the outset, I think Snt should be the one in charge of the fight. It''ll be unconventional, and our opponents are renowned for their slipperiness and cruelty. We need an unconventional general."

    I won''t straight up tell them to use Snt, I''m not in charge of the Colony and I don''t want to be, but I definitely think they should give her strong consideration. I know the generals are reluctant to put their trust in the little general due to the odd way she thinks, but we''re talking about the ant who was prepared to poison the Eldest in order to win. To achieve victory in the fifth, that''s exactly the attitude we need.

    "I''m going to try and position myself centrally," I tell them. "When there''s a tough slug monster, send for me and I''ll take care of it."

    "That will help a great deal. Thank you, Eldest."

    So saying, I find a spot out of the way and park myself down in the central chamber beneath the nest. I''m not exactly close to the front lines here, but at least I''m equally far from them. I reach out to my threepanions to inform them of the situation.

    [If you run into any dangerous beasts from the fifth, be especially careful when engaging with them. If you have trouble driving them back, call for me and I''lle help. Don''t think that what we''ve seen so far is as bad as it''s going to get.]

    [These filth are disgusting, Master,] Crinis sniffs. [They leave disgusting slime and putrid mana everywhere they go.]

    [I get the feeling they do their best to spread it as much as they can; makes it easier for them to fight. That''s a good point actually, if you can safely burn off or otherwise destroy the terrain advantage, then make sure you do, but not at the expense of draining your resources too much. Got that, Tiny?]

    [W-what?] the big ape grunts.

    [Don''t use all your lightning burning off slime and goop, alright? You''ll struggle to fight against those monsters without it.]

    [Punch.]

    [Tiny...]

    [Punch!] he insists.

    [I''m not underestimating your fists, big guy, I know you''ve got some firepower in those cannons, but if you get that close, you make yourself vulnerable to poison shenanigans. You have to be careful against these monsters, they don''t fight fair.]

    There''s a brooding silence from the big ape before he replies.

    [Okay,] he grunts. [Will be careful.]

    That''s about as good as I''m going to get from him.

    [You be careful too, Crinis. If you stick a tentacle into one of these creatures, they might poison you through it.]

    [I''ve already had to cut off several of my own limbs, Master.]

    [Oooookay. Well¡­ make sure you don''t run out of shadow flesh, then. Invidia, you should be fine if you just keep blowing everything up or melting it with your eyeser.]

    [Thessssseeeee beastsssss. Too greeeeedy.]

    [Yeah, I''m not a fan of them either, buddy. Give them the business for me.]

    [Yessssss. They shallsssss be mineeeee!]

    A bit unusual for Invidia to be making a moral judgement about the monsters he fights, but hey, the Krath suck, what can I say? How impressive, they even managed to get an Envy demon to think they''re terrible. Perhaps I should apud.

    After making sure my preciousrades are aware of what''sing, I turn my attention to the Vestibule and what it has to tell me. Naturally, I want to focus on the battles my siblings are undergoing against the fifth stratum monsters, but something else catches my eye and distracts me.

    Stupid guards. They''re multiplying!

    Where before I had two stern golden statues taking up residence within the Nave, now there are four. Two more people have picked up these strange sses, and I''ve got no doubt that they are part of that pilgrimage gone wrong. That damned priest, he''s never going to stop causing me issues! If I could get him to shut his mouth for a week, I''d be satisfied.

    I don''t have time to deal with it now. I''ve got other things to focus on. First off, let''s see how Snt is going.

 Chapter 1125 1236 - Unique Problems, Unique Solutions

    <h4>Chapter 1125 Chapter 1236 - Unique Problems, Unique Solutions</h4>

    Snt watched the battle unfold from amongst the very thick of it. Close enough to the front that her own mandibles had seen their fair share of action, she looked into the jaws of the enemy and directed the fighting from amongst the thick of it.

    "Burn and slide," she ordered.

    "BURN AND SLIDE!" roared the troops around her.

    Instantly, powerful blue mes erupted, igniting the air in front of the line. Monsters cried out in the heat, but the mes continued; they had learned not to underestimate these creatures.

    For a further ten seconds, the mages continued to burn the tunnel as the soldiers and scouts massed behind them with generals for support.

    At the same instant, every mage cut off their burst to reveal the tunnel ahead had be a searing wastnd, the rocks still smouldering as they glowed cherry red.

    For a single second, the ant force assessed the field ahead of them, thenunched their slide manoeuvre. Soldiers dashed, forcing their bodies forward, building speed until the front rank lifted their legspletely off the ground, held aloft by the momentum of the ants locked behind them. The moment they cleared the searing stone, their feet touched the ground again and the soldiers behind lifted their feet. Across the walls and ceiling, the scouts and generals surged, mandibles gnashing.

    Snt had found that fire, while not sufficient to burn through the sturdy defences these monsters coated themselves with, did slow them down. Burning away the outeryer of sludge and clearing the rock allowed the ants room to approach and attack with their natural weapons.

    An advancing wall of chitin and burning ant willpower, the leading soldiers dove forward, mming into the slug monster and gripping tight with their jaws. Acid hissed and steam filled the air, but the soldiers endured. From the nks, the ants came,tching on and cutting deep with their jaws.

    The slug pulsed, preparing to release an explosion of acid and slime, but it was toote, Snt was already in control. In one smooth motion, the soldiers, scouts and generals rotated around the tunnel like the hands of a human clock, flipping the monster onto its back. Far from the devastating barrage of goop, the creature unleashed the acid directly onto the stone floor of the cavern. With its belly exposed, the remaining ants dove on its weakness, jaws scissoring and tearing through the burning protective flesh until they found the true creature within.

    "Ice and Fire, two kilometres," Snt ordered, "retreat and triage. I want itpleted in five minutes this time."

    The ants didn''t salute, Snt considered it a waste of precious seconds, instead they simply leapt to their task. The mages, apanied by their dedicated support troops, rushed to the front and began to work their elemental magic to push back the corrupted mana. Freezing followed by burning had proven to be far more effective than pure me when purging the sludge the monsters of the fifth left behind, but such rapid cooling and heating of the rock was dangerous. Since it wasn''t in the Colony''s best interest to destabilise the tunnels, they had to use this technique judiciously.

    After all, if they copsed and closed off the nest, that would stop all the experience, cores and Biomass from wandering up to them!

    Thousands of ants rushed in many directions, yet there was no chaos, it was almost a dance, as ants filed into neat lines with perfect synchronisation, flowing between each other with effortless timing. The more time she spent with them and the more time they drilled, the smoother each and every movement became. Snt felt true joy spark in her carapace as she watched the wless execution of their drills.

    Truly, it was on the training ground that wars were won.

    Using their mandibles to dissect and defeat the slug foes had proven to be the fastest and most effective method, yet it wasn''t without cost. Stoic and determined, the soldiers and scouts who had closed with the beast marched back to safety, despite the heavy burn wounds they suffered. As they passed, each was sted with water magic to cleanse them of the offending slime and doused in healing fluid to kick-start the mending process.

    With proper treatment, they would be back on the frontlines in only a few hours, but having to rotate so many members of the army was putting a great deal of extra strain on Snt''s troops.

    A more permanent solution was needed. She needed a tactic, method, or tool that more specifically countered these sludge monsters, something more efficient and targeted.

    Fortunately, the Eldest, in their wisdom, had the foresight to ensure the Colony would always have a method to conjure solutions at a time like this. Snt had spent a great deal of time working with the core shaperstely. There were many things they could be used for in specific niche roles, something the ants weren''t always suited to do. Now here was a monster that was difficult for them to defeat, but that didn''t mean they couldn''t create something that worked.

    When she rotated off the frontline at the end of her shift, Snt bid her troops to continue their drills under the guidance of her broodmates before she set off to speak with the experts.

    Ellie and Be were present in the fortress, having arrived through the gate not that long ago. Snt felt it was time to take her concerns to the two of them directly. Surprisingly, she found the two Council members resting, without anyone demanding their time. When she entered, the two of them sprang up, delighted to have a general enter their chambers.

    "Come in! How nice to see you!" Ellie greeted her.

    "Please, try some tea!" Be encouraged as she guided Snt to a seat.

    "That is¡­ very kind," the little general said as she epted their hospitality.

    It took a little time, but eventually she was able to convince the two she didn''t want cake, or biscuits, and get down to business.

    "I believe that the core shapers are the key to solving our current crisis, and will be of critical importance if the Colony is to make any headway moving into the fifth stratum," Snt said. "The monsters we currently face are difficult for us to fight directly, and we are yet to see the true might of the fifth, so it will only get worse. We need solutions that only you can provide, dedicated pets that will counter these monsters directly."

    The two Council members looked at her soberly for a long time before they copsed into each other, sobbing as they used their forelegs and antennae to embrace.

    "Atst! Our time hase, sister!"

    "The core shapers will rise, atst!"

 Chapter 1126 1237 - Sick of the Slime

    <h4>Chapter 1126 Chapter 1237 - Sick of the Slime</h4>

    The Krath. What can be said of the vicious nightmare creatures of the fifth that hasn''t been said already? The earliest records are confused; so close to the Rending, much was lost in the frantic expansion down into the Dungeon. The Empire of Stone and the chal were amongst the first to settle at this depth, but progression stalled like it had run into a brick wall. The fifth was ipatible with life in almost every conceivable way, even the air was poisonous to breathe.

    The chal were the first to solidify their position in the fourth, and perhaps greed took hold of them as they made a strong push to extend their empire ever deeper. Harnessing the immense strength of their empire, they invaded the fifth, only to fail. They met the Krath, and within twenty years, the chal had fallen to ruins; even their holdings within the fourth were lost. ording to schrs, the chal are the only one of the Old Races to be exterminated from Pangera.

    With this example, none have been willing to follow in their footsteps. Instead, they content themselves with their holdings in the fourth, only making slight incursions below and fighting off the slime whenever it tries to rise.

    -?????Excerpt from ''The Wall That Lies Below, Fear of the Fifth'' by Kallor.

    Ah, how wonderful. Tedium of an all new kind. Before, I''d nted myself in one tunnel and fought off the monsters who came my way. It was repetitive and dull, as much as fighting against giant monsters can get dull, I suppose, but now I have an all new problem. The stupid slugs just won''t stoping. My days have devolved into sprinting from tunnel to tunnel and savagely annihting whatever monstrosity I find there using a no-holds-barredbination of Void Chomps and gravity bombs.

    After I burn back the sludge and toxic mana, I return to the central chamber, only to be called out again ten minutester.

    And so on, and so on. Of course, the Colony is getting better at fighting against these horrible monsters, but taking them down without significant injuries is difficult for anyone without overwhelming firepower.

    Vibrant can get the job done, but her followers can''t. Leeroy has been desperate to sortie against them with her braindead brigade, but the generals won''t let them. As heavy and cumbersome as they are, those idiots will just get bogged down in the slime and be unable to extract themselves. Which is exactly why they want to go, obviously.

    I sense the next encroachmenting through the Vestibule even before a runner reaches me, the ant''s determination to fight and win flowing into me and signalling the danger. I lift myself and get to running, speeding my huge frame through the tunnels toward the fight.

    "Eldest! There''s another incursion in tunnel B3!"

    "I''m already on the way, can''t you see that?! Look at me! I''m running!"

    "Better than resting!"

    "Is it, though?"

    I''ve been getting more than my fair share of sass from the ants seeing me resting in the central chamber. Sheesh! Can''t an Eldest get five minutes to take a load of their legs without some smart-ant poking their nose in? Apparently not!

    I keep a couple of minds sifting through the Vestibule and I can tell that this battle is a little more serious than the previous ones. Multiple monsters from the fifth are pushing hard while the ants are doing their best to perform a dying action, keeping damage down and holding off the slime as it creeps toward the nest.

    When I arrive, the tunnel is already a steaming mess of green goop. Through the acrid, stinking steam, I can see the bulbous form of some monster filling the air with noxious gas andunching great waves of sludge towards the Colony''s entrenched position.

    "Pull back and fortify," I tell the army of ants. "I''ll take responsibility for this mess."

    "Understood, Eldest!"

    First thing is first. I gather up my mana, concentrating hard and pushing my brains to their limits before I fire off an unenhanced gravity bomb. With careful aim, I shoot for the maximum distance, and the dreadful ball of doom screams down the tunnel through the steam.

    HOOOOOOOWWLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.

    Chew on that, you lousy sludge-faced boogers. With the bomb covering for me, I unleash the Dragon Breath, burning away the offending mana and slime, advancing behind the jet of absurdly hot mes as they scorch the rock clean. If I''ve learned one thing fighting against these monsters, it''s that you can''t rush things. They''re so toxic, so poisonous, that if they manage to infect you, it''ll take hours for the healers to purge the offending mana. Not to mention, the amount of energy required to cleanse the infection is ten times the amount that went into it! It''s like they''re trying to wage a war of attrition against our healers!

    Obviously, I can heal myself, so it isn''t a drain on the Colony, but it''s a serious pain in the thorax for me! And it stings like heck!

    No, far better to push them back, take away the terrain advantage before tearing them apart with overwhelming force. I''ll work my way closer, use an empowered Void Chomp, and that''ll be the end of it.

    Keeping my distance as the gravity bomb works itself out, I thoroughly cleanse the tunnel, and when the dark sphere of slowly rotating doom fades, I dash forward into the gap, ready to take on allers.

    Of course, what I find there is far from what I expected. The walls, the ceiling, everything is positively dripping with noxious goo, thick strands of mucus-like slime connecting the floor to the roof. In the middle of it all, the bulbous form of the monster I saw before expands before me, puffing up like a blowfish before it pumps out a thick cloud of vile, yellow-green gas.

    Heck. No.

    Even worse, I can see dozens, maybe hundreds of little slugs rushing towards me through the slime, their heads ending in what appear to be sharp, drill-like teeth.

    THERE AIN''T NO WAY. BURN IT ALL TO DEAAAAAATH.

    Gravity Bomb!

    HOOOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!

 Chapter 1127 1238 - Kill it with Fire

    <h4>Chapter 1127 Chapter 1238 - Kill it with Fire</h4>

    Ah, the empowered gravity bomb, infused with the overflowing Will of the Colony via my trusty Altar. Would there ever be a time I didn''t threaten my own life when using this stupid ability?!

    The bomb rips through the air, sucking in everything around it, creating a horrendous wind as the air races to fill in the void. My antennae p wildly as I realise just what I''ve done and scramble to get my precious diamond carapace to safety.

    Six legs scramble, scratching and scrabbling at the dirt as I struggle to turn myself around. I fired the damn thing pretty much point nk, and I barely get my face-hands pointed in the right direction when the spell detonates.

    On the very edge of my peripheral vision, I see the bomb expand right behind me. Even a weak gravity bomb, when empowered by the Altar, can pack a serious punch, and sadly, this one is no different. I flex my legs, my core thrashing with wild energy as I explode forward with an empowered dash!

    Of course, there''s not enough room and I run face first into the wall. Damn it! Can''t these tunnels be a little bit straighter?!

    My face explodes with pain as the impact rattles through my carapace and shakes up my insides, but thankfully no major damage is suffered. My mandibles are stuck about half a metre deep into the rock, though¡­ which is less than ideal.

    HOOOOOOOOWWWWWLLLLLL!!!!

    The spell screams behind me, and I think I get a notification, but I can''t even hear someone talking in my mind through the din. Besides that, my mind is preupied with not being sucked into the swirling void of doom, which is important.

    Come on,e on,e on! Break, you lousy rock!

    I try to yank my head free, only to find that my legs are no longer on the ground. As the ridiculous force of the pull exerts itself on me, my entire body has risen up off the ground!

    I''m dangling in mid-air, with only my mandibles buried in the stone to keep me from falling horizontally to my death!

    Come on, stone, hold! Hold, you lousy rock!

    My minds spin, pumping out earth mana which Ipress before using it to harden the stone around my trusty pinchers. If that stuff breaks, or even worse,es loose from the wall, I''m toast!

    I pull up every drop of mana in my core and shove it through the omni-elemental construct, getting sweet, sweet stone mana out the other end, which I promptly pour out until I''m buried up to the eyeballs in the stuff. It''s terrifying, but I eventually reach an equilibrium, with my body held aloft, being pulled back into the danger zone, but the stone resolutely holding strong.

    When the spell finally fades, my body falls to the ground and I gopletely limp with relief.

    Holy moly.

    I''ve never been that close to the epicentre of a gravity bomb before, and I hope I never am again. That was terrifying! My legs feel like jelly, in fact I''ve got the shivers over my entire body. I''m almost d I couldn''t see directly behind me, peering straight into the void might have been too much for my poor ant heart.

    And now I need to get my face free.

    A Void Chomp manages to do the job, exploding the rock in front of me and showering me with dust and stone chips, several of which poke into my eyes. These soft orbs remain the greatest weakness of my body; I''m going to have to deal with that issue when I next evolve.

    For now, I revel in my freedom and survival. Yes! Cheating death once again, Anthony! You might have had me once, but never twice! Take that!

    Ouch.

    A slight pain runs up my leg and I nce down to see what''s going on, only to find one of those horrific drill-worms hastched onto my right-rear leg. In fact, it hasn''t justtched on, it''s trying to tunnel its way into my leg!

    KILL IT WITH FIRE!

    GRAVITY BO¡ªnow hold it a second¡­ execute n B!

    DRAGON''S BREATH!

    From between my mandiblesunches a roaring jet of me which I resolutely turn on my own leg, searing the little pest in an instant, while also roasting myself in the process.

    How in the name of heck did that damn thing survive? Those slugs are nightmare fuel, I swear to Gandalf, the sight of them is absolutely terrifying. I trigger the regeneration nd to hopefully repair my leg a little faster before I adjust my position and send the searing jet of me down the tunnel. If any more of those things lived through the bomb, then I want them fully roasted.

    Only when the rocks are searing hot and every inch of the remaining goop I can see has evaporated do I dare to start to crawl forward into the wreckage of what the gravity bomb has wrought.

    Not even the stone survived intact, the area is distinctly more spherical than it was before, and right in the middle is a glowing,pressing chunk of stuff that fell when the bomb ended. As for signs of the monster, surprisingly, there are some. The creature was a little lucky in that I didn''t fire the bomb directly towards it, but in front of it, aimed at the little tunnel-slugs. Whatever these things use to grip, be they a ''foot'' like a mollusc uses or some other method, it managed to hold on pretty well, but not quite well enough. Around half of the monster has been blitzed, the rest is a now roasted and steaming mess on the ground.

    Sigh.

    Better get a bite of it so I can check the profile. Eating these things is just as unappealing as fighting them.

 Chapter 1128 1239 - Undelicious

    <h4>Chapter 1128 Chapter 1239 - Undelicious</h4>

    I swear I lose HP when I bite into the thing. I take damage! That''s how toxic these creatures are?! I defeat it using the power of a copsed star and then roast the Biomass with the concentrated heat of a dragon''s breath, and still, it''s so poisonous my mouth stings with pain when I consume it!

    I''m really starting to hate the monsters from the fifth. Like¡­ really hate them. Everyone was all like ''oh, the demons from the third are the WORST, what with all the maiming and killing and obsessive behaviours''. PAH. Absolutely nonsense. The demons were and are great, Al is an absolute legendpared to these horrible things.

    Fortunately, a single mouthful is enough to unlock the basic profile, and a single mouthful is all I''m going to take!

    [Examin Dator: Swarm Host (VI). A deadly branch of the sludge elemental, this creature uses noxious, acidic gas to defend itself, along with its poisonous slime. However, the true threat is the gue drones it nurses within its flesh. These mindless parasites are extremely difficult to remove and will excrete potent toxins directly into the body of their unfortunate victims.]

    Even gandalf thinks these monsters are too much, what the heck.

    Swarm Host, huh? To say I''m not a fan is an absurd understatement. Yet another monstrosity I need to report back to the Colony about so we can avoid having to lop off segments of ant soldiers to remove these horrendous things. I''m not going to lie to you, I''d almost rather monsters from the sixth came up here and started punching us in the face than deal with this nonsense. Invasive toxin drones? Have mercy on me.

    As I trudge back to the nest, I inform myrades about the monster. Tiny strikes me as particrly vulnerable to this type of creature. If one gets onto him before he can burn it off with lightning, he might be in trouble. Only after I natter at him like a worried mother hen does he eventually and begrudgingly agree to be careful.

    Crinis is absolutely scandalised that such monsters exist and that one bit me, then she swears to extract terrible vengeance upon the next one she sees. As long as I don''t see what happens, then I don''t mind. I get the feeling I would have nightmares.

    Invidia is strangely silent when I tell him about it, and it takes me a little while to realise what''s going on in his mind.

    [No, you can''t evolve to be a drone host.]

    [I wantsssss the littlesssssss.]

    [Sorry, I''m putting three legs down on this one, it''s too gross. There''s tons of stuff you want¡­ literally everything, so there was no way it was going to happen in the first ce. You need to start making a list of all the things you want in order of priority, because you only get the top five.]

    The little dude is going to struggle when he evolves, that''s for sure. Putting menu after menu of options he can''t have in front of him is going to be torturous.

    "These monsters sound¡­ disturbing¡­ Eldest."

    "They very much are," I assure Sloan back in the central chamber. "Be extra careful around them, don''t get too close. I also suspect that they may release a final wave of drones when they''re finished off, which is another thing to watch for. Horrible things."

    She cleans her antennae, dragging them through her elbow joints to soothe herself.

    "The fifth stratum only gets more and more difficult for us to manage," she says. "We are going to have to shift our approach to almost everything against these creatures."

    "Adapt and survive," I tell the general. "New enemies means new methods. I suspect that''s only going to get more true the deeper into the Dungeon we get. Monsters will get more powerful and more specialised. We''ll have to adjust on the fly to counter their strengths and exploit their weaknesses."

    I leave the general musing and go back to my post, waiting for word of the next intrusion that I need to get up and deal with.

    And then, this bes my routine for the next week. Increasingly, the tunnels below the nest be filled with goop, slime and deadly monsters from the fifth and I sally forth, with me and gravity to annihte them with extreme force, only to return and rest while I can.

    The more time passes, the more the Colony is required to engage in aggressive countermeasures against the encroaching filth. Burning off the tunnels isn''t enough, even using multiple elements doesn''t cut it. The invading mana is so infectious, even a smidgeon left behind will eventually multiply and begin to spread again. Mages are called in to sweep and decontaminate, purging every speck of poison without remorse. My family are required to perform regr aggressive actions, pushing out from the fortress to drive back the terraforming efforts of the slugs and their virus-like energy.

    Alongside the ever increasing numbers of advanced monsters we see, things are starting to get pinched by the time the week is up. So many ants are rotating through the hospital system that it''s been stretched to breaking point once again. Anyone with only minor acid burns and injuries is being sent back to their resting chambers and told to ''sleep it off'' at this point. Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, the tunnel having the most sess at handling its own business without my intervention is Snt''s. The little general has proven herself to be exceptionally capable at adapting to the situation and continues to hone her brutal level of efficiency down to the wire.

    Sloan and Victor don''t want to admit it, but I can tell they''re impressed by the new Colony champion. Her methods are unorthodox, by the Colony''s standards, but she rates extremely highly on the most important metric of all: results.

 Chapter 1129 1240 - The Little General

    <h4>Chapter 1129 Chapter 1240 - The Little General</h4>

    "We aim to advance in ten minutes. Make sure your squads are ready."

    They had spent a week preparing for this expedition, training, theorising, testing. Be and Ellie had worked overtime, stretching their knowledge of monster anatomy to the very limits, studying the cores of fifth stratum monsters with intense focus.

    Snt''s broodmates acknowledged her instructions and rushed off to carry out her word, only Leonidant remaining behind.

    "How confident are you?" the scout asked.

    "That''s an unusually direct question."

    "These are unusual times."

    "Very true words."

    Snt reflected for a moment.

    "We really havee a long way, haven''t we?" she said, cleaning her antennae carefully. "It wasn''t that long ago the only thing we had to worry about was Tunnel Ball andpleting our training exercises."

    "The Eldest certainly changed that in a hurry."

    The giant ant had thrown Snt and her broodmates into the thick of the conflict at the earliest possible opportunity. It had been a brutal learning curve, for all of them, but they had grown so fast as a result of the change, it was difficult to view it as a bad thing.

    "I believe the Eldest was wise to ce us here," Snt decided. "It''s been an excellent opportunity to develop ourselves and be of use to the family."

    "That doesn''t answer my question. How confident are you?"

    Snt considered the question for a moment.

    "About half," she said finally. "It''s lower than I would like, but we need to start testing our ideas sooner rather thanter. More certainty will be hard toe by without taking a few risks now."

    "We trust you," the scout reassured her general. "I''m sure we''re going to be sessful."

    "Of course," Snt nodded, "we can''t lose."

    With a quick salute, Leonidant rushed off to join the others organising the column. Snt left them to it. She needed to focus on the bigger picture, not spend her time fussing over the minor details before they set out. No matter how much she wanted to. The more she tried to look over their thorax and check their work, the more her broodmates pushed back and told her to find something productive to do.

    The little generalpletely believed in their capabilities, but it was hard to let go sometimes.

    "You really are heading out?"

    Snt turned to see Ellie and Be, the two core shaper Council members, approaching from the nest. Each looked visibly worried, antennae twitching and legs flexing anxiously.

    "We need to know sooner rather thanter if we are on the right track," Snt said. "I believe in the work that you and your caste members havepleted to this point. Without proper assessment, we won''t be able to advance ording to the timetable I haveid out."

    "Timetable?" Ellie asked. "I thought we were working on solutions for the toxic mana and miasma for the wave defence."

    "We are," Snt assured her, eyes focusing down the tunnel, but somehow looking far beyond. "For now, that is what we are doing."

    Leonidant signalled from her ce in the column and Snt turned to the two core shapers.

    "I have to excuse myself, it''s time to depart. I''ll give you a full report the moment we return."

    "Work hard!" Be said. "I hope the pets will do us all proud."

    "I''m sure they will."

    So saying, the little general left the two behind and took her ce amongst the column as it slowly began to move, picking up the pace as the thousands of ants slotted into line. A constant stream of scouts ran forward and back, alerting Snt and the other generals as to the situation further down the tunnel.

    It was grim, as expected.

    Snt had nned to move ten kilometres beyond the defensive line held by the Colony, moving out and down, closer to the fifth, but as reports rolled in, it seemed they would hardly need to travel at all to find what they were looking for.

    Barely ten percent of the way into their journey, the column ground to a halt.

    "Assume standing formation five, but tell the earth mages not to stretch themselves. If things go ording to n, we won''t be here long," Snt instructed, and the runners raced to deliver her orders.

    She moved toward the front of the long line of ants, running a keen eye along the troops as she passed. Was it a trick of the light, or did they straighten when they came under her gaze?

    "It''s even worse than we predicted," Sumant said, indicating forward with one antenna.

    She wasn''t wrong. The Colony regrly burned outward from the defensive line, but the distance had grown shorter and shorter as the wave went on. Now, barely a single kilometre from where they''d started, Snt was confronted with the full scope of what they were up against.

    The slime was everywhere. Thick pools of mucous covered the floor of the tunnel, fibrous strands stretched every which way, forming a spider web of goop. It dripped from the ceiling, slid down the walls. Even the air was contaminated, dense with poisonous, acidic gases that made it difficult to see.

    At this density, the toxic mana of the fifth was basically self-sustaining; the slime produced more of itself, spreading, pooling, growing thicker and more noxious by the hour. If nothing was done, it would creep all the way to the nest and then up through the fortress until it spilled out into the waters that surrounded the mountain. At that point, it would be someone else''s problem, the brathian most likely, who would be forced to clean up and eradicate the mess lest another stratum fall as the fifth had fallen.

    It wouldn''te to that, of course.

    "Any monster sightings?"

    "None, thankfully."

    "Then we can deploy."

    "Already?"

    Snt gestured forwards.

    "Are you offering to walk deeper, Sumant?"

    "I''m¡­ not."

    "Deploy the first wave," Snt gave themand and in moments, the first wave of core shapers assigned to this expeditionary force were by her side, eager to prove their worth.

    The pets, promisingly, looked hungry.

    Be and Ellie, along with their avable caste members, had worked furiously, iterating dozens of times toe up with their current working design. A cross between a type of jellyfish the Colony had found in theke and a caterpir-like grub that feasted on the oversized vegetation that covered the mountainsides of the fourth, they were a weird looking monster.

    Mostly transparent, the monsters were fairlyrge, bigger than all but thergest soldiers. They humped and wiggled along the ground in ungainly fashion at the urging of their core shaper masters. Snt watched intently as a dozen of them first encountered the toxic sludge the Colony was struggling to deal with.

    They leapt at it, hurling themselves into the thickest pools of mucus and sludge, wobbling happily as they settled themselves into it. Almost immediately, their soft blue jelly-like bodies became tainted as the corrupting mana invaded them. The monsters weed it, soaking up the slime until they became a muddy, lurid green from top to bottom. Snt wasn''t sure if the monsters were sessful, or on the verge of breaking down, but the core shapers watched, unmoved, and so she did too.

    It took time, almost five minutes, before the first signs of progress were seen. A faint tint of blue returned, right in the centre of the creatures'' mass. The colour spread across the top half of the monsters until they were divided into a noxious green lower half and a wholesome, shining blue top.

    Then the creatures revealed their faces, wide, cheerful eyes emerging from their jelly forms, along with a number of chubby tendrils that served as their mouths. The appendages were extended, and from the tips, they began to release a steady stream of bright blue gas.

    "Wuff, wuff, wuff, wuff!"

    The new pets seemed to chortle happily as they began to move slowly around the tunnel, soaking up the corruption and releasing their sweet, purified mana into the air in a constant flow.

    "Seems like a sess," Sntmented, her head already swirling with possibilities.

    The invasion of the fifth might just be possible after all.

 Chapter 1130 1241 - Terraforming

    <h4>Chapter 1130 Chapter 1241 - Terraforming</h4>

    It turned out, monsters from the fifth didn''t much like it when you took their slime away. An hour after first deploying the ''Wuffers'', as the ants had begun to call them, much to the annoyance of the core shapers, they saw for the first time how the slugs would react when they saw someone messing with their precious goop.

    How could Snt describe it? They went absolutely, one-hundred percent, without exception, gonzo crazy.

    A fat toad monster hopped around the corner and saw the wuffers happily huffing and puffing, soaking up the slime and purifying it, and grew still. Naturally, the ants had sprung into action, recovering the slow-moving pets and taking up a defensive formation.

    What they didn''t expect was for the frog to unleash a mighty croak, the explosive exhtion filled with mindless rage, before it hurled itself headlong toward the massed ant position. Such was its anger, the monster foughtpletely heedless of its own survival, throwing itself recklessly into the jaws of the soldiers, trying to crush them with its mass whilst itshed out with powerful legs,shing tongue and toxic bile.

    Many were wounded, despite the fight being thousands against one, and Snt was not pleased.

    In the midst of reprimanding her soldiers for their slow reaction, and ming herself for not foreseeing the situation, she sensed something might be a little off, and stared hard into the haze-filled depths before them.

    "Let''s pull back and fortify," she ordered crisply. "I want tunnel fort three dash two constructed in five minutes."

    "That build is allotted seven minutes," her lead carver and fellow broodmate, Subutant, stated.

    "We don''t have seven," Snt replied shortly and the carver dashed away, issuing a flurry of instructions to her fellow builders.

    "What do you see?" Sumant asked, bracing in the frontline along with the other soldiers as they began an ordered, step by step retreat toward the mountain fortifications.

    "That frog would have been heard for kilometres through these tunnels," Snt replied, watching the haze intently.

    "You think it was calling for reinforcements? It didn''t seem that intelligent."

    "I don''t think it was calling for them, but I think they''lle anyway."

    In just a few minutes, the basic outline of the tunnel fort wasplete: sturdy walls, narrow opening, firing lines for spells and acid, along with channels for pulling back the wounded, had all been formed.

    Just in time.

    The ants had barely taken their positions when the haze seemed to thicken, imperceptibly at first, then in a rush, growing so dense that Snt could barely see ten metres in front of her.

    "We need wuffer mist," she ordered, and the core shapers grudgingly responded, the pets raising their tendrils and happily wuffing as they unleashed the sparkling blue vapour.

    It was enough to prevent the miasma from flowing through the gap, but didn''t break through the haze that filled the tunnel in front of them. As it turns out, it didn''t have to.

    Every ant tensed as they heard the first roar, then the second, the third, and more, and more. Squelching, wet gurgles of rage bounced off the slime-coated tunnel walls to reach them as Snt lost count of the different monster calls. There were dozens of them.

    "Ice and fire the tunnel, one minute. Quick!" she snapped.

    Mages dashed forward. The tunnel ahead was swept with an intense blizzard as fifty ice mages coordinated to drop the temperature well below freezing, pelting every surface with a barrage of frozen water. Thirty secondster, they pulled back and the fire mages stepped forward, igniting the air itself in a furious st. Rock groaned and cracked at the rapid temperature shift and the sludge sizzled.

    The monsters screamed even louder, and much, much closer.

    "Brace!" Snt roared as the fire mages cut off the ze at thest second and scuttled backward, huge soldiers rushing forward to take their ce.

    The wall of chitin was four soldiers deep when the first slug arrived, screeching, its circr maw wide open and a ''tongue'' of razor-sharp barbs projecting wildly forward. Prepared for the injuries, the soldiers lunged and chomped, their mandibles sizzling as they bit into the toxic flesh. Heedless of the wounds, the slug pushed forward, discharging a burst of slime from the pores on its back.

    A flood of water from the mages cleaned out much of the goop, but it was stubborn and more than one soldier battled on with a sizzling, clinging patch of goop on their back.

    The core shapers stepped up and their pets came alongside them. Opening their mouths wide, the wuffers shot forth sts of pure gel that clung to the ooze whenever they came into contact, acting to counteract and neutralise the sludge.

    The slug died, still burbling in fury, and the soldiers hastily pulled the Biomass into the temporary fort. The wuffers descended on it with apparent joy, settling atop the remains of the creature and absorbing it.

    "Wuff, wuff, wuff!" they chortled.

    Then came another slug, and another, then a toxin elemental, then a toad, then more, and more and more.

    When it finally finished, Snt''s force had been battered, bruised and almost broken a dozen times. The list of injured ants was far too long, and more than a hundred had fallen in the furious fighting. The price they had paid for the pitiful progress that had been achieved made her want to chalk up the battle as a loss, but in her heart, she knew it had been worth it.

    Piles of fifth stratum Biomass, dozens of cores and the lessons learned were a rich reward indeed, not to mention what they had learned about their new weapons against the sludge.

    Without the purifying mist and gel, it would have been ten times as difficult to hold off the assault. The sludge monsters had willingly thrown their lives away to try and coat the ants with slime and acid, to fill the position with corrupting miasma. Without the wuffers counteracting the poisonous mana, the ants would have been fighting abdomen deep in sludge, a battle they were sure to lose.

    Even more promising, the transparent jelly-caterpirs were only tier three. The next time Snt returned, she was determined they would be tier six.

    "Prepare the retreat," she ordered. "I want the most wounded to be returning under escort in the next two minutes. Everyone who is healthy will remain here and form the defensive line as we pull back."

    She turned to the core shapers.

    "You did extremely well, and your pets have proven invaluable. This expedition has been a resounding sess. Retreat immediately with your charges, I do not want to risk them in the slightest."

    As the core shapers moved away with their strange pets wiggling and humping along beside them, Leonidant, Subutant and Sumant gathered around their general.

    "What do you think just happened, general?" the carver wondered. "We''ve never seen behaviour like that from the fifth''s monsters."

    "I have never been in a fight that intense," Sumant admitted. "We were an antenna''s breadth away from being overrun at the front."

    Snt considered for a while.

    "We aren''t the first to think of cleansing the toxic mana of the fifth," she said, "yet nobody else seems to do it, that we know of, at least. Why do you think that is?"

    "Because the slugs gopletely nuts whenever you try it?" Leonidant muttered.

    Snt nodded.

    "I think so. What we just experienced is but a taste of what awaits us in the fifth. The second we attempt to cleanse a single centimetre of corruption, every monster in a wide radius will rush at us in that same murderous rage."

    Sumant shuddered.

    "That''s terrible."

    "It''s predictable," Snt corrected, cking her mandibles thoughtfully, "and predictable is always to our advantage."

 Chapter 1131 1242 - Waste Not

    <h4>Chapter 1131 Chapter 1242 - Waste Not</h4>

    After Snt returns and the news spreads of the results, there''s a mixed response amongst the Colony. Most of the generals, including Sloan and Victor, are concerned and cautious at the aggravated response of the slugs. So far, these are by a long stretch the most difficult to kill monsters the Colony has encountered.

    The rate of attrition is downright awful. Soldiers, scouts and generals are on a constant rotation, recovering from awful burns to their mandibles. Mages are struggling to prate the slime defence using their basic elemental magic, leading to horrendously inefficient fights where we pour out ten times the amount of energy their opponents use to attack and infect our tunnels. Even the carvers are in fits, since designing defences that keep out the damned slugs and their corruption is proving to be all but impossible.

    Me though? I''m absolutely thrilled.

    We''ve proven that the incredibly infectious mana these monsters spread can be countered. That''s massive. The weird jelly-pirs that Snt, Ellie and Be came up with are pretty much useless for doing anything else, due to just how expensive it is to buy the organs that allow them to perform their cleansing function, but who cares? This is the Colony! We can spoon-feed them xp and cores until the cowse home if we have to.

    I don''t think they should even try to make thembat capable. If they get faster at vacuuming up goop and purifying it, that''s all we need. When they get down to the fifth, they''ll have to absorb literal tons of the stuff, gigalitres of toxic sludge just waiting to be cleansed. If they can counter-terraform, fill an area with self replicating anti-sludge, then they''ll have achieved everything they need to.

    And as for the super aggro response by the slugs? I''m with Snt, that''s excellent.

    "Be, Ellie! Get me your wuff-squad, we''re going out! Youe too."

    "What?" Ellie boggles at me. "Our teams just got back a few hours ago! They need to rest!"

    "Don''t give me that, they weren''t even out for that long. I need you for a few hours, tops, and we need to powerlevel the little jellies anyway. These dudes need another two evolutions at least."

    "But we haven''t prepared for that," Be tries to reason with me. "We need more time to study the organ and Skill options that will maximise their performance."

    "We learn as we go. Hurry up!"

    I''m not to be dissuaded and the two core shapers can only sigh and begin to round up their people as I bounce around eagerly.

    [Crinis, Tiny, Invidia. I need you three to hand off your tunnels ande to me as soon as you can. We''re grouping up and heading out on a quick trip.]

    [Fight?] Tiny asks.

    [Oh, for sure. It''s going to be nuts.]

    [Good,] the big ape huffs, and I can feel his grin over the mental connection.

    [Where are we going, Master? Are you safe?] asks Crinis, suddenly worried.

    [I''m perfectly fine, just get over here.]

    In an hour, all the required parties have gathered and it''s time to depart. The moment Crinis arrives, she glomps onto my carapace, whereas Tiny decides to stomp along beside me, with Invidia riding on his shoulder.

    Behind use the core shapers and their charges, who are, I have to say, rather adorable. Also, pretty dang slow.

    We make our gradual, inexorable way down into the deeper levels, heading down the spiralling tunnel that leads roughly straight down from the fortress.

    Of course, it doesn''t take us long, once we leave the defensive line behind us, to run into corruptednd.

    "Send forth the jelly-slugs!" I demand and the core shapers, somewhat reluctantly,ply.

    As the pets wiggle their way forward, happily huffing and swinging their face tendrils, Ellie, Be and the others watch nervously, knowing what''s going toe next.

    The pets leap into the sludge with reckless joy and I look on, fascinated, as they begin to draw it into themselves and purify it, releasing their cleansing mist from their tendrils. As the mist fills the air, it seems to neutralise the miasma, even wearing away at the slime and mucous that covers the walls.

    Seriously impressive!

    And the second we get spotted, by a slug, it goespletely berserk, gurgling and shrieking as it rushes towards us like a slimy missile.

    VOID CHOMP!

    CRUNCH!

    Naturally, I obliterate it with an empowered void chomp before it can get too close, but soon enough, I can sense the shifting gravity as monsters in the area begin to rush towards us. At this point, I take a step back and urge my three pets forward.

    [Time to get some XP, you three!] I tell them cheerfully. [As long as those jelly things keep working, there''s going to be an endless supply of fifth stratum monsters to fight. So get ready!]

    A broad grin splits Tiny''s face as a fierce, burning light ignites in his eyes. For his part, Invidia reveals his broad, creepy smile, while Crinis rises up from my back, tentacles writhing as she moves forward.

    Soon enough, the torrent of sludge arrives. Heaving masses of liquid goop. Toads as big as I am. Slugs dropping hunter-killer mini-slugs. Even a dense floating cloud of gas with a corees at us. I mean, seriously?

    Naturally, my three allies deal with the problem the only way they know how: extreme overkill.

    Tiny''s punches have only continued to grow stronger as he sends fists of light the size of cars crashing out into the oing beasts, striking down monsters ten metres away from his actual hands.

    Invidia hisses to himself as hesers and explodes everything he can, his minds working like a tireless symphony conducting an opera of boom.

    Crinis¡­ well¡­ we know what Crinis does.

    And whenever they can, I have them fling a barely living monster back for the little jelly-pirs to climb on and deliver the final blow.

    Gweheheheh. This is excellent.

 Chapter 1132 1243 - The Purgening

    <h4>Chapter 1132 Chapter 1243 - The Purgening</h4>

    "Wuff, wuff, wuff."

    I don''t know why, but these new pets the shapers have designed seem to have such a positive outlook on life. There''s a gleam of simple joy in their eyes as they wibble and wobble about the ce, soaking up vile goop and emitting their mist.

    After evolving, they''re a bit bigger, but not by as much as I expected. It makes sense on reflection, what would they need Might for? Or toughness? They have one job, and all their evolutionary energy can go into that.

    "Why did you make these guys so cheerful?" I ask Be as myrades continue to go to war against the enraged fifth stratum beasts in the background.

    "Do they¡­ need your help?" she replies, looking nervously over my shoulder.

    "I''m sure they''re fine."

    "There seems to be a lot of screaming¡­."

    "That''s the slugs."

    I do check before I reply, of course I do, but I snatch my senses away as quickly as I can. Even still, I continue to hear Crinis raving in my mind.

    [FILTH! YOU DARE CONTAMINATE THE MASTER''S AIR! I WILL RIP UNTIL YOU CAN BE RIPPED NO MORE!]

    Shudder.

    "Well¡­ we didn''t, really. I don''t think we spent any time shaping their personalities at all. Perhaps it''se about as a result of their function?"

    "What, as cleaners?"

    She shrugs helplessly with her antennae.

    "I don''t know, Eldest, I legitimately can''t exin it. For whatever reason, they have just¡­e out this way."

    I look again at the little guys, gleefully wibbling into whatever pile of foul, noxious slime they can find and soaking it up like a paper-towel, wuffing away the whole time.

    "Their efficiency has really gone up," I observe, impressed.

    Be flinches as another explosion goes off, probably closer than we would have liked. Invidia hisses with satisfaction as rock and debris trickles down from overhead, so I know it''s fine.

    "Yes, they had evolved just enough to perform their duty when Snt¡­ and you¡­ took them out. Originally, we''d wanted them to have at least reached this stage before field testing."

    "Am I crazy, or is the mist more potent as well?"

    Acting as a counter to the goop, as well as the invidious mana of the fifth, the mist is¡­ difficult to describe. Wherever it touches the poisonous gas, the two just seem to¡­ cancel each other out. As it rises into the air and reaches the strings of mucus attached to the ceiling and walls, it eats away at them until they shrivel up and vanish.

    "That''s their mutations, along with boosting organs they gained at this tier. We thought that the most critical issue for them would be how much cleansing mist they can produce per unit of slime consumed. If they aren''t ahead of that curve, then they need to absorb more slime than they can produce mist. Since the slime is self-propagating, they need to be making much more mist than they are eating slime."

    "Are they ahead of that curve now?"

    "No, it will take another evolution before they are just ahead of breaking even."

    Huh¡­

    Well, from what I can see, the experiment is a raging sess! The wuffers are doing a ster job eating slime, and it just so happens to be summoning an endless buffet of experience for my pets, which is fabulous! I can''t wait to see what their Levels are like once this rampage is done. Fingers crossed they''ll be getting close to the tier seven evolution. In fact, I have my suspicions that Invidia might already be there, or at least very close.

    Man, they really are going crazy over there. The shockwaves from the continuous explosions, punches and the shrieks of Crinis'' victims are absolutely deafening. I think I might need to head over there and check things out.

    "Excuse me for a minute, I''m just going to make sure those three are alright."

    "Of course. N-not at all, Eldest."

    The two scouts are more than happy to let me, remaining behind with the small team of shapers they''ve brought with them, the actual ''masters'', or ''mistresses'', I guess, of the pets.

    I climb my way forward, scoutting carefully over the remaining patches of ooze to find that things are as busy as I thought they were. In fact, I''ve never seen anything quite like this.

    The three of them appear to be almost literally holding back the tide against a tsunami of sludge, slime, frogs and slugs. The tunnel is full of them. Full.

    [Holy moly! Why didn''t you tell me it was getting this bad?!]

    [GOOD FIGHT!] Tiny roars, excitedly.

    [The experience. It ssssshall be minessssss,] Invidia insists.

    [DIEEEEEEEE!] Crinis screams.

    Alright¡­ so they''re getting a bit greedy. That''s fine, we can work with that.

    [Shove over a bit, then, make a little room for me. I''ll help out, and I''ll do my best to make sure that I''m not taking too much of the XP, alright?]

    Tiny and Invidia begrudgingly agree, while Crinis continues to shriek and fight, a forest of tendrilsshing out at the monsters ahead of us.

    Doing my best not to fall, I grip tight to the stone and make my way onto the ceiling, hanging upside down. I hope my grip training pays off here, otherwise I might look very foolish¡­.

    Thankfully, I don''t immediately fall t on my face, and I manage to find an angle I can fire above Tiny''s head and out into the mass of creatures ahead of us.

    I do my best to provide some cover fire, lobbing gobs ofva at the oing tide, sting them with the asional bolt of lightning and generally making a nuisance of myself as best I can. Naturally, throwing gravity bombs in this sort of congestion would be stupid, and defeat the purpose of supporting my allies, since the whole point is to give them the experience.

    The relentless fury of the fifth stratum monsters is something to behold, though. Time and time again, they throw themselves bodily at us, only for Tiny to batter them away, or Crinis to snatch them out of thin air, at thest second. If Leeroy saw this sort of behaviour, she''d think she''s found some kindred spirits! They have no regard for their own lives whatsoever. It''s as if they consider the slime and ooze to be more important than themselves. Weird.

    After an extended period of this, I notice something worrying.

    [Crinis! How low on shadow flesh are you?]

    [DIIIIIIEEEEEE¡ªwait? What?]

    [Shadow flesh? How much do you have?]

    [Oh! I''m¡­ I''m almost out.]

    I was worried about that. The number of tendrils she''s been able to extend has been steadily decreasing for thest five minutes. I immediately start pulling out gravity mana, condensing and shaping it.

    The slugs are a bad matchup for Crinis. She needs to touch them to hurt them, which means she gets poisoned and constantly has to shed the toxified flesh. Her reserves of flesh are massive, but not enough to endlessly sustain herself.

    To be fair, Tiny is looking pretty tired as well. He''s not an endurance athlete, he''s built for maximum power.

    Invidia¡­ seems fine. He can cast spells like this all day.

    [Pull back when I say so,] I warn them, [I''ll drop a gravity field and then we run for it. Ready? Now!]

 Chapter 1133 1244 - The Krath Consider

    <h4>Chapter 1133 Chapter 1244 - The Krath Consider</h4>

    "Something strange is happening," Zluth said, his voice burbling as if rising from the depths of a particrly thick bog.

    "Oh?" Shozzl replied, not particrly interested.

    Zluth continued to operate the array with his numerous, spindly limbs as he leaned closer to the readout.

    "Many of our monsters are being lost under D-6. Too many."

    "Which mountain is D-6 again?"

    "It''s next to D-5."

    "I know it''s next to D-5, you slimeless stooge. How does that help me?"

    The fierce, primal anger that dwelt within all his kind boiled up in Zluth now, hissing within his slug flesh. He suppressed it. Those who surrendered to the rage too often soon found it became more difficult to resist. It was hard to find a role within the tribe when one had a nasty habit of biting off the heads of one''s partners. And those without a role were meat for the pits.

    "D-5 is imed by the tree, hop," he spat, a thick wave of mucus overflowing from his mouth. "Remember now?"

    A little life came into the eyes that had previously drooped on the end of Shozzl''s eyestalks. Life, and hatred.

    "Damn tree. Even now, she defies us."

    Zluth continued to operate the array, but subtly turned one stalk to monitor his partner. She was getting a little too heated, and a little caution was called for.

    "We should go and investigate," he deflected, folding away the device and sliding it within the folds of his protectiveyer of slime flesh.

    "I won''t," Shozzl dered.

    With an irritated burble, Zluth turned to behold his partner, once more allowing herself to sink back into the bubbling acid pool. He cursed. Of all the Krath he could have been partnered with for ranging, he got Shozzl, the most useless drip of slime in the Slee Tribe.

    "If you don''t, I will be forced to report yourx attitude to the shaman," he said acidly.

    Literally acidly, the gas that emerged along with his words would have melted a human face in a tenth of a second.

    "I personally will rejoice as you are digested within the bowels of the Blubbeast, perhaps you will find your spawn mother there. I''m certain she still lives," he concluded, eyes curving into wicked, crescent moons.

    Shozzl shot out of the acid with a chilling shriek, eyestalks zing red with her mindless anger, and Zluth raised his limbs for the contest.

    Ten minutester, his stomach roiled unpleasantly as he slithered through the slime-soaked tunnels, rising up to the fourth stratum.

    Howeverzy and stupid she was, Shozzl had certainly cultivated a potent acid. Zluth''s digestive tract groaned and contorted in pain as it was eaten away and reformed itself, struggling to break down the flesh of his former partner.

    "Just what is going on up here?" he muttered to himself, checking the readings on his detection array once more.

    The monsters spawned above were going absolutely berserk, which only happened when someone tampered with the blessed filth of the fifth. This in and of itself wasn''t unusual, the so-called ''civilised'' races always beat back the slime, but as far as the Slee were aware, this mountain was empty except for those useless termites. Having collected useful samples already, they had hoped to clear out the bugs and nurse a ripe pit of filth within its cavernous halls during this wave. At thest second, they would allow it to overflow out into the waters and contaminate them thoroughly. A glorious, yet temporary triumph of corruption.

    As he grew closer to the disturbance, Zluth began to move more stealthily, elongating his body to ten times its original length and burrowing himself into the ooze. Faster and more agile than a slime-snake, he powered forward, his mucus-drenched foot propelling him at great speeds as he rushed towards the source of the disturbance.

    He felt it long before he saw it. Vibrations, travelling through the slime and even the rock below. There was a battle going on, close.

    Careful now, Zluth slowed his pace and retracted his stalks, bringing his eyes close to his own acidic flesh. He stuck to the shadows and the deeper pools, cautiously advancing, wanting to see what it was that had taken up residence above his tribe.

    Perhaps it was nothing¡­ a group of fourth stratum monsters, spawned by the wave, had attacked the slime and triggered this rage. Except that didn''t exin why it was still going on. The monsters of the fifth were inherently superior to those of the fourth. When the two shed, it was inevitable which side would win.

    No, Zluth had to investigate. This wave was an opportunity for the Slee that he refused to let slip through his ws.

    An almighty THUMP rocked the tunnel and he almost slipped from the wall in his surprise. What was that?! Surreptitiously, he extracted his detection array and manipted it with his ten spindly limbs. Whatever fighting had been going on above was now over.

    So suddenly? The readings rting to the gathered fifth stratum monsters werepletely gone. Somehow, they were all dead, in one moment. This wasn''t good. Something strong enough to do that wouldn''t be easy to dislodge, this could ruin the efforts to corrupt D-6.

    Acting with extreme caution, the Krath waited, and waited, before he finally crept up the final few tunnels and extended one eye stalk up to examine the site of the battle.

    It was ttened. Everything was ttened. The floor of the tunnel itself had been crushed down to a ne, along with everything that had been on it. Zluth cast his one eye across the scene in disbelief. In one second, with one spell, presumably, something had done this?

    He dared go no further, though he longed to catch a glimpse of the monster responsible. That wasn''t how the Krath operated. He retracted his eye, ttened himself, and turned on the spot, shooting off through the sludge with the speed of a whip-crack.

    The tribe needed to be informed of what had urred. Their initial goals may need to be reassessed, but perhaps something even better had fallen into their mouths.

    A wicked grin crossed his fangs.

    There was no such thing as a powerful enemy that the Krath couldn''t turn into a better ally, and Zluth may have just located a wonderful target.

 Chapter 1134 1245 - A Rising Tide Lifts All Pets

    <h4>Chapter 1134 Chapter 1245 - A Rising Tide Lifts All Pets</h4>

    The art, first mastered by the Sophos, those unfortunate and criminally ignored peoples, of creating and raising ''pets'' is generally underutilised on Pangera, as a rule.

    Naturally, there are certain cultures and societies who make great use of pets and the various sses and Skills that aid such a build. However, these examples, I will attempt to prove, are the exceptions that prove the rule. There should be far more pet based delvers than there are, currently, and I have devoted years of research to discovering why.

    One curious wrinkle in the discussion is the widely avable knowledge of just how powerful and useful such a pet can be, given the right circumstances. The guardian beast of the Golden City is almost as famous as the city itself, the Light Phoenix Rammon. The mythical Sirens of the brathian conglomerates are another well documented and frequently discussed example. Every citizen of the many cities within the fourth stratum is aware of these monsters and just how strong they are, so why do so few attempt to raise one of their own? Even those who fight within the Dungeon for a living?

    Now, of course it is unreasonable to expect that any individual or small group could hope to create a tier eight or tier nine pet, as Rammon is rumoured to be. The cost in cores would be astronomical, not to mention the difficulty of finding a mythic grade core. Such things are priceless in the truest sense, as they simply cannot be bought.

    But a tier five pet? Or even six? This is more than achievable, and there are many examples of even individuals who have seeded in doing so.

    -?????Excerpt from ''Cultivation of Pets. Why not?'' by Larian.

    [I feel like that trip was extremely profitable! How are your Levels looking, gang?]

    Invidia practically purrs with satisfaction.

    [I am Levelssssss one hundred and sixty.]

    [Oh snap! Well done, Invidia! You''re ready to go! How about you two?]

    Tiny stares at me.

    [What level are you?] I prompt him.

    He stares some more. I stare back.

    [Tiny, what is the number on your status screen, next to where it says ''Level''?]

    He narrows his eyes a little, then shrugs.

    [Dammit, Tiny! You don''t even know what Level you are?!]

    I get an enthusiastic thumbs up.

    [I''m level one hundred and thirty five, Master,] Crinis interjects. [Since we evolved at the same time, he should be roughly the same as I am.]

    [Thank you, Crinis, that''s very helpful.]

    She wriggles with joy while I stare at the big ape, frustrated. How in the name of heck can he not even know what Level he is? I''m going to raise the amount of intelligence he has to keep in the next evolution, I''m dead tired of him being this stupid.

    What''s especially frustrating is that I''m pretty confident he isn''t this stupid. He has enough brain matter to be able to read the numbers off his own damn status sheet! For that matter, he has more than enough to talk in more than single words or small sentences. I think he just chooses not to because that''s all he''s used to. Or perhaps he can''t be bothered putting effort into something that doesn''t involve muscles or punching.

    Putting the issue of Tiny and his brain aside, I''m extremely pleased! One of my friends has reached the necessary milestone and is ready to go! The others are close, super close. Hopefully, they''ll be ready to evolve by the end of the wave, and the four of us will be the same tier once again. Exciting!

    [I hope you don''t mind waiting to evolve with the others, Invidia,] I tell the floating eyeball. [It''ll be better if the three of you can do it together.]

    [I wantsss it nowssss,] he says, eye glowing an ominous green.

    Of course he does.

    [But think about it. There''ll be a big celebration when Tiny and Crinis evolve together, which will be even bigger if you evolve with them. Do you really want to miss out on that?]

    Invidia literally has a brain the size of a human bedroom, and I can feel the heat radiating from his pocket dimension as his eye narrows and he ponders what I said.

    [Big celebrationssssss?] he asks.

    [Oh, massive. Huge.]

    [I wantssss cakesssss.]

    [You will get them, for sure.]

    His little fingers wriggle with glee.

    [Yesssss,] he hisses softly.

    Nice. Won him over easily enough.

    [I''ll have the three of you keep up your work on tunnel duty, even you, Invidia. It''ll help the Colony and you can keep improving your Skills. Ranking those up is just as important as evolving. Don''t forget to keep building up that stockpile of Biomass as well. You can spend big once you evolve.]

    Something I always forget to do. Not this time! I''ve been slowly chomping away throughout the wave, and I''m banking up some big time points. It''s unfortunate that the fifth stratum monsters are such a pain in the gut to eat. Some of them are downright too toxic to even try it, which is cheating, if you ask me. Stupid slugs.

    Once we make it back safely within the protective borders of the Colony, I say goodbye to the wuffers and tap Ellie and Be with my antennae.

    [Fantastic work, you two. Go and have a chat with Snt, let her know how it all worked out, I''m sure she''ll be fascinated to hear about it all. Keep working on improving your design and don''t be afraid to take risks. If you need extra cores, let me know and I''ll try and rustle some up for you. The whole family will be counting on your work to get us through the fifth.]

    [Thanks, Eldest!]

    The two of them appear extremely chuffed with my praise and race off full of beans, which is nice to see. I''ve always believed in the core shapers and I know they do more for the Colony than most suspect. This is really a great chance for them to shine and I''m sure they''ll make the most of it.

    [Alright, enough dallying! There''s slugs to st! Let''s get to it.]

    Obviously, that includes me as well. Not too longter and I''m once again ensconced in my tunnel, holding off the ever-encroaching wave of slime and goop whilst diligently training my Skills.

    The only difference is that this time I do it all while hanging upside down. I will raise my grip Skill''s rank this time, I refuse to let it go!

 Chapter 1135 1246 - The Living Storm

    <h4>Chapter 1135 Chapter 1246 - The Living Storm</h4>

    Well, what the heck is this, then?

    After another week of battling against the rising tide of the wave, it''s kind of nice to see something new, the monotony was really starting to get to me.

    I mean, I''ve been hanging out in this tunnel, quite literally, for so long that I''m starting to think of getting some furniture installed. A bed, perhaps a nice chair toy my admittedly massive frame on, a table for snacks at the very least.

    I don''t believe I was much of a tea person when I lived as a human, although it''s bing increasingly difficult to remember anything from that time, but I have to say, the Colony really knows how to brew a nice cup. Lately, I''ve only been getting more and more bored since the number of fifth stratum beasties crawling up from below, as opposed to being spawned in the tunnels nearby, seems to have slowed dramatically.

    The freshly spawned monsters are irritating, sure, but they aren''t nearly as dangerous as the ones who have more evolutions, mutations and Skills. Thankfully, that''s relieved a lot of the pressure on the nest, allowing the fatigued and injured ants to recuperate and get back into the fighting. Hooray all around. But as the mana intensity has continued to rise, to frankly quite absurd levels, the moment we run into something from even deeper in the Dungeon has inevitably drawn closer, and I think I may have just found one.

    My first hint that something wasing brushed against my antennae, causing them to twitch in surprise. It''s been a long time since I''ve smelled anything other than foul goop, so a hint, a mere whisper, of fresh air was more than a little wee. Then worrying.

    The tunnel ahead of me remained stubbornly contaminated, despite my regr burn-offs, the air thick with a toxic haze that made it difficult to see too deep into the distance. Ironically, the green gas became my early warning system, as it began to stir and shift. I noticed tiny little eddies at first, which I could dismiss as nothing, but then they grew and grew until there was a chaotic swirl of noxious gas. Green clouds billowed this way and that, to the point I had to summon a gust of my own to prevent the stuff from blowing onto me.

    Getting it in your eyes is not rmended, I have to say. I know from painful experience. Seriously, my next evolution is going to have to resolve my eye situation. I''m tired of being encased in imprable diamond, except for the soft, squishy orbs I see with.

    It doesn''t take long for the fumes to be vortexed away by whatever ising down the tunnel at me, and I feel a tingle of excitement begin to spark around my core. Something new. Something interesting! Hopefully not something too dangerous!

    My mana sense is going a little haywire, so it definitely isn''t too weak. In anticipation, I drop down from the ceiling,nding with a heavy crash that sets my joints to shaking. Forgot I can''t really pull that off at my current weight. My legs also need fixing, I''ve long outgrown these basic, first stratum materials!

    When the monster finally arrives in front of me, I am genuinely confused by what I''m looking at. It''s purple, it kind of looks like a ball of lightning, and it''s surrounded by an azure cloud that swirls in a constant vortex around the sphere at its centre. Before I can even express my surprise, things get weirder.

    The lightning ball¡­ thing¡­ changes shape, morphing into a crackling lightning beast that looms over me. Interestingly, there is still a tether of sparking energy connecting it to the original little ball, still surrounded by that swirling cloud. Is that where the core is? It''s tricky to get a good mana reading from this creature, its disparate form seems to mask its true centre.

    Then, I get another shock! It reaches out to my mind, and I allow a sliver of a connection to form.

    [H-hello?]

    [What manner of creature are you?]

    I mean¡­ rude? I''m standing right in front of you, the perfect pinnacle of all things awesome and ant!

    [Formica Sapiens. I''m an ant. Are¡­ are you intelligent?]

    The storm and lightning, even in this monster form, boil with indignation.

    [More so than you, it seems.]

    This dude has serious attitude problems. I''ve met pride demons he could give a run for their money. If demons had currency.

    Despite the four-legged energy monster filling the tunnel and ring down at me, I''m not too worried, this isn''t its real body. For whatever reason, the monster has decided to project this form.

    [I''m assuming you aren''t from around here? Not a native to the fourth stratum, or fifth, from the looks of you.]

    The monster doesn''t seem interested in answering my questions.

    [You possess a powerful core, brimming with mana.]

    [Why thank you, yes. I''m a mythic monster, I''ll have you know.]

    [I will take it for myself.]

    [You''ll what now?]

    [Fear not, ant. I will end you quickly, your power and Biomass will find a better use in me.]

    Okay, so no matter how intelligent a monster gets, when we get down to it, not much changes, I suppose. Monsters only want one (two) things, and it''s disgusting. Biomass and cores. And experience. Monsters only want three things, Biomass, cores, experience, and an almost fanatical devotion to the pope!

    Wait.

    [Just like that? We''re going to throw down? If you lose, it won''t be me that gets chomped on.]

    [If such is my fate, I will ept it. Now die.]

    So saying, the monster formed of crackling purple energy retracts once more into that writhing orb surrounded by a cloud. Then I get a face full of lightning.

    It''s not fun.

    Yeeeeeeouch! I can literally feel my eyeballs sizzling as I roll to the side, pump my regeneration nd and spin up my mind constructs. This chap is not ying nice, and that lightning, it was so fast my antennae could barely keep up with it! Somewhat blinded and not a little bit irritated, I lunge forward, snapping my mandibles shut around the orb of energy, only for them to harmlessly pass through it and crash together having done no damage. No harm to my opponent anyway, but they appear to have created a convenient conduit for it to channel more lightning into my body.

    Ouch! You damn¡­ orb¡­ thing!

    Clearly, I need to make use of non-corporeal means of attack. In that case, let''s try a more powerful bite!

    VOID CHOMP!

 Chapter 1136 1247 - Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Lightning Bolt

    <h4>Chapter 1136 Chapter 1247 - Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Lightning Bolt</h4>

    At this point, I''m not sure how I manage to still be shocked at the effect of the empowered Void Chomp. The fact that it all happens right in front of my face is a little unnerving, and I''m not ashamed to say I''m still not used to it.

    Nevertheless, the screaming void appears, my jaws close with a shattering, cmitous sound. ck jaws of pure energy form, crashing down a dozen metres from the front of my face. The orb¡­ seems unimpressed.

    The entire cloud evaporates, the lightning cloud too, only to reform twenty metres away, still crackling with dark purple light.

    Well, that was a little disappointing. I''m not convinced that my opponent took no damage, surely it hurt them, even if only a little bit, but it certainly didn''t have the effect I''d been hoping for. Broken chunks of rock fall from the roof as the tunnel groans under the effect of the void chomp.

    After reforming, the enemy bathes me once again in its lightning. I don''t enjoy it.

    The magic attackes so fast, even my absurdly enhanced reflexes can''t do much to get me out of the way, and once I get hit, the energy ripples through my body, sizzling me, inside and out. With the healing fluid still bubbling through my system, my health starts to recover quickly after the lightning has burnt through my system. Thanks to the bountiful number of ants nearby, my regeneration nd is already almost full, so I trigger it again immediately.

    Man, this fight is really exposing just how weak my defences against magic-based attacks are. I''ve been fighting them so far by using my mind to break down the mana, but this monster just has such a weird mana signature.

    Nevertheless, Imit my minds and reach out, trying to take hold of my opponent and break down their energy. It''s immensely difficult. I feel like I''m trying to take hold of a fish coated in butter inside an ocean of maple syrup. When I do manage to get a ''finger'' on the lousy thing, trying to draw out any of the power is like ripping a mountain up by the roots.

    [Surrender to me. Your efforts are in vain.]

    Seriously, the attitude on this guy.

    [You aren''t exactly getting far yourself. How long can you afford to sit around here failing to beat me?]

    [You will not be able to heal yourself forever.]

    The voice is calm, confident. It seems to believe it''s done this dance before and will triumph eventually. I''ve got bad news for this monster, I can do this all day, but exining why would be a right pain in the thorax, so I don''t bother replying and instead lunge forward for another bite.

    Only this time, I inject gravity mana as my mandibles snap shut.

    Once again, the storm breaks apart and reforms, but this time, it looks a little unbnced, a little more¡­ chaotic. The lightning contained within the azure clouds sparks and spins with increased agitation, leading me to believe it didn''t much enjoy the added gravity mana.

    In gratitude for my generous donation, the cloud unleashes another st of lightning, bathing me in the crackling energy for a good five seconds. When it fades, I''m steaming, quite literally, but the damage is already healing. I didn''t even bother trying to dodge this time, instead I preemptively used my minds to try and divert or deflect the oing attack.

    It''s just¡­ weird. This monster is dumping so much energy, so fast, it''s almost as if it isn''t ying by the rules. How in the heck can it do it? There must be some sort of Skill or organ involved. To unleash the amount of mana this thing is cooking me with, I would need a significant amount of time, and the build up of energy isn''t exactly difficult to detect. My opponent is just throwing a bucket full of water in my face, but I never see them fill it up!

    However, what they can''t seem to do is move all that fast. Or perhaps it just doesn''t feel the need to? Regardless, an empowered dash puts me right in front of the monster and I lunge once again, mandibles zing as I inject it with concentrated gravity mana once again.

    [Do not pollute me!] the agitated ball of lightning roars. [Keep your foul taint away!]

    [Excuse me? First of all, gravity mana is amazing. Second of all, keep my what away from you? I''m not sure I have one of those.]

    The monster doesn''t reply, but roils even more violently, sting me once again with lightning, which I endure. I''m starting to suspect this monster isn''t as evolved as I first thought, or is running underpowered for some reason. Perhaps it didn''t move through the fifthpletely unscathed and has lost a great deal of its power? Considering I''m not even deflecting these lighting sts, simply healing through them, I really shouldn''t be sitting pretty as I am.

    I mean, it hurts like heck, but I''m in no danger of dying any time soon.

    [Let''s see if you like gravitational mana after this!]

    Afterpressing the mana and cooking up the spell, I unleash a gravity well, empowered with the full force of the Altar behind it, directly on top of the uppity monster.

    What I hoped would happen is that it would be smashed to smithereens on the floor of the tunnel, crushed under the weight of the well. What actually happens is that it sinks down, fairly rapidly, and is then pressed into the ground, dispersing against it.

    [Release me!]

    So¡­ underwhelming, in the end. I approach and look down at the cloud and lightning, slowly spreading out over the floor,rgely with confusion.

    [Shouldn''t you be like¡­ crushed?]

    [I will escape and return this humiliation a thousandfold!]

    It''s only then that I finally twig to what''s going on.

    [You''re mostly just energy, aren''t you? Not much of a physical form at all. Darn.]

    Look, I never finished school, but I''m fairly sure that energy still has mass. Not much, but a little. Sort of. My overwhelmingly powerful gravity well is enough to tten most things, but to this monster, who appears to be¡­ basically just energy, its physicalponents likely hidden in a pocket dimension, it''s barely enough to press it down to the ground.

    But that''s enough? It can''t really move under its own power that well at the best of times, so within the gravity well, all it can really do is spread out and float off, cursing me as it retreats.

    Dumbfounded, I just watch it go. Such a strange interaction¡­.

 Chapter 1137 1248 - Unexpected Visitors

    <h4>Chapter 1137 Chapter 1248 - Unexpected Visitors</h4>

    The wave approaches its climax, and usually at this point, the Colony would bepletely overwhelmed with literally thousands of monsters spawning and rushing at our territory, but for some reason, things are a little more rxed this time around.

    For one, fifth stratum monsters aren''ting up and trying to melt our faces off and terraform the tunnels withically toxic goop, which is nice. I mean, we still get them spawning, but that''s not as much of a problem. Then there''s the distinctck of sixth stratum monsters. Other than the one I fought, the Colony only ran into a handful of them, none of which seemed to be operating at full strength. It''s a curious state of affairs, but one that is certainly to our benefit.

    Whatever the cause, I''m not going toin. The Colony is absolutely raking in the Biomass and cores, luring and annihting mythic-beast monsters of the fourth as fast as the lousy things can pop out of the ground. Which is fast. I''ve been keeping to my tunnel and training for the most part, trusting that someone wille and get me if I''m needed, but when my surprise guests arrive, I hadn''t seen anyone for days.

    Hanging from the roof and practising my spellwork, I''m more than a little surprised when arge, shaggy head pokes into my tunnel, followed by arge, shaggy body.

    [Sarah! What the heck are you doing down here?]

    [Ah! You''re on the roof.]

    [Don''t tell me you didn''t see me just because I''m upside down. I''m enormous.]

    [I just didn''t expect it is all.] She hesitates a moment before asking, [Do you have time to talk? I know you''ve been busy, during the wave and all.]

    [I''m surprisingly free, to be honest, and I''d love a chat! I can get some tea and cake delivered if you''ll give me a second.]

    [That sounds nice. You should bring some for Odin as well.]

    [He''s here?]

    I look around, but I don''t see him anywhere.

    [I think he''s shy.]

    The lithe form of the demon leaps out from behind a pir, twisting and flipping in the air tond beside the massive bear.

    [I am not shy,] he says defensively after joining the conversation. [I am being stealthy. A true assassin should always seek to conceal their movements.]

    [And does a true assassin enjoy cake and tea?]

    [... They do.]

    [Great.]

    In short order, the three of us are hunched around a t rock I conjured up, sipping tea and nibbling on oversized baked treats. Sarah, the Asura Bear, neatly slices her cake with her ws, then pokes a digit carefully through a piece and brings it up to her muzzle, chewing thoughtfully.

    [It really didn''t take long for the Colony to discover jam filling, did it?]

    [Tell me about it. They''ve been going nuts for jam over thest few weeks. When someone thought about sweetening it with extra sugar, all was lost.]

    We chat back and forth for a while, as Odin watches us, his eyes burning with a dark purpose. Or maybe he has gas. I don''t know.

    [How are things in the third?] I ask.

    The giant bear huffs.

    [It''s chaos,] she says shortly. [Pretty much as bad as you''d expect. Thankfully, the Colony has things mostly under control. The wave is making it too difficult for the ka''armodo to try and cause trouble, and the incidents of rogue demons are dropping precipitously, for which I''m grateful.]

    She shudders.

    [The demons turning on each other. More than they usually do¡­ it''s been terrible. I''m d it seems to be stopping.]

    I carefully avoid thinking about my Nave, and the demons who''ve popped in there. I especially don''t think about all the Will I was collecting from demonsst time I was up there.

    [That is good. I thought you were putting down roots up there. What brings you to the fourth stratum?]

    The big bear shifts ufortably, then lowers herself down top at her tea, giving herself time to think. She leans back with a sigh.

    [I think¡­ it might be time for me to evolve,] she says finally and I immediately perk up.

    [Oho! Really? That''s exciting stuff! Crinis, Tiny and Invidia will be evolving soon as well, you might as well do it at the same time as them!]

    She nods, reluctantly.

    [Yes, I''d heard that might be happening. I thought if I was going to evolve, then I should consult with Granin and the others beforehand. Since they''reing down here to advise those three, I should be here and talk to them at the same time.]

    [You came down a whole stratum because you didn''t want to make your own appointment?]

    It seems ridiculous.

    [I just didn''t want to bother anyone,] she defends herself, clearly flustered. [Besides, I''ve nevere down this far and I wanted to see what it was like.]

    [I definitely rmend you head up to the walls and take in the view,] I encourage her, [it''s really something. The shining waters of theke, the towering mountains reaching up toward the ceiling above. There''s clouds, and inds. I mean, floating inds. It''s crazy.]

    [I went straight up there. You''re right, it''s incredible.]

    I turn to Odin.

    [And what brings you here, little guy?]

    [Excuse me?]

    [Ah. Didn''t mean to be rude. What brings you here, Odin?]

    Compared to Sarah and I, he''s a midget! The guy is clearly built for speed and stealth, not my fault he''s so small.

    [I am here to support the creature of perfection that I¨C I''m here to support Sarah.]

    [Nice.?Well, when you evolve, don''t forget my message for Arconidem.]

    He flinches.

    [I hoped you''d forgotten about that.]

    [Fat chance.]

    [Well, wee aboard, you two. I hope your evolutions work out great. While you''re here, you may as well help out with the defence, stock up on Biomass and all that good stuff! Also, let me know if you need some cores. I''m sure the Colony has a supply tucked away that you can draw from.]

    [I wouldn''t want to impose.]

    [Nonsense, Sarah. You''re part of the family! In fact, I might be able to scrounge together a mythic core for your evolution.]

    [Oh. I have one of those.]

    [You what?]

    [We found a demon rampaging on the ins a few weeks ago. It¡­ I¡­ well. I have a mythic core.]

    [Nice!]

 Chapter 1138 1249 - Subsiding Tides

    <h4>Chapter 1138 Chapter 1249 - Subsiding Tides</h4>

    When the mana starts to drop, it drops fast. One second I''m up to my eyeballs in the stuff, absolutely drowning in energy, the next it''s receding so quickly I feel like I''m going to get swept down a stratum if I don''t hold onto the ground.

    So. That''s it? Just like that?

    Hanging from the top of my tunnel, I feel relieved and a bit¡­ disappointed? Look, I''m not asking for the Legion toe knocking on the Colony''s door every wave, but I kind of expected something. This wave has ended with a murmur rather than a roar.

    Ah well, it is what it is.

    I drop off the roof, stretch out a bit, clean my antennae, then walk back into the nest. Time to go find something else to do, I suppose. Back in the centralmand chamber, the generals are running around like mad, as always. I find Sloan right in the middle of it all.

    "Hey there, Sloan. What''s happening?"

    "The wave is ending," she says, obviously distracted.

    I poke her on the head with an antenna.

    "Yeah¡­ so why is everyone so busy? Shouldn''t you be winding down? Slowing your roll a little bit? The wave is over."

    She sighs and turns to face me properly.

    "The wave being over means the siege has ended. It''s once again safe to venture out of the fortress and into the tunnels."

    "Right. So?"

    "So we have to get back to exploring the lower tunnels andpleting the lower sections of the nest as quickly as possible! If we can leave our safe ces, then so can everyone else!"

    Ah.

    "Do you really expect we''lle under attack? I hadn''t heard of any impending threats¡­."

    "We shouldn''t assume we''ll have forewarning of an impending attack, Eldest. Better to be prepared. If you''ll excuse me, we are in the process of organising over a dozen expeditions."

    "Make sure you send Snt out there," I tell her and the general pauses for a second before she nods in agreement.

    A little practice in the field is exactly what the little general needs after this protracted defensive battle. Leaving the generals to it, I go find a nice nook to tuck myself into, out of the way, and let the Will of the Colony wash over me.

    So many individuals, each with their own desires, yet all pulling in the same direction. It''s amazing, when I allow myself to indulge in it, just to feel the unity of the Colony. I may be the only creature who gets to feel it like this in the entire lifetime of my family, which is a real shame. Others can see how well my siblings work together, the thousands and thousands who cooperate, seemingly wlessly, at so many tasks, but seeing it as I do is entirely different.

    Millions of individuals, each with their own vision, their own wants and needs, all working to better the life of the ant next to them. It''s beautiful. Truly, the ant is¡­. The ant¡­

    Why are there humans here? And I think I know which ones!

    Nestled within the endless stream of energying from my siblings, I find a few threads that are ever so slightly different. Sure enough, when I take a closer look, I find out just who hase to visit. It doesn''t take long for them to find me, either. A procession of robed priests, each with antennae rising from their hoods, make their way into the chamber before they congregate nearby. Not close enough to bother me, but not so far that they aren''t around if I decide to talk to them, they group up and begin some sort of bowing and kneeling ceremony.

    They talk, shouting and weeping openly, but thankfully don''t use any pheromones, so none of us ants are all that bothered. I decide to just ignore them, hoping they''ll go away eventually.

    More and more humans are arriving, warriors for the most part. It appears that now the wave is over, the humans have decided it''s safe for them toe and live at this level. That''s handy. Incorporating the ant priests and human soldiers alongside our own forces will help return them to full strength, taking advantage of the powerful buffs of the clergy.

    If it saves a few lives, then I''m willing to put up with a bit of chanting and kneeling. In moderation.

    [Alright then, gang. Time to assemble. Come and find me.]

    It doesn''t take long for my friends to gather. Crinis, Tiny and Invidia all look weary after the long weeks of fighting. The big ape is singed in ces, still-healing wounds marking his enormous arms and shoulders. Crinis glomps onto me the moment she''s in range, moulding herself onto my carapace and retracting all of her flesh until she''s about the size of a beach ball. It''s not always easy to tell how Invidia is feeling, but I can detect signs of weariness from his eye and the way he lethargically ps over to join the group.

    Nevertheless, I feel a sense of satisfaction radiating from each of them.

    [So¡­ have you guys reached the magic number?]

    Tiny narrows his eyes before he slowly raises one arm and flexes it, then nods. Crinis is a little more vocal.

    [Yes! Only a few days ago, Master!]

    [Well done, you two! Sensational work!]

    [Praiiisssssee.]

    [You too, Invidia.]

    Well this is great news. The whole gang is ready to evolve.

    [I''ll send word up to Granin and the others straight away. And I have to get the cores prepared. Taking in a mythic core is¡­ difficult, but you''ll be fine, I promise! You should start thinking about what you want from your evolution as well, build up some ideas to talk to the golgari about, then they''ll be in a better position to help you.]

    All three of them acknowledge me, but I can feel they''re struggling to match my energy.

    [Well. It''ll take a few hours for the triad to make their way down, so you guys should probably just have a snooze and rest until then, alright? Great work. You''ve earned a break.]

    In moments, the three of them are snoozing, Crinis on my carapace, Tiny leaned up against my side, and Invidia perched on one of my antennae.

    The gathered priests seem to haveunched into a frenzy of chanting and kneeling, but who cares? Honestly, it''s been a while, I might as well grab myself a little shuteye as well.

 Chapter 1139 1250 - Consultations Are Open Part 1

    <h4>Chapter 1139 Chapter 1250 - Consultations Are Open Part 1</h4>

    [Right, who''s going first?]

    Sarah, Invidia, Tiny and Crinis are all lined up in arge cavern outside the room where the three golgari have situated themselves. After a day of rest, feasting and contemtion, it''s time for them to have a conversation, make their final preparations, and evolve to tier seven. Granin and the others are ready to receive them, we just need to work out the order.

    Of course, nobody puts their hand, paw or tentacle up.

    Sigh.

    [Sarah, how about you? You''ve been waiting to evolve the longest, after all.]

    [M-me? I''m¡­ I''m not sure I''m ready.]

    [Watching the others go first isn''t going to make it any easier,] I tell her gently. [Rip off the band-aid, if you remember what those are, and get it over and done with.]

    [Of course I remember band-aids. I''m not that old,] she huffs and rises to her full height. Full height on four legs anyway.

    [I''ll go first,] she says, determination growing as she pads forward through the entrance.

    Odin watches her go with shining eyes, and I can''t bring myself to imagine what is going through that weirdo-demon''s head.

    ~~~

    [An Asura Bear is quite a strong monster, and there are several known evolutions that lead from it,] Granin mused as he slowly turned the pages of the volume in front of him. [It all depends on what direction you would like to take. Destruction? Rage? Domination? Rending?]

    With each word, therge bear flinched back from the golgari at the desk a little further.

    [If I might interject,] Torrina said, [I don''t think Sarah is particrly enthusiastic about violence.]

    [I would say the opposite is true,] Corun nodded. [She hates it.]

    Granin blinked.

    [Oh.]

    He looked down at the page in front of him.

    [That will pose¡­ difficulties¡­ going forward.]

    Embarrassed, Sarah hung her head, her wet nose almost brushing the chamber floor.

    [It''s not that I''m against it, as such,] she tried to exin herself, [it''s just¡­. I''ve lived in fear of my anger for so long now. I don''t even remember choosing to evolve into an Asura Bear, I was lost¡­ rather¡­ I ran from reality for a long time.]

    The three golgari looked at the great bear with sympathy. Of all the souls taken and reborn as monsters, Sarah''s by far seemed the least suited to the purpose. Such a gentle soul did not belong in a ce like this.

    [Recently, I''ve been able to control it. At least a little. The Colony has given me something I want to fight for. Friends. A family. They take care of me and don''t ask anything in return, despite what I almost did to The Queen. I want to be helpful, and if fighting is the only way I can do that, then I will.]

    Granin nodded appreciatively.

    [That''s admirable,] he said. [I''m ashamed to admit it, but the time you''ve spent with the Colony has done more to heal your wounded heart than decades under the care of my fellow Shapers.]

    He bowed at the waist, bending hisrge frame over the desk.

    [I can only ask for your forgiveness.]

    The great bear snuffled and waved a paw back and forth.

    [Oh, please don''t mind it.]

    Granin straightened and turned his attention back to the volume before him.

    [Well then, let''s return to our purpose. Corun, you have the report on Sarah''s mutations and Skills?]

    [I do. Thank you for letting us have a look at your core, by the way.]

    [It''s the least I can do. You''re being so helpful to me, after all.]

    "I''ll tell Anthony that the next time I see him," Granin grumped out loud, drawing a shushing motion from Torrina.

    [You''ve got incredible strength, which is emphasised by your mutations. Indomitable Beast Muscture was a good choice, giving you explosive,?along with enduring, power. Combined with your species, this gives you the ability to power through deep into a fight. The reset to your ws was also a wise decision.]

    [I didn''t really choose it, though¡­.]

    [No matter. Scarlet Keratin is responsive to Rage energy, increasing their effectiveness. Your mutations have increased their durability, rather than their attacking power, which I think is also smart. As an Asura Bear, you don''t need help cutting down your enemies, but you do need your weapons to be able to endure your strength.]

    [I did used to break a lot of ws,] Sarah looked down at the twelve inch long ws extending from her paws. [I''m d it doesn''t happen anymore. Healing always takes a long time.]

    [Which is something of a weakness in your current build,] Corun nods. [You don''t have any real means to heal yourself, which is something you should definitely seek to address in your next evolution. Even a simple regeneration nd could go a long way.]

    [Anthony is a prime example of how effective even a cheap organ like that can be,] Torrina chipped in, [but for Sarah, I think a moreprehensive regeneration package would make more sense.]

    [Why is that?] Corun frowned.

    [Because the more hurt she is, the more likely she is to sumb to her rage.]

    The glittering ore-coated golgari turned toward Sarah.

    [Right?]

    The big bear hesitated, then nodded.

    [That''s true.]

    More and more, she had be able to resist the frenzy when joining battle, something she''d never been able to do before. As she gained injuries, and her fear began to mount, her grip slipped further and further.]

    [Once the Rage Heart has been engaged, you gain tremendous strength and the ability to push through any amount of pain or injury, simr to the berserk state employed by the sses which bear that name. As you be more damaged, you sink ever further into the rage, which empowers you further, making you even more reckless. When there is nothing left to fight, or your body ispletely exhausted, you finally return to yourself. You also return to yourself if you recover your damage past a certain point. Am I right?]

    After considering for a time, Sarah nods.

    [That''s true. The Colony keeps a team of healers with me whenever I go into battle, and they try to keep me from getting too hurt. When they''re around, I don''t sumb nearly as much.]

    [There you have it,] Torrina says with satisfaction. [Going forward, I think it would be a good idea for Sarah to have inbuilt regeneration, along with healing resonance organs to allow her to be in control of her own pain levels. This will give her another mechanism she can use to control her rages.]

    [Is it¡­ not possible to be free of them? At all?] Sarah asked hesitantly.

    [It''s not.]

    Granin delivered the news in a t and direct tone of voice, before he softened the blow.

    [The Rage Heart can be weakened, mitigated, the energy inside can be drained away to serve other functions, but doing any of this will weaken your build at a fundamental level. All of the best evolutions you''ll be presented with are going to lean into the Rage harder than before. Our belief, is that your growing confidence and self control,bined with some countermeasures, such as what Torrina has suggested, will enable you to be in control as much as possible, without weakening you.]

 Chapter 1140 1251 - The Incarnation of Rage

    <h4>Chapter 1140 Chapter 1251 - The Incarnation of Rage</h4>

    Sarah settled herself down, anxiety bubbling away in her chest. Was she sure this was the right thing to do? Was she really? Ever present, the fear in the back of her mind slowly crept forward as she worried and fretted about the transformation she was about to undertake. What would happen if she lost control again? Was she really strong enough to maintain her grip on herself?

    Calm down, Sarah, she told herself, you''re doing so much better than before, and you''ve been given several methods to help prevent the rages. You can do this.

    A giant ant scuttled into the chamber and she felt a mind reach out toward her own.

    [Hey there, Sarah! Getting cold paws already?]

    [I am not,] she said, perhaps a little too quickly, and Anthony chuckled in her mind.

    [No harm intended, I just thought I''d poke a little fun. Was the triad helpful? They tend to natter on a bit, but they know their stuff.]

    Sarah snorted.

    [Do they natter on, or is your attention span just a little too short?]

    [Ouch. That hits a little close to home.]

    [And yes, they were very helpful. I learned a great deal about my species that I didn''t know before.]

    The two massive antennae waggled in a confused pattern.

    [You were hanging out with Shapers for decades. Didn''t they fill you in on all the details then?]

    Sarah was a little embarrassed but forced herself to answer.

    [I¡­ didn''t really want to listen¡­ back then. I thought I was finally free of the Dungeon, and would never have to worry about such things again. They did try to teach me, but I was¡­ a very unwilling student, I suppose.]

    Anthony watched her for a few seconds before he spoke.

    [I just want you to remember two things,] he said, gently. [First, you don''t have to do this if you don''t want to. Just as you are, you can contribute, and have contributed, a great deal. There''s no pressure on you to take this step. Second, you''re part of the Colony now, a member of the family. You are free of the Dungeon, if you want to be.]

    He reached over with one foreleg and patted her on the shoulder.

    [If you want to, you can go rx, hang out with the Queens and take up carving or something. Nobody in the Colony will ever say a word against you after all that you''ve done for us. Even if you evolve and it doesn''t work out, that''s fine. You can rest, never see a battlefield for the rest of your life.]

    Sarah hung her head, tears beading in herrge, brown eyes.

    [Thank you, Anthony. It means a lot to hear you say that.]

    The ant rubbed the back of his head with one antenna awkwardly.

    [Yeah, well. It needed to be said¡­ I guess? Look, you''ve got everything you need¡­ so I''ll just¡­ be going. Bye.]

    She could onlyugh as her fellow former-human made a hasty retreat, before she scrubbed her eyes clear with a paw and pulled closer the mythic core she had left here.

    Absorbing it was agonising. She had forgotten this pain, the feeling of having a core toorge for the body that contained it.

    With a determined push, she shoved aside the pain and activated the menu.

    [Would you like to use the evolution menu?]

    [Congrattions on reaching the maximum level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

    Warning: evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.

    Your evolution options are as follows:

    Ursine Rager

    Dire Bear

    Fire w Bear (special)

    Endless Rage Bear (special)

    mesteel Berserk Bear (rare)

    Destruction Dire Bear (rare)

    Awakened Asura Bear (Mythic)]

    Each of the options sounded exceptionally violent, not exactly what Sarah had been hoping to see, yet she''d known it would be like this from the start.

    The golgari had strongly advised her to ignore regr and special evolutions, and warned her a mythic option may not appear. The fact one was on the list made her nervous.

    She started with the first rare option.

    [Rare Evolution: mesteel Berserk Bear (rare), +50 Bonus to Will, +250 Bonus to Might, +200 Bonus to Toughness. Fur will be reforged with Smokesteel fibres, and veins will be reced with Fire Crystal Thread. A free Ignition Heart will be ced next to the Rage heart, the two bonded together.

    A creature of fire, metal and pure rage, the mesteel Berserk Bear is an unstoppable juggernaut of death, with liquid me running through its veins.]

    That sounded¡­ terrifying. Sarah had a brief vision of herself, coated in dark steel fur, mes leaking out of her open wounds and ws extended, her eyes nk with anger.

    She shivered. Surely the next option was better.

    [Rare Evolution: Destruction Dire Bear (rare), +20 Bonus to Cunning, +50 Bonus to Will, +250 Bonus to Might, +150 bonus to Toughness. Eyes will be reforged with Withering Diamond and Teeth will be reforged with Annihtion Threaded Bone. A Destruction Heart will be ced alongside and fused with the Rage heart, and a Vital Point sensory organ ced within the nose.

    Able to sniff out the weaknesses of its enemies, the Destruction Dire Bear is an engine of annihtion, able to break down opponents with its eyes, or shred their very existence with its jaws. Filled with the power of pure destruction, this is a creature to be feared.]

    This one was even worse! Longingly, she looked at the two normal options. Dire Bear didn''t sound all that bad to her right now. Surely, it would be fine if she picked it. She''d still be tier seven, after all.

    With extreme reluctance, she turned her attention back to the mythic option, and read through it.

    [Mythic Evolution: Awakened Asura Bear, +10 Bonus to Cunning, +50 Bonus to Will, +300 Bonus to Might, +150 bonus to Toughness. The Asura Bear feeds on Rage, and you have supplied it. Now let your anger ascend and your fury be made manifest. Fur will be reforged with Tempered Fury Thread. Eyes will be reforged with Condensed Rage Shards. A second Rage Heart will be ced alongside and fused with the first, transforming it into a Rage Foundry. A secondary vascr system will be added.

    Clothe yourself in Fury, and destroy.]

    This one was the worst. By far the worst. Sarah didn''t want to be a creature of death and destruction, she hated the anger and fear that bubbled inside her, a constant undercurrent of turmoil that she could never be free of. Yet, even so, this evolution spoke to her.

    It offered her the chance to take that anger and make it real, to turn it into something productive, something pure, something that would help her new family. Perhaps¡­ perhaps if she was able to implement all the things that Granin and the others had talked about, she would still be able to control herself. If she couldn''t¡­ then like Anthony said, perhaps she wouldn''t have to fight at all.

    It was time to ept that her fury, her rage, was a part of her. It belonged to her, and she would no longer let it be in control. She would clothe herself in fury, she would wear it like armour.

    She looked at the option, her heart pounding in her chest. She selected it.

 Chapter 1141 1252 - Consultations Are Open Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 1141 Chapter 1252 - Consultations Are Open Part 2</h4>

    [Alright then, who''s going next?] I ask the gang.

    Invidia watches the others, and the second Tiny''s arm goes up, his does too.

    [Me,] Tiny says simply.

    [Meeeeee,] Invidia hisses. [I wantssss it.]

    I wish I could roll my eyes.

    [You only want it because he wants it,] I point at Tiny with one leg. [Don''t try and trick me, you waited until somebody else put their hand up before you nominated yourself.]

    [It isssss my nature,] Invidia says, and I can''t really argue with that.

    It is his nature. He''s an envy demon, he wants what others have, or others want. If nobody wanted to go next, then he wouldn''t either. The moment someone expressed a desire for it, he wanted it too.

    Man, what a tiring way to live, but the little pping demon seems content enough, most of the time.

    [Alright, fine. You can go next, Invidia. I said Sarah could go, because she''d waited the longest to evolve, and you are the next on that list.]

    Tiny slumps, frowning at me.

    [It won''t take long, big guy. Besides, I''ve got to do a little modification to your core anyways. Get ready to lose some muscle! You''re going to 30 Cunning, and you aren''t allowed to take it lower, you hear me!]

    Tiny slumps even further, gently flexing his biceps, a sad expression on his face, as Invidia flutters up, his eye gleaming with green light, and makes his way into the chamber.

    ~~~

    [It''s not easy dealing with demons around these issues, so I appreciate your patience, Invidia.]

    Granin nods towards the little demon, who is perched on the back of a regr chair, his two spindly arms holding him up.

    [We''ve looked at your core, and I have to say, it''s a finely engineered piece of work. The shapers who created it did an excellent job maximising the strengths and mitigating the weaknesses of the Envy Demon archetype. There are several efficiencies in there that I''d never thought of myself.]

    Invidia was quite pleased to hear it, though it was difficult for him to truly value that which he had. Granin held up a hand.

    [I know, you don''t especially care, but it''s important that we discuss the strengths you possess before we talk about what you might be offered and give advice as to how you should proceed. You do want advice, don''t you?]

    [I wantsssss,] Invidia agreed, his eye lighting up.

    Granin smiled to himself. In many ways, demons were like children, they had strong, easily maniptable impulses. On the other hand, they were intelligent, in Invidia''s case, highly intelligent, and extremely dangerous. Invidia knew he was being manipted, was fully aware that Granin was ying on his obsession, but because it led to an oue he desired, he didn''t mind it.

    [You were essentially designed as a mage archetype, with extremely high mana maniption and sensing capacity built into your organ setup. Mana-maniption cortex, Grand Mana sensory organ, Mana Fment finder,bined with your Omni-Divergent Thought Brain and Layered Neural Adaptor making your ability to use mind-constructs top-notch. With your capacity to pull in so much mana via your wings and mouth, you''ve got quite the magical firepower.]

    [Not to mention the eye-beam!] Corun enthused. When the others looked at him oddly he returned a wounded expression. [What? The eye-beam is really neat.]

    [In order to pack all of those expensive mana organs in, they had to forgo something, and you''ve had no resets at the sixth tier, which is a slight issue,] Torrina said, looking down at her notes. [Something you''ll have to consider is what you want to reset, and how many things. I strongly rmend your brain and neural adaptor be reforged, at the minimum.]

    [You may wish to include your Mana Maniption Cortex and Mana Sensory Organ as well,] Corun advised.

    This was all interesting to Invidia. Born of an engineered core, he had never evolved under his own power, perhaps only his Master would be so strange as to allow it. A tier six pet, making its own choices as it ascended to tier seven? Invidia doubted such a thing wasmon. Although he already possessed that freedom, it was something he cherished.

    [The big decision you''ll have to make is more inherent to your nature as a demon,] Granin said finally. [This goes right at the heart of your obsession. Currently, you''re a Lesser Envy Demon, and naturally, one of your options will be to evolve into a Greater Envy Demon, and there will likely be other Envy-based evolutions as well. However, if you so desire, you have the option to change that, and shift your species, and your obsession, in a different direction.]

    Invidia looked at his status once again, his mind drawn to the Skill that only his kind, in all of the Dungeon, possessed: Demonic Convergence.

    Currently it read: Demonic Convergence of Envy (IV) Level 40.

    It had been there for a long time, but he hadn''t wanted to increase its rank. Every time it levelled, and every time it ranked up, the obsession grew stronger, more concentrated, more potent. More difficult to change. The issue Invidia had was, he wasn''t sure if he wanted to change or not. His Envy was part of his fundamental nature, as much a part of him as his wings and hands. Yet his envy demanded that he prize what he didn''t have, and so he wanted it to change, he wanted to have every obsession, but that simply wasn''t possible.

    Granin somewhat understood what the little eyeball was going through.

    [Demons usually grow to a point naturally, their obsession and nature being honed along the way, but you were forced down this path. Envy demons are excellent pets, since they''re so trainable. They want to get stronger and learn. Your basic nature is locked in ce, you''ll always be envious to some extent, but as demons evolve, they can refine that obsession, hone it. Rather than being envious of everything, you could narrow and intensify that focus. Well, to an extent. The options presented will be the options presented, and you will have to choose from them.]

    Invidia nodded and revealed his enormous mouth in a wide smile, the toothy grin appearing in mid air beneath his body.

    [I thankssss you for the advice. I willsssss consider your wordssssss.]

    The real question was, what sort of demon did Invidia want to be?

 Chapter 1142 1253 - Demonic Change

    <h4>Chapter 1142 Chapter 1253 - Demonic Change</h4>

    [Here''s your core, little guy. Sheesh, this thing is about the same size as you.]

    The master rolled the mythic core up to Invidia using one foreleg, letting it rest on the chamber floor right in front of him. The demon looked down at the spherical gem, seeing the powerful flows of mana within and around it.

    He wanted it.

    [I know, I know, almost all of your body is stuffed into a pocket dimension, I get it. Even so, it''s going to hurt like heck when you absorb that thing, so be careful. Was it helpful? Talking to the golgari, I mean?]

    Invidia considered the question seriously.

    [Yessss,] he hissed after a pause. [I learned much I didsssss not knowsssss.]

    The master''s eyes glinted, pleased.

    [Nice, I''m d you were able to pick up a few things. They know a heck of a lot more than me, that''s for sure. Is there anything else you need? Something I can get for you, before you take the plunge?]

    Again, the little demon took a moment to think, his gigantic brain turning the question over with care.

    [I havessss a question.]

    The master froze for a moment, then waggled his antennae nervously.

    [Oh? Of course, ask away. I''ll answer as best I can.]

    The mastercked confidence, and thought Invidia was going to ask an esoteric question he couldn''t answer. Invidia thought he might be right. He himself didn''t have an answer to this question, but if anyone did, it was the ant in front of him.

    [What ssssort of demon isssss Invidia?] he asked.

    The master slowly rubbed at the top of his head with one antenna, an air of confusion around him.

    [You don''t know?] he asked, sounding puzzled.

    Invidia shook his head.

    [I am notssss ssssure.]

    The big ant reached out a single leg to poke at one of his spindly arms.

    [That''s an easy one. I thought you were going to ask me something hard.]

    [You havesss an anssswer?]

    The little demon was quite surprised.

    [Of course! It''s not difficult. You want to know what type of demon you are? That''s just asking the wrong question. You''re one of a kind, unique. There is no ''type'' that fits you.]

    Invidia frowned, confused. His master tried to exin.

    [Look, you aren''t going to find a box to fit yourself into, that''s not how it works. Demons may share obsessions, but that doesn''t make them the same. Each of you is different from the others, and the further you evolve, the more pronounced those differences be. Don''t fret about making the right choice, and just pick what feels correct to you. No matter what happens, you''re always going to be part of the team, part of the family.]

    The big ant turned and began to walk out of the chamber.

    [You''ve got way too a big a brain to be worrying about such irrelevant stuff, little guy. Get to evolving already! I''ll meet you on the other side.]

    Invidia remained still, pondering what the master had said for several long minutes. He was unique? He had never felt unique. How was he supposed to know if he was or not? Was there a method?

    Ultimately, he pushed such concerns aside, something else the master had said resonating with him much more strongly. Regardless of what happened, he would have a ce, he would be a part of somethingrger than himself.

    It was something he already possessed, but Invidia treasured it all the same.

    [Would you like to use the evolution menu?]

    [Congrattions on reaching the maximum level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

    Warning: evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.

    Your evolution options are as follows:

    ¡¤?Greater Demon of Envy

    ¡¤?Demon of Desire

    ¡¤?Demon of Gluttony

    ¡¤?Eye Demon of Spite (special)

    ¡¤?Watcher of Endless Envy (special)

    ¡¤?Vacuum of Want (special)

    ¡¤?Green Eyed Beholder (rare)

    ¡¤?Lesser Watchdemon of Possession (rare)

    ¡¤?Gaze Demon of Approbation (rare)

    No mythic option. Invidia was disappointed. He had wanted it ever since his master had achieved such an evolution, but he''d known such a thing was unlikely for him. At his next evolution, he had a much higher chance, especially if he chose wisely now.

    As expected, variations of his obsession appeared, and even at the lower ranks, he had the ability to change the direction of his obsession entirely. Invidia had no desire to spend an entire evolution turning himself into a gluttony or desire demon. As his master had said, he would refine who he already was, that course of action felt the most natural.

    He aimed his attention directly at the rare evolutions. It was from these three he would make his selection.

    [Rare Evolution: Green Eyed Beholder (rare). +100 Bonus to Cunning. +100 Bonus to Will. +20 Bonus to Toughness. A creature of powerful Envy that desires all it sees, and sees all. The mind and the will to reach for everything. The Eye of Envy will be reforged into Allsight Jade (warning, this will reset all mutations), and two further Eyes of Envy will be added. A Condensed Will umtor of Soul Crystal will be granted for free.]

    See all, be envious of all. Invidia wanted it. A powerful new version of an Envy demon, greater than he already was. The added brain matter was valuable, as was the added Will. With the umtor, he would be a force to be reckoned with, able to direct the flow of mana and impose his version of reality with indomitable strength.

    [Rare Evolution: Lesser Watchdemon of Possession (rare). +120 Bonus to Cunning, +80 Bonus to Will. +20 Bonus to Toughness. It is not what others have, but what you can take from them and hold that truly matters. The Lesser Watchdemon can see even into the hearts of its foes, and can take what they wish. You must specify that which you seek to possess. Eye of Envy will be reforged into Luminous Sapphire (warning, this will reset all mutations). A Spirit Sight Gem of Soul Crystal will be granted for free. A Possession Engine Demon Silica will be added for free.]

    Intriguing. No longer obsess over that which he did not have, but that which he had sessfully taken from others? A more active obsession, rather than a more passive one. It was a change, but did it feel natural?

    [Rare Evolution: Gaze Demon of Approbation (rare). +80 Bonus to Cunning, +120 Bonus to Will. +20 Bonus to Toughness. Appreciation, Apuse, Goodwill. You hunger for approval and you will have it, no matter the cost. Eye of Envy will be reforged into Burning Ruby (warning, this will reset all mutations). An Emotion Maw of Red-Void matter will be granted for free. A Goodwill Drain of Soul Crystal will be added for free.]

    Another interesting choice. Invidia blinked his one green eye as he considered each choice carefully. There would be a lot of work in the manual evolution screens, no matter which he selected. He needed to reset his brain and neural adaptor as well, possibly his Mana Maniption Cortex too, which would take a good chunk of evolutionary energy, but would set him up for his next evolution better. Hopefully a mythic.

    But now¡­ which option drew him in? Which did he want the most?

    Of course, he wanted all of them, but he would still have to choose.

    The more he considered, the more he was drawn to the second option. Of the evolutions before him, it was the only one which gave him the freedom to shape his own obsession. To hone it himself, as many other demons had, such as the knowledge demon, Allocrix.

    Also, it was strong. A lesser form at tier seven beckoned a greater form at tier eight. That increased his chances of mythic evolution.

    But what was it that he wished to possess the most? Invidia had spent all of his existence as an Envy demon wanting everything, without exception. Of all the things he''d wanted, which did he truly wish to possess?

    He thought of his master. He thought of the freedom that had been given to him. He smiled, a frightening, toothy maw splitting the air beneath his fluttering frame.

    Yessssss. Your friendssssship. I will havesssss it!

 Chapter 1143 1254 - Consultations Are Open Part 3

    <h4>Chapter 1143 Chapter 1254 - Consultations Are Open Part 3</h4>

    [Hold still, Tiny! You''ll get back everything you lose and more in a minute!]

    With his lower lip jutting out stubbornly, Tiny continues to wiggle back and forth, trying to avoid the touch of my antennae. Watching the big ape roll around like a potato in the sink would be amusing any other time, but when I''m trying to modify his core, it''s just in irritating!

    Could I pin him down? Sure I could. Could I order him to hold still? Obviously, yes. Rather than force him, though, I want him to ept the modification of his own free will. He knows it''s good for him, he just hates to lose any flexing power, even for a moment.

    Damn stubborn idiot!

    [Sorry about this, Crinis, looks like you''re up next. I''m going to have to sit down with the big ape and have a conversation. A long, boring conversation.]

    With an audible groan, Tiny slumps to the side, but still manages to scoot away from my feelers.

    [A-are you sure, Master?] Crinis says, startled.

    [Of course. I have every confidence in you. You''re going to do great!]

    [I''ll do my best!]

    ~~~

    [Crinis, I don''t mind sharing with you that of all the monsters I''ve studied or worked on over the years, you are by far one of the most terrifying.]

    [That''s very kind of you.]

    [I thought you''d say that,] the big golgari sighed. [I have to say, viewed through the lens of my training and work with cores over the centuries, your build is a mess of inefficiencies.]

    [Oh¡­ is that bad?]

    [Well, normally it would be. Your methods for defeating your enemies are needlessly¡­ let''s say brutal. The TTK, or time to kill, ratio on your attacks is high, really high, which is something we usually like to avoid.]

    [Think about Anthony''s Void Chomp,] Torrina interjected. [Very high damage, rtively low wind up time.]

    [The flip side of that, your theoretical DPM, or damage per minute, which is a calction of how much damage you are able to do over time, is astronomically high.]

    [For aparison, we could look at Anthony''s gravity bomb. Long wind up time, rtively longsting effect, highly dangerous throughout its duration.]

    [Even though each individual strike you make is rtively weak, you are making many of them at once, and it all adds up. Your uptime is quite good also, the length of time you can maintain your peak performance, though not nearly as good as your master''s, for obvious reasons.]

    Of course not. Her Master was special. Always had been.

    She sat, as condensed as possible, into a ball of darkness in the centre of the chair across the desk from Granin. Despite her blindness, the big golgari made a point to lean over the table so he could look at her as they conversed.

    [I guess what I''m driving at is that your design is unconventional, yet effective. It was Anthony who made the initial modifications to your core?]

    [It was,] she confirmed.

    [He did a surprisingly good job. Corun, do you have the report?]

    Corun scratched at the back of his head as he read through the paper in front of him.

    [I do. I''ve honestly never even heard of an ''Immaterial Mind Breaker'' before, and I couldn''t find one in the Colony records either. I think the Crinis Inanis base species is rtively new, which limits our data somewhat. However, we do know something about your mutations and organs. Immaterial Flesh is a bit of a thing, to start with. I''m going to assume you''re fully ustomed to it now?]

    Crinis bobbed her upper half in what she hoped was an approximation of a nod.

    [Yes. Though it was quite difficult, at first.]

    [I can imagine. Effectively, you can move through solid objects, but the price you pay in mana to do so is staggeringly high. Your rather unique build has helped to mitigate this issue, since you can send through a single limb, or a portion of your body, a lot more easily than, say, I could. Even so, I''m going to assume maintaining the immaterial state for any length of time has been too costly.]

    Again, Crinis bobbed a nod.

    [Yes, it has. During the wave, it wasn''t as much of a problem, due to all the energy I could pull in, but now I''ll find it difficult to use again.]

    [It''s not that big of an issue,] he assured her, [so long as you address it in this evolution. There are a myriad of organs you can purchase, or mutations, that will assist with absorbing mana. We saw from your core that you''ve been diligent in training your mana maniption Skills, which is excellent, but without a dedicated caster build, it won''t be enough on its own.]

    He checked his page.

    [The¡­ uh¡­ Soul Seeker Cilia¡­] he began reluctantly, then looked pleadingly at Granin, who nodded. Relieved, Corun turned to the next sheet.

    [You''ve done a great job working on your senses without resorting to purchasing eyes of any kind. Your mana detection organs are excellent, though could probably do with a reset. In extremely high mana environments, such as the lower strata, your current organs may struggle due to the overwhelming amount of energy. There are further additions you could make to strengthen this ''vision'', which you''ve already done, specifically with shadows.]

    [Yourmitment to shadow magic ismendable and works well with the rest of your build,] Torrina chips in, [It may be worth going back and investing in a shadow magic conversion nd since you''re capable of producing shadow mana on your own. Remember, shadow mana can be turned into Immaterial Flesh, though it isn''t very efficient. Reserves of mana can be used to replenish your body in a pinch.]

    Corun nodded.

    [That''s a point that needs considering. You don''t have any healing built into your build, per se, but rather rece what you lost, usually through the consumption of Biomass. That''s not a problem, but there are a few things we can do to give that process a boost. Make it more cost effective, and give you more ways to rece what you''ve lost, such as Torrina''s shadow mana idea.]

    He frowns.

    [The other rmendation I would make is that you reset the barbs on your tentacles. As your main offensive weapon, they are seriouslygging behind. I''m sure you''ve already found it difficult to cut into many monsters in the fourth?]

    Crinis had indeed been having a hard time rending her opponents down as she wished.

    [That is true,] she confirmed. [The FILTH that DARE TO APPROACH¡­ ahem. I apologise. Yes.]

    Corun nods¡­ slowly.

    [A reset there would be valuable, then. More¡­ cutting power, will make your primary mode of attack much more effective.]

 Chapter 1144 1255 - What Wouldnâ€™t You Become?

    <h4>Chapter 1144 Chapter 1255 - What Wouldn¡¯t You Be?</h4>

    Master approached, an enormous core held firmly in his mandibles.

    [Hey there, Crinis! Hope the consultation went well. Did the rock-heads have some good suggestions for you?]

    Crinis writhed her tentacles happily as the giant ant approached and ced the core down in front of her.

    [They did. Though I don''t think you should talk about them that way. I get the feeling they wouldn''t like it.]

    [Bah. Granin gets mad no matter what I say to him. Ignoring them, I''m d you were actually willing to correct me on my poor behaviour! That''s a step forward in your quest for independence!]

    Held in a small ball with only a dozen or so limbs out, Crinis'' body froze in shock.

    [Oh my goodness! I''m sorry!]

    [And you addressed me without saying ''Master''! Smashing out the milestones one after another now, Crinis!]

    [AHHHHHH!]

    Her master folded his legs with a sigh and poked the quivering lump of immaterial flesh that was her with one antenna.

    [You know you don''t have to call me ''master'', I''ve never once asked you to, right? I have a name, just call me Anthony. Well, when you''re ready, I suppose. I don''t expect you topletely change your attitude overnight.]

    [W-w-w-what are you saying, Master? Why would I want to change? You deserve my respect!]

    [Look, if you don''t want to change, you don''t have to, I don''t really mind. Call me whatever you want. You''ve been a good and loyal friend to me for a long time now, you''ve earned at least that much.]

    Her Master gave her a final poke with one leg.

    [The whole point is that you be independent enough that you do what you want to do, rather than what you think I want you to do. Now hurry up and absorb this core, you need to evolve! I''m kind of excited to see the result, I''ve not seen this far in your core''s evolutionary path, so I''ve got no clue what might happen. No doubt, it''s going to be something awesome!]

    At those words, Crinis felt an odd sensation around her core, but truly, she didn''t understand it. What she wanted? She wanted to serve her master, the one who had brought her into this life by using a core. It wasn''t any mystery, there wasn''t any doubt, not for Crinis, of how or why she''de into this world. She was a pet, and she felt that bond to her Master deeply. Unlike what he appeared to expect, she didn''t resent it, not in the slightest. In fact, she embraced it.

    [Am I not allowed to stay the way I am?] she asked quietly.

    Halfway to the exit, Anthony turned around.

    [Crinis, you can do whatever the heck you want to do, and I''ll support you. That''s what friends do.]

    Then he was gone.

    [Would you like to use the evolution menu?]

    [Congrattions on reaching the maximum level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

    Warning: evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.

    Your evolution options are as follows:

    Mind Shredder

    Immaterial Grasper

    Mind Sculptor (special)

    Void Render (special)

    Thing Between (rare)

    Dweller In Darkness (rare)

    Cerebral Infector (rare)

    She had hoped, desperately hoped, that she would have a Mythic option, as her Master had, but it appeared it wasn''t to be. Perhaps her species simply didn''t merit such an option at the seventh tier.

    She raised two tentacles and clenched the ends in determination. If she couldn''t be a mythic monster at the seventh tier, she definitely would at the eighth. She would stand alongside the person she admired eventually, no matter how much effort or pain she needed to endure to get there!

    Although, by that time, perhaps he would already have evolved into something beyond her reach¡­.

    There was no need to be downcast, this was a great asion! Even if she couldn''t achieve a mythic evolution, she would once again be on the same tier as her Master. So long as she wasn''t a burden, she was happy.

    There were three rare evolutions to examine, so she looked at each in turn.

    [Rare Evolution: Thing Between (rare). +70 Bonus to Cunning, +70 Bonus to Will, +80 Bonus to Toughness, +80 Bonus to Might. Already, the physical word has but a tenuous grasp on you. To the Thing Between, even those flimsy chains are broken. Go where you will, and bring harm to that ce. Tentacles will be reforged into Phantasmal Matter (warning, this will reset all mutations). Shade Phase Organ will be reforged into Universal Phase Organ (warning, this will reset all mutations). A Dimensional Weave Eye will be added for free.]

    This evolution was interesting. Crinis quite enjoyed her unconventional movement. Already, she could slip through shadows in a limited fashion, and also pass through solid matter, though at an exorbitant cost. Were she to choose this evolution, she would be even less tethered to physical limitations.

    With thest of her tentacles changed from shadow flesh, no major part of her body would remainpletely physical except her core and organs. She could do a lot with that sort of freedom, reach many ces others would much rather she couldn''t get to¡­.

    Tempting.

    [Rare Evolution: Dweller In Darkness (rare). +60 Bonus to Cunning, +60 Bonus to Will, +120 Bonus to Toughness, +120 Bonus to Might. A creature of shadow now rises to be something more. No longer be at home in the darkness, be the darkness. Tri-Legion Tentacles will be reforged into Darkness Flesh (warning, this will reset all mutations). Shadow Eye will be reforged into Vanishing Darkness Eye (warning, this will reset all mutations). A Light Annihtor nd will be added for free.]

    Another interesting choice. She''d worked hard at her ability to control and manipte Shadows, but now this evolution promised to lead her down a more powerful path. Not shadow, darkness. How would the properties of Darkness Flesh and Immaterial work together, if at all? Perhaps she would need to consult the golgari again¡­.

    She liked this option. It was another angle toward getting the power she desired, another shape in which she could grow. What of thest?

    [Rare Evolution: Cerebral Infector (rare). +100 Bonus to Cunning, +100 Bonus to Will, +40 Bonus to Toughness, +40 Bonus to Might. The mind is a malleable thing, you know this already. The Cerebral Infector does not simply break minds, it shatters them, then recreates them in it''s image. Thought Scraper Talons will be granted for free. Spirit Scalpels will be granted for free. Terror Injector will be granted for free.]

    Now this tantalised Crinis. She delighted in terrifying her foes, in making them run, in breaking them. It was a fitting punishment, in her opinion, for those creatures daring to raise their ws against her Master.

    Cruel, some might say. She believed her cause was just, and that was all that mattered to her. However, did she want to continue down this path? Was that all she wanted to be?

    She wrapped her tentacles around herself and pondered.

    If she were being honest, and her master had encouraged her to be true to herself, then shredding the minds of her foes was¡­ a hobby, a side interest, not her true purpose.

    Her true purpose was to be useful to her Master, not to fall behind him, and be by his side. She would protect him. No matter what.

    To that end, which of these evolutions would grant her the power she needed? Not desired, needed. Her master had many foes, and would have many more before he was done.

    She considered once more The Dweller In Darkness.

    That was, after all, where she felt mostfortable.

 Chapter 1145 1256 - Consultations Are Open Part 4

    <h4>Chapter 1145 Chapter 1256 - Consultations Are Open Part 4</h4>

    [There you go, Tiny. Now you are the most intelligent ape you''ve ever been.]

    He looks at me, bat features drooping miserably.

    [It''s not that bad! You are being absolutely ridiculous. I took what, twenty points of Might and juiced up your brain. You''ll probably get two hundred Might or more in your next evolution. Knowing you, more.]

    The big ape flexes sadly, poking at his bicep with one, thick finger.

    [I didn''t even take it from your arms, you big dope. I took the bulk of it from your legs and glutes.]

    If anything, he looks even more distraught now, his eyes widening with shock, then narrowing as tears begin to build in the corners. Disgusted with him, I send him off to the golgari.

    [I''ve had enough of this absurd nonsense. Get in there and have your consultation, then manually evolve. That''s an order! And you may not lower your Cunning below thirty this time. That''s also an order! Now shoo!]

    ~~~

    Tiny was very grateful to his master. It was Anthony, after all, who had done so much to keep him alive, and if he wasn''t alive, Tiny wouldn''t be able to hit things.

    That would be bad.

    However, his master really didn''t understand where power came from. The legs? The glutes? They gave so much lift! Without shifting his weight and using the oomph granted by his legs, he couldn''t generate punches nearly asrge!

    He didn''t know why that was the case, but he knew it was.

    Perhaps he should make sure to spend his new Might on his rump. Really pump the area up. But then¡­ his shoulders¡­ and arms!

    Tiny frowned. Evolving was fun, but was much harder than it needed to be. Thinking about all the decisions he would need to make made his head hurt.

    [Hey there, big guy. You with us?]

    Tiny nodded, still frowning, and Graninughed.

    [Look, I can tell you''ve got a lot on your te. We''ll try and simplify everything as much as possible for you.]

    That was good. Simple was good. Simple like a clean straight right.

    [Last time, you reset your bones, correct?]

    Tiny shed a quick thumbs up. He had indeed reforged his bones to be sturdier, then mutated them to be sturdier again! Now even he couldn''t break them¡­ he didn''t think.

    [Right. This time around, you''re going to want to focus on your muscture. Your muscles. Even if you aren''t offered a free reforge for them, it''s important that you make sure you do it yourself. Understand?]

    The big ape scoffed. Even if they didn''t tell him to, he was always going to reforge his muscles. He''d only done his bones first because these three had told him his body would tear itself apart otherwise.

    A smaller one stepped forward.

    [You should also consider making your ligaments mutable. These are the tendons that connect your muscles to your bones. If you improve your strength without also anchoring them to your bones with a stronger material, they are likely to tear straight off.]

    Why was it soplicated to hit things hard?! Tiny groaned out loud.

    [Lig¡­ ligaments¡­. Then muscle?] he asked.

    Granin smiled and nodded.

    [That''s right. Make your ligaments mutable, then you can reset your muscles. In fact, if you get an option that will grant you enhanced ligaments off the bat, you should consider it. It may soak up some of your evolutionary energy, but it would be worth it.]

    Tiny flexed his diminished rump sadly. He needed that energy to put more pump in the dump! If it wasn''t to be, then it wasn''t to be. He would make what sacrifices were necessary.

    The other smaller rock people stepped forward.

    [In terms of your lightning generation organs, there are a number of directions they could go, should you choose to. eleration organs, ionising organs. You can improve the range and damage of your lightning by quite a bit. Right now, you have a decent quantity of lightning mana, thanks to the dual mana organs you possess, but you haven''t supplemented them with anything to improve their output or increase the rate of generation.]

    [Corun¡­ you need to break it down a little.]

    The little figure scratched at his head.

    [You can add stuff to make the lightning¡­ better,] he finishedmely.

    This poor effort earned a chuckle from the big one. Granin.

    [Look, evolution is difficult and there are many, many options. Especially when you get to this point. With more evolutionary energyes the ability to make even more choices. Do you want to spend it all on a few, expensive upgrades, or spread it out a little thinner, but give yourself more flexibility? It''s unfortunate, but Anthony has said that you are the only one who gets to make those choices, Tiny, so you are going to have to make them.]

    As painful as it was, Tiny was pleased that he was the one to decide. He liked being able to choose for himself, he just disliked all the thinking that had to go into it.

    Why think, when hitting is so much more satisfying?

    [It''s going to boil down to this,] Granin tried to exin. He used his finger and some mana to draw a line in the table in front of him, straight down the middle. [This side, we have the things that you are, for sure, going to do. Muscle reforge goes here. Ligaments goes here.]

    This was something Tiny could get on board with. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, leaning closer to stare intently at the desk.

    [Now on this side, we have the possibilities. Things you might want to do. We can break these down into categories. First, your wings. It''s weird that you even have shadow wings, but you have them. If you add to the muscles in your back and shoulders, it may be possible to make yourself fly. That''s something to think about.]

    He looked up at Tiny to see if there was any reaction. There wasn''t.

    [Fair enough. There''s your Sonic Enhancer. With some additions, that can be improved to be extremely dangerous, increasing the intensity and the range.]

    Still no response.

    [Lastly, your lightning nds. Storm generators will increase the rate at which you umte lightning mana, and you could purchase bolt channels to give the lightning a clear path from the nds to your hands or upper arms, making it easier to discharge the mana.]

    A slight stir. Tiny did like lightning.

    [Alright, let''s explore this a little bit further. But just a little,] Granin sighed.

 Chapter 1145: Consultations Are Open Part 4

    Chapter 1145: Consultations Are Open Part 4

    [There you go, Tiny. Now you are the most intelligent ape you''ve ever been.]

    He looks at me, bat features drooping miserably.

    [It''s not that bad! You are being absolutely ridiculous. I took what, twenty points of Might and juiced up your brain. You''ll probably get two hundred Might or more in your next evolution. Knowing you, more.]

    The big ape flexes sadly, poking at his bicep with one, thick finger.

    [I didn''t even take it from your arms, you big dope. I took the bulk of it from your legs and glutes.]

    If anything, he looks even more distraught now, his eyes widening with shock, then narrowing as tears begin to build in the corners. Disgusted with him, I send him off to the golgari.

    [I''ve had enough of this absurd nonsense. Get in there and have your consultation, then manually evolve. That''s an order! And you may not lower your Cunning below thirty this time. That''s also an order! Now shoo!]

    ~~~

    Tiny was very grateful to his master. It was Anthony, after all, who had done so much to keep him alive, and if he wasn''t alive, Tiny wouldn''t be able to hit things.

    That would be bad.

    However, his master really didn''t understand where power came from. The legs? The glutes? They gave so much lift! Without shifting his weight and using the oomph granted by his legs, he couldn''t generate punches nearly asrge!

    He didn''t know why that was the case, but he knew it was.

    Perhaps he should make sure to spend his new Might on his rump. Really pump the area up. But then his shoulders and arms!

    Tiny frowned. Evolving was fun, but was much harder than it needed to be. Thinking about all the decisions he would need to make made his head hurt.

    [Hey there, big guy. You with us?]

    Tiny nodded, still frowning, and Graninughed.

    [Look, I can tell you''ve got a lot on your te. We''ll try and simplify everything as much as possible for you.]

    That was good. Simple was good. Simple like a clean straight right.

    [Last time, you reset your bones, correct?]

    Tiny shed a quick thumbs up. He had indeed reforged his bones to be sturdier, then mutated them to be sturdier again! Now even he couldn''t break them he didn''t think.

    [Right. This time around, you''re going to want to focus on your muscture. Your muscles. Even if you aren''t offered a free reforge for them, it''s important that you make sure you do it yourself. Understand?]

    The big ape scoffed. Even if they didn''t tell him to, he was always going to reforge his muscles. He''d only done his bones first because these three had told him his body would tear itself apart otherwise.

    A smaller one stepped forward.

    [You should also consider making your ligaments mutable. These are the tendons that connect your muscles to your bones. If you improve your strength without also anchoring them to your bones with a stronger material, they are likely to tear straight off.]

    Why was it soplicated to hit things hard?! Tiny groaned out loud.

    [Lig ligaments. Then muscle?] he asked.

    Granin smiled and nodded.

    [That''s right. Make your ligaments mutable, then you can reset your muscles. In fact, if you get an option that will grant you enhanced ligaments off the bat, you should consider it. It may soak up some of your evolutionary energy, but it would be worth it.]

    Tiny flexed his diminished rump sadly. He needed that energy to put more pump in the dump! If it wasn''t to be, then it wasn''t to be. He would make what sacrifices were necessary.

    The other smaller rock people stepped forward.

    [In terms of your lightning generation organs, there are a number of directions they could go, should you choose to. eleration organs, ionising organs. You can improve the range and damage of your lightning by quite a bit. Right now, you have a decent quantity of lightning mana, thanks to the dual mana organs you possess, but you haven''t supplemented them with anything to improve their output or increase the rate of generation.]

    [Corun you need to break it down a little.]

    The little figure scratched at his head.

    [You can add stuff to make the lightning better,] he finishedmely.

    This poor effort earned a chuckle from the big one. Granin.

    [Look, evolution is difficult and there are many, many options. Especially when you get to this point. With more evolutionary energyes the ability to make even more choices. Do you want to spend it all on a few, expensive upgrades, or spread it out a little thinner, but give yourself more flexibility? It''s unfortunate, but Anthony has said that you are the only one who gets to make those choices, Tiny, so you are going to have to make them.]

    As painful as it was, Tiny was pleased that he was the one to decide. He liked being able to choose for himself, he just disliked all the thinking that had to go into it.

    Why think, when hitting is so much more satisfying?

    [It''s going to boil down to this,] Granin tried to exin. He used his finger and some mana to draw a line in the table in front of him, straight down the middle. [This side, we have the things that you are, for sure, going to do. Muscle reforge goes here. Ligaments goes here.]

    This was something Tiny could get on board with. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, leaning closer to stare intently at the desk.

    [Now on this side, we have the possibilities. Things you might want to do. We can break these down into categories. First, your wings. It''s weird that you even have shadow wings, but you have them. If you add to the muscles in your back and shoulders, it may be possible to make yourself fly. That''s something to think about.]

    He looked up at Tiny to see if there was any reaction. There wasn''t.

    [Fair enough. There''s your Sonic Enhancer. With some additions, that can be improved to be extremely dangerous, increasing the intensity and the range.]

    Still no response.

    [Lastly, your lightning nds. Storm generators will increase the rate at which you umte lightning mana, and you could purchase bolt channels to give the lightning a clear path from the nds to your hands or upper arms, making it easier to discharge the mana.]

    A slight stir. Tiny did like lightning.

    [Alright, let''s explore this a little bit further. But just a little,] Granin sighed.

 Chapter 1146: Ape Ascendant

    Chapter 1146: Ape Ascendant

    [Finally done, eh Tiny? I''m impressed, I seriously didn''t think you''dst this long.]

    When he emerged from the consultation, head aching, Tiny found his master waiting in the chamber he was to evolve in, a huge core held in his jaws. Tiny winced when he saw it. He remembered the sting of those things.

    He rubbed at his head as a phantom pain echoed at the top of his scalp.

    [Yeah, I know. It''s going to suck, but it needs to be done. You''ve got a better chance of getting a mythic evolution than the other two, but it''ll all go to waste if you don''t evolve with a fully pumped up core.]

    His master approached and nudged at Tiny''s arm with one antenna until he opened his hand so the giant ant could deposit the gem onto his palm.

    [You''re just like me,] his master said. [A first stratum monster who was never meant to make it this far. I''m proud of you, Tiny. You''ve done a great job to survive this long. And you managed to punch the heck out of a ton of monsters on the way.]

    Tiny grinned broadly and instinctively flexed while giving a thumbs up, waggling his eyebrows. Anthonyughed.

    [That''s a new move. After this evolution, you''ll probably be back to being bigger than me, I assume. Don''t let it get to your head, and don''t start thinking you''re invincible. You might hit the hardest, but you take the fewest punches out of all of us. Make sure you toughen yourself up.]

    The great ape frowned. He''d never thought of it that way. His punches were the strongest, but he couldn''t take punches himself? That didn''t sound right. That sounded weak. Tiny wasn''t weak! He was the strongest!

    Determined, he clutched the core tight in his fist. Seeing this, his master turned to leave.

    [Alright, I''ll leave you to it. See you on the other side, big guy.]

    Taking in the core was painful, as always. The moment he was done, Tiny engaged the evolution menu.

    [Would you like to use the evolution menu?]

    [Congrattions on reaching the maximum level for your current species. Evolution will allow you to change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

    Warning: evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.

    Your evolution options are as follows:

    Elder Kong

    Silverback Shadow Kong

    Winged Copsing Fist (special)

    Stone Ape Shadow Boxer (special)

    Ape Fury Fist (rare)

    Heavyweight Champion Kong (rare)

    Flicker Footed Boxer Kong (rare)

    Stone Ape of the Mountain Heart (Mythic)

    Elder Kong of the Storm Summit (Mythic)

    Two mythic options. His master had been right, as usual. Flicker Footed Boxer Kong sounded fantastic, though.

    Tiny shook his head. No, he would ignore it. As much as he loved his fancy feet, he had other things he needed to focus on right now. Punching, and getting punched! Resolute, he turned his attention to the mythic options.

    [Mythic Evolution: Stone Ape of the Mountain Heart (Mythic). -20 Bonus to Cunning, +80 Bonus to Will, +250 Bonus to Toughness, +200 Bonus to Might. Your bones are as solid as the mountain, so too shall your flesh be unbreakable. Your blood flows through the mountain heart, and it nourishes your strength. Be Indomitable. Muscture will be reforged with Living Granite. A mountain heart will be granted for free. A magmavascr system will be granted for free.]

    That was a lot of Toughness, and a lot of Might to go along with it! Tiny''s eyes gleamed as he considered just howrge and powerful his physique would be with these sorts of numbers. A muscture reforge as well, just what he wanted. Living Granite sounded good!

    He would be durable, able to absorb much more punishment, which meant he could keep dishing it out. This was excellent!

    Tiny recalled that he''d been warned he had to read all of the best options, not that he saw the point. He rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the next one.

    [Mythic Evolution: Elder Kong of the Storm Summit (Mythic). -20 Bonus to Cunning, +50 Bonus to Will, +150 Bonus to Toughness, +300 Bonus to Might. Lightning crashes against the mountain peak and the stone is unmoved. You are the storm. You are the summit. Unbreakable you stand, endless is your fury. Lightning Mana nds will be reforged with tempest ss. Muscture will be reforged with fulmen silver infused flesh. A storm heart will be granted for free. ]

    Now this this was also interesting. There were many words here that Tiny liked. Unbreakable! Endless fury! Lightning! Also a muscture mutation, with metal of some sort? Why not!

    And so much Might!

    He would have to make up for theck of toughness in other ways, of course. The stone people had told him of several and he almost remembered them.

    He grinned.

    This was going to be incredible.

 Chapter 1147: The Craving

    Chapter 1147: The Craving

    Finally. Finally! It wasn''t easy, but I managed to shepherd all of my pets through their evolutions. Holy moly, that was a lot of work. As expected, Tiny was the most difficult, but now the big guy has settled in, obviously running through the menus, judging by his furrowed brow.

    Although I feel ted for them to finally reach my tier, I also feel a bit lonely. The evolution to tier seven is a big one, and the crew might not be together again for a week or more. What am I supposed to do with myself? There''s not even a wave going on to keep me busy!

    I head back toward the room the golgari were set up in and poke my head in.

    [Hey there, the triad of poweres through again. How''d it all go?]

    They were in the process of packing up, but as I stick my massive face through the entrance, they turn to me.

    [Tiny was a lot of work, but probably will have the best evolution,] Granin says. [I get the feeling Crinis and Invidia are going to see a more major jump in power when they reach tier eight.]

    [That''s a long way away,] I scoff. [These exponential Level requirements are ridiculous.]

    Granin shoots me a look and I can tell he''s about tounch into a lecture. My immediate instinct is to run, but then again, where do I have to go? My antennae slump in defeat. I may as well listen and try to learn something.

    [The Level requirement doubles every time, but so does the evolutionary energy contained in the core. Every tier is a more significant jump than thest one. From tier eight onwards, you can pretty much forget about fighting anything more evolved than you. Especially since higher tier monsters are usually smart enough to ensure they max out on cores and mutations before evolving, even if they didn''t at the lower levels.]

    [Even with my advantages?]

    I''m a little surprised to hear this. I fought multiple tier eights, after all. Now he''s telling me when I''m tier eight, and stronger than I am now, I''ll have no chance of fighting a tier nine? I thought my Altar was an all-conquering cheat code! Well of sorts.

    Granin, Corun and Torrina all look at me as if they know exactly what I''m thinking.

    [Probably not,] Granin tells me in a t tone of voice. [For your Altar to be fully effective, you need a ton of ants to be within its range, which is huge, I understand that, but it was dangerous for them to be that close even against tier eights. Against tier nines, or tens? Monsters with that kind of power could annihte hundreds of thousands of ants without even aiming for them.]

    That seems possible? I suppose?

    [How much do you really know about monsters that powerful, Granin? I thought you''d never delved deep enough toe across something like a tier nine.]

    One of the advantages of having ayer of stone on top of your skin is that nobody can see you blush. Not that I think Granin is blushing, I doubt the man ever has in his life. I do feel like I''ve caught him out, though.

    [I haven''t,] he readily admits, [but that doesn''t mean that there aren''t Shapers who have. My understanding of monsters at that tieres from the writings of those who saw such things and worked with monsters at that level. It''s rare, but it does happen. There are probably more restricted and secret texts that deal with even more powerful and highly evolved monsters than that.]

    [What about the knowledge you''ve garnered from the cult?]

    [There''s a bit of that too,] he readily admits. [It''s not as if the Ancients shower us with information, quite the opposite, but a few things have been gleaned over the millennia.]

    I hear a strange sound, like a rushing wind, and a momentter I''m covered in dust, coughing and scraping it off my antennae.

    "Vibrant! What the heck!? I just got these clean!"

    "SorrySenior,butIwashopingteandevolve.Isitfinishedyet?Oh,Iseetherockpeoplearestillhere,that''sgreat!Doyouthinkthey''llhangaroundforabittotalktomebeforeIevolve?"

    "Holy. Moly. Slow it down! Pah! All this dust is getting into my mouth. Pah! Pfffft!"

    "Why are you making those noises, Senior?"

    Oh right I don''t talk with my mouth I can spit out the dirt without making a sound. Doesn''t quite feel right, though.

    [Granin, Vibrant was wondering if you''d be willing to do a consultation for her as well. I promise she''ll talk normally.]

    His eyes immediately light up.

    [Another tier seven ant evolution? Absolutely! Would she mind if we get to record the options she''s offered? They''re likely to be less unique than yours and might be universal for your siblings.]

    I doubt it.

    [I''ll give you the heads up. All she''s ever wanted to do is go as fast as possible, so I''m guessing that''s the direction her questions are going to go. She''ll probably be happy for you to look at her core as well, so long as she can sit still long enough for you to do it.]

    I turn to the vibrating Vibrant.

    "Settle down a bit. I''m getting the jitters just from looking at you."

    "I''m just too excited, Senior! This is a huge-huge day for me!"

    "Because you get to go faster," I sigh.

    "Because I get to go FASTER!" She cheers.

    "Look, I''ve told Granin that you''ll be on your best behaviour. Talk slowly, sit still, and pay attention to what they have to say. These three are experts in the field of monster biology, so if anyone knows a way to make you zippier, it''s them. Alright?"

    "Got it, Senior! I''ll be good!"

    "All right then. Wait. Do you have a core ready?"

    "Yep-yep! Not to worry!"

    "What sort of core?"

    "Mythic!"

    Sheesh! Are these things growing on trees now? How many mythic grade monsters are running around out there?! Or perhaps her army made one for her by fusing together a literal ton of cores? Better not ask too many questions.

    "Go for it. I''ll wait out here and have a chat with you when you''re done."

    "Yay!"

    In a blink, she''s through the door, which closes behind her, and I settle down on the spot to wait. For some reason, I don''t think I''ll be waiting all that long.

 Chapter 1148: A Little Privacy

    Chapter 1148: A Little Privacy

    Sure enough, it doesn''t take long before Vibrantes sprinting out of the office, even more energetic than before.

    "It''s amazing, Senior! They know soooo much! Even though they have rock-rock heads!"

    "Hey, they just have a secondyer of rock skin, it''s not like their heads are actually filled with rocks."

    "I thought they just had thinking rocks."

    "What the heck is a thinking rock? You know what, I''ve seen weirder things on Pangera than that. Sure. Go and evolve, have fun. At least the torpor police won''t have to bother chasing you for a while."

    "I wish I could evolve while running. That would be amazing!"

    "No it wouldn''t and don''t ever try it. In fact, it''s banned. I don''t want to find out if that''s possible. Evolving is the only extended nap I ever get anymore and I refuse to have it taken from me."

    It''s also the only time I get free from the endless influx of the Colony''s Will. Not that it''s necessarily a bad thing, having the desires and impressions of my family thudding into my mind in a never ending stream. It just gets overwhelming at times.

    "Have you spoken to your crew about what they''ll be up to while you''re down here?" I ask Vibrant.

    It''s hard to believe she''s a leader, given her easy-breezy attitude, but not only is she a member of the council, she''s also a certified, bonafidemander of her own personal army. I wonder if they''vee up with a name for themselves yet? Vibrant''s speedsters? Always elerating Ants?

    Goodness knows.

    "Oh, they''re super busy! So much running around. I told them they all have to evolve so they can kinda-sorta keep up with me, otherwise I''ll leave them behind!"

    Well makes sense, I suppose. I''m guessing her followers are currently sprinting around on the third stratum trying to hoover up experience and cores as quickly as they possibly can. Which is fine. A more powerful speed-squad is only helpful to the Colony after all. In fact, of all the little groups running around, hers is the fighting unit that gets the most done, and it isn''t close. Something about being able to get from hotspot to hotspot in record time makes all the difference, I suppose.

    "Fair enough. I''ll leave you to it, then. Good luck! Hope it all goes well!"

    She''s probably going to get a mythic evolution that turns her into the ant equivalent of a fighter jet, or one of those rocket-propelled cars on Earth.

    I p my front two legs together and offer a silent prayer to the unnamed ones. Whoever''s job it is to catch Vibrant after this is going to need more luck than exists in this world.

    Vibrant races off to find a chamber to evolve in and I shake my head. The Colony is getting stronger, so it''s all fine. In fact, I wonder how long it is until Brilliant and Snt evolve again? The other Colony Champions have been making great contributionstely, but those will only grow in scope the higher tier they reach.

    With Sarah, Crinis, Tiny and Invidia all down for the count, I seek out Odin and find the wiry demon outside of Sarah''s chamber. He''s sitting eerily still, like a statue, just watching. What is up with Sarah and her ability to get these weirdos to follow her around? First was Jim, and now this guy.

    [Hey there, Odin. How''s things?]

    The demon jumps in surprise as I smack a mind bridge into him and start yapping.

    [Whahow did you find me? I was in stealth.]

    [You''re going to need a few more ranks if you want to avoid my eyes. Also, learn some mana maniption so you can conceal the energying off your core.]

    [Ah. I hadn''t thought of that.]

    He gives off a cold and calcting vibe, and his mental voice is quite mature, giving me the sense he was a lot older than me when he died. Doesn''t mean much though, I''m his elder on this side of the divide, and this is where we happen to be!

    [I can also smell you. Ant antennae are quite sensitive to scent. There''s also your gravitational field. I can pick that up too.]

    [What? Wouldn''t that field be absurdly weak?]

    [Yep!]

    An awkward pause.

    [Soooo are you nning on just hanging around outside of Sarah''s evolution chamber until she''s done? Just hiding in stealth the whole time?]

    The lithe demon shifts ufortably.

    [I just wanted to see what she turns into. She''s already such an incredible engine of death. I can''t imagine how she''s going to improve on perfection.]

    [You are a weird guy.]

    I decide there and then I''m going to do Sarah a favour.

    [Come on, then.] I prod the demon with my front leg. [Let''s get moving.]

    [Exchey! Stop that!]

    [Nope. You''reing with me. Sarah would probably appreciate some privacy and there''s nothing to be gained by you sitting here staring at her. In fact, that''s a profoundly odd thing to do. You''re living in the Colony, so make yourself useful to the Colony. Let''s get to it!]

    Ignoring his protests, I continue to poke and prod the former human until we leave the evolution chambers behind and make our way deeper into the nest. I don''t think it''ll take long for me to find some sort of trouble to get into, it always seems toe and find me when my friends aren''t around, and sure enough, a runner speeds up to me within ten minutes.

    [Eldest! The brathian delegation has returned, and they wish to speak to you right away!]

    That''s a bit sudden. Couldn''t they have sent word ahead or something? Good thing I''ve got nothing better to do.

    [Sure, lead the way!]

    I drag Odin along with me and it isn''t long until we find ourselves back in the spacious chamber the initial negotiations took ce in. Enid is already there, sipping a cup of tea and chatting pleasantly with the same scaleddy we spoke tost time. Along with her entourage. In fact, I think there''s even more of them this time.

    I wonder what they want?

 Chapter 1149: Anthony On Tour pt 1

    Chapter 1149: Anthony On Tour pt 1

    Turns out they aren''t particrly impressed I''ve brought Odin along with me. No sooner have we entered the chamber than the guards are whipping out des and the mages are pping down shields around the core of their group.

    Enid looks as confused as I feel, and there''s some rapid words exchanged. I put together a mind bridge and connect to her in order to find out what in the heck is going on.

    [They''re upset you brought an Assassin Demon with you,] she tells me, eyeing Odin askance.

    [A what?!]

    I turn to look at the little demon.

    [You''re an Assassin Demon?]

    [I thought you already knew that.]

    I probably did. I shrug.

    [So he''s an Assassin Demon. So what?]

    Enid gives me that look that tells me she''s annoyed, and developing a headache.

    [So they think you''re going to assassinate someone. Why else would you bring one to a meeting with an envoy from another group?]

    [If I was going to assassinate one of them, why the heck would I waltz in with him in in view of everyone? Besides, he''s not going to kill anyone. Odin, do you feel the urge tomit murder?]

    [A bit, yes.]

    [Shut up for a minute, Odin. What the heck, man? Seriously. Look, can you just exin to them he''s a friend of the Colony and we are not nning on having anyone assassinated. I only dragged him up here so he could stop being creepy somewhere else.]

    [Can you stop describing me as creepy?]

    [After what you just said? No. And frankly, I''m shocked you would ask.]

    It takes a little while, but eventually Enid is able to calm the brathians down long enough for them to put their weapons away, which in turn lets the Colony feelfortable enough to stop pulling thousands of troops off the walls to surround the chamber.

    Eventually, after going through several intermediaries, I manage to connect with the leader of the delegation, Eran Thouris, a sparkling purple-scaleddy, and speak to her directly.

    [Sorry about the confusion,] I say upfront. [I''d totally forgotten that this guy was an Assassin Demon, otherwise I wouldn''t have brought him.]

    It does seem somewhat rude to bring a demon of killing to a meeting.

    [It''s quite alright. I''m happy to overlook the whole incident. In exchange for renegotiating a few percentage points on our contract.]

    [Not happening.]

    I still feel like they are point nk robbing us. There''s no way I''m going to let them get away with shaving more profit out of us just because I made them think we were trying to murder them. That would be outrageous!

    [I assume you''re here to talk about our deal? Are we going to move forward now that the wave is over?]

    Eran smiles, though it doesn''t reach her eyes.

    [I thought as much. Yes, we are here to discuss our agreement and take steps that will enable us to start bringing your products to market. We have brought along our goods inspectors, who will remain with you here in the nest to supervise the packing of the merchandise, as well as ensure quality control.]

    I really doubt that quality control is going to be an issue. For whatever reason, the craft-ants who fill up the countless workshops of the Colony are obsessed with quality. They grind their Skills day and night, cleaning up every little detail they can find in order to produce the best work that they can. Actually, it''s probably because most of the furniture and food goes to the Queens now that I think about it. Hey, if it keeps the brathians happy, they can inspect the quality. Why not?

    [That sounds fine. I''m pretty sure we had rooms and work areas prepared for them.]

    We sure did. Those rooms are heavily enchanted to prevent snooping, just in case these scaly negotiators were hoping to get some inside information. It''s not that easy! Gweheheheh.

    [There is another matter I wanted to bring up with you,] Eran continues, taking a long sip of her tea. [That is the issue of introducing your goods directly to the buyers.]

    [Yeeeeeeah? Isn''t that your side of the agreement? We provide the stuff, you take it to market and sell it.]

    [That''s correct, of course,] she assures me, [but there are several unique challenges involved. And no, I''m not trying to negotiate for a better price,] she says, stalling my immediateint, [I''m trying to make sure this venture gets off to the best possible start. Let me borate a little.]

    She gestures behind her, and one of the attendants steps forward with arge scroll that is ced on the table and unfurled in front of the delegate. What is revealed is a beautifully made, vividly coloured and exquisitely detailed map of the fourth stratum.

    Holy moly! This is some valuable stuff! Are they giving us this information for free?! I better y it cool.

    [Nice map,] I say.

    Smooth.

    Eran smiles, then stands to better point out locations on the map.

    [The issue we have is that there are very few monster-made goods on the market. Very few. Those that are, tend to be from well established sellers with a reputation for quality that people can trust. A good example you are likely familiar with is the sophos. Their custom designed pet-cores go for a premium all over the fourth. Customers dislike buying from monsters as a rule. I''m sure you can understand why.]

    I get it. Monsters, for the most part, want to eat people. People, be they golgari, human, brathian or ka''armodo, would rather they not get eaten. This sh of ideals is sure to create some tension. I don''t think I''d be buying from apany that stated its mission was to consume my precious Biomass.

    [So you think people will be reluctant to purchase Colony-made products.]

    [I don''t think they will, I know they will. In order to ovee this resistance, we need to put our best foot forward with a swift marketing campaign.]

    Holy moly. These brathians really like their wheeling and dealing.

    [What did you have in mind?]

    [A tour,] she says simply. [We take you, and some of your finest crafts ants, and we visit the biggest markets in the fourth. It''s easy to dismiss that which you aren''t familiar with. If we can show the buyers who and what you are, let them lose a little of their fear, as well as see a demonstration of your skills, then they are far more likely to engage with your goods.]

    She gestures down to the map in front of her.

    [There are six main ces I want us to visit at least, as well as several smaller ones in between. The Silver City is one of thergest trading hubs in the world, we can probably leave that one forst. Desert Basin, home of the ka''armodo Sand Empire. Greystone, the majormercial city of the golgari Empire of Stone. Freehill, gathering ce of the Folk. Lakespire, a meeting ce for the brathian trading conglomerates. We should probably also pay a visit to the Wandering Isle.]

    As she names each of these major cities she points to a location on the map covered in glittering symbology and borate looking letters that no doubt spell out the names of these ces. For thest one, though, she doesn''t, and I can guess why.

    [I''m going to guess that''s one of the flying inds that I''ve seen around the ce. I didn''t think they were big enough for people to seriously live on.]

    [There''s more than you think, roughly a dozen on which there are major settlements. There are many, many smaller ones upied by monsters.]

    [Yes, I''ve seen one of those.]

    [So, that is my proposal. Be front-facing and get you out there, as the face and representative of the Colony, to break down resistance to the products we will be bringing to market.]

    I''m not superfortable with the idea of leaving the nest undefended, but then, this project has the possibility of bringing in a ton of cores for my siblings. If we seed, we may finally have the supply to ensure full evolutions for every ant graduate. Or at least, a much higher proportion of them.

    [The sooner we leave, the sooner we canplete the tour and start moving goods. How quickly can everything be arranged on your end?]

    We would need me. A few dozen of our best crafters. An escort of guards and soldiers. Examples of the merch, naturally. That''s a lot of different goods.

    [Give us an hour.]

 Chapter 1150: Anthony On Tour pt 2

    Chapter 1150: Anthony On Tour pt 2

    It takes very little time for the Colony to get the stuff together. A bit more than an hour, I''m not going to lie, but not by much. Within thirty minutes, the goods start to flow through the gate, along with many of the Colony''s best carvers. Even Smithant shows up! The only thing that could drag her away from her forge is the possibility of learning new techniques from across the fourth.

    The other thing that flows through the gate is reinforcements. Many, many reinforcements. It turns out that the Council members I spoke to, mostly via the Nave, were extremely supportive of the prospect of a diplomatic mission to the rest of the stratum, but with so many close allies undergoing evolution within the nest, they didn''t want to leave anything to chance.

    Over the next few days, they n to bring in tons of ants. Soldiers, generals, mages, carvers, the works. Within forty eight hours, the nest will be locked up tighter than Fort Knox if it were ced within another Fort Knox which was itself within a safe. The possibility of a repeat of my own evolution, awakening to find hunters attacking to try and im my sweet, sweet mythic scalp, will not be allowed to take ce.

    Which is a relief.

    Another problem quickly rears its head when it''s decided that some of the human allies of the Colony should be brought along as well. Enid, obviously, is the first name put forward, and she graciously epts, but after that, we run into trouble. Big trouble.

    [I AM MORE THAN WILLING TO BRAVE THE DANGERS OF THE UNENLIGHTENED IN ORDER TO SPREAD THE WORD OF YOUR LIGHT, GREAT ONE!]

    [LOUD! Always with the loud! Dial it back a notch before you smack my brain with a hammer, would you?]

    [I apologise most humbly GREATGreat One. I am in control of myself.]

    Somehow I kind of doubt that. Despite his words, the guy is visibly trembling still, just from being around me. I look at the other humans, waiting for someone to step forward and take him away to a hospital or something, but for some reason, it never happens. Actually, I think there''s a few people there that I recognise. I''ll have to have a few words with themter.

    "Why are we thinking of bringing this guy along?" Iin to Victor. "If he meets with other humans, he''s just going to weird them out."

    The general rubs her antennae together.

    "I''m not sure what you mean, Eldest. I generally can''t tell the humans apart very well, and certainly don''t know when they''re ''weirded out''. The other humans put him forward as their representative, so we included him."

    Of course they did. They''re his followers.

    "Fine. Just please tell me we have some normalother peopleing as well."

    "There''s a detachment of the ant cavalry being deployed for the first time. We thought it would be a good idea to show just how closely we can cooperate with others."

    "Isn''t Isaac in charge of that group?"

    "Captain Bird, you mean?"

    "He''s a captain now? Sure. It''s fine. I wouldn''t call him sensible, but he''s better than Beyn."

    I point at the two familiar figures.

    "I want those two included as well."

    Victor shrugs and passes on the message to a runner who dashes off to inform the organisers.

    In the meantime, I reach out to the two golden statues within my Nave.

    [Hello again, you two. Yes, it''s me, I''m right in front of you, hello.]

    I wave at them. The girl looks a bit stunned. The guy just sort of nods.

    [We''re going on a trip. Beyn ising, and so are you. Congrattions. Pack your stuff.]

    So much stuff to get ready! I excuse myself from the crowd and try to grab a moment of privacy so I can check in with my personal babysitters.

    "Protectant. We are heading out of the nest and travelling across the stratum. This is going to be stressful as heck for you lot. Anyone who isn''t tier six is going to have to remain behind, I''m afraid."

    It''s been a while since I''ve spoken to them directly, which is that they prefer things, but on this asion, it''s important we hash things out.

    "Do I have to reveal myself?"es a intive scent.

    "Yes, you have to reveal yourself. I know where you are, but I feel like I''m talking to a wall. It''s ridiculous."

    Begrudgingly, my bodyguard appears from thin air.

    "We''ve all evolved to tier six already," she assures me, still constantly scanning for threats, her antennae never ceasing to move. "However, I strongly advise against this excursion. It''s dangerous for you to leave the nest."

    "You mean right now?"

    "No, I mean at any time, ever."

    "I''m not sitting around inside in the nest for the rest of my life! Forget it! After this trip, we have to get ready for our next major adventure, which is invading the fifth and kicking slugs in the bum! If they have them! Surely they do. Anyway. You''ve all evolved. That''s good. I won''t have to worry about you so much."

    After talking to Protectant, I make sure to track Odin down again. He was trying to sneak back to Sarah''s evolution chamber, the weirdo. Ignoring his protests, I bundle him up and get him thrown in with the bespoke furniture. People may not like having Assassin Demons around, but I''m not leaving him behind. The guy needs to find himself a new hobby.

    In the end, the ant delegation is muchrger than I thought it would be, almost ten thousand individuals including humans, golgari, huge baggage trains and many, many guards. And me. The fact that we managed to pull the damn thing together so quickly is frankly baffling.

    In fact, the brathian are baffled. They expected it to take a week to get ready and have now been caught t-footed. The scrubs! After apologising, they ask for a day to get their own expedition ready, and invite me toe and hang out down in the Lake with them, along with some of our delegates.

    I''m quite curious as to how they make their living down in the sparkling blue waters of the fourth, but I don''t really see how I''m supposed to get down there. Ants can float on top of water. At least, ants who are way lighter than me can float on top of water. What I''m not sure of, is if there are any ants who can swim. My feeling is no.

    They assure me it''s possible, though, so what the hey, I might as well take them up on their offer. If worsees to worst, I''ll move the water with gravity and float my way out. Gracefully.

 Chapter 1151: Anthony On Tour pt 3

    Chapter 1151: Anthony On Tour pt 3

    As it turns out, the Colony''s new trading partners are fairly ustomed to bringing less swim-capable creatures down into their watery abode. Perhaps not necessarily ones asrge as I am, but hey, it all works out in the end.

    When I arrive at the beach, I find a team of brathian mages ready and waiting to transport us down beneath the waves.

    [So how does this work?] I ask Enid.

    The old woman frowns at me. She''s a lot less mobile than she used to be, and the Colony has given her a permanent aide in the form of a support ant for her to lean on.

    [How would I know?] she says. [I''ve never been down this deep, and I''ve certainly never been invited to visit a brathian in their home.]

    [Are they famously inhospitable or something?]

    [Nothing of the sort. They just don''t often invite any but their closest allies into their cities. Not the ones underwater anyway.]

    Huh. So I suppose they have cities above water on the surface. Still, I would like to know how the heck this is going to work.

    I make a request of the mage assigned to me, a sturdy-looking fellow absolutely dripping in enchanted gear and cores. My guess is it''s all to try and protect him from my powerful ant influence. He passes on my question, and eventually I get connected to Eran Thouris again, who exins the process to me.

    [Our mages will create a tform for you all to stand on, then shape the water around you, allowing the tform to descend, while keeping you all quite dry. Using magic, they will leach oxygen from the water, so there is no need to fear suffocation. While you are in our care, no harm wille to you, rest assured.]

    I''m not even sure I technically need to breathe, but the humans surely do. Heh, weaklings.

    [That''s going to need to be a sturdy tform,] I reply, shifting my feet a little, [I''m uh not as lightweight as I used to be.]

    [No fear,] Eran assures me. [We are quite practised at this, and regrly bring entire trade caravans beneath the waves.]

    Well, this whole venture is an exercise in trust. If the Colony is going to sessfully get along with anyone down here, we need to show we are willing to take a leap of faith. Extend the antenna of friendship, so to speak. Naturally, if the brathians betray us, the antenna of friendship will be retracted, and reced with the mandibles of ''oh no you didn''t!''. Until then, I will lead by example and show trust.

    For an influx of cores that will empower my siblings, I''m willing to take a lot of risks! And if our goods prove sessful, then maybe people will be less likely to dere war on us! We''ve got a war with the Krath brewing at the moment, I''d rather not have to keep butting heads with the ka''armodo and Legion.

    One enemy at a time, please!

    In short order, a wide tform is formed, almost fifty by fifty metres, and we all file onto it. A few minutester, it begins to descend, and remarkably, the water just slides up the sides, as if we are protected by an invisible dome.

    Which we are obviously.

    It''s a rather unnerving sight, if I''m honest, and my poor ant heart quavers as the water rises up the walls, arches overhead and then meets in the middle. I''mpletely submerged.

    And down we go, even deeper.

    The view is spectacr, though, holy moly. The water of the fourth stratum isn''t like that rubbish water from Earth. I don''t care how fancy you think that mineral spring is, that water is like the muck at the bottom of your garbage binpared to this. Filled to the brim with Life and Water mana, theke is a dazzling, vibrant ce filled with light, nts, fish, sharks, crabs, jellyfish and everything else aquatic. The water shimmers like jewellery as we sink further and further down, transitioning from a bright turquoise to a deep sapphire as we leave the surface behind.

    Enid grabs onto my leg.

    [It''s beautiful,] she murmurs to my mind, and I have to agree.

    I mean, it''s no well-built tunnel, but it''ll do in a pinch. The monsters down here seem a lot more reticent than I expected. During the wave, we were getting a horde of massive sea beasts pouring out of the water at a constant rate, but now that we''re down here, I don''t sense any of them nearby. I ask Eran about it and she exins.

    [We take measures to passively keep the monster poption away from us. We can''t push them away from toorge an area, or that causes problems of its own, but for now, we have extended that protection up toward your nest to ensure a smooth journey.]

    Interesting. I focus a bit more carefully, trying to get a sense of what they are doing, and I vaguely get a hint of something I think I may have sensed before. It''s a monster, for sure, the touch of my own kind is quite recognisable. Strong one, too, but no sooner do I catch a whiff of it than the sense is gone, hidden from view.

    A momentter, we cross over some sort of underwater barrier and find ourselves within the brathian territory proper. We start to see them, humanoid, scaled people with fins on their arms and legs, drifting in the water. They swim incredibly fast, shooting through the water like they''ve been sted out of a cannon. I see farms of kelp, hunters out collecting fish and checking traps, patrols of armed and armoured soldiers, and then we draw close enough to see the city.

    It''srger than I thought it would be, tall buildings formed of colourful stone, or perhaps coral? Sandy fields that glitter like gold kes, busymunity centres filled with brathiansing and going, buying and selling. In fact, I see a lot of buying and selling. I feel like everywhere I look, there''s a market.

    [Is it really necessary to have so many different ces to buy and sell?] I ask Eran as we float over the city. The people below are so focused on their haggling they don''t even notice the giant ant and friends overhead.

    Eran Thouris smiles as she looks down on the city of her people.

    [It''s very necessary. Brathians in general aremercially minded, and those of us who live in the conglomerates doubly so. Most families will run a store out of their house, regardless of what they do for a living. Buying and selling is a way of life for us. If we were to put all of the stores in the city in a single location, nobody would ever leave. And the rioting would be terrible.]

    Whoa there. That took a turn I wasn''t expecting.

    [Excuse me? Rioting?]

    [Oh yes. Negotiations can be very passionate.]

    Holy moly. These people are just as crazy as Beyn. Instead of worshipping a big ant, they worshipmerce.

    I''m kind of excited to meet the leader of these crazy people. In the world of obsessed business-fish, he''s got to be the biggest and richest of them all.

 Chapter 1152: Anthony On Tour pt 4

    Chapter 1152: Anthony On Tour pt 4

    Satrap Umizan, leader of the Brathian Ind Conglomerate, turns out to be a festively plump chap, covered in jewellery and floating fabrics that sparkle with unearthly light. He''s an impressive sight, that''s for sure, but all the expensive outrements don''t quite manage to distract me from the fact he''s the only chubby brathian I''ve ever seen. Is it a point of pride or something? Only he can afford to get fat? A symbol of his status?

    I want to ask. I really want to ask. I know I shouldn''t, obviously, but the guy is right there in front of me. It''s not like I can''t look at him.

    [The Satrap bids you wee to his city. He hopes you find your stay to bemodious and well priced.]

    [We''re paying for this? You invited us!]

    [It''s a traditional greeting. Now he is speaking of our trade agreement. He hopes there will be a great deal of mutual profit for years toe, allowing both our peoples to prosper.]

    [I can agree with him on that.]

    At this point, the beaming Satrap ps his hands together and a host of servers emerge from behind pirs and seemingly from out of trapdoors. Theye out of nowhere! Each of them bears some sort of dish or drink which they begin to dispense amongst the gathered dignitaries and officials. Beside me, Enid gratefully epts something that kind of looks like some sort of fish on a cracker? But the cracker is wet? The brathian themselves seem fine to move in and out of our bubble, perfectly able to breathe within the water or the air.

    It''s a bit cramped for me, so I have to keep my legs tucked close to my body, but overall, I''m enjoying myself. It''s interesting getting to meet new people.

    To one side, Beyn is grandly gesturing, really starting to warm up his vocals in discussion with a bemused-looking brathiandy. Before he can really get going, I sidle over and prod him with an antenna, much to his conversation partner''s shock.

    [Rx a little,] I admonish him. [What are you going to tell them, ''The Great One is an amazing, divine creature?''. It''s going to be a hard sell when I''m standing right here, my legs folded so I don''t get my antennae wet.]

    [YOURahem your grace is abundant to all who perceive you, Great One.]

    [I think she''s genuinely afraid of you,] I say, taking a look at the hapless court official or big shot trader, more likely. She does look quite unnerved. I resist the urge to reach out with a mind bridge and reassure her we aren''t all as weird as the one-armed priest. I''m under instructions not to initiate connections with people.

    It makes sense, when you think about it. A mind-bridge may be a wonderful tool of universalmunication, but it''s also a means ofunching violent and disturbing mental warfare. Monsters as evolved as I am are typically more than a match for an individual, even a powerful one, or so I''m told. Anyone connecting to me runs the risk of me battering their mind in a one-sided beatdown.

    I understand the caution, but it makes the whole thing a bit boring, since most of the people I know are engaged in conversation with new people.

    That''s when the Satrap swaggers over to me, a bevy of unhappy-looking mages in his wake.

    How does he swagger while swimming? I honestly can''t tell you. He just does.

    There''s some gesturing, some muttered protestations, some careless waving away of concerns, until finally a tentative link is formed with me.

    [Hey there, how are things? Any chance I can get some food? I''m starving.]

    The giant ant monster telling the mage they were hungry apparently wasn''t the rxing opening I thought it was.

    [Uh food will be provided. I I am Olivis, the Dungeon Seer who serves the Satrap.]

    [Nice to meet you. A Dungeon Seer, eh? We only got some of you types recently. Crazy what you can learn. Anyways, the Satrap is here. I suppose he wants a chat?]

    [That''s right although we have warned him against it. He is a unique and powerful man who we do not like to risk. I urge you to act with restraint when your mind is connected to his.]

    I generously wave an antenna.

    [Of course. You guys have shown us hospitality and friendship, so we''ll do the same. Rx a little bit. Although, I''m serious about some food, everything is bite sized, for me. Any chance I can get something a little more substantial?]

    Perhaps impatient with the dy, a new and powerful mind jumps onto the bridge.

    [Come on, Olivis, you''re taking forever! Hello there, big ant!]

    [Anthony.]

    [Of course. Anthony! Wee to my city. I have to say, I''m excited to meet you, very excited!]

    [Oh. Because of the rumours about my incredibly shiny carapace?]

    [It is magnificent,] he says, eyes gleaming with avarice. [I could sell it for an absolute fortune. I''m not even sure what it''s made of. Are you sure you don''t have a spare?]

    [I don''t.]

    And I''m not going to tell him what it''s made of, either. A new, hitherto unheard of type of diamond? I don''t want to know just how valuable I''d be, and finding out when surrounded by the greediest merchants on Pangera sounds like a bad idea.

    [I''m impressed you came down, by the way,] the Satrap tells me warmly. [Most monsters who reach your level of intelligence and power tend to be risk averse. You don''t age, can''t die of disease or infection. So long as a monster continues to live, the path to infinite power remains open. Yet here you are, at the bottom of the Lake with a trillion litres of water bearing down on you.]

    I don''t think I''m being particrly brave. I''ve always believed the Colony needs to extend a leg in friendship if we want to get anyone to cooperate with us. There''s also another reason I don''t think I''m threatened here.

    [I''m worth way more to you alive than I am dead,] I admit to the leader of the brathian. [If I die, millions of ants are going to find their way down here and you may even win that fight, but war is expensive. Very expensive. I get the impression you brathians don''t fight all that much if you can avoid it.]

    The Satrap grins broadly and ps me on my foreleg.

    [It''s been known to happen,] he says, [but as you say, rarely. And you''re exactly right! The entire reason I reached my current lofty status is because I have a nose for money, and you, myrge insectile friend, absolutely reek!]

    [I get what you''re saying, but that''s a bit rude. We have an extremely delicate sense of smell, it''s how wemunicate.]

    [I mean no offence, of course. This deal has tremendous potential. Tremendous! We are going to front significant capital to make this tour a sess. Soon enough, the wealth is going to flow like a river. Not a measly river either, one with gusto!]

 Chapter 1153: Anthony On Tour pt 5

    Chapter 1153: Anthony On Tour pt 5

    The brathian continue to be quite friendly and open with us, even allowing the carvers to peek into their workshops. The results of that visit were apparently a little humbling.

    "They''re way ahead of us," Smithant admitted freely.

    She hasn''t changed much since thest time I saw her, in terms of attitude at least. Focused, a bit grouchy, entirely obsessed with her craft. It''s not always easy for me to tell, since I''m so muchrger than every other ant, but I''m fairly confident she''s evolved recently as well. There''s a definite metallic sheen to her carapace and I''m not sure she always heated metal via her mandibles, or used her own carapace as an anvil. A nifty couple of additions, she doesn''t even need a forge to work anymore. Case in point, she''s busy testing some intricate wire thing, even as we talk.

    "Is it ufortable having your legs bend backwards like that?"

    The spot she uses to hammer on is just behind her head. Her eyes are mutated enough that she still gets a good view of it, though she sometimes needs to turn a little.

    "They don''t actually bend backwards, they rotate in the socket."

    "Ah hmmm so is that ufortable?"

    "No."

    It sure looks weird.

    "Sooo, we''re a long way behind them?"

    "Yes. I think they didn''t care if we saw them at work, since we aren''t at a point where we couldprehend their advanced techniques. Their use of mana during the forging process is far beyond what we are capable of. For example, I''m fairly sure one of the forges we saw was actively infusing water mana into the metal as it was being worked. I''ve never even thought of doing that, let alone have any idea how it would be achieved."

    "I guess there''s going to be a lot to do once we get back from this trip," I muse. "How long do you think it will take before we can match them?"

    The grizzled carver cleans off her antennae as she ponders.

    "A few years, I would say. For our smiths to really push their Skills into the higher ranks, we need to investigate more advanced techniques like these. Now that we have a clue, it should help us advance, albeit slowly at first."

    There are other secrets they reveal to us as well.

    [I thought I felt a big monster sitting around here somewhere.]

    [I''m surprised you noticed. The Shulk are fairly private creatures. You''ll forgive me if I don''t take you down to speak with it.]

    [Hey, a monster who enjoys a little privacy, I can respect it.]

    It''s not like I''ll ever get privacy ever again. How far away from the Colony would I need to be in order to be alone in my own head? Even if I got there, Crinis would betched onto my carapace, no question. I really hope I get back before she wakes up. I left a note in the event I didn''t but I don''t think it''ll be enough to pacify her.

    Marzban Corazan is apparently the brother of the Satrap and their lead fighty guy. I don''t know his title. Unlike his pudgy, cheerful and fabulously wealthy brother, this guy is more jacked than a house of cards. If the Satrap is the fattest brathian I''ve ever seen, then Marzban is surely the most muscr. Wearing his shining, gold ted armour that positively gleams with the weight of enchantments it holds, he cuts quite the figure amongst the rest of the guards.

    I mean, they''re all tinypared to me, but I''m trying to pay attention to the little people.

    [So are all brathian settlements built around one of these guys?]

    At the bottom of arge fissure that runs straight through the middle of the brathian settlement, the Shulk is a huge monster, tier seven at least, its core gleaming like a miniature sun. Part crab, part oyster, the thing has shells on its shells, and spends almost all of its time just chilling down there.

    [Most of them,] Marzban informs me readily. [You would have felt the barrier you passed through when you entered our territory?]

    I nod.

    [That is a field projected by the Shulk. It keeps smaller monsters away, enriches mana, and reduces the burden of water pressure, allowing our settlements to thrive at greater depths than we would normally be able to livefortably. In exchange, we provide for the monster''s needs. We feed it, keep it informed and entertained, and help to propagate their species. After all, more Shulk surviving to maturity means more ces we can live.]

    Huh.

    [So this is a mutual agreement? These Shulk are intelligent monsters?]

    [Oh, they are extremely intelligent. For monsters, they are rtively weak, especially through the early tiers, so it usually takes them a long time to be strong enough to settle down. This Shulk is over a thousand years old, and has seen much in its time.]

    Deep below, the crab front-part of the monster rotates an eye-stalk to look up at me, so I wave an antenna in greeting, only for the creature to blow a few bubbles and go back to minding its own business.

    I get the picture, I''ll get off yourwn. Sheesh.

    After a bit over a day, everything is prepared and a grand procession prepares to exit the brathian city. Along for the ride are many of the dignitaries from the Ind Conglomerate, including Marzban and Eran, the Satrap''s wife. Apparently, his daughter is also along for the ride, which seems odd. It''s fine, I suppose.

    We rise to the surface on our tform of air, the bubble finally breaching the surface as the water runs down the side. Ah the fresh, open air of the fourth stratum once more. A surprisinglyrge fleet of sleek ships greets us atop the tranquil waters of the Lake. It takes a little while, but we manage to pack all of the ants, all our goods, along with the brathian contingent aboard, and then we are on our way.

    Mages conjure winds to fill the sails, and shift the waters along the sides of the boats, speeding us across theke.

    [We''re going to head to Lakespire first,] Marzban informs me. [It''s a gathering of various Conglomerates. Think of it as a more-or-less permanent market the size of a city. If we can get other brathians to pick up the goods, they''ll be able to reach markets further away that our conglomerate doesn''t reach.]

    [Sounds good.]

 Chapter 1154: Anthony On Tour pt 6

    Chapter 1154: Anthony On Tour pt 6

    I''ve got a ship to myself, pretty much. A wide, t-topped barge with enough room for me to lie down and stretch my legs, allowing the fresh, watery breeze kicking off the surface of theke to run through my antennae and over my carapace. It''s not a bad life.

    tteringly, they''ve plopped me in the middle of the fleet, surrounded on all sides by the majestic vessels of the Ind Conglomerate. There are worse ways to travel, I guess is what I''m saying.

    I did offer to fly myself there with gravity magic, but my fellow ants decided we should just ept the hospitality of our trading partners and do things their way. Fine by me, I suppose. It''s just a shame they miss out on such a wondrous sight as the great flying Anthony!

    "How are you, Eldest?"

    Every now and again, other ants are brought aboard to catch up with me. Thankfully, the brathian haven''t allowed the more enthusiastic humans travelling with us to board my ship. I can still hear them from where I am, shouting and praising away on another boat further back while I flop about on mine.

    Today, Cobalt has popped over and I''m d for thepany of the little ant. Not having my three closest friends and closestpanions around has left me feeling lonelier than I''d expected.

    "I''m fine, Cobalt. Just watching the world go by."

    It really is something. I haven''t been in the fourth stratum long enough to get a good look at everything, but it''s like the ce was designed for eye-candy. Everywhere you look, there are stunning views. Even with near three-sixty degree vision and thousands of lenses, I''m still not able to drink it all in.

    The waters of the Lake are bright, almost crystalline, filled to the brim with life and water mana. A whole ecosystem of monsters live down there, fish, sharks, squids, giant fish, giant sharks, giant squids. Every once in a while, something breaks the surface, showering the surrounds in drops of water that shine like jewels.

    Beyond that are the mountains. Rising from well below the water line, they tower up into the sky beyond the level I can see, meeting the bottom of the third stratum somewhere kilometres overhead, obscured by mist and cloud. Each one is an absolute titan, and whenever we pass close enough by one, they are absolutely bursting with life. Monsters, nts, nt monsters, oversized and filled with vigour, they shake the ground with their steps as we drift by, spectators to the struggle.

    "I never really expected to see so many settlements. It''s kind of weird to see people just hanging around," I say.

    "They aren''t really ''hanging'', are they, Eldest?" Cobalt asks, confused. "They''re just walking right?"

    "Yes," I sigh, wishing I could roll my eyes. So particr. "I was just pointing out that we didn''t see anything like this around our mountain."

    The further we travel, the moremonly we see ''civilization'', as some would put it. Walled settlements,rge cities, inhabited mountains. I think we saw an inhabited flying ind as well. It flew overhead, which was interesting. The brathians were quite mad about it, though. Showering down from that particr ind was one of those constant waterfalls, springing from an endless well of water mana. The fleet had to be protected from a deluge of thousands upon thousands of litres of water.

    "Ah, I noticed that as well. Apparently, it''s all down to the Mother Tree. She can be an unreliable and somewhat dangerous neighbour. The mountains close to where she makes her home have beenrgely abandoned over the years, and now it''s considered too difficult, or too expensive to root her out."

    "Huh."

    "That''s one of the reasons Satrap Umizan is so rich. When everyone else moved out, he picked up his Conglomerate and moved in, judging that the Tree wouldn''t bother them if they stayed in the waters and left her roots alone. He was right, and profited greatly, so I''m told."

    Stupid Tree. Why does she have to be so unsociable? Sheesh. You can''t even tolerate people living in a mountain next to you? I''ll tell her straight up, if she tries to kick the Colony out, I''ll nibble on her roots until she copses.

    Some of the ces we''ve passed have been pretty big, surprisingly big, considering they''re built on the sides of the mountains and not inside them, but apparently none of them are big enough to warrant a stop over. Just how big the ces we are going to visit are is starting to worry me.

    "Anyway, I thought I''d let you know that the fleet is going to be stopping soon. We''ve almost arrived at our destination."

    "Lakespire? Wow."

    It''s taken a few days to get here, which doesn''t sound like much, but with the wind and water maniption going into moving these boats, we are moving. I wouldn''t be shocked if we''d travelled well over a thousand kilometres. Maybe even two.

    "So have they told you how we get down there?"

    Like all of the biggest brathian settlements, this one is underwater. I doubt they''re going to put the entire fleet in a bubble, so there must be some way of getting us all down there.

    "I asked a few times, Eldest, but they wouldn''t tell me. They seem to want it to be a surprise. My ship has pulled closer, I think it''s time for me to get back. See you when we get to the bottom, Eldest."

    "Alright then. Thanks for dropping by."

    With a running start and a powerful leap, Cobalt flies over the railing of my own ship and is promptly yoinked out of the air by a wind mage, who pulls her back onto her own ship. Just when I''m wondering if I should nap or continue to admire the view, Marzban emerges from below deck with his son, Theraz, by his side. A momentter, I feel a mind reach out to mine.

    [Greetings.]

    [Hello, again, Olivis.]

    I try not to sound immensely weary with this whole facade. I fail.

    [It''s simply protocol,] the Dungeon Seer sniffs. [Even if you were a golgari, or human dignitary, you would be subject to the exact same restrictions.]

    [I get it, I get it.]

    As if I would try and melt their minds while aboard their ship. Where''s the trust? Eventually, I''m connected to Marzban via the mage.

    [Hey there, Marzban. Come to flex and work on your tan?]

    Theraz ps a hand to his mouth and tries to contain augh. I guess I was connected to him as well?

    [No,] the brathian replies humourlessly. [I came to inform you of our imminent descent.]

    [Yes, Cobalt mentioned we were getting close. I was starting to wonder how we were all getting down there.]

    [Bubble generators,] he tells me.

    [Bubble generators?] I ask.

    [Bubble generators,] he nods.

 Chapter 1155: Anthony On Tour pt 7

    Chapter 1155: Anthony On Tour pt 7

    A bubble generator, as it turns out, is pretty much what it sounds like. Each creates a thickyer of protection over the open topside of the ship, which all of a sudden is now fully submersible. The brathian are absolute masters of their craft, I have to say.

    Marzban exins the process to me as it happens. First the ships take on a bit of water, making them heavier, and we start sinking. Normally, this would be terrible, the ships are literally sinking, except these ships are designed to do it. As we get lower to the water level, I watch as the shimmering ''bubble'' forms, shortly before we sink far enough that the water begins to foam up the sides of the ship.

    [When it''s just us aboard, we don''t even need the bubble, so long as we keep enough air below decks to prevent us from dropping too fast,] Marzban says.

    Indeed, not every ship is deploying a bubble, only the ones with the Colony and our allies on board.

    It''s a wondrous thing to see as the fleet slips beneath the waves, although it''s immediately overtaken by something else I spot.

    An underwater mountain, its peak terminating just a few metres under the water''s surface. Obviously, this is the ''spire'' part of the ''Lakespire''. It''s a pointy ol'' thing too, resembling a spear more than a mountain. The further we descend, the more of it is revealed, and the more impressive the view bes.

    The brathian seem to have a way with coral. They use it for their buildings, some of them anyway, growing and shaping it into whatever dimensions they want. The spire is absolutely covered in the stuff, all of it glowing bright beneath the waves, and teaming with brathians. There are glowing docks extending out from the mountain, and I see hundreds and hundreds of ships, some with bubbles, some without, all tethered and hawking their wares.

    Extending my senses, I try to get a sense of the mana in the area, and sure enough, I feel like I detect several of the reclusive Shulk, extending their protection over a wide area, epassing all of this enormous market.

    [Wee to Lakespire,] Marzban says formally. [Othermunities like to think of it as the brathian capital city, but it isn''t. It''s much more important than that.]

    Makes sense. These people pretty much worship the art ofmerce, and this is thergest market their people have created on Pangera. It''s less like a capital and more like a temple city.

    [You see that area there, with the majority pinkish, purple coral?] He points off the side of the ship and I swivel a little to get a better look.

    I''ve been warned not to move much, bnce issues.

    [Yeah?]

    [That''s the area rented by our Conglomerate. We''ll be docking there and inviting traders in to meet you and see your wares.]

    I sigh.

    [Kind of feels like I''m going to be ogled like a prime piece of meat.]

    [There''s a reason it feels that way,] he tells me bluntly. [That''s exactly what''s going to happen. They''ll want to see you, talk to you even, though you can expect more of those protocols you seem to hate. Traders are risk averse, but they also know the greatest profites from taking the right risks. If they''re going to buy into your goods, they need to know that you are stable, a cooperative species of monsters. If the Colony decides to go wild and attack everyone, then you''ll be wiped out and nobody will touch the products these merchants have sitting in their warehouses.]

    Well I can''t really argue with that. Except for the wiping out part. Give us a little time, and we''ll be invincible.

    [Fair enough, I''ll be good.]

    It''s a shame I won''t get a chance to visit and explore the markets myself. At least, I''m assuming I won''t get the chance. For some reason, I doubt they have the room to amodate me underwater here. There''s no chance Smithant, Cobalt and the others don''t go absolutely crazy out there, though. I know for a fact the Colony sent them with a significant amount of wealth in the form of cores. It''s their job to purchase samples for us to break down and study. Hopefully they do well negotiating with the brathian merchants.

    Our descent slows the closer wee to the vast underwater mountain until we are sliding gracefully forward and down, slowing further and further as we draw closer to the docks. Well before we are tied down, I can tell ourrge fleet has gathered a significant amount of attention. It''s probably not every day a few dozen ships slide into port at the same time. It''d be more if the Colony hadn''t been so willing to cram into the holds. Some of therger ships have hundreds of ants crammed inside, perfectly content to be squished on top of each other.

    When we finally dock, Marzban and the other bearers of brathian authority descend from the ship and there is much pointing, bowing and discreet bribing. Why do they have to bribe their own port authorities? I put it down to ''brathian customs'' and shrug it off. The Colony really won''t do well here, they would refuse to pay a bribe, not out of ethics, but because they wouldn''t understand the idea of someone not doing their job without being paid on the side.

    In only a few minutes, the fleet is crawling with activity. Literally, crawling. From below decks, thousands of ants emerge, carrying crates,ying out the cargo and setting up what will be our trading area for the next day or so. In short order, thergest ships tied closest to the dock have been transformed from graceful-looking tubs to sparkling bazaars, with theplete range of the Colony''s finest put on disy. Everything from our rugs to our sweetened jams has its own stall.

    All we have to do is wait for the customers to arrive.

    And they do, shockingly quickly. Brathians emerge from the city in such numbers I fear we are under attack for a minute. Rank upon rank of them, each more borately outfitted than thest arrive, stopping several hundred metres away and filling up the narrow paths and passages around the coral buildings, staring us down.

    They look hungry. They smell sweet, sweet deals! Suddenly, it''s like a switch is flicked, and the gathered merchants charge the fleet with a roar. From my position, I can only ck my mandibles in disbelief. What is this? ck Friday? Chill out a little!

 Chapter 1156: Anthony On Tour pt 8

    Chapter 1156: Anthony On Tour pt 8

    [Regardless of the quality of the goods your colony produces, there will need to be a reduction in the price due to your very nature,] a snooty brathian merchant says to me.

    Inside the bubble, these, I''m assuming, exceptionally wealthy men and women aren''t quite as impressive as they are outside of it. Their flowing robes and borate garments are adorned with loose fabric that dances and swirls through the water as they move through it. In the bubble, it attempts to do the same, powered by some enchantment, but ultimately it fails to be nearly as impressive.

    [We''re monsters,] I reply, tly, [though I suppose you could make an argument we are simr to the bruan''chii. Only the first Queen was actually born from the Dungeon, the rest of us are her children, either directly or by several degrees.]

    [The bruan''chii don''t have cores.]

    [Oh, we''re obviously more monster than they are, I don''t mean to imply otherwise. You were saying something about our nature?]

    [Monsters don''t adhere to the same levels of cleanliness or hygiene as the civilised races,] the merchant deres as if stating the obvious. [There is no doubt your produce has more contamination than would otherwise be the case.]

    No way she said that. I focus a bit to see a little more clearly. Yeah, I''m pretty sure she''s a she. Imagine attacking a colony not just any colony, the Colony, about cleanliness!

    It''s been the same with all of these merchants. They don''t necessarily mean what they''re saying, all they want is to find an angle to drive down the price. The fact that they''re talking to me at all and attempting to haggle means they''re interested in buying.

    [We clean ourselves with acid,] I snap. [Acid. Do you clean yourself with acid?]

    [What? Of course not!]

    [Then please take a step away, I don''t want my carapace contaminated. Look, look at that ant over there, you see what she''s doing?]

    I point with an antenna and the merchant turns to see.

    [It]

    [She.]

    [... She appears to be rubbing her legs all over herself.]

    [You need to look a little more carefully. Look at the hind legs, see how they stretch to the back. It''s quick, but you can see it.]

    [Yes yes I think I see what you mean.]

    [She''s collecting a diluted form of formic acid on her back legs, then using it to clean her legs, then rubbing those across her carapace. You are watching an acid bath happening in real time. No mould, no dirt, no nothing! We are the cleanliest species on the entire. We wash our walls down, our tools down, our floors down, everything, with acid.]

    This seems to take the merchant aback.

    [The entire reason she''s doing that, and so many other members of my family, is because we don''t feel clean here in your city. We live packed together in nests surrounded by earth and stone, we can''t afford for the air to grow foul or anything nasty to umte.]

    [Why aren''t you doing it, then?]

    Holy moly, I want to. My legs are practically twitching.

    [I can''t move too much while I''m here on the ship. Anyway, we need to discusspensation from the city for imposing its poor hygiene on us, who should I speak to about that?]

    ~~~

    [I am interested in these ingots,] Smithant said. [I sense an unusual mana inside.]

    [Yes, I see what you mean,] Cobalt confirmed. [The smelting method seems rather unusual, notice the folds in the metal?]

    [Of course.]

    The two carvers turned to their ''agent''. The Ind Conglomerate had sent someone to apany the carver contingent who were out browsing the markets.

    [We are interested in these ingots here. Could you inquire as to the price?]

    [Of course.]

    The mage, Irisod, turned to the agent and ryed the ants'' request. The owner of this particr stall smiled, despite watching the two monsters nervously, and replied.

    [He''s asking for two-fifty. That''s at least thirty percent overpriced.]

    The two ants turned away, disappointed.

    "Every ce we go is asking significantly over the value of the goods," Smithant said, irritated.

    "Hopefully, we''ll find someone more reasonable soon."

    Behind them, the merchant protested as the ants began to move away, and the mage reached out to them again,ughing.

    [He''s willing toe down in price. He''s asking two-twenty five.]

    [That''s still twenty percent too much,] Cobalt replied, not bothering to turn around.

    They took another step.

    More discussion, more urgency, and Irisod reached out to them once more.

    [As you are very discerning customers, the merchant is willing toe down another ten percent.]

    There was definitely a rising sense of mirth over the mind bridge, but the two carvers didn''t understand it.

    [Still ten percent too high,] Cobalt refuted, [why would we ever pay over the market value?]

    It simply didn''t make sense. If the items were worth a certain amount, then they would pay that amount for them, dly. Every merchant they spoke to seemed to expect they would spend much more than they should.

    Smithant and Cobalt took another step.

    The merchant, visibly sweating at this point, spoke again, and they halted, waiting for the trantion toe.

    "We could be looking at other stalls," Smithant grumbled.

    "It doesn''t hurt to be polite," Cobalt said.

    [The merchant congrattes you on your hard-nosed business acumen and agrees to lower his price by another five percent,] Irisod told them, attempting to muffle herughter.

    Smithant turned around, a hint of irritation showing in the brusque movement of her antennae.

    [We will pay one-seventy,] she said shortly. [It would have been one-seventy five, but our time has been wasted. Is this eptable?]

    After some grumbling and arm waving, the merchant eventually agreed and the ants walked out, several cores poorer but in possession of some bright new ingots.

    [I genuinely can''t tell,] Irisod said to them, [if your species are the worst hagglers I''ve ever seen, or the best.]

    [We don''t understand this ''haggling'',] Cobalt exined. [We simply wish to exchange for goods at the correct value.]

    [The whole point of haggling, is to try and get more, or pay less than the correct value,] Irisod tried to make the practice clear to them. [To us, it is like a game of wits where we try to best the other party.]

    To the ants, the entire thing reeked of selfishness. You were not entitled to pay less than an item was worth, nor were you within your rights to charge more. The individual was served, not the collective.

    Selfish.

 Chapter 1157: Anthony On Tour pt 9

    Chapter 1157: Anthony On Tour pt 9

    Eran Thouris was in her element. Her mind raced, the blood pounded in her veins and she felt as if an electric current were running over her scales.

    "This tea is quite adequate."

    Seated across from her, the representative of the Deep Coral Conglomerate, Lissa, tried to conceal her pleasure after imbibing the fine drink.

    "You might change your mind when I tell you how much it costs."

    She made a gesture with her left hand, a flickering of fingers, and her adversary''s eyes widened.

    "That''s less than I would have expected."

    "If I''m not mistaken, it''s almost half of what your Conglomerate charges for its patented tea blend, is it not?"

    "Less than half," Lissa grated.

    "Oh my. I imagine the introduction of this tea to the market will copse your sales precipitously."

    "Are you suggesting this swill is better than our tea?!" Lissa demanded.

    "Of course not. It doesn''t quite achieve the same depth of vour, and the Deep Coral blend is famed throughout Pangera for its rich aroma. This tea gets close, but doesn''t quite match it."

    She smiled and took a deep sip.

    "Which is why it''s half the price."

    "You can''t really believe that our customers will abandon us for this, inferior, monster-created leaf," Lissa scoffed, but she didn''t quite have the right amount of energy behind it.

    They would, of course they would. The Colony''s tea didn''t quite measure up in terms of quality, but they made so much of the stuff. In this instance, Satrap Umizan had been more than happy to undercut the market.

    "Deep Coral have had it too good for too long!" he''d dered, radiating smug energy.

    Now, watching their representative, Lissa, squirm, she shared his satisfaction.

    ~~~

    "Do they really put this together without tools?"

    "In some ways, being a monster is an advantage," Eran informed the Flowing Wave Conglomerate representative, Terraz. "You can see how they have mutated and evolved themselves to excel at a given task."

    Before them, a carver was demonstrating the way the Colony made most of their furniture. At present, the ant was processing the raw wood, using her forelegs and mandibles to manipte and make extremely precise cuts.

    "It appears the ant is doing most of its measuring by eye."

    "Her measuring."

    Market testing had revealed it was important that their customers not refer to the ants as ''it''. Such terminology ''otherised'' the Colony, making them seem cold and more monstrous.

    Terraz rolled his eyes, perfectly aware of what she was attempting to do.

    "Her measuring, if you must."

    "Well, let''s ask."

    Nearby, a mage was stationed for this very purpose, and the two approached him. They ryed their question, and the mage then turned to the crafts-ant to get an answer.

    "Honoured crafter Carpentant says she is using her antennae and forelegs for measuring purposes."

    The ant in question turned to them and extended her front leg, allowing Terraz to lean forward and inspect it.

    "Are these markings?" he wondered.

    Along the inside of the leg were evenly spaced marks running up to a metre long.

    "It takes a trivial amount of evolutionary energy for the carvers to maintain a permanent ruler on their legs," the mage continued her trantion. "Early on, the Colony realised the importance of standard measurements."

    Carpentant then turned to the wood once more and indicated something, making swift motions with her legs and antennae.

    "And now she is demonstrating how, after measuring, she will mark the wood with pheromones to record where to cut. With skillful application, the scent trails can be made exceedingly thin, perfect for precise cutting."

    Theraz nodded to himself, impressed.

    "It seems that at some point, tools will be necessary. Crafting high-quality furniture requires extremely precise cutting, after all."

    Carpentant paused as the mage ryed the message, then grasped the beam of wood before her in both forelegs. In one delicate motion, she angled her head and made a smooth, slow cut. With one of her middle legs, she seized the offcut and held it out to the representative to take.

    He reached out and took it, looking down at a sheet of wood so thin and delicate he could see through it.

    "Any further questions?" Eran Thouris asked with a small smile.

    ~~~

    "Do you really expect me to believe that a species of monster is capable of creating fine cuisine?" a chef belonging to the Swift River Conglomerate scoffed. "They eat Biomass, and I''m fairly sure they don''t take the time to cook it."

    There was a round of snideughter from the gathered traders and cooks. Each of them was tasked with either sourcing or preparing the foodstuffs for the wealthy conglomerates. It was predictable to Eran Thouris that they would object to eating food prepared by monsters. She stepped forward.

    "Obviously, most members of the Colony eat Biomass, in the main. However, an interesting thing urred when they began to mix with other peoples. The ants developed a taste for certain foods, initially as a treat they offered to their Queens, which then spread throughout the poption. This started mainly with the drinking of tea, but has now widened to include a range of biscuits and cakes, which we have offered here for you."

    The ant bakers had been extremely fussy and reluctant to work with ingredients that had been stuffed in the hull of a ship for several days. Freshness was a core element in their philosophy, apparently. Nevertheless, they had toiled away and delivered a slew of fine baked goods, artfully decorated with images of their beloved Queens, and Anthony.

    She knew these traders would be unable to resist the offerings once they''d had a taste, she just needed to break down the barriers preventing them from attempting it. Before them was a long and wide table,den with inviting food prepared by the Colony''s finest bakers. She stepped forward, lifting a small, bite sized offering, and popped it into her mouth.

    The fluffiness of the cake, the richness of the cream, the perfect blend of sour and sweet within the apricot jam, all capped off with bursts of freshness from perfectly sliced chunks of fresh strawberry. It was exceedingly good, and she had no trouble showing her appreciation on her face. She took up another one and offered it to the loud chef from earlier.

    "You have your pride as an artisan, which is well earned and widely respected," she said, buttering him up, "surely you aren''t intimidated by something prepared by a monster?"

    She''d backed him into a corner, and he knew it. His eyes narrowed, but nheless, he reached out to take hold of the cake. The moment his fingers touched it, she knew it was over.

    This trip was going to be so profitable.

 Chapter 1158: Anthony On Tour pt 10

    Chapter 1158: Anthony On Tour pt 10

    Eran Thouris is beaming like a cat who got the cream. Also the fish. Probably nibbled on a rare and endangered bird as well.

    [So it really went that well?]

    [Oh yes,] she assures me. [The number of offers we received is modest, but the impression we made was devastating. Once we prove we are able to move the quantity and quality we promised, orders will start flooding in.]

    Fair enough, I suppose. On the surface once again, Lakespire is now in our wake as the brathians are counting their gains.

    [Quick question. Is Eran your name, or your title?] I ask.

    She turns to me, still struggling to keep the satisfied smile from her face.

    [It''s both,] she says. [The Eran is the head negotiator for the Conglomerate, which also became my name when I assumed the role.]

    [Wait, you have to give up your name to be the head negotiator?]

    [Of course,] she nods. [In this position, I am the sharpest de and the stiffest shield of the Conglomerate. In many ways, my role is more important than that of the Satrap. An Eran is required to be ready to go into battle at a moment''s notice and fight to the bitter end. There is no role for ego in someone who takes up such a burden.]

    Yeesh. There''s a glint of steel in her eye and I know she means what she says, but I remind myself she''s just talking about haggling. She doesn''t literally have to fight anyone. The brathians take theirmerce way too seriously.

    [Soooo, can I just call you Eran?]

    [That''s fine.]

    [Right. So, Eran, where are we going next, and for the love of life, will I be able to stretch my legs when we get there?]

    Stuck in the middle of this tub, I''ve barely been able to move for days! If this goes on much longer, I''m going to lift myself up using gravity and I don''t care how dumb it looks!

    [We are on our way to Freehill and should be there in another two days,] she says.

    [That''s where the Folk hang out, isn''t it?]

    [It''s where they live.They''re a fairly nomadic people, but Freehill is thergest permanent settlement they have. They don''t have a centralised government, as such, but their council meets in Freehill to discuss matters that impact all of their people.]

    [Oh right. I wonder if they''ve decided if the Colony qualify as people yet.]

    Eran frowns at me.

    [I''m not sure what you mean.]

    [We''ve met some of the Folk before. Found two of them on some sort of training journey and they stayed with us for a while. White and Grey, they called themselves. Helped us out in a pinch. I should probably try and meet up with them if I get a chance.]

    Marzban, who''s been listening in nearby, chips in at this point.

    [Where did you meet these two?] he asks.

    [Up in the second stratum. We were in a tight spot at the time and they really helped us out.]

    Do I need to detail the siege we went through, fighting against the Legion and golgari at the same time? I''ll go with no.

    [It''s unusual to see them that high up,] Marzban says, arms folded across his chest. [Whoever was being trained must have been fairly young.]

    [Yeah, White. Some sort of prodigy, or so I''m told.]

    [Do you have any idea what sort of rank your associates were? Grey was the trainer, I think you said? It might be helpful if this person can vouch for us when we set up our stalls.]

    [Pretty sure Grey said he was a demaster.]

    Eran freezes and Marzban nches as I speak.

    [What? Is there something I should know?]

    Their reaction tells me that something is going on. Thankfully, they''re willing to exin it to me.

    [demasters are the most respected] Eran starts.

    [And most dangerous,] Marzban mutters.

    [Figures amongst the Folk,] the trader finishes, shooting her brother-inw a re. [If a demaster is willing to vouch for the Colony, then that will help a great deal in legitimising our business venture amongst their people.]

    I didn''t realise Grey was such a big deal.

    [Alright, that''s good, I suppose. I have no idea if he''ll be there when we arrive, but we can try and reach out, I suppose. He said he was going to try and get his people to approve an alliance with the Colony. Or at least not have them hunt us.]

    I consider for a moment.

    [What sort of ce is Freehill anyway? I''m going to assume it''s above the water at least.]

    Marzban fills me in.

    [It''s a mountain, same as every other one in the fourth. The Folk don''t live inside it, like your people do, but Freehill is a city that runs around the outside of it.]

    [Like it encircles the whole mountain.]

    He nods.

    [It''s enormous. The Folk don''t really believe in dense living, so everything is quite spread out, and different sections of the city are usually inhabited by different breeds of Folk. Themunal areas are higher up the mountain, and the council meets right at the top of the city, not the mountain.]

    Well, if it''s spacious, then surely I''ll get to move around a bit. Under guard, I''ve got no doubt. Who lets a mythic monster run around amongst your people? Soon to be eaten people. I mean, I wouldn''t, but someone like Garralosh? Doesn''t bear thinking about.

    As we speed through the waters of the endless Lake, I can''t help but get excited about the chance to meet some new people, stretch my legs and catch up with some old acquaintances. The Folk are tightly allied with the bruan''chii, so I''m guessing they''ll be more or less happy to receive me and my siblings.

    The only real question is whether they''re in need of finely made and well-priced goods.

 Chapter 1159: Anthony On Tour pt 11

    Chapter 1159: Anthony On Tour pt 11

    My first glimpse of Freehill pretty much confirmed everything that Marzban had said about it. The ce is huge. Now, I''m no geologist, and I can''t tell you what size any of the mountains on Earth were, or how wide, or their circumference. However, I seriously doubt that any mountain from my previous holds a candle to the behemoths that hold up the third stratum. I mean, the pirs in the third were pretty damn impressive on their own, but the third is stacked inyers, the fourth is just one vast open space held up by freakin'' huge mountains.

    And this particr mountain is dang near covered by the city of Freehill. Not further up, obviously, but the base of the thing is a forest of mixed housing. A totally eclectic mix of housing styles dots the slope as far as my eyes can see. Weird pagoda-looking things, tents, log cabin-like constructions, all grouped into little districts without any apparent rhyme or reason.

    Despite the disorganised nature of it all, I can tell the ce is packed. There must be millions of people on that mountain. Clearly, the Folk aren''t just surviving in the Dungeon, they are thriving.

    I remark as much to Marzban.

    [The Folk appear to be pretty darn prosperous, judging by the size of the ce. Do you guys do a lot of trade with them?]

    [They are strong fighters with a reputation for martial prowess,] he nods, [which is well earned. As a result, there aren''t many who are willing to poke the beast, so to speak.]

    [Yes, we do a fair amount of trade with them,] Eran adds the, in her view, more important information, [though the Folk aren''t huge consumers of most goods. They prefer to live a humbler existence than most of the races. Even their leaders aren''t fond of grand disys of wealth.]

    Sounds like they might get along with the Colony in that sense. The Queens are treated better than anyone else in the family and that''s mostly against their wishes. They''d joyfully live just the same as every other ant if we''d let them. Bah!

    The ships pull into the bustling docks that seem to ring the entire mountain. From my position, hunched on the deck of the barge, I can see Eran as she leaves the ship and meets the person in charge. Obviously, they had word the fleet was going to arrive, because things are soon sorted and the brathian lead negotiator returns with a reserved smile.

    [You have permission to disembark, but they insist that the number of ants allowed on thend at one time be limited to a thousand. You yourself will need to be apanied while you are in the city, is that eptable?]

    [Of course it is!]

    I''m dying to get off this boat, I''ve been here for almost a week! If the Folk demand I stick woolly mittens on my mandibles to blunt their edges, I wouldn''t blink.

    Heh.

    Getting something of my mass off a boat in the water is quite the operation, as it turns out. I pick my way forward, one step at a time, while the brathian try to counterbnce the weight as to avoid capsizing their biggest barge. It takes ten minutes, but finally my legs touch down on solid ground and I can''t help but ck my mandibles happily. I''m off the ship!

    First order of business a clean!

    Holy moly, I didn''t realise how badly the need for ant cleanliness had engrained itself in me. Normally I don''t even think about it, my legs just move on their own while I''m thinking about something else, but the need for a wash has been driving me crazy!

    Twenty minutester, I''m finally satisfied with the state of my carapace, antennae and legs. Nothing cleans quite like fresh formic acid. Cleansed and ready to go, I take a good look around me for the first time. The dock is bustling, which is to be expected. My siblings have been busy unloading the fleet, stacking the crates in neat rows along the stone quay I''m standing on. The brathians are also out and about, stretching their legs, negotiating for food, lodgings, provisions and various other matters regarding the fleet.

    What really grabs my attention is the Folk themselves. White and Grey both had wolfish features, and I''d assumed that all the Folk looked like that, but apparently I was quite wrong. In fact, looking around, there don''t seem to be many rules at all for what qualifies as a member of the Folk!

    There are wolfish-looking humanoids, sure. Also some cat-featured ones. Some mousy-looking ones are about, a fair bit shorter than the others. I see arge one with what appears to be a lion''s mane. Not to say they''re all fuzzy, oh no, a group with leathery grey skin walk past carrying cargo, their noses reced with horns.

    And the consistency of animalistic features differs wildly. Some of them could almost pass as human, with perhaps a strange angr look to their features, or a bit of coloured fur on their arms. Others are way more distinct, with snouts, or double jointed legs, or tails.

    Grey had tried to exin to me that the Folk were an alliance of disparate people, but I''d never really understood what he was talking about.

    Then I saw what must be a snake-folk and just gave up trying to work out what species were represented. There don''t seem to be any rules here. To one degree or another, every member of the Folk is some blend of humanoid and animal, with the slider between the two set to random.

    What the hey, I can get behind it. So long as they aren''t interested in hunting down my family, I don''t have a problem with it.

    Just like I''m staring at them, not that they can tell, they are also staring at me. I suppose it''s not every day they see a giant ant hanging out on the docks. I wave an antenna and look around for Eran, only to find her down by my leg, waiting impatiently.

    [If you''re done cleaning yourself, we can meet your guards over there and leave this ce.] She wrinkles her nose. [Wherever cities meet the sea, there is always a distinct odour.]

    [You mean the poop?]

    [Yes,] she sighs, [the poop.]

    [Come to think of it wouldn''t every city dump their waste into the Lake? Is that is that an issue? I mean you guys live in there.]

    Eran begins to lead the way and I follow after. Her eyes narrow as she folds her arms across her chest.

    [Let''s just say we invest a great deal into filtration technology.]

 Chapter 1160: Anthony On Tour pt 12

    Chapter 1160: Anthony On Tour pt 12

    Freehill is buzzing. The Folk seem to love music, dancing, and fighting in pretty much equal measure. As tall as I am, I can see over the roofs of the buildings that line the wide street I''m led down, and pretty much everywhere I look there is either an impromptu hoe-down, or a group of cheering Folk watching some brawlers throw down. In fact, I catch glimpses of straight up fighting pits in the distance, with rows of wooden benches circling a sand-filled arena.

    At the end of the dock, Eran introduces herself to two tough-looking individuals, each bearingrge des on their backs. The first is dressed in loose ck robes with a dog-like snout and a nasty scar, the other seems rabbit-ish? She doesn''t have the ears, but there''s something about the nose that speaks to me of whiskers.

    Without a word, to me at least, they fall in beside me, one on either side, and Eran continues to lead the way. Her own brathian guards, along with Marzban and the rest of her family, are with her, of course, but plenty of locals have wriggled into the entourage as well. Like a conductor, Eran Thouris deals with each of them in the correct timing, reassuring this one, cating that one and dismissing the third.

    For my part, I just keep my eyes open metaphorically and take in the sights. My two guards appear quite bored as they stroll along by my sides, but the people on the street give us a wide berth, which suits me just fine, I''m not trying to stand on anyone.

    Eventually wee to a nice-looking building, three storey''s high, constructed from polished beams of a wood I don''t quite recognise. The best thing about the ce is that it adjoins one of those gaps between the various clusters of habitation that make up Freehill. Which means my ant brethren and I have somewhere to stay. Only a thousand of us are allowed off the ships at one time, so numbers will have to be rotated. I feel bad, but I''m not going back on board, which means twenty-one slots are more or less permanently filled.

    [So do we just sleep out in the open, or are we allowed to whip something up real quick?]

    I ask Eran, but it''s Marzban who answers.

    [Let me talk to your security.]

    He walks over to one of the guards and respectfully engages them in conversation. The rabbitdy doesn''t seem to care that much, pointing to the field and shrugging, then pointing to me.

    [As long as you don''t tunnel below ground level, and as long as you specifically aren''t out of their sight, they don''t mind.]

    Oh, nice.

    Good thing Cobalt is around. She and a few other ants have followed along in my wake, waiting to see where the rest of our siblings would be allowed to stay.

    "Hey, Cobalt. We can make a nest in this field apparently. We aren''t allowed to dig below surface level, though. Everything above ground."

    "That''s quite amodating of them," she says, relieved. "I was worried we would need to rest out in the open."

    The two of us shudder. The other ants have beenfortably packed below decks, but I''ve had to suffer under the open sky! Given the choice, I''m sure all of them would rather sleep in the ships than be without a roof over their head.

    I find a spot to stand, unwilling to plonk myself on the ground so soon after being freed from the ship, while Cobalt heads back to the dock, returning with a workforce of several hundred carvers. As soon as they arrive, they get to work, conjuring up the earth and stone they need to throw together a temporary, butfortable nest.

    In the meantime, I try to reach out to one of my guards with a mind bridge.

    [So am I allowed to talk to you?]

    [If you want to,] the dog-guy yawns.

    Seriously, these two seem extremely rxed for people on guard duty.

    [I was wondering if either of you had heard of Grey? Or White? They were some Folk that I met before, up on the second stratum.]

    The dog-guy frowns, thinking, then replies in the negative.

    [Not that I can think of. There are a lot of us around.]

    [I think Grey is a demaster, if that means anything.]

    [It does. You met a demaster, on the second?]

    He sounds a little baffled.

    [Yeah, he was travelling with his student, White. Why are you looking at me like that?]

    [I''m just surprised he didn''t kill you.]

    [Why would he kill us? We''re friendly!]

    [Monster hunting is one of the main ways we make our living,] he says, looking at my carapace in a decidedly mercantile way. [And you look pretty valuable for an ant.]

    [Hey, I resent that. For one thing, every ant is valuable, and second, I would kick your butt all up and down the street if one of you tried to get your mitts on my core.]

    He grins, and all of a sudden he looks a lot more wolfish than he does dog-ish.

    [Is that a challenge?] he asks, sounding intent.

    I shrug my antennae.

    [What does that mean? If I say yes, do we fight to the death or something?]

    [No. We engage in honourablebat to determine a victor before witnesses.]

    I look down at him, trying not to be insulting.

    [Are you sure you even want that? You''re just a little guy, after all. Wouldn''t you need to bring a few friends if you want to beat a monster like me?]

    The rabbit-Folk is openlyughing by the time I''m done, and the dog-Folk is looking even more aggressive.

    [Oh, you''ve said it now. Are you going to ept my challenge, or not?]

    I''ve been cooped up on a ship for a week, I''m happy to stretch my legs and brains and mandibles.

    [Alright, sure. I''ll try not to hurt you.]

 Chapter 1161: Anthony On Tour pt 13

    Chapter 1161: Anthony On Tour pt 13

    Like I said, the Folk seem like they''re down to fight at pretty much the drop of a hat. Before ten minutes have passed, I find myself in an arena, surrounded by hundreds of spectators, while the dog-kin is stretching and taking some practice swings of his de.

    [How many of these arenas do you have?] I ask, a little bewildered.

    [A lot,] he says. [We hone our skills in battle constantly against each other, and then against the Dungeon. Sometimes there are demonstrations where captured monsters are brought in so our warriors can test themselves against them. Most of these people probably assume that is the case here.]

    He waves to the crowd and they cheer.

    I wave to them with an antenna and get no response. Rude.

    [Alright, what are the rules?]

    [Fight, but don''t kill.]

    [... That''s it?]

    [That''s it. Use your full strength, because I will be using mine.]

    So saying, he takes a firm grip of his sword and lowers himself into a grounded stance. The atmosphere bes serious in an instant. A hush descends upon the crowd, as the audience holds their breath, waiting for the moment the battle begins.

    For my part, I''m still pretty confused. This guy is just going to fight me, with a sword? Just one? Look, I don''t have the biggest ego in the world, but I''m a tier seven, mythic monster over here. I don''t have the kind of ant numbers within range to really fuel the Altar, but am I even going to need it?

    Then again, this guy seems to be a professional warrior, someone who knows their stuff. Is there something going on he''s aware of but I''m not? It would be seriously embarrassing if I were to lose in an instant to some trick I didn''t seeing, so I decide to brace myself, spin up my mind constructs and take things seriously.

    A slight shift of my opponent''s foot is all the warning I get.

    FAST!

    CLANG!

    Antennae ring in warning, my nerves fire and I shift my position, angling my head to the side just in time for the de, which would have punctured my eye, to spark off my carapace.

    Holy moly! That''s some serious speed! Surprised that he missed, my opponent is still quick to react, pushing off my thorax with both feet to create some distance before he readies himself again. Not wanting to be caught out, I turn to face him directly, baring my mandibles.

    Whoa!

    CLANG!

    Again, he leaps forward with incredible speed,unching from the ground like a guided missile. I shift my head and again, the de strikes hard against my gravitypressed diamond carapace, sending sparks flying high into the air. This time, I''m not going to let him reset himself so easily. Ish out with my mandibles, not using Void Chomp, because I don''t want to destroy the arena, but I put a bit of force behind it.

    With an insanely fast move, he parries one of my mandibles in mid air, using the force of the blow to bring himself back down to the ground. Legs tucked, he prepares tounch himself again.

    Let''s try a little Force magic.

    I hit him with a st in the face, or at least, I try to, but he somehow senses iting and leaps to the side. So I try it again. And again. And another five times after that. I don''t manage tond a hit. Even though the spell itself is invisible, he somehow knows it''sing, but I''m not allowing him the time to set his feet for one of those rocket jumps. In the end, all that happens is he bounces around the arena while my spells m into the reinforced earth walls with resounding thuds.

    Eventually, he gets bored, or frustrated, andshes out with a powerful swing. Unlike the other times, he activates a Skill. A wave of crystalline sword-light is formed on the edge of the de before it flies off, racing toward me with incredible speed.

    I''ve never seen sword-light this dense or fast moving before, clearly this guy has a high level sword Skill. Of course, my reactions are on point and I angle my carapace perfectly. When the light hits, I feel the impact through my whole body, but my trusty carapace doesn''t yield a bit.

    Gweheheheh.

    Not enough! Not even remotely enough! The crowd gasps as one, shocked that the mighty cut wasn''t enough to get through my exo-skeleton, but the dog-Folk isn''t done!

    With a shout, he pulls back, leaps up into the air and unleashes a flurry of strikes, each of them sending an arc of sword-light flying at me. A roar of approval bursts from the crowd, but it soon quietens as I roll deftly out of the way. Well, I say deft. The ground literally rumbles when I roll now, given howrge I am.

    Time to take this a little bit more seriously.

    I pull out a huge chunk of gravity mana and begin topress and shape it, my minds working in concert toplete the work. In short order, the gravity domain is ready and I deploy it, ensuring it covers the entire arena, but not beyond.

    For good measure, I give it a kick from the Altar, empowering the spell massively as it expands with me at the centre. The moment it catches my opponent within the diameter, he buckles, but doesn''t fall. Clearly, he hasn''t skipped legs day, but I doubt he can perform those fancy bullet like jumps with the weight of the

    YOOOOOO!

    CLANG!

    Or he can. Not as fast as before, sure, but I wasn''t expecting it at all. Thankfully, my trusty future sense and reflexes are up to the task, and once again, my precious eyeball is saved from certain slicing. This guy really likes going for the eyeball. I guess he figures he can''t get through the carapace? His sword strikes have been heavy, sure, but my gleaming carapace has barely a scratch at this point.

    I lunge again. This time, I know something my opponent doesn''t. Under a gravity domain of this kind of strength, he isn''t going to be in the air for long.

    He ms into the ground, and my mandibles are there. I chomp down with enough force to hold onto him.

    Now, I don''t want to bite through the guy, so what exactly do I do.

    In a sh of inspiration, I drop the domain before I start to spin, building up momentum as I turn once, twice, then I release! As if he were shot from a cannon, my opponent streaks through the air before he ms into the wall with thunderous force.

    Whoops?

 Chapter 1162: Anthony On Tour pt 14

    Chapter 1162: Anthony On Tour pt 14

    [You really thought you were strong enough to beat a mythic monster on your own?]

    [I figured you were just an ant! How was I supposed to know?]

    [I''m a tier seven, mythic ant! Probably the first one in the history of the darn Dungeon. Pay a little respect, man.]

    Thankfully, my opponent wounded nothing but his pride in our confrontation. I think, for a moment, the crowd were considering rushing down and attempting to subdue the ''wild monster'', which would have been a rather difficult scenario to navigate, but thankfully they rxed when I sat down and didn''t follow up on my strike. I mean whose first instinct is to rush at the huge monster? The Folk are crazy, I''m telling you.

    He rubs a hand over his furry head, disgruntled.

    [If we''d known you were this strong, we would have gotten some higher ranked swordsman to guard you.]

    [There''s no way the brathians lied to you about my tier, right?]

    He shrugs helplessly.

    [They probably assumed the same thing I did. Tier seven, but an ant, so it''s fine. As a result, you only got me and my apprentice as guards, and I hate to say it, but we aren''t up to the job.]

    [Oh, the rabbit girl is your apprentice?]

    [What do you mean, rabbit?]

    [I don''t know I was just getting rabbit vibes from her.]

    [And what are you getting from me?]

    [Dog or wolf, depending on your mood.]

    I figure honesty is the best policy. If I''m being unspeakably rude, hopefully someone will tell me.

    [That''s unspeakably rude,] he says, cing a hand to the bridge of his muzzle.

    Dang it.

    [Hey, I didn''t know! I apologise if I''ve caused offence. You guys don''t like being discussed in rtion to the animal you resemble?]

    [No. We prefer to focus on the things that unite us rather than the things that divide us.]

    He pushes himself to his feet and looks around. A lot of the crowd has dispersed, but there are still people in their seats, looking down at the two of us.

    [We need to clear out, there''ll be another fight soon, so we need to make space.]

    [Oh. So these fighting pits get used a lot?]

    That wolfish grin again.

    [Around the clock.]

    There isn''t a fancy exit or anything, I just find a rtively empty part of the stands and climb right on over, my opponent hopping along beside me.

    [So you aren''t a demaster?] I ask.

    [What? Of course not! I''m of the fifth sword, not the tenth.]

    So

    [You''re halfway to a demaster?]

    [In terms of rank, yes. My student is of the fourth.]

    [Oh wow. You''re lucky I went easy on you then. I wasn''t sure how much you could take.]

    I can tell he wants to rebut my statement, but after being defeated so handily, there isn''t much he can say.

    [Can I get your name, by the way? It''s getting awkward just to think of you as ''that guy''.]

    [You were thinking ''that dog guy'', weren''t you?]

    [I would never! Yes. Yes I was.]

    He sort of ripples, and I realise it was an instinct, a dog raising its hackles. Although I make sure to think that thought quietly.

    [It''s fine,] he mutters. [My name is Barker.]

    I carefully don''t say anything.

    Once we are out of the fighting pit and back on the road, heading towards the field the Colony were setting up in, the not rabbit-Folk joins us again, grinning broadly at her teacher.

    They speak to each other, she makes fun of him, at least, I think so, and then we''re back to strolling along the path.

    [So does this mean I''m going to get new guards? Stronger ones?]

    Barker grimaces.

    [Yes. I can''t exactly help people feel safe if you can kick my backside whenever you want.]

    [Oh, I definitely can. Like I didn''t even use my middle grade stuff let alone the best stuff.]

    [Alright, alright! We believe in a thing called graceful victory.]

    [I don''t.]

    [Okay I guess that''s fair. Once we get back towhat in the name of the source?!]

    [What?!] I look around, wondering what brought on the sudden exmation.

    Barker points a finger.

    [What is that?]

    I look where he''s pointing.

    [That''s a nest.]

    [It''s massive!]

    I mean it really isn''t. We''ve been gone for like an hour, at the most, and there''s only so much the carvers can do in that amount of time. It''s barely fifty metres tall.

    [You said we could build a nest, right? They aren''t finished yet, but that''s a nest. We sleep in them and stuff.]

    [It looks like a castle!]

    [Come on this is pretty small, as far as nests go, but it does have to fit a thousand of us inside.]

    Once again, Barker pinches his brow and sighs heavily.

    [I probably should have checked what you were going to build. We''re prettyx when ites to building code.]

    I''d noticed.

    [But we aren''t this rxed. You can''t throw up something this big without checking with the council.]

    [Well, you told us we couldn''t go underground, which was smart, so they had to build up. Would it be better if it was wider rather than taller?]

    [Maybe? It doesn''t matter, I''ll have to check with someone regardless.]

    He turns and speaks to his student, who offers a short bow before she sprints off at impressive speeds.

    [She''s going to inform the school of what''s transpired here and they''ll send someone more suitable to guard you. When they get here, they can make a judgement on that.]

    He gestures towards the still growing nest.

    [And you should probably expect a lot of challenges going forward. Every student of the sword loves to test their mettle against strong monsters, and word of your victory will be spreading quickly through Freehill.]

    [We just came here to trade,] I sigh.

    Barker shrugs.

    [Winning duels isn''t a bad way to advertise. We''re the Folk, we admire the strong.]

 Chapter 1163: Anthony On Tour pt 15

    Chapter 1163: Anthony On Tour pt 15

    It doesn''t take that long for my new guards to arrive, although Barker and his apprentice Fluffles also stick around.

    I mean FLUFFLES? It''s offensive to mention she has a rabbit nose, but that''s a totally fine name to have, apparently.

    Whatever. The cultural idiosyncrasies of the Folk don''t need to make sense to me; they can, and do, call themselves whatever they want. I''m just here to check out the ce and sell some end tables.

    My new guard is, I''m pretty sure, a turtle guy named Phil, though of course I don''t mention his SHELL, no matter how much I want to. Like, does he have a wax routine for that thing? I''m only wondering because it has such a healthy sheen and I''ll be darned if I don''t want my carapace to look like that.

    With himes his apprentice, Pete, who is also a turtle, but doesn''t have a shell, but does have a sort of turtle face, with the beaked mouth and all that. These people make no sense to me.

    It seems clear immediately that they''ve sent some more powerful warriors. There''s a certain aura around them that lets me know they mean business. I''m not willing to be rude about their appearance, but there are other things I''m willing to be rude about.

    [So, are you a demaster?] I ask as soon as introductions are done.

    [You want to fight and find out?] he replies.

    This guy is clearly pretty old, judging by the long silver beard and moustache he''s sporting, but his mental voice is still gravelly and vigorous. He sounds like he''d give Granin a run for his money in a rock chewing contest.

    [Not really,] I reply, and I swear he slumps a little in disappointment. [I just had a fight, so I thought I''d rx for a second, get a little private time.]

    Although I couldn''t move on the ship, I was the centre of attention pretty much all the time. People gawping at me from the other ships, ants checking if I was still alright, birds threatening to drop bombs on me. It got stressful.

    Also, it''s been too long since I was embraced by sweet, sweet, dirt. Phil looks around, confused.

    [You''ve got twenty ants inside five metres of you. How is that ''private time''?]

    He says something to Barker, who whips out his sword, looking a little confused.

    [Whoa, whoa. Those are my bodyguards and they do a pretty good job staying out of sight. I can''t get rid of them even if I want to.]

    "Protectant."

    Stubborn, resentful silence.

    "Protectant"

    "We had to stay on that ship too," she says, not revealing herself. "It was awful."

    "Hey, the ship sucks, I''m on your team. What also sucks is getting chopped up by turtle-Folk, so you need to reveal yourself so I can exin who and what you are."

    She waits until I''m just about to admonish her again to drop her forget-me-field or whatever, appearing in front of the four Folk.

    [This here is Protectant. She''s one of the twenty guards who are with me around the clock. Don''t worry, we included their numbers in our allowed thousand ants.]

    Phil and Pete don''t react, but Barker and Fluffles do, seemingly quite annoyed.

    [Why didn''t you tell us about them?] Barker demands after connecting to me via mind-bridge.

    [Why would I?] I reply. [They aren''t doing anything other than being hard to spot. Besides, they are included in the manifest that lists the key members of this voyage. Is it my fault you didn''t read it carefully?]

    I get the feeling the Folk have a ''go with the flow'' kind of approach to just about everything except fighting. That appears to include admin. There isn''t much they can say to what I''ve said, so I take the chance to ease my way into therge cavern space that the Colony has opened up for me.

    [I''m going to take a nap, then I''ll think about having some more fights. Although I do have to warn you, Phil. If you aren''t significantly stronger than Barker over there, you might find yourself considerably overmatched.]

    The turtle-Folk narrows his eyes as his hand ys across the hilt of his curved de.

    [I think you''ll find I''m more than up to the task.]

    I miss the blessed rxation of Ant zen. The dirt in my mandibles, the flowing tunnel air, my siblings by my side. Getting a proper rest on the boat was absolutely impossible, not that I physically needed one. After a brief snooze surrounded by dirt, I feel a hundred times better.

    I emerge, stretching my antennae and cking my mandibles happily. This is the life! Exploring, adventuring, and not having to worry about getting toxified by a race of evil slug-people. Good times!

    There''s another surprise waiting for me when I emerge.

    [Grey! White! Nice to see you again!]

    The pair of Folk, one wolfish, one weaselish appearrgely unchanged since thest time I saw them, still furry and/or muzzled, with that strange air of dignity about them.

    [Anthony, it''s a surprise to see you again in these circumstances,] Grey rumbles. [I didn''t think the Colony woulde into contact with my people for years yet.]

    [Hah. We aren''tzy like most people on Pangera. Surely you aren''t that surprised. I mean, I bet we were more surprised the first time we met you. Remember? You were all nak]

    [I don''t think there''s any need to go into detail about that,] Grey breaks in hastily, his voice going up several octaves.

    To the side, White covers her face as her shoulders shake withughter.

    [You sure? I reeeeeeaaaally wanted to tell everyone about it when I got here. Apparently, demasters are quite the respected individuals around Freehill. You are a demaster, aren''t you?]

    Grey sighs, defeated.

    [What do you want, Anthony?]

    [Tour around town and help managing fights.]

    Grey looks around.

    [You only just arrived, how many people want to fight you already?]

    I connect to Phil and Pete as well.

    [Who wants a fight today?] I ask.

    Both turtle-Folk put their hands up. As does White.

    [I''ve got three lined up and I rolled out of the nest about one minute ago. What can I say? Big bad monsters are pretty popr in this town, Grey.]

    [Not quite in the way you''re thinking,] he says, [but fine. Let''s start with the fights, then we can move on to the tour. I didn''t have anything nned for today anyway.]

    [You''re being sarcastic, aren''t you?]

    [Of course I am. Let''s get moving.]

 Chapter 1164: Anthony On Tour pt 16

    Chapter 1164: Anthony On Tour pt 16

    [Are you telling me her real name isn''t Fluffles?] I demand.

    [Of course not,] Grey scowls. [What kind of a name is Fluffles?]

    [That''s the name she gave me!]

    [I believe I told you before, we do not give out our names so easily. My name isn''t Grey, and my student''s name isn''t White. These are aliases we use. Our real names are only shared with those we are close to.]

    [Wait, so that guy''s name isn''t Barker? Somehow that fills me with relief.]

    [What kind of no his name isn''t Barker. It''s Woofington the third.]

    [REALLY?!]

    [Obviously not.]

    [Dang. That would have been amazing.]

    [Are you going to let Phil get up yet?]

    I look down at the turtle-Folk, struggling to rise under the weight of my empowered gravity field. I was nice. After I caught him in it, I made sure to turn up the pressure gradually until we reached this point. If I mmed him with full power from the get-go we''d have turtle pancakes here.

    I expected the crowd to boo or react negatively in some way. Theye to these ces to see a skillful, honourable fight, I assume. Instead, they''ve got me standing around looking at a turtle-guy who can''t stand up. Surprisingly, they don''t seem uninterested in the slightest. There''s no anger or disapproval even, they simply watch, eyes sharply focused on Phil as he battles against gravity.

    [I mean he''s still trying, right? Shouldn''t I hold him there until he surrenders?]

    Being rude is something I want to avoid. Also, I don''t particrly want to let him take any more swings at me. Phil carries a de muchrger and heavier than what Barker used, but holy moly is he able to hit a lot harder with it. The guy actually managed to put a chip in my carapace, which is an impressive feat.

    Looking bored, standing to one side with his arms crossed, Grey speaks to Phil, who snaps back something, causing Grey to frown. Seeing his expression, Phil capittes and surrenders, so I connect to him with a bridge.

    [Well done hanging in there. That can''t have been pleasant. I''m going to assume that you aren''t a demaster after that fight, though.]

    [I am of the seventh sword,] he growls, [I believed I could hold out until your power, whatever it was, became exhausted, then the fight would have been mine.]

    I check my mana reserves.

    [Yeah no. I could have kept that up for a day and night. Besides, that wasn''t close to how strong that pressure can get.]

    He looks a little taken aback by that, so I hasten to reassure him.

    [Your sword was amazingly strong, though. Look, you actually managed to chip my carapace! Right here wait I think it healed already. I assure you it did, though!]

    Shoulders slumped over in defeat, Phil makes his way out of the arena, clearing the way for the next challenger. Pete steps up next, bowing to show his respect.

    [I am of the sixth sword, and therefore weaker than my master, but I hope we can engage in instructionalbat.]

    [Sure thing. Let''s have a good fight.]

    I trap him in gravity immediately. Gweheheheheh. Pete manages to unleash one wild swing before his sword bes too heavy for him to lift, but the sword light sparks off my carapace without harm. After struggling to resist the pressure for five minutes, he too surrenders.

    [Got to be a little quicker, I''m afraid,] I tell him. [Once I''ve got you in that field, you''ll struggle to get out.]

    [I''ve never experienced anything like it,] he frowns, clicking his hooked turtle beak. [What type of magic is that?]

    [Oh just something I stumbled across.]

    I''m not advertising my gravity mana more than I have to. If other people want to learn the secrets I worked so hard for, they can jolly well do it without help from me! Until they earn a bit more trust I suppose.

    White steps up next and offers to fight, her cool dignity and calm demeanour unruffled when facing down a tier seven monster such as myself. I make sure Grey is fine with it before epting the challenge, and he gives me the nod.

    Fighting White isn''t what I''d expected. The moment the fight begins, she''s moving. She''s fast, incredibly fast, but it appears almost effortless, like she''s floating above the ground. In one hand, she holds a long, slender de, a gentle curve running through its length, and when she strikes, my eyes almost bug out of my head.

    So. Many. shes!

    Her arm moves so fast I can''t even see it, and a veritable forest of sword light is created, shing toward me, curving through the air and cutting off my avenues of escape.

    Even so, forewarned by my antennae, I execute a quick drop, stop and roll, avoiding the bulk of the damage and letting my carapace absorb the blows on one side. As expected, the slices are a heck of a lot lighter than what Phil and Pete were able to produce, but somehow much sharper. A centimetre-deep groove is carved into the exo-skeleton, which gives me pause.

    For her part, White is still on the move, fluttering around the arena like a fairy as she continuously executes intense flurries of shes. Clearly, she''s a cut above Phil, possibly the eighth or ninth? I''m starting to get seriously interested in what a full demaster is actually capable of.

    As the fight drags on, it bes clear that White isn''t really capable of cutting through me on her own. Were she able tond a higher number of shes, perhaps she''d be able to get more pration, but so long as I avoid most of them, she can''t get through.

    I could just cover the entire arena in gravity, weighing her down enough that she slows down. Once that happens, I''d be able to focus the full might of my gravity well on her, but I want to test a few things against a higher level opponent while I have the chance.

    Spinning up my minds, I start peppering her with gravity bolts, but she easily cuts through them all, dispersing the magic with her de. However, it puts her on the defensive and dramatically reduces the number of shesing my way. I''m starting to see why you would normally need a team to take down a monster like me. It''s hard for one person to defend themself against a monster''s strength while also attacking.

    Eventually, I go for a lunging chomp attack, which is when White reveals that I wasn''t the only one going easy. Right in front of my face, she flickers and vanishes, reappearing beneath me, out of my line of sight.

    Without my keen senses, I wouldn''t have even realised where she''d gone, straight into the blind spot. As graceful as ever, she attempts to stab upward, directly into my carapace, but I''m already moving, rolling to one side while my minds focus on the gravity well.

    If she''s going to stop moving, then I won''t let the opportunity slip by!

    The moment she feels that crushing weighte down on her, White looks, just for a moment, a little irritated, before she bows and surrenders.

 Chapter 1165: Anthony On Tour pt 17

    Chapter 1165: Anthony On Tour pt 17

    The Folk are, to some extent, an insr people. They hold a firm belief in relying on one''s own strength to aplish a goal, and as such, don''t like solving their problems through the power of coin. If they arecking a particr resource, then by far the more honourable course of action is to go out and acquire it for themselves, yet, in aplex world, such simple solutions do not always present themselves.

    Since the Coalition was formed, that is, the united front of all the disparate ns that went on to be known as the Folk, they have engaged in an often clumsy and frequently error-ridden walk toward diplomacy. Early alliances were formed with the bruan''chii, yet their nature as a people remained generally warlike and suspicious.

    After bing entangled in battles they could not win, namely against the Legion and the Empire of Sand, the leaders of the Coalition decided a different approach needed to be sought. Ever since, we have witnessed the gradual opening of Freehill to trade, and a warmer, if still somewhat chilly, approach to diplomacy.

    Excerpt from "An Outside History of the Folk" by Wassal

    [What have you been doing?] Eran Thouris demands. [I''ve been fielding all sorts of enquiries about ''the giant ant monster'' instead of negotiating prices like I should have been doing.]

    I was called back to the temporary nest by some ant messengers during my twelfth fight. A seemingly never-ending line of challengers appeared over the course of my first few bouts, and I was worried it would be rude to decline the challenges, so I ended up stuck there for a while.

    Fortunately, nobody too tough showed up, and the summons gave me a graceful means of retreat. Of course, when I get here, I find a rather annoyed brathian negotiator waiting with her family and the rest of the delegation.

    [I''ve just been fighting in the pits,] I defend myself, holding up my front two legs in a ''cool out'' sort of motion. [I haven''t been able to go anywhere without getting challenged by a bevy of sword-wielding Folk. I got through twelve this morning, and there were probably another twenty in line when I got your message.]

    She''s annoyed, I can tell she''s annoyed, but I can also tell she doesn''t want to yell at me. I''m a valuable business partner after all.

    [I shouldn''t be surprised,] she eventually mutters to herself. [The Folk are obsessed with fighting, always have been, and the chance to prove themselves against a rare, mythic monster is like throwing gold in front of a brathian. They can''t possibly resist.]

    It''s almost refreshing how open her people are with their own greed. They know exactly what they''re like, they just don''t care what anyone else thinks about it. So long as it doesn''t interfere with business of course.

    [I''ve been trying to establish business partnerships all morning, but all my contemporaries want to discuss is the exciting monster that came with us. If you''ve been beating high-ranked swordsmen and women in the pits, I shouldn''t be surprised.]

    [I beat the heck out of Phil and Pete.]

    [Who are they?]

    [My guards. Well, they were. They went back to the ce thing, or whatever, to get stronger guards.]

    [Of course they did.]

    [Look, if this is getting the Folk excited, then I say we should lean into it. Bring your trading partners along to the pit and negotiate with them while I''m fighting. If I keep beating up on strong warriors, then it should only serve as a good advertisement for the Colony''s goods, right?]

    This sends Eran deep into thought, until she eventually nods.

    [This could be a workable strategy. When will you be fighting next?]

    [From what I understand, in Freehill, your next fight is never far away. I could probably line up at any arena in the city and get a bout in five minutes. I can''t leave until my next set of guards arrives, though. Not supposed to move around without them.]

    The possibility of getting some trade done has Eran buzzing with excitement, so she rushes off to make preparations. Her brother-inw, Marzban, sticks around to talk for a bit.

    [You''ve been battling against the Folk?] he asks. [Do you know the ranks of those you''ve beaten?]

    [Of course. The highest was eighth. I''ve not fought a demaster yet, but I''m guessing it won''t be long. Still not interested in fighting, Grey?]

    The wolf-Folk shakes his fuzzy head.

    [No. I do not draw my de for the entertainment of others.]

    [Are you, like, the only one in this whole city who holds to that?]

    He doesn''t deign to reply and Marzban taps me on one leg.

    [It''s impressive you''ve been able to fight so well. The Folk are renowned for their duelling prowess and monster-ying ability. If you really do manage to find yourself in the pit with a master, be exceptionally careful. They have special protections in this city that you do not enjoy.]

    [I have a carapace and they have fur. I''m pretty sure I''m protected well beyond what they can manage.]

    The brathian warrior rolls his eyes.

    [Legal protections. They can kill in the pits and not be prosecuted. Duels with demasters are taken very seriously, and they don''t like bloodless fighting. Much like your friend here, when they draw swords, it''s serious.]

    Well, that''s something to think about. So if I end up in a duel with one of them, they''d be forgiven for killing me, but not the other way around? That hardly seems fair.

    [demasters are the honour of their school, their family and their n,] Grey speaks up. [When we fight, there is a great deal on the line. Pride, prestige, standing. For this reason, duels between demasters are often private, with a few witnesses. To keep des sharp, frequent practice is a must, but having one''s n undermined due to a few losses in a row is less than ideal.]

    He sends me a sharp look.

    [To fight a monster such as yourself in the Dungeon, even demasters would hesitate to attack alone. Duelling one on one against you in a public arena is a tremendous risk.]

    [So this is what you meant when you said you don''t draw your sword for entertainment.]

    [Practice is valuable, necessary. Public des are not.]

    Well, even if the big bosses won''te out and fight, there''s absolutely nothing stopping eight and nine sword fighters from giving it a go. With a little luck, it''ll help our trade mission as well. What could go wrong?

 Chapter 1166: Anthony On Tour pt 18

    Chapter 1166: Anthony On Tour pt 18

    Despite most of the peoples of Pangera using their own form of currency - even the bruan''chii used something they called a ''soul chip'' to trade amongst themselves - there was one universal unit of wealth that was good for business everywhere in the Dungeon.

    Cores.

    Which was why Smithant and Cobalt had brought a healthy supply from the Colony''s stores with them on this trip, though they had begun to suspect that they may have brought too many. Their brathian guide couldn''t resist sending covetous nces towards their carry bags, strapped to their carapace, though she tried to hide it.

    "Everything is so spread apart," Smithant huffed. "It''s inefficient."

    "It is," Cobalt agreed, "but it does allow room for specialities to bloom. If everyone were forced topete in proximity to each other, every stall would be the same."

    It was taking a long time to get from market to market; each district of Freehill was a sprawling mass of houses, shops, schools, fighting arenas, seemingly without much nning having gone into theyout. It was apparent that much of the growth was organic, new things being constructed when it was found to be necessary, and ced wherever the people at the time thought it would make sense. It deeply offended the ants.

    Yet, it wasn''t their ce to criticise others'' way of living, they were out looking for trade, and were having greatly mixed levels of sess.

    [What is this store?] Cobalt asked their guide.

    Irisod read the sign and sighed.

    [It is ''Big Hogs Swarthy Swords''.]

    [You don''t seem to approve.]

    [I find the name of the store to be poor marketing.]

    The ants didn''t care one whit for marketing, only for quality goods, so they decided to head inside, squeezing through the entrance with surprisingly little difficulty.

    The reason for the oversized door quickly became apparent inside, as they were confronted with the clientele. Large, pinkish-skinned and snout-nosed Folk turned to stare at the two monsters, wondering what the heck was going on.

    "They are here to trade, with permission of the Council," Irisod assured everyone, holding up the official documents in case anyone wanted to inspect them.

    Nobody did.

    From behind the counter, a particrly huge, p-eared man emerged, looking down at the two ants. He spoke to Irisod in short, clipped tones, and the two ants waited for the trantion.

    [He wants to know what you want to buy. Having monsters in his shop is making people nervous, so he says.]

    [His best weapons,] Smithant said without hesitation, her antennae twitching as she took in the many des on disy.

    The giant Folk, Hog, presumably, raised one brow before he stomped out the back and then returned bearing a huge, two-handed de. He thunked it down on the counter and invited the ants to inspect it.

    Smithant leaped forward, running her antennae over the metal, as well as her eye. It was an exceptional piece of work. If there was one thing that impressed her about the Folk, it was the amount of craftsmanship they put into their swords. Not only was the metal refined to the highest purity, not only were the weapons perfectly shaped and bnced, not only was the enchanting smooth and faultless, it was the extra details, the flourishes, the colours, the inscriptions. Everything was done to invoke the spirit of the sword as the maker saw it, and she loved it.

    "I have to have it," she dered, smitten. "Look at theyering of the steel. What sort of temperature did they fire this, to get that effect? Or was it the quenching? And this metal! Is it an alloy? Of what and what?"

    "Why don''t we find out how much it costs?" Cobalt said, injecting some logic. "We can''t even use swords, so I don''t think it''s necessary for us to spend all that much on them, regardless of how well-made they are."

    "We make swords for the humans," Smithant pointed out, "and techniques for making good des can also be applied to metal mandible enhancers."

    A new line she was working on. It was tricky, since each set needed to be adjusted and fitted to the ant who used them, but a sharpened and enchanted set of barbs that fit over an ant''s mandibles had proven to make their bites significantly more devastating.

    [Can you enquire as to how much this costs?] Cobalt asked Irisod, firmly.

    After some back and forth, the mage supplied the answer.

    [He''s asking fifteen-fifty. In my opinion, this is overpriced by as much as twenty percent.]

    "Always with the overcharging," Smithant grumbled, still prodding the sword with her antennae.

    [Can you ask why the item is overpriced by twenty percent?] Cobalt asked, a little fed up herself.

    Again, there was some back and forth before they were supplied an answer.

    [He says he would rather his finest sword be in the hands of a skilled swordsman, rather than sold to monsters who won''t use it, so he is overcharging.]

    The two ants considered this.

    "That makes sense," Smithant conceded. "Making excellent things and then giving them to people who won''t use them is disappointing, as a crafter."

    "I agree. Twenty percent seems fairpensation."

    [Tell him we agree to this trade. It is our intention to study the sword in the hopes we can one day replicate its incredibly high standard of craftsmanship. Please pass on our assurances that it will be treated with respect.]

    The ants happily paid the required price and Hog looked somewhat sheepish as he handed over the sword to histest customers. Smithant held the de gently in her mandibles, extremely pleased with the purchase.

    [Why can''t your people be more like that?] Cobaltined to Irisod. [If you were simply up front with us about your prices, we can engage in a reasonable discussion. All these half-truths and obfuscations simply take us further from reaching an agreement, not closer.]

    Irisod rolled her eyes. They didn''t get it now, and they likely never would in the future.

 Chapter 1167: Anthony On Tour pt 19

    Chapter 1167: Anthony On Tour pt 19

    The famed sword schools of the Folk are as numerous as the leaves on a tree, each a unique and beautiful part of the overall picture.

    Some focus on hard-hitting, heavy blows that crumple armour and shatter bones even as they cut. Others concentrate on speed, moving with light steps and attacking with hundreds, thousands of sharp shes. And, of course, everything in-between is represented.

    What gives rise to this diversity is, in my opinion, the nature of sword-light itself. I don''t know how those ancient people thought of the phenomenon at the time of the System Descent, but perhaps they simply thought of it as a way for weapon wielders to extend their range. Now we know it is so much more than that.

    At first nce, sword-light is a simple thing. sh your sword, activate the Skill, and your de will glow bright with light. That light will then detach from the sword''s edge and fly through the air to strike at your target in the distance. This can be done with any weapon, even fists.

    Yet over the centuries, we have discovered so many factors that y into sword-light. The quality of the weapon has an impact. The condition of the edge has an impact. The nature of any enchantments on the weapon have an impact. The level of the Skill, obviously, has an impact. The condition of the individual making the swing has an impact. The quality of the sword stroke has an impact; this includes the speed, power and technique. Even the mentality of the person making the strike affects the result!

    When all of these things are perfected to the highest, most extreme point, then you create a demaster.

    -Excerpt from ''The Nature of the Sword and its Light'' by Snips

    I may have been overconfident when I told Eran to negotiate at the arena. I''m pretty sure Grey knew what wasing my way, since he guided me to a fighting pit more than double the size of thest one, radiating smug energy the whole way.

    My new guards, Poita and Phul, were apparently ninth swords, and they were keen for a bout, just as all my previous guards had been. Poita had a decidedly roon-ish kind of cast to him, but Phul was a straight up rhinoceros. I mean, the guy was abnormally huge, had grey skin, and a horn sticking up from his nose. Luckily, I suppose, he still had mobile digits on his hands rather than t rhino feet, so he could wield a sword perfectly fine.

    When we arrived, I was treated to the end of an entertaining fight between two high-level swordsmen employing techniques I hadn''t seen before. One, a dainty, fairy looking fox-Folk(?) was sending out waves of lightning with each of her sword shes, the crackling light and deafening booms rocking the arena every time she swung. Her opponent, a red-headed panda-Folk, was sting back with thick balls of fire that shot from the tip of his de as he executed piercing stabs.

    [What the heck is going on here? I''ve never seen you guysunching magic from your swords!] I demanded of Grey.

    [Just because you hadn''t seen it doesn''t mean we don''t do it,] he replied, as even-keeled as a lily pad.

    [That''s obviously true, but I would have thought someone would have tried to roast me with fire or something by now. All I''ve seen so far is normal sword-light!]

    He frowns and looks at me askance.

    [What do you mean ''normal sword-light''?]

    The question is posed so casually, I almost didn''t notice the real curiosity behind it.

    [Don''t y coy. You think I can''t sense what''s going on down there? They aren''t just flinging mana around. They''vebined mana and sword-light.]

    For once, Grey actually appears impressed.

    [You are correct. The reason why none of your opponents have utilised the technique should be equally apparent to you.]

    I look back at the area, confused, then it clicks a secondter.

    [There''s a barrier.]

    [Of course there''s a barrier. If we want to fling around our most advanced techniques, then we can''t have the mountain getting cut in half or everyone in the audience being burned to a crisp.]

    The only reason I got away with using my spells was because I had such precise control over the area affected by them. Whoops.

    [Makes sense. We use a barrier for Tunnel Ball also. Need to keep the crowd safe and the matches exciting.]

    [What is Tunnel Ball?]

    Although I''d love to start preaching on the great ant pastime, which I am the undisputed best at, I have another concern I would like addressed.

    [Does this sort of invalidate my wins?] I ask, feeling a little awkward. [I mean I was using mana and such, but nobody else was?]

    [Were there things you didn''t use because of the potential for widespread damage?]

    Like a literal ck hole?

    [Yes.]

    [Then I think it''s fine. Now that you''ve been seen here, I think I can move you to the front of the queue. We should get to see some interesting things now.]

    Grey chuckles and it sounds suspiciously evil.

    I get the feeling I''m not going to enjoy this.

    Soon, I find myself down in the fighting pit, a much deeper one than before, with Phul the rhino-Folk standing on the other side, his oversized, overheavy de in his hands, absolutely shining with sword light.

    When the duel starts, he pulls back on that thing and, with a mighty roar, lets rip a zing, blinding stab that takes the shape of a horn as it flies towards me, my danger senses ring through my antennae.

    Damn these sword-obsessed goons!

 Chapter 1168: Anthony On Tour pt 20

    Chapter 1168: Anthony On Tour pt 20

    So I learned something. It''s possible to shape sword-light into horns. Also it hurts. I dodge to the side, quick as a sh, and I swear the light curves, following me before it ms into my side with the force of Tiny''s fist. Luckily, I was able to angle my body to deflect the majority of the force, otherwise it may have managed to put a crack in my carapace.

    Not wanting to be on the receiving end of a never-ending series of simr swings, I decide I''d best put in a little offence to throw my opponent off bnce. Considering the barrier is in ce, I feel a little more confident unleashing some of my more potent abilities, so I decide to Dash and follow up with a Void Chomp.

    Not empowered, obviously. I''m not trying to turn my opponent into paste.

    The gap between my mandibles fills with a howling void that draws everything in as the dark jaws of pure energy form, extending outward from my own. For his part, Phul isn''t going to stand there and take it. For a moment, I see him hesitate, as if he were weighing whether to meet my lunge with one of his own, but he decides against it at thest second.

    Redirecting his sh into the ground, he uses the tremendous force generated tounch himself to the side, flying over my mandibles tond on my left nk. I expect Phul thinks he has time to recover there after I finish my chomp, but he''s about to learn I can turn on a dime. I whirl around, six legs shing to align myself before I execute a charge, unwilling to give the swordsman time to recover.

    Trapped in ce, Phul lowers his horn andmits, winding back and gathering a dazzling amount of sword-light on the tip of his de. As I bear down on him, angling myself to m straight on, he swings from right to left.

    Like a herd of stampeding rhinoceros, the light forms into a wave of horns that smack into my side. The force is absolutely tremendous, and despite my best efforts, he actually manages to shift my enormous frame off course. As I barrel past, I manage to clip my opponent with my legs, knocking him a smidge off bnce, and I use that time to dig in my ws, sending a spray of sand flying up to stter against the barrier.

    Holy moly. That was a seriously heavy swing, strong enough to knock me to the side, and I weigh like ten tons or something. I mean, I haven''t been on any scales, but an elephant would be a snack to me at this point. I''m big.

    My insides were positively rattled when I got hit, but thanks to my inner-ting, I was able to absorb the blow without any cracking in my carapace.

    After facing Phul head-on once more, I decide it''s time to get serious and bust out some gravity magic. Minds spin, power flows and I begin to pull together the energy I need.

    Half my mindsmit to forming the gravity well, while the others are tasked with peppering the swordsman with minor spells to buy me the time I need.

    A mix of fire bolts, gravity bolts, shards of ice and everything else my sub-brains can think of isunched in a constant spray. To deal with this barrage of minor strikes, Phul simply ignores them. The fire doesn''t burn him, the ice doesn''t stab him, but unfortunately for him, the gravity bolts do take effect.

    He doesn''t notice at first. Shrugging off my assault, he pulls his sword up for a massive vertical swing, but as more and more gravity spells hit him, and more specifically, hit his sword, things start to go awry.

    I can only imagine Phul and others of his rank are incredibly sensitive to changes to the condition of their swords. The moment he starts the downswing, he realises something is off, but he''s alreadymitted.

    Sensing his hesitation, I decide to go straight for the finish, rushing headfirst towards him, weaving together ayered shield as the gravity well nearspletion.

    The sword light that blooms is unlike anything I''ve ever seen before. Not only does it take the shape of a horn, but it almost appears like a charging rhino itself, racing forward above the ground. As insanely impressive as that is, the swing was off. This strike isn''t as bright as those before, the light isn''t as dense, and when I meet it with my shoulder, I shatter it to pieces.

    Phul is sent sprawling as I batter into him. The gravity wellpletes, and I m it into ce, pinning him to the ground.

    Holy moly. How many more times do I have to do this today?!

    Despite being held in ce by the power of the well, Phul puts up a mighty struggle, but ultimately is forced to concede, unable to get himself off the ground.

    Thankfully, he''s unhurt, and not too unhappy about being defeated, even if the final blow felt like it was below the belt.

    [What did you do to my sword?] he asks after I connect to him, peering down at it with concern. [It''s not permanent, is it?]

    [No. Basically, I made it heavier. It''s only temporary, though, no need to worry.]

    [You made itrger? Some sort of metal magic?]

    [Uh sure. Let''s go with that. As I said, totally temporary, no effect on the weapon itself.]

    Perhaps unconvinced, Phul gives his weapon a few test swings, appearing satisfied by the end that I''m not lying to him.

    [Our weapons are very important to us,] he told me, [I have worked with this de for over twenty years.]

    [Well, it shoots rhinos made of light at people, I can understand not wanting to lose it.]

    He looks at me a little confused.

    [That''s not the sword,] he tells me, [that''s me!]

    [What?! I''d assumed it was an enchantment or something!]

    [Oh no. Shaping the light is the pinnacle of our Skill. When I achieve mastery, I will reach the tenth sword, and be a demaster.]

    [Nice. How far off are you?]

    [I hope to achieve my goal in another ten years.]

    That far off? Yikes.

 Chapter 1169: Anthony On Tour pt 21

    Chapter 1169: Anthony On Tour pt 21

    Once again, the strange ant, Anthony, had demonstrated insight beyond what one would expect of a monster. Eran Thouris, the lead negotiator of the Ind Conglomerate, was delighted at how effective the monster had been, as well as being curious, if not apprehensive, about the source of his wisdom.

    As the fights continue, the giant ant revealed himself to be fast, strong, adept in a variety of mana types, as well as wielding that strange purple energy to devastating effect. Those enormous mandibles, each asrge as a person, unleashed frighteningly powerful bites, filled with a dark energy that rocked the arena every time the Skill was activated.

    And he was so quick. Whenever a desperate situation arose, the enormous creature moved like a dancer, with the reflexes of a spider, speeding, sliding, six legs moved in a blur to push his enormous bulk away from danger. In key moments, when a burst of speed was required, he almost appeared to vanish, disappearing from one point and reappearing in another, throwing down his opponents, or catching them up in his deadly jaws.

    The Folk were entranced. Despite limiting the fights to only eighth and ninth swords, the line was dozens long. Such a rare opportunity to polish their abilities against a growing powerhouse of the Dungeon. They could not resist it.

    Nor could the merchants with whom she dealt.

    "It is astonishing that this Colony was able to produce a monster of such immense strength in such a short time," Whiskers, the feline-looking folk praised as Anthony bested yet another challenger. "If you had not shown me, I would never have believed an ant could be so strong."

    "The Colony produces many things, not only powerful individuals," Eran smiled with the exact, correct amount of warmth. "They are fierce, and intelligent. Proud, and industrious. Their forges produce thousands of tons of ingots every day, harvested from across all of their territories. They even cracked the methods of forging Fire Iron by themselves."

    "Really," the old man stroked the long whiskers that emerged from his cheeks, eyes narrowing. "I don''t suppose you have a sample?"

    Without turning, Eran reached a hand over her shoulder and felt a heavy weight ced into it within seconds. She offered the metal to her fellow trader to inspect.

    "This was forged less than a month ago outside the demon city of Orpule," she said. "You can see the date and mark are stamped on it."

    It was a good thing the ants had decided to mark their products visually and not just with scent. Apparently they continued to use their pheromone nds for this purpose, but realised not everyone who lived and worked within their nests had their same sense of smell.

    Whiskers turned the ingot this way and that, reading the markings, which included the date, a special mark which indicated the forge at which it was produced, and the ant who had acted as forgemaster when the ingot was cast. In this case, Smithant herself.

    "It''s better than I expected," Whiskers pronounced, tapping the metal with one finger. "I can tell they haven''t perfected the process, but they''ve done enough that we can reforge the metal here to refine it further. I''d be interested in buying this, and I don''t mind telling you I wouldn''t be the only one. Of course, the need for further firing drives the price down, I''m sure you understand as much."

    Eran''s smile deepened.

    "Why don''t we discuss that in detail?" she purred.

    ~~~

    "I wonder how many ants have reached such a level of evolution, there surely can''t be many."

    The trader who referred to herself, rather unfortunately, as Bilious, was arge bear of a woman, whose appetite more than matched her frame.

    "As far as I''m aware, there is only one other," Eran replied smoothly, leaning away slightly to give herself a little space. "Though there are many who have reached tier six."

    "The difference between six and seven is as vast as the ocean," Bilious said, a little condescendingly, "as I''m sure you''re aware."

    "Yes," Eran replied, no crack to be found in her pleasant exterior. "It seems your swordsmen are finding quite the challenge in Anthony."

    The big ant was at ten wins in a row and didn''t appear to be gging in the slightest, despite the numerous hits he''d taken. Thest fighter had managed to encase him entirely in ice, yet he''d burned his way out, seemingly unharmed.

    "The Flowing Water School has fought, as have the Jade Dancers, the Steel Avnche, the Advancing Rhino and Lotus Bloom," Bilious noted, "but none of the top ten schools have yet made an appearance. I''m sure one of them can put this ant in its ce."

    "You really believe a ninth sword will be able to defeat him?" Eran asked with genuine surprise. It didn''t seem to matter what techniques Anthony went up against, he broke them all the same. No individual brathian would ever im they could beat a tier seven mythic monster single-handed, not a sane one anyway. Perhaps a demaster might, but they were the finest duelists on the face of Pangera.

    Therge woman harrumphed.

    "I don''t think an ant monster is capable of surprising me," she said with open disdain. "Not in the arena, nor in the marketce."

    Eran nodded politely.

    "Then I suppose you wouldn''t object to a cup of tea. I have a freshly brewed cup right here. Of course, the Colony has note across the varieties the Folk prefer, but I know you yourself are partial to a good, dark tea."

    Bilious openly scoffed as Eran epted an exquisite porcin cup from an assistant.

    "This should be interesting," she said. "To think a monster could even approach something like an adequate understanding of the art of tea."

    Nevertheless, unwilling to be too rude to one of herrgest trading partners, she epted the cup and took a deep sniff.

    Eran was looking for it, and was gratified to see Bilious'' eyes widen as the rich aroma prated her snout. With careful movements, she brought the cup to her lips, and took a sip.

    There was silence for a long long moment.

    "Do you still believe an ant can''t surprise you?" Eran asked, the picture of innocence.

    Bilious swallowed. Then frowned.

 Chapter 1170: Anthony On Tour pt 22

    Chapter 1170: Anthony On Tour pt 22

    [Ha ha! Is this really all the fabled warriors of the Folk have got? I can do this all day long!]

    Grey raises his brows as I send my deration ringing around the stadium, broadcasting to all and sundry in the crowd. The audience, normally reserved and respectful, are well caught up in the atmosphere at this point, watching their skilled swordsmen fall one after another.

    I mean, they don''t boo or anything, but many of them frown, which is pretty severe by their standards. I''ve been working this crowd all afternoon.

    [Are you really that keen to continue?] Grey asks privately, knowing full well what the answer''s going to be.

    [Absolutely not, are you crazy? I''m getting burned, I''m getting frozen, I''m getting beams of dragon-shaped light shot at me. Thest one grew a tree out of their sword and hit me with it!]

    [You seem fine.]

    [I''ve been taking damage and healing it, that doesn''t mean I''m fine. My guts hurt, my carapace has fine cracks that''ll take time to repair and I''ve run my healing nd so often it''s demanding a paid vacation!]

    Grey grunts.

    [Those healing nds are cheats. Monsters can repair themselves with criminal ease.]

    [You really want to get into a conversation about bnce between monsters and you weaklings? Maybe we get to be stronger so we can survive the murderous hellscape of the Dungeon and not get sliced by people like you? Think about that?! I mean how much money am I even worth at this point of evolution?]

    Grey squints at my gleaming carapace.

    [A lot.]

    [Don''t get any ideas. Ie in peace. Also, think about how hard it would be to get shoes in my size.]

    [Well, the line for fighters hasn''t gotten any shorter. You can keep fighting as long as you want to. More and more schools are sending their pupils, even some of the better ones.]

    [Like the sword-treedy?]

    [The de of Surging Life. It is ranked in the top thirty.]

    I might beining a lot, but I''m only half exaggerating. I''ve been fighting mostly eighth and ninth swords, with the proportion of nines going up over time. One on one, they can''t really hope to beat me, especially if I''m going all-out, but defeating them gracefully, one after another, dozens of fights in a row? I''m tired.

    Up in the stands, I can see that the activity around my brathian trading partners has begun to slow down. Where once there was a surge of people, arguing, gesturing and conducting business, there''s now a much smaller gathering, but even from my position, I can see Eran Thouris in her element.

    She''s wheeling and dealing, making inroads and helping the Colony''s goods get in front of the people who need to see them. The entire point of my escapades here in the arena is to help make it a little easier for the Folk to ept us. Judging by the crowd I''ve managed to gather, and the sheer number of challengers, I think I''ve achieved my work.

    [Alright, I''m going to call it here for today, Grey, if that''s okay with you?]

    Fur poking out of his robes, the wolf-Folk only gestures lightly with one hand.

    [Why wouldn''t it be alright with me?]

    I shrug my antennae.

    [I just don''t want to step on any toes, culturally speaking. I''m learning a bit about your people, but I''m hardly an expert. We want good rtions between the Colony and the Folk, so if it''s going to annoy a lot of people if I leave, then I''ll stick around.]

    He folds his arms across his chest.

    [Plenty of people will be annoyed, but only because they don''t get a chance to fight,] he grins wolfishly, [and the crowd will be disappointed they didn''t get to see more good fights. Ninth swords lining up to fight a powerful monster one after another? It''s a rare treat.]

    Great.

    [So I should stay?]

    [Of course not,] he snorts. [If you want to leave, then leave. We are the Folk, our appetite for the fight is bottomless. You could stand on this sand for a hundred years and people wouldn''t have had enough.]

    There certainly isn''t anyck of people in the arena. Any time someone leaves, their seat is snapped up in seconds. Politely snapped up, but snapped up all the same.

    [We should show you how to y tunnel ball,] I tell him. [I get the feeling your people would love it.]

    And be good yers,e to think of it.

    Grey seems less sure.

    [Tunnel ballis a game?]

    [Oh, it''s not a game, it''s a religion.]

    [We aren''t religious, as a people.]

    [Not yet.]

    There isn''t really an exit, as such, from the pit, so I just turn around and start scuttling over to the barrier and begin to poke my head through it. The crowd in front begins to move out of the way, a few people offering some ps, even the odd bow, then I''m up into the stands and out the back as Grey announces that ant Elvis has left the building.

    I barely get two steps out of the arena before White appears in front of me, hand up, gesturing for me to stop.

    [Problem?] I ask, but she only shakes her head.

    [You want me to wait for Grey?]

    She nods.

    It takes him five minutes or so. I gather he had to speak to some of the swordsmen and women who were a little irritated they''d waited for nothing, but he appears unruffled as he approaches.

    He speaks to White for a moment, and suddenly he looks quite ruffled indeed.

    [White hasn''t said anything to me. What''s up?]

    He growls, actually growls.

    [The Legion is here.]

    The way he says legion is almost like a curse word.

    [Haven''t seen them in a while. I take it you don''t get along well with them.]

    [We don''t.]

    [Hey, great! Neither do we!]

 Chapter 1171: Anthony On Tour pt 23

    Chapter 1171: Anthony On Tour pt 23

    It only takes a couple of minutes before I''m swept into what can only be described as a tornado of well-intended coddling.

    [We''ll get you back to your nest immediately,] Eran assures me.

    [We managed to get all of your people off the ships,] Marzban follows up. [We received permission once the Folk spotted the Legion fleeting in.]

    [They didn''te through a gate?]

    He looks at me like I''m insane before rushing off to organise the brathian guards who are running alongside us. After a little thought, I realise that it''s unlikely the Deep Legion are allowed to use a gate to travel here, since they likely aren''t wee.

    Next to me, Grey is managing his own little firestorm as various Folk run in and out, trying to organise themselves. I mean, it seems weird that they didn''t manage to notice a fleet of their enemies sailing toward their capital, but hey, the Folk seem prettyid back, maybe someone just forgot to pass on a message.

    For my part, I keep my mandibles shut and my mind quiet while everyone around me panics and tries not to show that they''ve panicked.

    Eventually other wolf-Kin appear, dressed somewhat more importantly than the othermers and goers, judging by their robes. Grey listens carefully to what they have to say before the reserved warrior clicks his tongue in irritation.

    [Bad news?] I venture.

    As nice as it would be to leave all the worrying to everyone else, I wouldn''t mind learning what''s going on around here.

    [Of a sort. It appears the Legion fleet was granted permission to sail by the Wind n, which would exin why they weren''t spotted for so long.]

    .

    [And why is that?]

    [Because the Wind n does much of the scouting around this mountain.]

    [That might be a mistake.]

    [It would appear so.]

    Still, it seems odd.

    [Is this wind n close to the Legion or something? I thought you all hated them.]

    The wolf-Folk raises a hand to stroke at the long grey fur of his neck.

    [We don''t exactly hate the Legion. They are respected among my people as strong warriors with an unwavering sense of duty. However, we have fought against them several times, and we faced resistance shall we say, when establishing ourselves as a people. Rich mana caused us to be the way we are, so the Legion argued we were basically monsters, even if we weren''t born of the Dungeon.]

    That''s some interesting stuff.

    [Well, they already tried to wipe us out once, as you''re well aware.]

    He grunts.

    [You actually are monsters. They''ll never stop trying to kill you. It''s a minor miracle they haven''t tried again.]

    [We dealt with themst time.]

    He chuckles.

    [You really think you have seen the best of the Legion? The Praetorians are the only warriors we''ve ever seen who are superior to our demasters one on one. As an army, they are spread out, stationed all over the Dungeon, all around Pangera. Were they to gather their strength, they would smash your Colony beneath their armoured heels.]

    I''m not so naive as to think we can beat the entire Legion. We wonst time because they didn''t send enough to deal with us, and the Wave pulled our butts out of the fire. I''d assumed they would keep underestimating us, but perhaps the time for that is past.

    [So what happens now?] I ask.

    [As it turns out, they have permission to be here, we will simply have to watch them so that they don''t attempt anything they shouldn''t while on ournd.]

    So saying, he falls silent and I leave him to his business. The brathian delegation appears more worried than the Folk, if I''m honest. Despite the presence of Marzban and his guards, they aren''t exactly outfitted to take on the Legion. The vast majority of our brathian colleagues on this journey are merchants, traders and craftspeople. In terms of sheer fighting power, they brought a heck of a lot less than the Colony, even if most of the ants in the fleet are carvers.

    When we arrive back at the nest, predictably, it''s buzzing with activity. First of all, the carvers are going nuts performing emergency construction. With all ten thousand ants needing to be housed in a defensible nest, they certainly have their work cut out for them. Not being allowed to tunnel underground just makes everything that much harder for them.

    Secondly, the soldiers, scouts and mages are very much on alert. The area around the nest is swarming with patrols as the Colony attempts to enforce some level of security around the nest.

    "Eldest! Thank goodness you returned. Are we under attack?"

    Sloan is agitated, which is to be expected under the circumstances. She runs up to me along with a host of other generals and scouts, an ad-hocmand post, I suppose.

    "No, we aren''t under attack," I try to soothe her. "The Legion isnding on the mountain with a fleet, that''s all."

    "The Legion?! That''s terrible!"

    Emergency soothing has failed.

    "Look, we don''t even know they''re here because of us. Could just be a friendly visit."

    "Is that true?"

    "No."

    "So we are under attack!"

    "Just calm down for a second. The Folk aren''t going to allow the Legion to just start attacking us in the middle of the city. We are guests, and so are the Legion. From what I gather, the Folk are nning on watching them very carefully to make sure they don''t start anything they shouldn''t. In the meantime, we bunker down, make sure every ant is ounted for, and wait it out. Alright?"

    "We''ll do as you suggest, Eldest. I do want to ask that you consider that they may havee for you, rather than for all of us."

    "For me? Why?"

    "If they identify you as a threat like they did Garralosh, won''t that mean they subject you to the same treatment?"

    Oh nards. I certainly hope that isn''t the case. From what I know, the Legion does do their best to hunt down monsters who may be a candidate for bing an Ancient. Even if I don''t want to be, I am a candidate, and I even have the Call yanking at my guts on a permanent basis to prove it. The pain hasn''t been all that bad back on the fourth, but it''s getting worse day by day. Tiny little increments of pain, barely noticeable, but they add up, and eventually I realised what was happening. If I were to hang around on the fourth for a few years, it would eventually be utterly unbearable, and I''d be forced deeper just to find some relief.

    Stupid Ancients.

    "Look, I hope not, but if they are, then that reduces the danger to the rest of the family, which isn''t a bad thing. If we only need to keep me safe, then that''s a lot easier than protecting ten thousand individuals, and I can take care of myself for the most part."

    Sloan''s antennae twitch, but she lets that statement slide past.

 Chapter 1172: Anthony On Tour pt 24

    Chapter 1172: Anthony On Tour pt 24

    Morrelia drew a deep breath, letting the spray rising from theke wash over her. Stood at the bow, she had a perfect view of Freehill as it drew ever nearer. Home of the fearsome demasters and legendary sword schools of the Folk who trained them, it was not a ce she had expected to visit, especially in circumstances simr to these.

    "We''ll be docking in ten minutes," roared Commander Chyron. "I want every Legionary prepped for battle. We don''t expect a fight, but that doesn''t mean we won''t get one! Tribune!"

    "Here, Commander!" Morrellia turned and snapped out a crisp salute.

    In one nce, the grizzled veteran took in every detail of her appearance. As always, Morrelia was prepared for a fight. Both swords had been cleaned and oiled, waiting in their sheaths. She wore full Legionary armour, even on the boat, and that too was in immacte working order.

    "I want you to head below decks and make sure our troops are prepared, then report back to me."

    "At once."

    No doubt a simr check would be performed on each of the ten ships that housed Chyron''s legion, but she was only responsible for this one. Morrelia''s armoured boots thudded against the wooden deck as she hastened to follow orders.

    Under hermand, Morrelia had quickly learned that her father was not the only officer in the Legion with a well-earned reputation for demanding perfection. Commander Chyron worked herself to the bone to ensure her Legion was operating as wlessly as possible, and she expected the same effort from every Tribune, Centurion, right down to the individual soldiers themselves.

    Below decks was cramped and stuffy, everything packed in as tightly as could possibly be managed. It reminded her of nothing so much as the nests of the Colony, where the ants were more than happy to climb over the top of each other to get from A to B. There was a flurry of activity as final checks were being performed by every squad, centurions marching back and forth barking orders at anyggards.

    "Ten minutes until we hit the dock," she bellowed, cutting through the noise in an instant. "If you aren''t on deck in parade-worthy kit in five, I''ll make you wish the demasters had you!"

    There was one clear path down the centre of the ship, and she marched down it ring in every direction as her troops raced to finish their preparations.

    "Tighten your damn straps!" she roared at one soldier. "Your chestte is loose!"

    "You better pray that''s muck and not rust. One spot of rust on that armour and you''ll be buried up to your neck in thetrine, soldier!"

    "WHY ARE YOU WEARING TWO LEFT BOOTS, LEGIONARY!? If your answer doesn''t involve an unfortunate surgical mishap, then you are in for a bad day!"

    Despite the asional slip-up, these were well disciplined and professional troops, Legionaries one and all. In less than five minutes, they were lined up beside their bunks, weapons and armour gleaming while the officers prowled through the ranks, ensuring everything was perfect. When they were satisfied, they let Morrelia know and she nodded.

    "Remember, we aren''t here to fight any of the Folk. There will be zero tolerance shown to any Legionary who causes trouble on shore. Instant discharge. Am I clear?"

    "Yes, Tribune!"

    With one final re, she signalled her approval to the officers and made her way back to the deck. Freehill loomed even closer now, the chaos of the dock clear to see.

    "The troops are prepared, Commander."

    The woman gave her a nce before she returned her focus to the shoreline.

    "Good."

    There was silence between them, the older Legionary radiating a tense energy, almost scowling at the sprawling city of the Folk rising before them.

    "Bad memories, Commander?" Morrelia asked.

    She grimaced, never taking her eyes from the figures on the dock.

    "I''ve fought twice against the Folk, Tribune."

    "I''m aware," Morrelia nodded.

    Of course she examined the service history of her new Commander. Chyron huffed.

    "They''re terrors in a fight, but I''m not worried about them. I''ve fought against ants too, did you know that?"

    "I did."

    "You''re well prepared. I suspect that''s why I was given thismand. I fought in the Solenopsis outbreak beneath the Tower."

    "Fire ants," Morrelia shook her head. She''d read the reports, they were horrifying.

    "They ravaged everything they could reach before the Legion arrived. I''ll never forget what I saw on that campaign. Now we have a new ant outbreak, unlike anything that we''ve seen before. A tier seven mythic beast leading them. That''s the highest evolved ant on record, Tribune, and if they can make one, they can make more."

    Morrelia swallowed.

    "I''m aware," she replied softly.

    "The seers are certain it''s here, part of this trade mission," the Commander sneered. "The enemy has alreadyid im to the beast. You know what that means, don''t you Tribune."

    "I do."

    The Commander drummed her fingers against the railing at the bow, taking in everything she could see as Morrelia continued to think. It was Anthony they were talking about, it had to be. To think he''d reached all the way to such a high level of evolution, and drawn the gaze of the Ancients in the process. Perhaps she should have realised something like this was possible, perhaps she should have warned him, but it had never entered her mind.

    He, and the Colony, hade so much further than anyone had expected in a much shorter time frame than anyone could have thought possible. With everyone busy dealing with the Waves, the world hadn''t had time to deal with an ant outbreak, and now it was toote to deal with them simply.

    "I think the monster hase to greet us," the Commander observed wryly, and Morrelia snapped her gaze to the dock. There, unbelievably, she saw a truly massive ant, carapace gleaming with a dark purple light.

    He was immense, with mandibles as long as a person, antennae longer than that, standing tall over the smaller figures that ran between his legs and beneath his carapace. Was that really the same ant who she''d travelled to Liria with?

    "Why does it look like it''s waving at us?" Chyron wondered.

    "I have no idea, Commander," Morrelia deadpanned.

    On the shore, Anthony was vigorously waving an antenna at her, cking his mandibles happily.

    That was him, alright.

 Chapter 1173: Anthony On Tour pt 25

    Chapter 1173: Anthony On Tour pt 25

    For whatever reason, the Legion doesn''t look happy to see me, but hey, it''s Morrelia! I haven''t pped my thousands of lenses on her in ages! I''m tempted to reach out with a mind bridge and say hello, but I get the feeling such an act wouldn''t be wee. Answering questions about giant monsters trying to contact you the second they see you might be a little awkward for her.

    Last time I had a good chat with her, she wasn''t a fully fledged legionary, or at least I don''t recall that she was, so obviously things are going to be a bit different now. Getting pulled into the family business is probably a pretty normal thing to have happen, I mean, I have no idea what my family did for a living when I was a human. My ant family? We just ant it up, it''s great. Every single one of us is pulled into the family business just by being born an ant.

    When the Legion finally docks and begins to disembark from their ships, a ratherrge gathering of the Folk has assembled to greet them, and they don''t all seem to get along. At least, I think I''m sensing some serious tension in the air between a few of the groups. I try to ask Grey about it, but he''s a bit reluctant to spill any gossip about his fellow Folk, even if one of the ns is in the naughty corner for these shenanigans.

    One thing I do notice, because it''s incredibly obvious, is how many of the Legionaries are ring at me. Like, I''m getting so much stink-eye I feel like I need a shower.

    Row after row of soldiers, decked out in their thick-ted, shiny legionary armour, with who I assume are the officers, along with Morrelia, marching up and down maintaining order. Despite acting so nonchnt, I''m self-aware enough to know that I am in fact in danger here. I''m depending on the hospitality of the Folk to keep me from being jumped by several thousand monster-hating super-soldiers. Not that Protectant shares my optimism.

    "Eldest, are you going to leave yet? You said you''d juste to the docks for a look."

    "And I''m looking."

    "You have looked. We should go."

    "My look is ongoing. It''ll be done when I blink."

    "Eldest, you are perfectly aware that we can''t blink."

    "Seems like a you problem."

    The dedicated protector sighs heavily. It''s rare enough for her toe out on her own and talk to me at all, no matter what ridiculous thing I''m doing. Clearly, she and the others are quite on edge.

    "Look, I understand this is a risky position to be in. If anything dangerous happens, then I fully intend to turn around and sprint back to the nest like the heroic leader that I am, alright?"

    "Fine. We would be much morefortable if your guardians were around at times like this. In future, try not to leave the nest without them."

    Really? They think having Tiny around at a moment like this would be helpful? I mean, it''d be great to have another powerful ally if a fight broke out, but him being here makes that fight about twenty times more likely.

    Oh, looks like the representatives of the Folk are going to meet with the officers. Looks like the air is thick enough to cut with an antenna. Holy moly, these people do not seem to like each other.

    By my side is a very nervous, though hiding it extremely well, Marzban, and a stoic Grey with his apprentice, White.

    [No chance you can tell me what''s being said?]

    [From this far away?]

    [Don''t you have, like, wolf ears or something?]

    He frowns.

    [It''s considered rude to assume things like that.]

    [In that case, I apologise, and also insist you answer the question.]

    [I ept your apology, and yes, I have ''wolf-ears'' as you so delicately put it. I can indeed hear what is being said.]

    I wait, but he doesn''t continue. This guy

    [Could you please share a summary of what is being discussed with this unworthy specimen, oh great Grey who I definitely haven''t seen naked.]

    The wolf-Kin''s brows twitch, though his face remains stoically calm. White, on the other hand, buries her face in her hand in an effort to conceal herughter. The silent shaking of her shoulders gives it away regardless, however.

    [Fine. Representatives of the council are weing the Legion to Freehill, while subtly warning them to abide by the conditionsid out in the treaty signed between us.]

    [You guys have a treaty?]

    [We are no longer at war, so yes, we have a treaty?]

    [What are the conditions?]

    [Do you want me to tell you what is being said, or answer your inane questions?]

    [Both.]

    Grey pinches his brow, forcefully.

    [They must abide by ourws while within our territory. So, as a random example, they can''t kill any monster they wish if that monster is here as a guest.]

    [That''s a good example. Very relevant.]

    [The Legionary Commander is subtly warning the council of the risks involved when giving sour to the enemy. That''s you.]

    [I got it.]

    [More along those lines. Monsters aren''t to be trusted. It''s irresponsible to help strengthen them, making it more difficult for everyone when they inevitably are turned against us. Etcetera.]

    [Man, they really hate monsters.]

    [Not without good reason,] Grey says wryly. [The Abyssal Legion was born during the Rending, when the entire world was engulfed in a never-ending wave that nearly wiped out all non-dungeon born life on Pangera. They have a long memory.]

    [They probably aren''t happy that I''ve got the Call as well.]

    [You what?]

    Whoops.

    [I think I hear my Colony calling. One sec.]

    Next to me, Grey appears rather irritated.

    [Don''t bother trying to dissemble. The cat-Folk is out of the bag, as the crude amongst us would say. That exins why the Legion were willing to take such a direct course of action. They will hunt you to the end of the Dungeon rather than let you live.]

    [Would they risk starting another war here on yournd?]

    [If they thought they would seed in killing you, they''d attack right now.]

    [Dang.]

    This brings up another question.

    [How do you guys feel about monsters with the Call? Are you simrly unfond?]

    He chews over the question a bit before answering.

    [It varies. The Ancients are a source of disagreement amongst my people. Some agree with the Legion, that the twentieth Ancient must never arise.]

    [Let me guess Wind n?]

    [I will notment. Others amongst us have sympathy for sapient monsters such as yourselves. We were nearly counted amongst you by Pangera after all. Perhaps, if our luck was worse, we would have be monsters in truth, instead of bing what we are.]

    [Hmmm. Well, this trip has certainly gotten a lot more interesting.]

 Chapter 1174: Anthony On Tour pt 26

    Chapter 1174: Anthony On Tour pt 26

    The Legion unload their ships, pack their supplies, and move onto the mountain. Apparently, they have some barracks or something, they certainly brought quite a few troops. A full Legion, which is five thousand soldiers, plus nonbat staff, I''m told. I mean, the Colony has ten thousand, but I don''t like those odds. We have a heck of a lot of carvers in our mix, not exactly our strongest and best fighters. One saving grace is that we brought a decent contingent of mages, more than we usually would in a group this size, so we are packing quite the magical heat, as it were.

    Still, as they move around, I make a point to greet them, friendly style. cking my mandibles every now and again, things like that. It''s not like I''m snapping them as loudly as I possibly can or anything, just loud enough to send an ear-piercing crack through the air, like a gunshot.

    Judging by the reactions of the soldiers, they seem to wee my provocationthat is to say friendly greeting, ring up at me. Morrelia nts her face in her palm and I see her taking several long, slow breaths every time I do it, so I''m sure she''s enjoying it.

    [Are they interested in talking to me at all?] I ask Grey.

    The scruffy swordsman almost turns to look at me.

    [Why would they want to do that?]

    [They''re here for me, aren''t they?]

    [They are here to destroy you. The context is important.]

    [Is it a Legion thing to not talk to their targets?]

    [Anthony, I do not hold long, philosophical conversations with the monsters I kill, regardless of how intelligent they are. If the Legion are one thing, it''s stubborn. They haven''t changed their attitude in thousands of years, and they won''t now. To them, all monsters are dangerous and need to be eliminated. Monsters with potential for mass destruction, like ants, are incredibly dangerous, and need to be stamped out. Powerful individuals from a species capable of mass destruction]

    [Let me guess. They need to be eliminated.]

    [Correct. In addition, any monster who hears the Call]

    [Eliminated?]

    [Annihted.]

    [Great. That''s that''s great.]

    I''m really trying to work on an angle where I can have a chat with Morrelia, check in, see how the family is, but I really don''t see how it''s going to work out.

    [Why the hate against monsters like us anyway? Every time this sort of thinges up, people seem certain that monsters are going to go feral, no matter what. The Colony hasn''t gone stomping on anyone''s toes unprovoked.]

    Besides a few independent cities who found themselves within Colony territory. No need to mention those.

    Grey just smiles grimly, but doesn''t reply. I poke him with an antenna, or at least I try to, he steps smoothly away.

    [What?] he asks, irritated.

    [I asked you a question.]

    Normallypletely unruffled, he disys a rare sign of ruff and turns to face me.

    [There''s no way you don''t know the answer to that,] he says tly. [I''m insulted you would even attempt such base trickery.]

    [Whoa, whoa! Hold on there!]

    I bend my legs and lower myself down to roughly his level. A few people standing under me had to scramble out at short notice. Whoops.

    [Look, I am not messing with you. The Colony is very young. I am very young, rtively. I genuinely don''t know the answer to this question.]

    Now the wolf-Kin just looks confused. He exchanges a nce with White, who simrly appears unsure, and shrugs.

    [I learned enough about your history when I spent time with you to know that you''ve seen the phenomenon for yourself. You were attacked by the creature, Garralosh, who had amassed an army of monsters. Am I not correct?]

    [You are,] I reply, slowly.

    [There you have it,] he nods, satisfied.

    [Have what?]

    [Anthony]

    [I swear I''m not being deliberately thick! I''m this thick all the time!]

    Grey sighs.

    [Weaker monsters can be overwhelmed by stronger ones. The force of your core, your Will, forms an an aura like effect. Have you ever felt such a thing?]

    [Oh, for sure! Strong monsters, especially ones stronger than me, felt suffocating to be around. It sucked.]

    [Yes, but sucking at your Will is not all that this effect can bring about. Should a monster sufficiently stronge close to one who is sufficiently weak, they can dominate them entirely.]

    [Wait so that''s how Garralosh had all those monsters following in her wake? She just hit them with the rizz?]

    [Well if by ''rizz'' you mean she crushed their will to resist and demanded that they follow, then yes. It seems absurd that you don''t know this; you are more than capable of doing it yourself.]

    Wha? That seems not good.

    [I don''t spend that much time around weak monsters I suppose. At least, I''ve never noticed it happening.]

    I haven''t been to the first stratum in forever. Demons didn''t seem affected but I suppose they have some sort of connection with Arconidem perhaps they''re immune to outside influence? I''ve been on the fourth for a while, monsters here may be born with such high mana concentration they aren''t affected by me?

    When would I have had a chance to notice something like this?

    [You should have a simr effect against members of your own family. Any up to tier three could be susceptible to you right now,] Grey says. [You''ve never seen such a thing?]

    I shake my head vigorously.

    [Of course not! I''d be horrified if I did!]

    [That seems unusual. Nevertheless, it is a real thing.]

    [So the Legion are worried some big monster is going to swan up to the Colony and subsume their will?]

    [They are worried an Ancient will do that,] Grey says tly. [The Legion was founded during the Rending and they believe we should be prepared for it to happen again. If one of them got close enough to your Colony, you would be ve soldiers in an instant.]

    Well, nards. I''m not a fan of that oue.

    [Why do those big fat monsters cause me so much trouble? What did I ever do to them? And how the heck do you know so much about the Ancients? I thought your people weren''t around during the Rending at all!]

    [Information exchange.]

    His reply is terse.

    [Information exchange?]

    [Yes. We learned via an information exchange.]

    [With who?]

    He stares at me levelly.

    [Ok, secrets. I got it.]

    Yeesh. Well now I''m left with my original problem of wanting to have a chat with Morrelia and not being able to. How am I going to find a way to talk to her one on one? Just extending a mind-bridge to a soldier of the Legion could be construed as an attack. Getting caught even making an attempt will be disastrous.

    Then I have an idea.

    [Hey, Grey. Am I still wee at the fighting pits?]

    [Of course. All are wee at the arenas.]

    [Even the Legion?]

    He blinks. Twice.

    [Yes,] he replies slowly, [of course they are.]

    [Sweet. Can you let the Legion know I''ll be fighting tomorrow at the same arena asst time? They cane and have a crack.]

    I snap my mandibles loudly.

    [If they''re brave enough.]

    Gweheheheheheheh. I''m a genius.

 Chapter 1175: Anthony On Tour pt 27

    Chapter 1175: Anthony On Tour pt 27

    [Hey, what''s happening? How''s your day been?]

    No response.

    [Look, I don''t want to use anyone of being rude, manners are important on both sides of an interaction, but do you have any idea how hard it is to push a mind bridge through that helmet? The least you could do is say hello.]

    My opponent, a centurion, judging by the look of his armour, does not respond, only raises his shield and de, preparing to charge. After dealing with eighth and ninth sword members of the Folk schools, I don''t want to say defeating individual soldiers from the Legion is easy, but it''s certainly not as hard as what I was doing before.

    The centurion erupts with energy andunches himself forward. To be honest, the speed is impressive, but it''s very linear, and I''m a difficult opponent to surprise.

    Turning on the spot, I rotate my body and smack my mandible into the charging soldier like a bat. There''s a crunch, followed by arge thud as my opponent crashes into the barrier on the outside of the arena.

    Home run!

    [Nice attempt! Good speed, but you might want to work on your micro dashes. Puts a lot of strain on the body, but changing your angle of approach a few times instead of just charging straight in will help you in the long run.]

    I don''t get a reply, not that I was expecting one. I''ve fought five members of the Abyssal Legion so far, and although I managed to connect a bridge to each of them, not one has said a single word, no matter how much I natter at them.

    The first four were rank and file, thest was the first officer I''ve fought. Honestly, I can give them some credit for being tougher than I expected them to be. Their armour is hard as nails, and each one of them is a disciplined fighter with polished skills. I get the feeling that, unlike the Folk, who train extensively to fight one-on-one in the arenas and fighting pits, the Legion trains to fight monsters in groups, as they should. If that centurion had executed the exact same charge along with a squad, it would have been much harder to deal with; batting one of them away would leave me open to the rest of them, leading to much stabbage.

    The atmosphere in the stadium is a bit tense, I suppose is the word. The Folk are having a grand old time, and many swordsmen and women have lined up to challenge once again. However, filling up one end of the arena is a contingent of Legionaries in full armour, staring down at me in a somewhat unfriendly manner.

    Alright, a decidedly unfriendly manner.

    I''m notpletely ignorant as to what they''re up to. Obviously, they want to suss out my strengths and weaknesses here in this safe environment, maybe even lure me into underestimating them by having me beat up on the rank and file. As if. I don''t imagine the Legion is so flush with resources they''d waste time on a trip like this. If this is the group they sent, then they''re confident they can get the job done.

    Surely, Morrelia is going to take the hint and get down here at some point. No way she hasn''t figured out what I''m after.

    Sadly, she doesn''t appear, and I continue to beat down on Folk and Legion alike while Eran Thouris continues to wheel and deal in the stands. I start to get bored of the whole thing, and am frankly disappointed that she would avoid me like this until.

    There''s a stir among the Legion crowd as an officer steps out into the pit. Helmet on, twin swords sheathed at the hips and a decidedly red tinge to the heavy armour they''re wearing.

    This is obviously someone higher ranked, judging by the borate insignia engraved on the chest te, along with therger, more mana-dense armour. Could be her but I better check before I make any assumptions.

    As my next opponent strides out into the arena, I prepare the mind mana I''m going to need, spinning up my minds and weaving together the magic. Battering through the protections the Legion seems to build into their gear is like smashing through a wall with my brain. Not fun. I''ll get through, but the process isn''t what I would call enjoyable in the slightest.

    I need to take my own position for these duels, so I skitter over, making sure I don''t have a leg too far forward as the legionary opposite draws those twin des, each of them glowing an ominous red.

    Surely

    "Begin!"

    As soon as the adjudicator  not Grey today, he''s off arguing with his brother or something  gives the signal, I push forward my mind magic, mming into the barrier head on. Whatever is woven into the helmet, it''s tough stuff, and I fail to break through on the first attempt. I kind of expected it, what worked for the regr soldiers won''t work on the higher ups, and I''m prepared to go as many times as it takes.

    However, my opponent doesn''t seem like they''re willing to give me that opportunity. The instant the match starts, the swords, along with the armour, begin smoking, emitting a red haze that twists and warps the air. Before I can even wonder what the heck is going on, both des sh out and my antennae start screaming at me.

    Dodge!

    I leap to the side, narrowly avoiding the twin arcs of sword light. Yikes! What the heck was that?! There was something weird about those strikes, I haven''t seen anything like them from the Folk so far. The feeling I get from this fighter reminds me of nothing so much as Sarah when she''s lost in her rage. Morrelia is a berserker, there''s no way this isn''t her.

    I smash forward with the mind magic again as I ck my mandibles. She''s trying to make this look like a genuine fight, which is sensible, I''ll need to do the same.

    More mind constructs spin into action as I whip together elemental mana, ready to unleash a barrage of fire and water bolts. This''ll look awesome.

    DODGE!

    Streaking through the air like a sizzling rage-demon, my opponent zig-zags, alternating dashes left and right before homing in on me like aet. des sh, red light screams, and I am outta there.

    Unable to roll in time, I jump!

    Many tons of magnificent ant leap directly upwards, majestically soaring into the air. My opponent doesn''t hesitate, crouches low, and leaps up after me, des glowing, ready for the next strike!

    Holy moly!

    Forced into a corner, I react unconventionally, spinning my body in the air with force magic and whipping around my legs. I catch the soldier on the rise, smacking them across and into the barrier, but not very hard. The move gives me enough time tond and reorient myself, which is nice.

    Yikes! If this is Morrelia, she''s really taking this a little too seriously!

    Then I feel a stinging paining from my leg and look down to realise she took about thirty centimetres off the end of it! When the heck did she manage that?!

    A bit irritated now, I focus my minds and push out a staggering amount of mind magic, overwhelming the defences embedded in the armour and finally connecting the mind bridge.

    [Oi! What the heck was that?! I know that''s you in there, Morrelia!]

    All I get back is white hot rage and one thought.

    [KILL!]

 Chapter 1176: Anthony On Tour pt 28

    Chapter 1176: Anthony On Tour pt 28

    Great. Just great. I finally get Morrelia toe out here, and she''s berserking. I''m hardly likely to get a decent conversation out of her at this point. So does this mean I''m going to have to fight, make it look convincing, while she goes full wild-style?

    That''s not going to be easy.

    For starters, I let my mind constructs pelt her with water bolts, a near endless hail ofpressed water balls that m into her armour with loud, concussive sts.

    Not that it seems to bother her. Despite hitting like a well-swung hammer, they barely move her. Once she''s back on her feet, the dese up, gleaming with red light, and she starts slicing through my magic as she draws closer.

    Oh, you''re approaching me? Are you sure that''s a wise idea?

    It probably is, it''s not like I can deploy a void chomp without worrying about biting her in half. Irritated by howplicated things have gotten, I trigger my regeneration nd to start healing my leg. My mobility is a bit shot at the moment, which means I''ll have to fight more directly. Normally, that wouldn''t be a problem, but Morrelia''s sword strikes are nasty.

    Her moves aren''t nearly as artful as what the Folk can bring to bear, but they''re still extremely effective. The fact she was able to shear through my leg while off bnce in mid-air is a little worrying. She might be the first person I''ve fought in Freehill who can actually damage my carapace.

    [Alright then, bring it on! You want a piece of this? Come and get it!]

    No more piddly basic spells. I throw away the elemental magic I''d conjured and start focusing on something a little more spicy. Given a little more freedom, Morrelia goes back into dash mode. Considering how bulky that armour is, she moves with lightning speed. Is this what Legionaries are really capable of?

    Once again, the twin des sh, but I don''t flinch. Instead, I charge in headfirst, angling my body expertly to deflect the blow.

    When the sword light strikes home, I''m stunned. It''s unbelievably heavy, and indescribably sharp. Like twin shards of pure rage, they m into my carapace and start to bite into the gravitypressed diamond. It''s not enough. Despite cutting deep, the blows are absorbed, and my strength, size and mass is simply too much to be knocked back by her strikes. I dash forward, jaws wide.

    CHOMP!

    I don''t use any Skills, out of fear of causing permanent damage, but I use as much of my raw physical strength as I dare. My physical jaws m shut on the Legionary with terrific force, and for a moment, I''m worried I might have gone too far.

    Except she''s fine. And there''s a chip in my mandibles! What the heck did they make this armour out of?!

    Two des stab forward, sending sword-light spearing towards my eyes, and I have to stop, drop and roll. Letting Morrelia hang in midair, I release my grip, duck and get the heck out of the way.

    [Dammit, Morrelia! You''re bing just as ridiculous as your dad!]

    That guy was scary as heck, and pretty much cut me in half. Not fond memories.

    The moment those words ring out over the mind-bridge, the burning, rage-filled energy surrounding the fighter dims, ever so slightly, and a coherent thoughtes back to me atst.

    [You''re lucky you never met my mother,] Morrelia says.

    Atst! I''ve finally broken through!

    [About time! Is this the way you treat your former allies? You cut off part of my leg!]

    [You bit me.]

    [You''re fine! I didn''t even use a Skill!]

    I can hear her ruefulughter over the bridge.

    [Anthony, how in the Dungeon did you get so big?]

    I mean that''s obvious isn''t it?

    [I evolved. You''re part of the Abyssal Legion, right? Aren''t you all supposed to be experts on Monsters? I''m tier seven! I''m mythic! Of course I''m big!]

    We can converse a lot faster with thought than people can verbally, but that doesn''t mean we can stand around gabbing with everyone watching. Morrelia steadies herself and brings up her des, sending a flurry of shes my way, which I take on my left side before unleashing several powerful sts of force magic, trying to push her back.

    [Aren''t you the one who''s gotten unreasonably strong? What have they been feeding you, Biomass?]

    [Of course not. I''ve been training. Hard. Although, you could also say I had the talent for it from the beginning.]

    We continue to fight, doing our best to put on a good show as we converse.

    [As nice as it is to see you again, Morrelia, I kind of wish you didn''t turn up with a death squad. I don''t think I''ve done anything so nefarious as to deserve this kind of treatment.]

    Even behind her helmet, I can tell she has a grimace on her face.

    [There are some things the Legion won''t let go, no matter what. They told me the Dungeon Seers said you had heard the Call. Is that true?]

    [Heck yeah, it is, and I hate it! Have you ever had a fishhook lodged in your insides? Just constantly yanking and pulling until you think your guts are going to fall out of your body? It''s like that.]

    [Oh, Anthony. I''m sorry.]

    [Hey, it''s not your fault. It''s not so bad while I''m here on the fourth, but I suppose it''ll keep getting worse over time. If I ever get down to the Ancients, I''m going to give them a chomp or two, I can tell you that much!]

    [I didn''t mean that. Although the pain must be terrible, so I''m sorry for that as well. No, I meant the prophecy. Twenty monsters will destroy the world. The Legion believes that if the twentieth Ancient ever rises, it will mean the end of the world. And they aren''t the only ones to think so. As long as the Ancients themselves think you''re qualified, they won''t leave you alone.]

    [You mean the Legion is going to chase me into the fifth even faster than the Call can drag me there? Kind of feels self-defeating, doesn''t it?]

    [Wait, you''re going to go into the fifth? Can you even survive there?]

    [Of course! Are you underestimating the Colony again? We''re going to get in there and purify the whole ce, mark my words!]

    [That would be quite the achievement.]

    We continue to trade blows, and I have to say, Morrelia is strong. Really strong. Perhaps she can''t shape the sword light as well as the ninth swords, andcks their grace, but she is an engine of destruction. Fast, powerful, her blows are razor sharp and heavy as a concrete truck. I don''t know if she''s on a demaster''s level, but she is definitely the strongest I''ve fought in Freehill.

    [How''s Enid?]

    [She''s still kicking, though her health is on the decline. She retired from the vige and is rxing in our mountain here on the fourth.]

    [That''s good to hear. She''s a remarkable woman.]

    Eventually, I decide to stop mucking around and bust out the gravity magic. The Legion can hear all about it from the Folk, so it''s not like I can hide it from them.

    Trapped in ce, Morrelia is forced to give up the fight.

    [Gweheheheh. Still got a few tricks up my sleeve. Yeah, there''s a few people from Renewal kicking around the ce. Beyn is still alive somehow. In fact, there''s a few here with me now.]

    Morrelia rolls her shoulders as the weight of the gravity well is released.

    [As long as Isaac isn''t here. That guy drove me nuts.]

    [Isaac? He''s here.]

    [What?! WHERE?!]

    [He''s behind you.]

    [Nice try.]

    [Nono, for real.]

    [You expect me to turn around and AGAAA!]

    "Fair Morrelia. The sight of you is like fresh mountain water as I lie dying of thirst!"

 Chapter 1177: Anthony On Tour pt 29 - The Binding of Isaac

    Chapter 1177: Anthony On Tour pt 29 - The Binding of Isaac

    Not being able to see the woman who stole your heart was, to be blunt, the plops. Now, it wouldn''t have done Isaac''s reputation any good if he''d been seen to be pining, a man had to maintain a certain level of respect amongst his fellow troops, after all.

    Yet, deep down, underneath the bluster, the cheer, the jokes and needling, Isaac could admit it to himself. He''d been pining harder than a rustic furniture store.

    What was it about Morrelia that captured his mind, body and soul? Was it the spirited, almost enraged glint in her eyes? Was it the soft curl in her short-cut hair? Or was it the intense sensation of her fist mming into his gut? Who could say? Certainly not Isaac. Yet, when she strode out to fight Anthony, covered in thick tes of armour, he had instantly known it was her, and his heart had soared in his chest.

    Now, he knelt down on one knee, gazing up at her with what he hoped wasn''t too fawning a look.

    He needed to y it cool, after all. As cool as the burning mes of his passion would let him. Slowly, those gauntleted hands came up and removed the helmet, letting it hang off her hip.

    And there she was.

    Dark hair. Piercing eyes. Uneasy, somewhat disgusted expression.

    "Isaac. What in the name of what are you doing down here?"

    There was some chatter from the stands to his left, but Isaac paid it no mind. The Legion were sitting over there, and they surely had other things on their mind than disturbing this reunion.

    Doing his best to remain casual, Isaac shrugged, then realised it looked silly to shrug while kneeling, so he stood, bnced himself, then casually shrugged once more.

    "Oh, you know. I thought if I kept following the big fellow around, then I might catch up with you again one day. How''ve you been? It''s nice to see you again."

    Morrelia nted her face in her palm and slowly shook her head. Probably shocked at the depths of his dedication.

    "You really came all the way down here just in case you saw me again? You don''t even know me!"

    "I know how I feel about you," Isaac dered, leaning close. "I know how incredible you are. If you give me a little time, I''d love a chance to detail all of your most attractive qualities."

    He winked, smoothly.

    "Do you have any lunch ns? I know a ce where we can eat and get closer."

    It was at that point her fist connected with his face. Isaac soared through the air in a beautiful arc, but before he could crash to the ground, an ant raced from the stands like a sh. When hended, Isaac fell into a perfect mounted position, astride his partner and magnificent steed, smiling broadly.

    ~~~

    [Oh no! I''ve killed him!] Morrelia gasped, looking down at her armoured fist.

    [What? No. He''s fine.]

    [I punched him right in the chin! I''m surprised his head didn''t explode.]

    Yeesh. You''re strong, but you aren''t that strong.

    [There, look, hended just fine.]

    [How!? And he''s even sitting in a saddle?!]

    As if ants would ever let themselves be saddled. We don''t need one!

    [Isaac has done a lot of training himself. He''s now a proud member of the ant cavalry. You really think one punch would be enough to take him out?]

    Morrelia looks a little relieved, though she keeps eyeing Isaac askance.

    [Why isn''t he moving? And he still has that creepy grin on his face.]

    [Oh, he''s unconscious for sure. Cavnt is the one keeping him upright.]

    "Nice job, Cavnt. Good save."

    "Sometimes, this is more trouble than it''s worth, Eldest."

    "Hey, Isaac''s alright. He just gets a little distracted. You better take him back and get someone to check his jaw isn''t broken."

    "Fine."

    Still bncing her rider on her back, she turns and makes her way out of the arena. Morrelia slumps, running a hand through her dark hair.

    [Well, that went poorly. I can''t believe he hasn''t changed since thest time I saw him.]

    [Some people are weirdly stubborn,] I advise sagely. [Hey, quick question, why are so many of the Legionariesughing?]

    [They better not be.]

    Sure enough, there''s quite a bit of pointing andughing going on, despite how much they try to hide it behind regr Legion stoicism. Infuriated, Morrelia strides off, bellowing at the troops, who suddenly straighten in their seats, looking guilty.

    [Catch youter, Morrelia, nice to have a chat.]

    She doesn''t turn or nod over her shoulder, that would be way too obvious, but I get a little flick of the wrist to acknowledge my words as she walks away. Man, I wonder what the heck Isaac said to her to elicit that sort of reaction? He make fun of her mum or something?

    Ah well, my mission has been aplished, contact with Morrelia has been established, and a chat has been had. Hopefully, next time we can discuss over tea and biscuits, rather than swords and mandibles. It''s not convivial, is all I''m saying.

    I fight a few more rounds in the arena, just to ay suspicions, before I take my leave and catch up with Eran Thouris outside. Unlike everyone else, she appears openly delighted with how things have worked out.

    [Fighting with the Legion has garnered the Colony a lot of sympathy with the Folk,] she informs me. [We''ve managed to strike far more deals than I expected, given how reticent the Folk can be. This has gone incredibly well!]

    Marzban doesn''t share her positive outlook. With a hand on the hilt of his de and a look like an injured wildcat, let''s just say the man appears to be a bit on edge. Protectant is probably feeling the same way, now that I think about it.

    [So are we done here on Freehill? Any need for further cultural exchange?]

    [I think the air is a little tense. If we stay much longer, the danger of a conflict arising will only grow. We have other ces to visit and more trades to make. We shall depart tomorrow.]

    [Fair enough, I''m happy to get going. A good night''s rest won''t go astray either.]

    One question remains, though.

    [What''s the Legion going to do when we leave?]

    Marzban scowls, but Eran only shrugs.

    [That, is something we are going to find out.]

 Chapter 1178: Anthony On Tour pt 30

    Chapter 1178: Anthony On Tour pt 30

    When the wordes down that we are nning to ship out, the Colony doesn''t muck around. In short order, all ten thousand ants evacuate the nest and the carvers tear it down, ttening out the soil and leaving everything just as we found it. Someone tried to leave a statue standing in the site of the former nest, but I obliterated it the moment I saw it.

    I swear

    Naturally, the Folk insist on close inspections. We get counted to make sure we aren''t leaving anyone behind. Then they carefully check to make sure we didn''t tunnel into the ground and leave behind anything suspicious. I''m guessing this is mostly for show. I''d be shocked if they hadn''t been keeping an eye on the ground below us the entire time.

    With all that done, we are fine to move out and get back on the ships. I am not looking forward to that, but there isn''t much choice in the matter. In an organised group, we start to make our way to the docks in an orderly fashion. Of course, it''s a little hard not to notice that we aren''t the only ones marching through Freehill towards the dock. Less than a kilometre to our right, the Legion are simrly marching. I suppose they n to follow us around after all.

    Sigh.

    Nobody is happy about this development. Well, nobody except Isaac. The man can''t stop smiling to himself and knuckling his moustache.

    [What is with you?] I ask him, exasperated.

    The ant cavalryman just smirks up at me and waggles his eyebrows.

    [You''ll understand when you''re older, Anthony.]

    [I sincerely hope not.]

    Whatever has got him acting this way, he probably needs medicine to get it fixed because this man is clearly ill.

    [They''re here to kill me. You remember that, right?]

    He just scoffs.

    [Good luck to them.]

    [Hey! Oh. You mean they need good luck.]

    [It''ll take more than five thousand armoured tin cans to take you down. You''ve got more lives than a cat that can''t count.]

    That''s apliment I think?

    The brathians are eager to get away and march alongside the ant column, trying to make sure nothing goes wrong. There''s plenty of trades to make and business to conduct still here in the fourth, and they are keen to get to it. However, there''s something unexpected waiting for us when we reach the docks.

    It''s the Folk. A lot of them.

    They seem to have organised a special sendoff, by the looks of things. There''s a stage, and gathered dignitaries. All looking very proper and very formal.

    How nice of them! We haven''t been here that long, but clearly they appreciated us enough to give us a proper sendoff. I have to say, the Folk have been a very taciturn people for the most part, very stiff, very reserved, but underneath it all, it turns out there''s a warmth to these people.

    "Eldest, do you know anything about this?" Sloan asks me.

    "Not a thing. Whoever put this together did it pretty quickly and pretty quietly. Look, I think the brathians are just as shocked as we are."

    It''s true, there''s a lot of conversation and uncertain looks amongst the Colony''s business partners. Whatever is going on here, they weren''t advised about it either. This is confirmed when Eran Thouris and Marzban make their way to me and say as much, asking if I know anything about what is happening.

    Which I don''t.

    Answers doe, though, in the form of Grey, the wolf-Folk, who appears next to me as if he just stepped out of thin air.

    [Don''t do that, man. That''s creepy!]

    He bares his teeth in an almost-grin.

    [My people have arranged a short ceremony. Which is the only sort of ceremony we can really tolerate. Can youmunicate to your family for me?]

    [Of course.]

    It takes a little while to get everyone in ce, but we manage it. Luckily we ants don''t need to do much, just gather in the right spot, close to the stage, but off to the left a bit. To our right, clearly not wee to the ceremony, are the Legion, who stand in ordered ranks, radiating disapproval.

    Who cares? You smug, armoured super-soldiers.

    There are some important-looking Folk up on the stage, and they begin talking, loudly. I have no idea what they''re saying, but therge gathering of Folk clearly do. There''s a lot of serious faces out there. For my part, along with my siblings, we just stand around, trying not to be bored. Well I stand around trying not to be bored while the rest stand at attention.

    Of course, Grey interprets for me, and he expects me tomunicate what is being said to the rest of the Colony. I do my best.

    "Ah this is some important guy, whose name is super long. Feather something. And he''s oh lord he''s reading some historical treatise or something? Have mercy."

    [Are you passing all of this on?] Grey asks, scowling.

    [Of course!]

    "This next guy is Fattington the third kind of. He''s dering something about the council, long debates and outlining a decision process. A long decision process. Holy moly.

    "This nextdy is saying something about us! It''s about us! Finally!"

    [You seem a lot more interested than before.]

    [I''m sure you''re imagining things.]

    They prattle on for a bit longer until finally they get to the juicy part.

    "Oh snap! They''vee to a provisional agreement about whether or not the Colony should be ssified as a new species of sapient it''s a yes! HECK!"

    Grey nods in approval at my obvious excitement, revealed by antennae waving and mandible cking.

    [The wind n are furious, but their actions have pushed the rest of the council toward this decision. From this point forward, the Colony will be treated as a nation of Free people by the Folk. Though it is still a provisional ruling at this point, and can be revoked.]

    [Hey, this is fantastic! And look at the legion! They look cheerful!]

    Spoiler: they do not look cheerful. Rather the opposite, in fact. Grim-faced and furious, they turn away from the ceremony and begin loading into their ships.

    The announcement isn''t met with the sort of exuberance I would have expected from the thousands of gathered Folk. There''s a bit of mild surprise. Perhaps some vague sense of approval here and there.

    [Isn''t this kind of a big deal? Why are there so few people here? Why doesn''t anyone seem to care?] I ask Grey.

    He folds his arms across his chest.

    [This is how we are. If you can''t swing a sword at it, most of us don''t care. My people trust that the right decisions will be made, but aren''t that interested in the process.]

    [Isn''t that sort of leaving yourselves open to corruption?]

    [That''s what duels are for.]

    [Figures. What if you get a super good duelist who''s also very corrupt? What then, smart guy?]

    He bares his teeth.

    [demasters are not allowed to be officials. But we are allowed to duel them.]

    Oof.

 Chapter 1179: Anthony On Tour pt 31

    Chapter 1179: Anthony On Tour pt 31

    Ah, the sea. Lake. Sea-Lake. I hate it. Once again, I find myself aboard arge tub, surrounded by ships, basically trapped and unable to shift myself, lest the boat tip over. It''s unpleasant, obviously, and it feels a bit vulnerable. Well, it felt a bit vulnerable, before I had a fleet of anti-monster soldiers bearing down on me at all times.

    Now it''s downright unnerving.

    The Legion remain close by, rtively speaking. Their fleet maintains a reasonable distance from our own, given that fleets of ships take up a fair amount of space and need room to manoeuvre and all that. Abyssal Legion ships, as bulky and intimidating as the troops, keep pace, a couple of kilometres away from the brathian fleet.

    [There''s no need to worry,] Marzban tries to assure me, despite looking extremely worried. [If they were to make a move against this fleet, it would be construed as an act of war by the Ind Conglomerate and the Folk. Possibly by the Mother Tree as well. They wouldn''t dare go that far.]

    [Don''t they hate all of you guys anyway?]

    He hesitates.

    [That''s somewhat true. Even so, I don''t think the Legion is interested in stirring up that kind of trouble right now. With the repeated waves, they''re stretched thin and have much bigger fish to fry than some ants on a trade mission.]

    He certainly hopes so.

    [Where are we heading to this time?] I extend the bridge over to Eran, who is leaning against the railing, ring at the distant ships. [Because I doubt we can expect a friendly wee in any of the ces left on our list.]

    She turns to me with a sigh.

    [Perhaps, perhaps not. We intend to travel to Desert Basin, the most prominent mountain upied by the Sand Empire, followed by Greystone, then the Wandering Isle, and finally the Silver City. All of these are major trading hubs, but you are correct, they are all, at least to some degree, hostile to outsiders, and especially to monsters. The Old races tend to be more set in their thinking.]

    [I can''t say I really me them. If an Ancient arriving can turn every single ant in the Colony into a wild killing machine, then it''s going to cause a few problems, don''t you think?]

    I''m a little curious as to why the brathians seem so unconcerned with that possibility. Even the Mother Tree seems to have discounted it, letting us move in right next door to her, or perhaps she has some other n? Come to think of it, how is she going to avoid turning on her own children?

    The thought of being turned into some mindless soldier of a bigger, badder monster isn''t sitting very well with me, I have to say. The more time passes and the more I think about it, the greater my irritation bes. If Arconidem thinks he can just show up at Anthome and have the whole Colony fall in line, he''s got another thinking!

    I hope.

    Eran appears thoughtful as she considers me. Eventually, she shrugs.

    [There are many things that need to happen which we don''t even know are possible before that will be a problem. We are experiencing unusual wave activity, that is definite, but will there be a second Rending? It''s impossible to say with certainty. If mana levels return to what they were during that Cataclysm, is that even enough to support the Ancients in their current forms? Perhaps, perhaps not. If mana levels rise that high, and if the Ancients are able to climb, will the Colony be susceptible to their influence? This is another unknown.]

    [Well why wouldn''t we be? We aren''t like the bruan''chii, we are genuine monsters, cores and all.]

    From what I was told, arge enough gap in power should make it possible for the Colony to be dominated. Which sucks.

    [There are some monsters who are much less vulnerable to the influence of other monsters. Demons are almost totally immune, for example, untameable. Otherwise, the various empires would have raised powerful monsters to help subdue the third stratum and impose some level of order on that wild ce. Simrly, the Krath are known to be extremely resistant to monster domination. We don''t know why, but it is true nheless. Perhaps your Colony will prove to be simr?]

    There''s something about the way she says it which sends a shiver running over my carapace. They already know. Somehow, someway, the brathians are confident the Colony will be able to resist, at least to some extent, the influence of other monsters.

    When did they test us? How did they test us?

    But those thoughts aren''t what chills me. The demons are resistant because they are, each and every one of them, connected to Arconidem already. The Demon God can dominate them whenever he wants, can drive them to act against their instincts even while locked in the depths of the Dungeon. The Krath may be simr.

    Which would mean

    I sense the influx of Will from the ants around me, a constant and steady flow of impressions and desires.

    Am I doing the same to them? Or am I capable of it? The thought sends a wave of revulsion running through me. I would much rather be a servant of this family than the master of it. I desperately hope my choices haven''t put me on a path that gives me a control I don''t want to possess.

    If the Vestibule and the other attached organs can keep them safe, can keep them free, then that''s great. I just hope it stops there.

    It takes a few days of extremely quick sailing, but mountain after mountain slides past, and floating inds that rain endless streams of water pass overhead, until wee to a ce that doesn''t look anything like what we''ve seen before. In the fourth, a ce of endless and vibrant mana of life and light, pretty much everywhere you look is a verdant paradise, except this mountain.

    It''s a rocky desert. Absolutely dry as a bone.

    Home of the ka''armodo.

 Chapter 1180: Anthony On Tour pt 32

    Chapter 1180: Anthony On Tour pt 32

    Commerce is the lifeblood of Pangera, so the Conglomerates would have us believe. Perhaps it''s even true, but arguing with those scaled merchants and their smug sense of certainty makes me refuse to entertain the idea in public. In the post-Rending world, it was indeed the establishment of trade routes, safe passages carved out between monster nests and Dungeon vents at terrible cost, that once again allowed civilisation to flourish.

    Frequently, it was the Abyssal Legion who undertook the task of re-connecting the people of the world. Armoured columns of veteran soldiers, pushing across the surface of Pangera, carving out roads and safe paths, then doing the same within the Dungeon itself.

    Some of those paths are used even today, thousands of yearster.

    In the modern world, trade in the essentials for survival has subsided, though is still prevalent, and luxury goods proliferate in markets across the Dungeon. Obviously, this is a good thing  civilisation must advance, after all  but sometimes I wonder what would happen if we were to be driven against the wall once more. How quickly could we adapt, if the ground beneath our feet were to shatter and erupt with monsters once again?

    This world was broken once. It can happen again.

    -Excerpt from the private notes of Altharion Greyhame.

    Desert Basin is aptly named. Due to it being a desert. I mean the basin part is probably incorrect? I don''t see a dip or depression, after all. The mountain rises high in the distance, towering up a dizzying distance, tens or hundreds of kilometres, to crash into the ceiling above, just like every other mountain.

    I don''t know how they did it, but the lizards managed to take the lush green paradise of the fourth and turn it into this barren wastnd of stone and sand. I guess they like it this way, and perhaps it''s the best defence of all. Nobody else would want to live here, so why would anyone try to take it from them?

    Despite theck of ntlife, there is plenty of activity along the shoreline. The port we arrive at is absolutely bustling with activity. It''s not even fair to call it a port, really; it''s a straight up city all of its own. There are thousands of ships docked on huge jetties that extend far out into the water.

    People of all sorts can be seen moving about, unloading cargo, shifting goods, arguing, drinking, eating, trading. All in all, the Basin appears to be absolutely thriving.

    However, as expected, we quickly run into our first hup.

    A furious Eran Thouris stomps up and down the deck by my right legs, scowling at the still-distant port.

    We''ve weighed anchor ande to a stop, waiting for permission to dock, but are being held up for some reason.

    [They''re saying our papers need to be double checked,] Eran practically spits, [as if I''ve ever made a mistake on docking forms in my entire life! The gall of these lizards!]

    [If there''s no error, then why are they making us wait?]

    Marzban points an usatory finger toward the Legion fleet, which is slowly moving toward the docks, the ships crawling with soldiers preparing to disembark.

    [It''s politics,] the warrior says acidly. [The ka''armodo want to let their allies in the Legion dock first as a show of support, and to send a statement. The Abyssal Legion is more wee in Desert Basin than your Colony.]

    [If they didn''t want us toe, they could have rejected my request weeks ago,] Eran fumes. [If they''ve wasted my time, the time of the Conglomerate, then there will be hell to pay!]

    I wave my antennae in a calming pattern.

    [Hey, let''s just be cool. They want to make a show of support to the Legion cause, it''s fine, that''s not a bad thing. Once those guys have unloaded their boats and we''ve been made to twiddle our legs out here on the water for a few hours, they''ll let us dock and everything will be fine.]

    [We can''t twiddle our legs,] Marzban corrects me.

    [Give it a try some time, it''s good for your joints.]

    My soothing words turn out to be prophetic. The Legion unloads their ships without incident, then we sit around for a while doing nothing, and then the ka''armodo dock masters allow us to approach and start to disembark. Not that we don''t get our fair share of unfriendly looks.

    In fact, we get way more than our fair share. Despite getting themselves billeted somewhere, the Legion still sends some folks to keep eyes on us. There''s a strong contingent of ka''armodo and their setsh servants around, hundreds of them, making sure everything is on the up and up. Interestingly, they don''t seem to care if the entire ant contingent gets onto thend. Perhaps they''re more confident they can track us if we tried to go underground?

    And of course, ''they'' are here as well.

    A mind brushes against mine, gentle as a feather, and whispers.

    [I bid you wee, on behalf of the Red Truth.]

    Great.

    The contact is broken as soon as it''s made, but the message has been sent. If the Ancients weren''t bad enough, the cultists who worship them are always sniffing around. It seems like they want to make contact at some point while I''m on the mountain, which is going to be interesting. Hopefully they don''t get caught and bring down the Legion even harder on my back.

    Eran spends hours negotiating with the dock masters as they throw up obstacle after obstacle, but she''s annoyed after the stunts they pulled, so she goes all out, smashing through every barrier with her superior abilities and grinding them into the dust to make a point.

    When all is said and done, the Colony is once again allowed to make ourselves a cosy little nest away from the main buildings of the port city and the brathians settle in nearby.

    Our wee wasn''t exactly friendly, but it was warmer than I expected, all things considered. Legs crossed, we can get out of here quickly after hawking our wares.

 Chapter 1181: Anthony On Tour pt 33

    Chapter 1181: Anthony On Tour pt 33

    "What are the lizards ying at?" Morrelia growled.

    Commander Chyron chuckled humourlessly as she watched the activity in the port city with unblinking eyes.

    "Trying to slither back into our good graces, I don''t doubt. Leadership is still furious with them, to put it mildly. It''ll be decades before rtions get back to anything like what they were."

    "Decades. That''s not much to them."

    "True. Hardly even a blip. They may even view it as a worthy tradeoff for the ''experimental'' action they took."

    "Are we really withholding support during the waves?"

    "Completely. Thanks to that, we''ve got more resources freed up for trivial, ''save the world'' type actions like this one."

    From the top of the old Legion fort they currently upied, the Colony could clearly be seen. The ants were as industrious as ever, putting up their nest in a staggeringly short amount of time. Morrelia felt she could barely blink before the construction was done and hordes of ants ran in and out through the main entrance, carrying in goods from the ships down on the docks. Blink again, and the fortifications had improved, soldiers were patrolling, lookouts were positioned high up the nest and mages had begun controlling the flow of mana in the vicinity.

    The Commander noticed the direction of her gaze.

    "They''ll be a terrible enemy," she nodded toward the still-growing mound of dirt and rock. "They''ve spun that entire thing out of thin air. Imagine how quickly they could fortify in a Dungeon tunnel and how effectively. Dislodging them will be a nightmare."

    An uneasy feeling uncoiled in Morrelia''s gut. It was still difficult for her to think of Anthony and his family as an enemy. She hoped it wouldn''te down to fighting, but what choice was there?

    "There are millions of them now," she said softly. "They have territory, resources, expertise. At what point does it be too costly for us to try and eradicate them?"

    Chyron nced at her Tribune, then nodded slowly.

    "It''ll be expensive, and the Legion likely won''t act alone. However, getting anyone to put their hand up to do anything other than look after their own backyard is bing harder and harder. The waves have people spooked, mana levels just surge higher and higher each time. Commander Titus believed another Rending wasing, right from the start. People mocked the idea at first. They aren''tughing now."

    Morrelia felt a chill. In the face of another Rending what could they even do? It wasn''t as if the original members of the Legionem Abyssi, those founding legendary figures, had actually triumphed over the cataclysm, they had merely ousted it.

    Chyron leaned against the waist-high stone wall, eyes glittering coldly in the light.

    "The ka''armodo, the golgari, the tower, church of the path, the golden city, everyone has growncent, confident. They were able to fend off the waves well enough. The worst they had to deal with were Krath raids, which were unpleasant but manageable. It''s hard to me them, I suppose. It''s been several thousand years since something like this urred, so perhaps they thought it simply never would again.

    "Now things are looking different. Neglected defences are being stretched. Underfunded armies are buckling under the pressure. The Legion has diplomats in every court, council chamber and market square screaming about being ready for the worst. Some are willing to hear it, some are not."

    "Are we ready?"

    Chyron snorted out augh.

    "No, of course not! We''ve been cleaning up everyone else''s mess for hundreds of years. Not enough recruits, not enough funds. We can''t possibly be in all the ces we''re going to be needed. Which means some parts of the Dungeon will be let go, perhaps as soon as the next wave. At least our resourcing is getting better as the danger grows closer. People are starting to wake up and remember their old promises."

    She hadn''t thought it was this grim. She''d known it was bad, that was an inescapable fact, but this bad? There were ces in the Dungeon that leaned on the Legion for their defence. If the troops were withdrawn they would surely fall to the monsters. How many thousands, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, would perish were that to ur?

    "Is there a chance the Colony could be used to block some of those gaps for us?" Morrelia wondered out loud. "I''ve seen the reports, just as you have. They''ve held against the waves remarkably well, defended every city they''ve taken and regted the Dungeon to an incredible degree. They could be a weapon we can use to blunt the waves."

    The Commander gave her a warning nce.

    "Using monsters as weapons is precisely the reason why we are mad at the lizards in the first ce. You''re a tribune now, so it''s important that you learn and think about the big picture, but I caution you against this line of thought. Aye, I''ve read the reports. The ants are doing extremely well against the waves, because they''re monsters. An endless flood of Biomass and cores. What they did on the third? Those massive demon farms? The waves are strengthening them. If we use the Colony to blunt the waves, we only sharpen the sword that will inevitablye for our own neck."

    "The brathians seem confident that the ants are resistant, that they won''t turn against us."

    Chyron rolled her eyes.

    "And did they test them against an Ancient? We have to assume the worst case scenario. Besides, this is all over our heads. We are here for one reason and one reason alone. There is a prospective Ancient over there in that nest and they must not be permitted to descend. That is the end of it."

    "Yes, Commander," Morrelia snapped out a brisk salute.

    "Good. Now get below and sort out the troops. This isn''t shore leave, I want them doing drills and gear maintenance on double shifts. If we''re going to be sitting around on our backsides, we may as well ensure our own de receives a little sharpening."

 Chapter 1182: Anthony On Tour pt 34

    Chapter 1182: Anthony On Tour pt 34

    [Look, buzz off, will you?]

    [We will not. You muste and meet us.]

    [I must, eh? What if I must have a nap? Did you think about that?]

    [For the future of your people and ours, we urge you to listen.]

    [Not now. Sheesh! There''s business to conduct. We''ll be here for a few days, take your time. No need toe battering on my mind the moment I settle down.]

    Ruthlessly, I cut the contact and my mind constructs fend off the half-hearted attempts to reconnect it. Talk about rude! The cultists of the Red Truth decided to try and arrange a meetup as soon as the Colony finished working on the nest and I managed to slip inside to put my legs up, metaphorically speaking.

    They''re being sneaky, using extensive methods to mask the hints of their mana from detection, but even so, I think they''re taking a staggering risk. If they get caught reaching out to me, a monster subject to the Call, I can''t imagine it''s going to go well for them. So I continue to rebuff their advances until I can get a better sense for they of thend. We only just arrived on this ind, and the ka''armodo aren''t friendly with the Colony at the best of times, even when there isn''t a full Legion sitting next door.

    After the Colony gets settled, the brathians make their way over to us to discuss our next steps.

    Compared to before, the air around Eran and her followers isn''t quite as positive. Faced with the opportunity to negotiate trade all over the fourth stratum, the lead deal-maker for the Brathian Ind Conglomerate had been, not cheerful or energetic, but eager, hungry. That hunger remains, but it has clearly been tempered by caution. Marzban is on alert, as are his son and the rest of the soldiers, hands gripping weapon hilts at all times, eyes constantly scanning for threats.

    [How''s it all looking out there, Eran? I assume there''s a long line of eager wizard-lizards ready to do business.]

    She frowns at my jovial tone.

    [There isn''t,] she says. [What you''ve said shows a remarkableck of understanding of ka''armodo culture. Don''t you know anything about them?]

    [Hey, it''s not really my fault. Attitudes between them and us are a little frosty. We share a border with them in the third at present, and they don''t seem to respect the line we''ve drawn in the sand. Well not sand. The line we''ve drawn in the endlessly spawning horde of mini-demons.]

    [Yes, I''ve been getting a sense that they aren''t huge fans of the Colony,] she says wryly, and I feel like that might have been a massive understatement. [To clear up your confusion, the ka''armodo themselves do not engage in trade. Ever. They don''t buy or sell. They don''t haggle. They don''t conduct any form ofmerce. It''s considered unseemly for a ka''armodo of any station to even mention money.]

    Yeesh. I knew they were stuck up, but this takes it to a whole new level.

    [I assume the setsh are responsible for doing all of this.]

    [Exactly. Every ka''armodo will have a setsh who is responsible for managing their finances. Even though the product sold at a particr store is made by a ka''armodo, and the profit of that sale goes to them, they are not part of the transaction. That is all handled by their financier, or arkesh.]

    So we won''t be dealing with the lizards at all? That might turn out to be a good thing. I put that idea to Eran and she shakes her head.

    [Sorry to disappoint, but that''s not really how it works. The arkesh are all skilled and trained negotiators, but they are not independent. They will do exactly what their bonded-one tells them to do. Some of the wizard-lizards will be directing the talks themselves, looking through the eyes of their setsh andmunicating mentally with them.]

    [Then what''s the point of separating themselves from the business?! They make a big show of not caring about money, yet they actually care deeply! Isn''t that just a catastrophic waste of time and energy?!]

    [Yes. They have strange and unfortunate hangups when ites to wealth. Ka''armodo, especially the older and more powerful mages, love to drape themselves in finery. Expensive tapestries and rugs hanging on their backs. Golden torques, rings, bands on their neck, legs, toes, through their noses, pinched through the skin. It''s enough to make a satrap blush.]

    That is true. Every ka''armodo I''ve ever met, and even most of the setsh, were looking pretty shiny I guess, is the word. That reminds me.

    [I''m pretty sure I heard the Colony had found a fairly sizeable gold mine in the third not that long ago. Molten Gold, they were calling the stuff. It''s chock full of fire mana and quite red. In a burny sort of way.]

    Eran smiles wide.

    [Suddenly, I''m feeling much better about our time here. Tomorrow, we will have an initial meeting with a delegation of setsh arkesh. They''ll be inspecting your goods and reporting back to their bonded-ones. A follow up session will be where the real business is conducted.]

    [Why do you keep calling them ''bonded-ones''? Aren''t they their masters?]

    [Again don''t let them hear you say it that way. The rtionship between a ka''armodo and their setsh isplex, and rooted in magic. There are many who would call the setsh ves, but even they would admit the dynamic is more nuanced than that.]

    If she says so. I know when to leave well enough alone, and this is one of those times. The Colony has enough on its te to worry about. Speaking of which, I wonder how the preparations for invading the fifth are going. I''m going to bash some Krath to relieve the stress this trade mission has brought me.

 Chapter 1183: Anthony On Tour pt 35

    Chapter 1183: Anthony On Tour pt 35

    We still aren''t allowed into the mountain, or even on it, really. The entire port city, which is still called Desert Basin, skirts the water, sticking to the ttest, outermostnd on the ind.

    That doesn''t mean it isn''t built on sand, though. Everything around here is sand. The lizards like what they like, I suppose.

    When the time is right, the brathiane get us. The Colony starts buzzing about, loading up the supplies, and we proceed in a neat and orderly procession to a grand bazaar. Every beam and structure here is formed from glittering, mana-rich minerals, and honestly, it looks stunning. This is the first sign I''ve had that the ka''armodo love of finery has crossed over to their architecture as well.

    From what I recall, their holdings in the third are fairly normal? Demon cities are basically all the same, and at a distance, the only additions the lizard wizards make are to put up a few buildings for themselves.

    Perhaps they don''t bother all that much in the third. Most people don''t, as I understand it. Maintaining anything down there is a massive pain in the thorax. Why would you put up a golden statue just for it to erode in a matter of months? That ash is not to be messed with.

    Within the bazaar, I see a lot of business going on: stalls, traders, sailors, the works. Only difference is all the sellers are setsh. But this isn''t what we came for. Moving confidently through the bustle, Eran leads the way until we reach an enormous tent thing? A pavilion? Sure, let''s go with that.

    It''sically massive, the entrance is sorge I can fit through without having to crouch, and it''s in here we are going to present our wares to the arkesh. Without much to do, I plonk myself down in the centre of the space, which is ironically the most out of the way spot, since all the stalls are being erected around the outer edge. Tungstant, Smithant, Sloan and the other leaders are consulting closely with Eran and her mages about every aspect, making sure they put the best mandible forward possible for what these particr clients are going to want to see.

    Which means the jewels, rugs, tapestries, fine furniture, statues and the like are going front and centre. Unfortunately, the Colony doesn''t make much finery. We don''t have much use for gems and shiny metals, usually fobbing them off to the cities.

    However, a few enterprising ants decided to try and make some nice things for the Queens. Rings to go on their legs, or around their antennae. Wrappings woven with glittering thread to drape over their carapaces. Even nes and such. Oddly enough, some of it was even epted. Mainly because the stuff is considered useless to the rest of the Colony, so the Queens don''t feel selfish taking it.

    However, the taste of the Queens is modest.

    [Don''t you have anything more bedazzling?] Eran asks as she and the Council members fuss over the disys. [The ka''armodo are not shy about unting their wealth. The bigger and more ostentatious, the better!]

    Smithant shakes her head, sending her antennae waving.

    [No. The few jewellers we have produce work for the Queens, and they do not like to look different from their children. Small, tasteful ornaments as a gesture of appreciation are eptable to them. These golden torques and diamonds are they would not be wee. We simply don''t make anything like that. There wouldn''t be any point.]

    [The point would be to sell them to the ka''armodo.]

    [We don''t make anything solely to sell it.]

    [You do now!]

    [Whoa now. Cool it.]

    I break into the conversation which was getting a little more heated than necessary. I think having the Legion breathing down our necks is stressing everyone out, brathian and Colony alike. They''re still here now. No sooner did our delegation leave the nest than they marched out to follow us. I''ve no doubt they''re in position outside the pavilion right now, watching, waiting.

    For me.

    I''m the guy with a target on his back, why am I the one least stressed about it?!

    [Let''s all remember there are cultural divides between us.] I focus on Eran. [We don''t make anything for ourselves, but for the Colony as a whole. Other than a small number of carvers who saw human jewellery and decided to try and make some for the Queens, there has never been any purpose to making it. So we haven''t.]

    Now I focus on Smithant.

    [If our metalworkers know that producing these sorts of goods will mean cores flowing into our nests and empowering our brood, then they will make some, we won''t even have to ask them. You and I both know that. It''s not making things to please the whims of the lizards, it''s turning metals and gems we don''t want into cores that we desperately do.]

    Both of them settle down a bit and I turn my eye to the somewhat meagre disys we have put up. It''s not that impressive. We have too few pieces and none of them are thatrge. Eran is trying to make do with what we have to disy the range of our skills, but there just isn''t enough there.

    [This isn''t going to work. Everything is spread out too much. The stalls look like someone has alreadye through and bought everything. We need a different approach.]

    [Like what?] Eran asks a little snippily.

    I''m probably stepping on her toes a little. Do brathians have toes? I think so. She''s wearing shoes right now, so I can''t tell. I''m guessing the best way to sell to the ka''armodo is to turn up with stalls absolutely groaning with glittering trinkets. Some lizard-wizard will see it, start drooling and instruct their arkesh to sweep up the lot.

    [Let''s go for exclusivity. One item per stall. Take the most finely crafted pieces, like that one, and that one. Set the disys so only one person can see it at a time, make them line up. Our designs are probably too modest for ka''armodo tastes, even if the sizes are right, but then we can tell them about our ''custom design service''. If they like what they see, but not enough to purchase, we can offer to create modified pieces to their specifications.]

    Eran Thouris nods thoughtfully.

    [Commissioned work is highly prized among the ka''armodo, but not all can afford it. With the kind of prices the Colony can charge, there will be many clients who are willing to pay for custom jewellery.]

    [Then we just need to give it a little veneer of exclusivity and ss, even if it isn''t real. They''ll be falling over themselves to put orders in.]

    Soon enough, the entrance to the pavilion is pulled wide open and a flood of setsh enter, eyes peeled for deals their ''bond-partners'' will approve of.

    The game is on.

 Chapter 1184: Anthony on Tour - Old Friends, New Trinkets

    Chapter 1184: Anthony on Tour - Old Friends, New Trinkets

    So now I sit in the centre of the pavilion, while all around me, eager arkesh are trying to strike deals while ants are doing their best to disy their works and show their skills.

    It''s kind of interesting, this is my first chance to get a good look at the setsh for a long, long time. Certainly this close up. They really are a bit of an odd people, and I really can''t help but wonder how the heck they came to be. They''rergely humanoid, two legs (bleh), two arms, one head, all that stuff, but with distinctively reptilian features. They wear long hooded cowls for the most part, all the way down to their feet, with long floppy sleeves. Even in this heat!

    Because it is hotter here than it should be, hotter than anywhere else I''ve been in this stratum. I''m starting to get a sneaking suspicion that the ka''armodo have installed the equivalent of floor heating on this ind, which would be an absolutely absurd thing to do. I mean, it would take an unmentionable amount of power, and be an enchanting and engineering feat that, quite frankly, boggles the mind.

    But I''m starting to get the feeling that the lizard-wizards care enough about their ownfort to go for it. They already altered this whole mountain from a lush jungle paradise into a desert, for goodness sake.

    Looking at these setsh arkesh moving amongst the stalls, it isn''t hard to see where their priorities lie. Any stall with luxury items is surrounded by a horde of robed figures politely elbowing each other out of the way. The best fabrics almost cause a fistfight when theye out and the cheaper stuff is straight up ignored. Anything, anything made out of rare and precious materials is a hotmodity. I don''t know why an ant made an end table from water infused wood, and I don''t know why a giant lizard would want one, but here I am, watching two arkesh almost hissing at each other in fury as they try to get their ws on it.

    For a change, nobody seems interested in me, which is a wee surprise. I loom over the entire crowd, yet am content to be ignored. It''s fun watching all the goings on. Especially over at the jewellery. As soon as the setsh realised only one person could view the items at a time, they lined up like the British at a scone sale.

    Gweheheheheh.

    As I revel in the sess of my scheme, I feel a poke at my mind and look down to see a single arkesh standing in front of me, looking up. I nce around, but I can''t see anyone else looking to interrupt. The ants are all busy and none of the setsh seem interested. Why not, I suppose? I allow the contact.

    [Hey there! Any particr reason you want to talk to me rather than take a gander at all the amazing ant-produced goods on disy? Your masbond-partner won''t be mad that they missed out?]

    The robed figure bows very slightly toward me.

    [My name is Ammon''sil. Rassan''tep sends his greetings.]

    Rassan Rassan that that''s ringing a bell. Wait a second.

    [Ah heck. Rassan''tep is uh he he''s fond of vermillion honesty. Am I right?]

    Ammon''sil''s eyes widen slightly and he surreptitiously nces around. Is he worried someone saw through my subterfuge? Impossible!

    [He is indeed a great patron of truth,] Ammon''sil confirms, a little brusquely. [and he wished to wee you to the Desert Basin, though doing so in person would be far too dangerous. However, the next showing will happen within the mountain, and he hopes to speak to you there.]

    They''re going to let us inside after all? I''m a little shocked. It''ll be nice to get in and have a peek, though. I''m curious what it''s like.

    [Is it really necessary to take that kind of risk? I mean, I already have some worm friends hanging around. Is there something he has to say I can''t learn from them?]

    [It''s always better to get your information from more than one source,] Ammon''sil says, eyes narrowing. [And there ispetition amongst your supporters. Some will conceal from you in order to spite the others. We know you are now subject to the Call. Have they told you who is responsible? Have they told why the Ancients seek toplete their circle?]

    Well being honest.

    [No, they haven''t.]

    He nods, sagely.

    [Doubtless they believe they have good reasons to keep such knowledge from you. However, perhaps you wish to decide for yourself whether or not you should know. Rassan''tep promises to answer your questions, if you will agree to meet.]

    [Tell him I''ll think about it.]

    With another micro-bow, Ammon''sil is off, headed straight for the end table, I notice, leaving me stewing in my thoughts.

    Knowledge about the Ancients. Do I even want to know? Will it make any difference at all to know who stuck the hook in my guts? Or why they want me? If I had a chance to speak to those ancient monsters, I''d just tell them to buzz off. Leave me and my family alone! I''m not interested in their nonsense, their needs and desires.

    I have a family! All I want is to see them survive and thrive, so I can retire and tickle grubs all day. I want my mother to be able to have her hunts and fight to her heart''s content, secure within the borders of Colony territory. I want Vibrant to run, Brilliant to experiment and Snt to scheme in safety.

    All of that would be so much easier to achieve if the Ancients didn''t exist at all.

 Chapter 1185: Anthony On Tour - Lizard Needs

    Chapter 1185: Anthony On Tour - Lizard Needs

    [It went well, possibly not as well as we could have hoped, but better than I expected.]

    Eran paces around me in the pavilion as the Colony takes down their stalls and begins to pack away the goods once more. It''s a lot of effort, but ten thousand ants make short work ofborious tasks like these.

    [Can you borate on that for me?] I ask and Cobalt, standing next to me, nods as well. [I need a bit more of a breakdown than that.]

    [Of course.]

    Eran holds out her hand and one of her retinue is ready and waiting with the documents she desires.

    [Final contracts weren''t agreed on today, but we can judge by the level of interest shown by the arkesh what they are likely to bid on. I know for a fact that several ka''armodo mages were looking through their setshs'' eyes, but most were content to wait until their envoys return to report on what they saw.

    [In terms of the goods that garnered the most interest, there weren''t any surprises. Luxury items, rare materials, the jewellery trick worked exceptionally well, thank you, Anthony, furniture, carvings, rugs and tapestries. Basically all the more artisanal, hand-crafted items. Food and drink were ignored almost entirely, as was anything made with non-infused wood or stone. Ingots, weapons, armour and the like were alsorgely ignored, which surprised me a little. I''d hoped to make at least some inroads there.]

    As Eran runs her eyes down the pages handed to her, Marzban steps up to expound upon thatst point.

    [Ka''armodo obviously can''t use weapons and armour made for humanoids and prefer to forge their own, however they are known to purchase some arms for their Setsh. It isn''t arge amount of trade, barely a trickle, but we''d hoped thepetitive prices and rtive quality of the Colony''s work would draw some interest.]

    I suppose it makes sense that they make their own armour for themselves. There aren''t exactly any other experts in forging te and vests designed to fit around giant lizards whose body shape changes when they reach a certain age.

    I mean, ka''armodo are big. Not as big as I am, obviously, I tower over the little darlings now, but even so big. When I''ve seen them moving around the port town, they just straight up carry the setsh on their backs, for crying out loud. I''ve seen them crawling along with up to ten people just sitting on a rich-looking carpet, holding onto a golden ring lodged into their scales.

    Any sort of protective gear for a creature that big is going to be expensive. If a lizard-wizard is going to hand over that sort of money, might as well give it to the ones who know how to meet their needs the best: other ka''armodo.

    [It''s still a little suspicious,] Eran mutters, frowning. [They barely paid attention to the raw metal ingots, stone and woods at all. It isn''t as if they couldn''t buy those and then forge them, and the Colony''s prices are more thanpetitive.]

    [Possibly they were sending a message?] Marzban suggests. [For trinkets and such, they are happy to purchase from outside, but anything more serious than that]

    [They''ll stick to their trusted partners. You could be right.]

    More anti-monster bias?

    [Who do they usually trade with?]

    I''m expecting them to say the Legion, but I''m surprised on that front.

    [With the Stone Empire and the Silver City, mostly. Those are longstanding rtionships that go back thousands of years. Even we struggle to get into the market sometimes.]

    Huh.

    With everything packed away, the Colony picks itself up and we march once more through the crowded port of the Sand Basin. With a giant, mythic monster at the lead, the roads open up pretty quickly, which is nice, and we make good time.

    Of course, who do we find waiting back at the nest, overlooking the entrance? The Legion, of course. Despite wearing full armour, I recognise Morrelia in the group of twenty or so. They aren''t too close to the nest, but they''re close enough to be noticeable. I suppose themander wants to remind us that they''re always watching. As if I didn''t know.

    Their stupid mages are always trying to slither their mana into the nest or into my general vicinity. I''m not sure exactly what they''re doing, possibly using light mana to spy? Our own mages, as well as myself, are constantly on alert and monitoring fluctuations in energy around us, so we snuff out these attempts whenever we find them.

    Of course, mana-masking exists and it''s possible to go to great lengths to conceal one''s magic. Who can possibly say if we manage to get them all? Perhaps if we had Brilliant along, we''d be able to be more confident, but it''s not worth pulling her out of the nest for something like this. She''s got important stuff to work on.

    My siblings pile into our temporary abode while I stand watch over the front, then I decide to take a sneaky risk.

    I mean, Morrelia is right there. Helmet or not, I may as well attempt to reach out and say hello. I demand polite greetings!

    Marshalling all of my Cunning, I take hold of the mind mana, twisting it in on itself, weaving the threads so fine they be like strands of silk. With the utmost care, I slither my mind bridge through the air, snaking around obstacles, taking the scenic route, until I finally reach her helmet.

    Ever so gently, I poke my magic against the enchanted metal, knocking against her shielded mind. With such a finely woven bridge, there''s no chance I can punch through her defences, but if she takes it off, I can make the connection.

    Prod-prod prod-prod prod-prod.

    I keep tapping away until finally I see her shoulders slump ever so slightly. For a short moment, she brings her hands up to her head, removes her helmet and brushes her hair out of her eyes before lowering it back down, but not quite pushing it down all the way.

    Of course, I seize my chance!

    [Hey, Morrelia! How''s things?]

    [Are you trying to get me killed?]

 Chapter 1186: Anthony On Tour - Not All Truth Is Coloured, But This Truth is Red

    Chapter 1186: Anthony On Tour - Not All Truth Is Coloured, But This Truth is Red

    Holy. Moly.

    I freeze in shock and surprise for so long that the ants behind just start climbing up my legs and over my back. When they run into my antennae, Ie back to myself and start moving again, still boggling at the ridiculous sight in front of me.

    From our position, the road begins to slope down again, towards a basin? Filled with a desert? I guess? It''s absolutely massive. It''s been kind of hard for me to visualise just how much space these mountains take up on the inside, but this makes it fairly easy.

    They''re big. Really big.

    Somehow, the ka''armodo managed to carve out the entire thing and turn it into one giant desert yground, without the mountain copsing on their heads. I guess they aren''t wizard-lizards for nothing. As mages, the big scaled snobs are respected the world over.

    The basin itself isn''t just a barren, sandy wastnd either, oh no. Most of it is taken up with a truly massive city, with more towers and residences climbing up the walls on the mountain interior, much like Rylleh. Goodness knows how many ka''armodo actually live here, but it could be as many as a million, given all the space they''ve got, along with their setsh retinues. I''m starting to realise why Desert Basin is considered such a hub. It''s incredible.

    Fortunately, we don''t have to go too far to reach our destination. Another pavilion, evenrger and morevish than thest one, has been erected close to the entrance and away from the main city. We find it and begin setting up, but it isn''t long before a sinuous thread of mind magic slithers through the air and prods me.

    I don''t let it connect, but rather begin to trace it back to the source. The caster has gone to great lengths to conceal their location, sending their spell winding through twisted paths, using only just enough mana to bridge the gap, inverting and hiding it as much as possible.

    But, I suspect they didn''t go all out, otherwise I wouldn''t have been able to manage it. Turns out, Rassan''tep isn''t all that far away. In fact, he''s directly beneath me.

    "I''m just going to dig a quick tunnel," I announce to the room.

    "Is that a wise idea, Eldest?" Sloan scurries over to ask. "We''ve been expressly forbidden from digging on our own."

    "This one should be fine. I''ll be back in a few minutes."

    As much as we''re being watched while here in the Desert Basin, there aren''t even any setsh here inside the pavilion with us, let alone a ka''armodo. Besides that, I think Rassan''tep is just as interested as I am in keeping this face-to-face a secret.

    With a flex of my many minds, I summon my earth mana and begin to peel away the sand beneath my feet, revealing the rock beneath, which I also tunnel through. I don''t have to go far, only a few metres, before the stone opens up into a chamber below. I clear just enough space to squeeze myself through and head down, sealing the tunnel shut again behind me.

    I find myself in a dimly lit, secretive-looking space, with braziers burning low in the corners.

    As expected, Rassan''tep is here, the massive ka''armodo, with his arms folded across his chest ish bit, along with his full retinue of setsh. As his kind prefers, the lizard-wizard is fully decked out in golden decorations; rings, torques, bracelets, all thick and gleaming, adorn him just about everywhere they can. In fact, I think he has a new nose ring, something I haven''t seen on any other ka''armodo.

    Once again, that barely noticeable thread of a mind-bridge reaches out to me, and this time I ept it.

    [Hey Rassan''tep, how''ve you been? Not rustling termites at all, are you?]

    The old lizard res his nostrils, eyes narrowing.

    [I hope you have note to speak to me of termites. There are ancient beasts of unfathomable power in the deep beneath us, waking for the first time in centuries. It would be a waste to spend time conversing about those things.]

    He''s not wrong. Termites still suck, though. Hate those guys.

    [Alright, fine. I know Arconidem is awake, which should be exciting for you. In fact, I saw him, kind of. Freaky-looking thing.]

    The ka''armodo grows still, as do his servants, clueing me in that they too are part of this conversation.

    [You saw, the Demon God?] he asks carefully.

    [Well, in person? No. He sort of projected himself via ambient mana. I don''t think I can exin it better than that. Looked like a demonrva, except big. And on a chair. Throne. Thing. Except the chair is alive. No wait, the chair is part of him, and he is alive, so the chair is too. Alive.]

    Somehow, the ancient mage manages to make sense of what I''m trying to say.

    [Yes, your description matches what we know of the Demon God. He appears as his children, therval form of the demons, except seated upon a great throne, and colossal in size.]

    Do I feel like there''s a little bit of reverence in the eyes of this lizard and his lizard-adjacent servants as they look at me? I hope not, holy moly.

    [Look, I know you''re big supporters of Arconidem, or worship him, but I have to say, I''m not a fan. What he''s doing to the demons? Forcing them to fight each other? Lame. Big time.]

    That doesn''t go down so well, but Rassan''tep manages to restrain himself.

    [Let us not discuss the rtionship between the Demon God and the demons. That goes back a long time, and is moreplex than you might think. Let us instead turn to the knowledge that you crave. We do not have long, and I am certain you have many questions.]

 Chapter 1187: Anthony On Tour - Enter the Lair

    Chapter 1187: Anthony On Tour - Enter the Lair

    [Me? Get you killed? Of course not!]

    [Anthony I''d ask what you think would happen to me if I were caught conversing with monsters in secret, but you probably didn''t think about it at all, did you?]

    Guilty.

    [I''m cutting the link.]

    [Wait! Give me a couple of minutes to talk and I''ll prevent Isaac from running up to meet you.]

    Silence on the other end for a few long seconds.

    [He doesn''t know I''m here, does he?]

    [He''s already on his way.]

    Judging by the speed he''s moving, he''s on foot rather than on his cavalry partner. I doubt she''d be willing to carry him just so he could talk to an old friend. For whatever reason, I get the sense Morrelia doesn''t want to talk to him, though, so I can leverage this to my advantage.

    [Did you know he had flowers delivered to the Legion fort addressed to me?]

    [Uh, no. How would I know that? Were they nice flowers?]

    [That''s not the point!]

    What is the point of sending flowers over? I mean, I guess they''re nice to look at and smell? I suppose? Whatever, I don''t have much time and I don''t want to spend it talking about Isaac and his odd behaviour.

    [Look, I just wanted to talk more about why you''re here.]

    She immediately grows more serious.

    [The Legion is here for you, Anthony,] she sighs. [They won''t sit idly by and let you descend any further. They do not want to let the Ancients have what they want.]

    [I know that much. Even if nobody seems to know exactly what the Ancients want another member for. I don''t suppose you have any idea?]

    [I don''t. I''m not even sure the Legion does. Possibly they do, but it''s also usible they found out what the Ancients want and oppose it on principle.]

    I can almost hear the wry smile in her tone.

    [We aren''t great fans of the Ancients in the Legion.]

    [What, you think I am? Monsters who get the Call are threats? What about the poor monster? Wasn''t Garralosh basically driven mad by it?!]

    [You''d know better than I would on that front. I suspect Garralosh was more than a little mad even before she got the Call. Don''t you?]

    Sadly enough, I agree. I didn''t get anything like aplete look through her mind, but she was a crazy croc, no question.

    [Well, it sucks. Unequivocally. Completely. Not a fan. And it''s super irritating that I don''t even know why.]

    If the Legion doesn''t know, then I have only one more option. Looks like Rassan''tep might be getting his meet and greet after all. I have questions, dammit!

    [I did want to say this, though, while I have you. I spoke to the brathians about the Legion''s concerns, and they don''t seem all that fussed. They said they tested the Colony against outside influence and we passed with flying colours. It also appears as though they don''t take your concerns about the cataclysm recurring quite that seriously.]

    [The opinion of your brathian allies isn''t shared by the leadership of the Legion. I''m sorry, Anthony, I don''t think anything is going to be able to shift their views on this. The hunt for monsters experiencing the Call has gone on for over a millennium, and threats like the Colony have always been something that they take seriously.]

    Nards. Well, it was worth a shot. I guess it was never going to be this easy to diffuse the Legion threat, but an ant can get their hopes up.

    [Alrighty. Thanks for the chat, anyways. Take care of yourself, Morrelia, ande visit Enid if you get a chance, she''ll be delighted to see you.]

    A moment of hesitation.

    [I would love to.]

    The contact breaks as her helmet settles fully into ce and I turn to walk into the nest.

    "Whoa there, Isaac. Where are you going?"

    "To meet with my destiny."

    The man is striding forward, a huge grin on his face, and if I''m not mistaken, he''s taken the time to wax his moustache. Clearly he''s in a good mood. I hate to do it to him.

    "Your pheromonenguage control isplete garbage, man. How long have you been able to speak through scent? Time for an extended lesson. Let''s go."

    "Wait. What the plops? Why are you picking me up? Great One? HEY! ANTHONY!?"

    ~~~

    The next day, we are out and moving once again, this time heading in totally the opposite direction. Away from the water, away from the bustling docks, we move in a long, wless column toward the mountain.

    Today we are booked in for our second showing. This time, those arkesh who were keen on making a purchase and possibly engaging in a distribution contract on behalf of their ka''armodo will be allowed to do so. Or, more likely, the ka''armodo will direct them to do it via mind magic.

    Once again, I find myself at the head of the column, taking long, slow steps so everyone else can keep up with me. This trip confirms for me that I''m really not all that fond of sand. Something of my weight, with such rtively small ''feet'', isn''t designed to walk on sand! My legs sink in more than a metre before finally gaining purchase and it''s exhausting trying to get enough strength to push myself forward.

    Eventually, I ovee the problem by creating a personal gravity well and lifting myself upwards and forwards just enough to make travel easier. This is probably why the ka''armodo have such wide, t feet.

    We see a lot more of the wizard-lizards as we move up the mountain. Huge towers of sandstone rise up the slope as it starts to climb, and there are ka''armodo everywhere. However, we aren''t here for those towers. Oh no. We are going inside the mountain, and I''m super keen to see what it''s like in there.

    What sort of tunnels have they formed? I''m picturing lots of magma pools and hot rocks for the lizards to lounge on, that sort of thing. Eventually, sand gives way to a wide, t road and I gratefully step onto it. The path starts to cut directly into the mountain, and soon I''m embraced by stone. Ah, so nice to be properly underground again.

    Comfy, heated rock on all sides, feels just like the Colony''s mountain.

    But then, shockingly quickly, I''m once again no longer surrounded. In fact, it''s shockingly open in here!

    Eyes, boggling, I can''t help but ck my mandibles in awe. Those crazy lizard-wizards actually did it.

    Desert Basin. It''s not because they sand-ified the whole ind. It''s because they hollowed out the inside of the mountain! What the heck!?

 Chapter 1188: Anthony On Tour - Nineteen Is Such a Lonely Number

    Chapter 1188: Anthony On Tour - Neen Is Such a Lonely Number

    [You''ve hinted that there are deep and powerful secrets or whatever. Things that Granin and his fellow worm-enthusiasts don''t want to tell me. Is that a fair statement?]

    [A serviceable summation,] the ka''armodo nods. [The followers of Yarrum are more conservative when ites to spreading certain truths. Those of my order are known to be more open.]

    [Hence the name, I suppose.]

    [Yes, the Red Truth, granted to the founder of my cult by the Demon God himself, thousands of years ago during the cataclysm.]

    [So all of the various cults are aware of this secret?]

    [To some extent. As I said, some of the cults are more cautious, only sharing the knowledge with a few within the inner circle. It is possible your friend Granin does not even know what I am about to tell you.]

    Ancient knowledge that Granin doesn''t possess? I suppose I never even considered the possibility that not all cultists are equally informed. Obviously, I''m going to have to run all of this back past the big rockhead the next time I see him, but for now I''m keen to get some answers, finally.

    [Well, I suppose I have two main questions. First, why the heck the Ancients are so keen to get another member of the club. Second, who specifically is responsible for the Call. I want to take a bite out of them.]

    The setsh, Ammon''sil, doesn''t respond well to my casual threats against the Ancients.

    [You had best show some res]

    Rassan''tep snorts, and the robed servant freezes on the spot.

    [I apologise for this behaviour, Anthony. I will speak to my setsh about proper conduct at ater time.]

    My antennae wave a little ufortably.

    [Look, don''t be hard on the guy. The Ancients are essentially gods to you, right? I probably shouldn''t run my mouth so much. I''m just not all that happy about having the Call applied to me. It''s rather painful.]

    And I FULLY intend to bite whoever is responsible.

    [You are correct, the Ancients are godlike beings to us, and if we seek to push you up to that high seat, then you too are worthy of a measure of respect. For you to threaten or insult them is different than if I were to do so; after all, you may be their peer.]

    The lizard-wizard gives himself a brief shake, sending his jewellery rattling. Once he settles, the servants around him move quickly to ensure all of the tapestries, rugs and jewellery hanging off him are properly aligned before stepping away again.

    [Though we are not in a position to ask the Ancients directly, we believe that only one of them is responsible for applying the Call to promising monsters. That is Odren the Father of Monsters.]

    Huh. Just like that?

    [Odren, eh? Why do they call him the father of monsters anyway?]

    [His cultists would tell you he is the first monster ever spawned within the Dungeon, though nobody else shares that particr belief. Certainly, he is amongst the oldest of your kind.]

    [He is not my kind. Unless he''s an ant. Is he an ant?]

    [No.]

    Then screw that guy.

    [Odren has mastered a form of magic closely rted to the Dungeon itself, turning pure mana into monsters. Using these techniques, he is able to send his awareness spiralling through the Dungeon, using the veins of mana that touch every rock, every pebble and every grain of sand to observe monsters, no matter where they are.

    [What criteria he uses, we do not know, nor can I exin more of the method involved, because as far as I am aware, Odren is the only one to utilise it. To know more, you would have to find members of his cult, The Cult of Origins.]

    That''s kind of creepy. He''s keeping tabs on every monster in the Dungeon? I doubt it. If anything, he''s probablytching onto monsters who are stronger than those around them, or something along those lines. I refuse to believe one monster could process that much information. There are billions of demonrvae alone!

    [Alright that was fairly painless. What about the other question?]

    [This answer, the Red Truth itself, is dangerous knowledge. Are you sure you want to know?]

    Asking me this now? I mean, under normal circumstances, I don''t really care what the Ancients want, because why should I? Now that I''m here, though? Asking this is just insulting!

    [Spit it out, Rassan''tep. Don''t try and act all spooky and mysterious at this point.]

    [To answer your question fully, we must discuss the formation of the Dungeon itself. We know that people lived on the surface of this world long before the Dungeon opened itself. Our understanding of that period of history is sourced only from the scraps of knowledge given by the Ancients themselves. They were the only creatures to have survived from the early formation of the Dungeon.

    [It began in the centre of Pangera, where the mana is thickest, and slowly spread its tendrils outwards. Monsters born in those times were powerful, emerging from the thickest mana in the, and they quickly began to fight amongst themselves. Battles that would shake continents and topple mountain ranges weremon urrences. Only the mightiest survived and began to carve out their own territory.

    [So it was for many, many centuries. Very rarely was a neer able to rise up and overthrow one of these tyrants, the early Ancients, but it did happen. Slowly, the Dungeon expanded outwards, adding new strata, until eventually it reached the surface.]

    I know all of this, pretty much. Ancients stuck in the middle of the world, unable to rise, as the Dungeon slowly expanded, until the mana surged, and the Rending began.

    [I mean, this much is basicallymon knowledge, right? Well,mon amongst the people who know about this stuff, anyway.]

    [I am merely providing context. For many in this world, the Rending was the time all of modern history began. The old kingdoms were torn apart by a flood of monsters and the Dungeon Age began, new empires rising from the ashes. However, at that time, the Truth had already been discovered.]

    Each of the setsh looks solemn as their master speaks of the Truth. Even Rassan''tep, expressionless scale-face that he is, has an air of gravity. Even I feel like being serious.

    [The Red Truth, as told to us by Arconidem during the Rending, is simple. This world is a prison. Despite all of their tremendous power, the Ancients have been unable to breach the wall that separates this ce from the rest of existence. They are trapped here, as are all of us.

    [When another arises who can match their strength, the Ancients believe they will seed. By pooling the power of the twentieth Ancient, they will shatter the walls of this prison, and escape into the universe beyond.]

 Chapter 1189: Anthony On Tour - Another Brick

    Chapter 1189: Anthony On Tour - Another Brick

    My conversation with Rassan''tep is short, and soon I have to open up the way and slip back into the pavilion, head buzzing with what I''ve learned. This is the truth of the Ancients? They''ve had enough of Pangera and want to get the heck out?

    Why? This ce seems fine!

    I mean, would I remove centipedes from the spawn pool for monsters? Yes, yes I would. And will. Other than that, people seem to be getting along alright.

    And what happens to Pangera when this dimensional boundary is broken? Is the fine and the Ancients just buzz off, or does it explode!? Rassan''tep was pretty vague on this point, and I think I would want a definitive answer before I decided to worship Arconidem. I mean, is the Demon God trying to blow up Pangera or not? Fairly darn fundamental question!

    Surrounded by my family once more, watching them skitter about, setting up stalls, preciselyying out the fruits of theirbours, I certainly want an answer to that question!

    "Sloan! Can I get a minute?"

    "Sure thing, Eldest! Just give me a moment."

    She finishes whatever conversation she was having andes over to me, antennae waving furiously.

    "I''m extremely busy right now, Eldest, I hope this won''t take long."

    "This isn''t a battle, you know. It''s shopping."

    "The longer we are on this expedition and the more I speak with Eran Thouris, the more simrities I see. It may have been a mistake to leave Snt behind, she would have learned much."

    Probably, but she has plenty to do where she is right now.

    "I''ll be brief then, I need to talk to Brilliant. Urgently."

    Sloan''s demeanour bes grave.

    "She cane to us, as I''m sure you know, but it may cause problems if an ant is detected jumping into the middle of a ka''armodo stronghold without a gate."

    She has a good point, and I hesitate for a moment, but no, this is too serious. If the lizard-wizards get all bent out of shape, then I''ll deal with the fallout when it happens.

    "This is important, Sloan. Send word. I need to talk to her as soon as possible."

    "Very well, Eldest. I''ll get it done."

    If anyone is going to be able to verify what Rassan''tep had to say, it''s her. I need that confirmation. Just because Arconidem, who is a butthead, it must be stressed, said this two thousand years ago, doesn''t mean it''s actually true. In fact, why would it be true? The big demon was probably lying through his teeth and the Ancients have some other scheme in mind for which they need another member.

    "Hey, Eldest. It is I! Brilliant!"

    Gah!

    "Dammit! Where the heck did youe from?!"

    The little ant gives me a superior look and I swear my antenna moves without my conscious control.

    THWACK!

    "Ouch! What was that for?!"

    "Uh, disciplinary correction. Never mind that!"

    "But my head hurts."

    "Good. I have an important question. More than a question, a mission. A task. This will stress your mind and challenge your capabilities to their limits. Are you ready for the ineffable truths I am about to reveal?"

    Brilliant practically quivers with excitement.

    "Of course! I was born ready! Did you forget who I am? I''m BRILLIANT!"

    "I''ll connect a mind bridge, because this is sensitive information I''m not sure everyone in the Colony should know."

    [You getting me?]

    [Loud and clear.]

    [Good. Now, I have learned, from an ancient order of hidden schrs, that this world is a PRISON!]

    .

    .

    Not much reaction. I decide to add emphasis.

    [DUN, DUN, DUNNNNN!]

    Brilliant continues to stare up at me expectantly.

    [Soooooo. Apparently there''s some sort of dimensional barrier thing? That cuts Pangera off from the rest of the universe? Or something? And the Ancients really want to break it but can''t?]

    She''s still looking at me, waiting.

    [So I want you to work out if that''s true.]

    [It is.]

    .

    [Right.]

    I feel like I''m missing something here. I told her the secret truths of the world, I''m sure I did. Where is her reaction? She loves this stuff?!

    [What''s the secret mission, Eldest? Don''t tease me any further! My mind is burning with curiosity! Tell me! Tell me now!]

    She''s so excited she starts prodding my leg with one of her antenna

    [Wait, just hold up a second. What do you mean "it is"? You already know this world is a prison?]

    [Well, I know there''s a huge dimensional wall that locks it off from somewhere. It''s present in every dimension and forms a sphere around the. So prison, sure, makes sense.]

    She slumps.

    [Wait, that''s what you wanted me to find out?]

    [Yes! This is meant to be a big secret that not many people know about!]

    [Oh! Oh Well it''s one of the first things I learned when I started dimension hopping. Smacked headfirst into the wall and almost died! Good fun.]

    I feel like I have a headacheing on.

    [If nobody knows this, then how did you figure it out so quickly?]

    [I''M BRILL]

    THWACK!

    [IANT! Ouch!]

    Still finished it, eh? She''s dedicated.

    [Seriously, though. I refuse to believe nobody else can figure this out in two thousand years and you did it in about two months.]

    [Well]

    I can tell she just wants to say she''s that much smarter than everyone else.

    [I do have advantages as a monster that others don''t have. Throwing oneself physically into another dimension isn''t exactly easy without having our unique advantages. Impossible, really.]

    I''m guessing she''s saying she has mutations that help in that regard, which obviously a normal person can''t get.

    [Alright, maybe you won''t have an answer for this question then. If that barrier is broken, what will happen to Pangera?]

    [Oooooooo. Not sure. Boom? Maybe or perhaps no boom. On the other mandible boom?]

    [See if you can get an answer without exploding any parts of the nest. Or the.]

    [You got it, Eldest. I''ll get right on it!]

 Chapter 1190: Anthony On Tour - And Nobody Got Hurt

    Chapter 1190: Anthony On Tour - And Nobody Got Hurt

    Odren, the Father of Monsters, oldest and first amongst the Ancients, we beseech thee.

    Grant us freedom from the prison that binds us.

    Preserve us from the creations of your power.

    Watch over and protect us with your omnipresent sight.

    Save us from ourselves.

    -Prayer of the Cult of Origin

    Lost in my own thoughts, the next few hours blow past without me really noticing. The Colony finished setting everything up, setsh arkesh came and haggled over everything, mostly the jewellery, also the end table, then it was time to pack up again.

    The only thing that really jolted me out of my thoughts was when the table in question was eventually purchased. As the winning setsh imed the prize on behalf of his ka''armodo, he decided to open the drawers to make a full inspection of the purchase, only to recoil in surprise when a demon sprang loose.

    Uncoiling himself and leaping in one smooth motion, Odin bellowed his fury, de arms shing with murderous red light.

    [Anthony! I''ming for your head!]

    I swatted him out of the air with my mandibles.

    [That''s where you ended up? I could have sworn you were stowed in a cab.]

    Apologies were made to the client, of course, and Odin was rounded up without any further incident, which was great.

    With that, our stay on the mountain home of the ka''armodo, Desert Basin, hase to an end. Oddly enough, without any real incidents. Almost boring, in the end.

    No, Anthony! Don''t think that way! Expecting everything that happens to turn into an unmitigated disaster in one form or another is not a healthy way to live your life!

    Honestly, I don''t know what I expected to happen, but the revtions from Rassan''tep should be enough to fulfil the excitement quota. I don''t even know what it means for me, this so-called Truth. Is there an option where I be the twentieth Ancient, then tell the others to get stuffed? I''m guessing in that case they would band together to put me down and try and raise up another one.

    Maybe I find Odren and bite his leg until he releases me from the Call? Perhaps the best solution is that I help raise another monster to the position of Ancient, then there would be no reason to keep this hook in my guts.

    But that would only be viable if I was certain the Ancients escaping wouldn''t destroy the. This is too much for my poor aching brains, I''m not built to worry about things this important.

    At the same time, I don''t want to offload all of these concerns to the Council until I know more. There''s nothing they can do about any of this in the present moment, and the Colony has enough things to worry about. Securing territory, bulking up our defences, training more young, securing these deals.

    The cores that flow from this trade will be a wonderful supplement to our own harvesting efforts, ensuring more young ants can grow and evolve with fully enhanced cores.

    Then we can see about fixing the fifth stratum.

    With our business concluded, there''s nothing to do but get our trade fleet back on the water. The nest is torn down in short order and the column of ants once again marches through the port streets, tons and tons of ant goods gripped in powerful soldier mandibles.

    Before long, every one of my siblings is once again stuffed below decks and I am back in ce, bnced on the deck of therge, wide tub while the brathian crew works around me. There''s a lot that goes into getting a ship like this to move the way they want it to, even after magic gets involved. Lots of ropes and pulleys, climbing, knots and all sorts of other stuff that makes no sense to me.

    The main thing I need to focus on is not pping any of the crew with my antennae identally. And apologising to Odin, of course.

    [Look. I told them to look in every cab, which was clearly my mistake. I had no idea you were in the end table!]

    [I have unleashed rivers of blood for lesser insults than this! My anger isn''t quenched!]

    He wriggles violently, attempting tosh out, but suspended above my head in his own little gravity well, there isn''t much he can do.

    [I said I was sorry, nowe on, let it go. We are out on the water, sailing! Great big adventure! Isn''t that exciting?!]

    [What excites me is BLOOD!]

    [Bloody good times, exactly! We''re headed off to the kingdom of the Golgari, that should be fun, right? Lots of big ol'' stone people, living in a big ol'' stone mountain? Sound interesting?]

    [No!]

    [They also hate our guts and want to kill all of the ants.]

    [... That''s a little better.]

    Honestly, this is the one I''m most worried about. The Colony and the ka''armodo have been rattling the sabres for ages, but outright warfare hasn''t broken out. Against the golgari? They aided the Legion in their siege, the very same Legion that is ominously sailing over our right shoulder, metaphorically speaking, right now.

    Were it not fortuitous timing and my siblings punching well above their weight, we would have been wiped out in the conflict. The ants haven''t forgotten, and I''m sure the golgari aren''t pleased they were beaten by an upstart monster nest. They seem proud to a fault.

    [Hopefully, it doesn''t all go bad,] I say to Odin.

    [You don''t sound convinced.]

    I''m not.

 Chapter 1191: Anthony On Tour - Rocky Arrival

    Chapter 1191: Anthony On Tour - Rocky Arrival

    I''m not sure what I was expecting from the golgari when we showed up on their mountain. A friendly reception? Certainly not. However, I really didn''t expect something like this.

    Marzban roars something and the whole ship changes.

    The boat rattles with brathian feet pounding on the wooden deck.

    [There''s going to be a fight, let me down! I can kill them. Kill them all!]

    [I said I''m not letting you down until you rx, and I meant it.]

    [Gaaaah!]

    Odin thrashes about uselessly, but there''s nothing he can do.

    [See? You need to work out that anger. I''ll float you up some Biomasster, so be quiet for a minute.]

    [I''m not a pet!]

    [That''s the spirit.]

    In the distance, a stone is arcing toward us through the air, fired from something about halfway up the giant mountain in front of us. Obviously, I''m not an expert when ites to siege weaponry or anything, but I don''t think this is going to hit us.

    Ultimately, it doesn''t matter, as the brathian mages get together and st it out of the sky, sending a shower of stone shards crashing into their hastily raised shields.

    [Need any help?] I ask the brathian warrior.

    [What can you do in this situation?] he asks tersely.

    He''s not being rude or anything, he just genuinely wants to know.

    [I can catch the rocks in the air and float them away from the fleet, but I suspect they aren''t trying to hit us anyway.]

    He turns to me with a brow raised, light glittering off the scales on his bare arms.

    [You sure about that?]

    [Nope, but look at the trajectory of this next one. I think it''s going to miss.]

    [What next one? Oh, sand and seashells!]

    He roars something else at the crew and I can see people are freaking out all over the fleet. Shifting my head slightly I take a better look at the Legion fleet behind me. Right now, they don''t appear to be doing anything, but if things devolve any further, they mightunch an attack.

    I might as well take control of the situation.

    With a flex of my will, I begin to pull in vast amounts of mana, channelling it through a gravity magic construct in a furious torrent of power. With the resulting energy, I start to weave, utilising dozens of my mind constructs topress the energy and shape it into the spell I desire.

    As the enormous boulder reaches the peak of its arc and begins to descend, I judge the distance carefully and prepare to release my spell.

    [I''ll take care of it,] I tell Marzban, and unleash the magic.

    Infused with power from my Altar, the sheer raw energy that floods out of my monstrous form is shocking, an invisible shockwave that radiates upwards. Hundreds of metres overhead, a gravity well snaps into being, catching the offending boulder in its irresistible grip.

    It doesn''t take much to redirect the boulder once I''ve got it under my influence. I spend a bit of energy to slingshot it around my well and it catapults harmlessly off to the side.

    [I''m kind of surprised that they defend themselves by flinging rocks at people,] I remark to Marzban. [It''s not like there aren''t more impressive options avable to us than that.]

    The martial leader of the brathian expedition hardens his expression as he continues to stare at the mountain before us, watching for any sign of another projectile.

    [Don''t underestimate them,] he warns me. [This time, it was only simple rocks, but they can throw far more deadly things than that, and much further than you might expect. Greystone is known as an imprable fortress for good reason.]

    Living up to its name, the mountain in front of us is indeed formed of grey stone, with little green life marking its rocky cliffs, as one would expect to see here in the fourth. That''s not the only modification that the golgari went and made to this particr mountain.

    Far from it.

    More than any other mountain I''ve seen on this stratum, Greystone is massive. Rather than doing the normal thing one would expect a mountain to do, which is get smaller the taller it gets, Greystone is almost a pir, rising up in a near straight line from the water''s edge, right up to the top, where it touches the bottom of the third.

    Now, I don''t need to be told this isn''t natural. The mountains on the fourth aren''t formed this way, which means they changed the shape of the mountain manually, conjuring up new stone using mana. Perhaps that doesn''t sound impressive, the Colony could do the same thing, but staring up at the absurd reality of Greystone, and its sheer, unimaginable weight, really drives home just how much of an effort it would have been.

    We are talking about BILLIONS of cubic metres of stone. BILLIONS. Maybe more than that! These mountains already made everything I''d ever seen back on Earth look tiny, but this is absurd! It''s like they created a second Everest and then moulded it around the original Everest!

    The sheer amount of magical energy that was poured into this, the boggling amount of stone shaping work that would have required. It must have taken them hundreds, perhaps as many as a thousand, years.

    Honestly, the Colony would never do something like this, because we would consider it a waste of effort and energy.

    For whatever reason, the golgari didn''t feel that way. They wanted to make a statement, and they seeded. It''s impressive as heck.

    As we continue to sail towards this absurd pir of stone, there are no further incidents, thank Gandalf. That doesn''t mean the tension is gone, though. Eran is furious.

    It doesn''t bode well for our stay amongst the people of stone.

 Chapter 1192: Anthony On Tour - They Donâ€™t Want Us Here

    Chapter 1192: Anthony On Tour - They Don¡¯t Want Us Here

    [A training drill gone wrong! Of all the absurd ims to make! How dare they treat the Conglomerate this way? I''ll set an embargo on them, I''ll establish tariffs. They won''t be able to import a wheel of cheese when I''m done with them!]

    Eran is seriously upset at the treatment she''s received from the golgari. She just returned to the fleet after heading ashore to negotiate the terms of our stay, and to demand an exnation for the giant rocks that flew our way.

    It would appear she isn''t satisfied with the response.

    [I warned you they wouldn''t be friendly. Rtions between us and the golgari are probably worse than those between us and the ka''armodo. Would I describe it as open warfare? Not really. But it''s close.]

    She stares up at me and points an usatory finger.

    [Whatever their attitude towards you, it shouldn''t matter because they aren''t hosting the Colony, they are hosting the Brathian Ind Conglomerate! As a premier trading and merchant cooperative, we have agreements with every major power in the fourth stratum. And they agreed that we would be allowed toe here!]

    [Did you tell them you''d be bringing ten thousand ants along for the ride?]

    [Of course we did!] she throws her arms up, still visibly furious. [Trying to conceal that sort of information would have led to a disaster. They''ve been perfectly aware of who would be part of this trade mission.]

    That doesn''t mean they didn''t n on being hostile when we got here. I don''t bother to point it out to Eran, I''m sure she''s perfectly aware. Part of her anger is probably because she realised this exact point. The golgari only allowed us toe so they could spit in our faces.

    I mean, rude, but not all that surprising.

    [We can just leave?] I suggest. [Is there really a need for us to subject ourselves to this treatment? I''ve no doubt it''s only going to get worse.]

    She considers it, seriously considers it, which is astounding to me. I''vee to understand that a brathian passing up the chance to wheel and deal is like an ant refusing to tickle a grub. Absurd! Unthinkable!

    [We will proceed with the mission,] she says finally. [We may be able to salvage something from this, no matter how those rock-heads treat us. If not, we will have tried. They are bound by many treaties when ites to trade and interacting with my people, I''m confident we will be safe. However, just in case, Marzban, I want you and your people to take every precaution. I know this will be difficult for you. I apologise.]

    The scarred warrior offers a crisp salute.

    [Not to worry, Eran. My people will make sure we stay safe.]

    I''m not exactly worried about the brathians, I''m confident they are going to be safe, it''s my siblings that I''m worried about.

    [Do we know what arrangements they are allowing for me and mine? How many are allowed into the mountain?]

    At my question, Eran loses some of her fire and looks distinctly ufortable.

    [They only want a hundred inside.]

    [A hundred.]

    [Yes.]

    .

    When was thest time a hundred ants were on their own anywhere? This is intolerable! And who''s going to be in more danger, the hundred in the mountain, or the nine thousand, nine hundred who are stuck in the boats?!

    Ugh. This sucks.

    [I''m going to need to talk to Sloan about this,] I say, firmly.

    [Anthony we will make sure]

    [I''ll be talking to Sloan about what we decide to do,] I cut her off, not trying to be rude. [I''m sorry, but this is a family decision. We''ll let you know what we decide.]

    Moored in the shadow of the sheer enormity of Greystone, I wait a little while as Sloan is brought over to my tub. For good measure, Cobaltes with her, and I can tell that the carver is enamoured with the unnatural mountain.

    "No, we are not building an absurd pir to heaven," I tell Cobalt immediately.

    "Eldest, where on Pangera is heaven? The third? And no, we would never do this, but it is impressive, you have to admit."

    I sure do.

    "Look, they''re only going to allow a hundred ants into the mountain, everyone else is stuck on boats. I don''t trust the golgari as far as I can throw them wait, I can throw them really far. I don''t trust the golgari, they''re going to try something. If we decide to go ahead with this, then I''m going to stay on the boat."

    I figure I''ll be able to protect over nine thousand ants out here, but only a hundred in there. It''s not a difficult calction.

    This sends Sloan and Cobalt into a period of deep thought, their antennae waving as they consider their options.

    "What do the brathians want to do?" Cobalt asks.

    "What do you think? They want to trade."

    More thinking.

    "We will have to go through with it, but I am simrly concerned about security," Sloan deres. "We can''t let our trading partner down, and they know more about this sort of thing than we do. However, I suggest that the hundred who go inside consist of mostly soldiers, and the cavalry. That way, their human partners can go inside with them."

    Makes sense, I suppose. We get more people inside while still only sending a hundred ants.

    "Will it be an issue if we don''t send that many carvers inside?" I ask Cobalt.

    "It would be if we were trying to conduct normal business," she replies, "but we are only making a show of it, I suspect, then turning around and getting out safely. I agree with Sloan, this is the better option."

    "Guess that means I''m stuck on the boat. Dammit. Good luck to you, then. Hopefully, it all works out."

 Chapter 1193: Anthony On Tour - Within the Rock

    Chapter 1193: Anthony On Tour - Within the Rock

    "You want me to go inside the mountain?" Isaac asked, surprised.

    He turned and gazed out over the open waters toward the Legion fleet. It didn''t look like they were moving at all. Perhaps they had no ns to head ashore at this stop?

    He turned back to the Eran.

    "I''m good," he said, smiling broadly and knuckling his moustache. "I like it out here on the water."

    But what if the Legion decided to dockter? It could happen.

    "Check in with me againter, though," he suggested, his eyes sliding back to the other fleet. "The situation might change."

    Eran Thouris, leader of the trade mission and head negotiator of the Brathian Ind Conglomerate, fixed him with a hard stare. This was the kind of look that Isaac had be ustomed to over the years. When you said ''no'' to a person whom you were in no position to refuse, they tended to give you this kind of look.

    "Anthony has ordered it," she said with finality. "You and your fellow cavalry men and women are to apany a small team of carvers within the mountain. You are to organise and lead them. Begin now. We disembark in ten minutes."

    Plops.

    Finally, he was close to Morrelia again, and she remained tantalisingly out of reach, just on the horizon, haunting his waking hours along with his sleeping ones. Sometimes he swore he saw her, standing proud on the deck of the lead Legion ship, like an all-conquering Queen of old.

    Irritated, he stomped over to Anthony, still sprawled in the middle of the deck, idly waggling his antennae and generally being huge. Isaac still wasn''t sure exactly how he could speak using the ants'' pheromonenguage, he certainly hoped his ss change hadn''t blessed him with a new organ, but it worked somehow.

    Talking to Cavnt had ensured he was proficient, as well. That ant was one hell of a critic.

    "Did you really order me to go ashore?" he demanded of the giant monster.

    Anthony didn''t turn around, because he couldn''t.

    "Yes. It''s the best way to keep our people safe."

    Isaac slumped. If Anthony had decreed it, then it was going to happen. The ants did whatever he told them to do, usually, even though Isaac had no idea why.

    "Why are you in charge, anyway? I don''t really understand how it works."

    "I''m the oldest."

    "So?"

    He could almost feel the mental sigh rolling off the giant ant.

    "You aren''t an ant, so don''t worry about it, Isaac. Get your people together to get on shore. Help keep my siblings safe. Besides, the only reason you want to stay out here is because you think the Legion won''t go ashore. They will. In small numbers, but they will."

    "Why small numbers?"

    "Because I''m out here. The only reason they came this far is to kill me, remember? The Legion didn''t sail a fleet all over the fourth for tea and biscuits."

    Isaac stroked his moustache and pondered for a moment.

    "Do you think.?"

    "I don''t know if Morrelia is going to go ashore or not! Holy moly, Isaac. I swear your brain has gone to mush. Get your act together, man."

    The demon floating overhead thrashed and spat, no doubt saying something to Anthony via mentalmunication.

    "You''re both weird," Anthony huffed. "Try and focus, Isaac. I want my family toe back safe. That includes you. Now get going."

    Left without a choice, Isaac grumbled before turning around and heading below deck to find the rest of his squad. Cavnt was the first to detect something was different.

    "New orders?" she asked, rapidly cleaning her antennae. "I don''t know why they bothered to tell you, the Eldest should just tell me these things."

    "We''re heading into the mountain," Isaac sighed. "I think there''s going to be nothing but a road full of plops ahead."

    "Pessimist," his partner dismissed his concerns too quickly. "The Eldest is here, things are going to be fine."

    All of the ants talked about Anthony like that, but Isaac struggled to share their confidence at times. After all, when their minds connected, the giant monster who towered over him sounded so young.

    It made sense, all the ants were young but stil.

    "Alright then," Isaac announced aloud to the other riders. "We''ve got a mission straight from the big guy himself. The golgari aren''t letting many ants inside, so we are going in. Get your stuff together. We have five minutes."

    Just like that, Isaac found himself as part of the official delegation striding off the smallernding ship, across the wooden boards extended from the shore, and into a stone tunnel shaped into the side of the mountain. Within, the delegation found a weing party of golgari waiting for their arrival.

    There were only six of them, which was a surprise, each coated in brilliantly gleaming minerals that formed their second skin. And of course, they were huge, each towering over Isaac, easily eight feet tall if they were an inch.

    "We are representatives of the trading circle," the central figure bowed at the waist in wee. "My name is Gemmas. I extend our warmest wee to the representative of the Brathian Ind Conglomerate."

    Not a word of greeting for the ants of the Colony. Isaac feltpelled to share a message using his magical pheromones.

    "Cavnt? This is plops, right here."

    "Shut up."

    "I''m telling you, this is going to go bad."

    "Based on what evidence? Now be quiet and keep your eyes open."

    Eran was replying, her tone rather more curt than one would normally expect from such a seasoned negotiator.

    "I thank you for your wee, we have felt the weight of it already. As you see, we have brought only a hundred members of the Colony with us into Greystone. I hope that assuages any fears or terrors your people may have felt?"

    If any of these insults werending with Gemmas, it didn''t show on her rock-covered face.

    "Please, this way," she gestured for them to follow her further into the dark tunnel. "There are members of the Shapers circle, Warriors circle, and Noble circle waiting to greet you deeper within the mountain."

    Isaac''s hand tightened around the pole of his spear.

    He really didn''t like this.

 Chapter 1194: Anthony On Tour - Running Circles

    Chapter 1194: Anthony On Tour - Running Circles

    Golgari society has long been divided in a caste structure based on profession. The outer circle, or the fourth, consists of those regr craftsmen and women, the farmers, the miners, the smiths and tailors and traders. No matter how high a level they reach, or what impressive feats they achieve, it is impossible for them to climb higher than the circle in which they live.

    A half-step above them is the Shaper circle, a name given to those with the ability to shape the mana of Pangera and bend it to their will. In many ways, their inclusion above the fourth circle is something of a begrudging nod of eptance from the golgari caste system, which existed long before the Rending.

    For this reason, the Warriors have always held a dominant position within golgari society. It was they who fought and defended the early territories of their people, before mana began to saturate the surface and the Shapers emerged to wield it.

    Above them all stands the Noble circle. These are the ruling ss of the golgari, but make no mistake, there are no Shapers among them. Family members of the Noble families who choose to pursue the art of magic and join the Shapers are cut off from their families.

    This social structure is as rigid and unyielding as the golgari themselves, and yet, their people continue to thrive. The Empire of Stone survived the Rending, rebuilding itself from the devastation left by Yarrum. To them, theirs is a sessful model for society. Why would they change it?

    - Excerpt from ''People of Stone'' by Xinci

    Isaac found it difficult to follow multiple conversations at the same time, which he felt was a natural thing to struggle with. This task only became exponentially harder when one of those conversations was out loud and one of them was conducted with pheromones. Isaac was ufortable with pheromonal conversation on several levels.

    Where and how did he produce pheromones? How did he receive them? If his ss had grown small antennae on his body somewhere, he would have a seriousint. The ants were evasive, at best, when he tried to get answers to questions like this, saying they couldn''t possibly know how sses worked.

    "Are you paying attention, Isaac?" Cavnt huffed at him.

    "Of course I''m paying attention," he snapped back, "but having you chirp at me all the time isn''t helping."

    "I''m ensuring you''re focused on the right things."

    "You are, in this moment, distracting me from the very things you want me to focus on!"

    "That''s because you aren''t paying attention."

    "I would be paying attention if you stopped nattering at me!"

    "You just admitted you aren''t paying attention," the ant noted, smugly. "Which means I''m right to tell you to focus."

    Isaac felt a headacheing on. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed a long suffering sigh.

    "Let''s just agree, the two of us, to not talk, and listen to the envoys speak to each other. Then we can review afterwards and decide if someone wasn''t paying enough attention."

    "I can''t understand their words."

    "I know you are getting a live trantion from a mind mage! Stop being difficult!"

    Finally, finally his partner and mount fell silent, flicking her antennae in a ''have it your way'' kind of gesture, allowing Isaac to pay attention to what was going on around him once more.

    Only a hundred ants had entered the fortress, and fully half of them were members of his cavalry squad. That meant fifty burly, powerful soldiers, built for strength, endurance and speed, along with their human riders, each one a trained warrior on their own.

    Against what the golgari had brought, it didn''t seem like much at all.

    Where before they had been greeted by six of the massive rock-people, now there were easily three hundred. Actually, knowing the golgari, there were likely exactly three hundred.

    Eran was in the middle of speaking to the warrior triad in charge of proceedings. Because of course the merchants couldn''t run it. They weren''t allowed to run anything.

    "We are grateful for this forceful and imposing greeting," Eran said, not flinching away from calling out their nonsense.

    She reminded Isaac of his ma''am a bit. She didn''t tolerate nonsense either, even when she probably should.

    The warrior, covered in what appeared to be a gleaming coat of almost liquid metal, smiled wide and spread his hands.

    "We simply want to ensure the correct message is sent regarding your wee here. It wouldn''t do to have the Brathian Ind Conglomerate think they were unworthy of our attention."

    "We note, and will remember, your treatment of this delegation," Eran replied smoothly and Isaac struggled not to smirk. She was about half the height of the man she was talking to, but she didn''t hesitate toy down the threats.

    "We wouldn''t want it any other way," the warrior replied smoothly. "Please follow me and we will escort you to your quarters. I expect you are fatigued after your long journey."

    He and his triad members turned to leave, only for Eran to interrupt them before they could move more than half a step.

    "Actually, we would like to make the presentation as soon as possible and be on our way."

    The massive warrior turned back, a quizzical expression on his face.

    "What do you mean?" he asked.

    "I mean, I want toplete our business here, now, and be on our way. I''m sure that won''t be an issue? To dy these simple matters of trade would waste much of your precious warriors'' time."

    The silver warrior stood tall, a hand grasping his chin as he considered the much smaller negotiator through narrowed eyes.

    "It would be unseemly to treat our guests so rudely," he hazarded.

    Isaac was confused. Did the golgari want them to stick around, or leave as soon as possible? He would have bet one of Cavnt''s legs that the warrior was going to leap at the chance to be rid of them as soon as possible. They couldn''t be worried about offending the brathians now, it was already far toote for that!

    What was going on?

    If anything, that response only seemed to firm Eran''s resolve.

    "We would take no offence. In fact, I believe you would be doing my people a great favour were we toplete our arrangements as soon as possible. Actually, I must insist."

    Anger shed through the warrior''s eyes.

    "The Warriors of the golgari are not to be ordered by the likes of you."

    Eran Thouris did not bat an eyelid.

    "You are bound by the terms of our treaty to ensure the safe conduct of this trade delegation, and that its business is concluded fairly. We are going to unload and disy our goods right here, right now. If you aren''t ready to view them in two hours, then you will be in breach of the agreement and there. Will. Be. Consequences."

    Strangely enough, the warrior seemed to rx. He nced down at his triad mate to his left, who nodded, subtly.

    "That is eptable," he said. "We will have our people meet you here when the time is right. In the meantime, I will leave our warriors here to ensure your safety."

    "I bet," Eran said, her voice dripping with sarcasm before she turned back to the gathered brathian and ants.

    "Let''s get everything ready," she dered. "Move it!"

 Chapter 1195: Anthony On Tour - Gravity

    Chapter 1195: Anthony On Tour - Gravity

    This is their secret plot? They want to drop a freaking mountain on my head?! Why waste all that time with subterfuge and the like when this was the n all along?

    I guess they wanted the brathians out of the waythe important ones, anyway. With Eran and her family gone, they figured they could go ahead and try to squash nearly ten thousand ants in one fell swoop.

    I''m not about to kid myself, though. It''s me they want. Same as the Legion, who seem to be gearing up for something in the distance. Opportunists.

    With the big bad mythic, tier seven ant out of the way, the rest of the Colony aren''t nearly so dangerous to deal with. It makes sense, in a coldhearted sort of way. I mean, what did we ever do to the golgari? Nothing!

    Well nothing that bad.

    Smaller chunks of stone, each the size of a house, are already tumbling down the side of Greystone as the enormous hunk they''ve carved away is still breaking free. Slowly, it pulls further and further out, reaching hundreds of metres from the side of the mountain already.

    The sound is awful, like the mountain itself is screaming.

    Ahhh, this is a bit of a tight spot, isn''t it? Something that big falling from a height like that I don''t even want to try and calcte how much force that''s going to generate.

    Goes to show, even in a world filled with all sorts of ridiculous magic, dropping a big ol'' rock on someone is still pretty damn effective. Not that I could describe this as a ''rock''. You can easily fit a demon city or two on a te that size.

    It''s at times like this that I truly appreciate the wonderful capabilities that having multiple brains, each running multiple mind-constructs, can afford a monster. It might seem like I''m considering this situation in a rather rxed manner, but I promise that''s not the case. My main mind is fairly rxed about it all, but only because dozens and dozens of other minds arepletely wigging out.

    "Eldest! You need to flee!" Protectant materialises out of nowhere to yell at me.

    In fact, the entire squad appears for possibly the first time ever. Judging by the look of them, they''re getting ready to force me to abandon ship using some method they''ve cooked up. In fact, I know that''s what they want to do, because I can sense it through the Vestibule.

    "Rx," I tell them easily. "I can take care of this. Don''t do anything weird. Actually, could you do me a favour and get ready to defend me from the Legion? I''ve got no doubt they want to get in on this action."

    "You could protect yourself from that danger by leaving, Eldest!" Protectant insists.

    I re down at the much smaller ant.

    "That''s not how we operate in this family, Protectant. Grant put herself in harm''s way to keep me alive, and she died for it. Don''t think, not for a single second, that I wouldn''t do the same for any of you. This is the Colony. I''m not more important than any of my sisters, and I''ll be damned before I run away and leave ten thousand of my siblings to die in my ce.

    "Now get out of my way and rally the troops from the other ships. It''s going to get dangerous here in a second."

    They don''t like it, I can see they don''t like it. What I''m saying goes directly against their own orders, which is to put me first, no matter what. On the other mandible, they know I''m right.

    "Are you even doing anything, Eldest?" Protectant tries one more time. "I can''t sense you doing anything to defend yourself."

    Overhead, the mountain continues to rumble as an unthinkable mass of rock tears itself loose, then begins to fall.

    "Of course I''m doing something! Don''t be daft! Just wait another sec."

    Whumph!

    At that moment, all the mana I had reached out to draw towards me arrives in a torrent. My greedy minds seize upon it and begin shoving that vast flow into the ready and waiting gravity construct I have prepared.

    I''m going to need a heck of a lot of gravity mana for this situation.

    "See? Now go!"

    My guards scatter to rouse the rest of the ants aboard the ships to action. I tune them out and turn my attention to churning out all the mana I possibly can and stuffing it into the spell I need.

    I''m ripping in so much mana I feel like I''m in the eye of a hurricane. Energy is flowing at a ridiculous rate, flooding into my core, then straight out again and into the construct. Even the construct is straining to the point of bursting, there''s so much power being forced through it.

    Out the other endes sweet, sweet gravity mana.

    With my main mind, I seize hold of it and condense it, squashing it down,pressing it further before finally holding it tight as a ball of densely packed gravity mana. Which grows more dense. Then more dense. Then more.

    Overhead I try not to think about what''s overhead. The size of the rock isical horrific absurd. An enormous te of stone has now sheared off the side of the mountain and ttened out, falling toward the fleet at tremendous speed, though it appears to drop in slow motion.

    It won''t be long until I can''t see anything overhead except for this hunk of stone, and it''ll still be twenty seconds before itnds on my head. It literally feels like the sky is falling.

    I have to say, this is spiteful stuff from the golgari. I''m guessing they''ve done it this way so they can im that it was a mistake? They lost control of the magic holding the mountain together. There was a mistake made by the Shapers performing maintenance on Greystone. Whatever.

    Since they want to do it that way, they can''t reallyin if I happen to damage their precious mountain while defending myself.

    Right?

 Chapter 1196: Anthony On Tour - Going All Out

    Chapter 1196: Anthony On Tour - Going All Out

    Overhead, the enormous chunk of stone looms like the hammer of a fat and drunken god. Millions of tons? Billions of tons?

    Who can say? I''m certainly not busting out the scales, that''s for sure!

    My brains burn inside my head as they are pushed beyond the limits which exist past the first set of limits. Every mind-construct screams with effort, getting double, or triple the amount of effort from each cell of my brains that they should be capable of.

    The mana flows like a hurricane, and I mould it to my will, forcing it down, through the construct and out the other side, into my rapidly growing spell.

    All the while, the great hunk of stone falls towards us.

    My first spell fires off with an all too familiar howl. A gravity bomb, not even an especiallyrge one, rockets upward from my mouth and flies directly into the face of the copsing mountain.

    All too soon, the size of the bomb ispletely dwarfed by the city-sized hunk of rock, but I''m not worried. Well, I''m not worried about that. This was merely the first salvo, and I''m confident it will do its job.

    It takes longer than I expect for the spell to hit; the stone is simply so huge, I''d assumed it was much closer than it actually was, not that it''s a rxing thought. If anything, it helps to drive home just how much danger I''m actually in.

    As expected, the moment the bombes into contact with the mountain, it expands, and begins to devour. However, it is hopelessly,ughably outssed by what it faces. In an instant, the spell vanishes from sight, disappearing inside the stone as it remains in ce, but the rock falls around it.

    With my unique gravity sense, I know that my spell only managed to prate a little over a hundred metres into the enormous te of stone, which must be three to four hundred metres thick at least. I suppose this is proof that there is only so much ''suck'' in each gravity bomb I make, which is surely proportional to how much mana I put into the spell. The sheer volume of stone was too much for such a piddly bomb to consume, and it was quickly overwhelmed.

    However, it did its job perfectly, carving a tunnel to the interior of the colossal stone.

    Mana continues to flow, and I send all of it into one, dark mass. Energy thunders through my body, pushing the gravity mana construct to its limit. I have to dedicate too many minds to just maintaining and controlling the flow of energy, not to mention operating the construct and holding it together, so I don''t have as many as I''d like holding my spell together.

    Which is a problem.

    Rapidly taking shape is a ball of superpressed mana, revolving and spinning within me as I focus inwards. Every spare mind, along with my main brain, is concentrating on this alone, squashing down the fresh gravity mana and then feeding into the growing monstrosity.

    The still-forming bomb darkens continuously as an endless stream of power flows into it. Gradually, I''m forced to peel minds away from gathering external mana and dedicate them to holding the damn thing together, lest it explode in my face.

    The Gravity Bomb roils and churns violently, threatening toe undone, the sheer volume of power forced within it straining to burst free.

    Oh no you don''t!

    Mandibles clenched, brains steaming, I push, and I push, and I push. The spell firms, then wobbles, then firms again as I continue the unrelenting flow of magic.

    There''s probably people yelling at me right now. Protectant, doubtlessly, but even I don''t have the brain power to focus on something like that right now. Every mind construct, every neuron, is dedicated to this spell. Increasingly, more and more of them are dedicated to simply containing it.

    From an endlessly deep purple, the colour of the bomb changes to a nigh perfect, seamless ck, and the spell itself sucks in the magic I push toward it without any input from me.

    Unlike thest time this happened, I eagerly offer up all the power I can summon. All minds are cut off from external mana gathering and instead dedicated to maintaining the spell as I reach within, and empty out my gravity mana nd.

    A flood of mana is released, and it is consumed.

    In an instant, the bomb within my body has be a violent and unstable nightmare. It thrashes and boils within as I force my will upon it, trying to hold the damn thing together with all of my might!

    I just. Need. It. To. Stabilise. For. A. Second!

    Throwing back my head, I aim as best I can, then let it rip.

    In the same moment, my Altar drains of energy as I empower the spell to my utmost limit.

    There, just above my head, a monster is born.

    HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWLLLL!!!!!

    The world goes ck, and the sky starts to scream.

    Sails are torn from masts, ropes are ripped apart, the formerly calm waters rise up around us, lifting the boats along with them. Frothing waves form and crash into each other in an instant, and the wind. Holy moly, the wind.

    The Gravity Bomb I fired is so perfectly dark I can''t even see the edge of it, the light around it ispletely lost. It''s almost impossible to tell the size of it, but I fear the thing is almost asrge as I am, and it hasn''t even expanded yet.

    From kilometres around, the windes, a shrieking hurricane forms around the bomb as it consumes the air around it, sucking in more, which sucks in more, which sucks in more, until my antennae are whipping against my carapace and I fear they''re going to break off.

    What have I done?

    "Uh maybe hold onto something. This could be bad."

 Chapter 1197: Anthony On Tour - A Glimpse of Beyond

    Chapter 1197: Anthony On Tour - A Glimpse of Beyond

    It''s a strange feeling, watching that terrifying sphere ofplete darkness flying upward. More than anyone else, I have an inkling about what''s toe, but even I''m not sure exactly how it will go down.

    I only have seconds before the inevitable impact and expansion of the gravity bomb, and here I am, floating on a ship, unable to anchor myself to anything. Ah, hindsight, my old friend, we meet again, here on the edge of extinction.

    Even my attempt to warn the ants within range is totally useless. The pull is already so strong that my pheromones are whisked away along with the air around me. My minds are currently sagging inside my head, finally relieved of the incredible strain I put them under, but I force them to keep working, spinning together a broad mind-bridge that I snap onto everyone I can reach.

    [THIS IS AN URGENT, IMMINENT THREAT OF DEATH ALERT, AND I''M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE ROCK. The spell I threw up there is going to go <em>crazy</em>. Ants, you all know what I''m talking about. Weigh these ships down, anchor them to the bottom of the Lake if possible. Activate the bubble shield things because the water is going to rise up all around us. MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!]

    People respond, shouting back questions, trying to make sense of what I told them. Thankfully, others are more proactive, already leaping into action. I can feel mana stirring all around me as ants and brathian mages frantically begin to weave magic, trying to keep themselves and the fleet safe.

    All the while, that dreadful, horrifying shriek of the wind continues to rattle my carapace and send shivers running through my mandibles.

    <strong>HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWLLLL!!!!!</strong>

    It''s beyond deafening, and this is only the beginning. For the first time, I feel a quiver of genuine fear run through me at the thought of what I have made. This gravity bomb is going to be the biggest, most devastating thing I''ve cast, and it''s not going to be close.

    I''m not sure I''m ready for the consequences. Or if I''ll even survive them. However, ready or not, it''sing regardless.

    Desperately I begin to cast about for something I can do to try and protect the fleet. How the heck am I going to counteract the incredible amount of gravity that bomb is going to produce? I''m floating on a boat, for goodness'' sake! There''s no hole I can jump into, no way to burrow down to safety, or create a hardened shield of rock to protect the fleet, what the heck would I anchor it to? The water?!

    A sad realisation strikes me. The only thing I can do to try and stave off the monstrous pull that''s going toe our way, is to counter it with another pull.

    My brains groan in despair as I put them to work once again, sucking in mana and pushing it through the construct. If I can create a Well that covers the entire fleet, it might be enough to cancel out at least <em>some</em> of the pull that''sing.

    It''s possible that better ideas exist, but I sure can''t think of them, so I''m going to do this. The only problem is, there''s no way in heck that I''ll have a Gravity Well ready to go before the impact. I simply can''t push my brains as hard as I did before, they''re running on fumes right now.

    As the fleet erupts into action around me, mages trying to coordinate, soldiers trying to impose order and tie down everything they can, I catch a glimpse of the Legion fleet in the distance.

    Wisely, they are putting some distance between themselves and this golgari madness, sailing as fast as they can to get away from the drop zone. It''s not going to be enough.

    I toss the thought back and forth in my mind for a second before I ck my mandibles in irritation. Morrelia''s over there, I can''t leave them out of the loop. With great effort, I weave together a mind bridge and fling it toward the Legion ships, hoping it will cover the distance, andtch onto someone.

    Thankfully, it does, if only just.

    [Tie yourselves down so you don''t get sucked off the deck of your ships! My spell is going to reach you!]

    It''s not much of a warning, but it''s all I can muster. I cut the contact immediately, hoping whoever I managed totch onto is smart enough to spread the word around.

    Overhead, the blurred edge of the dark meets the plummeting stone, and I''m pleased enough to see that my aim was on point at least. The bomb flies directly into the hole carved by the previous one, vanishing within the rock and disappearing from view.

    Fearful, I lower my body down to the deck of the ship, but there''s nowhere for me to go. Carefully, I fully crouch, letting the bottom of my carapace rest on the deck, and then extend my legs out, pushing through the gaps in the railing on the edge of the ship. If I start to rise off the deck, at least I''ll have something to hold on to.

    A secondter, it happens.

    My antennae, sensitive to the ebb and flow of gravity thanks to a mutation, buzz like a phone set to vibrate. They literally begin to tremble and shake as an unfathomable new gravitational force erupts directly over my head.

    I can''t see it yet, but I know it''s there, inside the stone, like a hidden dragon, or crouching tiger that''s also a ck hole.

    Then it happens. The massive rock, millions upon millions of tons of condensed stone, which had been plummeting down toward us with enough force to tten a mountain, begins to slow.

    The rock above groans loud enough to send ripples flowing through the still-frothing water around us. Cracking sounds can be heard, sharp detonations deep within the stone that echo outward for dozens of kilometres in every direction.

    For a brief moment, I''m hopeful. Maybe, I''ve calibrated everything perfectly, and the gravity bomb will consume the city-sized chunk of condensed rock, and then vanish. That''d be nice!

    Then I hear it, a deep, resounding crack, so sharp and profound it feels like the world was snapped in two.

    The rock breaks right in the middle, and I see for myself what I have made.

    Holy. Moly.

    This is going to <em>suck</em>.

 Chapter 1198: Anthony On Tour - Black Sun

    Chapter 1198: Anthony On Tour - ck Sun

    The stone shatters down the middle, shards flying in all directions, then slowing, freezing, and reversing, as they are pulled back to the force of the spell which had sent them flying in the first ce.

    Now exposed to the air, the bomb makes itself known in the familiar, terrifying way.

    I can''t even describe it as a howl, or a shriek. It goes well beyond anything I have experienced before. The air around me is simply ripped away, and the next instant, I''m caught within a hurricane.

    The ship creaks and groans worryingly as the winds rip and tear at every loose scrap of cloth, rope and sail. Barrels are whipped straight off the deck, smashing into the railings and tipping right over the top.

    The water around us is even worse. Even before the bomb expanded, it was frothing and thrashing, but now it''s straight up storming. Waves rise seemingly at random, smashing into each other. Before I can twitch, the fleet finds itself rising and falling on colossal waves that threaten to capsize the ships at any moment.

    Thankfully, more and more of the bubble shields are popping into ce as the brathian sailors work their magic, so even if they flip over, the water won''t rush in and drown the ants. Well, so long as the ships don''t rip apart, which is a serious concern!

    The unspeakablyrge chunk of rock is no longer my concern, as above my head, it is being <em>devoured</em> by what I have made.

    I''m almost d I can''t hear anything over the wind, because the noise up there must be dreadful.

    No longer caught by the gravity of Pangera, the rock is now falling toward the epicentre of the Gravity Bomb, which hangs in the air like a ck sun. It''s hard to even look at it. A ck sphere of indeterminate size, the light around it bends and warps in dizzying ways, replicated in each of my thousands of lenses until the image bes headache-inducing. What is easy to see, is the rate at which it tears the stone apart.

    Huge, building-sized chunks are ripped away from the mass, hundreds every second, smashing into each other, tumbling through the air, then falling into a spiral around the void. Like soap suds circling the drain, they whip around and around, torn and shredded over and over again until they vanish into the dark mass, never to be seen again.

    At the rate it''s going, it won''t even take that long for the spell to consume the entirety of what the golgari attempted to drop on us. How long is it going to take for the thing to snuff out?

    Please, Gandalf, don''t let itst too long.

    From the thrashing and frothing waves, spinning towers of water begin to rise as the winds shriek around them. Twisters of dizzying size and power begin to form, sucking the water up, rising higher and higher toward the source of the horrific pull.

    It''s already hard at work on me, my legs are locked into ce under the railings, and I am <em>struggling</em> to hold on. The main issue I have is that the railing is likely to break well before my legs do, and even then, the boat is going to get pulled up with the water soon!

    All in all, things aren''t going well.

    I can feel my siblings hard at work in all of the ships around me, adding weight, trying to strengthen and bolster the ships, and some have even begun creating and moulding huge anchors of stone, extending them down beneath the ships, seeking to reach the bottom of theke. I hope it''s enough.

    I myself am frantically trying to put a gravity well together, my exhausted brains limping along, but gaining speed as the fatigue is gradually washed away by the nourishing energy of the Vestibule.

    If I had a million ants within range, this would be so much easier, but with only ten thousand, it takes time to recover from exertions like the one that created this mess.

    Despite all the chaos that surrounds me, I''m still aware enough to notice when the mountain of Greystone itself begins to take damage. No matter how densely they packed that stone together, there''s no way it can resist the kind of forces that areing to bear against it. Fracture lines begin to appear up and down the face of the mountain, stone tearing loose and floating up to the waiting maw that is the void.

    I''m <em>so</em> d the bomb went off so far away from the roof of the stratum. If it started ripping into the base of the third, goodness knows what might happen.

    Whoops! There goes some of the railing, torn straight off the ship. Not a fan of this development. In an instant, my body starts to rise on one side as my legs wiggle free in the air. Thinking quickly, I bend my legs on the other side, hooking the joint around the wooden beam, thentch my mandibles onto it.

    I''m not going anywhere until this railing goes with me! Which won''t be long, let''s be honest.

    Come on, brains! Let''s get this show on the road!

    The waters around the ship have reached a point where I can''t even see half the fleet anymore. Between the ever-expanding twisters of water and the vicious whirlpools that have formed, not to mention the towering waves that crash over the bubble shield, I''m lucky I can see my own mandibles!

    I hear wood buckling and I groan internally as I see the railing begin to rattle and tear, rising up from the deck it''s nailed to.

    Well, nards.

    Desperate, I check on the progress of the gravity well, and I can''t say I''m pleased with what I see. My brains have been doing their best, but creating a well strong enough to counteract the thing overhead, which I dumped all of my own personal reserve of gravity mana into, simply isn''t going to happen. I''m just going to have to let it rip and hope for the best.

    Which is what I do, unleashing the Gravity Well and empowering it with the little dregs of the energy the Altar has been able to gather from my siblings in this short time frame. The spell snaps into ce, covering the entire fleet.

    Let it be enough.

 Chapter 1199: Anthony On Tour - Survival (Barely)

    Chapter 1199: Anthony On Tour - Survival (Barely)

    Now, obviously the gravity well I created is pulling in the opposite direction from the ck sun chewing up every piece of the it can get its little grubby hands on. However, it''s not enough to counteract the force, not even remotely. Despite deploying the spell, theke is still going crazy, the air is still screaming past me, and the boat itself is starting to lift up out of the water.

    But the railing hasn''t broken! Whoo! I''ll take the wins where I can get them.

    I get the feeling the well is doing <em>just</em> enough to take the edge off, which is nice, sure, but it isn''t enough to save my backside.

    For that, I''m going to have to rely on the industrious ant and brathian mages hard at work beneath me, and inside the ships of the rest of the fleet. All I can do is float, three legs hooked around a wooden beam, as I watch my spell consume and consume and consume.

    It''s apocalyptic up there.

    Spiralling pirs of water have towered all the way up and they too are spiralling down into the core, along with ever increasing chunks of Greystone. I''m really hoping the spell is only ripping into the outer shell of the mountain and not any inhabited areas. I get the feeling the bulk of the added rock, or at least a mega-thickyer of it, is just there for defence and for show, which I hope continues to be the case. The golgari might have brought this upon themselves, but I don''t think they would care all that much if several thousand of their citizens got mushed inside a ck hole.

    There are several spirals forming around the ck sun, revolving around it and each other as they circle the drain down to oblivion. Rock, water, air and everything else it can reach is there, being yoinked in. Someone should shoot some fire at it, so all the nations are represented in the destruction.

    <em>Snap</em>.

    I don''t like the sound of that.

    <em>Snap!</em>

    I <em>really</em> don''t like the sound of that!

    As well I shouldn''t. With one final shuddering pull, the railing snaps free from the deck, and all of a sudden, I take flight.

    Ahhhhhh nards! Flying is freeing and all, but I didn''t want to experience it like this!

    [Eldest! Take hold!]

    [What?]

    I turn just in time to see something whip up towards me from the deck below and I snag it in my mandibles. It''s a rope, a great chonking thick one. Some of the mages below deck must have used some wind magic or something to send it flying at me.

    [Thanks! Make sure the rope is fastened to something sturdy!]

    Not that I like to draw attention to it, but I''m rather heavy, after all.

    [Not to worry! We''ve secured it to the keel.]

    SNAP!

    [That broke.]

    Dang.

    I crunch my mandibles shut, severing the rope. Any further damage to the ship is going to put my siblings at risk and that''s not worth it. Without anything to tether me down, I rise faster and faster. Once I''m free of the gravity well, my eleration increases even further.

    Well, Anthony, you giant moron, you really did it this time. Finally, after so many close calls, you''re finally going to get turned into pulp by your own spell. There should be some sort of award for idiocy of this magnitude. Not only for the impressive scale of the poor decisions made, but also their <em>regrity</em>.

    A normal person, certainly a normal ant, would have learned from their mistakes after the first, absolutely after the second, near-death experience. Me, though? Oho! Absolutely not. I''m made of sterner stuff.

    The scene above my head as I rise toward it defies description. An unreasonable level of destruction, a seemingly unending appetite for chaos. The ck sun is a silent, still, monstrous entity, difficult even to look at.

    Rising rapidly now, there isn''t much I can do to save myself anymore. My brains have turned to sludge after their heroic efforts in creating this mess, and it''s not like I can swim through the air back down to the ship.

    Or CAN I?

    No. No I can''t. Nice try, though.

    Yeesh, how high up am I at this point? Pretty darn high, a couple hundred metres for sure. Honestly, would the fall be worse than being crushed within a ck hole? That''s a stupid question, of course it would be.

    Well. I had a good run. It''s hard not to get misty-eyed, thinking of my family and my siblings. Except ants don''t have tear ducts, but I''ll ignore that. The Queen, my mother in this life, certainly gets my vote for ''best mother that I''ve ever had''. Not exactly a difficult award to win, in retrospect. The Queen spoke to me, that pretty much put her over the top straight away.

    I didn''t have brothers or sisters as a human, that I''m aware of, anyway. I <em>was </em>separated from the family home at a young age so it''s possible, I suppose? But those theoretical siblings can''tpare to the incredible sense of worth and wellbeing I get from my sisters. My thousands upon thousands upon thousands of sisters.

    I wonder if Vibrant could outrun a ck hole?

    I kick off a passing rock and roll myself over, I don''t want to look up at the ck hole, I''d rather look down at the fleet. Looks like they''re going to hang in there. That''s great. Although, I can barely see them from this high up.

    The squeeze is getting pretty intense now, I must be getting close-ish. Any second now, my carapace will copse and I''m going to get squished. If I had some gravity mana to work with..

    Wait a sec

    I <em>do</em> have gravity mana? And <em>tons</em> of it?!

    YOU IDIOT, ANTHONY!

    My gravity mana nd! I reforged it into Resonant Well Stone! It turns gravitational energy into mana, and there''s a freaking heck of a lot of gravitational energy around me right now!

    Ohpleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease.

    Brains! Work!

    I flush my system full of regeneration fluid in the vague hope it will help my brains, but even if it doesn''t, I need them to <em>push</em>.

    Summoning all my myriad minds, I empty the gravitational mana nd and weave the fastest, roughest, ugliest gravity well I can possibly imagine, then fire the spell out, desperately hoping it works at all!

    And miracle of miracle, I freeze in ce.

    Oh so carefully, I roll over and look up.

    The centre of the gravity bomb is still almost a kilometre away maybe it''s hard to tell, but much closer and I would have been torn apart for sure. Yikes.

    I roll back over and look down.

    That''s a long way to drop.

    Then the ck sun flickers and disappears. And so does my gravity well.

    Honestly. I''m fine with it.

 Chapter 1200: Anthony On Tour - The Fall

    Chapter 1200: Anthony On Tour - The Fall

    The boat fell back to the water with a bone-shuddering crash. Thankfully, the Abyssal Legion built their ships to withstand attacks from the powerful monsters who dwelt in the deep waters of the fourth. Commander Chyron estimated the vessel had been almost ten metres in the air before it fell.

    Her legs shuddered and her knees creaked as they absorbed the force of hernding. Regardless, she remained upright and turned with a shout.

    "Status report! Someone check for damage to the hull or leaks!"

    Someone shouted out a quick reply and raced for the steps that descended below deck as Chyron leapt back to the railing at the prow of the ship. Water fell from the sky as the surface of the Lake began to calm, the air bing clear once again.

    The rock was gone, as was that dark <em>void</em> which had consumed it. The giant ant, so close to being consumed by its own spell, was a tiny speck at this range, and in free fall.

    "Scorpions, take aim! Shoot that monster out of the sky!" she roared.

    Hopefully someone in the fleet was able to get a clear shot. Hopefully the artillery she''d had fastened to the decks hadn''t shattered in the chaos.

    Footsteps pounded on the deck, approaching quickly, and the Commander didn''t need to turn around to know who it was.

    "The crew reports no leaks or major damage, though there is minor cracking on some of the interior tes on the second deck, port side," Morrelia reported, snapping out a salute.

    "Tribune, what in the name of the Iron Fortress did I just witness?"

    Her Tribune hesitated for a moment and Chyron turned to re at her.

    "What''s the matter, Tribune, ant got your tongue? Exin!"

    Morrelia''s gaze hardened under the withering stare of hermanding officer, and Chyron could see elements of her mother and father poking through. Trying tomand those two was like trying tomand the Dungeon itself, simply impossible.

    At least Titus had mellowed as he''d aged.

    "I''m not sure that I can, Commander. I''ve never seen anything like that before. I don''t think anyone has."

    "You were brought into thismand because you had prior knowledge of the ants and this monster in particr. Are you really telling me you never saw <em>anything </em>like this?"

    Morrelia scowled and cursed Anthony in her head. That damned idiot had nearly gotten himself and everyone else in the area killed! The spell he''d cast was more of a threat to his family than what the golgari had done!

    "I have seen a spell with <em>some </em>resemnce to this one, but so much smaller in scale, I can''t even be sure it''s the same thing. It''s possible that this is simply the same magic, but scaled up; however, I have no clue how such a thing would be possible, or how a tier seven monster could produce such an absurd level of power."

    "We''ve known for some time that this monster is able to manipte a strange ss of mana that even our best mages can''t identify. Is this an application of that?"

    Again, Morrelia cursed Anthony. She had no idea what went through his mind! Not even the other ants had any idea what was going on in that head of his! How his unique abilities worked was a mystery to everyone; he''d never exined himself, and didn''t really have any reason to.

    "It''s possible. It seems to have simr traits, changing the direction things fall, turning up into down and down into up."

    Long ago, she''d nearly been pulled into a sphere like that, and Anthony along with her, but the power of what she''d just seen was on apletely different level. Clearly, his ability to manipte this strange mana had grown. During the sparring sessions amongst the Folk, he''d demonstrated the capacity to press soldiers down into the ground with an invisible, overbearing force, or even lift them into the air without touching them.

    "Ready to fire, Commander!" came the call, echoed shortly after from several of the artillery crews.

    "Fire at will!" she bellowed.

    Morrelia stepped up to join the Commander at the railing, gazing at the ant plummeting in the distance withplicated emotions in her heart.

    "They won''t hurt him at this range," she murmured to herself.

    Was she making an observation, or giving voice to her hopes? She genuinely couldn''t tell.

    "I''m inclined to agree. I have no idea what that shell is made of"

    Morrelia winced.

    "Carapace, Commander."

    "Fine <em>carapace</em>. I have no idea what it''s made of, but it seems to be extremely tough. While he''s up there and unable to defend himself, though, I''d be derelict in my duty if I didn''t try."

    The Scorpion ballistae were powerful engines of war, capable of firing magic infused bolts for many kilometres, and their operators were experienced, highly trained shots. Even at this range, they were more likely to hit than not.

    The ropes snapped forwards with a deep <em>thrum</em>, sending their deadly missiles sting through the air like streaks of light.

    Chyron watched with interest as the first shot arced toward the target. With her keen eyesight and observational Skills, she could see quite clearly the moment of first impact.

    The ant didn''t do anything, simply allowed the bolt to strike. The force of the impact spun the giant monster in the air, but when she looked again, the big bug didn''t appear to take any damage. In fact it seemed to be executing a luxurious stretch and cking its mandibles mockingly.

    "Mage teams can engage in artillery magic," Chyron snapped.

    "Is that wise?" Morrelia asked cautiously. "There''s a risk we will damage the brathian ships."

    "The risk is eptable. Pass along the order, Tribune."

    In short order, a continuous volley of scorpion bolts and huge balls of fire and stone arced through the air towards the target.

    The ant continued to allow them to hit it, pretending to fall asleep, or waggling its rear body segment in the direction of the Legion fleet.

    Chyron huffed with dissatisfaction. She didn''t think it would work at this range, but was still disappointed to be proven right. To punch through that defence, they''d need significantly more force, or to get much closer.

    As the ant neared the end of its fall, she ordered her teams to stop firing. There was no point irritating the brathians for no benefit.

    "Let''s get below decks," she said. "We''ll need to take a full inventory and perform a full headcount. If one of my soldiers has a stubbed toe, I want to know about it."

    Morrelia resisted the urge to groan out loud.

    "Yes, Commander," she said.

 Chapter 1201: Anthony On Tour - Shakedown

    Chapter 1201: Anthony On Tour - Shakedown

    When the noise finally died down, Isaac pulled his hands from over his ears and slowly, very slowly, opened his eyes.

    The first thing he felt was relief that the roof hadn''t copsed on top of him. A good start. Next came the relief that his legs hadn''t fallen off or been crushed, they were simply numb from the incessant shaking of the floor.

    Wins all around. Isaac was beginning to hold out hope that his moustache hadn''t fallen straight off his face from the stress, but he deliberately didn''t reach up to check. He wasn''t ready to find out his suspicions were correct after all.

    Soundly convinced that he was (sans moustache) in one, sound piece, he began to turn his attention to everyone else.

    "Hello! Ant cavalry, sound off!"

    He got a few muffled calls, some groans and a few swear words for his efforts. The air was thick with dust and he could barely see ten metres in front of himself.

    There must have been a copse somewhere in the chamber to kick up all this mess; he could only hope nobody not covered in a second skin of minerals had been caught underneath. Confident he wouldn''t get much more out of his <em>human</em> squad mates, he turned to pheromones and called out again.

    "Ant cavalry? Who can smell this?"

    "How are you, Captain Isaac?"

    "Doing well over here!"

    "That was something interesting, wasn''t it?"

    "Finished napping, then? Ready to get to work?"

    "Anyone else want some biscuits and tea when we get back to the ship?"

    "Stop cking, Captain!"

    cking? What in the name of his mam''s buttered scones were they on about? He made his way toward them and found the ants had already collected their less active riders and deposited them in a line of sorry-looking sods. Covered in dust and clearly shaken, they shivered, moaned and stared nkly straight ahead, ignoring everything happening around them.

    Isaac had seen it before, many times. Shock. They were rattled by what had just happened. And why wouldn''t they be? The mountain had been rattled, so it was only fair the mortals were too.

    One by one, he moved down the line, calling names softly, cing a hand on their faces, shaking hands. Most were able to acknowledge him, some were able to get up and assist with a little encouragement.

    "Can we get a mage to clear this dust?" he asked one of the ants. "It''s as thick as me mam''s porridge, even if it tastes better. I can''t see a thing."

    "Oh, I think so. Most of them are clearing out the rock, but I''m sure someone can spare a little mana."

    The ant scuttled off while Isaac wondered just what she''d meant when she said they were ''clearing out the rock''. A minuteter, he no longer had to wonder.

    In one fell swoop, the dust was blown away, revealing the true extent of the devastation. Luckily, the area upied by the trade mission was undamaged. The brathian merchants were there, along with Eran and her family. The ants were also safe, though most of them had relocated to where the problemy.

    The roof <em>had </em>copsed, on the side of the room which led to the exit. Ants were crawling all over the rubble now, doing their best to clear a pathway. Isaac saw immediately what the problem was. With so few ants allowed inside, most of those who had entered were carvers who specialised in making things, and the soldiers who were part of the cavalry. Precious few mages had entered, so a lot of the work was being done manually.

    With a sigh, Isaac headed over to see what he could do to help.

    The ants met his offer with clear scepticism.

    "You could use your hands to shift some rock I suppose?" one offered, doubtfully.

    "Can you even move rock with those? They aren''t <em>anything</em> like mandibles."

    "Yes, I can move rock," he snapped, reaching down to pick up a chunk of stone.

    Naturally, he picked up one a bitrger than he probably should have, and instantly regretted it. However, he couldn''t put it down now, so he grit his teeth and began lumbering away with it.

    "See?" he squeezed out. "Don''t underestimate the power of the opposable digit!"

    "We have those too," one of the carvers said smugly, holding up one of her front legs and snipping her little ws together.

    He''d known that, but it wasn''t really something he kept in the forefront of his mind. The ants win this round.

    "Anyone know what happened?" he asked.

    "The Eldest," a chorus of them replied, seemingly unbothered.

    They were most likely correct, Isaac had been around Anthony long enough to know that, but he''d hoped for something more specific.

    "Any idea what the Eldest <em>did</em>?" he pressed. "I''d love to have a little more knowledge about why this mountain decided to shake itself down."

    "Someone probably annoyed them," one of the ants responded.

    "They probably did something to protect the Colony and nearly died in the process."

    "So brave."

    "I wish it was me."

    "Shhhhh!"

    Isaac could only shrug his shoulders in resignation. No matter what Anthony did, they trusted it was the right thing to have done. A little healthy scepticism wouldn''t be such a bad thing for these ants, in his view.

    The excavation effort was interrupted shortly thereafter by a roar that echoed off the chamber walls, as a massive golgari strode back through the entrance.

    "Eran Thouris! You have some exining to do!"

    It was the silver-coated warrior who had weed them, and he was steaming mad. However, his anger paled inparison to that of Eran Thouris. She was <em>incandescent</em> with rage.

    "<em>I </em>have some exining to do? <em>I?!</em> The entire Noble circle of this mountain needs toe down here and exin why there shouldn''t be an<em> immediate </em>trade embargo ced on this damned city!"

    "How dare you?!"

    "WATCH YOUR TONE!"

    Well, this was off to a good start.

 Chapter 1202: Anthony On Tour - Aggressive Diplomacy

    Chapter 1202: Anthony On Tour - Aggressive Diplomacy

    Isaac''s mam had some lungs on her, even towards the end. The neighbours were almost as familiar with her voice as he was, since it sounded like she was yelling from within their own houses.

    However, he had to give Eran Thouris some credit, she might have his dear departed mother beaten.

    "WE CAME IN GOOD FAITH, UNDER TREATY!" she bellowed.

    She bellowed <em>so</em> loudly, the golgari warrior actually <em>flinched</em>. She had lungs on her like an ant-built industrial smelter. If she got any louder, the whole ce was going toe down on their heads, since it wasn''t exactly structurally stable at the moment.

    The golgari tried to get a word in edgeways, but she wasn''t having it.

    "THIS BASE TREACHERY IS AN INSULT TO THE ENTIRE BRATHIAN TRADE ALLIANCE!"

    "We havemitted no treachery!" the warrior spluttered. "It is you who have brought devastation and destruction to our home!"

    "YOU THINK I HAVEN''T BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH MY PEOPLE OUTSIDE? HOW <strong>DARE </strong>YOU DENY INVOLVEMENT AFTER ATTEMPTING TO DROP A MOUNTAIN ON MY FLEET?!"

    "That was simply a natural fracturing of the rock!"

    Isaac almost winced for the man. It sounded weak, even to his ears. True to form, the Eran pounced, ring at her opponent like a snake would a shivering rodent. She even lowered her volume, which was a blessing to all with ears nearby. The ants hadn''t been bothered one bit.

    "If you seriously think <em>anyone</em> is going to believe that, then your <em>head</em> is full of rocks, not just covered in them!"

    "We will not be held responsible for the mistakes and poor skills of a few lowly Shapers."

    "Your <em>Shapers</em> are the finest earth and stone mages on the entire damned! Whoever decided this was a good idea, and whoever thought you could escape the consequences with such a <em>pathetic</em> excuse, needs to have their brains bashed out with a bat! At least that way, the brain matter could be fed to a dog, and provide something <em>useful</em>!"

    "After all the destruction caused by the monster <em>you</em> brought, you then think we will stand for these insults? We demandpensation from the Brathian Ind Conglomerate for the damage!"

    Eran had let him build up a head of steam, and Isaac had expected her to cut off the warrior at the knees, but with the demand forpensation, all the anger seemed to evaporate out of her in an instant. She went ice cold, her eyes as hard as diamonds, even her scales seem to tighten around her. The golgari felt it, how could they not? Every brathian had the same response to his demand for payment, every one of them bing an icy pir of cold fury.

    Eran Thouris drew herself up to her full height, almost half that of the imposing warrior before her, but she didn''t appear small in the slightest.

    "You will hear from ourwyers."

    She dropped those words as if dropping an artillery grade fireball, then turned on her heel and began to stride out. Not knowing what to do, Isaac ordered his people to follow in her wake, since all the brathians were already doing so.

    "Are we just going to leave the goods behind?" he whispered to Eran when he caught up with her.

    "Much of it is wrecked, and I don''t want us to carry anything that has been polluted by the <em>stupidity </em>that seems to infest this ce," she replied, her lip curled in disgust.

    "Who gave you permission to leave?" the warrior yelled, visibly fuming.

    "I will not be detained by the likes of you," Eran spat back over her shoulder. "Either have the noble triad which ordered this <em>idiocy</em> show me their faces, or let me leave. I will take my fleet to our next destination and trouble your people no longer."

    Isaac hoped she never found out who those people were, given the look in her eye. If she did, he imagined they would be living in a wooden box before long, everything they touched turned against them by the might of the brathian trade empire.

    "Told you the Eldest would take care of it," his partner, Cavnt, told him cheerfully.

    "The Eldest almost got us all killed," he pointed out, knowing it was pointless to bother, but somehow unable to help himself.

    "That''s weird. I''m not dead. Are you dead, Isaac?"

    "... No."

    "So nobody is dead, and the fleet has been saved. Seems like my point of view is gaining strength over yours, wouldn''t you say?"

    He couldn''t help himself, he <em>had</em> to keep going.

    "Have you ever spoken to the Eldest, Cavnt?"

    "Me? Of course not! I wouldn''t trouble them."

    "I have."

    "Don''t rub it in."

    "And I find it hard to detect this deep wisdom you seem to imbue them with."

    "Well that''s unsurprising," Cavntughed.

    "What do you mean?" he asked.

    "Wouldn''t you need to possess deep wisdom, in order to find it in others? You couldn''t find your own left hand if I didn''t point it out to you."

    He tried. He honestly couldn''t say why, but he did try.

    Only when they reached the edge of the mountain and began to descend on tforms of air did Isaac finally get a sense for the true scale of what that mad ant had done.

    The tunnel that had led down to the dock had been sheared away, and so had huge chunks of the mountain face. As if a giant had reached out a hand and scooped away billions of tons of stone, the mountain was just broken.

    Cracks and fissures big enough to fit his home vige inside ran all along the face of it. Now wonder it had felt like the entire thing was falling apart. For the first time, he felt a chill when considering the power of that single ant.

    Anthony had managed to do <em>this</em>? It was absurd, it was madness, it was too much. Too much power. And he would only get stronger from here.

    That was a good thing, heforted himself, the Colony would be safer, which meant he, Isaac, and all of his friends andrades would be safer too, under the umbre of such a creature.

    Yet, he couldn''t help but admit to himself, he was beginning to see why the Legion feared what he would be if given the chance.

    With troubled thoughts filling his head, he floated down toward the fleet.

 Chapter 1203: Anthony On Tour - Orinoco Flow

    Chapter 1203: Anthony On Tour - Orinoco Flow

    Landing in the water wasn''t my most gracefulnding, I''m going to own up to that straight away. I''d love to tell you that I masterfully manipted the sparkling waters of the Lake using my mana, gliding to my ship upon a wave shaped like a herd of horses.

    Instead, I plummeted down and smacked face first into the waves. It felt like I ran straight into a rock wall. Unpleasant to say the least.

    But that wasn''t the worst of it. Not even remotely.

    I was pretty much directly underneath the gravity bomb when it terminated. Great stuff, still very pleased that I wasn''t consumed whole by the void of death. Great stuff.

    However, <em>other</em> things <em>were</em> consumed by the void of death. A lot of things. Well, mostly rock, but lots of it. <em>Lots </em>and <em>lots</em>. And, as we all know, the gravity bomb does what a good ck hole should, sucks things inside and crushes them into one nice little ball.

    So what fell out of the sky right behind me? You betcha! An extremely hot, extremely dense ball of super rock. Not long after I hit the water, I sensed the damn thinging and started to frantically paddle with my legs, not that it got me far, and a few secondster.

    Let''s just say there was quite the ssh.

    When the waves settled, which took a while, the brathians were eventually able to fish me out and dump me back onto the ship, which is where I now find myself.

    Basically, I''m just flopping on the deck, not moving, letting myself slowly recover from the excitement of the day. It''s almost refreshing, in a weird way, to find myself this drained. It''s been a while since I was genuinely tired, physically, mentally and emotionally. There are still ten thousand ants around, so it''ll go away eventually, even if I don''t sleep, but for now, I am straight up exhausted.

    [A moment of weakness!]

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    Which is when Odin decides to pounce at me. w arms extended, he leaps through the air, heading straight for my most vulnerable point, my eye. I can''t even move, I just watch hime, floating through air, almost in slow motion, de arms extended, a twisted glee burning in his demon eyes.

    Actually it''s it''s taking a long time for him to get me. Is he <em>actually</em> using some slow motion ability?

    He''s still floating toward me.

    I scratch my back with my antennae, then reach one out to poke him. He''s still moving forward just really slowly. Oh, I know what''s going on.

    "I assume this is one of you, Protectant? Wrapped him up in air or something?"

    "That''s right," she says, popping into existence next to me. She res up at the demon, who seems to have only now realised something is wrong and begun wriggling in the air. "I knew this one was up to something."

    "Ah, he''s harmless, and I think Sarah has taken a liking to him."

    I may be wrong on that front, but I''m pretty sure this wasn''t a serious attempt on me. I mean it''s ridiculous. He''s so tiny!

    "I think you should take threats to your safety a little more seriously, Eldest! <em>Especially</em> in the light of recent events!"

    Whoa. That''s a lot more passion than I normally see from the reserved little ant. Well, technically speaking, I almost never <em>see</em> her, but I still get Will from them flowing into the Vestibule. Clearly, she''s a bit mad about the whole ''almost getting eaten by my own spell'' thing. Which is fair.

    "For sure, I am going to be <em>way</em> more careful about throwing out that particr spell in future. To be fair, though, I''ve not fired it off at full strength before, so I didn''t know how bad it was going to be."

    I try to defend myself a little. I was reckless, sure, but not <em>that</em> reckless. Protectant doesn''t seem convinced.

    "You''vee closer to death from that spell than anything else, <em>multiple times</em>, since we joined you. Almost every time you use it at anything remotely close to full power, you are nearly dragged in. Might I suggest, Eldest, that you <em>not</em> use it in situations when you are going to nearly destroy yourself?"

    "That seems reasonable. I will definitely, maybe, think about not doing that."

    "You''re going to keep doing it, aren''t you."

    "Not on purpose! This was an emergency situation! It''s not like I''m <em>trying</em> to get myself ttened."

    I look up at Odin. He''s now floated over my head and is in real danger of going over the edge of the ship.

    "Are you guys going to stop floating him at some point? How are you even doing that?"

    "It''s a method we were working on to float you away from dangerous situations. It''s quiteplicated, are you sure you want the details?"

    Probably not.

    "You abandoned the method because I got too heavy?"

    "Yes we we abandoned the idea for sure."

    "Good. Now put the silly demon down."

    It takes another hour for Eran, the ants and Isaac to get back aboard the fleet. I''m not sure exactly what went down inside, but Eran is still fuming when she gets aboard, visibly steaming.

    When I try to ask her about it, she throws up her hands and storms off, growling something aboutwyers. I didn''t even know they <em>had</em>wyers on this. And people are scared of <em>monsters</em>? Weird.

    [What''s the n, Marzban? After all this excitement, I assume we aren''t going to stick around?]

    [No. It''s time to sail away.]

    [Sail away?]

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    [Sail away,] he confirms. [We''ve got one major and one minor stop to go.]

    [Which one''s the big one?]

    [Silver City,] he tells me. [I hope to goodness they aren''t as dumb as the golgari. They shouldn''t be.]

    I''m not filled with confidence.

    Time to sail the heck out of here.

 Chapter 1204: Anthony On Tour - Bird Brains

    Chapter 1204: Anthony On Tour - Bird Brains

    The next stop on our trade mission is the Wandering Isle, one of thergest of the floating inds within the fourth stratum. Supposedly, a mix of people live there, but predominantly it is home to a rare race that I''ve not yet run into. Nor have any of the Colony, as far as I''m aware.

    It''s always nice to meet new folks! Not Folk, folks.

    However, Eran is quick to throw a dampener on my burgeoning curiosity.

    [Don''t get your expectations up,] she warns me.

    The leader of our expedition is clearly feeling the weight of her responsibilities right now. What transpired with the golgari at Greyhome is an unmitigated diplomatic disaster for everyone involved, from what I can gather, listening in on mentalmunications I probably shouldn''t.

    The Brathian Ind Conglomerate is absolutely incensed, the Satrap is spitting fish-chips and that outrage is spreading to the other conglomerates as well. I don''t have perfect information, given that I can''t understand any of the spoken conversations and much of the mental ones slip past me, but both sides have brought out the big guns.

    Legal experts and top negotiators are galloping into battle, ready to yell, scream, argue and generally word-fight over who owes who, who broke their legal obligations and by how much. Given that the brathians are who they are, I have no doubt the Empire of Stone will be forking over a rather sizeable amount ofpensation.

    [Marzban said the same thing,] I note. [Are these people really so problematic? What''s their deal, anyway?]

    This is one of the rare opportunities that Eran has allowed her daughter up onto the deck with us. The young girl appears to be twelvish, or something like that, judging by her rtive heightpared to the other brathians on board, but it''s getting harder and harder for me to make these judgements now. One nce and I can tell you what tier an ant is, no matter the caste, but these humanoids? Nope. Not anymore.

    Piris, the little girl, is only too happy to be roped into our conversation, a chance to get close to the big monster and poke at my carapace.

    [Piris, darling. Can youe over here and exin to Anthony what the Magpei are like?]

    As soon as the word leaves her mother''s mind and drops into hers, the little girl pulls a face. I may not have muscles on the outside anymore, but I remember <em>that</em> expression.

    [They''re noisy,] she says, [and rude. They make fun of everyone who doesn''t have wings and they love picking fights.]

    [They have <em>wings</em>?]

    Piris rolls her eyes.

    [They''ll never let you forget about it. It''s what they''re most proud of.]

    [So these are some sort of winged humanoid? Are they a branch of the Folk?]

    Eran cuts back in to give me the details.

    [No, the Magpei are an Old Race, one of the originals along with humans, golgari and ka''armodo. There just aren''t that many of them for a variety of reasons.]

    [Dad says they never stop biting off more than they can chew, so they keep choking to death,] Piris tells me, nodding sagely as she dispenses the wisdom of her wealthy father.

    She puffs up, cing her hands on an imaginary belly and lowering her voice to imitate the Satrap.

    [You''d think they''d learn after watching someone else do it, but it only makes them worse. No profit in such foolishness, no profit at all.]

    [But what do they <em>look</em> like? Beaks? Fully feathered? Partially feathered? Ooooo, no feathers and bat wings? Are they like fruit bats? No! <em>Vampire </em>bats! They drink the blood of their enemies and use echolocation to navigate.]

    Eran just shakes her head.

    [You''ll see soon enough.]

    In the end, it takes a few days of <em>extremely</em> fast sailing, with our friendly neighbourhood Legionaries in tow, for us to meet up with the Wandering Isle. Far overhead, we see iting from a long way away. As advertised, the ind is <em>big</em>, much bigger than something floating in the air should probably be.

    How the heck these things get away with defying gravity to the extent they do, I have no idea, but apparently it''s a thing that is rathermon on this level of the Dungeon. As we''ve sailed around, I''ve seen dozens of them. Some monster-infested, some not, almost all of them streaming an endless supply of water running off their edge.

    Apparently, the Wandering Isle has <em>several</em> rivers running off the edge, creating a dazzling spray underneath that trails in its wake. Now, of course, the ships can''t fly up to the ind, so we are going to have to exit our vessels and rise up on force tforms, along with the goods we seek to trade.

    It takes a while to get it all sorted, but naturally I''m picked to go on one of the first tforms, along with the brathian leadership. As always, a view of the fourth from any level of elevation is simply breathtaking, filled with light and colour. I take my time enjoying the view as I sprawl on the tform, hoping the mages are able to manage my bulk without burning out.

    [Ah, here theye,] Eran sighs to me.

    [What? Who?]

    [The Magpei.]

    [Some sort of weingmittee?]

    [No well sort of? They always do this. Can''t seem to help themselves.]

    Focusing upward, I can see what she''s talking about. Figures haveunched themselves from the edge of the ind and spread broad, magnificent wings, catching the air and gliding down toward us inzy circles.

    When they get close enough, I get my first glimpse of these ancient and proud people.

    Now, as I stated earlier, judging any aspect of the small and fleshy people around me has be increasingly difficult as time goes on. This goes doubly so when speaking for the aesthetics of said small and squishy things.

    However, the Magpei, appear to be quite stunning. Humanlike, yet not quite, they are sleek, graceful, almost angelic. Radiant, golden skin,rge, expressive eyes, with long limbs and wless muscture, all capped off by the magnificent wings that sprout from their backs.

    Given that they don''t have a carapace, they appear to have done alright for themselves, these Magpei. Then they draw a little closer, and open their mouths. Now, normally it wouldn''t matter what they said, since I wouldn''t understand it anyway, but some thoughtful individual decides to pass it all on to me via mind construct, so I experience the full feeling of the Magpei wee.

    It goes something like this:

    [Eyyyy, EYYYY! Waddaya think YOU''RE doin ''ere?!]

    [Floatin'' up to our ind, ey? No WINGS, ey? min'' ground bound chumps, EY?]

    [Whattarya lookin'' at, MATE? Think you''re all special, lookin'' in every direction at once, you insect-y BUG thing? Come up ''ere and I''ll show you who''s special, MATE!]

    [You drongos think you''re gonna be wee up on OUR ind? You better think again! Ey? EYYYYYYY?!]

    They''re just just so <em>annoying</em>.

 Chapter 1205: Anthony On Tour - Donâ€™t Rise

    Chapter 1205: Anthony On Tour - Don¡¯t Rise

    So now I understand why I was warned about these people. They <em>suck</em>. It takes us over an hour to rise all the way up to the ind, moving at a nice, controlled pace, and the Magpei swoop around yelling at us the <em>entire</em> time.

    When one of them got tired and flew back up, another one would juste down! They were determined to ensure we were subject to a constant strain of threats, insults, and repeated dares to e up ''ere!''. How these people managed to survive at all is a miracle!

    Do the ka''armodo put up with this level of nonsense? The golgari? The LEGION? Although, they aren''t monsters, far from it, they were here before the Rending took ce, before there was <em>mana</em> on the surface. So I suppose the Legion doesn''t care about them one way or the other.

    We arrive on the ind itself, to be greeted by more of the preening Magpei, while others <em>continue</em> to fly overhead haranguing us.

    Eran steps forward to speak for us, and again, the brathian Dungeon Seer continues to provide a running trantion. Though I wish they wouldn''t.

    [As agreed in our discussions some weeks ago, we are here as part of our trade mission to the mightiest and most flourishing trade hubs of the stratum,] Eran deres.

    I know for a fact we''re pretty much only here because it''s on the way to the Silver city. Nevertheless, I understand the urge to butter these people up. The Magpei seem difficult to get along with, to say the least.

    The representative of the Wandering Isle leadership who came to greet us seems to be fairly typical of her people, from what I''ve seen so far. They don''t wear a lot of clothing, covering the essentials, basically, and she seems annoyed to be here, looking down on all of us.

    [We ''wee'' you to OUR isle,] she says, sarcastically, ring. [I hope you can get your business done and get the HECK out of here, quick!]

    For some reason, she turns to re at me.

    [You think you''re all that? EYYY? All big ''n stuff? You aren''t tough!]

    What the heck?!

    [Anthony is here as a representative of his people, who have brought many wonderful and shiny things for you to purchase,] Eran attempts to soothe her.

    Only one word seems to catch her attention.

    [Shiny?!]

    Her head snaps around and her eyes narrow.

    [How shiny are we talkin''? If you''re pullin'' me leg, I''m gonna punch ya right in the nose!]

    There''s a chorus of ''EYYYY'' ''EYYYYY!'' from the other Magpei. I turn to the mage tranting for me.

    [Is it really necessary to give me all the background insults?]

    [If I have to listen to it, then so do you,] she replies cidly.

    Yeesh.

    Chests puffed out and strutting around us, the Magpei lead us toward the nearest settlement, a border town called Mackaw, which is where imports and exports are handled, apparently. Every now and again, a new Magpei flies overhead, challenging us all to a fight and then asking who we are and what we''re doing here. Eventually, our guides tell them we are here to trade and are on our way to Mackas.

    When we arrive outside the town, we are greeted by the head of the local trading guild, who is, mercifully, a human. He bows low and respectfully toward Eran as she draws near, greeting her with a wide smile, which she returns.

    [Lowyn, it''s lovely to see you again.]

    [You are too kind, Eran. How is your esteemed husband, the great Satrap Umizan?]

    [He is well, thank you for asking.]

    [And is that little Piris I see? Such grace and beauty. Clearly, she takes after her mother.]

    The little girl giggles and smiles.

    [Whattaryaughin'' at, EY?] a nearby Magpei squawks. [EYY? Ya little MIDGET?]

    Thankfully, nobody pays him any mind and he slowly de-puffs before being distracted by something else.

    After the pleasantries are exchanged, Eran gets down to business working out the trade arrangements, when and where the Colony will set up their temporary market and for how long. When it''s all said and done, I sneak a mind bridge over to the unbelievably polite man, Lowyn, who greeted us, just to ask a few questions.

    [Hey, it''s me, the giant ant in front of you, nice to meet you.]

    His eyes widen slightly as he turns toward me.

    [Nice to meet you too,] he says, warmly. [I hope you and your people have a pleasant stay here on the Wandering Isle.]

    [That''s what I wanted to ask you. How the heck do you live here?]

    Lowyn smiles gently.

    [I assume you are referring to the Magpei?]

    [No, I was talking about the weather. Yes, the Magpei!]

    [They aren''t so bad when you get used to them,] he assures me. [Though it does help to cultivate a certain, cid, frame of mind.]

    Two Mapgie crash to the ground between the two of us, tangled around each other as they engage in a furious fist fight. Lowyn doesn''t even blink.

    [Your stay among us will be regrettably short, but I will lead you to the area designated for your people to rest. I hope you will find it amodating.]

    This man is a saint.

    We are led to an open clearing where the temporary market will be established, and begin to settle in. For my part, that means more flopping into the dirt and letting everyone else be busy around me. Brathian tents start going up and the newly arrived ants begin putting together their stalls and disys.

    [We''re finally here at Mackas, is there anything good to eat?] Pirisins.

    [Not really,] Marzban tells her. [It''s not easy for them to grow crops up here on the ind. There just isn''t enoughnd.]

    [What do they usually eat?] I ask, curious.

    [Fish,] he tells me. [The Magpei are excellent fishermen and women, able to fly down, catch a surprising amount of them, then fly back up. Their endurance in the air is truly remarkable.]

    Huh. Nice to know they have some good points.

    [Are there many Magpei settlements on the surface?] I ask. [They''ve been here from the beginning, so there must be, right?]

    [There are,] Eran tells me, [though usually in areas others don''t want to live, high up in the mountains, for example. And that''s not just because other people don''t like them, they don''t like other people either. It works out best for everyone. In terms of the Dungeon, there are a fewrge settlements in the third, but the bulk of them live in the fourth, on this ind, a few other floating isles, and in settlements high above, closer to the roof above us.]

    That''s high.

    [Considering how they feel about outsiders, I''m surprised they even let us in to trade. What sorts of things do they like?]

    Eran smiles.

    [They are surprisingly curious as a people and will look at just about anything. They love decorative items, not for themselves, but for their homes. Food is popr, for obvious reasons, as there is much they can''t make for themselves. I expect your ant-crafted fabrics will do extremely well.]

    [Why? They don''t appear to wear much.]

    [For their nests.]

 Chapter 1206: Anthony On Tour - Peace in the Air

    Chapter 1206: Anthony On Tour - Peace in the Air

    <em>There aren''t many schrs who take the time to learn about the unique culture and properties of the Magpei people, leading them to dramatically underestimate their strengths. It is a source of eternal frustration to me, as a Magpei studies professor, that my colleagues seem to think the only trait of these interesting and enduring people they need to understand is that they are ''aggressive''.</em>

    <em>Yes, they are aggressive, yes, they famouslyck what some would consider ''social graces'', but that is merely the surface. As a people, the Magpei are fiercely loyal, protective of their families and forgiving, under the right circumstances.</em>

    <em>Due to their irascible nature, they are among the finest pugilists in the world, fighting almost exclusively with their fists. I''ve seen them shatter the skulls of tier five fish monsters in a single blow, even through metres of water.</em>

    <em>If one is able to win their trust and friendship, the Magpei are a wonderful people, full ofughter,radery and joy.</em>

    <em>However it is still necessary to fight with them.</em>

    <em></em><em>-Excerpt from ''The People of Light'' by Propentia</em>

    [OI! This is a good cuppa right ''ere!]

    [Aw yeah? Lemme have a taste!]

    [Get your own!]

    [Like that, is it? EYY? Come up here and say that!]

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    [Maybe I will, then!]

    Aaaaaand they''re gone. Another pair fly up to engage in what I''ming to understand is more like a fun pastime for the Magpei rather than a serious fight. They just seem to love smashing the heck out of each other, and for whatever reason, they don''t seem to get hurt much. Perhaps they''re just much tougher than they look?

    After watching the market unfold and listening to these people interact, I''vee to understand exactly what is going on here. I was confused at first, because they don''t have fur, waste energy speaking and are less prone to thumbs ups, but the Magpei are basically all just shiny, feather-winged versions of Tiny.

    Would the dumb apey fists into everyone and everything he could if I let him? Absolutely! It''s not like he''s malicious, he just enjoys it, and he assumes everyone else does as well. I get the feeling the bad attitudes and rudeness disyed by the Magpei are due to them wanting to skip as much of the unnecessary stuff as quickly as possible and get to the punching.

    [Someone put the billy on! This tea is choice!]

    [Yeah? Better than my tea?]

    [Of course it is, you melter!]

    [EYYYY?]

    [EYYYY!?]

    Aaaaaand they''re gone. They really seem to like the tea. That''s not the only thing which has grabbed their attention. As before with the ka''armodo, the small amount of jewellery and other shiny nicknacks are popr with the winged ones, causing many a brawl.

    What I find truly interesting are the other inhabitants of the Wandering Isle. Humans, golgari, folk, even a ka''armodo with setsh attendants, everyone seems wee here. The other thing to note is that, one and all, they appear to have <em>extraordinary</em> levels of patience.

    They just seem to step around whenever brawling birdbrains fall out of the sky, or smile and nod politely whenever someone tries to pick a fight with them. It almost seems magical. I wish I could exhibit that level of tolerance, because, for whatever reason, a group of Magpei have decided that they''ll get a rise out of me no matter what.

    [Big bug sittin'' there lookin'' all sad on the ground. Got no wings, EY?]

    [C''mon, MATE. Come up here and look at me like that through ya min'' multi-focal lenses!]

    And so on. And so on. No matter how long I sit here, unresponsive, in the centre of this impromptu market, they just don''t seem to run out of gas. Or insults.

    Finally, I can''t take it anymore. The honour of the Colony is being impugned here. It''s not that I''m sick of these winged loudmouths slinging mug at me, it''s that proper respect isn''t being shown to my ant brethren. It''s time to show these birds who''s the <em>real</em> boss of the air.

    But how? I have two main methods of approach here. I could use a gravity well to drag them all down to the ground, or use one to lift me up into the air, challenging them in their own space.

    Or why not both?

    Gweheheheh.

    With an evil chuckle, I begin to draw out gravity mana from my nd, weaving it deftly and carefully, masking my work as much as possible. They won''t know what hit them.

    [Are you doing something, Anthony?]

    Dammit! It''s the brathian mage, the Dungeon Seer Olivis! She''s watching me like a hawk at the moment!

    [Me? Of course not! Why would you suspect something like that?]

    [Because I thought I felt a stirring of mana. You aren''t going to do something to the Magpei, are you?]

    [Why would you ever suspect me of yes, yes I was. I''m getting really annoyed and was going to punish them for their hubris.]

    [I''m not even passing on their insults any more.]

    [They found one of their own mages to make sure I got the message.]

    [Damn them,] she sighs, then gives me a firm poke in the side. [Remember what <em>just</em> happened at Greystone? We don''t want a repeat incident, do we? You need to keep your fancy mana to yourself and just let this event end peacefully.]

    "I agree, Eldest," a whisper of pheromones from Protectant brushes against my antennae. "We would appreciate it if you didn''t put an evenrger target on your back."

    But but! Fine.

    Reluctantly, I let the mana go, and Olivis nods, pleased.

    [Thank you for your cooperation. I know it can be difficult here, but a little patience is all]

    [You fishy brathians only ever think about money. Too scared to get involved in a REAL fight? EY?!]

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    [that''s required.]

    [OI! Mage down there. Too WEAK to fight, are ya? Too yellow are ya? You MELT!]

    [I hear your Satrap is as fat as a sea cow! Fatter! Ya mongrel!]

    [Oi! OIIIIII! You hear us down there? Ears blocked with scales?]

    Olivis'' eyes begin to narrow and I quietly begin to shape my gravity mana again.

 Chapter 1207: Anthony On Tour - The Switch From Light to Dark

    Chapter 1207: Anthony On Tour - The Switch From Light to Dark

    Gweheheheheh. GWEHEHEHEHEHEHEH.

    MUAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

    [OI! Think you can pin us to the ground?! Let me up and I''ll knock the snot out of ya!]

    [That''s not flying! That''s <em>floating </em>at best! Eyyy? EYYYY!?!?]

    [When I get off the ground, I''m gonna shirtfront ya! Even if you can''t wear a shirt!]

    Yes. <em>Yesssss</em>. Grovel before me! You insignificant pigeons! Who''sughing now? Who is soaring majestically through the air now?! It''s me. I''m doing that.

    The gravity well pulses with power, holding my bulk aloft while pressing the annoying,<em> irritating</em> Magpei down into the ground where I can mock them at my leisure.

    [Still chirping are you, little birdie?] I gloat, reaching down with one leg to poke a particrly persistent specimen on the cheek. [Shouldn''t you be trying to work out how to get off the ground rather than let your mouth write cheques your fists can''t cash?]

    [I''ll show <em>you</em> a cheque, mate! I''ll knock your castle down! I''m nobody''s pawn!]

    [Welle along then! I''m waiting!]

    I hover above as the Magpei makes a valiant effort to rise, managing to force himself up onto his hands and knees before I up the power and squash him down again.

    [Oh, so <em>close</em>! Gweheheheheh. I''ll leave you there for a while ande backter to check on your progress.]

    It fills me with such glee to see them struggling to get off the ground. How many times have they insulted my proud insect form forcking wings since I arrived? FOUR-HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX! Do they even know what they''re talking to? I''m an ant! A descendant of the wasp! You really think there aren''t any flying ants?!

    But I''m something different, something new. I don''t even NEED them! I wiggle my antennae with glee as I float in glorious circles above the market.

    Interestingly, the non-Magpei clientele continue about their shopping, speaking with the brathian merchants, asking questions of the ant carvers and generally enjoying themselves. I get the strong impression that visitors getting into strenuous disagreements with the birdbrains isn''t that rare an event. These people have probably learned to tolerate it just as they have every other entricity of the feathered fiends they share the ind with.

    Well, I myself have certainly not reached such a point of zen, so I continue to vent my frustrations upon the writhing, cursing Mapgei.

    [You were so proud of your wings a minute ago! Come on, use them! Fly! You can fly, can''t you? I thought you were <em>great</em> at flying. Wasn''t being on the ground let me think about how you put it ''the ce where dung creatures wallow''? That''s what you said, isn''t it? Are you a dung creature? Enjoying your wallowing? You seem to be, from all the energetic wriggling you''re doing.]

    Yes, get angry! This is my vengeance! This is my WRATH!

    [Are you done up there?] Eran Thouris asks me.

    [MUAHAHAHAHAHA! No! I''m only getting started! When tears of frustration are rolling down their faces, when they cry out to their mothers and <em>beg</em> forgiveness, <em>maybe </em>I''ll let them up!]

    [Is he often like this?] she asks, including another in the mind bridge.

    [It does happen on asion,] Cobalt admits. [It''s quite rare, but it does happen. Eldest! You''re disrupting the market! We need to trade with these people. That''s the whole reason we came here.]

    [The only things they''ve been trading with us are insults! I''m only giving back to them what they so graciously gave us!]

    One Magpei has almost managed to stand, better put a stop to that. Back to the ground with you!

    [Unless you n to stay here and hold them down forever, you''re going to have to let them go at some point. And if you keep doing it, more of them wille.]

    [More of them will kiss the mud!]

    [Do you really want to try and hold down ten thousand of them? Think of the noise in your head, if nothing else.]

    That''s true. Even though I''ve pinned these insult-swinging ppers into the dirt, they haven''t let up. Understandably, their insult-swinging has only be more vigorous. The main difference is that I can freely throw their words back in their faces,ughing with great glee all the way.

    It''s worth it! I haven''te out in so long! I''m not going back yet!

    [Just give me a few minutes! I''ll have had my fill by then.]

    [Looks like you get to fly again in a few minutes, you rats! Enjoy yourst moments grinding your faces into the mud, and then you can fly, knowing you <em>only</em> get to fly because I LET YOU! MUAHAHAHAHAHAAA!]

    [I''ll let you taste my fist, MATE!]

    [Big talk from an insect! EY? EYYYY?!]

    [You can''t even make a fist! I''ll give you a fair dinkum face punching for this!]

    [OI! OIIII! You''re gonna regret this, cobba! You''ll be crying out of every lens by the time I''m done!]

    [Ohhhhh is that right! If you''re all that, thene up here and show me right now! Come on! Come oooooon! What''s the matter? I''m waiting!]

    [Let me up already! You mug! Not even your mother could love that face!]

    [HEY! My mother is very proud of me!]

    [OOOOOO, we got a mum''s boy here!]

    [If you ever want to fly again, you better not talk about my mother.]

    .

    [Fine. We respect mums.]

    [Agreed. Mums are off-limits.]

    [How do we feel about dads?]

    Well, that''s easy enough for me.

    [Don''t have one, I''m a monster. I was born from the Queen, no need for a dad.]

    [Huh.]

    [Makes sense.]

    [No dad, ey?]

    [To be expected, I suppose.]

    [Are we allowed up now?]

    [Fine.]

    I don''t release the gravity well, but I undo the pressure it exerts on them. I remain floating in the sky as the fluffy fools p their powerful wings and return to the sky around me.]

    [Ohhh hohohoho. Time to put up or shutup, MATE.]

    [Hope you''re ready for a major beatdown there, CHAMP.]

    [Time to pray to a mantis, or whatever counts as a god for bugs, COBBA.]

    From four directions, four Magpei fly in with dazzling speed, their fists zing with powerful light as they prepare to unleash their fearsome skills. Naturally, the well catches them as they draw too close, sending them tumbling back to the ground.

    [I let you go, but I didn''t turn it off. THINK YOU CAN HIT ME?! NOT IN A MILLION YEARS! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!]

    The dark one will not sleep just yet.

 Chapter 1208: Anthony On Tour - Journey to the Silver City

    Chapter 1208: Anthony On Tour - Journey to the Silver City

    [We hate you!]

    [Don''te back!]

    [You''re hurting my feelings! Why don''t you fly over here next to me and say that!]

    [Get stuffed!]

    [In your dreams, mate!]

    [Turn off your lousy magic and THEN talk smack, ey? EYYYY?!]

    [Why don''t youe over here and make me? Huh? Need me to go easy on you? Too weak for the real stuff?]

    [Get off our ind!]

    [Yeah! You bleedin'' cheat!]

    [Bah! All of you can bite my carapace! Your mums are all ssydies, but you''re rubbish!]

    To a chorus of mentally projected howls and insults, I float down and away from the Wandering Isle. Some of the Magpei follow, unwilling to let us go without getting thest word in. I take note of how they keep their distance from me, though, unwilling to be caught up in the gravity well.

    Gweheheheh.

    It''s taken a lot of mana to maintain it for this long, but it''s been worth it. Looking at the suffering expressions of their faces every time they try to fly up and punch me has been a joy, bringing light to my dark, dark heart.

    [Are you still going with them?] the mage, Olivis asks me.

    [Of course! As long as they''re willing to serve it up, they''re going to get it back.]

    [There will <em>never</em>e a time they are unwilling to serve it up. They''re the Magpei. They''ve been doing this for thousands and thousands of years.]

    Which is why they''re so good at being annoying, I suppose. If there''s a Skill for irritating strangers, they must have it all the way to rank ten.

    [I don''t see anything wrong with matching their energy. They want to be discourteous, rude and confrontational? Fine! I will do the same to them.]

    [You don''t find it childish?]

    [No?]

    She looks at me.

    I look back at her. And in many other directions.

    [How old are you, again?]

    [Not that old, why do you ask?]

    [No reason.]

    If I were to add up my time as a human and my time as an ant I guess my age would be what? Sixteen-ish? Less? Honestly, it''s hard to remember how old I was when I died, and it''s difficult to keep track of time as an ant. It''s not like we hang calendars all over the ce, or carry pocketwatches.

    Although, I''m told that some ants have taken an interest in the clockmaking arts. So it probably won''t be long until we do carry them around?

    As we slowly descend, everyone else on the force tform, me lowering myself gracefully with my gravity well, I get a good look at the Legion fleet. Interestingly, they didn''t seem to bother us all that much while we dealt with the Wandering Isle. From what I know, only a few of them came up, not Morrelia, sadly, and other than observing, they pretty much left us alone.

    Now, as we descend, I wonder if they intend to take pot shots at us, like they did when I was falling, but no. The massed fleet of hulking, armoured warships just sits, idly, with many a soldier and officer watching us. Watching me.

    It''s creepy! Go look at something else! If they were admiring my glorious carapace, that would be one thing, but this is just them staring at me like a starving person staring at a ham! It''s ufortable, to say the least.

    Once we arrive back down on the ship, I lower myself into position, flopping on the deck once more. Mapgei are STILL floating overhead, flinging insults at me, but I think I''ve had my fun. With a flicker of concentration, I allow my focus topse and the well to dissipate, the mana spreading out and losing its properties as it blends with the energy around it.

    In that moment, I feel the dark nature of the forbidden one begin to recede, like oil on an ocean falling back from a pristine beach. Ah. I have returned to myself again.

    Which is the exact moment that Odin chooses to pounce.

    [When are you going to learn that there are other ants protecting me at all times?]

    Pinned to the ground by three of my babysitters, Odin only groans, thrashing weakly with his ws.

    [I didn''t sense their presence at all!] heins.

    [Of course not! They''ve specifically evolved and mutated to make sure you can''t!]

    [Gah! Let me up!]

    [How about no? Sit there and think about how not to be weird. When we get back to see Sarah again, I want to see a marked decrease in your odd behaviour.]

    Ignoring the still bitterly struggling demon, I turn to Eran Thouris. I suppose I should give a little thought to the actual purpose of our travel.

    [So, how was trade?]

    [Profitable,] she says contentedly. [There aren''t that many people on the Wandering Isle, but due to its nature, it does an outsized amount of trade. They were quite interested in your foodstuffs, and we''ve arranged some contracts with several distributors. Tea was popr, as was the furniture, oddly enough. They don''t have ready ess to wood, so they have to trade for it, and the prices of the Colony oupete what they get from elsewhere.]

    Well, that''s good news, I suppose.

    [At least we didn''t have to put up with the Magpei''s pecking for nothing.]

    She gives me an exasperated look.

    [What do you mean, <em>we</em> put up with it? <em>I </em>put up with it. <em>My traders</em>, put up with it. <em>Every other member of the Colony</em> put up with it. You certainly didn''t!]

    Ugh. How to exin the presence of Dark Anthony? How to exin that he was drawn irrevocably to the surface by the taunting of the winged weirdos?

    [I''ll try harder next time,] I begrudginglymit.

    [See that you do,] she nods.

    I mean I''ll <em>try</em>, sure. I won''t seed, but I''ll try.

    [And now we only have one stop left.]

    [That''s right,] she agrees, [we are headed to the Silver City. Capital of the Atreum Empire, and thergest, wealthiest city in the fourth stratum. Which means thergest and wealthiest in the world.]

    She says thatst part as if exining the obvious to a child, which I find a little insulting.

    [Look, it might be the wealthiest, but it won''t be long until the most populous ces in the stratum are the Colony''s nests.]

    Eran looks thoughtful.

    [That''s true, I suppose. However, each individual ant has literally no purchasing power, as I understand it, so it won''t be worth setting up markets there.]

    Gah. She''s not wrong, we don''t even have currency. I still can''t work out if this is a good or bad thing.

    [So what''s this Silver City supposed to be like?]

    [It''s the most beautiful city in the world.]

    [Is that right?]

    She nods emphatically.

    [It is. You''ll understand when you see it.]

 Chapter 1209: Anthony On Tour - The Unforgettable Sight

    Chapter 1209: Anthony On Tour - The Unforgettable Sight

    I suppose to <em>some</em>, it might be considered appealing sort of. Others, perhaps some would say, those with better taste would call it tacky! Overdone! Gaudy, even!

    Then again no, no, I will not admit it! There''s no tunnels! How can any ce be considered the <em>best</em> without nice, wide tunnels? It can''t, end of discussion. The roads do seem nice and spacious, though.

    Bah! Who would ever want to dwell in a house covered in metal? Nobody! Even if that metal was so soothing, and emitting such a glorious, ephemeral light.

    DAMMIT!

    I connect a mind bridge to Eran Thouris who is leaning against the railing next to me, looking smug.

    [Well?] she asks.

    [It''s nice.]

    [Nice?] she asks, raising one scaled brow.

    [Very nice.]

    That''s all she''s gonna get out of me.

    Mount Atreum, heart of the Atreum empire that bears its name, rises tall and imposing from the shimmering waters of the Lake before us. From the waterline up, the great and glorious Silver City covers the slopes. And I do mean <em>covers</em>. There isn''t a single square inch that hasn''t been developed, all enfolded within six rings of mighty walls. That''s not to say there aren''t any green spaces, oh no, there are frustratingly luscious and attractive-looking parks all over the damn ce! The rest of it isrge, well organised buildings connected by clean, wide streets. All of it, ALL of it (not the trees, obviously) is covered in what I''m told is Soul Silver.

    And it is absolutely stunning.

    Stupid city with its stupid shininess. Thinks it''s all that! Well, it''s not!

    [Oh look. I think the clouds are going to part. We should get a good look at it now,] Eran says, enthused.

    [Good look at what?] I grumble.

    [They don''t call them the Twin Cities for nothing. There! Look!]

    The upper reaches of the mountain have been shrouded by cloud and mist, but, for a moment, I catch a glimpse of something golden breaking through, a beam of light that stabs me right in the eye. Then, like magic, the clouds part, the mist fades, and I slump to the floor, defeated.

    There''s a <em>whole other city</em> up the top? And it''s covered in GOLD?! Not just any gold, but gold that seems to radiate the warmth of the summer sun?!

    Who would even <em>do</em> that?! That metal must be worth a damned fortune, and you decided to coat your damned outhouse in it? Make it make sense!

    Regal pces, imposing castles, a tower that rises like a mighty tree to pierce the heavens, easily several kilometres high. Each is a work of art, as if someone let Michangnt off the chain for a thousand years. Beautiful in design, delicate in construction, each line is aesthetically pleasing in context with those around it. Whoever made this city was determined to make it so damn pretty that nothing would evere close, and they didn''t give a damn what it cost.

    [The Golden City,] Eran tells me. [Not that we are going to be wee up <em>there</em>. That''s for citizens only. Wealthy citizens at that. You''re looking at the most expensive real estate in the world.]

    [If I built a hut in the sixth, wouldn''t that be worth more? Since it''d be more rare?]

    [Who could go there to enjoy it? In terms offortable living, <em>this</em> is the ce to be. I''ll take my life under the waters any day of the week, but it''s not like I don''t understand the appeal,] she sighs. [We brathians love to collect and disy our wealth, but building something <em>this</em> expensive would give us a fit.]

    [The Colony would never do it either,] I admit. [Spending such an absurd amount of resources just to make things look nice? Impossible. It''s too inefficient and doesn''t provide any material benefit to the family.]

    [As you can imagine, the ka''armodo <em>love</em> this ce, but for the most part, it''s filled with the people of Atreum. Humans, by andrge.]

    Huh, finally, we find the ce where all the humans are. No giant magic lizard-wizards, no second-skin rock people, just humans. I mean, humans are scary enough by themselves, but at least I understand them a little better.

    We sail towards the Silver City, which only grows <em>more</em> beautiful the closer we get, stupid city, with the Legion continuing to shadow us on the way. The outer wall loomsrge as we draw closer, and I mean, <em>really</em>rge. These people clearly don''t muck around when ites to walls.

    And naturally, they have imprinted unspeakably, eye-meltingly attractive artworks into the wall. Because of course they did. If Michangnt is in this fleet, she is frothing at the mouth right now.

    [Do we expect much trouble here?] I ask, a little reluctantly.

    [Not unless your people have been waging a secret war against the Atreum that I haven''t heard about,] she replies.

    [If we have, it''s just as much a surprise to me as it is to you.]

    [We should be fine. The Atreum can be a little bureaucratic, but they are a well-run and organised sort of ce. We have all our documents sorted well in advance. We''re the kind of merchants who are especially wee here.]

    Such optimistic words, of course, doom us before we even arrive.

    After Eran and the high-ranking brathians go ashore to finalise arrangements, we quickly find out things have gone awry.

    [They want further guarantees of safety after what happened at Greystone,] Olivis tells me, aftermunicating with the shore party.

    [Like what sort of guarantees? They want me to grind the edges off my mandibles or something?]

    [Financialpensation,] Olivis says. [If any damage is caused to the city by the Colony, they are demanding the Brathian Ind Conglomerate agree to pay damages.]

    [Well that doesn''t seem unreasonable.]

    [We <em>already</em> agreed to such terms, they are now inting the price.]

    Oof.

    [How how much?]

    [If you repeat your actions at Greystone, the entire conglomerate will be bankrupt.]

    <em>Double</em> oof.

    [I''ll be careful.]

    [You''d better be.]

 Chapter 1210: Anthony On Tour - Skitter the Streets

    Chapter 1210: Anthony On Tour - Skitter the Streets

    They do understand that what happened at Greystone is due to the golgari attempting to drop a <em>mountain</em> on my head, right? It''s pretty simple, don''t try and kill thousands of my family members, and I won''t cause any trouble! It seems straightforward to me!

    For whatever reason, the child-emperor, or at least, the port officials who represent him, don''t seem to have grasped such simple logic.

    So wee to the current situation.

    The authorities have graciously allowed five thousand ants to enter the walls at a time, so we''ll be able to get everyone rotated through over the course of our three day stay. I suspect they''ve been so generous in the hopes that it increases the likelihood of damages, or perhaps they''re just confident in their security.

    I, however, am a little more restricted in my movements than the other ants.

    Right now, we are marching down a main thoroughfare, easily wide enough to fit me in three times across, surrounded on all sides by silver-armoured guards and a team of mages watching the mana around me like mana-hawks.

    [It''s the only way they were going to let you in,] Marzban exins, apologetic. They can get a little precious when ites to potential damage to the city.]

    I mean, I suppose I can sympathise. If I lived inside a literal work of art, I wouldn''t want strangers scuffing the ce up either.

    [It''s fine,] I sigh. [I could have just stayed on the ship, but I''m guessing the Colony demanded I be allowed on shore.]

    [Pretty much,] he confirms. [Not that Eran would have reached an agreement that didn''t have youe ashore either. She feels like the Colony is taken more seriously by people who see just how powerful a monster it has produced. A tier seven mythic is nothing to sneeze at, and adds legitimacy to your position as up anders.]

    Well that''s nice to hear, I suppose.

    As the ant and brathian column moves down the street, we get more than our fair share of attention as well. People poke their noses out of buildings, ore to the footpath to watch us go by. At least nobody seems afraid. They get a little uneasy when they catch sight of meing, but they rx a bit when they p eyes on the plethora of guards around me.

    As I said earlier, there really isn''t any undevelopednd on this mountain, and the locals are <em>not</em> willing to let us dig up a park to make a nest, so our journeyes to an end when we reach arge warehouse district. Normally, I''d be offended at being asked to stay in a warehouse, but honestly, I can''t this time.

    Even the <em>warehouses</em> are amazing. Damn this city!

    Even if we aren''t allowed to dig, the Colony is more than happy to pile into the dark and enclosed space. I''m just happy to be able to stretch my legs, so I wander into an unupied warehouse and settle onto the floor. Extending my legs out as far as they go, I give them a wiggle before I rx back, folding them up close to my body.

    That''s the good stuff.

    Then I realise all the guards are still with me. Standing to attention, in post all around me, eyes straight forward and hands on their weapons. Even the mages are still here!

    I consider reaching out to them with a mind bridge, but decide against it. Instead, I <em>slowly</em> start to weave one and reach out looking for Eran or Marzban, finding thetter soon after.

    [Hey. These guards are still here.]

    [Yes. And?]

    [How long are they going to be here?]

    [They aren''t leaving you alone as long as you''re on the shore, Anthony. This is what we had to agree to before you would be allowed in the city.]

    [Ugh. Seriously? Fine.]

    Having multiple sword-crazy Folk follow me around all the time was annoying enough, but there were only two of them! This is one, two, three. Twenty five?! Why?!

    I mean, I know why, I blew up a mountain, that''s why. Well, part of a mountain. An <em>unimportant</em> part, I should add. Eh, it''s fine. This is the motherlode of wealth and the Colony deserves to get their slice, so I can put up with an armed escort for three days. Not a problem.

    The only way this bes an issue, is if someone goes out of their way to provoke me, or the Colony in general.

    Gah! What am I doing, thinking such thoughts so loudly?! It''s going to be fine! Nothing will happen! I need to distract myself from thinking so dangerously, quick!

    "Hey, Smithant! Cobalt! Can I get a word?"

    The two carvers poke their heads into my warehouse soon after.

    "What is it, Eldest?"

    "I just wanted to get your thoughts on this ce. What do you think of it so far? What are your impressions?"

    The two ants ponder my words for a moment.

    "There''s a lot of wealth here, Eldest. Even beyond the obvious, rare metal covering the buildings. I tried to take in as much detail as I could. The people here are well dressed, <em>very</em> well dressed. I don''t think our fabrics are likely to sell much here, people clearly have ess to a far superior product."

    "I have to echo those sentiments, Eldest, but in regards to metal," Smithant says. "The metalwork used just on the buildings is staggering in its execution. I don''t know how they did what they did. Forming such thin lines? The delineation being so clear and defined? Every street pole is formed using a method more advanced than our own."

    Hmmm. That''s not a bad thing, it just means there''s a lot we can learn.

    "I assume you two saved up the majority of our supply of cores for this ce?"

    "Of course, Eldest."

    "Then you should do your best to see how many learning materials you can bring back to the nest with us. This could be a golden opportunity to advance our knowledge by leaps and bounds."

    "That''s what we''re hoping as well, Eldest."

    "I''ll leave it to you. I''m going to try and keep my head down and not cause any trouble while we''re here. You two will have to take the lead."

    "We won''t let you down."

 Chapter 1211: Anthony On Tour - Tourists, but Ants

    Chapter 1211: Anthony On Tour - Tourists, but Ants

    <em>The sack of the Silver City marked a point of no return in the great war. Though the ants turned back, and did notmit the final blow against the Child-Emperor, none within the Atreum Empire could ever tolerate peace from that moment onward.</em>

    <em>I believe the Colony knew that. I believe they never intended for there to be peace in the first ce. It was simply their way of letting the rest of us know the stakes they were ying for.</em>

    <em></em><em>-Excerpt from ''Reflection on the Great War'' by Gonvas</em>

    Smithant was in heaven, or hell, depending on the moment. Everywhere she looked, she was surrounded by fabulous metalwork that she didn''t understand, which was good! On the other mandible, everywhere she looked, she was surrounded by fabulous metalwork that she didn''t understand, which was bad.

    "Reveal your secrets to me!" she demanded, staring at a rubbish receptacle.

    "It''s lucky the humans can''t pick up what you''re saying," Cobalt observed. "None of them would trade with us because of your babbling."

    Smithant cked her mandibles in irritation.

    "Metal talks," she replied tly. "By observing the patterns, the lines in the metal, the sound it makes when struck, there are a thousand ways to learn about it through observation."

    "That doesn''t mean you should go around threatening people''s front steps."

    "Metal talks, and I like to talk back," Smithant said, unbothered.

    Cobaltid a sympathetic front leg on the back of her friend''s carapace.

    "You''ve been too lonely, haven''t you?"

    "Get off of me." The smithing expert shrugged off the leg, waving her antennae in irritation. "Stop being ridiculous and focus on what the Eldest asked us to do. We have a guide, let''s make use of the time and get what we came for."

    "Of course. Just stop yelling at thempposts."

    "Fine."

    [Everything all right?] the brathian mage, Irisod asked.

    [Yes, of course. Is it this way to the metalwork district?]

    [Yes. This is Silver street, and just up ahead you can see where the district starts.]

    Indeed, it wasn''t that difficult to discern, due to therge, extravagant arch that crossed over the road. Smithant gazed up at it in awe. There were at least thirty different kinds of metal woven into the pattern, each expertly used toplement those around them. The level of artistry on disy was staggering.

    "I <em>have</em> to find out who was responsible for this work. I refuse to believe everyone in this city is capable of smithing at such a high level!"

    Such a thing would be a blow to Smithant''s pride. She knew she was younger than most of the smiths in the world, but she believed her love for metal and her dedication to the craft were second to none.

    "Why don''t we ask? Irisod can trante to the guide for us."

    "Will they just <em>tell</em> us?"

    "There''s only one way to find out."

    [We would like to ask if it''s known who was responsible for creating the arch above us.]

    [I''ll ask.]

    The three members of the trading group were under escort when moving around the city, as all ants were required to be. Not that the two ants felt threatened, their guide was an olddy who volunteered for the role, apparently.

    She and Irisod exchanged words for a moment before the reply came through.

    [It seems the majority of the public works in the Silver and Golden city were to some extent the work of the smith Gyn. He was the lead smithmissioned by the Child-Emperor to construct the capital, along with the many sculptors and architects.]

    She continued after a moment''s thought.

    [I probably could have told you that myself, but I wasn''t certain. Gyn is a legend, even to this day. The method he used to shape the Soul Silver and Heart Gold to create the twin cities died with him. I shouldn''t be surprised that something like this was his work.]

    The method was lost? Smithant slumped for a moment, all her enthusiasm gone. She was <em>dying</em> to know how it was done!

    No matter, time to get moving. There was an entire district of metalwork to see.

    Gathering herself, she followed Cobalt and Irisod under the arch and stepped into the district proper. Immediately, she felt at home. The roar of the forge, the ring of the hammer, the sound of singing steel all around her. It was just like being back in the workshop. Except there was less noise here. In the nest, there were thousands of forges running day and night.

    There were many people in the street here on business, and many of the shops had disys out the front, or people talking constantly, appealing to the people passing by.

    Plentiful noise, colour and light, which in Smithant''s opinion, distracted from the purity of the craft. Though it appeared to get Irisod''s attention.

    [This is perhaps the best ce in Pangera toe for metalwork of all kinds. It''s famous, and can be extremely expensive,] she told them.

    Smithant and Cobalt paused for a moment.

    [Expensive in a way that''s justified? Or not?]

    They hadn''t forgotten their previous trading experience. Paying more than a thing was worth went against their fundamental principles!

    The mage looked at the two of them and sighed.

    [The question of price is more nuanced than what you two seem willing to ept,] she began. [Prices are inted on this street, because of the reputation that it has, and the number of customers willing to pay. There''s no shortage of people in this city willing to pay high prices for good work.]

    Smithant snapped her mandibles together.

    [If we can get what we want somewhere else without paying more, then why wouldn''t we do that? Inted prices are inted prices.]

    [But they <em>aren''t</em> inted. Well, some of them are, but for the most part, this is what people in this city are willing to pay, so the prices are correct. It''s all about the local market.]

    The two ants waved their antennae as they considered.

    "Let''s just see what we can find," Cobalt suggested. "If we judge they are overcharging, we can look elsewhere."

    "Fine," Smithant ground out, now eyeing the whole district with distrust. "This ce better live up to its reputation. I don''t want to have gotten all excited for nothing."

 Chapter 1212: Anthony On Tour - The Ants Go Shopping

    Chapter 1212: Anthony On Tour - The Ants Go Shopping

    Given the bustling streets and crowded storefronts, it was sometimes difficult for the two ants to move freely down Silver street. It was only thanks to the presence of their guide that they were able to travel freely and not be attacked by the many monster hunters searching for weapons and armour.

    Eventually, they managed to make their way into a store and start poking around.

    "What do you think?" Cobalt asked as she ran her eyes over the merchandise.

    "I can tell that the materials used are rare. The mana running through the metal is very dense, and flowing smoothly, but there doesn''t seem to be anything super impressive about it?"

    "Hmmm. These swords match your description. They''re extremely well made, and of good quality metals, but we''ve seen such things elsewhere. Perhaps we were expecting too much?"

    [What are you thinking about, you two?]

    They exined their thoughts to Irisod, and she examined the des herself before shrugging.

    [I''m hardly an expert. Let me grab a store clerk.]

    [Are they a smith?]

    [Perhaps?]

    [If they aren''t a smith, I don''t really want to talk to them,] Smithant said tly.

    [I''ll ask.]

    As it turned out, all of the staff were proficient to some degree in the smithing arts, which satisfied the fussy ant''s requirements. She asked Irisod to exin to them the best qualities of the store''s work, and he quickly caught on to what they were getting at.

    [He says that his store is famed for its durable and longsting arms and armour. There was a fair bit of praise for your fine and discerning eye thrown in as well.]

    The clerk stepped forward and began pointing to various parts of the swords and armour sets, exining their qualities.

    [The cores are embedded and folded into the metal, and all the enchanting is done on a separateyer, then encased. This helps keep the mana channels from being damaged, even under heavy use. They''ll even survive a reforging of the outeryer.]

    "That''s so clever," Smithant muttered as she reached out with an antenna to run over one of the des again. "Why didn''t I think of that? And it makes sense that they feel like such straightforward implements, anything tooplex wouldn''t fit in the internalyer, which wouldpromise the whole point of the design."

    "Longsting durability, ease of repair, reliable performance," Cobalt agreed. "These are indeed well designed."

    They turned to Irisod.

    [We want two swords, two spears and two full sets of armour. What would be a fair price?]

    The mage rolled her eyes.

    [That''s aplex question that isn''t easy for me to answer! I don''t shop here much, I don''t know what the going rates are for just about anything in this city.]

    [What would you pay in the Conglomerate?]

    [That''s not how this works,] the mage exhaled a little in frustration. [Give me a minute,] she said.

    She turned back to the store representative and began to speak rapidly while the two ants stood perfectly still, watching the exchange. After five full minutes, she again spoke to the ants over the mind bridge.

    [I''ve haggled as best I can, but the price is still prohibitively expensive. To know if this is indeed the market rate, you are going to have to do something you have thus far been reluctant to do.]

    [What''s that?] Cobalt asked warily.

    [Shop around!] Irisod dered, eyes gleaming brightly. [We go to thepetitors of this store and work out what their bottom price is. If it''s cheaper, wee back and use that number to knock down the price <em>here</em>. Then we do the whole thing again!]

    Both ants slumped.

    [That sounds like such a pain,] Smithant groaned.

    [You want to visit other forges anyway, right?] Irisod reminded them.

    [Yes but I don''t want to backtrack endlessly haggling just so we don''t end up paying more than we should. It''s inefficient!]

    [In time, yes, but not in money!]

    [Time is much more valuable than money.]

    Irisod gasped as if Smithant had justmitted heresy. The smith red at her.

    [Can you buy time?] she demanded.

    [No,] Irisod replied reluctantly, [it''s not that I don''t agree with you, it''s just that some things are simply not said around a brathian.]

    [I apologise.]

    [Not at all.]

    Thus began their exhausting day of running backwards and forwards across the district. They inspected ingots in one forge, carefully selected a range of specimens, allowed Irisod to haggle over the price, then left to another forge and did the exact same thing. Then again. Then <em>again</em>. Then they returned to the <em>first</em> forge, some more haggling ensued, and <em>finally</em> they made a purchase.

    It was nonsense!

    As they rushed from ce to ce, Irisod gleefully engaging in vigorous negotiations in each, the extraordinary capabilities of the local smiths revealed themselves. No matter what someone needed, it was found here. The most delicate and refined metal furniture. Weapons and armour of every size, shape, mana affinity and purpose. Wire. Ingots. Even custom-designed anvils! If it was made of metal, or even <em>could</em> be made of metal, it was for sale. Some ces were small, with only a single smith, while others wererge, with a dozen forges and teams of workers putting metal to the me and selling to customers.

    It was the differing philosophies of metalworking that caught Smithant''s attention the most. Some, like the first ce they visited, concentrated on durability, while others focused on pure performance. Lighter metals, more conductive to mana, in one store, would be reced with heavier metals, greater rigidity and less emphasis on enchanting, in another.

    Some armour was designed to crumple, others to hold firm.

    Then the sheer variety of <em>techniques</em>. Of the dozens and dozens of different types of metal, each was handled a dozen different ways across the many different forges, each method emphasising a different property of the base material.

    It was almost overwhelming, and Smithant wanted to buy everything in sight, but knew they couldn''t afford it.

    When they finally left the market, the two ants were weighed down with over a ton of metal goods between them, having spent almost their entire reserve of cores.

    [Now that''s how it''s done,] Irisod beamed with satisfaction. [Do you understand the appeal of haggling now?]

    The two ants looked at each other.

    [No.]

    [Not even a little bit.]

 Chapter 1213: Anthony On Tour - Matters of Faith

    Chapter 1213: Anthony On Tour - Matters of Faith

    I have gravely underestimated the true danger that I will face here in the Silver City. Locked away in this warehouse, constantly watched by guards. Two sets of guards, if I''m being urate.

    My true enemy has revealed itself. Boredom!

    I''m so boooored! There''s a whole city out there filled with adventure, and excitement! Probably! At the very least, there must be a plethora of awesome things to see. The buildings, the fine art, the non-inside of warehouse type of things.

    After spending so much time flopping listless on a ship, thest thing I wanted to do was spend more time flopping listless inside a building.

    Well, it''s nice to be inside, but that''s not the point!

    In a desperate search for things to distract my mind, I have delved into the very things that I usually try to avoid examining too closely: the Vestibule and the Nave.

    With only ten thousand ants around, the energy flowing into the Vestibule is a mere trickle of what it usually is, and separating out the individual threads from the flow is a breeze. Meaning, I can keep tabs on any individual or group of ants without really having to try. Normally, I don''t like prying in this way, but I''m bored as heck, so it''s been fun to see what''s going on around the ce.

    The other thing I''ve been investigating is the Nave, the various presences within it, specifically the four golden figures standing against the wall. I know they came on the trade mission, but I haven''t found a good moment to talk with them, really. Unfortunately for me, there''s no possible way for me to avoid it anymore. In fact, I wee the conversation, given that I have nothing else to do.

    I''m like a guy finally pairing all his socks to avoid trying to calcte his taxes.

    So, I reach out to the pair via the Nave.

    <em>Hey there, it''s me, Anthony.</em>

    The bigd, Jern, I think his name was, reacts in his usual calm way, but the girl, Alis, falls off something, judging by the way she yelps, then cries out again.

    <em>Sorry if I surprised you, I''m not sure how I can give you any warning when contacting like this. Anyways. Can I get you two to pop over to my warehouse? We should have a chat to try and work out exactly what''s happening here.</em>

    They both agree, Alis with a significant amount of muttered grumbles, but it isn''t long before the two of them appear in front of me. It''s tempting to keep using the Nave to speak with them, but that''s probably rude, or something? They''re right here, so a mind bridge will suffice.

    [Hey there, gang. How are we enjoying the tour?]

    They look at each other before Jern shrugs casually.

    [It''s been fine,] he replies. [I never thought I''d get the chance to see the fourth stratum like this. It wasn''t that long ago I was on the surface.]

    [No problems with mana sickness?]

    [Nothing out of the ordinary,] he says, rubbing at the back of his head. [It''s been mild for me.]

    [I have a few issues,] Alis says, starting out strong but quickly wilting. She gathers her strength to go again. [We almost died when that giant hunk of rock almost fell on the fleet. I thought this was supposed to be a trade mission? Shouldn''t we be safe?]

    Jern shifts his feet ufortably, but it''s not really an unreasonableint. All of the people aboard the ships were put in great danger when the golgari decided to do that. The morons.

    [Totally agree, that was a bad move from the authorities in Greystone, and we aren''t happy about it. There''s no reason to bring yourints to me, though, I was also at risk! In fact, it was me who saved everyone, remember?]

    Recalling the terrors that they experienced, the two humans grow pale, but decide not to point out the danger that <em>I </em>put them in. For which I''m grateful.

    Jern raises up a hand and I point an antenna at him.

    [Yes, Jern. What''s up?]

    [I was just wondering if we should kneel or something? I think Priest Beyn would be mad at us if we just stood here.]

    Alis starts as if she''s just realising the same, then turns to stare up at me again. I stare back.

    [There''s really no need for that. Just because I''m the ''Great One'' or whatever he calls me. I didn''t ask to be worshipped, and I''m certainly not a god.]

    Actually, should I say that? These two received unique sses from the System, which they probably wouldn''t have gotten without some level of faith in what the stupid priest has been spreading around.

    Alis seems confused by my deration of non-godhood, but Jern is more direct with his thoughts.

    [You aren''t a god?] he asks me.

    [Of course not.]

    [But I feel a strong, sort of spiritual connection to you?]

    Ah that''s true. They are linked to me in a way that could be described as spiritual.

    [That''s just an effect of your sses and my species.]

    [Your species allows for spiritual connections?] Jern asks.

    This guy. His expression is totally innocent, and even Alis is looking less troubled the more he talks. Worst of all, I can''t really refute it!

    [Sort of] I hedge. [I take in Will from those who] ah, heck. There''s no good way to say this. [From those who have faith in me.]

    [Huh,] Jern says.

    That''s it? Just ''huh''?

    [That doesn''t make me a god! Lots of monsters could do the same thing!]

    [Have they?]

    Guh.

    [Not not that I''m aware of?]

    [Huh.]

    Damn this guy!

    [Look, just because Beyn says something about me, doesn''t mean you need to believe it. I''m not some messenger sent by the System to light a new Path, or whatever he goes on about! I''m an ant monster who just happened to help out some people, that''s all!]

    Jern nods solemnly, and I think I might have finally gotten through to him.

    Then

    [Didn''t you imply that you might know who is behind the System?] he asks, perfectly straight faced.

    Alis'' head whips around to stare up at me again.

    [No..] I say, my mental voice rising a few octaves. [not at all.]

    I hold for about five seconds before I break like a kitkat.

    [Look, I don''t know if he runs it, I never asked the guy! Honestly, I could ask him, but he''s odd about what questions he wants to answer and which ones he doesn''t.]

    Jern blinks slowly, then nods.

    [Huh,] he says.

    GAHHHHHH!

    This is not going how I hoped it would.

    [Shouldn''t a god be like, super powerful and stuff? I''m just a big monster!]

    [I watched you almost blow up a mountain.]

    [Oh yeah.]

    It''s true that not every monster can do that. I mean, the only reason <em>I </em>can is because I happened to stumble into gravity mana thanks to my knowledge from Earth, but how do I exin that to them withouting across as even more sacred?

    [If it''s all the same to you, Mr Anthony,] the bigd says respectfully, [I''ll keep thinking of you as my god.]

    Alis looks towards him, then nods her head, most of her hesitation gone. I slump to the ground in defeat.

    [Fine. Don''t say I didn''t warn you. Putting all that aside, talk to me about this ss of yours.]

 Chapter 1214: Anthony On Tour - Knights Templar

    Chapter 1214: Anthony On Tour - Knights Temr

    [So you guard my sanctum? What the heck does that mean?]

    [We don''t know,] Alis replies, [that''s just what the description says.]

    She seems to be finding her equilibrium again, though she oscites between being unwilling to look at me, and a feisty stare.

    The only sanctum I can think of involves a great deal of torpor, willing and unwilling. Given the appearance of these two within the Nave, I''m guessing that qualifies as the sanctum named in their ss description, but how the heck do they defend it? Defend it from what?!

    The mere fact that the ss describes them as ''defenders'' means the Nave can be attacked in some way, right? The implication is pretty clear. It''s kind of worrying that the possibility exists and I have no idea how it''s done, but at least I have some measure of protection. Hopefully.

    [From my perspective, I can see a possible ''sanctum'', but I have no idea how you protect it. Do you two have any clues?]

    Jern and Alis look at each other briefly before Jern rolls his shoulders and turns back to me.

    [No clue,] he says simply.

    He''s direct, this guy. I like him, even if he''s way too stubborn.

    [I can say this] he begins slowly, [I think I feel stronger while I''m around you.]

    [You what? You feel stronger?]

    He nods, and Alis hesitantly agrees.

    [Being close to you is empowering us in some way.]

    Dammit. I know what''sing next.

    "We should keep these two around, Eldest," Protectant whispers to me from the Shadows. "They could help defend you."

    "I''m not increasing the number of babysitters! I already have you twenty and that''s pushing the limits."

    "It''s almost impossible to tell we''re even here," she mutters.

    "<em>I </em>can tell. Easily."

    And I''ll never exin how. Gweheheheheh. I''m sure Protectant, Guardiant and the others have figured it out by now, or at least have gotten close, but there''s nothing they can do about it, even if they <em>do</em> know! No hiding from me, you pains in the back-zone.

    [To learn more, I think we are just going to have to level you up, and any other of the ''temrs'' who show up.]

    These two were the first, but they aren''t the only temrs out there. Two more showed up a while back, so currently I have four silent golden statues keeping watch within my Nave.

    Alis appears eager when she hears my ns to power level them, but Jern doesn''t match her energy.

    [You don''t want to level up, Jern?]

    He scratches at the back of his head.

    [I don''t like fighting that much,] he admits. [I''ll do it when I have to.]

    Didn''t this guy literally go on a crusade? Maybe he feels like he was forced into those fights? That can''t be right, they literally conquered cities!

    [I won''t force you to do something you don''t want to, but if there''s one thing we aren''t short of here in the Dungeon, it''s monsters that need whacking. It shouldn''t be that hard to pump the two of you up at least a few levels so we can see what your ss can really do.]

    As I understand it, they need levels and training in order to fully realise the capabilities of their sses and the affiliated Skills. Not like a monster, who evolves and that''s pretty much it. I mean, it takes time to learn how to use new organs and such, but we don''t get major unlocks with levels like non-monsters do. It''s all about the Biomass.

    What we need to do is discuss with someone who has expertise in sses and other System gobbledygook. Someone with knowledge of religious based sses. Someone who is willing to cooperate with the Colony and won''t hide things from us.

    Hmmm

    Is there anyone <em>else</em>? I need to think for a bit longer.

    Hmmm

    <em>Please</em> let there be somebody else!

    But no matter how I think on the matter, all roads lead back to the one-armed banditI mean priest.

    [Can one of you get Beyn in here?] I sigh. [And Enid as well. Heck, get Isaac while you''re at it.]

    Maybe I can deflect or minimise some of his insanity if I surround him with more sane humans. Wait if I want sane humans should I leave Isaac out? Toote, Alis has run off before I was even finished talking, leaving me and Jern standing around awkwardly.

    Well, <em>I</em> feel a little awkward, Jern seems to be feeling perfectly at ease, as if he were standing in a field watching the crops grow rather than a metal warehouse with a mythic monster. This guy seems totally incapable of flight, he simply can''t be pped.

    [What do you think of the Silver City?] I ask him.

    He looks around vaguely.

    [It''s nice,] he replies.

    Conversation dies pretty quickly at that point. Luckily, we don''t have to wait long for Alis to return with our most wanted. Before I even see Beyn, Itch onto his mind with a bridge.

    [DO NOT SHOUT AT ME. Yes, I did shout that instruction at you, but I feel like you deserve it.]

    [I''M HONOURED, GREAT ONE!]

    [DAMMIT!]

    I hear a thud just outside the entrance, but before I can investigate, the priestes into view, scuttling forward <em>somehow</em> on his knees with his face pressed into the ground.

    [I apologise forck of control,] he says, voice quivering with emotion.

    This guy is just <em>exhausting</em>. Jern seems happy to see him, while Alis appears somewhat concerned to see him bowed down so low. Enid, at least, looks like a normal person should. I think.

    [Hey, Enid! How are you enjoying the tour?]

    [It''s been wonderful,] the old woman smiles. [I never thought I''d get the chance to see some of these ces. The Eran has been a wonderful host.]

    [She''s taking good care of you?] That raises the brathian up a few steps in my esteem. [That''s good! Isaac, how are you? How''s your moustache?]

    I have to ask since he won''t stop stroking or twirling the dang thing.

    [I had it treated at a salon today,] he says, eyes gleaming. [I''m very happy with the result. Are the Legion around?]

    Wha what does that have to do with anything?

    [Yes, of course they are. The fleet is out there, some of them came ashore, we know that much. There''s also a significant Legion fortress here with arge garrison. So, yes, the Legion is all over the ce.]

    His smile widens to a creepy degree.

    [That''s good.]

    [You''re weird. Now, I have questions,] and here I expand out the mind bridge to connect everyone together. [I''m trying to learn about these Temr and their ss. I''d like some advice.]

    [OF COURSE, GRE]

    [SHUT UP!]

    I will make this guy be quiet someday if it''s thest thing I do.

 Chapter 1215: Anthony On Tour - Further Matters of Faith

    Chapter 1215: Anthony On Tour - Further Matters of Faith

    [Ahem. I apologise for my outburst, I will control myself.]

    [You''d better,] Enid snaps, rubbing at her temple. [We''re all linked together with this bridge, Anthony isn''t the only one getting a headache from your shouting.]

    [I am ashamed.]

    [Geez, just take it easy, alright?]

    I''m massaging my own temples with my antennae. Dealing with this guy is always such a pain.

    [You''re the best person to provide information on something like this, so try to hold it together so we can ask some questions.]

    The priest remains on the floor, his face pressed into the ground.

    [So are you getting up?]

    [I believe it will be easier to control myself if I remain in this position, unable toy eyes on your magnificence.]

    This freakin'' guy

    Enid rolls her eyes and even Alis looks a little ufortable at his antics. I''m not wrong, right? This guy is way too weird, right?!

    [Fine. Let''s just get on with this. These two have a Temr ss, of some sort. Is there anything simr in your knowledge of the System?]

    [There isn''t,] Beyn replies, and I can feel the tension in his thoughts as he rigorously tries not to burst out with some nonsense. [In my opinion, for such a ss toe about, direct contact with a divine entity excuse me.]

    Before my many-lensed eyes, he turns his head to one side, shoves his fist in his mouth, and screams at the top of his lungs, eyes bulging from his head. This goes on for far too long, before he shifts back to face-in-floor mode and resumes speaking.

    [Direct contact with the divine, Great One. Although there have been Priests and the like all over Pangera ever since the System descent, sses rted to <em>specific</em> beliefs and individuals either don''t exist, or are kept secret.]

    Hmmm. My money is on thetter. I''m sure there''s plenty of sses that are tailored to specific individuals or circumstances. For example, why is the ruler of Atreum called the ''Child-Emperor''? Never the ''middle-aged'' Emperor, or ''Sundowning Emperor''. Either they have an elixir of youth, or there is a more specific reason.

    Perhaps that is the ss title?

    [So what you''re saying is that the emergence of the Colony and our mixing with people has brought about changes in the System? We knew that already.]

    Ant Cavalry, ant priests, ant all sorts of stuff. Weird sses have been popping up everywhere.

    [Those changes are directly rted to the Colony,] Beyn agrees. [However, other changes are more directly rted to your]

    He takes a deep, steadying breath.

    [Your nature,] he squeezes out, mind vibrating with suppressed energy.

    [I''m just a monster. A very big, super awesome monster,] I tell him tly. [Who has a cool, shiny carapace,] I add.

    [Of course,] he agrees, way too quickly.

    [You don''t believe me, do you?] I ask him shrewdly.

    [Of course not,] he replies.

    Dammit!

    [So, you don''t actually know how this new ss works at all, do you?]

    [I''m afraid I don''t, Great One. If I have displeased you, allow me to cut off my arm in repentance.]

    [You''ve only got one arm left, man! Treasure it a bit more!]

    [I will!]

    I''m exhausted. It''s at this point Enid chips in.

    [Beyn, isn''t it the case that the Church of the Path maintains arge presence here in the Silver City?]

    He nods into the floor.

    [Yes. There is also a cathedral in the Golden City, but only the highest ranking members of the Church may go there.]

    [Putting that cathedral aside for a moment, would it be possible for you to investigate their library? There may be something you can learn from the books squirrelled away in there.]

    Good idea, Enid! Get this guy the heck away from me!

    [In the meantime, we can turn our two young Temr over to Isaac for training. I''m sure he can help make something of them.]

    Isaac pauses in his moustache twirling for a brief moment.

    [Isn''t one of them a mage? How would I help with that?]

    [You know mages, Isaac,] Enid tells him patiently, [human mages who are used to fighting with the Colony. Don''t you think that''s what Alis needs?]

    [Sounds like everyone has something they can be doing, then!] I announce happily.

    [Not me,] Enid points out.

    [Go nap. <em>Now</em> everyone has something they need to be doing! Everyone out! I''m going to take a snooze myself.]

    [If I may, Great One,] Beyn speaks up. [Enid has brought up a good point, and I will dly do this research. However, there is another thing that I wish to bring to your attention.]

    He got through that whole speech without spasming in some weird way. In fact, I can feel his mind is unusually steady.

    [Go ahead, Beyn. I''m listening.]

    [SUCH JOY]

    [Stop! Breathe! Again! Now continue.]

    He masters himself with difficulty.

    [The Church of the Path is strong here. Very strong. They preach, as I once foolishly did, that supremacy over this world can be achieved through the System, and the destruction of monsters. They are vociferously against cooperation with monsters, even to the point of advocating for the eradication of the Sophos for many years.]

    [So you''re saying they aren''t going to be fans of the Colony?]

    [They will do everything in their power to destroy you,] he says with unusual seriousness. [To them, the Colony is a resource that <em>must</em> be exploited as a matter of faith. I want to encourage all members of your family to be on their guard while inside the Silver City.]

    [You think they would attack us?]

    [I fear they would do much worse.]

 Chapter 1216: Anthony On Tour - Hit the Books

    Chapter 1216: Anthony On Tour - Hit the Books

    A Divine Mission! A Holy Order!

    Beyn found it difficult to contain himself as he made his way into the city, leaving the warehousepound upied by the Great One, his family, and the rest of the trade mission.

    Such was his energy, he found himself trembling from head to toe. His feet were on the ground, but his spirit soared into the air. With every stride, he longed to dere the truth, to speak of the New Way, unveiled through the grace of the Great One upon the world!

    However, such an action would assuredly result in his death, and it was not proper for him to martyr himself at this time. There was too much to be done. The greatbour,ying down the new Path atop the false, was painstaking work and needed to bepleted brick by brick. For all of his ws, of which there were many, Beyn was aware of his position. His tasky not only in cing bricks, but in recruiting others to the cause, rallying the people around the Great One.

    So, he must live on, which meant the many unbelievers around him went unenlightened. Each person who walked by without hearing of the New Way sent a shard of pain directly into his heart, but he held firm, as was his duty.

    What the passers by thought of this twitching man, frequently brushing tears from his eyes with his one hand, is probably best kept a mystery.

    Eventually, he reached the grand cathedral that formed the centre of the Church''s power in the Silver City. Atop a grand staircase, the shining, silver edifice was a marvel to behold. Huge in scale, impressive in artistry, it truly was an incredible sight. However, Beyn found it didn''t move him as perhaps it once might have.

    The statue, fifty metres tall, of the smiling, wizened figure who represented the Path, looked down on the streams of people moving in and out of thepound with benevolence. Where once the robed figure, with hisrge hat and luxurious beard, had seemed so wise, almost all-knowing to Beyn, now he knew of the deeper Truth. There was another way.

    With a set of priestly robes the brathians secured for him, Beyn shrugged his shoulders and walked up the stairs. Before him yawned the wide open entrance to the cathedral itself, the booming words of a stirring sermon echoing out from within. He didn''t enter; instead, he turned to his right and moved to the side. Less of the public moved here; instead, it was mostly priests and staff, carrying books and other documents, going about the work of the Church.

    It had been so long since he''d worn the traditional robes, and he felt quite ufortable without the antennae on his head, but he pressed on, determined to learn what he could.

    "Wee to the library. How can I assist you on your Path?"

    Beyn started as he was intercepted the moment he stepped foot within the building. Dressed simrly to himself, the man who osted him was clearly not a normal Priest, as evidenced by his robust physique.

    "Oh. Yes, one moment."

    Beyn fumbled through his robes until he found what he was looking for.

    "Ah, here," he said, handing over his medallion of office.

    "A moment, father."

    The man took the finely shaped metal disc in one palm and ced the other over it, reading the mana contained within.

    "You''re a long way from your flock, father," he noted evenly.

    Beyn nodded.

    "The waves caused much destruction," he said sadly. "My people have gone through a great deal since the destruction of Liria."

    "I can only imagine the strange twists of fate that brought you to the fourth stratum. Regardless, you are allowed entry. You can ess the index at the desk once you are inside. May the Path guide your way."

    "... And yours."

    He longed. HE LONGED, to enlighten this man as to the True Path, but with great effort, he held his tongue.

    "Why are you holding your tongue, father?"

    "Thno reethon. Ethcuthe me."

    Not wanting to interact further and risk depleting his willpower, Beyn scuttled inside. The library was enormous, a great repository of knowledge, built up by the Church for over a thousand years. Although it would have been impressive to see all the texts in a single, open space, that wasn''t how they were stored. Instead, they filled room after room within the Libraryplex, each indexed and catalogued, filled with shelf after shelf of volumes.

    Immediately inside, the great index could be found, a row of enormous books, each tended by a robed Priest or Priestess. After some discussion and consultation of the texts, he was given a list of books, rooms and shelves to find what it was that he sought. Thankfully, there was precious little speech within the Library, so Beyn felt safe, believing none would engage him in conversation as he worked.

    For the next few hours, he toiled away in the depths of the Library, hunting down the books he needed, reading in the alcoves provided, taking notes. It was easy to get lost in the work, and there were several revtions that caused his brows to rise.

    However, his concentration was broken when a soft voice spoke over his shoulder.

    "Father Beyn? If I might have a moment of your time?"

    Disconcerted, he turned to see a smiling Priest had approached him, hands folded within his robes.

    "Ah, I didn''t mean to surprise you. I learned that a Priest assigned to the Liria region of the surface had entered the Library. Is that you?"

    "It is," Beyn stated, a little reluctantly. Why was this person approaching him? Why would he care about a tiny frontier surface kingdom that no longer existed?

    "I see I have confused you," the man smiled. "Worry not, I merely have some questions about the misfortune which gued your people. My name is Alir, Alir Vinting, a Grand Priest of the Way."

    Beyn hurriedly ducked his head in an improvised seated bow.

    "There is no need," Alir said, raising a hand. "May I have a moment of your time for discussion?"

    "Of course, Grand Priest," Beyn hurriedly assented. "You have but to ask."

 Chapter 1217: Anthony On Tour - Silver Scrapes

    Chapter 1217: Anthony On Tour - Silver Scrapes

    Enid enjoyed spending time with Eran Thouris, though the brathian negotiator was often busy, such as now. But the retired merchant was content merely to be present and soak up the energy of frenzied trading. It reminded her heavily of the old days, a young Enid fighting for every scrap of gold she could get her hands on.

    The secret to the brathian conglomerate''s sess seemed to be: they <em>always</em> brought that level of energy. No matter how much wealth they amassed, they were as hungry for the next sale as they were for their first.

    "Have the table dressings arrived? I wanted to see the samples two hours ago!" Eran demanded.

    "Not yet. There have been issues with the supplier."

    "Inform them we will be cutting their payment by twenty percent as per our contract. Timing of the delivery was stipted <em>very </em>clearly."

    "They may not like that. What if they drag their feet even further?"

    "That''s what the second, thirty percent dy penalty is for. Have the ants approved the proposedyout for the market?"

    "They have."

    Eran made a humming noise of approval.

    "It''s wonderful to work with people who understand the importance of a prompt response."

    Enid smiled. The Colony <em>loved</em> being organised. They were likely just as appreciative of the brathian obsession with logistics.

    "You seem to be putting more attention into this stop than the others," Enid observed.

    Eran turned to her.

    "The other cities were important, and we made some good deals, but they were just rehearsals for the Silver City. As much as it pains me to admit it, this is the richest city in the world. Even a small slice of the market here will be as profitable as the rest of the trip."

    Truly, the beating heart of the Atreum empire was an incredible sight to behold. Enid had sat and watched the gatework in action, a vast number of peopleing and going constantly, even at night. The docks were just as busy, an endless flow of ships unloading cargo and people, tourists, merchants, monster hunters, alling to see the sights and seek their fortunes.

    "It truly is a remarkable ce," Enid sighed. "I certainly hope you find sess here."

    The brathian smirked.

    "Me too," she said. "There''s so much money on the line I can practically smell it. If all goes well, the Colony will see an influx of cores greater than they ever expected."

    All of which would flow to the grubs, empowering the next generations of ants. It would be interesting to see what sort of difference this trade mission would make to the Colony. So far, they had subsided purely on what they could gain for themselves by harvesting the Dungeon. Enid believed they would be shocked to see what they would gain by engaging inmerce.

    "Eran, the samples have arrived."

    "Finally! Let me see."

    A sweating merchant stood by several mockup stalls nearby, an apologetic expression on his face. The Eran was not in a forgiving mood, stalking around the stalls with a critical eye. Thece didn''t hang properly. The trim wasn''t up to standard. The sculpting on the legs wasn''t fully symmetrical.

    To Enid''s trained eye, theints were legitimate, but only <em>barely</em>. To the Eran''s eye, even the the slightest issue was as ring as an ink stain on a cotton nket.

    Eventually, her approval was given, but only begrudgingly. Had the contracts not already been signed, the formidable brathian would surely have demanded even further discounts.

    "Have you decided on a venue?" Enid asked when the inspection wasplete.

    "Of course. The Te Dome was booked before we departed the Conglomerate," Eran replied with satisfaction.

    "I presume that is a good thing?" Enidughed.

    "It''s a great thing. It cost a fortune, but it''s well worth it. The Dome is a prestigious and beloved venue here in the Silver City. Just being there will draw many eyes and increase our exposure."

    "It seems things are going well, then."

    "Let''s not count our gold before it''s in the vault," Eran cautioned. "There is still much to be done. How is Anthony, by the way? I heard you went to visit him earlier in the day."

    "I think he''s struggling with istion somewhat," Enid replied after a moment of thought. "He doesn''t cope well when he can''t move around, in my experience."

    Eran nodded.

    "That''s my sense as well. I hope he can hold on a little longer. One more day, then our stalls will open, and of course I want him present. A visible sign of the Colony''s strength and majesty."

    "Don''t describe him like that when he can hear you," Enid warned her. "He''s puffed up about his appearance enough already."

    The brathianughed.

    "Yes, well it can''t be helped. He is a very impressive monster, no matter how we slice it. The people here aren''t easily impressed, but even they will flock to take a look at the strongest ant monster in the history of Pangera."

    "And hopefully buy some tea and furniture while they''re there."

    "Of course," the Eran shed a grin.

    "Are there any concerns about security?" Enid asked quietly. "I had a discussion with some of my people earlier, and they warned that some in the city would be hostile towards the Colony."

    "There are always those who are hostile towards monsters," Eran replied. "Not that we aren''t cognizant of the danger. With Anthony lying low, the risks of an incident are greatly reduced, but we are doing our best to ensure all members of the Colony are escorted whenever they leave thepound. So far, there haven''t been any issues, but we will continue to be cautious."

    "Good. I think I will go and let Anthony know. It will put his mind at ease."

    "Please do so. Remind him to be on his best behaviour tomorrow. One day of trading will make or break this partnership. I want everything to be perfect."

    "I''ll let him know. I''m sure he didn''te all this way to ruin things at thest moment."

    The moment she said the words, Enid felt a chill run down her spine. She should know better than to make such promations where that particr ant was concerned.

 Chapter 1218: Anthony On Tour - Time For Tea

    Chapter 1218: Anthony On Tour - Time For Tea

    <em>As a representative of the Colony, the Eldest became an invaluable asset over time. With their unique ability to speak to anyone and hold the family''s interest at the forefront of their mind, the Eldest was a fearsome negotiator.</em>

    <em>In many ways, they became the weapon of choice for the Colony in our diplomatic efforts. A stable presence, who never lost sight of the main goal, and who could overwhelm others with the sheer force of their monstrous presence.</em>

    <em>Of course, as time passed, it became almost impossible for them to rise high enough in the Dungeon to speak with other representatives, but the Eldest was always willing to serve the family, despite the pain.</em>

    <em>That is why we repay them in kind. Regardless of the pain.</em>

    <em></em><em>-From the private notes of Diplomant.</em>

    [Anthony?]

    [Hey there, Enid. I thought you were going for a nap?]

    The old woman huffs, her hands on her hips as she res up at me.

    [Just because you tell me to go and sleep, doesn''t mean I will. Do you seriously think you''re the boss of me?]

    [I wouldn''t dare. However, it does sound like you might be in need of a full medical.]

    She draws back in horror, eyes darting to the dark corners of my warehouse.

    [You wouldn''t!]

    [Is it really that bad?] I ask, amused. She''s been abducted by the healers a few times. It''s important that we make sure she''s getting the best possible care; after all that she''s done for us, it''s the least we can do.

    [I dislike being treated like an invalid,] she shudders. [Those healers wouldn''t let me walk unaided until I started hitting them with a stick. They didn''t mind that I hit them, but they felt it demonstrated I was stable enough to move around on my own.]

    The picture of a fed up Enid swinging a walking stick at the healers is so out of character I can''t help butugh.

    [That really happened? I''m not sure I believe it.]

    [Oh, it happened. I''m old, Anthony, not dead.]

    [That''s the entire point, old woman. We want to keep you old and not dead.]

    [I''ve had a good life. I aplished more than I ever really expected to. I''m happy to go when my time is up.]

    [Bah. I refuse to believe you aren''t enjoying this trade mission. All this travel? Admit it, you''re having a great time.]

    [I am,] she smiled, [it''s been very enjoyable.]

    [May as well stick around, then. More enjoyable things are bound to happen.]

    [Stop pestering me,] she scowls, but I can tell she doesn''t really mean it. [I came over here to discuss a serious matter, not to be coddled by you ants.]

    [Oh? Serious matters, eh? You know I like to keep those as far from me as possible. I''m allergic.]

    [Very funny. Eran sent me. Apparently, there are some officials from the city who wanted toe and meet you ahead of the market opening tomorrow. It''s not really possible for her to deny them, given where we are. Is that alright with you?]

    [Sounds like it has to be, doesn''t it?] I sigh, pushing myself up. [Just how important are these people? Is it the head of the fire brigade? Leader of the local ''Friends of the Grape'' wine society? Or the leader of the army, or something? I need to gauge my level of flippance.]

    [I''m not exactly sure,] she replies, looking a little troubled, [and I don''t think the Eran knows either. I would take them seriously and be on your best manners, regardless.]

    [Fine. Better roll out the red carpet, then.]

    By the time our guests arrive, I''ve enlisted the help of Cobalt to get things looking presentable. A nice table is put in ce, chairs, all that stuff. The bakers get to work and we have a fine selection of cakes and, of course, the Colony''s finest tea steaming in a self-heating pot.

    Naturally, I get my own cup and slice, extra size for my tier seven frame. The tea is delicious, I have to say. I wasn''t really partial to tea as a human, unless boiling leaves and weeds counts as tea? I think they have to be specific leaves.

    For whatever reason, I decide to get Jern and Alis to stick around on either side of me, wearing something semi-official looking. They''re ''guardians of the sanctum'' or whatever, so they may as well be around. I also take the unusual step of demanding that Protectant and her twenty be visible for the meeting. If someone who shows up can detect them, then it''s going to be a bad look for us having them hovering around all suspicious-like.

    Two hourster, as evening is beginning to descend, our guests arrive.

    Naturally, they aren''t unapanied, and a fairly impressive gathering of soldiers arrive, each wearing ornate armour that seems to gleam with an internal light. Combined with the guards they already have around me, this is starting to feel excessive.

    There''s an official group surrounded by all this hubbub, but from them, a single mage steps forward, a man in official-looking robes, who reaches out to me with a well-crafted mind bridge.

    Seriously, after all this time, I know an expert at work when I see one. This bridge is wless, and whipped together with such speed. Clearly not a usual mage.

    [Greetings. I am to be the official go-between for this meeting. I trust that is satisfactory?]

    [Sure, sure,] I wave him forward with an antenna. [Nice to meet you. I''m Anthony. Can I interest you in some tea? Or cake? It''s good stuff.]

    [Anthony, is it? An interesting name for a monster to take.]

    [Really?] I ask, confused. [We''ve got all sorts of names here in the Colony. There''s one who called themselves Brilliant, if you can believe it.]

    [That does seem rather bold,] the mage agrees. [I would love to ept your offer of refreshments, but first they must be checked, for safety. I''m sure you understand.]

    Seriously? These people are being a little too careful, aren''t they? Who would seriously attempt to poison some random officials in the middle of their city while surrounded by soldiers?! Nevertheless, I agree, because I don''t have any choice, and because I don''t really care.

    Who the heck are these people and why do they want to talk to me?

 Chapter 1219: Anthony On Tour - An Odd Engagement

    Chapter 1219: Anthony On Tour - An Odd Engagement

    The mage is smooth, I''ll give him that. Whoever this guy is, I really should get a name, he''s clearly got some experience in this sort of thing. Which is impressive, considering there can''t have been many meetings with giant ant monsters.

    Without a hitch, taste testers step forward and go over the food. In the blink of an eye, they''ve waved little devices, taken a sip or nibble, and cast some magic over every edible item on the table.

    For a fleeting moment, I wonder if they consider excessive sugar or butter to be a poison? I mean, it''s not exactly good for you. Would they dere the Colony has attempted to kill their leaders via excessive cholesterol? Let''s not forget the eggs.

    However, my fears dissolve into nothing as the specialised anti-poison squad steps back from the table, bowing low, to me for some reason, then to the mage, and then to the people behind them. That''s altogether too much bowing.

    [Those guys are going to have back problems if you make them bow that much,] I point out helpfully to the mage. [Better to stave off these health concerns before they be serious.]

    [It''s simply a gesture of respect. I hope you do not take offence?]

    [Offence? From what?]

    I''m confused.

    [Allow me to introduce the individuals who havee to meet with you,] the mage transitions smoothly, not letting the conversatione to an awkward junction. This guy is quick on his feet!

    [Can I get your name, first?]

    [Of course. How rude of me.] He goes to bow, then thinks better of it and straightens. [I am the senior Mage and Interlocutor of the Tower, Rathwyn Werilos. I am pleased to make your acquaintance.]

    [Sure. Nice to meet you. Now, please introduce me to these esteemed guests.]

    [It would be my pleasure. There are five who havee to meet with you as the representative of the Colony. From left to right, we have Alir Vinting, Grand Priest of the Way; Cassus Moran, leader of the Dungeon Delvers Alliance of Atreum; Florence Argyle, of the city beautificationmittee; Georgia Wynn, of the Merchant Cooperative; and Thorison Ers, of the Mayor''s Office.]

    [So, not the Mayor?]

    [No, no. A member of the staff.]

    [Just to rify, the beautificationmittee is actually quite powerful in this city, am I right?]

    [Oh, very. Keeping the Silver City as finely polished a jewel as possible is in the interests of every citizen.]

    Figures. The others make sense. We''ve got a bigwig priest of some sort, which I expected. They don''t like us, consider us as spiritual sacrifices offered up by the Dungeon, no less. But of course they want toe and take a look at the goods. Dungeon Delvers, of course, make perfect sense. They kill monsters for a living, I''m a monster who doesn''t want to get killed, so we have a conflict of interest. Merchants aren''t a surprise, nor is the Mayor''s office. We''re here for business, so merchants, sure, and the Mayor wants to make sure I''m not going to blow up their city, which is also fine.

    [Let them all know they are wee to my table. Please tell each of them I''m grateful for them making the time toe and meet with me. I''m not used to entertaining guests, being a monster, but they are more than wee to join me at the table for some snacks and tea.]

    Rathwyn passes on my words using the crude means of mouth-speaking, and the five individuals don''t exactly rush to the table, but they do approach and take a seat, reaching out for the tea and taking reserved sips.

    [On such short notice, we weren''t able to prepare much, but I hope they enjoy. Try the biscuits, a personal favourite.]

    I lean down to the table and nibble on my own. Delicious. The right bnce between crunch and crumble. The guests watch with a sort of semi-horrified fascination to see a giant insect monster chowing down on a nice bikkie, but hey, that''s hardly the weirdest part of this conversation.

    [I assume they have questions for me?] I ask Rathwyn as the guests look up at me and begin to snack. [Or something they would like me to say? I mean, I''m happy to drink tea and snack if that''s all they came for.]

    The mage smiles politely.

    [I''m sure they have other things on their mind. I will ask them if they would like to ask you anything.]

    They discuss amongst themselves for a bit before the privilege of asking the first question seems to fall on the priest.

    [Grand Priest Alir Vinting would like to say that he met with a Priest that you may be familiar with today.]

    [Ah heck. He''s not arrested, is he?]

    [Um I''ll ask.]

    A brief exchange.

    [He isn''t. The Grand Priest was wondering how the man came to lose his arm. Apparently, he was quite evasive when pressed.]

    [Oh. I bit it off.]

    [You bit it off.]

    [Yes. To be fair, he did hit me in the head first. It hurt.]

    [I''ll, uh, pass that on.]

    The Grand Priest smiles and nods when my answer is passed on to him, and he asks another question. The other guests don''t seem all that happy to hear that I''d chomped the arm off a priest, but I wasn''t about to lie to them. For all I know, they can detect lies as well!

    [Grand Priest Alir didn''t get the sense that Priest Beyn was all that averse to the Colony, despite his injury and the manner in which he received it.]

    Hoo boy. What to say about that damn priest and his enthusiasm for the Colony?

    [We helped a lot of people after the disaster of Liria. Once he realised we wouldn''t hurt anyone if we weren''t attacked first, he was keen to facilitate bonds between the refugees and the Colony, for mutual gain.]

    No lies there. Didn''t need to mention the inconve<em>ni</em>ent worship of ants, either.

    The Grand Priest sits back, seemingly satisfied with this answer, though he does appear to be looking at me much the way Tiny would look at a pile of Biomass, which isn''t great. Next to present a question is Florence, of the beautificationmittee.

    [Ms Argyle would like to know what your carapace is made of, and if there was a way to ess the material. She is quite taken with its hue and lustre.]

    I mean of course she is. My diamond carapace may not shine as bright as it did before, but now it has a more mature appeal.

    [Sadly, I can''t really answer that question. I won''t reveal what it is, and I can''t think of any way to get it, other than peeling it off my dead body, of course.]

    The poordy pales at that and waves her hands, looking faintly ill at the thought of violence.

    [She would like to stress she wasn''t implying such a thing.]

    [Of course. No problems here. It''s a super rare material, a variant of diamond, and I just can''t see how you would find it naturally urring in the Dungeon. It''s possible, deeper down, I suppose. Now, who''s next?]

 Chapter 1220: Anthony On Tour - Why Would I?

    Chapter 1220: Anthony On Tour - Why Would I?

    While the representative of the beautificationmittee recovers, the chap from the mayor''s office decides to chip in.

    [Mr Ers would like to ask if you have any designs to enact the same level of destruction you visited upon Greystone against the Silver City?]

    Really? They''re just going toe out and ask me that?

    [Is the Silver City nning on dropping a mountain upon my head?]

    [He says they aren''t.]

    [Well, I don''t see that we''ll have a problem, then. To be clear, I didn''t intend to harm Greystone at all. My only intention was to protect my family, the brathian trade fleet, and myself.]

    Some words are exchanged.

    [He asks if you expect them to believe you damaged the mountain <em>by ident</em>?]

    Rathwyn, the mage doing the tranting, doesn''t seem convinced either, judging by his tone. I shrug my antennae.

    [Doesn''t really matter if you believe it or not, does it? I don''t intend to harm the Silver City at all, and I''ve been isting myself here in this warehouse to minimise the chances something goes wrong. I''m here under supervision day and night. I can''t see what I could possibly do to reassure you more than this.]

    They <em>must</em> have some manner of determining intent, otherwise what would be the point of that line of questioning. Perhaps Rathwyn is such an advanced mind mage he can sense whether or not I believe my own words? That''s pretty crazy, if true.

    The theory gains credibility when Mr Ers leans back in his seat, seemingly satisfied with what the mage has had to say to him. Then Georgia Wynn, from the Merchant Cooperative, whatever that is, has some questions for me.

    These are easier to answer; all she''s interested in is sweet, sweet cash money. We ants are here to sell, and she is one of those looking to buy. Rather quickly, the general inquiries about quality and volume give way to what she is truly interested in.

    [She would like to ask if all trade with the Colony is required to go through the Brathian Ind Conglomerate, or if it is possible to negotiate directly with you or a representative?]

    Aha. They want to cut the brathians out of the deal.

    [Our agreement is rock solid, as far as I''m aware. You need to deal with Eran Thouris if you want to get around it. In the end, I think it''s better for you this way.]

    She raises her brows at my suggestion, and the mage passes her words to me.

    [Better for them? They have to haggle with the fiercest traders in the world who will squeeze every drop of profit they can from the goods you are attempting to sell. Ms Wynn wonders if you realise just how badly your family is going to lose out on this deal.]

    I guess most would probablye to that conclusion. She probably thinks that Eran and her husband are robbing us blind and we''re too young and naive to realise what''s happening. Probably all the merchants we''ve dealt with during the previous stops thought the same, thinking that the Brathian Ind Conglomerate is paying us a pittance for our wares and then jacking the prices right up when selling them on.

    It doesn''t really hurt us for them to believe that. In fact, it might even be better. The average consumer may be more willing to spend on Colony goods if they believe the brathians are taking the lion''s share and the monsters are getting a pittance.

    [If you think we''re getting robbed, then you should probably go and speak to Eran Thouris and see if she thinks the same. There''s a reason I said this situation is better for you.]

    [Ms Wynn would like to know what that reason is.]

    I ck my mandibles together lightly.

    [Because otherwise, you''d have to negotiate with <em>me</em>.]

    [And that would be difficult?]

    [Luckily for all of us, you don''t have to find out. Only the Brathian Ind Conglomerate will have to suffer through the experience.]

    With the various methods of extracting better deals for themselves exhausted, there is little option but for the merchant to give up and allow someone else to speak.

    [Alir Vinting, Grand Priest, would like to know how many members of your esteemed Colony there are right now.]

    You''re just going toe out and ask as well?! Seriously?! You want to count the chickens <em>this</em> far ahead of the hatching, they practically haven''t beenid yet! I suppose I have to give him an answer, and an honest one at that.

    [I have absolutely no idea. As much as I would like to spend my time tickling the grubs and counting the brood, I''ve had other things upy my time.]

    This guy. I can tell by the gleam in his eye that he knows exactly what he''s doing, and that he knows I know as well. Cheeky. You think you can feast on my family? Before long, this city is going to be flooded with fine ant merchandise that they''d rather not live without. It''s going to be a lot harder garnering support for a war than you think.

    Another idiot priest.

    Finally, it bes time for Cassus Moran, the leader of the Dungeon Delvers Alliance to speak. So far, he''s been extremely reserved, listening to the responses the mage has tranted with interest, but without offering anything himself.

    Now, he leans forward and speaks to Rathwyn in a deep, clear voice.

    [Mr Moran would like to know if the rumours of the Colony establishing their own Delvers office are true.]

    Oh heck, I''d totally forgotten about that. I do remember offering amission for any and all centipedes that they could bring us. A bounty, cleansing the Dungeon of the filth at the Colony''s expense.

    [You''ll have to excuse me, I need to consult with one of my own people for an update on that. I hope you don''t mind.]

    It doesn''t take long to get Cobalt in the warehouse so I can ask her directly. As a member of the Council, I hope she has some idea what''s been going on.

    "Remember when I told those monster hunting people that we''d pay them for every centipede they brought us?"

    "Of course I remember."

    "Is that still happening?"

    "Well, it was when we left. There were quite a few who''d taken us up on the offer. There were twenty different groups hunting centipedesst I''d heard. We had to build an exchange for them."

    Good to hear. I turn my attention back to the mage.

    [Yes, we are still doing that. Currently, we are offeringmissions to hunt for certain monsters, and I''m told there are at least twenty teams actively working around our mountain.]

    [Mr Moran would like to know the details. This is unorthodox, and he needs to ascertain if the Colony is stepping upon preexisting rights.]

    Nice of him to be up front about it.

    [It''s a straightforward transaction. They bring us remains of a specific type of monster, and we pay them in cores. That really is the extent of it.]

    The man strokes his chin before asking another question.

    [He would like to know what specific type of monster has drawn the ire of the Colony to this extent.]

    [Centipedes,] I reply directly.

    [And why?]

    [They''re centipedes] I return, confused. [Do we need any further reason than that?]

 Chapter 1221: Anthony On Tour - Trade Commences!

    Chapter 1221: Anthony On Tour - Trade Commences!

    A big day! An exciting day! The warehouseplex the Colony has been housed in is absolutely buzzing with activity. My siblings are working like industrious ants, I suppose. As to be expected. Everything is being unpacked and readied, subjected tost minute inspections and quality controls. It doesn''t take long for the head of the column to be prepared, and finally I am free to emerge from my warehouse and take my ce.

    It''s not that I need to be at the front for my own sake, but for whatever reason, that''s where they insist I go. Me and my guards, of course, because they haven''t so much as taken a toilet break in two days.

    Remarkable stamina. Where are they keeping it? I won''t ask.

    [Enid! Coming along to see the big event?] I ask, spotting the old woman riding in a litter carried between two ants.

    She looks absolutely disgusted to be receiving such treatment, but there''s no way they were going to let her walk. It''s almost hrious to see just how much she resents being doted on in this way. Yessssss, suffer through the indulgence, old woman! We will ensure you enjoy a long andfortable retirement, no matter the cost!

    Gweheheheh.

    And with that, the procession is on its way, with more and more ants falling in behind.

    The roads in the Silver City are wide and spacious, easily enough room for us to march toward our destination. At various points, guards are stationed to help guide the flow of traffic around us, emphasising just what a well-run and organised ce this really is. It''s my second time walking through the city, and once again, I''m struck by the beauty of the ce. Every building is coated in that lustrous, almost ethereal silver metal, but there is a surprising amount of green everywhere. Almost every building, whether it''s a shop front or a residence, has some form of hanging garden, or row of blooming pots, groaning with flowers and greenery.

    Along the side of the streets, there are tall trees rising, offering shade and a sweet scent that fills the air. Whoever they hired to design this ce really earned their pay is all I''m trying to say. I mean, dang. ce is nice.

    Then Iy a thousand lenses upon the building we''re hosting our trade event in and my impression only goes up. Clearly an event space of some kind, it''s a massive dome which ispletely open beneath, held up by gorgeous, <em>gorgeous</em> pirs. Each one of the gleaming metal pirs is sculpted as a different person, and I''m sure every one of them is some important figure to the Atreum empire. Stunningly lifelike, I can only hope that Michangnt is made to see these. Then that damn ant can see some real art and suffer the pain of being made to see someone else do it better!

    At the very least, appreciate that they aren''t all the same person! Variety is the spice of life!

    The area immediately around the dome is upied with an elegant garden, replete with ponds and a trickling stream that runs all the way around. Bridges and steps lead up the floor of the Dome, which we ascend, and then take in the view of the surrounding city.

    We''re going to have to beautify our nests, seriously. I refuse to lose to these humans <em>this</em> badly, dammit. I''m going to institute a beautificationmittee the second we get back.

    "Eldest, I think there''s a tform in the middle that the Eran wants you to stand on."

    "Seriously? They want me posed on a tform looking shiny for everyone to admire?"

    "I don''t think she mentioned anything about shininess or admiration, but she definitely said something about a tform. Ah, yes, I can see it over there."

    Be that way. Yes, now that we get closer, I can see it as well. It''s not super tall or anything, probably only a few feet. Resigned to my fate, I head on over and flop down on it.

    [How do <em>you</em> like it,] Enid snipes as she''s put down beside me. [Being treated as useless?]

    [Enid, what do you think I could even do around here? Help set up the stalls? Look at the size of my mandibles.]

    I flex them for emphasis.

    [What use am I for something like this? None at all. The Colony wants me to stand around and look impressive. I can handle that. Now <em>you</em>, on the other hand, you are truly useless.]

    [I''m not here to help anyway,] she sniffs, [I''m here sightseeing and enjoying retirement.]

    [Could have fooled me. You look like you want to get up and run a stall, get some haggling in.]

    [That''s not work, that''s leisure for me.]

    [I knew it!]

    As Enid and I bicker back and forth good-naturedly, the stalls begin to take shape around us. Eran is a constant presence, along with the brathian inner circle. She''s sourced all sorts of fancy stuff to make our market presentation look more impressive, and I have to say, it does seem to be doing the trick. As things start to take shape, I have to admit it all looks very ssy, very tasteful. We''re really going all out here in the Silver City, hoping to make a good impression, and I''m sure that we will. I doubt anything we have to offer will be close to the highest quality avable in this ce, but there''s no way they can beat our prices.

    Gweheheheh.

    With a few hours to go, everything is put together with remarkable speed and efficiency. Honestly, it''s fun to watch. I''m not one of the crafters in the Colony, and honestly, I''m never going to be, but I''m d to see those ants who decided they really wanted to specialise in flowerpot making or carpet weaving get their chance to shine and perform an invaluable service for the family. I can practically see them swelling with pride.

    Before long, the customers will arrive, and it''ll be show time. This is a one day event, so we have to make a good first impression.

 Chapter 1222: Anthony On Tour - Trading Day

    Chapter 1222: Anthony On Tour - Trading Day

    When the customerse, theye in a flood. I want to emphasise that I don''t use that word lightly. I have no idea how many people live in the Silver City, but I''m guessing it''s something along the lines of <em>many</em>. Much like Freehill, home of the Folk, pretty much the entire mountain is imed by the city, but unlike Freehill, the whole dang thing is built up. Keep in mind, these mountains make Earth mountains look like <em>hills.</em> Fourth stratum mountains point and <emugh</em> at Earth mountains, when they can see them due to Earth mountains being too dang <em>short</em>.

    So how many people live here? It''s a heck of a lot. There''s no way this city could possibly sustain itself without portal technology. I wonder how muchnd in the Atreum empire is dedicated just to feeding this monstrosity? Surely there are multiple mountains they own in the fourth, along with a significant chunk ofnd on the surface solely dedicated to that purpose.

    Surprisingly, despite the hurrying throngs, things start out pretty well. The nature of the Dome, being totally open, allows for the flow of traffic, and so long as the ants running the stalls are moving people on swiftly, there isn''t a chance for a traffic jam to develop. Credit for this also goes to the excellent work done in the nning phase. Theyout ensures that the most in-demand stalls are spread evenly throughout the event space and never in ces that might create bottlenecks. Sloan and Eran Thouris have done excellent work.

    As for me? I''m busy being beautiful. No more flopping about for me, I''m standing tall and proud. Every now and again, I flex my mandibles or send my massive antennae sweeping over the crowd, much to the delight and interest of the locals. I have to say, the most popr attraction at this event appears to be¡­ myself.

    Gweheheheh.

    Not that I can me them. My Gravity Compressed Diamond Carapace gleams with a deep and mysterious light, my eyes glow with an unfathomable purpose and my mandibles thrill with their power and sharpness. There is no finer example of the ant form than me, and since the ant form is the most superior of all the monsters, there is no finer monster than myself in all of Pangera. May as welle and get a look while you can!

    To be honest, I''m kind of shocked at howfortable the people of the Silver City are at getting close to me. Motherse along with their children at their heels, pointing up at me as the little ones stare. Young men and women stroll along, arm in arm, whispering to each other as they look at my incredible visage. Nobody seems nervous at all. It''s kind of refreshing, if I''m honest.

    As I perform another broad sweep of the antennae, I spot a familiar face and decide to extend a mind bridge for a quick chat. Looking stunning only takes a small part of my mental capacity, after all, not because I have so much of it, but because being this appealing takes almost no effort.

    I''m bored.[Not sure if I expected you to show up, Mr Rathwyn. Or should that be Mage Rathwyn?]

    The silver haired mage chuckles as he walks around to stand in front of me.

    [A few from the Tower havee to take a look around, so I decided to join them. It isn''t often we schrs are able to witness something like this. There have been many species of monster who tried to form societies, some of which still exist, but I don''t think there has ever been one who acted as cooperatively as the Colony. How are mypatriots supposed to resist?]

    [As long as they don''t want any live samples,] I say, half-jokingly. [We arrived with ten thousand, and that''s how many I''d hope to leave with.]

    [We have a fairly strong board of ethics,] he responds dryly. [They don''t look too kindly on kidnapping and involuntary incarceration. That wasn''t always the case, mind you, but over thest three hundred years, the Tower has been on the strait and narrow.]

    [That''s a relief. Thest thing I want is for one of my sisters to be a specimen.]

    [But not you?]

    [Wouldn''t be the first time,] I shrug my antennae. [I''d rather it be me than them, though I''m sure they don''t agree.]

    "We do NOT agree," Protectant mutters from on my back.

    How the heck did she sneak onto this mind bridge? Something to figure out another time.

    [I''ve been told that monsters always turn against non-monsters eventually, particrly if the Ancients are involved,] I say casually. [Some believe another Rending is on the Horizon, the monsters of legend ready to rise and plunge the world into chaos. Isn''t the Atreum empire scared to foster rtions with a potential threat?]

    As my line of questioning goes on, Rathwyn grows more sober, stroking his beard as he ponders his response.

    [I could answer that question from a few different perspectives. Does the Atreum Empire believe another cataclysm is imminent? Probably not. Do they view the Colony as a threat? Probably not. There are those who have been preparing to fight the Ancients themselves. What''s one ant Colony in the face of that?] He holds up a hand to halt any quick response from me as he continues to think. [Personally, I don''t think there is any safe or easy way to eliminate ant monsters, which has been shown throughout history. Exterminating them is <em>always</em> difficult, <em>always </em>painful. Your Colony would be an even worse opponent.

    [Now, to answer for myself. I am indeed worried that the recent waves are indicating another Rending may be on the way. I am also worried that the Colony will turn against their allies, making our survival less likely, which means I find it difficult to support this trade alliance, considering the profits, in the form of cores, will strengthen your family considerably.]

    Huh.

    [That''s refreshingly honest of you,] I tell him. [I''m not sure how it''s all going to shake out either, but I really don''t think the Colony is going to be all that susceptible to the Ancients.]

    [Until you meet one, who can say?] Rathwyn shrugs. [Although, I have to admit, I feel a little more reassured after meeting you, Anthony. As you suspect, the contact of our minds gives me more information than it would to most, which is why I hold the post that I do.]

    [I knew it.]

    [If you would be so kind, I would love to hear more of your thoughts on the matter of the Dungeon and our future. Someone in your position is bound to have a unique perspective, one that we don''t get to hear very often.]

    [An ant perspective? I suppose not. Aside from me, have you ever spoken to one before?]

    [I haven''t, but that''s not what I meant.]

    [Oh?]

    I swear he has a twinkle in his eye as he strokes that beard with one hand.

    [I meant, as a former human, reborn in the Dungeon as a monster.]

 Chapter 1223: Anthony On Tour - A Wizard is Never Late, But They Do Yap Too Much

    Chapter 1223: Anthony On Tour - A Wizard is Never Late, But They Do Yap Too Much

    No problem. Not even a worry. Just y it cool.

    [W-w-w-w-w-w-w-why w-w-w-w-w-would you s-s-s-s-s-say that?!]

    Smooth. Rathwyn holds up both palms to show hees in peace.

    [There are a few tells. First of all, you are the only ant I''ve connected minds to who has a male mental voice.] He brings up a hand to point at his own temple. [Our mental voice is essentially the same as the voice we ''think'' in. Every member of your family is female, and they all have female mental voices. I''ve exchanged words with a dozen of them at this market, but I''m willing to bet I won''t find another who sounds anything like you. Am I right?]

    [W-w-w-w-wh-w-w-w-who can s-s-s-s-s-s-s-sa-say?]

    Nice. Rathwyn goes on, despite my master level deception.

    [There are simply too many aspects of the Colony that don''t make sense from the outside. Let''s assume a monster, born in the Dungeon, same as any other, found themselves in the unique position you did, able to manipte the Queen''s core and having the Skills to do so. What do you think that theoretical monster would do?]

    He waits for an answer patiently, and I try to unscramble my brain to give an unrevealing answer.

    [Probably¡­ make¡­ smart ants? It seems¡­ smart?]I''m like a buttered snail. Too damn smooth!

    [I disagree,] he states with a smile. [Monsters prioritise speed and strength, almost always. It''s only the more intelligent creatures that understand just how powerful an intellect can be. A regr ant, with regr evolutions, would never be smart enough to realise this. Now, a former human, born as an ant, with elevated intelligencepared to a regr monster? That''s a different matter entirely.

    [Then, I only need to consider what the Colony is doing now.]

    [W-w-w-what are w-w-w-we d-d-d-doing now?]

    [You''re <em>making furniture</em>. Monsters almost never trade, but when they do, they trade things they don''t value but tend toe across naturally. Things they produce as a by-product of their existence, or raw materials that fall inside their territory. They do not, as a rule, develop their own vours of <em>tea</em>.] He gives a slight shrug as if to say ''what the heck am I supposed to think?'' and smiles up at me.

    I need to approach this situation carefully.

    [Is it¡­ a problem, if I was a human in a past life?]

    [What do you mean?]

    [Are there other mages monitoring this conversation, waiting to throw me in a cage?]

    [You don''t have any reason to believe me, but no. Schrs in the tower, and I don''t doubt elsewhere, have suspected your origins, but it''s hard to be definitive without meeting you in person.]

    He looks altogether too interested as he looks up at me, as if I''m a rare sample he''s waited decades to get his hands on.

    [Now, we aren''t going to stick you in a cage and study you, but I would love to ask some questions. We''ve known about people from outside Pangera being born into this world as monsters for millennia, but it''s almost impossible to find one that can hold a conversation.]

    [You''d probably have to get to us pretty quick,] I agree. [Every former human I''ve met has been¡­ a little off bnce, to put it mildly. Without intervention, I think all of them would have gone crazy.]

    Sarah would have, for sure. Lost to the rage and killed, without a doubt. Jim was saved by the golgari, but he survived by hiding himself away. The istion had already done a number on him by the time he was captured. Garralosh¡­. Better not to think of Garralosh. She was barely there from the moment she arrived.

    [I notice you don''t include yourself in that list,] Rathwyn observes. [Is there a reason for that?]

    [Me? Go crazy? No, I''d have been fine.]

    [Why?]

    [What do you mean?]

    [I mean¡­ why wouldn''t you have lost your mind, as you say everyone else would have?]

    [I''m not sure I understand the question.]

    Why evenpare us? Everyone else was dropped into a horrible situation, alone and frightened, forced to fight for their lives in a body they hated. My situation is <empletely</em> different from theirs. Being alone, scraping by, trying to keep myself alive with only ants forpany. That was life as a human as well as an ant. Not that much has changed, really.

    Personally, I think Gandalf chose me by mistake, but I''m not going toin about it.

    [If you want my perspective on the Ancients,] I say, moving the conversation forward, [I think I''m going to ensure that they remain independent from outside influence. The Colony is my family now, and I refuse to ept that they''ll be mindless warmachines in the service of some old monster.]

    [Not many would describe those creatures as ''some old monster'',] Rathwyn observes wryly.

    I look at him sideways (and from many other directions).

    [You aren''t in a cult, are you?]

    [Me? By the Gold, no. Though, I shouldn''t be surprised that they''ve been in touch with you. Look, I can see you aren''t willing to spill too many of your secrets, which is fine. Though, I would love it if you could shed any light on one issue. Why is it that people like you are brought here? Nobody knows the answer to that question, though we have been thinking on it for many, many years.]

    I mean¡­ how much can I reasonably share here? How much <em>should</em> I share? I''m in a fairly unique position in that I''ve spoken to the one person who probably could give an answer, not that they want to.

    [I suspect,] I begin slowly, [that there is a good reason for it, rted to the function of the System itself. I just don''t know enough about what that function is to exin how it''s rted.]

    Rathwyn sighs.

    [That means you''re pretty much in the same boat as the rest of us. If you happen toe up with any answers, do try and let me know.]

    [I''m not likely to swing past the Golden City any time in the near¡­ or distant future.]

    [You are right,] he says, stroking his beard again, [I may need to get in contact with you. I will leave it here then, Anthony. A pleasure to speak with you again.]

    Just like that, he breaks off the contact, gives a friendly wave, and then wanders off, towards the tea stalls, I note.

    What an odd person.

 Chapter 1224: Anthony On Tour - Furious Sales. Everything Must Go

    Chapter 1224: Anthony On Tour - Furious Sales. Everything Must Go

    No matter how she tried, Enid couldn''t keep the smile from her face, so she eventually stopped trying. The legendary Silver City, heartbeat of the most populous stratum of the Dungeon, had turned out to see the Colony go to work, and go to work they did.

    Ants were everywhere, forging, chopping, carving, shaping, using their Skills honed through evolution, mutation, and most importantly, relentless hours of experimentation and practice. Around every stall was a small crowd of fascinated onlookers, watching, enthralled, as the monsters disyed their wares and abilities, a brathian merchant close at hand to smile and speak, avarice gleaming beneath the surface.

    And it was <em>working</em>. Deals were being struck everywhere. People were walking away with goods tucked under their arms and satisfied expressions, merchants were haggling for distribution rights left and right. In the middle of it all, Eran found her, looking like the cat who got the cream.

    "It''s all going well, then?" Enidughed.

    "Fabulously," the brathian purred, eyes alight with the glow of gold. "Our reputation has preceded us, and the people are flocking to see what all the fuss is about."

    Enid''s eyes widened as she finally realised what had been happening.

    "You <em>expected</em> Anthony to cause issues at the previous stops?"

    By the time they reached this destination, the final and most critical of the trip, word of mouth had done the advertising for them! The crowds around Anthony weren''t just there to see a powerful monster up close, they wanted to see the monster who''d done such damage to Greystone, out-pettied the Magpei, and gone undefeated amongst the Folk.

    "Well, I didn''t expect him to destroy half a mountain," Eran scowled, "but yes, we anticipated that there would be some¡­ activity¡­ that would help to build a little buzz by the time we arrived here.""You weren''t worried his antics would scare people off instead?"

    "It was a gamble, and one we thought we''d lost after Greystone. Yet, even that worked in our favour." She looked around at the crowd with satisfaction. "I knew if we managed to get eyes on the Colony''s work, then we would be sessful. Quality is one thing, but price and quantity have a quality all of their own."

    Looking around, it certainly seemed as if that was the truth. Enid doubted the ants, especially Anthony, had any idea just how much wealth they were about to receive as a result of their trade. A flood of cores would flow into their nests, fuelling the growth of generations of ants. Perhaps it would only make a dent against the number of cores they needed, but it would result in thousands and thousands more ants receiving full evolutions.

    "You''re satisfied with the trip, then?" she asked the brathian leader.

    "I think we''ve done about as well as we could have hoped," Eran replied, narrowing her eyes thoughtfully.

    "I thought you''d be out there, trading more directly, like you have elsewhere."

    The purple-scaled brathian smirked.

    "The merchants here know better than to speak with me directly. They''ll avoid exchanging words with me like others avoid disease. After my people have settled on preliminary terms, they''ll turn negotiations over to me. I can''t be cut out of the process entirely, since I have final say on all contracts involving the Conglomerate."

    With a sigh, the lead negotiator for her people stretched and sat down next to the older human. Enid scooted over a touch to make space and they both leaned back against the pir, the base of which they were sitting on.

    "I have to thank you for allowing me to apany the trade mission," Enid said. "It''s been¡­ a wonderful experience."

    Eran brushed her away.

    "Nonsense. You don''t need to be thanking me at all; the Colony insisted you shoulde."

    "Ultimately, it was you who allowed it, so I am grateful."

    The two traders sat and watched the bustle around them, an ind of calm in the midst of the swirling rush of bodies.

    "I always loved ces like this," Enid said. "There''s more exchanged than just currency. Little moments, small interactions, a meeting of cultures, personalities and minds. It''s a beautiful thing."

    "Currency is enough," Eran said and smiled. "To suggest any different would be almost sphemous to my people. Though, between the two of us¡­ I do agree with you. I sincerely hope that the Colony is able to survive into the future. I believe that they are peaceful at heart, and will continue to be so."

    In the distance, Anthony continued to strike pose after pose, the giant monster flexing his front legs or stretching himself out to impress the onlookers.

    "As long as Anthony is around, I think they will be. Without that leadership¡­ I''m not as sure," Enid admitted.

    "In that case, let us pray for long life and good health for that ridiculous ant. May the Dungeon be kind to him and his people. I need it to be, since I will rue tremendous wealth the more time passes!"

    "You''re giving a fat percentage to the Colony thanks to that ridiculous ant, remember?"

    Eran winced.

    "I''d rather forget about that, if I''m being honest."

    They sat side by side inpanionable silence for a few more minutes before Eran eventually stood.

    "Time to go and finalise some deals," she announced, a wicked twinkle lighting up in her eye.

 Chapter 1225: Anthony On Tour - Departing the Great City

    Chapter 1225: Anthony On Tour - Departing the Great City

    Sales have gone well, or so I''m told, and by the time the market has finished and everything is getting packed up, the ''night'' of the fourth stratum is falling. Now, in a stratum filled with water and light mana, it''s rainbows and sunshine pretty much non-stop down here, but it does wax and wane slightly. The upshot is that half the time it''s brighter, half the time it''s a bit more dim.

    Aka, ''night time''.

    Standing¡­ or flopping¡­ on my tform, I watch as all the ants around me deconstruct their stalls with pride. And a little bit of relief. It''s been fun, this trading adventure, getting to see all these different ces and interacting with people that a monster such as myself wouldn''t normally get a chance to speak with. I''ve enjoyed the trip, but it''s time to go home. I want to feel the walls of the nest close in around me. Have my family members crawling over my carapace and feel the will of the Colony thundering through the Vestibule.

    Let''s not forget the grub tickling also. I''ve gone far too long without grub tickling.

    As much as all of this merchant business is going to benefit the family, there are other important things to do. The cleansing of the fifth stratum is my top priority at the moment, followed by trying to find a way to get the endlessly painful Call ripped out of my guts. Quite honestly, ripping it out would be less painful than what I''m feeling right now. I assume. I don''t know what it would be like to remove the darn thing.

    "All ready to go?" I ask Tungstant.

    "Just about, yes," she replies. "We were able to get rid of almost all of our stock, so there isn''t nearly as much for us to pack. Even the raw materials like ingots and wood have been sold to builders and craftsmen. We''ll be bringing only a tenth of what we left with."

    "A resounding sess!" I congratte her. "Well done, Tungstant. You''ve done incredible work to keep this whole thing running smoothly. The carvers have done the Colony proud."

    "Thank you, Eldest," she preens, cking her mandibles happily. "They''ve been working diligently to master all of the trades in this world, and I''m confident our skill will only improve going forward.""I''ve got no doubt about that."

    I mean, that''s the nature of the System. The more you do something, the better you get at it, but I think she''s referring to more than that. To truly excel, experimentation,teral thinking, and creative application are all required, alongside relentless grind. My siblings have the endless grind aspect down to a fine art, but still need practice thinking outside the box. Only a few individuals, such as Smithant or Snt, have shown aplete disregard to conventional ways of ant thinking. Honestly, I hope their way of going about things spreads to the rest of the family.

    I find Eran Thouris and extend a mind bridge towards her.

    [Hello, hello. Are we heading straight to the ships from here?]

    [Yes, we are. No need to stay any longer than necessary. Despite some¡­ unexpected cmities along the way, our mission has been a sess.]

    Judging by the look on her face, it went <em>very</em> well.

    [A lot of gold flowing into the coffers of the Conglomerate then, I take it?]

    [More than expected,] she smirks, then switches to a scowl with startling speed. [Don''t forget you''re getting a fat percentage of those profits. What''s good for us is also good for you.]

    [A <em>fat</em> percentage? I consider it barely adequate. We can renegotiate it if you wish.]

    [I would rather not.]

    [Thought so.]

    When all is ready, I once again take my ce at the head of the column as we make our way out of the city. Even now, people turn out to see us walk by, this strange collection of brathians and ants marching down the wide silver streets towards the dock.

    A thought urs to me.

    "Did we ever find Beyn again?" I ask.

    I don''t remember seeing the priest, or asking after him, since he ran off to the library. At the time, it seemed like a convenient way to get rid of him, but I think it would be poor form if we actually left him behind.

    "He rejoined us during the market, Eldest. Did you want me to go and get him for you?" Tungstant tells me.

    "What? Heck no! I mean, no thanks. I just wanted to make sure we didn''t leave anyone behind."

    "Not to worry, Eldest, we did a full headcount before we left the market."

    "Good thinking."

    Down through the broad streets we go, surrounded by silver that gleams under the light of the fourth. Eventually, we find our way down to the docks after getting through the checkpoints in the massive, massive wall that rings the city.

    For once, I''m perfectly content to see my ship waiting for me. The wide tub. Ol'' reliable. It''ll be a while sitting on the boat before we get home, but I''m looking forward to getting underway.

    There''s the usual pileup on the dock itself as we line up and try to get ourselves onto the boats in good order. It takes a while, but we get loaded on, and I find myself in my customary position, t out on my belly, legs extended through the rails, watching as the wall begins to move away.

    Hopefully Tiny, Crinis, Invidia and Sarah came out of their evolutions alright. I''ve missed the gang terribly. It''s been weird being out and about in the Dungeon without them. Really looking forward to getting the squad back together.

    Nothing to worry about now except the journey home.

    I settle down, letting my antennae flop forward as I prepare to go into torpor. I don''t doubt the brathian mages are keen to get home, and this ship is going to be absolutely flying through the water. Time to snooze.

    Except¡­ what is that?

    ¡­

    What the heck is that?!

    I weave together a mind bridge and snap it out to Eran.

    [We have to go back.]

    [What? Why? Is something wrong?]

    [Something is very wrong. Turn this ship around. We need to go back.]

    [But¡­ but¡­ we don''t have docking permissions. They won''t let us back inside the city!]

    [Then I''ll go myself.]

    I gather gravity mana into myself, weaving a well that I can use to lift myself off the ship.

    All the while, I hear one of my siblings crying out to me through the Vestibule.

    <em>Don''t worry. I''ming.</em>

 Chapter 1226: Anthony On Tour - Plea

    Chapter 1226: Anthony On Tour - Plea

    Where is iting from? It''s hard to tell. I dive deep into the Vestibule, following that single thread of Will, trying to trace it back to the source. The ant is in pain, wanting to be saved. Wanting <em>me</em> to save them.

    Just what could be happening?! What is going on?!

    [You have to be calm, Anthony! I don''t understand, what is the matter?] Eran tries to calm me.

    [We have left an ant behind and they are being hurt! I will <em>not</em> wait!]

    The moment my gravity well is ready, I cast it and lift myself off the ship. It takes a little while, but I begin to rise rapidly. As I desperately try to determine where my missing sibling might be found, I snap out another mind bridge to Tungstant.

    [One of us has been left behind in the city and they are under attack! Organise a quick headcount so we can find out who''s missing!]

    [What?!] she gasps. [I''ll do it immediately!]

    Come onnnnnnn. I know you''re in there somewhere. But where?!

    I rise up, the Silver City gleaming before me, stretching so far, and climbing so high. Above that rests the Golden City, a hazy cloud far above me. Dammit! I have to be able to squeeze more out of the Vestibule! Where the heck are they?!I grab hold of that wavering thread and tug on it, trying to trace it to its source. It''s thin, far away. How did they move her so far away from the rest of us so quickly? A gate?

    It''s above! The Golden City!

    With a thought, I work my Gravity Well and rise even faster, whipping up into the air. Faster, dammit! This stupid mountain is hundreds of kilometres tall, it''ll take forever to reach the top!

    Eran is still trying to reach me with a mind bridge, but I rebuff her attempts. If the brathians can''t help me <em>right now</em>, then they''re pretty much useless. I''ll have to do this by myself.

    I know who''s done this. Or at least, I heavily suspect who it is. That Grand Priest just couldn''t resist. I seriously didn''t think he''d try and take one of us while we were guests in the city, but his greed must have got hold of him.

    He won''t get a second chance¡­. If I don''t get my sibling back, then there is going to be <em>hell</em> to pay!

    No, I can''t think like that. I <em>will</em> get her back, and there will <em>still</em> be hell to pay!

    I pull more mana into myself, converting it into gravity mana and preparing a few spells, keeping them under control for the time being. Who knows what I might need to get in there and bust my sibling out?

    More mind constructs begin to reach out to me,ing from the city, but I push them away. The Golden City is growing in my vision as I draw ever closer. It''s like a vision of heaven, but in this moment, I couldn''t care less. Through the Vestibule, I receive a constant stream of distress that Itch onto and home in on.

    I''ming, dammit!

    A burst of light shes incredibly bright, momentarily blinding me, but I don''t stop moving. Well, I don''t stop moving until I run into the solid wall of air that snaps into ce.

    More mind bridges, trying to snap onto me, but I force them away and rip into the wall with my mandibles and minds. In moments, it crumbles away and I am rising again, only for another to form in seconds.

    When my vision clears, I realise what is happening. The sh of light was a group of Mages using some sort of teleport spell, like Brilliant. They''ve appeared several hundred metres away and are using their magic to bind me in ce. What the heck?! I haven''t even done anything wrong!

    Begrudgingly, I allow one of them to connect to me, one I recognise.

    [Rathwyn, what the heck are you doing up here?]

    I can see him raise a brow from all the way back where I am, stuck in a box of air. Not that he appears calm. He looks rather concerned really.

    [I think the more appropriate question is, what the heck are <em>you</em> doing up here? Now that the trade mission is over and your fleet has departed, you no longer have legal grounds to enter the city. If you want toe back inside, you''ll need to apply at the port like everyone else.]

    [One of my siblings has been abducted,] I tell him shortly. [Now let me loose so I can retrieve them. You have five seconds.]

    I mean, I''m being super patient with them, given the situation.

    There is furious discussion amongst the mages, but when five seconds passes, Rathwyn hasn''t gotten back to me. So I rip their cage apart and begin to rise once more. When they attempt to reform it, I''m ready and shred their mana before it can solidify around me.

    [Anthony¡­ Anthony! Wait! You <em>can''t</em> do this! There are proper channels you have to go through!]

    [One of my siblings is <em>dying</em>, Rathwyn! You think I''m going to wait for <em>red tape</em>?]

    The man is clearly out of his mind. He needs a nap, a cup of tea, a sabbatical. Why else would he raise this irrelevant nonsense?

    [We don''t have any evidence that your im is true!] he cries desperately as the Mages continue to attempt to bind me. [I don''t even know how you could possibly know what you are iming to know! Give us a little time to verify your im and the¨C]

    [Nope.]

    If I couldn''t sense the endless stream of distress pouring through the Vestibule, I might have listened to what Rathwyn had to say, I might have been patient and worked through the necessary channels, but that isn''t the world I''m living in. My sibling is in <em>pain</em>. Great pain. I have no idea what the heck is being done to them, or why, but it sure as heck isn''t a pleasant experience.

    Another <em>second</em> of dy is intolerable to me.

    The Mages continue to attempt to stifle me as Rathwyn pleads for patience, but I cut off his mind bridge and use my many mental constructs to rip into their attempts to slow or stop me. Forget about being dyed, I need to go even faster!

 Chapter 1227: Anthony On Tour - Golden Wall

    Chapter 1227: Anthony On Tour - Golden Wall

    Pushing my mastery over the gravity well to its limits, I begin to rocket upwards toward the golden city. Enshrouded by luminous clouds, the city radiates a warm light, turning the mist into a halo. Somewhere beyond that obstruction, my sibling is waiting.

    Frustration is boiling up inside me with every passing second. I just wish I understood what was happening. The thread of Will connecting me and the captive is thinning, growing weaker, and I have no idea why.

    What the heck are they doing to her in there?! Why is she growing so weak? How is her Will being sapped?

    The questions don''t matter, I can push them aside. Who cares what they are doing in there, I''m going to save her anyway. The closer I get, the better I''m able to home in on her location. It''s not easy to see clearly through the ever present cloud that hovers around the Atreum capital, but I''m starting to home in on the location. Unsurprisingly, I catch glimpses of a vast cathedral right where I believe the Will is flowing from.

    Because of course I do.

    Now that I have a location, I rocket forwards as fast as I can possibly fall, if you take my meaning. Turns out a creature with my mass can fall rather quickly.

    Another sh of light blinds me as I assume Rathwyn and co teleport in again. I''d really like to know how they do that, but I don''t have time for lessons right now. Nor do I have time to deal with their nonsense.

    Once again, I dedicate a portion of my minds to fending off their attempts to restrain me, or form a mental bridge. However, one of them manages to bend and twist their mana in such a way that it eludes my grasp, zigging and zagging this way and that until finally it snags onto me and the bridge snaps into ce.

    Of course it was Rathwyn.

    [How in the heck do you even do that?]

    [It''s an advanced technique, but that''s beside the point. You <em>have</em> to stop. You''re about to rush into the Golden City!]

    Well¡­ yes. Of course I am.

    [What else would you expect me to do? A member of my family has been captured and might be <em>dying</em> down there. I''d rather not be violent, but you and the squad here need to get the heck out of my way.]

    [These are fellow schrs from the Tower, not officials or soldiers, and we are trying to <em>save </em>you! The Golden City is one of the most protected ces in all of Pangera. If you think you can get in there safely, then you are <em>very </em>wrong! You have to wait!]

    [Of course they are going to try and stop me, I knew that going in.]

    It simply doesn''t matter. Brushing aside the mages, I home in on the Cathedral and orient myself towards it. If all goes well, I''ll drop on that stupid building like an ant-shapedet. Once I crash through the roof, I can start hunting around for the missing ant. Hopefully, not too many bystanders get caught up in the mess, but honestly, that''s not my priority. I have to find and rescue the captive as quickly as I possibly can.

    [If you get much closer, the city is going to defend itself!] Rathwyn warns me, his mental voice growing desperate.

    I ignore him.

    Let them defend themselves. The majority of them probably have no idea what is going on, all they see is a giant monster flying at them. It probably happens every now and again, some big bad monster from the Dungeon trying to get into the massive shiny city. I don''t doubt they have a thousand ways to smite such creatures out of the sky, but <em>it doesn''t matter</em>.

    I''m still going.

    All of my sensese alive the closer I get. The golden cloud blocks a lot of my sight, but my mana sense is as sharp and active as I can make it. Whatever is going toe my way, I''m as ready to deal with it as I can be.

    In the back of my mind, I''m hoping I can just force my way through the initial barrage, get into the cathedral, and save my sibling before things get too out of hand. If I can show others that I was on a rescue mission, hopefully they won''t go too crazy trying to hunt me down. Once I''ve saved this poor ant, everything can cool off, I just have to <em>get</em> there.

    <strong>[WHAT IS THIS LITTLE CREATURE THAT DISTURBS MY SLUMBER?]</strong>

    Ah nads.

    When a powerful wave of thought rolls over me, my heart sinks deep in my thorax as I try to desperately find the source of the voice. I''ve only heard one mentalmunication thates close to this, and that was Torrifex. I killed that guy, so hopefully I can deal with whatever this is as well.

    Better yet, I hope they decide not to fight me at all. I''m not a threat to the city! I hope!

    Where the heck is this monster?!

    That''s when I see it. The eye. At first, I think it''s in the cloud, a giant monster, obstructed by the cloud which glows in the golden light emitted from the city. Then my perspective shifts, and I get a better sense of what I''m seeing.

    The eye is <em>made of the cloud.</em>

    Then the entire thing ripples. The entire ring of fluffy, golden cloud, <em>ripples</em>, draws in, and suddenly, it isn''t a cloud at all. It''s a long, coiled, dragon, staring at me with eyes of liquid gold, each the side of my entire head.

    <strong>[A BOLD CREATURE, TO COME SO BRAZENLY INTO MY DOMAIN.]</strong>

    A giant, wed hand scrapes through the sky, reaching for me, and I start to wonder just how the heck I''m going to get past this stupid thing.

 Chapter 1228: Anthony On Tour - Dragon Of Golden Clouds

    Chapter 1228: Anthony On Tour - Dragon Of Golden Clouds

    Look, if I''m being honest, it''s not that easy to ''steer'' when flying via gravity well. Manipting the thing takes a lot of energy and focus; I''m basically doing something like <em>controlled falling</em>. It''s hard.

    Now, in my head, I imagine doing a nice <em>swoop</em> and nimbly slipping away from the gigantic half-cloud, half-wing towards me, but in practical terms, it doesn''t work out that way.

    Instead, I just m directly into it.

    The ws begin to close around me, but I''m not having that. With a mighty CHOMP, I bite deep, hoping the dragon isn''t too mad about having its digits munched on. Turns out I didn''t need to worry, because my jaws pass straight through as what had appeared to be solid returns to puffy cloud the moment my mandibles touch it.

    Then I''m through, falling toward the gravity well and descending on the city like a meteor. I''m going to make <em>such</em> a big hole in that shiny golden roof, they have no idea what''sing. I''m white hot with rage to the point I feel like my carapace is on fire.

    My head is still filled with what I''m going to do once I get inside the cathedral that I don''t immediately realise that the dragon situation isn''t quite so easily resolved. The cloud that hovers around the city is swirling and dancing as the enormous monster forms and reforms itself constantly. As fast as I''m moving, the dragon is faster, much faster, and it doesn''t take long until I''m totally surrounded by cloud.

    Hoping I can perhaps persuade this creature to leave me alone, I decide to broadcast a message. With a little luck, my reliable Anthony charm will allow me to talk it down?

    [A member of my family has been captured and taken into the golden city! I''m just going in there to rescue her!]

    There''s no immediate response, so I just concentrate on ''falling'' as fast as I can toward my target.

    <strong>[YES. I SENSE THE CREATURE YOU SPEAK OF.]</strong>

    Oh shoot! So it knows I''m not lying or trying to attack the city? I feel a burst of optimism. I might not have to fight this thing after all?

    [Hey, that''s cool then, right? You can just let me go down and get her, then I''ll leave. Won''t take more than a minute. Maybe two minutes. Three. Let''s say five to be safe. Then I''m out of your hair¡­ clouds¡­. Okay?]

    Rings of cloud twist around me, shes of scales and ws appearing and vanishing as fast as I see them.

    <strong>[IT WILL NOT BE SO, LITTLE ONE. MY MASTER ORDERS ME TO STOP YOU, AND SO I MUST.]</strong>

    Wait. Orders?

    [You''re a pet?!] I exim incredulously.

    The dragon doesn''t reply, possibly not all that pleased at being described as a pet, as it shouldn''t, considering it''s tier eight, or maybe even tier nine. I can feel the incredible power radiating from the monster, so I know for sure it''s at least more highly evolved than I am.

    That doesn''t mean I''ll lose, but it does mean I can''t win quickly. In this instance, winning quickly is the only thing that matters. At least I know there''s no chance I can reason with the beast. If it''s a pet, then it can''t refuse a direct order, no matter what. Even if the dragon and I end up being best buds, drinking tea and ying¡­ whatever games friends y together, I don''t know, it won''t matter. If the Master says stop me, then stop me it will.

    Or at least, it''ll try.

    Clouds around me shift and reform. Suddenly, there are ws all around me, closing in fast. How in the heck does it <em>do</em> that? That''s so crazy! How is it fair if its body can be there sometimes and not there the rest? Where the heck does it go?!

    <strong>VOID CHOMP!</strong>

    I''m not messing around. I unleash my strongest bite, activating the Skill but not empowering it with the Altar. I might be topped off with Will right now, but there''s not a lot flowing into the thing with only ten thousand ants in range. I can''t afford to waste that precious energy.

    The ck mandibles of pure energy form and then m shut with a ferocious howl, the void drawing the cloud-formed ws inwards before severing them all.

    And, of course, they dissolve back into nothing, only for a new set to form a secondter.

    <strong>VOID CHOMP!</strong>

    If I have to chomp all the way down to the ground, then I will! I''m not stopping!

    I don''t see the tailing. Of course I don''t. How the heck am I supposed to see anything with all of this darn cloud in the way?!

    CRACK!

    It certainly doesn''t <em>feel</em> like I was hit in the face with a nice puffy cloud, it <em>feels</em> like being hit in the face with a brick wall! The force of the impact rattles through my carapace and sends me flying backwards, but I maintain my grip on the well throughout. Once my momentum bleeds out, there''s only one way for me to fall, and believe it or not, it isn''t straight down.

    It''s towards that blighted cathedral.

    <strong>[DO NOT BE STUBBORN. IT WILL ONLY RESULT IN YOUR DEATH.]</strong>

    [Look, I''m not trying to bother you or anything, or your Master for that matter, but a member of my family is down there, so I <em>am</em> going. If you want to stop me, you''re going to have to do a heck of a lot more than p me around.]

    It sounds good in my head, the dragon seems like a reasonable sort, it''ll understand where I''ming from, but once the words are out there, I realise that the creature I''m talking to doesn''t actually have a choice in the matter.

    <strong>[IF THAT IS WHAT IT WILL TAKE, THEN THAT IS WHAT I WILL DELIVER.]</strong>

    Nice, Anthony. Real nice.

 Chapter 1229: Anthony On Tour - Youâ€™re Not A Dragon! Youâ€™re Just a Chicken!

    Chapter 1229: Anthony On Tour - You¡¯re Not A Dragon! You¡¯re Just a Chicken!

    Light shes, wind roars, but this time, I''m ready for it. The onrushing tail parts the clouds at thest possible moment, mere metres away from my eyes. With my reflexes, and actually understanding what my antennae are trying to tell me, I can deal with it.

    Manoeuvring through the air using force magic isn''t exactly easy. Alright, it''s just about impossible, but using a st to flip my body up so I can use my legs to push myself over the sweeping tail? I can manage that.

    Hah! I''m clear, and I''m still falling toward my target. How do you like that, dragon?

    Not much, apparently, the ws are back.

    [I don''t want to hurt you, but I know you don''t have a choice but to fight me. Well, I don''t have a choice either. So, I''m sorry about this!]

    There''s no way I can slip past this monster, not when it''s seriously trying to stop me. I can only think of one thing that might distract it long enough for me to get through.

    <strong>HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWLLLLLL!!!!</strong>

    Now, it''s not full power, or pumped up with the energy from the Altar, but even a moderate gravity bomb is enough to cause serious issues to most things in the Dungeon. Even in this situation, I try to be considerate to the city and I fire it at an angle where it''s not going to impact the capital, but it''s going to suck up an awful lot of cloud on its way through the air.

    My hope is that it will consume part of the monster''s body and make it more difficult for it to stop me getting to where I want to go. Sadly, things don''t pan out that way.

    I notice a few things at the same time. The cloud, unlike the air around me, is <em>not</em> being sucked into the gravity bomb, and this time there are <em>several</em> tails swinging through the air towards me.

    Even with all my defensive nous, I can''t see a way to avoid being hit. Ish out with my mandibles against one, tuck my legs to make sure they don''t break, and take the other hit full on. Once again, it batters me backwards, sending me flying through the air and rattles my noggin, but ultimately, it only slows me down.

    My gravity bomb continues to sail through the air, decidedly <em>not</em> devouring the golden cloud as I''d hoped before it expands off in the distance. Lots of air is pulled in, sure, but depressingly, still no cloud.

    This leads me to one, rather depressing conclusion.

    The clouds aren''t even real! No wonder this stupid dragon is so twisty and able to reform itself however it likes, it isn''t even here! Here I was thinking it was some sweet evolution that gave it a cloud body or something.

    [You aren''t even up here, are you?] I demand of the creature. [None of this cloud is your real body!]

    But I can sense the presence of a powerful monster. A <em>super</em> powerful monster. So it has to be around somewhere!

    <strong>[I ONLY SHOW MYSELF WHEN NECESSARY.]</strong>

    The monster sounds almost amused at having been discovered, as if this is all some kind of joke.

    [Why don''t you hide yourself when necessary instead!] I retort in fury. [I have a sister down there on the verge of death! Let me through! If not that, then save her yourself!]

    There is a slight pause as the dragon¡­ well, I don''t even know if it''s a dragon anymore, considers my words.

    <strong>[I HAVE NOT BEEN INSTRUCTED TO SAVE THE ANT, SO I WILL NOT.]</strong>

    [Wait, so you told your master about it?]

    <strong>[I HAVE.]</strong>

    [And they won''t help me?!] I roar, outraged.

    <strong>[I DO NOT KNOW. I AM FORBIDDEN TO MANIFEST MY POWER WITHIN THE CITY, SO I CANNOT SAVE YOUR SISTER.]</strong>

    There''s a shift in the light around me, the clouds parting, no¡­ not parting¡­ dissolving, blowing away like snow until the entire golden city is disyed before me, unobstructed.

    I have no eyes for it, I only see the cathedral. Through the vestibule, I feel desperation, pain, and misery, growing weaker, and weaker, with every passing moment.

    <strong>[IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO APPEAR IN MY TRUE FORM. THE MANA HERE IS SO THIN, BUT I CAN SEE YOU WILL NOT BE DISSUADED UNLESS YOU KNOW THAT YOU CANNOT WIN.]</strong>

    The entire city seems to glow ever brighter, until it radiates like a golden sun. The sense I had, that of a powerful monster, grows stronger, and stronger, and I realise what I was sensing wasn''t close by, it was in fact, quite far away.

    Above the city, the light begins to coalesce into one, cohesive form.

    FWUMPH.

    FWUMPH.

    FWUMPH.

    I hear the beat of giant wings. Not just hear, <em>feel</em>. The amount of air being moved is staggering. After I hear them, I see them.

    It''s a bird. A big¡­ like¡­ <em>super </em>big bird. This thing must have a wingspan well over a hundred metres. It''s <em>gigantic.</em>

    The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

    I summon all of my gravity mana. I''m not going to be able to hold back on this one. I''m sorry about the city, and I hope the repair bill is manageable, but if it isn''t? I don''t really care.

    It''s hard to make out the direct features of this¡­ eagle¡­ or whatever. The entire thing seems to be made of light. I sure as heck hope that means it''s vulnerable to gravity, because if not, I don''t fancy my odds with fireballs.

    Still beating those massive wings, it leans forward, neck extending, and opens its beak. My antennae scream at me.

    Ah nar¡ª

    A massive, condensed, beam of light sts forward, filling my vision, and before I know it, I''m burning. My carapace feels like it''s on fire, but that isn''t even what concerns me the most. I''m flying <em>backwards</em>. The damn bird has sted me away! No! NO!

    After what seems like <em>way</em> too short a time I smack into something and it immediately begins to sizzle. Steam fills the air and I realise I just hit the surface of theke. My superheated diamond carapace fizzes and pops as the water around me boils away. Smoke is rising from my antennae, but I don''t care.

    The golden city gleams, so far away now.

    I''ll be damned if this glowing turkey is going to stop me. I''ll be DAMNED if I let that happen!

    Triggering my healing nd, I feel the cool rush of the regenerative fluid pump through my body as I pull in more and more mana. A gravitational mana construct spins and whirrs and I pump out thick strands of energy, weaving it into the shape I desire.

    Another gravity well takes shape, and I begin to rise once more.

 Chapter 1230: Anthony On Tour - Rise to the Challenge

    Chapter 1230: Anthony On Tour - Rise to the Challenge

    Okay. It''s not looking good. I can see that, Big Bird can see that, a blind mole in the second stratum can see that. Regenerative fluid pumps through my body, icy cold, and I feel my insides begin to un-roast themselves. Holy moly, that light attack was no joke. Not only was it scorching hot, there was a lot of <em>force</em> behind it, enough to st me all the way back down to the water.

    I weave the gravity mana as dense as I can, producing a powerful gravity well. I''m going to need it, since I''ve been sent so far away. I''m literally dozens of kilometres away from where I was hit. The ray of light managed to push me out of range of my previous gravity well, and with nothing tethering me to that point, my only option was to fall. Not that I did much falling, I think that beam reached just about all the way to the water.

    When it''s ready, I spin up the well and lift myself up from the water, elerating as quickly as I can. The giant bird is still there, a creature of light and air, its magnificent wings beating slowly. Dimly, I''m aware of the hubbub in the city, people stopping and pointing, looking up at this huge guardian beast who probably doesn''t manifest all that often.

    Lucky me.

    As I rise, I continue to suck in all the mana I can, converting it to gravity mana and then stuffing it into a familiar, dark sphere. I didn''t want it toe to this, but I don''t have a choice. It was enough to rock Greystone, I''m hoping a full powered st will be enough to keep this bird off my back long enough to get into the city. The monster told me itself, it isn''t allowed to do anything inside the city. So long as I can get past it, it can''t stop me from rescuing my sibling.

    Beyond that, I''ll just m my head into the ground and ept the repercussions. It doesn''t matter what they are, they aren''t as bad as losing a family member.

    As I rise, faster and faster, I make sure I don''t draw too close to the bird until I''m ready. That light beam isn''t only powerful, it''s <em>fast</em>. A gravity bomb takes a bit of time to prepare, so I won''t approach until I''ve got something I can fire back.

    Well, that''s the n anyway. The bird doesn''t quite agree with my terms.

    My antennae give me the first warning and acting on pure reflex I manage to adjust my trajectory as ance formed of pure light strikes down from above, barely missing. What the heck?! In the distance, the enormous monster continues to p its vast wings, almost in slow motion. I didn''t see it do anything, where did that beame from?!

    My minds scatter to the winds, seeking out any signs in the mana around me, and eventually I find something, right before my antennae scream at me again.

    HOLY MOLY!

    I tilt to the right, almost in time to avoid it. My front left leg gets roasted as the beam sizzles past me. This damned bird! It''s manipting mana so far away from itself that it boggles the mind! Far away from me too, I almost couldn''t detect the gathering light mana at the limits of my range. But I <em>can</em> detect it. With a portion of my mind constructs dedicated to detection, I''m able to pick up on the gathering light rays. Just before they discharge, I whip together a little force mana to shift my position in the air once they fire.

    It''s risky. If the bird predicts my movement and guesses correctly, I''ll just get roasted. The light strikes so quickly it''s practically impossible to tell if it''s moving or if it just <em>appears</em>. I mean, it''s light. Of course it''s fast! What I didn''t expect was the devastating power of it!

    Using this method, I manage to get myself close enough without taking another hit, despite having to dodge over a dozen times.

    [Hello again, Big Bird.]

    FWUMPH.

    FWUMPH.

    The giant bird continues to hover, each stroke of the wings feeling as if they rearrange the sky.

    <strong>[I AM CALLED THE LIGHT PHOENIX, RAMMON.]</strong>

    [What''s wrong with Big Bird?]

    ¡­ No response.

    [Fair enough, Rammon it is. Listen, my sibling is still alive in there, so I''m going to keeping, but I should ask, is your master going to do anything about it? If the Child-Emperor is about to mount a rescue of my sister, then all''s well and good, I can wait¡­ a little.]

    FWUMPH.

    FWUMPH.

    <strong>[MY MASTER WILL NOT INTERVENE. THE PRICE IS TOO HIGH FOR A SINGLE ANT.]</strong>

    [Are those your words?]

    <strong>[THEY ARE NOT.]</strong>

    Huh.

    [Well, I feel a little less bad about doing this, then. No hard feelings, Rammon.]

    Not going to help rescue the innocent? You can deal with this gravity bomb instead. I dump thest reserves of energy from my gravitational mana nd into the bomb, empower it with the Altar, and let it rip.

    Such an outpouring of energy leaves me feeling physically weak, but the bomb springs to life with its trademark cry.

    <strong>HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWLLLLLL!</strong>

    The moment it appears, the air is whipped into a hurricane, sucked into the rapidly moving ball of doom. Light fades where it passes, bending and twisting on its edge. In the distance, Ramon continues to beat his wings as the spell rockets directly toward him.

    I adjust the gravity well I still maintain control of and orient myself towards the cathedral. My only hope is that the Phoenix is too upied with the bomb to stop me from reaching the building. To that end, I begin to fall as quickly as possible.

    Stay strong, sister! I''ll reach you, I swear!

 Chapter 1231: Anthony On Tour - That Which Was Doomed

    Chapter 1231: Anthony On Tour - That Which Was Doomed

    The world itself is screaming as the gravity bomb warps reality around itself, but it hasn''t even expanded yet. I ignore everything happening above me, since I can''t do anything about it anyway. Either the phoenix of light will ovee the spell, or it won''t.

    I mean, I certainly hope I''m not responsible for the death of the guardian beast of the golden city. I get the feeling a few people might get a little mad about that. Not to mention, he seems like a pretty good chap. For a bird.

    I mean, he almost came out and told me that he would save my sibling if he could, though not in as many words. However, he can''t let me through, which means he''s an obstacle to saving my sister. Which means he has to be removed.

    I put the fate of the phoenix out of my mind and send it inwards. That steady trickle of Will continues to pour in from the captive, still the same as before. It''s a confusing jumble of pain and fear, still growing weaker and weaker, though slowly. So slowly. As if her Will itself were being sapped away, piece by piece.

    What sort of insane atrocity is beingmitted down there?! Do they really think they can get away with it!?

    <strong>HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWLLLLL!!!!!</strong>

    The bomb screams towards its target. Rammon leans his head forward once more, beak open wide.

    One moment, the beam of light isn''t there, the next it is. A dozen metres thick, it projects itself for kilometres, sting a sizzling trail through the sky of the fourth. Somewhere, in the heart of it, the bomb continues to propel itself forward.

    He''s trying to burn away the densely packed mana inside the spell, and he''s doing a heck of a job, but it''s not going to be enough. The bomb doesn''t quite reach the giant monster before it expands, but it''s close enough to put the bird in <em>serious</em> trouble.Weaker than the one that devastated Greystone, it''s still enormous. With a rumble, the entire mountain shakes, waves begin to rise and even I feel the pull of it. Redoubling my efforts, I focus on the well I''m manipting and use it to keep myself moving forward. I wouldn''t be surprised if the golden city gets ripped in half as a result of this spell, but that''s none of my business. I didn''t want it toe to this, but they left me no choice.

    A piercing cry splits the air, prating through even the endless screaming of the wind, and I can''t help but focus toward the great phoenix. With another beat of his wings, Rammon cries out again and begins to gather light into himself. In seconds, he''s too bright to look at, not that I have a choice, and he only grows more radiant.

    The gravity bomb, a void of pure ck, and Rammon, an incandescent figure of light, hang opposed to each other in the air.

    Then something incredible happens. Rammon leans forward, and <em>pushes himself towards the bomb</em>. In an instant, he begins to be absorbed, sucked within the void and crushed, and the vast amount of energy he conjured goes in with him. First his head and neck are drawn in, then the pull catches hold and starts to drag in the rest of him, wings, body, tail.

    He''s literally trying to consume the bomb with his own body?! What the heck?!

    More and more light is pushed into the bomb, and unbelievably, it grows dimmer and dimmer, shrinking in size as it consumes the phoenix. Such a vast amount of mana and energy is being funnelled into it, and so rapidly, the bomb can''t eat it all!

    Over the course of ten seconds, Rammon is consumed, until every speck of him is gone, and so is the bomb.

    The screaming subsides, the shaking is gone, the waves grow still, but also, the light is gone. Where the phoenix had been, there is now a void, and the light of the city seems that much more dim.

    I didn''t expect him to go ahead and <em>do that</em>. Heck. I mean, he saved the city, there''s pretty much no damage at all, but at what cost? At least there''s nothing left to stop me from getting into that cathedral. I can''t help but feel irritated by the Child-Emperor, who I assume is the master of the guardian beast. You could have just saved my sibling, and your loyal pet wouldn''t have had to suffer like this. Why make things difficult?

    <strong>[I AM NOW ORDERED TO DESTROY YOU.]</strong>

    Oh snap! Rammon? How?!

    <strong>[BUT I AM LOATH TO CARRY OUT THIS COMMAND. I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO MAKE THE ATTEMPT, SO I WILL EMPLOY THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF FORCE I BELIEVE WILL END YOUR LIFE, AND HOPE YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE.]</strong>

    Light explodes in front of me. I get a flicker of an impression of feathers, wings, a majestic beak and deep, all-knowing eyes.

    Oh, right, it''s a freakin'' Phoenix. Of course you can''t just kill it once.

    Then my world is enveloped in light and fire.

 Chapter 1232: Anthony On Tour - Recovery

    Chapter 1232: Anthony On Tour - Recovery

    <em>It''s not possible to overstate just howrge an impact the incident at the Golden City had upon the Colony. For their part, the people of Atreum paid it little mind. From their point of view, the great and glorious defender of the capital had annihted a pesky upstart, an ant gone rogue and acting alone. With the death of the offender, the empire was cated and reassured of their overwhelming power.</em>

    <em>To the Colony, they took a very different approach. It was never confirmed which individual attacked the city, or why. Even though they continued to trade through the brathian merchant conglomerates, and even though they, on the surface, enjoyed friendly rtions with the Silver City, never again did any ant set a single leg inside the city.</em>

    <em></em><em>-Excerpt from ''Ant Rtions'' by Wattford.</em>

    Enid watched Anthony fall with horror. The phoenix faded away, the light fading and returning to the golden city from which it hade. Slowly, the eternal cloud returned, a halo that ringed the Atreum capital and home of the Child-Emperor.

    From a great height, the enormous ant plummeted down. Even from this distance, Enid could see the smoke trail he left behind, a dark greasy stain that followed after him and stained the sky.

    "We have to go and get him!" she pleaded to Eran, who had watched the entire exchange with a grim, stone-faced expression.

    "It depends on where he falls," she replied shortly.

    Enid turned to re at her with stricken eyes.

    "What do you mean?!""If he falls too close to the walls, he willnd in the exclusion zone. We can''t sail within a kilometre of the wall without permission."

    "Damn their permission, that is my <em>friend</em>."

    "This is <em>my fleet</em>. I will not risk my people! After the guardian beast of Atreum has emerged, the entire city will be like a nest kicked by a ho! We''ll be lucky if they don''t sail out and im him regardless of where hends!"

    Enid turned back and watched as the giant ant traced a downward arc. As far as she could tell, he hadn''t moved.

    "It may not matter," she said bitterly, "he may not even be alive."

    "I certainly hope that isn''t the case," Eran said softly. "I have grown fond of him myself, but what he did here could be interpreted as an act of war against thergest empire in the fourth stratum. We must be careful."

    It wasn''t unreasonable, but Enid had heard enough. She knew Anthony well enough to know he wouldn''t have done such a thing without good reason. She turned back to the rail and gripped it tight with both hands.

    Slowly, the fleet began to shift and sail towards where Anthony was likely tond, but they were still far away when he finally made contact with the surface of theke. There was a tremendous ssh, a ferocious hiss of steam, and he began to sink below the surface. All the while, the brathian mages were in constant dialogue with the city. Apparently the request was being buried in bureaucracy, as was always the case in a ce asrge as this. Irisod and Olivis were hunched over together, locked in whispered conversation as they negotiated mentally with the Atreum mages.

    "Are we going to get him?" Enid demanded. "I can''t believe we are just watching him sink to his death!"

    Who knew what monsters could have been lurking just below the surface? They''d feast on him in his weakened state! Eran seemed to anticipate her concerns.

    "There are no monsters this close to the capital," she told her, eyes locked on the nearby mages. "Atreum ensures the waters remain safe at all times." She paused. "Except for during a wave."

    It was an anxious wait, and Enid was joined on the deck by Smithant and Cobalt, who stood alongside her, an antenna each resting on her shoulders as the ship drew closer to where Anthony had fallen.

    "They''ve given us permission to collect Anthony''s remains," Irisod the court mage informed Eran quietly.

    [The Eldest is still alive,] Cobalt informed Enid quickly. [We are very confident of that.]

    [Oh,] Enid said, her mental voice catching. [That''s good.]

    It took an hour for the brathian divers and mages to bring him up and get him aboard the ship. It wasn''t easy to move something asrge and ungainly as a giant ant, but the brathians'' water-manipting skills were unmatched. A fountain erupted by the side of the ship, raising the wounded monster up and depositing him upon the deck.

    He was a horrific sight. His carapace, normally a beautiful, purple diamond, was burnt and cracked. Several of his legs werepletely gone, and only half an antenna remained. His eyes were the worst of it, and it was clear he waspletely blind.

    But he was alive.

    [Thanks¡­ for picking me up,] he told them all quietly.

    He sounded beyond exhausted. He radiated misery. It was clear he wanted to be left alone, but the Eran asked him questions anyway, drawing disapproving looks from Enid.

    [How did you survive?] she asked. [I thought for certain you would be killed.]

    Anthony didn''t answer for a long time, but eventually he did.

    [The phoenix¡­] he said heavily. [Rammon¡­ he wanted me to¡­ to live.]

    [But why?] Eran pestered him, shocked.

    Anthony didn''t reply. His one remaining stub of antenna turned toward the city, and he wouldn''t respond to anyone.

    Unable to get any more information, the Eran could only ept it and turn the fleet around. It was time to go home.

 Chapter 1233: Anthony On Tour - Journey Home

    Chapter 1233: Anthony On Tour - Journey Home

    Beyn didn''t know what to think, or what to say. The Great One had risen high, taken the fight against the Phoenix of Light, although for reasons Beyn couldn''t understand.

    When the Great One hadunched his mighty spell and swallowed the light, Beyn had felt as if his eyes were about to leap from his head. Was this truly the deration of war,mitting the New Path against the old?! Was the famed defender of Atreum about to fall, allowing for the rise of a new power?

    Visions had shed before his eyes, images of triumph, of despair, of misery and joy. His heart had soared as he imagined the glory of the crusade toe, even as he wept for the pain and suffering that would surely spread, the darkness that would smother thend before the dawn woulde.

    Yet, it wasn''t to be. The Phoenix had been reborn in a blinding cascade of light, the Great One had been enveloped in mes. The rest was, as they say, history.

    How could he describe the emotions that had overwhelmed him as he watched the Great One fall? That was the physical manifestation of his faith, a living deity, a creature who had been touched by divine providence. He had rocked an entire mountain to its foundations to defend his people, performed miracle after miracle, but now, he had been defeated? Was it possible for the New Path to fail?

    As the hours dragged by, he sat on the deck, a respectful distance away from the slowly recovering ant, watching. After a time, Jern and Alis came to sit alongside him.

    With the conclusion of the voyage, there should have been a d and celebratory air around the fleet. Instead, it felt like a funeral. There was little conversation, the ants did not move much, the brathians kept to themselves.

    Sailors and mages saw to their duties with only scattered, hushed words exchanged. Winds were summoned and directed into the sails, waters were driven along the sides of the ships. The fleet moved at incredible speed, every ship raising a plume of white spray in their wake.

    "I don''t¡­ I don''t understand what happened," Beyn confessed finally. His one remaining hand was clutched to his chest, as if trying to hold in the fear which had blossomed there. "That the Great One¡­ could lose¡­ I''m not sure what it means."The two pdins didn''t respond immediately. After some consideration, it was Jern who decided to speak.

    "He''s sad," he said simply.

    Beyn was confused.

    "Who is?"

    Jern nodded toward where Anthony, still horrifically injured, remained motionless, slowly healing.

    "The Great One. I can get a vague sense, a faint impression, of what he''s feeling. He''s sad."

    Alis was reluctant to speak, but she frowned at Jern''s words and couldn''t contain herself.

    "I''m not sure ''sad''... goes far enough," she said quietly, looking at the motionless ant withplicated emotions in her eyes. "He''s¡­ he''s grieving. Deeply."

    This was an even more shocking revtion to Beyn. Grieving? Grieving what? The loss? Jern seemed to anticipate his next question. The huge man rolled his shoulders and spoke.

    "I wasn''t sure either at first, so I went and asked the ants."

    "You didn''t tell me that," Alis objected.

    "Well¡­ I''m telling you now¡­ I guess. One of the ants went missing in the city. Nobody seems sure just how it happened, or who exactly was taken, but the Colony is of the opinion one of them was¡­ abducted¡­ and the Great One went to get them back."

    The one-armed priest listened intently to every word Jern said, but when the young man had finished speaking, he still didn''t seem capable of processing what had been said.

    An ant¡­ abducted? Who would do such a thing? And why? Such sacrilege! A desecration! An unspeakable insult thrown directly in the face of the New Path! Rage burned within his chest, hot mes that threatened to ignite his entire self in righteous fire.

    And the Great One! They had thrown themselves unflinchingly into the mouth of danger, dared to rise against the entire Atreum empire for the sake of a single member of the blessed family. Such selflessness! Such devotion! And now they suffered grief as deep as the oceans themselves, unable to save their precious family member! Great sorrow welled within the priest, enough to drown the mes of anger and plunge him into fathomless mncholy.

    Then a thought urred to him. A dark, terrible thought. One that caused the breath to freeze in his lungs and turned the blood in his veins to ice.

    <em>"Tell me more of this Colony," the Great Priest had smiled, "I am fascinated to learn more of them."</em>

    Him? Had it been HIM?! The Church of the Path considered all monsters to be resources, to be <em>offerings</em>, intended to uplift the mortals of Pangera. Why would he have been interested in the Colony for any other reason? Beyn had been all too happy to answer his questions, to share in the miracle, even in a small way. And yet¡­ AND YET!

    With a strangled cry of rage and despair, the priest shot to his feet and ripped his robe off. With only one arm, this was a bit of a struggle, but such was his frenzy that he swiftly achieved it, then he turned and roared at the now vanishing Silver City in the distance. Such a cry drew every eye, as it contained such anger, such sadness, such a depth of betrayal, that it brought a tear to the eye of all who heard it.

    Then he sprinted at the railing and flung himself into the water.

    After the brathians had fished him out and returned him to the deck, hey gasping on the wooden boards, tears streaming down his face as Jern and Alis hovered over him.

    <em>The Old Path must be destroyed</em>, he vowed to himself in his heart. <em>I will never rest until it has been torn downpletely, until not a single brick of that institution rests upon another.</em>

    The Great One would be acknowledged as the true saviour of this world. Beyn could ept nothing less.

 Chapter 1234: Anthony On Tour - Weight of Gold

    Chapter 1234: Anthony On Tour - Weight of Gold

    The Seneschal was a reserved man, usually. In this particr moment, he found he was having difficulty maintaining his smooth-faced facade, such was the anger bubbling away inside him. As he stood in the antechamber within the Great Cathedral, observers noted the man was tapping on his right leg with a single finger, though he seemed unaware of it.

    Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    A regr rhythm for a regr man. The Seneschal represented order, represented stability. To have his gaze fall upon you in anger meant you had disturbed the sacred bnce of peace within the Golden City.

    One should <em>never</em> disturb the peace within the Golden City.

    When atst the door opened and the Grand Priest emerged, radiating satisfaction, the Seneschal finally snapped. With two great strides, he crossed the distance between them and, without warning, sunk his fist deep into the priest''s gut.

    Though he wasn''t a low level, far from it, Alir Vinting immediately doubled over, his face twisting in pain as he gasped and spluttered, eventually falling to his knees. The Holy Knights who had escorted him within the building snatched up their weapons and moved to advance, but they halted in their tracks as the Seneschal turned his re on them.

    The urge to spit on the priest, or kick him while he was down, was overwhelming, but with great effort of will, the Seneschal mastered himself and turned his back. To upy his hands as much as anything else, he smoothed his golden robes and adjusted the sleeves, ensuring no spittle had dirtied the pristine garment.

    After a minute of groaning and spluttering, the priest managed to suck in enough air to release a pained chuckle.

    "I take it the Child-Emperor was not pleased with my unteral intervention?"Another sh of anger seared through the Seneschal, but he let it burn itself out before he replied.

    "You have no idea what urred outside, do you?" he asked.

    Alir Vinting, Grand Priest of the Path, shook his head. "I have been concentrating on the extraction ritual, which only justpleted," he said.

    Wordlessly, the Seneschal strode across the room and sat, indicating the priest should sit opposite him. Alir hesitated for a moment, irritated at this official of the crown ordering him about within the sacred Cathedral of his order, but he couldn''t exactly protest the behaviour of the <em>emperor''s Seneschal</em>, even if the man punched him square in the face. The gut wasn''t even worth mentioning. Without a word, he walked to the chair and sat, resting his hands on the small table between them.

    "I''m d to catch you then, before you have had a chance to report to the Cardinals. I suppose they had granted you leave to undertake this action?" the Seneschal asked.

    Alir raised his brows.

    "Of course, my lord Seneschal. Even I would not be so bold as tomit such an act without the blessing of my superiors."

    "One would hope," the Seneschal replied mildly, "you would recall that within this city, your superiors include the royal court, and the Child-Emperor above all."

    Grand Priest Alir bowed low in his seat.

    "Of course, I meant no offence," he said smoothly, despite the radiating pain through his gut, "I only intended to say I would not act on church matters without the approval of my superiors within the order."

    He smiled ingratiatingly.

    "If I may, could I enquire as to what urred outside that has¡­ disturbed the Emperor so?"

    "Don''t misunderstand," the Seneschal said, "the Child-Emperor is not <em>disturbed</em>¡­ the Child-Emperor is <em>furious</em>."

    Despite all that had preceded this moment, only now did the Grand Priest feel a hint of true danger. The Church of the Path was a wee and esteemed friend of Atreum, but also existed in some form or another across the entirety of Pangera. They were not without power, far from it. Acting against the will of the Golden City in small matters wasn''t much of an issue, but how would abducting a single ant monster possibly anger the Child-Emperor so?

    "The ants noticed what you had done," the Seneschal told him. "Rather quickly too. They found out even before the Court. We aren''t sure exactly how."

    Alir suppressed the urge to shrug. What did it matter if they found out? They couldn''t do anything.

    "The tier seven took particr offence at your actions, and decided to attack the Cathedral."

    Alir tried not tough. He wore the expression of a man who had been told a sheep had attempted to bite the face of a lion. He was bewildered.

    "I assume the offending creature was struck down instantly," he said, leaning forward in his seat. "Might I inquire as to what happened to the remains?"

    If he could put his hands on the body, there would be a wealth of knowledge that could be extracted. A pity the experience had already been imed. How much elixir could they extract from such a creature?

    "It was indeed struck down," the Seneschal said, "but only <em>after </em>it forced Rammon to reincarnate."

    The final words were stated with the finality of the headsman''s axe. Only now did the Priest realise just how much danger he was in. Immediately, he bowed his head low, touching the table.

    "I sincerely apologise if my actions, or those of the church, have led to this painful oue. My sympathies are with the Child-Emperor at this time."

    The Seneschal openly red at him. It wasn''tmon knowledge just how the guardian beast was tied to the golden city, but it was known he drew his power from the Heart Gold the city itself was made with. To reform himself, the beast needed to draw deep on the energy contained within the metal, weakening it. It was basically the same as spitting in the Child-Emperor''s face.

    As much as he would love to try and deflect the me onto the ants themselves, Alir knew it was useless. The Church of the Path would be med for this incident, no matter what he did. Even from the grave, that detestable monster was reaching out to strangle them!

    The Seneschal reached out a hand, and Alir looked at it nkly.

    "The Elixir," the Seneschal said shortly. "Give it to me."

    Several emotions flickered across the grand priest''s face, but he settled finally on eptance. He stood, walked back into the adjoining room, then returned again with a shining goblet held reverently in his hands.

    Despite his anger, the Seneschal was visibly shocked.

    "You gained this much from a single ant?" he breathed.

    Alir grinned triumphantly.

    "They are <em>rich</em> in experience and energy, these ants. Just <em>imagine</em> how much could be harvested from the entire colony. This city would drown in Elixir."

    It was hard for the priest to keep the overwhelming <em>want</em> from his voice. This colony represented an unprecedented offering from the Dungeon to the peoples of Pangera. To not harvest it in full would be sacrilegious! He already knew what the cardinals would say on the matter. A Crusade <em>would</em> ur, the only issue was when.

    The Seneschal took the cup, and cut the priest''s hopes down.

    "Atreum has no desire to engage in conflict of any kind while the threat of the rising Waves is upon us," he informed Alir. "I will meet with the cardinals next and tell them the same. Any action, <em>any action</em>, that could bring conflict of any kind to our doorstep, will be seen as an act of treachery against the Child-Emperor. Have I made myself clear?"

    The priest bit his tongue. He could wait for his moment.

    "Of course, Lord Seneschal," he said, bowing low.

    The servant of the emperor turned and took his leave, cup of golden elixir held firmly in his hands.

 Chapter 1235: Anthony On Tour - Duty

    Chapter 1235: Anthony On Tour - Duty

    Morrelia watched the brathian fleet sailing in the distance. She''d watched Anthony''s confrontation with the Phoenix of Light with bated breath, certain she was about to watch the bizarre monster meet his end. Fearful of invoking the Child-Emperor''s wrath, the fleet had sat at anchor, unwilling to intervene as the fight yed out.

    How to exin theplicated emotions she felt? Anthony was¡­ less of a monster and¡­ though it was difficult to admit¡­ something of a friend. She''d spent a fair bit of time with him on the surface, and he''d never done anything other than be helpful and conscientious. Even if his behaviour was¡­ entric, to say the least.

    As she''d watched his body fall, she''d felt¡­ sad. It was a shame, and a waste of potential, to see him be snuffed out like that. What would happen to the Colony, with their guiding light extinguished? Who would ount for the incredible things that monster would have achieved in the future? He''d stated the Colony was going to cleanse the fifth with such certainty she''d begun to think the impossible might just be possible. The doubt of others had never stopped those ants before.

    More personally, she had begun to mourn someone that she had begun to think of as just a good person. Nobody inmand could tell her why the tier seven mythic monster had decided to charge headlong into one of the most secure locations in all of Pangera, but she could guess. When she''d been asked to specte on the possible motivations of the giant ant, she''d said as much. Almost nothing motivated Anthony to battle more than the safety of his family.

    Commander Chyron had scowled at her words, but eventually, she was proven correct. An ant had been abducted in the city, the authorities confirmed it themselves.

    "What they won''t tell me," Chyron growled, "is if they''ve checked to see if it''s alive."

    The Legion''s mages had been busymunicating with the Legion fort stationed in the Golden City. After an incident like this, she was certain the diplomatic corps would be working their guts out, but answers were always slow toe from the bureaucracy.

    "Have our own Dungeon seers checked?" Morrelia asked, confused.

    They had some on board, surely they could tell without having to rely on anyone else."One says yes and one says no," Chyron replied shortly.

    The stockymander stared down at the map in front of her. The markers indicating the brathian fleet were drawing further away each moment. A handy piece of enchanting.

    "Working theory is that <em>if</em> he''s alive, his lifeforce is so weak it''s difficult to check. The mages of the Tower are declining to check, and for the life of me, I can''t figure out why."

    "I think I can provide an answer,mander." A new figure stepped up to the table, having just entered the captain''s quarters.

    Joshen, another tribune, ced in charge of the mages in this Legion. With a in face and rust-coloured hair, he was average in almost every way except for his talent with mana and a knack for getting the infamously difficult-to-wrangle mages to pull in the same direction.

    "I hope you''ve got good news for me, Joshen," Chyron grunted, not looking up from the map.

    "Depends on your definition of good," the middle-aged soldier replied. "What I <em>do </em>have, is an exnation. I''ve been speaking to an old friend of mine who has an academic position in the tower."

    Morrelia''s brows rose.

    "I didn''t think you were that well connected, Joshen."

    The mage shrugged lightly.

    "I know a smartdy, that''s about it. I described our difficulty getting information out of the Tower, and she told me the likely reason. It''s not a practical issue, but a¡­ cultural one?"

    "Cultural?" Chyron barked. "What in the name of the Iron Mountain are you on about?"

    "From what we can tell, the Child-Emperor ordered Rammon the Phoenix to kill our target."

    "That seems obvious, we watched it happen," Morrelia said softly.

    Joshen nodded. "It''s the context that matters. The Child-Emperor ordered the monster to die and the guardian beast responded. So¡­ for the mages of the tower to actively <em>check</em> if they seeded¡­"

    "Could be seen as doubting the power of their ruler, who they <em>definitely</em> don''t want to offend," Chyron finished sourly. She rubbed at her temples for a long moment. "Legion save me from rulers and bureaucrats."

    Morrelia felt a strange hope kindle in her chest, but she didn''t let it spark into a me just yet.

    "Are our own mages refusing to check on the same grounds? We have seers inside the city, don''t we?"

    "Yes, some of our best," Joshen replied, turning toward his fellow tribune for the first time. "So far, they''ve refused, but after ourst conversation, I believe they will cave in. Everyone knows the Child-Emperor most likely couldn''t care less if anyone checks. He probably doesn''t care if the monster survives. The court is incensed that the Phoenix was forced to regenerate, and the me is likely to fall on the culprits of the abduction."

    "Any word on who that was?" Chyron asked.

    "None. If we don''t know soon, I don''t think we ever will. It''s being actively buried," Joshen told her.

    There came a polite knock on the door.

    "Come in," Morrelia called when Chyron didn''t respond.

    The door opened and a young mage poked her head inside, then strode up to Joshen, saluted and offered him a slip of paper. Without dy, he unfolded it, quickly scanned the contents, then set it aze in his own hand.

    "It''s alive," he stated solemnly. "All three Seers confirmed it not five minutes ago."

    Morrelia mastered her expression.

    "Damn it all," Chyron sighed, standing up and stretching out her back. "Set a course. I want this fleet hot on the tail of those brathians before the next bell rings."

    Morrelia snapped out a salute and ran to ensure that order was carried out. The expedition wasn''t over yet, wouldn''t be over until Anthony was confirmed dead. Something interesting was bound to happen.

 Chapter 1236: Anthony On Tour - Slow Vengeance

    Chapter 1236: Anthony On Tour - Slow Vengeance

    It was a long time before my sister was out of range of the Vestibule. Thest flickering embers of her Will reached me hourster. How many hours, I honestly can''t say. Unable to do anything else after my failure, all I could do was sit and listen as she Willed for freedom, Willed for escape, Willed for it all to be over.

    When atst the range was too great, or her Will was too thin, or perhaps she had finally experienced release, I swear I felt something inside of me break.

    Once again, I triggered the healing nd once it had filled up. The mes of the Phoenix lingered within my carapace even now, trying to chew through my body, refusing to be extinguished. I didn''t see what I could do about it other than heal myself over and over again until finally they ran out of juice. It''s painful, but nothingpared to what my lost sibling was forced to endure.

    The ants on the expedition are not filled with jubtion and triumph, as they should have been after such a sessful outing. Once word of what urred spread across the ships, there has been a simmering fury bubbling away inside the Vestibule, a grief and an anger that only serve to magnify my own.

    Normally, I''m not a huge fan of the Vestibule allowing the Colony to affect my thoughts and emotions, but this time we are united, and our feelings are perfectly aligned.

    With a silentmand, I reach out through the Nave and contact the individual I''m seeking. She appears shortly after, popping into reality with a burst of energy andnding nimbly on the deck next to me.

    "Have no fear, Brilliant is he¡ªwhat the heck happened to you?!"

    It takes a little while to exin what had urred, and when I''m done, she''s just as furious as the rest of us.

    "Why didn''t you call me, Eldest? I could have wiggled my way in there, no problem.""Too risky. It''s impossible for us to say what kinds of defences they might have had against that type of intrusion. If you''d been caught, we''d be mourning two lost siblings right now instead of one."

    Brilliant simply scoffs.

    "I would have found my way in and out. Are you forgetting who I am?! I''m BRILLIANT!"

    Of course. That level of insane confidence is one of the things that makes her who she is. There''s no point arguing about it, what''s done is done.

    "I know you have a lot on your te, but I have another project for you."

    Immediately, the little mad scientist snaps to attention.

    "I''m intrigued, go on."

    "I want to know everything there is to know about the Church of the Path. Everything. Their history, their alliances, their strength, their eating habits, all of it. They have put their hand up as our main enemy in this part of the Dungeon, and we have to be prepared."

    The energy leaks out of Brilliant as I go on. She''s not interested in this sort of thing.

    "Leave that to the diplomants and historiants to figure out. That hardly calls for me to employ my vast talents!"

    "There''s more," I tell her, "I want you to look into every site in our territory where the Church of the Path might have operated."

    The way the Will had¡­ drained out of the captive was locked in my mind. It wasn''t <em>right</em>.

    "I believe they were conducting some strange sort of spell. Some magic that I don''t understand. They were doing¡­ <em>something.</em>"

    The little ant rubs at the top of her head with one antenna, pondering.

    "That''s¡­ a little vague, to say the least, Senior. You''ve got a feeling they were doing something odd to our sister¡­. Well, I don''t have a reason to doubt you, so I''ll investigate. If there''s something there, then there''s something there. I''ll look into this thoroughly."

    She chomps her mandibles angrily.

    "I have to say, this kind of research leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I''d rather be looking into something else altogether. Did you know that they asked me to help them look into the mana of the fifth stratum? It really is different to every other type of energy I''ve ever seen. The way it propagates itself, the virulent properties it possesses. It''s almost as if the mana itself is <em>alive</em>."

    Well, that certainly is interesting to hear.

    "I want you to keep on that, but make investigating the Church of the Path a priority."

    I know who the enemy is. The krath and the monsters of the fifth are enemies of everyone, and we will need to ovee them if we want to push deeper into the Dungeon. The Church though, they are only enemies to monsters, and have clearly announced their intentions towards us, and they are malevolent.

    It''s a shame that after an escapade in which we made so many unexpected friends, we finish by making a mortal enemy.

    Because there will never be peace between the Colony and the Cathedral, not so long as I live.

    "Thanks foring out, Brilliant," I say to the little ant. "I know you''ve been busytely. I''d much rather call you out for something a little happier."

    The little ant waggles her antennae.

    "Don''t think too hard about it, Senior. That''s my job. After all, you know what my name is."

    I wish I could roll my eyes.

    "Yes, yes. We all know what your name is. No need to shout it every time you leave. Or arrive. Or in general conversation."

    "Not everyone is as smart as me, so I need to make sure I remind them. After all, I''m BRILLIANT! MUAHAHAHAHA!"

    "Hey! That''s <em>my</em> evilugh!"

    But she''s already gone. Dammit. She''s always been a cheeky one, but she''s quickly bing one of the most important ants in the entire Colony. I know she''ll investigate as diligently as she can with all of her fierce intelligence.

    Suddenly, I just feel tired. I want to see my friends. I want to wrestle with Tiny, talk with Invidia, poke fun at Crinis. I want to see my mother, the Queen, and tickle the grubs.

    With an internal sigh, I trigger the healing nd once again. At this rate, it''ll take a few days to put these fires out, then I can start to properly regenerate. Rammon the Phoenix of Light. He''s a tough customer, but I have to thank him. By holding back, he literally saved my life.

    I owe him one.

 Chapter 1237: Anthony On Tour - Arriving Home

    Chapter 1237: Anthony On Tour - Arriving Home

    When our home mountaines into view, I feel an upswell of emotion, stronger than I expected. We''ve been gone for a little over a month, and it''s wonderful to see the end of the journeye into sight.

    Soon, I get the same feeling from all the other ants, locked away in the holds of the ships. They don''t particrly care about being packed into cramped conditions, but they are ready to be out and back amongst the family again, getting some work done.

    As we draw closer, the energy flowing into my Vestibule goes from a rtive trickle to a flood, as tens of thousands, then hundreds of thousands of antse into range. Holy heck! I''d almost forgotten what it felt like. All of a sudden, I''m overflowing with energy and feel like I could take on the world.

    As the fleet continues on the final stretch of the journey, it''s clear to see the family has been hard at work on the mountain. Carving, reinforcing, building, sculpting. There''s more shape and definition to the fortress. The walls look taller, stronger, and I can see even from here that they''ve been significantly upgraded. There''s even been development on the shoreline. Arge dock area is under construction, and there''s the beginnings of a settlement. Perhaps that''s where they intend to run our Dungeon Delving operation?

    As long as the centipedes are being exterminated, I''m happy.

    Before long, Eran Thourises onto the deck, a smile on her face and the light gleaming off her purple scales.

    [Looking forward to being home?] I ask her.

    [Of course. I''m looking forward to seeing how much my husband has made while I was away.]

    I don''t know why I would think she was hoping for anything other than money.[Would he really have been that busy making profits? We were away for one month.]

    [Don''t underestimate Satrap Umizan,] she said firmly, a twinkle in her eye. [I might be the chief negotiator for the Conglomerate, but he''s the Satrap for a reason.]

    [Speaking of sweet, sweet wealth. When can we expect our first delivery of cores?]

    The thought of paying <em>out</em> wealth doesn''t seem to sit as nicely, wiping the smile from her face.

    [It will take a little time to see what sort of impact your confrontation with the Phoenix will have on our enterprise. But I''m hoping it won''t be too detrimental. I would like to make our first payment in another month.]

    We''ve discussed what happened a few times, but only in circr terms. She''s not happy I did what I did, putting so much at risk, but eventually she was able to appreciate that I was never going to be able to do anything else. Ultimately, it was more productive to just not talk about it.

    Soon, we''re close enough that I think I might be able to reach out to the gang.

    [Hey, Tiny. Can you hear me, bud?]

    Dead silence for a moment, but that might just mean he''s asleep.

    [Tiny? Tiny!]

    [Huh? Loud.]

    [Hey! It''s nice to hear your voice, buddy! Did you miss me?]

    [... Maybe.]

    [Aw, I missed you too! How is everyone?]

    [Good.]

    [And how are you?]

    [Good.]

    Getting words out of this ape can be infuriating sometimes. He''s never been all that talkative, but I was hoping his increased mental stats would push the word count up at least a little.

    [And how was your evolution? Did it work out well?]

    [Very good,] I can practically hear his wide, bat-faced grin. [Tiny is strong! Much stronger than before!]

    So now he wants to talk. Figures. I do need to ask about something else that''s been on my mind.

    [And how is Crinis? Is she¡­ alright?]

    A moment of silence.

    [Uh. She is fine.]

    What? The tone of his voice is a little weird. He sounds mildly confused.

    [Are you alright there, buddy?]

    [Yes. Fine.]

    [And Crinis?]

    Again, a pause.

    [She is fine¡­ and not mad.]

    Wait a second.

    [Tiny, is Crinis telling you what to say?]

    Another pause.

    [No.]

    She totally is! She''s getting Tiny to lie for her? Just how furious is she?! Tentatively, I reach out to Crinis directly.

    [H-hey there, Crinis. How¡­ how are you? Wake up from your evolution alright?]

    [I''m totally fine, Master. I awoke without any issues. I''m looking forward to seeing you again! How far away are you?]

    The words sound perfectly reasonable. Friendly, calm, in control. All of the things one would expect when seeing a close friend after a period of absence. However, there is an undercurrent, a simmering, smouldering intensity that is¡­ frightening.

    [Not¡­ not that far now.]

    Maybe I should turn the ship around.

    [Look, I didn''t think I''d be gone this long, you know? Thought it would just be a quick jaunt to help out the family while you guys were asleep.]

    [Of course, Master. It was clearly the right decision.]

    Gah! The more she agrees with me, the more terrifying it sounds!

    [And I didn''t know anything violent was going to happen. I didn''t even start it! But thanks to the phoenix, I was only <em>mostly</em> dead, and not fully dead!]

    Wait, I should have kept quiet about that bit. Dammit! There is a distinct silence for a few beats.

    [How far away did you say you were, Master?]

    [I order you not to attack me!] I screech, huddling down on the deck of the ship. She sounds so scary!

    [... I wasn''t going to attack you, Master. Why would you say such a thing?]

    The more she talks, the worse it gets.

    [I order you not to tie me up in shadow threads within your secretir and keep me there forever!]

    ¡­

    ¡­

    [Dammit.]

    You were actually going to do that?!

 Chapter 1238: Arrival

    Chapter 1238: Arrival

    Stepping off the ship and onto the shore is such a relief, I can barely put it into words. The Will of the Colony thrums through me once again, and I have to say, it feels right. The family is buzzing with industrious energy. Thousands of individuals are filled with the desire to work and improve the outlook for the next generation.

    It''s positively motivating to get that sort of can-do attitude pumped directly into your Nave. All my negativity and self-doubt is blown away in an instant. The Colony knows no doubt! The Colony does not wallow in self-pity! We''re a collective, we move forward together!

    Front foot forward! Then the other front foot. Follow that up with one of the middle legs, then the other. Usually, but not necessarily, the back leg goes after that. Either one, once you get the hang of it.

    After all of the ants and the rest of their tools have disembarked, we farewell the fleet and watch as the brathians submerge their ships beneath the waves once more. I''m sure we''ll be catching up with them again at some point, but for now they''ve gone to count their coin and do¡­ aquatic things, I suppose. I don''t know what they do down there. When they aren''t swimming.

    Ah, to be amongst the ants once more. It isn''t right to be in a city that isn''t designed for people who can walk on walls. I don''t care how shiny their silver is. Once I step inside the gates, pointedly ignoring the carved likeness of myself adorning the surface, I am immediately embraced by the throng. There are thousands of ants rushing hither and thither, seeing to the millions of tasks that keep the fortress and the broader family atrge prospering.

    And how happy they are to see me! Listen to their cries of wee!

    "No more rest, Eldest! You''ve been cking for weeks!"

    "Out of the way, Eldest! You take up half of the road!"

    "Back for a few minutes and you <em>still</em> haven''t found some work to do? Laziness!""You can''t possibly be serious! I''ve been working hard out there, dammit!"

    "Are you working right now?"

    "Well, no, but I just got back!"

    "cking!"

    Sheesh! Some things never change. I have to say, there''s been some real changes in here. What had been a great fortress underway before I left has really had the rough edges smoothed out. Things are positivelymodious in here now. I think they''ve even installed some form of heating in the floors. My ws feel positively toasty! Or maybe the smelters are one level down. Regardless, things are looking very impressive!

    Despite the harangueing of my siblings, there are a few things I need to do before I leap into my next task, namely catching up with the dear friends I left behind.

    My three pets have been living and fighting down below the main fortress, helping the ants conquer the tunnels beneath. If all has gone well, the passages leading down to the fifth should have been secured by now. Preparations for the grand invasion can enter their final stages!

    Bidding farewell to the crafters who''ve shared the journey with me, I take my leave and begin to make my way down through the fortress. In the grand chamber from which we had nned and coordinated our defence against the wave, I am finally reunited with my dear friends.

    [Master!] Crinis cries.

    [Hey, Crinis!] I say. [Where the heck are you?!]

    I can hear her, I can sense her, but I sure can''t see her.

    [Look down!]

    It''s a little awkward for me to look down, but I manage it with a little twisting. The moment Iy eyes on my own shadow, a forest of tentacles emerge, wrapping themselves around me until I''m wrapped up tighter than a mummy.

    I mean¡­ I literally can''t move.

    [Hey there, Crinis¡­ I would like to be able to walk¡­.]

    [I was so worried about you, Master! Are you alright?]

    I mean, you are covering my entire carapace right now. Surely you can tell I''m fine.

    [I''m as fit as a fiddle that does yoga. Seriously! Calm down a second.]

    [Are you sure you don''t want to visit my secretir?]

    [I am <em>quite </em>sure. Now, let me go so I can say hello to the others. Come on.]

    It takes a little more cajoling, but eventually she lets me go. Well, lets me go enough that I can stagger over to where Tiny and Invidia are reclining.

    [Holy moly, Tiny. You''re massive!]

    He is indeed a big boy. Pleased with my reaction, the big ape flexes and poses, ensuring I get a full view of his impressive arms and shoulders. This ape has had some serious gains over the course of this evolution. With reforged bones and muscles, this guy will punch like an atomic bomb! I can''t wait to see him in action!

    [<em>Weessss home,</em>] Invidia purrs, eye gleaming brightly.

    Brightly, but not green.

    [You''ve had an eye change, Invidia! Not green anymore? So you aren''t an envy demon?]

    [<em>Notssss exactly.</em>]

    Wowee. Some big changes here! Visually, the difference isn''t as stark as with Tiny, but obviously the little guy has gone through some significant alterations as well.

    Ah, it''s nice to be with the gang again!

    [I missed all of you,] I tell them, feeling dness welling up inside me. [Tell me what you''ve all been up to and how the evolutions have worked out! I''m all ears!]

    Metaphorically speaking. Ants don''t have ears.

    [Oh, and I need to check in on Sarah as well! Is she still around the fortress?]

    Tiny nods in the affirmative, jerking a thumb towards one of the side tunnels. I turn my attention in that direction just in time to see the shadow of a slippery little assassin demon sliding down that way. How the heck is he so fast? In fact, who let him out of the cupboard I stuffed him in?!

 Chapter 1239: Renewed

    Chapter 1239: Renewed

    The gang is back together, and my goodness, they all look so different! For starters, Invidia now has a blue eye, but not in an ''imbibed too much spice'' kind of way. Only the iris is blue, and if anything, it''s kind of soft and weing. His physical form hasn''t changed much, at least the part of it that isn''t tucked away into its own little pocket dimension.

    He''s definitely a little bigger, a little stronger-looking, but for the most part, he''s a big ol'' eye, with two wings, and two long gangly arms hanging down. When he smiles, the air itself slips apart beneath him to reveal his ravenous, toothy maw. That mouth is out in the open now, grinning a toothy grin as I take a good look at him.

    [You''re looking positively dapper, Invidia! Full of life! How does it feel to reach the seventh tier?]

    <em>[It feelssss good. I have grownsssss assssss a demon.]</em>

    I can tell, but it seems to be even more profound than that.

    [I think you''ve grown as more than a demon, little buddy. I think you''ve grown as a being. You feel more genuine. More you.]

    His big eye blinks at me.

    <em>[I''sssss agree.]</em>

    I mean, it must be a little weird having your personality and the thing you crave the most changed by evolution. Or is it the thing they crave the most that drives the evolution? I''m not sure, but judging by how happy he seems, I think Invidia has chosen well.Tiny¡­ Tiny is huge. It''s easy to see he poured his evolutionary energy into increasing his physical prowess as much as he could. Striking a bnce between raw size and muscle density, he''s grown quite a bit. Hard to imagine there was once a time when he was riding around on my back. He''s way bigger than I am now, and it''s not like I''m small.

    I mean¡­ how big was King Kong supposed to be? Tiny is giving him a run for his money. At this rate, he''ll be smacking over the empire state building with one hand in a couple of evolutions!

    [Tiny, did you remember to implement a few measures to ensure you don''t just die when you punch something?]

    A huge consideration for Tiny has always been trying to curb his instinct to throw himself in the face of danger at the first opportunity. I''ve done everything I can to help the dumb ape. Invidia being a dedicated support caster half the time was just so he could help protect Tiny from himself. We secured armour and enchanted gear to try and help cover his weak spots, but he''s always been a ss cannon. I have no idea how I managed to keep him alive for this long.

    With a wide grin, the ape thumps himself on the chest.

    [Tiny is strong <em>and</em> tough! Don''t worry!]

    Judging by the size of his shoulders¡­ I''m unconvinced. There''s more to his evolution than just raw physical size, however. Of all three of mypanions, he''s had thergest visible change. His fur, always liable to change evolution to evolution, isn''t as long or shaggy as it was before. He has a strong silverback colouring, but the whiter fur looks almost like electrical lines, streaked across his shoulders and down his arms. A spiderweb of lightning.

    Despite just standing there, sparks of electricity crackle around him, lines of force rippling across his forearms and fingers. There''s a qualitative difference in the way he <em>feels</em> to me as well, the density and purity of his core is¡­ stronger.

    [Wait a second. You got a mythic evolution!?]

    Somehow, his bat face splits even wider into a broad grin. I run up to him and jostle him with my mandibles and prod him with my antennae while he pretends to fend me off.

    [Wowee, Tiny! A mythic tier seven just like me! Look at you, big guy! Who''d''ve thought you had it in you? Me! That''s who. Well done!]

    I can tell he''s very pleased with himself, and when I''m done congratting him, he gives me two big thumbs up. This guy must be an absolute terror in a fight. I can''t wait to see what he can do.

    [All right, Crinis. Time to take a good look at you!]

    [Alright!]

    [...That means you need to let go of me.]

    [But¡­ but what if you go somewhere?]

    [Dammit, Crinis! I just want to see how your evolution went, and I can''t do that when you''re gooped onto my carapace! Be reasonable! Where the heck would I go? I just got back!]

    [...Fine.]

    With <em>great</em> reluctance, she peels herself from my exo-skeleton and gathers her shadowy self together before expanding to reveal her true form. Except¡­ I can''t really <em>see</em> her. She''s¡­ dark. Like¡­ super dark.

    [Crinis, what the heck are you doing to the light? I can''t even see you.]

    Much like the strongest of gravity bombs, she''s sucking in the light around her, creating a zone of pitch ck darkness. Yet, even within that darkness, I <em>feel</em> her in there, peering back at me.

    [Don''t be silly, Master!] sheughs. [I <em>am</em> the darkness. See?]

    In a horrifying disy, the darkness itself <em>stretches</em>, then reaches for me. Tendrils as pitch ck as night, made from the absence of light itself, slither through the air toward me, then peel back to reveal one of her three mouths. A void within a void, ringed with teeth like sawdes of obsidian.

    [Th-that''s quite impressive,] I say, faintly.

    How in the world did she get even MORE terrifying?!

    [I''m d you think so! This way, I can be even closer to you than your own shadow! Isn''t that <em>wonderful</em>?]

    I mean¡­ sure¡­ I guess. Of course, I want to keep my friends close, but the way she says it is a little¡­ ufortable.

    [I''m totally free to create and move and <em>be</em> the darkness. It''s like a whole new me!]

    [Well, I''m d you''re happy,] I say, meaning it. [It''s wonderful to see you so happy in your new self.]

    The gang is really back together. It feels good.

 Chapter 1240: The Next Steps

    Chapter 1240: The Next Steps

    With my precious friends back by my side, I feelplete again. They fill in a hollow deep inside that not even the Vestibule can reach. With Tiny, Invidia and Crinis with me again, I can feel the confidence that was shattered by my confrontation with Rammon start to return. It was something I didn''t even realise I''d lost until it started to reform itself, deep inside, in the presence of these three.

    [I can''t tell you how nice it is to see you all again,] I tell them, cking my mandibles happily.

    With our reunion done, and the unit reforged once again, the question that quickly bubbles in my mind, is what next?

    This is the Colony! There''s always a million things to do, and getting those finished only creates another million jobs that follow along. Things to build, territory to secure, grubs to tickle, threats to quell and prosperity to ensure. There''s dangerous people out there, dangerous monsters, and they won''t be able to resist a juicy little apple like my family forever, so the imperative to get stronger is always there.

    Not to mention, the deeper drive that sits ufortably in my guts. The hook ced there by the Ancients continues to twist and grind, a pain that won''t ever go away, no matter how I try. If I even think about going up to the third stratum, maybe to meet with my mother, it twists sharply in my guts. Only when I release the thought does it unwind.

    It makes me furious. More than that, it makes me resentful. I hate that they have this control over me, this method to manipte my thoughts. It''s like a drum beating inside my body.

    <em>Go deeper. Go deeper. Go deeper. Go deeper.</em>

    When I think about travelling down to the fifth, and deeper, that de starts to loosen, just a little, giving me a tiny hint of release. It''s insidious, and I can fully appreciate just what they are doing to me.

    The problem is, there''s nothing I can do about it! I don''t know how to get the damn thing out of me, and apparently nobody else does either. All I can do is get down there and chomp the Ancients right in the face when I see them.Stupid, old, monsters.

    For now, there''s a few things I can do without having to go too far. The Colony is still fighting in the tunnels beneath the fortress, I can help with that. We''re still preparing to invade the fifth, and I for sure want to help with that.

    Then there''s the threat from the Church of the Path. I won''t ever forgive or forget what they''ve done, and I won''t ever allow them to realise their desire. For now, there''s not much I''m willing to do on that front. Brilliant is on the job, fact-finding and gathering information, and she''ll pull in all the other groups within the Colony that she needs to in order to learn what we need to know. Once we understand this foe, there''ll be more we can do.

    For now, I need to touch base with the Council and see what''s going on amongst the family.

    Naturally, it isn''t that hard to find Victor. She''s been here coordinating the Colony''s forces in the fourth tirelessly, and she''s still right here, in the middle of the chamber, in themand post.

    Messengers are still running everywhere, but there isn''t the same frantic, desperate energy there was during the wave, which is nice to see. Fighting to progress and make the family safer is so much more enjoyable than fighting to survive.

    "Hey, Victor! How are you doing? It''s been a while!"

    "Eldest? You''re finally back?"

    "Well, yeah. I got back a little bit ago. How are things around here? How are you?"

    "Busy. I''m busy."

    She''s poring over one of those three dimensional maps she loves so much. This one shows the fortress and the absolute web of tunnels beneath us. Seeing it really drives home just how deep it goes down there. The fourth stratum is absolutely massive. The mountains tower high into the air, holding the roof of the stratum so far above our heads, then thekes plunge deep, <em>seriously</em> deep. Beneath all of that, there are the tunnels. A vastwork of passages that touch every mountain on this entireyer of the Dungeon.

    It''s enormous, putting it mildly.

    "I can see that you''re busy. We''re all busy."

    "Are we?" She gives me a sharp look. "I''ve got about a dozen jobs that you could take care of for me, but are you doing any of them?"

    "Like, right now? I just got here! I''m here saying hello to you! How the heck am I supposed to know what you want me to do?"

    "You ask! You''ve been talking to me for almost a minute now!"

    "Yeesh! Alright, I''ll get to your missions in a bit, just chill out a little now. Can you get the Council together for me? I want to catch up with everyone and see how things are going."

    "Of course, of course. I''m sure they''ll want to talk with you as well. Now go away and get something done."

    "Fine, FINE! Alright. Get a wax and massage or something, you''re way too tense. Had some torpor any time recently?"

    The general freezes on the spot, seized by her trauma.

    "I slept yesterday!"

    "Eight hours?"

    "O-o-o-o-of course¡­."

    "Oh-ohhhhhh. Someone''s in trouble. See youter, Victor. After your <em>nap</em>."

    Chuckling evilly to myself, I slip away and leave Victor to stew in her own juices. Gweheheheheh.

    For now, there''s <em>another</em> general I want to catch up with. I''m <em>very</em> keen to see what sort of growth she''s been able to manifest. I''m expecting a lot, but I have a feeling that she''s going to blow those expectations out of the water.

    Just how well are Snt and her army getting on?

 Chapter 1241: Got a Problem a General Could Fix

    Chapter 1241: Got a Problem a General Could Fix

    It takes a little while to figure out where Snt is. Whenever I turn up in a tunnel looking for her, someone tells me she was <em>just</em> there, but left not long ago. Well, where was she going? She was heading over to <em>that</em> tunnel in order to talk to <em>so and so</em>. Alright, no problems, I''ll head over there.

    Except, when I get there, I hear the exact same thing. A picture clearly emerges that Snt is running around from ce to ce, but not like a chicken with its head cut off, more like an agent of organisation and order, crashing down wherever she senses chaos, straightening out everything and leaving only clean, functional lines of precision and logistics behind. It seems like the army of the Colony functions like a well-oiled machine wherever she happens to go.

    It was actually insanely impressive to see. Us ants are naturally a well-organised group by definition. Someone wants to do something, theyy down a trail, start getting others on board and things happen. Now, <em>the</em> Colony isn''t like any other ant colony. There''syers of intelligence here that normal ants can''t imagine, obviously. We haveyers of authority, decision makers, and groups whose entire role is to make sure we''re all pulling in the same direction. There''s literally millions of us, and I can feel the Will rolling off each of them, and everyone wants nothing but the best for the family, but they don''t necessarily all agree on how that''s supposed to be achieved.

    Discrepancies pop up. Things don''t always happen as smoothly as they should. Information at the front doesn''t necessarily match what is reaching the back. Even for creatures whomunicate with scent, it''s possible for someone to misunderstand what was being said to them. Small little things, but when it happens just a few times every thousand interactions, considering there are billions of interactions a day¡­ mistakes happen.

    Snt just seems to¡­ swoop in and straighten them all out. I have no idea how she even knows what she''s looking for. It''s like she can just sense when things aren''t working perfectly and knows how to fix it.

    I''m hugely impressed.

    When I finally catch up with the general, I get to see her in action personally. Oftentimes, I see a scrum of ants appear around whoever is in charge, messengers arriving or waiting for replies, advisors, soldiers, mages, each responsible for their own slice of the decision-making process.

    Around Snt, even this process is streamlined. Ants don''te to her, she goes to them, with only a few of her personal team following her. When she reaches a new group, she listens, she watches, she thinks, then she talks. In just a few minutes, she''s moving on to the next group. The moment she''s done talking, the ants who were listening rush off to work, clearly understanding exactly what it is that she wants them to do.

    Judging from the looks of things, she''s evolved since thest time I saw her as well, which means she''s reached tier five. So quickly! I''m d the Colony has been focusing on getting her Level pumped up. She''s going to be an important part of the family moving forward. Each champion who''s appeared has been a positive and exceptional influence, and she won''t be any different.She''s a little bigger than she was before, but her antennae in particr arerger, and a little fuzzy on the ends. I can''t help but wonder what they''re designed to sense. I watch her move efficiently from group to group before she''s finally done and finds the time toe and speak to me.

    "You look busy, Snt! I''ve been following you around for a while, and everywhere I go, you leave a well-organised group of ants. What''s the secret?"

    She looks up at me, her eyes dark and serious.

    "The line between order and disorder lies in logistics, Senior," she tells me. "It is impossible to ensure everything runs perfectly, but if we aim for perfection, we wille close."

    I mean¡­ that''s wise. I guess? I''m not exactly the best person to judge wisdom.

    "So you''re trying to ensure that our logistics are working as well as possible?"

    "Of course. We are nning to embark upon a grand campaign, are we not?"

    "The invasion of the fifth? Heck yeah, we are."

    "The victor of every war is decided long before they begin. We have been training, testing, checking, double checking, triple checking every aspect of our approach. When the timees, we will act as one entity, with one, unified mind and purpose. From what we know of the Krath, they are nefarious, intelligent, scheming and cunning, but they are divided and untrusting. We will smash them before they can hope to recover."

    Holy moly. I like everything I''m hearing. The potential I saw in the little general has done some serious blossoming. What the heck has been going on over here? Is this a nest or a hothouse?!

    "Awesome. I''m d to hear things are going so well! Is there anything I can do to help? Crinis, Tiny, Invidia and I are ready to roll!"

    "Of course, Senior, there is a lot that you can do. Our advance teams are preparing to start exploring the fifth, and it would be excellent if you could be part of that process."

    Hoo boy. Jumping down into the poisonous mulch and exploring a whole new stratum of the Dungeon? That''s like, my favourite thing to do outside of tickling grubs!

    "Sure thing. I''ve got to do some jobs for Victor, need to talk to a few folks, and then I''m all yours. Keen to get involved. I know Tiny''s looking forward to punching something."

    Thumbs up.

    "How are we going on the project to cleanse the fifth of the toxic mana? Have we worked out a way to make the change permanent?"

    "That''s been a difficult challenge, Eldest. That project is in the hands of Brilliant and the core shapers, who''ve been investigating tirelessly, but there hasn''t been a breakthrough as of yet. We''re hoping our advance team explorations will be able to shed more light on the exact nature of the fifth."

    That''s smart.

    "Alright then, Snt. I''ll catch up with youter."

 Chapter 1242: Setback? What Setback?

    Chapter 1242: Setback? What Setback?

    <em>The Colony possesses a trait that is uniquely ascribed to it and to it alone, among the advanced, thinking societies that have emerged on Pangera. And that is, you can almost view them as a single entity, a super-organism, so to speak, due to how united in purpose they are.</em>

    <em>Disagreements, or different approaches, are almost absorbed as part of the process, as millions of individuals work to bring about a single oue: the betterment of the whole. It''s almostical how incorruptible they are. Even more than a society, they are a unified mass of constantly shiftingponents that give the appearance of a society, while concealing their true nature. The Colony is not a people, or a country, or a kingdom, or an empire. They are a single beast. One Creature. One Mind. One Purpose.</em>

    <em></em><em>-Excerpt from ''True Threat'' by the propagandist Erdagon</em>

    The best way to put your troubles behind you is to keep pushing forward, find something else to do. So that''s exactly what I get to doing. With Tiny, Crinis and Invidia beside me once again, we throw ourselves into the long list of jobs Victor has put in front of me. Escort construction teams down into the tunnels? No problem, we''ll get them there lickety-split. Fight off a raid from some sort of crystalline cow-looking things? Of course! They will crumple in the face of Tiny''s fists. Stand guard while an excavation team takes mineral samples from a potential mining site?

    I mean¡­ it''s boring as heck¡­ and surely you can get someone else to do this¡­ but fine! We''ve got it!

    All the while, the thriving and vibrant energy of the Colony wraps around me like a warm nket. Every day that goes by, the family bes stronger, more secure, and my confidence grows. It''s hard not to grow, with so much zest and vigour being pumped directly into my veins via the Vestibule. The enthusiasm and drive of my siblings is contagious. I can''t help but catch the bug and throw myself into every task with determination and vigour.

    It''s heady stuff.

    It takes barely two days to crush through Victor''s list, leaving the general scrambling for things for us to do. At that point, I tell her not to bother and to let me know if anything elsees up, something they need me and the squad to take care of. Something that isn''t guard duty on mining expeditions.

    It''s at that moment the general twitches as if she just recalled something."Oh yes, Eldest. There is one thing that you should look into."

    There''s something off about the tone of her scent¡­. I can''t quite put an antenna on what it is, but she sounds¡­ shifty.

    "Oh? Is it more pointless guard duty? Anyone can do those jobs, you don''t need a pack of mythic monsters to take care of them."

    "I thought only two of you were mythic?"

    "We are all mythic in my eyes!" I shoot back. I will ept no prejudice against Invidia and Crinis! They''re bound to be mythic after their next evolutions, so there''s no harm in counting them early!

    "Well, that''s fine, I understand what you''re saying. We <em>are</em> stretched thin down here Eldest."

    "There''s hundreds of thousands of us!"

    "And you might have noted that the monsters here are not like the ones we fight in the first stratum," the general replies a little snippily. "Maybe <em>you</em> can pulverise giant lizards with hardened rock shells, or sea krakens, or water elementals, without twitching a mandible, but it''s <em>considerably</em> harder for the rest of us. Each task requires a greatermitment of numbers, a greater amount of organisation and logistical support just to get anything done down there!"

    Well¡­ that''s a good point. I''ve evolved and kept myself stronger than everything I fight, but this is certainly not true for most ants. Hardly any of them have fully reinforced cores when they evolve, and even fewer get special cores, let alone rare cores, to expand their capacity before evolution. There are millions of us at this stage, <em>millions</em>, and all the cores and Biomass that can be spared get funnelled towards the next generation. That means our young hatchlings areing out of the antcademies stronger than ever, which is great! But after that point, their growth begins to stagnate. Against the more powerful monsters of the fourth, the ants need greater numbers to get anything done. It''s totally understandable, but I still feel a little sad about it.

    Hopefully, the cores thate in from the trading we will do can be diverted into strengthening those battling on the front lines. Obviously, it''s important to make sure every grub grows up to be as strong as possible, I instituted that policy after all, but we need to ensure the rest of the Colony doesn''t fall behind.

    "Alright then, what is this job you have for me?" I sigh.

    Mentally, I''m bracing for something tedious, but I''m still surprised and a little suspicious when I get the answer.

    "We need you to wee and escort a VIA."

    My antennae twitch.

    "What in the name of all that is good and six-legged is a VIA?"

    "That''s not important. Just focus on doing the job well."

    "Okaaaaay." That''s not weird. "You want to meet, and escort, this VIA. Where do I meet them? And where am I taking them?"

    "You''ll meet them at the teleportation gate, obviously."

    "Wait, I thought we hadn''t connected our gates to any outsideworks?"

    "We haven''t."

    Fine. So they areing from within our ownwork.

    "And who is this, VIA? Am I allowed to know that?"

    "I''m afraid not. This mission has the utmost level of secrecy. You''ll understand everything when you meet them at the gate."

    "Fine. How long do I have until they arrive?"

    "About an hour."

    "So soon!"

    "Well¡­ yes."

    Despite feeling like something very odd is going on, I head on over to the gate hub and take my time resting as the minutes tick by. A VIA? What the heck is a VIA? And since when did we use terms like that anyway?

    I was hoping to start nning for the invasion of the fifth and take part in my first expedition, but instead they want me to sit around and meet someone? Who the heck could possibly be worth it?

    When the time finally arrives, the gate shes bright as I stand and approach. When the light finally dims, arge, insectlike form is revealed, antennae wiggling as they take in the new sights and sounds¡­ and smells. Obviously.

    "Ahhh. Very Important Ant. Makes sense."

    THWACK!

    OUCH!

    "I''m no more important than anyone else in the family," my mother says, cking her mandibles huffily.

 Chapter 1243: Mother Isnâ€™t Impressed

    Chapter 1243: Mother Isn¡¯t Impressed

    Dammit, Victor! You set me up for a thwacking! Why the heck wouldn''t you tell me that The Queen wasing down here?! Despite being more evolved than her, those antennae still pack a serious wallop! How does it hurt this much?

    "Hello there, Mother! I wasn''t expecting to see you here."

    She turns to look at me directly.

    "Then why are you here? Lazing about, avoiding work?"

    "Whoa! No! Not at all! Why would you jump to that conclusion?"

    Her antenna is poised, ready to strike, and I retreat, desperately trying to defend myself from her pointed usation.

    "I was asked toe down here and meet someone, I was just saying I didn''t expect it to be you! They didn''t tell me who wasing, so I had no way to know!"

    Her antenna lowers, and I rx just a little.

    "Why are you here, Mother?"THWACK!

    "Should I not be here? Are you saying I''m not strong enough?"

    "No! Sheesh! I was just wondering why!"

    She''s so touchy today! Did Victor know she was grumpy in advance or something? Is that why I was sent here? I''ll get her back. Mark my words, I will get her back for this. Another sh of light, and lo and behold, the aphid queen arrives. It''s been a while since I''ve seen Aphy, and she''s certainly gotten bigger than before, but, rtive to me, she''s smaller, so it isn''t easy to tell.

    At the appearance of her beloved pet, The Queen stops threatening me and turns to check on the little creature, fussing and cking over her as she ensures the aphid has arrived safely. On one level, I''m even more surprised to see Aphy here. I had no idea there were ns to start aphid farms on the fourth, but then again, there may not be. Wherever The Queen went, her pet was sure to follow also.

    "Well mother, I''m d to see Aphy made it alright. Uh. Do you have any idea where I''m supposed to take you? I wasn''t told."

    The Queen turns back to look at me, her pet falling in by her side.

    "Really, child. Surely you can figure it out for yourself?"

    "Well, that depends, to be honest."

    "Depends on what?"

    "Can I ask this question without getting my head bashed in with an antenna?"

    Mother cks her mandibles disapprovingly, as if offended I would dare suggest such a thing.

    "Of course, child."

    What do you mean, ''of course''?! Do you not recall what happened here a moment ago?! Never mind.

    "If you tell me why you are here in the fourth, then I''ll have a much better time being able to take you where you are expected. Are you here for a tour, or a short term stay? Are you moving into this nest permanently?"

    "Permanently," she replies.

    "Oh. That''s¡­ interesting. I''m guessing you made this decision¡­ yourself."

    I very carefully ensure that I make a statement, and not a question. Mother''s antenna twitches once again as she sniffs something offensive in my words.

    "Am I not able to make decisions for myself, child?" she asks, dangerously.

    "Of course you can! Who could argue otherwise? It would be ridiculous to suggest that anyone other than yourself would decide where you should go."

    Dammit! Who is running things up in the third? There''s supposed to be aplex web around The Queen, ensuring she stays happy and satisfied so she doesn''t do things like <em>this</em>. She''s going to get herself killed fighting some of the monsters down here!

    "Did you want to go for a hunt now, mother? Or would you prefer to go to your chambers?"

    There''s no way this nest wasn''t built with space for Queens. There''s going to be brood chambers and Queens'' quarters, fully furnished with a pot of hot tea kept on the table, just in case.

    "I''m a little tired after using the¡­ gate. It was difficult to get the children to get out of my way. For some reason, there was constantly some pressing emergency that needed to use the gate. It went on for days."

    She knows. She totally knows. There were no emergencies, that was the family desperately scrambling to dy and buy time to convince her to stay somewhere safer. No wonder she''s so grumpy. She''s been patiently enduring the shenanigans of her children who''ve been attempting to prevent her from doing what she wants without actually talking to her about it.

    I can''t help but sigh. It''s not like I don''t understand her frustration, but the same goes for us, the children! Is it so much to ask that your mother doesn''t recklessly throw herself into dangerous situations? Apparently, it is.

    "Well, let''s go and get you settled into your chambers. I''m pretty sure I know where they''ll be."

    "Thank you, child. I appreciate your help."

    A. Nothing like being thanked by The Queen to lift your spirits.

    "Not a problem. Not a problem at all."

    With the Queen, and aphid queen, in tow, I make my way from the gate to the centre of the nest.

    "Well, why did you decide to move? Getting bored in the third?"

    Mother cks her mandibles contemtively.

    "As the family grows, I don''t need toy eggs all that much anymore. There are many Queens now, each of themying more eggs a day than I can. Of course, I still intend to produce more brood, but there is much I can do to help my children fight."

    "Of course. I should have expected nothing less."

    What else would she want to do but fight? That''s literally her second favourite thing to do! And she isn''t wrong about the Queens. There are as many as we need in the Colony. Our cup ruh over with Queens.

    The chances of talking The Queen out of throwing herself into the battle taking ce in the tunnels below are basically nil at this point. How in the heck are we going to keep her alive? I need to talk to the Council about this.

    THWACK!

    "Oi! What was that for?"

    The Queen eyes me suspiciously.

    "I had a sense of something."

    Sharp as ever.

 Chapter 1244: Council Gathering

    Chapter 1244: Council Gathering

    "None of you were able to stop The Queen from moving down here? She wants to <em>fight</em>! Like¡­ <em>really </em>fight!"

    "There''s not much we can do to stop her when she gets it in her mind to do something," Theresant tells me. "She decided it would be better for the family if she fought more rather than prioritisedying eggs. Since she <em>is</em> one of the strongest fighters in the Colony, it''s difficult to say that she''s wrong."

    "She probably <em>isn''t</em> wrong," Advant replies, the big soldier cking her mandibles morosely. "There''s a lot The Queen can offer in battle, and she knows it."

    Each member of the Council sinks into their, now cushioned, ant seats. I don''t know who''s out there designing ant furniture, but they''re definitely making serious improvements to their designs. I know it''s difficult, considering most of us are different sizes, even subtly different shapes, depending on mutations. The designer has solved this problem by using more flexible materials and including generous padding. Of course, my chair had to be built custom.

    "Ultimately, I guess it doesn''t matter," I sigh. "Mother is going to do whatever she thinks is best for the family, regardless of what we have to say about it. What we need to do is try to figure out how we''re going to keep her alive."

    Sloan and Victor briefly confer before reporting back to the group.

    "If she asks us where she would be best deployed, or consults with any of the generals coordinating the fighting, then we can influence where she goes and what she fights, but if she doesn''t¡­"

    "She absolutely won''t," I tell them.

    "Well¡­ then there isn''t much we can do in terms of picking her battles."The Queen is old school. She''s not interested in any of this organisedbat stuff. She''s going to wander around, following trails until she finds something to chomp. Wait¡­

    "Is there any chance we can control what scent trails shees across? Remember, The Queen was fighting right back at the start of the Colony. She probablyid down most of the trails outside the first nest herself. That''s the way she''ll get to the frontline, by following the trails."

    It''s the scouts, Burke and Wills, who chip in on this one.

    "Laying false trails will be difficult, Eldest," Burke tells me.

    "There''s already aplex system of trailsid down in the tunnels below. It''s one of our main ways of organisation."

    "You don''t have to change your system much. Just change the name of one of the more out of the way fronts to ''most important'', or ''situation dire''."

    "... Do you really think she would fall for that?"

    "... Maybe?"

    "I feel like, if she was here, she would hit you with her antenna."

    "Of course she would! I''ll take a few thwacks if it means keeping her alive!"

    The Queen is the founding member of this family, the very first one, and the only ant every single one of us can trace our lineage directly to. If she was lost, it would be like the heart of the Colony was cut out.

    I mean, mine also, but the Colony''s as well.

    "We can give it a try," Wills sighs, "but I think our best bet is to simply reinforce whichever front she chooses to attend."

    "We were always going to do that," Victor says, almost offended. "We have a battalion set aside already, strictly for that purpose."

    At that point, there isn''t much more to say about The Queen problem, as vexing as it is. I turn my attention to the next problem in front of me.

    "Aright. So, can anyone tell me why Vibrant is osciting back and forth like that?"

    Ever since we arrived at this meeting, she''s been a blurry mess. It''s hard to even look at her directly since she seems to be shifting about thirty centimetres from side to side so quickly I can''t actually see her move.

    She actually says something to reply to me, but all I get is a mangled knot of scent. I can''t interpret it at all.

    "Did you say something, Vibrant? I didn''t get anything from that."

    Again, a mess of scent thatsts probably twice as long as before, but it''s utterly uninterpretable.

    "Vibrant, you <em>really</em> have to slow it down. A lot."

    After herst evolution, she probablynded on a mythic species that sped her up to an absurd degree. If I know her, and I do, she would have gone all in on anything that would help her go faster.

    "Can you understand me now, Senior?" she says finally.

    "Yes! Yes, that was perfect. You actually soundpletely normal."

    "I find if I have a quick nap-nap between words it seems to space things out better," she exins.

    "Wait¡­. You''re taking a <em>nap</em>? In between words? You''re going into <em>torpor?"</em>

    "Yep-yep! It''s one of the organs I attached to my brain when I evolved. Going super fast can make you super tired, so micro-torpor sessions let me get more rest, then I go faster for longer! It''s great!"

    Of course, I doubt that was the only reason. This means she''s essentially free of the torpor police forever, since they''ll never be able to say she hasn''t been sleeping. She could be napping in between steps while she''s walking around.

    "So¡­ is this weird¡­ vibrating thing¡­ is that also part of your evolution?"

    "Nope-nope! I''m just excited!"

    "Fine¡­." I guess my question has been answered. I was worried there was something wrong, but she''s alright, apparently. Time to move to the next topic, I suppose. "I was hoping to hear about how the family is doing around the ce. It''s not like I can go up to the first or second anymore, but it would be great to hear about it. How are the antcademies going? How are the young generations handling things up there?"

 Chapter 1245: The Family Ascendant

    Chapter 1245: The Family Ascendant

    It''s nice to have the full council around. How long has it been since I saw them all together in one ce? Even Antite and Victoriant are here, now majestic tier six queens, with huge gasters for generating many, high-quality eggs.

    It''s actually the two Queens who speak up next.

    "Things have been going well up there," Antite tells the Council. "We''ve expanded to over twenty antcademies, with satellite nests built around each of them in the second stratum. However, we are beginning to push against imed territory."

    "Haven''t we taken a lot of ''imed territory''?" I ask.

    "We have, but that was imed by independent city states, which are now part of the Colony."

    Good for them.

    "We are now brushing against parts of the Dungeon imed by the major powers, and we don''t want to antagonise them."

    I mean¡­ we could¡­. No, that''s probably a bad idea. Prosper in peace. This is the way.

    "How are the¡­uh¡­ former independent cities doing? They''vee into the fold alright?""Well¡­" Victoriant shifts a little ufortably. "For the most part, yes, but the cities who were¡­ persuaded¡­ by the crusade¡­"

    Good lord. What did those crazy priests do in there? Are those people suffering from trauma? Do they resent their ant overlords?

    "What''s the problem with them, Victoriant?"

    "They''re just very <em>enthusiastic</em>. Several of them were almost depopted due to the residents volunteering to be soldiers in the Colony."

    Oh. So¡­ the opposite problem. How the heck did that happen?

    "Alright then. So, things are going well up there, I guess. How about the Antcademies? How are they running?"

    It''s a good time to ask, given we have the architects of the entire program right here with me. Theresant and Florence are in attendance, each of them resplendent, tier five Brood Tenders, emitting a soothing aura that refreshes all of us.

    Florence happily opens up, cking her mandibles with obvious joy.

    "We''ve made great strides in streamlining the rearing and education process. A thorough exploration of the various Skills and mutations that affect education and growth have resulted in us uncovering what we believe to be the best possiblebinations. A fully grown hatchling has a significant statistical advantage over where they used to be, and their builds are much more refined."

    "You still ask them what they want to learn, right? You don''t just force them to be whatever we need?"

    "Of course we don''t, Eldest, but when we ask them what they want to be, the first question they ask is what we want."

    Obviously, they''re ants.

    "You can''t just fold at the first obstacle! You''ve got to push a little harder than that!"

    "We do, of course. Usually, this results in them trying to divide themselves up ording to what they think the Colony needs. They get quite grumpy about it."

    Damn hatchlings. ept freedom, dammit! I might have to chalk it up as a lost cause. Trying to get them to choose their own path in life seems pointless when they can''t really be happy unless they feel like they''re contributing to the family anyway. I wanted them to learn they could contribute to the family <em>as well</em> as choose their own path, but it doesn''t seem to be sinking in.

    "And how are the Brood Tenders handling things? No problems? You have enough numbers?"

    "It''s been very busy," Theresant says, without seeming tired at all, "but things are starting to slow down a little now. There''s less expansion happening in the first and second stratum; with less new nests being built, we aren''t having to establish new antcademies or brood rearing chambers. So, things are going very well."

    Of course they are, you guys get to tickle the grubs all day long! I''m so jealous! How could you possibly be stressed!?

    "Well, that''s wonderful to hear. I almost hesitate to ask, but how many students are we graduating each week? Or are the hatchlings being produced on a monthly basis?"

    "No, they are still being hatched weekly. It''s difficult to say, but across all of the nests, we are graduating close to one hundred thousand students a week."

    HOLY MOLY.

    No, it''s fine. I''m cool. It''s cool. That''s over five million a year. Five million of the most prime, primo ants this Dungeon has ever seen. That''s¡­ a lot.

    "What about egg production and education in the third and fourth strata? We''ve captured a fair bit ofnd in the third. In the fourth, we have¡­ this single mountain, but there''s already a nest here."

    "We aren''t sure about that. There <em>are</em> Queens creating brood in the third right now, and The Queen has just moved here, but we aren''t sure what effect the overly thick mana in the lower levels will have on the young."

    "That''s a good point, we should figure that out before we do too much. I like the caution in this instance."

    Now I guess we can move to the big ticket item.

    "It''s no secret that I have a big project on the go right now. Fully cleansing the fifth stratum in order to allow for the Colony to make our way deeper into the Dungeon. It''s not going to be easy, obviously, but if we can do this, we will shock the entire world and put the Dungeon on notice. Everyone will have to ept that we, the Colony, mean business."

    Advant leans forward in her chair.

    "That sounds nice and all, Eldest, but I don''t think that''s the real reason you want to do this."

    "Of course not. If they capture one of us, they can corrupt us with their evil goo and make an entire colony of evil sludge ants. We don''t have a choice but to remove that possibility from the Dungeonpletely."

    The rest of the Council don''t really care about impressing the other empires of Pangera. Nor do they think it important to get them in our debt or any such thing. When I mention eliminating the chance of our siblings getting corrupted, they arepletely bought in.

    "It''s going to take a ton of resources. I want to emphasise that we need to ensure we aren''t shortchanging any of our other projects. Having said that, what we can spare, I want to put towards this. We are still in the opening stages, gathering information and testing potential solutions. When we sort things out, the call wille, and everyone needs to answer."

 Chapter 1246: Catching Up

    Chapter 1246: Catching Up

    It''s been a long time since I''ve seen some of these ants, but it''s nice to see them again. Propent and Cont are here, and they have¡­ most certainly changed.

    "Alright, I have to ask, what the heck happened to you guys?"

    The two mages both turn to face me, I think, it''s kind of difficult to tell due to the visual obstruction over there.

    "I''m not sure what you mean, Eldest," Cont replies smoothly.

    "Yeah, we''re the same as always!"

    I mean¡­

    "You have what appears to be a small volcano on your back, Propent. The air around you is shimmering with heat! How in the heck can you tell me you haven''t changed?!"

    "Oh, you mean the evolution thing. I wanted to be more fiery. I was absolutely inspired when you made that mountain explode. I''d never even contemted the existence of such a level of heat. I had to aspire to reach that level myself!"

    "I think what my hot-headed sibling is trying to say, is that we wanted to further specialise in our elements. When we evolved, we chose¡­ rather extreme options.""You think!? You''re half made of ice?! Between the two of you, you''re starting to make a localised weather system!"

    The extreme heating off Cont ising up against the freezing air rolling off Cont and turning into mist. I mean, it''s cool and all, but it''s spreading around the room and bing a bit of a pain.

    Of all the ants that I''ve seen reach the sixth tier, these two have certainly gone for the most oundish choices. Most ants will stick fairly close to our base form, not really modifying it all that much. These two have not shied away from much more dramatic changes.

    "So, the idea of bing some sort of generalist mages never urred to either of you?"

    Cont wiggles her antennae dismissively.

    "Eldest, we of course considered the myriad paths avable to the mage ant, but decided that it was necessary for at least some of us to explore the limits of direct specialisation."

    "Yeah! Also, I can blow up stuff <em>incredibly </em>well."

    "Thank you, Propent, very helpful. As I was saying, this was a choice we made in order to further the knowledge of the Colony as a whole."

    "Right. And it had nothing to do with the fact that the two of you have increasingly identified with, even obsessed over, your chosen elements."

    "Of course not."

    Right. Very convincing. I''ll catch up with these two moronster, since they''re ted to be involved with the fifth exploration, given their mana expertise.

    Mendant and Frances are in attendance, of course, looking kind of irritated, as usual.

    "How are the healers travelling? Do you have all the support you need?"

    "To handle our current level of work? Sure. To cover an invasion into the most toxic and virulent ce in the entire Dungeon? Obviously not."

    Frances doesn''t hold back and hits us straight with the bad news.

    "You make a good point, we should get on that. Make note, everyone."

    Yeesh, they''re so touchy. I swear, if they weren''t as busy, they''d justin about being under-utilised. It''s impossible for them to be happy, I''m convinced.

    No matter how well we prepare, I expect the fifth is going to prove to be a greater challenge than we can possibly anticipate. There''s a reason that virulent mana has proven so intractable over the millennia. I''ve only been exposed to it in a limited fashion and I''m fully aware of just how poisonous it can be. Even the slightest slip, the tiniest bit of exposure, could lead to an ant receiving a lethal dose. Medical help is going to be critical to the sess of the mission.

    The two core shapers, Be and Ellie, are also here. They''ve been hard at work recently, coordinating with Snt and working on their wuffer design.

    "How is the core shaper effort working out regarding the fifth''s invasion?" I ask the pair. "You''ve done ster work so far, and I expect it only got better while I was away."

    The two are extremely pleased to receivepliments for their work, positively radiating pride as they reply.

    "We''ve been iterating on the design and think we''re ready for the next major test. You''ll be taking some of our best wuffers with you when you embark on your mission."

    "Excellent. I look forward to seeing how well they perform."

    They did a great job eliminating the goop before, but actually going into the fifth is going to be apletely different story. They won''t be cleaning puddles, or even pools of the stuff. They''re going to bepletely submerged in it. If they can''t convert it quickly enough, they''ll be corrupted and die before they can even get started!

    Man, that would be rough. I certainly hope they''re up to the task. Without more to be said, I turn to the others and address the group as a whole.

    "I have to say, it''s wonderful to see you all together like this again. It''s been a long time, and I think I should say, you''ve done a wonderful job helping to lead our family into a bright and secure future."

    They each ck their mandibles, some enthusiastically, some a little more subdued, as I give them a rare bit of praise.

    "We''ve gone through some difficult times, and we will go through more, but you''ve all done your part to help steer us in the right direction. I''m really grateful for everything you''ve done."

    After all, I basically created this council of twenty so I didn''t have to make any decisions. That wasn''t solely out of a desire to avoid hard work, it was also because I recognised I wouldn''t have been any good at it. These ants have taken over the bulk of the work steering out of the trouble I habitually get us into. I''m grateful, deeply, and it''s only right that I let them know.

 Chapter 1247: Get Our Act Together

    Chapter 1247: Get Our Act Together

    Many members of the Council remain in the chamber to discuss the various issues guing the Colony across all the levels of our development. I remain among them for a while, just listening in and catching up on the issues beyond the range of my Vestibule. It would be nice if the organ had such tremendous range it would reach all the way to the surface. If that were possible, I''d know what was happening at every level of the family, even in the nesting chambers all the way up in the first.

    I mean, it would be terrifying to be exposed to that much Will, from that many individuals, but on the other hand, I like to know what''s going on around the ce. From the conversations happening around me, I learn about things happening in Renewal, which is apparently getting muchrger as even othermunities who managed to hide and survive the assault of Garralosh hear about the thriving city and move in.

    As the territory expands, we run across more mineral deposits rich with mana, or wood which has absorbed different attributes. With the influx of raw resources, processing has also had to be expanded, along with research to work out what can be done with the stuff.

    This organisational chatter brings in Tungstant and Cobalt who want to talk about what they''ve learnt from examining the materials they purchased from the various markets around the fourth. Smithant is apparently losing her mind, sealing herself into the forges and testing everything she can in every way she can. I shouldn''t be surprised, an opportunity like this isn''t going toe around too often and she''spletely obsessed with her craft. I''m sure she''ll have a ton of new ideas after she gets more time to research. Now that Tiny has finished his evolution, a new set of armour for him would be amazing, and he''d get a ton of use out of it. It''s not like he''ll be evolving again any time soon.

    Victoriant and Antite are discussing potential nest expansions into the third with Sloan and Advant. Apparently, it''s been too difficult to guarantee security up there, so the only nest producing brood is the massive one built underneath Roklu. The Colony has captured almost a dozen pirs since then, and nests are being constructed under each. ording to Advant, things are looking much safer in the third now than they were. The demons within ournd are settling down, going back to their normal behaviour, which is admittedly pretty chaotic. Which is weird, since the rest of the stratum appears to be having massive issues still. I might need to talk to Al about it, which I can do through the Nave at any point, I suppose.

    Ahh, it''s nice to hear about the family.

    As much as I want to luxuriate here in the warm and fuzzy feelings the family brings out in me, it''s time to get off my surprisinglyfortable chair and go out to make a difference. It''s not enough just to hear about the family, it''s also necessary to work for them and carve out a better future from this punishing world! Hah, as if the Dungeon has anything that can go up against this Colony.

    Levering myself up, I exit the chamber as quietly as I can so I don''t disturb the others, but I admit it''s probably a fruitless effort. Outside the room, I find my three friends waiting patiently. Well, I find Crinis and Invidia waiting patiently, Tiny is asleep.

    Well, if I''m honest, Crinis was probably spying on me through the shadows, so at least <em>Invidia </em>was waiting.[Alright, you three, it''s time to get up and get going! We''ve got a lot to do! Wake up, Tiny!]

    The big ape stirs and blinks a few times, his bat ears twitching this way and that.

    [We''re going to go fighting.]

    BAM! His eyes spring open in an instant and his body res with electricity, sending it crackling along the walls. Up he springs, rolling his shoulders and cracking his enormous knuckles, jumping on the spot he''s so excited to get going.

    [That''s right, big guy. We''re going into the fifth stratum! A whole new ce, filled with brand new monsters! Isn''t that exciting!]

    [Yes,] he affirms, grinning wide. [Can''t wait to punch!]

    Crinis is less enthused.

    [Is that wise, Master? It''s very dangerous down there. I''ve heard all about how¡­ <em>disgusting</em> and <em>filthy</em> that ce is. You will be fouled by the creatures that live there.]

    [My ns are a little more ambitious this time, Crinis. I don''t want to just go there. I don''t want to just make it through to the sixth. I want to cleanse the ce entirely. Let''s walk and talk.]

    I lead the way while Crinistches onto my carapace, before surprising me and fading straight into my shadow. Tiny stomps along behind me since we can''t walk side by side in these tunnels. The two of us are rather huge at this point. Invidiatches onto the ape''s shoulder, pping his wings every now and again to maintain equilibrium. In this fashion, I lead us back down into the depths of the nest, exining on the way.

    [The fifth wasn''t always the way it is now. I''ve never spoken to anyone who knows what it was before, but everyone agrees it was corrupted at some point. Something managed to convert an entire stratum into a toxic sludge wastnd, so it stands to reason that we should be able to turn it back. If we can figure out what was done to the ce, we can reverse it. Make sense?]

    [<em>It will be difficult. We don''t knowsssss what wasss done. Nobody knowssss what wasss done</em>.]

    [You are not wrong, Invidia. No-one else has figured it out, even after several thousand years. However, I have a reason to believe that we will be sessful where everyone else has failed.]

    [And what is that, Master?]

    [We''re monsters,] Iugh. [There''s nothing more adaptable, or more able to endure mana, than we are. There''s never been a unified, organised and driven society of monsters like us in the history of the Dungeon. We are going to do things that nobody ever believed were possible, just wait and see.]

 Chapter 1248: The Depths

    Chapter 1248: The Depths

    It takes a little while to find Snt, because she is doing what she always does, running around the ce sorting out everyone else''s problems. She''s like an industrial strength iron, running over the military operation beneath the nest and pressing out every tiny wrinkle shees across. Actually, the more I consider the image, the more it seems to fit. Snt is inevitable, a tide of logistical efficiency that no problem, no matter how small, can hide from.

    As we move from chamber to chamber, tunnel to tunnel, we find nothing but an extreme example of pure ant organisation. There are troops training, running drills with the single-minded, relentless focus of insects. Supplies are being stockpiled, inventory constantly checked. Construction is everywhere, barracks chambers, hospitals, the works. The deeper we go, the moremon it bes, until atst we find the little general herself, overlooking a force of ten thousand ants running some sort of tunnel drill along with what looks like a hundred wuffers.

    "What in the name of heck is going on here?" I ask, trying to figure out what theplex movements might be for. The whole battalion shifts forward, backwards, some ants hopping over others, some slipping underneath, then they rotate, making it seem as if I''m staring into a horizontal whirlpool as streams of my siblings swirl around the walls. It''s dizzying!

    "It''s about managing the movement of mana," Snt says shortly, watching the drill underway like a hawk. Members of her personal squad are with her, as always, watching alongside, some annotating into a scent-book, literally taking notes.

    "I''m going to need more than that. Don''t we use mages to manage the movement of mana?" I ask, still confused.

    Snt sighs and I resist the urge to thwack her.

    "In the fifth, our greatest opponent is not the monsters we will face, although they are mighty and dangerous indeed, it is the mana itself. It is impossible, even for us, to produce enough mages to manage the flow of energy through an entire stratum. Even for small scale incursions, we have to do everything we can to reduce the burden on our wuffer auxiliaries, and the ant mages, to ensure they don''t burn out."

    "That all makes sense, sure, but I need you to exin the trippy scene in front of me. I feel like I''m getting vertigo."

    "We are monsters with cores, so we absorb mana constantly.""I get that much."

    "Which means, our movement is capable of influencing, in a small way, the flow of energy in an area."

    "Ohhhh <em>snap</em>. So if there''s enough of us moving in a precise sequence¡­"

    Snt nods, satisfied.

    "That''s right. With a force thisrge, we can create a flow, drawing mana in towards us, or pushing it out. When we want more toxic mana to be fed to the wuffers in the centre of the formation, we can draw it in without exposing ourselves. When the wuffers have purified all the mana around them, we can push that clean energy out into the surroundings, weakening the toxic energy around us."

    Holy moly. This general is proving to be everything I hoped she would be. The campaign hasn''t even started yet, but her out-of-the-box thinking is already paying dividends.

    "That''s awesome. I can''t wait to see it in action. Well, get the troops together. It''s time to sally forth into the fifth! I''m here and ready to go!"

    Snt actually huffs a little as she cks her mandibles. She huffs! At me!

    "It will take a little time to get everything organised, Eldest."

    "What? But Tiny is ready to go!"

    [Show her, Tiny.]

    He doesn''t know who or what I''m talking about, but the ape doesn''t fail to deliver, raising one brow, along with one tree-thick arm, and flexing.

    "See?"

    "Regardless of how ready you are, we haven''t gathered the necessary team. There are many moving parts to this, Eldest. I''ll get everything ready as quickly as I possibly can, but it will take some hours. Why don''t you head down to the forward operating base and wait there? That will give you an opportunity to see what we''re up against."

    I''m tempted to unload a thwack just to emphasise the necessity of good attitudes, but I think that''s only because my head still hurts from the treatment mother unleashed upon me. I''m seeking to transfer my aching head to someone else and that''s not fair. I''ll be the bigger ant and refrain from such childish behaviour.

    "Alright, fine. We''ll meet you down there."

    "Oh, I won''t be there."

    THWACK!

    "What do you mean you won''t be there?!"

    "Ah! Eldest, was that really necessary?"

    "Answer the question!"

    "I have too many things to worry about here! Our preparations are reaching a critical stage and I have to make sure that everything runs perfectly. You''ll have capable members of every caste in your team, I''m sure you can manage them just fine!"

    "Alright, fine. But you watch yourself."

    I tap an antenna against my own head then stretch it out to tap against Snt''s.

    "Make sure you keep your head on straight."

    The little ant steps back, ring up at me, then sighs.

    "Good luck down there, Eldest. It''s going to be difficult."

    "Hah! I was made for difficult."

    So saying, I turn away, and lead my three friends down towards the deeper tunnels. It doesn''t take long before we reach the main shaft, prepared by the Colony to pierce deep into the web of tangled tunnels below the nest. Despite the number of troopsmitted to this project, it still isn''t possible to keep the shaft free of monsters, so we run into opposition quickly, though it doesn''tst long.

    Eager to stretch his muscles, Tiny is more than happy to leap across the open expanse, smashing everything to bits. Seemingly without effort, he unleashes his meteoric fists, or simply grabs hold of the foes and obliterates them against the hardened stone walls.

    When we reach the bottom, the light is dim, the number of ants around us are few, and the mana is <em>thick</em>. Filled with life energy, the tunnels are awash with nts, and though dim, the light here is intense, filled with a subtle power imbued by the density of mana.

    And there are monsters. So many monsters. Clearly, the Colony still has a lot of work to do down here before the tunnels are properly cleaned out. Ah well, we can contribute a bit.

 Chapter 1249: On the Edge of the Fifth

    Chapter 1249: On the Edge of the Fifth

    It''s always fun to watch my three loyal friends stretch their ''legs'' after an evolution. They''ve grown immensely in power, as is befitting a monster moving from the sixth to seventh tier. Unleashing them upon the monsters in those tunnels is like putting a group of wolves against a field of mice.

    Despite their natural advantages, born with bodies that are stronger, faster, more mana-rich, these creatures do not have the advantage of maxed out, carefully considered evolutions.

    Tiny, of course, is the first and most enthusiastic of the three to throw himself into the fighting. The hulking brute has grown truly enormous now, sorge he would make a normal gori look like a toy. Due to his sheer size (and mine), we have to stick to the bigger tunnels only, eschewing the smaller ones to avoid getting stuck. Whenever hees across a monster, he bounds forward, knuckles pounding into the rock as he bellows his challenge. Some monsters are smart and run, slithering away to ces he can''t reach, but therger ones turn to fight, roaring back. They don''tst long. His fistssh out, not just with incredible power, but absurd speed. Left, left, right, left, right. BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM. A flurry of punches, a stato burst of light as his Skills activate, and his opponent is already reeling. Disappointed, the big ape slumps his shoulders a little before his ears twitch and he rears back for a mighty uppercut that flings his opponent directly into the afterlife.

    And all the while, the lightning is crackling, rippling across his arms. Every time he punches, it sts outwards, lightning bolts hammering into his target along with the fists of light.

    Compared to Tiny, Crinis and Invidia don''t get as much of an opportunity to shine, but they still contribute as we continue to make our way down through the tunnels. As a creature of pure shadow, Crinis can be¡­ just about anywhere. Her ability to stretch and fold her body in on itself was creepy before, but now it''s risen to a whole new level. At tier six, she could fold her entire body down into a little ball, then erupt into a forest of tentacles, her three maws appearing from deep within the mass. It was a horrifying jumpscare that proved to be an effective hunting tactic, but now¡­ now she doesn''t even need to physically be present.

    She''s a <em>shadow</em>.

    And if that weren''t scary enough, she <em>eats</em> light.

    When she enters a new tunnel, if she wishes, the light, despite its thickness, fades down to almost nothing. The tunnels fill with darkness, and Crinis is simply <em>gone</em>, her body spreading throughout the shadows. When the monsters begin to move, her tentacles strike. Theysh out from the walls, from the floors, from the darkness, from the monsters'' own <em>shadows</em>.

    Once her tentacles have grasped the target¡­ well¡­ we know what happens. I don''t need to describe it, right? We <em>know</em>. What I find most disturbing, is that the remaining Biomass, now neatly cut into bite sized sections, is pulled into the shadows, and I can hear her chewing.It''s¡­ it''s an experience, alright.

    For his part, Invidia seems happy to rx, casting spells to support when he feels it''s necessary, healing Tiny, exploding a few things and generally helping everyone out. I don''t know why, but it''sforting having him around, and we enjoy a good chat as we make our way deeper and deeper, following the pheromone trails.

    And man, is it deep. The Colony has done their best to create a ''highway'' system that more or less spirals downwards, but even so, it takes us almost a day before we reach the forward base. These tunnels are <em>deep</em>, way deeper than I thought they were, but eventually we arrive, a little worn out, a little wounded, ready for some rest and refreshment.

    The forward base isn''t anything to speak of at this stage, a nest in the early stages of construction, the entrance built into the tunnel wall with rudimentary defences in ce around it. What it does have, is a garrison thirty thousand strong, along with some of the human troops and priests to fight alongside.

    The generals clearly felt it was dangerous enough here that they wanted every advantage, including the aura buff provided by the priests when we fight alongside the humans.

    This is a dangerous ce to be, and I can already sense why.

    [You guys head into the fort and get some rest,] I tell Tiny, Crinis and Invidia. [I''ve got something I want to check out.]

    Tiny and Invidia are happy to go, but Crinis hesitates.

    [You won''t do anything silly, will you, Master?]

    [Hah! Don''t worry yourself. Look, you cane with me if you want. I was just¡ª]

    [Thank you, I will.]

    [Aaaaaalright then. Sure. Come along.]

    Sheesh.

    The scent trails have beenid down many times, clearly indicating what I''m heading towards, but even without them, I would know. My mana sense is ring warning signals, ringing the rm in my head as it senses something unbelievably dangerous.

    And it isn''t far away, only a few hundred metres.

    Soon, I arrive, and look down at the entrance to the fifth stratum.

    There are less and less of these passages the deeper we go. For every five connections between the first and second, we only found one between the second and third. From the third to the fourth, that number cuts to another tenth. From the fourth to the fifth, we''ve only found this single passage.

    The floor slopes down sharply from all angles, creating a well thirty metres across that drops straight down for almost twenty metres, but then the thick life mana just¡­ terminates. At that point, the tunnel is filled with a bubbling miasma, a toxic sludge so thick it''s almost a solid. I can see it creeping up the sides, little fingers of goop trying totch onto the smooth walls of the well, as if the mana itself was trying to climb up into the fourth¡­ as if it were alive.

    My senses are warning me that even a touch of this stuff will mean a painful death.

    Holy. Moly.

    This is going to be rough.

 Chapter 1250: On the Verge

    Chapter 1250: On the Verge

    To my surprise, it''s Brendant, a soldier of the Council, who leads this expedition. Soft-spoken and reserved, she isn''t usually one to put herself forward for an operation like this, preferring to work diligently in the background. Not that I''m unhappy to see her, she''s steady and reliable, as well as powerful, being a tier six ant with maxed evolutions.

    "Brendant, good to see you! Is this the whole force?"

    Shees down apanied by what appears to be five thousand ants, along with a force of five hundred wuffers. We aren''t holding back on this one. Those five hundred pets represent an enormous sum of cores, but purifying the mana of the fifth is far too difficult without something custom-built for the job.

    "This is all of us. We aren''t meant to go too deep, or for too long. We''ve done a fair bit of testing to determine the potency of the mana and whether it''s possible to survive down there, but we haven''t done any exploring. That''s what this expedition is for. Do some preliminary mapping and get some data back to the generals about the environment and the effectiveness of our countermeasures."

    "Hey, Brendant, why are you talking to me as if I don''t know what we''re here for? I know exactly what the mission is about."

    The smaller ant shifts a little on her six legs.

    "It doesn''t hurt to have a reminder before the beginning of a mission, Eldest."

    "I''m not going to fly off the handle and invite some sort of invasion by insane slugs! I can be cool. Everything is going to be fine."

    "As you say, Eldest."Gah! There''s never any trust.

    "How long until we depart?" I ask.

    "Give us an hour or two for final prep and we should be ready to go."

    "Fantastic. I''ll leave that to you, I''m going to dip my toe into the fifth and see what it''s like in there."

    I can tell Brendant wants to say something, but she refrains, merely giving me a nod and turning back to her business.

    [Come on, guys. I want to check out the fifth. Let''s see what it''s like!]

    [Master, I really don''t think¡­]

    [Fight!]

    [<em>Yessssss, letssssssss.</em>]

    [Sorry Crinis, you''re outvoted.]

    Led by myself, we rush over to the entrance and find two other ants peering down at the well.

    "Propent, Cont. I didn''t expect to see you two down here already."

    The two mages remain side by side, though the air swirls violently between them as the two extreme temperatures they produce sh.

    "We''vee to do some testing regarding the mana," Cont informs me.

    "They wouldn''t let us go down there with you. Too much risk," Propent snaps her mandibles in irritation.

    "It''s a sensible precaution," Cont tells her sister.

    "It''s weak! We''re the strongest mages in the Colony, we should be down there!" Propent bites back.

    I keep to myself that I''d rather have Brilliant on her own than the two of them. That little mad scientist is an expert at sniffing out answers to difficult questions, but risking her on our first trip would be absolute madness.

    "I agree, there''s no reason for you to go down this soon," I tell them. "Be a little patient, there''ll be a million of us down there before too long, you included."

    It''ll take at least that many to establish any real foothold, considering the odds we''re up against.

    "Well, I''m going to poke my nose in, see what the fuss is about," I dere, only for the two mages to immediately question me.

    "What? Why?" Cont demands.

    "You know what that mana will do to you?" Propent bursts out.

    "I''ve been exposed to the mana of the fifth before, don''t worry about it."

    "It''s not quite the same, Eldest," Cont insists, "this is the original item, not a reproduction produced by a monster. You''ll find exposure to it will be¡­ ufortable."

    Ufortable? I don''t have a problem with being ufortable. I''ve got the Call! I''m constantly ufortable! Although, right now, as I''m on the verge of descending to another stratum, I''m in less pain from it than I''ve felt in ages. In fact, I''m almost free of pain! It''s such a wondrous, heady feeling, I honestly don''t care what the mana feels like.

    "It''ll be fine, I''ll be down there for just a few seconds. A minute, tops."

    [I''ll go first guys, you wait for me up here. Be ready with the healing magic, Invidia. I''ll be counting on you.]

    [<em>Yesssssss. Count on me moressssssss.</em>]

    [Uh¡­ okay? I will?]

    His eye gleams with happiness and warmth.

    [<em>Goooodssss,</em>] he hisses.

    And over I go. The passage down is pretty much vertical, so I grip on for dear life and head face first towards the bubbling goop that separates thisyer from the next. On the way down, I remember an important point.

    "Uh, Protectant and friends. By no means are you to go down there with me. There''s absolutely no way you''ll survive the exposure without support."

    "And what makes you think you will?" Protectant mutters from somewhere close to my antennae.

    "Because I''m a heck of a lotrger and stronger than you lot? If I take damage, Invidia can heal me. If all of you take damage, there won''t be enough healing to go around. You just have to wait this one out."

    They aren''t happy about it, but for once, I''m actually right. The twenty bodyguards remain at the halfway mark of the tunnel as I continue to descend.

    Quickly, I arrive at the barrier, my antennae almost brushing against the surface. Holy moly. From here it really does look like aplete mess, a thick soup of sludge and poison that writhes as if alive.

    To my mana sense, the tunnel before me may as well be filled with radioactive waste. The energy just doesn''t feel right, as if it''s tainted, damaging, even to other forms of mana. Now that I''vee this far, I''m not going to hold myself back. I''ll be heading down here with thousands of my siblings soon enough. As if I''d ever do that without checking its safety for myself first.

    Unwilling to waste more time, I decisively poke an antenna straight into the muck.

    Hmmmm.

    Hmmmmmmm.

    Yep. Just as I thought. It burns like I stuck it straight into acid. That''s not enough to tell me anything, I need to go all the way in.

    Onward!

 Chapter 1251: The Toxic World

    Chapter 1251: The Toxic World

    Rushing forward in one great leap, I plunge my entire body into the atmosphere of the fifth. Despite the thrill of exploration, of taking part in another adventure in the Dungeon, I can''t say this is a pleasant experience. If I were to liken to anything, it''s like sticking my head straight into a toilet.

    A toilet filled with acid.

    My entire body burns. My carapace is on fire, my antennae are frying away, the joints in my legs are in immediate pain. Worst of all are my eyes. They are immediately attacked, consumed by the toxins which never relent in their attack.

    Even more disturbing than the physical difort is the feeling I get from the mana. It''s invading my body constantly, those fingers of poison stretching inside, attempting to corrupt me from within. It''s¡­ awful.

    Yep¡­ this is absolutely awful. No wonder people consider this ce an uninhabitable wastnd of death. It <em>is</em> an uninhabitable wastnd of death.

    I trigger my healing nd, weing the sensation of the icy cold healing fluid rushing throughout my frame, pushing back the damage caused by the environment of the fifth. At the same time, I put my brains to work, seizing the invading mana and purging it before it can do much damage or begin to propagate itself. With these measures in ce, it still absolutely sucks to be here, and I probably couldn''t maintain it indefinitely. Putting aside how absurdly painful it is, without sufficient Will from the Vestibule, I''d eventually run out of healing to constantly repair myself.

    Forward, forward, forward! I press on, eager to break through to the end of this entrance and take a glimpse of the true fifth stratum. It really tests my grip, the walls are far slipperier down here than they were in the fourth, but I hold firm and manage not to fall.

    Luckily, considering the condition I''m in, I don''t see any monsters in the tunnel itself, which I''ll take as a win. After carefully scuttling down the wall for almost a hundred metres, it finallyes to an end and opens up into a wider cavern below.

    For the first time, Iy eyes on the fifth stratum, and all I can say is: it''s gross.Interestingly, the space is less like a chamber and more like an enormous tunnel. Hundreds of metres across, perhaps even a kilometre, and just as deep, it''s massive, on par with some of thergest I saw in the first and second. Filling that space is the most disgusting kind of ''life'' that I think I''ve evere across. Seeing it in all its glory, I get a clearer picture of what the terraforming slugs were trying to achieve when they invaded the fourth.

    There''s a river of virulent green mucus. Just¡­ like¡­ a <em>river</em> of it. I can''t even say it''s flowing¡­ it looks more like it''s <em>seeping</em>. Within that thick sludge, I can see eel-like creatures slithering over each other, covered in suckers and mouths rising up every now and again to breach the surface.

    Throughout the chamber I can see thick strands of slime, some connecting the ceiling to the floor, each emanating a visible aura of decay. Swathes of mould in bright, sickly colours carpet the surfaces, rippling as something within moves through them. Or perhaps the mould itself is moving? Monstrous mould would be the least shocking thing I''d expect to see down here.

    It takes me a little while to find the rest of the monsters. The air is filled with a thick haze of yellow-green¡­ steam? Mist? The monsters themselves blend into the environment quite well, but as they move around, I start to pick them out.

    Creatures move amongst the sludge, blending in, eyeing each other as they survive within the toxic atmosphere. Weird, snail-like creatures with eye stalks piercing through their own shells slither here and there. A frog monster with an absurdlyrge maw prowls around, bright blue venom dripping from between its fangs. Fluttering here and there, surprisingly, are butterfly-looking creatures, each the size of a small horse, their wings blending in masterfully with the toxic air. It''s almost easier to see them from the mist they disturb as they fly as opposed to looking for their bodies.

    There''s many more monsters, but what catches my eye is instead the vents I see in ces around the tunnel. Each looks different, but they all appear to be doing the exact same thing: spewing a dense cloud of toxic mana directly into the tunnel. As I watch them closer, I see that my first assumption wasn''t quite right. They are sucking in mana, and <em>then</em> expelling it, before repeating the process. When looking at the flow of energy throughout the whole tunnel, it''s almost like the entire thing is breathing, a vast push and pull of mana that is cycling¡­ somewhere?

    At this point, I can''t bear to be down here any more, and turn around. I trigger my healing nd for the second time as I climb upwards, and it does a decent job of battling against the acidity burning away at my body. Repelling the mana is taking far more of my mental energy than I expected, with almost half of my mind-constructs dedicated to the job. Since not even a single mote of the stuff can be allowed to exist within me, the minds have to work super hard scouring for every tiny trace of energy. If I was more sensitive to mana, it probably wouldn''t be as hard, but I''mcking both a high enough rank mana sense, and any of the myriad organs that assist with detection.

    When I eventually break through the barrier back up into the fourth stratum, I almost gasp with relief.

    [Holy moly. It''s <em>awful</em> down there.]

    [Master! You''re hurt!]

    [Of course I''m hurt, just being down there is enough to hurt. You''re going to have to be very careful. I''m not sure how vulnerable your shadow body is going to be, but if the acid eats into it like it did my carapace, you''ll have a rough time.]

    "What was it like, Eldest?" Cont asks me when I crest the exit of the tunnel again.

    "Bad," I reply bluntly. "It''s going to be a heck of a job purifying that ce. Impossible, many would say."

    "What do <em>you</em> say?"

    I ck my mandibles.

    "I say, we can do it in a year."

 Chapter 1252: A More Organised Approach

    Chapter 1252: A More Organised Approach

    I felt <em>a little</em> bit foolish listening to Advant a few hourster as she exined how our trek into the fifth was going to work. More specifically, as she outlined the manyyers of protection the Colony had provided to keep us safe in that horrific environment.

    "Everyone is to ensure they have <em>six</em> of these enchanted leg guards on at all times," she informed the gathered ants, ring at them. "No, it is <em>not</em> selfishness to take six, it is the bare minimum requirement to keep you alive so you might serve the Colony. Any individual found to be wearing less than six at any time will be put on vacation for a month. Do you understand?"

    "We understand!" the ants chorused back, fear in their eyes. They did <em>not</em> want that vacation.

    "We will begin distribution of the rings while Cont exins their function, pay attention!"

    Many small carvers with boxes clutched in their mandibles began to run up and down the assembled ranks of ants, handing out sets of rings, adjusting them to fit, and ensuring each ant had one on each leg before they moved to the next. All the while, Cont''s calm tone washed over us.

    "The ringsbine two properties that will be beneficial in the fifth. The first promotes regeneration. The atmosphere of the fifth ispletely toxic and will eat into your bodies like a potent acid. Particrly vulnerable are the joints."

    She''s not wrong. Mine are <em>still</em> stinging.

    "This constant healing effect will be able to mitigate the damage, but not ovee it, so be wary. We aim to limit our exposure to the toxic mana as much as antly possible, but we expect things to be chaotic down there. All of us will be exposed at some point. The second effect is aplex piece of enchanting that will help prevent the virulent mana of the fifth from slipping into your body."

    I <em>really</em> should have grabbed some of these before I went down there."As you know, this mana will propagate itself and literally eat you from the inside out. As monsters, we constantly draw in mana from around us, which means we are always at risk of absorbing this dangerous energy. Should it get into your core and begin to multiply, we will be unable to save you. Make sure it doesn''te to that."

    She eyes everyone seriously.

    "To that end, all mages will be constantly sweeping with their mana sense. It is <em>vitally</em> important that any ant touched by the mana be cleansed <em>immediately</em>. Now, I will pass over to my sister, Be, who will exin the measures taken by the core shapers to protect us."

    A somewhat nervous-looking Be steps up in front of the crowd, unused to being in the spotlight. In fact, she is so circumspect, I hadn''t even noticed she was here until this moment. Even the Will I get from her is quiet.

    "H-hello everyone. As you¡­ as you know, we have been hard at work on the Wuffer initiative, trying to maximise the ability of these pets to purify the mana of the fifth."

    She gestures with an antenna, and one of her fellow caste members ushers one of the happy blob monsters forward. The creature <em>wuffs</em> contently as it undtes over the ground, radiating positive energy like a little blue ball of gooey sunshine.

    "This is our current temte for the tier five wuffer design, and it is much more efficient and effective than before, but I want to emphasise to everyone that they are <em>incredibly</em> fragile inbat."

    Where before she had been hesitant and timid, once she''s begun talking about her beloved pet, Be speaks with vigour and confidence.

    "Which means you <em>must</em> protect them. Protect them like they are brood, or a Queen. They are your lifeline in the fifth; without them, the mana will overwhelm you in a matter of minutes."

    She res at the assembled ants for a moment, then she realises what she''s doing and begins to hesitate again.

    "Please," she says.

    Of course, I''ll defend the wuffers with all of my spirit! We need them to stay alive down there, after all. Cont steps forward again.

    "We expect the monsters of the fifth will have an¡­ extreme reaction to our attempts to cleanse the atmosphere. They were maddened by it during the wave, and we anticipate they will hate it even more in their home stratum."

    That''s a good point, and one I''d kind of neglected. The monsters of the fifth were <em>not</em> pleased when we disrupted their toxifying operations. Memories of maddened, berserking slug monsterse flooding back to me. Good times.

    "Andstly," Advant steps forward, "it is critically important that no ant is lost. We will take headcounts every hour we are down there. Always move in squads of ten and watch out for your sisters. If a single one of us is captured, it could spell disaster for the Colony."

    At this reminder, my attitude bes grim. As the leaders go over the final details of the operation, my mind wanders back to the poor soul that was lost in the Golden City. I''ll never allow such a thing to happen again. I fully intend to dedicate a dozen of my mind constructs to monitoring the Vestibule at all times. The second an ant is captured, I will know about it.

    Never again will I let a member of my family be taken from me in that manner.

    Eventually, I too am fitted with the enchanted rings, as are Tiny, Invidia and Crinis. It takes a bit of work to get them onto the ape''s fingers, given how thick they are, and a bit of work to get them onto Invidia''s, given how thin they are. For Crinis, she doesn''t need the size changed, since she can adjust the size of the tentacle they sit on at will.

    I decide to keep an eye on how well the gear works for them, since it was specifically designed for ants, and I ask Invidia to pay strict attention to himself, Tiny and Crinis while we''re down there. Crinis has some mana maniption, but Tiny has literally none and will need someone else to protect him from that vile influence.

    [<em>Of courssssse. I will alwaysssss help friendssssss</em>.]

    Well¡­ that''s really decent of him!

 Chapter 1253: Descent

    Chapter 1253: Descent

    The wuffers go first. Well, that''s not entirely true, <em>I </em>go first, since I can survive down there, for a while at least, without any help. Once I plunge myself back into the goop, I don''t descend this time, but wait as the entire contingent of wuffers is lowered down the tunnel after me.

    All five hundred of them.

    All mooshed together, they don''t appear like separate monsters at all, but rather one big, blobby, ball of cheeriness as they <em>wuff wuff</em> away, perfectly content with the world. The moment they touch the mana of the fifth however, an arcane-chemical reaction takes ce.

    The happy pets don''t change at all, but the mana around me certainly does. Like a pump is suddenly turned on, there is a massive <em>whoosh</em> of energy as the wuffers suck in a huge quantity of the poisoned mana. Clinging to the side of the tunnel, it''s like I''m inside a sewer and someone just flushed a whole mess straight into my face.

    It''s unpleasant, is what I''m saying.

    Once the creatures have taken in all they can, the flow settles down and things return to normal. I nervously wait to see if there''s any activity from below, but the monsters down there seem to be chilling for the time being. After about a minute, something changes. From above, the wuffers finish purifying the mana of the fifth, and release that cleaned energy above themselves.

    Then they descend a little and the process starts again.

    At least I''m not subjected to that massive influx like I was the first time, but rather a slow and steady descent as the wuffers form a solid mass, not allowing a single drop of corrupted energy to slip past them, and filling the tunnel with clean, pure energy for the ants to climb down in.

    Fortunately, forming a plug in the way they have has seemingly prevented the natives below from sensing what we''re up to for the time being, which is a good thing, since I have to fight them off by myself if they decide toe up here. I mean, things are bound to go straight to heck once we reach the opening, but for now, we descend peacefully.The rings are <em>really</em> helping take the edge off the pain of being in the fifth. Are they enough for me to sustain myself down here permanently? Nope. I''m still literally on fire, all over my body, being burned constantly by acid, which isn''t the best. I''m also still being invaded by toxic mana, which would devour me if I left it alone for mere minutes. But the rings are helping mitigate both problems, just enough that they be significantly more manageable.

    nning and preparation, they actually <em>do</em> help!

    Bit by bit, we lower ourselves down, the five hundred strong blob of wuffers doing their work until we reach the lower end of the tunnel. I bring myself down into the chamber itself and perch on the roof, out of trouble''s way. Things are pretty much the same down here as they were whenst I saw them, but I know that''s about to change.

    The second we unleash the converted mana into thisrger arterial tunnel, things are going to go straight to heck. In preparation for that moment, we wait here for a while, the wuffers working away to build up arger bank of ''clean'' mana in the tunnel above.

    I feel a mind bridge connect to me.

    [We''re ready, Eldest. Prepare for descent.]

    [Got it.]

    Then the contact breaks and I spin up my minds, ready for battle. We have to be careful using mind bridges down here, every type of mana is vulnerable to corruption from the atmosphere in the fifth. I didn''t believe it when I heard it was so toxic we couldn''t even make a gate down there, but apparently Brilliant ran tests to confirm it. This mana is so virulent, every other form of energy ites into contact with will be foul and no longer work, or worse. In the case of a mind bridge, the mana will seep into it, then trace the bridge straight back to your brain. Nasty stuff.

    A few secondster, the wuffers break their tight formation, creating a gap in the middle as they squish themselves against the sides. Through the hole they''ve created, purified blue mana slowly falls down into the sludge of the fifth. Both forms of mana are thick and slow-moving, like syrup or msses, but when theye into contact with each other, they fizz, each trying to eat into the other. As the blue mana spreads, it stretches thin, then pools down to the floor of the cavern where it begins to balloon and spread.

    And the monsters go <em>crazy</em>.

    As the manaes down, so too, do the ants. In a constant stream, they drop through the gap tond in the growing cover of the purified energy, and then unleash their ferocity upon the local monsters. The creatures native to this stratum are in the process of goingpletely berserk. The moment they sense the ''foreign'' energy seeping into their world, it''s as if a switch has flipped. Screams of terrifying rage echo off the tunnel walls as a flood of molluscs, crustaceans and other bizarre creaturese charging towards us, held back only by the rapidly increasing force of ants securing their position beneath the entrance tunnel.

    Well, them and myself, I suppose. I throw myself into the battle, jaws gnashing, mana churning as I use my mass and aggression to hold off as many of the beasts as I can. Void Chomp after Void Chomp is unleashed, carving huge chunks out of thergest and most threatening monsters who seek to assault my brethren.

    As soon as the pool of clean energy growsrge enough, Tiny, Invidia and Crinis descend, adding their considerable firepower to the effort. In a moment, lightning fists, shadow tentacles and masterful explosive magic are helping to keep back the tide. Once the full five thousand ant brigade has made its way down, we are no longer content to hold; instead, we push out, iming more space.

    Then, and only then, do the wuffers descend, settling into the centre of the formation, happily chuffing away as everything goes to heck around them.

    Soon enough, channels of toxic energy are dug out, sending a steady flow of corrupted mana towards the cheerful pets, who consume it, then expel pure mana back out, which in turn continues to spread, growing the ''safe-zone'' in which we can operate.

    The purification has begun.

 Chapter 1254: Clean Up In Isle Five

    Chapter 1254: Clean Up In Isle Five

    <em>To purify the fifth''s mana is an absurd idea, aical suggestion. It''s impossible, everyone knows it''s impossible, and not because we haven''t tried, or made half-hearted attempts. Hundreds and thousands have died, enough resources to bankrupt an empire have been spent, over several attempts, some by individual empires, some by conglomerates of several major powers.</em>

    <em>All have been unsessful. Not only unsessful, but unmitigated disasters. Even when these efforts managed to gain a foothold, they were eventually snuffed out, unable to hold their ground against the unrelenting pressure ced upon them by the fifth. The monsters there will not abide any change to the environment, which is itself a horrifying ordeal to ovee.</em>

    <em>Then, there are the Krath tribes, roving bands of sadistic killers, who will unleash unspeakable torment on any they capture, breaking the will of would-be invaders and sending them running back to the safety of the fourth. Against these factors, purifying the fifth has be nothing more than a dream within a dream.</em>

    <em>Yet, when the great ant spoke of it, I couldn''t help but have hope.</em>

    <em></em><em>-From the private notes of Rathwyn Werilos, Mage of the Tower</em>

    You know, now that I''m here and everything''s underway, I have to say, the fifth, despite everything I''ve heard about it¡­ really sucks. I hate it here. I can''t believe even the mucus-ridden toxi-snails actually enjoy living here.Take a vacation in the fourth rather than trying to melt my face off, maybe you''ll learn how to rx!

    Once the perimeter is¡­ somewhat secured, the carvers begin to fortify andy down the experimental ''track'' we intend to use to feed the wuffers. After all, they''re helpless little things, unable to fight at all, every drop of evolutionary potential and energy was required to create the incredibly unique set of organs and mutations required to not only tolerate the toxic mana, but purify it. As such, they''re supposed to remain protected, nestled in the middle of our formation.

    To keep them safe, but let them work, we need to create a steady flow of contained ''goop'', aka fifth stratum mana, to feed to our happily chuffing wuffers. The answer the carvers came up with was a sweet track system. Each section slots into the next and powers up, extending the reach of the formation and drawing in more energy, feeding it back to be cleaned.

    It''s simple to work and versatile enough that only a little shaping is required to smooth out the ground before we cany down the track. The end result is that we can easily expand the formation as the clean mana extends further outwards.Behold, the incredible engineering of the family!

    However, that''s not worth anything if we can''t defend it. Defending our territory is bing harder and harder every second as more and more native monsters sense what we''re up to. The second they do, theye screaming out of the shadows, twisted with rage, and throw themselves into our defensive formation with no regard for their own safety. So long as they can spread the poison and push us back, they don''t even care if they be biomass.

    For the moment, we have an overwhelming force. With myself and the three amigos present, we''re easily able to outpunch the local riffraff. What makes it difficult is the atmosphere of the fifth. I can endure it for a while, but I''m a little different than the others. Having an exo-skeleton is a serious advantage since it takes the acidic effect a lot more time to eat through it than it would skin and muscle. My joints are vulnerable, as ever, butpared to the others, I''ve got it easy.

    Tiny has a thick covering of fur, but that''s no defence against the omni-present acid. Every time he so much as sticks a finger outside the slowly expanding bubble of clean mana, he has to snatch his hand back as it begins to sizzle. Even Crinis has a hard time. Her flesh¡­ shadow¡­ I mean¡­ <em>is it even flesh anymore</em>? Whatever. It''s a lot of things, but it ain''t that durable, so if it''s exposed to the acidic atmosphere, it starts to burn away rather quickly. Even worse for her, it''s hard to replenish what was lost using Biomass down here, since every monster is some variety of poisonous or toxic to eat.

    Invidia¡­ needless to say, the eyeball with his little fluttery wings and noodle arms is the weakest of all of us, physically. Were he exposed to the atmosphere for even a few seconds, he might lose a limb. Thankfully, he''s the one who is the least likely to suffer, since, as a master mage, he doesn''t need to go anywhere near his targets in order to blow them up.

    For the most part, I remain almostpletely outside of the cleansed mana, working to push back the monsters before they can reach the rest of my family. Every now and again, I duck into the safe zone, just for a little breather and to give myself a thorough scan, to ensure I''m clean of toxic influence.

    Little by little, we expand our control until our safe zone covers the width of the tunnel and begins to extend further outwards.

    It''s at this point where the expansion begins to slow. Not because we''re being pressed too hard, but because the war between the purified mana and the toxic energy of the fifth is beginning to reach an equilibrium. Despite the fact the energy cleaned by the wuffers is designed to eat into the energy of the fifth on its own, it''s still susceptible to being corrupted by the fifth. When the two energies meet, a war begins as both try to consume the other in order to propagate itself.

    With our cluster of five hundred wuffers, there''s only so much they can do to push back against the overwhelming amount of mana present here.

    Not helping is the local fauna. The bile toads and mucus snails are able to perform much the same terraforming tasks that they did in the fourth, puking up dense clouds of toxic energy to eat into the purified zone. Even when we finally put them down, half the time they explode into filth, or little slugs break out of them, leap at us and <em>then</em> explode into filth.

    This ce just doesn''t like being clean, basically. It''s fine, we aren''t expecting to seed, or even kick start the process. This is simply the first test, a trial run, as we prepare for the full invasion. By the looks of things, it''s quite sessful so far!

 Chapter 1255: Invaders

    Chapter 1255: Invaders

    Zluth could hardly believe what his eyestalks were seeing. Just to be certain, he extended them up from the pool of muca-sludge he''d currently ttened his body into a little further. The same sight met his gaze.

    The ants from above¡­ had descended?

    And not just descended¡­ they were¡­ attempting to taint the fifth!

    It was so absurd it almost made him want tough. It was so infuriating it almost caused his slug flesh to boil. How <em>dare</em> they? HOW DARE THEY?!

    No, no. It wasn''t time to let the rage run loose, this was a time for cunning, stealth and schemes. As much as he wanted to scrape these filthy insects to shreds with his rad and gulp them down, he needed to be patient. After observing, he would report back to the tribe and they could n together how to deal with this¡­ incursion.

    The thought of the joy the tribe would soon experience as they tore these invaders apart¡­ it was <em>almost</em> enough to ke the endless rage that burned within his kind.

    Zluth controlled himself, applying his iron will and pulling in any sign of his mana, holding himself tight and small. When he was convinced his own energy signature was indistinguishable from that which surrounded him, he began to move. Compressed t, his slug body was only a few inches thick, and he undted over the ground like a sinister puddle. Amongst the mould, slime and sludge that coated every surface in the fifth, he was impossible to see.

    After covering a dozen metres, he extended his eyes once more to take in the surroundings.

    Gug-gug-gug-gug¡­ these ants really were putting in all their effort. Such organised and pretty ranks. A neat and clean army, polished and prepared for the task at hand. It was so much nicer to break things that were well made.But the filthy, poisonous energy they were bringing with them. How were they making it? It offended his senses on a fundamental level. The primitive Dungeon spawn were already drawn to it, seeking to eradicate the unwee mana in which they could not live. With little effort, Zluth could direct many, many more spawn towards this tunnel, burying the insects in a tide of mucus and bubbling slime.

    First, he needed to see, just what were they doing to make this energy? As all the Krath knew, the mana of the fifth was special. It nourished them, but was anathema to any creatures from elsewhere in the Dungeon. To the Krath, it was their greatest defence, and their most valuable weapon. Time had proven over and over again just how difficult it was for outsiders to handle it, so how had these ants seeded in bringing their¡­ disturbing mana down <em>here</em>?

    He retracted his stalks and undted across the surface until he came to rest in a patch of bright red mould. With a thought, he excreted ayer of slime to coat himself, matching the colour of his surroundings perfectly, then tentatively extended his eyes once more.

    Only to see a giant, <em>giant</em> ant nearby.

    With a pop, the Krath retracted his stalks and remained perfectly motionless, hoping he hadn''t been seen. He knew that ant, he''d seen it before! He pulled all sense of his presence tight and close, preventing any trace of his existence from leaking out.

    His only way to trace the movement of the massive creature was through the vibrations in the mould beneath him. After a minute, the ant moved away, travelling closer to the area of foul mana. Heading back for a breather, perhaps? No matter the reason, it relieved the pressure on the hidden Krath, and once again he dared to take a look around him.

    One stalk rose from his mass, taking a rapid nce in all directions.

    Yes, the giant ant <em>had</em> retreated, a powerful monster, that one, a prime candidate for the pits. As for the rest¡­

    Ah! He could see it. Those disgusting, jelly-like pets were here, being fed a constant stream of potent fifth stratum mana through enchanted channels of some sort. Hidden deep in the middle of the ant formation, they were rtively safe, and seemed perfectly happy to consume the energy they were being fed.

    The sight of it was enough to ignite the rage within Zluth. Doing such a thing to the mana of his home¡­ it was¡­ <em>sacrilegious. </em>It was the virulent mana of the fifth that would overflow and coat the entire Dungeon in its filth. They would be the ones to change Pangera, not the other way around!

    A savage glee tickled within the Krath as he thought of what woulde next. The entire tribe would put aside their bickering and backstabbing once they heard of this. With the full might of the tribe, they would crush this incursion and throw the ants into the sludge pits. These creatures seemed industrious; they would make <em>excellent</em> ves.

    Satisfied that he''d seen enough, Zluth retracted the stalk and began to flow over thendscape once again.

    He felt a slight tremor in the air, directly above him.

    He didn''t know why, on many asions he had ignored such disturbances, but this time, Zluth''s instinct screamed at him to <em>move</em>, and so he did. Every nerve in his foot fired at once and he flung hispressed, slug body to one side.

    BOOM!

    A heavy mass crashed to the ground where he had been as something speared into the mould patch he''d been hiding in. The ant had spotted him somehow!

    With no need to maintain the pretence, Zluth extended both stalks, one facing forward, the other behind as he pushed himself for more speed.

    The massive ant was watching him, its antennae twitching as it set off in pursuit.

    Gug-gug-gug-gug-gug.

    Did it really think it could keep up with a Krath in its natural domain? Foolishness in the extreme. Zluth dpressed himself a little further, allowing him to use more of his strength as he began to zip across the surface of the tunnel like a slimy missile. In moments, he''d elerated to top speed and hurled himself into the mucus river, plunging straight to the bottom.

    Once inside, he gripped tight to the river floor and began to move against the current. After a few minutes, he was already a kilometre away, moving fast. It had been closer than it should have been, but soon the entire tribe would descend on this ce, and they would make these ants pay for their desecration.

 Chapter 1256: A Successful Test

    Chapter 1256: A Sessful Test

    Things are looking pretty decent down here. Well, by ''things'', I don''t mean the environment, that''s for sure. It still sucks down here. Big time. But, the work of the Colony has been immensely sessful. We''ve been able to maintain our foothold here in the fifth for two days, and I''ve spent thest few hours taking a break within the cleansed mana zone, poking the wuffers with my antennae.

    Everytime I give them a prod, they wobble like sentient jelly, wiggling in delight and happily letting out their little ''wuff wuff wuff'' noises. It''s not as fun as ying with the brood, but it''s a pleasant distraction from the madness going on at the edges of the territory.

    "Surely you''ve had enough of a break now, Eldest," Advant says. "When are you going to get back out there?"

    I turn my attention to the powerful, tier six soldier, who is also taking a break from her duties on the frontline.

    "By ''back out there'', do you mean out into the toxic poisonous mana of the fifth? Because, just in case you weren''t aware, I''ve been running in and out of that stuff for days now, and it''s rather draining."

    That''s putting it lightly. When I finally decided I''d had enough and sat down for a rest, I was shocked to discover just how many little pockets of invasive mana had managed to take root inside my body. A single speck of fifth stratum energy is enough to kill me if left untreated, but after the relentless pressure I''ve experienced, even with so many mind constructs monitoring, some was still able to slip through the.

    I managed to purge myself after a great deal of effort, but it was a sobering reminder of just how careful I need to be down here.

    "I''m aware of that, Eldest, more than aware." She looks out at the area surrounding our little bubble, the only pocket of safety amidst an entire stratum of madness and death. The locally spawned monsters are stilling at us as soon as they can, crawling, rolling, mbering, worming their way through the tunnel to throw themselves at the Colony and destroy what we have created. It almost reminds me of fighting during a wave. Not quite, the spawn rate around here isn''t enough to properly mimic the sheer insanity of fighting out in the Dungeon during a wave, but the feeling of being under siege is extremely familiar.

    "Do you think they''re ever going to get tired of that?" Advant asks me."The slime monsters? No. Though, I expect there are some smarter creatures who can resist the urge to gopletely berserk when they see what we''ve done. I expect they still hate it, but they may act a little more carefully."

    The soldier waggles her antennae.

    "Do you mean the Krath?"

    I shake my head.

    "Obviously they''ll be a challenge, probably the biggest, but as far as I know, they aren''t the only smart monsters down here. This deep, there''s sure to be some old monsters with a more intelligent approach."

    "Just another thing for us to ovee," Advant replies, grim determination clear in her tone. "No matter how many of them there are, they won''t be able to ovee the Colony. We''ll seed here, I have no doubt about it."

    "Why would you? We''ve decided to do something, so it''s going to get done." I too cast an eye at the madness still happening all around us. "Eventually."

    The fifth does not want to be conquered, that much is clear. Unfortunately for it, I don''t intend to allow for a choice.

    "Do you think they''re going to be satisfied with the progress we''ve made? I notice the boffins have been recording and measuring non-stop for thest few days."

    A particr frenzy hase over them in recent hours in their measuring and testing. I''m not too familiar with all of it, but I know that the main thing they''re interested in is how well the purification process is going. It''s the hinge around which this entire operation will swing, and the only reason we''re down here is to see how well our current ns are working.

    "How much longer until we leave?" I ask the soldier in charge.

    Advant considers for a moment.

    "Not long, I think. We pretty much have what we came for. Snt is going to be very interested in all the data we''ve gathered."

    I look over my shoulder to the wuffers, still cheerfully working in the centre of the formation. Without these creatures, we don''t have any hope of sess. Fingers crossed, they''re up to the job. It''s been a little eye-opening to see just how small a space five hundred of them can keep pure. I''m not sure exactly what I was expecting, but I was expecting more than this.

    Advant notices my gaze.

    "I wouldn''t worry, Eldest. The wuffers are still a work in progress. With further refinement, and higher tiers, we''ll see what they can really do."

    "How much refinement is left? I thought they''d been working on them for more than long enough."

    "The organs and processes at work here are extremelyplex. The five hundred wuffers we have here aren''t the same, there are three main designs being tested in this expedition. Purification rates and cleansed mana density are all being measured in order to help decide which methods are the most promising for evolution into tier six."

    Man, I''m so d it''s not me having to put all this thought into things. Because I wouldn''t, and I think everyone can admit that. With a logistical genius like Snt around, and the thousands of mages, generals and core-shapers pouring their efforts into this, I can feel rxed that the i''s are being dotted and the t''s are being crossed.

    "Give it a few more hours," Advant says decisively, "no need to overstay our wee."

    I push myself up onto my feet.

    "Alright. I might as well get out there again."

    ~~~

    Zluth''s heart was filled with vicious glee as he returned to the scene of the crime. His tribe had reacted with predictable fury and outrage when he had returned to them. It was difficult to keep the grin off his face as he imagined the painful future in store for the invaders. With his tribe behind him, he rushed to the upper echelons of the stratum.

    Slowly, he extended his stalks, keen to see just how far the ants had extended their reach.

    And saw, nothing. The insects were gone, leaving no trace they had been here at all!

 Chapter 1257: Are They Really?

    Chapter 1257: Are They Really?

    Morrelia was very grateful not to be on a boat any longer. She would serve no matter where the Legion chose to send her, but she much preferred to have her feet on drynd. However, she didn''t necessarily think her current position was any <em>safer</em>.

    "Rx, tribune," Chyron chuckled. "Unless these monsters are a lot more bloodthirsty than you''ve said they are, we are not under threat."

    The younger woman restrained her re, as this was hermander.

    "I still believe we should exercise <em>caution</em>. We did directly attack their leader in in view. They could easily use that as an excuse to eliminate our entire Legion."

    She tried not to make her words sound too clipped, but she failed miserably, causing the veteranmander to bark out a shortugh.

    "If they kill us, they''ll destroy the reputation they''veboured so hard to build. You can''t be an enlightened, <em>peaceful</em> species of monsters and murder entire legions at the same time."

    "With respect,mander, if we were to die here, would anyone know? We are <em>directly </em>beneath the Colony."

    It had been a difficult march, plunging this deep into the tunnels beneath the ant mountain, butmander Chyron had proved her strength and that of her legion. The soldiers under Morrelia''smand had performed admirably, even better than she had expected, and the force had scythed its way through the monsters.

    The difference between this and the Liria Legion undermander Titus was stark. It wasn''t that her father was a poor leader, far from it, but that the gap in experience between the rank and file was that wide.So now they were here, deep within territory newly imed by the Colony, close to the entrance to the fifth stratum.

    "We would get word out, I can assure you of that," Chyron stated with absolute confidence. "You''re being too much of a worrywort, tribune. We are here toplete a mission. Focus on your duty, not these extraneous concerns."

    Morrelia swallowed her anger. It wasn''t her ce to bicker with themander, even if she did feel the woman was being somewhat cavalier with the lives of her soldiers.

    "How are we supposed toplete our mission here,mander?" she asked tightly. "The target is in the fifth stratum, while we are here in the fourth."

    "They''ll be back up soon enough. No one can stay down there for long."

    Morrelia herself had stayed down there for a period of months, but Chyron could asionally fall guilty to the same pro-Legion bias that some of the higher ups were prone to fall into. It was something the Legion actively guarded against, underestimating their foes was something they <em>hated</em>, yet even so, it crept up asionally.

    "The Colony has proven themselves to be remarkably adaptable. I remind you,mander, the stated intention of the Colony is to cleanse the fifth stratum. I have little doubt they are attempting to do so as we speak."

    "I quite agree with you," themander nodded, "and we are here to confirm whether or not the target has survived the attempt. As unfortunate as it may be, we are in a poor position toplete our objective. It is far more likely the fifth will do our work than our legion is to seed, unless the situation changes."

    It was unlikely the Legion would attempt to engage Anthony within the fifth itself. Despite the presence of Legion facilities within that stratum, it wasn''t as if they campaigned there. The fifth was simply¡­ too inhospitable.

    At that moment, a scout approached themand area, breathless after a hard run.

    "Reporting,mander!"

    "Speak."

    "We''ve confirmed the ants have withdrawn from the fifth. They don''t appear to have suffered casualties."

    Chyron nodded as if that was what she''d been expecting all along.

    "Do we have any idea how sessful they were down there?" Morrelia asked the scout.

    "Sessful?" the scout looked at her as if she were talkingplete gibberish. "What do you mean?"

    "Were they able to make any progress in cleansing the fifth?"

    "We¡­ uh¡­ we have no way to tell, tribune," the scout reported.

    It was clear that nobody expected the Colony to get anywhere in this endeavour, and to be honest, that was the sensible position to take. Yet Morrelia knew better than most just what the Colony was capable of.

    If there were any group to pull off something as insane as this, it would be them. Commander Chyron turned to her with a raised brow.

    "You think it would be worth investigating to see what progress they have made in the fifth, tribune?"

    Morrelia hesitated for a moment before she then nodded.

    "I do," she affirmed. "The cleansing of the fifth has been a dream for all of Pangera for thousands of years. Any attempt should be studied in the hopes that we get closer to seeding."

    Chyron pursed her lips as she considered the matter.

    "In theory, how would you seek to obtain this information? We can''t go into the fifth and follow them, not with our current equipment."

    Morrelia pointed in the direction of the ant forward base.

    "I would go and ask them."

    The scout and Chyron both responded with nk expressions, as if their minds had not prepared them for such an approach. Morrelia shrugged.

    "I know it sounds ridiculous, but the Colony is attempting to open lines of dialogue with everyone they can. There''s no reason for them to keep their progress a secret."

    "We are their enemies, are we not?" Chyron responded dryly. "Typically, one doesn''t share information with their enemies."

    "If they are in any way sessful in their assault on the fifth, then the Colony is likely to want to share that with us to try and reduce our hostility towards them. In the unlikely event they seeded in their mission, then they would win the approbation of the entire."

    Themander considered this with narrowed eyes.

    "What''s stopping them from just lying to us?" she asked.

    Under normal circumstances, not an unreasonable question. For here and now? There was a clear response.

    "Because the Colony doesn''t lie," Morrelia responded firmly.

    Certainly, they never had that she was aware of.

    Chyron considered her with a thoughtful gaze.

    "Very well," she determined. "You, tribune, will be our liaison in this matter, if they are willing to ept you. Go, with a minimal guard, and see if the monsters are feeling talkative."

 Chapter 1258: Guess Who?

    Chapter 1258: Guess Who?

    When people y sports and get together after a game, they''re all standing around drinking¡­ sports juice¡­ or whatever, talking about the game and pping each other on the back, it''s always such a heartwarming scene, such an inviting feeling.

    Not that I would know, I''ve never been a part of something like that in my entire life. In my <em>human</em> life, anyway.

    However, this here, this must have been what that would have felt like. After our sessful effort spelunking the fifth, the entire advance team withdraws up into the tunnel. No ant or wuffer is left behind, all our records and observations are collected, no fuss, no muss, no misses. In every sense of the word, a sessful mission!

    The generals are happy, the mages are happy, the core shapers are happy, the soldiers are happy. The healers are <em>not</em> happy, because¡­ healers¡­ but also because there were many cases of mana contamination that had crept under the radar and needed to be taken care of.

    In terms of downsides, that''s probably the biggest one toe out of the scouting operation. Despite all our precautions, it still wasn''t enough. Many of the frontline ants, our biggest and bulkiest soldiers, experienced some level of exposure to the toxic mana of the fifth. It''s not that surprising, really; all they have to do is poke a leg out of the safe zone for a fraction of a second and <em>bam</em>, contaminated.

    How exactly we''re supposed to counter that, I have no idea, but I''m sure the boffin, big brain ants will be able to figure something out.

    "Eldest, we aren''t scheduled to do another exploratory mission for another week," Advant tells me, walking up with a fair bit of pep in her step. "Obviously, we want you and the guardians to be a part of the team. More specifically, Snt wants you as part of the team."

    "Well, if the great general wants me along, who am I to say no?"

    She''s getting too big for her carapace, that Snt. She''s cruising for another thwacking! But obviously I''m going to go along, what else am I supposed to do? I mean, there''s a ton of work to do cleaning out and securing the tunnels beneath the nest, but the invasion of the fifth was my idea in the first ce. I <em>demand</em> to be in the centre of the action!"Are we going in with a simr sized team next time around?" I ask.

    Advant shakes her head.

    "No, we''ll be scaling up to around double the size. A thousand wuffers, ten thousand ants. The core shapers, carvers and generals will make modifications to our strategy in the intervening time. Hopefully, things will go just as smoothly next time."

    From her tone, she certainly doesn''t think so.

    "How long until the Krath catch on to what we''re doing?" I ask. "They''re bound to work it out eventually."

    And when they do, things will get much moreplicated.

    "I''m sure they already have," Advant waves away my doubt. "Certainly, it''s in our interest to act at all times as if they are fully aware of our actions. Our next entrance into the fifth will be significantly more difficult."

    "Something to look forward to, then."

    Of course it was always going to get more difficult. The first mission was an unprecedented sess; it couldn''t possibly continue in that vein.

    [You happy to go back down there, gang?] I ask my three friends.

    Tiny gives me a clear thumbs up, while Crinis and Invidia both tell me using more conventional methods that of coursssssse they are more than happy to go back.

    I can tell the fighting wasn''t super satisfactory for Tiny. He had to remain inside in the safe-zone, only able to st things outside with the light extensions of his punches. He much prefers to hit things directly, but it seems the quantity and variety of bizarre monsters we had to fight has mostly made up for it.

    As I discuss our experience with my closestrades, a scout rushes up to Advant and I.

    "Eldest! We have something to report. Someone hase looking for you!"

    It doesn''t take long for me to find her, roughly a kilometre away with a few other Legion soldiers by her side.

    I cheerfully reach out with a mind bridge, only to be rebuffed by the head gear. Sheesh. How does she expect us to converse? You want me to write things down? I don''t even know how to spell in this ce! Unless she can smell pheromonalnguage, we''re going to be totally out of luck.

    I came over with a bunch of ants as well as the crew, so the small group of Legionaries are looking rather patheticpared to the firepower we have on our side. I hadn''t intended to try and intimidate them, but it certainly doesn''t look that way.

    I stop roughly fifty metres away from the soldiers and plop myself down into afortable position, waiting to see how they want this to y out. I assume they came over to talk and notunch an ambush or something, although the Colony is swarming the surrounding tunnels, just in case. So if they want to talk, they''re going to have to figure out a way to make it happen.

    There''s some discussion between Morrelia and her troops, none of whom seem all that happy about the situation. As discussions continue, Morrelia bes more and more visibly frustrated, until finally she relents to whatever is being proposed, though with ill grace. At that point, one of the soldiers removes their helmet and reaches out to me with a bridge.

    [Hey, what''s up?] I ask, keeping it friendly.

    [We would like you to bring a human here to act as an intermediary.]

    [You''re worried I''d pull some weird mind shenanigans?]

    [I know not of these shenanigans that you speak of, but we would like to minimise risk whenmunicating.]

    I mean, understandable, and it wouldn''t be the first time, but these Legion chumps are really getting under my carapace. And clearly, it''s bothering my good friend Morrelia too, since she looks so unhappy at the idea of having to bring someone down here to speak with her.

    [No, I don''t think we will,] I say. [It''s dangerous down here. These tunnels aren''t secure yet, far from it, and we are close to the fifth.]

    Which I would bet three legs they already know.

    [So, if you want tomunicate with us, then I insist you do so directly. We are just as vulnerable to mental maniption as you are, don''t forget. The risk is taken on by both parties.]

    There''s more discussion between the soldiers at this. I wouldn''t really call it an argument, since it''s clear that Morrelia is in charge, and eventually she makes the final decision and takes off her helmet. I snap a bridge into ce immediately.

    [Is that really Tiny?] she asks me.

    As if sensing his name was spoken, the gori flexes his impressive biceps.

    [That is definitely Tiny,] sheughs in my mind.

 Chapter 1259: The Tribune Amongst the Colony

    Chapter 1259: The Tribune Amongst the Colony

    "Be careful, Tribune. The monster may attempt to manipte your thoughts."

    Morrelia frowned.

    "I''ve received mental fortitude training and raised my Skills to themander level," she said evenly. "I will of course remain vignt nevertheless. Thank you for your diligence, Legionary."

    [What''d he say?] Anthony''s voice echoed in her mind.

    [They''re still worried you''ll manipte me,] she sighed.

    [I mean¡­ is it possible tomunicate in any way without allowing for the chance of maniption? I''ve seen what the brathian do to people with just words. It''s not pretty.]

    [You know as well as I do that a mind bridge allows for more than justmunication. How did you defeat Garralosh again?]

    [Ugh¡­ I''d rather not remember, to be honest; that was nasty. Alright, this is the ce.]

    The ants'' forward operating base wasn''t anything special, yet. There were hundreds of carvers still working on it, and she knew full well what miracles they could aplish.[Are there really rooms in there for us?] she asked, a little sceptical.

    [Of course! We''re an amodating group of insects. Unlike your Legion.]

    Morrelia felt a pang in her chest.

    [Are you thinking of the bolts we shot at you?]

    [Of course I am! While I was falling out of the sky as well. That''s such a cheap shot.]

    She took a deep breath.

    [I won''t apologise for it. The stated purpose of the Legion is to protect people from the Dungeon, and to that end, they''ve determined you shouldn''t be allowed to descend any deeper.]

    The giant ant turned to regard her directly, the many lenses in his eyes gleaming at her.

    [I don''t expect you to apologise or anything, you don''t run the Legion. I get that you lot are doing what you think is best to protect people. It''s the right goal, just the wrong target. But hey, I don''t think I''ll ever convince the people who run your outfit of that, so it is what it is.]

    She sighed in relief. At least he wasn''t going to hold it against her personally, but he wasn''t done.

    [What I''d like to know,] Anthony continued, [is what <em>you</em> think. Am I a threat to the peace on Pangera?]

    It didn''t take long for him to put her on the spot, hitting right at the heart of her anxieties.

    [I''m¡­ I''m not sure,] she said. [The wisdom of the Legion has helped us stand firm against the Dungeon since the Cataclysm. There is tremendous value in it, yet¡­ I still struggle to imagine the Colony turning on us.]

    [Hey, you do right by the Colony, and we''ll do right by you.]

    [Then what happened at the Silver City?]

    In an instant, all the energy was sucked out of the massive monster and he slumped to the ground.

    [Oof. Don''t talk about that¡­. That whole mess was disturbing and depressing.]

    [Was? So it''s resolved?]

    [Oh, heck no,] Anthony muttered darkly, [not by a long shot. But that''s not why you''re here!]

    He recovered his bounce rmingly quickly, springing back up onto the tips of his legs. To have such arge monster moving so quickly right next to her was unnerving, to say the least. It was hard to believe this was the same creature she''d fought alongside so long ago.

    [If you get any bigger, you''re going to have trouble fitting into the nests,] she observed as they walked toward the entrance to the fifth.

    [They''ll just make the tunnels wider,] he dismissed her concerns, and he was probably right. [This is what you came for, right? You want to know how we''re going down in the fifth?]

    [That''s right,] she said, looking around curiously.

    There were thousands of ants, hard at work on a myriad of tasks around her. It was clear the Colony was only beginning to muster the might of their industry to approach this challenge.

    [How many are working on this above?] she asked. [I assume this isn''t everyone.]

    [Of course not!] he barked augh. [The initial invasion force is being prepped above. It''s going to be around a million strong.]

    [A million?!]

    [This is the fifth stratum, Morrelia,] he told her condescendingly. [We aren''t going to make any progress being half-hearted about it. Here, take a look at these guys.]

    He walked over to a separate area where a group of ants were tending to hundreds of¡­ strange¡­ wobbly creatures.

    [These are the wuffers,] Anthony told her, [I love these guys. I don''t know why they turned out so happy, but they did.]

    Indeed, the wobbly, jelly-like monsters chuffed and puffed happily, cheerful expressions on their amorphous faces as they contentedly wibbled back and forth. Morrelia stared hard at the¡­ monsters.

    They were cute.

    How had they made such adorable monsters?!

    [What is the point of these¡­ <em>creatures</em>?] she demanded harshly.

    [Whoa, don''t be so rough on them, these guys are amazing. This is the initial stage of our detoxification process right here. The wuffers are able to drink up fifth stratum mana and release a purified version. Our initial mission was just to see how well they worked when we put them to the test in the real thing.]

    <em>Wuff wuff wuff wuff</em>, the creatures happily chuffed as the ants moved among them, checking them over with their antennae.

    [And how well did they do?] Morrelia asked tightly, still unable to take her eyes off them.

    <em>None of them better have gotten hurt!</em>

    [They were fine! Did a great job. We held them in the middle of our formation, and they maintained a clear, purified field of mana for us to operate in. Next time we go down, we''ll have more, and higher tier wuffers to help us. The core shapers are still trying to perfect the design, but it''s looking good so far.]

    With difficulty, Morrelia tore her eyes away from the cheerful creatures and put her back to them.

    [When''s the next mission?]

    Anthony scratched his head with an antenna.

    [Uh¡­ one week. Why?]

    She red up at him.

    [Because I want to go down with you. Why else?]

 Chapter 1260: Brilliant Brilliant-ing

    Chapter 1260: Brilliant Brilliant-ing

    "Oh¡­ oh, I don''t like the smell of that <em>at all</em>."

    Her antennae waggled furiously as she tried to waft away the stink of whatever sorcery had been performed here. Whoever had performed it had gone to great lengths to scrub the signs away, but they hadn''t expected someone with her level of intelligenceing onto the scene.

    After all¡­

    "I''M BRILLIANT!" she dered to the empty room, then cackled gleefully.

    She had so many things to do, so many ideas, it had her head spinning most days, but the Eldest, herrgest and most demanding Senior, had requested sheplete this task personally, and so she would. She''d left herbs and gone to the third stratum, to the city of Roklu, in order to investigate the former Church of the Path facility here.

    As she looked around the chamber, her thousands of lenses each reflected the light differently, each looking at something the others weren''t. In just a few moments, she noticed something.

    "Interesting¡­" she murmured.

    It was a little irritating, having to adjust the position of her head in order to point the lenses in different directions, but after a few minutes of finicking, she managed to iste what she''d been looking at. Her eyes were able to see almost everything at this point, each lens picking up on something different. Using her eyes to ''see'' in the traditional sense was almost impossible now, she relied on mana sensing for that, but her eyes now acted as sensors, able to scan for thousands of blends of light, mana, energy and everything in between.

    "Trying to hide from me? I can see EVERYTHING!" she snapped her mandibles mockingly at nobody as she advanced further into the chamber, antennae sweeping through the space her eyes had identified.She almost tripped when one of her legs found the edge of the depression in the floor. She''d been so intent looking upward, she hadn''t even noticed the floor wasn''t t. Such a terrible oversight! Luckily, no one had been present to witness her mistake.

    Not that she made mistakes.

    "Because I''m BRILLIANT!" she cackled once more.

    Judging by what was overhead¡­ as well as this depression¡­

    She looped around it, casting her eyes across the floor, down into the depression, then back up into the air. She looped around it again. Then a third time.

    Finally, she sighed and began to work her own unique blend of mana. She had done everything possible to ensure that there wasn''t any speck of existence that was beyond her gaze. After all, secrets could be hidden anywhere, which meant she had to be able to hunt them <em>everywhere</em>. Not even dimensions were enough to hide something from her.

    Neither was time.

    Slowly, piece by piece, the enchantments that had been built into this room began to put themselves back together. Whoever had broken them had been thorough, extremely thorough. She pitied them. A little.

    It was a strain. Using this spell for even a few minutes was a strain, but for this, she needed to hold the cast for much, much longer. Yet, as the mystery began to unravel right before her eyes, Brilliant could only feel her heart begin to pound with the thrill of discovery. The answer wasing¡­ she just¡­ needed¡­ to hold¡­ a little¡­ more!

    Eventually she copsed, quivering onto the hard stone floor. Shey there for a while, recovering, letting her nds and core replenish their energies. When she was sufficiently recovered, she turned her gaze back to see what she had achieved.

    Glowing symbols, lines of power and currents of mana, ever so faint, almost ghostly, now hung over the depression and were engraved into the floor around it. Yet, not all of them.

    At best, she''d managed to recover a third of theplete enchantment, and even then, she felt there were elements missing. It was too long ago that this had been destroyed, but even so, her mandibles cked gleefully as she absorbed every detail.

    This was a start. A great start! There was much here she didn''t understand, things she''d never seen before, which was exciting! If she saw something she didn''t know, it wouldn''t be long until she turned it into something she <em>did</em> know. After all, just who was she?

    The little ant continued to prance around the semi-sphere depression in the ground, examining each piece of the enchantment she''d managed to uncover with obsessive detail.

    "Yes¡­ I see¡­ I see!" she muttered (and asionally shouted) to herself.

    "That would lead to¡­ <em>something</em>. And that something would then¡­ <em>do something</em>."

    So much she didn''t know. What an incredible find this was! She would have to thank the Eldest at some point for this task. It was proving to be far more interesting than she''d imagined.

    "Gathering¡­ storing¡­ extracting¡­ but how? Why?"

    She elerated in her circling as her mind began to spin faster and faster, thoughts whirling and tumbling as she tried to fill in the many nks, given the limited context she had. Sometimes it was easy, like slotting a single word into an otherwiseplete sentence. Other times, it was like trying to write an entire paragraph when given only a single word. And the paragraph was in a differentnguage.

    Eventually she stopped in ce, eyes locked upwards. That was where the source was, that was obvious. The target of all this enchantment was firmly fixed on that point.

    And though they had removed the chains, it was still easy to see where they had been affixed to the roof, the fittings were still there, rings of iron embedded in the stone.

    Whatever they did here had also been done to a member of her family, and though she wasn''t exactly sure what it was¡­ she was growing increasingly confident¡­ that she didn''t like it.

    Foolish. Such a foolish thing they had done. So foolish to think they could get away with it. Moronic to think that she wouldn''t be able to find them.

    After all¡­

    "I''m Brilliant," she whispered.

 Chapter 1261: Itâ€™s a Little Weird

    Chapter 1261: It¡¯s a Little Weird

    So¡­ Morrelia is going to hang out with the Colony again. That''s¡­ fine. It''s <em>fine</em>.

    Though if her two fellow Legionaries could stop looking at me like I spat on their mother''s kitchen floor, I''d appreciate it.

    I mean, I get it. They think that all the monsters they see around them are going to turn insane and submit to the will of the Ancients, thus turning against all non-monstrous life on Pangera. Every ant they see is a future enemy, so why would you be happy to see <em>so many</em> of them, working so industriously?

    You wouldn''t! You would be distinctly <em>unhappy</em>.

    So I can''t quite find it in myself to me them, but I sure wish they''d get with the program and realise the Colony is different. We won''t be sumbing to any such outside influence, thank you very much! Although if they ask me <em>why</em> the Colony is safe from outside influence¡­ I don''t think I''ll be borating much.

    Which leaves me with only one course of action! If I amass meritorious deeds and allies, then the Legion won''t have anyone to help them if they decide to try and exterminate the Colony.

    [So¡­ are you really cleared to stay here for a week?] I ask Morrelia as I escort her and her two fellow Legionaries to their rooms.

    [I''m an officer, Anthony. I''m able to make decisions.]

    [Really? Yourmanding officer doesn''t care if you hang around here for a couple of weeks and go on manoeuvres with a group of monsters? That''s¡­ not what I would have expected.][From the Legion?]

    [Well, yeah. You guys don''t exactly have a ''monster-friendly'' reputation.]

    That''s putting it mildly.

    [In this case, I can justify it by saying the target is inviting us to be near them and allow us to collect intelligence. Why would we decline such an opportunity?]

    [Oooo, that''s sneaky. When did you get sneaky? I remember you being more of a ''slice first, thinkter'' sort of berserker.]

    She grunted.

    [The training we go through to be officers is thorough in the extreme. The Legion hasn''tsted for thousands of years without ensuring our officers aren''t stupid.]

    Well¡­ I suppose that makes sense. Say what I will about the Legion, the fact they''re still around speaks volumes about their organisation. They aren''t a country, they''re an <em>independent</em> military force, who''ve fought against the Dungeon across the entire on every stratum. Well, every stratum that I know of.

    [Do you guys have a presence in the fifth?] I ask, curious.

    Morrelia hesitates before nodding.

    [Yes. I did part of my training there. It¡­ wasn''t pleasant.]

    [And that''s not a secret you aren''t supposed to share with your ''target''?]

    [I''m trying my best to manage my divided loyalties, Anthony. Don''t make it harder for me.]

    [Enough said. My mandibles are sealed.]

    I snap them shut for emphasis, causing the two apanying Legionaries to jump in rm, hands shing to their weapons. Heh, what could you even do with those? I''m a tier seven mythic monster, two of you aren''t going to be enough.

    By the time we finish in the fifth, I might even be tier eight. I estimated earlier it would take us a year to get through the stratum below, which might be enough time for me to gain the levels I need. I mean¡­ it''s a heck of a lot of levels.

    [Well, down this corridor is the section set aside for humans. You can tell because it''s too small for me to enter. Pick a room, any room, make yourselvesfortable. We don''t have much in terms of supplies down here, given where we are, but I''m sure someone will do a run to get you some creatureforts soon enough.]

    [There''s no need,] Morrelia assures me, [we have what we our own supplies.]

    [Someone will do it anyway,] I shrug my antennae, [we take hospitality seriously around here.]

    So saying, I leave the three Legionaries to settle themselves, only to have Brendant approach me the moment I leave the fort.

    "Eldest, you met with the Legion and they''re staying with us? Can I ask what''s going on?"

    Whoops. I guess I kind of went and did my own thing without asking if I should. Hopefully, the rest of the Colony doesn''t mind.

    "Morrelia came with a couple of others to observe and learn about our progress in the fifth. I gave her the details, showed her the wuffers, and she asked if she coulde down on the next mission. I thought it couldn''t hurt, so I agreed."

    Just when I''m wondering if Brendant is going to be mad about it, she merely nods.

    "Very well. I''ll let everyone know of the change in arrangements. We''ll need to send for supplies as well, since our stock of human furniture is poor at the moment. I don''t think their rooms even have rugs. Terrible!"

    She turns to scuttle away but I call out to her before she can get too far.

    "Is it a problem that I''ve arranged this on my own? Are you worried things might go poorly for us? I invited the enemy straight into our mission¡­."

    She cks her mandibles in amusement.

    "If you think it''s worth doing, then it is, Eldest."

    Ugh. Not only do my antennae flood with the scent of pure convictioning from Brendant, but I can feel that same irond belief ringing through the Vestibule.

    Dammit! I''m not worthy of such blind trust!

    Without another word, Brendant is off, ready to take care of the administrative details my change in the ns has brought about. I can only sigh heavily. This level of trust¡­ It''s a heavy burden that I''m only beginning to learn how to grapple with.

    Hey, as long as I don''t make any major mistakes, it''ll be fine.

    Well¡­ maybe I''ll go check in with the preparations and see if there''s anything I can do to help. No harm in being careful now, is there?

 Chapter 1262: Once More Into The Breach

    Chapter 1262: Once More Into The Breach

    It''s amazing how quickly a week can go by when you''re trying to make sure you haven''t jinxed your entire family. In a blink, we are back at the entrance to the fifth, waiting to descend back into the stratum. This time, we''ve scaled up the size of our exploratory team to double what it was before. A thousand wuffers, ten thousand ants, me and the crew, along with our Legion onlookers.

    [Are you really sure you want to go down there?] I ask Morrelia. [It''s gross. And not in a casual way. The fifth is almost <em>professionally </em>disgusting.]

    She res up at me, her eyes dark and stormy, like they always are.

    [I''ve been there before. Are you worried I won''t be able to handle it?]

    [Handle it? Handle what? You''ll be all nice and safe, tucked away in a pocket of purified mana. I''m the one who has to run around in the acid and sludge.]

    She looks a little surprised to hear that.

    [You can survive in there?]

    [Of course! Well¡­ for a while, anyway.]

    [I''m impressed. I know firsthand just how hostile to life the fifth is.][Bah, no you don''t. There''s no chance a human could get out there directly. At best, you were in a protective suit thicker than my carapace.]

    Morrelia hesitates.

    [Actually¡­ there is a human who survived direct exposure¡­.]

    [Let me guess. Your dad?]

    That guy is terrifying. I never want to see him, or his axe, again for the rest of my days.

    [Of course not. It was my mother.]

    Of course it was.

    [What is wrong with your family?!]

    [Don''t get mad at me! They''re the weird ones, not me!]

    [Your parents aren''t here, a fact for which I am truly thankful, so I can only yell at you about it! Do me a favour and convince them to retire or something!]

    [Hah!] she snorts. [Those two? Resigning from the Legion? It''ll never happen.]

    Gah. Well, I''ll cross that bridge when Ie to it.

    [Alright then. Let''s shift the topic to something happier. See you in the acidic, toxic, poison-filled fifth stratum. I''ll be going down first.]

    [See you down there,] she nods.

    Our n to manage the descent is almost the same as before. The main adjustments revolve around managing double the wuffers, since a thousand wuffers gathered together in one blob would basically block off the tunnelpletely. The ones exposed to the mana of the fifth would do their job and purify it, only to expel the cleansed mana straight into the faces of the secondyer of wuffers.

    Now, they could just let it flow through them, but then there''s no benefit to having more of the jelly-monsters for this part of the operation. So instead of one thickyer, we have staggered blobs of cheerfully puffing pets extending downward from the main blob to form the ''plug'' that seals off the tunnel as before.

    With more surface area exposed to the fifth, the chuffing wuffers can do their job all the more quickly, rapidly filling the tunnel above them with cleansed mana and allowing the ants to pile up behind them and begin their own descent.

    When I reach the bottom, I signal the core shapers above to pull back their extended pets, ensuring no wuffer is exposed to danger prematurely while I scope out thending zone.

    Things appear to be much the same. River of mucous. Thick acid. Clouds of poison. Colourful, toxic mould. And let''s not forget, plenty of truly awful-looking monsters, ready and waiting to vomit up an ocean of bile upon any monster who dares so much as whip out a mop down here.

    Even more threatening, the potential for the Krath to be out there, watching and waiting, ready to jump us the moment we getfortable.

    Not for the first time, I think back to that slippery slug that got away from me towards the end of thest mission. That thing was <em>fast</em>, and far too clever to be just another monster. I''ll be interested to see if something like that pops up again.

    For now, I can''t see, or sense, anything threatening¡ªmore threatening than the usual, I suppose¡ªso I signal the go ahead and head down into the fifth once more. Soon after, a huge blob of cleansed mana follows, packed with ants and wuffers. The local monsters immediately look up, like bloodhounds detecting some powerfully stinky socks, and we are off to the races.

    [Tiny, try and make sure our Legion guests stay safe, alright?] I ask the big ape.

    He pulls a face at me.

    [Hey. Morrelia is cool and the other two are with her, alright? No need for this attitude.]

    He flexes his left pec.

    [I know you''re smart enough to talk! There''s no need tomunicate via flexing anymore!]

    He turns his back on me.

    [No! Hey! I don''t care what yourts have to say, alright? Just keep them safe! Sheesh!]

    I don''t know exactly when he decided he didn''t like the Legion, but it''s really stuck with him. From the peripheral of my extremely wide vision, I can see him signalling with his deltoids, but I''m not paying him any attention. This is the riskiest moment of the operation, and if we fail to establish our foothold, then everything is going to heck really, really fast.

    Weird slime and crustacean-looking things run at me, and I don''t mess around, unleashing void chompbos until their shells crack and the notification messages pop up in my awareness. It''s best for me to expend my energy reserves now and let them recharge when our position is better fortified, so I continue toy it on thick.

    A massive plume of dragon''s breathunches from between my mandibles as I set everything in front of me aze. Smaller monsters are straight up roasted, but the bigger ones, and the mucus-filled environment itself, remain stubbornly resistant to fire.

    I mean, I couldunch a gravity bomb, but that spell doesn''t y well with my siblings, so it''s off the table right now.

    So instead, I do it old school. The omni-elemental construct spins and whirls as I push it to its limits, whipping out multiple elements in a constant stream. Spears of ice. Jets of fire. Globs of Lava. Hissing vents of steam. Shard-filled, cutting winds. I unleash all of it, along with my trusty mandibles, for a full hour, until things finally settle down enough for me to retreat into the safe-zone and dedicate myself to eradicating all the toxic mana that slipped past my guard.

    There''s a <em>lot</em>.

    Using that much magic required many mind constructs, which left my defences too low to fend off the native mana properly. A worthy tradeoff, in the end.

    Within the centre of the formation, Morrelia is standing along with her two allies, close to the wuffers, watching everything happen with wide eyes.

    [Wee back to the fifth,] I say expansively, waving an antenna at the surroundings. [Did you miss it?]

    [No. No, I didn''t.]

 Chapter 1263: Something She Never Imagined

    Chapter 1263: Something She Never Imagined

    Morrelia gripped the hilts of her dual des tight, but knew she wouldn''t get the opportunity to use them. Ants were watching her at all times, and she''d been instructed not to participate and throw off their carefullyid ns. The Colony moved with incredible efficiency, every member knowing where they needed to be at any given moment. On the surface, it looked like chaos, giant insects crawling all over each other, working here and there, carrying, moulding, enchanting, digging, but when she followed a single ant, there was always a purpose to their movements.

    In almost no time at all, the¡­ oddly innocent-looking ''wuffers'' had been installed inside a formation, channels were dug, and a steady flow of fifth stratum mana was being fed to them. It was remarkable looking at them. The creatures seemed to bepletely immune to the toxifying effect of the mana, absorbing a constant stream of it and releasing a dense, blue, cleansed energy in its ce.

    All the while, they wobbled back and forth and released those short chuffing noises from which she assumed the Colony had derived their names.

    They were¡­ oddlypelling. She found it difficult to tear her eyes away from them, but she forced herself to. There were more important things to focus on at the moment.

    [Are those creatures really unaffected by the mana of the fifth?] she demanded of Anthony.

    Not because she was concerned for their safety, she simply wanted to know.

    [The wuffers? I don''t know, I didn''t design them. I''d have to ask Ellie or Be. Probably after weplete this mission, they''ll be monitored and checked for wear and tear.]

    The giant ant was resting now after running wild out in the poisonous atmosphere of the fifth. Without him fighting off dozens of monsters by himself, it would have been impossible for the Colony to establish such an effective beachhead so quickly.

    [And how badly are <em>you</em> affected?] she asked him.[Who, me? Oh, it sucks. The acid burns me constantly, I have to regenerate myself all the time or else my joints will dissolve to nothing. The mana invades at every opportunity and I have to keep it away from my core, but it seeps into my body anyway and starts eating me from the inside out. Bottom line? I hate it.]

    The Legionary chuckled at his frank dislike for the environment in which he found himself. It wasn''t all that surprising. She''d been out there herself and had heard stories of what even a second of exposure would do to a human.

    "What''s so amusing, tribune?" Marcus asked her.

    For a moment, she''d almost forgotten that they were there. Marcus and Greyson, her fellow Legionaries who hade a lot further and stayed a lot longer than they''d expected when first embarking on this trip. Neither of the two seemed all thatfortable here in the fifth, eyeing the surroundings with more than a little wariness.

    "I was amused to note that the ants are struggling just as much as we do when entering the fifth," she told them a half-truth. "Though I believe you two haven''t trained here before."

    "That''s right, tribune," Greyson noted. "I have to say, I''m not sure yet if this stratum is living up to its reputation."

    Now <em>that</em> made Morreliaugh out loud, a short and sharp bark of rough amusement.

    "I take it I''ve made an ignorantment, tribune," Greyson said.

    "Yes," she agreed, "you have."

    She gestured to the bubble of safety in which they were currently standing.

    "If you were to step outside of this blue mana for a few seconds, you would be dead. No if''s, no but''s, no healing, no saving you. The mana of the fifth is self-propagating. Once it gets a hold, it''ll make more of itself until it takes over your body and eats you from the inside out."

    She gestured toward Anthony, who now had a full pack of little ants crawling over him which he tried to poke away with his antennae, but they seemed inordinately skilled at dodging them.

    "Even this monster, able to survive out there for an extended period, has to be checked to make sure not a speck of native mana remains."

    The cries of beasts were bing more and moremon. Squelching roars from the distance, echoing up the tunnel toward the fortified ant position.

    Anthony sighed loudly in her mind.

    [Time to get back to it, I suppose. The natives here are going to run at us non-stop until we leave. Try to keep your head down for the moment. We''ll be setting up a separate node of wuffers soon, and that should mean a bit more space in the safe-zone for you to move around in.]

    The giant monster levered himself up onto his legs, sending the smaller ants scuttling, several of them appearing to whack him on the carapace with their legs or mandibles.

    [Are they¡­ are they hitting you?] she asked.

    [What? Oh, the healers. Yep. I don''t know what happened, but the healers are almost universally bad-tempered.]

    [Did you wait until they were finished treating you?]

    [No.]

    [Do you think that made them angry?] she asked, a little bbergasted.

    [Probably, but I had Invidia check me out and he says I''m clear.]

    [Why not exin that to them?]

    [This is funnier. Off I go!]

    Morrelia watched him rush out of the protected area, vowing to treat the Legion medical staff better when she returned. Perhaps now she could understand why they were so constantly frustrated.

    It wasn''t only Anthony heading back out into the fray. Tiny, Crinis and Invidia, Anthony''s other pets, also stepped up and became more active, sting back the raging monsters as they rushed forward. The rage of the fifth stratum born monsters was a sight to behold. Morrelia felt as if she were in a wave as she watched them throw themselves against the ants with mindless violence.

    Only when she noticed how they spewed thick bile, or sprayed clods of mucus, rich with toxic mana, as they died, did she realise what was happening. The fifth did not want to be conquered, and it started fighting back.

 Chapter 1264: Tolly Goes Home

    Chapter 1264: Tolly Goes Home

    <em>Hello, dear readers! It has been some time, but I greet you once more from the pages of my tome, the record of my grand adventures!</em>

    <em>It is I, Travelling Tolly, and I continue my amazing journey in thends of the Colony, the remarkable species of monsters who have captured imaginations and set tongues to wagging. As you are well aware, I can never resist a wagging tongue, and as such have made it my mission to thoroughly explore thends imed by these boneless creatures and bring my tale of excitement and endeavour to you!</em>

    <em>Whenst we left you, I had been a resident of the Demon city of Roklu and the grand nest which the Colony had made underneath. Such an incredible ce, the architecture, the customs, the people!</em>

    <em>However, and I''m sure this is no secret to you, precious reader, the third stratum is not, shall we say, the most salubrious of locations.</em>

    <em>Oh! I have travelled in the most miserable swamps, the most explosive of volcanoes. Never forget, ''twas I who plunged into the depths of the forbidden mountain of Krak''tooa in search of the Crystal Fountain, hidden within the subterranean jungle of death, Amagor!</em>

    <em>However, it''s no secret that your Tolly is getting on in hiser years. Breathing the smoke and ash all day long isn''t good for the lungs, reader. I assure you that my doctor has said so!</em>

    <em>So it was that after my gentle urging, my host, guide and dear friend, Emilia, was persuaded that we might take our travels down to a deeperyer of the Dungeon.</em>

    <em>"Are you sure, Ms Tolly?" she asked me, wide-eyed.</em>

    <em>The precious thing.</em><em>"If you need me to, we can slow down the tour. It''s important you get enough rest. Eight hours of sleep a day is best."</em>

    <em>"I am perfectly well rested, dear," I assured her.</em>

    <em>"But there is still so much to see here in the third! The Tower forge of Smithant is here, which is said to reach fifty kilometres high! Also there is a monument raised not too far away tomemorate the Eldest''s triumph over the demons! Are you sure you don''t want to see them?"</em>

    <em>"I am quite sure," I told her firmly. "I am certain the Colony has left wonders everywhere they''ve set down roots, and I am eager to witness their triumphs below."</em>

    <em>One should always search for the correct framing, reader. It is the key to any discussion! At my gentle urging, Emilia agreed to speak to the representatives of the Colony, and we secured passage via one of the gates to the home of ant-kind within the fourth.</em>

    <em>I don''t mind saying that my heart fluttered upon learning our application had been approved, reader! The fourth stratum is, after all, my home!</em>

    <em>The moment we stepped through the gate, we left the darkness, smoke and ash behind, and entered a world of light, life and beauty. Ah, it soothed my soul to set foot once again into that vibrant ce, and I was most keen to see what the Colony had made of themselves in this, the most densely upiedyer in all the Dungeon!</em>

    <em>Naturally, it was necessary to endure a period of mana limation before we travelled, reader, don''t think I didn''t take sensible precautions!</em>

    <em>(In fact, we weren''t allowed to travel without having done so. The Colony is quite strict on such things!)</em>

    <em>Stepping out and into the legendary mountain home of the ants, it was an exciting moment, reader! After all, who hasn''t heard tales of the great nest? My fellow old biddies and I have exchanged many a scious rumour over cards, not that I believed any of it, of course, but it is fun to specte!</em>

    <em>No, I wasn''t expecting to see any human sacrifice or such nonsense here, and indeed I did not.</em>

    <em>My first impression, which I took in most eagerly, I assure you, was one of prosperity. We stepped out of the gate and into the major gate reception of the ant mountain, and it was busy! We all know of the incredible mercantile efforts of the brathians in conjunction with the Colony, but seeing it firsthand, I was taken aback by the sheer scale of it!</em>

    <em>So many gates, with people and loaded carts and wagons going to and fro in a seemingly endless stream! The mana requirements for such an enterprise must have been absolutely absurd, and I could see huge arrays gathering the required energy all throughout the vast chamber we found ourselves in.</em>

    <em>It was quite a thrill, reader, to be amongst such to-ing and fro-ing. Such a scene wouldn''t have been out of ce in the ce I call home, the Silver City!</em>

    <em>My guards were perhaps a little more rxed in this space, due to the sheer number of non-ants around, but I think it was rather foolish of them, considering there were still thousands and thousands of them! Directing traffic, inspecting cargo manifests, and performing all of the millions of administrative tasks that go into running a gate hub of this size were teams of ants, performing their roles with the efficiency and aplomb I''vee to associate with their species.</em>

    <em>"Wee," Emilia greeted me, "to Lightnest, home of the Colony in the fourth stratum."</em>

    <em>She seemed just as excited as me to be here, and I had to ask her.</em>

    <em>"Have you been here before, my dear?"</em>

    <em>She smiled at me, brilliantly.</em>

    <em>"Only once, when I was much younger, but it is a treasured memory of mine."</em>

    <em>"And what about the Eldest? Would we be able to find this most august of ants somewhere within this nest?" I pressed her.</em>

    <em>Her smile slipped just a little.</em>

    <em>"I''m afraid not, Ms Tolly. The Eldest is presently very deep, and not avable to speak to. I must apologise."</em>

    <em>Well, that''s fine. You know as well as I do, dear reader, that I don''t give up on an exclusive so easily!</em>

 Chapter 1265: Travelling in the Fourth

    Chapter 1265: Travelling in the Fourth

    <em>As I''vee to expect from the Colony, their hospitality was exquisite, just exquisite! After arriving via the gate, Emilia led our little group to what I can only describe as an ant concierge plete with an adorable little hat), who directed us to the most fitting ce of residence.</em>

    <em>"The Colony doesn''t really have ''tourism'' or ''hotels'' like you might find where youe from," Emilia exined. "There aren''t that many people who want toe and stay here outside of the people who fall within their territory."</em>

    <em>That''s an understatement and a half! Information about the inner workings of the Colony is almost totally unknown! If that weren''t the case, would I, Tolly, the bold adventurer, havee here to investigate? There are no wastnds I will not endure, no dangers I shall not brave, no teas I shall not sample in the pursuit of enlightenment.</em>

    <em>Despite Emilia telling me of the paucity of amodation, I had be ustomed to the ways of these ants by now, so I knew what to expect when we finally reached our residence.</em>

    <em>I could only describe it as an enormous, shared apartment,plete with kitchen, private bathrooms, several living rooms, a dining area and a SWIMMING POOL.</em>

    <em>Emilia must have registered the shock on my face, so she rushed to exin.</em>

    <em>"The Colony learned that humans, along with brathians, quite enjoy the feeling of being submerged in water. So they tend to include these when they can spare the room."</em>

    <em>If anything, I was given an even greater shock when I went into my own bedroom and saw the facilities there. I have to say, reader, that nobody could have been more impressed than I at the level offort provided. The bed was rather enormous. Well, it was bothrge, yet not toorge, just the right size for a person to be perfectlyfortable within. And the mattress!</em>

    <em>The older I get, the more I appreciate a good mattress, and I have to say, the moment Iy down to test it, I knew I would take it home with me. No matter what I had to pay!</em><em>I''d steal it if I had to, reader, I don''t mind confessing to you!</em>

    <em>Such a gentle-firmness, I can''t imagine how they achieved it. It goes without saying that the linens and duvet were of the most sublime quality as well. I truly looked forward to immersing myself in their warm embrace. Even more surprising was the incredibly-well made, soft and appealing plush toy I found sitting on my pillow.</em>

    <em>It appeared to be of a rather manic ant, a cheeky glint in her eye and a wild grin on her face. Definitely a strange colour to her carapace as well, far from the usual russet red of the ants I''d seen. Looking closely, I could see little glimmering pockets of light woven into the fuzzy exterior of the toy, which left me speechless. Why go to such lengths for this little thing?</em>

    <em>I emerged to ask Emilia just what was going on, only to find her clutching her own fluffy ant toy, a broad smile on her face.</em>

    <em>"Oh, you got Brilliant," she told me cheerfully. "It''s considered lucky to get her."</em>

    <em>Then she held out her own toy for me to inspect.</em>

    <em>"This is Snt."</em>

    <em>The plush in question was quite different from my own. It gave off a serious, even contemtive feeling, yet there was a sternness, a certain steeliness in the gaze of the ant in question.</em>

    <em>"Is she¡­ a famous general of some sort?" I guessed.</em>

    <em>"That''s exactly right!" Emilia enthused. "She''s extremely capable, the Colony''s greatest general."</em>

    <em>Then my guards emerged, with confused expressions on their faces, each holding their own plush toy. One held a fuzzy gori-looking creature with bat wings, while the other was an indescribable horror of nightmares that I couldn''t look at without losing my sanity.</em>

    <em>"Oh! You got Tiny and Crinis! They''re so rare!"</em>

    <em>It turns out the plushies are quite the collectible items within the Colony, since they don''t give out that many and most of the ants want to have at least some of them. Naturally, I asked which was the most rare, because of course I did, reader! If there is a rare collectible item, I MUST have it, to disy over my mantel so that it may lord over my social circle silently with its majesty.</em>

    <em>I was quite surprised when I got an answer to my question.</em>

    <em>"The rarest of them all?" Emilia pondered for a moment. "Let me think for a moment."</em>

    <em>"It isn''t the Eldest?" I asked. I certainly expected it to be that most revered of ants.</em>

    <em>"Oh no," Emiliaughed, "everyone has the Eldest. They make way more of them, the demand is so high."</em>

    <em>Where I had expected that the esteem in which the Eldest was held would ce that august figure as the most rare in the collection, instead they became the mostmon. They''ve done it backwards! I still insist that it''s backwards!</em>

    <em>"If I were to say which was the most rare, though I''m only guessing, I think I would say it''s The Queen."</em>

    <em>"As in¡­"</em>

    <em>"As in the first Queen, yes."</em>

    <em>That confused me a little. I thought she, too, would be wildly popr.</em>

    <em>"She has always hated being overly revered by her children," Emilia confided to me, leaning forward and speaking softly, "so nobody wants to be caught with a plush of her and make her sad. In the eyes of The Queen, things like this are frivolous wastes of resources and she doesn''t approve."</em>

    <em>A down to business sort of woman! I can certainly appreciate that!</em>

    <em>"I know I''ve asked before, but surely now that we are this deep there is a chance of gaining an interview with The Queen?" I ask, ensuring to capitalise properly.</em>

    <em>Emilia hesitated.</em>

    <em>"It''s¡­ unlikely. But I can ask."</em>

    <em>She implored me not to get my hopes up, but you know me, reader. When I have a foot in the door, you may as well shake my hand. What an exclusive!</em>

 Chapter 1266: Slug Strife

    Chapter 1266: Slug Strife

    <em>Ah, the fifth. Such a lovely ce to be. I mean, the acid isn''t all that enjoyable, but what this stratumcks in good atmosphere, it makes up for with hospitality.</em>

    <em>A disgusting, bloated lobsteres running at me, its eyes boiling with rage, and hissing globs of unspeakable goo bubbling up from its carapace so fast the monster leaves a thick trail of ooze behind it.</em>

    <em>I mean, what do I even do? I don''t want to bite the thing. If I actually manage to hurt it, my mandibles will probably melt off. Its ws don''t seem any more appealing than the rest of it. It has four, because of course it does, and the pincers look more like mouths than anything else, each of them streaming virulent yellow bile.</em>

    <em>Let''s just say, it isn''t the kind of fight I really look forward to.</em>

    <em>Gravity Bomb!</em>

    <em>A smaller bomb rips into space and howls toward the offending monster. Unthinking, the beast runs straight into the spell and vanishes as the bomb expands to consume whatever it can.</em>

    <em>The lobster screams and rattles, and for a moment, I can see it iling wildly, bits and pieces pushing out of the void, but only for brief instants, until the spell eventually winks out and the lobster, now missing arge chunk of itself, slumps down defeated. Yeesh. I''m having to do this more and more as time passes. That monster was almost the same size as I am, so it can''t have been too low of a tier, which means I would have loved to get my mandibles on the core.</em>

    <em>But these darn things are all so toxic. If I let them anywhere near the safe-zone, they start spraying goop all over the ce like they''re firefighters trying to hose down a petrol station before it can explode. Even one of them can put a serious dent in the good work the wuffers have been doing, setting all of us back hours, if not more.</em>

    <em>Speaking of wuffers, they''ve been doing good work. I cast my eyes about, but I don''t see any more major threats for the time being, which gives me a little time to check myself over, and inspect the work the Colony has been doing.</em><em>Which is a lot. The wuffer zone has now been expanded to include a brand new zone, the two separated by several hundred metres. There''s all sorts of fancy shenanigans going on between the two packs of wuffers, channels dug into the floor of the tunnel to move both toxic and pure mana from one side to the other. I''m not sure how it all works, I certainly wasn''t the one to do the math, but it seems to be working well, and it won''t be long before the two separate bubbles of purified mana connect in the middle.</em>

    <em>When that happens, we''ll have a long stretch of tunnel that has no toxic mana in it whatsoever.</em>

    <em>I have to say, I''m super impressed at how well it''s all working. The thinkers in the Colony have really outdone themselves on this one. I know the idea is to use these ''nodes'' of wuffers in strategic positions to support each other and maintain the clean mana zone, so this is the test run to see how the current designs on these connections will perform. Of course, the usual ants are there, closely monitoring the situation, taking down numbers on their pheromone tes and checking that things are working as intended.</em>

    <em>The main bottleneck I can see is our wuffer count. No way we can maintain a whole pack of five hundred wuffers at every section. I have no idea what cores these little globs are made of, but we can''t have an unlimited supply of them. Which means we need to get them to evolve and hope we can do more with less.</em>

    <em>"How''s it going out there, Eldest?" Brendant calls out to me, her pheromones somewhat fuzzy. "Can you continue?"</em>

    <em>"For a little while," I respond, "but I''ll need a break in around ten minutes."</em>

    <em>I flip the majority of my mind-constructs over to cleansing my internal mana, breaking down the infections as fast as possible. It''s a never ending battle, since no matter how much I remove, more will alwayse in. While I''m at it, I trip my regeneration nd and feel a brief moment of relief as the ice cold fluid rushes throughout my body, concentrating in my carapace and joints as it repairs the damage done by the acidic mana.</em>

    <em>Only by constantly refreshing my regeneration nd and washing the fatigue from my minds via the Vestibule am I able to remain out here for as long as I do. Endless stamina and regeneration really doe in handy.</em>

    <em>Just as I ready myself to intercept anotherrge monster rushing forward, one of my antennae twitches.</em>

    <em>I swear I just sensed something¡­.</em>

    <em>Another gravity bomb explodes into reality, flying toward the offending monster, a snail with four acid-spitting heads, and I turn my attention toward the mucous river. Just for a second, I registered a little something in here, I swear. Something¡­ odious.</em>

    <em>I wander over to the edge and look down into the slowly flowing, bright yellow sludge.</em>

    <em>Which is when thick tendrils burst out of the surface and try to enfold me.</em>

    <em>Ah, a trap.</em>

 Chapter 1267: Hidden Slugs, Crouching Snails

    Chapter 1267: Hidden Slugs, Crouching Snails

    <em>The nature and origin of the Krath has been a matter of debate for many years within academic circles, yet it isn''t one that invites a schr to delve too deeply.</em>

    <em>Secretive to the point of obsession and more elusive than word of the Ancients themselves, the slug tribes of the fifth are difficult to study. Not that there is no enthusiasm amongst academic circles to learn more about them, nor indeed a dearth of driving force among the various authorities of the fourth. With every wave, the Krath torment the lower tunnels and send their servants upward to spread poison and filth. Knowledge of their methods and techniques would greatly benefit all of us, yet no one is willing to attempt it.</em>

    <em>Not anymore.</em>

    <em>The Krath, living in the fifth, are almost impossible to reach as it is, yet expeditions have been made to try and secure this intelligence before. All of them failed. Not just failed, but were made an example of. As barbaric and cruel as they are, the Krath seem to hold a special ce in their twisted hearts for those who try to learn their secrets.</em>

    <em>Expeditions were returned to the fourth, twisted and maimed beyond recognition. Sometimes, only pieces were recovered, left in the open for others to collect. Famously, a group from the Empire of Stone were recovered, minds almostpletely gone from the horrors they had endured. The members clutched journals in their quivering hands, records that the Krath had forced them to keep detailing their own torture.</em>

    <em>As a result, we do not seek to learn the secrets of the Krath.</em>

    <em>Not anymore.</em>

    <em>-Excerpt from ''The Fifth and Beyond'' by Schr Ralis</em>

    "Oh nooooo, they got meeeeee."The tentaclestched onto me writhe with glee as they forcefully attempt to yank me into the mucus river.

    Emphasis on "attempt".

    Am I the strongest creature around, physically? No, of course not. I''m not the physically strongest in my own group of pets. Am I going to let myself get yoinked into a river by some fifth stratum slug? Absolutely not!

    I dig my ws into the ground, grit my mandibles and hold tight. Think you can get me to dunk my head into a river of snot?! You''re crazy! It ain''t happening!

    Oh, they sure are hitting me with a <em>heck</em> of a lot of toxic mana, though. Yikes. Everywhere the slimy limbs touch me is flooding my body with the horrible stuff, so much so my mind constructs are struggling to break it all apart before it can begin to replicate.

    Still, I''m not in real danger. Any second now, this situation is going to change.

    Anyyyyyy second.

    [GET YOUR FILTHY CLAWS OFF OF MY MASTER!] Crinis screeches.

    In an instant, the tunnel around me is plunged into perfect darkness. I can''t see a thing, but I can certainly sense my loyal friend''s mana. As the light is chased away, she emerges from all around me,tching onto the monster who''s taken hold of me and devouring all of it she can reach.

    [Hey, Crinis! Don''t eat that stuff, the poison will get inside you!]

    [GET OUT HERE, TRASH! I <strong>MUST</strong> REND YOU APART FOR THIS INSULT!]

    Heedless of my warning, she plunges her own limbs into the river, a thousand of them, seeking and twisting through the thick sludge, seeking their target.

    I can only sigh to myself. She''s as dedicated as always, but seriously¡­ she needs to look out for her own health a little more.

    [Invidia, can you make sure to detoxify Crinis as much as possible? She''s being a bit silly right now.]

    [<em>I ssssshallll</em>.]

    There''s a violent tussle in the water, a vigorous struggle, and then¡­ Crinis employs her most deadly weapon.

    The moment she finds the creature, she homes in on its head and drives in her Soul Seeker Cillia with a cry of savage triumph. A momentter, the beast itself emerges from the river, howling in despair and iling wildly as it tries to fight off the monster of darkness attacking it.

    I feel a bit sorry for the thing at this point, but it''s toote now. At least I get a good look at my would-be attacker. This monster clearlyes from a different evolutionary tree than most of what I''ve fought so far in the fifth. It doesn''t look slug or snail-like at all, rather a kind of mucous starfish, except with way more than five points. Crinis has driven her tentacles right into the centre of the beast, tormenting it while the monster thrashes about, flinging goop all over the ce.

    [Crinis! Finish it off or let it go, but don''t let it get muck into the safe-zone! It''s going to mess up the formation.]

    Either she hears me, or she decides she''s had enough, and Crinis unleashes her pent up fury on her helpless prey, annihting it in moments.

    [I''m¡­ I''m sorry about that, Master. I appear to have let my emotions get the better of me.]

    Oi. It''s way too soon for you to make that apology and have it sound sincere. You clearly enjoyed that! Even though the toxins are currently eating you up from the inside, you still enjoyed it! I can tell!

    [Let''s get you back to the safe-zone,] I tell her. [You need to be cleansed before something bad happens.]

    And of course, as If I''d spoken it into being, something bad <em>immediately</em> happens.

    More goopy limbs burst forth from the river, seeking and writhing toward me. Warned by my antennae, I leap back. I might have let myself get caught the first time, but this looks a little more serious.

    Secondster, the thick sludge of the river surges as a dozen of the same creepy starfish emerge, ring-shaped mouths gnashing on the lower side of their centre mass.

    Even more rming, the first monster, which Crinis had¡­ separated into fun-sizedponents¡­ has begun pulling itself together, the pieces undting together and merging into a congealing pile of goo.

    This¡­ this seems a little too coordinated to be a random Dungeon attack, right?

 Chapter 1268: Battling in the Fifth

    Chapter 1268: Battling in the Fifth

    Before Crinis can dive headlong into the enemy and give herself a terminal case of toxic mana poisoning, I rush back to the safe-zone, alerting the ants as I go.

    "We''ve got an attack! Weird¡­ thingsing out of the river!"

    Once I''m close enough, I use my antennae to try and scrape Crinis off my carapace and fling her into the purified mana, but she clings onto me, refusing to go. More urately, she lets her body be shadow, and my antennae just slide straight through her. Heck of a trick.

    [Crinis, get into the safe-zone, that''s an order.]

    [I want to help fight!]

    [Sure, do it from inside there. Go! Shoo!]

    Unable to resist a direct order, she has no choice but to ede to my demand and slink back inside the blue mana. Invidia is already there, hovering over the blob of darkness, healing and cleansing her of the infection she''s umted.

    Seriously, eating the things that live here is dangerous business. If we could work out a way to clean the Biomass so we could consume it safely, that would go a long way to helping us break through the stratum.

    Considering there''s literal tons of inedible monstering towards me right now, it''s a bit unfortunate we haven''t worked out that solution yet. Ah well, no time to worry about it now, I''ve got weird¡­ slime things to destroy!Mandibles wide and mind-constructs spinning, I run forward to put myself between the monsters and the Colony. The only problem with that strategy is the fact the river runs all the way down the length of this tunnel, which means there''s a good stretch of it within the safe zone, and of course there are enemies emerging in there as well.

    The way they react to the cleansed mana is interesting to see. We know that they hate and try to destroy it, but actually being <em>inside </em>it? Let''s just say it doesn''t seem to agree with them. The moment the monsters emerge, they writhe in pain as the mana which is safe for <em>us</em> proves to be deadly toxic to <em>them</em>.

    There''s a limited number of them inside the purified area. Perhaps they were all going to emerge in there, but one of them jumped the gun when I got too close to the river. As it stands, I shouldn''t need to help out with that part of the fight, considering who else is inside.

    [Tiny! Take care of the monsters in there! I''ll deal with the ones outside!]

    I don''t need to see him to feel the grin stretch across his bat-like face. With a primal roar, the giant ape leaps into battle, fists crackling with lightning and eyes zing red.

    [And keep a close eye on them even after you beat them! They seem to be able to pull themselves back together or something. Keep fighting until you get the notification from Gandalf!]

    If anything, the news that these opponents can take a lot of punishment only seems to fire him up more. Typical.

    As for me, what the heck am I going to do? I don''t want to get too close to these things; I''ve already got a dangerous level of toxin exposure, and getting wrapped up by half a dozen of these things wouldn''t help the situation. With the bulk of my mind-constructs devoted to purifying myself, I guess I''m going to have to go about this the old fashioned way.

    The monsters rush towards me, crawling over the rock floor of the tunnel in a disgusting tangle of gloopy limbs. The muck of the river sloughs off them as they move, leaving a trail behind that will have to be cleaned upter. Ugh, these things are awful. This might get a little messy, but I can only think of one way to deal with them appropriately.

    The monsters are shockingly quick for their size, squelching and slurping as they use their many limbs to propel themselves forward. Every now and again, I catch a glimpse of their gnashing maws, right in the middle of their bodies.

    They really are like an awful, fifth stratum version of Crinis gone wrong, aren''t they? If she''d been like this the first time I saw her, there''d be little chance I''d ever think of raising her to be a friend.

    Well, let''s see how they deal with this!

    When they draw close enough, the monsters begin to shoot limbs toward me, trying totch on and poison me further. Using my reflexes and forewarning, I dodge efficiently out of the way, letting them draw closer. A little closer¡­

    <strong>VOID CHOMP!</strong>

    My mandibles begin to m shut, and I empower the ability with the Altar. A flood of energy rips through my body as I my jaws close. Mandibles of dark light manifest, extending from my own for dozens of metres as the void itself begins to manifest right in front of my face.

    Along with the void,es the pull. The monsters are helpless to resist it; no matter how strong their strange flesh may be, some things cannot be fought against. My vision darkens, the air howls, my jaws continue to close.

    They finallytch onto me, trying to pull me off bnce, trying to inject their poison into me, but it''s far toote.

    When my mandibles finally m shut, therees a great detonation in front of me. Stone shatters, mucus flies, and a rain of flesh begins to fall.

    Oh, that''s <em>disgusting</em>.

    The empowered Void Chomp has, once again, created quite the scene in front of me, the terrain of the tunnel having been rearranged rather significantly. The problem is, the monsters charging me basically <em>exploded</em> under the impact of my bite. There are bits of them <em>everywhere</em>.

    And I still haven''t heard any notifications¡­.

    All over the tunnel, even within the purified area, little globs of monster begin to pull themselves together¡­.

 Chapter 1269: A Thought For Leeroy?

    Chapter 1269: A Thought For Leeroy?

    These things seriously don''t want to be biomass so bad they''re going to reconstitute themselves from tiny chunks of goop?! How are they even alive?! I feel like I''m fighting the fifth stratum equivalent of Leeroy and the Immortals. Did this monster put all of its evolutionary points into cheating death?

    The individual blobs writhe and roll over the floor, leaving a sizzling trail of acid behind them as they go. My fellow ants are hesitant to engage, wary of spreading toxic mana throughout the safezone, whereas Tiny is enthusiastically smashing every bit of ooze he can see into ever smaller pieces. He doesn''t seem to be sessful in actually finishing them off, though. No matter how small the pieces get, they start to pull themselves back together all the same.

    That doesn''t make any sense, there <em>has</em> to be a core in there somewhere. Well, I suppose there doesn''t <em>have</em> to be, but a monster that evolves without one is hardly going to be strong at all, no matter how far they go.

    Or perhaps cores can take a different form? I was offered an evolution that basically turned me into an insubstantial wisp of energy sort of thing. Where the heck would my core go in that body?

    I have to say, if we manage to find a way to finish these lousy things but don''t get a core out of it, I''m going to feel cheated.

    There are globs of these monsters all around me; in fact, some are even <em>on</em> me, having showered everywhere after my cataclysmic bite. The acid burns fiercely as they slowly crawl their way together, leaving slime trails on my precious carapace.

    I am having <em>none</em> of this!

    Time to spin up the omni-elemental construct! Soon enough, I have a powerful stream of water sting myself clean and a roaring burst of fire attempting to cook the goop as they try to merge.

    Of course, it doesn''t work that well. The fifth seems to have known instinctively that burning everything here with fire would be most people''s reaction to seeing the ce and has built in resistance ordingly. The more I attempt to burn the stuff, the less effective I''m sure it''s being. The outside of every chunk is being cooked, but inside? No effect, as if the slime hunks were sacrificing an outeryer to fireproof themselves.SERIOUSLY?! Just how resilient are these things? This is getting ridiculous.

    All around me, the goop piles are growingrger andrger as more of the masses pull themselves together. Limbs are starting to reappear, and soon enough, some of them will be whole again, as if I''d never hit them with an empowered void chomp at all.

    That''s the <em>empowered </em>VOID CHOMP! To think a monster exists who can just shrug it off as if it was nothing¡­ I''m not happy about this, Gandalf! Someone is cheating the system! I call foul!

    Bah. There has to be a way to destroy these things, and I''m going to figure out what it is.

    I angle myself away from the Colony and the safe-zone, switching my regr fire to Dragon''s Breath.

    A superheated jet of almost-white fire sts forward, instantly raising the temperature of the entire tunnel. Surely, this will cook those lousy chunks!

    This is more like exposing the monsters to a rocket engine than a methrower, a whole new scale of fire.

    And¡­ it actually works! A bit.

    I manage to actually burn away some of the smaller pieces still wiggling their way back together, but therger masses are able to resist. Even if I burn a third of them away, the inner core of slug-like flesh is protected.

    So frustrating!

    In another few seconds, some of them will be fully mobile again, and I haven''t worked out a solution. I suppose what I <em>can</em> do is make sure they aren''t a threat while we try to figure things out in the meantime.

    [Tiny, don''t worry about the little pieces, but when they get big enough, smash them apart again. I''ll try and figure out a way to finish them off.]

    [Fine¡­]

    Tiny has been happily rampaging away inside the purified mana, but he''s only made the problem worse, spreading toxic goo all over the ce.

    We need to figure out a way to break these things down on a fundamental level¡­.

    I could just bite them all into small pieces and burn them, but not everyone has ess to dragon''s breath. In fact, only I do, so how is anyone else going to deal with them?

    I race around the battlefield, chomping away at every near-reformed monster. My mandibles slice through their bodies, but receive significant acid damage in return, which isn''t ideal. After cutting through a dozen of them and flinging the pieces apart, it''s going to take another minute or two for them to reform, but I can use that time toe up with a solution.

    [Invidia,] I ask desperately, [do you have any ideas on how to deal with these things?]

    The demon''s voice purrs in my mind, inordinately pleased.

    [<em>Yesssssss, you can dependsssss on meee!</em>]

    I mean¡­ alright? I suppose I am at the moment¡­.

    [<em>They mussssst be dessstroyed by breaking apart their mana</em>.]

    [That soundspletely exhausting. How long would that even take?!]

    Break them down, piece by piece, by attacking their <em>mana</em>? First of all, breaking apart the mana within a creature is <em>hard</em>. Second of all, fifth stratum mana is self-replicating. Could I even break one down faster than it repairs itself?!

    [<em>There issss no need to breakssss them.</em>]

    [Wait¡­ You <em>just</em> said¡­]

    [<em>There are creaturesssss here who sssspecialissse in doing thisss.</em>]

    Is he¡­ is he talking about the <em>wuffers</em>?

    [You want us to feed these monsters to the wuffers? Would that even work?]

    [<em>It issss possssssible. It will be fasssster than doing it all mysssself.</em>]

    That''s when I finally notice Invidia floating around inside the safe-zone, pping his little wings every now and again to get a little more lift. Everywhere he goes, chunks are withering away and dying, but only the smallest ones. Even he is struggling to manage therger pieces.

    [Alright, we''ll give it a go.]

 Chapter 1270: Unique Problems? Unique Solutions

    Chapter 1270: Unique Problems? Unique Solutions

    By the time we manage to iste some small pieces and ce them into the wuffer intake pipes, several of the lousy monsters have pulled themselves back together and I''m forced to chomp them again. Repeated exposure to toxicity and acid is really starting to take a toll on me, and I''m going to need a break sooner rather thanter.

    Even Tiny is struggling inside the safe-zone, his fur bing patchy in areas where he''s been burned. Invidia is staying close by, healing and cleansing him as much as he can, but I can tell the ape is getting worn down.

    Using the heavily enchanted trenches drawing toxic mana toward the groups of wuffers as a delivery system seems to make the most sense. It''ll get the problem to the wuffers and iste it from the rest of the safe-zone at the same time. The only concern is¡­ how will the happy wibble-wobble pets take it?

    Even I watch with bated breath as the test sample is absorbed. The wuffers have been happily doing their thing for ages now, absorbing the toxic mana in a constant stream and releasing a dense cloud of purified energy that fills the safe-zone.

    For a moment, it''s difficult to tell what is happening. Even my senses struggle to keep tabs on such a small bit of mana.

    [Invidia, can you tell what''s happening in there?]

    [<em>It appearssss the pieces have been absssorbed.</em>]

    [Oh snap. So one of the wuffers has actually taken it in?]

    [<em>Yesssss.</em>]A few momentster, I pester him again.

    [So¡­ what''s happening now?]

    [<em>Waitssss a moment.</em>]

    Exactly one momentter.

    [How about now?]

    [<em>Interessssting. You sssshould be able to sssense it too.</em>]

    I cast my mind toward the wuffers, confused. I don''t sense anything! Certainly no toxic mana¡­. Wait, that''s the point!

    In fact, the purified mana being released is ever so slightly more dense! It actually worked?!

    With a solution at hand, the ants spring into action, working as industriously as they always do. I''m no exception, since I''m the only one who can gather up the many chunks of monster still outside the purified area.

    I spend the next ten minutes slicing up monsters and delivering pieces to others inside the safe zone, wherein they are further ''processed'' until they can be fed into the toxic mana lines and eventually absorbed by the wuffers.

    Soon, the purified mana cloud is expanding even further, pushing back against the fifth and expanding the safe-zone beyond its previous limit. It won''tst long, this is a temporary boost after all, since the wuffers can only maintain this level of output while they''re¡­ eating? I guess?

    But dang, I''m exhausted. Not physically, or even mentally, thanks to my constant state of refreshment, but I am thoroughly toxified at the moment and my body does <em>not</em> feel good.

    I stagger into the safe-zone and plop myself down in some clear space. The moment I step inside, I feel a bit better. The purified mana begins to seep into me, warring against the poison I''ve absorbed. I turn my weary mind-constructs over to meticulously cleansing myself, and I don''t even protest when a few grumbling healerse over to tend to the worst of my wounds.

    My mandibles have it the worst, they''ve been etched and melted by the act of biting and carrying chunks of those creatures around. My precious mandibles!

    "Eldest, you''re a mess," one of the healers mutters. "How did you get this much damage to your carapace? Are you even trying out there?"

    "Hey! I''m working hard! It''s not easy out there, you know?"

    Sheesh!

    Truth be told, my carapace isn''t nearly as bad as it looks. The acidic effect of the fifth is strong, sure, and every monster I fight only makes it worse by spreading goop, slime or mucous which is even more acidic. However, my carapace is made of gravitypressed diamond. It''s dense. Absurdly dense. It''s going to take a heck of a long time for any acid to burn through it.

    No, the worst of my injuries is not the carapace, but my joints, antennae, eyes and other, less well protected bits of myself. Despite regrly flushing my system with regeneration fluid, the damage outpaces my rate of healing at times.

    Gradually, my body begins to feel better, and Tiny, Crinis and Invidiae over and plop themselves down next to me. Tiny also suffered quite a few burns, but Invidia has been patching him up well.

    [Nice work, gang. Crinis, are you feeling better? No major issues?]

    [Ah, no¡­ I''m fine, thank you Master.]

    [Good. Maybe don''t eat any more fifth stratum monsters?]

    [I will¡­ try.]

    There''s quite a bit of excitement over at the wuffers from the many core shapers watching over them. Lots of running about, antennae waving and prodding.

    I snag a messenger shooting past me and ask what''s going on.

    "The wuffers have levelled up and seem to have absorbed Cores, Eldest!" she reports before dashing off to report to the generals, and presumably Brendant.

    Cores? XP? So they actually did finish them off? That''s¡­ interesting. Did they get Biomass too?

    I look over at the wibbly blobs of blue goo, happily chuffing as they continue to absorb pure filth and turn it into clean, bright mana.

    Are these things going to be the worst nightmare of the fifth stratum monsters? Stranger things have happened, I suppose.

    The idea of Krath running in fear from a cheerful pack of slow-moving wuffers is amusing, but unlikely toe about in reality, I suppose. If that speedy slug I saw was actually a Krath, it would be impossible for the wuffers to ever catch up to them.

    Brendant soon rushes over to confer with the core shapers. She chats to them for a while as I recuperate, thenes over to speak with me.

    "Quite a development," I say.

    "The core shapers are extremely excited. It''s been difficult to level up the wuffers, since they have basically no offensive capabilities at all. Now they realise that they don''t <em>need</em> any at all. If their pets can ''purify'' these toxic monsters for experience and cores, it will be huge for the sustainability of our project."

    Interesting. Well, good news is good news!

    "Give me an hour to rest and I''ll get back out there. I''ll try and pass over as many monsters as I can so we can give them to the wuffers."

    "That''s exactly what I was going to ask, Eldest."

 Chapter 1271: Rethinking

    Chapter 1271: Rethinking

    Things were not meant to have gone this way.

    Zluthpressed himself a little as he slid to the side, carefully <em>not</em> looking at the gruesome scene taking ce nearby. Though, try as he might, there was nothing he could do about the sound.

    CRUNCH. CRUNCH. SLURP.

    All Zluth really cared about in the moment was that it wasn''t him who''d been on the chopping block. When the Krathth was done with her grisly task, she gurgled grotesquely as she absorbed the flesh of her consumed tribesmates.

    "Failure <em>is not</em> eptable," she said when she had finished. Then turned her stalks toward Zluth, who froze in ce for a moment.

    "Of course not, Krathth. The three <em>urudesh</em> who proposed this assault were clearly inferior, a blight upon our tribe."

    "We are indeed stronger for having removed such weakness," the Krathth agreed, her eyes burning into his. "As the one responsible for the health of our tribe, I only wonder if I have removed <em>all</em> of the failures."

    She was <em>still</em> hungry? Zluth fought with himself to maintain his calm.

    "In what way have I failed?" he dered confidently. "I was the one who found the intruders. I was the one who escaped their notice and brought word of their <em>impure </em>mana back to the tribe."Burning red eyes atop dozens of stalks turned toward the Krathth, who visibly gnashed her teeth. Her body was visibly shuddering in pain as she digested those she had consumed, absorbing their potent acid and using it to refine her own. Punishing weakness was epted, weed, celebrated, within the tribe. Wanton ughter was¡­ at times forgivable, but not when it would impact the tribe.

    A weak tribe would be food for their rivals. Literally.

    "Very well," she dered finally, before she released a particrly noxious cloud of gas. The very air seemed to sizzle with the potency of it, and Zluth felt his own guts roil at the scent.

    The current Krathth had been in her post for some time, and feasted on many of her fellow Krath. She had clearly refined a powerful acid indeed, and he hungered to add it to his own.

    But this was not the time; his position was not strong enough to warrant a challenge.

    "We muste to a decision on how to best torture these invaders," the Krathth dered, grinding her jagged teeth. "Speak, and I shall decide our path."

    It wasn''t lost on any of them that it was she who''d epted the proposal of the three, now consumed, Krath who had proposed using their pets to assault the invaders via the river. They''d been confident, and their pets were based on a strong design. Zluth was still surprised it hadn''t worked. Not only hadn''t worked. Had <em>empowered</em> the enemy.

    "We must be careful not to aid our enemies any further," Zluth proposed. "We have learned they are capable of strengthening their¡­ <em>filth-makers</em>," he spat.

    A glob of iridescent green slime sizzled into the rock beside him.

    "... by using our creatures. Every time we assault them with pets or proxies and fail, they will grow stronger."

    "I did not ask what we should<em> not</em> do," the Krathth turned her bulging eyes toward him again.

    She <em>really</em> had it in for him for some reason. Zluth felt the stirring of both fear and rage coiling in his slug-flesh. This was a dangerous moment, but also one with great potential. Fortunately, someone else spoke up to distract attention away from him.

    "Our first priority should be to capture one of our enemies alive," burbled Zassin. "Once we toxify them in the sludge pits, we will know everything needed to deal with them."

    Attention turned back to Zluth, and he held firm under their gaze. As the only Krath toy eyes on the invaders directly, it was natural that he would be called on toment.

    "It would be extremely difficult. The enemy remains inside their field of corrupted mana at all times. Even entering it will cause harm to us. Only one ant emerges from their blue filth."

    "We capture that one, then," the Krathth dered.

    "That ant is easily tier seven, possibly eight."

    Having her words challenged in this way was too much for the Krathth. Despite her disgustingly distended flesh, sheunched herself toward Zluth, mouth gaping and thick gastric juices leaking from between her teeth.

    It took four others to tackle and hold her down until the rage had passed. When she had regained control of herself, she growled low until they released her and she pulled herself upright once more.

    Losing oneself to the rage was amon enough urrence, so nobody looked at her the worse for the loss of control.

    Discussions amongst the Krath were always¡­ spirited.

    "A tier seven or eight¡­" she muttered.

    Zluth paused for a beat to be sure she didn''t intend to speak any more before he continued.

    "Who is possibly a mythic. I wasn''t able to get a precise reading of the monster''s core, but it was very strong."

    "A tier seven, possibly mythic, <em>ant</em>," Goszi said. "Something odd is happening here."

    The other present Krath agreed. Too many unexpected urrences were taking ce. An invasion, by monsters, ant monsters at that, and such highly evolved ones? They''d even designed pets to refine the fifth''s mana.

    "We must observe and learn more," the Krathth dered. "We will continue to hound them by directing natural spawns in their direction as we scout."

    A sensible decision, but Zluth knew exactly what was going toe next.

    "Zluth, you have had some sess scouting these creatures. You will take the lead."

    Her eyes bulged red once again as they rotated on their stalks to face him. He did not flinch.

    "Of course," he burbled. "I will not fail the tribe. How many Krath wille with me?"

    The tribe leader considered for a moment.

    "I will give you four scouts. Use them well. Ensure you return before the breeding season. I wish to have further discussions with you at that time."

    Zluth''s eyes wilted on his stalks for a moment as he realised what she was saying. That was a dangerous experience for a male Krath, and not one he felt the Krathth intended to let him survive.

    He would have to make sure he ''missed'' this appointment.

    "Of course, Krathth. I will depart shortly."

 Chapter 1272: Wrapping Up the Expedition

    Chapter 1272: Wrapping Up the Expedition

    Fighting for several days down in the fifth is a truly unpleasant experience. The only thing that makes it bearable is seeing the gradual transformation taking ce within the purified area.

    Unable to survive without native, fifth stratum mana, the poisonous moulds, toxic flowers, slime and mucous strands that cover almost every surface here have died off. Even the mucus river, thick and disgusting as it is, can''t help but be somewhat purified by the time it''s made its way through the safe-zone.

    If we were to remain here long enough, I wonder if we might see the original, natural environment of the fifth begin to return and flourish, but goodness knows how long that would take. In fact, I doubt it ever could, considering we would need to restore the mana that had persisted here before it had be corrupted. I doubt anyone on Pangera can remember what that was, except perhaps for the Ancients.

    However, eventually we reach the end of the experiment, and it''s time to pack up and go home to the fourth.

    "The more time we spend in the fifth, the more I want to conquer it," I confess to Brendant.

    The dutiful soldier has been in ster form as the leader of our expedition. Her cool and collected leadership from the front has been the anchor holding this entire operation in ce. Honestly, I''ve been impressed.

    "I think I know what you mean, Eldest," she confesses. "This ce rejects any attempt to even live here with such ferocity, I can''t help but want to rise to the challenge."

    The Colony is in the process of removing all our temporary defences and earthworks. Naturally, we terraformed the safe-zone to be as convenient as possible, but since we''re leaving, there''s no reason to leave it behind and let the Krath go over everything.

    I have no doubt that they''re watching us, but the damn slugs are so sneaky I can barely catch a whiff of them with any of my senses. Their mana, their appearance, their scent, everything about them blends into the fifth so perfectly they''re practically indistinguishable from a wall. Every time I think I''ve caught a glimpse of one, it vanishes just as quickly.Though their malevolent interference didn''t stop at just watching.

    It''s impossible that the monsters we fought were only those naturally spawning in the area. We battled against way, way more than that.

    "What do you think the Krath will have waiting for us when we return?" I wonder.

    "Who can say?" Brendant shakes her antennae. "We know basically nothing about them, but they don''t know anything about us either. Winning the war for information will be crucial to our sess."

    "I''m going to assume Snt has a n in that regard?"

    "Snt has a n in <em>every</em> regard."

    That''s her method. I shudder to think just how detailed the ns for invading the fifth have be at this point. The thought of hundreds of thousands of ants rigorously training for this uing war fills me with confidence. I''ve no doubt we will be sessful in the long run.

    "Still, how are we supposed to get information on the Krath? We haven''te close to capturing one¡­"

    Brendant flicks her antennae dismissively.

    "We haven''t been trying to capture one. The more they fight against us, the more we will learn of their methods, capabilities and thoughts. So long as they don''t manage to overwhelm us, we will absorb their pressure and counter attack with double the force. Under Snt''smand, agility and adaptability are our greatest strengths."

    That''s a good point. We were too rigid before, but Snt has shown that a willingness to shift strategy and methods can be powerful. Heck, there''s nothing she won''t throw away or change in order to achieve victory.

    As before, the wuffers are among thest to be taken up to the fourth, seeing as how the safe-zone must be maintained at all times. Eventually, the timees, and the happily chuffing pets are gathered up from their ce on the specially constructed pads and lifted up into the shaft above. Once this happens, there''s only a few minutes until the purified mana ispletely overwhelmed, so we have to work quickly.

    The trenches are destroyed, all sign of enchantment removed and then the ants themselves rush up the shaft.

    Tiny, Crinis, Invidia and I are thest remaining members, and I send the three of them up first before I retreat myself.

    As I climb up the wall and make my way across the roof, I spy a pair of eyes peeking out from behind a mucus strand, watching me with a burning hatred.

    Oho¡­ Mr Krath. Let your guard down now that you saw us leaving, did you? How <em>delicious</em>.

    Masking all sign of my efforts, I continue to climb toward the entrance to the shaft, and the moment I set my ws upon it, I let the spell rip.

    <em>Gravity Bomb!</em>

    HOOOOOOOOWLLLL!

    It''s not a super strong one, nor is it empowered, but it''s sure to cause a heck of a mess. I don''t remain to see what happens, but begin my climb back to the fourth stratum, chuckling to myself.

    By the time I reach the top, I haven''t received a notification from Gandalf regarding any dead Krath, so I assume it managed to squirm away somehow.

    Gweheheheh.

    Hope you liked my farewell gift, slug. Don''t worry, you''ll be seeing me again before too long.

 Chapter 1273: Legionary

    Chapter 1273: Legionary

    It''s difficult to believe they were so sessful."

    "You call that sessful? Weren''t they supposed to conquer the fifth?"

    "You know very well that it was just an exploratory mission."

    "Being able to survive down there for a few days is not nearly the same thing as making a safe path through to the sixth. If it were that easy, the Legion would have done it a thousand years ago!"

    Marcus and Greyson argued back and forth as Morrelia sat and listened to both sides of the argument. They''d returned to their lodgings in the forward operating base, which had grown evenrger and more borate in the time they''d been away.

    More and more ants were arriving every hour. Every time she stepped out to survey the surroundings, their numbers had increased. Mostly carvers, but soldiers, mages, scouts and core shapers with their teams of pets also came down in a steady stream.

    She''d seen the Colony at work before, of course, but this was on an entirely different scale. Over time, it became clear what was happening out there.

    The ants were preparing a staging ground. The core shapers dispersed into the surrounding tunnels, hunting down monsters while the rest got to work defending and shaping the area. Although only the bare bones of it had taken shape, she could already get a glimpse of just howrge the nned invasion force was going to be.

    "Enough," she announced, cutting off Greyson and Marcus. "Both of you are correct. It <em>is</em> impressive what the ants have done here. Making any headway at all into the fifth is a challenge many fail to meet. It likely wouldn''t be possible at all without the resilience of the tier seven ant, our target."She turned to Greyson.

    "At the same time, it is far from a sufficient show of strength to suggest they''ll be sessful at breaching the fifth. Let alone cleansing it, as they''ve dered they will. What we need to consider is just how many resources the ants are going to devote to this project? That will give us a stronger sense of their chances of sess."

    The Legionary leaned back and sighed.

    "Do you really think they even have a chance?" Greyson said. "I''m not convinced and I think the Commander will agree."

    "You''re underestimating them," Marcus interjected quietly. "We should never be in the position where we underestimate our foes, Greyson."

    "There''s an easy way to solve this," Morrelia said. "I''ll get permission for us to go up to the nest to see their preparations for myself."

    Both Legionaries weren''t happy to hear that.

    "Are you sure, Tribune?" Greyson sputtered. "We were only asked to investigate the ants'' operations in the fifth, and we''ve gone well beyond that mandate already."

    "As he said, Tribune," Marcus followed, "we can''t ensure our safety in the nest at all. How are we to ensure our reports even make it back to themander?"

    Morrelia rolled her eyes.

    "If the ants wanted us dead, why wouldn''t they just kill us down in the fifth? Be logical. If we want to make aplete report to Commander Chyron, then this is the next step. I''ll be back soon. Pack your bags."

    So saying, she strode out to find Anthony. He was, as expected, lounging about, apparently bickering with the ants passing him by, judging by the irritated waving of his antennae.

    When he saw hering, a mind bridge soon followed.

    [What are they saying that''s got you all riled up?] she asked him.

    [They''re using me of beingzy! Me! As if they have any idea how hard I had to work down there in the muck! Absolute nonsense.]

    As she watched, he prodded an ant passing by directly with one antenna, but the much, <em>much</em> smaller ant seemed to brush him off, cking her mandibles in a teasing way.

    [You probably get more respect from the Legionaries,] Anthony sighed, [being an officer and all that. Must be nice.]

    [I''m not sure I''d go that far¡­]

    The Legion <em>was</em> an extremely well disciplined fighting force, but there was a reason for that. Insubordinate soldiers were treated¡­ firmly.

    [I came with a request,] she stated, getting down to business.

    [Another one? How many favours am I supposed to do for an organisation that wants me dead, Morrelia? This is getting ridiculous.]

    She winced despite herself.

    [I know. I just wantplete information so I can report to mymander. To be honest, the more I can say the Colony is likely to seed, the more she''ll feel restraint will be the best path. A little exploratory mission into the fifth over a few days is nice, but it isn''t enough.]

    [So you want to head up and see the troops being prepared for the campaign, eh?] Anthony mused as he rubbed his head. He sighed. [It''s a bit of a risk for us, though. We''d be revealing exactly how many ants we n tomit to the fifth, which could prompt the Legion to attack our nests.]

    [As far as I know, there are no ns for any such attack.]

    [But they wouldn''t necessarily tell you if there were, right?]

    [...Right,] she reluctantly agreed.

    Anthony considered it for a moment in silence.

    [Alright, fine. You have my permission. I don''t trust the Legion, because why would I, but I do trust you. Head on up there and take a look, then go report to yourmander. We''re serious about this. The fifth won''t have ever seen anything like it.]

    [I hope you''re right,] she said, heart heavy in her chest.

    With permission from the Eldest, the rest flowed naturally. In short order, Morrelia, Greyson and Marcus were given an express trip up the Colony''s expanding tunnelwork into the deepest caverns beneath the nest.

    There, they were escorted around by a little ant who called herself ''Snt'' via the mage who connected them, along with a sizable guard.

    They were led to a training ground where ten thousand ants were running through drills and practices, much like she would see in a Legionary parade ground.

    Then another area just like it. Then another. And another. Another. Another. Another. Another. Another. More and more until she was no longer sure just how many they''d been through. They were shown vast forges that filled entire caverns, an army of ants hammering away at the metal, producing specialised equipment, armour, rings, weapons. Room after room of enchanters hard at work, chests full of coresing in a constant stream to fuel their endeavours.

    [Soon we will ramp up to full preparations,] the mage passed along the words of Snt.

    Morrelia boggled.

    [This isn''t full?]

    The little ant cked her mandibles derisively, eyes glittering.

    [Snt says¡­ this is only half of the required material toplete phase one.]

    [Phase one¡­]

    [She says¡­ the fifth is a dangerous ce, and it does not like to be invaded. Didn''t you know?]

    When they descended back to the lower tunnels, Morrelia reported to Anthony that they were done, and he waved them off as the three members of the Abyssal Legion returned to their troops, minds spinning with what they had seen.

    In all three of them, a seed of thought had taken root.

    <em>What if they really did it?</em>

 Chapter 1274: Brilliant Deductions

    Chapter 1274: Brilliant Deductions

    "Oh, I don''t like this. I don''t like this <em>at all</em>," Brilliant muttered.

    "What have you gotten us into this time?" Experimant groaned looking over her leader''s carapace.

    "Th-th-that¡­ looks nasty," Assistant agreed.

    Brilliant cked her mandibles in irritation.

    "I''m not investigating this because I <em>want</em> to," she told them. "The Eldest asked me to work out what the Church of the Path were doing in their fancy, secret rituals, and that''s what I''m doing!"

    "The Eldest did?" Experimant said. "Then why haven''t you finished yet?"

    "Because it''s <em>difficult</em>. Do you think just anyone can put together the pieces of an <em>extremely</em>plex ritual with only a few faded scraps to work with?"

    The little ant looked at her two trusted aides sideways.

    "There''s only one type of ant who can¡­.""Which type?" Assistant asked before Experimant could stop her.

    "One that''s BRILLIANT!" the little annoyance cackled, throwing back her head and iling her front legs around.

    "O-Oh¡­ I sh-should have known¡­."

    "Yes," Experimant growled, "you <em>should </em>have."

    She looked around theb they were currently standing in. At the moment, it was filled with little else but Brilliant''s scratchings. Half-formed engravings, bits of te with designs scrawled over them, several enchanting arrays, the purpose of which wasn''t at all clear.

    "Is there a reason you''ve pulled us from the projects we''re managing?" Experimant finally sighed. "My team was on the verge of making a breakthrough."

    "Without me? I doubt it!" Brilliant cackled once more, causing Experimant to grind her mandibles. "I called you here because I need your help, and because I don''t want any other members of the team to work on this."

    She gestured to the enchanting array she was working on with one antennae.

    "As you can see, this is ugly stuff, potentially dangerous. I don''t want any of our other work tainted by this¡­ <em>thing</em>."

    It was a first for the two followers to ever see their leader encounter knowledge that she seemed to find distasteful. Their own burgeoning sense of unease grew stronger.

    "Only the three of us are going to work on it," she told them. "I want both of you here, full-time, to assist for the next week. Make sure your teams know what to do in your absence. Though they should barely notice."

    The two ignored the jibe as they continued to stare at the array. It was¡­ ufortable to look at it, for reasons they couldn''t quite understand.

    "What does this even do?" Experimant wondered.

    "Oh, I can tell you that," Brilliant said offhandedly.

    "If you already know what it does, then what do you need us for?" Experimant demanded.

    "Because I need to know how it works!" Brilliant snapped back, uncharacteristically harsh. "It isn''t enough to be able to say what it does, that doesn''t give us a full understanding. I <em>have</em> to know HOW! It tells us so much information that we can''t afford to leave on the ground and not pick up! This <em>thing</em> is the work of our enemies, would you have us ignorant of their methods?!"

    "N-no. No, I wouldn''t," Experiment stammered.

    "W-w-what d-does it d-do?" Assistant asked hesitantly.

    "It''s a monster distillery. Put a monster in one end, get distilled essence out the other."

    That didn''t make much sense to either of the other two ants. They nced at each other to confirm their mutual confusion, then turned back to Brilliant.

    "Can you¡­ borate?" Experimant asked.

    "If I must," Brilliant sighed. "When a monster is killed, what happens?"

    "They¡­ die?"

    "Obviously they die! But there''s more, isn''t there?"

    "E-e-experience is granted to the person who l-lnded the finishing b-b-blow."

    "Precisely!" Brilliant dered. "In other words, something is taken from the monster and given to the yer. Correct?"

    "Do we know that?" Experimant interjected. "Could the experience note from the system itself? Is experience even a tangible thing and not just a number tracked by the system?"

    "It''s both," Brilliant dered impatiently. "It is a number tracked by the system, but every individual on this touched by the system contains all the XP they''ve gained in their life."

    She turned around and prodded both her team members in the head.

    "The important point is this. When a monster dies, does its yer gain <em>all</em> of its experience?"

    That was a simple question.

    "No."

    "So where does the rest go?"

    The question hung in the air, but neither Experimant nor Assistant could really grip it properly.

    "Before we can even attempt to answer that, we need a better understanding of what XP really <em>is</em>," Experimant said, somewhat exasperated.

    From being in charge of her own research team to working directly under Brilliant again. She went from teacher to student so quickly her antennae were spinning.

    "Gah! <em>Fine!</em> Look, the system is not something that is only with us when we ess it, right? It''s with us all the time, intertwined with us at a fundamental level."

    "D-d-d-do we actually kn-kn-know that?" Assistant wondered.

    "Of <em>course</em> we know that. I proved it over¡­ there somewhere," Brilliant gestured vaguely toward a stack of materials, arrays, tes and paper.

    "When?"

    "Three days ago. <em>Doesn''t matter</em>. Focus. So experience, or XP is part of the system, and therefore bound up within us also. It''s like information written on a te, and then the te is weaved into our bodies, our minds and our souls and bes part of us."

    "D-d-d-do we kn-kn-know <em>that?!</em>" Assistant gasped, a little wild-eyed.

    "<em>Yes</em>," Brilliant replied, fed up. "I proved it two days ago! Over there somewhere."

    Once again, she gestured to another, entirely separate pile of materials.

    "Now, <em>most</em> of the XP we umte, which is threaded throughout our being, remember, goes back to the Dungeon when we die, in much the same way Biomass is absorbed if left alone. The process simply happens much quicker. Instantly, pretty much."

    "When did you prove that?" Experimant asked.

    She wasn''t even surprised anymore, just tired.

    "Yesterday!" Brilliant dered. "Finally, wee to the important bit. What this array seeks to do is extract all of that XP, or at least, a lot more of that XP, from a monster. By cing a monster within the matrix, they refine it, sift out those information tes, convert them to some other form, and then consume it."

    She stated it all so matter of factly, yet the sheer¡­ horrific nature of what was described did not pass by either of her two followers.

    "So you''re saying they¡­ <em>melt down</em> a monster and extract XP from it?" It was soically evil, Experimant almost didn''t want to believe it. "How would that even work?"

    "Slowly," Brilliant said, suddenly looking, of all things, sad. She looked at her two closest followers, all her usual enthusiasm burned away. "Slowly¡­ and painfully."

 Chapter 1275: Solant Plots

    Chapter 1275: Snt Plots

    A whirlwind of activity, a frenzy of organisation, and at the centre of it all, Snt dwelt, the eye of the storm, a calm and steadying presence who brought order to the chaos.

    Washingtant rushed forward, a team of scouts behind her.

    "General, we have three detachments of scouts arriving in an hour. They need deployment instructions."

    "Speak to Leonidant, she has the details."

    "I will, General."

    Subutant stepped forward, with messages from the core shapers working below.

    "Be and Ellie send word that they have almost finalised the design for the Wuffers in tiers one to five. Soon, they''ll begin promoting a few candidates to tier six to see where the evolutions take them."

    "Thank you, Subutant. Congratte the core shapers on my behalf and remind them to expend rare cores on every evolution. The wuffers are the key to this campaign. Without them at their best, we will surely fail."

    "I will do so immediately."Off she went, and Snt turned to look down on the battalion running through their drills in the chamber she was overlooking. She turned all of her lenses toward the fighting, each individual movement highlighted, not even the smallest detail avoiding her attention.

    "Squads four through seven are a beat slow when turning. Have the battalion run through the entire drill another ten times. Even the slightest w will break the manoeuvre."

    "Of course, General."

    On to the next. Snt moved along the tunnel to the final drill chamber, speaking in turn to each messenger who rushed forward with another detail that needed to be sorted.

    Each of these issues was dealt with in the same calm, logical manner as those which hade before. Then she turned her gaze down to the practising battalion. For two long minutes, she watched, her attention never wavering, while all of those attending her waited in perfect silence.

    Ten thousand ants moved in perfect synchronisation beneath them, advancing, falling back, turning, swarming, rotating, each movement flowing wlessly into the next. As perfectly choreographed as a dance, as wlessly executed as a machine.

    "My congrattions to battalion two-thirty-six," she said. "I see no errors at all. They are to bemended and rewarded."

    She considered a moment.

    "They will be the first battalion sent below. They''ll perform an extra shift working alongside the construction crews."

    The general inmand saluted sharply.

    "Thank you, General!"

    Snt was normally extremely strict on work hours. She didn''t want to lose any of her soldiers, from the most low-ranked scout to the highest officer, for even a single day of enforced rest. Yet, asionally, as a special reward, an extra shift could be worked here or there without the torpor police growing more active.

    Moderation was, as usual, the key.

    "I''m returning to themand post," she announced. "Sumant, how much longer until the next rest period?"

    "One hour and six minutes, General."

    "Perfect."

    It wasn''t far from the drill chambers to the centralmand, but Snt was again upied answering questions and directing traffic the entire way. She had delegated as much authority as she possibly could, but no matter how much she trusted thepetence of her officers, there were still matters that needed the attention of the ant in charge.

    And there was no question who was in charge. Every part of this exercise had her scent upon it, down to the finest detail.

    She followed the scent trails, though she knew the way by heart, and soon stepped into the wide open central nning chamber. In the centre of the room, arge-scale model of the fifth stratum below drew the eye. There was only so much the scouts could sense while being trapped within the safe-zone, but with their high-rank tunnel sense, pathfinding and prediction fusion, coupled with several far-finding organs and mutations, they could detect an awful lot.

    As it was, they had a model that spread almost ten kilometres from the incursion site, though it was certainly not reliable at the outer reaches.

    Snt approached and considered it once again.

    The tangle of tunnels resembled nothing so much as a web of veins, like the circtory system of a living, breathing creature. There was a certain flow and movement to the shape of the fifth that had been revealed so far. The mana, guided by the tunnels, always flowed in a certain direction as if by design.

    Even the rivers followed strict patterns, forming an internal cycle that ensured the filth was spread as evenly as possible.

    It was into this perfectly corrupt ecosystem that Snt intended to drive a wedge nice and deep. Whatever the enemy wanted, she would destroy; whatever they held dear, she would take away.

    All over the model, notations could be found, each indicating staging points, fortification to be constructed, the sites of future wuffer nodes, and to the side, a scale model of the grand nest that would be built within the fifth.

    Provided by Cobalt and Tungstant, the model had been sliced down the middle to provide a clear cross section, allowing the viewer to see every detail of the internalyout.

    This was already the seventh model, the previous six having been rejected by Snt and her team.

    "What do you think of this one, Juliant?"

    The carver twitched her antennae as she leaned closer to the detailed description provided on scent te.

    "It''s better," she grunted. "They <em>finally</em> seem to be understanding how serious we are about security. You can see the triple lock entrances and exits we demanded have been implemented here and here."

    "Are they still worried about throughput?"

    "What do you think?"

    Snt sighed. The two oldest carvers were experts in constructing and designing fortifications and nests, literally the best in the Colony, but they hadn''t adequately adjusted their methods to suit the unique challenges of the fifth yet.

    The entrances as designed would choke the number of ants able to move in and out of the nest to an ufortable level. It would take hours to move hundreds of thousands of ants in and out, harming their capacity to rapid-deploy in response to emergencies happening nearby, that much was true.

    However¡­

    "We cannotpromise on security," Snt stated calmly. "Even a speck of toxic mana entering the nest could be catastrophic, and every ant has to be counted in and out, every time, no exceptions."

    "I know that, but you might have to go and talk to them again. I can see that they''re trying to amodate us, but they''re still trying to find clever solutions which only serve to weaken the system overall. I want it so straightforward and simple that an aphid could figure it out. The error margin must be as close to zero as possible."

    "Agreed. I''ll speak to them tomorrow. Someone schedule that for me."

    "Of course, General."

    A single ant going missing within the fifth was a catastrophe of unprecedented scale. There could <em>never</em> be a miss. If a Krath managed to abduct an ant from within the nest, simrly, that would be a disaster.

    Even if it weren''t for the risk of Krath corrupting and enving ants, control over the nest would still need to be absolute. When the environment itself was a weapon, regting it had to take priority, even if it meant great sacrifices in utility.

    "Where are we on logistics?" she demanded, and a ripple ran through every ant in themand post.

    It was the question she asked the most, and the one on which she was the most strict.

    In a moment, data tes had been ced in front of her, each filled with numbers and details in neat, scented rows. A few secondster, more tes, with diagrams of the tunnelworks and staging nests that needed to be built.

    She pored over it for minutes, hunting down every detail, until finally she sighed deeply.

    Every ant nearby braced.

    "Not good enough," she dered, "not even remotely. First, item seventy-six¡­"

    It would be another rough day for the logistics department.

    "<em>Then</em> we need to discuss the schedule for allied soldier integration."

    A <em>very</em> rough day.

 Chapter 1276: The Templar Gather

    Chapter 1276: The Temr Gather

    <em>The Temrs of the Great One emerging among the followers of the New Path lent greater weight to their words and deeds, a manifestation of their belief and vindication for their methods.</em>

    <em>The acknowledgement of the system had blessed the allies of the Colony in many ways. The special sses that became avable to the priests who trained under Beyn, the ant cavalry riders, the benefits provided when the Colony fought alongside their allies, all of it affirmed the burgeoning faith of the people.</em>

    <em>When knowledge of the Temr was made public, that faith both exploded, and was cemented, as it seemed the system itself had acknowledged the divinity of the Great One.</em>

    <em>The Temrs themselves came to be revered, to which the various members of that august body had differing reactions. Some embraced their role wholeheartedly, being powerful symbols of the Great One and their divine authority amongst the people. Others rejected it, preferring their identities to remain secret, so they might continue to act to further the designs of their deity in the manner they had before being selected.</em>

    <em>Regardless of their actions, each of the Temrs proved themselves to be selfless devotees, pure of heart, thought and deed. No promise would they break. No faith would they betray. No dishonour would they leave unavenged.</em>

    <em>-Excerpt from ''Observations on the New Path'' by Reba</em>

    "Come, it isn''t far now."

    Jern, as usual, kept his sentences short and to the point, not a fan of using three words when two would do.

    Alis shot him a disgruntled look, and he felt, on this asion, it was probably justified."There''s no need to be afraid," she said sweetly. "This is a dangerous ce, but you will be protected. Nothing bad is going to happen to you, I promise."

    For their part, the three children didn''t seem afraid at all. They looked up at Alis and nodded, calm as napping shepherds. There was something different about these three, and that was probably why Jern hadn''t felt the need to coddle them much, but they <em>were</em> still very young. It didn''t hurt to make a little extra effort to ensure they werefortable.

    Alis was a lot better at that sort of thing than he was. Jern operated on a ''I''m sure you can take care of your business just fine'', sort of policy. As a result, he wasn''t always sure if he should be lending help or not.

    "Is everything alright?" the general leading the squad asked.

    "Oh. Yes, everything is fine. We just wanted to make sure the children were calm."

    "You''re worried about <em>them</em>?"

    "Shouldn''t we be? They <em>are</em> quite little."

    "The young must be protected at all times," the ant dered firmly. "However, some are more capable than others."

    Jern considered that for a moment.

    "I''m not sure I follow."

    "I don''t want to say too much. Just¡­ don''t overwork yourself."

    Now <em>this</em> confused Jern.

    "Don''t overwork? Coming from you girls? I''ve been working hard, but you soldiers have been putting in day-long shifts¡­."

    The general was now waving her antennae wildly, swinging her head from side to side, as if afraid something would leap from the shadows at any moment.

    "Don''t say that!" the general hissed. "I''m going to sleep straight after this escort mission is done," she announced¡­ sort of¡­ generally.

    Jern looked confused, but nodded.

    "That''s probably a good idea."

    "Is it long until we reach the Great One?" he asked.

    "Not long now," a different soldier replied. "The Eldest said they would meet us beneath the nest. Luckily, they didn''t want us to go all the way down. It''s quite a trek from the nest to reach the forward operating base."

    The lower they went, the heavier the traffic, but the three children didn''t seem intimidated at all. Their eyes were tranquil as they took in the rushing columns of ants speeding about them.

    "The Eldest is resting within this chamber," the general said as they arrived outside arge opening in the wall. "A different team will arrive to escort you back to the gate, since we are all going to rest."

    "Enjoy your rest," Alis thanked them. "I hope you have a refreshing torpor."

    The team of ants gave a quick salute, turned, and began to scuttle away. Jern watched as they turned into a shadowed area of the tunnel, and didn''t emerge again.

    Odd. He didn''t think there was an opening there? He shrugged. He hadn''t spent much time in these tunnels.

    "Alright then, let''s not keep the Great One waiting," he said, and strode forward.

    After a second, he remembered he was supposed to be nicer to the young ones, but when he turned around they were right on his heels, with Alis bringing up the rear.

    The Eldest, as usual, was an imposing figure, even at rest. The massive ant loomed out of the darkness, its razor-sharp mandibles, deep purple crystalline carapace and overall presence overwhelming to most.

    Yet Jern could feel his connection to the enormous creature before him buzzing away in the back of his head.

    Anthony was tired, a bit bored, and quite curious about meeting the three individuals behind him. Even being near the most powerful ant felt invigorating to Jern, as if his own cares and worries were being melted away and his body filled with strength.

    "Hello, Anthony," he waved up at the ant.

    "Managed to get the hang of the pheromones, eh?"

    The scent of the ant was much the same as everything else about him, overwhelming. It sted against Jern''s newly awakened senses and rattled him down to his toes.

    "I''m getting better," he said.

    "Nice to see you again, Jern, Alis. I hope you''ve been well. Now please, introduce me to these three little Temrs waiting behind you. I''ve been wanting to meet them for ages."

    Without needing to be told, the three stepped forward, then silently knelt and bowed their heads towards the Eldest.

    Jern and Alis were stunned for a moment, but Alis recovered quickly.

    "Anthony, this is Allison, Trean, and Emilia."

    "Oh, I know their names," the giant ant said.

    Then he did something odd, raising up onto only his back legs, he performed aplicated motion with the other four limbs.

    "Nameless Ones <em>and</em> Temrs. What interesting children you are proving to be."

 Chapter 1277: The New Initiates

    Chapter 1277: The New Initiates

    Three little squirts are kneeling in front of me. Honestly, it''s kind of hard to tell how old they are. Recognising human features gets harder and harder the longer I live this new life. They''re older than ten, but not eighteen. Probably.

    These three have lived interesting lives up to this point, I can tell. Taken in by the Nameless Ones, and now this? I wonder how they got caught up in the crusade in the first ce? Actually, I think I can guess. After all, we wouldn''t want the crusaders to overwork themselves¡­.

    "You three can understand me?" I say, speaking to them via pheromones.

    It''s polite to be sure of these things.

    All three of them nod.

    How in the heck?

    "You kids went through some tough training¡­ didn''t you?"

    Again, they nod. Come on now, say something¡­ anything. I''m a friendly ant, not scary at all!

    Or perhaps they just aren''tfortable speaking out loud? After all, if they gained the Temr Initiate ss like the other two did, they won''t get pheromonalnguage until they advance it.<em>Wee</em>.

    I gesture to them with the secretnguage of the Nameless, and I see all three of them react, stiffening in ce.

    <em>It is an honour to be before you, Eldest.</em>

    The way they move is interesting. After all, they can''t move like an ant does, for obvious reasons, but they''ve adapted to make the required gestures using various other means.

    <em>You should probably get used to it, considering what you''ve now be.</em>

    The Temrs need to be around me in order to level up, at least at the Initiate stage. Forging bonds with me or something? I don''t know how it works. Honestly, I''m not sure how useful they are in the first ce, but it''d be rude for me to cut off their potential because I found them inconvenient.

    Alis and Jern were able to get the necessary levels to advance their sses during the trade mission, unlocking a range of new abilities including pheromonalnguage. Despite this, none of us are any clearer on how they''re supposed to ''defend my sanctum'' or from what.

    These three were the second set of statues to turn up inside the Nave, and there will probably be more in the future. I''d love to know just what they''re supposed to do, for their sake as well as mine.

    It kind of feels bad to have these dedicated people hanging around without some sort of purpose.

    <em>We do not know what we have be, Eldest. We wish to serve the Sanctum of Sleep, as we ever have.</em>

    It''s the boy who gestures this message to me, but the other two don''t contradict him in the slightest.

    <em>Of course, you can continue to perform your role as Nameless. I wouldn''t dream of denying you your purpose.</em>

    All three of them visibly rx. Clearly they were deeply worried about it. As if I would ever mess with the torpor police. Those ants are scary! They were inspired by Crinis, after all. I mean, do I even need to say more?!

    <em>But you have an additional calling now. Defending my sanctum¡­ whatever that is.</em>

    That caused a little confusion amongst the three.

    <em>You don''t know, Eldest?</em>

    <em>No idea, </em>I gestured back. <em>It''s not like I''m the one handing these sses out. We''ll figure it out as we go, I''m sure.</em>

    It''s not like I''ve ever taken a hit and thought to myself ''<em>oof! Right in the sanctum!''</em>

    Clearly, there''s some manner of spiritual attack that can hit the Vestibule, Nave or Altar. Possibly all three. That seems like the only exnation, but I haven''te across anything like that before, so how can I be sure?

    <em>You three will need to get situated with the Sanctum here in the fourth,</em> I gesture to them.

    They could stay in the guest wings, but these three are a bit more than guests. I''m sure they''ll be morefortable amongst the ants who''ve epted them as their own.

    <em>I''ll find as much time for you as I can, but I won''t be taking you down to the fifth with me any time soon.</em>

    Though I''ll probably have to at some point¡­ ugh. Exposing humans this young to that ce? That doesn''t feel good.

    "Nameless One," I say to the chamber around me.

    Sure enough, one of the shadows detaches from the walls and slides out toward me.

    <em>You called me from the darkness, Eldest?</em>

    Gah! They''re so creepy!

    "I want you to train up these three. They''re already good, but they need to be better, considering where they''re going."

    There''s a moment of hesitation.

    <em>They are already Nameless.</em>

    "Yeah, I know they''ve gone through <em>that</em> training. I''m talking about more¡­ fighty type training. Sneaking and abducting is one thing, but they need to be able to defend themselves properly."

    I consider for a moment then indicate Jern and Alis, who''ve been standing around looking confused nearby.

    "Take them as well while you''re at it. The more the merrier, I suppose."

    There is a spark of hesitation from the shadow, and I can tell what they''re worried about.

    "I don''t intend to interfere with your operations, and I know you aren''tbat specialists. It''s fine, just do what you can. I haveplete faith in the Nameless toe up with something that will work. You''re adaptable, after all."

    <em>It will be as you wish, Eldest.</em>

    "Great. I''ll send Crinis along to keep an eye on things and pass along any ideas Ie up with, alright?"

    <em>We will be blessed by the Shadow?</em>

    In a sense¡­.

    "Hey, Jern! Alis! Come over here."

    The two Temrs brighten up as I call them and jog over to me.

    "What can we do for you, Anthony?" Jern asks.

    Alis is still fairly intimidated by me, but Jern seems as unperturbed as always. He''s getting better at pheromones faster than she is simply because he doesn''t hesitate to use them.

    "I''ve got good news and bad news for you."

    "What''s the good news?" Jern asks.

    "I have arranged for some special training for you. When youplete it, I guarantee you''ll feel more connected to the Colony and much more confident in yourselves as a result."

    "What''s¡­ the bad news?" Alis asks, looking a little concerned.

    I ck my mandibles happily.

    "I have arranged some special training for you! It''s going to be so hard, you''ll <em>almost</em> wish you were dead!"

    No sooner have I finished speaking than the shadows rise like a wave and swallow them all.

    It''ll be fine.

 Chapter 1278: Within the Sanctum part 1

    Chapter 1278: Within the Sanctum part 1

    Alis went to scream, but <em>something</em> was ced over her mouth, preventing her cry from escaping. She struggled, but it was useless, she was gripped tightly by invisible forces.

    Were they invisible? Or was it that she had gone blind?! There was nothing but darkness around her, so total andplete she couldn''t see anything of herself, not even the nose in the middle of her face.

    A scent reached her, so soft that it almost didn''t exist, a breath of pheromones.

    "You must be silent here. You are safe."

    Alis concentrated hard, trying to use her newly awakened ability to interpret the scent-basednguage of the Colony.

    "Am I blind?" she asked, desperate for an answer.

    She got a reproachful tap of an antenna on her head, and again the whisper-soft scent reached her.

    "Of course not, it is simply dark. Speak softly here. You are within the Sanctum. If you are calm, rise, and follow me."

    The invisible forces binding her in ce vanished, and Alis shakily rose to her feet. She wanted to ask the nearby ant where they were, what was happening, but they were already moving. How exactly she knew that, she couldn''t say, but there was no doubt it was true.So, step by step, she followed, staggering into the darkness with her hands waving in front of her face.

    She hit her head more times than she could count, but the ant was patient, waiting just out of her reach until she was recovered and ready to follow once more. It felt like they travelled for days, but it could have been only hours, or perhaps minutes. Alis could feel her sense of time stretching and bing thin as she wandered through this seemingly endless tunnel of pure darkness.

    "Stop."

    It was the first time the ant had spoken to her in¡­ some time¡­ and Alis felt as if she could detect the words more clearly than before. Was the ant speaking louder? Or had her ''hearing'' adjusted due to being unable to see?

    "It seems you are still unaware of it."

    Alis frowned.

    "Unaware of what?"

    There was no response for a moment, as if the ant were weighing its words.

    "You are no longer hitting your head as much as before."

    It was a simple observation, a statement of fact, but it hit the Temr like a thunderbolt. It was true, she <em>was</em> hitting her head less, but how?! Walking through the dark didn''t necessarily make one better at walking through the dark. No matter how practised she became, she still couldn''t <em>see</em>.

    She inhaled deeply through her nose.

    It was there, ever so faint, words, messages, guidance. The scent had been so tenuous she hadn''t even realised it was there, but subconsciously had begun to follow it, reacting without knowing.

    "You''ve been guiding me this whole time."

    It wasn''t a question.

    "Follow me."

    Once more she followed the ant, now hyper-sensitive to any change in scent that she could detect. The steady stream of instruction came and she continued to react on instinct, moving more confidently and swiftly as she learned to trust what her nose was telling her.

    "It isn''t enough to simply have Skills, or practise Skills," the ant told her. "To truly achieve mastery, you must <em>push</em>. You must do things that take your abilities beyond what the rational mind says is possible. That is the first and most important lesson I will teach you. Now stop."

    As instructed, she stopped.

    "Why am I here?" she asked. "What is happening?"

    "You were told by the Eldest, were you not? You have been brought here to be trained."

    "But <em>where</em> is this? And <em>who</em> are you? I haven''t heard of anything like this in the Colony."

    She made sure to modte her pheromones as softly as she could. For some reason, it seemed¡­ wrong¡­ to be loud.

    "You have seen us many times, even if you didn''t realise what it was you were looking at. As for where. You are in the Sanctum of Sleep, the sacred temple of rest here in the fourth stratum. The Eldest has asked that we teach you our ways and equip you for the struggle ahead. So we shall, as best we are able."

    She felt the ant''s scent fill the room, for it <em>was </em>a room, she could tell as the pheromonended upon each surface. Small, with a bed, a basin, a chest to store things in.

    "This will be your resting ce while we train. In order to find it again, you must remember the scent it has been marked with; do not forget it. Nowe."

    As her guide began to walk away, Alis desperately drew deep in the air of the small room, trying to imprint this marker in her memory. Not far away, she was asked to halt once more.

    "Can I ask, where is Jern? Where are the children?"

    The poor things must be so afraid¡­.

    "They are safe. For now, we will train you separately. Later, we may bring you together again, depending on how well you learn our skills."

    "And what are those skills?"

    She could <em>feel</em> the ant walking in a slow circle around her, even before the monster released a single scent.

    "We are masters of stealth, observation, subtlety and patience. We strike urately, always. We do as we intend, nothing more, nothing less. We endure when others cannot, and we excel where others fail.

    "It is not necessary that you learn all of our ways, for you are not to be one of us. However, I can see the wisdom of the Eldest in entrusting you to us. What we will instil in you is a state of mind. An unswerving dedication to your purpose."

    This all sounded rather intimidating to Alis.

    "I''m not even sure what my purpose is," she admitted softly.

    "It does not matter," the ant dismissed her concerns, and Alis looked up, shocked. "When we are finished here, no matter what fate lies in store, you will be worthy of it."

    She would be worthy? Would she no longer feel the crushing pressure of being <em>chosen</em>, the weight of expectation she felt whenever her friends, members of the crusade, looked at her?

    "There will be no more idle talk," her guide stated. "From now on, I will instruct, and you will <em>do</em>. There is no failure, only lessons learned. There is no attempt, only achievement. There is no defeat, only triumph dyed.

    "I am the Nameless One, and I will teach you until there is nothing left for you to learn."

 Chapter 1279: Within the Sanctum part 2

    Chapter 1279: Within the Sanctum part 2

    Jern opened his eyes, though he wondered, not for the first time, why. It wasn''t as if he could see anything. He hadn''t seen anything in¡­ days? Weeks? Months? Who could say? It was almost impossible to keep track of time here, and he''d stopped trying long ago.

    He felt something brush against his senses, so he rose from his bed and emerged into the training hall. The Nameless One was waiting for him, as always, silent and still.

    If he were to try and exin how he knew she was there, he would struggle to find the words. He just¡­ did. Perhaps it was a faint scent, or warmth¡­ or perhaps he could <em>feel</em> the changes in the shadows where she stood.

    Or maybe she wasn''t there at all and he was just imagining it.

    "Climb."

    The instruction was given, short and direct, as always. Knowing what he was expected to do, he climbed. The walls were fairly smooth in the training room, but he''d learned how to seek the minute handholds that revealed themselves along the natural grain of the rock. When he reached the top, he knew, of course, that he wasn''t done, and shifted his hands to the ceiling, seeking purchase.

    Slowly, he firmed his grip, fingers tensing as he made his way out from the wall and into the centre of the ceiling. He had to bring his legs up and use his toes to find additional holds before too long, his fingers simply weren''t enough to hold his weight.

    Once he''d reached the middle, he held, and waited, and waited, and waited. His arms burned, his fingers screamed, but he held, patient as a stone. Time passed, or didn''t, who could say?

    Then: "Drop."So he did,nding lightly on his feet. While he had a chance, he shook himself out, trying to relieve the sting in his muscles for whatever came next.

    "You have endured our training¡­ better than expected."

    More words? This was unusual. The Nameless One almost never spoke more than what it took for him to understand his task. Should he reply? He may as well¡­.

    "Good?" he replied, turning the word into a question with an inflection in the scent.

    The Nameless One waited, but he didn''t have anything else to say. He felt her shrug, then turn to the side.

    The weapons were there. He hadn''t noticed when they''d been brought in, while he was on the roof at some point¡­. It was always the same: a rack with a variety of choices, never the exact same mix.

    "Choose."

    Walking withplete confidence in the dark, he walked toward the rack and paused, letting his senses dwell on each choice.

    The sword was here¡­ except it wasn''t the same one as before. This was heavier¡­ and perhaps a little longer than thest one. A mace, simple and crude, some kind of¡­ hammer? Next to that was¡­ ah.

    He reached out and grasped the hilt of the axe, raising it with one arm and resting it on his shoulder. Heavy and sturdy, he felt morefortable with it in his grip, a steadying and familiar presence.

    "You choose the axe again."

    "I didn''t pick itst time," he defended himself.

    He was never allowed to choose the same weapon twice in a row.

    "It is an advantage to be familiar with a range of weaponry," the Nameless One pointed out.

    Jern considered that. It was true¡­ but¡­

    "I like this one the best," he said, patting his hand against the haft.

    The Nameless One listened, but whatever she thought of his answer, she did not share. That was their way, Jern had learned. Whichever ant was instructing him, they only shared what they were sure of. He liked it. When they spoke, he knew to pay attention.

    "You may begin. Remember, do not use any active abilities."

    Were he to do so, de light would be produced. He didn''t know why, but no light was allowed in this ce, so he wasn''t allowed to use it.

    With a deep breath, he steadied himself, took the axe in both hands, and prepared his mind.

    Something flickered on the edge of his awareness, small, moving fast. Without thinking, heshed out, a lightning quick two-handed swing, splitting the object straight down the middle.

    The next was already in the air and he moved swiftly into another strike, controlling the flow of momentum with an expert touch. Another target shattered, another in the air.

    Strike after strike, on and on it went. Sweat poured down his body, his muscles ached all over, from his shoulders and neck down to his toes, but still it didn''t end.

    There was a kind of peace that could be found in these moments. Jern wasn''t afraid of physical difort, he was ustomed to hard physicalbour, yet the mental side was what he enjoyed the most. Single minded, no thoughts, no wavering, perfect focus. Nothing existed except the target, nothing mattered except the perfect flow of his limbs, shifting from one strike seamlessly to the next.

    Something descended from above!

    A change disrupted Jern''s focus and he frowned. He was partway through a swing, but if he didn''t adjust, whatever was falling from above would strike him.

    His hands slid along the haft, his posture changed and he brought his head down and his arms up. The object smashed into the haft of the axe with tremendous force, but he held firm, then adjusted again, shoving it to the side.

    Another target, another swing, but now there were more strikes mixed in, forcing him to adjust and block.

    If he was hit, he would fail. If he didn''t strike, he would also fail. The Nameless One was tricky as well. Sometimes he would need to extend for a strike, only for an attack toe from the worst possible angle at the worst possible moment, forcing him to scramble to defend himself.

    Once he was off bnce, the following strikes became twice as hard and he had to work to regain equilibrium.

    Soon, he learned to be suspicious of any strike that was a little <em>too</em> far away, or at a little <em>too </em>much of a poor angle. He could get them, but if he were attacked, the disruption to his flow would be tremendous.

    The nature of the game changed.

    When could he strike safely? How far could he extend while still defending himself? How should he shift his feet to maximise opportunities in those rare moments he had time to freely adjust his position?

    The longer it went on, the more Jern realised he had to think several steps ahead, consider what maye as a result of any particr movement, and then after that¡­

    It was hard.

    Eventually, he''d thought so much that he didn''t need to think at all anymore; he simply moved, correctly.

    "Stop."

    He paused, letting the axe head grind into the floor beneath him as he leaned on the haft, panting. He was <em>exhausted</em>, mentally and physically, but he felt¡­ good.

    "This is a promising start," the Nameless One dered. "You may use the axe for every session going forward."

    Jern grinned. He liked the axe.

 Chapter 1280: Within the Sanctum part 3

    Chapter 1280: Within the Sanctum part 3

    The Nameless who had been Emelia allowed her senses to roam across the room, taking in every possible spectrum of sensory input. Like a hawk, she watched, like an owl she listened, like an ant, she <em>scented</em>.

    There was nothing, of course. The Nameless were not so careless as to allow the slightest hint of their presence to escape. Controlling body temperature was just one of the tricks they had learned under the guidance of the Sanctum, and holding themselves so still they did not shift the air was a rudimentary exercise.

    She moved slowly, in the way of the Nameless. Not even the air stirred at her passing, nor the dust on the stone floor.

    Even so, she was detected.

    A blur from her right, shadow morphing into a leg that arced down from behind her head. Emelia twisted her body and used her forearm to deflect the blow, then leapt backwards to gain space. This was a gamble, after all, she still didn''t know where the otherbatant was hidden.

    As it turned out, she had lost that bet. No sooner did her feet touch the floor than a hand darted out from the darkness,tching onto her leg and pulling.

    More limbs extended from the shadow, trying to wrap around her leg and bring her to the ground, but Emilia was quick; snapping out with both fists, she struck multiple times in quick session. The first hand ckened around her calf, numbed by the pressure point strikes, and she freed herself, spinning away from the first attacker, who had attempted a low-risk strike as he approached.

    All three were exposed now. Even in the perfect darkness, they were totally aware of each other. They felt the movement of the air, the resonance of the slightest sound, even their sense of smell strained to its limits to track the movements of the others.

    The three-way stalemate ended quickly. From her left came the first attack, and Emelia danced backwards, drawing the assant in front of her to pursue. They were too wise to fall for such a shallow ploy, and restrained themselves, stepping quietly as each of the three tried to position one of the others in the middle.Again, they did not wait for long; the moment the slightest opening was sensed, the battle resumed. Short, sharp exchanges followed, but none of the three was able to find a significant advantage.

    "Break," themand came from nowhere, but everywhere at the same time, and the three sprang away from each other and waited.

    The shadows gathered and resolved themselves into an ant, the Nameless One, who watched them calmly, but did not speak. The three continued to wait, and the darkness shifted once more. Immediately, they could sense a presence gathering in the chamber around them, an endless hunger, a fathomless rage, filling the space. The darkness itself was watching them.

    All three bowed low as they felt the presence focus upon them. A momentter, it reached out to their minds.

    [You are doing well.]

    The three Nameless felt dness well in their hearts at this praise. To hear such affirmation from the Shadow herself was¡­ beyond words. Thin tendrils began to extend from the walls, lines of darkness that reached out to caress their faces.

    [You have be connected to Him, and you must prove yourselves worthy of it. Doing well is not enough. You must be perfect, or as close to it as you can be. I do not want to ask of you more than you can give, but to achieve this standard, you must pull out all of your ability.]

    Each of the Nameless nodded; they were ready, more than ready. Whatever the Shadow demanded, they would give. From the wall, the weapons rack was revealed, and each of the Nameless walked forward to take their armaments of choice.

    Emelia did not favour any of therger or longer weapons. She took two short daggers, their des curved wickedly. They were agile and nimble, easy to conceal and perfect for the feint-heavy style she had grown to favour.

    The Shadow gave them time to set themselves, and then she began. Tentacles extended, materialising out of the darkness, hundreds of them. Emelia breathed deep, pushing her instincts to their limit, and beyond. When the attacks came, they arrived in a flurry. Slivers of pure darkness shot toward her from a dozen angles, too many to block all of them at once.

    She <em>moved</em>, a perfect step that avoided half the strikes, for the rest¡­ her daggers darted left and right, slithering through the air with precision and speed beyond humanprehension. Beaten back, the tendrils pulled back, only to strike again.

    Each of the three engaged in their own battle, trying to defend against the relentless attacks of the Shadow. No matter how many they cut, blocked or dodged, there were always more, seeking difficult angles, shooting through the weak points in their defence and forcing them into an ever more desperate defence.

    [Do you think this is enough?] the Shadow demanded. [Do you really believe you can stand against me alone?]

    Emelia felt her heart quaver as more, and more, and <em>more</em> tendrils of darkness manifested in the room around her. There must have been hundreds, perhaps thousands, far too many for her to defend against. As if to taunt the Nameless, the tendrils bobbed and waved like des of long grass in a non-existent breeze. The Shadow was demonstrating her total control over this forest of darkness.

    Then they surged forwards.

    There was nothing left to do but rely on the instinct the Nameless had honed from the moment they''d begun their training, and Emilia''s was screaming that there was only one way out.

    Her fellow Nameless must have felt the same way, for as she leapt toward them, they leapt toward her, and they found themselves back to back against the wall of darkness pressing in all around them.

    As though they had practised in advance, as though it had been their intended strategy all along, the three moved in perfect sync. They deflected, blocked, and dodged as a unit. When the tendrils darted toward one, the others would cover. If one couldn''t recover in time, the others shielded them. No matter what the Shadow sent toward them, they moved together, and triumphed together.

    Of course, this was the lesson all along.

    The three Nameless stood panting, drained of strength, but triumphant, a sense of aplishment suffusing their beings.

    [Good,] the Shadow said, sounding pleased. [Alone, you are weak, and you will never be able to be of service to Him. Together¡­ you may well serve a purpose. We will continue with this training. Until you are able to fight as well as possible alone, and together, we will train.]

    The three Nameless bowed low in eptance.

    The Nameless One watched the three humans acknowledge the Shadow, then felt that powerful mind reach out to her directly.

    [It may be worth training all of the Nameless forbat,] the Shadow said. [We must be able to defend ourselves, and deliver our wisdom more forcefully, where required.]

    The Nameless One nodded. There was wisdom in this.

 Chapter 1281: Whatâ€™s An Eldest to Do?

    Chapter 1281: What¡¯s An Eldest to Do?

    Well, Morrelia has gone back to the Legion, Brendant has said they won''t beunching any more tests for the time being, and the subjugation of the lower tunnels is almost done. So¡­ I find myself kind of rudderless and without purpose for the time being.

    Which means, of course, there''s nothing to stop me from tickling the grubs! Muahahahaha!

    My precious stress relief, it''s been so long! Now that Mother is present in the fourth, there''s an active Queen down here, which means grubs!

    Filled with joy, I race upward from the forward base, which has been expanding by the hour, and head into the shortcutwork the Colony is still in the process of constructing.

    It''s always a bit of a risky business building these sorts of extended ''highways'' in the Dungeon. Sure, it allows us to travel much more quickly from the nest to the entrance of the fifth, but the reverse is also true. When the next wave urs, the monsters of the fifth and their toxic mana will have a direct road straight up to the base of the nest.

    Naturally, the Colony is aware of this, which means a copious number of defensive emcements, walls and forts are also under construction, each of which only face the downward slope. Thiswork of direct tunnels is going to be the main focus of all the fighting in the next wave, and it''s clear the carvers don''t intend to employ half measures.

    There''s a lot of ants moving down the shortcut, in addition to the huge number of workers busily building away. Clearly, the troops are starting to move down to the staging ground. Hopefully soon, the invasion will be ready and I can start taking on the fifth properly. Those stupid slugs are going to have no idea what hit them.

    Gweheheheh.

    With joy in my heart, I burst into the inner chambers, ready to engage in a wonderful bout of tickling! Where are those grubs?"What are you doing here, child?" A deep and warm voice calls to me.

    "Going to y with the grubs!" I dere happily.

    THWACK!

    "Yeeouch!"

    I was so preupied with my opportunity to indulge myself in harmless games with the grubs, I didn''t even realise it was Mother talking to me!

    "H-h-hello there, Mother! How are you doing?"

    It''s still weird to realise that I''mrger than her now. For most of my ant life, she''s towered over me. I can still remember the first time I saw her, when I was¡­ what? Tier two? She was huge, looming over all of the ants in the Colony. The past, present and future of the family, all bound up in a single carapace.

    Despite beingrger than her, The Queen is still an intimidating presence. There''s sharpness to her gaze that seems to pierce straight through my exo-skeleton, no matter how manyyers of diamond I have!

    "I''m well, child. I am very busy, as all members of the family are. How is it that you have time to y with the brood? Surely, there are many tasks that you could perform?"

    Well.... Probably? The lower tunnels aren''t <empletely</em> clear of monsters, how could they be? It''s not like we''re removing the Dungeon veins from that area, so there''s a constant stream of new spawns. Not to mention, every time we find a local, high tier monster who''s carved out a little territory for themself over the years and take them out, other monsters start to move into the area, looking for new turf. These skirmishes have yed out hundreds of times down below and will go on for a while longer yet.

    I could also help with the organisation of the troops heading down to the staging grounds. I''m not all that good at logistics, to put it mildly, but I''m aware enough to say that just having me around would help lift the spirits of the troops. After all, I''m the oldest and strongest, who doesn''t want their big reliable older sis-BROTHER. Reliable older <em>brother</em> around.

    Sheesh.

    "You''re right, Mother," I admit with a heavy sigh, slumping with defeat. "There are plenty of things I could be doing right now. I suppose I''ll head out and¡­ get back to it."

    My Mother watches me gather myself slowly with an amused glint in her eye.

    "You really are the most troublesome of all my children. Whether you areing or going, there is always some difficulty."

    I''m not exactly sure what to say to that. She already thwacked me, do I need a scolding as well?!

    "As you say, Mother."

    I can only agree with her in the hopes of avoiding more sharp thwacks of the antennae. As if sensing my somewhat cowardly mentality, The Queen''s antenna twitches once more, but she doesn''tsh out.

    "There is nothing wrong with ying with the grubs, Child," she tells me warmly. "I do so at times myself. I only ask that you make sure to bnce the needs of the Colony against your own."

    That¡­ is an odd thing for Mother to say. I mean, she''s an ant. Not just any ant, she''s as ant as it gets. What does she mean, bnce the needs of the Colony against my own? The needs of the Colony <em>are</em> the needs of the individual, to just about everyone in this family, and <em>especially</em> to her. I turn to look at her directly, but I can''t get a sense of what she''s thinking. Does she see me differently from the others for some reason? Does she know that I wasn''t always an ant?

    Does it matter, considering she gave me permission to tickle the grubs?!

    "I''ll have you know, Mother, that it has been <em>ages</em> since I entertained the brood. I''ve been busy all over the ce, doing all sorts of stuff for the family!"

    "That is good," she says, and reaches out to pat me on the carapace encouragingly.

    "I''ve even been taking part in the test assaults on the fifth stratum!" I boast.

    Compliments from Mother are rare; it doesn''t hurt to fish for a few more. She hesitates, confused.

    "What assaults on the fifth stratum?" she asks, puzzled.

    At this moment, I realise just how badly I messed up. She''s not supposed to know about those! She''s not supposed to know anything about it at all!

    "Oh, you know¡­ just¡­ a few exploratory missions to see what''s going on down there. Test out the waters¡­ sort of thing."

    If she were capable of narrowing her eyes, that''s exactly what she would be doing right now.

    "I don''t like it when my children keep secrets from me."

    "What? What secrets? That''s¡­ a perfectly¡­ perfectly reasonable thing for you to say¡­ of course. I mean¡­ there''s so much going on in the Colony at any given time¡­ how could you possibly know about all of it? Nobody knows about all of it! Except maybe me."

    The Queen remains still, as if processing what I said, so I take the opportunity to just¡­ slide a little toward the brood chamber.

    Then slide a little more.

    I think I got away with that¡­.

    Smooth!

 Chapter 1282: Tickle Time is Over

    Chapter 1282: Tickle Time is Over

    After my brilliant ruse with The Queen, Tiny, Crinis, Invidia and I manage to sneak into the brood chamber and spend some quality time entertaining the grubs.

    Ah, it soothes my soul to see the little things rolling around, wiggling with excitement, trying to escape my tickling antennae. The biggest ones, pumped full of Biomass and almost ready to spin their cocoons, are the most fun to tease. So bloated they can barely move themselves, Tiny and I take turns rolling them back and forth while they chitter their little mandibles happily. Invidia hasn''t really done this much before, but even he seems to have a good time, fluttering about the brood chamber on his little wings andnding on the grubs with his tiny hands. When they try to rear up and nibble on him, he deftly flies to the next, leaving them chasing after him.

    Crinis is, of course, a favourite with the grubs. Able to tickle, roll and spin hundreds of young at the same time, she has to be careful not to overstimte the little things.

    All of this is, of course, watched over by the ever-present Brood Tenders, who ck their mandibles happily and spread their warm, calming pheromones through the chamber, bringing a sense of peace andfort to all of us.

    Ah, this really is a slice of heaven, it must be.

    s, all good things muste to an end. When all the little grubs are tickled out and ready to nap, it''s time for us to move on. I say goodbye to the Tenders, who shoo us out before turning back to tuck their charges in, and the gang and I find ourselves out in the tunnels, with no immediate purpose.

    I do, however, feel greatly rejuvenated. A weight has been lifted from me, my spirit has been cleansed and my mind is refreshed. It''s just impossible to get bogged down and worried about all the things going on in Pangera while surrounded by such innocent little creatures.

    [What are we going to do now, Master?] Crinis asks,tching onto my carapace once more.

    Well, it''s a valid question. Realistically, it''s time to go and spend some Skill points and Biomass. I haven''t mutated in ages, and I''ve gone well beyond the targets Granin set for me regarding the fusions he wanted me to take. One of the advantages of so many minds is the ability to grind really, really hard, and I''ve been inbat an awful lottely. There''s no better time or ce to get levels than a good fight, and to be honest, I probably should have done less grinding and more poison mana cleansing while I was down there, but hey, I''ll take the gains.Biomass isn''t <em>quite</em> as stocked as I would have liked, considering there''s basically nothing to eat down in the fifth. I might have to lean on the Colony a little and ask them to feed me. They''ll do it happily, but I try not to ask if I don''t absolutely have to.

    With the invasion of the fifthing up, I feel like it''s probably a good time to ask for some help to get as strong as I possibly can, which means maxing out my mutations.

    However, before I can get to that¡­

    There''s something going on in the Vestibule. The number of ants in the fourth is constantly swelling as more and more join us through the gate. Our territory in the third has reached its limit for the time being, as the deeper we go through theyers of that burning wastnd, the fewer unimed pirs we find. That means the numbers avable to shore up our position here are rapidly growing, so I''m used to a steady increase in the flow of Will through the Vestibule.

    What I''m not used to is what I''m sensing now¡­.

    What the heck are all these people doing in here?!

    [There''s something I want us to go and look at, Crinis, if that''s alright with you.]

    So saying, I lead the gang toward the Gate and arrive to find¡­ of all things¡­ humans, golgari, folk, the odd ka''armodo, marching through in neat ranks and being directed further into the nest by ant attendants.

    To my surprise, Snt is present, going over tes filled with numbers and conversing with other generals.

    I skitter over and loom over their conversation, causing them to cut off short.

    "Snt, what am I seeing here?" I ask.

    Technically, I could find out through the Vestibule, but it''s much more polite to ask, right? I can''t be wandering around just¡­ knowing things all the time.

    "Our allies are arriving to help with conquering the fifth, Eldest," she says calmly, as if it''s obvious.

    "You want to send these people down into the fifth?" I say, aghast. "They''ll be food for the slugs down there! Do they even know what they''re getting into?"

    "Of course they do, they''re all volunteers," she replies.

    All of them? <em>All </em>of these people? There''s thousands and thousands of them! Where the heck have they alle from?

    Wait¡­ are those <em>demons</em> I''m seeing? What is happening?!

    "We''ve neglected these people for too long, and the benefits of fighting alongside them and the human ant-priests are too strong to be ignored," Snt states, as if it''s all perfectly obvious. "We are taking on a challenge so great that I refuse to leave any possible advantage behind. Every ounce of our strength is going to be leveraged for this task."

    "But where are they alling from?"

    Since when has the Colony been able to muster up a fighting force like this? I''ve fought alongside the refugees from Renewal many times, but there''s only so many of those.

    "Allied cities that have fallen under the Colony''s influence, for the most part. Others havee to join us after hearing about our mission, still others have been sent from friendly parties. The Folk have sent several thousand of their people, as have the brathians. The bruan''chii are sending several Grove Keepers to help spread the Mother Tree''s roots in the captured territory. Some demons, mostly those with conquering or exploration-based obsessions, have leapt at the opportunity toe. Even the Magpei sent a few people. It will be difficult to merge them into our existing battalions, but the process has already begun. There''s nothing we can''t ount for with proper preparation and nning."

    Holy moly. When I put Snt in charge, I knew she''d pull out all the stops and do things no other ant general was willing to do, but even I didn''t think she''d go <em>this </em>far.

 Chapter 1283: Power Up

    Chapter 1283: Power Up

    Well, if everyone else is winding up to go the distance, how can I do any less?

    "Snt, I know you''re busy, but can you get a message out? I want some hunting parties to rustle up some Biomass for me and the gang. It''s time for us to get mutating."

    She nods slowly.

    "That would be wise. We need all four of you at your best. It may not be necessary for you to wait for hunts, there is a short-term Biomass storage kept on hand for The Queen, though she seldom uses it. I dare say it''s fully stocked even now."

    It''s a good lead, so I thank the little general and head back into the nest. It doesn''t take us long to track down the storage, and sure enough, it''s packed full of food, enough to make Tiny''s eyes light up.

    As evolved as we are, it''s not easy to rack up the Biomass now, we really need high tier food, and thankfully, that is exactly what the Colony has been providing to this storehouse. Only the best for Mother, naturally. Since she generally likes to hunt for her own sustenance, most of this is just sitting about until the ants stocking it give up, pass out the food, then go hunt for another batch.

    There''s a few soldiers waiting outside the storage when we arrive, and it isn''t all that difficult to persuade them to let us eat. I certainly don''t want to snatch food from Mother''s jaws, but that''s not what is happening here. No matter how well they stock this pantry, she isn''ting.

    So the four of us settle in and get to chomping as the ants rush out to hunt down more food for us.

    [Remember, you need to mutate as much as you possibly can, and spend any Skill Points you''ve got stocked up if you can find something that looks worthwhile. This conflict is going to be hard, and we need to push ourselves as far as we can.[However, I don''t want you to take a bunch of mutations that are only applicable in the fifth. That will only weaken you in the long run. Get me?]

    [<em>Yesssss</em>.]

    [Yes, Master.]

    Thumbs up.

    [You could say something, Tiny. Hand gestures aren''t the only form ofmunication.]

    [Thumbs up.]

    [Alright there, wise guy. Settle down, you don''t want to hurt yourself.]

    Sheesh. Making him more intelligent is only making him more cheeky. That doesn''t mean I''ll stop. I''d rather him cheeky and alive than stupid and dead.

    With four massive monsters such as us tucking into the grub, we quickly start making a huge dent in it, but surprisingly quickly hunting parties arrive with more food for us, dumping it into the mix while we keep on chomping.

    As we eat, I multitask and start hitting up my menus. I''ve gained a reasonable chunk of Levels thanks to all the fighting, but it''s a drop in the bucketpared to what I need for my next evolution. Level 52. I can ept that. It''s respectable. I''ve little doubt the experience will start raining down once we get into the fifth proper.

    Taking a look at my Skill levels, I can see that I''ve managed to reach the required ranks for both fusions that Granin had me working toward. So I might as well go ahead and purchase them.

    The first one was abination of Coordination, Bnce, Six-Legged Defensive Footwork, Predictive Thinking and Grace, all at rank four.

    It hasn''t been easy, but I got there in the end! A five skill fusion is always going to be a juicy one, and I was hoping to push these to rank five for an even more sulent fusion, but I just don''t have the time.

    Fusing them together costs me a whopping <em>sixteen </em>Skill Points, but as a result, I''m given a brand new Skill: Precognitive Agile Defence at rank four.

    Doing anything with Skills, particrly at this level, makes my brain feel like it''s been rinsed with warm water. Things feel¡­ <em>liquid-y</em> inside my head. It''s not unpleasant, but I''m d when it''s all done.

    I''ll have to get into a proper fight to test the effects of the Skill, and get a few more ranks in it as well, but ording to Granin, it''s going to make me more agile, more bnced, faster on my feet, and more responsive to my existing precognitive abilities. All in all, a defensive boost that will help keep me one step ahead of the game.

    For the second fusion, I need to merge Concentration, Mana Weave and Divergent Thinking together with Meditation.

    Now this is a big one, taking some fundamental mana-handling Skills, along with Meditation, and sticking them all together to form Divergent Focus. This new Skill should, ording to Granin, apply the benefits of Meditation and Concentration to each of my mind-constructs, instead of only to the brains handling them, multiplying the effect. In addition, it''ll improve the ability of each of them to weave mana. In order to properly utilise my n to manipte mana within my enemies, Granin believed this would be a necessary step. The fusion takes ce at rank four, but¡­ gweheheheheh¡­ I managed to get them all to rank <em>five</em>.

    MUAHAHAHAHA!

    I''m too good! Too darn good, Granin! I mean, it''s not like it''s hard to grind Divergent Thinking, you just have one brain think about more than one thing at a time. As if I''ve never done <em>that</em> before!

    This one is going to cost me a whopping <em>20 </em>Skill points, but I dly spend it and eagerly wait to see the results.

    Manifold High-Focus, eh? Sounds good!

    I''ll need to test it to work out what it does, get some Levels and ranks, but I''m hopeful it''ll prove to be good!

    Now¡­ I need to get to mutating.

 Chapter 1284: Getting Into Gear

    Chapter 1284: Getting Into Gear

    <strong>Note: Going to retcon the Vestibule mutations, specifically the ones that allow him to turn Will into physical strength, since the altar allows him to do that, and he''s basically never used it.</strong>

    It''s been a long time since I went on a mutating spree, and if the food keepsing, there''s going to be a lot that I can do. Without hesitation, I dive into the menu and start looking for organs to upgrade.

    There''s still a fair bit of work to be done to get myself fully mutated at +35 all around. My sensory organs, eyes and antennae, still need that final push to max out and it''s definitely worth investing in both. The +35 mutations have been stronger and more versatile than those that came before, so I''m sure they''ll prove exceptionally useful when applied to my senses.

    First, let''s take a look at my eyes.

    My eye mutations have been fairly pedestrian up to this point. They''ve been really useful, don''t get me wrong, but they''ve been very basic. In essence, all I''ve done is make mypound eyes really, really good. Each individual lens is capable of focusing, giving me incredible depth of vision, and my ability to track motion is <em>excellent</em>. The quality of each lens is also extremely good. Each of my eyes isparable to a thousand human eyeballs, giving me incredible vision.

    But that''s it. There''s nothing fancy there, no crazy, weird mana-rted stuff or spirit vision. I just have super good eyes.

    Which is great! Don''t get me wrong, I love it. Recalling back to the early days when I couldn''t see the tips of my own antennae when they weren''t moving sends shivers running through my carapace. I swore I''d improve my eyes until it became bearable, and I stuck to that promise. However, it''s time to look for some more esoteric and weird options.

    Largely because I''ll be cashing in my eyes for a reset next evolution anyway. I''m tired of having these massive weak points in the middle of my head. My eyeballs are bing diamond, or something even harder. The amount of trouble I''ve had in fights due to enemies attacking my eyes is nuts. With future sight and my reflexes, I can get around it, but having to constantly change the angle of my head to dodge is a pain in the thorax!

    So, firm in the knowledge I can pick something weird withoutsting consequences, I dive into the list looking for¡­ <em>interesting</em> options.And I find them. Oh boy, do I find them.

    I''ve got no idea if these mutations have been here all along or only popped up now at +35, but my guess is on thetter.

    Do I want to see electrical energy? See <em>thoughts</em>?! How does that even work?! Future Sight is here too, which I''m fairly sure it wasn''t before. Antennae seem to get that early for some reason. Go, ants! Oh look, I could see <em>intent</em>. Which is different from thoughts. Somehow. I can see the dimensional weave if I want. Not sure what I''d do with it¡­ but sure. I imagine Brilliant has that mutation, or something simr. There''s even mutations rted specifically to the System, seeing ''Dungeon Lines,'' whatever those are. This must be what Dungeon Seers do, or at least part of it.

    After flicking through the lists for half an hour, the ones that seem most relevant to me are: future sight, gravity sight, intent and mana. There are several vours of each, and the mutations tend to do more than one thing at a time at this level, so even narrowing it down to this amount still leaves me with dozens of choices.

    For example:

    <strong>[Gravity Density Vision: Allows the eyes to visualise gravitational energy and sense the density of the material they are looking at.]</strong>

    Obviously, more gravity means more density, but this goes a step further, since anything I look at isn''t necessarily uniformly dense. With this, I could hunt down less dense spots in an opponent''s armour, for example. I''m also curious to see how it doubles up with my existing gravity sense on my antennae.

    The descriptions of ''intent'' are even more esoteric than I''m used to with Gandalf.

    <strong>[Broad Spectrum Intent Sight: Allows the eyes to interpret various forms of intent.]</strong>

    Yeah, helpful. Thanks, Gandalf. What the heck does it <em>mean</em>?

    It''s possible this would be very useful. But how could I tell?! Looking at the other variations, I can sort of work it out. There''s Sword Intent Sight, Axe Intent Sight, de Intent Sight, even Mandible Intent Sight. Clearly, it has something to do with weapon Skill activations. I think.

    After considering my options, I decide to throw caution to the wind and take the Broad Spectrum Intent Sight mutation. If it turns out to be useless, then I''ll be getting rid of it.

    Now, my antennae mutations I need to be much more careful with, since I would rather not reset these again unless I absolutely have to.

    Twilight Fment, the material my antennae are currently made from, provides incredible bang for the buck, ording to Granin. Better materials exist, but are pricey. Again, my mutations in this department have been fairly pedestrian. Sense the future, sense gravity, do both of those things, but better than before. That''s pretty much it.

    And I''m not sure I want to go too far away from that form, if I''m honest. It''s a workingbo! The gravity sense has been very helpful in sensing things out and for assisting me wield my gravity mana, and the future sight has been integral at keeping me alive alongside my quick reactions.

    Not sure what I want to do, I flip through the menu as I continue to munch, hunting for something that stands out. Again, there are many variations of future sight and gravity sight in here at +35, and I eventually find one that looks interesting.

    <strong>[Prescient Ripple Antennae: Improve the antennae''s sense of the future and gravitational waves.]</strong>

    Now this¡­ this could be good. I can already sense gravitational waves from the future, this mutation is covering both of the things I want my antennae to do! I''m a fan.

 Chapter 1285: More Mutating

    Chapter 1285: More Mutating

    Just those two mutations are going to cost me one hundred and sixty five a piece. It''s so expensive to mutate at this tier¡­ and it''s harder than ever to get a decent amount of Biomass! Those stomach mutations are a lifesaver, seriously.

    Moving on, I think it''s time to take a look at some other, key body parts that could use some powering up. First of all, the Vestibule.

    I''ve focused entirely on increasing the range so far, all the way to +30 and it really pulls in the Will, that''s for sure. At the +35 level, I have no idea what sort of options are going to show up, but I <em>probably </em>don''t need any more range? Surely there''ll be something interesting.

    I mean, all the Vestibule does is pull in Will, or receive Will, or whatever, and send it into my body, which gives a variety of effects. My remarkable endurance is due to the Vestibule, after all. The only thing it doesn''t help me regenerate is mana.

    Improving the range is amazing, but there has to be a limit. I mean, no matter how much I mutate it, it''ll never reach the second stratum from the fifth.

    Diving into the menus once again, I look around for anything that might prove useful. Despite its seemingly limited function, there''s still a lot of options for the Vestibule, and I take the time to read a selection to try and get a sense for what is possible.

    There''s a few options that take me by surprise, such as one which effectively lets me <em>aim</em> the vestibule? From the description, it seems to¡­ direct the opening in order to extend the range even further? Right now, it doesn''t matter where a member of the Colony is rtive to me, so long as they fall inside the area of the Vestibule''s effect, I''ll receive the Will they send me. With this mutation, I could point the Vestibule ''up'', and only receive Will from ants above me. It sort of makes sense, since most of the Colony are generally above me in the Dungeon, but even if it doubled the range, I still don''t think it''s worth it.

    Another option lets me shut the Vestibule? I mean¡­ why? If I think of the Vestibule as a gateway, this mutation lets me put a door on it? I really don''t see the benefit¡­ but hey, it''s in the list, so it must have a purpose¡­ probably.

    There''s one that puts some sort of¡­ watchdog on the Vestibule? It says it defends it in the description, but again, from <em>what</em>? And <em>how</em>? This, along with the Temrs showing up in the Nave, tells me that there''s a lot more to the Vestibule than I know. Clearly, it''s possible to interfere with the energy in a nefarious way, but I can''t imagine how that works.Eventually, I narrow down the options to a few I feel I can live with.

    The first is an Infusing Mutation that will improve the regeneration rate provided by the Vestibule. Faster fatigue reduction, stamina replenishment, organ refill¡­ it hits a lot of boxes and makes the Vestibule better at what it does.

    It''ll also be extremely useful down in the fifth. The more I can regenerate, the longer I can stay in the toxic environment. With the number of ants heading down there, I''ll be able to refill my regeneration nd every few minutes. Gweheheheh.

    The other mutation that catches my eye allows the Vestibule to pull in Will <em>faster</em>¡­ which is¡­ interesting? I didn''t realise it had a speed or anything of the sort, but effectively, this will allow me to take in more Will over time from the same number of ants. This will also have the effect of improving my regeneration, but from a different angle. The Will isn''t used more efficiently, but there''s more of it. This mutation will also help refill the Altar faster, which is obviously a win.

    Come to think of it, these two would be excellent when fused together. If I reach +45 andbine them, my regeneration will skyrocket. nning ahead! How fancy!

    For now, I choose the elerated Absorption mutation and move onto the Nave.

    So far, my Nave mutations have been focused on two things, increasing the number of ''seats'' in there, though I''m notpletely sure what that does, other than allow me to talk to them directly without any sort of mental link, and condensing the energy that flows through. Looking through the list of mutations now, I can see there''s a lot of new options, and a few that I don''t necessarily like.

    There''s one that makes those providing Will more susceptible to suggestions by the receiver. Uh¡­ no? What the heck?! There''s another one that drains free will along with whatever Will is already being provided. Excuse me?! What the heck is going on here?! Just what is this organ for?

    It''s almost a relief when I find one I like.

    Empowering Nave, which allows me to direct the flow of Will to those with a ce inside the Nave. It doesn''t help me out, but it will allow me to powerup anyone who''s inside the Nave, which should include the Temrs as well, unless I miss my guess. This is a nice way to give something back to the Colony, which makes me happy. I took the Altar of Self so I could turn myself into the defender of my family, but there are plenty of others out there doing work for the Colony. This mutation lets me help them out, even just a bit.

    Lock it in!

    Finally, I turn my attention to the Altar.

    Again, two different mutations have been my focus so far: capacity, and cost reduction on Gravity-rted abilities. The Altar holds more juice, and using it to empower my gravity spells costs less, both great choices, and I''m a big fan. However, at +35, we need something a little more show-stopping.

    I dive into the expanded list of options, hoping to find something that has a bit of punch. The Altar is already my trump card, turning me into a pseudo tier eight monster with my absurdly beefed up attacks. What could tip it over the edge? I''m hoping the more powerful mutation options at this tier will provide an answer.

    And they do.

    Impregnable, which allows me to directly empower my carapace. Gweheheheh. I''m going to be invincible!

    I confirm those mutations with glee, then immediately copse as the fiery itch erupts all over my body.

    DAMMIT!

 Chapter 1286: Slime Sage

    Chapter 1286: Slime Sage

    Things were in a precarious state amongst the tribe. Zluth was struggling to contain the rage that boiled away inside him, bubbling alongside his internal acid. The ants had vanished once again, enraging all of the Krath who were denied their opportunity to rend the invaders limb from limb.

    It was clear the monsters were nning something,ing in, testing the waters and then leaving again. They were studying, learning, preparing for the time they could move into the fifth stratum in force.

    That much was obvious.

    Zluth was determined they would rue the day they ever dreamed it would be possible to enter this ce. The fifth was reserved for the krath, and them alone. Living creatures from above or below, be they monster or sapient, had no ce in this world of toxic perfection.

    "Zluth, I see you have survived the breeding season."

    Zluth turned an eye stalk to see Goszi sliding up behind him. He quieted his rage at having one of his kind at his back. Generally, it wasn''t a safe ce for anyone to have a krath, fellow tribe member or not, but he wasn''t as wary around Goszi. The other Krath was ageing, his slug flesh growing pale as his acid became less virulent. It wouldn''t be long until he was fed to the young, possibly only a few more seasons.

    "I managed to keep my stalks down," Zluth burbled.

    "I''m surprised you managed it. The Krathth was determined you would father her brood."

    Zluth shuddered."You mean she was determined to consume my flesh."

    Anything could, and frequently did, happen during the courting rituals. A dozen males had been consumed over thest three days alone. Soon, the eggs would beid, and not long after, they would hatch, bringing another swarm of raging Krath for the tribe to feed. This time, Zluth had escaped the clutches of the Krathth, but she would surely try again next season, unless he managed to divert her attention to someone else.

    Goszi slid up beside him, maintaining a respectful distance so the two didn''t unnecessarily aggravate each other. Zluth had found a neat cranny that overlooked the Blubbeast pits, where concealed from view, he could watch the massive creatures wallow in their filth, chomping on the detritus the tribe saw fit to feed them.

    "What do you think of these¡­ ants?" Goszi said, his voice sounding as if it were summoned from the depths of a swamp. "What do you think they are trying to do?"

    Zluth shuddered with rage. The thought of the invaders was enough to make his slug-flesh crawl.

    "I think they are doing what everyone up there hopes to do: find a way through the fifth. They won''t be allowed. This is our ce, and none are able to tame it."

    "You think the n put forward by the Krathth will work, then?" Goszi asked, his stalks leaning toward the other Krath. "You think her rude wee will be effective?"

    There was something in his demeanour that sent warnings ring through Zluth''s head. This crafty old slug was up to something.

    "It should," he replied carefully. "I haven''t seen anything to suggest it wouldn''t."

    "Gugugugugugug," the other Krathughed. "There''s no need to measure your words so carefully. I agree with you, it should work."

    "Then why are you here, asking me about it?"

    "Because a smart Krath is always willing to explore the possibilities. If the Krathth were to fail¡­ then what might happen?"

    Zluth narrowed the eyes on the end of his stalks.

    "She would lose support amongst the tribe. Maybe even enough to topple her from her position."

    No doubt that would result in her being consumed. The thought of the potent acid the Krathth had built inside herself caused Zluth''s mouth to water. If he could refine that for himself¡­

    Imagining that liquid fire permeating through his flesh sent a tingle running through his body. However, <em>if </em>she failed to repel the invaders, and <em>if</em> she lost support, who was to say that Zluth would be the beneficiary?

    "I know what you''re thinking," Goszi smirked, "but what if I told you there was a way that all the benefits would fall on <em>you</em>?"

    Zluth gnashed his teeth.

    "I would be interested," he snarled. "I would also be <em>suspicious</em>. Why would an old Krathe here, looking to whisper such things to me? What do you stand to gain, Goszi?"

    Every Krath was out for themselves. That was the first, second <em>and</em> third rule of the tribes. Goszi spread his spindly, wed arms wide.

    "I''m just an old Krath. A few more seasons and I''ll be tossed into the pits, down there with the Blubbeasts. All I want is to live a secure life for a while, and a strong Krathth could do that."

    "You could take your chances in the wilds," Zluth pointed out.

    Gozsi pulled a face.

    "My odds of survival out there would be low without the support of a tribe, and you know it. Even if I did manage it, that''s not much of a life to live, now is it?"

    Zluth supposed it wasn''t. Eking out a living with the other outcasts in the swamps, or in the depths of the acidkes, where other Krath didn''t bother to go was¡­ a desperate and miserable existence, to say the least. Even the tribes, with their endless backstabbing, betrayal and senseless murder, were preferable to that.

    "And exactly what sort of sway do you have with the tribe?" Zluth asked pointedly. "An old slug on the verge of being feed isn''t the most persuasive voice to have on my side."

    "Gugugugugug," Gozsi chuckled, "you aren''t wrong. Listen to me for a moment. I''ve been around for a while, and I know just what poison to drip in which ears to make these miserable slugs happy."

    He leaned closer and began to whisper, and Zluth found himself leaning in as well, his needle-sharp teeth revealed by a widening, savage grin.

 Chapter 1287: The Massing Masses

    Chapter 1287: The Massing Masses

    After recovering from my mutation session, the gang and I head out to get some practice with our new abilities. We need to get ustomed to things before the invasion starts, and that time is rapidly approaching.

    Every time we return to the Colony, the staging grounds are more and more full. Battalion after battalion of ants, along with the auxiliaries who are mixed in with them. I''m not entirelyfortable with those antennae-wearing priests being included with the troops, but Snt isn''t wrong, they provide a boost to all the ant and non-ant troops so long as they''re fighting together.

    She''s determined to push for full integration of the non-ant troops into her forces, and she''ll drill them until they copse on the verge of death if that''s what it takes. After the first week, the coordination between the groups is already looking good, but is the perfectionist satisfied? Of course not. It''s a good thing the humans, golgari, ka''armodo and others are plenty motivated; otherwise they wouldn''t make it.

    For our part, we help clear out the lower tunnels, fighting off the monsters native to the fourth, under the watchful eye of the Legion, of course.

    They still haven''t given up on their mission, apparently, not that I expected they would. It soon bes amon urrence for us to turn around and find Legion observers watching from further back in the tunnels. Every time I leave the nest, they try to track my movement, but so far, they haven''t actually attempted anything.

    Just in case, the Colony is sending observers as well, though they seem to think I haven''t noticed them. Soon enough, I''m going to be just as heavily observed as The Queen. She''s active in these tunnels as well, hunting for her own Biomass and lending her strength to the family. I can''t lie, she''s kicking a fair amount of monster backside, but I can''t help but worry. That''s my mother, dammit! That''s <em>all</em> of our mother!

    Spiritually, if not literally.

    It wasn''t that long ago when every ant in the Colony was her child, but now that is most assuredly not the case. The other Queens, who evolved specifically for high-quality egg production, rather than a mix of eggying andbat like Mother, produce far more offspring than she does, and there are so many of them that her grandchildren outnumber her own children hundreds to one, if not thousands at this point.

    A month passes since thest mission to the fifth as Snt continues to mass her forces and prepare every aspect of the invasion. The highway from the fortress down to the staging ground is constantly filled with ants and others, hauling food, supplies and everything else I can think of as the poption at the foundations of the fourth continues to rise. When the time finallyes for me to report to the front, I''m practically bursting with excitement.I''ve waited way too long for this!

    The fifth might be the worst ce in all of Pangera, but my spirit of adventure is demanding I plunge into the unknown! Also, the hook in my guts that is the Call has been growing more relentlesstely. As much as I don''t want to admit it, the pain of it is not a non-factor when ites to my eagerness to descend.

    Tiny, Crinis, Invidia and I emerge into the now vast set of chambers beneath the fortress, and I resist the urge to rub my antennae across my eyes. What I''m seeing is no illusion, and I still can''t believe the transformation that''s taken ce down here.

    Where once the forward base was a rtively small thing built into the wall, it''s now expanded to a booming fortress of its own. There are tens of thousands of non-ant troops housed there now, and the surroundings have been enormously changed as well. There are a thousand battalions of ants here now, a full million individuals. Possibly the greatest army of monsters in the entirety of Pangera.

    To house such an absurd number of ants, vast dorm chambers have been constructed, each one stacked on top of the other in close proximity,yered like ky pastry.

    There''s so much movement it almost breaks my many lenses trying to track it all. Even my antennae are twitching out of control, there''s just so much scent and so many intersecting pockets of gravity.

    [Let''s head down and see where Snt wants us to be,] I tell the others, and we make our way to the main thoroughfare that cuts right through the heart of the entire operation.

    Of course, the traffic here is insanely intense. The entireplex covers several square kilometres at this point, and the bulk of that area is directly adjacent to this one road. Thankfully, it was built wide enough that having Tiny and myself walking down it at the same time doesn''t create a traffic jam.

    It does cause other problems, though.

    [Dammit, Tiny! Do you have to think about punching <em>everything</em>?!]

    A ghostly fistes flying at me.

    [Oi! I saw that!]

    At least he has the grace to look guilty.

    I was initially excited after mutating my eyes. Being able to see ''intent'' was an interesting idea, and as soon as it was done, I realised exactly what it did. My antennae can let me see the future, just a smidge, but that is of the movement that is <em>definitely</em> happening. What I can see with my eyes is the <em>intention</em> to move. It has to be more serious than just thinking about it, and it only works for strikes, but it''s still pretty nifty.

    The first intent I saw was ghostly fists flying out from Tiny to smack into walls, rocks, the ground¡­ pretty much everything.

    Which was fine¡­ except it never stopped! He''s thinking about punching stuff <em>all the time</em>. Every ant that walks past us, every <em>single</em> one, ghost fist. He sees an uneven bit of ground? Ghost fist. Invidiands on his shoulder? Ghost fist.

    <em>Anything</em> moves, in <em>any way</em>? Ghost fist.

    It''s absolutely exhausting!

    I carefully avoid considering what Crinis thinks about doing to me. There''s no need to open that can of worms.

    I find Snt in the centralmand, which is lucky since she''s usually out and about sticking her little antennae into everything.

    "Hey there, little general! Are we about ready to get this show on the road?"

    "If you mean, invasion into the fifth, then yes. We will begin marshalling in the morning, which should take four hours or so, then we will attack. I hope you''ve been over your instructions."

    "Of course I have. You gave them to me weeks ago."

    "When did you read them?"

    "Well¡­ yesterday."

    "Go over them at least another ten times. We can''t afford to have any ws or dys in our n of attack."

    "Ah, so you noticed as well."

    "Not me," she denies, "Cont was here a few days ago."

    Makes sense. The mage ants have been keeping track of these sorts of things for a while now.

    It''s only faint, but the mana has just begun to creep up again. The next wave is still a long way out, but it''s building. If we don''t secure our ce in the fifth before it hits, we are going to be so, so dead.

 Chapter 1288: The Colony Invades!

    Chapter 1288: The Colony Invades!

    Well, let me say this, Snt really does know how to host a get-together. I get the best view, because, as usual, I''m the lucky chap who gets to go down the tunnel first. Which means I''m right in the middle of the staging ground as the full invasion force takes shape around me. As Snt had predicted, it takes hours for everyone to get into ce, not just row after row of ants, but the allies going down with them, the wuffers, the carvers and all the materials they need to construct the nodes as we go.

    I''ve only taken a glimpse at the full extent of the ns Snt hasid out, but even that was enough to give me a headache. As I look out on all of these individuals, I know that Snt has given each and every one of them extremely detailed orders, down to the minute of execution.

    This whole thing has been nned down to the seconds. Good thing I gave Invidia and Crinis the schedule, otherwise I''d have no chance of keeping up.

    There''s a whole lot more wuffers here than I expected. I don''t know how the core shapers are managing to pump them out, but whatever they''re doing, it''s working. The ones who saw experience in the fifth already have evolved a step as well, which puts them at tier six.

    Each of them represents a massive investment of resources from the Colony, and we absolutely can''t afford to let them be caught by the enemy. Of all the things that this invasion n focuses on, the safety of the wuffers is of the utmost importance.

    When everyone is assembled, it''s a fearsome sight. A million ants, each in perfect formation along with our allies, united in purpose. Their Will flows into me, filling me with their thoughts and expectations. Each of them believes in the absolute victory of the Colony, and that thought pours into me over and over again, until our sess bes inevitable in my mind.

    There''s never a time I''m more frightened of the Vestibule than when suchrge numbers of ants are so in sync. Their Will forms such a raging torrent it almost washes my own thoughts away.

    "You ready, Snt? Let''s do this!" I exim.

    My core is thumping with energy, and the energy is pounding throughout my carapace.Despite everything happening around us, Snt is perfectly calm; not even a twitch of her antennae betrays a hint of nervousness.

    "It''s not time yet, Senior," she tells me.

    "When will it be time?" I demand.

    She confers with an ant beside her.

    "One minute and neen seconds," she tells me.

    "Dammit!"

    I''m starting to feel a little self conscious standing here with over a million individuals looking at me. Surely we can go? The wait for the final minute is almost unbearable, but I master myself, and the seconds tick by.

    "Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Begin the invasion," Snt announces calmly.

    "Whoo!"

    I practically dive over the edge and into the tunnel to the fifth, freefalling for a dozen metres before I m my legs into the rock wall, gripping tight to slow my descent.

    "Not much for inspirational speeches, are you?" I call back to Snt.

    "Not necessary," she dismisses the thought. "Good luck, Senior, I''ll see you soon."

    Like a good general should, Snt is going to make sure everything is going off without a hitch in the staging ground and trust that those of us leading the charge know what we''re doing. I mean, she <em>should</em> have confidence; she made everyone drill and practise this a thousand times.

    Like the leading drops at the crest of a wave, I throw myself down the tunnel, an impossible pressure following in my wake. The poisonous muck of the fifth growsrger in my vision, but such is the overwhelming power flooding through my Vestibule, I don''t even care.

    Barely slowing myself at all, I hurl myself down into the filth, dropping into the fifth like an ant-shaped missile.

    And of course, the weing party is there in full force.

    The filth in the tunnel has been thickened, to the point it''s almost flooded with mucous. As soon as Ind, I can barely move as the toxic goop begins to gum up my joints and push tainted mana into my body. I can already feel monsters swimming through the gunk, approaching this apparently vulnerable prey with malicious intent.

    Is that you, slugs? Well, I appreciate this wee so much, let me give you a gift!

    <strong>HOOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLL!!!!</strong>

    But I''m so generous, one is simply not enough!

    <strong>HOOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLL!!!!!</strong>

    The wuffers and first wave of ants are already descending down the tunnel and I n to wee them with a fully cleannding zone. We aren''t mucking around down here!

    The bombs rip through the mucus and detonate a few hundred metres away, the powerful vacuum force dragging the sludge away from me. This stuff is so dense and thick with mana that those two weak bombs won''t be enough to clear everything at once, but it''s going to be a heck of a start.

    Ghostly lines of assault appear before my eyes, and soon after, my antennae begin to tingle as invisible enemies still attempt to strike me.

    Good luck!

    The Altar shes with power within me, and all that energy floods into my carapace. The Gravity Compressed Diamond pulses once, then explodes with light, sting back every attack. After the initial burst, it continues to pulse as the Will soaks into the diamond.

    You think you can put your filthy ws on this magnificent beast?! Nonsense!

    In the distance, the two gravity bombs peter out, the gravitational mana within having been consumed. But that''s totally fine.

    <strong>HOOOOOOOOWWWWWLLLLL!!!!</strong>

    <strong>HOOOOOOOOWWWWWLLLLL!!!!</strong>

    Plenty more where those came from! Gweheheheheh!

    I hope the slugs, if they are out there, are enjoying this opening act. Because the Colony ising soon, and things are going to get <em>messy </em>when they arrive!

 Chapter 1289: The Krathâ€™lathâ€™s Plans!

    Chapter 1289: The Krathth¡¯s ns!

    "What is happening?!" the Krathth screamed.

    The acid and fury bubbled throughout her slug-flesh, causing it to sizzle and pop at the edges.

    The pain only sharpened her rage. The surrounding Krath leaned back from her, unwilling to fall prey to her wrath. They too felt the mindless rage of their kind rising. The ants wereing! Finally, they wereing!

    Each and every one of them needed to suffer in the acid pits for this invasion! And yet. And yet!

    "Something is consuming the Acid Mucus, Krathth," Goszi reported.

    The old Krath had positioned himself wisely, staying as far from the tribe leader as possible while still remaining in the chamber. Two bulging red eyes turned on their stalks to face him.

    "I can see that," the Krathth bellowed. She pointed with one of her spindly limbs. "Is that a <em>whirlpool</em> of mucus!?"

    It was. From their position close to the ceiling, the Krath were able to look down on where the giant ant had fallen. As part of their wee strategy, the Krath had diverted several mucus rivers into this tunnel, flooding it with the highly toxic and acidic substance.

    But now, it was being drained away, sucked into¡­ <em>something</em> that they couldn''t see. What could possibly consume so much of the dreaded stuff? Already, the level in the tunnel was half of what it had been only a few minutes ago.From the depths of the muck, they caught an asional burst of the most horrific sound, a scream of hunger so dreadful it put the burning in their own stomachs to shame.

    "Have any of the needle-eels poisoned that <em>insect</em> yet?"

    "They can''t prate its shell." Again, Goszi made the report, but from an entirely different position. As the Krathth had raged through the chamber, he''d moved carefully to maintain his distance.

    "How is that <em>possible</em>?" The Krathth raged.

    "Apparently, it''s too hard for the eels to get through," the old Krath replied.

    "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?" she screamed back at him.

    Those eels were notorious for their ability to puncture just about anything. Every monster, no matter how thick their shell, lived in fear of these eels! Once they pierced through, they would inject their digestive enzymes into the prey, liquifying it from the inside out. A terrible way to die, and a fitting end for the leader of this invasion.

    Before she could unleash her rage, the leader of the tribe was distracted by a new development at the opening to the fourth stratum.

    Large¡­ pipes¡­ were lowered down into the sludge. The moment they made contact, the metal began to hiss and steam, then rattle as they appeared to <em>suck</em> the mucus up and into the tunnel above.

    The Krathth considered what she was seeing for a moment, her eyes sizzling on their stalks as she bottled her anger.

    "They''re going to feed the mucus to their¡­ pets!" she roared. "Destroy the pipes immediately!"

    One of the Krath dove down into the river, extending his body to slip through the gunk at incredible speeds. Rapidly, he sliced through the thick sludge, expertly dodging the darting eels as he made his way to the pipes. Mere moments before he reached them, he exploded <em>upwards</em> out of the river and mmed into the rock ceiling of the tunnel.

    There he remained, pressed against the stone so hard he ttened out to only a few inches thick, wrestling against an invisible force holding him in ce. Every watching Krath shuddered in rage to see one of their tribe caught, eyes bulging on the ends of their stalks.

    Then it appeared.

    Rising up from the sludge, its carapace pulsing with dark purple light, the massive ant made its presence known. It stared straight up at the slug caught on the rock and began to ck its mandibles mockingly.

    Unable to escape, the Krath did as all his kind would do: he ruptured the acid nds deep inside his body with one w andughed mercilessly as his flesh was eaten away.

    "GUGUGUGUGUGUG!" he bellowed, before he was gone. Even then, his liquid remains were left behind, still stuck t to the roof.

    The ant cked one more time before it sank back down into the sludge, seemingly unaffected. When it waspletely gone, whatever invisible force had trapped the Krath was released.

    Before any of them could react orment, Zluth burst into the chamber.

    "It''sing," he roared. "Get clear!"

    A blue glow began to suffuse the entrance to the fourth, and shortly after, a thick¡­ <em>syrup</em> of blue mana began to descend into the fifth. Where the blue mana touched the existing atmosphere, it <em>hissed</em> and <em>frothed</em> audibly, as it shed with the existing mana.

    As soon as the blue mana appeared, so too did the ants.

    Only a dozen at first, but another dozen quickly followed, then another. More pipes descended from above, secured by the ants who attached them to the roof of the tunnel, then guided them down into the sludge below.

    "Do it NOW!" the Krathth screeched.

    Several Krath raced away while the rest seethed, audibly sizzling with rage. The blue mana infuriated them on a fundamental level. Its mere existence was ipatible with the slug-tribes and it had no ce in the fifth!

    More and more ants poured down the opening as the blue mana expanded to fill the space. Every second that passed, they established more pipes and began syphoning the mana of the fifth upward at faster rates.

    There was a change in the air, and the Krath turned as one, eyes curving into wicked half-moons as they anticipated what was toe.

    They could smell it before they could see, a wave of rot and toxin that rushed down the tunnel so fast it blew their eyes back. Further down the tunnel, a tidal wave of hissing red mucus raced towards them.

    They had intended for the ants to establish more of a presence before they unleashed the wave, but the insects were moving too fast. This ought to slow them down.

    Zluth leaned forward, eagerly anticipating the moment the ants would be swept away. However, where he expected to see panic, to see the insect monsters rushing to escape, they only continued to work, never pausing in their tasks.

    The giant ant appeared once more, rising up to the surface of the muck, cking its mandibles in a slow, sarcastic rhythm.

    Suddenly, Zluth had a bad feeling.

    He eased further away from the Krathth.

 Chapter 1290: Bombs Away

    Chapter 1290: Bombs Away

    The Krathth couldn''t wait to see the ant melt into goop once the tide of red mucus arrived. Seeded with the incredibly potent red-rust moss, it was capable of dissolving even the Krath. The ant wouldn''t stand a chance.

    "ck all you want!" she screamed down at it. "You''ll be soup soon enough!"

    And she would feed the muck to the Blubbeasts, letting them grow fat on the Biomass!

    The big ant couldn''t hear or understand her, but it paid no mind to the Krath who watched from beyond its reach, focusing all its attention toward the oing wave. The smaller ants continued to ignore the approaching disaster, rapidly establishing their tform as the blue mana continued to expand further and further.

    Already, some of the needle-eels had perished trying to fling themselves into the evil mana. The moment their elongated bodies touched it, they began to boil away, dissolving to nothing before they had gotten further than a few metres. It was disturbing to see, and it only strengthened the hate boiling within the Krathth. It was the enemy that was supposed to melt in this ce, not the other way around!

    Her eyes turned back to the big ant as it opened its mandibles wide. She leaned forward, wondering what it hoped to do. Perhaps she would get a proper glimpse of the magic it had been using before?

    Gugugugug. If it wasn''t capable of eating away the regr mucus, how could it hope to match the weight of this oing wave?

    She saw the ant brace itself and mocked it in her heart. Then¡ª

    <strong>HOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLL!!!!</strong>Like a raging demon, the spell erupted from before the massive ant and screamed down the corridor. The Krathth was forced to use her foot to grip onto the stone tform tighter as the air around her was whipped away, pulled towards the orb of darkness even as it sped away.

    "What is THAT?!" she tried to roar, but the howling wind snatched the words straight out of her mouth.

    Down the tunnel, the darkness raced until it met the oing wave and vanished inside. Immediately, the horrific sound was cut off, and the Krathth felt a surge of contempt. That feeling rapidly vanished as chaos exploded down the length of the tunnel.

    The oing wave was immediately obliterated as a sphere of pure <em>nothing</em> expanded to fill the entire width of the tunnel. A ripple raced through the air, then sted past the watching Krath, followed a secondter by a raging wind that put the earlier gale to shame.

    As one, the Krath ttened themselves down,pressing their slug flesh to its most dense as they pressed their bodies against the stone. The drag of the screeching wind was one thing, but there was another, even more frightening <em>pull</em> that threatened to rip them from their perches and send them hurtling down the tunnel and into the void.

    Even the giant ant had vanished down into the thick mucus again, no doubt to anchor itself against the forces it had unleashed.

    On and on it went, the Krathth going so far as to fully retract her stalks lest they be ripped away by that invisible force. Which meant she was totally blind as the spell rampaged. Even if she couldn''t see, she could <em>feel</em> the impact of that dread magic. The stone groaned and shuddered beneath her, jumping and rocking as sections were torn away and <em>consumed</em>.

    When it finally ended, the gathered slugs slowly expanded themselves to see what had happened.

    What they saw¡­ was ants.

    Hordes of them. Had they shielded themselves from the spell somehow? With rising anger, the Krathth watched as more and more of the creatures descended into the fifth stratum, pouring out of the vertical shaft and dropping down. The blue mana had spread much further than before, burning through the remaining mucus and reaching the tunnel floor. Ants swarmed over the exposed ground, already building, shaping, constructing, as other,rger monsters defended the expanding border of the blue mana in rows.

    Then the giant ant was there, looking up at them, those giant mandibles cking ominously. It shouldn''t have known they were there, shouldn''t have been able to sense them at all¡­.

    Had it heard her scream?

    "Move!" Zluth bellowed, darting away from the ledge, the old slug Goszi not far behind. The others were a beat slower, and the Krathth a beat slower still.

    She nearly paid for that hesitation with her life.

    The ledge shattered as giant mandibles formed of light sheared straight through the rock, barely missing the end of her body as she sprang away,unching her slug-flesh through the air and into the narrow exit. A loud, irritated <em>ck</em> resounded from behind her, and she extended her stalks to see the massive ant looking up at her. From behind the enormous creature, she could see the soft, wobbly monsters that Zluth had described being lowered down from above, ready to take their ce and spread more of their poison through the fifth.

    With a hiss and a spattering of potent acid across the stone, she retreated down the narrow tunnel,pressing her body to squeeze through.

    On the other side, she found the rest of the Krath gathered, spitting with rage and burbling to each other in furious tones.

    "It won''t be long until their filthy mana fills up the tunnel and spills into this space," Zluth dered, extending himself upward to be more visible to the others. "We can''t remain here for long."

    "WHAT?!" the Krathth roared. "You want to <em>leave?</em> With invaders pushing into the tribe''s territory?"

    "Our first n was a failure," he said, then paused just for a moment so everyone could recall just <em>whose</em> n that had been, "so we need a new one. There are too many of the filthy monsters for us to attack them haphazardly."

    "If we retreat to the tribe now, who could say how much progress they will make before we return?" the Krathth demanded. "We need to take action <em>now</em>."

    She could see the other slugs were swayed by both points of view, and that only made her angrier, but also more wary. Zluth¡­ her guts still ached to consume the acid inside him, more potent than many in the tribe had realised. Was he making a power y? She bared her fangs almost against her will. Should she eat him now?

    "It is the Krathth who leads the tribe," Goszi cut in, hawking a gob of mucus onto the floor which bubbled as it ate into the stone. "She will decide our next course of action."

    The words of the old slug brought the attention back to her, but she was too surprised to respond immediately. Goszi had spoken for her? That was unusual for him¡­. What was his scheme?

    Her eyes narrowed; she had to think quickly.

    "We will marshal the forces of the tribe for an assault! We will hit them from multiple sides, but we must do everything we can to avoid thatrge ant."

    Her flesh still crawled as she thought of the strength of its magic.

    "We unleash our crafted monsters, our Blubbeasts, and support them from the rear. We give these invaders a taste of true Krath might!"

    The others bared their fangs and hissed as they thought of crushing the insects. The Krathth turned her gaze toward Zluth.

    "We will need someone to keep a close eye on the enemy as we prepare. Zluth, stay as close to them as possible and watch. Do not return to the tribe; I will send someone to gather your report."

    Zluth spat and nodded his stalks, showing no sign of fear, but she knew he must be trembling down to his foot. Her orders were practically a death sentence. He had to stay close to the ants until she sent someone to speak to him, but that slug would nevere.

    She thought of the giant ant crushing a member of her tribe against the rock.

    A shame she wouldn''t get to feast on that potent acid, but a dead rival was a dead rival.

 Chapter 1291: The Endless March

    Chapter 1291: The Endless March

    A truly transparent effort. Zluth could have almost praised the Krathth for how tant she was, but it was difficult when the treachery was aimed at him. He controlled the frothing rage that sizzled through his veins along with the acid. Before his departure, he''d exchanged a look with Goszi. So far, things were moving along the path the old Krath had envisioned.

    The Krathth was vulnerable, her initial n a total failure. Now she was desperate,shing out and ordering a full assault. If that too were to fail, then she would be toppled from her position and consumed. All he had to do was make sure he was there when it happened, so he could get himself a taste¡­.

    Until then, he had to at least appear as if he was doing as he wasmanded, otherwise his tribe would eat him for being so obviously disloyal. Which meant he had to go back and monitor the ants.

    Compressing himself, Zluth began by moving <em>away</em> from the ants'' point of ingress. Once he''d put some distance between them, he doubled back, using every trick he knew to mask his presence and trail. He''d almost been caught by these filthy ants before, and he couldn''t allow it to happen again.

    They''d been bringing in the wibbly abominations when he''d fled, which meant the area of blue mana would have expanded significantly. Calcting this, he re-entered the tunnel upied by the enemy at what he believed to be a safe distance.

    It was not a safe distance.

    When he peeked his eye-stalks out into the open space, he was met with a wall of blue mana, oozing toward him and burning away the natural mould, moss and slime as it advanced. It was only metres away and filled with ants, bustling here and there.

    He snatched his eyes back into his hiding ce and swiftly retreated, cursing internally. How had they advanced so far, so quickly? That point had been the very limit of the space they had filled with their corruption thest time they''d visited. Were they nning to expand it even further this time?

    Moving swiftly, he zipped through the narrowwork of minor tunnels and emerged into a blooming patch of sickly, purple moss. Quickly mottling his flesh to match the pattern, he cautiously extended his eye stalks to peer down the tunnel.Yes, he had outpaced the ants, their poisonous mana was several hundred metres away now, but that didn''t mean he shouldn''t be cautious. Suppressing all signs of his presence, he ttened out his body and approached ever so slowly, using every crevice, patch of slime and mucus to hide his passage.

    As he drew closer, he became more and more disturbed by what he saw.

    There were <em>so many</em> ants. Thest time they hade, there had been thousands of them. Industrious and swarming, they had filled the corrupted area of the tunnel, always in contact, always connected to each other. But this¡­ this was absurd!

    The entire tunnel was ringed with them! On the roof, the walls and floor, many ranks deep. As the blue mana expanded, they advanced, powerful,rger-built ants in the front, smaller ones in the back. As they moved forward, they extended their pipework at the same pace, new piecesid down as quickly as the blue goop oozed forward. In the distance, Zluth could still see the tunnel entrance and the steady flow of ants moving through it. He watched as more and more came through, constantly expecting it to stop, or at least dwindle, but it never did.

    More ants came, more of the blue blobby monstrosities in a never ending stream until Zluth felt his eyes were about to pop on the end of his stalks. How many wereing through?! Already, they had to have reached more than ten thousand, and there were no signs of them slowing down!

    The mana advanced, and Zluth was forced to retreat, getting further from the entrance to the fourth as the ants expanded their control of the tunnel. It was all happening so <em>fast</em>, he couldn''t believe what he was seeing!

    He could see the ants already at work on another of the nodes he had witnessed before. Alreadypleted tes of enchanted metal were brought forward just as the stone had finished being shaped. In minutes, it was all slotted together, with pipes extended from underneath into the channels that were already prepared. Soon, the pipework had been connected and pushed out into the unimed territory. A few secondster, a blobby mass of disgusting creatures arrived and was put in ce, followed a few secondster by the flow of fifth stratum mana through the channels. The dreadful monsters chuffed and wibbled as they were <em>fed</em> the mana of the fifth, happily consuming it and emitting the blue abomination around them.

    It had taken minutes. MINUTES!

    There was construction taking ce further back as well; the ants were shaping, sculpting, reinforcing the stone, bringing down strange metalttices and enchanted beams of glittering steel. With rising horror and rage, Zluth began to realise just what he was looking at.

    This was no test incursion, no practice run. This was the real thing. The ants felt they had learned what they needed to, and now¡­ now they were moving in. None of this was temporary; they intended to stay!

    Anger and hate so pure it caused the acid to sizzle and pop in his veins flooded through Zluth, but he suppressed it just enough to avoid revealing his position. Not that his efforts at stealth seemed to matter. The ants were so preupied with their tasks they paid little mind to anything else. Any monster that attempted to challenge the wall of blue mana was set upon by hundreds and hundreds of ants. Without mercy or remorse, the insects piled onto any threat, using their numbers and overwhelming might to eliminate the threat in a matter of seconds.

    And still more wereing.

    It never stopped. It wasn''t going to stop.

    Zluth realised several things at once as he continued to back up the tunnel.

    First, the Krathth was going to fail. Even if she marshalled the entire tribe, it wasn''t going to be enough to dislodge these ants.

    Second, this incursion was going to send shockwaves through the entire fifth stratum. There would be a gathering of the tribes soon, and he was going to be there, as the new Krathth.

 Chapter 1292: The Fifth Reveals Itself

    Chapter 1292: The Fifth Reveals Itself

    Things have been going well so far. As expected, the Krath had something waiting for us, but the Colony had trusted that I''d be able to deal with whatever they conjured up. I feel like the amount of faith they put in me has only gotten higher after word of the incident at Greystone had gotten around.

    Our evil, maniacal opponents will have cooked up something truly despicable, but the Eldest will take care of us, we can just carry on as normal!

    I mean¡­ it worked out, sure. I''m just d the slugs hadn''t managed to think up something I couldn''t throw an empowered gravity bomb at. Thankfully, most of the problems posed by the Dungeon can be solved by a ck hole.

    Whoa there! Stop that line of thinking! It''s exactly those sorts of thoughts that get me in trouble when I start flinging around super powerful bombs all willy-nilly and nearly get myselfpacted!

    Yes, Anthony, most things can be destroyed by a ck hole, including yourself!

    [Hey Tiny, I''m going to the south side now. You and Invidia need to head to the north. Alright?]

    I get a thumbs up and ghost fist for my trouble.

    [Dammit, Tiny! Try and keep your intent under control!]

    Believe it or not, ghost fist.I sigh and turn around. It''s not like there''s anything he can do about it now. As far as I know, Tiny''s been flinging his intent at everyone and everything since the day I met him. I don''t even have a full understanding of what intent actually <em>is</em>.

    If I were to try and phrase it, I''d say it''s something like halfway between a thought and an action. Just thinking about chomping isn''t enough to fire out intent, you need to visualise it, have the <em>feeling</em> and <em>willingness </em>of chomping, then it''ll happen.

    Tiny is just so obsessed with hitting things that it''s basically all he does. Is he actually going to hit that ant? Absolutely not! Does he imagine doing it? How would the punch feel snapping through the air? Does he picture where he would aim, just what would happen as his fist impacted the chitin?

    Yes. Yes he does. And he does the same thing for rocks, water, strong gusts of air and everything else you can think of. If I were to hazard a guess, I''d say that''s probably why his punching Skills have been rocketing up in Levels. Seeing him in a fight is even more bizarre with this new mutation. Tiny is so good at firing off his intent, and can do it so quickly, that he flings out four ghost fists for every real punch! What''s more, to any monster sensitive enough, they can sense them! I''ve seen monsters flinching away or dodging punches that aren''t actually there and I would never have believed it if I hadn''t seen it myself.

    "Eldest, nice of you to join us at thiste hour."

    I look down at Brendant who is busy leading the charge here to the south, confused. Realisation hits me a momentter when I notice the enchanted time-keeper she has attached to one of her front legs.

    "Howte am I? A few seconds?"

    She clicks her mandibles irritably.

    "Six."

    "Oh no! Six seconds! The entire n is going to unravel now, dammit."

    I took a little extra time to berate Tiny and now here I am, getting berated. Brendant is in no mood for my flippant attitude.

    "The n that Snt has concocted requires precise timing, and we are getting further behind thanks to me having to exin this."

    She flicks her mandibles at me as if to say <eme on, Eldest¡­</em> and I am suitably chastened. I begin to stride forward.

    "Alright then, let''s get moving."

    Without hesitation, I plunge through the expanding wall of blue mana and into the poisonous atmosphere of the fifth. This is a dangerous part of the n. Well¡­ all of the n is dangerous, we''re invading the most inhospitable environment in the Dungeon, but this is a tricky bit. We''re building and fortifying as we go, but we don''t havepletely reliable data of what the terrain is like out here. We''re already pushing into an area that we haven''t reached before.

    Up ahead lies arge tunnel junction where the mucus river will follow a split down to a lower level, and as we approach, I can hear the screams and roars of many monsters getting a whiff of our invading blue mana.

    This is what I''m here for, after all. There are manybat-ready and capable ants here, but things will progress faster and safer if I handle as many crazed monsters hurling themselves at our expanding safezone as possible.

    As I take up my position, there''s already a monster running towards us with murder in its eyes.

    Well¡­ I wouldn''t say eyes. Or¡­ running.

    I''m looking at it directly, and even <em>I''m </em>surprised. It''s an egg. Well, it looks like an egg at least. A giant, sickly yellow egg is rolling towards me, but as it moves, I can see sections of the shell cracking open to reveal a writhing mass of grasping hands within.

    Why does every monster in this stratum have to be so <em>weird</em>?! In the fourth, I might have had to fight dragons, but I''d rather that than bite into this stupid <em>egg</em> thing!

    With a feeling of resignation, I charge through the muck of the fifth to take on the monster before it gets too close to the advancing line of ants. Rather thantch on with my mandibles, Iunch a st of roaring Dragon''s Breath toward the advancing egg.

    Sadly, it doesn''t seem to have much of an effect. The egg continues to roll toward me, several segments of the shell glowing hot and smoking. In fact, it speeds up, heading straight at me!

    Geh. Guess I don''t have a choice. I pull back my mandibles ready to bite, but just as I lunge forward, the egg explodes!

    Yellow goop and grasping hands fly into the air, and at the same moment, I feel something stir up ahead. There''s gravitational waves from many sources approaching.

    "It''s an attack!" I roar.

 Chapter 1293: Krath Assault!

    Chapter 1293: Krath Assault!

    The ''yolk'' of the egg reveals itself to be even more disgusting than what I had supposed. As the ant line behind me prepares for battle, the goop sprayed into the air turns out to be an entire colony of semi-liquid grasping hands. They flutter through the air before raining down onto the ground. I get a particrly bad feeling about these hands, so I flex my legs and use an empowered dash to get the heck out of there.

    Instead ofnding on my carapace, the wriggling handsnd on the floor of the tunnel, and that''s where the true grossness is revealed. Like writhing noodles topped with a grasping w, theytch onto the ground and start pulling themselves towards me. What''s more, they''re <em>fast</em>, way faster than they appear they should be.

    With a rising sense of <em>ick</em>, I prepare another wave of Dragon''s Breath and unleash it against the oing spaghetti swarm. It''s much more effective than it was against the egg, and I gleefully cook the pasta with the roaring jet of pure me.

    It goes well, at least I think it does, right up until I feel an unbelievable paintch onto my side.

    How in the heck?!

    Tilting my head, I can see one of the horrible things has managed to grab hold of me. Instantly, it starts pressing itself against my carapace, burning and melting into the diamond.

    Ha! You think you can burn through my gravitypressed diamond that easily? You''re dreaming! Except, I realise rather quickly that isn''t what the noodle arm of doom wants at all. After ttening itself out, it starts sliding across my carapace toward the nearest joint. The moment it arrives, it starts trying to burrow into the gap and burn its way inside me!

    GAH! That''s disgusting!

    Dragon''s Breath!Hot! Hot!

    Note to self, do <em>not</em> set yourself on fire. Thankfully, my gambit appears to have worked. I don''t detect any trace of the evil goopy thing that tried to slip its way inside my carapace.

    Seriously, the monsters in the fifth are just¡­ the worst.

    I''d expound upon their many disgusting attributes, but something else demands my attention. Ahead of me, the many sources of waves I detected have resolved into a massed charge of terrifying-looking monsters. Unlike the earlier assaults we suffered from the random Dungeon spawns of the fifth, many of these monsters share a type.

    These aren''t spawns, these are most definitely crafted pets.

    Casting my senses forward, I seek out any trace of the slimy foe, and to my surprise, I actually find them.

    The Krath are here, they''re actually here! So they weren''t content with just skulking around and watching their feeble ns fall to bits! They summoned a little gumption and came out in the open! I really didn''t think that was in their ybook.

    I can barely make them out. The crafty, slithery slugs are doing their best to hang back and stay hidden, but they''re definitely there.

    Well, since they''vee out to say hello, I might as well greet them properly!

    <strong>HHHOOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLL!!!!!!</strong>

    The gravity bomb screams into existence once more and rockets forward. All the investments I made in my gravity specialisation are really paying off right now. As the raw gravitational energy of the bomb makes itself felt, I benefit in multiple ways, my carapace soaking it in, and my gravity mana nd, now formed of Resonant Well Stone, turning that energy back into mana, helping recoup the cost of the spell.

    Without these sweet, sweet synergies, I wouldn''t be able to fling so many bombs around, but with them, I''ve got enough in the tank for a few more!

    The bomb expands, roaring into life and ripping that section of the tunnel to shreds. However, between the wind, toxins and mucus that whip through the air to be consumed, I can see something rather unusual.

    The manic charge of the beasts has halted in its tracks, the Krath coordinating the charge having retreated and ordered their pets to back up with them.

    With the ck hole screaming its fury into the tunnel, I watch with utter amazement as the Krath turn their monsters around and leave.

    Oi! Get back here!

    Have the lousy slugs <em>already</em> decided they don''t want to have anything to do with me? I almost feel insulted. Get back here and fight, you miserable sacks of slime!

    But they don''t. Now that they realise I''m here, and still packing plenty of heat, they just back off, leaving me feeling a little irritated. I mean, not being attacked is a good thing, right? Except I can guess exactly what the Krath are thinking. They want to avoid running headfirst into the big, bad ant, which means they''ll just attack somewhere else, if they aren''t already. Lousy sneaks.

    As much as I''d like to run off to the other side of our expanding mass of blue mana, I can''t! Snt has a n, and that n requires me to be here, protecting the front as it expands. Besides, if I were to leave, who''s to say they just wouldn''te back and attack here?

    As if on cue, more weird native monsters show up, rushing toward the Colony lines with mindless rage in their eyes, spewing poison from every orifice.

    Which means Tiny is going to have all the fun punching slugs on the other side of the tunnel.

    Dangit!

 Chapter 1294: Smash the Slugs!

    Chapter 1294: Smash the Slugs!

    The giant, bat-faced gori turned away from the small, slightly uneven section of dirt he''d been picturing himself punching and saw the first of the attacking monsters begin to charge. Excitement sparked in his belly, along with actual sparks, but it was a mild sort of interest at first. A few beasts, most of which would be blown apart by the friendly one before they even reached him, weren''t something to get too worked up over.

    But then, something <em>amazing</em> happened.

    More monsters emerged! Not only did they emerge, they charged! Right before Tiny''s widening eyes, a full assault materialised as if from nothing. He was so happy.

    Energy surged through his bulging limbs as lightning began to crackle all over his body, the pleasant tingling sensation it brought only further lifting his mood. Some of the beasts were <em>massive</em>, little more than huge mouths propelled by fat, crawly legs that belched yellow gas from vents along their bodies. Hitting them was going to be so satisfying!

    Filled with joy, Tiny pounded his open palms against his chest, beating out a war-rhythm as he bellowed his challenge at the horde.

    All around, the ants readied themselves for battle, the lines of little ones clearing space around Tiny''s feet and giving him room to punch in.

    BOOM!

    An explosion rocked the tunnel, blue mes belching outwards, dust, rock and mucus flying everywhere. Tiny leaned forward, concerned the friendly one had taken out one of the big monsters, but grinned when he realised they were fine.

    [<em>I will leavesssss the fat onessss for you,</em>] the friendly one dered, cing a mini-hand on Tiny''s impossibly broad shoulder.The big ape gave his little friend a thumbs up and extended a finger to rub him on his lid, at the top of his eye. Invidia had always been helpful, but since evolving, he was so¡­ so <em>nice</em>! Such a good friend.

    Turning his attention back to the oing horde, Tiny hooted with joy as he judged the time had almost arrived. Drawing back one arm, hepressed the power of his lightning, then sent it sting forward along with his fist.

    A bar of lightning arced through the air, sizzling with energy before it fell just short of his target, sting the rock and sending dust flying.

    So close!

    Eagerly, he drew back for another try, but then paused, confusion and sadness welling up from within. The charge had <em>stopped</em>. But¡­ but they were outside punching range¡­ why would they stop?

    The huge mouth-beasts, and other, squishy-looking creatures rose up, and Tiny could sense the power they gathered. As one, the monsters leaned forward and unleashed sts of thick goop which flew in a graceful arc toward the ants'' position.

    Tiny wrinkled his nose in disgust as the awful stuff flew towards him. He raised both hands and unleashed a blinding flurry of punches. The air <em>warped</em> in front of him for a brief moment, bent out of shape by the speed of his fists. Light exploded outwards as each of his blowsunched a fist of light out of the safe-zone. His aim was unnerving, each punch connecting with a different st of goop and annihting its momentum, sending the stuff sizzling to the tunnel floor.

    Even then, there were so many globs that dozens still made it through and entered the safe-zone. The moment they contacted the blue mana, they popped and sizzled, the dense mana inside fighting to ovee the purified energy provided by the wuffers.

    All of this was greatly upsetting to Tiny. He wanted to punch, but the punching bags didn''t want to get close enough¡­.

    No matter how much he wanted to leap out of the safe-zone, he knew he couldn''t. He''d been <em>ordered</em> to stay in the blue¡­ which meant he couldn''t leave. Stupid orders¡­.

    [Don''t even put a finger out there,] Crinis snapped at him. [You know what will happen to you.]

    Tiny rolled his eyes. She was too good at working out what he was thinking. He always wondered how she managed it.

    Just as he was growing more disgruntled at the situation, a ray of light shone through the darkness in the form of a little ant tapping him on the leg with her antenna.

    He looked down and felt the touch of the ant''s mind against his own.

    [We are going to perform the burst manoeuvre. You will have twenty seconds to perform an offensive assault.]

    Upon hearing this, Tiny frowned, thinking. The ant looked up at him patiently. Suddenly, the big ape blinked, smacking one fist into his open palm.

    The burst move! He remembered that one!

    Satisfied he knew what was happening, the little ant nodded and skittered away as Tiny began to limber up. This was going to be <em>exciting!</em> Clearly, his siblings had also been given the same message, as Crinis'' pesky warnings rang in his head shortly after the ant had left.

    [Remember, we don''t get much time! Very, very little. So don''t waste any of it with your silly flexing and posing.]

    Flexing and posing were <em>not</em> silly, they were dignified and sombre expressions of power and physique! However, Tiny was forced to agree that a quick attack was not the ce for such a thing, so he signalled with a thumbs up.

    [<em>I will givesssss you lightingterssssss,</em>] Invidia promised and Tiny gave him a broad grin.

    Truly, appropriate lighting, the odd fire and a climactic explosion were the <em>perfect</em> backing toplete a flex routine!

    Filled with good cheer and a building, wrathful energy, Tiny was bouncing on his feet and swinging at the air as the ants prepared their confusing, dizzying formation. With so many circles moving one way or another, Tiny found watching them made him feel a little sick, so he carefully averted his gaze as they began to march.

    Even if he wasn''t watching, he could feel it. The blue mana pulled back slightly, and more was pulled out from behind as the ants manipted the energy, causing it to pulse back and forth.

    It was like waves, Tiny thought. They started small, but the ants, who were clever, could turn small waves into big ones, and big ones into a <em>huge</em> one.

    The enemy continued tounch their acid towards the ant lines, but Tiny and the ants just retreated further down the tunnel, letting the blue mana pack together even tighter.

    In only a few minutes, it was ready, and Tiny was covered in thick ribbons of lightning, his eyes burning red and fists pounding on the rock by the time the ants finally let it st forward. In an instant, the blue mana exploded outwards, a dense wave of power that rolled over the poison of the fifth and blew it away.

    Like a shot, Tiny was off, bounding over the ground as a blur, his sister Crinis slipping through the shadows all around him and his brother (and good friend) Invidia pping by his side.

    In moments, they had reached the enemy lines, who recoiled in fear from the surging blue energy, their lines dissolving into chaos.

    Tiny pulled back his fists.

    This was going to be FUN!

 Chapter 1295: Tidal Wave

    Chapter 1295: Tidal Wave

    Zluth had known the Krath would refuse to attack the giant ant, so he''d repositioned himself on the other side of the tunnel. He''d had to dodge several members of his own tribe on the way. The Krathth still had sway amongst the members of the Slee tribe, and he couldn''t be too careful.

    Still, it was necessary that he be able to truthfully im he had done the task assigned to him. So he slithered down the tunnel, using his cunning and guile to evade the ants and his own kind in order to arrive at the other side of the invaders'' advance.

    He had expected the Krathth to fail in her assault. The Blubbeasts and various pets painstakingly raised by the tribe would go to waste, and perhaps some of the Krath would be caught in the mess as well.

    What he saw exceeded his expectations many-fold.

    The surge of blue mana had been so potent, so rapid, even he had almost been caught up in it. For a moment, the acid had congealed in his flesh as the blue menace had raced towards him. Only by squeezing himself back into the tunnel and fleeing did he manage to survive.

    When the corrupted mana retreated, he cautiously emerged once more, extending a tentative eye-stalk into the open to see what had transpired.

    It was a catastrophe. The gathered strength of the Slee had been obliterated in less than a minute. Amongst the carnage, he could see several of his fellow Krath, broken and burned by the toxic power spread by the invaders.

    Despite the catastrophic loss for his people, Zluth felt a surge of triumph. The Krathth, even if she had survived, was finished. He would need to rejoin the others soon to ensure he secured himself a taste of her despair. It would be easy, after that, to position himself as a potential recement. If Goszi followed through on his intentions, then he had a good chance to seize that position.

    The blue mana had retreated after that disastrous surge. In fact, it had retreated further than where it had started. Clearly, that st of mana had weakened the amassed energy, and now the ants worked to build it back up again. Confident in his analysis, Zluth crept out into the tunnel, sliding down the wall and onto the floor.It felt¡­ so <em>strange</em>. The strands of thick mucus that should have hung from floor to ceiling¡­ gone. The thickyer of slime that should carpet the tunnel floor¡­ gone. Everywhere he looked, fungal blooms and gardens of mould that had been so poisonously vibrant only minutes ago nowy withered and dead, choked to death by the mana of the ants.

    The fury that thumped eternally within his slug flesh roared to new heights as he witnessed what the ants had nned for his home. They intended to kill everything, to <em>change</em> it. As he slithered over the lifeless tunnel floor, Zluth was repulsed by what he saw and felt. This must have happened in the past, there had been many attempts to tame the fifth, but he''d never beheld such an appalling scene with his own eyes.

    Deeper in the tunnel, the ants were regrouping themselves. Some of their pipework had been lost during the surge, but they hadponents ready to rece it. It was difficult for Zluth to see all the way back to the entrance; there was so much activity in the corrupted space that picking out individual details was almost impossible. It appeared as though the ants had already put in ce a¡­ ramp¡­ or moving tform system to ferry things down from above. In fact, it was possible they had already taken steps to widen the entrance.

    Taking advantage of the space afforded by the ants'' momentary withdrawal, Zluth crept closer, keen to see just what was happening in the heart of the invasion. It wouldn''t be long until the blue had spread so far he''d never see it again until the monsters had been utterly defeated, so he <em>had</em> to seize this chance.

    Using all his guile, he slipped closer, though it was difficult given how barren and lifeless the tunnel had be. Eventually he managed to find a crack running along the roof of the tunnel, and he squeezed himself into it, travelling as quickly as he could.

    Once he judged he was close enough, he extended a single stalk and twisted it around to look in the right direction.

    In an instant, the acid froze in his veins, then heated to a roaring sizzle as the rage ignited within him.

    They <em>had </em>expanded the entrance. There were now two moving tforms ferrying things down to the tunnel floor from above, and it would soon be four as a swarm of ants worked to chisel the opening wider, but that wasn''t what outraged the Krath.

    There were <em>humans</em>ing down. Armed and armoured, they moved in concert with the ants, rushing out into the tunnel and forming up battle lines. Robed figures with bizarre appendages poking from their heads took positions amongst the ranks of insect monsters, their hands raised or heads bowed low.

    There were golgari there as well, <em>and</em> bruan''chii, <em>and </em>ka''armodo! As he watched, oblivious to the approaching wall of blue mana, Zluth''s mind churned. Just what was he witnessing?!

    All of these factions, aligned in purpose?!

    Of <em>course</em>! It all made sense now. The ants were not the leaders of this expedition, they were a creation, a tool, wielded by the sapient races from further up in the Dungeon against the fifth!

    This wasn''t some random monster invasion, this was a unified effort, an alliance of kingdoms, seeking to crush the fifth once and for all!

    Snapping back to himself, Zluth retreated along the crack, then forced himself out and began to race away.

    He had to catch up with the rest of the tribe. The Slee alone would not be enough to take on such an opponent! The Krath would need to unify for the first time in centuries!

    As he fled, he turned one stalk behind him for a final glimpse at what they faced. The reinforcements were endless. Every time one of the tforms came down, it was loaded with people, ants, and supplies. Unloaded in seconds, it would vanish back up into the tunnel, then reappear again secondster with another full load.

    Before he escaped into one of the narrow off-shoot tunnels, he''d already lost sight of the entrance. The ants¡­ no¡­ the <em>invaders</em>¡­ had already blocked his view with walls.

    It would take days¡­ perhaps weeks to bring the tribes together. Just how established would the invasion be in that much time?

 Chapter 1296: Nest Construction

    Chapter 1296: Nest Construction

    "MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!" Isaac roared, though he felt as if he needn''t have bothered.

    The targets of what his mother had lovingly called ''motivational yelling'' were a squad full of human couriers, carrying supplies for the ant builders. Even before he''d opened his mouth, they were hauling backside just as quickly as they could, almost running with heavy burdens slung over their shoulders.

    Well, he was here to make sure the supplies moved ording to schedule, and by the plops of the pious, that was exactly what he was going to do.

    "Rest when you''re dead! Drop off that gear and get back to the lifts! GO! GO!"

    Again, he needn''t have bothered. The men and women carefully dropped their burdens in the predetermined positions and then turned and sprinted back to the entrance, ready to collect the next load. Each and every one of them had a look of such focused determination on their face that Isaac was slightly taken aback. How many times had he seen such single-minded focus in anyone? Not many!

    Even scarier, was that he could easily understand what motivated them. Somehow, that tricky little general, Snt, had forged such an incredible sense of purpose in everyone taking part in this invasion without ever saying a word.

    She didn''t have to.

    The extensive drills, the manic attention to detail, the exhausting standards of perfection, all spoke of just how serious, just how consequential this mission was, better than any motivational speech could hope to. With the next load of materials came another squad of couriers, already loaded up, and they too began to sprint the moment their tform touched the ground.

    Deciding he didn''t need to worry about ensuring those ferrying supplies needed motivating in the short-term at least, Isaac turned his attention to his fellow ant riders."Brindle! Make sure you aren''t obstructing the path! Keep your damn eyes peeled! Remember where we are, we could be knee deep in the plops in a <em>second</em> down here!"

    "Aye, captain!" the normally reticent ant-rider snapped back.

    He and his partner repositioned themselves slightly, ensuring they didn''t block ess for the couriers and actively watching the walls and ceiling all around them.

    More supplies were rushed in, and soon a steady stream of smallish ants began to arrive, easily identifiable by their odd front legs and ws. These were the carvers, ready to begin the great work. Among them was a seldom sighted, though expected face: Tungstant, one of the leaders of the caste.

    She rushed forward along with the rest of her kind, each carrying pre-builtponents, ready to be slotted in with the rest for the mighty construction they were about to undertake.

    "Ready to build?" Isaac asked, attempting to inject some levity into the moment with a broad smile and a stroke of his fine moustache.

    "No," Tungstant snapped back, her antennae practically vibrating with tension. "Trying to construct apletely sealed nest in an active warzone while surrounded by hostile, absurdly hazardous mana ispletely impossible!"

    Holding his smile in ce, Isaac absorbed the st of pheromones as Cavnt shifted beneath him.

    <em>I told you to keep your mouth shut around the carvers</em>, her posture shift told him.

    Already the carvers were getting to work, a torrent of mana being summoned and driven into the tunnel rock around them. Holes were drilled, gleaming, enchanted beams were installed and then sealed in, tes withplex enchantment arrays were locked into ce in a grid pattern, and then, finally, they got to work tunnelling down.

    As space opened up, the blue mana sank down into it, thickening and growing more dense as it went, the enchantments lighting up as they made contact with cleansing energy.

    "You seem awfully keen to get to work on a task you consider impossible," Isaac observed, not willing to learn his lesson.

    "We''re the carvers of the Colony," Tungstant snapped back, her eyes focused in every direction at once, supervising the work of all the members of her build team. "We do the impossible on a regr basis. Now be quiet and let me focus, this is difficult work."

    Finally deciding to take that advice, Isaac and Cavnt took a few steps back and Isaac returned his attention to the tunnel. Here in the heart of the blue, they weren''t expected to see much trouble, but that didn''t mean it wouldn''te anyway. In the distance, he could see Anthony taking a rest, purging himself of the corruption that had no doubt built up within his body after hisst foray out into the gunk.

    For several minutes, the carver team, and others just like it, worked furiously, preparing for the next stage of the invasion/construction. Human and ant teams worked without pause, ferrying pre-made construction materials to the site in an endless stream as, little piece by little piece, the grand edifice began to take shape.

    "Breakthrough in two!" Tungstant announced suddenly, and her cry was echoed down the line of building teams.

    "Two here as well!"

    "Three minutes!"

    "ckers! Two, here!"

    "One minute!"

    And, of course, just in time, wave after wave of troops arrived, along with apanying packs of wuffers, along with more build teams carrying everything they needed to establish more purification tes.

    "Get ready, you lot!" Isaac called, using his voice this time. "We are going down in the second wave! Remember the n!"

    With grim expressions, the ant cavalry gathered themselves behind the ranks of front line troops.

    "Breach!" Tunstant roared.

    "Breach!" from the next team over.

    "Breach!" a momentter from the rest.

    Slowly at first, then in a flood, the blue mana rushed down the tunnels and burst into whatevery below. The lead teams gave it a moment to push back the toxic atmosphere, then plunged into the tunnels themselves.

    Isaac watched as thousands of ants raced down into the darkness, and could only shake his head. How could he possibly have imagined himself being in this position? Yet here he was all the same.

    "We are right in the plops now," he muttered.

    When he thought of just how deep the n called for him to go today, he had to brace to stop himself from shuddering. Gradually, the ranks in front cleared as the troops advanced below, and far too soon, it was his turn to advance.

    "Alright,ds andsses," he bellowed, "into the deep we go!"

    With a roar, both vocal and pheromonal, the ant cavalry charged into the depths.

 Chapter 1297: Chrysalis Volume SIX is out! Whoo!

    Chapter 1297: Chrysalis Volume SIX is out! Whoo!

    Hey there folks.

    Just posting to announce the release of the finely tuned and polished Chrysalis Volume Six: Antvance into the Unknown!

    You can find it on amazon right HERE: Chrysalis 6: Antvance into the Unknown: A LitRPG Adventure: RinoZ: 9798338397961: : Books

    Whoo!

    Also, if you can find it in your heart to click through and leave a rating or review, which helps a TON with visibility for the novel, then I will perform a single jumping jack in your honour.

    FOR THE COLONY!

    (thanks for supporting the story everyone :D)

 Chapter 1298: New Leadership

    Chapter 1298: New Leadership

    "There isn''t time! We need to abandon the Slimeground!"

    "Are you a traitor to the tribe? We fight!"

    Zluth could hear the heated argument even before he arrived. He''d pushed himself to the limit to race back through the twisted and narrow gaps between the tunnels, and even so, he''d barely returned ahead of the flood of deadly blue mana that had begun to fall deeper into the stratum.

    He burst into the opening, only a few hundred metres from the hidden entrance to the tribe''s home, to find arge gathering of Krath, almost the entire Slee tribe, furiously arguing the next course of action. Surprisingly, the Krathth was still alive, swelled up to herrgest size as she attempted to intimidate the others into submission.

    As he approached, he could smell the fear, rage and desperation in the air. It was a heady mix, and dangerous as well. This many of his people together, with this heightened atmosphere, could lead to the destruction of the tribe as they frenzied and destroyed each other until only a few remained.

    Although it was perilous, this was also a moment of opportunity. Boldly, he pushed himself into the middle of the gathering, a thick trail of slime left in his wake.

    "The ants areing," he announced loudly, causing eyes atop their stalks to turn towards him. "They''ve begun tunnelling directly down towards us, spreading the blue mana down as they go. It won''t be long until they reach this ce."

    "That''s impossible! There''s no way they could know where the Slimegrounds are hidden!" someone protested from nearby.

    "They don''t," he replied confidently, "but it won''t matter. They are simply digging down over a wide area. Unless they stop before they reach us, they''ll be here in a matter of hours.""You appear now. Where were you with this intelligence when our tribe fought the invaders directly?" the Krathth spat, acid bubbling from the surface of her flesh. "Our beasts were destroyed, our warriors poisoned, while this coward huddled in the crevices."

    It was an attempt to turn the ire of the tribe away from herself and onto another target, but it was weak. She''d reminded them of the failed attack herself.

    Zluth drew himself up even taller, not retreating from herrger form in the slightest.

    "I was scouting, alone, <em>as my Krathth had ordered</em>. I''m surprised you have even shown your face here after the disaster you''ve caused. The Slee tribe has never been weaker than we are now, without our pets, with only immature and undeveloped Blubbeasts, and now forced to flee our Slimegrounds and face the wilds alone! You have brought the tribe to the brink of destruction!"

    The stench of rage and fear only intensified with his words, escting the tension to the brink of disaster. The Krathth sensed it too, spreading her many, stick-thin wed arms wide as she opened her maw to reveal her needle-pointed fangs. Several nearby Krath moved back from her, wary of her fury, but many others did not, which Zluth noted with glee. The fear of her was failing. The rest of the tribe knew exactly who was to me for thistest failing.

    "My only mistake was in trusting the information my scouts had provided," she hissed, slithering towards him, her eyes bulging red and full of menace. "Had we known the ants were capable of spreading their poison as they did, we would have seeded in driving them back!"

    Again, she tried to deflect the me. Someone would have to pay for the failure that had urred today, and every slug in attendance knew it. With one eye, Zluth sought out Gozsi in the crowd, who caught his look and nodded slightly. He was ready.

    Acid burned like fire through Zluth''s body as he prepared himself. This was the moment; if he was sessful here, he would be the leader of the Slee, but if he failed, he would be consumed instead. If Goszi was legitimate in his offer of support¡­ he had a good chance.

    "This is why you are a failure, not only as Krathth, but as a Krath!" he roared, and the crowd hissed at his deration.

    The Krathth surged forward, maw wide, but the tribe was there, throwing themselves on her and pulling her back. They wouldn''t allow her to simply devour the challenger to maintain her rule. It was the most devious and cunning Krath who led, not the strongest.

    "Why would you risk so much, an all-out attack, draining the strength of the Slee, when you knew so little? The ants moved quickly, and you <em>panicked</em>. Overconfident and uncautious, the opposite of a true Krathth!"

    "We are the masters of this domain!" she roared. "Would you have us sit to the side and allow them to invade? Take what is rightfully ours? You have proven yourself to be a coward over and over again!"

    "You call me a coward, when I have spent more time at the edge of the invasion than any other member of the tribe? How close were you? When the mana surged forward and our warriors were poisoned, where were <em>you</em> standing, Krathth?"

    He didn''t wait for her to reply, instead turning his attention to the surrounding Slee.

    "It''s a good thing I remained at my post, because I have learned the true extent of what we face! With a more wise and cunning leader, we could face the onught with our full strength, but instead we are diminished due to the rash, idioticmands of this fool!"

    "What do you mean?" Gozsi demanded, sliding forward out of the crowd. "What do we face?"

    The Krathth remained pinned to the ground, thrashing and growling, unable to control her rage. Zluth felt a surge of triumph as he delivered the terrible truth.

    "Once the ants had fought off the tribe, their true masters began to descend into the fifth," he spoke boldly. "Human soldiers and mages moved among them without fear."

    The atmosphere amongst the gathered Krath instantly changed. A monstrous incursion had changed to an invasion by the humans? Was the Child Emperor behind this?

    That was much more serious.

    "But that''s not all," Zluth continued, snatching their focus back to himself in an instant. "I saw golgari amongst them as well."

    The Empire of Stone as well! The Krath hissed, fearful.

    "And ka''armodo, and Folk, <em>and</em> the bruan''chii!" he dered finally.

    There was silence as the Slee processed what they had heard. Had the entire world united against them? Would this be a war for the very survival of the fifth?

    Eyes, red with incandescent rage, turned toward the Krathth, still held down by fellow members of her tribe. In the face of such raw anger, even she was able to seize control of herself. Finally, Zluth saw it, the fear in her eyes.

    "I will lead us into the wilderness," Zluth dered. "Only the gathered might of the tribes will be able to stand against this enemy. Gather what you can from the Slimegrounds, but we have only a short time before we leave."

    Some of the Slee had already turned to race back into the hidden home of the tribe, whereas others waited, knowing what woulde next.

    "Now let us dispose of this <em>fool</em>," Zluth dered, teeth shing in an evil grin.

 Chapter 1299: Acid Lake

    Chapter 1299: Acid Lake

    I just can''t believe how terrible it is down here. Well, I <em>can</em> believe it, but just when I think the fifth can''t get any worse, it somehow manages to find a new low. We haven''t even managed to dig that deep into the stratum, maybe a kilometre, and already things are going to plops, as Isaac would say.

    "What is that, Brendant?"

    "What do you mean, Eldest?"

    "I mean, what are we looking at?"

    "Isn''t it obvious what we''re looking at?"

    "Indulge me."

    "It''s ake of acid."

    "Why is there ake full of acid?"

    "Because there is? I feel like you''re asking the wrong ant, Eldest. We can get Brilliant to try and exin the origins of thiske.""I don''t think that will be necessary, I''m just getting depressed."

    In front of me, directly below our position at the ceiling, the offensive body of <em>not</em> water bubbles away menacingly, oblivious to my mounting disapproval. Tiny turns to me and raises an eyebrow.

    "No, Tiny, you can''t punch it."

    He looks sad. I''d kind of hoped that raising his intelligence would lead him to consider other solutions, ones that didn''t involve his fists, but s, all that seems to have happened is that he can now think of more things to hit. Rather than watch the steady barrage of ghost fists flying from Tiny to the acid below, I turn toward Snt, who has finally descended to lead from closer to the front.

    "Did we know this was here?" I ask.

    She shakes her head.

    "We weren''t able to sense this far into the stratum, but such obstacles weren''t unanticipated."

    "You thought we might run into an entireke of acid?"

    "I tried to anticipate many different eventualities," the small ant demurs.

    After digging down through a few levels of the fifth, encountering several of the massive, kilometre-plus wide tunnels we''d found so far, we eventually broke through to <em>this </em>mess. It''s a massiveke filled with a thick, goopy mess of bubbling, acidic snot.

    I hate it.

    To make matters worse, there''s clearly a <em>heap</em> of monsters inside it. We can see them wriggling and writhing down there, the surface of theke shifting unnaturally as they shuffle about below. A few have tried to break the surface, perhaps sensing the cleansed mana above their heads, and from what I saw, they looked like nothing so much as¡­ mucous crabs, I guess I would say, even if I hate that phrase.

    It''s not even possible to guess how deep it is, since the acidic goop is so thick you can''t see more than a millimetre into it!

    "So how are we going to get through this mess?" I ask with a sigh.

    "As quickly and as safely as we can," Snt replies.

    I notice that she won''t give details unless I actually press her for them.

    "Care to exin?"

    It''s almost like she''s irritated at having to tell me the n! She''s asking for a thwacking, I tell you.

    "Ultimately, this invasion is a war of mana against mana," she says,unching into a rather more expansive exnation than I was asking for. "The natural mana of the fifth ispletely toxic to us, making it the strongest weapon the fifth has against us. Conversely, the opposite is true. The mana produced by the wuffers is anathema to the natives of the fifth, and is our strongest weapon against it. We don''t need to go down and fight the monsters beneath us."

    Oh, thank Gandalf. If someone was going down there, I know who it was going to be.

    "All we need to do is convert theke into purified mana. The cleansed energy will do the work for us."

    "Snt, you know perfectly well what my next question is going to be. Why the heck do you insist on making me ask it?"

    "I don''t know what you mean¡­."

    "Like heck! Fine! HOW are you going to convert it? If we try and pipe that stuff up, it''s going to eat into the material and break everything. If we actually feed it to the wuffers, it might melt through them as well!"

    Snt sighs.

    THWACK!

    "You are pushing your luck, little general."

    "That wasn''t necessary," she says, rubbing at her head with one antenna and ring up at me.

    "I disagree."

    "Fine. You are correct, it would be risky to try and pipe something this caustic directly to the wuffers. So we will use a different approach. Which is!"

    She hastily continues as my antennae twitch again.

    "Which is to say, we will use some enchantment arrays designed by the mages to condense and thicken the mana the wuffers produce before sending it down. It will be a war of attrition between thepeting energies, but we can bring more firepower to the area if needed, while theke can''t."

    "Huh, it sounds interesting. I suppose this is the stuff you were talking about?"

    "Just so."

    Arge gathering of mages and carvers descend the vertical tunnel above thending area which had been carved out of the rock. Even the stone is faintly toxic in this ursed ce, eating into the ants'' mandibles and forcing them to seek healing after digging for too long.

    Even the sanctity of ant zen has been tainted in this ce!

    As I ruminate on just how much I don''t like this ce, the rest of my family has gotten busy. Over the next ten minutes, an astonishing amount of construction takes ce, clearing an area and getting what appear to be <em>very</em> sophisticated arrays set up. Whenpleted, they look like a series of stone rings, each engraved and set with powering cores, stacked on top of each other with a couple of inches of space between. A dozen of them are put together in short order, while the carvers get to work creating a wuffer tform.

    It doesn''t take long for the wibbly-wobbly little things to be in ce, the pipework necessary to feed them installed and the process to begin. I watch, fascinated, as the wuffers begin to do their thing, but the blue energy is fed directly into the condensers.

    They aren''t veryrge, but once this newly made blue mana touches them, the constructs pull the energy inside, acting like a storage tank. The individual rings begin to pulse in sync with each other.

    I can sense the mana inside thickening, growing more potent with every pulse. When the appropriate density is reached, the mages activate a secondary set of mana pipes, directing the energy down through the opening in the floor and into the acidke below.

    Immediately, a furious hiss resounds as the first of the blue manaes into contact with theke, the two energies shing, each trying to consume the other. As all the condensers reach maximum capacity, more mana begins to flow through the channelsid into the ground, and the fierce noises from below intensify.

    Peeking over the edge, I can see the surface of the acidke has begun to boil and churn.

    "This might take a while," I observe.

    Snt doesn''t seem concerned.

    "We have seven more arrays we can deploy. We will get through eventually."

 Chapter 1300: The Eggs that Were Left Behind

    Chapter 1300: The Eggs that Were Left Behind

    Things are happening all over the ce. More and more ants pour down into the fifth through the entrance. Even now, hours into the invasion, the flow of troops has not slowed. In fact, it has only elerated. I can sense them all through the Vestibule, feel their iron-hard resolve and selfless determination.

    Then I sense someone who has a little <em>too</em> much selfless determination.

    Is that <em>Leeroy</em>? What in the name of heck is <em>she</em> doing down here? I haven''t exactly gone out of my way to learn all the details of the n, because my brains would probably explode if I tried, but I find it hard to believe bringing her and the Immortals down here is a good idea.

    I''m sure Snt has a n, but I can''t think what it could be for the life of me. Perhaps Leeroy bribed her to allow them to find eternal rest in the fifth? I wouldn''t put it past the moronic ant to give it a try.

    There''s so much activity going on, it''s dazzling. If I let my mind dip into the stream of Will for even a second, I feel like I''ll get swept away in the torrent. There''s fighting <em>everywhere</em>. As the Colony extends our zone of control deeper into the fifth, the number of fronts growsrger andrger. Native monsters are throwing themselves at my sisters in mindless rage all over the ce. More and more wuffer stations are being established, the carvers and mages working at a furious pace to establish thework of channels and pipes that are necessary to maintain our position, and indeed, to expand it, because we aren''t done yet.

    In fact, there''s a heck of a long way to go before we hit the mark that Snt is demanding, and things are going to get even more crazy before we get there.

    We finally broke through the acidke, which was a heck of a sight. When we were done with the thick, sludgy acid, it changed into something else entirely. I''ve got no real clue what it was, but it didn''t burn or poison us, so¡­ winning?

    The issue is what we found <em>beneath</em> theke.

    "There''s definitely a series of caverns down there," Tungstant stated, prodding at the floor beneath us.The carvers were able to create a dry spot by raising up walls and pumping any liquid out, which is where we now stand, preparing to continue digging down.

    "Naturally formed?" Snt asked, intent.

    "Let''s go with half and half," Tunstant replied, continuing to waggle her antennae back and forth as she sensed the stone. "Some of it has definitely been dug out¡­ but by what method, I have no idea. The shape of the rock is¡­ strange."

    "Perhaps it was melted away with acid?"

    Tungstant cked her mandibles thoughtfully, concentrating on what her more esoteric senses told her.

    "That''s possible," she said slowly. "It would exin how smooth the walls are."

    Snt nodded, satisfied.

    "We found them," she said, looking entirely too smug.

    "Found who?" I ask, ring.

    "This is likely to be a hiding ce for the Krath. A vige, of some sort. I expect it will have been abandoned by now, but this is an exciting find nheless."

    My antennae slump.

    "I have to go in there, don''t I?"

    "Yes, of course. There are almost definitely traps and incredibly harmful substances. None of us could hope to survive, but you at least have a chance."

    "... Yay."

    I''m surprised they were able to be found this close to the fourth, but once the carvers create an opening and I''m lowered down, it''s clear to see that some sort of intelligent creature was living here. Wild monsters don''t create such neat and organised living spaces.

    Back in the burning atmosphere of the fifth, I keep a steady flow of regeneration fluid running through my body. The count of ants providing Will to the Vestibule is rising every minute. There must be over a hundred thousand in the fifth by now, and many, many more waiting in the fourth.

    Trying to ignore the incessant irritation of having my carapace constantly melting, I do my best to take a look around.

    It''s eerie being here. I can see little holes in the wall that appear to lead into sphere-ish slug houses, stacked on top of each other and burned into the walls of the cavern.

    Much like ants, they don''t appear to stress about gravity all that much. There are paths and homes right up the walls and onto the ceiling. I try peeking inside one of the rooms, but I can''t see much. It''s so dark inside and the miasma is so thick in this ce it''s ridiculous.

    I mean, holy moly, how do they even breathe in here? The atmosphere is melting my eyes so fast the healing can barely keep up. Without a constant supply of regeneration fluid, I''d be blind as a bat in about a minute.

    Just as Snt had suspected, the ce looks abandoned. I can''t sense much of anything moving, no shifting gravity waves, no intent¡­ nothing. The ce is almost suspiciously dead.

    Which, of course, it is. When I move further in, I find what used to be their fields and cattle¡­ pits? Whatever they were raising and tending here, they made sure we wouldn''t be able to get our mandibles on it. There are signs of violence everywhere, but the bodies are gone, absorbed back into the Dungeon before I got here.

    There does appear to have been some effort at cultivating thend, though, which I find odd. Why the heck would they be growing food down here? Aren''t they monsters?

    Don''t think that I''m looking at nice, furrowed rows of rich, brown earth for a second. That''s not how things work in the fifth. They were growing mould, but not in a cool way like the termites were, but in a gross, stinking, slimy way. Yuck!

    The blue mana has already begun to descend into the cavern, slipping through the opening I entered through and cleansing everything it touches. Good luck with those pits, blue mana, you''re gonna need it!

    I try to stay ahead of the mana as I explore. If I find something interesting, I''ll need to preserve it since it''ll probably turn into mush the second ites into contact with the purified energy.

    Despite keeping that in mind, when something finally catches my eye, it''s only a split second before the mana hits it.

    A momentary parting of the haze, perhaps a lucky glint of light catches my attention and I lock onto them.

    They look like¡­ pearls, I would guess. Kind of inky ck, shiny pearls, each about the size of a hatchling''s eye and covered in a thin film of slime. There are only a dozen or so, nestled into a pool of clear fluid that clearly would have contained many, many more.

    The moment I see them, I realise what they are: eggs!

    The <em>next</em> moment, the blue mana envelops them, and they begin to sizzle.

 Chapter 1301: I Know That Song

    Chapter 1301: I Know That Song

    The eggs weren''t destroyed! Whoo! Regardless of what I might think of the Krath (it isn''t good), I didn''t want to see a bunch of eggs get roasted by the purification process.

    They were definitely <em>changed</em>, though. No longer ck, they were¡­ lighter. Not quite white, more like a¡­ a sombre sort of grey. Reaching out with my senses, I could tell that the life present within them was still there, if perhaps a little muted from what it had been before.

    When the rest of the Colony came down to join me, I was quick to point out to Snt, Tungstant and the others just what I''d found.

    "This is¡­ unexpected," Snt mused, for once not having foreseen the issue. "I would never have imagined that Krath, even unhatched, would be able to survive the purification process."

    "More than that, they may not even be monsters," I point out. "They were clearly farming and growing food down here. Mould and meat, it looks like."

    Tungstant appears quite perturbed by this revtion.

    "If they aren''t monsters, how on Pangera were they able to survive down here? The fifth is¡­ such a unique biome, I can''t imagine something being able to live here without specifically being born to this ce."

    Snt has an answer for that.

    "There are legends that the fifth wasn''t always like this. That it was corrupted by one of the Ancients. None of the stories agree on which one. Morribolg, perhaps, or Theorazzn. Perhaps even Yolesh. Only the sophos have a history of the Dungeon that goes back that far, and even they aren''t sure.""Wait, you spoke to the sophos? About the fifth?" I break in.

    Snt flicks an antenna dismissively.

    "I sought out all information avable about the fifth, from every source willing to speak to us. I have read thousands of pages, hundreds of texts, transcribed into pheromones, about this ce. Preparation is not just the key to victory, it is the victory itself."

    Yeah, yeah. Smarty legs.

    "As I was saying," she continues, "it''s possible that the Krath were not always the way they are now. Perhaps they too, like the fifth, were changed into their current form¡­ corrupted by the toxic energy that fills this ce."

    "If they weren''t always the slippery, slimy critters that they are now¡­ what were they in the past?" I wonder.

    Snt turns her eyes down to the eggs, shimmering slightly in the clear fluid around them.

    "We might be the first in thousands of years to find out¡­."

    As much as I would have loved to keep specting and chatting with my siblings, unfortunately, that isn''t my job down here in the fifth. My role is to hurl my body out into the toxic wastnds, fight off the disgusting and putrescent monsters that fill this terrible ce, and act like the canary in the coalmine.

    A shiny, amazing, diamond-coated canary.

    So once the Krath vige is secured, I am back out on the road, so to speak, exploring through the enormous, wide open tunnels, running just ahead of the cleansed area as it continues to expand downwards. It won''t be long until we hit the target depth set by Snt, and once we do, the construction will really begin. Until then, it''s my job to root out any big nasties and keep the pressure off the lead teams.

    As I use yet another <strong>Void Chomp</strong> to sh through a blubbering mass of goopy, stringy mess, it shudders and then explodes, sending invasive, parasitic little mites all over the ce. I quickly incinerate myself, which isn''t fun, but you''d be amazed at what you can get used to. I''ve had to set fire to my own body over a dozen times already. Much like that egg monster, it seems like monsters that try to invade and break you down even <em>after</em> they''ve been defeated aren''t all that umon down here.

    As the cleansing fire incinerates all the mites, who leap up at my carapace with all the enthusiasm of juvenile demons, I can''t help but sigh. Man, I''m really putting myself through a lot of punishment here. Not for the first time, I thank Gandalf for my precious Vestibule. Without the flood of energy pouring through, there''s no way I could survive out here.

    Although¡­ that would mean I''d have to stay in the blue mana, and the Colony couldn''t send me out here like this. I prod one leg into my carapace suspiciously.

    Were you really a curse all along, Vestibule? Now, at this time, you choose to betray me?

    I''m knocked out of my reflection by a slight tingle in my antennae. It''s so faint I almost miss it, but I''m so hyper-sensitive out here that I refuse to allow even the tiniest hint of sensory information to escape my notice.

    The moment I try to chase that hint down, I''m immediately puzzled. What in the name of <em>heck</em> is that? For a while, I''m not even sure what sense is talking to me, but eventually I figure out it''s my gravitation antennae mutation. There''s something producing very fine, very delicate vibrations. I''m almost tempted to dismiss it, but the more I think, waving my antennae back and forth, I can''t help but feel I''ve sensed this same feeling before.

    Like¡­ a lot, but I''ve never really paid attention to it much, given how quiet it waspared to everything else.

    The more I quietly sit, ignoring the smokeing off my eyeballs, the more confident I be. I''ve definitely felt that before, and I know exactly what it is.

    Sneaky, sneaky. Thought you could hide from me? Impossible! Determined, I begin to head toward the strange feeling, then hesitate. I have a mission, I''m on a timer. Do I really have the time to be chasing this down?

    After a moment, I throw my doubts aside. I have time, I''m ahead of schedule, and this could turn out to be important. I mean, it could turn out to be nothing at all, but it doesn''t hurt to try, right?

    Settled in my mind, I change my heading and start moving toward the unsettling yet familiar vibrations.

    You''re going to have to talk to me this time.

 Chapter 1302: Sneaky Spirit

    Chapter 1302: Sneaky Spirit

    I''m going to be honest, it takes me a while to find out where those vibrations areing from. Too long, if you want to be strict about the clock, which I should be. Once I start chasing down that tingle, it bes almost impossible to ignore.

    It''s tricky to get at it. The source seems to be moving? At the same time, it isn''t. Something fishy is most definitely going on, but as long as I keep moving forward, as long as the sense in my antennae keeps getting stronger, then I know I''m moving in the right direction.

    The fifth has a weirdyout. The first stratum was a mess of tangled little tunnels, some small, somerge, which intersected and branched off each other just as often as they came together in huge caverns. So far, the fifth is simr in the sense that it''s just tunnels, but these are all massive. The smallest I''ve seen was the first, one kilometre across, and thergest is the one I''m currently in, possibly as many as three across.

    They are <em>huge</em>.

    And in each and every one of them, there''s a¡­ flow, a sense of movement, of motion. The mana, thick, toxic and dangerous as it is, never stops moving, like it''s a living, breathing thing.

    At times, especially like now, when I''m exploring off on my own, there''s a strange sense of being inside an enormous living creature. Asrge as I am, I feel like a germ, invading the body of another organism.

    It''s unsettling, to say the least.

    I push all of that to the back of my mind as I keep trying to sniff out the sneaky little so-and-so who''s tickled my senses. I double back a few times, confused, and eventually find myself staring at the side of a tunnel that I''ve walked past three separate times, scratching at my head.

    Everything my antennae are telling me says that what I''m looking for is right in front of me. Yet, there''s nothing there. My eyes, my mana sense, smell, everything is telling me that this is just a chunk of rock, exactly the same as every other chunk of rock, and that behind it is nothing, except for more rock.And yet. AND YET.

    There''s tiny, little, waves. The slightest of gravitational disturbances, tickling and aggravating at the edge of my awareness, like the finest roots dangling from the end of a vegetable just pulled out of the dark earth.

    Stupid tree. I <em>know</em> you''re in there!

    Unsure how to proceed, I decide to take a simple approach, and open my mandibles wide so I can begin charging a truly potent Void Chomp.

    After a few seconds, the rock¡­ morphs into¡­ <em>not</em> rock, and then just peels back, parting like water to create a narrow tunnel. I close my mandibles with a soft <em>snip</em> and then walk forward. The tunnel is <em>just</em> wide enough for me to enter, but I have to fold up my legs as tight to my body as they''ll go. It''s ufortable, but I suppose that''s the point.

    After a while, I find the source of the maddening sensation, and just as I suspected, it''s roots. Feeling smug, I reach out to them with my mind.

    [Found your own little hidey hole down here, huh? How long have you been living in the fifth?]

    For a minute, there''s nothing but silence. The Mother Tree has never spoken to me directly. To be honest, I don''t even know if she can. The roots trailing down from above writhe angrily, a huge mass of them, as thin as hair, until eventually, they twist into a shape.

    It''s a woman''s face.

    Then a mind reaches out to touch mine.

    [Why are you here?]

    Her voice is kind of scratchy and thin, as if she hasn''t had to speak to anyone, even using mind magic, for a very long time. I don''t know how she speaks to her children, but it''s probably through an even more intimate method than mind to mind. Soul to soul, maybe?

    She''s clearly not happy to see me here. Even with a face formed of roots, she''s scowling at me.

    [Got a little sense of your presence, so I thought I''de and say hi,] I say, radiating smug energy.

    The vines twist in irritated knots before reforming to the face.

    [How did you find me?] she demands. [This ce should be impossible to find.]

    I don''t answer that, because of course I don''t. Instead, I ask the question that <em>I</em> want answered.

    [Do you actually live here? In the fifth? That massive tree above isn''t your real body, is it? You''ve got sneaky little roots all over the ce, sucking up mana, but this is different; you''re actually <em>here</em>, somewhere.]

    I don''t think this is her real body, here in front of me, this random tangle of roots, but for whatever reason, she felt much more <em>present</em>. She definitely wasn''t that far away, rtively speaking.

    [I am not going to tell you that,] she hisses in my mind. [Stay away from me.]

    The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Of course she''s down here. Where else is she going to ess a rich source of mana that nobody else is going to miss? She sends her taproots out into the third, into the second, maybe even the first, and I''m sure they pull in their fair share, but down here? The mana here might be <em>disastrous</em> toe into contact with, but the Colony has proven it can be made safe. By drawing in and purifying the energy of the fifth, she has a rich and ready source of power.

    The two problems are, it would cost energy to gain energy down here, so her process must keep her ahead of the curve, and secondly, she would have to avoid detection. If the Krath found out what she was doing, they would lose their minds.

    [Oh no,] I grin, [I think we''re going to have a long conversation. After all, you can help us out with what we''re doing. It affects you too.]

 Chapter 1303: War in the Shadows

    Chapter 1303: War in the Shadows

    Externally, Crinis writhed, hundreds of limbs slipping into the shadows before they emerged outside the safe-zone, tearing apart the raging beasts who threatened to attack her Master''s family.

    Internally, Crinis <em>writhed</em>, with anger! How dare these disgusting creatures try to take apart anything that her Master wanted to build? The rage fuelled her as sheunched attack after attack, spending herself unreservedly to annihte the foe.

    It was costly. Every time she extended a limb into the poison, she had to cut it off, lest it carry the infection back to her. The mana of the fifth was so virulent it tore apart her limbs in under a minute, breaking down the Dark mana that formed her body at incredible speeds. Whatever she lost, she had to rece, but the Colony was well aware of her limitations, and a steady supply of Biomass was being provided for her. Even so, she wasn''t able to fight at full pace. Soon, she would need to rest and let her reserves build up again.

    Master hadmanded that she never fall below half of her maximum capacity, and Crinis was bound to obey thatmandment, no matter what. Thinking of his care and concern for her warmed Crinis'' heart and stoked the mes of her fury.

    <em>You monsters DARE to defile that which the Master seeks to create? My kind, wonderful, perfect, strong, perfect, wise, wonderful, perfect Master?! Die. DIE. DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!!!!!</em>

    With a snap, Crinis came back to herself and realised she''d withdrawn all her limbs, without realising it. For a moment, she was incandescent with fury, then realised she''d already burned through her reserves and hit the limit.

    She grit her three sets of teeth, but managed to contain her emotions. Pulling in her flesh, Crinis returned to her preferred form, that of an ''adorable little ball,'' as her Master so cleverly phrased it.

    Considering how much she''d grown and evolved, she wasn''t able topress herself down as small as she had in the past, but even so, her Master had grownrger and didn''t seem to notice the change. Or if he had, he hadn''t mentioned it.

    A mind brushed against hers and Crinis epted the contact, allowing the ant to connect their thoughts.[How goes the defence?] Brendant asked.

    [Well,] Crinis replied, still feeling irritated that she couldn''tsh out at the monsters she could sense beyond the safe-zone. Foul beasts, hurling their vile slime and bile towards her Master''s family! Outrageous.

    [I take it you need more Biomass? I''ll have some brought immediately.]

    [Thank you,] Crinis said, recalling her manners. She shouldn''t be so consumed with anger that she forgot to be polite! [Have you¡­] she hesitated to continue, [... have you heard how my Master is doing? I haven''t seen them in¡­ more than an hour.]

    They were still connected. In fact, he still spoke to her and her brothers every now and again. But she couldn''t <em>touch</em> him, and when he was that far away, in her experience, things went very badly, very quickly! She felt uneasy and wouldn''t be able to rx until her Master was once more within her gras¡ªclose and safe where she could protect him.

    [As far as I''m aware, the Eldest is still hard at work on the front line, leading the way as the Colony descends deeper. Last I heard, they were fine, although Snt is constantly stressed the Eldest is going to go off schedule.]

    [My Master cannot be bound by any such thing as a schedule,] Crinis dered proudly. [It is foolish in the extreme to try.]

    Brendant dipped her antennae in acknowledgement.

    [You are quite correct, as always. I think there are two dozen separate contingency ns that branch from the Eldest''s actions. So far, none of them have needed to be put to use.]

    It was only a matter of time, Crinis was sure of it.

    [And my siblings? Are they behaving themselves?]

    She could reach out to them directly, but they were unlikely to tell her. Tiny would im everything was fine, no matter how bad the situation, and Invidia would not betray his confidence. The fluttering demon had always been willing to keep secrets, but now he was like a vault. A reliable and trustworthy confidant.

    [Of course. You and your fellow Guardians have been of immense help. The two of them are fighting one level below where we presently stand. Tiny has not attempted to fight outside the safe-zone, and Invidia is doing an excellent job keeping him healthy and using hisbustion magic on the enemy.]

    [As long as they''re being useful,] Crinis muttered.

    There wasn''t really any doubt. As much trouble as Tiny could get into, he always did his best to help, in his own way. With the strict conditions that the Master had put on him, there wasn''t much opportunity for mischief.

    And Invidia was there¡­ surely nothing would go wrong.

    [Thank you for taking the time to speak with me,] Crinis said, extending the top of her little blob so that she could dip it in a short bow.

    [Not at all,] Brendant replied, dipping her antennae back. [And here is the Biomass you asked for. Enjoy your meal.]

    A line of ants approached, carryingrge chunks of food which they deposited in front of Crinis, who readily snapped them up with a tentacle and shoved them into her mouth.

    It wouldn''t be long until she had regenerated her lost strength and would be able to fight again. She couldn''t wait¡­ to be helpful, obviously.

 Chapter 1304: A Friend You Can Rely On

    Chapter 1304: A Friend You Can Rely On

    <em>When ites to the obsessions that form the centre of a Demon''s identity, many fail to realise just how broad the scope of what can form this obsession really is.</em>

    <em>This is most likely due to the prevalence of certain obsessions, especially those that tend to form around the fifth and sixth tiers. Wrath, Pride, Greed and so on, the fundamental building blocks of almost all demonic obsessions, are practically synonymous with the denizens of the third stratum.</em>

    <em>However, these are not the only possibilities. Firstly, it is important to note that as a Demon type monster evolves further, its obsession can, and often does, grow moreplex, gain nuance that it didn''t possess before. Demons who seek knowledge may now hunt only for particr fields of information, or chase specific sources. Demons who obsess over ughter may now demand certain types of prey, or specific methods of killing.</em>

    <em>Secondly, one must consider the paths less travelled: obsessions that simply do not pop up as often. In my studies, I have encountered reliable cases of demons with truly rare and often bemusing obsessions. These include:</em>

    <em>Gardening.</em>

    <em>Words starting with the letter ''Z''.</em>

    <em>The scent of fried food.</em>

    <em>Red and Orange.</em>

    <em>Carpets.</em><em>Poems by Margrave De''Champaugnee (of which only three exist).</em>

    <em>-Excerpt from ''On Demons'' by Magio Schr Liruen</em>

    Not for the first time, Invidia considered what it meant to be a true friend. In fact, this was something he thought of often. To be even <em>more</em> precise, it could be said that this was something he pondered almost constantly.

    To put it directly: he was obsessed with the idea.

    Not only did he want to know the answer to this question, he wanted to <em>be</em> the answer to this question. Every moment of every hour, his prodigious mind was turned to this purpose, and he felt that, even so soon after his evolution and the subsequent shift in his obsession, he was starting to get a few solid ideas.

    Firstly, a friend was loyal.

    Tiny turned and gave Invidia a thumbs up, and the little demon returned the gesture with his own, stick-thin digits. Another wave of attackers had been sessfully dispatched, and there had been only minimal damage done to the safe-zone.

    There was no need for anyone to mention the three separate asions in which the big ape had attempted to leap out of the blue mana field, only to trip over himself as themand of their Master prevented him from carrying out the action.

    Secondly, a friend would say the things that <em>needed </em>to be heard, not only the things that someone <em>wanted </em>to hear.

    He fluttered up next to Tiny and ced his little hand on the massive, broad shoulder of his brother.

    [<em>It issss too dangeroussss to try and leapssss out. If you tripssss and fallssss</em>,<em> you may getssss poisoned. If it getsssss into your handssssss¡­ no punching for daysssss.</em>]

    Tiny pondered this advice for a moment, his frown growing deeper and deeper, until finally he was seized by fear and began to shake his head furiously. Of course Tiny didn''t want to have to wait for his hands to heal! It would be very upsetting if he couldn''t punch!

    This was already the third time that Invidia had pointed out this potential issue to his brother, but with each incident, Tiny came that little bit closer to injuring himself, and the message seemed to sink in that little bit further.

    In this way, Invidia acted as he determined a good friend should, and Tiny seemed to appreciate it. The big ape gave him a quick thumbs up and Invidia returned the gesture, all the while feeling deeply satisfied inside.

    <em>Yessssss. Givesssss me your friendsssship!</em>

    His eye gleamed with satisfaction as he felt a brief moment of fulfilment. Of course, it faded all too quickly, leaving Invidia greedy for more. It was fine, he had only just begun to take his steps along this new path. In time, he would umte more and more friends, and he would help them all, and they would feel grateful towards him, and he would enjoy this sense of satisfaction all the time!

    He fluttered his little wings happily as he contemted this future. Of course, there was one being from whom he desired friendship more than any other: his Master, but Invidia had a n, and he would be patient.

    He turned his attention once more to the tunnel he and his brother were defending. The mana beyond the blue safe-zone almost seemed to <em>boil </em>of its own ord, as if the fifth itself rejected their presence, was enraged by the invasion. Even at the edges of his mana sense, he could feel the energy of this ce writhing and drifting toward them, trying to smother this unwee infection before it took hold.

    Deep in his pocket dimension, his brain flexed, and a hundred mind-constructions began to churn. Mana was woven at dizzying speed as he reached out and¡­

    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

    Explosions began to rock the tunnel as Invidia attacked the beasts creeping towards them. Tiny watched on, sad that he couldn''t also reach out and fight.

    [<em>You will have your turnssss soon,</em>] Invidia assured him.

    The ape immediately brightened as he wasforted, and Invidia once more felt that sense of satisfaction.

    After all, wasn''t that what friends were for?

 Chapter 1305: Solantâ€™s Plotting

    Chapter 1305: Snt¡¯s Plotting

    <em>The influence of Snt on the organisation of the Colony is difficult to overstate. Perhaps of all the champions who arose within the Colony, her impact was the greatest, even whenpared to Brilliant, or Merchant.</em>

    <em>By our very nature, the ants of the Colony formed an effective military. Cooperative, egoless, selfless, unafraid of death, we were able to organise readily, train relentlessly, and confront our enemies with confidence and overwhelming numbers.</em>

    <em>Snt was not satisfied with that.</em>

    <em>She turned the Colony into a proper military. Every caste was brought into a unifiedmand structure that made the best use of their talents, in ways no other ant had ever dreamed of. It was no longer enough to simply train, gain experience and improve levels. Endless drills,plex formations, backup ns within backup ns, contingencies, redundancies. The exhaustive drive and intellect she possessed wasser focused on one single thing: preparation.</em>

    <em>Yes, Snt was the greatest battlefield general the Colony ever produced, but her true power and influence was in reshaping the Colony''s approach to not only battle, but war.</em>

    <em>It is due to Snt that we came to be so feared.</em>

    <em>-Excerpt from the private notes of Historiant</em>

    Some among her closest advisors, her broodmates who she''d grown up with, considered Snt to be something of a pessimist. They all saw the wisdom in nning for the worst, but she truly seemed to <em>expect</em> it, which appeared excessive to them at times.

    To her mind, it was only prudent. If she expected the worst, then she wouldn''t be in the slightest surprised when it almost inevitably happened. Also, she wouldn''t be too shocked when something even worse urred.So far, everything to do with the invasion of the fifth stratum had been going ording to n. ording to her expectations, that meant that something awful should happen right about¡­

    "General Snt!"

    ¡­ It was difficult at times, always being correct.

    "Make way for the messenger," she demanded, cool and calm as always.

    The forwardmand post was a hive of activity, not least because it was constantly moving. As the area covered by the purified mana pushed deeper into the fifth, so too did the frontline of the invasion. As themander, she needed to stay close to respond to any disasters as they took ce. Such as now.

    The many bustling ants gave way and soon a clearly stressed scout stood before her.

    "There has been some form of attack!" she burst out. "Toxic mana is spreading everywhere within the safe-zones!"

    What? That shouldn''t be possible¡­

    "How?" she demanded. "Has anyone identified the source?"

    "Yes, general," the scout nodded her antennae frantically. "It''s the vents! Those strange openings along the tunnels. They suddenly opened up and started spewing toxic mana everywhere! Some parts of the invasion force have already been cut off!"

    Of course. Even worse than the worst case scenario. If the local Krath hadn''t overyed their hand so severely, this would be the perfect moment for them to have attacked¡­.

    She''d gotten lucky.

    Silence fell over the post as Snt sank deep into her thoughts, considering every possibility. Those vents¡­ The Colony had identified them during the first scouting mission but wasn''t able to determine their purpose or function. Why would they open now? What had triggered this event?

    It didn''t matter. What mattered now was limiting the damage, preserving the strength of her troops and ensuring the invasion didn''t lose momentum.

    "Come with me," she ordered quietly, and led the entiremand group to the model of the fifth. Even now, carvers were hard at work on it, filling in the details, shaving away at sections of rock, or adding new ones as reports came in describing the terrain of the surrounding Dungeon.

    "Spread themand that every squad is to engage Shell-Epsilon tactics," she instructed.

    Stop advancing, act as independent, defensive units until further orders arrived. Yet another thing they had extensively drilled.

    "Thismand <em>must</em> reach every battalion and squad, regardless of the state of the tunnels. Am I understood?"

    The scout nodded.

    "Gather any additional scouts you require outside themand post and coordinate with the staff here. Go swiftly."

    As a result of this order, several of her siblings would die, infected by the toxicity of the fifth beyond any hope of recovery. She hardened her heart. If the messages didn''t get through and the troops didn''t go into the trusted defensive formation, a great many more lives would be at risk.

    Until the tunnels were cleansed and every inch of the safe-zone reconnected, every squad was on their own.

    "Carvers, mages, up front," she ordered, and waited as those she needed crawled forward. "We have to do two things as quickly as possible. First, locate every active vent and modify the pipework to allow intake from them. If necessary, we may need to adjust the wuffer-nodeyout. It will be up to each team''s discretion what course of action they need to take. Second, we need to find every inactive vent, if there are any, and prepare pipe lines to each of them. If they start expelling mana, we have to be ready to siphon it away immediately."

    The situation was bad, but had the potential to be so much worse.

    "We have to move quickly. Go now, and send back progress reports every ten minutes."

    Dozens of ants rushed away, already issuing orders as Snt stared at the model, as if trying to discern the future from the hard, cold stone.

    "Leonidant," she called to her trusted broodmate, who leapt to her side in seconds. "You will go to this area and be responsible for coordinating the response."

    She used her front leg to indicate the zone she meant, specifying the exact sections of tunnel at which her sibling''s area of responsibility would end.

    "Washingtant, I want you in charge of this section."

    "Juliant, you will take this section."

    "Napoleant, you take this area. Go."

    Those she knew best, and who understood her mind the most, rushed to obey hermands, and Snt sat back, still thinking hard. So long as her troops were able to do as they had trained, this disaster could be ovee. She wasn''t worried about that. Her mind, of course, was busy calcting a new reality. Now that this had happened, what was the <em>new</em> worst thing that could possibly ur? And how could she be prepared?

    "Bring the Eldest to me," she instructed, "I have a task that they are not going to like."

 Chapter 1306: Flow

    Chapter 1306: Flow

    Really. I mean <em>really</em>.

    "You want me to <em>what</em>?!"

    Snt clicks her mandibles irritably and my antennae twitch, but given our current crisis, I can''t exactly go thwacking the general in charge over the head. Themand post is positively crawling with activity as orders are given out and reportse in constantly. It''s so crowded in there that Snt had toe out to speak to me since I won''t fit inside!

    "We have to know what is happening outside the zone of purified mana," she exins to me with all the patience she can muster, which I appreciate. "If the vents are sucking in toxic mana from nearby and venting it into our safe-zone, then the mana outside will be thinner and we will be a little safer as we deal with this crisis. But if the vents nearby are <em>also</em> venting toxic mana¡­"

    "Then the mana nearby will thicken and begin to press in on us, shrinking the safe-zone."

    Nards.

    "Alright then, I''ll get to it. Try to keep everything from falling apart while I''m out."

    "Of course I will," she replies with utmost confidence. "Who do you think I am?"

    An uppity little general¡­ who I will not thwack¡­ <em>yet</em>.Leaving themand post behind, I pick my way through the crowded tunnels. Despite everything that''s happening, the Colony is still racing forward with its ns. Construction is happening everywhere, even if the steady flow of supplies from above has been cut off. Soldiers race this way and that, responding to attacks on a case by case basis.

    Our organisation has taken a hit, every squad of twenty ants is operating on their own, apparently, but heck, we''re ants. It''s not possible for us to not coordinate. One squadys down trails toward an ongoing attack, other squads decide to follow it and help out. The main point of difference is just how defensive everyone is being, and I can understand why. Not a single ant can be lost to the Krath, and this breakdown of order would be the perfect chance¡­.

    Well, I have to trust that everyone can take care of themselves for a bit. If Snt is right about the vents we haven''t reached, then things are going to get worse before they get better.

    With a little luck, perhaps the nearby vents are sucking in mana and the area nearby will be a little less toxic and easier to deal with. Trying to think positive thoughts, I keep moving forward until I reach the multiyer deep wall of ants guarding this section of tunnel from incursions.

    The border between the blue and the sickly yellow/brown of the fifth is always a sight to see. Two warring forms of energy, each trying to consume the other. There''s an audible <em>fizz</em> in the air, and my mana sense goes crazy every time I get close. Both types of mana are self replicating, making more of themselves even as they consume each other. Mana is destroyed and created at such a rapid rate, it''s like a constant static noise that presses into my senses.

    Nothing else for it but to stick my incredible, shiny self out into the muck and investigate.

    Going back out there¡­ isn''t pleasant. We all know what it''s like. I''d rather stick my antennae into a human toilet than endure this, but for the family, I''ll do what needs to be done.

    Also, I get a smug sense of self-satisfaction from being able to survive in this environment. Stupid fifth, thinks it can slow <em>me</em> down? Hah! Try your best, fifth! I''m going to walk wherever I please! Up this wall? Don''t mind if I do! Upside down by those rocks over there? What''s going to stop me?

    Muahahahaha!

    Oh right, the vents.

    With a vague idea of what I''m looking for, I go exploring, but making any progress out here isn''t easy. Whenever a monster spots me, they go nuts, rushing at me immediately in a frenzy. Most aren''t that high a tier, but despite that, they are still born in such a mana rich environment that they have unique strengths which pose real danger to me.

    The best way to deal with them that I''ve found is to go all out and obliterate them as fully as possible. This could take the form of an empowered Void Chomp or Dragon''s Breath, right up to a weak-ish gravity bomb if the moment calls for it.

    All the while, I keep my mana sense attuned, my mind-constructs constantly working. Not only to purify myself of toxic influence, but trying to check every eddy in the thick toxic sludge that is the mana of the fifth. The further out I get from the safe-zone imed by the Colony, the more my heart sinks in my thorax.

    I really don''t feel like it''s getting thinner out here. If anything¡­.

    I eventually manage to find a vent. First I had to cut my way through a mucus waterfall, the gunk so dense and sticky it fell at a rate of about a metre an hour.

    Yuck!

    I void chomped it into oblivion, and on the other side, I was able to find exactly what I was looking for. The vent appears much as I remember the others I saw. A strange, half sponge, half rock sort of thing with many holes in it.

    And, most unfortunately, it is absolutely <em>belching </em>out toxic mana. The energy behind the mucus waterfall is so thick I can practically hear my carapace sizzle!

    If this is what life is like down here during a wave, then Snt was absolutely correct to assume we wouldn''t be able to survive down here while it was ongoing. We have to get that nest built, and quick!

    Annoyingly, I can''t even destroy this stupid thing. If I crunch it, or cover it over, will that just mean the mana will flow even thicker from the other vents? That would make the situation worse!

    Well, I have my answer for Snt. I need to hurry up and get back to the Colony.

    As I turn around and make my way home, one thought refuses to go away. Where the heck is all this manaing from?

 Chapter 1307: Heartbeat

    Chapter 1307: Heartbeat

    "Yessss! Look at them burn! Burn them all!"

    Cont watched as her fiery sibling unleashed her devastating magic upon the encroaching slime monsters. As she channeled her spells, Propent herself burned red hot, mes rising from the mini-volcano on her back as sheunched gobs ofva and bars of almost liquid blue fire at the creatures of the fifth.

    "I would estimate that your spells are only twenty percent effective," Cont observed in her usual, clipped, chilly tones. "Despite all of the evolutionary energy you poured into maximising your fire magic. Such a waste."

    Propent rounded on her sister, her anger shing hot.

    "What?! You''re one to talk! You spent all of your energy making yourself even icier, and just how effective is <em>your</em> magic down here? It''s even worse than mine!"

    "There is a utility to water and ice magic that has yet to be fully realised," Cont replied, cking her mandibles dismissively.

    "Hah! You think anyone in the Colony is falling for this ''it''s good but we don''t know how yet'' line of reasoning? You''re fooling yourself!"

    "Jumping to conclusions? I would never have expected you to make such a rushed judgement," Cont observed, a hint of sarcasming through in her pheromones.

    The two sisters stared at each other, one growing colder, the other hotter, by the second. Finally, they both turned away with a huff and put some space between themselves."Have we eliminated everything in this section of tunnel?" Cont asked after a moment.

    "I believe so," Propent replied, "though I did most of the work!"

    Refusing to rise to the bait, Cont merely sighed and began to focus on her more esoteric senses. It was difficult to do anything in the fifth, even to use mana sense properly. The toxicity of the fifth was so all-epassing, everything that touched it broke down, even mana. Communicating via mind-magick was impossible through a certain amount of toxic mana. The messages became corrupted, and any bridge constructed would eventually fall apart.

    It was the same principle that prevented gate travel through the stratum.

    "The safe-zone is pressing back against the vent," Cont observed, "but it''ll still be some time before it''s fully ovee."

    "Will we ever be able to eliminate its influencepletely, so long as it continues to vent?" Propent replied, irritably.

    Anything she couldn''t solve with fire tended to irritate her these days. She did have a point, though. There was no way to know when the vents would stop, or if they ever would at all. This incident had set the invasion back significantly. Despite all the work that was still ongoing, the safe-zone, inevitably, was shrinking.

    "We need to rejoin the others," Cont dered, and the two turned their backs on the open tunnel and moved deeper into Colony-imed territory. Several ranks of troops closed behind them, on high alert given the current crisis.

    Not far away, they found their mage squads working feverishly. New pipes needed to beid, thework needed to be adjusted in several ces, and even small adjustments created imbnces that affected performance. Even pipes that didn''t need to be moved still had to be adjusted. Until the vents stopped spewing out mana, the wuffers would have to prioritise consuming that energy above other sources.

    "Have there been any changes with the vent?" Cont asked as she arrived amongst the bustling ant mages.

    "Nothing," came the swift reply. "The rate has remained steady since you left, as has the density."

    No change at all. Well, it wasn''t getting better, but at least it wasn''t getting worse.

    "Keep working on the pipework. Cont and I will inspect the vent again while we have the chance," Propent growled.

    "We won''t have long," Cont reminded her sister. "We need to reinforce the tunnel defence again soon."

    "I know that! Come on."

    The two council members moved beyond their teams, following the newlyid enchanted pipe, which moved a steady flow of corrupted mana back to the nearest wuffer node, two hundred metres away. It didn''t take long for them to encounter the new, unwee border between the vent and the cleansed energy. Right in the middle of the tunnel, the porous rock sat, an endless stream of pure filth vomiting forth to push against the safe-zone from within.

    Cont and Propent moved forward until they were only two-dozen metres away from it. The bubble of toxicity produced by the vent had shrunk rapidly once the pipework had begun to siphon it away, but had stabilised at roughly this size. At least it no longer cut them off from the rest of the Colony.

    "Are you sensing anything different?" Cont asked, feeling out the vent.

    "No," Propent grouched, her carapace glowing a deep red as her ire grew. "It''s just sitting there. Are you <em>sure</em> I can''t set it on fire?"

    "Yes, I''m sure," Cont sighed. "We are under strict instructions not to harm them."

    Knowing Propent, she''d blow the thing up, opening an even wider hole that allowed an even <em>greater</em> flow of energy.

    "Give me a minute, I''m going to see if I can sense anything."

    Pushing her sibling''s impatient reply from her mind, Cont sank deep into herself, putting all of her focus into studying the energy around her. The vent changed instantly, from a strange form of rock, into the source of a dense plume of mana. There didn''t seem to be any end to the flow. Wherever this mana wasing from, the source didn''t seem to be running low in any way.

    It was frustrating; there didn''t seem to be any way to trace the energy. She could feel it rising up through the rock, but if she tried to follow it down, it began to blend into the surrounding rock before she got far at all.

    How vexing!

    Determined not to chase after dead ends, Cont instead turned her attention to the plume of toxic mana itself. She examined it minutely, patiently, even as Propent grew more and more impatient by her side.

    "Are you done?" the fire mage demanded.

    "Wait, can you sense that?" Cont said suddenly.

    Propent frowned, extending her own senses. "Sense what?"

    There was nothing, as far as she could tell, but there was an intensity to Cont''s scent that caused her to redouble her efforts.

    "Wait for it¡­" Cont muttered. "I''m sure¡­ yes! There! Did you see that?"

    "I¡­ I think I did," Propent said, cking her mandibles thoughtfully. "What <em>was</em> that?"

    There had been¡­ a shift¡­ in the flowing from the vent. It had been slight. Very slight, but she had indeed detected it.

    For the next several minutes, they studied the vent, examining these minute changes as they urred and eventually determined the pattern.

    "It''s like¡­ a heartbeat," Cont realised. "It''s slow, very slow, but it''s just like a heartbeat."

    Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

    "What in the name of Pangera does it mean?" Propent wondered.

 Chapter 1308: Healer Troubles

    Chapter 1308: Healer Troubles

    I report back to Snt, and as always, she epts the bad news with equanimity, as if she were expecting it all along.

    In any case, I''m happy enough to leave her and the rest of the boffins to work out what they want to do going forward. I mean, this is going to throw a serious wrench into our time frame, there''s no way around it. Continuing to expand will be more difficult than ever, due to the thickening toxicity around us, and more dangerous than ever, as a result of the vents creating deadly pockets of death right in the heart of our territory.

    I don''t envy the decision makers with this one, absolutely not. The worst part is, we can''t even determine what might have caused this to happen! Do the vents always do this? Is it a response to our presence in the area, or the cleansed mana we''re creating? Or is this a defence system the Krath created? All of these are possible, and we don''t have a way to determine which might be the true cause.

    The fifth stratum is such a mystery to everyone. Those who know the most about what''s going on down here are the least likely to share that knowledge with a group of monsters. Namely, the Legion. The Colony doesn''t really have a choice except to m our heads into the fifth after taking all the precautions we can.

    "Try and stay still!" Mendant yells at me.

    "Huh? Oh, Mendant! I didn''t notice you were there. How''ve you been?"

    "How have I been? I''ve been trying to heal you for thest five minutes!"

    Not just Mendant, but a whole group of ten healers has been crawling on my carapace as I walk around.

    "Is it really necessary for me not to move?" I ask, exasperated. "Does it make a difference?""It makes it easier to concentrate," Mendant replies, snapping her mandibles irritably. "Now sit down!"

    "Fine¡­"

    It''s an odd sort of sensation, having a bunch of irritated medics crawling over my carapace, asionally thwacking me with their mandibles. Do they not get enough sleep? How long are their shifts? Maybe the healers have a poor diet or something. They are persistently grumpy, it''s bing the defining trait of the entire caste.

    "Give it to me straight, Mendant. How bad is it?" I ask, with more than a hint of sarcasm.

    "Bad," she snaps, poking around at the base of my antennae.

    "Hey, that tickles!"

    "You''ve been regenerating yourself over and over again in such a short span of time. The wounds haven''t even healed the first time before more regeneration fluid is applied. Even for a monster, there are limits to how hard you can push your body."

    "There are?" I say, surprised. "I thought I could just heal forever."

    "Well, you can''t! Not without repercussions."

    "Such as?"

    "Such as weakening the damaged areas of your body over time."

    Oh no! Not my precious carapace!

    "You were worried about your carapace, weren''t you?"

    "Uh¡­ maybe?"

    "How about the more delicate and sensitive parts of your body? Like your eyes and antennae?!"

    "Well, those too, obviously."

    She crawls up to my head and starts poking my carapace right between my eyes.

    "Look, you don''t listen to us at the best of times, and this <em>isn''t</em> the best of times, but you had better pay attention. You need to give yourself time to heal properly. If you keep rapidly regenerating yourself like this, I believe it will cause problems down the line."

    Well, that''s annoying.

    "How long is it going to take? In case you haven''t noticed, we have something of an emergency going on here, Mendant!"

    "You think it''s going to get better if you find yourself weakened? Don''t underestimate the effects of this ce! You seem to be forgetting just how bad it is since you can survive out there for a while. Without regrly cleansing yourself of every single speck of toxin, you too would die. Give it half a day for your body to heal up, eat something, store up some Biomass. Only then should you go back out there."

    This couldn''t havee at a worse time, but I''m not going to knock back the doctor''s orders.

    "Alright then, Mendant. I''ll do as you say."

    "... You will?" she asks suspiciously. "No argument? No tricks? No sneaky tactics?"

    I ck my mandibles in irritation.

    "No. Just how bad is the attitude you get from your regr patients?"

    "Terrible. They''re ants. Most of the time, they think taking time to heal themselves is being selfish, and they do everything they can to get out of it."

    That might help exin why the healers are always so irritated.

    "I''ll try and spread the word. Everyone should listen to the healers when ites to getting better. Not doing as you say is putting themselves and everyone else at risk."

    "I would¡­ appreciate that, Eldest."

    For once, she doesn''t soundpletely irritated, but even then, there is still a grumpy aura hovering over her that never seems to dissipate.

    I do as ordered and plonk myself down until the healers are done picking over my carapace, inspecting every inch and making sure I didn''t have a speck of toxic mana remaining. Only when I have the all clear do I get back up and start moving through the safe-zone once more. Of course, my mind-constructs have been constantly on the hunt for invading mana, but getting the all-clear from a full team of specialists is certainly a weight off my mind.

    With nothing much else to do, I go looking for the gang. I know the three of them are fine. We''ve been talking when we can, and they''ve been busy, helping the Colony and holding the defensive line, taking the pressure off of my siblings. Fortunately, they''ve managed to group together after several sections have been reconnected and I find them sitting together, resting and consuming Biomass.

    [Hey there, everyone! How are you¡ª]

    I don''t get any further before Crinis glomps onto my carapace and vanishes into my shadow.

    [Ack! Dammit, Crinis! You can stay in the shadow, but no creeping inside my body. That''s an order!]

    [... Fine.]

    <em>You mean you actually were going to do it?!</em>

    She''s been getting more open and honest about her desirestely, which is a good thingpared to how she was before, but if I''m honest, it''s starting to scare me.

 Chapter 1309: The Walls are Closing In

    Chapter 1309: The Walls are Closing In

    Despite all the work the Colony has put in, there are still several sections of our territory that have been cut off. I go and inspect a few of the vents myself, and the pipes are doing a good job syphoning the energy away and feeding it to the wuffers.

    The problem is, if the wuffers are happily munching away on the toxic energy from the vents, then they aren''t eating it from outside the safe-zone and expanding our turf. Naturally, this means our controlled area is starting to shrink.

    To make matters worse, the vents outside of our turf are thickening up the mana all around us, which is creating even more pressure on the wuffers and shrinking our controlled area even further. The Colony is scrambling to hold the line, but that line is constantly getting pushed in.

    [Tiny, Invidia, how have you two been doing? You''ve behaved yourself, Tiny?]

    [<em>We havessss been doing wellsssss. My brother hassss been very safesssss.]</em>

    Well, Invidia says so, but it isn''t like I miss the subtle thumbs up they give each other when they think I can''t see. I should probably rify. <em>Invidia </em>gives a subtle thumbs up. <em>Tiny</em> gives a massive, broad grin as he clumsily tries to shield his hand with his body and waggles his brows.

    It''s clear that they aren''t beingpletely honest with me, but I can''t bring myself to criticise them after such a wholesome disy.

    [How about you, Crinis? Everything been alright?]

    [Yes, Master! I''ve been provided enough Biomass to regenerate my Darkness Flesh, so I''m in top condition.]Well, that''s positive. It''s good to know that the three of them have been able to do their job and have been getting taken care of by the Colony. The real question we face is, what are we supposed to do now? We don''t have any direct orders for this situation, despite all the contingencies that Snt has built into our instructions.

    It''s frustrating, but there isn''t much we can do to help the safe-zone situation. The mages and carvers are doing all they can to work on and maintain the pipework, the wuffers are munching away on toxic mana as fast as they can, and we can''t influence the vents in any way.

    I''m not used to feeling this helpless to influence the fate of the Colony. It''s incredibly frustrating!

    [What''s bothering you, Master?] Crinis asks.

    [Huh? Is something showing on my face?]

    That can''t be right, I don''t really have a face!

    [You just seem a little¡­ dispirited.]

    Well, that''spletely true. I am.

    [I''m just not sure what I can do to be useful right now. These stupid vents have put the Colony in a holding pattern, and I''m under doctor''s orders to stay in the safe-zone. There doesn''t seem to be anything positive I can do.]

    [If you can defend the tunnels, that will take pressure off the rest of your family and help them focus on their tasks. That''s helpful.]

    [Yeah,] I sigh. [That''s true, but it doesn''t improve our situation. Feels more like treading water.]

    [Sometimes you have to do what you can do and leave some responsibility to others, Master.]

    Hah! I''m the king of leaving responsibility to others. I created the Council specifically for that purpose! However, ever since I selected the Altar of Self, I''d expected I''d be able to push myself forward and solve problems for my family.

    [You''re right, Crinis,] I say, defeated. [There''s nothing to do but go defend the tunnels and hope our situation improves. Tiny, Invidia, are you two happy to keep working together?]

    The two exchange looks before I get an approving flex from Tiny. Not wanting to be left out, Invidia does his best to pose, but his arms are so stick-thin I can''t even tell if he <em>has</em> biceps, let alone if they''re flexed. He gets an approving nod from Tiny, so I suppose he''s doing something right.

    Wait, have those two practised this?!

    [Crinis, you''re with me. Let''s go take our frustrations out on some disgusting mucus monsters.]

    [dly!]

    She sounds way too excited to be doing this, but then again, Crinis has always been enthusiastic about two things: being around me, and killing monsters.

    With my loyal shadow once more hitching a ride in my shadow and hopefully not invading my carapace on the sly, I part ways with the dynamic duo and head out to find a vulnerable section of tunnel. Even now, there are still a few spots that have been cut off from the rest of the Colony, but with every minute that passes, they are getting closer to being reconnected. Thankfully, all they need to do is stay close to their wuffer nodes to ensure they have at least some area of protection.

    Antennae waggling, I read the various trails that have been put down until I find one that seems fairly urgent. I follow it until we reach an extremely wide section of tunnel with a thinner than usual battle line facing outwards. I can already tell that the safe-zone is shrinking here, since there are areas that have clearly been worked on by the carvers starting to erode under the influence of the toxic mana.

    "Go and reinforce another area," I instruct the general in charge once I figure out where they are. "I''ll hold this down."

    "Can you cover the entire tunnel yourself, Eldest?" the general asks. "This is particrly wide. I can leave a few hundred ants to help if you need."

    "I''m not by myself," I assure her, pointing an antenna down toward my shadow. "We''ll be fine."

    "Right you are, Eldest. Work hard."

    "Back at ya."

    I plonk myself down in the middle of the tunnel and start weaving mana as the ants gather themselves to retreat and redeploy elsewhere.

    [Alright, Crinis, let''s take care of business here.]

    [Of course, Master!]

    It isn''t exactly what I was hoping for, but at least I''m helping. Lousy fifth stratum. You''re fighting back, but it isn''t going to be enough!

 Chapter 1310: Zluth Ascendant

    Chapter 1310: Zluth Ascendant

    "I told you I could make you the next Krathth," Goszi spat. "All we needed was for the Slee tribe to be brought right to the edge of extinction."

    Zluth eyed the older Krath, one of his stalks turning to track the slug.

    "Are you regretting the bargain?" Zluth asked.

    Goszi burbled out a harshugh, his voice sounding as if it were rising through a dense bog.

    "Of course not. Thest Krathth was a disaster. All fury, no cunning. She was good at bullying cowards and cultivating acid, not eptable traits for a leader."

    She certainly had managed to cultivate a potent acid for herself. Even now, Zluth felt it searing through his flesh as he attempted to blend it with his own. He hadn''t been able to consume much of the fallen leader, nobody had, but even a little had been enough to take some of her strength.

    "The real issue I have is making sure the <em>new</em> Krathth doesn''t throw me aside now that I''ve done my bit," Goszi said, a sly tone creeping into his voice.

    Zluth''s eyes narrowed.

    "Are you saying I would go back on my word? Betray my part of the agreement?""If you wouldn''t, then you aren''t the Krath I thought you were," came the contemptuous reply.

    Of course, Zluth had fully intended to betray Goszi. Although his help in securing the leadership had been useful, the old slug now had nothing to offer. In fact, given the desperate situation of the Slee, having an older, weaker member taking resources from those who could better utilise them was making their survival less likely.

    Making <em>Zluth''s </em>survival less likely.

    He couldn''t have that.

    "I will admit, Goszi, I called you out here to give you the choice. You helped me unseat the Krathth, so I won''t consume you on the spot. You can either detonate your acid nd and end yourself, or choose exile in the swamps. Perhaps I might have been able to justify keeping you alive if we were still holed up in the Slimegrounds, but now we are nomads without a home."

    "Don''t talk nonsense. You would have killed me anyway," Goszi stated with utmost confidence, and Zluth nodded his confirmation. "This is exactly the type of leadership we needed all along. However, I think it''s important you reconsider your position."

    Zluth''s eyes curved into wicked moons as he turned both stalks on the other Krath.

    "I thought you might¡­."

    The two were isted from the rest of the tribe, who were resting in an air pocket beneath a yellow mucus river. It had been a difficult journey, staying ahead of the invasion and its cursed, lethal blue mana, while also avoiding the many dangers of the fifth. Zluth had taken on dangerous scouting duties time and time again to ensure his people made it through safely, helping to secure his position as Krathth.

    Goszi had to have known what was happening the moment the new tribe leader had asked him to slide out, away from the group. Now Zluth was interested to hear what the crafty old slug had in mind to keep himself alive.

    "Since I may be dead anyway, is there any chance you might reveal where you intend to take the tribe?" Goszi asked.

    Zluth shook his head. He wouldn''t reveal anything if he didn''t have to, and right now, he didn''t.

    "Hmph," Goszi burbled, "I thought as much. Very well, I willy my moss out on the table. I know how to find the Slimegrounds of the Suggoth tribe. What''s more, I know where to find their <em>old</em> Slimegrounds, which they abandoned after they destroyed the Zzith."

    Zluth was taken aback.

    "How could you possibly know that?" he demanded, the anger beginning to sizzle in his flesh. "Are you trying to trick your way into surviving for another few days? Another week? So you can try to raise up another leader in my ce?"

    "The tribe won''t change leader, not now," Gozsi spat derisively. "It would be as good as condemning all of us to death. And as for the reason I know this, it''s because I myself was a member of the Zzith before I fled and joined the Slee."

    Trying to tamp down his anger, Zluth calcted the time based on what he knew of local history. It seemed to check out. It <em>was</em> possible Gozsi had abandoned his tribe shortly before they were destroyed.

    "That would exin why you know the location of the Suggoth''s <em>current</em> Slimeground, assuming they usurped the Zzith''s old haven, but their old one? Did the Zzith really know the location of their rival''s home?"

    Goszi smiled a slow, wide smile.

    "In truth, it was the Zzith who initiated the conflict. We flooded their egg chambers with acid, burning their young into soup. It was a powerful strike, but we hadn''t anticipated just how hard the Suggoth would strike back, nor did we realise they''d found the Slimeground. It was over in just a few days."

    The story <em>sounded</em>pelling, but there were details missing. How had Goszi, the wiley old slug, known the Suggoth would win the conflict?

    "You sold them out, didn''t you? You were the one who revealed the location of the Zzith Slimegrounds in order to bargain for your escape."

    Goszi revealed his needle-pointed teeth in a savage grin.

    "The Zzith werecent. I knew they would lose eventually, so I merely hastened their demise and ensured my own survival in the process."

    And now he had an in with the Suggoth, which Zluth would need in order to raise the rm about the impending invasion¡­.

    "Well done, Goszi," he said, "you have managed to survive yet again."

    "It''s what I do," the old slug replied. "It''s very hard to kill old Goszi."

 Chapter 1311: Safe Haven

    Chapter 1311: Safe Haven

    <em>How do the Krath regard each other? There''s a very simple answer to that question: we don''t know.</em>

    <em>As far as the Magio-Schrs of the Tower are aware, there has never been a sessful capture and interrogation of a Krath. Not even a cursory mind reading, since such things are impossible to perform through the mana of the fifth, which degrades everything that attempts to move through it, even magic.</em>

    <em>As violent and as brutal as they are, we have to imagine that the Krath treat each other somewhat poorly. It''s difficult to imagine the Krath engaging in trade, for example, where trust and equivalent exchange are necessary for the practice to flourish.</em>

    <em>However, one truth must be considered above all others: in the most hostile environment in the Dungeon, the Krath not only survive, but thrive.</em>

    <em>Surely this wouldn''t be possible without some level of cooperation between them.</em>

    <em>-Excerpt from ''The Savage Tribes," By Magio Schr Erinus.</em>

    "You were actually telling the truth," Zluth grunted before spitting a dark glob of acid onto the stone floor. It sizzled pleasantly, emitting a thick, acrid smoke that tickled the Krath.

    "If you don''t tell the truth every now and again, no one will ever believe your lies," Goszi said wisely, his eyes betraying his glee.

    "Are you that pleased, you old slug?" Zluth said."Of course. I get to live, after all. Gugugugugugug!"

    Chortling away, Goszi moved away to im a space for himself before the best homes could be taken.

    Despite the length of time the Slimeground had been unupied, it was in surprisingly good condition, no doubt due to the cunning location the Suggoth had chosen to build it. Despite being rtively in the open, the entrance had been woven into the fold of the tunnel so well it had been almost invisible, an opening only ten centimetres across, just enough for a full-sized adult Krath to squeeze through. Then, winding tunnels concealed the cavern within behind dozens of metres of thick rock.

    Even Zluth had to admit it was clever.

    "Krathth," a voice called, and Zluth tried to conceal the moment it took to recognise they were speaking to him by turning slowly to face them, with dignity.

    "Trissith, what seems to be the problem?" he asked.

    A young Krath, but full of hunger and ambition, as all Krath should be, Trissith had been acting under him as part of the scouts.

    "The Slimeground appears to be secure, Krathth," she reported, her voice bubbling savagely.

    "And what of the captives?"

    "They''ve been secured, as you instructed."

    "Good. I want guards on rotation at the entrance; we can''t afford to be careless."

    "Very well, Krathth."

    "Where is Jozish?"

    "I am here, Krathth."

    "Find the beast pits and try to take stock of the pittance we have left."

    The beast tamer practically bubbled with the depths of her fury.

    "It will take years for us to replenish our stock," she hissed. "We barely have anything left."

    "Our previous leader was foolish in the extreme. Remember who it is that is trying to save us."

    Jozish was a brutal and merciless Krath if ever there was one. She''d wrangle together whatever Blubbeasts and monsters the tribe had left and start from scratch.

    "We need meat. The beasts we have left are starved and weak, and our stockpiles are gone," Jozish warned. "It''ll be days until we get any meaningful food out of them."

    "Hunters have already been sent out to secure Biomass for the beasts, don''t worry about that. It won''t be long until you have something to feed them with."

    "Our hunting grounds are lost too," the surly beast tamer growled. "What are we even going to be able to get?"

    "Whatever the hunters bring back will have to do," Zluth stated harshly. "Your job is to tend to the beasts, and I suggest you go do it."

    Processing Biomass into useable food for the Krath was merely one responsibility of the Blubbeasts, but it was an important one. With their mould gardens gone, and no harvestable food left here in this Slimeground, the Slee would be hungry for the next while until they were able to reestablish themselves.

    Still fuming, Jozish slid away, visibly struggling to contain her rage. The former Krathth had used her size and strength to dominate unruly members of the tribe like the beast tamer. Zluth would have to find another way, but he had no doubt he would seed.

    In the meantime, Zluth made his way over to the egg pond. Unused for many years, now it was filled with captured Krath, squashed down to the point they were barely able to fit beneath the slicing wires fitted above them. There were three down there, watchers assigned by the Suggoth tribe to keep tabs on their old home.

    "It''s unfortunate that you happened to be here when we arrived," Zluth stated the obvious, "and it''s even more unfortunate that we only need one of you to send a message back to the Suggoth. A message of dire importance, regarding an invasion of the fifth."

    Six eye stalks swivelled quickly, moving from each other, back to Zluth, then back to each other.

    "So," the new Krathth of the Slee tribe grinned, "who''s it going to be?"

 Chapter 1312: Gather the Tribes

    Chapter 1312: Gather the Tribes

    Neutral ground in the fifth wasn''t really something the Krath did. The tribes were always at war, and meetings between them were always tense affairs. No tribe wanted to reveal the location of their Slimegrounds, so the open tunnels were the preferred ce toe together. However, the open tunnels were the most treacherous locations, filled with danger and perfectly ripe for ambush.

    "Are you sure they aren''t surrounding us?" Goszi muttered softly.

    "Shut up, you''re going to give us away," Zluth hissed softly.

    The two were pressed down as t as they could go, their eye stalks extending only a little into the air to see what wasing.

    They were as hidden as they could be, but even so, Zluth felt uneasy. Knowing what wasing, how could he not be?

    "Any sign of them?"

    "For thest time, shut up or I will eat you on the spot, stealth be damned!"

    Gozsi finally subsided, grumbling and sizzling to himself. The old slug was especially nervous. Not as fast as he used to be, he''d be a sitting duck caught out here.

    If the Suggoth tribe decided to kill them, then he was as good as dead.Zluth, however, was confident. News of an invasion of the fifth would grab the attention of any Krath. It would do more than that, it would boil the acid inside their flesh, driving them into a rage. If there was one thing the Krath hated more than each other, it was outsiders inside their stratum.

    The air was thick with dense mana; the stratum was breathing, an auspicious sign.

    The two Krath remained hidden, protected as well as they could be as the monstrous life native to the fifth moved around them. This section of tunnel was busy, filled with nourishing slime and mucus, which allowed a rich variety of monsters to flourish.

    It was hours before they saw any sign of the Suggoth. A subtle shift of colour in one of the mould beds, followed by a faint glinting of light, almost imperceptible.

    The agreed upon signal.

    "Goszi, they''re here," Zluth hissed.

    The two members of the Slee tribe made their way down toward the mould with extreme caution. At any moment, Goszi feared a dozen fearsome Suggoth warriors would leap at them from amongst the mucus strands, but no such attack came.

    When they were still ten metres apart, the two sides beheld each other. The Suggoth had sent four members, safety in numbers, despite pledging to bring only three. It wasn''t unexpected.

    For several long moments, six pairs of eyes extending up just a few inches from the mould watched each other suspiciously. Nearby, the monsters of the fifth went about their business, unaware of the well-concealed Krath in their midst.

    It was Zluth who broke the silence, upressing himself just enough to free his mouth so he could speak.

    "Wee, brothers and sisters of the Suggoth tribe."

    "You wee us to our hunting grounds?" one of the Krath burbled harshly. "Speak quickly, Slee, or we will annihte you on the spot."

    That they hadn''t already done so was a good sign to Zluth. Clearly, they were willing to listen.

    "The Slee tribe has lost its Slimeground; this is the reason why we have been forced toe here. Before you ask, no, we were not defeated by another tribe, but disced by an invasion from above."

    The four Suggoth slugs trembled in rage at the mere mention of such an affront.

    "Who would dare to invade the fifth? Haven''t we punished the previous attempts harshly enough?" one spat.

    "The answer is surprising," Zluth burbled maliciously.

    "Then who? Who is it?"

    "<em>Everyone</em>. The humans, the golgari, the ka''armodo, the Folk, the trees, all of them together. And they are using a species of monster they crafted as the vanguard. An enormous colony of <em>ants</em>."

    As he spoke, the other Krath grew so incensed they began to sizzle and pop, the rage igniting the acid in their flesh.

    "We will need to confirm your words," one strangled out.

    "Of course. If you head towards the old Slee territory, you cannot fail to find them. A word of warning: they are spreading a bubble of blue mana to protect themselves, and it is deadly to any native of the fifth. Do not get close to it."

    The four Krath absorbed his words, taking a moment to calm their rage. If they exposed themselves here, they would die to the monsters, an embarrassing end for a member of the slug tribes.

    "If what you say is true¡­" one gurgled, "then your presence in our territory will be forgiven <em>for now</em>."

    "Of course, the Slee would be more than happy to return to our own Slimegrounds once the invaders have been purged," Zluth replied smoothly.

    The Suggoth were in a difficult position. They would like nothing more than to annihte the Slee, but if they were found attacking another tribe during an invasion, the other tribes would surely annihte them.

    However, that was only if they were caught.

    Four sets of eyes watched him carefully, weighing his words.

    "We will assess the truth of what you''ve said, then we''ll return to speak to you again," one stated finally.

    "Good," Zluth said. "Soon, we will need to work together against amon foe."

    "That remains to be seen."

    With the conversation concluded, both sidespressed themselves back down and slowly moved away from each other, making sure to keep watch the entire time.

    "That went surprisingly well," Goszi noted. "Why did you have to drag me out here for this? I''m too old to be out in the tunnels like this."

    "I don''t want you to feel safe," Zluth replied as they continued to creep away from the meeting site. "And someone else needs to be a witness in case something happens to me. Someone who would never be chosen to rece me as Krathth."

    "Good point," Goszi observed sourly.

    Zluth was well pleased with how things had gone. When the Suggoth had confirmed the invasion, the tribes would gather, and the full might of the Krath would be pitted against those from above. It would be a glorious purge, with much to be won, and he intended to be right at the forefront.

 Chapter 1313: Adaptable

    Chapter 1313: Adaptable

    Snt had built her entire campaign around one central principle: adaptability. The fifth was an unknown quantity. Who could say what the Krath were capable of, or what conditions may arise down there?

    That didn''t mean ying it safe, moving slow, absolutely not. That approach would only give their enemies time, time to gather and organise, time to muster their forces. If the Colony didn''t establish an impregnable whold within the fifth before that happened, all would be lost.

    Strike hard, strike fast, and adapt to whatever came their way. The vents had caused enormous headaches to the invasion, and ground their expansion to a halt, but that didn''t mean that progress would stop too.

    "Do we have an update from this section of tunnel in quadrant seventeen?"

    "Scout came in a few minutes ago, general, the gap has widened, but hasn''t been openedpletely."

    "Is it wide enough for the soldiers to get through?"

    This was the key question.

    "Y¡­ yes it is, general. Just."

    "That''s enough. Send word to cease work on that section of tunnel. We don''t need to eliminate the pocket created by the vent, we just need to be able to get around it."Scouts ran to deliver her instructions as Snt fell into silent contemtion, staring at the model of the surrounding territory. It wasn''t even the tunnels and intersections she was looking at, but something deeper, somethingrger. She was trying to sense the ebb and flow of the campaign, to see what was, and imagine what could be.

    Many options were considered, but after examining each with due care, she dismissed all but one.

    "Send orders to all quadrants. Order ** is cancelled, we return to standard organisation, and begin operation Happy Meal."

    "That''s much earlier than nned," Leonidant observed from nearby.

    "The situation has changed," Snt said simply.

    And it had, of course it had, but they had to make the most of a difficult situation.

    "I authorise the use of the blue lure method as well," she stated.

    More runners dashed away to deliver the orders, and Snt settled back to contemte the model once more. Given their current plight, this was perhaps the best they could do. For the time being, they were in a holding pattern. Construction continued on the fortified nest, of course, and the build teams had adjusted to the new schedule brilliantly, as should be expected from them.

    Operation Happy Meal was something they would have always needed to do, so it wasn''t as though time was being wasted.

    "Leonidant, have we identified the monsters we should be targeting?"

    "We have several prime candidates, general. Slime Elementals and Alchemy Sludge monsters seem to be the best candidates to feed through the pipes. Smaller parasitic monsters are also suitable, such as the Pulsing Mindrot or the False-Friend Maggot."

    Even Snt couldn''t help but wave her antennae a little in disgust.

    "Vemiculus Amicus Falsus," she cked her mandibles with distaste. This stratum really was a distasteful ce, to harbour such creatures. "What of the feeding apparatuses? Have they been assembled?"

    "Everything is ready, general. Your orders came at the perfect moment," Leonidant assured her.

    Feeding the happy little pets that were the wuffers was an importantponent of the invasion. Making more wuffers was one way tobat the contamination of the fifth, but strengthening the ones they already had was another. It had already been proven that the wuffers could level up by ''purifying'' and consuming monsters fed to them through the pipework; the trick was actually finding prey they could use in this way.

    The second trick, of course, was getting them into the pipes without letting them touch the blue mana, which would instantly begin disintegrating any fifth stratum monster.

    As her orders were distributed throughout the safe-zone, the ants began preparing for the difficult task ahead. Teams were formed, lures were prepared, the carvers ensured the pipeworks were ready and up to the task.

    Then the hunting began.

    In many ways, Snt likened the strategy more to the human pastime of fishing, as opposed to hunting. Specially prepared spheres, each enchanted to hold mana within them, were carefully charged with purified mana, thenunched hundreds of metres out onto the contaminated tunnels. The enchantments prevented the external energy from mixing with the internal, so the little ball filled with blue mana just sat there on the rock floor, seemingly uninteresting.

    But to the monsters of the fifth, that faint wisp of foreign energy was enough to drive them into a blind rage, and send them hurtling towards the source. As soon as the ants had a ''bite'', they would pull back the lure, using the thin, enchanted chain attached to it, dragging the monster closer to the safe-zone. Once the beast locked onto the greater source of (in its eyes) contamination, it disregarded the lure and charged headlong toward the waiting formation of ants.

    Then, the mages stepped forward, weaving powerful spells of binding, and the soldiers deployed their weaponry, engineered for this very purpose.

    The maddened monsters of the fifth were greeted with a barrage of magic that both damaged them and locked them in ce, either by trapping their feet in the stone floor, solidifying the air around them, or capturing them whole in ice. Then came the spears, propelled from ironunching tubes that Brilliant had designed. They delivered enchanted payloads straight into the beasts, paralysing the monsters so that the ants could continue their grisly work.

    If a target was suitable for wuffer consumption, the maniptors were brought forward, huge contraptions of string and pulleys, designed to stuff the monster into the waiting pipework entrance.

    If not, it was quickly destroyed and the core harvested. Then the lure was prepared once more.

    Within the captured territory, there were twelve separate hunting grounds¡­ or fishing spots, and each was extremely busy. On their specially constructed pads, the wuffers happily wibbled and wobbled, very much enjoying the meals they were being served.

 Chapter 1314: Construction

    Chapter 1314: Construction

    "What in the name of The Queen are they doing now?" Tungstant demanded.

    Cobalt turned to look behind her. The edge of the safe-zone had drawn close, much closer than either of them had expected it to be, and that meant there were thousands of ants in position up and down the width of the tunnel to defend it.

    Not only were they defending it, there was all sorts of activity¡ªloud, distracting activity. Monsters roared, squelched and gurgled over and over again as the ants utilised strange, enchanted equipment to do¡­ something.

    "Should we tell them to try and be quiet?" Cobalt asked.

    "Working on a modr fortress is tricky work," Tungstant grumbled before looking up, "but I suppose they have their own difficulties."

    Right now, they were tussling with a giant, mould covered turtle-looking thing. The monster snapped and gurgled at the ants as theyboured to bring it down without leaving the safety of the blue mana.

    Both carvers turned their minds back to the build ns in front of them and tried their best to keep the distraction from affecting their work. Normally, they wouldn''t have an issue, but the construction n for what Snt had demanded they design and build was so inordinatelyplicated.

    Not because the final structure was necessarily beyond anything that they had seen before, but because of the way it was designed. Snt had insisted that the entire thing be built as modr as possible, so that the build teams could work on almost any section, without necessarily having theponents around it beingpleted.

    There were limits, of course. Building walls and heavy sections couldn''t be done without weight-bearing supportpleted. In spite of that, the fifth stratum fortress that they were attempting to build <em>was</em> proceeding, but in apletely piecemeal fashion. Tracking exactly what had been done and when was a nightmare, and attempting to build without knowing what the neighbouring teams were doing made logistics extremely difficult.In short, it was stressing them out, and all the builders working in the fifth were growing increasingly irritated.

    "Have the materials we needed been delivered?" Cobalt asked one of the nearby carvers.

    "They have. Somehow," came the reply.

    Caught halfway into aint, Cobalt had to shut off her pheromones and grind her mandibles instead. If she could give credit for something, it was that Snt and her logistic organisation were working wlessly. Nothing had been delivered to the wrong build site, no supplies had gone missing, and everything arrived rtively on time. It was, in Cobalt and Tungstant''s eyes, an ongoing miracle.

    Snt had assured them it would work, but they just hadn''t been able to bring themselves to fully believe it. Now that everything was functioning as intended, they <em>still</em> couldn''t believe it was working as well as it was.

    "Alright then, let''s get going. Tungstant, I''ll handle the interior if you want to work on the exterior?"

    "Smells good."

    The two split up and divided their teams into halves. Everything being worked on right now was part of the interior of the fortress, the innermost chambers, but far from being flimsy, or even sturdy, every section of this fortress was reinforced and fortified to an absurd degree.

    To make things even moreplicated, theyout was¡­ difficult. It wasyered, like an egg within an egg within an egg. Everything was designed with the flow of energy in mind. Mana had to be able to permeate outward, but limited when moving inward.

    The massive pipeworks were also highly, highlyplex, enormous in scale and delicate in construction. They were the most important element of the entire design, and they were being built in sections totally disconnected from each other, with the expectation it would all slot together in the end.

    It wouldn''t, of course. Tungstant and Cobalt were both experienced enough to know that there was no possible way everything would slot together as designed, but solving these problems on the fly was exactly why they, the two most experienced engineers in the entire Colony, were here in person.

    "Be careful with that section, it has to be totally level. Check the design ns for the right specifications!"

    The foundations for the pipelines were key to the entire design. Everything had been worked out in advance, down to the exact angles, and the lengths down to the millimetre. If the surfaces weren''t prepared absolutely perfectly, then everything that needed to beyered on top simply wouldn''t line up.

    "Make sure you grade the hardness of the rock. If it doesn''t meet specifications, <em>do not</em> continue until it does. We take as long as we need to get the fundamentals right. Do we have the reinforcing beams ready?" Tungstant asked.

    "We do."

    "Great. Let''s aim to get that in before the hour is up. We''re still ahead of schedule, so take your time."

    "Can youe take a look at this, team leader?" one of the workers asked.

    Tungstant scuttled over and leaned down, using her antennae and other, more esoteric senses to examine the stone in front of her. With her forelegs, she grasped hold of the enchanted measuring instruments every team carried with them and began to take careful measurements.

    "Still one third of a degree shy of the level we want, but the density is spot on. Well done."

    The carvers pored over every inch of the build site, moulding the rock, sinking the reinforcing frame in underneath and testing, testing, testing to ensure it was as perfect as they could make it. When the base was done, they began to install theplex pipework over the top, an even more exacting task than what had gone before. When it was all done, they would be capable of moving vast amounts of mana from the outside of the fortress to the inside, ready for the wuffers to purify.

    These were the lifelines of the ants within the fifth stratum, and they would be perfect.

 Chapter 1315: The Finest Creation

    Chapter 1315: The Finest Creation

    <em>Purifying the mana of the fifth was not an idea that hadn''t been tried before. In fact, there had been dozens of attempts, throughout the millennia. In fact, historical records indicated that the Folk had made an attempt using specifically designed pets to handle the process, but were eventually driven out by the Krath.</em>

    <em>So why did the ants believe they were going to be sessful where others had failed?</em>

    <em>First, they were able to bring a level ofbour and resources to the project that other empires or nations would struggle to match. Even for the Folk, invading the fifth required an enormous amount of wealth, and the constant drain of cores used to fuel their pets became too punishing to continue. The Colony did not, so to speak, use money. As long as they were bringing resources in, they were willing to expend them in the fifth. The number of cores they were willing to spend would be absurd to any other civilisation.</em>

    <em>Second, they had developed a rich and thoroughmunity, an entire caste, devoted to the research and rearing of pets on a grand scale. Despite their youth, the Colony had progressed with incredible speed in this field, and were confident in their core engineering. The eventual result, the ''wuffer'' ss of monster, was wholly unique and extremely well designed.</em>

    <em>-Excerpt from ''The Invasion'' by Alberton.</em>

    Be and Ellie were busy. Extremely busy. It was a good feeling, they liked being busy, feeling as though they were contributing; they were ants, after all.

    Before them, a pile of wuffers sat on their tform, joyfully wibbling and wobbling as the foul energy of the fifth was piped directly beneath them and filtered up through small gaps before being absorbed by the jelly-like creatures above.

    Except, mana wasn''t the only thing being absorbed by the wuffers at the moment.

    Ellie extended her antennae to tap one of the wuffers and read its core. A library of information smashed into her mind, but she was extremely practised at this, sorting through the deluge with ease to find what she was looking for."This one has reached max level," she announced. "Quick, rotate it out to the top of the pile."

    The controller of this particr wuffer hurriedly stepped forward and ordered her pet to move aside, which it did. They didn''t move very fast, the wuffers, jiggling their way forward with an ungainly backwards and forwards motion.

    "Wufwufwuf!" it wibbled happily, and the ant controller gave her pet a generous tickling with her antennae before encouraging the monster to rejoin the pile, but at the top. Another in need of levels took its ce and soon they were back to operating at full efficiency again.

    "Are there any close to reaching the sixth tier?" Be asked.

    "Not in this node," Ellie shook her antennae. "How many more do we need?"

    "At least two, but it would be safer with three," came the reply.

    "Safer, or better?"

    "Is there much of a difference?"

    "Not really."

    The two turned back to look at the tform covered in adorable, wibbling blue jelly-monsters. The wuffers were performing up to expectations so far, but they had discovered something worrying recently which was forcing them to elerate their ns.

    "When was thest time these were checked for stress?" she asked one of the nearby core-shapers.

    "Just a few hours ago," came the reply.

    "Make sure you check every three hours," Ellie warned. "The cases we''ve found elerate quickly. It''s best to be on it as early as possible."

    The core shaper nodded her antennae and turned back towards her charges with renewed focus as Be shook her head.

    "Damn fifth," sheined, "is there <em>anything</em> it won''t contaminate?"

    "It can even break down mana," Ellie said, "we shouldn''t be surprised that even our wuffers aren''t immune."

    As indeed they weren''t. It was necessary for the wuffers to be exposed to the mana of the fifth, indeed, that was their entire purpose, but nothing, it seemed, was immune from bing degraded by exposure to that poison, not even the wuffers.

    If caught early enough, they were able to solve the issue, but some wuffers had already needed to be taken off rotation in order for longer term healing to take ce.

    It was inevitable that more wuffers would fall prey to the toxicity, slipping through the cracks, no matter how vignt the core shapers were of their charges. That meant a more permanent resolution had to be found, and they already knew what it was.

    They would attempt something none in the Colony had ever attempted before: a fused evolution.

    Of course, they had nned for it, chosen this path amongst many for the progress of the wuffers. The wuffers were specifically designed to undergo this process, but even so, nerves were high between Be and Ellie as the moment of truth drew closer.

    "Do you think we''ll really be able to do it?" Be asked.

    "Of course!" Ellie retorted, trying to give herself confidence. "Our nning was meticulous!"

    "But we haven''t tested it¡­."

    "We couldn''t test it! Not without pushing the timeline of the invasion back until <em>after</em> the wave!"

    "How many are we aiming tobine?"

    "Five."

    What they nned wasn''t an evolution, per se, but a fusion of living monsters. Normally something that wasn''t possible, but with certain types of monsters, it <em>could </em>happen. Bybining five tier-six wuffers, they wouldn''t create a tier seven, but something like a tier six and a half. Some of the energy contained in the cores would go to waste, which was a shame, but reaching a tier seven wuffer was unrealistic, particrly in the short term.

    This was why new wuffers were still being raised as fast as possible in the fourth. They wouldn''t be able to maintain the invasion if this fusion turned out to be a waste.

    But if it didn''t¡­

    The first of the great wuffer queens would rise.

 Chapter 1316: Guard Duty

    Chapter 1316: Guard Duty

    Crinis and I hold down the tunnel, with some difficulty, I''ll admit. For my part, I cast an empowered gravity well and use it to press down everything in front of me. Any monster who attempts to make a charge toward this position ends up mming face first into the ground as the incredible suppressive power of gravity ttens them. From there, it''s a simple thing for Crinis to finish them off, or we just leave them. I mean, what are they going to do?

    However, creating a wellrge enough to cover the entire width of the tunnel, and also strong enough to be effective, would take an absurd amount of mana and Altar¡­ juice. Also, I''d have to recast it constantly as the energy of the well would burn out pretty darn quick. So, I just cover the main section in the middle, which catches about ny percent of all monsters, since they run straight at me most of the time, and I leave the sides to Crinis, who can cover them using her shadow portal shenanigans.

    And so we wile away the time. I don''t even bother moving, I just plop myself down and watch as the fifth gradually pushes in against the blue mana and tten the monsters when theye.

    [I have a question, Master,] Crinis says after a while.

    [Shoot.]

    [What does that mean?]

    [Ask your question.]

    [Oh. I was wondering how much you were suffering from the Call since we came here.]

    Ah, I hadn''t actually thought about it for a while, which must mean it''s doing well. Idly, I try focusing on that special location, right in the guts of the soul, where I feel that cursed hook has been lodged. Surprisingly, it still hurts like heck! Isn''t it amazing what a person can get used to?Then again, I had a fair bit of ongoing pain when I was a human, so I guess I''m fairly used to it?

    Actually¡­ is it possible that I experienced quite a bit more pain than most people when I was a human? I mean, life seems to be harder here on Pangera than it was on Earth, objectively speaking. There''s monsters, and a Dungeon, and Ancients and all that! Yet, there''s people who''ve never had their bones broken by someone collecting on their parents'' loans.

    How does that make sense?

    Eh, I''m sure there are plenty of people out there who''ve had their legs healed with magic. They probably wouldn''t even remember the incident, their legs were busted for what, a few minutes? Hah. I wish.

    The Call is still yanking away, as it does, but it''s nothing like it was above. The pain has reduced to the point where I don''t even really notice it. However, it will grow stronger over time, and I''ll be right back in the plops unless I keep going deeper.

    [It''s fine,] I tell Crinis without going into too much detail. No reason to tell her that I am actually hurting, she''ll just get bent out of shape.

    Not that she really has a shape¡­.

    [That''s good to hear, Master. At least something good came out ofing to this awful ce.]

    [You aren''t wrong. The fifth is pretty terrible, isn''t it? I''m not sure it has much in the way of redeeming features.]

    [It''s disgusting!] she deres, wiggling her tentacles to emphasise the depth of her emotions on this matter. [The monsters are just¡­ dreadful! I''ve looked into their thoughts.]

    [Oh? Bad?]

    [Worse than their appearance, Master.]

    Ouch. That''s¡­ that''s next level. If their thoughts are more disgusting than the way they look¡­ what the heck are they thinking about?!

    No, don''t consider it, Anthony, that way lies only darkness.

    Oho, this is interesting, and a perfect diversion. A very sludgy-looking monster has gotten caught in my gravity well and immediately gottenpressed down to a puddle. But that doesn''t seem to bother it all that much, and now that puddle is slowly yet resolutely squirming across the tunnel floor to reach me.

    Honestly, I never thought of what I might do if I found a monster who couldn''t be ttened by a gravity well. I suppose a gravity bomb would be enough to crush its core, but it''ll prove to be expensive if I need to bomb every single one of these monsters I see.

    Curious, I watch as the sludge slithers its way towards me, fighting against the immense downward pressure of the increased gravity. In an odd way, I find myself cheering for it.

    You can do it, weird slime-thing! I believe in the burning, mindless hatred that lives inside you! Dig deep and embrace the rage!

    It takes quite a while, but eventually the little goober manages to make its way across the area covered by the well until it''s only a few dozen metres away. At that moment, it gathers itself together,presses itself even further, then springs forwards suddenly!

    <strong>VOID CHOMP!</strong>

    [You have in¡­.]

    I let the familiar refrain from Gandalf roll over me. Talk about a telegraphed attack. Regardless of how squishy and morphable the monster might be, apply enough force to shatter the core and it''s over. Interestingly, this particr creature didn''t even have any parasites living in it, which seems to be somewhat unique down here. Just about everything is infested with something else.

    Just before I dismiss the encounter and start looking for something else to upy me, I sense something in the distance. It isn''t exactly a monster, and it isn''t exactly mana.

    What the heck is it?!

    Before I can question too much, it''s already rolling through the tunnel toward me like a shockwave. The slime trails shake like leaves, rocks crack, mould goes flying as this thing ripples through the air towards me.

    [Crinis! Brace for impact!]

    [What is it, Master?!]

    [It''s¡­ something! Jump into my shadow, now!]

    What now?

 Chapter 1317: Breath of the Beast

    Chapter 1317: Breath of the Beast

    Sometimes it''s nice to have so many brains. Also, it''s asionally useful when those brains are capable of thinking in many directions at once. As the scary wavees racing towards me, my newly empowered ability to think divergently kicks into gear. In no time at all, I spin together a force shield and start to sink down into the rock, even as it raises up before my head to protect me.

    Can I make myself st-proof in a few seconds? Of course not, but I can absolutely make things a little bit more stable!

    Only the lower few feet of my carapace are embedded into the stone when the st hits. As much as I want to see it happen, my eyes are my weakest point, so I absolutely ensure they''re buried in rock when it arrives.

    With an audible <em>THWUMP</em> that hits deep and rattles all the way through my carapace, the wave washes over me and sts back my antennae.

    Wait¡­ what the heck?

    [Crinis, did you feel any of that?]

    [I did, Master.]

    [What do you think it was?]

    [It felt like¡­ air?][That''s what I think as well.]

    Feeling confused, I drop my shield and pull myself out of the rock, taking a good look around as I do so. Nothing has been destroyed as far as I can tell, but a lot of things have certainly been disturbed. It really does look like a singr, powerful st of wind just came through. It was so dense and concentrated it looked like a literal shockwave.

    Who or what is out there generating enormous sts of air that go through hundreds of kilometres of enormous tunnels?! That makes no sense!

    [Crinis,] I say, not for the first time, [I hate this ce.]

    [I can understand why, Master.]

    The rules down here just don''t seem to make any sense. What''s going on?! What''s the system? Vents are spitting out mana, from where? Why? How? Now this stupid air-st rolling through the tunnel is making me ask those questions all over again!

    Is it only going to happen once? Does it happen regrly?

    If only we''d managed to capture a Krath and get them to talk. Well, we don''t actually need them to talk, we can read information straight out of their minds if we get enough time¡­.

    Which is probably why they refuse to be captured.

    I''ve little else to do but sit on the spot and wait for news, since I''m responsible for guarding this tunnel and can''t exactly leave until a literal armyes to rece me. I don''t have to wait long for news; only five minutes pass before a scout rushes up to me from deeper in the safe-zone.

    "Hello, Eldest. Command wants to know if that wave came through this tunnel as well?"

    "Sure did. Wait, so it hit everywhere?"

    "Yes," the little scout confirms as she marks something down on her little pheromone tablet. "From both directions as well. This side of the safe-zone was hit all over, and so was the other side. Whatever it was, it rippled through <em>every </em>tunnel."

    That''s¡­ crazy, what the heck is going on around here?

    [Master, I sense something.]

    Crinis emerges from my shadow. A dark mass of tentacles around a roughly spherical core, she slithers away from me before plunging some of her limbs into her own darkness. I can feel them emerge, out in the toxic mana almost a hundred metres away.

    [The mana is thinning out there.]

    [Oh, snap? Really?]

    I can''t tell yet, but Crinis has a much finer mana-sense than I do, since she literally uses it to see.

    "Crinis says the mana level out there is starting to drop as well. You might want to report that to the headquarters."

    "Really? That''s great news."

    Putting it mildly. If the vents are actually stopping, that''s <em>amazing</em> news. Of course, I''d love to know why! Swear to goodness, I''m going to get Crinis to attack the next Krath I see and pluck a few secrets out of them. They <em>have</em> to know what''s going on around here if they''ve lived here for this long.

    "And can you ask them to send a battalion down here to rece me? If the mana level is shrinking, then I''ll be back out there soon enough."

    "I''ll let them know. Good luck out there, Eldest."

    The little scout gives me a quick salute before scurrying away, and I settle back in to watch the tunnel for a bit longer. I''m half expecting there to be a surge in monsters after the air-st, but it doesn''t eventuate, and they continue to trickle in at a steady pace.

    Which gives me plenty of time to consider the slime and sludge-filled tunnel in front of me. After ruminating for a while, I begin to wonder if I''m just overthinking this whole mess.

    The more time I spend down here, the more the fifth feels like a living, breathing creature. So, I start to consider the possibility. What if it is?

    Maybe this whole tunnelplex is, in some way, alive? That would exin some things, maybe.

    I suppose the only way we''re going to find proof is if we get deep enough. Right now we''re barely scratching the surface, and we won''t be able to explore the depths for some time.

    After all, the major crux of the current n is to construct an impregnable fortress that we can hole up in through the next wave, a secureunching point for the next phase of the invasion. In Snt''s mind, and Ipletely agree with her, there is no hope for the Colony down here without apletely impregnable safe-haven.

    Once it''s built, though, and once the next wave is over¡­

    Look out, beastie, I''ll being down there to get ya.

 Chapter 1318: Home Sweet Home

    Chapter 1318: Home Sweet Home

    "We need more meat for the beasts," Jozish gurbled at Zluth, her tone t and angry.

    "Of course we need more meat for the beasts," Zluth snapped, "we need more meat for everyone! Our hunters are working as quickly as they can, but these are unfamiliar hunting grounds. These things take <em>time</em>."

    The rage was bubbling up in him, but he controlled it with difficulty. It wouldn''t do to start chomping on the members of his tribe. The previous Krathth had done enough of that and deprived the Slee of too many Krath. Some were ipetent, but others weren''t, and now they were sorely missed.

    Soon the eggs would hatch and a new generation of vicious Slee would be born. It would take time for them to grow, but the Krath would never have survived if they hadn''t found ways to put the young to work. Zluth himself had tended to the mould fields, which had a much higher survival rate than the beast pits.

    After all, the beasts need meat.

    "Now, you will need to make do with the supply we have," Zluth hissed savagely, "or we will be forced to seek <em>alternate</em> methods to ke the creatures'' hunger."

    "There aren''t enough beast keepers left for you to kill any of us and hope to replenish our stock," Jozish spat.

    "I wasn''t talking about you," Zluth whispered with glee. "You aren''t wrong, the beast keepers are much too precious to risk. However¡­ did youy any eggs this season, Jozish?"

    The female Krath''s eyes bulged red with fury as her mouth gaped open, revealing her savage fangs. Zluth slid away from her, backing up and giving her the space she needed to control herself."I''m d we understand each other," he said, once she had calmed down.

    Jozish red at him hatefully.

    "The beasts will get their meat," he assured her, "but do not question my decisions again unless you are willing to pay the price."

    And away she went, back to the pits, while Zluth turned to deal with the next emergency, only to find Goszi waiting. The old Krath looked disgruntled, as he always did at the moment. His nned cosy retirement had be anything but, as Zluth seemed determined to work him to the bone.

    And the more unhappy he became, the more Zluth was determined to watch him. He''d shown how far he would go to survive, the cunning old slug, and Zluth was unwilling to give him the chance to do it again.

    "What word, Goszi?" Zluth asked, turning both his eyes toward his partner in crime.

    "The Suggoth have sent a messenger," the old slug slurgled. "They''re waiting just outside the entrance to the Slimeground."

    "Well, we can''t keep our fellow Krath waiting," Zluth said. "We should go and meet them immediately."

    "We?"

    "Of course, we. Lead the way, Goszi, I''ll be right behind you."

    It was most amusing to see the old Krath turn without a word and head toward the entrance, uining. He''d known all along that Zluth would demand hee along. It would be interesting to see if he had any¡­ <em>surprises </em>nned along the way.

    The two made their way through the Slimeground, and then to the narrow, winding entrance. Compressing themselves down, they slid through the concealed entrance, emerging into the tunnel outside. The two Slee on duty were still there, concealed in the nearby mould and slime, but they were alone.

    Zluth and Goszi both emerged, slow and careful. The eye stalks of the two guards twitched to acknowledge their presence, but never stopped scanning the surrounding tunnel. And with good reason.

    A dozen metres away, a pack of six Krath huddled together,pressed and concealed between the folds in the rock. They were visibly uneasy at being so exposed, and Zluth didn''t want to make them wait, not with the threat of invasion looming over them all.

    Prodding Goszi to go first, Zluth crept forward before he extended himself a little to expose his mouth.

    "Greetings, friends from the Suggoth tribe. I am Zluth, Krathth of the Slee."

    "I am Puzith, Krathth of the Suggoth," one of the slugs replied. "We will not stay long. Your words of the invasion have been confirmed. Our tribal enmity will be put to one side, and you are given free rein over these tunnels to use as your hunting grounds. We have already sent messengers to the other nearby tribes, and there will likely be a gathering soon."

    "Will I be expected to attend?"

    "Of course. You''re the most familiar with the invasion. We will send someone to give you the details of the gathering. Is there anything else?"

    "Our tribe is in a difficult position," Zluth said. "After confronting the invasion, we lost most of our beasts, our Slimeground and many fine Krath. Would it be possible for the Suggoth to provide any assistance?"

    There was silence for a long moment as each of the slugs absorbed this extremely unusual request. Assistance¡­ from another tribe? That would be¡­ unusual.

    "What would you need?" Puzith said slowly.

    "Meat, mainly. These tunnels are unfamiliar to our hunters, and we can''t afford to lose any more Krath."

    One didn''t get to be the Krathth of arge tribe like the Suggoth without being decisive.

    "We will deliver some meat in the next few days."

    So saying, they were gone, the six sliding away into the tunnel and quickly hiding from view. After waiting a few beats, Goszi burbled a quietugh.

    "You <em>asked</em> them for meat?" he chortled.

    "And they agreed."

    "I never thought I would see the day when the tribes helped each other."

    "You probably never thought you''d see a mass invasion either."

    "True."

    "Well," Zluth mused as he began to make his way back into the Slimeground, "at least I have some good news for Jozish."

 Chapter 1319: Colony Crawls Forward

    Chapter 1319: Colony Crawls Forward

    It was slow at first, but elerated quickly. The vents, which had been spewing mana directly into the heart of the Colony''s imed territory and surrounds, reduced their output, and eventually stopped.

    Snt was somewhat pleased.

    "We return to the standard timetable immediately. I want alternative ns to handle vents within our marked borders drawn up within the hour. Juliant and Subutant, you''re on that."

    "How do you want them handled?" Juliant sought rification.

    "Containment. We won''t destroy something we don''t understand. Trying to do something drastic may well just blow up in our mandibles."

    "Got it, general."

    The two carvers scuttled away to work on designs and ns that could be incorporated into the grander scheme as Snt turned her attention to other matters. They''d been put behind schedule, and in a race against time, that wasn''t something she was happy with. Work had continued, but the expansion and exploration which were such key nks in this scheme were dramatically behind. Currently, the blue mana only covered less than a third of the area required for the safe construction of the fortress.

    "Leonidant and Washingtant. I want you to find the Eldest and get them back into the depths. We can''t push deeper without their help, not even remotely as quickly, at least."

    "What about the guardians?""If they are willing, they should return to their assigned posts."

    The situation was so fluid and dynamic that perfect information was impossible toe across, but the Colony''swork of runners and mages did their best to ry information straight back to themand post so the model could be updated in as close to real time as possible, moving markers across the enormous, detailed model of the terrain. In many ways, Snt didn''t need it, she saw the whole campaign in her head, just from catching the scent of the updates as they came through, but looking at the model seemed to help her think.

    Right now, orders were being sent out to the entire expeditionary force to once more press for expansion. The entire safe-zone was a hive of activity, with ants frically running all over the ce, reconnecting with their battalions and getting back on schedule. In fact, they had far more antpower than they needed right now. The waves of troops pouring in from the fourth hadn''t ceased for a moment, even though they weren''t able to reach their assignments.

    For the time being, they''d been absorbed into the already deployed battalions until such time they could enact their tasks. Throwing more ants at a problem wasn''t always a way to make it go away faster, but it usually helped.

    With all of the problems the fifth was throwing at them, having more ants around to push back wasn''t a bad thing in Snt''s book, not at all.

    Into the chaos of themand post came two respected figures, just as rushed and hectic as everyone else.

    "Ellie, Be, nice to see you," Snt greeted them in clipped tones. "How can I help you?"

    The two core shapers looked at each other for a brief moment before turning back to Snt and speaking at the same time.

    "It''s about the wuffers," they both said.

    "Is it the degradation problem? I''ve been informed of that. Nasty business," Snt said.

    "No," Be said, jumping in before Ellie, "it''s about our n for fusion. We wanted to know if you were willing to go ahead with it."

    "Already?" Snt queried, turning her full focus onto the two. "This is far ahead of schedule."

    "We need more wuffers, and we need them now," Ellie replied. "It''s the only thing that can get us back on track."

    "But we will suffer a tremendous loss in the short term, correct?" Snt asked carefully. "We will lose multiple tier six wuffers in order to create a single queen."

    "That''s right, but in the long run, a queen will generate more wuffers who will more than make up for the lost capacity¡­. Eventually."

    "Do it," Snt said decisively.

    "What? Are you sure?" Be gasped.

    "We are here for a long time," Snt said in a businesslike manner. "The sooner we produce the first queen, the sooner we cross over the mark which elerates us past our previous pace. Despite the issues we are facing, I will always take a long term payoff over a short term benefit. That''s how we will win."

    "We¡­ we''ll get right to it, then."

    The two core shapers dashed off, and Snt shot them a quick salute before turning back to her work. If they were sessful, then the entire operation would receive an enormous boost, with new wuffers being produced on site from the Biomass the Colony couldn''t otherwise use.

    "I''ll need to adjust the projections again," Snt muttered to herself.

    With less tier six wuffers right now, that meant the expansion would be dyed yet again in the short term, but elerated in the long term. The builders would have to focus more on the internal structure of the fortress before finishing the outeryers in a rush, which was basically the opposite of how it had been initially intended to go.

    It would be close. If they didn''t finish sealing and enchanting the outer walls of the fortress, then it wouldn''t stand a chance of resisting the wave. The schedule had been pushed right to the brink.

    "No problem," she said and cked her mandibles with satisfaction. "I like a challenge."

    Back to the model she went, inspecting every little piece of the invasion as it currently stood. In a few minutes, she began issuing orders. A little change here, a little shift there. With the extensive nning and drilling that had gone into preparing the troops, major adjustments were unnecessary and unwanted, but like an artist with a brush, Snt would make a slight touch, and leave behind a picture that was just that little bit more coherent and clear than it was before.

    And if she did it over and over again, what would be left behind would be elegant, efficient, and wless.

 Chapter 1320: The Scent of Slug (bad)

    Chapter 1320: The Scent of Slug (bad)

    Well, well, well. I''ve been cleared by the docs, and the vents have fallen silent, which means it''s time to get back down to the depths as the Colony continues to take territory.

    Yay.

    Back into the burn, baby! Ah, the sweet sensation of my eyes being melted by acid, how I missed it! No matter how I try to force cheeriness, it''s deeply unpleasant to be exposed to the toxic mana. It''s difficult to think of anything else while I''m out in it. I mean, it literally burns my entire body, on the outside at least. And of course, it''s constantly attempting to work in and melt me from the inside as well.

    Whatever the next stratum is, it <em>cannot</em> be as bad as this.

    Quick, touch wood! But there''s no wood! Dammit! Now I''m going to get down to the sixth and find out it''s basically like standing on the surface of the sun, or something. Or perhaps the temperature is just absolute zero in there and I won''t even be able to move.

    Come on, Anthony, think more positively! The fourth is such a nice, pleasant ce to be, filled with life and light and sparkling water. Maybe the sixth will be filled with soft nkets that hug you!

    I can dream, dammit!

    I should probably focus. Despite leaning on my many minds and divergent thinking to monitor my surroundings, I do need to pay close attention. The monsters here are still a threat.

    There aren''t that many around me right now. This close to the purified mana produced by the wuffers, the native monsters were able to sense it and rushed upward to attack us a long time ago. New creatures are spawning, but even here, they''re weak enough that I can deal with them rtively easily.The monsters down here are¡­ different from the monsters I''ve run into before. Fifth stratum monsters aren''t as directly strong as creatures from the fourth or even the more powerful demons from the third. They don''t move fast, or hit hard, or cut savagely, or attack with mana as relentlessly as the monsters from before. Instead, they''re¡­ tricky. They do everything they can to spread their own particr brand of acid, or toxic slime, or putrid, contaminating filth, and let that do the bulk of the work for them.

    Then half of them seem almost <em>designed</em> to die. They explode in an eruption of goo that will kill even me if it touches me, then out of the gooe a thousand wiggling little worms that try to burrow into my carapace, or jump into a nearby patch of mould, just waiting for an unsuspecting monster toe nearby.

    I found a monster that literally attached itself to a wall and just fires a doom-spike of doom at anything thates past. Without my precognitive abilities, I would have been spiked, and then no doubt digested from the inside out as it injected me full of awfulness.

    I guess what I''m trying to say is, the monsters here are just as bad as the environment. Zero stars. Do not rmend.

    Gah, where am I supposed to go, again? I mentally check in with Snt for a second using the Nave. I really need to use this thing more often, especially since it doesn''t seem to be affected by the corrupting nature of the fifth like regr mentalmunication.

    [Hey, Snt. How deep am I meant to go again?]

    [You asked me this exact question five minutes ago.]

    [Hey, it seems to me like that doesn''t answer my question. Kinda weird you would waste time saying that, since you''re so busy and all.]

    [I <em>am</em> busy. Extremely busy.]

    [Suuuure.]

    I know she''s busy.

    [Follow the tunnel down for three kilometres.]

    I can practically hear the mental sigh she is no doubt unleashing with all of her might. I cheerfully ignore it.

    [Right, three kilometres, gotcha.]

    The tunnel I''m in is just asically huge as the ones I was in before, and it slopes down rather severely. Not that it''s a problem for me and my amazing ws, I can handle a puny slope like this!

    My destination confirmed, I head on down the tunnel, keeping my eye out for parasites, worms, slime, mucus and all the other pleasant things I havee to expect from this ce.

    Snt''s n for the initial invasion calls for us to push exactly twenty kilometres deep in order to construct the mega-base that will be our safe haven in this stratum. At the moment, we''ve only made it a little over half of that distance, so there''s a long way into the depths that I need to go.

    At least I know the Colony is busy descending right behind me. The wuffers are wuffing away, purifying mana, and my family is scrambling to catch up to the schedule.

    After all the setbacks we''ve had, and sneak attacks I''ve suffered, I''m on full alert as I proceed down the tunnel. The deeper we get, the thicker and more disgusting the mana bes, which is reflected in the environment. There''s more strands of slime connecting the floor to the ceiling, more mould in all sorts of crazy colours, some offensively bright, others muted to the point they blend in with the rock. There''s mucus rivers, even mucus waterfalls that ooze down from above and vanish into gaps in the floor, seeping far below. And the mucus itself is getting worse! Thicker, more virulent, with creepy colours flecked through it. I swear sometimes it moves on its own.

    Yuck.

    Stepping around one particrly disgusting mucus pool, I get a tingle from my antennae, followed by the sight of <em>something</em> stabbing out at me from beneath the surface. Exploding into motion, I roll to one side, crushing rocks, mould patches and a worm, as it turns out. Yet, despite my forewarning, the attack I saw doesn''t eventuate.

    Or perhaps it did? There was a flicker, barely there¡­.

    Suspicious, indeed.

    Well, this won''t do. Gathering my mana, I put my minds to work, and soon the pool is subjected to an enormous ze of Dragon''s Breath. The temperature in the tunnel skyrockets as I unleash the scorching fire upon the mucus, which bubbles and churns in a frankly awful way.

    When all is said and done, I melt the pool to nothing. There <em>were</em> a few little bitey-looking eels in there, but I don''t think they were responsible for what I saw. On closer inspection, I do find something else that warrants my attention. A gap in the rock, very small, very narrow. Not much could fit inside that¡­ but a certain species of squishable slug could.

 Chapter 1321: They Think Theyâ€™re Soooo Sneaky

    Chapter 1321: They Think They¡¯re Soooo Sneaky

    Sadly, that encounter was only the beginning of my Krath concerns. I start to see signs of them everywhere I look. Slime trails on the walls, but when I try to follow them, there''s a little crack they''ve slithered into, which inevitablyunches poisonous spikes, or clouds of toxic gas. There was one which just erupted with a massive font of sludge that sted fifty metres past my head after I dodged out of the way.

    So, they''re being tricky. Hey, fine. You want to lead me into these stupid traps? I can just ignore the slime trails. I''ve got stuff to do anyway.

    The next time I spy one of the half-hidden trails, I pay it no mind and keep moving forward, chomping on the monsters that rush forward the moment they spot me. It doesn''t take the Krath long to figure out that I''m no longer willing to y their game, which just means that they move to the next one.

    As I creep forward, my antennae start tingling almost constantly and I can feel tiny eddies in the gravitational field around me as they slither about, but it''s really tricky to pin them down. Unlike most monsters down here, who have a rudimentary sort of cunning at best when confronting an outsider such as myself, the Krath are extremely cautious. I can feel just how cautious they are. They move, then freeze, then move again after I pay attention elsewhere. No two ever seem to be moving at the same time, and they are impossible to find just by looking. Somehow they always find something to blend in with. I''m telling you, chameleons have nothing on these damn slugs!

    They must have some sort of mottled outer skin or something. Unless there''s an eyestalk sticking out, I can''t see a darn thing.

    Which is when they startunching things at me.

    I''m monitoring changes in mana like a hawk who can see mana, but they aren''t doing anything magical, they just start shooting stuff at me. The first is a spike that I manage to dodge before it can lodge in my side. Next is a potent st of acid that I jump out of the way of. When it hits the floor, it starts melting straight through the rock, vanishing into the darkness right before my eyes.

    Oi! You stupid slugs! Someone could really get hurt from that!

    But I choose not to retaliate, I''ve got a ton of tunnel to cover, and if I chase these pests, they''re just going to slither down into a hole somewhere and vanish. Despite what a massive pain in the thorax they''re being, I will persevere!Which, of course, just means that they crank it up a notch. Two start firing at once, or three, or they shoot more than one projectile at a time. It bes impossible for me to properly dodge, even <em>with</em> my foresight, simply due to the sheer size of my body and the clever ways they aim their shots. Which means I have to take more active measures, putting up shields or sting their shots away with force or air magic.

    The natural consequence is that my mental attention is further fractured. I''m constantly paying attention to my antennae, to the mana around me, preparing shields and other countermeasures, all of which is weakening my efforts to purge the invasive mana from myself!

    Stupid slugs!

    I''m fine for now, but if this goes on too much longer, it''s going to be an issue. I half heartedly start shooting back at them, since I have the mana ready to go anyway. des of concentrated air slice outwards every now and again, trying to catch them when I sense movement, but if I hit anything, I don''t get any sign, and as if in retaliation, their attacks intensify.

    More spikes (where do they even get them from?), more acid, more everything, until it bes a near endless barrage and I''m forced tomit even more of my mental resources to fending them off! It''s a nightmare!

    At least it would be, if this wasn''t part of my master n.

    It''s not easy to whip together a gravity well while concealing the expenditure of mana. In fact, it''s <em>extremely</em> difficult. I''m certain signs of the building power leaked out, but by then they were so upied by poking at me that I don''t think they noticed.

    And crucially, they let their guard down, and drew a little bit too close.

    Eat gravity, suckers!

    GWEHEHEHEHEHEH!

    With an enormous outrush of power, the well forms above me, and all of a sudden, up bes down and down bes up. Naturally, I expect this, and manage to flip over gracefully before Ind on the roof. Once I do, I crank the force of the gravity up to eleven¡­ <em>hundred.</em>

    Oh, they''re moving now. In fact, I can actually see one! The slug is desperately clinging to the ground as it tries to creep out of the range of my gravity well.

    What''s the matter, little slug? Don''t you feel like firing some acid at me? Or a spike, perchance? I ck my mandibles, filled with evil glee as I seize this moment to pay them back for all the pain they''ve caused me over thest few hours!

    Better move quick, you darn slugs! If you lose your grip, I promise things won''t get any better for you up on the roof!

    In the end, I manage to catch two. The one who I saw earlier, and one other who tried to hold out in the mould, but was ultimately betrayed by their hiding ce, since it weakened their grip.

    Both slugs are ripped up to the ceiling and pressed into the surface. They tten themselves down and try to escape the field, but it''s no use. Filled with thoughts of vengeance I approach the two slugs, but, predictably, they do not give me the satisfaction.

    Both detonate and melt away before I get a chance to chomp.

    Absolutely crazy. I let the well dissipate andnd heavily back on the floor of the cavern and continue my patrol.

    I am not bothered any further.

 Chapter 1322: Even Here, They Haunt Me

    Chapter 1322: Even Here, They Haunt Me

    Even if the slugs aren''t attacking me anymore, they still watch. I can feel them slithering about on the edges of my gravitational awareness, tiny little eddies in the field I can barely sense. In some ways, it''s a shame. I really do want to capture one and have a chat with them, but they seem keen to avoid such an exchange.

    Ah well. If the slugs aren''t shooting stuff at me, there''s still plenty for me to worry about. The further I progress in this near-vertical tunnel, the thicker and more dense the slime bes. It''s almost like a spiderweb of mucus strands has been formed across the entire width of the tunnel, which spans over a kilometre, let me remind you.

    It''s so dense now that I actively have to burn or bite my way through. Every time I snap a strand, it recoils and ps wetly against the rock or contacts another strand and bes stuck, the two blending together and thickening the rest of the web.

    So I advance slowly while holding desperate hope in my heart that I''m not going to find some kind of sludge-spider that''s created this tangled mess. Of all the things I''ve seen and fought down here, an eight-legged, slime-spitting arachnid would be the most off-putting I can imagine.

    Fortunately, I haven''te across anything like that so far, just the usual frogs, slime-fish, and a few more of those weird egg-looking things.

    <strong>VOID CHOMP!</strong>

    I don''t empower it, because goodness knows what would happen if I did. Would it suck in all the mucus strands? Or would they detach from the walls and then flop about until they stuck to me? I won''t take the risk.

    So I let the ck jaws of pure energy scythe through the strands, then creep forward, filled with caution. My antennae never stop moving as I try to sense any scent, any gravitational shift, and my eyes, as always, are peeled. For trouble, specifically.

    And, in fact, the deeper I go into the mess, the more I <em>do</em> begin to sense something. Many things. Many, small things. For a while, I''m worried that this is a whole bunch of Krath ahead of me, but I soon dismiss the idea. The Krath are way, way sneakier than whatever this is. The slugs move so cautiously, so cleverly, I end up second-guessing myself whenever I think I spot one. Whatever is causing this sensation, it''s just wiggling about all over the ce.Another chomp, another slight advance, and I''m starting to get a sense of where the centre of this mess might lie. I mean, the Colony is going toe through here and use this tunnel as part of the eventual fortress, so all of this needs to go. If I can figure out what created this web and destroy them, that''ll be to the benefit of the family.

    Steadily, I chomp through, bit by bit, heading towards what I believe to be the centre mass of this tangled web. Soon, I can see it. Right in the middle, hanging in the air, connected to strandsing from the floor and ceiling, is arge mass of snot.

    For want of a better word.

    It basically looks like more mucus strands that have been mixed with dirt or crushed rock to create something¡­ more solid. Whatever I''ve been feeling wiggling about is crawling all over and within this thing. It''s fairlyrge, dozens of metres across, perhaps as many as fifty, and roughly (very roughly) spherical.

    I''ll need to get closer to get a better look at it. The air down here is basically filled with a constant miasma, a toxic fog, that can make it difficult to see at times. Here, surrounded by all this sludge, it''s quite thick.

    Chomp.

    Another strand is sheared apart by the extended energy mandibles, and it recoils sharply, whipping through the air and setting the entirework nearby to wobbling. Unlike before, there''s a <em>strong</em> reaction from the booger-orb, with a heck of a lot of activity suddenly urring. Creatures are boiling out of the thing and shimmying along the ropes of goop towards me. Well now, finally I get a chance to see what the heck has caused this mess!

    What are you, you filthy mucus merchants?

    I ready my mandibles to dispense righteous justice, only to freeze when the first of the foes draws close enough for me to see.

    It¡­ it can''t be?

    Not you. Not here. Not like this!

    With its many legs, the monster shuffles along the mucus strand, a thickyer of goo coating its outside. Once it gets close enough, it rears up its back section and points it towards me. The beast flexes hideously and a truly disgusting strand of goop is fired towards me, arcing through the air before sticking to the rock I quickly vacated.

    Irritated, the monster flexes its two ws at me, each squelching as theypress their own slime coating.

    Centipedes. Slimetipedes.

    REALLY, DUNGEON?! Even in the fifth you''ve started spawning these horrible things?! What is your problem, Gandalf!?

    I swear to all that is sacred and holy, I will obliterate these damn things from the Dungeon and put in a personalint to Gandalf. This isn''t right!

    I mean, at least they aren''t coated in diamond, which is a plus, but I can''t exactly say that toxic sludge is much of an improvement either.

    More and more of them are emerging, and Imit myself to the only reasonable course of action: annihting everything around me with a ck hole. It''s the right thing to do.

    I put together a powerful force barrier in front of me and begin topress the gravity mana within me. Ah yes, all of these awful things that offend my eyes so badly will soon be going away.

    And eventually, they will be removed from the Dungeon entirely, and I will no longer need to live on the same world as these creatures. Only then will I know peace.

 Chapter 1323: When it Rains, Itâ€™s Mucus

    Chapter 1323: When it Rains, It¡¯s Mucus

    <em>It is difficult to piece together a specific theme or guiding principle for the naturally urring monsters of the fifth. This may be due to how poorly studied they are, for obvious reasons. Expeditions to seize cores from the fifth do take ce, but they are extremely risky, and therefore monstrously expensive.</em>

    <em>Should the Krath catch wind of poachers, those poor individuals will suffer a truly terrible fate, but even without the intervention of the Slug Tribes, there are many ways to meet an end within the fifth.</em>

    <em>Which means that even those sessful expeditions that manage to return have only delved the top third of the stratum, at most. Who knows what creatures might lurk in the deep, where the mana is thickest and at its most potent?</em>

    <em>From what we do know, we can say that the fifth has a huge amount of variety. Fish creatures, amphibian type monsters, insectile beasts, elementals, bipedal monsters, flying creatures, living mould creatures, turtles, dragons, flowers, trees and everything else under the sun and below.</em>

    <em>What clearly differentiates it from the other strata is two things: the reliance on toxins, poisons and acids to do most of the damage, and the prevalence of parasites.</em>

    <em>Monsters who need other monsters to be attached to themselves in order to live and thrive aren''t unheard of elsewhere in the Dungeon, but nowhere are they asmon as here. An entire branch of study has been founded amongst the Shapers to try and determine if a positive, symbiotic rtionship can be found between a parasite and host. They want to create a custom parasite that will strengthen the monster they introduce it to, but the Dungeon seems somewhat resistant to such designs. There must be a reason for that.</em>

    <em>-Excerpt from the private notes of Granin.</em>

    I nearly died, but it was totally worth it. Should I have put as much juice as I did into that gravity bomb? Probably not. In my defence, I can only say that I was not in my right mind at the time. I was traumatised by the sight of my hated foe, my nemesis.

    I hate those damn centipedes even more than I hate the termites. Although, if I run into a fifth stratum variety of termites I might just lose it. That is <em>not</em> something I ever want to see.In the wake of my¡­ slightly over the top course of action, the centipede nest¡­ and everything around it for a significant distance, was very much destroyed. Once I pried myself out of the rubble, the environment had most definitely changed for the better, with most of the mucus strands gone, along with most of the nearby tunnel.

    Hey, it''s probably easier to build in this than it was to build with the mucus everywhere! You''re <em>wee,</em> Cobalt and Tungstant!

    Feeling much better about life, the universe and all the other stuff, I cheerfully advance into the tunnel again. I''m only about two kilometres deep at the moment, and I have the final third of this particr sojourn ahead of me before I can call it quits and get back to the safe-zone.

    Before I do so, I sit down for a second and make a thorough check of my body, turning my many minds inward. As expected, trace amounts of toxic mana have taken root in several ces throughout my carapace, and I take the time to break them all down, ensuring nothing is left behind. When that''s done, I check myself again ande up empty. That doesn''t mean there aren''t pieces left, but they''re so small that I can''t sense them, so it''s time to move on. Only by getting checked over when I return can I be sure to bepletely free of the stuff.

    For a few hundred metres, there isn''t much to worry about, most of it has been thoroughly annihted by the bomb I unleashed. The tricky part is finding a way through all the rubble. Certain sections of the tunnel have copsed, and others are certainly unsteady. Again, something I''m sure the carvers are more than capable of fixing.

    So down I go, making excellent progress. Even the miasma has been consumed by the bomb, to some extent anyway, which gives me better visibility as I make my way forward.

    Eventually, Ie to the outer edges of the mucus web and am forced to cut my way through, but it doesn''t present much of a challenge. Then I''m through! Whoo!

    Now, what else lies ahead?

    As far as I know, once I reach my destination, the tunnel I''m currently heading down will intersect another ande to an end in a T-intersection. Which should be just ahead of me. This new tunnel runs horizontally, so it will need to be conquered eventually, but for the time being, it''ll be ignored as the Colonypletes construction up above.

    It might be because I destroyed everything behind me, but there seems to be a distinctck of monsters around here. Like, an almost suspiciousck of monsters.

    I advance hundreds of metres down the tunnel, and there just¡­ isn''t much to see.

    I''m pretty muchpletely vertical now, clinging to the wall of the tunnel and looking straight down as Ie toward the intersection, which finallyes into sight.

    And¡­ I suppose <em>that</em> is probably the reason I''m not seeing many monsters around¡­.

    Ahead of me, I can see the point where the two tunnels meet and this one ends. Normally, such intersections are the most chaotic parts of the Dungeon, filled to the brim with monsters running into each other and vibrant environments.

    Instead, I see something else. At first I thought it was a massive pool of lurid green slime, streaked through with an almost offensively bright yellow colour, but then I saw it <em>ripple</em>.

    It''s not a pool of slime, it''s a single organism, a monster. When I look closer, I can make out its shape a little better and it bes rtively easy to determine what it is.

    It''s a snake, coiled up in a circle. A single, truly enormous snake.

    Could this thing be tier eight or nine?! Holy moly!

    Looks like I found the old monster who lords over this section of the Dungeon. I wonder if it left the centipedes alone for any particr reason, or did they only recently move in while this thing was napping?!

    I hunker down, and begin to slowly retreat.

    Chances are, I''ll need to fight this thing, but not right now. I''ve been out in the toxins for too long. I need treatment, I need a break from constantly regenerating my eyes, and I need to consult with the headquarters about what they want me to do. For now, I settle for giving Snt a quick heads up.

    [Hey there, general. I''ve reached the endpoint, and I''m starting to make my return. Just thought you would like to know that there is a significant impediment to our progress just ahead of my position.]

    [In what form?]

    [Snake form.]

 Chapter 1324: Quite the Feat

    Chapter 1324: Quite the Feat

    <em>It took far too long for anyone to recognise just what the ants had achieved in the fifth stratum. Specifically in regards to the fortress, or nest, they constructed.</em>

    <em>Building a secure base within the fifth had been done before, many times, over the centuries. Almost every attempt to cleanse the fifth, or merely secure territory within it, had created a base, or fort, of some sort or another during their stay. Indeed, the Legion is rumoured to maintain a facility there to this day, though they deny any such ims.</em>

    <em>However, the Colony created something unlike anything that had been created before. The manner of its construction was unique. The scale of the project was unique. Most crucially, the function was wholly original.</em>

    <em>Not only did the fortress act as a nest, a fortified position to protect those within and a safe environment that warded off the toxic mana of that ce, but it was perhaps the first mana factory ever produced.</em>

    <em>The ant fortress was designed to act like a beating heart, an endless engine that cycled in filth and pumped out pure, refined mana. Simple in principle, fiendishly difficult in practice.</em>

    <em>It is nothing short of a miracle of engineering and enchanting.</em>

    <em>-Excerpt from ''Insect Expertise'' by Rathwyn Werilos</em>

    "No! Don''t put that there!"

    CLANG.The human worker turned when they heard the voice call out to them, only to trip and cause the four men to drop their burden on the spot.

    Which, of course, just so happened to be above an incredibly sensitiveponent of a mana channel, bending the metal out of shape.

    Isaac resisted the urge to p himself in the forehead. It wasn''t the workers'' fault, he shouldn''t have called out like that. Nor could he me them for being so confused as to the proper destination for those beams. Things had be incredibly chaotic once the expansion had restarted. Construction projects that had been frozen during the vent activity were restarted, even while other projects that had been picked up to fill the time were still ongoing.

    "Sorry about that,ds," he said to the incredibly guilty-looking workers. They were looking about themselves, as if wondering when an ant was going to leap out and bite their legs off. "Those beams need to go to the next drop-off point, which is about two hundred metres down that way."

    He pointed, and the men thanked him gratefully before they bent down and picked up their supplies once more. Only when they were well off down the tunnel did he say anything to Cavnt, upon whom he was still mounted.

    "I''m surprised the carvers didn''t rush over the second they heard the metal drop. It''s not like it was quiet."

    "They wanted to," she replied, using her antennae to direct his attention. Sure enough, waiting in the wings were several teams of ants, grinding their mandibles anxiously. As soon as the human workers had made it far enough away, they rushed over and inspected the metal.

    "How is it?" one carver asked.

    "It''s gone. We need to lift out this whole section and have it reced."

    "Any chance they can fix it at the forward fabrication workshop?"

    "Maybe. Worth taking it to them for a look, but we can''t wait for that. Someone get word to the depot and request a newponent. What''s the section number?"

    "It''s¡­ carver dash six, eight, eleven."

    Isaac listened from the side, extremely chagrined.

    "Wait, the channel was ruined from that drop? I''m so sorry!"

    He''d never seen them made, but he knew just how much work went into each of these channels. The ants only used their best metals, and each one was heavily enchanted. Even above each of those, the channels were extremely well formed, an incredible piece of smithery. Each one was handmade, after all. Well, not handmade. Mandible made?

    The carvers turned to face him, confused.

    "Sorry? For what?" they asked him.

    Before Isaac could try and exin, Cavnt stepped in for him.

    "I can answer this. It''s a human behaviour, they will apologise for idents that they cause, even unintentionally."

    Isaac looked down at his partner.

    "Isn''t that normal?" he demanded.

    "Of course it isn''t," she refuted.

    The carvers seemed to agree with her.

    "You made a mistake. Don''t apologise for mistakes."

    "Indeed, apologising makes it seem as if you did something wrong. Mistakes are natural, they will happen, we strive to minimise them, but n for them to happen. There are spares of everyponent of the fortress for exactly this reason."

    "See?" Cavnt said. "You''re the weird one."

    Well¡­ plops. This was just one of those instances where normal human behaviour didn''t mesh with the way ants thought about things.

    "Well, let''s get out of their way and make sure nothing else gets dropped in ces it shouldn''t," he suggested and Cavnt cked her mandibles in agreement.

    The two moved further into the tunnel, leaving the carvers to their business. The work crew had managed to deliver their burden, without destroying anything else on the way, and were headed back towards the lifts, ready to collect their next load.

    Isaac kept a wary eye on them, but couldn''t help but notice his thoughts wander, which they did more and more often the longer he was down in the fifth.

    He wondered, though he tried not to, what Morrelia was up to. Was she still there, in the fourth stratum, above him? What was she doing? Was she working with the Legion, trying to find a way to kill Anthony? Or perhaps, just perhaps, she was thinking of the dashing ant-knight, with the stunning moustache?

    "Hey, stop daydreaming up there," Cavnt snapped. "We''ve got work to do."

 Chapter 1325: Tell Him Heâ€™s Dreaming

    Chapter 1325: Tell Him He¡¯s Dreaming

    Morrelia was frustrated.

    "Tribune, you need to rx a little, you look like you''re going to bite someone''s head off," her fellow Tribune, Joshen Aurelis noted.

    She narrowed her eyes at the man, irritation bubbling just beneath the surface. Joshen wasn''t someone that Morrelia was able to get along with. He was too stuffy, too¡­ <em>clean</em>. Being in the Legion was a career of being ankle deep in blood and guts, so how was this guy always so spotless? It shouldn''t have been possible!

    "I just might," she growled.

    Joshen sighed and put down the papers he was carrying. The two were the sole upants of the officers'' tent, which wasn''t as unusual as it sounded, considering most of the camp was asleep. They were the only two who''d be inside at such an hour.

    "You aren''t still obsessing over your bizarre scheme?" he said.

    "Bizarre?" Morrelia snapped. "What''s bizarre is having an entire Legion of elite troops sitting on their hands in the fourth doing <em>nothing</em>. There are hotspots throughout the Dungeon that desperately need help, what are we achieving by staying here?"

    "We are fulfilling our mission," Joshen said patiently, and perhaps, a little condescendingly.

    "No, we aren''t," she forced out through gritted teeth. "What is our mission, Joshen?""To iste and kill the prospective Ancient."

    "And how exactly have we gotten closer to achieving that objective today? Tell me, Joshen, what bold strides have you made?"

    "You know as well as I do that pursuing the monster into the fifth stratum would be suicide. We are waiting for the Krath to do our work for us."

    "So you admit we aren''t doing anything."

    "Someone has to be here to confirm that the mission has been achieved."

    "And how are you going to do that? You think the Colony is just going to tell us?"

    "You know as well as I do that our Dungeon seers are close enough to confirm the creature''s death the moment it urs."

    "And how long will that remain true? How deep will the target go before they''re no longer able to be sensed through the interference of the fifth?"

    "I will admit, as I have in the past, that will be a problem, but right now it isn''t."

    Morelia threw up her hands.

    "So we just stay here, doing nothing, achieving nothing, hoping that the Krath are able to kill our target?"

    "Those are our orders," Joshen shrugged.

    At this point, Morrelia made the sensible decision and stopped talking. This guy was just infuriating. As long as they were doing as they were told, he was satisfied, whereas Morrelia was climbing up the walls, desperate to be doing something useful.

    If she asked her mother for advice, the woman would probably tell her to do whatever she wanted. Minerva hadn''t exactly been amazing at following directives, but she was such an effective leader and fighter that the troops went along with whatever she wanted to do anyways. It didn''t hurt that she was almost always right in her strategic decisions, either.

    The only thing the higher officers could do with her was put her right at the top of the Legion and make her Consul. At least at that point she wouldn''t be insubordinate anymore, since all the orders wereing from her!

    "Are you two still bickering in here?"

    The two Tribunes snapped to attention as Commander Chyron slipped into the tent. The grizzled veteran was decked out in her armour, only missing her helmet, which made her formidable presence even more hard-edged than usual.

    "You know it''s possible for both of you to be right?" the Commander drawled. "As soldiers of the Legion, it''s important that we follow our orders and don''t break the trust that''s been ced in us. At the same time, it <em>is</em> a waste of resources for us to be sitting here doing nothing at a time when the Abyssal Legion is drastically short-handed."

    Feet stomping heavily in her armour, the Commander walked into the tent, staring down both of her Tribunes.

    "You''re quite right, Commander," Joshen said, causing Morrelia to roll her eyes before she could stop herself.

    "Has there been any word from the brass?" Morelia asked, Chyron just looked at her and cocked an eyebrow. "... Commander, has there been any word from the brass?" Morrellia winced and corrected herself.

    "As a matter of fact, there has. Lo'' I bring you a miracle! The Consul has changed their mind," Chyron said.

    "Are we redeploying?" Morrelia asked, heart in mouth.

    If they were going to leave Anthony alone, that would at least save her troubled conscience. She hated this mission, even if it gave her a chance to be closer to the people she''d helped to save in Renewal. There were many, many ces in the Dungeon where her Skills could be put to good use in the service of those who were unable to defend themselves in ways that didn''t involve trying to kill old friends.

    "Of course not," Chyron huffed, "they aren''t going to bend <em>that</em> far. Our mission is still valid and important. Any monster who experiences the Call needs to be prevented from descending. That''s been the case for over a thousand years, and it isn''t going to change now."

    The Commander eyed her two officers before she continued.

    "No. It''s been determined that we will need to be closer to the target in order to urately record their death, or, in the unlikely event they make it through the fifth, be able to report their location to an interception team in the sixth."

    Joshen frowned.

    "So we are to give up trying to achieve the kill ourselves?"

    That was not a turn of phrase that Morrelia liked hearing. Was Joshen really that focused on achieving this mission? What for? The glory? To increase his chances of promotion?

    "For the time being, that is correct," Chyron affirmed. "We''ve been given permission to provide limited support to the ants as they attempt to progress into the fifth in order to justify our presence watching over the target. It''s believed that this will further aggravate the Krath and cause them to target the ants even further, while allowing the Legion to achieve other objectives elsewhere in the fifth."

    "Killing two birds with one stone," Morrelia said tly.

    Chyron grinned.

    "We''re nothing if not efficient."

    "Doesn''t this put us at tremendous risk?" Joshen asked, his tone t.

    "Of course it does," the Commander replied. "You''re in the Legion. This is what we do."

 Chapter 1326: Day Spa

    Chapter 1326: Day Spa

    "Twelve hours before you go out again," the healer scolded, "not a second sooner."

    "I heard you the first time. AND the second time, alright? The third just feels insulting."

    "We''ve been instructed to warn at least three times, since our patients are so determined to make their injuries worse."

    "Hey, I''m not in the Immortals! You think I <em>like</em> having my eyeballs melted?"

    The healer looked at me suspiciously and cked her mandibles in thought.

    "Maybe," she said.

    "Now I <em>am</em> offended."

    "I don''t care if you''re offended, only if you''re alive," the healer said, hopping off my carapace and heading off to her next patient.

    Yeesh. They really are the grumpiest of all the castes in the Colony. Permanently peeved.I slowly pick myself up and give myself a quick check over. Of course, I don''t find anything wrong, since the healers have a much better sense for these things than I do. To be honest, I feel a lot better knowing that an expert has given me the all-clear. The mana of the fifth is just so insidious. I''m not a fan of walking around while trace amounts might still be inside me.

    [Master, wee back!]

    [Hey, Crinis, how''s things?]

    The little ball of infinite nightmares slips out of the shadows and manifests herself into a little ball in front of me, wiggling her tentacles in greeting.

    [As good as they can be in this ce,] she replies, full of cheer.

    [Yeah, I hear you. Things are tough down here. Any word from Tiny and Invidia?]

    [They''re still fighting in the tunnels, I believe. At least, Tiny is, and Invidia won''t leave without him.]

    Ah, I should have known. I reach out to the ape, who very much should have finished his rotation on the frontlines by now.

    [Hey, Tiny! If you''ve finished your shift, clock off ande find me. That''s an order! Sheesh!]

    Dammit, Tiny. I can only imagine how frustrating he finds the fighting down here, but even so, he won''t walk away from it if he has the chance to throw punches.

    [While he sulks and finishes up his shift, let''s head over to the headquarters. I need to talk to Snt and the others.]

    [Oh, did you find something while you were out, Master?]

    [Ah¡­ yes. You know, it''s weird having to exin, I''m too used to having you around all the time. Normally, you would already know what I''d seen.]

    [Well¡­ you could take me out there with you¡­.]

    [You know I can''t, you silly little blob.] I poke her with my antenna and she wobbles pitifully. [I appreciate the thought, though. I''ll tell you what I saw on the way, let''s go.]

    I pop her up onto my back and get moving as I exin my adventure. She¡­ isn''t happy about the Krath and their shenanigans. As I exin their tricks and aggression, she grows worryingly quiet. <em>Dangerously</em> quiet.

    I quickly move on.

    Themand post, as usual, is extremely hectic, at least on the surface. There''s a ton of movement, as you would expect, and at first it looks insane, but to the trained ant observer, it''s clear where the lines of pheromones are. Just as things always are around Snt, there''s a profound method behind the madness.

    I, of course, ignore the entire system and literally walk all over it to get to the middle as quickly as possible.

    I''m not trying to be annoying, although I ept that might happen as a consequence. It''s just that I''m super busy! I''ve got a lot of stuff to do, and I can''t be standing around, incredibly bored, in lines for half an hour!

    What''s that? I have to stay outside of the poison mana for twelve hours? What a useless and unrted thought. Away with you!

    "Hey, Snt. Here to report on the creature I saw."

    The little general seems to have been fully prepared for my breach of protocol and is unperturbed. All the relevant ants have been gathered and are waiting for me to begin.

    "You had the healer tell you I wasing," I guess.

    "It''s possible that you are more predictable than you think you are, Eldest," Snt demurs.

    My antennae twitch. Little smart aleck.

    "Fine. Yes, it looks like a tier eight monster, possibly nine if the evolutions were quite weak. It wasn''t easy to get a sense of its core through the interference, but it was definitely strong."

    "Stronger than yours?"

    "Hey now, that''s an insensitive thing to ask."

    "But highly relevant, since you will be the one to fight it."

    Well, I can''t argue with that.

    "Hard to say. It''s close, I think."

    As we converse, other members of Snt''s group are busy recording things and discussing amongst themselves, moving things around on a little board they have between them all. These ants think way too much for me.

    "This isn''t the only powerful monster we''vee across as we''ve expanded, but if your reading is urate, then it is probably the strongest. Much like the fourth stratum, there appear to be areas where the oldest monsters have established a territory of sorts. Before we can safely expand into these zones, we will need you to take care of them, Eldest."

    "Oh, great. I''m guessing I won''t be able to fight them anywhere near the blue mana?"

    "Unfortunately not. If we expand too close to them, they''ll be drawn out to investigate. We can''t risk that they will go berserk as the regr spawns do."

    "Good news all around."

 Chapter 1327: The First Showdown

    Chapter 1327: The First Showdown

    So, like everywhere in the Dungeon, there are pockets that have been ''imed'' by the biggest and baddest monsters as their own personal hunting ground.

    It makes sense, really. The monsters who manage to survive long enough to form their cores, evolve a few times and get their Skills ranked up have a massive advantage over the fresh spawns. If they avoid the other monsters who managed to do the same, then they''ll have an easy, if slow, path to progress by preying on creatures weaker than themselves. Confrontations between the biggest and strongest monsters don''t make sense, there''s too much risk.

    This is only the case if they achieve sufficient levels of intelligence, which is probably why such powerfulndlords were lessmon up in the first stratum. The monsters there just don''t get that intelligent, acting more like Tiny and throwing themselves into battle after battle. Eventually they''ll fall, or grow strong enough to descend deeper, where they fall anyway.

    That''s not the case here. Some monsters of the fifth are smart enough to survive, to avoid being infested with parasites, and to umte strength until they reach the point where they''re able to thrive. Too tough to be worth hunting for the Krath or other monsters, they carve out their own niche and battle to keep it, maintaining their existence by feasting on those who manage to grow strong enough to provide sustenance.

    Now that the Colony is pushing further and further into the fifth, we''ve started to brush up against thends imed by these creatures, and it falls to yours truly to go hunt them down.

    After twelve sweet hours of rest, letting my carapace heal naturally and ensuring there is no speck of corruption within me, I am once again ready to face the wild, untamed, and super, <em>super</em> toxic fifth stratum.

    It doesn''t take long for me to find what I need. The Colony has been employing more and more ants whose Skills and abilities align with Brilliant in some capacity. Mages with the ability to glean information from the Dungeon itself, which seems like some sort of witchcraft to me. It''s these ants who direct me down a curved tunnel that opens to another deep pool of literally steaming mucus which fills the entire cavern with a noxious mist.

    All in all, it''s a super pleasant environment, so it shouldn''t be too surprising that a giant turtle creature has decided to set up shop inside.

    I stand on the banks of the borderlineke, and, at first, I can''t even see the lousy creature.My mind constructs are spinning up, and I''m ready to unleash some serious pain, but I don''t know where to aim it. All I see is slime everywhere, with hills and bubbles of goop rising and falling on the surface. The corruption confuses my senses, as always, eating away at the mana and making everything hazy.

    There''s a big bad beasty in there <em>somewhere</em>, I just need to draw it out.

    Stealthily, I begin to gather my gravity mana. It''ll be hard for the monster to hide when this entire mucus puddle is sucked up into a ck hole and crushed.

    However, it appears as if I''m not as sneaky as I thought I was. My antennae re in warning and I fling myself to the side as something <emrge</em>es flying out from beneath the surface and crunches down at the ce I just upied.

    What in the name of heck!?

    Before it can retreat beneath the surface, I whip together a spell and unleash it.

    Dragon''s Breath!

    The scorching hot fire ignites the air and raises the temperature to an inferno within an instant. The mucus starts to hiss and steam furiously as a monstrous bellow echoes out from within.

    That''s it, mister monster,e and say hello!

    Again, my antennae sense danger and I''m forced to fling myself to the side as something bursts out of the muck and crashes down like the jaws of a titan. At least this time, I''m able to properly see what it is!

    That''s an energy attack, just like my mandibles when I use void chomp, or Tiny''s fists. That wasn''t the monster at all, but the projection of its bite! The lousy thing still hasn''t shown itself at all!

    Well, I have a solution for that!

    Gravity Bomb!

    My most devastating spell howls into existence, aimed directly into the heart of the mucus pool, and I leap back to give it space to enact its terrifying work. However, something happens that truly shocks me.

    The entire pool of mucus begins to <em>move</em>. As if controlled by a single will, the unspeakable goop flows together beforeunching at the bomb, sting upwards in a stream of concentrated foulness.

    The bomb instantly expands to its full size, causing the air to shriek in protest as it is sucked away and crushed, but even that is soon cut off. In a shocking scene, the mucus engulfs the bomb, more and more of the goop rising up to coat it just as fast as it can be consumed.

    Of course, there isn''t an endless supply of sludge, and from within the diminishing pool the form of my opponent begins to take shape.

    That wasn''t a mound or bubble in the middle of the pool, it was a shell. ring up at me with hateful eyes is the most foul turtle I''ve ever seen, a thick wave of mucus pulsing from its shell as it produces a swimming pool worth of the stuff every second. A wicked, razor-sharp jaw, like a snapping-turtle, juts forward from its head, exposing the source of those vicious bite attacks.

    With a whimper, my gravity bomb dies out, and the mucus is reimed by the monster, pulling the remainder back into its pool, where the hyper-condensed mush produced by the bomb falls heavily, drained of its mana.

    The monster huffs a mighty breath and snaps its jaws, the sound so loud it shatters the air as it rebounds off the distant walls.

    Oh, you think you''re taunting me, mister turtle? You think that was the most powerful bomb I''ve got? You are <em>very</em> mistaken.

    I''ve got plenty more in the tank. Have you?

 Chapter 1328: Turtle Soup

    Chapter 1328: Turtle Soup

    So, a giant turtle wants to throw down with me? Hah! It''s nothing but a snack in my eyes. Though¡­ it''s a pretty darn big snack.

    Now that it isn''t covered by the goop, I can get a better sense of its core, and it''s definitely weaker than mine. This is a tier seven monster who didn''t manage to max out its core at some point along the line, or didn''t push the limits as far as it could have. I have the advantage in evolutionary energy, but that doesn''t mean everything.

    This monster has clearly invested much more heavily in its body than I have. The turtle is significantly bigger than me, perhaps double my mass, with that broad shell covering its bulk. Looking carefully, that shell looks like it''s where the bulk of the evolution power has gone. It''s clearly made of an advanced material native to the fifth, the whole thing reeks of the fifth''s unique mana, but more than that, the pulsating holes in the shell tell the real story of the monster''s strengths.

    There are perhaps a dozen openings in the shell, and from each of them spews an endless stream of thick goop, coating the shell and running in slow rivulets off the edge and onto the ground. This was the source of the pool all along, created by the turtle. Since it can seemingly control the sludge at will, it''s a defensive tool, a useful method of concealment, and a weapon all at the same time.

    Confronted by a shiny, heroic challenger, the turtle gathers up the remaining sludge, ready to try and pummel me with it. Well, I''m not about to sit around and let that happen. My mind constructs churn, preparing a host of spells as I position myself carefully, ready to spring in any direction.

    First thing to do is try and neutralise the goop. If the turtle is going to use it as a weapon, then getting rid of it seems like a good ce to start. The sludge is rising up off the ground now, collecting into an enormous ball the beast is gathering over itself, so that makes an obvious target.

    I unleash a stream of Dragon''s Breath, aiming to superheat the slime and burn away as much as I can, but my opponent responds quickly.

    Blinded by my own fire, I don''t see the attacking, and I have to say, without my antennae, I might''ve already been in a bad way in this fight.

    I cut off the me and throw myself into a roll to the right, just in time to avoid another chomp. Ethereal jaws of dark yellow energy smash shut beside me, and I retaliate in kind.You wanna bite? I''ll show you how to bite!

    <strong>EMPOWERED VOID CHOMP!</strong>

    Two mandibles formed of pure darkness form, extending a dozen metres beyond my own as I lunge forward. A screaming void forms between those jaws, dragging everything inward with incredible force as the mandibles m shut. There''s a colossal impact and everything in front of me goes dark, my vision totally covered by debris, dust and rock.

    There''s so much moving I''m actually taken by surprise when a st of goop swerves around and ms into my nk. I''m sent sprawling onto my side, but I''m not injured. The impact is strong, but with the carapace and ting that I''m packing, it''s not nearly enough to cause any sort of injury to me.

    But I don''t think that''s the point. Instead of stopping, the goop keeps pressing, trying to force its way through the gaps at my joints and burn the precious ant within.

    Well, we aren''t allowing that to happen¡­.

    With all my minds working in concert, I unleash two spells at once. First, an empowered gravity domain flickers into being, covering an enormous space, hundreds of metres in diameter.

    Second, an enormous burst of mana shes before being turned into an avnche of mud. The target? Me! Buried in my own mud, the stuff instantly hardens, turning into a prison of dense stone faster than a giant turtle can blink.

    While this has the unfortunate effect of trapping me, it also cuts off the tide of sludge trying tond on my head, which is convenient while I deal with the slime which managed to get onto me.

    Over a few seconds, I manage to shred the goop apart with my mind while the turtle ms more and more of the mucus down on my stone prison. When it finally breaks through, I am, of course, no longer there, having tunnelled out with abination of earth mana and my mighty face-hands.

    Didn''t see thating, did you, turtle-brain?

    I burst out of the ground thirty metres away, and before I even get my feet settled, another searing jet of Dragon''s Breath is unleashed. Screeching in rage, the monster turns to face me, and I get a chance to see the chunk missing out of its shell. Looks like my void chomp managed tond after all, but I missed my target. Instead ofnding a bite on the beast''s head, I hit the shell right on the shoulder, which doesn''t seem to have hurt it much.

    Beneath the empowered gravity domain, the monster is pressed down by the sheer weight of its own bulk, and controlling the mucus, which is unpleasantly dense, isn''t as easy as before. Inparison, I''m as light as a dancer and ready to roll!

    I keep the st of fire going as I circle around the turtle. It tries to retaliate by sending waves of slime at me, but I''m able to keep ahead of them without too much trouble. As long as I''m careful, I can avoid them easily, and if I keep an appropriate distance, I don''t have to fear the turtle''s incredibly painful-looking jaws.

    What are you going to do now, turtle? There''s like a million ants within range of my Vestibule, all providing a trickle of Will which rapidly turns into a torrent. I''m full of beans. I''m fresh. I can do this all day!

    The only thing I can''t do with the Vestibule is turn that gathered Will into mana, but I''ve got a heck of a lot of that in store as well.

    We may not be able to use the Biomass of the monsters we defeat down here in the fifth, but the cores are another thing entirely. I''ve been fighting monsters for days and days down here, and I haven''t been letting those cores go to waste.

    What I have an incredible abundance of, is gravity mana. The domain draws out a constant stream, but I have oodles more, and using the stuff always gives me a portion back, making my use of it ever more cost efficient.

    I guess what I''m saying is, it''s time for bombs.

 Chapter 1329: Maybe I Should Get a Shell

    Chapter 1329: Maybe I Should Get a Shell

    I mean, really now. How hard can it be to destroy one nasty turtle? Pretty darn hard, as it turns out!

    I send bomb after bomb at the lousy thing. Obviously they aren''trge ones, or overly empowered. The Colony is close enough that if I were to unleash my full strength, they, the fortress currently under construction, and most definitely myself, would be in serious trouble. There''s no need to risk my own life in order to destroy this turtle, but wearing it down is taking <em>forever</em>.

    The first problem is the endless amount of slime it produces. The stuff is dense and packed full of mana, so it soaks up a huge amount of power from the gravity bombs. However, I can produce ck holes faster than this stupid turtle can make its dumb sludge, so I can get through the defensiveyer, but the turtle won''t let me target its soft underside, always turning its shell to take the hit.

    And the shell is <em>tough</em>. I don''t know if it''s mana resistant or just absurdly dense, but it <em>eats</em> up punishment. Or is this turtle just healing really quickly? I''m not sure, but it''s a massive pain in the thorax!

    From its position in the centre of its now non-existent pool, the shelled fiend res at me hatefully. For whatever reason, it still hasn''t tried to charge me, but every time I get close, them jaws start snapping, without fail.

    So we enter this standoff, where it sits there brooding, pumping out sludge from the holes in its shell, and I just throw bombs at it along with a myriad of other spells, trying to wear the lousy thing down.

    After all, in a battle of attrition, I''m guaranteed to win!

    Once I''ve thrown my tenth fun-sized gravity bomb, the turtle''s patience finally cracks. Despite being under the weight of the gravity domain, the lumbering beast picks itself up and finally decides to make its move.

    I''m half expecting the monster to have some hideous slug-like lower body, but thankfully it has the regr four legs that anyone would expect to see. I''m almost relieved.Under the weight of its massive bulk, I''m not sure what this turtle is going to do, so I watch carefully to see what its next move is going to be. A charge? A headlong assault? A desperatest minute bitebo?!

    I''m sure this monster has more up its sleeve than what it''s shown so far. The whole reason I''m being so cautious is because I expect more from it. I have the advantage as long as I''m wearing it down, a long battle ys heavily into my favour, so why take the risk and run in headlong?

    Now, turtle, show me something new!

    After the massive creature levers itself to its feet, it turns to face me, its head finally extending further out from its shell.

    And then an absolute flood of mucus bursts out.

    MORE MUCUS?! Come <em>on</em>, you damn creature, enough with the mucus already!

    Except this isn''t what I think it is. At first it appears as though a flood of goop is pouring out from beneath the rim of the shell, but that impression quickly changes as the sludge takes shape and resolves into a dozen tentacle-like limbs. Each one is round andcking identifying shapes, but they''rerge.

    The monster takes a heavy step forward, then another. When I don''t back away, it snaps its massive jaws in warning before its goopy limbssh out towards me.

    Now these are <em>not</em> sluggish like the turtle itself, but super, <em>super</em> quick. With the advantage of my antennae and enhanced reflexes, I''m able to dance away from almost all of the blows, but catch a ncing hit on one of my legs.

    That''s when I realise that these limbs hold <em>another</em> trick. Where it touches my leg, the lousy thing <em>sticks</em>. As soon as it notices the contact, the turtle pulls back, trying to drag me up into the air and closer to it, even as more of the tentacles sh towards me.

    Well, this isn''t ideal.

    Making a snap decision, I do something I''m not overly happy about and bite my own leg off. It''s not pleasant, I''m not a fan, but it''s the only way I can think of to ensure that I can leap out of the way and avoid getting caughtpletely.

    Limbs formed of potent mucus, each asrge as a tree trunk, m into the ground beside me as I somewhat awkwardly leap to the side. Alright, turtle, this is how you want to y, is it? I guess we''re going all in.

    I brace my legs before I use an empowered <em>dash </em>to explode forward. The world is a blur in my eyes as I almost teleport past the shing limbs and arrive right in front of the beast. My jaws are primed, ready to bite down on the turtle that looms overhead.

    Before it can even turn to face me, my jaws are beginning to close.

    <strong>EMPOWERED VOID CHOMP!</strong>

    Jaws formed of ck light scream into reality, along with the yawning void just metres in front of my face. There''s nothing the turtle can do to escape, but it reacts faster than I expect, rotating its body and presenting its thick shell towards my mandibles.

    The jaws close with absurd concussive force. It sounds less like a bite than it does a bomb detonation. I can <em>feel</em> the shell crunching between my actual, physical mandibles, that''s how close I was.

    Just in case of iing limbs, I leap to the side, but there''s no attack iing, at least not immediately. When the dust settles, I can see what my bite did to the turtle, and it ain''t pretty.

    The monster is injured, heavily so, but still kicking, still ring at me with those eyes filled with rage. Just like everything else in the fifth, it seems to possess that same irrational hatred towards anything not born to this nightmarish ce. However, it seems more in control, more calcting, in its response.

    The turtle staggers to one side before raising up its remaining limbs, ready to attack once more.

    Come <em>on</em>, you lousy thing! Just how much more punishment can you possibly take?!

    It turns out, quite a bit, but eventually I stand triumphant over the Biomass of the defeated local overlord. Take <em>that</em>, you lousy turtle! Thought you could face up to me? The Eldest of the Colony!? Hah! Absolutely dreaming!

    All in all, this was a sessful first run. The generals, namely Snt, were feeling cautious, as always, and wanted to put me up against the weakest of the local boss monsters first. As instructed, I yed the fight as cautiously as I could, trying to investigate and draw out as much intelligence as possible.

    It went¡­ alright. For now, I need to pull the core out, and get my shiny backside back to the Colony. I''m not tired, because¡­ I''m me¡­ but I <em>am</em> injured and filled with toxic mana. I need a break.

 Chapter 1330: Under Pressure

    Chapter 1330: Under Pressure

    The core shapers are absolutely <em>delighted</em> to get their greedy little mandibles on the core I bring back. Investigating the nature and capabilities of the fifth stratum monsters is incredibly important, especially the more highly evolved ones. Be acted like I handed her the greatest treasure in the world when I dumped the core into her mandibles.

    "Hey. The turtle wasn''t <em>that</em> impressive. For a tier seven? Barely passable."

    "Not all of the wild grown monsters are as smart as you, Eldest," she replies without even looking at me. "Most of them have less than impressive evolutions, let alone the sorts of powers that you have."

    Well¡­ I mean¡­ I <em>am</em> impressive. And shiny, in my own uniquely purple way.

    She rushes away, ready to study the thing, and I''m immediately beset by a very unimpressed-looking Mendant.

    "Think you''re all that?" she huffs, somehow reading the smug tilt to my antennae. "You ain''t <em>nothing</em> without us to keep you alive."

    That is <em>very</em> true.

    "None of us are anything without the Colony behind us," I agree. "Without the family, I''m not anywhere near as strong."

    Which is both metaphorically and <em>literally</em> true. The Vestibule is transferring the Will, the¡­ I don''t know¡­ <em>energy</em> of the Colony, straight into me, but also, without the others, without my family, how could I possibly have made it this far? There''s no chance, absolutely none, and I have zero doubt about that."Good that you appreciate it," Mendant snaps, already climbing over my carapace and poking at me with her sensitive antennae.

    Without anything to do, I flop down on the spot and patiently wait as the medic does her work. Of course, it''s never just one healer who shows up to handle my ''checkups,'' and soon I''m crawling with five of them, prodding away.

    It takes an hour before they''re satisfied there''s no remaining toxicity within me, and by that time, Invidia, Tiny and Crinis have arrived, along with the general herself.

    [Hey, Invidia. I know the healers are awesome, but can you have a look, just for my peace of mind?]

    His eye glitters brilliantly, and even without his mouth manifesting, I can still feel the smile.

    [<em>Of coursssse</em>,] he practically purrs. [<em>You can countsssss on me</em>.]

    No need to be weird about it. Ever since he evolved, he''s <em>way</em> too happy when he''s asked to help, and I have no idea why. But hey, whatever, I''m happy he''s happy.

    "How did your battle with the beast go?" Snt asks, wasting no time, as usual. In fact, I''m starting to feel confident she has an actual allergy to wasted time. If there''s an inefficiency anywhere near her, she starts to twitch, I''ve seen it. Nothing huge, her antennae mostly, a leg here or there, but it''s there, everytime.

    Just to test my theory, I dy my response <em>just</em> a little, and sure enough, the twitch is there. It starts in her antennae, but as I continue to wait, it spreads to her forelegs. It''s so slight, I''m not sure anyone else has noticed. I don''t want to push my luck too far, after all, wasting the time of this particr ant is, in fact, a really bad idea. She''s only running an entire invasion of the most dangerous ce in the Dungeon (that we know of), with millions of lives in her mandibles.

    "It was fine," I say quickly, feeling guilty. "The monster was unusually durable, but targets further away from the Colony and the construction sites can be dealt with using¡­ more efficient methods."

    "Going further out also exposes you to more corruption, which decreases the amount of time you can fight, and <em>increases</em> the risk of major contamination. There''s only so far the Colony is willing to expose you to danger."

    Guh. This is rapidly bing a sticking pointtely.

    "It''s never been a problem before. I''ve put myself on the line for the family time and time again. dly!"

    "As the family grows more capable, there are more things that we can achieve without you, which means we can afford to save you for those tasks <em>only</em> you can do."

    "Bah. There''s no need to be so precious about it. I''m here to take on the most dangerous tasks faced by the family. That''s what I want. Load me up."

    Snt considers me for a moment and I start to get uneasy.

    The Colony has been more than willing to throw me at the front of this invasion, because they don''t really have a choice, but more and more I feel like they''re starting to look at me like they do The Queen. I have to emphasise, I do <em>not</em> want that. Not at all. It would drive me even more nuts than it does The Queen, and I would bepletely aware of all their schemes to keep me out of danger via the Vestibule, making the entire effort aplete waste of time.

    "You put me in the position I upy because I don''t operate like the others," Solent stated. "Because you needed someone who was willing to do things differently."

    She waits for an answer, but I''m not sure what she''s after, so I just nod.

    "I want you to trust me. As long as you cooperate, I promise I will utilise your strength in the correct way."

    Well, <em>I</em> sure as heck don''t want to have to consider the grand n. If I tried to cram everything Snt has been working on into my head, it would explode. I feel fine with her calling the shots, of course I do. I just have to confirm one thing first.

    "You don''t hold a grudge about our tunnel ball match, do you?"

    Her antennae flick derisively.

    "Of course I do. I always will."

    Well, nards.

 Chapter 1331: An Unusual Meet and Greet

    Chapter 1331: An Unusual Meet and Greet

    "Tribune Morrelia, Tribune Joshen. I trust you are prepared for our uing engagement?"

    Morrelia just nodded, but Joshen snapped out a salute.

    "Of course, Commander. Your briefing was very thorough."

    Arrayed in his spotless dress uniform, her fellow Tribune was, as usual, the very picture of a dedicated officer. Morrelia, on the other hand, had juste from the field, and she looked like it. Chyron gave her a critical nce, but she just shrugged carelessly. The ants absolutely wouldn''t care what she looked like. What she smelled like was much more important.

    Judging from the faint whiff in the air, Joshen was wearing some form of scent, and she couldn''t help but wonder what the ants'' reaction might be when they detected it.

    For her part, the Commander was, as always, wearing her armour, fully armed, her helmet tucked under one arm and ring. In truth, it was difficult to say she was ring, since that was her usual look. Morrelia had only seen the Commander angry a few times, but on those asions, her normally severe expression turned positively thunderous.

    Right now, the Commander was definitely tense. The Legion had given approval for them to work with the ants during their assault on the fifth, but critically, the Colony itself had to approve. It had been surprisingly easy to arrange a meeting, but they''d been made to wait until they were to speak to someone with¡­ the authority to agree to their participation.

    Now, it was time for the meeting to take ce, and they were about to depart from the Legion camp, which had already begun being struck.

    As Chyron stepped outside, Morrelia and Joshen fell into position behind her, matching her stride and staring straight ahead, even as they scanned their surroundings. Alongside them, twenty fully armoured Legionaries were arrayed, stomping in unison as their magically enhanced Abyssal te boosted their physical strength.Not far outside their camp, they found a gathering of ants, no more than a dozen, which was unusual. This deep in the Dungeon, the ants usually moved in groups of several hundred. Morrelia had seen their patrols with her own eyes, swarms of ants who moved as if they had a single mind.

    No words were exchanged, the ants simply turned and began to walk, matching pace with the Legion as they travelled. It wasn''t hard to interpret their intention: follow us.

    After eyeing the Commander, who gave a subtle hand gesture, the soldiers and officers fell in line, walking at a brisk pace, weapons drawn and ready for battle at any moment.

    It was the only intelligent way to move this deep into the Dungeon. Although there hadn''t been any spawns expected along this path, it never hurt to be cautious. Even Dungeon Seers could be wrong.

    They were headed towards the entrance to the fifth, of course, and as they approached, Morrelia was shocked by the continued transformation of the area. Whenst she''d been here, the Colony had been busy moulding it into the staging ground of the invasion, a process that had only continued. It was enormous. Part fortress, part nest, part supply depot, part industrial manufactory.

    The number of ants was staggering, and the stream of traffic leading to the massive rampway that likely ran to the heart of the mountain above, and its gates, was eye-boggling. The ants were packed together so thickly they looked like merchant carts packed on the road in front of an inspection point, except the ants were actually moving. Tens of thousands of them going up or down at any time in a constant stream.

    Fortunately, they weren''t required to step right into the heart of the fortress, something even Morrelia felt ufortable about while travelling with so many of her fellow Legionnaires.

    The ants leading them came to a halt, and so did they. Shortly after, they were approached by a muchrger group of ants. Several thousand, in fact. The tension among her fellow soldiers ratcheted up significantly, but the Commander showed no change in demeanour, merely watching it all take ce with a critical eye.

    Snt was there, in the heart of the formation, the little general instantly recognisable from her diminutive size and the scale of her presence. Morrelia understood why they were being so careful. This was the general charged with managing the entire campaign; of course they would be reluctant to risk her.

    The two groups were still separated by over a hundred metres when Snt and her entourage came to a stop. Not an overwhelming disy of trust, but sensible on the part of both sides.

    The Legionaries were tense, she could see it amongst the ranks, and no doubt the ants felt the same way, though there was very little to give away how they were feeling. Both sides stood still, waiting, though for what she wasn''t sure.

    From behind the ants, a human came running, an enormous young man with a simrlyrge axe strapped to his back.

    "Sorry!" he called as he came to a stop beside Snt. "I mistimed my sleep."

    Commander Chyron frowned severely, and Morrelia feltpelled to step forward and whisper in her ear.

    "It''s culturally important to the ants to get enough sleep. They won''t disturb someone who''s resting if they can help it."

    If anything, that only caused Chyron to grow more irritated, and Morrelia understood why. She was probably thinking the ants didn''t consider this important enough to wake their trantor.

    The young man in question was busy nodding and rubbing the back of his head as the ants no doubt berated him for hisck of timing. She wondered which mage wasmunicating with him.

    After a minute, he stepped a little closer to the Legion and executed an awkward bow.

    "Hi. I''m Jern. I''ve been asked to trante for you. I''ll pass your words onto Snt. So you can¡­ say what you want."

    He was clearly ufortable having so many eyes on him.

    "You''ll pass on my words?" Chyron asked him. "How? You don''t look like a mage to me."

    "I can talk using scent, like the ants do, thanks to my ss."

    Chyron''s eyes narrowed, doubtlessly curious about exactly what ss this was. He didn''t look like one of the ant priests, that was for sure.

    "Very well. Let the general and I talk."

 Chapter 1332: An Unlikely Alliance

    Chapter 1332: An Unlikely Alliance

    "Can I ask how progress is going in the fifth stratum? The Legion is quite familiar with just how temperamental it can be," Chyron stated.

    There was only the slightest pause before Jern replied. He must have been passing on the Commander''s words as she spoke them.

    "You may not. That information is only for those who are part of the expedition."

    Meaning, if they wanted to know, then they would have tomit their support for the invasion. Not an unexpected reply.

    "I don''t want to waste words," Chyron stated evenly. "I know that there have been difficulties down there. The knowledge of the Legion would be invaluable to you, as would our participation."

    "Knowledge has no value when there is no trust. The same goes for prowess on the battlefield."

    Chyron couldn''t help giving a wry smile.

    "If you thought we weren''t of any use, you wouldn''t be here at all."

    "I''m the only one in the Colony who believes in the potential of our cooperation. There is alsomensurate¨Cdid I say that right? I did? Commensurate risk. The key to sess in these negotiations is finding an eptable bnce.""How old are you?" Chyron asked.

    "Who¡­ me?" Jern asked. "I''m eighteen."

    "Not you."

    <em>Only eighteen</em>? Morrelia thought. <em>This guy is massive!</em>

    And he moved well. It was difficult to put her finger on, but there was something about the way he ced his feet, his bnce, and the way he didn''t seem hampered by the axe on his back, but aware of it at all times. Just what sort of training had the Colony put him through?

    Snt tilted her head to one side, her antennae waving curiously.

    "Does it matter?" the ant replied.

    Chyron shook her head.

    "The Legion has been fighting monsters for thousands of years. I personally have served for over six decades, and in that time, I''ve fought in every stratum from the second to the sixth. Don''t underestimate what we bring to the table."

    Snt flicked her antennae.

    "My family is young, but capable of so much more than you imagine. As am I. Let''s keep in our minds just why your Legion is here. You want to kill the Eldest, because they have been subjected to the Call, something beyond their control. Naturally, this means the Colony is disinclined to ept your help. Now, without wasting any more words, let us state our positions clearly. What are your conditions for lending aid to the Colony?"

    This was the kind of negotiating Commander Chyron preferred, one without pretence.

    "A guarantee of safety goes without saying. ess to all information gathered by your Colony in the Fifth stratum. And regr ess to the ''Eldest''."

    "Why would you need ess to the Eldest?"

    "Inspection purposes."

    There was a long moment of silence as the ants conferred amongst themselves. Morrelia felt the tension rise amongst the troops, and she moved to p the nearest soldier on the pauldron, catching his eyes and giving him a steadying nod. No good woulde from the troops being too tense. A little nervous energy was good, kept a person on their toes. Too much led to errors. She did not want to see any errors.

    As she moved amongst the troops steadying a few, the ants finished their discussion, and the trantor Jern spoke up once more.

    "You will fight as a unit, under themand of your own officers, but under the direction of the Colony and its generals. We will not divide you across more than two fronts at a time, but those assignments will be dangerous, far from the centre of our operations. Is this eptable?"

    "It is," Chyron replied immediately.

    "We require that you share urate andplete information regarding the nature of the Fifth stratum."

    "Some things I cannot share, but others, I can. If I cannot answer a query, I will offer other information instead."

    "eptable. ess to the Eldest will only ur with their permission. We do not order them."

    "That isn''t sufficient. You know our mission is directly rted to that individual. We promise not to harm them, but we must have ess to them."

    This was not what the ants wanted to hear, and even Morrelia could tell. Antennae waggled angrily back and forth while several audibly ground their mandibles. As she expected, Anthony was a touchy subject amongst them.

    Just when she expected Snt to reject the agreement, Jern suddenly raised a hand.

    "Uh¡­ the Eldest agrees to the condition."

    Suddenly, the ants looked resigned, but there was a ripple of confusion that ran through the Legionaries.

    "You speak for the individual in question?"

    "No, but I can speak to the Eldest," Jern said, looking embarrassed.

    "Really? How do you have that authority?"

    The young man looked confused for a moment.

    "Oh, thanks. No, I can speak <em>to</em> the Eldest. They were listening in, and agreed to your conditions."

    "Interesting," Chyron murmured. "Then it sounds like we may have an agreement."

    "It does indeed."

    An ant immediately came forward, a thick sheaf of documents held in its mandibles. Moving carefully, in a businesslike fashion, it approached and offered the documents to the Commander. Joshen stepped forward to take them.

    "And what are these?" Chyron asked, brow raised.

    "Deployment schedule, logistics integration instructions, maps and a step by step n for billeting your troops."

    Chyron flicked through a few of the pages, the corner of her mouth quirked up in a smile.

    "This is an awful lot for you to organise on such short notice."

    "I didn''t. Your participation in this endeavour wasn''t¡­ unnned for."

 Chapter 1333: Krath Assembly

    Chapter 1333: Krath Assembly

    "Is it really necessary for me to be here for this?" Goszi burbled unhappily. "My foot aches like I dipped it in an acid swamp. I''m too old to be traipsing around the tunnels on a long journey."

    Zluth didn''t bother to dignify that with a response. The older Krath took every opportunity to make himself seem harmless and elderly, while in reality only one of those things was true.

    "Pay attention," he hissed, stabbing one of his thin arms towards the other Krath, who, despite his advanced age, managed to parry the limb with ease. "If I have to feed you to a sump sloth to escape after your yapping brings the monsters down on us, I will do it with glee!"

    Goszi red at him.

    "I''m starting to regret picking you as the next Krathth," he muttered. "At least the old one wouldn''t force me out of safety."

    "With the old Krathth, you and the entire tribe would be dead," Zluth scoffed. "To escape that fate, you had to reveal what a scheming, underhanded betrayer you are, which is why I don''t let you out of my sight."

    Thepliments mollified the aged slug a little, and he slid along quietly until they reached the meeting point.

    Puzith, Krathth of the Suggoth, was there to greet them, along with five of her trusted enforcers.

    Hidden amongst a deep patch of moss, the slugs came together and conversed quietly while concealing themselves."You made it on time," Puzith observed.

    "I would not dream of keeping the leader of a powerful tribe like the Suggoth waiting," Zluth replied, his eyes curving into wicked moons as he did.

    Puzith did notugh, though her eyes also curved, indicating her amusement. The Suggoth were indeed a muchrger and stronger tribe than the Slee, even before they were devastated recently, but they were on their way to meet with tribes that were muchrger still. The Bulg, the Lirz and Thuuz would all be in attendance, along with a host of smaller tribes, but those three represented the real power in this area of the stratum. They upied prime territory, close to the heart, and were housed in enormous Slimegrounds ten times the size of the Slee hideaway.

    At least, that''s what Zluth had heard. He certainly wasn''t going to question it when he met them.

    "Let us be away, we have a long way to go."

    A statement that prompted further grizzling from Goszi, but nobody paid him any mind. For over a day, the eight slugs moved through the treacherous ground of the fifth stratum. Even to the Krath, these tunnels were filled with danger, and one wrong movement could have them killed a dozen times over. The slug tribes had never ruled this ce by might, but by their wits and cunning, and it was in this manner that they travelled.

    Punishingly narrow and concealed cracks in the walls were used as resting ces, or shortcuts from one tunnel to another. They sunk deep into mucus rivers when it was safe to do so, sliding along the bottom and using the dense muck as protection.

    Puzith lost one of her guards on the journey when the fool was too hasty, sliding onto an unfamiliar patch of moss. As it turned out, it <em>wasn''t</em> moss, but the cleverly patterned tongue of a Slurp Dragon. The Krath barely had time to blink before he''d been wrapped up and pulled into the jaws of the concealed beast.

    The rest of them had frozen in ce for over an hour, waiting for the monster to finish its meal and move to another hunting ground, Puzith sizzling with quiet fury the entire time. Zluth wisely chose not to say anything.

    Fools didn''t live long in the fifth.

    Finally, they arrived at the gathering ce designated for the meeting. Todrool falls, a vast tower of slime that cascaded from the upper levels of the stratum down toward the heart below through a hundred kilometre long vertical tunnel, had been selected for this purpose. First, because it was a ce every tribe knew of, and second, because of the immensely powerful monster who made their home in the area. The upper areas of the falls were always clear, for none dared to enter lest they be prey for the beast.

    Zluth, Puzith and the others squished themselves almostpletely t as they crept toward the entrance to the falls. There weren''t many good ces to conceal themselves, and these became even more rare as they approached, as they noticed the emissaries of the other tribes had gathered, huddling in what cover they were able to im.

    As the representatives of smaller, weaker tribes, they made do with what little they could find on the outskirts of the gathering, watching with barely extended stalks as more and more Krath arrived.

    Then the first of the major tribes arrived.

    Zluth thought it was the Bulg, judging by the distinctive mottled colouring they chose as they moved boldly in the open. A full fifty slugs, their Krathth slithering along at the head of the column, enormous and radiating confidence. The other tribes pulled away as the Bulg marched through to take pride of ce right at the entrance to the falls, but before they could be settled, the other great tribes arrived as well.

    Tensions ratcheted up as the Thuuz and Lirz made their appearance. They also had brought dozens of slugs, who looked down on the huddling leaders of the minor tribes with open contempt. Zluth sizzled with quiet fury, but knew there was nothing he could do about it. He would need to be subtle, and get the great tribes on his side, if he wanted to achieve his goals.

    After all, they needed him. No other slug had more information on the invasion than he did.

    As the major tribes openly feuded for better positioning at the edge of the falls, the other leaders crept forward. It was time for the gathering to begin.

 Chapter 1334: Strategy of the Slugs

    Chapter 1334: Strategy of the Slugs

    Zluth was instinctively ufortable, and judging by the bodynguage and expressions of his fellow Krath, they felt the same way. Of all the dangers in the fifth, there were none more deadly than the slug tribes, even to each other, and as long as he had lived, Zluth had <em>never</em> seen so many different tribes gathered in one ce. It was almost unnatural, but the circumstances demanded that the tribes do something they very rarely did: put aside their enmity and fight together against amon foe.

    "Scouts from five different tribes have confirmed the invasion," stated Ulliz, Krathth of the Bulg tribe. "Even the most suspicious among us has to concede that the assault on our stratum is real."

    The leaders of the major tribes stood together, though not <em>too</em> close to each other, right at the edge of the falls. Behind them, the enormous stream of mucus, oozing its way down in freefall at several dozen metres per minute, made for an impressive sight.

    Arrayed in a loose semi-circle in front of them, the rest of the representatives looked up at their betters, listening intently, but seething internally.

    "I want to hear from those tribes," burbled the leader of the Lirz, a truly corpulent slug named Mulzoz. Despite his size, and advanced age, there was something about him that spoke of immense power. The acid that boiled in his flesh must have been truly potent, Zluth mused.

    "Bring them forward," the third major tribe leader, Chozth of the Thuuz, agreed.

    She stood out amongst the three leaders, being the youngest and smallest. Despite this, she had already built a fearsome reputation for ruthlessness and violence that had rippled through the gathered leaders the moment she had arrived.

    "Try not to die," Goszi whispered as Zluth began to make his way forward.

    "You''ll die if I do," Zluth whispered back, "I have a deal with Puzith."Only then did Goszi realise that two of the surviving Suggoth guards had sidled up on either side of him. A thunderous expression came over the old slug, and Zluth knew the traitor had been hoping he''d perish in this gathering. Perhaps he''d even hoped to tip the bnce by calling out <em>just</em> the wrong words at <em>just</em> the wrong moment.

    Pleased to have outwitted the old slug, Zluth chuckled to himself as he moved to the front, Puzith slithering along with him. Three other Krathth of minor tribes in the area moved along with them, arriving toward the front of the gathered Krath, but prevented from joining the three leaders who remained in a higher position.

    "I have questions," burbled Mulzoz.

    "Then ask them," Ulliz spat.

    "Which of you can confirm seeing all the races of the fourth participating with your own eyes?"

    Of the five, three raised one spindly arm, Zluth and Puzith included.

    "Which of you have seen the Mythic with your own eyes?"

    Now only two raised their arms, Zluth and Puzith.

    "Describe the creature to me," the oversized Krathth demanded, his eyes glittering atop their fattened stalks.

    "An ant monster of considerable size," Puzith answered first. "It is covered with a thick, purple shell, some sort of diamond or crystal, which is capable of deflecting very powerful blows."

    Zluth was surprised to hear this. He hadn''t realised the Suggoth had gotten so close and managed to witness the creature firsthand. Of course, he didn''t believe for a second that Puzith herself had gone there, but who was going to call her a liar?

    "Anything else?" Mulzoz asked. He was chewing an unnamed substance, as he looked at them, his teeth audibly grinding against something incredibly hard.

    "The monster is capable of wielding a type of mana I have never seen or heard of," Zluth said. "It can create a¡­ hole, a sphere of darkness that sucks in and destroys everything around it. I''ve seen it use this magic against monsters, against toxic mucus, against rock. It annihtes everything it touches."

    This statement caused quite a stir. A type of mana that a random Krath hadn''t heard of could be anything, but from the description, he was willing to bet that none of them had heard of it either.

    "What''s more, the monster seems adept at finding and trapping our kind. It can pin us to any surface using a method I do not understand."

    "I can confirm this," Puzith spoke up. "We Suggoth lost several scouts in just this way. They were mmed into the ceiling of the tunnel, unable to move at all."

    "Were they taken?" Mulzoz queried.

    "Of course not. They were Krath."

    "That is good."

    The oversized Krath continued to chew as he pondered for a moment, then spoke.

    "I have received word that the monster has received The Call."

    There was a ripple of discontent through the gathered Krathth. Even Ulliz and Chozth, the leaders of the other two major tribes, seemed irritated to hear this.

    "Has there been any word from the Maker?" Ulliz demanded.

    "As far as I am aware, the Maker yet sleeps," Mulzoz replied.

    "Then what do we care for the schemes of the others?" Chozth spat, her eyes bulging red with anger. "We will annihte this invasion and consume this ant in its entirety."

    There were muttered snarls and angry hisses of approval from the gathered Krath at her words. This was the sort of thing that they wanted to hear.

    "All I will say is that we must be prepared to change course should the Maker awaken and direct us to a different path," Mulzoz warned.

    "Should such a thing ur, we will of course listen," Ulliz said impatiently, "but until that happens, we have an invasion to crush! We must discuss our ns going forward. Who will go to fight, and how will they do it?"

    To the surprise of no one, Chozth was the first to raise her arms.

    "I will go myself!" she raged, visibly quivering and popping with the force of her anger. "These invaders must be destroyed and devoured!"

    "Don''t underestimate them," Mulzoz burbled in warning.

    Chozth turned and red at the corpulent slug.

    "You want to tell <em>me</em> how to war? I underestimate <em>no one</em>," she spat.

    Watching her re at the other two Krathth, Zluth was left with no illusions as to whom she was referring to.

 Chapter 1335: An Unusual Medical

    Chapter 1335: An Unusual Medical

    Well, this is awkward.

    I knew it would be. I mean, obviously, it was going to be awkward, anyone could have foreseen that. But now that I''m here, in the moment, I really wish I hadn''t been so ready to acquiesce to this particr demand.

    Anthony of the past, why are you always such a pain in my business zone?

    To say the tension is high would be a bit of an understatement. The Legion weren''t permitted to send many soldiers to see me. Four, to be precise. However, Snt, or more likely the council, have seen fit to surround me with several thousand guards in case they try something nefarious.

    Bit wasteful, if you ask me.

    [Hey there,] I wave an antenna at them. Looks like themander came, along with her two highest ranking officers and a mage. [How are we all this fine day?]

    Themander, decked out in her full Legion armour and looking like she''s ready to take on the unending hordes of the Dungeon, res at me before she replies.

    [Is it necessary that I talk back?] she says.

    [Of course it is! I stipted conversation. CON-VER-SA-TION. That means you have to talk back, otherwise it''s just me jabbering at you!][I''m not ustomed to speaking with monsters.]

    I bet that''s the understatement of the century. I''d be shocked if she''d ever spoken to one at all. This is the Legionem Abyssi we''re talking about. They don''t exactly get along with creatures spawned from the Dungeon.

    [It''s not like a little chat is going to hurt you, is it?]

    She doesn''t waver in her steady re.

    [There are creatures in the Dungeon who can invade your thoughts and nt eggs in your brain using a mind bridge and just a few thoughts. It''s one of the most dreadful ways to meet your end in the entire Dungeon.]

    [Holy moly! Why would you even say something like that? I feel like my brains are getting itchy just thinking about it!]

    Ugh, that sounds <em>awful</em>.

    [What stratum do those monsters live on? I don''t want them anywhere near me.]

    For once, the Commander smirks, breaking her stiff expression for the briefest of moments.

    [This one.]

    Well¡­ nards.Why is it that I suddenly want to leave this ce and nevere back? Perhaps a vacation in the third is just what the doctor ordered.

    [Is that even true, or are you just trying to creep me out as a punishment for forcing you to talk to me?]

    [Who knows?] she shrugs. [Surely, a little more time in the fifth will give you the answer.]

    [Is she always like this, or just with monsters?] I say, turning toward the two tribunes, giving me an excuse to bring Morrelia into the conversation.

    [I''ve instructed them not to reply to you. I''ll be the only one you can engage with your prattling,] the Commander tells me.

    How rude. Although¡­

    [So¡­ you''re saying they have to stand there, are forced to listen to me, but aren''t allowed to reply?]

    [That''s¡­ correct.]

    Oho! Well now. Well, well, well.

    [Hey there, bud. How are you?] I say, prodding an antenna toward the male tribune. [I hate to tell you this, but you absolutely stink. Ants have incredibly fine senses of smell, surely you''re aware, and I have super, <em>super</em> sensitive antennae. Being frank, you smell like dead nts and whale vomit. If I were you, I''d run to find a bath or something to get rid of the stench immediately. Sadly for you, there''s no choice but to stand here, surrounded by several thousand ants who all think you stink.]

    I point at a nearby soldier.

    [See how she''s standing a few steps further away from you than that one over there is from the Commander? It''s the stink. <em>Your</em> stink. You smell so bad you''re making an antpromise on their duty. I cannot tell you just how rare a thing that is. It''s like you smell so bad that water ran <em>uphill</em> just to get away from you.]

    Now, is it true that he smells like perfume? Yes. Is it offensively strong? Also yes. Is it as bad as I''m making out? No.

    But it''s funny to watch him squirm. This guy is getting progressively more ufortable as time passes, and his eyes have started tracking the ants around him against his will, as if wanting to see if they really are avoiding him.

    Gweheheheh.

    [Are you <em>quite</em> finished?] the Commander demands, irritated.

    [I could literally do this all day.]

    [I couldn''t. Can we be done with our business so that I can go kill some Dungeon spawn?] She rolls her shoulders. [I feel as if I need to work out some tension.]

    [Can''t imagine why. Alright then, I''ll let you off the hook easy today. What do you need?]

    [Our mage will simply need to approach you. They won''t examine your core, but they will be able to use their Skills to glean information about you.]

    [Some sort of Dungeon Seer nonsense? Fair enough, let''s get this done.]

    The Legion Mage, to his credit, doesn''t appear nervous at all, striding towards me with confidence. The ants are extremely tense in this moment, but as far as I can tell, nothing really happens. The guy walks up, holds out a hand and closes his eyes for ten seconds, then nods, turns around and walks away. I wasn''t able to detect anything happening at all, not a whiff of mana or energy in any form.

    [That''s it?] I ask, a little surprised.

    [That''s it,] the Commander confirms. [Now if you''ll excuse us, we will head to our designated tunnel and start fighting.]

    [Hey, good for you. Hope it all goes well.]

    She cuts off the contact with what I can only describe as an unnecessary amount of force before turning away and marching off with her fellow soldiers in tow.

    I''m not exactly sure what I expected, but I don''t think that was it. Still, to get the Legion in here helping with the assault, it''s a small price to pay. They might not contribute as much as they could if they really wanted to, but having a couple of tunnels locked down by the premier fighting force in the Dungeon brings me a little peace of mind.

    Even if they are here to kill me.

 Chapter 1336: Rising Once Again

    Chapter 1336: Rising Once Again

    "What do you estimate to be the level of fortresspletion?" Snt asked softly, her eyes fixated on the maps and modelsid out before her.

    "It''s almost impossible to give an urate figure," Tungstant groused. "We''ve never done anything in such a piecemeal fashion as this. Some parts are nearlyplete, while others haven''t been started!"

    "That''s why I asked for an estimate."

    The carver paused for a moment to gather her scattered thoughts. She wasn''t used to working in this manner, and the pressure was enormous. The Colony had invested an enormous wealth of resources in this endeavour, and she had never before been so painfully aware of the risks. Combined with ack of torpor that had her looking over her shoulder, and¡­ she was getting irritable.

    At least Snt was always calm and patient, which at times was an irritant in and of itself.

    "Twenty percent," she said finally. "Of all theponents, the channels, tanks and tforms are probably the furthest along, but foundations, reinforcement and the outer walls are woefully behind. There''s almost no chance we can finish ording to the schedule."

    "Ipletely agree," Snt nodded, not taking her eyes off her precious models. "There will be a new timetable issued within the hour. Our deadline has been pushed back a week, which should give everyone time to catch up on their torpor."

    "A week?" Tungstant said, shocked. "Why a week?"

    The vents had slowed them down tremendously, but they hadn''t lost <em>that</em> much time, had they?Snt cked her mandibles softly.

    "You keep telling me that this is the mostplex and ambitious construction project the Colony has ever undertaken. Am I right?"

    "Yes. Because it is."

    Not just in scale orplexity, but the manner of construction as well.

    "We cannot allow there to be any errors, not one, in the final fortress. The extra week will allow time for every build team to maintain minimum rest standards and double-check theirpleted builds to iron out faults."

    What Snt didn''t mention was that the reinforcements they''d received from the Legion allowed them a little more leeway. Should the worst happen, the Colony could concentrate their forces in fewer tunnels, which would make all the difference and allowed them to push the clock out a bit further.

    "Fine," Tungstant said slowly. "I''ll let the teams know."

    "I appreciate your time, Senior," Snt said, finally turning her head. "Make sure you get some rest as well."

    "I will."

    That would be one less thing she had to worry about, at least. As Tungstant moved out of themand post, Leonidant, the trusted scout of Snt''s twenty, moved to her side.

    "You aren''t going to tell her?" she asked quietly.

    "What would be the point?" Snt replied. "We have ounted for the changes in the updated schedule. Let Tungstant focus on what she does best: coordinating and managing the build teams. We will handle the rest."

    As she was speaking, a scout rushed into the room, exchanged a few words with one of the generals, then ran back out, returning to her post. Snt waited patiently, still watching her models and maps, trying to see the reality thaty behind the markers, numbers and indicators scrawled on everything in front of her.

    Ceasant approached a few momentster.

    "Readings from the deep finders just came in," she reported.

    Snt cked her mandibles thoughtfully. She''d been waiting for these numbers.

    "Update the model and let''s see what we''re dealing with."

    Ceasant, with the help of Leonidant and a few others, gathered together, shifting markers and updating numbers with new indicators. When they were done, all the ants moved away and allowed the little general to lean forward, taking it all in at a nce.

    "Sooner than expected," was all she said.

    "If the mana is starting to rise already, will our timetable still hold? I know you said the carvers can take it a little easier, but can we still afford that luxury?" Ceasant worried.

    "Having rested and confident build teams is <em>not</em> a luxury, but a necessity," Snt corrected her.

    In her head, one scenario after another shed by, taking into ount this new data. She weighed and measured, trying to find the right way through the myriad of possibilities.

    The mana was rising, and sooner than expected. There was still time before the wave, but it wasing, sure as The Queen was hunting her own food.

    More and more, the dy caused by the vents wasing back to bite them. The Krath would organise soon; she had estimated they would begin to escte their attacks over the next few days. One small blessing, the slugs had proven to be less organised than she had ounted for, but it wouldn''tst for long. With the rising wave, that meant things were going to get very tight towards the final stages of construction. So long as the fortress waspleted before the wave arrived, the first stage of the invasion would be aplete sess. If not¡­

    They would abandon everything and retreat to the fourth. It would be the single greatest loss of material the Colony had ever suffered. Not only that, the Krath would not be caught unawares a second time, making any future invasion much more difficult.

    They had to seed. They <em>had</em> to. Snt would do anything to win, that was why she had been chosen for this role.

    They were going to win.

    No matter the cost.

 Chapter 1337: Kicking into Full Gear

    Chapter 1337: Kicking into Full Gear

    It was truly impressive to see what the family was capable of when they really put their minds to it. I''m so used to my siblings'' unified way of thinking, thanks to the Vestibule, that I''ve stopped considering what it actually looks like to others when all the ants work in such a coordinated fashion.

    During a break from exploring and fighting territorial monsters, I take a little time to creep back up to the entrance to the fifth, just to check things out.

    I have to say, I like what they''ve done with the ce.

    It hasn''t been that long, all things considered, but the narrow entrance into the tunnel, and indeed the tunnel itself, don''t look anything like what I remember when I first came down here.

    In fact, it couldn''t be more different.

    The entrance has been widened and the engineers have been busy working on it. A series of lifts are in constant motion, rising and falling as a never ending stream of ants, people, materials and everything else needed to fuel the invasiones down. I can only imagine the shenanigans going on above in the fourth to maintain this flow. Snt''s logistical mastery at work, no doubt.

    The tunnel itself has transformedpletely. Cleansed by the blue mana, it''s lost the toxic atmosphere and hazy yellow-green hue I see everywhere else in this ce. Instead, the carvers have turned it into a massive hub for receiving and distributing everythinging down from above. There are stockpiles, warehouses, wide paths filled with traffic I guess I could describe as roads.

    Unsatisfied with the existingwork of tunnels, the Colony has been busy boring their own channels through the rock to make more direct and efficient connections. I can already see the colossal fortress that Snt has envisioned starting to take shape, and this right here is intended to be the beating heart of the operation. We may never be self-sustaining here in the fifth, but as long as we can move things efficiently from the fourth, we should be able to get everything we need to make it through theing wave.

    Just thinking about the wave is enough to dim my spirits a bit. I mean, they''re always terrible, but this next one¡­Take any stratum, and during a wave, whatever makes it a pain in the carapace is dialled all the way up to eleven and beyond. I still shudder to think of the never ending hordes of demonrvae on the third wing and chewing on each other as far as the eye could see. Just what is the fifth going to be like? How much more awful could this ce really get?

    I know the answer to that question: a lot. It''s going to get a lot worse. I may not be able to articte how, but I can feel the slimy dooming in the tiniest hairs on my antennae. Man, they''re twitching already, that''s how bad it''s going to be.

    Actually¡­ that makes no sense, what the heck is going on?

    I am definitely detecting something, and I''m fairly sure it isn''t my own future despair, so just what am I picking up?

    To the surprise of everyone around me, Iunch to my feet and start crawling over the area, my antennae sweeping from side to side as I track down the sensation like a bloodhound on a scent trail.

    Luckily I''mrge enough to step over everything in the way, but that doesn''t mean it''s not diforting for the non-ants who have to watch the giant monster crawl overhead.

    Thankfully, I don''t cause <em>too</em> much of a disturbance as I move through the area, focused on the faint feeling I''m getting. It''s definitely gravitational, I decide. There''s a slight eddy in the field, or perhaps several, but they''re quite small, barely enough to register in the ''noise'' of everyone else moving around in here.

    I spend ten minutes moving this way and that, doubtless getting in the way of many people, but for some reason, this is really sticking in my mandibles, and I''m determined to work out why. Eventually, Ie to what I''m fairly sure is the source of at least one of the disturbances, but find myself quite confused to be staring at a wall.

    I mean¡­ it''s a nice wall, as far as they go. Natural, Dungeon-formed tunnel, vintage stuff, newly cleaned of slime and mucus, top quality rock, all that good stuff. So why in the heck am I getting vibrationsing from it? The wave hasn''t started, so there shouldn''t be monsters forming in there, so what exactly is going on?

    That''s when I notice the very slight hole, little more than a crack, and I lean closer to investigate. Yes, there''s definitely a cavity of some sort behind this wall, though it isn''t very big. I don''t suppose it''ll cause much of an issue, so I shrug and engage my mandibles, tearing chunks of stone away to reveal the little hidden pocket¡­ and the monsters tucked away inside.

    Aha! A sneaky little spawn point must have formed in there, but¡­ but what have we got here?

    There''s roughly a dozen of them, bigger than demonrvae, possibly the size of ant hatchlings, and they are aggressively red, ring up at me with fluid-adjacent eyes and limbs. With little to no warning, they throw themselves at me and I rear back, instinctively unleashing a barrage of fire magic that evaporates the little creatures.

    [You have in Level 1 Vas Rubrum]

    [You have gained XP]

    Uh¡­ <em>excuse me?</em>

 Chapter 1338: The Old Way

    <em>The Eldest is sleeping now, which is only right. They will wake eventually, of course they will, but hopefully, by that time, we will not need them to achieve the work.</em>

    <em>If all goes well, we willplete our objective without having to disturb the Eldest at all. My only regret is that I will not get the chance to share the triumph of my greatest campaign.</em>

    <em>-From the personal notes of Snt</em>

    "We''ve got weird monsters popping up in the tunnels!" I roar as I burst into themand post.

    "I <em>know</em>," Snt says, unperturbed by the sudden outburst. "You were not the first to find them, though you were close."

    "How long ago did you find out?"

    And who could have possibly been faster than me? I tracked them down using tiny eddies of gravity, for goodness sake!

    "One minute," Snt replies.

    A <em>minute</em>."Vibrant was the first to arrive with the news."

    "Vibrant?!"

    "Hi-hi!"

    I turn to see the tier seven speed-soldier hopping on the spot excitedly from one leg to another. I''m still a little surprised to see that she isn''trger than I am, but holy moly is she looking sleek. This is an ant designed for a single purpose: to go fast.

    "How are you, Vibrant?"

    "I''m great, Senior! Things are going well above, so I thought it was about time I came down here to help out! It''s been going well so far-far! It''s a shame I''m not allowed to run through the yucky stuff, but there''s enough blue for me to run in now, so that''s ok!"

    It''s kind of fascinating to see the physical modifications she''s gone through in order to facilitate her need to go faster. I can tell that she''s a lot lighter than I would expect. I think she reforged her carapace into a tough but lightweight substance in herst evolution. Her legs are the other area that''s undergone massive change. Her legs are much thicker than mine even, and in particr, the joints where they connect to her body are enormously bulky. Not just to run fast, I surmise. To turn and manoeuvre at that speed, she needs to be able to absorb absolutely ridiculous amounts of force.

    "Make sure you''re careful," I sigh, resigned to her hijinks at this point. "It''s extremely dangerous down here, and you can run into trouble very, very fast."

    "I know that, Senior!" she pipes. "That''s why I keep making it so I can think faster. It takes a lot of energy, but the micro-naps really help!"

    I forgot that she sleeps between words in order to facilitate something approaching normal speech. Not wanting to get distracted, I turn back to Snt, intent on getting answers.

    It doesn''t bother Vibrant at all. Secondster, I hear an excited ''Crin-Crin!'' as some tentacles start appearing from the shadows, sending Vibrant to hopping again. I''m sure they''ll have a good chat.

    "Did you know that monsters would spawn in the cleansed tunnels?" I demand.

    "You thought they wouldn''t?" Snt asks, calm as ever.

    I want to thwack her for answering a question with a question, but deep down, I kind of did think they wouldn''t spawn. Or¡­ if they did, then they''d be toxic monsters who would be instantly melted by the clean mana. Does it count as monsters spawning if they evaporate a secondter?

    "Kind of?" I reply.

    "I did not, and do not, believe the Dungeon would ever tolerate not spawning monsters wherever it can. They were always going to appear in the cleansed tunnels, that''s why we have a patrol schedule."

    "It''s not that the monsters were spawning so much, but that they were¡­ different! They weren''t toxic, they could survive in the blue mana! What''s going on there?"

    This is the real question. Is the Dungeon already switching gears and starting to spit out different monsters in the ces we''ve cleaned out? That seems like a short span of time for the Dungeon to adapt to a change in environment in such a small area.

    And I swear to goodness, if Snt answers with a question, she is going to get such a thwack¡ª

    "I don''t know," she replies simply.

    Huh.

    "I only found out it was happening two minutes ago," she states, rather fairly, "so I don''t have any answers. The mages and Dungeon Seer specialists will look into it. We may even contact Brilliant, since this is the sort of thing she likes to investigate, but for now we can only guess as to why a different breed of monster is appearing in our tunnels."

    Well, that''s totally reasonable, but doesn''t really do anything to feed this hankering I have for answers.

    "Any chance you could share some spection with me? I don''t care if it doesn''t turn out to be right, I just want someone else to bounce ideas off."

    Snt cks her mandibles.

    "I <em>am</em> rather busy¡­"

    "Thanks, I appreciate it. So, <em>are</em> these even new monsters, or are they the original monsters, but just, non-goopified versions? Or are they the monsters that were spawning here before the ce was toxified? Wouldn''t that mean these creatures haven''t been seen in the Dungeon for thousands of years? That''s crazy!"

    "These are all viable theories," Snt says, impatient for me to go away and do something else, "but we can''t <em>know</em>. Perhaps you could learn something by consuming the Biomass of these creatures and letting us know what you find."

    "Consume the Biomass?" I ask, puzzled.

    "Presumably they aren''t toxic, so why couldn''t you eat them?"

    I¡­ didn''t even think of that.

    "That''s a great idea, Snt! I''m going to investigate."

    "We do need you to take on that snake¡­"

    "Dammit."

    I guess my eating spree will have to wait a bit. It shouldn''t be too much of an issue, I''ll pop down, take out the giant slime snake, and be back in time for breakfast.

    A breakfast of unknown, mysterious Dungeon spawn! Gweheheheheh!

 Chapter 1339: Snake Assault

    <em>The problem with trying to get my mandibles on these newly spawning monsters, is that they''re rare and only just beginning to appear in these tunnels. There are plenty of areas within the safe-zone where they aren''t appearing yet, and when they do pop up, the Colony is, of course, dealing with the problem as soon as they can.</em>

    <em>What this means is that, even though I go looking for some monsters to chomp on, I can''t find any. Though I search high and low, every time I think I''vee across something to chomp on, the Colony has already swept in and dealt with the matter.</em>

    <em>This level of efficiency is¡­ good¡­ I suppose¡­ but now I have nothing to do except go and fight this stupid snake! Lousy Colony, being all super good at doing stuff all the time.</em>

    <em>All I can do is sigh, give my antennae a clean and head off to let Snt know I''m on the way. She gives me a nod, but I can tell she was already aware it was going to end up like this. Know-it-all.</em>

    <em>My suspicions are confirmed when I reach the lower levels of the safe-zone to find a medical team and arge battalion of ants ready to hold the line should the snake try and make it up into our territory.</em>

    <em>Hey, if the monster wants to ram itself headfirst into the purified mana, then I''m all for it, though I suppose we''d want to minimise the damage a creature this size would inflict should it get in there, even for a few moments.</em>

    <em>With a final wave of the antennae to the waiting ants, I head out into the toxic mana, making my way toward the vertical shaft I''d found previously.</em>

    <em>Things are much as I remember them fromst time, with the exception of the centipedes. CURSED CREATURES. They are, blessedly, still nowhere to be found, not having returned since myst visit. Now that I''m here, I enter stealth mode, as much as a monster of my size can. I pull my mana in close and tight, sticking to the walls of the shaft and keeping to the shadows wherever I can, and all the while, my senses stay sharp and on the lookout for goop-snake.</em>

    <em>To my surprise, I find it doing pretty much the same thing as it was thest time I was here:zily coiled about itself, basking in the slime and thick mana pooling at the bottom of the junction. I have to be careful, since fighting while on a vertical surface isn''t exactly my strong suit anymore. My Grip has been improving bit by bit, but it''s proving difficult to keep pace with my size.</em><em>I might have to make my ws mutable in my next evolution, so I can be as mobile on odd surfaces as an ant should be.</em>

    <em>Though¡­ I''m probably going to be pretty darn huge after my next evolution. I''m alreadyrger than a bus, I''m like a full on truck. After the next one¡­ I''m running out of vehicles topare myself to. Do I have to upgrade to buildings?! If I keep evolving, am I going to get to the point I could look King Kong in the eye?!</em>

    <em>Best not to think about it.</em>

    <em>Instead, I''ll focus on my opponent for the day, this slippery, slime-coated, snake. Now that I look more carefully, it really is a ratherrge monster. Its body isn''t as wide as I am, but it''s so much longer that it probably outweighs me two to one, even with my gravitypressed diamond. That''s a heck of a lot of Biomass, which nobody is going to be able to eat¡­ such a shame.</em>

    <em>This snake must have massive amounts of Might. Getting grabbed by it will spell near instant doom, so I''ll need to be careful. Not to mention the slime coating that covers the creature. Doubtless it''s just as toxic as everything else around here, and probably helps it move quickly, now that I think about it. Strong and speedy, that''s the impression I get from this foe.</em>

    <em>Not to toot my own horn, but I''ve gotten pretty good at evaluating these big, territorial monsters after my recent experiences. The key is to make a careful examination of them before the fight to try and determine their strengths and weaknesses. The choices buried within the evolution system are endless, so it''s impossible to say exactly how a particr monster might function, but judging their general strategy isn''t that hard.</em>

    <em>Looking at this snake, my guess is that it uses that long body and slime mutation to move quickly and bind its foe, squeezing them and letting its toxins go to work. Nasty.</em>

    <em>To minimise the chances of that happening, I maintain a safe distance, doing everything I can to conceal my presence, and begin to work on a gravity bomb.</em>

    <em>This far from the Colony, I''m able to deploy a pretty strong one, even if I can''t go all out. With any luck, it''ll severely damage the snake and allow me to handle the rest of the fight with rtive ease. Launching one from here, stuck to a vertical surface without any cover, is a recipe for self-squishing, however, so I take a little time to dig out a discreet little hidey-hole in the wall. Once I fire off the bomb, I can duck inside and dig in.</em>

    <em>Genius!</em>

    <em>Actually thinking ahead for a change? Who would have ever thought that would be the case? Not me!</em>

    <em>When the bomb is prepared, I open my mandibles and let it rip, empowering the spell as I do so. As usual, the devastating magic rips into existence, sucking in the air and stirring up a terrifying wind as it flies towards its target.</em>

    <strong><em>HOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWLLLLLL!</em></strong>

    <em>Enjoy, snake. I''ll be back to check on you in a moment!</em>

    <em>Just before I crawl into the small opening I made and prepare to dig myself in, the snake moves, much faster than I expected.</em>

    <em>As the bomb hurtles towards its target, the snake does something I truly never expected to see. It rears up, opens its jaws obnoxiously wide, and unleashes a ball of massively condensed mana.</em>

    <em>Oh no you didn''t!</em>

 Chapter 1340: Bomb vs Bomb

    This is outrageous! How dare you, snake! This is my secret, personal technique! Have you been peeking at my notes, stealing my private writings and copying my homework? This can''t be allowed!

    Gandalf! Intervene in this situation <em>immediately</em>.

    My gravity bomb screams and howls as always, but even through that din, I can still hear the spell unleashed by the snake monster hiss and spit as it shoots forward. My mana sense is screaming about the dense, potent mana contained within, some form of venomous mana.

    It doesn''t feel the same as the fifth''s native energy; this is something different entirely, though likely just as deadly.

    The two energies collide and I btedly leap into my hidey-hole, digging in my ws and sticking my head out over the edge to watch what happens.

    The gravity bomb expands, turning into a whirling vortex of inescapable doom. Just the sort of thing I wanted to see.

    Your bomb is a cheap imitation, snake! How dare you try and copy my technique?!

    However, even though I know my spell is overpowering the other, I can still see it. I don''t even need my mana sense to tell what''s happening, I can see it with my own eyes. The ck hole I''ve created is flecked through with that potent venom. Every now and again, it sshes out in bursts and arcs like coronal ejections from the sun.

    That lousy venom is <em>eating</em> my gravity mana!The two energies are busy cancelling each other out, but the gravity bomb is stronger, much stronger. Despite its own spell, the den of the snake is far from unaffected by the magic. Slime is getting ripped into the air, stones are crumbling, the walls of the tunnel shaft are cracking, chunks breaking off and falling into the void.

    But the venomous properties of that slimy-toothpick''s mana are eating away more of the bomb than I''d like, weakening it quickly.

    When the ck hole finally sputters out and fades away, the snake remains, unhurt, ring up at me.

    I re right back.

    You think you have the right to feel upset just because Iunched a devastating and deadly spell at you out of the blue with no warning? Nonsense! I''m the one who has a legitimate grievance!

    Well¡­ honestly, now that I think about it more closely¡­ the gravity bomb technique isn''t all that secret.

    I learned super early on that it was possible topress mana¡­ and I killed a monster by shooting a ball of in, unchanged mana at it. Not long after, I got ess to gravity mana and naturally used that to perform the technique from that point forward, since gravity mana works super, <em>super</em> well with it.

    But¡­ you could make a bomb out of <em>any</em> type of mana, and it''s not like it''splex to do it, you just take a massive amount of mana and cram it into as small a ball as you can, thenunch it.

    Honestly, I wonder why more people don''t use it?

    A wave of all of my near-death experiences caused by the gravity bomb shes through my head in an instant.

    Ah.

    That''s probably why.

    Also, even if it isn''tplicated, it <em>is </em>hard. Condensing mana to the extent necessary to create a bomb requires dedicated Skills and is mentally taxing¡­ putting it mildly. Not to mention, using regr spell forms is probably ten times more efficient.

    Anyways! Stupid snake!

    It''s still down there, staring up at me, menacingly. Deadly venom drips from its massive fangs as it shifts its body slowly. Is it priming for a leap?

    I tense.

    Instead of springing forward, I feel a powerful surge of mana as dozens of bolts begin to form in the air. The snake hisses as they surge forward, flying toward me at dizzying speed.

    You''re actually a mage-snake?! You''d go this far just to defy my expectations?!

    I snap a barrier into ce, more than enough to block such weak attacks, only to double-take when the venomous mana starts to eat through the shields.

    Anti-mana mana¡­ that''s cheating, surely.

    I refuse to ept this!

    My brains kick into gear. Leveraging my constructs and Skills, I push them hard and begin weaving mana like a master weaver with a hundred arms making two-dozen rugs. More shields spring into existence as bolt after bolt of blue me isunched down towards the lousy serpent.

    You want to throw bolts? I can throw bolts just as well as you! Better, even!

    Unsurprisingly, the slime coating over the snake snuffs out the mes quite easily, but I suspect with enough heat it''ll eventually be burned away. For its part, the monster isn''t all that pleased by my attack, and though it doesn''t defend itself, it redoubles its efforts, adding spears of condensed venom to fire at me alongside the bolts.

    These spears punch into my shields with tremendous force before sttering and dissolving them in moments, forcing me to make more and more. The two of us have fairlyparable cores, so in a battle of mana, we''re likely toe out even¡­ depending on who has the better organs and mutations.

    In that sense, using regr mana isn''t to my advantage. It''s probably drawing from an organ, orwork of organs, to produce this venom mana, whereas I''m working with energy from my core.

    I''m way more efficient when using gravity mana anyways.

    I cast away my blue fire bolts and dedicate those minds to drawing out and weaving the dense, potent energy contained in my gravitational mana nd. It isn''t cheap to cast gravity spells, and I only know the one, but we''ll see how well this lousy snake likes being crushed under the might of an empowered well.

 Chapter 1341: Frog (snake) in the Well

    You want to get into a spell-war with me, snake? Then prepare to be crushed! Literally!

    As well as figuratively!

    I keep snapping new shields into existence just as fast as they get eaten away, all the while building and weaving the dense mana necessary for the well. Naturally, the snake is just as capable of sensing mana as I am. Since it already detected my first bomb, it can tell that something big ising its way. It too begins to weave, drawing out even more mana from within its massive body, but although it seems to have evolved along the path of a mage, the difference between us soon bes apparent.

    You can''t whip together a spell as quickly as I can, you slippery serpent! Prepare to eat the force of an empowered gravity well!

    All the energy contained within the Altar rushes out in a great tide as the spell snaps into ce. Able to manipte the incredible force of the well with my will alone, I pour every ounce of power within it to crush the snake against the ground.

    Stone cracks, pirs crumple and the snake screeches in pain as it is smashed into the ground, its head pressed against the tunnel floor by the force.

    Gweheheheh! How do you like it, snake? You can''t steal <em>this</em> technique!

    Sensing its vulnerability and surprise, I choose to go aggressive and leap down towards the foe. It''s risky to get this close to a powerful enemy, but I have more cards up my carapace I can y if things go south.

    As I fall, I turn and unleash the full fury of my business conglomerate. The spray of potent acid covers the ttened snake and begins to eat away at it. I haven''t been using my acid much in the fifth because the creatures here practically swim in the stuff for fun. Most of them are covered in slime that protects them from it, or have flesh that is resistant.Despite all the investments I''ve poured into my acid producing capabilities, this is the worst possible stratum to use them in.

    As expected, the slime covering the snake begins to bubble and steam the moment my acid touches it, counteracting the burn before it even has a chance to start propagating itself.

    Damn this stratum! On top of everything else, they refuse to partake of the finest goods I can produce! It''s rude! Rude, I say!

    Pressed down by the power of the well, the snake continues to weave its mana as I plummet down to engage in closebat. Writhing and hissing in fury, it''s doing its best to try and move, but at best, it''s only able to slither a little bit. The time is right to apply the mandibles!

    My jaws flex as I draw closer to the beast, but I''m wary of whatever spell it''s cooking up, so I remain cautious even as I go in for the strike. The well is continuing to exert its power, causing the rock beneath the snake to shift and crack as it continues to be crushed.

    Ind with tremendous force that my legs absorb, leaving me trembling for a moment as I regain my bnce. This snake really is big. It must be a hundred metres long if it''s an inch, perhaps even more. Its body must be several metres thick at its thinnest to boot. This is a chonky boi, is what I''m saying. Despite its prowess with spells, there must be a formidable amount of muscle within that frame, there has to be.

    Right now, with the well in ce, the creature is at my mercy, so I dash forward, jaws wide and ready.

    <strong>VOID CHOMP!</strong>

    I''d empower it if I could, but even with hundreds of thousands of ants within range, there isn''t enough energy flowing in to refill the Altar that quickly. Even so, the bite is a potent weapon in and of itself.

    My mandibles crunch home, the jaws of pure ck energy slicing into the snake with ease. The slime coating is thick and sticky, so I''m lucky I didn''t bite into it with my physical mandibles, but then¡­ I notice something strange.

    What''s going on with this snake? The response from the bite is¡­ a little off.

    Sensing danger, I leap back and observe my opponent carefully, waiting to see just what the heck is going on.

    As I peer closely, the monster in front of me¡­ looks like a snake. It might be covered in ayer of slime, but it has a clear pattern of scales, a snake-like head, long, curved fangs, and it even hisses! It''s hissing right now!

    So why oh why, when I chomped into it, does it look like I chomped straight into slug flesh?! There''s no scales! No meaty, fibrous muscles, just squishy slug flesh!

    Then something happens that sends me for a spin. The snake''s eyes burst outward, and for a moment, I think it might have sumbed to the pressure of the well, but then I see the stalks.

    The eyes extend atop their stalks, fighting against the well, trying not to be crushed into the ground, and the entire body of the snake begins to change. The scale pattern fades as its body puffs out, thickening slightly as it transforms from slick, serpentine grace to somewhat puffy slug body. Its body ttens down, pressed by the power of the well, but like this, it''s able to move a little more freely, reeling around to face me and hissing with fury.

    What do you mean, hiss?! You aren''t a snake! Well, it''s clearly part snake, a slug-snake!

    Yuck.

    It still has the fangs and snake-shaped head, but its body has be pale and squishy, the slime coating leaking out of it even thicker than before. My minds work furiously, pumping multiple forms of mana and preparing an array of spells as the creature continues to build up its spell, even as it tries to work its way towards me, hoping to draw nearer.

    You might be able to move better than before, but the well is still giving you plenty of trouble. There''s no chance you''ll be able to catch me, you disgusting thing! For now, eat Dragon''s Breath!

    I st the monster with a jet of hot me and it recoils from the searing heat, hissing furiously.

    In a final attempt to protect itself, the slug-snake whips its face around, directly into the path of the fire, and opens its mouth,unching another dense ball of potent venom directly into my face.

 Chapter 1342: A Slippery Foe

    The ball of mana is incredibly dense, and from this close, I can see the dark green energy twisting and spitting virulently. This venom mana is unlike anything I''ve seen before. Not quite like acid, not quite like the toxic poison of the fifth, it''s almost a blend of the two. I''ve no doubt that, should it touch me, it would begin to eat through my carapace and body like an acid, and spread throughout my carapace like the fifth''s toxic mana.

    Nasty stuff.

    Of course, I was more than ready for this eventuality! You aren''t taking me out byunching a surprise, short-range bomb! You can''t quote me the deep lore when I <em>wrote it</em>!

    Shields snap into ce, as dense and thick as I can make them, but of course they aren''t going to aplish much. As expected, the bomb smashes straight through the shields, losing only a fraction of its momentum, but that''s fine, I had the mana ready, so it didn''t hurt to use it.

    Of course, the best way to fight the spellunched in my face is to match it with another bomb, but from this close, that would be as good as sticking my head into a ck hole. Unhealthy.

    Alternate methods must be employed and the best method of all is to get the heck out of the way!

    There is <em>just</em> enough energy inside the Altar to empower my dash, and I spring to the side with, quite literally, blinding speed. My vision blurs as I move so quickly that I basically teleport, my antennae pping back onto my carapace almost painfully.

    The sizzling ball of venom mana sears past me in my wake, and Iugh heartily within my heart. Did you really think I wasn''t ready? Gweheheheh! Now you will experience your doom, slug-snake!

    However, I seem to have misjudged the distance when I engaged my <em>dash</em>¡­ by rather a lot.SMASH!

    I plough headfirst into the wall, sending shards of rock flying everywhere and burying myself in stone.

    Dammit!

    This is hardly dignified! I bring up my six legs and try to yank myself out, but it isn''t easy. I really managed to bury myself rather deep. Behind me, I feel the venom bomb detonate, sending globs of mana flying all throughout the area. Stuck as I am, all I can do is throw up more shields and conjure stone, shaping it to cover my business district so it doesn''t experience a hostile takeover.

    My brains spin, and I quickly realise that manipting the stone behind me isn''t the only option I have¡­ there is stone in front of me as well. I flex my minds along with my mandibles and begin ripping into the rock, plunging myself into a state of ant zen as I chew my way deeper, keen to escape the venom that is melting through everything behind me as well.

    This is the risk of the bomb strategy. Great power, poor target selection. Pressed down by the well, the snake-ish slug wouldn''t have been able to escape its own bomb and is doubtlessly suffering the effects.

    Working my jaws, I throw myself into the task of ripping a path through the rock, bending my way around to connect to the main chamber. It only takes me a minute to break through, and I emerge back into the light to find the scene is much changed from before I left.

    Everything is coated in a thinyer of the venom mana and it sits, sizzling away, menacingly, on the surface of the stone. I look at it, a little puzzled, then realisation strikes me. This isn''t acid, this is venom. I''m sure it''s incredibly potent at eating through biological tissue, but stone? Not so much.

    Interesting.

    The other thing that strikes me is that the slug-snake somehow has managed to leave. I can sense it now, slithering, faster than I would have expected, disappearing deeper into the stratum with its tail between its metaphorical legs.

    Running away? You coward! How in the heck did you even manage to get away?

    I check the well above my head, and while it''s definitely weakening, it''s still very much in effect. This is a potent well with the full force of the Altar behind it. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but it''s mighty! There''s no way this damn slug should have been able to get out of here.

    Then I see it. The venom is still eating away at it, but I can see enough to determine what might have happened here. There''s arge amount of slug flesh and slime piled up where the snake was pinned, although it''s rapidly vanishing as the venom slips through the slime and gets hold of the flesh.

    The lousy monster sloughed off part of its own body to escape the well and slither away while I had my head stuck in the wall!

    It never would have been able to do it if I''d been watching the whole time, but I managed to bury my own head in the wall, giving it the opportunity to get out!

    This trick can''t have gotten the monster far, but it was apparently far enough to escape the area I''d defined to be under the effect of the well, which wasn''t much, being honest. I''d kept it narrow in focus to concentrate its power, so even a little bit of distance would have been enough to get <em>some</em> of its body out of the effect.

    This is humiliating. More than a little humiliating, in fact. I could chase after it, even though it''s moving fast. The monster has to have been significantly weakened, it looks like it left about forty percent of its mass here, but running blindly into the fifth, getting further and further away from the support of my family¡­.

    It''s not a smart idea.

    For now, my best bet is to retreat, regroup with the family and let them know what happened. Hopefully, Snt will be able to figure out what to do next. Maybe, with the monster chased away, that''s all we really need? So long as it doesn''te back, we can expand down here and start construction¡­ so I guess that''s a win?

 Chapter 1343: Reporting Back

    Chapter 1343: Reporting Back

    I''m not used to having toe back to my family with news of failure, though it feels like it''s bing more of a thingtely, and I''m not happy about it. I can''t wait until we crush this stratum in its entirety so I can run around smacking the slugs about with my antennae. Without the benefit of their toxic environment, they''ll be helpless before me, forced to bow down and bury their sluggy faces into the dirt!

    Whoa!

    Need to be careful, that felt like the dark one was beginning to rise up. I swear, this ce is really bringing out the worst in me. Disgruntled and annoyed, I make my way up the tunnel and back into the safe-zone, weed by therge battalion of soldiers the Colony had put in ce to defend it. They all pat me on the carapace with their antennae and I exchange jokes and yell at them when they say I''m cking.

    They won''t advance without orders from Snt, so there''s no need to let them know how the fighting went.

    Snt, as usual, is an ind of calm within a sea at storm.

    "It got away," I announce without fanfare.

    Snt turns to look at me for a moment.

    "It got away?" she asks.

    "Well¡­ there were¡­plications¡­ but yes. The enemy shed a chunk of its body and escaped."Stupid snake-slug! This is embarrassing! Next time I see you, I''ll bury you under the weight of a ck hole so powerful it would have eaten that golgari mountain for breakfast!

    "So long as it has cleared out of the area, we can begin capture and decontamination. Construction of the fortress is the only thing that matters. Thank you, Eldest."

    Wait¡­ she isn''t mad? I''m a little surprised.

    "It''s fine, then? You predicted that I might fail?"

    "In what way did you fail?" the little general asks, turning back to consider her ever-expanding model. "You were tasked with removing the obstacle and it is gone. I fail to see the issue."

    Well¡­ that''s good, then!

    Seriously, though, I don''t know how they''re expanding this model, but every time Ie back, it''s grown. As the Colony expands its controlled area and uncovers more tunnels, the model grows to reflect these new discoveries. Even the furthest edges, which haven''t been confirmed by our scouts but are guessed at by our dungeon seers and those with the finest tunnel senses, are here, constructed from a different coloured stone.

    I''ve never seen anyone working on it, but I highly doubt the Colony has managed to create an automated construction array that updates the model ording to some sort of input. Even Brilliant wouldn''t be able to do that! I think¡­

    "Well, if we run into the monster again, make sure to let me know. I have a score to settle with that slug."

    "A slug? I thought it was a snake?"

    "It''s both."

    "Do you think it''s rted to the Krath?" she asks, her scent unusually pointed.

    "I¡­ don''t think so? Snails and slugs seem to be fairlymon monster types down here. This particr beast has some snake-like traits, but definitely has a slug body. Unless it turns out to have been a pet they ced in that location, I don''t see how it could be rted to the Krath. Why do you ask?"

    Snt turns to her precious model, tapping several locations with her antennae.

    "Scouts have reported suspicious activity in these locations."

    Each is close to the edge of our imed territory, but nowhere near the Legion, which is interesting.

    "Although I believe they are taking great pains to conceal themselves, there is little doubt the Krath are beginning to mass against us. This is about the time we expected them to arrive, but the dys mean our defences are not nearly asplete as we would have hoped."

    "You want me to go out there and give them a scare?"

    Snt cks her mandibles thoughtfully.

    "It may be worth your time¡­ though you must be careful. I expect they will go to great lengths to try and secure prisoners to gain information or put them into their conversion pits. You are their highest priority target, I have no doubt of that, though they may judge it too difficult to take you alive."

    "In which case, they''ll just try and put an end to me."

    "Indeed."

    "I almost wish they''d try. I can only imagine what Crinis would do to them¡­."

    The little general does not answer that, no doubt as frightened by the prospect as I am.

    "Alright then," I say, "I''ll go out and see if I can poke the ho''s nest. I''m interested to see how many came to say hello."

    I turn away, leaving Snt to deal with the million different problems that constantly arise. The second I step away, a swarm of scouts, generals and mages descend on her, each looking for the solution to their own particr problem. Somehow, I''m not even out of themand centre before order has been restored and she is patiently resolving one issue after another.

    I hope the next champion born into the Colony proves to be as useful. Brilliant has made great contributions, of course, but has always been erratic, to say the least. Vibrant, the first champion, has done more for the Colony than most will ever know, running from one battlefield to the next at a pace none can match. I dare say she''s done more fighting than I have, without having taken on enemies of as high a level. I wouldn''t say she''s erratic, but she''s definitely¡­ odd. Let''s leave it at that.

    For now, I need to get back out into the tunnels and see what the Krath are up to. I need a quick medical check-in first, and I should say hi to the gang before Crinis starts getting worried. After that, I''ll try and lure some slugs out into the open. I still haven''t given up on capturing one, but that''s gone down a little in priority. I''d hoped to learn from a Krath, take a bit of their fifth stratum expertise, but with the Legion here, we have an alternate source. I hope they''re sharing as much as they''re meant to be.

 Chapter 1344: Morrelia and the Legion

    "I hate the fifth," Morrelia groaned.

    "So you''ve said," Joshen noted, "several times."

    "Did you do officer training here, tribune?" she asked, peering at the surroundings with open dislike.

    She''d hoped never toe back here after the hellish officer course. Somewhere down here, perhaps thousands of kilometres away, the facility she''d stayed in was still there, a new batch of trainees being put through their paces, suffering just as she had suffered.

    "I did," he replied. "I was part of the training group before you, I believe."

    She turned to look at him. As usual, Joshen had taken some pains with his appearance, his golden hair and armour gleaming even here. How on Pangera he managed to find the time to bother with it was a mystery to her. Morrelia was busy from the moment she woke up to the moment she went to sleep. Only when on duty in the tunnel did she have time to think. When the monsters weren''t charging, there really wasn''t much to do except stand about and be ready for when they did.

    "How do you feel about this stratum?" she asked.

    "I hate it," Joshen replied, his tone t. "Does anyone like it? There aren''t any redeeming qualities to this ce."

    "And now you''re here again in thepany of a million monster ants. How do you feel about that?""Bad."

    "That''s it?"

    "I think itmunicates the necessary information."

    "It''s a bitcking in detail."

    "What do you want me to say?" her fellow tribune sighed.

    The two of them stood side by side in the centre of the line, disciplined ranks of Legionaries lined up on either side. Before them, the slimy, mucus-filled haze of the fifth stratum stretched out across the entire width of the tunnel. For now, nothing stirred. The Colony had already crushed most of the monsters in the area, and they only had to deal with the newly spawned creatures.

    They were in the fifth¡­ but¡­

    Morrelia looked around them at theforting bubble of blue that enveloped them all.

    "I never thought it would be so boring here," Morreliained.

    They were safe from the toxic atmosphere, and there weren''t many monsters to fight. This was supposed to be the most inhospitable and dreadful ce in the entire Dungeon! What was with this peaceful environment?!

    "You''d rather it was more exciting?" Joshen asked, raising a brow.

    "No," she replied definitively, "I''m just having trouble reconciling the image in my mind with my experience. I don''t feel any sense of danger. I almost wish something would happen to restore my sense of normality."

    Joshen turned away from the tunnel before them to look back down the line. The Legion hadpleted work on their fortified camp the previous day, which had pleased the troops. Mages had to do the bulk of the work, but even the foot soldiers were required to put their backs into preparing the ground.

    Then he frowned, appearing to notice something unexpected.

    "How about that? Does that relieve you of your boredom?"

    Morrelia couldn''t imagine something <em>behind</em> them that would relieve her boredom. At least¡­ nothing good came to mind. She could think of several things she most definitely <em>didn''t</em> want to see.

    Almost afraid to look, Morrelia turned her head, then snapped back to attention a momentter.

    "I need to leave my post for a moment."

    Joshen frowned at her.

    "You can''t leave your post. What are you saying? The Commander would throw a fit."

    "She doesn''t have to know!" Morrelia hissed.

    "But she would," Joshen pointed out. "I would tell her. What''s gotten into you, are they really something we need to worry about? Are we under attack?"

    "You aren''t," she muttered.

    For a moment, she actually considered making a run for it. If she went and hid amongst the rank and file, surely she would escape notice. Joshen would report her, and Chyron would chew her out, perhaps even put a note on her file, but it was possibly worth it!

    In the end, she was unwilling to let her fellow tribune get one over her so easily, not on ount of that idiot. Whatever happened, she would deal with it. How bad could it get?

    A minuteter, a Legionary approached the two officers with the message she''d been dreading.

    "Tribunes. Messengers have arrived from the Colony. They wish to speak with you directly. Do they have permission to approach?"

    "They do," Joshen affirmed, quick to step into the authoritative role before Morrelia had the chance. "We''ll meet them here."

    "Very well."

    Morrelia didn''t bother to turn around and kept her eyes affixed on the tunnel, desperate for a tsunami of slime, an avnche of mucus, a Krath invasion, <em>something</em>.

    The soldiers around her tensed, and she could hear the sound of ant legs crossing the stone as they approached. If only it was just ants, then she wouldn''t be worried.

    "Nice to meet you, tribunes," a familiar voice said, "my name is Isaac Bird and I serve as captain of the ant cavalry. This is my partner, Cavnt."

    Morrelia turned just as the ant in question finished giving them a friendly wave, expecting to see Isaac staring at her, as he usually did, only to be surprised. He wasn''t staring at her, he was staring at <em>Joshen</em>. And he didn''t look happy.

    <em>Oh Dungeon. Please take me now</em>.

    "And who might you be?" Isaac asked, sitting tall in his saddle and knuckling his moustache.

    "Tribune Joshen Aurelis. You may address me as Tribune, or Tribune Aurelis."

    "We don''t much stand on ceremony in the Colony, A <em>real </em>man is more than just a title," Isaac said.

    "In the Legion, we do. Address me correctly and I will show you the same courtesy, Captain Bird."

    "If you insist, Tribune."

    The two men continued to exchange level stares, and Morrelia desperately wished she could just slide out of the frame. For his part, Joshen appeared mildly confused and a little affronted, whereas Isaac was bordering on openly hostile.

    "Why are you here, Isaac?" she asked, partly to end this conversation as soon as possible, and partly to stop him ring at a Legionary as if he wanted to punch them.

    Isaac turned to face her, and his stern re melted into an oafish, wide-eyed look that she found particrly disturbing.

    "The Colony wanted someone to act as a liaison to your Legion and, of course, I volunteered."

    "I bet you did."

    "I''ll be posted here along with a few of my people for the next while. I''m sure we can have an effective partnership."

    "Please direct all correspondence and enquiries to Tribune Joshen."

 Chapter 1345: Slippery Slugs

    Once I''ve got the all clear from the healers and assured Crinis that I''m not dead, nor have I been teleported to some distant, horrific part of the Dungeon, I''m free to go on my next errand!

    Namely: find some Krath and make them regret showing their slimy faces around the Colony! There''s several locations where Snt suspects the Krath might be gathering, each of them toward the deeper end of our spreading influence. Which only makes sense, why would they head closer to the fourth, where our influence is at its strongest?

    After my failure with the snake-slug, I''m keen to vent some frustration, but I''m wary that if I go overboard, I''m likely to regret it. The slugs are wily enemies, and I have little doubt they''d jump on any opening I give them, so I need to be cautious.

    I move through the tunnels with confidence, marvelling at the incredible work the Colony has done in such a short span of time. The logisticswork that Snt painstakingly designed is paying dividends everywhere I look. There''s a constant flow of materials moving outward from the hubs that have been constructed along the vertical shafts that cut through the heart of the fortress to be.

    Ants, humans, and members of the various other races, recruited from theirmunities among the independent cities of the Dungeon, all work in harmony, an endless march of materials delivered to the hundreds of build teams swarming all over the upied territory. I can already see dramatic change in the tunnels I go through.

    What was once rough, natural Dungeon has been converted into the smooth and wide tunnel structures that the Colony prefers. Roads, chambers, walls, defences, everything is being constructed at once, some parts way ahead, othersgging behind. Most important of all are the channels and wuffer tforms, each a feat of engineering that I certainly wouldn''t want to attempt to build.

    After saying hello to everyone I pass, I check in with the general in charge of the tunnel I n to venture out into.

    "Hey there, general. Oh shoot, I didn''t expect to see you here, Victor!"

    The general waggles her antennae irritably."And why would that be?"

    "I thought you were managing things up in the fourth."

    "Sloan is up there at the moment and things are going fairly smoothly, so I''m here."

    "Trade with the brathians is going smoothly? No trouble from the Silver City?"

    I almost ask about the Church of the Path, but manage to stop myself. Brilliant is looking into that mess. Which reminds me, I need to check in with her to see how things are going. I''ll make that a priority once I get back.

    "There haven''t been any major issues. The brathians have been busy smoothing everything over to the best of their abilities, and we are starting to receive payment for our efforts, which is gratifying."

    "Good number of coresing in?"

    "More than I expected," the general concedes.

    I take that to mean it''s <em>way</em> more than she expected. A good thing, considering all the effort we went through to get our mandibles on those things.

    "Great stuff," I say, pleased. "Well, Snt wants me to check out this tunnel and scope out any Krath activity. She said the scouts had reported some suspicious movements in this area."

    The general cks her mandibles thoughtfully.

    "I suppose it <em>could</em> be the Krath out there. The monsters have been moving oddly, different from their previous patterns."

    "How so?"

    "We get less reckless charges than before, but enough to make it seem like nothing has changed."

    "They could be massing newly spawned monsters somewhere nearby? Preparing for a massive wave of weaker creatures?"

    "Definitely possible. If you can sniff them out, I''ll be grateful, Eldest. Good luck."

    "Thanks very much. Say hi to Sloan for me."

    I bid farewell to the general and make my way deeper into the tunnel. There''s a full battalion of ants on guard at the edge of the safe-zone. Drilled in Snt''s formations and tactics, ten thousand of my siblings stand watch to make sure nothing encroaches on the territory imed by the family.

    I wave to them and exchange words as I make my way through the ranks. It bothers me a bit that they still call mezy <em>as I''m heading out into the toxic area.</em> I mean¡­ really now.

    Once I clear the blue mana, the familiar sensation of eye melting and body invading takes ce. It''s amazing what a person can get used to, given enough time and exposure.

    At first nce, this tunnel doesn''t appear all that different from the others. There''s the usual slime strands, each at least a metre thick, connecting the walls, floor and ceiling like a spider web made of snot, along with the thick carpets of moss and various other examples of stuff I really don''t like to see.

    I''m immediately on alert, but there doesn''t seem to be anything that immediately catches my attention. Of course, I wouldn''t expect the slugs to be that unsubtle. They didn''t exactly get their nefarious reputation for being obvious.

    Acting as though I have no care in the world, I execute my best ant-strut and begin to stride into the open tunnel. I st the mucus and slime with Dragon''s Breath, clearing the way as I go, trying to look as though I''m on nothing but a regr investigation mission.

    All the while, my antennae are waggling. No matter how hard they try, there''s nothing the slugs can do to eliminate the gravitational waves they emit, and my antennae are sensitive enough to pick up even those tiny vibrations. Surprisingly, it doesn''t take that long for me to get my first readings.

    They''re staying well back, out of sight, hiding their mana signatures so well I don''t even get a sniff of them.

    Sneaky, sneaky. But not sneaky enough!

 Chapter 1346: Krath Attack

    Hmm. As pleased as I was to find the first signs of the Krath, it soon bes apparent that something different is going on here. There''s too many of them. I haven''t even been here that long and I''ve found <em>dozens </em>of them! That''s too many!

    They couldn''t have known I was going toe here, so they must have been here all along, right? Just what the heck is going on?

    I briefly consider turning around and heading straight back to Victor for a report. I doubt she expected to find that there would be such arge number of Krath lurking on the outskirts of the Colony''s territory. It''s enough that even <em>I''m</em> starting to feel vaguely threatened.

    And if there''s this many here in this tunnel, there may be an equal number in others. Snt was right, as usual. I don''t know if I''d call several hundred Krath an army, but it''s more than we''ve faced up to this point. They''ve finally gotten themselves organised and decided toe and fight us for real.

    It''s worrying, but also a little exciting! If I can smack them around hard enough, perhaps they''ll turn around and leave the Colony alone for a bit.

    Well, I shouldn''t get ahead of myself. I need to see what I can see before I make grandiose ns.

    As I move deeper into the tunnel, maintaining my confident, six-legged stride, my senses remain on alert. I''m certain they''re going to pull something, there''s no way they just let me wander through without trying something¡­ is there?

    After fifteen minutes of burning, strutting and chomping on the stray monsters who <em>do</em> show up, I''m starting to think they may just prefer to keep themselves hidden.

    Which is, of course, the exact moment they decide to spring their trap.I have no idea how they managed to conceal the slimeting, I can literally see in every direction at once (almost), including directly over my head. I <em>still</em> didn''t notice the darn thing until it started to fall on me!

    Naturally, I spring into action the moment I notice it. My nervous system is like greased lightning and my legs are firing before my brain has even realised why.

    I sprint to the left, and I <em>almost</em> manage to clear the. The lousy thing spreads out wider as it drops,pelled by some form of slug chicanery, and manages to clip my middle leg on the right side of the body, sticking tight.

    Of course, I try to shake it off immediately, but no luck, whatever goop they made it with isn''ting off that easily.

    I detect a rumble in the distance and soon spot a horde of monsters turning the corner up ahead. These must be the newly spawned monsters they''ve corralled over thest few days. Bah! Do they really think a bunch of weak monsters like this will be enough?

    My brains spin and I begin to weave together a gravity bomb, then I notice the is behaving a little oddly.

    The lousy thing is <em>alive</em>.

    Only a small part of it managed to grab onto my leg, but the rest of the slime is actively gathering up and pulling itself towards me. The section that did manage to get ahold of me is literally crawling up my leg, strengthening its hold.

    With no time to think, I spin together more Dragon''s Breath and let it rip, roasting my own leg in the process. It''s difficult to tell at first, but after I let the me rip for five seconds, I check, and <em>of course</em> they''ve made the lousy thing fire resistant. It''s fairly roasted, don''t get me wrong, but it''s still alive, somehow, weakly squirming its way further up my leg.

    I can''t afford to be caught out here, so I do the only thing I can and bite the end of my leg off with a quick chomp. The moment I shear through the leg, I leap away, lest the lousy thing manage to get ahold of me again.

    I''ve got a weak gravity bomb ready, so I empower it with the Altar and let it rip, flinging it down the tunnel toward the oing monsters. It howls to life and I find the screaming wind a littleforting as I start to whip another one together, along with some shields and more fire.

    I can still sense the Krath out there, lots of them. They aren''t far away, but are keeping well out of sight and beyond my range. Perhaps they learned from their earlier, more aggressive attempts to mess with me? Shame.

    The first of the monsters runs headfirst into the approaching bomb, and it expands, consuming the creature immediately. However, the tunnel is wide, and there''s no reason for all of them to funnel into the bomb, many of them making it around the zone from which they couldn''t escape the pull.

    As they get closer, however, they all home in towards me, that same ravenous anger in them that I see in every monster of the fifth. When they get close enough, but not <em>too</em> close, I let the second bomb go and watch as they charge headlong into it.

    Which is the moment the Krath strike.

    From a dozen different points along the roof, mores are fired as if they wereunched out of a cannon. They cover a wide area, not just covering me, but the area around me for dozens of metres.

    It seems they really want to capture me! Well, too bad, suckers!

    The shields are already in ce and thes make a wet <em>p</em> sound as they make contact and wrap themselves around the invisible barriers. Of course, I anticipate they''ll melt through those shields in no time, and I''m running before they''ve even hit the shields.

    Trying to catch me in your sentients of doom, eh? You''ll have to try a little harder, you stupid slugs! Gweheheheheh.

    I expect them to try again, to extend themselves and have another crack, but they don''t. Seeing that their attempt has been thwarted, all the Krath I sense begin to pull away, sliding through the narrow cracks in the stone between tunnels, growing more distant by the second.

    Well¡­ that''s disappointing.

 Chapter 1347: Brilliant Reports

    It seems the Krath are nning on being more cautious this time around. That''s honestly more what I expected from them, as opposed to their rather upfront and gung-ho approach we''ve witnessed till now.

    Everything we know about them says that the slug tribes are the wiliest, most frustrating and downright nasty creatures a person can fight in the Dungeon. I didn''t think I''d even <em>see</em> a Krath for ages, let alone have them charging at me almost as soon as we arrived.

    This feels more like what I expected. They''re going to poke and prod, try to work out what I can do, and devise a cunning n to deal with me once and for all. It''s annoying, but I think I''ve learned enough for the moment to warrant heading back to report.

    Also, I''m missing the end of one of my legs.

    Having all six legs in operational condition is the bare minimum requirement for extensive investigation. It''s painful enough going out there <em>without</em> any open wounds.

    As the Krath retreat, so do I, and Victor is a little surprised to see me back so soon.

    "They''re out there," I confirm, waggling my leg stump. "Tried to catch me with some sort of weird, living-thing. It seems they''re quite keen to capture one of us."

    "As if we''d let them," she huffs.

    "There''s way more out there than I expected," I warn her. "If the other tunnels are simr, then there''s a <em>lot</em> of Krath hanging around. I think they''re looking to do something major, soon.""I''ll send word to Snt. We''ll be on the lookout."

    Soon the scouts run off to deliver messages, and I watch as the attitude of the surrounding soldiers grows even more grave, if that were possible. Knowing that there''s a horde of maniacal slugs out there is one thing, knowing that they''re right on your doorstep is another. I have no doubt the Colony will be ready when the Krath finally decide to take on the safe-zone.

    Even though I was only out for a short period of time, the healers subject me to another vigorous examination and purification process. I swear they enjoy forcing me to sit and wait while they poke and prod at me. Eventually they give me the all clear after inspecting my leg for what I would consider to be <em>way</em> too long.

    When that''s all out of the way, I decide it''s time to call on Brilliant and see if she''s made any progress regarding our ''friends'' over at the Church of the Path. Reaching out to her via the Nave, I prod her to see what she''s doing.

    [Hey, Brilliant. Got a second?]

    [What? No,] she grumbles. [I''ve got a hundred different research projects on the go.]

    [Is that really an issue?]

    [No, because I''m BRILLIANT!]

    [That''s what I assumed. Can you pop down to the fifth for a chat?]

    [Aren''t we talking now? Why do I have to go down there?]

    [It''s better to hold conversations in person.]

    [You want me to hop through dimensions for your convenience?]

    [Yes.]

    [... Fine.]

    It takes a surprisingly short amount of time for the little mage to appear. She pops into existence so quickly that I assume she was on the way from the moment I first reached out to her.

    I''m lying on the ground, getting some leg-regeneration time, and all of a sudden I have an ant on my back.

    "Working hard, I see," Brilliant quips.

    "I had to bite my own leg off to escape a Krath trap. Give me a break."

    "Sounds like things are going much as Snt expected then."

    "Wait, she consulted you? I didn''t realise you''d spoken at all."

    "Of course. I chat to Snt and Vibrant semi-regrly. Share perspectives, discuss differences of opinion and uing projects."

    A champion chat club? I had no idea that existed. I suppose it''s a good thing; they have unique ways of looking at the Colony, and it certainly doesn''t hurt for them to cooperate with each other.

    "Putting that aside, I wanted to speak to you about the Church of the Path."

    "I assumed as much."

    "What have you learned?"

    She falls silent for a moment, unusual for Brilliant. Hesitance is thest thing I would ever expect from this braggadocious individual.

    "Do you really want to know, Senior?" she says, finally. "It''s¡­ not good."

    I don''t even know what to say about that.

    "They took one of our family, Brilliant. There is no way I''m ever going to let it go."

    "I suppose that''s true," she sighs. "I''ve been investigating this as you asked, and I believe I''ve learned what they want with us, and the process through which they achieve their goal."

    "There''s a process? What the heck are they doing over there?"

    "The Church has some¡­ interesting beliefs. I think you know some of it?"

    "The Dungeon and monsters were created to give the sapient races a way to ascend¡­ or something."

    "Right. However, the Church takes this view to the extreme. In their eyes, the Dungeon, and the monsters created within, are resources that only exist to empower the worthy."

    "There are plenty of groups who try to exploit the Dungeon," I shrug. "Just about everyone does it to some extent, even us."

    If I''m being honest, the Colony has worked to exploit the Dungeon on an almost industrial scale.

    "It''s more than just the extreme nature of the attitude, it''s the methods they choose to apply. This is where the Nectares into y."

    "Nectar?"

    "It''s a highly prized liquid only avable through the Church, as they alone know the method of its creation. Remarkable stuff, apparently. Just by drinking it, one can gain experience and levels."

    "From a drink?!"

    That sounds outrageous, but even more than shock, I feel a sinking feeling develop deep in my core. I''m starting to see why Brilliant might have been reluctant to tell me about this.

    "Just spit it out. How do they make it, Brilliant? You know, don''t you?"

    "Of course, Eldest. I''m Brilliant."

 Chapter 1348: Revelations

    <em>It was never possible for there to be peace between the Colony and the Church of the Path. How could there be? The Church was almost as virulently anti-monster as the Abyssal Legion, though for very different reasons.</em>

    <em>The Legion has always feared the Dungeon, believing that if it were left unchecked, the end result would be a repeat of the Rending, if not worse. For that reason they have sought tobat monsters, find new and better ways to destroy them.</em>

    <em>The Church looks upon monsters not as a threat, but as a gift. A sacred offering made for the betterment of the civilised races of Pangera. To them, it was nothing less than their sacred mission to destroy monsters and reap the XP provided. Any means that allowed them to reap a greater harvest was justified, and any obstacle to this purpose was unholy.</em>

    <em>Their wanton piging of the Dungeon, and unwillingness to engage with monsters as the severe threat that they are, was the primary reason the Church and the Legion were always at odds.</em>

    <em>-From the writings of Alberton, Liria branch Legion Loremaster</em>

    Well¡­ I don''t know what I expected the Church to be doing with the monsters they captured, but this wasn''t it. I mean¡­ I''ve seen and experienced some pretty nasty stuff since I was born into this world, but this is the first thing I''vee across that I would describe as actually evil.

    Like¡­ cartoon bad-guy sort of stuff.

    I almost can''tprehend it. The thought of something so terrible happening to one of my sisters just doesn''t seem real. It''s not possible. My brains refuse to ept that I live in a world where that urred.

    The idea that they are still out there, hoping to do this to <em>more </em>of us, is uneptable. One is too many. It would be an unforgivable, irredeemable sin were it only to ur once. Any more than that, a single instance, and I will do something drastic, something severe, to ensure that it <em>never</em> happens again.Before I even realise it, a new resolve has taken shape within me. Once the Colony is done with the fifth, we will need to revisit this problem. A permanent solution must be found, and rpense must be extracted.

    But for now, there''s nothing that can be done. I''m sure the Church is going out trying to recruit others to their cause. If enough be interested, then I''m sure there would be arge-scale attack on the Colony. Were enough to join in, it''s possible they would be able to bring an end to us altogether, but we''ve already put a dint in those ns. My initiative to bring trade to the Colony was a massive sess, and it''s unlikely the Silver City will be willing tounch a war of extinction against someone they do business with.

    Hopefully it''s enough for now. Later, we can look for something a little more permanent.

    With a great effort, I push all thoughts of the horrifying reality out of my mind. I don''t have any space to think about it right now; my mandibles are full dealing with our current problems, namely the army of Krath gathering right outside our territory.

    Not to mention the rest of the difficulties we face in conquering this stratum. There''s a lot to do!

    If I went to report to Snt now, I don''t doubt I''d be sent back out to scout more tunnels and get a better sense of how many slugs are out there. Which is fine, I''m happy to do that, once my leg grows back, of course, but first I want to go and check in with the best non-insect monsters in the entire Dungeon.

    I find Tiny, Crinis and Invidia all hanging out together, and I run up to greet them with a friendly wave of the antenna.

    [Hey, gang! How are you¨C]

    Ghost fist.

    [Hey! That''s just rude! What did I do to deserve the ghost fist treatment, huh? Why don''t you form the intent to punch <em>yourself</em>, you hands-happy ape?!]

    Far from put off by my tirade, the suggestion seems to spark interest from Tiny, and he begins to consider the possibilities carefully. He looks down at his fist, then brings it up to his own nose. Then he frowns, lowers his hand and tilts his head to the side, puzzled.

    Oh, has he finally found something he <em>isn''t</em> willing to punch?!

    [Master, your leg!] Crinis screeches before glomping onto my side and pouring into my shadow. [Who did this? WHO DID THIS?!]

    There is so much rage contained in her tone that even I''m taken aback.

    [Crinis, rx a second. I did it to myself, alright? You aren''t going to attack <em>me</em>, are you?]

    Please say no. Please say no!

    [O-of course not!]

    There was a moment of hesitation there, I swear it!

    [I was sent out to investigate some tunnels, and there were Krath out there. I wanted to talk to you about it before I get sent back out. There''s a lot of Krath gathering around the ce, way more than we''ve seen before. The Colony is going to ask you to be on the frontline, I''m pretty sure, so be careful. The slugs are keen to capture anyone they can, and that includes you guys.]

    [If that filth try to touch you again, I¨C]

    [Crinis, I''m sure they will. In fact, it''s pretty much a guarantee. You have my full permission to do nasty things to them if you get the chance.]

    [Oh, I will.]

    [I believe it. Tiny¡­]

    The big ape is still looking at his fist, puzzled. I turn to Invidia.

    [Invidia, be a good friend to Tiny and try to help him not be abducted and turned into evil-Tiny. I really don''t want to have to deal with that if I don''t have to.]

    [<em>I willsssss,</em>] he says, eyes gleaming. He seems really happy for some reason, floating there gleefully, his little wings fluttering as he bobs about in the air.

    What the hey, I''m d he''s happy.

 Chapter 1349: Slithering In The Tunnels

    Zluth made his way through the cracks along with the rest of the scouts. He''d not expected to catch the giant ant, not truly, but even so, the dreadful creature had once again proven its might in evading capture.

    The others hadn''t believed him, not really. How it had grated on him, a Krathth of his own tribe, to be looked down on by the slugs of the Bulg and Lirz tribes, as if he couldn''t identify a deadly monster when he saw one. At least it had been satisfying to see the smug looks on their faces melt away as the giant insect had escaped their traps with ease.

    The pores along the tunnel walls were beginning to grow. Soon, they would help propel the slugs at much higher speeds through the cracks. Even now, Zluth and the other Krath were able to move quickly,pressed down to only a few inches high, elerating faster and faster as they raced to rejoin the main force.

    Deep within the stone walls between the tunnels, where the heartbeat was faint and the mana a little less virulent, the Krath had hollowed out a temporary home. On the outskirts, Zluth encountered the guards, who watched him carefully as he began to expand back to his full size, their ws at the ready, acid ready to unleash.

    "Zluth, Krath''rath of the Slee, returning with the scouting party."

    Thergest leered at him, acid pooling between their needle-pointed teeth.

    "Little Slee," he burbled, "you return alive? I''m surprised."

    "I always return alive," Zluth hissed, stalks extending to their greatest height, "but the same may not be said for you. I can see the ants consuming your flesh for Biomass now, guzzling your pathetic acid like water."

    Therger Krath was incensed, popping and sizzling with the strength of the fury burning within."You dare speak to the Thuuz like this?" he spat.

    "I speak to all fools this way, regardless of their tribe. Now get out of my way, dry-flesh."

    Confident and unafraid, Zluth pushed forward, pressing the guards back. The insulted one warred with himself, eager to consume the upstart, but knowing he would be severely punished, perhaps eaten, if he did.

    Inside, the narrow tunnel opened up into a cavern that abounded with activity. If he were not aware of the truth, Zluth would have thought this was a booming slimeground, a thriving tribe of many Krath. Instead he saw it for what it truly was: a war camp, filled with politics and backbiting. As he slid past the newly nted moss fields, and heard the distant rumble of the blubbeasts being fed, it was easy to make out the divisions that ran through the gathered slugs.

    Tribe against tribe, there was little trust, little willingness to get along. The only reason these Krath were willing to remain in such close proximity at all was because of theirmon enemy. It was almost enough to make Zluth shake his head in despair. To think that he had been naive enough to think they would be a little more united in the face of such an affront.

    Every one of the Krath in the camp boiled with anger at the thought of the invaders, but that wasn''t enough to ovee their innate suspicion of each other.

    Truly, the most dangerous thing in the Dungeon for a Krath was their own kind. Chozth held court with the fiercest of her warriors in their own section of the cavern. They were wild, crazed slugs, deadly as any Zluth had ever seen. The Krathth of the Thuuz lived up to her reputation as a deadly fighter and aggressive warleader. Yet, she was more cautious than Zluth had believed she would be. In that, she showed the cunning of a true Krath.

    As Zluth approached their inner circle, Chozth looked up from the council of her closest allies, baring her teeth in a wicked smile.

    "Our scouts return, and I am most interested in what they have to say. ves were taken? Victims? What do you have for me, Krathth of the Slee?"

    She almost said it in a way that didn''t sound demeaning, but she was unable to suppress it entirely. Zluth looked at her, trying to read her motivations, see her inner thoughts. Chozth wasn''t thatrge for a Krath, smaller even than the Krathth of the Slee that Zluth had overthrown. Yet there was something about her. She was sleek, powerful, and exuded an air of danger about her, as if she were coiled to pounce at any moment with truly violent consequences.

    "We have surveyed the tunnels you requested and encountered many things, including the powerful ant monster who has crushed so many."

    "Interesting. And it is dead or captured, I assume?"

    Her ws writhed with a deep hunger for news of conquest, and her eyes tilted into gleeful moons.

    Despite the danger, Zluth took a deep pleasure in reporting the opposite.

    "The monster proved more capable than the hunters expected. I''m afraid it evaded their attempts to capture it with ease."

    Chozth moved faster than any Krath Zluth had ever seen. One moment she was distant, the next she was right in front of him, her ws poking and prodding at him as her eyes stared deep into his.

    "You were responsible for the hunt, Krathth Zluth. The failure of the expedition is yours to bear."

    "Of course, I bear full responsibility for our sessful reconnaissance," Zluth said smoothly, outwardly unafraid. "Though I query who is responsible when your hunters do not listen to my advice and alert their prey needlessly."

    He could sense the acid burning within Chozth when she was this close to him, and it was potent. If he ate her, her flesh would melt a hole straight through him, he was sure of it.

    His mouth watered all the same.

    Silence hung heavy in the air, and Zluth, at one point, was convinced he would be devoured, but the moment passed, and he was not.

    "You criticise the hunters I provided you?"

    "Why don''t you talk to them yourself, and ask about their sess?" Zluth suggested. "I warned them not to underestimate the foe, but they wouldn''t listen."

    She considered him for a moment.

    "Then I will," she burbled, and turned away from him.

 Chapter 1350: Treachery of Slime

    <em>It was difficult for the Colony and the Krath to understand each other. In fact, our nature and theirs were truly ipatible. They could not understand our unity, could not imagine living with our unconditional trust. Likewise, their suspicion andpetitive instinct were iprehensible to us. Bickering, infighting, betrayal and backstabbing, it was baffling to us that they managed to get anything done at all.</em>

    <em>It''s difficult to know for certain, but I can say with confidence that the Colony developed a level of respect for the Krath. Not for what they did, how they did it, or why, but for how effective they were at doing it. The Colony cares about getting things done, and the Krath were ruthless to a level we had never seen before, willing to sacrifice almost anything to achieve their aims.</em>

    <em>It was a lesson we learned well.</em>

    <em>-From the personal notes of Historiant.</em>

    Zluth was dismissed for a time, then recalled several hourster. He found a bloated, angry Chozth, sliding back and forth while her inside council watched fearfully.

    It wasn''t hard to determine what had urred, and Zluth was quite pleased. Someone was always going to pay the price for failure, even a slight one, and it hadn''t been him. A victory.

    "It appears your assessment of the hunters was urate," Chozth burbled without preamble. "Even to the end, they med your cowardice for failing to capture the monster."

    Zluth''s eye almost jumped from their stalks. His <em>cowardice</em>? The acid within his flesh began to hiss in response to his anger.

    "Why does anyone doubt the severity of what we face?" he hissed.They faced a force of unified species, an almost unheard of union of their greatest enemies, along with this species of¡­ ants, who seemed so well engineered to tackle the climate of the fifth and take on the challenges of adapting the environment to suit the needs of the invaders. Along with the hideous, wobbly abominations who produced the blue mana, it was clear that the threat was severe.

    "I have to agree," Chozth said, chewing furiously. "I have ordered that any who underestimate our foes are to report to the nearest blubbeast for immediate consumption."

    "Do you believe anyone will do that?"

    "Of course not, but it makes them aware of the consequences," Chozth growled. Then she eyed Zluth sideways.

    "We had another scouting team report, shortly after yours, from the other side of the invasion."

    "Did they find something interesting?" he asked, interested.

    "A full Legion has taken up residence in some of the tunnels."

    Zluth sucked in air as his flesh began to visibly <em>writhe</em> with the strength of his anger.

    "The <em>Legion</em>?" he hissed furiously. "Here in strength?!"

    "Yes, they are. Along with everyone else. This is something we''ve never seen before. There are no legends among the Thuuz that speak of anything like this incursion, and we have recorded many."

    This was interesting, infuriating, but more than anything else: <em>dangerous</em>. Why was the renowned warleader Chozth confiding in him like this? He doubted she had ovee her innate distrust of outsiders to her tribe, or was suddenly convinced of hispetence because he''d managed to have his underlings suffer the consequences of their mistakes.

    So why?

    His mind spun. What did she want? What was she going to ask him to do?

    "You want to elevate my role, don''t you?" he asked, turning to face the powerful Krathth head on.

    It was the only thing that made sense.

    She nodded, pleased. "I need more Krath who are willing to face up to the reality of our enemy. Half the Krath here think their anger and fury is enough, but that''s never been enough for us to win. We have to be cunning, ruthless, savage and merciless. <em>That</em> is how the Krath win. I want to take these invaders apart, piece by piece. I want it all to crumble as we hound them to their breaking point."

    Zluth bared his fangs in an evil grin.

    "I am the Krathth you seek."

    "Not just a Krathth any longer. You are a Krath''sizz, a war leader, under my directmand."

    Zluth felt his flesh sizzle as a sense of triumph surged through him. This was what he''d wanted, a chance to lead, a chance to prove his worth. He wouldn''t be a minor yer as the story of this invasion yed out, but a pivotal piece. It would be <em>Zluth</em> who brought the enemies of the Krath tribes to heel and made them beg for mercy.

    Chozth waited, aware of the emotions surging through the young slug in front of her. He was promising, this one, but overly ambitious. It was yet to be seen whether that ambition was matched to real ability. There were signs, but if he failed, she could point to him as an example of the weakness infesting the smaller tribes and appoint more of her own slugs. If he seeded, she would have a new, powerful tool at her disposal, one who owed her a favour.

    "I want you to pick out twenty Krath to act as your war party," she instructed him. "Return to the tunnels, along with a scout group I will ce under yourmand. I want you to pressure these interlopers. I want you to start to squeeze. We have to find weaknesses, we have to find holes, and we need to find them soon.

    "Look for patterns, look for anything predictable, look for anything we can exploit. Most of all, get me a prisoner. If we can preserve one, and put them in the slime, we will have everything we need to break them."

    "I will get results," he promised, still flushed with triumph. Then a sly thought urred to him. "What are the expected casualty rates of these missions?"

    "I need every capable Krath ready and avable to fight," she growled. Then sheughed wickedly. "Gug gug gug! <em>Incapable</em> Krath are much more¡­ dispensable."

    "In that case, I have a few I would like as part of my war party," Zluth grinned, thinking of the guard he had run into.

    He would be a sessful leader, but vengeance was required of him, otherwise, he wouldn''t be Krath.

 Chapter 1351: The Royal We in Wuffer

    Be and Ellie looked at each other, then back to their creation, antennae waggling with concern.

    "Were we sessful?" Be said.

    "I''m¡­ not sure," Ellie replied.

    In front of them, the wuffer continued to wobble, and wiffle, happily, chuffing away as it consumed the toxic mana being pumped directly below it.

    "The core has fused correctly?"

    "It appears so¡­."

    "Did you check the core yet?"

    "I thought you were going to do it?"

    "Gah!"They both rushed forward, antennae extended to touch therge monster, but before they could get there, the creature became suffused with soft, blue light.

    "It''s going to blow, run for it!'' Be cried, prompting her and her sister to scramble around and dive for cover.

    "What went wrong?" Ellie wailed. "I thought it went perfectly!"

    "Don''t look at me, I thought it was wless," Be gasped as they crouched together behind some rocks.

    Yet, the detonation they were expecting didn''t arrive. After a few long moments of awkward waiting, they climbed out from behind their cover, just a little, to see what was happening. What they saw left them shocked and amazed.

    The wuffer had swollen up to twice its previous size, the light spreading to epass its entire body and filling the chamber in which they were working. At the same time, the creature seemed to be pulling in the ambient mana around them, along with drawing in a huge volume of toxin through the pipes.

    "Wait a second¡­" Ellie whispered. "I think¡­"

    All at once, the wuffer gave a cheerful ''wuffwuffuwuff!'' and split, straight down the middle, creating two equally sized wuffers, each puffing happily away on the tform.

    The two core shapers stared at it for a moment, then at each other.

    "Sess!" Ellie cried.

    "It actually worked!" Be cheered.

    Excited, the two ants rushed out of their cover and up to the two wuffers, checking both with their antennae and core inspection Skills.

    They had indeed seeded. The test subject had changed to be the first of the wuffer queens, able to collect mana within itself and then split to create a new wuffer. The ''copy'' or ''offspring'' of the queen wasn''t the same as it was, a queen, but rather a regr wuffer, albeit at tier five.

    To reproduce in this manner required an absurd amount of mana, but since wuffers were soaking up an endless ocean of potent mana anyway, they had energy to burn. There were a few drawbacks to the process. Mana that went into creating a new wuffer wasn''t spent making safe, cleansed blue mana, and it wasn''t possible to do it very often. Despite these shorings, the process would allow them to elerate the creation of new wuffers considerably and save the Colony a lot of resources in the process.

    Content with her ce in life, the newly formed wuffer queen looked down at the two celebrating ants with equanimity. Through the openings beneath her in the tform, a steady stream of mana was provided, and she dly absorbed it, taking the toxic energy into herself and cycling it throughout her body. It passed through thework ofplex, jelly-like organs that filtered and purified the poison from the energy and allowed it to emerge as clean, pure mana.

    The process brought quiet joy to the queen, who wiggled on the tform and chuffed to herself cheerfully as she continued to absorb and refine.

    Oblivious to the quiet happiness of their creation, Ellie and Be were already in deep discussion about their next steps.

    "How many Queens do we need to make?" Ellie wondered.

    "It all depends on the rate of expansion. We know the number Snt requested to maintain the fortress, but we should definitely aim to overshoot that mark."

    "Having more wuffers than we need won''t hurt at all," Ellie agreed. "It might be less efficient, but I''m sure Snt would rather have too many than too little."

    "Not enough would be absolutely disastrous," Be shuddered. "We should report our sess to Snt and make sure the resources we need to produce the next queens are going to be provided quickly."

    "Good idea."

    The two core shapers were under no illusions as to how important their work was to the overall invasion. To describe the wuffers as critical to the process was a severe understatement. None of what they aimed to achieve, or had achieved so far, would have been possible without the blobby pets doing their work, and as such, the core shapers had been afforded generous allotments of resources.

    But for them to reach the required totals, that flow would have to continue.

    Snt, of course, didn''t show much of a reaction one way or the other when told the good news.

    "A sess on the first attempt? Good, that will save us some time. Leonidant, can you bring me the master timetable?"

    The little general began to fuss over the inscribed document with her antenna, crossing out lines here and there, marking new ones in ces.

    "Well, we intend to create another three queens in order to meet demand," Ellie said, wondering if the general was still paying attention. "When can we expect the necessary cores to be delivered?"

    "They''re already on the way," Snt confirmed. "I had budgeted for three attempts to produce the first queen. Not that I doubted your skills, of course, but it would have been foolish to assume things would go well. That means enough cores to produce the second and third queen should arrive any moment. I will send an order up to the logistics stations to release enough for the fourth, and they should arrive in your work chambers within a day at the most."

    "There''s no guarantee we seed with the next few attempts," Be pointed out quickly. "Just because we were able to form a queen the first time doesn''t make us perfect. It may be wise to budget for another six attempts to produce the required three queens."

    Snt eyed the two core shapers while Ellie nodded vigorously.

    "We''ll dig that tunnel when wee to it," the general said smoothly, cing down the timetable next to the enormous model of the fifth stratum''s tunnels. "For now, make do with what you have and return if there is a need for further allotments."

    "Dang," Ellie cursed.

 Chapter 1352: Pressure Builds in the Tunnels

    Morrelia looked out into the tunnel, her highly trained senses taking in every subtle shift, every tiny sound. Something was off, that much was obvious, but determining what and then acting ordingly was her responsibility as a leader.

    She already knew what the problem was, the issue was finding the evidence to prove it. Chyron would not move the Legion based on a hunch, even if she shared it, not unless they had to. Finding evidence of a Krath presence was notoriously difficult; the slugs were careful and cunning opponents, unlikely to leave any sign of their passage.

    They were here, though, she was sure of it.

    Morrelia moved up and down the line, talking to the soldiers, encouraging them with a word, a gesture, or merely her presence. It was easy for the troops to be distracted during long stints on watch as these were, but so far Chyron''s Legion had proven their professionalism. Everyone she saw was alert, their eyes sharp, weapons ready and armour polished to a shine.

    It helped, being in the fifth. With the reputation that this ce had, the troops were on edge merely being stationed here. Perhaps, given more time, that discipline would start to weaken, but so far it was holding strong.

    As she strode down the line, Morrelia kept her senses tuned to the tunnel. She had to be patient, wait and watch. It wasn''t possible to go out and try to chase down the slugs, so her only hope was to have one of them make a mistake. When they did, she would be there to see it.

    So engrossed in this activity was Morrelia that when she received a tap on the shoulder te, she hadn''t realised anyone was even approaching. For a moment, the moustached and punchable face of Isaac popped into her head, and she turned slowly, hoping against hope it was someone else.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Commander Chyron snapped. "Is my face displeasing to you all of a sudden?"

    "Not at all, Commander!" Morrelia said, snapping out a quick salute, her fist crashing into her chest as she straightened, embarrassed. "I was just focused on the tunnel¡­.""Trying to spot our guests?" Chyron sneered. "The slithering scum wouldn''t dare show their faces to the Legion."

    Just as she''d suspected, Chyron was already well aware of what was happening in the tunnels.

    "I was hoping to get evidence of their presence, as I believed you would be reluctant to act without it," Morrelia said, not judging, but stating her thoughts directly.

    "Normally, you''d be right," Chyron snorted, striding through the ranks and staring out into the tunnel, grey hair swaying around her shoulders. "In this case, we will need to act without it. Though, there isn''t much we can do. They won''t attack us if they can help it. I expect every tunnel other than the ones we guard to get hit. All the Krath will do is watch us."

    Morrelia strode forward to stand alongside her Commander, frowning.

    "Then what is the point of us being here? I mean, I know our primary objective is to observe the target," she hastily corrected herself, "but if there is to be conflict with the Krath, I would rather participate than stand nearby and watch it y out."

    "I understand what you''re saying," Chyron replied dryly. "There is no such thing as a Legionary with a soft spot for the Krath, particrly among the officers."

    The experienced and weathered veteran grimaced as she looked out at the toxic mana and slime-filled environment of the fifth.

    "In this instance, there''s no going around it. The only way to ensure our troops would see action would be to fully integrate them with the ants'' forces, which I will not allow, no matter the situation."

    Morrelia went to protest, but Chyron held up a hand to forestall her.

    "In any case, I don''t think the ants would allow it either. They do not trust us, we do not trust them, that''s the end of it."

    "We expressly made it our mission to destroy their most beloved member," Morrelia pointed out. "It''s hard for them to trust us after that."

    "They''re monsters," Chyron stated simply. "They will turn on all of their allies, sumbing to the control of a more fearsome and hungrier beast in the end. There was never a chance we would trust them, I don''t care if the reverse is also true."

    No matter how much progress the Colony made, Morrelia continued to run into the same wall: the Legion would never ally themselves with monsters. It was a fundamental truth baked into their essence, and had been from their founding. It was deeply frustrating, because she could see just how much the Colony could aplish, how much Anthony could do to help the people of Pangera if given the chance. She sighed and let it go for the moment; there were more immediate problems to focus on.

    "What are the Krath going to do?" she asked.

    "What do <em>you</em> think they''ll do?" Chyron shot back, one brow raised.

    Always tests, always questions. The assessment of an officer was never over, not really. Morrelia dipped her head as she considered the question.

    "Whatever they think will cause the most difficulty, the most pain. Fluctuations in the mana flow. Diverting rivers of slime. Unleashing waves of monster assaults. Varying the time and strength and direction of their strikes to prevent the Colony from recovering. I expect there will be many abduction attempts."

    Chyron waited for a moment.

    "Is that all?" she wondered.

    Morrelia thought longer, then gave up.

    "I''m not sure what else they will do, though I''m sure there''s going to be more."

    "There will be," Chyron assured her. "The slugs are bound to be riled up after all this, to say the least. They''re going to pull out all the stops. I''m not sure who I feel more sorry for, though."

    "What do you mean?"

    "The ants or the slugs," Chyron said with a savage grin. "I''m sure they''re going to be absolutely <em>horrible</em> to each other."

 Chapter 1353: It Begins

    Snt stood, as always, in themand centre. She was, as always, calm, centred and focused.

    Around her flowed the organised chaos of the HQ, a constant stream of pheromone conversations, scoutsing in and out, generals discussing, theorising and carvers nning, plotting, working through construction issues and tracking logistics. It was a confusing, chaotic and neverending barrage of information that would havepletely ttened most ants, or even most individuals around Pangera, but she wasn''t just anyone, she was Snt.

    She was, quite literally, built for this.

    Her brain, or brains, to be more urate, filtered and allocated information through a precisework of channels, her Logistics Matrix able to funnel the right information to the right processing centres, which then synthesised the information, weaving together the relevant pieces to create a coordinated whole out of the chaos.

    Snt had designed herself very carefully, ensuring every drop of evolutionary energy was wisely spent to turn her into the best general she could possibly be. Her mastery over the battlefield had increased dramatically, but the need for her to be on the frontlines managing the fighting herself had gone down just as much.

    It was a shame. She missed it, but to operate at the level her Senior had demanded required sacrifices, and she had adjusted her evolutionary priorities ordingly. There would still be chances for her to put her <em>true</em> speciality to use, of that she was sure, but for now, she was responsible for so much more than a single battle: an entire campaign, with millions of ants, thousands of generals and hundreds of different battlefields. She had changed herself to be a vessel, a receptacle that could receive the necessary information, process it, and apply it to her tactical and strategic framework.

    What seemed like chaos, what appeared to be a messy cacophony of pheromones, was, to her, a symphony, one that only she could understand.

    And now, there were discordant notes slipping in here and there, burrs in the data that threw the bnce of the wholeposition out of order. Of course, she knew who was responsible, the Krath weren''t even being secretive about it, they <em>wanted</em> her to know they were out there, ying games. They''d been poking and prodding for days now, ceaselessly.

    The mana levels in different tunnels were beginning to fluctuate wildly as the Krath utilised techniques outside the Colony''s sphere of influence to manipte the flow of energy. Thankfully, they couldn''t control the manapletely, as that would allow them to starve the wuffers by cutting off the supply, then bringing it back all at once, crushing the Colony''s weakened safe-zone.Well, they hadn''t done it <em>yet</em>. Snt had, of course, nned for such an eventuality, but those countermeasures weren''t in ce yet.

    Unique and challenging monsters were beginning to appear, driving deep into the blue mana and disgorging bile, mucus and parasites, heedless of their own lives. They weren''t intended to seed, Snt knew that much; the Krath were merely testing what they could get away with, how long it took the blue mana to cleanse the corruption.

    And of course, the more mundane efforts. There was never a time when they weren''t under attack. This had always been true in the past, random monster spawnings would rush headlong at the Colony whenever they appeared, but this was different. The Krath were coordinating the spawns, gathering and directing them somehow. Different sides of the fortress were hit at the same time, then the same tunnel four times in a row, then six points simultaneously. Then there was a break, nothing at all for two hours, only for the peace to be broken by ten different tunnels being attacked at once. Alongside those strikes had been a small, hidden attempt to create a hidden tunnel behind the ant lines and flood the area with toxic spores and slime. Naturally, the mages on site had detected the intrusion and countermeasures were enacted, preventing the catastrophe, but she knew the enemy was only testing the waters.

    Relentlessly, viciously, probing for a weakness.

    In all of these attacks and intrusions, the Krath themselves had never been seen. They remained out of view, hidden, watching and waiting for an opportunity to reveal itself. The slugs probably imagined that the ants would begin to stumble under the pressure, to falter as the danger escted higher and higher.

    Most would, or at least, she believed they would. Snt imagined that humans, or ka''armodo, or even the Krath themselves perhaps, would be susceptible to such emotions.

    To her soldiers, this was merely work, and work would get done.

    With every minute that ticked by, the living model in front of her continued to grow and expand. Sections of wall were being finished, channels for mana, wuffer tforms, roads, chambers, storehouses, powered transport shafts, elevators and distributionworks, all being reported as done, allowing the mages to shape the living stone to include thepleted work in the model. There were over a thousand construction crews working at any given moment, and progress toward thepleted fortress was rapid.

    If the Krath took too long to find a weakness, then the work would beplete, and Snt would happily m the door in their faces. The family would then wait out the wave, growing stronger and developing the strategy for the second phase of the invasion.

    Until then, it would be the Krath versus the systems, discipline and tactics she had instilled in the army that guarded the tunnels.

    Snt didn''t like to gamble, but she was very confident on which side was going to win.

    Which was a good thing, since she <em>hated</em> to lose.

 Chapter 1354: Pressure is Rising

    Zluth was frustrated.

    At first, everything had been going well. His promotion to Krath''sizz hadn''t gone without controversy, as he''d been promoted ahead of many worthy Krath from therger tribes, but with the blessing of Chozth herself, who was going to argue? Certainly nobody who wanted to go on living, which turned out to be everyone.

    Assembling his war party had gone well, even his assassination of the ignorant guard had been carried out wlessly, so what was it that vexed him?

    The ants. It was always the ants.

    Especially the big one. Zluth was beginning to think the enormous ant was taunting him. Every time he tried to get more aggressive, to push his war party forward andunch a more decisive strike, the cursed creature would appear, without fail. Fathomless purple carapace gleaming, it would rush out into the toxic mana of the fifth without fear, using its unique magic to tten everything it could see into the ground, or into the roof, crushing all of his meticulous preparations with effortless ease.

    No sneaky angle, no feint, no aggressive lunge seemed to matter in the face of that overwhelming power.

    And whenever he tried to y it slow, keep the ants on their toes, try to bait a reaction, it was nowhere to be seen. A maddening state of affairs.

    "Was it really necessary to make me a part of this?" Goszi spat. "I''m not exactly what you would describe as the strongest warrior amongst the tribes."

    "You have wisdom and experience on your side," Zluth lied easily, "you''ll be invaluable to the war party.""Shouldn''t you only include slugs you trust in your war party, you ungrateful Krath''sizz?"

    Despite his sour attitude, the old Krath couldn''t help but express a note of admiration when he used Zluth''s new title. He''d known the canny scout was a cut above the rest, but he didn''t think he''d manage to slide into Chozth''s good graces so quickly.

    Naturally, Zluth picked up on it, but didn''t react.

    "You''re here precisely because I <em>don''t</em> trust you. If I leave you to work your charm on the Slee, I''ll be out of my leadership position before I can tten myself and dive in a hole."

    Goszi burbled acerbically.

    "We''ve been over this. They don''t want a new leader. In fact, you''ve be a trusted war leader for Chozth. The tribe wouldn''t tolerate overthrowing you now."

    "Nice try, old slug," Zluth said wryly, "but I know you''re smarter than that. In fact, I know you''ve been dropping hints already. Saying I''m too busy to lead the Slee now, hoping to find someone a little more amenable to your¡­ retirement ns."

    The word tasted strange between Zluth''s fangs. This was quite a unique scenario Goszi had imagined for himself. It almost wasn''t¡­ Krath. When a slug became old and useless, they were put to the filthiest and most dangerous jobs in the Slimeground, tending to the beasts, collecting the meat, and when they couldn''t do even <em>that</em>, then they <em>were</em> meat.

    Goszi slumped a little, as if feeling defeated at being caught out, but Zluth knew better. This old slug would never quit, that was how he''d lived this long.

    "You are exactly in the right ce," Zluth grinned maliciously. "Now do your work and speak some wisdom. How are we going to ovee this cursed enemy?"

    The old slug grimaced and spat, his acid bubbling and hissing on the tunnel floor. Still potent, for his age. He''d cultivated himself well over the years.

    "Your sneaky tricks not working well enough?" Goszi asked, knowing the answer. "If you''reing to this pale shadow of a slug, then you must be getting desperate."

    "Speak, Goszi, and say something of value," Zluth warned him, baring his fangs. "I can lose two more of my party without incident."

    Goszi''s eyes swivelled on their stalks, checking the tunnel around them. They were alone, for the moment, forward from the rest of the war party and hidden amongst the mosses, close to the ant base.

    Close being rtive; Zluth remembered all too well how they were able to surge that cursed blue mana hundreds of metres down the tunnel.

    "So far, we''re relying on the wisdom of the tribes who dealt with invaders before. Harry and harass, make them tired, jumpy, probe for weakness. No matter how strong, or how disciplined they are, eventually they''ll break," Goszi said. "But I''m not convinced it''s going to work this time."

    "Why not?" Zluth demanded. "Chozth is leading this war effort, and she says this is the best way."

    "That''s how we''ve done it before, she''s using tried and true Krath cunning. It''s just¡­ this time, things might be¡­ different."

    "Different <em>how</em>?" Zluth growled, grinding his fangs together.

    "The ants," Goszi replied quickly, "they aren''t getting tired."

    "We haven''t been at this for long enough yet."

    "Maybe, but I''m not convinced," Gozsi said. "Have you been counting how often they change out their guards?"

    "Guards? You mean their armies?" Zluth spat. It wasn''t just a hundred or two hundred ant monsters protecting any single tunnel, but thousands and thousands. Ten thousand in this single tunnel alone, to be exact. "Every eight hours."

    "And that schedule hasn''t changed. They aren''t getting faster, or slower, but sticking to the schedule. All the while, whatever they''re building back there is getting more and moreplete. I''m just an old slug, but I don''t think they''re feeling the pinch just yet. We need to apply more pressure."

    This wasn''t what Zluth wanted to hear. It was possible for them to push harder, but they''d need to range farther, wrangle more and more dangerous beasts from further away, move their scouting line forward to the edge of danger.

    The war party wouldn''t like it, but if they managed to be sessful where the others had failed to show results, then there would be glory for all. It was worth a try.

    "You might have just persuaded me to make life much more dangerous for you, Goszi," Zluth said.

    "Why don''t I feel any better, then?" the old Krath groaned.

 Chapter 1355: Wheat Has Less Fun

    <em>If there is a type of warfare that suits the Colony''s talents better than a defensive siege, I don''t know what it is. Our capacity to build, fortify and repair is exceptional, and we can pack far more numbers into far smaller areas than most species.</em>

    <em>I''ve often considered what the best way to attack a stronghold defended by my army would be, and I alwayse to the same conclusion: fight somewhere else.</em>

    <em>Dislodging the Colony from a fortified position is never worth the cost.</em>

    <em>-Excerpt from the notes of Snt.</em>

    I have to say, probably not for the first time, just how much I dislike the Krath. It''s not that they''re the schoolyard bully, but they''re the annoying kid who always knew how to point the bully in your direction, somehow always on the one day of the week mother had provided lunch.

    How the heck did you do it, <em>Derrick?</em> Could you smell the margarine sandwich?! It''s not possible! Even if you <em>did</em> smell it, you would have thought it was a <em>butter</em> sandwich!

    Gah. These damn slugs have got me so worked up that I''ve got weird memories from myst life popping up. The good old days when I was in primary school and still got lunches from home. It was only when I got to high-school the real foraging started.

    Who even cares about that?! I''ve got stupid slugs to try and hunt.

    And my family brings me all the food I could possibly want these days. In fact, I kind of feel like they bring me <em>too</em> much. There''s only so much I can eat, and I don''t need to consume Biomass to heal that much, since I trigger my healing nd over and over again.It''s nice and all, but there''s other ants who need the food more than I do. Yeesh, I''m starting to sound like my mother. My real mother. She stillins about the Colony trying to overfeed her, even though she hunts for most of her own food. I never thought I''d sympathise.

    I settle down amongst the reserve troops further back in the fortress to wait. If I go straight to the front, the slugs will call off whatever they''ve cooked up until I leave. It''s been way more efficient just to sit here and wait for them to make a move; at least I get to see some action that way.

    The thousands of soldiers, mages, generals and scouts in the waiting grounds make space for me in the middle and generally go about their business as if I wasn''t there.

    At least, that''s how it seems on the surface. Through the Vestibule, I can feel the Will of the Colony flooding through me, which means I know exactly what they want. What they want right now is for me to crush the Krath. The ants are diligent and dutiful soldiers who''ve remained calm in the face of the hit-and-run tactics, ambushes, feints and assaults, but even they can be irritated.

    The Krath are such a pain in the thorax that even my siblings have had enough. I have to do my best to make sure I don''t let them affect my mental state. If I get impatient and make a mistake, then I''m handing the Krath exactly what they want.

    "This really is an annoying opponent to face," Advant sighs as she settles in next to me.

    "I can handle annoying a lot better than I can terrifying. If they can''t do better than this, then we''ve as good as won already," I reply.

    "I wouldn''t be so sure about that," the massive soldier warns me. "Attacks are getting more intense all around the fortress. The hospitals are filling up with toxin and poison cases. The slugs are looking for ways to harm us through the blue mana, and it''s working."

    "It''s not fast enough," I reply. Of course I''m aware of what''s going on around the fortress. "Every day, the construction bes moreplete. At the rate things are going, the outer defences will be finished before they make any real progress."

    "That''s true," Advant says, cleaning her antennae in a fussy manner. "But only if they don''t continue to escte."

    At that moment, a wave of pheromones floods through the waiting area, rolling over the reserves like a wave.

    "Seems like tunnel twenty two is being hit again. Things have been quiet for a while over there."

    I lever myself to my feet and Advant flicks me with an antennae.

    "You''re heading out?"

    "That''s one of my favourite tunnels. I''ve been having fun crushing the hopes and dreams of the Krath in there."

    "Well, be careful, they might be aiming for you in particr with this attack."

    "Geez, I hope so."

    At least that would mean I''d have something to go up against. Every time the Krath in this particr tunnel wind up for something, they end up running for the hills as soon as I show my face. The moment that became clear, it became my mission to make them run every time. ?

    You cowards get nothing!

    Once I''m up, I immediately start running, following the trails through the increasingly developed sections of the fortress-to-be. When I reach the tunnel in question, I''m delighted to see that the attack is well under way. Raging monsters right at the barrier, Krath lurking rtively close. This is finally a chance to give them the business!

    Let me at ''em!

    I charge forward, pushing straight past the disciplined ranks of the Colony and out into the toxic mana beyond the safe-zone. I''m immediately surrounded by a swarm of slime-coated beasts and sludge-shooting goopy things.

 Chapter 1356: Return of the Snake

    They''ve really gone all out this time. The tunnel is awash with monsters and a tide of mucus that is several inches thick just outside the blue zone. The slime is sizzling and fizzing where ites into contact with the safe-zone as it''s immediately cleansed, but it burns away at the blue mana in the process.

    The ants are doing their best, of course, using various tactics totch onto monsters and drag them to their doom, or strike them before they can get too close. Ten thousand ants, battling away along the kilometre-wide width of the tunnel. The local monsters attack with their usual, mindless fervour, throwing themselves into the mana, disgorging thick streams of sludge or releasing nasty parasites that try totch onto the defenders before they are consumed by the purified mana.

    A horrific sight, but one that has be prettymonce during the invasion. The fifth doesn''t like to give ground, but we''re here anyway. The difference this time is the sheer scale of the attack, and the slugs actively providing support from the backlines.

    The moment I join the fight, I beginying about me with my mandibles, taking the pressure off the ants behind me and crunching through a new opponent with every chomp. Of course, that isn''t all I intend to do, as my brains go to work churning through the massive amount of gravity mana required to create a well. Once it''s in ce, I can tten half the creatures here and put an end to this offensive in a single blow.

    I''m looking to do more than just that, though. Since the Krath have been kind enough to make an appearance, I''m hoping they might want to stick around a little while. Have a chat maybe.

    Gweheheheh.

    Naturally, as soon as I appear, the Krath turn on me as if they knew I was going to show up. To be fair, it was a safe bet. Streams of acid, globs of sludge and those weird livings are fired at me from a variety of angles.

    I throw up shields to block thes, only to have the acid melt straight through them, clearing the way for thes to reach me. With impossible reaction speed, I roll to the side and throw out another set of shields, creating enough time and space for me to get clear of the danger.

    Sneaky slugs! They''re getting more creative in their attempts to capture me. Still haven''t given up, which ismendable, I guess.Good spirit, you lousy slugs, now ept your gift!

    Just before I can unleash the gravity well and empower it to bring the weight of their sins crushing down on the Krath, something catches my eye, and I''m not happy about it. Charging forward in a mad rage is a monster I know quite well, certainly one that I''ve encountered before. And it isn''t so much charging as it is slithering.

    Why are you even bothering to keep up this pretence? Stupid slug, you''re not fooling anyone!

    Unheeding of my relentless criticism, the slug-snake sts forward, no intelligence at all in its eyes, which bothers me deeply. This was a smart monster, with human levels of smarts bouncing around in its sluggy noodle. What in the name of heck have the Krath done to turn it into this mindlessly rampaging thing?

    I''m wary of the danger, but regardless, there''s still only one course of action I need to undertake. The gravity well flickers into ce as a colossal amount of energy floods out of me, mana and Will both. A momentter, the incredible gravitational power takes hold, mming everything into the ground and crushing it without remorse.

    Gweheheh.

    It''s not as strong as I would have liked, since it has to cover such a massive area, but I''ve got a good chunk of the tunnelpletely squashed, putting an end to the furious assault taking ce at the edge of the blue mana field in an instant.

    Except¡­ the slug-snake is stilling.

    At that moment, I realise just what the slugs are trying to do. They attacked across a wide field, covered the ground in slime and even put themselves on the line, encouraging me to release asrge a gravitational field as I could.

    I only partially fell for the bait, thankfully. If the slug-snake hadn''t appeared, I might have been tempted to expand the field deeper into the tunnel to try and catch a few Krath, but I didn''t. Even with this demonstration of restraint, the field isn''t strong enough to prevent the huge snake from forcing its way forward.

    It''s not like it''s moving quickly, but it <em>is</em> still moving, snapping its fangs as it slowly reverts back to its true, sluggy form.

    Well, I have a few options here. The question is¡ªaaaaand some of them are gone.

    Just when I start to wonder if I can shrink the field and concentrate it more, the Krathunch a second wave down the walls of the tunnel. Because <em>of course</em> they do. To cover both nks, I''d need to <em>extend</em> the field even further, weakening it even more. If I do that, some of the monsters close to the ants might be able to pick themselves up and fight again, which would only add to the chaos.

    If there''s one thing I''ve found about the fifth stratum monsters that''s especially annoying, it''s their resistance to beingpressed. The amount of force required to properly squash them using a gravity well is frankly wasteful. Thankfully, gravity bombs hit hard enough to deal with most of them, but the well is best implemented as crowd control rather than a fatal blow.

    Well, well, well, Krath, you''ve certainly put some work in this time. At least the well has forced them far enough away that they can''t annoy me with spells and acid anymore.

    I guess the only thing I can do is head off the snake-slug myself and prevent it from reaching the frontline.

 Chapter 1357: Breach

    The snake-slug is a big beasty, having returned to its full size as a result of the Krath fattening it back up in preparation for this assault.

    No problem, I can shave a few tons off of it without any trouble at all! Just need to get my mandibles on it.

    Doing so isn''t very hard, since the monster doesn''t seem all too bothered by me as I charge forward, mandibles wide and ready to chomp. I''m still worried about just what the Krath have done to this monster to affect its mental state so severely, but right now I just need to stop it from reaching the safe-zone.

    Goodness knows what the Krath would have packed into the monster for it to disgorge into the safe-zone.

    As I approach, the monster turns to unleash a powerful, condensed ball of its own unique venom mana, but I''m wise to its tricks. You think I''m going to take a venom bomb to the face?! Unlikely!

    The moment I sense the spelling, I use earth magic to pull up the tunnel floor and form a protective wall, hardening it in an instant. The bomb crashes into my improvised barrier with tremendous force, but the wall doesn''t break. Sshback flies everywhere, including onto the snake-slug itself, but its slimy coating nullifies the mana in moments. The rest of the attacking monsters who get sshed aren''t so lucky, as the potent energy begins to eat into them.

    Oof.

    Now the floor is covered in the stuff, but I create my own path through it by making tforms of stone to walk on. It slows me down quite a lot, but once that mana gets into my toes, it''ll race straight up my legs and attack my body, so I can''t risk it.

    The snake-slug hisses furiously, still wriggling toward the safe-zone with all its might.Not today, fool!

    <strong>VOID CHOMP!</strong>

    My mandibles crash shut along with the ck jaws of pure energy extending beyond them. I feel the chomp bite home, tearing away huge chunks of slug flesh.

    Gweheheh. How do you like that, slug?!

    Pulling back, the slug is dragged by my mandibles, and for a second I wonder when the heck I got so strong. Of course, it could also be the case that the slug is just lighter than expected, but that isn''t what happened either.

    I forgot that it managed to escape my well before by throwing off a huge chunk of its body! Dammit!

    Indeed, the moment I bit into it, the slug-snake pulled the same trick again, sloughing off a chunk of flesh andunching its real body forward like a slimy missile. Whatever the Krath did to the creature has caused it topletely abandon any sense of self preservation; all it cares about is getting to the safe-zone, and now it almost has!

    With so much of its mass cast away, the slug-snake has be a slithering, sliding speedster, gliding over the thick sludgeyer that the Krath built up on the floor of the tunnel.

    Time to dash! Whatever the Krath have nned, I am <em>not</em> letting them get away with it!

    Concentrating on my legs, I use an empowered dash, carefully measuring the distance this time, so I end directly behind the snake. Lunging forward, I mp my jaws down on its tail and hold on, digging my feet in to slow its momentum.

    Aaaand the tail detaches.

    I mean,e on! It''s part gecko now?! Give me a break!

    Already hauling back against the expected resistance, the suddenck of force sends me tumbling backwards as the snake-slug lunges across the final gap, thrusting itself into the safe-zone. ?

    Instantly, it begins to bubble and hiss as the cleansed mana goes to work on its corrupted form. It won''t live long now, but that was always part of the n.

    "Watch out!" I roar to the ants, who''ve already pulled back to a defensive position.

    Of course, it''s toote for them to retreat any further, and the snake-slug immediately begins to disgorge a flood of¡­ <em>something</em> from its gullet.

    At first I think it''s unleashing its venom mana, which would be devastating with so many ants packed into the tunnel, but somehow it''s even worse. I throw myself into the blue mana and start tearing the snake apart, but the stream of goop from its mouth doesn''t cease. Soon enough, the goop materialises into a horde of little slime creatures, each one burning away in the blue mana, but not as quickly as I would have expected.

    Have they already learned to create monsters with some level of resistance to it? That''s impossible!

    Yet before my eyes, the little slime monsters, hundreds and hundreds of them, undte over the ground and thenunch themselves at the nearby ants. Disciplined and fearless, the ranks of the Colony don''t fold or buckle, forming a wall of insect might even in the face of this surprise attack. The slime creatures are chomped, sted with acid and spells, but they don''t fight back. Instead, the moment theye into contact with an ant, they tten out and stretch, trying to wrap their opponent in a cocoon.

    Dozens of my siblings are already locked into battle with the creatures, and the more time passes, the slower and weaker they be, struggling against the enemy trying to wrap them up.

    Clearly some sort of poison is at work, slowing my sisters down.

    "Burn them! Quickly!"

    Even if the ants get damaged by the me, we can heal them right up, which is a lot better than whatever the heck the Krath are trying to do.

    Speaking of the Krath, this is the moment they choose to make themselves known, because of course they do.

    They''ve snuck their way around the edges of the gravity well, and now spears of sticky thread are beingunched from concealed positions near the safe-zone. At first I''m not sure what they''re trying to do, but then I see one of the threads hit a still-burning goop monster who is almost done wrapping up a general. The thread sticks to the outside of the monster, and immediately the Krath start hauling on it, trying to drag the captured, no-longer-struggling ant out of the blue mana.

    "They want captives! Sever the threads, dammit!" I roar.

    Absolute chaos erupts as my sisters throw themselves forward, determined to suffer any injury rather than let one of their family be taken away. It''s bem everywhere I look as ants burn, bite, grab, pull and climb all over each other, doing everything they can to stop the Krath''s kidnapping attempts.

    Meanwhile, there is still battling along the nks of the tunnel.

    Well¡­ if you''re determined to get this close to us, I might as well make you pay for it, you miserable slugs!

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1358: Capture Your Own End

    I trust my sisters will be able to handle the attempts to capture their siblings and turn my attention to the Krath. If they think they can wreak this much havoc and get away without suffering the pain, then they have another thinging.

    And that thing is me, beating them up.

    In an instant, I''m back out into the toxic mana hunting down the Krath who''ve beenunching their slime ropes from positions of cover. I bunch my legs up beneath me andunch myself forward, jaws wide before I crunch down on a slimy outcrop of rock, obliterating it entirely.

    The rope which had beenunched from this position is severed by my mandibles, but there''s no notification regarding the Krath, and I soon figure out why.

    Beneath the outcrop is a small crack, and I can already see something vanishing into the depths

    I st it with a quick jet of Dragon''s Fire, but I still don''t get a notification, so it''s onto the next.

    Many of them are attacking from the roof, so I manipte the gravity well to make me fall towards the ceiling where Ind with a mighty <em>crunch</em> before rushing toward the nearest rope. In short session, I rip through three different sites, and every time, the Krath have vanished into a crack in the stone, slithering away like the cowards they are.

    So this is how it''s going to be, then? Fine!Rather than charge at the next hiding ce, I just roast the heck out of it with Dragon''s Breath. After a few seconds, I cut off the flow and charge over, using my mandibles to shear deep into the rock, but again, the Krath who''d been hidden here has already escaped.

    It''s clear they don''t want to be anywhere near me and will go to great lengths to stay as far away as they can. I''m sure that whoever is in charge of the slug offensive in this tunnel has seen me work before. They''re so cautious about staying away from my gravity spells, making sure I don''t trap any of their people.

    This is just more evidence. They really are doing everything to avoid falling into my clutches.

    The ant lines are still in chaos as dozens of ropes are still trying to drag helpless ants out into the toxic area. It''s almost a race against time now. The blue mana will eventually dissolve the creepy cocoons that have formed around the captured ants, but if the victim is dragged out first¡­

    Filled with frustration and wrath, I unleash my anger in the form of a gravity bomb.

    Small, unempowered, it''s still enough to tear the section of tunnel roof I aimed at to shreds. Stone, miasma, slime and everything else within range is ripped to pieces by the ravenous void, and finally I get a notification from Gandalf, his gruff voice announcing the receipt of XP for ying a Krath.

    Take that, slug! You can''t escape into the stone if that gets annihted as well!

    With a winning strategy atst, I start to weave together more gravity bombs, pulling out more and more mana to pack into the hyper-condensed balls of power. Even now, I can only work on two at once, and my reserves of mana are quickly drained by the process. In the meantime, I keep snapping ropes with my jaws, and once the two spells are ready, I fire them off at the same time.

    They howl into existence and do their deadly work, though I don''t get any words from Gandalf this time. Seems like the slugs are being even more cautious now, fleeing the moment they hear me fire one.

    It doesn''t matter; most of the ropes have been cut through, and order is being restored amongst the Colony lines. The monsters who were only moments ago fighting viciously, hurling themselves into the safe-zone to spread slime, toxin and poison have been subdued. Only a few ants are still struggling to protect their sisters from being dragged away, and it looks like they''re going to seed.

    I let the well fade away as I search for my next target. Carefully sensing with my antennae, I try to locate any Krath hiding nearby, hunting for those tiny eddies in the gravitational field that will give them away.

    Instead, I find something else, something I really didn''t want to see.

    Falling from the roof, I smash into the tunnel floor and set off running immediately. Where was it? There!

    I dive forward, mandibles wide before I m them shut, just short of catching the cocoon before it slips into the crack and vanishes from view.

    Oh.

    No.

    You.

    DIDN''T!

    You miserable slugs think I''m going to let you drag away one of my siblings? Do you really believe I would ever let something like that happen again?!

    [We''ve lost a captive!] I bellow to Snt through the Nave. [Send the retrieval team <em>immediately</em>.]

    [Got it,] she replies tersely, and I cut the contact as I rear back, ripping mana out of my core and sending it down into the crack.

    Stone warps and shifts as if it had turned to putty as my power fills it, making it amenable to my will.

    I don''t care how fast you go, Krath, there''s no way you''re going to get away. I''ll chase you into the next stratum if I have to. Without waiting for the reinforcements to arrive, I throw myself into the widening tunnel, my jaws pumping as fast as I can move them. Slime, dirt, rock, it doesn''t matter, my mandibles, forged of the same gravitypressed diamond as my carapace, shear through it all without effort. More and more earth mana is formed within me, and I continue to spend it like water, shaping the tunnel, moulding the loose rock and widening the entrance as I go.

    Behind me, I hear the first wave of the recovery team announce their presence with a stunning wave of pheromones that fill even the tunnel I''m digging.

    "<em>WE SEEK!"</em>

 Chapter 1359: Pursuit

    <em>It was understood from the beginning that it was simply uneptable for a single member of the Colony to be captured during the invasion. Considering the Krath were infamous across Pangera for their disgusting methods of converting captured enemies into corrupted versions of their former selves, the reality of battling against a twisted version of the Colony itself was intolerable.</em>

    <em>Also, there was a subtle arrogance in the way we thought of this scenario. To us, the most potent and deadly weapons in the Dungeon were ourselves. Were the Krath to get ahold of such a weapon, our mission would surely be harder.</em>

    <em>However, the resolve to prevent any captives became personal somewhere along the line. The Colony would not allow one of their own to be lost to the Krath. We simply wouldn''t. No matter the cost.</em>

    <em>-From the personal notes of Historiant.</em>

    "FORWARD, SISTERS!" Leeroy roared from the head of the column. "WE ADVANCE INTO THE DEADLY UNKNOWN TO RESCUE ONE OF OUR OWN! THERE IS NO TIME TO LOSE!"

    "WE SEEK!"

    "THE KRATH DARE TO TAKE ONE OF OUR OWN! WE WILL TEACH THEM THE ERROR OF THEIR WAYS! OUR SISTER WILL NOT PERISH THIS DAY!

    "IF ANYONE IS GOING TO PERISH¡­ IT''S GOING TO BE <strong>US!</strong>"

    "FOR THE COLONY!With the reliquary of the Fallen Immortal carried in the centre of their formation, the heavily armoured shock troops of the Colony stopped for no one and nothing, rushing headlong out of the safe-zone and into the toxic world of the fifth.

    Each was immediately surrounded by a protective bubble generated from within their armour. They tried not to be too disappointed about it. There was a mission toplete, after all. There would be no glory if their sister was lost to the Krath.

    "After the Eldest! Charge as if survival were biting at your legs!"

    "FOR THE COLONY!"

    Other ants fell back, giving space to the single-minded fanatics that were the Immortals. Their charge was like an avnche, the ground shaking beneath their armoured feet as thousands of tons of monster and metal sprinted forward into danger.

    The moment Leeroy found the tunnel the Eldest had been widening, she dove in headfirst without hesitation.

    "Prepare the digging crews! Carvers to the front!" She ordered those behind her.

    They passed the orders along, but also didn''t hesitate to dive into the tunnel without pause, crashing into the back of Leeroy, and eventually the Eldest.

    "Eldest! We''re here to assist! Where is the enemy?" Leeroy demanded.

    "Be quiet and dig," the Eldest ordered. "There''s no time to waste."

    The original tunnel used by the Krath was only a few metres wide, barely enough to squeeze their captive ant through, but the Eldest needed much more space to move. Leeroy and her vanguard were mighty soldiers, but they were still significantly smaller than their Senior, and so it wasn''t long until they pushed to the front.

    Stone Mana specialists arrived, using their Skills to shape the stone even faster than the Eldest could. Combined with a digging force hundreds strong, the ants punched through the rock at record pace and soon burst out into another tunnel.

    Naturally, they came out of the roof, which caused Leeroy and the others to fall twenty metres and crash into the tunnel floor. She was barely able to get to her feet and start running before the Immortals behind her leapt down, crashing heavily themselves.

    A few momentster, the reliquary came down like a brick of reinforced steel, which it was, sending rock and stone flying everywhere. The ants responsible for carrying it shook themselves off and hefted their burden once more, undamaged.

    "I SEE THEM!" Leeroy roared. "Onwards, to DEATH!"

    "WE SEEK!"

    Again, the ground shook, the stone rattled and even the slime seemed to slow in its seeping tracks as the irresistible charge of the Immortals began to gather momentum.

    Leeroy''s legs screamed under the pressure, but she weed the strain. To get her body moving with ten tons of steel on her back was difficult, but it was worth it. The faster she went, the more force the impact would generate, and the greater the odds it would be herst.

    In the distance, she could see the Krath, with their captive being dragged behind. As slippery and quick as they were, with arge ant to pull along, they could only move so fast.

    And Leeroy judged that the Immortals were moving faster.

    For so long, she had waited for this moment, a chance to be unleashed on the deadliest environment in the Dungeon. Now there was going to be a fight, a glorious rescue to prevent the heinous enemy of the Colony from securing a captive for their nefarious purpose.

    Surely. Surely here¡­

    Her heart was afire, and she knew every single Immortal in the column felt the same way.

    Here. Now. This was the moment!

    "GET BACK HERE AND KILL ME!" She bellowed at the fleeing Krath, picking up even more speed with the force of her fury.

 Chapter 1360: Upset the Natural Order

    Chapter 1360: Upset the Natural Order

    "What is happening?!" Zluth raged.

    "How would I know?" Gozsi spat back. "I''ve never seen anything like this!"

    The ants behind them continued their charge, seemingly inexhaustible and unafraid.

    "This was <em>your</em> strategy Goszi!"

    "Oh, sorry, I didn''t know the ants were hiding an entire army of mana-shielded maniacs. Did you?!"

    "Of course not!"

    Zluth continued to slide as fast as he could, dragging theatose, captured ant behind with Gozsi''s help. If the others hadn''t gotten into position in time¡­

    Aha! He saw the signal! Gugugugugug! A patch of moss ahead had been disturbed, the natural pattern altered slightly, the agreed upon sign.

    "Come on, Goszi, a burst up here and we should be in the clear. Get ready to dive for the slime river.""Fine," the old Krath wheezed.

    The moment they cleared the moss patch, Zluth''s waiting allies released the monsters they''d gathered, urging them into the path of the oing ants. It wasn''t that many, but it would dy their pursuers just enough for them to dive into the slime river and get some distance.

    Goszi and Zluth hauled their captive into the mucus-filled river and set off, gliding across the surface at a much faster pace than before. Filled with glee, Zluth looked over his shoulder to see how the ants were faring.

    He was just in time to see the ants st through the monsters of the fifth as if they weren''t even there. When the leaders of the charge hit, the front rank of native beasts was sted back as if they''d been pped by a giant, then the rest were simply trampled as the ants marched right over the top of them. Monsters popped like goop balloons, sending toxic sludge and deadly parasites scrambling all over the attackers, but the ants carried on as if they simply didn''t care. Shielded by their protective bubbles of cursed blue energy, the invaders barely slowed down and now were right on his heels!

    Zluth was infuriated. Gozsi''syered strategy had been just the right sort of cunning, and though it had required enormous amounts of preparation, it had <em>worked</em>. For the first time, the ants had been truly rattled. Even though the big one had appeared, Zluth had <em>still</em> managed to escape with a captive. If he got this ant back to Chozth, he''d be a hero. Perhaps he''d even receive another promotion.

    What he hadn''t expected was just how ferociously the ants would try to retrieve their lost member.

    "Dive! They won''t follow us!" he sizzled to Goszi.

    The old slug was too tired to reply and just nodded. The two slugspressed their bodies down to slimy arrows and flung themselves into the mucus.

    BAM! BAM! BAM!

    Right behind him, the first of the metal-encased forms flung themselves into the river, their huge bodies discing the sludge and sending it flowing over the banks.

    <em>What in the¡­</em>

    Zluth barely had time to think before more came, diving headfirst into the deadly sludge. They were using the previous ants as aunch pad, getting further into the river with each mindless jump.

    These ants weren''t right in the head!

    Acid boiled throughout his slug body as he battled against the rage. Would he really be forced to abandon the captive they''d worked so hard to get? Was it worth dying to secure this ant? No matter how fast he went, the armoured ants were gaining, each bizarre plunge bringing them closer and closer.

    With a cry of rage, he released his grip on the captive.

    "We''re running for it, Goszi!" he grated, acid leaking through his clenched fangs.

    The old slug just nodded and dove lower into the slime, soon followed by Zluth. If they could hug the bottom of the river, the ants shouldn''t be able to find them. No longer weighed down, Zluth could outpace them easily. With their goal achieved, he assumed the ants would abandon pursuit and return to safety.

    At first, it seemed like that was what was happening. The armoured ants stopped throwing themselves into the river and there were no further vibrations rippling through the mucus. Goszi was the first to notice the change.

    Zluth felt a relentless poking in his side, which had to be the elderly slug, and in frustration he surfaced to speak to him.

    "What?" he snarled.

    "The river," Goszi croaked.

    "What about it?!"

    He noticed a momentter. The river was rising. Not that the mucus flow was increasing, swelling the river over its banks, no, the river was literally <em>rising up to the ceiling</em>.

    Zluth twisted an eye around desperately and it only took a second to find the giant ant. It had appeared like a ghost, out of nowhere, and now it was working its bizarre magic, turning up into down and down into up.

    "Move faster!" Zluth roared.

    He could use the thick mucus to push himself forward, but if he didn''t get far enough before he mmed into the ceiling then he''d be caught! He refused to let it happen, he''d alreadye this far, but Zluth wasn''t satisfied, his ambition burned just as fiercely as his acid. He would survive, he woulde back, and he would destroy these ants and their masters.

    Push, push, push, push! Using his slug foot, Zluth forced every drop of momentum he possibly could; he squished his body down to almost nothing, reducing the surface area of his form as much as possible. Anything for a little more speed!

    The river of mucus rose up through the air, faster and faster as it elerated toward the ceiling. Zluth felt a bizarre sense of weightlessness as the mucus rose all around him, lifting him up as the world inverted itself around him.

    It was difficult, it was <em>so</em> difficult to move, but he did. Moment by moment, inch by inch, Zluth kept moving forward until he popped out the end of the floating river and fell, iling, down into the unlifted section of river beyond the range of the ant''s magic.

    He''d done it! Like an arrow, Zluth plunged deep into the mucus still on the ground and began racing away. He would put as much distance as he could between himself and that monster. The attack may have failed to secure a captive, but they''d been more sessful at disrupting the ants than any other warparty so far. Gozsi had been right about his rmended shift in strategy.

    Zluth would have to ask him for more advice going forward¡­.

    Then it came to him in a rush. Where was Goszi?!

 Chapter 1361: Well Well Well

    "No, you can''t just <em>hang around</em>," I roar at Leeroy as she helps pull the trapped and struggling members of the Immortals out of the mucus that still clings to them. "You have to get back to the Colony as soon as possible! All of you are going to be infected with toxic energy."

    "Well¡­ we might be able to¡­ find something that will help the family¡­" Leeroy says, in an openly shifty way.

    "Do you really think dying of curable mana poisoning is a glorious death in service of the Colony?" I snap, running out of patience. "Get yourself, and our poor sibling, back to the safe-zone and get cleansed, Leeroy. If not, I''ll trap you in a gravity well and drag you back myself!"

    The entire column of Immortals begins to emit a sullen energy, but I''m totally uninterested in indulging them. Instead, I follow my senses forward deeper into the area under the effect of the gravity well. It''s not much, in fact, it''s tiny, but I recognise this pattern, and I''m rather surprised to find it.

    Casting a well that could lift up an entire mucus river took a lot of my remaining energy, and I won''t be able to maintain it much longer, but I have enough time that I don''t need to rush. I wander down to the edge of the spell and take a look. The mucus draining back into the now empty river is getting caught and rising up into the air. It''s an odd sight, to say the least.

    I turn back to look at the slime spreading out across the ceiling, waiting. A few long seconds pass, and nothing happens. Which is curious.

    I reach out with an antenna and prod a certain piece of muck, which looks no different from any of the other slime around it. I prod something fleshy, and it retracts away from the antenna before growing still again.

    Once more, I wait. Once more, nothing happens.

    Curiouser and curiouser.I whip together a mind bridge andtch it onto my target.

    [I know you''re there,] I say.

    For a long moment, there isn''t a reply, and I have to remake the bridge since the mana here decays <em>everything</em>.

    [This is unexpected,] I hear back.

    The voice sounds old, sort of thin? Have I found a geriatric Krath?

    [I''ll say. Don''t you guys melt yourselves when you get caught?]

    I have to say, touching minds with a Krath is¡­ less than pleasant. Even their thoughts reek of corruption.

    [I¡­ enjoy living more than a good Krath should.]

    Well now¡­ that is something I don''t mind hearing. Hang on. Why the heck is this Krath more keen on living than Leeroy and the other idiots in armour behind me?! I turn back to yell at them.

    "Hurry up! I''m leaving soon, and you''d better be gone by the time I do, or I''m dragging you all back and putting you in mandatory rest!"

    A chorus of boos rises from the armoured ants, and I snap my mandibles at them in warning before turning back to my weirdly cooperative Krath.

    [So¡­ you would like to continue living.]

    [... If possible.]

    [Even though it would mean betraying other Krath?]

    A dry chuckle.

    [It wouldn''t be the first time.]

    [That may be so, but I get the feeling you Krath betray each other regrly to <em>other</em> Krath. Not to outsiders.]

    I can feel the boiling rage just beneath the surface of his thoughts. He <em>hates </em>me. Hates all of us. A lot.

    [Gugugugugugug. That''s true; this will be a first, even for me.]

    [I imagine your friends won''t be all that pleased with your decision.]

    [Hopefully they think I''m dead.]

    [Nope, they''re watching you right now.]

    [Well, that means I can never go back, I suppose. Which means I''ll be fully dependent on you for my survival. That should make me trustworthy.]

    [You''re a Krath. I trust you about as much as I like you.]

    [I''m a very likeable Krath.]

    [No you aren''t.]

    [That''s true.]

    I have an odd feeling. Finally, a Krath has been captured who is willing to talk, willing to betray his own kind. I should be up on my back legs dancing the Charleston, but confronted with the reality, I''m starting to realise the problems. First of all, even under duress, how much can we trust what this slippery slug has to say?! Any of it at all? Would he even feed us malicious, false information, leading us into disaster? Come to think of it, could he be a nt, ced here for exactly that purpose?! ?

    My head starts to spin, and I seriously consider just chomping the slug and moving on with life, but I know I shouldn''t. It''s tooplex for me to think about, which is exactly why there are ants who''re much smarter than me to make these decisions.

    [Alright, I''m going to wrap you up and take you back with me. I have no idea how we''ll smuggle you inside the safe-zone, but we''ll figure something out.]

    [I''m sure your masters will have a way.]

    My <em>what</em>?

    [Uh¡­ sure.]

    Moving the Krath turns out to be easier than I thought. Once he agrees to cooperate and emerge from his hiding ce, I st him with gravity bolts until I get the bnce right and drop the well. The end result has the Krath floating in midair, absolutely unable to go anywhere at all under his own power. From there, it''s pretty simple to wrap him up in a ball of air and float him along in front of me¡­ right between my mandibles.

    I have to kick and poke a bunch of the immortals on the way back, but eventually they get moving and we make a fighting retreat back to the Colony.

 Chapter 1362: Odd Circumstances

    To say this wasn''t how Goszi had assumed his day was going to end would be something of an understatement. He''d been pushed to the edge by Zluth, and his tactics had worked out remarkably well, but to fall into the soft, fleshy hands of the enemy in the process of escaping had not been part of the n.

    He tried to look as harmless as possible as the massive ant deposited him ufortably close to the wall of blue mana that would melt him in a matter of moments. Just an old, grey slug, no threat to anyone. While he maintained the facade, he studied his enemies. None of the scouts had ever been this close before, but there wasn''t much that he could make out that they hadn''t seen already.

    The ants formed the bulk of the frontlines, various members of the other races mixed amongst them, including robed figures who moved between them all, shouting randomly. Goszi still wasn''t sure how things were going to y out. Would the invaders actually keep him alive? Would they destroy him once they had the information they wanted? How could he y this to avoid getting himself stted?

    One thing was for sure, his life amongst the tribes was well and truly over. A Krath who had voluntarily surrendered was as big of a traitor as it was possible to conceive. If he ever met a Krath who knew what he''d done, then he''d be killed on the spot. Which meant, for now, he needed whoever was in charge of this invasion to keep him alive, and for that, he would have to offer something they wanted. The first step: finding out what that was.

    So he tried his best to be patient as he observed everything that went on around him. A Krath didn''t get to his advanced age without being patient, after all. He would wait for the right moment.

    [Are you really trying to make yourself look harmless?] the giant ant asked, walking over and prodding him with one of its long, stalk-like appendages.

    This monster was¡­ not like Goszi had anticipated. For one, it was super annoying.

    [Go away,] Goszi grumbled, [I''m trying to think.]

    [So? You Krath have been a pain in my thorax for ages, I think you can tolerate a little prodding.]Which he was forced to do, as the ant kept poking him. Why in the Decaying World had the creators of these ants made them this intelligent? He could understand it to a degree, ves that were capable of solving problems themselves were useful, but generally created more issues than they solved.

    [Are you sure your masters want you to treat me like this?] Goszi snarled, batting away the appendage with his arms. [Leave me be!]

    The ant cocked its head for a moment, then kept prodding him.

    [I''m pretty sure my masters will be fine with it.]

    [How can you be sure?] Goszi hissed. [Perhaps you will be punished for this.]

    [I get a steady feed of instructions from my masters. They seem to be encouraging me, if anything.]

    That was possibly useful information. Critical information, even. The ants received a constant stream of directions? How was it beingmunicated? Perhaps whoever was behind this invasion had created a hive mind with which to direct their insect ves. That would make sense, perhaps it was even the best way to do it.

    Yes, it was starting to be clear. All he needed to do was discern which information was most critical to the ants. If he strung it out long enough, little pieces here and there, he could extend his stay with these invaders, perhaps even negotiate for better, poke-free treatment.

    [How long until I see someone in charge?] Goszi demanded. [Or do you intend to leave me here for days and risk getting your only hostage killed?]

    [Geez, you''ve got a big attitude for a little slug. I''m pretty sure someone ising now. I mean, I''m happy to sit here and prod you for a few days, but I''m fairly sure I''m going to be outvoted on that one.]

    [You''ll do whatever you''re told,] Goszi sneered. [I don''t know why I''m bothering to talk to you.]

    [Because I keep poking you.]

    Bubbling with fury, Goszi ignored the infuriating creature and did his best to focus. He would need to make a good impression, which wouldn''t be easy considering the reputation of his people. Nobody trusted the Krath, and certainly no one held any love for them. He''d be lucky if they didn''t stick him in a box for the rest of his life. If he could show he was willing to work with them, then perhaps things could turn in his favour.

    [Ah, herees someone for you. You wanted the person in charge, so here she is.]

    Goszi immediately shrank himself down and attempted to appear as agreeable and harmless as possible. When a new mind connected to his own, he spoke soundingpletely unctuous and pitiful.

    [This humble slug is named Goszi,] he burbled, [who am I addressing?]

    He extended one eye stalk upward to see who he was speaking to and almost spat acid when he realised it was just another ant.

    [Bah! Why do you insects insist on annoying me? Bring your masters to me so I can address them directly! I''m sure they want to know what I have to say! Only an ipetent ve would keep me from them!]

    [ve?] the new mind said in a cold and unemotional tone.

    [Yeah, this guy seems to have a few wires twisted,] the big ant contributed as Goszi <em>literally</em> sizzled with anger.

    [I see,] the new arrival stated.

    Much smaller than therge ant, this new insect remained safely within the safe-zone, watching Goszi impassively.

    [I''m not sure how to convince you of this, but we, the Colony, initiated this invasion of the fifth stratum. There is no one pulling our strings; we are in control.]

    Goszi''s eyes narrowed atop their stalks as his mind whirled. What possible benefit could there be to feeding him such nonsense? Perhaps this was some sort of scheme to confuse him in the event he was a spy nted by his people?

    [I¡­ see¡­] he replied. [So¡­ I will be negotiating with you directly, then?]

    How far were they going to take this? Would this ant pretend to have that authority? Or perhaps the real masterminds could negotiate through this ant using the hive mind?

    [Yes. You will negotiate with me. Let us begin.]

    This was going to be more difficult than Goszi had assumed.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1363: Slime Mind

    <em>How does one negotiate in good faith with someone you fundamentally cannot trust? Going deeper, how does one negotiate in good faith with someone fundamentally </em>incapable<em> of trust?</em>

    <em>With difficulty.</em>

    <em>-</em>Excerpt from the ''Guide to Diplomacy'' by Diplomant

    Snt found herself fascinated by the Krath, almost despite herself. This Goszi had a mind almost as slippery as his flesh. The longer they conversed, the morebyrinthine the twists and turns became, until she doubted anyone else could possibly have tracked them. Goszi was hesitant tomit to anything, and when Snt attempted to be forthright and make guarantees, he recoiled, as if instinctively distrusting such things.

    Progress towards an agreement was cial, to say the least. Once something appeared settled, it would be revisited, changed, queried, as the Krath insisted on testing, poking, probing, doing everything he could to find the limits.

    On several asions, Snt was forced to deploy her most powerful negotiating tactic, which was simply to say nothing. Being unresponsive to Goszi''s wheedling made him furious, though he tried to conceal it. What''s more, it was the only way to fully shut down a subject, as the slug would wriggle and squirm back to anything if he could get away with it.

    Many might have found it exhausting, dealing with such a creature, but to Snt it was almost entertaining. The more she spoke to Goszi, the more astounded she became that the Krath were a functional society at all.

    [I will have to end these talks,] she told the slug, [as I''m required elsewhere. I do not have infinite time to reach an agreement with you.]

    [You could always send someone else,] Goszi suggested slyly, [I''m sure there are <em>others </em>who have the authority to negotiate with me.][As of right now, that is not the case,] she replied bluntly, but she was certain he read some other meaning into her words. [At this moment, our agreement stands thus: we won''t kill you, but we will imprison you. At this time, you are not required to provide any information, but neither will we make any special allowances for you. You will remain in your cell at all times. Do you have any questions?]

    Two hours to reach this agreement. And it was basically the same as no agreement at all.

    [Well, there may be some things I can share,] Goszi said, grinning, [if the price is right.]

    This wasn''t the first time he''d made simr suggestions, but any discussion trying to nail down specifics was pointless since he would wriggle and squirm, promising nothing but demanding concrete offers in return.

    [That may be so, but there is no time,] Snt replied coolly. [Perhaps you can take some time ahead of our next conversation to consider what you may be willing to share.]

    In other words,e prepared to make a deal.

    [Of course I will,] Goszi replied, eyes curving into moons as he smiled, a dreadful expression to see on a Krath''s face. [Where am I to be housed? Not within your blue mana field, I hope?]

    [Your cell is ready,] Snt replied. [You will be taken there now.]

    During the discussion, a tunnel had been prepared not far away, though she didn''t think the Krath had noticed. Goszi barely had the chance to blink before he was seized by the Eldest and taken toward the tunnel. Right now, the Eldest was the only one in the Colony able to traverse the fifth ''safely'', so it was up to them to deliver the Krath to his new home.

    The cell itself had been difficult to construct, to say the least. The carvers responsible had been forced to work at a distance, shaping the stone at range, which wasn''t ideal. Ultimately, all Snt needed to hear was the assurance of Tungstant that the cell was secure, which she did.

    If the carvers were happy, then so was she.

    "Do you think we''ll ever get anything useful out of it?" Leonidant asked when Snt finished rting the contents of their conversation.

    "It''s too early to say," she replied. "One conversation isn''t enough to build a rapport or create trust."

    "It sounds more like this¡­ Goszi is just trying to use us to stay alive for as long as possible."

    "That may well be the case," Snt admitted. "We have no reason to keep Goszi around if he provides nothing of value, and I think he may be willing to push until we reach a breaking point to establish that."

    Snt considered for a moment, then shrugged her antennae. She had no need tomit to anything; the Krath wasn''t going anywhere after all.

    "Let''s go see how well he''s adjusting to his new abode," she suggested.

    The carvers had been skilled enough to build a viewing window into the cell so their captive could be in view at all times. An invasion of privacy to be sure, but a necessary precaution, given what they were dealing with.

    She and her closest advisors made their way around and down to the holding cell, well away from any of the main tunnels. A single room of native mana, surrounded by a bubble of purified energy. It was impossible for the slug to escape.

    When they reached the adjacent viewing room, they found Goszi sliding around inside his cell, looking ufortable.

    A mind bridge was formed so Snt couldmunicate with the prisoner once more, a final check before she resumed her normal duties.

    [Is there anything wrong with your cell?] she enquired.

    The slug turned toward the window, hesitant.

    [What is this thing?] he asked, using his spindly arms to point at the floor.

    Snt looked down.

    [That''s a rug.]

    [What is its purpose?]

    [To make the floor morefortable.]

    [It is unpleasant to slide over.]

    [Then I suggest you roll it up and move it to the side of the cell.]

    [And what is <em>this</em> thing?]

    Again, Snt looked.

    [A bed.]

    [A bed?! Why is it so¡­ bouncy and fluffy?]

    [Forfort.]

    [I don''t like it,] the Krath dered.

    [I apologise if it isn''t up to your standards. You''ll have to make do as best you can for the time being.]

    [And when will I be fed? Or am I going to be starved?]

    [Why would we starve you?] Snt enquired. [Tea and biscuits will be served in a half-hour.]

    The Krathpressed himself, his eyes circling around the cell atop their stalks.

    [I feel like you are treating me too well,] he said suspiciously. [What is the trick?]

    Snt cked her mandibles in satisfaction.

    [No trick.]

 Chapter 1364: Unthinkable

    "What do you mean?" Chozth demanded, her voice low and dangerous.

    All the Krath could sense the tension in the air, growing still and turning their stalks towards Zluth covertly. He knew what they were thinking, that he was about to be the powerful tribe-leader''s next meal.

    Not if he had anything to do with it.

    "We managed to capture and escape with an ant captive," he exined smoothly, "but the ants pursued us using monsters equipped to fight outside of their safe-zone for a time. In the scramble, we lost the captive and one of the members of my warparty was captured."

    "HOW WAS A KRATH CAPTURED?" the sleek Krath bellowed, shing over and looming over Zluth in what seemed like an instant.

    Her eyes zed red with wrath, and her flesh sizzled with the force of her rage. A potent acrid scent rose from the leader, and Zluth could feel his eyes begin to burn from her breath alone.

    "By being a coward who wants to preserve their own life over the primacy of the tribes," he replied.

    She wanted to eat him, he could see it in her eyes, but she resisted the urge, through sheer iron will.

    "We will need to deal with this Goszi in the harshest possible way," she announced, turning away from Zluth to address the rest of the gathered slugs. "He has betrayed his tribe, his war leader and the entirety of the Krath tribes!"Her deration turned the burning anticipation of watching their leader devour a hapless victim into a bellowing rage toward the perpetrator of such an unthinkable action. Zluth breathed a quiet sigh of relief as the gathered Krath hissed, sizzled and spat while Chozth continued to give voice to her fury.

    "Only the deepest slime pits in the stratum are worthy to receive a scum-sucking slug like this! I promise an eternity of horror and suffering will fall on this traitor''s head, and great rewards will go to the Krath who brings him to me!"

    Many of the gathered Krathth and Krath''sizz promised swift and vicious retribution would fall on Goszi, the gathering filled with the pop and sizzle of roiling acid within slug flesh. With a wave of her limbs, Chozth dismissed the gathering and turned back toward Zluth.

    "You have some exining to do," she hissed.

    When the others had departed, she dragged him close to the wall, away from those trying to listen in surreptitiously, and bared her fangs in his face.

    "I''m sure you''re aware just how close you came to being my meal. You may still, if you aren''t careful. Now, exin to me exactly what happened."

    Somehow, Zluth felt that if he were to rely on his natural instinct and lie, he was sure to be consumed, so he did something that he seldom had cause to do: he told the truth.

    Chozth listened as he exined the various actions he''d taken in his tunnel, how therge ant had shown up to foil his attacks time and again, and the full extent of his conversation with Goszi. He went into detail,ying out the old slug''s observations and proposed strategy before finally detailing exactly how the attack had gone.

    He didn''t leave anything out. The capture of the ant, their escape into the pre-prepared tunnels, and the mad pursuit of the armoured ants who had thrown themselves into the fifth without fear or hesitation.

    Through it all, the powerful Krathth listened intently, never interrupting. When he was done, having told of his own desperate flight from the clutches of the massive ant, and Goszi''s own capture, and how he had followed the ants as they retreated, confirming that Goszi still lived with his own eyes, Chozth remained quiet for a time.

    "I can see why you kept the decrepit old slug by your side," she allowed, "he''s a cunning and slippery thing. The attack you led has been the only one to actually manage to take an ant out of their cursed blue field. In doing so, you revealed just how aggressively they will pursue, and the means they will use to do so. This is valuable information.

    "However, the loss of Goszi could cost us dearly if he starts spilling secrets. There are none who know more about the fifth than us, and there is a great deal he could say that would harm the tribes. I''m sure you know what I''m talking about?"

    "I do," Zluth confirmed.

    Who didn''t? The secrets of the fifth were among the first things a Krath would learn as they grew. The tribes couldn''t survive without such knowledge.

    "Do you believe he would be willing to betray his people to such an extent?" she asked intently.

    Zluth considered the question. He''d known what Goszi was like for a long time, but he''d never thought the old slug would be willing to be captured alive. ?

    "It''s possible," he conceded. "Goszi has long been concerned with preserving his life in his old age, and this could be a way for him to do so. The whole reason he backed me as the next Krathth of the Slee was for a promise not to exile him from the tribe and securing his ''retirement''."

    Chozth looked as if she couldn''t decide between being confused or affronted at the idea.

    "What a strange creature," she burbled. After a moment of consideration, she nodded to herself, confirming her thoughts.

    "We will need to ramp up the pressure across all fronts. Preparations are mostlyplete, and we have more Krath arriving from distant tribes to help reinforce. Our only chance of getting to Goszi will be if the invaders are too distracted to focus properly on their prisoner."

    She red at Zluth.

    "You''ve escaped death today, but only barely. Show me results¡ªif you want to continue to dodge it."

    Zluth bared his needle-pointed fangs in a fierce grin.

    "Of course. That''s how it should be."

 Chapter 1365: They Donâ€™t Seem Happy

    Well, well, well. It''s been a couple of days since I managed to capture that grey-looking slug and we locked him up. Other than invading his cell and poking him with my antennae for a few hours every day, I don''t have much to do with him. Snt is handling the questioning and I''m totally happy to leave her to it. Just being in contact with Goszi via a mind bridge feels like I''m being invaded by mental slime. His thoughts, heck his very <em>existence</em> is toxic. Just when I thought the Krath couldn''t be any more unpleasant, I meet one, and it gets so much worse.

    No, I spend the bulk of my time out in the tunnels, batting away invasions, scaring away slugs and making a general nuisance of myself. However, it''s clear that something has changed over thest few days: the Krath are decidedly unhappy. Perhaps it''s just that they''ve had more time to ramp up the pressure, but I think everyone knows that they really want to get our prisoner back. From what I understand of the Krath, they aren''t likely to be mounting a rescue mission, more like they want to take him off the table in a permanent manner.

    Even with the slugs trying to apply more pressure, it isn''t like the Colony is taking it easy either. As the fortress continues to be pieced together, our defensive positions continue to get better and better, along with more ants flooding into the fifth.

    "Hi-hi, Senior!"

    "Hey, Vibrant. Unusual to see you standing still. Have the medics forced you to start resting?"

    "Yep-yep! I''ve been getting a bit hurt-hurt, so they want me to heal for a while."

    Forced inactivity? For Vibrant?

    "I''m kind of shocked you agreed to that," I admit. "Wasn''t it almost impossible to get you to take torpor not that long ago? Now you agree to sit down to rest and recover without protest?"

    Vibrant cks her mandibles andughs."Who said-said I didn''tin? Sol-Sol told me I was starting to slow down so I needed to rest,and that made sense."

    Right. Trust Snt to find a way to convince Vibrant to rest. I doubt she was actually getting any slower, but hey, if it works, it works. Vibrant is one of the strongest and most effective soldiers in the entire Colony, but making the best use out of her is difficult, not only because of how specific her build is, but how hard it can be to get her to take any sort of direction.

    She walks, actually <em>walks</em> over to where I''m resting and settles down beside me, giving me a chance to directlypare our sizes. She is certainlyrger than she was before, but still decidedly smaller than I am. Vibrant isn''t as interested in mass; in fact, she wants to avoid it as much as possible. I''ve no doubt she has much denser muscle mass than I do, and higher Might, even if I amrger. Instead of gaining size with each evolution, she seems to be getting more and more sleek. Two more evolutions and she''s going to look like an ant-inspired bullet train.

    "How did the Krath manage to injure you?" I ask, genuinely curious.

    I mean, she''s so fast, how the heck did they catch her?

    "Too much slime-slime on the ground," sheughs. "I thought if I could run-run fast enough, then the poison wouldn''t get me."

    So she ran through a bunch of sludge on the ground on purpose, thinking she could make herself immune by being too fast for the toxin? It''s the kind of insane thing she would think of, and I''m willing to bet she thinks it only failed because she wasn''t going fast enough.

    "The healers have given you a once over? You managed to sit still long enough for them to finish, right?"

    "Yep-yep! It wasn''t easy, even the micro-sleeps weren''t enough to pass the time, so I had to start flutter-stepping."

    Do I even want to know?

    "What is flutter-stepping?"

    "If I move my legs <em>fast-fast</em>, then nobody notices that I''m doing it."

    "Wait¡­ so you keep your body still, and you just move your legs?"

    "Yep-yep!"

    "And it''s so fast that nobody can even see it happen?"

    In fact¡­ am I detecting movement right now? It''s subtle, but I swear I can feel some vibrations in the air.

    "You''re doing it right now, aren''t you?"

    "Yep! It makes me feel like I''m move-moving even when I''m sitting still!"

    That''s¡­ actually a super useful skill for Vibrant to have. If it can help her to finally sit still long enough for others to give her assistance, then sure, what the hey. ?

    "How are you feeling about the fifth stratum so far?" I ask her. "You''ve been here long enough to get an impression of the ce."

    "It''s yuck," she deres, wiping her antennae with her forelegs furiously. "I can''t run as much as I want and everything smells. The thump-thump is super bad too."

    "Thump?" I ask, confused. "What thump?"

    "Not thump. Thump-thump," she rifies.

    Ah, so she wasn''t just repeating the word. What the heck is the thump-thump?

    "Wait, you mean the heartbeat? I thought I was the only one who''d picked up on that!"

    "Nope-nope! I can hear it! It''s really annoying!"

    Well, there you go. I wonder if anyone else is picking up on it now. Come to think of it, there''s no way Vibrant would have been able to hear the heartbeat all the way up here; she can''t leave the safe-zone, after all!

    "Could you hear that noise when you first got here?" I ask.

    "Nope-nope! But the mana is getting thicker!"

    Ah. The wave isn''t far away, then.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1366: Construction On The Clock

    Tungstant wasn''t happy. Well, that wasn''t totally urate, she was building, up to her antennae in aplex building project that was truly grand in scale, which she liked. What she didn''t like was being rushed, and she was certainly on the clock with this one.

    "Has Snt said anything?" she asked Cobalt as the two pored over the build maps in front of them.

    "Nothing," her sister replied grumpily. "She''s just saying we should ''continue to work to our timetable''."

    "There''s a waveing and the Krath are knocking on the gates every day! I''d almost feel better if she told us to rush."

    "If she told us to rush, we''d just say no," Cobalt noted wryly. "So why would she bother saying it?"

    "So I have a chance to tell her to mind her own business and feel better," Tungstant replied.

    "We don''t need to feel better, we just need to get the job done. How much longer until the channels areplete?"

    "Phase one is done. Phase two is still a few days away."

    "When did you hear that?" Cobalt asked."Yesterday."

    "And what about the core?"

    "The core has a long way to go," Tungstant grumbled. "We''re still finding design and build issues everywhere. It''s impossible to say how long it''s going to take to finish the whole thing. This is the problem with having to build something we''ve never done before to a deadline!"

    "We knew about it going in," Cobalt reassured her sister. "Let''s head down to the build site and check on progress. This ce won''t fall apart in the next hour."

    "Of course not. We built it better than that."

    Even in the shelter of their workrooms, the central hub around which every build team in the entire fortress revolved, they weren''tpletely insted from the sounds of warfare. The fortress-to-be was under constant assault as the Krath tried to break through, and nobody could say which tunnel was going to be hit next, or if all of them were. As the two carvers entered one of thepleted arterial tunnels, they found it filled with soldiers, generals, scouts, healers, core shapers, humans, golgari and every other type of individual who called the fortress home, moving at speed to attend to any of the hundred-thousand urgent tasks that had to be seen to.

    An endless flood of materials moved through the tunnels like blood through the veins of a living creature, pouring into the hundreds, thousands of build sites as teams worked around the clock. Alongside them was a constant ebb and flow of soldiers moving from one tunnel to the next, rotating in and out, throwing themselves into the never-ending fight.

    The tunnels had been built to handle this sort of traffic. The new design that Tunstant had created involved stacking multiple hollow chutes within each tunnel, essentially creating mini-tunnels that filled the space, creating more surface area and allowing different chutes to be devoted to different types of traffic.

    It worked well enough, but the interchanges had been a nightmare to construct, given howpact everything needed to be inside the fortress. Space was at a premium in the fifth, after all.

    Through the hordes of ants and other individuals, the two carvers moved inward, toward the very centre of the fortress. As they travelled, they both felt deep pain at the haphazard construction that they saw on the way. It wasn''t that the individual builds were poor quality, quite the opposite, everything had been made to the limit of what the Colony was currently capable of. No, what bothered them was how patchwork it was. Some sections werepletely finished, others half-built, and some not even started yet, often right next to each other.

    However, one thing was consistently finished, and that was the mana channels and wuffer tforms. These were literally sparkling, finished, polished and washed down with formic acid to ensure cleanliness. Many of them weren''t connected yet, and wouldn''t be until the core was finished, but it was pleasing to see that at least here, the most demanding andplex factor of the project had been finished.

    The mostplex, except for what they saw next.

    The core of the fortress was awash with ants, no less than a hundred individual build teams working on different sections of the vast cavern. Despite the numbers, it wasn''t difficult to find the ant they were looking for.

    "Antgineer, do you have a moment?"

    "Of course, I have all the time in the world. It''s not like I''m responsible for the most important project in the history of the Colony or anything," the carver replied sarcastically.

    Tungstant and Cobalt let the attitude roll over them. They''d gotten used to it at this point. Despite the hostile response, the ant in question peeled herself away from the tables over which her teams had been conversing to join the two Council members.

    "We wanted toe in person to see how the project was progressing," Cobalt exined. "Has there been much progress?"

    "Some," Antgineer grunted, pointing in several directions with her antennae without bothering to turn around. "We''ve managed to solve the release problem, so I''m less worried about killing everyone in the fortress by mistake, which is a plus. The main problem continues to be our concerns about ovepping the tanks. Resonance could lead to a manifold rupture that would also kill everyone in the fortress."

    "Don''t the designs we received from Brilliant have resonance mitigation built in?" Cobalt asked.

    "They do," Antgineer replied sourly, "but they were designed for a system that is a <em>million times</em> smaller than this one. Forgive me if I''m not satisfied that they''ll be sufficient."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "What does Brilliant say?"

    The carver looked at the two of them as if they were insane.

    "Nothing useful. What did you expect?"

    Tungstant sighed. Brilliant, on some level, probably hoped the thing would explode. That''d be great data for her.

    "What we are building here, and what Brilliant has used in the past, are so different in scale they may as well not be the same thing. It''s like blocking a trickle of water with some dirtpared to a dam built across a mighty river. The idea is the same, stop the water from moving, but the methods required are totally different."

    This wasn''t what Tungstant and Cobalt wanted to hear, but they trusted Antgineer enough to know she wasn''t saying anything uselessly.

    "Let us help," Cobalt said. "We can assist ining up with a working design."

    The carver before them rubbed her antenna against her head and nodded.

    "That''d be helpful. We think we''re about ny percent of the way there, but thest part is always the hardest."

 Chapter 1367: When it Rains it Pours

    A deluge of sludge sts my way as the worm disgorges its vast, rotund belly of goop through its mouth. Dodging to the side isn''t really an option, since I don''t want the sludge to enter the safe-zone at all, so I return fire with¡­ fire.

    Dragon''s fire!

    When mucus and fire meet, it''s never a good time for anyone¨Cthe sound alone is horrendous, and I won''t even mention the smell¨Cbut thankfully I''m able to produce enough heat to burn away a good portion of the slime.

    The worm itself isn''t that hard to fight, it''s more of a sludge delivery system than anything else. A few quick chomps and it gives up the ghost, but I don''t have time to rx, there''s more monsters right around the corner to deal with.

    This time it''s a horde of weird crab-looking things. Each one is disgusting in its own magical way, but for the most part, I would have to say that the dozens of eye stalks they each sport are the worst part. The little pinchers rush forward mindlessly, carpeting the tunnel in front of me. There must be thousands of the lousy things! Where did the Krath even find them?N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Only two metres tall, they aren''t veryrge, and probably aren''t very evolved, but that doesn''t mean they can''t do damage, a theory that is proven correct almost immediately.

    As soon as they''re within range, the crabs raise up their ws and start shooting acid at me. From thousands of crabs, that equates to an awful lot of acid.

    I spring to the side to avoid the bulk of the spray and then charge directly forward, letting the rest fall behind me as I shorten the distance. In an instant, I reach the first of the crabs and unleash a mighty <strong>Void Chomp</strong> right in their midst, annihting a chunk of the acidic crustaceans.

    Which of course was what the slugs wanted me to do all along. The moment they bite the dust, each of the crabs swells up and explodes, sending a shower of toxic goop flying into the air.Because of course they did. I''m wise to the shenanigans of this ce by now, and before any of it can reach me, an empowered gravity domain takes shape around me, yoinking all of the airborne sludge to the ground. I swear to goodness, the amount of putrescent slime being flung about by these monsters is expanding exponentially! The Krath clearly have a n in mind that involves spreading foul mucus far and wide.

    Well, it''s not like it''s a secret. There have been several attacks that managed to breach the wall of blue mana that protects the Colony, and I''m sure they learned what they were hoping to from those instances. Namely, what worked to consume as much blue mana as possible.

    It''s not a difficult concept: if they manage to deplete the mana that shields us, then we have to leave, or diminish our held territory. Needless to say, giving up territory is not an option. We''ve captured what we need to construct the fortress and not much more. There is no retreat!

    Yet the Krath are working a surprisingly effective campaign of trying to consume as much of the purified mana as they can, pushing our wuffer tforms to the brink in order to force us back.

    They''re <em>especially</em> interested in this area, since it''s where Goszi is being held prisoner. I don''t know how the heck they managed to figure that out, but they have, it''s the only thing that makes sense. We have whole teams of mages on constant alert to detect tunnelling around his prison, and the Krath are <em>constantly</em> trying to get in there.

    Having their little cracks in the stone copse on them has dissuaded the slugs from getting too close, but they keep trying.

    I munch my way through the crabs, bemoaning the waste of Biomass and doing my best to make sure I don''t get any goop on me. The healers are being more and more insistent that I take regr rests to ensure there''s no buildup of contaminants anywhere in my system, but I''ll have to wait twice as long if I get exposed to a significant source of infection.

    Alright, the crustaceans have been dealt with. I let the domain drop and turn my attention back down the tunnel wondering what''sing next, only to be met with a wall of mucus oozing toward me.

    Oh great, they''re trying to flood the tunnel again.

    I don''t know where in the heck they''re managing to find sao much of this goop, but they''ve sent waves of the stuff flowing down the tunnel around twice a day. Twice a day! What infiniteke of pus are they draining to send all of this our way?!

    I turn and signal to the ants behind me, and they immediately start deploying the countermeasures the Colony cooked up over thest few days.

    Chains spin, stone groans and the massive grates gradually pull open, revealing the redirection pipelines we constructed. It won''t be able to take all of it away, but it will get a significant amount, letting it fall down the tubes and pile up below the fortress where we don''t particrly care about it.

    As for the rest¡­ I sigh.

    Time for more Dragon''s Breath, I suppose.

 Chapter 1368: Backup

    Chapter 1368: Backup

    I know I can''t exactly get tired, due to my rather unique set of circumstances, but I am getting <em>tired</em>. The Krath have been working their slimy backsides off, being pests in all the ways they can. The Colony is still holding the line, but the number of monsters reaching the safe-zone is getting higher with every passing day.

    With the building teams still working on the interior of the fortress, taking in thousands of tons of prepared materials from above and building everything <em>just</em> so, the outeryers of defence are still fairly minimal, leaving everything to Snt''s rigorously trained battalions.

    So far, it''s been enough, but Tiny, Crinis, Invidia, myself and even Vibrant have been run off our feet plugging in the gaps and taking as much of the load off the ants as possible. Well, Invidia and Crinis don''t have feet, but¡­ you get the idea.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The healers have been forcing me to take mandatory rest and detoxification breaks, but even if I''m sitting around not doing anything, the flood of Will pouring in through the Vestibule fills my head with the noise of a hundred different battlefields. It''s not easy to de-stress, is what I''m getting at. I need a real, actual nap, but there just isn''t the time. If I''m not out there taking the heat off my siblings, then the number of ants being taken to the hospitals to be cleansed of toxic mana starts to skyrocket.

    Right now, I''m sitting on my backside and trying to achieve a state of universal calm while a pack of irritated healers crawl over my carapace, poking and prodding at me. It''s not working, but I''m giving it a go. ording to thetest estimates, we''re still almost two weeks away from being able to seal in the fortress and lock the slugs out for good, but with pressure from the Krath ramping up and the mana levels rising in the tunnels, it''s going to be touch and go right down to the wire.

    Which is why I''m so happy to see a semi-familiar face waddling over to me.

    [Sarah!] I cry out happily. [I''m so d you''vee down to suffer alongside me!]

    [Don''t say it like that,] she replies with a bearugh, [I might just turn around and go back to the fourth!]

    The big bear has changed since thest time I saw her, now evolved to a mighty tier seven mythic monster, just like me. Whereas before she was a truck-sized rage-bear with a fearsome visage, she is now¡­ more of that.She''s significantly bigger, to start with,rger even than I am. She upgraded from arge vehicle to a small building. This bear is <em>hefty</em>. Her shoulders and legs (arms?) are massive, absolutely packed with dense muscle, and I feel like she might even be stronger than Tiny. More than just her size, her entire appearance has be¡­ even more sinister and dangerous-looking than before.

    Her fur has be entirely ck, except for numerous streaks of bright red that sh across her body and seem to softly pulse with an angry, magma-esque light. It''s like she''s pumping liquid rage through her body and it shines through those patches of fur in particr. I get the strong impression that she reset her eyes and teeth as well, because they look¡­ unpleasant. I have no idea what those ws made of, but I sure as heck don''t want to experience them. I guess the closest thing I can think of would be volcanic ss, but with that glowing rage-juice flowing through them. Her eyes ze with unrestrained fury, like rubies made from crystalised anger.

    All in all, she looks dangerous as heck.

    [Nice to see you''ve taken on a much softer look,] I congratte her.

    She swipes at me with a w in jest. I still dodge.

    [Hey! You didn''t need to move, I wasn''t going to actually hit you,] she protests.

    [Sarah, my carapace is formed from diamondpressed in the heart of a ck hole and your ws <em>still</em> give me the heeby jeebies. Please tell me you didn''t turn yourself into another Tiny and you spent some of your evolutionary energy in keeping yourself alive.]

    [Of course I did,] she says, a little defensive. [My evolution was certainly more¡­ offensively focused, but I made sure to cover up the holes in my defence using some of the suggestions Mr. Granin gave me.]

    [<em>Mister</em> Granin? Don''t let him hear you say that.]

    Sheughs.

    [I won''t.]

    All in all, despite her savage appearance, I''m getting a positive sense from Sarah. It seems like she''s in a good space, which makes it even more of a shame she''se down here to suffer and fight against the Krath.

    [I assume the Colony is rigging you up some sort of armour or something?] I ask.

    If they give her the same sort of thing that the Immortals have, then she''ll be an absolute terror beyond the safe-zone¨Cfor small bursts of time, of course.

    [Yep. I''m supposed to head over there to get it all fitted, but I''d thought I''d drop in and say hello first.]

    [Very kind of you,] I say, dipping my antennae in acknowledgement. Then I look around. [That weirdo didn''t join you down here? I''m surprised. He''s been keen to hang around you for whatever reason.]

    [You mean Odin? He just needs somepany. It''s hard to adjust to living here in Pangera, being a monster and all that.]

    [Uh¡­ not really? I guess you weren''t reborn as an ant, so I see how it might have been harder.]

    At that moment, I see a lethal-looking form creep around from behind Sarah. Not really a demon, this thing looks more like a knife attached to some other knives then blended with a shadow. Creepy!

    [Hey, Odin¡­ I assume that''s you.]

    [Sarah ryed some of your conversation to me,] he says, stalking forward until he''s right in front of me, staring me right in the eyes.

    Well, one eye, I''m too big for him to get to both of them.

    [She''s perfect!] he insists, eyes bulging as he holds my gaze. [A wless engine of death and destruction!]

    This guy¡­

 Chapter 1369: A Breather

    Sarah wanders off to get armoured up, as does Odin, the weirdo. Fully suited up, the truly enormous bear is even more deadly-looking than before, which is hard to believe. The specially crafted gear will enable her to operate out in the toxic zone for half an hour at a time, which isn''t half bad.

    [Any advice for me?] she asks, sounding a little nervous.

    I can''t me her; the fifth has a reputation for being unrelentingly awful, and it''s hard to grasp just how terrible it is without seeing it for yourself.

    [Be careful. <em>Very</em> careful. The Krath are clever, they strike from the shadows, from camouged positions in the moss and beneath puddles of mucus. They can squish themselves into tiny gaps to attack and then flee into the rock before you can get to them. They''ll be looking to try and capture you if they can, but they''ll also try and harm you in a bunch of different ways to see what works. Expect acid, clouds of toxic gas, parasites that will try to dig into your body, venom, mental assaults¡­ uh what else¡­.

    [They used a nearly invisible sentient cloud of spores on me once, tried to get in my mouth and burn me from the inside out, watch out for that one. There was another time when they tried to paralyse me with these little rock eels. Little critters burrowed through the ground, thenunched themselves up at me. They had these needle-pointed noses that were <em>crazy</em> sharp. Didn''t make it through my carapace, but you''ll be more vulnerable to that than me.]

    By this stage, Sarah has lost a significant portion of her previous cheer. She''s starting to look a little wild around the eyes as my list goes on.

    [Is that all?] she asks.

    [Not even remotely. That was yesterday.]

    [I''m not sure I can do this¡­.][You''ll be fine. Talk to the generals in the tunnels you go to, they''ll give you good advice. Have a word with the medical team on things you need to look out for, they''ve been treating all the ants, so they''ll know what''s causing the most problems. Other than that, just be careful. Remember that nearly every monster will pop or release deadly parasites after you destroy them, so get out of the way after you bite something.]

    [It sounds disgusting.]

    [It is,] I assure her. [But you''re doing something amazing for the family. We really appreciate it. Everyone in the Colony is happy to have you for a sister.]

    [Sh-be quiet!] She snaps, embarrassed. [I''m just here to help out a little. It''s not that impressive. Alright, off I go. Wish me luck!]

    [Good luck!]

    She turns around and waddles off, a giant amongst the smaller ants. As she moves, Odin is revealed, standing behind her and staring at me.

    [<em>Perfection</em>,] he whispers in my mind.

    He''s been armoured up a little. I guess he''s also going to go out and fight? He''s like an assassin demon or whatever, so I suppose that makes sense. I just wish he wasn''t such a weirdo. I wave him away with a flippy motion of my antenna and then contemte for a moment.

    What to do now? Sarah is going to head to my old area to cover the severe attacks we''ve been getting there, so I''m actually free to do something else for a change. I suppose I''ll go and visit my friends! Been a while since I checked in on them. They''re all taking a break at the moment, so I may as well head on over and say hello.

    I mean, I can talk to them whenever I want, but it always feels nicer to speak face to face, even if we are using mentalmunication.

    I find the trio of tier seven monsters rxing and chatting together in a narrow little corner, out of the way of the main traffic and activity of the fortress.

    [Master!] Crinis yells, bounding over the ground like an inky ck tidal wave before glomping onto my carapace.

    [Hey there, Crinis! I missed you too. Tiny, Invidia! How are things?]

    Predictably, Tiny gives me a seated thumbs up with one arm, and a powerful flex with the other. Invidia is also sitting on the ground, which is unusual. Normally he''d be sitting up on Tiny''s shoulder or fluttering in the air, but for once he''s actually on the ground, his little arms resting on the rock floor and preventing him from just rolling away. ?

    [Hey, Invidia, I almost missed you down there.]

    The eyeball nods and his little wings flutter a bit as he gives himself a little lift until he''s up on his palms.

    [<em>It issss nice to sssseeeee you,</em>] he says. [<em>I hopessss you havesss been well.</em>]

    How nice of him to ask after me! Man, Invidia is such a good demon.

    [I''m good! Thanks for asking.]N?v(el)B\\jnn

    I settle in to talk to them, and they''re full of stories. Just like my areas of the fortress have been crazy and active, so have theirs, and it sounds like there has been plenty of hijinks for them to worry about. Luckily nobody has been hurt and no ants have been abducted after the first, so it''s alle out well.

    [You must have been massing up some good levels at least,] I tell them. [Has the time finallye for you to catch up to me in level?]

    [I doubt that, Master,] Crinis says. [You''ve been fighting more than any of us, and you''ve taken on many strong monsters. You''ll be ready for the next tier soon.]

    [That can''t be right,] I say, thinking to myself. [I didn''t evolve <em>that</em> long ago.]

    Idly, I flip up my status and start poking at it. I mean, I''ve been fighting a lot, especially recently, and the monsters in the fifth have been pretty strong. I suppose I must have racked up a few levels, but there''s such a long way to go until my next evolution¡­.

    Wait. I have over a hundred and <em>fifty </em>levels?!

 Chapter 1370: Bear in There

    Sarah approached the boundary between the safe-zone and the native mana of the fifth with a deep sense of trepidation. From everything Anthony had said, she almost expected toxic, knife-faced fish to spring out of the ground beneath her paws the second she crossed the line.

    [The Krath have been very active in this area,] the general in charge, a little ant named Antvantage told her. [Don''t extend far beyond the safe-zone if you can avoid it. Just in case, we have emergency rescue teams on standby in case you get in trouble. You''ll be as safe as we can make you.]

    [Thank you,] Sarah said, her gratitude truly heartfelt. [I appreciate it. I''m a bit nervous, to tell you the truth.]

    The ant, so much smaller, almostically smaller than the gigantic bear beside her, reached up with an antenna and patted the bear on the side.

    [It <em>is</em> dangerous, and the enemy is cunning. I won''t lie, you are taking on a great risk for the family, and we don''t take that lightly. Should something happen, we will do everything in our power to bring you home.]

    The giant bear nodded her head, touched by those words. Being weed into the Colony as part of the family was still something she was adjusting to, but for the first time in either of her lives, she felt as if there was a ce she belonged, and that meant more to her than she could ever say.

    [Alright,] Sarah said, firming her resolve, [I''m going in.]

    [I''ll be there with you,] Odin said, stepping up beside her. [Don''t worry.]

    The two former humans strode forward, and as they passed through the visible border between the cleansed blue and the toxic greenish-yellow, they each became enveloped in a bubble of safety projected from the enchantments built into their armour.The armour itself was surprisinglyfortable for Sarah. Not that it was actually pleasant to wear, but it was far less restrictive than she''d expected. Ovepping metal ting ran down her back and nks, along with further steel strapped to cover her belly. There was even segmented armour that covered her legs. It was heavy, of course, but she found she was more than strong enough to bear the burden.

    Stepping out into the fifth stratum for the first time, Sarah found it was even more unpleasant than Anthony had described. Thick ropes of slime and mucus connected the floor to the ceiling, some of them metres thick, and everything seemed to be covered in some variety of goop. With every step forward, the surface sizzled and hissed as her mana bubble burned away the corruption that coated everything.

    Before she could even limate to the terrible environment, the monsters were already upon her. Frothing, hissing, belching foam, mucus and clouds of toxic gas, they swarmed towards her.

    Rather than recoil, Sarah stepped forward. Her heart thumped once.

    She shed out with one paw, her ws tearing a screaming gash through the air, jagged lines of red light streaking through the air and rendering the closest monsters apart.

    Her heart thumped again.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Jaws open wide, Sarah lunged, teeth formed of red light extending from her own head to crunch down on the putrid, slime-dripping turtle in front of her.

    Her heart thumped again.

    Jets of acid sted down from cracks in the ceiling, spraying across her armour and fur, causing steam to rise and her flesh to burn.

    Her heart beat harder.

    It was starting to flow now, she could feel it pounding through her veins, roaring in her core and igniting the red patches of fur along her body.

    Nets formed of slime shot down from the ceiling, and Sarah roared, drawing on the fury, sting them away with the raw force of her anger.

    More monsters came, and she continued to hack and sh, her paws ripping jagged tears through the air and her enemies alike. With every felled opponent, acid and mucus sshed, parasites leapt towards her or some other nonsense urred. Not even three minutes had passed, and already she was covered in burns, shes and cuts as the hordes descended on her. ?

    Yet the pain only served to fuel her rage heart even further.

    No, it wasn''t a rage heart any more, it was a <em>foundry</em>, and her fury was the hammer as well as the forge. She stoked it, feeding on the pain to build the mes higher. The more fury she built, the more it coursed through her flesh and filtered into her fur, causing it to glow faintly with ominous red and ck energy.

    She was in control. Sarah was in control. As she fought, she danced on the tip of the knife''s edge, building the fury higher and higher, but never so quickly that her grip on that anger slipped from her grasp. Covered in wounds, one of her eyes dissolving from an urate st of acidic slime, Sarah grinned a savage grin.

    With an audible FWOOSH, her fur ignited, her fury manifesting in an aura that swirled around her body like a me. Her flesh sizzled and hissed as her wounds burned and began to close, her eye reforming in its socket.

    Now her anger had been made manifest. It would no longer hurt her, and she could use it to protect those she cared about.

    Her eyes shifted, turningpletely red as she allowed her fury more control. No longer did the world seem filled with yellows, greens and browns, monsters and slime, mucus and acid. All she saw was moving shapes and red.

    Her roar rattled the stone walls of the tunnel, then she bounded forward clothed in fury.

    Nearby, Odin watched with narrowed eyes. As Sarah began to mow down all before her, despite the literal rain of acid and sludge from all directions, he nodded slowly, then faded into the background.

    This was something he was keen to see.

 Chapter 1371: The Breach

    How many of these monstrous killing machines were attached to this invasion?! Zluth could scarcely believe his eyes when, instead of the ant he''d expected, a giant bear hade waddling down the tunnel. At first, he''d seen it as a positive thing, especially so when the creature didn''t seem all that strong at first.

    He had been quickly disabused of that notion. The beast was now ripping through everything it could get its paws on faster than the monsters could reach it. Even worse, ever since that flickering, ominous aura had appeared, the bear''s endurance seemed to have shot through the roof.

    "I''m not sure we''ll be able to achieve much here," he muttered to himself.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    They''d been working to wear down the ant monster who regrly patrolled these tunnels. The creature seemed to have inexhaustible endurance, returning to the fight time and time again, no matter how battered it became or how much toxin it absorbed. It seemed they''d <em>finally</em> managed to wear the cursed monster down, but now it had been reced by another formidable beast.

    A member of Zluth''s war party slid up beside him, whispering news.

    "The attack in Sluzzl''s tunnel appears to be going very well. Chozth has ordered us to concentrate our forces and join in the assault."

    Although he wanted to protest, he knew it wouldn''t do any good. It wasn''t like they could just turn their attack into another tunnel. He had members of his war party working kilometres away, funnelling newly spawned creatures into this tunnel and others adjacent to it. Conditions right at the edge of the ants'' cursed blue mana were the result of days of preparation and herding from his war party. Chozth knew very well he couldn''t redirect his attack, she wanted him to abandon it and bring his war party to another tunnel.

    It was frustrating, but if he tried wriggling around her orders, he was going to be eaten for sure.

    "Gather the others," he whispered back. "We''ll relocate in an hour."That didn''t give them much time to gather the more distant members, but Zluth wasn''t willing to push his luck. Both Krathpressed themselves and began to slide away, gaining speed the further they got from the ants and the bear currently wreaking havoc on all it could touch.

    It wasn''t all bad. He hadn''t thought they were going to be all that sessful already, and if Sluzzl was having some luck, Zluth would rather be there to garner some of the credit for himself. Pushing himself to a dangerous pace, he zipped through the tunnels, helping to round up his war party and gather them safely in their temporary hideout.

    "What''s happening?" Thossiz grumbled. "We were just starting to get somewhere."

    "Chozth wants us in another tunnel to support the attack. You want to argue with her?" Zluth asked.

    "No. No, I don''t."

    "Thought not. We''re going to race over there as fast as we can, so take a brief moment to get anything you need and rest. I don''t want to give Chozth an excuse to eat one of us for being slow."

    Not one of the Krath was going to argue with that sentiment. Making a show by disciplining the regr slugs was a tried and true method among the tribes. In short order, the war party was sliding through their shortcuts, making good time.

    When they finally emerged into the tunnel Krath''sizz Sluzzl was in charge of, they found quite a few Krath had already gathered. When they were spotted, Zluth and his group were led directly into the hiddenmand post where they found Chozth herself.

    As soon as they entered, she turned her eyes toward Zluth, her amusement obvious as they curved into wicked moons.

    "You made¡­ reasonable time," she burbled. "Tell your war party to rest for a moment. We are coordinating."

    Zluth quickly told his slugs to find a safe space to recover and rushed back to the crude table around which the other war leaders were gathered.

    "Krath''sizz Sluzzl has seeded in pushing the ants holding this tunnel to the brink. There are notable weaknesses in the line, which we will look to exploit. We will look to punch through their wall of mana and chew away at their safety from the inside out. If we can reach and disable the tforms they fill with those abominable creatures who corrupt the fifth, all the better." ?

    Chozth grinned wickedly.

    "The invaders have been more durable than we expected, but now they''ve started to crack. We''re going to show them what it looks like when the Krath go for the throat."

    All of the gathered Krath''sizz felt a thrill go through their slug flesh at their leader''s naked, savage glee. That was right, this stratum belonged to the Krath! It was theirs by right, and the invaders would finally feel their wrath.

    Under the personalmand of Chozth, the various war parties began to work in concert. They were spread far and wide, working throughout the tunnels to prepare for the assault toe while Sluzzl continued his push at the front.

    Zluth was pleasantly surprised by theck of infighting and bickering amongst the various leaders, but he quickly came to realise why that was the case. Chozth was a dominating presence. She stalked through the tunnels like a vicious predator, her personal guard-slugs ever by her side. Being anywhere near her felt like having fangs wrapped around his neck. There was no illusion about what would result from the slightest insubordination.

    Thus, in a remarkably short amount of time, the attack was prepared, and Zluth found himself amongst dozens and dozens of Krath, slowly creeping toward the ant lines as their war parties carefully herded the deadly surprises they had prepared for the cursed invaders.

    Chozth herself apanied the attack, taking personalmand of the offensive. With so much at stake, Zluth was determined to prove himself and im his share of the rewards should this offensive work.

    In the distance, he began to see the cursed, shimmering glow of the blue mana. Sluzzl did indeed have a promising offensive going, a horde of monsters pressed right against the blue mana wall with Krath support close behind. When he arrived, those ants were going to crack like a slime-withered shell.

 Chapter 1372: The Breach pt 2

    The Krath reinforcements slithered forward, their bodies pressed t to the rock, using every fold and crevice within the rock to conceal their presence. Changing the colour of his outer flesh to blend in, Zluth crept alongside them, drawing ever closer to the battle raging at the edge of the wall of blue mana.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Once he was in position, alongside the other Krath''sizz, he grew still, his eyes barely raised atop their stalks, peering eagerly at the unfolding struggle.

    Monsters were hurling themselves into the blue energy, letting it consume them, but disgorging huge volumes of virulent mucus that sizzled and hissed, releasing dense toxic mana into the lines of the ants. The normally iron-straight, disciplined lines of the ants were broken in several ces as pools of sludge slowly dissolved beside them. The non-monstrous invaders had been drawn back, likely so they could sacrifice the ants if things went poorly, ensuring their own escape.

    Zluth was determined they wouldn''t escape him. Not only would they drag ants away to the pools, but humans, golgari and Folk as well. Everyone would pay for daring to try and take that which rightfully belonged to the tribes!

    He was hungry. No, he was more than hungry, he was <em>starving</em>, but what he wanted was not sustenance. No, he hungered for suffering, the suffering of the invaders. He wanted it so badly his mouth watered and the acid flowing through his flesh boiled from the strength of his desire.

    So it was that Zluth, and all the other Krath gathered with him, waited with almost unbearable anticipation as the pressure continued to mount.

    Sluzzl led his attack from the front, or as close to the front as was reasonable. A significant pool of mucus had been built up close to the blue-mana zone, and the Krath continued to push it forward and add to it. Whenever it touched the barrier, it sizzled and hissed, releasing its corrupt energy and draining away the blue mana, but it neversted long. To actually break through, they would need much more.

    Which was exactly what Chozth was about to deliver.

    The fighting at the front was already intense. Yet it was only a shadow of what was soon toe. It started with a rumble, a vibration that Zluth could detect through the rock beneath his foot. The monsters wereing.Judging by the frenzied reaction amongst the ants, they could also tell, but it was toote. Far toote.

    Zluth watched eagerly, waiting for the signal. It didn''t take long for Chozth to reveal herself, rising from her position in the centre of the ceiling.

    "GUGUGUGUGUGUGUG!" sheughed, uproarious and savage, herughter reverberating through the tunnel.

    As one, the Krath rose from their hiding ces and unleashed their magic.

    Zluth reached deep within himself, summoning the power of acid he had carefully cultivated all his life. Refined and purified over and over again, burning him from the inside out as his tolerance grew to amodate its strength. It was exactly that strength he drew on now, concentrating the acid in his flesh, drawing deep on the toxic mana of the fifth stratum around him and flooding his body with its poison.

    His flesh swelled, acid and mana mixed, burning him from the inside out, but he embraced it, drawing in more and more. When the mix had be as potent as he could make it, Zluth began to weave. He wasn''t the most aplished Krath mage, his acid wasn''t potent enough, and only after his promotion to Krathth had he gained ess to the resources needed to practise, but he was learning quickly.

    When his weaving was finished, he pushed the power from his body in one explosive burst. A ball of dense mana formed in front of his face, swelling with the energy he expelled. When he was done, it sted away from him, spraying a deadly rain of toxin in all directions.

    Dozens of Krath performed simr works of magic, unleashing their most potent techniques, sending their spells flying toward the wall of blue mana in front of them.

    Of course, nothing they producedpared to what Chozth unleashed. From her open mouth, a seemingly endless stream of lurid yellow slime poured, falling from the roof down the floor where it pooled, bubbling ominously. On and on she poured out more and more power, her acid so powerful the sizzling stink of it soon overwhelmed the entire tunnel. Therger the pool grew, the more it frothed and hissed. Zluth''s own magic had already prated the blue mana, shing with the foreign energy as the constant spray of acid from the central ball was dissolved by the blue energy when Chozth ceased the stream of sludge.

    Even though she''d stopped, the now enormous pile of goop continued to grow. In fact, it grew even faster than before, spreading wide across the tunnel. Once it had reached a critical mass, the sludge rose suddenly, climbing ten metres high across a hundred-metre-wide span, thenunched itself forward, a wave of dense slime that rolled over the tunnel floor, seemingly uncaring of anything that was in its way.

    Reacting quickly, the ants withdrew before it reached them, but they couldn''t prevent all the damage. The sludge rolled right into the middle of the blue wall, and punched a hole straight through it. Weakened by all the spells thrown at it, the front of the blue wall gave way before the wave, unable to consume it fast enough. In the gap created by the sludge, toxic mana flowed, filling it in and creating a wedge in the ant defences.

    Rumbling from further down the tunnel intensified as the monsters the Krath had painstakingly herded finally arrived. Like maddened beasts, they charged directly into the weak point Chozth had created.

    Grinning widely, Zluth and all his fellow Krath moved forward into the widening breach.

    There would be prisoners aplenty soon enough. He couldn''t wait.

 Chapter 1373: The Breach Pt 3

    A horde of monsters crashed into the ant lines, who were already engaged in a fighting retreat. The blue mana continued to be blown back by the concentrated power the Krath had created.

    There was a way in! Finally, the invaders were on the run!

    Zluth couldn''t restrain a gurgling bellow of glee as he and his fellow Krath''sizz charged forward, their war parties following in their wake. Many had Net Slimes stuck to their flesh, feeding off their acid, ready to be plucked loose and thrown at their targets, and there were <em>so</em> many targets.

    To slide past the outer defences of the invaders was an almost surreal feeling, and to see the ant lines crumble was intoxicating, causing his flesh to sizzle fiercely.

    "Go forward!" he roared.

    "Poison and torment!"

    "Meat for the pits!"

    "Feast on their bones!"

    The savage cries of the Krath rang out through the tunnel as they followed behind the charge of their herded monsters. Despite their savage glee, they were still members of the tribes, and maintained their cunning. Why would they risk battling at the head of the column when they had pawns to do that work for them?Zluth felt his internal acid bubbling and the heat of his rage rising to its pinnacle as he sought out targets for hiss. Who should he aim for first? Decisions, decisions!

    Before him, the chaos of the battlefield unfolded. The ants maintained their disciplined lines, holding off the horde of savage monsters, but were constantly falling back as the field of blue mana shrank. There were weaknesses everywhere, and even the non-antbatants were bing exposed. Zluthpressed his body and zig-zagged forward, eyes darting atop their stalks, trying to hunt his first prey.

    There!

    One of the strangely robed humans had charged to the front of the line, roaring and bellowing, bizarre attachments to the top of their hood flopping wildly. Zluth''s eyes curved wickedly as he pulled his first slime away with a wet, sucking noise. With his many, spindly arms, he began to swing it, building up momentum before he released it with unerring uracy.

    The strange human was caughtpletely unawares, the knocking them down to the ground with the force of the impact and immediately beginning to expand and cover them. Zluth watched, bemused, as the human continued to bellow and roar, waving the short stump of one arm, right up until the finally wrapped over their mouth.

    All along the width of the tunnel, the Krath pushed forward, seeking out vulnerable targets and letting loose theirs. The ants reacted aggressively, finding those who had beented and dragging them deeper into the blue mana, letting the poisonous energy destroy thes over time. Yet, in the chaos of the fighting, it wasn''t possible to save them all.

    Zluth unleashed several of hiss, each one finding a target, but most of them were found and dragged to safety. He didn''t mind, he only needed to seed once, and after watching carefully, he finally found one.

    Ironically, it was the first he''d thrown. At first, the bizarre human had been moved to safety, but as the blue mana continued to be driven back, and the ant lines continued to withdraw, once again the human was at the very edge of the mana. And now, it waspletely enveloped by Zluth''s still-living Slime.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The Krath spat out a wad of sticky goop, moulded it in his ws, then flung it forward. It unspooled into a line,tching onto the slime with an unbreakable bond, then Zluth began to wind back his prize. Unnoticed, he dragged theted human behind a rock and ensured the seal of the slime was tight and unbroken. If it was prated by toxic mana, the human would be dead long before he reached the pits, and that would be a waste.

    "The cursed blobs!'' Chozth roared. "I see them!"

    Zluth raised his head to see the great Krathth still attached to the roof of the tunnel, looking ahead as the blue wall pushed back further still. He raised his eyestalks high and indeed, he could see what she saw. In the distance, a glowing tform, covered in the awful, defiling blue monsters who fed on the natural energy of the fifth and pumped out poisonous filth sat, well within reach!

    "Leave your captures!" Chozth ordered. "Destroy the filth that taints ournd!"

    The opportunity to strike such a dire blow to the invaders was a great one, but Zluth felt his natural Krath-born caution stir in warning. Was it really safe to push so deep into the enemy fortress? The tform was still hundreds of metres away, and the breach was far from going that deep. In fact, the blue mana seemed to be recovering, pushing back against the hole the Krath had blown into it.

    Yet, there was a chance. The wave of monsters the Krath had unleashed was yet to exhaust itself, and if the Krath''sizz drove their warriors forward, then the breach could be further widened. Destroying those tforms was the best and fastest way to stop this invasion in its tracks.

    Pushing his reluctance aside, Zluth ordered his warriors forward.

 Chapter 1374: The Breach Pt 4

    The Krath left their captives behind, safely secured within their livings, and swarmed onward. The mass of monsters they had driven into their attackers was starting to run out of momentum, yet there was life in it still. Zluth watched carefully as he slid toward the defenders once more.

    Confident that the invaders were pressed and unable to strike back, more of his fellow Krath were taking risks, exposing themselves in ways they never would have normally.

    With a piercing clicking sound, he summoned his war party to him, waiting for them to gather before speaking.

    "Be careful as we advance," he warned them. "Something doesn''t quite feel right."

    He could see they were feeling just as high-spirited as the others, but at his warning, they narrowed their eyes and nodded, epting his word. Cunning and self-preservation were deep-running instincts for the Krath, and his warning had poured cold water on an overly-exuberant and uncautious atmosphere.

    The more he slid forward, the more his feeling of disquiet grew. The ants were still engaged in a fighting retreat, and there had been dozens of captives taken, but there were precious few casualties. When he tried to examine the unfolding battle dispassionately, he realised that although it <em>looked</em> like the invaders were desperate, with multiple punctures in their battle line, those gaps weren''t widening as time passed.

    Finally, he watched Chozth. The leader of the Krath in this war effort continued to exhort her followers to push, to destroy the tform pumping out toxic mana, but she herself had not moved much at all. In fact, as Zluth slid onward with his war party, Chozth was growing further and further away, hurling sts of acid and demanding more from her followers.

    "Something is wrong," Zluth muttered. "Something is <em>very</em> wrong."

    His mind churned even as he supported the battle, shooting slime and acid to assist the monsters still frenzying at the boundary of the blue mana. What was happening? What was the y? There was danger all around him, but he couldn''t tell where it wasing from.Was it the mana?

    The blue field of toxin was rallying against the influx of natural fifth stratum energy, but he couldn''t see any sign that the Krath were going to get cut off. Indeed, the blue energy was still retreating. If that wasn''t it¡­ what could it be?

    The ants?

    Chozth had ensured that the tunnels and surrounding rock would be monitored for any tunnelling activity, and so far no slug had sounded an rm. It shouldn''t be possible for them to be nked unawares.

    Was it Chozth?

    Betrayal from within was a daily urrence for the Krath tribes, but to throw her own war party into the jaws of their enemies during an invasion was uneptable. If word spread that she hadmitted such an act, her own tribe would devour her the moment she returned to the Slimeground.

    Zluth turned his eyes back to watch the sleek, powerful leader, even as he continued to make a show of supporting the fight. Chozth appeared as savage and confident as ever, but still, she wasn''t moving up along with the rest of them.

    Either she was betraying them, or she also felt something was wrong, but was content to risk lesser Krath for the chance of a great victory.

    At that moment, Zluth decided to halt.

    "Wait," he demanded of his war party, and the slugs slid to a halt.

    In front of them, the battle still raged, the tform and its cursed, unnatural beasts had drawn closer, but was still hundreds of metres away. The push hadn''t lost all its momentum, but it was certainly slowing.

    They weren''t going to make it.

    Zluth saw a hint of movement, and both of his eyes snapped to it. It was an ant, not even a full ant, just a leg, but he knew to what that leg belonged. Before the creature could even fully emerge from its ce, buried in the ceiling of the tunnel, Zluth was off and moving.

    "Ambush!" he roared. "Fall back!"

    His own war party reacted quickly, trusting in Zluth''s judgement, but others were not so fast, losing critical seconds as they cast about in confusion. Gleeful aggression did not transition smoothly into panicked retreat, and many Krath were too lost in their bloodlust and rage to realise what was about to happen.

    That confusion scattered like moss in the wind as the giant ant fully revealed itself, cking its mandibles in a steady, intimidating rhythm.

    Zluth raced across the ground, pushing his foot to its absolute limits. He knew what was about toe, and if he didn''t get far enough away, there would be no escape whatsoever.

    With an audible <em>thwump</em>, the strange field snapped into being, and everything in the tunnel became ttened, smashed into the floor with inevitable force.

    But not Zluth.

    He and his war party were clear, they''d covered enough distance! Yet the triumph that surged in his flesh was short-lived, as he saw what was waiting before him.

    "CHOZTH!" he roared.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The leader turned her eyes on him.

    "LOOK!"

    She followed his arms and looked behind her, hesitating for a brief moment as she failed to see what had riled up her subordinate. Then she noticed.

    Slowly, but with increasing speed, roots were beginning to emerge from the walls of the tunnel. Not just the walls; the floor and ceiling as well. In a matter of minutes, they would seal off the path of retreatpletely.

    "RETREAT!" Chozth bellowed. "FULL RETREAT!"

    It was a trap!

 Chapter 1375: The Breach pt 5

    "Abandon the captives!" Zluth told his war party. "Slide as fast as you can!"

    His group was much further back than most and had managed to avoid the crushing force of therge ant''s spell entirely, but many others hadn''t been so lucky. As Zluth raced to escape before the twisting roots could block the tunnel, he turned one eye around to see what was happening behind.

    It wasn''t pretty. Many Krath had acted cautiously, just as Zluth had, but many others had not. When he''d shouted his warning, several Krath''sizz had pulled their groups back just far enough that they''d either outrun the strange spell or been caught right on the edge. By pressing themselves down to their smallest, thinnest shape, they were still able to push out of the field, if only just.

    Yet there were several dozen Krath who were caught right in the middle. Despite straining with all of their strength, it was unlikely they would make it clear of the crushing force before the giant ant was able to reach them. Indeed, as he watched, the massive ant strode inexorably forward out of the blue mana and toward the captured slugs, cking its mandibles mockingly the whole time.

    His initial fears that some would betray the tribes, as Goszi had, were ayed as his fellow Krath began to detonate themselves one by one. The loss of good slugs was a blow to Chozth, but more traitors would have been enough to send Zluth into a fury.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Chozth herself hadn''t been idle. As her people rushed towards her with all the speed they could muster, she once again sucked in mana and began to work a spell. When she turned and started racing for the tunnel exit herself, she dropped down from the ceiling and began to hurl a stream of slick goop from her mouth.

    With the trail of slime in front of her, she raced across the ground at an absurd pace, her lithe and powerful body capable of speeds that Zluth could only dream of.

    "Quick! Onto the trail!" he yelled to his followers, sliding onto it himself and instantly finding himself gliding faster than before.

    His followers responded, and soon the growing wall of roots began to fill their vision."Damn tree!" Zluth cursed, eyes bulging with fury atop their stalks.

    There was only one tree monster capable of doing something like this. At least, only one that wasn''t an Ancient, and every Krath knew, and hated that cursed creature. Zluth sizzled with anger as he realised he should have seen iting. The cursed children of the wooden thief had been seen assisting the ants, so of course they were here with her knowledge and approval. The Krath had expected the ants to tunnel around behind them and had taken measures to ensure they couldn''t be surprised, but they hadn''t bothered to try and detect the presence of the Mother Tree''s roots.

    A costly mistake, but one that wouldn''t be the end of him! He was going to make it out, no matter what!

    Ahead, Chozth was already far ahead of them, the stream of goo from her mouth finallying to an end as she ran out of power. Yet, for her, it didn''t matter, she had reached the growing blockade and leaped through, rootsshing after her form as she sailed through the open gap.

    That gap was rapidly closing.

    Zluth cast his eyes about frantically, looking for another way out. He pushed as hard as he could for the exit, but he could already tell it was going to be close. Desperate for a fallback n, he hunted for a crack or crevice in the tunnel walls, anything that he could force himself into and try to dig his way out through, but there was nothing. The ants had been busy, reforging the natural walls of the tunnel into reinforced stone, smooth and without blemish.

    Seeing no alternative, he abandoned his search and concentrated on the only escape he could still see: the narrowing gap ahead.

    "Push harder, you weaklings!" he roared to his war party behind him, some of whom were already gging. "Faster! Or you won''t make it!"

    Despite the risk of slowing him down, Zluth pulled in more mana and began to blend it with the acid inside him. Weaving a quick spell, heunched a glob of lurid, sizzling acid, sttering it over the roots, which immediately began to sizzle and burn.

    He grimaced at the expense. The acid stores within him had grown thin, and he didn''t have enough for any more magic. What remained pulsed throughout his slug flesh, butcked the vigour and heat he was ustomed to.

    It would be the work of many days to restore himself, but that was something he could worry about after he survived.

    As the wall of roots loomedrger andrger in his eyes, he pushed himself to the limits, his foot straining to eke out every bit of speed he was capable of.

    With a roar, heunched himself,pressing himself to lower the wind resistance as he sailed through the air. Roots scraped against his flesh, digging painful grooves along his foot, but Zluth was through. The tunnel beyond was clear, Chozth waiting a short distance away.

    The rest of Zluth''s war party followed soon after, and a small number of other groups made it through. More Krathunched spells at the roots, trying to burn them away with acid and sludge, but it had little effect. As time passed, the roots grew thicker and thicker, addingyers as well as mass to the wall.

    Soon, it formed a solid barrier, and the Krath trapped on the other side were left with no way out.

    Chozth''s flesh bubbled and popped with the strength of her fury as she beheld the small number of Krath who had managed to escape. Only a third of those involved in the attack had found a way out. This assault had been a disaster.

    Yet, witnessing the raw power of the Krathth, there were none who entertained the slightest thought of challenging her, not even Zluth.

    "We will retreat," she burbled furiously. "Move."

    Tired, weakened, and burning with fury, Zluth gathered his war party and slid away, one eye fixed on the barrier behind him.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 1379: Unexpected Scene

    It wasn''t easy for Chyron to get a meeting with Snt. Not because the ants prevented them from speaking to each other, but because the demands on the ant''s time were so extreme that opportunities for them to get together were scarce.

    They''d met several times since the initial agreement had been formed, and the Commander expected things to go much the same way as they hadst time. However, she was in luck, and was granted an audience with the ant leader at oddly short notice.

    Walking into themand post, alone, was a disorienting sensation for Chyron. There were ants <em>everywhere</em>. They crawled over each other, on the roof, on the walls, antennae waving and legs flickering. The space was filled with constant motion to the point it was dizzying, even to someone with her level of vision.

    Not that the area wasn''t organised. There were clear lines of delineation for tasks, areas of expertise and processes. Messengersing in were organised based on priority, shuffled into different queues to be processed, information was double and triple checked before being passed to the inner circle, moving from outer ring to inner through trusted intermediaries. As a leader herself, Chyron recognised the purpose to much of the flow. There was just so much of it, and the space was so full, that being inside gave her an oppressive feeling of ustrophobia.

    Fortunately, she wasn''t required to go too far inside, just to wait on the outskirts, and soon a small ant surrounded by many others emerged from the chaos, a mind bridge forming between them soon after.

    [Greetings, Commander.]

    Snt''s mental tone was always cool and calm, almost devoid of emotion. She spoke with a deliberate, precise pace, as if every word had been measured and weighed before she opted to deliver it.

    Chyron didn''t bow or tip her head, but raised a hand in greeting.

    [Snt,] she said, attempting to show some level of respect to the monster. Insulting the creature wouldn''t get her what she wanted, nor would open hostility. Who''d said Chyron was incapable of diplomacy?[I have heard you are interested in meeting our resident Krath?] Snt asked,ing to a stop before the Commander.

    The monster almost reflexively began cleaning her antennae, dragging them through the elbow joints of her front legs, something all the ants did habitually.

    [So it''s true?] Chyron noted. [You actually captured one?]

    [The Eldest makes the impossible possible on a regr basis,] the ant noted, [I no longer question it. Would you like to meet him?]

    [I''m interested in seeing for myself,] Chyron confirmed, but wondered whether they would allow it. To her surprise, the general nodded immediately.

    [Very well. I will take you.]

    One thing about the ants is that they didn''t tend to move slow. Much like the non-monstrous versions on the surface that Chyron recalled from her youth, they skittered about quickly, and she was forced to maintain a jogging pace to keep up. In her heavy armour, a normal person would have been exhausted in moments, but she easily maintained the pace.

    Through many tunnels and twists they ran, the still-developing fortress being built up around them. Every time Chyron came through the tunnels, she was more impressed by what the ants had been able to achieve. Not content with half measures, they had decided to build something enormous in scale. Whenplete, it would dwarf the Legion''s own holdings in the fifth, but it was yet to be seen if the ants could finish it, let alone hold it.

    Eventually, they came to the outskirts of the fortress, through a tight security corridor and finally into a small chamber. One entire wall was made of some form of ss that, for the moment, was opaque. The rest of the room was in and undecorated, without furniture or embellishment of any kind.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    [It wasn''t easy for us to create this space,] Snt exined, indicating the ss wall. [There''s a null mana zone all around the chamber in which the Krath is held. It pushes away the purified energy of the fortress as well as the natural mana of the fifth, preventing the two from blending. Once a day, we have to refresh the mana inside, as the prisoner absorbs it over time.]

    Five ants had entered the room along with them, and Snt nodded to one who then began weaving magic. Chyron could feel the monster reach out to something in the other room, forming a mind bridge, thenmunicating.

    [We want to let him know you''re here, so there aren''t any surprises,] Snt told her.

    [You don''t want to surprise it?] Chyron wondered.

    Just what sort of treatment were they giving the creature? The Krath were the most despicable creatures in the entire Dungeon, regrly inflicting the most horrific treatment on their captives to the point that capture at their hands was considered the worst fate a person could suffer. The Legion had burned down whole swathes of the fifth to try and exterminate them, but had never seeded, locking the enmity between them in stone.

    [He doesn''t want to talk to us with Commander Chyron present,] the mage announced.

    [He doesn''t have a choice,] Snt replied coolly. [Open the ss.]

    The window turned transparent, and Chyron''s eyes widened.

    The Krath were as ugly in form as they were in spirit. Long, green-yellow slugs, theirrge mouths were filled with needle-pointed fangs, and atop their form, their eyes sat at the end of long stalks. At the front of their bodies, twelve spindly limbs extended, each tipped with razor-thin ws.

    Right now, the slug was ring straight at Chyron, its eyes bulging and burning pure red with hate. Though she couldn''t hear it, Chyron could see the writhing and slight popping up and down the creature''s flesh. Sensitive to its mood, the acid the Krath kept within their flesh was clearly active.

    To be fair, the Commander felt much the same way, her hands clenching into fists as she imagined tearing the creature apart and stomping it beneath her armoured boots.

    So pure was her anger, she didn''t notice the creature''s ''cell'' for some time. Soft cushions, rugs, nice furniture, a bed, even paintings and tapestries on the wall. Was that a te of tea and biscuits on the table?!

    [Is this your prisoner or your guest?] she demanded of Snt, rounding on the little ant.

    [Prisoner,] came the reply.

    [Then why are you treating it so well? If your roles were reversed, you would be <em>begging</em> for death!]

    [I don''t care about inflicting pain, or making the creature suffer, or how the Krath have treated others,] Snt said. [I only care about extracting information.]

 Chapter 1380: Commander, Meet Goszi

    The Legionary Commander and the Krath red at each other, each wishing they could destroy the other, while Snt stood to the side, observing their interactions calmly.

    [I refuse to say a word in the presence of this metal-d usurper,] Goszi hissed into the general''s mind. [Get rid of her immediately.]

    Snt cked her mandibles, somewhat amused.

    [Do you think I am here to question you? That is not the case.]

    Goszi narrowed his eyes, turning his re onto the ant as his mind buzzed with possibilities. Were the Legion the true architects of the invasion? Had they finally stepped forward to im credit?

    If so, he would rather die than talk. Goszi wanted to live, of course he did, but even he had his limits. Spill the deepest secrets of the Krath to their most hated enemies? You may as well have him talk directly to the tree!

    He wouldn''t do it.

    Chyron also turned her ire-filled gaze toward Snt.

    [Do you really think if you treat a <em>Krath</em> nicely, they will reciprocate with kindness? They eat each other as a way to prune the weak. There isn''t a shred of kindness to be found in them. They are more monster than sapient.]Even Snt couldn''t let that pass.

    [Almost as if being born naturally or from the Dungeon has no bearing on character,] she chided the Commander, who didn''t take back her words. Not wanting to quarrel, Snt moved on. [No, being kind to Goszi will not elicit his sympathy or respect. By the same token, being cruel and administering pain will only cause him to withhold from us, or begin to lie. In order to persuade him to share, we have to give him something he values. Only then can we threaten to take it away.]

    Chyron frowned. It was probably impossible to cause enough pain to a Krath to make them speak. They lived with acid burning within their bodies every second of every day. Pain was nothing to them, a constantpanion from the moment they were born to the moment they died.

    [You really think you can extort information out of this creature with tea and biscuits?]

    [We will soon see.]

    [Have you finally decided to reveal your true masters?] Goszi spat at Snt. [This whole invasion has been the work of the Legion all along!]

    Now the general turned back to the slug, waggling her antennae.

    [You believe the Abyssal Legion has created an army of monstrous ants and joined forces with the bruan''chii to wage war on the fifth?] she asked.

    She let the absurd question hang between them, raining ridiculousness down on Goszi''s head.

    When he considered it, what Snt said made sense. The Legion would never do such things. The Legion wouldn''t cooperate with monsters or bruan''chii in any way, and yet, they were here! There was a Legionary Commander standing next to a monster staring daggers at him right this moment!

    This had to mean something, a y by the real puppeteers, but for what? Perhaps they were trying to tip him off bnce, rile up his anger by parading this hateful sack of meat in front of him. Or was it misdirection? Perhaps the Legion really <em>was</em> in charge, and this was just to make him think they weren''t! Still¡­ would they really abandon the principles they had held onto for thousands of years?

    The more he tried to read the situation and find the deeperyers of meaning, the more he became tangled in his own thoughts. Whoever was pulling the strings was a mastermind, hinting at things but never revealing, leaving Goszi in a web of illusions.

    [What do you want, bringing this¡­ <em>person</em> here? All you have done is stir my hatred,] he dered probing for a response.

    As always, Snt was unperturbed by the words of the slug.

    [I don''t want anything. I don''t expect anything. I don''t need anything,] she replied. [You assume that this is about you, but why would that be the case? We may be here for the Commander, or perhaps in the service of our unseen ''masters''?]

    The slug red at Snt, who looked back cidly, unresponsive in the face of Goszi''s rising fury.

    [Do you think this will bait me into revealing something I shouldn''t?] he sneered. [I am <em>less</em> likely to talk now that you''ve shown how closely you are working with my enemies.]

    Solent waved her antennae thoughtfully.

    [Goszi, I shouldn''t have to remind you that <em>we</em> are your enemies, yet you propose to work with us just fine. If you truly feel that you don''t want to divulge any information¡­ then I''m afraid we may need to consider cancelling afternoon tea today.]

    Goszi frowned, looking at the ant monster askance.

    [You''re¡­ cancelling tea?] he queried.

    Solent nodded.

    [Yes. It is difficult to bring tea and biscuits down into the fifth; there is a limited supply, as I''m sure you understand. If you refuse to cooperate with us at all¡­ then I''m afraid it is difficult to justify providing you with such raremodities.]

    Gosziughed in her face.

    [I was expecting threats from you, but <em>this</em> is what you choose to threaten me with?] he mocked. [I have lived most of my life on slime and rotten meat. You won''t pry any knowledge from me with a few of these¡­ <em>biscuits</em>.]

    [As you say,] Snt acknowledged, then cut him off, turning to Chyron. [As you can see, we have not misled you. We have a captive, there he is, and we are working to extract what reliable information we can in our own way.]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    [Do you think you will be sessful?] Chyron growled, still staring at the hateful slug. Seeing a Krath like this was a first for her, trapped and helpless, unable to escape her re. [If you need assistance, I know how to make them fear.]

    It wasn''t something she should have offered, which she realised immediately, but found she wasn''t prepared to retract her words. Yes, she could inflict horrors on this Krath, and would dly do so.

    [That will not be necessary,] Snt informed her, before gesturing that they should leave the small viewing chamber. [I believe there is nothing to be gained from having you and Goszi re at each other any further. Let us leave.]

    [So you gained something from this meeting?] Chyron asked as she turned and stomped out.

    [I believe so, yes,] Snt said with satisfaction, her many-lensed eyes gleaming.

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